Food newspaper for ulcerative colitis: Should you keep one?

As its name suggests, a food journal will follow all the things you eat and drink. But it is very useful that these meals, snacks and drinks be put in context, connecting these options of food and drinks to any symptoms or subsequent effect.

Consider these strategies to make the newspaper more useful.

1. Choose a format you really use

“The biggest challenges with a food newspaper tend to be forgetting, time and consistency,” explains Castro. Choosing a follow-up method that is too complicated for you to turn against him, because it could become overwhelming and long, she says.

Instead, try a few options to see what sticks. It could be to have food in an application, take notes on your phone, create a photo newspaper or write in a notebook or calendar on paper.

The objective is to facilitate the task, practical and fast, says Castro. In this way, you will be more likely to use it every day.

2. Note the symptoms every day

Even if the symptoms of the CU are on the gentle side, like minor discomfort, it is useful to take note and when they occur, explains Bedford. “In doing so, you may notice a trend, like having symptoms after a certain food in a few hours or the next day,” he said.

• What foods are consumed, how they are prepared and in what quantities (for example, a cup of cooked carrots or 3 ounces of cooked salmon)
• What time did you ate or drink
• Gastrointestinal symptoms, such as abdominal pain, nausea, bloating, gas or stomach burns
• Changes in stool, such as frequency, emergency, volume and consistency

By doing this, know that it is important not to anticipate that you will have symptoms, as this could worsen still minor problems, explains Castro. You just observe what you eat and how you feel. “It should be a source of information, not anxiety,” she said.

3. Also record non-gastrointestinal problems

In addition to note how certain foods could affect your digestive processes, it is also useful to be aware of other potential difficulties, explains Bedford.

Keeping a trace of symptoms like these can be useful for identifying trends and models that can be linked to your UC management, says Bedford.

For example, if these problems aggravate over time, it may not be your triggering foods. Instead, this could be an indication that your treatment should be changed or there is another health problem at stake.

If you notice these symptoms, be sure to let your doctor know, especially if they are persistent.