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Posted 2/12/2010 8:57 PM (GMT 0)
 

  Ok so im assuming theres a post on this

  After trying to figure out my diet I have found that all of the foods mentioned on here are basically

anti-inflamitory.

 The whole spinach and sunflower seed diet had me puzzled for a bit.

 so whats recommended

 1/ nuts

 2/ fish

 3/ green leafy items

 4/ tomatoes

 5/ avocadoes

 6/ chocolate

 7/ Olive oil

8/gape seed oil

9/ walnut oil

10/bran oil

11/strawberries

12/blueberries

These are all ive found so far so add your finds to this thread.

Id also recommend reading up on foods that cause inflammation.

my GI doctor said diet doesnt matter but hes wrong....................

Posted 2/12/2010 9:01 PM (GMT 0)
Well, I have to disagree with you a bit. :) Diet is very, very, very individualistic when it comes to UC. Some of the foods on that list, like tomatoes, cause problems for some people with UC, as they are a pro-inflammatory food, from what I remember subdued saying. And leafy greens just tear some people up. I personally can eat everything I did before I was diagnosed. I think it's best for everyone to figure out what they can or can't eat. I do think diet matters to some, but not all.
Posted 2/12/2010 10:03 PM (GMT 0)
I would have trouble with the tomato (sauces), leafy greens (big trouble, still) and seeded fruits, if I was flaring especially.
But spicy and greasy never bother me!
Posted 2/12/2010 10:06 PM (GMT 0)
If I'm flaring badly I have some of those issues Fruitgirl mentioned....and I remember once in a bad flare my first GI saying to me, when I mentioned a family picnic, "If I were you, I'd stay far away from coleslaw..." because it can be so tough, hard to chew, then sharpt in the gut.

But, this is one of those not-fun things about UC: the rules sometimes change. After almost 23 years of never having issues with tomatoes not matter what, last summer (in a flare) they gave me pain and increased D! Argh!! And right at tomato-harvesting season!!!

When not flaring I eat as I did before, and even when not flaring badly.......
it's so changeable and so individualistic; that's one reason it's hard to explain to people!
Posted 2/12/2010 10:09 PM (GMT 0)
I agree with everyone else-diet is very individual and the only real rule is: if it bothers you, don't eat it!
Posted 2/12/2010 10:36 PM (GMT 0)
I'm not in a flare now. I'm going with the way I'd want to eat with or without colitis -- healthy, especially the no dairy, no alcohol, no caffeine, no spicy part. I'm trying to avoid constipation too. I just added nuts and don't seem to be doing to bad if I chew them down thoroughly. Now I have to watch my weight so I'm staying away from my binge foods (sugary, high carby stuff). Thanks for the advice on tomatoes. Are leafy greens the same as spinach. I do well with spinach.
Posted 2/12/2010 10:54 PM (GMT 0)
Im not saying these items will work for everyone.

I know its individual

Im asking what works for you

If you read my post correctly

I want to know other things that are out there to try.

thank you
Posted 2/12/2010 11:23 PM (GMT 0)
     I agree that it is individualistic.  But, I can sure tell you what bothers me...as a matter of fact, three times I suffered a flare after eating crabcakes!  You would think I would learn my lesson by now huh?nono
Posted 2/13/2010 2:33 AM (GMT 0)

Pizza gets me instantly - like the second it (yummily) hits my tongue, I have to go.

SOmeone (I think it's Burli) got out of a flare with salmon - I've been trying that and my body seems happy with it.

Posted 2/13/2010 1:17 PM (GMT 0)
Rather than creating a list of foods, my preferred approach is to create a structured and balanced diet that is anti-inflammatory overall. For me, this involves a diet that has a reasonably high ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 fatty acids (which may include supplements such as fish oil).

Many of the things you list would be fine within this context, although I would be more specific. Fish, for example, are not uniformly desirable. Wild salmon and sardines are considered good sources, whereas farm raised tilapia and catfish, not so much (because of the diet they are fed).

In general, I don't really buy the argument that diet is so individualistic that we cannot identify basic principles of good eating that can be helpful for those of us with UC.
Posted 2/13/2010 8:17 PM (GMT 0)
1/ nuts
2/ fish
3/ green leafy items
4/ tomatoes
5/ avocadoes
6/ chocolate
7/ Olive oil
8/gape seed oil
9/ walnut oil
10/bran oil
11/strawberries
12/blueberries

Everything above except for the tomatoes, chocolate, grape seed oil, and avocados.

