Can Vinegar Help Treat Ulcerative Colitis?

Vinegar has been a household staple for centuries, used as a food preservative, an all-purpose cleaner, and a home remedy for a range of ailments. Today, you’ll find a variety of vinegar products, including pills, drinks, and dog-rinse cleansers, all claiming to treat or cure a number of health conditions.

For people with ulcerative colitis (UC), a chronic autoimmune condition that causes ulcers, abdominal pain, diarrhea, and other symptoms, evidence that vinegar can suppress gut inflammation sounds especially promising — but the research is spotty. Does that mean patients should rule it out? Not necessarily.

“It’s low risk, and it’s been used for many, many years,” says Robin Foroutan, RDN, an integrated dietitian at the Morrison Center in New York City and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. “Many integrative practitioners suggest using diluted vinegar to improve digestion because the practice appears to support the stomach, possibly by encouraging proper stomach acid secretion. ”

She adds, “Many people do report feeling a big difference in energy and digestion.”

RELATED: 9 Healthy Foods for Ulcerative Colitis

Vinegar Could Help Keep Gut Bacteria in Check

In a study published in January 2016 in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, vinegar proved to have an anti-inflammatory effect on mice who were chemically induced to have symptoms similar to ulcerative colitis. For the study, researchers gave the mice apple cider vinegar diluted in drinking water.

After one month the scientists found that the vinegar had reduced inflammation in the colon and suppressed proteins that trigger the immune system’s inflammatory response. They also found that the mice had higher levels of friendly bacteria in the gut, such as lactobacillus and bifidobacteria.

“Based on the results, vinegar seemed to have changed the ecology of the bacteria living in the digestive tract and had an effect on the microbiome,” says Foroutan, who was not involved in the study. In other words, apple cider vinegar appears to have a probiotic effect, helping “good” bacteria thrive in the digestive tract and ultimately reducing inflammation. For people with ulcerative colitis, that could mean fewer ulcers and a reduction in symptoms such as abdominal pain, diarrhea, loss of appetite, and rectal bleeding.

More research involving human subjects is needed.

RELATED: 6 Ways to Naturally Treat Ulcerative Colitis

Vinegar’s Effects on Obesity and Cancer

A few human studies have shown that apple cider vinegar has potential as an alternative therapy for a number of health conditions, such as obesity. In a study published in the journal Bioscience, Biotechnology and Biochemistry, obese Japanese subjects consumed vinegar daily over a 12-week period. Researchers found that subjects who ingested vinegar experienced significant weight loss and lower cholesterol levels compared with subjects who didn’t drink the vinegar.

Certain ingredients in vinegar, like bioactive compounds and acetic acid, appear to offer significant health benefits. The most potent antioxidants in vinegar are polyphenols and vitamins, which both have a long history of fighting oxidation, according to an article published in May 2014 in the Journal of Food Science.

Japanese black vinegar, for example, inhibited the growth of human cancer cells in a small study published in the journal Nutrition and Cancer.

RELATED: Can Adding Apple Cider Vinegar to Your Diet Help You Lose Weight?

Finding the Right Kind of Vinegar for Treatment

While most vinegars have health benefits, the kinds most commonly used as home remedies are cider vinegar and white vinegar. Cider vinegar is made from fruit juices, grapes, dates, figs, sugarcane, and apples, while white vinegar tends to be made from grains, molasses, coconut, honey, beer, and maple syrup.

Researchers have looked most closely at apple cider vinegar, says Foroutan; it contains pectin, a fiber that helps promote good bacteria growth in the gut. But consuming too much pectin could cause diarrhea. Researchers have also studied acetic acid, a compound found in a number of different kinds of vinegars.

Another component of vinegar that’s been touted for its benefits is the “mother.” This filmy substance is fermented bacteria, found in unfiltered vinegar. Though there is no evidence to suggest that it improves gut health, the mother does have a concentrated amount of bacteria, which could mean it has strong probiotic properties.

RELATED: The Pros and Cons of Probiotics for Ulcerative Colitis

How Much Vinegar Should You Drink?

For digestive benefits, Foroutan recommends drinking 1 tablespoon of vinegar diluted in 8 ounces of water in the morning on an empty stomach. If that’s too much, she suggests adding it to salad dressings, soups, or even fish. “We don’t have all the answers yet, but drinking diluted vinegar is worth a try, since it’s generally safe and there may be a benefit,” she says.

Still, experts like David Johnson, MD, professor of medicine and chief of gastroenterology at Eastern Virginia School of Medicine in Norfolk, recommend caution. “Vinegar can interact with certain medications and supplements, so rather than taking it on blind faith, discuss it with your doctor first,” he says.

Can Apple Cider Vinegar Help Treat Crohn’s?

Apple cider vinegar has long been used as a folk remedy for a number of health conditions — including infections, for “detoxification,” and more recently, for its supposed weight loss effects. So it’s not surprising that some people with an inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) — Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis (UC) — are curious about whether it might help their condition.

While there’s no direct evidence that apple cider vinegar has benefits related to Crohn’s disease, there are some known properties of apple cider vinegar that might be beneficial in some cases. But before you decide to add this ingredient to your diet, you should consider its potential risks and downsides — and make sure, above all, that it won’t make your condition worse.

Here’s a look at what apple cider vinegar is, what benefits it might have that could be relevant to Crohn’s, and what you should know before you decide to take it.

What’s in Apple Cider Vinegar, and What It Does

Apple cider vinegar is created in a process of fermentation, in which yeast turns sugars in apples into alcohol, and then bacteria turns this alcohol into acetic acid — the key ingredient that makes it vinegar. It’s about the same color as apple juice, and it contains vitamins and plant-based antioxidants (called polyphenols) at about the same levels as apple juice.

Unfiltered apple cider vinegar has a cloudy substance that settles in it, called the “mother.” This sludge contains yeast, bacteria, and acids from the fermentation process. While there’s a lot of hype about the supposedly beneficial effects of the mother, the long history of therapeutic uses for apple cider vinegar is “most likely just due to the acetic acid,” says Olivia Vaughn, RDN, a dietitian in the division of gastroenterology, hepatology, and nutrition at the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, in Columbus.

Acetic acid — which is found in all types of vinegar — “has some health-promoting properties,” says Vaughn. “It’s an antimicrobial agent. It’s antifungal.” And outside the realm of IBD, there’s compelling evidence that it may help certain people with diabetes lower their blood sugar levels.

The antimicrobial properties of acetic acid are the theoretical basis for how it might help certain people with Crohn’s. “It may alter our microbiomes, all those organisms within the GI tract that do very much affect our health,” Vaughn explains. “The microbiome directly impacts the health of our GI tract.”

