For people living with Crohn's, what do you eat?

[OhioMom02]

Currently our Crohn's sufferer is in remission, has had 2 resection surgeries in the past 5 years, but has on-going problems with adhesions and scar tissue. Yeast breads are out of the question as well as most vegetables, tough meats, pretty much all fast food, spicy food and too much pasta. I'm running out of ideas as to what kinds of meals to make. Can anyone suggest either food ideas or good resources to go to? TIA

 

[TheAviator]

I have a very mild case, no surgeries etc., but I can eat anything. My doctor has told me diet really does not effect it. He is supposed to be one of the best in the country. He has never told me don't eat such and such. I am guessing stay off really spicy stuff and bad fast food, but otherwise, I am guessing if the person is having reactions to food, it may be the case with any food. I would suggest pasta, chicken, light non spicy vegatables, chips and guacamole etc., I know I don't have a problem with any of these, yet I am not a good test model, since sounds like your example is a bad situation. But I think its safe to eat regular chicken, non spicy, like even with fajitas, grilled etc. Sorry.

 

[SLP958]

My husband has had Crohn's for 11 years now. He had 2 resections at the time he was diagnosed.

He is now the best he has even been.

He stays away from raw veggies and any type of seeds. He is also careful woth fruit. No strawberries, raspberries, grapes, kiwi, blackberries. Bananas, oranges and limited amounts of apples are ok. He is now able to eat nuts in small amounts.

Have you tried crockpot meals? Meats cooked this way are very tender as are veggies. Since they are broken down by such a long cooking process they are less fibrous.

For years my husband had very limited foods he could safely eat. It is just a learning process of what works and what doesn't.

Good luck! Crohn's is a rough disease.

 

[OhioMom02]

I have a very mild case, no surgeries etc., but I can eat anything. My doctor has told me diet really does not effect it. He is supposed to be one of the best in the country. He has never told me don't eat such and such. I am guessing stay off really spicy stuff and bad fast food, but otherwise, I am guessing if the person is having reactions to food, it may be the case with any food. I would suggest pasta, chicken, light non spicy vegatables, chips and guacamole etc., I know I don't have a problem with any of these, yet I am not a good test model, since sounds like your example is a bad situation. But I think its safe to eat regular chicken, non spicy, like even with fajitas, grilled etc. Sorry.

I agree with your doc in that diet itself doesn't really affect the Crohn's, but in this case, the adhesions/scar tissue are the big issue. The adhesions prevent the intestines from expanding for some food to pass through without pain. And between the two resections, 90cm of intestines have already been removed, which is why some foods are difficult to digest because there is less time for them to break down. I'm sorry, I should have posted these things in my first post! I think fajitas are a good idea to try. And I'm glad to hear your case is mild. If another resection is required down the road then we will be looking at Short Bowel Syndrome, and I really hope it never comes to that but with the age of the sufferer, I doubt it will be avoided because at the rate that the scar tissue and adhesions are again building up, another blockage will likely occur, which is exactly what happened to result in the 2nd surgery. But yes, I will suggest fajitas!

 

[OhioMom02]

My husband has had Crohn's for 11 years now. He had 2 resections at the time he was diagnosed.

He is now the best he has even been.

He stays away from raw veggies and any type of seeds. He is also careful woth fruit. No strawberries, raspberries, grapes, kiwi, blackberries. Bananas, oranges and limited amounts of apples are ok. He is now able to eat nuts in small amounts.

Have you tried crockpot meals? Meats cooked this way are very tender as are veggies. Since they are broken down by such a long cooking process they are less fibrous.

For years my husband had very limited foods he could safely eat. It is just a learning process of what works and what doesn't.

Good luck! Crohn's is a rough disease.

Some but he is bored with what I make. I need to find new ideas. I'll try veggies in there. Never tried that because he's leery about whether or not he can digest them. Thanks for sharing your DH's story.

