Elimination Diets And Crohn's Disease

Elimination diets are popular in the diet industry, and complementary and alternative medicine practitioners may also take this approach to treatment. This type of diet significantly restricts or excludes one or more foods or major food groups. Common examples of exclusions include dairy, wheat, red meat, yeast, and refined sugars. If you choose to follow an elimination diet, be sure to consider the potential side effects.

 

 

Consequences of following exclusionary diets over the long term — that is, for more than a few weeks — include possible development of nutrient deficiencies, weight loss, malnutrition, food phobias or obsessions, and a loss of enjoyment of eating. If major food groups are avoided, be sure to speak with a dietitian to learn about alternative foods or supplements for the excluded nutrients.

 

There is also a psychological danger with elimination diets. Following a diet that claims to control your IBD can contribute to a feeling of being somehow responsible or guilty if your disease becomes active again. Some people feel they may have cheated on the diet because they had difficulty following it exactly, and they are now responsible for their disease coming back. There is no evidence to support this. This type of internalization of responsibility is destructive and takes strength away during a time when it is difficult enough to live with IBD.

 

If you still feel it is important to try this approach, be sure to set a timeline for evaluating and stopping the dietary eliminations.