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Avoid Sugar?

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Crohn's Disease
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Posted 10/3/2007 8:35 AM (GMT -6)
I don't (at this time) seem to have a typical bout of Crohn's Disease - I've read from lots of people on here that they will eat certain foods then immediately (even just an hour later) have bouts of pain and diarrhea. Right now I guess I've been in a "flare" since late May, and my starting symptom and the one I still have is a feeling of abdominal bloating and occasional cramping pain. Scopes showed lots of inflammation in the large colon, no indication of small bowel involvement at this time.

I seem to be able to eat pretty much anything. I'm on 40mg pred, asacol, starting 6MP. I haven't had diarrhea since getting out of the hospital in August for the GI bleed (which I think the Advil had a hand in). My stools are regular, fully formed and sink. No mucus. Just the rotgut. Won't go away. Uncomfortable to sit crunched up for long periods. Sometimes I even wonder if we really do all have the same disease or the doctors have come up with a nice name for "you guys are *messed up*".

Anyway, I've read it would be good to avoid sugar - at this point I'll try anything. But what kind of sugar?

Are we talking just white, refined sugar?
High fructose corn syrup?
Brown sugar?
Natural fruit sugars (fructose)?
Splenda?
Honey?
What else?
Posted 10/3/2007 8:47 AM (GMT -6)
If you are bloating in the absence of obstruction it may be a result of imbalances in the composition of intestinal flora -- too much bad bacteria or bacterial overgrowth. Bacteria need food to grow and simple sugars are great foods because they are the original fast food. Instantly available for bacteria to eat. In addition, certain foods tend to produce more gas -- cruciferus vegetables like brocolli, brussel sprouts, cauliflower; dried beans and legumes. Add into the mix that many crohn's patients are lactose and/or gluten intolerant and you can see what a minefield you are walking into.

As far as sugars are concerned any refined sugars can cause problems and that includes artificial sweeteners (actually artificial sweeteners like those found in sugarless gums are linked to digestive upsets in crohn's patients).

Honey is usually well tolerated and if you can tolerate fruits they are usually ok too -- except if you have a problem with fibre.

Plain yoghurt is an excellent product for those who have problems with gas pain. I try to eat it every day -- ideally a tbl. before every meal, but at least at breakfast. And when I do, I rarely have the spastic gassy pain and bloating that otherwise dog my afternoons and evenings.

The key here is that you have to become your own detective. There is no one size fits all.

Try keeping a food diary for a couple of weeks. Take note of everything you eat and then note symptooms (when, what how long etc) Look for corelations between food/beverage and symptoms.
Posted 10/3/2007 9:11 AM (GMT -6)
As I stated in another post I did not get fanatical about eliminating sugar but am avoiding sweets - candy, cookies etc., store bought yogurt and any type of artificial sugar like Splenda and corn syrup. I still eat bread and starch, I eat honey and maple syrup (real maple syrup), I have just tried to really cut back on obvious sugar things. I know I am not eliminating all sugars but just cutting back has made a definite difference for me. Sugary things don't even taste all that good to me anymore. I had a sip of my husbands cola the other night and thought it was way to sweet. And that is coming from someone who could eat sugar straight previously. MB
Posted 10/3/2007 9:47 AM (GMT -6)
Store-bought plain yogurt is bad then?
Posted 10/3/2007 9:52 AM (GMT -6)
No, I believe plain is OK. Any of the flavored, fruity ones have a ton of sugar in them. Just check the sugar grams on the container and read the ingredients to see if sugar, or sugar source, is one of the first few.
Posted 10/3/2007 11:45 AM (GMT -6)
I avoid sugar and it's wonderful...I use stevia or honey as a sweetner.


:)
Posted 10/3/2007 1:21 PM (GMT -6)
...wish I could buy stevia......I'd love to try it. But here in my country they have decided that it's not good for the health...but white sugar is....!!!!!!


Ingrid :-)
Posted 10/3/2007 2:46 PM (GMT -6)
Ingrid, what do they say is wrong with stevia?
Posted 10/3/2007 3:15 PM (GMT -6)
EMom,

The Official Food Control says because the Europe Unions (EU) Scientific Committe suspects that stevioide (that is the sweet stuff from the plant) may interact negatively and affect the posibility for men to produce children....and untill they find out more we'll have no Stevia available. Remember that it was forbidden in the US untill some years ago. I don't know why it got into the warmth again... :-) ...

Btw....how is your son?.....
Hope things goes better with him now!

With all the best from Ingrid :-)
Posted 10/3/2007 4:11 PM (GMT -6)
Hi I see your on pred. I had my glucose tested and it was up so I had to reduce sugar intake.So this might be something you might want to consider when on pred. as it can up the glucose I reduced things like sweets and tried to watch sugar content lately. I am now off the pred so will need to get tested for glucose again soon. lol gail
Posted 10/3/2007 9:56 PM (GMT -6)
from my experience doing the makers diet, avoid any and all processed/refined sugar (white and brown and all its derivatives - corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup, and anything ending in "ose" as it denotes a sugar) and artificial sugars like aspartame and nutra sweet, splenda, sucralose, etc etc. these are potentially worse. if sugar is one of the first 3 ingredients, i think twice about buying it or eat very very little of it. digestive enzymes do help. try to stick with the natural stuff, like raw unheated honey, real maple syrup, agave nectar. i use these very sparingly. stevia is a natural sugar substitute that is like 300 times more sweeter than sugar but is zero carb and low glycemic - the exact opposite of sugar. evaporated pure cane sugar is the natural form of sugar. that is more or less unprocessed and is better than the processed stuff i mentioned above. i've found that limiting my sugar and grain intake i feel a lot better and my sweet tooth is gone.
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