Ulcerative colitis (UC) is an inflammatory bowel disease of the colon and rectum. Symptoms of colitis include blood in the stool, diarrhea, nausea, abdominal pain and weight loss. Medical experts still do not know what causes ulcerative colitis, but believe it may be an immune system reaction. Several things can trigger a flare-up, especially certain foods. To minimize the pain and allow your body to heal itself there are certain foods you want to avoid, such as: 1. Whole wheat breads and pasta Foods that contain fiber such as whole grains, pasta, fruits and vegetables tend to be difficult to digest for people with UC during a flare-up. You want to avoid eating foods made from whole grain flours. These include bread, cereal and pasta. This includes all dark grain breads and cereals. Avoid whole wheat flour products. 2. Alcohol Alcohol can also be stressful on your digestive system so you want to avoid all types of alcohol, including beer which can cause additional inflammation in the intestine. 3. Dairy products Avoid eating dairy products during this time as well as these food items cause more irritation and inflammation as they are gas-inducing foods that are often difficult to digest.

Depression and it can range from a feeling of sadness in certain seasons (i.e., seasonal affective disorder or SAD) to severe persistent negative emotions. Clinical depression, or major depressive disorder is the term given to the most severe depression, which causes major impact to all aspects of a patient’s life. To diagnose clinical depression, health care professionals use symptom criteria from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, which is published by the American Psychiatric Association. Symptoms include feelings of hopelessness, anger, anxiety and deep sadness, negative thinking, angry outbursts, anxiety, loss of interest in once passionate hobbies, sleep disturbances and unexplained fatigue, self blame, and recurrent suicidal thoughts or attempts. While depression should be treated under the guidance of a mental health professional, doctors may also recommend avoiding certain foods that may deepen depression symptoms, such as: 1. Processed meats Those suffering from anxiety and depression may sometimes find that when they eat processed foods they just feel worse. This is because of all the preservatives and additives used in things such as processed meats. These substances may give food shelf life but they do not do the body any good and feeling physically unwell can worsen depression.

Osteoporosis refers to a bone disease that causes a progressive decline in bone density. While it can be triggered by a variety of different causes, the symptoms of osteoporosis are fairly consistent. In general, patients experience more frequent breaks or fractures, bone pain, decreasing height or stooped posture, and in some cases receding gums. Various environmental factors, including consumption of the following foods, can increase the severity of osteoporosis symptoms: 1. High-salt foods Salt is one of the most pressing threats to anyone suffering from osteoporosis. Excessive salt intake can result in significant loss and weakening of bone. This is especially concerning for a number of reasons. One of the most significant issues is that this loss is similar to what’s seen with osteoporosis. Therefore, excessive salt intake will magnify the symptoms of osteoporosis. This is made even more concerning by the excessive amount of salt in the average person’s diet. Most Americans consume about twice as much salt than they should. As such it’s important to rethink salt intake when trying to fight the symptoms of osteoporosis. 2. Alcohol Alcohol can harm almost every aspect of human health. However, it’s particularly bad for people suffering from osteoporosis. Heavy or chronic alcohol use has been shown to contribute to lowered bone mass.

Rheumatoid arthritis, also referred to as RA, is an autoimmune disorder that affects body tissues and joints, such as the hands and feet. It occurs when the body’s immune system attacks its healthy tissues mistakenly. Prolonged RA may lead to erosion of bones, mobility issues, and deformity of the joints. The signs and symptoms of RA include fever, inflammation, pain in the joints, loss of appetite, fatigue, numbness, decreased motion, tingling, swelling, and stiffening of joints. Other than medication prescribed by your doctor, certain foods also impact RA significantly. For instance the following foods should be avoided or limited by RA patients: 1. Fried foods Fried foods contain trans fats, which increase body inflammation. The method of cooking contributes to inflammation because of the difference in heat. Frying foods require much heat, responsible for releasing a higher level of AGES that trigger body inflammation. AGES increases body cell oxidation. It is important to note that some oil types, such as margarine, have more inflammatory effects than the rest. Olive oil, for instance, is preferable. Fried foods cause obesity and increased weight strain joints; this could be harmful to people suffering from RA as it could add more pain and cause injury.

UC or ulcerative colitis is an inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that causes ulcers, irritation, and inflammation in the colon (large intestines). Similar to Crohn’s disease, colitis symptoms include bloody diarrhea (the main symptom), cramping belly pain, fever, feeling tired, weight loss, diarrhea and constipation, and gas and bloating. To help you manage painful symptoms doctors advise avoiding certain foods, such as: 1. Carbonated beverages A study carried out recently showed that carbonated drinks can lead to an increase in the symptoms of ulcerative colitis. These drinks include soda and other beverages containing plenty of sugar and artificial sweeteners. This means one of the ways to manage colitis is to limit the number of soft drinks you consume. 2. Corn Sunanda Kane, an MD and gastroenterology professor at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn, says that mushrooms and cereals are hard to digest; hence, if possible, should be avoided, especially if you have colitis. These types of foods can cause gastrointestinal irritation as well as diarrhea among those living with inflammatory bowel disease. For this reason, doctors advise people with colitis to avoid them during a flare-up. Dr. Kane recommends that those with ulcerative colitis should follow a low-residue diet, especially while experiencing the symptoms of the disease.