Paging Joe

Polly · Post by **Polly** » Thu Jun 24, 2010 7:37 am

Hiya Joe!

You asked about whether diet could keep Crohn's disease at bay. I think there is a good possibility of this, especially in your case since you also have MC. I'm guessing you've read Gotschall's book "Breaking the Vicious Cycle"? I think as time goes on we will find diet related to many GI (and other) diseases.

I am interested to know more about your suspected intolerances. You mention GF, LF, and YF but also mention dairy under your avatar. Are you avoiding full dairy or just lactose? Although Gotschall's book allows dairy without lactose (aged cheeses, homemade yogurt, etc.), most with MC find that it is full dairy that they must avoid - that means everything, unfortunately - milk, butter, yogurt, cheese, ice cream...............

I am yeast-free also. Have you discovered rice tortillas yet? They are a good way to make a GF, YF sandwich. Also, bear in mind that about half of those who are gluten-intolerant are also soy-intolerant.

It sounds as if you have made a great start on the path to health so far! Glad to hear that the severe symptoms are lessening.

Love,

Polly

Joefnh · Post by **Joefnh** » Thu Jun 24, 2010 7:54 am

Polly I am not aware of that book, but will look it up.

I am currently avoiding ALL dairy and gluten products. I am following a simplified diet with minimal ingredients. Its one that Gabes listed here a while back (GF/SF/LF/YF). Basically its chicken, lamb, salmon or haddock,white rice and some tolerated well cooked veggies. The spices I use are sea salt, pepper, thyme and a bit of garlic. For drinks its green or black tea and a good GF apple juice.

I plan on staying on this diet for a while as it has been well tolerated and does seem to help.

I know I am significantly intolerant to wheat, onions, soy and brussel sprouts. I am modestly intolerant to dairy. There may be others for after this last flare up I have found that for especially dairy things only got worse.

Thanks for the info Polly

--Joe

harma · Post by **harma** » Thu Jun 24, 2010 8:38 am

Hi Joe, that sounds a lot like my diet , basic's are exactly the same meat (chicken and lean beef), fish (salmon), rice, well cooked veggies (only carrots, broccoli and spinach), I eat also eat pealed pears and banana's (and trying out melon now), decaf espresso with rice milk (only once a day), green tea, mint tea and instead of apple juice I drink grape juice. And of course apple sauce as my great appetizer.

funny, should this the MC diet that works for most of us?

Joefnh · Post by **Joefnh** » Thu Jun 24, 2010 8:47 am

Harma I did forget to mention that I do tolerate bananas. They have become my standby food, I always have bunch a work. When I go to meetings where lunch is being catered in, I bring a couple with me.

--Joe

Polly · Post by **Polly** » Thu Jun 24, 2010 9:10 am

A good safe diet that you both are eating! Possibly the best for MC (unless, like Gloria, one has trouble with chicken).

Joe, the Gotschall book about diet was written primarily for major inflammatory bowel disease like Crohn's and ulcerative colitis. She has some excellent descriptions in the book about how the GI tract works, if I remember correctly. So, you are, strictly speaking GF/SF/DF/YF - right? Dairy-free and not just lactose-free? What about Gabes - is she fully DF or just LF? I don't mean to be a "stickler" - am just trying to fully understand folks' diets.

A word about rice. Use plain rice - enriched rice may use a barley (think gluten!) derivative to make the vitamins adhere to the rice. Amazing the triva one learns with this disease!

Love,

Polly

Joefnh · Post by **Joefnh** » Thu Jun 24, 2010 9:16 am

Polly I am strictly dairy free, no diary products or secondary dairy products in my diet. I am taking supplements to help with the calcium and vitamin D as well as other minerals.

--Joe

Polly · Post by **Polly** » Thu Jun 24, 2010 9:20 am

AHA. Thanks for clarifying. Did you check your vitamins/minerals to make sure they contained none of your intolerances? I order mine from freeda online - the inert ingredients are safe.

Polly

harma · Post by **harma** » Thu Jun 24, 2010 9:21 am

Joe do I recognize that, the banana's as stand by food, every time I leaf the house I am sure I got one in my bag!!!

Peggy, recently I've read the Gotschall book too and to be honest I was not impressed by it. Certain parts I could agree with her and it made sense, but other parts I thought she was missing the point, especially when it comes to gluten. I was more impressed by the books of Cordain (paleo diet)

Joefnh · Post by **Joefnh** » Thu Jun 24, 2010 9:26 am

Polly fortunately I have a very good health food store nearby and I have talked at length with their on staff nutritionist and we did review the various supplements for diet compatibility. During that process I did change the brands for 2 of them.

Harma, I always leave the house with 2 of them and will keep them in the car for the day just in case.

--Joe

Polly · Post by **Polly** » Thu Jun 24, 2010 9:32 am

Harma,

I agree with you about Cordain and I do follow almost a totally paleo diet. I eat rice occasionally but always notice that I feel best when I don't eat it. I thought Joe might be interested in the other book because its emphasis was on the major IBDs. But I think probably everyone is best eating as close to paleo as possible. It certainly beats the American diet staples of flour/butter/sugar!

Polly

Joefnh · Post by **Joefnh** » Thu Jun 24, 2010 10:05 am

I was always taught that fat/flour/butter/sugar were the 4 basic food groups...

--Joe

Polly · Post by **Polly** » Thu Jun 24, 2010 10:09 am

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. How true..............................Polly

kimtg68 · Post by **kimtg68** » Thu Jun 24, 2010 11:49 am

Geez Joe...you must have been raised in the south! LOL That's how everything is here. As for butter they think the more the better and it is really good too!

harma · Post by **harma** » Thu Jun 24, 2010 11:58 am

Oh yes that was one of the other things to figure out, find vitamin supplements without soy, egg, gluten etc etc etc. What I just don't understand the less is in there, the more expensive they get

But luckily enough I found a local moderated price brand, that is "free" of everything.

Joefnh · Post by **Joefnh** » Thu Jun 24, 2010 12:04 pm

I noticed that in the south, healthy food is not exactly common. But I believe the issues of good food choices really is a problem for most of the western countries. Too much fast food and big agricultural and commercial firms pushing their ill conceived wares.

Harma I did go through the vitamin issue and did have to substitute some of the brands for tolerated ingredients. We have a small chain of health food stores called A Market here and there are quite well stocked, produce and meats included. Their vitamin section and nutritionist are excellent and I found her to be quite knowledgeable about MC and crohns.

--Joe