How does food affect a flare

[boussole]

Hi!

I know the opinions are different for many people about it, but I'd like to hear what you think about it.

If we are in flare, does food will only increase the symptoms for 1-2 days or can it really harm the healing?

 

[teeny5]

Personally if I stay away from the foods that are causing issues when flaring I am better off. My GI recommended liquid meals (Ensure or Boost) to "give the bowels a rest." I believe in this approach for my body. I believe if it gives you pain you should avoid it...or limit it greatly. Your body is trying to tell you not to eat it. My diet has completely changed since being diagnosed and I have learned to listen to my body. But, everyone of us is different. What may help me, may do nothing for others.

 

[The Real MC]

In my experience, the wrong food does increase the symptoms. Multiple times I went on bland diet on advice of my doctor after abdominal cramps due to foods. Stayed on it 6-7 days so the piping can heal. Some residual cramps the first couple of days, but much better at the end.

Isolating WHAT foods trigger it is tricky (and painful). I narrowed my unsafe foods down to raw nuts, breath mints, creamy soups with cheese, pepperoni, and excess starch. Fried foods are risky. Once I cut those out of my diet the cramps were fewer and farther between. Unfortunately no two crohns patients have the same list of unsafe foods.

Beware of restaurant chains while recovering. Even though I ordered "safe" foods during a recovery, I had a recurrence. I think I may have a reaction to sulfites, which is a preservative used in many foods in restaurant chains.