• Welcome to Crohn's Forum, a support group for people with all forms of IBD. While this community is not a substitute for doctor's advice and we cannot treat or diagnose, we find being able to communicate with others who have IBD is invaluable as we navigate our struggles and celebrate our successes. We invite you to join us.

Do you think diet is important?

Diet

  • is extremely important in dealing with crohns.

    Votes: 20 60.6%
  • is important in dealing with crohns.

    Votes: 7 21.2%
  • is somewhat important in dealing with crohns.

    Votes: 5 15.2%
  • is not very important.

    Votes: 1 3.0%
  • isn't important at all.

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • is important, but I don't care.

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Total voters
    33

Jennifer

Adminstrator
Staff member
Location
SLO
I have to say "somewhat" important since a change in diet (such as a liquid diet, the BRAT diet and the Low Residue diet) can help reduce symptoms during a flare but is less important during remission (I say less because of course eating healthy is important for everyone, even without IBD eating fried food everyday isn't good for you).
 
I have to say "somewhat" important since a change in diet (such as a liquid diet, the BRAT diet and the Low Residue diet) can help reduce symptoms during a flare but is less important during remission (I say less because of course eating healthy is important for everyone, even without IBD eating fried food everyday isn't good for you).
This is exactly what I was going to say. I'm on low-res now to get this flare under control, but when in remission, I should be able to eat anything (and could during my last remission).
 
That's also how my GI feels, but my opinion is based on my own experience. I was in remission for 6 years and ate some crazy stuff. Huge tubs of popcorn at the movies, fried food, fast food, salads, etc. Never had an issue with anything.
 

Jennifer

Adminstrator
Staff member
Location
SLO
Indeed. My opinion on the matter is also based on personal experience and from every single GI I've seen.
 
Just so we have both opinions here,
I think diet is really important. When I was diagnosed june 2011 every single doctor I went to advised remicade and azathioprine combined.
I have been following the elimination diet of Prof Hunter (gastroenterologist in uk, author of 'the essential guide to controlling Crohn's disease, colitis and other IBDs) since July 2011, and I have been 100% well since then, on diet and asacol alone. I check my Calprotectin levels at least once a month, so it's not just 'symptomatic' remission. There is no way that someone like myself with fistulizing CD could be maintained on asacol alone, the diet must be given at least partial credit.
And now I am trying to go it without the asacol, so completely med-free, and so far things are going very well, though it is still early days yet.
Just to be clear though this has not been an easy route. It has required a lot of sacrifices for a considerable length of time.
 
I'm with helena.
However, no one specific diet seems to work for everyone. I believe that we each need to experiment to see what works best for each of us.
 

Gianni

Moderator
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/16/health/16chen.html?_r=0

http://www.naturalnews.com/036702_doctors_nutrition_fatalities.html

Last year, a bill was introduced in California to mandate that physicians get continuing medical education in nutrition (see Nutrition Education Mandate Introduced for Doctors). Unbelievably, physician trade groups such as the California Medical Association came out in opposition to the bill, which would only require doctors to get a measly 7 hours of nutrition training anytime before 2017 (see Medical Associations Oppose Bill to Mandate Nutrition Training). Read more: http://www.care2.com/greenliving/how-much-nutrition-do-doctors-know.html#ixzz28sHp37yh


http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/83/4/941S.full

There are plenty of other sources. It's a pretty well known fact amongst the medical community and it's critics. Truth is, in undergrad they learn about the body, medical school they learn about medicine. Medicine, medicine and more medicine.

Gianni
 

Gianni

Moderator
That's also how my GI feels, but my opinion is based on my own experience. I was in remission for 6 years and ate some crazy stuff. Huge tubs of popcorn at the movies, fried food, fast food, salads, etc. Never had an issue with anything.
Until the disease relapsed... You don't think that if you ate healthier and avoided processed, fried, and genetically engineered food your remission would have lasted any longer?

If so you just yield a relapse is purely up to chance? a roll of the dice if you will....

Gianni
 

Jennifer

Adminstrator
Staff member
Location
SLO
Until the disease relapsed... You don't think that if you ate healthier and avoided processed, fried, and genetically engineered food your remission would have lasted any longer?

If so you just yield a relapse is purely up to chance? a roll of the dice if you will....

Gianni
I know I don't have the healthiest diet in the world and definitely do eat processed foods/beverages for sure (not fried foods and popcorn very often but on occasion) and have been in remission for 13 years now (going on 14 soon) and I still believe it depends on how aggressive the disease is so yes in a way its chance. Although I've also always taken medication after my resection which is what put me into remission. I believe the medication has kept me in remission along with "chance" as you put it.
 

Gianni

Moderator
I know I don't have the healthiest diet in the world and definitely do eat processed foods/beverages for sure (not fried foods and popcorn very often but on occasion) and have been in remission for 13 years now (going on 14 soon) and I still believe it depends on how aggressive the disease is so yes in a way its chance. Although I've also always taken medication after my resection which is what put me into remission. I believe the medication has kept me in remission along with "chance" as you put it.
I find it interesting you have been in remission for 13 years after your resection. May I ask how much intestine they took out?

Do you have any other problems associated with crohns like joint pain, eye inflammation, skin rashes, kidney stones, gall bladder issues, or anything else that may be associated with crohn's?

