(Along with most of you, I have enjoyed the weekly newsletter from Cordain’s “The Paleo Diet”. His books, papers and scientific studies have benefited all adding to our ongoing body of knowledge. The world is richer because of his efforts, style and generosity.
My understanding of the recent changes to be only temporary were apparently incorrect and tho we all have profited from the wonderful papers of this last month or so – - I want to suggest that those of you who value Dr Cordain’s writings, go directly to his “blog” which appears to be what he is offering now. Just go there, sign up – its easy. All the previous articles we have will remain archived and available to you under the “Paleo Diet” Jan)
The Paleo Diet and Crohn’s Disease
Q: Can you comment on any reported results in curbing the symptoms of Crohn’s Disease with the Paleo Diet. As I am a sufferer, I would love to know.
Thank you,
Shannon
A: Dear Shannon,
Indeed, inflammatory bowel disease (Ulcerative Colitis & Crohn’s Disease) patients usually do very well with The Paleo Diet, as nutrients are one of the main environmental triggers of this condition. Crohn’s disease is an autoimmune disease where the immune system mounts an attack against its own tissues – in this case the cells lining the intestine.
For an autoimmune disease to occur we need a genetic predisposition and an environmental trigger. The genetic predisposition depends on genes coding for the Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) system. One of the environmental triggers may be nutrition, besides infections, geography (vitamin D deficiency), physical trauma or vaccination.
One of the key points in this process is increased intestinal permeability. This means that the gut barrier allows increased passage of bacterial or food proteins (antigens) into peripheral circulation, skipping a process known as oral tolerance. Once antigens come in contact with the immune system located in the gut associated lymphoid tissue, they may elicit a T-cell mediated immune response against those antigens.
If the molecular structure of the dietary or bacterial antigens is similar to that of the HLA system (part of the immune system representing cellular mechanisms), chances are that a cross reaction between foreign antigens and self antigens (produced by T-cells) occur. This is termed molecular mimicry, and leads to self injury by the adaptive immune system.
Hence, decreasing intestinal permeability is one of the treatment targets. There are several nutrients known to increase intestinal permeability that you may want to avoid, at least until symptoms subside. Here is a list, with the noxious substances in parentheses:
- Cereal grains (lectins and gliadin)
- Legumes, including soya and peanuts (lectins and saponins)
- Tomato (tomato lectin and alpha-tomatin)
- Potato (lectins and saponins)
- Chili (capsaicin)
- Quillaja (foaming substance)
- Quinoa (saponins)
- Egg white (lysozyme)
- Alfalfa sprouts (saponins)
- Amaranth (saponins)
- Alcohol
Moreover, some nutrients exert an adjuvant-like activity (they stimulate the immune system), which is something you don’t want to if you are suffering from an autoimmune disease. Nutrients containing adjuvants:
- Quillaja extract, found in root beer
- Tomato alpha-tomatine
Dairy products and vegetable oils also have deleterious effects upon your immune system.
I hope this helps.
Maelán
Recipe of the Week: Spicy Tilapia
Spicy Tilapia
As much as I love Salmon, and joke that I could live on this fish, some raw kale and avocado alone, it’s always good to keep the diet balanced and opt for other types of fish.
Tilapia is a great choice- low in calories, total fat, sodium and Mercury, it’s also a great source of Phosphorus, Niacin, Selenium, Vitamin B12 and Potassium.
Their mild flavor imparts them to be prepared in many different ways. In addition, their delicate, flaky constitution allows them to take a marinade, and cook quite quickly.
Yesterday, I prepared a marinade of lime juice, no-salt-added Cajun spices, fresh cilantro and some fresh garlic and whizzed it in the mini food processor (reminder- this is a must have, at only $30!). I let the fillets sit in the fridge for just over an hour before allowing them to come to room temp for about 30′ while I prepared my salad and cut up some chard to saute with garlic, shallots & olive oil. A mere 10 minutes before I wanted to serve dinner, I put the fish under the broiler for 5′ on each side as my chard quickly cooked. I plated the fish by first serving a bed of the lovely greens, followed by a healthy dose of my signature green salad, and finally two small fillets on each plate and a strip of lime and a sprig of cilantro.
Eating is a multi-sensory experience, and as such, I feel quite strongly about the importance of presentation.
