Ulcerative Colitis Information

If you're searching to find the best acidophilus supplements or pills then you need to have information about each brand, so that you can compare. That is the only way you can make an informed choice.

There are a number of trusted brands selling probiotics and choosing your Lactobacillus acidophilus pills from one of them is always the safest choice. Most of these are multi strain supplements so that you are getting not only acidophilus but other probiotics too.

Natren is a trusted brand name and their supplement contains 5 billion colony forming units of L acidophilus.

Jarrow put out their Jarro-Dophilus Original which has 340 million bacteria but their Jarro-Dophilus EPS contains double that quantity -- 680 million.

GNC Natural Brand Acidophilus probiotic Complex is another reliable brand and contains 4 billion cfu.

Brands that are reliable but who unfortunately do not state the amount of specifically acidophilus colony forming units within their supplements are Theralac, Wakunaga of America Company Kyo-Dophilus, and Enzymatic Therapy's Acidophilus Pearls. These brands are all getting good reviews from other consumers so that does give confidence that you will also find their product helps your health problems.

Unfortunately there are some fairly well known brands that do not state how many acidophilus you get or even how many total bacteria. You simply have no idea whether you are getting what you are paying for if the manufacturers refuses to give even this basic information. Steer clear of them and shop from a more reliable source.

Many of these acidophilus pills are getting good reports from consumers for gastrointestinal problems such as IBS, Crohn's Disease, ulcerative colitis as well as constipation, diarrhea, and general colon health. As well, some women have found it a good treatment for yeast infections and BV.

Acidphilus pills are a great source of probiotic for general good health.

Blood tests for colitis and Crohn's disease are a relatively new and exciting development that have added significantly to the screening, diagnosis and management of ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. Differentiating the two may allow better predictions regarding responses to medical treatments, decisions regarding surgery options and the risks of various complications. Antibodies to various proteins including Baker's or Brewer's yeast (saccharomyces cerevisiae) and bacteria like Escherichia. coli (E. coli) are present in the blood of many people with Crohn's disease but rarely in normal people. Antibodies to a normal cell component, a nuclear protein, is present in most people with ulcerative colitis, a few people with Crohn's whose colitis behaves more like ulcerative colitis than Crohn's, and rarely in normal people.

Antibody tests or serologic markers are blood tests looking for markers of diseases. The serologic markers or antibody tests for ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease are pANCA and ASCA, OmpC, and CBir1 Flagelin respectively. The latter three blood tests for Crohn's are only available through one laboratory, Prometheus Laboratories, Inc.

Ulcerative colitis is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) of unknown cause that only involves the colon. It affects the superficial lining of the colon and rarely causes bowel obstruction (blockage) or perforation (rupture) but frequently causes severe bloody diarrhea, blood in the stool, weight loss, abdominal pain, as well as joint aches or arthritis, skin rashes, eye irritation and occasionally a severe liver disorder known as primary sclerosing cholangitis that can lead to cirrhosis and liver cancer. Ulcerative colitis can be cured by complete removal of the colon but not Crohn's disease.

Crohn's disease can also cause colitis but usually also affects the very end of the small intestine called the ileum (ileitis or regional enteritis). When Crohn's affects only the colon it may be difficult to distinguish it from ulcerative colitis though Crohn's tends to affect the colon in a patchy manner whereas ulcerative colitis is continuous. Crohn's can affect the gastrointestinal tract anywhere from the mouth to the anus and is not curable by removing the colon. It is also frequently associated with bowel strictures (constrictions) causing obstruction that may require surgery. It also may be associated with fistula that are abnormal connections of the intestine to other organs and the skin or it can result in abscesses or perforation requiring surgery It is important to distinguish Crohn's disease from ulcerative colitis since medical treatments and surgical approaches may differ and the types of complications that can occur can be much different.

