Sam has asked if I’d do an article on Foods to assist Clostridium Difficile Colitis conditions.

The particular food information is used as part of the Anti-Inflammatory diet and program for IBS, Colitis, and Crohn’s Disease

An Anti-Inflammatory diet is used to support the body's ability to decrease inflammation. Inflammatory conditions are often involved with food allergies or sensitivity to certain foods or substances.

Fruits to Include in diet: unsweetened fresh, frozen, or water-packed, canned fruit; fruit juices (except those specifically prohibited). Live fruits are always best because they contain the best nutrients (minerals, enzymes). Frozen fruits are next best.

A list of beneficial fruits: Apples, Applesauce, apricots, Avocados, Bananas, Blueberries, Cherries, Kiwi, Mango, Melon, Nectarine, papaya, Pears, Peach, Pineapples, Plums, Prunes, Raspberries, Strawberries.

Fruits to avoid: All citrus fruits: oranges, grapefruit, lemon, and lime, grapes, fruit drinks, and dried fruits.

Sugars (table sugar-sucrose), fructose (fruit), glucose (starch), and honey, inhibits immune function.  Sugars reduce the ability of neutrophils to destroy bacteria. Three glassfuls of orange juice all depress the immune system. In contrast, the ingestion of 100 grams of starch (a complex carbohydrate) has no effect on immune function. The suppressive effects of sugar consumption starts less than 30 minutes after ingestion and lasts for over five hours. Typically, at least a 40% reduction of neutrophil activity occurs two hours after ingestion.  Since neutrophils constitute 60 to 70% of the total circulating white blood cells, shutting down their activity can seriously impair the immune system.) [Ref. J. Pizzorno, Beasley, J.D. and Swift, J.J.: The Kellog Report: The impact of Nutrition, Environment and Lifestyle on Health of Americans].

Neutrophils are white blood cells that ingest and digest microbes or other injurious particles. They move about in the tissue performing, or ready to perform, their protective functions. They are part of the body's defense mechanism...they search out and destroy invaders that are harmful to the body.

**Notation from Gloria: On blood/lab tests when 'neutrophils' show a 'higher count', it's usually a sign that the body is 'trying' to do it's normal job (infections, poisoning of certain drugs/meds, other illnesses). When that's noted, it should be a time to 'support' the action rather than 'suppress' it. In chemo/radiation situations, one will see a RISE in neutrophils..off and on..and for a time.  After a while, with more chemo, there will be a 'drop'. They can only fight and put up the fight for just so much and for just so long without nutritional/therapeutic support (I've seen this).  Chemo agents are an 'unrecognizable' agent to the system and the system 'naturally' defends (or tries to) itself.

Dried fruits 'swell' in the belly and are 'condensed sugars'.

Starches to include in diet: Non-gluten grains, brown rice, millet, quinoa, amaranth, tapioca, buckwheat.

"Gluten" is that part of the grains and starches that make it 'sticky'. You don't want the digestive system bogged down with sticky substances or substances that tend to 'swell'.

Starches to avoid: Wheat, corn, oats, barley, spelt, kamut, rye, and all gluten-containing products.

Read product labels and the ingredient lists

Bread/Cereals to include in the diet: Any made from rice, buckwheat, millet, soy, tapioca, arrowroot, amaranth, quinoa.

Breads/Cereals to avoid: All wheat, oat, spelt, kamut, rye, barley, or gluten containing products.

Meats to include in the diet:  All fresh fish such as halibut, salmon, cod, sole, trout, wild game chicken, turkey, lamb.

Fish oils (EPA-DHA, eicosapentagnoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid) help control inflammation. However, cautions are more and more given to ‘mercury toxicity’ from fish. 

Supplemental fish oils can also be used as well but only about one gram (1,000 mg.) daily when working with an anti-inflammatory program. The reason being is that too much EPA-DHA can also reduce neutrophils ability to migrate to the site of inflammation.

