Crohn’s Disease
Crohn's disease is a long-term inflammation of any part of the digestive system, although it usually occurs around the join of the small and large intestine. Symptoms of Crohn's disease include diarrhoea, indigestion and intestinal cramps. The cause is unknown, but is believed to be the result of an infection.
What is known is that certain foods make the condition worse, especially wheat, dairy products, baker's yeast and table sugar. These should all be avoided at the best of times, particularly if you are suffering from the symptoms of Crohn's. The condition is also more likely to occur in women on the pill and people who take a lot of antibiotics.
Sufferers of Crohn's disease have been found to be lacking in a wide variety of nutrients. The nutrients, as well as ingredients in my recipe for Stewed Sardines (below) that contain them, are as follows: selenium (onions, sardines, pine nuts), zinc (sardines, pine nuts), folic acid (broccoli, brown rice), vitamin A (carrots), vitamin B12 (sardines), vitamin C (onions, broccoli, carrots, parsley) and vitamin D (oily fish).
Stewed Sardines (serves 4)
Ingredients
450g (1lb) fresh sardines (cleaned!)
225g baby onions
1 clove garlic (chopped)
1 tbsp sage (chopped)
4 large tomatoes (chopped)
4 tbsp olive oil
150ml yeast-free stock cubes
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
25g olives
25g pine kernels
2 tbsp parsley (chopped)
1 head broccoli
2 medium carrots
300g brown rice
Directions
- Fry the onions in olive oil until golden
- Add garlic and sage; cook for 1 minute
- Add chopped tomatoes, cook for 5 minutes, then add stock and balsamic vinegar
- Add sardines, then stew (simmer) for 10 mins
- Add parsley to garnish
- Serve with brown rice, steamed broccoli and carrots
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