Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) is a disease that leads to chronic inflammation in the digestive tract, especially the intestine. It happens when the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks a harmful bacteria, virus, or food in the gut, harming the bowel and leading to inflammation.
It has two types:
- Crohn’s Disease (Grahani) causes inflammation anywhere in the digestive tract between the mouth and anal outlet
- Ulcerative Colitis (Pittaja Grahani) causes inflammation only in the colon
And these disorders lead to serious symptoms like:
- Diarrhea
- Constipation
- Abdominal pain and cramps
- Loss of appetite
- Weight loss
- Intestinal bleeding due to ulcers
- Formation of holes in the bowel, etc.
Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) hence has a severe impact on one’s daily life, be it education, work, or social relationships. The patients suffering from it end up going through various unpleasant conditions like:
- Weakness
- Fatigue
- Depression
- Stress
- Anxiety
- Being worn out
- Less productivity, etc.
In such a condition, the only effective treatment method in alleviating the issue is the one that addresses the patients’ full spectrum of life. And this is where Ayurvedic medicinal products come in.
The Ayurvedic Approach
Ayurveda is an ancient holistic medical science of India. It emphasizes enormously on good digestive health. It says that poor digestive health is the root cause of all diseases. Having a healthy digestive system helps the human body and mind prevent most diseases and function properly in a healthy and balanced manner.
If digestion is weak, the absorption of nutrients through food decreases, and the body becomes prone to such diseases. Incorrect eating habits and lifestyles lead to toxin buildup in the body that makes a thick coating on the intestine. It increases heat in the abdomen and causes an imbalance in the Kapha. This further worsens the Pitta as well.
Pitta regulates important biochemical processes like digestion, metabolism, and nutrition absorption. And when Pitta worsens due to an imbalanced Kapha, it leads to conditions like:
- Inflammation
- Ulcers
- Bloody diarrhea
- Weakness
- Decreased nutrition absorption
- Weight loss, etc.
As per Ayurveda, the primary causes of both types of IBD include:
- Poor appetite
- Poor digestion
- Unhealthy, Improper, and irregular diet habits
- Inflammatory foods like processed foods and red meat
- Imbalanced Pitta
- Heavy and hard to digest foods
- Excess spicy and acidic foods
- Smoking
- Alcohol, etc.
Treating IBD with Ayurveda
To effectively help treat IBD, Ayurveda doctors prescribe a holistic treatment approach that focuses on the root cause of the disorders. This approach primarily includes:
- Detoxifying the body
- Balancing the doshas
- Improving digestion and nutrition
- Lowering stress levels
- Boosting the immune system
- Enhancing the body’s healing ability
By doing this, Ayurveda also helps reduce the risks of future health complications that stem from IBD. To implement this, Ayurveda doctors prescribe certain forms of Ayurvedic medicinal products that include:
- Pachana Oushadha – Digestive stimulants to digest the undigested foods and properly assimilate the nutrients
- Agni Deepana – Appetite stimulants
- Grahi – Retains digested food and help alleviate appetite loss and diarrhea
- Vrana Ropana – Drugs to help heal ulcers
- Stambhana – Formulations to manage bloody diarrhea
- Bilwadi Churna – It has robust anti-inflammatory properties and is easily tolerable due to its herbal formulations
- Vijaya – Helps alleviate inflammation and pain associated with IBD because of its strong pain-relieving and anti-inflammatory properties
Other prescriptions include:
- Medicated enema (Vasthi) to help alleviate colon irritability, inflammation, and ulcers and improve healing
- Mridu Virechana (induced cleansing) to clean the digestive tract, remove toxins, and balance the doshas
- Induced vomiting to remove harmful bacteria
- Practicing yoga and physical exercises
- Getting good sleep
The Ayurvedic Diet
Besides prescribing medicines and therapies to help manage IBD, Ayurveda also prescribes certain dietary and lifestyle changes to aid the healing process and restore balance to the body.
Diet to Follow
Food items that are helpful for IBD patients include:
- Buttermilk
- Lentils (soup or any liquid preparation)
- Jamun fruit and unripe banana to contract digestive muscles and avoid rectal bleeding.
- Honey for increased nutrient absorption and healing the intestine
- Ginger and Cumin seeds to improve digestion
- Bael to reduce inflammation
- Neem to detoxify and remove harmful bacteria
- Coriander to balance pitta
Diet to Avoid
Ayurveda prescribes avoiding foods that are fibre-rich, hard to digest and increase intestinal motility, such as:
- Wheat, barley
- Black gram
- Jiggery, Jujube, Ash gourd, Sugarcane
- Peas
- Meat
- Nuts
- Dairy products
- Leaves and leafy vegetables, and
- Especially Garlic, as it increases Pitta
Furthermore, it also recommends-
- Avoiding excess caffeinated, carbonated, alcoholic, spicy, salty, and deep-fried foods
- Eating the right and easily digestible foods in the right quantity and intervals
- Eating lightly or fasting to reduce Vata imbalances further
It is vital to talk to your Ayurveda health experts and get the best online Ayurvedic consultation possible to know the right treatment methods, medications, and lifestyle changes that best suit you and help alleviate your condition.
IBD is a very painful disease and can have various adverse consequences on one’s health and overall quality of life. It is vital to have a holistic treatment that helps alleviate IBD, brings balance to the body, and enhances the quality of life.
References
https://www.webmd.com/ibd-crohns-disease/inflammatory-bowel-syndrome