Traditionally, the diagnosis of ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease is highly accurate by the appearance of the colon on colonoscopy or x-rays that confirm the presence or absence of involvement of other parts of the intestinal tract. Diagnosis is confirmed by a typical pattern of inflammation of the intestine lining as seen under the microscope on tissue obtained by biopsy during colonoscopy. However, before blood tests were available about 10% of people with IBD were diagnosed as having an indeterminate colitis because the biopsies could not distinguish between the ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease.

The blood tests currently available are pANCA, anti-ASCA, anti-OmpC, and anti-CBir1 flagelin antibodies. pANCA is the peripheral anti-nuclear antibody. It is an abnormal antibody to nuclear protein of cells and is highly sensitive and specific for ulcerative colitis. The pANCA anbibody has been further divided into subsets by Prometheus Laboratories Inc. Neutrophil-specific pANCA ELISA (NSNA) is positive in the majority of people with ulcerative colitis (UC) and a small subset of people with Crohn's disease that have disease characteristics more like UC. Immunofluorescent cellular staining of neutrophils (NSNA IFA) and enzyme Dnase testing (NSNA DNase sensitivity) is also done as part of the Prometheus IBD Serology 7. The latter test when present in high levels is significantly associated with development of inflammation of the rectal pouch (pouchitis) created when someone has their entire colon removed for ulcerative colitis that does not respond to medical treatment.

ASCA is anti-saccharomyces cerevisiae antibody. Saccharomyces cerevisiae is Brewer's or Baker's yeast. Crohn's patients have a high prevalence of abnormal antibodies to this yeast. Some have suggested that another yeast, Candida albicans, somehow plays a role in this abnormal response. A few people with celiac disease have this antibody present in their blood in the absence of signs of Crohn's disease. OmpC is the abbreviation for an antibody that develops in many Crohn's patients to the outer membrane porin protein of the bacteria E. coli though that bacteria is not thought to be the cause of Crohn's disease. Just recently Prometheus Laboratories added antibody testing for a specific protein on bacteria that constitutes the flagelin or hair like structure on certain bacteria enabling movement and attachment of bacteria in the intestine called CBir1 flagelin.

Future blood tests may include antibodies against certain sugar (mannose) residues in the cell wall of the yeast saccharomyces cerevisiae. Anti-laminaribioside and anti-chitobioside antibodies were recently reported to be present in Crohn's patients who were anti-ASCA negative possibly further strengthening the ability to distinguish them from people with ulcerative colitis. This is also interesting because of suspicions and the lay public interest in the role of sugars or glycans and yeast in IBD. In particular the reports in lay literature of success of carbohydrate specific diet in IBD.

If you have a diagnosis of ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease these blood tests may be very helpful in your treatment. If you have unexplained abdominal pain, diarrhea, or blood in your stools then these tests should be considered. If you have a diagnosis of irritable bowel syndrome, these tests may exclude ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. Since as many as 10% of people with ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease may also have celiac disease, celiac blood tests should also be considered. Lactose intolerance is also common in IBD, IBS and celiac disease.

Future helpful information on colitis, Crohn's disease, celiac disease, food allergies, food intolerance, food sensitivity, eosinophilic esophagitis and irritable bowel syndrome will be available from Dr. Scot Lewey, the food allergy expert-the food doc at http://www.thefooddoc.com. Information on colitis and Crohn's disease can also be obtained from the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America (CCFA, http://www.ccfa.org). Dr. Scot Lewey is a member of the medical advisory panel for the Rocky Mountain Chapter of CCFA. For more information about Prometheus Laboratories Inc. see http://www.prometheuslabs.com. A more detailed explanation of the blood tests can be found in a separate article by the food doc and references below.

