How I beat Crohn's

Beating Crohn's Naturally

2011-10-09T05:12:00.000-07:00

I am now convinced that Crohns, Relapsing Polychodritis and many other "auto-immune" diseases are triggered by food allergies/intolerances. My trigger foods are wheat, gluten and corn. I have eliminated all of these from my diet. I have also eliminated all derivatives of these foods. This was the key. And this is all I do. I am off of all medications, especially those horrid steroids.

My mom also has Crohns/Colitis. She has found that her trigger foods are all dairy related. She can eat a bit of dairy foods and be fine. But if she eats too many dairy foods in a day, she gets her symptoms back.

I have set up this blog with ways to cut out allergens in your diet. I was focused on wheat gluten and corn... Now I think I will focus on cutting all allergens including milk. Many of my recipes do contain milk. So from now on I will try to leave out this allergen also.

My hope is that this blog will be able to help someone. I sell nothing. The products that I talk about are products that I actually use with success. I don't get paid to endorse these products.

One of the hardest things in life to change is your diet. It brings great comfort and we feel very secure with it. Most people would rather take a ton a medicine than change their diet. Of course diet can be changed a little at a time. Baby steps. But the way this has worked for me was to completely change every aspect of my diet. It is very hard, but it works for me.

As noted previously, I am not a doctor. I am a person who has Crohns and Relapsing Polychodritis. I control both through my elimination diet. I take no medicine. I have no symptoms of either. I can not say what is best for you. I am putting it out there what I do. If anyone is willing to eliminate allergens from their diet I would love to hear about it.

Remember, Celiac was once an incurable disease. Now we know it is only a gluten allergy. Avoid the gluten and they're fine. I believe that Crohn's is a sister disease, caused by a similar allergen. It may be gluten, corn, milk, soy, fish, eggs, peanut, citric acid or any other allergen. It may be a combination of allergens. For me it was wheat, gluten and corn. For my Mom it is milk. For my daughter it was citric acid.

How to Start:
Start by elimating all major allergens, as noted above. It seems like it wouldn't leave much to eat. I started by eating plain chicken, rice and vegetables. Other good foods to start with: fruit, salad with no dressing, potatoes, gluten free noodles, hamburger (no bun), juices (watch the citric acid), steamed vegetables... No sauces or dressings.

Next, keep a logue of everything that is eaten or drunk. Everything counts, even gum and pop.

Reintroduce known allergens one at a time. Wait one week if possible. Note the reactions. Be very patient.

I feel that I was blessed with this knowledge and need to share it. I sincerely hope that you will find help through this.

Any questions please feel free to email:
lynne1408@earthlink.net

Against the Grain

2011-10-09T05:07:00.000-07:00

These "Against the Grain" rolls are made with mozzerella cheese which make them really chewy and hold together well. They don't come pre-split. They are found in the freezer section. I take mine out when I want one and put it in the microwave for 35 seconds, wrapped in a paper towel. Really nice for hamburgers when I'm tired of either eating them plain or wrapped in lettuce. As an added note, I just tried these for making french toast. Yummmmmmm!

gluten free cheesecake

2011-10-08T07:29:00.000-07:00

Here is another product I found at my local health food store. I did make a few adjustments for the cheese cake part itself. I do not use ricotta cheese because it contains white vinegar, which is a derivative of corn. I used Daisy brand cottage cheese instead. And instead of the sour cream which is called for I used plain yogurt. When using the cream cheese, I always start with the solid. The whipped and creamed ones contain other additives which do not agree with me. I also add chocolate chips. The crust from this brand is very good and easy to use.

Disease Clustering

2011-02-13T19:21:00.000-08:00

As a curious note, I would like to know how many people with Crohn's have other "auto immune" diseases. I was also diagnosed with Relapsing Polychondritis; causing swelling of the cartilage in the body. When I discovered a way to control my Crohn's I also found a way to control my Relapsing Polychondritis. I believe that when you have one disease, it's very likely to have other inflammatory diseases. As a matter of fact, I also believe that Eczema is another food allergy triggered disease. I went through this with both of my daughters when they were young. The doctor suggested all sorts of things, such as changing my laundry detergent... In the end it turned out to be an allergy to citric acid. The way I discovered this: The doctor recommended giving my daughter Benadryl at night to help her sleep. Well it was the worst night of itching she had ever had. I read the ingredients. The first ingredient beside the medicine was citric acid. That day I cut out all citric acid from her diet, and mine ( I was breast feeding). Within 3 days she was totally cleared up from her eczema. I believe that all these inflammatory diseases are caused by allergies to foods.
Question: Do you have any clustering of diseases? Have you tried this diet? And have you had any success? I can't be the only person in the world that this works for. Here is my email address. Please let me know how you are doing.

