Water for Detox and Better Digestion

I am almost sure most of you know already that doctors and dietitians recommend 8-10 glasses of water to be consumed daily for a “healthier body”. Again, I am almost sure that they don’t take the needed time to tell their patients WHY they should drink that much water. And that is a really important thing to know, because, for one, I would never do something “just because”.

So let’s see what benefic effects water has on our digestive system and why we should drink about 10 glasses per day (of course, it is good for other things, but since this blog is about IBS and digestive system-related problems, that’s our topic!)

On average, in the human body, water makes up around 60% of body weight – this argument only is enough for you to understand that water is pretty important! The more water we lose via dehydratation, the weaker our body (thus digestive system) will be. However, you should know that our body gets water from all the aliments that have water, so not all the water in our body is made up by that we drink.

Also, water is very, very important in digestion of the food, and that is another big factor when it comes to problems like irritable bowel syndrome or constipation (chronic or not). It could also be very helpful in high acidity gastritis problems, as well as general diets:

1. It is said that drinking water before meals helps us feel full. This is not 100% true, since water is the only thing we can consume which has exactly 0 calories! Also, it has no nutrients so it is passed on immediately. However, drinking a glass of water before eating will help us identify if we are hungry or thirsty, therefore helps us to avoid overeating.

2. Generally, drinking water during meals is very bad for our digestive system (especially for those with IBS) since it slows down digestion and thus it facilitates deposits of waste in the colon’s walls – and they keep adding up, becoming more and more dangerous.

3. You can also combine water and eating in a more pleasant way – soups and teas also help up with the hydratation of the body and they speed up the digestive process (water is a very important factor when it comes to waste movement in our intestines and the lack of it lacks to constipation).

So, all in all, if used correctly and in a big enough quantity, water will help our digestive system and aid in our battle for a happy, healthy abdomen. There are many people who say something like: “if your body needs water to be cleaned on the outside, it needs water to be clean on the inside, too”. And that is correct – there are some alternative medicine concepts that go as far as suggesting a one day diet per week, meaning that on any given day (Friday, usually, for the best results) one should only drink water for the entire day, to clean his or her body. However, radical stuff like that should usually be avoided since they could do much harm to an already sick body. But one thing is clear: drinking enough water will help you fight against toxic waste in your body and help improve your overall digestive properties.

Colon Cleansing Tea for a Cleaner Colon

There are all sorts of means for people to try and clean their colon, but sometimes a herbal colon cleansing could prove to be better than any other diet or medicine. A colon cleansing tea, for example, has a few main advantages other types of so-called colon cleanser don’t: the most important of them all is that it is natural and it rarely has side effects (if any) for patients with IBS (irritable bowel syndrome).

So… why is colon cleansing tea better than other products, you might ask? Well, the colon cleansing tea primarily fights back the issues of body – irritable bowel syndrome, in our case - since it washes out the nasty stuff from our intestines. Cleaning your colon is the initial and crucial step before its curing and further more, maintenance. However, in order to make sure that the colon cleaning tea makes a good impact, it is always a good idea to maintain a vigorous and well-maintained diet chart, which includes protein rich vegetables, fruits, and intake of ample amount of water (I will talk a bit later about the importance of water in body detoxification).

The colon cleansing tea or herbal colon cleansing method as it is otherwise called, helps you clean your intestines with a mixture of select herbs and plants with properties that facilitate the elimination, removal of toxins and waste from the intestinal tract, and enhance the absorption of nutrients for the body. Which further means that it acts like a diuretic (eliminating constipation) and as a detox method, too. Colon cleansing tea should always be tried out before going to some more powerful cleansing methods such as medical colon cleansers, hydrotherapy and so on.

However, one should never consider a colon cleansing tea product something which should be taken lightly. Actually, this tea usually has a powerful effect on human body, and that is the biggest reason why a colon cleaning tea diet should not last over two weeks. Also, there is no “correct” number of cups one should drink per day for a fully optimized colon cleansing – it all depends on your own body, the state of your colon and the amount of waste it deposits (usually, as scary as it might sound, a typical male holds no less than 8 (EIGHT!) undigested meals in his colon!). However, it is better suited for any body to start out low and increase the colon cleansing tea dosage if effects fail to appear.

If you are interested in a full detox using herbal colon cleaning via a colon cleansing tea, you should look for products which have only natural ingredients like Stevia rebaudiana, Rubus idaeus leaf, Lobelia inflate and most important Psyllium. I know these things have no sense for you, but it is said that these, especially the latter plant, are the best. For example, this psyllium is said to be an essential part of a good detoxification program! So always be careful what you buy and stay as far as possible from scam, because you’re your health you’re playing with!

So, as a conclusion, I could say that even though the colon cleansing tea is considered as a trouble free and a natural product to clean the colon, you should always seek medical advice before buying the medicinal tea, which is readily available from herbalists and health food retailers, since you must stay away from scam and bad products, in order to have the best effect on your irritable bowel syndrome or general colon health.

Colon and Colorectal Cancer Based on Family History

For a person like myself who has irritable bowel syndrome and all sorts of problems related to the digestive system, it’s not at all pleasant to talk about (or even think about) colon or colorectal cancer, but it’s the information that matters in the end, so I have to do it, especially because it appears that some people might be a bit more lucky with the treatment of colon cancer.

According to health magazine Medical News Today, there is a lower risk of recurrence or mortality for patients with stage III colon cancer who have a family history of colorectal cancer in a first-degree relative. It appears that out of the people with colorectal cancer, about 20 percent have a first-degree relative with colorectal cancer, too. Although your parent or sibling having colorectal or colon cancer doubles the risk of a person developing the disease, the influence of family history on cancer recurrence and survival is improved. So, to put it in other words: it’s a 50-50 chance you’ll have it, but if you do, you’re more likely to cure it. Here are the numbers and the detailed story:

All these were found following a study that analyzed 1087 patients with stage III colon cancer (cancer that has spread from the colon to the lymph glands but not to other parts of the body) who were taking part in a clinical trial of chemotherapy. Rates of recurrence and death were compared over a median follow-up of 5.6 years in the 195 patients (17.9%) with a family history of colorectal cancer in a first-degree relative with the 892 patients without a close relative with the disease.

Results showed that cancer recurrence or death occurred in 29% of the patients with a family history of colorectal cancer, compared to 38% of those without a first-degree relative with the condition. The risk of recurrence was 26% lower in patients with a family history of colorectal cancer, while their risk of death was 25% lower.

The reduction in risk of cancer recurrence or death associated with a family history became stronger as the number of affected first-degree relatives increased. Compared to those without a family history, patients with one affected relative had a 23% greater disease-free survival, increasing to a 51% in those with two or more affected relatives.

Of course, you should note that generally it is said that irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) usually stays there and does not evolve to cancer. So put all the good ahead and try to change your life – live if healthy and try to prevent!

Just Bought My First Colon Cleanser!

If you read my previous entries, you probably know I’m not really for using colon cleansing products… but sometimes, you should not follow your heart but what the medic says, especially if you have a very disturbing irritable bowel syndrome, like I do. (Well... it was just a figure of speech, since no doctor told me to go for a colon cleansing product, but I decided to do so after consulting with him and the almighty Internet).

So, the idea is that, after reading tons of reviews on the Internet about colon cleansing products, after checking every dark corner of each company, I have decided to go for Colonix from Dr. Natura simply because it received the most positive reviews. Hopefully, these were honest and not paid-for ones, since I know that happens pretty often nowadays, and it’s so un-ethical when it comes to health.

Anyway, I have ordered the program and today I received the colon cleansing program for one month (honestly, I don’t trust it does what it promises, so there was no point for me to order the recommended 3 months program for those who never did this).

I must say that the first thing that crossed my mind when I saw this product was: Hey! It’s much smaller than I had imagined! (You probably know the classic ad-picture of this product, and it seems to be huge. Well… it is not).

Colonix comes with an instruction guide telling you exactly what steps you should follow, how this colon cleansing product works and other stuff like that (which, if you have an irritable bowel syndrome for a while, you probably know for yourself). However, I must admit that the writing is pretty good and I am tempted to believe them. They promise to do a lot of good to your colon, and I don’t know why they would do something like that if it wasn’t true. So I’ll start and pray for the best…

However, my review on this product won’t come too fast – right now I’m undergoing a different detox program with microhydrin and lots of naturist stuff (things that kind of work, but are not great) but as soon as possible, I’ll come up with my review for Dr. Natura’s Colonix, so stay tuned!

Self-inducted Constipation

The irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and constipation usually go hand in hand and constipation is one of the most common problems in the world today. Although general causes for it are multiple and generally based on the lifestyle of the subject or other health problems, constipation can also be self-inducted, and that is probably the biggest problem, since constipation is one of the biggest pains in one’s arse (pun intended).

So, what does self-inducted constipation mean and why is it so bad? Well, there is not really a definition for this, but I think it’s pretty self-explanatory: it is represented by the delay of defecation from various reasons. For example, I had a friend that could only defecate in his own WC and nowhere else, so whenever he went on a trip or vacation, he kept taking constipation pills to keep him going. Results? He now has IBS, he’s always constipated, he gained fat and is in a generally bad condition.

Another example of self-inducted constipation: myself. When I got my first job, I found out that the bathroom was located in the vicinity of a big office where about ten people were working. Basically, just the bathroom door was separating the two rooms, so whenever I felt the need for a bowel movement, I delayed it because I was pretty ashamed of the smell that could follow and the reaction of my colleagues. Results? Big problems with constipation today, irritable bowel syndrome and a small gain in weight. Fortunately, unlike my friend, I have learned how bad for one’s health is this self-inducted constipation and started to right the wrongs.

So please, have in mind: if you feel the need to go to the bathroom, go for it! Do not self-induct your constipation, whatever the reasons are. Because, ultimately, it’s all about your health. And there is nothing on this world more important than maintaining your good health!

Chew Your Way to a Healthier Life

Keeping your digestive system healthy is much easier than you think it is, as long as you follow a few simple rules and always care about your health. There are indeed more steps to follow to defeat nasty things like the irritable bowel syndrome or some gastritis, but this one I’m going to talk about today is the easiest of them all, is costless and, the most important: you have absolutely nothing to lose by trying it!

I am talking about chewing your food. Yes, that’s right! Experts say that, in order to maintain a healthy digestive system, a mouthful should be chewed 50 times – this way, saliva will mix with the perfectly chewed food and allow for both a better digestion and nutrient absorption.

This is not only good for living a healthy life, but also for helping treatment of gastritis, ulcers and irritable bowel syndrome. And, as I said, it costs you nothing to try it: just chew your food 50 times before swallowing and soon, your digestive system will be very happy. Stay healthy!

Bioresonance, Best Thing Ever or Biggest Scam?

You have probably heard about the latest miracle of modern and alternative medicine: Bioresonance Therapy. Also, if you're suffering from a strange condition like Irritable Bowel Syndrome (just like I do), you probably start to wonder if other things could cure you or not. Let's see if Bioresonance Therapy can help your IBS or not.

What is Bioresonance? According to Wikipedia, descriptions are pretty obscure and there is no real definition about this Bioresonance: Usually electrodes, linked to a box, are applied to the patient's skin. According to the manufacturer of these devices, they emit alternating currents which are claimed to be healing. They describe cells as resonating objects (with unknown frequency and energy however) having a natural resonance (ie bio-resonance). Generally using PC-based technology, these machines are said to be "repairing" the natural resonance withing the cells and therefore cure the diseases. Without medicine, without pain – without feeling anything, actually. Which sounds really great!

I must admit that I went to such a clinic and I was pretty excited about the prospect of curing my Irritable Bowel Syndrome and live a healthy life, after all. The medic told me that for IBS, I need to go four times to the Bioresonance machine and I'll be cured. Also, the doctor told me she will give me a bunch of naturist medicine to help speed up the process. Everything seemed to be trustworthy and apparently there was nothing for me to lose.

Since my condition was pretty bad (just a couple of bowel movements per week and big pain in the abdominal area), I hoped for the best. Actually, after the first visit to the Bioresonance Machine (called BICOM 2000 if I remember well), I felt better: the pain was of a lower intensity and I felt the need to go and defecate! So I thought it was
working! But I was wrong, unfortunately.

My situation didn't go any better in the future, even though I kept taking the naturist plants for my colon and doing everything the doctor told me. When I went to my third visit, I had a conversation with the doctor. She said "So... any improvements?" I said:
"Absolutely nothing, I have the same problems, it's not better". And she said: "No, you are felling better. At least a little better. Just think about it: you are feeling a little, little bit better, right?" And I said yes – it could've been a tiny little bit better...

When I was ready to leave, the doctor did the ultimate mistake and fully convinced me that Bioresonace Therapy is nothing but a scam: she told me that, in order to solve my problems, I have to visit her at least one more time (but she'd suggest two more visits, just to be sure) and then at least one visit per month. Well... you know what? She only wanted my money and had nothing to do with my Irritable Bowel Syndrome! So I never got back!

