Alternative Crohn's Disease Therapies And CAM

Diet is not the only way to reverse, cure, and control symptoms of Crohn's disease. Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is another method that many patients are finding effective in controlling this ailment. CAMs are practices, systems and products that are not considered part of conventional medicine, but rather are used in conjunction with conventional Crohn's disease treatments to help ease the system.

One such therapy useful in treating and said by some to cure Crohn's is probiotics. Probiotics are live microorganisms, usually good bacteria that help rebuild a person's immune system. These good bacteria can be types of organisms, yeast or algae, and are available in different types of food supplements. Another CAM treatment that can be used is acupuncture. The practitioner would concentrate on the areas that are afflicted and use the needles in the appropriate positions along the body. Other types of Crohn's disease treatment include: behavioral therapy; hypnosis; meditation; relaxation therapy; and biofeedback. The success of a CAM in helping the symptoms also depends on how much a patient believes in the therapy.

A type of inflammatory bowel disease, Crohn's disease therapies continue to be explored in case studies and research labs in hope to rid this chronic disorder of the digestive tract that can affect everything from the mouth to the anus.

The majority of patients with Crohns disease have irritation of the intestines, a break down of the microflora, usually focused in the smaller of the two. It can affect the colon, although any part of the gastrointestinal tract can be harmed. Doctor's have not yet been able to determine the exact cause of Crohn's disease and are less open minded to alternative therapies. Some things that may cause it can include a weakened immune systems, genetics, and environmental hazards. There is a possibility that the inflammatory bowel disease is part of the body's defense mechanism.

There are a number of symptoms that are associated with Crohn's disease, ranging from mild to severe. They include diarrhea, abdominal pain or cramping with fever, bleeding from the rectum, and appetite and weight loss. Fatigue is also a common symptom and other bodily organs can be affected. Children who develop Crohns may have delayed growth and sexual development problems. Fistulas and fissures in the body can also develop as a result from Crohns disease. There are five types of Crohns disease and depending on which part of the body is affected and the severity of the symptoms will determine how severe a case a patient may have. Two often the more severe the case of Crohn's the more patients seek out alternative Crohn's Disease therapies when conventional medicine doesn't work.

Because of the nature of Crohn's disease, a proper diet and alternative medicine therapies may go a long way to controlling the symptoms and severity of each individual patients case and even provide a cure. Diets high in protein (especially from oily fish such as salmon and tuna) help fight the protein deficiency caused by diarrhea. Complex carbohydrates found in vegetables and fruit provide needed fiber. Patients are advised to drink plenty of water and avoid caffeine. Omega-3 fatty acids and food rich in potassium should also be consumed as part of the diet.

If a patient is considering use a complementary and alternative medicine to treat their symptoms of Crohns disease, they need to discuss each option in detail with their primary care physician. With a firm game plan in hand, may sufferers of this debilitating condition can find relief from alternative therapies.

How to Control Ulcerative Colitis Flare Up?

Flare up symptoms of ulcerative colitis can be controlled by natural remedies and also medication. While herbs like turmeric, aloe Vera and Boswellia have a major role in controlling the inflammation; patients should also avoid high fiber diets and cut down on stress.

An inflammatory bowel disease, ulcerative colitis causes inflammation in the lining of the colon and rectum and is characterized by open sores and ulcers. Its main symptoms include diarrhea accompanied by frequent watery and bloody stools and abdominal cramps. Due to the similarities in symptoms, it is often confused with Crohn's disease and irritable bowel syndrome, which is actually a functional bowel disorder.

A far more serious disease compared to Crohn's disease and irritable bowel syndrome, ulcerative colitis requires immediate treatment. Regarded as an intermittent disease, patients suffering from ulcerative colitis experience painful flare up symptoms in the form of loose stool and severe abdominal cramps from time to time. Several natural remedies as well as medications are available for controlling flare-ups. The remedial treatment is based on the symptoms a patient experiences and looks to control the pain, ulcers and inflammation and also improve the overall health.

Apart from prescribed medications, remedies for ulcerative colitis flare-ups include taking herbal supplements and also nutritional supplements in the form of vitamins and minerals.

Probiotics - A gut friendly bacteria, probiotics is mainly taken in the form of VSL-3 and helps control the inflammation of the colon.

Turmeric - Having strong anti-inflammatory properties, it also helps fight infection and even has a role in preventing cancer.

Aloe Vera - Taken in the form of gel capsules or drunk as juice, aloe vera helps in controlling ulcers along with reducing inflammation. It also helps in healing other digestive tract and stomach ailments.
Boswellia - Taken in the form of capsules, Boswellia has powerful anti-inflammatory properties and thus helps control abdominal cramps, loose stool and stabilizes bowel movement.

