These diseases, encompassing everything from hemorrhoids to colon cancer, result in more time lost—at work, school, and play—than any other health problem. They also appear to be occurring with much more frequency—while many of them were almost unheard of in our grandparents’ times, they are cropping up more and more and at an earlier and earlier age. Irritable Bowel Syndrome Irritable bowel syndrome, or IBS, is a common complaint: some 10 to 20 percent of the population experiences the diverse symptoms this syndrome causes. IBS goes by several different names. It is also called spastic colon, spastic bowel, mucous colitis, spastic colitis, colitis, intestinal neurosis, and functional bowel disease. Symptoms Include bloating, gas, diarrhea, constipation, abdominal pain and spasms, and nausea. The pain is often triggered by eating, so people suffering from IBS don’t always eat enough, which results in malnutrition. Most health practitioners agree that there is no set cause of IBS, and that food allergies, medication, stress, hormone changes, low fiber intake, infection, parasites, lactose intolerance, laxatives, and antibiotic abuse could all be involved. Because many of the IBS symptoms are the same as those found in more serious digestive problems (such as Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis), the first thing to do is to eliminate the possibility that the symptoms are related to one of these. After you and your health practitioner are sure that your problem is IBS, action can be taken. Many health practitioners feel that food allergies are the main cause of IBS and recommend being tested for allergic reactions to foods. Foods that trigger allergies include cheese, milk, chocolate, butter, coffee, eggs, and nuts. Controlling food allergies often controls IBS. Dietary changes can help relieve symptoms. Avoid animal fat, butter, carbonated drinks, chocolate and candy, dairy products, fried foods, sugar, food additives, alcohol, and tobacco. Most health practitioners recommend a high-fiber diet and supplementing with a bulking fiber like psyllium. Drinking plenty of water is also important. Diverticular Disease Diverticular Disease is common among the older set. Estimates are that more than 30 to 40 percent of North Americans over age 60 have this problem. The underlying cause of diverticula is constipation: the pressure that straining produces causes pouches to form at weak points in the colon. This condition is usually symptom-free, and most people do not realize they have it. However, for a few people, diverticulosis results in spasms and pain. If the pouches become inflamed or rupture, the condition is called diverticulitis. This generally occurs when waste matter is trapped in a pouch. Diverticulitis can result in pain and fever. It may require surgery. For diverticulitis, antibiotics and a soft-fiber diet are initially recommended, with a switch to a high-fiber diet as progress is made. Stay away from eating nuts, grains, and seeds, but well-cooked brown rice is helpful. Eliminate dairy products, red meat, sugar, fried foods, and spices from the diet. Get plenty of leafy greens, and do not overuse laxatives as they can irritate the colon wall. Inflammatory Bowel Disease Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) encompasses two serious problems: Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis. These two diseases are similar but have different characteristics. They also share many of the symptoms of IBS. IBS can result in abdominal pain, cramping, diarrhea, fever, rectal bleeding, constipation, and weight loss. Ulcerative Colitis Is the continuous inflammation of the mucosal lining of the colon and/or rectum. Once this inflammation is established, it remains forever. Ulcerative Colitis can be quite mild or very severe. The most common symptoms are diarrhea and bleeding. A correct diet is important in combating ulcerative colitis. Because it may be partially due to food sensitivities, you should keep a daily record of foods and how they may affect you. In general, you should eat plenty of vegetables. If you cannot tolerate them raw, steam them. A high-fiber diet is beneficial, as is consuming plenty of garlic and drinking at least eight glasses of water a day. You should avoid carbonated drinks, spicy foods, and caffeine. Crohn’s Disease Also results in inflammation, but it can occur anywhere from the mouth to the rectum. It usually occurs in the colon near the ileocecal valve, which separates the contents of the small intestine and colon. The inflammation in Crohn’s disease goes much deeper than that in ulcerative colitis, and it can result in abscesses and fistulas (a narrow passage formed by disease or injury, as one leading from an abscess to a free surface). Symptoms of Crohn’s Disease include chronic diarrhea, pain in the abdomen, fever, headaches, malabsorption of nutrients, and loss of energy, appetite, and weight. "Nondigestive" symptoms include canker sores in the mouth and clubbed fingernails. Crohn’s disease strikes when its victims are at a young age: between the ages of 14 and 30, and it is becoming increasingly prevalent in children. Attacks occur every few months to every few years, and, if attacks continue, long-term bowel function may deteriorate and the risk for colon cancer increases some 20 times. Leaky Gut Syndrome Leaky gut syndrome is the name given for the condition that allows larger food particles to pass through the gut wall. Leaky gut syndrome is linked to autoimmune diseases such as arthritis, lupus, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, and IBD. Many health practitioners see leaky gut syndrome as the underlying cause of many food allergies and food sensitivities because the body begins to recognize many types of food as foreign. There is no single cause of leaky gut syndrome. Antibiotics, caffeine and alcohol, chemicals and other environmental pollutants, stress, poor diet, parasites, yeast, and bacteria could all contribute to a leaky gut. Many health practitioners recommend a hypoallergenic diet. Sugar, white flour products, wheat, oats, dairy products, high-fat foods, alcohol, and foods often linked to sensitivities and allergies must be eliminated for periods of time to see if problems result. If so, they should be eliminated from your diet. How you eat is also important. Chew food more thoroughly and attempt to eat frequent small meals instead of a few large meals. Candidiasis Candidiasis is a fungal infection. What many of us do not know is that candidiasis is indeed a digestive problem. C. Albicans can colonize the digestive tract. When the colonies grow unchecked, they produce powerful toxins that are absorbed into the bloodstream. The toxins then travel throughout the body, resulting in many different symptoms. These symptoms include abdominal bloating, anxiety, constipation, diarrhea, depression, environmental sensitivities, fatigue, food sensitivities, fuzzy thinking, insomnia, low blood sugar, mood swings, PMS, recurring vaginal or bladder infections, ringing in the ears, and sensitivities to perfume, cigarettes, or fabric odors. C. Albicans also affect the immune system, hormone balance, and the thought process. C. Albicans grow out of control when the friendly bacteria that keep them in check are destroyed. This can happen because of antibiotics, birth control pills, and steroid medications. To control C. Albicans, look first to your diet. Stop consuming dairy products (except yogurt), red and processed meats, yeast-based food such as breads and pastries, alcoholic beverages, dried fruits, mushrooms, and products containing sugar and vinegar. Certain foods and supplements can kill C. Albicans. Improve Digestive Health Naturally. How To Cleanse Toxins From The Body. Health Information on Parasites. More Health Articles. |
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