Ulcerative Colitis Information

Pseudomembranous colitis is a form of inflammatory disease characterized by the pathologic presence of pseudomembranes consisting of mucin, fibrin, necrotic cells, and polymorphonuclear leukocytes. Bacterial IBS is the most common cause of this disease , particularly beyond the first year of life. Allergic IBS is the most common form of colitis during the first year of life. Collagenous colitis and lymphocytic colitis are two other types of bowel inflammation that affect the colon.

A diagnosis of collagenous IBS or lymphocytic IBSis made after tissue samples taken during a colonoscopy or flexible sigmoidoscopy are examined with a microscope. Collagenous IBS and lymphocytic IBS are also called microscopic IBS. Ulcerative colitis is not caused by emotional distress or sensitivity to certain foods or food products, but these factors may trigger symptoms in some people.

For extreme cases of collagenous and lymphocytic that have not responded to medication, surgery to remove all or part of the colon may be necessary.

Ulcerative colitis can occur in people of any age, but it usually starts between the ages of 15 and 30, and less frequently between 50 and 70 years of age. IBS is an inflammation of the colon. IBS may also cause problems such as arthritis, inflammation of the eye, liver disease, and osteoporosis. This disease causes inflammation and sores, called ulcers, in the lining of the rectum and colon.

Ischemic is a form of vasculitis that results from inflammation and ischemia of colonic mucosa, which causes rectal bleeding and abdominal pain. Treatment for collagenous and lymphocytic varies depending on the symptoms and severity of the case. People with ulcerative colitis have abnormalities of the immune system, but doctors do not know whether these abnormalities are a cause or a result of the disease. Pseudomembranous usually presents with profuse watery or mucoid diarrhea, tenesmus, fever, abdominal cramps, and tenderness usually within one week of antibiotic therapy.

After age 50 a regular colonoscopy is recommended for early detection of colon cancer unless the patient has increased risk of cancer and then more frequent examinations may be prescribed by the patients doctor.

Some medical pioneers in the study and utilization of information regarding mind-body medicine are writing books and spreading the word about how we can change our health and heal disease through our thoughts -doctors such as Deepak Chopra, Andrew Weil, Christiane Northrup, Bernie Siegel, and Herbert Benson.

Such techniques are finally garnering the attention of the AMA and medical facilities and schools. The benefits of stress management workshops in maintaining health and reversing such conditions as ulcerative colitis, chronic headaches, heart disease, and cancer have been acknowledged by doctors as well as employers, and are now routinely taught in most major medical facilities and covered by many health insurance companies.

In addition to helping with the preparation or effects of whatever medical procedures are employed to eliminate cancer in one's body (surgery, chemo/radiation), there are many things hypnosis can do to help a person increase the likelihood of a positive outcome--from utilizing visualization techniques in order to increase immune system function, to boosting self-esteem and a feeling a control over the cancer and your recovery.

Visualization has been successfully utilized for many years to fight cancer in the body. Dr. Bernie Siegel is perhaps the most well-known proponent of its use. His classic best-seller, Love, Medicine, and Miracles, recounts stories of his cancer patients who have triumphed over their illness by using the power of their minds. There are numerous accounts of people who have had "spontaneous" healing, such as having their cancer shrink or even "disappear" on x-rays taken after invoking prayer or visualization techniques. Though medically "unexplainable," these accounts are, nevertheless, real. With hypnosis, visualization techniques can be made even more powerful because they are presented directly to the subconscious mind, which is the agent of change.

Professionals in the fields of hypnosis and behavioral medicine believe that producing feelings of calm and relaxation allows the immune system to function at a maximum level, aiding the fight against cancer. Although research evidence is still anecdotal and limited, many other health professionals also believe that hypnotic imagery may enhance immune system functioning, and there is encouraging research underway that is giving us hopeful news about our ability to enhance cellular immunity. Psychoneuroimmunology is beginning to identify factors such as stress, depression (vs. laughter), and loneliness (vs. social support) that seem linked to diseases like cancer and impede the healing process.

With serious illnesses such as cancer, an emotional toll is also exacted upon the patient. A loss of security, control, self-esteem, and lifestyle can cause feelings of helplessness, vulnerability, and depression. The use of hypnosis can allow the person to feel a sense of control over their illness and recovery by taking proactive steps in deciding what course of treatment they are willing to use, working to visualize a positive and reasonable outcome, assisting their body in the healing process, and reducing negative side effects and pain.

At the very least, hypnosis offers many cancer patients physical as well as emotional relief from the fallout of being diagnosed with cancer, thus providing a higher quality of life and reserving energy for the important healing work that lies ahead.

Some of my most rewarding sessions have been working with cancer patients to prepare them physically, emotionally, and even spiritually for what lies ahead in their healing and improve their chances of recovery. If you or someone you know is currently dealing with this issue, read some of my cancer clients' testimonials on my website at hypnocoachlisa.com/Testimonials.html and contact me for a free consultation.

