What Causes Reflux in Babies?

Spitting Up and Vomiting in Babies

Spitting up and vomiting in babies have become a huge area of parental concern. Part of the concern is positive because it reflects a better understanding of reflux disease, but another part may be negative and reflects a push to blame vomiting for all problems (such as colic). As a result, there is a trend to place younger and younger infants on medications they may not really need and for whom possible side effects have not been determined.

What Causes Reflux in Babies?

After your baby swallows milk, it glides past the back of the throat into a muscular tube (the esophagus) and, from there, into the stomach. At the junction of the esophagus and the stomach is a ring of muscles (lower esophageal sphincter) that opens to let the milk drop into the stomach and then tightens to prevent the milk (and the stomach contents) from moving back up into the esophagus. If the stomach contents should happen to re-enter the esophagus, this is called "reflux."

Infants are especially prone to reflux because:

1. Their stomachs are quite small (about the size of their fists or a golf ball), so they are easily distended by the milk.
2. The lower esophagus valve may be immature and may not tighten up when it should.

Is Your Baby a "Happy Spitter?"

Every baby spits up or vomits occasionally, and some do quite often or even with every feeding. If, despite the spitting, your baby is

• content
• in no discomfort
• growing
• experiencing no breathing problems from the vomiting

she is what pediatricians call "a happy spitter" and no treatment is needed. Typically, the lower esophagus valve tightens up sometime in the first year, usually around 4-5 months of age, at which time the spitting up may go away.

Could Your Baby Have Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)?

Unlike happy spitters, babies are diagnosed with GERD if the vomiting seems to be causing significant problems, such as:

• discomfort and pain (presumably heartburn due to the acid-filled stomach contents irritating the esophagus)
• breathing problems of any kind (gagging, choking, coughing, wheezing, and, worst-case scenario, pneumonia due to inhalation of the stomach contents into the lungs, called aspiration).
• poor growth (due to the loss of so much nutrition from vomiting)

If your baby has any of the above GERD symptoms, talk to your pediatrician, who can perform different tests to diagnosis and treat it correctly.

Tips for Concerned Parents

For any spitter, there are a few things that might help:

• Keep your baby upright for a half hour or so after a feeding (to let gravity help out).
• Make sure there's no pressure on the stomach after a feeding. For example, try to wait at least 30 minutes after feeding before putting baby in her car seat.
• Thicken feedings (usually by adding some rice cereal) so they're heavier and less likely to come back up.

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Gastroesophageal Reflux

Gastroesophageal reflux is the return of the stomach contents back into the esophagus, the tube that runs between the mouth and stomach. Parents should be aware that this may occur in very healthy infants and is not necessarily a sign of illness or abnormality. Many children grow and develop normally despite spitting up their food from time to time. In very young children gastroesophageal reflux is often due to chalasia, a malfunction of the lower esophageal sphincter, which normally functions to prevent food from returning to the esophagus. This malfunction is considered by some to be simply an indication of immaturity of the sphincter, which in a few weeks or months begins to function as it does in adulthood. Most children who demonstrate gastroesophageal reflux before they reach the age of three months may be expected to be symptom free by the time they reach two years of age. Symptoms persist in some children until four years of age. By the time the child reaches 12 months of age he is spending most of his time in the upright position and even those whose sphincters are slower in development may expect improvement in symptoms with the change in position.

Gastroesophageal reflux can also be caused by hiatal hernia, but this is more common in older children than in the young age group most likely to suffer chalasia.

Symptoms include vomiting, failure to gain weight, irritability, refusal to eat, blood in the stools, and anemia. Vomiting is the main symptom in about two-thirds of all infants with gastroesophageal reflux. Onset may be at the time of birth or six weeks later. The vomiting may be mild, a sort of spitting up, or may be projectile, shooting out of the child’s mouth. Children may be hungry immediately after vomiting and wish to eat again.

The repeated return of food and hydrochloric acid into the esophagus may cause irritation or even esophagitis, making it painful for the child to eat. If the irritation becomes severe the esophagus may bleed, and blood may pass through the digestive system and be eliminated with or in the stool, or the child may vomit fresh blood. The continued blood loss may lead to anemia.

About one-third of these children fail to grow properly because of inadequate nutrition, but once successful treatment is begun they grow normally. Some children have episodes of cessation of breathing. There may be associated respiratory problems, such as cough or asthma, because of inhalation of the refluxed material. Cow’s milk placed in the trachea of some very young laboratory animals causes cessation of breathing. For this reason it may be well to avoid giving cow’s milk to children with gastroesophageal reflux. Older children who suffer gastroesophageal reflux, for whatever reason, may have heartburn.

Most of these children will rapidly outgrow gastroesophageal reflux. The treatment is controversial, but we will discuss both sides, and if one method does not work the other is worth a trial. Both sides claim high success rates.

