Diet for colitis: a menu for various manifestations of inflammation of the colon

The large intestine performs the most important functions in the human body. It provides reverse absorption of water in the gastrointestinal tract, participates in the formation of the immune response, and a number of vitamins are synthesized here. However, the features of modern lifestyle, poor nutrition, stress, poor ecology often become the causes of inflammatory pathology of the colon.

The basic principles of nutrition

Treatment of colitis of any etiology is a whole complex of measures: medication, physiotherapy, diet. A very important role in this is given to proper nutrition. A diet for colitis with constipation is different from a diet for colitis with diarrhea. Diet for nonspecific colitis takes into account the following factors:

• etiology of the disease;
• the sharpness of the process;
• intestinal motility;
• the presence of dyspeptic symptoms;
• concomitant gastrointestinal pathologies;
• individual tolerance of products;
• age, field of activity of the patient.

A correctly selected diet allows to achieve a subsidence of the severity of the process, prevents the onset of relapse of the disease. The basic principles of clinical nutrition for chronic colitis are as follows.

• Fractionality. It is necessary to take food in fractional portions, this contributes to the formation of biological digestion rhythms and improves bowel function. There should be a clear and constant diet.
• Diversity. Dishes should be varied and promote appetite.
• Cooking. It is advisable to cook food yourself. Semi-finished products, products with preservatives and dyes are contraindicated.

For constipation

The inflammatory process in the intestine is not so rarely characterized by difficulty in defecation. Constipation is a condition when a patient visits the toilet no more than three times a week, while the process of bowel movement is accompanied by straining.

What diet is good for constipation? To improve the formation of feces and stimulate the intestines, it is necessary to include dishes rich in dietary fiber (fiber) in the patient's menu. These substances absorb water well and therefore increase the volume of intestinal contents. They prevent the reabsorption of toxins. Against the background of the use of fiber, there is a regression of inflammatory-dystrophic changes in the intestinal wall. It is proved that dietary fiber stimulates the synthesis of vitamins, contribute to the normalization of microflora.

Doctors recommend consuming at least 20-30 g of ballast substances per day. Adequate fiber intake should be provided through vegetables and fruits. At colitis with constipation, at least 350 g of such products should be included in the diet.

In the period of exacerbation, it is necessary to use coarse fiber. Useful:

• buckwheat cereal oatmeal, barley groats;
• baked or boiled beets, carrots;
• soaked dried apricots;
• kiwi, mango;
• sea ​​kale;
• cauliflower, broccoli, romanescu;
• Baked apples
• greens (parsley, dill).

All dishes must be cooked in boiled or steam form. You can bake in the oven, but without fat and the formation of a crispy crust. At first, it is better to give vegetable and mucous soups, non-concentrated meat or fish broth. Useful stewed vegetables, stew from cabbage, carrots or zucchini, baked pumpkin. Juices with pulp (plum, pumpkin, pear and apple) are recommended as drinks.

Mineral waters are recommended (Essentuki, Jermuk), they must be taken one hour before meals, one glass, preferably in a warm form. This type of diet is especially useful for children, pregnant women and the elderly.

Sour-milk dishes also contribute to the appearance of a normal stool. The most useful products, which contain lactic acid bacteria:

• koumiss;
• yogurt;
• leaven;
• symbilact.

Fermented milk products are very well combined with dried apricots or prunes. The higher the acidity of the dairy product, the better laxative effect it has.

During the period of colitis remission, nutritionists recommend introducing special products and additives containing dietary fiber into the menu. These include:

• whole grain flour products;
• wheat bran;
• microcrystalline cellulose;
• rektsen.

The most affordable product is wheat bran. They absorb water well and increase the amount of feces. Before taking bran, you need to fill them with boiling water for 15-20 minutes. After that, they can be added to salad, porridge or yogurt. The amount of bran should initially not exceed one teaspoon two to three times a day. Then you can gradually increase to three to four tablespoons per day.

With increased gas formation

Very often, patients with colitis complain of increased flatulence in the intestines (flatulence). This problem can be solved by correcting the diet. It will be required to completely exclude from the menu:

• boiled and pasteurized milk, condensed milk;
• beans, beans, green peas;
• all kinds of cabbage;
• durum wheat pasta;
• cakes, pastries, pastry;
• sweet fruits (apples, persimmons, melons, grapes).

Some types of products need to be limited. At most two to three times a week you can eat:

• fatty meats - pork, lamb;
• offal - language, kidneys;
• canned food - from fish and meat;
• chocolate confectionery - sweets, sweets, pastries.

