|
It
could be the food you are eating!
Get a
now carried
out during your Nutrition Consultation.
Quick, Accurate, Non-Invasive Test. Click here
for further details.
Irritable
Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
This is the most common digestive complaint
seen by doctors. It is also known as 'spastic colon' and 'mucous colitis'.
The condition is more prevalent amongst women & usually affects
people in the 25 to 45 age group. In
IBS muscular contractions of the digestive tract become irregular &
uncoordinated. This results in an accumulation of mucus & toxins
in the intestine. The digestive tract becomes partially obstructed with
the build up of mucus & toxins which traps gas and stools. This
leads to bloating, distention & constipation.
Signs
& Symptoms of IBS
Signs & symptoms may include abdominal pain, bloating, constipation
and or diarrhoea, nausea, headache, food intolerances and mucus in the
stools.
Possible Contributing Factors
Food intolerance, stress, parasites, candida, low stomach acid.
Constipation
Constipation is difficulty passing stools
or irregular, infrequent passing of hard, dry stools, resulting from food
moving slowly through the colon, (large intestine). The health and function
of the colon plays a significant role in proper elimination. In addition
to absorbing water and electrolytes, (salts), it's chief function is to
provide temporary storage for waste products and stool formation. The
more time faeces remain in the colon, the more water is absorbed from
them and the harder they become. This leads to an increased risk of faecal
toxins entering the blood stream and having a negative impact on the body's
metabolism.
As a result this puts a burden on other
detoxification organs (liver, kidneys, lungs, skin and lymphatics), which
have to work harder. This eventually promotes other health problems, i.e.
chronic gas, bloating, migraines, fatigue, ulcerative colitis, thyroid
disease.
Regular bowel movements are a crucial mechanism
for eliminating toxins from the body.
Possible
Contributing Factors
Insufficient
fibre in the diet, highly refined foods, inadequate exercise, pregnancy,
insufficient fluid intake, metabolic abnormalities, bowel diseases, low
thyroid function, IBS, diabetes, drugs, medication, lack of B vitamins,
food allergies, excess animal protein, laxative abuse, anxiety, worry,
depression, tension
Diarrhoea
Diarrhoea is frequent evacuation of loose,
watery stools. The colon fails to absorb water from the faeces and transit
time is sped up. 3 or more loose bowel movement s is considered to be
diarrhoea. Diarrhoea results in a loss of fluids and electrolytes, (minerals)
which can lead to serious problems. Diarrhoea can occur on it's own or
as a symptom of other problems.
Accompanying Signs and Symptoms
Vomiting, fever, cramping, thirst, abdominal
pain
Possible
Contributing Factors
IBS,
food intolerance, infection inside the gut, gastroenteritis, food poisoning,
drinking contaminated water, infection outside the gut, tonsilitis, ear
infection, urinary infection, fat malabsorption, laxative abuse, viral
infections, antibiotics, inadequate bile secretion, worms and parasites,antibiotics,
hyperthyroidism, B vitamin deficiency, anxiety/fear, excess vitamin C,
inflammatory bowel disease
Candida
Candida Albicans is a single-celled fungus.
Under normal circumstances candida albicans lives in the body's digestive
tract and also in the vaginal tract in women.
If it overgrows it can cause an infection and is
called candidiasis. When this
yeast overgrows, in the presence of a depleted
immune system, or if the intestinal lining is damaged, the body may absorb
yeast cells, particles of yeast cells & numerous toxins. This leads
to a yeast syndrome which considerably disrupts many body processes.
Yeasts,
including candida live & feed on sugar. Candida overgrowth is thought
to create a wide range of symptoms in practically every body system. The
gastrointestinal, genitourinary, endocrine, nervous and immune systems
are the most susceptible.
Signs
and Symptoms
Thrush, oral thrush, constipation, IBS,
bloating, gas, diarrhoea, PMS, headaches, hypothyroid, colitis, bladder
infections, food intolerance, chemical sensitivities, depression, chronic
fatigue, loss of energy, craving carbohydrates/yeast, mood swings, athletes
foot, fungal toenail, rectal itching, joint pain, adrenal problems, nappy
rash, eczema, psoriasis,
Possible
Contributing Factors
Antibiotics - kill off all bacteria, good & bad, thereby
allowing bad bacteria to flourish after the course of antibiotics have
finished, altered bowel flora, decreased digestive secretions, depleted
immune systems, stress - promoting a more acidic environment in which
yeast thrive, high sugar diet, weakened immune system, nutrient deficiencies,
birth control pills, impaired liver function
What is Food Intolerance?
