Mission

Crohn’s Diesease (CD) and Ulcerative Colitis (UC) are the two main types of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD). Current medical opinion is that both are long-term conditions which involve inflammation of the gut. Ulcerative Colitis only affects the colon (large intestine), whereas Crohn's Disease can affect any part of the digestive system, from the mouth to the anus.

Very often the sufferer doesn’t realise they have IBD until their first flare-up. There may have been previous signs or indications (possibly for years) which went unnoticed, or unattributed to CD/UC specifically. Examination by sigmoid or colonoscopy will confirm either CD or UC – after which a short course of steroids may be prescribed to reduce the acute inflammation and symptoms. On resolution of the flare-up the general advice is that a life-time of medication is required to help prevent future flare-ups.

We propose using a dietary approach to resolve both CD/UC; symptom free and living a normal life. If an aggressive flare-up is not resolved, or at least partially alleviated by dietary change (we believe it will be) then medical treatment may be necessary in the short term. What we are trying to avoid is the CD/UC sufferer taking a life-time of drugs. Research confirms that many individuals on chronic drug therapy still suffer debilitating symptoms and complications, eventually ending in surgery – hardly a desirable scenario.

As far as we are concerned results are more important than theory. Studies implicate dysbiosis, candida overgrowth, emulsifiers, antibiotics, additives, heavy metals, phytochemicals, lectins, or other causes, leading to an inflammatory (autoimmune) reaction. But whatever the upstream cause/s of IBD, we are only interested in resolving the condition – we would rather be ‘naively’ right than ‘expertly’ wrong. Let science figure out the reasons whilst you are enjoying life, free from symptoms.

Our approach is to eliminate all food agents which may be eliciting a chronic or acute inflammatory response. The extent of dietary exclusion may vary for each individual (but we believe ‘individual variation’ is misunderstood in that an absolute base diet would help everyone). After this initial period (post-cessation of symptoms) the aim is to reintroduce foods one by one, so that ultimately a normal diet can be followed – within reason.

Again, this is essentially a subtractive approach - taking out food agents which may be causing harm. There is also the additive approach of taking probiotics or supplements such as turmeric and l-glutamine; we discuss this in the diet section.

Key Aim

Whatever the current theories about the causes of CD/UC, what we are interested in are the symptoms and their physical and psychological impact on day-to-day life. If there are environmental (food) triggers, we have to see if we can identify and eliminate them (at least temporarily) from the diet.

Simply;

1/ The non-drug resolution of symptoms

2/ The confirmation of a return to gut health with a sigmoid or colonoscopy and/or inflammatory biomarker tests - meaning we have objective feedback that the disease process is not continuing asymptomatically

Expanded;

1/ The alleviation or complete resolution of symptoms; (a) no longer a social leper through fear of urgently having to empty one’s bowels; (b) alleviation of the pain and discomfort of CD/UC.

2/ The cure or remission of the disease process

3/ No further flare-ups

4/ The avoidance of long-term medication

5/ The avoidance of surgery or complications

6/ Being able to live a normal spontaneous life, and not having to follow a severely restricted diet.

Note: It’s possible that certain foods may cause symptoms without a corresponding increase in inflammation. Or the reverse, that inflammation and damage to the gut mucosal lining is continuing asymptomatically. What we want are neither symptoms nor inflammation and ulceration.

Key Concept

A forensic approach to dietary change is critical. This cannot be overstated. This is where most individuals fail; they are not systematic in their dietary approach. Be sure why you are doing this - many sufferers only half-heartedly look at diet, this doesn’t work. Taking a less than rigorous approach will ensure a life-time of symptoms, set-backs, and medication.  Use a scientific mindset - if you were conducting a scientific study on yourself how would you approach it?

This is not an anti modern medicine site and we are not saying that a change of diet cures all known ailments known to humankind; that is patent nonsense. Modern treatments and medicines have improved and saved the lives of millions. What we suggest however, is that many chronic conditions can be alleviated or even resolved by a change of diet; you don’t know until you’ve tried.

