Find out what should be the diet if you have an inflamed gastrointestinal tract and prevent the development of this disease. We all know that the intestinal tract is the most important organ of the digestive system. Of course, other organs are also important, but it is in the intestines that the processes of assimilation of nutrients take place. If pathogens enter the intestinal tract, then the mucous membrane regime is disrupted, which is fraught with serious troubles. For example, inflammatory processes in the intestines can lead to the development of other, more serious diseases. Thus, today we will focus on a diet for intestinal inflammation.
Causes of inflammation of the intestinal tract
The development of inflammatory processes in the intestinal tract can be associated with many reasons, and we will now note only the main ones:
- Penetration of viruses or bacteria into the intestines.
- Worms parasitizing in the intestinal tract.
- Due to the immunity immunity. When the cellular structures of the intestinal mucosa are perceived as foreign.
- All kinds of hereditary diseases of the intestinal tract.
- Active use of various dietary nutrition programs or excessive food intake.
- Poor circulation in the intestines.
- Violation of microflora.
With inflammatory processes in the intestinal tract, the cellular structures of the mucous membrane are destroyed, blood flow increases, and the process of assimilation of nutrients slows down. Note that intestinal inflammation can occur in any of its parts. It should be remembered that this disease can be acute or chronic. The difference between these forms is duration. While the acute form of the disease can make itself felt for a maximum of a month, the chronic one lasts for at least six months.
Intestinal tract inflammation symptoms
Before talking about the diet for intestinal inflammation, you should acquaint you with the main symptoms of this disease. You should not start self-medication of the intestinal tract if you are not one hundred percent sure of the presence of this or that disease. Like any disease, intestinal inflammation has certain symptoms. Knowing about them, you will be able to diagnose the disease at an early stage of development. Although we advise you to contact a specialist, additional diagnostics may be required.
It does not matter which part of the intestinal tract is affected by inflammatory streaks. Painful sensations arise in the abdomen. An important point here is the fact that the pains with intestinal inflammation are not local, but have a bursting character. In addition, one of the main symptoms of the disease is the feeling of nausea after eating. As soon as the food leaves the stomach, the patient is relieved. Due to the development of inflammatory processes, the body may experience a deficiency of certain enzymes, which negatively affects the processing of food. It is for this reason that a diet for intestinal inflammation is important, because some foods are much easier to digest.
In addition, due to the lack of certain digestive processes, gas formation increases, which leads to bloating. We also note the possibility of diarrhea if the disease has affected the small part of the intestinal tract. In the case when the patient experiences constipation, inflammatory processes are activated in the thick section.
How is intestinal inflammation diagnosed?
We have already said that you should not rely only on the first symptoms of diseases and you may need additional diagnostics. You must understand that the correct therapy can only be prescribed if the disease has been recognized correctly. Self-medication can cause complications and this statement is true for any disease. Do not be afraid to visit a doctor, because the sooner the disease is detected, the easier it is to cure it.
The following methods are used today to diagnose inflammation of the intestinal tract:
- Thanks to a blood test, the number of leukocytes is determined, as well as the erythrocyte sedimentation rate.
- The analysis of feces makes it possible to understand the work of the intestinal tract, its sensitivity to medications, the presence of various harmful microorganisms, and also to establish the number of digestive enzymes.
- With the help of endoscopic studies, the state of the intestinal tract mucosa, in particular the duodenum, is studied. You may need to have a biopsy of your intestines to get a more accurate test.
- Colonoscopy allows you to qualitatively examine the work of the intestinal tract.
- Video capsule endoscopy is also used for similar purposes.
The last diagnostic method is the most progressive. To carry it out, the patient must swallow a special capsule with a video camera and a light source. During the day, the capsule travels through the intestinal tract, and the video image is transmitted to the display using radio waves, which allows the doctor to visually assess the state of the intestinal mucosa.
Methods for treating inflammation of the intestinal tract: diet
It is quite obvious that a diet for intestinal inflammation can only be effective in combination with other methods of treating this disease. The maximum results can be obtained with an integrated approach and, along with a special nutrition program, etiotropic, pathogenetic and symptomatic therapy are used.
All these methods of treatment can eliminate the causes of the development of inflammatory processes, reduce the load on the intestinal tract, and also alleviate the patient's condition. Although you cannot do without the use of medications in this situation, diet for intestinal inflammation is of the utmost importance. It is thanks to her that the load on the intestines decreases, and this, in turn, improves the patient's condition.
It is important to choose the right nutrition program, so as not to slow down the metabolism and in a short time restore the normal performance of the intestinal tract. Nutrition for this disease should be balanced. People often confuse the concept of "balanced diet" with a monotonous one. This is fundamentally wrong and you should eat a variety of foods. First of all, the emphasis should be placed on products containing a large amount of protein compounds. Only in this case is it possible to quickly restore the working capacity of the pancreas, liver and the intestinal tract itself.
You should not neglect the heat, because this nutrient is also necessary for our body. However, the amount of fat in the diet needs to be reduced somewhat. Only in the event of an exacerbation of the disease, fats will have to be excluded from the diet for several days. Since inflammatory processes significantly slow down the absorption of nutrients, it is necessary to take additional microelements so as not to cause their deficiency.
In this regard, it should be noted that a balanced diet can solve most of this problem. For example, protein compounds help improve calcium absorption. In order to prevent the development of a disease such as anemia, it is necessary to eat foods rich in iron. But salt must be limited, since it can irritate the mucous membrane, which is unacceptable in conditions of inflammation.
If inflammation of the intestinal tract has been diagnosed, then during the first few days it is necessary to eat food in liquid form. This is due to the fact that each meal induces vomiting and the body loses a large amount of fluid. You also need to drink as much as possible.
When the first stage of the development of the disease has been overcome, you can begin to gradually introduce solid food into the diet. Nutritionists are sure that wheat crackers, cereals, steamed cutlets and low-fat cottage cheese are extremely useful for the body. Therefore, they should be on your menu.
Green tea, weak black coffee, as well as blueberry and black currant decoctions are very useful for this disease. It is quite obvious that with inflammation of the intestinal tract, not all foods can be consumed. We recommend eliminating cold water, soda, canned food, smoked meats, dairy and bakery products, and legumes from your diet for intestinal inflammation.
Those with a sweet tooth will have to go through a difficult period in their lives, because sweets are also included in the list of prohibited foods. If the patient has constipation, then it is necessary to eat vegetable soups, dairy products, fresh vegetables, crumbly cereals and stale bread made from wholemeal flour. In addition to the foods discussed above, honey, dried fruits, berries, vegetable and fruit juices can be added to the diet for intestinal inflammation.
Although for some, the restrictions in the nutrition program may seem very significant, you can prepare a lot of tasty and most importantly healthy dishes from the products allowed for consumption. Do not forget that with the help of a diet you will not only cure this disease faster, but also improve your body. This is due to the fact that only healthy foods can be eaten.
If you have been diagnosed with intestinal inflammation, the importance of proper nutrition should not be underestimated. However, this statement is true in any situation, and if you want to improve your health, then you need to eat only healthy foods.
How to eat properly for intestinal inflammation, see below:
