The Test Results are in!

Good news... bad news... but mostly good news!

I've known that I have some inflammation due to some symptoms I've had with my bowel movements. So for the past ten days, I've been juicing, and have been anxious to get the test results so that I can assess what to do next.

I went in for tests on Thursday. Specifically, I wanted to know my sedimentation rate and hemoglobin. For some people a c-reactive protein test is an indicator of inflammation. However, for me, the sedimentation rate is more accurate from past tests. 

How the sedimentation (sed) rate works is when blood is placed in a tube, red blood cells settle to the bottom. Inflammation can cause the cells to stick together. Because clumps of cells are heavier than individual cells, they settle to the bottom more quickly. The more red cells that fall to the bottom of the test tube in one hour, the higher the sed rate. A sed rate of 0-20 is normal for a woman.

During flare-ups I've had sed rates of 85 upwards to over 100.  Once in the past I had a sed rate of 65 and was able to manage to get it back to normal without medication, but with some drastic dietary and other actions. 

Hemoglobin is the oxygen carrying protein inside red blood cells. Since oxygen is essential to healing, not having enough hemoglobin makes healing difficult. So a high sed rate and low hemoglobin makes healing very difficult indeed. Hemoblobin for a woman my age should be around 12 to 14 gm/dL. 

So I was hopeful to have a sed rate under 65 and normal hemoglobin. I really would like a sed rate of 0, but I knew that I had some level of enervation or inflammation due to my symptoms, and a sed rate under 65 would be good considering.

Well... I got the results late Friday.

Hemoglobin: normal at 12.4
Sediment Rate: 40.

I'm actually thrilled with these results. What this means to me is that I can simply stay on my "healing diet", get enough vitamin D by getting in the sun about 15 minutes every couple of days, and make sure that my nerve energy is ample for healing. I do this by getting ample rest, meditation and managing stress. By doing these things, I will likely resolve the mild inflammation without any drastic action or medication within a couple weeks:) Yay! 

Therefore, that's what I'll do until I have a full week of no symptoms. Then I can loosen my diet to what I refer to as my "post-healing diet". I've posted some details before about my healing diet, so I thought I'd post information about my post-healing diet, which is the diet I will transition to and should stay on to keep in remission without medication.

I posted four requirements of a healthy diet for Crohn's and colitis on my last blog. I've added a couple other important requirement here. I've learned that if I stick to these six rules, I don't get inflammation. When I deviate, I get symptoms that indicate my colon has been irritated or inflamed and that's what will lead to a flare up.

1. Avoid foods that introduce harmful or toxic substances into the digestive system. 
2. Eat and drink only easy to digest and assimilate things.
3. Only eat foods that can be eaten in its natural state.
4. Intake only those foods and drinks that contribute a broad range of nutrients.
5. Eat predominantly alkaline-forming foods. 
6. Avoid any food that is spicy hot.

1. Avoid Toxic Substances:  Foods that introduce harmful or toxic substances include the following, plus much more. Read the ingredients of everything you buy that is a packaged food and if it doesn't sound like a word that describes food, it is often toxic to some extent :

• preservatives
• artificial sweeteners or coloring
• refined sugar or flour
• msg
• genetically modified organisms
• fried oil (BHA/BHT)
• caffeine
• trans fat
• pesticides
• Olestra (fat substitute)
• brominated vegetable oil or anything with bromate

Ultimately whole organic foods avoid any of these toxins so you can be certain you're good to go if you stick to plant based whole foods.

2. Foods Easy to Digest and Assimilate:  The easiest food on the digestive system is juice, because it is already digested and therefore is ready for immediate absorption and assimilation. Cold press juice is the best because it keeps most of the nutrients and food enzymes in tact. 

Fruit is the next easiest. It is considered partially digested in its raw ripe form, with exceptions. The skin of an apple for example, is difficult to digest, but the apple meat itself is in a state comparable to a partially digested vegetable. Melons are the easiest to digest. Speed of digestion, doesn't necessarily mean ease of digestion. For example, whole milk exits the abdomen in about two hours, which is the same as most seeds. However, due to casein and lactose in milk, most people cannot digest dairy products as easily as seeds. 

3.  Raw Food:  If you consider this 3rd criteria of eating foods that can be eaten in their natural form, this eliminates many foods.  Although a healthy person will synthesize hundreds of enzymes required for digestion and assimilation, the body is dependent upon the enzymes within the food for the most perfect digestion. Therefore, it is essential that our food have their enzymes intact and that occurs if it is eaten raw.

Cooking destroys not only the enzymes, but destroys almost all known food factors and makes a food’s nutrients mostly unusable.  Depending upon the extent in which the food has been cooked, it reduced to inorganic minerals, caramelized sugars and starches, coagulated proteins, poisonous fats, and it weakens the vitamins and other values. It not only loses most if not all of its nutritional value but what remains can become toxic debris in the body according to Dr. T. C. Fry, and believed by Dr. David Klein and Dr. Herbert M. Shelton to name a couple.

Most nutritionalists confirm that cooking changes the organic nature of the food and changes its nutritional content and our ability to assimilate the nutrients for the worse. There certainly is controversy to what extent cooking destroys nutritional value, but every source I could find with any credentialed nutritional expertise confirms that cooking kills the foods enzymes which the body relies upon to assist in digestion and reduces the nutritional value to some extent.

Therefore, since Crohn's and colitis creates digestion and absorption problems, it simply makes sense that those with the disease need the food enzymes and full nutrients of food, and hence, raw food is a recommended food state. This is one of the core beliefs of my holistic gastroenterologist, and has become one of my core beliefs based upon my personal experience as well.

4. Nutritional Food:  A very important factor about nutrition is that we must eat and drink in a manner that allows what we eat and drink to be digested and assimilated properly. Meaning, if we eat food that gives us all the nutrients we need, but we eat them in such a way that their value cannot be realized, then this is not healthy. Some foods require acid digestive enzymes and others alkaline, and some neutral. If we eat foods that require acid enzymes with food that requires alkaline enzymes, then the two enzymes cancel each other out and the digestive enzymes are significantly less effective.

Therefore, eating "mono" meals, or combining foods properly allows us to digest and assimilate food properly.

5.  Alkaline Forming Foods:  The human body must maintain its fluids at a slightly alkaline pH in order to survive. Neutral pH is 7.0; acid pH is below 7.0; alkaline pH is above 7.0. The bloodstream pH must be maintained within a pH range of 7.35 to 7.45; blood pH outside that range results in death.

