Tonight I attended an information session that included a talk about QU Biologics. The session itself was great ... Frankly the research on SSI's is so brand new that I am looking forward to what the research shows in a year from now.
The main thing that I wanted to point out here today is about why this research is continually being done and being modified and why we need to keep searching for ways to treat Crohn's Disease and Ulcerative Colitis (the two main diseases in a spectrum).
There over 150 different gene mutations that researchers have found that play a ROLE in the development of IBD. The mutations themselves do not cause the disease, and the *assumption* is that one of these gene mutations paired with an environmental trigger is what brings upon the inflammatory response causing the disease. What is VITAL to note here is that that's a whole hell of a lot of different gene mutations. Not to mention there is no way to know what environmental factor paired with what gene mutation and what situation could cause the disease in a certain individual.
They are saying that even Crohn's Disease specifically has a SPECTRUM of different presentations. Take away Colitis and all of the other ones in the spectrum of IBD, and there are still SEVERAL different forms of Crohn's Disease alone.
Why am I mentioning this today?
1. There is no one form of the disease.
2. Every single person has had a different trigger.
3. Every single person has a different combination of 1-150 gene mutations. (And they have found people without the gene mutations who have the disease - bear THAT in mind).
4. Every single person has a different experience.
5. Every single person's body is going to react differently to treatments, environmental factors, diet, etc....
IF ANYONE TELLS YOU THAT ONE CERTAIN THING (a medication, a diet, a probiotic, a vitamin or mineral supplement) WILL CURE IBD OR PUT IT INTO REMISSION - it's bull. There is absolutely NO way to know, at this stage, what causes it... and with how many factors they are saying that are needed in order to develop the disease - it is OBVIOUSLY going to take a combination of factors to battle it.
And for me specifically, that's just the Crohn's disease. That doesn't include the Ulcerative Colitis, Chronic Pouchitis, Hashimoto's Thyroiditis, Macular Degeneration, Arthritis, or anything else that I have.
So PLEASE don't ever tell me that "taking probiotics will cure you", or "acupuncture will put you into remission", or "just try this diet. It will take away all of the inflammation in your body. You'll never have pain again."