UEA researchers announced this news recently at the Digestive Disease Week conference held in New Orleans. Their findings revealed that people with a diet rich in oleic acid are far less likely to develop ulcerative colitis. Oleic acid is a monounsaturated fatty acid found in abundance in olive oil. It is also a component of peanut oil, grapeseed oil and butter.

The research team, led by Dr. Andrew Hart of UEA’s School of Medicine, studied over 25,000 people between the ages of 40 and 65 who lived in Norfolk, in the UK. The research participants were part of the EPIC (European Prospective Investigation into Diet and Cancer) study between 1993 and 1997. None of these EPIC participants were diagnosed with ulcerative colitis at the beginning of the study. They all kept detailed food diaries which were later studied by nutritionists who analyzed exactly what nutrients and fatty acids the study participants were consuming.

By 2004, 22 of the research subjects had developed ulcerative colitis. When the researchers compared the diets of these people to those who did not develop the disease, they found the study participants with the highest intake of oleic acid had a 90 per cent lower risk of developing ulcerative colitis.

“Oleic acid seems to help prevent the development of ulcerative colitis by blocking chemicals in the bowel that aggravate the inflammation found in this illness,” Dr. Hart said in a statement to the media.“We estimate that around half of the cases of ulcerative colitis could be prevented if larger amounts of oleic acid were consumed. Two-to-three tablespoons of olive oil per day would have a protective effect.”

Additional studies are underway in several countries to further document the potential of oleic acid to prevent colitis, the UEA researchers stated. In addition, they noted that oleic acid should also be assessed in the future as a possible treatment for those already suffering from the disease.

If you find your Ulcerative Colitis affects your state of mind and happiness then check out this cool video I found about happiness by Dan Gilbert, author of Stumbling on Happiness, where he challenges the idea that well be miserable if we dont get what we want. Our “psychological immune system” lets us feel truly happy even when things don’t go as planned.

I just found this by accident while going online to buy some VSL-3, it’s a Prebiotic called Bimuno

which I hadn’t heard of before. Prebiotics are a way of increasing good bacteria in the gut, rather than introducing actual live probiotic cultures in to the diet, by feeding and energising the existing ‘good’ bacteria already present in the gastro-intestinal tract, they grow and colonize at a much faster rate than the ‘bad’ bacteria. This allows the ‘bad’ bacteria to be flushed from the digestive system for a much healthier bacterial balance. There are foods in our diet which have this effect like bananas and asparagus. Apparently this prebiotic product called Bimuno is better than common prebiotic foods because it was designed to be the preferred food of your good immune boosting bifidobacteria. It was developed at the University of Reading by experts in prebiotics.

A paper was Published in June 2008 by the Nihon University School of Medicine, Tokyo outlining the benefits of maintaining healthy levels of specific good gut bacteria. In a healthy gut, Bifidobactrium is the most predominant good gut bacteria and known for its immune regulating properties. Bifidobacterium is fuelled by prebiotics found in many fruit, vegetables and the prebiotic Bimuno which selectively targets Bifidobacterium.

The study aimed to determine the anti-inflammatory activity of Bifidobacteria against the painful inflammatory symptoms experienced by Ulcerative Colitis sufferers. The results showed Bifidobacterium enhanced the production of Interleukin-10, an essential immunoregulator in the intestinal tract, and inhibited secretion of Interleukin-8, an inflammatory component of the immune response. This suggests that Bifidobacterium specifically produces anti-inflammatory effects against Ulcerative Colitis, relieving suffers of some of the awful pain and suffering experienced from this condition.

In another study Research at the University School of Medicine in Tokai has discovered that Bifidobacteria, the most predominant good gut bacteria found in a healthy digestive system can potentially suppress the harmful bacteria responsible for IBD. Bacteroides, a commensal gut bacteria is thought to be responsible for IBD development.

The study examined the effect of healthy growth of Bifidobacteria against the levels of Bacteroides in mice and discovered Bifidobacteria highly inhibited the growth of the pathogenic bacteria. It also significantly suppressed systemic antibody responses and increased the number of Peyers Patches, the guts own immune protection. The results suggest Bifidobacteria, enhanced by prebiotics, found naturally in vegetables and the prebiotic Bimuno, protected the gut epithelial layer from Bacteroid invasion, suppressing an anti-body response potentially responsible for the inflammatory symptoms of IBD.

It looks like an interesting product which might be helpful for us Colitis sufferers, interestingly the clinically proven health benefits of Bimuno include:

• increase in bifidobacteria (good bacteria) levels
• reduction in harmful bacteria levels
• provision of an important immune regulation function by energising immunity boosting bacteria

In addition, prebiotics have been shown to:

• increase mineral absorption (for example calcium)
• help prevent occasional diarrhoea
• help provide relief of occassional constipation, particularly in the elderly
• increase bioavailability of minerals (for example calcium and magnesium)

The people who make this stuff are giving away a free trial pack on their website which is http://www.bimuno.com so I’ve sent off for a free pack to try it out. It seems like it may be a good addition to my Ulcerative Colitis Diet. I’ll post again on how I find it.

