Can I drink yogurt with colitis?

Written by Zhu Dan Hua
Gastroenterology
Updated on September 26, 2024
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Colitis is relatively common in clinical practice, especially in gastroenterology. The treatment generally involves two steps: first, medication treatment; second, dietary treatment. For patients with colitis, they can consume yogurt unless they have a clear allergy to yogurt or experience abdominal discomfort after consuming it. The main symptoms patients display are abdominal pain and abnormal stools, characterized by pain in the lower left abdomen or loose stools, and sometimes even fever. For these symptoms, we can choose to treat with certain medications. Antispasmodic analgesics can be added for abdominal pain, and medications to stop diarrhea or regulate the intestinal flora can be used for diarrhea. However, if there is a fever, oral anti-inflammatory drugs may be considered as needed. The diet should focus on light, liquid-based, and easy-to-digest foods, avoiding spicy foods. Of course, consuming yogurt is not a problem, so patients with colitis can eat yogurt, but not excessively, especially if they experience abdominal pain. It is suggested to reduce the amount of yogurt consumed. (The use of medications should be under the guidance of a doctor.)

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Written by Zhu Dan Hua
Gastroenterology
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What medicine is used for colitis?

Colitis may involve choosing some medications that protect the intestinal mucosa and regulate the intestinal flora, along with other symptomatic treatments. If the intestinal inflammation presents as abdominal discomfort or significant illness, one might choose to use antispasmodic pain relief and antidiarrheal medications, which can generally achieve certain control. Ileitis is also relatively common clinically, with patients usually presenting with discomfort in stool or service and, after undergoing a thorough colonoscopy, inflammatory changes in the intestines are found, characterized by mucosal congestion, edema, and even scattered erosion and ulcer formation. Treatment options include oral medications, but in terms of diet, it primarily involves choosing clean, easily digestible foods and supplementing with some nutrients. Colitis generally presents with lower abdominal pain and discomfort in the lower left abdomen, typically occurring in paroxysmal attacks without specificity. (Please take medication under the guidance of a professional physician.)

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Written by Jiang Guo Ming
Gastroenterology
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Transverse colitis is located in the transverse colon.

If you are asking about the location of abdominal pain due to transverse colitis, let's first understand the anatomical position of the transverse colon. The ends of the transverse colon are located under the spleen and the liver. During a colonoscopy, when passing through the hepatic flexure or splenic flexure, cystic spots are often found, which are shadows of the liver and spleen. Generally, in patients who are short and stout, the internal abdominal fat tends to hold the free transverse colon relatively fixed, arranging it in a straight line like the Chinese character "一". For thin and frail patients, lacking support, the transverse colon can sag. In patients who have had abdominal surgery, the intestinal structure may be disordered. Therefore, the abdominal pain associated with transverse colitis generally centers around or below the umbilicus on either side.

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Written by Wang Zhen Quan
Colorectal Surgery Department
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What should you not eat with colitis?

So what foods should we avoid for patients with colitis? First of all, we should try not to eat milk and seafood, because milk and seafood are types of foreign proteins to the human body, which could potentially become allergens. Because colitis patients are likely to experience colonic allergies after consumption, resulting in worsened diarrhea, so it is advisable to avoid these foods as much as possible. Secondly, we should minimize the consumption of high-fat foods, because patients with colitis have poor digestive functions, particularly weak in digesting fats. Incompletely digested high-fat foods can cause "slippery gut" leading to diarrhea. Over time, the accumulation of fats can also induce complications such as fatty liver, etc. Therefore, foods high in fats such as lard, cream, walnuts, peanuts, almonds, etc., should be avoided or eaten sparingly. Third, it is important to eat less gas-producing food: because colonic inflammation in colitis, due to chronic and recurrent episodes, causes alternation of ulcers and scar fibrosis in the colonic mucosa, which reduces the elasticity of the colonic inner wall. Consuming more gas-producing foods, such as sweet potatoes and soybeans, may cause acute intestinal dilation due to the filling of gas in the intestines, or even lead to complications such as ulcer perforation. Fourth, eat fewer vegetables containing coarse fiber: the fiber in vegetables can absorb intestinal water and have a laxative effect, which might aggravate diarrhea. Therefore, foods high in coarse fiber like celery, crown daisy, cabbage, spinach, etc., should be consumed in limited quantities.

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Written by Zhu Dan Hua
Gastroenterology
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What are the symptoms of colitis?

Colitis is relatively common in clinical settings, especially in the gastroenterology outpatient department, and it generally occurs in middle-aged and elderly patients. The disease typically begins with abdominal pain, diarrhea, or abnormal stools. The abdominal pain is characterized by episodic pain in the lower left or right abdomen, without persistent episodes and generally does not occur after the patient falls asleep at night. The diet is usually not related. Diarrhea manifests as watery stools or stools with a soft texture, without bloody stools. Abnormal stools are characterized by constipation, for instance, if the patient has not had a bowel movement for several days, with dry, sheep-dung-like stools that are difficult to expel. Typically, after a thorough colonoscopy, no colon tumors or polyps are found, but signs of congested and edematous colonic mucosa suggest a diagnosis of colitis. Generally, the condition isn't severe, and treatment primarily involves symptomatic management.

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Written by Wang Zhen Quan
Colorectal Surgery Department
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What foods are good for colitis?

So, what kind of food is better for patients with colitis? First, we recommend high-protein, high-calorie foods, because colitis generally has a process of prolonged illness and long duration, which affects the digestion and absorption of food and causes substantial energy depletion in the body. Therefore, we recommend adopting a diet rich in protein and calories to meet our bodily needs. However, we must also note that if the amount of diet exceeds the intestinal tolerance of the patient, it may actually worsen the condition. Therefore, it is necessary to flexibly manage according to the specific conditions and symptoms of the patient, gradually increasing the supply of protein and calories is advisable. Additionally, we recommend high-vitamin foods. A diet low in residue often lacks vitamins, which can be supplemented with filtered vegetable soups and juices, such as tomato juice, to provide the necessary vitamins. On the other hand, we need to ensure adequate hydration. Normally, each person needs about 1200 to 1600 mL of water per day. If there is excessive water loss due to diarrhea, fluid therapy should also be supplemented. During acute flare-ups, we should eat a residue-free or semi-liquid diet, such as eggs, fish (except for those allergic), soy milk, tofu pudding, and other low-residue foods, along with noodles and sliced noodles, and it is appropriate to eat small meals frequently.