Living with ulcerative colitis can be very challenging. Patients of this disease will have to deal with pain in the abdomen and several digestion related issues in their daily lives. It is known to adversely impact the digestive tract. There can be extreme discomfort at the time of flare-ups. A patient can find life extremely difficult while dealing with symptoms like abdominal pain, fever, weight loss, and chronic diarrhea.

What is Ulcerative colitis (UC)?
It is a serious inflammatory disease. It is caused due to inflammatory bowel movements in the digestive tract. It can affect your daily life adversely. The worst part about this disease is that it relapses in the individual. It is characterized by flare-ups. You need to know fist what is an UC flare-up. Well, it is a term to refer to an exaggerated condition in the disease. It refers to a state when things turn worse. These flare-ups can be caused due to a number of factors. Some of these include:

Side-effect of certain medicines
Hormonal imbalance, especially during pregnancy
Sudden withdrawal from medication
Any infection or other medical condition
How to deal with the UC flare-ups?

Doctors often prescribe corticosteroids to deal with the flare-ups. Some of the most common drugs are Prednisone and budesonide.
Doctors prescribe the intake of steroids, 5-Aminosalicylates, antibiotics, and biologics.
Lifestyle changes are helpful in treating this disease. You can work towards detoxification and de-stressing yourself to get rid of the flare-ups. Take up some exercises, meditation and Yoga for best results.
You can also control chronic diarrhea by keeping a check on what you eat. You should avoid eating fibrous diet. Fibres are tough to digest for patients with UC. You must maintain proper hygiene as well to stay away from diarrhea.
Surgical Management of Ulcerative Colitis

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is an inflammatory disease of the colon and rectum limited to the mucosa, and may vary in severity from a mild intermittent disease to an acute fulminant and potentially fatal disease requiring urgent surgery. Management of ulcerative colitis depends on severity, extent, and duration of the disease, response and tolerance to medication, patient age and comorbidity as well as patient preference.

Surgery plays an important role in the management of UC both because of the premalignant nature of the disease, and because of the periodic failure of medical management. The underlying rationale for surgical treatment of the disease is that the disease is confined to the colon and rectum, and therefore proctocolectomy is curative. The goal of surgical therapy for ulcerative colitis is to remove the disease with as little alteration of normal physiological functions and lifestyle as possible.

Four surgical options exist for patients with ulcerative colitis and each has its own advantages and disadvantages.

The surgical choices are:

Proctocolectomy and Brooke ileostomy.
Abdominal colectomy and ilcorectal anastomosis.
Proctocolectomy and Kock pouch.
Restorative proctocolectomy with ileal pouch-anal anastomosis (IPAA).
The choice of operation requires consideration of the advantages and disadvantages of each option and must be tailored to an individual patient's needs and circumstances. Important factors to be considered in the choice of operation include the indication for surgery, age, associated medical conditions, body habitues, and quality of the anal sphincter. Extensive preoperative education is required which should include discussion with a specialized Gastroenterologist.

Ways To Deal With Ulcerative Colitis!

Ulcer pain can be uneasy and unbearable at times. It is caused by a bacterium known as the H. Pylori. Pain medication, lifestyle changes, and healthy eating habits can ensure pain relief from this condition. Here is a list of 4 best ways to get instant pain relief from an ulcer:

Medication - H. Pylori is often found in the digestive tract. Doctors suggest various combinations of antibiotics kill this bacterium. Some of those include tetracycline, levofloxacin, metronidazole, and tinidazole. These are prescribed as per the resistance rate of the bacteria. There are other sets of medication that blocks acid production in the body. These drugs which commonly go by the name of PPIs include esomeprazole, lansoprazole, and pantoprazole. The third set of medications reduces acidity in the stomach and gives instant relief. They are readily available over the counter and goes by the name antacid. The final line of medicines that are often prescribed by doctors includes Cytotec and Carafate. They protect the tissue lining of the intestine and the stomach.
Consumption of cranberry - Cranberry has multiple health benefits. One of those includes the ability to fight against bacteria of the urinary tract. They also do not allow the bacteria to settle on the surface of the bladder. Cranberry in the form of juice, supplement and as a whole can be consumed daily to get relief from the stomach ulcer. It should be taken in specific quantity as too much of cranberry consumption can upset the stomach. Packaged cranberry juice from the market can be avoided as they contain high level of fructose which can unsettle the stomach.
Flavonoids - A compound known as bioflavonoids are known to be extremely helpful for pain relief from an ulcer. These compounds naturally occur in many vegetables and fruits such as soybeans, berries, apples, legumes, green tea, broccoli and berries. Bioflavonoids available in red wine and citrus food should be strictly avoided as they can trigger ulcer pain. Bioflavonoids should be taken in measured quantities as too much consumption of it can cause harm in blood clotting. It can be consumed in the form of supplements if the body doesn t receive the same from the daily diet.
Deglycyrrhizinated licorice - This compound is nothing but licorice with the sweet flavour pulled out of it. A study showed that they are capable of completing curing the ulcer containing bacteria by inhibiting their growth. Deglycyrrhizinated Licorice is available in the form of candy and can be consumed once the pain starts. Supplements too are available in the market. Not more than 2 ounces of Deglycyrrhizinated Licorice should be consumed in a day as they can cause fluctuation in blood pressure and lead to heart diseases.



