Monthly Archives: September 2011

Day 35-38 Crohns Disease Symptoms Diet Treatment Colitis IBS

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When Your Child Contracts Crohn’s Disease

Approximately 30% of those who suffer from Crohn’s Disease are diagnosed before the age of 20. The illness is a chronic condition, meaning there is no known cure. A child with unexplained weight loss, fatigue, joint pain, and stunted growth should be immediately evaluated by a doctor for signs of the disease. Experts estimate that more than 100,000 teenagers suffer from the debilitating disease in America.

Sometimes more serious symptoms appear requiring immediate attention. These symptoms include rectal bleeding, severe stomach pain, frequent diarrhea, and accompanied by vomiting. Crohn’s Disease is an inflammatory disease that attacks the gastrointestinal tract, from the mouth to the anus, which is what makes it distinctive from other irritable bowel problems. Crohn’s presents a special challenge for young sufferers as it may stunt growth and cause a delay in the onset of puberty as well as a weakening of the bones. The illness may keep a young person from taking part in the normal young activities causing emotional and psychological issues of having to live daily with a chronic disorder.

Conventional wisdom from the traditional medical community preaches that there is no known cause of Crohn’s, however some researchers are successfully using diet as way to combat the illness. Some even claim success at finding a cure through diet, specifically a raw food diet of organic fruits and vegetables. Doctors do admit that certain foods can trigger the symptoms of Crohn’s and that by eliminating these various foods from the diet, a sufferer can control outbreaks.

Researchers think Crohn’s is initially triggered genetically in combination with environmental factors. They speculate that genetically susceptible persons undergo an abnormal immune response setting off the disease. In other words, something will trigger the immune system to turn on, however it won’t turn off, continuing to cause inflammation. Crohn’s Disease apparently runs in families with 15-20% of those diagnosed also have a family member who similarly suffers. To date, several genes have been linked to the disease, but there is apparently no clear pattern as to how these genes may interact to cause the disease.

Each episode of symptoms depends on where the inflammation occurs. About 70% of young people have an inflamed ileum. More than half of these young people also suffer inflammation in segments of their colon. About 10% of young people must deal with inflamed colons only, while another 10% must learn how to live with inflammation in various parts of the small bowel. Some children and young people have stomach inflammation, that part of the intestine where the stomach empties into the bowel.

A child with a chronic condition like Crohn’s affect the lifestyle and living arrangements of the whole family. Depending on the age of the child, all others in the household become care givers for the one, which can cause stress, as well as buildups of resentments and feelings that life must revolve around the one. If this begins to manifest then it is wise for the entire family to seek counseling for any of several support groups, readily available to help families through crisis of this kind.

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Day 15- Crohns Diet Symptoms Disease Treatment Colitis IBS

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Day 15- Crohns Diet Symptoms Disease Treatment Colitis IBS

Living With Crohn’s

Crohn’s Disease, while serious, is rarely fatal. However, it is a chronic illness with many side effects and complications. There can be long periods of remission if the illness is managed correctly. Some doctors feel that the disease can be cured with the right diet and lifestyle changes. There are practical techniques to manage and control symptoms to drastically improve quality of life.

Once you’ve been told by a doctor that you do in fact have Crohn’s Disease, then begin learning all you can about the disease. Ask your doctor for specific support resources, and information on all aspects of the illness. Look to the internet to find support groups and the names of books on Crohn’s and its management and control. Find a website where you can go for the latest information on the newest and most up to date research on Crohn’s.

Some researchers stress that diet and lifestyle changes go a long way in controlling the illness. Choosing your diet carefully will go a long way in improving quality of life. Most experts recommend ridding your diet of trigger foods, those foods that bring on attacks, like dairy products, spicy foods, foods high in fat and even some high in fiber. Usually you will find out about these triggers after you eat them. If you are pained, take them out of your diet and reintroduce them later in smaller quantities. Some sufferers of Crohn’s move to a raw food diet of organic produce. Juicing their fruits and vegetables to ease digestion. Other concerns include malnutrition because with this type illness, the body becomes bad at absorbing the right amount of nutrients. Couple this with loss of appetite and there is potential for a real problem. Consult your doctor and have him or her refer you to a dietitian who can create a diet that will sustain you complete with foods, supplements and and vitamins.

Planning activities ahead will circumvent those unpredictable symptoms that make most people want to stay home. Symptoms such as diarrhea, gas and stomach pain tend to discourage social activities, mainly out of fear of embarrassment. But it is critical to make an effort to take part in activities that you enjoy in order to maintain a normal life. One way to do this is to choose destinations close to home and where you feel comfortably in control. Upon arrival make note of the all restroom locations as a way to relieve anxiety or stress should an outbreak occur. To alleviate worry, travel with extra toilet tissue and or undergarments.

Stress plays an important part in the onset of symptoms associated with Crohn’s Disease. Controlling stress and anxiety will go a long way in navigating flare-ups and symptoms. Some of the more popular ways to alleviate stress is to take a yoga course and learn to meditate along with deep breathing techniques. A regular exercise program will also aid normal bowel function. It is wise to consult your doctor before beginning an exercise program of any kind.

