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Clean Eating

Catherine

Moderator
My daughter has expressed an interest in doing clean eating.:eek2:

This idea is coming from a modelling course that she is currently undertaking.

I concern that if she cuts out a lot of foods she will have more trouble maintaining her already low weight.

If you or your child has done this eating plan. What did you change first?

Start point change the following:

White bread to multigrain
Juicing maybe?

Are there any on-line site you trust.
 
I hope the modelling course hasn't given her the idea that she needs to lose weight! She probably wants to do what the other girls are doing, diet-wise, and Clean Eating does look very healthy.

There are so many different variations of what you can eat when you have Crohn's. Different foods bother different people. When my daughter was first diagnosed, the doctor talked about a low-residue diet and we eliminated all the whole grain bread and pasta we had been eating, and went back to the plain white stuff, and eliminated a lot of fruits and vegetables -- the opposite of what is "supposed to be" healthy eating. It didn't help. It turned out that grains were bad for her, period. She does really well on the Specific Carbohydrate Diet, which is no starches and grains and sugars. Mostly her diet is fruits and vegetables (no potatoes) and fish and meat and eggs. Sweet fruits are good, honey is good, but no regular sugar. Our plates look super healthy, and our daughter got a lot better and put some weight back on. I make her lettuce wraps instead of sandwiches for lunch.

Since a lot of people with Crohn's do well on SCD or Paleo, maybe your daughter would be interested in trying that instead. It doesn't really look any different from Clean Eating, except for not eating grains and starches. The emphasis is on foods that aren't processed, just like Clean Eating. If it is going to help her Crohn's, she'll know within a month.
 
Tagging crohnsinct

We do clean eating, well sometimes we back slide, but we love it.
The scd we found to hard to keep weight on my kids but clean eating was not.

Sorry I'm stepping out. I'll be back later.


Matter of fact CIC started a thread about clean eating. Maybe you could look it up. She gave some links for blogs.
 

Catherine

Moderator
No modelling course want her to be a full size 10. She is currently a size 8.

Sarah has not diet restrictions due to Crohn's. She is currently considered to be clinicial remission. Retired from competitive swimming in September 2013 and lost 4kgs.

The course has mentioned clean eating but have not study it yet. But there has been mention of reducing processed food and meat. Reducing meat concerns me as she has major issue maintain iron levels.
 
Sounds as if you could compromise with her and reduce the processed foods but not the meat? Good luck!
 
http://www.cnn.com/2014/01/23/health/clean-eating/

Watch out for too much dogma about clean eating, but otherwise it's a good idea. Food dogma is never good. If she needs iron she needs it. Maybe since she's likely to have irritation, she can have some of those whole foods in smoothies. I make a green smoothie because any salads I eat come out in mostly the same shape they went in. So if she refuses red meat, she could have a balanced meal with a green smoothie that features spinach. You can just use frozen spinach, no need to slave in the kitchen.


I'd be careful with whole wheat or wheat in general. But that''s my dogma, I think it's evil.

http://www.realsimple.com/food-reci...-meals/green-smoothie-recipes-00100000096170/
 

crohnsinct

Well-known member
Hey Catherine....we switched to clean eating and in 2 1/2 weeks O gained 4 pounds! More than she had gained in a year. I was concerned because with swimming and track 4 hours a day and her low weight how could all those fruits and veggies actually put pounds on? Well she did it and continues to gain the weight and look totally awesome. I spoke with a doc here in the states about it a while back and then again recently. I was also concerned about O's iron and calcium. I can't testify to her calcium but her hemoglobin was the highest it has ever been at the most recent infusion. Also, did you know that animal consumption can interfere with calcium absorption? Plus there are plenty of vegans who get all their iron from plants.

My theory for O anyway is that her Crohn's drugs are getting most of the inflammation down but she is walking around with some regular American diet inflammation. We cleaned up the diet and fed her really good stuff that her body can actually use and BAM weight gain, ridiculous drops in her swim times and improved blood results. Her GI says, he can't say it is the diet but he won't say it isn't.

So a great book and plan to take it in steps in the Clean Cuisine 8 Week Challenge. It is written by Ivy Larsen and her husband Dr. Andy Larsen. It is basically a whole foods, plant rich diet with high quality animal products and meats. They have an 8 week challenge online free of charge. Each day you get an educational email (basically what is in the book a little at a time so no need to read the book unless you want to go deeper and read the studies etc). Each week a meal plan. Their website (Cleancuisineandmore) has a ton of information and recipes etc. They also have a pinterest and facebook page. Oh and a facebook page just for the challengers to share ideas with each other etc. Once you read the book or the challenge emails it is basically easy to go off on your own.

