The frequency of Crohn's disease has very gradually and markedly increased over the last fifty years. The current figure is 120,000, a hundred times higher than at the beginning of the century (Gower-Rousseau et al., 1996). It usually begins between the ages of 20 and 40 and also affects children. It affects the entire digestive tract (from mouth to anus). The lesions are usually deeper and can sometimes lead to fistulas (holes in the wall of the intestine). The main clinical signs are abdominal pain, prolonged diarrhea, bloody mucus emissions, a possible palpable mass in the right iliac fossa, moderate fever, asthenia and weight loss. Crohn's disease evolves in successive flare-ups. Currently, this condition is still considered incurable.

Dr. Seignalet compares a mechanism of Crohn's disease to that of functional colopathy. The severity of Crohn's disease would be due to a difference in the waste to be eliminated, perhaps a greater quantity, more likely a more complex structure. The cells mobilized for transport would therefore be more numerous. Waste that is difficult to transport would sometimes be abandoned along the way. These macromolecules are said to elicit a particularly strong inflammatory response, leading to the formation of granulomas.

The death of some of these cells in the mucosa would lead to the formation of micro-abscesses whose opening in the digestive lumen creates ulcerations. (Rutgeerts and Geboes, 1993)

The importance of the inflammatory response

It is such that many free radicals are produced. These free radicals will attack the epithelial cells, causing severe damage to the digestive mucosa.

The macromolecules involved in Crohn's disease can be expelled not only through the wall of the colon, but also through the wall of the terminal ileum, the rectum or another segment of the digestive tract. Crohn's disease is related to elimination pathology and not to autoimmunity. For Dr. Seignalet, Crohn's disease is a giant colitis.

As far as therapy is concerned, the medical profession is relatively powerless. Artificial nutrition has been found to be remarkably effective in Crohn's disease. This consists of replacing the usual food with a mixture of amino acids, simple sugars and simple fats that can be administered either by intravenous infusion or by mouth. Unfortunately, this type of treatment is rarely prolonged beyond a few weeks and, some time after the treatment is stopped, patients relapse. The mode of action of artificial nutrition is not elucidated. In my opinion, it is due to the strong decrease or suppression of harmful molecules in the hail. Indeed, cereals, dairy products, cooked products are totally abolished and the bodies of simple structure which replace them do not pose any problem for enzymes and mucins, and, moreover, the bacterial flora is deeply modified in the right direction.

With a simple exclusion diet, remissions were much longer than with conventional therapies.

Trigger foods

The dangerous foods that are most likely to trigger the symptoms of Crohn's disease are the following, among which it is important to know that intolerance often involves several foods at the same time:

• Corn.
• Wheat
• Milk
• Yeast
• Egg
• Rye
• Cruciferous vegetables (cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts)
• Potatoes
• Tomatoes
• Citrus
• Tea
• Coffee
• Apples
• Oats
• Chocolate
• Mushrooms

It is interesting to note that cereals, milk and certain cooked products frequently appear to be a threat to this disease.

Among the 14 patients with more than two years of follow-up, 13 patients had a clear success rate, with improvement of more than 90% or complete remission.

Main dietary measures to help in this disease

• Eat fatty fish more regularly,
• Avoid animal fats and omega-6 fatty acids found in some vegetable oils,
• Sugar would also have a role to play in this disease.

The essential treatment of this pathology is based on strict adherence to the dietary rules outlined above.

However, it is possible to improve the symptoms by taking the food supplements mentioned below.

Natural treatment protocol for Crohn's disease