Ulcerative Colitis Information

WHAT IS MASTOCYTIC ENTEROCOLITIS?

Mastocytic enterocolitis (entero=small intestine, colitis- colon + -itis= inflammation) is a newly discovered disorder defined by the presence of increased mast cells in the intestine. Mast cells are a type of immune cell. They are involved in allergy reactions, infection fighting and nerve regulation in the body. They have numerous granules that contain a variety of chemicals that mediate body reactions i.e. chemical mediators. Histamine is one of the main chemical mediators in mast cells that are released when mast cells are triggered. Mast cells present in the superficial intestinal lining or mucosa in small numbers except when there are parasites, food allergies, increased stress or the presence of other chronic inflammatory bowel diseases such as Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis. When mast cells release histamine and other chemicals, this irritates or inflames the bowel making it more permeable or leaky. This can set up a vicious cycle of pain and further gut injury.

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS?

The most common symptoms are diarrhea, bloating and abdominal pain. However, constipation may occur due to gut paralysis. Nausea, vomiting and various non-GI symptoms such as flushing, headaches, and fatigue may also commonly occur. When histamine is released, it can cause leaky gut, increased contractions of the gut or decreased contractions, increased secretions and increased pain.

HOW IS IT DIAGNOSED?

When you have an endoscopic procedure, the doctor takes samples of tissue, called biopsies, from the lining of your intestines. The tissue is then sent to a pathologist who looks at it under the microscope. Mast cells may be hard to see on biopsies without a special stain for tryptase, an enzyme present in mast cells. Mastocytic enterocolitis is diagnosed when excess mast cells are present in the small bowel or the colon.

HOW IS IT TREATED?

There are medications that can reduce or block the release of the chemicals by the mast cells. The most common are antihistamines, both type I and type antihistamines. Type I antihistamines are typically used for allergies symptoms such as Zyrtec, Allegra, Claritin etc. The type II antihistamines are also acid blockers such as Zantac, Tagamet and Pepcid. The most specific therapy for mastocytic enterocolitis is a medication that stabilizes mast cells known as cromolyn sodium (Gastrocrom). This drug prevents the release of chemicals including histamine from mast cells. It is typically prescribed four times a day for about 4-6 weeks. Along with medication, you should have allergy testing done for the most common allergies, work on reducing or coping better with stress and consider taking a probiotic supplement.

Copyright 2008 Dr. Scot M. Lewey, "Dr Celiac, the Food Doc" http://www.thefooddoc.com All RIghts Reserved

This may be reprinted for non-commercial patient use provided the contact information above is included.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome and the two inflammatory bowel diseases of Crohn's and Colitis (IBD) share some of the same symptoms: pain, cramping, bloating, urgency, gas, even anxiety and depression. And, of course, a change in bowel habits. So is there one natural treatment that is best for all three of them?

Before answering that question, it will help to look at the differences between IBS and IBD.

First of all, as its name reveals, Irritable Bowel Syndrome is a syndrome rather than a disease. Even though IBS can be extremely painful and debilitating, the bowel itself is not damaged. Diagnostic tests typically show no sign of disease or inflammation. However, people with IBS have usually experienced some kind of trauma, whether physical or emotional. We'll look at why this is important to choosing the best natural treatment later in the article.

Inflammatory Bowel Disease shows definite injury to the digestive tract. Inflammation is a sign that something is wrong in the body. With Colitis, the inflammation is usually confined to the colon and rectum, while in Crohn's Disease, the inflammation can spread all the way up the intestines to the stomach and sometimes to the esophagus and mouth.

Conventional medicine seems to be better at diagnosing IBS and IBD than treating it, and believes the cause of IBS, Crohn's and Colitis is unknown. There is no single drug or surgery that has proven to be the final answer for these health problems.

The most helpful treatment for Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Crohn's and Colitis takes the whole person into account. This approach recognizes that your digestive system is affected by food, stress, chemical toxins, your lifestyle habits, your emotional background, and your own natural ability to heal.

In fact, trauma researchers, including Robert Scaer MD and David Berceli PhD, have clearly linked IBS and trauma. It's no secret that many war veterans have Irritable Bowel Syndrome. These people suffer from stored trauma reactions that have not been fully processed through the mind and body systems.

