Home Remedy for Autoimmune Colon Disease

Inflammatory bowel disease, or IBD, includes autoimmune disorders of the colon such as ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder that primarily affects the small intestine, though recent evidence has revealed links to colon disorders. Home remedies for these conditions consist of dietary and lifestyle changes as well as natural anti-inflammatory treatments that can prolong periods of remission from symptoms such as diarrhea, abdominal pain, bloody stools, fever and weight loss.

Nutritional Remedies

• Malabsorption of nutrients and the fact that many patients are afraid to eat due to the subsequent pain they experience can result in weight loss and malnutrition of those with autoimmune colon disorders. Typically, starvation during work hours results in overeating in the evening and awakening during the night with severe symptoms. A better strategy is to eat small meals throughout the day and nothing within two to three hours of bedtime.

  What is eaten is as important as when it is eaten. Some colitis sufferers claim to have cured the condition by following a strict raw vegan diet. Avoiding all cooked foods, including grains, meats and dairy products in favor of fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds has had remarkable healing effects. The raw food diet requires dedication and is helped by the support of other raw fooders as well as equipment such as juicers, blenders, food processors and dehydrators.

  Others have had similar results from a gluten free/casein free diet. Gluten is found in wheat, barley and rye. It is a component of many processed foods, listed as monosodium glutamate (MSG), natural flavors, barley malt, maltodextrose, food starch, and undistilled grain vinegar. Casein is protein from cow's milk and is also an ingredient in many foods. Obvious gluten- and casein-containing products are bread and pasta, milk, cheese, ice cream and butter, but it is important to eliminate all sources. Gluten contamination can happen on shared equipment. Even a tiny amount can cause an inflammatory (autoimmune) response in those who are sensitive, so using only unprocessed foods made at home on dedicated equipment is the best way to avoid problems. Quinoa and brown rice are good substitute grains. Rice and almond milks can replace cow's milk. Avoid hydrogenated oils.

Supplements

• Clostridium difficile, or C. difficile, is a bacteria gaining superbug status for its opportunistic overgrowth in the colon following antibiotic use. Colon inflammation caused by C. difficile can be severe, even life-threatening, and may co-exist with autoimmune colon disorders. Candida, or yeast, may also proliferate in the colon when colonies of "friendly" bacteria are low. Fermented foods containing active cultures are usually not enough to restore balance when disease conditions exist. A high potency supplement (at least 1 billion organisms per serving) combination containing acidophilus, bacteria bifidus, and lactobacillus should be taken three times a day on an empty stomach (to minimize destruction by stomach acids) for 10 days to restore colon health.

  Aloe vera juice softens stools and soothes the digestive tract. The usual dose is 1/2 cup three times a day. Slippery elm bark tea has similar effects without the bitter taste of aloe vera.

  Glutamine, an amino acid that improves gut absorption, works better if taken with Vitamin C and Vitamin B6 and is most effective at doses of at least 500 mg twice a day on an empty stomach. Glutamine also supports healing of intestinal villi that may be damaged by celiac disease.

  Enteric-coated peppermint oil has been gaining recognition as an anti-inflammatory and anti-spasmodic that shows promise in treating the pain associated with inflammatory bowel diseases. Some doctors are recommending a trial of one or two capsules after meals to their patients.