[BETTER BUT NOT CURED]  02/23/2009: Mrs. CR from Northern, VA: "Crohns with Fistula: Please help me with regard to how to get rid of an anal fistula assoc. w/ Crohns. I take high concentrations of an intracellular aloe vera product which seems to help but I don't want to live with this "pain in the butt" fistula forever! Only once a month does it flare up and abcess. Have had it asperated once, take sitz baths occassionally but.....Argh!! Thank you! Mrs. CR"

[BETTER BUT NOT CURED]  05/12/2009: Justin from New York, NY: "I've found that whenever my crohns symptoms "flare up" that mixing in a tablespoon of cayenne pepper and 2 tablespoons of natural organic "mother" apple cider vinegar in a 8 ounce glass of warm water helps with my symptoms. I know that cayenne pepper is a good pain reliever so i find that this mixture works really well in the event of a flare up. has anyone found this to be true?"

[YEA]  12/13/2009: Macky from New Iberia, La: "I had Crohn's Disease 20 years and could not get well the last flare up.I was going to the Dr twice a day to get predisone in my veins and it was not working. This flare up lasted about 4 months. I learned about Barley Grass(capsules)so I took it and the bleeding stopped soon after. I continued to take barley grass and vitamins and later learned about Slippery Elm(herb) also.These herbs and vitamins healed me of this horrible flare up and I have not had another flare up since then. That was 12 years ago. Before this I flared up every year. I stopped drinking milk and caffeine (I drink soy milk). I am sharing this so people suffering with Crohns can read about these herbs. I give God the glory for this. I had prayed so earnestly for help with this horrible disease."

01/04/2011: Angel from Sanantonio, Texas replies: "While you were taking the barley grass and slippery elm, were you on any other medications that you took at the same time? If so what were they? Thank you"

09/10/2011: Sunny from Columbus, Ohio: "My son who suffers from UC, recently started working with Dr. Glenn Aukerman at Ohio State University. He believes that my son, as well as many UC/Crohns patients are suffering in part due to the bodies negative reaction to gluten. He's created a diet that is specifically for him based off his DNA. Dr. Aukerman gives treatment advice after taking blood and tracing genetic markers along with ancestry genes. This gives him clues as to what he should and shouldn't be eating. An example of this is a patient who comes from European ancestry shouldn't be eating foods made from gluten since they have a Celtic gene that usually means that they have an intolerance to gluten food

A friend of mine who has been suffering from Crohns diseases for the past 10 years has been working with Dr. Aukerman. She's on a specific diet that is gluten free and supplement heavy, based on her DNA markers. She's half way through his program and feels better today than she's felt in the last 10 years and is pain free. The fact that Aukerman is a real doctor, practicing at a major university, plus the additional fact, that I know one of his patients, who is benefiting from his approach, makes me feel 100 times better. Here is my desired state; get off all the toxic meds completely and be pain free... That's my goal for him.... I will keep you posted as to his progress. Go Bucks! By the way, UC/Crohns is not his only focus, just one segment of his care.
Http://medicalcenter.osu.edu/patientcare/healthcare_services/integrative_medicine/Pages/index.aspx?ref=go"

01/23/2012: Belenda from Galena, Oh replies: "How is your son and friend doing? My son is suffering terribly from this god awful disease. He's started going to a naturalist in Worthington, Joyce Baker. He's also on an extremely strict diet. Basically, all he can have is lean meat and vegetables. No oil, flour, rice, high carb veggies, no fruit, no sugar or sugar substitutes, no grains, no nuts, no legumes. He's lost so much weight. I'm so worried about him. We are always looking for that magic bullet that will help cure him of this mess."

01/20/2012: Geminish from Bridgeport, Ct replies: "What's the name of the book?"

[YEA]  08/16/2009: Sheila B. from Toronto, On: "Crohn's - DMSO gel & Manuka Honey

Hi: Try applying DMSO gel on your lower tummy (colon area) 2x a day. It helps to rid of inflammation, and restore healthier bowels. It helps with reduction of pain after 1 hour. Manuka honey also helps heal wounds in the bowels and definitely helped me with reducing acute pain. I take 1/2 tspn on empty stomach 2x a day.

Lastly, do not over look proper food combining. It is very important."

04/25/2013: Leah from Philadelphia, Pa replies: "Here is an other good page about using DMSO for Crohn's: http://simplehealthsolutions.info/a-to-z/dmso-for-crohns-disease/. I came across this nice little description when researching cancer and anti oxidants. According to the author, there may be different types of Crohn's and he suggests a few other natural remedies such as B12, melatonin and pig duodenum.

