Experts do not agree on this subject. According to a American Academy of Pediatrics, a diet based on the food pyramid. It will provide adequate amounts of all vitamins which a child requires for appropriate growth and development. However, it is very difficult to find a child who eats a diet based on the food guide pyramid. And, even in the adequacy and effectiveness of the food pyramid has come into question in the past five years.

It is safe to assume then that since most children are either picky eaters or may have a poor diet as well as a food pyramid guide which may not be accurate, many children and will require a multivitamin supplementation in order to provide their bodies with the right amount of vitamins and minerals to support optimal growth and development.

Other situations which may present themselves include children who eat a vegetarian diet, those who suffer from a gastrointestinal or metabolic disorder and those who have an immune deficiency, such as diabetes or lupus. According to new blog lungs and recommendations influence who are exclusively breast-fed should also receive 200 international units of vitamin D each day.

While the American Academy of pediatrics advises that a supplements is only necessary if the pediatrician recommend it other experts believe that a daily supplement is a good way to fill in any gaps in your child’s nutrition. The concern is that a child will receive vitamin over and above the recommended daily allowance which can lead to vitamin toxicity. However, since most children do not like vegetables and fruits a daily vitamin and mineral supplement will help them meet their recommended daily allowances.

Supplements and vitamins are not a substitute for healthy food and they should never be used in order to justify a poor diet or a picky eater. If a child is not eating well than a vitamin is in order but steps must also be taken to improve his eating habits.

One common deficiency in children’s diets are omega-3 fatty acids which are essential for proper nervous system and brain function. Kids who don’t like fruits and vegetables may also not be getting enough vitamin C which is important for the immune system. Vitamin B complex have several functions which involve carbohydrate metabolism. Many experts also believe that minerals are depleted in our soil and that much of our current produce is also deficient in calcium, zinc and chromium.

When you purchase a children’s vitamin in order to fill in the gaps it is important to get a high quality supplement from a nutrition store or a health food store. Not all vitamins are made a light. There are specific chemicals bound to each vitamin molecule which helps it to be absorbed in the correct place in the gastrointestinal tract. When these chemicals are of poor quality most of the vitamins end up in the toilet.

Remember that vitamins and supplements are not replacements for a well-balanced diet. In dead parents must remember to encourage their children to eat a healthy foods they need and allow the vitamins only to fill in the gap and the things they don’t receive.

About two thirds of all magnesium is found in the bones and researchers have discovered that it plays two very different roles in our health. Some magnesium is used to give bones their physical structure while others are found on the surface of the bone and acts as a storage site so that the body can draw upon it in times of poor dietary supply.

Magnesium and calcium, acting together, helps to regulate the nerve and muscle tone in the body. Magnesium may serve as a chemical Walker which helps the muscles to relax. If there is too little magnesium available the nerve cells become over activated and can send too many messages to the muscles causing them to contract. This can result in muscle tension, soreness, cramps and fatigue.

In fact, the role of magnesium in the body is so diverse that it is difficult to find a system that is not affected by a deficiency of magnesium. Magnesium is important in the role of the cardiovascular system, digestive system, nervous system, muscles, kidneys, hormones and brain-all relying on magnesium for their metabolic functions. And, be, as it plays such a wide role in the body, the symptoms of deficiency can also vary widely.

Some people experience changes in Durban muscle function which include muscle weakness, tremor and spasms. In the cardiovascular system this can result in an arrhythmia, irregular contraction and an increased heart rate. A deficiency in magnesium over the long term can also cause softening in weakening of the bone. Other symptoms can include imbalance blood sugar levels, headaches, elevated blood pressure, elevated facts in the bloodstream, depression, seizures, nausea and vomiting in a lack of appetite.

The best place to receive your magnesium is from your daily dietary intake. However, some individuals find that they can’t get enough magnesium from their foods and must take a supplement. Magnesium is not a water soluble vitamin or mineral, which means that when taken in excess is stored in the body. This can lead to signs of toxicity which are associated with high levels of magnesium.

The most common symptom of toxicity is diarrhea. In research studies the doses of magnesium associated with diarrhea usually ranged between one and 5 g per day but it can also occur in lower doses depending upon the individual. In 1997 the National Academy Of Sciences set an upper limit on the intake of magnesium supplements for individuals who were nine years of age and older. The limit was restricted to 350 mg per day through dietary supplements.

Many dietary foods are rich in magnesium but they often lose potency through the cooking process. In some foods, where there’s a great percentage of magnesium found in water soluble form, boiling, steaming or blanching will result in a substantial loss. In other foods, such as almonds or peanuts, there is very little loss when the food is either cooked or process.

People who have a deficiency in magnesium will get it from two different factors. In the first place, their dietary intake is low in magnesium and in the second place their gastrointestinal tract is unable to absorb enough from the foods that they eat. Digestive tract problems can include malabsorption, diarrhea and ulcerative colitis. Interestingly, there are also physical stressors that can contribute to these deficiencies, such as surgery, kidney disease, alcoholism and physical trauma.

Under the heading of digestive issues also comes interactions which occurred in the gut with other medications that you may be taking. Several types of diuretics and antibiotics have been shown to compromise the absorption of magnesium.

Foods that contain high amounts of magnesium includes spinach, mustard greens, pumpkin seeds, broccoli, halibut, kelp and summer squash. The recommended daily allowances for magnesium ranged between 80 mg for youngsters ages one to three all the way up to 420 mg for males ages 31 years and older. The vast majority of individuals fall between 300 mg to 400 mg based on age, sex and physical condition (pregnant or lactating women).

Receiving magnesium from your diet does not pose a health risk but is overdosing from pharmacological manufactured magnesium in the form of supplements can result in diarrhea and abdominal cramping. The risk of this toxic reaction will increase in individuals who have kidney failure. Signs of excess magnesium can also be similar to deficiencies in include changes in mental status, nausea, diarrhea, appetite loss and muscle weakness. Many of the over the counter antacids also contain magnesium and should never be taken in more often than recommended.

Motion sickness is one of the most frequent medical problems encountered by travelers and others alike. Anyone can get motion sickness and most people have experienced it at one time or another. Some individuals seem to be naturally prone to motion sickness since childhood. The condition is commonly associated with various modes of travel, such as by car, plane, or ship. However, motion sickness also can result from perceived movement.

Motion sickness, and its derivatives, is the general overall feeling of illness that some people experience in response to certain kinds of movement. Motion sickness happens when your brain receives conflicting information from different body systems that help you maintain your sense of balance and equilibrium. Your brain relies on information from multiple body systems to balance itself and establish equilibrium.

Your inner ears send signals to your brain telling you that you are moving while your eyes send signals telling you that you are standing still. When the body receives conflicting information from these systems, the brain struggles to make sense of it. The result is that you feel nauseated and dizzy and experience motion sickness.

Certain conditions that may increase your risk of experiencing motion sickness include:

* pregnancy and menstruation
* illness or poor health
* a hangover
* being overly tired

Also, any medications that list nausea or vomiting as potential side effects, such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), estrogens, or antiobiotics, may make motion sickness symptoms more likely.

If travel or other activities make you feel dizzy, nauseous, or sick in other ways and you feel better once you stop moving or doing the activity, than you probably have motion sickness.

Evidence suggests that motion sickness affects as many as:

* 33%-50% of passengers on a plane flight with heavy turbulence
* 100% of cruise ship passengers in rough seas and rough conditions
* Approximately 28% of passengers traveling by bus

AND

* 58% of children suffer car sickness
* Space-motion sickness occurs in 50% of shuttle astronauts
* Incapacitating airsickness occurs in 29% of airline pilots
* Motion sickness is more common in women, especially during pregnancy or menstruation
* Motion sickness is more common in individuals who have migraine headaches
* It has been found that fear or anxiety can promote symptoms of air and motion sickness

Read on to learn about the symptoms, causes, prevention, treatment and management to stop motion and travel sickness in its tracks.

Symptoms Associated with Motion Sickness

The most commom symptoms of motion sickness include dizziness, nausea, and vomiting.

The symptoms of motion sickness may range from mild to completely incapacitating, depending on your susceptibility in experiencing the symptoms and the duration of the activity that is causing the symptoms.

Motion sickness usually makes you feel dizzy and nauseous but you also can have other symptoms, such as vomiting, drowsiness, rapid breathing, headache, pallor, sweating, lightheadedness, increased salivation, flushed skin, and even depression.

People suffering from motion sickness also may experience:

* fatigue
* sleepiness
* cold sweat
* weakness
* pale skin
* headache
* increased salivation
* rapid breathing
* difficulty concentrating
* frequent yawning
* buzzing sensation
* depression/apathy
* sensations of body warmth
* panic

Symptoms such as awareness of your upper abdomen, dizziness, headache, increased temperature, nausea, pallor, sweat, and vomiting can take the fun out of flying in an airplane, riding on a bus, riding in a car, riding on a roller coaster, sailing in a boat, and traveling by train.

Causes of Motion Sickness

Feeling Anxious – Do you ever feel anxious or fearful before traveling?

Many people are afraid of feeling sick while traveling. Unfortunately, fear and/or anxiety about movement can increase your risk of motion sickness and even make it worse. Preventive strategies may help you feel cool, calm, and collected in the face of fearsome triggers.

Environmental and Behavioral Factors – Which biological factors worsen your symptoms?

You need to recognize the environmental and behavior factors that contribute to your motion sickness symptoms. Knowing that bumpy movements, fast speeds, poor ventilation, sudden, jerky movements, and swerving, winding movements aggravate your symptoms is the first step in treating your condition.

Do your best to minimize environmental factors and avoid behaviors that contribute to motion sickness like long, rough, jerky and bumpy rides during travel; impaired visibility; poor ventilation; strong or unpleasant order; eating a large meal; eating dairy or spicy, greasy, or salty foods; drinking alcohol; smoking; reading; anticipating movement; and sitting in areas prone to greater movement during travel such as back of the plane, near the front of a boat, etc..

Types of activities that can cause you to experience symptoms of motion sickness:

* Flying in an airplane
* Riding on a bus
* Riding in a car
* Riding in an elevator
* Riding on a roller coaster
* Riding on “virtual reality” simulators
* Sailing in a boat
* Staying on a cruise ship
* Surfing
* Traveling by train
* Watching movies

Biological factors than can worsen your symptoms of motion sickness:

* Anxiety
* An empty stomach
* A long-term medical condition
* A short-term illness
* Medication
* Menstrual cycle
* My mind
* Pregnancy

There are a variety of effective techniques for managing and preventing motion and travel sickness and making travel, or perceived movement, more comfortable and enjoyable for you and your family.

Strategies for Managing and Preventing Motion Sickness

Prevention is the best treatment for motion sickness. Dizziness, nausea, vomiting, and other symptoms associated with motion sickness are difficult to alleviate once they have set in.

A good rule is to try the simplest strategies first such as alternative treatments and self-help. There are a variety of behavioral interventions and alternative treatments to help you manage motion sickness.

Motion Sickness Prevention Self-Help Checklist

1. Minimize Triggers Do your best to avoid or minimize factors that may aggravate your motion sickness symptoms. Seek out areas of lesser movement on a boat or plane, such as a cabin in the middle of a ship or a seat near the airplane wing. Use a headrest and face forward while traveling. Focus on far away stationary objects, such as the horizon. Seek out fresh air and avoid unpleasant odors.

2. Eat and Drink Well Avoid greasy, salty, and spicy foods, as well as dairy, before travel or the activity that triggers your symptoms. Alcohol and smoking can make your symptoms worse. If you’re prone to fear and anxiety, practice deep breathing or other relaxation exercises to help ward off your symptoms.

3. Follow Any Medication Instructions Closely If you take an alternative remedy to prevent your symptoms, remember to take it approximately 1 hour before travel or exposure to some other trigger.

General advice for avoiding motion sickness:

1. Eat a light meal no less than 3 hrs. before exposure
2. Avoid dairy products and foods high in protein, calories, or sodium before exposure
3. Avoid alcohol, smoking, and disagreeable odors
4. Increase ventilation or exposure to cool, fresh air
5. Avoid visual stimuli (eg, reading, watching videos)
6. Focus on a stable horizon or external object
7. Limit head movements (eg, press head into headrest)
8. Stay in central location on boat or in airplane
9. Sit in front seat of car or drive rather than be a passenger
10. Lie in supine position

Common Treatments for Motion Sickness

1. Acupressure bands place continuous pressure on the inside of your wrist preventing the symptoms of motion sickness.
2. Herbal supplements such as ginger and peppermint have been proven to be effective in alleviating and treating symptoms of motion sickness.
3. Psychological and behavioral interventions that may help you beat motion sickness include cognitive behavioral therapy, progressive muscle relaxation, diaphragmatic breathing, and habituation.

Alternative Treatments

Research indicates that the following non-medication alternative therapies may be helpful in reducing motion sickness symptoms:

* Ginger (Zingiber officinalis). Modern research confirms its effectiveness in relieving the symptoms of nausea, vomiting, indigestion, flatulence and dizziness. Working mainly in the digestive tract, Zingiber boosts digestive fluids and neutralizes acids, making it an effective alternative to anti-nausea medication, but without the usual unpleasant side effects. Compounds in ginger help calm the stomach by relaxing the intestinal tract. Zingiber has strong anti-inflammatory and pain relieving properties and is also used to treat arthritis and other inflammatory diseases.

* Acupressure. This gentle, needle-free alternative to acupuncture may reduce nausea and vomiting associated with motion sickness. Applying pressure approximately two finger-widths below the inside of the wrist has been suggested to provide relief. Several elastic wristbands are commercially available that stimulate these points when worn.

* Peppermint and black horehound. Mint has been used for centuries to relieve indigestion, nausea and heartburn. Modern research has demonstrated its effectiveness in soothing the symptoms of diverticulosis, Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and other digestive disorders. Mentha piperita is widely cultivated for medicinal uses and also has anti-inflammatory and anti-spasmodic properties. It relaxes the muscles of the digestive tract and stimulates the flow of natural digestive juices and bile, thereby assisting healthy digestion.

Motion sickness is an exceedingly common disorder. Appropriate management should be based on your personal characteristics and the type and length of the exposure and should include general preventive and management techniques. Education for you about the causes of motion sickness and how to prevent it can alleviate anxiety and enhance your enjoyment of travel and recreation.

Do not let the discomfort of motion sickness disrupt your travel plans. Motion sickness can be prevented and you and you family can enjoy your exciting travels in the best of health! Native Remedies offers many effective, safe and 100% natural remedies for motion sickness and all the associated conditions and symptoms that affect you; and they have NO SIDE EFFECTS and are NON-ADDICTIVE unlike prescription medications with dangerous side effects.

Sources: RealAge, Inc; MDtravelhealth; Medic8 Travel Guide; Paul M. Gahlinger, MD, PhD.

What is the best treatment for candida overgrowth or candidiasis?

Many different types of anti-fungal medicines are prescribed to treat Candidiasis, including Amphotericin B, fluconazole, nystatin and ketoconazole. Like many other prescription drugs, these often come with unwanted side effects, but may be necessary in the case of severe Candidiasis or where all other treatment options have failed.

What is Candidate?

There are a number of herbal remedies which have been shown to have a positive effect on intestinal health and functioning, as well as known anti-fungal properties.

Native Remedies has chosen the most effective of these and combined them in a unique therapeutic formula called Candidate.

Candidate is especially designed to treat Candida overgrowth, prevent topical Candida infections such as thrush and promote the growth of healthy probiotic flora in the digestive tract, thereby achieving lasting control of Candidiasis.