** One should also check with the supplier to make sure that the ‘mercury’ has been removed. Not all do this.

In one study, 12 healthy volunteers were given 5.4 grams of EPA or 3.2 grams of DHA daily. Both of these fish oils significantly reduced neutrophils ability to migrate to the site of inflammation. Some researchers believed that the immune suppression resulting from supplementation with fish oils is due to rancidity (oxidation of the fatty acids to produce peroxides), so half the subjects were also given vitamin E to neutralize the peroxides. Although the levels of lipid peroxides were lower in the vitamin E groups, immune function was still depressed in all groups taking these amounts of fish oil. (Ref.Gotz, M.E. et al: Oxidative stress: free radical production and neural degeneration. Pharmacol Ther 63:37-122,1994)

Meats to avoid: Beef, pork, cold cuts, frankfurters, sausage, canned meats, eggs, and shellfish.

Beef and pork is very hard on the digestive system. It takes up to eight (8) hours for the system to digest meats (verses 20 minutes to two hours for fruits, vegetables and grains)…and that’s with a fairly healthy digestive system. (Each of you reading this should consider adding supplemental enzymes to your program.

In addition, meats often time become 'putrefied' (in warm and stagnant environments). Putrefied material is a 'hosting haven' for parasites. They feast, grow and survive on dead things.

As an example, think about all the 'road kill' that you see along the roads. Not only do the crows, birds and buzzards have a feast, the natural parasites within that dead animal also have a feast because they taken over the ‘terrain’ and the NORMAL good and living bacteria is no longer there to keep things under control. So, those critters have a feast until it's all consumed (natures way of clean up).

If you've ever had opportunity to see a fairly 'fresh' dead critter on the road, you may have also noticed how it's sometimes 'bloated'. That dead animal will bloat to a certain point...and then burst like a balloon!

And when it does, all the live bugs, maggots (parasites) that are hosting from within, growing and reproducing (a natural and normal occurrence on decayed matter).

[Someday, I'll explain that further in a different article…hope this was not too terribly graphic].

Do any of you remember my inviting you to test YOUR OWN Transit Time? (In one of the discussion board posts). (This was the HOW LONG it took your foods/nutrients to digest, break down and eliminate the waste by-product). There was good intent of suggesting this.

For one thing, all or most of you who visit the C. Diff site have digestive problems and issues.

Cold Cuts, hot dogs, processed meats contain ‘preservatives’ and 'nitrates' that many are either allergic to or sensitive to. They also contain 'spices' that promote pain and inflammation. Besides, they are usually made from all the 'scraps' and 'leftovers' of other meats (just grinded together, flavored and shaped). (yummy!)

Not the best foods for those with digestive/colon problems.

Dairy products to include in the diet:  Milk substitutes, such as rice milk, soymilk, nut milks, (almond)

Dairy product to avoid: Milk, cheese (processed), cottage cheese, cream, yogurt (before you get confused - read on), butter, ice cream, frozen yogurt, non-dairy creamers.

Milk and most 'processed' dairy products promote 'stickiness', gets 'slimy' in the gut and most contain growth hormones, residues of antibiotics and are not always tolerated and digestible with some folks (cows are given antibiotics when mastitis or bacterial infections occur).

Soy and Rice products do not get 'sticky', are easily digested, and low on the 'allergy' list. Soy is a source of Isoflavones, is also a protein source.

The beneficial cultured bacteria for gastrointestinal support (L. acidophilus and Bifidum) can also be added to soy...for yogurt. It's a non-dairy yogurt. Much better digestible and perhaps (for some) safer.  Soy yogurts are available in some health food stores.

Well folks, this is the end of Part 1. This will be continued in Sam’s next E-zine

Oh, One more small note for you.  This came out of a conversation with one of the group members today. You may want to try RICE WATER for diarrhea symptoms. This may help. To make this, just cook your rice as you normally would (whole rice or brown rice or Basmatti) but add about ½ cup of extra water.  Before it’s done and not all absorbed, take some of the liquid out of the pan. Allow it to cool down a bit and then…simply drink it.  It may help some.

Another thing that came up was ‘insomnia’.. There are a couple of herbal teas that you can use for this. One is Chamomile (if you are not allergic to ragweed) and the other one is Catnip.  Either one of these teas will help you to relax and get a great night’s rest.. Catnip is my favorite. It’s not only used to ‘relax’, it’s used as a muscle relaxer, cramps, headaches, colic babies (and grown-ups too), and it’s very soothing. Catnip has high amounts of Calcium (the nervine) and Magnesium (the muscle relaxer)… Catnip is very, very reasonably priced..as is Chamomile.

Until the next time…Blessings

Gloria Roohr-Hyzer, N.D.