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Prednisolone and diet

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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 3/19/2021 7:58 AM (GMT -5)
Hey All,
I just wanted to ask if anyone follows a specific diet or stays away from certain food groups while on prednisolone as a way to induce remission quicker?
Appreciate any replies
Thank you
Posted 3/19/2021 9:35 AM (GMT -5)
There are lots of diets out there that do help some people. I tried them all and didn’t get much relief. However I do think it’s wise to stay away from certain foods while flaring. Spicy foods, raw vegetables, beans. Or any food with too much roughage or that causes gas. Broccoli, for instance , tore my gut up. Chicken and fish, bone broths, soups and purées are generally safer. Sourdough bread seemed to suit better than wheat. Yogurt is good. Eggs were always my go-to comfort food as well as potatoes but some diets list them both as inflammatory foods.
Posted 3/19/2021 11:49 PM (GMT -5)
While taking oral steroids one may feel increasingly hungry-- so it's important to avoid most fats and salty foods in addition to those FlowersGal already commented on. Excess salt can cause the body to retain fluids, which may lead to "moon face"-- an unpleasant side effect of steroid drugs that can take a while to get rid of. Your body needs lean protein such as broiled or baked skinless poultry or fish, egg, vitamin-enriched cereal like farina or smooth-cooked oatmeal, puffed rice or Cheerios cold cereal, lowfat dairy or lactose-free unless you have casein intolerance, steamed or baked veggies, natural applesauce, & bananas. Some nutritionists recommend smooth nut butters for added protein. Boiled rice usually works well to quiet the gut. Noodles and pasta are also good unless one has gluten issues. Beware of black pepper, raw nuts & seeds. Olive oil, pure maple syrup, & honey are ok in reasonable amounts. Caffeine & carbonation are best avoided. Best wishes for you to feel better soon so as to taper down & off the steroid ASAP. / Old Hat (40 yrs with left-sided UC; in remission taking Colazal)
Posted 3/20/2021 11:37 AM (GMT -5)
Thank you both so much for your advise and well wishes
I will take that on board and try staying away from the trigger foods.
I hope I get into remission soon from this horrible illness 🤞🏻
In terms of drinks, are dilute juices okay. I tend to normally stay away from dizzy but lately have been just having water.
Posted 3/20/2021 4:01 PM (GMT -5)
Plain water is the safest liquid. I think the problem with juices is that so many come with additives, for example, vitamin C added to apple juice. That's not a problem for healthy guts, but we need to avoid excesses. I would try for a natural apple juice or a California or Florida natural orange, the citrus in 1/4 cup max to gauge how you feel afterward. Sometimes one can find an orange-banana combo juice or a combo with mango added that should be ok in small amounts. Juices can also be more tolerable at the end of a meal instead of on an empty stomach, if one's colon has a spastic tendency. I personally dislike the taste of diluted juice so I would just drink a small amount of straight juice, then drink some plain water afterward as a "chaser". With some of our Rx meds the stomach can turn more acidic-- so drinking plain water with & between meals helps to keep things in better balance there. I also get help from lactose-free nonfat or lowfat organic milk and no-salt-added cottage cheese. This last item can be hard to find! My IBD subspecialist GI's nutritionist is big on smoothies made with lowfat yogurt + cooked veggies or fruit. For me this wouldn't work during a flare because my digestive tract gets rumbly from cold foods or drinks. / Old Hat
Posted 3/20/2021 8:05 PM (GMT -5)
Low fiber, low acid, no spices, no gritty things (like seeds). Plain food.

I make veggie soups but I puree the product before eating it. Even if there's meat in it.

I personally avoid dairy and high fat food while flaring. Transit is so fast that you don't want to complex fats rushing through you. They just irritate the gut and feed bad bacteria.

When the flare is 10/10 bad I decrease protein intake for a while. Only one or two servings per day. If I do anymore I get protein putrefaction in my bowel which makes everything worse.

With prednisone you're supposed to increase calcium intake but when the flare is at its max I don't take mineral supplements because they just cause pain. You might want to wait until the gut lining heals a little bit before you do that. Minerals can feel like sandpaper on a raw bowel.

Good luck.
Posted 3/20/2021 9:43 PM (GMT -5)
Protein prutrification?
q
Posted 3/21/2021 10:35 AM (GMT -5)
Yes, the bad bacteria, like proteobacteria (i.e. ecoli) which are high during flares because they eat the blood of the ulcers. Instead of protein being fully absorbed in the small bowel, some of it transits undigested to the colon where it gets putrefied by proteobacteria, releasing hydrogen sulfide gas. This weakens the gut barrier further.

Most people with UC get reeking gas as a flare is coming on. It's because the bowel population is shifting to proteo and hydrogen sulfide producers.

I find reducing protein intake at the absolutely worst part of a flare helps get me over the hump.
Posted 3/21/2021 12:28 PM (GMT -5)
Your personal opinion? Doesn't sound scientific.
q
Posted 3/22/2021 12:35 PM (GMT -5)

quincy said...
Your personal opinion? Doesn't sound scientific.
q

Google proteobacteria, hydrogen sulfide bacteria, and ulcerative colitis.

Your skepticism isn't proof of invalidity, though I know you like to show up in every thread that remotely talks about something non-mainstream to critique it.

Modern drugs don't work on everyone and there are researchers looking at other avenues. I value that work a lot. And yes it's very scientific.
Posted 3/22/2021 11:47 PM (GMT -5)
Healthy skepticism is ok...
q
Posted 3/25/2021 4:07 PM (GMT -5)

VanJordan said...
Yes, the bad bacteria, like proteobacteria (i.e. ecoli) which are high during flares because they eat the blood of the ulcers. Instead of protein being fully absorbed in the small bowel, some of it transits undigested to the colon where it gets putrefied by proteobacteria, releasing hydrogen sulfide gas. This weakens the gut barrier further.

Most people with UC get reeking gas as a flare is coming on. It's because the bowel population is shifting to proteo and hydrogen sulfide producers.

I find reducing protein intake at the absolutely worst part of a flare helps get me over the hump.

VanJordan, I do a ton of reading, research (as I'm sure many here do) and sometimes I feel conflicted with the advice I read, vs am told by doctors, vs Naturopath, vs Nutritionist even.
After reading your post about putrefied bacteria, which I'd never heard of, I of course looked it up. I feel like this is a puzzle we need to put together because everyone seems to have a piece.
Anyways...I came across this article - might be one of the best I've ever read on explaining the digestion process and what we need and includes putrefied bacteria in the process. Thought I'd share because I've read hundreds of papers and articles, none that have put me in remission, but given hope and the feeling of trying. Thought I'd share if anyone wanted a good 10 minute read. Very informative.

https://nautil.us/issue/31/stress/what-your-microbiome-wants-for-dinner

Post Edited (LeafsFan) : 3/25/2021 4:49:57 PM (GMT-6)

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