Metabolic waste acids are produced in every cell.  Acidifying factors include acid-forming foods; exercise; and stress, mental and emotional. This requires a sufficient reserve of alkaline minerals in the body for their neutralization. Which is why eating predominantly alkaline forming foods is essential to our health. Under perfect conditions, acid wastes are minimal and easily neutralized and transported to the organs of elimination. However, a chronic acidic condition constantly stresses the body, resulting in physical and mental issues including big problems for Crohn's and colitis sufferers.

Excess alkaline minerals are now problem, however, as our kidneys are adept at eliminating them.

After foods are eaten they are oxidized in the body, resulting in the formation of a residue. If in this residue the minerals are sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium, the food are alkaline forming. If the residue includes sulfur, phosphorus, chlorine and un-combusted organic acid radicals, they are designated as acid forming  foods. You can see based upon the content of the residue that alkaline forming foods are better for us. Don't confuse the alkaline or acid residue with alkaline or acid enzymes. Enzymes are part of the digestive process and food residue is a result of digestion. That residue remaining in our digestive tract effects the PH balance and a chronic acid PH is problematic for most people and certainly for those of us with Crohn's or colitis.

6. Avoid Spicy Food:  If it is spicy hot to the mouth it will irritate your digestive system. You might like the taste of spicy foods, but your gut does not. Avoid them.

I admit that I don't stick to these six rules 100% of the time. But I do intend to following these requirements most of the time. And the times that I don't, need to be spaced a part so that I don't stress my colon for an extended period of time. These requirements are not only good for the colon, but for the stomach, small intestine and entire digestive tract.

I realize this is a lot of information so future blogs will break down the six requirements for remaining in remission in more detail. Stay tuned...

Going in For Some Tests

I've not been very good sticking to my diet lately, and have some symptoms that lead me to believe that if I don't take control of things quickly, it could end in a flare up.

Beginning with a motorcycle trip to Orlando for the  Memorial Day weekend, I've not gotten the proper rest, and definitely have varied from my diet that has kept me in remission. I've eaten too much Mexican, and spicy foods are aggravants. Additionally, I've had alcohol too frequently. I've not given my system time to correct itself between each situation in which I've enervated my colon.

It's not surprising that I am having some symptoms that concern me as it relates to my bowel movements: color, smell, mucous, frequency, etc. The good news is that I don't have any other symptoms, so I'm hoping I've caught this early enough. Symptoms of this sort are usually a precursor to a flare up for me. So I've gone to "my healing diet" over the past week. Basically, this means I've been eating only raw fruits and vegetables that are alkaline forming and easy and quick to digest. 

I've only been eating partially digested foods, that are easy and quick to digest. As it relates to fruits, most are naturally partially digested other than things like the skin of an apple. So I'll peel the apple or juice the apple so the peel doesn't aggravate my GI tract.In regards to vegetables, they are either very lightly steamed, or juiced. 

Raw food is the richest in nutrients and enzymes. The enzymes within the food help digest the food. Food that is cooked over 108 degrees, lose their enzymes and much of their nutrients. So raw, easy to digest, fruits and vegetables, are the most gentle on the GI tract because the enzymes within the fruits and vegetables facilitate most of their own digestion. The nutrients are assimilated quickly and the waste, which is little, passes easily and quickly as well. This gives your GI tract a break.

This diet over the past week hasn't made as much improvement that I had hoped for. Things haven't gotten worse, but they haven't returned to normal. I've only seen mild improvement in my bowel movements.

So I've scheduled an appointment with my GI Doc on Thursday morning so we can take some tests to help identify how radical I need to react. I've not had to see my medical doc for over a year. 

I'm certain that the tests on Thursday will show I have inflammation. The question is to what extent. I have learned that if my sediment rate is 65 or lower, I can manage things by simply sticking to the healing diet for a while, as long as I'm not too anemic.

I've also learned that if it is 85 or higher, that I must take radical action which may or may not work. And it may result in me temporarily taking medication. 

What I have learned from Dr. Azar, my holistic GI, and Dr. Klein, a nutritionalist specializing in C&C, is that I can help speed the healing of both if I give the colon a rest. Meaning, I'm to keep the environment in my digestive system in the best possible state for healing: 

1. Avoid foods that introduce harmful or toxic substances into the digestive system. 
2. Eat and drink only east to digest and assimilate things.
3. Only eat foods that can be eaten in its natural state.
4. Intake only those foods and drinks that contribute a broad range of nutrients.

The reasons behind these four criterion, I'll review on my next post.

Once healed, then the trick is to keep it from getting inflamed again, and that's when I transition to a "post healing diet" that is not near as restrictive as the "healing diet."

When I first began to manage things this way, I was on Mesalamine and Budesonide. I got in remission on the meds, while on the healing diet. Then I weaned myself off the meds by reducing the quantities weekly over a couple months. Only after having no symptoms for 90 days, did I slowly begin to introduce other foods and transition to a post healing diet. 

Any ways.... This is what I do whenever I feel symptoms of inflammation. Once I get the test results I'll post an update, but until then, I've gone to a juice diet only to hopefully expedite healing the inflammation. 

This is basically what I'm doing.

Apple and carrot juice twice daily (cilantro too)
A green vegetable juice twice daily 
Watermelon juice twice daily

Apple and carrots have pectin in it and pectin protects and cleanses the colon. I drink 8-16 oz first thing in the morning and again in around dinner time.

The Green vegetable juice is to make sure I keep my iron levels up: Bok choy, cilantro, basil, cucumber, zucchini, red bell pepper, celery, and carrots with a little bit of Himalayan salt. Kale, collard greens and spinach, I avoid at this time because they contain oxalic acid which will irritate the GI tract. I drink 16 mid morning and again in the evening.

Watermelon juice is extremely alkaline forming, and helps neutralize the acidic environment. I drink this throughout the day.

This juice diet I use is specifically when I'm trying to avoid a flare up. It seems to give me what I need to control my inflammation, supply a reasonable amount of nutrients, and allows me to have enough energy to go through a typical work day.

I know this is a marathon post, and I hope I haven't bored you all.... I hope this information.

I'll be back in touch after my test results.

It Takes Guts!

I've "liked" a FaceBook page about IBD since about a week after my diagnosis, back in 2011. I was amazed at how many people truly suffer with Crohn's or colitis (C&C) and I consider myself blessed to have found a holistic way to manage my disease. The symptoms and medication that most people with C&C have to deal with the majority of their life is sad, and due to the lack of good available information on how to manage these diseases without mediation, many don't even know where to start.

I have come to the conclusion, however, that many people with C&C don't want to have to change their lifestyle to manage their disease. Many are wanting some medical cure to take care of everything. It's much easier to take medication than to change your lifestyle for some. So even if a holistic approach exists, many will chose not to take it. But for those that wish to take a holistic approach, there simply aren't many sources available to educate yourself on the topic

These days, when I visit this FB Page, I tend to do so to give me the motivation to continue on my current path. When I am tempted to go back to my old way of eating and drinking, I visit this FB Page and read of the issues that others have, so that I can see the repercussions of reverting back to my old ways.

Recently, when visiting the page, one of the Admins posted a request for an additional Admin. They were looking for someone who had a  lot of experience with different medications so that they could help field questions from their members in that regard.  Clearly that would not be me, since I've only had one medicine regimen out of the many available to C&C sufferers.
Regardless of my completely different approach, I inquired if they would be interested in having an admin that is managing their disease holistically. After a couple of emails back and forth inquiring about my knowledge with one of the current admins, Aaron, they agreed to add me as the "holistic" admin for their page.

I'm a little excited about the possibility of helping others who want to attack their C&C naturally. Wish me luck. It really would be awesome to be able to assist others who have a desire to manage their disease naturally.

Feel free to visit the page and like it if you have one of the diseases or have a loved one suffering: Guts

A Couple Recipes and A Decision

Here's a couple new juice recipes:

Love this recipe. I never realized vegetable juice could taste sooooo good :)

One of my last posts had a kale, zucchini, cucumber, carrot, tomatoes, celery, basil, etc. recipe. It took vegetable juice to a hole new level for me. Now I have another one I absolutely love. During my Crohn's healing, neither of these recipes would be good. The kale recipe wouldn't work because oxalic acid in kale is an aggravant and garlic is an inflammatory, not to mention the acid in tomatoes.

This next recipe also wouldn't work because of tomatoes being too acidic and the garlic being an inflammatory. However, now that my Crohn's ulcers are healed, I have been handling these ingredients very well.

This next recipe is a result of me experimenting with some different things. I hope you like it:

• 2 Large very ripe tomatos
• 2 Large zucchini
• 1 clove of garlic
• 1 sprig of fresh basil
• a dash of cayenne pepper to taste
• a dash of Himalayan sale to taste
• 2 dashes of ground cumin to taste

This drink could definitely be used in place of Bloody Mary mix, but without the Vodka, it is very tasty:) Cayenne is known to break up toxins in the body. I haven't researched the rest of the health benefits, but know that it is really tasty. Regardless, any juice that is not high in fructose, is great to have any time during the day!

The second recipe I've discovered is very refreshing and is mild in flavor. I really enjoy it. One day I'll research the ingredients of these recipes to determine what they are good for. Meaning... I know the kale recipe is good for anemia, and the apple/carrot recipe is good for Crohn's and colitis. I know that some of the other recipes could potentially be miracle recipes for other illnesses...

• 2 Large tomatoes
• An apple
• 1 Large cucumber
• 1 Clove of garlic
• Fresh cilantro to taste

I like adding a little sparkling water to this drink. It is a great drink to have out over ice while hanging out at the pool believe it or not. I hope you enjoy it.

Regarding my decision, I'm going to get an update on my blood work to ensure that the way I'm feeling results in clinical results. Meaning... I'm going to get some blood work completed so that I can ensure that I am clinically healed. I intend to start working on a book regarding healing Crohn's and Colitis, but I want to ensure that I'm actually healed.

Therefore, I'm going to move forward with all the tests, other than a colonoscopy, to ensure I'm actually healed. I have some mixed emotions. I have probably refrained from scheduling these tests because I've been afraid of the results. But I have not been on medication and I've been symptom free for eleven months. I must be healed, and it is probable the results will support that conclusion.

Thanks for being with me through all of this...

Juicer Recommendation

I've had at least three people ask me for a Juicer recommendation, so I decided to write a little about why I think the Hurom juicer is and awesome choice. Now, there is one that is better, if you'd like to spend about $2,500 (Norwalk) versus the approximate $350 of the Hurom. 

There are basically three types of juicers: centrifugal, press, and manual. 

Centrifugal juicers are commonly available in retail outlets and are the cheapest to purchase. These extract juice by pulverizing fruit and vegetables against a round cutting blade that spins very quickly against a metal strainer. The centrifugal force generated by this cutting apparatus separates the juice from the pulp, which drains away separately from the fibrous remnants.

They're noisy, produce less juice and don't work very well with greens. But most of all, because of the heat from the speed in which it operates, and the amount of air mixed with the juice during the process, the juice oxidizes very fast, and a significant amount of the enzymes and nutrients are destroyed. Food enzymes mixed with our digestive enzymes aid in digestion. 

Cold press juicers are superior because they operate by masticating or a chewing method. Instead of the rough extraction of centrifugal juicers, mastication or cold-press juicers compress fruit and vegetables to squeeze out their juice. The slower and more thorough extraction rates produce a high-quality juice, and more of it.

They are quieter, work well with greens, and produce less foam. But most of all the lower heat produces less oxidation and therefore they keep the nutrients and enzymes i tact. Ultimately, they simply produce more quality juice, and therefore will remain in better condition for longer. 

Manual juicers, like cold press juicers, provide a slow and gentle extraction that preserves the nutritional integrity of juices. However, they're slow, require some physical exertion, and often limited to certain types of fruit and vegetables. 

My Hurom I use daily and is likely the best cold press juicer on the market under $500. I haven't tried them all of course, but I couldn't be happier. Whatever you do, if you are going to take juicing seriously, get a cold press or manual juicer, not a centrifugal juicer. You'll simply get a lot of calories without many benefits.

Now, there is some pulp that you'll get with the Hurom, so if you're wanting immediate absorption of the nutrients, you may want to strain the fiber. When you drink juice without fiber, the nutrients go directly into your blood stream feeding your body cells within ten to fifteen minutes. And all this with no effort on the part of your body for digestion and assimilation. Therefore when I'm going a cleanse, I strain the fiber out of the juice. It is great for your digestive tract to be able to take a break.

So.... that's my take on juicers:)

I also wanted to leave you with a wonderful recipe:

Blend 2 bananas
Juice from 1 mango
Blend them both with some cilantro

This is probably my favorite juice. I hope you like it! 

Cleanse Day 10

Today is the 10th day of my cleanse. Although I missed having a couple cocktails with my fellow Winterplace ski and snowboard instructors yesterday evening, this cleanse has been pretty easy. I've had no significant withdrawals, and the "coating" in my mouth that occurs when I'm not "clean" has dissipated. I'm debating on whether or not to continue the cleanse through Thursday. We will see...

I have a couple more juice recipes I'll post either in the next couple of days, but today I'm spending my last day at Winterplace. It is expected to be in the 60s. There's still a lot of snow on the ground, and I'm already missing the thought of not being up here regularly. 

Have an awesome Sunday! God bless.

Some Juice Recipes

It is very clear that juicing with organic fruits and vegetibles is expensive.

