Body Detoxification

Body detoxification is becoming one of the most intriguing and popular methods of alternative medicine

. The basis is that illnesses are most likely caused by toxins building up in the body. Getting rid of these existing toxins and learning how to avoid ingesting new toxins are critical to begin and maintain a process of healing.

There are many conditions that can benefit from detoxification: obesity; depression; diabetes; heart disease; allergies; digestive disorders; and high cholesterol. It can be beneficial for conditions that are influenced by the environment or for exposure to toxic materials at high levels either by accident or on the job site. In cases where traditional medicine is not successful in treating or diagnosing some illnesses, detoxification therapy is useful.

Body Detoxification Symptoms

Some symptoms that indicate a condition that can benefit by body detoxification would be increased allergies, inability to tolerate certain foods, indigestion, insomnia, general unexplained fatigue, and disability. Detoxification is a method to increase overall good health and energy. It is also a helpful preventative measure.

Methods of body detoxification have been around for thousands of years. One of the oldest therapeutic methods used in medicine is fasting. One of the quickest ways to rid the body of stored toxins is in fasting. There are different types of fasts. There are water fasts and there are juice fasts. The type chosen will be determined by the condition of the body and the desired result. For certain conditions a purely water fast is not recommended. Therefore, a juice fast is suggested instead.

As people are becoming more and more enlightened about the condition of the environment and the results it has on the health of the population, the treatment of detoxification is becoming the treatment of choice by many people. The by-products of industry and the pesticides used in agriculture contribute intensely to the amount of pollutants that are resident in the air and water supply in America. It is almost impossible to avoid many of these toxins.

Checking Out the Therapies Available

There are a variety of body detoxification therapies available. However, before any are attempted it is recommended that tests be done to determine the cause of the toxic condition. These tests may include blood work, urine and stool sample, and allergy testing. Some will even do a hair analysis to test for heavy metal levels before beginning the regimen of detoxification. It is important to study the liver function because it is the main organ in the body that removes toxic compounds.

Once the analysis is completed, body detoxification therapists will employ a variety of techniques to bring about the desired result. The first effort is to remove the exposure to toxic substances. These can range from heavy metals to radiation from cell phones to smog or polluted water. Dietary changes are put into place immediately that may initially include a detoxification fast.

If rapid detoxification occurs, the body must be closely monitored for signs of distress such as headache, gas, fatigue, or body aches. If you are considering body detoxification, be informed by checking out the Internet for answers to your questions and concerns. Detoxification is an important and commonly accepted treatment for many illnesses and chronic conditions in the alternative medical community.

Rapid Detox

Rapid detox has shown higher success rates in the treatment of opiate addiction than those of traditional detox centers. Rapid detox is used to treat cases of prescription drug dependency, as well as dependency on the illegal opiates. Over the past decade, drug companies have turned out countless variations on the painkiller, while doctors have prescribed pain medication at continually higher rates, causing addiction levels to rise and creating an even greater need for successful forms of detox.

Breakthroughs in opiate receptor research along with advances in medicine and the not-just-for-sci-fi-anymore art of cloning have enabled specialists to develop a rapid detox method that they believe is far superior to traditional addiction therapies. Clinics that employ the use of rapid detox tend to focus on the problem of physical addiction. Their belief is that the disease is a chemical imbalance that can be treated quickly, safely, and successfully.

Rapid Detox Using the Waismann Method

The Waismann Method, developed by Dr. Andre Waismann, is a three-phase rapid detox therapy that attacks addiction at the receptor level. It has continued to gain popularity as it has continued to produce success stories. Former patients regularly speak on behalf of the method, detailing how The Waismann Method helped them overcome their addictions.

Phases of Rapid Detoxification

Phase I, pre-treatment, involves a full physical exam for the patient and a complete work-up of their medical history. Medication is administered in order to ensure a smooth process. Pre-treatment, as all aspects of the process, is designed specifically to suit the individual patient.

