Home Remedies & Healthy Living Tips
July-August 2011: Gallbladder Surgery- for better or for worse
Gallbladder removal is one of the most commonly performed abdominal surgeries. If a routine imaging test shows gallbladder stones, there is a 60% chance for that gallbladder to be removed, even if the stones are not symptomatic. Before the advancement in surgical techniques, gallbladder stone was treated effectively with far less invasive techniques. Those methods are still available to us today.
Why are surgeries performed?
If a large gallstone is lodged in the common bile duct, in additional to causing severe pain, the stone may also cause a back up of pancreatic enzymes. The result is pancreatitis and other severe medical conditions. In these acute cases, surgery is likely the most appropriate solution.
What happens after the surgery?
Due to the absence of gallbladder and the timely release of bile with food ingestion, the person will now experience chronic abdominal gas, foul pasty bowel movement, and other digestive health issues such as changes to the stomach lining. About 1/3 of those undergone surgery will continue to experience gallbladder related symptoms, even after those tiny organs are removed.
What are the alternatives?
Dietary changes are essential to eliminating the gallbladder symptoms. For example, frequent small meals that are low in fat will minimize the frequency of gallbladder attacks. By gradually dissolving the gallbladder stones, using herbs and other nutriceuticals, the gallbladder can become stone-free. The only down side is if dietary habit is not changed permanently, the problem will likely return years later.
Final Note. Surgeries are absolutely necessary in emergency cases. However, each one of our organs is here for a reason, and once removed there is no growing back. The medical community used to think the appendix is useless and removed it routinely. Now we know the appendix is important for healthy immune function.
Why are surgeries performed?
If a large gallstone is lodged in the common bile duct, in additional to causing severe pain, the stone may also cause a back up of pancreatic enzymes. The result is pancreatitis and other severe medical conditions. In these acute cases, surgery is likely the most appropriate solution.
What happens after the surgery?
Due to the absence of gallbladder and the timely release of bile with food ingestion, the person will now experience chronic abdominal gas, foul pasty bowel movement, and other digestive health issues such as changes to the stomach lining. About 1/3 of those undergone surgery will continue to experience gallbladder related symptoms, even after those tiny organs are removed.
What are the alternatives?
Dietary changes are essential to eliminating the gallbladder symptoms. For example, frequent small meals that are low in fat will minimize the frequency of gallbladder attacks. By gradually dissolving the gallbladder stones, using herbs and other nutriceuticals, the gallbladder can become stone-free. The only down side is if dietary habit is not changed permanently, the problem will likely return years later.
Final Note. Surgeries are absolutely necessary in emergency cases. However, each one of our organs is here for a reason, and once removed there is no growing back. The medical community used to think the appendix is useless and removed it routinely. Now we know the appendix is important for healthy immune function.
May-June 2011: Healthy Breast Initiatives
1. Avoid under wire braziers
Under wires impede lymph flow to and from your breast tissues. Toxin and waste material build up within the breasts, encouraging cell mutation.
2. Eat your broccoli
Broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprout, and other vegetables in the mustard family contain the compound indole-3-carbinol. I-3-C is a potent liver detoxifier and it renders estrogen into more inert molecules.
3. Drink herbal tea and water instead of coffee and soda
Caffeine and theobromine (chocolate) retards your liver's ability to metabolize and remove waste material. Bio-active estrogen molecules accumulate within the body, increasing the stimulation to breast tissue and the potential risk for cell mutation.
4. Use all natural beauty products
Unless labeled all natural organic, fragrances, dye, and other chemicals commonly found in commercial beauty products are byproducts of the petroleum industry. These chemicals may mimic our body's own hormones and exert long term impact on the breast and other hormone sensitive tissues.
5. Exercise
Exercise reduces one's breast cancer risk by various mechanisms. Even mild exercise (30 min walking) elevates mood and improve lymphatic circulation. Moderate to aerobic exercises will also encourage toxin removal by perspiration.
Under wires impede lymph flow to and from your breast tissues. Toxin and waste material build up within the breasts, encouraging cell mutation.
2. Eat your broccoli
Broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprout, and other vegetables in the mustard family contain the compound indole-3-carbinol. I-3-C is a potent liver detoxifier and it renders estrogen into more inert molecules.
