Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWhat Is Ayurveda?BenefitsAyurveda for UCFrequently Asked Questions
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
What Is Ayurveda?
Benefits
Ayurveda for UC
Frequently Asked Questions
Ayurvedais a holistic approach to medicine that originated in India more than 3,000 years ago. In Sanskrit, Ayurveda means “knowledge of life.” The concept behind the practice is that disease comes from an imbalance in a person’s consciousness.
Ulcerative colitis(UC) is a chronic disease of the large intestine in which the colon’s lining becomes inflamed and develops small ulcerations. There is no known cure for ulcerative colitis, but there are a number of treatments available that include medications, surgery, and diet and nutrition changes.
Complementaryand alternative medicine (CAM) approaches like Ayurvedic medicine includeherbal and plant remedies, oils, and spices, as well as acupuncture and meditation, which may help easeulcerative colitis symptoms during flare-ups(times when symptoms worsen).
Verywell / Nez Riaz
Ayurvedais an ancient healing system. The foundation of Ayurveda is the balance between body, mind and spirit and their roles in maintaining good health.
The basic principle of Ayurveda is that the body is composed of five elements: air, water, fire, and earth, and space. Together, these elements form life forces called doshas—vata (space and air), kapha (earth and water), and pitta (fire and water). Every person has these doshas, but one is more prevalent in each individual.
Ayurvedic practitioners believe that the balance of each of these doshas accounts for individual characteristics, but also the possibility of a medical condition. An imbalanced dosha can cause stagnation of prana and further imbalances.
Doshas and Ulcerative Colitis
Practitioners suggest avoiding spicy foods. In one clinical study, 43 patients with ulcerative colitis were treated for one month with the medicinal plantUdumbara kvatha basti(Ficus glomerata orcluster fig), along with other Ayurvedic medications derived from plants that have antibacterial and antidiarrheal effects.
Benefits of Natural Treatments
There is no cure for ulcerative colitis, but to alleviate symptoms, your doctor mayprescribe certain treatmentsdepending on the severity of your condition. Below are recommended medications:
While many patients find relief through Western medicine, some also explore holistic approaches that may ease symptoms.
Alternative treatments may include meditation and yoga that help manage stress,herbal remedies, and certain spice blends in foods. Keep in mind that certain spices liketurmericmay ease inflammation but also may cause stomach discomfort, skin rashes, and in some cases, slow blood clotting.
Talk to Your DoctorIf you decide to see an Ayurvedic practitioner who recommends herbal supplements, always discuss this with your doctor to find out whether any contraindications exist between Ayurvedic treatments and any of your medications.
Talk to Your Doctor
If you decide to see an Ayurvedic practitioner who recommends herbal supplements, always discuss this with your doctor to find out whether any contraindications exist between Ayurvedic treatments and any of your medications.
Ayurveda for Ulcerative Colitis
If you determine that Ayurvedic medicine complements your Western (allopathic) treatment for ulcerative colitis, below are therapies that you may want to incorporate to manage your condition:
Diet
Before you make any dramatic changes in your diet, consult with your doctor or dietitian to see if some foods may cause distress. An Ayurvedic diet promotes balance and has specific guidelines for each dosha.
When the pitta dosha is out of balance, colon function is impaired. Eggs are one food that is known to support balancing the pitta dosha. If you’re not lactose intolerant, you may have milk, ghee, soy milk, and butter. Ripe fruit is allowed, like apples, pears, pineapples, melons, and mangos.
Vegetables should be the sweet and bitter kinds like asparagus, broccoli, cabbage, and zucchini. Avoid most spices except for cilantro, cinnamon, turmeric,cardamom, fennel, and black pepper. All legumes are acceptable.
Acupuncture
In Ayurvedic practice,acupunctureis used at specific points on the body for the relief of symptoms. In the United States, an Ayurvedic practitioner who performs acupuncture must be licensed as a traditional Chinese medicine practitioner in most states.
