Ulcerative Colitis

If you have been diagnosed with ulcerative colitis or have digestive problems; you should be checked by a doctor for food intolerance and avoid those foods. Most common food sensitivities are to wheat, dairy, yeast, and egg whites products.

You should follow a low carbohydrate, high plant protein diet. Eat baked fish, chicken, turkey without the skin and avoid fried foods.

Eat lots of raw or steamed vegetables. Add lentil, brown rice, rice cakes to your diet for fiber. Follow a low fat diet ( oils make diarrhea worse) and only eat  low fat milk and cheeses.

eat
bananas help heal intestines
salmon, tuna, cod, sardines
turmeric
soy foods
yogurt
onions, garlic, leeks

apples, cranberries, blueberries
whole wheat products (if not gluten intolerant)

drink 8 – 10 oz glasses of water a day

green leafy vegetables and carrots

vitamin K found in foods like kale, spinach, romaine lettuce, and basil

magnesium food in foods like spinach, summer squach, pumpkin seeds,basil, and cucumbers

 B6 found in foods like spinach, bell peppers, garlic, tuna, celery, watermelon,and  cod

• Limit dairy products. You may be lactose intolerant; that is when your body can’t digest the milk sugar (lactose) in dairy foods. Make sure to get calcium from other sources than dairy to keep strong bones.
• Experiment with fiber. For most people, high-fiber foods, such as fresh fruits and vegetables and whole grains, are the foundation of a healthy diet. But if you have inflammatory bowel disease, fiber may make diarrhea, pain and gas worse. If raw fruits and vegetables bother you, try steaming, baking or stewing them.
• Avoid problem foods. Eliminate any other foods that seem to make your symptoms worse. These may include “gassy” foods, such as beans, cabbage and broccoli, raw fruit juices and fruits, popcorn, caffeine, and carbonated beverages.
• Eat small meals. You may find that you feel better eating five or six small meals rather than two or three larger ones.
• Drink plenty of liquids. Try to drink plenty of fluids daily. Water is best. Beverages that contain caffeine stimulate your intestines and can make diarrhea worse, while carbonated drinks frequently produce gas.
• Probiotics. Because bacteria in the intestine have been implicated in ulcerative colitis, researchers suspect that adding more of the beneficial bacteria (probiotics) that are normally found in the digestive tract might help combat the disease.

• Fish oil. Fish oil acts as an anti-inflammatory, but studies on its possible benefits for people with ulcerative colitis have had conflicting results.
• Aloe vera. Aloe vera juice has been purported to have an anti-inflammatory effect for people with ulcerative colitis, but there’s no strong evidence to back this claim. In addition, when ingested, aloe vera can have a laxative effect.
• Tumeric. Curcumin, a compound found in the spice turmeric, has been combined with standard ulcerative colitis therapies, such as corticosteroids or sulfasalazine, in clinical trials. This combination helped improve symptoms and allowed smaller doses of the standard drugs to be used. This evidence comes from two small studies, however. More research is needed before this treatment can be recommended.

Avoid

butter, carbonated drinks, spicy foods, red meat, sugar, caffine, processed foods,  These foods irritate the colon.

do not eat fruit on an empty stomach because of the acid

Reduce stress. When you’re stressed, your normal digestive process can change, causing your stomach to empty more slowly and secrete more acids. Stress can also speed or slow the passage of intestinal contents. It may also cause changes in intestinal tissue itself.

Although it’s not always possible to avoid stress, you can learn ways to help manage it.

Drink chocolate milk after working out

Chocolate-Flavored Skim Milk

Skim chocolate milk is an ideal drink for post-workout recovery. It provides  protein for muscle repair, it offers carbohydrate to restock muscle glycogen and water for rehydration. Studies have shown that athletes perform better in their next workout when they drink chocolate milk following an initial workout than they do after drinking a sports drink or just water. Water replaces sweat losses and that’s it.  Chocolate milk provides carbohydrate replenishment to your muscles and also tastes great. It is a great way to reward yourself for working out so hard!

Fruits that Do Not live up to their health claims

Acai
It claims that it’s omega 3 fats are good for the heart. That is miss leading since it only has a small amount of in the fruit. There has been no human study to confirm that acai can help regenerate muscles, blood, bones, and help people lose weight.
It has not been studied in people for any health condition, according to National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine.
It’s claim is that it can treat cancer, diabetes, and heart disease.

Mangosteen
It claims to boost your energy, lower cholesterol, and kill pain. None of these have been proven to be true.

Fruits and vegetables are very healthy and some do have health benefits.
When picking your cranberry juice make sure you get a juice with at least 25% cranberry juice to reap its nutritional effects. Great choices are Ocean Spray at 27% and at 25% Old Orchard Naturals and Lakewood Organic Light to name a few.

Drinking Tart Cherries for muscle exerertsion may help. People that drank 16 to 24 ounces a day of cherry juice for 1 to 3 weeks before heavy exertion reported less pain and temporary muscle loss. The juice may help recovery but it also is 300 – 400 calories.

Lose Fat Not Muscle

When you gain back the extra pounds after dieting it also comes back with more fat and less muscle than you had before. But eating more protein and adding weight barring exercises to your regiment can help preserve your muscles. Not only will the resistant training help burn more calories and shed off the extra pounds; but it will also help you keep off the weight for the long term.
While dieting, your protein intake in grams should be half your weight in pounds. So a 200 pound person should eat 100 grams of protein.

Great protein sources are

 1. Fish (tuna, salmon)

2. Soy ( edamame, soy milk and soy-based yogurt, soy burgers, and soy protein powdered drink mixes.)

3. Skin-less, white-meat poultry ( chicken and turkey)

4. Lean beef (including tenderloin, sirloin, eye of round) Grass fed

5. Skim or low-fat milk products ( yogurt, cottage cheese, cheese, and milk) Chocolate milk makes a great post workout drink

6. almonds

7. Lentils

8. Eggs

9. Lean pork (tenderloin)

10. Beans