But plenty of civilians experience trauma as well. It can be from physical causes such as a car accident, house fire, or breaking your leg while skiing. Or from emotional causes like bullying, verbal abuse, or neglect. Or combination of both, as when people go through a plane crash or natural disaster.

Trauma can be dealt with in a fairly short period of time (weeks rather than years) with methods including Gary Craig's Emotional Freedom Technique簧 which is a highly effective form of acupressure tapping, Peter Levine's Somatic Experiencing, or David Berceli's Trauma Release Exercises. Dr Scaer believes that unreleased trauma is the primary cause of IBS. Once the trauma is cleared, the body is no longer triggered to react with irritable bowel symptoms.

While people with Crohn's Disease and Ulcerative Colitis may have emotional or physical trauma factors, it's vital to look at diet and exposure to chemical toxins. Removing wheat, sugar and other grains from the diet or using Elaine Gottschall's Specific Carbohydrate Diet is extremely helpful for these two inflammatory bowel diseases.

In his book, Dangerous Grains, Dr James Braly links gluten cereal grains to both IBD and IBS (along with a shocking list of other health problems), although not everyone with Irritable Bowel Syndrome is grain-sensitive. It's important to find out if you are, as some people with IBS can tolerate grains and some can't.

So what is the best natural treatment for IBS, Crohn's and Colitis? A combination of dealing with stress and trauma, choosing the right diet, and getting toxic chemicals out of the home environment can make the healing difference.

Let us start with the basics first. What is ulcerative colitis? It is a condition of the bowel that
causes sores and inflammations within the colon lining, called ulcers. You may also find these
ulcers in the rectum, and they bleed. This condition causes chronic diarrhea in some.

Before you can find out what's wrong with your digestive tract and to figure out if you've just
eaten something bad, or are not eating correctly, several things you need consider. An ulcer is
something that doesn't go away, so if you have occasional bouts of diarrhea or problems like
constipation, pain, bloating or swelling, go see your doctor, but don't automatically assume that
you have an ulcer. Some of the more common symptoms of an ulcerative ulcer are:

• Fatigue


• Anemia


• Rectal bleeding


• Skin lesions


• Loss of appetite

These are only a few symptoms of an ulcerative ulcer, so if this condition concerns you, visit
your doctor sooner rather than later. Inflammation in the bowel, also known as IBD, or
inflammatory bowel disease, which is a blanket name given to a few conditions that strike the
large and small intestines. Because so many of the symptoms are similar to other conditions, your
doctor may take some time to decide on a diagnosis of ulcerative colitis. It is especially similar to
Crohn's disease, which causes inflammation in deep tissues of the intestinal wall as well at to the
stomach, esophagus and mouth.

Ulcerative colitis can strike people of any age, though symptoms usually start to present in those
between 15 and 30 years old. It is rare for someone between 50 and 70 years old to develop
suddenly an ulcerative ulcer, but that doesn't mean it doesn't happen. Both men and women can
be affected and it does run in families, so watch for genetics. More Caucasian people suffer from
the disease than other ethnic groups, which may be good news or bad news, depending on which
group you belong to.

Most often, people suffering from ulcerative colitis experience bloody diarrhea and abdominal
pain. Any time you see blood in the stools is a time to go see your doctor, even though you may
not have any accompanying symptoms. For about half the people diagnosed with ulcerative
colitis, the condition does not come with severe symptoms. The other half, however, experience
nausea, abdominal cramping and bloody diarrhea, as well as fevers and other issues.

If left untreated, ulcerative colitis may lead to arthritis as well as liver disease and inflammations
in the eye, though doctors and researchers do not yet know the reasons behind such factors. Most
people believe that early inflammation within the colon can also affect the entire immune system.
It is important to see your doctor whenever you have a condition that does not go away within a
few days. Don't take chances with your health. Your doctor can treat ulcerative colitis, and the
sooner you seek such treatment, the better you will feel.

What are your worst candida symptoms? My major complaints, or what led me to discover candida as a problem, were IBS (constipation and gas that wouldn't leave) and yeast infections. Through proper diet and supplements, I am now able to control it. However, that was some years ago, and while I have fallen off the wagon several times, I have moved on from "self-prescribing," to a naturopath/MD, to finally now a doctor of functional medicine.

