Crohn’s disease is an autoimmune disease that causes the immune system to attack the gastrointestinal tract. The disease causes inflammation, abdominal pain, diarrhea (sometimes bloody), vomiting and weight loss. Crohn’s disease affects approximately 400-600 thousand people in North America, with smokers being three times as likely to develop it. Though there is no medical cure for Crohn’s disease, it can be healed using natural methods.
The Elimination Diet For Crohn’s Disease
If you’re suffering from Crohn’s disease, you may benefit from doing something called an elimination diet. An elimination diet will weed out foods that cause flare-ups. Common food allergens are wheat, gluten, corn, dairy, eggs, citrus, sugar and chocolate. It is important to eliminate all of these foods from your diet for at least a month and then slowly reintroduce foods one at a time to see if your flare-ups worsen. Keep a food diary and note what you’ve eaten and how it makes you feel. For more on the elimination diet, check out: http://www.drcranton.com/elimination_diet.htm
Bulk Fiber For Crohn’s Disease
A bulk fiber such as psyllium can be beneficial for those suffering with Crohn’s disease. Psyllium fiber soaks up water in the intestines and helps ‘bulk up’ waste material to make it easier to be eliminated from the body. If you have chronic diarrhea, it may seem counterintuitive to use bulk fiber but the psyllium will actually help your stools become more formed and help to reduce frequency.
Probiotics For Crohn’s Disease
Probiotics are friendly bacteria that crowd out harmful bacteria in the intestine and promote proper digestion and absorption of nutrients in food. If your digestive system is compromised by Crohn’s disease, probiotics could give you the relief and healing you need.
Digestive Enzymes For Crohn’s Disease
Digestive enzymes are designed to help the digestive system effectively break down foods. It has been reported to help those with Crohn’s disease. Proper absorption of nutrients is vital to proper immune system function. For more on the health benefits of digestive enzymes, check out my article here.
Herbs & Supplements For Crohn’s Disease
Turmeric has anti-inflammatory properties that can help to heal the symptoms of Crohn’s disease. Green tea is a powerful antioxidant and inflammatory that can help ease the symptoms of inflammation, protect the intestinal tract and promote healing. Ginger is an excellent remedy for digestive disorders and can be sipped in a soothing tea. The supplement Omega 3 is another powerful anti-inflammatory that can soothe the symptoms of Crohn’s and improve health. Slippery elm is a supplement that has been historically used to treat digestive disorders, including Crohn’s disease.
The Healing Arts For Crohn’s Disease
Massage, in addition to providing relaxation and stress reduction, can improve digestive health by boosting the metabolism. The subtle, strengthening movements of yoga provide massage to the internal organs, which can help promote proper digestion and ease pain. Acupuncture is an ancient healing art that uses tiny, hollow needles placed on certain points on the body to promote the rebalancing of vital life force energy, or ‘chi’. Reiki is another form of energy healing that is ‘hands-on’ and focuses on healing and rebalancing chi.
Crohn’s disease can be a debilitating autoimmune disease. These natural remedies should bring relief and lessen or eliminate your need for drugs or surgery.
Sources: Internet research on various natural health/holistic websites.
