Living with Crohn’s disease is very limiting in terms of what seniors can and cannot eat. This inflammatory bowel disease irritates the lining of the digestive tract and causes unpleasant side effects, including nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pain, and malnutrition. For this reason, it’s important to discourage seniors with Crohn’s from eating the following foods.
Red Meat
Loaded with complex fats and proteins, red meat can be very difficult for people who have Crohn’s disease to digest. The slow digestion process associated with eating red meat can hinder the absorption of nutrients from other food that’s actually beneficial for individuals with this gastrointestinal disease. Therefore, seniors with Crohn’s disease should only eat pork, beef, and lamb sparingly.
Seniors who want to remain healthy as they age can benefit in a variety of ways when they receive professional home care. Home Care Assistance is here to help your loved one accomplish daily tasks, prevent illness, and focus on living a healthier and more fulfilling life.
Raw Seafood
People with Crohn’s disease have sensitive gastrointestinal tracts, which is why raw seafood can be a very risky food to consume. Such foods significantly increase the risk of poisoning from common bacteria such as Salmonella and Listeria.
People with Crohn’s disease should avoid eating sushi, oysters, mussels, and similar types of seafood. Steamed crab, lobster dishes, and cooked seafood are considered safe for individuals with this problem.
Deep-Fried Foods
The crust that covers most deep-fried foods can be very sharp. This abrasive texture could cause severe trauma to sensitive intestinal and stomach linings in individuals who live with Crohn’s disease. Chicken wings, funnel cakes, and other similar items with thick and crispy crusts or batter should be avoided.
A home caregiver can prepare nutritious meals that meet your loved one’s specific dietary needs. If your aging loved one needs occasional help with bathing, grooming, cooking, or other basic household tasks, or if you need time to attend to important personal matters, reach out to Home Care Assistance, a leading provider of live-in and respite care. Mississauga seniors can maintain their independence while living at home with the help of our reliable respite caregivers.
High-Fiber Foods
Fiber is considered an important dietary element that usually aids in digestion. However, this essential substance can actually upset the gastrointestinal tracts of individuals with Crohn’s disease.
Fiber absorbs a large volume of water from the digestive system. Excessive absorption can leave the GI tract dry and vulnerable to irritation, bloating, and gas production. Some high-fiber foods to avoid include beans, whole wheat products, and legumes.
Gluten
Gluten is a protein that can be very harmful to individuals with celiac disease as well as Crohn’s disease. This nutrient causes severe digestive problems among those who have one or both of these medical conditions. For such individuals, it’s critical to stay away from processed products that contain grain extracts from rye, barley, wheat germ, graham flour, wheat, and bulgur.
Although your loved one may have dietary restrictions, he or she can still maintain a healthy diet and overall lifestyle. Not every senior has the same care needs, which means they don’t all need the same type of home care service. Mississauga families can rely on Home Care Assistance to provide individualized care plans to meet their elderly loved ones’ unique care needs. Our holistic Balanced Care Method was designed to help seniors focus on healthy lifestyle habits such as eating nutritious foods, exercising regularly, and maintaining strong social ties, and our Cognitive Therapeutics Method offers mentally stimulating activities that can stave off cognitive decline and delay the onset of dementia. For more information about our flexible, customizable home care plans, call one of our compassionate Care Managers today at 905-337-1200.