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I was diagnosed with Crohn's about 7 months ago. Prior to that, I was told I had IBS. I have always been an unhealthy eater- I don't eat vegetables, and while I like some fruit, I rarely eat it. If it's green, I don't eat it. I eat lots of red meat, etc...

Anyway, I'm sure some of what I'm eating is not helping my condition. Are there dieticians who specialize in Crohn's? Has anyone seen a dietician for Crohn's?

Thanks for any help you can provide.

 Reply posted for nixon.

You've got to do what is best for you.  When I was first diagnosed, I purchased the book "What to eat with IBD".  They have it on this website under Books in the Shop CCFA.  The book is great, because it breaks down food into 2 categories "foods that heals" and "foods that hurt".  It also discusses the many vitamin/nutrient issues with IBD.  There are also some great recipes in the book.  I mostly drink water.  On ocassion, I'll have Sprite, but no other soda.  Very rarely do I eat meat.  Basically chicken, turkey, pasta, and salmon.  Salmon is best for the Omega 3 fish oil which coats the walls of the colon.  Keep in mind that as with any diet, moderation is the key issue.  It's not that you can never have a certain food again, you just have to limit the quantity and frequency that you have the food.

Good luck!

 Reply posted for nixon.

Well, I am a Registered Dietitian and I also have Crohn's Disease. I was diagnosed in 2007. Not many dietitians know a lot about Crohn's and UC.  It is somewhat annoying that there is not a "diet" for either condition. One of the most important things is to find out what your "trigger" foods are. You also need to know if you can tolerate dairy products. I tend to avoid nuts, seeds, black pepper, caffeine, and large amounts of refined sugars.  Be careful with the seeds, as they are on strawberries, inside cucumbers and squash, and especially sesame seeds!  Try to cook all veggies soft. I found that I am not able to tolerate onion, and many people have trrouble with fruit and fruit juices because of the fructose content.  When I am in a flare I switch to a liquid diet and use my juicer to make carrot and beet juice. Hope some of this helps, let me know! 

 Reply posted for wyoming.

Hi!  Just read your reply and checked out the Great Taste No Pain site and after reading about it I ordered it.   I am very excited to get this information and see if I get the relief they promise.  I'll try anything and the cost was doable.  Thanks for the tip.

Jackie

 Reply posted for nixon.

Chiropractors that are CCN (Certified Clinical Nutritionist) or DACBN can help.  I see one and she helped turn my life around.

 Reply posted for nixon.

I am not a nutritionalist, but when medication left me feeling worse and doctors couldn’t seem to help me gain control of my quite violent symptoms, I took my problem in had by find out what food items bothered me the most. Soda pop was the first to go, to much acid. Second was beef. Beef is the hardest meat to digest even for a normal intestine, ( take four days) For someone with CD/CI the beef will rot before it digest, causing all kinds of digestion trouble before it get out of the body. I pushed my refusal to leave beef out of my diet until my body had had enough. I began to experience violent reactions within a half and hour of eating and hamburger. Vomiting, stomach cramps, diarrhea all last 12 hours until I was sure I was going to die from the misery. Needless to say, my bodies reaction finally caused me to make a choice. Eat the hamburger I liked so much , or deal with the consequences. I choice to remove the beef, I have not had a hamburger in over 15 years, in fact I can’t even stand the smell of beef cooking any more.

I also eat more natural, removing almost all preservatives and dyes from my diet. I have also added b12 complex supplements, omega 3 as well as a product called Perfect Foods ( bought at the health store ) because it is one product that contains not only all the green veggie nutrition I need on a daily bases, but it also contains good bacterial and enzymes vital for proper digestion.

BJ

 Reply posted for nixon.

My urologist put me on the IC diet (icdiet.com) for an inflammed bladder and since then, I am med free for the Crohn's. 

 Reply posted for nixon.

I am no dietician either, but fruits and veggies are a must.  Check out the site greattastenopain.com and see what it has.   I am not taking any meds now and I feel so much better!!  It explains what foods are toxic when combined with other foods.  I was diagnosed in Dec 08 and was in a bad flare, don't hardly feel bad anymore, only when I have cheated to  much. 

 Reply posted for nixon.

I an not a nutrionist.  That being said, I am well versed in Crohns/Foods.  I have learned sugar is not good for Crohns.  Healthy fats (avocado, olive, grapeseed, etc) are much easier on the system than the others.  Pepsi is a no no.  Coke is easier to handle (there is more acid in Pepsi than Coke).  Mint tea and Yerba Mate are good for you.  Now to the sticky situation for you- fruits and veggies.  Over cooked veggies do fine.  Bananas are great.  Beans and corn are iffy for me.  Salads in small quantities are okay.  Now...Beef is more difficult to digest than chicken and fish.  It is mainly a game of what works for you.  I suggest a probiotic, vitamin supplement, and B complex.  You cover your bases better. 

Breezy