Community Forum

There seems to be this prevailing theory that food, as in diet and nutrition has no effect on the management of Crohn's. I'm going to put forth a revolutionary idea: diet and nutrition can have the highest impact on your disease. I was diagnosed with Crohn's Disease and IBS in 2007. After years of taking handfuls of powerful medications including absurd amounts of painkillers I decided to try something different. About a year ago, I weaned myself off the narcotics and started using food and exercise, but mainly food as a way to manage my disease. I can honestly say that I am now healthier than I've ever been, even before I was diagnosed and I am currently taking ZERO medications. Let me repeat that, I am taking ZERO medications. I always thought that the Crohn's medications made me more sick, and I now believe that even more. Instead of relying solely on my GI doctor (GI drs are total idiots) I decided to try eating a mostly raw food diet. Let me revise that, I stopped eating sugar entirely. Sugar is the worst thing you can consume if you have Crohn's, sugar, milk/cream, anything with white flour, high fructose corn syrup are all high on the list of offenders. Sugar and alcohol are two of the worst things you can eat.

How can food not have an impact on a DIGESTIVE disorder? Its so strange that a doctor would say this. Oh but wait theres no money to be made prescribing nutrition, the money is in medications and keeping you on a short leash to the pharmacies. If you've run out of options and medications just aren't working why don't you just try modifying what you eat? Its common sense that the foods you consume will have an affect on a digestive disorder. Its bad science in my mind to totally rule out any possibility of improving your health status. If you're interested in learning more about my experiences you can check out my blog: 

http://crohnsdude.blogspot.com/

Doctors unfortunately only take a couple of courses regarding nutrition during their time in medical school, so they're not as knowledgeable in that area as they should be - especially doctors whose main focus is on the digestive system. Luckily we as patients have easy access to the internet and other resources to inform us how we need to take care of our own bodies.

 Reply posted for dplattwood.

Doctors unfortunately only take a couple of courses regarding nutrition during their time in medical school, so they're not as knowledgeable in that area as they should be - especially doctors whose main focus is on the digestive system. Luckily we as patients have easy access to the internet and other resources to inform us how we need to take care of our own bodies.

 Reply posted for dplattwood.

I have to agree with you both about the power of food. I was diagnosed in 2004 with crohn's disease and for a long time depended on the meds they was giving me. The side effects was worse than the disease itself in my opnion. In 2011 my husband was diagnosed with diabetes type 2 so between the two of us (we just had our little boy which he is 2 now) we had to do some thing. We threw out the sugar, fatty food, fried foods, and high sodium foods also started exercising every day for about an hour (we took it slow at first like 5 - 10 mins at first). Now we are able to manage both our diseases without medicine (I was taken off all meds, which I did my self, in 2007, my husband was taken off his diabetes meds in Jan 2013). All we do is watch what we eat & exercise daily....We are both living proof that eating right & exercise is all the medicine our body needs most of the time!! We just have to learn to take care of our bodies inside & out. 

 Reply posted for conti68.

it can be really difficult especially after you are first diagnosed. the realization that you will be chronically sick is tough to digest (no pun intended). but try not to focus on the pills, that's what i kept thinking when i was diagnosed, i'll have to take these pills everyday for the rest of my life. i probably said that in my head 10,000 times in the first year. it's not so much about the daily pills, its more about changing the way you think about your health. before you might have been able to ignore your health for the most part, only seeing doctors when you were actually physically ill. crohn's is more about living a healthy life-style, eating right, and exercising as much as you can will be your greatest assets to managing the symptoms. time does help, it's not going to make anything go away, but eventually you will come to terms with the disease. its one more thing you will have to overcome to succeed in this world. if you take your health seriously and re-prioritize what you value, as in do you value going out and drinking or do you value not feeling like *** 24/7. your priorities will have to change and frankly you'll want to change them to be able to enjoy life and feel healthy. its not the end of the world but it might seem like it is at first. it's all about controlling the inflammation. don't allow yourself to become inflamed, everything you eat, consume, all the choices you make mentally and physically will affect the inflammation in your stomach. most of all though, hang in there, you will overcome this illness and despite this adversity you will be a better person for it. 

 Reply posted for dplattwood.

I totally agree with what you are saying.  I was diagnosed with Chrohn's in July of 2012 after being admitted to the hospital for severe rectal bleeding and abdominal pain.  Well the GI doctor who diagnosed with is a total a**hole.  All he wanted to do is put me on medications.  I have no health insurance and spent five hundred dollars the first month just on one medication for the first month.  The medication only made things worse.  My regular doctor suggested to me last week that I read Self Healing for Colitis and Chrohn's  by David Klein.  It is pretty much everything you have stated.  This book is a real eye opener.  I am glad to see that eating a raw foods diet and exercise are actually helping someone.  The medical industry keeps pushing the "magical medication,"  and it's just a total joke.  I have just started reading the book and have not implemented any of the principles yet, but hopefully will be soon.  Thank you for posting your thoughts.  You are a real inspiration to those of us who are suffering.

 Reply posted for dplattwood.

I was recently told by a GI doctor that food has no impact on my disease, what a load of bull! 

Or contact me directly for details. I would be happy to help anyone trying to improve their health. If you're newly diagnosed it can be overwhelming but just hang in there and do what you need to do to control the inflammation. Medications are short-term solutions, trust me you don't want to develop a dependence. You have enough problems without adding substance abuse to the list. Get out of your house and walk around for a half hour everyday. Fill your life with pleasure not stress and pain. Stress will aggravate your symptoms so its really not worth it. Take it from someone who has experienced the negative effects of anger and stress. My new mantra is: "Slow to anger, quick to forgive" try it out. Make sure you forgive yourself first, you didn't give yourself Crohn's it just happens. There are ways to control it though and get your life back. It will make you a better person at the end of the day. You can overcome this adversity. Hang in there.