Dieting: Why do all diet fads 'work'??

It is truely curious.

There is the

• south beach diet
• zone diet
• atkins diet
• vegan
• vegetarian
• paleolithic
• blood type diet
• whatever is next diet
  

Why do they all seem to work? It doesn't make sense as they are all different.

Or are they?

Think about it. What is the one thing they have in common?

Conscious eating.

People on these diets or eating lifestyles are focused on what they eat. Therefore, they do not eat a bunch of processed foods, high saturated fats, sugar or alcohol.

If one is focused and conscious of what foods they put into their system, they will likely lose weight, sleep better, have more energy and improved mood.

So - forget the diets. Just be conscious of what you buy, where you go to eat and what you eat. That's all. No secret and no fads.

A great book that was recommended to me by a classmate is entitled exactly what we are talking about: Conscious Eating I have not read all of it, but what I have read, I am highly impressed.

One book. No fads. Eat what you want. Just be conscious of what it is.

I have located a Conscious Eating CD which may prove to be useful as well - check it out.

Like what you've read? Subscribe to my blog so you can get my articles as soon as I publish them.

In health,
Ben

Sugar and Your Immune System - They Don't Mix Well

Quick tidbit: Eating a high sugar snack or meal will limit your immune system tremendously for about 2 hours. High sugar also means simple carbohydrates. It does not mean complex carbohydrates - such as fiber.

Why does this happen:
Good question. I've been resesarching why this happens and I'm finding it difficult to find a clear cut answer. However, I did find research proving that sugar does indeed limit the immune system.

One study concludes: "Acute, short-term hyperglycemia affects all major components of innate immunity and impairs the ability of the host to combat infection"

Bottom Line:
It's Fall. It's windy. It's getting cold. Limit sugar. Stay healthy.

In health,
Ben

Health Tip Series | Week 2 of 10 | Cannot Sleep?

Not sleeping is a huge problem for some. If you are in this camp, do not fret. There are some amazing tricks and tips that can create sound sleep once again. Doubtful you may be but do give them a try. I have outlined a few different suggestions here and my hope that one of them works for you.

1. Deep Breathing: Lay down in your bed and get in your comfortable sleeping position. Then begin to breathe from your toes up to the top of your head - long slow inhalations. Then breathe out slowly from the top of your head down to your toes. Yogis state that exhaling is most important to control. Do this 10 times - that is if you can make it that far without falling asleep. Breathe in and out to your comfort level. It takes time to perfect very deep breathing.
   
   
2. Dash of salt: I learned this from reading 'Your Bodies Many Cries For Water' by Dr B. Simply take a small pinch of salt and place it on your tongue. Let it dissolve and then swallow. It may burn a bit the first time you do it but after that, it will be fine. Do not ask me the mechanism behind this - I have no idea how it works but it definitely does for me. Do it right before bed - basically when you are getting in bed. Leave a salt shaker in your room. Will a pinch of salt affect your blood pressure? According to Dr. B, no. I recommend reading his book.
   
   
3. Magnesium: Taking a magnesium supplement may help one sleep. According to numerous studies, magnesium helps balance the brain's neurotransmitters and also balances hormones. It is recommended to take a calcium magnesium supplement in a 2:1 ratio. More calcium is needed as magnesium increases the elimination of calcium. A good magnesium to take is magnesium citrate or magnesium aspartate. I have linked a useful study from PubMed for you.


4. Cell Salts: Cell salts are similar to homeopathy for some. For me, they are completely different. They are safer, cheaper and very fast acting. For sleep disturbances, Kali Phos is the most commonly recommended cell salt. Yet, some people need Calc Phos, Mag Phos or some others. A great book to learn about Cell Salts is by Dr Skye Weintraub, "Natural Healing with Cell Salts" I recommend Kali Phos or a mixture of all the BioPhosphates if you are unsure of which to take. Best way to take cell salts: take a tablespoon of hot water and drop 4 tablets of the cell salt in it. Let it dissolve completely - it's rapid. Then place under your tongue for about 20 seconds. Done. Do this on the hour every hour. I'd recommend doing a dose or two before sleep - so start an hour before bed so you can get two doses in. It works like a charm for my kids.


