Crohn's food??

LegacyUser

Can any fellow crohn's sufferers let me know a typical menu of what they eat? I am currently off wheat, dairy, sugar and alcohol. Have been told that diet makes no difference as such but I know myself what my triggers are.
Do any of you juice vegetables? What about potatoes? Any suggestions what to eat when you're out n about...or for snacks??

mad_fish

Hey,

I'll think you will get a lot of varied responses, as some people react differently to different foods depending on the crohns they have but also on how well they are feeling at that stage.
Personally I tend to stay away from a lot of fresh fruit and juices, they always give me trouble, anything with large amounts of fiber (ie thick brown bread) can be problematic especially if your feeling bad at the time. I tend to stick to pasta/white meats/certain veg, though again this may or may not work for you in particular. I found a lot of agreed/didnt agree with me came from trial and error..

If your looking for a comprehensive list I would recommmend talking to your consultant/GP, they may even be able to get you in to see a dietician who may be able to give you a much more personalized list of can/cannot foods.

lip

Hi,as was said,everyone is different.I cannot have anything with fibre,fruit,veg,brown bread,basically most things that are considered healthy.I have a very high carb diet unfortunately,white bread,potatoes.I do eat a lot of rubbish too,crisps kill me but I just can't resist.If you know what your triggers are thats a great help.Since last August I have been flaring and keeping a diary and can find no pattern to it,seems to be that I'm eating as opposed to what I'm eating at the moment.My cousin has crohns too and his trigger is dairy,he has been avoiding it for years.Sorry not much help,but it does vary greatly.

The_Conductor

I've no problem whatsoever with dairy- and eat several yoghurts a day. I do have problems with high fibre foods, and while I can handle them in small quantities, tend to avoid them. I find anything with sweetcorn or maize in it (which includes cornflakes and most breakfast cereals) to be totally toxic for me. Outside of this- anything with artificial flavour enhancers- in particular MSG- can cause me big problems depending on how I'm feeling (if I'm very well- I may very well get away with foods that if I'm even just a little under the weather might be totally toxic to me).

There isn't a schedule of foods you can avoid- it differs from person to person. There are a few commonalities- such as high fibre foods, high fat foods, cigarette smoke and stress. Some people can handle alcohol in moderation without any trouble whatsoever- whereas it might hospitalise someone else........

Keep going with your food diary- be brutally honest with yourself and learn how different things (which need not necessarily be foods) affect you and your body.

nerdysal

When I am in the middle of a flare up I can't touch any fruit or raw veg. But now in remission I can manage peaches, apricot, cherries and plums (anything with a stone in the middle!!). Also I can't have high fibre foods (popcorn, weetabix, brown bread), anything with MSG or ANYTHING spicy (no chilli for me- thankfully I can't stand spice!!!). Also fizzy drinks are a no-no during a flare-up but even during remission they are something I limit myself to.

Foods that really helped me get through my flare-up are all forms of dairy (particularly milk- I drank 3 litres a day), ham sandwiches (or just ham in general!), white rice and LOADS of peppermint! Powerful stuff!

LegacyUser

Thanks for all the replies. I can't look at salads, strong cheeses and dressings that kind of thing, and found I was naturally turned off certain foods for a year before I was diagnosed with Crohns.Milk always used to ease my stomach and now it's a major trouble maker....just interesting to see what other fellow Crohnies can eat. Do you eat out...what kind of takeaways if any do you get?
Also was told my cholesterol is a bit high, was wondering if that has anything to do with Crohn's? Totally new to this and haven't had my appointment yet for my gastro so not on any medication or anything yet(loooooong story, but diagnosed by one Hospital and transferred to another)..so no real idea what I am at food wise etc.
Have Crohns in my oesophagus and everywhere else (couple of ulcers)but still have to get my small intestine looked at.

nerdysal

An Italian Takeaway is pretty much the only takeaway I can have. Margherita (haven't a notion how to spell that) pizzas can get pretty boring after a while though.
I do eat out. But I email the restaurant beforehand and ask for the menu then I ask them can they do certain dishes without pepper or spices etc. They're usually very good about it.
You should ask your gastro to refer you to a dietician. It's very hard to work out foods on your own and dieticians are great for keeping an eye on your iron and protein levels up.

BrianJD

Hi. I fully recommend you to visit a dietician. I saw one last year for the first time in 10 years of having crohns and i found it very helpfull. I know it varies alot from person to person but i know that during a flareup a low fibre diet is necessary. I was told that I could eat normally during remission but i tend to stay away from the heavy fibre things.

Try and drink plenty of water and smoking is a big no no
Best of luck