Doctors will often recommend that people with Crohn's disease keep a food journal of everything they eat and in what amounts. A person can list the symptoms — if any — they experience after eating certain foods. Common foods that may worsen symptoms include spicy foods, dairy products, alcohol, and high fiber grains.
Fried foods and high-fat meals with large amounts of cream, butter, or oils can aggravate Crohn's symptoms, causing abdominal pain, bloating, gas, and diarrhea. One reason for this may be that fat in foods is often not fully absorbed in the small intestine.
Although there's no firm evidence that any particular foods cause Crohn's disease, certain things seem to aggravate flare-ups. So a food diary can help you identify personal triggers. Beyond that, limit dairy products, eating smaller meals, stay hydrated, and try to avoid caffeine, alcohol, and carbonation.
Coffee Has Its Pros and Cons
In either case, the high amount of caffeine in coffee can aggravate certain unpleasant Crohn's symptoms. But some people with Crohn's tolerate coffee in small doses, such as a morning cup. “I think it's fine for people to have their morning coffee,” Dr. Longman says.
Smoking: Smoking can increase the possibility of a flare in Crohn's disease. Keep in mind that this could include prolonged exposure to second-hand smoke. Infections: Sometimes, infection of the gastrointestinal tract (such as c. difficile) can cause flares of symptoms.
Do: Eggs. They're a quick, easy-to-digest breakfast choice. And they're a good source of high-quality protein. If you like them fried or scrambled, go light on fats like butter or oil.
Increase protein:
Since protein needs increase during active disease, it's also helpful to focus on consuming protein-containing foods throughout the day. Some examples of foods containing protein are chicken, tofu, fish, turkey, eggs, yogurt, beans, chia seeds, and nut butters.
Opt for mango and banana during a Crohn's flare, and skip berries with seeds, which might irritate your digestive tract, but feel free to include blueberries. Fluids also keep you hydrated.
Most common are deficiencies of iron, B12, vitamin D, vitamin K, folic acid, selenium, zinc, vitamin B6, and vitamin B1. Deficiencies are more common in Crohn's disease than in ulcerative colitis, and more in active disease than at times of remission.
Foods to Avoid If You Have Crohn's Disease
The Crohns and Colitis Foundation recommends avoiding the following foods when you're in a flare: Fruits with skin and seeds. Raw green vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, or vegetables with a peel.
Avoid high-fiber foods.
Fiber is essential to healthy digestion, but some people with Crohn's disease find that high-fiber foods, such as whole-wheat pasta or bread, and beans and other legumes, like chickpeas and lentils, can cause diarrhea and bloating during flares.
Angela Cohen, age 33, Crohn's disease
“When I'm feeling well and don't have restrictions, I sometimes try to incorporate more foods like yogurt, oatmeal, whole grain bread, sweet potato, turkey sausage, apples, berries, avocado, and bananas.
The pain that Crohn's patients feel tends to be crampy. It often appears in the lower right abdomen but can happen anywhere along the digestive tract. “It depends on where that inflammatory process is happening,” says Nana Bernasko, DNP, gastroenterology expert with the American Gastroenterological Association.
Over-the-Counter Medication
A group of medications known as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) — incuding ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil) and high-dose aspirin — are helpful in relieving body pain by blocking the production of inflammation.
The average life expectancy for females is 78.4 years and for males, it is 75.5 years. However, other studies suggest that Crohn's life expectancy is the same for people with the disease and without it. This mainly accounts for lifestyle modification and dietary changes.
Depending on the severity of your Crohn's disease, your doctor may recommend one or more of the following: Anti-diarrheals. A fiber supplement, such as psyllium powder (Metamucil) or methylcellulose (Citrucel), can help relieve mild to moderate diarrhea by adding bulk to your stool.