Gluten-Free Diet for Ulcerative Colitis

Ulcerative colitis is an inflammation of the intestinal tract, and is a type of irritable bowel disease (IBD). Common symptoms of ulcerative colitis are diarrhea, stomach cramps, bloody stool and fatigue. There is no cure, but medication and a healthy diet can reduce the severity of your condition. According to The Living Gluten-Free Answer book, gluten is a storage protein found in wheat products that can be difficult for your stomach to digest, which can exacerbate your diarrhea and pain. By eliminating gluten products from your diet, you can lessen the severity of your condition.

Bread and Grains

• According to Gluten-Free for a Healthy Life, you will need to cook from scratch to ensure your meals do not contain gluten. Gluten can be found in: breads, baked goods and cereal with wheat, rye, triticale, barley, bulgur, oats, wheat germ, graham flour, durum flour, oat bran, farina, spelt and kamut. Food with any of these ingredients need to be avoided, as it can worsen your IBD. According to Gluten-Free for a Healthy Life, cereals with malt extract and malt flavoring, wheat flour tacos, tortillas and any wheat-based corn flour should be eliminated. The goal is to significantly reduce your fiber intake. Foods high in fiber produce more gas, which upsets the intestinal tract.

Fresh Food vs. Processed Food

• Poultry, meat, beans, potatoes, fresh fruit and vegetables are safe to eat as they are naturally gluten-free. Buying fresh meat, fruit and vegetables is better than processed foods, as processed foods contain preservatives and additives that may contain gluten. It is important to read labels to ensure safety. Seasonings, soy sauce, flavorings in meat, brown rice syrup, soup, stabilizers, cold cuts and thickeners are all questionable ingredients because they may contain gluten. Sucrose, rice bran, corn syrup, dextrose, flaxseed, whey, baking yeast, soy, acacia gum and glucose are safe ingredients. Avoid canned or frozen vegetables in sauce, fruit pies with a wheat-based pastry and breaded vegetables.

Beverages

• Coffee, soft drinks, wine and even alcoholic beverages are safe. According to the Gluten-Free for a Healthy Life, the wheat grain in alcohol is eliminated during the distillation process. Carefully read the ingredients on the label of instant tea, coffee substitutes, flavored coffee, chocolate drinks or chocolate flavorings, flavored teas and wine coolers. Avoid beer, ale, stout, lager, malted beverages and barley-based cordial as they all contain wheat.

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Paleo Diet for Ulcerative Colitis

The Paleo Diet is based on the diet of the last 80 tribes of hunter-gatherers left in the world today. Their diet hasn't changed much since human beings first walked the planet. Those who believe the Paleo Diet works say the reason these modern day hunter-gatherers don't suffer from many of the diseases that plague the world's general population today is because of their ancient diet. 

Dr. Walter Voegtlin was one of the first to document treatment of ulcerative colitis patients with the Paleo Diet. He believed humans are carnivorous creatures and should eat as such.

The Paleo Diet as a Treatment for Ulcerative Colitis

• Although most well-known medical organizations don't link the Paleo Diet with ulcerative colitis directly, a quick check of the diet recommended for colitis patients by the Mayo Clinic shows how following the Paleo Diet could help. The Mayo Clinic recommends you eliminate foods which cause gas or seem to make your symptoms worse. Beans are on the Mayo Clinic's list of things to avoid, as are dairy products and high-fiber foods like whole grains.

Foods to Cut

• According to Dr. Ben Balzer, the author of "Introduction to the Paleolithic Diet," the basis of the Paleo Diet involves eliminating certain foods from your diet. He says you should start by eliminating all grains and potatoes from your diet.

  The Paleo Diet also requires you to eliminate beans, dairy, sugar and salt from your diet.

Foods to Keep in Your Diet

• You can keep eating meat, chicken, fish, fruit and vegetables (other than potatoes). Berries of all kinds are also a good choice for those on the Paleo Diet.

  You can also keep eating most nuts, although not peanuts, because they are technically a bean. Cashews also have no place in the Paleo Diet. They belong to their own food family instead of the nut family.

  As you embark on your Paleo Diet, replace the foods you cut from your diet with extra non-potato vegetables and organ meats like liver or kidney.

Adjusting to the Paleo Diet

• Your body will take a bit of time to adjust to these drastic changes in your diet, so you should introduce it gradually. Dr. Balzer recommends you start the Paleo Diet with breakfast only because most people tend to eat a lot of grains for breakfast. After you find yourself adjusted to a Paleo breakfast, then add lunch to your paleo agenda. Expand to include dinner in your Paleo Diet after your body accepts both breakfast and lunch Paleo meals.

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How to Heal Ulcerative Colitis With a Raw Food Diet

The raw food diet is an alternative medical treatment for ulcerative colitis. Instead of medicine and surgery, diet is used to heal the body. The raw food diet eliminates the use of toxic, irritating and non-nutritional foods from the diet. Only plant-based foods in their natural state are eaten. The raw foods provide the body with all of the nutrients that it needs and allows the intestines to heal.

Tips For You

1. Eat a vegan raw food diet. Raw foods means that you do not cook anything that you eat. Vegan means that you do not eat any meat or dairy foods. On this diet, your foods should consist of fresh uncooked fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds. Eat a balanced diet. Everyday, unless you are on a fast, eat fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds.
2. When you first start the raw foods diet, the transition from cooked to raw foods should be gradual. Start by cutting out all meats, dairy, sugar and processed foods. Lightly cook vegetables. As you become accustomed to eating a vegan diet, gradually stop cooking foods as you progress to a 100 percent raw foods diet.
3. Chew your food well. Chewing is the first step in digestion. When chewing, food is mixed with saliva. Saliva starts the digestive process of breaking down foods. Only by chewing thoroughly do you mix sufficient saliva with food for proper digestion.
4. Juice fresh raw fruits and vegetables in a juicer when you are having trouble digesting whole fruits and vegetables. Juicing the fruits and vegetables, breaks down the fibers and makes them easier to digest.
5. Avoid citrus fruits, vegetables, nuts and peels when you are having bouts of intestinal inflammation. During times of inflammation, stick to non-citrus fruits. Citrus fruits and vegetables are harder to digest and can irritate the intestinal lining. Remove the peels from foods like apples for easier digestion.
6. Do a water fast during times of severe intestinal inflammation. A water fast cleanses the body and gives the digestive system a resting period in which to heal.

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