Dietary modification

 

Dietary modification may reduce the symptoms of the disease.

 





Lactose Intolerance  is noted in many ulcerative colitis patients. Those with suspicious symptoms should get a lactose breath hydrogen test. If lactose is restricted, calcium may need to be supplemented to avoid bone loss.



Patients with abdominal cramping or diarrhea may find relief or a reduction in symptoms by avoiding fresh fruits and vegetables, caffeine, carbonated drinks and sorbitol-containing foods.

Many diatery approches have purported to treat UC, including the Elaine Gottschall’s specific carbohydrate diet and the “anti-fungal diet” (Holland/Kaufmann).



 

Fats and oils

 



Fish Oil . Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), derived from fish oil. This is an Eicosanoid that inhibits leukotriene activity. It is effective as an adjunct therapy. There is no recommended dosage for ulcerative colitis. Dosages of EPA of 180 to 1500 mg/day are recommended for other conditions.

Short chain fatty acid (butyrate) enema. The colon utilizes butyrate from the contents of the intestine as an energy source. The amount of butyrate available decreases toward the rectum. Inadequate butyrate levels in the lower intestine have been suggested as a contributing factor for the disease. This might be addressed through butyrate enemas. The results however are not conclusive.



 

Herbals

 



Herbal medications are used by patients with ulcerative colitis. Compounds that contain sulphydryl may have an effect in ulcerative colitis (under a similar hypothesis that the sulpha moiety of sulfasalazine may have activity in addition to the active 5-ASA component). One randomized control trial evaluated the over-the-counter medication methionine-methyl sulphonium chloride (abbreviated MMSC, but more commonly referred to as Vitamin U) and found a significant decreased rate of relapse when the medication was used in conjunction with oral sulfasalazine.



 

Probiotics & Bacterial Balance

 

Bacterial balance can be the most significant factor influencing gut ecology and health.  With more than 400 microorganism species residing in the human gastrointestinal tract, their overall balance can profoundly influence gut ecology and health. Intestinal bacteria produce toxins and antitoxins, alter chemical composition of foods and drugs, produce and degrade vitamins, degrade dietary toxins and inhibit the growth of certain pathogens. Gut-derived products may also play a role in increasing the systemic immune inflammatory response. Bacterial lipopolysaccharides found in the cell walls of gram-negative bacteria, for example, have been shown to initiate immune responses and elevate pro-inflammatory cytokines.

 

A fundamental question is whether people with IBD have pathogenic flora, an unbalanced amount of flora, or simply an overly aggressive, improperly regulated immune response toward some of the normal bacteria.

 

Perhaps the most important function of probiotics is their antagonistic activity toward pathogens and other resident bacteria, which probiotics perform in a variety of complementary ways.

 

The first activity has been called colonization resistance — the ability of normal flora to protect against the unwanted establishment of pathogen populations.

 

Second, probiotics may produce various antimicrobial substances. For instance, Lactobacillus casei GG (L-casei or LGG) has been shown to produce substances inhibitory toward a broad spectrum of gram-positive and gram-negative pathogens. Other probiotics have demonstrated antimicrobial activity as well.

 

Competition for nutrients is a third activity. By competing for available nutrient substrate, beneficial bacteria can inhibit the growth of other, less favorable flora.

 

Competition for bacterial adhesion sites is probiotics’ fourth strategic activity. For instance, Lactobacillus acidophilus inhibits the adhesion of several enteric pathogens to human intestinal cells. A related activity is enzymatically modifying a toxin receptor. Studies using Saccharomyces boulardii, a beneficial yeast, indicate that its interactions with host cell receptors may be important in reducing the pathological effects of infections.

 

A fifth activity involves a systemic effect. Human LGG, administered orally, has been shown to increase various markers of immune response.

 

These varied activities may also decrease the likelihood that pathogens will develop resistance against probiotic agents. Thus, probiotics may be viewed as a vehicle to neutralize or inhibit other bacteria in the gut, and increase or stimulate host immune stimulant activities as well.

 

Aloe Mucilaginous Polysaccharides

 

Aloe mucilaginous polysaccharides are long-chain sugar molecules composed of individual mannose and glucose sugar molecules connected together — which have been attributed to subduing and reducing symptoms associated with UC. 



Thanks to Lisa Bright for contributing this article to our IBS blog:

Feline Irritable Bowel Syndrome

As such, there is not really a practical way to treat IBS itself, there is not per-se a medication that is used for the treatment of IBS directly. Medications doctors prescribe for IBS are actually being used in the treatment of the causes of IBS not to treat IBS itself. The multitude of causes produces and multitude of treatments with very different drugs that have very different effects on the body that ultimately are intended to lead to relieve from the effects of IBS. Perhaps the most common medication for IBS are simple fibre supplements, including Psyllium, Methylcellulose and Calcium Polycarbophil These can be purchased over-the-counter and used to help to increase the amount of fibre in the bowel in order to assist in normalising bowl movements. These can produce socially unpleasant side-effects such as flatulence as well as quite severe bloating. Another medication of the news as exactly the opposite effect, laxatives such as Amitiza are used to ease constipation which can be another prominent effect often found in IBS sufferers. In addition antispasmodic medications such as Hyoscyamine Bentyl, Benytol and Dicyclomine are used to help control muscle spasms the in the colon in order to relieve pain and also reduce the effects of diarrhoea. Other anti-diarrhoea medications may also be prescribed to directly relieve the effects of dehydration and discomfort caused by diarrhoea these may include Loperamide Yet another diverse set of drugs used in the treatment of IBS are antidepressants such as fluoxetine and paroxetine and Amitriptyline which is known to be an anticholinergic which reduces activity within the gut and also secretions. Tranquillisers are used to help reduce the effects of such mental disorders as depression, anxiety and stress. All of these elements can contribute considerably to the level of IBS that a patient may suffer. Because of the highly diverse nature of the causes of IBS it is very unwise to sell ascribe medications for the treatment of this varied condition. Just because your friend has taken fibre supplements which completely removed her symptoms it does not follow at all that fibre supplements will be any help for another patient in fact they may make the condition deteriorate. There are also treatments that involves the introduction of “good” bacteria into the digestive system these would include align a basic probiotic. Other drugs are intended to equalise the fluid levels within interesting is to alleviate the effects of diarrheal these include Equalactin. One drug that has been specifically developed for the treatment of IBS intestinal problems and pain associated with the disorder is Dicetel. As well as Ibsacol used to deal with fatty acids related to IBS symptoms.



Thanks to Darrell F for contributing this article to our IBS blog:

Crohns Disease And Ulcerative Colitis

Colitis also known as ulcerative colitis is a condition, which results in inflammation of the lining of the colon and rectum. Colitis is similar to inflammatory bowel disease as both conditions result in similar symptoms. Unfortunately a person who suffers from colitis may experience several symptoms, they’re:

Diarrhea (may contain blood and mucus)

Fever

Abdominal cramps

Constipation

Sleepiness

Weight Loss

Loss of appetite

The causes of colitis are still unknown but it’s believed that colitis is a hereditary condition. There are various theories as to how someone can get colitis but they are not worth mentioning here only the facts are important when concerning medical conditions.

The main way to cure colitis is by removing the colon through surgery. This method in fact can be dangerous and cause indirect health issues such as Pouchitis, Ileostomy or body image problems. Even with the potential problems of surgery, there is a chance that other forms of colitis could occur.

Due to the above issues, many colitis sufferers are turning to other treatment methods.

There are certain drugs that offer some sort of relief, however an even more attractive option is through the use of natural means like dieting, food and herbs.

By maintaining a healthy diet and having plenty of vitamins and minerals, you will be able to manage the effects of colitis.

