The
Author's Interest in Colitis and Crohn's
In
1984, I began a recovery from the devastating effects of almost
nine previous years with ulcerative colitis, which began when
I was 17 years old. During my illness, I ate the usual meat and
bread based diet (the "Standard American Diet," or "SAD"),
and was under medical guidance which consisted of examinations
by gastroenterologists, hospitalizations and drug treatment. All
of the seven gastroenterologists I saw told me that diet was not
a factor in my illness, that there was no known cause of ulcerative
colitis, and the only available treatments were drugs, and if
they didn't work, then surgical removal of my colon was the best
alternative.
In
the last year of my illness, my colon was ravaged with ulcerations
and my health was in ruins, and surgical removal of my colon was
recommended. At that time, I was consulting a nutrition guidance
counselor who had a doctorate in Natural Hygiene. He recommended
that I follow a natural diet of essentially only fruits and vegetables.
At first, I rejected this advice, however, I slowly began to clean
up my diet. Still, my colon was inflamed and ulcerated. In October
of 1984, just after a gastroenterologist recommended a colostomy
(surgical removal of my colon), my fortunes changed as one night
my studies led to a profound understanding about how dietary change
could help transform my health. The next day I changed from the
SAD to a natural diet of mostly uncooked fruits and vegetables.
I also ceased using medicine for good (I had been on low dosages
at the time). The result was astonishing, but typical: my colon
immediately and rapidly began healing up, and totally and permanently
healed up within four weeks.
From
there I went on to rejuvenate my severely depleted body. Today
I am in excellent health and fitness at age 46, and feel like
a teen. I am very passionate about teaching others with C&C
how to regain their health by making sensible dietary and lifestyle
changes, because I believe that all C&C sufferers deserve
the same chance to learn about the body's innate ability to heal
itself naturally.