For decades gastroesophageal reflux has been treated by keeping the child upright at about a 60 degree angle in an infant seat to enable gravity to assist in keeping the food in the stomach. However, some observers point out that children slump in the infant seat, increasing pressure on the abdomen, which encourages the food to reflux upward. These people claim that the proper position for the child is lying face down on a board slanted upward at a 30 degree angle. This may be done by the use of a board with a brace, or a harness attached to the head of the bed. This position is felt to encourage stomach emptying. The child should be kept in this position constantly during the treatment program, which should last at least six weeks. After this period of time the child may be taken off the board for short periods of time, gradually increasing the time if symptoms do not recur. During the treatment time the child should be removed from the slant board for bathing and diaper changes before feedings and held up to the shoulder or placed back on the board immediately after feedings. He should never be placed flat after a feeding.

Older children who have gastroesophageal reflux should have the head of their bed raised, and should not go to bed for several hours after eating. Foods high in fat and chocolate should be eliminated from the diet as these are known to decrease the lower esophageal sphincter pressure.

Some children develop a stiff neck while on the slant board. The parents should turn the head from one side to the other frequently to prevent this. Sometimes the position causes the child’s legs to swell from fluid accumulation. Simply lifting the legs up for a few minutes will often be effective in resolving this.

Until at least six months of age infants should receive only breast milk. For the older infant, feedings should be thick, as thick material is less likely to reflux. Whole grain rice cereal boiled gently for three hours or blended with expressed breast milk or fruit juice may be spoon-fed in small amounts every four hours, or at regular feeding times; or the child may be fed rice cereal prior to nursing. If the child is receiving formula it may be necessary to enlarge the nipple hole to allow the food to flow freely. Symptoms may worsen if the child swallows air in an attempt to get his food. He should be burped frequently. Many children on thickened feedings show improvement within about two weeks, but the feeding schedule demands cooperation on the part of all family members.

For esophageal reflux, we have found people have good benefit by sitting and standing in very good posture, and by yawning. If you are aware that you are having reflux, if you can induce a good yawn, sometimes that will help amazingly to relieve the sensation. If you take pills of any kind, the time to swallow them is when you have in your mouth already thoroughly chewed food ready to swallow. Introduce the pill, and swallow it all together. by Dr. Trash.

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Chron's Disease Treatment

TREATMENT
Patients with Crohn's disease should be on a diet having no free fats, but one providing plenty of essential fatty acids through the use of grains, legumes, and nuts if these foods can be tolerated.(20)

The intestinal flora may be changed in order that toxic products will not be produced. In order to do that, the diet must be such that refuse left in the colon will not cause putrefaction. All animal products should be eliminated, as they tend to putrefy in the colon. The colon must be kept empty by the use of high residue foods, enemas, and the application of brief cold compresses to the abdomen. Laxatives must be strictly eliminated as they cause congestion and irritation. Since the residue of breakfast will be found in the colon within seven to nine hours after breakfast is eaten, it is best for the colon to be cleansed of breakfast before lying down to sleep at 10:00 P.M. Ideally the bowels should move after each meal and should have about the consistency of soft ice cream. A formed stool is always an evidence of stagnation in the bowel. The toxic materials produced from these residues are capable of causing much suffering. If necessary, these patients should have enemas twice a day. The enema should be at about 115°F, and from one to two quarts may be used at a time. High temperatures are stimulating to the lining membranes and promote health. High temperatures also relieve pain. A water temperature of 120°F will discourage bleeding by the same principle that "hot lap packs" are used in surgery to discourage diffuse bleeding, as from a torn liver. Burning of tissues will not occur below 123°F.

The use of liberal quantities of complex carbohydrates such as found in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains is of such a character as to promote a luxurious growth of aerobic flora. Dextrinized grains are most efficient for this purpose. Grains may be dextrinized prior to the cooking process in cereals or breads, etc. and bread may be made into melba toast by putting whole wheat bread slices directly on the oven rack, turning the oven on at its lowest possible temperature setting, and allowing the bread to dry out for several hours.

Sunbaths should be taken when possible, exposing the entire skin surface, which helps to increase resistance and to develop immunity. Plenty of water should be taken by mouth to encourage proper cleansing of the blood and the gastrointestinal tract.

A bland, low-fat diet should be instituted. All foods should be chewed well, or mashed with a fork, or pureed in a blender. We especially recommend avoiding milk, most particularly cheese. We advise abolishing all foods that have been highly milled. There should be no free-fats, no fried foods, no sugar, and no extremely hot or cold foods. Avoid any gas-forming foods such as cabbage, corn, certain greens, pickles, relishes of all kinds, skins of apples and potatoes, and legumes. It is well to try an elimination diet to determine if one is sensitive to any group of the most common foods causing sensitivity: milk and all dairy products including whey products, sodium lactate, sodium caseinate, and all other milk residues; coffee, tea, colas, and chocolate; citrus fruits and juices; corn, wheat, and rice (may use oatmeal and millet); all other animal products (pork, eggs, beef, fish, chicken, etc.); strawberries, apples, lettuce, cane sugar, onion, garlic, nuts, peanuts, alcohol and beer, yeast, tomatoes, potatoes, and tobacco).

Two meals a day are preferable to three, as proper digestion and assimilation are more important to maintain good nutrition than is the quantity of food taken or the number of meals eaten. No spices or food additives, dyes, colorings, conditioners, or other additives are allowed. The principal foods should be fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Anything added to the food should be looked at with great suspicion.

EXERCISE is excellent and should include walking and gardening if these are available. There should be strict avoidance of all drugs, as drugs almost invariably irritate the gastrointestinal tract. Drugs generally fail to accomplish any striking therapeutic results.(21) It is not necessary to take acidophilis bacteria, as these do no apparent good.

The long-term use of corticosteroids is contraindicated. Antidiarrheal medications cause narrowing of the small bowel and can result in obstruction. Surgery for Crohn's disease should be avoided except in the treatment of life-threatening complications. At least 50% of patients can date the onset of rapid progression of the disease and worsening of their symptoms to their first operation.(22)

To find out more and for proper diet, meal plans, herbs and lifestyle regiment that includes exercise call us at 305-396-1571 or email us thevital8@gmail.com

Publish Post

REFERENCES
Acta Hepato Gastroenterology, 26:257-259, 1979.
Modern Medicine, February-March, 1980, page 23.
Beeson and McDermott. Textbook of Medicine. Philadelphia: W. B. Saunders, 15th Edition, p. 1560.
South African Medical Journal, 47:1400-1406, August 11, 1973.
The New England Journal of Medicine, 289:1099-1103, 1973.
British Medical Journal, July 10, 1976, page 87.
Hepato-Gastroenterology, 26:257-259, 1979.
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 32:1898-1901, 1979.
British Medical Journal, September 29, 1929.
Digestion, 20:323-326, 1980.
British Medical Journal, April 9, 1977, page 929.
Southern Medical Journal, 71(8):935-948, August 1978.
British Medical Journal, June 11, 1977.
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 24:1608-1673, September 1971.
Psychosomatic Medicine, 32:153-166, 1970.
Gastroenterology, 69:618, 1975.
Lancet, 2215, 1976.
Journal of American Medical Association, 236:2213, November 8, 1976.
Gut, 11:338-343, 1970.

Chron's Disease Part 2

The incidence of Crohn's disease is increasing rapidly, and is more common now than ulcerative colitis, showing a twenty-fold increase from 1940 to 1970.(1) Crohn's disease is also called regional ileitis. It is a chronic, progressive, inflammatory disease of the bowel. The symptoms are most commonly that of diarrhea and pain. Weight loss, fatigue, and irritability are characteristic of the disease. The bowel movements often include mucus, blood, and pus because of the infection. Fat may be found in the bowel movements, making them bulky and foul smelling. Crohn’s disease tends to get worse as time goes by, and to spread along the bowel, accounting for the alternate name of "regional ileitis."

Fifty-seven percent of cases occur in women and seventy-one percent in Jewish people. The most common age of onset is 16 to 21 years. If the patient has one or more close relatives with Crohn's disease, the person is more likely to have the disease himself.(2)

Crohn's disease can occur in any portion of the gastrointestinal tract. There may be healthy areas of bowel alternating with diseased ones. Crohn's disease is limited to the small intestine in 90% of cases, and most frequently starts with the terminal ileum.

There is usually a reduction in the motility of the small bowel. There may be times when the disease is in remission, that is, there are no symptoms discernable and the person may think that the disease is cured. During the remission, it is important to use care to follow all known health laws to prolong or permanently establish the remission. A large number of patients with Crohn's disease eventually come to some type of surgical treatment, with an operative mortality of about 6%.(3)

There are some little known clinical aspects of Crohn's disease, such as a skin involvement, the skin around the anus being most likely to become involved. Fissures, fistulas, and thickening of the anal skin tags represent the most common skin manifestations. The skin may become swollen and discolored around the anus. Ulceration of the skin of the legs may occur. The skin tags around the anus may have a typical reddish-blue color. Biochemical disturbances in the liver are occasionally seen. A large proportion of these patients and their immediate families reveal a history of allergies, including hives and asthma. With this set of symptoms, there is often an enlargement of the ends of the fingers (clubbing). Ulcers in the mouth, lesions in the eyes (uveitis), and arthritis of the large joints may all precede the bowel disease by many years.(4)

There are no proven cases of spontaneous cure of Crohn's disease. The disease may be relatively mild, but more often the symptoms soon interfere with work and pursuit of productive activity. Despite drug treatments, new manifestations develop.

Crohn's disease is relatively rare in tropical areas. In Aberdeen, it was found to be infrequent in white collar workers and in country dwellers.

Cancer of the small bowel is rare except in people who have Crohn's disease, in which it occasionally occurs.(5) Immunity is depressed in Crohn's disease.(6) Allergies, arthritis, asthma, skin involvement, and food sensitivities may all be a part of the response or lack of response of the immune system.

CAUSES OF CROHN'S DISEASE
The cause of regional enteritis is said to be unknown, but overeating, chemical poisoning, or bacterial invasion all seem to be possible factors or etiologic agents.(7)

Substantially greater numbers of people with the disease give a history of using more refined sugar, less dietary fiber, and considerably less raw fruit and vegetables than the controls. This kind of diet favors the development of Crohn's disease.(8, 9, 10)

Some investigators point out that sugary foods tend to contain more chemical additives such as dyes, flavors, stabilizers, etc. These investigators also suggest that a high sugar intake itself may influence the intestinal bacterial flora to produce compounds toxic to the intestinal lining.(11)

Seasonings and cold fluids are not well tolerated and should be omitted. Lactose (milk sugar) malabsorption has been noted in as many as seven out of eight patients with Crohn's disease.(12)

It is postulated by some that a state of increased sensitivity develops in Crohn's disease, the immune system having been previously primed. In other words, substances capable of producing allergic states were able to penetrate the lining of the bowel because of some previous conditioning by circumstances, foods, or chemical injury. It is further postulated that during the neonatal period, particularly in premature infants, there may be an absence of certain defense systems allowing the penetration of antigens. Hypersensitivity could then develop in the intestinal lymphatic system, such as in infancy with a diet of cow's milk, before the establishment of the "mucosal barrier." It is of interest that patients with ulcerative colitis, a related disease, have a high incidence of using formulas of cow's milk in infancy as compared with controls.(13) One nine year old girl can remain well of Crohn's disease as long as she avoids all milk and dairy products, ham and bacon, blueberries, and cakes containing poppy seed.(14)

The story is reported of a thirteen year old boy with Crohn's disease who did fine as long as he was given no oral foods or fluids, and only hyperalimentation (a method of feeding entirely intravenously), but had his symptoms return when he was offered ordinary foods When hyperalimentation alone was reinstituted, his symptoms again subsided, but when given prednisone he got worse again, and had pain and bloody diarrhea. The prednisone was manufactured with certain substances such as lactose, starch, sugar, paraffin, oil, or tartrazine to hold the material together.

Some observations point to the possible role of gluten in Crohn's disease. Seven of ten patients with tropical sprue responded to a gluten-free diet, four patients with regional enteritis exhibited adverse effects with 12 days of taking 20 grams of gluten maximally and 5 grams minimally.(15) It is always worth a trial on a gluten-free diet to see if it is a factor. We have seen several striking remissions on this diet, but gluten must be strictly and rigorously excluded in order to give it a fair trial.

Crohn's disease patients have a high incidence of life crises during the six-month period prior to the onset of the disease. More than half of the patients in one series had been seen by a psychiatrist at least once during their lifetimes, and approximately 20% of all patients have been in psychotherapy.(16)

A viral cause of Crohn's disease has been suggested by some recent studies.(17, 18) In one study, clusters of viral particles were found in cases of Crohn's disease which could successfully inoculate tissue cultures, indicating the possibility of a virus as a cause of the disease.(19)

Crohn's disease diagnosed? Part 1

Crohn's Disease - Topic Overview

What is Crohn's disease?

Crohn's disease is a lifelong inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Parts of the digestive system get swollen and have deep sores called ulcers. Crohn’s disease usually is found in the last part of the small intestine and the first part of the large intestine. But it can develop anywhere in the digestive tract, from the mouth to the anus.

What causes Crohn's disease?

Doctors don't know what causes Crohn’s disease. You may get it when the body’s immune system has an abnormal response to normal bacteria in your intestine. Other kinds of bacteria and viruses may also play a role in causing the disease.

Crohn’s disease can run in families. Your chances of getting it are higher if a close family member has it. People of Eastern European (Ashkenazi) Jewish family background may have a higher chance of getting Crohn’s disease. Smoking also puts you at a higher risk for the disease.

What are the symptoms?

The main symptoms of Crohn’s disease are belly pain and diarrhea (sometimes with blood). Some people may have diarrhea 10 to 20 times a day. Losing weight without trying is another common sign. Less common symptoms include mouth sores, bowel blockages, anal tears (fissures), and openings (fistulas) between organs.

Infections, hormonal changes, and smoking can cause your symptoms to flare up. You may have only mild symptoms or go for long periods of time without any symptoms. A few people have ongoing, severe symptoms.

It’s important to be aware of signs that Crohn’s disease may be getting worse. Call your doctor right away if you have any of these signs:

• You feel faint or have a fast and weak pulse.
• You have severe belly pain.
• You have a fever or shaking chills.
• You are vomiting again and again.

How is Crohn's disease diagnosed?

Your doctor will ask you about your symptoms and do a physical exam. You may also have X-rays and lab tests to find out if you have Crohn’s.

