In today’s world of science and technology, sometimes the most wise thing to do is turn to the old and ancient wisdom to seek the cures for today’s illnesses, such as hypertension.  Ayurvedic medicine, or ancient Indian science of healing has long known that there are certain simple lifestyle changes which can be made to tackle high blood pressure without medicine.  For example, regular exercise is one of the best ways to lower blood pressure and a good exercise program, particularly endurance exercises such as jogging or athletics, will cause the peripheral resistance to decrease and help to eliminate body fat, lower total cholesterol and raise HDL cholesterol that prevents fatty - cholesterol deposits.

But lets go even simpler.  The simple effect of nurturing, love and affection can significantly drop your blood pressure.  Ayurveda cautions us to always speak the truth as lying has been found to boost blood pressure, because it require a lot of mental exercise. Speak gently and try not to get annoyed, speaking loudly and rapidly can significantly raise your blood pressure during conversation. In addition, chronic anger produces elevation in blood pressure and it can be a serious risk factor for coronary - heart - disease. So be cool, speak softly and even in event of extreme displeasure.  As we have long known, Ayurveda says that laughter is the best medicine and is as good as relaxation therapy, exercise or other methods used to overcome stress. Study shows that laughter decreases adrenaline and cortisol production. Laughter can help you if you are having high blood pressure. If you are frustrated, unhappy, angry, just laugh and find yourself away from rage–it is of the effective medicine and it is free.

Finally, for complete tranquility of mind, meditate.  Concentrate on the incoming and outgoing breath, focusing on the temperature of the breath as it flows in and out. You may notice the exhaled air is slightly warmer than the inhaled air. If you focus the mind on the breath for 10 minutes, mental disturbance gets diminished and blood pressure normalizes.  Many will find that by implementing these simple changes, medication is not necessary at all.

Varicose veins are the result of a simple malfunction in the valves of the vein (which plays such an important role of carrying blood from the body to the heart for re-circulation). It can become a major hindrance to leading a normal day-to-day life and can be a rather painful ailment both physically and emotionally.

Varicose veins can occur due to a number of reasons like family history, work related, pregnancy induced or can even occur due to obesity.

Do not neglect the classic symptoms like- Burning or throbbing or heavy feeling in the legs. Aching legs or feet, dark blue or bulging veins may also be due to varicose veins. These symptoms must not be ignored and one must consult the doctor at the earliest, as he is the best judge.
There is a common misconception that varicose veins would heal with time. On the contrary varicose veins do not heal on their own and if left untreated can lead to further complications. With the right treatment and care it will not be a cause of trouble at all.

In the bygone era the painful procedure of “Vein Stripping” was used to treat these varicose veins. This procedure involved a lot of pain as well as required a number of days for recovery. Modern technology has made it very simple, introducing procedures that cause minimum pain and ensuring quick recovery to the patient. The actual area of problem can be diagnosed through physical examination and ultrasound tests and then the varicose veins can be treated through minimally invasive procedures which would not cause much pain A tiny incision or puncture of the skin under local anaesthesia is all it takes to get back those lovely legs and drive away the terrible nagging pain that was a dominant part of the patient’s life for so long. With the help of modern technology varicose vein treatment and getting on with a new phase of life minus the pain and embarrassment is only a matter of a few days.

Southwest Vein Institute is dedicated towards the treatment of varicose veins. The doctors were featured among the “Best Doctors Chosen by their Peers” in D magazine and “Texas Super Doctors” by Texas Monthly. The doctors and staff aim at not only treating the medical problem of the varicose veins but also at the post operative care that is so very important to get the patient back to a normal life. The team of doctors also work on returning the self-confidence that most of the varicose veins patients lose due to the embarrassment that accompanies the pain. Medically well equipped and the expertise of the doctors together make it one of the best available in terms of medical facilities and care.

