What are Haemorrhoids? How to treat them.

Haemorrhoids can be very painful and cause lots of different problems. Haemorrhoids are clusters of veins in the smooth muscle walls of the anus or lower rectum and can be also known as piles. This means they make you very uncomfortable when you need to open your bowels. They are caused by increases in pressure to the blood vessels in the anus. This can be caused by things such as low fibre diets, pregnancy, obesity and prolonged sitting or standing. Other factors that can contribute to the cause are diarrhea or constipation, spinal cord injuries, alcoholism, lifting heavy weight, aging and anal intercourse.

Symptoms are pain, and pain during bowel movements, itching and bleeding around the rectum and /or the anus. You may also find hard painful lumps and get mucus or faecal leakage. Haemorrhoids can go away on their own but here are some treatments that may help to speed up the recovery. It is important however to make sure that the symptoms are related to haemorrhoids and not something more serious.

The doctor will use medical history, symptoms and a physical examination to diagnose haemorrhoids. There are a few different types. Some bleed but are not prolapsed, others are prolapsed but get smaller on their own suddenly and others prolapse and have to be reduced manually whilst the worst prolapse but cannot be reduced.

Treating haemorrhoids, even though they can disappear on their own, can help to ease the symptoms faster. If you have the low grade haemorrhoids that bleed but do not prolapse you can try some at home remedies such as Epsom Salts and glycerine. Mix two tablespoons of Epsom Salts with 2 tablespoons of glycerine and apply to the painful area with gauze. Apply for 15-20-minutes and repeat every 4 to 6 hours. Or you can try Myrtus Communis essential oil to help improve bleeding, and itching. To help calm spasms you can try sitting in a Sitz bath or even a regular warm bath for 20min 2 to 3 times a day. Also eating more fibre or taking stool softeners, digestive enzymes and probiotics can help relieve symptoms.

If you are suffering from the higher graded haemorrhoids then you might need other products you can buy at the health food store or the chemist. If these don’t work then there are prescription medications from the doctor. In some cases, you may require more intensive medical procedures such as rubber band ligation, which is using rubber bands to cut off circulation to the haemorrhoid. Infrared coagulation and radiofrequency ablation therapy also work in the same sort of way. If all this fails you may require surgery to remove them. Take care of these when they just start and don’t let them become bad and uncomfortable. They are a symptom that your gut is not healthy or working properly. See your naturopath to find out what you need to improve your diet and gut health and very soon haemorrhoids will be in the past and your digestion will be working better. 

Managing productivity

Are you finding that your days are just going by and you’re not getting things done? Let’s help you become a bit more productive with a few tips.

Starting in the morning set your routine. Focus on yourself instead of work and emails. Take the time to get ready and eat a good nutritious breakfast. Spend some time working out, meditating or even just catching up with local news, a magazine or a few pages of a book. This will change the focus from the over anxious work day to a day that has you more present in the moment.

When you are ready to start your work thinking about what is the most important and make a list of what has to be done in order of the highest priority first to the least important. Doing this will help you decide how to prioritise and split your time so you don’t waste time on something that has a low priority of importance. Don’t worry about the less important things if you don’t get to them as long as your focus is on what really needs to be done first. The other things can flow over to the next day as top of the list or slip in a few extra minutes at the end of the day to get them off your to do list.

Remember to take breaks so that you refresh your brain and rejuvenate your body. This is very important especially if the job is challenging. By doing the most challenging tasks first you will feel a sense of fulfillment that they are complete and the breaks will refresh you to push forward with easier tasks making you more productive.

Very important is to prioritise your emails. Don’t let your emails boss you round and keep you glued to the computer screen. Answer the urgent ones, flag the next urgent and put the rest on the ‘to do’ list. Make it that you handle every email just twice. Once to see what it’s about and again to reply and file it. Once it’s filed move on to the next tasks and remember that although multi-tasking may seem like a good idea and make you feel as though you are getting through things faster in actual fact you are not because you are spreading your energies. This will have a negative impact on the quality of your work. It is always better to focus your full attention on what you are doing and move on when you are finished.

Even if you put just a few of these tips to use you will soon find your lifestyle and work ethic changes and you become more efficient giving you more free time to spend on other things that you love to do.

Vitamin P and Cancer

Vitamin P is not actually a vitamin. It is the name given to a group of super-healing plant substances discovered in the 1930’s known as flavonoids or bioflavonoids which have nutritional health benefits. These substances provide pigmentation to plants and enhance their flavour and smell. There is known now to be between 4000 and 6000 different types and research is being done continually to discover more about them. In plants they protect against fungi, pests and bacteria.

Flavonoids are full of nutritional benefits as they help with the function of most cells and organs. Some flavonoids that you may be familiar with are Quercetin, Luteolin, Curcumin and Rutin. Each of the different types of flavonoids play a different role in the human body but two of the most important benefits they supply are with the absorption of Vitamin C and they also help with the maintenance of bones and teeth, as well as the production of protein collagen. They are powerful antioxidants and they are used for preventing and reversing oxidative stress which is the key element in how flavonoids help prevent and assist in healing cancers.

