Tuesday, January 29, 2008

Alternative Medicine for Constipation

Constipation is usually caused by a diet which denies the body of roughage. It is quite possible that our ancestors did not suffer as much as we do in the modern world from the infrequent or difficult passing of hard, dry faeces known as constipation. Their diets would have been without the availability of such refined and rich foods that we today can find in our superstore shops.

Constipation can be very unpleasant particularly after straining or pushing a bowel movement or not having a bowel movement for more than 3 days. Constipation is common among children, the aged and pregnant women.

It is very important that we establish regular elimination habits, because straining bowel movements can cause blemishes which if not healed can become infected and cause other problems. There are a rang of related conditions to constipation such as hemorrhoids, bowel obstruction, chronic constipation, spastic colitis, hernia, depression, diabetes, diverticulosis, Parkinson's disease and lead poisoning; it is important that if your condition is considered much serious than constipation then you must consult a health profession for a proper diagnosis and treatment.

Another consideration in helping prevent constipation is to make sure that you are getting enough exercise, physical exercise together with drinking plenty of water and having the correct amount of fibre-rich foods in a regular diet such as beans, bran cereals, fruits, raw vegetables, rice, and whole-grain breads will help to keep your body healthy and strong and free of ‘struggling’ with bowel movements.

There are many alternative medicine and natural remedies available on this subject, including aromatherapy, reflexology, acupuncture, homeopathy etc., but often all will suggest an increase of fibre to the diet and intake of water, together with making sure that you are getting enough exercise each day; there is also a variety of herbs that have often been used successfully including Aloe, Dandelion, Ginger, Burdock root. When using natural herbs, it is important that you see a qualified specialist, proficient in understanding and administrating alternative medicine and/or natural remedies so that you can receive the best and safest treatment available.

The major causes of constipation are usually due to having a low fibre diet or dehydration. It is worth noting that every person both old and young have different bowel patterns, some of the symptoms associated with constipation are bloating, uncomfortable and sluggishness; these in general are not a serious problem although occasionally they may be a symptom of an underlying disorder, especially if they recently occur with an adult over the age of forty.

Many people simply do not drink enough water - that is unadulterated water; tea, coffee and fruit juice do not count. Drinking two or three pints of clear (preferably filtered) water every day will strengthen your general health and reduce your problems with constipation.

Natural remedies such as taking a tablespoon of cider vinegar sweetened with a teaspoon of honey or black strap molasses dissolved in a hot mug of water or two or three teaspoons of violet syrup on a bowel of strawberries a few times a week will certainly help to lubricate the system and help you keep free of constipation.

Saturday, January 19, 2008

Alternative Medicine – How is it different from Conventional Medicines?

Alternative Medicine involves practices that are used as a replacement for conventional medicines. When Alternative Medicine is used in combination with conventional medicine it is known as Complementary Medicine. Hence "Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM)" is the common term for both the branches of medicines.

Alternative Medicine basically includes practices like metaphysical, spiritual, religious and non-European medical treatments and other new approaches that are developed for healing various ailments. The supporters of Alternative Medicine claim that alternative therapies provide services to public that are otherwise not possible through conventional medicines. This covers areas ranging from patient empowerment, providing treatments based on bio-psycho-social model of individual health, alternative methods for pain management and stress reduction etc., that are usually not included under conventional medication.

The other common features that differentiate Alternative Medicine from Conventional medicines are:

•Alternative Medicine takes into account the physical, social, spiritual and mental well being of an individual while suggesting treatments, whereas conventional medicines are aimed only towards the physical aspects of an individual.
•Alternative Medicine emphasizes on health maintenance by following principles of a healthy lifestyle like healthy diet, regular exercise, positive attitude, body hygiene, moral and spiritual values, sexuality, human relations etc. Hence the individual is kept aware about maintenance of overall health.
•Alternative Medicine has a unique philosophy of its own, with inexpensive methods of treatment and diagnosis, and tries to avoid the unnecessary surgical and diagnostic interferences as far as possible and does not involve intake of strong drugs to a great extent.
•Alternative Medicine has no side-effect or contain only minimal side-effects
•Alternative Medicine is the only traditional system of medicine for certain specific diseases such as degenerative diseases, collagen disorder, problem related to joints and bones and psychosomatic disorders for which there are not much options available in conventional medicine.