I realize IBS was just a tip of the iceberg and these many other symptoms/conditions I have are in someway related to an imbalance of intestinal flora: lupus, fibromyalgia, headaches (used to be sinus infections 3+ times a year, but now that has been corrected and I got 1 simple one last year due to 2 weeks of raining/flooding), elevated levels of antibodies for EBV and HSV1, hypothyroidism, leg spasms, bruising, insomnia, a dark toenail fungus, and I'm sure there are more.

I had major shortness of breath, too. I am anemic and have been on iron picoliate for over a month, and that might be the cause for it. The shortness of breath has improved tremendously with also the anti-candida diet.

My friend's major symptoms are depression, IBS turned into ulcerative colitis, sleep problems, Fibromyalgia, hypothyroid, eczema, dry skin, headaches, sinus infections, bronchitis, allergies, weight gain, and tired always. Along with all of the doctors he saw, he used to think these were all unrelated, but he knows now it is candida. Then, he went to a Chinese doctor for acupuncture, muscle stimulation, strict diet, and supplements. Gradually, he is starting to feel better the last month.

1. Flaxseed oil is a great part of an overall cure for yeast infections and is a good source of omega-3- and omega-6-EPA fatty acids. Evening primrose oil, borage oil, and black currant seed oil are excellent sources of omega-6-EPA fatty acids. All are antifungal. Flaxseed oil has many important roles in the creation of health.

Its major properties are:

o natural anticoagulant: helps prevent blood clots
o reduces risk of heart attack and stroke
o protects arteries from damage
o reduces blood triglycerides
o lowers LDL blood cholesterol
o lowers blood pressure
o improves symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune diseases like lupus, multiple sclerosis, and scleroderma
o helps migraine headaches, asthma, gastritis, and colitis
o anti-inflammatory agent
o prevents cancer

2. Glutamic acid hydrochloride is a part of a cure for yeast infections and is a stomach-acidifying digestive aid that works better in some individuals than betaine hydrochloride. It is usually effective for improving the absorption of trace minerals and killing off unfriendly microorganisms in the gastrointestinal tract.

Glutamine (L-Glutamine) may be very important for those Candida cases where leaky gut syndrome has been identified, such as in severe cases of chronic fatigue syndrome or fibromyalgia. Glutamine is produced primarily in skeletal muscle. Its mechanism of action is to work as an inter-organ nitrogen and carbon transporter. Glutamine is traditionally classified as a nonessential amino acid because it can be made in the body from other amino acids. Regardless of this classification, glutamine is essential for maintaining intestinal function, immune response, and amino acid homeostasis during times of severe stress or greater physical activity.

Glutamine is an important metabolic fuel for all the white blood cells, fibroblasts (cells involved in tissue repair and healing), and enterocytes (cells lining the gastrointestinal tract). Glutamine also functions as a precursor of other amino acids, glucose (blood sugar), purines and pyrimidines (DNA and RNA), and glutathione, the body's most important self-generated antioxidant.

Glutamine as part of a cure for yeast infections can also be an effective treatment for sugar cravings, hypo-glycemia, peptic ulcers, depression, moodiness, poor memory, irritability, anxiety, insomnia, short bowel syndrome, and Crohn's disease. It also has been shown to enhance stamina and exercise performance. The usual aches and pains after heavy exercise are significantly reduced by regular use of this supplement.

Glutamine is used for HIV wasting, abnormal intestinal permeability in people with HIV, chemotherapy-induced mucositis, protection of the immune system and gut barrier function in people with esophageal cancer undergoing radiochemotherapy, cystinuria, ulcerative colitis, and sickle cell anemia; for improving recovery after bone marrow transplant; and for alcohol withdrawal support. Glutamine is also used for preventing morbidity in n.mm.i p.nu-uts and preventing infectious complications in critically ill patients.

Glutamine helps sustain mental ability, regulates brain metabolism, and, along with glutamic acid, is used as a brain fuel. Glutamine is used in the treatment of alcoholism and can protect against alcohol poisoning. It has been documented to benefit both schizophrenia and senility.

Studies show that glutamine is well tolerated and without side effects in doses up to 40 grams per day and is a great part of an overall cure for yeast infections.

