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Crohns/Colitis Diet

I have crohns and I have been wondering is there any such thing as a crohns diet?  I understand what foods to avoid but does anyone know of any foods that help put the disease in remission?  THanks in Advance for any tips or comments.
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Avatar universal
Thank you all for all your comments, it has all been very helpful and I appreciate you all taking the time to post.  This past month, ive been gradually modifying my diet although it has been hard, I have been feeling a lot better.  Good luck to everyone!!!
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1403958 tn?1300023491
I agree with the members that suggest Breaking the Vicious Cycle - Specific Carb Diet.   It's literally like eating caveman style, but IT WORKS and that's what matters.  

There's a lot of info out there on the SCD diet if you are interested and want more info.  :)
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Avatar universal
I cut out sugar and greasy/fried food a couple of years ago but recently I got tested and I'm wheat and most dairy intolerant. I noticed a difference in about 3 days and although my Crohns symptoms are still severe ommitting wheat has helped.

I keep alcohol and caffeine to a minimum too and eat a lot of berries and organic yoghurt. get on probiotics too. And 2 litres of water per day!
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Avatar universal
A blood magnesium test is NOT useful because only 1% is in blood according to research articles that I have read.     Since you have Chron's, You are very Deficient in this mineral that is CRUCIAL for your GI Tract to work properly.    "Body stores of magnesium" down there means that it is in your bones, organ,etc..   This mineral is responsible for more than 300 biological reactions in your body.........

Go here and read:
http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/magnesium/
"When can magnesium deficiency occur?
, there is concern that many people may not have enough body stores of magnesium because dietary intake may not be high enough. Having enough body stores of magnesium may be protective against disorders such as cardiovascular disease and immune dysfunction [7-8].

The health status of the digestive system and the kidneys significantly influence magnesium status. Magnesium is absorbed in the intestines and then transported through the blood to cells and tissues. Approximately one-third to one-half of dietary magnesium is absorbed into the body [9-10]. Gastrointestinal disorders that impair absorption such as Crohn's disease can limit the body's ability to absorb magnesium. These disorders can deplete the body's stores of magnesium and in extreme cases may result in magnesium deficiency. Chronic or excessive vomiting and diarrhea may also result in magnesium depletion [1,10"

Who may need extra magnesium?
Magnesium supplementation may be indicated when a specific health problem or condition causes an excessive loss of magnesium or limits magnesium absorption [2,7,9-11].
.........
............
•Individuals with poorly-controlled diabetes may benefit from magnesium supplements because of increased magnesium loss in urine associated with hyperglycemia [21].
•Magnesium supplementation may be indicated for persons with alcoholism. Low blood levels of magnesium occur in 30% to 60% of alcoholics, and in nearly 90% of patients experiencing alcohol withdrawal [17-18]. Anyone who substitutes alcohol for food will usually have significantly lower magnesium intakes.
•Individuals with chronic malabsorptive problems such as Crohn's disease, gluten sensitive enteropathy, regional enteritis, and intestinal surgery may lose magnesium through diarrhea and fat malabsorption [22]. Individuals with these conditions may need supplemental magnesium.
•Individuals with chronically low blood levels of potassium and calcium may have an underlying problem with magnesium deficiency. Magnesium supplements may help correct the potassium and calcium deficiencies [19].
•Older adults are at increased risk

NOTE:  

YOU WILL KNOW when you are getting too much magnesium if you start getting diahrea so just cut back on how many you are taking.   But since you already have diahrea, this is causing your body to LOSE magnesium due to the bowel movements.   Puritan.com has magnesium cheap, AND DON'T BUY THEM WITH ZINC because you'll poison yourself with zinc.   The magnesium poses no threat as Long as you have Good Kidneys.    

Also:
Niacin is just as important, and you are Deficient in it too.....
Niacin deficiency
http://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/sec01/ch004/ch004d.html
"GI symptoms early in the deficiency include burning in the pharynx and esophagus and abdominal discomfort and distention. Constipation is common. Later, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea may occur. Diarrhea is often bloody because of bowel hyperemia and ulceration."



My Bio:
About 15 yrs of eating Chinese food every Saturday gave me Explosive diarhea, also had much stress, and INSOMNIA........guess what these lead to magnesium Deficiency and Niacin deficiency too.    So it took about 15 yrs of this weekly diahrea to mess my GI tract up-is this how you got messed up?    My Magnesium levels were Low for 15 years or more so that is what did it!      I believe the LOW Magnesium due to diahrea, stress, insomnia, diet,  and posibly low Niacin  levels for so long is what caused me to get Proctitis.    
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Avatar universal
Thank u for sharing. I have been unsuccessful @ regulating my UC for over 2 yes now. I'm on the highest dose of my mess possible & still recurring flares. So diet is my focus now. I ordered the book " breaking the cycle" today & can't w8 2 get started but the sound dietary advice given here has been so helpful. Thanks again.
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Avatar universal
Thank you very much for the advice.  It all makes alot of sense and i really apreciate you sharing it.  I just went to the doctor this past week and questioned some of his advice because it seems like the only remedy that they promote involves remaining on prescribed medicine and that is really disappointing.  I have been on 4 different meds in the past 4 months and now he wants to start me on something else now that my crohns is in remission.