Studies of Ayurvedic acupuncture are scarce. According to the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation, research continues to evaluate the benefits of acupuncture beyond managing pain. But while some studies have shown that acupuncture may improve symptoms, results vary.
What Is Ulcerative Colitis?
Massage
Meditation
Studies show that stress can aggravate symptoms in ulcerative colitis. In one review of eight studies, researchers found that meditation and mindfulness improved the quality of life for patients who suffered from the stress of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) like ulcerative colitis. However, more studies are required.
Yoga
In one study with 60 patients with ulcerative colitis and 40 patients with Crohn’s disease (another type of inflammatory bowel disease) were divided into two groups for eight weeks.The first group practiced yoga for an hour daily and continued with their medical therapy; the second continued only with their standard medical therapy.
After the eight weeks, fewer patients in the first group experienced joint stiffness than those using just traditional medicine, and anxiety levels were reduced in the first group in comparison to the second group, which had no significant changes. Researchers concluded that a yoga practice is safe and beneficial for patients with ulcerative colitis and other types of IBD.
Benefits of Yoga for Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn’s
Choosing an Ayurvedic PractitionerBefore you decide to make any changes in your diet and embrace Ayurvedic medicine to complement your traditional medical protocol, find an Ayurvedic practitioner with experience treating people with ulcerative colitis. Diet recommendations found online vary and can be confusing.
Choosing an Ayurvedic Practitioner
Before you decide to make any changes in your diet and embrace Ayurvedic medicine to complement your traditional medical protocol, find an Ayurvedic practitioner with experience treating people with ulcerative colitis. Diet recommendations found online vary and can be confusing.
Summary
A Word From Verywell
An Ayurvedic diet may help with relieving ulcerative colitis symptoms and flare-ups. Before you decide to change your diet or add herbal supplements, always consult with your doctor and speak with an Ayurvedic practitioner specializing in diet for people with gastrointestinal conditions.
Also consider that meditation and yoga help with stress, which can aggravate ulcerative colitis. You may want to incorporate a mindfulness practice for overall well-being.
Foods that are low fat and are low in fiber will help treat ulcerative colitis. There are several foods that fall in the category. It’s preferred that you eat whole food and not processed foods. For a complete list of foods to eat, consult with an Ayurvedic practitioner who treats ulcerative colitis.
In the United States, Ayurvedic medicine is not recognized as a form of medical care (as it is in India) and practitioners are not licensed. They may not represent themselves as medical practitioners, cannot diagnose Western diseases, and what they are allowed to do is limited. Otherwise, they could be prosecuted for the unlicensed practice of medicine.
However, in many states, Ayurvedic practitioners can work as educators in the area of diet and lifestyle. You can get certified via the National Ayurvedic Medical Association (NAMA) Certification Board.
10 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Patel MV, Patel KB, Gupta SN.Effects of Ayurvedic treatment on forty-three patients of ulcerative colitis.Ayu. 2010;31(4):478-481. doi:10.4103/0974-8520.82046Cleveland Clinic.Ulcerative colitis: Symptoms, treatment, living with it & diagnosis.Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation.Fact sheet.NHS Inform.Corticosteroids.MedicineNet.Biologics: Definition, Side Effects, Uses & Drug List.Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation.Acupuncture in inflammatory bowel disease.Stein DJ.Massage acupuncture, moxibustion, and other forms of complementary and alternative medicine in inflammatory bowel disease.Gastroenterol Clin North Am. 2017;46(4):875-880. doi:10.1016/j.gtc.2017.08.015Hood MM, Jedel S.Mindfulness-based interventions in inflammatory bowel disease.Gastroenterol Clin North Am. 2017;46(4):859-874. doi:10.1016/j.gtc.2017.08.008Sharma P, Poojary G, Dwivedi SN, Deepak KK.Effect of yoga-based intervention in patients with inflammatory bowel disease.Int J Yoga Therap. 2015;25(1):101-112. doi:10.17761/1531-2054-26.1.131National Ayurvedic Medical Association.Being an Ayurvedic doctor in the United States.