Stomach Ulcer - 4 Best Ways To Get Pain Relief!

Amlapitta is the Ayurvedic term for a medical condition when your stomach produces more acids than you need for digesting food. It is a very common disorder today, which is triggered by our unhealthy lifestyle choices. Amlapitta or acid peptic disorder needs medical attention because if it continues for too long, you could end up with painful peptic ulcers.

What are the causes behind Amlapitta?

According to Ayurveda, your diet and lifestyle mainly lead to Acid Peptic Disorder-

Diet -

Consuming spicy, fried food

Excessive consumption of pickles and oily food

Excessive intake of sour and salty foods

Eating fermented, stale food

Intake of hot beverages, like tea/coffee and soup

Skipping meals

Irregular meal times

Lifestyle -

Lack of sleep at night

A fast-paced lifestyle with no time to rest

Overexposure to fire and sun

Excessive anxiety and stress

Signs and Symptoms - 

The obvious signs and symptoms of the acid peptic disease include  

Bitter or sour blenching

A burning sensation in the chest 

Nausea and vomiting

Throat burn

Abdominal pain

Foul-smelling bowel movement

Fatigue and tiredness

Giddiness

How is the condition cured?

Since the primary causes of acid peptic disease are dietary, Ayurveda suggests the selection of the right kinds of food and healthy lifestyle changes to cure the condition.

Follow these guidelines to get rid of amlapitta  

Take small meals twice a day

Eat your food in a loving manner with awareness and attention

Eat at fixed time regularly

You should eat your meal during Pitta period i.e. between 10 AM and 2 PM
Eat light food like Rajgira Laddoo, Dry black resins decoction in morning 

Pomegranate is useful in Amlapitta 

Coconut sweets is also eaten in Smlapitta to get rid of it

Drink plenty of water and juice of raw vegetables

Avoid eating/drinking foods that are too hot or too cold

Avoid consumption of carbonated beverages 

Cut back on fatty meat

Include sufficient amount of rice, wheat, bitter gourd, cucumber, pumpkin and cow s milk in your diet

Ayurveda also believes that yoga and exercise can heal the condition from within and restore the balance of the doshas causing the disease. 

Exercising regularly helps to control acidity. Morning walks are good for health and may prevent the occurrence of acid peptic disease. 

Yoga works well to keep your digestive system healthy. As we know, certain mental disorders like anxiety and depression can worsen acid peptic disease, it is imperative that you live a happy and stress-free life. Yoga helps relieve stress and elevates your mood, and helps to strengthen your overall system.

Some yoga postures that may help include  

Bhujangasana 

Naukasana - 

Suryanamaskara

Vajrasana

 Amlapitta or acid peptic disease can be distressing and extremely uncomfortable to live with. The best way to treat and prevent the condition is to adopt Ayurvedic remedies and precautionary measures. These not only help reduce the symptoms of acidity but also build your immune system.

Know More About Amlapitta / Acid Peptic Disease!

Most likely you are suffering from duodenal ulcer if there is pain in the upper abdomen which is relieved by eating. If it increases after eating, it may be because of gastric ulcer. Gastric ulcers and Duodenal ulcer come under the category of Peptic ulcer disease (PUD). It is a lesion in the mucosal lining of the digestive tract, typically in the stomach as gastric ulcer or duodenum (1st part of the intestines) as Duodenal ulcers. These are caused by the digestive action of pepsin (a digestive enzyme) and stomach acid. 

Nearly 70 90% cases of such ulcers are linked to a spiral-shaped bacterium called H. PYLORI that thrives in the acidic environment of the stomach. The incidence of peptic ulcers occurring in the duodenum (the initial tract of the small intestine) is four times higher than those arising in the stomach.

Causes of Peptic Ulcer:

The underlying process that results in Peptic ulcer formation is an excess of acid production in the stomach and damage to the protective barrier inside the stomach. Certain things that can trigger excess acid production or can cause damage to the protective lining of the stomach are:

Emotional stress
Foods (spices, pungent foods, etc)
Overuse of certain drugs, especially NSAIDs (Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs)
Infections (H-Pylori)
Hereditary
Smoking
Symptoms

Symptoms of peptic ulcers include:

vomiting tendencies
nausea
pain in the upper and middle portions of the stomach after a meal and at night
blood in the stool
weight loss
bleeding in the gastrointestinal region
Gastric Ulcer

Common To Both

Duodenal Ulcer  Symptoms

More Likely to be felt immediately after eating. 

Bloating	
More likely to be felt a few hours after eating.


Heartburn	

Nausea	

Loss of Appetite	

Nausea	

Burping



Pain when eating high-fat foods.



Pain when the stomach is empty.



Pain in the stomach that may feel like burning.


Complications:

Hemorrhage
Perforation of ulcer
Gastric outlet obstruction (obstruction in terminal part of stomach)
How to Prevent Peptic Ulcers
Certain lifestyle choices and habits can reduce your risk of developing peptic ulcers. These include:

not drinking more than two alcoholic beverages a day
not mixing alcohol with medication
washing your hands frequently to avoid infections
limiting your use of ibuprofen, aspirin, and naproxen sodium
Maintaining a healthy lifestyle through a balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, and quitting smoking and other tobacco use will also help you prevent developing a peptic ulcer.

Homeopathic Treatment For Peptic Ulcers
Homeopathy offers some very good medicines for peptic ulcer disease. But for a homeopath, the symptoms of the disease are much more important than the ulcer itself. This is because to select the right medicine a homeopath needs to differentiate between the finer presentations of a disease which, vary from person to person. A homeopath not only tries to heal the ulcer but also tries to remove the general predisposition to acquire it. The homeopath not only tries to find  What is wrong? , but also  Why it went wrong? ;  Where it started going wrong? ;  How it evolved to the current stage?  etc. To find the answers to all these questions, a homeopath tries to gather as much information as possible regarding the past and present medical history of the patient, the family history, general, physical and psychological characteristics, etc. This hard work on the part of homeopath not only helps in removing the acute symptoms and the ulcer but also is usually able to remove the tendency for relapse. The  on-again/off-again  nature of the disease is often removed and the general health of the person also improves as a result.

Effective Homeopathic Medications For Peplic Ulcer
Some of the most effective homeopathic medications used in the treatment of peptic ulcers are mentioned below. However, you shouldn t try to self-medicate as it is best to consult with a doctor who can properly diagnose the problems and prescribe medication which are specifically tailored for you.

Argentum Nitricum   One of the most effective medications in treating ulcers, Argentum Nitricum is usually prescribed when you experience sharp burning pains from peptic ulcers that radiate to different areas of the abdomen. The pain is akin to the feeling of gnawing inside the stomach. Other symptoms such as vomiting, belching and nausea may also be present. 
Nux Vomica   If you have peptic ulcers and even eating the slightest amount of food causes pain, then Nux vomica may be a good option and thus be prescribed by your doctor. Another indication in such cases is where the abdominal region is very sensitive and you may feel pain even with the slightest touch. Nux Vomica is also very effective if your peptic ulcer symptoms tend to get worse after the consumption of tea, coffee, spicy foods or alcoholic beverages.
Kali Bichromicum   Sometimes, peptic ulcers may cause the food in your stomach to sit like a heavy load immediately after meals. This can make you very uncomfortable and unable to do any other form of work. This is often times accompanied by a low appetite. In such cases, Kali Bichromicum has been seen to work wonders.
Lycopodium Clavatum   If you have burning pain in your stomach along with the bloating of your abdomen, then Lycopodium Clavatum is the best medication for you. Other indications for this medication are when ingestion of warm water helps relieve pain. If consuming certain vegetables such as cabbage and beans worsen the situation, then Lycopodium Clavatum could be the best medication in such a case. 
Carbo-veg   An all-rounder in the field of homeopathy, Carbo-Veg is also effective when treating peptic ulcers which are accompanied by heartburn and acidity as well as sour belching. The pain from the ulcers may extend from the stomach all the way to the back. Other indications wherein Carbo-Veg may be effective is where the stomach area becomes very sensitive to touch and even small amounts of food may suddenly cause the symptoms to deteriorate.
Hydrastis Canadensis   Stomach or abdominal pain accompanied by weight loss is one of the major indications where this medication may be prescribed. The patient may become emaciated and have sharp cutting pains in the stomach. In such cases, Hydrastis has been seen to be very effective.
Graphites   This medication is extremely useful where along with the ulcer pain, you may end up vomiting your food immediately after a meal. A sensation which is painful and constricted may be present in your stomach. Along with these symptoms, Graphites are also very effective when you suffer from excessive belching.
Phosphorus   If you exhibit typical symptoms of peptic ulcer such as sour belching and a burning sensation in the stomach after eating, Phosphorus could well be the panacea. 
Prognosis