lynne1408@earthlink.net

2011-01-29T11:32:00.000-08:00

Eating gluten free and corn free doesn't have to be boring. It takes some prior planning. But there are some delicious foods that are both gluten and corn free. I can live with Crohn's; I just want to be able to eat well. Check out my new recipes below.

Ful Mudamas

2011-01-29T11:05:00.000-08:00

This was my first attempt at an ethnic food. This is a Syrian breakfast made with chic peas, tahini, yogurt, lemon juice and tomato and fresh garlic. It then has parsley, paprika and olive oil drizzled on top of it. Really good. Taste like a combination of humous and tabouli. Make sure to check the label for the tahini, that it is made of sesame seeds only. This is for 2 servings:

*1 can cooked chic peas
*1 cup yogurt
*1 medium tomato
*juice of 1 lemon
*1 clove garlic, fresh, raw, minced (omit if you
plan to see people within 24 hours)
*4 tablespoons tahini
*half cup chopped parsley
*paprika to taste
*olive oil to drizzle on top

1-drain beans and rinse
2-pour beans into water and boil while making rest of recipe
3-chop tomato in bite size pieces
4-mince garlic
5-chop parsley
6-in 2 serving bowls, split the yogurt, tahini, garlic and tomato
7-drain beans and add to bowls
8-top with fresh parsley and paprika
9-drizzle olive oil on top

This was sooooo delicious and easy to make. Check out this link for more Syrian recipes:
www.syrianfoodie.blogspot.com

The traditional recipe uses fava beans instead of chic peas. But some people have severe allergies to fava beans. So best to not take a chance. It is the sauce that really makes this recipe, not the beans.

I tried this recipe again today and heated it slightly in the microwave before topping it with the parsley. It made a huge difference in taste-really good.

Amy's rice crust pizza

2011-01-29T10:59:00.000-08:00

This is what I eat when I'm craving pizza. I like to add lots of veggies on top. It's also a bit scant on the cheese; so I always add extra. I can find it at my local grocery store in the health section.

Crawfish Stew

2011-01-29T10:42:00.000-08:00

Here is my recipe for crawfish stew. Super easy and fast.

*1 package frozen crawfish (with juice)
*1 package frozen shrimp
*1 head broccoli
*1 medium tomato
*Bragg's spray amino acids
*paprika to taste
*garlic powder to taste
*chili powder to taste
*olive oil

1-immerse frozen fish in warm water to thaw
2-saute broccoli in olive oil to just tender/crisp
3-add chopped tomato and simmer for a few
minutes
4-add both packages of thawed fish (ok if not
completely thawed; it heats quickly)
5-add Bragg's and spices to taste
6-simmer a few more minutes to blend flavors
This is best served over plain rice. The seasonings can be adjusted according to tastes. I make mine fairly mild for my daughters. This can also be a very spicy dish. There are lots of variations to this recipe. Other vegetables such as peppers and carrots can also be added. You can also experiment with different spices, such as basil, oregano, fresh garlic and hot pepper.

Baked Kale chips

2011-01-29T10:30:00.000-08:00

Here is an extremely easy recipe that has been circulating on the internet lately. It's a great way to eat kale. I made this recipe and ate more kale in one sitting than I have in the previous year. It comes out crunchy, like potato chips.

*bunch kale
*olive oil
*Bragg's spray amino acids (tastes like soy sauce)

1- tear kale into bite size pieces, discarding stems
2-place on parchment lined cookie sheet, spread out evenly
3-drizzle with olive oil
4-spray with Bragg's
5-(optional) sprinkle other seasonings, garlic...
6-bake 300 degrees for 15-20 minutes
Watch carefully for browning.
These are so delicious, my 15 year old daughter loved them. I'm making these for the Superbowl.