Use Candidate to:

• Alleviate depressed mood
• Treat Candidiasis and systemic yeast infections
• Eliminate excessive Candida overgrowth in the digestive tract
• Prevent recurring thrush, Athlete’s Foot, Dobey’s Itch and other yeast infections
• Encourage digestive and intestinal health
• Regain lost energy caused by Candida overgrowth
• Relieve digestive disorders like indigestion, gas, heartburn and ‘Leaky Gut’ Syndrome
• Prevent depression, anxiety and mood swings related to Candida overgrowth
• Reduce sugar cravings related to Candidiasis
• Help to lose stubborn weight

How does Candidate work?

Candidate contains herbs that specifically target fungus overgrowth. Candida is a fungus, this means that Candidate is able to eradicate the fungal overgrowth at its source and thereby help to balance and restore intestinal health.

In addition to its anti-fungal properties, Candidate also contains herbs that are well known for their ability to soothe the digestive tract, repair cell damage caused by Candida overgrowth and strengthen liver and immune functioning, thereby improving overall systemic health.

What are the ingredients?

Candidate contains the following carefully chosen herbs in therapeutic dosage:

1. Cymbopogon citratus (lemon grass) is known to stimulate cell regeneration and to soothe and treat intestinal infections, as well as pathogenic intestinal flora such as Candida albicans. It has known anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties and can help to repair intestinal walls that have been damaged by Candida overgrowth (‘leaky gut’ syndrome).

2. Calendula officinalis, has strong anti-fungal and anti-inflammatory properties and is also an effective liver tonic, thereby improving overall systemic functioning and aiding in the removal of toxins from the body.

3.Tabebuia impetiginosa (Pau d’arco bark) contains the active constituents Lapachol and beta-lapachone, which are also known as naphthaquinones. Laboratory tests have demonstrated that both Lapachol and beta-lapachone have anti-fungal properties as potent as ketoconazole, a common antifungal drug, used in the treatment of Candidiasis and yeast infections. Pau D’arco is not soluble in water and is best taken in tincture form where the active ingredients have been extracted medicinally in pharmaceutical ethanol. To prevent side effects, it is also important that the whole bark is used in the extraction process. This process has been followed at Native Remedies to bring you the strongest and most effective formula possible.

How has Candidate helped others:

“I have been up and down to so many doctors for recurring thrush infections. Each time I was successfully treated but each time it came back again. I also had a lot of wind and burping after my food which was very embarrassing and I used to become anxious whenever I had to eat in public. Only when I read your information did I realize that candida was the problem. Since I have taken a course of Candidate I have not been to the doctor once with thrush and I no longer burp the way I did. I can truly say that this product has changed my life!” -Hazel

“Candidate has helped me a lot with a whole range of symptoms that I did not know were related to candida infection. I had the whole lot – depression, joint pain, gas, heartburn, itches in all the wrong places! When I read the symptoms I knew I had it bad so I took Candidate, Immunity Plus and also went on the Candida Diet for a month. I am eating normally now except for sugar and junk food and I feel like a young man again. I have started gardening again and I can walk upright when I wake up in the morning which is a real miracle for me!” – David.

“I can definitely recommend Candidate to anyone who has these symptoms if Candida infection as I had for years and did not know it. Please excuse my English I am Italian but I really had to let you know how well it worked for me. My life is different, not tired all the time, no more thrush (terrible!) and going to the doctor. My asthma is also better and I can breath for a change again!” – Carla.

“I had all the symptoms you list but the main thing was overweight and I could NEVER stick to a diet. All I thought of all day was food and I could NOT resist anything with sugar in it! I used to feel guilty and worthless and weak, but now I know it was the candida craving the sugar as you explained. I have been taking Candidate for four weeks and I can stay away from the sugar for the first time in my life!!!!! I can’t say THANK YOU enough! PS – why don’t more doctors know about this!!!???” – Lillian.

How long does Candidate take to work?

Candidate gets to work immediately to eliminate Candida from the intestinal tract and to promote intestinal health, while eliminating toxins from the body.

However, Candida is a very persistent organism and it may take some time, even months, before your system comes back into balance, depending on the severity of the problem.

You can help Candidate to work faster by eliminating sugars, alcohol and refined carbohydrates from your diet and avoiding the use of oral antibiotics if possible.

How do I use Candidate?

Dosage: Take 15 drops in appr. 1/4 glass water three times daily for 6 weeks. Follow up with a 3 week course about two or three times a year or whenever your symptoms begin to return.

NB: Following the Candida Diet will help to keep symptoms away permanently. Candida loves sugar and starch! Also make sure to drink at least 8 glasses of water every day. (Learn more about the Candida Diet)

Native Remedies Tip: Use Candidate along with EcoSlim for maximum weightloss benefits. (see Special Offer at the bottom of the page)

Native Remedies Tip: Use Candidate with a course of Detox Drops to cleanse the system.(see Special Offer at the bottom of the page)

Native Remedies Tip: Candidate may also be effectively combined with ImmunityPlus to improve liver and immune system functioning. (see Special Offer at the bottom of the page)

Caution: Safety during pregnancy or breastfeeding has not been established.

How long will a bottle last?

One bottle of Candidate will last approximately one month. A 90-day supply is offered at a discount.

There are the persistent hot flashes and then the icky night sweats that make it hard to tell if she is cold or hot or somewhere in between. Moreover, these constant temperature changes are not conducive to a good night’s sleep.

Adding insult to injury are the menopausal mood swings that go high and low for no apparent reason. Bloating of the extremities rounds out this rather painful and uncomfortable picture and weight seems to pile on around the gut and also the hips.

Since this is the kind of condition that virtually any woman can look forward to, it is not surprising that physicians have come up with ideas of how to counteract these symptoms. Unfortunately, hormone replacement therapy is often discussed, but since there is a wide array of risky side effects, it is not the solution many women are looking for.

Add to this the increased risk of breast cancer that is associated with this therapy, and the spike in risk for heart attacks and also strokes, and there is little doubt that women are looking for a healthier, just as effective means of making it through the worst of the condition.

Alternative medicine has come up with some ideas of how to help women thusly affected, but it might not take the form that they usually anticipate. Rather than taking a few dietary supplements, many an alternative healer suggests a colon cleanse to rid the body of toxins and reestablish a balance and an increase in the metabolism of vitamins and minerals in the gastrointestinal tract.

A colon-cleanse starts with the obvious shedding of fecal remnants that have become compacted for lack of moisture. Since the gut is instrumental in extracting liquids from feces – and with it the nutrients – it stands to reason that compacted fecal matter remains behind.

As the compacted feces are shed, they take with them any putrefying or fermenting materials, and also bacterial cultures that are living off them. The result is obvious: fewer bacterial toxins are contained in the gut and therefore fewer toxins make it into the bloodstream.

Several of these toxins are associated with the mood swings of menopause, and also the inability to adequately enjoy some of the benefits associated with the ingestion of dietary supplements designed for the relief of the symptoms. Women who endure this regimen notice a marked decrease in their susceptibility to the mood swings that mark the typical bout of menopause.

Alternative medicine stresses the importance of using probiotic products to repopulate the gastrointestinal tract with healthy bacteria that help with the metabolizing of the nutrients. This is now also the time to incorporate healthier food choices and the use of high quality dietary supplements for proper vitamin and minerals intake.

We Recommend:

MellowPause is a natural, safe and effective liquid herbal formula that works quickly to bring relief from symptoms of menopause.  MellowPause is formulated by a Clinical Psychologist and is a blend of carefully selected herbs to address symptoms of menopause including hot flashes; insomnia; moodiness; restlessness and irritability. MellowPause is pharmaceutically manufactured to the highest standards.

Unfortunately, physicians don’t often recognize that these illnesses may be caused by a systemic yeast infection. Systemic yeast infections are extremely difficult to detect and kill.

Yeast is a common and natural fungus to be found in the intestinal tract. In the cases of people whose immune system has been compromised or in people who have been taking antibiotics this yeast growth goes into overdrive and his yeast infections are the result.

These infections can include sinus infections, vaginal vault infections, urinary tract infections and lung infections caused by the yeast. If your physician thinks you have a systemic yeast infection this can be determined using a blood, stool or tissue sample to be tested for the fungus.

Doctors speculate that anywhere between 70 and 90% of the population are affected by either a localized infection or a systemic infection at some point in their life. Some of the diseases that a systemic yeast infection can cause our arthritis, gout, chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, high cholesterol, Crohn’s disease, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, acne, dandruff, depression, acid reflux and allergies. Many of these diseases are known to have no known cause.

Treatment for systemic yeast infections include a global protocol with the use of anti-fungal medications as well as dietary changes. It is important is to decrease the yeast count in the body to levels which the good bacteria will be able to handle and keeping control.

Foods which should be avoided include beer, wine and all forms of alcohol as well as breads, roles, pretzels, pastries, cookies and sweet rolls. In other words any form of food which uses yeast in the process of producing it. B-complex vitamins and selenium may also contain yeast in their process. These vitamins should be avoided unless they are labeled at yeast free.

Individuals should also avoid foods which contain mold or which support the growth of mold such as pickled, smoked or dried meat, cured pork bacon, all cheeses, mushrooms, peanuts or peanut products, malt or foods containing malt and canned or prepared tomatoes.

Individuals should also avoid anything with concentrated sugars such as honey or maple syrup, fruit juices, dried fruits, all processed sugars and anything containing high fructose corn syrup.

Dietary changes should also include foods that should be eaten on a Candida diet. These include all fresh vegetables, complex carbohydrates including grains, unprocessed nuts and seeds except peanuts, Henri find olive oil, plenty of water and limited quantities of fruit.

With these dietary changes should also be anti-fungal medications under the prescription of your physician. Holistic and homeopathic practitioners will also use herbal remedy is and detoxification to help resolve the hidden reason for the opportunistic infection in the first place. It is important to not only eradicate the infection but also eliminates the reason for the condition.

Many times a person suffering from bulimia is of normal weight or even a bit overweight. Their perception of their body image is altered and they see themselves as obese and ugly. But because their body is close to normal weight their problem with bulimia is often easily discerned.

Unfortunately people can suffer from bulimia and fight this disease for many years without any external physical evidence. This condition does take an effect on the body however.

With enough stress to the body conditions such as kidney failure, esophageal tears, cardiovascular disease, dental problems, liver failure and low blood pressure are common in people with bulimia.

Researchers have found that the earlier treatment is begun the better the chance that a person will experience a full recovery. Although there are several tips and home self help processes to follow the best chance of recovery happens with medical and psychological treatment.

Recovery from bulimia is a journey and every journey begins with a single step. That first step begins with how to talk to your doctor about bulimia.

Society today holds a negative view to eating disorders and often people dont understand the whys and hows of the conditions. However, physicians arent among the general public they wont judge and are only concerned with protecting the health of your body so you can live a long and healthy life.

So the first thing to realize when considering how to talk to your doctor about bulimia is that you shouldnt be met with judgment but rather with concern and support. If you dont feel comfortable talking to your personal doctor about the symptoms you believe you are experiencing then investigate your other options in your community.

Many hospitals have eating disorder clinics that work with psychologists in the community who are familiar with the issues and concerns that sufferers must face each day. Sometimes there are community eating disorder clinics where you can find help and support.

In either case your doctor will be doing a thorough history and physical. During the history they will be determining how long youve been experiencing these feelings and symptoms as well as if others in your family have suffered from other eating disorders or mental illnesses.

During the physical examination the doctor may request a couple of blood tests to determine your overall health and whether there has been long term damage done to the liver, kidneys, gastrointestinal tract, neurological system or reproductive system.

When you consider how to talk to your doctor about bulimia the real question is only how to broach the subject. Because your doctor is likely to be experienced talking to people with an eating disorder you wont have to worry about justifying your behavior or explaining why you feel you might have a problem.

There is no shame in having an eating disorder and seeking help. On the other hand, in a society where help is available on almost every corner it is a shame when people suffer in silence creating physical and emotional damage that will last their lifetime.

Colorectal cancer affects the colon, or large intestine, and the rectum. The large intestine moves waste material the final lap of the digestive cycle until it is eliminated through the rectum. When bowel cancer is caught in the early stages it has a very high cure rate.

The best way to detect it early is through regular examinations. Starting at age fifty, men and women are advised to get a colonoscopy. A doctor can look through a long fiber optic scope and view the inside of the intestinal tract. They can see anything that looks suspicious and take a biopsy and have it tested for the presence of cancer. If you have a family history of bowel cancer, you may be asked by your doctor to begin your colonoscopy screenings at an earlier age to be on the safe side.

Symptoms

How will you know if you are affected by colon cancer? One telltale sign that something is going on is blood in the stools. The color is usually dark.

Stools can also change shape. They get thinner than usual in the presence of possible cancer. Normally, stools are thick and take the shape of the intestines. Thinner stools could indicate the presence of a blockage.

People with bowel cancer have changes to their bowel habits. If you regularly have a bowel movement every day, you may have one less frequently than you are used to. These bowels may alternate between diarrhea and constipation. This can be a symptom of other conditions, so visiting a doctor is the only way to have a definitive diagnosis.

Bowel problems can cause cramping and pain in your abdomen. This can be followed by bloating and gas.

Other symptoms are usually present away from the site of the possible cancer. Many with cancer exhibit these additional signs. People with bowel cancer may lose significant amounts of weight. This can be a result of a lack of appetite. Your energy levels may also wane and you’ll feel tired more often.

Nausea and vomiting are also common when cancer is present in the body. These symptoms alone can mean nothing more than a bug, but more when you are diagnosed with anemia and jaundice. See your doctor right away.

Keep track of your symptoms and how long you have experienced them. You will need this information for your doctor. After running a battery of tests and a colonoscopy he can offer you options for the best course of action. Bowel cancer doesn’t have to be a death sentence if you know the symptoms and get help.

What is IBS?

The most challenging aspect of IBS is that it can’t be definitively diagnosed using a biological or chemical test. Rather, it is a collection of varying symptoms. The primary symptoms are abdominal pain and bowel dysfunction, including gas, diarrhea or constipation, discomfort, bloating, and nausea. Most doctors diagnose IBS by ruling out other diseases and confirming symptoms. Diet, infection, and psychological stressors seem to underlie these symptoms for most patients with IBS.

What causes IBS?

Equally mysterious are the origins of IBS. Some research suggests that with IBS, the contractions of the colon that move food and waste through the intestines are abnormal, ranging from spasmodic to completely stopped. In the simplest sense, these abnormal contractions cause diarrhea and/or constipation, as well as poor digestion and malnutrition. Further, they can indirectly lead to bacterial imbalance, compromised immunity, poor metabolism, and changes in mood and hormonal activity.

Physical and mental stresses also are contributing factors, affecting contractions in the colon as well as the absorption of liquids and nutrients. People who have been exposed to psychological, physical, and/or sexual trauma in childhood appear to be at higher risk of developing IBS. Approximately 20 percent of individuals may get IBS as the result of a parasite, infection, or other inflammation of the intestine.

For those affected, the medical solutions can be disheartening. Few prescription drugs exist, and what is available can have serious side effects. For example, alosetron hydrochloride (Lotronex), a prescription medication that has been prescribed to women with IBS, can cause severe constipation and reduced blood flow to the colon. These effects have been associated with ischemic colitis, a critical condition of inflammation, irritation, and swelling of the large intestine.

Commonly used over-the-counter treatments have drawbacks as well. For example, one big mistake people with IBS make is taking too many antacids. Pain in the stomach and intestines doesn’t necessarily equate to too much acid. In fact, the opposite is often true.

