Tag Archives: ibs

Probiotics for Pets?

Doggie digestion is a subject near and dear to my heart — thanks to my dog Moose and his very sensitive stomach. According to a recent article in Scientific American, GI issues are one of the top problems dog owners bring to the vet’s office (skin issues are tops on the list, according to a professor from the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine in Gainesville). I can believe it! There’s a wide range of stuff that can cause gastrointestinal distress — everything from “garbage gut” (getting sick after eating stuff they shouldn’t) to parasites to infection and more. … Continue reading →

Four Diseases Your Doctor May Miss

Four diseases that attack women in their twenties and thirties are often very hard to diagnose. Each of these diseases has no clear cause and a host of symptoms that may also be seen with other health issues. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome affects more than one million Americans; nearly eighty percent of them female. CFS comes with fatigue that won’t go away and other symptoms like sore throat, muscle pain, joint pain, forgetfulness, insomnia, weakness, dry eyes, dry mouth, dizziness, skin problems, and weight loss. There are no diagnostic tests for chronic fatigue syndrome, and doctors aren’t sure what causes it. … Continue reading →

What Is Diverticulitis?

Your colon is a part of your large intestine. When pouches in the colon called diverticula become infected or inflamed, you have diverticulitis. This condition can be very painful, and is thought to be the result of a diet that is too low in fiber. What does fiber have to do with it? In a healthy digestive system, fiber adds bulk to the waste that moves through your intestines. Without enough fiber in the system, your colon must use more pressure than normal to move things through your intestines. This pressure can cause the formation of the pouches in the … Continue reading →

Stress and Digestion

Stress affects most organs of the body and the stomach is no exception. Stress can cause those familiar knots in the stomach, some types of ulcers, constipation, diarrhea, poor absorption of nutrients leading to further ill health, and oversecretion of stomach acids. If all this sounds like a pain in the gut, it is! Of course, not all these conditions are caused by stress alone, but a person who is subjected to chronic stressors in their life will almost always suffer some form of digestional difficulty. It may be a sore stomach, frequent burping, heartburn or gastric reflux, or bouts … Continue reading →

What Is IBS?

Posted on by

You may know someone who suffers from IBS — Irritable Bowel Syndrome. You may not know what it means to have IBS. If you suffer from Irritable Bowel Syndrome, you probably experience abdominal discomfort or even pain, often in the lower abdomen, but the location and intensity may change. You also experience a change in bowel habit, and may frequently experience constipation or diarrhea — or both in turn. Many people who suffer from IBS can also experience fatigue, muscle pain, headache, lower back pain, and sleep problems. As many as half of all IBS sufferers may also experience heartburn, … Continue reading →

Peppermint For Digestive Health

Posted on by

Want to add an easy to grow, sweet smelling, aromatheraputic plant to your garden? Grow peppermint! Peppermint has long been used as a digestive aid. The ancient Egyptians used peppermint to soothe indigestion; modern herbalists recommend it for other stomach problems, too — like nausea, diarrhea, and even hiccups! Now research is showing that adding peppermint to your diet can help ease the symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome! Peppermint helps ease stomach spasms because it has a relaxing effect on digestive tract muscles. The drawback is that you may see an increase in acid reflux or heartburn, because the peppermint … Continue reading →