Can you help Crohn’s Disease?

Healing the gut is one of our fundamental strategies for achieving optimal health.

There are a variety of conditions that may arise, including occasional indigestion, gastric reflux, irritable bowel syndrome, ulcerative colitis, Celiac disease, leaky gut syndrome, and Crohn’s disease

Chiropractic and Crohn’s Disease

On a regular basis, I’m asked if I can help people with any of the above mentioned gastro-intestinal issues. The answer, of course, is yes (help, not heal), but that doesn’t mean that chiropractic is a treatment for Crohn’s, IBS – or any other medical condition for that matter.

The sole objective of the chiropractor is to locate and correct something in the nervous system called a subluxation. A subluxation is a condition caused by stress that interferes with the flow of nerve and mental impulses traveling from the brain, through the spinal cord, to the tissue cells and organs.

There is a very specific amount of nerve and mental impulse that should be present for optimal function. Too much, or too little, is not good.

People with Crohn’s Disease could have subluxations anywhere in their nervous systems, but I typically find most interference in the upper cervical, lumbo-sacral, and lower thoracic areas.

Crohn’s disease results in a hyperactive immune system. The immune system is the mobile extension of the nervous system – the master system that runs the body. Any interference to the nervous system has the potential of interfering with the immune system. Chiropractic adjustments may allow the body to normalize immune function, which could have a positive effect on gastrointestinal system.

The chiropractic approach to Crohn’s Disease is the exact same as it is back pain, asthma, erectile dysfunction, or the best reason to be under regular chiropractic care: the pursuit of optimal human.

Everyone, with or without gastrointestinal dysfunction should be under weekly chiropractic care to promote optimal health, quality of life, and function of every cell, organ, and system of the body, and to help prevent further dis-ease or deterioration from occurring.

If you get adjusted will your gut organs work better? I can’t make a promise, but it makes logical sense that if your organs are getting too much, or too little, of the life force required for optimal function, that there’s a great chance that they will.

People under weekly chiropractic care consistently report better overall function in potentially any system of the body – including the gastro-intestinal system.

Bottom Line: I’d never want to promote chiropractic as a treatment for Crohn’s, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, or any other medical condition, but an optimally functioning nervous system has the potential of improving or resolving any health problem. Subluxations are always bad, and correcting them is always good.

What is Crohn’s Disease?

Crohn’s is an inflammatory bowel disorder with no known cause. It most commonly affects the lowest portion of the small intestine, but it could affect any part of the digestive tract from the mouth to the anus.

Crohn’s causes deep inflammation that causes cramping, abdominal pain, diarrhea, rectal bleeding, and loss of appetite. Scar tissue may cause blockage of the passageway, in addition to deep sores and ulcers.

People with Crohn’s typically have nutritional deficiencies. They may not be under-fed, but may be under-nourished. Does that make sense?

Who gets Crohn’s?

Crohn’s affects men and women equally and seems to have a genetic component. Signs and symptoms tend to appear between 15-30, or 60-80.

What causes Crohn’s?

There is not one generally accepted cause of Crohn’s disease. It has been suggested that Crohn’s is a result of a hyperactive immune system.

There may also be a genetic component, as 10-20% of people diagnosed with Crohn’s have at least one other relative with similar problems. It has also been found more in the Jewish and Caucasian populations.

There are also potential environmental triggers that can lead to (not cause) immune attacks, including certain foods, microbes, and other environmental irritants such as cigarette smoke.

There is not any one accepted cause.

What can be done about it?

Chiropractic plays a huge role. Maintaining a healthy nerve supply to all of the organs which make up the immune system and the gastrointestinal system is very important. Chiropractic is all about optimizing brain and nervous system function. There is a growing amount of evidence that there is a strong connection between brain and gut function.

Chiropractic adjustments have a bio-modulating effect, meaning that function is restored closer to optimal. So something functioning too much may be brought down, while something functioning at a low level may be brought up to normal.

