Crohn's disease is an inflammatory condition of the bowel, which can affect the entire digestive tract--from the mouth and esophagus all the way to the colon and rectum. Its main symptoms include diarrhea, bleeding, loss of appetite, pain in the abdomen, weight loss, and fatigue. It is a lifelong condition with a few periods of remission, but with proper and regular medication, these symptoms can be controlled to a large extent. Besides treatment with medications, another weapon in your arsenal is proper diet. Consuming the proper foods not only supplements your body with essential nutrients, but also mitigates intestinal inflammation. Let's discuss the recommended foods you should consume during a flare up.

Diet for Crohn Disease Flare Up

Here are 8 best foods you can eat for comfort during a flare-up.

1. Oatmeal

Oatmeal is a good choice of comfort food if you have Crohn's. Oatmeal contains soluble fiber, which helps relieve diarrhea effectively by absorbing water in the gut. It can be easily digested and assimilated by the intestines without increasing the workload on the gut, and meanwhile provides your body with nutrients. Besides oatmeal, other low-fiber cereal like refined grains, especially the ones fortified with vitamins and minerals, can prove to be helpful.

2. Fatty fish

Fish is rich in healthy fats like omega 3 fatty acids, which can help in curbing the inflammation of the gut and thus relieve your Crohn's disease symptoms. Meanwhile, it can provide your body with high levels of protein.

3. Potatoes

The flesh of potatoes could turn out to be a boon among all the elements of a Crohn's disease diet. Being a rich source of potassium, potatoes facilitate in the balance of body fluids while you are struggling from a flare-up.

4. Bananas

Banana are a low fiber fruit and provide essential micronutrients like potassium without causing undue damage to the digestive system. Apart from bananas, you can have other low fiber, seedless fruits to keep your body replenished with nutrients.

5. Yogurt

Cottage cheese and yogurt are considered to be soothing for most of the gut diseases. They not only provide essential nutrients but also lead to the growth of good bacteria, improving the function of the intestines. This in turn helps in eliminating toxins and the absorption of vitamins and minerals.

6. Water

In addition to sticking to the right foods to eat with colitis flare up, drinking enough water is also important. Plenty of water intake helps in smooth functioning of the digestive system, and also prevents dehydration which may occur due to losing stools. The need for water increases more because of the intake of a low fiber diet in Crohn's disease.

7. Micronutrient supplementation

Due to decreased absorption of nutrients from an inflamed gut, the body may start showing signs of nutrient deficiency. To prevent this condition, supplements should be added to the diet as they assist in the reparative processes and prevent the disease from worsening.

Foods to Avoid

There are certain foods that might aggravate Crohn's disease symptoms, especially when you are experiencing a Crohn's flare-up, so avoid consuming these foods:

• High-fiber foods

Eating high fiber foods during a Crohn's flare up can worsen the disease and lead to diarrhea, bloating, pain, etc. Therefore, one should avoid whole grains and high fiber fruits and vegetables like watermelons, cucumber, etc.

• Spicy foods

Spicy foods serve as an irritant for the stomach, increasing the inflammation in the stomach and intestines, which can worsen your symptoms. No matter how tempted you feel, spicy foods, chilis, pickles, etc., are a strict NO-NO during a Crohn's flare up.

• Fried foods

Fatty and fried foods require a lot of digestive enzymes for breaking down into simpler forms, and hence can predispose you to complications while you suffer from Crohn's.

• Dairy products

People with lactose intolerance (lactose is a form of sugar found in dairy products) should strictly avoid any form of dairy intake during Crohn's as this disease poses a risk to damage the digestive tract. With the combination of lactose intolerance and Crohn's disease, the lactose will become an even greater load on your inflamed gut.

Lifestyle Changes for Crohn's Disease

Though Crohn's disease is a lifelong condition and cannot be cured, people can make simple lifestyle modifications to reduce inflammation during a Crohn's flare up.

• Avoid alcohol

Just like spicy foods, alcohol is an irritant to the bowel. If you cannot stop drinking alcohol altogether, find out what is your maximum tolerable limit and stick to it. Avoid binge drinking in any case.

• Watch your caffeine intake

Caffeine increases the production of gastric acid making the healing of stomach ulcers more difficult and prolonged. Tea and Coffee are two of the most prominent sources of caffeine.

• Follow strict diet patterns

Have smaller and more frequent meals. Smaller portions are much easier to digest than large meals. Make sure to change your cooking habits as well. Use less oil during cooking. Low salt and a bland diet for Crohn disease flare up is best.

• Exercise and physical activity

Exercise and regular physical activity will decrease the intensity of the symptoms. Do not resort to strenuous exercise regimens--mild to moderate physical activity every day is enough. Make sure to drink plenty of water after exercise to replenish the water and minerals which may be lost via sweating.

The Takeaway

Diet plays a very important role in preventing as well as treating a Crohn's disease flare up. Eat a low fiber, soft, and bland diet and avoid fatty and spicy foods. Lifestyle modifications like decreasing the alcohol and caffeine intake, along with regular physical activity, are necessary. Drinking plenty of water and taking nutritional supplements is required. Let us explore more in the link below.