Gillian McKeith's Food Bible (188 page)

Soups and steamed vegetables. These are nourishing without being irritating.

Whole grains, once things have started to calm down. Try short-grain brown rice, quinoa, and millet cooked in three times the amount of water until all the water has been absorbed. Chew thoroughly before swallowing.

Papaya between meals. Papaya aids digestion and provides a soft fiber that can help to improve bowel movements.

AVOID

Coffee, tea, and alcohol.

Dairy products.

Wheat.

Sugar and spices.

Fried and processed foods.

Nuts and seeds, which can get caught in the bowel pockets.

Raw foods. You may not be able to tolerate raw food at all at first. Eat grated carrots and apples once symptoms have started to improve.

HERBS AND SUPPLEMENTS

Green super-foods such as spirulina, blue-green algae, or sprouted barley grass are great for cleansing the colon.

Chamomile, lemon balm, ginger, elderflower, peppermint, fennel, and slippery elm teas can all soothe an irritated colon. Slippery elm powder is also very helpful.

Aloe vera juice can aid the healing of the inflamed areas and can help to prevent constipation.