Choose Natural Treatments To Control Bowel Problems

Constipation is one of the most common digestive disorders – furthermore, constipation is the most troublesome in terms of bowel control. Diarrhea is another unpleasant disorder; we all suffer from this type of delays and emergencies, but few of us know that they can be solved with the help of alternative medicine treatments. Natural herbs are there for you, waiting to be used and appreciated. Dealing with these digestive disorders can be tricky, as even the “simple” constipation can be easily transformed into a chronic problem, in case harmful laxatives are used. But with the help of the natural remedies that are recommended by the alternative medicine, you have higher chances of being healthy again. It is important for you to know that if you use laxatives constantly, you will loose natural bowel movements and therefore, you might complicate your problem even more. On the other hand, you should be aware of the drugs that can cause constipation, diarrhea or other similar troubles. And this is mostly the case of the drugs for high blood pressure, depression, anemia or pain relief. The next smart move is to become informed about the natural herbs that have the power to prevent digestive disorders and to treat some of them. One of the popular natural herbs that are used for relieving digestive disorders is dandelion, which acts like a mild laxative, having beneficial effects on the liver, as well. Moreover, your liver and general health might witness positive effects, due to the fact that dandelion contains many vitamins and minerals. Aloe ferox is another herb that is known from ancient times, due to its benefits upon troubled digestion. In addition, this medicinal herb is famous for its positive effects in case of inflammatory bowel diseases and inflammatory digestive disorders. Fennel seed is also famous for its capacity of restoring the natural balance of the digestive system, relieving spasm of the gastrointestinal tract and even the unpleasant feeling of fullness. You can take full advantage of the natural herbs that are promoted by alternative medicine, as they have no side effects - as opposed to the traditional drugs. Secondly, these natural remedies present no risks of dependency and they purify the digestive system in a gentle manner, without causing unpleasant side effects. Thirdly, your liver will not be affected in any negative way. Even if you suffer from the irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), you may benefit from the reliable and effective alternative medicine treatments. Magnesium is said to be the solution for such problems, as it activates the metabolic functions and it balances the digestion. Peppermint oil is another natural remedy of great efficiency for IBS – the main role of peppermint is to reduce the abdominal pain and to help eliminating intestinal gas. Furthermore, you should analyze your diet properly and determine the possible food intolerances. Mind-body therapy is also successful in identifying the causes of IBS and reducing its symptoms. Psychotherapy, hypnosis, biofeedback and relaxation techniques can help you treating IBS in an effective way. There are other simple methods to improve your digestion: the consumption of more liquids, eating slower, chewing better and taking supplements for restoring the natural digestion. All you have to do now is choose the best natural solution for your digestive problem from this wide range of natural remedies.

Heartburn; a Burning Sensation

Heartburn, also called acid indigestion and acid reflux, is the most common symptom of gastroesophageal reflux disease, commonly referred to as GERD. It occurs when the acids from absorbing foods back up into the lower throat region. The refluxed stomach acid touches the lining of the esophagus, causing a burning sensation in the chest or throat. Although it can be a nuisance at any time of day, for most people it is worse after a meal at night. Acid Reflux affects millions of people daily. Ten percent of the population suffers from it at least once a week, and twenty-five percent of pregnant women experience daily heartburn. Other causes of heartburn are lying down after a meal, bending over, and a persistent hiatal hernia. Its symptomsSymptoms of acid reflux may include persistent sore throat, hoarseness, chronic cough, asthma, heart-like chest pain and a feeling of a lump in the throat. It feels like a burning chest pain beginning behind the breastbone and moving upward to the neck and throat. Heartburn pain can be mistaken for the pain associated with heart disease or a heart attack, but there are differences. Acid reflux disease can cause a number of symptoms in addition to heartburn, including: Regurgitation, a bitter or sour taste at the back of your throat, belching, bloating and early satiety (feeling full too soon). The burning, pressure, or pain of heartburn can last as long as 2 hours and is often worse after eating. Elevating the head of the bed on 6-inch blocks or sleeping on a specially designed wedge reduces heartburn by allowing gravity to minimize reflux of stomach contents into the esophagus. Foods That Trigger Heartburn and Acid RefluxFind out what foods in your diet can aggravate heartburn and acid reflux. Certain foods and beverages to avoid are chocolate, fried or fatty foods, coffee, alcoholic beverages, and acidic foods. Common foods that can worsen reflux symptoms include citrus fruits, garlic and onions, mint flavorings, spicy foods, tomato-based foods, like spaghetti sauce, salsa, chili, and pizza. RemediesAntacids, such as Alka-Seltzer, Maalox, Mylanta, Rolaids, and Riopan, are usually the first drugs recommended for quick relief of heartburn and other mild GERD symptoms. Antacids taken regularly can neutralize acid in the esophagus and stomach and stop heartburn. However, because antacids are short acting and do not prevent heartburn, they are less useful for frequent or severe heartburn.Herbal remedies can include ginger, and even chamomile, but a natural cure for heartburn could be as simple as opening your food cupboard as many healthy foods are well known for their beneficial effects on our internal system. Decreasing the size of portions at mealtime may also help control symptoms. Smoking is also a contributor of GERD symptoms and should be eliminated if symptoms persist. Testing your pH regularly is helpful in monitoring the acidity level of the esophagus.Over time, patterns can be established and many people report elimination or reduction of acid reflux symptoms after changing their diet accordingly to eliminate problematic food or drink. Medical TreatmentSee your health care provider if you have had symptoms of GERD and have been using antacids or other over-the-counter reflux medications for more than 2 weeks. Proton pump inhibitors and H2 blockers can relieve symptoms and heal the esophageal lining in almost everyone who has GERD. Because drugs work in different ways, combinations of medications may help control symptoms. If your symptoms do not improve with lifestyle changes or medications, you may need additional tests. Endoscopic techniques used to treat chronic heartburn include the Bard Endo Cinch system, NDO Plicator, and the Stretta system. Surgery is an option when medicine and lifestyle changes do not help to manage GERD symptoms

How Gastro Runs Its Course

Gastroenteritis is a very common disease, often referred to as an upset stomach, traveler's tummy, or 'Montezuma's revenge. It is primarily a viral condition, i.e. not caused by bacteria.Viral gastroenteritis is often mistakenly called stomach flu, but it is not caused by the influenza virus and it does not infect the stomach. Gastroenteritis is the inflammation of the intestines, which causes diarrhea, abdominal cramps, nausea, loss of appetite, and other symptoms of digestive upset. Highly contagious, viral gastroenteritis is the second most common illness in the United States. Anyone can get viral gastroenteritis and most people recover without any complications. However, it can be serious when people cannot drink enough fluids to replace what is lost through vomiting and diarrhea, especially infants, young children, the elderly, and people with weak immune systems. The disease is spread through close contact with infected persons, either by sharing food, water or eating utensils. Outbreaks can occur in households, child care settings, schools, nursing homes, cruise ships, camps, dormitories, restaurants, and other places where people gather in groups.Viral gastroenteritis is either sporadic or epidemic. The sporadic form is characterized by vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal discomfort, fever, or a combination of these. The epidemic version is also known as winter vomiting disease, acute infectious nonbacterial gastroenteritis, epidemic diarrhea and vomiting, epidemic collapse, and epidemic nausea and vomiting. The influenza virus does not cause epidemic viral gastroenteritis but instead is responsible for "the flu," a systemic, febrile (causes a fever) disease that predominantly involves the respiratory tract and not the digestive tract in humans. Many viruses and other microbes (germs) can cause gastroenteritis. Bacteria, like E-coli, do not themselves cause the illness, but their poisonous by-products can contaminate food. The viruses that cause viral gastroenteritis damage the cells in the lining of the small intestine. At least 50% of all food-borne outbreaks of gastroenteritis can be attributed to the norovirus and rotavirus, which occur primarily in the winter.The Norwalk and Norwalk-like viruses account for most food and waterborne outbreaks of gastroenteritis in North America. Astroviruses and Adenovirus cause sporadic gastroenteritis in children under 4 years of age. Insects, rodents or other animals present in areas where food is prepared may contaminate food, equipment, benches and utensils with gastroenteritis germs. The agents that cause viral gastroenteritis can also be carried in drinking water or commercial shellfish that have been contaminated by sewage runoff. Infected food handlers who don't follow proper sanitary procedures also can spread the disease in meals served in restaurants and cafeterias. In general, the symptoms begin one to two days following infection with a virus that causes gastroenteritis and may last for one to 10 days, depending on which virus causes the illness Treatment focuses on reducing the symptoms and preventing dehydration. Gastroenteritis will normally pass of its own accord, providing the patient is able to keep sufficiently hydrated.Viral gastroenteritis cannot be cured with antibiotics. Replacement of fluid and electrolyte losses is the critical central element of effective treatment of acute diarrhea. In hospitalized cases where the patient is not able to keep down any fluids, this is done intravenously. No vaccine is available for viral gastroenteritis with the exception of a newly released rotavirus vaccine called Rotateq. In closing, the best cure for this all too common disease is prevention! Strict hygiene measures should be standard, including disinfection of toilets after use and regular hand washing. Ensure that food is always stored in clean, sealed containers, all perishables are kept refrigerated or frozen until needed, and meats are well cooked. In many areas it is wise to boil and/or filter the water.As many victims of this condition have either a chronic or temporary low immune system, it is of utmost importance to ensure that you keep your immune system in tip-top condition