3. Drink herbal tea and water instead of coffee and soda
Caffeine and theobromine (chocolate) retards your liver's ability to metabolize and remove waste material. Bio-active estrogen molecules accumulate within the body, increasing the stimulation to breast tissue and the potential risk for cell mutation.
4. Use all natural beauty products
Unless labeled all natural organic, fragrances, dye, and other chemicals commonly found in commercial beauty products are byproducts of the petroleum industry. These chemicals may mimic our body's own hormones and exert long term impact on the breast and other hormone sensitive tissues.
5. Exercise
Exercise reduces one's breast cancer risk by various mechanisms. Even mild exercise (30 min walking) elevates mood and improve lymphatic circulation. Moderate to aerobic exercises will also encourage toxin removal by perspiration.
April 2011: Common Infantile Skin Conditions
Did you baby scratchingknow that cradle cap is not a "normal" part of infancy? Children who have cradle cap will often experience eczema as well. Both of these conditions are indicative of an under developed digestive and immune system.
Breast feeding mothers and moms-to-be can look into strengthening their own digestive health and balancing their own immune sensitivity. Formula feeding mothers may seek out hypoallergenic alternatives for their infant.
Other childhood conditions such as gastric reflux and colic may also be remedied naturally.
Breast feeding mothers and moms-to-be can look into strengthening their own digestive health and balancing their own immune sensitivity. Formula feeding mothers may seek out hypoallergenic alternatives for their infant.
Other childhood conditions such as gastric reflux and colic may also be remedied naturally.
March 2011: March Break Traveling First Aid Kit
March break is upon us again. For many families, this means taking advantage of the favourable Canadian dollar and travelling abroad. When you leave home, do not forget to pack a first aid kit. Right beside your alcohol wipes and adhesive bandages, consider bringing along some "natural" first aid supplies.
1. Cold/flu prevention (those airplane rides...):
-oil of oregano, homeopathic cold/flu medication
2. Food-born illnesses:
-probiotic, oil of oregano, grape seed extract, homeopathic metallica
album
3. Blister protection (for hiking in Costa Rica or mall hopping in Florida):
-silicon based "mole skin"
4. Jet lag/ motion sickness: homeopathic cocculus, melatonin
5. Cuts and bruises (heavy luggage from your trip):
-homeopathic Arnica
1. Cold/flu prevention (those airplane rides...):
-oil of oregano, homeopathic cold/flu medication
2. Food-born illnesses:
-probiotic, oil of oregano, grape seed extract, homeopathic metallica
album
3. Blister protection (for hiking in Costa Rica or mall hopping in Florida):
-silicon based "mole skin"
4. Jet lag/ motion sickness: homeopathic cocculus, melatonin
5. Cuts and bruises (heavy luggage from your trip):
-homeopathic Arnica
June 2010: First Aid for Sprain
The first 24-48 hours are all about rest and reducing further injury to an unstable joint. You may choose to elevate the injured part to minimize the amount of swelling to the joint. You could also bandage it or use a joint brace to give it a little more stability for when you are on the move. Icing is actually not recommended (forget the standard first aid course coverage on this topic). It slows down metabolism, causes "blood stasis" of the area (source of chronic pain for years after the initial injury), and may produce further damage to a friable tissue. Here are some good natural remedies for sprained joint:
Homeopathic Arnica 200:
Take two pellets, every 1/2 hour as needed to help reduce pain, swelling and bruising.
Homeopathic Bryonia 30:
Same dosing as Arnica. This is specifically used for severe pain experienced on the slightest motion.
Digestive Enzyme:
approximately 300,000 units three times daily, away from food by at least 1 hour. This will minimize pain and inflammation.
Fresh Papaya and Pineapple:
These fruits also contain natural digestive enzymes, use them as an effective substitute to enzyme capsules.
Massage:
Lightly massage your limb in a circular motion towards the centre of the body. This should help drain excess fluid away from the injured joint
After the first 24-48 hours of rest, your joint pain and swelling is likely still noticeable, but not getting worse. It is time to get moving. The longer you leave your joint constantly immobilized, the longer it takes to fully recover. In a seated position, carefully work your joints to gradually increase the range of motion. Do not force your joint, use pain as a guideline. You may also find alternating hot and cold compress/soak really helpful. After 3 minutes of warm application and 1 minute of cool application several times, you will notice significant improvement to your range of motion. It should alleviate enough discomfort to help you sleep.
