Colitis Treatment Information

IT'S NO SECRET; BENTONITE CLAY IS THE SINGLE MOST EFFECTIVE NATURAL DETOXIFIERS KNOWN TO MAN: An internet search on the term "bentonite clay" reveals thousands of pages of information. Extending back several centuries and up to the present moment much has been studied, experienced, and written about the almost miraculous detoxification benefits of ancient, naturally-occurring bentonite clay (originating from volcanic ash that has over the millennia interacted with water and minerals in the environment resulting in its present-day state), which is an absorbent aluminium phyllosilicate clay, consisting mostly of montmorillonite. What I present here is certainly nothing new to the science and art of clay (and it is, indeed, both a science and an art!). But it should be remarkably exciting to anyone interested in detoxifying their bodies.

CLAY MOLECULES/PARTICLES ARE NEGATIVELY CHARGED WHILE MOST TOXINS ARE POSITIVELY CHARGED AND ARE, THUS, ADSORBED ONTO THE CLAY MOLECULES/PARTICLES: The exciting news that cannot be overemphasized is that bentonite clay isone of the most powerful adsorbents of free radical metals, toxins, poisons, bacteria, and even viruses! The science behind this fact (and it is a fact scientifically proven) is - simply put - that bentonite clay particles are negatively charged and attract the positively-charged toxins, etc (most of the bad guys are positively charged), thus adsorbing the nasty poisons onto the surface of the clay's millions of tiny thin flat particles, effectually trapping them. And once adsorbed onto the clay, the toxic substances will not be released, and will, consequently, be eliminated through the bowels along with the clay..

SCIENTIFICALLY PROVEN TO BE COMPLETELY SAFE FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION: This incredibly powerful adsorbent quality of bentonite clay, in combination with the scientifically-proven fact that the clay is completely safe for human consumption (the relatively large amount of hydrous aluminum (A12 O3) silicate in the claycannot be absorbed into the human body - again, proven by science) makes the substance an excellent natural general body detox and cleansing agent that can be taken alone or in concert with our other detox and cleansing formulas.

MINERAL-RICH BENTONITE: Bentonite attracts and neutralizes poisons in the intestinal tract. It can eliminate food allergies, food poisoning, mucus colitis, spastic colitis, viral infections, stomach flu, and parasites (parasites are unable to reproduce in the presence of clay). There is virtually no digestive disease that clay will not treat. It enriches and balances blood. It adsorbs radiation (think cell phones, microwaves, x-rays, TVs and irradiated food, for starters). It has been used for alcoholism, arthritis, cataracts, diabetic neuropathy, pain treatment, open wounds, diarrhea, hemorrhoids, stomach ulcers, animal and poisonous insect bites, acne, anemia, mouth sores, cancer sores, etc. Bentonite is a dark-grey to dark-green clay-rich rock composed of mostly montmorillonite, with minor concentrations of cristobalite, zeolite, and quartz, among others. Bentonite formation occurs when volcanic ash is altered by low-grade hydrothermal alteration. Alteration products of this type are distributed within Tertiary strata in Yamagata, Miyagi, Gunma, and Shimane Prefectures

The term active or "living clay" is born of research denoting ionic exchange capacities of given clay minerals. In the montmorillonite group of clay minerals called smectite, its micro crystals are extremely fine grained, irregular, and thin layered. The layers contain ions that are loosely bound and easily exchangeable, a characteristic which gives smecitites the properties of absorption and adsorption.

This means that in clay found in the desert regions where temperature is high and water scarce, leaching is minor. The washing away of the ions, and chemical hydrolysis is almost nonexistent. These clays are richer in silica and alkaline earth minerals. In the hydro-thermal state the synthesis of new clay minerals increases. Ions of silicon, aluminum, iron, magnesium and potassium are concentrated. Evaporation of the water greatly increases the trace mineral content and leaves the ions negatively charged.