Tests that may be done to diagnose Crohn's disease include:

• Barium X-rays of the small intestine or colon.
• Colonoscopy or flexible sigmoidoscopy. In these tests, the doctor uses a thin, lighted tube to look inside the colon.
• Biopsy. The doctor takes a sample of tissue and tests it to find out if you have Crohn’s or another disease, such as cancer.
• Stool analysis. This is a test to look for blood and signs of infection in a sample of your stool. You can read more on this from Webmd.com

Treating Diarrhea

For generations, charcoal has been used for intestinal gas, diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting. The person with traveler's diarrhea will welcome a package of charcoal tablets or capsules in the purse. At the first sign of queasiness in the abdomen, four to eight charcoal tablets should be taken and repeated with every loose stool. The same can be used as a treatment for nausea and vomiting or an upset stomach. If a person vomits, the full dose of charcoal should be taken, and should be repeated each time the person vomits.

There are no ill effects of charcoal, since it does not react with the body. In some persons, it may cause a slight degree of intestinal irritation if taken in large doses such as 10 to 12 tablespoonful at a time. Some individuals who do not drink adequate water may experience some constipation. Charcoal does not cause cancer, but charred or burnt toast should be strictly avoided as the fats can cause potential cancer-producing chemicals when overheated. Wood products and coconut shells, the primary source of commercial charcoal, do not contain these fats.

Charcoal may be obtained in health food stores and pharmacies and should be kept on hand in all homes. Use 1-6 teaspoons for one ordinary dose.

Please feel free to contact us at thevital8@gmail.com or 305-396-1571

What Causes Diarrhea? Part 2

1. Diarrhea caused by medication

Sometimes good medicines lead to bad diarrhea. “As more patients are treated with antibiotics, we see more cases of Clostridium difficile colitis,” Rapisarda tells WebMD. While going after bad bacteria, antibiotics can also kill good bacteria that protect your intestines. “Ironically, antibiotics to treat one type of infection can make a patient more vulnerable to this other type of infection.”

Blood pressure medications, cancer drugs, and antacids can also trigger diarrhea. If you take any of these medications and experience frequent or ongoing diarrhea, let your doctor know.

2. Diarrhea caused by food intolerance

Diarrhea may be the result if your body has trouble digesting certain foods. Diarrhea-inducing fare includes dairy products and artificial sweeteners. The undigested food causes nausea, diarrhea, cramping, and gas, normally within 30 minutes to two hours of entering your system.

Lactose intolerance affects 30 million to 50 million Americans, most of whom are black, Hispanic, American Indian, or Asian American. The impact of lactose intolerance varies. Some people can drink small amounts of milk in tea or coffee without stomach upset. Some can eat cheese or yogurt, which have less lactose than milk. Note the type and amount of dairy products you eat and their effect. You can also talk to your doctor about dietary supplements that may improve your digestion of dairy products.

3. Diarrhea caused by chronic conditions

Diarrhea that doesn’t go away might be letting you know you have an untreated medical condition. If diarrhea lasts longer than three days, ask your doctor of you might have any of these diarrhea-causing conditions:

• Irritable bowel syndrome -- A common disorder that causes cramping, bloating, diarrhea, and general abdominal discomfort. Often, simple lifestyle and diet changes can bring irritable bowel syndrome under control.
• Inflammatory bowel disease -- The digestive tract becomes inflamed and damaged, reducing its ability to absorb and deliver nutrients to the body. Your doctor can help you reduce the symptoms and damage of inflammatory bowel disease.
• Celiac disease -- When people with celiac disease eat gluten, their immune systems attack the lining of their intestines. Gluten is a protein found in wheat, rye, and barley. Unless the condition is managed, the intestines can lose their ability to absorb nutrients over time.

What Causes Diarrhea? Part 1

Diarrhea is inconvenient, unpleasant, and happens to nearly everyone. Of all reported illnesses in the U.S., diarrhea is the second most common. The average adult has diarrhea four times a year. American children typically have seven to 15 cases of diarrhea by the time they reach age five.

Everyday things such as food, medication, or stress can cause diarrhea. However, diarrhea sometimes may signal an underlying medical condition. If diarrhea keeps you running for the toilet, read on to learn about some common triggers and how you can cope.

Bacterial Causes of Diarrhea

Bacteria are part of everyday life, and normally bacteria and humans live together peacefully. However, some bacteria can wreak havoc on your digestive well-being. These tiny bugs find fertile breeding ground in raw meats, eggs, shellfish, and unpasteurized milk.

Cases of food contamination causing diarrhea are rare in the U.S., says Alexander Rapisarda, MD, a specialist in gastroenterology and hepatology at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in East Brunswick, N.J. He tells WebMD, “The most common food-related cases of diarrhea come from food that was not refrigerated well enough or went bad before the patient ate it.”

To reduce your risk of bacteria-related diarrhea, cook meat, poultry, and eggs completely. (Better avoid animal products completely). Wash your hands, utensils, and surfaces. Refrigerate leftovers quickly, don’t leave them at room temperature longer than necessary.

When deciding where to dine out, look for health department ratings online or posted in the restaurant. These ratings indicate the restaurant kitchen’s levels of cleanliness and food safety.

Viral Causes of Diarrhea

Some viral infections can lead to diarrhea and vomiting. These viral strains are highly contagious, traveling easily from unwashed hand to unwashed hand. Shared drinks, utensils, and contaminated food also provide passage into your unsuspecting stomach. People who no longer have symptoms or never exhibited symptoms in the first place can sometimes spread these viruses.

Just like with bacteria, hand washing, clean kitchens, and common sense go a long way to keep viruses under wraps. If you or someone you know has diarrhea, do not eat or drink from the same containers. You might never know for sure if a bacteria or virus caused your diarrhea — the symptoms and incubation periods are often the same. In either case, the diarrhea and stomach upset usually work their way out of your system within two to three days.

Traveler’s Diarrhea

Delhi Belly and Montezuma’s Revenge are two nicknames for an experience shared by many unhappy travelers. Depending on the country, between 30% and 70% of travelers suffer a bout of diarrhea and vomiting, courtesy of contaminated local foods or water. If you travel to a developing country, avoid raw, unpeeled produce and water from the faucet. Eat only cooked foods prepared in a clean kitchen and stick with bottled water, even to brush your teeth. Typically, traveler’s diarrhea works its way out of your system within 12 hours.

Lupus (Auto Immune Disease)

Lupus: is an (inflammatory and autoimmune) disease of the connective tissue. It has been classified as an an autoimmune disease, since the body is attacking itself. Max Gerson, M.D. used a careful, very nourishing diet, including vegetables and vitamin mineral supplementation to eliminate lupus in his patients, but the diet had to be total or no progress was made .

All meat, dairy products, refined foods, gravy, fats, junk food, fried food, soft drinks, caffeine, alcohol, etc. had to be eliminated from the Gerson's diet, The diet had to be low in fat and salt (which helped weakened the kidneys).

Vegetable juice fast would be very helpful
Obtain enough rest and exercise
Echinacea, yucca, red clover, pau d'arco and goldenseal are very helpful herbs
A kidney and liver detox (cleansing) would be helpful
70% fresh food

Intake no other fats other than Flaxseed Oil

Do not eat sugar or products or high starch foods.
Avoid eggplant, tomatoes, tobacco, potatoes and bell peppers
Avoid stressful environments and situations

Parasites are associated with lupus.
Avoid penicillin, allergenic cosmetics,

Do not take
birth control pills; the intensify the lupus
corticosteroid drugs, they weaken the immune system

To find out more and how to eat healthy and to apply healthy lifestyle changes please email Coach M at thevital8@gmail.ocm

Diabetics: Fiber is Your Friend

Do you know that any food void of fiber is a diabetics foe. Why? Food without fiber causes a rise in the blood sugar. We know food turns into sugar in the blood stream, however refined foods turns into sugar at a faster level than foods with fiber. Fiber on the other hand goes through the blood stream at slower pace and keeps the blood glucose at a even level without spiking it up. For more click on the link below.

Fiber is your friend because it prevents the glucose from going up. Fiber regulates the glucose level in the blood and keeps it normal.

What are foods that are void of fiber.
Refined, Enriched , White Rice, Bread, Pasta, Sugar, Juice, Sodas, Green Tea, Caffeinated Drinks, Alcohol, Sugary Cereals, Meats, Cakes, Chocolate, Cheese, Cows Milk, Ice cream etc. All these items causes you blood sugar to rise and worsen the diabetes.

Foods high in fiber: Whole Foods
Fruits, Grains,Vegetables, Legumes- Beans, Whole Grain Rice, Whole Wheat/Whole Grain Bred, Whole Wheat Pasta, Oat Meal, Potatoes, Sweet Potatoes etc. Everyone of these items are great choices for Diabetics.

Warning: Fruits to be careful for banana and mango, they are okay to eat but not when they are over ripe or spotting (black spots) they are too sweet at the point.

If your glucose level are in the 200's and up you might have to lay off the fruits only for a short time.

For more info and meal plans to reverse diabetes email me at thevital8@gmail.com

Walking is like Medicine

Walking Can Lower Type II Diabetes

Walking is like medicine (free). It can do more than you can ever imagine.
Walking to exercise can and will lower your glucose (sugar) level.

Insulin is like a key, its job is to open the door (receptors) to go through. What happens in the body of a type II diabetic, is that it is able to produce insulin but for some reason the insulin can not enter the cells because doors(receptors) are sealed.

Why is are the doors sealed? A high fat diet. The fat in diet is what seals off the doors from opening . (hint) Get rid of all animal fat or lower it greatly and keep plant based fats.

So what can walking do. What walking does, it allows the doors (receptors) to open up so that the insulin can pass through, which causes the glucose level to become lower.