But exactly how our microbiomes — consisting of bacteria, fungi, and other small organisms — affect our digestive and overall health is an area of science that’s quite new. There are only a few clues about how apple cider vinegar affects our microbiomes, and what this may mean for IBD.

RELATED: 7 Potential Side Effects of Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple Cider Vinegar and Crohn’s: What the Science Says

There have been no scientific studies to date looking at the effects of consuming apple cider vinegar on Crohn’s disease. In fact, the one piece of evidence that vinegar may have any impact on IBD is a single study involving mice.

Published in January 2016 in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, the study was designed to investigate whether vinegar could help prevent ulcerative colitis in mice — which the researchers induced by giving the mice a chemical. Some of the mice were given vinegar for 28 days as part of their drinking water, before any other chemicals were given. The researchers found that these mice had higher levels of certain potentially beneficial bacteria in their feces, and lower levels of E. coli, a potentially harmful type of bacteria.

Once the researchers gave the mice a chemical to cause UC, they found that the vinegar-fed mice had significantly lower disease activity and lost less body weight than the other mice. A further analysis showed specific biological mechanisms through which vinegar reduced inflammation in this group of mice.

While this study is certainly intriguing, it doesn’t show that taking vinegar has any benefit in humans who already have UC or Crohn’s. But Vaughn notes that the alteration of the mice’s microbiome is important, because “[the microbiome] may play a role in the development of inflammatory bowel disease” in humans.

Should You Take Apple Cider Vinegar if You Have Crohn’s?

There’s certainly no overall recommendation that people with Crohn’s should take apple cider vinegar. In fact, Vaughn says, she rarely gets questions about it from her IBD patients.

Since vinegar is sold as a food in the United States, it’s not something many doctors or even dietitians will mention when discussing drugs and supplements with patients. But that doesn’t mean you can consume it without risk, or that you should start adding it to your diet without first discussing it with a health professional.

The lack of studies on vinegar and IBD means that its safety profile as a food ingredient just isn’t known. “We have an evidence-based practice,” says Vaughn. “I don’t want to just say, ‘It’s safe because it’s food, so go use it as much as you’d like,’ if I don’t truly know. ”

When it comes to potential effects on your digestive tract, vinegar “could absolutely be an irritant,” says Vaughn, contributing to digestive upset and possibly exacerbating Crohn’s symptoms. But this is likely to vary from person to person. And it’s worth remembering, Vaughn says, that “you do have your stomach to help neutralize it a little bit. It’s not like you’re pouring it directly on an area of inflammation.”

Still, it’s best to follow some precautions if you’re interested in taking apple cider vinegar, including:

Discuss it with your doctor first. Apple cider vinegar may interact with certain drugs or supplements. It’s especially important to have this discussion if you take insulin for diabetes, or a diuretic drug. If you have chronic kidney disease, your kidneys may have trouble removing the extra acetic acid from your body.

Dilute it. You should never take apple cider vinegar without first diluting it in water, since the concentrated acid can damage your tooth enamel and irritate your throat. You may also want to drink plain water immediately after taking it, to rinse it out of your mouth and throat.

Look out for both positive and negative effects. While it’s a good idea to be patient when evaluating the potential benefit from any drug or dietary change, you should also look out for any worsening of your Crohn’s symptoms if you start taking apple cider vinegar. And if you aren’t seeing any noticeable improvement in your Crohn’s symptoms after a while, you’ll need to reevaluate whether taking apple cider vinegar makes sense for you.

Ultimately, the only way to know if apple cider vinegar will have any beneficial effect is to try it. “I’m not one to totally discredit the health-promoting properties it may have for some people,” says Vaughn. “I just don’t think we know enough.”

RELATED: Apple Cider Vinegar and Diabetes: A Cure or an Aid?

Treating Ulcerative Colitis with Vinegar

Vinegar may do more than flavor salads, sandwiches and chips. According to new research, it may also help treat ulcerative colitis, a painful disease of the digestive tract that affects more than 200,000 Americans each year. The following explains how Columbus senior care providers can use apple cider vinegar as a simple at-home treatment.

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is an inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) involving chronic inflammation of the colon or large intestine. UC can cause ulcers, abdominal cramps, diarrhea, and other painful symptoms that interfere with daily activities.

Scientists aren’t sure about what causes UC, but many suspect it is related to certain bacteria in the gut. Recent research provides evidence that vinegar, specifically apple cider vinegar, may foster the growth of benevolent gut bacteria that can reduce inflammation.

Scientists at Jilin University in China tested vinegar for ulcerative colitis treatment among laboratory mice. These specimens had chemically induced colitis and were given small amounts of vinegar in their drinking water. It is believed that the main ingredient, acetic acid, was responsible for the significantly reduced symptoms of ulcerative colitis in the test subjects.

Several conclusions can be drawn from the study:

• Vinegar and acetic acid suppressed immune system responses that cause inflammation.

• They also suppressed levels of circulating proteins that contribute to inflammation.

• Mice treated with vinegar had more “friendly” gut bacteria. Other studies have shown these bacterial strains are beneficial for mice with symptoms of colitis.

• Finally, vinegar appeared to reduce a type of cell death triggered by stressful conditions that is often linked to inflammation.

Vinegar has been used in traditional medicine for centuries in cultures throughout the world. It is inexpensive and safe in moderation. It can be purchased in variants such as apple cider vinegar, which can be diluted with water, or combined with honey to make it more palatable.

Diseases like ulcerative colitis can make life at home challenging for seniors. To help your loved one maintain independence at home, reach out to Home Care Assistance of Columbus. We provide specialized services such as stroke, dementia, and Alzheimer’s care Columbus seniors can trust to make living with illness or injury more manageable. Our dedicated caregivers offer regular medication reminders, prescriptions pick-ups, and transportation to and from medical appointments to ensure your loved one keeps track of his or her health. Contact us today at (614) 481-8888 to learn more and schedule a no-obligation consultation with an experienced Care Manager.

Why You Should Take Your Apple Cider Vinegar at Night

Dr. Joseph Mercola

While some of the amazing abilities of apple cider vinegar (ACV) are anecdotal, passed along as traditional cures, like using it for colds and sore throats, others are corroborated by clinical studies. But how would taking “ACV” before bed help you? Let’s just say it has the potential to drastically improve the health and wellness of half the population, and that’s nothing to sneeze at.

Story at a glance

• Apple cider vinegar is useful for a number of health-related conditions, such as balancing your pH, increasing your good gut bacteria and helping to control your weight

• ACV uses are various and unexpected; its antibacterial effects help cure athlete’s foot and heal wounds, the acetic acid helps tone your skin and treat dandruff, and the same compounds make it useful for cleaning around the house

No doubt, you’ve seen them – lists touting the amazing curative power of apple cider vinegar for an amazing number of ills. “ACV” (as it’s sometimes referred to in studies) has been praised for its ability to balance you pH, increase good gut bacteria and help control your weight, as well as many other beneficial things.

Here’s the kicker: All those are true, and more besides.

One of the most sensational is its ability to balance your blood sugar. A studyⁱ at Arizona State University tested 11 volunteers with type 2 diabetes (diagnosed by a doctor) who weren’t taking insulin but continued taking their prescription medications.

Each participant took 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar with a snack – an ounce of cheese – before bedtime. The researchers demonstrated that in the morning, the study subjects had lower blood sugar readings than when they had the same snack with 2 tablespoons of water.

This is important and potentially life-changing news for half of the American population, as NBC News reports that half the country suffers from either high blood sugar or full-blown diabetes.

That’s a huge jump from the projection of 1 in 3 by 2050 made by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in 2010.ⁱⁱ Worse, half that number are unaware of how compromised their health really is.ⁱⁱⁱ

That wasn’t an isolated fluke; the benefits of apple cider vinegar have been tested in a myriad of studies, according to CNN Health,^iv for many different types of health issues.

More studies reveal: ACV positively impacts blood sugar levels

A recent study^v showed that three groups – adults with pre-diabetes, type 2 diabetes, and healthy people – after taking an ounce of ACV, all had lower blood glucose levels when they ate a high-carb meal consisting of a white bagel with butter and a glass of orange juice; again, compared with a placebo rather than the cider vinegar.

But there’s more: Those with pre-diabetes improved their blood glucose levels by almost half, and the subjects with type 2 diabetes cut their blood glucose levels by 25 percent.

Just as dramatic are the studies involving ACV’s potential for controlling weight. The Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry reported a study^vi on mice that were fed a high-fat diet along with the active ingredient in apple cider vinegar: acetic acid. The animal subjects ended up with 10 percent lower body weight than the control subjects.

What this reveals, researchers assert, is that acetic acid can “turn on” trigger genes that initiates the enzymes’ ability to break down fat, which prevents weight gain. It also helps you feel full.

A study^vii in Japan conducted a similar double-blind trial on obese adults, each with a similar body weight, waist measurement and body mass index (BMI), and split the subjects into three groups.

For 12 weeks, members of one group drank half an ounce of ACV, one group had a beverage with one ounce of ACV and the third group had a drink with no ACV. When the study was over, those who drank the cider vinegar had lower body weight and belly fat, smaller waist measurements and lower triglycerides compared to the others.

The scientists wrote: “In conclusion, daily intake of vinegar might be useful in the prevention of metabolic syndrome by reducing obesity.”

Apple cider vinegar’s effects on cancer cells, immune support

Another thing apple cider vinegar provides is detoxification in your lymphatic system, which then helps optimize homeostatic function in your body. This may be as a result of the antioxidants in ACV reducing oxidative damage by free radicals, while improving both your blood and organs. The Truth About Cancer says:

“Cider vinegar was recently determined to be a strong antimicrobial agent and alternative to toxic and expensive chemical disinfectants. One of the most fatal bacterium, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, is resistant to disinfectants but is found to be killed by acetic acid.⁵

Especially in patients who are immunosuppressed, apple cider vinegar is an excellent natural antimicrobial tonic to rid of harmful bacteria and provide immune support.”^viii

Several test-tube studies show that vinegar can kill cancer cells. Authority Nutrition^ix cites several studies; one in particular in Japan used several types of fermented vinegars to induce apoptosis (programmed cell death) in leukemia cells.^x

In another study, malignant breast and colon tumors, as well as lung, bladder and prostate cancers, were all inhibited using rice vinegar, but especially the cancerous colon tumors, which were inhibited by 62 percent. ^xi

Vinegar punch (or drizzle) recipes for digestive health and sore throat

If you’ve had problems such as colitis, ulcers or acid reflux (sometimes due to insufficient acid in your stomach), a double whammy of apple cider vinegar with the added bonus of fermented veggies has the potential to ease several kinds of stomach problems. The mild acid in fermentation is lactic acid rather than acetic acid, to help improve your gut microbiome.

Animal studies have proven helpful when researchers want to test apple cider vinegar on digestion. In one study, Health.com reports:^xii

“Apple cider vinegar may also be a boon to digestive health, based on the results of a study done on mice with ulcerative colitis.

The researchers found that when acetic acid was added to their drinking water, they had higher levels of good bacteria  in their guts, such as Lactobacillus and Bifidobacteria, and reduced symptoms of the gastrointestinal disease. ”^xiii

For everyday gut health, a mixture of 2 teaspoons of ACV with a teaspoon of raw honey in a cup of warm water will help.

ACV with honey and ginger for a sore throat is a popular and effective remedy. Another mixture for sore throat, recommended by Bonnie K. McMillen, a nurse from the University of Pittsburgh,^xiv includes:

With this recipe, tiny sips every few hours or so and swallowing slowly for your throat to get the maximum contact of the mixture is recommended. It works! Rather than drinking ACV straight, for other applications, dilute it in a few teaspoons (or a cup) of water to help mask the flavor, which admittedly is a bit stringent.

A simple and yummy recipe to serve over broccoli, asparagus or salad greens includes: 1 tablespoon each of apple cider vinegar and lemon juice, ½ teaspoon of minced garlic, a dash of ground black pepper, and a few fresh basil leaves, chopped.

ACV for beauty, health and a few other things

Some people swear that drinking a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar straight up will get rid of hiccups. The conjecture is that it will “overstimulate” your nerve endings to sort of “shock” the hiccups out of your system. It’s certainly worth a try!

Soaking a cloth in ACV and placing it on a bruise is said to reduce inflammation and speed the healing process.

It’s no secret that vinegar is highly acidic, but it’s this very element that gets several jobs done you may not have been aware of. Due to its potential to change your pH,^xv such as in the case of dandruff and evening out dry, tired skin, it’s been used for:

• Bug bites
• Toning your skin
• Sunburn
• Poison ivy
• Acne
• Wounds
• Dandruff
• Toenail fungus
• Burns
• Removing warts
• Athlete’s foot
• Detox baths

Then there are the hints that maintain how useful this common household commodity is for cleaning and cooking. One little-known “hack” for any savory soup, from chili to veggie soup, is to add a tablespoon or two of vinegar to increase the brightness and overall flavor.

The acidity in apple cider vinegar is useful as a mouthwash and even to clean your toothbrush (and dentures^xvi) because of its antibacterial properties (soaked in a solution of one-half cup of water, 2 tablespoons of ACV and 2 teaspoons of baking soda). Just remember though – that same acidity can damage your teeth, which one study^xvii refers to as “dental erosion,” so in all these applications, diluting it with water is best.

As opposed to using some kind of toxic weed killer, apple cider vinegar is another remedy for weeds, especially in cracks in your driveway or sidewalk. Round Up and other toxic products can leach into water systems that provide your drinking water.

How apple cider vinegar can change your life

Ulcerative colitis survivor living his best life

Every year since 1994, swarms of people have gathered for two and a half days in celebration of Pierogi Fest in Whiting, Indiana. Tom Dabertin, the festival’s chairman, says it might not be possible had he not been treated for a chronic, debilitating form of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

Dabertin was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis (UC) 40 years ago. The disease is characterized by inflammation beginning in the rectum, often working its way up the entirety of the large intestine. Dabertin’s normally active lifestyle was interrupted with symptoms such as cramping, pain and frequent bowel movements.

“The problem with ulcerative colitis,” Dabertin says, “is you never know when it’s going to hit. I would liken it to driving down the highway speeding: you never know when you’re going to get stopped by the police.” He adds, “It forces one to limit their lifestyle in many ways because they’re affected by it so much; they’re not able to function the way they want to.”

Cramping, pain and frequent bowel movements interrupted Dabertin’s active lifestyle

David Rubin, MD, co-director of UChicago Medicine’s Digestive Diseases Center, explains, “Normally, if our intestines become inflamed, the body will shut the inflammation off after a short period of time. In people with chronic ulcerative colitis, the inflammation continues and can cause a lot of damage.” He adds that UC gives patients “a sense of urgency, discomfort, a fear of eating and they can’t function.”

When his symptoms first appeared, Dabertin went to other health care facilities where he was told he’d need part of his colon removed.

“Back when I was first diagnosed with UC,” he says, “I was told that the risk of me getting cancer was up to 500 times the average person.”

It wasn’t until he started treatment at UChicago Medicine that he began to feel relief. Best of all, he says, he did not need to undergo the painful treatments other institutions had suggested.

40 years of care and 18 years in remission

This upcoming fall, Dabertin will have been a patient at UChicago Medicine for 40 years. Two of the physicians who care for him have retired, and Dabertin began seeing Rubin about five years ago. Today, his biopsies show no dysplasia and a significantly lower risk of colon cancer. He has been in remission for a little over 18 years.

Now, Dabertin is gearing up for this year’s Pierogi Fest, which will take place from July 27-29. The festival is a fun homecoming for the people of Whiting and includes a parade, live music, photo ops and of course, the classic Polish dumplings: pierogies.

Dabertin, a third-generation Whiting resident, and two friends created the event with the intent of celebrating Whiting’s ethnic heritage. The first festival was held out of a local ice cream scoop shop and sold 1,200 pierogies. Now, the festival is one of the largest events in the Chicago area, with more than 350,000 attendees, 92 vendors and about 600 volunteers.

Living a normal life with ulcerative colitis

Yet while he can eat pierogies thanks to his long-held remission, don’t expect to see Dabertin eating the festival’s star fried food. “Believe it or not, I don’t eat pierogies; I never really liked them. I do eat sausage and all the other ethnic foods out there. I leave the pierogis for everybody else,” he says.

This year, Rubin says he and his team will also attend the event for the first time to “see what it’s all about.” 

According to Rubin, Dabertin exemplifies how with the right treatment, living with and overcoming IBD can be easier than you might think.

For more information about Pierogi Fest, visit https://www.pierogifest.net

IBD and the Benefits of Vinegar – Diet Changes

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Vinegar has been around for centuries. A variation of the Old French word vinaigre (from vin or wine, and aigre, which means sour), “vinegar” literally translates as sour wine. With seemingly countless uses (see Reader’s Digest’s list of 95+ Household Uses for Vinegar), vinegar is something of a wonder product. But what about its dietary health benefits?

In January 2016 the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry published an animal study that showed promising results for Inflammatory Bowel Disease. The study, led by China’s Jilin University, looked at the effect of vinegar and its main component, acetic acid, on the gut bacteria and inflammatory markers of mice.

At the beginning of the study the mice were altered chemically to develop ulcerative colitis (UC). Small amounts of vinegar or acetic acid were given to the mice and changes in inflammatory markers and gut bacteria were measured through colon inflammation and stool bacteria. Both substances, the vinegar and the acetic acid, improved the symptoms of UC as well as reducing inflammation in the colon and improving the gut bacteria (increased numbers of healthy bacteria present based on stool sample measurements).

While the study looks promising, further research is needed to see if these results can be repeated in human subjects.

So, what does that all mean for current IBD patients? First things first: discuss any changes you intend to make to your diet with your physician. If you get the go-ahead from your doc, then you can start to add vinegar to your diet.

In light of the fact that, for many people, apple cider vinegar tends to be the most palatable, here are six ideas that might help you add apple cider vinegar to your daily routine:

Jennifer has a bachelor’s degree in dietetics as well as graduate work in public health and nutrition.She has worked with families dealing with digestive disease, asthma and food allergies for the past 12 years.Jennifer also serves the Board of Directors for Pediatric Adolescent Gastroesophageal Reflux Association (PAGER).

Meet Our Writer

Jennifer Mitchell Wilson

Jennifer Mitchell Wilson is a dietitian and mother of three girls. Two of her children have dealt with acid reflux disease, food allergies, migraines, and asthma. She has a Bachelor of Science in dietetics from Harding University and has done graduate work in public health and nutrition through Eastern Kentucky University. In addition to writing for HealthCentral, she does patient consults and serves on the Board of Directors for the Pediatric Adolescent Gastroesophageal Reflux Association.

5 natural home remedies: bone broth, turmeric, honey, ginger and apple cider vinegar

It’s that time of year.

The flu, strep throat and stomach viruses lurk around every corner. Most of us will drive to the pharmacy in search of remedies or pay a visit to the doctor’s office if symptoms get bad enough.

But maybe you should consider a warm cup of bone broth or tea with honey to cure what ails ya.

“It’s empowering to be able to go into the kitchen and put something together to make yourself feel better,” says Carrie Havranek, a Williams Township food writer, culinary instructor and blogger at www.TheDharmaKitchen.com.

Havranek led a packed class at the Easton Public Market recently, talking about home-remedy ingredients you should keep on hand.

Drinking bone broth is a hot trend.

Bone broth is made with bones that are first roasted and then simmered in a liquid for a long time (up to 24 hours). The result is a dense liquid thanks to the gelatin from the collagen-rich joints and a bit of minerals from the bones.

It’s broth, kicked way up.

Bone broth’s collagen and amino acids such as glycine, proline and glutamine are thought to boost healing for a host of conditions — from the common cold to joints and digestive difficulties.

“I’ve been known to drink a quart of it over the course of 24 hours when I feel like I am coming down with something,” Havranek says.

Added benefit: It tastes really good.

Turmeric

If you follow natural health news, chances are you’ve heard about the benefits of turmeric.

Turmeric, which looks like a bright yellow-orange ginger root, is a common spice in curry. Turmeric’s color comes from the chemical curcumin, which is thought to decrease inflammation and is used for conditions including cancer, arthritis, heartburn, joint pain, stomach pain, Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.

Some people also use turmeric topically to treat inflammatory skin conditions such as stings and acne.

You can grate it much as you would ginger and add it to soup, stir fries and smoothies. The flavor is assertive and peppery. (Word of warning: Turmeric’s beautiful color also stains quickly and permanently so be careful when you’re grating it.) Havranek says it’s not necessary to peel turmeric if you buy organic.

Honey

Honey isn’t an exotic ingredient but its benefits are diverse, Havranek says.

Before we get into those benefits, it’s important to clarify that you should use raw honey, which hasn’t been heated and processed. Raw honey is full of enzymes, antioxidants, antibacterial and antiviral properties.

Different honeys will have different properties and subtle differences in tastes. Buckwheat honey, which is a darker, stronger honey, is thought to be especially nutrient dense.

You can use honey on a burn, a blemish, or, more simply, in your tea. It’s a great (and healthier) substitute for sugar in many dishes and drinks.

Ginger

Ginger is another ingredient most people know well.

It is thought to boost immunity and is often added to tea. It also benefits digestion.

The nice thing is that fresh grated ginger suits both savory and sweet dishes, bringing a warming zip to whatever you make.

Apple cider vinegar

Apple cider vinegar is made from fermented apples and contains calcium, enzymes, potassium and magnesium — all of which are thought to be powerful healing compounds. It also contains “acetic acid,” which is thought to kill bad bacteria and help good bacteria grow.

It’s important to note that we aren’t talking about your average run-of-the-mill apple cider vinegar. You want to get the type with “the mother” — which is the culture of beneficial bacteria that turns apple cider into vinegar. Look for “unrefined” and “unfiltered” apple cider vinegar: This type will have a murky, chunky appearance.

“All of the good stuff is in the floaty bits,” Havranek says. “If there are no bits, don’t bother getting it.”

Most of us have used it in a salad dressing or homemade barbecue sauce but you can add a teaspoon here or there in drinks and smoothies without it affecting the taste too much.

You can also drink it diluted with a bit of warm water and lemon and ginger.

Bottom line

These five remedies are natural but that doesn’t give you a license to go overboard.

Take it easy introducing them to your diet. Your body may need time to adjust.

[email protected]

twitter @jenwsheehan

610-820-6628

HEALTHY COOKING CLASSES

What: Healthy cooking classes each month, featuring Carrie Havranek and other local chefs and instructors.

Where: Easton Public Market, 325 Northampton St.

Info: eastonpublicmarket.com

Ordinary vinegar will help cure ulcerative colitis

Chinese scientists managed to find out that vinegar can be successfully used to fight some types of rather painful digestive disorders, due to its high level of acidity.

Most people consider vinegar only as a condiment to add flavor to food or certain foods. However, this particular product is an effective treatment for some painful disorders of the digestive system. Chinese researchers have found that vinegar itself, as well as its main component, acetic acid, significantly reduces the symptoms of a disease such as ulcerative colitis. This is confirmed by the results of experiments carried out on laboratory mice.

Ulcerative colitis is a condition in which the lining of the large intestine becomes inflamed and ulcers form on it. This disease is directly related to the rates of certain bacteria in the patient’s intestines.Scientists from China found that feeding vinegar to laboratory rodents increased the number of bacteria lactobacillus and bifidobacteria – they are extremely beneficial for health in general and for the digestive system in particular, as well as for fighting ulcerative colitis. In addition, it turned out that vinegar therapy leads to a decrease in the level of potentially dangerous proteins.

At this stage, the authors of the study were able to confirm only the effective effect of vinegar on the symptoms of ulcerative colitis in laboratory rodents. To confirm the validity of this hypothesis for humans, specialists need to carry out the next stage of research in this area.

How to place

According to medical statistics, today in Russia a little more than 200 thousand people suffer from various forms of ulcerative colitis. Most often, this disease is diagnosed in young people aged 15 to 25 years.Of course, one of the main risk factors for the development of this disease is an irregular and unhealthy diet, but a hereditary factor also plays an important role in the occurrence of ulcerative colitis.

All the information, as well as all the results obtained during the experiments, the researchers published on the pages of the scientific publication Journal Of Agricultural And Food Chemistry.

City Clinical Hospital №31 – IBD: Diet therapy for IBD (ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease) (page 5)

Page 5 of 12

Diet therapy for deficiency of macro- and microelements in patients with inflammatory bowel diseases

Calcium deficiency is common in patients with inflammatory bowel disease. Calcium has anti-inflammatory, antidiarrheal, anti-allergic effects, accelerates the recovery of the intestinal mucosa. Deficiency can be caused by impaired absorption, increased losses and / or insufficient intake of calcium from food. Foods containing calcium – dairy products (which are the source of more than half of the amount of calcium consumed), cheeses, eggs, soy isolates, buckwheat and oatmeal, fish and fish roe.

Micronutrient deficiencies such as zinc are common in patients with IBD.In the human body, zinc performs a number of functions in relation to immune defense and combating inflammation, it has an antidiarrheal effect, and accelerates the recovery of the intestinal mucosa. Zinc deficiency is more common in Crohn’s disease than in ulcerative colitis, with fecal excretion of zinc exceeding normal. Refractory diarrhea is often due to zinc deficiency as it is lost in the faeces. In case of zinc deficiency, vitamin-mineral complexes containing zinc should be taken (for example, Gerimaks, Tri-Vi-plus, Zincit, etc. ). At the same time, stool frequency decreases rapidly. However, not all zinc preparations are well absorbed in the intestine. High zinc content in the diet is difficult to achieve. only a few foods are high in this micronutrient. These include: yeast, eggs, cereals (buckwheat, oatmeal), corn products, legumes, mushrooms, hard cheeses, meat, entrails (which, however, should be avoided in the acute phase of the disease due to the possible high content of toxins in them) and oysters.Plant-based foods usually contain small amounts of zinc and, in many cases, can even impair the absorption of zinc in the intestines.