As these ions enter the human body in this form, they respond to gastric activity to become electrons. Adsorption takes place as dissolved matter is assimilated on the membrane surface. This begins the process of absorption as nourishment is changed into living tissue. This creates very favorable conditions for human consumption of living clay minerals.

While you can't reverse any cellular damage which has already occurred, you can change your way of living so that your toxic defense system is restored And you can do it in as little as three days by following a 3-day detox diet. A 3-day detox diet will cleanse your system of damaging free radicals, boost your production of healthy new cells, and energize your immune system. You'll be flushing all sorts of toxins from your body and will feel the difference almost immediately.

The 3-day detox diet is one of the gentlest of all toxic removal programs, and unlike other detoxification programs does not require you to get permission from your physician to begin, even if you are suffering from existing an existing illness including cancer, liver or kidney disorders, colitis, or anemia.

A Sample 3-Day Detox Diet

Most 3-day detox diet programs are similar, and each of the three days will find you eating the following foods

* On awakening, to increase the flow of your digestive juices, drink eight ounces of warm water into which you have squeezed the juice of half a lemon.

* For each of you meals eat a cup of whole grains (amaranth, buckwheat, or brown rice are fine) with three servings of fresh fruits or veggies, one of which is raw.

* If you combine your fruits and veggies as a salad, your dressing should either be plain raw vinegar or a virgin, cold-pressed olive or fish oil.

Supplements During Your 3-Day Detox Diet

Twice over the course of your 3-day detox diet you should take one of the following tonics for you liver and kidneys (you can choose two different tonics if you like):

* Two cups of chamomile, fennel, or dandelion tea;
* Two cups of yellow or parsley tea;
* Two cups of freshly squeezed vegetable juice ( either carrot or beet juice is excellent);
* A handful of black grapes:
* A clove of fresh garlic (this can be chopped and added to your salad)

You should also be consuming at least eight 8-ounce glasses of purified water each day of your 3-day detox diet program, and freshly-squeezed fruit juices like apple, grapefruit, or orange.

Sometime during your 3 day detox diet take a half-hour walk, and relax at bedtime with a cup of herbal tea. When you awaken the morning after your 3-day detox diet program is completed, you'll feel so good that you may decide to repeat the process. But before you begin, incorporate as many healthy changes as possible into your lifestyle. Your body will thank you in ways you can't imagine!

One of the main causes of ulcerative colitis is the overgrowth of Candida, a gut flora. The inflammation of the colon, which is the main characteristic of ulcerative colitis, is due to the body's immune response against the proliferation of Candida.

A disease of the large intestine, ulcerative colitis is an inflammatory bowel disease which is accompanied by severe inflammation of the colon and rectum accompanied by ulcers and open sores. Its major symptoms include diarrhea with bloody, mucus lined, watery stool and abdominal cramps. Rectal bleeding, anemia, weight loss, fatigue, nutritional imbalance, and even joint pains and arthritis are also some of its associated symptoms. Ulcerative colitis is often confused with Crohn's disease and irritable bowel syndrome due to the similarities in symptoms and often becomes difficult to diagnose. Crohn's disease is also an inflammatory bowel disease but occurs mainly in the small intestine. Irritable bowel syndrome on the other hand is a functional disorder.

Though no particular cause of the disease has been found till now, ulcerative colitis is regarded as an autoimmune disease i.e. in which the body's immune system attacks itself. Actually the attack is not on the body but is triggered by an overgrowth of the yeast Candida albicans. A common gut flora, Candida usually is quite harmless. It is fed upon by probiotics, which are friendly bacteria that help kill harmful disease causing agents. When probiotics fall in number due to overuse of antibiotics, the yeast proliferates and takes over all healthy microbes.

Normally resident in the intestinal tract, genitals, throat and mouth, Candida can penetrate the intestinal lining and make its way to various organs of the body through the blood stream. Releasing several toxins in the body and the initiator of many illnesses, the overgrowth of Candida triggers the body's immune system into launching an attack which results in many chronic diseases like ulcerative colitis. The immune response to Candida leads to the inflammation of the colon resulting in colitis. The inflammation is actually a defensive weapon of the immune system in order to prevent the yeast from penetrating the intestinal wall. Hence, ulcerative colitis develops in the course of fighting a harmful microbe.

Being attached to the inner wall of the intestine, Candida provides a stimulus for the immune system to respond. The inflammation can be prolonged and can lead to further aggravation of the disease if the Candida overgrowth is not cleaned out properly. It is usually quite difficult to remove Candida as it suppresses the body's immune response on itself. Taking antibiotics further worsens the situation. Also foods rich in sugar, alcohol, cheese, chocolate, caffeine, nuts and fermented foods help in further proliferation of Candida and should be avoided.

For ulcerative colitis resulting from Candida overgrowth, the only way to heal the body is to get rid of the yeast. A holistic Candida cleanse goes a long way in healing the body. Treatment usually involves taking the right diet along with the prescription medication Nystatin which kills intestinal yeast like Candida and thereby removes the cause of ulcerative colitis.

Autoimmune hepatitis is a disease that results in heavy liver damage. It is widely misunderstood when it comes to the causes and the underlying triggers but, by the end of this article, the reader will learn about the background of the disease. Towards the end of the article we will look into recent developments that offer hope to those who suffer from it.

In this disease, the body gets its signal crossed, activates the immune system and puts it in"combat formation" to fight a non-existent enemy. It ends up causing damage to its own liver cells.

Your typical autoimmune hepatitis is chronic, which means that it can last for years, and can lead to cirrhosis and scarring of the liver. The worst case scenario is liver failure. Getting your facts straight will endure this doesn't happen to you.

Who gets autoimmune hepatitis?

Seven out of every ten patients are female. It can start at any age, but most of the time it first sets in during the young adulthood. Scientists are looking into genetic factors in people with autoimmune hepatitis. Some groundbreaking research of the disease have emerged in the last decade offering hop to all people suffering from this aggressive illness.

There is proof that this disease can strike you after a viral or bacterial infection. Also, some medications like antibiotic minocycline and the cholesterol medication atorvastatin have been linked to the disease.

The two types of the disease

All cases are grouped in type 1 and type 2. Type 1 is the most common among adults in North America, while type 2 is far less common and usually occurs in young girls age from 2 to 14.

What are the symptoms of autoimmune hepatitis?

Autoimmune hepatitis is very hard to recognize or even suspect because of the fact that the disease can have a sudden onset after it was "asleep" for a long period of time or its symptoms can gradually worsen over long periods of time. Very often, people have almost no symptoms in the early stages of the disease. The most common symptoms are:

• joint pain


• itching


• yellowing of the skin and the whites of the eyes


• nausea and vomiting


• fatigue


• abdominal pain

How is autoimmune hepatitis diagnosed?

Two typical means of diagnosis are blood tests and liver biopsy. Blood tests are looking for liver enzyme patterns that are typical for this disease as well as autoantibodies and the liver biopsy is a reliable way to determine just how serious the condition is.

Treatment of autoimmune hepatitis

It is best when the disease is diagnosed early before it makes any permanent damage. Primary treatment options in conventional medicine a corticosteroid Prednisone and Azathioprine. Both medications are used to suppress the overactive immune system and amend some of the damage. The down side of such treatment lies in the fact that it does not cure the disease, it just controls the symptoms. The drugs also have very intense side effects which is why more and more people turn to alternative medicine and holistic treatment options for autoimmune disease.

Autoimmune hepatitis is a mysterious disease because of the lack of knowledge in conventional medicine on the causes of the disease. But, lately, some exciting news has been reported on the discoveries of underlying chemical imbalance and causes. Based on this, a new natural treatment protocol called The Norton Protocol is fashioned with amazing reported success rate that offers hope to all the sufferers. Read more about the news at the home page of the Norton protocol.