A condition called hypochlorhydria, marked by insufficient levels of hydrochloric acid in the stomach, can cause maldigestion and symptoms of IBS. Additionally, many patients with heartburn take antacids and other medicines, which further decrease acid production and compromise the immune system. In a recent study, users of acid-suppressing medicines doubled their risk of pneumonia.

With acid suppression and chronic antibiotic usage, it’s possible for unhealthy bacteria to proliferate in the small intestine and result in a state known as small bowel bacteria overgrowth (SBBO) or dysbiosis. These problems of imbalanced bacteria can lead to decreased absorption of important nutrients and vitamins. SBBO must be remedied with antibiotics or anti-microbial herbs.

Beyond what’s found at the pharmacy, certain behaviors will usually worsen IBS, including eating large meals; taking big doses of medications; and consuming wheat, milk products, chocolate, caffeine, and alcohol. Stressors, both physical and mental, also are common aggravators.

A properly functioning digestive system is a finely tuned physiological machine that runs the tasks of digestion and nutrient absorption, immune regulation, metabolism, and certain hormonal balances. Untreated, IBS can have profound negative effects on the whole body.

Nearly 70 percent of the immune system is located in the digestive tract. At birth, the intestines are sterile, but within two years, they become home to more than 100 trillion bacteria. These bacteria play a crucial role in the maintenance of the immune system, fending off pathogens and keeping the gut in balance. IBS can throw off the bacterial balance in the intestines, compromise the immune system, and affect overall health and wellness.

Digestion – breaking down food, absorbing nutrients, and expelling waste – is also compromised with IBS. When the intestines don’t digest properly, it’s hard to get sufficient nutrients, and a state of slow malnourishment is created. Sometimes, a leaky gut can result, causing undigested food to escape the small intestine, enter the blood stream, and cause allergy, inflammation, and stress in the liver.

What you can do now

Unfortunately, there’s no cure for IBS, no magic pill or prescription. But there are several things that you can do to start feeling better right away. Following are some of the best ways to help minimize flare-ups and keep your intestines as healthy as possible.

* Chew. It sounds obvious, but proper chewing is the first step toward good digestion. Gobbling down chunks of food is hard enough on healthy stomach and intestines, but it’s even harder if you have IBS. Digestion starts in the mouth, so take your time and chew completely before swallowing. Each part of the digestive tract needs time to do its work without being overwhelmed. Also, avoid overeating. Eating too much food puts tremendous physical stress on the digestive system.

* Eat right. Eat a hypoallergenic diet of whole foods and drink lots of water to keep the intestines hydrated. Eliminate-or at least reduce-refined carbohydrates and sugars. Honey and syrup appear to be better than sucrose, which is better than fructose. Excess consumption of trans fats can cause irritation and irregular contractions in the intestines. Opt for moderate servings of healthy fats found in foods such as olive oil, flaxseed oil, avocado, salmon, and chopped nuts.

* Steer clear of caffeine and coffee. Not only will caffeine shock the intestines, but as a central nervous system stimulant, it will add stress to your whole body.

* Be careful with dairy. Milk, cheese, and other dairy products are notorious for aggravating the bowels and causing diarrhea or constipation, gas, bloating, and nausea. This may be due to lactose-intolerance, or it may be a reaction to cow’s-milk proteins. Some over-over-the counter medications will help the former; abstinence will help the latter. Most plain yogurts are OK.

* Watch out for wheat and other gluten-containing starches. These too can aggravate the intestines and trigger food sensitivities and allergies. In some cases, potential IBS suffers may in fact have celiac disease, otherwise known as gluten sensitivity. The symptoms are similar, including diarrhea and discomfort, but with celiac disease, gluten can cause serious damage to the intestinal lining. In this case, abstaining from gluten is the only option. A simple blood test can help diagnose celiac disease.

* Don’t neutralize yourself. Avoid or eliminate antacids. If you’re eating right, you shouldn’t have an excess acid problem. IBS is not heartburn, so taking antacids won’t bring true relief. Also eliminate proton pump inhibitors – acid suppression drugs used to treat ulcers – and antihistamines, which reduce acid levels. These too will slow digestion and worsen IBS by creating dysbiosis.

* Exercise. Just like the other muscles in the body, the intestines are toned and regulated by moderate, regular exercise. Over time, doctors have observed that people who don’t exercise tend to have more sluggish bowels, which, in turn, exacerbates IBS.

* Take probiotics. This is a must for anyone with IBS. Regardless of the causes of your condition, the balance of good bacteria in your intestines is probably precarious at best. Supplementing with a combination of lactobacillus and bifidobacteria is one of the most effective aids for the digestive tract. Recent research suggests taking at least 50 to 100 billion cfu (colony forming units) daily for IBS. For intestinal recovery after a cycle of antibiotics, take 20 to 40 billions cfu daily. Refrigerated cultures are preferred over unrefrigerated pills and powders. Home-made yogurt is an excellent source of probiotics, but commercial yogurts often have much lower counts.

Specific remedies

Considering again an integrated approach to treatment, related complications may be present and need to be addressed with the help of a health practitioner.

* IBS sufferers with pancreatic insufficiency should supplement with pancreatic enzymes.

* A person with insufficient bile should drink lots of water and take supplements that help the body use fat, such as milk thistle, taurine, and selenium. These support the liver and the communication between the liver and the colon, helping the body maintain proper bile levels and fat absorption rates.

* A person who has parasites or other microorganisms can benefit from anti-parasitic herbs such as black walnut, wormwood, goldenseal, and oil of oregano. Oftentimes, additional drug treatment is necessary; new medicines are now available in the United States.

* If you have yeast overgrowth, limit sugar, flour, and refined grains. Take vitamin B6 in combination with anti-fungal supplements. If conditions persist, more aggressive treatment with antifungals may be necessary.

* If you have bacterial overgrowth, support stomach acid, and avoid acid suppression therapies. If conditions persist for more than four to six weeks after beginning to use those tactics, antimicrobial herbs or antibiotics (along with probiotics) may be necessary.

* For nutrient deficiency and poor nutrition, supplement with vitamins and minerals. Generally people with IBS have low levels of B vitamins, which are absorbed at the end of the small intestine, the location of bacterial overgrowth. Supplementation with B-complex and a multivitamin is important and useful. Occasionally additional B-12 is also necessary.

Inflammation from infection, food allergies, or dysbiosis may also damage the intestinal villi, the microscopic projections in the lining of the gastrointestinal tract that absorb nutrients and carry them to the blood. L-glutamine is effective at healing and repairing the villi, but it is essential to remedy the underlying problems first. L-glutamine can be used as a source of food by unwanted bacteria and yeast. It should only be taken as a restorative after the other conditions have been treated.

Many times, psychological and stress disorders get better with an improved diet and proper treatment of an individual’s underlying causes, but for serious or stubborn issues, professional counseling and stress management are helpful in controlling IBS symptoms.

Getting through to the other side

Because IBS is a collection of different symptoms that affect individuals in varying forms and intensity, it’s nearly impossible to prescribe a blanket protocol for treatment and management of the condition. The best approach is to first start with the basics.

Begin with the dietary changes; take out common food allergens like milk and wheat, and experiment to find out what other foods may cause you trouble. Stay away from the simple sugars, which can act as a food source for unwanted bacteria. Avoid caffeine, trans fats, refined carbohydrates, acid suppressants, and large meals.

Most people should see significant improvement after following these guidelines. If you make these changes and still don’t feel better, consult a healthcare practitioner for an in-depth examination to rule out infection, parasites, inflammation, or other disease processes.

Each case of IBS is a unique collection of symptoms and causes, an imbalance in the digestive system that can be effectively corrected by the individual, sometimes with the help of a healthcare practitioner who understands diet and nutrition. Take the integrative approach, and trust your gut. IBS is signal of imbalance; improvement in your gut will help you to feel healthy from the inside, out.

Do You Have IBS?

If you go to a doctor to find out if you have IBS, the doctor will consider the Rome Criteria, which is the following checklist of typical symptoms. For a quick self-check, see the list below, but don’t consider this a replacement for a visit to your healthcare practitioner.

ROME II SYMPTOM CRITERIA FOR IBS

In the past 12 months, experiencing at least 12 weeks (not necessarily consecutive) of abdominal discomfort or pain that has two out of three of the following features:

1) Discomfort is relieved with defecation.

2) Onset is associated with a change in frequency of stool.

3) Onset is associated with a change in form appearance of stool.

Other symptoms that are not essential but support the diagnosis of IBS include the following:

* Abnormal stool frequency (more than three bowel movements a day or fewer than three bowel movements a week)

* Abnormal stool form (lumpy/hard or loose/watery stool)

* Abnormal stool passage (straining, urgency, or feeling of incomplete evacuation)

* Passage of mucus

* Bloating or feeling of abdominal distension

Symptoms in the Rome Criteria are not the only indicators of IBS.

Non-intestinal symptoms include the following:

* Nausea

* Fatigue

* Full sensation after even a small meal

* Vomiting

Irritable bowel syndrome, or IBS, is a condition involving the intestines. There are no clear-cut causes of the condition but it can lead to very painful situations for those affected.

In the intestinal tract, different triggers cause bowels to move differently than they did before. There are usually no visible signs such as inflammation, polyps or tumors that signal that irritable bowel is going on. Those who suffer from IBS often experience abdominal cramping, diarrhea, pain in the abdomen and constipation.

Those who have this condition also deal with bloating and gas. The symptoms may swing from diarrhea to constipation at different times. Doctors can help diagnose it from your description of your symptoms and a physical exam.

Who is at risk for irritable bowel syndrome? Those who have a family history won’t necessarily develop the condition but the odds are not in their favor. It usually occurs in women more than men and young people more so than older adults.

People with certain mental disorders (like depression and psychological trauma) are at risk. Also, those who have experienced abuse in their past, have a greater risk of developing irritable bowel syndrome than others. Fibromyalgia is also a risk factor because it affects the muscles throughout the body.

Once you develop irritable bowel syndrome, you will always have it. Managing the pain involves knowing your triggers and treating the symptoms. Your doctor may perform an endoscopic procedure to look at your intestine and see if something else is going on there that could be causing similar symptoms.

How can you treat the symptoms of IBS? First examine your lifestyle. While there is no direct correlation between food and irritable bowel syndrome, people often experience attacks after they eat. Learning food triggers is one step.

Stress can cause all types of reactions in the body. When it is unmanaged, it can cause gastrointestinal problems. Learning to handle situations in your life that are leading to stress, can reduce its part in the problem.

Exercise helps to bring the body back into optimal health. When the body is receiving proper nutrition and maintains a healthy weight, it is easier for the immune system to fight against illness. Regular physical activity may alleviate some of the symptoms of IBS.

Do you have gastrointestinal problems? See your doctor because you may be suffering from irritable bowel syndrome. While it affects the colon, your symptoms can be controlled through lifestyle changes and medication.

Your doctor may also prescribe medication if diet and exercise don’t make any significant change.

1. Every person has cancer cells in the body. These cancer cells do not show up in the standard tests until they have multiplied to a few billion.

When doctors tell cancer patients that there are no more cancer cells in their bodies after treatment, it just means the tests are unable to detect the cancer cells because they have not reached the detectable size

2. Cancer cells occur between 6 to more than 10 times in a person’s lifetime.

3. When the person’s immune system is strong the cancer cells will be destroyed and prevented from multiplying and forming tumors.

4. When a person has cancer it indicates the person has multiple nutritional deficiencies. These could be due to genetic, environmental, food and lifestyle factors.

5. To overcome the multiple nutritional deficiencies, changing diet and including supplements will strengthen the immune system.

6. Chemotherapy involves poisoning the rapidly-growing cancer cells and also destroys rapidly-growing healthy cells in the bone marrow, gastro-intestinal tract etc, and can cause organ damage, like liver, kidneys, heart, lungs etc.

7. Radiation, while destroying cancer cells, also burns, scars and damages healthy cells, tissues and organs.

8. Initial treatment with chemotherapy and radiation will often reduce tumor size. However prolonged use of chemotherapy and radiation do not result in more tumor destruction.

9. When the body has too much toxic burden from chemotherapy and radiation the immune system is either compromised or destroyed, hence the person can succumb to various kinds of infections and complications.

10. Chemotherapy and radiation can cause cancer cells to mutate and become resistant and difficult to destroy. Surgery can also cause cancer cells to spread to other sites.

11. An effective way to battle cancer is to starve the cancer cells by not feeding it with the foods it needs to multiply.

CANCER CELLS FEED ON:

a. Sugar is a cancer-feeder. By cutting off sugar it cuts off one important food supply to the cancer cells.

Sugar substitutes like NutraSweet, Equal,Spoonful, etc are made with Aspartame and it is harmful.

A better natural substitute would be Manuka honey or molasses but only in very small amounts.

Table salt has a chemical added to make it white in colour. Better alternative is Bragg‘s aminos or sea salt.

b. Milk causes the body to produce mucus, especially in the gastro-intestinal tract. Cancer feeds on mucus.

By cutting off milk and substituting with unsweetened soya milk cancer cells are being starved.

c. Cancer cells thrive in an acid environment. A meat-based diet is acidic and it is best to eat fish, and a little chicken rather than beef or pork.

Meat also contains livestock antibiotics, growth hormones and parasites, which are all harmful, especially to people with cancer.

d. A diet made of 80% fresh vegetables and juice, whole grains,seeds, nuts and a little fruits help put the body into an alkaline environment. About 20% can be from cooked food including beans.

Fresh vegetable juices provide live enzymes that are easily absorbed and reach down to cellular levels within 15 minutes to nourish and enhance growth of healthy cells. To obtain live enzymes for building healthy cells try and drink fresh vegetable juice (most vegetables including bean sprouts) and eat some raw vegetables 2 or 3 times a day.

Enzymes are destroyed at temperatures of 104 degrees F (40 degrees C).

e. Avoid coffee, tea, and chocolate, which have high caffeine. Green tea is a better alternative and has cancer-fighting properties.

Water-best to drink purified water, or filtered, to avoid known toxins and heavy metals in tap water. Distilled water is acidic, avoid it .

11. Meat protein is difficult to digest and requires a lot of digestive enzymes. Undigested meat remaining in the intestines become putrefied and leads to more toxic buildup.

12. Cancer cell walls have a tough protein covering. By refraining from or eating less meat it frees more enzymes to attack the protein walls of cancer cells and allows the body’s killer cells to destroy the cancer cells.

13. Some supplements build up the immune system (IP6, Flor-ssence, Essiac, anti-oxidants, vitamins, minerals, EFAs etc.) to enable the body’s own killer cells to destroy cancer cells.

Other supplements, like vitamin E, are known to cause apoptosis, or programmed cell death, the body’s normal method of disposing of damaged, unwanted, or unneeded cells.

14. Cancer is a disease of the mind, body, and spirit. A proactive and positive spirit will help the cancer warrior be a survivor. Anger, unforgiveness and bitterness put the body int o a stressful and acidic environment. Learn to have a loving and forgiving spirit. Learn to relax and enjoy life.

15. Cancer cells cannot thrive in an oxygenated environment. Exercising daily, and deep breathing help to get more oxygen down to the cellular level. Oxygen therapy is another means employed to destroy cancer cells.

CANCER UPDATE FROM JOHN HOPKINS HOSPITAL , U S

1. No plastic containers in microwave.

2. No water bottles in freezer.

3. No plastic wrap in microwave .

Johns Hopkins has recently sent this out in its newsletters. This information is being circulated at Walter Reed Army Medical Center as well. Dioxin chemicals cause cancer, especially breast cancer. Dioxins are highly poisonous to the cells of our bodies. Don’t freeze your plastic bottles with water in them as this releases dioxins from the plastic.