Luna's has seven 16 oz juices for $62 per day. I decided I'd buy everything to juice myself. I spent about $65 and ran out after two days with only eleven juices over two days. So Luna's was about $9 per juice, versus about $6 per juice. There really wasn't that much savings based upon the quantity in each juice, but more importantly, the time saving.

In any regard, it's not as if you save money on your died when you're on a organic juice cleanse.

I'm now almost complete with day 5. The past two days I made my own juice. The following are two of my favorite recipes over the last two days:

My Daily Salad

This is a recipe from Luna's. Although it tasted slightly different it was still delicious. This makes about 16 ounces and is about 170 calories, and is a good source of iron.

• 4 Medium Carrots

• 1 Zucchini

• 1 Cucumber

• 1 Large Tomato

• 3 Celery Stalks

• 4 Large Leaves of Kale

• 1/3 Clove of Garlic

• 1/8 Lemon

• 4-6 Leaves of fresh Basil to taste

• Dash of Cayenne

• Dash of Himalayan Salt

My Miracle Juice
As you know if you've been reading my blog, carrot and apple juice was a major factor in my Crohn's healing due to the pectin in both that is digested in the colon and acts as a cleanser and protectant. Well,  a small change to the ingredients zests up the taste for post healing. This also makes about 16 ounces and is about 210 calories.

• 2 Carrots

• 6 Medium Carriots

• 1/4 Medium Orange

• 1/8 Lemon

• Cilantro to taste

Purple Pleasure
This is amazingly delicious. It's about 300 calories. 

• Small Head of Red Cabbage

• 1 Large Bosc Pear

• 2 Stalks of Mint

I'll give a few more recipes before this cleanse is over. 

My Juice Cleanse

Friday I began a juice cleanse. A juice cleanse requires that you abstain from eating solid foods and you consume only purified water and juice from fresh fruits and vegetables. Many people who cleanse do so because they want to begin a healthier long term lifestyle and diet. Or they may just want to lose weight, or interrupt their present poor eating habits. Cleanses are often used to break addictions or for spiritual reasons as well.  

Juicing is a way to give the body a chance to cleanse and heal. The body not only heals itself, but improves itself at an astounding rate when it is given all of the nutrients it needs without the setbacks of everyday toxins. 

After eliminating waste and toxins in your body, some of the benefits include an improved immune system, higher energy levels, clearer skin, increased metabolism and improved organ functioning and digestive health. Keep in mind that I'm not a physician, and you should always consult a healthcare professional before participating in any cleanse, or any diet suggestions mentioned earlier in this blog.

There's a few reasons why I decided to do it now. First of all, I've been very bad keeping to my diet, and have cheated on eating some cheese now and then, processed foods, and having a few cocktails. Other than the cheese, I've stayed true to plant based foods, but I'm had many rich processed foods which are waisted calories and tough on the digestive tract. None of this unhealthy behavior has given me any Crohn's symptoms. However, I know that if I kept it up long term, it would result in the Crohn's returning.

So I realized it was time to get back to eating more healthy so I can stay healthy.

Additionally, because I'm healed, this type of eating and drinking is not good for your weight management, and specifically over the holidays, I've gained too much weight. If you recall, however, I really needed to gain weight, so some of this was wanted, but the weight gain went too far. And I really much prefer being a size 4 to a size 8, and it has become growingly obvious that I'd prefer to eat plant based whole food and be a size 4 than eat unhealthy, risk the return of Crohn's and be a size 8-10.

The reason why I decided to do it now, is for years I give up something bad for me, or commit to something good for me during Lent. Additionally, because I had some car problems that I needed to get corrected and I really needed to work on gathering everything for my accountant so I can file my income taxes on time. Because of these two things, I decided to stay in town this weekend and not go snowboarding. Since I was in town and was going to be stuck to my den gathering tax information, it was a better day to feel fatigued. 

The first couple days of a cleanse, you typically have some side effects occur as the body detoxifies rapidly, such as hunger, headaches, tired, anxious, and you might even feel sick at times.  The greater the side effects, the more toxic your body and the greater you needed to cleanse.

Therefore, I wanted to start on a weekend. My past experience is that day 2 and 3 are the most fatigued days of a cleanse. So starting on Friday made perfect sense.

Many of you that know me know that my favorite restaurant in town is Luna's Living Kitchen. This juice cleanse I decided that I would start with their three day cleanse. The juice consumed during the Luna’s Juice Cleanse is not the pasteurized type bought in grocery stores that is often from concentrate and packed with preservatives, but rather the raw, organic, cold-pressed juice from fresh fruits and vegetables.

The difference is important. Juices made with a cold press juicer are juiced slowly through pressure instead of being chopped and heated as they are with a typical at-home centrifugal juicer or in a factory for store bought juice. The chopping and heating process burns off nutrients and denatures enzymes, which are the molecules responsible for all of the chemical reactions in our bodies.

Cold pressed juice retains the vitamins, nutrients and enzymes natural in whole fruits and vegetables and extracts the juice. The result is all of the living potential of a plant minus the fiber. The gastrointestinal system doesn’t have to work to break down fiber and instead the nutrients are absorbed within minutes into the body as energy and nourishment. 

I have a Hurom Juicer. It also works with the pressing process, however, it retains quite a bit of pulp because after pressing the juice from the fruit or vegetable it also then masticates the remains for pulp. So the first three days I'm using Luna's cold press juices, and then the next five days I'll juice my own. However, after I juice the fruits and vegetables, I will strain the pulp out of the juice, so that I in essence get the same effect as a cold press juicer.

I must say, that I love most of Luna's juices. Below is what they provide:

Odd Days

8:00 a.m.   - Tree of Life: Kale, spinach, parsley, cucumber, celery, lemon and ginger
10:00 a.m. - Pure Vida: Carrot, apple, orange, and lemon
12:00 p.m.   - Gateway to Green: Kale, apple, orange, lemon, and ginger
2:30 p.m.   - Volcano: Orange, lemon, grapefruit, maple syrup, and cayenne
5:00 p.m.   - Power Cleanser: Carrot, cucumber, beet and celery
7:00 p.m.   - My Daily Salad: Carrot, zucchini, tomato, cucumber, kale, celery, garlic, cayenne, basil, lemon and sea salt
9:00 p.m.   - Almond Milk: Almonds, dates, filtered water, vanilla and sea salt

Even Days
8:00 a.m.   - Gateway to Green: Kale, apple, orange, lemon, and ginger

10:00 a.m. - Purple Rain: Cabbage, bosc pear and mint

12:00 p.m.   - Tree of Life: Kale, spinach, parsley, cucumber, celery, lemon and ginger
2:30 p.m.   - Coconut-Chai: Coconut water with a splash of their homemade chai tea
5:00 p.m.   - Zinger: Beet, apple, orange and lemon
7:00 p.m.   - My Daily Salad: Carrot, zucchini, tomato, cucumber, kale, celery, garlic, cayenne, basil, lemon and sea salt
9:00 p.m.   - Almond Milk: Almonds, dates, filtered water, vanilla and sea salt

A cleanse can be as short as three days and as long as a few weeks, depending upon how toxic your body is. I usually cleanse for no less than five days and no longer than 14 days. I haven't yet decided how long this cleanse will be because I don't really know how toxic I am yet. 

