Dietary Measures to Boost IBD Therapies

Inflammatory Bowel Diseases

IBDs (Inflammatory Bowel Diseases) cause gastrointestinal inflammation, and eventually result in several digestive disorders and debilitating symptoms such as diarrhea, abdominal pain, cramps, and loss of appetite. However, no foods that are being consumed on a daily basis can trigger inflammatory bowel diseases. Yet, doctors recommend the relevance of safer and healthy diet plans, as they help IBD patients boost the chosen treatment process, while averting the risks of flare-ups and relapses.

Diet plans can affect IBD signs and underlying gastrointestinal inflammation, the reason why IBD patients are advised to pay attention to their daily dietary regimens. Carefully and promptly implemented foods plans can go a long way towards reducing the symptoms, thereby promoting intestinal healing. That said, a healthy diet plan has to be coupled with the right medications for treatment for inflammatory bowel disease conditions. IBD patients are often prone to weight and malnutrition for many reasons.

Here are the most important ones among them:

1. Loss of appetite


2. Nausea


3. Fear of eating


4. Altered taste sensation


5. Increase in caloric needs


6. Poor digestion and malabsorption

Dietary Measures

The following dietary measures are crucial to avoid exacerbations:

Eating small meals are easy on digestion, and help avoid flare-ups. A diet plan with six small meals would be more recommended than three larger ones, irrespective of being healthy or not.

Drinking plenty of liquids a day will help alleviate water loss and dehydration. However alcohol, aerated drinks and other beverages, as well as caffeine can stimulate the intestine and aggravate the signs have to be avoided.

Multivitamins and mineral supplements are recommended when the risks of inability to digest and absorb nutrients are higher and pose several life-threatening complications. But these supplements can be consumed only upon receiving the guidance of a reputed doctor.

If IBD-related gastrointestinal inflammation is an acute and unbearable sign that we dread about, the exacerbating complications and debilitating signs that follow might worsen the health woes of inflammatory bowel disease patients. No matter whether one suffers from Crohn's disease or Ulcerative Colitis, when it comes to dealing with acute inflammation in the digestive tract, which is soon followed by several generic yet chronic signs, medications alone cannot work wonders and help patients avert IBD signs.

Hence, apart from the specialised treatments to curb inflammatory bowel disease signs, balanced and nutrition-filled diet plans are also recommended to help IBD patients restore their overall health and wellness. As IBD treatments have to help patients achieve and maintain remission or the symptom-free stage, and eventually regain the overall health and wellness, every chosen therapy has to be coupled with the right dietary plan that helps avert the risks of malnutrition. In other words, balanced and nutritious diets help regain the overall health, while alleviating IBD signs successfully.

Here are a few key reasons why good nutritional status is crucial for the effective IBD therapies that assure lasting remission:

1. It helps boost the effect of the chosen medication


2. Loss of proteins, minerals, and other necessary nutrients will result in weight loss and malnutrition. In order to compensate this loss, due to acute diarrhoea, one has to choose the right diet plan to regain the required quantum of essential nutrients, while combating active IBD signs.


3. Loss of essential nutrients can result in major growth issues in both children and teenagers.


4. Weight loss and malnutrition in women might result in major changes in hormonal levels, eventually causing menstrual changes or missed periods.

Contrary to the conventional method of choosing a balanced diet with a wide variety of foods, IBD patients have to adopt custom diet plans that help avoid flare-ups.

These regimens are based on the following factors:

1. IBD condition diagnosed


2. Severity of the disease


3. Affected area of the body

More information can be obtained on The Gut Peoplea bespoke social networking website, developed solely for gastroenterologists around the world. GI health care experts who specialize in GI disorders can register with The Gut People and start interacting with top GI experts on various commonly found gastrointestinal disorders like inflammatory bowel disease and intestinal tuberculosis.

The Gut People is also equipped with unique functionalities that help download informative documents on gastrointestinal disorders, as well as their comprehensive diagnosis steps and advance treatment methods.

 

The Importance of Good Nutrition For Individuals in Recovery

Negative Health Effects of Substance Abuse

The negative health effects of substance abuse (be that substance drugs or alcohol) are well documented. However one of effects that many people forget to consider are the negative effects that substance use disorders (SUDs) can have on nutrition. Many individuals suffering from SUDs have very poor diets and may even suffer from malnutrition.

When entering recovery for their SUD, many recovery units will focus on emotional and spiritual recovery, rather than on physical and nutritional recovery. However, to do so would be a very grave mistake. Returning to regular meal times and a focus on food can leave addicts in recovery experiencing weight gain that can leave them feeling unhappy and depressed, and could even cause them to relapse as a way of shifting their new weight. However recovery units that employ registered dietary nutritionists tend to have much higher success rates and provide a vital service to the addicts that use them.