A leaky gut is something that is widely associated with Ulcerative Colitis and many other autoimmune diseases, and there are a number of substances that it may be worth avoiding. These substances are known to increase intestinal permeability and they are –

• Alcohol, adversely affects tight junction characteristics. Tight Junctions are the major barrier within the pathway between intestinal epithelial cells, which line the digestion tract. Disruption of Tight Junctions leads to intestinal hyper-permeability.
• NSAIDS like Aspirin and Ibuprofen, reduce tight junction stability.
• Quillaja is a food additive which is added to fizzy drinks to make them foam. It is a very powerful saponin adjuvant. Saponins degrade the intestinal lining.

So Alcohol is not good news for a leaky gut which will be a disappointing discovery for many of us, but if you give up drinking you probably won’t need the NSAIDS the next morning!

A leaky gut is something that is widely associated with Ulcerative Colitis and many other Autoimmune diseases, and there are a number of foods that it may be worth avoiding in your diet when your symptoms are active. These foods are known to increase intestinal permeability and they are –

• Wheat – The protein Gliadin in Wheat up-regulates a protein called zonulin which adversely affects tight junctions in the gut. Tight Junctions are the major barrier within the pathway between intestinal epithelial cells, that line the digestion tract. Disruption of Tight Junctions leads to intestinal hyper-permeability.

• Hot Peppers, cayenne paprika green peppers, all contain Saponins and Capsaicin which increase gut permeability.

• Beans – Soy, Lentils, Peas, Beans, Peanuts and all legumes, these also contain high levels of Saponins and some legume saponins up-regulate the immune response at the dendritic cell level in the gut thereby promoting autoimmunity.

• Potatoes have two glycoalkyloids which degrade the gut lining and increase leakage of lipopolysachharide from the gut into the circulatory system.

• Green ,unripe tomatoes and cherry tomatoes contain the glycoalkyloid alpha tomatine which increases intestinal permeability.

• Oats contain a saponin called avenacin which increase gut permability.

• All cereal grains contain lectins which adversely affect tight junctions in the gut.

• Alfalfa sprouts contain very high concentrations of saponins and dramatically alter intestinal physiology.

• Quinoa is also very high in saponins leading to a leaky gut.

• Amaranth again is high in spaonins.

• Dairy Products contain hormones and other substance which may increase intestinal permeability, also if you are allerginc to the milk protein casein this increase gut permeability.

It’s quite a list and there are some foods on it that are publicised as being very healthy, but if you’ve got Ulcerative Colitis and you are having a flare up then avoiding these foods  in your diet may just help you get better faster. In fact they are probably worth avoiding completely for a period of time during which you could concentrate on healing your leaky gut and your Colitis.

Boswellia serrata also known as Indian Frankincense is a herb that has been used for 4000 years in Indian Ayurvedic Medicine, it is an excellent anti-inflammatory with no known side effects. The active ingredient is known as Boswellic Acid.

Boswellia has been shown to reduce inflammation in inflammatory bowel disease like Ulcerative Colitis, and other autoimmune conditions. It works like this –

1. Boswellia blocks the lethal pro-inflammatory enzyme 5-lipoxygenase (5-LOX). A number of chemicals like 5-LOX released during the inflammatory response in the body contribute to the chronic inflammation in autoimmune disease. Blocking these pro-inflammatory chemicals reduces symptoms of inflammation and helps taper the autoimmune response.

1. The active ingredients of Boswellia, Boswellic acids, also decrease the activity of another pro-inflammatory enzyme known as human leukocyte elastase (HLE). HLE and leukotriene levels are increased in many inflammatory diseases and allergic reactions.

To date, Boswellia is apparently the only substance known to reduce levels of both HLE and leukotrienes.
In studies of patients with inflammatory bowel disease – ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease, Boswellia reduced gastrointestinal inflammation and tissue damage.

In one particular study twenty patients with chronic colitis received Boswellia gum resin (900 mg per day for 6 weeks) and another 10 patients were given sulfasalazine (3 g per day for 6 weeks). Out of 20 patients treated with Boswellia, 14 went into remission (70% compared to 40% for sulfasalazine).

In another study on Crohn’s the safety and effectiveness of Boswellia extract was compared against mesalazine for the treatment of 102 patients with active Crohn’s disease in an eight-week randomized, double-blind study. The primary clinical outcome measured was the change in Crohn’s Disease Activity Index (CDAI). After treatment with Boswellia extract (3.6 g per day) the average CDAI was reduced by 90, compared to a reduction of 53 for the mesalazine group (4.5 g per day). The authors concluded that the Boswellia extract was as effective as mesalazine.

Considering the lack of side effects and safety profile of Boswellia, It would seem that this herb could well be a better option than Mesalazine.

So Boswellia seems to be safe to use and effective in treating Ulcerative Colitis. It also has no currently known drug interactions, so it is well worth taking if you have Ulcerative Colitis. Get some here.

Colitis Breakthrough!

