if I were to put spinach in a smoothie and it was all broken down and mushed up, would it be easier to tolerate? Does anyone else do this with veggies/fruits/etc. they can't eat on their own?
It "should" be easier to tolerate. But I suggest you start off very very slowly with just a small handful and build up from there. Lettuce can also be used but it makes you sleepy. Kale is too strong.
If I have a spinach smoothie every day, I am fine once I get into the swing of things. But when I first started or if I don't have one for a few months, I will do several dashes to the loo for the first few days. It is just your body getting use to the additional fiber.
I normally start them on a Friday night, so the next day I am not working and at home near a toilet. Once your body is use to the extra fiber you "should" be OK.
I rely on smoothies and juicing to get my nutrients and find juicing especially useful if I am flaring.
Papain is a papaya enzyme and is particularly helpful in relieving C & UC symptoms because it has soothing anti-inflammatory properties
So a good smoothie to start with is:
A serving of peeled fresh ripe papaya
(not seeds) flesh; thoroughly blended with a glass of filtered water.
And after a few days, you can then try adding a handful of raw spinach. I tried it with frozen spinach once and it was revolting. Fresh is the best way to go.
The secret is in the blending. I have a Vitamix blender which pulverizes everything in sight. I brought it specifically for this reason as my other blender was leaving visible bits of leaf / fiber behind.
I cannot blend raw broccoli into a smoothie and I cannot eat it whole either - terrible terrible pains. But I can juice it with absolutely no problems. So just have a play around and see what works best for you.