Abreu MT et.al. Use of Serologic Tests in Crohn's Disease. Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology. Vol.4, No. 3. 2001

Dotan I et.al. Antibodies Against Laminaribioside and Chitiobioside Are Novel Serologic Markers in Crohn's Disease. Gastroenterology. Vol.131, No. 2. 2006

Mei, L et.al. Familial Expression of Anti-Escherichia coli Outer Membrane Porin C in Relatives of Patients with Crohn's Disease. Gastroenterology. Vol. 130, No. 4 2006

Stadaert-Vitse et.al. Candida albicans Is an Immunogen for Anti-Saccharomyces cerevisiae Antibody Markers of Crohn's Disease. Gastroenterology. Vol 130, No. 6. 2006

Targan, SR et.al. Antibodies to Cbir1 Flagelin Define a Unique Response That Is Associated Independently Crohn's Disease. Gastroenterology. Vol.128, No.7. 2005

Copyright The Food Doc, LLC, 2006. All Rights Reserved. http://www.thefooddoc.com

Colitis is a sharp or constant irritation of the casing lining the colon - our large intestine or bowel. They cause swelling and painful, called ulcers, in the top coating of the inside layer of the large intestine. Ulcerative colitis hardly ever has an effect on the small intestine apart from for the inferior part, called the ileum.

It is a provocative bowel illness, the all-purpose name for illness that causes irritation in the small intestine and colon. It can be easier said than done to identify for the reason that their indications are comparable to additional intestinal chaos and to one more type of provocative bowel illness called Crohn's sickness. Crohn's sickness is different for the reason that it causes irritation deeper inside the intestinal partition and is able to take place in other division of the digestive system as well as the small intestine, mouth, esophagus, and abdomen.

Colitis Reasons

Genetics: For the reason that we're more probably to expand it, if we have a parent or sibling with the illness, scientists believe that hereditary structure may take part in a causal role. Investigating into which inherited metamorphosis might enhance vulnerability to this is continuing.

Even though there is a great deal of scientific confirmation that patients with provocative bowel sickness have irregularity of the impervious system, doctors do not know whether these irregularities are the source or a consequence of the sickness. Doctors consider that there is little foundation for the thought that Crohn's infection and ulcerative colitis is caused by pressure or go on a diet.

Surroundings: Quite a lot of environmental reasons, such as pollution, are alleged of activating this in people who have a hereditary vulnerability. On the other hand, no solitary issue has been constantly recognized to be the most important trigger. The microorganisms that usually live in the colon also have a significant role in the improvement of the sickness. This disease does not increase when elevating in a bacteria-free surroundings.

Contagious agents or ecological toxins: No solitary agent has been connected time after time with either form of provocative bowel sickness. Viruses have been description in tissue from populace with provocative bowel sickness; excluding there is no convincing confirmation.

Surgical procedure is essential in an urgent situation such as perforation, harsh bleeding, or poisonous mega colon, causing an individual to become sternly unwell with a lofty fever.

So, it's final. After days of frequently rushing to the bathroom to pass out stools with mucus, after taking in multitudes of bitter-tasting meds, after having your guts probed, the doctor has finally told you in a grave tone: You have ulcerative colitis. And then, you walked out of his office with your head hanging low, gloomy and deeply brooding what your life will be with this somewhat intimidating condition.

Of course, that's an all too human reaction. But, hey, it's not an automatic death sentence. It is not a gun waiting to burst in your head. You can still have a healthy life even if you have ulcerative colitis. In fact, you might even end up healthier than before.

Although scientists have yet to pinpoint what exactly causes ulcerative colitis, there's an overwhelming consensus that the way an individual lives can be a major contributing factor. Heavy drinking, the propensity to chain-smoke and gobble up grease-rich foods, and a sedentary existence--combine all of these and you got the perfect brew for ulcerative colitis.

So, how do you live with it?

You Are What You Eat

There's an old German saying that a person is largely the result of what he eats. This may sound funny, but it has a grain of truth in it. Just look at the dry-looking guys who regularly munch on junk foods and compare them to fresh, vibrant vegetarian folks. See the huge difference? With ulcerative colitis and other inflammatory bowel diseases, what you eat really makes a huge difference.

