The Crohn’s disease diet requires attention to the development of a scientific meal plan, which needs to be established under the guidance of experts, emphasizing smaller and more frequent meals, less dregs and low-fat diet, ensuring that the body receives abundant protein, calories and nutrients, as well as vitamin and mineral supplements.
I. Lifestyle modifications
Patients with Crohn’s disease are often complicated by anal fissures, fistulas and other perianal diseases. Paying attention to local hygiene can help control local lesions. The discomfort and distress caused by an attack of Crohn’s disease can make patients feel depressed and anxious, which can aggravate their symptoms. Therefore, during the active period of the disease, patients should try to relax both mentally and physically, mastering some relaxation methods, or playing tai chi and other exercises, will make patients suffer less, and help reverse the vicious circle caused by adverse psychological factors.
Second, dietary regimen
1, diet and nutrition principles: Crohn’s disease patients’ diet and nutrition principles are mainly the following.
(1) supply high calories, high-quality protein and a variety of vitamins
Patients because of the long duration of the disease, a wide range of lesions, accompanied by high fever, fistula, anemia, diarrhea and other diseases, a variety of nutrients consumed more, so the supply of nutrients should be in accordance with the requirements of systemic diseases, calories in more than 2600 kcal per day, protein in about 100 grams, in addition to a variety of vitamins to promote the metabolism of various nutrients, such as vitamin A, D and vitamin B complex and vitamin C, etc..
(2) Pay attention to the supplementation of inorganic salts to correct the disorder of electrolytes
Patients have obvious loss of inorganic salts due to diarrhea, fever, fistula, etc., which must be supplemented to maintain electrolyte balance.
(3) Adopt low-fat, less residue diet
Due to diarrhea and fat malabsorption, fat should be limited to less than 40 grams per day. Because of the obstruction at the end of the small intestine, it is not easy for the crude fiber to pass through, and because of the wide scope of the disease, in order to make the intestine get proper rest, the diet should avoid mechanical stimulation as much as possible and adopt a diet with less residue.
(4) Small amount and multiple meals
In order to reduce the burden on the intestinal tract and to compensate for nutrition, a small number of meals should be taken in a gradual manner. Do not be too hasty, so as not to be counterproductive. If necessary, short-term use of elemental meals or parenteral nutrition, a number of small transfusions, can improve the general condition. It is especially worth pointing out that the previous emphasis on low-fat, less residue diet, but this diet but affect the appetite of the long-suffering; and delicious food to stop weight loss, in fact, more beneficial to physical and mental health, which is not contradictory to the principle of high nutrition, high vitamin and easy digestion. It is advisable to supplement multivitamins, folic acid and minerals such as iron and calcium, and sometimes zinc, copper and selenium, which are the components of enzymes and proteins in the body and have the role of cell protection.
2, diet allocation: Although this disease has a tendency to heal itself, but self-healing is rare, so it should be actively treated. The following points should be noted in the dietary allocation.
(1) The staple food should be fine, with rich flour, good rice, etc.. Coarse grains, such as corn flour, millet, food made of whole wheat flour, are prohibited to avoid increasing the intestinal burden and damage.
(2) Side dishes can be lean meat, fish, chicken, liver, eggs, etc. as the main source of providing protein, and limit cow’s milk during the active period. Do not eat flatulent foods, such as soybeans, scallions, etc. Vegetables can be chosen from potatoes, yams, carrots and other tuberous foods that contain little crude fiber.
(3) To correct potassium deficiency and anemia in the body, supply various vegetable juices, fruit juices, de-oiled broth, date soup, liver soup, etc. to supplement vitamin B, C and inorganic salts potassium, iron, etc.
(4) In order to increase nutrition without increasing the burden on the intestinal tract, the volume of food should be compressed as much as possible, and food with higher nutritional value per unit should be chosen, such as drinks instead of drinking water. You can also use two or more ingredients to make a diet, such as steamed eggs in liver soup and vegetable juice, boiled chicken noodles, fruit juice and lotus root powder, eggs and noodles made of noodles, wonton skin, etc.
(5) food should be easy to digest, all kinds of food should be chopped and made soft, prohibit fried food, cooking more braised, steamed, boiled, stewed as appropriate. Forbid the use of a variety of strong and stimulating seasonings, such as chili, spices, alcohol, etc., to avoid stimulation of the intestinal mucosa.
(6) Eat 4-6 times a day. In severe cases, transfusion of blood, plasma, albumin and compound amino acids, or even elemental diet or intravenous total nutrition can be given if necessary.