Embarrassing Illnesses

Diet

While there is no evidence that diet causes, or plays a role in, Crohn’s disease, some people with the condition have found that certain foods seem to aggravate their symptoms.

Types of food and drink that have been associated with a worsening of symptoms include:

• milk,
• alcohol,
• dairy products,
• spicy foods,
• fatty foods, and
• high-fibre foods.

However, there are no definitive dietary recommendations for Crohn’s disease because different people react differently to certain foods.

You may find it useful to keep a food diary in which you keep a note of the foods that you eat and record their effects on your symptoms.

Eating six smaller meals a day, rather than three larger meals, may also help improve your symptoms.

Some researchers have suggested that an elimination diet may help control symptoms of Crohn’s disease. An elimination diet involves permanently removing entire food types from your diet, such as grains or sugars.

However, an elimination diet is a controversial approach to treatment and it is not accepted by many experts who are working in the field of Crohn’s disease. Therefore, you should not attempt an elimination diet without first consulting your GP.

You may also require vitamin and food supplements if you are unable, or unwilling, to eat certain foods. For example, as dairy products are an important source of calcium, you will require calcium supplements if you are no longer able to eat dairy products. Your GP will be able to advise you about any supplements that may be appropriate for you.

Elemental diet

If you are experiencing particularly severe symptoms, and/or you are showing signs of malnutrition, your GP may recommend an elemental diet.

An elemental diet means that you will switch to a liquid-only diet where all of your nutritional needs are met by drinking specially prepared liquid meals, which are a bit like the ‘slimming shakes’ that are used in some diet programmes.

An elemental diet is a useful way of allowing your digestive system to rest while ensuring that you get all the nutrients that you require. In most cases, people only have to stay on an elemental diet on a short to medium term basis.