America’s new epidemic – The Rise in Gastrointestinal Diseases. Learn more about these common gastrointestinal diseases.
Medical costs for digestive problems are estimated at 50 billion dollars a year. About 200,000 workers stay home from work every day because they are suffering from sudden constipation or diarrhea or some other digestive disturbance.
Are we Poisoning Ourselves?A lot of adults will concur that they suffer from sluggish bowels. Many wholistic practitioners believe this toxic build-up in our colon is a form of autointoxication. This waste material that sits in our colons for far too long can, over time, cause many chronic degenerative diseases.
Then, there is a re-absorption into the bloodstream of all that waste that gets carried throughout the body.
Some of the results of this are chronic fatigue and body weakness, depression, nervousness, skin problems, ulcers, headaches, arthritic joints, swelling in the feet and hands- the list goes on.
You would think that any country that spends a cool billion dollars a year on ant-acids has a health concern going on.
Common Digestive ComplaintsLet’s take a look at some of the ways that our bowels are complaining to us about our lifestyle.
- Diarrhea – Although it’s a common symptom, it can develop for hundreds of reasons. Over use of laxatives, an adverse reaction to a medication, complications of diabetes and thyroid trouble and infection from contaminated foods or drink are some of the things that cause diarrhea.
- Irritable Bowel Syndrome – Doctors attribute this disorder to stress. It shows as bloating, abdominal discomfort, gas, diarrhea and sometimes-sudden constipation. This illness can stop making someone’s life miserable as fast as it began, with no real noticeable reason for this happening.
- Diverticular Disease – Little pouches that develop in the walls of the large bowel cause this. It can affect about ½ of the population of people over 50, but it doesn’t always have symptoms. When the little pouches get inflamed, there is pain, diarrhea or sudden constipation and fever. Surgery is a last resort, but might be necessary if diet changes and medications fail.
- Colitis – Nobody has found the cause of this inflammation of the colon. It usually shows up when people are in their 20’s and 30’s. Severe diarrhea, with blood and mucus in the stool and abdominal pain are symptoms. Medications can help, but most of the time surgery is needed.
- Crohn’s disease – This disease seems to affect young people, too. Stomachache, diarrhea and weight loss are signals of the disease. Some people can manage with medication, but most will need surgical intervention.
- Cancer – Any sudden change in bowel habit, such as sudden constipation should be looked into. There may also be persistent abdominal pain, weight loss and bleeding from the bowel. Colon cancer is on the rise, but is often cured if caught early.
Colon CancerMany report that sudden constipation is what alarmed them enough to go to a doctor. As colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer, people need to be clear about the importance of early treatment. If you are enjoying regularity and you develop sudden constipation, have it looked at by your doctor.
Other than sudden constipation you should never wait to see your physician if your bowel movements are black. This is often a sign of bleeding from somewhere.
If you or someone you know has a genetic predisposition to cancer, it is a good idea to make diet changes now. A diet that is high in meat, or high in fat and low in fiber is putting your health at risk.
Remember: people who are 50 years and over are at a higher risk of developing colon cancer, so any warning sign, such as sudden constipation, should have you making an appointment with your physician.
A Healthy ColonIf you’ve been eating a lot of unhealthy foods, a good colon cleansing might be in order. Many people are opting for a spring-cleaning of the colon and claim renewed vitality, better skin and nails and other health benefits because of it.
There is no need for taking any harsh, colon-cleansing regimes that have you sitting near the bathroom door. One product that is very gentle and uses natural oxygenated magnesium, germanium and citric acid to actually liquefy and clean out waste material is Oxy-Powder®. You may not suffer from sudden constipation, but if you’ve had bouts of constipation or sluggish movements, chances are you’ll want to do some cleansing. It is never too late to get your colon in tip-top shape.