While doctors hand out Coumadin like candy, apparently because they have no idea how to get someone’s sticky blood to flow normally, patient’s livers were apparently not briefed on the strategy – an oversight that is likely to injure and speed the onset of age-associated disease.  A new article in the prestigious American Journal of Clinical Nutrition reveals just how vital vitamin K function is to your health.

The Coumadin vs. vitamin K issue is one pitting the mental midgets of Western medicine against the innate wisdom of the human body. 

There are 16 known vitamin K dependent proteins.  The researchers used knockout mice (mice lacking one or another of these proteins) to determine which vitamin K proteins were most important to survival.

They found that the 5 vitamin K proteins relating to clotting were the most important, as knocking them out caused death to the mice while still in the embryonic phase of development. 

Their research showed that the liver regulates the distribution of vitamin K to any of the 16 proteins, and does so on a basis of priority, giving clotting function top priority.

When Coumadin is taken it creates a vitamin K deficiency and the liver responds by channeling available vitamin K to clotting protein function, at the expense of other vitamin K dependent proteins. 

The net result is that other functions in the body that require vitamin K are left without enough to function properly.  This causes bone loss, arterial calcification, and increased cancer risk.  Vitamin K proteins are also an integral part of the overall antioxidant network.

Therefore, long-term Coumadin use is not worth the “benefit” for just about anyone.

Doctors need to get their heads out of the sand.  Much of Coumadin prescribing is “cover-your-rear-end” medicine – giving it out because if a person should have a stroke and they weren’t prescribed Coumadin then the doctor is in a situation of legal liability (which is utter nonsense and should not be the case).  Coumadin also causes regular repeat office visits to check clotting times via a blood draw, which is a nice cash flow for the doctor as the office visit requires little or no intelligence or time.

I have pointed out in an earlier article that sticky blood may even be protective and that Coumadin actually increases the amount of unstable plaque which actually would increase the risk for a stroke (the opposite of why it is given).  I have also pointed out that Coumadin in the short term is the number one drug causing serious injury requiring an emergency room visit or more serious problem (see article FDA Sleeps While Common Medications Poison the Elderly).

The use of Coumadin in general practice is an example of why the general population is rapidly losing confidence in Western medicine.  In the current health care debate it is generally agreed that we need to reduce the cost of health care so that more people can be covered with truly needed care.  This issue of the inept practice of medicine, based on widely over-prescribing expensive and dangerous medications, is a driving force at the source of the problem of runaway health care costs.  Doctor ineptitude is being given a free pass in the current debate so as not to have doctor groups torpedo proposed changes. 

Though the root causes are often unclear, perhaps the most prevalent acid reflux cause is a poor diet. Acid reflux occurs during digestion, when the stomach churns up acid or refluxes it into the esophagus, causing a burning sensation in the chest or throat. So if you eat too many highly acidic foods like tomato sauces and/or fatty, fried foods, the stomach has to process an overabundance of acid. Too much acid can push back through a valve between the stomach and the esophagus called the lower esophageal sphincter (LES). Acid reflux culprits include but are not limited to tomato based sauces, fried and fatty foods, chocolate, alcohol, citrus fruits, peppers, and caffeinated beverages.

Along the same lines as diet, overeating also causes reflux. When you overeat, the stomach can�t keep up with the demand to process all the acids. So food gets backed up, and digestive acids infiltrate the esophageal valve to cause that unpleasant burning feeling centered in the chest.

Also diet-related, another acid reflux cause is being overweight. There is a clear correlation between being overweight and a notable increase in the occurrence of acid reflux. Many believe this is because the extra weight puts more pressure on the stomach and esophagus. This pressure has been known to open the lower esophageal sphincter (esophagus valve), when the valve should be closed. This allows acid to escape into the esophagus.

Other factors that create a predisposition for acid reflux include smoking, use of alcohol, food allergies, certain medications, and lying down after meals. As you can tell, most of these factors can be overcome by practicing some behavioral modifications. In fact, in many cases of recurrent acid reflux, lifestyle changes are all that is necessary in preventing heartburn from becoming a chronic disease. Remember to consult a physician before embarking on any treatment strategy.

