HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

Articles - cures by fasting? comments please

Support Forums
>
Ulcerative Colitis
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 6/10/2009 12:15 PM (GMT 0)
I've been very interested in some articles I've read recently

this one http://women.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/women/body_and_soul/article1650852.ece describes a woman who underwent a 71/2 week fast - 2weeks friut only, 1 week veg juice only, 41/2 weeks on nothing but water.

I have spoke to her (she is in the UK) and from my own symptoms / drugs used etc can say she is as genuine as they come. Also she has nothing to gain from more people doing this and/or using the therapist who supervised her through it. She has been symptom free for 3 years and eats anything she wants, she was facing surgery before the fast that's what forced her to look else where than the NHS (doctors).

This guy http://www.geocities.com/fastinguc/ posted a book online - for free to help other UC sufferers, as he was cured (or in remission for 10+ years) after a 6 week water fast.

The woman above first read a book by David Klein in which he described how he cured himself and has been symptom free for 23 years though of course he has a $$$ motive in this however it is still a bit of evidence. (I've ordered teh book but not read it yet)

I've read pubmed articles on how the levels of bacteria drop after a few days or a week (can't remember which) and it makes sense perhaps that with many weeks with no food bacteria and parasites may die off completely. There is plenty of evidence pointing to bacteria as a factor in UC e.g. mice cannot develop UC if kept in a sterile environment. Additionally leaky gut or increased permeability seems linked with UC and a long period of rest may give the gut a chance to heal fully. (I'm only guessing here)

Any comments? This seems to have  scientific and practical evidence why it may work and i'm very keen. Obviously it needs medical supervision and I guess there's a risk associated with doing it but i think this would be small with correct supervision. The big problem is money - not so much of a problem but a lot of cash for supervision while you do it and the time off work - at least 5 weeks maybe quite a bit more? I'm already imagining what it may be like to be better.....

 

Posted 6/10/2009 1:21 PM (GMT 0)
Eliminating food for a period of time is a common approach in Scandanavia when treating refractive UC. I think you will see that for some it helps and others it doesn't. My GI tried this approach on me in the hospital, fluids and no food for 9 days. The bowel rest helped me physically but overall did not gain me remission. I know others who have gone as far as TPN and seen no results. However, for some this approach does work. There seems to be no one approach to treating UC that helps all but that doesn't mean you shouldn't try. As for David Klein, I think he's like everyone else out there trying to sell a cure. I'm not sure I even believe he was ever diagnosed with UC and there is no way we will ever know that. Again, if you believe what he's pitching, go for it. I tried everything to save my colon, and I tried a lot of weird things, but I never found the magic cure.

Sue
Posted 6/10/2009 1:58 PM (GMT 0)
Bowel rest can certainly be helpful, although you can get bowel rest with a predigested liquid diet and will still be able to get the nutrients you need. I'd be wary of a long fast, particularly for sufferers that are already underweight and malnutritioned.

You can also accomplish the same bacteria/fungus/viral die off through use of antimicrobial/antifungal/antiviral substances combined with reintroduction of probiotics. So, basically, the two big benefits you've listed for fasting can be achieved in other, safer ways.
Posted 6/10/2009 1:59 PM (GMT 0)
     I tend to agree with Sue.  I was hospitalized last year and fed through and IV for ten days.  After that I was on a very rigid low residue diet.  I am NOT cured.  As a matter of fact I am now flaring.  Everyone is different.  Some people have a bout with UC and it never returns, others, like most of us in here are unfortunate enough that it keeps coming back.
Posted 6/10/2009 3:46 PM (GMT 0)
i fast every 15th day(for reason other than UC) ... i eat only fruits and that too not much. And the next day i get a slight flare up! My fast interferes with my healing....but the symptoms increase only for a day or two.
Posted 6/10/2009 9:55 PM (GMT 0)
Hmmm interesting.

Fasting like this requires a lot of time any money investment so not something to easily try. I have fasted before for a short period 5 days and was helped a lot though certainly not cured.

I'm not sure about the anti-viral antibiotics though - doesn't heli-pylori require 3 specific drugs to be taken in order, if UC has a similar pathogen I think the chance of picking the right 1,2,3,4,5,6... anti virals and/or anti biotics and taking in the right order are very slim...

Does anyone know of any-one who has fasted or was on TPN for 2 weeks or more, the 2 cases I mentioned (and only ones I know) have a water fast period 4.5 to 6 weeks.

thanks for the input
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply