CROHN'S DISEASE

Rid Yourself of Pain

And Diarrhea

Naturopathic Suggestions

As mentioned previously in the gastrointestinal section, researchers for Crohn's are still hesitant in pinpointing an exact cause for this inflammatory bowel disorder(IBD).

In treating a Crohn's patient naturopathically, we have to look at the 'whole patient picture'.

When we do this, we look into what may be triggering the symptoms of diarrhea, abdominal pain, weight loss and inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract.

If the disorder is genetic then there is not much that we can do naturally for the course of the disease but we can treat the symptoms.

HOWEVER...if it is not genetic, then let's concentrate on the other factors of environmental and immunological.

Because the entire or sections of the G.I tract are inflamed, we have to look at what's going IN the tract......and that would be food and liquid. So if there is only food and liquid going in, then why does this food (possibly) cause inflammation?

Possibly it is because the body detects an allergen. An allergen is something that the body registers as 'FOREIGN' and so it sets up an inflammatory response to rid the body of that allergen.

So if this could be the cause of the inflammation then how do we know what foods are causing it?

Research shows that a high percentage of Crohn's patients are consuming a Western diet which is quite high in processed and packaged foods. Whereas, Crohn's is virtually non-existent in cultures that consume a more basic and fresh diet.

Do the Elimination diet.

1. Keep a food diary for the next 6 or more weeks.

2. Pick out one food at a time that you think might be causing a problem.

3. Eliminate this food for two weeks....no cheating

4. Keep a list of your symptoms and improvements etc

5. After the two weeks, re-introduce that food (in small quantities)

6. Record whether your symptoms improved while you didnt eat it.

7. Record whether your symptoms returned when you re-introduced the food.

If your symptoms improved while that food was absent then it would be safe to assume that this could be a 'problem' food and to continue the elimination in your diet.

If your symptoms didn't change for the best then continue with the 7 steps of elimination with a different food. Remember, the offending food is usually the one that you crave the most....unfortunately.

N.B: You may be surprised at what is causing your problems. One patient did the elimination diet for 6 months with no improvement. He wasn't happy about eliminating coffee but when he did, the change in symptoms was amazing. The poor fellow had headaches from the withdrawal of caffeine but his gastointestinal symptoms were markedly better.

If after a number of foods you still don't get an improvement then maybe you should consider a detoxification program. When doing a program like this, you really need to be under a qualified health professional to monitor your progress. But, you can start small and eliminate endotoxins from your system. This is done by changing basic items in your household. Don't forget, there are chemicals all around us that are absorbed through the skin and lungs, not just our G.I. tract.

The general saying is: IF YOU CAN'T PRONOUNCE THE INGREDIENT, THEN DON'T USE IT.

There have been many studies done on the toxic effects of chemicals used in household items. Some have been classed as carcinogenic in large quantities, so if we are using small quantities on a regular basis, year after year, then surely this could effect us adversely.

GO NOW AND HAVE A LOOK IN YOUR CUPBOARD AT YOUR CLEANERS. HOW DOES THE INGREDIENT LIST STACK UP? Not good I bet.

Okay, so now we have removed all the offending substances, what next?

NEXT we have to replace the nutrients that are lost in Crohn's patients due to the fact that the inflammation prevents absorption.

Supplementation for Crohn's

The following nutrients are crucial for maintaining your health if you have Crohn's:

Vitamins A, B, D, E and K

Calcium

Folic Acid

Magnesium

Zinc

These vitamins and minerals don't necessarily improve Crohn's symptoms, they are merely there to prevent deficiency.

Natural Medicines for Crohn's

I always reccomend Fish Oil for the inflammation factor. Fish oil has a natural anti-inflammatory effect and also is classified as an immune modulator. The amount of Fish Oil needed varies because of dietary fish intake but in general terms you would need approximately 3 tablets twice daily.

Probiotics

Most patients I have spoken to have told of dramatic relief once they started taking probiotics.

You won't be rushing to the toilet as much.

Homoeopathic Remedies for Crohn's

1. Homoeopathic remedies are patient specific, a complete patient picture needs to be analysed.

2. These remedies work in mysterious ways. Some say that they are merely placebos as they have very little active constituent in them. So, for Crohn's, I am going to suggest a number of remedies to be taken as a complex.

Aconite 30c This is to treat a distended abdomen with sudden diarrhea.

Colocynth 6c This is for griping pains and lots of frothy stools.

Pulsatilla 6c This is for depression and worsening of diarhhea at night.

Lycopodium 30c This is for a sense of fermentation in the abdomen, haemorrhoids and weakness of digestion.

Proper use of homoeopathic remedies needs abstinence of stimulants such as coffee and alcohol. The usual progression of symptoms when using these types of remedies is that they get worse before they get better. My best advice if considering homoepathics is to be under the close eye of a qualified Homoeopath or Naturopath.

Find out what natural medicines for Crohn's have been proven to work

Back to Gastrointestinal

Did you know anyone of any age can build a website with 'zero' experience?