Help for Crohn's Disease

10/08/07

Crohn’s disease (also called ileitis or enteritis) is an inflammatory bowel disease that affects the digestive tract (a.k.a. the gastrointestinal or GI tract.) Although it can affect any area of the GI tract, from the mouth to the anus, it most commonly affects the lower part of the small intestine, called the ileum. The swelling extends deep into the lining of the affected organ, causing abdominal pain, diarrhea or constipation, malnutrition and weight loss.

It can be difficult to diagnose Crohn’s disease, because the symptoms are similar to other intestinal disorders, such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and ulcerative colitis. In fact, about 10 percent of colitis cases can not be pinpointed as either ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease and are called indeterminate colitis. Ulcerative colitis causes inflammation and ulcers in the top layer of the lining of the large intestine. In Crohn’s disease, all layers of the intestine may be involved, and normal healthy bowel can be found between sections of diseased bowel.

Crohn’s disease is an autoimmune disease. Instead of protecting the body from infection, researchers believe that the immune system mistakes bacteria that is normally found in the intestines, for foreign or invading substances, and launches an attack; sending white blood cells into the lining of the intestines, where they produce chronic inflammation. These cells then generate harmful products that ultimately lead to ulcerations and bowel injury.

When the small intestine is inflamed its ability to fully digest and absorb nutrients from food is reduced. These nutrients and unabsorbed bile salts, can escape into the large intestine which can cause a loss of appetite, diarrhea, dehydration, and malnutrition. If the large intestine also becomes inflamed, the diarrhea may become even more extreme.

Self Help
Good nutrition is one of the ways the body restores itself to health. Therefore, every effort should be made to avoid becoming malnourished. Restoring and maintaining good nutrition is a key principle in the management of IBD.

During periods of disease flare-ups, it is advisable to eat smaller meals at more frequent intervals - Five or six small meals (no more than can fit in one hand) every three or four hours. Avoid, or at least reduce the amount of fried or greasy foods in your diet. Certain high-fiber foods should also be restricted, such as nuts, corn, popcorn, and seeds. By all means, if you are lactose intolerant, avoid dairy products, as they can mimic IBD symptoms.

Saventaro® - Cat's Claw (Uncaria tomentosa) is an anti-inflammatory herb and has been shown to be effective in the treatment of Crohn’s disease. A 2005 review of the scholarly literature on Cat's Claw indicates there is supporting evidence toward its use in inflammation, viral infection, treating cancer and vascular conditions, and for its use as an immunostimulant, antioxidant, antibacterial and CNS-related agent.*

Fish (Omega-3) or flaxseed oils, in the diet or as supplements, have also been used to help fight the inflammation in IBD. The complex carbohydrates that are not digested by the small bowel, such as psyllium, stimulate the bacteria in the colon to produce short-chain fatty acids. These fatty acids help the mucosa (the lining) of the colon to heal itself.

Probiotics are slowly gaining appreciation as a therapeutic aid in IBD. Probiotics are "good" bacteria that restore balance to the enteric microflora-bacteria that live in our intestine. Lactobacillus preparations and live-culture yogurt can be very helpful in the intestinal healing process. Probiotics supplements should be refrigerated and are generally available in most quality herbal/health food stores.

Although considerable progress has been made in the research of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), the cause of this disease is still unknown. There is some evidence supporting the theory that Crohn's disease is an infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium avium paratuberculosis, a pathogenic bacteria found in milk. In light of this theory, in April 2007, the FDA approved a new medication (Myoconda) to treat Crohn’s disease; it is currently under going clinical trials and won't be on the market until 2008. As with many pharmaceuticals, time will tell if the benefits outweigh the likely side-effects.

Until they discover the real cause and/or cure for Crohn's disease, we can at least mitigate the symptoms with a good diet, proper nutrition and dietary supplements.

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* Reference: Heitzman, M.E., Neto, C.C., Winiarz, E., Vaisberg, A.J. & Hammon, G.B. (2005). Ethnobotany, phytochemistry and pharmacology of Uncaria (Rubiaceae). Phytochemistry, 66(1), 5-29. PMID 15649507

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Medicine Plants ™

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