Recently, Dr . Edward Fujimoto, Wellness Program Manager at CastleHospital, was on a TV program to explain this health hazard. He talked about dioxins and how bad they are for us.

He said that we should not be heating our food in the microwave using plastic containers. This especially applies to foods that contain fat. He said that the combination of fat, high heat, and plastics releases dioxin into the food and ultimately into the cells of the body.

Instead, he recommends using glass, such as Corning Ware, Pyrex or ceramic containers for heating food. You get the same results, only without the dioxin. So such things as TV dinners, instant ramen and soups, etc., should be removed from the container and heated in something else. Paper isn’t bad but you don’t know what is in the paper. It’s just safer to use tempered glass, Corning Ware, etc.

He reminded us that a while ago some of the fast food restaurants moved away from the foam containers to paper. The dioxin problem is one of the reasons.

Also, he pointed out that plastic wrap, such as Saran, is just as dangerous when placed over foods to be cooked in the microwave. As the food is nuked, the high heat causes poisonous toxins to actually melt out of the plastic wrap and drip into the food. Cover food with a paper towel instead.

If you wish to reduce your cholesterol levels safely and without negative side effects you must address the problem in six ways:

These are…

1. Reduce the production of cholesterol in your body
2. Reduce the absorption of cholesterol in your gut
3. Decrease circulating blood fats and dissolve cholesterol particles
4. Prevent cholesterol from hardening in your arteries
5. Increase the excretion of cholesterol carrying bile acid, and
6. Reduce the oxidation of cholesterol.

Cholest-Natural is our third generation formula using the latest knowledge in science and technology. It may help you safely and naturally address all the above AND also help to reduce triglycerides.

Our new generation Cholest-Natural:

* Has been extensively researched by one of the world’s top bio-scientists
* Contains all-natural ingredients… NO additives
* Includes synergistic ingredients examined at molecular level for efficacy
* Is supported by multiple clinical studies.

Overwhelming evidence continues to support natural therapy using Cholest-Natural as an effective method to help balance cholesterol levels.

Benefits of Cholest-Natural

The benefits from Cholest-Natural are measurable…

* Lower levels of LDL or oxidized cholesterol
* Higher levels of HDL. For a better understanding of the role of LDL and HDL cholesterol please click here.
* Lower levels of triglycerides

Most people will see the benefits through their blood test results within 30 – 60 days of commencing the Cholest-Natural protocol. Other people may take 90 – 120 days. Take care to measure the benefits based on your HDL and LDL levels, not your total cholesterol. This is because if your HDL goes up, which is good, even though your LDL may have gone down, your total cholesterol, may go up.

Some useful advice: Sometimes customers experience a significant drop in their triglycerides with Cholest-Natural, particularly when they combine it with our Omega 3 DHA / Esters…and this is good!

However, because LDL, unlike HDL is usually determined theoretically using the Friedewald formula which measures the relationship of HDL and triglyceride levels, sometime a distorted reading will result. Contact us or your physician for more info if this occurs.

Although one of the main ingredients in Cholest-Natural is policosanol, a natural extract of sugar cane, it will not raise your blood sugar levels.

If you review the customer comments for Cholest-Natural you will see a random sampling of the benefits that thousands of users of this product have received.

The facts about Cholest-Natural

It is important that you know not only the facts about this product by reviewing the ingredients and the recommended protocols, but also the facts about cholesterol itself.

We know that elevated cholesterol levels are potentially dangerous, but it is important to realize that unnaturally low levels are dangerous too!

Cholesterol, despite its bad publicity, is an essential substance your body needs to survive. It is important for normal hormonal function and brain health, so you do not want to rid your body of to much cholesterol, but rather balance the ‘good’ against the ‘bad’

We have put together some information on cholesterol and different options in dealing with it.

A caution: If you are currently on a statin drug and wish to come off it, you should do so in conjunction with your physician. You cannot just stop a statin drug ‘cold turkey’ as your cholesterol levels will spike.

Cholesterol… Problems and Solutions…

We are constantly being ‘bombarded’ with the need to lower our cholesterol and given warnings that if we don’t, we could face dire consequences! If you feel your cholesterol is too high or you are currently on a statin drug then, it will be in your best interest to read today’s newsletter.

I am sure you know this but there are two common forms of cholesterol. One of which is considered good, and that is called HDL and the other which is considered bad and is called LDL.

HDL cholesterol travels around in your bloodstream picking up excess cholesterol including LDL cholesterol and taking it back to your liver for reprocessing. Sort of like a garbage collector! Your HDL cholesterol must be as high as possible to ensure adequate ‘housekeeping’.

LDL cholesterol may attach itself to your artery wall and create ‘plaque’ which can ultimately accumulate and create a blockage in your arteries resulting in a heart attack. Or it can cause a stroke if some of the capillaries in your brain become blocked and parts of your brain are starved for blood.

It is generally accepted that your LDL cholesterol needs to be as low as possible, but this message tends to be oversimplified and there is a tendency to look at total cholesterol which can sometimes be misleading.

But how low, is low?

The goal posts for cholesterol levels have been shifted at least twice over the last few years. The last time, just weeks ago! Are the new aggressively promoted levels warranted? Many Doctors and experts certainly don’t think so. In fact there is a great deal of concern being raised by independent researchers and physicians that these new levels may actually be dangerous… for many reasons.

Cholesterol is a very important substance and is an essential precursor to your hormonal cascade and particularly your sex hormones. It can have a negative impact on your general health if levels are pushed artificially low. Excessively low levels of cholesterol are certainly proven to weaken your immune system and increase your chances of dying from an infectious disease.

So, if there are dangers associated with cholesterol levels being too low why are they being pushed so aggressively? I addressed one possible reason in our 30th July issue of Xtend-15sec-News. (You can find it in the archives). At that time we revealed that 6 of the 9 members of the USA National Cholesterol Panel has financial ties to the drug industry that is enjoying an unprecedented bonanza thanks to statin drugs which are being used to lower cholesterol. (More about these later.)

Are the drug companies behind the push for artificially low levels of cholesterol, even in individuals that were previously considered healthy? You must be your own judge on that question!

What about Triglycerides?

Ah… you don’t hear so much about these, or homocysteine, or C-Reactive Protein! Nonetheless, elevated levels of any of these three substances are just as good an indicator of a potential heart ‘event’ as is high cholesterol. Excess levels of any one of these four indicators (the preceding three plus cholesterol) although serious and need to be addressed, don’t necessarily mean that you are in a danger area.

However, combine high triglycerides with high cholesterol and you are a walking ‘time bomb’! You may then ask yourself why is there not as much emphasis put on reducing triglycerides as there is with cholesterol, given that for many people a simple reduction in triglycerides is all that is needed to take them out of the danger zone?
Now, this is a question that I can easily answer without fear of contradiction. There is not an effective drug to reduce triglycerides, and so it tends to be ignored! However, triglycerides, unlike cholesterol, (80% of cholesterol is manufactured by your body) is easily controlled through diet. Rather than making an effort to advise the general public what to do in order to reduce this risk, the medical ‘industry’ has a tendency to take the easy route and write a prescription for a statin drug.

What is a statin drug?

Many of our readers will know the answer to this, and I know many readers are currently taking the drug. I know this because we have many emails daily from people suffering the side effects of statin drugs and who are desperately seeking a natural alternative.

Very briefly a statin drug works on reducing the production of cholesterol in your body by blocking the action of an enzyme in your liver essential for the manufacturing process to take place. This process is fraught with dangers and it may excessively block an important natural bodily function!

A statin drug can force your cholesterol down to very low… and potentially dangerous levels. In fact, the new guidelines for LDL of 70 recommended by the ‘US National Cholesterol Panel’ can generally only be achieved though the use of statins because the body will not do it naturally as it will resist such a low level. This is why it is now being argued that healthy individuals should now be put on a statin drug so this low level can be achieved!

I won’t go on any more about these drugs because it makes me mad as I can see millions of people suffering needlessly from the side effects. But… don’t just take my word on this. Read an article by an investigative medical journalist about the truth of statins and then make up your own mind. You can access it by clicking here.

What are the natural alternatives to a statin?

There are a number of natural substances that have been proven effective in lowering cholesterol naturally. Some have been proven in double blind placebo clinical studies to be as effective as statin drugs but without the side effects and the depletion of the body’s CoQ10 reserves.

For the last couple of years we have been manufacturing a natural cholesterol lowering product of which the main ingredient was Policosanol. This is an extract from sugar cane. (Doesn’t affect blood sugar levels.) The results were spectacular on some people, good on others, mediocre on yet others and for some people it didn’t work at all which is understandable. After all even the statins don’t work on everyone!

Although it was an excellent product it was not one of our main ones. However, last year as the use of statins continued to increase we decided that it was time to develop a formula that could effectively compete with a statin drug but have none of the negative side effects and risks.

So, Prof. Dr. A. Munem got to work on developing a formula that would do just that. (For our recent subscribers who are not familiar with Dr Munem he is one of the top bio-scientists in the world).

As Dr Munem pointed out… in order to have an effective and safe natural remedy you must be able to tackle the cholesterol problem from six different directions:

1. By reducing the production of cholesterol in the body.
2. By reducing the absorption of cholesterol in the gastrointestinal tract.
3. By reducing circulating blood fats and dissolving cholesterol particles.
4. By preventing cholesterol from hardening in the arteries.
5. By increasing the excretion of bile acid which carries cholesterol.
6. By reducing the oxidation of the cholesterol.

The bottom line is that after many months of research we have developed cholest-natural what is undoubtedly the world’s most advanced natural cholesterol lowering product.

What’s more, it seems that it may only need to be taken for 12 months and thereafter only intermittently, as it will normalize the body’s production of cholesterol. What’s more it won’t artificially force levels down to less than what your body needs.

One final note… if your cholesterol is only slightly elevated you may find that just our Total Balance on its own is sufficient to help balance it out. It does contain policosanol but at much lower levels than the new cholesterol lowering formula.

Facts About Cholesterol

We have prepared a simple document that explains what cholesterol is and what an important role it plays in your body.

General description of cholesterol

Cholesterol (a lipid) serves as the structural basis of bile salts, steroid hormones, vitamin D and (cell) plasma membranes. It is also part of a molecule that helps direct embryonic development.

20% of cholesterol comes from our diet, while 80% is made from Acetyl Co-enzyme A by the liver, intestinal cells and other body cells. Cholesterol is secreted in bile salts and excreted from the body through the feces.

Triglycerides and cholesterol are transported to and from our tissue cells bound to lipoproteins (lipid protein complexes). These lipoproteins vary in their fat-protein composition, but they all contain triglycerides, lipids, phospholipids, cholesterol and proteins. The higher the amount of lipids in the lipoprotein the lower its density, and the greater the amount of proteins in the lipoproteins the higher its density. This is why there are high-density lipoproteins (HDLs), low-density lipoproteins (LDLs) and very low-density lipoproteins (VLDLs).

The VLDLs transport triglycerides from the liver to the peripheral tissues, mostly adipose (fat) tissue.

The LDLs transport cholesterol to peripheral tissues for membrane or hormone synthesis and storage. They also regulate cholesterol synthesis in tissue cells.

The HDLs transport excess cholesterol from peripheral tissue to the liver, where it is broken down and becomes part of bile. The process goes like this: protein “envelopes” from HDLs are made by the liver and launched into the bloodstream and are filled with cholesterol from tissue cells and the artery walls. The HDLs also take cholesterol to the steroid (sex) hormone producing organs: the ovaries and the adrenal glands.

This explains why HDL is also called “good” cholesterol, it transports cholesterol destined for degradation. An HDL level of 35 – 60 is considered OK, but levels above 60 are thought to protect against heart disease.

LDL is considered “bad” at 160 or above, because excessive LDL can potentially cause cholesterol deposits in the artery walls. However LDL does not easily stick to artery walls, unlike one variety of LDL that is particularly “bad”, lipoprotein (a).

This LDL seems to promote plaque formation that thickens and stiffens the artery walls. Lipoprotein (a) levels are hard to influence by diet, exercise and substances. Elevated lipoprotein (a) levels are an independent risk factor for heart disease, especially in people with elevated LDL cholesterol levels. A high LDL cholesterol level carries less risk than a normal or even low LDL cholesterol level with high lipoprotein (a) level.

The ratio of total cholesterol to HDL and the ratio of LDL to HDL are referred to as the cardiac risk factor ratios because they reflect whether cholesterol is possibly being deposited into tissues or broken down and excreted. The total cholesterol-to-HDL ratio should be no higher than 4. The LDL-to-HDL ratio should be no higher than 2.5.

Factors regulating cholesterol levels:

* Hydrogenated oils: Unsaturated fats that have been hardened by hydrogenation to make them more solid (e.g. margarine) play a role in raising cholesterol levels. The hydrogenation process changes fatty acids into trans-fatty acids, causing an increase in LDLs and a reduction in HDLs. Omega-3 fatty acids (from cold water fish) lower proportions of triglyceride and cholesterol levels.
* Mental stress: Cigarette smoking, coffee drinking and changes to body weight may change cholesterol levels.
* Regular aerobic exercise (which speeds up the heart rate) lowers LDL and increases HDL levels.
* Body shape provides clues to higher cholesterol levels. People who have an “apple” shape, with upper body and abdominal fat distribution (often men), tend to have higher cholesterol levels, especially LDL. People who have a “pear” shape with fat distribution in the hips and thighs (often women), tend to have lower cholesterol levels, particularly LDL.

The dangers of too low a level of cholesterol

Studies have indicated that total cholesterol levels below 190 for males and 178 for females may enhance the risk of “bleeding” strokes and death from cerebral hemorrhage.

* Cholesterol may affect the metabolism of serotonin, a substance involved in the regulation of mood, as research has shown that serotonin levels are reduced in men with low levels of cholesterol. There may be an association between suicide and low serum cholesterol levels in people suffering from panic disorder. Total serum cholesterol and LDL levels were found to be lower in a para suicidal population at statistically significant levels.
* Studies among patients suffering from major depression showed an association between low cholesterol and major depression. Some trials showed that clinical recovery may be associated with a significant increase of total cholesterol. Some studies show that low cholesterol is associated with increased subsequent criminal violence.

It has been found that relatively low cholesterol levels have been associated with increased mortality from cancer and non-atherosclerotic causes of death. Hypo-cholesterolemic men had differences in immune system compared to men with high cholesterol levels. They had significantly fewer circulating lymphocytes, fewer total T cells and fewer CD8+ cells.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Cholest-Natural really ‘all-natural’?

Yes. Cholest-Natural contains no pharmaceutical ingredients and so does not require a prescription. It is formulated from 100% quality natural ingredients, each using a specific combination and dosage for optimal efficacy. All ingredients undergo vigorous studies at molecular level to ensure their compatibility to provide maximum beneficial effect.

What our customers say about Cholest-Natural

All customer comments are authentic. Original copies of customer feedback are on file at our HQ. Should you wish to verify any comments by contacting the customer concerned please Contact Us.

“I just wanted to let you know how happy I am with your products. I started taking your Cholest-Natural, Omega 3/DHA Fish Oil Esters and Total Balance approximately a year ago. My cholesterol at that time was 279, my triglycerides were 600.

After 6 months I had lowered my cholesterol to 259 and triglycerides to 300.

I went in last week for another blood test and my cholesterol is down to 196 and triglycerides are down to 122.

