Q: I was diagnosed with Crohn's disease last year at age 45. The disease has been relatively mild. However, it became a mechanical problem and I had a stricture removed at the terminal ileum in October 2006. It was suggested I go on Imuran to prevent progression of the disease but I am allergic to many medications (sulfa drugs, Asacol, Flagyl, etc.), and I do not want to get on an immune suppressant drug. Would I be a good candidate for your anti-inflammatory diet and alternative therapies? I work in the medical field and many of my colleagues believe I should start Imuran and consider alternative therapies for my overall well being.
A:
An anti-inflammatory diet will help. Depending on the severity of your Crohn's, it may not be enough to truly maintain a symptom-free state, however. There have been several studies on many forms of alternative therapies for Crohn's disease. The studies showing a beneficial effect revealed increased remission time with fish oil (3 grams/day), as well as wormwood (1,500 mg/day). Boswellic acid and turmeric also have been shown to be helpful, but dosages have not been standardized.
Q: I am interested in doing the Master Cleanse fast, but am not sure exactly how to begin food re-entry. What do you recommend?
A: In the Master Cleanse book, the author gives instructions on how to eat for a few days prior to beginning the fast. It suggests eating mainly fruits and vegetables for a day or so before fasting and mainly juices the evening before. I would recommend coming out of the fast the same way if you are doing it for a routine cleansing. In some cases, I recommend the fast for people whom I suspect are having major food intolerances, in which case I have them ease even more slowly into the diet, eating non-allergenic foods and slowly adding in others to detect the possible culprit.
Q:
My aunt has difficulty getting out of the tub. Her knees are stiff, sore and weak. Her leg muscles feel like heavy cement. She also has trouble walking too long because her leg muscles stiffen up and get heavy and sore. (My mother had the same thing before she died from a stroke. She used to drag her legs along the floor, and the doctors never gave us a reason.) Please advise. Could this be caused from spinal, nerve or muscle damage? She has been sent from a PCP to a rheumatologist to an intern. We still have no answers. Is there any special test she needs?
A:
There are so many possible reasons for leg weakness – from vitamin/mineral deficiencies (especially riboflavin, thiamin, biotin, folate, niacin, copper, magnesium and potassium), low thyroid function and spinal-cord problems to lack of exercise. If her diet and vitamin intake are good, I would recommend checking thyroid levels and an MRI of her lower back. If those are normal, I would begin physical therapy and acupuncture.
Tanya Edwards, M.D., M.Ed., is the Medical Director for the Center for Integrative Medicine and is a staff member in the Department of Family Medicine at the Cleveland Clinic. As a Family Practice physician, she sees patients at the Cleveland Clinic Independence Family Health Center, and will begin wellness consultations at the new Cleveland Clinic Wellness Center. For the past seven years, she has been teaching complementary and alternative medicine courses at the Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine.
Some questions in the “Ask Dr. Edwards” column appear courtesy of NetWellness.org.
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