What diet should I have to rid of constipation?

April 3, 2009 by admin · 5 Comments
Filed under: Constipation 

What diet should I have to rid of constipation?
Any idea how can I get a healthy intestinal transit?
Thanks,

High fiber diets are the best for your intestinal tract and for constipation. The fiber helps stimulate your GI tract to push everything down and out. high fiber diets are also a good way to protect yourself from colon cancer. you can find fiber in cereal, whole grain bread, fruits and vegetables. you can also take a fiber supplement, but it is never as good as getting it in your diet.

Colon Cleanse For Colorectal Cancer Prevention

March 20, 2009 by admin · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Colon Cleanse 

National statistics show that colorectal cancer is one of the top three common forms of cancer, with 130,000 Americans affected yearly and resulting in 60,000 deaths. Colorectal cancer can be said to be a disease of modern times, since it is virtually unknown 100 years ago.

Colorectal cancer is also known as colon cancer or bowel cancer. It refers to cancer in the colon, rectum and appendix. It is found that many colorectal cancers develop from polyps in the colon. These mushroom-like growths are more often than not, benign and not therefore not life threatening. But some may become cancerous over time. You would need a colonoscopy for a diagnosis of colorectal cancer. Colorectal cancer treatment usually involves surgery followed by chemotherapy.

While colorectal cancer has been studied to be one of the most common forms of inherited cancers, the condition of the average digestive system must be taken into consideration. After all, can it be truly said that the genes in the human body have mutated fast enough in 100 years to cause an inherited disease?

Since many people also show many other digestive disorders, natural health experts pinpoint the cause to be toxins. Toxins can come from various sources such as dietary and environmental factors. To prevent colorectal cancer, therefore, a colon cleanse would be beneficial. This process can heal herniations of the colon and polyps. In addition, a colon cleanse is soothing to the intestinal tract, relieving it years of accumulated waste.

Colon toxicity also results from the growth of parasites and unhealthy bacteria. This can add to the problem of constipation, irritable bowel syndrome and gas. To a great extent, it is impossible to avoid toxins altogether while living in the modern world with its many conveniences. The only way around the toxicity issue is to do regular colon cleanse.

Do note, however, that a colon cleanse would not be suitable if you have serious problems or are already on medications. You should always check with your physician to make sure that you are safe to do one.

There are several ways to do a colon cleanse for the prevention of colorectal cancer. You can get colon cleansing herbs from your local health store. The benefits of cleansing are several. They include less bloatedness, more energy and easy bowel movements of at least once a day. You also strengthen your immune system and improve your overall health with a colon cleanse.

Sandra Kim Leong
http://www.articlesbase.com/non-fiction-articles/colon-cleanse-for-colorectal-cancer-prevention-119776.html

Find a Natural Colon Cleanse That Works

February 6, 2009 by admin · 6 Comments
Filed under: Colon Cleanse 

Colon health difficulties are much more widespread in the developed world than you might think. One reason is that we tend to shy away from topics like constipation and health in our everyday conversations. But even if are not willing to talk about it, the healthy functioning of your colon is crucial to your overall health and well-being. If you’re suffering from chronic pain, constipation and lack of energy, these could be symptoms that indicate you need a natural colon cleanse.

You may be wondering why your doctor has never discussed the need for a colon cleanse. The reality is that most doctors receive very little training in nutrition and natural health procedures. This often means that maintaining your overall well-being and good natural health is up to you.

Finding and using a natural colon cleanse that works should be one of your highest priorities. Our intestinal tract and waste elimination systems were designed to work quite well with a natural diet and regular physical activity. But today we are much less active and much more likely to be eating processed and engineered food. Not only are chemicals added to your food, but beneficial nutrients are often removed in the process. These unnatural foods create toxins in your body. Not only is your colon health affected, but it places an extra load on other toxin-removing organs in your body as well.

A natural colon cleanse accomplishes more than simply cleansing unwanted matter and built-up waste from our colon. It also helps to disinfect your colon, kills unwanted bacteria and regulates and balances your intestinal flora. Intestinal flora are natural microorganisms that live in your digestive tract. Although it’s possible to live without them, they play an important role in improving our overall health and protecting us from harmful microorganisms.

Those who’ve experienced a colon cleanse report relief from an incredible array of health conditions, including constipation, diarrhea, fatigue, headaches and allergies. As you might have guessed, a natural colon cleanse is an excellent way to lose weight and many dieters report that weight loss is much easier once their digestive system is operating at peak efficiency. Optimal functioning of our colon also means that we will be assimilating vitamins and minerals from our food much more easily.

Since a colon cleanse reduces waste and toxins in our bodies, you should also expect greater overall vitality, higher alertness and possibly even some relief from depression.

There are several basic ways to accomplish a natural colon cleanse. Most of these solutions can be found at your local health food store or on the Internet. If you choose to purchase from the Internet, do your research well and don’t fall for a product with outlandish claims and an unbeatable price.

An oxygen-based colon cleanse is preferred by many alternative health practitioners because it’s able to effectively remove unwanted bacteria while leaving the good bacteria in place to continue working. An oxygen-based natural colon cleanse cleans and refreshes your entire intestinal tract, not just the lower intestine.

Another way to accomplish a natural colon cleanse is through the use of colonics or colon hydrotherapy. Colon hydrotherapy is often used in connection with an oxygen-based colon cleanse. Also known as colonic irrigation, colon hydrotherapy is quite similar in many ways to an enema, but uses purified water that often infused with beneficial minerals or other natural substances.

You also have the option of performing a natural colon cleanse by using herbal-based products. Herbal-based products normally contain natural fiber, which is designed to loosen and remove built-up materials from your colon, and parasite-fighting herbs, which naturally kill any intestinal worms or other parasites you may be harboring in your colon.

Some purists maintain that the only truly natural colon cleanse involves changing your diet to eliminate processed foods. A diet rich in raw fruits and vegetables, juices and high fiber foods is optimal for good colon health. And you will certainly want to begin adjusting your diet to avoid colon health problems in the future. But it’s a good idea to start the colon cleanse process with high quality herbal products that can help you get off to a good start.

Jim Mcdonald

http://www.articlesbase.com/non-fiction-articles/find-a-natural-colon-cleanse-that-works-140657.html

Fight Ulcers With Natural Dgl Licorice Vitamin Supplements

December 24, 2008 by admin · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Constipation 

With peptic ulcers on the rise, conventional medical treatment has changed dramatically in recent years. Now available are a huge assortment of antacids, histamine blockers, and proton pump blockers that only cover up the symptoms but don’t address the real cause of a peptic ulcer. In this article we will discuss what a peptic ulcer is its symptoms and causes. We will also look at how ulcers are currently treated and compare the side effects of conventional medicine to DGL Licorice along with how to take DGL Licorice and where you can find this product to puchase.

Peptic ulcers are formed on the lining of the stomach, small intestines, and esophagus. These areas are eroded sores from stomach acid that if left un-checked can be life threatening. Ulcers in the stomach are called gastric ulcers and ulcers in the intestinal tract are called duodenal ulcers. Peptic ulcers pose a chronic health problem because they go into remission and then become active again as time goes on through out life.

Peptic ulcers are very common in America where one in ten people develop ulcers in there life time. Duodenal ulcers are the most common and easiest to heal. Stomach ulcers usually recur more often with more discomfort. Individuals with peptic ulcers can have very little pain to no pain at all. Others can experience pain associated to burning and cramping that comes and goes from several days to several weeks. Most individuals experience pain about two to three hours after eating or symptoms can flare up in the middle of the night. Most individuals can relieve this pain by eating food. Other symptoms may be weight loss, poor appetite, bloating, burping, nausea and vomiting. (1,2)

Over the past two decades there has been a radical shift in what doctors think cause peptic ulcers. In the past, ulcers have been blamed on stress, spicy foods, alcohol consumption, and gastric acid production, but now researchers discovered most ulcers are cause be a bacterial infection. Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) accounts for the majority of ulcer cases in America.

Some over the counter and prescription pain killers can cause ulcers as well. Drugs known as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can also cause peptic ulcers. Some common ones you maybe familiar is ibuprofen found in Motrin and Advil.

You might be wondering how you can tell if you have this H. pylori bacterium in your body. Current technology allows three ways of testing, blood test, a breath test, and tissue testing. Blood test is the most commonly used form of detection. A breath test is used after treatment to kill the bacteria to determine if the treatment worked.

As a rule of thumb 20% of Americans under 40 and 50% of Americans over 60 have the H. pylori bacteria. Even though some individuals have the bacteria they do not come down with ulcers so researchers are looking into why this happens in some individuals. Researchers have also discovered some individuals do not come down with ulcers while taking NSAIDs for long periods of time which leads researchers to believe other factors in the intestinal environment might be at hand with the development of ulcers. (3,4)

Today’s medical community treats H. pylori ulcer patients with the triple therapy theory. Patients are prescribed antibiotics, a strong anti-acid, and stomach protectors. The antibiotics usually kill off the bacteria if this is the root cause of the ulcer. Some of these acid suppressing medications are histamine-2-receptor antagonists Tagamet, Zantac, Pepcid, and proton pump inhibitors Prilosec and Prevacid.

