It might surprise you to know that yoghurt with active cultures is an excellent and proven natural diarrhea treatment, for babies and adults alike.

As reported in the Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition (2001), Dr Boudraa studied the effects of yoghurt on a group of babies and children, aged 3 months to 2 years, all afflicted with diarrhea.

A portion of the group was given yoghurt culture bacteria in their infant formula, to measure the effectiveness of this as a diarrhea treatment for babies and children.

The duration and severity of diarrhea in the group which ate the yoghurt was substantially less than the control group.

When tested 48 hours later, less than 20% of the yoghurt eating babies were still suffering from any signs of loose bowels – but 75% of the control group were still in need of a diarrhea treatment.

Yoghurt is also a highly effective diarrhea treatment for adults, too. Diarrhea has the effect of wiping out huge numbers of the good intestinal flora which help keep your insides balanced and happy. A good serve of yoghurt with active cultures will help restore the balance and re-establish normal bowel function.

Interested in how to prevent diarrhea in children? Click here.

Diarrhea Treatment For Babies & Children (Adults, too!) is a post from: Your Digestive Health Resource

What causes hemorrhoids during pregnancy? Read my previous article for more information about the primary contributing factors.

Here are my 6 tips for the prevention and treatment of hemorrhoids during pregnancy.

1. Sleep or rest on the left side of your body – this will assist in alleviating pressure on the inferior vena cava, and increase blood circulation from the lower body. This small adjustment can make a big difference for those suffering hemorrhoids during pregnancy.

2. Exercises to strengthen the pelvic area help reduce hemorrhoids during pregnancy. Exercise will help increase blood flow to this region and improve elasticity of the veins. You’ll also notice the benefit of these pelvic exercises during the birth process.

3. Minimize constipation (no laxatives, please!) and straining – drink plenty of fluids, consume various sources of fiber, eat nutritional food and get some suitable exercise – walking is great. Straining on the toilet needs to be avoided as much as possible. Sitting on the toilet for longer than necessary can also cause extra pressure on the rectal veins, so avoid this if you want to help reduce the risk of hemorrhoids during pregnancy.

4. If possible, refrain from sitting down for long periods of time – this can cause congestion in the rectal veins. Try to walk if only for a few minutes every hour or so.

5. Natural supplements to strengthen the veins have proven extremely effective in clinical trials – they’ve worked better than placebos and drugs. If you are already pregnant and experiencing hemorrhoids, these same supplements can be taken to relieve pain, swelling and bleeding. They have shown no side effects in clinical studies. There are also natural supplements which possess astringent qualities – these have been found to be highly effective in tightening the tissues of the swollen veins. My recommendations can be found in my book Hemorrhoids Saviour.

6. The use of natural supplements to aid the digestive process will help improve a sluggish metabolism. In turn, this will help reduce, if not completely prevent, constipation. Hemorrhoids during pregnancy will be much less likely to bother you if you have a happy tummy.

One question I am commonly asked by women suffering from hemorrhoids during pregnancy is: Will my hemorrhoids disappear after the birth of my baby?

The answer is, of course, that it depends on the individual. But the more you do before, during and then after your pregnancy to minimize weakening of the veins, the stronger the possibility of those veins returning to their normal size.

Hemorrhoids during pregnancy are not inevitable – it is not necessary to suffer with them as though they are just a normal part of having a baby.

Neither is it necessary to suffer with hemorrhoids during pregnancy because you are concerned about the side-effects of drugs. The many natural treatments that are available have been the subject of many well-conducted clinical trials, producing highly effective results. In fact, in many instances these supplements have even proven more effective than traditional drug treatments.

Pregnancy and the birth of your new baby can and should be an enjoyable experience. Don’t allow hemorrhoids during pregnancy to intrude on your happiness – there are many viable preventative solutions.

Hemorrhoids During Pregnancy – 6 Surefire Tips For Prevention is a post from: Your Digestive Health Resource

Hemorrhoids during pregnancy are a frequent occurrence. If you’ve been unfortunate enough to suffer from hemorrhoids before pregnancy, the possibility of them recurring during or after the birth of your baby, is increased.

