Rushil Rawal, Class of 2021
Introduction
The world consists of millions of diseases that focus on different parts of a living organism. Nowadays, researchers, doctors, and scientists have access to medical technology which allows them to perform experiments that focus on how a disease may be caused. Not all diseases are caused by the same factors. Recently, many medical officials have been conducting experiments on a disorder known as Crohn's Disease. Like many diseases, this disease concentrates in a particular location, the digestive system. Crohn’s Disease takes over one's digestive system, disrupting the flow of feces and the overall structure of the digestive system through a series of inflammations. Like many diseases, Crohn's Disease is known to have a cause. There are many people who say that the disease is caused by the way one’s body digests foods.
According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine, Crohn’s Disease is a condition that concerns “abnormal inflammation of the intestinal walls, particularly in the lower part of the small intestine (the ileum) and portions of the large intestine (the colon)” (“Crohn” para. 1). In many cases, swelling in the digestive system such as in the intestinal walls of the large and small intestine, may be caused by Crohn’s Disease.
Some symptoms of Crohn’s Disease include bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramps, abdominal bloating, nausea, and weight loss.
As a disorder in thousands of human beings across the globe, Crohn's Disease is classified as an Inflammatory Bowel Disease. This disease concentrates in one's digestive organs, whether it is in the small intestine, large intestine, colon, rectum, or stomach.
All digestive diseases spread throughout the body. In fact, Crohn's Disease can be located in a colon, but its effects can spread to one's pituitary glands and thyroid glands, particularly near the throat. The disease can get so severe that cancer may form.
Currently there are no cures for Crohn’s Disease as it is rarely discussed. However, scientists have identified treatments, such as removing the small intestine to decrease the probability of a patient receiving Colon Cancer from Crohn’s Disease. Also, medications such as Humira can be prescribed for pain alleviation. Although many people say that deadly diseases are caused by food consumption, diseases like Crohn's Disease are caused by genetics and environmental factors.
Literature Review
Not everyone has the same viewpoint about Crohn's Disease. Many believe that the disease is caused by food, environment, or genetics. These variations are quite interesting to follow up with because opinions can be made based on these different scenarios of Crohn's Disease, and how research supports or refutes these viewpoints on Crohn's Disease.
As a matter of fact, many medical researchers believe that genetics play a big role in the concoction of Crohn's disease. According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine, the genetic structure of the human body in the construction of "chromosomes 5 and 10" ("Crohn" para.6), can lead to Crohn's disease. In addition, "variations of the ATG16L1, IRGM, and NOD2 genes increase the risk of developing Crohn's Disease" ("Crohn", paragraph 7). In simplification, Crohn's Disease can be hereditary, plainly occurring due to the passing-on of genes from ancestor to ancestor.
Some researchers say environmental factors can cause Crohn's Disease as well. In fact, University of Maryland Health Center notifies, "[Crohn's] disease is much more common in industrialized nations, urban areas, and northern geographical latitudes" ("Crohn's", paragraph 25). This is why human beings in certain environments are more likely to develop Crohn's Disease than other environments. The human body adapts to different surroundings and climates, such variations include "exposure to sunlight and subsequent lower levels of Vitamin D, and reduced exposure during childhood to certain types of stomach bacteria and other microorganisms" ("Crohn's", paragraph 26) can enhance an individual's chance of experiencing Crohn's Disease.
Other researchers believe that food plays a big role in Crohn's Disease because the disease constitutes in the digestive system. According to the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America, "contaminated food that leads to food poisoning or dysentery will aggravate” Crohn’s Disease ("Crohn's", paragraph 15). In other words, there are many foods that Crohn's survivors should not consume. Many patients are affected by certain foods because they have Crohn's Disease which in some cases associates with "malabsorption of dietary protein, fat, carbohydrates, water, and a wide variety of vitamins and minerals” ("Crohn's", para.11).
Genetics behind Crohn's Disease
All living organisms are born with preprogrammed genes and DNA structures. All living organisms contain a DNA that has set of instructions that guide cells how to construct parts of the body. This can be a role in the development of Crohn’s Disease.
