Crohn's Disease Relief

Staying Up To Date on Crohn's News

I am testing out the following widget from Topix that will show current news articles referencing Crohn's Disease. 


I also learned about a wonderful Twitter stream from a guy who "tweets" news and links about Crohn's. It's partly in German, partly in English but a lot of the links are to sites in English so its very useful to me.

SMCCV's Crohn's Twitter Stream

Tips from Dr. Weil (and Mariane)

Andrew Weill is an MD who has been an influential proponent of holistic medicine and the health benefits of good nutrition.  He has a stellar reputation and in known for straddling the divide between traditional western medicine and alternative medicine.

In reading through his article Anti-Inflammatory Diet info from Dr. Weil I have some takeaway points especially for foods that do not bother my Crohn's.  Of course each person is going to have different trigger foods that set them off, so this is just my suggestions for anti-inflammatory foods that are easy on the gut.

1.  Cook with extra virgin olive oil.  If you need an oil that will go to high heat or a tasteless oil use  expeller-pressed, organic canola oil.

2. Eat fishes high in omega-3 fatty acids such as salmon (preferably fresh or frozen wild or canned sockeye), sardines, herring, and black cod.

3.  Go light on protien.  Weil advises that your daily servings of protein should be between 80 and 120 grams but to eat less protein if you have autoimmune disease.  That's us, folks!  My doctor advises I eat light protien and avoid fatty meats.  She also advises agains lunch meats that may be higher in fat.  I know from experience that hot dogs are an iffy proposition. (Even if they were light kosher dogs)   Don't ask me how I know this.

4.  Eat protein from beans.  For Crohn's disease, beans can be difficult to digest in many forms.  But tofu and other soy protiens may work fine for you.  Miso soup with little cubes of tofu in it is a delicious and light broth for those days when you have a sorry tummy.

5.  Try to eat a variety of fruits, vegetables and mushrooms.

6.  Choose organic produce whenever possible.

7. Eat cruciferous vegetables.  Many Crohn's patients are going to have a really hard time with this one.  I find cabbage to be indigestable, and the same goes with brussels sprouts.  I can however eat broccoli with no problem.  I make sure it is very well steamed.

8.  Drink tea instead of coffee.

9.  Weill advises that if you drink alcohol, red wine is preferable.  Red wine irritates my GERD so that's out for me.  My poison of choice these days if I drink is a cup of rooibos tea, honey, and a shot of Courvisier.  Snicker. No I don't think there is any health benefit to this, but it helps me sleep.

10. Dr Weil says to enjoy plain dark chocolate in moderation.  Oh man this is a tough one.  Chocolate is probably the #1 bad food to my digestive system.  It gives me acid reflux, irritates my Crohn's and is just BAD BAD BAD.  But I love it and I have been known to sneak a piece or two.  My trick is to eat it earlier in the day.  If I eat it in the evening the gastric reflux is not a pretty picture.

11.  This anti-inflammatory diet should include  to drink 6-8 glasses of pure water a day, or drinks that are mostly water such as tea, diluted juice, or sparkling water with lemon.

12.  Weil also recommends vitimin supplements.  Check with your doctor on these.  I take a plain old regular daily vitamin.  Since Crohn's causes malabsorbtion of nutrients I feel this is prudent.  The onyl mega-doses I take are when I drink a 5 hour energy every once in a while.  These are actually not bad for you - they have a lot of niacin, b vitamins, and about 1 cup of coffe's woth of caffeine.  I think it does have artificial sweetener though, which I generally avoid.  I think they aggravate my Crohn's for some reason.

Here is the Dr. Weil's book that I read and own - 8 Weeks to Optimal Health.  It is  a very good book but a crohnie will have to evaluate the food choices based on their own digestive system's individual quirks.  It is very heavy on fiber, nuts, and other stuff that can irritate an inflamed colon.

Does Steve Jobs Have Crohn's Disease?

This "news" article from betanews.com claims that Steve Jobs symptoms (which famously kept him from giving the keynote address at MacWorld this year and have him out on medical leave from Apple) are consistent with Crohn's disease.

Personally, I think it is presumptuous and rude to armchair diagnose someone from rumored symptoms and vague information.  Also, the only information that jobs did release to the press was that he had a hormone imbalance which effects his body's ability to absorb nutrients.  Crohn's disease certainly causes malabsorbtion of nutrients, but as far as I know there is not particular hormonal link with Crohn's.

At any rate, I wish Mr. Jobs a speedy recovery and all my well wishes.  Since he had pancreatic cancer, I personally suspect this may be related to his past sugury.  Hopefully it is something that can be treated easily. 

A little (terrible) part of me might wish that Steve Jobs really did have Crohn's.  I would not wish Crohn's on ANYONE - it is a terrible disease.  But... think for a moment about what kind of resources Steve Jobs could put towards cures and treatments for Crohn's...

