Inflammatory Bowel Disease
The two main subtypes of IBD are Crohn's disease and Ulcerative Colitis. They are both auto-immune inflammatory diseases with unknown cause. Crohn's disease can affect any part of the gut from mouth to anus, whereas Ulcerative colitis is confined to the large intestine.
There is no special diet for IBD, but dietary assessment at the time of diagnosis is important to ensure nutritional adequacy. Nutrient deficiencies such as iron, folate, B12 and vitamin D are common in IBD. Supplements may be required, but our dietitians can ensure dietary adequacy.
Although there is no diet to treat or cure IBD, certain foods may aggravate inflammation or induce functional symptoms such as diarrhoea, pain, wind and bloating. Our dietitians can determine whether this is the case and educate you on an appropriate dietary strategy. It may be that dietary FODMAPs are causing problems, or that insoluble fibres are aggravating your condition during a flare up. These dietary strategies may provide relief, but they may also only be required during a certain stage of disease. Many patients are instructed to follow a low fibre or low residue diet during a flare up, but are not told what to do when their condition improves; and most of the time, they can return to a normal diet.