The thing is that it might be all placebo and I doubted the whole thing from the start. Or maybe Bioresonance Therapy is not good for colon related problems, but it helps with others. Or maybe I just was unlucky and got a crook of a medic. I don't know, I'm not the one to say that Bioresonance Therapy is a scam, but I do know it did not help me, not even a little. On the other side, it cost me a lot of money and that really makes me wonder: how can some people play with somebody's life, if they know that they can't help? Some people have no heart, I tell you! So, if you want my honest opinion: stay away from Bioresonance Therapy if you have IBS or other colon problems!

What to Eat if You Have Gastritis - 7 Day Plan

I have talked earlier about what you are allowed to eat if you have gastritis, now it's time to get a bit more specific and try to find a seven-day plan to have some varied foods (because you probably know already that having a gastritis doesn’t allow you to eat the most varied things). So, here is my homebrew, tested, personally designed 7 day plan to offer a calming, great diet for your gastritis (with an emphasis on homebrew – it’s based on medical gastritis fact, but it’s not made by dieticians) :

DAY ONE
Breakfast: A glass of milk and five digestive biscuits.
Mid-morning snack: One apple
Lunch: 2 medium-sized steamed potatoes, one slice of cheese, two slices of bread if you can’t without it. Drink a glass of water 30 minutes before lunch.
Mid-afternoon: Only if you have problems with gastritis symptoms or if you are hungry, eat a yogurt and 2 digestive biscuits.
Dinner: A large bowl of cabbage salad with dressing of lemon juice and olive oil (extra vergin), and two pieces of toasted bread.

DAY TWO
Breakfast: Four digestive biscuits together with one big juicy apple
Mid-morning: One banana
Lunch: Grilled chicken breasts with two steamed carrots and two slices of toasted bread.
Mid-afternoon: Only if you have problems with gastritis symptoms or if you are hungry, drink a glass of milk and eat 2 digestive biscuits.
Dinner: Fresh home-made cottage cheese with 3 slices of toasted bread.

DAY THREE
Breakfast: 2 hard-boiled eggs, 2 slices of bread
Mid-morning: Half a can of pineapple compote
Lunch: A big bowl of Caesar salad, without any spices.
Mid-afternoon: Only if you have problems with gastritis symptoms or if you are hungry, eat one banana.
Dinner: Steamed vegetables (carrots, broccoli, celery, cabbage) with 2 slices of toast bread

DAY FOUR
Breakfast: One big grape, and three-four digestive biscuits
Mid-morning: One yogurt with dried crackers
Lunch: Pasta alla carbonara, without any spices. You should also use low-fat meat for preparing it.
Mid-afternoon: Only if you have problems with gastritis symptoms or if you are hungry, eat one big juicy apple
Dinner: Hummus and two-three big slices of toasted bread

DAY FIVE:
Breakfast: One bowl of hot oatmeal porridge
Mid-morning: One banana
Lunch: Vegetable soup with some low fat steamed meat (chicken, low fat pork) and two-three tortillas
Mid-afternoon: Only if you have problems with gastritis symptoms or if you are hungry, drink a glass of milk and eat four digestive biscuits
Dinner: Potato salad with hard boiled eggs and toast bread if necessary

DAY SIX:
Breakfast: A glass of milk and five digestive biscuits.
Mid-morning snack: One big grape
Lunch: Tuna fish salad (without any spices) and three slices of toasted bread
Mid-afternoon: Only if you have problems with gastritis symptoms or if you are hungry, eat one banana.
Dinner: Hummus and two-three big slices of toasted bread

DAY SEVEN:
Breakfast: Fruit salad (apple, orange, grapes, pineapple).
Mid morning: One yogurt with dried crackers
Lunch: Ravioli with spinach.
Mid-afternoon: Only if you have problems with gastritis symptoms or if you are hungry, drink a glass of milk and eat 2 digestive biscuits.
Dinner: A large bowl of green salad with dressing of lemon juice and olive oil (extra vergin) with feta cheese and two pieces of toasted bread.

Please note: As soon as you wake up, you can (and should) drink a glass of water with a few drops of squeezed lemon and a spoonful of honey. Also, before going to bed (at least 30 minutes before) you can drink a glass of fresh milk and eat an apple, as they will calm down your abdominal pains and gastritis symptoms. Of course, the dinner should be consumed at least 2 hours before going to sleep, or else your digestive system might not have time to digest and will not help your gastritis problems.