The beginnings of a food intolerance is believed to be
due to failure of normal absorption taking place. Foods which trigger
slight, but unpleasant reactions slowly increase in number and severity.
Intolerant
foods irritate the immune system's mast cells in the guts mucous membrane
which leads to the gut leaking. Partially digested food then enter the
blood stream which sets up a chain reaction. This causes symptoms such
as bloating, diarrhoea, gas, fatigue, anxiety, skin rashes, itching, migraine,
headache, weight gain, aching joints, arthritis.
There
are usually multiple symptoms and may take hours or even days to appear.
The most prevalent food intolerances are wheat & dairy.
What
is Food Allergy?
A food allergy is an undesirable, often immediate reaction to a food which
detrimentally stimulates the immune system. An extreme case can produce
an anaphylactic shock, which would need urgent medical attention.
Common
symptoms include urticaria (rash), swollen lips, mouth & tongue and
vomiting. Shellfish, peanuts & certain berries are the most frequent
culprits that initiate allergic reactions.
Allergy |
Intolerance |
Obvious
symptom |
Slight,
subtle symptoms |
Immediate
reaction - usually within one hour |
Delayed
reaction, 3 to 72 hours later |
Quick
initiation of symptoms. The reaction tends to increase with each exposure |
Slow
onset. Often slow increase in symptoms |
Frequently
triggered by tiny amount of the food |
Not
significantly affected by quantity of food |
Affects
Immunoglobulin E (IgE) |
Affects
Immunoglobulin G (IgG) & or other mechanisms (prostaglandins,
leukotrienes, etc) |
Allergies
are uncommon |
Food
intolerances are very common |
Normally
non-reversible |
Reversible |
Well
recogised by medicine |
Just
starting to be recognised by medicine |
Test:
Prick or RAST (Radio-immunodiffusion Test)
|
Test:
Electro-Dermal Screening (EDS) or Blood Immunoglobulin G (IgG) |
Food
Intolerance Testing
You
can get your food intolerance test on-site when you book your nutrition
consultation. The test is quick, accurate and non-invasive, using electro-dermal
screening (EDS) powered by advanced, computerised bio-energetic technology.
The system has been developed over the last 50 years and represents one
of the world's most sophisticated health assessment instruments. Printed
results are available immediately after the screening for you to take
home. The results enable our practitioners to give accurate recommendations
for holistic treatment programs.
What
Is Nutritional Therapy?
Nutritional Therapy seeks to identify & treat the root cause of your
health condition. The whole person is treated from a physical, emotional
& mental perspective, rather than just seen as having a physical ailment.
The
digestive system is the foundation to good health. It is not just a question
of eating healthy. Good absorption & assimilation of nutrients is
vital. Avoiding foods that irritate the lining of the gut & triggering
uncomfortable reactions is part of disease prevention. Food
intolerance testing is able to identify foods that are aggravating your
digestive tract, so that a tailor-made nutritional program can be put
together for you to heal your gut.
What
does a Nutritional Consultation Include?
* |
A
full nutritional assessment to identify any underlying vitamin /mineral
deficiencies, infections, toxicity with a qualified, top nutritionist |
* |
Food intolerance test, - to identify the specific foods contributing
to your IBS, bloating, gas, constipation, diarrhoea, candida |
* |
Vitamin
and mineral test |
* |
Dietary/supplemental
recommendations |
* |
Clinical
examination e.g nails, tongue, blood pressure, weight |
* |
Lifestyle
recommendations |
* |
Referral
for laboratory tests if considered necessary for further investigation,
e.g blood, stool, saliva, hormones, urine, sweat |
What
other conditions can Nutritional Therapy Treat?
Heartburn |
Fertility
Problems |
Eczema |
PCOS |
Lupus |
High
cholesterol |
Hypothyroid |
Pregnancy
care |
Fibroids |
Multiple
Sclerosis |
Blood
sugar problems |
Weight
loss |
Osteoarthritis |
Endometriosis |
Asthma |
Ulcerative Colitis |
Chrohns |
ME/Chronic
Fatigue |
Menopause |
Enlarged
Prostate |
High
Blood Pressure |
Psoriasis |
Heart
disease |
Sinusitis |
Depression |
|
|
According
to recent government statistics, diseases and conditions of the digestive
tract account for 1 in 8 UK deaths. 1 in 4 main operations in UK hospitals
are related to the digestive tract.
Over a third of the population regularly suffers from digestive illnesses
such as irritable bowel syndrome, constipation, diarrhoea, stomach-aches,
nausea and sickness. |
|