Food & IBD - Getting Started with a Food Diary (Free Download)

What is a food diary?

Keeping a food diary means recording every food and fluid we are putting in our mouth during the day. The food diary I have put together (available to download below) goes one step further and records not only what we eat and drink but also symptoms, bowel movements, and other information like stress, sleep and movement.

How can a food diary be helpful in IBD?

I often get asked where to start when it comes to food and IBD. Whenever I work with a new client, I always ask them to complete a food diary ahead of our first appointment together. If we are experiencing symptoms in IBD, whether in a flare or in remission, and we suspect something we are eating may be worsening them, keeping a thorough food diary can be a helpful tool to help us play detective. In recording all this information together, we can help to build a picture of whether a food we are eating, something we are drinking, or whether something that is happening in our day, is impacting our symptoms.

Tips for keeping a food diary

To get the most out of my food and symptom diary, follow these simple steps:

  • Be specific and detailed – the more information you can provide in the food diary the more helpful it will be to you and your health care practitioner. Be as specific and detailed as you can be about timings and quantities of food and fluids as well as symptoms and other activities. E.g. instead of writing ‘cereal’, write ‘large bowl of rice crispies with 200ml semi skimmed milk’. You don’t have to weigh the ingredients out but the more information we have the easier it will be to see if there is any kind of pattern.  

  • Eat normally – just because you need to complete a food diary don’t change your diet to look better on paper – the more normal a picture we can get of what your diet is like day in day out, the better.

  • Be honest – the more honest you can be the better; we are not here to judge you, we are here to help you so even if you think your meal wasn’t the healthiest or you perceive a food you have eaten to be ‘bad’, please still write it down. This then gives us a really complete picture of your diet and means we can help you most effectively.

  • Fill it out as you go – it can sometimes be difficult to recall what we have eaten and when so noting things down as we go is the most accurate way. Completing a food diary when we are out and about can be hard, instead keeping notes of what we have eaten etc, in a notebook or on the notes pages of our phone then transferring them into our document when we get home can make sure we are recording most accurately.

  • Don’t forget the extra notes – don’t forget to complete the symptoms, bowel movements and other sections on the food diary. This can really help us to work out whether there might be something outside of food that is contributing to symptoms like stress.

  • Stick at it – it can sometimes be difficult to decipher what might be going on from just a few days so keeping a food diary for a week or two can help us identify less obvious trends.

Words of Warning

Food diaries can be helpful but please take special note of these points below to help keep you safe;

  • Flare vs. Remission – when we are experiencing a flare up with our Crohn’s or colitis, it can sometimes be hard to decipher what are IBD symptoms and what are isolated food related symptoms, or it can seem like everything we eat causes us symptoms. This is because our bowel is inflamed so whatever passes through is likely to be uncomfortable. In addition, our tolerance to different foods can change depending on whether we are in a flare or in remission, for example, certain types of fibre may be less well tolerated during a flare, or lactose, the sugar in milk, for some people. But its vitally important we still eat as this gives our bodies the vital nutrients they need to function and get better. This is when its hugely important you don’t start excluding foods or experimenting without the guidance of a nutrition professional. We can help you navigate what to eat in a flare, including discussing the usual culprits that can worsen symptoms and suggest easier to digest alternatives to help manage your symptoms but ensure you are getting the right nutrients until you find remission.  

  • Get help – whether you’re in remission or in a flare, before you take matters into your own hands and start eliminating complete food groups from your diet, it’s best to speak to a dietitian or nutritionist. We are trained to help you identify any symptom culprits but, most importantly, to help you find alternative foods to eat so you don’t put yourself at higher risk of nutrient deficiencies or cause yourself stress and anxiety around food which can worsen symptoms in itself and lead to disordered eating patterns.

I’ve created this easy to complete, downloadable, word document food diary especially for people with IBD and IBS as a template to help you record this information. This is something you can complete and then take with you to your Dietician or Nutritionist who will be able to help you decipher whether there are any foods which may be causing you symptoms.

If you need help with your IBD, in a flare or in remission lets have a chat. You can book a (free) 20 minute no obligation phone call with me to find out how I can help you. During this call I’d love to hear about you; your journey, your struggles, your life, and we can chat about the best route forward for you.

If that sounds interesting click below and find a time that works for you.

Clemmie Macpherson