Stop the Runs with Probiotics!

Diarrhea can show up at the most unsuspected times and places, often without warning or obvious cause. Yes, there are over the counter "flow stoppers" available which may work for a while for some but do nothing to heal the condition.Some basic causes of this embarrassing stuck-within-ten-feet-of-the-toilet condition are: stress, illness, food and water that is contaminated by harmful microbes.The majority of diseases and infections enter the body through the bowel. Studies indicate that bacterial imbalances are associated with irritable bowel syndrome, post-surgical infections and type 1 diabetes. It took the medical profession a long time to discover that antibiotics destroyed the beneficial bacteria as well as the harmful ones, thus making the body more prone to secondary infections.The bacteria in your gut have many functions in the body and are essential to your health. These microorganisms are collectively called your gut flora, micro flora, or beneficial bacteria and are estimated to make up about 3 pounds of your body weight. They fight off harmful microbes (pathogenic bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites), which cause disease. Scientific studies have demonstrated that a lack of healthy bacteria can be one of the causes that lead to medical problems such as: food allergies, bacterial vaginosis in pregnancy, irritable bowel syndrome, urinary tract infections, yeast infections, intestinal infections, allergies, asthma, genital infections, elevated blood pressure and cholesterol levels, recurrent ear and bladder infections, and antibiotic associated diarrhea.So then, what can you do to ensure that your bowel is armed with more good bacteria than bad ones? The best way is to take a dose of friendly microbes, known as probiotics. "By definition, a probiotic is any substance containing live organisms that, when ingested, have a beneficial effect on the host by altering the body's intestinal micro flora," says physician Robynne Chutkan, Associate Professor of Medicine at Georgetown University Medical Center in Washington, D.C. Many probiotics are lactic acid, or milk based, bacteria, such as lactobacillus or bifidobacterium, but not all probiotics have the same characteristics and, presumably, not the same efficacy. Are you lactose intolerant? Well, they reportedly even improve lactose intolerance! Besides, probiotics are not released in the stomach but travel through the digestive tract and attach themselves to the large bowel (gut). After four days of regular daily intake there are enough probiotics in your gut to start producing health benefits. Many species of bacteria work together in the human gut to maintain its normal function. Known benefits include relief from irritable bowel syndrome, yeast infections and diarrhea. Furthermore they may improve bowel function, reduce antibiotic-associated infections, prevent colon cancer, lower cholesterol and blood pressure, improve immune function, reduce inflammation, improve mineral absorption, prevent growth of harmful bacteria, fight off diseases like candida and eczema, and much more.The scientific concept behind probiotics is now accepted, but clinical trial work has only recently started to test the ability of probiotic preparations to prevent or treat specific diseases, like gut inflammation, gut infection or cancer.Prebiotics are non-digestible food ingredients that stimulate the growth and function of certain good bacteria in the gut. Similarly, eating foods or supplements containing probiotics improves the ratio of good bacteria to bad in the gut. Some foods that are good for your gut health beside yogourt, are asparagus and leeks.Both prebiotics and probiotics may help change poor eating habits, heal ulcers, chronic stomach inflammations and infections of all kinds, including uro-genital tract, respiratory and childhood bugs acquires in daycare. Beside all those, they are said to reduce blood lipids (fats), treat both irritable bowel disease (IBD) and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and traveler's diarrhea. They are also known to fight off skin infections, tooth decay and periodontal disease!In conclusion, having a balanced intestinal flora greatly affects the way you feel, and how healthy and energetic you are. As well as keeping your intestinal flora in perfect balance, probiotics also help to keep your intestines clean! The most common probiotic is Acidophilus, or yogurt. They can be obtained over the counter in your health store or pharmacy in pill form