Red Lobster

2011-01-29T10:20:00.000-08:00

When following a wheat and corn free diet, it is very difficult to eat out in restaurants and not fear being sick a few hours later. I am excited to start this new feature on eating out. My first entry is about Red Lobster. I ordered the salmon. I asked for them to grill it and add no seasonings at all. I always mention that I have food allergies in restaurants, hoping that this will scare them a bit into following my requests. They did add salt and pepper anyhow. I had a side of steamed broccoli and a baked potato with butter. Sour cream is iffy, unless you can read the actual container. I also had a side salad without dressing. It came with croutons, but I just took them off. There were many other good choices on the menu as well; steak, grilled tilapia... and other grilled fish. The lemon was also a nice addition to the salmon.

2010-10-05T16:43:00.000-07:00

Hi and welcome to my blog on how I was able to beat Crohn's. On this site I will outline the diet that I follow to keep my disease under control, without medication. In a nutshell here it is; I eliminated all wheat, gluten and corn from my diet. I also eliminated all derivatives of corn and wheat. This seems to be the key. On this site I highlite foods that I am able to eat as well as some recipes and other suggestions. Now, I want to give some answers to some questions that have come up recently.

Do you really have Crohn's or is it something else? Well, I have been diagnosed by several doctors as well as several colonoscopies and the answer has always been yes.

How can diet cure a disease? I don't think that it is actually a cure in that sense. I know that if I avoid there foods then I am ok. I suppose that it's more a remission. It is on the same lines as Celiac disease. Those with this disease avoid all wheat and gluten. As long as they do, they're fine. But if they make a mistake it will flare up again. I think that Crohns is the same but a little more complex in what needs to be avoided.

Can you test yourself by eating wheat or corn? I could but am unwilling to do so. I know that this works for me right now. I have not experimented with reintroducing foods back into my diet.

How do I know this will work for me? I don't. I can not diagnose nor prescribe for anyone else. I do want to outline what has worked for me. I don't know if it will work for anyone else; but I'm putting it out there.

Personal note

2010-08-28T08:04:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, my Mom just got out of the hospital. She's ok now, but it was a 2 week ordeal. What sent her there in the first place were pains in her stomach and diarrhea. She of course feared the worse. The CT scan showed a good bit of colitis. I asked my Mom what she had been eating lately. She said that she had been having a lot of corn on the cob; delicious and in season. Can't blame her. This may have started it. They also found a kidney stone which may have caused some of the pain. Then they told her that she had a bladder infection and started her on antibiotics. She also had a colonoscopy and endoscopy. After she had been in there a few days with the diarrhea, they started giving her glucerna to get her calorie intake up. This made the symptoms even worse. The hospital then began testing her for c diff, a very nasty bacteria that you can catch in the hospital while on antibiotics. It causes extreme dirarhea and is very hard to stop. First they said she had it, then they said she didn't, then did... Back and forth for a week. Finally they concluded that she never did have it; it was colitis all along. Now I'm sure that there may be a genetic link here. My Mom is going to work with her diet and see which foods she has a sensitivity to. This thing does seem to run in families. I'm not sure if I can get my Mom to change her diet too much, but we'll see. She's 74 years old, it's going to be difficult. She's going to start by eliminating corn products and see if that helps. Thank goodness she is home now and recovering from her ordeal.

If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to write:
lynne1408@earthlink.net

Corn free, gluten free bread for bread machine

2010-08-28T07:48:00.000-07:00

This is a recipe for corn free and gluten free bread. Bread is the one thing that you may miss the most on this diet. There are some gluten free breads in the health food stores, but they don't compare to this one. Even my daughters like this one, and they don't need to eat corn or gluten free. This was made in a bread machine. I don't know how it would come out in the regular oven.

*3 whole eggs
*1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar (white vinegar is a corn derivative)
*3/4 cup milk
*1/8 + 1/16 cup oil (canola)
*1/8 cup sugar
*3/4 tsp salt
*1/2 tsp baking powder (featherweight; other baking powders contain cornstarch)
*1/4 cup ground flax
*1 and 3/4 cup rice flour
*1 and 1/2 tablespoon baker yeast (I used the kind made for bread machines)

Follow manufacturer directions for placing ingredients in machine. For mine, I place the liquids first. Then the flour on top. Sugar and salt go around the edges. Yeast in a little dug-out in the middle. Always use the "rapid rise" setting. Baking powder with the flour.