I do watch what I eat, but have not changed anything drastically. I also have not exercised like I should, so I can honestly say that my results have been attributed to your products. I still need to work on my good and bad cholesterol as my bad is 143 and my good is 28. High cholesterol runs in my family as my mother and sister are both on statins, but I refuse to go on them.” Teri, US

“In reply to this months newsletter concerning Cholest-Natural, I have these results…

In the summer of 2005 my reading was 178. My next 2 readings in the fall were 214 and 217. I informed my doctor that I did not want to be put on medication. I began taking your Omega 3 / DHA Fish Oil Esters and Cholest-Natural formulas and took them for two months. I then continued taking Omega 3 / DHA together with Total Balance Mens Plus. Last week I gave blood for my cholesterol check and my new reading is 174! I have read so many other statements here that also confirm a major drop in cholesterol readings and I can proudly say that it works for me too! Thank you Xtend-Life staff for your research and commitment to your products and your customers.” Bruce, USA

“This is fantastic. My results with the old formula were stunning. Cholest-Natural works better than Lipitor.” Joe B, USA

All about the colon

The main function of the colon is to absorb water and minerals from ingested food and to form and eliminate feces. The colon contains different types of bacteria to aid digestion, promote vital nutrient production, maintain pH (acid-base) balance, and prevent the growth of harmful bacteria. The process of digestion from ingestion to defecation normally takes 12 to 24 hours if the colon is fully functional and non-toxic.

Irregular or infrequent bowel movements and constipation can result in toxic residues from the by-products of undigested foods accumulating and sometimes becoming re-absorbed into the system. A healthy colon produces between 1 to 3 bowel movements per day, often shortly after a meal.

By the time material enters the colon, the process of digestion has finished. A healthy colon will contract the colon muscles, thus moving along its solid and liquid contents on the way to exit the body. During this travel along the passage, water and nutrients are absorbed into the body.

What remains is waste, referred to as stool. A few times each day, stronger muscle contractions move down the colon, pushing the stool along. These strong contractions usually result in a bowel movement. The muscles of the pelvis and anal sphincters have to then relax at the right time to allow the stool to be expelled

The natural way

When we think of flushing out the system, we tend to think of the bowels. However, the colon is just as crucial to systemic cleansing and balance.

Herbalists and naturopaths from cultures all over the world have used natural remedies for centuries to assist the body with its task of ridding itself of toxins and promoting bowel movements. In more recent times, research has confirmed this traditional wisdom.

There are now various published clinical studies demonstrating the ability of a range of herbs to loosen stools and encourage healthy adequate bowel movements, keeping the body ‘regular’. (Chen HL, Cheng HC, Liu YJ, et al. ‘Konjac acts as a natural laxative by increasing stool bulk and improving colonic ecology in healthy adults’. Nutrition. 2006 Oct 3).

What is ColoFlush?

ColoFlush is a 100% safe, non-addictive natural herbal remedy formulated by our team of experts in the field of natural medicine. ColoFlush supports the healthy functioning of the digestive system and supports all organs involved in the body’s removal of solid waste.

ColoFlush can especially benefit those individuals who wish to naturally rejuvenate their digestive systems. The herbs used in ColoFlush promote healthy digestion and also act as an effective colonic tonic.

While some traditional herbs are not suitable for regular use due to their excessively strong purgative effects, ColoFlush uses herbs that are strong enough to support flushing out of the colon, yet gentle enough not to cause a loose, ‘crampy’ stomach.

This convenient tablet also contains pure Psyllium husks. Due to the high fiber content of this herb, it swells inside the digestive tract and ‘sweeps’ the walls of the colon almost like a broom – removing impurities and toxins which may have accumulated over time.

ColoFlush may be used regularly to cleanse and detoxify the colon or be used prior to routine colonic procedures such as colonic irrigation.

The formula remains true to the whole spectrum method of herbal extraction, ensuring the bio-availability and balance of all the active ingredients contained in the remedy. This method of manufacture also significantly reduces the likelihood of side effects and maintains all active ingredients in perfect balance – exactly as nature intended!

Use ColoFlush to:

* Act as a natural liquefier to gently loosen the contents of the colon
* Promote routine ‘flushing out’ of the colon without upsetting microflora
* Support colonic ecology
* Encourage the normal digestion process
* Support the systemic health of the colon
* Support the body’s process of regular toxin and waste removal
* Help prepare the colon for colonic irrigation

Related Products:

* To naturally ‘flush out’ the system and promote the body to remove toxins visit Detox Drops

How has ColoFlush helped others?

“I was told by my doctor to go for colonic irrigations now and then to flush out my system. I always felt really heavy and blocked up before treatment. Using this product helped a lot to loosen up everything, and I definitely noticed a difference during the procedure. I even felt more cleansed afterwards too– thanks so much.”

— Jodie M.

“I am not the healthiest eater. I love fried foods, but pay the price later with digestion problems! This product really helped to get things moving, and I feel refreshed and lighter!”

— Kendall, OH, USA

“This works so great. I love it. Not much more to say except I will be ordering another bottle soon!”

—B.D. Miller

What are the Ingredients?

ColoFlush is a 100% herbal formula that contains the following powerful proven herbs in therapeutic dosage:

Native Remedies‘ products are created using our Full Spectrum Approach™ (FSA), a set of standards and processes that combine the best quality, laboratory tested, raw ingredients, Good Manufacturing Practices and a Full Spectrum manufacturing method to guarantee you products of the highest quality, safety and effectiveness, all backed by our One Year Unconditional Money Back Guarantee.

Our products are not tested on animals and individual ingredients are well-researched and are natural, safe and effective.

* Cascara sagrada (Bearberry) has been used continually for at least 1,000 years. Cascara sagrada has a long history of traditional use by Native Americans and was introduced by Northern California Indians to Spanish explorers in 16th century. Cascara sagrada contains compounds called anthroquinones, which trigger routine contractions in the colon that stimulate the urge to have a bowel movement. Recent studies have investigated the properties of this herb to assist with gentle waste removal from delicate digestive systems. (Marchesi M, Marcato M, Silvestrini C. “Clinical experience with a preparation containing cascara sagrada and boldo in the therapy of simple constipation in the elderly” G Clin Med. 1982 Nov-Dec;63 (11-12):850-63. PMID: 7182205)

* Plantago psyllium (Seed husks) is native to Iran and India. Psyllium seed husks are primarily used in traditional herbal medicine, as they contain a high level of soluble dietary fiber. The swelling of the husk (when it comes in contact with liquid) forms a gelatinous mass that helps to keep stool hydrated and soft, and acts as a natural ‘broom’ to sweep the walls of the colon. In particular, this ingredient has been studied for its ability to promote colon health. (Fernandez-Banares F, Hinojosa J, Sanchez-Lombrana JL, et al. “Randomized clinical trial of Plantago ovata seeds (dietary fiber) as compared with mesalamine in maintaining remission in ulcerative colitis”. Am J Gastroenterol 1999;94:427-33). This herb has also been researched for its other numerous benefits with regards to glucose regulation. (Rodriguez-Moran M, Guerrero-Romero F, Lazcano-Burciaga G. “Lipid- and glucose-lowering efficacy of plantago psyllium in type II diabetes”. J Diabetes Complications 1998;12:273-8).

* Althaea officinalis (Marshmallow) the herb, not the white puffy confection roasted over a campfire – has been used medicinally since ancient Greece, with subsequent Roman physicians recommending its use. The botanical name comes from the Greek word “altho,” which means “to cure.” Marshmallow contains large sugar molecules called mucilage, which are thought to exert a soothing effect on mucous membranes, and this is the basis of most proposed uses of the herb. (Rosik JK , Kardosová A , Toman R , Capek P . “Isolation and characterization ofmucilages from Althaea officinalis L. and Malva silvestris L., ssp. Mauritiana” (L.) Thell . Cesk Farm . 1984;33:68-71). References document the plant’s efficacy as a natural anti-inflammatory for the gastrointestinal tract. (Blumenthal M, Goldberg A, Brinckmann J, eds. “Herbal Medicine: Expanded Commission E Monographs . Marshmallow leaf”. Austin, TX: American Botanical Council; Newton, MA: Integrative Medicine Communications; 2000).

* Cinnamomum cassia (Chinese cinnamon) was the first cinnamon species that made its way to Europe since Alexander the Great. Before this time, cassia was transported as far as Egypt and Israel. This ingredient is cultivated for the bark, buds, and oil of cassia in the southeastern provinces of China. Recent studies have tested this herb for its positive effect on the digestive system. (Zhu, Z.P., et. al. “Pharmacological study on spleen-stomach warming and analgesic action of Cinnamomum cassia” Presl. Zhongguo Zhong Yao Za Zhi; 1993, 18(9):553-557, 514-515). It has also been praised for its promotion of settled tissues and membranes in various tracts from the stomach to the colon. (Akira T, Tanaka S, Tabata M. “Pharmacological studies on the anti-ulcerogenic activity of Chinese cinnamon”. Planta Med. 1986;52:440–443). Chinese cinnamon has also been studied for its positive support of the immune system. (Nagai H, Shimazawa T, Matsuura N, et al. “Immunopharmacological studies of the aqueous extract of Cinnamomum cassia” (CCAq). I. Anti-allergic action. Jpn J Pharmacol. 1982;32:813–822).

How do I use ColoFlush ?

DIRECTIONS

Take 1 to 2 tablets three times daily, as needed. It is also recommended that you drink at least 8 glasses of water a day and follow a healthy diet.

ColoFlush is also of great benefit when preparing for colonic irrigation procedures.

CAUTION:

Not recommended for children under 12. Safety during pregnancy and breastfeeding has not yet been determined.

However, our Triple Complex Digestion Tonic is safe for use during pregnancy, for nursing mothers, and children of all ages.

Please consult your doctor if there are sudden changes to your normal bowel habits, or if you experience fever, pain or notice blood in your stools. If symptoms persist for more than two weeks despite treatment, seek medical advice.

ColoFlush is highly recommended along with the following natural remedies for maximum effectiveness.

* Detox Drops is used to ‘flush out’ the system and promote the body to remove toxins
* Aqua-Rite is used to support cardiovascular, liver, and gallbladder health while acting as a natural diuretic
* EcoSlim is used to promote healthy metabolism in adults and support weight-loss efforts
* Triple Complex Digestion Tonic promotes healthy digestion and is safe for all ages
* DigestAssist supports all organs involved in digestion and soothes the stomach
* Gastronic Dr. is a 100% herbal tonic for overall digestive functioning, balance and harmony

How long until I see results?

As with many effective herbal treatments, ColoFlush begins to work on the body’s systems almost immediately. ColoFlush is presented in tablet form that facilitates rapid absorption through the blood stream into the digestive system and colon, promoting a natural detox and encouraging bowel consistency.

How long will a bottle last?

One bottle of ColoFlush will last approximately 30 days depending on usage. For pre-colonic irrigation preparation, one bottle of ColoFlush will last 5-10 treatments depending on dosage.

The first treatment recommendations will be to make changes to your diet that will make the stool softer and easier to pass. These recommendations include increasing the amount of fiber in the diet through fruits, vegetables and whole grains or taking a fiber supplement. If you can’t get enough fiber from your diet and decide to use fiber supplements then it is very important to drink at least 8 glasses of water each day or the stool could get harder and more difficult to pass.

It is also important not to strain while having a bowel movement. Straining occurs when you hold your breath while pushing. This causes an increase in pressure in the veins in and around the anus which increases the risk of developing hemorrhoids or worsening the symptoms of those which you already have. Instead, learn to breath through pushing out stool and work to soften the consistency, which will decrease the work required to have a bowel movement.

Researchers have found that people who exercise consistently have an easier time with their bowel movements because exercise helps the intestinal tract to move more consistently. Doctors can also recommend over the counter creams and ointments that can help to reduce mild discomfort. These products contain ingredients like witch hazel or hydrocortisone that help to reduce pain, swelling and itching. However, you shouldn’t use these over the counter preparations without first talking with your primary care physician to be sure they don’t interfere with any underlying medical condition and to determine the length of time you should take the medication.

For other treatment protocols the physician may start with a nonsurgical procedure, called a fixative procedure. These are designed to reduce the blood supply to the hemorrhoid so it shrinks or goes away. Scar tissue will remain that has the function of supporting the surrounding tissue and preventing any further hemorrhoids from developing in the area.

Fixative procedures include tying off the hemorrhoid with a rubber band or coagulation using heat, laser or electrical current. Using the rubber band ligation the doctor places one or two tiny rubber bands around the base of the internal hemorrhoid to cut off the circulation. The hemorrhoid falls off within a few days. It can be uncomfortable and can cause bleeding which is usually rarely severe.

The coagulation procedures – infrared, laser or bipolar – are techniques that cause small, bleeding, internal hemorrhoids to harden and shrivel. While it is quicker and less painful than the rubber band procedure it has a higher incidence of the hemorrhoids coming back. Another procedure, sclerotherapy, also used on varicose veins or spider veins in other areas of the body. It also causes little pain but is usually less effective than the rubber band ligation.

Two other surgical treatments are possible for those who suffer from hemorrhoids – the hemorrhoidectomy and stapling. In a hemorrhoidectomy the surgeon removes most of the excess tissue that causes the bleeding. There are several variations that can be used based on the particular situation and overall health of the individual. The surgery can be done with a local anesthesia or combined with sedation and spinal or general anesthesia. This is the most effective and complete way of removing hemorrhoid tissue. Unfortunately, it also has the highest rate of complications which can include difficulty emptying the bladder or urinary tract infections. Many people also experience pain that can be controlled with medication and warm baths.

Stapling is a procedure that blocks the blood flow to the hemorrhoidal tissue and generally results in less pain than a hemorrhoidectomy. Stapling is associated with a greater risk of recurrence and rectal prolapse.

Before deciding on any procedure to treat your hemorrhoids it is important that you do your own research and talk with your physician and surgeon about the side effects, complications and long-term results. Only after weighing the pros and cons and evaluating those against your current health, lifestyle choices and severity of disease can you make a choice about treatment protocols.

Acidophilus or lactobacillus acidophilus is the most commonly used good or friendly bacteria. These bacteria inhabit the intestines and vagina and protect against the entrance and proliferation of harmful organisms that can cause diseases.

Acidophilus protects the body through different aspects. One mechanism is through the breakdown of its food. When food is brokedown, it leads to production of lactic acid, hydrogen peroxide and other by products that make the environment hostile for undesired organism.

Acidophilus offers variety of potential therapeutic uses. These include:

* Aids digestion and suppresses disease-causing bacteria.
* Treat overgrowth of bad organism in the gastrointestinal tract.
* Prevent and treat diarrhea, including the infectious diarrhea, particularly from the rotavirus.
* Alleviate symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome and possibly, inflammatory bowel disease.
* Replaces the friendly intestinal bacteria that are destroyed by antibiotics.
* Prevent and reduces the recurrence of vaginal yeast infection, urinary tract infections and cystitis.
* Improve lactose absorption in people who are lactose intolerant.
* Enhances the immune response. Studies have suggested that the consumption of yogurt and milk that contains specific strains of acidophilus supplements improve the natural immune response.
* Aids the treatment of respiratory infections such as sinusitis, bronchitis and pneumonia.
* Lower the risks of allergies such as asthma, hay fever, allergies to milk and skin reactions such as eczema.
* Help in treating high cholesterol.

Acidophilus is one of the good bacteria that should be part of the daily diet of humans. They can be taken and ingested in different forms, such as a drink or in capsule form.

