Colitis Treatment Information

Ulcerative colitis is a disease characterized by a chronic inflammatory reaction involving the mucosa and submucosa of the large intestine. It occurs in both sexes and in all age-groups. It is basically a disease of young adults, although close to 15% of the cases begin in children younger than 16 years. The peak onset in children is between ages 10 and 19. This disorder and Crohn's disease are together referred to as inflammatory bowel disease.

The cause of ulcerative colitis is unknown, although infectious, nutritional, immunologic, and psychogenic etiologies have been proposed but not substantiated. At present the feeling is that Ulcerative colitis is an organic disease caused by combination of physical and emotional factors. Psychologic influences, such as stress, significantly affect the exacerbation and chronicity of the illness. Several genetic and environmental factors influence the incidence of ulcerative colitis
• There is a familial tendency in about 5% to 15% of the cases,
• Individuals from higher socio-economic evels and more whites than nonwhites are affected
• The incidence is four times greater in Jewish populations than in the general population, and
• There is a higher occurrence of allergic disease in relatives of these patients

Pathophysiology
The mucous membranes of the bowel become hyperemic and edematous with the formation of patchy granulations over the intestinal surface ulcerations. In longstanding disease, the bowel becomes narrowed, smooth, and inflexible with thin or absent mucosa heavily infiltrated by scar tissue. The greatly reduced absorptive surface results in loose, watery and sometimes bloody stools.

Clinical manifestations
The most common feature of ulcerative colitis is persistent or recurring diarrhea. In acute, fulminating disease there is bloody diarrhea preceded by cramping abdominal pain and followed by abdominal distention. Diarrhea may be very severe with marked urgency and frequency (20 to 30 stools daily). It is usually associated with fever, weight loss, anorexia, and sometimes nausea and vomiting. Pallor and anemia may result from bleeding and reduced dietary intake, and the numerous watery bowel movements often cause depletion of water and electrolytes.

The clinical course varies markedly in terms of severity, response to therapy, and prognosis. In general the disease follows one of two patterns: acute remitting type or chronic continuous course. Children afflicted with either type have usually been healthy before the onset of the disease. The acute remitting type is more common and follows a pattern of remissions and exacerbations. During the period of remission, the child is usually well, with few or no symptoms of disease. However, periods of exacerbation are severe and acute, although they usually respond well to medical treatment, The disease may terminate in a permanent remission or ultimately follow the course of chronic colitis.

In chronic continuos colitis, there are no definitive periods of severe disease with intermittent good health. Intestinal symptoms tend to be less severe, but chronic malnutrition and anemia are common, These children often respond poorly to medical therapy and are more likely to suffer from complications, especially carcinoma of the colon.

Therapeutic management
Medical treatment is based on a combination of therapies:
1. dietary managements to allow the colon a rest and improve the child's nutritional status,
2. medication to reduce the abdominal pain and rectal spasm
3. steroids to reduce bowel inflammation, and
4. antibacterial agents (sulfasalazine) to prevent infection.

The child is usually hospitalized both to ensure proper medical management and to reduce the familial environmental factors that may be contributing to the disease. Other medical therapies that may be warranted include intravenous fluids, to correct dehydration and associated electrolyte imbalances, and parenteral alimentation when malnutrition is severe and the colitis is further aggravated by oral diet. Emergency surgical intervention is required for complications such as perforation, massive hemorrhage, or toxic megacolon (fulminating distention of the colon with progressive inflammation).

In some instances a poor response to medical treatment necessitates elective surgery either to allow the bowel a period of rest, in which a temporary colostomy is performed, or to arrest the disease process by removing the entire section of ulcerated bowel, in which case a total colectomy or ileostomy is usually required. In which case a total colectomy or ileostomy is usually required. In some centers a prophylactic colectomy is considered in those children with chronic colitis of 10 years of more duration to eliminate the high risk of colonic cancer.

A possible alternative to a permanent colostomy or ileostomy is the continent (Koch) ileostomy. In this procedure an intraabdominal puch or reservoir is constructed form the terminal ileum. The feces are stored in the puch until the patient drains it with a catheter. A surgically implanted valve prevents leakage of feces. The stoma is less than a inch in diameter, is almost level with the skin and requires no appliance. These are obvious advantages, especially to an adolescent who is concerned with body image and self- identity.

Psychotherapy or family counseling may also prove helpful in reducing stresses that existed before the disease and those that have resulted from the colitis. A particularly difficult stress for these children to cope with is the consequence growth retardation and delayed sexual maturation from chronic colitis. Supportive therapy may also be of benefit to those children facing the adjustment of a permanent ileostomy.

About 80% of the world population is within the clutches of the ailment called arthritis. Arthritis is characterized by joint inflammation. It is a chronic disorder making mobility, day to day activities and life altogether quite difficult. Pain or arthralgia is the ruling symptom of arthritis, and there is not a single arthritis patient who would not complain of aching joints. Arthritis causes the joints to wear out. To understand the cause of the pain, we have to cast a glance at the structure and functioning of a joint in human body.

A joint is surrounded by a protective cover called capsule. Two bone heads meeting at a joint turn on each other, and the muscles around the joint contract and relax, thereby collectively facilitating movement of the joints. The joint cavity is filled with synovial fluid which acts as a lubricating agent and absorbs the external jerks or shocks. The point where the bone heads meet, cartilages occur. Cartilages play a vital role in inhibiting friction between bones, and provide a padded surface for the free and smooth movement of bones. When the cartilages get damaged or wear out due to factors like aging, obesity, they can no more check bone friction. The bones get rubbed against each other, and may even get eroded to form spur like outgrowths called osteophytes.

The result is an inflamed and painful joint. Aging is a major factor causing arthritis. With age, the cartilages become weak, can no more resist day to day wear and tear, and start flaking. This degeneration leads to loss of cartilage and exposure of bones to friction. If body weight increases, that too can lead to painful joints. The cartilages wear out under the load of the extra body weight, causing arthritis. Apart from the above two factors, heredity, past history of traumatic joint injury or infection, may in course of time, lead to painful joints. Cartilage degeneration is the leading cause of joint pain; but also accumulation of fluids and uric acid crystals within joints can cause arthritis joint pain. Joint pain may even occur when the body's own immune system start consuming the healthy tissues at the joint. This is true in case of rheumatoid arthritis. Knee, hip, shoulder, ankle, wrist and even spine are the joints vulnerable to the attack of arthritis.

Symptoms

1. Excruciating pain at the joints
2. Swelling
3. Stiffness
4. Redness of skin
5. Deformity in the joint area
6. Crepitus or a cracking sound while moving affected joint
7. Constipation
8. Colitis

Rumatone Gold Capsule and Oil are ayurvedic remedies for reducing arthritis joint pain and inflammation. These herbal supplements and massage oil are clinically formulated to ease pain and discomfort associated with arthritis. Rumatone Gold is widely used and trusted ayurvedic remedy to get relief from arthritis symptoms.

A bleeding hemorrhoid, by medical definition, is a ruptured lump of tissue within the anal canal and the lower rectum. These tissue masses contain blood vessels and supporting muscular fibers, and are most commonly found at the last five centimeters of the alimentary canal leading to the anus.

It is a common misconception that having hemorrhoids are abnormal. In truth, they are present in everyone but only pose a threat when the tissues concerned have become swollen and infected thus, obstructing the path where the stool passes. This creates bleeding hemorrhoid which is uncomfortable, and also dangerous as it increases the risk of necrosis within the anal canal.

If you find yourself having to deal with pathological hemorrhoids that are bleeding profusely, first thing that you must do is go directly to a physician and immediately ask for medical attention. A bleeding hemorrhoid should be stopped immediately as it could lead to further complications.

