Health and Diet Blog

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common problem with the intestines. In people with IBS, the intestines squeeze too hard or not hard enough and cause food to move too quickly or too slowly through the intestines. IBS usually begins around age 20 and is more common in women.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome IBS is more prevalent than we think. The primary symptom of IBS is abdominal pain and cramp after eating – resulting in diarrhea, constipation, gas or bloating. Some may find mucous in the feces. These symptoms usually persist for at least 90 days before an IBS diagnosis is considered. Most people only have mild symptoms, and fortunately, a proper diet can usually minimize symptoms.

Causes

Doctors are not sure what causes IBS. The nerves and muscles in the bowel appear to be extra sensitive in people with IBS. Muscles may contract too much when you eat. These contractions can cause cramping and diarrhea during or shortly after a meal. Or the nerves may react when the bowel stretches, causing cramping or pain.

Symptoms

Abdominal pain, bloating, and discomfort are the main symptoms of IBS. However, symptoms can vary from person to person. Some people have constipation, which means hard, difficult-to-pass, or infrequent bowel movements. Often these people report straining and cramping when trying to have a bowel movement but cannot eliminate any stool, or they are able to eliminate only a small amount. If they are able to have a bowel movement, there may be mucus in it, which is a fluid that moistens and protect passages in the digestive system. Some people with IBS experience diarrhea, which is frequent, loose, watery, stools.

Peppermint Oil

Peppermint oil is widely used for irritable bowel syndrome. It is thought to reduce the abdominal pain and bloating of irritable bowel syndrome, possibly by blocking the movement of calcium into muscle cells in the intestines and easing excessive muscle contraction there. Peppermint is considered a carminative herb, which means that it is used to eliminate excess gas in the intestines.

Partially Hydrolyzed Guar Gum

Partially hydrolyzed guar gum (PHGG) is a water soluble, non-gelling fiber that may help to reduce constipation and to a lesser extent diarrhea and abdominal pain in people with irritable bowel syndrome. PHGG also appears to increase the amount of beneficial bacteria, lactobacilli and bifidobacteria in the intestines.

Diet

Dietary fiber may lessen IBS symptoms in many cases. Whole grain breads and cereals, beans, fruits, and vegetables are good sources of fiber. Consult your doctor before using an over-the-counter fiber supplement. High-fiber diets keep the colon mildly distended, which may help to prevent spasms from developing. Some forms of fiber also keep water in the stools, thereby preventing hard stools that are difficult to pass.

Limit or eliminate foods that may make diarrhea worse, including caffeine, alcohol, fatty foods, gas-producing foods (such as beans, cabbage, and broccoli), and the artificial sweeteners sorbitol and xylitol (often used in sugarless gum and sugarless candy).

To reduce constipation, add fiber to your diet, drink plenty of water, and get regular exercise. Keep a daily diary of what you eat and whether you experience symptoms after eating.

Nothing takes your energy away like chronic constipation. If you suffer from constipation, you have probably tried all the constipation relief products on the market from laxatives to fiber supplements. Each of these has its own set of side effects that can leave you feeling even worse. Constipation can hit anyone at any time; toddler constipation is common so is childhood constipation and constipation during pregnancy.
All of these can be chronic and result in bloating, irritability and fatigue. Toddler and childhood constipation is usually the result of poor nutrition and to overcome chronic constipation naturally lifestyle changes are necessary.
Constipation occurs when something prevents proper bowel movement. There can be a number of causes behind this. You might not know what is causing your chronic constipations so there are a few things to try out to see if you can determine what is causing your constipation. Then you can look into constipation remedies.
The first thing to do is look at your diet. Nutrition plays a big role in many of the natural remedies for constipation as well as the causes of it. Lay out everything you typically eat. You might notice a lack of raw vegetables and fruits or a serious lack of fibrous materials. A lack of these may be some of the items causing your chronic constipation. Is there a lot of stress in your life, or a lack of exercise? Stress and lack of exercise also contribute to the build up of toxins within the body and can lead to constipation.
Once you have determined possible causes for your constipation, the next step is to do a detoxification of the body. Doing a detox of the body removes all the toxins that have built up from eating the wrong types of foods, not getting enough exercise and stress. It is the first step in a constipation home cure.
The next is the constipation diet designed to introduce the foods necessary to relieving your chronic constipation. You may have to say goodbye to fatty, fried foods and some dairy products to make this work. Consider adding fresh, raw vegetable and fruits to your diet.
Flax seeds are an excellent natural way to cure constipation eat them whole over a salad, or grind them fresh into a powder to add to sauces and baking. They also work great for constipation during pregnancy when of the counter drugs can cause excessive cramping. The next step is to add exercising back into your routine, even if you are limited to stretching or mild forms of exercise. Being active is one way to promote proper bowel movement.

Read this Article to get complete Information on Home Remedies for ConstipationWhat is Constipation?Constipation is a common digestive system trouble in which you have infrequent bowel movements or pass hard stools. Constipation is a sign, not an illness. It is the term used to mention difficulty going to the toilet or opening the bowels.

Constipation is not a pleasant feeling and sometimes linked with headache and lack of energy. Constipation affects almost each person at one time or another. Constipation is pretty common, and dissimilar things can cause it.

Causes of Constipation

Constipation is generally caused by disturbance of how the intestines work. Other causes of constipation are: Poor diet Lack of exercise not adequate fiber in diet, not sufficient liquids, irritable bowel syndrome, and changes in life or routine such as pregnancy, older age, travel.

Other causes are:

Abuse of laxatives

ignoring the urge to have a bowel movement

Specific diseases such as numerous sclerosis and lupus

Troubles with the colon and rectumHome Remedies for Constipation

1) Boysenberry juice has a gentle natural laxative action on your bowel. When your constipation is not further severe this juice will help move things in your colon.

2) Cantaloupe is one of finest fruits you can eat. It is a source of many minerals and Vitamin A and C. It has sufficient quantity of fiber and is useful for constipation.

3) Flaxseed oil is a good Home Remedy for Constipation. Take 1 to 2 tablespoonsful with plenty of water right after lunch or dinner.

4) Drink an infusion of elderflower once daily, as needed.

5) Soak six dates in a glass of hot water; when cool, drink the water and eat the dates.

6) Epsom or Rochelle salts remedy. Drink a mixture of one teaspoonful in a half glass of water before going to bed. This is very bitter in taste, but it is very efficient. This is one more effective Home Remedy for Constipation.

7) Sauerkraut Drink an 8 ounce glass of warm sauerkraut juice followed immediately by an 8 ounce glass of grapefruit juice(unsweetened).
First thing in the morning drink a glass of warm water to which the juice of 1/2 a lime and 1 tsp honey has been added.

9) One more superior Home Remedy for Constipation. Soak 10-12 big raisins in a cup of milk and permit to boil, after that eats the raisins first then drink the milk. Do this every morning for 3-4 days till constipation gone.

10) For constipation cure eat 4 fig Newton’s each day. It works in the same way exactly as prunes and raisins.

11) For constipation cure eat 1/3 to 1/2 cup of walnuts. You will have bowel movement within 6-7 hours. Doing this each day will stay constipation at bay.

12) Chickweed is an outstanding herb for relieving constipation within some hours. It helps strengthen the stomach and bowels and helps in the transfer of waste matters. This herb acts as a useful Home Remedy for Constipation.

There are a number of different reasons why your back might be hurting.  At times, it has to do more with one of your organs than your actual spinal cord or nervous system.  This is the case whenever it comes to the kidneys and for many people, this is the type of back pain that is worse than any other.  There are a number of different problems that can cause you to experience back pain from your kidneys.  Here are two of them and what you can do in order to overcome it.

The most common type of kidney related back pain comes from having kidney stones.  These small stonelike calcium deposits pass through your kidneys, tearing the lining that is inside the kidneys along the way.  The pain that is felt from kidney stones is described as being some of the most intense pain that you could ever have in your life.  Unfortunately, once a kidney stone starts moving there is very little that can be done in order to stop it until it decides to stop on its own.  That is why prevention of kidney stones is the best way for you to overcome the problem.  You prevent them by watching your diet to a certain extent but also by drinking copious amounts of water throughout the day.  This water will help to flush your kidneys and to keep the calcium deposits from building up.