This won't be a super high bread, but it is really really good and really full of fiber. I ate mine with peanut butter. Very satisfying. You can also try other flours in this and see how it comes out. I sometimes use soy flour, but limit it to no more than a 4th cup.

Mushroom broccoli soup

2010-08-28T07:33:00.000-07:00

This soup is great for using broccoli in your garden. Most commercial soups contain starches to thicken them up. Most starches are corn, wheat or derivatives. Make sure to use the Imagine brand mushroom soup for this base. The color of this soup is a little weird, but the taste is really good. Don't be put off by the looks.

*1 quart Imagine brand mushroom soup
*3 potatoes, peeled and sliced
*1 pint fresh mushrooms
*1 head fresh broccoli
*2 cups milk

---Cut broccoli and steam in microwave
---boil potatoes till soft
---in large pot, empty soup base and cook on low heat
---add steamed broccoli, cooked potatoes and fresh mushrooms
---continue to cook on low for about 20 minutes, stirring once in a while
---put soup and fresh milk in blender, a cup at a time, then add back to pot
---continue to process the soup with the milk until almost all of it is smooth. I like to leave some chunks in the soup and have some whole mushrooms floating on top.

Pepsi Throwback

2010-08-11T07:00:00.000-07:00

I was very happy yesterday when I found Pepsi throwback in the store. It had been out last year for a limited time. It is made with sugar, instead of corn syrup. This is a real treat for me. If you can only make one change in your diet, this may be a good place to start, especially if you drink a lot of soda pop. Enjoy! (:

2010-07-18T04:49:00.000-07:00

Hello and welcome to my Blog. I am using this as a way to share my experience with changing my diet in order to keep my Crohn's under control. I have found that completely eliminating corn, wheat and gluten from my diet, had left me disease free and medication free. This means all foods and drinks that contain corn and wheat and also all derivatives of corn and wheat. I do not know if this will work for anyone else. But I want to put the information out there. Feel free to email me with comments or questions.

lynne1408@earthlink.net

homemade apple sauce

2010-07-18T04:36:00.000-07:00

As part of the BRAT (banana, rice, applesauce, toast) diet, applesauce seems like an excellent choice for when you're flaring or having diarrhea. But if you have a sensitivity to corn syrup, as I do, the applesauce can make the flare even worse. I make homemade applesauce using my crock pot. This batch was made using July apples, which are slightly tart. It's nice and chunky and tastes really good when served warm. Freezes very well too. I just took a batch out of my freezer and couldn't tell the difference.

-10 medium apples (mixed variety)
-1/4 cup sugar
-1/2 cup water
-cinnamon to taste (I like a lot)

Peel and cut up the apples into the crockpot. Add the sugar and water. Cover and cook on high 3 hours. Open and add cinnamon. Stir and use potato masher for desired consistency. I like mine to be really chunky. But it can be worked with to make a smoother consistency.

spinach egg omelet

2010-07-18T04:31:00.000-07:00

My daughter wanted to enter her own addition to my blog. She made this beautiful spinach omelet. She cooked the egg very slowly and added fresh spinach when the inside was nearly done. Then she continued to cook it until the outsides browned slightly. Sometimes she also adds a little bit of cheese along with the spinach.

gluten free, corn free waffles

2010-07-18T04:24:00.000-07:00

This is what I had for breakfast yesterday. These waffles (gluten free and corn free) were good and my daughters ate them and liked them. My oldest daughter said that she couldn't tell the difference from regular waffles. I like to really dress mine up with peanut butter, banana and pure maple syrup. I always use the maple syrup since the commercial syrups are mostly corn syrup. This is also a nice hearty meal if you have recently lost a lot of weight. The box comes with 6 waffles.

Glutino cookies

2010-07-18T04:20:00.000-07:00

These are just plain yummy. Even my daughters, who don't need to eat this way, love them. I actually found these at Walmart. Our local Walmart now has a gluten free section, though very small. These taste almost like a kitkat bar.

