March is National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month:
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
The term Irritable Bowl Syndrome (IBS) is used to describe a functional gastrointestinal disorders characterized by a variable combination of chronic and recurrent intestinal symptoms NOT explained by structural or biochemical abnormalities. 10%-20% of people in Western countries suffer from this disorder, usually young females.
Symptoms include abdominal pain or discomfort relieved by defecation, altered bowl function (hard, loose, watery), flatulence, bloating, nausea, anorexia, anxiety or depression. Continuous symptoms for at least 3 months duration, passage of mucus or altered stool passage (straining, urgency, or a feeling of incomplete evacuation) all lead to a diagnosis of exclusion.
Precipitating factors are often stress, anxiety, lactose and other sugars.
Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)
This subdivision includes both Crohn's Disease and Ulcerative Colitis.
*Both causes are unknown
*Often familial occurrences and hereditary predisposition
*Increased incidence in Ashkenazi Jews
*Genetic factor predispose to some forms of autoimmune reaction, possibly triggered by some environmental agents like dietary agents or microbial agents.
Both of these disorders have a huge emotional component attached to them. Often they are fears associated with not letting go, with feelings of inadequacy, inflamed anger at the self or others and over controlling.
Stress management is very important. Here are some tips:
Organize. Disorganization creates stress. Taking the "dis" out of disorganization can produce a sense of control in knowing what will happen, that in turn reduces stress.
Create environments that reduce stress. Create a calming, clutter free home environment that will help reduce stress and create a sense of well-being.
Use stress as a teacher. As a crisis occurs, stop and think of how to use it to make things better. Make lemonade out of the lemons in life.
Leave time for the unexpected. Look for the natural coping ability to deal with the unexpected. Coping requires time. Time is needed to perceive a crisis and to rally our internal and external resources.
Choose friends carefully. Your choice of friends can be the key to stress reduction. Friends should be people who help us to increase our strengths and create innovative solutions to stressful situations. They support us and reaffirm that we are not alone.
Stop and look at yourself. Take time to recognize signs of stress like anger, over extension in outside activities, work and sleep habits. As you become aware of these signs, you are beginning to identify how to make stress work. You are being proactive not reactive to situations.
Accept what cannot be changed. We can accept what we cannot change by changing what we can. Make choices that are realistic, not out of reach.
Don’t say yes to everything. Recognize what your strengths are and focus on taking the time to do a project built on them. Taking on too many projects results in loss of control and creates stress.
Make decisions. Indecision increases stress. Good leaders make decisions and act on them. If a bad decision is made, reevaluate.
Maintain a sense of humor. Laughing at oneself can release potential stress from the inside. And laughing creates less wrinkles than worrying.
Meditation is wonderful for quieting the mind. Sit in a quiet space with your eyes closed and your legs folded and relaxed. Take deep breaths. With each breath, try to allow your mind to drift. Anything that comes into your mind, acknowledge it then allow it to drift by like a cloud or a passing river. Then try to just focus on a happy thought or feeling or nothing at all. There is no right or wrong. The object is to let go and allow yourself "me" time. Time set a side just for you to relax. If you have never meditated before, start at 5 minutes. Increase 5 minutes each day. If you can sit and meditate (relax) for 15- 20 minutes, I assure you, you shall reap the benefits.
Ulcerative Colitis
Ulcerative Colitis is a nonspecific inflammation of the terminal or sigmoid colon of the large intestine. There are three types of colitis : mild chronic, chronic intermittent and acute ulceration. Acute colitis is a common disorder of the large bowel, producing discomfort and irregular bowel habits.
Mild Chronic and Chronic ulcerative colitis is a severe prolonged inflammation of the colon or large bowel in which ulcers form on the walls of the colon, resulting in the passing of blood stools with pus and mucus, abdominal cramps, fecal incontinence, anorexia weakness and fatigue . Chronic forms of colitis are the results of prolonged irritation of the delicate membrane which lines the walls of the colon.
Normally, it is the function of the colon to store waste material until most of the fluids have been removed to enable well-formed soft stools, consisting of non-absorbable food materials to be passed. Persons who suffer from an irritable colon have irregular and erratic contractions which are specially noticeable on the left side.
Nutritional Advise: Ulcerative Colitis
Water is essential in any healing process. Distilled water is the best. 6-8 eight ounces glasses per day.
Symptomatic treatment IS important along with long term lifestyle changes.
Adequate fiber intake is essential.
Diet plays an important part in the treatment of colitis. It is advisable to observe a juice fast for five days or so in most cases of ulcerative colitis.
The bowels should be cleansed daily. The Ayurvedic herbal capsules, Triphala are a safe and effective daily cleanser that is good for all body types and safe for long term use.
The juices may be diluted with a little boiled water. Papaya juice, raw cabbage and carrot juices will be especially beneficial. Citrus juices should be avoided.
