Ayurveda

Is there anybody on this forum that has used Ayurveda methods/foods to help with there colitis?

I am looking for alternate ways to control my colitis as western medicines are not working for me. So any suggestions would be fantastic!

I am considering surgery BUT this is my last attempt to try and regain some control through diet and supplements.

I tried several ayurvedic treatments including visiting the dr. from the website listed by killcolitis and using his treatments as well. I didn't see any benefit from it, but some people have been helped by it. And if you're exhausting your options before trying surgery then it's worth looking into.

If I was looking at trying something before getting to surgery then fecal transplant (with the guidance/tests done by a doctor and with a suitable donor) would also be something I'd look into as well. And if I get the right donor now then I might give it a try soon.

A little while back there was quite a bit of discussion about fecal transplantation...so much so the thread was split into two parts.  Here are links:

Part I

https://www.healingwell.com/community/default.aspx?f=38&p=1&m=1612467

Part II

https://www.healingwell.com/community/default.aspx?f=38&p=1&m=1647007

I got really into ayurveda since this last flare and I attribute a lot of my success so far with it. I spent a week at Dr Lad's Ayurvedic Institute in New Mexico and did the 5 day panchakarma program. Changed my life. and hopefully with the adjustments I'm making inside and out, I can say goodbye to UC...

subdued said...
I studied Ayurveda when I was taking a yoga teacher training program. Apparently, UC is a Pitta disorder. Funny thing is though, many of recommendations of what foods to eat and to avoid to calm an overzealous Pitta constitution contradict the anti-inflammatory diet and known food intolerances. For example, spinach, which has really helped my colitis, is not allowed.

the reason why you see discrepancy is because you have not studied ayurveda. you could be just an ayurvedic enthusiast. ulcerative colitis is a pitta disorder with varying degrees of involvement of vata and kapha.
BTW, spinach is pitta pacifying. you got your facts wrong. But spinach is also high in fibers. so it might not help some folks like me, who have diarrhea predominant colitis. unlike you who i think is having a constipation dominant colitis. its all in your doshas. you have to know which other doshas and what condition the body is in before giving out and judging ayurvedic treatements. unfortunately there are fewer and fewer doctors of ayurveda who really understand it in its entirety.

subdued said...

My dominant dosha is Vata, but again, many of the recommendations for the Vata diet contradict the anti-inflammatory diet. For example, turmeric, which is very anti-inflammatory, is not allowed.

I think that when Ayurveda was developed some thousands of years ago, we didn't have much knowledge about what foods and ingredients are anti- and pro-inflammatory.

turmeric is one of the core herbs of ayurveda. i have not see one ayurvedic doctor who will ask a UC patient to avoid turmeric. again, i think you should get your facts right, or propably change your instructor or doctor whoever is giving you these advices.

I don't have my facts wrong.

I have never been constipated in my life.

Spinach is not Pitta pacifying:

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=4&ved=0CDkQFjAD&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amritaveda.com%2Flearning%2Farticles%2FPittachart_back_bw_final.pdf&ei=t62hT9inNaeOiAKShsjKBw&usg=AFQjCNGEqTGKAqiStr4ew5KjuWKk4jHiPw&sig2=_Lt6su8QGtr_e5stZxhyMw

http://ayurveda-foryou.com/treat/doshadiet.html

http://www.chopra.com/pitta

and etc.

I am! I just started a few weeks ago actually in an attempt to find a doc who'll treat me as a whole versus different docs for different issues. I had a loooong first meeting - lasted 3.5 hours and have my follow up in a couple of weeks. I was given some herbal capsules put together by a pharmacy here upon the recommendation of the ayurvedic doc. It's called Immun Svastha. I googled a bunch of the ingredients (all had ayurvedic names) and found that they're the alternative meds folks tend to take for inflammation here - boswelia, turmeric, etc. Apparently, the concentration of the capsules is very high. In any case, I take one capsule with a meal three times per day. So far, I haven't noticed any difference. I also haven't been totally compliant - missing just about a whole week or a dose or two a day. The doc said it's highly unlikely the herbs alone would heal me and that diet modification would have to come into play. She gave me a list of foods to eat and foods to avoid based on my body type (almost all Pitta with a touch of Vata) and ailments - biggest issue being the colitis. She gave a lot of other recommendations, but I think they're based on my specific profile, versus general, so I don't know how useful it would be to list everything here. This weekend I'm taking a one-on-one ayurvedic cooking course with a lady who specializes in that thing. Since diet is the largest factor to this working (according to the doc), I figured it would be good to get a jump start. If you have some specific questions, let me know and I'll try to help. Again, I'm brand new to this whole avenue of treatment, so I pretty much know nothing at this stage.

Sure thing:

"Food Recommendations Pitta

Very important for the food intake: (although already partly on the pitta diet) avoid sour and spicy, all kinds of junk food, meat (if you must eat meat, then chicken), nuts, carotts, melanzani,

Eat low fat joghurt: 1 part joghurt, 3 parts water, try goat milk for that
Pumpkins, asparagus, potatoes, Zucchini, cucumber (cooked), fennel, sweet apples, ripe bananas
Spices: koriander, cumin, kardamon, fennel, kurkuma, salt, safran

Generally eat warm food, which is easy to digest.


At breakfast, Pitta constitutions are already very hungry, with very active digestive juices. Warm cream of cereals, consisting of oat flakes, spelt or wheat, or waffles are highly recommended. Add ghee, natural sweeteners and stewed fruit. Breakfast alternatives for Pitta constitutions are wholemeal toast with butter and honey, or a few nuts. Warm milk with saffron and cardamom supplies energy for the whole day.

Lunch is the most important meal for Pitta constitutions, giving them all the nutrients their powerful organism needs. A lot of salad, legumes, sweet and bitter vegetables as well as wholegrain products are the best basis for an invigorating Pitta lunch. Dessert has a therapeutic impact on Pitta and may be eaten as a starter (sweet tastes decrease Pitta!)

At dinner, all root vegetables, potatoes and grain are particularly suited to nourish and deacidify the body.

Other: Regular exercise is indispensable for Pitta constitutions as it will give them inner peace, serenity and joy. Your fellowmen will be grateful!"