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Alternative Maintenance Treatment for

Crohn’s Disease, Ulcerative Colitis and Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Desmond Allen, PhD, ND, RCP

Dr.   Allen advises all readers to consult their physician before abandoning any pharmaceutical therapy or adding any natural remedy.  He also encourages everyone to take responsibility for their own healthcare decisions, and to seek the opinion of an alternative healthcare professional.

Unknown food allergies, malnutrition and malabsorption are common in this patient population often resulting in hypoalbuminanemia, anaenia, and certain vitamin and mineral deficiencies.  Therefore the following dietary, nutritional supplements and botanical medicines are recommended for disease maintenance.

1. Maintain adequate caloric intake but avoid all processed starches and carbohydrates, carbonated drinks, alcohol, caffeine, spicy foods, and artificial flavoring and food additives; and to reduce the inflammation process, avoid arachidonic acids (as found in animal products) while increasing alpha-linolenic acids (omega-3 fatty acids, as found in flaxseed oil, primrose).  Eat a varied High-complex carbohydrate, High-fiber diet with at least 64 oz of water a day.  (Note: This is in direct opposition to the standard, unsubstantiated allopathic recommendation of a low-fiber diet).  Although some fiber food may be too rough and thus avoided.  Wheat and wheat bran are generally avoided either for their roughness or due to a personal allergy to it.  Eat plenty of non-acidic fresh and cook vegetables such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots, celery, kale, spinach, and turnips.  Papaya and papaya seeds are very helpful to digestion.    

2. Perform an elimination diet to isolate potential food allergies (wheat, corn, dairy products and carrageenan-containing foods are common issues).  Then element these foods.

3. Supplement with a multi-fold increase (up to 5 times suggested daily allowance) in certain therapeutic vitamins and minerals.  Divide daily supplements into TID allotments.  The following nutritional deficiencies are common in this patient population:

   1. Iron deficiency.

   2. Deficiencies in vitamins: B3, B12, C, D, E, K.

   3. Deficiencies in minerals: calcium, magnesium, potassium, zinc, copper.

   4. Deficiencies in folic acid and retinol.

   5. Certain botanical flavonoids have a long historical naturopathic use to address the inflammatory process.  Quercetin is the most pharmacologically active flavonoid, with remarkable effects on various enzyme systems which are directly related to the inflammation process. 

4. 1 Tbl of Bastyr’s Formula of botanical medicines is recommended with each meal.  (This can be purchased in capsule form).

Bastyr’s Formula

-          8 parts Althaea officinals – marsh mallow root, a demulcent with soothing properties on the mucus membranes.

-          4 parts Baptista tinctora – wild indigo, for gastrointestinal infections.

-          8 parts Echinacea angustifolia – purple cone flower, antibacterial and promotes normalized immune system.

-          8 parts Geranium maculatum – a gastrointestinal haemostatic.

-          8 parts Hydrastis Canadensis – goldenseal, inhibits growth of many disease-causing bacteria.

-          8 parts Phytolacca Americana – poke root, promotes healing of ulcerations of the intestinal mucosa.

-          8 parts Symphytum officinale – comfrey, anti-inflammatory and promoter of tissue growth and healing.

-          8 parts Ulmus fulva – slippery elm, a demulcent with soothing properties on the mucus membranes.

-          8 parts cabbage powder – promotes healing of gastrointestinal ulcers.

-          2 parts pancreatin – to assist the digestion process.

-          1 part naicinamide – an anti-inflammatory agent.

-          2 parts duodenal substance – promotes healing of gastrointestinal ulcers.

Additional recommended therapies

1. Fast once a month.

2. Proteolytic enzymes, considered essential, to promote digestion and decrease inflammatory process.

3. Multienzyme complex with pancreatin, considered essential, to promote anti-inflammatory enzymes.

4. Acidophilus, Bio-Bifidus, or Kyo-Dophilus, very important, to normalize intestinal bacteria.

5. Aerobic Bulk Cleanse (ABC) or psyllium seeds/husks, very important, to keep colon walls clean.

6. Alfalfa, very important, for vitamin K and chlorophyll to promote healing.

7. Free-form amino acid complex, very important, to supply needed protein.

8. L-Glutamine, very important, as a metabolic fuel for intestinal cells.

9. Vitamins A and E, very important, antioxidants to promote healing.

10. Vitamin B complex, very important, for breaking down fats, proteins carbohydrates, and for proper digestion.

11. Aloe vera to promote healing in the colon and thus ease pain.

12. Chamolime, dandelion, feverfew, papaya, red clover, slippery elm, yarrow extract are also beneficial.

13. Aerobic 07 or Dioxchlor, perhaps helpful, to destroy unwanted bacteria in colon.

14. Garlic, perhaps helpful, as a natural antibiotic with healing effect on colon.

15. Glucosamine sulfate or N-Acetylglucosamine, helpful, as a component in the protective mucous secretions in the digestive tract and to protect intestinal lignin from digestive enzymes.

16. Raw thymus glandular, perhaps helpful, to promote healing of ulcerative colitis.

17. For acute pain, drink a large glass of water to flush out particles caught in the crevices of the colon.

18. Duodenal glandular, considered essential, for healing gastrointestinal ulcers.

19. Taurine (sublingual form), considered essential, antioxidant and immune regulator.

20. Vitamin B complex, B12 and folic acid, considered essential, for digestion and healing.