HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

What specific foods should I eat?

Support Forums
>
Ulcerative Colitis
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 5/5/2013 9:58 AM (GMT 0)
Hi, I wanted to have a specific diet which promotes colon/gut health and was wondering what foods I should eat and avoid.

I've been doing some research and different sites say different things...

I was thinking to avoid
bread/wheat/gluten
Dairy foods.
"junk" foods
Animal meat/animal fat

Post Edited (Rick123123) : 5/5/2013 4:09:44 AM (GMT-6)

Posted 5/5/2013 11:20 AM (GMT 0)
I eat all you listed.
Posted 5/5/2013 12:20 PM (GMT 0)
Wheat and other gluten foods plus dairy are common foods to exclude because wounded guts have trouble processing them. You can do a "challenge", meaning remove one food at a time from your diet for 30 days, then put it back in and see if you have symptoms that tell you anything.

Other foods to remove are all over the map, many people have very different opinions about what is good/bad for them.

There are all types of UC diet modifications: SCD, Paleo, FODMAPS, spinach&sunflower seeds. You'll have to try what you like to see if you get improvement.

You certainly can't go wrong eliminating junk food. :-)
Good luck.
Posted 5/5/2013 1:26 PM (GMT 0)

I did a really basic low carb diet for 3 ½ years and I can say that it kept the disease from spreading but as for my rectum food does not make a difference. I never got the rectum to stop having blood or mucus, and boy did I try with it, but like imagardener2 said it is trial and error. Pick one diet then try it and give it about 3-4 months of being strict, then if symptoms go you can try to introduce something and see how it goes, it is so different for everyone. 

 

I have someone I work with who has crohns and she does the paleo diet. She says she does not get anymore pain and is off all her meds. I will not go med free again but I don’t get any more pain (just like her). I am on a trial and error now and I have tried a couple of new foods, hard to tell if it will help as I am on the pred.

 

I have tried a lot of naturalist programs as well and I don’t recommend any of them. None of them could get my rectum in remission no matter how strict I was with my diets, so try the diets but don’t waste money on the programs like I did. Just some advice out there. Here is what I tried:

 

Paul Nison- when I told him I did not have money he stopped emailing me.

David Klien- all the bananas made the mucus worse. (tried fruitarian diet)

Gerald Green- this was the only non-money grabber I have met, he was honest but could not heal the rectum, he told me to go back on mesalisine and he was right.

Biamonte- failed program, not worth doing and costs a lot.

 

Posted 5/5/2013 2:25 PM (GMT 0)
There's a reason why different sites say different things. We are all different and what works in one doesn't work in another and vice versa.
Posted 5/5/2013 3:41 PM (GMT 0)
I eat everything because I haven't noticed changing diet helping my UC but if you're looking for foods that are good for the gut, you should probably eat cultured and fermented foods. These contain probiotic bacteria. I ate loads of it and it did nothing for my UC, plus it was expensive, so I stopped.
Posted 5/5/2013 7:00 PM (GMT 0)
I eat foods in all the categories you listed.

Trial and error....

How did the surgery for your p.cyst go?

q
Posted 5/5/2013 7:07 PM (GMT 0)
i eat all animal products (besides eggs), fruits/veggies/greens, nuts/seeds. the dairy i eat doesn't contain lactose- hard cheese and kefir. i don't include grains, soy, or legumes.
Posted 5/5/2013 9:15 PM (GMT 0)
I eat pretty much everything, except things with seeds, or things that can stick to my gut. also mexican food seems to not go well with me. almost everything i eat doesn't seem to bother my UC. everyone's body reacts differently to certain foods. also no lettuce or salad for me, my system doesn't seem to digest it
Posted 5/5/2013 11:35 PM (GMT 0)
Rick,

I've found that Paleo works best for me, and IMO it's the best diet because it is anti-inflammatory.

So I eat: lots of grass fed meats, eggs, fish, salads, some low fructose fruits, NO dairy, NO grains, No legumes.

For many of us UCers, gluten and dairy are problematic.

It's a big adjustment initially, but once you get used to it, it becomes second nature.

Posted 5/6/2013 12:03 AM (GMT 0)
"Paul Nison- when I told him I did not have money he stopped emailing me.
David Klien- all the bananas made the mucus worse. (tried fruitarian diet)"

lol

30 banana a day in the house
Posted 5/6/2013 12:51 AM (GMT 0)
Lots of people have success with scd, or paleo, although I think it may be more to do with the lack of junk in the diet than anything else. My recommendation would be to eat food, real food. Nothing packaged unless it only have one or two ingredients (this will naturally eliminate all bread, dairy, and junk food). So for starch eat potatoes, rice, quinoa, oatmeal if gluten is tolerated, legumes if tolerated etc. Eat whatever meat makes you feel good, same goes with veggies. Some find it useful to avoid roughage, raw veggies, nuts and seeds, others find them ok. You could try picking 10 foods that are healthy, easily digestible, and that you enjoy eating, eat just those foods for a week, see how you feel, then slowly start reintroducing new foods and note your reactions.
Posted 5/6/2013 12:53 AM (GMT 0)

quincy said...
I eat foods in all the categories you listed.

Trial and error....

How did the surgery for your p.cyst go?

q

Hey no problem with the surgery. Just had a day of constipation after because lack of water and fruit I think. And maybe nerves or something.

