doctors and dietitians encourage patients to keep a food-and-symptoms diary for several weeks. "by keeping track of what you eat and how you feel afterward you can identify specific foods that exacerbate your symptoms " says dietitian tracie dalessandro rd author of what to eat with ibd. a dietitian may also want to review your diary to make sure that you're eating a well-balanced diet that includes all the nutrition you need. many experts recommend keeping a diary for at least three weeks. keep in mind that your goal should be to eat as wide a variety of foods as you can to assure well-balanced nutrition. "diets that eliminate many foods are hard to follow and may result in nutrient deficiencies " says dalessandro.
if i have ulcerative colitis should i keep a diary of food and symptoms?