Natural Medicine

Natural colon cleansers

Probiotics are dietary supplements containing potentially beneficial bacteria or yeast.
According to the currently adopted definition by FAO/WHO, probiotics are: ‘Live microorganisms which when administered in adequate amounts confer a health benefit on the host’.
Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are the most common type of microbes used. LAB have been used in the food industry for many years, because they are able to convert sugars (including lactose) and other carbohydrates into lactic acid.
This not only provides the characteristic sour taste of fermented dairy foods such as yogurt, but acts as a preservative, by lowering the pH and creating fewer opportunities for spoilage organisms to grow.

Probiotic bacterial cultures are intended to assist the body's naturally occurring gut flora to reestablish themselves.
They are sometimes recommended by doctors, and, more frequently, by nutritionists, after a course of antibiotics, or as part of the treatment for gut related candidiasis. Claims are made that probiotics strengthen the immune system.

The rationale for probiotics is that the body contains a miniature ecology of microbes, collectively known as the gut flora.
A number of bacterial types are thought to be thrown out of balance by a wide range of circumstances including the use of antibiotics or other drugs, excess alcohol, stress, disease, or exposure to toxic substances.
In cases like these, the bacteria that work well with our bodies (see symbiosis) may decrease in number, an event which allows harmful competitors to thrive, to the detriment of our health.

Maintenance of a healthy gut flora is, however, dependent on many factors, especially the quality of food intake. Including a significant proportion of prebiotic foods in the diet has been demonstrated to support a healthy gut flora and may be another means of achieving the desirable health benefits promised by probiotics.

Experiments into the benefits of probiotic therapies suggest a range of potentially beneficial medicinal uses for probiotics.
For many of the potential benefits, research is limited and only preliminary results are available. It should be noted that the effects described are not general effects of probiotics.
All effects can only be attributed to the strain(s) tested, not to the species, nor to the whole group of LAB (or other probiotics).

Bowtrol Colon Cleanser is all natural and has many successful users.
Their track record is outstanding.
It's in league with a healthy lifestyle that should include moderate exercise and sensible eating habits can help keep the colon cleansed.
Two to three good, regular and healthy bowel movements a day are essential to good colon health. Bowtrol Colon Cleanser helps with this. So does good eating.

Most Americans eat way too much fast food.
Too much sugar, too much fat.
Not enough vegetables and fruit.
Not enough healthy grains or legumes.
Legumes are beans of all types:
green beans, black beans, lima beans, butter beans, brown beans, navy beans, pinto beans, and on and on. Also peanuts are legumes.
These are great sources of fiber for better colon cleanliness and better colon health.

A one-two punch of better eating habits and Bowtrol Colon Cleanser can make a world of difference in most people.
Good colon health and cleanliness can be the difference between a pain free day and a day full of abdominal cramping.
It can also be the difference between feeling good and feeling constipated, or bloated or headachy. And remember that good colon health means no diarrhea, an experience few people enjoy.

The reason for good colon health and cleanliness leading to health elsewhere in the body is simple really.
The colon is a very large and very complex organ.
It contains more nerves than any other organ, except of course for the brain and the spinal column, known as the central nervous system.
All other organs in the body are connected to the colon, and all organs in the body work together. If the colon has problems, these problems spread to other organs and we will feel symptoms of spastic colon, irritable bowel syndrome or another ailment.
It only makes good health sense to do what we can to keep our colon cleansed and healthy to keep the rest of our body functioning properly.

Benefit Ingredients
- Cascara Sagrada
Cascara Sagrada is considered a very mild and effective natural, herbal laxative. It does not cause any dependency so when discontinued the positive effects derived from its use will remain, without the need to continue usage to get the same results. It is derived from bark and is native to the North American continent. It readily grows in the region from British Columbia to Washington state. The bark is collected in early spring and summer, when it is easily peeled from the wood. It is then dried in the shade and aged for at least a year before it is processed for use.

Cascara Sagrada facilitates evacuation and normal stool function while conditioning the muscles in the intestinal tract. It promotes proper hormone levels controlled by the pituitary and also has a positive effect on the gallbladder, liver and the pancreas.

- Turkey Rhubarb
Turkey Rhubarb has powerful properties as an intestinal cleanser. This herb considerably reduces occasional constipation and small dosages have been safely used for hundreds of years to assist in digestion. Turkey Rhubarb cleans the colon and intestinal lymph system, removing accumulated waste and decaying fecal matter as well as congested mucous.

- Bentonite Clay
Bentonite is a clay that can safely be ingested. It absorbs water to form a gel and thereby works as a mild laxative and regulatory agent. The absorbing water bentonite essentially ‘traps’ toxins into the gel it forms and helps to carry them out of your body without giving the body the chance to absorb these potentially substances. When using bentonite it is advised to try and ingest more fluids to compensate for some of the water that is absorbed by this ingredient.

- Slippery Elm (Ulmus rubra)
Slippery Elm is considered a digestive soother and detoxifier. It calms mucus membranes, the stomach and intestines. Slippery elm coats and soothes tissues, helping to protect them by drawing out irritants and toxic substances. It also helps to soothe by stimulating nerve endings in the stomach and intestines which in turn, results in the secretion of mucous fluids. Slippery elm absorbs toxins from the bowels and thereby balances the intestinal flora while reducing occasional constipation.

- Aloes
Aloe has been known to contain health properties for thousands of years, even the ancient Egyptians used it frequently and called it “the plant of immortality”. Aloe originally was native to the African continent. It found it’s way to North America and can now be found growing ‘natively’ in warm climates including the desert southwest of the U.S. and Mexico.

- Flax Seeds
Flax seeds are known to promote good health; aside from it being good for your heart it also promotes a healthy digestive system. Flax seeds also alleviates occasional constipation.

- Senna
Senna contains compounds called hydroxyanthracene glycosides, which are also known as sennosides. These stimulate the colon by increasing smooth muscle contractions and thereby aid in the regulation of your bowels, as such they have a laxative effect. Senna also stimulates more fluid secretion by the colon which softens the stool and thereby facilitates its passage, which in turn allows you to become more regular.

- Wormseed
Wormseed detoxifies the intestinal tract unwanted organisms that are present without eliminating the bacterial flora that is actually beneficial to your digestion It also helps in the regulation of bowel movements, effectively helps reduce occasional constipation and diarrhea.

- Black Seeds
Black seeds contain a high concentration of dietary fiber and have been widely used to promote bowel health. It also works with the other ingredients to remove toxins from the digestive system and effectively regulate normal bowel movements.

- Olive Leaf Extract
Olive leaf extract sooths the intestinal tract and stomach. It has a soothing effect and regulates bowel movements while eliminating toxins from the body. The active ingredient contained in olive leaf extract is called oleuropein.

- Thyme Oil Powder
Thyme oil has several potent medical benefits, it is a purifying agent and has a calming effect on the bowels.

- Garlic Extract 12:1
Garlic is a natural purifier and Garlic Extract that supports immune health. It aids in the regulation of the intestines by promoting better flora and optimal health.

- Certified Organic Cloves
Certified organic cloves eliminate unwanted organisms from the digestive system, regulate smooth muscle function and breaks up bowel obstruction. This herb also promotes cleansing to optimize bowel function.

- Peppermint (Piperita menthe)
Mint plants have a long history of medicinal use, dating to ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome. It is a stimulant, and helps digestive system disorders by stimulating the production of bile, an essential digestive fluid, which helps in soothing the lining of the digestive tract.

With lot of of strong extracted ingredients they used, it's possible Bowtrol Colon Cleanser is one of best natural way to cleanse the colon while supporting the health of our vital organs.

Visit Bowtrol colon cleansers site for more detail.

Bowtrol colon cleanse

Bowtrol Colon Cleanser is all natural and has many successful users.
Their track record is outstanding.
It's in league with a healthy lifestyle that should include moderate exercise and sensible eating habits can help keep the colon cleansed.
Two to three good, regular and healthy bowel movements a day are essential to good colon health. Bowtrol Colon Cleanser helps with this. So does good eating.

Most Americans eat way too much fast food.
Too much sugar, too much fat.
Not enough vegetables and fruit.
Not enough healthy grains or legumes.
Legumes are beans of all types:
green beans, black beans, lima beans, butter beans, brown beans, navy beans, pinto beans, and on and on. Also peanuts are legumes.
These are great sources of fiber for better colon cleanliness and better colon health.

A one-two punch of better eating habits and Bowtrol Colon Cleanser can make a world of difference in most people.
Good colon health and cleanliness can be the difference between a pain free day and a day full of abdominal cramping.
It can also be the difference between feeling good and feeling constipated, or bloated or headachy. And remember that good colon health means no diarrhea, an experience few people enjoy.

The reason for good colon health and cleanliness leading to health elsewhere in the body is simple really.
The colon is a very large and very complex organ.
It contains more nerves than any other organ, except of course for the brain and the spinal column, known as the central nervous system.
All other organs in the body are connected to the colon, and all organs in the body work together. If the colon has problems, these problems spread to other organs and we will feel symptoms of spastic colon, irritable bowel syndrome or another ailment.
It only makes good health sense to do what we can to keep our colon cleansed and healthy to keep the rest of our body functioning properly.

Benefit Ingredients
- Cascara Sagrada
Cascara Sagrada is considered a very mild and effective natural, herbal laxative. It does not cause any dependency so when discontinued the positive effects derived from its use will remain, without the need to continue usage to get the same results. It is derived from bark and is native to the North American continent. It readily grows in the region from British Columbia to Washington state. The bark is collected in early spring and summer, when it is easily peeled from the wood. It is then dried in the shade and aged for at least a year before it is processed for use.

Cascara Sagrada facilitates evacuation and normal stool function while conditioning the muscles in the intestinal tract. It promotes proper hormone levels controlled by the pituitary and also has a positive effect on the gallbladder, liver and the pancreas.

- Turkey Rhubarb
Turkey Rhubarb has powerful properties as an intestinal cleanser. This herb considerably reduces occasional constipation and small dosages have been safely used for hundreds of years to assist in digestion. Turkey Rhubarb cleans the colon and intestinal lymph system, removing accumulated waste and decaying fecal matter as well as congested mucous.

- Bentonite Clay
Bentonite is a clay that can safely be ingested. It absorbs water to form a gel and thereby works as a mild laxative and regulatory agent. The absorbing water bentonite essentially ‘traps’ toxins into the gel it forms and helps to carry them out of your body without giving the body the chance to absorb these potentially substances. When using bentonite it is advised to try and ingest more fluids to compensate for some of the water that is absorbed by this ingredient.

- Slippery Elm (Ulmus rubra)
Slippery Elm is considered a digestive soother and detoxifier. It calms mucus membranes, the stomach and intestines. Slippery elm coats and soothes tissues, helping to protect them by drawing out irritants and toxic substances. It also helps to soothe by stimulating nerve endings in the stomach and intestines which in turn, results in the secretion of mucous fluids. Slippery elm absorbs toxins from the bowels and thereby balances the intestinal flora while reducing occasional constipation.

- Aloes
Aloe has been known to contain health properties for thousands of years, even the ancient Egyptians used it frequently and called it “the plant of immortality”. Aloe originally was native to the African continent. It found it’s way to North America and can now be found growing ‘natively’ in warm climates including the desert southwest of the U.S. and Mexico.

- Flax Seeds
Flax seeds are known to promote good health; aside from it being good for your heart it also promotes a healthy digestive system. Flax seeds also alleviates occasional constipation.