This article is entirely dedicated to all of the hundreds of thousands of people who have or will someday have Ulcerative Colitis. This is as well meant for family members, nurses, dare I say doctors, and anyone else who knows ordinary people who are dealing with Ulcerative Colitis too. Much of the website is based off of my personal experiences, feedback from family members, and real life medical records that I have accumulated in the previous months. My personal encounter with Ulcerative Colitis has led me to meet with 6 gastroentorologists(Mayo Clinic, Stanford, UCSF, PAMF, and some others), many more medical assistants, the MRI machine, more blood tests than I can count, medications of all types, and much more.

Through all of the different experiences, I have come out on-top, colon in-place not sitting in a trash can somewhere after a major surgery, and feeling pretty darn good. Of course everyone has a unique situation going into and after being diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis. One thing is for sure, I found a way to beat it, and I need to share all the details with you. What is life like after you have just been diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis?

The answer is going to be different for everyone. The bad news is Ulcerative Colitis is a disease, it is not like the flu where you have it for a few days and that is it. Ulcerative colitis usually has been with people for a while before it is diagnosed, and it remains forever. The good news is that there are all kinds of ways for people to treat Ulcerative Colitis, and it is not the end of the world. As my uncle told me over and over again, this is serious but not fatal.

One of the memories that most people who have ulcerative colitis remember is the day they were diagnosed. As you may have read in the preceding page, this is something that is typically diagnosed after having a colonoscopy. You may very well be recuperating in the waiting room, and coming off your anesthesia when the doctor comes in with a piece of paper. This is how the events unfolded for me. Although I was very drowsy, I can definitely remember sitting there with my wife and mother and hearing the clear words that it was "Ulcerative Colitis". My guess is that, if you are like most people, it probably won't sink in that this is really happening for some time. The next thing I remember was getting in a car and heading off to the drug store. Things were very fuzzy and I had no idea at all of exactly how long the actual colonoscopy was(did it take ten minutes, and hour, two hours etc...)

Again, let us review one main point here. Ulcerative Colitis is serious, but it is definitely not fatal. October 2, 2008 was the day for me. A gastroenterologist did the procedure. This happened at the Palo Alto Colonoscopy Center next to Stanford Hospital.

After leaving the building with a brand new shinny prescription for a big bottle of Asacol, my wife and I headed to the pharmacy and to a local restaurant to grab some lunch. Yeah, I was still feeling a bit out of wack from the medications. In speaking with several other people who have UC, it seems that Asacol is a very common first step on the medication side from physicians these days. Wow, when the pharmacy called back to say it was ready it was amazing to be picking up such a huge bottle of pills. I never picked up so many pills before in my life, 270 pills to be exact. I was to take 9 pills per day, 3 pills 3 times daily to be exact. These pills were not tiny either, they were some big huge horse pills if you asked me. After looking over the cost for this Asacol, it was near $400, and I was happy to have insurance, believe me...

"Doctor, what should I be eating?" Here is my take on this answer: The Diet that Beat Ulcerative Colitis: This is by far my favorite part of the experience to share with everyone. To put things in perspective, up until trying a totally new diet, I had been very sick for several years consistently without any relief. I was in effect going through a very long "flare up" that would not go away. Several of the specialists I had met with had suggested I seriously consider surgery.

So, after a meeting with a family friend who has Ulcerative Colitis, I learned that this person was able to put the disease to sleep simply through changing the diet. This person had used every medication that I had tried and additionally had tried 6MP.

So here is the diet that I follow religiously
I eat: fruits, vegetables, meats, poultry, fish, nuts, and honey

I do not eat: diary products, wheat, breads, grains, or sugar, corn syrup etc...(the only sweet thing that goes in my mouth is from fresh fruit or from honey). That is it. It is that simple!

Artificial Salt Rooms are popping up around the country. They are an inexpensive way of giving the public a "taste of what real salt therapy" is all about. These artificial salt rooms are constructed by placing a metal grid on the wall and then mixing sea salt with artificial resins and applying the mixture to the wall by hand until all the spaces are covered. Some salt rooms use this method on their ceilings as well. The floor is covered in loose sea salt.

The room has a "sterile white" appearance. To soften this appearance many salt rooms place Himalayan Salt Lamps around the room. Some of the materials used for the construction of the room could become breeding grounds for bacteria.

Keeping this in mind, manufacturers of Halo-generators recommend that after each 45 minute session the room be treated with an ultra violet light to destroy any bacteria in the room.