A bleeding hemorrhoid usually occurs when there is a lot of pressure being applied on the walls of the anal canal during bowel movement. The pressure could cause the hemorrhoids to wear out and become weak, inducing breakage of the tissue and the subsequent bleeding. It will then trigger blood to gush out of the tissues each time the bowels are being moved which can be visible on the feces as bloody residues.

There are two ways hemorrhoids can be treated - treating the wound existing in the anal walls, and stopping the blood from flowing and bleeding by reducing the pressure exerted by bowel movements. Bleeding hemorrhoids can also be treated using natural ways as well as with the help of modern medicine.

One of the recommended natural treatment methods in controlling bleeding hemorrhoid is by increasing fiber as well as fluid intake. Fiber and enough fluid promote good digestion and bowel movement by loosening stool and making it pass more easily through the anal canal. Ease of passage means less pressure on the infected hemorrhoids, thus preventing further bleeding and wound formation.

Apple cider vinegar has also been reported to be a good cure for wounds and infections. For an even faster effect, you can try applying directly to the area concerned.

The purported health benefits of Cayenne pepper also helps in controlling bleeding hemorrhoid and stops further infection from occurring, just by drinking a glass of water with cayenne pepper on a daily basis. How does this happen? It is believed that cayenne pepper is effective in relieving inflamed veins and arteries, and hemorrhoids being such, would respond well to this pepper.

For those suffering from severe constipation, physicians recommend the use of laxatives as it helps ease the pressure that builds up during bowel movements. Fecal matter is then expunged without exerting damaging pressure on the walls of the canal where infected hemorrhoids are present. Taking up laxative supplements and having a diet rich in fiber can alleviate constipated bowel movement altogether, thus significantly stopping a bleeding hemorrhoid.

Patients of Irritable Bowel Disease (IBD) including Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn's Disease usually have certain symptoms like mouth ulcers. Two of them are Recurrent Aphthous Stomatitis (RAS) and Recurrent Intra-oral Herpes (RIH). It is not exactly clear why ulcers occur along with IBD but they are usually concurrent with flare ups and remissions of the disease.

Mouth ulcers can be caused due to microbial causes like herpes, infectious mononucleosis and chickenpox; gastrointestinal causes like Coeliac, Crohn's, and Ulcerative Colitis; skin causes like erythema multiforme and liche planus; blood causes like neutropenia and leukaemia; rheumatoid causes like systemic lupus erthematosus, Reiter's syndrome and Behcet's disease or due to drugs like Nicorandril, cytotoxic agents, NSAIDs and oral nicotine replacement therapy. Other than these ulcers are also related to nutritional deficiencies or food sensitivities.

As a part of the macrobiotic food regime followed by ulcer patients in which nutritious yet bland soft foods are included patients are increasingly resorting to topical application of aloe vera. British Journal of Dermatology has published a study report confirming that use of aloe vera can aid treatment of mouth ulcers. The healing properties of aloe vera has been found to exceed expectations in terms of oedema control, pain control and quick healing.

Aloe vera has also been used in inflammation control. Due to its anti-bacterial attributes its been used in chemical burns, after tooth extraction, traumatized gum tissue, periodontal surgery sites etc to soothe the area and prevent violent swellings. As medication for mouth ulcers depend on contact time, Aloe users should keep this fact in mind. Aloe in any form should be given at least five minutes to engage the area before it is washed out. These are only few of the many medicinal properties of aloe vera. It is also used for its anti-fungal, laxative, astringent, anti-viral, anti-bacterial properties.

Raw milk (from cows, goats, yaks, horses, sheep) has historically been considered a superfood. It has been used both in the daily diet (often fermented) and by special groups with extra nutritional needs, like the elderly, pregnant or nursing women, warriors, and sick people. An ancient Babylon text tells how raw milk was used to drive out the demons of sickness, "Bring milk and laban [curdled milk] that man become as pure as laban; like that milk may he become pure."(1)

A portion of raw milk was drunk fresh and warm from the cow (or other animal), but a lot of it was fermented, or cultured, into a variety of delicious products - yoghurt, kefir, cheeses, lacto-fermented beverages, etc. - due to both the lack of refrigeration and primitive people's knowledge of the health benefits of "probiotics".

As early as the 1800's, we have documented texts of medical doctors using a diet composed exclusively of raw milk to heal an incredible variety of diseases - ranging from asthma and diabetes to colitis, obesity and tuberculosis. How does raw milk work to heal such a variety of very different disorders?

Many of my readers who have gone on The IBD Remission Diet (an elemental diet used to induce disease remission) also found that a variety of other illnesses cleared up at the same time. This is one of the reasons I refer to the time on the Diet as a "healing spa". If the digestive system is the foundation of health in the body, and natural healing heals the entire body holistically, then of course you are going to see positive results in all aspects of your health. All of your organs and systems will heal and balance, over time, given the necessary tools. An elemental diet - and raw milk is truly the first, original elemental diet, provides the body with the tools to heal holistically.

In his book, The Untold Story of Milk, naturopathic physician Ron Schmid writes:

"According to late 19th century proponents, the 'secret' of the milk cure lies in the fact good raw milk is a food the body easily turns into good blood. In illness there is one or both of two conditions in the blood: insufficient quantity, or abnormal quality. The milk diet corrects both and, acting through the blood and the circulation, heals the cells and thus the tissues and organs. The muscles on a milk diet harden, almost like an athlete's, because they are pumped full of blood, as are the organs."(2)

However, there are some rules that need to be followed. As with The IBD Remission Diet, there are some crucial guidelines that need to be implemented to have success with the raw milk cure. Some of the doctors who used the raw milk cure with patients in the 1800's through to the 1930's used raw milk in conjunction with mild, easily digestible foods like fruit. But the vast majority swore by the need to consume only fresh, raw milk, and vast quantities of it.

One of the most prolific of these doctors, Charles Sanford Porter MD, published a book called, Milk Diet as a Remedy for Chronic Disease in 1905. In the book he relates how at least 18,000 patients had been on the raw milk diet under his care in the last 37 years. This was not some fad diet, or quick-flash trend. This was a solid, scientifically proven method for healing mild to severe disorders. In 1929, one of the founders of the Mayo Foundation (forerunner to the Mayo Clinic), J.E. Crew MD reported that he had been successfully using the raw milk treatment for the last 15 years. He said, "The results obtained in various types of disease have been so uniformly excellent that one's conception of disease and its alleviation is necessarily changed. When sick people are limited to a diet containing an excess of vitamins and all the elements necessary to growth and maintenance, they recover rapidly without the use of drugs and without bringing to bear all the complicated weapons of modern medicine."(3)

The great thing is that many medical doctors in the U.S., Russia and Germany published their work and results using raw milk diets from the early 1800's to early 1900's, so we have good guidelines for implementation. Personally, from my experience with elemental diets and the rationale behind them, I agree with the majority of doctors who found that if you mixed other foods with the raw milk diet, it was not nearly as successful. The only other food I think you could mix with raw milk and perhaps see an added benefit from is clear homemade bone broths - boiled from organic meat and bones. I say this both because I have an intuitive sense that this would be okay (and perhaps add to the healing power of the regime), and because homemade bone broths have been very beneficial for people on The IBD Remission Diet.

Rules For The Raw Milk Cure

After perusing the writings of various doctors who worked extensively with raw milk treatments, here are the crucial implementation guidelines if you'd like to give the raw milk diet a try:

• Use raw, untreated milk from pasture-fed cows only - milk has the highest curative value in spring and early summer when cows are eating new, high vitamin grass. Do not use milk from grain-fed or barn-bound cows.