5. Stay mellow before sleep: What are you doing before sleep? Are you watching horrible and stressful news? Doing something at the last minute for work? Listening to rock? Drinking soda? Eating ice cream? Avoid these things and aim to relax at least 20 minutes before sleep. Lay down with a good book. Meditate. Drink herbal teas. Get your partner to massage your feet - or lay down opposite each other and do both at once!


6. Listen to quiet music to help relax brain frequencies: There is a program out there that is designed to relax the alpha waves of the brain - which are the active frequencies. Awakened Minds has designed the Insight CD program to relax the alpha waves. I use the Focus CD by them to study my countless hours of lecture material.
   

Having said all that - I best stop and get my butt to sleep. Fortunately, I know these tricks. Plus, I'm pretty wiped from lectures and raising two little kids.

Try the free methods first. I know they are powerful and effective. I have provided the other options as you may have already known about those and they didn't work for you - or it wasn't suited for you.

Sleep well tonight! Let me know how it works out for you - I'd love to know which tools you used. As a future physician, I will be suggesting things for my patients. Each person is different but it is still good to know which seem to work the best.

If you know of some useful tricks for falling asleep that I didn't mention - let me know! Love to learn!

Want more useful information?! Subscribe to our blog - I post regularly.

In health,
Ben

PS - of course, exercise 3 times a week for 20-30 minutes is very effective for balancing stress and improving sleep. yet, i know many of you do not have the energy or capacity to do it. so these tips are alternatives to getting out and busting a sweat.

Health Tip Series | Week 1 of 10 | Shower Stretching

Stiff in the morning? No time to stretch?

Jump in the shower and with the water hot, you become a bit more limber. Use this time to stretch. You'll be amazed at how fast you will be able to touch your toes. I go from touching my knees only to touching the bathtub floor after 4 reptitions.

Do each stretch with deep breathing. Breathe in as you go into the stretch and out as you do the stretch.

1. Stretch 1: Stretch your hamstrings. Breathe in, put hands over head, breathe out, lean back as far as you can safely, breathe out as you go down to touch your toes. Repeat 4 times. Breathe!
   
2. Stretch 2: Stretch your quads. Brace against the wall with one arm, bend one leg and touch the heel to your bum. Switch legs.
3. Stretch 3: Stretch your sides and lats. Put hands over head and lean with your back straight, away from your hips. Keep your legs at a good stable distance apart. Also helpful: point one foot in the same direction you are stretching while keeping the other foot in a normal stance position.
   
4. Stretch 4: Tilt your head to one side and gently pull it a bit further in the same direction. Do this all in all directions: front, left, right, and angles between. Do not pull on your head in the backward direction.

Easy!

Obviously, take caution of the potential slipping. You can purchase non-slipping mats at your local bath store.

You will feel much better after this 4 minute routine. Make it part of your daily exercise.

Subscribe to our blog to keep learning about useful health tips!

In health,
Ben

Tired? Do Contrast Hydrotherapy in the Shower

Waking up tired and expecting to be revived in minutes does not seem realistic; especially for those who aren't addicted to the most common drug: caffeine.

Want to wake up without caffeine? Or just wake up in general?

Take a Contrast Shower. That will do it. Not only will it wake you up, but it will wake others in the house as you let out a wail once the cold water hits you.

It's not that bad.

How did I stumble across this crazy natural treatment for fatigue and lethary? It was prescribed to me by my naturopathic doctor years ago. I did it and it worked amazingly.

Who cannot take a contrast shower? If you are asthmatic, have active autoimmune disease, inflammation, cardiovascular issues, pregnant, temperature insensitive, weak feeling or otherwise do not feel that you should, do not take a contrast shower. Seek the advice of your physician if you have any questions about the safety of this procedure. It is pretty intense!