Extra Intestinal Manifestation (EIM)

Many individuals with CD/UC suffer from conditions not limited to the gut. In effect, IBD is a systemic problem which can involve virtually all organs; most commonly the joints, eyes or skin. These are known as Extraintestinal Manifestations (EIMs) and can occur during active disease or during remission. They can also occur months (or even years) before the first CD/UC flare-up and diagnosis. 

There are two proposed reasons for the development of EIM; 1/ the translocation of bacteria or other immune triggers through the gut wall (intestinal permeability), resulting in chronic inflammatory responses elsewhere in the body; 2/ the result of nutrient deficiency due to gut malabsorption.

Details:

‘Extraintestinal Manifestations of Inflammatory Bowel Disease’

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4511685/

‘How does IBD affect other parts of the body?’

http://www.ibdclinic.ca/what-is-ibd/complications/

‘Menstruation cycle: Irregularities and Symptom Changes’

https://inflammatoryboweldisease.net/symptoms/menstruation-irregularities-and-symptom-changes/

Warning or indication of an imminent flare-up: CD/UC sufferers who are in touch with their EIM symptoms can tell if they are heading for a flare-up - it may be a skin rash, stomach pain, blurry vision or extreme fatigue - anything which they have identified normally precedes a flare-up. We’ve been told by some sufferers that going back to a base diet at this point can subvert a flare-up. 

The Hippocratic Oath

We are using a non-medical dietary approach to resolving CD/UC, but which is nevertheless predicated on a fundamental tenet of the Hippocratic Oath, ‘First Do No Harm’. This should apply to all types of disease treatment, not just medical treatments. However, in reality, ‘do no harm’ means, ‘do no net harm’ - for example, a diabetic may need to have a gangrenous foot amputated to prevent further systemic problems. An absolutist adherence to ‘do no harm’ would literally wipe out half of all drug treatments and medical procedures. Most cancer treatments would cease. 

Doctors and organisations who accept potential side-effects from a drug, but advise against x diet because, “it’s unbalanced” or “cuts out major food groups” are suffering from a logical deficit. Accepting potential harm from a drug treatment for a condition, but not from a targeted diet for that same condition, isn’t being consistent. Further, we believe a dietary elimination or subtractive approach to resolving CD/UC is inherently less harmful than the additive approach of taking drugs. If a dietary approach doesn’t work (we believe it does), but there are no downsides from trying, where’s the harm?

There is a danger in taking drugs (chronically) for chronic conditions in that the drugs themselves may cause other chronic conditions. Side-effects may be acceptable if the outcome is net positive; not if it is net negative. For a technical consideration about drug harm/benefit see: http://www.fooledbyrandomness.com/medicine.pdf

If the drugs you are taking for CD/UC start becoming less effective, as they very often do, any net benefit may change to net harm. You’ll be suffering the side-effects with no benefit whatsoever. Your doctor or gastroenterologist will then prescribe different drugs or a drug combination. But what are the possible complications of a cocktail of drugs? Again, we are not against drugs per se, and repeat they may be necessary to treat IBD at times, but a lifetime of medication has downsides. Further, you may not even realise the medications are ineffective until you get a major flare-up.

Your Story

IBD is an ‘invisible’ disorder with debilitating physical and psychological effects. Sufferers with ongoing symptoms need support - we believe the best possible ‘support’ is complete resolution and freedom from all symptoms.

An interesting paper in the British Medical Journal on the experiences of individuals with Ulcerative Colitis:

‘Adapting to ulcerative colitis to try to live a ‘normal’ life: a qualitative study of patients’ experiences in the Midlands region of England’

https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/7/8/e017544  

We regard anecdote as ‘data with noise’ – anecdote shouldn’t be ignored out of hand just because it’s anecdote.  We encourage individuals who have tried resolving CD/UC through dietary means to write to us with their experiences using ‘Submit Your Story’ button on the Your Story page. With agreement we will add it to this site.