Dr. Sridhara K S

Eating good and healthy food always contributes to the overall wellbeing of a person. Same holds true for the patients suffering from ulcerative colitis (UC). Ulcerative colitis patients need certain dietary modification to bring about a change in their condition. Though this condition isn’t directly caused by the food but the frequency of flare ups is influenced by the food taken. Below mentioned is the list of foods to eat and avoid.

Food to be Consumed
Usually, for ulcerative colitis, low fibre and low residue foods are considered the best since they are easy to digest. Here is a list of foods that can be included in the diet:

1. Vitamin D: This vitamin boosts the immune system to fight the risks of ulcerative colitis flare ups. Since the sun is the best source of Vitamin D, it is important that a person gets as much exposure to the sun as possible.
2. Probiotics: Maintain a balance between good and bad bacteria of the gut which in turn alleviates the symptoms of this condition.
3. Omega-3 fatty acids: Omega-3 fatty acids have an anti-inflammatory effect, which can help alleviate intestinal inflammation caused by ulcerative colitis. Salmon is one of the best sources of Omega-3.
4. Eggs: Eggs are typically easy to digest and offer a number of nutrients which makes them one of the best choices for the patients of UC.
5. Plenty of fluid: People with this condition need to drink extra fluid, as diarrhoea can lead to dehydration.
6. Supplements: Dietary supplements also help in balancing the nutritional needs of a patient.

And last but not the least there are many anti-inflammatory foods that help in reducing the ulcerative colitis flare-ups include turmeric, cloves, ginger and rosemary.

Foods to be Avoided
A patient should closely monitor what s/he is eating as the studies have revealed that the symptoms of ulcerative colitis are closely associated with diet. The following list will help you cut off the chances of UC flare ups.

1. High Fibre Food: Are difficult to digest so should be cut off from the diet. It’s best to moderate the intake of fruits and vegetables with insoluble fibres.
2. Oily and Fatty Foods: The greasy food can aggravate the symptoms of UC as well as can cause diarrhoea.
3. Spicy foods: Spicy foods may disturb your bowel movements, so it is best to limit the intake of chillies, chilli powder, paprika, peppers etc.
4. Dairy products: Patients of UC are mostly lactose intolerant. So, these patients should avoid dairy products.
5. Seeds and nuts: Seeds and nuts are hard to digest, and it is best to avoid them if you are suffering from ulcerative colitis.

Ulcerative Colitis is just a disease which can be avoided by maintaining a proper diet and making few dietary modifications. One should eat smaller meals a few times per days instead of eating large ones.

In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!

The partial or total inability to hear is known as hearing loss. It can be present at birth or develop later in life.

There are a number of factors, which may cause hearing loss:

1. Age - Age is the biggest factor when it comes to the loss of hearing, and you may lose the ability to hear as you age. This condition is known as presbycusis. It becomes difficult to understand high-frequency sounds like that of a child or a woman when you get old.
2. Noise - When you are exposed to loud noises for a prolonged period of time, it damages your ears. This leads to loss of hearing. 5% of the total population of the world is affected by noise (the degree of suffering varies). It may be a result of continuous exposure to loud music or a sudden exposure to a loud noise like an explosion or fire cracker. Even too much use of ear phones and cell phones causes damage.  Prevention - Use less of cell phones, disco, fire cracker, loud speaker.
3. Hereditary disorders - Hearing disorder may be inherited by the dominant or recessive genes of parents in the child.
4. Trauma - Serious injuries of the head/ears may cause loss of hearing, which may be either temporary or permanent. When damage is caused to the brain, the brain fails to process the message conveyed by the ears. So even if the ears are totally functional, a person may face the problem in hearing.
5. Perinatal problems - The ototoxic effects on the fetus due to excess intake of alcohol during pregnancy lead to hearing the loss in about 64% of the infants born to alcoholic mothers. Also, premature birth can be associated with hearing loss due to high risk of being exposed to noise in neonatal units.
6. Diseases of ear - Specially pus discharge damages eardrum and hearing bones. Some time also damages the nerve of hearing. Do not neglect this issue. It can be easily operated and you are safe.

Knowing about the causes of hearing loss can lead you a step closer to preventing this disorder.

1. Aging effect can be prevented --- by taking nerve tonics, avoiding ototoxic drugs, and avoiding noise trauma. If hearing loss has set in best is to use hearing aid prescribed by authentic person.
2. Be more aware -- You should be diligent and aware of the situations, which may risk your hearing ability and should try to avoid such situations as much as possible.  Limit your exposure to sources of hazardous noises like firearms, firecrackers, concerts and pubs.
3. Take precautionary measures -- If your occupation calls for working at an environment of loud noises, use earplugs or earmuffs. Also, make sure that you work in a place where employers take all the necessary measures of noise control under the federal or state regulations.
4. Monitor your use of gadgets --- Monitor and control the use of hearing devices, and try to reduce the use of headphones/ earphones as much as possible.
5. During pregnancy -- NO to alcohol smoking and other ototoxic medicines. To prevent genetic transfer of hearing loss, one should avoid marriage in close relatives as is done in south India and mohmadden community.
6. Visit the Dr. --- For proper management of hearing loss asap. hearing loss is treatable or can be taken care !! In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!