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Mucous Colitis Diet

Mucous colitis is a commonly occurring condition most frequently known as irritable bowel syndrome. While living with mucous colitis can be a challenge, day to day "survival" can be made easier with compliance to a specific nutritional regime. Diet can help alleviate the symptoms of mucous colitis, allowing you to reduce its impact on your life and regain some measure of control over your health.

  1. Mucous Colitis

    • Mucous colitis is a relatively complex disease affecting the lower segment of your digestive system--the colon. Symptoms of mucous colitis include abdominal bloating, pain, constipation, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and loss of appetite. Oftentimes the cause of mucous colitis is unclear, but symptoms can often be triggered by extreme emotional stress.

    Mucous Colitis and Diet

    • According to the National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse (NDDIC), paying close attention to your diet can help to alleviate the symptoms of mucous colitis, along with decreasing the frequency of outbreaks. Certain foods can act as triggers, irritating the digestive tract and causing an episode. The proper diet for mucous colitis is an elimination diet, where trigger foods are systematically discovered and removed.

    Mucous Colitis Diet

    • While trigger foods can differ from person to person, there are nevertheless some general recommendations that can help you cope. Increasing consumption of dietary fiber is crucial for reducing symptoms of constipation; however, it might not help with decreasing pain or diarrhea. Note that too much fiber is often as bad as too little, so increase your fiber intake slowly to find the best level for your particular needs. Beyond that, eat a diet that is rich in fruits, veggies and whole grains, and drink plenty of water to offset possible dehydration from diarrhea. You are also advised to consume smaller, more frequent meals, as large meals can overload your digestive tract and trigger your mucous colitis.

    Tailoring the Diet

    • Finding trigger foods is a process of discovery, and according to the NDDIC, the best way to accomplish that is to keep a food journal listing the foods you consume, the times they were consumed, and any outbreak of symptoms. Over time, you will be able to establish patterns between certain foods and an increase in symptoms, which can help you remove the right foods from your diet.

    Considerations

    • Beyond dietary chances, reducing your stress levels can also help to mitigate the symptoms of mucous colitis. While it is impossible to eliminate all stress from your life, you should strive to remove those sources of stress that you can easily do without. Additionally, making time to engage in activities that you find relaxing (such as walking in the park or meditating) can help you to learn how to best cope with mucous colitis.

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