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Spinach and Sunflower Seeds, Part 5

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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 12/24/2008 12:08 AM (GMT 0)
Cfromutah.... am I doing this right? Seems like from me rereading this forum thread that you are the one who "discovered" or brought this to our attention. I eat a can a spinach a day (eww), A couple handfulls of sundflowers seeds ( i get the all ready shelled ones )(and chew real good ) I also eat a couple handfulls of raw baby carrots a day? I hope I'm doing this right. Am on day two now, tommorrow is day three. Other than that I eat a LOw reidue diet mostly. Tonight... ground venison, canned potat. and brown rice. I have the occassional Heineken. ( which with being the holidays is tonight) LOL. Was told if symptoms weren't ALOT better by mid Jan the doc wanted to talk about Remicade. This scares me. Would rather handle this diet wise. When this flare started I was at 10 to 15 bms a day. With meds and eating gluten free I am down to 2-5 a day. But have been holding here for a long time. ANy advice?
Posted 12/24/2008 12:25 AM (GMT 0)
You can take your newly bought bag o carrots and shred them up, put them if freezer bag and freeze them and just add them to stuff at will. Makes it easy. Alot of things you really won't taste the carrot but you still get the benefits.
Posted 12/24/2008 3:18 AM (GMT 0)
unclebubba, your eating plenty of spinach and carrots so your doing that right, though If I was in a flare and desperate to get better quick I would eat more than two handfuls of deshelled sunflower seeds a day for a while till I got better. I would eat between 4 to 7 handfuls a day and would also eat other nuts often such as peanuts, almonds, walnuts, cashews, etc., or nut butters if nuts are not tolerated. The canned spinach that tastes the best to me is Allan's (popeye) brand that I bought from walmart and target but I think walmart puts their great value label on that brand now. Just wanted to mention this because it sounds like your having a hard time eating the spinach and maybe you will like this brand too.
Posted 12/24/2008 2:05 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks Cfromutah... will be stepping up the sunflowerseeds today. Also headin for walmart so I will try the spinach from there. May also add the carrots.
Posted 12/25/2008 12:14 AM (GMT 0)
if your eating a full can of spinach a day your getting plenty of beta carotene from that so the carrots probably aren't necessary. But a lot of people cant handle a full can a day so its a good idea for some of them to eat carrots too. Its definitely a good idea to step up the amount of sunflower seeds though.

Post Edited (Cfromutah) : 12/24/2008 9:01:46 PM (GMT-7)

Posted 12/25/2008 5:07 AM (GMT 0)
Ok, so I am new to hearing about this spinach and sunflower thing. (Sorry been busy with pregnancy and then a newborn, so no time for HW). Have there been any studies done about the magnesium/beta-carotene help or was this just brought on by one person's experiences? What's interesting is I had cooked carrots, spinach and bok choy last night and have only had 3 BMs today with a lot less blood then over the last 4 weeks. I attributed it to the meds finally working, but hmmm...interesting.

Also, I have to take 1200 mg of calcium(breastfeeding) which of course contains magnesium. Do you think I'm getting too mugh magnesium which could be keeping me in my flare?? I wonder if I can find a calcium pill without it.

This is a very interesting topic. Thanks for sharing.
Posted 12/25/2008 6:02 AM (GMT 0)
There's no studies on it but there are studies that prove beta carotene improves cell to cell communication and magnesium is critical for cell communication. I think that's probably why it works. When magnesium and beta carotene are out of balance the cells are not communicating properly and they are mistaking the colon for something that should not be there and attack it. but with the cells communicating properly with the help of beta carotene and magnesium things work as they should.

