Delving into My UC Disease and What I'm Doing Now

 

"She is clothed in strength and dignity and she laughs without fear of the future."

Proverbs 31:25

In case you couldn't read what was on the cover of my notebook there in the picture, that's what it says. It's a great reminder to not fear the future and to trust in God's plan. This notebook was a gift that my mother-in-law gave me, and it is now my health notebook where I write all of my findings and research on my condition. 

Recently I had gotten off of those antibiotics that was for my UTI. About three days later, the infection came back along with a yeast infection. So, for the past week I have been fighting a UTI and a yeast infection simultaneously and had to get back onto antibiotics. It is very frustrating to say the least. Today is my last day on the antibiotic treatment and, miraculously, I have not yet gotten a flare from two antibiotic treatments back-to-back. 

I have still been doing my best to avoid things I am sensitive to, such as dairy, vegetable oil, raw veggies, and apples. But for the past few days I have been feeling much more tired than usual and feeling generally unwell. I've been getting plenty of sleep, if not more sleep than I really need, and I have been trying to stay active and move around even as I work from home. So why am I feeling so exhausted and unwell? It could be the antibiotics and the fact that my body is fighting off two infections at once with a weakened immune system. But I took the time to research my overall UC condition and some factors that may be contributing to my extreme fatigue. 

While I was doing research, I found that people with UC can have a lot of vitamin deficiencies due to the inflammation in the colon and bleeding from previous flares. Here are the common deficiencies that I found:

1. Iron deficiency

This is usually caused due to blood loss from previous flares and the inability to absorb iron. I read that it's actually best to not take iron supplements, but rather eat foods high in iron such as beef. Having an iron deficiency can cause fatigue. My past blood tests have shown that I was low in iron. That is not surprising because I did lose quite a bit of blood in my last flare, and it takes a long time to build that back up.

2. Vitamin D deficiency

Vitamin D is usually obtained through sunlight. In my case, I have been recommended by my doctor to avoid sunlight as much as possible because of the Rinvoq medication that I am on. While on Rinvoq I am more likely to get skin cancer. So, because I am actively trying to avoid exposure to sunlight and because my body is unable to absorb the vitamin D as well as it should, a vitamin D deficiency is very likely for me. I read that it is recommended to take 10,000 IU's of vitamin D per day, which is just two vitamin D supplements in my case (my vitamin D supplements have 5,000 IU's per jell capsule), if you have ulcerative colitis. 

3. Vitamin B12 and folate (B9) deficiency

Again, a deficiency in these vitamins is caused by the inflammation in the colon and the inflammation causes difficulties in absorbing vitamins. It is recommended to take vitamin B12 and B9 to help this. According to my research, being deficient in these does cause fatigue as well. 

4. Vitamin K1 and K2 deficiency

Vitamin K1 prevents blood clots, and vitamin K2 helps with bone health. These vitamins are also recommended for people with UC.

So, the bottom line? I may just have some vitamin deficiencies that are causing my fatigue because my body is struggling to absorb vitamins like it should. 

Something else that I found that was very helpful is that if you do have to take antibiotics, which I see over and over is HIGHLY recommended to AVOID if you have UC like me, is to take probiotics along with the antibiotics. Which, I found this out a little too late, but I will absolutely try next time if I do have to take antibiotics again. 

I also found that canola oil is also not good if you have UC. Which is a little frustrating, I'll be honest, because olive oil is very expensive along with a lot of other things that are better for me. It's hard to afford all the things that are helpful for this disease. I have read that olive oil really is the only good oil if you have UC though. So, although I'm not sensitive or allergic to canola oil, like raw veggies, it's best to avoid it. 

Other good vitamins that I found help with UC: zinc, vitamin A, and colostrum

To learn more, check out this video: Common Deficiencies

Lastly, here are some ways that I found are supposed to help UC and other autoimmune diseases naturally:

1. Probiotics

This is where I found out that it's good to take probiotics with antibiotics. Some foods and drinks that have probiotics in them are kefir, sauerkraut, kombucha and miso soup.  

2. Fermented veggies

This one I found is better for if you're in remission. If you are in a flare, it's best to avoid raw veggies entirely. But if you are not in a flare, this can help prevent inflammation. Have it in moderation though, because it's still best to avoid raw veggies if you have UC. Veggies are just hard to digest.

3. Sulforaphane

Sulforaphane is an antioxidant that is found in veggies. Having sulforaphane supplements can help with UC as well. 

4. Glutamine

Glutamine is found in cabbage, beef, eggs, and fish. This helps suppress inflammation and improves blood flow. 

5. Omega-3 fatty acids

Omega-3 is a supplement that can be taken that also helps with inflammation.

These are the things that I have researched and found can help with UC. I plan on trying some of the supplements to see if any of it helps with my energy levels. 

To learn more about these natural ways to help autoimmune diseases, watch this video: 5 Ways to Treat Autoimmune Disease Naturally