 

[TheAviator]

I agree with your doc in that diet itself doesn't really affect the Crohn's, but in this case, the adhesions/scar tissue are the big issue. The adhesions prevent the intestines from expanding for some food to pass through without pain. And between the two resections, 90cm of intestines have already been removed, which is why some foods are difficult to digest because there is less time for them to break down. I'm sorry, I should have posted these things in my first post! I think fajitas are a good idea to try. And I'm glad to hear your case is mild. If another resection is required down the road then we will be looking at Short Bowel Syndrome, and I really hope it never comes to that but with the age of the sufferer, I doubt it will be avoided because at the rate that the scar tissue and adhesions are again building up, another blockage will likely occur, which is exactly what happened to result in the 2nd surgery. But yes, I will suggest fajitas!

Sorry to hear that, I also liked the poster aboves suggestion with the crockpot idea. Roast and slowly cooked potatoes and carrots may work. Sorry to hear about your situation, I have been really blessed my condition is not worse. I have heard some horror stories. I guess everyone is different, but being in remission is great, Doc says if it goes into remission it can stay there, so hopefuly that will work out like that for you

 

[kacaju]

I'll try veggies in there. Never tried that because he's leery about whether or not he can digest them.

I have to laugh because my dh also has Crohn's ad I swear, I make something for dinner that we have had before and I get *my body does not digest that well*
UGH it is so frustrating!!

Staying away from seeds is a must here.. He can have spicy.. he likes it. A lot of processed food has stuff that upsets him.. DH is also lactose intolerant, so that makes life fun...
A normal meal here is salad...that actually helps him stay regular. Some kind of protein, red meat, fish, chicken...he cannot eat pork. A starch...some kind of potato/rice and I use a lot of the steam fresh frozen veggies

 

[ptlohmysoul]

Have you read "The Maker's Diet"? That book is about the Chrohn's and may have suggestions.

 

[Janepod]

No nuts, no sees, no spices, no raw vegetables.
White bread (like really gross bread, like Wonder Bread is okay.) "Good" bread, like stuff with whole grains and lots of fibre, is a disaster.
Lots of grilled chicken, fish and shellfish, but not oysters/clams/mussels.
No red meat, veal or pork.
Yes to eggs.
Most fruit is okay, even berries.
Minimal processed food.
Cheese and yogurt okay, milk and ice cream are terrible.
Pasta, pasta, pasta.

 

[OhioMom02]

I have to laugh because my dh also has Crohn's ad I swear, I make something for dinner that we have had before and I get *my body does not digest that well*UGH it is so frustrating!!

Staying away from seeds is a must here.. He can have spicy.. he likes it. A lot of processed food has stuff that upsets him.. DH is also lactose intolerant, so that makes life fun...
A normal meal here is salad...that actually helps him stay regular. Some kind of protein, red meat, fish, chicken...he cannot eat pork. A starch...some kind of potato/rice and I use a lot of the steam fresh frozen veggies

Same here! The further from his last resection we get the fewer foods he can tolerate that even just a year ago he was gorging himself on. Pork is a no-no here too. I feel like it's going to again come down to soup, applesauce, cottage cheese, and jello. One "good" (not really) thing is that with the progression of his inability to tolerate foods he once could, we have a good idea how bad his adhesions are becoming. Lessons learned from surgery #2.

Have you read "The Maker's Diet"? That book is about the Chrohn's and may have suggestions.

I've never heard of it but will certainly look for it! Thank you all for your suggestions! They've given me some ideas. We are at a point right now where he is recovering from a painful episode of eating something that no longer agrees with him and has taken 5 days to recover from, and he's tired of the same ole' same ole' but he's nervous about trying new things. I'm not a big fan of fish (he loves it) but I guess I better start venturing down that road and learn how to make it along with some of the other ideas.

 

[kacaju]

Same here! The further from his last resection we get the fewer foods he can tolerate that even just a year ago he was gorging himself on. Pork is a no-no here too. I feel like it's going to again come down to soup, applesauce, cottage cheese, and jello. One "good" (not really) thing is that with the progression of his inability to tolerate foods he once could, we have a good idea how bad his adhesions are becoming. Lessons learned from surgery #2.

DH had a resection 19 years ago. All has been good.. he does have some scar tissue and restrictions in the area of resection...the dr has to use a ped's scope to get past that area. But so far all has been good!!

 

[OhioMom02]

DH had a resection 19 years ago. All has been good.. he does have some scar tissue and restrictions in the area of resection...the dr has to use a ped's scope to get past that area. But so far all has been good!!

