Stomach pain. Diarrhea. Unintentional weight loss. Bloody stool.  

The symptoms of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) can be unpleasant and unsettling. Can your diet make them easier to manage?

What Is Inflammatory Bowel Disease?

First things first. What exactly is inflammatory bowel disease? IBD is a group of chronic diseases that cause your immune system to think that food, bacteria and other things that your gut needs are not supposed to be there. As a result, your immune system attacks the cells of your gut, which causes inflammation.

There are two primary types of IBD:

• Crohn’s disease, which can affect any part of your digestive tract from mouth to anus, though it usually impacts multiple areas of the small intestine and/or colon 
• Ulcerative colitis, which only affects the colon and rectum 

What Does Inflammatory Bowel Disease Feel Like?

IBD upsets your digestive tract, so you are likely to feel its symptoms in your gut area. You may experience:

• Abdominal pain and cramping
• Severe diarrhea
• Constipation or alternating constipation and diarrhea
• Having urgent bowel movements
• Feeling unable to complete a bowel movement
• Blood and/or mucus in your stool
• Nausea or vomiting
• Reduced appetite
• Unintentional weight loss
• Rectal bleeding
• Fatigue

IBD affects different people in different ways. You may go years without having symptoms or you may experience regular flare-ups throughout your life.

Is There a Cure for Inflammatory Bowel Disease?

Unfortunately, there is no cure for IBD—but there are effective treatments that can help manage it and even put it in remission, such as: 

• Anti-inflammatory drugs
• Immunosuppressant drugs
• Antibiotics
• Biologic agents
• Changes to your diet
• Surgery

Did My Diet Cause the Inflammatory Bowel Disease?

While diet may play some role, diet alone does not cause IBD. Experts are still trying to figure out exactly what does cause it. Currently, they believe it may be a combination of factors, including: 

• Genetics
• Environmental components (such as medications, smoking, diet, infections and stress)
• Abnormal immune system response 

Can My Diet Affect Inflammatory Bowel Disease Symptoms?

Some foods may trigger your symptoms, but this is not the case for everyone. Common trigger foods are:

• Spicy foods
• Greasy foods
• Caffeine
• Alcohol
• Lactose
• Wheat/gluten
• Sugary foods
• Artificial sweeteners
• Raw vegetables and fruits 

Make sure to work with your Mercy doctor or dietitian to discover if any foods trigger your symptoms and to avoid restricting your diet unnecessarily. 

What Should I Eat If I Have Inflammatory Bowel Disease?

There is no single diet or eating plan for everyone who has IBD. In general, IBD patients should eat a healthy, balanced diet. A Mediterranean-type diet is a good option, as it focuses on foods with dietary fiber and omega-3 fatty acids, including:

• A variety of fruits and vegetables
• Beans and legumes (lentils, chickpeas, etc.)
• Whole grains (oats, brown rice, quinoa, etc.)
• Fatty fish
• Walnuts
• Flax, chia and hemp seeds

It’s important to note that if you have active IBD or strictures (that is, areas of the intestines that are narrowed), you may need to be on a low-fiber diet. If this is the case for you, you can likely still eat some of the beneficial foods listed above, but you may need to change their texture, form and consistency to prevent abdominal obstructions. You can do this by peeling, mashing and/or blending these foods into soups, smoothies and purees. Talk to your Mercy doctor or dietitian for more information.

Also, as someone with IBD, you will likely benefit from limiting foods and food additives that are highly processed and/or high in saturated fats, including:

• Red and processed meats (bacon, sausage, hot dogs, etc.)
• Dairy fat
• Palm and coconut oils
• Food additives (carboxymethylcellulose, polysorbate 80, maltodextrin, titanium oxide, carrageenan, etc.)
• Artificial sweeteners (aspartame, sucralose, etc.)
• Added sugar (such as those found in sodas, candy and cakes) 

What Other Important Lifestyle Modifications I Should Make If I Have Inflammatory Bowel Disease?

Beyond eating a healthy, balanced diet, these lifestyle modifications can also help manage IBD:

• Drink plenty of water to stay well hydrated
• Engage in regular physical activity
• Get adequate sleep
• Implement stress-management techniques (meditation, yoga, deep breathing)
• Avoid tobacco
• Maintain a healthy weight
• Avoid regular use of high-dose NSAIDs

Should I Change My Diet Right Away?

You can start making positive dietary and lifestyle modifications at any time. If you have active IBD or have a lot of symptoms, make sure to talk to your Mercy primary care doctor, gastroenterologist or dietitian. They know the specifics of your case, so they are equipped to help you decide what kind of dietary and lifestyle changes might work best for you.