When you have ulcerative colitis, your colon can be easily inflamed. Most of the time, inflammation of the colon (also called a flare-up) is caused by eating something that irritates your large intestine. The first thing you should cross out on your diet is your tasty cholesterol-laden favorites, such as burgers, roast beef, fried chicken, and a lot more. Drinking coffee is also big NO. Milk and dairy products, like cheese and butter, can also trigger inflammation symptoms and should be avoided. You should also pass out on a meal laden with chili since spicy foods are one of the most common flare-up culprits. Don't eat beans and other hard-to-digest foods since it may irritate your colon.

But flare-up factors vary from person to person. So it's advisable to come up with a list of foods that trigger flare-up episodes and draw an extensive diet plan. Generally, a low-fat diet rich in protein, fluids, magnesium, vegetables, and fruits is recommended. But before you implement a diet plan, it's advisable that you consult your doctor or nutritionist.

Frequent Exercise

Studies show that stress helps trigger or worsen flare-up episodes. Low intensity workout, such as walking, and other stress reduction techniques, like meditation and progressive muscle relaxation, can reduce stress and benefit people with inflammatory bowel disease. But don't just rush and start an exercise program. As always, it's important to consult your doctor as to what exercise regimen would fit you.

Revamp Your Lifestyle

The important thing to remember here is that ulcerative colitis is a lifestyle disease. So it really matters if you'll revamp the way you live.

Let's say that you've started exercising and following a strict diet plan after you've been diagnosed for ulcerative colitis. But the problem is that you're a night person used to downing bottles of alcoholic drink each week and compulsively smoking 30 or more cigarettes a day--well, you've really got to altogether discard your habit if you don't want your condition to worsen and progress to colon cancer.

Your lifestyle has partly caused you to get this disease. So, part of the solution is to change it. You've got to sacrifice your self-indulging habits if you really want to avoid further complications. It will not be easy, but lifestyle change is really huge a necessity.

Watch what you eat, exercise, and change your lifestyle--these are the things that you should consider. Do these things correctly and you'll live a long and healthy existence with ulcerative colitis. Disregard any of these and you can expect repeated trips to the hospital.

After being diagnosed with Crohn's Disease or Ulcerative Colitis, the first question you ask your physician is "is there is there a cure for it?" He would probably tell you that there is no cure, but treatment (medications, surgery, etc.). These therapies, however, do not work for everyone. In fact, they can lead to complications in some patients. If you are one of those Crohn's or ulcerative colitis victims, do not be depressed; it exists diets and natural remedies that can effectively make your life less miserable.

It is, however, important to avoid all foods that trigger the symptoms of those diseases. Whenever it is possible, reduce the consumption of fatty food (fish oil and flax oil are, however, highly recommended): milk (and milk products), and fiber supplements; these products increase your stool volume and irritate the inflamed intestines. Both Crohn's disease and Ulcerative colitis are chronic diseases; your diet must be healthy and non-irritating consisting mostly of natural products. These medical conditions may cause deficiencies in protein, vitamins (A, folic acid, B12, C, D, E and K) and certain minerals (calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, zinc and selenium), an increase of these substances is highly recommended. Along with diet, certain herbs can also be taken:

German chamomile (Matricaria recutita) - German Chamomile has antispasmodic and analgesic properties. This plant has long been used in natural medicine against insomnia, digestion difficult (painful digestive spasms), and in the treatment of functional gastrointestinal disorders: diarrhea, stomach ulcers. German Chamomile is also used effectively in treating dyspepsia, swelling, flatulence, and more. No adverse effects have been reported.

Boswell (Boswellia serrata) - In traditional medicine, Boswell is used to treat fever, rheumatism, asthma and gastrointestinal problems. In addition, Boswell is shown to reduce inflammation of osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune conditions by blocking the lethal pro-inflammatory enzyme 5-lipoxygenase (5-LOX). This remedy can be taken in capsule or tablet, three times per day; no negative effects have been reported.