Continue with digestive enzyme intake for at least 1 week.
Repeat homeopathic Arnica as needed.
Rhus tox 30:
This may help if you experience a great deal of achiness after a period of rest (e.g. the first few steps after sitting for awhile)
Homeopathic Arnica 200:
Take two pellets, every 1/2 hour as needed to help reduce pain, swelling and bruising.
Homeopathic Bryonia 30:
Same dosing as Arnica. This is specifically used for severe pain experienced on the slightest motion.
Digestive Enzyme:
approximately 300,000 units three times daily, away from food by at least 1 hour. This will minimize pain and inflammation.
Fresh Papaya and Pineapple:
These fruits also contain natural digestive enzymes, use them as an effective substitute to enzyme capsules.
Massage:
Lightly massage your limb in a circular motion towards the centre of the body. This should help drain excess fluid away from the injured joint
After the first 24-48 hours of rest, your joint pain and swelling is likely still noticeable, but not getting worse. It is time to get moving. The longer you leave your joint constantly immobilized, the longer it takes to fully recover. In a seated position, carefully work your joints to gradually increase the range of motion. Do not force your joint, use pain as a guideline. You may also find alternating hot and cold compress/soak really helpful. After 3 minutes of warm application and 1 minute of cool application several times, you will notice significant improvement to your range of motion. It should alleviate enough discomfort to help you sleep.
Continue with digestive enzyme intake for at least 1 week.
Repeat homeopathic Arnica as needed.
Rhus tox 30:
This may help if you experience a great deal of achiness after a period of rest (e.g. the first few steps after sitting for awhile)
February 2010: Am I Allergic to My Home?
As our homes and work place become more energy efficient and better at sealing in warmth and moisture, a few minor adjustments are necessary to help us live healthier in these indoor environments. Studies have shown that indoor air quality can be multiple times worse than outdoor quality. Indoor pollutants such as volatile organic compounds emitted by paint, furniture, flooring can get trapped overtime to reach biologically toxic level. Other items such as cleaning agents, fragrance, aerosol should be either voided or switched to those made with natural ingredients.
Aside from occasionally opening few window to air out indoor pollutants or going for a short walk during lunch. The following are a few easy tips on helping you breathe better:
Add a few low maintenance house plants (spider plants, philodendron)
Only paint with VOC free paint and primer
Avoid air fresheners (plug ins, sprays, candles)
Use beeswax candles only
Clean/change your furnace filtre according to recommended schedule
Vaccum your floor vents. (remove cover, use the extension hoses)
Thoroughly clean humidifier once a week to prevent mold growth
Aside from occasionally opening few window to air out indoor pollutants or going for a short walk during lunch. The following are a few easy tips on helping you breathe better:
Add a few low maintenance house plants (spider plants, philodendron)
Only paint with VOC free paint and primer
Avoid air fresheners (plug ins, sprays, candles)
Use beeswax candles only
Clean/change your furnace filtre according to recommended schedule
Vaccum your floor vents. (remove cover, use the extension hoses)
Thoroughly clean humidifier once a week to prevent mold growth
Janurary 2010: Weathering the Snow & Ice
York Region just experienced its first big snow fall of the winter. Bayview Naturopathic Wellness wishes to remind you to use inert material for traction. Sand, cat-litter particles or commercially available volcanic fine gravel are non-toxic for your kids and animals, safe for concrete/metal, and would not damage your lawn. Most rock salts are only effective if ambient temperature is above -20 C (0 F).
Did you know that that ingesting de-icing chemicals or excessive salt may be damaging to your pets' kidneys and other vital organs? Always wipe your animal's feet with damp cloth after a walking outside.
Not sure about what's available for purchase? Consult the helpful staff at your local hardware or pet store.
Did you know that that ingesting de-icing chemicals or excessive salt may be damaging to your pets' kidneys and other vital organs? Always wipe your animal's feet with damp cloth after a walking outside.
Not sure about what's available for purchase? Consult the helpful staff at your local hardware or pet store.
December 2009: Renovate Your Home & Improve Your Health
If you are one of the many people taking advantage of the Home Renovation Tax Rebate, consider the following suggestions that will benefit your health and the health of our world. You can even get more government rebates by participating in Home Energy Saving.