Talking about genetics, many scientists and doctors have come to know that one's genetic structure can determine if they will receive Crohn's Disease. In fact, gastroenterologist, Jung Camille, and his group of PhDs from Paris—Jean-Fre´de´ Ric Colombe, Marc Lemann, Laurent Beaugerie, Matthieu Allez, Jacques Cosnes, Gwenola Vernier-Massouille, Jean-Marc Gornet, Jean-Pierre Gendre, JeanPierre Cezard, Frank M. Ruemmele, Dominique Turck, Franc¸oise Merlin, Habib Zouali, Christian Libersa, Philippe Dieude, Nadem Soufir, Gilles Thomas, and Jean-Pierre Hugot—have discovered that some people have genetic alleles for Crohn's Disease, particularly located in DNA chromosomes 5, 12, and 14 (Camille, Ric Colombe, Lemann, Beaugerie, Allez, Cosnes, Massouille, Gornet, Gendre, Cezard, Ruemmele, Turck, Merlin, Zouali, Libersa, Dieude, Soufir, Thomas, Hugot para.6). Jung points out those DNA chromosomes may be a catalyst for Crohn’s Disease because some contain phenotypes that fluctuate and destabilize the digestive system’s ability to function normally. As shown in Figure 1 below, in general, there are around eight different kinds of DNA chromosomes that have the capability to capture instructions for Crohn’s Disease.
Furthermore, some people can have DNA instructions that associate with specific functions that are signs of Crohn's Disease. Medical researchers have discovered that Crohn's Disease survivors do not have the same form of Crohn's Disease. The different Crohn's-related structures are known as polymorphisms. They are caused by genetic mutations in which the structure of a given DNA may rearrange and cause one's genetic instructions to function in distinctive ways. According to clinical researchers Daniel Gaya, Richard Russell, Elaine Nimmo, and Jack Satsangi, the two main Crohn's Disease-related mutations are known as NOD2 and CARD2 (Gaya, Russell, Nimmo, Satsangi para.4). These chemically-assembled mutations are the cause of over 53 Crohn's Disease genetic polymorphisms. The way a body reacts to Crohn’s Disease depends on the disease’s shape and size. Some may face a more devastating effect than others, all due to their genetics.
The world consists of millions of diseases that focus on different parts of a living organism. Nowadays, researchers, doctors, and scientists have access to medical technology which allows them to perform experiments that focus on how a disease may be caused. Not all diseases are caused by the same factors. Recently, many medical officials have been conducting experiments on a disorder known as Crohn's Disease. Like many diseases, this disease concentrates in a particular location, the digestive system. Crohn’s Disease takes over one's digestive system, disrupting the flow of feces and the overall structure of the digestive system through a series of inflammations. Like many diseases, Crohn's Disease is known to have a cause. There are many people who say that the disease is caused by the way one’s body digests foods.
According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine, Crohn’s Disease is a condition that concerns “abnormal inflammation of the intestinal walls, particularly in the lower part of the small intestine (the ileum) and portions of the large intestine (the colon)” (“Crohn” para. 1). In many cases, swelling in the digestive system such as in the intestinal walls of the large and small intestine, may be caused by Crohn’s Disease.
Some symptoms of Crohn’s Disease include bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramps, abdominal bloating, nausea, and weight loss.
As a disorder in thousands of human beings across the globe, Crohn's Disease is classified as an Inflammatory Bowel Disease. This disease concentrates in one's digestive organs, whether it is in the small intestine, large intestine, colon, rectum, or stomach.
All digestive diseases spread throughout the body. In fact, Crohn's Disease can be located in a colon, but its effects can spread to one's pituitary glands and thyroid glands, particularly near the throat. The disease can get so severe that cancer may form.
Currently there are no cures for Crohn’s Disease as it is rarely discussed. However, scientists have identified treatments, such as removing the small intestine to decrease the probability of a patient receiving Colon Cancer from Crohn’s Disease. Also, medications such as Humira can be prescribed for pain alleviation. Although many people say that deadly diseases are caused by food consumption, diseases like Crohn's Disease are caused by genetics and environmental factors.