Salt is introduced into the environment through the use of a machine called a Halo-generator. The Halo-generator has numerous metal blades which grinds and blows crushed salt up into the air, at a continual high speed, with an audible sound. This method of distributing sodium chloride salt particle aerosol (about 0.3 -0.5 microns) can accommodate a room up to 300 square feet.

The construction of a salt cave is very different.

Salt caves are built with tons of imported large salt rocks, natural resins, wood and water features that create a natural micro climate, totally free of bacteria. This sterile environment filled with negative ions helps to relax and modulate the nervous system, freeing the body from the stresses of external stimuli and initiating healing and rebalancing.

Salt Caves do not use halo- generators or other mechanical or artificial means of "spraying salt". Salt oxidizes mechanical parts, which then spray unhealthy oxides into the environment. The salt in a cave regenerates and grows because the water features found within the cave feed the micro climate with a salt saturated solution known as sole (pronounced so-LAY). This is the same solution which is found in the primal oceans and in embryonic fluid.

This unique microclimate is enriched with 84 trace micro-elements, the same elements found within the human body. They are absorbed by the human organism in a natural way through respiration and one's pores. As these elements are inhaled and absorbed into the body, the body's PH is leveled and returns to the healthy state of homeostasis. Water and salt are the essence of life. The result: the body and mind are in perfect balance and you feel relaxed, rejuvenated and energized.

Research and studies have demonstrated the beneficial value of the microclimate of salt caves in shielding our bodies against viral infections, in balancing our immune system, in the enhancement of sport performance & in the following disorders:

(1) respiratory infections: upper respiratory system, asthma, bronchitis, pneumonia, sinusitis, obstructive pneumonia
(2) Cardiovascular diseases: hypotension, circulatory insufficiency, post-infarct period
(3) Immune system diseases: thyroid gland etc.
(4) Gastrointestinal diseases: large intestine inflammation, Crohn's disease, spastic colon & ulcerative colitis, constipation, malabsorption, gastritis, stomach & duodenal ulcer
(5) Skin diseases: acne, dermatitis, allergies, psoriasis, delay in skin aging, wrinkle removal
(6) Nervous system disorders: chronic fatigue, panic attacks, migraine, improvement in ability to concentrate.

Disorders of metabolism: obesity treatment

As a drug-free treatment for asthma, bronchitis, Cystic Fibrosis (CF) and sinusitis salt caves focus on the source of the problem rather than just suppressing the symptoms like medication does. It is a drug-free solution that is free from side-effects.

Before you buy curcumin supplements, you need to know what to look for. Otherwise you could end up wasting your money or worse, you could end up with more health problems than you started with.

First, you need to know about "bioavailability".

The term is used by researchers to describe a drug's or nutrient's ability to be used by the cells of the body, their ability to pass into the bloodstream. Research has shown that the antioxidant does not show up in blood serum, even after eating large quantities.

Where does it go?

Most of it stays in the digestive system. It is rapidly degraded by stomach acid. In this form, it may still be beneficial for conditions such as ulcerative colitis and inflammatory bowel.

It might help prevent colorectal cancer as well, but some of the purported health benefits would require that it enters the bloodstream.

So, even high dose curcumin supplements may not provide the benefits that you are looking for. That's money wasted, but high doses can also cause health problems. Nausea and diarrhea have been reported in clinical studies.

It may also interfere with iron metabolism, which could cause anemia. These unwanted side effects are not seen at low to moderate dosages, but that brings us back to the problem of bioavailability.

It is possible to address that problem with a tablet that has an enteric coating. It is stomach acid that causes the degradation or breakdown of the beneficial compound.

An enteric coating protects it from that. The coating would also prevent any nausea or stomach upset.

Once the tablet passes the stomach, the nutrient is released into the upper intestine. There, it can pass through the intestinal wall and enter the bloodstream. Problem solved? Almost.

Safe daily dosages are in the range of 50-100mg per day, but with that small amount, we want to be sure that all of it is absorbed.

If your curcumin supplements contain piperine, it is included to insure that the entire nutrient is absorbed. Piperine is found in black pepper. It increases the bioavailability of many nutrients, including beta-carotene, selenium, B6 and amino acids.

When it comes to curcumin, it increases the bioavailability of that nutrient by 2000%.

Piperine has health benefits of its own. It improves digestion, reduces pain, may help reduce asthma attacks and increases the production of serotonin, one of the body's "feel good" chemicals.

Curcumin supplements, if properly designed, reduce inflammation, support brain, heart and liver health, reduce your risk of various types of cancer, support healthy immune system function and contribute to digestive health.

If you are looking for the best single-ingredient supplement, the only one that I would recommend is omega3 DHA fish oil. It's good for the brain, the heart and the joints.

But, even then, it is best to shop around for the highest quality, if you want to see the most benefit.

When it comes to antioxidants like curcumin supplements, there are just too many beneficial ones to choose from. Luckily, we don't have to.

Some supplements contain practically all of them.

Anyone who has Colitis knows in spite of what the Doctors tell us that Diet has a huge effect on our symptoms. Eating the wrong foods can make symptoms get much worse and may even trigger a full blown flare up. I've done loads of research in to diet, read loads of books and tried many different ways of eating in order to recover from my Colitis fully. The best type of diet I have found is a type of Paleolithic eating plan, which is basically eating in the same way as our hunter gatherer ancestors did. We evolved and thrived as humans over millions of years being hunter gatherers, and it is only in the last 10,000 years that our diet has changed.

Benefits of Paleolithic Eating

o It is how you are designed to eat, perfected over millions of years of evolution.

o It is highly nutritious and covers all major dietary components.

o A Paleo diet has been shown to be an anti-inflammatory diet.

o People with autoimmune diseases have been shown to get much better when they eat a Paleo diet.

o Your weight will naturally normalize to a healthy level for you.

o Insulin response is normalized and so you don't get energy dips in the day.

o It makes you feel great! Mood is improved and Energy levels are more even.

So how do you eat like Paleolithic Man did? Well its remarkably simple and easy to do. You can basically eat everything except for any Refined Sugar, Dairy, Grains, Beans or Potatoes. Thats the basics of it. When I first started eating in this way it helped my symptoms enormously, especially with wind bloating and stomach cramps. It also had a positive effect on my stool consistency and I now only need to go once a day. There are some additional adjustments to the basic Paleo diet which help even more for people with autoimmune diseases like Colitis. They are avoiding eggs, tomatoes and peppers.

Aloe Vera is a plant that originates in Africa and has long been regarded as having anti-inflammatory medicinal properties. The gel from the plant can be taken orally for Ulcerative Colitis. Initially there wasn't real evidence that the plant could have a proven benefit as an Ulcerative Colitis remedy. Proponents believed that it did but there were definitely skeptics as well. More recently there have been blind studies conducted that have shown that there actually is a marked positive effect for sufferers of the disease who consume the gel orally as compared to those who don't.

In the studies a number of patients were given a regime of Aloe Vera gel. Another set of patients were given the same regime but the in this case were administered placebo. The results indicated that there were definite benefits for those who were given Aloe Vera. For instance:

• Clinical remission occurred in 30% of Aloe Vera patients as opposed to 7% of those who took placebo


• Improvement was documented in 37% of those who took Aloe Vera in contrast to only 1% of those who didn't


• Response occurred in 47% when Aloe Vera was used but for only 14% of the patients who received placebo

In light of these findings it seems very obvious that a clinical benefit exists. Many in the medical field often discredit natural remedies for diseases in favor of expensive manufactured drugs. Hopefully this proves to them that alternatives to harsh medicines may exist and can benefit those who suffer from illness. It is important to remember to always heed the advice of a medical professional, but it never hurts to research ways to supplement and maybe even replace harsher prescription drugs in favor of a natural remedy for Ulcerative Colitis. Aloe Vera gel has other significant uses as a natural remedy as well. Here are some examples:

Can be used topically for

• Minor burns


• Wounds


• Sunburn


• Radiation-related skin reaction


• Genital herpes


• Psoriasis

Can be used orally for

• Ulcers


• Diabetes


• Crohn's disease


• Immune Support


• Constipation

Since Aloe Vera gel has also been proven as a safe natural remedy for Ulcerative Colitis there is definitely good reason to make use of this supplement in your routine. Many have already done so and are gladly reaping the benefits of this wonderful natural remedy. In addition, using natural supplements can also mean a great cost savings especially if the patient can reduce the amount of the costly prescriptions drugs that are required.