Crohn’s disease, food allergies and dietary supplements
Crohn’s disease is a serious condition that can cause a wide range of symptoms, including severe cramping pain, diarrhea and irreversible damage to the intestinal tract. Various studies have focused on the links between this disease and diet. One study (Am J Clin Nutr, 1996;63:741-745) revealed that 69% of patients with Crohn’s disease were allergic to wheat products and 48% to dairy. Another study (Aliment Pharmacol Ther, 1997;11(4):735-740) showed that eliminating foods to which Crohn’s patients were allergic was at least as effective as steroids in producing remission. Other studies have shown that certain dietary supplements, including vitamin A (Lancet, April 5, 1980:766) and S.boulardii (Gastroenterol, 1993;31(2):129-134), can help in reducing diarrhea and healing the intestinal lining.
Many of the people who suffer from this crippling disease, or the side effects of steroid treatments, probably wish they had been told that medical research supports dietary change as a viable treatment option.