Nutritional Supplements - Frequent loose stool leads to the loss of essential body fluids and nutrients leading to weight loss and fatigue. Thus, patients suffering from this disease must take multi-vitamin capsules to make up for the loss of nutrients. Iron supplements help in controlling anemia, while Vitamin E being a strong anti-oxidant, has anti-inflammatory properties, prevents bleeding, and also boosts the immune system.

Moreover it has been seen that diet has a major role in the flare up of the disease. Patients suffering from ulcerative colitis should avoid fiber-rich foods like whole wheat bread, raw fruits, vegetables, dairy products, alcohol, caffeine and red meat. Removing fibers from the diet results in lesser formation of undigested residue and thus helps in controlling the frequent loose stools. Although oils should be avoided as much as possible, omega-3 fatty acids present in fatty fish like tuna, sardine and mackerel help in reducing flare up symptoms and controlling inflammation.

Curing Acid Reflux the Natural Way

Most people prefer natural cure for a serious condition like Acid reflux. The reason is that the symptoms are really dangerous and result in a lot of symptoms in the patient. People are tending to experience a lot of heartburn at short intervals and many other serious symptoms.

There are several factors contributing to this disease such as drinking a lot of alcohol, eating foods containing large doses of citrus or leading a life full of stress.

However, the disease can be easily treated by the advice of an experienced health care professional. Natural remedies are very effective and do not produce any sort of side effects on the body. Fortunately, there are a lot of natural remedies available when it comes to treating acid reflux.

Here are some of the most natural forms of remedies effectively used to treat acid reflux:

- Peppermint

This element works towards facilitates easy digestion. It also relieves tension and cramps that contributes towards pushing of the acid back towards the esophagus.

- Aloe Vera

Also known as miracle plant, the juice derived will effectively heal damaged esophagus.

- Lavender

The wonder herb does a lot to provide relief from several symptoms of the acid reflux.

- Loose weight

Remember that acid reflux can be cured only via curing the damage done to the esophagus and lowering the level of acid present inside the stomach. When you loose weight, you automatically cure the damaged esophagus and reduce acid quality inside the stomach.

- Orange peal extract

This is a safe method of curing acid reflux inside the body. It facilitates moving of food via the esophagus in a rapid motion. This further reduces the chances for the heartburn symptoms to occur. The orange peel also acts as a surfactant. This means that the peel minimizes the surface tension of the liquids present inside the stomach. It also suppresses the chances of liquids inside the stomach to splash up towards the esophagus.

The patient is usually recommended to take about 1,000 mg of orange peel on a daily basis for about twenty days. You must choose a product with 98.5% of d-limonene. It is a compound naturally found in the extract of orange peel.

- Apple cider vinegar

This should be taken at least thrice a day with water. The recommended dose is about two tablespoons.

- Pickle juice

Drinking pickle juice will help a lot in providing relief from acid reflux.

- Raw apples

Eating lots of raw apple will work wonders to provide relief from acid reflux symptoms.

- Avoiding fried foods

You need to abstain from fried and fatty foods in order to get relief from acid reflux.

- Water

Drinking lots of water usually helps in getting rid of symptoms caused by acid reflux. One should at least drink eight to ten glasses of water a day.

- Herbal remedies

Here are some of the herbal remedies widely prescribed for curing acid reflux.

- Chamomile

- Meadowsweet

- Slippery elm

- Cancer bush

- Fennel

- Catnip

- Angelica root

- Gentian root

- Ginger root

Colon Health and Sensitive Digestion

The colon is a very important aspect of an individual's health. It is a vital part of the digestive system of the body. Surprisingly, the colon is approximately five to six feet in length. If a disruption occurs in this part of the body, sensitive digestion may occur.

It is very important to be aware of colon health and sensitive digestion. The colon is actually responsible for assisting in eliminating waste from the body. Once the body retrieves the necessary nutrients from the foods and drinks that we consume, the leftovers are transported to this part of the body.

When the materials pass into the colon, water is retrieved from the waste. This helps to ensure that the water stays properly hydrated. The colon may also eliminate material that is considered harmful in order to destroy it. However, if it takes too long for the waste to pass through the colon, it may result in health complications.

When there is a complication with colon health and sensitive digestion, an individual may suffer from a variety of medical problems. It may be something as simple as constipation or diarrhea, or something as serious as irritable bowel syndrome, colon cancer, colitis, hemorrhoids, crohn's disease, and similar conditions.

One of the most common conditions that involve colon health and sensitive digestion is constipation. Normally, an individual will suffer from this condition at least once over the course of a lifetime. It is a very uncomfortable, painful occurrence. Any person, of any gender, or age may suffer from this.

