Awesome Diet Change

I haven't quite been improving from this last flare up as quickly as my first diagnosis. I had some immediate improvement once I started back on the medicine, but I haven't gotten to remission and I've been on meds and the healing diet since March 16. I consulted with my holistic Gastroenterologist, Dr. Azar about a week ago. I shared with her my food log and asked what I can do to expedite my healing. She suggested adding apple/carrot juice to my diet twice daily in addition to what I had been eating and drinking. 

I started doing so early last week and by the end of the week I had amazing improvement. My energy level is back to 100%, and my gut is feeling remarkably better. My bowel movements have reduced to my normal three per day. I still have some minor symptoms, but wow, what an improvement in the past week. I'm not sure if this is all because of the apple/carrot juice, or just coincidental and all of the other things I had been doing simply started working.

In any regard, not only do I feel great, but I've began to reduce the meds because of it. I am on two medications. One is a corticosteroid and immune suppressant, budesonide. The other is an anti inflammatory and immune suppressant, mesalamine. I used to take three capsules of budesonide and two tablets of mesalamine twice a day. I'm down to two capsules of budesonide and 1 tablet of mesalamine twice a day and there has been no worsening of symptoms. Yay! 

When I inquired with Dr. Azar as to why the apple/carrot juice works so well, she informed me that the juice is very healing, cleansing and anti inflammatory to the colon all at the same time. There is a large amount of pectin in both apples and carrots which is healing for the gut. Pectin is completely digested in the colon and releases needed fatty acids. Since pectin is fermented only when it reaches the colon, it is said to assist in all colon related illnesses. It is even a colon cancer treatment. Pectin acts as a detoxicant, as a regulator and a protectant of the gastrointestinal tract, as an immune system stimulant and as an anti-ulcer and antinephritic agent (counter acting).  

I'm just very happy with my progress in the past week. Apple and carrot juice has become my best friend :)