Literature Review
Not everyone has the same viewpoint about Crohn's Disease. Many believe that the disease is caused by food, environment, or genetics. These variations are quite interesting to follow up with because opinions can be made based on these different scenarios of Crohn's Disease, and how research supports or refutes these viewpoints on Crohn's Disease.
As a matter of fact, many medical researchers believe that genetics play a big role in the concoction of Crohn's disease. According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine, the genetic structure of the human body in the construction of "chromosomes 5 and 10" ("Crohn" para.6), can lead to Crohn's disease. In addition, "variations of the ATG16L1, IRGM, and NOD2 genes increase the risk of developing Crohn's Disease" ("Crohn", paragraph 7). In simplification, Crohn's Disease can be hereditary, plainly occurring due to the passing-on of genes from ancestor to ancestor.
Some researchers say environmental factors can cause Crohn's Disease as well. In fact, University of Maryland Health Center notifies, "[Crohn's] disease is much more common in industrialized nations, urban areas, and northern geographical latitudes" ("Crohn's", paragraph 25). This is why human beings in certain environments are more likely to develop Crohn's Disease than other environments. The human body adapts to different surroundings and climates, such variations include "exposure to sunlight and subsequent lower levels of Vitamin D, and reduced exposure during childhood to certain types of stomach bacteria and other microorganisms" ("Crohn's", paragraph 26) can enhance an individual's chance of experiencing Crohn's Disease.
Other researchers believe that food plays a big role in Crohn's Disease because the disease constitutes in the digestive system. According to the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America, "contaminated food that leads to food poisoning or dysentery will aggravate” Crohn’s Disease ("Crohn's", paragraph 15). In other words, there are many foods that Crohn's survivors should not consume. Many patients are affected by certain foods because they have Crohn's Disease which in some cases associates with "malabsorption of dietary protein, fat, carbohydrates, water, and a wide variety of vitamins and minerals” ("Crohn's", para.11).
Genetics behind Crohn's Disease
All living organisms are born with preprogrammed genes and DNA structures. All living organisms contain a DNA that has set of instructions that guide cells how to construct parts of the body. This can be a role in the development of Crohn’s Disease.
Talking about genetics, many scientists and doctors have come to know that one's genetic structure can determine if they will receive Crohn's Disease. In fact, gastroenterologist, Jung Camille, and his group of PhDs from Paris—Jean-Fre´de´ Ric Colombe, Marc Lemann, Laurent Beaugerie, Matthieu Allez, Jacques Cosnes, Gwenola Vernier-Massouille, Jean-Marc Gornet, Jean-Pierre Gendre, JeanPierre Cezard, Frank M. Ruemmele, Dominique Turck, Franc¸oise Merlin, Habib Zouali, Christian Libersa, Philippe Dieude, Nadem Soufir, Gilles Thomas, and Jean-Pierre Hugot—have discovered that some people have genetic alleles for Crohn's Disease, particularly located in DNA chromosomes 5, 12, and 14 (Camille, Ric Colombe, Lemann, Beaugerie, Allez, Cosnes, Massouille, Gornet, Gendre, Cezard, Ruemmele, Turck, Merlin, Zouali, Libersa, Dieude, Soufir, Thomas, Hugot para.6). Jung points out those DNA chromosomes may be a catalyst for Crohn’s Disease because some contain phenotypes that fluctuate and destabilize the digestive system’s ability to function normally. As shown in Figure 1 below, in general, there are around eight different kinds of DNA chromosomes that have the capability to capture instructions for Crohn’s Disease.
Furthermore, some people can have DNA instructions that associate with specific functions that are signs of Crohn's Disease. Medical researchers have discovered that Crohn's Disease survivors do not have the same form of Crohn's Disease. The different Crohn's-related structures are known as polymorphisms. They are caused by genetic mutations in which the structure of a given DNA may rearrange and cause one's genetic instructions to function in distinctive ways. According to clinical researchers Daniel Gaya, Richard Russell, Elaine Nimmo, and Jack Satsangi, the two main Crohn's Disease-related mutations are known as NOD2 and CARD2 (Gaya, Russell, Nimmo, Satsangi para.4). These chemically-assembled mutations are the cause of over 53 Crohn's Disease genetic polymorphisms. The way a body reacts to Crohn’s Disease depends on the disease’s shape and size. Some may face a more devastating effect than others, all due to their genetics.