Aloe vera (Aloe barbadensis) is a plant originally found in Africa. It has thick cactus-like green long leaves which contain a gel and also a yellow residue known as latex. It is this gel that contains all the medicinal values of Aloe. All the medicinal features of it are found in Aloe Mucilaginous Polysaccharides (AMP). Aloe mucilaginous polysaccharides are long chains of sugar molecules consisting of separate mannose and glucose sugar molecules linked together.

With its incredible medicinal properties Aloe vera is used in the treatment of grave diseases like ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease and Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) all ailments caused due to the inflammation of the digestive tract between intestine and rectum. Aloe is considered to be a natural remedy for these conditions because of its anti-inflammatory properties. Let us now take a look at how exactly aloe vera heals these conditions.

Every cell, tissue and organ of your body is benefited by AMP (Aloe Mucilaginous Polysaccharide) molecules in Aloe-Vera. Primarily and most importantly, this medicine functions as a highly potent anti-inflammatory drug. It directly tackling the inflammation in the digestive tract, aloe vera successfully helps in removing diarrhea and constipation. Similarly, using its property as an intercellular antioxidant Aloe-Vera detoxifies your body rather naturally by repairing and rebuilding the protective mucosa membrane along the bowel walls and fixing damaged tissue from mouth to rectum.

Moreover it helps your body in digestion, better absorption of digested food and even better assimilation of absorbed food into your body. Also it helps restore and balance the optimum functioning of your immune system. Complete with antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal and antiparasitic properties, Aloe mucilaginous polysaccharides provide a wide range of benefits to your body while helping maintain good health without any serious side effects.

The main ingredient and probably the most important ingredient, in Poga Moonga is Moringa, the miracle tree. The"moonga" in poga moonga comes from the word moringa, which is called moonga in some places of the world. Perhaps the most remarkable thing about Moringa is its ability amazing health benefits covering a wide range of health issues. Here a just a few:

NUTRITION AND ENERGY BOOST

While most people notice a natural, sustained, energy boost right away, the nutritional results helping undernourished people in third world countries is staggering.

DETOXIFICATION

Studies show Moringa's ability to detoxify water, using the seeds is amazing. It can be grown locally for very little money, which makes it a very cost effective detoxifying agent. It is believed that over 6 million children die each year, due to infections from unclean water. If Moringa can detoxify the worst water and make it usable, how good do you think it would be at detoxifying our bodies? Simply Amazing!

ANTIBIOTIC

Moringa works as a gentle, natural antibiotic, See Eilert, U.,B. Wolters and A. Nahrstedt. "The antibiotic principle of seeds of Moringa oleifera and Moringa stenopetala." Journal of Medicinal Plant Research, 42, pp 55-61. 1981

SKIN TREATMENT

Like an other amazing plant, Aloe Vera, Moringa is believed to have great healing benefits for the skin. Most of the research done so fart is on topical applications, but the healing properties would extend to the body itself.

ANTI-INFLAMMATORY

Indian traditional medicines have long used the Moringa in treating the body's inflammation. See, Udupa, S.L., A.L. Udupa and D.R.Kulkarni, "Studies on the anti-inflammatory and wound healing properties of Moringa oleifera and Aegle marmelos. Fitoterapia 65(2) pp 119-123.

ULCERS

In 1955, the anti-ulcer effects of Moringa were reported in Phytotherapy research. An extract was used from dried leaves and showed to have an impressive ability to heal ulcers in lab animals. Holst, p17.

DIABETES

Further research has shown that an extract from the Moringa leaf was effective in lowering blood sugar levels within a 3-hour period. Holst, pp17-18.

SLEEP

Moringa leaves have shown to aid in keeping a calmer nervous system, which in turn provided improvements in sleep. Holst, p18Some studies have proved Moringa leaves effective for treating,

· Blood pressure

· Diabetes

· Colitis and Diarrhea

· Used as a diuretic

· Headache

· Glandular swelling

· Skin antiseptic

· Fevers

Seeds are used for,

· Fevers

· Tumors

· Rheumatism

· Skin diseases

· Prostate and bladder issues

In all. Moringa is truly an unbelievable tree. So amazing, that is the only plant, which provides the 8 "essential amino acids" our body needs but does not make. We normally must acquire these amino acids by eating the right combination of food.

THE MAGIC OF ALOE VERA

Aloe is an amazing plant that has at least three key actions on cells. It can enhance the effects of even the strongest drugs available without being toxic and causing side effects leaves absolutely no poisonous residues in your body unlike most other drugs. Aloe vera also stimulates the body to cleanse itself in a very positive way, which no other drug, natural or pharmaceutical can match. This is what sets aloe vera apart from any other drug. Aloe Vera is used to treat an awry of health problems. Here is a short list of the benefits of taking Aloe vera:

· Anti-bacterial

· Anti-fungal

· Anti-viral

· Arthritis

· Burns

· Diabetes

· Digestive System

· Anti-inflammatory

· Tumors

· Wounds

Uses based on scientific evidence: Western medicine has done little research on aloe vera and other natural products. But aloe vera has been used for centuries, by many civilizations, with written benefits for all the ailments above. Only further research will gain the approval of the amazing benefits of aloe vera for western medicine.Constipation (laxative) Dried latex from the aloe leaves, taken internally have been used as a laxative. The laxative properties such as aloin are well studied. A herbal remedy containing aloe was found to be an effective laxative, although it is not clear if this effect was due to the aloe itself. Genital Herpes. Some evidence suggests a .05% extract of hydrophilic cream taken from aloe vera, may be an effective treatment of genital herpes in men. Additional research is being done to verify these benefits. Psoriasis vulgaris

Evidence from one human trial suggests that 0.5% extract from aloe in a hydrophilic cream was an effective treatment of psoriasis vulgaris. Additional research is being done to verify these benefits. Seborrheic dermatitis (seborrhea, dandruff)One study using 30% aloe lotion, applied to the skin twice daily for 4-6 weeks, was effective in treating seborrheic dermatitis. Additional research is being done to verify these benefits. Cancer preventionFrom a small case-control study, it showed that oral aloe may help in reducing the risk of developing lung cancer. Additional research is being done to verify these benefits.Canker sores (aphthous stomatitis)From two studies, it was found that using aloe vera gel was a good treatment of recurrent aphthous ulcers of the mouth. It reduces the pain and increases the amount of time between the appearances of new ulcers. Additional research is being done to verify these benefits. Diabetes (type 2) Laboratory studies show that aloe vera can stimulate insulin release from the pancreas and can lower blood glucose levels in mice.

Results from two human trials suggest that oral aloe gel may be effective in lowering blood glucose levels. Additional research is being done to verify these benefits.HIV infection Acemannan, a component found in aloe gel, has been shown to have anti-viral activities and immune-stimulating properties. Additional research is being done to verify these benefits. Skin burns Preliminary evidence suggests that aloe may be effective in promoting healing of mild to moderate skin burns. Additional research is being done to verify these benefits. Ulcerative colitis There promising research of the use of oral aloe vera in ulcerative colitis (UC), compared to placebo. Additional research is being done to verify these benefits.Wound healing Study results of aloe on wound healing are mixed with some studies reporting positive results. Further study is needed, since wound healing is a popular use of topical aloe.Radiation dermatitis Reports from the 1930s about the aloe's topical beneficial effects on skin after radiation exposure lead to widespread use. Currently, aloe gel is sometimes recommended for radiation-induced dermatitis.

What's so great about pomegranate? There's no doubt that most of you have heard something about pomegranate, even before the wonders of this magical fruit were introduce to you by Poga Moonga. Pomegranate is the "Po" in PogaMoonga. Pomegranate is a great source of antioxidants.Emerging science suggests that unstable little molecules called free radicals may be linked to disease.Where do they come from? Everywhere. Free radicals come from many external sources such as air pollution, alcohol, pesticides, sunlight, tobacco smoke, drugs, and even fried foods. And if that weren't enough your body also produces them. Antioxidants from pomegranate, which is found in PogaMoonga fight hard to help prevent free radicals from doing their damage.Cancer and emerging science. Cancer is not a single condition, but it is a name connected to hundreds of different diseases. The name "cancer" is characterized by the uncontrolled spread and growth of abnormal cells.

Emerging science has shown that diets rich in vegetables and fruits that contain antioxidants, along with regular exercise, might slow or help prevent the development of cancer. PogaMoonga is a great source of antioxidants, from both the moringa and pomegranate. Aging and Emerging Science (and just plain common sense!)We all know that there isn't a Fountain of Youth. But emerging research is leading us to believe that there are a few things we can do to live "young" no matter what our age is. Scientists believe that free radical damage accumulates with age and that antioxidants may help protect the body from free radical damage. It makes sense that exercising regularly and eating a healthy diet full of fruits and vegetables including antioxidant-rich Poga Moonga may help you live "young". 1. What are antioxidants?Antioxidants are substances that protect cells from the damage caused by unstable molecules known as free radicals. Free radical damage may lead to cancer and other diseases. Antioxidants stabilize free radicals and may prevent some of the damage free radicals otherwise might cause if uncontrolled.

