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Posted 1/11/2017 10:03 PM (GMT 0)
Hi All, Visiting back after some time to share my experience. Just over 2 years back I started on two things 1. Freeze a lemon and every morning take a spoonful (or 2) of shredded frozen lemon (peal and all) with a glass of warm water on the empty stomach. 2. One spoonful of extra virgin coconut oil (Costco) right after the lemon. I also take one 400mg Folic Acid and 6000 IU vitamin D twice a day. And no processed food, no soda. Other than that no restrictions (I even eat spicy tacos from taco trucks on regular basis). In the beginning, I went heavy on coconut (eating dry coconut for snacks...) but eventually eased to the normal level. I have not had any UC symptoms since I started this.

I totally understand that I am not cured, just the symptoms are gone. Also understand that this is what worked for me. Not necessarily will work for everyone. Just wanted to share my experience. I did get stomach flu a couple of times during this interval (and a few episodes of upset stomach), just like any non-UC person, but so far nothing has triggered a flare.

Has anyone else tried these two things? In a couple of months since I started, I could tell that not just my symptoms were gone, but my gut has healed. I started adding stuff back to my diet (I was going Paleo till then). Since then life is back to normal. I even went to Europe last summer with the family and was fine travelling through Transylvania in a car whole days at a time driving through mountains.
Posted 1/12/2017 12:09 AM (GMT 0)
Glad you're doing well. Thanks for sharing what worked for you.
Posted 1/12/2017 11:46 AM (GMT 0)
Glad to hear this has worked so well for you. Can I ask where you got the idea of shredded frozen lemon? (Have heard of the coconut oil before).
Posted 1/12/2017 2:01 PM (GMT 0)
Very happy to know that you've been able to manage your UC symptoms. I've also been successful through diet/lifestyle changes in finding a balance that has allowed me continual remission so far. My diet is probably more strict than yours, but I do indulge in a trigger food every now and then- which is immediately followed by a one day liquid fast or intake of fermented foods and supplements. If I let myself go and let's say eat Indian food for 3 days straight, I'll find myself hurtling back down flare lane.

Freezing lemon idea is interesting, never tried it but I do juice lemon/ginger/turmeric and drink as shots whenever I am detoxing/fasting. Coconut oil gets put in almost everything I cook/bake as well.
Posted 1/12/2017 2:27 PM (GMT 0)
@SMfromCA and @Natof9- Good to know that you are doing fine with diet. I do take warm lemon water first thing in morning. I heard it helps liver as I have fatty liver but don't think it helps with UC but I am also on 6mp so can not tell.

Can you tell me how bad your UC was when you started this? Also are you on any medication?

Wish you continue on your remission.
Posted 1/12/2017 6:51 PM (GMT 0)
I was taking Humira shots every two weeks and still having symptome. I know I was inching towards the inevitable surgery. That's when I switched to Paleo. That changed things in a hurry. With in a month I stopped Humira. I still had lingering symptomes. That's when I came across an article that talked about lemon balancing the PH, and another one that talked about the skin of lemon being more beneficial than the juice itself. I had nothing to lose, and both lemon and coconut are regular food items so no risk involved, so I gave it a shot. In couple of weeks I could feel the difference (at the same time when I was finding it hard to stay strict on Paleo). The symptoms went away and in a couple of months, I could tell that my gut was healed. I am down to one Lialda since then. My GI insists I should stay on maintenance dose. I do eat kimchi as part of my weekend breakfasts, but no other probiotics. I also eat one spoonful of Chyawanprash after the lemon, but don't know if it actually does anything towards UC, so didn't mention it earlier.
Posted 1/13/2017 12:49 AM (GMT 0)
Chaywanprash has a lot of Vit C (from the main ingredient Amalaki fruit), as well as adaptogen herbs like Ashwagandha/Shatavari...
It crossed my mind this morning, actually that it could be beneficial.
I wouldn't be surprised if it helps some.
Posted 1/13/2017 8:13 PM (GMT 0)
Yeah. I am sure it does help some. It does build immune system.
Posted 8/5/2017 2:11 PM (GMT 0)

SMfromCA said...
Yeah. I am sure it does help some. It does build immune system.

Hi SMfromCA,

I ran into your post researching ashwagandha as an immune tonic. How are your results with this protocol going? still good?

I am also wondering if your stellar results were not due (at least in part) to the high daily intake of vitamin D. I have been reading about the immune healing aspects of this lately and am very curious to know more.

Are you still taking such a high dose? were you low on it at one point and determined you needed a higher intake? are you having your levels checked every 3-4 months?

Thanks ......sorry I am a question machine !

This is an article/conversation you may find interesting :

http://www.crohnsforum.com/showthread.php?t=48140
Posted 8/5/2017 3:57 PM (GMT 0)
I don't get it, so OP was using the whole frozen lemon? Meaning majority of the time he was getting mainly the fleshy inside rather than the lemon peel.
Posted 8/6/2017 3:42 AM (GMT 0)
Hi MarjieKay,

I have cut down the vitamin D to 1000IU twice a day. I do not check it regularly. In fact I don't remember the last time I checked it. I read an article about it and decided to give it a try. At that point I was ready to try anything. I do believe it helped
@brucen36, That is right. Shredding the frozen lemon causes the peel, flesh as well as the frozen juice all to be shredded together.
Posted 8/6/2017 12:04 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks, SMfrom CA.......that's my plan also. Once in the safe range I'll reduce my dosage of D3 into a much lower maintenance one.

I'll have to dig around about your lemon strategy. Maybe it alters the PH of your stomach acid or otherwise aids in the digestion process? or the specific antioxidant affects target the balance you are in need of?

If this disease weren't so frustrating it'd be fascinating to try and solve the mysteries within it. I end up creating 10 questions every time I research ONE.

Continued healing to you smile
Posted 8/6/2017 4:10 PM (GMT 0)

SMfromCA said...
Hi MarjieKay,

I have cut down the vitamin D to 1000IU twice a day. I do not check it regularly. In fact I don't remember the last time I checked it. I read an article about it and decided to give it a try. At that point I was ready to try anything. I do believe it helped
@brucen36, That is right. Shredding the frozen lemon causes the peel, flesh as well as the frozen juice all to be shredded together.

Thanks. Can I ask how you shred the lemon? Just move it back and forth on a cheese grater?
Posted 8/7/2017 1:29 AM (GMT 0)
MarjieKay, you are right about the lemon. Based on what I read, it balances out the PH. Lemon becomes alkaline inside the stomach. It probably was the last piece of the healing puzzle for me, as was also doing strict paleo. It was a complete risk free thing so a no-brainer for me to try it.

The combination of lemon (with warm water) and the spoonful of coconut oil healed my gut well. I now eat everything except processed food (commercially processed packaged food) and sodas. Over the past year, I have been eating more spicy foods. I read some articles about the anti inflammatory properties of capsaicin and it works well with me. But this may not work for everyone. I also drink a glass of buttermilk most nights after dinner. Helps me a lot in managing the heat.

Asking questions is great. I have had only good results from asking questions. When one answer leads to ten more questions, you are doing it right smile.
Posted 8/7/2017 1:33 AM (GMT 0)
Bruce 360, yes. Basically that is it. I have the standing grator (the tower shaped). Works real well.
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