There are about a million Americans suffering from Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn’s disease each year. Symptoms that come with these conditions include bloody stools, stomach pain, cramping, intestinal hemorrhage, and frequent bowel movement with urgency and pain. For more than 2,000 years, acupuncture and TCM (traditional Chinese medicine) have been utilized to address these symptoms.
What is Acupuncture and TCM in Bellingham?
Ancient TCM practitioners have viewed the body as a network of interconnected pathways and organs. The pathways are vessels where vital energy known as qi and other substances circulate or flow all over the body. An adequate and normal flowing qi leads to wellness and health; pain and/or diseases arise when an imbalance (excess or deficiency) in qi arises. More often than not acupuncture accompanied by diet therapy is used to restore balance in the body to help it heal.
To precisely identify the specific imbalance causing colitis or Crohn’s the disease, the tongue (of the patient) is observed and his/her pulse is felt by the acupuncturist. Moreover, the acupuncturist also asks the patient about other symptoms such as the number of bowel movements, and the presence of blood and pain. Heat, dampness, stagnation, and qi vacuity are the most common reasons for colitis and Crohn’s.
Depending on the symptoms manifested, a customized acupuncture treatment plan is administered to each patient. The treatment’s objectives vary and depend on whether the patient is in remission or exacerbation. Usually, the objective(s) is to boost appetite, relieve inflammation, and stop the bleeding, diarrhea, and pain. Moxibustion, a process in which an herb known as moxa is burned close to the skin to warm key acupoints, can be used to enhance the potency of acupuncture. For colitis and Crohn’s, usually a treatment course of five to ten acupuncture treatments once or twice a week is recommended.
Modern Research
Recent studies suggest that needling acupuncture can be an effective and safe complementary therapy to Western mainstream care for Crohn’s disease. A specific study reveals that acupuncture can improve general well being, disease state and the quality of life of the individual. Besides that, the study shows that acupuncture can also reduce intestinal enzymes.
Dietary Suggestions
Diet therapy, in TCM, is extremely essential for the maintenance of colitis and Crohn’s. Variety and balance are keys to the TCM diet. Foods good to eat for colitis and Crohn’s include among others, cooked vegetables, moderate amounts of protein, and easily digested carbohydrates. Crohn’s and colitis patients, the intestines should not be irritated by eating foods that are difficult to digest. These include hot spices, nuts, and raw vegetables. Vegetables should be served as stews, soups, steamed dishes or stir fried. Moreover, hard to cook meats, such as steak, need to be avoided during exacerbation and lessened during remission. Try eating thinly sliced stir fried meats or stews instead.
For IBD patients, the eating of white rice is highly recommended. White rice is very digestible and can help enhance digestion. If you want to eat brown rice, thoroughly cook it with lots of water first. Oatmeal that has been cooked well in plenty of water can be recommended for breakfast. Heat condition can be exacerbated and the intestinal wall can be irritated by eating very hot spicy food, therefore, it should be avoided.
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