Examples of antioxidants include vitamins C, E, and A ,beta-carotene, lycopene and other substances.2. Can antioxidants prevent cancer?Considerable laboratory evidence in animals, using chemical, cell culture, indicates that antioxidants may slow and even possibly prevent the development of cancer. Further research is needed to prove the beneficial properties of antioxidants and it's relationship to cancer. 3. What was shown in previously published large-scale clinical trials?The clinical trial about the effect of antioxidants on cancer, published in the 1990s reached differing conclusions. The studies examined the effect of beta-carotene and other antioxidants on cancer in different patient groups. Below is the summary of this trail. o The first large randomized trial on antioxidants and cancer risk was the Chinese Cancer Prevention Study, published in 1993. This trial investigated the effect of a combination of beta-carotene, vitamin E, and selenium on cancer in healthy Chinese men and women at high risk for gastric cancer. The study showed a combination of beta-carotene, vitamin E, and selenium significantly reduced incidence of both gastric cancer and cancer overall. Blot WJ, Li JY, Taylor PR, et al. Nutrition intervention trials in Linxian, China: supplementation with specific vitamin/mineral combinations, cancer incidence, and disease-specific mortality in the general population. J Natl Cancer Inst 1993;85:1483-91.

Amino Acids Role

Amino acids play important roles as intermediates in metabolism and building blocks of proteins. The amino acids that are found in proteins combine to create many different amino acids. The precise sequence of those amino acids, amino acid content of a specific protein, is determined by the sequence of the bases in the gene that encodes that protein. The chemical properties determine the biological activity of the protein in amino acids. Proteins not only catalyze all (or most) of the reactions in living cells, they control all cellular process. Proteins contain within their amino acid sequences the information to determine how that protein will be structured, and the stability of the resulting structure. The field of protein folding and stability has been researched for years, and remains one of the great unsolved mysteries. But progress is being made daily to truly completely understand amino acids. As we learn about amino acids, we will learn more about amino acid structure and properties along with properties and structure of proteins. We will learn that even the smallest protein has very complex characteristics, which are a composite of the properties of the amino acids, which comprise the protein.

Essential amino acids

Humans can produce 10 of the 20 amino acids. The others must be supplied in the food. Failure to obtain any or enough of even 1 of the 8 essential amino acids, which our body doesn't produce, results in degradation of the body's muscle and proteins. to obtain the one amino acid that are needed. The body does not store excess amino acids, like it does fat and starch, which can be used at a later time. The amino acids must be replenished, daily. The 12 amino acids that we can produce are alanine, asparagine, aspartic acid, cysteine, glutamic acid, glutamine, glycine, proline, serine and tyrosine. Tyrosine is produced from phenylalanine, so if the diet is deficient in phenylalanine, tyrosine will be required as well. The essential amino acids are arginine (required for the young, but not for adults), histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan, and valine. These amino acids are required in the diet. Plants must be able to make all the amino acids. Humans do not have all the enzymes required for the biosynthesis of all of the amino acids.

Why learn these structures and properties?

Learning the structure and chemical make up of these amino acids will further our knowledge of enzymes, proteins or the nucleic acids.

Aloe vera is a medicinal plant that is commonly seen in countries with dry and parched climatic conditions. It looks more or less like a cactus plant with thick leaves. The pulp that comes out of the leaf has the most medicinal value. It can be taken as a juice or in various other processed forms. It has become one of the most important ingredient in cosmetic products like make up, moisturize, creams, lotions and others.

Aloe vera is known for its perfect cure for intestine related diseases. Aloe Mucilaginous Polysaccharide, a molecule of the pulp is of high medicinal value that cures such diseases. It acts as an anti-inflammatory agent. It can be used in the preventive treatment of ulcerative colitis.

Digestive problems like stomach upsets, irregular bowel movements, indigestion, constipation etc can be cured using the juice of this plant. It works by excreting all the unwanted and poisonous substances that remain as residues in the stomach. These residues cause deficiency of essential nutrients, energy loss and other intestinal problems. This reassures better digestion.

A disease called the Crohn's disease of which the symptoms are pain in the abdomen, sudden decrease in weight, vomiting, skin problems, arthritis, swelling of the eye etc can also be cured using its extract. It is caused due to the inflammation of the bowel or any part of the digestive system because of less immunity. The part that is affected the most is 'ileum' of the small intestine. The extract in the gel form can reduce inflammation caused due to Ulcerative colitis.

Aloe vera is also used to keep the acid level of the stomach balanced. It provides a cooling sensation in the stomach. It reduces risks caused due to toxic substances by making them inactive.

Aloe vera is a plant that was originally found in Africa. It looks like a lily, with thick, green, spiny, succulent leaves. The plant usually has up to 25 leaves. It is used to make aloe gel which is the made from the entire leaf, aloe juice which is made from the nutritious liquid inside the leaf, aloe-vera latex which is a yellow fluid in the leaf with laxative properties and aloe vera capsules which are used as dietary supplements.

Used as digestive, laxative and skincare preparations aloe is known to produce no allergic reaction. Having said that when aloe is internally ingested diuretics, steroids, digoxin, drugs that cause potassium loss and drugs for irregular heartbeat need to be avoided. If drugs for controlling blood sugar are being taken you should not use aloe as it reduces blood sugar levels.

