FRUIT & VEG - GOOD OR BAD?

by SAM SPENCER
(SPAIN)

HI, I WAS DIAGNOSED WITH CROHN'S IN 1995, (I'M 40 NOW), AND ALTHOUGH THROUGHOUT THE YEARS I'VE HAD WHAT I WOULD CONSIDER TO BE QUITE BAD FLARE-UPS, LUCKILY THEY NEVER LAST TOO LONG, (MAYBE 24 HOURS OF INTENSE PAIN/12 HOURS OF VOMITING AND THEN 2 DAYS LATER FINE AGAIN) AND FOR THAT REASON I FEEL I'M VERY FORTUNATE COMPARED TO A LOT OF OTHER SUFFERERS. I'VE ALWAYS TAKEN CLAVERSAL, INITIALLY 6 PER DAY BUT AM NOW DOWN TO 3 A DAY. THREE YEARS AGO I WAS PRESCRIBED ENTOCORT AND THEY REALLY WORKED FOR THE CROHN'S - I NEVER SUFFERED AT ALL WHICH WAS AMAZING - HOWEVER, THEY REALLY DID AFFECT MY MOODS AND EVENTUALLY I DECIDED TO COME OFF THEM, (MY SPECIALIST WASN'T AT ALL PLEASED BUT ULTIMATELY IT'S MY LIFE SO MY DECISION AND LUCKILY I HAD NO BAD SIDE-EFFECTS ONCE I GAVE THEM UP).

ANYWAY, I'LL GET TO THE POINT OF MY QUESTION; AS THE YEARS GO BY, GRADUALLY I ELIMINATE VARIOUS FOODSTUFFS WHICH AFFECT ME, NAMELY ONIONS, ORANGES, COFFEE, PULSES AND OCCASIONALLY MILK. HOWEVER, OVER THE LAST SIX MONTHS I FIND THAT I CAN BARELY TOLERATE ANY FRUIT AT ALL AND, ALWAYS MINDFUL OF TRYING TO EAT THE "5 A DAY" IN THIS DEPARTMENT, I'M FINDING IT REALLY DIFFICULT. BASICALLY, I'VE GIVEN UP MOST VEG AND FRUIT AND EAT MAINLY SALAD LEAVES AND BANANAS - STRAWBERRIES ALSO GO DOWN WELL IN MODERATION. SO MY DILEMMA IS AM I DOING MYSELF MORE HARM THAN GOOD IN GIVING UP FRUIT & VEG AND THEREFORE DENYING MY BODY OF IMPORTANT NUTRIENTS AND VITAMINS OR IS IT ALWAYS BEST TO AVOID THAT WHICH HAS A BAD EFFECT ON MY INTESTINES? I'D REALLY APPRECIATE ANY COMMENTS.