Related Natural Product

Digestion Tonic can be safely and effectively used to promote healthy digestion by anyone with digestive disorders and complaints. The perfect companion to Native Remedies‘ Gastronic Dr and Digest Assist for people suffering from Crohns Disease, IBS, chronic heartburn and gas, Diverticulosis, spastic colon and other digestive disorders. Tissue salts are easy to take, pleasant tasting and even children love to take them! Safe during pregnancy, nursing and for children and babies of all ages and free of side effects. Regular use ensures systemic balance of biochemic tissue salts in the body, optimizes health at the cellular level, relieves symptoms of disease, restores health and vitality, optimizes the therapeutic effects of other remedies by improving systemic functioning and metabolism. Formulated by a clinical psychologist, Digestion Tonic is pharmacetuically manufactured to the highest standards.

About the author

Hector Milla, editor of http://www.acidophiluseffects.com, a website about amoxicillin and acidophilus, they have recently published a free online guide about healthy eating habits, you may read it at http://www.acidophiluseffects.com/healthy-eating-habits/

Simply, leaky guy syndrome is the inability of the intestinal wall to keep out large, unwanted molecules. This symptom of autism most often signifies that the intestinal wall has been altered to become permeable. Leaky gut syndrome in autistic children may occur because of increased sensitivity or allergies.

Leaky gut syndrome is problematic for one’s health because it allows molecules and substances (such as proteins) that are normally filtered out of the intestinal tract into the intestines. Because these molecules are not usually allowed inside the gut, the body misinterprets these non-harmful substances as a virus or infection and begins to produce antibodies to attack them.

In turn, this creates a process where one’s body recognizes certain foods, as well as any of the body’s regular molecules that are similar to these foods, as harmful, causing an auto-immune disease where the body attacks itself. These are merely two possible outcomes with leaky gut syndrome.

Others include the transportation of bacteria normally found within the intestinal tract to move into the bloodstream and cause an infection anywhere in the body as well as a weakening of the liver, which causes more toxins to circulate throughout the body, leading to a number of medical problems.

What can cause leaky gut syndrome? Researchers are still working to more fully understand the causes, but current medical diagnoses suggest that a diet high in alcohol and caffeine intake, certain drugs like ibuprofen and antacids, or a diet high in carbohydrates can decrease the thickness of the intestinal wall as well as other possible reasons.

These are just a few possible reasons, and ways to treat leaky gut syndrome are just as uncertain as the reasons. Because of the sensitivity of the digestive system with leaky gut syndrome, many parents of autistic children find that putting their child on gluten- and casein-free diets can help.

Both gluten and casein are proteins, and a diet with these proteins may irritate and inflame a leaky gut syndrome – though at the moment, researchers are still studying this. You may also treat leaky gut syndrome by avoiding alcohol, caffeine, ibuprofen, or spicy foods – all of which can cause irritation in the intestines.

Understanding leaky gut syndrome is an ongoing process, for parents with autistic children, doctors, and researchers, but this does not mean that there is nothing you can do to treat it. Simply being aware that your autistic child may have leaky gut syndrome will help you to better understand and improve his or her life.

The age groups most prone to getting appendicitis are ten to thirty, though it can happen at any age. Typically, if it is caught early and treated there are no further problems or long-term consequences.

If medical attention is not seeked out the appendix can rupture. This is very serious because the infection will begin to spread through the abdomen. Worst case scenario is a fatal infection.

Any number of things can tell you that appendicitis is setting in. The most evident is severe pain in the abdomen. This pain will originate around the belly button and travel down and to the right. It also gets progressively worse over a period of 6 to 12 hours. Other symptoms might include: nausea, swelling in the abdomen, constipation, fever, purging or diarrhea.

Be cautious because the above symptoms can signify another event. Appendicitis symptoms are similar to that of kidney stones and Crohn’s disease. Your doctor will give you a complete physical of your abdominal area and discover the origin of the pain. Likely, the doctor will take blood and urine samples, CT scan, ultrasound and several X-rays of the abdominal area.

There is no single reason that people get appendicitis. Things that can lead up to it are cancer, an object in your gastrointestinal tract which does not belong, a hard turd or an abscess. Other gastrointestinal problems often migrate to the appendix, as well.

Appendicitis usually leads to the surgical removal of the appendix. This is not a big deal because the appendix does not serve a known purpose, anyway. The recovery time from this surgery is very fast and it is easy to get back on track with life, afterwards.

After the surgery, your doctor will prescribe antibiotics to fight off whatever infection is left behind. Make sure that you take supplements that will boost your immune system because these antibiotics also kill off the good bacteria.

There are several herbs that can be taken to help with your post-surgery recovery. Echinacea purpurea, withania somnifera and inula helenium are great immune system boosters. They will all three help you to recover more quickly and get back to life, again.

Any treatment protocols which you may try for the stomach flu must be based on the underlying cause of the year irritation, diarrhea and possible vomiting. In some cases gastroenteritis is caused by an allergic reaction to a specific type of food. In other cases there are stomach viruses that cause the symptoms, parasites and sometimes even bacteria.

If the gastroenteritis is caused by an underlying allergic reaction to a specific type of food than removal of that food and time for the gastrointestinal tract to rest will often be enough treatment. Gastroenteritis or the stomach flu that is caused by viruses do not have any known cures and the treatment goals are focused on providing supportive care while the body fights the stomach flu. Fortunately, most people with a healthy immune system are able to effectively kill the virus after only one to 10 days.

Gastroenteritis which is caused by an invading parasite is treated by the removal of the parasite from the gastrointestinal system. Many times this particular conditions appears to be the same as other gastroenteritis symptoms and it may take close to two weeks in order to be fully diagnosed and an appropriate treatment protocol recommended.

It is the side effects of gastroenteritis, or the stomach flu, which can cause significant damage to the body. Primarily, it is the dehydration caused by an inability to keep fluids in the body because of vomiting and diarrhea. This is especially dangerous in young children, the elderly and people who have already weakened immune systems. Maintaining hydration is the most important aspect of treating viral gastroenteritis to prevent severe loss of fluids.

Individuals who are suffering from the stomach flu, or gastroenteritis, can begin treatment at home. And if the body responds quickly, there is no further need to see your primary care physician. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that families who have infants and young children keep a supply of oral rehydration solution at home at all times. Any medications, including antibiotics, should be avoided unless they are specifically recommended by your physician.

If the symptoms of the gastroenteritis are primarily diarrhea, it is very important to drink plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration. Adults and children can use oral rehydration fluids (sold at the pharmacy), juice or water. Sports drinks do not replace the nutrients in minerals that are lost during an illness so don’t rely on them.

You can help to settle the gastrointestinal tract by allowing it to rest and not eating for several hours. If vomiting is an issue, then sip on very small amounts of clear liquids or suck on an ice chip to help with dehydration. These small amounts of fluid can be absorbed more quickly and are less likely to upset the stomach.

Once vomiting has stopped for at least four hours you can gradually reintroduce food. Start with very bland foods that follow the BRAT diet. These are banana, rice, apples and toast with some bland chicken broth. Avoid any dairy products, caffeine and alcohol as well is getting plenty of rest until the recovery is complete.

If vomiting goes on for more than 12 hours, the individual stops urinating or the individual vomits more than five or six times in a couple of hours it is important to seek the advice of your primary care physician. Nausea and vomiting is often triggered from a center in the brain and not directly from the stomach itself. A feedback loop can sometimes be set up, which is recurrent, and even when the virus has completely been cleared from the body, the individual can continue to vomit. Physicians have medications which can be used in order to calm the brain and stop that feedback loop.

Symptoms of dehydration are excessive thirst, dry mouth, dark yellow urine or no urine at all, severe weakness or lethargy and dizziness or lightheadedness. These are all signs and symptoms that an individual should be treated in an emergency room. Dehydration is a symptom of a lack of fluid in the body which is vitally important to maintain life. Your physician may recommends hospitalization for a short time in order to replace fluids through an intravenous line and stop the feedback loop that is causing the nausea and vomiting.

At specific times during an individual’s life that good bacteria can be killed off or the immune system can become compromised such as during pregnancy, taking long-term antibiotics, diabetes or HIV. During these periods of time yeast is able to grow unchecked and the individual often develops a vaginal yeast infection, sinus infection or even a systemic yeast infection.

Yeast are a family of very small single cell organisms. Under the correct conditions if they grow actively and forum thread like structures. When there is an overgrowth of yeast the organism changes slightly and develops long rhizomes which invade the walls of the intestines allowing leakage of the yeast into the systemic body.

This also allows leakage of other proteins into the blood system which normally wouldn’t occur. In this increased amount of protein exposure in the body is what is believed to account for in the food sensitivities and allergy type reactions which people with systemic yeast infections often exhibit.

Candidiasis knows no age and can happen in people in people of all ages and gender people. This means that men, women, children, infants and seniors can develop oral yeast infections, vaginal yeast infections, sinus yeast infections and a host of other infections including yeast infections in the long. There are millions of people suffering from yeast infections that affect their overall health.

Some of those symptoms include generalized fatigue, migraine headaches, respiratory problems, muscle pain, oral thrush, food sensitivities, constipation, rectal itching, inflammatory bowel disease, menstrual and pre-menstrual problems, chronic urinary tract infections, eczema, Acme, hives, multiple sclerosis, arthritis, hemolytic anemia and sarcoidosis.

Diagnosis of a systemic yeast infection is often done using a simple stool test to determine if there is a yeast overgrowth. If there are other food sensitivities, a special blood test may be done to find reactive foods. This may be important when the individual has a specific diet plan designed in order to treat the yeast infection. It’s important to pinpoint the cause of food sensitivity and the reaction to this can take anywhere between eight to 72 hours.

Candida yeast infections in the longs are often difficult to treat and treatment must be addressed from a systemic standpoint. Once a person has yeast growth in a specific area of the body there is a greater tendency for the used to directly affect other areas as well. This damage to the tissue can result in major overgrowth and life-threatening problems.

If yeast infection in the lungs can also cause heart failure. This occurs when the heart is is also attacked by the yeast.

If you suspect that you or anyone in your family has a yeast infection is important to seek the advice of the healthcare practitioner so that immediate treatment might be begun. Treatment should be individualized to the specific case after the practitioner has taken a thorough medical history and physical examination.

By determining the exact symptoms which the individual is suffering from the healthcare practitioner will be able to more appropriately design and individualized treatment protocol. This protocol often involves dietary changes as well as systemic anti-fungal medications to treat the yeast.

If you have frequent or persistent heartburn or indigestion, chest pain or you bring up stomach contents including acid up your throat or into your mouth you may have undiagnosed acid reflux. If you notice these symptoms see your doctor.

Undiagnosed acid reflux can lead to untreated acid reflux which can aggravate or create complications from acid reflux including erosive esophagitis which is severe inflammation of the esophagus, severe narrowing of the esophagus also called stricture of the esophagus, Barrett’s esophagus and acid can also cause irritation and problems with your teeth, throat, and the airways leading to your lungs.

The elderly are at a higher risk for complications from acid reflux than younger individuals. Individuals who have initial severe symptoms, which prompted them to see a doctor, are at risk for complications, and those who have persistent symptoms despite taking medications are also at risk for complications for acid reflux. Individuals who have muscular abnormalities are also at risk for acid reflux complications.

Individuals who suffer from chronic acid reflux are subject to erosive esophagitis because of the constant irritation and inflammation to the esophagus that can create extensive injuries to the esophagus.

Severe inflammation of the esophagus can lead to bleeding in approximately 8% of those who have erosive esophagitis. If the individual has long-term bleeding it can lead to iron deficiency anemia, which may require blood transfusions. Individuals with blood in the stools should seek medical attention immediately especially if they suffer from acid reflux.

Barrett’s esophagus (BE) and esophageal cancer can also be complications from acid reflux and can even develop if it persists into esophageal cancers.

An esophagus that is severely injured will over time become narrowed in regions and this is called, developing strictures. Strictures can impair swallowing and difficulty swallowing is called, dysphagia. It can be so bad that food can actually get stuck in the esophagus.

When asthma combines with acid reflux other complications can arise including acid leaking into the lower esophagus which will then stimulate the vagus nerves, running through the gastrointestinal tract, which will then trigger the nearby airways within the lungs to constrict causing asthma symptoms. Asthma may cause acid reflux or acid reflux may cause asthma it is one of those types of relationships where it can be difficult to determine which came first, “the egg or the chicken”.

Acid reflux can also cause complications associated with other respiratory areas such as the sinuses, the nasal and ear passages and also the airways into the lungs. Acid back up can even reach your mouth causing dental decay and erosion of the tooth enamel. You can aspirate acid triggering asthma symptoms. Chronic sinusitis, chronic bronchitis, emphysema, pulmonary fibrosis and pneumonia that are recurring can all be attributed to acid reflux that is persistent. Having acid reflux can trigger or put you at risk for all of the above-mentioned conditions.

Related Natural Product

Acid Free-Flux is a safe, non-addictive, FDA-registered natural remedy containing 100% homeopathic ingredients selected to relieve acid reflux and heartburn. Acid Free-Flux safely maintains harmony, health and systemic balance in the stomach and digestive system, and soothes the lining of the stomach and esophagus, without harmful side effects. This remedy contains a selection of homeopathic ingredients known to relieve burning sensations and indigestion after eating due to excessive acid.

After all, what could possibly be gained by following up a good meal with nasty tasting parsley? Well, if you suffer from bad breath – and the odds are good that you do – parsley is actually a well known remedy in the fight against the putrid smells coming from your oral cavity.

At the root of the matter is chlorophyll, a chemical compound that is found in each green leaf. As a matter of fact, it is the very agent that causes leaves to turn green in the first place. Within plants, it serves to transform sunlight into energy the plant can use; when ingested by humans, it has the effect of cleansing the body and neutralizing odors. Additionally, it promotes a healthy gastrointestinal tract.

This of course explains why chlorophyll laden parsley is such a frequently mentioned substance. Not only will the ingestion of this plant help your digestive health and overall well-being, but it will also neutralize the odors found in the mouth.

In some cases it has been discovered that ineffective digestion of food leads to partially whole foods that putrefy in the digestive tract rather than being broken down. This inevitably leads to foul smells that escape via the throat and mouth.

Since chlorophyll aids in digestion and gastric workings, the foods that are not properly digested are reduced to a bare minimum. Osteopaths are known to strongly urge their patients to take chlorophyll supplements prior to eating, and then again when having finished enjoying their meal. While without the supplements this might translate into an awful lot of parsley, with the supplements this is as easy as swallowing two to four capsules with a glass of water.

Of course, while you may have escaped the need to chew on your parsley, there are some downsides to the use of chlorophyll supplements. For one, dosages that will work for you vary, and what might be a useful dosage for your friends or family members might not work for you. Secondly, and those who are a bit squeamish cite this as the most common reason, the presence of chlorophyll in your gut will turn your feces green.

To some, this is quite a shock, and there are those consumers who simply cannot deal with the side effects. Mind you, this is not dangerous and does not hint at an unhealthy imbalance of any kind, but it can be somewhat disconcerting nonetheless.

If you are ready to give the natural odor neutralizer a try, opt for high quality caplets that contain a higher concentration of chlorophyll. Observe the expiration date, since this is an organic compound, and they do have the tendency to go bad past their expiration dates, or at least greatly decrease in effectiveness. Ask your holistic practitioner for a recommendation with respect to brands and dosages.

We Recommend:

HaliTonic is a natural, safe, effective remedy that is a unique combination of biochemic tissue salts and selected medicinal herbs which are effective in cleansing the system of all bacterial or putrefactive conditions. Acting as a system cleanser and detoxifier and promoter of healthy liver functioning, regular use of HaliTonic can help to prevent bad breath by treating the underlying causes and will also assist with other body odor problems such as foul smelling feet, stools, gassy bowels, underarm odor, etc. Use HaliTonic along with a regular oral hygiene program and say goodbye to bad breath permanently! HaliTonic tablets are safe for all ages and during breastfeeding.

