Treat Depression the Natural Way - Article by Jini Patel Thompson

I thought this was a great article by Jini, and an article that we could all benefit from reading.  If you don't suffer directly from depression, anxiety ect., I'm sure most of you know someone who does have some sort of mental health issue that effects the persons' overall wellbeing.  (Pass this along to them.)  

So many people are in the dark about homeopathic therapies, ways to heal naturally, because there is such a strong push to conform to conventional standards of care.  Our country has basically told us that this little blue pill is a better treatment option than this green plant.  We need to simplify things and take a few steps back.

Back to my point..... I know that for me, living with Crohn's Disease and dealing with the everyday IN YOUR FACE symptoms of the illness, has taken a toll on my life.  I'm more stressed than ever before, I often get down about the restrictions I'm faced with on a daily basis, the fatigue, the strains the disease puts on my relationships.... There are so many more obstacles I could mention, but no need to remind myself.  

Does anyone hear me on this one?? Yep

I also want to add that I'm interested and support ways to rid the body of illnesses by using the natural fundamentals that God has provided us with to maintain good health and to heal ailments safely.  With an organic plant, or minerals in their purest form, there's no need to worry about adverse effects and possible reactions that occur with taking man made drugs.  They are safe, not toxic!  So what treatment option would you choose?  

Enjoy this article and visit Jini's site for more articles on other natural treatments.  

Are you happy with your doctor? What qualities make up a "good dr" in your opinion??

It's so true that if one thing is out of whack in your body, it can throw off all your  healthy systems from functioning properly.  When we are diagnosed with a condition, any condition, we need to look into if/how the illness might effect other parts of our body.  So, what i'm saying is we basically need to treat the whole body rather than just that specific condition/issue at hand, because that "issue" may have had a negative effect on some other area of the body.  So many medical issues slip through the cracks because of carelessness? Laziness? I really don't know how & why this happens ... Something as simple as neglecting to order a blood panel for a patient to rule out any possible deficiencies for instance, could greatly impact ones health and negatively impact ones quality of life, if there is some other problem that is not identified.  

I think that it's our PCP's responsibility to know which tests are periodically necessary to ensure good health for their patient.  I know that as a Crohn's Disease sufferer, my iron levels need to be monitored every few months to be sure that I'm not anemic.  The 1st time I experienced anemia, and by the time my doctor pointed out that I needed some red blood cells........ & PRONTO, was when my levels were so off and I was terribly sick.  Funny thing though, is that all along in the blood panels that my doctor ordered, it shows a gradual drop in my hemoglobin level, red blood cell level that should have been  addressed and treated.  I didn't have to get as sick as I did if my dr. would have noticed the slow decline in specific areas on my blood work report.  

To give you a little glimpse of what it's like to be severely anemic..... Basically, I could hardly make it up a flight of stairs without getting winded because I lacked that much oxygen in my blood.  My heart had to pump so much harder to get the required amount of oxygen to my brain because I had so few red blood cells.  I think about it now and wonder how in the world I never passed out.  I remember how exhausted I felt ALL the time and the numerous hours of sleep that I required, to only wake up and feel as though I hadn't slept at all.  I now know what anemia feels like and can identify it before it gets to a critical point.  

This experience along with many other little slips in the cracks that I have experienced over the years with doctors i've seen, definitely has contributed to my proactive mind set and the need to do "homework" about my disease.  In other words, I probably know more than the doctor does about my condition and treatment options available. Trust no one with your body, health and life.  In the end, we are the ones truly responsible for the care that we receive.  

Ask questions, research the medicine your doctor has prescribed for you, take note of the times you have called your doctor and they never returned your call. How are you treated by the nursing staff- especially over the phone, Does the doctor have time for your appointment or do you feel rushed and like just a number?  How do you feel when you walk out of an appointment with your doctor?... did you feel confident that the doc has your best interest in mind and that he heard your concerns.... or did he brush off your issue and fail to give you clarity? did he answer the question you asked or did you never ask that question because you forget the questions you wanted to ask all together? ......... *tip*  Make a list and don't forget to bring it to your next appointment. Have a notebook for just your medical symptoms, progress, & ???'s.  Everytime a question pops in your mind, write it down.  Trust me, you wont remember them all if you don't make a note of them.

 I'm all about being involved in the decisions regarding my treatment plan and if I have my knowledge, by researching, and I don't feel at ease with that particular treatment for whatever reason it may be, I have no hesitations with refusing it.  Over the years i've become bolder and express my concerns openly.  Plus, It's my right as a patient to accept or deny the doctors' recommendations.  If you're anything like me and do refuse or question the treatment the doc suggested or just don't go with the flow like they want (you dont just lay back & let them do whatever they want with you) you will most likely be labeled as "difficult", "hard to manage", "non-compliant", ect... You get my point.   That's fine, let them call you whatever they want.  At least you will have peace of mind when you walk out of that building, knowing that the overall decision you made, is the right decison for you.