What age did you notice your tachycardia? Have you heard of catheter ablation? (my cousin had tachycardia and had the procedure and he is totally fine now and can exercise perfectly:))

Gianni
 

Jennifer

Adminstrator
Staff member
Location
SLO
They removed 8 inches in total from the colon to the TI (cecum and ileocecal valve were removed hence why I was told I'd likely have diarrhea for the rest of my life, not true with the right medication for me).

Since the resection I do have a hard time absorbing some nutrients and have to supplement Iron (I take 650mg daily), B12 (I have an injection every other month) and D3 (liquid form 5,000IU and 1,000IU from a multivitamin).

I have Osteoarthritis caused by Crohn's (my GI, GP and Rheumy all agree). This was diagnosed about a year ago after many months of lifting my grandpa's weight everyday (he had a massive stroke and I have been one of his caregivers) which eventually injured my back (got an x-ray and that's where they saw the arthritis but it had already been there for who knows how long). I might not have had any pain from the arthritis for years to come but all that sudden heavy lifting took its toll on my back and hips (both show arthritis and I do have regular arthritis pain now but the Humira does help). I never had issues with eye inflammation, skin rashes, kidney stones, gall bladder issues or any other possible Extraintestinal Manifestations.

As for my heart I felt little blips or fishy flops ever since I was a child (well before age 9 when I was diagnosed with Crohn's) but they rarely happened (once a year at most). During my second semester in Grad School is when my heart started acting up multiple times everyday (this was back in 2008 about 9 years after my resection). Heart problems run rampant in my family as my mom has a Super Ventricular Tachycardia and her father has heart disease and Premature Ventricular Contractions like me and my dad has Hypertension. Yes I have heard of catheter ablation but I'm not a candidate for it because mine can be managed with medication.
 

Gianni

Moderator
Sorry to hear about your grandfather, that's awful. He is lucky to have an awesome grand daughter to take care of him:)

Does your grandfather have hypertension like your father?

Did your Gi theorize on why you developed osteoarthritis? Vitamin D, and calcium are both absorbed in the Duodenum, not near the cecum and areas involved. I know other factors can play a hand, just curious.

Sorry for the constant questions :)

Gianni
 

Jennifer

Adminstrator
Staff member
Location
SLO
Poor absorption of nutrients over the years and repeated inflammation in the joints from Crohn's are the likely causes yet Rheumatoid is also on my mother's side (her and my grandpa have it). My grandpa (who recently had a stroke) is my mother's father and no they do not have hypertension. I don't know much about my dad's father as he passed away when I was in 9th grade after having multiple strokes over the years. I never asked why he was having strokes, couldn't ask my dad's mom cause she had Alzheimer's/Dementia and my dad is just hard to talk to in general (I'll leave it at that).
 

Gianni

Moderator
So you think the rest of your intestines still don't absorb well?

Theorize with me for a second...

Inflammation is used by the body to restrict an infection from spreading to different parts of the body.

Does it make sense to you that maybe suppressing the inflammation caused the actual disease or the infection that the body is fighting to spread to your joints and maybe to other parts?

This is why i think some extraintestinal manifestations occur.

I realize we think completely differently, just wanted to hear your opinion on that if you have one.
 
I think food is really important, it's just working out what works for you which is the hard part and also incorporating that into the rollercoaster of everyday life.

Worst bit is when you have no option but to eat what everyone else is eating! Yes family that is a swipe at you (even though they will never read this!) and also a swipe at those people who organise meals at work sites! Little bit of a rant there :)

I find that being part vegetarian (ocassional red meat to keep my iron levels from the borderline) works for me and drinking nothing but water!
 
I shouldn't have said the above - My family are very supportive. I am just tired and grumpy as I have just come back from spending two weeks looking after my parents, dad fell off his bike and broke his shoulder and cracked five ribs and he is the main caregiver for mum and I didn't eat what I normally eat!

Also, in regards to meals for work sites - I am away from home at a work site next week and I am alittle worried. Last year I said vegetarian and didn't get it and had to spend three weeks in bed recovering for one week of work (yes it is hard work but not eating right definately made a difference).

So universe - I take my rant back and food is important for me!
 

Jennifer

Adminstrator
Staff member
Location
SLO
So you think the rest of your intestines still don't absorb well?
I know that they don't (I have Crohn's and Crohn's Colitis). I've been supplementing for almost a year now and have blood work done each month to see if there's any change. I noticed significant change right away with liquid D3. With the Iron it took many months to find a dose that did anything otherwise I'd have to have infusions. The B12 also took a long time and I took a few different forms and doses until we decided that injections were best since I've had a resection. Even extremely mild inflammation can help prevent absorption of nutrients.

Inflammation is used by the body to restrict an infection from spreading to different parts of the body.

Does it make sense to you that maybe suppressing the inflammation caused the actual disease or the infection that the body is fighting to spread to your joints and maybe to other parts?
No. That wouldn't be suppressing inflammation now would it? Many people have/had joint, skin, eye etc issues long before they began any type of treatment. Just read through the threads in the Your Story section or the Undiagnosed section and you'll see.
 

Gianni

Moderator
Many people have/had joint, skin, eye etc issues long before they began any type of treatment.
Yes I'm not yielding that disease or the infection can't spread during active inflammation, indeed the infections can spread during inflammation. Just merely saying the likely hood of manifesting these issues could be increased once inflammation is suppressed.

No. That wouldn't be suppressing inflammation now would it?
Just because it is suppressed doesn't mean it is eliminated. Often "extremely mild inflammation" can be the culprit. Even so if you get a cut while on these medications, the cut will stil inflame if presented with an infection.
 
Top