Diet And Nutrition
I’m surprised with how little the medical world seems to think diet affects bowel disorders like Crohn’s disease. Quite frankly, it’s mind-boggling that doctors don’t see diet as one of the major factors that affects people who have this condition. It’s a digestive disease, for crying out loud!
I wholeheartedly endorse and practice the Specific Carbohydrate Diet as outlined in the book Breaking The Vicious Cycle by Elaine Gottschall. The diet is extremely strict, and eliminates tons of foods from your diet in order to clear up symptoms.
The simple fact about the SCD is that it works, but it is very rigorous and difficult to stick to without a lifestyle change. You have to be willing and committed, and in fact it wasn’t until I had spiraled down into the worst condition I’d ever been in that I decided to try it.
If you want to try the SCD, more power to you – I highly recommend it. But if you believe that diet does have more to do with how a Crohn’s patient feels than many doctors would like to admit, then just try this: don’t eat as much bread. Read the ingredient labels of foods you eat. If anything lists Corn Syrup, High Fructose Corn Syrup, or Sugar, don’t eat or drink it.
You’re likely to find that there are tons of things you never would’ve guessed have corn syrup and other processed sugars in them. These ingredients aren’t good for anybody, and they’re especially bad for Crohn’s patients who might have difficulty digesting these foods.
Whether you want to try this or not, it’s very important for a Crohn’s patient to get a healthy dose of vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients. For some additional information, check out the links below.
Comments
Comment from crohner
Time: May 17, 2010, 3:24 pm
Joyce, I recommend you re-read the post above and then look into the Specific Carbohydrate Diet. Salads and potatoes are the wrong things to be eating! Leafy greens have tons of fiber which is hard on the gut, and potatoes are full of starch, which is difficult to break down. You need to start on simpler foods that are easier for your body to process, and cook your vegetables at first before you move to raw leaves. Check into the SCD first and go from there.
Comment from Jean
Time: February 23, 2011, 3:01 pm
Hi there Joyce! I’ve had chrons disease for over 25 years & I’ve found that everyone is different on what they can eat and absorb that will not harm there body over all health! Now I’ve learned how to deal with my chrons with diet and herbal vitamins which has taken me years to require a healthy diet. You should see a nutritionist and look into what vitamins help keep it in check!
Comment from Hayley Sanders
Time: March 21, 2011, 9:55 am
I was diagnosed with crohns oct10. I have achieved remmision by following a book called Absolute Truth Exposed – Volume 1 by Kent R. Rieske. This book is a very strict low carb info book for all auto-immune diseases. Although a little far fetched at times! I have found it a life saver. I don’t follow it 100% but I have limited my carb intake to 100g max daily and try to eat foods that are wheat free, gluten free, organic and free range.
A lot of the time I can feel sleepy and very lethargic. Eating carbs would usually be the answer to this, but, i find this is only a quick fix and makes me worse in the long run, so, I take liquid Iron/B12. I by this over the counter, and it’s fixed my fatigue problem out. Sometimes, I do still struggle to get out of bed and struggle to put one foot in front the other, but, overall, my crohns has massivly improved. Im also taking prescribed Pentasa.
Comment from Betty
Time: April 11, 2011, 7:29 pm
I need a food plan for my husband to follow he has chrons (not active) and recently had a small bowel obstruction (doctor said it was caused from lesions on the intestines. If I read about diets for chrons they say one thing and the diet for a bowel obstruction states a total opposite approach to foods. Please can someone give me a solution to my dilimma?
Comment from Joyce
Time: May 5, 2010, 11:37 pm
Is there any one that can help in what to eat and what not to with chrones? I was only able to eat salads and baked potatoes, and the only meat I can eat is chicken. Now is seems that I can tolate those few choices. I an looking for any help on this . Thanks