Be proactive and if you find that you are not satisfied with the care your doctor provides, move on and find a doctor that will fulfill your expectations of a "good doctor". They are a dime a dozen, but if you search, you will eventually find.  

Don't settle for the mediocre.. You deserve more!

Ahhhhhhhh!!! I HAVE Crohn's Disease!!: Your Gut's Digestion Process - Is it increasing yo...

Ahhhhhhhh!!! I HAVE Crohn's Disease!!: Your Gut's Digestion Process - Is it increasing yo...: "Hmmmmmm. this just makes me think about how all our organs are connected and the health and state of functioning of one organ, will impact..."

Your Gut's Digestion Process - Is it increasing your risk of CardioVascular Disease?

Hmmmmmm.  this just makes me think about how all our organs are connected and the health and state of functioning of one organ, will impact the working of another.  Just the way a machine would work.

Stanley Hazen, MD, PhD, and Zeneng Wang, PhD,Cell Biology, and colleagues at the Lerner Research Institute have discovered a new pathway that links a common dietary lipid and gut flora (microbes that reside in intestines) to the development of cardiovascular disease (CVD). This research was published in the April 8, 2011, issue of Nature.

Aside from genetic factors that increase a person's risk of CVD,environmental factors can also influence the disease. Familiar environmental factors include a diet rich in triglycerides and sterols (ex. cholesterol), which are two of the three main types dietary lipids. This current study discovered the importance of the third category of dietary lipids called "phospholipids" to heart disease.

Dr. Hazen's group looked at the interplay of dietary phospholipid, namely phosphatidyl choline (also called lecithin) and another category of environmental factors called microbes that reside in intestines. These gut flora play a largely beneficial role, promoting digestion and absorption of important nutrients. They do this by breaking down the food we eat into its byproducts, or metabolites. However, this study of over 2000 patients found that blood levels of three metabolites of lecithin (choline, trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO), and betaine) strongly associated with risk of CVD. Feeding these metabolites to mice also caused atherosclerosis.

Healthy amounts of choline, TMAO, and betaine, are found in many fruits, vegetables, fish, and animal and dairy products. These three metabolites are also commonly marketed as direct-to-consumer supplements, supposedly offering increased brain health, weight loss, and/or muscle growth.

Choline is itself a natural semi-essential vitamin, although Hazen's group shows that when taken to excess, it promotes atherosclerotic heart disease in animal models, and associates with increased CVD risk in humans. "Over the past few years we have seen a huge increase in the addition of choline into multivitamins – even those marketed to our children – yet it is this same substance that our study shows the gut flora can convert into something that has a direct, negative impact on heart disease risk by forming an atherosclerosis-causing by-product," says Dr. Hazen.

"Knowing that gut flora generates a pro-atherosclerotic metabolite from a common dietary lipid opens up new opportunities for improved diagnostics, prevention, and treatment of heart disease, adds Dr. Hazen. "It also appears there is a need for considering the risk versus benefits of some commonly used supplements."

Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP) "suspected as a causative agent in Crohn's disease"

Hmmmmm... interesting.  My friend happened to stumble upon this on Wikipedia when she was reading about milk pasteurization (totally unrelated to Crohn's).  I thought that milk is supposed to do our body good.. Well, that's what they used to say.  And if this is a possible cause of Crohn's disease (because remember no one knows the cause of Crohn's), why are they not doing more research to find out for sure.  

Maybe this explains why children as young as 3 or 4 years old get Crohn's Disease.  The whole time they are sippin on their yummy warm milk in their bottle or sippy cup, they're possibly swallowing some MAP, which is a stubborn, resistant bastard.    That could explain where Crohn's gets it's stubbornness from.  

Just  thought this was something to think about. Feel free to leave opinions  :)

MAP causes Johne's disease in cattle and other ruminants, and it has long been suspected as a causative agent in Crohn's disease in humans;^[3] this connection is controversial.^[4]

Recent studies have shown that MAP present in milk can survive pasteurization, which has raised human health concerns due to the widespread nature of MAP in modern dairy herds. MAP survival during pasteurization is dependent on the D_72C-value of the strains present and their concentration in milk. It is heat resistant and is capable of sequestering itself inside white blood cells, which may contribute to its persistence in milk. It has also been reported to survive chlorination in municipal water supplies.