I know this seems like a serious ailment, but I truly believe it can be healed fully without the use of steroids or surgery. In my humble opinion, the medical community is failing to treat 'auto immune' diseases because they don't try nutrition and herbs first. Pharmaceuticals and surgery should be options of last resort. The body is designed to heal itself it just needs some support from us."

05/10/2013: Dede C. from Brattleboro, Vermont, United States replies: "Leah, I totally agree! I wrote a book called Living With Crohn's & Colitis: A Comprehensive Naturopathic Guide for Complete Digestive Wellness" becuase there wasn't anything on the market that took a middle path for treatment.... This site has so many great ideas, and I have had Crohn's for 12 years, and have been in remission for the last 7 but now I have an area flaring up, near the site of my surgery :( bummer, but I refuse to let this disease change my life, and I also refuse to take the TNF-A inhibitors and the immunomodulating drugs. I am hoping Ted, from Bankok, can help :) too. He has done some amazing work on this site."

[YEA]  05/13/2008: Kim from Riverside, CA: "A couple of years ago, I was diagnosed with colitis. I went to the doctor constantly with diarherra, pus and bleeding. I was having pain after every meal and at one point, was losing a pound a day. My doctor told me that I would have to stay on a diet of soft foods. I found a book on the internet called "Crohns and Colitis". The author talked about eating a strict fruit diet. I starting doing it and the symptoms that I had been suffering from for over a year left me. The enzymes in the fruit made all of the difference."

[YEA]  06/21/2008: R.M. from Stanton, Ca, USA replies: "Fruit smoothies works as good as prednisone, though the prednisone has to be tapered of gradually. Without fruit smoothies, flare ups occurred even with prednisone and asacol. Not a cure, but a great help. Lets put it this way, I am NOT on prednisone (praise the Almighty), which is really MORE than I can ask for. One cup; made from all fresh fruit with 1/2 tsp of soy protein (from the powder mix). BTW, I also gave up black tea, except if constipated, and reduced all sweets except when I go on a binge. Also, DARK Chocolate in VERY SMALL quantities (an ounce?) helps shut off any symptoms of GERD."

07/28/2012: Chocolate Butterfly from Los Angeles, Ca: "Jordan Rubin has a book that helps! He's the creator of the Garden of Life products. Please check it out... You'll thank yourself later. I suffered with it for a few years. I applied the principles in his book. It took months to see results, but the doctor dropped the diagnosis from Crohn's to IBS. I no longer need my medication. There are many other testimonials. Give it a try! "Restoring Your Digestive Health" (I think that's the name of it..)"

[YEA]  08/16/2012: Maynard from Gardner, Ks: "Kombucha and probiotics. I had to have my colon, and anus removed with emergency surgery due to untreated chronic diarrhea(mutating fungus in the colon). After surgery, it started to attack my small intestine. It could have been prevented by consuming Kombucha. I make my Kombucha with apple juice (frozen purified water) no extra sugar, plus add 1 probiotic capsule the first 2 batches. It is very acidic, so I mix 1fl. oz. with 15 oz. water. Drink 3 times a day forever, and say goodbye to medical doktor!"

03/12/2012: Takilra from Surrey, B.c., Canada: "I have had this damn disease for a few years now and am very tired of the crazy meds I am on. What should I be taking or doing? ( diet, suplements etc...)

As of right now I don' t drink or eat much dairy if any at all, no red meat, (Chicken and fish) little fiber (certain vegis and have to peel some fruits) nothing that makes me super gassy ( beans..etc)."

05/11/2012: Kent from Fort Lauderdale, Florida replies: "I found a course that has worked for me, as it has taken almost a year of research, journaling, and trial and error. The first thing I tried was blackstrap molasses, and a crohn's specific diet (that sucks! ); next on to ACV, and it does stop the runs, but does not allow your body to digest the nutrients properly. I have tried the macaroon diet which is about like rice, but who has 3.99 a week every week for who knows how long? You can try the calcium supplements, but therein lies danger, and there has to be balance otherwise your body will take control and let you know that this is the wrong course. I tried the clay, and dimataceous earth, and this was like just taking fiber supplements. I didn't want to go back to pentasa and prednisone.

