Foods Ulcerative Colitis Patients Should Avoid

Ulcerative colitis is a type of inflammatory bowel disease. This condition irritates the large intestine and rectum. The irritation triggers inflammation and causes ulcers, both of which will last for a long time. Symptoms include diarrhea, weight loss, pain in the abdomen, and fatigue. Patients will also feel a frequent urge to defecate, but an inability to do so. Rectal pain and bleeding may occur as well.

The cause remains unknown, although many experts suspect that it may be an autoimmune disorder. Diet and stress were previously thought to cause this condition. However, research has shown that this is not the case. Instead, they aggravate existing symptoms.

Unfortunately, there is no cure for ulcerative colitis. Instead, patients must seek out treatment for the rest of their lives to experience pain relief. They will often need to take corticosteroids for inflammation, as well as immunomodulator drugs and biologics. In fact, drug therapy for ulcerative colitis is the most common treatment. The other option for bowel inflammation treatment is to prevent ulcerative colitis flare-ups. This means avoiding food triggers.

Dairy Products

Many individuals who have ulcerative colitis are also quite sensitive to dairy products. This is because of the lactose that these foods contain. Lactose intolerance, which many ulcerative colitis patients suffer from as well, is a condition in which the body cannot properly digest lactose. This improper digestion is caused by a lack of an enzyme known as lactase in the small intestine.

Consuming dairy products like milk, cheese, and yogurt can, therefore, trigger symptoms such as diarrhea and abdominal pain. Unfortunately, avoiding dairy products puts ulcerative colitis patients at risk of issues such as a calcium deficiency. They will need to search for other dietary sources, or they may be forced to rely on calcium and vitamin D supplements.

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