Make it not only taste wonderful, but also let it appear beautiful as well. Then, have a seat and enjoy your
meal properly! Even better, share it with your spouse or kids… Enjoy!
Hi, I keep hearing that crohns is an autoimmune disease ( the body attacking itself ) seems pretty dumb to me.
I think if scientist would dig a little deeper they will find that there is a lot more going on with many diseases.
I chose to speak about because I am a former sufferer ( I think ). I was first dianosed with ulcerative colitis, and a year later the doc’s said it wasn’t uc, but crohns. I’m not a science person but it strikes me as strange that with all the chemicals that are thrust upon us that scientist don’t look into that bag for the cause of crohns and many other diseases we come down with. Thanks, I never heard of the diet paleo, but I will look into it.
Thanks again
Gerald
Comment by Gerald Boykin — August 9, 2010 @ 5:10 pm |
Hello Gerald, It’s unusual to have someone here who never heard of the Paleo Diet. I am so pleased you stopped in and I am hoping that soon, you will be pleased too. I’m mostly interested in the pursuit of health in the most “natural way” and believe that most of us are trying to protect our bodies against the onslaught of toxins to which we are subjected on a daily basis – our air, water, the very food we ingest. And the quest for health must go beyond mere toxins (over which we have less control) to our choices in what and how we eat. There is no moral authority here at smokinchoices; no one who will tell you there is only one way to do stuff. It is up to you whether your preferences run to the plant kingdom or thrive happily on animal protein.
The Paleo Diet book which is referred to is the brainchild of Dr. Loren Cordain, brilliant scientist and researcher over in Oregon at the University. I would highly recommend you acquire his book and bone up and I bet if you do, you will never look back. Male, female, young and old, body builders and everyday people just seeking better health have discovered a simple way to eat and live which relieves them of pains and problems, reduces diseases (though he is a scientist – not a practicing physician) and reduces one’s enslavement to pharmaceuticals because they are no longer required. How is this possible? Its in the food we eat. . . .those infernal choices!
As to the Crohns disease being classified as autoimmune, there generally has to be genetic predisposition AND some kind of environmental trigger. So we’re dealing with genes on one hand (HLA) and/or probably a nutritive trigger on the other. Our problem (whichever the cause) is increased intestinal permeability which allows this process to take place The Paleo Diet explains why and how the eating of grains and legumes is not well suited to our bodies and actually causes this permeability to happen which in turn lets antigens pass the gut barrier (meaning letting certain food-stuffs thru the intestinal lining, which is not meant to happen) whereby the antigen is allowed into circulation, wherein we reap the resultant pain and distress. So you see, our immune system gets tricked into action it wouldn’t have to take if our choices were more informed. Our divinely designed systems are not at fault, its the curse of modern times, corporate greed and mis-direction and a failure of our governmental agencies not doing their job of protecting the citizenry over the power of corporate interests. I must stop myself because I am about to get on a soapbox you didn’t ask for.
SAD (standard American diet) is heavily anchored in grain use. We were raised on bread. We love bread and spaghetti and pizza. And its literally killing us – grain and dairy and oh my. . .there I go again, always preaching! Hardly anybody can shut me up, so Gerald . . . buy the book, read it and come back and tell me what you think. And while you are at it, go on over to the Paleo Diet blog and sign up for his newsletter, its free and very informative – you’ll love it. The address is in my Blogroll. . . . . Loved sharing with you. . . . . .Jan
Comment by Jan Turner — August 10, 2010 @ 1:36 am |
I Don’t know much about the paleo diet, but I have followed some research that has so far been a godsend for me.
Crohns as an autoimmune disease and along with other autoimmune diseases has been reversed by using an anti yeast diet. Candida albicans fungus loves the colon and other dark moist warm places (ie), the vagina. candida albicans ( yeast ) is kept in check by our immune system ( friendly ) flora, but the over use of antibiotics, especially broad spectrum antibiotics weakens our immune system ( defense force ) and then you have yeast overgrowth. The symptoms of yeast overgrowth are-
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome; Fibromyalgia; Lupus; Multiple Sclerosis;and yes Crohns Disease,Ulcerative colitis, and others, and as I said they all respond favorably with the intervention of dietary change and the anti yeast diet-
Crohns diet
Comment by Gerald Boykin — September 12, 2010 @ 11:58 am |
Greetings Gerald, It is a pleasure to welcome you. There is nothing like pain and/or body discomfort to get one moving looking for answers, is there? The post you are responding to comes from the Paleo Diet people. Dr. Loren Cordain’s book came out in 2002 (I think) to mixed reviews because it kinda set the medical community on edge. Tho medicine is scientific in base, it nevertheless doesn’t accept new, more relevant information quickly. In no time, the public acceptance of Dr Cordain’s book was a raving success because it works. People were helped by his insights. Now of course, many others are singing the same tune and mostly, the scientific community understands what his research is all about and it DOES work.
