| Answer: | Crohn' s disease is an inflammatory bowel disorder that responds very well to nutritional therapy. First, a few factors should be considered. Sensitivity to certain foods, most commonly gluten (the protein found in wheat, oats, rye and barley) and milk, can aggravate Crohn' s, so avoiding them can help. Also avoid coffee, alcohol and sugar, drink 1.5 litres of water daily and eat fresh whole foods that are naturally high in fibre, such as lentils, beans, ground seeds, fruits and lightly cooked vegetables. Be careful, however, with the introduction of fibre-rich foods, as the digestive tract of Crohn' s sufferers is very sensitive. The amount of good bacteria in the gut is likely to be low, so restore the balance with a probiotic supplement such as acidophilus. Taking some omega-3-rich fish or flax oil helps calm the inflammation. The herbs boswellia and curcumin are also good anti-inflammatories, while slippery elm and marshmallow are very soothing to the gut lining. The amino acid glutamine, taken last thing at night (mix 5 to 10g of the powder in a glass of water), also helps to repair the gut.
But there are different kinds of fibre. Insoluble fibre, found in bran and wholegrains, is harsh on the bowel and doesn' t suit a sensitive or inflamed digestive system. Soluble fibres, on the other hand, found in oats, lentils, beans, fruits, vegetables and flax seeds or linseeds, are a whole other story. Soluble fibres are very water absorbent, and by bulking up foods and slowing the release of sugars, can help to control appetite and play a part in blood sugar control and weight maintenance. They make faecal matter bulkier, less dense and easier to pass along the digestive tract, decreasing the amount of time food waste spends inside the body and reducing the risk of toxins being reabsorbed by the colon.
Soluble fibre-rich foods contain many other nutrients as well, so are an important part of any healthy diet, even in Crohn' s sufferers. So don' t stop eating soluble fibre, cut out bran and go easy on the wholewheat. |