A board-certified anesthesiologist administers Accelerated Neuro-Regulation (ANR) during the second phase. ANR cleanses the body's opiate receptors while the patient is under a non-surgical anesthesia. Upon waking, the patient's body is free of physical addiction. On top of that, the patient has, in essence, slept through withdrawal.

Phase III, after care, can last up to a year. During this time, the patient receives Naltrexone, a non-addictive, non-mood altering opiate inhibitor. This medication would eliminate the narcotic effects of an opiate if the patient were to slip. The length of after care is dependent on the patient's needs and progress. With the three phases, those who practice the method believe they have developed the most successful treatment for opiate addiction to date.

Benefits of Rapid Detox

The most obvious benefit is, of course, the amount of time spent in the center. While most detox clinics require stays of weeks or even months, rapid detox centers generally require a stay of no more than forty-eight hours. If patients feel they need more time before returning to everyday life, there are clinic-supported resorts they can attend to ease the transition.

Rapid detox centers also attempt to individualize treatment. Each patient's addiction is unique and requires unique therapy. Also, many are drawn to rapid detox and ANR, because it allows addicts to avoid a lot of the suffering and fear that often accompany withdrawal. As the problem of opiate addiction grows in the United States, rapid detox centers are attempting to stay on the cutting edge of treatment, offering what they consider to be hope for addicts where there once was none.

Drug And Alcohol Treatments

Dealing with a drug or alcohol addiction is a challenge for everyone involved. Addiction intrudes into every area of a person's life. It not only affects the sufferers, it affects their friends, their families, their co-workers, and anyone else who comes into contact with them. Whether you are an addict or know someone you suspect is an addict, the important thing to remember is that no one wants to be addicted to anything.

Understanding Addiction is the First Step in Treatment

It may be hard to understand why addiction happens, but understanding the problem is one of the first steps to being able to overcome it. We, as human beings, don't do anything that we don't get a pay-off from. Substance abuse is no exception. Why do people use substances? The answer is simple--because they work.

Drug and alcohol act in the same way painkillers do. They numb the body to pain whether physical, mental, or spiritual. Using drugs and alcohol is a way for people to self-medicate away some form of conscious or subconscious pain.

Yet the question remains, why do some people become addicted to some substances? The answer to that question is more complex. There are several schools of thought as to what makes some people addicts and others not. Some experts believe some people have a predisposition to addictive behavior based on genetics. Others believe that some drugs have chemical properties that make them physiologically addictive. Still others believe addiction to be a behavioral disorder. The truth is probably that all of these experts are at least somewhat correct.

Treating Addiction Effectively

Treating addiction in general is an area of health care that has not yet been fully mastered. For that reason, recovery programs cannot guarantee a 100 percent success rate. In fact, the national average for successful recovery from substance abuse after treatment is between 10 and 20 percent. That means that as many as nine out of 10 substance abusers will abuse again after completing treatment. That is an alarming statistic.

There are a number of reasons that an addict will go back to using. Many drug and alcohol programs are not equipped to treat the whole person; they can only treat the drug addiction. Treating just the addiction and not the person is analogous to treating just the symptoms and not the disease. In order to effectively treat a substance abuser, a program must address the underlying causes of the addiction as well as teach life skills.

Finding the Right Treatment Center

Finding a treatment center that can offer personal attention as well as real success is tantamount to beating an addiction. It is important to do adequate research before choosing a treatment center. Not all treatment centers are equal. Some subscribe to the conventional 12-Step approach for recovery; others do not. It is important to do a thorough investigation to discover what a treatment center has to offer.

Whether you choose a 12-Step program or one of its more unconventional counterparts, there are a few things you should look for. For example, investigate the center's success rate and how they measure success. If it has worked for a lot of other addicts, there is no reason why it can't work for you or someone you care about. The important thing is to ask questions. Good treatment centers will always be willing to help guide you.

Drug And Alcohol Rehabilitation Centers

In any addiction case, be it hard drugs, prescription drugs, alcohol, or any combination of these substances, a primary goal is often to encourage addicts to attend drug and alcohol rehabilitation centers. Most addicts, however, are under full control of their chemical dependencies, and the cocaine, heroin, or alcohol is not telling them to seek help. Instead, doses get higher, more frequent, and behaviors become more irrational and dangerous.