The reason for iron deficiency and the development of iron deficiency anemia in Crohn’s disease is mainly a decrease in the absorption of this trace element in the small intestine due to the inflammatory process. In ulcerative colitis, this deficiency occurs mainly due to increased loss of iron from the blood during bowel movements. Healthy people assimilate approximately 5-10% of the iron contained in food, and in conditions of its deficiency – 10-20%. The absorption of iron from the intestines depends on the type of food, it is best absorbed from mammalian meat – 22%, from the liver – 12-16%, from fish – 9-11%, from eggs and beans – 2-3%, from fruits – 3 -4%, from rice and spinach – 1%. Oxalic acid (spinach, sorrel, legumes), tannins (blueberries, quince), phosphates and phytins (grains, legumes), strong tea and excess dietary fiber impair the absorption of iron. Egg and soy proteins also reduce the absorption of iron from the gut. Organic acids (malic, citric, ascorbic) improve iron absorption.The optimal combination in one intake of products containing heme iron with high bioavailability (meat of animals, poultry, liver, kidneys), and products rich in organic acids (decoction of wild rose, black currant, clarified juices, lemons, etc.)

Since the absorption of iron cannot exceed certain values, only dietary correction of the deficiency of this trace element may not be enough. In these cases, it is necessary to use preparations containing iron, for oral administration or intramuscular and intravenous administration.

How do you know which foods you tolerate well and which you don’t?

Keeping a food diary is of great help in answering this question, in which every day all the foods and dishes that were consumed during the day are reflected, as well as changes in well-being are noted. The frequency and nature of the stool, the intensity of abdominal pain, and the presence of nausea must be indicated. Foods that may be poorly tolerated by patients with intestinal diseases: vegetables, herbs, legumes, fruits, berries in their natural form, mushrooms, nuts, citrus fruits, whole milk, sauces, spices, snacks, sweets, confectionery, honey, jams, carbonated drinks , cold dishes.

One product that is often poorly tolerated by IBD patients is whole milk. This is due to a deficiency of the enzyme lactase , which is produced in the small intestine and breaks down milk sugar – lactose. Lactase deficiency is often observed with exacerbation of both Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. As a result, large amounts of unsplit milk sugar build up in the intestinal lumen, causing diarrhea, bloating, nausea, heaviness and pain in the upper abdomen.If milk intolerance is observed during the period of exacerbation of the disease, this does not mean at all that the symptoms of intolerance will persist during the period of remission.

Dairy products that are generally well tolerated in case of lactase deficiency include yoghurt and cheese. It is advisable to keep dairy products in the diet for those patients who tolerate them well.

With IBD, the so-called latent food intolerance is often found, which is based on the processes of inadequate response of the patient’s immune system to certain foods.Without clear symptoms, the components of a number of food products cause disturbances in the digestive and absorption functions of the intestine, destabilization of its microflora, leading to intoxication of the body, and even an additional factor of intestinal damage in patients with ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease. Revealing the fact of latent (immune-dependent) food intolerance is carried out using special immunological tests, in which antibodies (associated with immunoglobulins G ₄ ) to food products are determined.To do this, all patients with inflammatory bowel diseases should undergo the so-called York-Test, developed at the British Scientific Laboratory of Clinical Nutrition in York (in some Russian laboratories and clinics it is called a “test for latent food intolerance”). This blood test measures intolerances (mild, moderate or severe) to specific nutrients from over 100 foods tested.

Some patients with inflammatory bowel diseases have celiac disease – a disease of the small intestine characterized by intolerance to gluten (a protein found in wheat, rye, barley).As a result, the absorption of nutrients in the intestine is disturbed to one degree or another, which manifests itself in the form of a deficiency of proteins, vitamins, and microelements. Celiac disease can often be combined with Crohn’s disease and even mimic its exacerbation.

The main method of treating celiac disease is a lifelong diet, the main principle of which should be the exclusion of all products containing gluten, these are barley, millet, wheat, rye, oats and products containing them (white and black bread, pasta, dumplings, pancakes , cakes, pastries, cookies, gingerbread, ice cream, puddings, etc.).

Cereals intolerable to celiac patients are found in some alcoholic beverages (beer, whiskey), instant soups, instant coffee drinks. Flour can be added to yoghurts, glazed curds, cold meats, sausages and wieners, cheeses, canned food, ketchup, mayonnaise, sauces.

Dietary restrictions should be strictly followed by the patient, since taking even 100 mg of gluten-containing foods (a few crumbs of bread) can worsen the course of the disease.Foods with food coloring and preservatives are prohibited.

Products made from gluten-free cereals and vegetables (rice, corn, legumes) are permitted. When preparing various dishes (for example, pastries, sauces), rice and corn flour are used as substitutes for wheat flour. Buckwheat porridge is shown in limited quantities.

Table 5. Foods allowed and prohibited for celiac disease

90,000 Is it possible to cure diseases with vinegar? Here are the scientific facts

• Gabriel Neal
• Article from Conversation

November 18, 2018

Photo Credit, Getty Images

The health benefits of apple cider vinegar have been known for a long time, but has scientific research support them? Gabriel Neal, a professor of family medicine from Texas, decided to find out.

In the 1980s, when my brother and I were still kids, we loved going to Long John Silver’s (an American fast food chain).

But it was not the fish dishes that attracted us there, but the bottles of malt vinegar that were on the tables.

We unscrewed the cap and sipped spicy divine nectar with a caramel tint straight from the bottle.

Do you feel disgusted? Perhaps. My brother and I were ahead of our time? Obviously so.

Now vinegar is being advertised on social networks as a panacea for any ailment, and a simple search on the Internet will give you a huge number of links to articles about this miraculous seasoning.

Friends and co-workers vie to share stories of healing with apple cider vinegar. “Mowed the grass on the front lawn and now you can’t straighten up? Vinegar is your best friend. Can’t you lose the extra five kilograms? Vinegar will just dissolve them. What, syphilis? Well, you know what to do – vinegar.”

As a practitioner and medical educator, I am constantly asked about the health benefits of apple cider vinegar. I like these questions – you can talk in detail about the history of vinegar, and then get to the heart of the question: what exactly vinegar can be useful for.

Throughout history, many diseases have been treated with vinegar. Hippocrates, for example, advised taking it for coughs and colds, and the Italian physician Tommaso del Garbo, during the outbreak of the plague in 1348, washed his hands, face and mouth with vinegar to prevent infection.

Vinegar and water were considered excellent thirst quenchers by ancient Roman legionnaires, and modern athletes are following their example.

In general, history provides a lot of evidence of the beneficial effects of vinegar on the human body.But does modern medical research confirm this?

Photo author, Getty Images

Photo caption,

So how scientific is it to consider apple cider vinegar a panacea for many ailments?

