[turquoise52]

Ok so I have a few challenges. I have Crohn's disease which means I can't eat certain foods and my body doesn't absorb nutrients well. So I probably should get on a multivitamin first off, any suggestions?

Some of the foods I can't and won't eat are lettuce (can't eat this at ALL ever) and anything spicy.

Some of the foods I can eat but with caution are fruits and veges, red meats, dairy, wheat.

And I can't have too much fiber.

Even running can make me flare. (or just too much exercise)

So you see, I am pretty stumped on how to eat healthy when all of the healthy foods hurt my body! Everytime I ask a doctor for advice or a meal plan they tell me "With this medicine you should be able to eat whatever you want." That response really gets under my skin!! I CAN'T eat whatever I want because there is no cure for my disease! Which means I will always have to deal with flare-ups and even in remission certain foods hurt me! I just can't stand that someone with the knowledge won't tell me what to do, which means I have to do all of the research myself, which means I have to do something! (haha kidding..kind of) So yea, I was hoping for a sort of "easy" way out with an already made perfect diet plan for my lifestyle, but obviously that ain't happenin'. Some of the things that don't hurt me are sweets, coke, and carbs. This is seriously hard for me. I think the key would be to eat healthier foods but in small amounts. That's something I am hoping to accomplish this year. I told myself today "Tara, you have to eat healthier, you have to do this to keep your disease under control, to live a longer healthier life for your kids, you do not have a choice, this is your life." I finally confronted myself and I know that I have no choice, but I continue to live like I do. But hopefully those bad habits will stop today.

So any dieting tips?? As in healthier eating patterns? Exercise schedules? I am going to the grocery store tomorrow and would love any tips on what foods to buy. I am on a very low budget also tomorrow. Like $50-$60 worth. I know i'm going to buy some bananas, strawberries, grapes, yogurt, but am stumped on veges. I can't have anything leafy. And don't enjoy many veges anyway. Any dips out there that aren't too bad? My plan was to eat a fruit/yogurt in the mornings, and from there on i'm clueless. TIA!

[kaplods]

My understanding of Crohn's is that (like IBS and ulcerative colitis), it's hard to give a specific diet, because different people flare on different things, though dairy, fat, spice, and fiber seem to be the biggest triggers. Some people with Crohn's are also allergic or sensitive to gluten, but I'm guessing you were already tested for that (if not, it could be a good idea).

I have IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) and face the same dillemma, as the triggers for IBS flares are much the same (though the consequences generally much less severe).

There are several website support forums that are specifically for Crohn's patients, and some that address Crohn's, ulcerative colitis and IBS together (I'm more familiar with those). One that I've explored a bit is called helpforibs.com (they have a Crohn's and Colitis forum on this site, as well).

A lot of the advice I've seen is about as helpful as your doctors' (everyone is different, you have to experiment and find out what you can tolerate and how much. On medication, some people really can eat anything - but that seems pretty rare - or maybe you just don't hear from those people). But that leaves you in a terrible position, as the only way to find out what triggers a flare is to eat it and see what happens. Yikes!

The best advice I have seen though is to add things very carefully. In small servings with sort of a "wait and see" attitude. Some people do better on cooked veggies than raw. My uncle has severe ulcerative colitis and he cannot eat any raw fruits or veggies. He can have a serving of veggies or two at a meal, but only if they're cooked practically to mush. He pretty much avoids fruit altogether. But, I've also heard of people who had no problem with fruits, only with veggies.

Not much help, I know, but I think you'll probably find alot more on the Crohn's specific sites. Maybe someone here knows some good ones.

[artsnsmarts]

Can you see a nutritionist in your area that knows about Crohn's? I have a few friends who have it, but none of them are trying to lose weight so they just eat whatever they can...

I think the nutritionist might be able to help with some menus. Or search amazon or another bookstore -- I'm sure there are books written for people with Crohn's. Probably even cookbooks!

[CandyKisses0204]

I have a girlfriend that has Crohns disease and instead of taking all the meds her dr. prescribed she went to se a nutritionist. I will have to ask her the foods she can and cant eat, but basically he put her on a very strict diet for 6 weeks and every week or 2 will add a few things into her diet. I know that she doesnt eat anything processed, she eats just a little bit of whole grains, lots of nuts and beans, lots of veggies, yogurt, and only certain berries. Sorry i cant think of it off the top of my head, but maybe it would be work seeing a nutritionist. Not only has she lots weight she feels 100% better and hasnt had a flare up (unless she eats something not in her diet)