Rehealth

To demonstrate the incredible effects these services can have, an intervention study called REHEALTH (The Recovery Health Eating and Active Learning in Treatment Houses) was trialled, and it was found that offering healthier food options, cookery classes and nutritional education, as well as independent nutritional support, not only lead to those within the program having lower BMIs, it also lead to positive behaviour changes across the board.

A study by Barbadoro et al. (2011) investigated the impact of a nutrition education intervention on the nutritional knowledge and behaviors of 58 alcohol dependent participants in an inpatient treatment facility in Italy. The authors found a positive correlation between the nutrition intervention and the participants’ knowledge of the relationships among nutrition, food, and health, stating that:“Alcohol dependent individuals are receptive to educational messages regarding nutritional health.” - Curated from http://www.rehabs.com/pro-talk-articles/hands-on-nutrition-interventions-for-addiction-recovery/

The importance of choosing nutritious food options should be emphasized as early as possible during the recovery process. This will encourage individuals in recovery to practice self-care and to take responsibility for their own health and rehabilitation. Nutrition intervention for those in recovery is very important, and whilst it isn't common practice in all recovery facilities, it certainly is massively beneficial.

About the Author:

Mel Goulding is a writer and former healthcare worker. She is sharing an article by  David A Wiss and Kristie Moore who explore hands on nutrition intervention for people who are on the road to good health. Read the full article at http://www.rehabs.com/pro-talk-articles/hands-on-nutrition-interventions-for-addiction-recovery/

 

Stay Active In College

College is a transformative period in a person’s life. The better part of four years is dedicated to academic and professional growth, but what happens to your body during that time? Long periods of sitting, studying, and questionable food indulgences can all slow down your activity level. It can even affect your mood. Why not kick start a new chapter in life with your best foot forward? Here are some ways you can stay active while keeping your “gains” academic in nature:

Scope Out Campus Perks

Most colleges offer free access to their fitness center and athletic resources. Some campus gyms offer group fitness classes like Kickboxing and Yoga. It doesn’t just stop at a gym— it may also include Olympic-sized pools, tennis courts, and even trampolines.

Meet Degree Requirements

Since electives are free game, make the most of them. Art courses like ballroom dancing or martial arts can make for a pretty action-packed semester. Anthropology class may have intense local excavation digs. In Marine Biology, you might do research on a boat or the beach. Nutrition or Cooking courses might not give you a workout, but it will give insight into your diet and healthy living.

Stay Active in the Community

Community service requirements for graduation are becoming commonplace in higher education. Habitat for Humanity has several local chapters in each state, many of which recruit college-based volunteers. You can even grab your hammer and go abroad with Habitat for Humanity! Ever try and move 100 cases of canned food and cook for up to 500 people? Food pantries and shelters are always looking for volunteers, particularly around holidays. Beautification projects around town can include gardening, mural painting, trash collection, and wildlife preservation.

Check Out Campus Clubs

New outdoor sports and activity clubs pop up on campus every year. My alma mater, Monmouth University, even had a paintball club when I was a student. You could go on discounted ski trips, play volleyball, and even parkour. Clubs are often started by students, so go ahead and start a club yourself!

Tour Parks & Recreation

Going off campus and acquainting yourself with the county park system is a must. My home state of New Jersey has fantastic resources and activities in its parks. Boat tours, 5K races, camping, rock climbing, hiking, Ultimate Frisbee, surfing, fitness clinics, and more are offered. Like golfing? You can play county courses if you become a member. Disc golf has also risen in popularity so if you want to try something new, check it out.

Train for an Extreme Event

Are you ready for a Tough Mudder, Spartan Death Race, or Triathlon? Committing to a training schedule for extreme events is fun and keeps you motivated. Often when you register for events, you can get a team discount, too. Maybe you can start a club!

So get off that chair and get involved. Balance that GPA with a healthy meal and some fresh activities, and you’ve got the recipe for academic and personal success. Go get ‘em!

About the Author

Sian Babish is a writer from New Jersey. Before tearing up the floor in Zumba classes, she was kicking sky-high as a third-degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do. She also enjoys cooking, Jeopardy!, and stand-up comedy. Sian uses her skills to give back by volunteering as a career mentor and resume writer. She is also the author of Medical Authorizations Made Easy, published in May 2015 on Amazon.com. Follow @sianbabish on Twitter.