Every two to three hours that you're awake, you should have 8 to 16 oz of juice. Additionally, you should consume about half your body weight in pounds as ounces of water. For example, if you weight 140 pounds, then drink 70 ounces of water. So for me I make sure I drink as least 12 ounces of water between each juice.

One thing that occurs during my cleanse is that I get a coating in my mouth. It feels like excess plaque everywhere in my mouth. I have to brush my teeth several times a day during a cleanse. When this nasty coating doesn't occur any longer, then I feel pretty safe that I've cleansed most of the toxins from my body. So when that occurs is when I'll complete my cleanse.

When I had active Crohn's, I couldn't eat garlic or cayenne. Garlic is an inflammatory to the colon, and cayenne was an aggravant. Oranges and lemons were too acidic as well. Even though they are alkaline forming, their natural acidic nature was problematic for Crohn's. Now that I technically no longer have Crohn's, adding citrus fruit is not a problem, but garlic and cayenne scare me a little.


Therefore, the Volcano juice above is one that I didn't like and did not drink. As soon as I tasted the quantity of cayenne  it concerned me as to how it might effect my colon. 

Oxalic acid is in spinach and kale, and in the past oxalic acid was a problem for the digestive track. It created inflammation. For those of you who haven't read or remember that Crohn's is an autoimmune disease that cannot control inflammation. Therefore, when the digestive tract gets inflamed, it attacks itself and makes it more inflamed and that's how the ulcers occur and get worse, because the immune system when trying to cure the inflammation, actually makes it worse.

Therefore, the trick to staying healthy and not having Crohn's return is to keep the digestive tract from being inflamed. So, eating garlic, cayenne, or things with oxalic acid could risk inflammation to the digestive tract which could cause a Crohn's flare up. 

One thing I remember hearing from Dr. Azar, is if something is tangy to the mouth, it will be an inflammatory to your digestive tract. And the Volcano juice tasted too tangy. The other juices did not, so I am drinking the balance of the Luna's juices and don't feel as if I've had any issues whatsoever with my GI tract.

Days four through whatever, I will juice on my own. I am planning on making all the juices of Luna's on my own, except I won't use the Volcano juice, and instead I'll substitute watermelon and lemon juice. Watermelon is extremely alkaline forming with helps put your digestive tract in a PH neutral state with is extremely healthy.

I also won't use the Almond juice recipe from Lunas. It has a lot of fat in it, and since part of my motivation for doing the cleanse now is to shed a couple of pounds, I'm going to replace this high fat, high calorie drink with coconut water. Coconut water is composed of unique chemicals such as sugars, vitamins, minerals, electrolytes, enzymes, amino acids, cytokine, and phyto-hormones. It beautifully hydrates the body, almost like Gatorade, while giving it the potassium it needs like bananas.

Also, coconut water is comprised of many naturally occurring bioactive enzymes such as acid phosphatase, catalase, dehydrogenase, diastase, peroxidase, RNA-polymerases etc. In effect, these enzymes help in the digestion and metabolism. Clearly, for someone with digestion issues, coconut water is one of those miracle drinks.

An interesting recipe above is Pure Vida. For those of you following my blog throughout the tough times, I called my carrot and apple juice my miracle juice. Both contain pectin which is only digested in the colon and pectin when digested acts as a protectant and cleanser of the colon. And Luna's has almost the same recipe.

My favorite tasting juice of those listed is My Daily Salad believe it or not. I'm excited to try to duplicate the flavors in this juice. I can see it becoming my breakfast juice in the future versus the vegetable juice I have currently, which includes romaine, red pepper, cucumber and carrots with a little ginger. I prefer to have my green juice in the morning and my fruit juice in the afternoon. The sugars from the fruit give an extra boost of energy later in the day when it's needed. 

I'm on day three of the cleanse, and really, other than the nasty coating in my mouth, haven't felt bad at all. I'm a little more tired than normal, so it is a good thing I didn't go snowboarding this weekend. But by next weekend, my body will be used to things and if I continue the cleanse into next weekend, I'll still plan on snow boarding, because it will be my last weekend at Winterplace this winter. 

If you decide to try a juice cleanse, please let me know. I suggest you journal what you experience during that time. This not only is a good experience for the health of your body, but it is also a good experience for your spiritural and mental state. You will be amazed at the clarity of thought that occurs when your body doesn't have to focus upon digesting food and disposing of food waste. 

Eight Months Later

It's now been eight months without symptoms or medication. I have expanded my healing diet even more. I still am afraid of eating meat of any sort, including fish, so I don't. The length of time it can remain in your digestive track, fermenting, just cannot be a good think.

Every now and then I'll have a little cheese. Very little. And I'll have beer or alcohol, but no wine due to the acidity. When I have some cheese, I make sure it's with alkaline forming foods. Beer or alcohol, I only have after I've eaten. Never on an empty stomach because I'm fearful of the alcohol making it to my intestines before being absorbed into the blood stream. So have the food absorb it and keep it in the stomach longer helps ensure that large amounts don't make it to my colon.

I still am about 60-70% raw foods and vegetables, but will eat cooked vegetables and grains now. I avoid highly processed or fried foods. Vegetable stir fry over brown rice or quinoa is a common meal, however, I make the vegetables the larger part of my meal.. Nuts and seeds are fine now too. In the past, I might have a pasta dish with a side of vegetables, now I have vegetables with a side of pasta.

I regularly continue to juice in order to ensure I get maximum absorption of vitamins and minerals. Green juice is a regular part of my week now, and love watermelon and honeydew juice too. I no longer eat cereal, but instead have fruit for breakfast. I think I'll blog my typical  diet in an up coming week so you can see how the diet no longer is as boring as it used to be.

I meet people often that have Crohn's and hear of the number of flare ups they have while on medication and realize how blessed I am, and I feel normal again! I met a young woman at Winterplace recently who also instructs there. She was diagnosed with Crohn's about a year ago. She's happy because she hasn't had a flare up in two months. She takes 14 pills a day to keep from flaring up. I have to continue to remember that the minor restrictions of my diet by far is less convenient than 14 pills a day to limit flare ups to once every couple months.