Family members, loved ones, and friends are all affected by drug abuse and addiction. A pattern of behavior begins that is dishonest, full of denial, and damaging. Sadly, many people watch in fear as their drug addicted friends deteriorate. The desire to intervene is often hampered by the threat that the addict will turn away and be lost forever. It is an unfortunate fact that many concerned friends and relatives find themselves waiting until the problem is dangerously severe before seeking help from drug and alcohol rehabilitation centers.

Understanding Drug Addictions

As soon as drugs like heroin, cocaine, and many prescription medications enter the body, chemical reactions begin within the brain. The drugs latch onto receptors in the brain that tell the body when to feel pain or pleasure, creating a superficial euphoric feeling that we often call a "high." Each time the person takes the drugs, more is required to achieve the same high level, creating a tolerance to the drug.

While chasing the euphoric high with more and more drugs, the body's natural reward system is severely disrupted. Daily activities, such as playing sports, watching a sunset, or walking hand in hand with a loved one, become less rewarding. This point can be identified as the beginning of an addiction. Eventually, if the drug abuser does not stop his or her usage patterns, the body will become chemically dependent on the drugs.

Intervention and Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation Centers

Two intervention models are widely discussed in regards to influencing addicts to enter drug and alcohol rehabilitation centers. One model describes forceful confrontation as the only effective way to make an addict seek alcohol or drug abuse help. Friends and family are encouraged to confront the addict, forcing him or her to face the addictions. This approach can escalate to a point where the concerned parties feel driven to physically bring the patient to treatment.

Another model based on more current research describes varying levels of openness that addicts experience throughout their addiction. At certain times, he or she may be more or less open to seeking treatment at drug and alcohol rehabilitation centers. When approached at a stage of awareness, the addict may willingly seek help. Both models of intervention are used today when examining drug and alcohol abuse cases.

Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation Centers with Detoxification Programs

Not all drug and alcohol rehabilitation centers have access to the same resources, which means a drug addict could have completely different experiences at two different drug treatment centers. Modern research indicates that detoxification is especially helpful in fighting drug addictions, and some treatment programs offer rapid detox treatments. Drug detox is believed by some to reduce withdrawal symptoms, cravings, depression, and even prevent relapses.

Drug and alcohol rehabilitation centers that offer detoxification will often provide a specially formulated series of antioxidants, vitamins, amino acids, minerals, and fluids to help cleanse the body. An exercise schedule also helps the body's natural metabolism remove toxins. Some detox centers even have their recovering addicts use saunas daily to sweat out trace elements of drugs. Of course, the usual group and individual counseling also occurs in order to address the patient's mental and emotional status.

Lower Cholesterol - Be Heart Smart

Lower cholesterol is very important to our health, no matter how old we are or aren't, especially if we want to avoid a heart attack or stroke. To understand what this means and how to achieve it, we need to understand a few concepts and terms. Among them are cholesterol, HDL, LDL, lipoproteins, serum cholesterol, dietary cholesterol, saturated fats, atherosclerosis, and coronary artery disease.

Cholesterol is a fat-like substance found throughout the body. It gets there in one of two ways, either from the body itself or in the foods we eat. It is a very common, very important molecule. Too much of it, however, is not healthy. Too much of it can clog our arteries, block our hearts, and gravely threaten our lives. More often than not we need to lower cholesterol in our bodies.

A Little Bit about Cholesterol

There are two kinds of cholesterol, which may be confusing at first. High density lipoprotein, commonly known as HDL, sometimes called the good cholesterol because it can protect the heart, is one. Low density lipoproteins, commonly known as LDL, sometimes called the bad cholesterol because it can clog arteries, is the other. We have both and we need both. The balance between them is critical. It is what helps determine whether a heart is healthy.

The link between cholesterol and heart disease has been established in numerous studies. Specifically, the higher the cholesterol, the greater the risk of heart disease. It's that simple. High cholesterol is common. We want lower cholesterol. The challenge most of us face is to control this, to lower cholesterol levels.

Lifestyle and Lower Cholesterol

Cholesterol in our body is produced in the liver, which uses the fats in our diet as fuel. What it produces is all the cholesterol the body needs. Why does it need cholesterol? Among other things, producing bile to help with digestion, protecting nerve fibers, building cell membranes, creating hormones, manufacturing vitamin D.

Cholesterol in our foods comes only from animal products rich in saturated fats. plant foods have no cholesterol. Our bodies need fats, of course, and we get a natural mix of them in many foods. But a diet too rich in saturated fats and transfatty acids—those in processed foods—is a proven health risk. Studies indicate that polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats, such as those found in olive and fish oils, are better for us and can help lower cholesterol.

Dietary fats are, of course, a concentrated source of calories and thus one of the two main causes of overweight and obesity. Lack of exercise is the other. Decreasing dietary fat and increasing regular exercise are the first and easiest steps to lower cholesterol and improve overall and heart health.

Health Care and Lower Cholesterol

There is another factor, however, that can have a significant impact on the levels of cholesterol in the body: genetics. When this comes into play, diet and exercise will not be enough to lower cholesterol levels.

Among the medications, both holistic and pharmaceutical, available to lower cholesterol are beta glucan, beta-sitosterol, isoflavones, statins, to name a few. Common side effects of cholesterol lowering medications can include muscle aches, abnormal liver function, allergic reaction, heartburn, dizziness, abdominal pain, constipation and diminished sexual desire.

It is important to determine your cholesterol levels. Home cholesterol tests are available in addition to those your doctor

can give. Consult your doctor to determine the most appropriate treatment.

Lower Cholesterol

Results Not What You'd Hoped?

If you've just had some bloodwork done, and the results for your cholesterol counts were not what you'd hoped, you'll be looking around for ways to Lower cholesterol. Your doctor will likely recommend that you use one of the Statin drugs for this purpose. But if you're like us, you'll be naturally wary of these in light of some of the bad publicity recently, and you'll at least want to try some natural cholesterol lowering alternatives first.

Some of the reasons that many people are now trying to avoid Statin drugs is, for example, that Lipitor and Baycol have both been known to cause muscle damage (the heart is a muscle), and some doctors are saying these medications have been linked to deaths. In fact, Baycol has been pulled from the market in some countries, notably Japan. In some cases, the benefits may outweigh the risks, but I for one want to exhaust every natural alternative before I go on to the use of Statins.

Don't Rush to Take the Easy Way Out

If you feel that taking Statins is the easy way out, consider that if Baycol has already been pulled from some markets, we are likely to hear a lot more on this subject in the near future. Until the truth's out, I wouldn't like to become one of their statistics. Did you know for example, that if you take certain vitamins along with Statins, you may actually raise your risk of a heart attack?

I find this particularly alarming because vitamins are an integral part of the food we eat (or they most certainly should be). So we have no way of knowing really what kind of reaction is going on inside of us. On the other hand, many natural ways to lower cholesterol are substances or foods that have been around for centuries, and that have been thoroughly tried and tested.

Golden Oldies!

Olive oil and oatmeal, for example, are great to add to your diet if you want to lower cholesterol. Another great thing to do is take cod liver oil every day. Cod liver oil can supply your body with the essential Omega 3 oils that are so difficult to get from ordinary diet nowadays, and this can have a positive effect on your good cholesterol readings. If the taste puts you off, don't forget that you can get cod liver oil in capsule form too.

Other "side effects" you'll love with cod liver oil are the fact that it can improve the look and feel of skin, increase energy, banish aches and pains, and even improve your memory! Of course, the very vitamins that you would take to lower cholesterol, like vitamin A and vitamin E, are some of the very vitamins that you may be advised not to take with the statins because of a possible interaction.

Stop Worrying About Side Effects

That, for me, is the beauty of natural alternatives to drugs; pretty much all the time, you can take vitamins, foods and herbal remedies in any combination you like without worrying about killing yourself! Peace of mind is a very valuable commodity isn't it? Here are a few pointers for you though, if you're embarking on a healthy way of doing things for the first time in your life.