But the good news is that the likelihood of hemorrhoids during pregnancy can be substantially reduced, if not completely prevented. Some women experience hemorrhoids only after the birth of their baby, brought about the pressure from pushing during the second stage of labour. It can be hard work – so it’s important to prepare your body as adequately as possible.

Hemorrhoids during pregnancy can occur for many reasons:

1. Pressure on the pelvic veins

An expanding uterus puts pressure on the pelvic veins – in particular, the inferior vena cava. This large vein on the right side of the body receives its blood flow from the lower limbs. The pressure on this vein often means that the return of blood from the lower part of the body is weakened. This increases the pressure in the veins below the uterus and results in them becoming more enlarged and even protruding. This is a common cause of hemorrhoids during pregancy.

2. Hormonal changes

The hormone progesterone increases during pregnancy. Progesterone slows down the intestinal tract – food is not digested as quickly, often resulting in constipation. In its turn, constipation tends to cause straining – and straining puts pressure on the rectal veins, producing hemorrhoids during pregnancy.

To add a double whammy, this increased level of progesterone in the body causes a relaxation of the walls of the veins, allowing them to swell more easily. The combination of these two factors, means hemorrhoids during pregnancy can occur more easily if precautionary measures are not taken.

3. Unbalanced digestive system

Some women find they are less active while pregnant, and their food intake increases more than necessary – otherwise known as “eating for two”. The combination of these two influences, along with the above-mentioned effects of increased progesterone, can create an imbalance in the digestive system.

However, from personal experience, years of research and countless consultations, I know hemorrhoids during pregnancy are almost always preventable – or, at the very least, they can be substantially minimized and their healing time reduced. Ideally, it’s best to start an anti-hemorrhoid regime before becoming pregnant. Your body will actually benefit from this in many more ways, other than just preventing hemorrhoids during pregnancy.

Excess stress levels can also contribute to hemorrhoids during pregnancy – read my article about that here.

I provide many recommendations for preventing and treating hemorrhoids during pregnancy in my book, Hemorrhoids Saviour – you can read more about it at this site.

Of course, you should always consult your health care professional before undertaking any form of treatment or exercise – especially if you’re pregnant.

Click here to read my 6 Tips for Preventing & Treating Hemorrhoids During Pregnancy.

Hemorrhoids During Pregnancy – 3 Major Causes is a post from: Your Digestive Health Resource

Contrary to what your doctor and the drug companies may want you to believe, you can make your body absolutely invincible to hemorrhoids without drugs or surgery. A bullet-proof digestive system is easier to achieve than you might believe and you will never again need to worry about piles or other tummy troubles, or expensive and often ineffective hemorrhoids treatments.

If you have hemorrhoids, the most common advice you may hear is eat more fruit. Truth is, this may also be the worst advice. While it’s certainly true that fruit can help overcome some of the factors that contribute to piles, and it is often top of the list among hemorrhoids treatments, it’s not necessarily the best answer for everyone.

What if you have diabetes, high blood sugar or weight problems? Or an allergy to fruits? The quantity of fruit you can eat if you have any of these conditions is limited. Then what? Are you doomed to a life with piles – or must you simply put up with typical over-the-counter hemorrhoids treatments? Thankfully, no. There are actually many better alternatives.

Some fruits offer your body more help in the fight against hemorrhoids than others. Some may actually worsen your condition depending on how, when and with what else you eat them. Healing hemorrhoids requires more than the simplistic approach of: Eat more fruit. Some hemorrhoid sufferers actually eat plenty of fruit and still experience severe piles. This is a clear indication that there are other factors to be considered in finding effective hemorrhoids treatments.

Why is it that fruit is so often recommended on the top of the list of hemorrhoids treatments? It provides the body with fluid, fiber and various nutrients.

While fluid and fiber can be obtained from other sources, there are special nutrients which are clinically proven to be highly effective in the fight against hemorrhoids. But these are found only in a small number of certain fruits. And if you eat them at the wrong time of day or in combination with other unsuitable foods, your body may not be able to adsorb these nutrients.

Many hemorrhoid sufferers claim that eating fruit gives them gas and stomach pain. There’s a remarkably simple solution to this. It’s not the fruit at fault.

