DON'T GIVE UP HOPE! The answer is all around you

Let me first start off by giving a bit of a background on myself:

34 yr old Male, diagnosed with U/C in September 2001. Left Sided colitis with flares occuring every 14 months or so, lasting for about 2 months each occurrence. This pattern is pretty consistent but it's been almost 3 years since my last flare and I've been feeling great.

 

My general feeling of well being and lack of flare (knock on wood) has arrived in direct correlation with a lifestyle change. I have been studying the link between diet and disease after reading many books, speaking with wellness coaches, attending seminars, even some M.D's

 

I am not a medical doctor nor do I give medical advice but I believe that my switch to a majority plant based/vegetarian diet with daily vegetable juicing has helped my condition vastly. From what I gathered through my research, I believe that the SAD (Standard American Diet) is the main culprit to the expression of the U/C genes that each of us has/inherited through family. The excessive meat consumption, processed DEAD foods, pastas and the like are the main cause of inflammation which leads to U/C and about 70% of all other diseases. It is our LIFESTYLES that are causing the inflammation! And it is this inflammation that is responsible for almost all autoimmune diseases. For those in this particular forum, our genetic susceptibility lies in our colon.

 

It is quite a shame that there have been almost no studies on the link between diet and UC, while thousands of clinical trials for possible UC treatments via MEDICATION have been completed. WHY? Because no one makes money if the solution is in what we eat and how we live our lives. The CCFA and other UC websites even recommend to stay away from fruits and vegetables! Big Pharma sponsors all trials. Now don't get me wrong, I believe that there is a place for these medications to keep a flare under control but they do nothing to treat the root cause of inflammation and are considered band aid medications. 

 

I urge everyone to take control of their own health and not rely on what is simply told to you by doctors. These physicians are not at fault as they're course of study during medical school involves litle to no study on nutrition. Prescribing drugs is ingrained from the onset.

 

Eat fresh fruits and vegetables, juice frits and vegetables, EXCERCISE, and go outside and soak in some sunlight for that all important Vitamin D. Isn't it interesting that this disease is more prevalent in Northern countries that are more advanced?

 

I have so much more to say but I'll keep it within six paragraphs for now.

 

"Let food be thy medicine"  Hippocrates

 

 

 

On the same thing man. Feeling better than ever, though I don't subscribe to the raw lifestyle. You are 100% right about pastas. I love them, but I absolutely can't go near them.

My diet is primarily fresh fruit. I was getting 25 miles per week in of hiking/walking. I had a very clean and processed foods-free diet. My UC, which had been in remission for 10 years, reared it's ugly head and I ended up in surgery; this was after maintaining my same diet.

I think your advice is good, eating right and exercise should be a foundation for all, UC or not. But sometimes no matter what we UCers do lose the battle. Frankly I'm glad to be done with UC so I feel like I won, not lost.

Sue

There's a mother on this board whose young daughter has UC. She ate a vegetarian diet, and still got this darn disease at a very young age. I do believe that diet helps many, but it isn't the key for everyone.

I haven't noticed any definite link between diet and my particular case of UC.

I ate SCD diet for months during my longest, most life altering flare and I didn't improve even a little. I barely ate anything and I still had UC symptoms that were not improving. Now I am in remission and I eat whatever I want. I still eat healthy but in no way SCD. I even eat candy and dairy.

Like several earlier posters I was a very healthy vegetarian who exercised, played sports and ate very little processed food. And yet I still got UC.

We're glad you're doing better but your way to remission will not work for everyone. I wish it did because I'm a huge fan of veggies and fruits. UC made me eat meat because my it is something my colon can handle. I do agree about not eating pasta, going gluten-free (also grain-free for me) was the start of my remission.

If I eat too much processed food I just eat salmon and filet mignon and I am right as rain again. Meat works for me but I also eat a lot of carbs and do fine with that as long as they are not heavily processed. Eating food you could only get hundreds of years ago always helps me out.

regarding those that do not believe diet has an impact on UC or CD - think about liquid diet that is provided in hospitals for extreme cases of UC/CD (especialy in kids).
while under this kind of diet - the gut will restore to it's normal state. when they are taken of it (since it's an extreame measure) most of the patients are going down the hill again...

Agreed; had been on the SCD diet, the hospital liquid diet, a vegan diet, a vegetarian diet, blah blah blah.......and none of it worked. For those that have success with it, great! But it's just one more of the complexities of UC. There is no standard diet or treatment that works for all and no matter how diligent you are in taking meds, eating right, exercising, etc. 30% of UCers will end up with surgery.

Sue

Actually, Suebear is correct (unfortunately) about that percentage of people requiring surgery for their UC. My surgeon told me it's around 25-30% of patients end up in surgery. Would be nice if it was less than 10% but that isn't accurate. This study was a little higher from the National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse:

"about 25 to 40 percent of ulcerative colitis patients must eventually have their colons removed because of massive bleeding, severe illness, rupture of the colon, or risk of cancer. Sometimes the doctor will recommend removing the colon if medical treatment fails or if the side effects of corticosteroids or other drugs threaten the patient's health."

takecontrol: I think everyone in this forum does what is best for them. What works for one, may not for another. It's not like having a cold, where everyone can just take an aspirin and call it a day.

beatUC, I think you hit the nail on the head with saying "you have to be all the way "well" to get your life on track and many people with UC never get all the way well."

I have been trying for this entire year to get out of a flare and when I do start to feel better, I do try to eat better and exercise, but the fatigue and pain of UC makes being consistent with these activities challenging. It really IS hard to stay upbeat when your body seems like it is working against your mind, but it is good advice. Maybe we need more positive mantras on here or something?

I think the frustration with the posts here has to do with those who are doing everything in their power to stay afloat and just barely making it and then hearing, oh, just try this and it'll get better. That's frustrating and kind of insulting to say the least. There can be an element of blame to attributing UC to lifestyle, as in if you would just take better care of yourself, you wouldn't have this. That, of course is also insulting and frustrating.

BUT I don't think that is takecontrol posted this with that intent at all, he is just sharing what worked for him. I mean, who isn't annoyed that diet and lifestyle isn't taken more into consideration with this disease by our doctors?

beatUC said...
Man, this guy takecontrol comes in here, very positive, with a hopeful message that has much to it and the "debby downers" here just take the wind right out of the sails.
How many of you have actually tried to take more control of your lives with exercise and diet?
I know UC is hard to deal with (believe me I know), but trying to stay positive, eating well and exercising when able to do so is certainly good, sound advice. In my own case, I have avoided surgery and have a good quality of life now after improving my diet, juicing and increasing my physical activities.
Thanks for your story takecontrol and best of luck to all of you.

I don't think anyone is being a "debby downer". I'm glad takecontrol has "his" disease under control. But what works for him may not work for another person.

Sometimes exercise and diet are enough, sometimes it's not. I know if I eat certain fruits or vegetables, I will be in the bathroom.