What modifications to diet have you tried, and what seems to be working for you?

[bananasmoothie]

Hi, I'm new to the forum. I've had CD for 12 years now since I was 15, and I'm currently studying to be a dietitian. Personally, changes in my diet has made me completely symptom free between flare ups, and also seems to work to extend my time in remission between flare ups. I feel like a whole new person when I'm in remission, as in I don't ANY symptoms (which was always the case prior to dietary changes, even in times of 'remission'), no pain, I don't need to run to the toilet, I have normal energy levels etc. I'm currently adjusting my meds since a flare up late last year, but apart from the side effects from those I am symptom free .

As a dietitian I am very interested in the dietary aspect of treatment for Crohn's and UC. Unfortunately there is not a lot of research out there, but I was wondering if any of you have tried modifications to your diets, and what has been working for you guys.

Personally, I find a really low fat diet in which the fat I do consume is high in omega-3 (the only high fat foods I eat are linseed, walnuts, chia seeds and LC omega-3 supplements), completely free from dairy and very low in other animal products (I'm practically a vegetarian). I also find I struggle with any refined grains (white bread, white pasta, white rice etc) so I try to stick to wholemeal whenever I can. I have found, since being well in remission, I can eat all my previous problem foods (onions, garlic, beans, cabbages and other cruciferous veg, and oranges which were always a problem for me), AND wheat as long as it is wholemeal.

My personal theories of why this works is that my diet has a good omega-3/omega-6 balance as I avoid high omega-6 foods (such as plant oils), and boost my intake of anti-inflammatory omega-3's. Also, research has shown an altered gut flora in people with Crohn's. Fibre and other hard-to-digest carbohydrates have been shown to alter the gut flora in people, hence potentially (as my diet is automatically higher in fruit and vegetables including legumes) my gut flora has 'improved' and my gut is not reacting to the 'bad' bacteria as much any more. This may or may not be the reason, or part of the reason. Either way, whilst waiting for more research to come out, I feel so much better.

So, in order to help me piece together more parts of the puzzle, I ask you, what diets/dietary modifications have you tried? What helped, and what didn't help? How did it help (e.g. helped with pain/less frequent toilet visits/no blood or mucus/over all feeling of wellbeing etc). I'd appreciate any answers.

 

[theOcean]

Out of curiousity, since you mentioned it: which medications are you on on top of your diet?

I'm on Humira. Since diagnosis, I became lactose-intolerant, which was the first big modification I had to make. Luckily, I was just able to switch to lactose-free milk/cream and that was fine for me. I'm okay with hard cheeses but not soft ones, and can usually get away with taking an enzyme (lactaid) if I do eat something cheesy or creamy that I know contains lactose.

I tried probiotics to help with some gut problems after I'd spent eight long months on antibiotics, but found they didn't help too much. Maybe my flora had righted itself by then, but I'm not sure. I was long into remission by then already though.

I was never a big meat eater, and never really liked red meat. I can't tolerate it at all in flare, and I still get sick from beef even in remission. So far I've noticed it with ground beef, and I'm not sure with other preparation methods of it. I think it's because when it's ground it's often a bit greasier. I also know I can't handle it processed at all. I deal with low iron levels and low ferritin, but I wasn't exactly getting that from meat anyway. I take proferrin to make up for that.

I can't really tolerate greasy food. I don't eat fast food anyway, so that wasn't a change that was exactly hard to make.

Regardless of how well I'm doing, I don't deal with spinach or seeds well at all. I'm okay with nuts though, and other greens I seem to be fine with.

Breads are my safe food during flare. White flour anything, whole grain maybe. White pastas, etc.

I love love looove raw onion but I had to cut it out from my diet because it would be a guarantee for upsetting my stomach. Eating too much meat will do that to me, too.

From 2011 when I was diagnosed up until last year, I wasn't eating fibre because I was in a constant flare and couldn't really tolerate it. I was having issues with constipation since getting into remission, though, but found fibre would actually make it worse. Fibre supplements, magnesium citrate in case it was too much calcium, cutting out calcium... none of that seemed to make it better, but adding fibre certainly made it worse.

I know I can definitely tolerate fibre more, and I do eat food that obviously has it from time to time, but I still very much stay away from grains. I eat a diet that's very high in calcium and carbohydrates, and I guess probably sugar, and I seem fine with that.