Aloe Mucilaginous Polysaccharides (AMP), one of the components of aloe is what gives aloe its healing abilities. AMPs are sugar molecules consisting of separate mannose and glucose sugar molecules in combination. This discovery of the medicinal abilities of AMP has been widely considered to be a major breakthrough in the autoimmune and gastrointestinal fields of medicine.

Aloe vera is used in the treatment of digestive tract ailments like ulcerative colitis, irritable bowel disease (IBD) and Crohn's disease. An ailment of the colon, ulcerative colitis is the inflammation of the digestive tract. This could result in permanent dilation of the colon or even perforation of the colon. The reason why aloe vera is used in treating this disease is that its anti-inflammatory abilities help calm the inflammation in the digestive tract. In addition aloe vera also has anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties that help the condition. Though Aloe is used widely to treat various digestive disorders, from mild to moderate to severe, Aloe is usually used successfully in the treatment of ulcerative colitis.

New research provides further evidence that probiotics are critical to good health. They affect many essential body functions and is the key to your anti-aging process. Many take a multi-vitamin every day as a sort of insurance policy to cover your basis. The truth is that probiotics is likely to be even more important than your multi-vitamin.

Probiotics are the beneficial bacteria that exist mainly in your gastrointestinal tract, also known as the gut, which extends from the mouth, pharynx, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine, to the rectum. But billions of probiotics also live in the ears, eyes, nose, armpits, toes, lungs, appendix, joints, vagina, and urinary tract.

Your gut is a complex ecosystem of bacteria, fungi, and protozoa called the gut flora. There is a constant war going on in the gut between the good and the bad bacteria. If you have a healthy gut flora, you have a strong army of good bacteria or probiotics. The gut barrier is your protective shield against unfriendly invaders, such as bacteria, toxins, and allergens, which enter the body on a daily basis via your food, water, and air.

There are 10 times more probiotics than cells (100 trillion) in the body. Probiotics total about 3.5 pounds of your body weight, more than your heart (0.7 lbs) or your brain (3 lbs).

Augment Immune Function

• Probiotics are responsible for 70-80% of your immune response. When they detect harmful invaders, they repress their growth through competitive exclusion and keep them from colonizing and penetrating the digestive tract. Probiotics also teach the immune system not to overreact to intruders, like allergens, that are harmless to the body. Researchers believe that allergies occur when the gut flora has more of the harmful species of bacteria and not enough of the beneficial ones.


• The gastrointestinal tract of a fetus is sterile. When a mother gives a vaginal birth, the baby experiences its first dose of probiotic inoculation in the birth canal. If the mother is healthy, her vagina will be richly populated with a healthy gut flora. Later on, consumption of breast milk gives the baby more probiotics as the mother's colostrum (first milk) has up to 40% probiotic content. As the baby grows, bacteria begin to colonize in his/her digestive tract. Probiotics increase the baby's immunity, reducing the frequency of colic (excessive crying) and illnesses.


• Probiotics help fight viruses such as colds, flu, rotavirus, herpes, and ulcers.


• Probiotics have a protective effect against bladder, breast, and colon cancers. Researchers discovered that the presence of a healthy gut flora positively influences the activity of your genes, helping them to express in a positive, health-promoting manner.


• Probiotics help prevent and alleviate many gastrointestinal problems, including constipation, diarrhea, Crohn's disease, irritable bowel syndrome, and ulcerative colitis. Studies show that some species of beneficial bacteria are anti-inflammatory.

Essential For Production & Assimilation Of Vitamins & Nutrients

• Probiotics help produce a huge number of vitamins such as vitamin A, B1-3, B5-7, B9, B12, B13, B15, K2, and essential fatty acids.


• Probiotics increase the digestibility, bioavailability and processing of a large number of nutrients including calcium, copper, iron, manganese, potassium, zinc, carbohydrates, fats, proteins, and cholesterol.


• Probiotics help break down certain carbohydrates that the body cannot digest without bacterial help. A good example is lactose intolerance - symptoms usually disappear with the use of probiotics.

Enhance Brain Function

Most people are not aware that you have two nervous systems -

• the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord) and


• the enteric nervous system (gastrointestinal tract).

Both are created out of the same type of tissue. During fetal development, one part turns into the central nervous system, while the other develops into the enteric nervous system. These two systems are connected via the vagus nerve, the tenth cranial nerve that runs from the brain stem down to the abdomen.?

• It is now well established that the vagus nerve is indeed the primary route the gut bacteria use to transmit information to the brain. This is why your gut health can have a profound influence on your mental health.


• Interestingly, neurotransmitters like serotonin are also found in the gut. In fact, 95% of the serotonin, which is involved in mood control, is produced by gut neurons, not the brain.


• Researchers believe that probiotics have a direct effect on brain chemistry. Disorders such as anxiety, depression, ADHD, autism, and learning disabilities may all be traced back to gut health.

Antibiotics Upset Gut Floral Balance

If you have a serious bacterial infection, antibiotics can save your life. But antibiotics are useless against viral infections that cause the common cold and the flu. Overuse of antibiotics changes the gut flora.

• Antibiotics wipe out both beneficial and harmful bacteria without distinction. The moment your probiotics are gone, opportunistic parasites, fungi, and harmful bacteria rush in to fill the ecological void. This explains why after taking antibiotics, many people develop oral thrush (white lesions caused by the yeast fungus, Candida albicans), vaginal yeast infection, or urinary tract infection.


• Keep in mind that the foods you eat can also be a major source of antibiotics. If you want to protect your gut bacteria, you should buy meats that come from antibiotic-free animals.


• Antibiotics interfere with important hunger hormones secreted by the stomach, leading to increased appetite and body fat. Studies show that obese people have very different gut flora than lean people, and that altering the gut floral balance towards more probiotics result in weigh loss.

Foods Containing Probiotics

What you eat directly affects your gut flora and sugar is the worst enemy for a healthy gut. Sugar, apart from causing elevated blood sugar and insulin resistance, nourishes the bad bacteria and yeast in your gut.

Eating fermented foods, on the other hand, helps to restore your body's balance of good bacteria. For thousands of years, fermented foods have been part of the diet of many cultures. Examples of fermented foods are:

• kefir, a fermented milk drink


• Lassi, a cultured Indian yogurt drink


• yogurt with live bacteria culture


• fermented vegetables, such as sauerkraut and kim chee


• naturally pickled vegetables (turnips, cucumber, onions, carrots)


• fermented soybeans, such as natto (a Japanese food) and tempeh (an Indonesian food).

Choosing A Quality Probiotics Supplement?

If you are not in the habit of eating these traditional fermented foods on a regular basis, you should consider taking a high-quality probiotics supplement for a healthy gut flora. Probiotics are extremely safe and is not associated with any side effects or drug interactions.

• Opt for a well-known, reputable brand because quality matters. The probiotic activity must be guaranteed throughout the entire production process and shelf life of the product.


• There are somewhere between 300 to 500 strains of bacteria in the gut. Check to make sure the supplement contains one or more of these bacteria strains that have confirmed health-promoting features:


• Bifidobacterium bifidum


• Bifidobacterium brevis


• Bifidobacterium infantis


• Bifidobacterium longum


• Lactobacillus acidophilus


• Lactobacillus bulgaricus


• Lactobacillus casei


• Lactobacillus paracasei


• Lactobacillus plantarum


• Lactobacillus rhamnosus


• Lactobacillus salivarius


• Streptococcus thermophilus


• Choose one with a higher bacteria count by looking at the number of organisms per capsule, expressed in billion CFU's. Most brands range from one to 50 billion CFU's. In general, the higher the number, the more potent and expensive it is.


• The latest trend in probiotic development is enteric coating to increase the survivability of the bacteria through stomach acids. However, humans have been getting results using beneficial bacteria for ages without enteric coating. The best way to take probiotics is with food.


• Don't expose your probiotics to heat as they are temperature-sensitive. They thrive at internal body temperature of almost 100 degrees, but at lower temperatures and in the absence of moisture, the bacteria enter a state of dormancy and can survive for a long time. Some probiotics do not require refrigeration but some do in order to maintain potency. Follow handling instructions from the manufacturer.

The Greek doctor Hippocrates, considered to be the founder of modern medicine, uttered the famous words, "Let food be thy medicine."

How far we have fallen from his wisdom! First, let it be made clear that nothing, no outside object, "cures" or "heals" the body. The body always heals itself, and it alone has the wisdom to do so. As French philosopher Voltaire (1694-1778) once observed, "The art of medicine consists in amusing the patient while nature cures the disease."

But in order for nature to do the healing, it must be aided by the right nutrients, or building blocks. Thousands of modern-day people have enabled their bodies to heal themselves from all kinds of degenerative diseases using raw food diets, describing their journeys to health and full recovery from cancer, diabetes, heart disease, AIDS and other ailments.

A number of doctors have recognized the therapeutic value of raw diets in treating a host of conditions, including diabetes, ulcer, cancer, jaundice, Grave's disease, arthritis, fibromyalgia, asthma, ulcerative colitis, menstrual difficulties (including PMS), hormone disturbances, diverticulosis, anemia, circulatory diseases, weak immune system, hypertension, neuralgic conditions, gastrointestinal disorders, renal diseases, gout, obesity, myasthenia gravis and various skin diseases. Many of these ailments are not normally associated with nutrition. Section Two will present the science behind these seemingly outrageous claims.

It is very common, on a 90-100% raw diet, to be healed of supposedly "incurable" ailments and no longer need medications. I personally have met several people who had to take the drug Valtrex every day for many years for herpes. After going raw, they threw the drugs out and never had a breakout again. I have met people who no longer need medications for diabetes. I have also read of, and heard reports of, people with full-blown AIDS who became disease-free, sometimes the virus even disappearing from their blood and not showing up on blood tests. A number of the authors of raw food books were healed of cancer or other serious diseases using raw diet alone.