Crohn's Stem Cell Roundup

CNN has a very nicely laid out "Stem Cell Primer" section that explains in layman's terms some of the science behind stem cells - CNN Stem Cell Primer.

This article titles Could Stem Cells Be Used To Cure Crohn's Disease? From Science Daily focuses on the idea of using the patient's own stem cells to "reboot" the immune system.

Last week I wrote about the new FDA aproval of the first embryonic stem cell test, which will attempt to bring back movement to people made paraplegic due to an accident.  Somewhere, I think Christopher Reeve is smiling.

And in December I wrote about a controversy surrounding the FDA and Osiris and how they are managing the trials for Prochymal. 

Rooibos Tea for Crohn's Relief?

I first came across rooibos tea at the trendy frou frou tea shop Teavana. Its absolutely delicious and they have many lovely blends. My husband bought me a Rooibos Peach Bloom tea that is yummy. I next came across Rooibos in the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency books by Alexander McCall Smith. The lead character Precious Ramatse drinks red bush tea exclusively. Rooibos tea has its own naturally sweet taste and I find I don't have to add any sugar to it. (Although I have a major sweet tooth and I admit I like it with a bit of honey added.)  My favorite rooibos based tea is Red Safari Spice by Celestial Seasonings.  

 

The word is pronounced "roy-boss" and means "red bush" in Afrikaans. The scientific name of the bush is Aspalathus Linearis. It grows in the mountains around the Cape of Good Hope.  Studies show that this tea contains a lot of anti-oxidants, up to twice as much as found in green tea. One flavinoid specific to this tea called aspalathin.

Rooibos is said to be an anti-spasmodic agent and is used by moms to relieve stomach cramping and colic in infants. Unlike green tea, rooibos does not contain tannins. Tannins are the bitter element of the tea plant, and can interfere with iron absorbtion in the body. Since many crohnies have low iron (I know that I do!) I think it's nice that rooibos doesn't have any tannin. I have no idea if rooibos has any partucular health benefits relating to Crohn's Disease, however, it doesn't have any downside or risks associated with it and it tastes great.

If mothers find that rooibos soothes babies colicky stomach cramps, perhaps it can do the same for Crohn's abdominal pain. A soothing cup of hot herb tea is great before bed at any rate. Here is some more information and links about rooibos:

Rooibos herb Info Pge by Ray Sahelian, M.D. 

Rooibos Facts from The South African Rooibos Council

Rooibos is a good source of antioxidants and is the only known source of a potent antioxidant aspalathin, which could play a role in combating several lifestyle diseases.

Unlike black and green teas, Rooibos is naturally caffeine free (not decaffeinated) and therefore suitable for children, infants and breast-feeding mothers.

Rooibos has proven cancer-fighting properties in animal research studies.

Rooibos contains low amounts of tannin. (Tannins are astringent, bitter-tasting plant polyphenols that bind and precipitate proteins and interfere with iron absorption in the body.)

After centuries of use, no negative side effects of Rooibos have ever been recorded.

Canned Wild Salmon - Ant-Inflammatory, Easy, Cheap, and Good

One of the top 10 anti-inflammatory foods I talked about earlier is wild salmon.  One easy and economical way to use wild salmon is to buy it in the canned form.  You don't have to worry about cooking it right away, as with fresh fish, you can avoid paying 10.00 a pound at the gourmet market, and the preparation is so easy with this already cooked and cleaned product.

My grandmother used to serve canned pink salmon room temperature on a hot day along with a bottle of beet borcht served with sour cream and boiled potatoes.  In my days of harried mom style cooking I have made Tuna Helper with canned salmon instead of tuna.  (My family liked it a lot better that way - they are not fans of hot tuna casserole.  If I make it I find that I am the only one eating it!)

I know that wild salmon may have up to four times more omega-3s than farm raised.  (The omega-3 fatty acids are what makes salmon so heart healthy and also anti-inflammatory.  Although I also read that changes in the diet of farm raised salmon have improved the amount of healthy Omega-3s in farm raised salmon as well.  Personally I think the wild canned salmon has a better taste.  Same goes for fresh salmon, too. 

Here is a nice recipe for Salmon Patties that looks easy and light. Personally I would omit the peppers - they do tend to be an irritating food for a lot of Crohnies.  A traditional Brittish way to serve these would be with mashed potatoes and green peas. 

