Crohn's.

While Crohn's and ulcerative colitis both come under the same category of gastrointestinal ailments, there is a marked difference between them. Both of them are chronic inflammatory bowel diseases, and yet neither of them is a constant disease. This means that both Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis occur in remissions and relapses. There are acute flare-ups of symptoms, followed by varying intervals of remissions. Moreover, in the period of remissions, it is completely possible to have a more or less normal living with Crohn's disease, with some adjustments in lifestyle.

Infact, most people who are living with Crohn's disease report that the period of remissions generally last longer and occur more frequently than the relapses or when the disease is acute. Flare-ups can occur randomly though, without any warning or pattern, just out of the blue! But, generally they happen immediately after a viral infection, such as common cold, or due to some severe stress which could be personal or professional. Symptoms in acuteness include diarrhea, fever, pain, nausea, along with chills and extreme fatigue.

Severity And Control Of The Disease

Each individual has his own unique pattern and treatment is done on the basis of the actual symptoms reported, rather than on the basis of the laboratory test results. The severity of the disease is measured by keeping a track of the symptoms in a chart. This includes the number of bowel movements in a day, fever, appetite level and also number of days in which the person has to modify his regular schedule due to diarrhea, fever, fatigue or pain. Besides that, the emotional responses of the person are also taken into account, whether he or she is angry, depressed or embarrassed



due to the disease.

It has been observed that malnutrition or compromised nutrition can prove to be a major threat to people living with Crohn's disease. Since this is a disease affecting the digestive tract of the body, any kind of undue stress on the digestive system can aggravate it and worsen the symptoms. And that could lead to a vicious cycle. Fever raises the body's metabolic rate and increases its need for calorie intake. On the other hand, diarrhea leads to dehydration and temporary lactose intolerance, which causes milk sugars to ferment in the colon, worsening the diarrhea. Besides, there is a general loss of appetite too.

Therefore, the best to manage a normal living with Crohn's is to take care of your nutrition. Make sure you consume a good amount of calories, in the form of proteins, minerals, vitamins and trace elements, to ensure there is no nutritional deficiency in the body. Also, try to put less stress on your digestive system, by taking shorter, more spaced-out meals. In addition, always remember to eat the last meal of the day at least 3 hours before sleeping. In addition, during flare-ups, dietary fibers should be avoided, like whole grains, fruits and raw vegetables. By making such minor changes in eating habits, it can be perfectly possible to manage an almost normal living with Crohn's disease.