HERBS can help heal and prevent ULCERS.
In America, about 500,000 people are diagnosed with ulcers problems every year
There are many types of ulcers that can be found in our body, and the most common is peptic ulcers.
Peptic ulcers are found in the lining of our stomach or upper small intestine (duodenum).
Ulcers develop when the intestine or stomach’s protective layer is broken down. When this happens, digestive juices can damage the stomach or intestine tissue and even the esophagus, the tube that connects our throat to our stomach.
However we don’t have to live with this problem as most ulcers can be treated, and symptoms go away quickly.
Common symptoms include:
- A burning and aching, persistent pain between the breastbone and the navel. Some people also experience back pain. The pain can last from a few minutes to a few hours and may come and go for weeks or months.
- Feeling of bloating after meals.
- Nausea and Vomiting.
- Loss of weight and appetite.
Different people have different symptoms, and some have no symptoms at all.
Treatment of ulcers include antibiotics, drugs and in serious cases, surgery.
For people who prefer a more natural alternative, herbs could be the answer.
Herbs can help in healing and prevention of ulcers.
There is a wealth of fauna and flora on our planet earth and many plant species possess exceptional medicinal properties!
Herbs that Help Heal Ulcers
- Aloe vera: Soothing and anti-inflammatory
- Astragalus: root of the Astragalus membranaceus plant used traditionally to treat ulcers
- Oregon grape and barberry: Contain berberines, which have been shown to inhibit bacterial growth.
- Cranberry: help prevent colonization and infection
- Turmeric : Used by Chinese and Ayurvedic physicians to treat gastrointestinal disorders; may decrease acid production in the stomach. However, high doses can actually damage the stomach lining
- Green arugula, or Eruca sativa: may also contain a number of antioxidants, which may help protect stomach cells from damage
- Licorice root: soothes and coats the stomach lining; also increases gastric circulation and mucus production. Deglycyrrhizinated licorice (DGL) is recommended, as the native root causes fluid retention and hypertension
- Cat’s claw (a woody vine): Decreases inflammation at ulcer sites
- Slippery elm: the inner bark of a plant, high in mucilage content; thought to coat the stomach lining
- Marshmallow : Another demulcent that help relieve pain and inflammation
- Cabbage juice: High in glutamine, which has been shown to help heal ulcers;
- Rhubarb: Rich in flavonoids, which may inhibit the growth of H. pylori, a type of bacteria
- Dong quai (Angelica sinensis): Used for thousands of years in traditional Chinese, Korean and Japanese medicine
- Chamomile, calendula, cinnamon, agrimony, Indian basil, ginger, and capsaicin (found in hot peppers) have all been used in various ulcer formulations
Caution
No one single simple herbal treatment may heal ulcers, because the underlying causes of gastrointestinal problems are complex.
Herbs may interact with prescription drugs and can cause side effects for some people. Only use herbs under the care of an herbalist, and inform your doctor of herbs that you are taking before a new prescription of medicine is given.
Pregnant women should avoid certain herbs commonly used to treat an ulcer. Check with a herbalist about safety and suitability.
Lifestyle modifications that help heal Ulcers
- Stop drinking alcohol which can inflame the stomach lining
- Consume a diet rich in fiber, especially fruits and vegetables that are high in flavonoids
- Consume 500 to 1000 mg of vitamin C everyday. Vitamin C appears to inhibit H. pylori’s growth in some people
- Add probiotics (e.g., Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium) to your diet. These are live organisms commonly found in yogurt, cheese, wine and fermented food
- Reduce intake of coffee and carbonated drinks. Even when decaffeinated, these beverages can increase stomach acid production
- If you regularly take NSAIDs (aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen, etc.) discuss other options with your doctor
- Stop smoking. Nicotine is extremely irritating to the stomach lining, and its use increases ulcer risk, slows ulcer healing, and increases recurrence rates
- Manage and try to reduce your stress level.
Peptic ulcer disease is a common medical condition. Besides causing discomfort and inconvenience, its complications can seriously impair one’s quality of life. However herbs can be a good alternative to standard treatment regimens. If you wish to add herbal supplements to their medical treatment it is advisable to first consult your herbalist and doctor.
If you have any interesting stories or experiences in herbal treatment, you are welcome to share them with our readers. I would be pleased to hear your comments.
Stem Cells solution for bigger breast
Breast augmentation procedures are on the rise. In USA alone, more than 350,000 women have their breast enlarged each year. In Britain about 30,000 women underwent cosmetic breast enlargement last year.
A new type of breast augmentation is now being tested at the London Breast Institute in the United Kingdom. It uses stem cells from the extra fat in a woman’s stomach or thighs and implanting them into the bust.
Half of the extracted fat is treated to separate out the stem cells. These stem cells are then added back into the rest of the fat and injected over time into the breast tissue to increase their volume
Unlike regular cells, stem cells are able to self-renew and regenerate tissue. Breast augmentation using stem cells provide a more natural feel and look than conventional implants because they are made of the body’s own cells and tissues rather than foreign implants such as silicone and saline.
The trial is currently used to repair the breasts of women who have had cancerous lumps removed. Soon healthy women seeking breast enlargement will start to use this new technique.
This stem cell therapy could boost breast size by at least a cup and at the same time reduce fat in the stomach and thighs. This is “killing two birds with one stone”. The cost for this procedure is estimated to be about US$13,000.
This treatment offers considerable improvement over conventional cosmetic surgery using implants, which may leak, cause scarring and require replacement.
Although this technique enlarges the breast, the increase in size is modest and it will not provide firmness and uplift. Research is currently being done to see if bigger augmentation is possible.
This technique is in fact not new. In the year 2004, Dr. Kotaro Yoshimura, a surgeon at Tokyo University Medical School founded this same technique and had treated 39 patients with no major problems. It was used initially to treat women with breast deformities caused by cancer treatments and more recently, for cosmetic breast augmentation in healthy women. It is not available in USA and is currently under medical review. It is legal in the EU and trials on about 30 women are expected to take place around the middle of 2009 at the London Breast Institute.
The use of this technique for cosmetic surgery on healthy women is controversial. Medical bodies have argued that this technique should not be offered to healthy women until large-scale trials in cancer patients are proven safe and effective.
So women all over the world, stay tuned.
If you have any comments or stories to share, you are welcome to do so.
The Secrets of Ageing
Many years ago I watched a very captivating movie entitled “Lost Horizon”.
I remember vividly the beautiful scenes of a paradise called Shangri-La, where the inhabitants live in peace and tranquility, enjoy fresh air, clean water, and bountiful farms.
The most intriguing thing was, the people there hardly grew old !
How nice it would be if one can find the formula to immortality. The world’s top pharmaceutical companies will pay you millions of dollars to buy the formula.
Healthcare agencies all over the world would want you to work for them, at all costs.
In reality this is only a dream. In fact ageing-related problems are creating nightmares for many people, while medical professionals are researching for solutions and breakthroughs.
Scientists in Singapore have recently made an age-defying discovery ! They have discovered that the ageing process in certain organs in mice, such as the pancreas, liver and spleen, can be delayed by deactivating a molecule.
They found that the ageing process in the pancreas of the mice with the molecule deactivated slowed down, compared with that of the wild mice.
The team of nine researchers have studied this for five years and found that the pancreas in a two-year-old mouse in which the molecule had been deactivated functioned like that of a three-month-old mouse. In human terms this roughly equates to a 60-year-old man having the pancreas of a 20-year-old man.
This means that diseases such as Type 2 diabetes can be controlled by inhibiting the molecule through medicine to prevent ageing in certain organs. It would take at least two years to find a treatment as more research is needed on humans.
A second team from the same agency in Singapore, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A’Star), is also working to unlock the secrets of normal ageing.
Dr Alan Colman, a stem-cell specialist from the agency has been studying Progeria, a very rare genetic condition, wherein symptoms resembling aspects of ageing are manifested at an early age. This premature ageing lead to heart problems, hardened arteries, and hair loss.
By manipulating Progeria patients’ skin cells to revert to stem cells, Dr Colman and his team hope to find out how the genetic condition affects the production of a mutant protein called progerin in these cells. Progerin is also found in healthy individuals as they age.
Dr Colman said at a recent symposium that it was a worthwhile study to see whether similarities existed between the rare disease and the normal ageing process.
In another separate study, scientists from Swedish medical university Karolinska Institutet claimed to have identified the cause of premature ageing. They have linked the normal ageing process to problems with cell respiration. This is the process in which cells extract energy from the nutrients. The study showed that certain proteins become unstable and disintegrate, which in turn can impair cell respiration and cause premature ageing.
These cell respiration problems affect the normal ageing process and may lead to many medical conditions, including diabetes, cancer, Parkinson’s and genetic diseases.
What causes ageing ? This is a mystery and no one knows for sure. However people are living longer because of better healthcare, improved living environment, availability of quality and cleaner food.
Scientists may soon unravel the secrets to ageing and the solutions to prevent it.
Will we find our Shangri-La ? Is this a good thing ? Will this lead to social, ethical and other problems ?
Your comments are welcome.
