Irritable Bowel Syndrome - The most common disorders being diagnosed by doctors these days

By: Sylvia McGrath
IBS affects one in five adults and more than one out of every ten visits to the doctor's results in receiving this diagnosis.

IBS is a disease that people feel uncomfortable talking about as symptoms include bloating, gas, diarrhea and constipation. There is also a stigma with this diagnosis since at one time it was considered to be a psychological rather than a physical condition.

Although it is widely diagnosed most people show signs and symptoms that are generally quite mild and only a small number have severe signs and symptoms. Unlike more serious intestinal diseases such as Crohn's and Ulcerative Colitis irritable bowel is not serious nor does it cause inflammation or changes in the bowel tissues neither does it increase the risk of colorectal cancer. It can be easily controlled by managing stress, the lifestyle and diet.

For more on IBS, click here.

Problems With Acid Reflux In Infants

We’ve all heard about adults suffering from acid reflux disease, and it is in fact fairly common, but reflux is actually commonly suffered by babies as well. Of course, the image of a baby puking all over the parent holding him is all to familiar, but believe it or not, this is really a very natural thing as most infants experience regurgitation in the first three months after their birth; in fact, this is common amongst more than half of all normal infants. This reflux can occur during the various actions that a baby will experience such as coughing, straining, burping, or crying.

Read more about Problems With Acid Reflux In Infants here

Arm Pain with GERD?

Found this great posted question from someone with GERD...

Hi everyone! This is my first post, but I have been reading all of yours and it has been so helpful to know that I am not so alone in dealing with my GERD symptoms!

Here is my question. Does anyone ever experience any pain in their arms? I have been to the doctor numerous times w/ sharp pains in my arm and shoulder. Sometimes its almost a pressure feeling. It always scares me though because it mostly occurs in my left arm. I have even went to the ER 2 or 3 times thinking it was my heart. I am really young (only 21) and this is causing a HUGE disruption in my lfe. I keep having anixiety/panic attacks b/c of it. I have been diagnosed with GERD and I also have a hiatal hernia. I also get the pain in my chest just not as bad as the pain in my arm and I know for sure its not my heart b/c of all the tests that I have had done on me the past several months. If anyone has had this occur with their GERD please let me know, it will make me feel so much better to know that someone else has this problem to.

For more postings and answers to her questions, click here.

Arthritis Associated with Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) refers to two disorders — Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis — marked by inflammation of the intestinal tract. They are thought to be autoimmune disorders in which the body's immune system mistakenly attacks the intestinal tract, and other parts of the body, although this is unproven.

Some people with inflammatory bowel disease have a type of arthritis that is similar to rheumatoid arthritis in some ways. However, there are some important differences. With the arthritis associated with IBD, inflammation tends to involve only a few, large joints and it tends not to involve both sides of the body equally. For example, it might affect the knee on one side and the ankle on the other. In rheumatoid arthritis, more joints, especially small ones in the hand and wrist are involved and joints on both sides of the body are affected equally. An antibody commonly found in the blood of people with rheumatoid arthritis usually is not found in the blood of people with IBD arthritis. Unlike rheumatoid arthritis, arthritis associated with IBD may affect the lower spine, especially the sacroiliac joints, and is associated with a certain gene (called HLA-B27).

The bowel problems caused by inflammatory bowel disease usually appear long before the arthritis develops. Occasionally the arthritis appears first and the inflammatory bowel disease is diagnosed months or even years later.

Click here for more information on the linkage of arthritis to IBS.

Treating Ulcerative Colitis

Ulcerative colitis wears away at the inner lining of the rectum and colon, often leaving ulcers. Although it's a chronic condition, there are medications that can be very effective at improving the symptoms.

*What Is It?
*Symptoms
*Diagnosis
*Expected Duration
*Prevention
*Treatment
*When To Call A Professional
*Prognosis
*Additional Info

Natural Remedies for GERD Sufferers

While excessive weight and obesity can lead to serious problems down the road, new studies also indicate that they can be responsible for more immediate ailments concerning the digestive and circulatory systems. In many cases, these ailments are the pre-cursors to more serious problems. In addition to losing the excess weight that causes them, treating these conditions now can help combat uncomfortable symptoms, as well as reduce the risk of serious long-term damage.

One of the ailments most commonly reported by both overweight and obese individuals worldwide is frequent Heartburn. This condition, also known as Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (or GERD), occurs when acids from the stomach are allowed to rise up into the esophagus as a result of the malfunctioning of the muscle valve which usually keeps the acids in their place. This not only causes painful burning sensations in the chest, but can eventually result in significant damage to the esophagus. In a study performed in 2006, researchers discovered that people who were overweight were more than 50 percent more likely to develop GERD. Obesity more than doubled a subject’s odds of developing the disease. (GERD is also linked to hiatus hernias, so be sure to check with your physician if you continue to suffer from severe Heartburn and tightness in the chest even after treatment).

Despite its uncomfortable symptoms, the ultimate concern of those that suffer from GERD is primarily that the disease has been linked to certain types of esophageal cancers. These arise due to the constant irritation and corrosion of the esophagus by stomach acids. Interestingly, studies show that cases of esophageal Cancer have increased roughly 600% since 1971, which closely mirrors the incredible increases in the number of overweight and obese Americans we have seen in recent decades.

Scientists and nutritional specialists are also currently investigating the extent of the damage that being overweight or obese can cause to the digestive system. Many have already posited that digestive conditions such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) are linked to excessive weight and obesity, and links to other gastrointestinal maladies are currently being explored.

While the best way to combat GERD and weight-related digestive ailments is to lose the excess weight that causes it, there are also a variety of Natural Remedies available that can help alleviate the painful symptoms of these conditions. In many cases, GERD may be so bad that sufferers are unable to exercise without pain, making it even harder to Lose Weight. There are all kinds of herbal and Homeopathic Treatments that can heal the stomach and settle the digestive system. Natural medicines can soothe the symptoms of IBS and other gastrointestinal issues, and in combination with exercise and a healthy diet can also help to eliminate them.

* Gastronic Dr.
* Digest Assist
* Digestion Tonic
* Gasolve Relief
* Tummy Trumbles

Obesity and excessive weight are also known to increase the prevalence of circulatory problems such as High Blood Pressure and Cholesterol levels. These conditions contribute to the risk of Heart Disease and stroke, and as a result of the growing population of overweight citizens, there has been a steady rise in the prescription of various blood thinners and Cholesterol-lowering medications over recent years.

While pharmaceutical drugs can be very effective on their own, they can also be used in conjunction with herbal and Homeopathic Remedies to restore the natural health of the body and circulatory system. When used in combination with a healthy diet and regular exercise, it may also be possible to avoid the use of prescription drugs altogether.

* Cholesto-Rite
* High-Rite
* CircuLive

For more information on Natural Remedies for weight loss and conditions associated with excessive weight or obesity, be sure to check out the complete Native Remedies line of natural and homeopathic products designed to heal the body without the side effects of prescription drugs.

For more holistic health information, click here.