July 22nd, 2010 -- Posted in herbal remedies |
The senna laxative is an herbal that is derived from the plantago genus of plants. Its use has been documented for centuries and perhaps even thousands of years. Historically the leaves were either chewed or seeped in hot water to make a tea beverage. Senna is high in anthraquinones which are known to induce bowel movements. However, the caveat is that because it is an herbal supplement the production of senna is not regulated.
Senna laxative comes in various forms. Traditionally it has either been chewed or brewed into a tea but nowadays it can be found in tablet form for easy, measured consumption. There are a number of companies that produce it and a simple search should find several.
Another thing to watch out for is that there may be side effects associated with taking senna. These side effects have been known to be severe, such as stomach pains and diarrhea. If one notices mild side effects that accompany a small dose, then one should probably not take any more of the medication.
Senna is not alone in the natural treatments for constipation that are available for use.
In fact, a first tactic of natural care management that even a primary care doctor may bring up is maximizing dietary fiber. It involves eating a lot of common foods that are high in fiber. The drawback to this therapy is that the amount of fiber intake must be large. Eating all the excess food makes one feel bloated and full, and even cause some stomach problems such as gas.
What if taking all this fiber is inconvenient or does not work? The alternative is to give high fiber supplements a shot. Extracted from particular plant matter like the plantago, these nutritional agents come in powder mixtures and can be dissolved with liquids to form a drinkable solution. Primary care givers point out that the trial period granted for this kind of fiber-rich therapy usually demands about two weeks for its entire effectiveness to kick in.
Lastly, there are different classes of laxatives are available to patients with constipation. The best examples of classes of these agents are the osmotic laxatives which effect alterations in water uptake, and stimulant laxatives which seem to impact colonic muscle movement. Osmotic agents draw liquid out of the surrounding cells into the gastrointestinal passage which promotes speed-up of transit of food matter. Stimulant agents make the intestine increase its activity.
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March 6th, 2010 -- Posted in herbal remedies |
The physician who sees a patient with constipation may suggest a first-line treatment that has no medicines. This treatment is known as high fiber therapy, involving increased consumption of fiber rich supplements and foods. Psyllium and bran are two examples of excellent seed-sources of fiber.
A good number of people will also have come across manufactured products such as Metamucil. Metamucil is made by Procter and Gamble, and has high psyllium fiber in crushed form that can be taken with water. One question one might ask is whether there are natural high sources of fiber? The answer is yes. A prime example is the prune. But more interestingly, the prune contains another ingredient that has excellent laxative properties.
A prune is actually a dried plum and has been part of human diets for thousands of years. The earliest evidence for drying plums comes from California and France. Then as now, plums were plucked and then dehydrated in hot air at 200 degrees Fahrenheit for a little less than a day. After dehydration treatment, dried plums can be turned into juice, puree or other products.
The chemical ingredients of the prune have been found to be diverse and complex, which is likely to be a reason for its efficacy against constipation. But even though the chemicals can be analyzed and categorized, we still don’t fully know how they act on our physiology.
The things we do understand regarding its anti-constipation properties are two folds. First, we know that the high fiber content of prunes means that eating it helps bulk up foods in the way traditional fiber supplements aid digestion. Two, we also know that prunes contain a lot of sorbitol which is a sugar-like substance that retains water and makes stool softer and therefore faster-moving in the gut.
On top of ingredients with laxative properties, prunes are a high energy source. The high energy is derived from its mix of both simple and complex sugars such as glucose and fructose. People who eat prunes get a quick energy boost as well as a sustained one from digestion of complex sugars.
A stream of suggestive evidence shows that prunes contain a large number of other compounds that aid in health. Phenolic compounds are found in high concentrations and have been linked to enhanced laxative effects, further supporting the use of prunes for constipated patients. Potassium is also in high concentrations. Like bananas, eating prunes may help reduce muscle fatigue and improve efficiency.
Although there’s no need to prepare the prunes in a special way before eating, a commercial food preparer in the United Kingdom stumbled upon a home recipe for treating constipation that involves blending prunes with other fruits and vegetables. The recipe, known by the name Beverley-Travis, has become famous and even studied for its efficacy in improving digestive health.
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February 21st, 2010 -- Posted in herbal remedies |
All kinds of medicines for life, pain and immobility constitutes the vicious circle that grips you with arthritis. But no longer do you need to fall prey to this thanks to good natural remedies for arthritis.
If one or more of the joints in your body suffers from pain and inflammation, then you might be afflicted with arthritis. Rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, and gout are the most common and most prevalent types of arthritis. They can be caused by genetic reasons or overstrain and extra use of the joints which happens especially to senior citizens.
Simple steps based on natural therapies can aid you in eliminating habit forming prescription drugs from your life and improve the quality of your daily life via healthier methods.
Go green: Substitute those saturated fats with polyunsaturated ones, chew an abundant supply of fresh vegetables, and stop eating meat. Plus, you should also give up sugar and foods that contain gluten. Remove dairy items from your diet and don’t eat eggs. If you prepare your daily meals with these points in mind, you will improve your condition.
Consume some ginger: You can substitute something like Ibuprofen with ginger tea and other ginger supplements. Since a thousand years and more ago, ginger, particularly the dried root, has been used to heal and alleviate pain.
Fisherman, fisherman: Fish has been found to have a huge amount of Omega 3 fatty acids. Fish also has polyunsaturated fats instead of saturated fat. Adding a lot of fish to your diet on a daily basis will help you alleviate some of the inflammation of the joints and stay free of arthritic pain.