I wasn't that sure to expect when I went for a endoscopy.

I was having the procedure and the associated biopsy to see whether I was suffering from coeliac disease.

I am also not the bravest where hospitals or operations are concerned!

I had the instructions, which said that there was a 1-in-10,000 chance of something going wrong, that I was to wear comfortable easily washed clothes and that I wasn't to eat or drink anything for six hours before.
It also said that there was the choice of a sedative or a throat spray and if I had the first I wouldn't be able to drive, use machinery or drink alcohol for 24 hours.

Hmm!

Would I be brave enough to have the throat spray, as it would also mean I wouldn't have to find someone to go with me? Not easy when your wife works full time and your children live miles away!
It said phone if you wanted any help. So I did!

I was given a direct line by the receptionist and after a couple of tries, I got through to a helpful nurse who said that most people are alright with the throat spray.

So it was to be the throat spray!

I also remembered the advice given to me by a scientist who created anaesthetics. He said to avoid them at all costs!

***

I didn't sleep too badly the night before, but I did get up about six.

Nothing unusual here, as Celia is often out by half past on her way to all Courts east, west, north and occasionally south. I also find that the early morning is the best time to work!

But I did want to have a last drink of a cup of tea before the requisite six hours of abstinence arrived at half past six.

It was a long wait as I am one of those who just like others have a thinking cigarette, when I work I have a thinking drink, or a snack. I did bite my fingers a bit, until I realised that could count as food!

In the end I gave up on work about twelve and disappeared off on a series of useful, but on the whole rather time-wasting errands.

I had tried to arrange a game of tennis before, but that all came to nothing. I was dressed for the game though, as the clothes fitted the requirements.

I drove all the way to Bury St. Edmunds to collect my spare car keys from last night and then wasted a good fifteen minutes talking to the salesman about the new higher powered MG-ZT-T-230. (I would have bought one a few years ago, but now cars are just a means of getting around. Well not quite, but they aren't so important!)

I then picked up the enlargements of the family photo taken at our first grand-daughter Imogen's christening. I think I paid a cheque into the bank!

All things that needed to be done, but they could have waited until the Saturday!

Finally, about two I parked the car in the lane that leads to Addenbrookes.

When I visit the hospital I tend to do that, as on a sunny day (It was!) it is a nice walk and you avoid all the hassle of finding a car parking space.

***

Procedure

If you don't know Addenbrookes it is not the most attractive of buildings, being a 60's, brutal construction designed by an architect, who probably designed down to a cost, rather than up to a standard.

It's also rather a maze, so when I entered the Out-Patients I looked around for someone to give me directions. As when I came for my first appointment, I was given proper directions to Endoscopy, which seemed to be rather an afterthought for the building, reached up what looked to be a fire-escape!

As I had forgotten to bring some suitable reading, I bought a magazine. I think it was Autocar.

Often when I go to the doctors, I'll take a rather academic book, so that I don't get treated like an idiot. Also something with substance and length as that seems to ensure I get seen quickly!

I waited for perhaps half an hour until twenty minutes after my appointment before I was seen by a nurse, who then asked whether I was taking the sedative. I said not, but I got the impression that most of the others were taking one.

She also said that as I have a crown on a front tooth, I was less likely to break that if I had a spray, as I wouldn't bite so hard on the mouth piece through which the probe would pass.

Many of you might be suffering from acid reflux to some extent or the other. When it happens during night hours, then the stomach gas and fluids disturb the sleeping pattern.

Acid reflux or GERD (Gastro esophageal reflux disease) occurs when the LES (lower esophageal sphincter) relaxes and gives way to fluids and gases in the stomach to move upwards into the esophagus. LES opens up so as to allow the food enter into the stomach and then closes but it is when this LES is too relaxed or damaged then it causes acid reflux.

