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HEALTH
NEWS
by Lynne Gully |
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March 2007 |
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Last
month I told you my story of why I originally turned to natural health. This
month my sister, Judith, has agreed to write her story. Judith’s
Story
I
can’t remember exactly when the irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) first started,
but I certainly suffered throughout my twenties and most of my thirties. For
those of you who have IBS, or indeed still have it, you’ll know what I mean
by suffer. In my case I would go for days if not weeks without experiencing a
proper bowel movement. Then when I eventually had one it was very painful
with stomach cramps, somewhat similar to labour pains, as the peristaltic
muscle reluctantly went into action. The bowel movement would be extremely
loose like diarrhoea. On top of this, I also suffered with lower back pain
and migraines. I accepted all three health problems, believing that there was
nothing I could do to get rid of them, but how wrong I was. I should have
realised that they could possibly have been the result of a very poor diet –
cereals for breakfast, sandwiches, crisps and chocolate for lunch, and then
an evening meal, which usually included meat of some kind or wheat pasta and
a lack of fresh vegetables. Then, when I was thirty-seven, I read about the
importance of detoxing and how it can help with health problems like mine. So
I tried it. I gave up alcohol, caffeine, chocolate, biscuits, cakes, wheat
and meat for 30 days and ate brown rice, lots of fresh fruit and vegetables
and at least eight glasses of water every day. The results were astounding –
my bowel movements became normal and regular, the back pain and migraines
disappeared. To keep my system detoxed, I take the Healthy Starter Pack
(formerly known as The Chinese Cleanse) twice a year and I have continued
eating more healthily, never going back to my former eating habits of ten
years ago. ****************************************************************************************************** IRRITABLE BOWEL SYNDROMESymptoms of IBS Abdominal pain, anxiety, bloating, constipation,
cramps, depression, diarrhoea, gas, mucus in stools and nausea. Possible Causes of Symptoms Food allergies, stress, hormonal changes, dietary
factors including low fibre, infection or an excess of bad gut bacteria. To
increase good gut bacteria I would recommend Bifidophilus (milk free). Stock
No: 4100. To reduce stress levels, which could be the cause of
the IBS, try Nutri-Calm (Stock No: 4798) or Chamomile & Passion
Flower Liquid Extract (Stock No: 3163). Clinical studies have found the most commonly
offending foods are wheat, dairy products, coffee, tea and citrus fruits.
Many IBS sufferers have found relief by avoiding anything containing wheat
(bread, pasta, cakes, biscuits, anything made with wheat flour). Those with
diarrhoea have found they do better without dairy products (milk, cheese,
butter, yoghurt etc). Other problems of digestion linked to IBS is a lack
of digestive enzymes due to genetic factors, age, alcohol and smoking, which
means that food is not broken down properly. Taking supplementary Food
Enzymes is an option. Stock No: 1836. A
Natural Approach to IBS
The
following three products are known to help alleviate the symptoms of IBS and
are best taken together for a minimum of three months or longer if required.
Also eliminate the possible offending foods as listed above. 1)
Marshmallow & Chamomile Combination soothes inflammatory gastrointestinal tract conditions. Stock
No: 1105. 2)
Bowel Build stimulates the peristaltic action in the
colon, enhances digestion and absorption of nutrients and improves the
transit time and elimination of waste material. This powerful formula helps
loosen and cleanse old faecal matter on the intestinal walls and then absorbs
these toxins to be eliminated. Stock No: 2857. 3)
Psyllium Hulls is a fibre providing dietary bulk for
preventing constipation and relieving diarrhoea. Stock No: 545 (capsules) or 1375 (powder
form). Once
your symptoms have subsided, it is recommended that you take the ‘Healthy
Starter Pack’ twice or three times during the year. The best times are
when the seasons are changing so March / April is an excellent time for a
detox. You can detox along
with a normal healthy diet but if you cut down on red meat, bread and pasta
while doing the detox, you’ll speed up the detox process and also lose some
weight. This detox programme
is not recommended for children, women who are pregnant or nursing, and
people who are experiencing ill health. Stock No: 5882. |
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Contact Lynne at lynne.gully@optimumhealth.co.uk
or tel: 0030 28920 42356 |
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Do You Drink Enough Water? Water is essential for
life and makes up approximately 70% of the human body. Many people are
dehydrated simply because they do not drink enough water during the day. A
dehydrated body does not effectively eliminate toxins and puts undue stress
on organs like the liver. Someone who is dehydrated will probably be tired
and lethargic and have a lowered immune system. Research indicates that
8-10 glasses of water a day could significantly ease back and joint pain for
up to 80% of sufferers. A mere 2% drop in body water can trigger fuzzy
short-term memory, trouble with basic maths, and difficulty focusing on the
computer screen or on a printed page. Drinking 5 glasses of water daily
decreases the risk of colon cancer by 45%, breast cancer by 79%, and 50% less
likely to develop bladder cancer. Make Water More Desirable If you just don’t like the
taste of water try adding one teaspoon of Liquid Chlorophyll to a
glass of water. In addition to a great minty taste, Liquid Chlorophyll
provides many health advantages. Chlorophyll is historically known to be a
great blood tonic, a cleanser and deodoriser, a rejuvenative tonic and it
relieves inflammation in the body. Take a tall glass, some ice, a teaspoon of
Liquid Chlorophyll, add fresh water, drink and enjoy! Stock No: 1683. ************************************************** Osteoarthritis
There are two major kinds
of arthritis. Osteoarthritis, the most common kind, is a progressive,
degenerative ‘wear and tear’ disease. I will write about the other kind,
Rheumatoid arthritis, in next month’s newsletter. Osteoarthritis starts as
stiffness in the weight-bearing joints such as knees, hips and back, and
progresses to pain on movement. The joints then become swollen and
inflexible. Osteoarthritis is marked by a loss of cartilage which leads to
friction and finally to the formation of spurs. The whole joint area becomes
inflamed and movement is restricted. The major causes are
thought to be an improper diet of too much refined sugar, fat and animal
protein and too many stimulants such as coffee, tea, alcohol and cigarettes.
