ULCERATIVE COLITIS
About Colitis
Colitis is a chronic disorder
in which the lining of the colon becomes inflamed and can develop ulcers, causing
bloody diarrhoea, pain, bloating, flatulence and, sometimes, constipation.
Colitis can range from relatively mild to severe. The full cause is not
always known, but stress, poor diet and food allergies can all play their part.
It can also be caused by infectious bacteria caused by overuse of antibiotics
so that the protective bacteria can no longer protect against pathogenic bacteria.
Nutrition
Facts & Diet Advice for Colitis
Consider the following nutrition guidelines:
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Keep a food diary to see
if you can discover which foods aggravate and which foods improve your condition.
It may be that a few specific foods are causing most of the problems.
Consider seeking the help of a nutritional consultant and have a test for
allergies and food sensitivities.
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Eat a low-carbohydrate diet,
with lots of vegetables and sufficient protein.
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Baked or steamed fish, skinless
chicken and turkey are probably safe.
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Fibre in the form of brown
rice, barley and oats should be tried, but avoid wheat. Also ensure
fibre from vegetables, although if eating them raw aggravates the symptoms,
you could steam or bake them.
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Eat plenty of garlic if possible.
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Eat fruit away from other
foods.
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Use soya milk or rice milk
instead of cows milk.
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Drink at least 1½ litres
or more of clean spring or filtered water (not chlorinated tap water which
kills your good bacteria). You need this water to replace that lost
with diarrhoea.
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Vegetable juices, especially
cabbage, are also good.
Click
here to see the Champion Juicer as used by the Gerson Institute.
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Avoid fat and fried oils.
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Avoid dairy produce.
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Avoid caffeine, sugar and
soft drinks.
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Avoid red meat and processed
food.
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DURING A FLARE-UP, eat only soft
foods until the pain has subsided. Liquidized vegetables with linseeds
might make a good choice. A large glass of water at room temperature
or warmer can be helpful.
Health Supplements
for Colitis
The following health supplements
should be considered:
(click on supplement to go there)
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