Probiotics - Probiotics are non-pathogenic living microorganisms involved in the proper functioning of the digestive system. Lactobacillus acidophilus acidophilus is one of the Probiotics; it is beneficial for the health of the intestinal flora. Without these small organisms, intestinal flora can be infected by many disorders such as ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. You can buy probiotic dietary supplements on the internet or in any health store.

Aloe Mucilaginous Polysaccharides (AMP) - this is the most effective supplement you can use to fight digestive disorders including ulcerative colitis disease and Crohn's disease. It has anti-inflammatory property, it regulate normal functioning of your intestine to prevent both diarrhea and constipation; it repairs the protective mucosa lining throughout the digestive system; it ensures healthy intestinal flora, and much more.

However, it is not easy to take all these supplements separately in a daily basis; you need an herbal remedy that combines all of them plus other ingredients. Our herbal remedies are safe and all natural made of Certified Organically Grown plants. They are 100% safe for children and adults of all ages and may be taken in conjunction with prescription medications with no incident of side effects. To get complete relief from ulcerative colitis and other digestive disorders, visit vitalfoodstore.com, or click on the link in resource box below.

Ulcerative Colitis is a chronic disorder in which the mucous membranes in the gut become inflamed which causes ulcers. This leads to symptoms such as gas, bloating, pain and diarrhoea. The condition can also cause the stools to harden which means the colon has to work overtime to try and remove the hardened stools. As a result, another condition called diverticulitis can occur. Diverticulitis is small pocket like projections in the intestinal wall.

Although the actual cause of ulcerative colitis is unknown there are many factors that can contribute to it and these are bacteria, poor dietary choices, allergies and stress. If the diet lacks fibre and there is a high consumption of meat, this may cause inflammation because meat contains arachadonic acid which is highly inflammatory.

In extreme cases, the ulcers may become cancerous so regular checks ups are critical.

In order to help manage the symptoms of this condition, the first port of call is with what you eat. In Chinese medicine, good health starts in the digestive area so the most important food(s) to begin with is fibre. Fibre creates bulk, as well as softens and gently massages the intestinal wall. This increases muscle contraction which allows waste to be easily removed. Fibre is best in the form of vegetables, fruit, pulses and beans, green leafy vegetables and seed sprouts. Also include oats, brown rice and quinoa. Avoid harsh fibres such as wheat germ or bran which may aggravate the intestinal wall.

The next most important step is to increase fluid intake. When eating more fibre; this is critical and prevents further complications such as constipation. Avoid fried fatty foods and carbonated drinks - these will only increase inflammation and find alternative sources to cheese and milk as these may worsen diarrhoea.

Herbs that are soothing to the intestines include aloe vera and slippery elm. Both help by soothing the mucous membranes.

If you have or know of anyone who has ulcerative colitis, try implementing these simple steps for 30 days and monitor what happens.

Question:

I suffer from chronic ulcerative colitis, and I am on pharmaceutical drugs, which cause side effects that outweigh the benefits. How can I control it?

Answer:

Ulcerative colitis is characterised by an inflamed colon, which may also have numerous ulcers. This condition is caused by the lining of the colon being attacked by the body's own antibodies. A bacterial invasion or some other unknown cause can change the nature of the proteins of the lining. When this happens, the white blood cells reclassify the altered proteins as enemies. They then instruct their special defence units (the lymphocytes) to produce antibodies to fight the altered proteins and the body starts to destroy its own tissue.

Ulceration occurs as the lining of the colon becomes damaged. The ulcers can bleed and cause abdominal pain -the two most common symptoms of ulcerative colitis. Colitis also causes swelling of the gut lining, and loss of functions such as absorption of water and essential minerals and vitamins, formation of stools and storage of waste materials. The ulcers are particularly painful before a motion is passed. Because they bleed, there is frequently fresh blood in the motion.

