Raw lettuce or spinach associated with crohn's symtoms?

[wild_one353]

raw lettuce or spinach associated with crohn's symtoms?

one theory that is still up for debate is that crohn's is due to a recuring ecoli bacteria that the body is unable to eliminate completely. i was eating spinach from a bag regularly around the time when i had my first symptoms, could have been coincidence and it is a multifactoral disease, but i was curious if any of you ate anyother raw unwashed vegetables that you think may have given you the hypothetical bacteria??

could have been lettuce or even raw broccolli as well.

 

[Creepy Lurker]

I think it's pretty hard to go through life without being exposed to e. coli at some point.

 

[imisspopcorn]

I think my trigger had something to do with a food borne illness. The offending food was a cooked Chinese chicken dish at the mall...

 

[katiesue1506]

I think mine was due to the meningitis vaccine... but the food I ate right before my first symptom of diarrhea was a Wendys Bacon Cheeseburger.

 

[Guest1]

I don't recall what I ate when I got sick, but I know that I was taking penicillin for 5-6 days. During that time it was when I got hit with the severe, right-sided appendicitis symptoms.

 

[shazamataz]

I actually think mine has been brought on by a combination of having Glandular Fever more than once, and emotional/stress stuff that has happened in the past couple of years.

 

[braveheart]

The problem with letuce, corn, pineaple and raw vegetables in general is they contain tons of fiber, and they cannot pass through the sick guts without causing pain.

 

[Kev]

Couple of points... If you are going to buy veggies like spinach, lettuce, etc., don't buy the bagged, pre-washed variety. Their handling increases the risk of bacteria by approx. 700%. (what, you thought those veggies were handled by surgeons wearing sterile everything, right?). Buy it from as close to the field as possible... farmers markets, etc., THEN wash it like it came from a plague area.

I love spinach... oh, the days of greek salads are long gone. It is high in iron, and fibre... but it is extremely hard on the digestive tracts if they're inflamed.
So, for many of us, spinach (even surgically sterile) is a no no. However, not all veggies are the same... iceberg lettuce has very little nutritional value to offer, but the fibre in it is easier to digest than spinach, or even romaine lettuce. Why? I don't know... think there are some folks on here with sufficient know how of nutrition to fill in that missing bit of info. And bear in mind that it isn't just fibre that can be hard on our systems... fat is off my list, and so are foods that are high in residue... not exactly sure why or what the difference is, but I was put on a hi protein, low fat, fibre, and residue diet (and lactose free too)..
I've seen links to low residue diets, but these days it seems they are adding fibre to just about EVERYTHING. And, if you are lactose sensitive/intolerant like me, then watch out. It is added to everything from margarine to vitamins... and it virtually everywhere in dairy (higher in skim milk than 3.5% ..why? I dunno), and it is non existent in some cheeses... but common in most soft, semi soft or processed cheeses... Why? Again, I dunno... part of the natural aging process or because it is common in mozzarella, or added to cheese products or slices.

Anyway, I've strayed... But, a final thought... if e-coli were the principal culprit behind crohns, "I" would expect it to be more common in 3rd world countries than in westernized countries, but just the opposite is the case. E-coli knows no boundaries, but it is far more prevalent there than it is in North America, etc yet it is here where crohns is the highest in incidence. It doesn't add up to me.

 

[D Bergy]

I think E-Coli is a factor in Crohn's symptoms, but not the cause. Other bacteria are likely factors as well. MAP, H-Pylori, Yersenia, and others are implicated, and who knows how many others may play a role?

I think the problem is that our immune system is unable to rid ourselves of the bad strains of bacteria, as you mentioned. So I think it is possible to resolve some symptoms of Crohn's by removing the offending bacteria, but it will not cure the disease.

Ultimately, the immune system needs to do its job, to have lasting remission. Nothing can really replace that function in the longer term.

Just my opinion.

Dan

 

[Peaches]

I agree with Dan. I think it could be a trigger, but not the cause.

 

[Ms Cordelia]

Could it be because in 3rd world countries people are exposed to helminths (parasites and such) at such an early age that their immune systems become stronger in fighting pathogens? I come from an island in the Caribbean and always used to run around without shoes, which caused me to have parasitic worms as a kid and my immune system is amazingly strong. I don't even get colds. My husband grew up in the US (he is the one with Crohn's). Just a theory that is out there and I happen to think there is something to it.

 

[CrohnsHobo]

Couldn't say, was never a big veggie eater until after I got Crohn's. No family history, was rarely sick a day in my life, was very active, wrestled and played football and then BAM! Crohn's.

 

[Creepy Lurker]

It probably some part of it. Hookworm therapy has been shown to be pretty effective at treating Crohn's.

 

[Ms Cordelia]

By the way, my husband got extremely sick when he traveled to Peru about 7 years ago. This was the beginning of his Crohn's. I have always thought that he picked something up there that has never been resolved. But the Dr's have never been able to find anything (which is not rare).

 

[CrohnsHobo]

When I saw the specialist at UCLA a couple of weeks ago the first thing he asked me was if I traveled out of the country before or around the time I got diagnosed with Crohn's. But I had never left the country until about 10 years after I got Crohn's.

 

[Guest1]

When I saw the specialist at UCLA a couple of weeks ago the first thing he asked me was if I traveled out of the country before or around the time I got diagnosed with Crohn's. But I had never left the country until about 10 years after I got Crohn's.

Same here, Hobo (ha, I laughed typing that out). He kept asking me if I was "sure". Yeah, I'm pretty certain I didn't grab a passport and take a trip out of the United States. Then again, living two hours north of Mexico makes for quick "out-of-the-country" trips, but I hadn't been in years.