Good news!! I hope his good health continues! Mine has to now be put under for scopes because his doctor can't get through the resection and adhesion areas without causing extreme pain. Last resection here was 2 years ago. Prior to that was 3 years. First resection they took out 80cm, then the last surgery (by a different surgeon) 10cm were removed. Crohn's is certainly a lifelong struggle no matter how mild or severe the case.

 

[Aimeedyan]

I've found that my diet restrictions change drastically on an (almost) daily basis! So frustrating, and confusing for friends and family who try to understand this darn disease

Really, diet is so individualized that there is no list of safe food for all. I can tell you that prior to my resection, when my scar tissue/inflammation was so bad, I was eating just chicken broth, coffee, processed mac and cheese (the blue box!), and ramen noodles. It was pretty much a liquid diet with some mushy pasta and noodles thrown in so I had something to chew!

Since my resection, there are times when I can't eat any fresh veggies or fruit, salad, nuts, popcorn, red meat, etc. Think anything hard to digest. Right this second, I can do anything in small doses except now I'm not tolerating lactose.

Overly processed food has always been best for me but of course, bad on the waistline! Mashed potatoes, pasta, breads, etc.

Does he obstruct? Or have pain? Or run to the bathroom? Are you sure he's still in remission and this is just scar tissue and it's not an inflammation thing going on?

It's so frustrating, I know. I'm sorry

 

[Bilberry]

I don't have Crohn's disease but have another IBD, a form of colitis. I've had good luck controlling symptoms by following a modified form of the paleo diet. Basically I avoid grains such as wheat, dairy most of the time, along with a few other foods that seem to cause me to flare.

A sight you might find helpful with diet information is Crohns forum. There is a diet section on the sight which can be seen @ ~

http://www.crohnsforum.com/forumdisplay.php?f=17

 

[kydisneyfans]

I've found that my diet restrictions change drastically on an (almost) daily basis! So frustrating, and confusing for friends and family who try to understand this darn disease

Really, diet is so individualized that there is no list of safe food for all. I can tell you that prior to my resection, when my scar tissue/inflammation was so bad, I was eating just chicken broth, coffee, processed mac and cheese (the blue box!), and ramen noodles. It was pretty much a liquid diet with some mushy pasta and noodles thrown in so I had something to chew!

Since my resection, there are times when I can't eat any fresh veggies or fruit, salad, nuts, popcorn, red meat, etc. Think anything hard to digest. Right this second, I can do anything in small doses except now I'm not tolerating lactose.

Overly processed food has always been best for me but of course, bad on the waistline! Mashed potatoes, pasta, breads, etc.

Does he obstruct? Or have pain? Or run to the bathroom? Are you sure he's still in remission and this is just scar tissue and it's not an inflammation thing going on?

It's so frustrating, I know. I'm sorry

Same here, the body does real well on what is supposedly bad for you(mac and cheese, mashed potatoes, white bread), but can't tolerate anything healthy(2 blockages from salads, 1 from grapes, 2 from nuts). The scope last year showed no active Crohns, but severe scar tissue and adhesions from 3 surgeries 20 years ago. It's maddening, my weight has exploded because I eat what I can, eating healthy throws me right back into the hospital.

 

[kacaju]

I've found that my diet restrictions change drastically on an (almost) daily basis! So frustrating, and confusing for friends and family who try to understand this darn disease

Really, diet is so individualized that there is no list of safe food for all. I can tell you that prior to my resection, when my scar tissue/inflammation was so bad, I was eating just chicken broth, coffee, processed mac and cheese (the blue box!), and ramen noodles. It was pretty much a liquid diet with some mushy pasta and noodles thrown in so I had something to chew!

Since my resection, there are times when I can't eat any fresh veggies or fruit, salad, nuts, popcorn, red meat, etc. Think anything hard to digest. Right this second, I can do anything in small doses except now I'm not tolerating lactose.

Overly processed food has always been best for me but of course, bad on the waistline! Mashed potatoes, pasta, breads, etc.

Does he obstruct? Or have pain? Or run to the bathroom? Are you sure he's still in remission and this is just scar tissue and it's not an inflammation thing going on?

It's so frustrating, I know. I'm sorry

I agree, and for my dh eating healthy is SOOOO important.. a diet of not healthy, over processed foods kill him...It kills me because sometimes I just want a bowl of cereal for dinner, but I need to make a full meal for him.

 

[OhioMom02]

I've found that my diet restrictions change drastically on an (almost) daily basis! So frustrating, and confusing for friends and family who try to understand this darn disease

Really, diet is so individualized that there is no list of safe food for all. I can tell you that prior to my resection, when my scar tissue/inflammation was so bad, I was eating just chicken broth, coffee, processed mac and cheese (the blue box!), and ramen noodles. It was pretty much a liquid diet with some mushy pasta and noodles thrown in so I had something to chew!

Since my resection, there are times when I can't eat any fresh veggies or fruit, salad, nuts, popcorn, red meat, etc. Think anything hard to digest. Right this second, I can do anything in small doses except now I'm not tolerating lactose.

Overly processed food has always been best for me but of course, bad on the waistline! Mashed potatoes, pasta, breads, etc.

Does he obstruct? Or have pain? Or run to the bathroom? Are you sure he's still in remission and this is just scar tissue and it's not an inflammation thing going on?

It's so frustrating, I know. I'm sorry

Oh you sound so much like my DH. He has pain right now, and he eventually obstructs from the scar tissue build up. His last scope was in March and there was no active Crohn's at that point. He had active Crohn's for about 7 years before his first surgery so he says his symptoms now aren't like when it was active, that they are because of the foods passing through. His last obstruction was from scar tissue, which unfortunately grows very fast for him. Right now when he has a bad bout with pain, it takes DAYS (I'm sure you relate to this well) for his intestines to calm down and heal.

I don't have Crohn's disease but have another IBD, a form of colitis. I've had good luck controlling symptoms by following a modified form of the paleo diet. Basically I avoid grains such as wheat, dairy most of the time, along with a few other foods that seem to cause me to flare.

A sight you might find helpful with diet information is Crohns forum. There is a diet section on the sight which can be seen @ ~

http://www.crohnsforum.com/forumdisplay.php?f=17

I will check it out. Thanks! We definitely need to change diet because what we are doing now isn't working out great for him. One good thing is we do not eat fast food anymore at all. He just can't handle it, and that isn't such a bad thing.

Same here, the body does real well on what is supposedly bad for you(mac and cheese, mashed potatoes, white bread), but can't tolerate anything healthy(2 blockages from salads, 1 from grapes, 2 from nuts). The scope last year showed no active Crohns, but severe scar tissue and adhesions from 3 surgeries 20 years ago. It's maddening, my weight has exploded because I eat what I can, eating healthy throws me right back into the hospital.

Are your scar tissue and adhesions getting worse or staying the same all these years? It's an oxymoron that fruits/veggies/nuts are horrible to digest. My DH lost 45 lbs before last surgery and it was scary. He put all that back on plus some but IMO I'd much rather see him carry extra weight than see him way too skinny. His weight is a very good indicator of how well he is doing. If he starts dropping weight again then there are problems.

It is so difficult for people who don't live with this to understand how day-to-day it is. I've tried to explain, because sometimes I get comments like "Oh he just needs to learn to like XXXX" or "Make him eat it anyway". It just doesn't work like that. Thanks again so much for your input! I appreciate your stories and suggestions.

 

[kacaju]

It is so difficult for people who don't live with this to understand how day-to-day it is. I've tried to explain, because sometimes I get comments like "Oh he just needs to learn to like XXXX" or "Make him eat it anyway". It just doesn't work like that. Thanks again so much for your input! I appreciate your stories and suggestions.

I couldn't have said that better!! I get *let him make his own dinner*comments and things like that. This is not something I would wish on anyone...and I know he truly loves that I do my best to help him.

 

[powellrj]

I will never forget the first time DS was in the hospital. They sent a registered dietitian up to work with his diet. The first thing out of her mouth was that he needed to eat more fresh fruits and vegetables. She made a dinner menu out for him and for a salad she had fresh strawberries listed. I questioned that saying I didn't think the seeds would be good for him and she blew me off saying that was an old wives tale. His nurse and I just looked at each other thinking she has got to be kidding.

He is really good at researching on his own and while I am not sure exactly what he does eat, I do know that anything with small seeds are a no go!