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5 Reasons You Might Have Stomach Pain After Eating (or other not-so-fun bowel symptoms that don’t really belong in a title)

man with red stomach to show pain

Have you ever considered trying a parasite cleanse or fast to get rid of digestive upset? Or maybe you think cutting gluten or going grain-free could eliminate your stomach pain after eating. Perhaps, you’re considering healing your gut. Let’s dig a bit deeper into the potential causes of irregular bowels.

Why Do I Have Stomach Pain After Eating?

Do you wonder if something is “off” with your gut? Do you experience stomach pain after eating, cramps, or other awkward symptoms?

In this post, we’ll cover the difference between IBS and IBD, symptoms of stomach pain after eating, and the following potential causes:

  1. Food allergies
  2. Leaky gut
  3. Candida
  4. Parasites
  5. Stress and Tired Adrenals

What Is Irritable Bowel Syndrome? (IBS)

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is the most common functional gastrointestinal disorder seen by doctors. Studies show that worldwide rates range from 9–23% and U.S rates generally in the area of 10–15%.

There are between 2.4 and 3.5 million annual physician visits for IBS in the United States alone. However, a much smaller percent of the adult population has actually been diagnosed with the condition (about 5-7%). IBS is more common in women than it is in men.

IBS is a functional disorder of the GI tract that covers a broad scope of symptoms. IBS is often what doctors diagnose when they don’t know what else to call someone’s irregular bowel habits that don’t involve a structural component.

If you have inconsistencies with your daily bowel movements along with gut pain or discomfort, especially stomach pain after eating, you may have come to the conclusion on your own that you have IBS, or that something is clearly not working right.

This article was medically reviewed by Dr. Scott Soerries, M.D. As always, this is not personal medical advice and we recommend that you talk with your doctor.

But what’s regular? With the list below you can pinpoint common irregular bowel habits that people with IBS, colitis, Crohn’s tend to have. It also includes symptoms related to dysfunction of the small intestines and large intestines.

Note: Crohn’s Disease and colitis are both classified as intestinal bowel disease, not “irritable bowel syndrome/IBS,” but in the end, if nutrition is going to help heal your gut, it’s all just semantics. I (Katie) just thought you should understand that difference if you’re talking to a doctor or looking up issues online.

Common Irregular Bowel Habits & Symptoms

First, let me explain what I mean by irregular bowels. I’m referring to not only how the bowel movements come out but also symptoms in the gut that go along with the bowel movements.

Irregular bowels could be demonstrated by the frequency or infrequency, the shape, size, color, smell, whether you strain or whether you have to run to the toilet, or maybe wipe a lot once you are done eliminating. It could be that you go once per day every day then one week you skip every other day or go numerous times a day – in other words you have no set normal pattern, it’s always changing.

See if you recognize any of these symptoms as your own:

  • Alternating diarrhea and constipation
  • Stools hard or difficult to pass
  • Less than one bowel movement per day
  • Stools have corners or edges, are flat or ribbon-shaped
  • Stools are not well-formed but loose instead
  • Mucus in the stool
  • Blood in the stool
  • Food allergies
  • Abdominal bloating 1 to 2 hours after eating
  • Specific foods make you tired or bloated
  • Pulse speeds after eating
  • Anus itches
  • Coated tongue
  • Fungus or yeast infections
  • Yeast symptoms increase with sugar, starch or alcohol
  • History of parasites
  • Excessive foul-smelling lower bowel gas
  • Cramping in lower abdominal region
  • Bad breath or strong body odors

How are all these symptoms of irregular gut function possibly related?

There are five core reasons for gut pain and irregularity, and they can be discovered when you know your current biochemistry (remember, bio-individuality is the key to health).

I find the majority of people with gut discomfort are suffering due to functional reasons (how something works) vs. structural issues (how the pieces are put together or may be broken). These functional reasons, found through avenues such as elimination diets, rotation diets, blood tests, and hair analysis, can be corrected through a game plan unique to the individual.