You are correct in your understanding. For your better understanding however, it would be good to read Cordain more fully – go to his site and receive his words from the horse’s mouth so-to-speak as there are on-going dialogues happening. It would be good also to realize that the culprit should not be limited to “yeast”. Dr Cordain’s research has demonstrated that grains of any sort (this would include all the delicious BREAD, PASTA, etc.) legumes, root vegetables (like potatoes) and quite a few other foods (listed in his writings) are anti-nutrient. Most especially the bread stuff we grew up with and love. Grains (and these other foods) effectively damage the lining of the intestines which in turn allow these anti-nutrient food passage thu into our circulation where they should not be. Sets off alarms and the army from the immune system attempts to deal with it, but after so many years of insult, becomes weakened and unable to handle the load. But all is not lost! One does not need to medicate this circumstance – - indeed, one simply should adjust his dietary habits to disallow the offenders this access into our circulation, and then, the immune system is not on 24/7 overtime duty and can do the job it was designed to do which is to take care of true foreign invaders like alien bacteria, germs and/or you name it.
More than 80% of our immune system resides in the intestinal area. We know stuff is not right when we suffer gas, distension, pain, etc. Sad thing is, we can get bad disturbances just eating the wrong foods together (at the same meal). Whole other subject. .called “Food Combining”.
I daily eat something called “Fermented Foods” which I have posted on endlessly. Its simple but time consuming to make, but it is expensive to buy, ergo, I make it myself and have posted on “HOW” to do it. Adding maybe 1/4 cup to your meals every day gets the gut back in shape in no time. And there is no pill in the world which can give you more or better B-vitamin than feasting with a bit of Fermented veggies. Sorry, Gerald, guess I got carried away again. Jan
Comment by Jan Turner — September 12, 2010 @ 4:36 pm |
I just wanted to share my recent experience. I started the paleo diet last Tuesday and it is now the following Wednesday and I type this from a hospital bed. I do have crohn’s that was not really flairing at the moment, but is always there. I am still really excited about eating paleo but my suggestion is to ease into it. I was nearly a vegetarian before I started paleo, so I went from no meat to tons of meat, and after 5 days of strict paleo I ended up with a partial small bowel obstruction. I just wanted to warn others that might be about to dive in, please do it gradually, so hopefully you won’t have any problem.
Comment by candice — March 30, 2011 @ 11:04 am |
Candice, How sad! We are all so different – - there is NO ONE DIET or formula FOR ALL. . .it’s a fact. It is well known that Paleo is one successful protocol which has helped many, many people to a healthier body, greater sense of harmony and sustainable energy. And it still may be your answer.
Not discussed in your message is the quantity of meat – you mention “tons of meat.” Cordain’s book outlines percentages, around 30 to 40 percent of hi-quality (organically-grown) meat and further stresses high percentages of fruits and veggies with – no grains. But of course, if as you say, you were on strict Paleo, you know that.
Fortunately, our bodies are forgiving – - put up with much abuse, and do their best to accommodate our changing ways and needs. Occasionally, they rebel as yours has. It would pay to heed what your BODY IS ASKING FOR. It is for us to pay attention and listen deeply, for our body knows. The intelligence within the body is what keeps it functioning on all burners and in fact does the healing when it does heal.
As an aside, it might behoove you to get a copy of Dr Hulda Clark’s book “The Cure for All Disease” I still find it to be one of the best references on my shelf and use it. Her generous nature and easy writing style made a permanent true believer in me. I have used her cleanses (making them at home myself per her instructions therein.) It isn’t just the doing of it, but the understanding of why you are doing it and what to expect. She was a brilliant scientist and well loved.
Wish you great success in your quest to radiant health, however you do it, sprinkle it with moderation; you’ve got time and you’ll get it right. Appreciate you’re stopping by. Jan
Comment by Jan Turner — March 30, 2011 @ 12:38 pm |
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