Also note: This is not a lose-weight diet! This is a suggestion of what one person should eat for gastritis problems, in order to have as varied meals as possible. When I had gastritis and ulcers problems, I used to eat something like that and it calmed me down. If any of the foods in this diet will make your abdominal pains more intense, DO NOT eat them again until you have cured your gastritis. Of course, you can use other foods if you don’t like any of those posted here, with a focus on hummus, spinach and green/cabbage salad. Good luck with your gastritis recovery!

If you are interested, you can also read my general post “What Should You Eat if You Have Gastritis”.

What Should You Eat if You Have IBS

Unlike the diet for gastritis, the irritable bowel syndrome died is quite tricky. Especially because, as I said before, there are two types of syndromes (diarrhea or constipation) and practically each person has a specific reaction to the same type of food. So it would’ve been better if you did everything you could to prevent it… but you are here now and you have to deal with it, right?

As I said, te influence of diet is unique to each individual and there is no generalized dietary advice that will work for everyone, unfortunately. A doctor can take a brief dietary history and with a 2-3 week diary of dietary intake, symptoms, and any associated factors (like daily obligations, stressors, poor sleep, medications etc) can help identify dietary and/or other factors that may impact symptoms.

Usually, there are a few rules of thumb when it comes to the irritable bowel syndrome diet:

Eating too much of some types of sugar that are poorly absorbed by the bowel can also cause cramping or diarrhea. Examples include sorbitol – commonly used as a sweetener in many dietetic foods, candies, and gums; and fructose – also used as a sweetener and found naturally in honey as well as some fruits.

Also, meals that are too large or high in fat, fried foods, coffee, caffeine, alcohol and cigarettes will never help improve your colon condition and ameliorate the IBS symptoms, so you’d better cut them off completely until you get the chance to go and see a medic to discuss with him about your diet. Keep your chin up and stay healthy!

Things to Do for a Happy, Healthy Abdomen

I kept saying it: preventing is much easier than curing. Trust me, please, even if you are young and nothing bad seems to be possible to happen to you. I was just like you when I started to destroy my life bit by bit and now, at only 24 years old, I am trying hard to get it back on track and enjoy a painless, colon-healthy life. So please, invest just a little time in reading the following tips and try to follow them and you will be thankful at 60, when everybody else will have lots of problems. Because a healthy abdomen can't be had without a bit of interest from you.

So, if you want to reduce the risks of colon cancer or other complications, as well as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), here are a few easy steps you should follow as often as possible:

• Healthy diet: All research suggests that eating a diet rich in fiber and calcium may help prevent colon cancer and other diseases. Whole grains from breads and cereals, as well as nuts, fruits, vegetables and beans may also have protective effects (even though consumption of these foods is not recommended if you are having colon problems).

• While the cancer-fighting mechanisms in various foods are not completely understood, researchers continue to work on the connection between cancer and diet, with promising results. Studies show that calcium, vitamin D and folic acid (which can be found in cabbage) may keep colon cancer at bay. On the other hand, a diet high in saturated fat combined with a sedentary lifestyle may increase the risk of colo-rectal cancer.
  

• Exercise regularly: Scientific evidence supports the conclusion that regular physical activity can reduce the risk of several cancers — particularly colon cancer — among men and women. A 1997 study by the Harvard School of Public Health determined that regular moderate exercise, such as a daily hour-long walk, reduced the risk of developing colon cancer by almost 50 percent. However, it was recently discovered that the so called “good" walk right after dinner, is actually a real pain for your abdomen and digestive system and actually harms both digestion and colon. So try to take a little break between eating and walking.

• Quit smoking: Countless studies and researches have linked cigarette smoking to colon cancer (among other types of cancer, of course). The studies also found that smoking at a young age increases one's lifetime risk of colorectal cancer. And since your risk increases the longer you smoke, it's never too late to stop. Not to mention that, among with the decrease in IBS or other colon related problems, you will also reduce chances of getting other problems related to smoking.

• Limit alcohol drinking: Excessive alcohol consumption may increase your risk for colon cancer. Alcohol has also been linked to other gastrointestinal cancers. So if you drink, do so only in moderation and try to stay away from very strong alcoholic beverages.

