Introduction
Chronic colitis is an inflammation of the colon or large intestine, there are two types of colitis, mucus and ulcerative. Mucus colitis is a common disorder of the large bowel, producing discomfort and irregular bowel habits. Chronic ulcerative colitis is a severe prolonged inflammation of the colon or large bowel in which ulcers form on the walls of the colon, resulting in the passing of bloody stools with pus and mucus.
Both forms of colitis are the results of prolonged irritation of the delicate membrane which lines the walls of the colon. The function of the colon is to store waste material until most of the fluids have been removed to enable well-formed soft stools, consisting of non-absorbable food materials to be passed. Persons who suffer from an irritable colon have irregular and erratic contractions which are especially noticeable on the left side.
The large intestine begins where the small intestine ends, large intestine has a larger diameter than the small intestine, but its length is shorter than that of the small intestine. The large intestine begins on the right side of the abdomen, goes upward then turns below the liver and stomach, and passes near the spleen, it goes down. Its end portion is known as the rectum and its lower opening is known as Anus.
Causes of Chronic Colitis
The main cause of colitis is chronic constipation and the use of purgatives, constipation causes an accumulation of hard fecal matter which is never properly evacuated. Purgatives used as a cure only increase irritation, often colitis is caused by a poorly digested roughage, especially of cereals and carbohydrates, which causes bowel irritation. The disease may also result from allergic sensitivity to certain foods especially milk, wheat, and eggs. Often the intake of antibiotics may upset the bacterial flora in the intestine and interfere with proper digestion.
Severe stress may also produce ulcerative colitis, during any form of severe stress, the outpouring of adrenalin hormones causes such destruction of body protein and at times parts of the walls lining the intestines are literarily eaten away. Such stress also depletes the body of pantothenic acid, experiments on animals have shown that they can develop ulcerative colitis when they are kept on diets deficient in pantothenic acid.
Symptoms of Chronic Colitis
Chronic ulcerative colitis usually begins in the lower part of the bowels and spreads upwards, the first symptom of the trouble is an increased urgency to move the bowel, followed by cramping pains in the abdomen and bloody mucus in the stools. As the disease spreads upward, the stools become watery and more frequent and are characterized by rectal straining. All this loss of blood and fluid from the bowels results in weakness, fever, nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, and anemia.
In some conditions, a person may suffer from constipation with periods of loose bowel movements. If the proper treatment is not given, boils may develop on the walls of the large intestine and may destroy it. Under these conditions, the operation is regarded as necessary.
Treatment with Natural Method – Chronic Colitis
Here are some natural methods which can help to treat chronic colitis.
- Remove all the causes which give rise to chronic colitis.
- At the beginning, fast for 1 or 2 days with only water or water in which lemon juice has been mixed.
- To get relief from pain, give heat to the abdomen with a hot water bottle or after giving alternate fomentation and a cold pack gives an enema with hot water.
- Then for a few days or one week, live on fruit juices of carrot, raw papaya, white pumpkin, resins, cucumber, bottle gourd, cabbage, spinach, pineapple, pears, apple, orange, turnip, etc. Juices should be taken 3 to 4 times a day. Take an enema with hot water till there is an improvement.
- If there is constipation, an enema should be given with warm water mixed with lemon juices.
- All the time keep the mind balanced and remain happy.
If mucus comes in the stool, the patient lives on apples for 2-3 days, Isabgol is also very beneficial. - When there is enough improvement, gradually, begin to take those foods which have vitamins B and K. In the morning, take one glass of sweet buttermilk. Very ripe banana and two small spoons of Isabgol bran. In the afternoon, take cooked unpolished rice with sweet curd, and in the afternoon, whole meal bread, vegetables, and curd. It would be good if spinach is mixed with dough.
- It is beneficial to drink 100-200ml of sun-charged water from the green bottle, and 50 ml of sun-charged water from a blue bottle, half an hour before breakfast or a meal. 15 to 20 minutes after the meal, take 50ml of Sun-charged water from the yellow bottle.
- After some improvement in the situation, take sprouted cereals or soft salad in the afternoon and in the evening, soft vegetables along with their skin and leaves and salad. In the morning any fruit of the season (apple, pear, banana, bael, papaya, etc.) should be taken for a few days, the hard skin of fruits and vegetables should not be eaten.
- Do some asanas after the improvement in the situation, in the morning Pada Hastasan 3-5 times, and Shalabhasan 3-6 times. On an empty stomach while sitting in the afternoon, breathe in strongly through the nose and do Jalandhar and Udian Bandh. Then release slowly, bring back the body to the original position, and repeat for 1-2 minutes.
Note: These are general guidelines for people considered generally healthy, please consult the doctor before trying any method.
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