I've had ulcerative colitis for nearly 8 years. Since starting drinking freshly made veggie juice once or twice a day for the past 14 months, my symptoms have vastly improved. Before, I was going to the toilet about 20 times a day, it was serious. I now only go once or twice. Some days the stools are solid, sometimes sludgy andvery occasionallyrunny. But for the most part, I'm pretty fit and healthy, now.
However, I know that I'm not getting anough EFAs in my diet, so today I got a bottle of Udo's Choice blah-de-blah oil... you know the stuff. On the bottle it said to have 3-4 dessert spoons with food/drink. Do I need to take this amount or more/less? It's a bit vague.
I also got some L-Glutamine powder to mix with my juice. I understand that it helps repair the intestine. Again, I have no idea what the optimal dosage should be. I reckon my bowels are a lot less inflamed than they used to be, but I want to really want to give this illness the final boot, now. At the same time, I don't want to make my symptoms worse as I'm doing so well. Today I mixed in just a teaspoon of powder with my juice. Is this enough/too little?
Any advice will be much appreciated.
Tiger.
RE: Udo's Oil & L-glutamine: how much?
Read this press release regarding ulcerative colitus:
Forever Living Products announces positive results of UK’s first ever clinical trial using Aloe Vera as a treatment for ulcerative colitis
Forever Living Products (FLP), the UK’s leading supplier of Aloe Vera products has announced the results of what is recognized as the first randomised, placebo-controlled, double blind, clinical trial for ulcerative colitis ever to be undertaken in the UK, using a herbal approach in the form of an Aloe Vera drink,The trial, involved 44 patients who suffered with the serious inflammatory bowel disease, ulcerative colitis. The trial was designed to test the effects of Aloe Vera (in this case Forever Living Product’s Aloe Vera drink) on this potentially life threatening condition. It was set up as a randomised, double blind, placebo-controlled trial, i.e. both the prescribing doctor(s) and the patient(s) are unaware as to whether they are using the real Aloe Vera gel or a placebo. The trial, instigated by Dr. David Rampton, a Professor in the Department of Gastroenterology at the Royal London Hospital, used volunteers from two major teaching hospitals - The Royal London Hospital in Lambeth and The John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford.
Professor Rampton’s conclusion was:
“Oral Aloe Vera taken for 4 weeks produces a clinical response more often than a placebo and it also improves histological disease activity (the histological disease refers to what is seen under the microscope when a biopsy is examined) and appears to be safe. These encouraging results suggest that further evaluation of the therapeutic potential of Aloe Vera drink in inflammatory bowel disease is warranted.”
The trial was completed in January 2004 and three different criteria were used to measure the results. Clinical improvement occurred in an average of 38% of patients given the active Aloe Vera Gel, as opposed to an average of 8 % of patients on the placebo.
Dr. Peter Atherton, a former G.P. and now the medical consultant on FLP’s Advisory Board, commented on the news of the trial results. He said,
“I feel this is a ground breaking piece of research as it is the first randomised, placebo controlled, clinical trial to evaluate a herbal approach to the treatment of ulcerative colitis. Its importance is signified by the fact that the trial and the results were presented at the AGM of the British Society of Gastroenterologists this year.”
“However, the jury has been out for a long time, as our first ever clinical trial to reach a conclusion was actually started way back in 1998. I am now delighted to report at last that there is a positive outcome with this trial.
“I first met Dr. David Rampton, the instigator of the trial in December 1997. Now a Professor in the Department of Gastroenterology at the Royal London Hospital, he was then a Senior Consultant. His interest was initially aroused by the dramatic effect FLP’s Aloe Vera drink had on his daughter’s psoriasis. Apparently, he had witnessed the stunning results after his daughter started using our products and the condition had virtually cleared up. As psoriasis is a disorder of the immune system he postulated that Aloe Vera might work on other disorders of the immune system such as ulcerative colitis, in this case an autoimmune disorder where the body attacks itself. So here we had a conventional medical specialist prepared to evaluate an alternative therapy in a way that would be accepted by the medical fraternity at large. If only all specialists were so open-minded but at the time this was ground breaking.
“In those days I was getting extremely frustrated trying to persuade my medical colleagues to look at the possibility of any trial and getti
RE: Udo's Oil & L-glutamine: how much?
Er.... I don't think you read my post.... Besides, I tried FLP Aloe Vera for months; if anything it made my symptoms worse. I'm much better now and that's due to juicing, not Aloe Vera or any other single supplement. You are mistaken in thinking that I'd have this illness for eight years and not have heard of the 'benefits' of Aloe Vera. Whilst I was taking the Aloe Vera, I wasn't too impressed with how the company is run: it's all about making money and expanding; the ethics are dubious to say the least.
I feel that you copied and pasted a bit of sales material. I asked about Udo's Oil and L-Glutamine, because I don't know much about them. Trust me, I've spent the whole duration of my illness trying different therapies, treatments, diets and supplements - I could almost write a book on them.
Whilst, at best, you may be trying to help me, or at worst, trying to flog me FLP products, I would suggest that before pasting something like that, you check the initial post to see if it's relevent.
My apologies if my comments seem harsh, I'm sure you mean well,
Tiger.