Medicine has no cure for Crohn’s disease, one’s care plan should be focused on controlling inflammation, relieving symptoms (not merely masking them, but eliminating their cause), and correcting the numerous nutritional deficiencies that result from Crohn’s and poor nutritional decisions.

What type of diet is best?

As with any of our clients, we recommend a diet centered around a rainbow of vegetables, some fruits, quality proteins and healthy fats. We advocate an elimination of sugar and processed or refined foods, and for most people that includes most, if not all, wheat or foods containing gluten.

Unfortunately, most people with colitis have a long list of foods that may need to be avoided in order to minimize inflammatory flare-ups. Foods that may need to be avoided include, but are not limited to:

Seeds and nuts, because they are harder to digest and can irritate the wounded intestinal lining. During a flare-up, even fruits with seeds, like strawberries can cause problems.
Fruits and vegetables with the peel left on. This is a bummer, because we know that much of the nutritional benefit of these foods is contained in the peel, but it’s often too fibrous to fully digest and it causes irritation.
Popcorn
Fried, or greasy, foods, should be avoided by everyone, but especially people with an inflamed bowel.
Cured meats such as bacon should be avoided. Protein is very important, but it should come from leaner, non-cured sources.
Tomatoes really seem to irritate people with colitis. It may be the skin, the seeds, the acidity, or all of the above. Even cooked tomatoes, like in tomato sauce can be bad.
Caffeine can be a real problem. Coffee, carbonated beverages, and chocolate can be a significant irritant.
Dairy, even cheese
Alcohol

There may be additional food that cause problems, and not all clients struggle with all of these foods, and not all the time.

Even considering the above list of foods to avoid, there are hundreds of choices available to people with colitis

General nutritional support for the gastro-intestinal system is in order, such as consumption of bone broth, and fermented foods such as kvass, kraut, kombucha, kefir, kefir water, plain yogurt, and other foods to support and heal the gut. Some of these foods may not be immediately appropriate for someone with Crohn’s.

There may very well be some good supplements to help people with Crohn’s. I suggest talking to Mark at Whole in the Wall Herb Shop if you live in the Woodland Park area.

Conclusion

So, can I help someone with Crohn’s Disease? Yes.

Can I guarantee a cure? NO.

However, if I can promote optimal nerve supply through chiropractic care; and create a strategy for reducing stress, inflammation, and irritation of the gastro-intestinal system, we can do a lot to improve our client’s quality of life.

In our practice we feel the best way for people with or without Crohn’s is to get checked and adjusted on a weekly basis. We do this for a low monthly fee.

To learn more about the best way to use chiropractic, watch this video.

Healing the gut is one of our fundamental strategies for achieving optimal health.

There are a variety of conditions that may arise, including occasional indigestion, gastric reflux, irritable bowel syndrome, ulcerative colitis, Celiac disease, leaky gut syndrome, and Crohn’s disease

Chiropractic and Crohn’s Disease

On a regular basis, I’m asked if I can help people with any of the above mentioned gastro-intestinal issues. The answer, of course, is yes (help, not heal), but that doesn’t mean that chiropractic is a treatment for Crohn’s, IBS – or any other medical condition for that matter.

There is a very specific amount of nerve and mental impulse that should be present for optimal function. Too much, or too little, is not good.

People with Crohn’s Disease could have subluxations anywhere in their nervous systems, but I typically find most interference in the upper cervical, lumbo-sacral, and lower thoracic areas.

The chiropractic approach to Crohn’s Disease is the exact same as it is back pain, asthma, erectile dysfunction, or the best reason to be under regular chiropractic care: the pursuit of optimal human.

Everyone, with or without gastrointestinal dysfunction should be under weekly chiropractic care to promote optimal health, quality of life, and function of every cell, organ, and system of the body, and to help prevent further dis-ease or deterioration from occurring.