• Higher fat milk (from Jersey cows) is ideal. Be sure to use full-fat milk only (not 2% or skim).


• The average adult must consume at least 3 - 4 quarts of raw milk per day. You can consume up to 10 quarts per day, if you wish (note: 4 cups = 1 quart).


• Minimum duration of raw milk diet is 4 weeks to see good results. Follow with gradual food introduction of easily digested foods.


• You must have complete rest during the diet - do not work, take care of family, go to school, etc. This is exactly what I advise people on The IBD Remission Diet, because healing takes a lot of energy.


• Do not consume any other foods or beverages whilst on the diet, except filtered or spring water.

The importance of strictly adhering to these guidelines is summed up in the words of Dr. Charles Sanford Porter, MD:

"It is wrong, if not positively dangerous, to attempt the exclusive milk diet on any amount of milk less than that required to noticeably stimulate the circulation and promote body growth. There is no halfway method of taking the milk diet for people who have much the matter with them. Enough milk must be taken to create new circulation, new cells, and new tissue growth, and cause prompt elimination of the waste and dead matter that may be poisoning the system. With milk alone, digestion and assimilation may go on throughout practically the whole length of the alimentary canal. The addition of even a cracker to the milk seems to cause the stomach to hold all its contents for hours without discharging much into the intestine."(4)

How Long Do I Stay On The Diet?

Now you may be wondering how long you can safely stay on a raw milk diet. Amazingly, there is no limit. Raw cow's milk from pasture-fed cows is a complete, perfect food all by itself. In his book, The Untold Story of Milk, Ron Schmid ND, relates numerous stories of people who lived in perfect health for up to 50 years on raw milk alone. Here's just one of many examples; this is a letter from a man in Burlington, Iowa in 1913:

"I have lived on a strictly milk diet for the past forty-two years, not as a matter of choice, but from the fact that I am unable to take solid food of any kind, even a crumb of bread. At the age of two I took a dose of concentrated lye, which caused a stricture of the food pipe and since then have lived on a milk diet. I believe I have gotten along better than the man who eats. I am five feet, six inches tall, weigh one hundred and forty pounds, and am married and have four strong, healthy children. I take one quart at each mealtime and none between meals. My health is good, in fact I have never been ill in forty-two years."(5)

Dr. Schmid goes on to give many different examples of people who have had excellent health living on nothing but raw cow's milk for 3 - 50 years. This is very liberating information! Imagine if elderly people in nursing homes were given raw milk instead of Boost, Ensure and processed foods? Imagine if people with obstructions and strictures were given raw milk, rather than surgery, or having their colon removed?

How To Introduce Raw Milk

People with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) are often very hesitant to try raw milk due to bad experiences with pasteurized milk and sensitivity to milk proteins (keep in mind these proteins have been denatured by the pasteurization process). So what's the best way to start and test whether you can take advantage of this amazing superfood? Here are the guidelines I've used with myself and my children (who were not allowed to drink pasteurized milk) to introduce raw milk and test for tolerance:

• Make sure you only use untreated, full-fat, raw milk from pasture-fed cows


• If you have been highly sensitive to milk in the past, then start by making yoghurt from the raw milk. Raw milk yoghurt is the most highly tolerated of all raw milk products. Eat a small amount of yoghurt each day and gradually build up (see Jini's Raw Milk Yoghurt Recipe below).


• If you like the yoghurt and tolerate it well, then you can make an Indian yoghurt drink called a lassi: Add a pinch of cardamom powder, nutmeg powder and your desired sweetener (stevia, maple syrup, honey) and stir to mix. Add some warm filtered water if the texture is too thick.


• If you want to drink the raw milk straight, it's best if you drink it in isolation from other foods. For example, have it first thing in the morning and don't eat or drink anything else with it - consume it as you would an elemental shake (all by itself, on an empty stomach).


• Warm the milk slightly to room temperature or lukewarm before drinking (but don't make it hot/boiling or you will kill the good bacteria and enzymes that facilitate digestion). Cold milk can be a shock to the system and harder to digest.

Before we found a source of raw milk, my kids would occasionally have a glass of pasteurized milk at a friend's house. And within half an hour they would have a bowel movement. Now keep in mind that my kids are perfectly healthy, with one formed bowel movement per day. If pasteurized milk affects them so negatively, imagine what it does to an already compromised digestive system? Raw milk is completely different. My kids drink as much raw milk per day as they wish and they still have only one formed bowel movement per day. I drink raw milk straight, eat raw milk cheeses, raw milk yoghurt, and make a shake from raw eggs and raw milk, and I've never felt better! If you'd like to source a raw milk supplier in your area go to: www.realmilk.com There are also lots of useful articles on the site if you're worried about safety issues, legalities, etc.

References:

1. Barton, George A. Encyclopedia of Religion and Ethics, pg 635.

2. Schmid, Ron The Untold Story of Milk, pg. 76

3. Crewe, J. E. Raw Milk Cures Many Diseases, article, 1929

4. Porter, S. Charles Milk Diet as a Remedy for Chronic Disease, 1905-1923

5. Schmid, Ron The Untold Story of Milk, pg. 75

JINI'S RAW MILK YOGHURT RECIPE

Traditional yoghurt recipes call for the milk to be heated to 180 degrees Fahrenheit, however, this destroys the beneficial enzymes present in raw milk. Therefore, I prefer to not heat the milk beyond 110 degrees Fahrenheit (43°C). However, this usually results in a runny yoghurt (not firm). If you're going to use your yoghurt in shakes, smoothies or lassis, this is fine. However, if you prefer to eat firm yoghurt, you will need to add gelatin to help firm it up. So the recipe here includes gelatin, but if you're okay with runny yoghurt, then follow the recipe as is, minus the gelatin.

• 4 cups raw whole milk


• 2 teaspoons of Natren Yogurt Starter


• 1 glass quart jar with lid, sterilized


• 1 teaspoon powdered gelatin

2. Over low heat, stirring constantly, slowly bring the milk to 110°F (43°C), or until you can keep your finger in the milk while you count to 10.

3. Put the yogurt starter into the wide-mouth quart-size sterilized glass jar. Pour in about 1/2 cup milk and stir to mix really well with the starter.

4. Fill the jar with the rest of the milk, stir lightly, and screw on the lid.

5. Wrap the jar in a towel and let sit in a warm place*, for eight hours.

6. Unwrap and place in the refrigerator. Allow yoghurt to set in fridge (about four hours). If you want an even firmer yoghurt, next time add 1.5 or 2 teaspoons of gelatin.

*If you don't have a warm place, then put it inside your oven with the oven light on. Do not turn on the oven, just turn on the oven light and close the oven door. If you have a yoghurt-maker, use the recipe here and then follow instructions for your yoghurt-maker for incubation - but still best to incubate for 8 hours.

Note: Do not mix fruit or sweeteners directly into your main batch of yoghurt, as this will interfere negatively with probiotic activity and potency during storage. However, it is perfectly fine to scoop out a portion of yoghurt and mix in some fruit, jam, maple syrup or honey immediately prior to eating - just don't mix these in with your main batch that remains in the fridge.

It is often difficult to pin down an accurate diagnosis for leaky gut syndrome. The symptoms can be so varied and sometimes so vague that many patients will end up getting treated for a condition they do not even have.

The nourishment for our bodies is delivered through our gastrointestinal system. After we eat, our stomach begins the process of breaking down the food so that it can be absorbed. Enzymes help to reduce the size of the food particles and hydrochloric acid kills of pathogens before the food is passed on to the small intestine.

