Stomach Acid–Too Little or Too Much?

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Posted on 26th July 2010 by admin in Family Health Tips

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Medications for reducing stomach acid are top-selling drugs in the U.S.  They were originally licensed for temporary use only and are now available over-the-counter.  Millions take these pills daily without any professional supervision.

More times than not, a person’s digestive system actually has too little stomach acid rather than too much.

As we age, our bodies produce less stomach acid.  Then, when we eat a meal, the poorly digested food lies in the intestinal track, putrefies and creates its own acids that causes pain.  So, reducing the stomach acid with medications actually increases digestive problems and pain.

Stomach acid is also essential in absorbing calcium, so when you reduce the amount of acid with drugs, you absorb less calcium.  It causes a similar problem with protein digestion and can lead to anemia.

Our office takes a safer, more effective, natural approach that helps the body produce the correct amount of stomach acid.  By working with the body, instead of against it

What is Crohn’s Disease?

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Posted on 19th July 2010 by admin in Family Health Tips

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Crohn’s disease is ongoing inflammation of the digestive track.  It is an autoimmune disorder, which means that the body’s immune system can’t tell the difference between normal, healthy tissue and harmful substances.  This causes the immune system to over-react which causes excessive inflammation.

Symptoms of Crohn’s disease can include:

  • Abdominal pain and cramps
  • Joint pain
  • Loss of appetite
  • Rectal bleeding and bloody stools
  • Fever
  • Fatigue
  • Pain with passing stool
  • Diarrhea
  • Weight loss
  • Constipation
  • Swollen gums
  • Eye inflammation
  • Skin rash
  • Inflammation of the liver
  • Ulcers in the mouth
  • Lack of concentration
  • Vomiting
  • Arthritis

There is no cure for Crohn’s disease, but many different treatment options are available to minimize symptoms.  Diet and nutrition modifications can be very beneficial to those suffering with Crohn’s disease.

Muscle Spasm Relief

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Posted on 12th July 2010 by admin in Family Health Tips

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Muscle spasms are like cramps, except the pain is ongoing and there is actually a knot of muscle tissue under the skin.  Muscle spasms often occur after exercising or sitting in the same position for a long time.

If you suffer from muscle spasms, here are some easy, natural ways to reduce the pain and prevent future spasms:

-  Apply warm moist heat to the area.  This can be a wet towel heated in the microwave, a hot shower or a bath.

-  Stretch the tight muscle with gentle, gradual stretches.

-  Stay hydrated.  Drink lots of water to flush lactic acid away from the knotted muscles.

-  When you are working your muscles, during exercise or physical labor, take short breaks of about 10-15 minutes periodically.  Also take short breaks when watching tv, using a computer, or sitting on a plane for extended periods of time.  Take a few minutes to get up, walk around, stretch and change your sitting positions.

-  Increase the amount of calcium in your diet by eating low-fat dairy foods like skim milk, yogurt, and organic cottage cheese.

-  Increase your potassium intake by adding foods like bananas, potatoes, eggs, beets and raisins to your diet.

-  Try to avoid acidic foods like tomatoes and tomato-based foods, citrus (fruits and juices), and vinegar.

-  Ask a friend to help by massaging the painful area, or make an appointment with a massage therapist.

Dr. George helps relieve pain from muscle spasms through the use of ultrasound, massage, and several chiropractic adjusting techniques.  Please give us a call if you need professional assistance in relieving pain from muscle spasms.

 

Does your infant or child have asthma?

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Posted on 5th July 2010 by admin in Family Health Tips

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Children who have asthma, usually develop it before they are 5 years old.  More than half of all children with asthma develop it before the age of 3.  How do you know if your infant or child has asthma?  Here are the most common symptoms:

 Wheezing-  Wheezing is the high-pitched whistling sound made when breathing.  Mild wheezing occurs at the end of the breath when breathing out.  Severe wheezing is characterized by whistling during the entire exhale of the breath.  With extreme wheezing, whistling will also occur with the intake or breathing in.  The most dangerous situation is actually when there is no wheezing because so little air is moving through the airway.   Wheezing by itself does not necessarily indicate asthma, but it is very common.

Coughing-  Sometimes a cough may be the only asthma indication, especially if the coughing occurs after physical activity or during the middle of the night.  The difference between asthma and colds or other viruses is that usually there is no congestion, mucus or phlegm.  Wheezing is also usually associated with asthma-related coughing.

Out-of-Breath-  A child with asthma may be significantly more out of breath than other children when participating in physical activities.  During asthma attacks, being out of breath can occur during normal activities, even laying down or resting.  When this happens, the child may only be able to talk in single words because complete sentences are too much for them.

Tightness of the Chest-  Most people with asthma describe some level of pain in the chest or tightness when breathing in.

History of Bronchitis or Pneumonia-  Most children who have a history of chronic lung infections or pneumonia probably have asthma, as well.

Difficulty Feeding/Eating-  Eating or feeding may be interrupted or stopped due to being breathless.

If your baby or child does have asthma, chiropractic care can help!  Dr. George sees children 12 and under free of charge, even if parents are not patients.