The immune system is vastly enhanced on a living food diet. A clinic in Germany (Klinik in der Stanggass, Berchtesgaden) documented the influence of a raw diet on the immune system. They found effects that yielded antibiotic, antiallergenic, tumor-inhibiting, immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory results. They recommend uncooked food as an adjunct to drugs in the treatment of allergic, rheumatic and infectious diseases.

Eskimos traditionally ate nothing cooked until very recently. They are the only Native American culture that has no history of a "medicine man" because they were extremely healthy until introduced to cooking.

Most people think of health as the absence of disease. Dr. Herbert M. Shelton was a renowned leader of the Natural Hygiene movement, a health reform movement that became prominent in the 1800s. He was quick to query, "Why must we accept as normal what we find in a race of sick and weakened beings?"

At his death, Shelton was writing a book to be called Normal Man, his vision of what true normal really is for our species. Perhaps we have yet to realize the full scope of our health potential.

Some people are motivated to get on the raw food bandwagon even though they were relatively healthy already. Some do it to prevent degenerative diseases. Much to their surprise, they soon encounter what can only be described as "ultra health" or "super health."

Gone is the need to sleep eight hours a day, and some even jump out of bed fully awake after three to six hours of sleep, with no desire for coffee or other stimulants. Excess fat melts off without any feeling of deprivation. The desire to overeat is diminished, as natural appetite control reestablishes itself.

Women find complete freedom from PMS, and for most, even their periods, which are a form of detoxification, dwindle down to one day. Birthing labor is sometimes painless and very brief.

Women who have been eating raw diets for several years prior to the onset of menopause report having neither signs nor symptoms that indicate they are passing through menopause. The only way they discover that they have gone through the passage is via blood tests for hormone levels.

Temperature extremes are suddenly tolerated more easily. Body odors vanish or greatly diminish after a year or two of eating 100% raw. Skin becomes soft and smooth. Hair grows thick and wild. Bad breath becomes a thing of the past. Air travel does not entail jetlag.

Various other complaints, like athlete's foot, acne, allergies, colds, flus, dandruff, herpes or cold sores, vanish.

The physical senses sharpen. The person's psychic ability and feeling of being "in sync" or "in the flow of synchronicity" flourishes. The person finds himself more dynamic, radiant, charismatic and confident.

There is a feeling of lightness that everyone new to the raw diet comments on because far less energy is required for digestion. Digestive time is also reduced: While 48-100 hours are needed for cooked food, only 24-36 (or even less) may be needed for raw food.

Athletes eating raw food diets have found their athletic performance enhanced. Dr. Elmer in Germany and Dr. Douglas Graham in the USA both experimented with athletes they train by having them go on purely raw food diets. The athletes improved remarkably in strength, energy and stamina.

Jan Dries tells of a cancer patient on his raw diet regimen who was actually skiing better than before she fell ill (The Dries Cancer Diet, p. 67). Comedian Dick Gregory became a remarkable athlete on a diet of raw foods and juices and occasional fasting. He ran 900 miles on fruit juice alone in 1974.

Since the vast majority of your body cells are replaced every two years, after two years on a raw food diet, a whole new "you" will be formed. Only this will be the first time your body will be rebuilt with living food, full of nutrients.

A common thing people say when confronting dietary reform is, "Well, I have to die of something!" This feeling of resignation relieves them of all responsibility to watch their diets. Dr. Robert Young, a nationally known microbiologist and nutritionist, responded to this "common cultural myth ... I disagree with this because I feel that it's NATURAL TO DIE HEALTHY!"

If you have no interest in achieving abundant health, consider that most illnesses do not show symptoms until the eleventh hour. For example, most people don't know they have cancer until it is in very advanced stages, and the doctor gives them about a year and a half to live, despite the tumor's having been there for up to a decade or so already. For about 40% of the people who have heart disease, the first symptom they experience is death by heart attack! (Sorry, the living food diet cannot bring you back from the grave.)

Although living foods can help your body cure itself even in advanced stages of disease, it is not wise to wait until you are ill. In the Chinese medical classic, the Nei Jing, it is said, "To administer medicine after an illness begins is ... like digging a well after becoming thirsty or casting weapons after a battle has been engaged." Therefore, even if you are currently content with your state of health, consider this diet as a powerful way to prevent future disease.

A recent study published in Genome Research found that a bacterium that has been associated with periodontal disease has also been detected in colon tumors. Scientists at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the Broad Institute in October 2011 found an abnormally large number of "fusobacterium" in colorectal tumor (or colon cancer) samples. Fusobacterium is typically found in dental plaque and associated with gum disease or periodontal disease. This discovery of the bacteria found in both the mouth and the colon is the first time this type of microorganism has been found to play a role in colon cancer. It is an important finding because colon cancer is the second-leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States.

