Crohn's disease is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease.

The disease progresses in episodes (alternation from acute inflammation & symptom-free remission phases.

It can spread throughout the gastrointestinal tract (digestive tract).

Small or large areas can be affected.

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Often the terminal ileum and colon are affected.

Inflammatory processes can be limited to the submucosa, but can also affect the entire intestinal wall.

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Anatomical basics

Small intestine: diameter 2.5 - 3 cm (total length approx. 4.75 m)

120m² absorption area, over 4 million intestinal villi that absorb (absorb) nutrients

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Small intestine:

12 finger intestine - duodenum - approx. 25 cm in length  

Empty intestine - jejunum - approx. 1.8 m in length

Ileum - approx. 2.7 m in length

Colon:

Large intestine - diameter approx. 7 cm, length approx. 1.5 m

Rectum - length approx. 15 cm

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Why is nutritional therapy important?

Nutritional therapy supports you in positively influencing the course of the disease. The diet must be adjusted according to the course of the disease (acute inflammation or symptom-free remission phase), ie the recommended nutritional therapy differs significantly in both phases. The goals are through appropriate nutritional therapy measures to have fewer and fewer relapses (phases of inflammation) and thus to extend the symptom-free phases of remision for a better quality of life.

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Nutritional therapy supports you in reducing your symptoms overall and thereby positively influencing your health. An energy-adjusted wholesome diet under the supervision of a certified nutritionist can lead to your long-term success. The diet is adapted to your current weight and a jointly defined goal for weight gain / or loss.

The aim is to supply all of the fatty acids, micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) that are important to you, energy and protein in the measure that your body is optimally supplied with. For this purpose, foods that promote inflammation are specifically avoided and plenty of anti-inflammatory foods are consumed.

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You will learn how you can actively counteract inflammation through foods that naturally have antifungal (against fungi), antibacterial (against bacteria), antiviral (against viruses) and antioxidant as well as immune-boosting properties - that is, natural antibiotics.

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In the acute stage, depending on the severity of the inflammation:

• parenteral nutrition or low-fiber diet:

• Formula diet or diet for malassimilation (max. 10 - 15 g fiber per day)

• Increase protein intake to 1.2-1.5g  / kg body weight / day (due to inflammation)

• Adjusting the amount of liquid to drink (due to diarrhea)

• possibly electrolyte balance with sodium and potassium (due to diarrhea)

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Classification of your weight - definition and classification of weight in relation to height.

Special percentile curves apply to children and adolescents; the BMI cannot simply be used here.

BMI and interpretation: BMI: body mass index. Formula: Body weight in kg : (body height in m) 2

Underweight: <18.5

Normal weight: 18.5 - 24.9

Overweight = pre-obesity: 25-29.9

Obesity grade I: 30 - 34.9

Obesity grade II: 35-39.9

Obesity grade III:> 40 = per magna

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Blood count:

It is advisable to have your Omega 3 index checked regularly.

This provides information about the supply of valuable omega 3 fatty acids (alpha-linolenic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid), which can significantly counteract inflammatory processes in the body.

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Nutritional therapy

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• Anti-inflammatory diet

• Add fluids and electrolytes according to individual needs, especially in the case of massive diarrhea

• Digestible, constipating food selection (recommendations for foods containing tannin and high in pectin lead to a thickening of the stool)

• Holistic therapy - do you have any comorbidities that need to be taken into account during the consultation?

• Body weight: Weight reduction is recommended if you are overweight / obese.

• Avoid micronutrient deficiencies and mineral deficiencies & possibly counteract them with nutrient preparations

• Prevent protein deficiency

• Which nutrients do I need in which ratio?

• Consume fiber according to the respective form (low fiber or high fiber)

• Sufficient fluid: total fluid per day: 30 - 35 ml per kg body weight and day. Attention, this is not just a drinking liquid. The liquid from food (approx. 500 - 800 ml) must still be subtracted from this so that a quantity of> 2 l drinking liquid is created.

• add valuable anti-carcinogenic (anti-cancer) secondary plant substances

• A selection of foods tailored to your needs with cooking and technical information (for breakfast, snacks, lunch, dinner)

• Do you like to eat your warm meal in the evening? I am happy to cater to your individual situation and we will create a plan on how you can implement your wholesome diet into your everyday life.

• Overall fat selection, how should it be designed?

• which oils are good for me? What should I watch out for in relation to the anti-inflammatory diet?

• How much fat spread (butter / margarine / vegetable fat) can I use and which products are recommended?

• Get enough Omgea-3 fatty acids and essential fatty acids

• How can I boost and support my metabolism with natural foods?

• Coordinate sensible meal frequency for your individual case - meal allocation

• What do I have to look out for when choosing animal foods?

• How many animal foods (e.g. meat products, milk and dairy products, cheese, fish products, eggs) are recommended?

• Define the desired weight stabilization / normalization & the estimated period for this

• what should be considered with beverages and alcoholic beverages?

• How does exercise affect your body and thus also your diet?

• Avoid blood sugar fluctuations

• Sweetening foods - sweeteners, glucose, fructose, sugar and sugar substitutes, what can I use and in what quantities? How high is the respective sweetness of the different products?

• what should be considered when baking and cooking?

• what are cheap snacks / main meals

• Eating out - what should you watch out for?

• Vacation, boat trip or hospital stay, what should be considered?

• Flatulence, bloating, diarrhea, constipation, vomiting, heartburn, loss of appetite, pain related to eating, what can I do about it?

• Daily plans as an example for practical implementation in everyday life

• Enjoyment training

• Optimizing your eating situation

• long-term maintenance of a jointly defined weight

• Strengthen the stomach and intestines with natural foods

• Additional therapy options

• Dietetic products in support of nutritional therapy

• Food supplements - under certain circumstances, a supplement can be useful

• and other topics

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Any questions? I look forward to your call or email. To contact form

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Assistance:

• KISS self-help groups

• Self-help network

• German Society for Digestive and Metabolic Diseases e. V.

• IBD - Inflammatory Bowel Disease - Competence Network

• DCCV e. V. Self-help group at IBD

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