Natural remedies for Crohn's disease: dietary modifications, behavioral changes, and intake of supplements

Introduction Crohn's disease (CD) is a type of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that causes inflammation of the digestive tract
.

There is currently no cure for CD, and some medications may help relieve symptoms of the disease
.

In addition, natural remedies for CD (including dietary modifications, behavioral changes, intake of supplements, etc.
) may also help relieve symptoms
.

And it causes fewer side effects than prescription or over-the-counter drugs
.

This article summarizes some natural remedies that may help relieve CD symptoms
.

Patients can follow their doctor's instructions to treat with natural remedies in addition to standard medical therapy
.

1.
Dietary adjustment According to the dietary guidelines for IBD patients issued by the International Organization for the Study of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IOIBD), which focuses on the best dietary patterns for the control and prevention of IBD recurrence, the following dietary patterns are recommended for CD patients (Table 1): Table 1 Dietary guidelines for patients with CD In addition, patients with CD can follow the following dietary habits: 1.
Drink plenty of water and avoid using straws; 2.
Eat small and frequent meals, about 4-6 times a day; 3.
Prepare meals in advance for occasional 4.
Eat boiled, roasted, steamed food, not fried food
.

2.
Some behavioral changes in patients with behavioral changes may prevent CD from worsening or relieve symptoms
.

These include: avoiding NSAIDs, quitting smoking, attending mental health counseling
.

The Crohn's and Colitis Foundation also suggests that people with CD may benefit from psychosomatic therapies such as: relaxation and mindfulness, hypnosis, yoga, exercise (where possible)
.

3.
Taking supplements Some CD patients have difficulty getting enough nutrition from food alone
.

Patients are recommended to take specific nutritional supplements to correct nutritional imbalances
.

Other supplements that may help relieve symptoms of CD include: curcumin, probiotics, bromelain, wormwood, triptolide, and more
.

1.
Curcumin Research suggests that curcumin, the active ingredient in turmeric root, may help reduce inflammation
.

A 2015 study included subjects with ulcerative colitis (another type of IBD) and compared the condition of a test group (taking curcumin capsules and mesalamine) with a control group (taking mesalamine alone) Alleviate the situation
.

The results showed that more than half of the patients taking curcumin experienced remission at 4 weeks of treatment, while no patients in the control group experienced remission
.

Patients can also incorporate turmeric root into their diet as a seasoning
.

2.
Probiotics Probiotics are beneficial bacteria present throughout the body that help CD patients produce more anti-inflammatory bacteria in the gut
.

Patients can increase their probiotic intake by adding certain probiotic-containing foods to their diet, such as sauerkraut or yogurt
.

3.
Bromelain Bromelain is a mixture of enzymes, mainly from fruits
.

The few studies on bromelain suggest that it may reduce inflammation in the gut and reduce symptoms of CD
.

A 2017 study in rats found that bromelain was effective in reducing inflammation associated with IBD
.

But it's unclear how it works
.

4.
Wormwood Wormwood is a herb
.

According to a 2015 review, several small placebo-controlled studies of wormwood found that use of the herb has resulted in remission in more than half of people with CD
.

In addition, the study found that remission rates were much lower in the placebo group
.

5.
Tripterygium wilfordii A small study on Tripterygium wilfordii and CD showed that patients with CD showed a reduction in symptoms after 8 weeks of ingestion of Tripterygium wilfordii, and endoscopy of subjects also showed signs of improvement after 12 weeks
.

Tripterygium is available as a supplement to pills
.

Reference: [1] Villines Z.
What natural remedies are there for Crohn's disease? MEDICAL NEWS TODAY.
2021 Apr 27.
[2] Arie Levine,a Jonathan M.
Rhodes,a James O.
Lindsay.
Dietary Guidance From the International Organization for the Study of Inflammatory Bowel Diseases.
Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology 2020;18:1381-1392.
Submission email: tougao@medlive.
cn