When the underlying cause of peptic ulcer disease is successfully treated, the prognosis (expected outcome) for patients with the condition is excellent. To help prevent peptic ulcers:

Avoid cigarette.
Aspirin and non-steroidal Anti-Inflammatory drugs should be avoided.
Spicy and rich food may aggravate. If so, it should be avoided.
Drink lots of water.
Take frequent small meals instead of two or three big meals.
Bland diet and hygienically prepared food.
Proper cleaning of utensils for food.
Proper cleaning of hands before preparing and eating food.
Avoid alcohol
Common sources of Helicobacter pylori bacteria (e.g., contaminated food and water, floodwater, raw sewage)
Long-term use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
Good hygiene can help reduce the risk for peptic ulcer disease caused by Helicobacter pylori infection. Washing the hands thoroughly with warm soapy water after using the restroom and before eating and avoiding sharing eating utensils and drinking glasses also can reduce the spread of bacteria that can cause PUD.


Peptic Ulcer - How Homeopathy is an Effective Way of Treating it?

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:

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.
Probiotics: Maintain a balance between good and bad bacteria of the gut which in turn alleviates the symptoms of this condition.
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.
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.
Plenty of fluid: People with this condition need to drink extra fluid, as diarrhoea can lead to dehydration.
Supplements: Dietary supplements also help in balancing the nutritional needs of a patient. But do consult a 
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.

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.
Oily and Fatty Foods: The greasy food can aggravate the symptoms of UC as well as can cause diarrhoea.
Spicy foods: Spicy foods may disturb your bowel movements, so it is best to limit the intake of chillies, chilli powder, paprika, peppers etc.
Dairy products: Patients of UC are mostly lactose intolerant. So, these patients should avoid dairy products.
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.

Ulcerative Colitis Diet - Foods To Eat And Avoid!

Ulcerative colitis is a disorder that causes inflammations and ulcers inside your colon, affecting the entire digestive system. The disease grows over time and symptoms start to worsen over a prolonged period, rather than the problem showing up suddenly. Severe cases of ulcerative colitis may even be fatal if treatment does not resolve some of the complications arising from the condition.

Causes of Ulcerative Colitis-
The exact cause for the inflammatory bowel disease is unknown. Improper diet and lifestyle can aggravate the symptoms, but do not cause the condition. Some possible causes for the disease include-

Improper functioning of the body s immune system causes it to recognize the colon as a foreign body.
Genetic factors and hereditary may also be held accountable in some instances.
Risk factors for the condition include old age and family history of the condition.

Symptoms of Ulcerative Colitis-
Here are some common symptoms associated with the condition-

Bloody diarrhoea
Rectal pain
Weight loss
Pain in the abdominal region along with cramping
Fever
Urgency to defecate
Inadequate bowel movement despite the feeling of urgency
How can you prevent ulcerative colitis?
Ulcerative colitis cannot be prevented as the exact cause for the condition is unknown. However, there are simple steps that will help manage the symptoms.

Diet change- You need to stop eating certain foods, such as, dairy products, beans, broccoli, cabbage and anything spicy. Instead, fibre intake must be increased drastically.
Exercise- Mild exercise or activities have a profound impact on managing the condition.
Avoiding stress
Drinking plenty of fluids
Role of Homeopathy in Managing Ulcerative Colitis-
Homeopathy follows a natural and holistic approach to deal with the condition. It does not merely treat the symptoms, but looks to cure the underlying cause for those symptoms. Homeopathic remedies will greatly bolster the overall condition of the body s immune system. Furthermore, the bloody diarrhoea accompanying the disease will also stop with proper homeopathic treatment.

Ulcerative Colitis - Does Homeopathic Treatments Work?

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