Using herbal products is probably the best natural method you can choose to cleanse your colon but you want to maximize the health benefits you can get from the procedure. Therefore it is wise to learn some herbal colon cleanse tips from the nutrition experts, to achieve a super colon cleanse treatment.

Many experts indicate that herbal products are highly effective in detoxifying the body and flushing out harmful waste matter that has been stuck inside the colon for years. Fibers in particular have been found to improve the body's waste elimination processes, making them an essential element in most herbal colon cleanse diets.

According to many popular herbal colon cleanse tips, one of the most recommended fibers that you can use is psyllium, a substance that is extracted from the husks of psyllium seeds. It is a water soluble fiber that is great for improving bowel movement. Interestingly, it is also commonly used as a thickening agent for lotions and salad dressings.

Psyllium has been used for many years as an herbal treatment for diarrhea, chronic constipation, colitis and other digestive problems. Most people today eat a lot of meats, sugars and fatty foods, all of which can cause irregularities in bowel movements. Psyllium can balance the effects of these foods, enabling you to have regular waste elimination despite eating some unhealthy foods.

How Healthy Are You On The Inside?

Other herbal colon cleanse tips also say that the kind of stool that you eliminate is an indication of how healthy your colon is. Even if you do have regular bowel movements, if your stool is unusually hard, bulky and difficult to pass, that is a sign of poor colon health. On the other hand, if your stool is softer, well-formed and does not require a lot of exertion to pass, your colon walls are likely to be in much better condition.

By eating sufficient amounts of dietary fibers, you can ensure that your stool will always be of the latter kind. In addition, you can be sure that no toxic matters are going to be left behind in your intestines since the fiber absorbs all of these harmful substances.

As you can see, colon cleansing does offer a lot of benefits for your intestinal health, but that is not all you can get by undergoing a colon cleanse diet. Nutrition experts also say that these herbal colon cleanse tips are also useful if you want to lose weight, since dietary fibers can fill you up really well, preventing you from getting hungry as often.

The only downside to using dietary fibers is that excessive consumption can lead to slow passage of food from the stomach to the intestines. However, if you do not exceed the recommended daily dosage, this should not be a problem.

Medications for ulcerarive colitis do not cure ulcerative colitis itself. But they can help provide some relief for the pain and discomfort caused by symptoms. One of the other things medications can do for you is help you attain remission - and hold it.

The following medications for ulcerative colitis are used most often by doctors.

Sulfasalazine - Sulfasalazine combines two other drugs, sulfapyridine and 5-aminosalicyclic acid, which is often simply called 5-ASA. The role of sulfapyridine is to transport 5-aminosalicyclic acid to the intestines. But sulfapyridine has a variety of possible effects like headaches, nausea, vomiting, heartburn and diarrhea.

Aminosalicylates - There's also 5-ASA in this medication but no sulfapyridine. Therefore, it has no side effects and can be taken by those who can't take aminosalyicylates.. Aminosalicylates are made from salicylic acid, and there's evidence they have antioxidant properties. Your doctor can suggest several different methods for administering aminosalicylates: by mouth, by suppository, of with an enema. This group of medications is usually first treatment for individuals with colitis. They can also provide some relief when the patient suffers a relapse.

Corticosteroids - These medications include prednisone, methylprednisone, and hydrocortisone. Their primary benefit is that they reduce inflammation. Cortisteroids generally work best with patients who have moderate to severe cases. Delivery methods include enema, suppository, or a pill taken orally. They can also be administered intravenously.. Your doctor will recommend a delivery method based on where the inflammation is located in your colon. Certicosteroids are better when used in the short term. But they have been known to cause side effects in the long term, including weight gain, risk of infection. mood swings, hypertension, facial hair, diabetes, bone mass loss, and acne.

Immunomodulators - These have an effect on the immune system that reduces swelling and inflammation. Corticosteroids are usually recommended when corticosteroids and 5-ASA's haven't worked, or when the patient has become dependent of corticosteroids. They're popular with many patients because they are taken by mouth. However, they take a long time to work compared to other drugs, possibly as long as six months before the patient gets the full benefit.

