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Holistic Blends Inc. |
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Hi John
As the 750,000 or so people with Crohn’s disease in the US can tell you, when you’re diagnosed with it, your life all of a sudden becomes burdened with many uncertainties.
First there’s the ins and outs of the condition itself. You learn that your immune system is basically waging war on your GI tract and causing inflammation deep into the tissues of your intestines…and you feel completely defenseless against it.
Then your daily focus becomes centered on when you will have your next flare-up. The typical symptoms of diarrhea, fever, excessive gas and right lower quadrant pain can strike anytime, anywhere.
It can also cause extreme tiredness and weight loss to the point where you worry about losing time at work and/or school.
Crohn’s can also cause reduced nutrient absorption, so there’s the uncertainty associated with that as well—will you eventually be facing deficiency diseases?
The treatment
Things don’t get any rosier when you see what your treatment options are.
First of all, two out of three people with Crohn’s will require surgery at some point in their lives. So for the majority the question is not if but when will you have to go under the knife, and how much of your GI tract will you lose when you do?
Plus even after you have surgery, Crohn’s can just “pack up and move down the street” and fester somewhere else in the GI tract. So you’re never completely out of the woods.
The other arm of the standard allopathic treatment of Crohn’s is drugs that are designed to curb the inflammation and thus reduce the symptoms.
But there’s no guarantee that drugs will be effective, and even if they are, they come with a whole Pandora’s Box of potential side effects that can add to your misery.
Here are the most common drug options for Crohn’s and some of their potential side effects:
Sulfasalazine (Azulfidine) – Designed to reduce inflammation during acute flare ups. Side effects can include:
- Aching of joints or muscles
- Headache (continuing)
- Itching; skin rash
- Vomiting; nausea
- Constipation
- Chest pain
- Back, leg, or stomach pains
- Difficulty breathing
- Nosebleeds
- Unusual tiredness or weakness
- Aching of muscles
- Bloating
- Blood in the urine or stools; bloody
diarrhea
- Dizziness; fainting spells
- Reduced sperm count in men
- Abdominal or stomach pain (severe)
- Bloody diarrhea; rectal bleeding
- Blurred vision; dizziness
- Fever
- Headache (severe)
- Nervousness; anxiety
- Slow or fast heartbeat
- Unusual tiredness or weakness
- Back pain (severe)
- Chest pain, possibly moving to the left arm,
neck, or shoulder
- Nausea; vomiting
- Shortness of breath
- Confusion
- Drowsiness (severe)
- Numbness of the feet, hands, and around the
mouth
- Seizures
- Glaucoma
- Fluid retention, causing swelling in your
lower legs
- Increased blood pressure
- Mood swings
- Weight gain, with fat deposits in your
abdomen, face and the back of your neck
- Cataracts
- High blood sugar, which can trigger or
worsen diabetes
- Increased risk of infections
- Osteoporosis
- Fractures
- Suppressed adrenal gland hormone production
- Thin skin, easy bruising and slower wound
healing
In addition to not having the protection of your immune system against viruses and infections and even diseases like cancer, immunosuppressors can also cause:
- Abdominal or stomach pain
- Back or side pain
- Chest pain or tightness
- Bone or joint pain
- Dizziness; fainting
- Fever
- Headaches
- Hives; itching
- Muscle pain
- Nasal congestion; sneezing; sore throat
- Nausea; vomiting
- Difficulty breathing
- Unusual tiredness or weakness
- Diarrhea; constipation; blood in stools
- Vaginal burning or itching and discharge
- Hernia
- Change in mental status
- Convulsions; seizures
Antibiotics – Antibiotics like Ciproflaxin (Cipro) and metronidazole (Flagyl) are prescribed to help treat fistulas—which are little “tunnels” that form between your intestinal tract and the nearby organs. Wastes and bacteria can leak from your intestines through a fistula and cause inflammation and infection of surrounding healthy organs.
In addition to possibly causing nausea, diarrhea, bone and joint pain, numbness in the extremities, vaginal yeast infections and a host of other symptoms, the most common problem with antibiotics is that they destroy your friendly flora—which is responsible for helping ensure smooth digestion and nutrient absorption (both of which are concerns with Crohn’s) as well as housing 70% of your immune system!
So as you can see, my friend, the list of concerns for people with Crohn’s is very long indeed.
But we’re not done yet.
Because recent research has now shown that 2 of the drug treatment options not only can lead to nasty side effects, but can actually CAUSE Crohn’s or make it worse!
Here’s the scoop:
Antibiotics now suspected as a cause of Crohn’s
Prior to the 1950's, Crohn's was very rare and only seen in cases where there was a family history of the disease.
That changed in 1953 when antibiotics were introduced to the world.
Since that time researchers have observed a parallel rise between the number of cases of Crohn's and the number of prescriptions for antibiotics.
They theorize that antibiotic use has caused a surge in the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, which in turn can attack the intestinal lining and lead to the classic Crohn's inflammation.
That's not to say that antibiotics haven't truly been a medical miracle and saved lives too, but sadly they have been prescribed FAR too often, with children taking them sometimes for YEARS to "prevent" ear infections, as well as teens and adults using them for acne.
Steroids may make Crohn’s worse
Recently scientists from the Florida campus of The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) identified a type of immune cell—a white blood cell called TH17 -- that may play a major role in the development of Crohn's disease.
In the new study, the researchers found that a subset of these TH17 cells (called CD4+ cells) in humans express a pro-inflammatory protein called MDR1—which can promote drug-resistance in tumors and is linked to the inflammation in Crohn’s patients.
So in other words, the more of your TH17 cells that are CD4+ cells, and the more those CD4+ cells crank out the pro-inflammatory protein MDR1—the better your chances of drug resistance if you’ve got a tumor and developing chronic inflammation.
