I know in the pursuit of a cure it’s easy to get caught up in the promises of cure-all treatments and miracle supplements. A lot of them have stories of people miraculously cured by taking some kind of fruit juice or supplement. They may be posted on some poorly made website or on earthclinic and while some may be perfectly save (like Apple Cider Vinegar) others can have potentially dangerous side effects so it’s important you do your research before trying anything! In my search for a cure I’ve tried a few holistic remedies and so far NONE of them had any effect on my ability to tolerate foods, my Crohn’s symptoms have been 100% dependent on what I eat and no amount of enzymes or probiotics have been able to fix that. This may not be the case for everyone, and I’m not trying to dissuade you from trying things, but to understand that these are PRODUCTS a company is trying to make money with, they are going to make outlandish claims to try to take advantage of your situation.
One of these products is Nopalea.
It claims to be a fruit juice made with cactus fruit. The truth is that it’s a slurry of various common store bought fruits with SOME cactus juice mixed in. It also contains Maltodextrin which has been linked to rapid overgrowth of E.Coli in Crohn’s patients and thus symptoms of flare ups. The stuff weighs in at $25 a bottle, and one bottle is supposed to last about a week, so that’s $100 in juice a month. I’ve tried it and it did nothing.
Master Mineral Solution
(Miracle Mineral Solution, and some similar names) is effectively nothing more than low dose poison, it’s like using chemotherapy to treat Crohn’s. If what we believe is the cause of Crohn’s is true (harmful bacterial overgrowth in the intestines) then it might explain why some people claim this product has relieved their symptoms, but at what cost? Are we still chopping off hands to treat infections? From the Wikipedia: “The product contains essentially the same ingredient as industrial-strength bleach before “activation” with a food-grade acid” “MMS is falsely and dangerously promoted as a cure for HIV, malaria, hepatitis viruses, the H1N1 flu virus, common colds, autism, acne, cancer, and more.” “When citric acid or other food acid is used to “activate” MMS as described in its instructions,[7] the mixture produces an aqueous solution containing chlorine dioxide, a toxin and a potent oxidizing agent used in the treatment of water and in bleaching.” There’s more details in the Wiki but I’m not really sure why you wouldn’t be convinced at his point.
Colloidal Silver.
I only recently found out the negative effects of this. The product is pushed as an antibiotic remedy, but in truth it’s only been loosely proven to be effective at anything. The FDA has been making brands strip claims that it has any health benefits off the label, because as of yet they are all unproven. What we DO know is it’s linked to permanent blue discoloration of the skin, and malabsorption of vitamins that Crohn’s patients already struggle with.
Aloe Vera Juice.
It’s possible that oral ingestion of Aloe Vera is carcinogenic, studies have only been done on laboratory animals and are thus far inconclusive. There may be some benefit to Crohn’s and Colitis sufferers in supplementing this. I wouldn’t go out of my way to expressly forbid it, but it’s recommended you cycle this supplement and take as directed on the bottle. It may cause worsening of symptoms for Crohn’s patients as it is a diuretic.
Pau D’arco.
There’s insufficient evidence to prove that it works, and it may be unsafe to consume. Some Crohn’s patients claim it has improved their symptoms. It’s not a well understood supplement, take at your own risk. “Pau d’arco may affect the blood’s ability to clot, and could interfere with any blood thinning drugs you are taking”
Remedies that work for some people I would consider safe:
– Probiotic therapy.
Though this area is still poorly understood many people report great benefits from supplementing with probiotics or home made fermented foods like sauerkraut, kefir and kombucha. Be warned, however, that many with IBD also have SIBO and this can include Candida and other overgrowths. Some may respond negatively to ingesting fermented foods.
– Apple Cider Vinegar.
I’m still not sure exactly what this does but a lot of people treat it as a cure all. I haven’t seen any reason to believe it’s unsafe, so go ahead and give it a try, just remember to drink it through a straw to avoid damaging your tooth enamel. Similar to probiotics, some may have negative reactions to vinegars.
– Baking Soda.
Often goes hand in hand with ACV, I’m not sure what it’s actually supposed to do, but it’s fairly safe. Because it reduces the acidity of the stomach it’s not recommended to take this before or shortly after eating, or taking other medications that may rely on the acidity of the stomach to break down. It’s believed that baking soda may also have a calming effect to those with salycitate sensitivities because it bonds with the salicylic acid and neutralizes it.
– Digestive Enzymes.
Mileage on these may vary. Try finding out the foods you have trouble with and buying the analogous enzyme to digest it. After my research I’m a big fan of what’s in NOW Foods Super Enzymes. It contains a good balance of plant enzymes and pancreatin to break down things that Crohn’s patients will often struggle to digest. Take these with meals and see what happens. If you prefer a natural approach some fruits like papaya and pineapple contain natural enzymes.
– Cat’s Claw Extract.
Another herbal remedy with little literature but a lot of anecdotal support. Cat’s claw is an immune booster and has been reported by Crohn’s patients to help their symptoms. Consult with your doctor about drug interactions.
beyond the odds fitness 