Cyclosporine A - Patients who are suffering from active, severe cases are often treated with this drug. It may also be administered to those who have not had success with intravenous methods. Cyclosporine is often combined with 6-MP or azathioprine. While treatment with these medications is progressing, the patient may also need other drugs to help relax, get relief from pain,andr combat diarrhea or infection.

Once again, doctors know of no long-lasting cure for ulcerative colitis. However, medications for ulcerative colitis can help prevent flare ups and keep down inflammation. Plus, they can reduce or delay the need for surgery.

Your doctor will evaluate a number of factors in deciding on the appropriate ulcerative colitis medication for you. Among these factors are

* how much discomfort your symptoms are causing
* complications that could arise
* any side effects you may have to face
* other ulcerative colitis medications that have worked - or not worked - previously

Although many similarities exist from one case to another, ulcerative colitis affects different individuals in different ways. So it's possible your physician may have to try a number of therapies before finding one that will be best for you.

Fecal Transplant: an introduction...

Fecal transplant. Let face it, the name alone is enough to gross out pretty much anyone. It is, in fact, just what it sounds like: taking feces from a person with healthy intestines and placing it in the colon of the ailing patient. This process puts the "good" bacteria that is normally found in the intestines of a healthy individual into the recipient, whose good bacteria is sparse or even non-existent. This new treatment offers great hope, no ill side effects, a 90%+ success rate, and many patients see improvement after just a few days. Despite the fecal treatment being around since 1958 and building considerable legitimacy from academic research, the FDA has not investigated it as a viable alternative to pills and other medicine. Many times, the culprit is actually the FDA-approved antibiotics that gradually decimates the good bacteria, while creating stronger and more resistant bad bacteria in patients.

What could cause the healthy bacteria to decline in a person? Most sources say it is when a nasty, unhealthy bacteria strain known as Clostridium difficile, or C. diff for short, takes over. Normally the good bacteria maintain a balance with the bad, but this order can become disrupted by the very antibiotics used to treat a C. diff patient. The good bacteria get progressively wiped out with each round of antibiotics and C. diff can then thrive, outnumber the good, and get a stronger hold on the intestines.

C. diff on the rise...

C. diff infection cases have been growing in number during the last 30 years at an alarming rate. They were first thought of as merely a temporary negative side effect to antibiotics but as the bacteria strain has become more resilient to treatments over the years, it is now considered a serious health problem. As the years go by with more and more C. diff strains creating permutations, they've grown stronger and more resistant to medications used to cure them. Remember, the drugs used against C. diff usually kill off the healthy bacteria too. This "screens out" all but the most resistant, hearty C. diff bacteria that reproduce and take over more of the person's intestinal real estate.

According to gastrointerologist and immunologist Alex Khoruts at the University of Minnesota, the fecal transplant bacteria indeed take over the ailing patient's intestines and replace the once-thriving helpful bacteria. Think of it like sending in the healthy bacterial reinforcements to battle it out in the guts. This is enough to swing the advantage back to the good guys and the harmful C. diff is slowly killed off to regain a healthy balance.

Fecal donors

When it comes to finding a donor, yes a feces donor, most medical professionals ask their patients to choose one themselves. This could be a brother, sister, child, spouse, or other individual that is willing and has had tests to show they have a healthy gastrointestinal system.

The type of screening needed for a fecal donor is about the same standard as for a blood donation. This ensures they have no digestive diseases or other ailments which would reduce the fecal transplant's success or, worse yet, introduce a new disease to the recipient. The lab work needed is not always covered by insurance and can create other hurdles also with respect to time and medical confidentiality.

DIY

Another alternative that has been proposed is to simply have the patients do the fecal transplant in their own home using an enema kit. The downside, as mentioned in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, is that too much of the transplant "material" may leak out and thereby result in an unsuccessful treatment. Supposedly seven patients have done the do-it-yourself fecal transplant at home safely and had a 100% recovery rate.