The same is true of water: It can be one of the simplest of all hemorrhoids treatments, depending on when and how you drink it. At the wrong time, it could actually make your piles worse.

That’s why curing this condition really requires a much more comprehensive hemorrhoids treatment program – which need not include drugs or surgery.

To read more about my hemorrhoids treatment program click here.

Hemorrhoids Treatments – Is Fruit Your Friend Or Foe? is a post from: Your Digestive Health Resource

Candida loves moist, warm places – which is why it often takes up residence in the intestinal tract. And once it moves in, it doesn’t like to leave – especially  if the conditions inside the body actually support its growth.

In an ideal tummy, stomach acid and your immune system are able to overcome the Candida fungus. But particular medications and westernized diets and lifestyles often provide conditions in which Candida can not only survive, but thrive.

Almost everyone has some degree of Candida in their digestive tracts. Under normal circumstances, these yeast cells are single cell organisms which, in very low levels, may actually be beneficial by stopping some forms of pathogenic bacteria. But with favorable conditions, they  can develop into multi-form cells – and that’s when the trouble starts.

So, what are the most common conditions which can lead to a Candida overgrowth?

1. Antibiotics

As you are probably aware, antibiotics kill the good bacteria in our bodies, as well as the bad bacteria. Without the good bacteria in our intestinal tracts, it’s easier for yeasts like Candida albicans (and other nasties) to gain a foothold.

Antibiotics come not only in the form of prescription drugs. Non-organic meat and dairy products may also contain antibiotics.

Many folk suffering Candida report the onset of symptoms shortly after taking a course of antibiotics.

2. Stomach Acid Deficiency & Acid Blocking Drugs

The level of acid in your stomach affects the ability of yeasts like Candida to survive. Yeasts can live in a variety of pH conditions, but stomach acid helps keep them at controllable levels.

But of greater importance, the good bacteria in your intestinal tract- which also play a vital role in keeping Candida under control – rely on the correct level of acidity in the stomach.

An acid deficiency – which could be caused by acid-blocking drugs, illness, age, diet – make the body more susceptible to Candida and other infections. Acid blocking drugs can also diminish good bacteria in the stomach.

3. Compromised Immune System

The immune system plays its part in keeping Candida  colonies under control. Compromised immunity – which may be caused by poor nutritional choices, smoking, alcohol, toxins, medications, stress – can  allow yeast infections to gain the upper hand.

4. Diet

Yeasts love sugar. Candida likes nothing better than to sit down to a meal of highly processed, sugary  foods – flours, cereals, breads, fruit juices, sugar, corn syrup, lactose (milk sugar). Excess sugar can also suppress the immune system.

Without realizing it, many folk are providing Candida with its favorite diet.

Candida – Beware The Fungus Among Us is a post from: Your Digestive Health Resource

Along with antibiotics, NSAIDS, nutritionally void processed foods and chemical additives, these 3 are on my List Of Nasties. Why? Because there simply hasn’t been enough long-term independent research on any of them.

1. Genetically Modified Foods

There’s been a lot of debate about GMF – not much of it has any real value without some sort of science to back it up.

However, one of the early studies into genetically modified crops, conducted at Cornell University, looked at the use of a soil bacteria  - Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) – to engineer crops to be resistant to larval stage insects.

Researchers used pollen from Bt corn crops and dusted it onto the leaves of milkweed plants – the sole diet of Monarch butterflies. Almost 50% of those caterpillars died. The survivors grew to only half their normal size.

What does that mean for consumers eating GM foods? What does it mean for the environment? What does it mean for butterflies? I don’t know. You don’t know. Science doesn’t know.

What can you do about it? Read the labels – look for Non GM foods – and buy Certified Organic.

2. Irradiated Foods

Did you know that Irradiated Foods contain molecules that are found nowhere in nature?

Irradiation uses nuclear wastes to keep food fresher for a longer period of time … so you can buy last season’s crop this season – after all, who wants to buy fresh food, right?

