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by Tiffany Anthony

What follows is a bit about my personal experience with carbohydrate-related gastrointestinal disorders, and how low carbing has helped me. I'm not a doctor, and I'm not suggesting that you try to diagnose any condition you may have based on this article. I'm sharing this with you because I know from talking to many of you over the years that the symptoms I had are quite common, and I hope to give you a little information that you can use as a starting point in your discussions with your health care provider. For me, just knowing that there is a way for me to control my symptoms has been a huge help.  But first, a little background.

There are a multitude of ailments facilitated by carbohydrate consumption. Of them, gastrointestinal disorders are very common and debilitating.

One such disorder, Celiac Disease, which affects over 1 million Americans, is a genetic autoimmune reaction to gluten. Gluten is found not only in wheat, spelt, barley, oats, and rye, but is also used as a bulking agent in many carbohydrate-laden foods. When gluten is ingested, the immune system attacks the gliadin, found within gluten, and causes inflammation and pain in the small intestine. A predisposition to Celiac Disease can be found via bloodwork testing for Celiac Antibodies. This disorder is hereditary.

Another ailment, known as Crohn's Disease, is an inflammatory autoimmune disorder affecting not only the small intestine, but the entire digestive tract. Many sufferers of Crohn's have found that the "Specific Carbohydrate Diet," which eliminates complex sugars from the diet, is helpful in bringing about remission in symptoms. In this diet, many high-carb foods (such as pasta, bread, and potatoes,) are removed from the everyday diet because they are too difficult for the body to digest. Monosaccharides (simple sugars) such as fruit, are allowed in moderation.

Some people also find that high-carbohydrate foods bring about attacks of Irritable Bowel Syndrome. IBS is not an inflammatory response, but is a reaction nonetheless. Cramping, diahrrea, and spasms are common and usually subside in a little time. Unlike inflammatory conditions, IBS can also be stress-related. So someone who is tense or nervous and ingests the wrong foods, is likely to have a "spell."

My personal condition has thus far gone undiagnosed. When following a very strict low-carb diet regime, I have no gastrointestinal symptoms at all. Immediately following a "cheat," I have diahrrea, spasms, fevers, anemia, and extreme pain. Two years ago, after a vacation to California, I had what doctors at the time thought was a flare-up of "ulcerative colitis." (Confirmed by colonsocopy.) When I went back on my diet, the symptoms subsided and I went virtually pain-free until another "flare-up" came in May/June 2002. I had been cheating a little here and ther for a little over a month when one day the pain hit like a knife. Carried away from work in an ambulance, the hospital gave me no answers. I saw my gastroenterologist at least twice a week for the next 5 weeks and missed work the entire time. The doctor assumed Crohn's Disease based on the symptoms and the location of my pains. And my worst symptom, constipation (which followed the diahrrea,) was so bad that I went 3.5 weeks without a bowel movement! Even prescription laxatives and enemas didn't help!

Seeing another doctor after yet another hospital visit, it was suspected that perhaps my problem was Celiac Disease. Bloodwork came back negative for the Celiac Antibodies. Another colonscopy, (now my second one at only 28 years old!) showed absolutely no colitis. The doctor said there were no signs of inflammatory bowel disease at all. Everything looked fine, including the previous area where there had been findings only two years before. So armed with no more answers than the day I first got sick, I went home convinced that the combination of carbohydrates and stress was doing this to me.

I decided that my health was too important and after some pressure from my employer, I quit my job. I started low-carbing again. I have been an Atkins Dieter again now for two weeks, and it has been only one week since I left my job. Miraculously, my intestines are feeling very close to "normal" again. With the reduced stress, and the very reduced carb intake, I have cured myself of pain that only weeks ago was debilitating.

Gastrointestinal disorders such as those aforementioned can also bring about other bodily reactions, such as malabsorption of important nutrients, anemia, joint pain, fatigure, weight gain or weight loss, osteoporosis, depression, and lack of proper growth in children. People with gastrointestinal disease are also more prone to cancer of the colon. It is very important to see your doctor at the first signs of abdominal distress. Catching a problem early on can be a life saver!

Be sure to ask your gastroenterologist about a restricted carbohydrate diet. By eliminating certain foods from your daily routine, you may not only heal what ails you at the moment, but may also prevent more serious problems in the future.

Copyright 2002, Tiffany Anthony 
All Rights Reserved. No duplication or re-publication without prior permission.

The opinions of our guest columnists are their own, and do not neccessarily represent those of the site owners. Consult your physician about any unusual symptoms, or before chaning your diet.