Any Crohn's sufferers in the house?

[VeggieKitten]

Hi all,

Last April I was diagnosed with Crohn's disease and I was wondering if there is anyone else around here battling it as well. Although I am 32 now, I have had it since I was about 19 but it was always passed off as something else by doctors. I had a bad episode in April, which led to the diagnosis.

Since that time, I've become more determined than ever to take care of myself and pay attention to what I'm eating - it's mandatory that I do so. However, my doctor and I are at odds with some of the things I supposedly should or should not eat. I am also not currently taking medication, as I believe in prevention and natural remedies. Doc isn't so crazy about that. :no:

As far as diet goes, well, he is very supportive of my veg*sm. For Crohn's, meat and dairy are two categories on the "foods to avoid" list. Okay, obviously no problem for me. But other things to avoid are high-fiber foods, raw veggies and salads especially! Since the disease treats everyone a little differently, I happen to think this is not the case for me. Never has a salad triggered an attack. I told my doc that I must have my salads, and fiber, as those contain critical nutrients in my vegetarian diet. Since April, I have only had a few mild episodes. At the time of the diagnosis, I had an extremely demanding and stressful job and did not eat so well and believe that played a part in the severity of my illness at that time.

So if there's any of you out there with Crohn's, I'd like to hear about it and how you are managing it. :)

[AuroraLily]

While I don't suffer from it, I did a research project on it back in high school. I just wanted to send you :sunny: and good thoughts.

[Joe]

I don't suffer from Crohn's, but my friend Ginny Harper did and wrote a book about how a macrobiotic diet helped her bring it into remission.

Controlling Crohn's Disease: The Natural Way.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1575668319/qid=1070327903/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/102-4028125-6360927?v=glance&s=books

[VeggieKitten]

I don't suffer from Crohn's, but my friend Ginny Harper did and wrote a book about how a macrobiotic diet helped her bring it into remission.

Controlling Crohn's Disease: The Natural Way.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1575668319/qid=1070327903/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/102-4028125-6360927?v=glance&s=books

Thanks Joe! I've heard of that book, and I just bought it off of Amazon.

[dawngirl]

My stepfather is a Crohn's sufferer. Like you, he has been dealing with it since he was 18, he's now in his 60's. However, he has been a big fan of modern medicine. His attacks don't seem to be triggered by foodstuff or stress, and the severity has gone from mild bleeding and discomfort to emergency hospitalization. He knows his body very well, and has done extensive research on the disease. That would be the only piece of advice I can offer. DO your homework and develop a good relationship with your doctor so you can manage the disease together and successfully.
Take care.

[zoebird]

i agree with you that this disorder can be managed or "cured" without medication in many cases! most doctors are at odds with this because it is against what they are taught and what they know.

i have studied crohn's, colitis, ulcerative colitis, and IBS (as well as colon cancer) a great deal in order to understsand what is going on for most of my family members. i do not have these problems, but i also seek to avoid any problems--therefore i researched them as others were diagnosed.

while most of my relatives take the medication and operation route, i choose to go the preventative and healing route. it's slowly sinking into the rest of the family! Anyway, VEGANISM is one of the best ways to treat and heal these disorders!

Check out David Klein's information at www.colitis-crohns.com and perhaps check out the book Self Healing Colitis and Crohn's. :)

[VeggieKitten]

i agree with you that this disorder can be managed or "cured" without medication in many cases! most doctors are at odds with this because it is against what they are taught and what they know.

This is true! I only took meds for 30 days after my big attack in April. I told my doc that after that, no more if humanly possible. He doesn't try to shove them down my throat or anything, but he does "mention" the new ones that come on the market that are so good I wouldn't have to ever worry anymore. I told him that may be true, but drugs are just a band-aid, not a cure.

I can't wait to get this book that I ordered that Joe mentioned above. I've been finding a lot of info online about how people put Crohn's into remission naturally! :rockon:

[Joe]

Let me mention one other thing to you about Crohn's. This might go against a "natural" treatment in some ways, because it is a medical treatment, but in some ways it complements or reinforces a natural approach. I have an article about it somewhere, but will have to dig it out if you are interested. The article isn't about Crohn's as its major topic, but about the consumption of meat and dairy products, and the potential for these products to transmit diseases to certain people.