How does one take a contrast shower:

• Drag out of bed
• Get into the shower and turn the water as hot as you like. Hotter the better as the blood flow is stronger - obviously don't burn yourself. Hot water for about 3 minutes.
• You may wash during this time - may as well as you're likely late to work.
• At the 3 minute mark, I turn the water up higher for a brief moment until I'm just begging for a cool down. Then turn the nob.
• Turn the shower all the way to cold for 30 seconds
• Then turn it back to as hot as you can for another 3 minutes.
• Then repeat cold for 30 seconds
• Then hot for 3 minutes
• Then end with cold for 30 seconds.
• Basically 3 sets of 3 minutes hot and 30 seconds cold.

That's it! You're done! How do you think it sounds? You going to do it? ;)

Let me say a bit more.

When you get really hot water on you for 3 minutes, you do crave cold. I recommend that you have something colorful in the shower to stare at while you're getting blasted with cold water. Reminds me of the tropics. Or close your eyes while in the cold water part and imagine you're walking down the beach gazing at palm trees.

An easy way to ease into the cold part is to only put your head into the water. Once your head has adjusted, let the water go down your back. Ease into it. You'll get it.

When you finish with cold for the last time, you end up extremely hot and sweating. This is a good sign that you did the procedure correctly. Why do you sweat? Your body does not want you cold. When ending with cold for 30 seconds, your surface temperature gets cold because the blood rushes away. As soon as you stop the cold, your blood comes screaming back in to warm you. This sudden rush of blood makes you hot.

The trick is not keeping the cold on for too long and making sure you have the hot water on long enough. If you have the cold water on for say 1 minute and hot water on for 1 minute, you're going to be cold. So make sure you do the 3 sets of 3 minutes hot and 30 seconds cold.

If you want, do what I do - just do one set. I don't have time every day for a 10 minute procedure so I cut it short. I still feel super charged afterwards.

Enjoy it! It really does make you feel refreshed, full of energy and hot as heck after you are done.

I'll get into the mechanics of hot cold showers and also why they are beneficial - besides just feeling good afterwards.

An important note that needs to be addressed is what hot water does to chlorine. Chlorine is a gas and when hot becomes very volatile. Chlorine is a lung-irritant and destroys proteins. Proteins are everywhere - your hair, eyes, skin, inside you. I say inside you as one typical shower in chlorinated water is equivalent to drinking 8 cups of chlorinated water. If you are asthmatic, have acne, winter skin, dry eyes, dandruff, eczema or other skin conditions, I highly recommend getting a shower chlorine filter.

Questions, ask the med student!

In health,
Ben

IQAir North America Refutes Consumer Reports Evaluation of Room Air Cleaners

As a natural health advocate, I am ashamed how Consumer Reports handled their evaluation of the oustanding IQ Air Cleaners. IQ Air professional air cleaners are used throughout the world in the most intense of conditions - and improve life in those intense conditions.

Do we remember the SARS epidemic? While there was no said cure for SARS, there was prevention of getting SARS. What was that prevention? IQ Air Cleaners purchased by Asian hospitals, businesses and homes. The IQ Air Cleaners are powerful enough to pull viral particles from the air. So, Consumer Reports, what do you say to that?

The press release is below which explains why Consumer Reports did a horrid job evaluating the IQ Air Cleaner. At times, one must question results. I definitely do.

Remember the study published in JAMA a few months ago on Vitamin E saying that it did not reduce cardiovascular risk and that it was potentially harmful? Question that definitely - 1000's of physicians did with ample evidence. Another topic entirely but the point stands.

