Can you answer Christina S’s question about IBS?:

A. the cause of Crohn’s disease is known, whereas the cause of ulcerative coitis isnt known.
B. Ulcreative colitis is remitting, whereas Crohns disease is constant.
C.Patints with both conditions benefit equally well from surgery.
D. Crohns disease can be found anywhere in the digestive tract whereas ulcraive colitis is generally found in the colon and rectum.

Ibs Trigger Foods

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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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

As it inflammation of the colon it is called as colitis which is also known as colonitis. There are different types of colitis such as ulcerative colitis, pseudomenbranous colitis, fulminant colitis and inflammatory bowel disease. It is also a form of ulceration which is very sore and is formed in the lining of the large intestine.

The inflammation occurs in the rectum and lower part of the colon but it can affect the entire colon. The condition leads to diarrhea which happens due to the inflammation making the colon empty frequently. Inflammation does the work by killing the cells and ulcers are formed at the same place which bleeds as well as produces pus. The age by which this disease starts is between 15 and 30. It can also been seen in people between the ages of 50 and 70.

There has been no convincing test to confirm on the causes of ulcerative colitis. While defending against the virus and bacteria the immune system is activated. This kind of activation leads to inflammation within the tissues. This continuous activation of the immune system causes the chronic inflammation and ulcers. This can also be genetically inherited.

Some of the common symptoms are rectal bleeding and diarrhea. You can also find yourself tired most of the times. You will find yourself losing weight very easily. The desire to eat leaves you with constant rectal bleeding. Due to diarrhea there is heavy loss of nutrients and fluids. It can also cause problems like arthritis, inflammation of eye, liver disease, osteoporosis, skin rashes and anemia. The treatment depends on the seriousness of the disease. There are medications by which people can be treated. In severe cases it is suggested by the doctors to remove the affected colon by surgery.



Thanks to Kevin Pederson for contributing this article to our IBS blog:

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Lymphocytic colitis, a subtype of microscopic colitis. Lymphocytic colitis is a type of bowel inflammation that affects the colon (large intestine). The appearance of the inner colon lining in microscopic colitis is normal by visual inspection during colonoscopy or flexible sigmoidoscopy.  There are two types of microscopic colitis; lymphocytic colitis and collagenous colitis. In lymphocytic colitis, there is an accumulation of lymphocytes (a type of white blood cell) within the lining of the colon. In collagenous colitis, there is an additional layer of collagen (scar tissue) just below the lining.

Many experts consider that lymphocytic colitis and collagenous colitis represent different stages of the similar disease. The inflammation and the collagen probably interfere with absorption of water from the colon, and cause the diarrhea. Lymphocytic colitis is not associated to Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis, which are more severe forms of inflammatory bowel disease. Lymphocytic colitis symptoms are similar to those of collagenous colitis mainly chronic watery, non-bloody diarrhea. The diarrhea may be continuous or episodic. Abdominal pain or cramps may also be present.

Implicated long term (longer than 6 months) employ of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs as a cause of microscopic colitis. The peak incidence of lymphocytic colitis is in persons over age 50; the illness affects female more than male. The treatment of microscopic colitis has not been standardized because there have not been adequate large scale. Over-the-counter antidiarrheal drugs are effective for many people with lymphocytic colitis. Anti-inflammatory drugs, such as salicylates may also help. Corticosteroids or Mesalazines may be prescribed for people who do not respond to other drug treatment.



Thanks to Juliet Cohen for contributing this article to our IBS blog:

Irritable Bowel Spastic Colon