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Recently Diagnosed: Confused about Diet

Tue, August 30, 2016 6:17 PM

I was recently diagnosed with Crohn's. I had already eliminated gluten and dairy from my diet. Based on my doctor's advice and paying more close attention, I am finding that on top of gluten and dairy, high fructose fruits, anything with hfcs, corn syrup, honey, and mayonnaise are triggering symptoms. So I am very curious if my diet will need to exclude all of these items even when I am not experiencing a flare up? I have already excepted that gluten and dairy need to be excluded period. I am wondering if the other foods are aggravating the ulcers I currently have in my ileum and once healed I will have more options in terms of food. Thank you.

chris0711
Joined Aug 30, 2016

Sat, November 05, 2016 11:02 PM

Reply posted for chris0711.

Hello Chris,

I would say eliminate all of the foods you mentioned from your diet permanently. I can tell you from being diagnosed with Crohn's 30 years ago the reason mayonnaise is a trigger is because mayonnaise is made with eggs,and as we all know eggs are dairy. I have found an egg free mayonnaise that works well and tastes good. As far as why HFCS and other food items cause you flare ups I do not know that. I suppose that certain foods effect people in different ways.

spencer6725
Joined Nov 5, 2016

Fri, September 16, 2016 5:53 AM

Reply posted for chris0711.

Best advice I have ever received about diet is to keep a food diary and keep track of what you eat and how it affects you. When I was first diagnosed as a teenager in the nineties, the only dietary concession I made was to stop eating pepperoni. That was it. If it bothered me, I stopped eating it.

As I have gotten older my diet has become more limited as my body seems less resilient. After 2 resections in the past 8 years and 2 more obstructions in the past 2 months, I have recently discovered that I think caffeine has a big influence on the wellness of my Crohn's due to a positive correlation between times when work stress has led to increased consumption of caffeinated beverages and then landing in hospital.

You have gotten rid of gluten and wheat. Great. As for the rest, I would say keep a good diary of what you eat and what symptoms you are having. This will help you figure out what you need to drop from your diet. Some things will be very easy and obvious-- I knew within an hour that I shouldn't eat curries after having my first one (ended up sick at home for 3 days, lesson learned). Other things may take longer and you will need to do some long term analysis.

I did try the "specific carbohydrate diet" for a few months because my wife and I had done a bunch of online research and this seemed to have some credence. In my experience, I found I was eating food that left me feeling full and under fed. I never felt like I was getting the nourishment my body needed.

The latest research I have found says that Crohn's disease is more of a blanket term that covers the symptoms shown from a variety of illnesses. Not everyone reacts the same and has the same "illness". Get to know how your body reacts and what you are sensitive to. IF in doubt, talk to a nutritionist who knows about crohn's and make a plan from there.

hope this has been of some help.

thescienceguy
Joined Jul 8, 2016

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