Tomatoes are pro-inflammatory. They are a nightshade. Some people can't tolerate them. They don't seem to bother me much. (Except for V-8 juice which gave me constant diarrhea during my second flare.) I'll add turmeric to anything that contains tomatoes or tomato sauce. I find the turmeric really helps.

Chocolate is a big no-no for me. Chocolate has been known to cause diarrhea so much that it is even life-threatening for certain animals.

I can't eat grapes, because I'm fructose-intolerant. I don't usually cook with oil. I keep adding some amounts of water to the pan instead.

I don't eat avocados; so I have no idea whether or not they would help or hurt my condition.
Posted 2/14/2010 12:09 AM (GMT 0)

I think GI's should say eat what foods you can tolerate but they should not say any food/diet helps UC or makes it worse (other than pain from fiber). There are so many factors to consider about diet and no solid evidence from studies about what foods to eat or avoid. Also, there are no consistant diets from patient to patient. Individuals tolerate foods differently. This is not just a UC thing though. Most everyone has foods that bother them. Moderation is important too.

I think you could more easily try foods yourself and create your own diet to see what foods you can tolerate. Ask your mother what bothered you as a child for starters. It may be harder chasing the diets of others.

Posted 2/14/2010 3:52 AM (GMT 0)
I am lucky in that I could eat most anything once I was out of my flare. My go-to anti-inflammatory foods though have been salmon, fresh pineapple and fresh cherries ... I still remember a few months back feeling icky but not really in a flare and after a single serving of pineapple and cherries, literally feeling my well-being "shift" back into position. It's hard to describe how it really was ... I thought it was a fluke but eating the pineapples and/or cherries over and over again gave me the same reaction. Now I try to eat them whenever possible. Cherries unfortunately are not available here anymore ...
Posted 2/14/2010 4:44 AM (GMT 0)
Avocados are rich in omega 3s and delicious........................

fish ........oily fish not white fish

I also forgot oats.
Posted 2/14/2010 5:36 AM (GMT 0)
Dang, RH_Texas_Gal, I can't imagine eating cherries when I'm in a flare! I have NO self-control when it comes to cherries (and a lot of other fruits!), so I always eat way too many, and give myself seriously loose poop. Cherries especially get me! But they're soooooo worth it!
Posted 2/14/2010 1:42 PM (GMT 0)
This last flare was the quickest turn around ever:

No Way: nuts (unless it’s butter), whole wheat, oats, etc. (the insoluble fiber is bad), fresh fruit (certain to cause diarrhea), uncooked vegetables, a lot of red meat (lean ground beef is not as bad), gas producing foods, alcohol, greasy foods (deep fried anything)

Yes: eggs, grits (some don't know what these are), cheese, orange juice, canned fruit (low sugar peaches), plain Greek style yogurt made by Cabot (made with whole milk and cream), fish, chicken, turkey, bacon (I buy it precooked and heat in microwave for 1 minute over paper towel to soak more grease away), sourdough bread, Cheese Puffs, pasta (I make couscous with chicken broth), rice, well cooked vegetables, coke (in moderation), lots of water, tea with honey and powdered non-dairy creamer, VSL#3

The caveats to all these diets are what medications people use, the emotional stress they encounter, and physical activity they do. For instance, someone might eat a food item and have a bad day afterward. They tend to blame the food and ignore the fact that they did some strenuous activity or had an argument with the spouse the day before.
Posted 2/14/2010 10:17 PM (GMT 0)

Burli said...
I think GI's should say eat what foods you can tolerate but they should not say any food/diet helps UC or makes it worse (other than pain from fiber).


I agree, except for the fiber part. Fiber doesn't bother me. Perhaps it's because I just have left-sided colitis. My whole colon doesn't get inflamed. Doctors could advise patients that certain foods can make symptoms worse for some people and to keep a food diary to see whether or not any foods bother them.
Posted 2/14/2010 10:23 PM (GMT 0)

wolverine2 said...
Avocados are rich in omega 3s and delicious........................

Good to know. My kids love avocados, and living in California, avocados are abundant. Perhaps one day I'll acquire a taste for them.
Posted 2/14/2010 10:29 PM (GMT 0)

journey2health said...
Are leafy greens the same as spinach. I do well with spinach.

