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Bowel Disease: Changing Your Diet
No one diet is right for everyone with an inflammatory bowel disease. Foods that bother one person may not bother another. Your diet has to be tailored for you. But the following basic ideas can help you feel better and get the nutrition you need.
Find your problem foods
Find out your problem foods by keeping a food diary. As soon as you know what foods make your symptoms worse, your doctor or dietitian can help you plan a diet that avoids problem foods but gives you plenty of nutrients and enough calories to keep you at a healthy weight.
To make a food diary, get a small notebook and keep it with you. Make notes after each meal or snack.
- On the left side of the page, write down what you ate, about how much of each food you had, and what time you ate. Be honest—write down everything.
- On the right side of the page, note any symptoms you had and what time they occurred.
If you notice certain foods make your symptoms worse, talk to your doctor about these foods at your next visit.
Make smart food choices
During a flare-up, avoid or reduce foods that make symptoms worse. But instead of cutting out a whole group of high-nutrient foods, try replacing them with healthy choices.
- Choose dairy products that are low in lactose, such as yogurt or hard cheeses like cheddar. Or try drinking lactose-reduced milk.
- If you are having fat in your stools, choose low-fat foods instead of high-fat ones. For instance, some cuts of red meat have a lot of fat. A low-fat choice would be lean beef (such as sirloin, top and bottom round, chuck or diet lean hamburger), poultry, or fish, such as cod. Instead of frying foods, try baking or broiling them.
- Cook fruits and vegetables without hulls, skins, or seeds. Try different ways of preparing them, such as steaming, stewing, or baking. Peel and seed fresh fruits and vegetables if these bother you, or choose canned varieties.
Get the calories and nutrients you need
Your body may not be able to absorb all the nutrients it needs from the food you eat. To stay as healthy as you can:
- Eat a varied, nutritious diet that is high in calories and protein.
- Try eating 3 meals plus 2 or 3 snacks a day. It may be easier to get more calories if you spread your food intake throughout the day.
- Take vitamin and mineral supplements if your doctor recommends them.
- Try adding high-calorie liquid supplements, such as Ensure Plus or Boost Plus, if you have trouble keeping your weight up.
- Drink plenty of fluids. This can help you avoid dehydration, kidney problems, and gallstones.
- See your doctor or dietitian if your diet feels too limited or you are losing weight.
Test Your Knowledge
I need to eat a high-calorie, high-protein diet.
TrueYou may not be absorbing all the nutrients from the food you eat, so you need to eat a high-calorie, high-protein diet. This may be easier to do if you eat 3 meals plus 2 or 3 snacks each day.
FalseYou may not be absorbing all the nutrients from the food you eat, so you need to eat a high-calorie, high-protein diet. This may be easier to do if you eat 3 meals plus 2 or 3 snacks each day.
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Bowel Disease: Changing Your Diet
| By: | Healthwise Staff | Last Revised: October 8, 2010 |
| Medical Review: | Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine Arvydas D. Vanagunas, MD - Gastroenterology | |
© 1995-2011 Healthwise, Incorporated. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated. This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. How this information was developed to help you make better health decisions.
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