Post Edited (Cfromutah) : 12/24/2008 11:06:52 PM (GMT-7)

Posted 12/25/2008 11:51 PM (GMT 0)
FOUR DAYS on this diet... and I don't want to start hollerin yet but.... Only two BM's today. Alot of gas... maybe from the extra green I haven't been eatin... or maybe from the holiday goodies I have been eatin. Have ate my sunflower seeds and carrots religiously. Have also choked down my can of spinach a day religiously. WOW. First time since last Nov. ( except for day of colonoscopy ). Truly hope I don't jinkx this by talkin about it but am so excited. Thanx Cfromutah, even if i jinx it or regress it has given me a wonderful last two days for the holidays.
Posted 12/26/2008 12:48 AM (GMT 0)
been eating a lot of sunflower seeds.....and spinach....so far not so bad....symptoms are improving but i am also on 40mg pred....i will really see how things are going when i start tapering pred...
Posted 12/26/2008 1:00 AM (GMT 0)
was on 40 mg of pred for ten days, then 30 mg of pred for the last 30 days. Before that all sorts of different tepering doses. Nothing was working. TOday was first day of tapering to 25 ( for ten days ) then talk to doc. Doc said he wanted me to start tapering now because in middle of Jan when I saw him if thinkgs weren't better he wanted me off pred so we could talk remicade. Am truly hopin to void that. One of the reasons I'm so excited this might be working.
Posted 12/27/2008 12:53 AM (GMT 0)
Cfromutah,

Please don't disappear- I'm in the worst flare ever and after reading a lot of this thread, I went out and bought spinach and sunflower seeds today. I'll follow your instructions and hope for the very best. I may have questions so I hope you'll be around! Will let you know how it goes. Thank you for all the time you've put into this and for making the decision to share with everyone. If even one single person is helped...you should feel exceptionally proud!!

Eliza

Diagnosed at 18
Now 43 -past 6 years in remission and now in the worst flare ever
4 Salofalk
1 6MP
Metamucil
Posted 12/27/2008 1:11 AM (GMT 0)
Oh brother- sorry for the repetition- I thought my first message got lost so I re-wrote!! I'm fairly new to this!

Eliza
Posted 12/27/2008 2:55 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Eliza, I will be happy to answer any questions that you have. I hope you get well soon!

Posted 12/28/2008 5:22 PM (GMT 0)
Cfromutah,

I seem to be bouncing between getting better, and flaring....I am eating cooked spinach, cooked carrots everyday, and also several tablespoons of sunbutter. Drink lots of water, no junk food, lots of rice, and baked chicken, turkey sandwiches..Maybe a few butter cookies here and there 
(my weakness,lol) A few weeks ago, I was having formed stools twice a day, and now, there is a lot of mucus first thing in the morning, and diarrhea.. What am I doing wrong? Any suggestions? 

Posted 12/28/2008 6:02 PM (GMT 0)
You may not be doing anything wrong...if spinach and sunflower seeds put everyone into remission it would be nothing short of a miracle.
The good news is it seems to be helping some folks' symptoms but we'll never know for sure until its studied in a controlled enviornment.

I'm always amazed about how well my symptoms get right after I'm told by a GI doc that my UC is getting better or its mild etc etc or if I'm not stressed so much...I think even the power of positive thought helps. This disease is caused by a brian gut malfunction and the brian has just as much to do with it as the gut if not more.

Keep positive and know that if all else fails we are blessed (by not having CD) that we can be cured by surgery. : )

Posted 12/28/2008 6:15 PM (GMT 0)

Angievirsep93, email me and we will talk about this. I will help you figure it out. And after we figure it out we can come back on this forum and let people know what worked and hopefully help others. I honestly think I can help get you in remission because with myself I have complete control of this disease, I can cause myself to start to have UC symptoms or cause myself to be in completely symptom free remission at will by altering nutrients.


Post Edited (Cfromutah) : 12/28/2008 1:21:17 PM (GMT-7)

Posted 12/29/2008 5:34 AM (GMT 0)
I am totally there with you BBC. If I am in a bad flare and go get my bloodwork done and my GI says it all looks fine and then reminds me that my UC is not severe and that I will likely never have to move off the 5-ASA drugs onto something stronger my flare gets better the very next day. Amazing!
Posted 12/29/2008 5:43 PM (GMT 0)
Okay... An update. Am on day eight of this diet. I really believe it is helping. I had a little set back over christmas, due to me having the celebratory beers. But now that thats over I am seeing improvement again. Won't be makin that mistake again anytime soon. Not that I won't have the occassional beer, but have learned now to keep it to moderation. I have found that If I cook this spinach with a little vinegar, but and salt and pepper I can eat it. Still don't like it. But hey if it keeps helping. And it does make interesting Poo in the mornings. LOL
Posted 12/29/2008 9:00 PM (GMT 0)
Indeed Jen, the power of the mind : ) Today I had pretty bad spasms after my morning BM and I had an appt I could not cancel, but I noticed half way through my meeting the pain went away and returned only when I dwelled on it and my lovely UC.

