My Morning Cup Of Tea & Crohn’s Disease

I love tea, it’s in my genes, my granny’s love it, my mum loves it and I do too. So it sums up my first-thing-in-the-morning.

I’m linking this pic to #MySundayPhoto, a fab linky by OneDad3Girls.
This really should also include a huge Sunday brunch, but we’ve not had it yet, so our morning cup of tea, will suffice. I say that like it doesn’t mean anything, but without my morning tea I’m lost. No, it’s not the caffine, it’s the nice hot drink tasting of tea (no milk though). I’m quite happy drinking decaf, and survived pregnancy quite happily on it.

You might wonder how I can drink tea without milk. Before I stopped having milk, I wondered the same for many years. My bestfriend was a no-milker. I have Crohn’s disease, and have modified my diet on and off as different foods irritate me. Tomatoes are one, their harsh skin was causing mild flare ups to continue, I stopped eating them and bingo, the flare mellowed out. It all makes sense, if you have ulcers and irritations something harsh is not going to help it heal, just like a blister on your foot. Unfortunately I can’t pop a plaster on. So back to the no-milk-tea, I never used to drink tea at work, but I started a new job and thought, I would, why not, let’s be part of the kitchen-club instead of just the water-cooler-proper-uppers. I was fine for a year or two, but gradually I was having trouble. I was really reluctant to go back on steroids or other stronger medications, so I tried diet first. I wasn’t in pain, just having other symptoms (which aren’t fun!) and an occasional uncomfy stomach. So, I tried diet first, I cut out my usual flare up dragger-on culprits: tomatoes- no, not this time, lettuce – nope, sweetcorn – nada, caffine – sort of bingo, but not quite. Then I tried milk, and my morning cereal became a thing of he past. I’m fine with cheese and other lactose products so I think it was just a case of too much milk. After a few weeks, I gradually tried tea again, but without milk. I loved it! In fact I’m not sure how I drank it with milk. Now a couple of years on, I have the occasional latte and cereal a couple of times a week. But that’s it for milk. If I have 2 lattes in a week, I know about it.

I’m lucky, I’ve never had surgery (touch wood, fingers crossed), but I have had years of all the meds, immunosuppressants, steroids, and other daily drugs to maintain remission. I’m now med free and am quick to modify my diet if a flare up is starting, but touch wood, since the milk flare up I’ve not had any more of note (I have been pregnant though, so flare ups then are less likely).

I didn’t plan to write about my Crohns on here, but it has been a huge part of my life for the last almost 10 years, and, if I can raise awareness through this blog, I hope no one minds. I know everyone’s experiences are different, so, diet has helped me, but don’t assume it will help you or others and always mention to your doctors what you are doing or have done. Mine have been very supportive where cutting out food has worked, but as you’ll note above I’ve never cut out whole food groups long term. And, I do make sure I get calcium through other sources.

Lynne x

PS I’ve lagged behind on #MySundayPhoto… So here I go again, please someone remind me if I haven’t done this ?