Tag: Gut flora

Categories
Health Problems & Solutions

Few Health Questions & Answers

Jog past the pain:

 Conditioning of muscles before exercise reduces pain.

Q: I want to exercise, but when I jog my leg starts paining. The pain disappears after taking some rest. I do not smoke or drink. What is wrong with me?

A: This is a typical case of shin splints. This occurs owing to the entrapment of the shin muscles under the non-yielding ligament near the ankle. Exercise makes the muscle expand and since it’s held down firmly, it hurts. As the expansion subsides with rest, the pain disappears. Conditioning of the muscles prior to exercise with warm ups and stretches prevents this. Also, if you persist with the exercise this pain will disappear. You have to jog past the pain….CLICK & SEE

[amazon_link asins=’B01HC0KC12,B06XSQZDWN,B06XSQZC5T’ template=’ProductCarousel’ store=’finmeacur-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’3926564e-6459-11e7-953a-0b641dd2787c’]

 

[amazon_link asins=’B01HC0KC12,B06XSQZDWN,B06XSQZC5T’ template=’ProductCarousel’ store=’finmeacur-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’4646ee86-6459-11e7-a61f-05ed9737cc52′

A rare problem

Q: I have congenital absence of nipples. What kind of problems may arise because of this?

A: The absence of nipples is clinically known as athelia. It’s a rare condition. Athelia may be associated with abnormalities in other areas like the chest muscles or fingers. It may also occur as a part of a generalised disorder called ectodermal dysplasia, which affects the skin. It can be associated with premature aging. The defect usually occurs in the sixth week of foetal development. The breasts may be small, underdeveloped or absent. It may also be associated with an absence of sweat glands, coupled with the inability to sweat and heat intolerance. The condition is not dangerous or life threatening. Surgical reconstruction can be done for cosmetic reasons.

[amazon_link asins=’B0044KLPP6′ template=’ProductCarousel’ store=’finmeacur-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’975d4b75-6459-11e7-a093-b9ac7ca5ba63′]

Gall stones

Q: I had a laparoscopic cholecystectomy two months back for a gallstone problem. The doctor told me that the gall bladder had been removed with multiple stones and advised me to eat a normal diet. Is it possible for the stones to form again? Some of my friends got stones after a year or two of being operated. Can I eat tomatoes? What type of diet should I have?

A: Once the gall bladder has been successfully removed you cannot develop gallstones again, as there is no gall bladder for the stones to form in. Perhaps your friends developed stones in the kidney the second time. Kidney stones can recur. You can eat tomatoes, but should cut down on oily food. Small frequent meals are best for you.

[amazon_link asins=’B00C7XUZN0,B000I4BZHK,B00HRMFJJG,B0027E4NB4′ template=’ProductCarousel’ store=’finmeacur-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’bd565d5a-6459-11e7-b528-1d68a8c90f4c’]

Fungal infection

Q: I have itching in my groin area. After I scratch it becomes black and ugly. Please advise.

A: This is typically described as dhobis itch. It is a superficial fungal infection. It sets in as the groin area perspires and the sweat can’t evaporate because of tight synthetic pants. You should bathe twice a day with Neko soap. Wear a dhothi and no underclothes at night while sleeping. Apply a fungicidal ointment without steroids twice a day. This has to be continued for at least one and a half months.

[amazon_link asins=’B00YI2S0P8,B009D3IV7O,B00E1OI4F4,B004YAQB1E’ template=’ProductCarousel’ store=’finmeacur-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’fb8b0b85-6459-11e7-9670-cf708401f49a’]

Healthy diet

Q: I have gout. What diet should I follow?

A: Avoid foods high in purines like livers, brains, kidneys and mackerel. Limit animal protein in your diet to not more than six ounces of lean meat, poultry or fish a day. Alcohol, especially binge drinking, should be avoided.