The strongest evidence for the health benefits of apple cider vinegar can be found in several studies. One study showed that drinking apple cider vinegar improved blood glucose levels after meals in people with insulin resistance.

In 11 diabetic subjects, taking one tablespoon of apple cider vinegar reduced blood sugar 30-60 minutes after a meal more effectively than the placebo group.

Well, not bad, but we are talking only about 11 individuals prone to diabetes.

Another study in obese Japanese adults showed marked reductions in weight, fat and triglyceride levels in their blood after taking this very vinegar.

Scientists divided the participants in the experiment into three groups of 155 people. One group took 15 ml (about a tablespoon) of apple cider vinegar daily, the second 30 ml, and the third a placebo.

The researchers then measured weight, fat mass, and triglyceride levels.The participants in both groups, who took 15 and 30 ml of vinegar, all three indicators decreased.

What can I say? While these findings need to be corroborated by larger studies, they are encouraging.

Photo author, Getty Images

Photo caption,

Vinegar? It works great for fish and chips

These experiments encourage similar studies in humans, as conclusions based only on animal experiments are not convincing enough.

So, the real health benefits of vinegar have yet to be tested in studies involving large numbers of people.And such studies are likely to appear soon.

Let’s try now from the other side: is there any evidence that vinegar can harm human health?

In general, no. Unless you drink it in large quantities or too concentrated – for example, distilled white vinegar used for cleaning (the acetic acid content in vinegar allowed for consumption is 4-8%).

And, of course, you shouldn’t rub it into your eyes (why ?!) or heat it in a lead vat, as the Romans did, to make the vinegar sweet.It is, indeed, very dangerous to health.

And by the way, never reheat food in a lead vat at all, it’s harmful.

Well, apple cider vinegar is perfect for fish and French fries. At the same time, he will not heal you from all ailments, but gastronomic pleasure is guaranteed.

And if you stumble upon a bottle of malt vinegar somewhere, remember me and my brother and take a sip of it – to your health!

Legal information. This article is for general information only and should not be construed as a substitute for the advice of a physician or other healthcare professional.The BBC is not responsible for any diagnosis made by the reader based on the materials of the site. The BBC is not responsible for the content of other sites, links to which are present on this page, and also does not recommend commercial products or services mentioned on these sites. If you are concerned about your health condition, see your doctor.

This article originally appeared at Conversation and is reprinted here under a Creative Commons license.You can read its original in English at BBC Future .

Doctors told how to protect yourself from ulcerative colitis

A campaign has been launched in Yekaterinburg, the goal of which is to educate the Urals people about inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). Doctors told how to diagnose an incipient ailment and what actions to take to avoid it altogether.

Ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease are among the most severe diseases, but their detection rate is poor.According to doctors’ forecasts, almost 35 thousand patients with IBD live in the Sverdlovsk region, but only 500 cases are officially known. Doctors hope to help people diagnose the disease on their own in the early stages and prevent severe forms.

In IBD, the immune system begins to work against the body, resulting in a very specific inflammatory process. In ulcerative colitis, the disease mainly affects the mucous membrane, and in Crohn’s disease, all layers of the intestine, which makes its treatment more difficult.In this case, ulcers can occur at the site of inflammation, which lead to abscesses, and the prolonged course of IBD contributes to the development of intestinal cancer and increased mortality. In the case of Crohn’s disease, inflammatory processes begin in other organs as well – joints, vision, skin, mucous membranes of the mouth are affected.

– Diseases that were rare 30-50 years ago are now becoming more common. For example, it is known that relatives of a patient with IBD are most susceptible to inflammatory diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, – says Elina Petrova, head of the gastroenterology department of the New Hospital MO. 30 years.The peak detectability is considered to be 26 years old, and another quarter of the cases are even younger than 20 years old. This is the most active part of the able-bodied population, which is forced to give up studies, work, social contacts because of their illness.

According to European statistics, 505 people out of 100,000 suffer from ulcerative colitis, and 322 people suffer from Crohn’s disease.

– Roughly speaking, one percent of the population is sick. According to Rosstat data for the Sverdlovsk region for 2014, colitis can be detected in 21,715 people, and Crohn’s disease – in 13,846 people.However, only 150 residents of Yekaterinburg and another 350 residents of other cities are registered with IBD, ”says Andrei Oshchepkov, chief freelance coloproctologist of the regional ministry of health.

Such low rates are due to the fact that the diseases do not have characteristic signs and are easily disguised as other disorders. As a result, the person does not pay attention to them, deciding that he can cope with them without the help of a doctor. In addition, general practitioners are also not always able to detect IBD, because even with severe forms, it may not manifest itself actively.

Due to the low awareness of the Urals about IBD, doctors initiated an information campaign. Seven regional hospitals participate in it, patients of which can fill out a self-diagnosis questionnaire. By answering 7 questions, a person can find out whether it is worthwhile for him to undergo additional examination by specialists. You can also get a test for the most common symptoms of IBD on the site dedicated to the disease.

Due to the unclear etiology of the disease, doctors cannot yet completely prevent the occurrence of IBD.However, there are a few simple measures to prevent these diseases. It can be caused by smoking, infectious diseases such as measles, food allergies, constant stress and nervous strain, as well as heredity. To prevent the development of the disease and to stop its course, you should avoid fried, smoked, peppered and salted foods. It will also be useful to avoid unwashed vegetables and fruits to reduce the risk of contracting intestinal infections. Reducing stress levels and normalizing sleep patterns will also have a positive effect on health.If the work involves constant stress, you should think about changing activities.

5 benefits of apple cider vinegar for beauty and hair growth

Homemade apple bite is good for hair beauty
Photo: pexels.com

Natural Apple Cider Vinegar is considered an effective remedy for hair loss, making it smooth and shiny.

Washing your hair with unfiltered apple cider vinegar helps with dandruff, accelerates the growth of curls, gives them shine and prevents split ends. Regular shampoos strip hair of natural oils, making it dry and brittle. Against this backdrop, an apple cider vinegar rinse has a long list of benefits.

5 health benefits of apple cider vinegar for hair:

1. Correct pH level of hair and scalp. High alkaline pH shampoos can damage and break the outer layer of hair. But, the normal acidity of the vinegar helps maintain the pH balance of the hair without wasting natural oils.

2. Treats dandruff, itching and dry scalp. Apple cider vinegar is a natural remedy for dry itchy scalp due to its antibacterial properties. Helps get rid of dandruff by creating a hostile environment.

3. Leaves hair smooth. This vinegar can be used as a conditioner. The acidity of the apple cider vinegar rinse leaves hair smooth and shiny after brushing.

