Muhammad Ahmad Al-Masry
64, Muhammad Korayem Street,
Gomrok, Alexandria, Egypt
Tel: 0020-03-4800555
Fax: 0020-03-3082667
Web: massrii@...
massrii@...



----- Forwarded Message ----
From: Suzanne <suziesgoats@...>
To: HAWK_Health_Awareness@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Monday, December 1, 2008 6:24:13 PM
Subject: [HAWK_Health_Awareness] RE: Crohns


7 Steps to Controlling Crohn's Disease
For people with digestive issues, life tends to revolve around what you can and
can't eat and how far away from the nearest bathroom you dare to venture. That's
certainly the case with Crohn's disease, which along with ulcerative colitis is
one of the two most common forms of inflammatory bowel disease. Symptoms include
wrenching stomach pain soon after eating (typically in the lower right side) and
relentless diarrhea. It's relatively rare, but a new research finding suggests
that people with Crohn's are seven times more apt to carry bacteria that cause a
related gastrointestinal disease in cattle. The bacteria -- Mycobacterium avium
subspecies paratuberculosis or MAP -- has been found in milk in American
supermarkets, and some studies have found it in meat and cheese, raising the
possibility that it may be passed up the food chain to people.
IT'S GUT WRENCHING
Whether or not bacteria such as MAP cause disease in the intestinal tract is
largely a matter of threshold, explains Daily Health News contributing editor
Andrew L. Rubman, ND. A person with a healthy, intact digestive tract will
likely be able to resist infectious bacteria. But the large intestine is the
body's center of immunity, and when the digestive tissue becomes damaged and
inflamed, it becomes more susceptible to invasive microorganisms, be it MAP or
the increasingly infectious species of E. coli, Salmonella, and other causes of
food poisoning. If the balance of healthy versus harmful bacteria is disrupted
and/or tissue is damaged, people become less able to resist disease and it
becomes more difficult to treat. Dr. Rubman and I talked more about Crohn's
disease in general, and about natural support for people with this problem.
Little is known about the causes of Crohn's disease, although family history, an
overactive immune system and inflammation response, and environmental triggers
are all believed to play a role. It differs from ulcerative colitis (which
causes similar symptoms) because inflammation is deeper in the intestinal wall
and also potentially affects the entire gastrointestinal tract from mouth to
anus. Ulcerative colitis primarily affects the colon and small intestine.
There's no known cure for Crohn's and remedies offered by conventional medicine
are riddled with problems. In September 2008, the FDA ordered stronger warnings
for common Crohn's drugs -- infliximab (Remicade), adalimumab (Humira) and
certolizumab pegol (Cimzia) -- after an association with the risk of developing
fungal and yeast infections such as Candidiasis was found. Because conventional
treatments have significant side effects -- even when they work, and they don't
always -- more than half of
people with Crohn's disease turn to natural therapies.
NATURAL SOLUTIONS
Since Crohn's disease affects different people in different ways, Dr. Rubman
individualizes treatment for each patient, working in collaboration with his/her
gastroenterologist -- a strategy he suggests for all Crohn's patients since a
combination of natural and mainstream treatments seems to be most effective.
Dr. Rubman's natural solutions include...
* Probiotics. Health requires maintaining a balance between good and bad
bacteria in the digestive tract. Poor diet, stress or a digestive disorder such
as Crohn's can result in a takeover of the system by "bad" bacteria, resulting
in symptoms such as diarrhea and gas. To restore a proper floral balance, Dr.
Rubman frequently prescribes a seven- to 10-day course of a probiotic supplement
composed of Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium bifidus. However, he
notes that it is important to have a stool test before treatment, in order to
ensure the proper probiotic formula is administered.


* Fish oil. A small British study found that fish oil taken with antioxidants
may help reduce the inflammation associated with Crohn's disease. Eat fatty fish
such as salmon, mackerel or sardines two or three times a week. In addition, Dr.
Rubman often prescribes one or more grams of an EPA-DHA fish oil capsule or
liquid daily.


* Vitamin B-12. When the bowel has been damaged by Crohn's disease, it may no
longer effectively absorb B-12. If you are tired and rundown, ask your doctor to
test you. Dr. Rubman prefers to prescribe sublingual B-12 rather than B-12
shots. "It's as effective, less expensive and certainly more comfortable," he
notes.


* Acupuncture. Acupuncture has traditionally been used to treat inflammatory
bowel disease in China and is meeting with increasing mainstream acceptance in
the US. A small German study suggests that acupuncture may help improve quality
of life and general well-being in people with Crohn's disease by modulating
symptoms and may even result in a small decrease in inflammatory markers in the
blood. Find an acupuncturist in your area at the Web site of the American
Association of Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine at
http://www.aaaomonline.org/45000.asp.


* Focus on whole foods, fresh fruits and vegetables. A diet that contains lots
of processed and fast foods -- like white bread, sugary desserts, etc. --
stresses the bowel and may trigger inflammation and worsen symptoms of Crohn's
disease. Disease-causing microorganisms thrive on foods like these. Many people
with Crohn's report that they feel better when they eliminate or significantly
cut back on processed foods and place a greater emphasis on whole foods, fresh
fruits and vegetables and moderate amounts of protein. Avoid milk and dairy
products as well as trans fats, as they can also irritate the intestinal track.


* Decompress. Many people with Crohn's find that their symptoms worsen during
stressful periods. If you find this to be the case, take steps to effectively
manage stress. Do whatever works best for you -- whether that is yoga or
meditation or dancing or tennis.


* Stay away from colonics. Many people are tempted to turn to this "quick fix,"
but Dr. Rubman warns that colonics can backfire and worsen symptoms. The large
intestine requires a healthy balance of microorganisms to function properly, and
colonics indiscriminately wipe out the good with the bad under the thinly
supported premise of detoxification.
To feel more in control of your disease and your life, learn more about Crohn's
and connect with others who are going through the same things you are. Join
message boards, chats, blogs and support groups (online or offline) at Web sites
such as www.ccfa.org, or those listed at
http://www.crohns-disease-and-stress.com/support.html and
http://ibdcrohns.about.com/od/onlinesupport/a/supportgroups.htm.
Acknowledging that a diagnosis of Crohn's disease is never good news, Dr. Rubman
urges those who have the problem to be optimistic -- it can often be controlled
without drastic drugs or a draconian diet, and quality of life need not suffer.
Source(s):


Andrew L. Rubman, ND, director, Southbury Clinic for Traditional Medicines,
Southbury, Connecticut.


   Suzi 
List Owner
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/HAWK_Health_Awareness/  
http://360.yahoo.com/suziesgoats 
What is a weed?  A plant whose virtues have not yet been discovered.





[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]