I am very recently duagnosed with LC and new here. I am just beginning to wrap my head and arms around dietary changes that will be necessary and actually have countless questions. But I am going to start with this one. Has anyone here used d limonene as a supplement to treat the inflammation of MC? If you google d limonene and MC the one thing that comes up is a rat study showing d limonene resolved colitis. Also it is known to be anti inflammatory and a natural alternative treatment for GERD. I have been experimenting with it for a short time. I burp it up and that's not pleasant but it seems to help. Of course I'm not far enough down the road on the dietary changes and food elimination road yet so I'm not expecting this to miraculously cure me. I'm just wondering if it might be a helpful adjunct in a total treatment strategy and wondering if anyone else has any knowledge of d limonene.
Regards,
Gay Grice.
Newbie and Question
Moderators: Rosie, Stanz, Jean, CAMary, moremuscle, JFR, Dee, xet, Peggy, Matthew, Gabes-Apg, grannyh, Gloria, Mars, starfire, Polly, Joefnh
Hi Gay,
Personally, I've never heard of it before you posted about it. Most of us find that the fewer supplements we take while we are initially trying to control this disease, the faster we tend to recover. After we are in remission (or at least well on our way), then we can tolerate supplements (and alternative treatments) much better. You will see members here recommending various supplements, but you have to note that most of them have been dealing with this disease for years, so they probably have a lot of healing under their belt.
Vitamin D is an exception, because IBDs cause vitamin D deficiency, so most of us are low on vitamin D, and adequate vitamin D is essential for immune system health. And those of us who have been reacting for years, can also develop a vitamin B-12 deficiency that may need to be addressed. But other than those, most supplements are best postponed until we are farther along in our recovery.
The problem with most supplements is that early on, they rarely help more than a handful of people. On the other hand, they prevent many people from reaching remission, because they can add to the inflammation problem. At least that's my take on supplements in general — the fewer the better, until we've done enough healing to be able to actually utilize such supplements.
Tex
Personally, I've never heard of it before you posted about it. Most of us find that the fewer supplements we take while we are initially trying to control this disease, the faster we tend to recover. After we are in remission (or at least well on our way), then we can tolerate supplements (and alternative treatments) much better. You will see members here recommending various supplements, but you have to note that most of them have been dealing with this disease for years, so they probably have a lot of healing under their belt.
Vitamin D is an exception, because IBDs cause vitamin D deficiency, so most of us are low on vitamin D, and adequate vitamin D is essential for immune system health. And those of us who have been reacting for years, can also develop a vitamin B-12 deficiency that may need to be addressed. But other than those, most supplements are best postponed until we are farther along in our recovery.
The problem with most supplements is that early on, they rarely help more than a handful of people. On the other hand, they prevent many people from reaching remission, because they can add to the inflammation problem. At least that's my take on supplements in general — the fewer the better, until we've done enough healing to be able to actually utilize such supplements.
Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
Nope, but your diet is the most important thing you can work on right now. If you haven't already, you might want to get Tex's book that is pictured in the upper right hand corner of this page. Just click on it. It's worth the read.
if you can afford to, doing the Enterolab tests will give you answers about your main food intolerances. If we continue to eat foods that cause the inflammation, we will never heal.
We are here to help. Read as much as you can here and ask anything.
Good luck
Leah
if you can afford to, doing the Enterolab tests will give you answers about your main food intolerances. If we continue to eat foods that cause the inflammation, we will never heal.
We are here to help. Read as much as you can here and ask anything.
Good luck
Leah
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MBombardier
- Rockhopper Penguin
- Posts: 1523
- Joined: Thu Oct 14, 2010 10:44 am
- Location: Vancouver, WA
Certain supplements, or natural remedies I might call them, have anti inflammatory activity. I guess where I'm coming from is a rationale that if I don't want to use prescription drugs like Entocort to address inflammation then maybe a natural supplement might provide some anti inflammatory benefit while I work through the dietary modifications. Similar to how people use Entocort. But maybe there's something I'm not getting.
