Article on Health.com
#13281 - 07/07/03 06:57 AM
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Hi Heather and everyone on the boards,
My name is Susanna and I am currently doing research for an article on nutritional care for Crohn's disease that will appear on Health.com (the website for Health magazine) in September. I came across your site while doing a search on the internet, and I knew you would be the best resource for this article. I understand that this is a forum for those who suffer from IBS, and I would really love to know if any of you have practical suggestions that I could incorporate into my article. For instance, is there one bit of advice regarding diet and nutrition that has been the absolute best advice you have gotten? What is your favorite recipe from Heather's book?
My article is focused on "real solutions" for (specifically) Crohn's sufferers - nutritional and dietary suggestions that readers could incorporate into their own lives if they suffer from the disease. I would really love to know if there are any dietary suggestions that a patient couldn't get from their doctor. And, of course, I would love to provide a link to your (Heather's) site and book order form in the article. For now, I would simply like to use quotations from your site, suggestions from message board users (provide me with as much personal info - name, condition, etc. - as possible for quotation purposes), quotations from FAQs, and perhaps a recipe or two, if possible.
I appreciate everyone's help! Thank you so much.
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Libfreak, there is a crohn's forum here you might want to ask on, but IBS and IBD-crohn's- are diffferent conditions.
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My website on IBS is www.ibshealth.com
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OK, thank you! I appreciate it.
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I know there are some people here who have both IBD and IBS, and your feedback for this article would be greatly appreciated.
Susanna is asking for:
"For instance, is there one bit of advice regarding diet and nutrition that has been the absolute best advice you have gotten? What is your favorite recipe from Heather's book?"
Her article is focused on "real solutions" for (specifically) Crohn's sufferers - nutritional and dietary suggestions that readers could incorporate into their own lives if they suffer from the disease. She would really love to know if there are any dietary suggestions that a patient couldn't get from their doctor. She'd like to use quotations from this site and suggestions from message board users.
If you have comment for her, please post them in this thread and provide as much personal info - name, condition, etc. - as possible for quotation purposes.
When the article comes out I'll post a link so everybody can see!
Best,
Heather
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Heather is the Administrator of the IBS Message Boards. She is the author of Eating for IBS and The First Year: IBS, and the CEO of Heather's Tummy Care. Join her IBS Newsletter. Meet Heather on Facebook!
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Heather's book is the bible for IBS -- I could not survive without it. My favorite recipes are the Indian ones, as well as the prawn and tomato bruschetta (the main dish). I know Crohn's is quite different from IBS in some respects, but the best change I've made to my diet is cutting out all raw veggies (especially broccoli) and most fresh fruit, as well as all the obvious triggers, like popcorn and red meat. Another tip: Gatorade. I drink it by the gallon, especially when it's too hot for hot tea. I don't know if Heather approves of it, but it's saved me when I've had bad diarrhea, and also provided calories when I've been too sick to eat.
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Heather is WONDERFUL! She genuinely cares about every person who suffers with any kind of stomach ailment!
I have IBS C. I've had it as long as I can remember.
Removing dairy, fried foods, and foods high in fat from my diet are a TREMENDOUS help! Whole wheat is also a no on my menu!
I haven't been able to make many of the dishes from Heather's book as I cannot eat anything containing eggs, corn, or soy (and right now I'm also gluten free). I did make her candied yams and her oatmeal recipes...mmmmmm! Scrumptious!
Thanks to Heather's webcite and books I also found out I have food allergies...something I would not have recognized readily without her guidance. She also helped me discover celiac and since removing gluten from my diet as per her suggestion, I feel much better! My doctors did not even want to test me for celiac (this is why I have not had a gluten challenge yet!) For now, Heather is my doctor...even though she isn't "certified" she certainly knows more than the GI's I've visited this year!
Thanks to Heather, her books, and her webcite, I'm learning to LIVE and enjoy life with IBS, and I'm figuring out what my other symptoms/diagnoses are along with it. Thank you Heather for making such a profound difference in my life!
*big hugs and a standing ovation*
Ruchie
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Formerly known as Ruchie
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Hi Susanna!
How great that you're doing an article on this subject, I'll try to help you out to answer some of your questions.
My name is Natasja Bom, I'm 26 years old and I live in the Netherlands. I don't have Crohn's disease but I'll tell you about my experience with IBS. I found Heather's site about a year ago and it really saved my life. When I read the symptoms of IBS I really knew that this was exactly how I felt, those were all my problems! When I think back, I think I have this problem with my intestine from the age of 13. It went with ups and downs, better and worse. About a year and a half ago things got really worse again, I think the worsted I've ever experienced. Things got really busy in my life then (stress) and because I also have a kind of asthma, I had troubles with breathing especially when I want to go to sleep, so I really didn't sleep well (also a great stress factor). I think that was the trigger for getting things real bad. I went back to my physician and she run some tests on me, which were all negative, everything seemed to be normal. She gave me fiber supplement from the psyllium husk, I had to take it twice a day and that worked so good that when I was half way drinking it, I had to run to the bathroom and it all came out with no problems!
In the beginning I had problems by going to the bathroom, I don't think you can call it constipation because I went every day at least once. Later, and still, I got diarrhea when I eat something wrong. And going about 8 times a day, I don't have those days anymore, at least not as bad as in the beginning luckilly. On a bad day I can go about 4 or 5 times but most of the time it's ok, and I go once or twice. I have more good than bad days now.
