4) Bleeding – It’s never a good sign when there’s blood in the stool. Not only does it drain your energy, but it also may indicate that there are abscesses developing in the body. This is a serious stage, and timely doctor advice is essential.
5) Weight loss – Everyone loves it when the number on the scale goes down. But if you haven’t significantly modified your diet and exercise program, something is going on beyond being blessed by the diet gods. Make an appointment to find out.
MANAGING CROHN’S DISEASE
If your doctor tells you that you might have Crohn’s disease, you can help manage flare-ups with lifestyle changes. They shouldn’t substantially alter your enjoyment or ability to enjoy regular living, but they are necessary to help reduce inflammation and disease triggers.
Your bowels are sensitive to stimulation. Thus, it’s wise to cut back on the alcohol and caffeine, both of which can affect the inner walls of your intestines. This doesn’t mean you have to eliminate alcohol or caffeine from your life completely. But keep in mind that both can dehydrate you, which can contribute to compromises in your immune system.
Perhaps you can halve your normal consumption as one way to slow down your body’s responses. Have one cup of coffee instead of two in the morning. Enjoy one glass of wine with your meal instead of drinking without food. And have plenty of water on hand while you drink to balance your consumption.
Raw vegetables are healthy, but they also can stimulate bowels. Instead of broccoli or cauliflower three times a week, perhaps a single serving will do. And milk, dairy and butter can increase some problems for those who are lactose-intolerant and can’t properly digest milk sugar.