Figure 1. All the human chromosomes that can obtain Crohn’s-related genes and alleles.
Genes are parts of DNA instructions that amalgamate to form a product. In some cases, nucleotides, pieces of DNA, may connect like a puzzle, irregularly. Jung Camille mentions, “more than 70 genes or loci have been associated with the susceptibility to CD, each with a small individual effect on disease risk” (Camille et al. para. 1). Errors in nucleotide arrangement are caused by genes, which ultimately increase the risk of Crohn’s Disease. Genes are within nucleotides, and if nucleotides do not combine correctly to form a stable DNA structure, diseases like Crohn’s Disease may occur. University of Glasgow’s Dr. Daniel Gaya says “nucleotide oligomerization domain 2 (NOD2)—is important in the pathogenesis of Crohn’s disease has refocused attention on the innate immune response and the interaction between genetic factors and bacterial flora, or pathogen-associated molecular patterns” (Gaya et al. para. 1). Gaya is trying to prove that genetic mutations can encourage DNA strands to merge incorrectly. This can create bacterial infections in the digestive tract and transform into a phase of Crohn’s Disease. This is because of destructive bacteria, pathogens, which can flow through the digestive organs and damage the overall digestive structure through a series of microscopic wars.
However, there are sources that say that genetics and DNA-related material does not play a role in Crohn’s Disease. There are foundations like the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation, who state that there are many types of food that human beings consume that can cause Crohn’s Disease. People try to use logic and their personal beliefs to prove that anything that passes through the digestive system is a cause for an Inflammatory Bowel Disease. Certain foods should be limited due to health risks, but saying that food causes Crohn’s Disease is too simple of an approach. Food is simply a form of matter digested in the human body by ascorbic acids. Food provides nutrients and minerals to the human body, while Crohn’s Disease destroys the human body’s digestive system. Human beings are computers that have a built-in software system. The way a system is put together decides how well it will function and what viruses and malfunctions it will experience. In the same context, genetics design the way people live, not only through physical appearances, but also through internal structures. There is no evidence that proves Crohn’s Disease is food-related. On the contrary, there is clinical or scientific research that proves Crohn’s Disease is a genetic disorder (“Diet” para.1).
Environmental Components of Crohn’s Disease-
The environment that one lives in may or may not increase his or her chance of developing Crohn’s Disease. Nowadays, the rise in technology has allowed researchers to conduct experiments on people from urban to agrarian areas.
Through research in human demographics, researchers have uncovered the regions of the globe that have a higher and lower rate of Crohn’s Disease. In fact, Western Europe and North America are known to have higher rates of Crohn’s Disease than the rest of the world. Nevertheless, researchers from the University of West Cape, Abigail Basson, Rina Swart, Esme Jordaan, Mikateko Mazinu, and Gillian Watermeyer talk about the increase of Crohn’s Disease in developing countries as well. As technology spreads across the globe, radiation can harm people. The mass production of goods and an increase in industry on a global scale has caused many different kinds of people to experience Crohn’s Disease (Basson, Swart, Jordaan, Mazinu, Watermeyer para.3). This proves that a country’s socioeconomic status may increase the chance of receiving Crohn’s Disease.