It is important to seek a licensed health care practitioner if you suspect that you have ulcers. Ulcers can erode the stomach lining and cause life threatening bleeding and infections such as peritonitis. Despite the risk of adverse side effects from medication, it is important to consult a practitioner before taking matters into your own hands. There are natural supplements that work well with prescription medication which can enhance healing of the ulcer. In some cases, milder pre-ulcer conditions might be treated with more natural alternatives first if your licensed health care practitioner so chooses.

There are natural alternatives that work well to heal an ulcer and can be used in conjunction with antibiotics and other prescription drugs. Licorice root specifically Deglycrrhizinated licorice (DGL) can be a good natural complement to other therapeutic measures recommended by your health care processional. Researchers have studied DGL in the treatment of gastric and duodenal ulcers. (5-12)

DGL actually addresses the underlying problem causing ulcers instead of hiding the symptoms by reducing stomach acid. DGL addressed the underlying factors by promoting our body’s natural defense mechanisms already in place to prevent ulcers. DGL stimulates the quantity and quality of the protective substance that lines the stomach and intestinal tract. (10,13)

DGL is a special extract of licorice with certain components removed. The glycyrrhizin molecules have been removed from licorice which is associated with high blood pressure and low potassium levels. Sodium has also been removed from the DGL licorice which will help prevent water retention. Long term use of licorice root can have adverse side effects such as water retention, high blood pressure and low potassium; DGL has all the components removed and what are left are very beneficial biologically active flavonoids.

In 1982, researchers reported DGL was as effective as Tagamet in curing gastric ulcers. (14) The same year DGL was also reported to be as good as Zantac. (6) Licorice root extract in the form of DGL stimulates the release of secretin. Secretin has a protective effect on gastric mucosa. By stimulating the body’s natural release of endogenous secretin, the body can rebuild the stomach or intestinal lining that has damage. (15)

In the past anti-acids were the number one prescribed drug for ulcers but have since been replaced with proton pump inhibitors. Anti-acids have nasty side effects on the bowels, for example: aluminum hydroxide promotes constipation and other anti-acids like magnesium hydroxide promote diarrhea. Anti-acids reduce stomach acid and can reduce the absorption of vitamins and medications.

In comparison to DGL other drugs such as antacids, Tagamet, Zantac, Prilosec, and Prevacid all have side effects where DGL has none. Antacids such as magnesium hydroxide, aluminum hydroxide, calcium and aluminum carbonate (Maalox, Mylanta, Gelusil, and Tums) can cause rebound hyperacidity, a condition in which the body creates even more acid in response to the artificial stomach acid neutralization. Antacids can also have bowel changes such as diarrhea or constipation and possible drug interactions. Due to the high sodium content of antacids, individuals with kidney impairment should consult a doctor before use. Tagamet, Zantac, Prilosec and Prevacid have the following side effects respectively. Tagamet can cause dizziness, sleepiness, headaches, confusion, hallucinations, diarrhea, and impotence in men. (16) Zantac can cause headaches, constipation, diarrhea, nausea, abdominal pain, and rashes. (17) Prilosec and Prevacid can cause headaches, dizziness, diarrhea, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, constipation, and upper respiratory symptoms. (18,19)

DGL has none of the above listed side effects and is easy to use. DGL should be taken 20 minutes before each meal in 760 or 1520 mg doses. The best way to consume DGL is to chew and mix with the saliva in your mouth. Salivary compounds in the mouth help stimulate the growth and regeneration of stomach and intestinal cells. Use DGL from 8 to 16 weeks or for as long as your health care provider recommends. In conclusion, DGL can help improve the integrity of the stomach and intestinal lining and help one recover from those nasty ulcers. DGL and other stomach aids can be found at your local or internet health food store.

References:

1. Peptic ulcer. In: Guyton AC, Hall JE. Textbook of Medical Physiology. Philadelphia, Pa: W.B. Saunders Company;1998:846-847.

2. Peptic ulcer disease. In: Porth CM. Pathophysiology: Concepts of Altered Health States. 5th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Lippincott; 1998: 725-728.

3. Dajani EZ, Klamut MJ. Novel therapeutic approaches to gastric and duodenal ulcers: an update. Expert Opin Investig Drugs. 2000;9:1537-1544.

4. Cappell MS, Schein JR. Diagnosis and treatment of nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drug-associated upper gastrointestinal toxicity. Gastroenterol Clin North Am. 2000;29:97-124.

5. Engqvist A, von Feilitzen F, Pyk E, Reichard H. Double-blind trial of deglycyrrhizinated liqourice in gastric ulcer. Gut. 1973;14:711-715.

