Thoughts on Chicken Soup/Broth

Hi,

Currently experiencing a mild, antibiotic-induced flare-up for the first time since 2013. I'm currently on 2.4g Mezavant XL and 8-week infusions of Infliximab. I came off Imuran in January.

I'm interested to hear people's experience with homemade chicken soup. I can't believe the difference after eating it. It seems to almost control my inflammation. I felt much better last week and thought I was back under control and so I stopped the soup.. Then the D started again. Today, I made the soup again and I feel almost better again! My symptoms are D 4-6 times per day with mucus - no blood (yet!). I use chicken legs and part-boned chicken breasts, olive oil, turmeric, carrots, celery and onion. (I don't eat the celery and onion!) Has anyone else found this to be as helpful as I have? I'm also taking l-glutamine powder and two types of probiotic!

During the worst of my flares chicken broth and later soup were about the only foods that I could tolerate. I have seen dozens of other IBDers post similar results, that chicken broth is one of the safest foods to eat during a flare.

Then I found this about chicken and inflammation:

www.lef.org/magazine/mag2013/oct2013_Novel-Mechanism-Protects-Against-Arthritis_01.htm
UC-II was discovered when a team of scientists at the University of Nebraska found that chicken soup prevented the mobilization of immune system cells to sites of inflammation. Upon further analysis, they discovered that it was not vegetables, but a component of the chicken broth itself that exerted this anti-inflammatory activity.

The researchers showed that chicken-derived type II collagen functions to regulate the immune system so that it stops attacking proteins normally found in healthy joint cartilage.

Yup for a while it was the only thing I could consume and my gut felt immediately soothed upon drinking it. I have reason to believe it's the Gelatin in the broth from the disintegrated animal bones. They've also done recent clinic studies combining gelatin with an acid that promotes gastrointestinal mucosal healing so there must be some truth to it. Reminds me that I should be making it more often even if in remission.

the traditional Polish broth is cooked with carrots, parsleys (roots) and celeries roots (i don't know if these vegetables are used in your cuisine, but they are very healthy for uc). After cooking broth for many hours, i take out the vegetables, mash them and add cooked rice and mix everything well. I form vegetable-rice balls and put them on a steamer for 5 min

Lol yeah that's why it's in quotations, because I realize vegan is a lifestyle and I don't qualify as one- but for one week straight I might go on a vegan based diet to help my gut out a bit. I tried full out veganism for 2 years before UC, but had a "survival" experience/epiphany in Africa and went back to eating organic raised meats occasionally. Might look into Vegetable collagen though now that you've mentioned it.