Tag: immune system

Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Today’s post is about Inflammatory bowel disease

Recently I was speaking with someone about Crohn’s disease, which is a type of inflammatory bowel disease, so I thought I would share a bit of information on this condition.

First of all, what is it?

Inflammatory bowel disease an umbrella term for a group of intestinal disorders that involve inflammation of the digestive tract. These disorders can cause a range of symptoms that include pain in the lower abdomen, blood in stool, unintended weight loss or chronic diarrhoea. If affected long term and not treated, these can lead to more serious issues like colon cancer and perforated bowel.

What causes it?

The exact cause is not known, but like so many other disease states it begins in the gut. It is here that the immune system thinks some of the cells in the gut are foreign and starts attacking them, causing inflammation. This may be due to an infection, a genetic polymorphism, or even just an imbalance in gut bacteria.

There are several triggers like smoking, antibiotic use, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like paracetamol and even stress, that may lead to inflammatory bowel disease if you have the genetic propensity for it.  Diet is being considered as a possible link to these conditions.  This is due to studies of migrants who have changed to a western style diet and subsequently develop an inflammatory condition.

Can it be treated or cured?

Standard medical treatment involves the use of antibiotics for infection, corticosteroids for inflammation and immunomodulators to control the immune response. These are designed to reduce the symptoms but not to perform any kind of repair to the system.

Naturopathically, we look at things a bit different, with the aim being as close to a cure as possible.

The standard practice is to reduce the intake of fibre to reduce irritation of the bowel however, this is not always the best treatment. Many short chain fatty acids that are anti-inflammatory are produce in the bowel by bacteria that feed on fibre. Therefore, depending on the level of inflammation, fibre can help with reduction as well as regeneration of colonic tissue.

There are also several nutrients and herbals that can assist with this regeneration.

A few of these are;

  • Omega-3 fatty acids as an anti-inflammatory,
  • Zinc because it is important for a healthy immune system, wound healing, and gut barrier integrity.
  • Vitamin A will help to rebuild the gut lining where the inflammation is.
  • Wormwood has been shown to have a steroid sparing effect. This means that it works in a similar way to a corticosteroid but without the side effects, but it should not be used long term.
  • Slippery elm can be used to reduce the irritation. It does this by helping the mucosal layer in the gut which often suffers due to inflammation.

 

Inflammatory bowel disease is a serious thing that should not be taken lightly. Treatment is available and may help with long term outcomes.

If you think you have any problems that may be caused by gut inflammation. Get yourself checked out with a doctor, then come and see me.

 

Till the next post,

Live clean n prosper.

A bit about Vitamin A

We have been diving into a series of nutrients and looking at what they do. Today we are going to take a look at vitamin A.

What is it?

Vitamin A, also known as retinoic acid, is a fat-soluble vitamin that is naturally present in many foods. It plays a role in many bodily functions.

There are two different sources for vitamin A:

*Preformed vitamin A is found in fish, organ meats (such as liver), dairy products, and eggs

*Provitamin A carotenoids are turned into vitamin A by your body. Carotenoids are pigments that give yellow, orange, and red fruits and vegetables their colour. Your body is able to convert some carotenoids into vitamin A.

What does it do?

It is important for normal vision, the immune system, reproduction, and growth and development. Vitamin A also helps your heart, lungs, and other organs work properly.

I think the most important function of vitamin A is gut health. Its benefit for the gut is twofold, first it helps to restore the mucous lining and second, it helps to balance the immune system. This means that it can be particularly useful in autoimmune conditions of the gut like Chrones disease and leaky gut.

Retinol, is one of the 4 forms of vitamin A which studies have found assists in the regeneration of the mucous lining, thus reducing leaky gut. This happens because the mucous layer is a protective layer, as well as being involved in the health of tight gap junctions that make up the physical part of the gut.

Another form of vitamin A, Retinoic acid, has been found to promote T cell activation as well as increasing the rate of NK (natural killer cells) in the body, both play a major role in immunity.

Our bodies have an adaptive immunity, which means it creates T cells to fight a particular infection. NK cells on the other hand are part of our innate immunity that we get from our parents and from natural child birth. They are particularly good at protecting the body from tumour growths and viral infections until the adaptive cells can mount a specific response.

What if I am low in Vitamin A?

Some of the signs and symptoms of vitamin A deficiency can include night blindness because it helps to create Rhodopsin, a protein found in the eyes. A long-term deficiency of vitamin A can also lead to a higher risk of respiratory diseases (such as pneumonia) and infections (such as measles and diarrhoea).

It can also cause anaemia (a condition in which the red blood cells do not supply enough oxygen to the body). In severe cases, not getting enough vitamin A can increase your chances of dying.

What foods provide vitamin A?

Vitamin A is found naturally in many foods and is also added to some foods during processing, such as milk and cereal. You can get your daily dose of vitamin A by eating a variety of foods, including the following:

*Some types of fish, such as herring and salmon

*Beef liver and other organ meats (which are also high in cholesterol, so limit the amount you eat)

*Green leafy vegetables and other green, orange, and yellow vegetables such as spinach, sweet potatoes, carrots, broccoli, and winter squash

*Fruits, including rock melon, mangos, and apricots

*Dairy products, such as milk and cheese

*Fortified breakfast cereals

*Eggs

It is also important to note that cooking these foods, can reduce the amount of vitamin A by as much as 35%.

If you think you may be deficient in vitamin A, talk to your chosen health professional about the steps appropriate for you to take.

We hope you found this information interesting.

Till the next post,

Live clean n Prosper.

Sources – National Institute of Health – Web MD

Psoriasis and Dermatitis

Today’s post is about two common skin conditions Psoriasis and Dermatitis.

Quite often these two conditions get mixed up and it is easy to do so. While the two are sometimes looked at in a similar light they are quite different.

First – Psoriasis, what is it?

The Mayo Clinic states – “Psoriasis is a skin disease that causes a rash with itchy, scaly patches, most commonly on the knees, elbows, trunk and scalp.”

There are several different types of Psoriasis – Plaques psoriasis, Guttate psoriasis, Pustular psoriasis, Inverse psoriasis and Erythrodermic psoriasis.

The Clinicians Handbook of Natural Medicine advises that Psoriasis is predominately an immune system issue. It is a condition that causes the skin cells to grow faster than they should resulting in scaley patches. Normal skin cells completely grow and shed (fall off) in a month. With psoriasis, skin cells do this in only three or four days. Instead of shedding, the skin cells pile up on the surface of the skin. These patches occur most often on the scalp, elbows, or knees, but other parts of the body can be affected as well.

What causes it?

Scientists do not fully understand what causes psoriasis, they know that it has a large genetic influence but the environment also plays a role. It can be influenced by smoking, alcohol consumption, even the weather.

Psoriasis has also been linked to other things like Chron’s disease and celiac disease and therefore is thought to have a link to bowel function. Incomplete digestion or poor absorption of protein in the bowel can lead to toxins forming in the bowel leading to increased cell formation.

This can be mediated by some natural compounds that will inhibit the formation of toxins, but are not to be confused with a cure.

Another avenue of investigation is liver function. Because the liver filters blood from the bowel it can become overwhelmed increasing systemic levels of toxins and the result can be Psoriasis.

Interestingly when bone marrow is transplanted from someone without the condition into someone who does suffer from it the Psoriasis has been shown to clear and the opposite is also true.

Treatment

There are many ways to treat psoriasis, and the treatment plan will depend on the type and severity of disease. Treatments include creams or ointments, as well as pills, injections, or light treatments. Managing common triggers, such as stress and skin injuries, can also help keep the symptoms under control.

Now Dermatitis, what is it?

The Mayo Clinic states – “Dermatitis is a common condition that causes swelling and irritation of the skin that may cause the skin to blister. Ooze, crust or flake.”

There are also several different types of Dermatitis –Dermatitis herpetiformis (DH), Atopic dermatitis (eczema), Contact dermatitis(allergy) and Cradle cap or Seborrheic dermatitis.

Dermatitis herpetiformis (DH) is a condition that is related to celiac disease. It is sometimes called “celiac disease of the skin.” Generally caused by a reaction to gluten which triggers an auto immune response through things called IgA antibodies. Not all people who have celiac disease have Dermatitis, only around 15-20%, but it is also linked to intestinal health. However, there are other allergens, like milk, that can cause dermatitis.

Atopic dermatitis (eczema) is another dermatitis condition that has been linked with diet. People with atopic dermatitis are at risk of developing food allergies, hay fever and asthma.

Contact dermatitis is an itchy rash caused by direct contact with a substance or an allergic reaction to it. The rash isn’t contagious, but it can be very uncomfortable. Many substances can cause this reaction, the most common are cosmetics, fragrances, jewellery and plants. The rash often shows up within days of exposure.

Seborrheic (seb-o-REE-ik) dermatitis is a common skin condition that mainly affects the scalp. It causes scaly patches, inflamed skin and stubborn dandruff. It usually affects oily areas of the body, such as the face, sides of the nose, eyebrows, ears, eyelids and chest. This condition can be irritating but it’s not contagious.

Seborrheic dermatitis, also called dandruff, seborrheic eczema and seborrheic psoriasis. When it occurs in infants, it’s called cradle cap.

Treatment

The treatment for dermatitis varies, depending on the cause and symptoms.

So, while both of these conditions are a part of the immune response and can tend to look similar, the causes are quite different therefore so are the treatments.

As always with most illnesses beginning in the gut, a review of the diet is a good start and can produce some good results. Further treatments include things like corticosteroids that block the immune system.

As always, seek help through your chosen health professional if you think you are suffering from any of these conditions.

Till the next post,

Live clean n Prosper

Sources – the Mayo Clinic – US National Institute of Health – The Clinicians Handbook of Natural Medicine