To make a long story short, i asked the doctor to test my magnesium levels to see where i stand before i start adding the extra supplements.  I hadnt gotten the results yet but we will see.  Prior to this I had been taking a calcium supplement with magnesuim but it was only 50gm.  Thanks again for the advice im going to try your regimen because im hopeful to remain in remission for a very long time.
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Avatar universal
STAT AWAY from all wheat and wheat products.   ALSO, stay away from anything containning high carbs or sugar.......You want to eat foods that DON'T raise your blood sugar since high blood sugar caused by wheat products leads to INFLAMMATION INSIDE the entire body.

EAT:
Besides some meat, you have to eat Cabbage, lettuce, spinach, green beans, broccoli, celery,etc.,.......You see a pattern?   ANYTHING GREEN with some lean meats,eggs, yogurt, peanut butter,etc..
-Drink lots of Decaf Coffee since it is high in Magnesium


Don't eat:
-wheat and its products like pasta, crackers, bread,etc..
-Fruit will cause your Blood sugar to spike, and THEY WILL MAKE YOU FAT so don't eat them!

Supplemet with:
Magnesium 750mg, fish pills about 8 of them daily, Niacin about 1grm..........fish pills and Niacin along with about 40 minutes of walking every day will decrease your blood triglicerides down to below 150, and increase your HDL levels to desired levels while DECREASING blood pressure, stress, blood sugar, weight, etc.............If you are able to tolerate Garlic like I can now, then you will get back to near normal.  BUT YOU WILL HAVE TO STAY WITH THIS AND NOT STRAY.   Just remember it took a long time of diahrea, not sleeping well, stress,etc., which KEPT your body's magnesium very LOW which caused your immune system and body to get messed UP like mine was!

NOTE:
On garlic, if you are going to try it then no more than 1/4 tspn to see  how it does before incresing the dosage to a couple table-spoons.    There is nothing magical about garlic except it is high in Magnesium and in my case it keeps my Testosterone high which you can google to see that it .


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Avatar universal
I have had IBS since in my twenties. My father had Crohn's most of his life.  Recently my insides shut down and I had had a cough for about 4 months.  I had many appointments with drs and everything was always 'normal'.  I found a site that mentioned a cough in relation to Celiac's disease.  I immediately cut out all wheat and gluten (watch for hydrolyzed anything... processed foods are dynamite) and 3 days later I was a new person.  5 days later I couldn't believe I could feel that good.. best I had felt in 15 or 20 yrs.  I now think our family has Celiac's and we didn't know it.  As long as I stay away from gluten everything works well... very well.
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Avatar universal
Very interesting and i appreciate your comments.  I went to the websited and look at the list of food that should be avoided.  I was very suprisde to see a lot of wheat products and high fiber product were on the list being trigger foods.  This is definately a eye opener to pay more attention to the foods im eating and how it makes me feel.  Good luck on your diet and please keep us posted on your progress.  
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Avatar universal
Thank you for your comments, I will definately check into this.
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Avatar universal
Get a book called "Breaking The Vicious Cycle". It is a diet for people with Crohn's, Colitis and Celiac. I have just started it. A friend of mine who has Colitis introduced me to the diet and he has been in remission for 4 years now. It may not work for everyone, but its worth a try.
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Avatar universal
I started here: http://www.colitis-crohns.com/about.html

I can't personally endorse the program, but I purchased Klein's e-book to learn more about the diet. I'm trying to follow the diet as closely as I can to see if I feel better. I'm reading anything I can about raw diets and the benefits of vegan nutrition.  
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Avatar universal
Thanks for your info.  I havent come across any such diet either but im still hopeful because there has got to be a heathier regime out there than relying on prescription drugs.

And, yes, please let me know how the gluten free diet is working for you.  Good luck to you too!
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1440512 tn?1294471633
I am sorry to say having crohn's myself that every research I have done there isn't a diet for crohn's. However, My Dr. says the gluetin free diet works pretty well for crohn's. Sorry I can't be of more help. I've recently started the diet myself so I have no input on whether it works or not. I'll let you know how it works for me in about two weeks. The Dr says it takes about that much time before you notice a difference. Also to help you with all the symptoms there is an herb called moringa you can order online. It seems to be more helpful for me than all the traditional medications that never really work anyways. Lots of luck
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