Read on for the press release:

Consumer Reports' Poor Testing Methods Cause Popular Magazine to Recommend Inferior Products

SANTA FE SPRINGS, Calif., Sept. 22 /PRNewswire/ --
When a respected consumer product review magazine does not properly test and evaluate a product category, their product recommendations can actually be a disservice to consumers. According to IQAir North America, this is the case in the October 2005 issue of Consumer Reports where the magazine includes an article titled "Air Cleaners: Some Do Little Cleaning." In this article, Consumer Reports venerates poorly designed room air cleaners, giving them top recommendations, and fails to recognize the vastly superior air cleaning ability of IQAir's HealthPro Plus. The HealthPro Plus is recognized by numerous product testing agencies and product reviewers around the world as the top room air cleaner available for home use.

The question of why the HealthPro Plus is not Consumer Reports' top recommended product is no mystery to air cleaning experts. The problem stems from Consumer Reports' adoption of a flawed and outdated testing protocol originating from the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM), a trade association that promotes the interests of their members. There are five major flaws to Consumer Reports' air cleaner testing that result in misleading recommendations to consumers.

First, Consumer Reports fails to inform consumers that they do not actually test air cleaners for particle removal. Many of Consumer Reports' top ranked products use electrostatic or ionizing technologies which add an electric charge to airborne particles which causes them to temporarily adhere to a nearby surface. In the testing chamber, this temporarily attracts the particle away from the detection area of the particle counting equipment, but when the electric charge dissipates those particles can quickly become airborne again. Consumer Reports' does not distinguish between particles permanently removed by the air cleaner and charged particles that are temporarily attached to test chamber surfaces through ionization. The HealthPro Plus cleans the air by filtration only, permanently removing particles from the room -- never to become airborne again.

Second, Consumer Reports only tests for an air cleaners' ability to affect the largest 20% of airborne particles (particles larger than 0.1 microns), but approximately 80% of all particles are smaller than 0.1 microns. Scientists agree that it is these ultra-fine particles that present the greatest health risks to consumers because they can penetrate deeply into the lungs and reach every cell of our bodies. Many room air cleaners sold to consumers have poor efficiency for ultra-fine particles. The HealthPro Plus is certified to filter ultra-fine particles down to 0.003 microns with a guaranteed minimum efficiency of over 99.5%. This is 30 times smaller than the smallest particle tested by Consumer Reports. The HealthPro Plus has the highest efficiency at filtering ultra-fine particles of any room air cleaner.

Third, Consumer Reports fails to test room air cleaners for their ability to remove gases and odors. Gases and odors contribute significantly to potentially unhealthy indoor air pollution. Not testing for gas and odor removal significantly disadvantages air cleaners that contain considerable gas and odor filtration technology. This is because gas filters notably reduce airflow during the Consumer Reports test. Most of the 30 air cleaners tested by Consumer Reports are advertised as being effective against gases and odors, but only two of the air cleaners tested contain significant gas and odor filtration. Many consumers want effective gas and odor filtration, and the HealthPro Plus has the most comprehensive gas and odor filtration that is available for home use.

Fourth, Consumer Reports fails to inform consumers that the entirety of their air cleaner evaluation is based on testing the air cleaner for a period of only thirty (30) minutes. Air cleaning experts have long been aware that poorly designed air cleaners lose much of their effectiveness within a few days of use. Long-term testing would reveal the inefficiency of electrostatic precipitators and ionizers as air cleaners. It would also demonstrate the problems inherent in air cleaners that use synthetic HEPA instead of mechanical HEPA. Mechanical HEPA filtration has been the technology of choice in critical environments, such as hospitals and cleanrooms, for decades. Although air cleaners with synthetic HEPA filters have a higher initial airflow in a testing chamber, they have been demonstrated to significantly lose efficiency and re-release particles over time. The HealthPro Plus' patented HyperHEPA filter features advanced mechanical HEPA that never loses efficiency, even 10,000 hours into use, and it never re-releases particles.

Lastly, while Consumer Reports scorns some air cleaners for producing ozone, they backhandedly recommend other air cleaners that also produce significant amounts of ozone. Consumer Reports appears to take the stance that some degree of ozone production is acceptable in room air cleaners.

