Ulcerative ColitisNaturopathic Suggestions
If you are suffering from ulcerative colitis then you are probably an expert on the disease already. If you need extra information however, please visit the gastrointestinal section. Now we need to look Naturopathically at how this inflammatory disorder can be alleviated. Remember though, we need to look at the whole patient picture, not just the inflamed colon. With some patients I have suggested to undertake a Complete Digestive Stool Analysis (CDSA). This is useful in any inflammatory bowel disorder and can give a detailed description of your faeces and tells us what is going on in our gastrointestinal tract. If you require more information on the
CDSA and ulcerative colitis, click here.
Your first priority is to eliminate any substances that may be a known allergen or that you may suspect is causing inflammation.
You can find the
elimination diet by clicking here.
Simple foods such as milk could be an allergen to you.
Vitamins and Supplements 
Ulcerative colitis sufferers need to supplement with vitamins and minerals.
This is becasue of the fact that the inflammation in the bowel, prevents absorption of these nutrients.
This malabsorption contributes to weight loss which is one of the symptoms of IBD.
The weight loss can also be caused by the fact that people with IBD don't want to eat because of the ill-effects food can have on the bowel.
As mentioned before, certain foods can worsen the symptoms of diarrhea and pain.
Undertaking the elimination diet is the best way to ascertain which foods are troublesome.
The best way to prevent deficiencies is to take a reputable multi-vitamin and mineral and take it with food. Deficiencies on their own can cause an array of symptoms so you may find that some secondary symptoms disappear once supplementation begins. For example, the following symptoms, can be simply from a deficiency of vitamins A, D, E and K. * psoriasis * teeth and gum problems * muscular weakness * skin problems * arthritis Get your deficiencies under control and you may find some secondary symptoms such as these, disappear.
Probiotics are essential in replacing internal flora and to prevent dysbiosis. Dysbiosis is basically a state of imbalance of intestinal bacteria. This bacteria is needed for a healthy digestive tract. Patients have noticed a big difference when using probiotics. Abdominal pain and flatulence is greatly decreased. Flatulence and bowel disruptions can be an embarrasing situation for ulcerative colitis sufferers so please consider this essential supplement. Herbal MedicineMarshmallow root acts as a demulcent so it is very soothing on the gastrointestial tract. Meadowsweet Filipendula ulmaria Ulcerative colitis can be eased by using this herb as it is an anti-inflammatory. Patients have told me they have experienced less pain when taking this herb. Liquorice Glycyrrhiza glabra Often used in gastric ulceration, liquorice can ease acidity and helps with abdominal spasms. Chamomile Matricaria chamomilla I'm sure you know chamomile for it's relaxing qualities in tea but used internally as a liquid extract it can be even more relaxing on the gut so there is not as much pain and it also helps with inflammation. Due to it's carminitve effect, it is great if you have a lot of flatulence.
To see what has been proven to help ulcerative colits, click here
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