Perhaps you or a loved one has faced a diagnosis of Crohn’s. Following the diagnosis, you were told there is no cure for Crohn’s, but the inflammatory symptoms can be controlled with a combination of medications. The plan then is for you to follow this prescribed route of treatment and live a life of managed symptoms. Since the majority of those diagnosed with Crohn’s are between the ages of 15-30, that leaves a long life ahead of management.
While the control of symptoms can be a welcome relief, management is not healing. Beyond that, when you become dependent on medication for a lifetime, you give away the power over your health. So is there a middle ground? A way to manage the acute flares of Crohn’s while healing the chronic underlying condition? The answer is a resounding yes. If you’re interested in reclaiming the ownership of your health and reducing your dependence on medication, read on.
Research shows that making specific lifestyle changes will do more than promote a sense of well-being; these changes will restore your immunity. Shifting focus from your Crohn’s symptoms to the restoration of your immunity is a big step emotionally and a great service in the case of autoimmune conditions. What factors are the most likely to restore immunity? Improving the quality of your sleep, engaging in daily exercise, eating a plant-laden diet, and maintaining optimal stool elimination can enhance your immunity and promote longevity.
In the conventional medical arena, the inflammation in the colon quickly becomes the arch enemy. A common treatment of Crohn’s includes the surgical removal of affected sections of the colon. Further efforts are then made to prevent inflammation by suppressing the malfunctioning immune system. In most cases, patients are monitored with an annual colonoscopy and blood test to check inflammation levels. But does any of this address why Crohn’s occurred in the first place?
It’s actually not about Crohn’s
While there has been considerable research on the causes behind the onset of Crohn’s, there is still no definitive answer. The attention, however, continues to be placed on the role of the colon and the overactive immune system that attacks the intestines, while little emphasis is placed on possible lifestyle influences. In this video, Dr. Michael Greger explores the role diet has in preventing Crohn’s. It seems pretty clear to me that if there are accessible lifestyle changes available not only can we prevent development in the first place, but we can resolve acute flare-ups among those already diagnosed. It’s just a thought, but instead of doing battle with the dis-ease, you might want to support your body’s ability to heal itself by restoring the immune system.
Your immune system is designed to neutralize and eliminate pathogens, but in the case of Crohn’s and other autoimmune diseases healthy tissue is attacked. The conventional method is to suppress that behavior. Alternatively, Gemmotherapy extracts can be used in a systematic way in tandem with a plant-based diet to support the restoration of healthy immune function.
The holistic path for restoring immunity is one I teach and practice, and it begins with optimizing elimination. For more information on the path, please read my blog posts on Influencing Immunity and Rethinking Elimination.
What you can do if you are taking medication for Crohn’s
Gemmotherapy protocols can be used in an adjunct fashion with Crohn’s medication to begin the restoration of your immune systems. My colleagues and I have found that individualized protocols aligned with your specific symptoms can be quite useful. These protocols have the ability to resolve symptoms not covered by the medication and reduce any side effects or toxic load on your liver and kidneys. I have a wonderful blog series co-authored with my niece Molly that documents her journey with Crohn’s which you may find inspiring. By using Gemmotherapy protocols and implementing a plant-based diet, Molly was able to reduce symptoms and the amount of medication she needs to prevent flares dramatically.
If you would like further information on Gemmotherapy extracts, you’ll want to read my Beginner’s Guide on Gemmotherapy. For individualized support, I recommend you consult with a practitioner trained in Gemmotherapy to restore immunity or consider working directly with me. Looking for a deeper understanding? Consider taking my next Foundations of Gemmotherapy series.
The above following is advisory only and should never replace advice from your healthcare provider.
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