Colitis

What is colitis?

Colitis refers to the inflammation of the colon. This can have many different causes. When digestion is normal, food goes down the esophagus and thorough a valve into the stomach, where the body starts breaking it down. It then moves into the intestine which breaks the food down the rest of the way extracting the nutrients the food has to offer and sending the waste on to be expelled from the body. If this function does not work properly, the colon membranes become irritated.

What causes colitis?

Our affluent lifestyle has imbalanced our digestive system. Eating on the run, eating fast foods, eating before we go to bed, eating too quickly, and eating too much all play a major role in digestive problems. Stress and tension impairs digestion by restricting the flow of digestive juices and constructing muscles in the digestive tract.

What are the symptoms of colitis?

Some common symptoms of colitis include indigestion, upset stomach, burping, gas, constipation, diarrhea, and other digestive tract disorders. Foods that can trigger these problems are dairy, sugar, gluten, wheat, food coloring, additives, and refined white flour.

What are the risk factors for colitis?

You might be more at-risk for developing colitis if you have any of the following:

• psychological stress
• infection
• food allergies
• parasites

 

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"References"

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Werbach, Melvyn R. Nutritional Influences on Illness: A Sourcebook of Clinical Research. New Canaan, CT: Keats Pub., 1990. Print.[/expand]