Q: A friend of mine needs help with crohns disease. He wishes to switch to a vegetarian diet. His query is that a vegetarian diet is predominantly fibres which he has to avoid. Could you please suggest a vegetarian diet that he can use.

A:Crohns disease is an inflammatory bowel disease that can affect any part of the GI tract. Patients usually suffer from less of appetite and malnourishment. Treatment may require surgery, anti-inflammatory drugs and diet therapy with vitamin supplements. A diet low in insoluble fibre like bran and exclusion of foods that the individual is specifically sensitive to is usually best suited. Some of the foods to avoid aresalads, spices, pickles, wheat bran, nuts, seeds, chilka daals, coarse grain, corn and all foods known to contain substances to which the individual issusceptible to. Foods, which can be eaten usually, include poha, upma, semolina porridge, apples peeled, papaya, bananas, dried fruit, washed daals, greens like coriander and parsley. Cooked vegetables are better tolerated. Dairy products are usually not tolerated well, though yogurt may be taken by some. It may be good idea to include egg in a vegetarian diet if tolerated. People with crohns disease often require extra zinc, calcium, magnesium, vitamin B and C & K. Please consult with a nutritionist to draw up a detailed plan.