About Crohn's Disease & Imbalanced Nutrition

Crohn's disease is a medical condition characterized by an inflammation of the intestines, both large and small. This digestive disorder commonly disrupts only the walls or lining of these organs, usually from the formation of ulcers. However, this condition may affect different people in different ways, as some individuals have suffered from these same sores anywhere in their digestive tract, even the mouth. Though there is no cure for this inflammatory bowel disease, people do find relief, because the disorder is both intermittent and treatable.

Symptoms

• Since Crohn's disease is a digestive disorder, most of the signs and symptoms that are linked to the condition will involve a person's digestion. One of the most common symptoms is diarrhea, due to the secretion from the walls of the intestine that takes place during inflammation. This is accompanied by pain and cramping in the abdomen, mostly at the time of a bowel movement. Some people will also notice blood in their stool or an almost black, tarry stool (a sign that blood has been passed). Many people will feel nauseous, especially in more severe cases of Crohn's disease, and may lose their appetites and lose weight.

Treatment

• Treatment for Crohn's disease will really depend on the severity and location of the symptoms, but will usually involve an anti-inflammatory drug and an antibiotic. The first can reduce the swelling and lessen the intensity of a patient's symptoms. The second will help heal irritation and ulceration present in the digestive tract. Doctors often suggest a change in lifestyle, including getting more exercise and eating better.

Nutrition

• While Crohn's is not a result of nutrition, an imbalanced, unhealthy diet will exacerbate the disease. The biggest thing you can do to help alleviate at least the intensity of your symptoms is to rid your diet of high-fat foods. Crohn's disease makes it harder for the body to digest fat, and fat generally causes more cramping and diarrhea. However, someone with Crohn's disease may also need to be cautious high fiber foods. Most people will need to test foods to see if their body reacts poorly to them.

Recommendations

• To manage your condition, you should start by finding a balance to your nutrition. From there, begin to eat smaller meals and drink plenty of liquids. Take a multivitamin daily especially if you're having problems with foods that are high in fiber. Most high fiber foods are also packed with vitamins and nutrients. When you're unable to include a number of them in your diet, a daily supplement may be the answer.

Misconceptions

• Irritable bowel syndrome is not the same as Crohn's disease. If you have IBS, you are not more susceptible to developing inflammatory bowel disease.