After passing through the stomach, food enters the small intestine where most of the nutrients needed for our body are absorbed. The small intestine is lined with villi (singular villus), small protrusions that increase the amount of area available to take in the digested food. The villi are rich in capillaries, which make it easy for food to pass through the villi into the bloodstream; this is considered to be normal intestinal permeability. When the normal condition of the small intestine has been upset, through yeast infection, stress, or any other causes, spaces open up between the villi that allow food and fat particles, as well as toxins, to enter the body cavity causing leaky gut syndrome.

The large intestine takes water and vitamins out of the food that passes into it. Although there are no villi in the colon, there are invaginations and goblet cells, which can also be subject to deterioration and increased intestinal permeability. As with the small intestine, openings can appear, passing all manner of toxins into the body.

Unsurprisingly, leaky gut syndrome will probably cause intestinal problems to begin with, and the patient can suffer from gas, abdominal pain, diarrhea, or muscular spasms in the belly. However, symptoms such as headache, fatigue, swollen lymph glands, and insomnia can also occur. It is easy to understand how leaky gut syndrome can cause such a range of problems as the contents of both intestines will be oozing out right into the surrounding tissues and organs. No part of the body will be safe from these contaminating substances.

Part of the trouble with correctly diagnosing leaky bowel syndrome symptoms is that they can be so broad or so vague that pinning down the cause can be difficult. Often a correct diagnosis is only reached by performing tests. One of the first will be to test for a Candida yeast infection. A blood test will be necessary for this, and the presence of certain antibodies will indicate that an overgrowth of yeast has occurred. A stool sample will also probably be called for, and this can not only indicate yeast, but also how well the food has been digested. Poorly digested foods can be a red flag for leaky gut syndrome.

If leaky guts have been caused by yeast, there are several ways to approach this problem. Traditional medicine will probably suggest using one of several antifungal prescription drugs. These can include Nystatin, which is considered safe, or such medicines as Nizoral or Lamisil, both of which have been linked to liver damage.

Another approach is to fight leaky gut syndrome with a diet designed to correct the problems in both intestines. This dietary approach will eliminate foods such as those containing gluten (breads and pastries), fermented beverages, processed foods, dairy products (especially cheese), and sugary foods. Changing your eating habits in this way can help your body repair itself, and can often provide a way to overcome leaky gut syndrome.

According to the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), a division of the US Department of Health and Human Services that accumulates and publishes the statistics for Crohns disease and other health problems, one in 500 people suffer from Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), the group of diseases that includes Crohns syndrome and ulcerative colitis. The National Institute of Diabetes & Digestive & Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) reports similar numbers. Approximately 544,000 people suffer from IBD in the United States. There are typically three or four new cases per 100,000 people reported annually.

Crohns syndrome and ulcerative colitis are not considered life threatening diseases (less than 1000 deaths are attributed to IBD annually), but they do affect quality of life. According to a study published in August 2006, newly diagnosed pediatric patients did report an improvement in overall quality of life within the first year of diagnosis. The average age of the patients studied was between 11 and 13 years. 23% suffered from ulcerative colitis. The statistics for Crohns disease was 77% of those included in the study. Quality of life is of major concern for anyone who suffers from IBD, but the negative impact on children and teenagers can be great. There was no reported difference in quality of life between those who suffer from ulcerative colitis and those who suffer from Crohns syndrome.

While ulcerative colitis and Crohns syndrome rarely result in death, they do lead to approximately one hundred thousand hospitalizations per year in the United States. Sixty four thousand are the statistics for Crohns disease or 64% of the hospitalizations attributed to IBD. Approximately 700,000 doctor's office visits are attributed to IBD annually.

Doctor's visits and hospital stays cost Americans who suffer from digestive diseases an estimated $87 billion in 1992. Another $20 billion was spent on indirect medical costs, which includes disability and mortality. The statistics for Crohns disease disabilities is estimated at 119,000 Americans. Thus, of the 544,000 who suffer from Crohns syndrome 22% are unable to work.

In Europe, concerns about appropriate treatment for Crohns syndrome led to a study in which 10 gastroenterologists, 3 surgeons and 2 general practitioners from 12 different countries evaluated their colleagues' treatment of Crohns syndrome patients. The results were not good. The panel found that treatment was inappropriate 52% of the time. After evaluating the statistics for Crohns disease treatment, this expert panel came up with a set of guidelines for practitioners to use to help them treat patients appropriately.

The Department of Gastroenterology in London reported in February 2006 that the use of complementary and alternative medicine for the treatment of Crohns syndrome and ulcerative colitis, particularly herbal therapies, is widespread and increasing. According to the study, there is evidence that aloe may be effective for reducing inflammation and pain associated with IBD. Studies of patients treated with acupuncture were promising. Their concern is that certain herbal preparations may interact with prescription medications and if not used under doctor's supervision may not be safe. There is also some concern over the quality of products patients receive. The statistics for Crohns disease treatment with herbal or alternative therapies relating to effectiveness or safety are unavailable, as no surveys or studies have been done at this time, but at least some doctors believe they are needed. To learn more about natural, botanical and herbal remedies for Crohns disease and other digestive problems, visit www.digestive-disorders-guide.com.

In the past people suffering from peptic ulcers were restricted from taking small amount of bland food and milk regularly. Researches however showed that this in no way helps in decreasing the recurrence of ulcers. However, a diet rich of fibers may minimize the chances of developing ulcers, and will help in fast healing of the existing ones. In particular, fiber found in fruits, vegetables are very protective, and with vitamin contained in most of these foods, the benefits are increased.

There are some evidences that show that exercise helps in reducing the risk of ulcers in some people. In a study in 2000, it was found that although exercise is helpful for men but it has null effect on ulcer development in women. Stress relief programs are not known to have an impact on ulcer healing. However, they have other health benefits that are useful.

Treat Ulcer with Vitamin A
When it comes to ulcers, the main role of Vitamin A is to protect the lining of the stomach so that the sore, if in case it developed already, won't get worse. Vitamin A also allows for the speedy healing of the affected areas of the small intestines. Patients suffering from peptic ulcer are advised to take foods rich in Vitamin A and dietary fiber such as fruits and vegetables.

Doctors would normally recommend peptic ulcer patients an initial dosage of 25,000 IU of Vitamin A daily for an entire week. Then the dosage is reduced to just 10,000 IU everyday for maintenance. However, pregnant women or those who want to get pregnant are advised not to take more than 5,000 IU of Vitamin A daily.

Vitamin C can help Ulcer
Vitamin C works favorably for the patients of peptic ulcer because it directly inhibits the growth the very bacteria that cause the disease. Also, if the H. pylori bacteria were abundant, it would directly impair the body's absorption of Vitamin C. When this happens, the patient has higher risks of developing stomach cancers from the condition that merely started as peptic ulcer.

The normal dosage of Vitamin C for peptic ulcer patients is 1,000 mg taken twice a day. Because Vitamin C could induce diarrhea, the dosage can also be taken in a buffered form.

A hormone found in the brain that has a role in sleep is known as Melatonin. Researchers have found that the hormone might have properties that will help in preventing ulcers along with reduction in acid secretion and an improvement in blood flow. Until now, it is not known if it will benefit people with peptic ulcers but it might well do so. However, high doses of Melatonin have adverse affects like mental impairment, severe headache and nightmares.

In the past anti acids were the drugs that were preferred for ulcers but now it has been replaced with proton pump inhibitors. There are natural alternatives that work really well to heal ulcer and can be used with other prescribed drugs. Researchers claim Deglycrrhizinated licorice {DGL) as a good complement to the therapeutic measures recommended by your health care professional. DGL works positively by addressing the underlying factors causing ulcers rather than trying to hide the symptoms. DGL works by promoting the natural defense mechanism that is already present in our body to fight against ulcers. Other drugs that are also beneficial in curing ulcer carry some side effects along with them but DGL has no side effect.