If you’ve had a long-term issue with irritable bowel, it may be wise to check with a gastroenterologist to ensure there are no structural problems. I struggled with constipation and horrible colon spasms for many years before I was finally diagnosed with a rectal prolapse. I had tried various medications and diets without relief. No amount of dietary changes could have fixed it. A structural problem requires surgery.

So if you don’t find any relief with dietary changes be sure to look into structural abnormalities of your digestive system. I found relief of my major symptoms after surgery. Then I could turn to diet to fix the rest.

Red on a female stomach to show pain and a hamburger. 5 reasons you may have stomach pain after eating

5 Reasons You May Have Irregular Bowels and Stomach Pain

Many people need numerous areas of their health addressed in order to have regular, consistent, normal bowels on a daily basis, as well as no complaints related to the gut itself. There are five core reasons to troubleshoot why you may have irregular bowels.

1. Food Allergies May be a Cause of Pain After a Meal

It is estimated that 10 to 20 percent of us have food sensitivities. Food sensitivity reactions, also called delayed hypersensitivity reactions and in the past called “serum sickness”, occur when IgA, IgG and IgM antibodies are triggered in response to foods, chemicals, and bacterial toxins. The most common antibody reactions are IgG to mold and foods; exposure to molds and foods is quite high compared to pollens. These IgA, IgM and IgG responses are called “delayed” sensitivity reactions because the symptoms they cause can take from several hours to several days to appear, which makes it very difficult to track down the offending food or substance.” (from Digestive Wellness; by Elizabeth Lipski, Ph.D., CCN, CHN)
eggs, almonds and gluten-free bread

Allergies and intolerances are directly associated with the health of the small intestine. Most everyone alive today has several food sensitivities they are not aware of that could be hampering their health. Mineral imbalances and high heavy metal levels could be the cause of your food sensitivities. Correcting the imbalances through diet and supplements will improve your tolerance to foods.

You may also need to try a very specific diet, like a low FODMAP diet (learn more about it here!). If you want a systematic approach to gut healing you can try the Gut Thrive in Five protocol.

If you have a child struggling with stomach pain, irregular bowels, food allergies and picky eating you can learn how to tailor his diet to get on the road to healing. Find out how in my book Why Won’t My Child Eat?!. You can also get more information on my site Just Take A Bite. We’ve dealt with so many allergies. Here are my top ten tips for helping to reduce and even remove allergies.

Showing what leaky gut syndrome looks like and the main triggers.

2. Leaky Gut May Make the Stomach Hurt After Eating

Anything that can overstimulate the pores in the lining of the small intestine and keep them open too long is said to cause leaky gut.

According to mindbodygreen:

When your gut is leaky, things like toxins, microbes, undigested food particles, and more can escape from your intestines and travel throughout your body via your bloodstream. Your immune system marks these “foreign invaders” as pathogens and attacks them.

Examples of the overstimulaters may include food allergies, alcoholism, Celiac Disease, certain drugs, Giardia and other parasites, intensive illnesses, malnutrition, pancreatitis and many more. This, in turn, leads to symptoms related to IBS, Crohn’s, or colitis.

3. Systemic Candida Can Cause Abdominal Pain Too

Did you know that 1/3 of the world’s population is affected by candidiasis?

Candida is a fungal infection and is a type of fungi in the yeast family which is why it is commonly called a yeast infection. Candida is found in most everyone and in small amounts should still allow a person to be in good health. It is a yeast found in our guts and in the vagina as well. Normally, it is controlled by good microbes and causes no complications.

Candida rash on a woman's hairline

However, candida can grow and get out of hand if one creates the right environment, like after a round of antibiotics or while on the birth control pill. Yeast and fungus slow down a person’s oxidation rate or metabolic rate. Candida thrives in an alkaline medium. Slow oxidizers run alkaline and are more susceptible to candida. In order to resolve candida, you must correct the biochemistry.