Fecal transplants, despite the lack of focused, formal FDA investigation seem to be gaining more popularity as a viable treatment. It has also been recommended that they be tried first in cases of severe C. diff infections as opposed to something to try as a last resort. What is also very thought-provoking is the research on how the intestinal bacteria can influence other health issues such as anxiety, depression, pre-diabetics, and obesity among others. Yes, a poop swap could boost your mood...

Fecal transplants are now undergoing clinical trials not in the United States, but in Canada. The FDA needs those in the medical field who are advocates of this treatment to provide more research and formally file to have this procedure approved. The researchers in the United States express some apprehension about the FDA-approval process, and about being able to answer all the potential questions arising from the proposal. Unlike drug approval petitions, which the FDA commonly deals with, feces is not classified as a drug or other patentable thing. Nevertheless, people are already trying fecal transplants at home to treat their debilitating C. diff infections. Medical providers need to be able to offer this safe, low cost treatment in a professional environment to achieve the best success rates.

Kidney transplantation is a practice that puts a healthy kidney from another person into your body. This one new kidney takes over the work of your two failed kidneys. Kidney transplantation is the organ transplant of a kidney in a patient with end-stage renal disease.

Once a person's kidneys fail, three medication alternatives are on hand: hemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis and kidney transplantation. A lot of patients consider that a doing well kidney transplant offers a improved value of life since it lets greater freedom and frequently is related with energy levels greater than before and a less restricted diet. In settling on whether this is the best medication for you, you can get it useful to have a discussion to people who by now have had a kidney transplant. In addition, you required to talk to your doctor, nurse and also family members.

If you suffer advanced and enduring kidney failure, kidney transplantation possibly will be the treatment alternative that lets you to live much like you lived before your kidneys failed. Transplantation is not a cure; it's a constant treatment that necessitates you to get medicines for the rest of your life.

Several transplanted kidneys originate from donors who have died. And some derive from a living family member. The wait for a new kidney can be long. Individuals who have transplants have to take drugs to protect their body from refusing the new kidney for the rest of their lives.

The sign for kidney transplantation is end-stage renal disease, despite the main cause. This is described as a drop in the glomerular filtration rate to 20-25% of normal. General diseases causing end-stage renal disease consist of malignant hypertension, infections, diabetes mellitus and glomerulonephritis; genetic causes comprising polycystic kidney disease in addition to many inborn errors of metabolism and autoimmune conditions together with lupus and Goodpasture's syndrome.

Diabetes is the most general reason of kidney transplant, accounting for about 25% of persons in the US. The greater part of renal transplant recipients are on some type of dialysis - hemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis, or the similar procedure of hemofiltration - at the occasion of transplantation. On the other hand, people with chronic renal failure who have a living donor available frequently choose to undertake transplantation prior to dialysis is required.

There are some significant things to think about when choosing a kidney transplant center and surgeon, comprising survival rates, program longevity, contribution in research and the records of the physicians and staff.

A lot of people seem to believe that drinking distilled water is a safe alternative to consuming tap water, but it may not be quite as safe as you think. You would probably be surprised at just how lax the regulation is when it comes to the water bottlers. The rules that these companies have to follow are far less stringent than those that the water treatment facilities have to go by.

The reason that people are turning to the use of bottled water is the ever rising level of contamination in our reservoirs. There are roughly 80,000 chemical agents in use today that find their way into our groundwater system through mishandling, improper disposal, and faulty storage. Pesticides and herbicides are some of the worst offenders, and they are prominent in our water.

Of all of the chemicals we need to worry about, there are literally over two thousand that have been identified as carcinogens. Every time you open your tap you are exposed to at least one carcinogenic agent, as the chlorine and chloramine that are used to disinfect our water are both cancer causing agents. Drinking distilled water may not keep you safe from these chemicals.