4. 
   Stimulates hair growth . Apple cider vinegar treats clogged hair follicles that are causing hair loss. So rinsing your scalp with this natural remedy strengthens the hair roots and promotes healthy hair growth.

5. 
   Prevents split ends. Regular use of Apple Cider Vinegar Hair Rinse helps to naturally reduce split ends and breakage.

How to make apple cider vinegar hair rinse:

Choose only unfiltered apple cider vinegar (cloudy) rather than refined apple cider vinegar, which is available in most stores. Better yet, do it yourself.

• In a spray bottle, mix two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar with one glass of water (if you need more, use a ratio of 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar mixed with a liter of water).

• Start with a lower thinning and experiment to find the solution that works best for your hair type.

Application:

• After shampooing, use apple cider vinegar hair rinse instead of conditioner, massaging your hair and scalp. Leave it on for a couple of minutes. Then rinse your hair thoroughly.

• Avoid contact with eyes. When the hair dries, you can smell the vinegar, but when the hair dries, it will disappear. You can add lavender for scent or rosemary to stimulate hair growth.

Article “Nonspecific ulcerative colitis”

This is a chronic inflammatory disease of the mucous membrane of the large intestine (colon and rectum) with the formation of multiple ulcers.This disease is one of the most serious problems for gastroenterologists and coloproctologists: in terms of the severity of the course, the frequency of complications and the mortality rate, it occupies one of the leading places among diseases of the gastrointestinal tract worldwide. The first peak of incidence falls on the most active working age – 18-25 years, the second peak – after 55. The disease is chronic, requires constant medication and frequent inpatient treatment.

Why does ulcerative colitis develop?

The reasons for the development of this disease have not yet been completely clarified.It is assumed that exposure to a variety of adverse factors leads to an excessive inflammatory response that occurs due to hereditary or acquired disorders in the mechanisms of regulation of the immune system. As a result, non-infectious inflammation of the intestinal mucosa develops.

There is a genetic predisposition to the development of this disease: if a first-line relative (mother, father, sister, brother) suffers from ulcerative colitis, then the risk of developing the disease is very high.

Symptoms of ulcerative colitis

The defeat of the intestine in the initial stages can be limited only to the rectum, gradually spreading throughout the colon. The main manifestations of ulcerative colitis are frequent loose stools up to 25 times a day, mixed with blood and mucus, abdominal cramps and pains, and weight loss. More than half of the patients have extraintestinal manifestations of the disease: damage to the joints, eyes (iridocyclitis – inflammation of the iris of the eye, uveitis – inflammation of the choroid), skin (erythema nodosum – inflammatory damage to the skin and subcutaneous vessels, pyoderma – purulent skin lesions), cavities mouth (aphthous stomatitis – inflammation of the oral mucosa with the formation of erosions), liver.In some cases, these manifestations of the disease may precede the appearance of intestinal symptoms.

How is ulcerative colitis diagnosed?

The diagnosis is based on the results of an endoscopic (intraluminal) examination of the intestine – colonoscopy and histological examination of intestinal tissue samples. Colonoscopy allows you to visually assess the condition of the large intestine almost along its entire length (up to 2 meters), detect signs of inflammation (a typical type of mucous membrane), pseudopolyps (polypoid changes in the intestinal mucosa under the influence of inflammation) and, if necessary, take pieces of the mucous membrane for histological analysis . ..

In some cases, if it is impossible to perform a colonoscopy for the patient, irrigography is performed – an X-ray examination of the colon using a contrast agent, which allows you to detect defects in the mucous membrane – erosion and ulcers, pseudopolyps and areas of the intestine that have been deformed as a result of the inflammatory process.

In the initial diagnosis of ulcerative colitis, it is necessary to exclude the infectious nature of the disease (feces are analyzed for pathogens of bacterial and parasitic intestinal infections), and also to determine the level of fecal calprotectin – this indicator characterizes the intensity of inflammation in the intestine.

Treatment of ulcerative colitis

Drug treatment in the acute phase of the disease is carried out with hormonal anti-inflammatory drugs, supportive therapy with non-hormonal anti-inflammatory drugs and immunosuppressants (drugs that suppress the pathological immune response), including the so-called biological drugs – monoclonal antibodies. In most patients, modern conservative therapy makes it possible to control the course of ulcerative colitis, however, according to the literature and our own, up to 30% of patients need surgical treatment due to ineffectiveness / intolerance of drug therapy or due to the development of complications, including a high risk the development of colon cancer, the likelihood of which is higher, the longer the duration of the disease.If a child with ulcerative colitis has a slowdown in physical development against the background of long-term hormone intake, surgical treatment is the method of choice. Severe intestinal complications – intestinal bleeding, toxic dilatation (expansion) of the colon, perforation (rupture) of the intestine – are indications for emergency surgery.

Previously, surgery consisted of the removal of the entire colon (colon and rectum – coloproctectomy) with the formation of a permanent ileostomy.The operation completely eliminates the disease and the risk of developing cancer in the colon or rectum, but is accompanied by the need for lifelong use of colostomy bags (special bags for collecting secretions from the intestine).

Modern reconstructive plastic surgery consists in removing the colon and rectum up to the anal canal and forming a reservoir (J-pouch, spider) from the small intestine, which takes over the functions of the rectum. The reservoir accumulates stool, due to this, defecation becomes controlled, the frequency decreases to 4-6 per day.Surgical intervention frees the patient from long-term treatment with drugs with severe side effects, The operation excludes the further development of colitis, the risk of bowel cancer is minimized.

Each operation for NUC has its own advantages and disadvantages, the method of surgical intervention is discussed in each case individually. In the EMC Coloproctology Clinic, all types of operations for NUC are successfully performed, including total coloproctectomy with the formation of a small intestinal reservoir.

90,000 Can Apple Cider Vinegar Lose Weight?

Apple vinegar helps fight body fat and has many beneficial properties.

Elixir with history

The benefits of apple cider vinegar have been known for a long time. It is considered a healing tonic elixir with a long history. Does it help you lose weight?

Dr. David Minkoff from Lifeworks American Wellness Center is sure yes! He cites studies that have confirmed that apple cider vinegar lowers the level of body fat and triglycerides (components of fat cells) in the blood.

The case is serious

Many treat vinegar with disdain, they say, a nasty liquid. But, according to the German expert, first of all, it is necessary to take into account the beneficial properties of this product.

– Acetic acid, the main ingredient in apple cider vinegar, has been shown to help absorb glucose. All this increases the body’s ability to burn fat even at rest and reduces the production of sugar in the liver, explained David Minkoff.

Vinegar almighty

In general, apple cider vinegar can help you lose weight.