To begin with, it may be a good idea to consult a naturopath, or at least read a few good books on the subject of how to lower cholesterol. Incorporate some lifestyle changes, such as moderate exercise, avoiding alcohol and commercially produced fats. Learn how wonderfully healthy butter and olive oil can be, in moderation.

Learn about some of the newer ways to lower cholesterol naturally. There have been some real breakthroughs lately in how to use natural substances to help conditions such as high cholesterol. Why not click through on our link to learn about one we like?

Lipitor Side Effects

Cholesterol: the word is probably the last one you want to hear your doctor pronounce during your next visit. In this way, you're not unlike many people. Unfortunately, we live in a time when, despite the ubiquity of fitness centers and diet shakes, unhealthy eating and living continue to create heart problems the world over.

A lot of this has to do with cholesterol levels. Cholesterol is an organic chemical produced in small amounts by your body, and it is used in many biological functions. As with anything, however, it is harmful when you have too much of it–-this is especially true for the heart. High cholesterol levels have been shown time and again to increase the risk of heart problems in many medical patients.

Here it's important to distinguish, however, what kind of cholesterol we're talking about. High-Density Lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels have generally corresponded with better health: they're used to transport cholesterol back to the liver, where it's processed and then excreted. On the other hand, Low-Density Lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol molecules, which differ from their high-density cousins only slightly, tend to correspond with an increased chance of heart disease.

There are various ways to combat high levels of LDL cholesterol, including exercise and a healthy diet. Recently, however, a number of prescription drugs have appeared on the market that can also reduce LDL levels. One of the most popular of these (it was the best-selling pharmaceutical drug in the world in 2004, with $10.4 billion in sales in the US alone) is Lipitor.

Wonder Drug?

Lipitor's success, however, has produced the usual worries about side effects. What does this so-called "wonder-drug" do to your body? Is taking it as easy, say, as swallowing a pair of Aspirin? Or are there any dangers to keep in mind? As one might expect, there has been a fair amount of controversy along these lines.

The most basic side effects of Lipitor are not too dramatic. Headaches, fever, nausea, and a few other common symptoms can result from frequent use. However, this is really not unlike many other prescription drugs, which tend to unbalance certain parts of our body temporarily as they help other parts fight back against specific conditions or diseases. Looked at from a certain point of view, you might even say that the aforementioned side effects are on par with another common "medicine"--alcohol!

Serious Side Effects

More worrisome, however, are the various organ- and muscle-related side effects of Lipitor. The Lipitor website even admits that Lipitor, though an effective way for most people to reduce LDL cholesterol levels, can have "serious side effects" (www.lipitor.com). People with liver-disease or liver-related complications, for example, are exhorted to avoid Lipitor, or at the very least to ask their doctor about possible complications.

Two more possible side effects of Lipitor are severe muscle pain and muscle disease (www.healthy-heart-guide.com/side-effects-of-lipitor.html). As with many new medications, a long-term study of Lipitor's effects on humans will not be totally possible until it's been in circulation for some time. Until then, the best recourse for the first-time user is probably to discuss the option over with your family physician, and to be aware that there has been a fair amount of discussion concerning more serious Lipitor-related side effects.

Endometriosis Treatment

Endometriosis is a chronic gynecological disease that is caused by endometrial cells that develop outside of the uterus, causing pelvic pain and inflammation

. Endometriosis may lead to infertility, as scar tissue and adhesions can form in the fallopian tubes, around the ovaries, and in the uterus. Adhesions and scar tissue that form in the pelvic lining, the bladder, the bowel, the cervix, and the vagina are less common but still problematic when they do occur in these locations.

Of the roughly five million women in the United States that suffer from endometriosis, most do not realize they have this condition until the pain starts or they cannot get pregnant. A woman can be diagnosed with endometriosis in her thirties when infertility has caused her to seek medical treatment, only to learn that she has had this disease since her late teens. Sometimes endometriosis progresses without symptoms, causing the woman to go on about her business without medical intervention. Other times the pelvic pain is so severe that a woman cannot get out of bed during her menstrual cycle, which forces her to see a doctor.

