Theres no single diet that works for everyone who hasCrohns disease.
You may be able to manage a flare of symptoms by making some temporary changes to your diet.
Diet can be used as the first line of therapy or in combination therapy with medications for best results.
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How you eat may also help prevent certain complications from Crohns.
Get our printable guide for your next doctor’s appointment to help you ask the right questions.
How It Works
Some types of food are harder for your body to digest than others.
Get our printable guide for your next doctor’s appointment to help you ask the right questions.
When your intestines are weak and damaged, normal digestive processes can be stressful.
Asking your body to do a little less work gives your gastrointestinal tract time to heal.
Putting less demand on your intestines can also ease your symptoms.
Choosing foods that can pass through your digestive tract easily eliminates the stress of heavy foods.
Keeping food bland also helps prevent more inflammation.
Duration
A Crohns diet may take two forms.
A registered dietician or nutritionist may also be able to help.
As you experiment with your diet you may find some foods make your symptoms worse.
You may choose to avoid these trigger foods all the time or just when youre having a flare.
Safe foods can be part of your regular and healing diet.
For example, a raw apple with the peel may have more fiber than your body can handle.
Peeled, chopped, and cooked on the stove, applesauce is a diet staple for stomach upsets.
Vegetables like potato and squash are easy to cook.
you’re free to bake them, boil them, or even microwave them.
Low fiber fruits and veggies can also be juiced or pureed for smoothies.
White rice is another low-fiber option.
Avoid brown rice, wild rice, or rice pilaf.
Hot cereals, such as Cream of Wheat, may work well.
Simply prepared packets of oatmeal are approved if you tolerate them.
Avoid cereal and granola that has dried fruit, nuts, or other additions.
Yogurt is a good source of probiotics, which may benefit digestive health.
Protein:Choose lean sources of protein, such as skinless chicken breast.
Avoid frying food or cooking with oil, butter, or spices.
Be careful not to overcook the meat, you dont want it to be tough.
Plant-based protein staples like beans and legumes can cause gas.
Tofu or tempeh may work as a non-meat protein source.
Whole nuts can be difficult to digest but you may tolerate small portions of smooth nut butter.
Desserts:Avoid rich, sugary, fatty treats like cakes, cookies, ice cream, pudding.
Gelatin may be OK, but dont add any whipped topping.
These ingredients sometimes causedigestive distress.
You may feel the best eating on this schedule even when you are not having symptoms.
If you tend to get uncomfortably full quickly, try having drinks and meals or snacks separately.
Children can also have Crohns.
Like adults, they may need to be on a certain diet to manage the condition.
If youre looking for gluten-free pasta noodles, avoid alternatives made with beans, legumes, and corn.
If your diet becomes too restricted, you may have a hard time getting the nutrition you need.
You may need to take vitamins or other supplements to prevent deficiencies.
Kitchen implements like blenders or handheld food processors can make pureeing foods for a Crohns diet much easier.
you might also find other affordable options online.
If your healthcare provider wants you to include them in your diet, ask if they can be prescribed.
If you have insurance, these products (or similar products) may becovered by your plan.
Side Effects
Some temporary digestive upset is common whenever you make changes to your diet.
Adequate nutrition from a varied, balanced, diet isnt just important for managing Crohns.
its also important to maintaining your overall health.
If you have Crohns youre at risk for complications from the disease, including infections.
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