When a person becomes constipated, it means that the movements of the bowels are becoming less frequent. While each of us experience bowel movements in our own timing, it is generally agreed among medical professionals that if it is not experienced after a matter of three to four days, the stools will begin to harden.

There are a number of issues that can lead to the development of constipation. If you are concerned about colon health and sensitive digestion, it is important that you learn as much as you possibly can about the causes of constipation. Listed below are some examples.

1) One of the main things that can cause constipation is a general lack of water in the body. It is important to consume at least ten glasses of water on a daily basis. This will ensure that there is plenty of moisture in the body to avoid the hardening of the stools, and will keep situations with colon health and sensitive digestion in check.

2) Many that experience complications with colon health and sensitive digestion have very limited amounts of fiber in their diet. This can lead to the onset of constipation. One should ensure that they consume foods that have a lot of fiber, or select to purchase fiber supplements at the local pharmacy.

3) Many may not be aware of it, but stress can cause problems with colon health and sensitive digestion. Many times, if an individual experiences a large amount of stress, they will become constipated.

Diarrhea is another complication when it comes to colon health and sensitive digestion. When an individual experiences diarrhea, it means that the movements of bowels are very watery and extremely loose. Many will experience this situation throughout their lives. There are a number of causes for this, they are listed below:

1) If an individual experiences diarrhea, it may be a direct result of an infection in the body that is caused by various types of bacteria. This is most common in situations in which an individual has consumed foods that did not agree with them, or experienced food poisoning.

2) Many individuals who suffer from colon health and sensitive digestion problems that involve diarrhea are taking some sort of medication that does not agree with them. Many types of medications often result in diarrhea as a common side effect.

3) There are a number of gastrointestinal problems that can lead to the development of diarrhea. Many of these colon health and sensitive digestion diseases will naturally produce diarrhea as a natural way to eliminate waste that is proving to be toxic to the body.

Irritable bowel syndrome is another complication associated with colon health and sensitive digestion. This is a disease that occurs in the intestines of the body. There is no known cause for this particular complication, but there are many uncomfortable symptoms associated with the condition.

An individual who suffers from this particular colon health and sensitive digestion complication may experience pain in the abdomen, frequent and/or infrequent bowel movements, extreme fatigue, headaches, complications in sleeping, and even problems that are related to the urinary health. If you find that you suffer from this, it is imperative that you meet with your doctor.

Colon cancer is another complication that may affect the colon health and sensitive digestion. This occurs when there is a development of abnormal cells within the colon. These cells have the ability to grow and multiply rapidly. This makes this one of the main concerns when it comes to colon health and sensitive digestion.

When an individual has colon cancer, symptoms may not appear for a while after developing it. However, if this is left untreated, this cancer can spread to other areas of the body. This can prove to be fatal if it is left untreated.

Colitis is another complication that occurs when it comes to colon health and sensitive digestion. This occurs when an individual experiences ulcers in the colon. It can result in many complications in the lining of the colon and many uncomfortable symptoms. If an individual experiences this, it is absolutely necessary to seek medical treatment. There are many different symptoms associated with this complication of colon health and sensitive digestion. Weight loss, pain, and bleeding from the rectum are a few of these complications.

As you can see, there are quite a few issues that are related to colon health and sensitive digestion. If you experience any of these conditions, it is important that you seek help from your doctor as they may be able to alert you to some treatments that will prove effective.

How to Tackle an Ulcerative Colitis Flare-Up

Ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease and irritable bowel syndrome can lead to repeated flare-ups and other associated symptoms that are best controlled through continuous medications, proper diet and exercise and adequate rest.

Ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease and irritable bowel syndrome are GI tract diseases whose symptoms appear to fade away with medications and diet management; although the diseases themselves are never totally cured thus increasing the risk of a relapse. Hence, the best way to avoid the symptoms of the trio would be to control those factors that lead to a relapse.

It is best to remember that ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease and irritable bowel syndrome are conditions that do not like to remain dormant. Hence, the ideal way to prevent them from raising their ugly heads would be through a continuous management program. This includes taking prescribed medications continuously and adhering to a given diet plan consisting of nutritionally balanced foods and small and frequent meals.

Maintenance of the overall health is equally crucial in sidestepping the painful symptoms of ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. This is because the steroids that are usually prescribed against these inflammatory conditions negatively affect the immune system thereby making you more prone to infections. In the event of an infection, you might reach out for an aspirin or some other drug that might in fact kindle a fresh flare-up. Hence, maintenance of the general health is the best solution.

In addition to continuous medications and proper diet, adequate exercise is also a must to avoid the symptoms of colitis and irritable bowel syndrome. Exercise has been shown to boost the immune system that is necessary to fight off infections and maintain normal health. Exercise can also help you to effectively counter fatigue that is a common symptom of ulcerative colitis.