I take 10,000 IU vit D per day and have gotten my serum level up to 53 over a 2 year period. I take magnesium malate and calcium because a Spectracell micronutrient test showed me deficient (probably
due to diarrhea.) This has helped some other symptoms I was having so I think I really needed those minerals, they are pretty important. I ordered Tex's book yesterday and can't wait to get my hands on it. I have started a gluten free diet and am 4 days gluten free. I will be ordering the Enterolab A1 and C1 panels plus the gene testing very shortly. Regarding diet, the only thing that I have observed to be an obvious problem is almond milk and lettuce or anything high in insoluble fiber.
Honestly, from what I read here I seem to have a somewhat mild case of MC. Of course I know it could get worse but I feel well and my symptoms are controllable with no medications. I've never used medication and I have been symptomatic off an on for over 2 years. I have lomotil but haven't needed it. I have gone over a month with usually 2-3 movements in the morning. Granted they are not completely normal and often watery. But maybe I'm at a point I can tolerate an anti inflammatory supplement??....just thinking this all through. There are others like bromelain , curcumin or quercetin that might be good too. But I understand what you mean about timing and I'm not about to start popping a cocktail of supplements. Just trying to reason my way through whether or not the timing is right for me to try one at a time.
I take 10,000 IU vit D per day and have gotten my serum level up to 53 over a 2 year period. I take magnesium malate and calcium because a Spectracell micronutrient test showed me deficient (probably
due to diarrhea.) This has helped some other symptoms I was having so I think I really needed those minerals, they are pretty important. I ordered Tex's book yesterday and can't wait to get my hands on it. I have started a gluten free diet and am 4 days gluten free. I will be ordering the Enterolab A1 and C1 panels plus the gene testing very shortly. Regarding diet, the only thing that I have observed to be an obvious problem is almond milk and lettuce or anything high in insoluble fiber.
Honestly, from what I read here I seem to have a somewhat mild case of MC. Of course I know it could get worse but I feel well and my symptoms are controllable with no medications. I've never used medication and I have been symptomatic off an on for over 2 years. I have lomotil but haven't needed it. I have gone over a month with usually 2-3 movements in the morning. Granted they are not completely normal and often watery. But maybe I'm at a point I can tolerate an anti inflammatory supplement??....just thinking this all through. There are others like bromelain , curcumin or quercetin that might be good too. But I understand what you mean about timing and I'm not about to start popping a cocktail of supplements. Just trying to reason my way through whether or not the timing is right for me to try one at a time.
LC diagnosed July 2014
Gigi,
I hear you. Many of us prefer to stay away from meds whenever possible, because all meds (and all herbal supplements/treatments, unfortunately) have side effects. Many of us here (including me) reached remission without the use of anti-inflammatory medications, even though our symptoms were severe.
Make no mistake about it, it is the diet changes that we make that allow our gut to heal. The meds can be helpful to make life more pleasant for those of us who have severe symptoms that prevent us from working, etc., to allow time for the diet changes to do their magic. But while meds can help with healing by reducing inflammation, they can never ultimately provide complete healing, because complete healing is impossible until the foods that cause us to produce antibodies are completely removed from our diet. This is due to the fact that MC is a symptom of intestinal inflammation, and intestinal inflammation (enteritis) will continue as long as we continue to eat inflammatory foods.
I even set up a category of forums, and started with a couple of forums devoted to natural treatments. Unfortunately, they were DOA, and don't seem to inspire any interest among members.
Discussions About Natural Treatments
Information on Natural Treatments
We have one member who decided to give Boswellia serrata a serious try, several years ago. You may be interested in some of the discussions surrounding his trial:
Boswellia for UC
Testing Boswellia for MC
Boswellia Trial for MC
Started Entocort Today
Curcumin appears to be a powerful anti-inflammatory, and this has been verified by scientific trials. The problem is that (similar to Boswellia) it takes a dose that would choke a horse in order to get good results. Supposedly at least one company is trying to develop a concentrated form of the ingredients in curcumin thought to be responsible for it's benefits, and they're hoping to bring it to market. Unfortunately, by the time they get FDA approval, it will probably be prohibitively expensive.