When I was first diagnosed, I would have never imagined that it would take less than a year to cure the ulcers and live a normal life again. How blessed am I...

Here's a Taboo Topic

So.... as you may recall, I started getting symptoms that lead to my Crohn's diagnosis back in May of last year. July 5 of last year was my last menstrual cycle until recently...

I know. This is not quite a topic you expect from me much less one that belongs on a Crohn's blog, but this is so amazing I must tell the story.

I went from having normal cycles every 29 days to none. No hot flashes, or any other symptom of menopause  Ultimately August of last year was when I believed I went through menopause.

However, I discussed this with my holistic doctor, and she suspected that when I was healthy again, I'd return to a normal menstrual cycle, but she suggested that if I really wanted to know for sure if it was due to my illness, or if it was menopause, to have my hormones checked the next time I'm in for my annual exam.

So in August of this year, more than a year after having my last menstrual cycle, I was due for an annual check up and I asked my family doctor if she could also check my hormone levels to see if I'm menopausal. She took two tests: the leutinizing hormone and follicle-stimulating hormone. Luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) stimulate the ovaries. They are not necessary for life, but are essential for reproduction. If you're not producing them in the proper amounts you won't ovulate and therefore you are likely menopausal. 

Both hormones showed menopausal results. That added to the fact that I didn't have a cycle in over a year lead my doctor to believe I was menopausal, which of course is what she informed me. I wasn't really sure if I was happy or sad. I always wanted more than one child and now I was being informed that any possibility of that happening was over. Yet on a positive note, I went through menopause without one symptom. Wow. How awesome is that!

So this past October, out of the blue, after 15 months of no periods, I had a typical period. Hmmm....

I started researching online what could be the cause of bleeding in menopausal women and found a lot of disturbing information candidly. Most of which was not good. Most of which lead to complications of the uterus. All sites I researched suggested getting the cause of the bleeding checked out by a doctor. Well, life continued and time flew by and I forgot about it until, vwa la, here comes my November period. What??? Exactly 29 days later, I have another cycle. Now I'm getting scared.

So, I remember back at what Dr. Azar told me. She with certainty said, when you are healthy again, you'll start getting your periods again. I immediately decided to make an appointment and discuss all of this with my medical doctor. Her schedule and mine didn't line up so I saw her P.A. Jennifer Haugen. I shared with her what it was that my holistic doctor told me and the entire history of my Crohn's and how I was anemic and this physical shock to my system was what Dr. Azar, my holistic doctor, thought prompted the menstrual cycle to stop. 

Jennifer explained to me a little more about the two tests I had. She explained that the tests were an indicator of if the ovaries were working. Well from a layman's perspective, I already knew my ovaries weren't working during the time I wasn't having a cycle. That only makes sense. But what I really wanted to know was why? Had they stopped working because I'm menopausal, or have they stopped working because of the physical state I have been in because of what Crohn's had done to my body.

Ultimately, additional test results have come back and I am not so fortunate to have gotten through menopause with no symptoms. The results have changed, and although they don't indicate that I'm as fertile as a 20 year old, they do indicate that having a cycle is within my hormonal state. 

In further discussions with my holistic doctor, the body some times when in shock, diverts to life saving functions only. Now that my body is in balance, it could function normally again. How amazing is that? There is no doubt that based on my age and my current hormone levels that menopause is around the corner, but can you comprehend the amazing intelligence of the body? 

To put this in better perspective, my doctor also tested my blood count because I've been anemic for over a year now, and sure enough, my hemoglobin is normal for the first time in over a year. The normal range for a woman is 12 - 16 gr/dl. I've been under between 8 and 11 since my diagnosis, and only when my red blood count is normal, it was at 13 just recently versus 10.9 back in August, does my monthly cycle return. It's as if my body knew that retaining red blood cells was important, and it only allowed the loss of these cells after my body was back to normal again.

Ultimately, my blood tests last week are normal in all categories for the first time since my diagnosis. Even my body has responded back to normal in all aspects of my life. I've even gained weight without trying again. Haha....but seriously, this means my intestines are again absorbing all of the nutrients and minerals, versus when I couldn't keep anything at all inside of me. 

The bottom of my last and only flare up since my diagnosis last September occurred in March. Since May, I have been living without any medication and everything is back to normal! I'm amazed. I can't comprehend how just a year ago I was told I had an incurable autoimmune disease, and today I live a normal life without medication, without any symptoms, and all medical tests indicate I'm normal.

Consider how many people with Crohn's or ulcerative colitis live a life filled with medicine and still don't have a life without symptoms. I remember meeting a gentleman at Del Friscos, just around the corner from where live  This was around Christmas of last year. He had ulcerative colitis. He had to get drugs intravenously every two weeks because his body developed a tolerance to the drugs I was prescribed. He confirmed what Dr. Sigmon had told me early on. He had to bump up the medication he was taking because the weaker medication that I was taking at the time, no longer worked for him. The next step for him was to have his colon removed...

Wow! How blessed am I?

I have added more food to my diet and even some alcohol:) No red wine, however. But that's okay. It's amazing how I don't quite have a taste for it any more. In any regard, My next blog will be on how I'm balancing my diet. Even that is great news. But my most recent experience and doctors visits resulted in such amazing information, I had to share this first.

Regarding my diet, I'm still avoiding all animal products and limit myself on processed foods including any grains. I'll give you more details soon...

Merry Christmas everyone! 

My Post Healing Diet

I've been debating on how to explain the diet that has been working to keep me from having a flare up. I think I'll explain it two different ways. I'll explain the type of foods to eat and to avoid, but then in a follow up blog, I'll actually list the food. This blog will explain why certain types of food is good or bad for Crohn's.

Avoid The Following

Nutrient Deficient Foods: We need to eat foods that are rich in minerals in order to digest properly. Digestive enzymes are made by the body from the nutrients in the food we eat.  So if you eat foods that are nutrient deficient, the food will be harder to digest because you won't produce the appropriate level of digestive enzymes needed to digest the food without aggravating your digestive system. This means that candy, pastries, ice cream, etc., are not good for your digestive tract.

Excessive Cooked Foods: Consider that we are the only ones of God's creatures that cook their food, and we are the only ones that have widespread illness. There is a correlation. Protein, vitamins and minerals are virtually destroyed by cooking.Cooking actually makes food toxic. Ultimately, cooking food makes it nutrient deficient and for all of the reasons noted above, nutrient deficient foods make the digestive system work too hard for proper digestion and this can cause a flare up. I make it a habit to not eat more than one cooked meal a day.

