The New "Colic"

Colic. That word strikes fear into the hearts of new moms and pediatricians everywhere. Although theories abound, very little is known about colic. It comes on as mysteriously as it disappears. Parents inundate pediatric offices and emergency rooms, sure that something is seriously wrong with their infant. Some pediatricians send the parents home with only assurances that their baby will grow out of it. But a disturbing trend is developing among many pediatricians to diagnose colic symptoms as acid reflux and to prescribe Zantac, Prevacid or other acid reflux medications without doing any diagnostic tests. Many pediatricians prescribe acid reflux medications as a test for reflux. Some mothers report their pediatricians prescribed acid reflux medications over the phone without even seeing the infant. The parents are happy because they have something to possibly alleviate the obvious pain their baby is suffering. The pediatricians are happy to be able to prescribe something that might help. The pharmaceutical companies are certainly happy. And the baby…well the baby could still be suffering from colic as well as the added side effects (restlessness, constipation) of the acid reflux medications. The baby may now be prescribed other medications to help counteract the side effects.

Dr. Linda Palmer, author of Baby Matters, writes: "Since the development of new expensive drugs for gastric acid reflux, most crying babies are diagnosed with GERD or gastroesophageal reflux disease and prescribed the new proton pump inhibitor drugs such as Prilosec and Prevacid. Parents usually find that these provide little help, if any. Current studies reveal that there is great randomness to the symptoms used to diagnose GERD, that while the drugs will reduce acid in the stomach and esophagus they do not reduce baby's colic symptoms or other symptoms, and that GERD drugs increase intestinal infections and pneumonia. While the GERD diagnosis and prescription of these drugs is lucrative, it sadly steers parents away from finding real solutions for their baby."

Certainly, acid reflux in various forms such as Ger (Gastro Esophageal Reflux), Gerd (Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease) and Silent reflux can be part of colic and acid reflux prescription medication can help. Some babies may even suffer from an underdeveloped esophageal sphincter and require surgery but there are tests to determine these problems which should be administered before prescription drugs. Even Celiac disease (sensitivity to gluten) can cause Gerd symptoms that, once diagnosed, can be helped by a gluten free diet. However, doctors are tracked by many insurance companies according to the number of tests they order and feel tremendous pressure to keep medical costs down. Diagnostics that may be seen as "unnecessary" may not be ordered.

Reflux isn't always caused by over-production of acid. Gas bubbles in the stomach caused by formula, breast milk or improper feeding can cause reflux by forcing the stomach contents back into the esophagus. Parents who take the time to educate themselves and are wary to use prescription drugs without proper testing should know there are natural, safe, homeopathic treatments with minimal side effects to help an infant's immature digestive system cope with gas and the intense intestinal discomfort it can cause. Cyndra Neal

Easy Exercise Tips For Constipation

Exercise might relieve constipation when increasing intake of water and dietary fiber do not.

People who are used to sedentary lifestyle may groan but fear not, exercising the colon does not necessarily have to be strenuous abdominal work- out, aerobics or jogging.

A good way to begin is to extend arms overhead and stretch arms and legs upon waking up in the morning, prior to getting out of bed. Here's an example of stretching exercise: while lying on the back, bend one leg using clasped hands to pull knee towards the chest. Alternate with the other leg. Another example is to sit up with legs extended straight and gently tap the back with knuckles. There are many suggested stretching exercises. The bottom line is respect the limitation of one's body and not to over exert especially for people with backache problems.

Since it is easier to have the urge for bowel movement in the morning, stretching exercises may help constipation sufferers to wake up their bodies and activate the digestive system.

This can be followed by breathing exercise. The purpose is to draw more air into the abdomen by first exhaling slowly as much as possible through the mouth and then inhale through the nostrils until the abdomen expands upwards.

Leaving the bed involves walking. Walking, is an excellent form of exercise for the colon that does not require athletic skill and money. A 30-minute walk daily is recommended for overall health. However, busy people may break this quota into two or three "mini walks" and still reap most of the benefits.

Since everyone with two legs in tact has to walk, walking can fit into almost everyone's schedule. For example: park a bit further away from destination, use the stairs instead of elevator, take the dog out or make other excuses to go around.

If possible, upgrade casual walking to brisk walking for better results. A group of middle-age people suffering from chronic idiopathic constipation began brisk walking regularly reported improved bowel movements after three months, according to a study.

In fact, people who walk more than often for sports can experience diarrhea in the middle of walks in the case of what is called "runner's trot". It is important though, to choose the right time for a rigorous walk. After a meal, blood flow increases to the respective digestive organs to break down the food and move it along the gastrointestinal tract. To take a walk right after eating would direct blood towards heart and muscles instead. The decrease of blood supply in the digestive system slows down peristalsis and less digestive enzymes, resulting in bloating, gas and constipation. Therefore, the best time to go for walking exercise is after a meal has been digested.

Buttock exercises can also be conveniently incorporated. Simply tighten and relax the buttock muscles gluteus maximus discreetly while walking or standing. The key to overcoming constipation is to remain physically active on a regular basis. Do not allow old age or frailty to dissuade one from doing some exercises. Why not start with the simple ones mentioned above?

Exercise might relieve constipation when increasing intake of water and dietary fiber do not. Wan Yee

Would You Like To Overcome Alcohol Dependency?

I woke up this morning feeling tired, almost as if I hadn't slept at all, and wondered why on earth I drank that wine last night! It's now well past mid-day, and I still feel well below par, my head feels heavy, I'm hungry and thirsty...and most of all I'm really annoyed at myself. Just to set the record straight, I didn't even drink that much, not really. Having said that, I'm not entirely sure...I was out in a beautiful restaurant in Chicago with a group of people and the waiter kept on topping up everyone's glass. You know the story; you've been there, done that.

Oh yes, I know I could have said "no thank you", but the wine was nice, the company was great, everyone was having fun. I didn't think at the time that I could have had more than a couple of glasses of wine, but my body is telling a different tale. It's a very long time since I last felt like this, and I want to make myself very, VERY aware of how much I hate this feeling. Because I know that if I really focus on this feeling and ensure that my mind indelibly records how bad I feel, this feeling, this memory will help me to ensure that it doesn't happen again. I plan to use this feeling to my advantage in the future.

It's all too easy to not pay attention, and to just go along with the crowd in these sorts of social situations. You just "go with the flow". It is easy to create innumerable habits relating to the consumption of alcohol; perhaps you have a glass of wine when you get home from work, to just help you relax and wind down, or you have a drink after the kids go to bed, or you go to a bar on the way home from work, etc, etc.

Once something has become habitual, it also becomes difficult to change. That drink becomes associated with a feeling in your mind. You can come to think that it will relax you, de-stress you, release your anxieties, help you to sleep, and so forth. In your mind you record these benefits because this is what you are focusing upon. These associations soon create a habitual expectation of this benefit, a link in your mind which says "alcohol=relaxation and fun". In effect you can easily create an alcohol dependency in this way, as an additional thought could easily be "no alcohol = tense, anxious, and ratty".

And so what I am doing today is "unpicking" the "alcohol = fun" link and replacing it with something new. My new association with alcohol runs along the lines of "wine=feeling really terrible for hours and hours and ruining an entire day of my life." And I am going to embed this new pattern of thought into my subconscious mind with the help of hypnosis.

Your habitual thoughts and behaviors are stored in your subconscious mind. Last night, I didn't even think about drinking wine; I just drank it out of habit in that type of situation. To change a habit, you need to access your subconscious mind and hypnosis allows you to do just this. If you, like me, would like to change your habits associated with alcohol, then hypnosis is the key.

Hypnosis is a state of relaxation and is normal and natural. With hypnosis you can change old habits and create new ones quickly and easily. You can learn to use hypnosis quickly and easily simply by listening to a hypnosis download. You will be amazed how easy it is for you to overcome alcohol dependency and feel fantastic every day.

Roseanna Leaton, specialist in hypnosis downloads for health and well-being.

Do you drink more frequently than you might like, or in greater quantity than is good for you? If you want to change this habit, it's easy with the help of hypnosis.

With a degree in psychology and qualifications in hypnotherapy, NLP and sports psychology, Roseanna Leaton is one of the leading practitioners of self-improvement. You can get a free hypnosis download from http://www.RoseannaLeaton.com and peruse her extensive library of hypnosis cds . Roseanna Leaton