Therefore, although there is no sure cure for ulcers but choices available for getting rid of it are many and a proper treatment will see you through. The patient must consult the doctor for proper treatment and correct guidance. If the patient reaches at the early stage, ulcers can be easily cured with fewer complications.

Explosive diarrhea after eating is not pleasant: you go out to a restaurant, and enjoy a beautiful meal but within a half hour you start to feel stomach cramps, and that horrible feeling in your bowels that something is about to happen!

I am sure you know the feeling - we all get it now and again, but some of us a lot more than others. The cramps get worse, and you have to rush to the rest room where you have explosive diarrhea. The problem is that you never know when you are finished, and it can be extremely embarrassing. Wouldn't you just love to have that cured?

Of course you would, and there are a few possible reasons for diarrhea after eating, such as allergy to the gluten in many foods, although the most common is IBS, or irritable bowel syndrome to give it its Sunday name. This is a condition that affects up to 20% of all Americans.

The root cause of IBS usually is not a single trigger but a complex set of triggers, with explosive diarrhea after eating as one of the main symptoms. IBS can be tied with celiac disease, which is an intolerance to the gluten protein in some grains such as wheat. It is difficult to know where the beginning starts with these types of digestive issues, thus it is a condition that has to be targeted from several directions.

Main stream medicine has trouble diagnosing IBS, because it has such similar symptoms as several other digestive disorders. In fact IBS not only causes diarrhea, but can also cause the exact opposite: severe constipation. The way that IBS is generally diagnosed is to test with very invasive procedures for all other known causes of the symptoms, and once none are left it must be IBS. How unscientific! No wonder that the best remedies for you are natural ones. Let's discuss a few alternative diarrhea cures that you can try.

1. Your diet. It is probably worth while trying a gluten free diet just to make sure that is not the cause. Lactose can also cause similar symptoms, so if you keep free of these for a week or so and the symptoms disappear, then you could have found your cure. However, celiac disease occurs in only 1 in each 133 of the population: a long way away from 20%!

2. Eating a lot of fruit and vegetables can help some people. You might feel tempted to increase your fiber intake, but that can often cause symptoms of bloating and gas. Many find that bananas can help both the diarrhea and constipation symptoms of IBS. Many people swear by them, and so are worth a try. The high potassium content of bananas helps replace potassium that is lost through diarrhea, and also helps in the proper formation of stools. Juiced greens also seem to be an effective treatment for some.

3. Activated charcoal absorbs gas and toxins, and helps your stool to form properly.

4. Garlic is useful in that it helps to remove parasites and mucus from your colon, and fights infections in the gut. It also expels gas, and a combination of all of these effects can help relieve some of the symptoms of your condition. A side-benefit of garlic is that it is also good for your heart!

5. Slippery elm taken with a lot of water can coat the colon, and treat chronic diarrhea and ulcerative colitis. It appears to soothe and heal your whole gastro-intestinal tract and help you to form normal stools.

6. Where children are involved, agrimony and meadowsweet are very useful because they are mild but effective herbal remedies for explosive diarrhea after eating, and meadowsweet is both astringent and nutritious for children.

Diarrhea after eating can also be caused by drinking too much alcohol, infections from contaminated food or water, parasites and also emotional stress and other similar conditions. An example of one of the minor causes is withdrawal from some forms of prescription painkillers.

However, most of these cause only temporary diarrhea which goes when the condition is cured. Nevertheless some other natural remedies reflect one or two of these other causes. So, to continue:

7. Stress relieving herbs such as catnip and chamomile are particularly effective in treating IBS and other conditions of the bowel, and far more effective that St. John's Wort for this condition. Kava kava and valerian are useful in dealing with general stress: in fact kava kava is increasing in popularity, and can relax you without affecting your mental alertness. Hops also help to reduce stress, but not in the form of beer!

8. Finally, probiotic drinks and supplements can increase the volume of friendly bacteria in your gut, and improve your digestion in general as well as regulating the function of your bowel.

All of these remedies are a good place to start for overcoming explosive diarrhea after eating. They are easy to try, and actually aid your body in healing, unlike many of the manufactured chemical drugs that can have severe side effects, only address the symptoms and not the root causes, and can even make your condition worse.

While main stream medicine still does not recognize the causes of IBS and struggles to give definitive diagnoses, if you are struggling with diarrhea after eating or other digestive disturbances, you can try these natural remedies since they are easy to take and give good results. They have been recommended after countless years of successful use by untold numbers of people that have gone before us.

People are frequently got confused of colitis symptoms and Crohns Disease signs and symptoms as they are somewhat similar. Though both colitis symptoms as well as Crohns Disease affect the digestive system, in fact they are apparently different in different ways. This will be explained in this article to aid you tell the difference of both conditions.

What Is Colitis?

Colitis basically is a condition that is characterized by inflammation of the large intestines or colon. When this part of the body is inflamed, it can cause ulcers that bleed and produce a mucus or pus sometimes.

As regards the causes of this condition, there are a lot of theories arise. There are also many research have been done without definite answer, however. This condition frequently shows up in the form of flare ups.

Prescription drugs and dietary changes are two of the most common treatments for this condition. This would include removing the affected part of the colon. This is usually used only as a final resort.

Once it becomes apparent that the condition is present, you have to seek treatment immediately. Diarrhea causes the body to lose fluids faster than normal. Dehydration and malnutrition can result from this.

When coping with colitis symptoms, the way it affects a person's daily life is another factor that is needed to be considered. This can also be a so embarrassing condition to deal with by reason of the part of the body that is affected. When treating colitis, it's important to cope with the psychological affects and the physical.

Time and again, coping with colitis symptoms can lead to changes of major lifestyle and even can affect the quality of a person's life hugely. Herein, the support groups are more common as a way of coping with this.

Answer all questions of yours in regard to colitis symptoms

--- Fulfill your dreams - have a baby and build a family ---

Perhaps one of the most thrilling moments in a couple's life is the culmination of a healthy pregnancy, when they can hold their newborn baby for the first time. However, for many couples, this process does not come easily. Cranial Sacral Therapy is helping couples, for whom conception, pregnancy and childbirth has become a long and painful process, to realize their dream.

There are many possible causes of fertility problems, and in each situation there are couples where Craniosacral Therapy (CST) has enhanced and complemented the fertility process, making it quicker, more effective and reducing stress and pain. This applies to couples who going through a medical fertility program, as well as those who have chosen to use other methods to help them.

---How does CST work?--

Our treatment focuses on releasing physical stresses and tensions or lesions in the layer of tissue called fascia which surrounds all of your organs and your nervous system. These tensions can reduce the effectiveness of your nerves - which are the main channel for passing information around your body. Fascial restrictions can also affect the hormonal system which is of central importance to the timing and maintenance of a pregnancy. As fascia also surrounds internal organs, including the womb, tensions here can reduce their function or ability to heal or adapt to the changes that occur during pregnancy.

Fascia can become stressed due to illnesses, injury surgery or inflammation in the body and this is a reaction of the body in order to protect itself from further injury.

CST is calming and gentle; it enhances your body's abilities to function properly, greatly reduces the tensions in the fascial layers of your body and rebalances your hormonal and nervous systems to allow them to function at their best. It improves blood flow to all parts of your body which leads to enhanced organ function, as more oxygen is able to reach them. This will also increase your energy, further reduce your stress levels and speed up your body's ability to heal and repair itself.