Genes are parts of DNA instructions that amalgamate to form a product. In some cases, nucleotides, pieces of DNA, may connect like a puzzle, irregularly. Jung Camille mentions, “more than 70 genes or loci have been associated with the susceptibility to CD, each with a small individual effect on disease risk” (Camille et al. para. 1). Errors in nucleotide arrangement are caused by genes, which ultimately increase the risk of Crohn’s Disease. Genes are within nucleotides, and if nucleotides do not combine correctly to form a stable DNA structure, diseases like Crohn’s Disease may occur. University of Glasgow’s Dr. Daniel Gaya says “nucleotide oligomerization domain 2 (NOD2)—is important in the pathogenesis of Crohn’s disease has refocused attention on the innate immune response and the interaction between genetic factors and bacterial flora, or pathogen-associated molecular patterns” (Gaya et al. para. 1). Gaya is trying to prove that genetic mutations can encourage DNA strands to merge incorrectly. This can create bacterial infections in the digestive tract and transform into a phase of Crohn’s Disease. This is because of destructive bacteria, pathogens, which can flow through the digestive organs and damage the overall digestive structure through a series of microscopic wars.
However, there are sources that say that genetics and DNA-related material does not play a role in Crohn’s Disease. There are foundations like the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation, who state that there are many types of food that human beings consume that can cause Crohn’s Disease. People try to use logic and their personal beliefs to prove that anything that passes through the digestive system is a cause for an Inflammatory Bowel Disease. Certain foods should be limited due to health risks, but saying that food causes Crohn’s Disease is too simple of an approach. Food is simply a form of matter digested in the human body by ascorbic acids. Food provides nutrients and minerals to the human body, while Crohn’s Disease destroys the human body’s digestive system. Human beings are computers that have a built-in software system. The way a system is put together decides how well it will function and what viruses and malfunctions it will experience. In the same context, genetics design the way people live, not only through physical appearances, but also through internal structures. There is no evidence that proves Crohn’s Disease is food-related. On the contrary, there is clinical or scientific research that proves Crohn’s Disease is a genetic disorder (“Diet” para.1).
Environmental Components of Crohn’s Disease-
The environment that one lives in may or may not increase his or her chance of developing Crohn’s Disease. Nowadays, the rise in technology has allowed researchers to conduct experiments on people from urban to agrarian areas.
Through research in human demographics, researchers have uncovered the regions of the globe that have a higher and lower rate of Crohn’s Disease. In fact, Western Europe and North America are known to have higher rates of Crohn’s Disease than the rest of the world. Nevertheless, researchers from the University of West Cape, Abigail Basson, Rina Swart, Esme Jordaan, Mikateko Mazinu, and Gillian Watermeyer talk about the increase of Crohn’s Disease in developing countries as well. As technology spreads across the globe, radiation can harm people. The mass production of goods and an increase in industry on a global scale has caused many different kinds of people to experience Crohn’s Disease (Basson, Swart, Jordaan, Mazinu, Watermeyer para.3). This proves that a country’s socioeconomic status may increase the chance of receiving Crohn’s Disease.
Figure 2. World map showing areas with a high rate of Crohn’s Disease.
Studies in Crohn’s Disease have concluded that certain childhood activities can increase the risk of Crohn’s Disease. In fact, medical researchers from the Harvard Medical School, Abra Y. Guo, Betsy W. Stevens, Robin G. Wilson, Caitlin N. Russell, Melissa A. Cohen, Holly C. Sturgeon, Anna Thornton, Cosmas Giallourakis, Hamed Khalili, Deanna D. Nguyen, Jenny Sauk, Vijay Yajnik, Ramnik J. Xavier, and Ashwin N. Ananthakrishnan have discovered that exposure to toxic substances can swell up the digestive organs (Guo, Stevens, Wilson, Russell, Cohen, Sturgeon, Thornton, Giallourakis, Khalili, Nguyen, Sauk, Yajnik, Xavier, Ananthakrishnan para.4). For example, exposure to smoking can swell up the digestive organs and serve as a catalyst for inflammations. It is important to know that the human digestive system is a very delicate object that can be negatively impacted by certain elements contained in cigarettes. After her study on about 602 South Africans living in West Cape, South Africa, Dr. Guo’s conclusion showed that 52% of the people who had exposure cigarettes experienced Crohn’s Disease (Guo et al. 6). What people are surrounded by and influenced by can really harm their body’s digestive system because everything a person inhales goes through their digestive organs.