Poor Food Combinations: If you eat foods in poor combinations, you can trap foods in the stomach longer than it is necessary and the food can spoil in your stomach. Then as the spoiled food enters your intestines it will likely cause inflammation which leads to a flare up. So eat foods in proper combinations or in order of the quickest digestive foods first. Eat melons alone. They digest very quickly and leave the stomach within 20-30 minutes. If you eat them with other foods the slower digested food will trap the melon in the stomach longer than it is supposed to be there causing the melon to ferment. So melon eat alone. All other fruit you can combine with other fruit, or non-starching vegetables. Starchy vegetables only eat with other vegetables. Don't eat protein with starchy vegetables because they require acidic and alkaline enzymes respectively, and these enzymes together neutralize each other so your intestines have to work harder to digest them than when they have digestive enzymes to help. Eat protein with non-starchy vegetables.

Don't Overeat or Eat Constantly: Both of these actions over works your intestines and this can lead to inflammation which can cause a flare up. Your digestive tract needs to rest between meals.

Other Irritants: Stay away from spicy food, salt, gluten (an undigestable protein), caffeine, and any other stimulant. If the food is spicy to your tongue it will aggravate your intestines. Salt is corrosive to your body.. Digestive enzymes don't work on gluten, so it is only your chewing that digests gluten. Clearly this can aggravate your intestines as they try to digest something that cannot be digested. And stimulants deplete your digestive nerve energy. Alcohol, marijuana, and tobacco do this as well.

Mucous Forming Foods:  Cooked meats, dairy, soy, beans and grains are typically mucous forming and this leads to constipation and play a role in Crohn's. I have elimiated all animal products and eat cooked beans and grains in moderation. I will typically only have cooked beans or grains (quinoa is the best - gluten free as an alternative) once per week.

Acid Forming Foods:  This is really the biggest thing to avoid from my experience. We have metabolic waste acids throughout our body and we require alkaline minerals to neutralize it. If we eat too many acid forming foods, our bodies have to work extra hard to neutralize the acid and it resorts to our calcium reserves in our bones for neutralization, which cal lead to osteoporosis. A constant acid environment stresses the body and depletes nerve energy which is needed in order to prevent a Crohn's flare up. Below are the most common acid forming foods:

• All animal products

• All grains and flour except amaranth, millet and quinoa

• All beans except lima, peas, green beans, soybeans and sprouted beans

• All nuts except almonds, chestnuts, coconuts, pine nuts and sesame

• White sugar, processed sugar and high fructose corn syrup

• Carbonated soft drinks

• Coffee and alcohol

Excessive Fat:  Cooked fats are a prime cause of Crohn's. It causes diarrhea accompanied by inflammation, triggering a flare up. 

Meat:  Meat, including fish, is the biggest cause of Crohn's because it is mostly indigestible and it poisons the intestines, bloodstream and tissues while acidifying the body. Even infrequent meat eating can trigger a flare up.  Meat is especially harmful to the colon and is a known cause of colon cancer. Animal food is acid-forming, mucous-forming, high in fat, lacks fiber and low in water content. They require an overload of energy to digest, and usually spoil in the intestines. If you want to live symptom free, you will have to eliminate meat from your diet. 

Increase the Following

Water:  Distilled, purified and spring water does wonders for cleansing the intestines. Drink plenty of water as it also helps increase nerve energy. 

Fruits and Vegetables: Uncooked fruits and vegetables are the best to eat because they help the body produce the levels of digestive enzymes necessary to digest the food properly. They also provide bacteria and fiber needed in order to maintain healthful bacteria in the intestines. Raw fruits and vegetables, when chewed properly, is also the most nutritious. 

Rest:  All healing requires nerve energy, and you replenish your nerve energy when you sleep. I make sure I get ample sleep. Prior to being diagnosed with Crohn's I would only sleep about six hours per day. Now I insist on getting my eight hours a day. It not only keeps me healthy, but it seems to reduce my daily work stress.

Fresh Air and Sunshine: Clean air helps oxygenate your body which clearly adds to your body's healing ability. Also, a few minutes of sunshine a day gives you the vitamin D that you need that you don't get from a meat free diet. 

Summary


As a general rule this is my daily diet:

First thing in the morning: I drink about 12 oz of carrot and apple juice. I use four carrots and two apples.

Early Lunch: I typically eat melon: honeydew, cantaloupe or watermelon. I eat a whole honeydew or cantaloupe most of the time, and an equivalent amount of watermelon. I love melons.

Mid Day Juice : I either have more carrot and apple juice or I drink melon juice which I love.

Snacks:  I eat fruit as snacks. Bananas, pears, peaches, nectarines, grapes and cherries are some of my favorite.

Dinner:  I typically eat steamed vegetables including a lot of squash. I often include a sauce that includes some blended tomatoes and some mild herbs such as parsley and cilantro. Tomatoes and mango make a good sauce. 

After Dinner Juice: I don't always have evening juice and when I do, I usually don't have an evening snack, but when I have evening juice I have a green juice which includes romaine, cucumber, red pepper, carrots and apple. This helps with my hemoglobin levels as I've been borderline anemic since I've been diagnosed with Crohn's. 

Evening Snack: I love my banana icecream. I freeze bananas and then blend the frozen bananas with a little coconut water. I add some dates when I want it a little sweeter. I also add cherries or mango if I want a change in the flavor. Instead of this, I'll also eat fruit.

Exceptions: About once to twice per week I treat myself to something other than the what I have noted above.

When eating out, I typically get a salad or I asked for grilled vegetables. A common meal will be vegetarian fajitas. I will only do this no more than once a week. I hold the onions, sour cream and cheese and I ask for corn tortillas. I'll even add black beans if they have it. 

Many times when eating out, I can get a couple of their side dishes as my meal: broccoli, asparagus, baked potato, etc. Something like this wouldn't even be considered an exception and perfectly follows my diet plan.

When having a salad, I tend to get a dressing without milk, such as a balsamic vinaigrette. This can be an aggravant, so I get it on the side and dunk my salad in the dressing just slightly. Both the oil and vinegar must be used in moderation. Again, I don't do this daily, just as a once a week exception.

I'll also have pasta on occasion. Quinoa is my favorite. I've twice now also had gluten free pasta and it seems to be okay. But if I decide to do this it is my once per week cheat. I am not having pasta or beans more than once per week. 

Another treat for me is pizza. Brixx's pizza has a gluten free crust and vegan cheese. I've had this with roasted red peppers, green peppers and mushrooms as my once per week exception as well and my gut seemed fine. 

If there is desert, I will usually only taste one bite of someone else's desert. Deserts simply have too much nutrient poor ingredients and they typically include milk so I only have tastes, and again, I don't do this but at most once per week.