You're definitely on the right track, and the EnteroLab test results should allow you to correct your diet so that you can completely control the symptoms (without medications).
Tex
I hear you. Many of us prefer to stay away from meds whenever possible, because all meds (and all herbal supplements/treatments, unfortunately) have side effects. Many of us here (including me) reached remission without the use of anti-inflammatory medications, even though our symptoms were severe.
Make no mistake about it, it is the diet changes that we make that allow our gut to heal. The meds can be helpful to make life more pleasant for those of us who have severe symptoms that prevent us from working, etc., to allow time for the diet changes to do their magic. But while meds can help with healing by reducing inflammation, they can never ultimately provide complete healing, because complete healing is impossible until the foods that cause us to produce antibodies are completely removed from our diet. This is due to the fact that MC is a symptom of intestinal inflammation, and intestinal inflammation (enteritis) will continue as long as we continue to eat inflammatory foods.
I even set up a category of forums, and started with a couple of forums devoted to natural treatments. Unfortunately, they were DOA, and don't seem to inspire any interest among members.
Discussions About Natural Treatments
Information on Natural Treatments
We have one member who decided to give Boswellia serrata a serious try, several years ago. You may be interested in some of the discussions surrounding his trial:
Boswellia for UC
Testing Boswellia for MC
Boswellia Trial for MC
Started Entocort Today
Curcumin appears to be a powerful anti-inflammatory, and this has been verified by scientific trials. The problem is that (similar to Boswellia) it takes a dose that would choke a horse in order to get good results. Supposedly at least one company is trying to develop a concentrated form of the ingredients in curcumin thought to be responsible for it's benefits, and they're hoping to bring it to market. Unfortunately, by the time they get FDA approval, it will probably be prohibitively expensive.
You're definitely on the right track, and the EnteroLab test results should allow you to correct your diet so that you can completely control the symptoms (without medications).
Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
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Gabes-Apg
- Emperor Penguin
- Posts: 8332
- Joined: Mon Dec 21, 2009 3:12 pm
- Location: Hunter Valley NSW Australia
Gay and Tex,
Thanks for the prompter,
I have written quite a few responses about natural therapies etc over the years, I will hunt these down and put links to good discussions into the area that tex provided the link for...
Gay
There are lots of supps like bromelain, Quercetain, curcumin etc that are anti inflammatory, the interesting thing about inflammation is there are different types and root causes.
The tricky part is finding the right nutrient/mineral for that type of inflammation.
Histamine/mast cell inflammation responds really well to Vit D3, Vit C, Magnesium, Zinc.
For some, Quercetain also works well for histamine/immune based triggered inflammation
Depending on the meds you are taking, there may be other nutrient/mineral deficiencies that is impacting the root cause of the inflammation. Doesn't mean you stop the meds, more so, once there has been some good gut healing, take the right supps that will support the needs of your body.
For now, getting the right eating plan that suits you, and allows good gut healing is a good priority.
Thanks for the prompter,
I have written quite a few responses about natural therapies etc over the years, I will hunt these down and put links to good discussions into the area that tex provided the link for...
Gay
There are lots of supps like bromelain, Quercetain, curcumin etc that are anti inflammatory, the interesting thing about inflammation is there are different types and root causes.
The tricky part is finding the right nutrient/mineral for that type of inflammation.
Histamine/mast cell inflammation responds really well to Vit D3, Vit C, Magnesium, Zinc.
For some, Quercetain also works well for histamine/immune based triggered inflammation
Depending on the meds you are taking, there may be other nutrient/mineral deficiencies that is impacting the root cause of the inflammation. Doesn't mean you stop the meds, more so, once there has been some good gut healing, take the right supps that will support the needs of your body.