Furthermore, a series of experiments on smoking habits in West Cape, South Africa, have uncovered that smoking cigarettes at a certain age may even increase the risk of obtaining Crohn’s Disease. In addition, Tawanda Chivese, Tonya M. Esterhuizen, and Abigail Raffner Basson, medical examiners and researchers from the University of Stellenbosch, inform, “Cigarette smoking prior to, or at the time of CD diagnosis were associated with increased risk of ileal (L1) and ileo-colonic (L3) CD location. In smokers, childhood passive cigarette smoke exposure during the 0–5 years age interval may increase risk of later ileo-colonic CD” (Chivese, Esterhuizen, Basson para.28). Chivese and his researchers have excelled in their research primarily with the people of West, Cape, South Africa, by which they have found Crohn’s Disease patients who face ulcerative reactions in their digestive tracts and a series of nonstop inflammations that damage their intestines and stomachs. Children who receive Crohn’s Disease at a young age and continue to pursue smoking have a high risk of developing colon cancer in their bodies from their original polymorph of Crohn’s Disease.
Smoking, however, is not the center of focus. It is important to know that medical experts are simply saying that smoking is a catalyst for Crohn’s Disease. Certain concentrations in a given environment can be a cause for certain diseases like Crohn’s Disease. West Cape, South Africa, is a place that serves as a paradigm for the damage an environment can perform on individuals. Even after discovering the negative childhood exposures that can cause Crohn’s Disease, researchers have revealed that the prevention of hospitalizations and the exposure to farm life can decrease the chance of facing Crohn’s Disease. For example, Figure 2 (image above) illustrates how people living in first world technologically advanced countries have a higher risk of Crohn’s Disease than people living in third-world countries such as Sub-Saharan Africa. In the image, the countries that are blue have high rates of the disease. Not everyone does the same activities, lives in the same societies, or has the same interests. This is why there is a global variation of Crohn’s Disease, from one habitat to another.
Nonetheless, all sources do not believe that the environment can cause Crohn’s Disease. Some organizations, the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation, for example, argue that in many cases the digestive system may not fully digest and absorb nutrients found in foods. Foods can remain undigested in the digestive pipes and develop into Crohn’s Disease as “unabsorbed bile salts, can escape into the large intestine to varying degrees, depending on how extensively and how severely the small intestine has been injured by inflammation” (“Crohn’s” para.6). It is logical to “assume” foods can cause Inflammatory Bowel Diseases like Crohn’s Disease, but when it comes to data and statistics, foods are not a factor of Crohn’s Disease. Foods should be limited to patients with Crohn’s Disease to keep their digestive systems clean and healthy, but clinical research has identified environmental components as a possible cause for Crohn’s Disease. The foods consumed by people are acquired from the environment. Whether it is someone living in a savannah or a jungle, Crohn’s Disease can appear anywhere. Many outdated foods can spread poison in the human body, but there is no research that shows signs of Crohn’s Disease from food consumption (“Diet” para.1).
Conclusion
Crohn’s Disease is an illness caused by genetics and environmental factors. It is the research in DNA, chromosomes, genetic mutations, geographic landscapes, and human demographics that have allowed medical professionals to classify Crohn’s Disease as a hereditary and environment-induced disease. Although food consumption is not one of the causes for Crohn’s Disease as lab-related research shows no correlations, certain foods can keep the digestive tract smooth to reduce the pain faced by Inflammatory Bowel Disease patients. It is important to know the correct causes for Crohn’s Disease so that scientists can conduct experiments to cure patients. Annually, there are thousands of new Crohn’s Disease patients. This means that the more awareness about the disorder there is, the more alert clinical scientists will be because they will devote more of their time to Crohn’s Disease rather than on frequently mentioned diseases like cancer. Together, people can make a difference by understanding the “real” causes of Crohn’s Disease—the genetic and habitat components—and by caring for those convalescents who face life-and-death situations as their digestive systems abrade.
References
Basson, Abigail, Rina Swart, Esme Jordaan, Mikateko Mazinu, and Gillian Watermeyer. "The Association between Childhood Environmental Exposures and the Subsequent Development of Crohn's Disease in the Western Cape, South Africa." PLoS ONE 9.12 (2014): n. pag. Web. 5 Nov. 2018.