Trigger foods

2010-07-08T16:30:00.000-07:00

After reading a lot of posts, it seems that some people may have certain trigger foods which sets off their Crohn's, while other people have reactions to other foods. I found my trigger foods by keeping a food diary and keeping careful track of everything I ate and drank and the reactions. It became very clear to me that my trigger foods are wheat, gluten and corn. I can not assume that avoiding these trigger foods will help all people. I can only hope that it will help some people. I have eliminated these foods from my diet entirely. That is all foods that contain these ingredients and foods that contain derivatives of these foods, such as white vinegar (corn derivative), ketchup (contains corn syrup), mustard (vinegar), soda pop(corn syrup), soy sauce (contains gluten), powdered sugar (made with corn starch), mayo (vinegar), maltodextrin (gluten and corn) and many others. I've had to make a lot of substitutions. I've read hundreds of labels. I've eaten and tracked the results, sometimes not so pleasant. In the end, I've found a way to prevent my flares from coming back. I am selling nothing. I do not represent the products that I talk about. I just reference them, it they have been useful to me and my diet.

Stonyfield yogurt

2010-07-08T16:26:00.000-07:00

I also found a yogurt that I can eat. I love chocolate and this is really yummy. Made with sugar. Comes in fat free and regular. This is chocolate underground flavor.

2010-07-08T16:23:00.000-07:00

I've really missed macaroni and cheese...until now. I found this Annie's macaroni and cheese that is made with rice pasta. Ok, honestly, it's not nearly as good as regular kraft, but in a pinch, it'll do.

Long grain and wild rice

2010-07-08T16:19:00.000-07:00

Here is another one of my staples. Only the Near East brand. Uncle Ben's has some ingredients that I can't eat. I know that rice is good, but plain rice can be boring. This is flavored rice, without any added starches. Also no maltodextrin that other flavored rices have. Very easy to make and goes with anything. The wild rice adds to the nutrition.

Gluten Free chex

2010-07-08T16:14:00.000-07:00

This is one of my new favorite cereals. It is gluten free, and more importantly, corn free. I will not buy the chocolate or honey nut gluten free cereals since they do contain corn meal. This one is really really delicious. It's also very portable so I can take a bag of it with me in case I'm hungry and there's nothing safe to eat. Also conveniently available in the grocery store.

Mints

2010-07-08T16:10:00.001-07:00

Well, I have finally found a mint that I can tolerate. I like the cinnamon flavor of these altoids. They are made with sugar. Other mints have corn syrup and starches.

Cookouts

2010-07-03T15:24:00.000-07:00

The summer is now upon us. It is the season for grilling out and getting together for cookouts and cook-ins. Remember, the way that I have beat Crohn's is to avoid all corn, wheat, gluten and their derivatives. What to avoid: corn on the cob, potato salad, coleslaw, processed hot dogs. Safe things to eat are pure burgers, lots of fresh fruits and Hebrew National hot dogs. The salads are unsafe as they usually contain vinegar, a big corn derivative. Of course these salads could be made with Veganase and apple cider vinegar. The Veganase can be found at some health food locations. I get mine from out local Co-op. It's no fun to go to a get-together and avoid certain things. I also feel very inhibited asking my host/hostess all the ingredients in their foods. Most people are very willing to let you know everything in their recipes and may even change their recipes to fit your needs. It takes minutes to eat, but days or weeks to recover from a flare. I'd rather be very very sure what I'm eating.

gluten free corn free zucchini muffins

2009-07-21T07:30:00.000-07:00

Here's a recipe for gluten free and corn free zucchini muffins. Great for this season as veggies are starting to mature in our gardens. I like to put peanut butter on them. This recipe also works well with grated carrot instead of zucchini.

*2 cups gluten free corn free four mix. ( I used half rice flour and half soy flour)
*2 and 1/2 tsp featherweight baking powder (Featherweight brand does not contain cornstarch)
*1/2 cup sugar
*1/2 tsp salt
*1/2 tsp cinnamon
*1 and 1/2 cup grated zucchini
* 2 eggs
*1/4 cup melted butter or canola oil
*approximately 1 cup milk (depends on the flour)

1. Combine the dry ingredients.
2. Beat eggs and add them. Add the oil or butter.
3. Add enough milk to make a nice pourable batter.
4. Mix well. Combine dry and wet ingredients.
5. Finally, add the grated zucchini and mix gently.
6. Fill muffins 2/3 full.
7. Bake at 400 degrees approximately 20 minutes, until tops are golden brown.