Flooring: Choose renewable flooring choices such as Bamboo or Cork. These plants grows much more rapidly than other hardwoods. As a result they tend to be much more affordable as well. If hardwood is the look you are after, look into engineered hardwood where only a thin layer of hardwood is used to produce the final product. High quality laminates are abundant these days. The first generation of laminates have a bad reputation, but the newer products emit less odor, look more realistic, and cost reasonable amount. These flooring choices are great for those suffering from indoor allergies.
Paint: Choose VOC (volatile organic compound) free paint. Every paint company has their version of this odor free paint. That newly painted house smell emits and continues to emit toxic vapour throughout your home for months afterward. Winter being here, most of us do not open our windows as frequently. As a result, your body may accumulate more toxins. If you have young children at home or you are painting a new nursery awaiting the birth of your child, this is essential. VOC free paint cost nearly identical to regular paint unless you are painting dark colors. Dark colors require special VOC free paint that doubles or triples the cost of light color VOC free paints. Benjamin Moore and other specialty paint shops can fill you in on that.
Water Heater: There are choices here to suit every budget. The fanciest is the roof top solar heating system. This is the most energy saving method, but it relies heavily on weather cooperation. The 2009 summer was dismal in sunshine/heat record. The upfront cost is rather impressive and maintenance unknown. The other popular choice is tankless water heater. Tankless is excellent for large families with more than one teenager who likes to take long showers. You can save quite a bit of money by not keeping a tank. It is great for newer homes with 3/4 inch water supply pipes. However, due to the very hard water of Newmarket and surrounding area, you will need to have the tankless water heater serviced 1-2/year to get rid of mineral deposit. There are a number of other choices not covered by the Ontario Home Energy Saving, but will still save you energy. Talk to your local heating specialist. For those on a lower budget, installing thermal blanket on the tank and water piping will save you significant energy cost without damage to your wallet. Talk to your water tank provider and its competitors (e.g. Direct Energy, Reliance, etc) about changing your water tank every 5 + years. Due to hard water, a thick layer of mineral can deposit on the inside of your water tank, making it very difficult to heat. By changing it, you will prevent the mess of ruptured water tank and save on water tank heating cost.
Flooring: Choose renewable flooring choices such as Bamboo or Cork. These plants grows much more rapidly than other hardwoods. As a result they tend to be much more affordable as well. If hardwood is the look you are after, look into engineered hardwood where only a thin layer of hardwood is used to produce the final product. High quality laminates are abundant these days. The first generation of laminates have a bad reputation, but the newer products emit less odor, look more realistic, and cost reasonable amount. These flooring choices are great for those suffering from indoor allergies.
Paint: Choose VOC (volatile organic compound) free paint. Every paint company has their version of this odor free paint. That newly painted house smell emits and continues to emit toxic vapour throughout your home for months afterward. Winter being here, most of us do not open our windows as frequently. As a result, your body may accumulate more toxins. If you have young children at home or you are painting a new nursery awaiting the birth of your child, this is essential. VOC free paint cost nearly identical to regular paint unless you are painting dark colors. Dark colors require special VOC free paint that doubles or triples the cost of light color VOC free paints. Benjamin Moore and other specialty paint shops can fill you in on that.
Water Heater: There are choices here to suit every budget. The fanciest is the roof top solar heating system. This is the most energy saving method, but it relies heavily on weather cooperation. The 2009 summer was dismal in sunshine/heat record. The upfront cost is rather impressive and maintenance unknown. The other popular choice is tankless water heater. Tankless is excellent for large families with more than one teenager who likes to take long showers. You can save quite a bit of money by not keeping a tank. It is great for newer homes with 3/4 inch water supply pipes. However, due to the very hard water of Newmarket and surrounding area, you will need to have the tankless water heater serviced 1-2/year to get rid of mineral deposit. There are a number of other choices not covered by the Ontario Home Energy Saving, but will still save you energy. Talk to your local heating specialist. For those on a lower budget, installing thermal blanket on the tank and water piping will save you significant energy cost without damage to your wallet. Talk to your water tank provider and its competitors (e.g. Direct Energy, Reliance, etc) about changing your water tank every 5 + years. Due to hard water, a thick layer of mineral can deposit on the inside of your water tank, making it very difficult to heat. By changing it, you will prevent the mess of ruptured water tank and save on water tank heating cost.