It is a digestive problem that has nothing to do with the heart but is caused by poor eating habits and posture. It is caused by the regurgitation of gastric acid, which causes a burning feeling in the esophagus and chest area.

The best medicine for heartburn is prevention. There are several ways of preventing this uncomfortable feeling. Eat several small meals each day instead of two or three large ones.

Stay away from spicy or greasy food because they are known to cause heartburn. Try eating an apple before you eat each meal, which is said to help prevent heartburn problems. Also, do not lie down after you eat a meal. Stay sitting or standing to allow healthy digestion.

Once you have that feeling, how can you get rid of it? There are several excellent home remedies for the burning sensation you feel in your chest. Many of these cures involve items you may already have in your kitchen. Others include ingredients you may need to visit a health food store such as basil, salvia, or chamomile to make a tea to drink.

Easing the sensation of heartburn is a priority when you are having an attack. Fennel seeds are wonderful in many home cures and especially for heartburn victims. The seeds contain an ingredient called Anethole that reduces spasms in the stomach and gastrointestinal tract. Chew half a teaspoon of Fennel seeds after each meal. They are aromatic and effective.

Drinking a tea made of anise and lavender will help ease heartburn symptoms. It does so by reducing the amount of acid in your stomach. Here is the recipe:

* Boil 2 ½ cups of distilled water
* Mix an equal amount of aniseed and lavender in dish
* Remove a teaspoon of the herbal mixture and add to the boiled water
* Strain this mixture
* The tea should cool for three to five minutes
* Add a teaspoon of honey to naturally sweeten the tea

Drink 8 ounces of this tea in the morning and in the evening for relief from heartburn pain.

Other quick and simple heartburn remedies include drinking cold milk, eating bread, eat cucumbers, and drink carbonated water. You may also eat yogurt, bananas, cooked rice and almonds. Sour cabbage is said to be great for relieving heartburn. Many think they would rather endure heartburn then eat sour cabbage! Eating uncooked almonds will also help ease heartburn pain. Also recommended is drinking a mixture of honey and lemon juice.

Remember, if you suffer from heartburn pain, eat small meals several times a day, stay away from greasy or spicy food and do not lie down after you eat a meal. If heartburn persists, you may need to see your doctor to find out if you have a more serious medical condition.

Acid Free-Flux is a safe, non-addictive, FDA-registered natural remedy containing 100% homeopathic ingredients selected to relieve acid reflux and heartburn. Acid Free-Flux safely maintains harmony, health and systemic balance in the stomach and digestive system, and soothes the lining of the stomach and esophagus, without harmful side effects. This remedy contains a selection of homeopathic ingredients known to relieve burning sensations and indigestion after eating due to excessive acid.

Meningitis

Quick, which health condition do these symptoms sound like: fever, fatigue, vomiting, and headache? You may have said the flu. If looking only to these symptoms for diagnosis, you may not think you have anything to worry about. Unfortunately, you may be wrong. These same symptoms may be a sign of meningococcal disease, also known as bacterial meningitis.

Bacterial meningitis is a serious condition and mistaking the symptoms for something less serious could mean the difference between life and death. It is a condition whereby the membranes and fluids around the brain and spine become inflamed. If left untreated, a person may experience paralysis, brain damage, or even death. Early detection is important in order to treat a person and avoid these serious results.

Bacterial meningitis can develop quickly. Symptoms may include diarrhea, vomiting, headache, runny nose, and high fever, all of which could be mistaken for a simple viral infection. However, you can suspect bacterial meningitis if the following symptoms are also present:

* Skin rash
* Sensitivity to light
* Lethargy or fatigue
* Stiff neck
* Seizures

Very young children may experience jaundice, stiffness of the neck and body, poor feeding, high-pitched crying, a soft bulge at the top front of the skull, and a fever or low temperature. If you or a child has many of these symptoms at the same time, get to the doctor as quickly as you can.

Septicemia

Septicemia, or bacteremia, is another illness parents will want to learn to recognize the symptoms of. It is associated with the gram-negative bacteria such as staphylococci and streptococci. Symptoms include fever, chills, a rapid heartbeat, and rapid breathing.

Septicemia, left untreated, may lead to organ failure or septic shock which has a mortality rate of as much as 60% among people having autoimmune problems. Patients without an autoimmune problem have a mortality rate closer to 5%.

The body has a variety of bacteria within the intestinal tract which pose no threat. However, once they enter the bloodstream, they can wreak havoc by developing into an overwhelming infection. The most common causes of septicemia include having a surgical procedure, urinary catheters, knife or bullet wound, or getting infected fecal matter into a wound.

Diagnosis of septicemia will come through a visit to the doctor where they’ll take your medical history, a physical examination, and blood tests to determine the offending infectious agent.

Treatment is normally aggressive and may vary depending upon the underlying infection, how far the septicemia has progressed, the overall health of the person, and any other disease present. Normally treatment will include antibiotics, intravenous fluids, and blood pressure medications depending upon whether low blood pressure or shock develops.

No parent wants to see their child affected by serious health conditions such as bacterial meningitis or septicemia. Unfortunately, children of all ages are affected by both of these conditions each year. Learning to recognize the symptoms of meningitis and septicemia in children will enable you to get medical treatment as soon as possible so treatment can begin and your child can begin their road to recovery.

But bringing a child into the world before they are physically ready can mean more physical disability for the child that can include lungs that arent ready to breathe on their own, gastrointestinal tract that can develop bleeding, and neurological conditions that will leave long-term disabilities.

So the decision to induce labor is not one that is taken lightly. However, there are situation during which the risk of induction is outweighed by the risk of letting nature take its course. These situations can include when the water breaks and labor doesnt begin. The amniotic fluid (water) provides a protection to both mother and baby against infection and also help to hydrate the babys skin. Without this protection the baby and mother are at high risk for infection after only 24 hours.

In the circumstances where mom has a medical condition that threatens her life or the life of her child such as high blood pressure, uncontrolled diabetes or pre-eclampsia inducing labor is the better of the two choices. In some instances mothers have delivered a full-term still birth child who was showing signs of life just days earlier. In this case doctors will induce labor early to prevent a recurrence of this situation. At other times the doctor may determine that the placenta is no longer functioning properly to oxygenate the baby or the baby doesnt appear to be growing appropriately.

Doctors have a choice of several methods to induce labor that include the use of medications or physical methods. The doctor will first evaluate the status of the cervix to determine if it requires some additional attention to help it flatten and dilate. Sometimes just ripening the cervix is enough to jump start contractions. These techniques can include the use of protoglandins hormones that are inserted into the vagina to help the cervix get ready for labor and delivery.

In other cases the doctor may use a catheter with an uninflated balloon on the tip and insert it into the cervix. When the catheter is inflated it triggers the release of prostaglandins that will help to ripen the cervix. Or doctors have the choice of stripping the membranes during an office visit to stimulate labor. During this procedure the doctor will insert a finger through the cervix that is already starting to dilate and release the lower end of the amniotic sac from the uterus. Moms are then sent home to await the start of labor usually about 1-3 days later.

If doctors feel that labor should initiate more quickly they may choose to rupture the membranes or break the moms water. During this procedure, which can be done in the office if mom is sent directly to the hospital, labor can be jump started within an hour or two. In some cases this doesnt happen so the expectant mother is given the medication pitocin to help start contractions.

There are circumstances under which labor shouldnt be induced such as if tests indicate that the baby cant tolerate contractions or must be delivered immediately, if mother has a placenta previa where the blood vessels from the umbilical cord are embedded in the amniotic membranes and could rupture during labor; if the cord is wrapped around the babys head or neck; if youve had more than one cesarean section or uterine surgery with a vertical incision; there are twins and one is breech or there are triplets or more or if the expectant mother has an active case of genital herpes.

There have been techniques that have been used at home to stimulate labor for many years. Research hasnt shown a strong link between these and the induction of labor so it may be that using them only induces labor if the baby is ready in the first place.

In the first instance women have found that having sex and an orgasm at term can induce labor. The semen contains prostaglandins and the orgasm starts contractions. Stimulation of moms nipples also releases oxytocin and can help to start labor but it can also overstimulate the uterus, contractions and the babys response which can be dangerous and shouldnt be tried at home.

For many years women have been using castor oil, a strong laxative, but there hasnt been definitive proof that this works effectively. And, because it will stimulate the bowels the expectant mother may find this to be very unpleasant.

When inducing labor the decision is best left to the physician who is able to help you weigh the pros and cons of the risks and benefits to the baby. It may seem like an eternity but just another couple of days in the uterus can help make the difference between a baby who is physically and neurologically ready to greet the world and one that will need medical support or may suffer from some long-term effects of the process.

It is said that by removing and eliminating the toxins within the body, it can help protect from disease and boost health. The process of detoxification concentrates on our internal organs, especially those that detoxify our bodies – the liver and colon in particular.

1. What Is Detoxification?

This term relates to the removal of toxins in the body, such as drugs or alcohol. Detoxification treatments range from consuming special foods like brown rice and organic fruits and vegetables to herbal cleansing mixtures, to colonic irrigation.

As with any medical program, a doctor should be consulted before starting. In addition, there are some precautions to take before undergoing a diet detoxification. There are side affects and certain groups of people should not use detoxification programs at all. The following are ten things to watch for when detoxifying your body and a list of those who should not detoxification at all.

2. For Children And The Elderly

Those with eating disorders should not attempt detoxification. Many elderly are already experiencing an inadequate immune system and should not undergo a detoxification program. People with diabetes or low blood sugar should also not attempt detoxification programs.

It is generally agreed that detoxification should not be performed on children or the elderly. Children and elderly are not good candidates for detoxification. A doctor should be consulted first. Teenagers need good nutrition and diets that involve fasting deplete needed nutrition. Some diets such as detoxification can become addictive.

3. For Pregnant And Nursing Mothers

Women who are pregnant or nursing should not undergo a detoxification program. Detoxification depletes the body of many important nutrients important to pregnant mothers and those who breastfed. In addition, if using herbs, consult a doctor. There are many natural herbs that should not be used during pregnancy.

4. Spreading Infection

Those who choose to detoxification their body through colonic irrigation should be aware of the risk of spreading infections to the intestinal tract. There is also a danger of puncturing the bowel from this procedure. During irrigation, up to fifteen gallons of water or herbal mixtures are fed into the colon. The colon is rinsed and the result comes out of another tube. There is research to suggest that this procedure is neither safe nor helpful to the body.

5. Prescription Drugs

If you take prescription medication, you are at risk if you detoxify your body. Seek medical advice before attempting a detoxification regimen. Master cleanser detoxification diets should not be attempted without strict and severe concequences unless under the supervision of a doctor.

The family of digestive disturbances amounts to more than 2 million physician outpatient visits annually and almost 40% of referrals to a gastroenterologist.

Increasing public awareness with respect to the many diseases of the digestive system enables the best possible medical outcome and quality of life for current and future patients with digestive diseases. The importance of prevention, early diagnosis, and appropriate care for diseases of the digestive system needs to be stressed.

* More than 70 million people suffer from digestive disorders that interfere with their work and their lives.
* More people can be hospitalized for digestive diseases than for any other type of illness.
* Digestive diseases can be life-threatening; colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of death from cancer in the United States alone.
* Digestive diseases cost the nation an estimated $91 billion annually in health care costs, lost work days and premature deaths.

Poor digestion is also often at the root of many chronic ailments, such as low energy, pain, inflammation, arthritis, and allergies.

Natural remedies and treatment options for digestive problems and disorders include diet, herbs, supplements, home remedies, alternative therapies and more.

Natural and Alternative Treatments for Digestive Problems and Improving Your Digestion

* Peppermint oil (Mentha piperita) – Abdominal pain, the most frequent and disabling symptom of IBS, improves when the intestinal smooth muscles are relaxed. Peppermint oil can reduce abdominal pain and distension of IBS, possibly by blocking the influx of calcium into muscle cells and inhibiting excess contraction of intestinal smooth muscles. It is a carminative, which means it helps eliminate intestinal gas.

* Fennel seed (Foeniculum vulgare) – Fennel is another herb that is used to relieve spasm of the gastrointestinal tract, feelings of fullness, and flatulence. In Germany, fennel seed is licensed as a standard medical tea for dyspepsia.

* Gamma-oryzanol – Gamma-oryzanol is a natural substance isolated from rice bran oil. Studies have shown that it protects the mucus lining of the gastrointestinal tract by regulating nervous system control and exerts anti-oxidant activity. Clinically, gamma-oryzanol has been found to be effective in a broad range of gastrointestinal complaints, including irritable bowel.

* Magnesium is a mineral that has been used widely for treating abdominal cramps and constipation. It is obtained naturally from the diet, and is required for many metabolic activities in the body. Absorption of magnesium is reduced by high intake of calcium, alcohol, surgery, diuretics, liver or kidney disease, and oral contraceptive use. Fatigue, fibromyalgia, migraine, premenstrual syndrome, and dysmenorrhea are conditions associated with magnesium deficiency. Women with premenstrual syndrome who were found to have low magnesium were more likely to have excess sensitivity to pain with generalized aches and pains.

* Identify and remove food intolerances – Many foods can be removed from your diet for a brief period of time, and then re-introduced sequentially to isolate your body’s reaction to the offending foods. Food sensitivities are behind many digestive disorders. For example, between 33% and 66% of sufferers report having one or more food intolerances, resulting in bloating, gas, and pain. The most common culprits are milk, dairy and grains.

* Improve gut motility – Soluble fiber increases bowel transit and stools and relieves constipation. Increase your dietary fiber intake with good sources of fiber such as Dried fruit, such as dates, figs, prunes, apples, beans, legumes and ground flaxseeds. Psyllium is a good source of soluble fiber and is readily available. Sufficient water should be taken or fiber can have the opposite effect and result in greater constipation. Dandelion root (Taraxacum officinale) is licensed in Germany as a standard medicinal tea to treat distension, flatulence, dyspepsia, lack of appetite, and other digestive complaints.

* Get enough water – insufficient water intake is a primary cause of constipation. Constipation then causes an imbalance in bacteria, promotes inflammation of the intestinal lining, and can even lead to the absorption of larger molecules, a condition known as Leaky Gut. Leaky Gut can further lead to inflammation, fatigue, food allergies, and arthritis.

* Restore a healthy balance of bacteria in the gut – Increase good gut bacteria – Not all bacteria is bad. There are over 400 different kinds of bacteria and yeasts in the digestive system. Of these, the bacteria Lactobacillus acidophillus and Bifidobacterium bifidum are considered good “probiotic” bacteria because they can help to maintain intestinal health and restore healthy balance of bacteria in the gut. They can decrease the amount of bacteria with gas-producing abilities and relieve symptoms such as abdominal distension and flatulence. Bifidobacterium acts as a barrier against colonization of the gastrointestinal tract by pathogenic bacteria, and lactobacillus inhibits the attachment of pathogens onto the intestinal mucus lining.

* Pancreatic enzymes help to inhibit the growth of bacteria in the small intestine. They help to improve protein digestion. Goldenseal (Hydrastis canadensis) also inhibits bacteria, and prevents the conversion of proteins to vasoactive amines.

