There is always a good deal of interest in digestive health, and with good
reason. It is amazing how many people suffer from various digestive symptoms,
such as constipation, diarrhea, gas, bloating, and many other symptoms. These
gastrointestinal (GI) problems are twice as frequent in women than men, and
women have a higher frequency of having other diseases at the same time, such
as migraine headaches, fibromyalgia, or heartburn. For some women the symptoms
may become more frequent at a certain time in the menstrual cycle.
Unfortunately, the symptoms at times are vague, and many have experienced
going to physicians who consider the symptoms "functional" ( meaning no
serious disease identifiable), and often having the symptoms dismissed. But
left unattended these symptoms can lead to chronic diseases and general poor
quality of life. We'll discuss some of the common problems and what can be
done about it.
Constipation
Having infrequent, dry bowel movements is due to the slow
passage of waste material through the colon. Because it is slow, a great
majority of the water is reabsorbed by the system., making the material left
hard and dry. The gastroenterologists will tell you that "normal" ranges from
3 times a day to 3 times a week. However, most of us probably would get
uncomfortable with elimination as infrequent as 3 times a week. That feeling
of bloating, excess gas, and general abdominal heaviness is really no fun, and
sure keeps us from feeling our best!
There are a lot of factors that can contribute to constipation. Less
exercise, poor diet, stress level increase, and certain medications can all
affect the GI tract. Some diseases, such as low thyroid and diabetes will also
contribute to poor GI emptying.
Dysbiosis
The intestine contains a balance of good and bad bacteria. In
the ideal state there is a balance between the two. However, an alteration
with an overgrowth of "bad" organisms or a reduction in the "good" organisms
can lead to a change in the balance and ultimately to a disease state.
Research suggests altering this state of balance contributes to the
development of chronic diseases. There are a wide range of symptoms that can
occur, such as either diarrhea or constipation, bloating, undigested food in
the stool, fatigue, or chronic yeast infections. Use of antibiotics, stress
and poor diet also are important factors that can alter the balance of
microorganisms in our system. First thought to be just a theory, but now there
is evidence in scientific literature to confirm it is more than just a theory,
and now believed to be a contributor to many chronic degenerative diseases, it
follows that maintaining a good balance is important.
Intestinal Parasites
Most of us don't think very much about intestinal parasites.
After all, we are an advance Western country and this is a third world
problem, right? Better think again! Even in the USA it is estimated that about
25% of the general population have parasites. These toxins take a toll on the
system, and can result in the same types of symptoms already discussed. Today
with worldwide travel so common we have seen an increase in parasitic problems.
There are many different types of organisms that are parasites on
humans. Parasites that live inside their hosts can affect various tissues and
organs, such as the blood, GI tract, liver, gall bladder, lymphatic system,
and ultimately weaken the immune system. The host is generally weakened by
large numbers of parasites as the body's immune system attempts to resist the
intrusion.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
IBS is a cluster of symptoms such as abdominal pain, bloating,
diarrhea and constipation. Some people have alternating diarrhea and
constipation. There is no disease state that is identifiable, but the bowel is
not functioning normally. IBS is much more common in women than men. Stress is
thought to play a role in IBS.
Helpful Measures
In each of these common conditions there are several natural
steps one can take to ease the situation
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Make sure to drink plenty of water. The digestive system works best when
adequate fluids are present to assist in moving waste material through the
colon.
-
Exercise regularly. This keeps the digestive tract moving better.
-
Increase your dietary fiber, such as those found in grains, vegetables and
fruit. Supplements containing fiber work well for digestive problems where
constipation is a problem. Doctors recommend getting 30 - 35 grams of fiber a
day, much more than the 20 grams we usually get in the average American diet.
It's hard to get this much fiber without supplements. Remember, though, when
starting fiber supplements increasing your fluid intake is important too.
Without adequate fluids the fiber can't "keep things moving".
When To See The Doctor
Sometimes the common symptoms we talked about here need further
evaluation by a physician. Any CHANGE in bowel habits that is sustained needs
a physician's attention, as does severe abdominal pain or rectal bleeding.
Sometimes weight loss without apparent cause can mean bowel trouble as well,
and a more serious condition underlying the symptoms. Your doctor may need to
perform tests on the blood, stool, x-rays of the colon and perhaps a
colonoscopy to rule these out.
Help From Natural Supplements
There are natural
supplements that are effective with a number of the common problems we
discussed. The Bios Life ClearStart--with Nature's Tea is a unique 30
day colon cleanse program, designed to restore good balance by removing
toxins, eliminating unwanted organisms and cleansing the colon. It provides
powerful herbs that disable negative organisms so your body can eliminate them
efficiently, it adds adequate fiber to the diet, and also provides a
sweet-tasting blend of traditional Chinese and American herb tea that boosts
your body's ability to cleanse itself of toxins and promote optimal nutrient
absorption.
ProBionic is another Unicity product designed to help the body
restore the needed balance between good and bad organisms. It provides five
different forms of lactobacillus for a more comprehensive form of intestinal
support than was previously available.A good balance of "friendly" bacteria is
needed to help fight off diseases as well as creating needed vitamins and
nutrients for our system.
For
More ClearStart Information Click Here
For More
ProBionic information Click Here