[amazon_link asins=’1581574142,B073NLZVZV,1623152615,B007USA6MM’ template=’ProductCarousel’ store=’finmeacur-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’204b9d96-645a-11e7-8937-af6e0cac4f99′]

Digestion trouble

Q: I am 20 years old. I have to go to the toilet twice before I leave for work. I also suffer from bloating. On having rich food, I have to go to the toilet more frequently. Please advise.

A: Many people have trouble in digesting rich food, wheat, pulses and milk products. Small quantities can be digested, but large amounts often overload the enzyme system in the intestines. Fermentation of these foods causes bloating, intestinal hurry, frequent visits to the toilet and discharge of foul smelling gas. Cut down on such food and you can also take enzyme capsules for better digestion. Exercise helps to regulate bowel habits. Aerobics, walking or running for 40 minutes a day will help. Do stomach crunches — about 20 a day. A well-toned abdomen prevents bloating and helps the intestines function efficiently.

[amazon_link asins=’0471442232,B0083V8K28,B01N9SSY7T,B06Y3DW56V’ template=’ProductCarousel’ store=’finmeacur-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’54b3244e-645a-11e7-8a66-132e7ca31c3f’]

Lump in breast

Q: My wife had developed a lump in her left breast two years ago. We went to a doctor who wanted to poke it with a needle. We refused and went for homeopathic treatment. The lump is bigger now, but it does not pain. There is now another lump in her armpit. She is 42 years old. We do not have any children. What should we do now?

A: The doctor wanted to do a FNAC (Fine Needle Aspiration Cytology). That is a non-invasive way of getting tissue to arrive at a pathological diagnosis. Breast lumps have to be taken seriously for all age groups but particularly so in older women. The lack of any pain is a sinister sign. You need to get the lump evaluated immediately by a surgeon. You need to follow the doctor’s advice. After all, doctors can only tell you the diagnosis and recommend a line of treatment. They can not always tell you what you want to hear.

[amazon_link asins=’1490915540,B071D7LNDK,B013RRJHMY,B071S27Y7J’ template=’ProductCarousel’ store=’finmeacur-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’99cea3b7-645a-11e7-a9ab-7375232864d7′]

Dr Gita Mathai is a paediatrician with a family practice at Vellore. Questions on health issues may be emailed to her at yourhealthgm@yahoo.co.in

Source:The Telegraph (Kolkata,India)

Related articles
Categories
Ailmemts & Remedies

Colitis: Inflammation of the Colon.

[amazon_link asins=’1118439597,0981496504′ template=’ProductCarousel’ store=’finmeacur-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’dca85158-f409-11e6-855e-f9243fa97110′]

Colitis refers to inflammation of the colon .The diseases results from prolonged irritation and inflammation of the delicate membrane, which lines the walls of the colon. Chronic ulcerative colitis is a severe prolonged inflammation of the colon or large bowel, in which ulcers form on the walls of the colon…..click & see

Symptoms:
Colitis usually begins in the lower part of the colon and spreads upwards. The first symptom of the trouble is an increased urgency to move the bowel, followed by cramping pains in the abdomen and sometimes, bloody mucous in the stool. As the disease spreads upward the stool become watery and more frequent and are followed by rectal straining. The patient is usually malnourished and may be severely underweight.

People exhibit a broad range of symptoms depending on the cause of their colitis. Following are some of the more common complaints:

Frequent loose bowel movements with or without blood
Urgency and bowel incontinence
Lower abdominal discomfort or cramps

Fever, lethargy, and loss of appetite

Weight loss in chronic diarrhea and inflammatory bowel disease
People with inflammatory bowel disease also may exhibit the following symptoms:

Eye problems or pain
Joint problems
Neck or lower back pain
Skin changes

Root cause:

One of the causes of the colitis is chronic constipation and the use of purgative. Constipation causes an accumulation of the hard faecal matter, which is never properly evacuated. Purgatives used as a cure only increase irritation. Often colitis results from poorly digested roughage, especially of cereals and carbohydrates, which causes bowel irritation. Other causes of the disease are an allergic sensitivity to certain foods, intake of antibiotic and severe stress.