Then I read about studies of vitamin imbalance and deficiency in crohn's patients, and found vitamin d3 as the most crucial aspect of lacking nutrients, but vitamin d3 alone would not suffice, as you have to have an intermediary to break down vegetables, dairy, and celluloid fiber. Vitamin d3 will stop the urgency and pain, and make it almost bearable, and you can have milk again without CRAMPS. I added magnesium at 500 mg a day, but when I ate salad, I still had lack of digestion which at first I attributed to biliary runoff. After about a half a year of this I looked more closely at vitamin toxicity and deficiency wondering which element or electrolyte I was missing. I played with potassium because that is the most common lacking, and found that was not it. I came upon zinc which allows the digestion to break down plant fiber or celluloid material in your gut.

I am now on 4000 mg d3, 500mg magnesium, and 50 mg zinc, multivitamin, small b complex for the next 8 weeks, then 50 mg zinc every other day. YOU HAVE TO BE VERY CAREFUL WITH ZINC. Do not take more than the rda (40 mg) after 8 weeks as you can damage your innards. The zinc is responsible for everything from digestion/ metabolism to brain function and is an extremely beneficial nutrient. If you have anxiety, depression, mood disorders, add/addhd; this supplement will help that too. Let's just say that now there is no irritation, gurgle, blood, mucous or urgency; now things are solid coming out. The other cool thing about zinc is it will make your remission periods last longer, and it helps your body to absorb plant fiber."

11/15/2011: Mmsg from Somewhere, Europe replies: "David Klein's book (basically fruit and veggies diet) helped a family member with Crohn's. Pain and diarrea subsided in one or two days."

[YEA]  12/03/2008: Helen from Jacksonville, FL, USA: "Since I suffer fron uncontrolled Crohn's Disease I am very careful on what I ingest. I have discovered that using white distilled vinegar with plain romain lettuce helps to ease the cramps. Romian lettuce is all water, and with vinegar it seems to sooth my digestive system. I eat some about every 3rd day or so just to help maintain.

Just rip lettuce up and pour some vinegar in, enough to get the lettuce damp. I usually add salt, but if you are one a low salt diet, I would not recommend it. Use any seasoning you enjoy. My only salt intake other than from foods naturally is when I eat this. My blood pressue is fine and my cholestrol is also lower now.

Hope it helps someone suffering as I do."

Carmen : "I have sent many emails to you from where i live in Australia, about help from Ted with my Crohns disease after 46 years of suffering with chronic foul smelling diarrhea and gas... I have never found an answer to my emails on your web site, so I am hoping this will be answered soon."

03/05/2008: Ted from Bangkok, Thailand replies: "Dear Carmen: A diarrhea and a gas appears to be that the digestive system is not doing a complete digestion. It sometimes happens whenever certain pathogens or unfriendly bacteria are found in high amounts, the intestinal system is acid which introduces a host of unfriendly bacteria since they need acid environment to survive, or an incomplete digestive system, or that possibility that there is a leaky gut whenever the walls of intestinal system is damaged from bacteria, causing the intestinal system not to do complete digestion. It takes a couple of days for the body to normalize the digestive system with fulvic acid, so for initial couple of days of fulvic acid or humic acid, I would expect diarrhea or laxative effect as these humic acid have a somewhat detoxifying effect on the system. I also helps a lot' a lot that a dechlorinator made of sodium thiosulfate is added to the drinking water and drank, before taking the fulvic and humic acid. So that the fulvic and humic acid will be more compatible with the body by reduction of chlorine. It should be noted that the use of MMS (sodium chlorite solution between 25-28%) are contraindicated and not to be used with fulvic acid and humic acid. It remains to me, despite the promoter's claim, is still a chlorine compound regardless and it may cause the fulvic and humic acid to react with them very negatively to form cancer chlorine compounds. This is why I always use a dechlorinator, of sodium thiosulfate, where drops is used, 5-10 drops of 10% usually of sodium thiosulfate in a full glass of drinking water.

Therefore, there are certain supplements that help the digestion process, primarily fulvic and humic acid supplements, if that can be found. Usually I will dissolve a humic acid powder of 250 mg in a glass of water, and take it three times a day. It also helps if fulvic acid powder 250 mg is taken, if that can be found. This should correct the problematic digestion to be more complete digestion. It should be noted that in livestock animals that whenever a digestion of pigs, and cows the digestion is incomplete a fulvic acid or especially humic acid is added into the feed which prevents or stop foul smelling wastes that often occurs in animals because of unfriendly bacteria.

