If you’re like many, when you’re first diagnosed with this disease, there will be hundreds of questions circulating through your head – you’ll want answers to every single one of those questions. You’re probably engulfed in a tangle of emotions as you wonder exactly what is going on in your life. Here are some tips that will help those of you who have just been diagnosed with this disease.
Have a Treatment Plan
To start with, if you have been diagnosed with this disease, you must come up with a treatment plan and follow through with it. There are many therapies that are available – these therapies can help you mange Crohn’s.
The disease is caused by inflammation throughout the digestive system and there are medications available that can help treat those symptoms.
In order to develop the best treatment plan that fits your needs, you should speak with a physician that specializes in the digestive system or a gastroenterologist. Mind you, remember, Crohn’s can be controlled, but at the moment, there is no cure for it.
Develop a Nutrition Plan
When you have Crohn’s, it is important that you develop a good nutrition plan and maintain a healthy weight. The challenge here is that due to the disease, your body may have trouble absorbing the nutrients from the food you eat – this all depends on the intestinal inflammation and the symptoms.
Diarrhea, for example, causes your body to lose those important nutrients and gastrointestinal pain, stress and medications may make you lose appetite. Therefore, with all of that in mind, it is important that you focus on foods that contain a large amount of nutrients and drink water throughout the day.
Foods that are rich in protein will not only help you heal, but it will also help you maintain your muscle mass. Good options include eating lean red meat, fish, chicken and eggs. If you are lactose intolerant, you can try low-fat cheese and non-fat milk products as your sources of protein.
Regardless, you should have a nice variety of foods in your diet, like vegetables and try to avoid a large amount of sugar.
Try Hard to Manage Your Stress Level
When you are stressed, this can trigger the symptoms of Crohn’s. Therefore, it is important that you manage your stress. When you are feeling stressful, try doing some yoga or go out for a nice walk. Taking a nice stroll in the park is a great way to lift your spirits. If you are still feeling overwhelmed, you can turn to therapy sessions – these sessions can show you how to manage your stress.
In the end, educating yourself on this disease would be helpful. Around 700,000 people in the USA have this disease, so you are certainly not alone. Learning all you can about Crohns, such as the procedures, treatments and tests will make you an active participant in the treatment decisions. The more aware you are about this disease, the more prepared you will be when it comes to challenges.