10 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Patel MV, Patel KB, Gupta SN.Effects of Ayurvedic treatment on forty-three patients of ulcerative colitis.Ayu. 2010;31(4):478-481. doi:10.4103/0974-8520.82046Cleveland Clinic.Ulcerative colitis: Symptoms, treatment, living with it & diagnosis.Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation.Fact sheet.NHS Inform.Corticosteroids.MedicineNet.Biologics: Definition, Side Effects, Uses & Drug List.Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation.Acupuncture in inflammatory bowel disease.Stein DJ.Massage acupuncture, moxibustion, and other forms of complementary and alternative medicine in inflammatory bowel disease.Gastroenterol Clin North Am. 2017;46(4):875-880. doi:10.1016/j.gtc.2017.08.015Hood MM, Jedel S.Mindfulness-based interventions in inflammatory bowel disease.Gastroenterol Clin North Am. 2017;46(4):859-874. doi:10.1016/j.gtc.2017.08.008Sharma P, Poojary G, Dwivedi SN, Deepak KK.Effect of yoga-based intervention in patients with inflammatory bowel disease.Int J Yoga Therap. 2015;25(1):101-112. doi:10.17761/1531-2054-26.1.131National Ayurvedic Medical Association.Being an Ayurvedic doctor in the United States.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Patel MV, Patel KB, Gupta SN.Effects of Ayurvedic treatment on forty-three patients of ulcerative colitis.Ayu. 2010;31(4):478-481. doi:10.4103/0974-8520.82046Cleveland Clinic.Ulcerative colitis: Symptoms, treatment, living with it & diagnosis.Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation.Fact sheet.NHS Inform.Corticosteroids.MedicineNet.Biologics: Definition, Side Effects, Uses & Drug List.Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation.Acupuncture in inflammatory bowel disease.Stein DJ.Massage acupuncture, moxibustion, and other forms of complementary and alternative medicine in inflammatory bowel disease.Gastroenterol Clin North Am. 2017;46(4):875-880. doi:10.1016/j.gtc.2017.08.015Hood MM, Jedel S.Mindfulness-based interventions in inflammatory bowel disease.Gastroenterol Clin North Am. 2017;46(4):859-874. doi:10.1016/j.gtc.2017.08.008Sharma P, Poojary G, Dwivedi SN, Deepak KK.Effect of yoga-based intervention in patients with inflammatory bowel disease.Int J Yoga Therap. 2015;25(1):101-112. doi:10.17761/1531-2054-26.1.131National Ayurvedic Medical Association.Being an Ayurvedic doctor in the United States.
Patel MV, Patel KB, Gupta SN.Effects of Ayurvedic treatment on forty-three patients of ulcerative colitis.Ayu. 2010;31(4):478-481. doi:10.4103/0974-8520.82046
Cleveland Clinic.Ulcerative colitis: Symptoms, treatment, living with it & diagnosis.
Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation.Fact sheet.
NHS Inform.Corticosteroids.
MedicineNet.Biologics: Definition, Side Effects, Uses & Drug List.
Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation.Acupuncture in inflammatory bowel disease.
Stein DJ.Massage acupuncture, moxibustion, and other forms of complementary and alternative medicine in inflammatory bowel disease.Gastroenterol Clin North Am. 2017;46(4):875-880. doi:10.1016/j.gtc.2017.08.015
Hood MM, Jedel S.Mindfulness-based interventions in inflammatory bowel disease.Gastroenterol Clin North Am. 2017;46(4):859-874. doi:10.1016/j.gtc.2017.08.008
Sharma P, Poojary G, Dwivedi SN, Deepak KK.Effect of yoga-based intervention in patients with inflammatory bowel disease.Int J Yoga Therap. 2015;25(1):101-112. doi:10.17761/1531-2054-26.1.131
National Ayurvedic Medical Association.Being an Ayurvedic doctor in the United States.
Meet Our Medical Expert Board
Share Feedback
Was this page helpful?Thanks for your feedback!What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit
Was this page helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit
What is your feedback?