Causes of colitis may be placed in the following categories:

Infectious colitis: A variety of “bugs” may cause colitis, including these:
Bacteria: Commonly found in food or contaminated water, bacteria may produce toxins that trigger intestinal cells to secrete salt and water and interfere with their normal functions. Salmonella, Shigella species, Campylobacter jejuni, and Clostridium are examples of bacteria associated with infectious colitis.
Viruses: Those such as rotavirus or Norwalk can damage the mucous membrane lining your intestine and disturb fluid absorption.
Protozoa: People infected with protozoa such as Entamoeba histolytica may show no symptoms (carrier state), or they may have chronic, mild, loose, bowel movements or acute severe dysentery. Colitis due to E histolytica, also known as amebiasis, has become an important sexually transmitted disease in homosexual men.
These “bugs” have developed a variety of ways to overcome our natural defenses and ultimately cause colitis.
Radiation-associated colitis: Localized areas of colitis may occur at variable periods after treatment of the pelvic region with radiotherapy.

Ischemic colitis: This disease often affects the elderly. The mechanism of ischemia  massive decrease in the blood supply to the bowel’is not known, but shunting of blood away from the mucosa may be an important contributing factor.

Irritable bowel syndrome: This is a common disorder of the intestine that leads to cramps, excessive production of gas, bloating, and changes in bowel habits. No one knows the cause of irritable bowel syndrome.

Antibiotic-associated colitis: Usually this condition occurs in people receiving antibiotics, but gastrointestinal surgery remains an important risk factor. A bacterial toxin has been isolated from the large bowel of these people, evidence that the disease is related to changes noted in the large bowel and symptoms.

Chronic inflammation of unknown causes, for instance, inflammatory bowel diseases: Two major forms are recognized—Crohn disease and ulcerative colitis. The causes are unknown. But certain features of these diseases have suggested several contributing factors:
Familial: Both conditions are more common in first-degree relatives than in the general population.

Genetic: There is a high similarity of symptoms among identical twins, particularly with Crohn disease.

Infectious agents or environmental toxins: No single agent has been associated consistently with either form of inflammatory bowel disease. Viruses have been reported in tissue from people with inflammatory bowel disease, but there is no compelling evidence.

Immune defense mechanisms: Several alterations in the immune regulation have been identified in inflammatory bowel disease. But none of the altered immunologic findings has been specific for either ulcerative colitis or Crohn disease.

Smoking: Smokers increase their risk of developing Crohn disease twofold. In contrast, smokers have only half the risk of developing ulcerative colitis.

Oral contraceptive pill: Birth control pills have been implicated as a possible cause of Crohn disease.

Psychological factors: There is little evidence relating possible emotional factors as a cause of inflammatory bowel disease. Psychological factors may modify the course of the disease, however, and your response to therapy.

Healing option :(As per Ayurveda)

Diet: Diet plays an important part in the treatment of colitis. It is advisable to observe a juice fast for five days or so, in most cases of ulcerative colitis. Papaya juice, raw cabbage juice, and carrot juice are especially beneficial. Citrus juice should be avoided.

After a juice fast a patient should gradually adopt a diet of small, frequent meals of soft cooked or streamed vegetables, rice, porridge, dalia, and well ripped fruits like banana and papaya. Yogurt and home made cottage cheese. All food must be eaten slowly and chewed thoroughly.

Lifestyle: During the first five days of the juice fast the bowels should be cleaned daily with a warm water enema .A buttermilk enema taken twice a week is also soothing and helps in re-installing useful bacterial flora in the colon. Complete bedrest is very important. The patient should eliminate all causes of tension and face his discomfort with patience.

Ayurvedic
Supplements: 1. Bhuwaneshar Ras 2. Isabbael(H)or Metamucil 3.Kutjarishta

YOGA: 1.Vajrasana 2.The Knee to Chest (Pawanmuktasan) 3.The Shoulder Stand (Sarvang Asana)

HOME CARE:For a mild case of diarrhea, you can manage your discomfort by doing the following:

1. Drink clear fluids such as water, lemonade, light lemon tea, and light soup.

2.Drink at least 8-10 glasses of water and other liquids daily to prevent complications such as dehydration.

3.As your symptoms improve or your stools become formed, start to eat low-fiber foods. Do not eat greasy or fatty foods for few days; for example, avoid milk, cream, or soft cheese.

WHEN TO GO TO DOCTOR:

You should report to your doctor any persistent changes in your bowel habits. If you are already under treatment for inflammatory bowel disease or irritable bowel syndrome, contact your doctor if you experience any prolonged changes or pass blood in your stools. Also see your doctor if you have any of these conditions:

1.Diarrhea lasting more than 3 days

2.Severe abdominal or rectal pain

3.Signs of dehydration such as dry mouth, anxiety or restlessness, excessive thirst, little or no urination
Frequent loose bowel movements during pregnancy

4.More than 1 other person who shared food with you who has symptoms like yours, for example abdominal pain, fever, and diarrhea

5.Blood or mucus in your stool
Progressively looser bowel movements and appearance of other symptoms fever and diarrhea.

6.Fever with diarrhea

7.Pain moving from the area around your belly to your right lower abdomen.

Disclaimer: This information is not meant to be a substitute for professional medical advise or help. It is always best to consult with a Physician about serious health concerns. This information is in no way intended to diagnose or prescribe remedies.

Source:www.emedicine.com and www.allayurveda.com

Reblog this post [with Zemanta]
Related articles
Categories
Pediatric

‘Good’ Bacteria Help Kids with Diarrhea

[amazon_link asins=’B001GBGT66,B005HXRLYS,B01IMGUEFE,B00L3JTHME,B01KQ67F9G,B01LFFHHMW,B00JEKYNZA,B002HY63TO,B000GG7QKK’ template=’ProductCarousel’ store=’finmeacur-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’2be4932c-db56-11e7-9ed2-a5a5ec117ad9′]

Supplements containing two different strains of lactobacillus, a bacteria commonly found in yogurt, can help ease bouts of severe diarrhea in children and reduce their hospital stays.

Such treatments, with so-called “good bacteria,” are commonly referred to as probiotics. They are thought to work by altering the microbial ecology in the gut of the person who ingests them.

The probiotic treatment cut the amount of time children with diarrhea spent in the hospital. Probiotic-treated children spent 1.6 days in the hospital, on average, versus 2.6 days for the patients given placebo.

And children who received treatment within 60 hours of when their diarrhea began spent an average of 1.7 days in the hospital, versus 3.5 days for kids who received placebo within this time.

The research team also found that children given lactobacillus were less likely to show signs of infection with rotavirus, the leading cause of diarrhea in infants, than youngsters who did not receive the bacteria treatment.

From:The Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal.

Dr. Mercola‘s Comment:

Although one less hospital day may not seem very significant, there clearly was a difference between the two groups. These are the types of studies that traditional doctors require before they adopt these simple measures more broadly.

It is likely that even more impressive results would have been achieved had the babies been put on the eating plan and eliminated wheat and dairy during their infection.

I have seen these probiotics work in many intractable diarrheas in a matter of hours. The trick is to use HIGH doses (which were not used in this study), which likely explains the small difference between the two groups.

Probiotics are the only supplement I advise nearly every patient to start. Once their food choices are cleaned up they can stop taking it. While it is not necessary to take them forever, I do believe it is wise to use one bottle of a good probiotic a year, as most of us are less than perfect with our food choices.

There are probably many other good brands in your local health food store. However, be careful because some brands do not contain what the label claims. A good probiotic will work very well most types of acute diarrhea. I recommend one capsule, or ¼ tsp of the powders, every 30-60 minutes until the diarrhea is gone. It usually resolves in about four hours. These products are quite impressive.

Source:www.mercola.com

Related articles
Categories
Healthy Tips

How The Bacteria In Your Gut Can Make You Fat

..Two new studies show that obese people have different intestinal bacteria than slim people. What’s more, the microbes in an overweight body are much more efficient at extracting calories from food………click & see

One study looked at mice, the other looked at humans. In both, a family of bacteria known as firmicutes were more plentiful in the obese (20 percent more). Bacteria called bacteroidetes were also much more abundant in those of normal weight (the obese had almost 90 percent fewer bacteroidetes).

Most likely because of the firmicutes, the obese mice were more efficient at taking calories out of complex sugars and depositing those calories in fat. When these microbes were transplanted into the normal-weight mice, those mice started to gain twice as much fat.

As obese people lost weight, their bacteroidetes increased, while the numbers of firmicutes decreased.
Dr. Mercola‘s Comment:

Having the right bacteria in your gut has an enormous influence on your health. In fact it is likely that one of the main benefits of eating healthy is that it will nurture the right types of bacteria growing in your colon.

There is a wealth of evidence demonstrating that the nutritional cause of many diseases is related to an imbalance of bacteria in your gut, a problem easily rectified by eating a diet that has minimal processed high quality, preferably organic foods.

This is one of the reasons why taking antibiotics can be so dangerous as they kill beneficial bacteria in your gut and can lead to overgrowth of yeast that the late Dr. William Crook helped to bring to consciousness.

This new report gives more credence to infectobesity, the study of microbes and viruses in your gut that may be responsible for some cases of obesity.

Influencing the bacteria growing in your body for the positive is easy by making better food choices, starting with reducing, with the plan of eliminating, sugars and most grains from your daily diet. Ideally, your gut should contain a ratio of 85 percent “good” bacteria to 15 percent non-beneficial bacteria, but the high-sugar Western diet has caused this ratio to actually reverse in many people.

You can also use a high quality probiotic as an “insurance policy” to make sure you colon is balanced with good strains. Many of you may know that I recommend supplements very sparingly but for the patients that are seen in my Chicago area clinic nearly everyone is given an omega-3 supplement and a high quality probiotic.

On Vital Votes, Dr. Jason Lauer from Waukehsa, Wisconsin, says:

“Much can be said about lifestyle and the biochemical environment our choices create inside the body. Recall the work of Bruce Lipton, PhD (in the archives on this site) showing how the environment we create through lifestyle influences genetic expression.

“Along with proper lifestyle, supplementing with a probiotic and a pure and potent source of omega 3 fat are a scientific no brainer.”

Source:www.mercola.com

Related articles
Categories
Ailmemts & Remedies

Diarrhea

[amazon_link asins=’B0006LCQ4Q,B000OL6SQK,B00FF5MK6C,0988979349,B004BLDPHE,B004LODJYK,B001ETZV64,B01FUNKBVY,B0030GYRQY’ template=’ProductCarousel’ store=’finmeacur-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’07ff5a7a-3d2c-11e7-8d45-bfb893b4ca44′]

Everyone has diarrhea at one time or another and everyone has their own idea of exactly what diarrhea is. Is it one liquid stool each day? Is it several soft, semiformed stools each day? Or is it frequent, watery stools throughout the day and even the night? Stool is made up mostly of water....click & see

Causes of Diarrhea
There are many causes of diarrhea. Fortunately, in most instances, this change in bowel habits is short lived and clears up on its own. In these cases, it is assumed that it is a virus infection or even “something I ate.” Whenever diarrhea lasts more than two or three weeks, medical advice is generally recommended. Among the many known causes are:

Food — Most people have certain foods that may cause diarrhea. For hot pepper lovers (the chemical in it is called capaiscin), diarrhea often occurs the morning after. Many people are intolerant of milk and milk products so that even small amounts of the milk sugar lactose can cause diarrhea. Large amounts of fatty foods cause the same problem in other people. The obvious solution in all these instances is to avoid the offending agent.

