In Search of GI Doctors

Since Dr. Poley retired a few years, I am often asked if I know of other gastroenterologists who are supportive of diet.  If anyone knows of  gastroenterologists (adult or pediatric) anywhere in this country or elsewhere who are willing to support patients following Dr. Poley's treatment plan, I would so greatly appreciate knowing.
Thank you so very much in advance for any information that I can share with others about this!!

Please comment here or send me an email at crohnsdiseasesuccess@verizon.net...Thanks so much!
Blessings,
Martha 

Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD) versus Restricted Sucrose Diet

Recently, questions about the SCD have come up with several people, so I decided to revisit that topic.

I am grateful that Elaine Gottschall wrote her book, since that is where I learned of Dr. Poley's research. (She cited his research numerous times). However, Dr. Poley thinks that she may have misinterpreted the results of his research. 

From Dr. Poley's explanation:  The starches are "broken down by pancreatic amylase in the very upper small intestine and are further worked on by glucose-amylase with the end product being glucose, which is then quickly absorbed." Since starches are so quickly absorbed, Dr. Poley doesn't think they are a problem.

 Dr. Poley believes that sucrose is probably digested all along the small intestine.  But at the terminal ileum, where the digesta moves slowly through the valve between the end of the small intestine and the beginning of the large intestine (ileocecal valve to the cecum), there is more bacterial activity.  Crohn's disease is commonly found in this area. (see picture below of small intestine and beginning of colon)

I realize that there has been success for some who follow the SCD, but there may be an easier diet to follow that would also work, such as Dr. Poley's recommendations for restricting sucrose.

It is good to be aware though that some people with Crohn's disease may also have celiac disease or gluten sensitivity, so it would be necessary to eliminate gluten as well as restricting sucrose.

Whatever you choose to do, I hope you will be well.

Blessings,

Martha

 

Cooking with Martha: Healthy Granola Recipe

       

Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukka, and Joyous Holidays!
May you be blessed with good health in the coming year!
Martha

Cooking with Martha--Oatmeal muffins

Cooking with Martha -- Lactose-free yogurt video

Kombucha tea...good or bad?

Kombucha tea is a fermented drink.  Even though Kombucha tea is said to have health benefits, it has not been proven by scientific evidence, and there have been cases of adverse side effects reported.

I know of a teenager who has been in remission of ulcerative colitis for months by following Dr. Poley's treatment plan.  She decided to try some Kombucha tea due to its advertised health benefits.  The brand she tried came from a reputable health foods store and contained very little sugar.  Unfortunately she soon had intestinal bleeding, so she stopped drinking the tea and the bleeding gradually disappeared.

If you have IBD, it may wise to avoid drinking Kombucha tea.

You may find that teas such as blueberry, peach, etc. can be a refreshing drink as ice tea in the hot summer.  You can drink them without any sweetener or add a little honey.

If you are interested in reading further about Kombucha tea, the following are several websites that give some more general information and also about adverse reactions:

http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-living/consumer-health/expert-answers/kombucha-tea/faq-20058126

http://www.cancer.org/treatment/treatmentsandsideeffects/complementaryandalternativemedicine/dietandnutrition/kombucha-tea  

http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/ingredientmono-538-kombucha%20tea.aspx?activeingredientid=538&activeingredientname=kombucha%20tea

May you enjoy this last month of summer!

Blessings,

Martha

Is Detergent in your toothpaste?

I had just finished preparing a really nice meal of baked chicken, delicious sweet potatoes, and green beans, with a fresh green salad.  My husband and I sat down to eat. Then I took the first bite......"Oh no, another spot!" This nice dinner was no longer going to be enjoyable for me as I dealt with the pain of yet another mouth ulcer. They seemed to be appearing much too often and lingered way too long.

Mouth ulcers can be caused by numerous culprits. They can also be a symptom of Crohn’s disease or Celiac disease. Another possible cause of those irritating sores is a detergent that is added to many brands of toothpaste. It’s called Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) and is used in toothpaste as a foaming agent.  It's also used in shampoos and some skin care products. Many people may be sensitive to this ingredient.  SLS can actually cause damage and irritation to the membranes in your mouth. This in turn may trigger the formation of ulcers. 

In a study done by Herlofson and Barkvoll about this topic, (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7825393) the results revealed that there was a significant decrease in the number of ulcers when brushing with SLS-free toothpaste rather than one that contained SLS.

Several months ago I switched toothpastes to determine if SLS was the culprit of mouth ulcers that I seem to frequently develop. Previously, I could not figure out the cause. Since switching to a SLS-free toothpaste, I have not had anymore problems with mouth ulcers developing.

If you have frequent formation of mouth ulcers, it’s possible that you have a sensitivity to SLS, and it may be worth switching to a SLS-free toothpaste.

Some brands of SLS-free toothpastes are listed on this website: http://slsfree.net/sls-free-toothpaste/

Enjoy your summer!

Martha