IQAir shares the belief of the American Lung Association that air cleaners should not produce any amount of ozone. The HealthPro Plus is certified to produce absolutely no ozone.
Most of the air cleaners tested and recommended by Consumer Reports would not be deemed acceptable to be used in hospitals and other critical environments due to the unrealiability of their technology and their poor long-term performance. The IQAir HealthPro Plus is used around the world in the most critical of air filtration applications. The Hong Kong Hospital Authority, after testing dozens of other room air cleaners, found the IQAir HealthPro Plus to be the only room air cleaner suitable to be used in the fight against SARS. Consumer Reports needs to recognize that consumers use room air cleaners for an equally important health environment -- their homes. Consumers deserve air cleaner evaluations at the same high standards used by hospitals and other critical environments. If Consumer Reports adopts higher testing standards, they will soon realize they have long recommended poorly designed room air cleaners. They will also discover that the IQAir HealthPro Plus is the very best room air cleaner available to consumers today.

IQAir North America, Inc. is a member of the Swiss based IQAir Group that develops and manufactures state of the art air quality products for indoor environments. IQAir products are used worldwide by hospitals and other critical environments. IQAir also manufactures home air cleaners for allergy and asthma sufferers and individuals with chemical sensitivities. IQAir is an American Lung Association educational partner on indoor air quality issues. For more information visit http://www.iqair.us

Getting to the Root Problem in Schools and Healthcare

[this is an essay question I responded to a year ago - I didn't win anything but I still think my idea is a good one...you?]

“WHAT ROLE SHOULD COMPLEMENTARY HEALTH CARE PLAY IN RESOLVING THE HEALTH CARE CRISIS?”

Education reform is a topic discussed around the clock. Healthcare reform is right alongside. Has anyone thought perhaps both issues may be linked successfully?

Having worked for the Headstart program this summer in two elementary schools, I saw first hand the absolute necessity for educating students, teachers and the entire administration about dietary issues.

Day after day, I saw the lunches for kindergarten up to 3rd grade. These lunches came in Styrofoam boxes with French fries and a main entrée. Ketchup, milk and chocolate milk lay waiting on a shelf below with the teachers asking – “Would you like chocolate or regular milk?” Obviously, the little ones demanded chocolate roughly 80% of the time. The French fries painted liberally with processed Heinz ketchup.

With non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (Type II Diabetes) on the exponential rise and Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) labeled on any child who does not sit still, the necessity for Naturopathic consultations is beyond enormous.

Those of us in the healthcare bubble know that type II is on the rise and Ritalin is over-prescribed; but do the little ones? Do teachers, parents and school administrators? They may have heard about it on the news one night along with the fires, weather and shootings.

We now have ND’s on the Medicare board. We have ND’s in hospitals. We have ND’s working with MD’s in specialty clinics. This is incredible and our medicine is helping numerous people. Yet we have missed a big target – a big preventative target.

My plan is this: Have a team of naturopaths tour American schools giving talks not only to the administrators, but also to the parents and kids during assembly. These talks would focus on diabetes type II and ADD. The talks would address prevention, signs/symptoms, dietary suggestions, menu design and health risks. The trick is not just having another lecture. It must be interactive, fun and rewarding for all attending and listening. A good plan would be having ND residents traveling about as they are younger and school kids would relate better with them. The carefully chosen ND residents would have the opportunity to travel nationally putting them into the spotlight thereby ensuring a successful future. Giving T-shirts, games, books and healthy snacks away to participating teachers, parents and kids would increase the interactive activity. Raffling off a grand prize would also increase attendance and participation.

The funds would come from donations - supplement companies (required to remain anonymous thereby preventing sales pressures and bad press), clinics, hospitals, doctors, parents, school districts, airline companies, local businesses and numerous other possibilities.

The tours would be advertised on local public radio stations (donated air time), local and state papers, and throughout the school districts by memos and e-mails. The schools and districts would meet a year in advance to plan this yearly event.