Although endometriosis can affect various organs, it is most problematic when the ovaries are involved. Once endometriosis takes over the ovaries, the chances of more widespread disease increase substantially. In other words, if the ovaries are affected, the chances are as high as 98.9 percent that other organs will be affected by endometriosis. It is imperative that a woman who gets diagnosed with endometriosis of the ovaries insists on further testing to check for scar tissue and adhesions elsewhere in the body.

Endometriosis Treatment Can Help Ease the Pain

Symptoms associated with endometriosis include: pelvic tenderness, heavy periods, chronic fatigue, diarrhea, constipation, nausea, premenstrual spotting, extremely painful periods, painful bowel movements

during menstruation, lowered resistance to infection, and repeated miscarriages. If you experience any of the above-mentioned symptoms, it is wise to consult with your doctor immediately to get a medical diagnosis. Many women also experience painful intercourse when they are suffering from endometriosis, but they are too embarrassed to mention this to their doctor. Always tell your doctor when you have pain, as he or she may not otherwise know to test you for endometriosis.
Fortunately, there are treatment options when it comes to managing this chronic condition. Depending on the severity of your case and/or the amount of pain you are experiencing each month, your doctor may recommend surgey in conjunction with prescription medications. A combination of the two may be able to eliminate or reduce the scar tissue and adhesions that form over time with endometriosis.

Pain medication can be over-the-counter or prescription, depending on the severity of the pain you experience each month. Some doctors prescribe birth control pills or gonadtrophin releasing hormone agonists (GnRH), which block the production of estrogen, thereby reducing inflammation and pain associated with this disease. If surgery is necessary, GnRH agonists are often prescribed beforehand to reduce the inflammation that in turn will make the surgery easier to perform.

Surgery and Endometriosis

Surgery is often the end result when a woman has chronic endometriosis that is causing her extreme pain and the inability to become pregnant. Laproscopic ablation is a procedure that removes the top layer of the tissue in the affected areas. Laparoscopic excision is the cutting and removal of local areas of endometriosis. The UPLIFT procedure involves repositioning the uterus that has been moved due to endometrial adhesions and scar tissue. Other surgeries involve severing the nerves that run to the uterus or the pelvic region to eliminate severe pain caused by endometriosis.

In extreme cases, a hysterectomy is recommended. The uterus, ovaries, and all growths are removed, however this does not always eliminate the problem if other organs are affected. Endometriosis is a disease that not only affects a woman physically, but emotionally and mentally as well. It is important that a woman with endometriosis receives medical help as well as emotional support to deal with this chronic and progressive disease.

Breast Enhancement

Each culture has its own idea of what is erotic and beautiful. In India, a woman always covers her shoulders, because they are her most private and erogenous feature. In Senegal, a woman's legs are her most erotic feature. In the United States and other western countries, however, there can be no doubt that a woman's breasts are her most prized physical asset. One need only to turn on a television, go to the movies or flip open a magazine for proof that cleavage and breasts reign supreme in America.

Unfortunately, a majority of American women are dissatisfied with the size and shape of their breasts. This can be extremely frustrating, particularly because the shape of the breasts can be difficult to alter. If a woman is unhappy with her legs, she can exercise and change her diet. If she is unhappy with her breasts however, she may feel that her options for changing them are out of her control.

Breast Enhancement through Surgery

When people think of breast enhancement today, they think of surgery. In the 1950s, they may have thought of exercise or push-up bras. In centuries past, they may have thought of herbs like fenugreek and hops flower when thinking of breast enhancement. Today, most women think of implants.

The most common implants these days, of course, are filled with saline. Years ago, implants were usually filled with silicone. Silicone is now considered by most doctors and patients to be too dangerous to use. If a saline implant bursts or leaks, the salt water will be absorbed into the body without great harm.