• One aspirin: People who take aspirin regularly to keep their hearts healthy may reduce their risk of cancer. Taking an aspirin every other day for 20 years may cut the risk of colon cancer almost in half, according to a study published in The New England Journal of Medicine. In addition, research conducted by doctors from St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital Center in New York shows that a combination of aspirin and cholesterol-lowering drugs known as statins may nip cells in the earliest stages of cancer.
  

So, as you can see, it's nothing too difficult: just a few easy steps that can be done if you care at least a bit about your health. And trust me, you should: it's much easier to prevent than to cure! I know.

Image credit: hypnofitmaui.com

What Should You Eat if You Have Gastritis

I have generally talked only about irritable bowel syndrome until today and I think we should take a break from it and focus on other abdominal problems. We’re keeping in the same area and today are talking about gastritis.

There are two types of gastritis – low acidity and high acidity and obviously the treatment and diet for each is completely different. Since my gastritis is caused by high acidity, that’s what we are going to talk about right now – diet and permitted foods, to be more specific.

Unlike diets for colon related problems, diets for gastritis are pretty permissive. There is a general rule of thumb here, though, which is usually ignored by the busiest doctors: there are different types of food which could do wonders for some patients, while others might feel sick after consuming them. So the basic idea is that if you feel that your pain is getting worse after eating a specific product, don’t eat that anymore until your gastritis is gone, even if your doctor told you it could be a good thing to eat.

For example, I ate milk and other milk-based products and had no problems (they even calmed my abdomen), but other people I know having gastritis have a bad reaction to milk consumption. So always test before you stock and be ready to listen to your body.

However, there are some things (just like milk) which generally are good for fighting against gastritis. As I said, just to make things clear: these types of food should NOT be used in fighting against the irritable bowel syndrome!

You can usually eat any of the following: tea, milk, dry biscuits (digestive ones are even better), a little butter, egg yolk (very, very healthy), steam vegetables or meat, different kinds of soups, pasta, all sorts of purees (excluding spinach). Coffee drinking is, but no more than one cup a day.

You should try to avoid eating fresh bread, cakes shaped, oily meat, cabbage, prunes, strong tea, cocoa, spices, salt, grapes and other citric fruits or things like French fries, hamburgers or other junk food, peas, beans or other things that lead to constipation. Cabbage could also harm you and alcohol is a big No-No.

When you have problems with gastritis, the best thing to do would be to always carry dry biscuits with you and whenever you start feeling the burning down your throat or inside the stomach, eat no more than 2-3 pieces. That should calm you down and help reducing the acidity in your stomach. And also be prepared for seasonal pain: I have bigger problems during spring and autumn. Stay healthy!

Note: If you are interested in a seven-day diet plan for gastritis, please check my Gastritis Food Program.

Detox - Scam or Not?

You must have heard it everywhere, even though it’s not necessary related to colon problems or other abdomen-related diseases and such. Detoxification of your organism is something you should do, right? Sounds pretty clear, but a few people have some things against such practices and try to fight against them. Although there are some points here, I strongly disagree with this opinion. But it’s worth a read, since it’s always good to know both faces of the problem when deciding a solution. So, without further ado, here it is:

It's an irrational concept, yet an intriguing idea, that modern life so fills us with poisons from polluted air and food additives that we need to be periodically "cleaned out" ("detoxified"). Never mind that natural chemicals in our foods are thousands of times more potent than additives, or that most Americans are healthier, live longer, and can choose from the most healthful food supply ever available.

The elaborate, manipulative hoax of "detoxification" is gaining ground. Many people sincerely believe that their intestines, colon, and blood stream are subject to "clogging" by undigested foods and poisons. Food faddists seem to have a special fascination with bowels, colons, and body wastes.

The supposed need to detox is promoted through extensive writings, advertisements and door-to-door pitches. This usually involves fasting several times a year for a few days while taking laxatives or diuretics to "clean out the system."

Some entrepreneurs claim that detoxing is a great way to jump-start a diet by losing 5 or 10 pounds before you even begin the diet itself. And if their scheme is not about weight loss, "rejuvenation" is typically recommended afterward. People who are persuaded that these activities will restore vigorous youth can wind up hooked on an herbal regimen that costs several hundred dollars a month.

Full article here.

My Quest to Be Healthy

I have decided to tell you about my personal fight against my abdomen related problems. I have had lots of problems during the past years, even though I am apparently too young to have all these problems (I’m 24).

