You should have right info about Ayurvedic home remedies for Ulcerative Colitis & Crohn's disease (IBDs). Many persons consider that it is only the home remedies that will cure this chronic autoimmune disorder. Remember, Ayurveda recommends home remedies to be utilized along with ayurvedic treatment whether it  is IBDs or any other chronic health issue.

Now, you will receive some home remedies for Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn's Disease that you can easily get in the kitchen and benefit from. There will be some guidelines that you could use to choose food, home remedies and food habits based upon Ayurvedic wisdom.

Home Remedies for Ulcerative Colitis & Crohn's Disease with "The Core Principle of Taste":

Most of the herbs and foods to have some taste. Taste also signifies inherent Energetic property of the food. In Ayurveda, when we consider the quality of herbs, there are several steps of attributing the healing quality of food and herbs. Taste is considered the first step of the ladder, it means, it is one of the foundations.

In IBDs, you should always consider foods and herbs with Pitta pacifying tastes.

This is a general guideline and is mostly applicable with some exceptions. Avoid one big mistake with these lists or guidelines. Don't stick with these absolutely. These are guidelines or pointers. Most foods have more than one taste. 

The ideal goal is to pacify Pitta and Vata, not to vitiate these or Kapha.

Milk and Dairy Products in Ulcerative Colitis & Crohn's Disease:

Milk is definitely great for this condition. Presently, some people have developed lactose intolerance or some sort of sensitivity toward milk. This has to be taken into account. If milk is suitable for you, try milk boiled with 2-3 Raisins (Munakka, don't take more) or 1/4th teaspoonful of Licorice root (Mulethi). Both will be helpful for pacifying Pitta and ulcer healing. 

You can blend Banana or Sweet Apple with milk make smoothie. It will also be great. 

If this is having mild laxative effect upon you, add a pinch of Jaiphal (Nutmeg) seed powder. Don't add more. It is hot and astringent.

If you are taking boiled milk, you can add upto 1/4th teaspoon of Turmeric powder and 1 pinch of Nutmeg.

Fresh Buttermilk (Mattha or Takra) that has predominantly sweet with slight sour taste is like nectar for IBDs. It is light and more balanced overall and easier to digest. You can always use some salt (preferably Saindhav or Himalayan salt) along with a mix of slightly fried (without Ghee or Butter) Fennel (Saunf), Ajowan (Ajwain), Cumin (Jeera), Mint (Pudina) leaves and Jaiphal (Nutmeg)

Always make it in a way that it is tasty. You can drink two times a a day with meals or even without. This information about herbs will be helpful for you...

Fennel: Very mild laxative, Relieves Gas and Colic, Also soothing for Hyperacidity

Ajowan: Slightly hot, Relieves gas, colic and cramps pain

Cumin: Helps improve appetite, Relieves gas, colic and cramps

Mint: Good for Hyperacidity as well as Gas

Nutmeg: Hot in nature, moderate astringent (Never add more than a pinch)

Fresh Ginger: Good for Hyperacidity and Gas. Don't use Shunthi or Dried Ginger powder.

This buttermilk preparation is very helpful even for persons who are intolerant to milk. It also provides many minerals like Sodium, Potassium, Chloride, Calcium, Magnesium and some digestive enzymes.

Never use buttermilk that is old or had turned sour. Mild sourness is okay.

Can I Use Curd / Yogurt in Ulcerative Colitis & Crohn's Disease?

Low fat Yogurt or Curd is good, again if it is having sweet taste and slight sour taste. It can be used in same manner as Buttermilk, but in smaller quantity. It can be diluted with water.

You can mix Banana, salt and spices in it ass well. It reduces some of the harmful qualities of Cured (heaviness, channels covering or layering property).

Pomegranate Juice (Anar) as Home Remedy in IBDs: 

This is one of the best fruits and its juice is recommended. Always use fresh juice or prepare at home.

If you don't like to hassle with juice making or don't have a clean and dependable juice outlet, you can my use handy trick. It might feel stinky or awkward to many of the nearby persons. 

Take 1 teaspoonful of Pomegranate seeds, chew them properly and extract all the juice in mouth. Don't swallow the seeds, throw it away. Really good and handy way! I can consume easily a bowl of Pomegranate seeds in this without taking in their seeds.

Bael Fruit Juice as Home Remedy in Ulcerative Colitis:

It is one of the best fruits for Intestinal and Digestive health. It has stool binding property and make it well formed while also having regulating effect on bowel movement.

You can eat fresh and ripe fruit if you don't have lot of gas or cramps. If gas and cramps is there, its pulp is to mixed with water and sugar and filter it and enjoy.

Vegetable / Carrot Juice: 

Try it at home or only from clean and dependable source. 

In India, it is common to have it from Diwali to Holi season. Vendors add Carrot, Apple, Beet, Amla, Mint, Ginger, Lemon and salt and it is called vegetable juice or carrot juice. 

If you want to  make at home, it can be made both in normal juicer and slow juicer. 

For IBDs, it is a must that vegetables are cleaned thoroughly with tap water and then with drinkable / RO water. 