The gist of the article is that despite "proper" food preparation methods, and despite Pasteurization of milk, enough food borne bacteria survive to transmit disease to a minority of the population. The article puts forward the idea that one of these diseases might be Crohn's. In support of this thesis, it reports on a few studies of a non-standard treatment for Crohn's that reportedly has had some success. This involves a very serious regimen of special anti-biotics administered over the course of two years.

So, a vegetarian, or really a near-vegan diet, may be especially appropriate for Crohn's sufferers, and there might be an aspect of the disease that relates to food borne pathogens.

[VeggieKitten]

The gist of the article is that despite "proper" food preparation methods, and despite Pasteurization of milk, enough food borne bacteria survive to transmit disease to a minority of the population. The article puts forward the idea that one of these diseases might be Crohn's. In support of this thesis, it reports on a few studies of a non-standard treatment for Crohn's that reportedly has had some success. This involves a very serious regimen of special anti-biotics administered over the course of two years.

So, a vegetarian, or really a near-vegan diet, may be especially appropriate for Crohn's sufferers, and there might be an aspect of the disease that relates to food borne pathogens.

Wow, that is really interesting and I am not surprised if the findings are indeed accurate. If you happen to run across the article I'd like to read it.

As far as taking antibiotics, I personally would be reluctant to say the least. Two years is a heck of a long time to be deteriorating both good and bad types of bacteria in someone's body. I'd like to ask my doctor about this thesis, and see what types of progress has been made in patients and the severity of their illness before starting the regimen.

[Joe]

Wow, that is really interesting and I am not surprised if the findings are indeed accurate. If you happen to run across the article I'd like to read it.

As far as taking antibiotics, I personally would be reluctant to say the least. Two years is a heck of a long time to be deteriorating both good and bad types of bacteria in someone's body. I'd like to ask my doctor about this thesis, and see what types of progress has been made in patients and the severity of their illness before starting the regimen.

I misremembered the article somewhat, but here it is:

http://www.veganoutreach.org/health/gotmilk.html

Michael Greger, M.D. "Paratuberculosis and Crohn's Disease: Got Milk?"



Hermon-Taylor, one of the principal investigators of the original trial, is currently recommending patients take RMAT regimen for at least 2 years. Among patients who respond to treatment, remission occurs slowly over the first three to six months of treatment. Symptoms often get worse before they get better, as in the drug treatment of other chronic mycobacterial diseases such as leprosy, perhaps due to the release of MAP antigens.

There was also an NPR report linking Crohn's and the consumption of dairy products.

http://search.npr.org/cf/cmn/segment_display.cfm?segID=147007

I can't get that link to work now, but I believe it was some time around the beginning of August, 2002.

[VeggieKitten]

I misremembered the article somewhat, but here it is:

http://www.veganoutreach.org/health/gotmilk.html

Michael Greger, M.D. "Paratuberculosis and Crohn's Disease: Got Milk?"





Thanks for the articles, Joe. :rockon: I would love to address my doctor with "Paratuberculosis and Crohn's Disease: Got Milk?"! I'm continuing to look through the veganoutreach site, it's got a lot of great info!

[goatee]

If you are looking for another book there is one called Patient Heal Thyself by Dr. Jordan Rubin (Freedom Press 2002). Jordan had Crohn's disease but healed himself through diet and became a doctor so he could help others. I haven't read the book but saw it advertised. Also Dr. Matsen's book called Eating Alive deals with the way we absorb nutrients.

[missleigh]

If you are looking for another book there is one called Patient Heal Thyself by Dr. Jordan Rubin (Freedom Press 2002). Jordan had Crohn's disease but healed himself through diet and became a doctor so he could help others. I haven't read the book but saw it advertised. Also Dr. Matsen's book called Eating Alive deals with the way we absorb nutrients.

Just be aware that Patient Heal Thyself is not only a way for Jordan Rubin to tell his story, but also to sell his very costly products. I'm not saying that the Garden of Life products are bad at all, but they may or may not be right for everyone. Here's a link to the products if you are interested:

http://www.gardenoflifeusa.com/newsletter/