I have had problems with gastritis, duodenal ulcer – these two kind of managed to get away following countless nights of pain and lack of sleeping and a healthy dose of diet, exercise and medical treatment. However, I now have another abdominal-related problem which also very hard to come by: I have incredible pains and discomfort because of an irritable bowel syndrome which is bugging me for quite a while and, because I kind of lost interest in my health for a while, started to get worse.

But I began to take care of my IBS and, thinking about the fact that I’m too young for unnecessary complications, I started to follow a diet, kind-of detox programs, get medicine and hope for the best. My quest is not an easy one, but I will keep everybody updated with the things I do. Let’s hope for the best and let’s stay healthy!

Things to Know about Your Irritable Bowel Syndrome

When it comes to problems with your colon/intestines (just like with any other disease) it is best to know as much as possible about your problems, since that’s the first step into curing them. However, there are a few “must knows” when it comes to IBS – everybody has to start from somewhere, right? Here is a list with the most notable things you should know:

First of all, you can’t blame something specific for your irritable bowel syndrome: the causes vary. It can be anything from stress to a random way of living, to eating unhealthy food or lack of exercise.

It is necessary to have a specialist investigate your problems and make sure it is indeed an irritable bowel syndrome (I would recommend visiting two doctors, just to be sure you’re fighting against the right illness and you use the best weapons).

The symptoms could last for entire years, even if you stick to the diet and help your body with medicine. Support from the close ones is necessary, since there will be many moments you’ll be ready to give up to temptations (trust me it’s like that – been there, done that :D).

Fortunately, the irritable bowel syndrome rarely kills – there are very few cases in which patients who followed the treatment and diet had any complications.
Basically, that’s the secret for a healthy colon (and abdomen): a balanced lifestyle, avoiding excess of any kind (such as drinking, smoking, unhealthy, greasy food), taking your time to relax and don’t work too much, plus exercise. All doctors will tell you that these few things will help your overall health dearly.

Fibers, Must Have for a Healthy Digestive System

I kept talking about the greatness of fibers and how important these are for maintaining (or curing) our intestines, but I just figured out that I barely talked about the aliments or nutriments which will offer us fiber – and that is a very interesting aspect, because just like always in the Universe, there are GOOD fibers and BAD fibers. And we wouldn’t like to bombard our intestines with bad fibers, right?

The good fibers, or soluble fibers (as opposite to bad, insoluble fibers) are also called dietary fibers and that’s a pretty self explanatory name. These are components of the vegetables/fruits we consume and they help moving food through the digestive system, easing defecation and fighting against constipation.

Although I will have to come back to this topic and discuss more about it, an irritable bowel needs fast natural products to restore its health. You can get natural fibers from legumes (such as soy – be careful not to eat genetically modified soybeans, peas and other beans). However, you should consume these with care if you have an IBS or other problems to your intestine/colon, since beans generally tend to harm an already inflamed colon (except for soybeans, which generally do no harm).

Also, grains are a natural source of dietary fibers – oat and rye especially; fruits like berries and plums and vegetables such as carrots and broccoli. Potatoes are also a source of dietary fiber which is good for your colon, but they should never be consumed as fried potatoes since sunflower oil and other oil-cooked meals do lots of harm to our intestines!

So if you need to help your colon and help cleansing it without paying for medication, trying these natural products might help you a lot. However, do not delay a visit to the medic if things don’t get better in 7-10 days, because things would be unnecessary complicated.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome – Pretty Expensive!

One would believe that smoking is a habit that no only harms the body, but also costs a lot of money. Basically, the IBS can be as costly as any other bad habit. Another proof of the fact that health is the most important thing in the world!

The aggregate cost of irritable bowel syndrome in the United States only has been estimated at $1.7-$10 billion in direct medical costs, with an additional $20 billion in indirect costs! This means that, on an yearly basis, $30 billion are spent by people suffering from the IBS. Just take a second and think what the US (or any other country) could do with so much money and healthy people!

A study on Medicaid costs conducted in 2003 by the University of Georgia's College of Pharmacy and Novartis found IBS was associated in an increase of $962 in Medicaid costs in California, and $2,191 in North Carolina. IBS patients had higher costs for physician visits, outpatients visits, and prescription drugs. The study suggested the costs associated with IBS were comparable to those found in asthma patients.

So, I repeat: try to prevent! It’s not only good for yourself and your finances, but it also takes a lot of pain from friends and family! Live a healthy life, keep your body healthy and your colon happy!