Even though MAP is hardy, it is slow growing and fastidious, which means it is difficult to culture. Many negative studies for MAP presence in living tissue, food, and water have used culture methods to determine whether the bacteria are present. Due to recent advances in our knowledge of the bacterium, some or all of these studies may need to be re-evaluated on the basis of culture methodology.

MAP infections, like with most mycobacteria, are difficult to treat. It is not susceptible to antituberculosis drugs (which can generally kill Mycobacterium tuberculosis), but can only be treated with a combination of antibioticssuch as rifabutin and a macrolide such as clarithromycin. Treatment regimens can last years.^[5][6]

[edit]Crohn's disease

MAP is recognized as a multi-host mycobacterial pathogen with a proven specific ability to initiate and maintain systemic infection and chronic inflammation of the intestine of a range of histopathological types in many animal species, including primates.^[7]

On the assumption that MAP is a causative agent in Crohn's disease, the Australian biotechnology company Giaconda is seeking to commercialize a combination of rifabutin, clarithromycin, and clofazimine as a potential drug therapy, called Myoconda, for Crohn's. As of April 2007, Giaconda received United States FDA IND approval for a new Phase 2/3 trial.^[8]

MAP has been found in larger numbers within the intestines of Crohn's disease patients^[9] than those with ulcerative colitis and healthy controls.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mycobacterium_avium_subspecies_paratuberculosis

Swallowing a PillCam Colon Capsule *Many more benefits than colonoscopy*

How exciting!  A camera pill or colonoscopy?.... Pill/Scope? It's a given what people would choose if given the option.  

Does this mean we don't have to struggle to drink that nasty tasting drink or make a day of sitting on our most used seat (you know what seat I'm talking about).  I've had so many colonoscopies that they don't bother me anymore and the prep isn't even that bad either.  For some people, being scoped is a nightmare and some people actually refuse to have a colonoscopy because of the embarrassment of the whole procedure.  

Well, this PillCamera that is swallowed will make screening a breeze.  I bet more people would agree to the pill method and follow through with the screening.   It's said to be more effective at locating polyps and masses, it's non invasive and there's no need for sedation.  Awesome!! 

(RTTNews) - Given Imaging Ltd. (GIVN:News ) Wednesday reported positive data from the European multicenter study of PillCam COLON 2 confirming that the second-generation PillCam COLON capsule has higher sensitivity for colorectal polyp detection than the first generation technology.

Colon capsule endoscopy is a non-invasive, painless technology that can visualize the colon without sedation orair insufflation, potentially making it an excellent tool for encouraging broader compliance with colorectal cancer screening guidelines.
The study was conducted at eight European sites compared colon capsule endoscopy with conventional colonoscopy for the detection of colorectal polyps or masses greater than or equal to 6 mm in size in a cohort of patients at average or increased risk of colorectal neoplasia.
The goal of the study was to determine the feasibility, accuracy and safety of the upgraded PillCam COLON capsule by comparing it directly with colonoscopy. Per-patient colon capsule endoscopy sensitivity for polyps 6 mm and over and those 10 mm and over was 84 percent and 88 percent, with specificities of 64 percent and 95 percent, respectively.
Click here to receive FREE breaking news email alerts for GIVEN IMAGING LTD and others in your portfolio
by RTT Staff Writer

Abbott Labs -Just read 1st quarter global sales amount w/ Humira & almost puked!

Abbott's Humira is currently approved, either as a single therapy or in a combination, to treat rheumatoid and psoriatic arthritis in adults, and a type of juvenile arthritis affecting children. The drug is also approved to treat adults suffering from Crohn's disease, as well as severe chronic plaque psoriasis. Humira is a money spinner for Abbott, with first-quarter global sales improving 17.8 percent to $1.65 billion. Of this, U.S. sales grew 16.2 percent to $630 million.


In another article from RTTNews, Abbott Labs is working on getting Humira approved for Ulcerative Colitis, or UC for short.  The % of people that went into remission isn't very impressive.  It's significant, but barely.


According to the company, of the 248 patients treated with HUMIRA in the study, 16.5 percent achieved clinical remission compared to 9.3 percent on placebo at week 8. At week 52, 17.3 percent achieved clinical remission compared to 8.5 percent on placebo. These results were statistically significant compared to placebo.
HUMIRA is not approved for the treatment of UC. Abbott recently submitted applications to both the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the European Medicines Agency seeking approval to market HUMIRA for the treatment of moderate to severe UC.

Surfer,Brittani Nicholl=The face of National Advertising Campaign for Crohn's & Colitis Australia

A TWEED surfer is part of a national campaign to increase awareness of a disease affecting 61,000 Australians.