Implants can be inserted one of four different ways. They can be inserted through incisions in the creases underneath the breasts. They can be inserted through the skin in an incision made around the nipple. The third option is for the surgeon to make an incision near the armpits, and insert the implants through that area. The fourth, newest and most expensive option is endoscopic surgery, in which an endoscope, or tiny camera, enables the doctor to insert the implants through a tiny incision in the woman's belly button. That a woman's breast implants can now be inserted through her navel is amazing, but true.

Alternatives to Breast Enlargement Surgery

Despite the prevalence of surgery as a means for breast enlargement, there is no denying that the results are often flawed. Not only do implants frequently leak, necessitating a second surgery, but they often just don't look very good. Capsular contracture frequently sets in, squeezing the implant and resulting in a hard, fake-looking breast.

More and more women are discovering what their ancestors knew hundreds and even thousands of years ago: herbs can be used to improve breast haelth, density and size. Today's breast enhancement pills use sound science, along with some ancient ingredients, to help enlarge women's breasts naturally, without side effects. They are significantly less expensive than surgery, as well, which is an added bonus.

These pills are usually made of non-hormonal plant estrogen, or phytoestrogen. The phytoestrogen activates the prostaglandins in the woman's breasts. Prostaglandins, first discovered in the 1930s by Swedish scientist Ulf von Euler, regulate and communicate with glands. The phytoestrogens encourage breast gland growth similar to the growth which naturally occurs during puberty.

Candida

Candida is an organism that normally lives quite happily in our digestive tracts as part of a colony of microorganisms that live there in harmony, harmlessly and symbiotically. Under ideal circumstances that's how they stay. Occasionally, however, something happens to tip the balance in the body's internal environment and candida albicans, to give it its full name, becomes a problem, and it is then often referred to as candidiasis.

Internal Disharmony

Many factors can cause internal disharmony leading to an overgrowth of organisms such as candida. Taking antibiotics is the chief culprit, however, and is nearly always implicated. Some people who have to take antibiotics on a regular basis may develop a really serious candida infestation that may involve many different areas of the body.

Other causes of candida can be exposure to chemicals that have an estrogenic effect in the body, known as xenoestrogens or environmental estrogens. Petroleum products and many chemicals used in manufacturing are culprits. They are all endocrine disruptors and can wreak havoc on our internal biochemical balance, opening the way for candida to take hold. Many modern processes produce these substances, and an overgrowth of candida is just one problem associated with them.

Even an unbalanced diet can cause candidiasis in susceptible people. Whenever the immune system

is compromised for any reason, such as with cancer or AIDS, candida is likely to become a problem, even if antibiotics are not used. Even a common infection such as the flu may lower your immunity allowing candida to get a foothold.

Candida Symptoms

The symptoms of candida overgrowth can be many and varied. The most common are "jock itch" or vaginal irritation, together with a copious white discharge. Candidiasis can also cause headaches, sinus problems, digestion problems, and more. Sometimes the only symptoms sufferers notice is extreme exhaustion, which can be confused with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Although many sufferers know for sure that they have candidiasis from the symptoms, it is probably wise to have a firm diagnosis so that you can formulate a definite strategy. Blood and stool tests are the regular ways of diagnosing candida overgrowth, but a good kinesiologist can also tell you whether you have a problem. Kinesiologists can even tell you if it's just candida or if there are other problems, or pathogens as they are referred to.

Medication for Candida

If you go to an allopathic (regular medicine) medical practitioner and are diagnosed with candidiasis, he will prescribe a systemic antifungal such as Nidazole. These work satisfactorily in the short term, but are associated with side effects, and they do nothing to correct the basic balance of your body's chemistry so that your resistance to candida is raised. Clearly, there has to be a better approach.

From a natural medicine point of view, there are several things you can do as part of your own personal anti-candida strategy. You will find that each of these separate strategies will support your health in a general way and raise your level of energy and well being. Diet is the first and most important strategy you should consider.

The Natural Solutions

It's important to keep sugar out of your diet completely during a candida flare up, because the candida organism feeds exclusively on sugars and starches. The most stringent candida diets exclude all sugars, including fruits, and all carbohydrates from the diet. Sometimes this diet has to be followed for three months or more to be effective, but living on protein and vegetables is not easy. Often, just cutting out sugars and cutting down on carbohydrates will at least give your system a rest.