There exists a nurse on staff in each school. That is great but the preventative aspect of medicine is absent. ND’s are known for preventative medicine and kids are known for their enthusiasm. What a perfect mix. I can already see the news bulletins – “Traveling ND’s successfully decrease diabetes and ADD in schools.

by
Benjamin D. Lynch

Effective Home Spa Treatment using Peat Therapy

The patient slowly enters your office with noticeable pain, carrying records inches thick. After establishing rapport for fifteen minutes, taking the history for an hour and doing a physical exam for twenty minutes, you find yourself already over time. Treatment time? Next visit perhaps – that is if the patient returns.

How many times do you find yourself in this situation?

Effective history taking and physical exams take time. That is reality. The other reality is that the patient walks away feeling frustrated. They are tired, sick or in pain, and have to wait until the next office visit for what they came for in the first place - treatment. You are also frustrated because you desired to improve your patient’s condition on the first visit. As a result, both the physician and patient are not completely satisfied.

Adding a therapeutic, safe and inexpensive outpatient treatment is an effective solution. Outpatient treatment alleviates time pressure because you now have a tool that patients can do at home. The need to rush through the history and physical is no longer necessary. Take your time; be thorough. Now many of your patients may treat themselves at home.

This outpatient treatment is Balneotherapy.

Balneotherapy is simply hydrotherapy combined with therapeutic baleno-grade peat. Hydrotherapy treats numerous conditions and has only a few contraindications. Educating the patient for this in-home procedure takes about ten minutes. Training a physician to use the therapeutic product effectively takes about an hour. It can be done over the phone, internet or in-office.

What is Balneo-grade peat? Balneo-grade peat is peat suited for therapeutic spa treatments. There are strict standards set by The Czech Ministry of Health which demand safety and quality of health products. The Ministry of Health is the European agency similar to America’s Food and Drug Administration. Samples of peat are sent to The Ministry of Health for testing. The peat must not contain heavy metals, radiation or other toxins. The peat must contain a specific amount of water, sulfur, humic acids, fulvic acids, cellulose and be in an appropriate stage of humification. If any of these conditions are not met, the peat is marked inferior grade, not suitable for hydrotherapy.

The Czech Ministry of Health received, tested and approved Torf Krasno peat for hydrotherapy. This peat is now available in the United States and Canada. Torf Krasno Balneo-grade peat is unlike peat most people know. Torf Krasno peat is in a natural state, non-pasteurized and without additives or preservatives. Torf Krasno harvests, stirs and packages the peat into patented packaging which allows safe storage for more than one year.

A brief introduction about Torf Krasno is necessary.

Torf Krasno is the largest and most famous peat supplier in the Czech Republic. Torf Krasno supplies countless famous spas, clinics and hotels in Europe. One such famous spa area Torf Krasno supplies is Karlovy Vary. Individuals, nobility and travelers come from the world over to receive spa treatments at Karlovy Vary. Each year, in Europe alone, Torf Krasno supplies balneo peat for more than 500,000 therapeutic procedures. Torf Krasno balneo peat is new to the United States market. It is already proving to be an asset for various physicians, clinics and spas.

What are the uses of peat?
home use by patients, numerous uses and applications are available. The following are some easy applications and uses of peat therapy for home use by patients:

Bathing in hot water with peat:

• musculoskeletal pains,
• aches,
• stiffness
• mobility issues
• chronic arthritis
• fibromyalgia
• scoliosis
• detoxification
• post-workout stress
• insomnia
• relaxation
• infertility
• immune system stimulation
• eczema

Bathing in warm water with peat:

• lower blood pressure

Bathing in neutral water with peat:

• heavy metal detoxification [esp lead]
• stress relief
• insomnia
• relaxation

Cold peat pack on localized affected area:

• acute arthritic pain and swelling
• acute sprain
• acute tendonitis
• acute spasm

Hot peat pack on localized affected area:

• frozen shoulder
• chronic sprain
• chronic tendonitis
• mobility issues
• pain
• cellulite reduction

With well-written instructions and a brief discussion in the office, your patient now leaves your clinic with hope. You have likely secured a return office call, a referral and a patient who is on their way to recovery.