Chemical Laxatives — Many people become dependent on laxatives early in life and use them on a daily basis. The names for the usual chemical stimulants are magnesium (Epsom salt), cascara (Nature’s Remedy), and phenolphthalein (Exlax, Correctol, Feen-A-Mint). Magnesium can be inadvertently ingested in various over-the-counter preparations such as Maalox or Mylanta. Check labels! Sorbitol is an artificial sweetener that is used in sugar free gum and prepared foods such as jams and jellies. Sorbitol, too, is a laxative.

Prescription Drugs — If a change in bowel habit occurs after taking a new drug, the physician should be contacted. In particular, antibiotics are known to cause diarrhea, at times quite severe. Diarrhea can develop up to one month after taking antibiotics.

Infection — There are over 400 different bacteria that normally live quietly and beneficially in the large intestine. There are also many viruses and other infectious agents that find their way into our bodies. Some of these can infect the intestinal tract and cause diarrhea. Fortunately, most of the time these infections come and go on their own. Some bacterial infections, such as salmonella, are serious and require medical evaluation. Salmonella commonly comes from contaminated poultry. There are parasites, such as amoeba and giardia, that attack the intestines. Giardia may be found in wild animals and in contaminated streams and well water. For people infected with the AIDS virus, there are a number of infections that can occur in the intestinal tract. Close medical follow up is always required in these instances. Virus infection is probably the most common cause of short term diarrhea and, fortunately, it usually clears up on its own.

Traveler’s Diarrhea — The cause of traveler’s diarrhea is a toxic bacteria called E. Coli. It most often occurs in developing countries where sanitation is not good. This infection can often be prevented by avoiding fresh, uncooked produce and fruits. Fruits, such as oranges, that have protective skins are safe. In particular, tap water in any form and especially ice should be avoided. Bottled beverages are recommended. The physician should be contacted prior to travel to these countries to obtain more information on prevention and treatment.

Diseases — There are certain intestinal disorders that can cause chronic diarrhea. These include ulcerative and microscopic colitis, Crohn’s disease, diverticulosis, and even colon cancer. These are all serious diseases that require careful medical attention and treatment. It is a major reason why the cause of chronic diarrhea should always be known.

Stress and Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) — IBS is a problem that occurs when the intestines, especially the colon do not contract in a smooth, rhythmic manner. The contractions can be exaggerated in which case diarrhea occurs or they may be sluggish and result in constipation. Sometimes there is alternating constipation and diarrhea. Emotional stress often aggravates these symptoms

Diagnosis
The cause and treatment of diarrhea may be very simple, such as discontinuing magnesium- containing antacids. Or it may be more difficult. Testing of blood and stool may be needed. X-rays and ultrasound may also be necessary. In some cases, sigmoidoscopy or colonoscopy are required to visually inspect the colon with a lighted, flexible tube. Testing depends on how severe and prolonged the condition is, and how the physician evaluates a specific case.

Treatment
There are simple things that can be done at the beginning of a diarrheal episode which may help reduce symptoms. Taking only liquids by mouth and avoiding solid food and milk may be helpful. Over-the-counter constipating agents, such as Pepto-Bismol, Kaopectate, or Imodium can also be tried. For explosive or persistent diarrhea, treatment will obviously depend on the cause. Fortunately, the cause of diarrhea can almost always be found and effective treatment is then usually available.It can be treated well with Homeopathic drug and Simple Ayurvedic/herbal home treatment also helps a lot (without any side effect)

CLICK &  LEARN MORE

Summary
Diarrhea is a common problem which is usually not serious. If it is severe or persistent, a specific diagnosis should be sought. By working closely with the physician, effective treatment is almost always available.

CLICK & SEE  : Diarrhoea dos and don’ts

Extracted from:http://www.gicare.com/pated/ecdgs28.htm

Related articles
css.php