The wound is almost healed. One morning I saw blood when I wiped but am 90% sure it was from the wound because blood was traveling down from the wound. (its an open wound)
And I had 0 symptoms bowel wise.

I haven't had any symptoms colitis wise since dx'd so I cant really eliminate foods. I just wanted to consume foods that were beneficial and get rid of foods that arn't.

I've elimated diary pretty much since dx'd cause I heard it wasn't that great if you have GI problems.

Isn't the SCD diet and PALEO diet pretty much the same?
I'm happy there is a diet dedicated to U.C and other GI disorders which the SCD seems to deal with.

Post Edited (Rick123123) : 5/5/2013 8:53:29 PM (GMT-6)

Posted 5/6/2013 5:16 AM (GMT 0)
I also noted on the SCD Aloe vera is Illegal, yet I take it and was told it was benefitial

Aloe Vera
ILLEGAL

This item is Illegal.

It contains mucilaginous polysaccharides as well as increasing the release of tumor necrosis factor which is associated with IBD inflammation and increased immune stimulation.
Posted 5/6/2013 12:06 PM (GMT 0)
Everything mucilaginous is SCD illegal - psyllium and chia seeds are too.
Posted 5/6/2013 2:21 PM (GMT 0)
i follow one simple rule:

1. eat the good stuff
2. don't eat the bad stuff
Posted 5/7/2013 11:21 AM (GMT 0)

Tornado6 said...
Everything mucilaginous is SCD illegal - psyllium and chia seeds are too.

I really don't feel like I want to stop taking aloe vera capsules... Do you think one illegal thing will matter?

I tried the SCD diet today and have been hungry all day. I'm finding it hard to eat food. For example for dinner I normally have kumara(sweet)/potatoes/rice or something like that. There's only so much vegetables and meat I can eat to make up the extra calories.

I was going to have a few toasted sandwichs today but didn't because of bread.

At the end of the day I'm not eating enough and i'm already lean enough as it is.

I've been on a "clean" diet for just over a year that left me with only unprocessed food IE foods where the ingredients are only one thing or almost one thing. Like a spartan diet. That was tough but managable because I could eat things like rice/oats and starchy vegetables that left me full and satisfied.

Post Edited (Rick123123) : 5/7/2013 5:39:21 AM (GMT-6)

Posted 5/7/2013 11:34 AM (GMT 0)

Rick123123 said...

Tornado6 said...
Everything mucilaginous is SCD illegal - psyllium and chia seeds are too.

I really don't feel like I want to stop taking aloe vera capsules... Do you think one illegal thing will matter?

I tried the SCD diet today and have been hungry all day.

At the end of the day I'm not eating enough and i'm already lean enough as it is.

Elaine was pretty strict, but internet SCD folks are downright militant. If you take something non-SCD, you're doing a modified SCD. I don't think it will really hurt you, but Elaine was seeking intestinal healing, and you could delay that.

If you want to do it, get the book Breaking the Vicious Cycle. There is a 2 - 5 day intro diet, then you add foods a little at a time.

I failed at SCD because I was too hungry. I had to call for a ride home from work on the last day because I could not drive myself.
Posted 5/7/2013 12:10 PM (GMT 0)
no book or internet forum should control your life - you need to decide what works for you - they are guidelines only - one book or belief won't fix every person with uc -
Posted 5/8/2013 1:46 PM (GMT 0)
Your initial list is likely right on track.
I have found the book, "inside Tract" by Gerard Mullins to be the most well-rounded and sensible regarding diet and gut health. It does not advocate only one approach, rather helps you to identify which of the major culprits could be your triggers, and gives good healthy recipes, shopping lists, etc. To me, it takes the best of all the "diets" into account, isolating the most important components of each. He also fully explains each of the supplements that could prove beneficial.

(Just fixed all my crazy iPad auto correct errors, sorry!)

Post Edited (Formyson) : 5/8/2013 8:24:52 AM (GMT-6)

Posted 5/8/2013 3:41 PM (GMT 0)
The only advice I can give based on my years is to eat whatever doesn't bother you. It's different for different people; some are bothered by a lot of things and for others diet makes no difference. Keeping a food diary is a good idea, to watch over an extended period as to what consistently causes you problems.
Posted 5/8/2013 5:54 PM (GMT 0)
Try to stay as close to the produce section as you can. I avoid wheat/gluten and anything processed. Always read labels ;-)

Mostly, it's a trial and error kind of thing. Eliminate certain foods and see how you feel. Keeping a food log can help with that. I use the MyPlate app from LiveStrong.
Posted 5/8/2013 5:58 PM (GMT 0)
Keep us posted Rick on how crazy all the suggestions are making you. Eventually, you'll realise food isn't the issue (just to add my 2 cents).

q
Posted 5/12/2013 12:17 AM (GMT 0)
So day 3 of SCD and every time I go toilet the bowel is always murky, i can hardly see the stools. Tiny bits of cashews floating at the top of the bowel.

Poo's feels firmish, abit soft. How ever when I went toilet again this morning it was more like the first stages of diarrhea.

I was wondering what your guys BM's where like on the SCD. Is it possible to achieve solid stools?

I have had 0 symptoms of colitis since dx'd(besides from the pindrop spec of blood for the first few months when healing)

Post Edited (Rick123123) : 5/11/2013 11:08:21 PM (GMT-6)

✚ New Topic ✚ Reply