Anointing your body with oregano essential oil is also supposed to be very helpful for candidiasis. Oregano has powerful antifungal properties, and it also supports the immune system in a big way, so it's a good supplement to any anti-candida regimen. Since it is a harmless substance when used properly, it's worth trying oregano.

There is another strategy to deal with candida though, and it has been found to be the most effective by far. Probiotics are supplements of beneficial organisms that are normally found in our gut. When administered, they can quickly overpower opportune organisms such as candida, bringing the system back into balance. However, not just any probiotics will do the job. They have to be manufactured and preserved correctly so that the organisms are "live" when you take them, otherwise they will be useless to you.

Menopause

Much has been written about menopause. Many women read it all once they hit the perimenopause, which is the period leading up to the change of life, in a desperate attempt to alleviate some of the symptoms which can hit you like a brick wall when you least expect it. As many wise women have said, there's no reason really that we should accept these symptoms as inevitable: menopause is not an illness, it's merely another stage of life.

So why do so many women experience distressing menopausal symptoms? This stage is when the female body ceases to produce eggs, and ceases to shed the lining of the womb. In fact the whole process that's necessary for procreation comes to a halt. Hopefully, if all goes well, we'll keep enough of our feminine hormones to keep us looking reasonable and to keep our emotions on an even keel as we glide into our later years.

Expert Menopause Help

Is there anything we can do to help us get through menopause sane, and in control of our emotions, as well as fairly healthy? Again, the old criteria apply. Exercise and a healthy diet are the places to begin. Since women of menopausal age tend to gain weight rather easily, it's of great importance to cut down on the amount of food we eat, in addition to monitoring the components of our diet to make sure that we don't consume too many carbohydrates or too much fat, both of which will add to our girth. Concentrating on plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables and a small amount of cold pressed virgin oils will make sure we have enough raw materials to feed our bodies wisely.

Alarmingly, in the past few decades, the medical profession has been encouraging women approaching menopause to supplement their hormones with artificial ones. More recently, they thankfully discovered how dangerous this can be when cancer rates rose significantly in women taking artificial hormone replacement. It's a mercy to womankind that artificial hormones are now being phased out. Think very carefully before you decide to subject yourself to artificial hormone replacement therapy; natural is always best.

Alleviating Menopause Moodiness

So what can women do to alleviate the worst of the moodiness, hot flashes and weight gain that often accompany menopause? To begin with, there are a number of alternative therapies that women have used successfully to improve their situations. Among them are massage, acupuncture, homeopathy and more. For many women though, these solutions are too time-consuming to be of much real use.

We have lives to lead right? We need solutions to our menopause problems that do not require us to spend hours every week in a clinic, or traveling to or from one. So what else is there? Since the effective demise of hormone replacement therapy, a few companies specializing in natural health products have come up with their own, natural versions of hormone therapy.

Natural Hormone Replacement

The good thing about natural versions of hormone replacement for menopausal women is that they don't pose a threat to our health. To the contrary, carefully chosen natural ingredients that have been known for their benefits for centuries can enhance our endocrine systems, support our immune systems, and keep us looking and feeling younger and more vital. We can use these supplements to help us sail through menopause serenely.

If we also manage to keep our diets and exercise levels reasonable, we can expect better and better results. Are there any other supplements we can use to make sure we stay as healthy as possible? Significant supplementation with vitamin E has been known for some time to stave off heart disease in both men and women. Another wonderful reason for taking vitamin E is that it can end hot flashes in women going through menopause.

In addition, natural progesterone

is a wonderful way of making sure that hormone levels stay stable. Progesterone can be converted into many other hormones in the body, so it is a great way of making sure that all the hormones remain in sufficient supply. It can even be converted to estrogen if necessary. Make sure you are taking a natural form of progesterone as recommended by authorities on women's health, such as Dr. John Lee though. Artificial hormones of any kind are really bad news for anyone, but particularly for women going through menopause.