Reviewed By Blake Gilliam, CRNP
Reading Time: 4 minutes
If you are living with Crohn’s disease, you are probably familiar with the common treatments recommended by conventional medicine such as medication and surgery. But, have you heard of functional medicine?
In this blog, we will explore how functional medicine can help with Crohn’s disease and how this holistic approach can improve your overall well-being and quality of life.
Table of Contents
Key Takeaway
Functional medicine offers a personalized approach to Crohn’s disease management by identifying and addressing the root causes of the condition, including dietary triggers, gut imbalances, environmental factors, and immune dysfunction.
What is Crohn’s Disease?
Crohn’s disease, or inflammatory bowel disease, is a chronic inflammatory condition of the gastrointestinal tract. It occurs because your body’s immune system mistakenly attacks the lining of your digestive tract as if it were a foreign invader.
This immune response causes intestinal inflammation, which can lead to the following symptoms:
- Persistent abdominal pain
- Chronic diarrhea
- Unintended weight loss
- Joint pain
- Brittle nails and hair loss
- Kidney stones
- Painful ulcerations in the digestive tract
- Rectal bleeding
Personalized Treatments and Holistic Approaches
Dietary Modifications for Crohn’s
Your diet plays an important role in managing Crohn’s. We’ll work with you to identify foods that trigger inflammation and those that promote healing. Here’s what we may recommend:
- Elimination diets: This diet will temporarily remove potential trigger foods (e.g., lectin-containing foods, gluten, dairy, spicy foods, raw vegetables) to identify sensitivities.
- Low-residue diet: During flare-ups, a low-residue diet limits fiber and other hard-to-digest foods to reduce bowel irritation.
- Anti-inflammatory diet: This type of diet focuses on whole, unprocessed foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants, and prebiotic fiber (found in garlic, onions, and bananas) to calm inflammation and promote gut health..
Nutritional and Probiotic Supplements
Specific supplements can help correct deficiencies, support gut healing, and reduce inflammation:
- Vitamin D: Often deficient in people with Crohn’s.
- Omega-3 fatty acids: These can be found in fish oil, and have powerful anti-inflammatory effects.
- Probiotics: These beneficial bacteria will help restore your gut balance and reduce inflammation. We’ll recommend specific strains based on your individual needs.
- Other supplements: Depending on your deficiencies, we may suggest zinc, B vitamins, glutamine, or curcumin.
- Low dose naltrexone: This medication has been shown to help reduce inflammation in Crohn’s disease.
Lifestyle and Environmental Triggers
We’ll help you identify and address lifestyle and environmental factors that may contribute to your Crohn’s:
- Stress management: Chronic stress can worsen inflammation. We’ll help you find effective stress-reduction techniques like yoga, meditation, or mindfulness.
- Sleep optimization: Quality sleep is essential for healing and immune function.
- Exercise: Regular, moderate exercise can help reduce inflammation and improve gut health.
- Environmental toxins: We’ll assess your exposure to toxins like heavy metals and endocrine disruptors, and recommend ways to reduce your exposure.
Functional medicine is focused on understanding the extent of your inflammation and the underlying factors contributing to this condition. By addressing dietary factors, environmental factors, and lifestyle changes, we aim to improve your outcomes and quality of life.
Functional Medicine in Madison, AL
If you are suffering from Crohn’s disease and are looking for a more personalized and holistic approach to manage your symptoms, functional medicine is what you need!
Our experienced practitioner, Blake Gilliam is dedicated to helping you identify and address the root causes of your condition, rather than just treating the symptoms.
If you are in Madison, AL and searching for ‘functional medicine near me’ we can help! Call (256) 325-0955 to schedule an appointment or complete the online inquiry form.
FAQs about Crohn’s Disease
Can functional medicine treat Crohn’s disease?
Functional medicine can play a key role in managing Crohn’s disease. This holistic approach aims to improve overall well-being and quality of life through personalized treatment plans. Though functional medicine does not cure Crohn’s disease, it can significantly alleviate symptoms and reduce flare-ups.
What fruits should Crohn’s patients avoid?
Certain fruits with high fiber content cause difficulty in digestion. It is recommended to avoid citrus fruits, raw apples and pears. Additionally, dried fruits such as raisins, apricots, and prunes can lead to bloating and discomfort. However, every person with Crohn’s disease is different and may react differently to certain foods.
What food to avoid with Crohn’s disease?
Crohn’s disease involves avoiding foods that can trigger inflammation or irritation in the digestive tract, such as fried foods, fast food, fatty cuts of meat, dairy products for those who are lactose intolerant, spicy foods, raw vegetables during flare-ups, and nuts and seeds.
