Crohn's Disease (Regional Enteritis)

Diet and Nutrition: (references)

• Eliminate foods that cause an allergic response or to which there is a sensitivity (fast, use an elimination diet, or allergy test to isolate such foods)
• Avoid sugar and refined carbohydrates
• Avoid fast food restaurants
• Reduce fat intake
• Eat high fiber (after healing has occurred-use soluble fibers while healing) and high complex carbohydrate diet
• Drink liquid diet in active phase, consisting of juices from cabbage and green leafy vegetables
• Drink vegetable broths
• Avoid caffeine and alcohol

Vitamins and Minerals: (references)

• Vitamin A: 50,000 - 75,000 I.U. initially, then taper
• Hydroxycobalamin: IM 1,000 mcg. weekly
• Vitamin C (buffered): 1 - 2 gm.
• Vitamin D: 200 - 400 I.U.
• Vitamin E: 800 I.U.
• Folate: 20 - 50 mg.
• Zinc: 30 mg. BID
• *Copper: 2 - 4 mg.
• Selenium: 200 - 400 mcg.
• Magnesium: 500 mg.

Supplements: (references)

• Quercetin: 400 mg. 20 minutes before meals, TID
• Acidophilus and Bifidus: 1 capsule between meals
• Omega 3 Fatty Acids : 1-5 gm. TID between meals
• Fiber: 5 - 45 gm. in divided doses at mealtime with 12 ounces of water per dose
• Fructooligosaccarides: 800 mg. TID

Botanicals: (references)

• Dry herbs - Althea officinalis (220 mg.), *Geranium maculatum (220 mg.), Echinacea angustifolia (220 mg.), *Ulmus fulva (220 mg.), Curcuma longa (220 mg.), *Hydrastis canadensis (84 mg.): 2 caps with each meal
• Curcuma longa: 450 mg. (standardized to contain 95% curcuminoids) daily with food

• Individual botanicals to be considered for this condtion:
  Althea officinalis (Marshmallow)
  Curcuma longa (Tumeric)
  Echinacea angustifolia (Purple cone flower)
  Geranium maculatum (Wild geranium, Cranesbill)
  Glycyrrhiza glabra (Licorice)
  Humulus lupulus (Hops)
  Hydrastis canadensis (Goldenseal)
  Mentha piperita (Peppermint)
  Ulmus fulva (Slippery Elm, American elm)

Homeopathic Remedies: (references)

• Crohn's disease, general:
  
  aloe, ars, chin, merc-c
• Inflammation of the intestines:
  
  ACET-AC, ACON, ANT-T, APIS, BELL, BRY, cact, cham, colch, cop, cupr-s, grat, jal, lach, lycps, merc, ox-ac, plb, rhus-t, sulph, TER, verat-v
• Inflammation alternating with diarrhea and constipation:
  
  ign

(For an overview of Homeopathy, click here.)

Other Therapies: (references)

• Lactobacillus acidophilus enema: 1/day during bouts of diarrhea
• Avoid antibiotics
• Crohn's IV therapy
• *Relaxation exercises to decrease stress: yoga, deep breathing, moderate walking.
• Stop smoking
• Test for and repair "leaky gut" if necessary to eliminate excessive intestinal permiability.

Recommended Labs:

• Check for Crohn's Disease: CBC with Diff, ESR, CRP, Colonoscopy with Biopsy, Upper GI Series
• Rule out allergies: IgG Food Allergy Antibody
• Rule out candidiasis: Candida Panel
• Rule out celiac disease: Celiac Panel
• Rule out parasites: Stool Analysis
• Rule out stricture, cancer, anal fissure, proctitis: Colonoscopy, Colon Biopsis, Defecating Protogram, Anal and Abdominal Ultrasound, Scintigraphy, Colonic Motility, Hydrogen Breath
• Rule out ulcerative colitis: Colonoscopy, Sigmoidoscopy with Tissue Biopsy

*  The recommended use of this supplement or therapy is based on a physiological mechanism or empirical data and is not necessarily supported by peer-reviewed research studies.

Copyright 1998 - 2008 by L. Vicky Crouse, ND and James S. Reiley, ND. All rights reserved (ISSN 1527-0661).