Dietary Advice To Prevent Crohn's Disease Flare-Ups

Eat Smaller Meals More Frequently

Rather than eating three large meals a day, experts recommend that individuals with Crohn's disease eat smaller meals more frequently. The size of a meal can make as big a difference as the actual nutritional content in the food. If an individual's portions are too big, they are more likely to experience intestinal distress. Experts recommend having five set times to eat every day: a small breakfast, lunch, and dinner, plus two snack times. Each snack time should be about halfway through breakfast and lunch, and then halfway through lunch and dinner.

When portioning out food, individuals do not necessarily need to use a measuring cup. They can use their fist for comparison. An ideal meal should be around the size of a fist. In addition to preventing flare-ups, eating small meals can reduce the frequency and seriousness of intestinal cramping. When patients start doing this, they should keep a food diary. This diary should record what they ate, when they ate, and if any symptoms occurred. Patients can discuss this food diary with their doctor to see if they can identify specific trigger foods.

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Limit Dairy Consumption

Even if individuals had no problem with dairy products being diagnosed with Crohn's disease, they should still limit dairy consumption. Many individuals cannot digest dairy products fully to begin with, and consuming non-digestible foods is a classic Crohn's disease trigger. The level of potential dairy intolerance will vary widely from patient to patient. Some individuals might not experience any symptoms if they have a slice of cheesecake or glass of milk, while others may be incapacitated.

Lactose intolerance occurs in a high portion of Crohn's disease patients. If an individual's body cannot break down lactose, they will experience diarrhea, gas, and abdominal pain. In addition, the high-fat content in dairy products can make them hard to digest. Dairy products to limit include milk, cream, butter, and margarine. Individuals can use substitutes for many of these products. Milk and cheese alternative are often made from coconut, hemp, flax, almond, and soy. Low-fat dairy products, such as low-fat cheese and skim milk, are also an option.

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