How long do chronic bowel diseases last
As a characteristic feature of autoimmune diseases, Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis also recur frequently. There are phases where symptoms are only very mild or absent altogether, and acute disease phases characterized by severe symptoms and inflammation.
How long a relapse will last can be predicted in very few cases. Based on various inflammation parameters and interleukins (the immune system's messenger substances), it would be possible to predict when the next flare-up will occur and how long it will last; however, these measurements are quite complex and impractical.
For this reason, prolonging remission phases as much as possible, and not prescribing any medication other than mesalazine during this period, is an important part of treating chronic bowel diseases. To maintain the remission phase for as long as possible, attention should be paid to a healthy diet, a healthy lifestyle, and reducing stress.
DIET FOR BOWEL DISEASES
In Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, the digestive organs are directly affected. It's clear that eating and drinking can be difficult, and that stomach pain or other complaints can affect appetite.
It will be beneficial for you to place special importance on food in these diseases. Your body needs all the important nutrients, vitamins, and minerals in order to have energy and stay strong. However, much of these nutrients and fluids can be lost due to the disease. For example, due to diarrhea or intestinal inflammation, or following surgery, nutrients may not be properly absorbed and processed. In this case, it's important to make up for the missing nutrients.
If you've already lost a lot of weight due to relapses, you should definitely increase your energy intake to avoid losing more. When paying attention to your diet, your current stage of disease — that is, whether your chronic bowel disease is currently active — and the foods you personally tolerate or don't tolerate should be taken into account. With a healthy, balanced diet tailored to your needs, you can give a positive direction to the course of your disease.
WHAT CAN I TOLERATE
It's important for you to discover for yourself which foods you tolerate well and which you need to eliminate from your diet. There are foods that are not well tolerated in chronic bowel diseases. However, this cannot be generalized. There can be individual differences. The best way to learn is through ReviQuant, the Vegatest test, or a food diary. In a food diary, you should write down what you've eaten or drunk over a period of time and how you felt afterward. Did your complaints improve? Or did they get worse? With a food diary, you'll learn which foods are good for you and which need to be replaced with others. This information makes it easier to put together your individual nutrition plan and gives you ideas for trying new things.
You can find more information on this and similar topics in my book "The Anti-Inflammatory Nutrition Guide."