Constipation Relief with Seeds and Nuts

Here are a variety of home remedies for constipation using flax seeds with other seeds and nuts. They provide the fiber and oils that you need to relieve constipation. Drinking plenty of water with these home remedies will make them more effective.

Mix equal parts of flax seeds, almonds, sunflower seeds and sesame seeds. It is o.k. to mix only three of these seeds, if that is all you have.

Grind them in a coffee grinder to a power. You can eat the power or add it to a nondairy smoothie, a juice, or morning cereal. You can also sprinkle it on your evening salad. Use up to 3 tablespoons twice a day.

This mixture will provide you with extra fiber and a batch of minerals.

Drink plenty of water when using ground up seeds.

Flax seeds are astringent and have laxative action. They are good for mild or moderate symptoms of constipation.

Using an excess of flax seed can contribute to the back up in your colon. Flax seeds also have small traces of prussic acid, which is toxic in large amounts. But it would take a lot of flax seeds to reach the toxic level.

Place between 1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon of flax seed in 8 oz of warm water and let it sit for one hour. Then just before going to bed, drink the 8 oz. After drinking this glass of flax seed drink another 4-8oz of water.

Flax Seed and Apple Cider Vinegar

Boil 1 ½ cup of distilled water.

Add 1 tablespoon of flax seed and continue boiling the water for 10 minutes - tea will become jelly like.

After this cools down add 1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar.

Drink cup of this combination in the morning and until you get good daily bowel movement.

Flax seed contains the essential oil omega 3. If you lack this oil in your diet you will be prone to disease.

Apple cider vinegar (ACV) is another extremely important food you should include in your daily eating. ACV is high in various minerals and in particular potassium

Flax seeds and oat bran

To get your bowels moving again, prepare the following mixture.

Mix 1 tablespoon of flax seed and 1 tablespoon of oat bran into a glass of distilled water. Let it sit overnight. First thing in the morning, take 2 tablespoons. Wait half an hour before eating anything. Do this every morning until your bowels start moving

Flax Seed Oil

Our body does not make omega 3 oil and we need to get it in our diet.

For constipation, mix one tablespoon of flax seed oil with goat or cow yogurt. Add a little honey if you like. Take this mixture right about ½ hours before bedtime.

Do not heat flax seed oil and keep it refrigerated. Heating it may cause some cancer causing compounds.

There you have it, a variety of home remedies for constipation. Use these home remedies every day and you will see the difference in your regularity.

By:  Rudy S. Silva

Causes, Symptoms and Treatment Measures for Left Side Abdominal Pain

The pain in left side of the abdomen is very common in people who suffer from problems like colon cancer. Those who are more than 50 years of age must surely undergo the screening process and general scans to find the cause of abdominal pain.

Causes of pain in the left side of abdomen

There are several causes that might trigger pain in left side. This includes urinary, gastrointestinal and lung associated causes. Those who suffer from bronchitis, pneumonia or pulmonary edema might experience pain that is either mild to moderate or severe at times. Pregnancy and ovarian cysts might also cause pain. Do you know that heart problems might also lead to abdominal pain left side? Conditions like congestive heart failure, endocarditis, heart attack, aneurysm, coronary heart failure, mitral valve problems or pericarditis or some simple activities like exercise or problems like skeletal injuries, rib fractures, muscle cramps, hernia, neuritis, vesiculitis can lead to abdominal pain. Few of you might have appendicitis, gall bladder or bowel related problems. Food poisoning, Crohn's disease, IBS or irritable bowel syndrome, flatulence or pancreatic cancer can also cause it. Those who have kidney cancer or simple kidney damages due to accidents or those who endure diseases like Sickle cell disease, typhoid, constipation, coelic disease, porphyria, spleen rupture, angioedema, pulmonary embolism, endometriosis and POEMS syndrome might suffer from severe pain.

Symptoms of left side abdominal pain

The main parts of the body that get affected when you suffer from abdominal pain left side, include the left side of organs like liver, kidney, ureter, ovary, adrenal gland, fallopian tube, and spleen, descending or sigmoidal colon and so on. Even the muscles and nerves located on the left side of your abdomen will also be affected. The symptoms include changes in the bowel movement or pattern. The frequency of bowel movement will have a lot of variation for at least a continuous period of 4 days. When this occurs, it is high time to meet a doctor. There will also be stomach cramps, stool with blood and so on. Sometimes, there will be unexpected loss in the weight. There will be excessive tiredness and stomach cramps.

Treatment measures

Early diagnosis will help in solving many of the health issues. Thus, whenever you feel a slight pain in your abdomen and if it is on the left side, it is better to consult a general physician initially. The abdominal pain can be either mild or severe. To avoid health complications in the future, the right set of antibiotics has to be taken. Depending on the cause of the problem, the treatment measure is designed. For instance, if the cause of abdominal pain is heartburns, antacids can be taken. This will provide a temporary relief. If the cause is stomach ulcer, the same treatment can be used. When you have a balanced and a nutritious diet, that is less spicy and salty, you can avoid IBS. By drinking adequate supply of water, you can avoid the formation of kidney stones. But if you experience severe and chronic pain, even after following these treatment measures, it is better to consult a specialist.

By Aleksandr Kononenko

Leaky Gut and Autoimmune Diseases - What is the Link?

Has the link to the leaky gut and autoimmune disease become more clear? I believe it has and researchers from Canada have helped by a nice review on intestinal permeability in the British journal Gut.

Dr. J. B. Medding and his colleagues in Edmonton, Alberta Canada (Arrieta, Gut, 2006) describe how the intestine serves as a barrier when normal but becomes a source of the genesis of autoimmune diseases when it becomes abnormally permeable. That is, when your gut becomes leaky ("the leaky gut syndrome") several autoimmune diseases are known to occur.

Intestinal permeability (how leaky the gut has become) can be evaluated in a manner specific to various sites in the gut. That is, the different areas of the gut, from stomach to large intestine, can be evaluated by specific tests for leakiness and related to damage and disease in those areas. Areas of leaky gut can be observed prior to the onset of disease and appear to be involved in the development of disease, especially autoimmune diseases like Celiac disease, diabetes, Crohn's disease, as well as skin diseases like atopic dermatitis, rheumatologic conditions, and even irritable bowel syndrome.

The authors propose a new paradigm consisting of "three main features...

(1) A genetically susceptible immune system (the mucosal immune system), that allows the host to react abnormally to an environmental antigen.

(2) An environmental product that triggers the disease process.

(3) The ability for the environmental agent to interact with the mucosal immune system. Since the purpose of the epithelial barrier is to keep these two factors separate, and we measure this function of the barrier by permeability, the corollary of this is that an increase in permeability is a requirement for disease expression."

What does this mean in lay terms and in relationship to the concept of the leaky gut syndrome? The gut or intestine is supposed to be a barrier to foreign proteins like foods and bacteria. If your immune system is genetically predisposed to react adversely to a certain food proteins and/or bacteria in your gut (or nerves, skin or joints) you may react with activation of damaging chemicals intended to protect you from foreign invaders that instead damage your gut making it more leaky and more vulnerable as well as your nerves, skin, and joints.

Leaky gut begets leaky gut. What results is more damage to your gut. Food and bacterial proteins can act together to damage the gut and allow toxic protein complexes to get through the gut that is normally supposed to be resistant to such a breach. Once in your blood stream, foreign proteins may initiate abnormal reactions that cause irritation to your brain, nerves, skin and/or joints.

What many of you and I experience then are symptoms such as abdominal pain and bloating, gas, diarrhea, headaches, nerve pain, skin rashes and joint aches. The diagnoses that result are Celiac disease, Crohn's disease and irritable bowel syndrome, multiple sclerosis, migraines, attention deficit, autism, depression, eczema, acne, rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia, diabetes, chronic fatigue etc. etc.

What really concerns some of us with personal and professional experience with this and who are passionately interested in this area is that there is an explosion of autoimmune diseases occurring right under our nose yet most doctors and lay public are missing the connection. Many people are being diagnosed with multiple conditions without anyone making the connection of the overload of our gut with certain foods that may be causing much of these illnesses. All of the problem foods have specific food proteins or lectins that are difficult to digest and potentially toxic to the gut. In particular if the food has been genetically engineered or modified their lectins may be more toxic to humans. Stay tuned for more on this exciting area, as I continue writing on the relationship of food, gut and disease. As your food doctor, the food doc, I hope to help you find the information you need to eat right to feel right even if your doctors are not making the connection.By Dr. Scot Lewey

Doctor, Why Can't I Loose Weight and by the Way Why Do I Feel Sick?

 Doctor, Why Can't I Loose Weight and by the Way Why Do I Feel Sick?
This the number one question heard in my office and in physicians' offices throughout America. There is a strong relationship between weight gain, difficulty in losing weight and feeling sick. Candida Albicans, an opportunistic fungus, is often the link between weight gain, feeling ill and the difficulties people have with losing weight. Focusing on removing Candida Albicans from the body rewards the dieter with a feeling of well being and weight loss that is steady, sustainable and healthy.
Americans are embracing the low carbohydrate diet for its ability to reduce their waist size and weight even when other diets have failed. The more important benefits of a low carbohydrate diet are usually lost in our obsession with weight. Low Carbohydrate diets have been used by nutritionists and holistic physicians for decades to control Candida Albicans. The weight loss and feeling of well being that accompanies a low carbohydrate diet is mostly associated with controlling this serious, but often over looked health condition.
I often see patients in my office who want to lose weight and have tried every diet and pill on the market with little success. During their history they often reveal a list of symptoms and complaints that they feel have no relationship to their weight problem. These patients do not realize that their weight problem and their other complaints are symptomatic of a more serious health condition known as systemic Candida Albicans. By concentrating on treating the underlying Candida Albicans my patients are able to loose weight and improve their overall health.
Betty F. . . was consulting with me for continued weight gain. She was finding it difficult to stick to a diet and exercise, partly since she saw such limited results. During her consult she admitted to gas, indigestion and fatigue. Her history included birth control pills, antibiotic use and several yeast infections. Her treatment plan included a low carbohydrate diet, nutritional supplements, and anti fungal herbals. She returned is 4 weeks, she had been able to stick to the diet with much greater ease, she felt more energetic and had no more gas. She was even happier that she had been able to loose 9 lbs. She reached her goal of a total weight loss of 22 lbs over the course of 3 months and has been able to keep it off. She now sticks to a sound diet and only takes a multi nutrient with herbals.

Candida Albicans is opportunistic yeast that often over whelms the body after antibiotic, may be passed from person to person with the exchange of body fluids, and from direct contact. It may be found in the reproductive tract, the mouth, the GI tract and in the blood. There are several common signs of Candida Albicans including vaginal yeast infections, thrush, jock itch and athlete's foot. Candida Albicans has been linked to a number of health conditions including; asthma, depression, dizziness, fatigue, headaches, hypoglycemia, Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), learning disabilities, menstrual problems, Migraines, Multiple Chemical Sensitivity Syndrome (MCSS), Prostatitis, sinus problems, and Urinary Tract Infections (UTI).
One of the major secondary problems associated with Candida Albicans is weight gain. A number of the problems associated with losing weight and staying with a diet are doing to Candida Albicans. A person with systemic Candida Albicans will often crave sugar and simple carbohydrates because this is the main source of nutrients for yeast. Mood swings and depression are often associated with the rapid change in blood sugar levels caused by the yeast. Patients often complain of gas and bloating caused by the fermentation of foods in their intestines by the yeast which naturally release gas, just like in Champaign and beer. The fermentation of foods in the intestine may also lead to alcohol production that is absorbed through the gut and may lead to symptoms of confusion, altered behavior, and difficulty concentrating. Determining whether you have a Candida Albicans can make a big difference on how easy you will be able to lose weight and keep your weight loss off.
Questions to determine if you may have Candida Albicans: 
1. Have you used antibiotics in the last 2 years?
2. Do you have gas or bloating?
3. Do you have sugar cravings?
4. Do you have low blood sugar?
5. Do you have history of yeast infections, vaginal, oral, athletes foot, or jock itch?
6. Does your partner have a history of yeast infections, vaginal, oral, athletes foot, or jock itch?
7. Are you sensitive to smells?
8. Are you sensitive to alcohol?
9. Do you suffer from symptoms that your doctor cannot explain like; headaches, migraines, depression, diarrhea, dizziness, IBS, menstrual or sinus problems?
10. Do you feel fatigued all the time?
11. Do you have a hard time concentrating?
12. Do you just not feel right?
Candia Albicans can be diagnosed by a blood analysis by your physician, though many traditional physicians do not regularly order this test. A major problem with treating Candida Albicans is the low regard most physicians place on controlling it spread. A recent study showed that 27% of nurses and 33% of doctors have Candida Albicans on their hands in a hospital. You can get a reasonable idea if you have problems with Candida Albicans by answering the questions in the box above. A yes answers to 6 or more questions above, associated with any of the signs or symptoms listed above, is a good indicator that you may have a Candida Albicans problem. Dr. Mark Leder, a chiropractor and nutritionist in NYC, states " I have treated thousands of women for weight loss and I find that over 75% of them are suffering from Candida Albicans. I tell them, you want to loose weight,? You want to be healthy? Deal with the Candida problem and everything else will follow." A low carbohydrate diet is the first step to dealing with Candida Albicans, but an herbal anti fungal is just as important.
When Candida Albicans presents itself as a vaginal yeast infection or athletes foot will often be treated with medication. Medications may be oral or topical and can be in prescription or over the counter strength. The problems with medications is that they are often short term and or do not get to the root of the problem. To properly reduce the amount of Candida Albicans in the body a low carbohydrate diet is the first step. Nutritional and herbal supplements are also key components. Regular intake of natural anti fungal supplements gives the body a chance to gentle and slowly reduce the amount of Candida Albicans in the body. There are a number of natural anti fungal herbals and products available on the market, but quality and effectiveness vary greatly. One of the best products available, through physicians offices only, is called RxBotanicals Diet Enhancer which contains powerful anti fungal and natural herbal relaxants. The combination of anti fungal and natural herbal relaxants found in RxBotanicals Diet Enhancer gentle lowers the amount of Candida Albicans in the body while making the dieting experience easier and more successful.
America will continue to focus on the weight loss associated with low carbohydrate diets. Nutritionists and physicians will continue to embrace the multitude of health benefits associated with a low carbohydrate diets with herbal remedies and its relationship to reducing Candida Albicans in the body.

Dr. Steven Zodkoy