- Senna
Senna contains compounds called hydroxyanthracene glycosides, which are also known as sennosides. These stimulate the colon by increasing smooth muscle contractions and thereby aid in the regulation of your bowels, as such they have a laxative effect. Senna also stimulates more fluid secretion by the colon which softens the stool and thereby facilitates its passage, which in turn allows you to become more regular.

- Wormseed
Wormseed detoxifies the intestinal tract unwanted organisms that are present without eliminating the bacterial flora that is actually beneficial to your digestion It also helps in the regulation of bowel movements, effectively helps reduce occasional constipation and diarrhea.

- Black Seeds
Black seeds contain a high concentration of dietary fiber and have been widely used to promote bowel health. It also works with the other ingredients to remove toxins from the digestive system and effectively regulate normal bowel movements.

- Olive Leaf Extract
Olive leaf extract sooths the intestinal tract and stomach. It has a soothing effect and regulates bowel movements while eliminating toxins from the body. The active ingredient contained in olive leaf extract is called oleuropein.

- Thyme Oil Powder
Thyme oil has several potent medical benefits, it is a purifying agent and has a calming effect on the bowels.

- Garlic Extract 12:1
Garlic is a natural purifier and Garlic Extract that supports immune health. It aids in the regulation of the intestines by promoting better flora and optimal health.

- Certified Organic Cloves
Certified organic cloves eliminate unwanted organisms from the digestive system, regulate smooth muscle function and breaks up bowel obstruction. This herb also promotes cleansing to optimize bowel function.

- Peppermint (Piperita menthe)
Mint plants have a long history of medicinal use, dating to ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome. It is a stimulant, and helps digestive system disorders by stimulating the production of bile, an essential digestive fluid, which helps in soothing the lining of the digestive tract.

So with lot strong extracted ingredient they used, The Bowtrol Colon Cleanse is possible most a natural way to cleanse the colon while supporting the health of our vital organs.

Visit Bowtrol Colon Cleanse site for more detail.

Best colon cleanse

Homeopathic medicine for depression

When discussing depression as a symptom, a feeling of hopelessness is the most often described sensation.
Depression is a common psychiatric disorder in the modern world and a growing cause of concern for health agencies worldwide due to the high social and economic costs involved.
Symptoms of depression, like the disorder itself, vary in degree of severity, and contribute to mild to severe mood disturbances.

Mood disturbances may range from a sudden transitory decrease in motivation and concentration to gloomy moods and irritation, or to severe, chronic prostration.
Relora® Max is a natural proprietary blend of a patented extract of Magnolia officinalis and a proprietary extract from Phellodendron amurense.
The selective extracted ingredients from 50 plants fractions could manage and control stress related appetite.
The focus is control stress-related eating and has the added value of being non-sedating.

How they work?
When chronic stress occurs, the adrenal glands release stress hormones in large amounts. Elevated stress hormones may lead to excess body fat in several ways.

First, they are a potent signal to the brain to increase our appetites and cravings for pleasurable foods, or "comfort foods" such as sugar, fat, and alcohol.
Second, these hormones act as a signal to our fat cells to hold onto as much fat and release as little stored fat as they can.

Next, they block the effects of many hormones such as insulin, so blood sugar control suffers and comfort food cravings go up.
Stress hormones can also interfere with serotonin, one of our brain's mood chemicals, leading to a depressed feeling and a drive for more comfort foods. Plus these hormones interfere with the hormone known as growth hormone resulting in muscle loss and fat gain.

Lastly, sustained stress hormone elevation can lower thyroid function and that means that your metabolism gets turned down.

All of these effects can combine to cause our bodies to take in more calories and burn off fewer calories - so we gain weight - and we tend to gain it specifically around our bellies (which increases our risk for hypertension, diabetes and heart disease).

According to government researchers, the link between stress, tension, and excess belly fat is clear.
High levels of cortisol stress hormone can cause pound after pound of excess body fat to accumulate around your waist and tummy, a health-threatening, figure-destroying condition affecting an estimated 47 million Americans... mostly women.

Self treatment
To decrease stress and stress related weight gain, you need to learn to manage your stress levels.
Exercise, use meditation or have a quiet place to retreat to when you're stressed out.
Eating a diet that's low in refined sugars or that have a low glycemic index helps decrease the stress of blood sugar fluctuations on our bodies. Eat meals at regular times each day (it's best not to eat after 7pm).
Drinking plenty of quality water during the day also helps decrease the fatigue commonly seen around mid-day and early afternoon.

A double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial with Relora® was completed in January 2004.
The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of Relora® in overweight women who typically eat more in stressful situations. Twenty-eight subjects completed the study and Relora® was well tolerated.
There was a significant weight gain during the study for the placebo group but no significant weight gain and some weight loss for the Relora® group.
There was also a significant reduction in anxiety scores.
The mechanism of action appears to be through reduction or normalization of stress hormone levels, and possibly perceived stress, thereby helping subjects maintain body weight.

Urinary Incontinence

Hello and welcome again to this blog. Let's learn about urinary incontinence.

What is urinary incontinence?

Urinary incontinence means that you can't always control when you urinate. The severity of urinary incontinence ranges from occasionally leaking urine when you cough or sneeze to having sudden, unpredictable episodes of strong urinary urgency. Sometimes, the urgency may be so strong you don't get to a toilet in time and you get wet. About 12 million adults in the United States have urinary incontinence. It's most common in women over 50 years old. But it can also affect younger people, especially women who have just given birth. Be sure to talk to your doctor if you have this problem. If you hide your incontinence, you risk getting rashes, sores, and skin and urinary tract infections. Also, you may find yourself avoiding friends and family because of fear and embarrassment.

Although urinary incontinence affects millions of people, it isn't a normal part of aging or, in women, an inevitable consequence of childbirth or changes after menopause. It's a medical condition with many possible causes, some relatively simple and self-limited and others more complex.

Causes

Urinary incontinence isn't a disease, it's a symptom. It indicates some underlying problem or condition that likely can and should be treated.

Except when you're urinating, your bladder muscle stays relaxed so that it can expand to store urine. The relaxed bladder gets support from increasing contractions of your pelvic floor muscles. Your bladder and pelvic floor muscles communicate with each other to help hold urine in the bladder without leaking.

When your bladder is full, it sends nerve signals to your brain. In response, and at an appropriate time and place, you relax your pelvic floor muscles and your bladder contracts, allowing urine to pass through the urethra and out of your body.

Causes of temporary urinary incontinence

Certain foods, drinks and medications can cause temporary urinary incontinence. A simple change in habits can bring relief.

Alcohol. Beer, wine and spirits are all diuretics. They cause your bladder to fill quickly, triggering an urgent and sometimes uncontrollable need to urinate. In addition, alcohol can temporarily impair your ability to recognize the need to urinate and act on that need in a timely manner.

Over-hydration. Drinking a lot of water or other beverages, particularly in a short period of time, increases the amount of urine your bladder has to deal with and may result in an occasional accident.

Dehydration. If you have urge incontinence, you may try to limit your fluids to reduce the number of trips to the toilet. However, if you don't consume enough liquid to stay hydrated, your urine can occasionally become very concentrated. This collection of concentrated salts can irritate your bladder and worsen your urge incontinence.

Caffeine. Caffeine also is a diuretic. It causes your bladder to fill more quickly and hold less than usual so that you suddenly and perhaps uncontrollably need to urinate.

Bladder irritation. Carbonated drinks, tea and coffee — with or without caffeine — may irritate your bladder and cause episodes of urge incontinence. Citrus fruits and juices and artificial sweeteners also can be sources of aggravation.

Medications. Sedatives, such as sleeping pills, can sometimes interfere with your ability to control bladder function. Other medications — including water pills (diuretics), muscle relaxants and antidepressants — can cause or increase incontinence. Some high blood pressure drugs, heart medications and cold medicines also can affect bladder function. After surgery, some people experience temporary overflow incontinence from the lingering effects of anesthesia.

Easily treatable medical conditions also may be responsible for urinary incontinence.

Urinary tract infection. Infectious agents — usually bacteria — can enter your urethra and bladder and start to multiply. The resulting infection irritates your bladder, causing you to have strong urges to urinate.

Constipation. The rectum is located near the bladder and shares many of the same nerves. Hard, compacted stool in your rectum causes these nerves to be overactive and trigger urine frequency.

Causes of persistent urinary incontinence

Urinary incontinence can also be a persistent condition caused by some underlying physical problem — weakened pelvic floor or bladder muscles, neurological diseases, or an obstruction in your urinary tract. Factors that can lead to chronic incontinence include:

Pregnancy and childbirth. Pregnant women may experience stress incontinence because of hormonal changes and the increased weight of an enlarging uterus. In addition, the stress of a vaginal delivery can weaken the pelvic floor muscles and the ring of muscles that surrounds the urethra (urinary sphincter). The result is often stress incontinence . The changes that occur during childbirth can also damage bladder nerves and supportive tissue and can lead to a dropped (prolapsed) pelvic floor, producing a vaginal bulge. With prolapse, your bladder, uterus, rectum or small bowel can get pushed down from the usual position and protrude into your vagina. Such protrusions can be associated with incontinence. Incontinence related to childbirth may develop right after delivery or, more likely, may not develop until years later.

Changes with aging. Aging of the bladder muscle affects both men and women, leading to a decrease in the bladder's capacity to store urine and an increase in overactive bladder symptoms. Risk of overactive bladder increases if you have blood vessel disease, so maintaining good overall health — including stopping smoking, treating high blood pressure and keeping your weight within a healthy range — can help curb symptoms of overactive bladder.

Women produce less of the hormone estrogen after menopause, a decrease that can contribute to incontinence. Estrogen helps keep the lining of the bladder and urethra healthy. With less estrogen, your urethra can't hold back urine as easily as before.

Interstitial cystitis. This rare, chronic condition can be associated with an inflammation of the bladder wall. It occasionally causes urinary incontinence, as well as painful and frequent urination. Interstitial cystitis affects women more often than men, and its cause isn't clear.

Prostatitis. Loss of bladder control isn't a typical sign of prostatitis, or inflammation of the prostate gland . Even so, urinary incontinence sometimes occurs with this extremely common condition. The prostate actually surrounds the urethra, so inflammation of the prostate occasionally swells and constricts the urethra, blocking normal urine flow and leading to urinary urgency and frequency. Rarely, this also causes incontinence.

Enlarged prostate and prostate cancer. In older men, incontinence often stems from enlargement of the prostate gland, a condition also known as benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). For some men, this problem results in urge or overflow incontinence. Prostate cancer behaves the same way, and further incontinence can develop as a consequence of surgery or radiation to treat it.

Bladder cancer or bladder stones. Incontinence, urinary urgency and burning with urination can be signs and symptoms of bladder cancer and also of bladder stones. Other signs and symptoms include blood in the urine and pelvic pain.

Neurological disorders. Multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, stroke, a brain tumor or a spinal injury can interfere with nerve signals involved in bladder control, causing urinary incontinence.

Obstruction. A tumor anywhere along your urinary tract can obstruct the normal flow of urine and cause incontinence, usually overflow incontinence. Urinary stones — hard, stone-like masses that can form in the bladder — may be to blame for urine leakage. Urinary obstruction can also occur after overcorrection during a surgical procedure to correct urinary incontinence, leading to more urine leakage.

Types of Urinary Incontinence

Stress incontinence. Stress incontinence is when urine leaks because of sudden pressure on your lower stomach muscles, such as when you cough, laugh, lift something or exercise. Stress incontinence usually occurs when the pelvic muscles are weakened, for example by childbirth or surgery. Stress incontinence is common in women.

Urge incontinence. This occurs when the need to urinate comes on too fast -- before you can get to a toilet. Your body may only give you a warning of a few seconds to minutes before you urinate. Urge incontinence is most common in the elderly and may be a sign of an infection in the kidneys or bladder.

Overflow incontinence. This type of incontinence is a constant dripping of urine. It's caused by an overfilled bladder. You may feel like you can't empty your bladder all the way and you may strain when urinating. This often occurs in men and can be caused by something blocking the urinary flow, such as an enlarged prostate gland or tumor. Diabetes or certain medicines may also cause the problem.

Functional incontinence. This type occurs when you have normal urine control but have trouble getting to the bathroom in time. You may not be able to get to the bathroom because of arthritis or other diseases that make it hard to move around.

Why is discussing urinary incontinence with your doctor important?

1. Urinary incontinence may indicate a more serious underlying condition, especially if it's associated with blood in your urine.

2. Urinary incontinence may be causing you to restrict your activities and limit your social interactions to avoid embarrassment.

3. Urinary incontinence may increase the risk of falls in older adults as they rush to make it to the toilet.

A few isolated incidents of incontinence don't necessarily require medical attention. But if incontinence is frequent or affecting your quality of life, talk to your doctor.

Prevention

Incontinence is not always preventable. However, you may be able to decrease your risk of urinary incontinence with these steps:

A. Maintain a healthy weight. By taking good care of yourself and keeping or getting your weight under control, you may be able to decrease your risk of urinary incontinence.

B. Don't smoke. Get help in quitting if you do smoke.

C. Kegel exercises. Because pregnancy and childbirth can weaken the urinary sphincter and pelvic floor muscles, doctors may advise pregnant women to do Kegel exercises during pregnancy as a preventive measure.

D. Avoid bladder irritants. Avoiding or limiting certain foods and drinks may help prevent or limit urinary incontinence. For example, if you know that drinking more than two cups of coffee makes you have to urinate uncontrollably, cutting back to one cup of coffee or forgoing caffeine may be all that you need to do.

E. Eat more fiber. Including more fiber in your diet or taking fiber supplements can help prevent constipation, a risk factor for urinary incontinence. Your doctor may recommend that you drink more or less water as a preventive measure, depending on your bladder problem.

F. Be active. Physical activity reduces your risk of developing incontinence. Results from the Nurses' Health Study show that women in that study who participated in moderate amounts of low-impact physical activity were less likely to experience urinary incontinence.

Treatment

1. Exercises

One of the most common treatment recommendations includes exercising the muscles of the pelvis. Kegel exercises may strengthen a portion of the affected area. According to many industry specialists, the pelvic floor is actually a group of muscles and connective tissues running side-to-side and front to back along the bony ridges of the pelvis. Visualize the pelvic floor as a “hammock” or “bowl”. For everything to be working properly, this hammock should be worked out like every other muscle in the body.
Kegel exercises to strengthen or retrain pelvic floor muscles and sphincter muscles can reduce stress leakage. Patients younger than 60 years old benefit the most. The patient should do at least 24 daily contractions for at least 6 weeks.
Increasingly there is evidence of the effectiveness of pelvic floor muscle exercise (PFME) to improve bladder control. For example, urinary incontinence following childbirth can be improved by performing PFME.

2. Vaginal cone therapy

A more recently developed exercise technique suitable only for women involves the use of a set of five small vaginal cones of increasing weight. For this exercise, the patient simply places the small plastic cone within her vagina, where it is held in by a mild reflex contraction of the pelvic floor muscles. Because it is a reflex contraction, little effort is required on the part of the patient. This exercise is done twice a day for fifteen to twenty minutes, while standing or walking around, for example doing daily household tasks. As the pelvic floor muscles get stronger, cones of increasing weight can be used, thereby strengthening the muscles gradually. The advantage of this method is that the correct muscles are automatically exercised by holding in the cone, and the method is effective after a much shorter time. Clinical trials with vaginal cones have shown that the pelvic floor muscles start to become stronger within two to three weeks, and light to medium stress incontinence can resolve after eight to twelve weeks of use.

3. Electrical stimulation
Brief doses of electrical stimulation can strengthen muscles in the lower pelvis in a way similar to exercising the muscles. Electrodes are temporarily placed in the vagina or rectum to stimulate nearby muscles. This can stabilize overactive muscles and stimulate contraction of urethral muscles. Electrical stimulation can be used to reduce both stress incontinence and urge incontinence.

4. Biofeedback
Biofeedback uses measuring devices to help the patient become aware of his or her body's functioning. By using electronic devices or diaries to track when the bladder and urethral muscles contract, the patient can gain control over these muscles. Biofeedback can be used with pelvic muscle exercises and electrical stimulation to relieve stress and urge incontinence.

5. Timed voiding or bladder training
Timed voiding (urinating) and bladder training are techniques that use biofeedback. In timed voiding, the patient fills in a chart of voiding and leaking. From the patterns that appear in the chart, the patient can plan to empty his or her bladder before he or she would otherwise leak. Biofeedback and muscle conditioning--known as bladder training--can alter the bladder's schedule for storing and emptying urine. These techniques are effective for urge and overflow incontinence.

6. Medications
Medications can reduce many types of leakage. Some drugs inhibit contractions of an overactive bladder, others relax muscles, leading to more complete bladder emptying during urination, and yet others tighten muscles at the bladder neck and urethra, preventing leakage. Some hormones, such as estrogen, are believed to cause muscles involved in urination to function normally.

Pharmacological treatments of urinary incontinence include:

topical or vaginal estrogens - used in cases of vaginal atrophy
tolterodine (Detrol)
oxybutynin
propantheline
darifenacin (Enablex)
solifenacin (Vesicare)
trospium - used in urge incontinence
imipramin - used in mixed and stress urinary incontinence
pseudoephedrine
duloxetine (Cymbalta) - used but not FDA approved in stress urinary incontinence

Some of these medications can produce harmful side effects if used for long periods. In particular, estrogen therapy has been associated with an increased risk of cancers of the breast and endometrium (lining of the uterus). A patient should talk to a doctor about the risks and benefits of long-term use of medications.

7. Pessaries
A pessary is a medical device that is inserted into the vagina. The most common kind is ring shaped, and is typically recommended to correct vaginal prolapse. The pessary compresses the urethra against the symphysis pubis and elevates the bladder neck. For some women this may reduce stress leakage. If a pessary is used, vaginal and urinary tract infections may occur and regular monitoring by a doctor is recommended.

8. Surgery
Doctors usually suggest surgery to alleviate incontinence only after other treatments have been tried. Many surgical options have high rates of success. Urodynamic testing seems to confirm that surgical restoration of vault prolapse can cure motor urge incontinence. Used as a last resource treatment.

Some of the more common procedures include:

Artificial urinary sphincter. Shaped like a doughnut, the device is implanted around the neck of your bladder. The fluid-filled ring keeps your urinary sphincter shut tight until you're ready to urinate. To urinate, you press a valve implanted under your skin that causes the ring to deflate and allows urine from your bladder to be released. This surgery is the most effective procedure for male incontinence.

Bulking material injections. Some women and men with stress incontinence benefit from urethral injections of bulking agents. This procedure involves injecting bulking materials — which may be cow-derived collagen, carbon particle beads or synthetic sugars — into the tissue surrounding the urethra or the skin next to the urinary sphincter. The injection tightens the seal of the sphincter by bulking up the surrounding tissue. The procedure is done with minimal anesthesia and typically takes about two to three minutes. It usually needs to be repeated after several months, because the effect can be lost over time.

Sacral nerve stimulator. This small device acts on nerves that control bladder and pelvic floor contractions. The device, which resembles a pacemaker, is implanted under the skin in your abdomen. A wire from the device is connected to a sacral nerve — an important nerve in bladder control that runs from your lower spinal cord to your bladder. Through the wire, the device emits electrical pulses that stimulate the nerve and help control the bladder. The pulse doesn't cause pain and provides relief from heavy leaking in many cases.

Sling procedure. The most popular and common surgery for women with stress incontinence is the sling procedure. During this procedure, a surgeon removes a strip of abdominal tissue and places it under the urethra. Or the surgeon may use a strip of synthetic mesh material or a strip of tissue from a donor (xenograft) or cadaver. The strip acts like a hammock, compressing the urethra to prevent leaks that occur with the activities of daily living. Sling procedures improve or cure incontinence in most cases.

Bladder neck suspension. In this procedure, your surgeon makes a 3- to 5-inch incision in your lower abdomen. Through this incision, he or she places stitches (sutures) in the tissue near the bladder neck and secures the stitches to a ligament near your pubic bone (Burch procedure) or in the cartilage of the pubic bone itself (Marshall-Marchetti-Krantz, or MMK, procedure). This has the effect of bolstering your urethra and bladder neck so that they don't sag. The downside of this procedure is that it involves major abdominal surgery.

9. Other measures such as the use of protective pads and catheters can alleviate the symptoms of urinary incontinence.

Alternative Medicine

Cranberry juice is acidic and is known to be beneficial to the bladder, so add it to your diet.

Limit your fluid intake to 4 glasses of water a day.

Empty your bladder regularly, at least six to eight times a day to avoid "accidents".

In women, lower estrogen levels during menopause can cause urethral tissue to become thinner, less resilient, and less elastic, leading to reduced sphincter control. The addition of phytoestrogens (plant estrogens) to the diet can be helpful for women who experience menopause-related tissue atrophy. Phytoestrogens are compounds found in plants that produce an estrogen-like effect in the body.

In most cases, adding phytoestrogens to the diet is safe and easy and the following items may be suggested roasted soy nuts, soy milk, soy protein powder, tempeh, textured soy protein and tofu. Soy isoflavones, which are the components of soy with the strongest estrogenic properties, are available in capsule form in health food stores and supermarket nutrition sections. A typical dose is 50–150 mg daily.

Nutritional-wise eliminate food sensitivities which may cause chronic inflammatory conditions. Eat whole, fresh, unrefined, and unprocessed foods. Include fruits, vegetables, whole grains, soy, beans, seeds, nuts, olive oil, and cold-water fish (salmon, tuna, sardines, halibut, and mackerel).
Avoid sugar, dairy products, refined foods, fried foods, junk foods, and caffeine.

Homeopathy treatments include

Causticum 3 pellets of 30C every 4 hours until symptoms resolve– Indicated for stress incontinence associated with difficulty urinating.
Natrum muriaticum 3 pellets of 30C every 4 hours until symptoms resolve– Indicated for stress incontinence associated with the menopausal symptoms of vaginal dryness, painful intercourse, and a history of emotional grief.
Pareira 3 pellets of 30C every 4 hours until symptoms resolve – Indicated for difficulty urinating due to prostate.

Other compounds can be also tried such as Aloe, Argentum Nitricum, Belladona, etc.

Autism

First, let me apologize for the long interruption. We have not posted for a while, and while we might not keep doing it as frequently as before we want to publish posts at least 2 or 3 times a month.

With respect to autism, we will first go over what western medicine states. Then we will go into some theories that surround this conditon.

Autism is a developmental disorder that appears in the first 3 years of life, and affects the brain's normal development of social and communication skills. It is also called pervasive developmental disorder. Autism is defined by a certain set of behaviors and is a "spectrum disorder" that affects individuals differently and to varying degrees. There is no known single cause for autism, but increased awareness can help families today.

Prevalence

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in february 2007 issued their ADDME autism prevalence report. The report, which looked at a sample of 8 year olds in 2000 and 2002, concluded that the prevalence of autism had risen to 1 in every 150 American children, and almost 1 in 94 boys.

It is estimated that 1.5 million americans now suffer from it and the figures are rising steadily through the years.

Autism affects boys 3 - 4 times more often than girls. Family income, education, and lifestyle do not seem to affect the risk of autism.

Causes

Autism is a physical condition linked to abnormal biology and chemistry in the brain. We still don't know the exact causes of these abnormalities. There are probably a combination of factors that lead to autism.

Genetic factors seem to be important. For example, identical twins are much more likely than fraternal twins or siblings to both have autism.

A number of other possible causes have been suspected, but not proven. They involve:

Diet
Digestive tract changes
Mercury poisoning
The body's inability to properly use vitamins and minerals
Vaccine sensitivity

Symptoms

Most parents of autistic children suspect that something is wrong by the time the child is 18 months old and seek help by the time the child is 2. Some children with autism appear normal before age 1 or 2 and then suddenly "regress" and lose language or social skills they had previously gained. This is called the regressive type of autism. Children with autism typically have difficulties in:

Social skills

Fails to respond to his or her name
Has poor eye contact
Appears not to hear you at times
Resists cuddling and holding
Appears unaware of others' feelings
Seems to prefer playing alone — retreats into his or her "own world"

Language

Starts talking later than other children
Loses previously acquired ability to say words or sentences
Does not make eye contact when making requests
Speaks with an abnormal tone or rhythm — may use a singsong voice or robot-like speech
Can't start a conversation or keep one going
May repeat words or phrases verbatim, but doesn't understand how to use them

Behavior

Performs repetitive movements, such as rocking, spinning or hand-flapping
Develops specific routines or rituals
Becomes disturbed at the slightest change in routines or rituals
Moves constantly
May be fascinated by parts of an object, such as the spinning wheels of a toy car
May be unusually sensitive to light, sound and touch and yet oblivious to pain

Diagnosis

It is mainly clinical, your doctor will ask you if you have any concerns at the child regular visits. Your child's doctor will look for signs of developmental delays at regular checkups too. If your child shows some signs of autism, you may be referred to a specialist in treating children with autism. This specialist, working with a team of professionals, can perform a formal evaluation for the disorder.

Because autism varies widely in severity and manifestations, making a diagnosis may be difficult. There isn't a specific medical test to pinpoint the disorder. Instead, a formal evaluation consists of an expert observing your child and talking to you about how your child's social skills, language skills and behavior have developed and changed over time.

To help reach a diagnosis, your child may undergo a number of developmental tests covering speech, language and psychological issues.

Treatment

No cure exists for autism, and there is no unique treatment. In fact, the range of home-based and school-based treatments and interventions for autism can be overwhelming.

1. Behavior and communication therapies:

Many programs have been developed to address the range of social, language and behavioral difficulties associated with autism. Some programs focus on reducing problem behaviors and teaching new skills. Other programs focus on teaching children how to act in social situations or how to communicate better with other people. Though children don't outgrow autism, they may learn to function well with the disorder.

2. Educational therapies. Children with autism often respond well to highly structured education programs. Successful programs often include a team of specialists and a variety of activities to improve social skills, communication and behavior. Preschool children who receive intensive, individualized behavioral interventions show good progress.

3. Drug therapies. No medication can improve the core signs of autism, but certain medications can help control symptoms. Antidepressants may be prescribed for anxiety, for example, and antipsychotic drugs are sometimes used to treat severe behavioral problems.

Alternative Treatment

Because autism is so far an incurable disease, many parents seek out alternative therapies. Though some families have reported good results with special diets and other complementary approaches ( with research studies have not been able to confirm or deny the usefulness of these treatments ). Some of the most common alternative therapies include:

A. Creative therapies. Some parents choose to supplement educational and medical intervention with art therapy, music therapy or sensory integration, which focuses on reducing a child's sensitivity to touch or sound. These types of therapies are very useful along with behavioural therapies.

B. Special diets. Several diet strategies have been suggested as possible treatments for autism, including restriction of food allergens; probiotics; a yeast-free diet; a gluten-free, casein-free diet. The diet that has been tried most extensively — and with the greatest anecdotal success — eliminates gluten — a protein found in most grains, including wheat — and casein (a milk protein).

C. Chelation therapy. This treatment, which is recommended by some doctors and parents, is said to remove mercury from the body.

D. Supplementation: vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin B6 and magnesium, folic acid, vitamin B12 . Other supplements include:

Calcium and Magnesium ( 1500 and 1000mg a day )

Coenzime Q10 ( 200mg and up )

Choline ( 500-2000mg a day )

Fish Oil ( high doses of DHA and EPA )

Ginkgo Biloba

Secretin

Two theories that have been said about the origins of Autism are:

1. A possible link between autism and certain childhood vaccines, particularly the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine and vaccines with thimerosal, a preservative that contains a small amount of mercury. Though most children's vaccines have been free of thimerosal since 2001, the controversy continues. To date, extensive studies have found no link yet between autism and vaccines.

2. The second theory corresponds to the possibility of autism to develop as a consequence of an unstable home ( arguing parents, the feeling of " not being loved" while in pregnancy ) that could lead the child to isolate into his own self. If this last theory is true or not is not as important as to provide SUPPORT and STABILITY to the child.

Diabetes type 2 Treatments

I thought about bringing a few points to this blog that do not make sense when we treat diabetes through western medicine. This is my own personal opinion about the topic. The patient is advised to read the infformation presented here and take their own conclusions.

How does everything work?

Our ancestors had a very different life than us. They didn’t have cars or public transportation to rely on. Their hours were long and their work was more physical than ours. At that time, their meals needed to cover for the immense energy spending that they were having. Their gene pool was developed to store all the food in form of energy ( glycogen in the liver and fat everywhere in the body ) as much as possible to use it later on when there was no food available.

On our times, this is an inconvenience. With the average American eating 3900 calories a day ( when usually you need between 2000 and 2200 to live ), and hardly moving at all, the obesity epidemic were are facing is just a logical consequence that will only get worse.

Let’s talk about some hormones that participate on this obesity/diabetes problem. The first one is insulin. This is a hormone made by the pancreas as a response to protein and carbohydrate intake. It has intensive effects on both metabolism and several other body systems. Also it causes most of the body's cells to take up glucose from the blood (including liver, muscle, and fat tissue cells), storing it as glycogen in the liver and muscle, and increases the deposit of fat. It is our body’s anabolic hormone by excellence (Anabolism is the set of metabolic pathways that construct molecules from smaller units, build up of larger molecules from smaller ones ).

When we became a sedentary society ( hardy moving at all ), started eating refined carbohydrates such as white flour products and eating larger portions of food, we caused our system to fail. Whole foods are absorbed slower, giving time to the body to burn most of them ( if the body is engaged in exercise ) .

Foods made out of flour ( bread, pasta ), non-whole grains ( white rice, potatoes ), sweets ( sugar and high fructose corn syrup ) make ALL a big glucose spike in our systems. This brings as a consequence that insulin rises as a huge spike in a desperate attempt of the body to stop the glucose from elevating too much. In time, the insulin spikes generate what is called insulin resistance, meaning that the body will need each time more and more insulin to make our cells to “absorb” glucose and put it inside the cell. Increased amounts of insulin means more and more of FAT being deposited around the body ( mostly on the waist areas ). Fat tissue has been recognized not that long ago as capable of releasing hormones too. One of them is Leptin which signals to the brain that the body has had enough to eat, or satiety. Insulin and Leptin are hormones that the body can grow accustomed to having in large quantities and be resistant to. When this happens your body will not regulate itself as it was meant to. Also, high blood insulin also leads to lower HDL (the good cholesterol). It does this by increasing the removal of a part of the HDL molecule to VLDL (bad cholesterol) and the higher the triglycerides (TG) the more this happens. This happens because insulin also plays an important role in stimulating the liver to make more cholesterol. More recent research is showing that insulin in excess will increase the rate of thrombus or clot formation..encouraging the possibility of stroke. Insulin also plays a role to decrease the DHEA levels ( this is a hormone that is very important in wellness also helps protect us again arterial plaquing and sclerosis and obesity ). Finally there seems to be a relationship between increased insulin levels and salt retention ( thus hypertension ) on the kidneys.

Now on to the Treatments for diabetes

Allopathic doctors have got one goal: to keep numbers under control ( when glucose it high it does lead into many problems such as kidney failure, blindness, coronary disease etc ). So what’s wrong with this approach? Usually to do this, your glucose control system will be made worse than when you started.

Bear in mind that ANY medication that raises your insulin levels will make you fat in the long run and will make you have all the effects mentioned earlier in this note.

Lets go one by one with the treatment options:

Metformin pills: probably the best option to treat diabetes. The problem is it only tackles the hepatic ( liver ) production of more glucose ( when you don’t eat, the liver makes more glucose, due to the insulin resistance and the apparent lack of glucose sensed by your cells ). This medication does nothing to control the spikes that will happen when you eat. It is a medication that WILL NOT RAISE your insulin levels. Can cause some gas and bloating.

Acarbose ( Precose ) pills : Used to block the absorption of glucose in the bowels. NO INSULIN EFFECT either.

Sulfonylureas pills: The oldest medication for diabetes. Works by making your pancreas to squish more insulin. The result is better glucose control, for a while. Then, with more insulin, more insulin resistance will occur and you will need more and more dosing, until in the end this medication will fail. The effects of these pills lasts several hours.

Prandin and Starlix pills: The way these work is similar to the sulfonylureas, except they work for shorter timeframes. Thus, they will squish insulin from your pancreas, but for a limited time. This means that on top of worsening insulin resistance the patient will need to take them 30 minutes before they eat.

TZD’s Actos and Avandia pills: I will not get into the heart issues. Apparently these drugs “reduced insulin resistance” by facilitating the muscle intake of glucose. The “small problem” is that they will cause weight gain and fat deposit. In the long run, this will worsen your insulin resistance. On the short run they do control glucose numbers well.
Byetta shots: Although advertised as to work on the liver ( to stop it from making more glucose ), to work on some stomach hormones ( decreasing your food intake and even reducing weight ), per the BYETTA WEB PAGE “Byetta is not insulin and is not a substitute for insulin, Byetta helps your body make more of its own insulin”. Although it has lead to weight loss at first, it is not difficult to think that if more insulin is being released, then, in the long run, the weight loss will stop, you might even gain weight and probably your numbers will increase. Also Byetta is known for being very expensive.

Insulin: Was our problem a lack of insulin or a problem with excess insulin? So, how can giving insulin benefit ( in the long run ) a problem of insulin resistance? If you give insulin to a diabetes type 2 patient, you WILL CONTROL the diabetes, but in the long run you will need more and more insulin to control it ( thus increase in weight, cholesterol issues, etc ). In the hospital settings where time is of the essence, however, insulin treatment is an option for a short time control of diabetes.

Conclusion

What I am here to tell you is YOU NEED TO DIET ( reducing or eliminating the amount of processed foods and carbohydrates ) and EXERCISE ( no less than 1 hour a day or 10,000 steps ). That is the only way to help your body get rid of diabetes. It is our society way of living the one that has lead us into this problem and it is our duty to do all our efforts to improve our health.

Medications are not “wrong” if used appropriately and for a short time, the time you need to put yourself together and develop a plan of action to tackle this isssue.