Anti-Inflammatory Diet for IBD

The UMASS Medical School has created a diet derived from the specific carb diet to combat IBD (irritable bowel disease). It is the anti-inflammatory diet (AID) with 3 phases and 4 fundamental elements.

The Goal-

The main goal of the AID is to develop and maintain remission from IBD, by restoring the balance between helpful and harmful bacteria with good nutrition.

The 3 Phases-

Phase 1 is "bringing it back to basics". This phase is characterized by regular flare ups and an intolerance to many foods. The focus here is on limiting food textures.

Phase 2 is the introduction of more foods and food textures back into the diet, especially adding soluble fiber such as steel cut oats back in. In this phase symptoms are significantly reduced, yet still occasionally present.

Phase 3 is remission. In this phase there are very few symptoms as well as an understanding of which foods cause flare ups and how to avoid them.

Here is a resource on which foods belong in each phase from UMASS.

The 4 Fundamentals-

Probiotics - probiotics are present in fermented foods and have live bacteria in them. They are essential for restoring good bacteria back into your gut.
Prebiotics- prebiotics are essential for the maintenance and growth of good bacteria. Soluble fiber is emphasized in this diet to help slow down digestion and in turn reduce inflammation, steel cut oats are a great prebiotic and soluble fiber.
Avoidance- avoiding the most common food allergens: lactose, wheat, refined sugar, and corn. This helps to starve the bad bacteria in the gut and helps fix sensitivity in the gut by allowing healing. Eliminating trans-fats (hydrogenated oil) from the diet is also very important.
Good Nutrition- it is essential to maintain good nutrition while following the phases by:

eating a variety of fruits and vegetables either whole or processed in the blender
eat lean proteins
eat healthy fats such as avocados, nuts, and olive oil
limit saturated fats to less than 5 grams per serving, especially in meats and dairy

For more description of the fundamentals and example foods with pre and probiotics check this UMASS resource.

Why is this important?

IBD is a very common problem in the United States and many people think it is a normal way to feel after eating.

IBD can cause issues throughout the body with all the added inflammation. So, it is important to decrease bowel inflammation, aid in gut repair, and restore balance to the immune system.

Interested in the IBD-Anti-Inflammatory Diet?

Try out this recipe: