How to Prevent Bowel Problems

Bowel problems affect a lot of people throughout their lives. The bowel includes the large intestine which is often referred to as the colon. The main function of the large intestine is to extract liquid from ingested food so it passes from the body in a bowel movement in a solid state. Problems occur when the colon becomes inflamed, or when waste material moves too slowly (constipation) or too rapidly (diarrhoea) through the large intestine. Overgrowth can occur in the colon from the proliferation of negative bacteria and thereby cause swelling.

Bowel problems can show up in various ways in the body, and can be diagnosed as diverticulitis, colitis, Crohn’s disease, irritable bowel syndrome, colon cancer, appendicitis, polyps, tumours, food allergies, parasites and possibly lower back problems. Constipation and diarrhoea are forewarnings of possible bigger problems to come. The following are the most frequent symptoms of bowel problems: severe abdominal cramps with fever; rectal bleeding; diarrhoea for more than two days; constipation for more than two weeks; frequent vomiting; and sudden unexplained weight loss.   

Conventional medicine has responded to bowel problems mainly with anti-inflammatory drugs, surgery, chemotherapy, radiation and laxative type medications. There are problems with all of these as follows: drugs affect the body in such a way as to interfere with the natural production of its own anti-bodies; surgery only treats the symptoms and not the underlying cause of the problem, and possibly causes scar tissue; chemotherapy destroys the immune system in addition to the virus; radiation causes death to healthy cells in the area being treated; laxatives can become so addictive that a normal bowel movement no longer takes place.

I am convinced the major cause of bowel problems is an inappropriate diet. It is therefore this aspect I will mainly concentrate on in this post. It is essential that the diet is a high fibre one. The best food sources of fibre are wholegrain cereals, wholemeal or rye bread, brown rice, wholegrain pasta, dried apricots. almonds, celery, dates, dried figs, raspberries, French beans, prunes, plumbs, kidney beans, and potatoes with their skins.  You should consume 40 grams (1.5 ounces) of fibre per day. Other foods which help to prevent bowel problems include cabbage, cherries, grapes , leeks, melons, oranges, peaches rhubarb, strawberries, olive oil, and live natural yogurt.

Avoid processed food, junk food, fast food, fried food, chemicals and additives   in food, artificial food colourings, and foods with a high sugar content. Tea and coffee should be avoided because they are astringent in that they contract tissues, especially those comprising mucous membranes in the digestive tract.  These beverages can be replaced with others which have a positive effect such as cabbage juice, potato juice and water.

The following herbs, for the reasons stated, can help prevent bowel problems: comfrey sooths, heals and strengthens tissues; marshmallow root contains mucilage which helps healing; ginger relives gas and settles stomach; lobelia removes obstructions of mucous; peppermint oil aids digestion; slippery elm  acts as an anti-inflammatory; and cascara is  a natural laxative.

There are food supplements which can help with bowel problems as follows: vitamin A, 25,000 IU four times daily, helps keeps cavities in the intestine resulting from colitis from growing larger, and thereby trapping impurities which enter the bloodstream; folic acid, 50 mg. daily, helps replace folic acid that is lost and stimulates the production of hydrochloric acid which helps prevent parasites and food poisoning; pantothene, 300 mg. three times daily, acts as an anti-inflammatory; aloe-vera gel, two ounces three times daily, is important for healing inflamed intestinal tissues; psyllium husks as directed on the label to make up for any deficiency in dietary fibre. 

The following complimentary measures also need to be carried out:

1. Drink 6-8 glasses of water daily in order to flush out the whole system. It is especially important to drink a lot of water if you are on a high fibre diet as is advocated in this post.
2. Other drinks beneficial to the bowel are cabbage juice and potato juice in that they help replenish normal flora and help healing. 
3. Do 30 or more minutes of your favourite exercise daily to help the whole body perform better.
4. Give up smoking as it restricts the body from dealing efficiently with food and digestion.
5. Limit alcohol intake to two units daily which equates to one pint of beer or two glasses of wine.

You now have outlined above a way of preventing or dealing with bowel problems in a mainly natural way. You should give your bowel serious attention when you consider what health problems can originate there. Colon cancer alone is the third most common cancer type in lots of developed countries. 

