Why are there so many contradictory diet suggestions regarding ulcerative proctitis?

Question

I got on the net to find out what foods might be a bad idea with my Ulcerative Proctitis and it's nothing but contradictions. One site says to avoid spicy foods, then offers recipes with jalepeno peppers and hot sauce! WHAT?

One says avoid tapioca, then next says to USE IT in place of gluten.

I've already been through h**l wiht a food diary, trying to help my son with migraines. Now I'm supposed to guess at my own diet?

Can't anyone tell me what foods are definitely ok so i can go grocery shopping in peace for once?

I'd rather eat a half dozen whole foods for the rest of my life than try to figure this stuff out anymore.

Answer 1

I would ask this under the Health section/diseases and conditions.

Answer 2

The reason there are so many conflicting opinions on what diet to eat is simple - you are looking online. Even articles on medicine-related websites, that seem official, aren't written by doctors half as much as they're edited carefully by some contributor or reporter for the site from multiple sources. They probably run across all the same sites you do, mull them over, and maybe deduce what they will from it.

When it comes to assessing a patient's condition and the impact of diet on it, it's very tricky. Even among sufferers of very similar conditions (like similar ulcer or IBS or other gastro-intestinal issues), a food might have a very adverse reaction in one and little to no reaction in the other. Some people have painful reaction to nearly everything they eat, others barely realize they have ulcers.

Food cures are old fashioned medicine, just like herbology, but they're still used today. You'll hear everything under the sun as a cure for any condition - look up cures for hiccups if you want a good laugh!

Anti-inflammatory diets are always a suggestion, but while there are general foods that make ulcerative proctitis worse, it's really something you will know best through trial and error. Some people find that eating soft, bland food during period of inflammation is easiest. It's pretty common for people to avoid very high fiber food or very spicy food  because it causes discomfort and pain.

Many people cut out dairy because dairy is in essence unnatural for human consumption - we are weaned past infancy like all mammals, we CHOOSE to force our bodies to keep digesting the breast milk - of another species, in fact, of a cow. And well into adulthood. People cut out dairy successfully and see a great improvement in a vast array of conditions. I know a singer that stopped eating dairy because of it's mucogenic effects, and now she is doing much better and her voice is stronger and she isn't experiencing the bronchial mucus and phlegm she dealt with, especially after singing through two or more shows a day (she's in a pretty popular play).

You should eat a well-balanced diet regardless. Erring on the side of comfort might result in loss of many vital nutrients. While whole grains or some fruits and vegetables might cause inflammation, maybe find alternatives within the foodgroup so you don't make the mistake of cutting them out entirely. Things you CAN avoid easily include meat, dairy, caffeine, or particular spices if they cause inflammation because you either don't need them or can find a safe alternative.

Best of luck and hopefully you will find a diet that works best for you.