Colitis + Original Articles

QualityHealth talked to Casey Abrams about his new album and a special song he wrote to inspire those living with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD). Casey Abrams is interested in more than just singing in his signature smooth and bluesy style. This favorite former American Idol contestant created a unique music video to uplift all those living with Inflammatory Bowel Disease or IBD, as a part of his continued effort to create awareness about Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.

We separate fact from fiction for these common digestive misconceptions. 1. Spicy foods cause ulcers. Ulcers—open sores located in the stomach (gastric ulcers) or small intestine (duodenal ulcers)—are not caused by certain foods, according to the experts at the American College of Gastroenterology. Though certain foods can irritate an ulcer that is already there, they don't cause the sore.

Here are the safest food choices for Inflammatory Bowel Diseases. Living with an Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), such as ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease, can make meal planning complicated, but it doesn't have to be. There are safe choices to guide your healthy eating decisions. Though there's a lot of debate...

Lifestyle changes can lessen your risk of suffering from Inflammatory Bowel Disease. About 1.4 million people in the U.S. suffer from Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), including ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. According to the American Gastroenterological Association, ulcerative colitis is a disease of the colon in which the lining of the large intestine gets inflamed.

This tart, delicious fruit may have protective properties against diseases like colitis, Crohn's, and even cancer. But it's the part of the apple that might surprise you. An apple a day may keep digestive diseases away. That's according to new research published in the Journal of Leukocyte Biology. Apples are a great source of soluble fiber (found to lower cholesterol), quercetin (an antioxidant which plays a role in...

These friendly bacteria can do wonders for your digestive system. Learn how your body can start reaping the benefits. The literal translation of the word probiotics is "for life." But just what are probiotics, how are they helpful in maintaining digestive health, and how can they be included in daily diets? Probiotics Defined The normal human digestive tract contains over 1,000 types of bacteria that reduce the growth of harmful bacteria and help promote a healthy digestive system.

There are menu choices that aggravate ulcerative colitis and some that help to ease the symptoms. See what to avoid and what to add to your plate. If you suffer from ulcerative colitis, you know that food is a factor—not in causing a flare-up, but in aggravating symptoms such as diarrhea, abdominal cramping, and loss of appetite. However, with a little trial and error, you can determine the foods that best work for you when you're experiencing a flare.

You've probably heard about the benefits of a colon cleanse, but here's what researchers and scientific evidence have to say about this trend. Considering a colon cleanse? You may want to think twice. According to a report published in the August 2011 issue of The Journal of Family Practice, colon cleansing can do more harm than good. Researchers at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C, analyzed 20 studies and found no evidence to support the purported benefits of colon cleansing.

QualityHealth sat down with American Idol's Casey Abrams to talk about his experience living with ulcerative colitis. Here's what you should know about this chronic, but manageable inflammatory bowel disease. American Idol contestant Casey Abrams was a freshman at a large college who was slowly adjusting from a small high school when he developed worrisome and painful symptoms in his stomach. He was losing weight, running to the bathroom up to a dozen times a day, and was generally feeling unwell.

This transparent gel that oozes from the pulp of aloe vera leaves has traditionally been used to treat wounds and skin conditions. But new research suggests that an extract from this succulent, perennial plant may also offer relief from IBS symptoms. Although aloe vera extract is often touted as a medicinal aid for digestive ailments such as heartburn and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), so far there is no conclusive scientific evidence to back up these claims. But aloe vera has shown some promise for other digestive problems.

If you're having trouble maintaining a food diary to keep track of certain triggers that could be contributing to your digestive problems, apps for your smartphone and other electronic devices may be able to help. If you're having trouble maintaining a food diary to keep track of certain triggers that could be contributing to your digestive problems, apps for your smartphone and other electronic devices may be able to help. Tracking Food Quality The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) has just created an app based on its Chemical Cuisine glossary of food additives database.

Digestive problems tend to disguise themselves as other conditions, and as a result, it can be difficult to get an accurate diagnosis. But your health depends on it. Digestive problems tend to disguise themselves as other conditions, and as a result, it can be difficult to get an accurate diagnosis. But your health depends on it. Celiac Disease Perhaps the most often misdiagnosed chronic digestive problem is celiac disease, which affects as many as 1 in 133 people in the U.

The very idea of using worms to treat intestinal diseases may be enough to turn your stomach. But studies, in which parasitic worms are used to battle disorders like Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, are showing promising results. See what people are saying about this article on our Facebook page! The very idea of using worms to treat intestinal diseases may be enough to turn your stomach. And while it make take some time before such a regimen is actually prescribed to patients, studies in which parasitic worms are used to battle disorders like Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis are showing promising results.

Although there isn't a clear cut reason why people suffer from ischemic colitis, there are health issues and medications that can increase your chances of getting this arduous and agonizing condition. Ischemic colitis is a condition that occurs when blood flow to the large intestine (colon) becomes blocked. This can lead to inflammation of the colon and in some cases, permanent colon damage. However, most cases of the disorder are mild, and people suffering from ischemic colitis usually recover quickly.

Olive oil has always been known to be protective for heart health, but here is another added benefit. Most of us are aware of the health benefits of using olive oil, including the protection it offers against heart disease by helping control LDL (bad) cholesterol levels while raising HDL (good) cholesterol levels. Now, new study is showing that increasing your intake of olive oil may also help protect against ulcerative colitis.

See why you should be cautious of aspirin intake and how it my heighten your risk of Crohn's Disease. Results from a recent British study are showing a possible link between daily aspirin use and a higher risk of developing Crohn's disease, an inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Researches from the University of East Anglia School of Medicine in Norwich, U.

A recent study may be shedding light on a new remedy for IBD. A probiotic called Bacillus polyfermenticus, which has shown to have anti-cancer effects, may also have benefits in the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), a new study shows. The two-phase study-one involving live mice and one involving human cells- was published in the American Journal of Physiology-Gastrointestinal and Liver Physiology.

There are many types of surgical procedures physicians can perform to treat people with Inflammatory Bowel Disease. Here’s what you need to know about J pouch surgery. Seventy percent of Crohn's patients eventually require surgery to manage their disease. However, surgery may induce remission and provide relief from difficult symptoms, significantly improving patients' quality of life. One such method is J pouch surgery.

Learn how relaxation can help you better manage your condition. We can trace the belief in a mind-body wellness connection all the way back to ancient Greece. Today, the medical literature is mixed when it comes to the relationship between stress and illness. We know for sure that the underlying cause of Crohn's disease is biological-it's an inflammation of the digestive tract.

Learn about the symptoms and methods of diagnosing this gastrointestinal disorder. Every year, an estimated 30,000 Americans are diagnosed with Crohn's disease. However, many people are uninformed about the disease and, as a result, may go undiagnosed. Here, find out about the symptoms, diagnostic methods, and treatments of Crohn's disease, so you can have a better understanding of the condition.

Colon cancer is the third most common form of cancer in the United States. Here, a guide to the disease, from screening to treatment. Colon cancer, also known as colorectal or large bowel cancer, is the third most common form of cancer in the United States and the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the Western world, according to the American Cancer Society (ACS). Nationally, there were 112,000 cases of colon cancer and 41,000 cases of rectal cancer in 2007, the organization estimated.