Making Substitutions

2009-07-18T15:30:00.000-07:00

It's important for me to enjoy a fairly normal diet. While I have had to give up many of my favorite foods, others were just a matter of substitution. Many times I only had to switch brands. Reading labels is the most important thing that I do. I look for key words. If I see these ingredients I pass it up. See below, "things I avoid". Here are some of the substitutions that I make on a daily basis:

instead of------------------------------------- use this
white vinegar --------------------------------apple cider vinegar
mayonaise------------------------------------ vegenaise
pancake syrup --------------------------------pure maple syrup
Campbell's tomato soup --------------------Amy's tomato soup
pasta------------------------------------------ gluten free rice noodles
regular soda pop ----------------------------Virgil's real cola
soy sauce -------------------------------------Bragg's liquid aminos
baking powder -------------------------------Featherweight baking powder

Please feel free to write comments, questions or suggestions:
Lynne1408@earthlink.net

Berry Cobbler recipe

2009-07-18T14:52:00.000-07:00

Here is one of my favorite desserts. It's low in fat and high in fiber. And soooo delicious. The flour for this recipe can vary. I use what's available in the house. This one was made with half soy flour and half rice flour. Chic pea flour, potato flour, and tapioca flours are also good choices.

*1 and 1/4 cup flour (gluten and corn free) (soy, rice, chic pea, fava bean, potato, tapioca, or some combination)
*2 Tbsp sugar
*1/3 cup sugar
*1 and 1/2 tsp baking powder (Featherweight brand does not contain cornstarch)
* 1/4 tsp cinnamon
*One egg (beaten)
*1/4 cup skim milk
*2 Tbsp canola oil
*1/8 tsp salt
* 4 cups frozen berries (unsweetened)(I like a combination of raspberries, blackberries and blueberries)(The sweetened ones can contain corn syrup)

1. In mixing bowl, combine flour, 2 tbsp sugar, baking powder and cinnamon.
2. In separate bowl, combine the egg, milk, and oil. Combine this with the dry ingredients.
3. Grease baking dish. Spread batter evenly on bottom.
4. In another bowl, combine the berries, salt and 1/3 cup sugar. Toss to cover berries.
5. Spread berry mixture over the batter.
6. Bake at 350 degrees for about 40 to 50 minutes, or until batter is thoroughly cooked.

This is a very satisfying dessert especially when you've lost a lot of weight. Though I don't use this recipe it I am flaring, due to the high amount of seeds which can irritate ulcers.

Food diary

2009-07-03T16:16:00.000-07:00

One of the best tools that I know of to find food allergies is a food diary. I write down everything that I eat and drink during a day. This has to include such things as vitamins, seasonings and candy or mints too. Anything that goes into your mouth. I also write down the results. Sounds gross, but I track my bathroom results. This is the way that I was able to make a connection between what I ate and how it affected my Crohn's. For me, the results were to avoid wheat, gluten, corn and all their derivatives. You could be different. Food allergies, or intolerances may vary from person to person. I also note in my diary highlights of the day. This way I can see if stress, work or exercise play a role. So far I only see a connection with food. I have had incredibly stressful days that have no effect on my colon. But eat the wrong thing, and boom, there it is. The other advantage of the diary is that I can look back several weeks or months. If I suspect a certain food, I can look back to other days that I ate it and see if I had a similar result. It has literally been years in the making for me. But every time I find a food that agrees or doesn't agree with me, it is a great accomplishment.

My email address: lynne1408@earthlink.net

Spinach Pekora

2009-06-28T18:47:00.000-07:00

This is what I had for dinner tonight. There are only 3 ingredients to these spinach pekoras, but they are really good. I start with a can of chopped spinach and drain it really well. Then I add 2 eggs and rice flour; enough to make a nice mushy batter, not too runny. Drop by tablespoons into hot oil. Not deep frying, just enough oil to keep them from sticking. The oil that I use is canola, those others are also good, but not corn oil, of course. Turn over when the other side becomes golden brown. I take them out and drain them on a paper towel. I sprinkle them with salt. I like mine with a dollop of plain yogurt on top of them. Another variation is to add other veggies also, such as peppers, carrots (chopped or shredded), or mushrooms. You can experiment with different ones. I also sometimes add chic peas. I usually just see what I have in the fridge.