Irradiation allows no bacteria to survive – salmonella and all other nasties are eradicated – but it leaves no radiation in the actual food. In some cases, it also leaves virtually no nutrients in the actual food. Milk loses more than 70% of its Vitamin A, Riboflavin and Niacin when exposed to irradiation.

There are no long term studies on irradiation. Do you mind being a food industry guinea pig? Do you mind if a food irradiation plant sets up next door to you, delivering nuclear waste materials?

3. Your Microwave

Now, before you start screaming about how you can’t live without your microwave, and the manufacturers say it’s safe, and you’ve been using yours for 20 years blah, blah … save it for someone who’s listening.

These are the facts … A recent study conducted by a Swiss researcher, Dr Hans Ulrich Hertek,  found that eating microwave cooked food lowered hemoglobin levels and cholesterol levels. White blood counts rose.

Studies also show that when breast milk is microwaved to 98.6 F, almost all the antibodies and lysozymes that help protect babies from infection are destroyed – zapped, if you will. Vitamin C levels are also virtually wiped out.

In light of that research, you can’t tell me there ain’t nothing happening inside that shiny metal box you have in your kitchen. I don’t know what. You don’t know what. Science doesn’t know what. That’s my point. You either get it or you don’t.

Genetically Modified Foods, Irradiation & Microwaves – Are You Kidding? is a post from: Your Digestive Health Resource

Thirty years ago, the mortality rate from ulcers was about one in 30,000 people. Today, it’s more like one in 100,000. The advances in diagnostics and treatments has come so far as to render most of the previous knowledge on peptic ulcer disease obsolete.

But it’s not all good news. While mortality rates have dropped, the rate of hemorrhaging and perforation of stomach ulcers has risen dramatically.

The culprit? The use of NSAIDS, especially among the elderly population. These drugs are steadily changing the face of peptic ulcer disease in developed countries.

Perhaps I should make a short digression here to explain briefly: What are NSAIDS? I’ll write more about this in future articles (especially concerning their relationship with peptic ulcer disease), but for now: NSAIDS are Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs. The most popular NSAIDS include aspirin and ibuprofen. It is estimated that 95% of people in westernized countries have some form of NSAIDS in their medicine cabinets. While the primary purpose of taking these drugs is to relieve pain and reduce swelling of tissues, when taken for long periods and/or in high doses they are likely to cause stomach ulcers.

While the Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) bacterium remains the primary causes of peptic ulcer disease globally, in developed countries it seems only a matter of time before NSAIDS overtakes H. pylori as the main culprit.

In developed countries, the increasing life span of the population means more folk are afflicted with conditions such as arthritis and osteoporosis. The main form of conventional mainstream medical treatment for pain relief and reduction of swelling is NSAIDS.

I’m sad to say that in Australia, between 1979 and 1988, there was found to be a non-coincidental connection between peptic ulcer disease and NSAIDS. During this nine year period, there was a two-fold increase in the consumption of non-aspirin NSAIDS and a two-fold increase in people over the age of 65 suffering from stomach ulcers. It’s hard to ignore these kinds of statistics – we do so only to the detriment of our health and wellbeing.

This connection between the use of NSAIDS and peptic ulcer disease (plus a variety of other digestive complaints) is the primary reason for so much research into alternative natural remedies for arthritis and similar inflammatory conditions. Many of these have proven effective, and every year new products are developed and released.

So, what can you do if you need the anti-inflammatory and pain reducing NSAIDS, but you want to avoid peptic ulcer disease? It is imperative to take precautionary supplements to protect the lining of the stomach (I’ll write more about these soon), and experiment with some of the proven natural arthritis and anti-inflammatory treatments (under the supervision of your health care professional).

Peptic Ulcer Disease – Why NSAIDS are Your Worst Enemy is a post from: Your Digestive Health Resource

Want to cure hemorrhoids? What if I told you to that in some cases, your personality could hold the key?

There are many commonly known causes of hemorrhoids – from poor dietary choices (that’s my nice way of saying too much junk and processed food and not enough good old-fashioned home cooking, fresh fruit and veggies) to poor posture, insufficient exercise, and myriad digestive issues. Likewise, there are many ways to cure hemorrhoids, not all as effective as others.