Finally, create a support system of friends, family, professional and medical help. Honest and open relationships with these people or groups will enable you to function more normally and to ensure you are receiving the best possible care.

Using Diet to Control Crohn's

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IBS, Colitis and Crohn’s Disease can be very painful diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. While rarely, if ever fatal the pain and discomfort will come and go over the course of a lifetime, usually triggered by food and stress and anxiety or all of the above. Today, some researchers postulate that all this life long suffering may not be necessary. They feel that a change in diet is the ticket to a life free of IBS, Colitis and Crohn’s Disease related symptoms and side effects.
The medical community prescribes a regimen of drugs, minor life change and possibly surgery as a means of managing the illness. Patients diagnosed with IBS, Colitis and Crohn’s Disease are told the best they can hope for is occasional remission from the disease until a cure is found. The damage done to the intestinal tract continues unabated masked over by the medications, which often come with side effects of their own. The patient, meantime, gets weaker and weaker.
A number of food experts believe that western or American eating habits are to blame for IBS, Colitis and Crohn’s Disease. This typical diet is loaded with processed foods, fats and sugar Researchers favor changing the diet altogether by going back to a simpler, unprocessed way of eating that is also free of extra sugar. The argument for changing the way westerners eat is a compelling argument given the epidemics of obesity, cancer, heart disease as well as other illnesses along with IBS, Colitis and Crohn’s Disease.
IBS, Colitis and Crohn’s Disease is in fact just one of a number of illnesses that chronically affect all or part of the gastrointestinal tract. These ailments begin to appear in other cultures when westernized eating and preparing food is introduced. People get fatter and start suffering and dying in similar fashion to Americans.
So what can you do? Experts recommend eliminating all meat, dairy, eggs and other processed foods from the daily diet. The optimum way to eat contend some, is to go to completely raw, organically produced food. Some experts maintain a raw food diet will not only control IBS, Colitis and Crohn’s Disease, but will completely cure it.
This way of eating is not new, having been around for hundreds of years. It consists mainly of whole, raw or juiced fruits and organic vegetables with added portions of nuts, seeds and some fatty fruits. Those who are dealing with a chronic illness should first talk to a doctor before switching to a new eating regimen. If you wish to go it alone then start out with non acidic raw fruits like bananas. Simple fruits are the easiest to digest.

How To Manage Crohn's Disease and Colitis

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How To Manage Crohn’s Disease and Colitis

Although a cure has not been discovered for Crohn’s Disease and Colitis, patients can manage their condition. Sometimes doctors suggest surgery but it is often possible to control the unpleasant symptoms and side effects. Of course, individuals should always check with their doctor before making any drastic changes.

How To Manage Crohn’s Disease and Colitis

. Understand Your Condition

Nobody can improve their condition if they do not even understand it. Indeed, it can be quite alarming if you do not know the facts. Many people have the perception that Crohn’s Disease and Colitis are the same disease.

Although both conditions are related, there are distinct differences. Crohn’s disease (CD) may affect any part of the gastrointestinal tract. Ulcerative Colitis (UC) is usually an inflammation of the large intestine (the colon).

Since there is no medical cure, some people think mistakenly that the conditions must be fatal diseases. In fact, Crohn’s Disease and Colitis sufferers live a normal life span (men, 78 years, women, 79 years). Get the facts from your doctor and other reputable sources (books, documentaries, online). A second doctor’s opinion can give a patient that extra peace of mind.

. Acknowledge The Symptoms And Side Effects

Individuals must try to manage the symptoms and side effects. Crohn’s Disease and Colitis is not a death sentence. A patient’s mission must be to discover safe and healthy methods that work for them. They need to find how to reduce or even eliminate any unpleasantness.

. Consider A Raw Food Diet

Individuals should never make any drastic changes to their diet without consulting their doctor. Yet many researchers insist that the Western diet is bad for Crohn’s Disease and Colitis sufferers. The Western diet is full of fats, processed foods, and sugars and researchers believe that a raw food diet using organic produce is a much better choice.

Once a person is given the ‘ok’ by their doctor, the patient can implement the diet slowly and allow the body time to adjust to its new fuel. Numerous studies and examples have shown that a raw food diet can eliminate all the uncomfortable symptoms. Of course, the improvement will be gradual and nobody should ever expect an ‘overnight’ cure.

. Get Informed About Water Fasts

Some sufferers have found that the combination of a water fast and daily raw food diet have eliminated their symptoms. Although nobody should embark on a Crohn’s/Colitis water fast without checking with a trained professional, this approach is an option. Many testimonials praise its effectiveness. Everyone is, however, in charge of their own health and, ultimately, must make their own decisions in these matters.

. Keep Up-To-Date

There is continuous research being done about Crohn’s Disease and Colitis. Individuals affected by those conditions should keep up to date on all the latest developments in the field. One recent study explores the effectiveness of Vitamin A in the treatment of Crohn’s Disease and Colitis.

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