The Complete Herbal Guide: A Natural Approach to Healing the Body - Heal Your Body Naturally and Maintain Optimal Health Using Alternative Medicine, Herbals, Vitamins, Fruits and Vegetables (101 page)

Treatment

• medicine
  
• cardiac rehabilitation
  
• Reason for treatment:
  
• lifestyle changes
  
• Take rest breaks, if angina comes on with exertion.
  
• Keep away from large meals and rich foods that leave you feeling stuffed, if angina comes on after a heavy meal.
  
• Keep away from situations that make you upset or stressed, if angina comes on with stress. Learn techniques to handle stress that can't be avoided.
  
• Eat a healthy diet to prevent or reduce
  high blood pressure
  ,
  high blood cholesterol
  , and
  obesity
  
• Stop smoking
  
• Be physically active, as directed by your doctor
  
• Lose weight, if you are
  overweight or obese
  .
  

Reasons for treatment:

• Reduce the frequency and severity of symptoms
  
• Prevent or lower the risk of heart attack and death
  

* * * * *

Constipation is when you are having difficulty passing your stools. If your stools are soft and pass through your intestines with no problem, then you are not constipated. 

A person constipated has 2 or fewer bowel movements each week.  Also, you are constipated if you do not take laxatives and have 2 or more of the following problems at least 25 percent of the time:


        
Straining


        
Feeling that you do not completely empty your bowels


        
Hard or pellet like stools

Symptoms


        
Cramping


        
Pain in the rectum caused by the strain of trying to pass hard, dry stools


        
Bloating


        
Nausea


        
Bright red blood on the stool


        
Red blood on the toilet tissue, caused by bleeding - a slight tearing of the anus as the stool is pushed through

This should stop when the constipation is controlled.

Types of constipation

There is slow transit constipation and outlet delay constipation.

Causes of Slow transit constipation


        
Travel or other change in daily routine


        
Lack of exercise


        
Immobility caused by illness or aging.


        
Pregnancy

Outlet delay constipation

Constipation is sometimes caused by poor muscle tone in the pelvic floor.  This is called outlet delay constipation. Too much straining, the requirement for unnecessary pressure on the vaginal wall, or feelings of unfinished emptying can be a symptom of this type of constipation.


        
Causes of outlet delay constipation


        
Scarring (adhesions)


        
Injury caused by physical abuse


        
Injury caused by sexual abuse.


        
Nervous system diseases


        
Stroke


        
Spinal cord injury


        
Pain from hemorrhoids


        
Pain from anal fissures


        
Delaying bowel movements because of convenience issues


        
Bowel movements causing pain

Lifestyle

People 65 and older usually get constipation more than any other age group. This is because people in this age group are more likely to have unhealthy dietary habits and increased medication use. Older adults also do not exercise as often and have less muscular activity of the intestinal tract, which increases the amount of time it takes for stool to move through the intestines. Medical problems, such as arthritis, may make sitting on the toilet uncomfortable or painful.

Constipation is also more common in rural areas, cold climates, and among the poor. Psychological problems, such as severe anxiety, depression, eating disorders, can cause constipation. Women report problems with constipation more frequently than men do.

If a stool becomes lodged in the rectum (impacted), mucus and fluid may leak out around the stool, sometimes leading to leakage of fecal material (fecal incontinence). You may experience this as constipation alternating with episodes of diarrhea.

Treatments


        
Easy exercise, nothing too strenuous


        
Drink enough of fluids, especially water

Diet - Eat a healthy diet:


        
Fruits


        
Vegetables


        
More fiber

* * * * *

You are sitting upright in your bed, just finishing some notes for work on your laptop while munching on a snack with the T.V. playing softly in the background. Finally, you close your laptop look at the time and realize that you really should try to get to sleep even though in the back of your head you know your attempt will be pointless. Like every night, you turn everything off, lay down and wait? Your eyelids are closed but you cannot fall asleep no matter how hard you try. You try fluffing your pillow, changing positions, adding and taking off blankets but nothing; not a wink…what should you do?   Well, have you ever tried a natural supplement called melatonin?

Did you know…?