However, less commonly known is the fact that nervous temperaments are much more vulnerable to hemorrhoids. At the onset of intense stress or worry – whether related to work or family or anything in between – many folk find themselves looking for a way to cure hemorrhoids. Sometimes, this flare-up can be short-lived, at other times (depending on stress levels) these inflamed and often protruding veins can hang around for weeks or even months, cause excruciating pain and can be difficult to treat. When stress levels subside so, too, do the hemorrhoids.

Can stress really contribute to hemorrhoids? Are certain personality types more likely to be looking for a solution to cure hemorrhoids? You bet. Your personality, digestive and immune systems are closely related – more than you might imagine.

Certain personalities are more likely to experience imbalances in their digestive systems which, in turn, affects their immune system and the functioning of many different organs of the body. Consequently, some hemorrhoids treatments will be more effective than others.

In some cases, understanding the personality of the hemorrhoid sufferer can greatly assist in helping that person cure hemorrhoids. Most people are familiar with the affects of stress on their digestive system. It can range from butterflies in the stomach, to constipation or diarrhea. When under stress, some people’s stomach is so knotted they do not feel hungry and cannot eat. Others feel extreme hunger and cannot stop themselves from eating. However it manifests itself, it’s hard to deny the link between emotions and the digestive system.

In addition, so-called Type A personalities – those who are prone to competitive, aggressive, ambitious behaviors (or maybe their work environment necessitates this behavior) – are also more inclined to develop digestive disorders, including hemorrhoids. Apart from the affects of nervous tension on the organs of the body, these types of personalities often rush to eat, gulping down their food, anxious to get on with other things, or just too nervous to relax while eating.

Consequently, their stomachs are unable to properly digest foods or nutrients, and need to work much harder to move food through the system. This places a great deal of unnecessary pressure on all organs of the body. Tense abdominal muscles place the contents of the colon under pressure, potentially causing constipation, stomach pain, colon pain, and hemorrhoids.

Anxious, competitive personalities are also more prone to eat high-fat low-fibre fast foods – again, less time spent eating means more time for all the other things they want to get done. All this is bad news for hemorrhoid sufferers – unless you know how to make some simple modifications to your diet and eating habits which will help counterbalance these effects. For starters, you could read my blog post How to Eat Well.

It seems to me to be no coincidence that so many digestive health illnesses – from hemorrhoids to ibs and so many more – seem to miraculously cure themselves when the sufferer is in their 40s and over the most stressful period of raising their family and/or climbing the career ladder.

Over the past 25 years of consulting with hemorrhoid sufferers and those with other gastrointestinal issues, I have found a strong link between eating habits and hemorrhoids. The good news is that these habits can be easily reversed, and hemorrhoids can be cured. To cure hemorrhoids if the above applies to you, it’s important to set aside time to sit down and eat slowly and on time. Just chewing your food sufficiently before you swallow can take so much pressure off your digestive system.

I know from experience that suggesting to hyper-active hemorrhoid sufferers that they need to learn to relax, is easier said than done. But there are some very effective clinically-tested natural treatments which can help assist enzyme function in the digestive system and redress some of the imbalances caused by a nervous disposition. These can help reduce pressure on the colon, thereby reducing the incidence of hemorrhoids. Of course, relaxation and reduction of stress will help cure hemorrhoids, but a holistic approach will bring greater relief and results. You can learn more about how to cure hemorrhoids at my Hemorrhoids Saviour website.

Cure Hemorrhoids – Is Stress Giving You A Pain In The Butt? is a post from: Your Digestive Health Resource

What are the most common causes of liver disease? You’re probably aware that an excessive intake of alcohol is a primary cause, but others include: viral hepatitis, drug abuse (particularly intravenous), adverse reaction to some pharmaceutical drugs (which include analgesics, anti-inflammatory medications, antibiotics, anti-fungal drugs and immuno-suppressants).

Other less well-known causes of liver disease include: auto-immune diseases such as lupus, and infections such as tuberculosis, malaria and HIV.

