An inflamed colon is more than just a minor inconvenience. If left untreated, it can become a chronic problem that disrupts daily life, influencing attitudes, behaviors, and how we navigate the world in general.
Contrary to common belief, ulcerative colitis isn’t “just IBS” or “a little inflammation.” Unlike other gastrointestinal issues, it’s an autoimmune attack that actually eats away at the lining of your large intestine. In its wake, it can leave raw and bleeding ulcers, stretching all the way from your rectum to where your large intestine meets your small intestine.
Sound unpleasant enough?
Well, it can get even worse, leading to endless cramping, numerous bloody bathroom visits per day, exhaustion, joint pain, and in some cases, surgery to remove the entire colon.
But here’s the good news amid all those awful details. Nowadays, the top IBD doctors are changing their arsenal. They no longer rely on just heavy medications. In fact, natural, highly researched tools are being employed all the time, everything from supplements to calm the immune system to gels and liquids that repair the damaged gut lining.
Here are six effective treatment modalities you have to try:
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1. Visbiome
A refrigerated powder packet, Visbiome, contains eight specific strains of good bacteria for your gut. These include four different Lactobacillus, three Bifidobacterium, and one Streptococcus. They are combined at super high doses, approaching 900 billion live organisms per sachet.
But here’s the thing. These aren’t your cheap and largely ineffective grocery-store probiotics. Those usually contain 10 billion at the most. Visbiome, by comparison, uses a precise formula that has been studied across numerous trials and can put mild-to-moderate ulcerative colitis into full remission.
When used with regular medicine, the chances of being flare-free go through the roof.
And it’s easy to use. Simply mix one packet into cold water or applesauce every morning. It’s got a somewhat tangy taste, similar to plain yogurt, and should be refrigerated at all times. Just make sure you give it some time, about four to eight weeks. After all, you’re essentially rebuilding your gut bacteria, so this isn’t an overnight thing.
2. Highly Absorbable Curcumin
A well-known yellow spice that makes curry yellow, turmeric comes with plenty of potential health benefits. Its most active compound, curcumin, is at the core of many of those impacts. In fact, this natural molecule addresses inflammation through all kinds of pathways, making it perfect for treating an inflamed colon.
But here’s the catch. Many regular turmeric or cheap curcumin pills offer minimal benefits. That’s because less than one percent of their helpful content actually gets absorbed. Fortunately, modern “bioavailable” versions, such as Meriva, BCM-95, Theracurmin, and Longvida, more than make up for this.
Many of them wrap the curcumin in special fats or add black-pepper extract. In the case of the black-pepper extract, this increases absorption 20–45 times. That means more of it reaches your bloodstream, and more gets to work on your colon tissue. Research shows that patients taking one to two grams a day of these forms- alongside typical UC meds – were significantly more likely to have completely healed ulcers at their next follow-up.
It’s no wonder many gastroenterologists hand out printed curcumin studies at clinic visits!
To get started and see these remarkable benefits for yourself, take two capsules with breakfast and two with your biggest meals.
3. Pure Inner-Leaf Aloe Vera Gel
This is like nature’s most loving goo.
Just imagine the stuff you put on a bad sunburn. In this case, however, it’s purified, removed of all color, and free from harmful additives.
Basically, a gentle, slightly thick liquid that works like a healing bandage for your colon. Its polysaccharides – vital complex carbs – make it ideal for structural support of the intestine.
And it’s easy to ingest. In fact, many people drink it daily for its benefits. In one British trial, patients who drank 100ml or half a cup twice per day had their bleeding reduced significantly in weeks. Further biopsies even revealed that the ulcers had closed up.
If you’re looking to soothe and heal, try Lily of the Desert Preservative-Free or George’s “Always Active” Aloe. You can just keep a bottle in the fridge and sip it slowly throughout the day. It basically feels like thick water, so if that’s not your cup of tea, you can always pair it with some food or drinks.
4. Special Fish Oil or Algal Oil
Most people don’t know, but many of your typical fish oil capsules simply open in the stomach and get destroyed by your stomach acid. However, new forms of “gastro-resistant” and “free-fatty-acid” omega-3s are changing that.