I am so impressed with Sarah for expressing an interest on her own and looking at diet. Clean Cuisine is not a fad diet...it is just common sense good eating.

Oh btw - O doesn't do it 100% either...there are plenty of times she is out with friends and gets chicken nuggets and fries etc...I would say she is about 80%. She is the best in the family though. Craves fruits etc. If Sarah wants to chat with me, just have her pm me.
 

Catherine

Moderator
I know I asked you guys for trusted "clean eating diet". I have the feeling that following on is one to stay away from. What do you guys think?

It appears she uses Gerson therapy to treat her own cancer which I believe has been discredit.

www.jessainscough.co
 
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crohnsinct

Well-known member
YES! Clean eating simply means cutting out all processed food. Some go as far as cutting out cheese as it didn't come out of the cow that way. Eating foods as close to how you find them in nature as possible. Simple as that.

The site I recommended gives a step by step guide. You work on a little at a time. They happen to be anti dairy and VERY plant food based. I checked out the site you mentioned but couldn't get past the first page in under 5 minutes...there was to much psycho babble for me...that doesn't necessarily mean she is all bad..I just would want the food talk not the past life regression stuff. Tosca Reno is another clean eating guru...some find her a bit to commercial. I like the Larson's as they site many studies and their plan is also anti inflammatory.
 

Catherine

Moderator
Clean eating?isn,t just a healthy varied diet that everyone is supposed to eat crohnies and non crohnies alike?
I agree it just healthy diet which looks at increasing fruits and vegie and decreasing processed foods.

crohnsinct, I like the site you recommended.

The reason I mentioned the site above is that its the one Sarah is interested in. I have serious concerns about it. She know that I want her to find something else to use. This young woman seems be very popular with teenager girls/young women.

And this stage I am waiting to find out who the course is using as a source.

The problem with "Clean Eating" is not the diet itself but the people/gurus using different versions is this diet which seems to cut lots of foods and some very unusual supplements
 

crohnsinct

Well-known member
I agree on the supplements. The Larson's do advocate omega 3 and fish oil as well as phytonutrients and a good quality multi vitamin but they give good sound medical advice as to why and they are hardly unusual...pretty main stream. I also don't care for anyone who cuts out a whole food group. Even as anti dairy as the Larson's are they still use milk in their coffee and sprinkles of cheese in certain dishes.

I took a second look at the website and still find no real food advice. Lots of "spiritual" advice and mention of the Gerson Therapy. Doesn't seem like it fits what Sarah is trying to do and I am not so sure what the appeal is for the young girls. also found this:
http://www.cancer.org/treatment/tre...ativemedicine/dietandnutrition/gerson-therapy
 

DustyKat

Super Moderator
I suppose you could say that Sarah has a ‘clean eating’ diet, she is vegan, juices, eats very little processed food and has cut most of the sugar out.

When she started eating this way she dropped weight very quickly as she cut out all grains, hence she quickly had to reintroduce them. She now has no trouble maintaining her weight but does find it very difficult to gain.

Looking at things objectively I know I worry that not having any excess weight on board is concerning when remission does finally come to an end but at this point in time she does look healthy and not underweight. She is an 8-10.

Dusty. xxx
 

Catherine

Moderator
DustyKat,

Here's the funny thing, the right "cleaning eating" plan would be good for her. She doesn't eat enough fruit or vegetables.

She looks healthy but is underweight for her height. Her bmi is 18. The GI wants her supplement if her weight drops any further.

She decided just to add some juicing to her diet.

The clean eating guru she found believe you can threat cancer using the Gerson therapy and is fact treating her own cancer this way. This is looking good to a girl who doesnot want to take drugs for the rest of her life.

What I trying to do is find a good clean eating plan without the extra rubbish.
 

DustyKat

Super Moderator
I can surely see what you are saying about the attraction for someone with cancer or a chronic disease and likely more so a younger person.

While I agree with a healthy and balanced diet devoid of all the crap food around these days, as no doubt we all do, I wish it was as ‘simple’ as that, IYKWIM. Ironically enough someone posted this on fb today…

10171792_10152056360702499_7978778461814353201_n.jpg

I actually know someone that has a malignant brain tumour and he went on a juicing diet then I guess he went to a ‘clean eating’ diet. He did not do any of the conventional treatments. He says he feels great now, he does look pretty good, and he reckons he has beaten the cancer. I asked him how he knows that and he said he just does. I asked if he has had a CT scan to confirm it and he hasn’t and he won’t. So who knows. Is he cured or burying his head in the sand?