Any time I have grains or beans, or even a taste of desert, I don't eat anything else the rest of the day or at least for six hours. These take longer to digest and aggravate the digestive tract more than fruits and vegetables so I want it fully digested so that the GI tract has a break before it has to work again.

If I make an exception to my daily routine only once per week, then I don't have any issues. However, if I have these exceptions regularly, as I did when I traveled to Florida for several days, then my gut needs some corrective action in order to feel normal again. In those cases, I will water fast for a day, or if it's not that bad, I'll juice for a day. 

When I juice to correct my bad reaction to some food, I usually juice with only apple and carrot juice as well as watermelon juice. Apple and carrot juice is my miracle cure. It seems to fix any bad reaction to any food I've eaten. It has pectin which is very healing and cleansing to the colon and it also acts as a protectant.

Watermelon is highly alkaline so it does very well for neutralizing an acidic environment. 

Additionally, keep in mind that proper chewing may have the most impact on proper digestion than any other factor. So always chew your food in excess. Digestive enzymes are in our saliva. Plus the act of chewing triggers digestive nerve energy. But ultimately, the more you chew, the more you lighten the burden of digestion in your intestines. Overworking your intestines causes inflammation which will lead to a flare up.

So this is what I've been doing for a few months now, and it seems to be working. I have had days that my gut didn't feel quite right, but I immediately go to water or juice depending upon how bad I feel and I nip it in the bud right away. I haven't had a flare up since March. Six months without a flare up; that's amazing. I've been off medication since May, so I have been four full months without a flare up and without medication. I'm thrilled!!

It's Been A While...

It seems forever since I last blogged. I guess that's good new actually. I have been flare up free since March. Woooo whoooo. I have had some gut discomforts, but small issues that prompt me to juice for a day or two and then the gut feels fine again.

On August 25 I had my annual physical and all my blood work except my hemoglobin was normal. My hemoglobin was 10.8, which is .1 lower than it was a couple of months ago. Basically it's stabilized, but I'm still borderline anemic. I haven't gone to my gastroenterologist lately simply because there hasn't been a need to go, thank goodness. But ultimately, I need to juice with more greens and eat more salad to help improve my hemoglobin.

I also went on a road trip to Key West since I've last blogged. Rode my motorcycle the entire way. The trip took over a week. I typiclly had fruit for breakfast and lunch and then ate at a restaurant for dinner. Dinners were usually some type of mixed vegetables and/or a salad. I may have actually raised my hemoglobin during this trip with as many veggies i ate. I did have some sauces and dressings but in moderation. By the end of the trip my gut definitely was inflamed, but not to the extent of a flare up or even significant symptoms. Again, I went to juicing a couple of days and now I'm back to normal.

When I juice to correct any gut discomfort I usually juice with apple and carrot juice and watermelon juice only. Apples and carrots have pectin which is only digested in the colon. It is healing to the colon.  Watermelon is highly alkaline forming which helps stabilize the acid in an incflamed colon.

I've now been off meds since May and am doing well. I've expanded my diet to include some grains and nuts too. I'll write more soon on the expanded diet but just wanted to write an update since it has been so long. Hope everyone reading this is doing as well as I. God bless.

An Update...

I was in Florida for the weekend and ate dinner on Saturday as well as lunch on Sunday at Mi Pueblos, which has a vegan/living foods organic menu. It's all raw fruits, vegetables and seeds as well as all organic. The only other food I ate was fruit. Yet, inspite of that, I have some issues with some Crohn's symptoms.

The symptoms are not extreme and are limited strictly to my bowel movements, but that is how a flare up starts. So I'm water fasting today, and going to melon juice for the next couple of days until the symptoms cease. Wish me luck. I don't want another flare up:-(

Introducing New Foods

It’s been a while since I’ve posted, simply because there isn’t much to report. I’m doing well and still feeling great. I am introducing a few new foods to the diet. Foods that have a little fat, are harder to digest, or are not so alkaline forming.

Avocado:  Fats and oils are highly perishable. As such, they often rancidify in our bodies if not properly digested and eliminated. This results in the formation of free radicals which have a ravaging effect on mucous membrane cells, which likely contributes to Crohn’s. Even good fat, such as avocado, can only be introduced after the colon is healed. So I am now able to introduce avocado in moderation.

I intend to use it as in guacamole, and dressings over my salads. A couple of the dressings.

           

Tomato: Tomatoes are acidic, although they are alkaline forming. So tomatoes in moderation with other alkaline forming foods I can now test in moderation. One of my favorite dishes is zucchini lasagna. It’s raw, and the noodles are thinly sliced zucchini noodles. The tomato sauce includes sundried soaked tomatoes, tomatoes, dates for sweetening, and some Italian spices. I layer the sauce with crimini mushrooms and the zucchini noodles. It’s delicious. I’ll add a layer of nut cheese to this once I can eat nuts again.

Lemon Juice: Lemons also are acidic, but they are also alkaline forming. Basically, the juice I can add to dressing recipes. It would be used in guacamole, and salad dressings.

Guacamole at this stage I make with avocado, lemon juice and diced tomatoes.

I’ll also use the lemon juice in some salad dressings. Tomatoes very ripe, with some avocado and lemon juice is a good one.

Peaches, Nectarines and Cherries:   These are only slightly or moderately alkaline forming, but as long as they’re not acid forming, I can have them now with other alkaline forming foods.

Seeds:  I cannot eat the seed shell without them being soaked, but the inside of the seeds in moderation I can introduce at this time. Seeds are generally slightly alkaline forming, but can be on salads. Also I intend to make seed hummus after sprouting seeds. I haven’t done it yet, but will test this out soon. Luna’s living kitchen has seed hummus that’s delicious, so I definitely want to try to make this.

Popcorn: This is moderately acidic, and I can only have very little. I’m certain Dr. Azar would not have suggested this at this time, but I have inquired and she is supporting it as long as I have very very little and see how I react to it. Also, I cannot eat the partially popped cornels. This would be difficult on the digestive tract.

Ultimately, as I introduce these items, if I continue to feel well and my symptoms don’t return, then I can introduce even more items. My next tests are in about a month. If they remain as they are or improve, we’ll add more items at that time.

There is an ironic and unfortunate situation with someone very close to me. The only person I leaned on when I was diagnosed with Crohn’s is now having Crohn’s and colitis symptoms. She has non-stop diarrhea and has lost 22 pounds in the past month. She has undigested particles in her stool and everything just goes right through her. She is not having inflammation yet, but that came much later with me. She has some tests next week to determine what the cause is, but at this time the belief is it is a digestive tract disorder or disease. I’m not sure that I can disclose who this is at this time, so can you just keep my friend in your thoughts and prayers. I’d greatly appreciate it!