Another benefit: It is essential that patients take part in their own path to recovery. Hydrotherapy allows this to take place. No longer does the patient have to wade through another appointment and spend additional money to receive their first treatment. By their return office call, their health is improved and you may focus on the deeper issue or address another.

With this effective and efficient treatment your patient’s health and pocketbook thank you. The cost of peat bath treatment is minimal compared to in-office treatment. Natural medicine is meant to treat the masses, not only the affluent. This effective therapy allows all the chance to regain health without exceptional cost, only $10 for each home treatment.

For more information on peat therapy and Balneo-grade peat, please contact us or visit our Wholesale Spa Product Information page.

Peat therapy may be done in a clinic setting and for some patients, this is recommended. A clinic setting allows procedures that cannot be done at home. If a clinic is not set up for baths, Balneo-grade peat is available in single-foment packs.

All products are explained online in the Hydrotherapy and Spa Products section. Please email or phone with any questions.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Benjamin Lynch a is fourth year student in Naturopathic Medicine at Bastyr University. He earned his undergraduate degree (B.Sc.) from the University of Washington in Cell and Molecular Biology. Benjamin is the northwest distributor for Torf Krasno Spa. Benjamin is a member of the Day Spa Association, International Society of Medical Hydrology and the International Medical Spa Association.

Inflammation of the Colon - What to do?

QUESTION:
I was wondering if Bos welya plus is any good for inflammation of the colon? I have a digestive situation with colitis and a bad taste in my mouth that comes and goes that no tests have solved...all normal...except for colitis found in colonoscopy, a return from more than ten years without it brought on by a bad combination of western drugs that affected my nervous system and smooth muscles. (I rarely take medicine and am rarely sick, until one bad doc basically poisoned me)...I cannot tolerate Asacol, which worked just fine ten years ago, or any of the other meds they have tried. I'm currently on B complex, SeaCure, MSM, glutamine, probiotics and I've recently added Phosphatidyl Choline for colon. Now they're suggested Bos Welya Plus, which I've been on for a week, but when I just read up on it, it seemed to be for inflammation of the joints more than the stomach/colon lining. Does it also work on the digestive system? If not, is there an anti-inflammatory natural version of Asacol that at might work? Any other suggestions? Thank you for your email.

ANSWER:
First, taking so many single various supplements is a tough task. It is best to try and find a couple things which will take care of it, such as an excellent formulation specifically designed for a condition. This makes your day easier and your pocketbook more relaxed.

BosWelya Plus is a great joint product. It is useful for joints if taken away from food. Useful for the digestive system when taken with food. However, as it contains joint nutrients, it is mainly for joint use.

However, my opinion, the more superior products for your condition are BioInflammatory Plus powder taken with Intestinal Repair Complex. Add EPA/DHA and you may be set with only taking 3 supplements.

Something that they have been taking in Europe for 100's of years is Herbal Melange herbal drink of moor mud and may be of benefit

Do take this information to your doctor and see what they think. I have worked with the physician who designed these Biogenesis products and patients have had tremendous success.

One extremely important thing - need to figure out what is causing your colitis. Colitis simply means inflammation of the colon. Is this colitis due to interstitial colitis - from stress or food allergy? Crohns due to similar issues? Celiac from a gluten sensitivity - so simply remove wheat. Is it a food allergy? Is it a genetic disposition to a wheat allergy - celiac disease? Is it crohns disease? Numerous people have crohns or celiac that is undiagnosed. You must first determine the cause of your problem.

