For all IBD sufferers, diet plays a huge part and there are thousands of theories and diets supposed to ease symptoms. But the difficult thing is, is that everyone is different, so what works for one person would not necessarily work for another. This is where you have to experiment and take part in a little trial and error which isn't the nicest of things knowing that something you eat could hurt you, but unless you try you never know.
The FODMAP diet is a good place to start which is an elimination diet, completely stripping your diet down and then reintroducing one food at a time to see where your problem areas are. This is a big task and not easy, but it is a great place to start. I used an app on my phone called
'Monash University Low FODMAP Diet' which helped me as it had all the foods on there and I could easily follow what stage I was at and also get recipes. So I would recommend getting the app if you are going to give it a go! I went on the FODMAP diet as I was suffering with my tummy and hadn't yet been diagnosed with Crohns and was told I just had IBS. So desperate to find a way to alleviate my symptoms, I went on the elimination diet. On the FODMAP diet I found that gluten was a big problem for me. So I have been gluten free for around 3 years now. After following a strict gluten free diet for around a year, my symptoms hadn't improved and this resulted in me getting my Crohns diagnosis after being hospitalised. Following diagnosis, I read even more into nutrition and diet now that I knew what I was dealing with and I ended up seeing a nutritionist expert who carried out an intolerance test on me. She confirmed my gluten intolerance and also found I was intolerant to diary, onions, peppers, red meat and other foods. Now I was faced with a totally restricted diet, but was told that I could one day get over my intolerances so shouldn't loose hope. With the guidance from the nutritionist, I was able to finally find foods that worked for me and after getting creative in the kitchen was able to make yummy dinners that wouldn't hurt me and still tasted good.
Getting to a stage where I could enjoy food again was by no means easy, but it was really worth the struggle. I am always open to new ideas with my diet and always reading new research and articles related to IBD diets. Whilst researching, I have read a lot about plant based diets and how a vegan diet can really benefit your health. I haven't been eating dairy or red meat for quite some time, so the only thing I was doing that broke the 'vegan rules' was having eggs, chicken & fish so I did toy with the idea of going Vegan. But I always thought it would be too hard.. I was so restricted anyway so how would I manage cutting even more out? And how could I think of meal plans without a chicken breast? (my staple!) So I had always talked myself out of going the whole hog and switching to Vegan, but a couple of months ago when my Crohns flared up and I ended up being hospitalised again, I strongly considered the benefits of going Vegan. After some more research and deliberation, I took the plunge and went Vegan!!
Now I have been eating a plant based diet for just over a month and already have seen such benefits. At first it was a bit of a struggle, with detox headaches and feeling really bloated eating so much fibre but now it has evened out and I feel so much better for it. I am getting better sleep, have clearer skin, less stomach pains and more even/regular bowel movements. I'm also enjoying food so much and love getting creative in the kitchen and cooking up new recipes and trying new things. For me, I feel like this is a magic wonder diet! Now I'm not saying it would work for everyone as like I said previously, everyone is different, but I would really recommend doing your research and maybe giving it a go. I was worried I wouldn't be getting a complete healthy diet by switching to Vegan, but you underestimate how much you can actually eat. I enjoy lovely pasta dishes, potato curries, veggie salads, bean burgers, falafels, quiona stir frys - there is so much you can enjoy. A difficult thing for me has been finding meals that are gluten free as well as vegan, but I have just found that this is best to make things from scratch, such as veggie burgers. Another difficulty has been eating out. Although food intolerances are becoming more common, and a vegan diet is becoming more popular, a lot of restaurants still haven't caught on and eating out can be difficult. I find sometimes it's easiest to just order side dishes and make up your own meal, but sometimes it is just easiest to ask the waitress if anything can be made up for you. Most places are generally quite helpful.
Everything the body needs to thrive can be got from a plant based diet. Most people think you can't get enough protein from a plant based diet, but veggies are packed with protein! Also, on average an adult female only needs 46grams of protein per day, so all of this can be got from plants and without the saturated fats got from eating protein in meats. The only thing that can't be got from a plant based diet is a vitamin called B12. B12 is a vitamin vital in the normal functioning of the brain and nervous system as well as the formation of red blood cells. It is involved in the metabolism in every cell of the human body so it is an essential vitamin. B12 cannot be produced by fungi, plants, animals (including humans) and can only be produced by bacteria and archea as they have the enzymes for it's synthesis. Substantial sources of B12 include animal products (fish/meat) fortified foods and supplements. B12 is basically a form of bacteria, that can latch onto an animal and that's how it can be gained by humans through diet. So if following a plant based diet, the best way to get B12 is through supplements. I found that I was suffering with bad migraines before taking B12, but once adding it to my diet through supplements, the migraines were gone!
I know it sounds like a lot to take in, and really it is! But I wouldn't shy away from it and really would encourage you to do your research. I watched a few documentaries which were beneficial and a good way to get a lot of knowledge fast. I would recommend watching 'What the Health' and 'Cowspiracy' which can both be found on Netflix. Bare in mind these documentaries are very one sided, so be sure to not take everything as bible and do your own independent research also.
Make sure you are changing your diet for the right reasons, and do what is going to work for you. The main reason I wanted to try a plant based diet was after hearing so many people with illnesses and diseases manage to come off their medication through a plant based diet! I found this so motivating so it spurred me on to go head first into a Vegan diet. Also remember, while this diet has worked for me, everyone is different, and if you find that a 70% vegan diet works for you while still eating eggs, or you still want to eat fish, then that's great and that's what works for you. There is no 'magic diet' or cure to Crohns as sadly we all know, so just do whatever is best for you. I will be sharing some of my recipes on here so watch out! If you would like to follow what I am eating daily, or get any of my tips then follow my instagram -
www.instagram.com/xoxocrohniegirl
XOXO Crohnie Girl