As further fascial restrictions are treated, CranioSacral Therapy improves the mobility and freedom of your internal organs to move and adjust to the body's needs during pregnancy. Put all of these improvements together, and your chances of conceiving and reaching full term increase tremendously. Treatment can be in conjunction with, or instead of, your formal medical Fertility program.

---About treatment--

For us, one of the most thrilling aspects of our work is to know that we have helped you on your path to a happy future.

For more information on how Craniosacral therapy can help you or to book an appointment

email: daniel@cranio-sacral.co.il or visit the website www.cranio-sacral.co.il/ivf.html

Siberian Chaga mushroom is a famous Russian folk remedy used to prevent and treat cancer since ancient times. It was noticed that where people used to drink chaga tea instead of ordinary tea the cases of cancers were very rare.

There is a lot of information on internet already about chaga mushroom. I would like to talk about how chaga mushroom is used in cancer treatment, prevention and recovery from chemotherapy and if there are any side effects and counter indications.

Herbal therapy and Chaga Mushroom

Herbal therapy is widely used in oncology as a support for medical treatment of cancer and recovery after the chemotherapy. It reinforces the therapeutic effect of different medications. Chaga mushroom is one of those herbal remedies that is best used as a support for anti tumor therapy.

Siberian chaga mushroom is a powerful treatment on its own but its properties can also be enhanced with other herbs, all of them are anti cancer active as well.

They are:

- Sweet flag

- Calendula flowers

- St. John's wort

- Plantain

These herbs can be simply brewed as tea in equal proportions. You can add 2 teaspoons of chaga decoction to them and drink it 3-4 times a day.

It is worthwhile to mention that the following herbs are used for treatment of cancers of gastrointestinal tract and abdominal cavity:

- Yarrow (grass)

- Rose hips (fruit)

- Wormwood (grass)

- Licorice root

- Pine buds

These herbs can be used with the following recipe:

Soak all ingredients for 1 hour in water (1 part of dry herbs and 10 parts of water). Boil it. Then use a method called "water bath" - put a bowl or a saucepan with concoction in an another saucepan with boiling water and keep it there on a very low heat for 2 hours. Remove from the heating and leave it for 24 hrs. Strain, add a little bit of honey and apple vinegar, mix it all. Store the mixture in the fridge and take 1 tea spoon 30 min before food 3 times a day. Use it for 2 weeks as an extra support for treatment with chaga mushroom.

It is important to follow the dose and time instructions as the side effects can occur. First of all there can be an allergy on herbs.

Also there is an evidence of successful chaga treatment used together with a decoction of red berries of guilder-rose.

It can be used in treatment of stomach and duodenum cancer.

As a general rule there are 2 methods of chaga therapy. First methods is to use it for 3 months with short breaks (for a week) and another one is to use it for short periods but many times in long term within a year.

The first method reveals quicker results but the second scheme is used to consolidate the results of treatment and to prevent metastases.

Counter Indications:

There are some limitations you have to remember if you consider chaga treatment. It is important to stick to them for better results.

Do not use chaga therapy if you:

- take glucose intravenously

- take antibiotics especially penicillin related

- have dysentery and chronic colitis

One thing that must be seriously considered during chaga mushroom therapy is sticking to a vegetarian diet. You have to limit your meat intake and completely avoid all animal fats, smoked food, spicy and canned food.

References:

Y. Zaharov. Cancer and Herbs: prevention and treatment, 2006

V. Vishnev. Mastopathy: Salubrious Herbs of Motherland, 2004

M. Polevaya. Chaga. Cancer can be defeated!, 2005

To make the body more alkaline, there are a lot of things to change, especially in the lifestyle. But most people fail to accomplish the dietary plans it is, perhaps, because of too much requirements in lifestyle change.

If you aim to succeed in changing your lifestyle in a long term basis, you should use the simpler and easier techniques as these are most effective most of the time.

One of these simple techniques is to drink lemon water throughout the day. Just by using fresh cut lemons and water as your water therapy will surely make your bloodstream and system alkaline. Since this is quite a simple technique, you can do it every day. But you can also go for a full Master Cleanse Diet if you want to attain maximum benefit from this detoxification and cleansing process.

The main ingredients of the Master Cleanse Diet for your detoxification are lemon juice, raw maple syrup, and cayenne pepper.

The lemon is naturally rich in acid but it is also rich in minerals that are very helpful in alkalizing the body, especially after it has been digested. The juice neutralizes and wards off the free radicals and toxins to clean the blood as the juice contains diuretic and diarrheic effects keeping away all the wastes and toxins from the body.

Drinking lemon water is as easy as cutting a small piece of a lemon and putting it into a glass of water anytime of the day in your home. If you are going out, to the office or somewhere else, you can also bring a lemon anywhere. It does not only taste good, it also helps your body to detoxify, especially after eating heavy meal. Just make sure to add not any sweetener or sugar to avoid making it acidic.

Drinking this lemon water everyday will help improve your metabolism for a healthier and more alkaline body. And with an improved metabolism, losing weight will never be a problem for you anymore.

But although this simple process is very good for the health, this can also harm those people who have an acidic digestion tract problem, such as ulcerative colitis. They should avoid taking lemon and other citrus fruits because of its citric acid content because it stirs up excessive acids in their digestive system. What they should try is the vegetable juice cleansing diet which also helps the body to gently detoxify the excessive acids and toxins. After this, they can drink lemon juice or water.

There is also a simpler and much easier way to achieve detoxification, and that is to have your own alkaline water ionizer at home. You can alter your choice of drinks, from soda, tea, coffee, or any other drinks to alkaline water, starting from the time you wake up to the time you are going to bed. Your body will be hydrated and detoxified.

Question:

Can you give me any advice about paper-thin, flaking nails? I follow a fairly low-fat diet because of cholesterol problems but I don't think it is extreme, and have other health problems including vitiligo. My nails are so bad that they make everyday activities a problem and playing the piano is impossible.

Answer:

Nails reflect the state of one's general health. In fact, traditional physicians look at nails to diagnose various internal problems. Normally the nail takes four months to grow from the skin fold (cuticle) to the edge of the finger. Serrations or lines across the width of the nails show that there has been an inflammation or illness in the body. So if you have a single line across the nail around the midway line, you can trace its origins to an inflammation (such as joint ache, bad injury or fracture) or infection (such as sinus, tonsils, bladder) about two months before.

White spots on the nails indicate zinc or calcium deficiency. Ridges along the length of the nails testify to chronic inflammation of the body (such as sinusitis, colitis, gastritis, eczema). Clubbing or drumstick-like appearance of the fingertip suggests chronic lung disease( such as bronchitis or asthma) or a long-term inflammatory condition such as rheumatoid arthritis. pitting and uneven surface of the nails indicate some soft of fungal infection or psoriasis. Flaking nails, however, suggest that there is chronic malabsorption of calcium or a calcium deficiency in the blood. Calcium acts as the cement for the elastic fibres that fortify and roughen the nails so a deficiency will leave them loose and the nails will flake.

Lack of calcium is caused by:

*Poor synthesis of vitamin D, which facilitates calcium absorption in the colon.

* Lack of calcium in the diet, often due to a vegan or strict vegetarian diet (no animal protein means a poor level of vitamin D which is present in animal products).

*Poor absorption of calcium in the colon, usually caused by chronic constipation, irritable bowel syndrome, chronic diarrhoea or inflammatory bowel disease such as ulcerative colitis.

All your muscles need calcium to contract. A calcium deficiency will cause inactivity in the muscles. The body needs to move all the time and the heart muscles have to contract rhythmically 24 hours a day. If there is a chronic deficiency, the muscles of the calves and toes go into a cramp to prevent any activity in them. So the demand for calcium is high and its presence in your blood is crucial. If your body detects a drop in the calcium level in your blood, it 'steals' it from the bones (leading to osteoporosis) and stops supplying it to less essential areas including joints, walls of blood vessels, teeth and nails. So someone with calcium deficiency may suffer from flaky nails, weak teeth or tooth enamel and bruising under the skin, as well as, potentially, osteoarthritis and osteoporosis.

To prevent your nails flaking, do the following:

* Make sure you are nor constipated: drink 1.5 to two litres of water daily, eat papaya, prunes and figs for breakfast, and take lsabgol psyllium husks with two tablespoonfuls of warm water or milk, and two tablets of Herbolax at bedtime for one month.

* Take breaks in the sun, either in a garden or park or at a window; sit near windows whenever possible and get as much sun as possible on your face, body and arms.

* Home-made chicken broth contains gelatine, calcium and other important minerals. Boil baby chicken, cut into pieces and seasoned with garlic, ginger, bay leaves and a cinnamon stick, in five to six pints of water, for 90 minutes on a slow heat. Strain and drink one cup of the broth an hour before your evening meal.

* Eat organic cottage cheese with manuka honey and crushed walnuts to boost your protein and calcium levels.

* Soak whole fresh almonds and hazelnuts in water at room temperature for 24 hours and eat ten of each daily. Their zinc content is also essential to healthy nails.

* Take a supplement of Coral Calcium: mix two sachets in 1.5 litres of water and drink the water throughout the day. This is an easily absorbed source of calcium.

* Eat organic chicken, fish, eggs and meat which are good sources of fat-soluble vitamin D.

* Take 400ius of vitamin E daily for three months, to encourage healthy nail growth.

There are numerous factors and underlying conditions responsible for the development of colorectal cancer. Some of the factors including age, family history of colorectal cancer, inflammatory bowel disease (crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis) and diverticulitis are beyond human control. To deal with these risk factors the only two helpful steps involve symptoms recognition and frequent screening tests for colorectal cancer.

The potential risk of colorectal cancer increases in people above 40 years of age. People have to be really cautious about their diet and lifestyle after this age in order to increase their natural immunity against colorectal cancer. They must be able to recognize the symptoms associated with colon cancer and they must have a screening test like colonoscopy, which is recommended after every 10 years. The main objective of these screening tests is to detect this cancer in the early stages, when the chances of survival are above 90%. However, the tragedy is that most of the patients are diagnosed at late stages, when the treatment becomes less effective.That is the sole reason behind almost 50,000 deaths in USA each year, because of colon cancer. Experts strongly believe that this mortality rate can drop to 60% with early diagnosis of colon cancer. Therefore, professional have a great emphasis on encouraging people to go for the screening tests. One major hurdle in the early detection of this cancer is that people feel embarrassed to talk about the issues related to their bowels and have unknown fear about the screening tests for colon cancer. Only awareness about the disease and procedures can overcome these hurdles.

Controllable factors to avoid colon cancer include dietary and lifestyle changes. The diet which strengthens the colon functioning and makes it less vulnerable to diseases includes low fats, vegetables, fruits and foods which are high in natural fiber. Avoidance of red and processed meat is highly recommended. One should give more preference to fish, which has omega 3 fatty acids that lower the risk of colon cancer. Moreover, avoidance of smoking cigarettes and alcohol consumption is mandatory in order to reduce the risk this life threatening illness.

One cannot underestimate the significance of regular exercise and its positive effects on health. Doctors highly recommend 30 minutes of daily exercise along with other lifestyle changes for preventing colorectal cancer. Obesity is one of the risk factors for colorectal cancer, therefore maintaining a healthy weight must be a serious concern.

Leaky gut syndrome is associated with diseases such as ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease and irritable bowel syndrome as all of them are linked to abnormal immune function. As its name suggests, the syndrome is characterized by increased intestinal permeability leading to an increase in the passage of substances from the intestines into the bloodstream.

Normally, intestinal cells are held tightly against each other. In case of leaky gut syndrome these cell junctions no longer remain tight increasing the permeability and allowing toxins, bacteria and allergens to leak into the bloodstream. In an effort to destroy these substances, the body produces immune reactions that cause inflammation. Such an inflammation occurring inside the large bowel leads to the formation of ulcers in which case the condition is termed as ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease. The irritation in the bowel as a result of abnormal cell permeability also causes abdominal distress and hampers normal bowel movements in which case the condition is termed as irritable bowel syndrome.

The major causes for leaky gut syndrome that is implicated in ulcerative colitis and other inflammatory diseases are suggested to be intestinal infections, poor dietary practices, chronic gluten exposure, stress, excessive consumption of inflammatory drugs and environmental contaminants. Symptoms include fatigue, anemia, improper bowel movements, abdominal distress, joint pains etc.

Altered intestinal permeability is by far the major objective for the treatment of this syndrome that is associated with ulcerative colitis and other inflammatory diseases. This objective is realized through nutritional supplements such as vitamin A, glutamine and zinc and through the use of herbs such as aloe, slippery elm, licorice etc. Stress management is also crucial in alleviating the symptoms of leaky gut syndrome.

One of the earliest signs of a leaky gut is the presence of lymphocytic enteritis that increases Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF) which in turn increases the risk for ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. Therefore, treatment also includes the use to anti-TNF agents such as remicade and humira that are already proven to control inflammation in colitis and Crohn's disease.

Since prevention is always better than cure, it is better to prevent a leaky gut than seek a cure for it. Preventive measures in this case include proper dietary management through the use of fresh foods, balanced diets and regular meals and more importantly the use of probiotics that are said to not only prevent but also treat ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease and irritable bowel syndrome.

A chronic inflammatory bowel disease in which the inner lining of the large intestine (colon or bowel) and rectum become inflamed, Ulcerative colitis is a serious disorder which is characterized by recurrent episodes of abdominal pain, fever, chills and profuse diarrhea.

Ulcerative colitis causes both inflammation and sores, also called ulcers, in the lining of the colon and rectum. The ulcerated areas occur in the areas where inflammation has killed off the protective cells that usually line the colon. The inflammation and ulcers lead to pain, bleeding, and the hallmark symptom of profuse and nearly uncontrollable diarrhea.

The inflammation typically begins in the rectum and the sigmoid or lower colon. It may then spreads upward throughout the entire colon. However, except for the lower section, call the ileum, this disease rarely invades the small intestine. Other names for ulcerative colitis include proctitis, enteritis, ileitis and colitis.

Currently the cause is unknown, although many theories exist. Some researchers believe that it is hereditary; others believe that it is due to a bacteria or viral invasion, and still others believe it is a defect in the immune system in which the body's antibodies actually attack the colon.

The most common symptoms of ulcerative colitis are abdominal pain and bloody or pus-filled diarrhea. Other symptoms include loss of appetite, fatigue, weight loss, rectal bleeding, anemia, loss of body fluids and nutrients and fever.

Patients may also experience joint pain, rashes, skin lesions, and abscesses. Typically the onset of ulcerative colitis is gradual. However, in some cases the onset can be rather severe with the diarrhea and bleeding being much more significant. Because many of these symptoms can mimic other disorders it is important to see your physician so that an accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment can begin.

There is currently no known cure for ulcerative colitis except for removal of the colon. Some helpful treatments include medications such as steroids designed to control or lessen the inflammation of the colon can help to improve the diarrhea and cramping. Antibiotics may also be used to help control the disorder.