Camille, Jung, Jean-Fre´de´ Ric Colombe, Marc Lemann, Laurent Beaugerie, Matthieu Allez, Jacques Cosnes, Gwenola Vernier-Massouille, Jean-Marc Gornet, Jean- Pierre Gendre, JeanPierre Cezard, Frank M. Ruemmele, Dominique Turck, Franc¸oise Merlin, Habib Zouali, Christian Libersa, Philippe Dieude, Nadem Soufir, Gilles Thomas, and Jean-Pierre Hugot. Genotype/Phenotype Analyses for 53 Crohn's Disease Associated Genetic Polymorphisms 7.12 (2012): 1-11. Norco College. Web. 5 Nov. 2018.
"Chapter 21." Analysis of Transcriptomic and Proteomic Data in Immune-Mediated Diseases. N.p., n.d. Web. 5 Nov. 2018.
Chivese, Tawanda, Tonya M. Esterhuizen, and Abigail Raffner Basson. "The Influence of Second-Hand Cigarette Smoke Exposure during Childhood and Active Cigarette Smoking on Crohn's Disease Phenotype Defined by the Montreal Classification Scheme in a Western Cape Population, South Africa." PLOS ONE PLoS ONE 10.9 (2015): n. pag. Web. 5 Nov. 2018.
"Crohn Disease." Genetics Home Reference. 28 Sept. 2015. Web. 4 Nov. 2018.
"Crohn's & Colitis." CCFA: Crohn's Disease and Ulcerative Colitis Diet and Nutrition Q & A 17 Jan. 2014. Web. 4 Nov. 2018.
"Crohn's & Colitis." CCFA: Diet and Nutrition. CCFA, 6 Feb. 2014. Web. 4 Nov. 2018.
Crohn's Disease." University of Maryland Medical Center. A.D.A.M. Incorporated. Web. 4 Nov. 2018.
Gaya, Daniel R., Richard K. Russell, Elaine R. Nimmo, and Jack Satsangi. "New Genes in Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Lessons for Complex Diseases?" The Lancet 367.9518 (2006): 1271-284. Web. 4 Nov. 2018.
Guo, Abra Y., Betsy W. Stevens, Robin G. Wilson, Caitlin N. Russell, Melissa A. Cohen, Holly C. Sturgeon, Anna Thornton, Cosmas Giallourakis, Hamed Khalili, Deanna D. Nguyen, Jenny Sauk, Vijay Yajnik, Ramnik J. Xavier, and Ashwin N. Ananthakrishnan. "Early Life Environment and Natural History of Inflammatory Bowel Diseases." BMC Gastroenterol BMC Gastroenterology 14.1 (2014): 216. Web. 4 Nov. 2018.
"Inflammatory Bowel Disease." World IBD Day. N.p., n.d. Web. 4 Nov. 2018.
"Medscape Log In." Medscape Log In. N.p., n.d. Web. 4 Nov. 2018.
Studies in Crohn’s Disease have concluded that certain childhood activities can increase the risk of Crohn’s Disease. In fact, medical researchers from the Harvard Medical School, Abra Y. Guo, Betsy W. Stevens, Robin G. Wilson, Caitlin N. Russell, Melissa A. Cohen, Holly C. Sturgeon, Anna Thornton, Cosmas Giallourakis, Hamed Khalili, Deanna D. Nguyen, Jenny Sauk, Vijay Yajnik, Ramnik J. Xavier, and Ashwin N. Ananthakrishnan have discovered that exposure to toxic substances can swell up the digestive organs (Guo, Stevens, Wilson, Russell, Cohen, Sturgeon, Thornton, Giallourakis, Khalili, Nguyen, Sauk, Yajnik, Xavier, Ananthakrishnan para.4). For example, exposure to smoking can swell up the digestive organs and serve as a catalyst for inflammations. It is important to know that the human digestive system is a very delicate object that can be negatively impacted by certain elements contained in cigarettes. After her study on about 602 South Africans living in West Cape, South Africa, Dr. Guo’s conclusion showed that 52% of the people who had exposure cigarettes experienced Crohn’s Disease (Guo et al. 6). What people are surrounded by and influenced by can really harm their body’s digestive system because everything a person inhales goes through their digestive organs.