The reason these products work is that they are coated to travel all the way to your lower small intestine. It’s only when they’ve reached that distant point that they release. In other words, targeted delivery. And when released, the EPA, a type of omega-3 fatty acid, communicates with your body’s inflammatory messengers.
As a result, your body takes notice and recruits calm, healing messengers instead.
The recommended dose of these new oils is two to four grams per day. Studies have shown that people who adhere to this regimen actually experience remission up to 80 percent of the calendar year. And if you’re a vegetarian or vegan, you can use algal oil capsules for similar results.
RELATED: Incredibly Fast Ways To Soothe An Ulcerative Colitis Flare
The main brands you want to consider should always be ‘burp-free.’ The best are usually lemon-flavored and receive a five-star rating from the International Fish Oil Standards (IFOS). This means you’re not taking in harmful mercury or oxidized oil.
5. The Real Mediterranean Diet
This approach requires a pretty large overhaul of your eating patterns. So, if you’re not ready to really do it big, you might want to stick to the other approaches outlined in this article.
That said, if you are ready for a major (and healthy) change, this one’s for you. Proven by randomized trials and backed by nutritional science, the Mediterranean diet is all about giving your gastrointestinal system what it needs most.
This is more than eating some salmon here and there. For instance, consider the three meals of the day. During breakfast, a good meal would be some Greek yogurt with berries, walnuts, and a tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil.
When it’s lunchtime and dinnertime, opt for colorful, beautiful salads or cooked vegetables with two to three tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil. Lentils or fish are also great, just try to avoid red meat and packaged foods.
As for those pesky snack cravings? Skip the processed junk and go for handfuls of almonds, some fruit, or some delicious hummus.
The results don’t lie. Numerous studies show that people following these eating patterns for six months enjoy very significant results. In certain participants, inflammation blood tests drop by over half, and good gut bacteria shoot through the roof.
Extra virgin olive oil alone is like its own medicine. It contains something called the oleocanthal compound, which is essentially like a natural ibuprofen for your colon.
Pretty cool, huh?
6. Ear-Clip Vagus Nerve Stimulation
Never heard of it?
Turns out, your vagus nerve plays a key role in your gastrointestinal health. Think of it like a long wire running from your brainstem all the way down to your gut. It’s almost like a switch for systemic inflammation. And now, thanks to modern technology, hitting that switch is easier than ever.
The ‘ear-clip’ stimulation actually involves using a small, smartphone-sized device. It clips painlessly to your left ear and emits gentle electrical pulses for five to 20 minutes twice per day.
While this may sound a little weird, the scientific findings are quite promising. In recent trials of both children and adults with irritable bowel syndrome (IBD), over 60 percent of patients saw their calprotectin levels return to the normal range. Calprotectin is basically the main protein biomarker for inflammation in the body.
So, in other words, inflammation likely went way down.
More than that, almost half of the participants in these trials enjoyed symptom-free remission. And that was without adding new drugs to their treatment course.
Looking to give it a go? You can always try devices such as Parasym, gammaCore, or even inexpensive TENS units that come with their own ear-clip attachments. Many of these are now common in IBD clinics, so you know they’re legitimate.
And that’s what’s so cool about all of this. As cutting-edge science pushes us forward, not only are we finding interesting new treatment approaches, but we’re also finding exciting new applications for age-old remedies.
For a healing-packed day, consider a concentrated schedule. When you wake up, you can mix Visbiome in cold water. For breakfast, you might eat oatmeal or eggs cooked with olive oil, with two curcumin capsules. During mid-morning, you can use 100 mL of aloe vera gel to ensure your gut lining is soothed and coated.
Then, when lunch and dinner roll around, go for a hearty Mediterranean plate with extra virgin olive oil, complemented with fish oil or algal oil capsules.
Finally, when you’re relaxing in the evening, try the ear-clip vagus stimulation. It’s easy to do mindlessly when you’re watching television or scrolling on your phone. Honestly, you probably won’t even notice it!
And that’s it. It might sound like a lot at first, but once you get into a routine, it’s just like anything else. Start slowly, build yourself up after weeks and months to a full-on schedule, and before you know it, it will be like second nature.
As good as you’ll be feeling, you’ll never want to go back!
