Tummy Dealing with Crohn’s flare ups!
Crohn’s disease is an inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that causes ulcers and inflammation throughout your entire digestive system. Many people suffer from chronic diarrhea, cramping, stomach pain, and weight loss — and stress makes it even worse.
Right now I’m going through a Crohn’s disease flare up, which can be a negative and downward spiral. Starting with physical pain: sore legs, inflamed feet, heels and joints. This leads to stress and negative thinking, but try to deflect those thoughts and focus.
Suffering from a Crohn’s flare up? Focus on getting yourself healthy:
- Drink lots of water and stay hydrated
- Flare ups are caused by inflammation, eat fish or take fish oil supplements (omega-3 oils) to reduce inflammation
- Eat healthy — bananas, green veggies and simple soups can be your best friend
- Avoid coffee, caffeine and stimulant drugs
- Avoid milk and milk products
- Reduce stress and practice breathing for relaxation
- Avoid sugar and things sweetened with sorbitol, xylitol or other chemicals
- Take slippery elm
Sidenote
This recent flare-up comes after a trip overseas to Europe and Fernpixel’s recent blog post “The Unstoppable Force and Traveling Abroad with Ulcerative Colitis” had this great quote about dealing with flare-ups after a trip:
“I believe that it was food that ruined my life, but it was food that also saved me. That said, there is one last tip that I have. When you get back home, go on the introduction version of the Specific Carbohydrate Diet again. I feel that this can “undo” any damage that the unfamiliar foods might have done.”