Diarrhoea is also common. Normally there are folds of mucus-rich tissue lining the inner layer of the colon. When big stools are passing down the colon, the mucus lining expands to ease their passage. Due to the inflammation, these folds disappear and the colon cannot hold stool masses. This results in diarrhoea.

Other symptoms of ulcerative colitis are anaemia (due to the bleeding), fatigue (due to anaemia and the malabsorption of magnesium and calcium), cramps in the legs at night (due to calcium deficiency) and weight loss (due to malabsorption and bleeding). Sufferers get nervous because of the constant fear of 'accidents' due to diarrhoea And the stress of this makes everything worse. Because of this anxiety, physicians sometimes treat ulcerative colitis as a psychological disorder without realising that the mental symptoms are secondary.

My approach is to help the loose stools to firm up, so the fear of accidents is removed. Hopefully you will be able to come off the drugs, but this should be done in consultation with your doctor.

These are my recommendations:

* For four months, eat a diet that helps absorption of nutrients but is fibre-free and devoid of substances that may irritate the bowels. Ear nothing but mushy rice; mashed potatoes with olive oil and salt: jacket potatoes with butter and salt, but not the skin; minced lamb/turkey/chicken cooked in olive oil with garlic, ginger, salt and perhaps a pinch of black pepper; mashed root vegetables; boiled eggs; pasta with olive oil; cottage cheese; live yoghurt manuka honey; carrot and/or pomegranate juice. After four weeks, include oatmeal porridge made with water, as long as it does not cause diarrhea.

* Take a multivitamin and mineral tablet daily because of the lack of fresh vegetables.

* Drink pure, still water; add Dioralyte (available from chemists) or a pinch of salt if you have diarrhea. Avoid tea, coffee and other caffeinated drinks.

* After four months of this diet, if the diarrhoea has settle down, introduce heads of cauliflower and broccoli; asparagus; peeled apples, pears and plums; grapes; bananas, Ryvita and rice cakes. Stay on this regime for three to six months until the abdomen settles down.

* It is essential to do one to two hours a day of vigorous exercise such as power walking, running, lifting light weights, swimming, tennis or strenuous dancing. This will create a demand for more energy so the body is forced to absorb more food by changing the lining of the gut (which is what we want). The muscle-building hormones created by intensive exercise act like steroids, which help to cure the inflammation of the bowels and can replace the steroid drugs which are prescribed for ulcerative colitis.

* Take kadu to help detoxify the body: soak two twigs in a cup of hot water at night, strain and drink the infusion first thing in the morning for two months.

* Ayurvedic remedies to aid digestion are also useful, such as Stomach Formula: take one daily for two months.

* Pomegranate infusion: boil a 5cm square piece of pomegranate peel in two cups of water for l0- 15 minutes, and let it infuse for l5 minutes. Strain and drink half the liquid in the morning and the other half in the evening, before meals. Do this twice a week for a month; it will calm the intestines and help stop diarrhea.

* Relaxation and good sleep are essential, so play a relaxation tape at bedtime to help you unwind.

Most patients fear colonoscopy thinking that it is painful and postpone getting it done. It is however essential that this procedure is done to diagnose ulcerative colitis so that they can receive treatment soon.

When you are suffering from irritable bowel syndrome either in the form of ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease, one of the most common medical tests that your physician will advice you to undergo is a colonoscopy. Many people fear just the sound of the word colonoscopy as they feel it is a painful invasive procedure, and postpone undergoing it resulting in their condition deteriorating. Getting the colonoscopy done sooner rather than later will help patients start treatment faster and reduce the possibility of surgery.

Most patients fear colonoscopy for the reason that they think it is a painful procedure. However, this is not the case. It is preparing for the colonoscopy that is difficult when you need to be evaluated to verify if you are suffering from ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease. The colon has to be emptied out completely before the colonoscopy procedure. This means not eating any solid foods 12 hours before the procedure. In addition, a laxative is usually prescribed along with fluids that are clear, so that the colon is cleansed completely before the procedure is carried out for diagnosing irritable bowel syndrome.

