Top 2 Foods That Are Not Your Friend If You Have Crohn's, Colitis Or IBS
If you eat a food and feel perfectly fine after eating it, does that mean it is ok to eat it? Not necessarily! A common misunderstanding when it comes to foods is that no pain must mean that our body is a-ok with it.
The problem with this line of thinking is that just because your body isn't screaming at you doesn't mean it isn't working overtime to break down a particular food and it certainly doesn't mean that your body likes it.
When crohn's or colitis is present, so is inflammation. The more inflammation the better chance of a flare, violent bowel movements, pain, weight loss, blood in your stool and even anal fissures.
Food is a one of the best things you can address to begin managing your inflammation. While some foods will help to reduce inflammation others will create it and whether there is a food sensitivity, allergy or not, certain foods will either help you or hurt you.
Dairy
Don't panic! The world really does go on without cheese.
Ditching dairy can relieve diarrhea, gas, bloating, nausea, cramps and stomach pain. It has been shown that IBS symptoms and other digestive conditions, dairy was a key contributor (1). Furthermore the A1 casein found in dairy products can lead to inflammation encouraging crohn's, colitis and leaky gut.
Instead of: Milk, cream, sour cream, cheese, yogurt, ice cream or butter.
Swap it for: coconut milk, almond milk, coconut cream, nut cheese, nutritional yeast, coconut yogurts, ice creams and whip creams, or ghee.
Gluten
Before you dismiss this one, let me remind you that whether you can eat it without any pain or not, it is inflammatory and it is not helping your situation.
Whether it be pasta, crackers, pizza crusts, bread, research is showing how gluten is only adding your inflammation. One animal study noted that gluten intake in mice increased inflammatory markers (1). Conversely, in another study mice following a gluten-free diet improved levels of inflammatory markers (2).
Instead of: white or wholewheat breads, pasta or crackers.
Swap it for: Brown rice, bean or oat breads or pastas and even nut and seed crackers. (Try a homemade buttery dinner roll recipe here)
Note: you may be surprised to know that gluten is often hidding in condiments, ice creams, meats like ham or sausage and even the sticky part of your envelopes.
While looking for dairy free and gluten free options be mindful that sourcing good quality is just as important as avoiding dairy and gluten. Highly processed, preservative ridden foods will do you no good.
Now if bread, pasta, cheese and milk are present in your diet, you might be feeling overwhelmed. Rest assured this doesn't mean you are doomed to eat bland, dry, tasteless food. So be sure to join my FREE Facebook Group, Soul Food Community for daily support with recipes and tips to a dairy free and gluten free diet. Join here.
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