Diseases > Ulcerative Colitis, IBD

Ulcerative Colitis - Vitamin E Testimonial
I received this wonderful testimonial from Sheldon Gesensway. It's about curing (I think that's the right word) Ulcerative Colitis, using a powerful antioxidant: Vitamin E. I wonder if a parallel with the DMSO-treatment can be found...
Please be sure to read on.. This is a truly amazing story.. There are also more attachments on the bottom of the page

Sheldon Gesensway story starts here
Dr. Bernard Halperin diagnosed ulcerative colitis about 1964. He treated my condition for 5 years until his death. He was an excellent doctor. He tried every drug then used but my condition persisted. Through the intervening years the condition subsided but remained. No regular bowl movements. No stool form. No control when nature called.

In June of 1980 after a stressful year, crime related, the bleeding increased and I checked into Hialeah Hospital where I was given a blood transfusion and corticoid enemas.

In the early months of 1981, I went to the Veterans Hospital because my condition became intolerable. I was given further transfusions and advised to have a subtotal colectomy. I also received hepatitis C. After leaving the hospital, my previous condition continued. I took this opportunity to try something I had given some thought to. This from an experience I had with receding gums. By dissolving every day a capsule of Vitamin E next to my gums for three months, it stopped the problem. Learning this from a reader's suggestion in Prevention Magazine. I have since seen on TV a Keyes technique shown on a program called Universe#121 CBS showing bacteria as the probable cause of gum problems. The periodontist I saw said it could not be stopped. That was over 40 years ago. My gums are fine. Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory.

The contents of three capsules of 400 IU mixed vitamin E (d-alpha tocopherol and dl-alph tocopheryl acetate 393.4 mg.) were emptied into a small amount of distilled water (same volume as a corticoid enema). This mixture was sucked up with a baby enema that I squeezed into my rectum. I retained the mixture. Nothing happened. Over a period of four days I gradually increased the mixture until I reached 10 capsules. At that level the change was DRAMATIC. There was a normal looking bowel movement the next morning. The first I could remember. The intermediate bleeding stopped. One bowel movement with form a day.

I started gorging all types of food that I denied myself for years. Salads, ice cream and vegetables of all kinds. I gained weight gradually. This produced 2 or 3 bowel movements (controlled) per day with form. The quality of my life turned 180 degrees. However, if I did not take the enema once a day the bleeding would start on the third day. These phenomena were reported to the doctors at the hospital and duly noted in my records. This was continued for a very long time and nothing was done to investigate the matter. At the hospital, a barium enema showed a positive change in my colon. They believed it was a placebo effect. Twenty years is a long placebo effect.

I tried increasing the amount of vitamin E until I reached 8000 IU (20 capsules). There were additional steps. It worked. I was taking one multi vitamin & mineral tablet + 500 mg. vitamin C + one 400 IU vitamin E.After reaching the increased dose, there was no need for further vitamin E enemas. I have stopped the vitamin E by mouth many years ago. I never see blood in my stool. Since that time, there has never been a problem with my colitis. Bowel movements are regular in the morning with varying degrees of form. I found fruit lessened form and limited fruit to one banana. I also use fresh vegetables. Since I read freezing destroys fiber cell structure, I get a better stool form result. There as been no problems with colitis for twenty years (since my first vitamin E enema) I consider myself cured. My colonoscopy and biopsy results have always been satisfactory.

Enclosed find three pertinent papers, Gastrointestinal Blues, the possible influence of receding gums on disease and a diet by Elaine Gottschall (Specific Carbohydrate Diet) that works well for colitis patients which is based on the premise that certain foods leave a carbohydrate residue in the digestive tract upon which bacteria feed and cause problems. I ate many of these forbidden foods for many years without a problem I judge the worth of foods only by the form of my morning bowel for many years. Which as been working well.

In 1960 I worked at the Worcester Foundation of Experimental Biology where I was interviewed by Dr. Gregory Pinkus and put in charge of one of his assay labs.

The vitamin E enema is a simple non-dangerous procedure it will be very sad not to investigate its effectiveness for a terrible disease. My present doctor is Scott Halperin son of my original doctor (305) 821-5261.He has copies of the only records I was able to obtain from the Veterans Hospital. Don't forget the receding gums. It may take three months but it cured the condition. A dip of the original recession remains. I started using the computer 7 months ago and found these medical sites and sent this information to several research hospitals. My doctor sent this information to a pharmaceutical research company. So far no reply. I am beginning to believe its either too simple a cure or too unprofitable.

Yours truly, P.S. see two articles in the science section of The New York Times 3/13/2001. One on vit.E ,one on TEACHING OLD DOGS NEW MEDICINE CAN BE SOME TRICK

Sheldon Gesensway
555 N.E. 77th Street Miami, FL33138
305 - 3733755 sheldon33132@yahoo.com

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Attachment 1: Enema Procedure

1. Buy a small size enema bulb about 4 inches long. A bulb end ear syringe is fine.
2. Day 1 -start by empting 2 capsules of vitamin E into 1.5 tablespoons of distilled water (the same volume as a corticoid enema) 800 I U total. Do this by sticking a pin into a capsule and squeeze out the contents. Suck up the mixture (it does not dissolve in the water). I used a small tapered wine glass. Use as an enema but retain the mixture.
3. On the second day empty 4 capsules and repeat the same procedure.
4. On the third day, empty 6 capsules and repeat the same procedure.
5. On the 4th day empty 8 capsules repeat. Up to this point I received no visible results.
6. On the 5th day, empty 10 capsules that's 4000 I U of vitamin E.

The following morning was the first time I saw stool form since I could remember. No blood. Controlled bowel movements. Ulcerative colitis was no longer a problem. I will advise the best procedure at this point. I had to repeat this every day for a long time or on the 2nd day the gut would revert to its old habits. No side effects. Take the enema after a bowel movement and if possible at bedtime or in the morning and continue to lie on your side a while to give the enema a chance to circulate through out the colon. If at first you lose some material, don't worry you will get enough of the vitamin E to work. I kept telling the doctors at the hospital they kept smiling. Stay at the 10 capsule doses then let me know of your results and I will advise you further. I finally increased the dose by 2 capsules a day until I reached 20 capsules.

Since that time, the ulcerative colitis has never been a problem. MY RECORDS SHOW THIS. The vitamin E mixture used should be all- natural and have the formula d-alpha tocopherol acetate and NOT dl-alpha tocopheryl that is synthetic.

I have never taken another enema or ANY medication. At that time, I was also taking one multi vitamin& mineral table+ 500 mg of vitamin C + one capsule of 400 I U vitamin E. I stopped the vitamin E soon after. I even bought a motorcycle and put 15,000 miles on it. Remember I am only relating the facts of my experience and will be willing to answer your questions. Please advise me of your results so it can be of help to others. No fruit or fruit juice. Follow the diet.

Right after a bowel movement or before bedtime is the best time to use the enema for that day. Lay on your side with knees drawn up for easy insertion.

Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory.
Do not rinse the bulb after use and just clean the outside.
You can spread a small amount of food grade vegetable oil around the tip for a comfortable insertion.
Let comfort be your guide.

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Attachment 2: The vegetable fiber diet
First some editor's notes by Ed:
Sheldon says that grains, sugar, corn, normal yogurt and other foods which are clearly species-inappropriate foods can be eaten in the diet.. I would like to suggest that it's better to start with a diet, that's also compatible with the SCDiet. This diet excludes all foods that are inappropriate for human digestion.. By leaving out all red-marked foods (see below) the diet is still compatible with the SCDiet.. You're ofcourse free to experiment with the "red" foods below, but please remember my warning.. On the other hand, Sheldon shows that he can handle those foods perfectly well, so it seems possible, but remember that the red foods can create other health problems in the short or long run..

Sheldon's high-fiber diet
The diet is just as important as the vitamin E enema. Vegetables have an insoluble fiber that binds stool. Fruit has a soluble fiber that has the opposite effect.

No fruit or fruit juice of any kind.

No frozen vegetables. Freezing destroys the fiber structure.

It is easy to use all the vegetables.
Wash them all and use part of each, keep the rest in the refrigerator. I fill a bowl 7"x 2.5" twice a day with cooked broccoli, carrot, parsnip, turnip, yellow squash ,mushrooms. It is easy to prepare in a micro-oven. You place slices of carrot, parsnip and turnip in the bowl for 2 minutes. Than add the broccoli (the best) and yellow squash for another 2.50 minutes. You than add the mushrooms for 1.75 minutes. Asparagus, upper part of stalk only, baked potato, cauliflower, tapioca pudding (can be made with soy milk) are good.. On a George Forman grill, I cook either salmon or chicken breast. I fry using olive oil, egg whites, 1/3 cup, (sold in a carton) with chopped onions every day .You can use 3 eggs a week .The onion is optional but very good. You can also use canned tuna or sardines or other fish. Each day I have ¼ cup of brown rice with low fat yogurt, sugar is O.K. I cook ¾ of a cup of pearl barley; then keep in the refrigerator and use at every meal three tablespoons of barley. Also corn (Delmonte uses unfrozen corn). I also eat the following but would not use until you are cured .I eat frozen chocolate yogurt (no fruit) and drink skim milk without bad effect; some time high fiber spaghetti (7 grams of fiber) with tomato sauce. One banana.

It is very important to use distilled water. No cold drinks. Some bottled water is no better than tap water. I use a distiller (Sears). What I remove is a cup of brown water from every gallon of city water and since the colon is sore it may be sensitive to these things. Drink 6 glasses of water each day (8 oz.).

I can eat every thing in a restaurant now, even salads, without a bad effect. I may lose stool form (I use as the indicator) for a bad food choice. This diet is not written in stone. Use other fresh vegetables you may prefer or limit the grains.
Eat comfortable portion amounts and a variety of vegetables, each have a different fiber. There will be an increase in flatulence until your colon becomes accustomed to the fiber in your diet. As always, any question, ASK. You should also be sure to eat egg whites twice a day and walk at least 30 minutes a day. No stressful exercise.

If you cannot follow the diet CLOSELY for a short time period to get the positive result, don't start the procedure.

THE PROCEDURE WILL NOT WORK IF THE DIET IS NOT FOLLOWED PROPERLY.

The fiber binds the stool keeping irritation against the colon wall to a minimum that stops the bleeding and aids the colon in healing itself. The vitamin E works at the source of the infection. The above vegetables are all high fiber. You should see a positive effect in 6 days.

After the procedure, you can make diet adjustments that will be right for you. The food should be well cooked and warm. The outer skin of the parsnip, carrot and turnip should be removed. Vegetable skins have a high concentration of fiber that can be an irritant to the colon.. A $ 2.50 vegetable peeler works best by removing more of the top fiber layer.

Keep me informed daily of your diet. Most poor results happen from an improper diet.
Follow the diet as closely as possible.
Remember no fruit or fruit juice

If you try the procedure, any information sent back should be helpful to others.
If possible read "NEW FACTS ABOUT FIBER' by Betty Kamen PHD
The Elaine Gottschall SCDiet will not work there are to many wrong foods.
If you have not been using vegetables, start the higher fiber diet by by increasing the portions over a period of time.