I have been uping my carrot intake as well as my sun/almond butters and try to eat kale/spinach when I can.

Thanks

bbc

*Jen* said...
I am totally there with you BBC. If I am in a bad flare and go get my bloodwork done and my GI says it all looks fine and then reminds me that my UC is not severe and that I will likely never have to move off the 5-ASA drugs onto something stronger my flare gets better the very next day. Amazing!


Posted 12/30/2008 10:41 PM (GMT 0)
I wasn't going to Update my "case" on this thread for a couple more days but had a significant development today. Even the girl friend ( we live together) commented on how my symptoms had lessoned since I started eating the spinach a day and sunflower seeds. She's supportive but thinks I spend to much time researchin this online. For her to admit that an online idea is showing results is a big step. Even though she admits most of the ones I talk about to her make sense. Just an update....
Thanks Cfromutah.... hopefully this will continue working.
Posted 12/31/2008 2:09 PM (GMT 0)
I wonder if eating oatmeal in addition to the spinach, seeds, carrots will also help those trying this.  I read back a few posts that CfromUtah eats oatmeal for breakfast and I do as well.  I eat a package of instant oatmeal with a tablespoon of peanut butter mixed in every weekday morning.  Not sure if its just coincidence or if there is also something to that.

Posted 12/31/2008 2:12 PM (GMT 0)
Am not really a fan of oatmeal, but have ate it about 3 times a week for years for cholesterol. Still eatin in about the same amount. Quick oats with a little cinnamon or a little maple sryup in it. Occasionally cut up an apple for it.
Posted 1/5/2009 2:46 AM (GMT 0)
hope everyone is doing well. just wanted to give an update. i've been on this diet for about two months and have gone down from 8-10 poops a day with blood to 1-2 poops a day with no blood. lately i've been eating a can of spinach every few days, have about 3 tbsp of sunbutter a day, and drink a glass or two of carrot juice every day as well. i'm thinking about tapering my colazal at the end of the month. i really hope other people suffering from uc come across this and give it a try and i hope those who are trying this don't give up and see some results. hope this new year treats you all well and thanks again for everything cfromutah! -- rich  

Posted 1/5/2009 4:13 AM (GMT 0)

Hi All,

Just wanted to post an update.  I've been doing this diet since 9/31/08, and I am now off all meds - just treating with this diet and low-residue diet.  I am nearly in remission, but I keep having little blips here and there.  Not nearly enough to require meds, but I'm just not total remission.  Anyways, I though I was doing well enough to go off the low-residue part of my diet, so I started using corn tortillas on my spinach quesadillas for a few days (instead of flour tortillas).  Big mistake.  I started having lots of gurgling and gas (of the very stinky variety), and then today I started having some painful diarrhea.  Needless to say, no more corn tortillas - or any corn for that matter - for me. 

I have a feeling high residue foods will always be an issue for me now (just as milk is).  Oh well.  Compared to what I was going through before this diet, I can handle some minor food avoidances.

Hope the rest of you are starting this new year with good health and happiness.  :-)

EDIT:  I'm off Zoloft - I don't know why my sig didn't update...


Posted 1/5/2009 5:02 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Katie,
I think if you reduce your calcium intake it will
make a huge difference. I think I read that you make spinach quesadillas with cheese? Ingesting too much calcium will counteract the benefit of the added magnesium that you are getting with this diet. I have experimented with the calcium magnesium balance quite a bit and I can tell you that ingesting too much calcium will cause problems for sure when your magnesium levels are not quite high enough. I would almost bet money thats whats holding you back from remission.

Post Edited (Cfromutah) : 1/4/2009 10:07:43 PM (GMT-7)

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