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Lifestyle and home remedies
By Mayo Clinic staffChanges to your diet may help relieve diarrhea that you experience with microscopic colitis. Try to:
- Drink plenty of fluids. Water is best, but fluids with added sodium and potassium (electrolytes) may help as well. Try drinking broth or watered-down fruit juice. Avoid beverages that are high in sugar or contain alcohol or caffeine, such as coffee, tea and colas, which may aggravate your symptoms.
- Choose soft, easy-to-digest foods. These include applesauce, bananas and rice. Avoid high-fiber foods such as beans, nuts and vegetables. If you feel as though your symptoms are improving, slowly add high-fiber foods back to your diet.
- Eat several small meals rather than a few large meals. Spacing meals throughout the day may ease diarrhea.
- Avoid irritating foods. Stay away from spicy, fatty or fried foods and any other foods that make your symptoms worse.
References
- Feldman M, et al. Sleisenger & Fordtran's Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease: Pathophysiology, Diagnosis, Management. 9th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2010. http://www.mdconsult.com/books/about.do?eid=4-u1.0-B978-1-4160-6189-2..X0001-7--TOP&isbn=978-1-4160-6189-2&about=true&uniqId=229935664-2192. Accessed Nov. 4, 2012.
- Collagenous colitis and lymphocytic colitis. National Institute for Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/collagenouscolitis/index.aspx. Accessed Nov. 4, 2012.
- AskMayoExpert. Are lymphocytic and collagenous colitis treated similarly? Rochester, Minn.: Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research; 2009.
- Pardi DS, et al. Microscopic colitis. Reviews in Basic and Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology. 2011;140:1155.
- AskMayoExpert. Does surgery have a role in management of microscopic colitis? Rochester, Minn.: Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research; 2009.
- Chetty R, et al. Lymphocytic and collagenous colitis: An overview of so-called microscopic colitis. Nature Reviews Gastroenterology and Hepatology. 2012; 9:209.
- AskMayoExpert. Should all patients with microscopic colitis be tested for celiac disease? Rochester, Minn.: Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research; 2009.
- Nutrition therapy for diarrhea. Nutrition Care Manual. American Dietetic Association. https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:kL8NLFTBEt8J:nutritioncaremanual.org/vault/editor/Docs/DiarrheaNutritionTherapy_FINAL.pdf+nutrition+therapy+for+diarrhea&hl=en&gl=us&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEEShCAF64UkfWELX-_iienWkqA6SM2sk2HKe8HmEr5fOT-ZLzW9hbdwSoOuVhxjn4IykLy1popBOTKYxVT2hrPhqImrzpW_kzIhxffQ5ZNDkMp_lwP13vX8Xl1FmjaWJ5QDNzHQBg&sig=AHIEtbQw86uZbSC8HTTPMg8rQFWkFBHbPA. Accessed Nov.4, 2012.
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