Dusty. xxx
 

crohnsinct

Well-known member
Gosh! I am a clean diet believer but I wouldn't trust as far as treating all of O's Crohns and if I ever heard the word cancer I would grab those drugs happily. That is not to say I don't believe the healthiest diet wouldn't keep these diseases from happening in the first place.

O is a gaining machine since we switched over to clean eating. I think the difference is she eats plenty of grains, still eats occasional meat, poultry and fish so not as extreme as when we were full on vegan. We are about 90% plant based and I was skeptical of the eating plan and it's ability to let those who need to lose...lose and those who need to gain...gain...but it is working in this house.

Catherine: If Sarah is just adding the juicing then that doesn't sound so bad to start with. I would start getting concerned if that was all she was eating and definitely if she added those coffee enemas that woman is using. We don't juice but rather make smoothies. I put a huge handful of Kale or spinach in a Vitamix/nutribullet type thing and then put a bunch of other stuff in...A cup of blueberries, handful of strawberries, a few pitted dates and hemp or chia seeds. It is thick and delish with loads of fiber. The caveat of course is with IBD you have to know what you can have and if you can handle that fiber. O has no restrictions other than popcorn. I have a bunch of other recipes if you would like. A bunch use ginger a good anti inflammatory addition.
 
Kat you just hit the nail on the head with what I dislike about the spiritual,naturist,homeopathic diet thing it's dangerous if a vulnerable chronically ill person cuts the medical community out of the loop because there unduly influenced by self help gurus and doctor google if the cure for all major diseases was purely diet related we,d all do it.we all know a healthy varied diet is good for us it's a basic but not a cure all.good luck all the best
 

DustyKat

Super Moderator
I didn’t know of this lady until I saw it on the news. May she rest in peace but there is no doubting her methods have surely divided many in the community.
 

crohnsinct

Well-known member
AW! That is sad. I also didn't know her until you posted about her. It is just sad when someone dies from a disease they fought so hard against. Whether they used drugs or alternative means...just sad.
 
It's really sad when someone passes away especially young but it just proves absolute caution is required when thinking of going down this holistic new age route,there's nothing wrong using it as a supplement to conventional treatment but it's unproven as a cure for anything.
 

Catherine

Moderator
I did look in her methods at the time. I believe initially she was a victim. It had been widely reported that she had beat cancer. I can understand how a young women of 22 years didn't want to believe her only option was to lose her arm.

BUT the industry behind her method in my opinion was a fraud. They were charging large sums of money.

My daughter could have been so easily caught up in this but she didn't have the money to look into it further. The bank decline she request for a loan:D:D (Her mother)

I also need to thank the Naturopath (from the college) who told her Crohn's is one disease Naturopathy on it only can't treat.
 
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crohnsinct

Well-known member
I also need to thank the Naturopath (from the college) who told her Crohn's is one disease Naturopathy on it only can't treat.
Sadly true:( It is no secret that I travel in the nutraceutical, naturopathic and nutrition circles. I have spoken to many of the world reknown natural type docs many of them MD's about Crohn's and read all of their books. The list of things they claim diet can cure is exhaustive but with the exception of one practitioner none of them list IBD! Just astounding. How can something cure cancer, MS etc and not Crohn's. So we now just use the diet component to compliment and support the girls allopathic treatment.

Sort of backfired when T was put on EEN and read the Boost labels. She freaked out at the corn syrup, sugar, canola oil, carraggenan etc. I told her we aren't happy about a lot of the things we have to put in you and your sister's bodies...drugs and formula...but you have to do what you have to do and sometimes you just make the choice of the lesser of two evils.

I have actually met survivors treated with the Gerson method. They have amazing stories. However, they went there when conventional medicine failed them and they were left with no options. Not sure if they would have chosen it first though.
 
I have spoken to many of the world reknown natural type docs many of them MD's about Crohn's and read all of their books. The list of things they claim diet can cure is exhaustive but with the exception of one practitioner none of them list IBD! Just astounding. How can something cure cancer, MS etc and not Crohn's.
Do they claim that neither Crohn's nor UC can be cured or just Crohn's? Sorry for asking for a clarification.
 
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