Re: [ozmidwifery] Colitis

[Aviva Sheb'a]

Thank you, Jason, this is most informative! And to think, I was going to go off the list till I've moved house! Now I'll have to stay on. Aviva ----- Original Message ----- From: Jason Hawrelak To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Friday, February 21, 2003 12:07 PM Subject: Re: [ozmidwifery] Colitis Hello Andrea, I'm guessing that by 'colitis' you mean ulcerative colitis, which is characterised by episodes of abdominal pain and bloody diarrhoea. I'm a naturopath, and I am also doing a PhD in the area of gut health and the intestinal micro-ecology, so I know a fair bit about ulcerative colitis and its management with natural medicine. During the acute stage of the condition (which it sounds like she is in) one would usually put the client on a elemental or hypoallergenic diet. For this it is best to use a formulation based on rice protein. Try to get one that has additional vitamins, minerals and essential fatty acids (e.g., RejuvenX from Bioceuticals - can be contacted on 1-300-650-455 - 3-4 serves/day will keep the protein level up to what is needed). At this same time I would suggest clear vegetable broths, and more importantly fresh fruit & veggie juices (at least 4 glasses daily). These are very antioxidant rich and will help 'calm' the inflammation. I would especially recommend fresh wheat grass juice, as a recent trial found it excellent in alleviating ulcerative colitis symptoms (try to give 100 ml/day) - it works well combined with carrot and apple. Normally, this is all that would be eaten until the diarrhoea and pain stop. Ulcerative colitis (UC) is often considered to be caused by an imbalance of intestinal bacteria, so probiotics are potentially useful. Unfortunately, most probiotic supplements on the market are very poor, and what is generally not well known is that each supplement will contain a specific bacterial strain with a limited range of therapeutic actions. Not all 'acidophilus' is the same, just like not all breeds of dogs are the same. All dogs are the same species, but as we know German Shepards are very different from chihuahuas. This same principle is at work in the probiotic field, in that the different strains of 'acidophilus' are like the different breeds of dogs - they are all the same species but some are German Shepards and others chihuahuas. You just need to know which one is which - unfortunately very few naturopaths, GP's or consumers know this. There is one probiotic product that has been clinically trialed and proven effective in ulcerative colitis. The product is called VSL#3 and it is available mail-order or over the internet from Orphan Australia (www.orphan.com.au or 1-300-656-755). It is more expensive than other probiotic supplements, but it has been proven to work in UC and no others currently available on the Australian market have. So I would certainly recommend taking this with the juice, broth and protein powder combination. To this I would also add slippery elm (1 heaped tsp 4x/d) - blended with apple juice for easier compliance. I understand that the loss of caloric intake on this dietary regime would be a concern in pregancy, but the energy defecit shouldn't be too great if the regime is follwed for 7-14 days, by which time the UC should have truly settled down. And her current diarrhoea and intestinal inflammation is already severely hampering her absorption of nutrients. Once the UC has settled down, I would recommend that the client keep taking the VSl#3 and slippery elm (you could halve the dosage of both at this point). Juices should still be consumed daily, but 1-2 glasses per day should suffice (but keep the wheat grass up). At this point, a fibre and anti-oxidant rich diet is essential. So lots of fruit (especially berries), vegetables, whole-grain products, nuts and seeds (preferably freshly ground) should be consumed. Brown rice, barley and oats would be especially good. Avoid eggs, potatoes, wheat-products and all junk food as these are common exacerbating factors. If she can get traditionally-made sauerkraut this would be excellent as it contains more health-giving bacteria that yoghurt, as well as anti-oxidants and healing factors for the gut. To improve her essential fatty acid balance, recommend oily fish consumption at least 4x/week (e.g., sardines, salmon, herring, ocean trout, mackerel, mullet, tailor, and sweep) and ground flaxseeds/flaxseed oil daily. Alternatively fish oil capsules can be used but the dosage needs to be 6-10 capsules per day, so it can be expensive taking this route. Additional research has shown that psyllium seeds (not the husks) at a dosage of 10g twice daily is as effective in keeping UC in remission as pharmaceutical drugs, so I would definately add this to the treatment protocol (if you can't locate psyllium seeds, the next best option is barley bran - 2 Tab twice daily). Implementation of these measures should not only improve her UC but will also improve the overall health status of the impending mum and her bub. Jason Hawrelak Jason Hawrelak BNat(Hons) PhD Candidate and Researcher Australian Centre for Complementary Medicine Education & Research School of Natural and Complementary Medicine Southern Cross University PO Box 157 Lismore, NSW 2480 tel: (02)6620-3308 fax: (02)6620-3307 e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] At 04:57 PM 19/02/03 +1100, you wrote: >Can anyone help me with a problem for one of my clients:  28 weeks, 1st >baby, suffering from colitis and getting worse - main symptom seems to be >rectal bleeding, which she says happens 3 times a day. Otherwise very fit >(yoga, gym, power walks daily) and healthy (very diet conscious). >From what >I have read, there is not much she can do - drugs are contraindicated and >the pregnancy hormones are probably exacerbating the condition, which will >improve once the baby arrives. Any suggestions most welcome! > >Many thanks, > >Andrea > >----- >Andrea Robertson >Birth International * ACE Graphics * Associates in Childbirth Education > >e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >web: www.birthinternational.com > > >-- >This mailing list is sponsored by ACE Graphics. >Visit <http://www.acegraphics.com.au> to subscribe or unsubscribe. > > -- This mailing list is sponsored by ACE Graphics. Visit <http://www.acegraphics.com.au> to subscribe or unsubscribe.   ---   Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.455 / Virus Database: 255 - Release Date: 13/02/03