Synergy Treatment - The most comfortable and effective Drug Rehab program

Synergy Treatment has a unique approach to recovery. We believe that recovery from addictive disorders is a process of transformation in all areas of your life. We consider chemical dependency to be a physical, mental, social, and spiritual disease. In our program, we focus on "how to live life fully" by providing individual and group counseling, 12 step support, recreation, and much, much more. These are some of the key elements each client learns in our program: Anger Management, Accountability, Denial Management, Dreaming, Identifying Core Values, Credit Repair, Developing Goals, Relationship Building, Healthy Habit Building, and Securing Work. We include a specific course of treatment and make recommendations on a person's length of stay. We stress individualized attention!! • Synergy provides a residential primary treatment program in Dana Point, South Orange County, California• We have a State licensed highly structured program with a world class staff• We offer 30, 60 and 90 day residential programs• Many clients that stays longer than the initial 90 day program. Additional months include counseling, job training, credit repair, relationship counseling and a host of other strategies on living life sober, happy and healthy• 12 Step oriented program with Christian track availableAddiction is Deceptive Almost all alcoholics and addicts tell themselves in the beginning that they can conquer their drinking problem or addiction on their own without the help of outside resources. Unfortunately, this is not usually the case. When an alcoholic or addict makes attempts at detoxification and to stop drug use without the aid of professional help, statistically the results do not last long. Research into the effects of long-term addiction shows that substantial change in the way the brain functions are present long after the addict has stopped using drugs. Realizing that a drug addict who wishes to recover from their addiction needs more than just strong will power is the key to a successful recovery.Professional Help is needed Drug rehabilitation is a multi-phase, multi-faceted, long term process. Detoxification is only the first step on the road of addiction treatment. Physical detoxification alone is not sufficient to change the patterns of a drug addict. Recovery from addiction involves an extended process which usually requires the help of drug addiction professionals. To make a successful recovery, the addict needs new tools in order to deal with situations and problems which arise. Inpatient Treatment Inpatient treatment is one of many methods whose ultimate goal is long-term abstinence from drugs and alcohol. Those who attend learn new tools to help them stay sober and learn about the reasons that they use in first place. Most people can re-enter society and lead responsible, successful drug and alcohol free lives for a short period. Inpatient drug rehab centers and treatment centers offer support and structure for men and women seeking help. It is not the end of the story. Participants reside on location for various periods. Each client has an individualized program to identify and learn about their disease. Care at an inpatient drug rehab is provided 24 hours a day 7 days a week. Transitional Living Transitional living is the second phase of our drug and alcohol treatment program. This phase gives real world practice at integrating textbook knowledge learned in the first phase into our daily habits. By the time our client’s graduate, bad habits are replaced by healthy ones, values are remembered and, most importantly, they are living in conformity with their core values. We help a person find their values and then live by them. When this happens, a person is strong enough to re-enter society. These are the goals of recovery, and of Synergy's program. Step by step, Synergy Treatment will guide you through the rocky route to recovery, with each section of the program taking you a giant step further.