How to Cope with Insomnia

Insomnia is the inability to fall asleep within a reasonable time (say, twenty minutes) of going to bed, or the failure to stay asleep for more than three hours at a time. This condition affects a lot of people. Individual amounts of sleep can vary greatly from person to person. Whilst sleeping, the brain is the part of the body taking a rest; some people become irritable without sufficient sleep. The rest of the body doesn’t require sleep in order to repair itself. The need for sleep diminishes as we age; and studies have shown that some people have developed the ability to repair their brain without any sleep at all.

Insomnia arises from many different causes, as follows:

1.     Medical problems such as diabetes, migraines, asthma, ulcers, thyroid problems, emphysema and bronchitis.

2.     Psychological problems such as stress, worrying, depression, inability to relax having a bearing on sleep patterns.

3.     Environmental problems such as noise, light, temperature, the polar position of the bed being slept on, lack of an adequate mattress or sufficient blankets, and lack of space due to overcrowding.

4.     Dietary causes such as low blood sugar levels, too much caffeine, an excess of salt or sugar, alcoholic drinks, spicy foods or an allergic reaction to food.

Conventional medicine has responded to the problem with medications, tranquilisers, psychotherapy and behaviour modifications. Medications in the form of sleeping pills can become so addictive that people using them have problems falling asleep naturally. Medications can also cause dizziness, swelling of eyelids, slow heartbeat, unusual excitement, sore throat and fever.

In order to prevent insomnia, it is best to give consideration to things you can control like diet. A well-balance diet will contribute to overall good health and allow for normal sleeping. Sleep inducing foods are dairy products, eggs, salmon, turkey, chicken and lamb which are high in tryptophan and tyrosine. Other sleep enhancing foods are sprouted grains, wholegrain bread, cabbage,  lettuce, organ meats, split peas, fish, red meat and fresh fruit like peaches and apples (except at night).

The body should be in an alkaline state when sleeping at night as an acid state prevails during the day. To make the body more alkaline, take one teaspoon of powdered or liquid greens in the form of green magna, wheat grass or barley grass in 225 grams (8 ounces) of water an hour before going to bed. If you prefer, you can drink a glass of vegetable juice.

Foods and drinks to avoid are coffee, tea, peanuts, alcoholic drinks, sugar-laden foods and drinks. Foods or drinks with a high sugar contents cause the blood sugar levels in the body to plummet leading to disturbed sleeping patterns. Avoid eating cured meats, spicy foods and baked beans, which can lead to burping, heartburn or flatulence and thereby disturb sleep patterns.

Herbs which can help to promote sleep, for the reasons stated, are as follows: valerian root acts as a tranquilizer; skullcap relaxes the mind; hops reduce restlessness and promote sleep; blue vervian is a natural tranquiliser; camomile is good for the nerves; lady slipper has a calming effect on the body and mind; and passion flower is soothing to the nervous system.

The following food supplements can promote sleep. Vitamin B complex capsules as directed on the label to insure there are no deficiencies in this regard. Other specific supplements that can aid sleep are as follows: vitamin C, 500mg. four times daily; vitamin B6, 100mg. three times daily; manganese citrate, 500mg.three times daily; potassium citrate, 100 mg. five times daily; calcium citrate, 500mg.twice daily; and chronoset, 2mg, before bedtime. 

Other measures which can help with sleep include:

1.     Try aligning the body position by moving the bed either to a north-south or east- west position, and then experiment with what constitutes the head and foot positions.

2.     Take a leisurely walk one hour before bedtime.

3.     Take a warm bath 1 or 2 hours before bedtime.

4.     Engage in meditation for 10 to 15 minutes immediately before going to bed.

5.     Listen to calming new age or relaxation music at bedtime.

6.     Make sure the room you are trying to sleep in is properly aired: leave the windows open for a few hours per day even in wintertime.

7.     Drink a cupful of warm milk immediately before going to bed.

8.     If you suffer from psychological or emotional problems, take lithium as directed on the label. Good food sources of lithium, in its natural state, are whole grains and seeds.

You now have enough information to tackle the problem of insomnia.If you have anything to say on this post, use the comments box below for that purpose.