Other medications may be used to control the pain and diarrhea of ulcerative colitis. Dietary changes can also help. For example, during an acute attack of ulcerative colitis, your physician may suggest that you avoid milk, milk products and bulky, heavy fiber foods.

A healthy diet with sufficient calories and adequate protein will help in overall well being. Hospitalization may be necessary in order to correct malnutrition, dehydration or mineral imbalances and to stop the diarrhea.

Surgery may also be required for difficult cases of ulcerative colitis. In cases of excessive bleeding, a perforation of the colon or even a debilitating lifestyle impact from the disease may all be appropriate reasons for surgery to remove the colon. Surgery is generally looked to as a last resort option after all other treatment options have failed.

Ulcerative colitis mimics several other bowel disorders and must be aggressively managed in order to avoid long term damage to the colon and a significant impact on the overall health of the sufferer.

Talk with your physician today and determine the best and most aggressive course of treatment for your disease.

Ulcerative colitis is a brutal disorder that is exemplified by frequent occurrences of abdominal pain, soaring temperatures, nausea and acute dysentery. There is no definite cause for ulcerative colitis. The most widespread risk factor ascribed to this disease is an uncharacteristic assaulting of the intestine or bowels by one's own immune system. It may also be attributed to heredity. Of late, studies have shown smoking to cause this ailment. Other aspects such as diet and an assortment of infections may also cause colitis.

If you have any of the above symptoms, a simple blood test can confirm this disease. You can take advantage of a simple test that can be done at home. You can prick and collect a small amount of blood as sample. This can be sent to a pathological lab where further tests will be undertaken to reveal the presence of any antibody to particular food items. Antibody blood tests look for specific markers of ulcerative colitis, called serological markers.

Crohn's disease is also an inflammatory ailment of the bowel and the intestines which greatly distresses a large portion of the GI tract -from mouth to rectum. This in turn leads to a range of indications. It primarily causes abdominal ache, dysentery, vomiting along with weight loss. It could also provoke the inflammation of skin, arthritis, and swelling and tenderness of the eyes, weakness and an attention deficit. Crohn's disease is regarded as an autoimmune disease, in which the body's own immune response overwhelms the GI passage and causes the inflammation.

Blood tests are necessary for the diagnosis of Crohn's Disease. The physician cannot identify the disease based only on the symptoms. Blood tests for anemia may show if there is a blood loss in the intestine. If the white blood cell count in the blood tests is high, then it might indicate an inflammation in any other region of the body.

Irritable bowel syndrome or IBS is another common colitis affecting many people. Essentially, this is a result of an extremely prone GI tract. Irritable bowel syndrome can have diverse medical manifestations. The symptoms can vary from diarrhea, constipation, stomach pains or lost ability to hold food. All these symptoms are the indications of the same ailment.

Blood tests for irritable bowel syndrome involve a complete blood count or CBC to search for indications of bleeding or anemia. Prolific WBC count and/or platelet count might indicate an irritation or infection. Fecal blood tests are also used to diagnose IBS.

In short, many people suffer from these inflammations of the GI tract. Getting to know some of the tests for diagnosing the same may help these people.

Anal fissures and fistulae are not very common but when they occur, they become a painful and unpleasant condition. Rectal tearing is distressing and highly resistant to treatment and everybody endures it at some point in their life. This tear in the lining of the anus or the skin around it is called anal fissure. Fistulae are the abnormal channels from the anus which open onto the skin surrounding the anus.

Anal fissure and fistula have no specific causes but constipation is commonly associated with them. They are also associated with a number of conditions resulting in an inflammatory digestive tract. These conditions may be Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis or many more. Fistula is caused by collection of pus called abscess or infection, in one of the glands near anus and it may also result in multiple anal fissures.

The fistula symptoms and complications for anal fissure may be sudden and severe pain in the anus or the surrounding area. The pain may occur spontaneously or during or shortly after the passage of a hard stool. The pain is recurring and sharp and gets worse with a bowel movement. Due to this, the victims avoid opening the bowels which worsens the constipation and so the fissure takes more time in healing. This condition is also associated with 'sentinel pile', a haemorrhoid - a small vein from inside the anus lying outside- which may bleed sometimes and leave a blood streak on toilet paper.

Anal fistula is generally associated with painful abscess, which may be dull and throbbing, in or near the anus. The abscess has a pus discharge which may be blood-stained. The fistula formation results in continuous seeping of pus or a thin, watery fluid from the anus, which can also be blood-streaked. Large abscesses may also cause fever. Fistula symptoms may also be loss of appetite, abdominal pain, vomiting, nausea, diarrhea, fever and weight loss.

Anal fissure and fistula need care and treatment. The care to be taken is firstly having a fiber rich diet with fruits and vegetables which prevents the fissures occurrence and fastens the healing process. Medications are also used if healthy diet is not sufficient, for controlling constipation, with over-the-counter medicines. Creams or ointments that contain pain-killing local anesthetic agents are very useful at relieving the pain of anal fissures. Relief of the pain reduces the spasm in the muscles of the anus, which often prevents the fissure from healing.

As much as 1 in 5 men and women experience suffering from the conditions associated with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), the deterioration of the intestinal tract that effects both in serious diarrhea, bowel irregularity, or the two. It is believed that as many as fifty million individuals in the United states on it's own put up with IBS. The most typical incidences are in individuals age among twenty and thirty, along with 2 times as many females as males getting afflicted.

Additional titles for this affliction include things like nervous bowel, spastic colon, nervous diarrhea, spastic colitis and mucous colitis. No matter what it may well be referred to as, IBS is 1 of the most typical wellness issues experienced by family doctors, and also it is the condition the majority of regularly observed by gastroenterologists (doctors concentrating in tummy and digestive tract conditions.)

In addition to the principal signs and symptoms of diarrhea and/or bowel problems, additional factors of the affliction might consist of stomach pain, trapped wind, gas, acid reflux, upper body pains (not necessarily associated to the heart), trouble ingesting, unwanted gas, cramping, mucus in stools, urinary incontinence and the feeling following a bowel motion that evacuation has not really been finished.

There is actually a broad selection of treatments for several of the above stated signs or symptoms, varying from basic folk treatments like apple cider vinegar and baking soda, to costly doctor prescribed medication.

Yet, right up until not too long ago, there has not really been a remedy created to aid in the lowering of the broad array of the signs and symptoms that cover Irritable Bowel Syndrome. Today, on the other hand, there is a 100% pure treatment out there, Bowtrol. In fact, 2 distinct formulations. There is one Bowtrol with regard to sufferers from bowel problems or several signs and symptoms and a 2nd one for loose stool affected individuals. Each remedy program consists of two elements.

The IBS bowel problems remedy begins with a colon and parasite cleansing which lubricates, moistens as well as cleans the bowels to decrease soreness and natural gas, cleanse the intestinal tract, eliminate old foodstuff deposits and detox bacteria and other harmful elements from the abdominal region. This furthermore helps in the lowering of water retention and bloatedness and aids in bodyweight reduction.

The IBS remedy for diarrhea makes use of activated charcoal, potassium and iron to calm and relax the intestinal tract, harden stools, encourage colon cleaning, lower swelling and aid decrease the consistency of bowel actions.

The 2nd component in each the bowel obstruction and the diarrhea solutions is Lactospore, an enhancer of colon probiotics. This anti-bacterial enhances digestive function by improving the quantity of enzymes in the digestive system. This is actually a 100% veggie substance that consists of 9 billion Lactobacillus microorganisms for each gram, to assist re-establish a healthful colon flora.

If you are having problems with IBS, you may find that Bowtrol can bring some welcome relief!