Crohn’s Disease is a chronic Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), in which inflammation up to the full thickness of the bowel wall and ulceration can affect anywhere in the gastrointestinal tract (from mouth to anus). It occurs in the last third of the small intestine where it joins to the large bowel, however.  This disease affects sufferers differently with the location of affected area and the severity of strictures and penetration into the bowel wall determining treatment options.

 

Immune Dysfunction, genetic predisposition and environment have been linked to causal effect; however the cause is still not fully understood. The disease go through times of remission, in which symptoms are mild, and times of relapse or ‘flare-ups’ in which abdominal pain, diarrhoea, urgency, fatigue and anaemia are often experienced, with weight loss and malnutrition often resulting. This symptoms are often hard to manage and can lead to a reduction in quality of life for sufferers.

 

How Diet Can Help?

 

The main aim is to induce and maintain remission for individuals with an Inflammatory Bowel Disease. Dietary intervention can have a large impact on this management strategy. Nutritional therapy depends on the location, severity and activity of an individual’s IBD. IBD is not caused by diet, but dietary modification can assist with the symptoms of IBD.

 

We can assist by advising you on

 

• What foods to avoid a risk of an obstruction in the bowel

• How to reduce your risk of weight loss and malnutrition

• Assist to creating a nutrient-dense diet, taking into consideration any personal food intolerance

• Recommend supplements for vitamin, mineral or digestive enzyme & co-factors depletion

 

Further reading/Reference:

http://www.gesa.org.au/consumer.asp?id=17

https://www.crohnsandcolitis.com.au/