Apply Hot pepper salve: Get yourself an over-the-counter cream with extracts of Capsaicin and apply it at least 3 or 4 times each day on the affected areas. It will alleviate the pain in a dramatic way. You may discover that it might initially sting but it gets better really soon after some time. Eating Capsaicin or hot food does not assist you in anyway!
Shed it: With arthritis you just cannot be lugging around all those extra pounds. Extra weight only makes your joints do extra work and your arthritic pain can only get worse. Losing weight with a good weight loss program is going to help you in the long run while you are tackling arthritis.
Stay cool: Getting worried and making your body stiff will only worsen your arthritis. De-stress and remain stress-free as much as possible. A stiff body only makes the pain in the joints worse.
Put on your dancing shoes: Slow dancing and stretching is a very fascinating way to relieve your arthritis. It helps to relax you and allows you to be active and to move more which helps you steer clear of the stiffness of your joints which will increase your mobility.
Bring in the oil: A warm massage with castor oil will make you feel heavenly. Heat up some castor oil and keep using it regularly. It has therapeutic properties and using it for massage helps arthritis patients a lot.
Additional water: Drinking plenty of water aids you in being well hydrated and increases the lubrication in the joints. It also relieves you of constipation which could make a contribution in aggravating the symptoms.
To get some more suggestions for natural remedies for arthritis that work well or learn about a liquid arthritis pain medication that will give you significant pain relief, then please click on any of these given links: quick natural remedies for arthritis natural remedies for arthritis
February 17th, 2010 -- Posted in herbal remedies |
Constipation is a rather widespread condition that is thought to affect about 15% of all people. Most people do not try to treat it and even fewer seek help from a health authority. Likely because this is an embarrassing condition to most people which gives them great reluctance to report their condition to their personal physicians.
Because of the stigma associated with this condition, some of those who do seek treatment attempt home-based or natural remedies. A good understanding of such treatments is necessary to avoid any potential hazards. One should note that just because some constipation treatments are natural, it doesn’t mean they are safe.
Amongst herbal remedies, the most widespread may be senna. Years ago cascara was another herb that was used, but the FDA put its foot down due to safety concerns. Senna can still be obtained as an herbal substance. Many will find the tea form easy to take and effective, whereas others might find the capsule more convenient. In both forms, senna derives its efficacy from the presence of anthraquinoids, a class of compounds that stimulates the intestines.
While senna is a chemical agent that stimulates the colon to move its contents more quickly, mineral oil is an entirely different kind of agent used as a natural constipation treatment. When taken by mouth, it enters the intestine where it coats the stool. Since oil is a water repellent, the stool becomes protected against loss of fluid. This enables it to remain bulky and therefore move more quickly. Doctor and scientists call this a lubricant laxative which is a bit of a misnomer.
More widespread than either of the above are natural constipation treatments based on fiber. A popular one is psyllium. The psyllium plant is famous for having seeds that contain a lot of fiber. The seeds are usually processed into fine powder form which can then be dissolved. Retailers like nutritional supplement stores carry brand names like Metamucil which are incarnations of psyllium.
The flaxseed is another source of high fiber. These can be crushed like psyllium or taken whole. An additional benefit that some have reported is that consumption of flaxseed can lower cholesterol. However, such results need more confirmation and research. The oils that are extracted from flaxseed are not as palatable to most people.
Additional information and advice should be sought from a health professional with regards to natural constipation treatments. A doctor possesses more knowledge and understanding of the subtleties or dangers associated with treatments. For example, some natural laxatives may be effective but have harmful effects on people with certain conditions. Any subject wishing to take these agents should become aware of these harmful effects.
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February 16th, 2010 -- Posted in herbal remedies |
In the early 2000s, the FDA forbade the further use of cascara and aloe in supplements targeted at people with constipation. This FDA directive reduced the herbal laxative market to senna. The herb senna comes from a plant native to many regions around the world, but historically has been associated with the East African continent as well as what has come to be known as the Middle East. It’s a mediums-sized, unobtrusive shrub-like plant.
The word senna itself has an interesting history rooted in the Semitic languages, as befitting its origins. It’s also known by another equivalent name, cassia. Both are commonly used. It’s active ingredient is a chemical or a class of chemicals known as the anthraquinoids. Anthraquinones are found in other types of laxatives. They have the effect of stimulating movement in the intestinal tract.
As one might guess, the application of the senna herb as a constipation treatment goes back hundreds or even thousands of years. Senna was used in its raw, unprocessed form, without the benefit of modern methods in purification of the active compounds. Today it can be found in semi-processed form like tea leaves, or in more processed forms like capsules.
Even though it’s specified as an herbal supplement, consumers would be wise to know the background of manufacturing companies that sell this product. A company with poor quality control can produce a bad batch of senna. But supposing the company has the highest standards, a consumer should continue to be wary as there may be side effects of this natural laxative that is largely unregulated by stringent pharmaceutical laws. Herbal supplements can cause unintended and dangerous effects.
In line with the issue of safety, one should always know that there are warnings associated with senna usage. For example, it has been noted that people with a history of heart disease or hypertension should refrain from taking senna. In fact, it’s important to realize that a patient should consult the advice of his personal doctor before embarking on any laxative treatment, natural or not.
In times of antiquity, senna was likely to be ingested while in herbal or leaf form. Some people will find this to be the most pleasing way of taking senna. In response to such demand, manufacturers have made a tea form of the senna laxative. However, sophisticated formulations such as capsules and tablets can be more nutritious if they are fortified with minerals like calcium.
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