When I found Heather's site, I was really relieved. The fibers did help, but it still wasn't enough. I ordered both of her books and read it over and over again. I went back to my physician to run some other tests that were on the list in Heather's book, to make really sure that it was IBS. She did the tests and everything was normal.
Although she did all the tests, I didn't got the feeling that she really understands me. I knew for myself that I had to go on with the IBS guidelines and put all my energy in that. And I'm feeling much better by doing that!
So, about your question what dietary suggestions a patient couldn't get from their doctor, well, for me she wasn't much help. She was right about eating not to to fat, but there is so much more. She recommended to eat more fiber, but she never mentioned the 2 kinds of fibers and that one of them can hurt you. I think that when a doctor would know Heather's book (I told mine, but she didn't do anything with it) then he or she could give all the right dietary suggestions. I think what is also really important: listen to your own body, not everyone reacts the same on certain foods, if your body says "no", then don't eat it.
The absolute best advice: it's the whole picture. But if I have to choose something: the soluble fiber intake by the breads out of Heather's book, really works for me. I even take some with me on a holiday. Put it in a freezer there and I still have my soluble fibers!
Favorite recipe: that's a hard one, I like a lot of recipes. The best breakfast I ever ate is the blueberry-brown sugar scottish oatmeal, I make it with apple, pear or peach: delicious! The spaghetti with spanish almond romesco sauce is also really good (I make it with cashew nuts, I like that better). And also one of my favorites is the blueberry pecan french toast, but with strawberry's instead of blueberry's (I don't think the recipe is in the book). Ok, those were my 3 favorite recipes, but there are a lot more things I really, really like.
It's great to still have things to eat that I really like and that won't hurt me. Thanks to Heather!
I know it has become a long story but I hope it can help you a bit with your article. Good luck and looking forward to read your article when it's finished!
Lots of love, Natasja 
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I suffer from IBS-C and the most helpful thing I have found is the fiber suggestions Heather has made and learning the difference between the types of fiber and how much is necessary and making sure I get plenty of soluble fiber. This has improved my condition, that along with changing from coffee to tea have probably made the biggest difference in my condition.
Thanks
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Screen Name: Nan275
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Hi, Susanna -
I have both IBS and IBD (mild acute colitis) and I'm just a wee bit confused: is your research on IBD (inflammatory bowel disease, such as Crohn's and colitis), or is it on IBS (irritable bowel syndrome)? While they can certainly exist concurrently (comorbidity), they are quite different. I'm not a health-care professional, but this is how I understand the difference (and if I write anything that's incorrect or inaccurate, someone on the board will probably notice and update us both - for which I'm grateful!):
IBS (irritable bowel) is a "functional" GE disorder (not a disease) - from mild to disabling but not life-threatening in and of itself. The distressing symptoms, either diarrhea-dominant, constipation-dominant, or alternating D & C, along with abdominal pain, gas and bloating (and if you read some of the posts, you'll see these seemingly benign, very common complaints can be excruciating and intractable!) can be managed (not necessarily "cured") by eliminating foods and beverages (and even some common medicines and vitamins) and other stressors that trigger episodes (which can occur several times a day or only once in a while), and by adding elements such as biofeedback, massage, hypnotherapy, exercise, etc, to one's lifestyle. Certain "home remedies" also tend to help, depending on the particular IBS symptom: peppermint, chamomile or fennel tea, for example, and the application of heat to the tummy via heating pad or hot-water bottle. You may have heard it said that the gut is the "second brain" - the same serotonin which appears in the human brain also appears in the gut - and actually there is more serotonin in the gut! This could be the reason that some IBS sufferers experience some relief with a very low dose SSRI antidepressant. I've read that there is some evidence to suggest that psychotherapy ("talk therapy" probably) can be very helpful, as well, in not just coping with IBS but actually mitigating the symptoms (I can't remember the most recent article, but it was in a large daily - possibly Miami Herald?).
Inflammatory Bowel Disease, which can be life-threatening, produces physiological changes in the gastrointestinal tract which can be seen, identified and quantified by clinical examinations, tissue biopsies, etc. The disease process in IBD requires medication as its primary line of defense (if the disease is in the mild stage) and surgical intervention if the disease has progressed. Diet is a factor in IBD but with fewer restrictions (red meat and alcohol are the prime offenders as far as food goes, according to my GE - these are both "out" on the IBS diet, as well).
If your article is truly only about Inflammatory Bowel Diseases, may I suggest that you approach the editors at Health.com about doing a second article about IBS? Perhaps including an interview with Heather Van Vorous? IBS is probably vastly under-diagnosed or misdiagnosed (people just tolerate it, or self-treat by trial and error, not knowing there's help, or, when they finally do tell their doctors, they are all-too-often told it's "just stress" or just "gastritis", etc. Doctors are woefully uninformed about IBS, as is the public, and there's just not enough interest in research - perhaps because there's little potential for mega-bucks from a pharmaceutical development). Just a thought!
Blessings,
Kaybee C
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Hi everyone-
Thank you SO much to everyone who has posted. Keep your responses coming - I need as much information as possible!
KaybeeC, my article is specifically on Crohn's disease, but I thought that insight from IBS sufferers might help me as well. Your post was certainly helpful, and it showed me that I shouldn't refer to IBS as a disease.
Since Heather has so many helpful suggestions regarding nutrition and general GI tract/bowel health, I wanted to get feedback from those who have implemented her suggestions in their lives.
You guys are immensely helpful!
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