Symptoms vary from person to person and are more common among women, but anyone can get and experience digestive problems and disorders. Many digestive problems are also associated with non-gastrointestinal conditions such as headache, low back pain, arthritis, non-cardiac chest pain, difficult urination and fibromyalgia. Anxiety, hostile feelings, sadness, depression, and sleep disturbances are also associated with IBS and other digestive problems. Sometimes stress and certain foods can worsen symptoms, although they do not cause digestive problems.

Misunderstandings about diseases and problems that affect the digestive system still exist. However, these misunderstanding and myths can be dangerous if it keeps you from correctly preventing or treating an illness.

As part of Digestive Diseases Awareness Month in May, read up on these interesting common misconceptions and Digestive Disease Myths and factual follow-ups:

Myth # 1: Crohn’s disease is contagious.

False
Crohn’s disease is not contagious. The cause of Crohn’s disease is unknown. Although diet may affect the symptoms in patients with Crohn’s disease, it is unlikely that diet is responsible for the disease.

Myth # 2: Inflammatory bowel disease is caused by psychological problems.

False
Inflammatory bowel disease is the general name for two diseases that cause inflammation in the intestines, Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. The cause of the disease is unknown, but researchers speculate that it may be a virus or bacteria interacting with the body’s immune system.

Myth # 3: Spicy food and stress cause stomach ulcers.

False
Truth is, almost all stomach ulcers are caused either by infection with a bacterium called Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) or by use of pain medications such as aspirin, ibuprofen, or naproxen, the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). NSAID-induced ulcers can be cured with time, stomach-protective medications, antacids, and avoidance of NSAIDs. Spicy food and stress may aggravate ulcer symptoms in some people, but they do not cause ulcers.

Myth # 4: Smoking a cigarette helps relieve heartburn.

False
Actually, cigarette smoking contributes to heartburn. Heartburn occurs when the lower esophageal sphincter -a muscle between the esophagus and stomach-relaxes, allowing the acidic contents of the stomach to splash back into the esophagus. Cigarette smoking causes the LES to relax.

Myth # 5: Bowel regularity means a bowel movement every day.

False
The frequency of bowel movements among normal, healthy people varies from three a day to three a week, and perfectly healthy people may fall outside both ends of this range.

Myth # 6: Habitual use of enemas to treat constipation is harmless.

False
The truth is, habitual use of enemas is not harmless. Over time, enemas can impair the natural muscle action of the intestines, leaving them unable to function normally. An ongoing need for enemas is not normal; you should see a doctor if you find yourself relying on them or any other medication to have a bowel movement.

Myth # 7: Celiac disease is a rare childhood disease.

False
Celiac disease affects children and adults. At least 1 in 1,000 people and, in some populations, 1 in 200 people have celiac disease. Most often, celiac disease first causes symptoms during childhood, usually diarrhea, growth failure, and failure to thrive. But the disease can also first cause symptoms in adults. These symptoms may be vague and therefore attributed to other conditions. Symptoms can include bloating, diarrhea, abdominal pain, skin rash, anemia, and thinning of the bones (osteoporosis). Celiac disease may cause such nonspecific symptoms for several years before being correctly diagnosed and treated.

People with celiac disease should not eat any foods containing gluten, a protein in wheat, rye, barley, and possibly oats, regardless of whether or not they have symptoms. In these people, gluten destroys part of the lining of the small intestine, which interferes with the absorption of nutrients. The damage can occur from even a small amount of gluten, and not everyone has symptoms of damage.

Myth # 8: Diverticulosis is an uncommon and serious problem.

False
Actually, the majority over age 60 have diverticulosis, but only a small percentage have symptoms or complications. Diverticulosis is a condition in which little sacs – or out-pouchings – called diverticula, develop in the wall of the colon. These tend to appear and increase in number with age. Most people do not have symptoms and would not know that they had diverticula unless x-ray or intestinal examination were done. Less than 10% of people with diverticulosis ever develop complications such as infection (diverticulitis), bleeding, or perforation of the colon.

Myth # 9: Irritable bowel syndrome is one of the least common ailments of the bowel (intestines).

False
Actually, Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is one of the most common ailments of the bowel (intestines) and affects an estimated 15%. Some of the symptoms of IBS are nausea, vomiting, abdominal bloating, abdominal distention diarrhea and constipation.

Digestion is a natural process; therefore, you should treat all digestive problems and disorders naturally and effectively.

Gastronic Dr. is a natural, safe, effective and powerful herbal formula to help relieve and prevent flare-ups stomach disorders such as IBS, Crohn’s Disease, Gastritis, Acid Reflux (GERD), Ulcerative Colitis and Diverticulosis.

Use this remedy to prevent the flare ups of these conditions; tone the entire digestive system, soothe the stomach lining and maintain healthy digestive and bowel functioning; fight against harmful free radicals in your body and promote healthy absorption of nutrients. Formulated by a clinical psychologist, Gastronic Dr. is pharmaceutically manufactured to the highest standards.

Sources: Gut, published April 24, 2006; Truestar Health Inc.; Cathy Wong, N.D from About.com Your Guide to Alternative Medicine; Foundation for Digestive Health and Nutrition Digestive Health Education; MedicineNet.com

Water prevents and helps to cure heartburn.

Heartburn is a signal of water shortage in the upper part of the gastrointestinal tract. It is a major thirst signal of the human body. The use of antacids or tablet medications in the treatment of this pain does not correct dehydration, and the body continues to suffer as a result of its water shortage.

Water prevents and helps to cure arthritis.

Rheumatoid joint pain – arthritis – is a signal of water shortage in the painful joint. It can affect the young as well as the old. The use of pain-killers does not cure the problem, but exposes the person to further damage from pain medications. Intake of water and small amounts of salt will cure this problem.

Water prevents and helps to cure back pain.

Low back pain and ankylosing arthritis of the spine are signs of water shortage in the spinal column and discs – the water cushions that support the weight of the body. These conditions should be treated with increased water intake – not a commercial treatment, but a very effective one.

Not recognizing arthritis and low back pain as signs of dehydration in the joint cavities and treating them with pain-killers, manipulation, acupuncture, and eventually surgery will, in time, produce osteoarthritis when the cartilage cells in the joints have eventually all died. It will produce deformity of the spine. It will produce crippling deformities of the limbs. Pain medications have their own life-threatening complications.

Water prevents and helps to cure angina.

Heart pain – angina – is a sign of water shortage in the heart/lung axis. It should be treated with increased water intake until the patient is free of pain and independent of medications. Medical supervision is prudent. However, increased water intake is angina‘s cure.

Water prevents and helps to cure migraines.

Migraine headache is a sign of water need by the brain and the eyes. It will totally clear up if dehydration is prevented from establishing in the body. The type of dehydration that causes migraine might eventually cause inflammation of the back of the eye and possibly loss of eye sight.

Water prevents and helps to cure colitis.

Colitis pain is a signal of water shortage in the large gut. It is associated with constipation because the large intestine constricts to squeeze the last drop of water from the excrements – thus the lack of water lubrication.

Not recognizing colitis pain as a sign of dehydration will cause persistent constipation. Later in life, it will cause fecal impacting: it can cause diverticulitis, hemorrhoids and polyps, and appreciably increases the possibility of developing cancer of the colon and rectum.

Water and salt prevent and helps to cure asthma.

Asthma, which also affects 14 million children and kills several thousand of them every year, is a complication of dehydration in the body. It is caused by the drought management programs of the body. In asthma free passage of air is obstructed so that water does not leave the body in the form of vapor – the winter steam. Increased water intake will prevent asthma attacks. Asthmatics need also to take more salt to break the mucus plugs in the lungs that obstruct the free flow of air in and out of the air sacs.

Not recognizing asthma as the indicator of dehydration in the body of a growing child not only will sentence many thousands of children to die every year, but will permit irreversible genetic damage to establish in the remaining 14 million asthmatic children.

Water prevents and helps to cure high blood pressure.

Hypertension is a state of adaptation of the body to a generalized drought, when there is not enough water to fill all the blood vessels that diffuse water into vital cells. As part of the mechanism of reverse osmosis, when water from the blood serum is filtered and injected into important cells through minute holes in their membranes, extra pressure is needed for the “injection process.” Just as we inject I.V. “water” in hospitals, so the body injects water into tens of trillions of cells all at the same time. Water and some salt intake will bring blood pressure back to normal!

Not recognizing hypertension as one of the major indicators of dehydration in the human body, and treating it with diuretics that further dehydrate the body will, in time, cause blockage by cholesterol of the heart arteries and the arteries that go to the brain. It will cause heart attacks and small or massive strokes that paralyze. It will eventually cause kidney disease. It will cause brain damage and neurological disorders, such as Alzheimer’s disease.

Water prevents and helps to cure early adult-onset diabetes.

Adult-onset diabetes is another adaptive state to severe dehydration of the human body. To have adequate water in circulation and for the brain’s priority water needs, the release of insulin is inhibited to prevent insulin from pushing water into all body cells. In diabetes, only some cells get survival rations of water. Water and some salt will reverse adult-onset diabetes in its early stages.

Not recognizing adult-onset diabetes as a complication of dehydration will, in time, cause massive damage to the blood vessels all over the body. It will cause eventual loss of the toes, feet and legs from gangrene. It will cause eye damage, even blindness.

Water lowers blood cholesterol.

High cholesterol levels are an indicator of early drought management by the body. Cholesterol is a clay-like material that is poured in the gaps of some cell membranes to safeguard them against losing their vital water content to the osmotically more powerful blood circulating in their vicinity. Cholesterol, apart from being used to manufacture nerve cell membranes and hormones, is also used as a “shield” against water taxation of other vital cells that would normally exchange water through their cell membranes.

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Bulimia is characterized by a poor self-image and distorted view of reality. The perspective is often that at near normal weight they are pudgy and overweight. This distortion causes them to use food to control their weight and their environment resulting in a strict diet regime. The characteristic of binging off the diet and then purging to prevent weight gain 2 times a week defines the actions of a bulimic.

The late in stage bulimia effects are a result of the way in which sufferers inappropriately purge themselves of the added calories in an effort to prevent weight gain. People suffering from bulimia will use one or a combination of several methods that include excessive exercise, self-induced vomiting and use of laxatives to purge their bodies of the extra calories that they ate.

Some of the long term effects of bulimia are life threatening or will result in a life long damage done to the body. Purging the body with self-induced vomiting has an effect on the gastrointestinal tract, teeth, nutrition and cardiovascular systems.

Late in stage bulimia effects will include dental damage from the bile acid in the vomit that comes in consistent contact with the back of the teeth. This damages the enamel and bulimics can lose the teeth.

Consistently vomiting large amounts of food may result in esophageal or stomach tears. These can be small tears that the body can heal spontaneously or they may result in larger tears that are medical emergencies when the sufferer begins to bleed internally.

Loss of fluid from the body through laxative use or self-induced vomiting results in dehydration and low blood pressure. The late in stage bulimia effects from long term low blood pressure is damage to the kidneys. The kidneys need an appropriate blood pressure in order to be perfused by blood and receive the nutrients and oxygen to continue life. Without these factors there is long term damage done to the organ.

Kidney damage and kidney failure is a life threatening late in stage bulimia effect. The kidneys are responsible for filtering out the waste products and toxins from the body. When they are damaged these toxins remain in the body causing the sufferer to feel poorly and the toxins to damage the other organs of the body. This is a life-threatening problem.

The lack of blood pressure and fluids also result in low amount of vitamins and minerals which affect the health of other organs. One of the common necessary nutrients that is affected is potassium.

Potassium is a nutrient that is necessary for electrical stimulation of the muscles. It is one reason why the sufferers feel muscle weakness and fatigue. One of the muscles also affected is the heart. A lack of potassium will result in lethal heart arrhythmias and potentially death.

Late in stage bulimia also affects other aspects of the cardiovascular system by producing low blood pressure, high cholesterol, poor vascular perfusion, and heart disease.

At any time during the experience with bulimia the sufferer can also have problems with electrolyte imbalances from the dehydration, women can experience a miscarriage from lack of nutrition for the baby or teens can experience a retarded growth pattern resulting in a shorter stature.

This is one symptom of many that can occur with Crohn’s disease. Crohn’s disease is a chronic medical condition that causes the intestines and digestive tract to become inflammed and swell up.

The entire gastrointestinal tract can be affected by Crohn’s disease and sometimes even the genito urinary system. Most of the time, the only parts that are affected are the colon and small intestine. What happens is that the swelling occurs which leads to pain in the abdomen and cramping. The result is diarrhea.

It is common for someone to have an episode and then have Crohn’s disease go into remission. But a large number of Crohn’s sufferers deal with the abdominal pain, fever and diarrhea daily. This condition is not fatal in itself but there can be complications that can lead to death.

If you have been diagnosed with Crohn’s disease then you will need to have constant monitoring by a physician and a treatment plan. With a doctors help, you will be able to manage your symptoms and go on to lead a fulfilling life.

Crohn’s disease has many of the same symptoms as other inflammatory bowel diseases‘. For this reason, it can be really hard for your doctor to be able to tell exactly what you have. The symptoms can occur daily or just every once in awhile and include: pain and cramping in the abdomen, ulcers, nausea, fever, vomiting, weight loss and rectal bleeding.

Some symptoms can occur outside the gastrointestinal tract such as: UTI (Urinary Tract Infection), liver inflammation, arthritis, osteoporosis, eye inflammation and problems with the skin. It can be really hard to diagnose children because the symptoms outside of the gastrointestinal tract tend to be dominant.

Herbal remedies are good at stopping the disease at it’s source by putting an end to the inflammatory response. They offer a lot of support and bring about harmony in the body systems. Doctors tend to prescribe medications that treat symptoms but with these remedies you are trying to tackle the source of the problem.

Matricaria recutita, Sutherlandia Frutescens, Filipendula Ulmaria and Ulmus Fulva all aim to make your digestive system stronger and healthier. They do not have side effects like many prescriptions and encourage overall health in your body. Make sure you let your doctor know that you are thinking about incorporating herbs into your treatment plan rather than just stopping what they have prescribed without warning.

Yeast commonly live in the intestinal tract helping the body to digest foods. The yeast growth is kept in check by specific types of bacteria which are affected when the immune system is no longer fully functional. At this time the yeast is able to grow faster and further than it would normally. This overgrowth increases the potential that the yeast will leak from the intestinal tract and grow in other areas of the body such as the sinuses, vaginal tract or lungs.

There are many different complications that can happen when he begins to grow unchecked. People with systemic yeast infections often have a myriad of symptomatology which can be difficult to diagnose. Before an infection gets a war or if it’s important to recognize the symptoms and avoid any complications such as pelvic pain related to yeast infections.

Pelvic pain is not always the most common symptom of a yeast infection in the vaginal area. More often there is a triad of symptoms which include odor, thick white discharge or itching and burning. When signs and symptoms of a vaginal yeast infection are present and the wall then it is relatively certain that the symptoms are from a yeast infection there are specific over the counter treatments which may be tried.

However, if a woman as pelvic pain associated with a vaginal yeast infection it will be necessary to seek the advice of her healthcare practitioner. This is because the pelvic pain may be associated with another illness or condition and not be a result of the vaginal yeast infection.

A symptom of chronic pelvic pain include pain during sexual intercourse, cramping, a feeling of heaviness or sharp pressure inside the pelvis, intermittent paying a dull ache, or pain during bowel movements. Likely causes Ford tell the pain include endometriosis, spasms of the pelvic floor, chronic pelvic inflammatory disease, fibroids, irritable bowel syndrome, or interstitial cystitis.

Because there are so many causes for chronic pelvic pain your healthcare practitioner will likely order a series of tests to determine the source of the problem and not automatically determine that pelvic pain is caused from yeast infection.