Diets for Ulcerative Colitis

People with ulcerative colitis can experience hard stools, ulcers, bloody diarrhea, gas and intense stomach pain. When the colon's lining becomes inflamed food has a hard time passing through. While there are some steps you can take and food options that can help relieve symptoms, there is not one recommended diet plan for all ulcerative colitis sufferers. Take control of your ulcer flareups by tailoring a diet to your needs.

Dairy

Numerous people have found that their flareups subside after eliminating dairy from their diet. Many people have a dairy or lactose intolerance that was contributing to their ulcerative colitis symptoms. Try a food elimination diet and do without dairy for a month to see how you feel. Record in a food journal any decrease or increase in symptoms. Instead of using dairy products, check out alternatives like soy, rice or coconut milk products. You can find ice cream, cheese and milk made from these plant-based products. If your elimination diet indicates that you are allergic to dairy, be sure to get enough calcium through supplements.

Fiber

Fiber flushes out toxins, gives the body a long-lasting source of fuel, and softens stools. The body takes longer to break down fiber to create glucose, therefore it inhibits radical blood sugar fluctuations. Broccoli, spinach, cabbage and brussels sprouts are a few choices. You can steam vegetables if they are too difficult to eat raw. Other sources of fiber include brown rice, wheat toast, lentils and rice cakes. Though fiber is beneficial for helping stools pass through, many have difficulty with the bloating and pain associated with gassy food. To treat the gas some of these foods may cause, try an anti-gas medication. As an alternative to insoluble fiber you can take soluble fiber like Metamucil. If this does not relieve your pain, you may want to avoid gas-producing foods altogether.

Protein

The most often recommended diet for ulcerative colitis is one low in carbohydrates, high in vegetable proteins and low in fat. Fats exacerbate the diarrhea and stomach pain typical of the disorder. Enjoy foods with omega 3 fatty acids like oily fish or take supplements. Refrain from eating red meat. Stick with lean proteins like fish and the occasional chicken or turkey breast. Studies in the United Kingdom headed by the University of Newcastle have indicated that people who have reoccurring ulcerative colitis were six times more likely to have been consuming red meat. Some doctors suggest that their clients go on a vegetarian diet to see how their symptoms react.

Because no ulcerative colitis case is the same, diet must be tailored to the individual. To cut down on the confusion when trying to find the cause of your flareups, eat small meals with a few simple items. For example, have a protein and a fruit for one meal and see how you feel. This makes it easier to identify the foods that are troublesome for your system.