The actual colonoscopy procedure for diagnosing ulcerative colitis is relatively painless. The patient is usually given a sedative to ease any discomfort felt when the tube like probe with a miniature video camera at the end is inserted into the colon. In certain cases, a pain killer may also be prescribed if the patient requires it. Most patients who have undergone the procedure agree that they felt only a mild discomfort and no pain during the procedure. The test takes only 20 minutes if the inflammation is found to be mild and there are no polyps seen that requires removal. If there are any polyps found or a tissue sample need to be collected for doing a biopsy then the procedure could take approximately 45 minutes or more.

Since undergoing colonoscopy is almost painless, patients should not fear the procedure and postpone getting it done. As with other disorders, early diagnosis of ulcerative colitis is crucial to treating it successfully and keeping it under control. Undergoing a colonoscopy can help patients get diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome - either ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease - and could help them receive medication sooner. Postponing the colonoscopy procedure can only lead to further complications and the possibility of surgery, this would be much more painful than the colonoscopy itself.

Probiotics are known as "good" bacteria. These healthy forms of bacteria are present naturally within the digestive system. Factors such as the common use of antibiotics can reduce the number of good bacteria as well as the harmful bacteria for which the antibiotics are taken. For this reason a probiotic supplement should be considered. Especially for those suffering from diseases of the digestive system, such as Ulcerative Colitis.

As a remedy for Ulcerative Colitis probiotics can be beneficial. There are also additional benefits of probiotics in your diet.

• Remedy for diarrhea, especially helps after treatment with antibiotics


• Helps in treating vaginal yeast infections and urinary tract infections


• Aids in treatment of irritable bowel syndrome


• May help in reducing bladder cancer recurrence


• Aids in treatment of many intestinal infections


• Useful in treating eczema in children


• Can help in Preventing or reducing the severity of colds and flu

One thing we know for sure is that there needs to be a balance of good bacteria in our system. Some people have come to believe that this may be one of the leading factors in occurrence of Ulcerative Colitis. With the very common uses of antibiotics nowadays, there is probably some truth to that.

Here's what can happen. Lets say your feeling down with a sinus infection (happens to me at least once a year). You stop in at the Dr. and of course a round of antibiotics is prescribed. During the course of your prescription the antibiotics are killing off the "bad" bacteria that are present in your infection and in turn you feel better. Antibiotics aren't selective killers though and they kill off the "good" bacteria in your system just as well.

Herein lies the problem of yeast. We all have yeast in our system. It is kept in check by, you guessed it, good bacteria. When we kill off good bacteria we allow yeast to take hold in our system and many believe that the over-use of antibiotics and the presence of yeast has at least part to do with all these problems we are seeing with our immune systems attacking us (auto immune disorder).

Regular ingestion of probiotics, I believe, can have positive benefits for those suffering from Ulcerative Colitis and can act to a degree as a remedy. I don't believe probiotics will cure you of Ulcerative Colitis, but I do think as part of an overall plan of attack against Ulcerative Colitis it can be effective as a remedy against those things that are at the root of our problem.

Marijuana, cannabis, marijuana, pot, weed - no matter what it is called, marijuana has been demonized for years as being an evil drug. Despite positive research from institutes of study in many countries, medical marijuana (not to be confused with cannabis for recreational use) is still a matter of strong debate. Oddly enough, the debate is hottest not between the general citizens of a country, but between the medical community and the respective governments.

In places where using medical marijuana is legal, studies are ongoing and often produce results that surprise many in the medical community. Others feel the results only serve to enforce the belief that marijuana is not the demon plant propaganda has said it is.