One of the most important aspects to be taken care of is stress management as more often than not stress is the underlying cause for ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease and irritable bowel syndrome. To avoid the symptoms of these diseases, you must know how to handle stress and if possible, avoid the cause of the stress itself. Additionally, getting ample physical and mental rest during a flare-up is crucial in reducing the time-period for which the flare-up lasts.

Essentially, flare-ups due to ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease and hampered bowel movements in irritable bowel syndrome can re-occur at any time. Unfortunately, such relapses can never be banished; they can only be controlled. Constant vigilance with respect to medications, diet, exercise and rest is the best way to handle sudden flare-ups and to relieve the painful symptoms at the earliest.

What is the Bitter Orange Fat Burner & is it Dangerous?

What is Bitter Orange? Actually, it is another name for the herb Zhi Shi. It has been said to have the same effects, both good and bad, as the popular drug ephedra. Ephedra was banned from being sold in the US in 2006 because the FDA decided the health risks were too high.

After Ephedra's removal from the market, diet companies frantically searched for an equally effective fat burning supplement and BO seems to be the solution they came up with. Bitter orange (which contains synephrine) is now found in almost all weight loss supplements. So what are some of the benefits? Bitter orange does seem to help many people lose weight. As with most diet and weight loss supplements, it will not work for everyone. But is some cases, people who take the supplement (especially when mixed with other healthy herbs) experience noticeable weight loss results apparently due to its fat burning ability.

As for adverse or dangerous side effects, people who take the suppleent may be likely to experience some sort of side effect. It is rare that a user is able to remain symptom free if using it for long periods of time. As with anything regarding losing weight, you should check with your personal doctor before starting.

Some of the most common side effects are an increase in blood pressure, tachycardia - or a faster than normal heart beat, arrhythmia - or a sporadic and irregular heart rate, heart palpitations, severe chest pain or other heart attack symptoms, blurry vision, paralysis on one side or other stroke symptoms, and symptoms of a severe intestinal problem called ischemic colitis which causes bloody bowel movements, diarrhea, throwing up, stomach pain, or running a temperature.

You may also experience allergy symptoms if you are allergic to bitter orange, and these are your typical allergy symptoms such as difficulty breathing, itchy eyes or throat, and sneezing.

So now that you know what is bitter orange, you can make an informed decision on whether or not to use it to assist with your fat burning and weight loss efforts.

Colorectal Cancer (Colon Cancer) - Ayurvedic Herbal Treatment

Cancers arising in the colon and rectum are called colon cancer or colorectal cancer, and are usually believed to have developed from polyps. Colon cancer is very common in the Western world but is rare in Asia and Africa. Diets high in fat are believed to predispose humans to colorectal cancer whereas diets high in vegetable and high fiber foods help reduce the risk. Ulcerative colitis highly increases the risk for colon cancer. Genetic factors are also an important risk factor in this disease. Symptoms include fatigue, weakness, anemia, breathlessness, change in bowel habits, narrow stools, diarrhea or constipation, red or dark blood in stool, weight loss, abdominal pain, cramps and bloating. Surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy are the standard line of treatment for this condition.

The Ayurvedic treatment of colorectal cancer is aimed at treating the main cancer, preventing or reducing its spread to other parts of the body and improving overall survival. Medicines used in this condition are: Arogya-Vardhini, Kanchnaar-Guggulu, Yograj-Guggulu, Triphala-Guggulu, Panch-Tikta-Ghrut-Guggulu, Punarnavadi-Guggulu, Mahamanjishthadi-Qadha, Panchamrut-Parpati and Saarivasav. Medicines which act on the 'Ratka' and 'Mansa' dhatus (tissues) are useful in this condition. These include medicines like Patol (Tricosanthe dioica), Kutki (Picrorrhiza kurroa), Saariva (Hemidesmus indicus), Patha (Cissampelos pareira), Musta (Cyperus rotundus), Triphala (Three fruits), Nimba (Azadirachta indica) and Kutaj (Holarrhina antidysentrica). Manjishtha (Rubia cordifolia), Triphala (Three fruits), Punarnava (Boerhaavia diffusa) and Dashmool (Ten roots) are also very useful in this condition.

Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera), Yashtimadhuk (Glycerrhiza glabra), Tulsi (Ocimum sanctum), Bhrungraj (Eclipta alba), Suvarna-Malini-Vasant, Suvarna-Parpati, Abhrak Bhasma and Heerak Bhasma are used to improve the immune status of the body.

Treatment needs to be taken for prolonged period to get good results. In combination with modern therapy, Ayurvedic treatment can reduce the tumor size, prevent or reduce the side effects of radiation and chemotherapy, improve the immune status of the body and prolong survival. All patients need to be under the regular care and supervision of an Oncology team.