Ulcerative colitis is an inflammatory disease of the large intestines. It often affects a single section within the inner lining along this portion of your digestive tract, prompting pain, cramping and diarrhea. If left untreated, it could cause a series of ulcerations to form along the affected area. And though there isn't a cure for ulcerative colitis, there are measures you can put in place to better manage your condition. One of the more effective approaches to care is a change in diet. But this diet isn't solely about what you include in your eating regimen; it also involves the avoidance of certain foods to lessen the effects of ulcerative colitis.
Dairy
One of the main food groups that can cause issues for people with ulcerative colitis is dairy products. This is largely due to the effect lactose has on your digestive tract, as it is often very hard for people with colitis to digest milk sugar. Milk, cheese, ice cream and yogurt all contain lactose, so limit your intake of these products, but it's still very important to maintain a well-balanced diet, and cutting out dairy can deprive you of certain vitamins and minerals. To ensure proper nutrition, consider taking a calcium supplement or even a lactose enzyme that can help break down this dairy sugar.
Fiber
People with ulcerative colitis often have difficulties with foods rich in fiber, making fresh fruits and vegetables as well as whole grain problem fare. But much like dairy, foods rich in fiber are filled with essential vitamins, minerals and other nutrients. While it's still important to avoid problem foods, you shouldn't avoid these types of products, so use different preparation methods for fruits, vegetables and whole grains to lessen their impact on your digestive tract. Steaming can frequently make fruit and vegetables more digestible, but you may also want to try blanching, stewing or baking these foods prior to eating them.
Fat
It is also important to watch your fat intake when dealing with ulcerative colitis. Fat can actually become quite difficult to absorb within any intestinal walls affected by inflammation, increasing the potential for pain, cramping and diarrhea associated with this condition. Whenever possible, especially with saturated fat and trans fat, avoid foods high in fat. This would include cookies, crackers, chips, red meats, whole dairy and fried foods.
Preservatives
There is also some belief that preservatives can take a toll on a digestive tract suffering from ulcerative colitis, so avoid highly processed foods to better manage your condition. Things like meal helpers, prepackaged foods, frozen meals, deli meats and other shelf stable products are usually highly processed foods.
Sugars
Though not as prevalent as other types of foods, refined sugars can also worsen the effects of ulcerative colitis. Sugared cereals are often filled with an exorbitant amount of sugar, but you can also find this substance in fruit juices, yogurt, ketchup, salad dressings and sports drinks.
Spicy Foods
While not everyone with ulcerative colitis will have problems with spicy foods, there is the potential that certain spices could worsen the effect of your condition. With this grouping of food, it's more trial and error to determine whether or not spicy foods should be avoided, so experiment with different foods as you establish your diet plan.
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