Saturday, January 6, 2007

Colon Cleansing Diet

JP Richardson
Colon cleansing frequently requires uncomfortable processes or equipment that is hard to find. If you don't want to get involved in all of this, you can take a more natural route that works almost as well. By adjusting your food intake and eating a certain diet, you can accomplish the same colon cleansing as you would regularly. Read on and find out how you can accomplish this.
Usually people undergoing colon cleansing are looking to cure some sort of bowel issue, such as diarrhea or constipation. These things affect a huge amount of people, and if you have been noticing some of it lately you may be able to benefit from a colon cleansing diet. You just have to be careful about what you eat and what you put out. It may be able to solve everything, but at the same time it could just be more harmful if you aren't careful.
First you need to understand your own body in order to be able to decide on something that will be most effective. If you suffer from some bowel problem, you may not be sure that it is your regular run-of-the-mill diarrhea or constipation. These two things could simply be symptoms of something that is much more threatening. If this is the case, you will not benefit at all from using a colon cleansing diet.
If you have discussed everything with a doctor and determined that your eating habits are the cause of your intestinal issues, you can continue on with the process of choosing all of the new foods that will take the place of the old ones. Fiber is a huge issue with almost any dietary bowel problem, and it is the food component that you will hear the most about. Lots of fiber will give you a softer output, and a smaller amount of fiber will harden things up.
Since fiber is such an important and key factor when determining bowel issues, you should first adjust your intake accordingly. This may be enough to cure the problem, but you may also need to change some other things. You can find recipes that are entirely constructed for the sole purpose of cleansing colons. This is very effective, and just requires a little bit of meal preparation.
When you find a colon cleansing diet, you should not simply stick with the first one. Print out a copy off whatever you are thinking about doing, and show it to your physician. If there is anything potentially harmful with your prospective diet, you should find out well in advance. Just be safe and cautious, and start taking small steps towards curing your problem.
For more information on colon cleansing and to check out our The Almighty Cleanse review area, visit www.ColonCleansingForum.com today.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=JP_Richardsonhttp://EzineArticles.com/?Colon-Cleansing-Diet&id=401743

Friday, January 5, 2007

Herbal Remedies for Hot Flashes: Avoiding the Problems of Hormone Replacement Therapy

By Linda J Bruton
The most common menopausal symptom for most women is also the most uncomfortable. Women who would otherwise hardly notice the transition into menopause definitely notice hot flashes! The medical treatment that was usually suggested for hot flashes in the past was hormone replacement therapy. While HRT can be very effective in alleviating the symptoms it can also increase your risk of breast cancer and stroke. It is no wonder that so many women are using herbal remedies for hot flashes.
The exact cause of hot flashes is unclear, but hormonal changes and imbalances are thought to be the main reason. Medical professionals consider hot flashes as an estrogen deficiency that can be triggered by stimulants, such as spicy foods (ginger, cayenne, pepper), acidic foods (tomatoes, citrus, pickles), hot drinks, alcoholic drinks, caffeine (chocolate, coffee, cola, black tea), white sugar, stress, hot weather, saturated or hydrogenated fats (margarine, meat), saunas and hot tubs, marijuana or tobacco, intense exercise, and anger. For many women, just eliminating that list of triggers plus using herbal remedies for hot flashes will bring immediate relief.
Hot flashes may last for a few minutes or even up to an hour. They may be mild or very severe. Every woman will experience them a little differently. Hot flashes which occur at night are called night sweats. They can be accompanied with anxiety and nightmares. Not all women experience hot flashes and fewer experience night sweats. However, many women experience both situations when they are going through menopause.
Exercise is a good way of decreasing hot flashes because it decreases the amount of FSH and LH hormone circulation by toning and nourishing the hypothalamus and raising endorphin levels.
Herbal remedies for hot flashes include plants that have the ability to cool the body, such as chickweed, violet, and elder; plants which increase and nourish oxygen utilization of the liver, such as dandelion, dong quai, polygonum multiflorum,, and yellow duck; and plants which contains high phytosterols, most notably black cohosh.
These are some of the most used herbal remedies for hot flashes:
1. Dong quai relaxes and contracts the uterine muscles. Its effect is not estrogenic, which is the main reason for dong quai's effectiveness. It treats hot flashes by stabilizing the blood vessels.
2. Chaste berry or vitex affects the functions of the pituitary and regulates dizziness and hot flashes. Its beneficial effects are altering the secretion of FSH and LH hormones during menopause. It lowers the levels of estrogen while increasing progesterone levels, which keep vaginal walls and bones strong.
3. Black cohosh was used widely by Native Americans and later by the American colonists for relieving menopause and menstrual cramps. Clinical studies have revealed that black cohosh extract relieves hot flashes, vaginal atrophy, and depression.
4. Motherwort lessens the frequency, duration and severity of hot flashes. It relieves anxiety, insomnia, and stress. Frequent usage will produce the best results.
5. Licorice root is historically used for treating various female disorders. It also has been used effectively in treating asthma and infections of the respiratory tract. It also decreases estrogen and increases progesterone.
6. Essential oils of thyme or basil alleviate hot flashes when utilized in baths, foot rubs, when inhaled, or combined with massage oils.
These herbal remedies for hot flashes - when combined with eliminating common triggers - can greatly reduce menopausal symptoms in most women.
Discover how YOU can find relief from hot flashes and menopausal symptoms without Hormone Replacement Therapy at Linda Bruton's Survive Menopause site. Pick up your free special report "Coping with Hot Flashes the Natural Way" (a $27 value) by clicking here:http://www.survivemenopause.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Linda_J_Bruton