A lack of vital vitamins, minerals and fish oil is also linked with joint
problems. According to Dr Robert Bingham, a specialist in the treatment of
arthritis, ‘No person who is in good nutritional health develops rheumatoid
or osteoarthritis’. The
Anti-Arthritis Diet
Many foods increase
inflammation in the body and are best avoided. Try excluding these foods for
14 days: red meat, wheat, dairy products, peanuts, sugar, fizzy drinks,
alcohol, coffee, tea and all caffeinated drinks. Fill yourself up with lots
of fruit and vegetables, rice, gluten-free grains, mung beans and oily fish.
Drink eight glasses of water every day including herbal teas. Mung Beans These beans are so easy to
cook and provide many health benefits. They help to alkalinise the body and
they are 40% protein. They can be sprouted and used in stir-fries or salads.
The whole beans can be cooked without soaking and take only half an hour to
cook in water. Add the cooked beans to curries or cook them whole with the
rice. Split mung beans make an excellent soup with carrots, onions, garlic
and ginger. |
Anti-Arthritis
Supplements
Ø
A good quality multi vitamin and mineral such as Mega Chel.
Stock No: 1821. Ø
Vitamin E with Selenium. Stock No: 1667. Ø
Omega 3 EPA Fish Oil. Stock No: 1609. Ø
Glucosamine Hydrochloride. Stock No: 932. Ø
SKL
(Skeletal Strength) Formula (beta-carotene, calcium, magnesium,
Vitamins C, D, B6, B12, zinc, copper, manganese, phosphorus, iron and boron.
Stock No: 1806. PARACETAMOL: A deadly painkiller, even at the recommended dose
Paracetamol.
There is a pack in most homes, and you can always nip out to the local
newsagents or general store if you do run out. Many people take these
painkillers to help alleviate the pain of arthritis, headaches and all other
types of pain. For
a drug that is so freely available, you would imagine that it is safe. And
our drug watchdogs assure us that it is when taken at the recommended dose of
4g a day. It’s
not. One study discovered that it caused liver damage in up to 44 per cent of
all participants who were taking it at the standard dose. In fact,
paracetamol has become the major cause of acute liver failure in the USA and
Europe, a condition that will almost certainly kill the patient unless the diseased organ is replaced. Some of these cases have been the result of unintentional
overdose – where perhaps one tablet too many has been taken – and fatalities
have occurred at doses as low as 7g, just 3g above the recommended dose. Despite
the evidence, you won’t in anyway be surprised to hear that America’s drug regulator, the
Food and Drug Administration, isn’t changing the way the drug is made so
freely available, even after a ‘careful consideration’ of the many
fatalities. (Source:
The Lancet, 2006; 368: 2395-6). The
following are examples of other considerations to think about if you have
arthritis. These extracts are taken from the Ray Collins Good Life
Newsletter: “Stop all sources of ASPARTAME in the diet. I've
lost count of all the cases of ‘Arthritis’ I've cured just by stopping
friends from drinking diet coke. The latest case was a woman of 30 complaining of
swollen and painful knees. She works as a care assistant on her feet all day.
One-week diet coke free and the swelling and the pain were gone”. “Consider having dental amalgam fillings replaced
with the white fillings. My wife has had "Arthritis" for 25 years
and was told she would be in a wheelchair by the age of 50. She decided to
have all her fillings replaced at some considerable expense and we both feel
it was the best money we have ever spent. Two different specialists told her
in 2004 that she no longer has Arthritis!” To order any of these products–
call Nature’s Sunshine Products on 08458
40 50 60 or the main telephone line on 01952 671600. |
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