These Lifestyle Choices Can Make Crohn's Symptoms Worse

Flare-ups that Crohn’s disease patients experience can be painfully difficult to manage, and may lead to feelings of helplessness.

Indeed, some of the factors that cause or contribute to a flare-up may be entirely out of the control of those who must learn to live with the chronic illness.

Yet, certain lifestyle choices and dietary practices have been linked to flare-ups, indicating that while you may never have total control over the disease and its symptoms, you at least have choices that can benefit you.

Staying away from unhealthy practices and adopting a healthier lifestyle can give you a degree of power over Crohn’s disease. Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis—two prevalent inflammatory bowel diseases—are both autoimmune disorders, leading doctors and researchers to conclude that diet alone cannot cause the diseases. However, there are clear links between diet and lifestyle in the management and triggering of symptoms.

Inflammatory bowel diseases cause inflammation along the gastrointestinal tract. Diet does not cause this inflammation to occur, but it can cause further inflammation and worsen or make already existing symptoms far more severe. Those who are diagnosed with one of the disease will know what they can and cannot eat, and are typically put on a strict diet to ensure that the proper nutrients are being received by the body.

Poor lifestyle choices for Crohn’s disease

Everyone knows that smoking cigarettes is one of the worst health habits that one can fall into, and unfortunately, climbing out of it once addicted can seem impossible at best. In addition to heart disease and cancers, smoking has been linked to increased inflammation in people with Crohn’s.

Those who are diagnosed with Crohn’s disease are also immediately at a much higher risk of experiencing malnutrition. Coffee can have a negative effect. Some people are used to a routine in which they have a cup of coffee before they have a bowel movement. This is due to the fact that caffeine has laxative properties, and can influence the gastrointestinal tract accordingly.

Upon diagnosis, you should become familiar with your gastroenterologist and ensure that you are keeping an open line of communication with whoever that might be. The best way to prevent future complications and prevent progression of the disease is to catch increasing symptoms or complications early on, before permanent damage occurs. Since inflammatory bowel diseases affect the entire gastrointestinal tract, and not just the intestines, you should notify your doctor of any symptoms that cause concern, regardless of how related they might appear to be to IBD.

In order to avoid flare-ups and take back control of your life from inflammatory bowel disease, a major lifestyle change is required. Dropping bad habits can be equally beneficial if not more so than picking newer, healthier habits. David S. Lee, MD is a gastroenterologist at New York Presbyterian in New York City, and he recommends dropping six potentially harmful lifestyle choices in order to experience less frequent flare-ups and manage your IBD better. Read on to learn more about how to drop these bad habits. If you are addicted to cigarettes then vape is probably better but you should stick with quality products including custom vape pen