6. Glick L. Deglycyrrhizinated liquorice for peptic ulcer. Lancet. 1982;9:817.

7. Bardhan KD, Cumberland DC, Dixon RA, Holdsworth CD. Clinical trial of deglycyrrhisinated liqourice in gastric ulcer. Gut. 1978;19:779-782.

8. Balakrishnan V, Pillai MV, Raveebdran PM, Nair CS. Deglycrrhizinated liqourice in the treatment of chronic duodenal ulcer. J Assoc Physicians India. 1978;26:811-814.

9. Rees WDW, Rhodes J, Wright JE, Stamford IF, Bennett A. Effect of deglycyrrhizinated liquorice on gastric mucosal damage by aspirin. Scand J Gastroenterol. 1979;14:605-607.

10. Tewari SN, Wilson AK. Deglycrrhizinated liquorice in duodenal ulcer. Practitioner. 1973;210:820-823.

11. Abrahamsson H, Dotevall G. Pharmacological and clinical aspects of some drugs used in peptic ulcer treatment. Scand J Gastroenterol. 1979;55:117-120.

12. Bardnan KD, Cumberland DC, Dixon RA, Holdsworth CD. Proceedings: Deglycrrhizinated liqourice in gastric ulcer: a double-blind controlled trial. Gut. 1976;17:397.

13. Morgan AG, Pacsoo C, McAdam WAF. Maintenance therapy: a two year comparison between Caved-S and cimetidine treatment in the prevention of symptomatic gastric ulcer recurrence. Gut. 1985;26:599-602.

14. Morgan AG, McAdam WAF, Pacsoo C, Darnborough A. Comparison between cimetidine and Caved-S in the treatment of gastric ulceration, and subsequent maintenance therapy. Gut. 1982;23:545-551.

15. Takeuchi T, Shiratori K, Watanabe S, Chang J-H, Moriyoshi Y, Shimizu K. Secretin as a potential mediator of antiulceractions of mucosal protective agents. J Clin Gastroenterol. 1991;13:83-87.

16. Cimetidine. In: Physicians’ Desk Reference. 54th ed. Montvale, NJ: Medical Economics Company, Inc; 2000:3043-3046.

17. Ranitidine. Ibid. pp. 1310-1312.

18. Omeprazole. Ibid. pp. 617-621.

19. Lansoprazole. Ibid. pp. 3105-3110.

Recovering From A Heavy Meal With A Good Colon Cleanse

November 17, 2008 by admin · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Colon Cleanse 



Have too much one night? Whether it was a dinner that ways way too rich for your system or one drink just lead to another and you now are regretting all those cocktails, you need to help your body recover from that indulgence. While you may think it is just a stomach ache or headache you are getting from your gluttony, there is much more happening to your system that you may not know about.  

* The Meal. Usually, when you overindulge in food, it is going to be a meal heavy in meat, potatoes, fats (in the meal and dessert). These are all items that are harder for your body to break down, digest and remove.

* The Impact. The initial impact of these types of foods is an impact that you are going to immediately feel. You will be bloated or stuffed and even get cramps and gas as your body tries to break it all down. 

At this point it is important to understand that it takes your intestinal tract two or even three days to process the foods that you eat. Putting a lot of food in, lots of rich foods, can clog up the system and it may even take up to a week to get some of the foods through your intestines. 

Another snag you have caused is that for the most part when people are out and having a great time with good food they eat too quickly. That means there is less chewing than there should be and you will swallow larger than advised pieces of food that will make your body work even harder to break them down.

* Enzyme Shortage. Too much food in your colon at once can also cause a snag in the digestive process. Your body uses enzymes to break down meals after you eat them. If you eat too much, your body may not have enough of the enzymes to get the job done.

* Recovery. Once you have over indulged, you may try an easy way out, such as taking an anti-gas medication. While that may relieve the bloating, just removing a little discomfort is not going to really help your body recover from the meal you have taken in.

To really make a difference, you need to help your body in the removal of the food that is backing up in your digestive system.   This is where a colon cleanse comes into play.  You don’t want to let your system clog up and keep the food sticking inside longer than it needs to.  As the food sits in your digestive system it starts to break down and rot. Toxins come off of the breaking down food and can pile up inside your colon. As these toxins are gathering in your system, they can spread into your body and blood and make you ill.   Getting a colon cleanse is a way to give your body aid in removing that rich food and the toxins coming from it. Many people like to wait.  They wait a day or so then finally decide to get a colon cleansing to help their body get rid of all the food remnants.  But the best option is to do this more quickly.    Ideally, it would be best to begin your colon cleanse when you get home the same night you have had the over indulgence.   A gentle, natural colon cleanse is a good way to relieve your system while you sleep.