Furthermore, a series of experiments on smoking habits in West Cape, South Africa, have uncovered that smoking cigarettes at a certain age may even increase the risk of obtaining Crohn’s Disease. In addition, Tawanda Chivese, Tonya M. Esterhuizen, and Abigail Raffner Basson, medical examiners and researchers from the University of Stellenbosch, inform, “Cigarette smoking prior to, or at the time of CD diagnosis were associated with increased risk of ileal (L1) and ileo-colonic (L3) CD location. In smokers, childhood passive cigarette smoke exposure during the 0–5 years age interval may increase risk of later ileo-colonic CD” (Chivese, Esterhuizen, Basson para.28). Chivese and his researchers have excelled in their research primarily with the people of West, Cape, South Africa, by which they have found Crohn’s Disease patients who face ulcerative reactions in their digestive tracts and a series of nonstop inflammations that damage their intestines and stomachs. Children who receive Crohn’s Disease at a young age and continue to pursue smoking have a high risk of developing colon cancer in their bodies from their original polymorph of Crohn’s Disease.
Smoking, however, is not the center of focus. It is important to know that medical experts are simply saying that smoking is a catalyst for Crohn’s Disease. Certain concentrations in a given environment can be a cause for certain diseases like Crohn’s Disease. West Cape, South Africa, is a place that serves as a paradigm for the damage an environment can perform on individuals. Even after discovering the negative childhood exposures that can cause Crohn’s Disease, researchers have revealed that the prevention of hospitalizations and the exposure to farm life can decrease the chance of facing Crohn’s Disease. For example, Figure 2 (image above) illustrates how people living in first world technologically advanced countries have a higher risk of Crohn’s Disease than people living in third-world countries such as Sub-Saharan Africa. In the image, the countries that are blue have high rates of the disease. Not everyone does the same activities, lives in the same societies, or has the same interests. This is why there is a global variation of Crohn’s Disease, from one habitat to another.
Nonetheless, all sources do not believe that the environment can cause Crohn’s Disease. Some organizations, the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation, for example, argue that in many cases the digestive system may not fully digest and absorb nutrients found in foods. Foods can remain undigested in the digestive pipes and develop into Crohn’s Disease as “unabsorbed bile salts, can escape into the large intestine to varying degrees, depending on how extensively and how severely the small intestine has been injured by inflammation” (“Crohn’s” para.6). It is logical to “assume” foods can cause Inflammatory Bowel Diseases like Crohn’s Disease, but when it comes to data and statistics, foods are not a factor of Crohn’s Disease. Foods should be limited to patients with Crohn’s Disease to keep their digestive systems clean and healthy, but clinical research has identified environmental components as a possible cause for Crohn’s Disease. The foods consumed by people are acquired from the environment. Whether it is someone living in a savannah or a jungle, Crohn’s Disease can appear anywhere. Many outdated foods can spread poison in the human body, but there is no research that shows signs of Crohn’s Disease from food consumption (“Diet” para.1).
Conclusion
Crohn’s Disease is an illness caused by genetics and environmental factors. It is the research in DNA, chromosomes, genetic mutations, geographic landscapes, and human demographics that have allowed medical professionals to classify Crohn’s Disease as a hereditary and environment-induced disease. Although food consumption is not one of the causes for Crohn’s Disease as lab-related research shows no correlations, certain foods can keep the digestive tract smooth to reduce the pain faced by Inflammatory Bowel Disease patients. It is important to know the correct causes for Crohn’s Disease so that scientists can conduct experiments to cure patients. Annually, there are thousands of new Crohn’s Disease patients. This means that the more awareness about the disorder there is, the more alert clinical scientists will be because they will devote more of their time to Crohn’s Disease rather than on frequently mentioned diseases like cancer. Together, people can make a difference by understanding the “real” causes of Crohn’s Disease—the genetic and habitat components—and by caring for those convalescents who face life-and-death situations as their digestive systems abrade.
References
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