A diet for colitis and bloating must necessarily include fermented milk products. They contribute to the normalization of microflora, enhance the growth of beneficial lactobacilli and bifidobacteria. Sour-milk drinks prepared at home based on complex kefir yeast give a particularly good effect.
Normalize the work of the large intestine and reduce inflammation in it polyunsaturated fatty acids. They are found in large quantities in the fat of marine fish. Therefore, it is recommended that patients with colitis three to four times a week include in the menu dishes of salmon, sardines, hake, telapia, and mackerel. Vegetable oils, in particular, are a good source of polyunsaturated fatty acids. flaxseed, olivecorn.

Some plants are able to inhibit the growth of pathogenic colon microflora and thereby reduce inflammation with colitis and increased gas formation. These include:

• berries and leaves barberry;
• cranberry;
• lingonberry berries:
• Rowan;
• viburnum;
• raspberries in fresh and dried form;
• horseradish;
• dill;
• cumin seeds;
• chilli;
• turmeric;
• cinnamon.

Cranberries have a particularly pronounced antibacterial effect. It is able to inhibit the growth of Escherichia coli, streptococcus and Proteus, its inhibitory effect on the reproduction of fungi of the genus Candida has been proven.

There are also nutritionists' recommendations for using raw rice to eliminate bloating.To do this, pour the grains with cold water and let stand for about 20 minutes. Then you need to pour out the liquid, and put the remaining mass in the refrigerator for five to six hours. After that, remove from the refrigerator and pour boiling water over twice. Take this rice in a teaspoon before eating.

With diarrhea

Diarrhea also often accompanies diseases of the colon. It can occur with enterocolitis, irritable bowel syndrome, erosive or catarrhal colitis, inflammation against the background of any intestinal infection. Proper nutrition plays a very important role, as it helps to restore the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract.

In the acute period, it is necessary to adhere to the following principles of diet therapy:

• sparing - exclude any mechanical trauma to the walls of the intestine;
• restriction - reduce the number of foods causing flatulence, containing essential oils;
• temperature - Serve dishes only in a warm form;
• additives - add products containing tannin to the menu;
• composition - increase the quota of simple carbohydrates in the diet.

If the frequency of stool is more than six to seven times a day, it is recommended to exclude food intake for 24-48 hours. During the period of exacerbation, you can eat only baked apples without skin, tea with a small amount of sugar is allowed. You can also use blueberry decoction or infusion of currant leaves.

After reducing the frequency of stool, they switch to sparing diet number 4but. All dishes are cooked by boiling or in a double boiler. Eat portions of a small volume, but often, up to six times a day. Diet for ulcerative colitis without exacerbation is made in a similar way.

With colitis, which is accompanied by diarrhea, the following are allowed:

• soups - mucous membranes with the addition of mashed meat, vegetable puree soups;
• cutlets - steam or dumplings of veal, chicken, turkey;
• a fish - steam cutlets or steamed fillet;
• cottage cheese - low fat cottage cheese casseroles;
• butter - creamy in a small amount, as an additive to dishes;
• mashed vegetables - potato, pumpkin, squash, carrot;
• porridge - liquid without coarse fiber;
• bakery products - dried white bread.

During remission with colitis with a tendency to diarrhea, a diet No. 4b is prescribed. It has a larger range of products, in contrast to the menu during exacerbation. It is not necessary to wipe the meat and cereals, it is allowed to eat eggs in the form of omelets, soft-boiled, add them to baking and desserts. You can eat fresh vegetables without coarse fiber, make salads from them. Fruits and berries are recommended with delicate pulp: bananas, sweet apples, persimmons, strawberries, blueberries.

Juices are best consumed in diluted form in a ratio of 1: 2. In small quantities, it is allowed to add dairy products, hard cheese, curds to the menu, it is useful to drink fermented milk products. This diet is similar diet number 2, therefore, also suitable for people suffering from gastritis with high acidity or chronic pancreatitis during remission. In this case, the approximate menu for the day is as follows.

• Breakfast. Dairy semolina, two boiled eggs, tea with sugar and lemon.
• Lunch. Cottage cheese with honey.
• Dinner. Soup with noodles on chicken stock, rice with vegetables and boiled meat, carrot casserole.
• An afternoon snack. Fish casserole, blueberry jelly.
• Dinner. Rice casserole with carrots and green peas, steamed chicken dumplings, banana, tea with milk.
• Before bedtime. Low fat yogurt.

For each patient, the diet is compiled strictly individually, since the features of the course of colitis are taken into account. It is best to consult your doctor or nutritionist about nutrition.

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