DNA samples from normal colon tissue were compared with samples from colorectal cancer tissue. Colorectal cancer (CRC) is also called colon cancer or large bowel cancer. It includes cancerous growths in both the colon and rectum. The tumor tissue contained large amounts of the fusobacterium. Scientists have been giving much more attention in the last ten years to the environment in which cancer cells live. In the case of colorectal cancer, the environment is heavily populated with the same bacteria found in the mouth. This particular bacterium is also associated with inflammatory bowel diseases such as ulcerative colitis, which can put people at a higher risk of developing colon cancer.

The colon is a part of the digestive system prior to the waste material of the body being eliminated. Most colon cancer starts off as a polyp, although not all polyps are cancerous. A polyp is a growth that starts in the tissue lining. Left unchecked, a polyp may grow, become cancerous and metastasize to other parts of the body. One of the reasons this is the second leading cause of cancer deaths is that the colon is highly vascularized which leads to higher metastasis and growth rate. Also cells of the colon reproduce frequently or turn over very rapidly, unlike brain cells. This rapid growth also causes the cancer cells to grow faster. Effective prevention of colon cancer has always been diet high in fiber, early detection through colonoscopies and removal of polyps. It appears there may also be another weapon to add to this deterrence arsenal: prevention and treatment of periodontal disease.

Periodontal disease and tooth decay are the most prevalent diseases on the planet earth. It is a chronic infectious inflammation of the teeth and gums. Although late stages of periodontal disease show signs, early stages do not. The signs of this gum disease are: bad breath that won't go away, red or swollen gums, tender or bleeding gums, painful chewing, loose teeth, and sensitive teeth. Both periodontal disease and tooth decay (or gingivitis) is caused by bacteria. There are hundreds of different species of bacteria in the mouth. Fusobacterium is just one. The mouth is a dark, moist, acidic environment with a constant warm temperature and a steady supply of carbohydrates. These are ideal bacteria growing conditions - particularly in between teeth and under the gum line.

It has not yet been determined whether the fusobacterium found in colon cancer is essential for the cancer to grow or whether it just affords a favorable environment for the bacterium. In either case, it is suggested that those with periodontal disease run a higher risk of colon cancer. It is important to treat the gum disease and lower the fusobacterium in the mouth. It is becoming evident that periodontal disease is linked to many systemic diseases including heart disease, COPD, arthritis, diabetes, etc. Thus, periodontal disease not only affects the gums and teeth, it affects the whole body. Regular professional cleanings and diligent home oral care are essential in preventing and treating periodontal disease.

Having traveled to India after graduating with my Masters degree in Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine and becoming a newly licensed acupuncturist in Boston, I know enough about Indian food to get me in trouble. I can still smell the fragrant dishes I ate while I was there and remember being amazed at the different textures and colors that were present in many of the dishes. One of the more unique colors in Indian cuisine is orange and a key ingredient of these dishes is the spice turmeric. But did you know that it is an important herb in Chinese herbal medicine as well? Recent press on the use of turmeric has focused on its anti-inflammatory properties. Let's take a closer look at this common kitchen spice.

Turmeric is called Jiang Huang in Chinese herbal medicine. It is bitter, warming and has an acrid nature to it. Bitter and acrid substances are very effective Qi and Blood movers. When Qi or Blood becomes stagnant, pain arises, hence the anti-inflammatory nature of turmeric root. It travels most often to the Stomach, Spleen, and Liver organs. The Stomach and Spleen are the organs most involved in digestion of food which explains turmeric's use as a treatment for ulcerative colitis and indigestion. The Liver is involved in the free flow of Qi through the body and when boosted by the actions of turmeric, could work more effectively at relieving the stagnation that causes pain.

Western scientific research focuses on the active ingredient of turmeric, curcumin, a powerful anti-oxidant which has been shown to lower levels of inflammatory enzymes and inhibit platelet aggregation in the body. It is a popular supplement added to joint health remedies and anti-oxidant supplements. Besides joint health, turmeric can treat systemic inflammation found in inflammatory bowel disease. Research on the ability of the herb to maintain remission in patients with ulcerative colitis that were also taking conventional medications showed that only 5% of the patients taking curcumin relapsed versus 21% in the placebo group suggesting it may be an effective supplement for the treatment of this condition. Early research using test tube and animal experiments has shown that curcumin may even be effective in preventing or treating different types of cancers. As always it is important to discuss any herbal supplement with your doctor before taking it as some interactions can occur. In particular, due to curcumin's platelet inhibiting properties, it may be unsafe for patients taking blood thinning medication.

Turmeric is considered food safe and has been utilized in cuisine around the world for thousands of years. It is a very tasty spice and is great in eggs, soups, stews, and curries. Of course, while you enjoy your next Indian curry dish, it is also nice to know that you might be easing your pain a little bit as well.