Nutritional diet for crohn's disease

Cohn’s disease often causes loss of appetite, weight loss and inadequate absorption of nutrients so a healthy diet is essential for managing the disease and preventing further complications. Good and healthy eating habits are important for everyone, but especially for people who suffer from Cohn’s disease, since the illness can deprive the body from many essential nutrients. It is not always easy to tell what “healthy eating” means, but basically it means to include food from all four food groups: meat (or other protein sources), dairy, whole grain and fruits and vegetables. For Cohn’s disease it is important to monitor which foods trigger the symptoms in order to avoid them. There are some simple eating tips that should be followed. This includes eating three meals a day plus three smaller meals distributed evenly throughout the day. One meal a day should include protein- meat, chicken, fish, tofu, yogurt, eggs, and peanut butter. Dairy products are important sources of minerals and vitamins, as well as protein. Some people are lactose intolerant and if that intolerance is combined with Cohn’s, the symptoms are bound to worsen. There are many dairy products that do not contain lactose, and there is always soy milk, as well as soy yogurt and soy ice cream, that are a healthy and tasty alternative to milk. People with Cohn’s disease should include fats in their diet, but the fat should be of the good kind- not the fried and greasy food. Nuts, peanut butter, butter and margarine are good sources of fat and provide twice as much calorie than other nutrients. Cohn’s disease can cause malabsorption of important nutrients and especially of vitamins. This is why people who suffer from this disease should consult an expert, gastroenterologist or nutritionist, who may recommend taking vitamin and mineral supplements. However, supplements must not replace natural food, as they contain no calories and may lead to weight loss. The supplements that are usually prescribed for Cohn’s disease patients include vitamin B12, folic acid, vitamin D, calcium and iron. Good eating habits for staying healthy and preventing the flare-up of symptoms of Cohn’s disease include one more important element, and that is water. Because of frequent diarrhea and intestinal irritation, patients are at risk of dehydration and it is vital that they take plenty of fluids in small quantities throughout the day. The recommended amount is half an ounce of liquid for every pound of body weight. Foods that generally may trigger the symptoms of Cohn’s disease and that are to be avoided include fried and greasy food, fast food, processed snacks, high fiber food, alcohol and coffee.