Are you or someone you love struggling to manage Crohn’s Disease? If not, there is a good chance you know someone who is. I love the Education Over Awareness movement. This is a big part of what we are all about here. Education is empowering. You may have heard of Crohn’s, but how well equipped are you to do something about it in the likely event that you come across someone managing the illness? Here is a quick breakdown to endow you with a basic understanding of a CD patient’s struggle.
Once you acquaint yourself with Crohn’s signs, the next step is knowing the risk factors. What factors make one more susceptible?
- Age- Diagnosis is most common for 15-35 year-olds.
- Ethnicity- Eastern European and Jewish descendants tend to carry the NOD2 gene found in many Crohn’s cases.
- Poor Diet
- Alcoholic Beverages
- Oral Contraceptives
- Antibiotics
- Virus/Infection Exposure
- Stress
- Family History- Crohn’s/NOD2 gene or other Inflammatory Bowel Diseases.
- Smoking
- Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Meds- Aleve, Motrin, Advil, etc.
- Location- Urban or industrialized areas have a higher diagnosis rate.
Every patient experiences Crohn’s differently. Throughout their lives, the disease may change course and throw them countless curveballs. It is a complicated IBD to understand and predict.
If you cut your finger, the wound will swell as your immune system works to rid your body of all toxic bacteria. After a few days, your cut should be healed and closed; your immune system should shut off, patting itself on the back for a job well done. A Crohn’s patient’s immune system is a tireless workaholic, not knowing when to stop. The body becomes reckless, fighting itself, beginning in the sensitive, inflamed intestines, mistaking precious nutrients, bacteria, and organs as toxins.
With the current information obtained, the best our medical professionals know to do, whether pharmaceutical or holistic, is to manage the patient’s symptoms. Navigating any chronic illness can become frustrating. It feels like your body insists on killing you. These are some helpful steps to manage it.
Where to Start
- Eat Small Meals
- Journal Meals
- Heal Your Gut
Increase
- Probiotics
- Water
- Herbal Teas
- B-12, Omega 3-fish oils, and Plant-Based Supplements
Decrease
- Gluten/Most Grains
- Stress
- Antibiotics
- Contraceptives
This is only the tip of the iceberg in Crohn’s and IBD education. I encourage you to learn more on this topic!
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Remember, you are uniquely remarkable!
Sakinah B.