A person who suffers from colitis will lose a considerable amount of nutrients. What they need to do is consume slightly more food so they can receive the recommended amount of nutrients, which their body needs.

The Diet

A well balanced diet is recommended, so make sure you eat foods from the main food groups. However there are common foods that may aggravate the symptoms so you may choose to avoid consuming the following:

Milk and milk products

Caffeine

Alcohol

Foods High in Fat (e.g. fast food, oil, butter, processed snacks)

Foods High in Fiber

Please remember that there’s no such thing as a colitis diet but that’s exactly what many people label this particular diet. It will not work for all colitis sufferers and some may need to alter the diet to work for them.

Notebook

Having a notebook with you while bird watching is handy as it allows you to take notes on the birds you have seen. It’s up to you what you decide to take note of, however most people take note of special details of the birds they have seen, the area which they were spotted and any other important details.

Attire

There are 2 main types of apparel bird watchers can invest in. First is a hat (any hat will do) The hat is mainly to do with protecting yourself from the sun, but believe me when I tell you that you wont be complaining if a bird decides to poo on your hat instead of your head!

The other item which is optional but very handy is a birding vest. You can place your binoculars and other equipment in the pockets.

The popularity of bird watching continues to rise and is definitely something worthwhile pursuing even if you have the smallest hint of interest. It’s inexpensive, interesting, good for your health and you don’t need to know anything about birds, so why not give it a go



Thanks to Darrell Knox for contributing this article to our IBS blog:

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Can you answer Chikis26’s question about IBS?:

I have ulcerative colitis and i was going to the doctor, but the medicine was not doing me any good, it actually felt worst. I don’t kno what to do this is a horrible thing to have i feel like i can’t go out like normal people for a long time because im always going to the bathroom any advice would be very much appreciated thanks

IBS Tips

Ulcerative colitis is one of the most diagnosed diseases of the intestine. It is an autoimmune disease meaning that the body’s immune system is attacking the large intestine. Although commonly confused with irritable bowel syndrome and Chrones Disease it is different.

Ulcerative colitis affects the lining of the large intestine and rectum. Chrones can appear anywhere from the esophagus to the rectum and is deeper within the walls of the intestine and other organs. Ulcerative colitis is typically controlled through the use of an anti-inflammatory drug called Asacol. Although when Asacol does not control the illness the next step is steroids and then a surgery called a total colectomy and J pouch.

The root of the illness has not been determined, but there is definitely a genetic link. There is also the sign that stress and irritation to the body both physically and mentally can have a negative effect on the illness. Although stress does not create the disease, it can make the symptoms worse. If typical drug therapy is something that someone with colitis is not interested in, then there are complementary and alternative therapies available. However, colitis can be quite serious and results in the bleeding of the intestines and therefore, people are most often to use complementary therapies rather than alternative therapies.

The most common of the complementary and alternative therapies is most definitely psychotherapy or counseling. This is because it can reduce the stress and therefore lessen the symptoms of the disease. It allows people to remain on an even keel so to speak and with mood stabilization comes less pain and discomfort. Complementary and alternative therapies can also include changing your diet. For example, sometimes the lining of the colon is so affected that foods that are difficult to digest normally become impossible for people with colitis to digest.

Therefore, it is quite common for a complementary and alternative therapies diet to include the following. First, corn and popcorn are often not tolerated by people with the illness and refrain from eating these foods. Others may find it hard to digest foods that are considered roughage as well as anything that is overly spicy. There are many different diet plans available for people with colitis; however, each person will notice what disturbs their system the most. Complementary and alternative therapies may also include drinking hot beverages with their meals and having relaxing hot baths. The heat from the beverage helps to digest food while the heat from the bath tends to relax the bowel. Complementary and alternative therapies for ulcerative colitis can be researched online, from a physician, or in medical journals.



Thanks to Martin Richfield for contributing this article to our IBS blog:

Treatments For Ibs