Poor eating habits could be a major cause for acid reflux. Eatables such as sauce, raw onion or garlic, coffee or alcohol when remain indigested leads to acid reflux. Certain natural herbs and supplements and even medicines help in getting rid of the problem.

Chronic indigestion can be caused by a lack of hydrochloric acid. Some people produce insufficient amounts of stomach acid as they grow older. Besides the proper digestion of food, hydrochloric acid is necessary to keep harmful bacteria.

Medicines such as nexium are quite effective in treating GERD because it contains esomeprazole as the active ingredient which is a proton pump inhibitor. It works while inhibiting the action of proton pumps and thereby reducing the production of the stomach acid.

Since it relieves the symptoms of stomach cancer, it could be advised to go for a proper examination before starting the treatment if your doctor suspects a stomach ulcer. Moreover, it should not be used for children, women who are breast-feeding and some other cases of intolerance to fructose or absorbing glucose in the diet.

There could be certain side effects of the medicines such as headaches, diarrhea, nausea, constipation, vomiting or abdominal pain, formation of excess gas in the stomach, skin allergies, dry mouth, joint or muscle pains, depression, dizziness, swelling of the legs, confusion, or insomnia.

A new animal experiment shows the power of glutamine to dramatically reduce the inflammation caused by excessive H. pylori infection – a typical cause of ulcers.  “Our findings suggest that extra glutamine in the diet could protect against gastric damage caused by H. pylori,” says senior author Susan Hagen, PhD, Associate Director of Research in the Department of Surgery at BIDMC and Associate Professor of Surgery at Harvard Medical School.

“Gastric damage develops when the bacteria weakens the stomach’s protective mucous coating, damages cells and elicits a robust immune response that is ineffective at ridding the infection.” Eventually, she notes, years of infection result in a combination of persistent gastritis, cell damage and an environment conducive to cancer development.

“Our work demonstrated that the damaging effects of ammonia on gastric cells could be reversed completely by the administration of L-glutamine,” explains Hagen. “The amino acid stimulated ammonia detoxification in the stomach – as it does in the liver – so that the effective concentration of ammonia was reduced, thereby blocking cell damage.”

Glutamine is not in a free form in food, meaning it must be digested and absorbed before it can be sent to your digestive tract.  The use of antacid medication reduces protein digestion and absorption, setting up a nasty catch 22.

However, supplemental glutamine can go to work directly on your digestive tract without being absorbed.  This study shows how effectively glutamine can reduce digestive tissue damage by controlling inflammation.  Keep in mind that H. pylori is a normal inhabitant of every person’s digestive tract.  Like Candida, it only becomes a problem when it gets out of balance. 

A healthy digestive tract lining is a fundamental principle of health and assists you to not let any “bad guys” gain an undue toe hold in your digestive tract.  In fact, the only way to really regain digestive health includes having a healthy GI tract lining – not just trying to kill or reduce numbers of potential undesirable organisms.

GERD is also known as acid reflux whereby the liquid content of the stomach regurgitates into the esophagus. It occurs when the lower muscle of the esophagus does not close properly.

Many times, people suffer from GERD those who have a weak lower esophageal sphincter and it relaxes too often and thereby causes stomach acid to back up into esophagus. Drinking too much of alcohol being found in beer, liquor such as vodka and whiskey.

Food and beverages such as chocolate, peppermint, fatty foods or coffee or eating frequently and even lying down after eating. Taking medicines that irritate the esophagus including aspirin and antibiotics. Having weight more than what is necessary could also cause stomach acid reflux and heartburn. Smoking and pregnancy also make the sphincter relax more than usual.

The most common treatments for acid reflux consist of antacids, histamine antagonists, proton pump inhibitors, pro-motility drugs and foam barriers. Antacids get excess gastric acid neutralized inside the stomach. However, the problem is that these antacids work fast but give a temporary relief. Again, histamine antagonists have a longer effect than antacid medications and they are very reliable in the treatment for acid reflux. Proton pump inhibitors should be taken a few hours before meals.

