208 The Complete Home Guide to Herbs, Natural Healing, and Nutrition
digestive tract can be affected. Infl ammation and ulcers occur and, after
healing, slowly cause a narrowing of the digestive tract. The infl ammation
may be a result of bacteria, viral infection, or an allergic reaction that may
be caused by dietary problems, environmental infl uences, drugs, or
unbalanced enzyme secretions, rendering digestion incomplete. Usually
the liver, pancreas, and stomach are equally involved and need treatment.
Other recent theories suggest that Crohn’s results from a genetic
abnormality and is a hereditary pattern. Symptoms include abdominal
pain, which can be excruciating, diarrhea, and symptoms similar to those
found in appendicitis and fever. Abnormal weight loss can also be a factor,
as can depression. A diet rich in nutritious, mild foods with herbs that
fi ght infection and rebuild the intestinal tract will help.
- Drink plenty of water. Begin with a three-day carrot juice fast, juicing
a bit of garlic and ginger with the carrots, and taking chlorophyll or
algae powders and barley sprouts for three to seven days; or drink
superfood, as it contains all of the powders listed.
(^) - After the carrot juice fast, add salads (with olive oil and cider vinegar),
plus fermented or cultured foods. Eat only mild fruit (very ripe papa-
yas, bananas, mangoes, and steamed pineapple), and raw and steamed
vegetables, such as yams and squashes — but avoid sulfurous vegeta-
bles like broccoli and cabbage.
- Do not use whole grains or other fi brous foods until after the fourth
week of this program. - Drink a potassium broth (see recipe in chapter 4) once or twice a day,
and eat all fruit and vegetables as separate courses. - Avoid hot or strong spices in cooking; eat the cooler, raw ones. Use
fenugreek seed, cinnamon sticks, a little nutmeg, dill, cumin, corian-
der, basil, parsley, thyme, marjoram, and garlic frequently in cooking. - Avoid dairy products, processed foods, chocolate, sugar, alcohol, tea,
and coffee. - Avoid harsh fi brous foods such as nuts and seeds, unless they are well
soaked, freshly ground, or sprouted. - A diet rich in nutritious, mild foods with herbs that fi ght infection
and rebuild the gastrointestinal tract will help.
(^) - Use acidophilus and drink aloe vera juice and apple cider vinegar to
restore colon fl ora balance.
f Women should take up to 1,000 mg of evening primrose oil (an ex-
cellent source of GLA) per day — this helps to rebalance the system.
f Take Siberian ginseng root — it is a fi ne general tonic.
diseases 208