Although I specifically asked the gastroenterologist for dietary advice at the time, he had no recommendations to offer, but prescribed me several anti-inflammatory and antibiotic drugs.
Abdominal Pain And Crohn’s Disease
In the Summer and Fall of 1995, I started intermittently experiencing extremely sharp abdominal pain. Over the course of several months, symptoms escalated to severe intestinal cramping and bleeding.
A gastroenterologist ultimately diagnosed Crohn’s disease in January 1996, following the standard invasive diagnostic procedures (upper/lower GI scopes, barium enema, CT scan). Although I specifically asked the gastroenterologist for dietary advice at the time, he had no recommendations to offer but prescribed me several anti-inflammatory and antibiotic drugs.
Difficult Relation With Drug Treatment
At the time of diagnosis, I had just turned 21 years old, and I completely rejected the notion of having to take pills four times a day indefinitely. I quickly stopped taking the drugs after a couple of months as my symptoms subsided.
Nine months later, I relapsed with crippling chronic fatigue. My doctors returned me to the prescription regimen with the addition of a steroid. I was weaned off of the steroid over the course of several weeks. Again, as symptoms subsided, I stopped taking the prescribed drugs.
Unmanagable Issues Led To Desperation
For the next 13 years, I remained symptom-free with a whole lot of luck, believing nutritional supplements had miraculously cured me. However, in December 2009, I again flared up with bloody stool and bouts of diarrhea and constipation.
A gastroenterologist prescribed Apriso Mesalamine and another round of antibiotics. Throughout 2010, I reluctantly used the Apriso as needed. As I finished the prescribed amount, I would get refills only when I suspected a pending flare-up.
By mid-2012, the flare-ups were becoming increasingly unmanageable, as I desperately pursued a remedy through self-treatment and experimentation. Having run out of ideas, I sought out a naturopath who had a personal history of IBS.
The naturopath recommended higher doses of a couple of supplements I was already taking and the addition of a couple more. The supplements helped reduce the severity of symptoms, but IBS flare-ups persisted.
Trying Everything Under The Sun
For the next five years, I practiced various dietary strategies, including GAPS, low-carb, high-fat restricted protein keto, low-lectin plant-based keto, juice fasts, bone broth fasts, and strict intermittent fasting. I felt significantly better eating low-lectin foods and practicing intermittent fasting. However, I still could not digest many plant foods, and known trigger foods continued to cause IBS flare-ups.
Going Strict Carnivore
I learned of the carnivore diet by hearing Dr. Shawn Baker on several podcasts. I adopted the carnivore diet in May 2018. I have not taken any prescription drugs since starting Carnivore, and I have switched my supplements to desiccated beef organs. Today I have never felt better, and I remain symptom-free, eating strict Carnivore.
Thank you, Dr. Shawn Baker and the Carnivore community!
#MeatHeals | N=1
1 thought on “Galen healed Crohn’s disease on a carnivore diet”
just found your post as im reserching for my son. He has been sick with crohns for 8 years, his sister had it as well but did carnivore and it was a success! and still is .
My son presents differelty then she did. He has tried the diet but he felt worse and started bleeding. so he stopped
if you see this and can answer these questions he may get past the fear and try it again
ay info would be great! thanks
1. How sick were you when you started the diet? What were your Crohn’s symptoms when you started keto/carnivore?
2. Did you experience an immediate and rapid decline while starting the diet? Did you experience a massive increase in bowel movements, blood loss, inflammation and pain?
3. I have been told by my father who is a very strong believer in the carnivore diet, that I just need to “push through” the bleeding, the pain, the complete loss of appetite, the confusion and the lack of critical thinking skills in order to allow time for the diet to start healing me. It is incredibly counter intuitive to start in my opinion to eat a diet that immediately causes me pain and suffering
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(I have a problem with this. I am on the verge of having my colon removed, if I do not find a diet or a medication that can help me.
If my colon experiences much more trauma, I absolutely will lose it, so it is important to me that I find a way to start this diet without destroying my colon in the process
4. Was this the case for you, did things get much worse before they got better when you started carnivore like my father has suggested?
5. was there food that was technically carnivore, that you needed to avoid?
6. What did your diet look like, how did it start and how did it evolve as you began to heal?