A key underlying cause of candida is a copper imbalance. Copper is one of the body’s main ways to kill yeast. When copper is unavailable to the body for use, the body can’t get rid of the yeasts properly.

If someone has low zinc or a copper imbalance they can do all the candida diets or cleanses under the sun, but never truly correct the core underlying imbalance with candida in their body. Balancing the body’s biochemistry can correct chronic issues with candida without the need for a specific anti-candida remedy or cleanse. This is a much gentler approach and a better long-term solution.

Note from Katie: Here’s my story of discovering and battling candida. 2016 update to my story. You’ll want some quality probiotics, for starters – for any gut issue, really:

Some Quality Probiotics

Some of these I’ve used, some I’m planning to use, and some have been recommended by friends and professionals alike. It’s good to remember a few things about probiotics: 1. People should get different colonies of probiotics, so switching brands/strains every so often (6 weeks?) is good practice. 2. What works great for one person’s needs doesn’t always work for another.  I’ve personally tried:
  • Just Thrive Probiotics – this one can be taken during antibiotics and not be rendered ineffective, which almost all other probiotics are! It’s the top-recommended probiotic overall by Paleo Mom Sarah Ballantyne. 😮 (Be sure to use the code Katie15 for 15% off; also found on Amazon and from Perfect Supplements where you can use the coupon KS10 for 10% off!)
  • Seed Daily Synbiotic – the new player in the field but recommended by superstars like Chris Kresser for its unique probiotic/prebiotic synergy. Here’s my full review including a number of surprises for my thinking and a 15% off code!
  • Note: If you’re struggling with digestion, especially constipation, or you feel like you really need to populate your gut with healthy probiotics, I would recommend Saccharomyces Boulardii in addition to any other you choose (except any above which include this strain). Saccharomyces Boulardii is research-proven to get through the digestive tract without being killed, which is rare. 
  • Balance One probiotics with a unique time-release formula (use the code KITCHENS15 at either Balance One’s site or even Amazon to save 15% either place! Wow! Use the code at checkout on Amazon btw.)

For Little Ones (we use all of these):

  • Mary Ruth’s liquid probiotic is a liquid probiotic that doesn’t need to be refrigerated and tastes like…nothing! It’s my new favorite for administering to kids! (Use code KCRF15 for 15% off!)
  • WellBelly by WellFuture (9 strains of probiotics in apple and banana carrier – it’s a powder)
  • Buddies in my Belly probiotic powder (2 strains of probiotics + potato starch carrier and prebiotics) or chewable tablets
Recommended by experts I trust:

4. Parasites Can “Bug” Your Gut – and They Like Eating Too!

Parasites are very persistent and can linger for a long time, they can also hide quite well and learn to become resistant to antibiotic treatment. Their presence can further contribute to ill health.

The symptoms of parasites can present like any other digestive problem, such as chronic diarrhea, pain, constipation, bloating, gas, unexplained weight loss, fatigue, abdominal cramping, bloody stools, irritable bowel syndrome and more. They may play a role in some cases of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

If you have a child that seems to eat non-stop and never get full, parasites could be the culprit. They like to eat whatever you’re eating, which is why kicking off a parasite cleanse with a fast is a great idea, but also why your stomach might hurt after you eat. You just fed the little buggers!

The symptoms tend to come and go cyclically due to the life cycle of whatever parasite may be involved. If you see a cyclical pattern of digestive complaints you can suspect parasites. Take heart, a parasite ‘cleanse’ can rid you of these pesky buggers if you are persistent enough. Note from Katie: We’ve got info here on parasites, too.

5. Stress & Tired Adrenals Impact Digestive Health

Chronic stress raises the adrenal hormone, cortisol, which degrades the gut lining and contributes to leaky gut.

