Crohn’s Disease: 10 Tips To Deal With It
Crohn’s disease is a chronic inflammatory disease of the bowel. Drug treatment may be necessary, but changes in lifestyle often bring relief.
Crohn’s disease, also known as Crohn’s disease, is a chronic inflammatory disease of the intestine. The exact causes have not yet been adequately researched. But doctors point out that a combination of factors such as genetics, immune system, environmental influences and infections play an important role.
Chronic bowel diseases have increased sharply in industrialized countries in recent years. It is estimated that around 320,000 people in Germany suffer from it. About 120 to 200 out of 100,000 Germans suffer from Crohn’s disease . This disease causes a wide variety of complaints due to inflammatory processes, such as diarrhea, tiredness, loss of appetite, etc., and can take different degrees.
How to deal with Crohn’s disease 10 tips
The course of Crohn’s disease is very individual, the symptoms vary greatly depending on the severity. In general, various measures are combined in the treatment: drug therapy, change in diet and change in lifestyle.
We have then put together 10 tips to better deal with this chronic disease.
1. Medical treatment
The first step in treating Crohn’s disease is likely to be drug therapy, which should be taken exactly as recommended by the doctor. Even if the symptoms improve, drugs must not be discontinued without authorization. Because there could be a relapse or complications.
2. No self-medication for Crohn’s disease!
Treating yourself with medication could be counterproductive. Consult your doctor before taking any medication, as there may also be unpleasant and harmful side effects.
3. A balanced, varied diet
Proper nutrition plays a particularly important role in the treatment of Crohn’s disease! You will need to follow the recommendations of your doctor or nutritionist if you want to relieve symptoms. With the right foods, ailments associated with this disease can be reduced.
Usually we recommend:
- Complex carbohydrates (in moderate servings),
- Vitamins and minerals in all varieties,
- Proteins (from lean meat, fish, and vegetable sources).
Inflammatory foods should be avoided as much as possible. These include: saturated fat products, red meats, whole dairy products, fried foods, fast foods, convenience foods, sugared products, etc.
4. Avoid certain pain relievers for Crohn’s disease
Pain relievers like ibuprofen or naproxen can trigger a new flare-up. If you are in pain, you should therefore take paracetamol. But here too your doctor can advise you best.
5. More probiotics in your diet
- Natural yoghurt
- kefir
- sauerkraut
- Pickles
- Kombucha
- Kimchi
6. Prebiotics are also beneficial for Crohn’s disease
Prebiotics that can be found in bananas, leeks or asparagus, for example, also help. They are also important for a healthy intestinal flora because they promote the growth of important bacteria.
7. Managing stress
8. Give up tobacco!
Smokers have bigger problems when it comes to getting this disease under control. The pollutants in tobacco make the symptoms worse because they irritate the intestines. It also leads to more frequent outbreaks. If you smoke, you should seek professional help to get rid of this vice for good. You will benefit in many ways!
9. Help and support with Crohn’s disease
10. Recognize poorly digestible foods
Certain foods cannot necessarily be blamed for a new surge. There is not enough evidence yet to confirm that specific foods can trigger an outbreak. However, what will help you in preventive care is to identify those foods that are harmful to you and irritate your stomach and intestines.
When you have an outbreak, you should cut back on the following foods:
- Ready-made products and fast food
- White flour and products made from it
- Whole milk products
- Vegetables with peel
- laxative fruit
- sugared and carbonated drinks
Have you been diagnosed with Crohn’s disease? Then this advice will help you. If you suspect you have this disease, get a specialist examination and follow your doctor’s recommendations!