2009-06-20T14:35:00.000-07:00

This has truly made my day! Betty Crocker has come out with gluten free mixes! I just tried the cookies (literally) and they were yummy. Checking the ingredients, they do contain vanilla. Vanilla sometimes has corn derivatives, but I think very little. The main flour is rice. Betty Crocker also came out with a cake mix and brownie mix. I did not get the brownie mix because it has xanthan gum in it; which I know I'm sensitive to. I also didn't get the cake mix because I wasn't able to find a suitable icing to go with it. I usually use a jar of Nutella for icing. Anyhow it was nice to have a special treat today!

New note 4-12-11
They have added xanthan gum to this box. I am very disappointed. When I ate just 2 cookies I was fine. But when I ate 6 the next day (yeah, I said 6), I got a mild flare. It seems that quantity does make a difference with certain ingredients.

Please feel free to contact me with comments, questions or suggestions.
Lynne1408@earthlink.net

2009-06-20T14:27:00.000-07:00

This is another one of my favorite cereals; Crispy Brown Rice with mixed berries, by Erewhon. They also make it without the berries. It is like rice crispies cereal but it is gluten free. Rice crispies has malt in it, a gluten derivative. This cereal is found at health food stores. Not all gluten free cereals are also corn free. I usually start with the gluten free stuff, and then look for ones that are also corn free.

Please feel free to contact me with questions, comments or suggestions:
Lynne1408@earthlink.net

2009-06-11T13:38:00.000-07:00

Chinese Food

Chinese food was one of my favorite foods. Unfortunately, it is full of gluten, from the soy sauce. I have found that I can order steamed chicken and vegetables with no sauce at all. I add Bragg's liquid aminos to it instead. It taste like soy sauce, almost. I also like to add tumeric, fresh pepper and olive oil. Not to mention there's MSG in Chinese food which is an allergen to some people.

2009-06-11T05:00:00.000-07:00

Mission Statement

I would hope that by this Blog, I can accurately and clearly describe my diet and how it has helped me to beat Crohn's disease. I am not a doctor or even a nutritionist. I only know what has worked for me. It has taken several years to perfect this diet for myself. I realize that everyone is different. What works for me may not do anything for another person. My only hope is that this information may help someone to think about the causes of their own illness. This is my story, my diet, my life. That said, I would love to hear from others who may have tried a similar diet with some success.

Cereal

2009-06-11T04:55:00.000-07:00

Cereal

This is one of my favorite cereals. It's gluten and corn free. Stays crispy in milk. I like it with a cut up apple or strawberries. Found also in health food stores.

2009-06-11T04:21:00.000-07:00

Steroids

There have been many many times in the past that I have had to be on steroids. The side effects were very unpleasant. For me, I especially get bloated in the face and neck (moon face). This happened right before my wedding, and now I hate a lot of my wedding pictures. But it was a necessity that I couldn't avoid at the time. One interesting thing about steroids is that it contains cornstarch. However the benefits greatly outweigh the negative effects of a little cornstarch. I have been able to avoid steroids for quite a while now, due to this diet.

2009-06-11T04:16:00.000-07:00

Mouthwash

Most mouthwashes contain xylitol, sorbitol, or manitol as a sugar free sweetener. All of these are corn derivatives. I use Listerine, regular, which has none of these and does agree with me. Because of these sugar free sweeteners, I have yet to find a chewing gum that agrees with me. Many of them also contain maltodextrin.

Vitamins

2009-06-11T04:09:00.001-07:00

These are the supplements that I take right now. They do vary from time to time. I read the labels with a magnifying glass.
GNC acidophilus
CVS cod liver oil
Nature's Way Sippery Elm
Solgar vitamin C (non corn source of ascorbic acid)
CVS prenatal vitamins (I'm not pregnant, but this agrees with me and is a good source for iron)

I am not recommending these to anyone. I am listing the supplements that I take on a regular basis and that agree with me.

2009-06-11T04:06:00.000-07:00

This is what I use to season my meats, especially roasts. Other soups by this same brand are also good, but check the labels. I've also used their chicken broth and tomato soup.

