Special Diet For Ulcerative Colitis

When it comes to Ulcerative Colitis or UC, there is no one diet to aid in the symptoms. Many doctors do encourage healthy diet will often work with patients to create an diet that works for them and their disorder.

For many people who have ulcerative colitis, they are encouraged to keep a food diary to learn what foods cause flare-ups.

As a person who has a gastrointestinal disease, I am very careful what I eat now. I eat spicy food such as pizza in only moderate amounts, drink alcohol occasionally, do not use too many spices in food such as pepper, and practice yoga and stress management as a part of my daily routine to keep my symptoms at bay. Even though there is no traditional diet for those with UC, IBS, and the like, there are some foods to watch out for, eat in limited quantities, or just avoid all together. These include popcorn, nuts and seeds as they can cause abdominal cramping. Anything greasy or fried as those foods are high in fat and cannot be entirely absorbed into the body, which could cause gas and diarrhea.

Anyone who is lactose intolerant would avoid milk, cheese, ice cream, and anything with dairy products in them as these can cause abdominal cramping, gas, and loose stools.

Raw fruits and vegetables can be rough on someone who has a gastrointestinal problem and can cause bloating and gas. Also, drinking may not make the condition worse, but for some it can make bring on attacks. It's also best to stay away from white sugar and anything with white bread and white flour. Limit or avoid strong teas, coffee, and alcohol. Be sure to drink plenty of water to keep up normal bowel movements and get plenty of sleep.

One needs to eliminate all causes of stress and adjust to the disorder with patience. There are several diets that work for those with Ulcerative Colitis. The fresh fruit diet is used during attacks. It is a fast that is to be used for 5 days during attacks and juices like papaya, carrot, and raw cabbage are the best. Citrus juices should be avoided at this time.

After 10 days, smaller meals such as cooked or steamed vegetables such as banana, papaya, along with yogurt and cottage cheese can be eaten. Coconut water can be drunk as it is soothing to the soft mucosa of the colon.

For the next three months to avoid flare-ups, those with ulcerative colitis should follow this guideline: breakfast with ripe bananas or papaya and milk, carrot juice for a snack in the mid-morning, steamed vegetables and rice for lunch, coconut water or fruit juice for an afternoon snack, raw sprouts such as alfalfa and beans, cottage cheese and nuts for dinner. For a snack before bed, one can have a glass of milk or a baked apple.

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