Pouchitis and Vitamin D - Seems to be working so far
February 2009
Your author is continuously looking for new and better ways to fight off Pouchitis, which is the main enemy of anybody who has an ileoanal anastomosis or pull-through pouch. Here is what I have found during the last year:
About a year ago, I was listening to a radio program with a doctor who was explaining the newly discovered connection between the immune system and Vitamin D, the so called sunshine vitamin. He explained that when the body is missing Vitamin D, the immune system really doesn't work that well. The important part for me was the fact that I live in Canada where, especially during the winter, getting the proper amount of sunshine exposure for the body to produce it's own Vitamin D is virtually impossible. The project focused on the powerful cancer fighting capabilities of Vitamin D. So, never fearful of experimenting on myself, I promptly went out and got myself some Vitamin D at the local drug store, and started doing some research on how much to take. The doctor interviewed in this radio program indicated that 2000 IU is an excellent dosage for somebody who lives in a northerly climate and gets little to no natural sunlight. My web-research seems to have supported this view. In fact, to overdose on Vitamin D seems to be a very difficult thing, and I believe the fear of overdosing is causing most people to under-dose, and end up hurting themselves.
In any case, I started taking Vitamin D on a daily basis about a year ago, and the results on my health, and especially my Pouchitis are amazing. Pouchitis has virtually become a non-event, unless I become totally reckless in my nutrition, i.e. overdose on sugar or some of the other things I mention in my other pages. As well, the general health of my Pouch has improved noticeably since. Immune system wise, my ability to fight off colds and flues has dramatically increased, and when I do get them, they are much shorter and less severe. The cancer fighting abilities of Vitamin D are simply a nice bonus for me personally. I am even starting to wonder what difference Vitamin D would make for people with Ulcerative Colitis or Crohn's disease.
In any case, I started taking Vitamin D on a daily basis about a year ago, and the results on my health, and especially my Pouchitis are amazing. Pouchitis has virtually become a non-event, unless I become totally reckless in my nutrition, i.e. overdose on sugar or some of the other things I mention in my other pages. As well, the general health of my Pouch has improved noticeably since. Immune system wise, my ability to fight off colds and flues has dramatically increased, and when I do get them, they are much shorter and less severe. The cancer fighting abilities of Vitamin D are simply a nice bonus for me personally. I am even starting to wonder what difference Vitamin D would make for people with Ulcerative Colitis or Crohn's disease.
Living with(out) Ulcerative Colitis, a new hope ...
Living with Ulcerative Colitis - Details of the pull-through surgery
Pouchitis - ten non-medical ways of avoiding and fighting it
Pouchitis and Candida - Cure and avoid this painful condition
Ulcerative Colitis Medicine - Cure or just Masking Symptoms
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My Colitis / IBD / Pouchitis Blog
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Disclaimer: These as well as all the other documents on this website are based on my own personal
experiences, and are not a replacement of a professional opinion by a qualified physician, for all that this
was worth in my case. The purpose of sharing my experiences with you is to help you get through this, and to
learn of other ways of dealing with your condition. I am not a medical doctor, I don't have any sort of formal
training in this or any other medical field. The only thing I can offer you is what it was like for the past 20+
years and what it is like now, and in the future. Any advice I give is to be taken into consideration, and you are
welcome to act upon it at your own risk. I am not saying it will help you, or that it will not hurt you, all I am
saying is that this is what I learned, and I am wanting to share it with you. After that, you have my best wishes
for success and happiness. And if you find something that works for you, please, share it with the world, because
we need to know more than what modern medicine is telling us, which is not enough. Be well.
Copyright@2000-2011, Juergen Amft, All rights reserved