Melatonin is a hormone made by the pineal gland, a small gland in the brain. Melatonin helps control your sleep and wake cycles. Very small amounts of it are found in foods such as meats, grains, fruits, and vegetables. You can also buy it as a supplement.

What does natural hormone melatonin do in the body?

Your body controls when you fall asleep and when you wake up.  In a sense, we all have our own internal alarm clock in our body.  Your body clock controls how much melatonin your body makes. Normally, melatonin levels begin to rise in the mid- to late evening, remain high for most of the night, and then drop in the early morning hours.

Light affects how much melatonin your body produces. During the shorter days of the winter months, your body may produce melatonin either earlier or later in the day than usual. Natural melatonin levels slowly decreases with age. Some older adults make very small amounts of it or none at all.  This is why many people as they get older have a hard time falling asleep.

How can melatonin supplements help people?

Melatonin helps to increase the amount of melatonin that is already in your body so you can fall asleep and stay asleep throughout the night.
People use melatonin for…


        
Jet lag


        
Sleep problems


        
Insomnia

Research has also found that melatonin can help other conditions, such as:


        
Treating seasonal affective disorder, (SAD is a type of depression that affects a person during the same season each year.)


        
Helping to control sleep patterns for people who work night shifts.


        
Preventing or reducing problems with sleeping and confusion after surgery.


        
Reducing chronic cluster headaches


        
Melatonin, when taken as a supplement, can stop or slow the spread of cancer, make the immune system stronger, or slow down the aging process. However, scientists say these areas need more research.

* * * * *

Did You Know…?

Raspberry ketone contains a natural compound (a hormone called adiponectin) found in red raspberries.  This hormone helps your body to burn fat by breaking up fats within your cells.  Raspberry ketone tricks your body to thinking your thin and your body begins to immediately release stored fat!  Most people who used raspberry ketone started to see results in just 5 days and experienced amazing results over time.

How Does Raspberry Ketone Work?

The hormone adiponectin found in red raspberries ultimately slices up fat cells, making them easier to be burned as fuel. The hormone adiponectin is also found in your fat tissue. When you gain weight, your body is unable to use this hormone efficiently. Your body then begins to store your body fat in all different places (thighs, hips, stomachs, legs and buttock).  However, when you take raspberry ketone the hormone adiponectin begins to work more effectively and burns the stored fat in your body.   Raspberry ketone makes you lose weight and increases your metabolism and energy.  Raspberry ketone also makes you feel full and it helps to keep your cravings under control, so you do not feel the urge snack or overeat.  

What the scientists are saying…

Scientists conducted studies on raspberry ketone and found that raspberry ketone decreased large amounts of fat in the liver and stomach area. It also increased people’s energy and metabolism. Research has shown that raspberry ketone can help you lose weight, especially when paired with regular exercise and a well-balanced diet of healthy foods and vitamins.

Why Is It Better To Take The Supplement Rather Than Just Eat Raspberries? 

Scientists, doctors and herbalists recommend the raspberry ketone supplement because you would have to eat 90 pounds of raspberries (that’s equivalent to 1000 raspberries daily) to get the same effect. Raspberry ketone is healthy, natural and has no side effects. The results are outstanding.  I know because I use it and I have had remarkable results with the supplement. 

* * * * *

Author Stacey Chillemi

BOOKS PUBLISHED BY STACEY CHILLEMI:

1. Epilepsy You're Not Alone
   
2. Eternal Love: Romantic Poetry Straight from the Heart
   
3. My Mommy Has Epilepsy (Children's Book)
   
4. My Daddy Has Epilepsy (Children’s Book)
   
5. Keep the Faith: To Live and Be Heard from the Heavens Above (poetry book)
   
6. Live, Learn, and Be Happy with Epilepsy
   
7. Epilepsy and Pregnancy: What Every Woman Should Know
   Co-authored by Dr. Blanca Vasques
   
8. Faith, Courage, Wisdom, Strength and Hope
   
9. How to Be Wealthy Selling Informational Products on the Internet
   
10. How to Become Wealthy in Real Estate
    
11. How to Become Wealthy Selling Ebooks
    
12. Life’s Missing Instruction Manual: Beyond Words