WHAT CAN I DO TO GET MY NUTRITION TO HELP MY IBD?

An understanding of your IBD and your general health will say a lot about the nutrition your body needs. To make that understanding more helpful, it's also important to know how you are doing now, what you are already doing to help and what seems to make it better or worse. 

What Are My Options to Get Help?

• When was your most recent gastroenterology evaluation?
• Have you met with a dietitian or nutrition specialist?
• Do you also see a surgeon, psychologist, pain doctor, alternative practitioner?
• When was your last colonoscopy and what did it show?
• What medicines have you been prescribed? What worked? What didn't?
• What over the counter remedies have you tried? What worked? what didn't?
• What do you usually eat? How do you feel afterwards?
• What diets have you tried? What foods have you avoided? What worked? What didn't?
• Do you exercise, meditate, do other therapies?

What Makes it Worse?

• Do you usually flare with illnesses, at particular times of the year?
• Do you smoke? How much?
• Have you been on recent antibiotics, or in the hospital?
• Have you been tested for C diff, viruses?
• Does stress increase your symptoms?
• Did any medicines (prescribed or over the counter) make it worse?
• Do any foods increase your pain or diarrhea? 
• If you don't know the answer to the last 3 questions, you can keep a symptom diary to track how stress, food and medicines affect you?

Many of these are not simple questions, but they're all important aspects that will determine your best options. It may be worthwhile to collect the information into a file folder, adding the dates of your procedures and surgeries. You may want to keep this as a time line and add your lab work as well.

Then record what you eat and drink for 3 to 5 days, how much, and when. Be specific. Not just a glass of water, but how much you actually drank: 4 ounces at 8 AM, 8 ounces with lunch at noon. How big was that burger at lunch, and what did you put on it? A dietitian can give you the most help if you are more complete. We even have a form you can use. <<link-symptom diary>>  Once you have gathered that information, you will have a thorough idea about your or your child's condition and will be on the path to improve your nutrition. You can research specific or general topics on our website and you can meet with your doctor or a dietitian to have them guide you.

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