Canadians and Crohn's Disease
Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis (related to Crohn's disease) are serious problems for more over 170,000 Canadians. In fact, Canada has one of the highest rates of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in the world. Sufferers may have persistent diarrhea, fever, cramping and abdominal pain, and rectal bleeding. Many lose their appetite, which can cause unhealthy weight loss, while some are plagued by nausea and vomiting. Crohn's disease can affect the joints, liver, skin and eyes, as well, and commonly causes great fatigue.

Crohn's disease is chronic; periods of remission are mixed with periods of intense activeness. Unfortunately, the medical community has been unable to find the cause of this disease, although they believe it has to do with an overactive immune system, initially triggered by outside influences. The Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America (CCFA) states:

"Many scientists now believe that the interaction of an outside agent (such as a virus or bacterium) with the body's immune system may trigger the disease, or that such an agent may cause damage to the intestinal wall, initiating or accelerating the disease process."

They further state that, "Because there is no cure for Crohn's disease, the goal of medical treatment is to suppress the inflammatory response. This step accomplishes two important goals: It allows the intestinal tissue to heal and it also relieves the symptoms of fever, diarrhea, and abdominal pain. Once the symptoms are brought under control (this is known as inducing remission), medical therapy is used to decrease the frequency of disease flares (this is known as maintaining remission, or maintenance)." - CCFA

Medicinal Therapy for Crohn's Disease

Much of the traditional medication (the medical therapy mentioned by CCFA) used to treat Crohn's disease includes a mixture of anti-inflammatory, antibodies, immune modifiers/suppressants and corticosteroids. Indeed, traditional medical treatments become a cornucopia of pharmaceutical concoctions.

As with most man-made medicinal products, each treatment also causes its own symptoms. For instance, the immunosuppressive medicines can cause nausea, abdominal pain, diarrhea and vomiting. Steroids also cause these symptoms, with the addition of anxiety and depression, as well as bone thinning, peptic ulcers and other issues with prolonged usage.

Mesalamine, an anti-inflammatory, can cause mild side effects like hair loss, headaches and itching. However, it can also cause severe side effects such as pancreatitis, blood disorders, fatigue and tremors. Kidney dysfunction and IBD-like symptoms are also possible.

Medical Marijuana for Canadian Crohn's Disease Sufferers

Thanks to a number of organizations, medical institutes and studies, Canada has relaxed the laws on medical marijuana. It is legal for Canadian Crohn's disease suffers to have a medical marijuana excemption with a written doctor's prescription.

Many studies have proven that medical marijuana helps as an anti-inflammatory. Users of medical marijuana for Crohn's disease found themselves able to reduce - if not eliminate - the need for steroid treatment and to reduce the immunosuppressive medications, as well as Mesalamine.

A study in 2005 by the University of Bath in England noted that "some extracts from cannabis, known as cannabinoids, closely resemble molecules that occur naturally in our body, and by developing treatments that target this system, we can help the body recover from some of the effects of these diseases." Although the University doesn't condone or support the use of medical marijuana, they are focusing on more research to narrow down the actual effects of cannabinoids on Crohn's disease.

For actual Crohn's disease sufferers, however, the evidence is overwhelming. A pilot study by the Society of Cannabis Clinicians, reported at the International Association for Cannabis as Medicine with the following results:

"For all signs and symptoms [of Crohn's disease] evaluated in the study, the patients described marked improvements with the use of cannabis. Beneficial effects were reported for appetite, pain, nausea, vomiting, fatigue, activity, and depression. Patients also reported that cannabis use resulted in weight gain, fewer stools per day and fewer flare-ups of less severity."

Medical marijuana has been used to increase appetite, decrease depression, anxiety, vomiting and weight loss, as well as used as a pain suppressant for many individuals with other diseases. Multiple sclerosis, chronic pain sufferers and cancer patients have all found these benefits with the use of medical marijuana. Therefore, it is no surprise that cannabis is also being used by Canadians who suffer from Crohn's disease for the same symptoms.