Nexium is one of these proton pump inhibitors that work effectively to provide relief from GERD diseases. It offers heartburn relief and helps to heal the damage to the esophagus that may be caused by acid reflux. If you are taking one of these over the counter or prescriptions products, it is important that you be aware of the potential nutritional side effect that could affect your health. One way to avoid the potential deficiency is to be sure to take a supplement.

Constipation can be divided into three categories, by the time it takes to treat the problem. The short-term ones are caused by travel, diet, medication, surgery and other known causes. They mostly correct themselves. The medium-term ones are caused by low-fiber diet, low liquid consumption, lack of exercise, old age, pregnancy, abuse of laxatives and consumption of dehydrating things like caffeine and alcohol. These can be treated with changed in diet, life-style changes and laxatives.

The long-term Constipation, or Chronic Constipation, is caused by serious disorders of the GI tract or other chronic diseases. The GI tract problems include irritable bowel syndrome, intestinal obstruction, colonic inertia, anorectal dysfunction and structural problems like tumors, fissures, hemorrhoids, fistulae and other problems. To diagnose the above problems many tests are used, including barium x-rays, sigmoidoscopy or colonoscopy, colorectal transit study, anorectal function test and defecography.

If no structural obstruction is found in the GI tract, the Chronic Constipation is treated like other less serious ones. Educating the patients about bowel movements, maintaining a high-fiber diet and a lot of liquid intake, avoiding dehydrating substances, exercising and bowel training are the starting treatments, along with bulk-forming laxatives like psyllium and methylcellulose. If the problem persists, more harsh laxatives, such as hyperosmatics or saline, can be tried. Stronger laxatives like anthraquinones, emollients or stimulants are tried next. Biofeedback is a good treatment if the Constipation is caused by outlet inertia.

Surgery should be considered a last resort if no improvements is seen in three to four months of treatment. Abdominal colectomy, ileorectomy and ileoanal pouch are the surgical procedures with a very good chance of relief. Other underlying causes are neurological disorders, metabolic and endocrine problems, diabetes, stroke, Parkinson�s disease, multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injuries, uremia, hypercalemia, amyloidosis and scleroderma.

Candida albicans is a normal inhabitant of your digestive tract and sinuses. Candida glabrata is a normal inhabitant on your skin. New research is showing that Candida glabrata is turning increasingly more hostile, can rapidly change its genome to become drug resistant, and is increasingly more of a problem to individuals with compromised immunity.

The overuse of antibiotics by the medical profession has not only created super strains of bacteria but an epidemic of Candida overgrowth - an imbalanced situation at the root of many digestive problems, chronic sinus problems, skin problems, poor quality of health, and poor mood.

Once a Candida albicans problem sets up shop and is treated with drugs, it sets the stage for Candida glabrata to move in. Thus we have a situation wherein incompetent medicine has bred increasingly infectious versions of formerly friendly organisms. The medical strategy is justified in the minds of doctors as it brings temporary relief to the situation. This short-sighted approach to health has created a bubble, just like the housing bubble, wherein one day soon there will be few drug options to treat hostile bacteria or Candida - leaving millions of elderly, babies and infants, and others with compromised immunity in the lurch.

The moral of the story is don�t let yourself get run down and in a weakened state. Don�t consume excess amounts of sugar, junk fats (especially chips), or alcohol, which feed Candida problems. Candida only thrives in weak body tissue. Yes, you can help yourself by using natural Candida balancing compounds that help promote healthier digestive terrain - but you must also repair body tissues so they are stronger - which is the long term key to staying out of harms way.

Symptoms in your digestive tract and sinuses are the first areas to get under control. Working on rejuvenation-oriented nutrition is invariably the long-term solution - along with a program of aerobic and strength conditioning. There is no short cut to being healthy and being resistant to the nasty bugs that have been given a major boost by the misguided and inappropriate use of Western medicine.