Don’t Eat a Flare-Up Diet Forever
A flare-up diet isn’t to be followed long-term, because it’s somewhat restrictive and tends to exclude certain foods that are healthful. The goal should be to get the IBD inflammation calmed down and then start to introduce foods back into the diet. This could be a bit of a yo-yo experience, where a food is added and then if it doesn’t go well, that food is taken back out for a bit before trying it again.
Seek Out a Professional
Creating a diet plan isn’t easy, which is why it’s always a good idea to get professional help. Meeting, even just once, with a dietitian, can be a revelation in terms of diet and answering that question “what do I eat?” Our understanding of IBD and diet is always evolving, so fine-tuning a flare-up diet plan is an ongoing process, and checking in with a dietitian will be helpful.
It’s impossible to name every food that falls into this category, but this includes foods like french fries, chicken fingers, mozzarella sticks, corn dogs, and fried chicken. Our bodies need a certain amount of fat, but too much can cause diarrhea, which no one with IBD wants during a flare-up.
Most vegetables are easier to digest when they are cooked well, with some exceptions, but every person is going to find their own personal list of vegetables that work well. Some of the more problematic vegetables, even when cooked, include broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, corn, lentils, lima beans, mushrooms, parsnips, peas, and winter squash.
