12 Natural Treatments for Collagenous Colitis

Collagenous colitis and lymphocytic colitis are known as microscopic colitis. The diagnosis of the both conditions requires examination of the colon tissue under a microscope. The collagenous colitis is characterized by a chronic watery non – bloody diarrhea. Those people who have collagenous colitis have a normal appearing bowel when it is assessed by an endoscope but when it is assessed by a biopsy, then they have microscopic inflammation of the bowel. People who suffer from celiac disease have more chances of getting microscopic colitis.

The cause for the both types of microscopic colitis is not known but it appears that the use of certain drugs, autoimmune diseases and age can increase your risk of it. People who have arthritis, which is autoimmune disease, have more chances of developing collagenous colitis. If the collagenous colitis is left untreated, then it can cause complications, such as weight loss; malnutrition; malabsorption of food nutrients; dehydration.

The most common symptoms of collagenous colitis are fatigue; abdominal bloating and discomfort; nausea; abdominal cramps; bowel incontinence; the diarrhea can be chronic or it can come and go; watery diarrhea that does not contain blood or pus. You should know that there is not cure for the collagenous colitis but the dietary changes and medical treatment, can help to manage the symptoms of this condition.

You should talk with your doctor with your doctor if you suffer from collagenous colitis before you start using some of the below mentioned home remedies so in this way you will avoid side effects. Here are some home remedies for collagenous colitis:

Choose soft and easy to digest foods in collagenous colitis

You should eat foods which are soft and easy to be digested. These foods include rice, melons, bananas and applesauce. You should avoid high – fiber foods, such as nuts and beans. You should eat only well – cooked vegetables. If you have noticed that your symptoms are improving, then you should slowly add high – fiber foods back in your diet. Soft foods are easy to digest and they are usually the best choice for everyday eating. You should consume soft foods, such as rice, melons, bananas and applesauce. [1]

It is not everything in what you eat but you can get a lot of improvements when you are careful what you are eating. When you eat large meals, then they can cause more bouts of diarrhea. In many cases doctors are recommending nutritious and balanced diet which can help you to maintain your weight and strength and to consume enough fluids which can help you to stay hydrated. You should always talk with your doctor before you made some changes in your diet.

Drink lot of fluids in collagenous colitis

It is very important to drink a lot of fluids as your natural treatment for collagenous colitis, especially if you have diarrhea. It is known that water is the best fluid which you can drink. Also, fluids which have added sodium and potassium (called electrolytes) can help you in the natural treatment of collagenous colitis. You should try drinking broth or watered – down fruit juice. You should avoid beverages which are high in sorbitol or sugar, or which have alcohol and caffeine, such as cola, tea and coffee, because all of them can aggravate your symptoms.

Indian frankincense

There are some studies in which are said that the Indian frankincense can be used as a home remedy for collagenous colitis. Some people have said that after three weeks of usage of Indian frankincense have noticed improvements in their symptoms. You need to talk with your doctor if you have decided to use Indian frankincense as your home remedy for collagenous colitis before you start using it so in this way you will avoid side effects. [2]

Foods to avoid

You should avoid beverages which have caffeine because it irritates your symptoms. You should avoid spicy foods because they can irritate your digestive tract. Also, you should avoid foods that are high in lactose or fiber. It is known that foods high in fiber, gluten or lactose can make your symptoms worse and they include foods made with artificial sweeteners; dairy products, such as milk and cheese; breads, pastas and other starches; raw vegetables; nuts and beans.

Reduce your stress

When you are thinking constantly about your condition, then your stress levels are increased and you are risking worsening of your symptoms. You should be careful not to increase your stress levels. Many doctors are recommending using techniques which can help to reduce the stress, such as yoga, exercise and meditation. You should try to relax your body and mind so in this way you will not worsen the stress which is already in your body. [3]

Stop using medications

If you have noticed that certain medications can cause your symptoms to get worse, then you should stop using them as soon as possible. Maybe, your doctor will prescribe you a different medication to treat the underlying cause.

Avoid dairy products

It is not recommended consuming dairy products because they can worsen the symptoms of collagenous colitis. If you are lactose intolerant, then you must not consume dairy products. If you are fan of milk but you have noticed that milk is making your diarrhea worse, then you should stop using it as soon as possible because you are maybe lactose intolerant and this makes your diarrhea worse.

Avoid irritating foods

It is very important to stay away from spicy, fatty or fried foods and other foods which can worsen the symptoms of collagenous colitis.

Eat several small meals rather than a few large meals

It is very important for your health and weight and to eat several small meals throughout the day instead of eating large meals. Also, this is important for easing the diarrhea you have. [1]

Probiotics

This is bacteria which lines your digestive tract and it support your body’s ability to absorb nutrients and fight against infections. Probiotics can help in the fight against fungi, yeast and bacteria. Probiotics create enzymes which can destroy the bad bacteria and this can lead to inflammation and infections. Probiotics can help to boost your immune system and also they can improve the digestive function [4]. Doctors are saying that the balance of gut flora should be approximately 85% of the good bacteria and 15% of the bad bacteria.

If this ratio goes out of balance, then this condition is known as dysbiosis and this means that there is an imbalance of too much bacteria, yeast or fungus which are affecting the body in a negative way. When you are consuming certain types of probiotic foods and supplements, then you can bring these ratios back into balance. Probiotics are acting as a barrier. They line the intestinal tract and they can prevent bacteria from stimulating an immune response.

Also, they enhance the mucus production which can protect your body from invasive bacteria. Probiotics alter the function of the mucosal immune system and they make it more anti – inflammatory and less pro – inflammatory which is a reason why probiotics are classified as anti – inflammatory foods. This food has the ability to stimulate the dendritic cells and makes them slightly less responsive and slightly less reactive to bacteria which can also help to reduce the inflammation and it leads to many symptoms.

Gluten free diet

There are many studies in which are said that the gluten free diet can help people who suffer from collagenous colitis. Also, in these studies were tested people who suffer from Celiac disease and it was noticed that they have seen improvements in their health when they were consuming gluten free diet. You should eat foods which are free of gluten, such as millet, corn, fresh eggs and unprocessed beans or nuts. [5]

Specific carbohydrate diet

It has been noticed that this form of diet can help to alleviate the symptoms of collagenous colitis. This diet consists of foods which are free of substances like, sucrose, lactose and grains. This type of diet is formulated on the grounds of the harmful bacteria and yeast which are primary microbes that are involved in the development of most of the intestinal infections due to the presence of carbohydrates. These offending microbes are blossoming on sugar present in the carbohydrates and they cause harm to the cells in the intestinal walls. This type of diet can reduce the amount of carbohydrates which are consuming and it can help in the digestion. [6]

References:

[1] Larsson JK, Sonestedt E, Ohlsson B, et al. The association between the intake of specific dietary components and lifestyle factors and microscopic colitis. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2016;70(11):1309–17.

[2] Madisch A, Miehlke S, Eichele O, et al. Boswellia serrata extract for the treatment of collagenous colitis. A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, multicenter trial. nternational Journal of Colorectal Disease. 2008;22(12):1445-51.

[3] Gao X, Cao Q, Cheng Y, et al. Chronic stress promotes colitis by disturbing the gut microbiota and triggering immune system response. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America (PNAS). 2018;115(13):E2960-9.

[4] Hemarajata P, Versalovic J. Effects of probiotics on gut microbiota: mechanisms of intestinal immunomodulation and neuromodulation. Therapeutic Advances in Gastroenterology. 2013;6(1):39–51.

[5] Niland B, Cash BD. Health benefits and adverse effects of a gluten-free diet in non–Celiac disease patients. Gastroenterology & Hepatology. 2018;14(2):82–91.

[6] Wong JMW, Jenkins DJA. Carbohydrate digestibility and metabolic effects. The Journal of Nutrition. 2007;137(11):2539S-46S.