Research over the years has shown that three of the flavonoids best known to help in healing when someone has cancer are Rutin, Quercetin and Curcumin. Quercetin is in apples, onions, berries and citrus fruits such as oranges. If you combine Quercetin with green tea extract then it can become a great healing cocktail.

Studies that have been done on rats show that mammary tumours that were treated using this cocktail reduced the severity of the tumour. Rutin works along with quercetin and protects sensory neurons as well as having anti-inflammatory benefits which can be helpful for such illnesses as rheumatoid arthritis. Other studies have shown that the flavonoids Rutin and Catechin have an effect on cancers such as breast tumours, prostate and ovarian cancer, as well as pancreatic, lung, skin, and brain cancers. The third flavonoid Curcumin is a main ingredient in the spice turmeric. This flavonoid works best when combined with Piperine, also has an effect on many cancers and studies done on ovarian cancer show that it can clear cancer stem cells as well. Of course it is hard to generalise as everyone is different so you need to speak with your natural practitioner and medical doctor and get them to work together on this.

It is good to remember that inflammation is a precursor for many illnesses, especially cancer and the lower our inflammation levels, the higher our alkalinity in our bodies, the better chance of us remaining or getting healthier. Eating a healthy diet of organic foods, rich in ones that contain these powerful flavonoids may help reduce the risk of cancer and also help with many other health problems as well.

Why women need more sleep than men

Women need more sleep than men during the night due to the complexity of their brain. Studies have shown that women generally need an extra 20 minutes sleep every night so their brain can do all the extra processing that a women’s brain needs to do.

Although 20 minutes may not seem like a lot of extra sleep it impacts the brain in a very positive way. A women’s brain is structured in a way that they are able to juggle a few tasks at a time where as the male brain can struggle with this, however we are not saying that all men cannot multi task or that all women can, this is just the findings of a study on the average brain.

One of the most important reasons we all need sleep is to repair the brain and give it time to recover and sort through all the thoughts, memories and issues from the day just gone. This is why women tend to need more sleep because multi-tasking tends to use more of the brain, which in turn requires the brain longer time to repair. A man who does a lot of decision making and thinking at work through the day may also need to sleep longer than the average man.

If you happen to be a poor sleeper and a woman than you may find that you struggle with your emotions and experience greater psychological distress such as hostility, depression, and anger which can cause you restlessness but these same findings were not found in men who slept poorly.

Usually we need around 6 to 8 ours sleep a night for the brain to complete its restoration process however you, as an individual, may find you need a little more to keep you feeling fresh and relaxed. Regardless of whether you are male or female if you are having trouble sleeping you can try setting yourself a routine just as we would for a young child so that the body and mind know that it is sleep time now and start to help you wind down from the day. Also, meditation and yoga can be helpful for relaxation and helping give your body that nudge it needs to fall asleep quicker. Try some aromatherapy oils, some natural sleep supplements in the short term only or simply a cup of chamomile tea may do the trick.

So, if you are finding that you are not getting enough sleep it could be simply because your brain has not had enough time to restore itself. When you are having troubles getting to sleep try the above-mentioned relaxation strategies and see if they help or you could talk to your health care practitioner who could recommend a natural melatonin tablet to help get your sleep pattern back on track.

Treating migraines naturally

Migraines are not just a headache. Unless you suffer from migraines you may have difficulty understanding why people need to go home from work and rest when they have them. They are not just a pain in the head. You may see flashes before your eyes, feel dizzy, vomit and all kinds of disturbing symptoms to the point where you just can’t function. Remember to keep this in mind if you have an employee tell you that they have been in bed for the last couple of days with a migraine. They are not just taking a sickie.

Migraines can range from moderate to extreme pain, cause sensitivities to noise, smell, taste and sight including causing issues with vision which means your employee definitely can’t drive. An extreme migraine can cause the sufferer to vomit, diarrhea and all this makes them impatient and irritable. Naturally with all this happening they also can’t eat. Migraines don’t give you any warning signs that they are coming like a regular headache. They come on suddenly and can last for up to three days.

There are many things that can cause a migraine and anyone can get one, however if you are between the age of 14 and 69 migraines are more common in women. They are hard to treat because they can be so different and that is why your natural therapist needs to be kept informed what is happening and if their treatment is working. Alternatively drug medication will help but it’s only a temporary fix and does not empower you to control the migraine in the future. Some things that can cause a migraine can be stress, sleep disorders and hormone fluctuations.

There are many treatments that may assist if you are a sufferer but you need to implement them as soon as possible as it is often difficult to stop a migraine once it has taken hold. The best way is to work on preventing them. If it’s too late for that then you need to manage the pain once they have started. Lifestyle changes such as meditation, massage, exercise and a healthy diet will help prevent or reduce the length and severity of a migraine. Essential oil blends have also been known to assist.

Recipes such as Eucalyptus oil, 1 drop, clary sage 2 drops, and ginger 3 drops can be used as an inhaler. This will help with nausea and congestion. However, keep in mind that clary sage should not be used in pregnancy. Peppermint and lavender are also useful - a blend of 2 drops of each. In the early stages this will sometimes stop an attack.

Often it’s a good idea to keep a mix of an oil on hand ready to inhale at even the slightest headache. Try some rosemary, lavender, clary sage and marjoram in equal mixes. Remember to check the side effects of these oils depending on other illnesses you may have as some essential oils affect blood pressure etc. As a first aide you can use some Lemon Balm on a tissue to help calm both your mind and body.

If your migraines are persistent please take some time out to consult a natural therapist who will look at your whole constitution as to what is out of balance. Some energy therapy will balance you also and by learning to tone down your stress levels, increase your immunity and balance your energy you will soon find that your migraines will diminish to help you lead a more fun-filled life.

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Mental fortitude builds focus and success

Mental veracity is an important quality for us to develop. Life has its ups and downs related to many different issues such as relationship problems, work, family issues or any other challenges that may arise. An important key to overcome these challenges is enough strength of mind to not give up until you win the fight. Often people give up on something when they are close to succeeding and they don’t even realise it.

People who succeed all seem to have certain character traits that they have developed over the years. The first of these is simply not giving up just because things are getting hard. It’s important to keep believing in yourself and use the head talk that ‘I can do it’ to keep you going. If you focus on the goal then the journey becomes easier. If at first you don’t succeed remember that you are one step closer to knowing how not to do that again. Many famous people have failed time and time again at their goals and still kept going…to succeed in the end.

So what if you are not in your comfort zone? Push yourself past it towards what you want to achieve. It might be hard and you might need to change some things in your life but it is in your power to do so. Why not try something new and to feel the discomfort that comes when you have stepped out of that comfort zone?

Being out of your comfort zone may mean you need to look at where and with whom you spend your time. Are they positive, strong people or do they wallow in self-pity and gossip which will also bring you down? Successful people surround themselves with positive people. Also watch your own negative emotions such as jealousy, fear, and envy. Do you live in the past and hold grudges? That’s a behaviour you need to perhaps give up as the negativity of it will make you more negative. Learn to let go and forgive as that will benefit you even more than the other person. It will allow you to move forward.

Another way to increase your tenacity is to keep an open mind and put in the effort to succeed. Success will not drop in your lap if you don’t implement the right strategies and do the work to attract it. You need to have solid goals in line with the dreams that you believe will bring you happiness. Remember that you are the one that sets the limiting beliefs on your life. If you allow people or situations to limit you they will. If you allow them to chain you into situations they will. If you cower down instead of stepping up to your goals and dreams you will find you feel cheated as your life goes by. So it is important to stand up for what you want and develop the mental strength to fight for it. Start out small and one step at a time and you will find after a while you will have achieved far more than you ever planned to do.

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Vitamin B12 deficiency and coughs

Do you have a bad cough and no-one can tell you why? There could be many reasons for this but perhaps one of the most elusive is a Vitamin B12 deficiency. Some studies have been done that link the two.

Many people have a Vitamin B12 deficiency and don’t know it. Older people, people with gastric reflux, people with H Pylori infections or one’s that have had it in the past and people who don’t watch their diets and create the deficiency themselves by not eating right are all at risk. Also at risk are people taking some prescription medications. If you find you are constantly having trouble sleeping then you could also be lacking in Vitamin B12 as this vitamin helps produce the sleep inducing hormone, melatonin.

Most cases of chronic cough have been diagnosed as cough reflux, gastroesophageal reflux or allergic rhinitis. Also smoking is a common cause of chronic cough, however there are some cases in which there is an unknown cause of the cough.

The Vitamin B12 (cobalamin) is a vitamin that helps the formation of blood cells, the nervous system and brain function. When the body is lacking in Vitamin B12 it can cause a tingling or burning sensation in the body and a numbness or lack of feeling. This is because the lack of Vitamin B12 can affect the sensory neuropathy in the body.

If you are lacking in Vitamin B12 after a while the effect on the sensory neuropathy can start to cause neurogenic inflammation of the airway, due to elevated levels of nerve growth factor. This inflammation will start to affect the flow of air through the passage way and hence cause a chronic cough.

Ways that you can help to increase your Vitamin B12 intake can include taking probiotics to help reduce H Pylori infections in the stomach as these can cause a Vitamin B12 deficiency. Eating a healthy diet with animal products such as dairy, and meat are good sources of B12. If you are vegan and don’t eat animal product you should seek advice on supplements to take because, even though algae contain Vitamin B12, it is a different type and doesn’t work the same way in the body. It is also possible to get a false reading of B12 levels to show that they are higher than they actually are. The best delivery though of B12 supplementation is through sublingual tablets or low dose sprays and tablets are not as effective.

Check with your naturopath or practitioner as to what you need to increase your B12 levels and how you can improve your diet to get a good balance of supplements. It is not a good idea to not attend to that chronic cough and if the doctor is coming up with nothing on his tests you need to investigate elsewhere.

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