What is Colitis?
Colitis is a medical condition wherein the inner lining of the colon (a part of the large intestine) becomes inflamed or swollen. Basically, the colon collects and stores the waste products of digestion and when the inner lining of this very colon becomes inflamed due to infection or any other reason, it results in Colitis.
There are different types of Colitis depending on the cause. They are Infectious Colitis, Chemical Colitis, Ulcerative Colitis, Microscopic Colitis and Ischemic Colitis. Out of these, Ulcerative Colitis is a type of Inflammatory Bowel Disease.
Generally, contaminated drinking water and inadequate sanitation lead to Colitis. Therefore, maintaining proper sanitation of the drinking water and kitchen utensils is very important. Along with these measures, following a proper diet throughout the treatment and adopting the natural home remedies for Colitis can help prevent as well as cure this disease. Extremely serious Colitis may require surgery as well.
Causes of Colitis
As already mentioned, different types of Colitis are caused by different reasons. Infectious Colitis results from bacterial infections. Mostly, E. coli, shigella, salmonella, and campylobacter bacteria are responsible for such infections.
Ischemic Colitis is caused by a restricted blood supply. This restriction in blood supply is, in turn caused by Diabetes, High Cholesterol, High Blood Pressure, Dehydration, Anemia and Smoking. Previous radiation treatments may also cause the same.
As for Ulcerative Colitis, it is caused by an over active immune system. Microscopic Colitis is a less common type of Colitis. It can be of two types, that is Collagenous Colitis or Lymphocytic Colitis. An increased number of collagens or lymphocytes (types of blood cells) results in Collagenous Colitis or Lymphocytic Colitis respectively. It may be an autoimmune disease.
Symptoms of Colitis
In general, the symptoms of Colitis include diarrhea, abdominal pain, abdominal tenderness, cramping, fatigue, bloating, loss of appetite, weight loss and other related symptoms. In Pseudomembranous colitis (a type of bacterial Colitis), fever may also be present.
Similarly, Ischemic Colitis is also characterized by fever as well as blood in the stool. Ulcerous Colitis is characterized by blood in the stool along with severe abdominal pain. Microscopic Colitis is generally accompanied by watery and non bloody diarrhea.
Natural Home Remedies for Colitis
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• Extract the juice from drumstick leaves. Take one teaspoon of this juice and add one glass of coconut water and one teaspoon of honey in it. Take this mixture about two or three times per day on a daily basis. This is one of the most valuable natural home remedies for Colitis.
• Rubbing cayenne extract on the abdomen is a highly recommended natural remedy used in the treatment of Colitis.
• Drinking carrot and pineapple juice is a simple yet equally natural home remedy to cure this disease.
• Take one glass of buttermilk and add some rice and ripe banana in it. Taking this gruel helps to reduce the symptoms and provide relief.
• Drinking coconut milk is an effective natural remdy to cure Colitis. Discontinue this remedy if it causes diarrhea.
• Ginseng, garlic and spirulina are efficient home remedies for Colitis treatment.
• Drinking two cups of Aloe Vera juice on a regular basis provides quick relief from the symptoms.
• Taking a mixture of yogurt, turmeric, salt and grounded cumin powder is a widely used home remedy to heal irritation and inflammation related to this disease.
• Therapeutic herbs like myrrh, slippery elm and white oak bark are excellent natural home remedies for Colitis. There is no need to combine them together, they can be taken separately.
Diet for Colitis
Cabbage in the form of juice as well as in the form of vegetable is one of the best natural home remedies for Colitis related abdominal inflammations. Besides, bananas, pumpkin seeds and fish oils are highly recommended for Colitis patients as they have a soothing effect on the intestines. Ripe bananas are particularly beneficial for Ulcerative Colitis.
A diet rich in proteins facilitates the healing process by providing strength to the muscular walls around the colon. Calcium has been found effective in reducing the cramps caused by Colitis. Fiber rich fresh and raw fruits and vegetables should become an essential part of the diet to get rid of this disease. The patient should drink plenty of (boiled or purified) water.
Dairy products are generally difficult to digest. So, they should be avoided until considerable recovery is made. Similarly, red meat should also be excluded from the diet as it is known to cause inflammations. It would be better to switch to a more vegetarian diet until the symptoms subside considerably. Junk and fatty food containing white flour, excessive salt and spices should also be refrained from.
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