The problem about using fulvic acid alone is whenever the body is in a long term low grade metabolic acidosis (which can actually be initiated from the use of hydrocarbons, taking aspartame, and eating simple white bread and other acid forming foods) that unfriendly bacteria tends to grow despite all efforts to take probiotics, which tends to restore intestinal flora with friendly bacteria such as eating yogurt. However, taking probiotics, will hardly put any firm grounding if the intestinal acidity is present which tends to kill off the friendly bacteria from too many overpowering unfriendly bacteria.

Therefore, 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda, in 1/2 glass of water I will take about 3 times a day. Once in the morning, once in the early afternoon and once before bedtime. While baking soda is not a perfect way to alkalizing, the ingredients are easy to find in most supermarkets. And it requires a least two weeks for the body to be able to to alkalize properly. Initially there will be alot of gases. Obviously eating certain foods such as peanuts, nuts, and especially beans will often result in excessive gas. How this phenomenon happens, as I understand it, at least one of the many reasons is that beans in generally blocks the body's ability to digest the foods into sugar by preventing certain enzymes to digest that and utilized by the body. So this leaves room for the intestinal bacteria to digest the beans into energy creating excess gases, and sometimes foul smelling, but not often. The key for me is to take sufficient baking soda to alkalize to that the urine pH and saliva pH is near 7 should be sufficient.

The second remedy, especially if it is autoimmunity is involved, is the borax remedy, which has a tendency, along with sufficient baking soda to alkalize usually resolves most of this in my experience. The dose can be anywhere from 1/8 teaspoon to 1/4 teaspoon of borax in one liter of drinking water. It's usually taken for about 4-5 days out of a week. Borax and alkalization in my opinion are two of the most important remedies for Crohn's disease, but there is also quite possibly Iodine, silicon, and molybdenum that I might consider that seems to go hand in hand. In the meaintime, I would avoid white flour, using any vegetable oils in cooking and replace eating bread in general with just eating rice instead. They seem to help some conditions of Crohn's whenever a white bread, cookies, pastries, as these are one of the highest in trans fatty acid, propionic acid, alloxan, and bromine, which tends to displace essential iodine from the system, which obviously lowers the metabolism and the immune system, resulting in the condition of digestive disorders resulting in Crohn's disease.

The third remedy that seems to be prevalent in some Crohn's disease especially if there is difficulty of digestion or some vomiting after meals is the royal jelly supplements, which can either be fresh frozen royal jelly, or the dried version. The one I had experience with some success is the fresh frozen ones, but never really gotten around to trying the dried, version since it was sitting in my refrigerator as an emergency aid kit whenever digestive process doesn't work. Still if royal jelly is not found a suitable substitute is the vitamin B complex. I do have plenty of problems with vitamin B use, that I don't like and therefore, have to carefully read the ingredients, where the B1 is thiamine mononitrate, not the thiamine hydrochloride. The B3 is niacinamide, not the niacin. The vitamin B6 is pyridoxine phosphate, not the pyridoxine hydrochloride, and there is plenty of B5 or that they are taken separately. A preferred form is probably the B50 or B100, where most of the Bs are 100 mg with possible exception of B12 and B9 which are usually 100 mcg. I suspect that we really need a lot more folate, in the order 50-100 mg rather than mcg, which seems to reduce the inflammation in some cases of intestinal issues. Of course, folic acid is actually quite cheap even by the kilogram if purchased from a manufacturing source, but somehow, in the strange world of supplement marketing they become amazingly expensive and the amount given is just too small. Therefore, a reasonable negotiation between the two worlds might be to get folic acid separately and I will probably take 1-2 mg (which is actually 1000-2000 mcg), which is quite small, but won't hurt the budget.

As to the other supplements such as silicon, iodine, and molybdenum these three have a tendency to reduce the Crohn's autoimmunity. The iodine I prefer is the sodium iodide, usually 1-10 mg. I actually use about 10 mg or more. I don't use mcg amounts or less than that because my experience has been the recommended dose by the authorities is way too too small to have an effect. As a historical backdrop over 150 years ago, people used to really cure goiter, the size of a baseball or larger, using about 200 mg of iodine taken for a couple of months. Today we do something that is more primitive than 150 years ago. We simply remove the thyroid and take thyroid supplements for the rest of our lives. This is a profitable method for drug companies, not for me anyway. It SHOULD BE noted that for the iodine to work best that an amino acid tyrosine supplements is taken together with it, since tyrosine is necessary for the thyroid to produce the thyroxine.

