Relief from Chron's/Ileitus through a Plant-Based Diet and No Medications

Inspired by Jordan Rubin's, "Patient Heal Thyself,"I have been virtually symptom-free.  Although Jordan Rubin does not follow a completely plant-based diet, the book gave me the desire to discover the power that we all have to heal ourselves. Since I've been in remission since December of 2010, I decided to stop taking my asacol and  expensive vitamens and herbs.  I found that by simply consuming plant-based organic foods and whole grains and seed/nuts my 'remission' syptoms like canker sores, joint pain, loose stools have vanished. I do experience the occassional joint pain and stiffness in my neck and hips when I consume sugar, coffee or wine, but I'm hopeful that accupuncture will help me with these addictions. It has been a real challenge to completely change my diet but the feeling that I have from doing it  is well worth the sacrifice.  I didn't tell my doctor that I was changing my diet and not taking my Asacol because he always tells me that 'diet has nothing to do with Crohn's,' however when he saw me for a check-up he told me that if he was not my doctor he would have never known that I had Crohn's   ....I guess it's working. 

My first flare lasted two years because I was not going to the right doctors. I started out getting treatment from a primary care physician for diarrhea then I developed nodules around my ankles and experienced excruciating ankle pain and was unable to walk so I went to an orthopaedic surgeon who put me on crutches and injected me with cortisone in my ankles which did not work. I then developed what was thought to be a bartholins cyst and hemorrhoids but was actually an abcessed fistula and I was then referred to a colon and rectal doctor who diagnosed me with Crohn's.  I was glad to have a diagnosis after suffering with many symptoms and after a cylce of Prednisione to get the disease under control I began taking Asacol.  I was in remission for about 8 years taking asacol from time to time and natural herbs like; probiotics, fish oil, MSM for for joint pain and an iron pills. This helped but I ended up with a flare in 2009 which I believe can be attributed to work-related stress.  I was again put on prednisone and shortly thereafter asacol again.  I realized that I was spending just as much money on natural medications than I was on conventional medications that I decided to eliminate the conventional medication (asacol) completely and switched to a plant-based diet and consume the natural meds in moderation.  I currently take a whole foods probiotic, flax seed oil, and my own personal green drink that includes; aloe vera juice, spirulina, chlorella and organic apple juice.  I also juice fruits and veggies 2 times per day.

My daughter was on a vegetarian organic whole grain whole food based diet from birth and ended up with pancolitis at an early age. I really do NOT believe this is a solution for most people (based on what science does this diet put IBD in remission?) I can understand the science between the scd but not this?

You say you've been in remission since December 2010. That's about a month which I think is a little short to use as a reliable criterion for making general statements about undisputed merits of a given approach. Also, I'm afraid I have to agree with others about taking your medicine and if there are side effects to it you can always talk to your GI about readjusting the dose or switching to a different form of release of your drug.

All being said, I'm very happy for you and hope your remission lasts for a long long time.

Take care

kudos avocado29. i got into remission by using the makers diet and had a chance to meet jordan rubin, who did some health coaching for me for a few months. it got me to where i am today - med free for 3 years with no symptoms. and i was looking at a colectomy like jordan rubin was before i started the diet.

statistically speaking, from doctors mind you, in crohn's 5-ASA drugs like asacol are really no better than a placebo. i do not doubt that they actually help some, but i took them all and never improved, so that statement from researchers makes sense to me.

it is a crohnic disease, so just cos you are doing well doesnt mean you're set for life. you have to monitor and be diligent. when things get bad for me i ratchet my diet back to phase 1 makers for however long necessary, do some fasting, and even incorporate more SCD principles.

i believe supplements work and are an aid, if you know the right ones to get and know what your body needs.

since you having good success so far with diet, i suggest you look into getting a naturopathic doctor, if you havent done so already.

acid forming foods are not bad for you. you just dont want to over do it with grain based sugars, processed foods, synthetics, etc. if you doing well on a vegetarian diet, then stick with it, just be mindful of getting complete proteins through proper food combining.

i find myself doing well on limited grain based foods, but eating meat and also dairy on occasion. i eat organic and make as much of my own food as i can, even my own yogurt and do my own baking so i can control the ingredients. i find myself healthier for doing so.

anyhoo, glad to hear the good news and that some one else has found success through dietary means.