Another type of kidney disorder that can cause considerable pain is a kidney infection.  This type of infection can either be mild or severe and can cause some permanent damage to your kidneys if it is not addressed.  It is important to note that kidney infections not only cause back pain but the pain may actually radiate out into your front and could be misunderstood as abdominal pain.

Again, it is important for you to make sure that you take care of your kidneys by drinking plenty of water in order to flush them out thoroughly.  This can not only help to

That stabbing pain on your left or right side, what is it?  Abdominal pain in women can be so many things but most often it will be the result of cysts on ovaries.  While painful, and potentially dangerous if a rupture occurs, they mimic the symptoms of other ailments such as fibroids and endometriosis.  And of course in the back of every woman’s mind is the fear of ovarian cancer

It’s common for cysts to appear on the ovary and most of them will resolve themselves and pass naturally over the next two menstrual cycles.  However there are occasions when a single cyst, particularly dermoid cysts, will not pass but in fact will grow, sometimes up to 8 inches in diameter.

When a cyst gets too big or too heavy it may “fall over” the ovary much like a heavy flower may fall over a thin stem.  When this occurs the ovary may be twisted and the blood supply cut off.  That it turn will result in that sharp pain you feel.

Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome or POS, is another instance where multiple cysts form on an ovary causing pain.  While this is typically not as pronounced it is still a major discomfort.  It can also interfere with the ovulation process and endanger fertility.

Both of these situations will require treatment.  Unfortunately, today’s treatment from medical professionals is limited to hormonal therapy and surgery.  Both of these therapies have their down side particularly for women of child bearing age who still want children.

There is however, another solution. Modern medicine only addresses the immediate symptom of ovarian cysts and not the root cause.  The formation of cysts is typically the result of a hormonal and insulin imbalance in the woman’s body.  This imbalance can be addressed and corrected by a change in diet and eating patterns.  There are specific foods and drinks that when eliminated from diet, can make a remarkable impact on the shrinking of cysts.

In addition natural relaxation therapies such as herbal teas and warm baths can relax muscles, decrease inflammation and improve blood circulation further improving the body’s balance.

Thousands of women who became literally sick of the recurring ovary pain have turned to natural treatments to cure ovarian cysts once and for all.  If removing cysts on your ovaries is important to you, and you don’t want to use birth control pills or surgery to accomplish the task, then you owe it to yourself to explore natural alternatives.  Your body will thank you for it.

Irritable bowel Syndrome is a medical condition that can cause a lot of discomfort to the patient. The worst part is that the condition is chronic. There are several discomforts one can face due to the irritable bowel syndrome condition. Some of these include pain in the stomach, diarrhea, constipation, feeling of fullness, indigestion, flatulence, a feeling of emptying stomach and a lot more.

As soon as you notice some of the above mentioned symptoms, you need to take medical help. This will work towards treating the problem at an early stage and let you get immediate and long lasting relief.

Visiting a physician will let you know whether you are actually affected by the disease. The disease is diagnosed via analyzing the medical history of the patient and also by looking at the symptoms covered under irritable bowel syndrome.

When it comes to testing irritable bowel syndrome, there is no specific test that can diagnose the problem. The expert can make use of several tests in order to make out the presence of the disease.

One may have to go through some common tests including X-rays, blood test, stool sample testing, colonoscopy or sigmoidoscopy. Usually, colonoscopy and sigmoidoscopy are more prevalent for testing irritable bowel syndrome.

Both these procedures are undertaken by inserting a small tube. This tube is flexible and comes with attached camera. The tube is inserted in to anus. The image is registered on the screen connected to the tube. This facilitates the physician to get a close look in to the colon.

In case, the tests are negative, the physician will diagnose you on several other symptoms that you must have experienced in last some months. Some questions will be asked related to the frequency and intensity of attacks. You may also be inquired about the consistency of stool and changes in bowel functions.

Once the condition is confirmed, most patients tend to panic. However, there is no need to react in this way because the condition can be easily treated these days. There are several treatment options available these days.