Surfer and crohn's disease sufferer Brittani Nicholl, 20, is the face of a national advertising campaign for Crohn's and Colitis Australia aimed at increasing awareness about the disease.

Brittani made a name for herself as a surfer but took time out from surfing to make the trip to Melbourne to film the advertisement.

“It did interrupt the surfing,” Ms Nicholl said.

“I usually go out on the water every afternoon after work,” she said.

Ms Nicholl said the campaign was important to help support the 61,000 sufferers of the disease by increasing community awareness.

“It's a type of inflammatory bowel disease and it can affect from the mouth to the anus, but it usually affects the colon,” she said.

“The body can't tell the difference between foreign materials and the normal body tissue.

“It's basically an overactive immune response and can cause inflammation, fever as well as diarrhoea and constipation.”

Brittani was diagnosed with the disease when she was seven-years-old. “I started surfing at the age of 11, but I got real sick,” Ms Nicholl said.

“I was determined to get back in the water and give it another go,” she said.

“When I get in the water I forget about everything else, about the illness.”

The community service advertisement will appear on commercial television stations throughout National Crohn's and Colitis Awareness Month in May.

IBS - More common among women than men

Dr Parul R Sheth

Posted On Monday, May 02, 2011   

Rekha Naik, 35 years old is suffering from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) for the past ten years. “I have been having digestive problems for so long; almost life-long! Every time I eat, I get heartburn, abdominal distension and cramps. I am so tired and I feel miserable,” states Rekha. Like Rekha there are many people who may be inflicted with IBS. For some the signs and symptoms of IBS may be mild but could be disabling for others.

According to Dr OP Kapoor, Hon Visiting Physician, Jaslok Hospital and Bombay Hospital, Mumbai and Dr Sharad Shah, Hon Gastroenterologist, Sir HN Hospital, Mumbai, IBS when properly diagnosed affects 15-20% of our population and people with IBS form nearly 50% of the cases seen in gastrointestinal clinics all over the world.

The good part is that even though the effects of IBS are uncomfortable and can be hard to live with, the disorder will not permanently harm the intestines or lead to a more-serious disease as reported by The National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland, US.

More common in women
According to the National Institutes of Health, IBS is two times more common in women than in men and people with IBS seem to have colons that are more sensitive and reactive than usual, so they respond to triggers that would not bother most people. Genetics and heredity plays a role. You may be at a higher risk of IBS if it runs in the family although you cannot predict whether a child of an affected parent will develop the disease. But the chances are about one in twenty that a blood relative also has IBS; either Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis.

For many women IBS worsens during or around the menstrual period suggesting the role of hormonal changes in causing IBS. A research team from London and Japan led by Professor Qasim Aziz, of the Wingate Institute for Neurogastroenterology, Queen Mary University of London found that women have more intense responses to pain of chronic conditions such as IBS than men.

Dr Philip Abraham, consultant gastroenterologist and hepatologist, PD Hinduja National Hospital, Professor, Department of gastroenterology, KEM Hospital, Mumbai puts up his views that there is a notable difference in India; it occurs more frequently in men as compared to women, which is the opposite of what is reported from elsewhere in the world. This may be either because men are truly more commonly affected or that they report to doctors with a lower threshold.

Signs of IBS

• Abdominal pain or cramping
• Diarrhoea or constipation, at times alternating bouts of constipation and diarrhoea
• Gas, flatulence, a bloated feeling
• Mucus in the stool

What happens and why?Wrong diet habits, certain foods, medications, anxiety, overwork and stress - all can trigger IBS. Up to 40% of people with IBS may have lactose intolerance; inability to digest the sugars found in milk and milk products. Sometimes other illnesses, such as an acute gastroenteritis can act as a trigger. A weak immune system may be responsible in triggering IBS.

The causes of IBS are not known. It affects the large intestine or colon causing irregular bowel movements. The walls of the intestines are lined with muscle layers. As the food that you eat moves from your stomach to the intestines and into your rectum, these muscles contract and relax in co-ordination.  With IBS the muscle contractions become stronger and last longer than normal causing the food to be forced through your intestines more quickly resulting in gas, bloating and diarrhoea.

At times with IBS, the opposite occurs when the food passage slows, stools become hard and dry giving rise to constipation. Problems with your nervous system or colon also may make you experience more discomfort.