Spinach is a leafy green. So are lettuce, cabbage, bok choy (Chinese cabbage), chard, kale, ... Some leafy greens are better than others for colitis. The greener the better. Cabbage has been known to give some people gas.
Posted 2/14/2010 10:43 PM (GMT 0)
I have been eating Fage Greek yogurt, with ginger spread (yummy) mixed in to it, with fresh blueberries mixed in to that, for breakfast. Somedays I will have grits with a fried egg on top so the yolk mixes in. I also do well with spinach, sweet potato, and chicken breast for dinner. I like to snack on pecans and sunflower seeds though I have been limiting my nuts and seeds as I have been having abdominal pain for a few weeks. Usually I feel like I can eat pretty much what I want but lately I have not had much of an appetite and restricted what I take in. I guess I am finally coming out a flare that started last summer and really don't want to relapse so I am taking it easy. I will eat one or 2 pieces of really dark chocolate a day, when I have it around.

f/49
Posted 2/15/2010 1:34 AM (GMT 0)
fruitgirl ... I don't understand why cherries help me but they do! Sorry they don't agree with you ... gosh I love them! If only I could get hubby to eat them. He has gout that acts up on occasion and cherries are supposed to be good for it ...
Posted 2/15/2010 12:16 PM (GMT 0)
I should clarify my position by stating that we obviously tolerate foods differently when in a flare or in remission. When flaring, it may well become much more individualistic in determining what foods are best given our digestive systems are so messed up. But even then we are often advised to do things like eat a low residue diet. That may not be terribly specific, but it does provide some guidance.

When we are in remission, I think things achieve much greater clarity. The goal (at least for me) becomes one of successfully following an anti-inflammatory diet to help keep the colitis at bay. While most of the research regarding the omega-3/6 diet appears to be derived from studies aimed at understanding factors affecting heart disease, inflammatory diseases (such as UC) have been part of the mix. I therefore think it is an approach that can benefit most everyone with UC.
Posted 2/15/2010 4:30 PM (GMT 0)
RH_Texas_Gal, I don't think I'd have a problem if I'd exercise self-control when I ate them! I just pig out. :) And it's not like I'm on the toilet all day afterward...it's just one big ole' poop, that used to seem urgent, until I got UC and really got to know what true urgency is!
Posted 2/15/2010 6:49 PM (GMT 0)

ickypoo said...
But even then we are often advised to do things like eat a low residue diet. That may not be terribly specific, but it does provide some guidance.

The goal (at least for me) becomes one of successfully following an anti-inflammatory diet to help keep the colitis at bay.

The issue with my digestive system is different. I'm fructose intolerant; so I can't eat many fruits and I can't drink juice. Plus, many artificial sugars give me severe diarrhea. My system has absolutely no issue with fiber.

I think it's best not to advise one what to eat and not to eat but to mention foods or types of foods to watch out for, including fiber. Then the patient can on his/her own keep a food diary and figure out on his or her own what foods he/she can't tolerate. In the food diary, the patient should list foods/beverages consumed, date and time, any stresses, and current condition.

ickypoo said...
The goal (at least for me) becomes one of successfully following an anti-inflammatory diet to help keep the colitis at bay.

Same here, but I pay more attention to turmeric and ginger than omega-3. While omega-3 is anti-inflammatory, turmeric is supposed to be the strongest anti-inflammatory property in nature.
Posted 3/1/2015 2:00 PM (GMT 0)

Gentle Now said...
Pizza gets me instantly - like the second it (yummily) hits my tongue, I have to go.

SOmeone (I think it's Burli) got out of a flare with salmon - I've been trying that and my body seems happy with it.

For the record: I've been trying to find the user who posted he got into remission by eating only salmon (something very strict). I went back and forth with the user at that time (before 2010 ?) but wanted to follow up to see. His claim was not just getting better but I recall he was posting it 'cured' or put him into full remission.

I've tried so many different naturals that many years ago I started really questioning (not maliciously rather to really learn that person's symptoms) what all a user experienced (their environment as in physical condition, age, physical activities, stress, any illness and so on.

Some get offended by my questions just because I don't merely congratulate them and also jump on board but I'm a critical thinker. I do fair better the next day after eating certain meals days before but no diet put me into remission.

Year ago a user told me sunflower seeds and spinach put them into remission and, after asking questions, I found out they also had been on IV steroids. I bought a lot of spinach and sunflower seeds up to that point. I still eat spinach and the seeds were a great tasting snack for work but...

Was it Dr. A who did the all salmon diet? It was someone who lived in around Colorado I recall?? Just curious how that person faired is all.
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