Diet – Therapy
A specific diet is not necessarily indicated in ulcerative colitis. However, in severe, acute attacks, it may be necessary to eat a fully resorbable elementary diet (astronaut food), in extreme cases even a full intravenous (parenteral) diet may be necessary. In the interval phases (remission; phases with few symptoms), a protein-rich full diet should be consumed and only those foods should be omitted that the patient subjectively cannot tolerate.
Often I belong to these foods.If deficiency symptoms such as iron deficiency, vitamin D or calcium deficiency occur, these substances should be taken medication. In principle, the ideal diet can be somewhat different for each colitis-ulcerosa patient. Therefore, the motto is that what is good for you can be eaten without any concerns.
In general, however, one should make sure that the food is not too flatulent and does not contain too much meat, fat or alcohol. On the other hand, the consumption of fruit and vegetables, sufficient fiber and protein is beneficial. For some patients it is also advisable to avoid dairy products or soft drinks.
Often it is also important to ensure that the food has a sufficiently high calorie content, because patients often lose a lot of weight due to frequent diarrhoea. In severe acute attacks, normal food intake may become impossible for a patient with ulcerative colitis. In such a case it is necessary to change the diet to an artificial diet that does not have to pass through the intestine, i.e. a so-called parenteral diet.
This can, for example, enter the body through the vein. A more recent approach in therapy is that probiotics can be used in addition or as an alternative to 5-ASA to maintain remission. This term refers to the ingestion of selected intestinal bacteria that support the healthy intestinal flora in fighting the disease. Bacteria from the E. coli Nissle strain are frequently used. Such a therapy is only paid for by the health insurance companies if there is an intolerance to 5-ASA.
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