Just going through more of the hundreds of questions we get and I find this one recurring a lot and of course a very important question indeed.

“What can you and should you eat or not eat in Crohn’s Disease?”

The first thing I can tell you is that there really is no “right or wrong” answer to this question because what we have found is that ALL Crohnees seem to be very different in what they react to and how drastically they react to it.

Here are the foods that have commonly shown to be tough on Crohnees:

• Dairy (milk, etc…) - Drinking “rice milk” is a good idea.
• Raw vegetables - ex/ Brocolli, spinach, etc…
• Fried food - (but, for me personally, fried food is fine!)
• Acidic Fruits

There is a small sample list, but I bet you caught yourself saying “That’s not true, I can eat that!” <-- Exactly my point, you will find that there really is no specific list...

Here ARE a few things that should be in your diet according to research:

• Omega 3/Fish oils
• Protein
• Calcium
• Vitamin B

These are examples of vitamins and other nutrients that Crohnees have been known to be low on and need more of…

Again, please make sure to always consult your doctor as your specific situation may be very different!

6 October 2006 | Crohn's Disease, Crohn's Diet | 2 Comments

Here is another question that was submitted to us about Crohn’s Disease. A CrohnsHelp.com subscriber asked us:

Why does Crohn’s Disease take so long to diagnose? It’s very painful and it seems that other diseases can be diagnosed with things as simple as a blood test?

Great question and I definitely understand where you are coming from! It took the doctors well over 4 months to diagnose me and I was in immense pain (only 13 years old). I got to the point where I lost 30 pounds, stopped eating and was in pain all day long.

Here are all the tests they did on me:

- Barrium CT Scan
- Nuclear Gal Bladder Exam
- UltraSound
- X-rays (many)
- Blood Tests
- Tape Worm Treatment
- Colonoscopy
- Endoscopy

They finally caught it with the last two, but it took them a long time to reach an agreement to even do those exams - I’ll admit, partly because of a bad doctor who refused to send me to a specialist (thinking there really was nothing seriously wrong with me).

Well, the main reason it is so hard to diagnose is that digestive diseases are hard to see through your “blood count” and many of them have very similar symptoms.

The only way to really diagnose is through scoping your intestines. Even that can be difficult because Crohn’s Disease can be all over your small intestine. Until recently, they had no way of seeing your small intestine, of course now they have a “pill camera” they use…

So, it is getting quicker and quicker - more doctors are starting to resort to doing scope exams quicker which is helping a lot…

4 October 2006 | Crohn's Disease, Personal | No Comments

Actually interesting because this conversation was just struck up at the Crohn’s Disease Forum…but that conversation is a bit more focused on those using Remicade with Crohn’s Disease.

However, I have personally noticed that I have a tendency to be much more inactive and tired than my healthier friends. Well, interestingly enough, the Mayo Clinic just released an article where they found that Crohn’s Disease patients do have a tendency to be more tired than is normal.

I have found (personally) that when I am exercising and eating well and living an active lifestyle that I can be full of energy. The biggest contributor that I have noted is the exercise - I have to be active.

Well, the Mayo Clinic found other factors that can be creating fatigue as well (2 of them to be specific):

1. Anemia: Crohn’s Disease patients have a tendency to lose blood and this can create severe fatigue. In this case, iron supplements are necessary (but for those with a weak gutt or in the middle of a flare up, MAKE SURE TO CONSULT YOUR PHYSICIAN - iron supplements can be very hard on the digestive system so don’t just grab any you see. You must ask your doctor if it is the right time to take them and which ones to take.

2. Depression - Having depression with Crohn’s Disease is common so please do not be shy to have an evaluation. There are many ways to help treat depression to give yourself a better life.

For more information, read the entire Mayo Clinic article… 

2 October 2006 | Crohn's Disease, Personal, Crohn's Treatments | No Comments

The Mayo Clinic just released a really interesting article on the benefits and dangers of using TNF-alpha inhibitors - for Crohn’s patients, the most common is Remicade (with Humira looking for approval soon). Remicade has been showing some great promise for patients who just do not respond to other Crohn’s Disease treatment.

However, Remicade is a STRONG drug and can have various other side-effects, some life-threatening as the Mayo Clinic article explains…

Here is how TNF-alpha inhibitors work…

As part of the immune response, your body naturally produces the protein TNF-alpha to mobilize your white blood cells to fight infections and other invaders. This response temporarily causes inflammation in the affected area. Normally your body would then get rid of the TNF-alpha. But if you have rheumatoid arthritis or Crohn’s disease, your body doesn’t remove the TNF-alpha. This causes more and more white blood cells to travel to the affected area. As TNF-alpha continues to build up, it causes excessive inflammation, leading to pain and tissue damage.

TNF-alpha inhibitors block the action of TNF-alpha in your body. By preventing the effects of TNF-alpha, these drugs reduce inflammation and other signs and symptoms you may have.

If you want more information on the potential risks of using these drugs, please read the article entirely… 

29 September 2006 | Crohn's Disease, Crohn's Treatments | No Comments

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