Crohn's Disease gone with the wind! :-D

[Lovisa]

I've had Crohn's disease since I was 14, for 11 years. Even when I was diagnosed, that young, I was convinced it was diet related. My doctors told me it had nothing to do with diet and there was nothing I could do apart from popping pills, but I didn't give up. I've experimented with most types of diets and got better with some (and worse with some), but without evidence and support I kept falling off the wagon. I've been on horrible drugs such as Prednisone, Imuren and the latest, Mercaptopurine, all of which I hated but I was so sick I couldn't even leave my house, and couldn't afford not to take them. Even on the T-cell suppressors I got sick and had to take corticosteroids for 4-6 weeks at a time to keep it under control. Some of the side effects I got were restlessness, insomnia and depression, weigh gain (leading to more depression) and likely bone loss.

Late last year, my wonderful new partner determined to help me. He did heaps of research and stumbled across Dr. Alan Goldhammer and water-fasting. I thought water-fasting sounded crazy, but I was desperate as I was getting sicker and sicker. I did a 24-day water-fast during my school holidays and spent most of my time researching the plant/starch-based diet, which of course led to here . Since coming of the fast I have been on a 100% starch/plant based diet and guess what? From day 5 of the water-fast I had no more symptoms, and they haven't come back! It's now been 4 weeks since I started eating and I am medication-free, pain-free, healthy, full of energy and as an added bonus, I have a clearer conscience not eating animal products and contributing to animal cruelty and destruction of the environment. My partner has done this entire journey with me (including the water-fast, just for support!) so it has been a lot easier to do the transition and withstanding social pressures. I'm so happy it's hard to express .

I just want to give Dr. McDougall, Dr. Goldhammer, Dr. Esselstyn, Colin Campbell, Dr. Fuhrman and all the rest of the crowd, who've devoted their lives to making people truly healthy, a massive hug and thank you for finally making me realise what I did wrong, and saving my life!

I'd also like to give a very special thank you to Jeff Novick for being such a personal inspiration for me. I'm currently studying a Bachelor of Food and Nutritional Sciences and plan to follow it with a Master of Dietetics. I love to see how you don't have to be an MD to help and inspire people to make these lifestyle changes! And also how you don't have to be a gourmet chef to follow them! Your simple meals rock .

Best of luck to everyone on their journeys,
Lovisa

[Adrienne]

Wow, thank you for sharing your wonderful story. And I'm with you on the simple meals.

[goldilocks]

Lovisa, that is so wonderfully awesome!!! I'm so thrilled for you. It sounds like your healing journey of fasting and adopting this way of eating is really working for you and has let your body really heal, not just deal with symptoms. I can just imagine how much better you feel. And to know that you can control your health and your life by eating healthfully is so empowering. Yay! You've got your health back, and your whole life ahead of you to enjoy it and share your wisdom and passion with others.

And what a wonderful partner you have - he definitely sounds like a keeper, lol.

[nicoles]

That is just wonderful, Lovisa! Thank you so much for sharing your experience and success!

[Broadbean]

Wow! That's such an inspiring story! I hope everyone with Crohn's has a chance to read your story and do what you did...

(I honestly don't see how *anyone* could think a digestive disorder could have nothing to do with diet.)

[giddyupgin]

Good for you!

[Caroveggie]

Thank you for posting your success, it's very inspiring. I'm happy for you and will share your story with anyone I come by who has Crohn's (along with some other testimonials and info here).

[Nettie]

Have you shared your results with your doctor? What does he/she say about your recovery?

Nettie

[ninamercedes]

Lovisa,

I loved your story and I am so glad you are feeling better. I don't like taking prednisone but I am trying to wean off of it little by little each month for my Rheumatoid Arthritis. The vegan diet and avoiding corn and wheat have helped me a lot.

[green jeanne]

I would love to hear how you're doing today. My husband suffered for years with this horrific disease. Fasting would give your intestines a much needed break from anything irritating it and during hospital stays he would be NPO which would help a lot. It would be WONDERFUL to see that McDougalling would help. By the time we found out about this program his surgeries made it impossible to handle all the fiber needed to maintain it. But it didn't keep me from jumping on and I'm so glad I did. I'm much healthier today because of it.

[twointahoe]

FELLOW (former) Crohn's Sufferer:

In 2004-5 I began manifesting symptoms of what some doctors felt was Diverticulitus...found out it wasn't because of no response to the antibiotic....around 2006 I decided to become a "vegetarian"...still ate cheese, dairy...no meat...Long story....cut to the chase- I ended up in the emergency room with blockage...vomiting would not stop....They did a cat-scan (no cat) but they found I had what they called "skip lesions" in my small intestine and colon. The surgeon came in to tell me that that is the id of crohn's disease...you know the rest...Drugs, remicade....steroids....finally Surgery in 2007....more meds: mercaptopurine and allopurinol combo with Cholestyramine powder drink mix to help me with high fat foods ...

Story goes that I had a friend who at 39 years old had high blood pressure, high cholesterol and had a stroke and 2 heart attacks...He went on the Mcdougal diet. When I had my surgery he thought I should try the diet...I begged off because I could now Eat again and wanted to do it with impunity!!

Well along comes the video: Forks over Knives in 2015 on Netflix. My wife and I revisited our diet and in Feb. 2015 committed to the Mcdougall Diet ( Starch based etc...)....I really committed to it giving up my Medications (Allopurinol 100mg/ Mercaptopurine 50 mg tabs daily.)....I felt I wanted to be free from this.

It has been 1 Year. I have lost nearly 30 lbs (tipped the scale at 200 @ 6ft tall) Now I am 171. Of course I have a little extra skin to tighten up. I am 55 now.....still, I feel much better-mentally and physically. I can take longer walks and seem to endure for longer periods of time...Still get bouts of fatigue.

The success is that I don't get the diarrhea issue because of the high fat diet (unless I over indulge in some guacamole or coconut milk Ice cream or even tofu recipe foods) Still I don't really miss meat or dairy.
We have had a slice of pizza with cheese once in a while and I do still drink Coffee (hard to give that up!!)

I seem to have left the nightmare behind...I know if you have suffered with the type of chrohn's disease I had, then you know the nightmarish hospital stays, tests, (4 colonoscopies over a period of a Year!) small bowel follow through (drink barium) and the barium enemas...you name it- they got in there with all they could....
Now I haven't had the horrible cramps or vomiting....It appears its behind me now.

Wow did I write all this...Thanks for sharing.

Jim

[DWu]

Congrats to Lovisa and twointahoe! Thanks for sharing.

[Janet-C]

That's great!

[Chrysalis]

Congrats to you guys! I have also improved immensely on a plant-based, starch-based diet in the past couple months following a diagnosis of CD. I am almost 100% symptom free these days and I am looking forward to sharing my story when time will have shown me that this isn't just a fluke! I feel so much better and I hope it'll stay this way! Keep up the good work, guys.

[danmc]

I'm waiting for the wind to blow, in my case.

A month ago I met with the colon-rectal surgeon and physician's assistant regarding treatment for my Crohn's, and since a fistula I had operated on 4 months ago hasn't healed they want me to go on one of the biologics.

Of course I don't want to start any of those so have been very strict with the McD WOE for the past month, unfortunately haven't seen any improvements in the fistula.

I booked an appt. with a gastro-enterologist for next month for a second-opinion/ consultation.

Dan