Salmon Patties from About.com

Salmon Patties

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

• 14 oz. can salmon, drained
• 3/4 cup saltine cracker crumbs
• 1/4 cup finely chopped onion
• 1/4 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1/2 tsp. dried dill weed
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 Tbsp. lemon juice
• more olive oil
• butter

Preparation:

In large bowl, place salmon and cracker crumbs; set aside. In heavy skillet, cook onion and red bell pepper in olive oil until tender. Add to salmon in bowl and mix gently. Add dill weed, egg, and lemon juice and mix gently. Form into four patties. Add more olive oil and a bit of butter to the same skillet. Add patties to skillet when butter melts. Cook patties for 4-5 minutes on each side until golden brown and hot. Serves 4

Christopher Reeve's Dream Comes to Fruition: Embryonic Stem Cell Test Approved

Geron Corp., of Menlo Park, Calif., announced today that the Food and Drug Administration has approved their study of a stem-cell based treatment for spinal cord injuries.  Geron will be able to test the stem cell therapy in up to 10 patients who are within 14 days of a spinal cord injury leaving them paraplegic, able to use their arms but not their legs. Study participants will receive one injection within 14 days of their injury and will then be monitored for one year afterward.

Geron and the FDA both state that that the approval for the study coming on Obama's second day in office is a coincidence this approval seems an obvious signal of a sea change in the US government's position on stem cell research. George W. Bush had imposed such strict limits on embryonic stem cell research that this promising branch of medical therapeutics was practically stifled.  The Obama administration seems to be cautiously reversing these limits as promised in the campaign.  Cautious being an operative word.  On Jan. 18 on CNN, Obama said "I like the idea of the American people's representatives expressing their views on an issue like this."  

It was the dream of Christopher Reeve, and his wife Dana that advances in stem cell research could allow paralyzed victims of injury to regain their mobility.  Their foundation, The Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation has championed stem cell research, however, the Bush administration had hampered the ability for companies and universities to use stem cells due to strict limits imposed by George W. Bush and Congress. Although there certainly are moral and ethical considerations revolving around the use embryonic stem cells, the fact is that there are embryos which remain frozen after the process of in vitro fertilization.  As a parent, many feel that they would gladly donate these to allow medical science to potentially save lives and help the paralyzed walk again.   

The FDA has been reviewing the application for the Geron study for almost a year.  It will be the first US study to  use embryonic stem cells.  The focus of the study is on differentiating stem cells roles in regenerating the spinal cord.  Other studies using adult stem cells have shown great promise in the treatment of diseases such as Crohn's Disease and Graft Vs. Host disease.  What is exciting about embryonic stem cells is that they can evolve into any cell in the body.  

17 Touchdowns = $170,000 for Crohn's Research

David Garrard and Centocor have donated $170,000 to the CCFA towards Crohn's Disease Research.

Congratulations to David for a good season with the Jacksonville Jaguars.  They didn't make the playoffs this year, but played well!  David is known for his leadership on the field, as well as his willingness to be a spokesperson for Crohn's disease off the field.  Since we need more awareness of this disease, I really appreciate how he is willing to speak out.  He is also an inspiration to me personally.  When I am not feeling so well I think of how physical the job of Quarterback is.  If he can do it - I feel like I can too.  (Well, not really play football, but I can administer the heck out of a computer network, right?)

Crohn's Diet Tips

It's January and everywhere you look people are trying to quit smoking, exercise, and eat healthier.  For the IBD sufferer, the question of diet is always going to be dependent on your individual tolerances, level of disease, as well as what you like to eat.

It can be useful, however, to hear from other people about what foods sooth their tummies during a flare, and don't cause problems.  I found a wonderful list of recipes on a site called "Teens With Crohn's Disease."

For those who rely on nutritional supplements to get what they need listen to this one:  Ensure Ice Cream.  What a clever idea for teens feeling under the weather.

Most of the recipes seem to be lactose free.  There is a great looking recipe for Lactose Free White Pizza that looks good.  I know that tomato sauce bothers a lot of Crohnies.  I can tolerate it in small amounts.

Printable Doctor Patient Communcation Form for Crohn's

The Coping With Crohn's blog has a fantastic resource to help you better communicate with your doctor during those rushed appointments.  MommaMuse wrote the form up after a rushed appointment during a flare did not get her all of the medications and consultation she needed. 

Here is the story that explains why it's so important to communicate with your doctor, and here is a direct link to the

Crohn's Disease Printable Doctor Communication Form

Even if you don't literally print the form and take it to your doctor, I recommend you read it over before your visit as it can help you remember what important details your should share.  Since Crohn's can be kinda embarrasing, if you know what I mean, the form might help you get a few things across as well.

I personally like to write my questions out on a sticky note and put it in my pocket when I go to the doctor.  That way I don't forget to ask them something and start yelling at myself on the way home with no cold sore prescription or whatever ancillary thing I needed that was not the primary purpose of the appointment.  Crohn's can cause so many secondary and seemingly unrelated symptoms it really pays to remember to tell your doctors what's going on.

You should always remind them of what medications you are taking as well, especially ones prescribed by other doctors.  These guys have tons of patients and you have only you.  Well, in the case of some of us we have ourselves, kids, husbands, wives, parents, to worry about too but you get my meaning I am sure.

Anyway, check out the printable doctor patient communcation form.  Really, the doctors should have you fill this out on your way in the door!