The stress response, also known as ‘fight or flight’, is meant to be short-lived. However, people in modern-day society do not get a chance to recover from stress or rebuild their tired adrenals. Yes, it has happened to me too! I shared all about how my body was slowing down while life kept moving. Excess stimulation of the adrenal glands from stress causes blood flow to the digestive tract to decrease. Which means your body can’t properly digest food.

Stress causes one to be in sympathetic mode vs. parasympathetic mode — the state the body needs to be in to actually digest food. When was the last time you ate in a relaxed state? When was the last time you did not have stress, anxiety, or worries in your life? The majority of us are suffering from poor digestive health ailments due to this one issue alone.

Even drinking too much water can impact your metabolism and adrenal health. Taking steps to improve your metabolic health will improve your digestive health. Also, getting adequate sleep will improve your adrenal health.

For females, imbalanced reproductive hormones, as well as cortisol, can impact digestion. It is all related via the HPA (hypothalamus, pituitary, adrenal) Axis.

Between 2.4 and 3.5 million Americans visit the doctor for IBS each year. 5 Possible Reasons for Stomach Pain After Eating all are reversible

Stomach pain after eating is so common in our culture. But it doesn’t have to be! Figure out which of these five reasons for irregular bowels is your culprit (or maybe it’s more than one!) and take steps to fix it. Taking a functional approach will keep you free of medications and lead to a happier, healthier life.

Rid yourself of bloat and stomach pain with this 7-Day Gut Reset from mindbodygreen. Get the help you need to achieve optimal digestion starting now!

4 Action Items to Help You Reduce Stomach Pain Today

Getting rid of stomach pain, and finding the root cause, can take some time. So what can you do today to start feeling better? I have a few ideas for you.

1. Eat Real Food

Stick to simple whole foods in order to give the body a rest from food additives, excess sugar, and processed foods. This will oftentimes help you figure out what foods are problematic for you, so keep a food journal as well and document how you feel after each meal. 

2. Cut out Dairy to Reduce Stomach Upset

So many people needlessly suffer from digestive complaints caused by dairy products! It can take about 2 weeks to start seeing a long-term reduction of symptoms, but many people find that their digestive complaints lessen dramatically within a couple of days!

Of course, speak with your health care practitioner before any major dietary changes to make sure you’re still getting the nutrients your body needs.

3. Use Herbal Teas for Digestion

Many herbs are well known for their use in soothing digestive complaints. Drinking them after a meal may assist in digestion and preventing problematic symptoms. 

  • Peppermint tea is a go-to for many people as the soothing effect of the menthol tends to calm an upset stomach.1
  • Ginger tea may be helpful in calming irritation in the digestive system.
  • Dandelion tea is useful for bloating and is also known to stimulate the liver to produce bile (which helps with constipation).
  • Chamomile tea is soothing not only for the digestive system but is also well known for it’s calming properties to help reduce the feelings of stress.
  • Lemon Balm tea is known to be used by herbalists to assist in the thoroughness of digestion as well as reducing gas. As an added benefit, it is also calming to the body.2 

RELATED: Natural Remedies for Vomiting

4. Give Digestive Enzymes a Try

Our bodies should normally have all of the digestive enzymes we need, but due to illness, diet, or modern lifestyle, this isn’t always the case. These proteins break down larger molecules like fats, proteins, and carbs so that they are easier to absorb by the small intestine. Without these enzymes, we can’t properly digest our foods! Used temporarily, while you do some digging to find out the root cause of your stomach problems, these digestive enzymes may help reduce digestive irritation.

Make sure to talk with your healthcare provider to find an enzyme that will work best for you.

What is your biggest digestive complaint?

*DISCLAIMER

Please note that I am not a licensed medical professional. I do not diagnose, treat, or prescribe for any illness or health issue. The information or advice provided here should not be construed as medical advice. If you choose to use any of the natural remedies or advice discussed here, you will be taking responsibility for your own health and wellness.

