Diet for Acute Colitis
Colitis is an inflammation of the bowels which causes digestive problems. If you have been diagnosed with colitis, understand that while medicine can help control symptoms, your overall well-being is largely up to you. You can exercise a large amount of control over colitis through judicious and scrupulous management of your diet. What follows are some suggestions to help you get started in taking back control over your life.
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Rotate Fiber Intake
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Fluctuating amounts of fiber corresponding with your symptoms is an effective management tool to battle colitis. When you are manifesting few or no symptoms, consume a high fiber diet containing ample quantities of whole grains, cooked cereals (like oatmeal) and bran flakes. When you are in the throngs of a flareup, switch to a low-fiber diet to give your intestines a break--stick to white and refined flour products and avoid excess consumption of fibrous veggies like broccoli, spinach, lettuce and cucumber.
Monitor Meal Size
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Even when you are experiencing heavy symptoms, it is still important to nourish your body with an ample supply of vitamins and nutrients. Instead of eating large, infrequent meals (which can make symptoms worse), try to snack constantly on smaller meals spaced roughly two to three hours apart. This steady approach to food intake can help minimize your suffering while keeping your body properly fueled.
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Limit Trouble Foods
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Stimulants such as caffeine should be avoided, as these tend to irritate the bowels. Furthermore, limit consumption of alcohol as well. Also strive to avoid foods which leave one predisposed to developing gas, such as cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, lentils, onions and carbonated beverages.
Supplement Your Diet
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The anti-inflammatory properties of omega-3 fats (like fish and flax oil) have been shown to help somewhat with colitis. Consume at least five to ten grams a day to see if it helps alleviate your symptoms. Space out your intake over the course of several meals, as opposed to taking the entire dose in one sitting. Additional supplements that have been shown to help include psyllium (a fiber) and regular consumption of probiotics.
Take Responsibility for Your Health
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Finally, consider keeping a food log so that you can properly pinpoint "trouble foods" that seem to predate significant flareups. While eliminating the aforementioned foods will go a long way towards helping with your colitis, you must be introspective to find out the specific foods that affect you. Maintain your food log for a few weeks or months and try to draw correlations between consumption of certain foods and the condition of your colitis.
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