Gluten or more specifically Gliadin which is a glycoprotein found in Wheat, Spelt, Barley  and Rye is an intestinal irritant that causes allergic reactions. The body actually reacts to it as if it were an invader. Gliadin  also upregulates a gut protein called Zonulin which adversely affects tight junctions in the gut resulting in increased intestinal permeability otherwise known as a leaky gut.

In Ulcerative Colitis anything which irritates the gut and increases intestinal permeability is going to lead to more inflammation in the Colon which just what you don’t want. You can test specifically for an intolerance to gluten and gliadin with an Igg antibody test, which can be a useful confirmation if you are not sure if Gluten is affecting your symptoms. However if you have Colitis you already have a leaky gut and it is quite likely that avoiding all gluten grains will help your symptoms.

Eating Gluten free is much easier these days, almost anything you can think of that is made with gluten grains can now be purchased in the supermarkets gluten free. But you do have to watch out when buying ready made food because you’d be surprised how often wheat and gluten are hidden ingredients in many food products.

Colitis Breakthrough

Homocysteine, is a non protein amino acid in the blood produced by your body. Elevated Homocysteine levels(H levels) are an inflammation marker. Your H level is the best single indicator of whether you are going to live a long and healthy life. A high H level is a greater risk factor for heart disease than cholesterol. High Homocysteine has been directly linked to over 100 diseases. It is therefore not a big surprise to find that people with autoimmune diseases like Ulcerative Colitis are more likely to have a high H level.

Homocysteine arises during a process called Methylation in the body, Homocysteine itself isn’t bad – your body turns it into two beneficial substances Glutathione which is an antioxidant and SAMe which is a nutrient used in the brain and body, the trouble is that if you are low on B vitamins the enzymes which convert Homocysteine into these beneficial substances don’t function efficiently. This can lead to elevated H levels in the blood which is bad. The good news is that is it relatively easy to reduce H Levels in a matter of weeks by supplementing with B vitamins, trimethyl glycine and zinc. The Vitamins required to reduce H Levels are –

• Folate
• B12
• B6
• B2
• Zinc
• TMG

A combination of the above vitamins taken will rapidly reduce excessive H Levels in a matter of weeks, which will in turn help reduce inflammation in the body, which will help with Ulcerative Colitis. You can get a test to measure Homocysteine levels here.

The active ingredient in the yellow spice Turmeric – Curcumin works as well as anti-inflammatory drugs, but with no side effects. It has been used for 4,000 years in Ayurvedic Medicine to treat a variety of symptoms. It is also well known as an antioxidant. Like non-steroidal anti inflammatory drugs it blocks the formation of two pro inflammatory prostaglandins, as well as leukotrienes. It acts as a mild Cox-3 and Lox inhibitor.

In one double-blind, placebo-controlled study,  people whose ulcerative colitis was in remission received either curcumin or placebo, along with conventional medical treatment for 6 months. Those who took curcumin had a relapse rate that was much lower than those who took placebo.

In a 2006 study, patients with quiescent (inactive) ulcerative colitis received curcumin to prevent a relapse. Results indicated that curcumin was a safe and effective for UC maintenance therapy. Another study indicated that when mice were exposed to irritants that evoked colitis symptoms, the mice that ate a diet rich in curcumin had less intestinal inflammation.

Apparently there is no evidence of any downsides to taking curcumin, even in doses as high as 8g a day. It has been used for over 4,000 years in Indian Ayurvedic Medicine with no known side effects. So add some Turmeric to your dinner or get some Curcumin supplements, it seems it can only help.

Meals That Heal Inflammation

Colitis is Inflammation of the Colon. When you get treatment from the Doctor, the main method is the use of anti-inflammatory drugs. These either calm down the inflammation in a specific area for which Mesalazine is commonly used, or to turn off the body’s immune reactions with a drug like Azathioprine. These are effective ways of treatment but Drugs do tend to have side effects when used long term and they are not addressing the root causes of the inflammation.

Inflammation is the immune systems way of alerting you to that fact that something in the body is wrong. The symptoms are often localised, however the problem is a whole body issue which is just showing up in one place – probably where there was already a genetic predisposition to weakness. Often with Colitis there is tiredness associated and also aching joints which are signs of the inflammation showing up in other areas of the body, these symptoms are low level minor pains but are a sign of the underlying unbalance. The body has shifted in to a state of high alert and chronic inflammation is present, when this builds up to an excess then suddenly a Flare Up arrives. It may be stress, or something you eat or drink that triggers the Flare but the underlying situation was already there and these events just triggered things to break out.

The trigger mostly gets the blame for the Flare up, but really it is just the last straw in a cascade of events. Obviously if you know what has triggered a flare before then it is well worth avoiding that thing but it is also very necessary to address the underlying situation.

A lifestyle that has high stress, little exercise and bad diet sets the scene for inflammation to build up inside and when this reaches an unsustainable level then disease symptoms – a flare up – appears. Conversely a lifestyle including moderate exercise, time for relaxation and an anti-inflammatory diet will build up health reserves and reduce levels of inflammation in the body as a whole, thereby reducing the probability of a flare up.