It is also a must that you filter it properly so that you could have more of juice and less and less of insoluble fibers.

Other Fruit / Herbal Juices:

With same precautions, you can have juices from Sweet Pineapple, Orange and Mausami (Sweet Lime or Sweet Lemon). Don't eat or drink their fiber as it is mostly indigestible and can cause harm.

Never use sour fruits or sweetened juices or bottled or canned or packaged juices. They have lot of things that you would love to avoid - colors, preservatives, added sugars, thickeners and are very diluted.

Similarly, never take bottled / packaged Herbal Juices like Amla or Giloya or Karela. These are mostly full of colors, preservatives, thickeners and are very diluted. These are not actual juices. These are mostly decoctions or herbs boiled with water. Always prefer natural and fresh.

Record Triggering or Aggravating Foods and Drinks and Habits:

Always maintain a record or note when something caused or enhanced symptoms of IBDs within 24-72 days. It will guide you to avoid or restrain a particular food and drink.

Never stop something absolutely when it  flares up symptoms. Try it again after 3-7 days and find out whether it really causes problems. Give at least 3-5 tries before  putting something in NO LIST.

Remember, many times physical or mental stress, hectic physical activity, irregular eating habits, poor sleep, binge drinking and smoking acts as a trigger. Never drag these for more than 1-2 days. Take definite steps to let go off them.

Alcohol and IBDs:

From my side, it is always NO. You should avoid alcohol in all forms. 

Some of my clients asked whether they could go for Social drinks - beer or 1 peg with friends. I told that it should be limited, always in cheerful company, for social purpose, always with proper meals, and limited to once or twice a month. They reported that it had gone well and didn't cause trouble. 

Use ORS when Frequent Bowel Movements with or Without Bleeding:

ORS or Oral Rehydration Solutions is a mixture of sugar and salts advised for diarrhea. It is available from stores as Over the Counter medicine quite inexpensively. Mix it in a liter of water or follow the instructions and drink it frequently in few sips a time.

You can prepare it at home = A glass of water, sugar and salt. It is mostly sufficient.

Otherwise, boil rice with water, filter it and drink the water after mixing salt, sugar and lemon. It is the best solution of all.

It is Rice water when you don't mash boiled rice in it. You can also mash some boiled rice and it becomes Rice Gruel.

And you can add all sorts of spices or herbs that you mix with Buttermilk.

Eating 2-3 Times or Smaller Frequent Meals:

This questions has been raised several times before me.

In Ayurveda, there is no concept of full stomach meals. Keep 1/4th part of stomach for fluids and 1/4th empty. It means that don't eat to the fullness. Leave some space until you have fullness or satiety. 

It takes some intuitive and self-awareness to accomplish it.

You can also have small and frequent meals. Both approaches are fine.

When drinking water or other liquids, sip it frequently, don't gulp it down in one or two go. It can cause gastro-colic reflext to get hyperactive and you might feel the urge to go to toilet.

Grains or No Grains or Refined Flour:

Always prefer whole grain breads or Chapatis (Indian traditional bread). It provides you some fiber and lot of healthy vitamins. 

Refined flour is not bad for IBDs as it is having constipating property. You can use refined flour as a strategy when you go to toilet frequently.

Otherwise, whole grains are always better and suitable from nutritional point of view. The only exception is one when you have Gluten Sensitivity or Celiac Disease. Generally, IBDs and Celiac Disease don't happen together.

I don't want you to let go off some wholesome food unless you are truly allergic to it (having some real disease, not some idea or guess or conception), or it has some sound logic behind it in modern nutrition or Ayurveda.

Meat or No Meat & Eggs:

Moderate amount of meat,  fish and chicken is ok if it is not fried heavily in butter or Ghee and spices. Meat curries that is properly boiled and soft is better.

Grilled or Kebabs do contain lot of dried / burned part and it is irritating for the inner lining of intestine. Avoid or minimize it. Also avoid canned or preserved or packaged meat that is stored for a long time.

Eggs are okay.

Fiber - Soluble and Insoluble Fiber:

Prefer foods that are high in soluble fiber. Generally, fruits and vegetables do contain both type of fiber. However, some have more of insoluble fiber and others have more of soluble fiber.

Soluble Fiber is preferred. Some choices are Apple, Banana, Papaya, Dates, Apricots, Chikoo, Melons, Sweet and Naturally Ripe Mango,  Citrus Fruits, Strawberries, Avocados, Oats, Rice, Barley, Sweet Potato, Beans, Peas, Lentils, Chia Seeds, Flaxseeds, Brussels Sprouts, Broccoli, Turnips and Nectarines.

This is not an extensive list. You can peel off the fruits, steam or boil the vegetables as a general rule. Beans and Lentils are also to be boiled. Seeds can be soaked and optionally boiled. It will be safer and easy to digest.

Now, you could see why some fruits like Apple and Banana could be used as it is while it is advised to use the juice of Carrots.

About Next Unit:

In the next training session, you will learn about...

The powerful Ayurvedic herbs that Dr. Vikram employs in the treatment of IBDs - Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn's Disease and their entire spectrum.

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