4 simple ways to cope with inflammatory bowel disease

Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) encompasses a range of unpleasant symptoms, from diarrhea, abdominal pain and cramps, to bloody stools and lack of appetite. If you think you are at risk, or have experienced the consequences of IBD before, follow these key tips to give you the best chance of avoiding a relapse.

Your intestines are home to millions of bacteria. Some of them are there to help digest the food you eat and keep your bowels healthy. But different bacteria — the "bad guys" — may contribute to or even cause IBD problems. Having enough beneficial bacteria in your body keeps the troublesome types in check. You can make sure you have enough by eating yogurt that contains active cultures or by taking a probiotic ("good" bacteria) supplement.

• When researchers gave a probiotic supplement to 34 people with mild to moderate ulcerative colitis, 53 percent felt completely better after eight weeks and 24 percent felt somewhat better. The supplement, called VSL, contained eight species of lactobacillus bacteria, a type also found in yogurt with live, active cultures.
• In another Canadian study, researchers found that when people with ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease ate yogurt every day for a month, blood tests showed that inflammation levels in their intestinal tracts were reduced.

As many as 60 percent of people with IBD may have low bone density, raising the risk of osteoporosis and bone fractures. The reason: long-term use of glucocorticoid drugs (such as prednisone and cortisone) that keep a lid on intestinal inflammation can also interfere with your body's ability to maintain healthy bones. And if you have severe IBD or have had surgery to remove part of your intestines, your body may not absorb enough calcium and vitamin D, nutrients essential for strong bones.

• It's smart to take in 1,000 milligrams of calcium a day (1,200 a day after age 50). You'll get there with three servings of low-fat dairy foods a day or a mix of dairy plus calcium supplements (don't take more than 600 milligrams with a meal, since your body can't absorb more than that at once).
• And get at least 400 to 800 IU of vitamin D daily, too, to help your body absorb and use all that calcium.

Normally we're cheerleaders for foods like whole wheat bread, fruits, vegetables and nuts. But if you have Crohn's disease that isn't improving, cutting back could give your intestinal tract the break it needs.

• Avoid berries (because of the seeds), whole grain breads and cereals, potatoes with skin, nuts and seeds, raw fruits and vegetables and tough cuts of meat.
• Do this under your doctor's care; he may want you to add back some of the foods once the inflammation subsides.

• Soluble fibre forms a protective gel in your intestinal tract and releases compounds that soothe inflammation and promote healing of the intestinal wall.
• Ask your doctor if you should eat a daily serving of foods such as barley, oatmeal, pears and beans, or if you should try a fibre supplement with ingredients like methylcellulose or psyllium.
• Make sure to drink up lots of water with either of these, especially if you're experiencing diarrhea.

Experts don't know exactly what triggers IBD but suspect that genetics and an immune system response — perhaps to "bad" bacteria in the intestinal tract, or perhaps to nothing at all — are responsible. Keep these tips in mind and reduce your risk of contracting IBD with simple dietary changes.