Crohn's disease is an inflammatory bowel disease that commonly affects the intestines and large intestines. It is an auto-immune disease that has no specific causing agent. An auto-immune disease means that the body's natural defense that is supposed to fight against infection instead attacks the body's own tissue and fails to distinguish the body tissue from the foreign material in the body. Autoimmune diseases are in most cases of genetic origin. There are suggestions that Crohn’s disease, named after American gastroenterologist Burrill B. Crohn, could be caused by a virus or bacteria involved with the initial damage to the lining of the gastrointestinal tract. However, this information lacks scientific proof as the actual micro-organisms involved are not yet known. Many people tend to confuse Crohn’s disease with colon cancer due to similarities in their clinical presentation. People with Crohn's disease will normally present with stomach cramps, loss of appetite, weight loss, fever, rectal bleeding and abdominal pains. All these symptoms are also common in colon cancer patients and advanced medical investigations should be used to differentiate them. Once affected by Crohn’s disease, there is a need for lifestyle modifications. Feeding is one of the most considered factors here because certain foods can aggravate the disease or complicate the symptoms. Some foods might not be tolerant in your gastrointestinal tract. For example, many people with inflammatory bowel diseases have problems such as persistent abdominal pains and gas bloating due to lactose intolerance. This means the body finds problems completely digesting the lactose sugar found in dairy products and therefore doctors will advise you to cut down on dairy products taken or abandon them completely depending on the severity of the problem. Fats are also a problem for some people with an inflammatory bowel disease. Poor fat digestion makes people with Crohn’s disease or other chronic inflammatory diseases suffer acute episodes of diarrhea. Reducing fat food materials in this case may be lifesaving. For a normal human being, it is well known that foods rich in fiber - such as grains, fresh fruits and vegetables - help a lot in gastrointestinal function but people with inflammatory disease might find it hard to take these precious nutrients as they may worsen abdominal pain, gas bloats and sometimes diarrhea. It is therefore advisable to eliminate any food substances that complicate your intestinal inflammation. It is advisable to eat five, smaller meals daily rather than three main ones. For people with Crohn’s disease or other inflammatory bowel diseases, it is advisable to continually hydrate. Patients should drink plenty of water or other tolerable fluids daily. Caution should be taken for alcohol and other beverages that contain caffeine, as they may stimulate the intestines and can worsen the disease. Carbonated fluids frequently produce gas and can make diarrhea worse as well. In most cases, once the intestines are inflamed as in Crohn’s disease, there is interference in absorption of nutrients. This is because the patient receives a limited amount of nutrients and irregularly. Therefore, it is advisable to take multivitamin tablets and other mineral supplements. However, people should check with the doctor before taking any vitamins or supplements. Many smokers have been operated in their intestines due to this condition. This is because smoking increases the risk of Crohn's disease. It is advisable to avoid smoking to improve one's overall health of the digestive tract especially if the person has a history of Crohn’s disease. With Crohn’s disease, it is advisable to avoid stress and do exercise regularly. In stressful events, the stomach empties slowly and secretes more acid. This means it also slows the passage of intestinal contents that might bring changes in intestinal tissue itself.