Vegenaise

2009-06-11T04:00:00.000-07:00

This is what I use for a mayo substitute. I found it at a local health food store in the refridgerated section. The problem with regular mayo is that it is made with vinegar. This is made with apple cider vinegar which agrees with me.

2009-06-11T03:42:00.000-07:00

Things I Avoid

The following are corn derivatives that I found myself particularly sensitive to. A complete list can be found at www.cornallergens.com.
malt
caramel and caramel coloring
citric acid
dextrose
white vinegar
xanthan gum
vanilla
modified food starch
malto dextrin
iodized salt
powdered sugar

Because of the limit on vinegar, I eliminated all mayo, ketchup and mustard. I did find a mayo at the healthfood store made from apple cider vinegar, "Veganaise". It's not as good as regular mayo, but not bad. I like it mixed with tuna. I use apple cider vinegar on salads along with olive oil.

2009-06-10T18:58:00.000-07:00

Wheat

I had noticed at the time of this first flare that I had been eating a lot of whole wheat muffins, made with wheat germ. They were homemade and delicious and I thought they would be healthy. It was here that I got my first clue that wheat may be a problem for me. I started by eliminating all wheat products from my diet; cereal, pizza, bread, bagels, cake, cookies... This immediately helped me, but not 100%.

Gluten

I then turned my attention to eliminating gluten as well. Gluten is a wheat protein, but also found in other grains such as oats and rye. I eliminated these as well. I could still eat potatoes and rice as well as gluten free noodles for my carbs.

Corn

It wasn't until I eliminated corn and all it's derivatives that I finally found 100% relief. This meant popcorn, corn starch, corn syrup. As well as corn derivatives such as white vinegar, citric acid and xantham gum. There area sites on the web that help list corn sources and derivatives. There are a lot! This was not an easy task for my to do. It also meant giving up soda pop! Now I drink Virgil's Cola, which is made from sugar, found in health food stores.

What I Eat

It seems that I would be very limited in what there is to eat. This is true, but I've learned to make substitutions. My basic diet:

All fruits and veggies (except corn)
chicken, pork, beef, fish (no lunch meats)
tuna and sardines
potatoes, rice and gluten free noodles
spaghetti sauce
peanut butter (Jiff)
jelly (without corn syrup or citric acid, hard to find)
pure maple syrup
plain yogurt
most cheese (not soft)
milk (not chocolate)
butter (in moderation because of fat) (no margerine)
olive oil and canola oil
apple cider vinegar
beans, chic peas
eggs
chocolate (pure, read label)
cream of rice cereal
gluten free waffles

Much more which I will go into in the future.

2009-06-10T18:39:00.000-07:00

About Me
I was diagnosed with Crohn's disease in 2005. It actually happened right during Katrina. It was sudden. Not gradual. One day I noticed some bleeding. A few days later, I wasn't going to the bathroom at all. My stomach was bloated; like I was 4 months pregnant. This is how I remember when it was, it was during Katrina. My stomach was bloated and round and toxic, just like the Superdome.

I was backed up for a week, waiting for a colonoscopy. The cleansing worked to get things moving again. Thank goodness. My doctor said that I was so inflamed, that my terminal illeum was swollen shut, and that's why nothing was able to pass.

At the same time, approximately, I was also diagnosed with Relapsing Polychondritis. This is where the cartilage of the body swells with inflamation.

I had a feeling that these two diseases were related. What follows in this blog is my own experience on controlling these diseases without medication; through diet alone.

Special Note: I am not a doctor. I do not claim to know the cure for Crohn's or Relapsing Polychondritis. I have found a diet that works for me. I have kept my health in check fairly well. I want to share this information and get feedback if any one may have had similar experiences. I do not recommend this diet for any one. This is between a doctor and patient to decide.

My Diet

I have found, through much experimentation that the triggers for me are wheat, corn and gluten. By eliminating these foods and their derivatives from my diet, has kept me from flaring. It is difficult, since these items are found everywhere in our foods. It's not an easy diet to follow. Eating out is not easy. I have to cook a lot of things from scratch. Even when I eat at a friend or relative's house, I must know all the ingredients in their food. But it has been well worth the effort. In the following entries I will try to be more specific about foods to avoid and also include recipes and suggestions.