What Is A Successful Colitis Diet During A Relapse?

As anyone with colitis knows, there is always a question mark over what foods to consume and what diet to follow whether you are in either remission or suffering from a relapse. A real challenge appears when the patient encounters a period of relapse where the inflammation of the colon becomes active and eating presents a painful problem.

It is of course essential that during a relapse the patient maintains some food intake to provide the fuel to fight the disease. Continual pain, physical and mental tiredness all take their toll and without a planned colitis diet to follow during this testing period, the patient will become even weaker and may not have the sufficient residual strength to fight the attack. Weight will be lost, that is inevitable, as the daily intake of food is reduced quite considerably so it is vital to establish a colitis diet that works for the patient and to try and stick to it.

There requires to be a level of consumption of food that will sustain the patient yet not create the problem of increasing the frequency of painful toilet visits that are already having to be endured. Waste that requires to be evacuated has to pass over the inflamed part of the colon which creates discomfort and pain for the patient. So the balancing act is between sustaining the nourishment for the patient yet trying to reduce to a minimum any further resultant pain and discomfort.

A colitis diet during a relapse should thus avoid large portions plus any food that has the tendency to create intestinal gas. Strong flavoured such as foods with herbs and spices should be avoided as should anything high in acid content. As small portions will be about all the patient can manage, there should be a tendency for higher calorie food to be consumed which can in fact take the form of snacks rather than set meals. This is not a time to worry about putting on weight by eating foods with a high calorific content. The patient’s problem will be trying to stem the weight loss. Plus, the maxim of consuming a certain amount of fresh fruit and vegetables per day does not have to be part of a colitis diet during a relapse.

If during the height of the relapse, the patient feels too unwell to take much food if any, there are special drink supplements available which contain vitamins and minerals and are regarded as food substitutes where the patient still benefits from the intake of such without having to physically eat.

Through trying different foods, the patient will be able to create their own colitis diet for the periods that they endure a relapse. The target is a small but constant supply of nourishment without an unacceptable increase in the amount of painful toilet visits. It is vitally important that the sufferer is able to eat at anytime whether they are suffering from a relapse or in remission. By gaining from the experience for others they will be able to create their own diet plan and then review it periodically. You now have the opportunity to gain such experience from a survivor at The Colitis Experience