Advice for sufferers

Diet

Action Medical Research takes the view that while the link between the presence of Mycobacterium avium sub-species paratuberculosis (MAP) in the food chain and the incidence of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is not proven, it does no harm to anyone to adopt a common sense approach to their diet.

Milk

For those concerned about the presence of MAP in milk, they may like to consider using dairy substitutes such as soya or switching to UHT milk, which may contain less viable MAP than pasteurised milk because of the higher temperatures used to treat it.

Advice given by the Department of Health in the late 1990's was that there was no need to change dietary habits. However, as a result of more recent concerns that MAP might survive the pasteurisation process, the Department of Health has subsequently suggested that members of the public concerned about a potential risk could change to UHT milk.

However, further research is needed, as it is possible that the disease process could be triggered by the presence of non-viable bacteria.

The UK authorities have introduced some precautionary measures to alter the pasteurisation process and reduce the presence of MAP in the food chain and these measures are welcomed by Action Medical Research.

Meat

For those worried about a possible link with meat consumption, the option of cutting down the amount in their diet or adopting a meat-free diet may be worth considering.

It should be stressed that no clear link with meat and IBD exists and for all of us, the Food Standards Agency (FSA) advice is that meat may be eaten as part of a balanced and varied diet as it is a good source of iron, zinc, B vitamins and protein. However, due to its high saturated fat content, the FSA recommends that it should be eaten in moderation.

Well-balanced diet

A healthy, well-balanced diet is as important for people with IBD as it is for everyone else but having a disease of the digestive system will often have an effect on the way in which the body handles food. Food may be poorly absorbed and iron tablets, vitamins and other nutrients may need to be given. Your doctor will be able to give you advice about whether this is necessary for you.

Some people may have difficulty eating a wide variety of foods and certain foods, such as those high in fibre, high fat foods, dairy products and spicy foods, may aggravate symptoms of IBD. Some patients find that their symptoms improve if they omit particular foods from their diet. However, any changes to your diet should only be made with medical and dietary supervision.

Smoking

Smoking is known to increase the risk of developing Crohn's disease and some studies have shown that symptoms are more severe in smokers who are affected by the disease. Sufferers should seek help on giving up if they are struggling to ditch the nicotine and doctors can advise on the sort of help that is available.