Treating Ulcerative Colitis: Why to Explore Alternative Options First

If there was just one thing I could say to those just receiving the diagnosis of ulcerative colitis, I would tell them: "Explore alternative options before resigning to those god-awful side-effects-producing pharmaceutical drugs."And make sure to learn the subject matter thoroughly." Possibly begin to accept the possibility that the condition was produced as an imbalance of health, be it a deficiency of vitamins, minerals and nutrition. Use the symptoms as clues to how to restore that balance. I found out that cow's milk and wheat products consistently give me gassy diarrhea. It was a clue that my body doesn't digest gluten and lactose very well. Well, when I would have the gassy diarrhea, I felt as if I was going to collapse right there, I thought that certainly, there was something severely wrong structurally with my colon, thought that perhaps it would burst open, and I would die a mess of blood and feces. However, I never thought that the cause was something as simple as dairy or wheat. Don't get too caught up in the symptoms. Even though certainly they feel awful as your body is cramped with pain, don't view them as something you'll have to infinitely endure; your fate is not sealed. The reason behind your symptoms may be simple, and thus manageable or even avoidable. If you suffer severe diarrhea and cramping, review what you ate prior to the attack. What was your emotional state? Were you nervous about something? I often get diarrhea before I have to make an important and daunting telephone call. I didn't make the connection for a while. Now, I tell myself, what do I have to lose? What am I actually nervous about? The other person on the line is just another human being, one who has bowel movements, eats, drinks, and will eventually die just like everybody else. I try to put things in perspective, instead of allowing my mind to run off with irrational thoughts that trick my stomach into reacting. Be mindful of the mind-gut connection.

So compile a list of all of the symptoms, and make a daily chart of when they occur, what emotional state you were in, and what you've eaten before it. The next step is to start making broader connections, to start wondering why you got ulcerative colitis in the first place. I firmly believe that since I was raised on a diet of standard modern American foods (even though I grew up in Japan) and consistently ate foods that had things such as corn oil, high fructose corn syrup, white sugar, refined flours, etc., my body not only is flooded with additives, preservatives and other harmful substances, but is also lacking in the vital nutrients that it needs. At first when I realized this, I thought "Oh great, I have approximately 18 years' worth of damage to reverse". However, within weeks of eating organic raw fruits and veggies, cutting back on meat, dairy (except for yogurt) and wheat products, my overall health improved significantly. It's still improving. Of course, my diet isn't perfect, but I do always keep these "ideal foods" in mind as I make choices throughout my day. These were just some things to consider before you feel overwhelmed with the diagnosis.