An easy test - remove wheat from your diet for 3 days. All of it. no soy sauce, no prepared foods, no eating out. Eat rice and salmon, steamed veggies for dinner. Eat salad and chicken for lunch. Breakfast have a smoothie with protein powder, berries and yogurt. You may get bored with the menu but I bet if you felt much better by the 3rd day, it would be worth it. The other main allergies are due to dairy products. You may try and eliminate those at another time. Do one at a time - make it easier. No wheat. None. Give it a shot. Tell your doc about this. You may also do a gliadin antibody test - tells if you have celiac.

I found an awesome website for dieatary issues: Living Without

Spending money on supplements is not wise unless you know what you are trying to overcome. Cannot simply run blindfolded - one must know if there are trees or holes in the way first. If you took the best eye supplements it wouldn't help. Removing the blindfold would help or having someone guide you through the field.

To locate a qualified naturopathic doctor in your area - you may go to MedND.

Faster healing is accomplished when the cause of the problem is removed. Now go and try to determine what that is. Any trained naturopathic doctor should be able to nail it. A MD should as well but for some reason, doesn't seem that they do it. Steroids seem to be their first line of action after they run a few tests. Blood tests do not always show the problem. This is why food elimination diets are essential in digestive issues. Food allergy testing by blood is not always useful. You may let your doctor know about the Great Smokies Lab test on Food Allergy.

You'll get better! ;) Digestive issues are excellent to treat as they are so rewarding. Do be aware though that it takes time to heal inflammation of the colon.

Again - this is only information. I am not giving treatment advice. Your doctor is the one for that - if you are not getting the results you want, try a different doctor. Health is a tough field as no doctor can know everything.

In health,

Ben

Disclaimer: This information is not intended to treat, diagnose or cure any disease.

Health Information Service by a medical student. Free.

"I was in awe of your expertise knowledge, Ben...... I had to learn hard way....but least I learned....to stay alive:) you are a blessing, me thinks..from the Lord. keep on keeping on!" best regards, Pam

Obtaining health advice that is worthy is hard to come by. As a medical student, I am surrounded by mountains of resources, professionals and experiences from which you can benefit. I cannot diagnose, treat or prescribe but I can give health information which can help you with your situation. All information that you give in the email is purely confidential and will be deleted upon receipt. No information will be published anywhere. Please read our Privacy Policy should you have questions.

Why do we do provide a free health information service? Simply put -- because we care. I will have my doctorate in naturopathic medicine two years from now. I already have 3 years of training under my belt. I know that most people are completely bewildered with the health industry and are looking for ways to obtain health without spending a fortune and without the standard mechanistic medical protocol. Complementary and Alternative medicine is flourishing and it is due to results patients receive. Holistic medicine heals and restores health to numerous chronic health conditions that traditional medicine cannot touch.

Our medical philosophy: Remove the cause of illness, treat the underlying issue and support the individual's mind and body. This is how medicine should be practiced. Treating the symptoms only encourages the illness to penetrate deeper and cause further harm. For more information about HealthE Good's philosophy and people, click here.

Some example topics:

• Asthma
• Acne and other Skin Complaints
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• Cardiovascular health
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• Depression
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• Diets
• Alternatives to Gall Bladder Removal
• Cell salts - which one?
• What should I eat?
• Digestive problems
• Chlorine issues
• Food allergies and sensitivities

This list is no way complete. Please write with any health question you have. All questions and responses are held strictly confidential to protect your privacy. I will respond with relevant health information, useful books, thoughts, product options and links. All health information given will contain references. If we do not know the answer, we will either refer you to a website or another useful source. I am not a substitute for a qualified physician.

For a sampling of my writing, scroll down further to view other articles I have written. A number of these articles have been published throughout the internet and have been well received. The writings below are answers to individuals health questions. As you can see, I have not included any personal information.

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In health,
Ben

PS - Included in Your HealthE Information is a 5% savings voucher to our store. You ask, we help and you save. We are here to promote health and to serve your needs. I look forward to hearing from you. We hope you will be satisfied with our free health information service!