The fact is that while the water treatment facilities can allow no confirmed E-coli or fecal coliform bacteria, there is no such prohibition on bottled water! There is actually a certain amount of coliform bacteria that is allowed to be in bottled water. Consumption of these bacteria can lead to gastroenteritis, urinary tract infections, and neonatal meningitis. And, certain strains cause inflammatory bowel disease, Crohn's disease, and ulcerative colitis.

The water treatment facilities must filter and disinfect our water, but there are actually no federal requirements for filtration or disinfection of bottled water. There have been many recalls of bottled water over the years due to high levels of contamination. This means that drinking distilled water may still not mean that your water is free from any of the harmful chemicals that are present in tap water.

It wouldn't really matter whether or not your bottled water has been put through the most stringent filtration and disinfection process possible, because it is still going to contain cancer causing agents. There are chemicals such as phthalates that leach off of the plastic and into your water. There is no such thing as "pure" bottled water no matter what the bottlers say.

Instead of drinking distilled water you should install a high quality water purification system in your home, and bottle your own water. A home purification system is capable of removing 99% of all of the contaminants present in our water, which is far more purity than you can expect from prepackaged water, as you have learned. If you want to ensure your family the healthiest water possible, then one of these systems is the way to go.

Bottle your own purified water in a seal able glass container, or food grade stainless steel aqua-canteen. You need to forget about drinking distilled water, because it is not what people think it is.

Living with any chronic disease can be a challenge, and Crohn's is no exception. The extremely painful flare-ups make day-to-day living seem impossible and when the disease is in remission, the stress of worrying about the next one can be almost as bad. So, how do deal with these flare-ups when they happen?

A Crohn's flare-up is usually associated with the onset of symptoms such as fatigue, joint pain, weight loss, abdominal pain and rectal bleeding, a loss of appetite and diarrhea.

The first step is being able to recognize the risk factors involved in dealing with flare-ups. Maybe the easiest risk factor to avoid is exposure to tobacco products, weather you're smoking them yourself or if your family members or friends are.

Another major risk factor for Crohn's flare-ups is stress. While it's impractical to think that you can remove stress from your life completely, making a concerted effort to try to limit the amount of stress can seriously reduce the amount of and severity of Crohn's flare-ups. Things like yoga or medication or even just making time in your schedule to read a good book can be great ways to relax and stave off the stress monster.

Another possible trigger for Crohn's disease is a woman's menstrual cycle. Many women who suffer from Crohn's experience an increase in flare-ups during their period. It's recommended that women who experience this keep a diary over a period of months to look for trends and help develop a treatment regiment with your doctor to put an end to the cycle.

The use of some over the counter drugs such as ibuprofen (Advil) and naproxen (Aleve) have also been linked to Crohn's flare-ups. If you need a non-prescription pain killer, consult your doctor to see what kind is right for you.

Treatment for these flare-ups fall into three basic categories: drug treatment, nutritional adjustments and surgery.

The most common drug to treat Crohn's are anti-inflammatories, such as Sulfasalazine. This drug has shown to work for a majority of Crohn's sufferers, but it's not a cure-all. And like with all drugs, there are side effects such as nausea, vomiting and headache.

If you have moderate to severe Crohn's, the FDA has approved a drug called Remicade. The drug actually blocks the bodies inflammatory response. This drug is only used for patients who don't respond to more traditional treatments.

Nutritional supplements are another common way to deal with Crohn's flare-ups. This course of action is geared to those that don't want to put medications in their bodies and are looking for a more natural alternative. Foods to avoid, such as spicy foods, whole grains and dairy products are a good first step. Drinking high protein shakes to make up for the fact that a patients intestines are so ravaged so that they don't absorb nutrients anymore is another common way to help treat the disease. These are especially common in kids who need nutrients to grow.

A large number of Crohn's patients will need surgery at some point to deal with the long-term effects of the disease. Sufferers are warned, however, that removing a section of intestine doesn't cure the disease, but may be necessary if that area becomes to deteriorated by ulcers. It should be used as a last resort.