Patient Patient Education Education ►
►
Inflammatory Bowel Disease and Medical Cannabis by Peter Kershaw , contributing writer
Ulcerative colitis ( UC ) and Crohn ’ s Disease ( CD ) are collectively known as Inflammatory Bowel Disease ( IBD ). IBD isn ’ t to be confused with Irritable Bowel Syndrome ( IBS ), which , though they are both gastrointestinal disorders and often share similar symptoms , is a separate and distinct condition . As the name indicates , IBD is characterized by inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract .
U . S . statistics indicate that anywhere from 2.4 to 3.1 million Americans have IBD . Actual figures may be much higher since many cases go undiagnosed , with sufferers self-treating ( often not effectively ) with over-the-counter remedies . Trends indicate the incidence of IBD increasing steadily since IBD statistics first started being gathered in 1980 .
IBD symptoms may include :
● Diarrhea
● Constipation
● Alternating diarrhea and constipation
● Fatigue
● Abdominal pain , gas , bloating , cramping
● Blood in stool
● Reduced appetite
● Unintended weight loss
● Anxiety , depression
Causes
The medical establishment claims “ there is no known cause for IBD ” and “ no cure .” They do at least acknowledge that poor diet and stress are exacerbating factors and encourage patients to consume healthier diets and avoid a stressful lifestyle . One medical theory speculates that immune system disorders might be an underlying cause .
Unfortunately , most U . S . medical professionals largely ignore the significant role that unhealthy diets play in exacerbating disease , if not causing the diseases that so commonly afflict Americans at a much higher rate than other Western cultures . As Robert F . Kennedy Jr . noted , processed foods and industrial agriculture practices have made Americans more disease-ridden than Western Europeans , and in many cases , far more so , IBD being just one example . 1
U . S . government agencies and government-funded institutions once intended to safeguard our health ( e . g ., USDA , FDA , CDC , NIH , etc .) long ago experienced what RFK Jr . terms “ corporate capture ” by big ag , processed food producers , and Big Pharma . As he notes , the EU has banned over 1000 “ food ” substances known to cause adverse health consequences ( e . g ., diabetes , obesity , fatty liver disease , heart disease , cancer , etc .) but are permitted in U . S . foods . RFK Jr ’ s Make America Healthy Again campaign 2 promises to reverse corporate capture and
24 October 2024 eliminate “ the poisoning of our food supply .” Equally troubling , as he notes , is the corruption of “ corporate capture ” on the medical establishment and Big Pharma , resulting in the lack of incentive they have for seeing Americans healthy ( a sick population means greater profits for them ). As such , it ’ s no coincidence so little emphasis is paid by doctors in educating their patients about avoiding unhealthy diets . A health-conscious doctor only becomes so by self-education since he / she will learn precious little about human health in medical school . But few ever take the time to do so .
A common cause of an unhealthy digestive tract is antibiotics . Americans are prescribed far more antibiotics than the rest of the world . Doctors often needlessly prescribe antibiotics for many minor illnesses , such as flu , for which antibiotics don ’ t even have a practical benefit since flu is a virus and antibiotics don ’ t kill viruses anyway . 3 Prescribing an antibiotic in such cases means the doctor is causing far more harm than good . Antibiotics destroy all bacteria , including “ friendly bacteria ,” i . e ., the gut microbiome necessary to break down foods so the body can process and assimilate food nutrients . This can result in our foods putrefying in the gut , resulting in what the doctor later diagnoses as “ food allergies .” It ’ s little wonder Americans experience far more food allergies than other cultures . It ’ s likely no coincidence the significant rise in food allergies , not to mention the rise in IBD and other digestive disorders , coincides with the significant increase in over-prescribing of antibiotics in recent decades .
Healing IBD
Though the medical establishment so often misses the direct correlation between an unhealthy diet resulting in disease , the reality is that a lifetime of assaulting our bodies with junk foods , fast foods , and processed foods often has dire consequences . Those who have IBD can and absolutely must take steps to switch to a more natural diet . The biggest objection ? It often means an increase in grocery bills . However , the inevitable medical costs resulting from an unhealthy diet always far exceed these . A healthy diet will go far toward healing the damage of IBD .
Antibiotics can and do sometimes save lives . However , they don ’ t come without consequences . Avoid them whenever they ’ re not necessary . To rebuild gut microbiome , purchase probiotic supplements from the local health food store and consume them daily .
Looking at cultures where GI tract disorders are far less prevalent can inform us , an example of which is India . Most Indian doctors practice what is known as Ayurvedic medicine . Rather than pharmaceuticals , they mostly use herbs ( and yes , that can include cannabis ). The most commonly prescribed Ayurvedic medicine is Triphala , a bitter herb blend derived from three flowers . Triphala regulates digestion and motility . Triphala reduces inflammation and possesses significant GI tract healing properties .