Low-carb diet may remedy bowel illnesses

STACY SQUIRES

DIET HOPE: A low-carbohydrate diet can quickly ease the suffering of people with inflammatory bowel disease, a new study shows. Claire Worsfold, president of the Canterbury Crohn's and Colitis Support Group, sees potential for group members.

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A low-carbohydrate diet developed by a Christchurch researcher is set to help bowel disease sufferers across New Zealand.

Dr Richard Gearry, senior lecturer at Otago University's Christchurch School of Medicine, has found a low-carbohydrate diet can quickly ease the suffering of people with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

In a study of 100 patients at Box Hill Hospital in Victoria, Australia, Gearry found the diet was effective in more than half of those with IBD – an umbrella term for Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.

"Doctors have known for a long time that patients know what affects their condition and causes symptoms," he said.

"Dietitians and doctors and scientists looked at this more closely and identified a number of foods that can cause abdominal pain and diarrhoea."

The diet involves cutting back on wheat, onions, milk, icecream, apples, honey and stone fruits. Legumes were also found to cause pain.

"Often they are sugars and carbohydrates that are not absorbed when they pass through the bowel and when they get into the colon they can ferment and produce gas and pain," Gearry said.

The diet could also help those with irritable bowel syndrome.

Gearry said patients were usually put on the diet for six to eight weeks.

"Most patients found that the diet was easy to implement and that the taste was acceptable, which is very important if people are to follow this diet."

Gearry has presented his findings to the Australian Gastroenterology Week conference in Perth and will address the New Zealand Gastro Society 2007 Conference in Christchurch next month.

"I hope we can bring some of these ideas back home," said Gearry, "and help sufferers here as well".

Claire Worsfold, 37, who has suffered from Crohn's disease since she was 22, said she was "very excited about the news".

Worsfold, president of the Canterbury Crohn's and Colitis Support Group, said: "I know that each of us tries removing different things from our diet – it is all individual. Milk and icecream would make me quite ill. We know that different foods are triggers for our disease."

Worsfold said Crohn's affected every aspect of her life. "If you are having a bad day you could liken it to having a stomach bug all day, but probably more severe," she said.

Consultant dietitian Clarice Hebbelthwaite said dietary treatment relied on a "holistic approach".

"I would not just look at the digestive health, but other aspects," she said.

Exercise and stress could also be important factors, she said.