Silicon supplements is rather hard to find in the Western countries, but can be done by eating rice (mostly unwashed, assuming they look clean enough), taking oatmeal and horsetail. I prefer to stop eating bread and white flour altogether due to the bromine process which causes them to be high in bromine. A bromine is a halogens, much like an iodine, but interestingly the bromine DISPLACES iodine, causing inadequate iodine, despite ADEQUATE intake of them. Interestingly, iodize salt are useless, since companies tend to add drying agents to look nice an white but these drying agent they add are aluminum compounds. I am also suspicious what they do add because the pH of these salt are always 5. A pure salt or sodium chloride always have a pH of 7, never 5. This is why when preparing foods it is safer for me to just use the sea salt and take the iodine separately. Another strange practice is to use potassium iodide, when a much safer sodium iodide can be use. In my experience a sodium iodide is much less toxic than the use of potassium iodide as well. It used to be that almost 80 something years ago, iodine were found to in every family doctors for all kinds of ailments and I still find this iodine to be amazing in the broad range of sickness, but with monopoly of medicine from the beginnings of Rockefeller finance Flexner report, all that were eliminated with more expensive surgeries and hormone replacements. Replacements don't work as well as what mother nature intended.

As to the molybdenum supplements I prefer a sodium molybdate kind, which generally is 1-5 mg but I may take more (such as 50 mg - the toxicity of sodium molybdate in general is very low), but not everyday. However, what is sold in the market is mcg, which is find, but I don't think it has much positive effect on autoimmuhity, still it's worth the mention that it helps in some cases of candida, yeast infection and crohns disease.

A simple way to reduce SOME of the problems, if not more of the Crohn's disease is the very simple sea salt supplement. The dose often requires one dose per week (quite possibly twice a week), which is a very rough estimation. The dose is 1 teaspoon of sea salt in 1 glass of water taken ideally in early evening when I am at home. It should be noted that a simple sea salt is alkaline in nature where it's pH is about 8, so it's this alkaline effect that might have some laxative effect, but the benefits of the sea salt is it kills many unfriendly bacteria whenever this is taken.

As a tip, if hydrogen peroxide drops such as 30 drops of 3% is added along with the borax remedy, in on liter of drinking water it helps much more in reduction of intestinal problems. Of course this has been only optional if I find it was not helped if I just took the borax alone. The hydrogen peroxide further makes it more effective.

Finally adding some bentonite clays, such as a big pinch of them in a drinking glass of bacteria, at least reduces the number of a bacteria. The benefit of using bentonite clay is that it reduces diarrhea, while at the same time reduce some intestinal issues.

If the Crohn's disease exists because of autoimmunity induced by excess free heavy metals, which in many case is happens too, then regulary taking spirulina and chlorella supplements for 4 or 5 days out of a week will help further improve on the problems.

It is still most important for me and is well aware by most readers that sugar, white flour, aspartame, heavy metals, vegetable oils used in cooking, bread, pastries, iron pots and pans, contaminated drinking water, potato chips are common triggers of the Crohn's disease. Hence should be avoided at least by me, and replaced that with rice, using glass cookware, R.O. water mixed sea salt 1/4 teaspoon per liter, and use of coconut oil for cooking only."

02/19/2009: Sam from Commerce Twp, Michigan/USA replies: "I Just had a question about some information i saw on Ted's Feedback. He recommended adding Sea Minerals to RO water- If one takes a good Vitamin and separate Mineral supplement, is it still recommended to add minerals to RO water?

Also he recommended to add 1/8 teaspoon of baking soda to the RO water- I tried this and it brought the Ph of RO water from 6-8, turning it alkaline- which is good. But to what amount of water does the 1/8 teaspoon apply- 1 gallon, 1 quart, etc?"

11/11/2010: Dkc- Mo from Lee's Summit, Missouri replies: "What is RO water? Listed in Ted's feedback on Crohn's Disease.

EC: RO= reverse osmosis"

09/10/2012: Phil from Lansing, Michigan replies: "Good answers Ted. I would be weary of anything with coconut though. Depending on the severity of the crokns, colitis, etc, it could make it worse. I have heard people use aloe drinks that may help. Never tried it but its supposed to coat the intestine and reduce the inflammation. Might be worth a shot."

08/10/2011: Hope from Atlanta, Ga: "Wondering if anyone has Chron's and HS? Any complications with tumeric and chron's, already on Humira."