Welcome to our health newsletter. It is meant to entertain, inform, and even inspire you to better health. Help others by sharing your thoughts and experience. They will thank you for your kindness.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
- Constipation Causes And Solutions
- Ache Help!
Constipation Causes/Solutions Constipation is a very common problem. Once addressed it can usually be easily remedied with lifestyle changes. Ironically, one may not realize constipation until reading about it. Conventional medicine defines constipation as "fewer than two or three bowel movements a week". (Wow, wonder how babies would feel if this happened, since they have a movement after every meal!) Regularity is so important for health because without it toxins accumulate and re-circulate in the bloodstream. Constipation can also increase risk of hemorrhoids or fecal impaction, where stools must be removed manually. OUCH!
Now I must share with you a very serious story. My colleague's slender wife didn't tell him of her years of constipation. This led to a stroke caused by the stools getting so big that it stretched the colon (diagnosed in the hospital as a mega-colon) so far that blood clots formed and eventually traveling to the brain. Thank goodness she did live with minimal side effects of the stroke.
One of the main causes of constipation is a diet high in processed foods and sugar which lacks fiber sources like fresh vegetables. Fiber helps move bulk through the intestines and promotes evacuation. Second common cause is laxative abuse. Americans spend three-quarters of a BILLION dollar every year on laxatives, according to the American Gastroenterological Association. By taking laxatives over a long period of time dependency occurs necessitating higher dosages for a bowel movement, and eventually the intestine fails to want to work. So if you must have a laxative, do it for a very short period since they do nothing to address the problem. Third cause is hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid). The common symptoms are having no energy to exercise consistently; a heavy/tired head (sensitive indicator), especially in the afternoon; and/or falling asleep as soon as you sit down with nothing to do. Other symptoms are easy weight gain or difficulty losing weight despite an aggressive exercise program while watching one's diet; perpetually dry/rough/scaly skin with dry, tangled hair; hair loss; feeling cold most of the time; and IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) which are spasms in your colon that slow the content through the digestive tract. Last cause to be discussed is the lose of Mother Nature's urge to evacuate by ignoring it because it is not convenient in one's schedule or pleasant to use a public toilet. Just like with babies mentioned earlier, one should go after every meal, which stimulates the stomach to send the signal to the colon to evacuate. Ignoring this "natural urge" eventually leads to losing it. Then the only evacuation is when one is so backed up that eating literally pushes things out that have been in the digestive tract much too long and has putified. So if staying regular is a struggle, suggest getting checked for hypothyroidism, squat (the best natural position to expel stool and reduce hemorrhoid possibilities) by getting your knees raised while trying to evacuate, eat plenty of fiber-rich foods (vegetables, flaxseeds ground in a coffee grinder, etc.), exercise regularly to stimulate circulation and intestinal function, take a good probiotic (substance that promotes the growth of microorganisms) which balances the good and bad bacteria in the intestine for good digestion, drink lots (2 quarts minimum) of good water, and above all pay heed to Mother Nature's "natural urge".
One last suggestion is in regards to your spinal nerves. The 4th lumbar vertebra has nerves coming out of the spine that innervate the colon. Also the 5th thoracic nerves relate to the upper GI tract. Consequently if there are subluxations (misalignments causing nerve interference) in these areas the digestive system will not function properly. Getting regular spinal checkups always seem to help the body function better without those "bad" subluxations. Miracles have happened in the past!
ACNE HELP! - According to Dr Mercola and others Acne is a psychologically and emotionally painful condition, especially for adolescents and many adults. (If you are passed this problem, past this info to others who are not.) Acne affects about 85 percent of the population at some time in their life. It is the most common skin disease addressed by dermatologists. Most people get the type of acne called acne vulgaris, which can appear on your face, neck, shoulders, back and chest. Now how can one treat it effectively?
Conventional treatment used by most dermatologists is to recommend an antibiotic - typically tetracycline-type derivatives designed to kill infections usually caused by propioniform types of bacteria found on everyone's skin. Acne results when the bacteria block skin pores leading to inflammation. Other conventional treatments include using topical agents such as benzyl peroxide, or in extreme cases harsher treatment drugs like Accutane, which should be used with caution since it is the only drug classified as category X, meaning it is 100 percent guaranteed to cause birth defects. As of 2002, if you are a woman of child bearing age, a pregnancy test is required. It also has other side effects, such as feelings of depression, aggression, and suicide. However these treatments do not treat the underlying cause of your acne.
Better approach is to eliminate the chance for the propioniform bacteria to create these cysts or lesions. Diet is extremely important. If you are predisposed to acne stay away from foods that increase your insulin levels like refined carbohydrates and sugars. They cause a surge of insulin and an growth factor call IGF-1, leading to an excess of male hormones causing your pores to secrete sebum, a greasy substance that attracts acne-promoting bacteria. Additionally, IGF-1 causes skin cells known as keratinocytes to multiply associated with acne. So minimize sugar and ALL grain carbohydrates (bread, cereal, pasta, rice, potatoes, and corn) in your diet, even a high quality, organic, whole wheat bread which can cause this problem because it is still a carbohydrate. Replace with vegetable carbohydrates which metabolize slowly and tend to not cause spikes in your insulin production.
Other important factors to consider if you’ve been given antibiotics is to take a probiotic supplement. Antibiotics are indiscriminate killers that also wipe out good bacteria in your gut. Another side effect is an overgrowth of yeast. In woman this leads to vaginal yeast infections and for both men and women to develop Candida due to imbalance of bacteria in your gut.
Another factor is to get enough vitamin D which is crucially important to establishing a healthy immune system and controlling infection. When you optimize your vitamin D levels by exposing your body skin to lightly pink (more causes damage) with sunlight you make over 200 antimicrobial peptides (also called host defense peptides). They are an essential component of your innate immune response, and are potent, broad spectrum antibiotics. Supplemental vitamin D taken should be monitored by regular blood tests. These are the simple strategies to encourage you to try them out because there’s a strong probability they will virtually eliminate your acne, and all the associated emotional and psychological pain that so frequently affects those with this condition.
Return to Top
Return to Homepage
Return to Health News Directory
22762 Aspan St, Suite 200, Lake Forest, CA 92630-1604 : 949-770-6922
Email: drburdi@pacbell.net; Website:
http://burdichiro.com
Copyright © 1998-2010 (Burdi Chiropractic) - All Rights Reserved.