Читать книгу Anti-Inflammatory Diet For Dummies - Artemis Morris - Страница 64

Inflammation steps in when the digestive tract goes askew, whether it’s because something has physically injured the tract or you’ve eaten your way to trouble. Sometimes the inflammation takes the form of a mild stomach issue such as diarrhea or constipation, and other times it can lead to something much more serious.

Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis are forms of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), which are inflammation-related diseases that affect the colon and small intestines. In both conditions, parts of the digestive tract — also known as the gastrointestinal (GI) tract — become inflamed and create problems with digestion:

 Crohn’s disease: Crohn’s disease causes inflammation anywhere along the GI tract and can spread into the layers of bowel tissue. It can cause inflammation in several areas of the tract at once, leaving healthy bowel trapped between two segments of diseased bowel.Researchers believe Crohn’s disease is a result of the body’s immune system creating an inflammatory response to misidentified invaders, building a protective area against certain foods. What results is abdominal pain and diarrhea as the body attempts to rid itself of the invaders. Other symptoms of Crohn’s disease include rectal bleeding, weight loss, fatigue, skin irritations, and fever. Bleeding can become excessive, leading to anemia (low iron).

 Ulcerative colitis: Ulcerative colitis creates inflammation and ulcers only in the top layer of the lining of the large intestine, and it often affects the rectum. Symptoms of ulcerative colitis are very similar to those of Crohn’s disease, causing some confusion in trying to establish a diagnosis between the two. The symptoms include anemia, fatigue, weight loss, loss of appetite, bloody diarrhea mixed with mucus, loss of body fluids and nutrients, skin lesions, joint pain and stunted growth (especially in children), and abdominal pain.

Medications can ease some of the discomfort of inflammatory bowel disorders, and surgery is necessary for about two-thirds of people with Crohn’s disease.

Inflammation of the digestive tract can cause further problems in other parts of the body, too. Leaky gut syndrome is a phenomenon whereby the cells of the digestive tract are inflamed and no longer provide a protective barrier between the inside and outside worlds of your digestive tract. It also can make you feel bloated and fatigued, especially after eating.

The first step to treating IBD is to identify the causes of inflammation — diet, stressors, nutrient deficiencies, genetic susceptibility, and so on. Next, remove the inflammatory foods from your diet. You also have to heal the gut, which may involve taking anti-inflammatory drugs and supplements such as omega-3 fatty acids and l-glutamine. The inflamed gut is unable to absorb vitamins such as B12, so after healing, you can then address nutrient deficiencies.