For now, getting the right eating plan that suits you, and allows good gut healing is a good priority.
Gabes Ryan
"Anything that contradicts experience and logic should be abandoned"
Dalai Lama
"Anything that contradicts experience and logic should be abandoned"
Dalai Lama
Gabes,
I have read a few of your posts already and I have to say I am amazed at your biohacking ability! I was a clinical dietitian but am not practicing now. So nutrition has always been at least a preoccupation for me. And I am a supplement junkie! I did not know that mast cell inflammation could be specifically addressed with those nutrients though. I was aware that anti inflammatory nutrients act in different ways. That's why I have always liked to take several different ones and also rotate them. But having MC has me reevaluating that strategy.
I don't take any meds on a regular basis other than bio identical hormones. The Spectracell test showed me deficient in calcium, magnesium, copper, oleic acid and asparagine. I can't figure out the asparagine because it is a nonessential amino acid. My body should be making it. I was also low on zinc and manganese but not deficient. Everything else was very good.
I look forward to that link to your posts on natural therapies. Your experience and insight are a valuable resource.
Gigi
I have read a few of your posts already and I have to say I am amazed at your biohacking ability! I was a clinical dietitian but am not practicing now. So nutrition has always been at least a preoccupation for me. And I am a supplement junkie! I did not know that mast cell inflammation could be specifically addressed with those nutrients though. I was aware that anti inflammatory nutrients act in different ways. That's why I have always liked to take several different ones and also rotate them. But having MC has me reevaluating that strategy.
I don't take any meds on a regular basis other than bio identical hormones. The Spectracell test showed me deficient in calcium, magnesium, copper, oleic acid and asparagine. I can't figure out the asparagine because it is a nonessential amino acid. My body should be making it. I was also low on zinc and manganese but not deficient. Everything else was very good.
I look forward to that link to your posts on natural therapies. Your experience and insight are a valuable resource.
Gigi
LC diagnosed July 2014
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brookevale
- Adélie Penguin
- Posts: 75
- Joined: Mon Mar 03, 2014 8:15 am
- Location: United States
Yesterday, my naturopath "prescribed" Pure Encapsulations Boswellia AKBA. This particular kind (other cheaper brands like Swanson's have the same type) provides ten times as much AKBA as typical boswellia extracts, providing 30% acetyl-11-keto-beta boswellic acid (AKBA). From the literature, "Boswellic acids are a group of pentacyclic triterpenic acids. They’re considered the main constituents of the gum resins produced by the trees of various Boswellia species. AKBA has been identified as the most active of all boswellic acids, and scientific data indicates that this novel extract may support a healthy inflammatory response through its beneficial effects on the 5-lipoxygenase enzyme, which is a key enzyme in the cellular inflammatory cascade in part by promoting a healthy immune response. It may also play a role in maintaining healthy matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) activity, supporting connective tissue structural composition."
I'll let you all know if it helps. I am already doing pretty good with the MC but had a setback this week by stupidly taking and aspirin and then one 200mg ibuprofen for a severe toothache. Today I feel like I am getting back on track but I have never felt completely out of the woods with all of my symptoms. No WD is great but still have some other inflammatory symptoms.
I'll let you all know if it helps. I am already doing pretty good with the MC but had a setback this week by stupidly taking and aspirin and then one 200mg ibuprofen for a severe toothache. Today I feel like I am getting back on track but I have never felt completely out of the woods with all of my symptoms. No WD is great but still have some other inflammatory symptoms.
Strongly believe I have a form of MC that began to flare December 27, 2013.
44 year old married mom to three sons ages 26, 17, and 2, a 21 year old stepdaughter, and 18 year old stepson. I also have a beautiful granddaughter who is one.
44 year old married mom to three sons ages 26, 17, and 2, a 21 year old stepdaughter, and 18 year old stepson. I also have a beautiful granddaughter who is one.