UC and Chewing: what's your situation?
I am a fast eater / incomplete chewer and think there may be a link with my digestive problems. - 25.0% - 3 votes
I am a fast eater / incomplete chewer but think it has no impact on my UC. - 8.3% - 1 votes
I chew my food thoroughly and think it helps with my digestive problems. - 33.3% - 4 votes
I chew my food thoroughly but think it has no impact on my UC. - 33.3% - 4 votes
Other - 0.0% - 0 votes
Camille
Regular Member
Joined : Jun 2015
Posts : 31
Posted 6/12/2015 11:15 AM (GMT 0)
Hi all!
I am new to the forums. I have UC, was diagnosed 5-6 years ago, and have a relatively mild form that I am mostly able to contain through diet (and the hormonal magic of pregnancies, when I was able to eat completely normally!).
I was wondering if anyone had ever explored the link between UC and how well one chews one's food?
Since saliva and chewing are an important first step of digestion, it would follow that incompletely chewed foods would be harder to digest and therefore harder on an already weakened digestive system.
I'm wondering because I am myself a fast eater and incomplete chewer -- always have been! -- and I am trying to retrain myself to chew my food more thoroughly so I can digest it better.
I would be so curious to know what proportion of UC sufferers are incomplete chewers as well!
Any insights?
Many thanks,
Camille.
Posted 6/12/2015 11:40 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Camille,
I am also an incomplete chewer. I tend to eat very quickly and often do no chew as well as I should so I am also thinking recently that I need take more time to chew things properly to help improve digestion. Have you considered trying green smoothies? That way the blender does a lot of the work for you!
I think properly chewing your food can have a helpful effect on digestion and yes I do agree it would lighten the load on the digestive system. Do I think it is fundamental? Probably not but every little helps so I'm going to make more of an effort with this from now on - thanks for bringing it up!
kiptyn
Veteran Member
Joined : Jul 2013
Posts : 608
Posted 6/12/2015 12:21 PM (GMT 0)
I'm the slowest eater. It usually takes me 10 or 15 minutes more than anyone else at the table to finish. I've been like this since I was a teenager, Long before my UC diagnosis.
I think I eat slowly because of my reflux. If I eat too fast or take large bites, I can feel it backing up in my throat.
Michelejc
Forum Moderator
Joined : Jan 2011
Posts : 3052
Posted 6/12/2015 1:09 PM (GMT 0)
I'm a fast eater. I have to learn to chew slower.
DBwithUC
Veteran Member
Joined : Feb 2011
Posts : 4545
Posted 6/12/2015 1:40 PM (GMT 0)
There might be some link between poor chewing and symptoms. But not with UC, which is auto-immune and not directly related to digestion.
Clear language is important here.
Posted 6/12/2015 2:32 PM (GMT 0)
I agree with DB. UC is an autoimmune disease where your body's immune system has run amuk and started attacking your colon or something in your colon, which doesn't have anything to do with how you eat your food.
Camille
Regular Member
Joined : Jun 2015
Posts : 31
Posted 6/12/2015 9:11 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you all for sharing your thoughts! I'll note that I didn't mean a causation link to the disease itself -- especially since at this point no one knows what's causing it! -- but rather how we live with it and how it manifests itself, how heavy the symptoms are, etc.
DBwithUC
Veteran Member
Joined : Feb 2011
Posts : 4545
Posted 6/12/2015 11:45 PM (GMT 0)
yes, that makes sense. But, like I said, clear language is careful so as not to mislead people seeking information
Camille
Regular Member
Joined : Jun 2015
Posts : 31
Posted 6/13/2015 8:01 PM (GMT 0)
You are absolutely right and I thank you for the clarification. The truth is, despite having been diagnosed 6 years ago, I am still fairly confused about this illness -- how it came about, how it works and how it evolves.
Posted 6/13/2015 9:31 PM (GMT 0)
I do not think it is related. I have not eaten for days at a time and my UC symptoms continue to persist.
Posted 6/13/2015 11:45 PM (GMT 0)
Eating food that is easy to digest can help a wounded gut. Well-cooked veggies, for example, instead of raw.
Veggie juice instead of raw veggies was very helpful for me when things were bad.
Meat had always been easy for my gut to handle.
I know the kind of food and the way it is cooked have a big effect on keeping my gut happy.