Friday, July 26, 2013
Ileocecal Valve Syndrome
This article
is about a less known source of discomfort in the lower bowels.
Check
the following list:
■flu like symptoms
■headaches, migraines
■tinnitus
■diarrhoea, constipation
■bladder infection
■lower back pain
■right shoulder pain
■unexplained thirst
■nausea
■excessive gas
■dark rings under the eyes
■depression, low energy
If you are experiencing any of these symptoms
for any period of time, there is a chance that you are suffering from a
dysfunction of your ileocecal valve, the intestinal valve that separates the
small intestines from the colon.
This dysfunction is quite common, and is also
dealt with under the name Ileocecal Valve Syndrome.
The ileocecal valve is a sphincter muscle in
the lower right abdomen very close to the spot usually associated with the
appendix. It separates the end of the small intestines - the ileum - from the
first part of the large intestines - the cecum. The ileocecal valve can show
such acute painful stress that it can sometimes be confused with an inflamed
appendix. The valve is controlled by three sources: the digestion process, the
nervous system, and the hormone system.
Let’s look how the ileocecal valve works during
digestion.
A healthy valve would stay closed to hold the
food in the small intestines until the digestion and absorption of nutrients is
completed. It will then open up and let the digested food remains enter into
the large intestines, the colon. Afterwards, it will close again and prevent
the stuff from the colon to re-enter the small intestines. In its proper
function, it is designed as a one-way valve. The working of the ileocecal valve can be
disrupted in two ways:
- First,
it could stay open most of the time. As a result, the food to be
digested would pass through the small intestines too fast, too few nutrients
would be absorbed, and the mostly undigested food would enter the colon, where
bacterial processes could cause a lot of gas; and you might experience
diarrhoea.
- Second, the
ileocecal valve could be shut most of the time. Food would the stay for too
long in the small intestines, and could start to rot and cause gas in the small
intestines; toxins from the rotting food could be absorbed into you system and
force the liver to work overtime; you could feel bloated, and experience
constipation.
Contrary to
common belief, more roughage and fibre could do more harm than good, because
the raw fibres can be very abrasive to the gut lining and the ileocecal valve,
so that an already stressed valve can get even more irritated.
This does by no means imply that you should stop eating
foods with fibre (see later). It may sound contradictory – but fibre is
still very important for your digestion. The fibre you should avoid comes from
raw uncooked food.
Here is a summary of all the foods that can irritate an
ileocecal valve and worsen its dysfunction:
■raw fruits and vegetables
■beans, lentils
■grains, seeds, nuts
■popcorn! – the skins act like razor blades!
■fermented foods, like vinegar, pickles, soy sauce
■acidic fruits, like lemons, oranges
■onions, garlic, leeks
■hot spices, like chili powder, curry, cayenne, ginger, pepper,
cinnamon
■caffeine, chocolate, green and black tea
If you experience ileocecal valve problems, it
might be the best to avoid these foods for a period of at least two weeks. This
will allow your ileocecal valve to relax, and the inflammation to heal.
To get enough fibre in this time you can eat
soft cooked vegetables and fruits. Dark green leafy vegetables are the best for
this diet.
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