Monthly Archives: November 2011

An apple a day keeps the gastroenterologist away

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Researchers in Montana have found that chemicals inside of apple peels are helpful in protecting against inflammatory bowel disease flares in Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis patients.

The researchers published their results in the Journal of Leukocyte Biology.  The article shows that polyphenols found naturally in the skin of apples has anti-inflammatory properties that work either suppressing or recruiting the help of T-cells.

Many Crohn’s Disease patients take supplements to aid in fighting Crohn’s but most evidence that this is effective, if any at all, is anecdotal.  Here is research that shows how the foods we eat can have a positive impact by actively reducing inflammation.

In another article, a Senate Resolution has been passed that will designate December 1 through December 7 as Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis Awareness week in order to encourage all Americans to join in the fight against these diseases, raise awareness, and funding for research.

In Senate Resolution 199, appreciation and recognition is shown to those who are caregivers of someone who suffers from Crohn’s Disease or Ulcerative Colitis.  Not only can these terrible diseases wreak havoc emotionally on the patient, they also can cause a lot of anguish for those watching their loved ones go through such pain.

CCFA funds new multidisciplinary IBD genetics initiative

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The CCFA is bankrolling a new multimillion dollar multidisciplinary IBD genetics initiative that researchers hope will provide new insights and new treatments for those suffering from Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis.  This new project will focus on understanding how over 100 inflammatory bowel disease genetic loci (specific location of a gene or DNA sequence on a chromosome) identified over the years result in a person having active disease.  From the article:

Taking a biological systems approach to the factors in IBD is what the initiative’s head coordinator, Ramnik Xavier, MD, chief of the Gastrointestinal Unit at Massachusetts General Hospital, in Boston, intends to do. Dr. Xavier has assembled a diverse team of experts, including initiative co-chair Herbert Virgin, MD, professor and chair of pathology and immunology at Washington University School of Medicine, in St. Louis, as well as researchers who study human genetics, signal transduction, molecular immunology, human genetics–based murine disease modeling, and chemical and computational biology.

By exploiting each discipline’s unique strengths, Dr. Xavier believes there is a high likelihood of discovering processes encoded by the 100-plus genetic loci linked to IBD.

“One approach we might take to uncover these pathways is to design a reporter bacterium or virus to interact with a human host’s immune system and to report back on gene–host and cell–bacteria interactions,” said Dr. Xavier, also director of the Center for the Study of Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Harvard Medical School, in Boston, and senior associate member at the Broad Institute of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard.

The investigators plan to study the interactions of multiple genes instead of looking at single genes alone, which will help pinpoint “genetic signatures” of various IBD genotypes. “These genetic signatures will help us develop a portrait of IBD subtypes that can be used to develop therapies that are more targeted,” said Dr. Xavier. “The signatures might also be used as biomarkers to predict the course of illness.”

Today we recognize two main inflammatory bowel diseases, namely Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis, but researchers believe this new initiative could show us these two diseases actually belong to a much larger group of inflammatory diseases that share common phenotypes (traits or characteristics that can be made visible by some technical procedure).

Bilberries, who ever heard of a Bilberry? They are what’s good for Crohn’s… maybe.

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I had to post a link to this article that claims Bilberries are good for Ulcerative Colitis.  Mainly, I read this article because I have never heard of a Bilberry; it sounds made up, like from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory or something like that.  Researchers in Europe are stating that Bilberries may be good for inflammatory bowel disease patients.

First off, what is a Bilberry?  A Bilberry is a close relative of the Blueberry, it contains loads of Anthocyanins which are pigments that contains a lot of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.  Bilberries have been known to help relieve diarrhea; a common symptom of Crohn’s Disease and other forms of inflammatory bowel disease.

Researchers used a Bilberry extract to treat mice with Ulcerative Colitis and it turns out that it helped reduce inflammation and reduced the activity of the disease in the animals.  The results show that a human study of the effects of Bilberries on bowel disease are warranted.

Now that I know what a Bilberry is and that they can possibly help me manage my Crohn’s Disease where exactly can I pick some up?  If I cannot find a Bilberry supplier will Blueberries work just as well?  I would love to try me some Bilberry extract and study the effects on myself!

Crystal Bridges

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Yesterday I experienced the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art; it was amazing!  I have been patiently awaiting this day for more than 6 years ever since I first heard about the plans to build this world class art museum in Arkansas.  The first time I heard about it I thought, really?  Here?  When I first viewed the model of the building that was to be built here I thought even if the art is not that great, the building itself is beautiful.

Over the years I would hear more and more about the museum, even taking walking trips down a nearby trail that overlooked the site as it was being built.  When I saw the construction site I realized the enormity of it all.  As time passed, I heard more about the works of art that would be permanent pieces of the collection.  I was amazed that one day I would be able to see all of those valuable works of art under one roof.  I had seen various pieces by great North American artists at various art museums around the country, but I knew, there was no place in the US that had anything on this scale.

When I finally entered the museum I was ecstatic!  I viewed every single piece of art in the museum; I was there on my feet 6 hours I never once stopped to eat or rest.  My legs started to hurt late in the day, I didn’t care I was too happy to be there.  Later I heard that less than half of the permanent collection is on display at any given moment.  It just makes me wonder what else could be in the collection???  I got to see portraits of George Washington and other early North Americans, I got to see early drawings and paintings of Native Americans by settlers of European descent, there were many famous 20th Century paintings, I got to see Rosie the Riveter!  Lichtenstein, Warhol, and other pop-art painters!  All the way to present day works.  I recounted for a friend, “It is like a giant US History Book.”  How many of those works of art had I seen in text books growing up?  It was truly amazing to experience all that in one day and I cannot wait to go back again.

A lot of folks in the media and the art world have been highly critical of this museum and the fact that it is in Arkansas and where else should it be?  NYC, LA, DC?  Who cares, the fact of the matter is, all of this fabulous art is in one place under one roof, and anyone in the world has a chance to see if free of charge thanks to many private and public donations.  Whereas before you might have to travel the entire Eastern seaboard to see something like this, now you can drive or fly to a single destination, and see all of these gorgeous pieces of art at one time!  Thank you Alice Walton and everyone else who had a hand in making this happen, it is greatly appreciated!

Giant, inflatable colon

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It’s been slow for Crohn’s related news but I did manage to find an article about a giant, inflatable colon making its rounds throughout Canada.  Apparently, the $75,000 poop shoot is about education, complete with polyps, inflammation, and other afflictions of the intestinal tract.  Those Canadians sure know how to make learning fun! :)

Southerners could be less likely to have Crohn’s Disease

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In a recent study it was reported that women living in the South from age 30 and beyond were about 1/3 less likely to have Crohn’s Disease than women living in the North after the age of 30.

In a separate study, researchers discovered a link between high doses of Vitamin D3 and a reduction in the severity and activity of disease in Crohn’s Disease patients.  In the Vitamin D study there were hardly enough patients at all for it to even be called a study, it definitely does not live up to scientific standards.

The study of Southern women however involved thousands of people, enough to be scientifically and statistically significant.  Both studies, however, are interesting in that they appear to show a link between Vitamin D levels and Crohn’s Disease.  It is theorized that Southerners benefit from spending much more of their life in direct sunlight which results in the body producing more of the vitamin.

Vitamin D is believed to calm overactive immune cells in the body resulting in lower activity and severity in cases of Crohn’s Disease.