Here are some of the common treatment options available for providing relief to patients from irritable bowel syndrome symptoms:

i) Lifestyle change

This is very important for treating irritable bowel syndrome. Here, you need to take good control over what you eat. Make sure that you include fiber supplements such as Psyllium or methylcellulose with fluids in order to facilitate constipation control. You should eliminate high-gas foods such as raw fruits vegetables, cabbage, broccoli and cauliflower in your diet.

ii) Medication

The doctor would prescribe you anti-diarrhea and anti-cholinergic medication. You may also require to take anti-depressants medications to curb pain or depression.

iii) Counseling

In case, none of the antidepressant medications work, you may go for some counseling to eliminate stress.

iv) Natural fiber foods

It is very important to include fiber rich foods in your diet to cure irritable bowel syndrome naturally. Try to include a lot of water in your diet. This will help in finding out the toxins present inside the body.

Irritable bowel syndrome can be treated well if detected on time. Make sure that you follow advice of your medical practitioner.

If you are looking for the constipation cure then you are at right place because in next 15-20 minutes I will tell you how to treat constipation with some simple but really useful constipation home remediesWhat is constipation?

Constipation refers to any abnormality in, or absence of bowel movements. The slow movement of food through the large intestine and the amount of time the waste remains in the colon are major factors that lead to constipation. More and more water is absorbed while the waste is in our body and the stool becomes drier and bulky thus more hard to pass. Home remedies can help in constipation cure.

Constipation can be cause by lack of exercise, a lot of junk food, poor diet, painkillers or pregnancy. Constipation is not a disease, it is just only a symptom.Home Remedies for Constipation: Guaranteed Results

1) To clean and make well the digestive system take Aloe vera juice twice a day.

2) Turmeric powder boiled in milk along with figs also helps in constipation cure.

3) A good home remedy for constipation is to drink a glass of warm milk before going to bed. If the case is severe then mix two teaspoons of pure castor oil in the milk.

4) Mix equal amounts of carrot juice with spinach juice. Drinking this should give immediate relief and is well like constipation home remedy.

5) Take a teaspoonful of roasted fennel at bedtime with a glass of warm water for constipation cure.

6) The best and simplest home remedy for constipation is to drink a glass of lemon juice in water with a pinch of salt in it. This is a good remedy for constipation.

7) Pour boiling water over some prunes and permit to soak overnight. Add honey for taste. Eat the prunes first and drink the remaining liquid.
Take 1/2 cup of apple juice and 1/2 cup of olive oil and mix them both well. Drink the mixture before going to bed. One of well like constipation remedy

9) Take 2 tablespoons of black strap molasses before going to bed. This does

10) Take a teaspoon of linseeds, swallowed with water before each meal as it will give relief from constipation.

11) Add 2 tablespoons of Apple Cider Vinegar into an 8 oz glass of water, and drink this combination thrice a day. The Apple Cider Vinegar can also be mixed with apple juice or grape juice to make it tastier.

12) Mix one glass of 50% fig juice and 50% prune juice. Drink this first thing in the morning. This powerful home remedy will help to get rid of constipation

13) Take ½ cup of distilled water and ½ cup of blackberries and make well mixture. Swallow this first thing in the morning to fight against constipation.

14) Blend a cup of fresh apple juice with equal amounts of dry or fresh figs and raisins and a small organic apple. It will help to get rid of constipation if taken for a few days every day.

15) Bale fruit is the finest laxative of all fruits as it cleans and tones up the intestines & gives constipation relief.

16) Take 2-3 seeds each of sunflower, almonds, sesame and linseed or flax seeds, crush it finely and make a thin powder. Eat this natural herbal homemade product (1 tablespoon) for a week moreover with fruit juice or salads. All your constipation problems will be healed.

17) Natural herb phyllium husk (isabgol) avoids constipation. Drink a glass of water and add one tablespoon of phyllium husk early in the morning in an empty stomach.

Abdominal bloating is many things to different people and is often lumped together with other digestive ailments under the all-embracing term of IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) which may or may not be accurate. Lots of people are hypersensitive about the burbling that appears to be coming from the stomach area and immediately jump to conclusions.

It’s easy to imagine the worst and become fixated on a nasty disease when the solution is fairly straightforward and far removed from one’s worst fears.

Therefore, the obvious thing to do is to talk to your doctor or medical health professional and outline all the symptoms that are troubling you. Abdominal bloating is something your medico comes across every day and usually the remedy is fairly simple.

