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Another success story with spinach and sunflower seeds!

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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 1/22/2010 10:07 AM (GMT -7)

Great information LFTC, thanks. It's very scary when your heart beats hard like that. You had a rough go. I'm really not as stubborn as some folks may be saying in chat rooms or other. I always tell people that the more I learn the more I realize how much I don't know. The wife criticizes my getting on this site but I would rather learn about how to save my colon than learn about someone's new baby on Facebook or Myspace. (I don't know why I threw that one in)

Back on topic:

What in the spinach and sunflower seeds is helping? Is it the pure anti-inflammatory effects, topically (so to say), as these foods pass the inflammed areas within the colon or is there something systemic that's helping with the immune system from some chemicals (other) which are absorbed into the bloodstream during digestion?

Also,

Are ground seeds working better for folks or seed butter (like peanut butter) or does it matter?

Does it matter if the seeds are roasted?

Posted 1/22/2010 11:36 AM (GMT -7)
Some nutrients are very important for cell function and regulation and the body tightly regulates the levels of many nutrients in the blood. I think with people with UC something is messed up that regulates certain nutrients so we have to regulate these nutrients ourselves by ingesting them frequently. I think when the nutrients get out of balance then the cells cant communicate properly and then they attack things they shouldnt. Most nuts and seeds are very healthy and are high in things like magnesium and vitamin E but I would stick to sunflower seeds for the most part because they are extremely high in another nutrient that may play a roll that other nuts and seeds don't have much of, but I would eat other nuts and seeds or nut and seed butters as well because they are all healthy and I think magnesium play's a roll. Im sure its the nutrients in these foods that's helping some because I have been researching the levels of nutrients in different foods for years and I can get the same results and stay in remission if I eat other foods with the same amount of certain nutrients as the spinach and sunflower seeds contain. If I stop supplying my body with these nutrients I will start to flare within a month and I have purposely done this many times to further prove to myself that its the nutrients in the foods that is healing me. And then when I supply myself with these nutrients I go back into remission every time.

Post Edited (Cfromutah) : 8/19/2010 11:13:48 PM (GMT-6)

Posted 1/22/2010 11:45 AM (GMT -7)
At this point, I don't think anyone really knows for sure. They are high in vitamins and minerals, but so are other foods. However, spinach and sunflower seeds are healthy. It doesn't hurt to try adding it to your diet and see whether or not they help, especially if you are like me and love spinach and sunflower nut butter.
Posted 2/8/2010 10:22 PM (GMT -7)
I'm glad your husband is feeling better. I hope he can keep everything under control.
I'm also really glad to see this thread because I haven't seen a whole lot of talk about the spinach and seed diet.

Let me just say, that I don't know how this works, or why it works. It just does. I'm living proof right now as of 2 weeks ago. Cfromutah is no doctor, but he did make a discovery that has proved itself. We can't say that it will work for everyone, but I HIGHLY suggest people try it. My UC is not as bad as some of you, but I have been struggling with it for about 3 years. The diet has worked 3 times for me. Once in summer of 08, and once in Aug 09. After about a month, I fell off though. I have since learned some things to stay away from, and if I keep doing what I'm doing now, things should remain under control.

Chopped can spinach, roasted sunflower seeds, sunflower seed butter, some dedication and determination = remission.

It took me almost 3 weeks.

Thats my short story and I'm stickin to it.
Posted 2/9/2010 8:19 AM (GMT -7)
Glad to hear that dudwhrsmybike.

So far it seems to work for me too.

Wonder how Kiss250 is doing.  Haven't had an update from her for a while.

Posted 2/9/2010 10:49 AM (GMT -7)
For those of you who've done well with this diet, how severe is your disease and your symptoms?
Posted 2/9/2010 1:02 PM (GMT -7)
Mine was not severe.
Posted 2/9/2010 3:22 PM (GMT -7)
Mine was very severe. Before I went into remission I was in a two year non stop flare and would have 10 to 20 bms a day. I crapped my pants several times in puplic because i had extreme urgency. Also I was bleeding a lot, so much so that when I had a bm many times it was mostly blood and turned the toilet water bright red and would drip out the whole time i was sitting on the toilet. And my colonoscopy at the time showed that my colon was very ulcerated. Put it this way, just a short time before I went into remission from eating high magnesium and beta carotene foods such as spinach and sunflower seeds I had decided to have surgery to remove my colon because I couldn't handle the symptoms anymore, they were that bad.
Posted 2/9/2010 4:35 PM (GMT -7)
Thanks both for your responses. Cfromutah, how much spinach is enough in your opinion?
Posted 2/9/2010 5:54 PM (GMT -7)
I started this about a week ago and have already noticed an improvement as far as less urgency and less frequency. I am still experiencing bleeding and D but I am going 2-3 times a day as opposed to 10+ it was before.
I have just been putting in 3-4 cubes of frozen spinach into my white rice and cooking them together. It's pretty tasty and I haven't gotten sick of it like I tend to get sick of flavours while I am flaring. Unfourtunately I live in Italy and seed/nut butter is harder to come by so I have just been blending up a couple tbsps of whole raw sunflower seeds and mixing it into peanut butter and eating them that way.

After how long are people noticing a decrease in D and bleeding?
Posted 2/9/2010 7:13 PM (GMT -7)
I don't know how much this translates into fresh spinach because I always ate canned spinach but if I was flaring trying to get out of a flare I would probably eat a can of spinach every other day for a few weeks and 5 or maybe even more handfuls of sunflower seeds a day.  Im quite sure that the beta carotene and magnesium in these foods plays a significant part in making the diet work. I only eat spinach once a month or so now that im in remission. But I do eat a few baby carrots every few days for beta carotene and a few handfuls of sunflower seeds a day and other various nuts and seeds often for magnesium. I need to continuously supply my body with these nutrients or I will start to flare if I go without them for a few weeks.
Posted 2/9/2010 9:19 PM (GMT -7)
This is what got me in remission...Regular foods I always eat PLUS a dozen handfuls of roasted sunflower seeds and a can of chopped spinach for about 10 days. Then I stopped the spinach, but continued the seeds. After a few days of seeds I added sunbutter for the remaining 10+days. After about 3 weeks, I started feeling better and was having solid BM's. The easiest way for me to down a can of spinach, is to add it into 1 cup of cooked rice. I'll have a bagel in the morning with sunbutter and jelly/fruit preserves. Throughout the day, I will eat a few handfuls of seeds. I also like to dip pretzel sticks in the sunbutter.
Posted 2/17/2010 11:19 AM (GMT -7)
I ran across these too... you can google them: Enjoy Life Foods - Sunbutter Crunch Snack Bars - 5 oz.
Posted 8/6/2010 1:09 AM (GMT -7)
just wondering if anybody had any updates. started this diet religiously back in december 2008, cut all meds off about 4 months ago. now, just had some blood on the ol' stool and TP as well as the little pinchies on the left side of my abdomen. haven't had canned spinach in a while so downed one tonight and will continue to do so. i will let you guys know how things turn out to see if it is the seeds and spinach that do the trick.
Posted 8/8/2010 11:41 AM (GMT -7)
LIFE IS WONDERFUL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I can even jog now. I can't believe what a difference this diet has made in my life. It has been two years since my last flare and on no meds!

Has anybody heard from kiss250? Sure would love to hear how she is doing.

Thank you CfromUtah *hugs*
Posted 8/8/2010 12:08 PM (GMT -7)
what is strange is that sunflower oil is high in inflammatory omega 6, of course maybe the seeds are better than oil itself. Canned spinach is a win win, except that it taste yuky :)
Posted 8/8/2010 4:07 PM (GMT -7)
Just picked up a few cans and am going to try it. Might have to load the spinach up with butter so that I can get it down without tossing my cookies. Not the most flavorful stuff in the world.
Posted 8/8/2010 5:25 PM (GMT -7)
Spinach is really good sauteed with some olive oil, garlic, and lemon juice if none of those ingredients bother you. I really like to eat cooked spinach this way.
Posted 8/9/2010 8:15 AM (GMT -7)

cupcakespinkgal said...
Spinach is really good sauteed with some olive oil, garlic, and lemon juice if none of those ingredients bother you. I really like to eat cooked spinach this way.

I will pick up some garlic and lemon and try your method of prep today. I choked down about a half can yesterday before the gag reflex started to kick in. I managed to keep it down though.

The other problem is there is so much water in the spinach when it comes out of the can. It's really hard to get the water out of the spinach. Sauteing it should evaporate off a good chunk of the water and leave it less bulky.

The results so far have been startling. First BM this AM, tiny amount of blood compared to usual. Second BM NO BLOOD OR MUCOUS AT ALL!!!!! First BM in at least a month and a half with no blood or mucous (last time I had no blood or mucous I was on high dose prednisone - before I had started my taper)

Will post again later after I see if this continues.
Posted 8/9/2010 10:59 AM (GMT -7)
To all,

I have also had sucess with frozen spinach and I don't think it's a coincidence that it's helped so many of us...a cure is around the corner.

NBT

 

Posted 8/10/2010 6:28 AM (GMT -7)
Hey guys!! This actually sounds promising!

Is it ok to eat raw spinach? I like using it as the lettuce in my salads or is it more likely to not be digested?

How much sunflower butter should you eat a day?

I have been in a mild flare since March of last year after taking antibiotics. I am on Asacol and Rowasa enemas and have usually 1-3 BM's a day with some blood and I am pregnant and worry about my baby getting proper nutrients!

 I am headed to the store today!!

Posted 8/10/2010 8:45 AM (GMT -7)

kk217 said...
Hey guys!! This actually sounds promising!


Is it ok to eat raw spinach? I like using it as the lettuce in my salads or is it more likely to not be digested?



How much sunflower butter should you eat a day?



I have been in a mild flare since March of last year after taking antibiotics. I am on Asacol and Rowasa enemas and have usually 1-3 BM's a day with some blood and I am pregnant and worry about<strong></strong> my baby getting proper nutrients!



I am headed to the store today!!

From my understanding you need to eat soft canned spinach, or at least have raw cooked down into a soft form so it is easy to digest and not harsh on your insides.
No idea on the sunbutter, but I wouldn't over do it.
Posted 8/10/2010 10:03 AM (GMT -7)
Another idea is to buy spinach from a grocery and blend it into a drink; it doesn't taste good, but at least it should be easy on your insides.

One problem I had was that it caused gas...the deadly silent kind...LOL

You've been warned

smilewinkgrin  

Posted 8/10/2010 11:50 AM (GMT -7)
How about juicing the spinach? I juice cabbage, carrots and mint and drink that 3-4 times a day when flaring, and that does wonders to me. I can add some spinach to the mix.
Posted 8/10/2010 3:07 PM (GMT -7)
I was doing some internet research today and read some interesting info on spinach. It is a food source of l-glutamine. Which I know is supposed to be good for the colon. I have tried it as a supplement before without much help, but a lot of things work better or are different when consumed instead of supplemented!
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