Liver disease can also be the result of exposure to occupational and environmental poisons – pesticides, insecticides, solvents, etc. Certain occupations are more prone to higher levels of toxic exposure – these include hairdressers, dry cleaners, pest controllers, agricultural workers, swimming pool workers, shoe manufacturers, furniture and cabinet makers, painters, workers in rubber and plastics plants. Some of the solvents and other chemicals used in these industries have the potential to be carcinogenic., building up in the fatty areas of the body – primarily the liver and brain.

The liver is a remarkable organ. Liver disease can be surprisingly short-lived because of the liver’s amazing ability to repair and regenerate itself, facilitating a full recovery.

However, some forms of liver disease can be far more serious. If the abuse it is suffering is sustained – from alcohol, drugs, medication, toxins, as well as the hepatitis virus – then the chances of a complete recovery lessen. Sustained chronic liver inflammation can cause the liver to become irreparably scarred and distorted. This form of liver disease is known as cirrhosis.

Of course the most insidious form of liver disease is cancer. Cancer often begins in the liver, and many primary cancers from other body organs spread to the liver and eventually destroy the cells of the liver.

It is not surprising that the liver is the organ from where cancer often begins. The liver – which typically weighs 1.2 – 1.5 kgs – bears the brunt of the multitude of chemicals and “plastic foods” we consume. Although it does an amazing job, it does have limits – and liver disease is what occurs when we over-stretch those limits.

Known as the “affluent liver disease”, so called fatty liver is generally the result of the typical western diet – high in saturated fats, refined sugars, refined flours, refined everything else, combined with a general lack of exercise.

Fatty liver is also known as degenerative liver disease – the liver cells are literally choked to death by blobs of fats within them. The liver can no longer metabolize fats, meaning anyone suffering this form of liver disease will be overweight to varying degrees.

Don’t fancy your liver being choked to death by globules of fat? I thought not. So, do something about it – for starters read my blog entry How To Eat Well and take some simple steps to improve your health and avoid liver disease.

Liver Disease – What Causes Your Liver to Yelp is a post from: Your Digestive Health Resource

I’m sure we’ve all seen movies where the naughty boy character (who may actually be a grown man) plots to give his friends or enemies a big handful of chocolate flavored laxatives so they can spend the next 24 hours in the bathroom. Ho, ho – not very.

No doubt, you want to cure constipation – and quickly – but reaching for laxatives is not the answer. It could actually be detrimental for your health – and increase your bowel irregularities.

This warning includes using natural and/or synthetic laxatives as a means to cure constipation.

What’s wrong with using laxatives to cure constipation?

Most laxatives are stimulants – they work directly on the intestines.

Stimulant laxatives include the herbs senna and cascara sagrada, plus bisacodyl and phenolphthalein.

When I was a girl, the most popular method to cure constipation (and many other maladies – from tummy aches to bad behavior) was a spoon of castor oil (even just the threat of it seemed to work wonders in my case).

Most brands of stimulant laxatives, those most commonly sold over-the-counter to cure constipation, can irritate the lining of the colon. With over-use, this can lead to what is known as a “cathartic colon”. This actually increases constipation, instead of improving it, because the wall of the colon becomes less responsive to the stimulation and movement of waste.

Stimulant laxatives used to cure constipation also sap the vitality of the body’s other digestive organs. Over-use (by which I mean either using too many, or for too long) makes the organs “lazy”. Our bodies’ organs tend to think very much like our minds – they think something like this: “If the laxatives are doing all the work for us, why should we bother? Sit back and relax.”

Under these circumstances, your body’s elimination system severely lessens its ability to properly function without first being shocked into action by these stimulants. The body becomes dependent (either physiologically or psychologically, or both) on laxatives in order to have a bowel movement. Not what I call a great way to cure constipation.

The weaning process from laxatives can entail learning how to have a natural bowel movement by retraining your digestive system, muscles, etc – and it can be a long process.

Using laxatives to cure constipation is not a cure – it is not addressing or treating the actual causes. Laxatives are a band-aid which can back-fire (no pun intended).

If you are serious about wanting to cure constipation (and you should be), you need to determine why you have the condition and what you can do to correct those elements.

Cure Constipation – A Big No To Laxatives is a post from: Your Digestive Health Resource