Possible EFA To Help Crohn's or Colitis

Okay all, I have found something good to share with you. Most of us know that Essential Fatty Acids are good for managing inflammation. A rheumatologist I have seen in the past associated with inflammation in my ankle recommends 4000 ml of Omega 3 (fish oil) daily for his rheumatoid arthritis patients, so I began taking that as well, since Crohn's is another form of immune deficiency disease of inflammation.

There are other types of Essential Fatty Acids and I accidentally found one that I think may be very beneficial to the digestive tract, because it is known to repair mucous membranes.

Mucous membranes line parts of the body that lead to the outside. Examples of mucous membranes are the lining of the digestive tract, the lining of the urogenital tract, and the lining of the respiratory tract.

There is a growing list of clinical studies showing multiple beneficial effects of Omega 7 on mucous membranes. In one clinical study involving 30 cases of peptic ulcer, the patients took about 5,000 mg of sea buckthorn oil (the most potent source of omega 7) daily for one month. The cure rate was 76.6% and a total effective rate of 96.7% was reported. That is very very promising.

Another study used the same oil as a treatment for 116 peptic ulcer patients. 71 Had duodenal ulcers and 45 had gastric ulcers. Once again, oral application of this fatty acid relieved pain and quickened the repair process of tissues and mucous membranes.

There are numerous studies on animals showing similar results for a range of gastrointestinal issues.

Although the sea buckhorn berry oil is the most potent source of this omega 7 essential fatty acid (palmetoleic acid), you can also find it in the following foods:

• Macadamia nut oil - 17.3%
• Cod liver oil - 7.1%
• Salmon - 6.0%
• Olive oil - 1.4%
• Eggs - .3%
• Soybean Oil - .08%

I have begun taking this EFA about a week ago. Some of the research I have hound has indicated that significant results may take up to 90 days. I have also found that getting the oil from the berry fruit, versus its seeds, have greater results.

I'll update you on my Crohn's progress as I continue this supplement. I'm taking 1800 mg daily, added to my 4000 mg of omega 3s. Right now I am not in remission, but I am controlling inflammation, so now is a good time to test this supplement.

By the way, other benefits seem to improve the skin, hair and nail moisture, and help with weight management. All good side affects indeed:)

Getting in Remission

Gosh Darn! So I've joined a new company and have struggled finding a way to eat properly and get ample rest while on the road. I'm certain this highly contributed to my current flare up:  poor diet and stress.

The wrong diet and/or stress will do it every time, unfortunately.

So, unfortunately, I have been struggling with a flare up for four months. It has never taken me that long to get into remission and steroids for four months has had its toll on me. I have been extra strict on my diet, yet it is so difficult when I travel.

Yesterday, I water fasted. Today, a juice fasted.

Normally, when I have a flare up, budesonide and mesalamine, along with the right diet, does the trick in 60 days. I don't eat any raw greens because they are hard to digest, or beans for the same ready. Ultimately, I have a raw fruits, but only those that are easy to digest, and steamed vegetables. Butter, cream, spices, or anything else that is an inflammatory to the colon, I refrain from. Well this hasn't worked:( Here I am at almost 4 months and I don't think I'm in remission.

Therefore, the last two days and the next nine, I'll be on a liquid diet.

• Day 1: Water
• Day 2: Juice and Kombucha
• Day 3-5: Water
• Day 6-11: Juice and Kombucha
• Day 12-14: Green juice and sweet fruits
• Day 15-17: Vegan, gluten free diet, with mostly raw foods and steamed vegetables
• Day 18 and beyond: Vegan, glen free diet

So I have a doctor's appointment on the 22nd. The results of the tests I have at that time will determine my next steps which are dramatic. Below are my limited choices if the results come back that I'm not in remission:

• Stay on juice for the next 60 days. Arrrhhggg. This would be awful, but maybe not as awful as the alternative.
• Go on biologics. My gut feeling is I would choose Entivio. The problem with Entivio is that is reduces your immune system so it doesn't attach itself, and therefore opens up the possibility for major infections that could be deadly, such as TB. Another negative is that the body relies upon it and there's a 75% probability that I would have a flare up immediately upon trying to get off of it. Yet, based on my research, it's the most gentle. 

If I go on Entivio, it requires an IV infusion once every two months. How fun...

I've taken the week off of work next week and this is my daily plan in addition to the diet referred to above:

• intersegmental traction - to ensure I don't have nerve energy interference
• low level light therapy - to reduce inflammation
• meditation - to reduce stress
• detox sauna - to assist will releasing toxins
• inversion - to decompress the spine (nerve energy assistance again)
• eight hours sleep - we only have so much nerve energy and rest is how to regenerate it
• frequency therapy - to kill micro-organisms and secure healthy bacteria

I also plan on having a massage and a few chiropractic adjustments. 

Ultimately, if this doesn't make a material difference, I'm not sure it is in my power, while continuing to work, to do it without considering a biologic. I am very disappointed...

Brewing Your Own Kombucha

This blog is simply the instructions to brew kombucha. I've helped a couple people with this, and due to the amount of extra scobys I have, I am likely going to help more. So below are the basics for brewing about a gallon of kombucha.

Here's a couple tips to ensure that your kombucha doesn't get contaminated.

1. Only handle the scoby with your bare hands or latex gloves. There is debate that metal touching the scoby can harm the health of the scoby. When handing your scoby with your bare hands, clean your hands well, but do not use anti-bacterial soap and residue on your hands can kill the bacteria of the scoby. I like to use a sugar scrub to clean my hands and I handle my scoby with my bare hands.
2. Keep your kombucha jar clean. Either sterilize it by cleaning it in your dishwasher with very hot water, put it in the oven at 225 degrees for 25 minutes, or clean it with vinegar, which is what I do.

First fermentation process

Minimum Ingredients

• 1-2 cups starter tea and a scoby
• 4 green tea bags (enough to make 4 cups)
• a gallon of filtered water
• 1 cup of sugar

Other Supplies

• 1 gallon wide mouthed glass jar
• cheesecloth large enough to cover the mouth of the jar (you can also use any tightly woven cloth)
• rubber band

Bring 4 cups of water to a boil either in a pot or tea kettle. Once the water begins to boil remove it from heat and steep the 4 bags of green tea for 5 to 10 minutes.

Remove the tea bags and add the sugar to the tea. Stir the tea until the sugar is dissolved.

Add the sweet tea to the gallon jar. Fill the balance of the jar with filtered water so that it is about 2" below the rim of the mouth of the jar. 

Once the temperature of the tea in the jar is 85 F or less, add the starter tea and scoby. If the water you added to the hot tea came out of the refrigerator, then the temperature will be fine to add the starter tea and scoby right a way.

Cover the jar with the cheesecloth and secure it around the lid with the rubber band, and store your kombucha in a warm place between the temperatures of 70 and 80F. The perfect temperature is somewhere around 75-77.

Green tea and black tea kombucha

In one to two weeks, depending upon your personal taste, you'll be ready to bottle your kombucha. You should test the taste of the kombucha no later than 7 days to assess whether it has lost its sweetness enough. If it is too sweet, taste it daily until the sweetness has subsided enough for your taste. You can taste it by taking a straw with your finger over one end, and putting it down the side of the scoby. Release your finger, place it over the end again, then take the straw out and taste the kombucha in the straw. 

Once it is no longer so sweet and acceptable to your taste, you go onto the next step of the brewing process, which is bottling and what is often referred to as the second fermenting process.

Second Fermentation Process

Remove your scoby and pace it in a bowl. Add one or two cups of the kombucha into the bowl for your next batch starter tea.

Strain your kombucha and funnel it into bottles, or jars. You can use almost anything that is clean and has a tight cap/lid. I prefer the bottles with swing tops. They create a tight barrier which helps with the fizziness.

Add fruit, ginger, or drink without flavoring. I really like a few slices of ginger and fruit. Whatever you add, you don't need more than 10% of the bottle for your flavoring. 

Place your bottled kombucha on a shelf somewhere for 2 to 4 days, depending upon the level of fizziness you prefer. Again, if it is kept in a location that stays 70-80F, then you will have more fizziness than if it is colder. 

Move your kombucha to the refrigerator and drink when you want. Once it's in the fridg, it stays good for some time. The length of time will depend upon the tightness of the seal of your bottles. 

That pretty much does it. Enjoy your kombucha and the good health that comes along with it. 

Kombucha

It's been forever since I've posted anything and wanted to get back into updating you all on the things I have learned that has kept me off of medication for over a year. My diagnostics still indicate that I have normal internal inflammation. So I guess I must be managing my Crohn's pretty well.

My favorite thing that I've recently gotten into is brewing my own kombucha. I began drinking kombucha probably a year ago, but ended up drinking about 32 oz a day and decided it would be much more affordable if I brewed it myself. I am certain it is contributing to my good health.

What is kombucha you ask? It's green tea that is fermented with a culture of the gut's native good bacteria and yeast. The result is a sparkling tea, that's a probiotic drink. Better yet, it tastes great. Go get some Synergy kombucha and give it a try. If you're new to kombucha, you may want to only drink about 4 oz the first day. See if your gut handles it well. And if so, go to 8 oz the next day and 16 oz the following day.

There really isn't a need to have 32 oz a day, but I like it so much, I want that much. Realistically, it's probably not helpful to drink much more than 8 oz. I've read somewhere that 4 oz a day is considered a therapeutic dose.

I'll share more about kombucha brewing in a future post. Whether you have Crohn's, ulcerative colitis, or just poor health, the benefits of kombucha may help. It is known to help with detoxification, inflammation, and arthritis pain.  It aids digestion and gut health, which improves your immune system health. All of these benefits help with proper assimilation of nutrients, as well.

I'll have much more on kombucha in the future. If you're interested in brewing your own, I have scobys and starter tea if you're near Charlotte, NC.