Flax Oil May Aid Persons with Crohn's Disease  Crohn's disease is an inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), the general name
for diseases that cause inflammation in the intestines. Crohn's disease
can be difficult to diagnose because its symptoms are similar to other
intestinal disorders such as irritable bowel syndrome. In contrast to
irritable bowel syndrome for which there is usually neither
inflammation nor a clear-cut sign of a structural defect,
Crohn's disease primarily involves detectable changes in the
lining of the small intestine and the nearby colon.
In Crohn's disease, the entire intestinal wall may thicken and cause narrowing of the bowel channel, possibly blocking the intestinal tract. X-ray examination may show an abnormality of the terminal portion of the small intestine, and there may be pain in the lower right abdomen. The inflammation can cause pain and can make the intestines empty frequently, resulting in diarrhea. Due to the resulting abnormal membrane function, about 90 percent of patients with Crohn's disease experience frequent and progressive symptoms of abdominal pain, loss of appetite, nutrient malabsorption, weight loss, and malaise. This can lead to extreme weight loss seen in other wasting conditions such as cancer and AIDS. Theories about what causes Crohn's disease abound, but none has been proven. People with Crohn's disease tend to have abnormalities of the immune system, but doctors do not know whether these abnormalities are a cause or result of the disease. The most popular theory is that the body's immune system reacts to a virus or a bacterium by causing ongoing inflammation in the intestine. Thus, use of a quality probiotic and prebiotic (e.g., inulin) may be important (see pages 10-11). Also important: Iberogast from Enzymatic Therapy, which can bring about symptom relief. Crohn's disease is not caused by emotional distress. Usual Treatment Most people are first treated with drugs containing mesalamine, a substance that helps control inflammation. Sulfasalazine is the most commonly used of these drugs. Patients who do not benefit from it or who cannot tolerate it may be put on other mesalamine-containing drugs, generally known as 5-ASA agents, such as Asacol, Dipentum, or Pentasa. Possible side effects of mesalamine preparations include nausea, vomiting, heartburn, diarrhea, and headache. Some patients take corticosteroids to control inflammation. These drugs are the most effective for active Crohn's disease, but they can cause serious side effects, including greater susceptibility to infection. Drugs that suppress the immune system are also used to treat Crohn's disease. Most commonly prescribed are 6- mercaptopurine and a related drug, azathioprine. Immunosuppressive agents work by blocking the immune reaction that contributes to inflammation. These drugs may cause side effects like nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea and may lower a person's resistance to infection. The Food and Drug Administration has approved the drug infliximab (Remicade) for the treat-ment of moderate to severe Crohn's disease that does not respond to standard therapies (mesalamine substances, cor-ticosteroids, immunosuppressive agents) and for the treatment of open, draining fistulas. Infliximab, the first treatment approved specifically for Crohn's disease, is an anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF) substance. TNF is a protein produced by the immune system that may cause the inflammation associated with Crohn's disease. Anti-TNF removes TNF from the bloodstream before it reaches the intestines, thereby preventing inflammation. However, infliximab may increase susceptibility to infectious disease and cancer. If a patient does not respond to oral medications, the doctor may recommend surgery. Although surgery relieves chronic symptoms, Crohn's disease often recurs at the location where the healthy parts of the bowel were rejoined. The length of time that a Crohn's patient is in remission is not predictable. Use of Flax Oil & Other Dietary Considerations Although dietary treatment of Crohn's disease is likely to be overlooked or down played in standard medical practice and in gastroenterology texts, patients with non-life threatening Crohn's disease need to know that, in fact, dietary practices, including the addition of flax oil daily, may offer important help, including reducing need for medica-tion or surgery. In the case of flax oil, we have a safe food for persons with Crohn's disease that has profound anti-inflammatory benefits and that may also correct underly-ing bodily imbalances involved in this condition. Population Studies Dr. Michael Murray observes that Crohn's disease is almost nonexistent in countries where primitive diets are a staple but is increasingly prevalent in nations where the Western diet predominates, including high amounts of saturated fats, refined carbohydrates, and sugar. Persons at highest risk for the disease tend to consume very low amounts of raw fruit and vegetables and dietary fiber than otherwise healthy people. Other considerations in the onset of Crohn's disease include food allergies, which are often overlooked as a causative factor. In Japan, the traditional diet, rich in raw vegetables, fruit and omega-3 fatty acid-rich seafood, is being replaced by western dietary practices. Due to these changes, Japan has become an ongoing living research laboratory, offering a treasure of insights into the link between nutrition and disease. Researchers from the Division of Gastroenterology, International Medical Center of Japan, Tokyo examined the correlation between the incidence of Crohn's disease and dietary changes among Japanese from 1966 to 1985. Their analysis, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, showed increased incidence of Crohn's disease was strongly correlated with increased dietary intake of total fat, especially saturated animal fat, and omega-6 fatty acids (as found in refined vegetable oils), animal protein, and milk protein; and a low intake of omega-3 fatty acids. (On the other hand, intake of fish protein and vegetable protein either had no effect or reduced its incidence.) At the Clinic of Abdominal and Transplantation Surgery, Medical School, Hannover, Germany, researchers studied tissue samples of patients with active Crohn's disease and those without, analyzing their fatty acid profiles in biopsy specimens of their intestinal fatty tissues. Compared with controls, persons with inflamed tissues had low levels of linoleic acid and omega-3 fatty acids, accompanied by a substantial increase of the highly inflammatory fatty acids (such as arachidonic acid). The researchers say that such changes in the fatty acid composition of the intestinal tissues seem to be the general feature of inflamed mucosa in the small and large intestine. Use of Flax in Clinical Therapeutics One clinical feature of Crohn's disease is inflammation with intestinal cramping and pain. This is caused by an abnormal balance of chemical messengers called prostaglandins, especially those known as leukotriene B4, which are highly inflammatory. It has been thought that a low ratio of omega-3 fatty acids is likely to contribute to inflammation and cramping. To test their theories, Japanese researchers investigated the therapeutic efficacy of omega-3 fatty acids on experimentally induced colitis, a condition considered the experimental equivalent of Crohn's disease. In rats with experimentally induced colitis, feeding them omega-3 fatty acid-rich perilla oil significantly suppressed plasma leukotriene B4 compared to rats fed safflower oil (rich in omega-6 fatty acids). This study suggests that the omega-3 fatty acids found in flax or perilla oil, can help to significantly suppress plasma leukotriene B4 and reduce colonic damage. Therapeutic use of omega-3 fatty acids in nutritional therapy for inflammatory bowel disease was explored by German researchers with regard to ulcerative colitis, a condition closely related to Crohn's. They note that certain fatty acids ³may have an important role² in its treatment. ³In prospective, randomized and controlled studies omega-3 fatty acids were found to be therapeutically useful.² A ³particularly important² finding was that use of such oils was helped doctors to reduce the steroid doses needed. * References available at www.freedompressonline.com  How to Find the Best Regular and Lignan Flax Oil
Be sure the company that produces your flax is M.A.D. about fresh lignan flax oil. Heres what to look for when it comes to being M.A.D. about fresh flax: This service is called Fresh ExPress and it guarantees you the absolute freshest flax oil anywhere. You will find this type of extremely high-quality lignan-rich flax oil in the refrigerator sections of natural health centers nationwide. |