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Crohn’s disease and diet
Are your bowels in an uproar? You may have Crohn’s disease. You’re not alone. Crohn’s, which may run in families, is found in men, women and children affecting over a half-million Americans. Alas, it’s incurable though there are treatments that reduce the not-so-pleasant symptoms. Western and integrative physicians are finding connections between diet and control of the disease.
Crohn’s is commonly diagnosed between the ages of 20 to 30, although all ages suffer from the digestive disease. People of Jewish heritage have a greater risk of developing Crohn’s while people of African American heritage have less risk. The malady causes inflammation of the digestive tract between, ahem, point A and B, but mostly in the small intestine where precious nutrients are absorbed. Crohn’s inhibits absorption of essential nutrients which may lead to anemia. Growing children with Crohn’s may suffer delayed development and stunted growth for lack of nutrients. Affected folks experience decreased appetite which affects their exposure to daily nutrition vital for health and healing.
The swelling spreads deep into the lining of the organ causing pain, bleeding, and frequent diarrhea. Other symptoms including rectal bleeding, weight loss, arthritis, skin problems, inflammation in the eyes and fever. Your family physician’s diagnosis of Crohn’s may involve blood tests, stool tests, upper GI colonoscopy, sigmoidoscopy or a charming biopsy.
Some scientists think a protein produced by the immune system is a possible cause for inflammation. The Holy Temple is composed of cells and proteins protecting us from infection. The immune system reacts abnormally in people with Crohn’s disease and mistakes bacteria, dead foods and unholy environmental substances inhaled for being alien invaders and attacks them. White blood cells then accumulate in the lining of the intestines, producing chronic inflammation leading to ulcerations and bowel injury. The most common barrier is intestinal blockage as the disease thickens and narrows the temples intestinal wall with swelling and scar tissue.
You can easily manage and reduce symptoms with a combination of medication, diet and lifestyle changes such as daily exercise and quitting smoking. Ensuring you get enough nutrients is crucial to a Crohn’s patient. People with significant malnourishment, severe symptoms or those awaiting surgery may require preventative IV nutrition. Check with your physician and have a vitamin test performed. On a Holistic level confused Crohn’s patients might consider adding Slippery Elm to their daily regime since it protects irritated tissues and promotes healing. Cat’s claw, fresh ginger and turmeric are also anti-inflammatory. If fiber bothers you, steam or bake your vegetables rather than eating them raw and avoid high fiber fruits such as apples. Sidestep foods that aggravate symptoms of Crohn’s disease and eat five or six small, well balanced whole food meals a day. Sugar is one of the most toxic foods on the digestive lining and pretty much intolerable by all those with IBD. The most deceiving part of sugar is when eaten it does not cause problems as nuts or a high fiber food might when eaten during a flare up. However, sugar totally strips the intestines of healthy bacteria and replaces it with an overgrowth of the bad bacteria leading to candida. Sugar also leads to a serious PH imbalance in the Temple, thus it makes it harder for the Temple to heal from a flare up.
Add Omega-3 fatty acids to your diet or daily dose of vitamins in the form of fish, chia, walnut or flax seed oils. Drink plenty of non-caffeinated fluids to decrease the risk of dehydration from diarrhea. During flare-ups, limit high-fiber foods such as whole grains, raw vegetables and fruits, beans and nuts which increase diarrhea, pain and, pardon me….gas.
Shun trigger foods such as dairy products, spicy foods, fried foods, raw vegetables and fruits and always seek advice from a professional before taking pills willy-nilly.
You can live larger and fuller, I guarantee.
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