The researchers stated that, with healthy people, only about 5 to 10% of their CD4+ cells are pro-inflammatory MDR1-expressing cells.
But when they looked at the tissues of people with Crohn’s, they saw that nearly 60% of their CD4+ cells were MDR1-expressing!
Plus the MDR1-expressing cells are likely to have an unfair growth advantage over other immune cells, especially when they are exposed to steroids!
So steroids can, therefore, provide a more fit environment for and encourage a heavier population of pro-inflammatory cells—thereby in effect worsening the very thing they’re supposed to “help.”
The study also showed that these cells are resistant to both natural and synthetic steroids—so it matters not which kind of steroid you choose.
Now what?
If you or someone you love has Crohn’s, it’s very understandable if your head is spinning right now, not knowing what to do.
But I can help.
Because I have three very good suggestions that can help you safely and naturally fight back against Crohn’s.
And feel a whole lot better!
Here they are:
1- Reduce stress on your intestines
When you reduce the stress that your inflamed intestines have to deal with, they are far more likely to stay quiet and peaceful.
And a great way to keep your intestines stress-free is to eat meals that your body can efficiently digest!
When digestion can be accomplished with ease, your wastes can move through the intestines smoothly like they should--with less chance of constipation, diarrhea, excessive gas or irritation.
Easy digestion = happy intestines!
And eating for great digestion is
what I will teach you in the Great Taste No
Pain health system- http://www.greattastenopain.com/great.asp
or for gluten-sensitive people, Great Taste No Gluten.
- http://www.greattastenogluten.com/great.asp
In the Great Taste No Pain and Great Taste No Gluten manuals, I'll tell you exactly what to do, what to eat and how to structure your meals so you'll nourish your body, encourage easy digestion, minimize irritation and feel great after every meal.
Many people with Crohn's have reported relief from pain, diarrhea and bleeding almost immediately after making just a few simple changes to their diet...and they're thrilled beyond belief!
2- Strengthen the wall
For people with Crohn's, it's essential to have a strong gut wall and help keep harmful bacteria in check…especially if you’ve taken antibiotics for your Crohn’s or any other reason!
Step 1 is having a nutritious diet (including vegetables, fruits and whole grains) to nourish and encourage a healthy friendly flora base. Nothing affects your gut flora more than your diet.
However, many
experts also recommend supplementing with probiotic strains from both the
Lactobacillus and Bifidobacteria species. And Super Shield multi-strain probiotic formula fits the bill for Crohn's sufferers and ANYONE with a digestive challenge.
- http://www.bluerockholistics.com/product/pross.asp
Super Shield contains potent, top-quality strains of both Lactobacillus (which reside in the small intestine) and Bifidobacteria (that live in the large intestine), so you're covered from "one end to the other!"
In addition, the amino acid glutamine has also been shown to help enhance gut wall strength.
Glutamine is found in protein-rich foods such as beans, red meat, nuts and fish. Supplements are also available in health food stores and many pharmacies.
3- Keep inflammation low
Keeping inflammation low in the intestines is vital for Crohn's sufferers, and having efficient digestion (like I described above) is a big help in this regard.
But that's not all--because if you still have an imbalance of Omega-6 and Omega-3 EFAs in your system, your inflammation mechanism could be operating in overdrive.
And your gut could be on fire as a result!
There needs to be a specific
balance between Omega-6's and Omega-3's in your body. When they're in a ratio
of between 3:1 and 5:1, they effectively control inflammation.But many people (including Crohn's sufferers) can have a ratio of at least 10:1, 20:1 or worse.
So it's essential to help replenish your Omega-3 supply with a good pharmaceutical-grade fish oil supplement like VitalMega-3.
- http://www.bluerockholistics.com/product/vitalmega3.asp
VitalMega-3 is a potent, pharmaceutical-grade fish oil formula that delivers 1,000 mg of the recommended EPA and DHA essential fatty acids in every daily 2-capsule serving.
Not only can that help ease intestinal inflammation, but also help ease other aches and pains as well, and even help lower blood pressure!
It’s true that the people with Crohn’s face many uncertainties in their lives.
But when you take the bull by the horns and help ease an protect your precious GI tract naturally from within, you can see a difference in how you feel fast!
Just like Carolyn did below—check out her inspiring story
To your health,
Sherry Brescia
I have Crohn's Disease and have suffered with extreme pain since I was a teenager. It wasn't until I reached my thirties that they finally discovered it was Crohn’s. In the past five years I have also developed arthritis, which I now attribute to both diet and medication.
The last ten years have been like being on a roller coaster. What to eat. What not to eat... heavy steroids... antibiotics...and numerous other drugs. I can tell you now. Nothing really solved anything.
At the end of last year I hit rock bottom. Month after month on the highest steroid dose until my body just couldn't take it anymore. I have always said no to surgery. Knowing that it really wasn't going to help either so at least I still have my stomach and bowel.
I decided to do some research myself and found your link on the Crohn's website. I must admit, I was very skeptical at first but after months of reading all the amazing stories of people that have had their lives turned around, I just had to give it a go.
I can barely write this letter without tears falling on my keypad. Finally, I can live without pain day in, day out. It has been nothing short of a miracle (God is good!) and I am so grateful for all the advice you have given me. I have no doubt that it will get better and better as my body gets rid of the buildup of trash in it and becomes more alkaline. At last I know I am on the right track.
I have been telling everyone about this, and many of my friends are now trying it too. Not only has it been good for me but also my entire family. My son is doing his HSC at the moment and feels so much better than he did before. He has energy and feels alert and on top of his game.
So Sherry, THANK YOU!
May God bless you as you continue to change and save lives!
Carolyn
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- http://www.greattastenopain.com/freereports/ and feel the power of Great Taste No Pain.
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