Your Health

In our daily grind of life we are always on the go, eating whenever we can and whatever we can because sometimes it is just too time consuming to worry about what type of foods you eat. With all the things that are going on, the feeling that I hate is that discomfort of feeling bloated, wanting to have a bowel movement but your body just does not cooperate and you feel so heavy. You feel like you have a ton of stuff in your stomach. It just can irritate anybody to the maximum because it is something that is so harmless if treated and so preventable if you are aware of how to do so. I am talking about being constipated.

Constipation

As a general rule anyone who has 3 or less bowel movements a week is considered constipated. To be more scientific about it, constipation is basically described as the limitation of the bowel movements which causes stool to be small yet hard which causes a lot of pain and difficulty when having a bowel movement. No one can really pinpoint the cause of constipation. There are some evidence that point to maybe diet and perhaps a lack of exercise but nothing irrefutable. Nonetheless we still need to worry about fighting and knowing ways to alleviate it because we never know when we may be the next victim of this condition. It is commonly argued that a simple change in the diet will take care of any constipation problems that a person might have. It might surprise you as to how much more fiber in the diet can do in relieving constipation. Another way to be able to combat it is with laxatives. There are many forms of laxatives, there are pharmaceutical laxatives and there are the more natural ones.

Herbal Laxatives

Laxatives or stool softeners are the best way to combat constipation naturally. Some even take it a step further and use an all-natural colon cleanser. However the more advisable to use are the milder herbal laxatives because the stronger colon cleanses may cause colon dependency in the long run which may cause bigger issues in the future and there are three types of herbal laxatives. Bulking agents which are the type that is used when the main cause of the constipation is the weakened muscle of the colon which is called flaccid constipation and these agents are commonly rich in fiber which creates and expanding effect when combined with water causing the stool to be pushed out. The second one is the herbal stimulant which I least recommend as they cause cramping since it is very potent and has a purgative effect. The third is the mild laxatives.

Mild Laxatives

They are gentle diuretics which increase bile flow towards the large intestines. They come highly recommended as it does not have side effects and they relax the colon to allow stool to pass with ease and dandelion root and licorice root are known to be the gentlest of them all.

Fight chronic constipation with natural mild laxatives.  -Darrell Miller http://vitanetonline.com/

This is good news!

But wait a minute … probiotics? Aren’t probiotics found in the intestine? How can they help prevent and/or treat colds?

Okay, so let’s talk about probiotics.

What Are Probiotics?

Do you remember being told to drink yogurt because it will do your stomach or intestines good? There is truth to this advice. Yogurt is very common and is probably the best example of a probiotic. Yogurt contains Lactic Acid bacteria, and it has been said that in general, the digestive system contains at least 400 different types of probiotics, of which lactic acid comprises the most number of all.

All of these probiotic bacteria present in the digestive tract helps reduce the growth of harmful bacteria. They also promote a healthy digestive system.

So how do these probiotics work in the digestive system? Basically, what probiotics such as yogurt, yeast, and the rest of the more or less 400 probiotics found in the intestine does is preserve the natural balance of organisms in the intestines.

In the past years and even until now, people use probiotics to avoid diarrhea, gas, as well as in treating stomach cramps caused by antibiotic intake. Not very many people know this but when antibiotics are taken, good or beneficial bacteria is also killed together with the bad bacteria that cause illness. This results to lesser good bacteria in the stomach which ultimately leads to digestive problems. For this reason, people are advised to take probiotics as they help replace the lost beneficial bacteria and avoiding intestinal diseases.

How About Probiotics and Colds?

The study was conducted by Bi Rong Dong, MD, of Sichuan University in Sichuan, China. It involved 10 randomized controlled trials was participated by 3,451 participants composed of infants, children, as well as middle-aged adults who are in their 40’s. The aim of the study was to prevent upper respiratory tract infection with the use of probiotics which will be taken for more than one week. A controlled group was given probiotics and another group was given a placebo. 

According to Dr. Bi Rong Dong and his colleagues, the result of the study showed that the intake of probiotics reduced the number of individuals who had at least one acute upper respiratory tract infection by 42%. The result of the study also showed that people who took probiotics had lower need of antibiotics in the treatment of infection as compared to people who did not take probiotics.

So if you want to prevent colds, try taking probiotics. Besides, they are also good for the digestive system. It’s still best, however, to see a doctor if have colds or when you don’t feel well. Self medication should be avoided. The doctor still knows what’s best for you.

Guest Post by:

Siena Lombardi is an established writer for edrugstore.md’s blog. She holds a degree in communication and has been a featured writer on edrugstore.md’s website, which promotes safe medications such as Zyban to quit smoking and Tamiflu for flu prevention.

Commonly side effects affiliated with colon cleansing are very mild. One might experience slight cramping, headaches, dizziness, or blood in the stool. These side effects are mainly brought on by the elimination of toxins from the body’s digestive tract.

Now when supplements are being used, it is always best to consult with your physician first, especially if you have any existing health conditions, or are on any type of medications. Be sure to share with your physician the supplements you plan to take, and find out all symptoms, that make you aware of a problem, in-case you need to discontinue usage. Some supplements may interfere with health conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, or high blood pressure, so be sure to make them aware of all possible supplements.

There are many medications when combined with herbal supplements, which have reduced results, and may cause some severe side effects. Those medications are blood thinners, blood pressure medication, medication for diabetes, heart or liver medication, and some medication prescribed for depression.

The side effects that can occur when mixing these medications are heart palpitations, dehydration, fainting, seizures or strokes. Therefore, if you are on any of those types of medications, then just take every precaution before doing so. However, if you decide to take the supplements regardless of the dangers, then by all means, discontinue usage if any of these side effects occur, while taking the supplements.

Taking a different supplement that contains different ingredients, would also suffice. These side effects can be cur down, by following some guidelines. Do your research, and check the product as well as the company before purchasing their product. Make sure their product has been used safely and effectively by other individuals. Online research is very effective and you must look for possible law suits that involve the company or product name.

There are many effective, yet safe ways to cleanse your colon and your health and safety is well worth it. Keep your overall health in mind when choosing any kind of supplement, and be sure to check with your physician.