Sources

  1. 9 herbal teas for relieving constipation. (n.d.). Retrieved May 8, 2020, from https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/322624#nine-herbal-teas-for-constipation
  2. Ogden Publications, Inc. (n.d.). 30 Digestive Herbs – Heal – Herb Companion. Retrieved May 8, 2020, from https://www.motherearthliving.com/health-and-wellness/digestive-herbs-zm0z12amzdeb

Unless otherwise credited, photos are owned by the author or used with a license from Canva or Deposit Photos.
Category: Natural Health

18 thoughts on “5 Reasons You Might Have Stomach Pain After Eating (or other not-so-fun bowel symptoms that don’t really belong in a title)”

  1. IBS means you need to take a serious look at your immune system as about 70%-80% of your immune system is in your gut. I suffered from IBS as a symptom of my fibromyalgia for about 6 years before I eventually developed breast cancer. The breast cancer was a result of chronically having two pathogens in my body all of my adult life and most of my childhood. I also need to mention that I had a tubal ligation at age 30 (I’m now 53), which the side effect was estrogen dominance – putting me at risk for breast cancer. The 2 chronic pathogens are EBV & candida. What I now know is that they both can cause cancer; the candida releases hormonal-like toxins while hormones are what EBV “eats” so they were probably somewhat symbiotic. Between the symbiotic relationship of the 2 pathogens and my estrogen dominance, it was a ripe atmosphere to create cancer in my body. What made it worse was the poor nutritional health (not enough protein and too much sugar and dairy in my diet) I was in. I literally watched myself get sicker as the years passed. Doctors didn’t seem to be able to help except to diagnose me with fibromyalgia. I pressed them for years to treat my EBV which I finally pinpointed in 2004. But kept being told there’s no cure for EBV or they never heard of chronic EBV. When I eventually developed IBS, it signaled a very serious decline in my health. At the same time, my workplace had mold infestation and since my immune system was seriously ravaged by fighting years of chronic pathogens, it was ripe for an opportunistic mold infection. Soon after was the breast cancer diagnosis. After recovering from breast cancer, I knew I had to rid my body of the pathogens. It’s been quite a long haul – first clearing the mold infection, then dealing with the chronic pathogens. Three years later, I’ve cleared both the mold infection and the EBV, but the candida is persistent. I’m almost cleared of the candida, but I’ll then have to come up with a daily regimen that will keep it at bay. In all of this, I’ve used natural remedies through research as no doctors seemed to know how to help. I’ve had the best results with naturopaths and functional doctors (who I found only after my cancer diagnosis), but in the end, my own research yielded the best results. It’s difficult because although I feel confident in the natural remedies I’ve discovered, I would like to be guided by a professional as to the dosing and duration of treatment. Thus far, I’m alone in this and I wish doctors were more “healers” rather than mainly “prescribers”.

    1. Carolyn @ Kitchen Stewardship

      Oh wow Cejja! Good for you for being so persistent in finding answers about your health! Thank you for sharing your story, best of luck as you continue on your healing journey!

  2. Another cause that is widely unknown is called MALS (median arcuate ligament syndrome). It often gets misdiagnosed as IBS in the beginning when the pain isn’t that bad nor constant. With MALS, there is pain after eating and physical exertion. It can cause random nausea, vomiting, constipation, or diarrhea. It is a little different for each person- not everyone with MALS has all of these symptoms except they do have pain after eating and physical exertion. Sometimes it can get so bad that there’s pain with drinking too or pain all the time. Most doctors don’t know about it so it’s hard to get diagnosed. I just wanted to add that in case anyone reading this has undiagnosed MALS- it may be their answer.

    1. Carolyn @ Kitchen Stewardship

      Thanks for spreading that info in case it will help someone! I just recently heard about MALS and seems very difficult to get diagnosed and find answers.

    1. Mary Voogt (Contributing Writer)

      I’m pretty sure your doctor can do a stool test for parasites. I don’t know if it is 100% accurate, but it’s a good place to start. I know that a lot of naturopaths run tests for it.

