Natural Approaches to Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)

By Dr. Nirala Jacobi, ND

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is divided into two main categories: Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.  This article will provide a general overview of these two disorders and offer some possible treatment options.  It can in no way cover the entire spectrum of treatment options and is intended as an introduction only.

IBD is characterized by inflammation in specific intestinal segments.  In Crohn’s disease, inflammation can involve the entire thickness of the bowel wall and is usually seen in patches anywhere between the small and large intestine.  Symptoms include intermittent bouts of diarrhea, low-grade fever, lower abdominal pain, weight loss, gas, bloating, and fatigue.  In contrast, ulcerative colitis (UC) inflammation is largely limited to the colon and symptoms include bouts of bloody diarrhea, cramping in the lower abdomen, weight loss, low-grade fever, and fatigue.   Both disorders can have symptoms that manifest outside of the digestive tract and multiple potential causes like genetic predisposition, infectious agents, diet, immunological reactions and psychosomatic factors such as stress.  Crohn’s disease and UC do share many common features so their treatments will be discussed together.

Diet:  Because of the inflammatory nature of these diseases, it is important to decrease saturated fats like those found in red meat, chicken and full-fat dairy products because saturated fats are pro-inflammatory. Foods like deep-sea fish (wild salmon, halibut and cod) and flax seed oil are rich in omega-3 fatty acids which favor the anti-inflammatory pathways in the body.  Quercitin is an anti-inflammatory bioflavonoid found highest in onion skin.  Other bioflavonoids, rutin and hesperidin, which are found in the white pulpy stuff of vegetables like bell peppers are also helpful.

Ruling out possible food allergy or food sensitivity may be an important first step.   Some foods thought to promote or exacerbate IBD are the gluten-containing grains: wheat, barley, rye, and oats.   Some IBD patients improve by avoiding grains altogether, as well as simple carbohydrates as outlined by Elaine Gottschall in her book, Breaking the Vicious Cycle.

Another dietary factor can be carrageenan, an additive widely used as a stabilizer in dairy products.   Carrageenan, when acted upon by a pathogenic gut organism, Bacteroides, can be very irritating to the gut wall.

Nutrient supplementation:  Because of the degree of malabsorption in IBD, nutrient supplementation is absolutely essential.   A good multivitamin is important but extra supplementation with the several key nutrients can be very beneficial.   Fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K, as well as water-soluble vitamins, folic acid and B-12, are of particular importance. Zinc and magnesium are minerals often found to be deficient in IBD patients.

Gut organisms:  A good supply of beneficial bacteria is essential to a healthy gut.   In IBD, we often see a tremendous amount of dysbiosis, which is an imbalance between pathogenic organisms and beneficial organisms in the intestines.  Using anti-microbial herbs such as goldenseal and garlic alone can be quite effective but may not be enough in which case the addition of an anti-fungal medication may be necessary.

Gut wall protection:  Soothing an irritated gut wall is paramount in treating IBD effectively.  Demulcent herbs like aloe vera, licorice, marshmallow, and slippery elm bark can be helpful in rebuilding a healthy mucous lining that attracts beneficial bacteria.

Improving digestion:  IBD patients often suffer from maldigestion as part of their digestive disorder. A lack of digestive enzymes often contributes to this problem.  This can be improved with a good digestive enzyme supplement taken with meals (caution should to be used with acute IBD)

Address psychological issues:  As is the case with many illnesses, the psychological component should be considered.  Swallowing our emotions can build up an internal tension that cannot be released by just ignoring its existence. “The issues are in the tissues” is very pertinent to IBD.  Since September 11th, our anxieties have intensified and learning how to turn the tide of negative emotions can be essential in treating any chronic illness.

 Yellowstone Naturopathic Clinic
720 North 30 Street
Beautiful downtown Billings, Montana

Yellowstone Naturopathic Clinic
720 N. 30th St.
Billings, MT 59101
PHONE 406·259·5096/FAX 406·248·5655

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