If you get adjusted will your gut organs work better? I can’t make a promise, but it makes logical sense that if your organs are getting too much, or too little, of the life force required for optimal function, that there’s a great chance that they will.

People under weekly chiropractic care consistently report better overall function in potentially any system of the body – including the gastro-intestinal system.

What is Crohn’s Disease?

Crohn’s is an inflammatory bowel disorder with no known cause. It most commonly affects the lowest portion of the small intestine, but it could affect any part of the digestive tract from the mouth to the anus.

Crohn’s causes deep inflammation that causes cramping, abdominal pain, diarrhea, rectal bleeding, and loss of appetite. Scar tissue may cause blockage of the passageway, in addition to deep sores and ulcers.

People with Crohn’s typically have nutritional deficiencies. They may not be under-fed, but may be under-nourished. Does that make sense?

Who gets Crohn’s?

Crohn’s affects men and women equally and seems to have a genetic component. Signs and symptoms tend to appear between 15-30, or 60-80.

What causes Crohn’s?

There is not one generally accepted cause of Crohn’s disease. It has been suggested that Crohn’s is a result of a hyperactive immune system.

There may also be a genetic component, as 10-20% of people diagnosed with Crohn’s have at least one other relative with similar problems. It has also been found more in the Jewish and Caucasian populations.

There are also potential environmental triggers that can lead to (not cause) immune attacks, including certain foods, microbes, and other environmental irritants such as cigarette smoke.

There is not any one accepted cause.

What can be done about it?

Chiropractic adjustments have a bio-modulating effect, meaning that function is restored closer to optimal. So something functioning too much may be brought down, while something functioning at a low level may be brought up to normal.

Medicine has no cure for Crohn’s disease, one’s care plan should be focused on controlling inflammation, relieving symptoms (not merely masking them, but eliminating their cause), and correcting the numerous nutritional deficiencies that result from Crohn’s and poor nutritional decisions.

What type of diet is best?

As with any of our clients, we recommend a diet centered around a rainbow of vegetables, some fruits, quality proteins and healthy fats. We advocate an elimination of sugar and processed or refined foods, and for most people that includes most, if not all, wheat or foods containing gluten.

Unfortunately, most people with colitis have a long list of foods that may need to be avoided in order to minimize inflammatory flare-ups. Foods that may need to be avoided include, but are not limited to:

Seeds and nuts, because they are harder to digest and can irritate the wounded intestinal lining. During a flare-up, even fruits with seeds, like strawberries can cause problems.

Fruits and vegetables with the peel left on. This is a bummer, because we know that much of the nutritional benefit of these foods is contained in the peel, but it’s often too fibrous to fully digest and it causes irritation.

Popcorn

Fried, or greasy, foods, should be avoided by everyone, but especially people with an inflamed bowel.

Cured meats such as bacon should be avoided. Protein is very important, but it should come from leaner, non-cured sources.

Tomatoes really seem to irritate people with colitis. It may be the skin, the seeds, the acidity, or all of the above. Even cooked tomatoes, like in tomato sauce can be bad.

Caffeine can be a real problem. Coffee, carbonated beverages, and chocolate can be a significant irritant.

Dairy, even cheese

Alcohol

There may be additional food that cause problems, and not all clients struggle with all of these foods, and not all the time.

Even considering the above list of foods to avoid, there are hundreds of choices available to people with colitis

There may very well be some good supplements to help people with Crohn’s. I suggest talking to Mark at Whole in the Wall Herb Shop if you live in the Woodland Park area.

Conclusion

So, can I help someone with Crohn’s Disease? Yes.

Can I guarantee a cure? NO.

However, if I can promote optimal nerve supply through chiropractic care; and create a strategy for reducing stress, inflammation, and irritation of the gastro-intestinal system, we can do a lot to improve our client’s quality of life.

In our practice we feel the best way for people with or without Crohn’s is to get checked and adjusted on a weekly basis. We do this for a low monthly fee.

To learn more about the best way to use chiropractic, watch this video.