Here are some things I have learned, from 24 years of living with Crohns...I am now 42 years old.
I hope it helps you, or someone else.
Andrew (Australia)
- having a firm understanding of what foods work
for me and understanding that all Crohn's patients are individuals
and have individual dietary needs. There is not one diet that fits all. But more so, getting the medical tests
to eliminate allergies and the suspicions of intolerance so that when you are eating something you
don't subconsciously doubt the food…I hate meeting people with Crohn's who believe they
can’t eat gluten, but have never had the test to prove it, or otherwise. It is an easy trap
to fall into, hating on food. Love your food. Know your food is healing you.
- understanding that the gut is an ecosytem and if you feed that ecosystem
sugar and processed foods then you are encouraging poor health.
- understanding that a Crohn's compromised gut needs simple foods…not complex
carbohydrates…the SCD diet is worth investigating, think meat and 3 vege.
- each morning scraping the gunk off my tongue and spitting it out….a custom in India
and other countries - something I picked up along the way…helps, somehow.
- psyllium husks in water seem to help my motions.
- learning to not ‘have the shits’, with the world.
- being grateful for the things in my life and body that do work. Being grateful in general.
- learning yogic breathing…breathing into the belly is like an internal massage.
- accepting that there is an emotional component to gut health and learning to
be in harmony with my feelings. Understanding that anger needs to be let out,
not kept in.
- disease, dis-ease = a lack of ease. Learn to live with ease.
- Learning to love my tummy, the very thing causing me pain and suffering.
- Leaning that you need an extended family of compassionate and understanding people who
know what you are going through and are there to talk with you if needed. Other sufferers are a valuable aid
in recovery or at least survival. Learning not to burden your immediate family with your daily
battles. Learning not to expect your immediate family to understand or support you.
- Accepting that you are compromised and allowing yourself to feel down, but also understanding
that you can heal and that your body wants to heal and get better. You can get better. You will get better
and your mood will oscillate. Enjoy the good days, and try to work out anything that helped make
them happen.
‘what i eat and think today walks and talks tomorrow.’
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Topic: Lifestyle - things I learned along the way (Read 8664 times)