A Short Article That Says A Lot About LDN

I like this short article because it covers the history of the drug LDN, how it started to get used for autoimmune diseases and why the FDA hasn't approved it for conditions other than drug addiction.  This article is from 2007 however, it's now 2011 and people still haven't heard about low dose naltrexone as an alternative treatment for many diseases.  I began doing research for SAFE and effective treatment for Crohn's Disease because I was on Remicade.  In my opinion, Remicade and other biologic drugs that weaken the immune system are not SAFE options.  Read the side-effect and safety indications for any of the biologics that are being used for many inflammatory diseases.  After reading this for yourself, you will understand why I consider this an unsafe treatment. Next, look up the side-effect and safety warnings for LDN/naltrexone.  

Now which one would you choose ?   

LDN - An Emerging Treatment - Article By Carl Frankel, Care2 Green Living contribution writer

If you’re one of the millions of people with auto-immune disease, there may be help for you. It’s a drug with a mouthful of a name—Low-Dosage Naltrexone, or LDN for short.

LDN is best known for its effect on multiple sclerosis. Thousands of people with MS are persuaded that it has halted the disease’s downward progression, and even reversed their symptoms. People with lupus, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, Crohn’s disease, and psoriasis also report benefits.

The good news doesn’t stop here. LDN is affordable—a bit over a dollar a day. Side effects——and many people don’t have them—are mild and short-term. It’s even FDA-approved, sort of. (It has “off-label” approval, meaning the FDA okayed it for a different purpose.)

The story of LDN is an intriguing saga of one man’s pioneering work, followed by a grass-roots, Internet-driven movement.

Naltrexone, without the “low-dosage” part, was developed by Dupont to treat drug addition, and approved in 1984 by the FDA for that purpose. The standard dosage was 50 milligrams, and it didn’t pan out as a treatment. Naltrexone blocks the opiate receptors in the brain. It works, in other words, by taking the fun out of taking opiates. The problem is, it takes the fun out of just about everything else, too. The result: People wouldn’t stay with the program.

Bernard Bihari, a Harvard-trained neurologist, began researching naltrexone and discovered something remarkable. When people took the drug in very low doses (3.0—4.5 milligrams instead of the standard 50 mg. dosage), it appeared to have a dramatic effect on auto-immune diseases. Bihari hypothesized that this essentially homeopathic dosage caused the body to manufacture more endorphins, which are centrally involved in supporting and regulating the immune system. He also came to believe it helped fight cancer and HIV.

Over the past 15 years or so, many thousands of people have taken LDN, to positive effect. The “anecdotal” evidence, so-called because it’s derived from stories, not studies, is overwhelmingly positive. It is also hugely persuasive, if you’re not the sort of person (your typical doctor, for instance) who requires clinical trials to be persuaded.

Where has the medical establishment been during this explosion of grassroots interest? Until recently, unmotivated and indifferent. Because the patent has expired and the drug is so inexpensive, there’s little money to be made from LDN, and therefore little reason to conduct clinical trials.

This can make it difficult to get a prescription for LDN. Because it hasn’t been clinically proven to be an effective auto-immune disease treatment, many doctors won’t prescribe it.

Recently, the medical establishment has started turning its attention to LDN, for a very simple reason: The anecdotal evidence is that overwhelming. Three national conferences on LDN have been held, and clinical trials have been launched in the United States and elsewhere. The first study to report results came out of Penn State University: “LDN therapy appears effective and safe in subjects with active Crohn’s disease.”

If you’re interested in learning more about LDN, a wealth of information is available at
www.ldninfo.org.

As for whether or not to try LDN, at the end of the day, there’s only one person who knows what’s right for you. And that’s you.

Carl Frankel is a journalist and author who has been writing about green business, green products, and integral living for the past 20 years.

More on Alternative Therapies (184 articles available)
More from Carl Frankel (12 articles available)

Read more: http://www.care2.com/greenliving/ldn-an-emerging-treatment.html#ixzz1LfORWCGV

Free E-book about LDN- Those Who Suffer Much, Know Much

This free e-book is approximately 400+ pages with a ton of testimonials by people who are taking LDN from all over the world.  Links are close to the end of the book.  It's worth reading what people experience while taking Low Dose Naltrexone.

The link takes you straight to the e-book.  

Naltrexone - general info & other conditions it could possibly treat

So many people are clueless about this treatment... Thank you FDA, we love you too.
*Naltrexone is only FDA approved for the treatment of opiate/alcohol addiction in the US*  

Low doses of naltrexone can treat Crohn's, Colitis, MS, Cancer, AIDS & an array of other autoimmune diseases (this we know because the clinical trials say so & from personal experience ....  I'm feeling better and I've only been on it for 6 days!!!! YAYYYY)

This is just basic information about naltrexone.   Click on **Other Uses** and see the list of other conditions that Naltrexone can possibly treat.. I can't believe the list.  Autism to sexual dysfunction  Whaaaaaat?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naltrexone
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naltrexone#Other_uses