  3. Vera Robertson

    It start it about a month ago I had eye surgry and had to put eye drops in my 3 times a day I could feel the drops run down my throat very bitter test every sins then whenever I eat I get stomach ramps very bad I got to go to the bathroom my stuhl is very loose after that I’m ok until the next time I eat again now I’m scared to eat

  4. Roxanne James

    I was recently diagnosed with colitis last June after collapsing at work with severe pain and what I thought was a heart attack. Turned out to b the onset of colitis. Since then I have lost over 50 pounds and everyday is a struggle. Everything bothers my stomach and belly. I have been unable to fins the triggers. How does everyone manage the symptoms, still work and care for a family. I’m seriously having a hard time. I welcome suggestions!

  5. Thank you for your insightful and well written post.
    I recently was on holiday and got rather relaxed with my eating (I usually eat a lot of organic, raw vegetables and lean protein) consuming bread products and dairy food that I normally avoid simply due to limited food options available.
    After one particular meal I woke up in the middle of the night with sharp intense pains in bowel area which has since subsided to dull, constant ache and heaviness in bowel area that I’ve never experienced before…. This is the 4th day now with no let up.
    I got checked out today but Dictor didn’t know what was wrong with me as no other symptoms (stools normal and regular, no temp etc)
    I wonder if it’s possible that one week of eating poorly through me into limbo?
    I’d love to know if anyone else has experienced this kind of thing, or if any remedies can be suggested to ease the somewhat strange pain I’m feeling.
    Thank you!

  6. I also have IBS and given a low-fiber diet to follow, it didn’t worked. Apparently, fiber is very difficult to digest and keeps the inflammation going. Then I read about a low-carb diet and have positive effects. I haven’t had a problem since I’ve gone low-carbing.

  7. I started keeping a food diary when I had IBS symptoms about 2 years ago. The common trigger was vegetables. I eliminated them on a trial basis for a week and it was beautiful. No cramps, no gas, no bloating, no urgent running to the bathroom. I experimented and found that when I eat a veggie, it must include a meat/nut/cheese/protein and a grain or else there is “roto-rooter” type symptoms for several hours. More than 6 baby carrots or a half cup of broccoli in a day is bad news, even with meat and a grain. I take vitamin supplements to make up for a diet lacking in adequate veggies, plus take probiotics and eat lots of yogurt. As long as I limit my veggie intake, I have no IBS symptoms at all and feel great.

    1. Katie Kimball @ Kitchen Stewardship

      Pam,
      Good for you to do the detective work! A food diary is actually really hard to keep up with, so I’m amazed you could pinpoint vegetables. I’ve never heard that one, but I think it just goes to show that every. single. gut. is so different. Thank you for sharing! 🙂 Katie

  8. My husband was given a diagnosis of IBS years ago. He had cramps, gas, diarrhea, the works …. especially when he was stressed out, but sometimes for what looked like no reason at all.

    When he gave up gluten, the symptoms vanished. They only return when he accidentally has some gluten.

    I’m glad it was so easy to fix!

  9. I have suffered from Crohn’s disease for 20+ years, and I was diagnosed with small bowel cancer two years ago.

    From my experience, there are several items worth pointing out:

    1. The average Crohn’s patient is 60 times more likely to develop cancer after 20 years of disease. While I new in the back of my mind that the was an increased likelihood, I didn’t know how significant it was. My GI never addressed this with me (he is know longer my GI).
    2. The second lesson I’ve learned is the diet and exercise makes a difference. Specifically, I recommend that any Crohn’s patient immediately give up any beverage other than water or water with lemon. No soda, no coffee, no tea, no Gatorade, no flavored water.
    3. While I can’t explain in the detail the science, but red meat has been associated with inflammation. During digestion, meat red releases a chemical that triggers and sustains inflation.
    4. Exercise like crazy. Hard, regular exercises releases hormones and chemicals that naturally reduce inflammation.
    5. Stop eating processed foods. GI’s always tell Crohn’s patients to eat low fiber diets. While this may be appropriate during active flares, don’t use it as a crutch. Stop eating anything with bleached flour, fillers, preservatives, caramel color (it’s a cancer agent, Google it), of course, corn syrup and its relatives.
    6. If it has more than ~6 ingredients on the label, generally avoid it.
    7. Replenish natural bacteria in the gut – I eat one to two Chobani yogurts everyday. Some probiotics may also help, but be careful because there are a lot of junk products on the market.
    8. Retrain your body to accept nuts, raw vegis, salad, and fruit. Those with constrictions need to go slow, but don’t avoid it.
    9. Learn to abort a flare-up. These often come on quickly, but there are signals – at first sign, try exercise, hot bath or compress, sleep, drink water, and OTC pain meds.
    10. Listen to your body. I had a strange “can’t lay on my left side at all” thing going one for quite a while before a tumor was found. Nobody make the connection that the lump was cancerous as all docs thought it was scar tissue.
    11. Use Rx medications sparingly. Humara is multi-billion dollar drug – it may work for some, but has serious side effects and should be last resort. Don’t be “over prescribed.” Sometimes, less is more.

    Hope this helps.

    1. Katie Kimball @ Kitchen Stewardship

      Tom,
      I read your comment right away and wanted to craft a worthy response, but I’m sorry I let it languish for so long! Your tips from experience are incredibly helpful, many of which I haven’t heard before. Makes me glad my husband exercises pretty regularly and gave up soda 2 years ago! He’s gotten more into coffee and now drinks at least a cup if not more daily now…can you explain your reasoning behind no. 2, the beverage comment? I feel like the coffee can’t be good for him but am not sure why…

      I’m also really grateful that raw foods have never been an issue, and he’s only had one flare-up and zero meds since intestinal surgery in 2003. We must be doing something right…I hope!

      The cancer part is hitting particularly close to home, because my father was just diagnosed with bladder cancer this month. It’s been very hard to accept (I’m so sorry to hear about your battle and hope you are winning!!!!). That my husband’s Crohn’s started at age 19 isn’t giving me a lot of consolation with 20 years…ugh.

      So thank you again very much for these thorough comments, and I hope you don’t mind addressing the beverage issue once more. God bless you – Katie

      1. I too have had Crohn’s for most of my life (diagnosed at 13, resection at 19, now 47!) I have found most of the suggestions above have helped, but also realize that as with all auto-immune diseases, each path to success is highly individualized. I have found that for me, low to no sugar, low to no processed foods (no preservatives!), no dairy, no wheat or gluten…. I pretty much eat salads, some rice, and proteins. I have never had an issue with red meat, and do my own canning of soups (when I have help). For me, heavy exercise is a trigger – bringing on a flare of increased inflammation. I walk a mile a day when I can, hoping to increase that distance over time without causing problems. During an episode, I have to go 100% liquid diet, living on basically bone broths and Ensure (I have yet to find a better option). Adding eggs as tolerated to the broth (eggs from my own hens) and well-cooked vegetables as I slowly increase my diet. I’ve also been scanned over the years and thankfully have no evidence of cancer. My Docs did say that I had an increased risk of colon cancer, yet never really discussed the percentages. I’m under watch since I am on Stelara now. It is controlling unbearable pain from Autoimmune Arthritis that is both from Crohn’s and Psoriasis, so going off of it is not something I will willingly do unless I develop a complication.

        1. Mary Voogt (Contributing Writer)

          Thanks for sharing your story, Amy! I’m glad you’ve found some help. I’m a firm believer in the individual needs of each person too! That is how I too have found relief from a lot of symptoms.

        2. Katie Kimball @ Kitchen Stewardship

          God bless you, Amy, grateful for you that it’s mostly under control!!

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