Tips for Colitis Flare
Tip #1: Contact your healthcare provider and go for an appointment ASAP. Do not wait to see your physician. Seeing your gastroenterologist earlier in a flare may shorten and ease your recovery, and help you avoid complications.
We have learned that lesson from a particularly difficult experience. Some years after Phil got on the diet and was in a deep remission, we signed up for a meal kit service. It was a hot August day and our box was delivered at the end of the day. We did not think about it at the time and had the meal. Sure enough we both got a food poisoning. At the time it was not easy to tell apart a food poisoning from a flare (and we were in the middle of moving). We were unsure of whether and when Phil should see a specialist, and I think we could have gone to see our GI doctor a few days earlier. In hindsight, we wished we were more proactive and did not wait for the symptoms of full-blown flare to show. Phil has since recovered without any issues and is back in a deep remission, but this episode has taught to seek early help.
Tip #2: Foods to Eat During a Flare:
- soup or broth from scratch – will give you the nutrition you need while being very gentle. Recipes here.
- mashed potatoes from scratch – very digestible and you can make them as soft and liquid as you like.
- plain white rice – easy to digest and fast energy
- herbal teas – chamomile especially can sooth you
- steamed chicken, turkey or fish -easy to digest protein, consume in small portions
- steamed or baked vegetables – all cooked thoroughly, these would be very easy on your body
- zucchini
- yellow squash
- carrots
- butternut squash – especially wonderful for diabetic patients.
Tip #3: Foods to Avoid During a Flare:
- Fast food, takeout, canned meals
- processed foods
- spicy foods – can cause gastrointestinal discomfort and exacerbate inflammation
- fried and grilled foods
- sweets – sugars may exacerbate inflammation
- gluten
- fried meat – may exacerbate inflammation and be difficult to digest
- beans – extra gas can cause discomfort
- lots of fiber and roughage (while fiber from fruits and vegetables is great, be gentle on yourself during the flare)
- lots of raw fruits and veg – see above
- cruciferous vegetables (during a flare, the extra gas and roughage cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower may only exacerbate discomfort)
- Black tea and coffee – the tannins can exacerbate inflammation
- Soda and sugary foods – sugars can exacerbate inflammation while carbonation can cause discomfort
- Alcohol
Tip #4: Sleep. Get plenty of Sleep: 8 hours minimum. We have observed from our experience that sleep deprivation or the lack of refreshing sleep can be connected to an increased frequency of bathroom visits, greater urgency, and may even precipitate a flare.
Tip #5: De-stress. From our experience, stress is a significant factor in exacerbating the symptoms of a flare. It is important that you take proactive steps to reduce stress by delegating at home and at work, taking a (or a few) sick days, meditating, taking a bath, making yourself comfortable at home.
Tip #6: Flares involve lots of bathroom visits and lots of wiping, which can cause dryness and discomfort. As an alternative to toilet paper during flares, try unscented wet wipes or use a bidet if you have one installed.
Bonus: Ask for help: your family, partner, friends, even colleagues. It is easy to become overwhelmed by a flare. The more you stress, the worse the symptoms. Ask around and you might be pleasantly surprised by how many will lend a helping hand and help you recover.