Snacks/diet for Crohns and Colitis sufferers.

ncmc

Hi all, I know there is a Crohns thread active at the moment, but as this is more specific, I hope you don't mind me starting a new thread. My hubby is going through the wars at the moment with a Crohns flare up and strictures which are prone to cause blockages. He has finally realised that he needs to totally re-evaluate his diet to see if that gives him a better quality of life. He went to a dietician a few months ago and he was advised to stay away from fatty foods, greasy food, very fibrous (sp) food, fruit, veg, dairy products, sweets, chocolate, fizzy drinks, alcohol etc. I am trying to do a shopping list and diet plan for him and finding it very hard to come up with ideas.

I know food difficulties vary very much from patient to patient, but I would be interested in any tips Crohns sufferers would have. Specifically, I am trying to think of snacks that would be suitable as he has been told to eat little and often. The usual suspects like fruit and yogurt are out for him. Sorry this is so long winded, also I thought this would be better in Long term illness than in Nutrician and diet, but Mods, feel free to move. Thanks in advance!

nerdysal

Does your husband actually get badly affected by all those foods that the dietician suggested he avoid? Every sufferer is different and he will probably only be affected by half of that list. Unless he is badly affected by dairy products I would not avoid them. They are a great source of protein, calcium and calories all which will be essential for him to get over this relapse.

Has he tried any of the nutritional drinks? They are absolutely brilliant for building people back up. One that I found particularly good was Fresubin Protein Energy. You will have to ask your dietician or consultant about it though because it has to be prescribed. It contains loads of protein, iron and all the vits and minerals. Also it is suitable for lactose intolerants.

For snacks I used to eat alot of iced buns and biscuits. It mightn't sound very healthy but for the moment he needs to concentrate on getting the weight up. I was also on 3 litres of milk a day (My dietician believes that's what kept me going) but then if he is intolerant that's no use. I also ate a lot of breakfast cereals for snacks.

I can't think of anything else. If you have any direct questions you want to ask feel free!

geor

I would stick to lactose free or goats milk as lactose is very hard to digest.

Avacocados and peanut butter are usually well tolerated and good ways to gain weight. Also if you can get your hands on some pea protein!

The_Conductor

geor wrote: »

I would stick to lactose free or goats milk as lactose is very hard to digest.

Avacocados and peanut butter are usually well tolerated and good ways to gain weight. Also if you can get your hands on some pea protein!

In Crohn's unless you have a known intolerance to dairy produce, I would not avoid them. As Nerdysal states above- they are an excellent source of protein, and helpful for trying to maintain weight.

There is *not* a definitive list of food to be avoided in Crohn's Disease- it varies greatly from person to person. Personally I find anything with Maize in it (for example cornflakes- or any of a bizarre and bewildering of soups and often nutritional supplements) to be a total no-go area. I also find peanuts to be totally inedible, ditto must of the pulses.

Colitis sufferers in general would tolerate a totally different diet to Crohn's sufferers, and perhaps they may have a more definitive list of food they're encouraged to eat- and food they're encouraged to avoid.

During a Crohn's flareup- and this is a generalisation- the bland foods (such as white rice etc) can be the easiest things of all to stomach (if you'll excuse the pun).

Don't expect a definitive list from anyone- most of it will be trial and error on your hubbies part.

S.

geor

I agree to a certain extent that each crohns or colitis sufferer should tailor there diet based on their experiences.
However, there is strong anecdotal evidence in relation to gluten and lactose being two major food items which many sufferers have an intolerance too.
Also there is a huge group of corhns and colitis sufferers (including myself) who are in remisson and med free from following the Specific Carb Diet.

The_Conductor

geor wrote: »

I agree to a certain extent that each crohns or colitis sufferer should tailor there diet based on their experiences.
However, there is strong anecdotal evidence in relation to gluten and lactose being two major food items which many sufferers have an intolerance too.
Also there is a huge group of corhns and colitis sufferers (including myself) who are in remisson and med free from following the Specific Carb Diet.

That may very well be the case for you. In the OP's case- their husband is not in remission- has diagnosed strictures and is seeking advice specifically regarding a diet which requires them to eat small amount regularly.

I have heard of the specific carbohydrate diet- its being pushed in the US as a 'cure' for autism, IBS, Crohn's and a range of other conditions. When it was first popularised in the 1920s- it was pushed at celiacs in particular, and had a degree of success- given that it removed many of the trigger foods from their diet- but it fell out of fashion altogether until Gottscall starting pushing it for Crohn's and autism again back in the mid 1990s. I haven't heard of it in a while- but there was a write up on it in New Scientist about 10 years ago- and it gets a mention in the January 2010 issue of Wired (where its efficacy in the treatment of autism is roundly rebutted).

There are many theories surrounding Crohn's Disease, Ulcerative Colitis, IBS and their adjutant conditions in other species- such as Johnnes Disease in cattle. Specific research is ongoing (particularly in relation to Johnnes Disease, given its economic considerations), notably at the APC in Cork, but also elsewhere.

It is not valid to propose any active patient pursue a diet which could be potentially detrimental to their health, unless they are under strict medical supervision from a consultant and a dietician qualified to prescribe relevant care to them. It is all well and good managing your condition with a diet that suits you- when you are in a position to control it- this is not the case with the OP. I too am familiar with numerous people who are afflicted with Crohn's Disease, ulcerative colitis and numerous variants of IBD and IBS. There are no one size fits all approaches which are relevant to these very different yet related conditions.

geor

I agree with you, there is no one size fits all diet which will work for Crohns or Colitis. However it makes sense to rest your bowel as much as possible when experiencing a flare-up. Lactose and Gluten are difficult to digest.

Ofcourse all you should check with your consultant and or doctor before changing your diet. However, in many cases it is worth trying for a couple of weeks to see if it makes a difference.