I Took Control of Crohn’s & Got Off My Meds by Changing My Diet Print 16 LikeDislike By Katie Goldsmith I was always a kid who just loved food. When I was diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease at nine years old, one of the hardest parts was the drastic changes to my diet and lifestyle. I was in the hospital at least four times between the ages of 9-12. Once was for surgery to remove a stricture in my intestines; the other three visits were because my flares had gotten out of control. Drastic measures included nasal nighttime feedings to replace all food, discussions of an esophageal stent, steroids, and additional surgeries (my first one only gave me about five months of remission). Through it all, my family and doctors were wonderful, always encouraging a balance between my health care and my need to feel normal.A few years later, we found ourselves frustrated that my medications weren’t getting us anywhere. My side effects varied on different medications over the years: joint pain, constipation, weight gain, body aches, even hot flashes/overheating due to an inability to sweat in one case. I knew I didn’t want to be on medication for the rest of my life, and “preventative” wasn’t a good enough reason to stay on 8-16 pills per day. More drastic solutions were being proposed. My mother took me out of the hospital and decided we were going to try this on our own. I went on a liquid diet (packed with nutrients) for a month, and my disease instantly calmed down. That was my first experience realizing the power of lifestyle choices and of taking responsibility for your part in your own health care.Against doctor’s orders, I stopped taking my medications about ten years later. My disease was under control, and I’ve managed my Crohn’s with lifestyle choices for the last decade or so. By no means do I recommend anyone simply stop taking their meds or ignore their doctors’ orders, but I wish more would seek alternative solutions and push for a more holistic approach to health care. Whether that means focusing on nutrition or exploring the benefits of Pilates or yoga for joint inflammation, listening to your body is always the first step!Years later, I’m still passionate about food. I love to cook and read every restaurant blog I can get my hands on. I’ve learned to swap in vegetables I’ve found are easier to digest like arugula, sweet peppers, and zucchini, choose lean protein like eggs and fish, and limit my gluten to nutrition-packed multi-grains in small doses. Cooking should celebrate simple, fresh, local, and organic (for me) ingredients; But most importantly, everything in moderation – including moderation! Because sometimes you just need a perfect slice of margherita pizza. Note: PLEASE consult with your doctor before making any changes to your diet or medications. The material on this site is provided for educational purposes only, and is not to be used for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.
Note: PLEASE consult with your doctor before making any changes to your diet or medications. The material on this site is provided for educational purposes only, and is not to be used for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.
Debbie April 13, 2019 at 6:44 pmI am just starting clean eating and less gluten. It’s challenging. I applaud you for your success in controlling your symptoms. One day, I hope to share my success story as well. Reply ↓
Nicole January 3, 2019 at 3:36 pmGreat read…I agree!! I have such a similar story to this, diagnosed with Crohns 17yrs ago. Most recently had a severe stricture removed after my bowel resectioning. I took myself off the heavy meds and now self medicate with interimmitent fasting, diet, excercise, and supplements. I continue to see my GI to stay in check, he encourages my lifestyle, which is refreshing coming from a physician. I feel great..,you have to listen to your body! Reply ↓
7 Simple Food Swaps To Cut Out Sugar and Junk From Your DietDid you know that the average American consumes 130 pounds of sugar per year?! You can probably guess some obvious sources… but you may be surprised to learn that a lot of seemingly “healthy” options are packed with sugar too. You might even be...
Nutritionist Elissa Goodman’s Tips For How To Eat Out AND Stick With a Sugar Free DietEating out can be tricky if you are on the Further Food 10 Day Sugar Detox Plan or just trying to eat healthy and sugar free. However, it is possible! Here, Certified Holistic Nutritionist Elissa Goodman gives her tips on how to eat out on a sugar fr...
5 Health Benefits of Astragalus Explained By A Master HerbalistAstragalus herb is one of the most popular and important medicinal herbs that you may have never heard of! Astragalus comes to us from Traditional Chinese Medicine, where it has been considered to be among the most powerful herbal medicines for mille...
I Said NO to Sugar and YES to Collagen and Then This Happened!When Phyllis signed up for the Further Food Sugar Detox and started taking 2 scoops of collagen protein a day, she couldn’t have known what would happen in the following 3 months. When she first signed up, she could barely walk 10 minutes… but no...
Keto Expert Maria Emmerich on Breaking the Cycle of Sugar AddictionKeto Expert and Nutritionist Maria Emmerich helps people lose weight and transform their health by helping them change their diets and lifestyle. Here Maria writes how sugar can be addictive in the same way as alcohol! Both sugar and alcohol stimulat...
Your brain on sugar. It affects more than you think.It’s no secret that sugar affects our waistlines. We know it’s linked to cavities and diseases like obesity, diabetes, heart disease and cancer. But that’s not all that’s affected by consuming an excess of sweets. Sugar affects brain function...