According to the CDC, over 3 million Americans have inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). It is a general term describing disorders that cause chronic irritation and inflammation of the tissues lining your gastrointestinal tract, which extends from the mouth to the anus. One of the most prevalent inflammatory bowel diseases is Crohn’s Disease New Hyde Park. A Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America (CCFA) research established that more than 700,000 Americans are diagnosed with Crohn’s disease yearly.
There are ongoing clinical studies to understand better how Crohn’s disease starts, the people at risk of the condition, and the best way to manage it. Although this particular inflammatory bowel disease is incurable, managing it to restore the quality of your life is possible.
Your Crohn’s disease specialist can recommend adjustments to your regular diet to eliminate or minimize the flaring up of symptoms. You must avoid foods triggering symptoms such as bloating, stomach gas, diarrhea, cramping, and abdominal discomfort.
Below are the foods you should avoid if you have Crohn’s disease.
- Beverages
Crohn’s disease increases your risk of becoming dehydrated since you lose a lot of body fluids through diarrhea or profuse sweating if you have a fever or the weather is hot. And if you are dehydrated, Crohn’s disease symptoms will worsen.
For that reason, a Chron’s disease specialist will always advise that you stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water and fluids.
However, avoid sweetened, caffeinated, and carbonated fluids or beverages, including alcohol, sports drinks, tea, coffee, and soda.
- Dairy products
If you have Crohn’s disease, there is a higher possibility that your body cannot properly digest the sugar (lactose) in certain dairy products.
You should not eat dairy products like milk, butter, and cheese.
- High-fat foods
Your small intestine cannot fully absorb high-fat foods, such as french fries, fried chicken, or fatty meat cuts, that you eat. As a consequence, there will be aggravation of Crohn’s disease symptoms, including loose stools and cramping.
Eat sources of proteins that do not contain a lot of fats. Because of the inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract, your body will often require more intake of proteins as they promote healing from inflammation and helps prevent muscle loss.
Excellent sources of protein for the body can include eggs and fish.
- Hard-to-digest carbohydrates
When you eat hard-to-digest carbohydrates, your intestine must hold undigested food particles longer. That allows the bacteria in the intestine sufficient time to break them down.
However, if the harmful intestinal bacteria accumulate excessively, that can worsen the symptoms of Crohn’s disease.
Carbohydrates that can be difficult to digest are brown rice and black beans.
- Certain fruits and vegetables
Some fruits and vegetables trigger higher levels of liquid and gas in your small and large intestines. For that reason, you will have to deal with constipation, bloating, gas, and abdominal discomfort.
Hence, avoid fruits and vegetables like garlic, onions, mangoes, bananas, avocados, and watermelons.
Contact Digestive Disease Care today to schedule an appointment with a Crohn’s disease specialist and learn more about the condition, including whether you may need surgery to eliminate damaged parts of your GI tract.