Many people drink far too many fizzy concoctions to slake their thirst on a hot day without realizing that this may be the source of their abdominal bloating. Even a row with your partner or boss can often be the cause of heartburn, acid reflux or some other abdominal pain and a bloating feeling.

Run a thorough audit on what you eat and make a few small changes and check the effects on your digestion; it’s possible you will find that the solution is a simple one.

For instance, look at how much spicy food you eat and also check on the onions,cabbage and high-fat content foods in your diet; they’re all known to affect people prone to bloating. If you are a lover of beans you will not be surprised at the noise coming from your stomach.

Basic rules include not gorging yourself on banquet-style meals but stick to small meals and more of them if you are hungry. If you are into lengthy dining sessions it’s as well to take a decent break between courses.

As well, increase your water consumption, especially if you are currently drinking less than three glasses a day; eight glasses is ideal but six or seven will be a big help.

Abdominal bloating, as well as many other digestive problems, has its roots in the stressful way we live in the twenty-first century. We should all take time to eat our food in a leisurely manner and remove the stress from our life.

Relaxation comes in many forms and may be a gentle stroll after dinner or just a conversation with a loved one. In fact, anything to reduce the stress we all endure during our everyday lives.

Everyday, more and more people are suffering from a condition known as Irritable Bowel Syndrome or IBS. These are the people who are having a hard time releasing their bowels (constipated) or are suffering from a loose bowel movement (LBM). Whatever their situation is, having an irregular bowel movement is really disturbing.One is a benign disorder, the other a chronic and potentially debilitating disease. The former involves the digestive system, while the latter affects the brain and spinal cord. As different as they may appear to be, irritable bowel syndrome and multiple sclerosis are not entirely independent of each other. They may impact different parts of the body, but studies suggest they have very much something to do with each other.There are different types of irritable bowel syndrome and each has different symptoms and definitely none of these are pleasing. A type of this bowel irritable syndrome includes extreme abdominal pain and cramping.A large number of people are affected by IBS and since it is a functional disorder, there are no physical changes or damage to the bowels. The problem arises due to the malfunctioning of the gastrointestinal tract, specifically the large intestine. In order to diagnose irritable bowel syndrome, one has to check for the symptoms.The symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) vary from person to person. The most common symptoms of IBS are bowel dysfunction accompanied by abdominal discomfort or pain. If this pain or discomfort lasts for around 12 weeks (even if it is non-consecutive) in a period of 12 months then it is an indication of IBS.Food is another factor that contributes to the irritable bowel syndrome. Eating the wrong type of food that does not agree with your digestive system can cause an attack of IBS. Some kinds of food may be good whereas others may worsen the situation. For example, eating a fiber rich diet can help to reduce the symptoms of IBS whereas eating pasta and white bread may prove to be detrimental to the symptoms of the illnessThe irritable bowel syndrome diet also suggests eating either small, frequent meals, or eating smaller portions of your three meals. Large, fat filled meals only serve to irritate your stomach and cause stomach pain, diarrhoea or constipation. Healthy and conscientious eating should be your main goal. Fruits, vegetables, lean meat and whole grain breads will help your stomach to stay on a balanced plane so that you will not have as many flare-ups.As with many things in life, getting IBS help often revolves around to learning the skills needed to prevent it from coming back. Anxiety is believed to be a huge contributing factor for IBS. If you are looking for preventative measures then you need to remove the influence of anxiety from your life and prevent it from taking a toll on your health. If you take active steps to reduce the amount of stress and anxiety in your life you should see a reduction in the symptoms of IBS almost immediately.

Constipation occurs when a person defecates less than three times a week. Constipation can happen to anyone – even when there is no sign of another illness. Often times, people think they are constipated when they actually are not. For many years, people have believed that the norm if to use the bathroom daily. But, there is no normal range that fits every person. Some people naturally defecate 2-3 times each day, while others may only defecate 1 time a day, or even only 2-3 times per week. Many times you will see new parents charting when their infant defecates – this gives them an idea of what is normal for their infant and can help them detect events or actions that may cause the infant to be constipated. However, once the child reaches early childhood, most parents stop keeping an account of their child’s potty habits. Most people’s body’s work on a certain schedule – and not everyone has the same schedule. So, how do you know if what you are experiencing are constipation symptoms or just your digestive system’s natural schedule? Constipation symptoms include the following: