Tag: inflammation

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 Arthritis

Today’s post is about Arthritis.

Arthritis is actually an umbrella term for more than 100 conditions that effect the joints of the body. The most common forms are osteoarthritis, rheumatoid and gout. Many people will suffer from one or more types of arthritis in their lifetime.

So, in this post we will look at what it is, what causes it and what to do about it for prevention and reduction of symptoms.

What is arthritis really?

It is generally regarded as tenderness or swelling of one or more joints causing pain. It generally manifests as pain or swelling in a joint with redness and swelling as well as stiffness and reduced movement.

This is often due to the surface of the cartilage being damaged and then this causes calcium phosphate crystals to become deposited in the joint. However, as there are so many different types this is only a generalisation.

So, what causes it?

The short answer is no one really knows definitively what the cause is and this is likely due to the fact that there are so many inflammation conditions that are called arthritis. There are also so many ways for inflammation to happen. A common factor is obesity due to the increased pressure on the joints, another factor can be family history as well as repetitive actions that wear out a joint.

What can we do to prevent it?

An easy start can be a simple as diet. Avoiding saturated fats like fried foods and palm oil are prime culprits for causing inflammation. This will have the added benefit of reducing weight which will in turn benefit the reduction of symptoms.

Ensuring you are getting enough calcium in your diet is important for bone growth and regeneration but keep in mind that without vitamin D the calcium will not be metabolised from the food as well. Regular exercise will help in keeping muscles strong to support the joints.

Managing the pain.

While there are many easily accessible analgesics and anti-inflammatory drugs aimed at reducing the pain there is always a better way. The most important thing to remember is to remove the obstacles to proper joint health, this means removing inflammatory foods and excess weight for a start.

Next is to support joint healing through proper nutrition and gentle physical movement or acupuncture to improve circulation. There are several herbal and mineral treatments that are very effective at reducing joint pain in many cases. For example, Boswellia serrata is a plant that is particularly good at reducing the pain of arthritis. Also Omege-3 supplements work well by reducing inflammation.

As a naturopath I also recommend the use of a “tens” machine to improve blood flow to a specific area. This helps to reduce inflammation and remove any calcium phosphate crystals that may have formed.

If you find you are suffering from sore joints, arrange an appointment with your chosen health professional. It may take several visits before they can tell what type of arthritis you have. This is because some types of arthritis can be hard to diagnose and may need further testing or examination. They may examine the affected joints and send you for some tests or x-rays. Most forms of arthritis can be diagnosed through blood tests.

We hope you have found this information helpful.

 

Till the next post,

Live clean n Prosper

Some information about Hangovers

Welcome to a new year and the first post of 2023.

For many people the first day of a new year starts with a hangover. So I thought that I would explore this topic.

Now we all know that the consumption of a substantial amount of alcohol is the usual cause of a hangover. Previously I have written about how the body processes alcohol.

This time I thought I would explore what is going on in the body to cause this unpleasant after effect?

What is a ‘hangover’?

Wikipedia states – A hangover is the experience of various unpleasant physiological and psychological effects usually following the consumption of alcohol.

In addition, hangover characteristics may depend on the type of alcoholic beverage consumed and the amount a person drinks. Typically, a hangover begins within several hours after the person has stopped drinking and the blood alcohol concentration (BAC) is falling. Symptoms usually peak about the time BAC is zero and may continue for up to 24 hours after.

The chemical process

As previously covered, the liver processes the alcohol in 2 steps. It uses an enzyme in the liver cells – alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) to break down ethanol in the blood into another compound, acetaldehyde. Which is actually toxic.

Next, another enzyme, called aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) breaks it down further into acetate, which is not toxic.

Normally, acetaldehyde is quickly converted to acetate and excreted from the body. But when lot of alcohol is consumed, the liver may not convert the acetaldehyde as quickly as usual. It may have built up enough in the body to cause the nausea, vomiting and sweating of a hangover.

There is more to the hangover, however, than just acetaldehyde. Another contributor to the hangover is methanol, another fermentation product found in alcoholic beverages, luckily in small amounts because methanol is highly toxic. Like its ethanol partner, the same enzymes metabolise methanol as ethanol. The only difference is that this time the compounds created are formaldehyde and formic acid, which are extremely toxic.

So what factors are contributing to feeling unwell?
  • Mild dehydration: Alcohol increases urination and excess loss of fluids. The mild dehydration that results contributes symptoms such as thirst, fatigue, and a headache.
  • Disrupted sleep: People may fall asleep faster after drinking alcohol, but their sleep is fragmented. This is because the body is rebounding from the depressive effect of alcohol, disturbing normal sleep rhythm. This contributes to fatigue, as well as lost productivity.
  • Gastrointestinal irritation: Alcohol directly irritates the lining of the stomach and increases acid release. This can lead to nausea, vomiting and stomach discomfort.
  • Inflammation: Alcohol increases inflammation in the body similar to when you have an infection. This then causes the feelings of nausea, headache, chills and tiredness.
Avoiding a hangover

Paying attention to the quantity and quality of alcohol consumed can have a significant effect on preventing hangover. Hangover symptoms are less likely to occur if a person drinks only small, non-intoxicating amounts.

Even among people who drink to intoxication, those who consume lower amounts of alcohol appear less likely to develop a hangover than those who drink higher amounts. Hangovers are not usually associated with drinking beverages that contain low alcohol content. And lastly, including more water between drinks can reduce the dehydration caused by the alcohol.

Because individuals are so different, it is difficult to predict how many drinks will cause a hangover. Any time people drink to intoxication, there is a chance they could have a hangover the next day.

We hope you found this information interesting and/or helpful.

Till the next post,

Live clean n Prosper

Sources – McGill University, Office for Science and Society – National Library of Medicine  – National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and AlcoholisA