sugars

Deffinately stress and anxiety..they kind of trigger my flares I think =(
And ive noticed that if i eat lots of junk food like starburst and dumb little things with lots of sugar it KILLS my stomach =(

Sugars are a killer for me. You don't necessarily have to become a convert to diets such as the SCD or other low-carb approaches (Life without bread, Atkins, etc) to find out via trial and error that sugary foods are killers- they are super-fuels for pathogenic bacteria, and our IBD guts are imbalanced to begin with so it's wise to avoid them, and to take regular probiotics. No cure but helps stabilize things.

I think one can have a balanced diet rich in the nutrients that our bodies need to heal and stay healthy and add a few of the treats in there as well.

Definitely the best is to not eat in excess anything that can cause the gut/body to feel crappy afterward.
But, at times it's difficult to not partake and willing to go through discomfort afterward.

What is worse is exchanging sugars for artificial sweeteners....especially in the amounts one would eat normally, because they can actually encourage one to consume more and more...

Sugar and junk food is one thing we can make choices on...and if they're difficult to resist....do NOT keep them in the house and encourage your spouse to not purchase them even though they can make you feel emotionally better!

quincy

kiss :)

Maybe you have underlying lactose intolerance issues, that's what happend to me, my IBD symptoms were masking my lactose issues so my GI tested me and sure enough, severe lactose intolerance.

:)

Generally hard, orange cheeses can be better tolerated by some lactose intolerant individuals, there are varying degrees of lactose intolerance from mild to severe.

There is definitely lactose in M&M's read the label, there's even lactose in ichiban beef flavored soup, you'd be amazed at how many products contain it, even lots of potato chips, nacho chips ect...always better to be tested then you know for sure...I'm glad I was because apparently it can be quite common for IBDers to become lactose intolerant.

:)

Lactose intolerance is the inability to metabolize lactose, a sugar found in milk and other dairy products, because the required enzyme lactase is absent in the intestinal system or its availability is lowered.

:)

I was a junk-food junky as well but I have to say that giving it up was one of the best things I've ever done, not only has it improved my symptoms but I have such energy as well...my sweets are fruit and on occasion dark chocolate that is at least 80% cocoa content.

:)

Ya know, I was always a huge fan of chocolate but after having UC for so long I've found that I don't even crave it anymore. I think my mind has formed this mental aversion to it, because I KNOW it's going to hurt really bad if I eat it, and now I just don't want it. I never said "I'm going to stop eating chocolate" I just started not wanting it anymore.

Although I do have the occasional Reese's peanut butter cup but only because sometimes it's worth paying for.

Actually I just drink decaf tea (not coffee - I wish!). Caffeine doesn't do too much harm to me but enough that I don't bother with it. I don't know what it is about chocolate, but any large amount of it is a big no-no for me.

i really have a hard time giving up sugars. im a pastry chef so i have to try stuff all the time. maybe that is what is causing my symptoms. its gonna be so hard trying not to eat some but if its what is gonna make me feel better than will do it.

Even the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America talks about a diet high in sugar as a risk factor for IBD. Sweet treats feed the bad gut bugs, making any imbalance worse and causing gas and discomfort for a lot of people. Not to mention they offer little or no nutritional value. When avoiding sugar, watch out for sugar alcohols as they can really irritate the gut. Safer sweet options are the natural sugars in fruits that don't affect the blood sugar as drastically because you're consuming fiber along with them, stevia or small amounts of honey.

That would be tough. It's alot easier to be strong when you're not surrounded by temptation. When we have donuts or cake at work or church, I prefer to keep my distance and not have to see or smell them.