After the juice fast, the patient should gradually adopt a diet of small, frequent meals of soft cooked or steamed vegetables, rice, dalia (coarsely broken wheat), well ripened fruits like banana and papaya, yogurt and home-made cottage cheese. Sprouted seeds and grains, whole meal bread and vegetables may be added gradually to this diet after about 10 days. All food must be eaten slowly and chewed thoroughly.
Foods which should be excluded from the diet are white sugar, white bread and white flour products, highly seasoned foods, highly salted foods,strong tea, coffee and alcoholic beverages and foods cooked in aluminum pans.
Ripe bananas are highly beneficial in the treatment of ulcerative colitis, being bland, smooth, easily digested and slightly laxative. They relieve acute symptoms and promote the healing process.
An effective remedy for ulcerative colitis is the use of butter- milk. It is the residual milk left after the fat has been removed from yogurt by churning.
Buttermilk twice a week is also soothing and helps in re-installing a healthy flora in the colon.
Another valuable remedy for colitis is tender coconut water, it is soothing to the soft mucosa of the colon. Cooked apple also aids the healing of ulcerative conditions because of its ample concentration of iron and phosphorous.
Acidophilus supplement can help the healthy gut bacteria grow, while reducing the harmful bacteria. Be certain that there are 'live organisms' in the pills. Another source of healthy bacteria is yogurt (make sure the container says 'contains live cultures'). Fructo-oligosacchar ides (FOS) may be added to acidophilus pills. FOS are carbohydrates that are not digestible by humans, but serve to help the beneficial bacteria to grow.
Psyllium should be added to the diet gradually by beginning with a few teaspoons and slowly increasing the dosage over a week's time. Taken with at least eight glasses of water a day, psyllium can help with the symptoms of constipation or diarrhea. Discontinue use if either condition worsens.
Evening Primrose Oil has many women with IBS report that symptoms are worse during their menstrual period. Evening primrose oil may help to improve symptoms.
Crohn's Disease
Crohn's disease causes inflammation in the small intestine. Crohn's disease usually occurs in the lower part of the small intestine, called the terminal ileum, but it can affect any part of the digestive tract, from the mouth to the anus. The inflammation extends deep into the lining of the affected organ (fistulizing disorder). The inflammation can cause pain and can make the intestines empty frequently, resulting in diarrhea.
Crohn's disease is an inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), the general name for diseases that cause inflammation in the intestines. Crohn's disease can be difficult to diagnose because its symptoms are similar to other intestinal disorders such as irritable bowel syndrome and to another type of IBD called ulcerative colitis. Ulcerative colitis causes inflammation and ulcers in the top layer of the lining of the large intestine. Crohn's disease may also be called "ileitis" or "enteritis".
Its cause is still unknown although it is known that certain history of food allergies increases the risk of developing it. Eliminating allergenic foods often relieve symptoms. Studies also have shown that free radical damage maybe invloved and that a lack of vitamin C and E may play a role.
The most common symptoms of Crohn's disease are abdominal pain, often in the lower right area, and diarrhea. Rectal bleeding, weight loss, fever and headaches may also occur. Bleeding may be serious and persistent, leading to anemia.
Nutritional Advise: Crohn's Disease
These supplements are essential in assisting in Crohn's disease:
Omega 3 fatty acids (flaxseed oil, primrose oil, salmon oil are all good sources) taken 3 times daily. Need for repair of the digestive tract and it reduces the inflammatory process.
Pancreatin and Bromelain, taken with meals 2-3 times daily. This is to breakdown protein and assist in digestion.
Vitamin C, 1000 mgs 3 times daily. Prevents inflammation and improves immunity.
Vitamin K, 300 mcg daily. Vital to colon health. Helpful for those with malabsoprtion or diarrhea.
Zinc, 50 mgs daily needed for the immune system and healing.
Vitamin E up to 800 IU daily, antioxidant that helps in controlling infection and repair of the intestinal tract.
Acidophilus supplement can help the healthy gut bacteria grow, while reducing the harmful bacteria. Be certain that there are 'live organisms' in the pills. Another source of healthy bacteria is yogurt (make sure the container says 'contains live cultures'). Fructo-oligosacchar ides (FOS) may be added to acidophilus pills. FOS are carbohydrates that are not digestible by humans, but serve to help the beneficial bacteria to grow.
Psyllium should be added to the diet gradually by beginning with a few teaspoons and slowly increasing the dosage over a week's time. Taken with at least eight glasses of water a day, psyllium can help with the symptoms of constipation or diarrhea. Discontinue use if either condition worsens.
Evening Primrose Oil has many women with IBS report that symptoms are worse during their menstrual period. Evening primrose oil may help to improve symptoms.
Andrew Pacholyk, MS, L.Ac.
Therapies for healing mind, body, spirit