One hour of walking equals 5units of insulin! Walking will not only lower your glucose level but it will also bring down the weight. So walk everyday, outside its FREE.

Walking and a healthy diet will do miracles. To learn about diabetes, meal plans, reversal, or to purchase cookbook and health books, call Coach M at 770-374-0783 or email me at thevital8@gmail.com.

Prostate Affliction

What Is the Prostate?

The prostate is a small gland in men that is part of the reproductive system. It's about the shape and size of a walnut. The prostate rests below the bladder and in front of the rectum. It surrounds part of the urethra, the tube that carries urine from the bladder. The prostate helps make semen, which carries sperm from the testicles when a man ejaculates.

Enlarged Prostate

As a man ages, the prostate can grow larger. When a man reaches the age of 40, the prostate gland might have increased from the size of a walnut to that of an apricot. By the time he reaches the age of 60, it might be the size of a lemon.

Because it surrounds part of the urethra, the enlarged prostate can squeeze the urethra. This causes problems in the passing of urine. Typically, these problems passing urine don't occur in men until they are age 50 or older. They can, though, occur earlier.

An enlarged prostate is also called benign (noncancerous) prostatic hyperplasia or BPH. Age and a family history of BPH are risk factors. Eight out of every 10 men eventually develop an enlarged prostate. About 90% of men over the age of 85 will have BPH. About 30% of men will find their symptoms bothersome.

Symptoms of an enlarged prostate may include:

• trouble starting to urinate, or urinating freely
• having to urinate frequently, particularly at night
• feeling that the bladder is not empty after urinating
• feeling a sudden urge to urinate
• having to stop and start repeatedly while urinating
• having to strain to urinate

To maintain prostate health, it is important for men who have early symptoms of BPH to see their doctor. BPH is a progressive disease. It can lead to serious, although rare, health problems, such as kidney or bladder damage.

Treatments include:

• Watchful waiting. Patients who have an enlarged prostate but who are not suffering symptoms or whose symptoms are not bothersome may be advised by their doctor to merely get an annual checkup, which might include a variety of tests.
• Making lifestyle changes. Changes could include stop drinking at night and before bedtime, especially drinks containing alcohol or caffeine, stay away from spicy foods. Decrease great or eliminate meat from diet. Exercise, such as walking is very good. Increase fruits, vegetables, legumes, raw nuts or seeds. Theses foods help build up immune system. Drink plenty of water only. Read your food labels.
  
• Natural Treatment: Saw/Shrub palmetto & Pygeum Natural herb supplement you can by at any health food store. Abstain from sex while in treatment, especially masturbation since some studies show there is a link.
• Natural Treatment2: If you are in pain do a sitz bath or a hip bath. Sit in tub of hot water ( caution not to burn you) just enough to cover our hip area then add turmeric herb. I t is what is use to season food. Sit a while till the pain go away that will help the inflammation. Add raw unsalted pumpkin seeds to your diet. Take Echinacea tea to boos you immune system
• Myth: Having a lot of sex does not prevent prostate.
  

Asthma Attack- A Natural Way

Asthma is manifest by attacks of dyspnea (respiratory difficulty) accompanied by wheezing, cough, expectoration, and chest pressure. Asthma is the result of spasms and inflammation of the bronchial tubes, usually caused by allergic mechanism.

Certain foods and stresses can trigger an asthma attack. The following foods are:
Salty foods
Additives
Wine
Beer
Fish
Shell Fish
Cheese
Brewer's Yeast
Royal Jelly
Milk ( all dairy products)
& for some certain Nuts

However there are certain foods that can contribute to reducing an asthma attack.
Such as:
Onion
Oranges
Horseradish
Vegetables
Fruits
Flax seed oil
Beans
Foods rich in vitamin A & E

What to do in case of an asthma attack?

Eating a raw onion can stop or relieve an asthma crisis because of its anti- allergic and bronchodilator properties. These effects last up to twelve hours. Inhaling the onion's essential oil is also a beneficial, and is more appropriate for little children.

Onio Syrup
Boil several slices of onion. After mashing them to a paste, add a few spoonfuls of honey.

To find out more on this topic please email me at thevital8@gmail.com

Can't Sleep- Insomnia

One of the 8 principals that is vital to your health is good night's rest. It is important for the following reasons: 1). It aids in healing of injuries, infections and other assaults on your body including stress and emotional traumas. 2). It strengthens your immune system which protect you from disease and also aids in adding length to your life.

So what's keeping America up?
Late night TV
Eating late
Stress: Thinking to much- if the brain is up so is the body.
Obesity: related to insomnia
Coffee, tea, sodas- anything caffeinated or sugary drinks
Taking nap during the day

What time should I go to bed?
For optimal health: No later than 10:00pm. The earlier you get up the earlier you need to sleep. I promise you feel great in the morning. Less Tired

What happens if I don't get enough sleep?
Cranky, easily irritable, frustrated
Can't focus
Diabetes and Highblood pressure are elevated
Higher risk to gain weight.
Forgetfulness
Mental Dullness
Higher risk for cancer (immune system)
Colds/ Flu

What can I do?
Exercise 30 to 60 minutes a day- Walking
Maintain a schedule for exercising eating, getting up and going to bed
Eat your last meal 4 hours before going to bed
Trying taking a warm bath prior to going to bed
Pass lavender oil around your neck and head ( couple of drops) before bed
Drink chamomile tea prior to go to bed
Turn off lights and including TV
Relax and think happy thoughts
Read your bible


How much do I need: Adults 7to 8 (Children 10-12 hrs So why are many American loosing sleep. rest. Your body heals between a certain time 12:00am -2:00am.

For more please email me at thevital8@gmail.com

Drawbacks to Milk (COW)

We've seen the various commercials ("Drink Milk... and Milk does a body good". Does it? Although there are some benefits and nutrients, however the cons out way the pros. Besides all the benefits and nutrients found in milk can be found in other food sources. So what are the draw backs to drinking milk: Lactose intolerance, allergy, stomach problems to name a few.

Digestive disorders: irritable bowel, syndrome, hemorrhages, and others.

Anemia: due to the lack of iron found in milk as to the fact that its consumption may cause tiny intestinal hemorrhages leading to blood iron loss through the feces

Diseases Produces or Aggravated by Milk
Abdominal Pain
Constipation
Gastroduodenal Ulcer
Intestinal hemorrhage
Cataracts
Diabetes (Type I & Type II)

Cancer: Lymphoma
Ovarian cancer
Prostrate cancer

What to do: Avoid cow's milk period (Whole milk, skim milk, 1% , 2% (avoid it ).
Drink in place of ( Soy milk rice milk, hemp milk, almond milk cashew milk.

To learn more how and why milk is problematic or how to make your own milk email me at thevital8@gmail.com

FORGIVENESS / Mind Cure

Healing through forgiveness: Negative emotions such as un-forgiveness, anger, grief, worry, fear sadness, anxiety, discontent, depression, distrust, and guilt are type of stresses. If these emotions are kept (in the heart and mind) they all tend to break down life forces and invite death and decay. These emotions effect different organs of the body: (The heart, liver, the bone marrow, the blood cells , and stomach) all these mentioned play a vital role in your immune system. If your immune system is weak or compromised so is your health. These emotions triggers many sicknesses that may be or may not be a weakness in your gene through hereditary.. and also opens the doors to sickness not even your doctor can explain.

Plato says "the greatest mistake a physician makes is trying to cure the body with out curing the mind".

Ellen G. White says "The relation that exist between the mind and the body is very intimate When one is affected the other sympathizes. (Ministry of Healing) pg. 77

Healing: Let Go... Forgive have courage, faith, sympathy, love, laughter which promotes health and prolongs health. "A merry heart doth good like medicine " Proverbs 17:22
To learn more how to heal from forgivenss and more email me at thevital8@gmail.com

Constipation

Constipation: Big Problem! If its not coming out, you have to wonder...where is it going? Bad breath rings a bell? It also goes through the blood stream and hangs out in different organs of body leading to various and serious health problems such as but not limited to diverticulosis and cancer of the colon .

Signs: not going to the toilet daily at least two to three times depending how many times you are eating.

Symptoms: Coated tongue, foul breath back ache, headache, mental dullness, depression insomnia, loss of appetite, and various pains.

Treatment: Take an enema for three days once a day. Drink plenty of water at least up to four cups in the morning and one out the four should be warm. Eat foods with fiber such as fruits grains, legumes and vegetables. Exercise daily (walking helps massage the stomach and tone). You can Senna or (Smooth Move Tea) for three days on a raw fruit or vegetable fast.
Do not eat and drink at same meal, drink 15 to 30 minutes before and and up two hours after eating. To find out more and for a meal plan and proper diet email me at thevital8@gmail.com

Vital 8 Heart

Vital 8 Heart

8 Laws, 8 Rules, 8 Ways to a better heart!

Rest
Exercise
Drink Pure Water
Healthy Balance Life
Eat Whole Foods
Adeqate Sunlight
FResh Air &
Trust
R.E.D.H.E.A.RT.

Gluten Allergies

HEALTH: CELIAC is an allergy to foods that contain gluten such as wheat, barley, spelt, bulgur, rye and for some oats are also a problem. Symptoms: diarrhea, bloating, constipation, small bumps on the face, & dry skin or skin allergies. If you have MS, Arthritis, Graves Disease, Chrons Disease, Autism, ADD, stay away from these foods. Food s that you can have in place of is; millet, quinoa, brown rice, and cornmeal. Also availalbe are brown rice pasta for pasta lover and Millet and Brown Rice bread for all you bread lovers. For more info email me: thevital8@gmail.com

Health Coach Cudos from Dr OZ