Digestive Disorders Tips

Gastroparesis is a condition when your stomach feels full and heavy even after it has been more than a couple of hours after meal. Generally, it takes maximum 1 & ½ hours for the stomach to feel empty, but if the time taken for it is more, then this is a condition of gastroparesis. It means there is some change in your normal digestion process.

In this circumstance, the food in your stomach doesn’t digest easily and creates a lump. As a result, you have hard time digesting your food. It also means the nerves connected to the stomach are not functioning well. There are a number of reasons for which you can get gastroparesis.

1. Diabetes is one of the most common causes of making you feel fuller.
2. Disorders in the nervous system, mainly Parkinson’s disease or cerebral attack can create this problem.
3. Some medicines, especially antidepressants or anti-inflammatory in nature and certain painkillers can cause this problem.

Gastroparesis shows a number of symptoms:

1. Occasional vomiting as you feel unnecessarily fuller. When you vomit, it gives out chunks of undigested food
2. A feeling of nausea
3. You feel full after you have eaten very little
4. Bloating and pain in your abdomen
5. There is alteration in the blood sugar level
6. You don’t feel like eating due to loss of appetite
7. You lose considerable weight as you don’t eat much
8. A possibility of suffering from malnutrition, again due to lack of appetite

How it can be treated?
When you identify the reason for gastroparesis, then treating it becomes easier. If diabetes or nerve disorder is creating the problem, leave it to your doctor to treat. For other causes like lack of appetite, there are some natural ways of treating it.

1. Have frequent smaller meals. This way you don’t push yourself to eat much and at the same time, the body doesn’t lack nutrition and energy
2. Avoid fibrous fruits
3. Avoid high carbohydrate and high fat foods, which takes time to digest
4. Intake foods which you can swallow, like soups or stew. They are healthy and are also easy to digest

If the problem still persists, consult your doctor who may prescribe some medicines to stimulate the stomach muscles. They generally have no side-effects. There are some medicines which can control your vomiting and nausea. There are some surgical treatments for gastroparesis, where the doctors place a feeding tube in your small intestine. A gastric venting channel is another option, which helps you to get relief from excessive gas formation in your stomach, thus accelerating the process of digestion. In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!

Nature has blessed us with some amazing and magical foods. Forget pills or supplements, these foods can give all that you crave for in life, a well-shaped body, a healthy mind and heart and a lot more. It is important for us to identify these foods and make them a part of our regular diet.

Believe it or not, bananas are one of these magical foods. This is a fantastic fruit, available in the markets throughout the year and is pocket-friendly too. From potassium to vitamin B6, it is packed with the goodness of essential nutrients. The best part about this fruit is you can consume it in different ways. Besides eating it alone, you can make delicious sweet dishes and milk-shakes out of it. 

• Each banana (118gm) contains only about 105 calories, and consists almost exclusively of water and carbs.
• Bananas contain very little protein and almost no fat.
• The carbs in unripe (green) bananas consist mostly of starch and resistant starch, but as the banana ripens, the starch turns into sugar (glucose, fructose and sucrose).
• A medium-sized banana contains about 3 grams of fiber, making bananas a fairly good fiber source.

Bananas contain mainly two types of fiber: 

1. Pectin: Decreases as the banana ripens. 
2. Resistant starch: Found in unripe bananas. 

Resistant starch escapes digestion and ends up in our large intestine, where it becomes food for the beneficial gut bacteria. Additionally, some cell studies propose that pectin may help protect against colon cancer. Bananas contain several types of potent antioxidants, including dopamine and catechins. These antioxidants have been linked to many health benefits, such as a reduced risk of heart disease and degenerative diseases. Bananas are often referred to as the perfect food for athletes, largely due to their mineral content and easily digested carbs. Eating bananas may help reduce exercise-related muscle cramps and soreness, which affect up to 95% of the general population. Bananas are also one of the most convenient snack foods. You can add them to breakfast yogurt, cereal or smoothie. You can even use them instead of sugar in your baking and cooking. Furthermore, bananas rarely contain any pesticides or pollutants, due to their thick protective peel. Bananas are incredibly easy to eat and transport. They are usually well-tolerated and easily digested, and simply have to be peeled and eaten. 

1. Keeps you smart and slim: It acts as a perfect energy booster. You get ample amount of calories by consuming a banana. A single banana can give you 100 to 110 calories instantly. Interestingly, it doesn’t add too much carb or fat to your overall diet. A medium-sized banana is most likely to contain about 30 grams of useful carbs and 3 to 4 grams of fiber. It is rich in resistant starch—a kind of carbohydrate that takes longer time for digestion, burning more calories.
2. Takes care of your muscles: Bananas are rich in minerals like magnesium and potassium. It prevents and protects us from developing cramps in the muscles. It enhances the process of muscle relaxation too.
3. Keeps a tab on your blood pressure: It is an ideal fruit for people with high blood pressure. It is because of the fact that bananas are rich in potassium. This mineral does wonder in reducing blood pressure. One gets about 400-450 mg of potassium (with no traces of sodium) from a single banana.
4. Get gorgeous with a glowing skin: It is not just the citrus fruits that fulfil your body’s requirement of Vitamin C. Bananas are also a rich source of Vitamin C. This nutrient is essential for a healthy skin. Vitamin C is an antioxidant that strengthens the immune system of our body.
5. Good for your stomach: Bananas are helpful in taking care of your stomach. They keep you away from gastric problems or disorders. Say thanks to the fructooligosaccharides (FOS) present in them. FOS acts as a probiotic substance, enhancing the growth of useful bacterias in human intestine. Consequently, eating a banana prevents you from gastric diseases. Further, bananas contain pectin which helps in beating constipation.

As an old saying goes, all the tasty things are unhealthy, everyone knows that burgers, pizzas, fries, etc are not very healthy for us, still, these are things we treat ourselves to on weekends and holidays. Junk food not only has a high calorific value, it also exposes the body to preservatives, artificial flavors, bad cholesterol and refined carbs. But, do you know that eating smart after binging on junk food can help reduce the harmful effect of these foods. Here are a few tips.

1. Drink plenty of water: Junk food has high sodium content. This can leave the body feeling dehydrated and create an electrolyte imbalance. As a result, your body retains water and you begin to feel bloated. At this point, water is your best friend. It can help flush toxins from your body and hydrate it. To go one step further, try drinking warm water through the day. If you like, you can also infuse water with slices of freshly cut fruits or herbs.
2. Make your diet fiber heavy: Junk food is always tempting and the one way to keep yourself from giving in to such temptation is to keep yourself feeling satiated. Increasing the amount of fiber in your diet can keep you satiated for longer and prevent snacking between meals. Fiber also helps improve digestion and helps the body expel junk food faster. To increase the amount of fiber in your food, pile on fresh fruits and vegetables and whole grains.
3. Include lean proteins: Proteins can also help relieve hunger pangs. However, not all forms of protein are good for the body after binging on junk food. Avoid fatty proteins like dairy products made from whole milk and red meat and instead focus on lean proteins like fish and chicken. These proteins are also easily digestible. Fish is also rich in omega 3 fatty acids that help reduce inflammation caused by additives in junk food.
4. Flavor your food with ginger: Ginger can help reduce inflammation caused by junk food and ease the digestive system. Drinking a cup of ginger tea or grating ginger over a salad or fruits can help lower triglyceride levels and aid in the liver’s recovery. Additionally, ginger is also beneficial in blood pressure regulation and improving cardio vascular health.
5. Sip some green tea: One of the reasons junk food is said to be bad for you is because of its high-calorie count. This can cause weight gain and undo your efforts to stay fit. Green tea has antioxidant properties that can negate some of the ill effects of junk food. It also helps lower bad cholesterol levels.

In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!

There are a variety of foods and concoctions that have been developed for our urban realities and to help us become more fit. Smoothies and juices are the latest craze that has been on the fitness scene for a few hours. There are many people who have taken to smoothies in place of a solid meal because this combines a variety of healthy ingredients so that one gets a wholesome meal which can also be had on the run. But there are many schools of thoughts regarding the efficacy and the health benefits of smoothies.

Are they really as healthy as they are said to be? Let us find out with this article!

1. Protein: There is a good dose of protein in smoothies which comes from the large amount of fruit, vegetables and dairy as well as oats and other such elements that are used to create one. Protein is one of the main elements that come from smoothies and it also helps particularly after a workout or for those who are into sports.
2. Dietary fibers: Because of the copious amounts of berries and other fruit that is used to create a smoothie, one can gain great amount of dietary fibers also. This helps in clearing out the toxins from the digestive tracts, which can further prevent the generation of kidney stones. Yet, there is something to be said for the ingestion of fresh fruit, which makes for even better levels of dietary fibers. So even if you are having smoothies, you must ensure that you also have plenty of fresh fruit.
3. Probiotics: Curd based smoothies is one of the best things that one can have because of the number of probiotics that they contain. Curd contains a number of good bacteria which is very good for the digestive system as well as the metabolism. These good bacteria are called probiotics. This helps in stabilizing the metabolism and the digestive process, which can be very helpful especially for people who are suffering from chronic lifestyle diseases.
4. Sugar: If one used sugar instead of jaggery or honey in the smoothie, then it is no better than having a can of coca cola. For this reason, one will need to replace sugar with other natural sweetness that will bring down the level of kilojoules or kilo calories. This will make the smoothie much more healthy so that one can have plenty of fruit without the sugar intake.
5. Liquid content: Many people use juice as the liquid content. Yet, this is not always the best option. This contains a lot of sugar, even if it freshly pressed. So, one can substitute the same with water.
6. Oats and cereal: You can toast oats and others cereal in order to line the parfait or the smoothie. This will also bring in plenty of protein as well as other vitamins. This kind of a smoothie makes for a crunchy taste even as it gives you a full meal which can be taken at least three times a day. But do check for allergies when it comes to oats and grains before you make such a smoothie.

Digestion is an important process that helps in converting food to energy. It begins at the mouth and the stomach is where the detailed process begins. The stomach produces acids to digest the food. But when food is not consumed at the right time or if it is too spicy, it can lead to acid reflux. Acid reflux may result because of individual habits too such as excessive smoking and alcohol consumption. In this condition. the valve that controls the release of acids does not close properly. This causes the acid to move up and cause pain in the upper abdominal region. Acid reflux or hyperacidity initially starts with a burning sensation and gradually manifests itself as severe pain that is intolerable. Ayurveda, the ancient medical science of India, suggests a number of efficient solutions for this condition.

Triphala: This is a combination of three ingredients – the Indian gooseberry, ink nut, and beleric – in equal proportion. These three ingredients ensure a balance of the three doshas – pitta, vatta, and kapha. Ayurveda says that any imbalance in three doshas can cause diseases and disorders in the body. Therefore, consuming triphala in the form of powder or pills every day helps balance the three doshas. You can take half to one teaspoon on to triphala with warm water on an empty stomach in the morning and as you go to bed at night.

Indian gooseberry: This is an Indian fruit that is loaded with antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties. It helps in reducing pitta, which is fiery in nature as per Ayurveda and is characterized by an excessive heat. Elevated pitta is responsible for acid reflux. Taking gooseberry is easy, as it can be eaten raw or taken in the form of juice. It can also be included in a few recipes.

Other remedies: Lots of other home remedies come handy in alleviating pain related to hyperacidity. One of them is Aloe Vera. Aloe Vera juice soothes the pain and cools down the system. Additionally, buttermilk offers an instant remedy to ensure that the pain and burning sensation are relieved.

Restrictions that Ayurveda suggests: It is not only what you consume to treat the disease that matters. A few foods should be avoided to ensure complete cure. While people know that spicy foods should be kept at bay, tea, coffee, vinegar, tamarind and other sour foods should be avoided as well. Peanuts are very acidic and can trigger acid reflux.

Lifestyle changes recommended by Ayurveda: Quitting smoking and stopping consumption of alcohol is what all streams of medicine recommend. Ayurveda also advises people to follow early to bed and early to rise principle. This ensures that the body performs all its duties within hours of its optimum functioning. Lying down after a meal is not advised. Also, wearing tight clothes should be avoided. Foods that are oily and fatty should be avoided. Eating freshly-prepared food items is considered good as per Ayurveda.

Stay relaxed: Hyper acidity may also result because of stress and tension. The best way to combat stress is to stay cool and calm. Practicing yoga can help relieve hyperacidity and also alleviate pain caused by it.

Pranayama, peacock pose, and shoulder pose are recommended to combat hyperacidity. As per Ayurveda, sticking to healthy eating habits is the one-stop solution for several ailments and hyperacidity is no different. Sleeping for at least 7 to 8 hours in a silent and soothing environment is also advised by this system of ancient medicine to lead a happy and healthy life. In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!

It’s so good to welcome the monsoon showers after experiencing the scorching summer heats. But monsoons do bring certain health risks. Our body is more susceptible to health issues in rainy season, because monsoon reduces the immunity power of our body. Our body constantly gets affected with allergies, infections, indigestion problems, so we must keep our body resistant against such diseases. The humidity in the atmosphere is usually high in this season; as a result the body’s digestive capability goes down. The important point to keep in mind is that you must avoid oily food, street food or any type of food that is prepared in bulk else there is a possibility that it upsets your stomach.

Following these guidelines will help you to stay safe and healthy during monsoons.

1. Foods such as brown rice, oats, and barley are the best foods one could have in this monsoon.
2. Eat fruits as they help you restore energy. Apples, mangoes, pomegranates, and pears are best suggestible. 
3. Have medium to low salt food and avoid heavy salty food as they are responsible for high blood pressure and water retention.Opt for yogurt, curd and almonds in your diet instead of milk.
4. Drink only boiled and purified water to protect yourself from harmful germs and drinking plenty of water keeps your body hydrated.
5. Consuming vegetables like bitter gourd, and Neem, Turmeric powder and methi seeds help in preventing infections.Immunity can be increased by adding a dash of garlic to the soups, and curries.
6. People who face skin allergies during rainy seasons must avoid spicy foods. Spicy foods raise body temperature and stimulate blood circulation and it leads to allergies and skin irritation. Other problems such as boils, change in skin colour dullness, rashes are some skin damaging effects which arise in this season.Avoid too much of fish and meat this season and heavy curries and non- vegetarians should go for light meat preparations like stew and soups.
7. Drink lots of herbal teas, especially those with antibacterial properties. These include ginger, pepper, honey, mint and basil leaves. Excessive intake of tea and coffee to be avoided.Better eat seasonal fruits as non- seasonal fruits get infested with worms during the monsoon.
8. Avoid eating fried items, pre- cut fruits and juices from road side vendors and stick to high quality and hygiene.
9. People who suffer with arthritis should drink warm water with tulsi and dalchini, cardamom on an empty stomach in the morning. Doing this improves bowel syndromes and also decreases pains in joints.Always wash vegetables well and keep them clean especially if they are taken raw.To reduce mucous formations add pipli and rock salt to warm water. This reduces the natural monsoon ailments.

Follow thes tips. Always binge on nutritional food and be hygienic by taking necessary precautionary measures like cleaning your house, washing hands before and after having a meal, etc. Have a safe and healthy monsoon

Irritable Bowel Syndrome or IBS is also referred to as an irritable colon that causes a great amount of distress to patients. In Ayurveda, this problem has been known to be the result of irregular diet habits & unhealthy lifestyle. Ayurveda adopts a scientific method to go to the root of the problems, through proper diet, lifestyle maintenance and practicing yoga on a daily basis.

Nowadays, our lifestyle has become devoid of physical activities and filled with stress, hence all these add to the problem even further. Disorders of Gastro-intestine tend to make up close to 65% of the clinical cases and the symptoms are associated with both body and mind. 

Causes of Gastrointestinal Problems According to Ayurveda
 

Physical Causes:

• Consumption of food during indigestion
• Inconsistent and irregular meal timings
• Taking food even when one is not hungry
• Intake of foods which have contradictory effects on our bodies, like fish & milk, fruits & milk etc.
• Late night eating habits
• Consuming water in excess amount i.e. beyond needed
• Eating in an extremely hurried manner
• Keeping fast for long periods of time
• Regularly consuming foods which are heavy to digest
• Intake of foods that have become stale or have remained inside the refrigerator on a regular basis.
• Taking oily, spicy, fermented and preserved food on a regular basis.
• Intake of beverages like tea and coffee in excess amount.
• The habit of going off to sleep immediately after meals.
• Having the tendency to consume excess of non-veg food and also of smoking and drinking.
• To hold up one’s natural urges in the form of urine, passing of bowels, vomiting etc & instead consume food
• Physical and mental stress.
• Keeping oneself awake till late at night and disturbed sleep.
• Sedentary lifestyle & lack of hygienic food / water

Mental Causes

• Chronic Stress
• Anxiety
• Fear
• Grief

Symptoms
The symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome include:

• Constipation and diarrhea in alteration, as a result of a change in bowel habits
• A cramped feeling in the abdomen, which gets relieved after emptying the bowels
• Abdomen gets swollen
• Mucus in the stool.
• Excessive gas formation
• There is always an urgent need to go to the toilet
• A feeling as if you need to pass bowels even when you have just gone to the toilet.
• There is a feeling that the bowel has not been fully emptied.

Symptoms Related to Even More Serious Situation

• Bleeding from the rectum
• Pain in the abdomen mainly during the night
• Loss of weight. 
• Fever
• Chronic Diarrhoea
• Feeling as if there is mass or fullness in the lower, right side of the abdomen
• Bloated stomach and cramps.

 The approach of Ayurveda towards IBS

Ayurveda has a preventive, curative & corrective approach 

 to provide complete physical & mental health care and prevent complications of IBS. It aims at:

• Restoring the normal functions of the digestive system
• Eliminating the toxins that have accumulated in the body & improving appetite & bowel functions
• Regeneration of the Gastrointestinal system & prevent inflammation.
• Healing of the physical & mental self-causing improvement in the related symptoms like anxiety, pain, discomfort & lack of focus etc.

Rasayana Treatment for IBS
Rasayana refers to the formulations used for treatment with benefits like:

• The blood circulation of GI tract gets improved
• Cells get rejuvenated
• Secretion of digestive juices is caused that helps to improve appetite and digestion.
• Immunity of Gastrointestinal tract is increased, which helps to prevent diseases from affecting it.
• It helps to guard against complications and recurrence of the disease in the future.

Management of Lifestyle:
Lifestyle can be managed through Ayurveda in the following manner:

• Consume only freshly cooked and light food
• Take food only when you feel hungry 
• Have fresh fruits and vegetables on a daily basis.

One’s daily food items must-haves like Jowar, Bittergourd, Moongdal, Pumpkin, Pomegranate, Gooseberry, Pudina, Turmeric, Coriander, Cumin seeds, Hing, Coconut, Rock Salt, Cow Ghee, Cow Milk, Fresh Buttermilk. All these help to prevent diseases from affecting the Gastro-intestine. 

Other tips 

• Make sure to drink lukewarm water boiled with little ajwain & a pinch of dry ginger powder after each meals as it helps in the proper digestion of food.
• Take a walk for 10 -15 mins after each meal
• Regular exercise is a must for at least half an hour
• Practice Yoga like Shavasana, Matsyasana, Dhanurasana, Halasana, Pavanmuktasana and Suryanamaskar for relief from problems of IBS and constipation.
• Improve overall health of Gastro-Intestine by doing Ardhamatsyendrasana, Mayurasana, Trikonasana, Dhanurasana, Bhuajangasana, Halasana and Usthrasana.

Things that you need to avoid

• Avoid having very hot and spicy food
• Do not drink excess tea or coffee
• Do not indulge in physical or mental stress
• Do not keep a negative approach
• Do not drink excess water in the morning
• Completely avoid a lifestyle where there is no activity involved or it is irregular in nature.
• The habit of smoking and consumption of alcohol must be avoided.
• Sleeping in the afternoon especially post meals must be avoided, so is staying awake till late at night.

Other than these health basic tips it is important that you must consult a trained Ayurvedic practitioner at the first signs of the problem. 

Ayurveda takes into account the complete body constitution along with the potential to get to the root cause of all these types of diseases and treat them once and for all, instead of only giving treatment on the basis of symptoms, as it is a holistic form of treatment. Personalized medicine is our potential which helps to treat chronic conditions. In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!

How many people adults or children do we see in day to day life who tend to fall ill at every change of temperature?

Sensitivity to change in atmospheric conditions has become a very common phenomenon in todays world. Most people end up with viral infections such as cough, cold, fever etc at every change in season – be it summer to rainy, rainy to winter or winter to summer.Other common infections include stomach infections, diarrhoea, typhoid, jaundice, malaria, allergic rhinitis, breathing problems etc.This sensitivity basically comes from an altered or weakened immune system. A body which is not capable enough to handle natural external stimuli and ends up over reacting and throwing out symptoms such as sneezing, runny nose, cough, fever, bodyache, upset stomach, loss of appetite etc.

Most of the times attention is given to the symptoms and thus symptomatic relief is obtained. The actual cause of the symptoms is oftern overlooked .When the body throws out symptoms, it is asking for help so that it can fight for itself and not get affected by external stimuli.This is where homeopathy steps in....where the PATIENT is treated and not just his symptoms. Homeopathic medicines are prescribed afer a detailed case study covering every aspect of the patient’s personality and thus they help in giving relief to existing symptoms and in the long run the medicines make the body capable of fighting for itself.

Homeopathic medicines have practically no side effects and can be given to even infants, or the elderly . They can also be administered side by side along with regular medication and eventually we can reduce the patient’s depency on medicines.For more information or treatment for conditions such as allergic rhinitis, illness at every change of weather, bronchitis, skin allergies, weak digestion or lowered immune system please feel free to consult a doctor.

It’s time again to witness the beautiful sight of total lunar eclipse & blood moon tonight when the moon will move into the umbra of the Earth i.e. its darkest shadow. The penumbral eclipse will begin at 11:54 pm followed by partial eclipse and then total eclipse will begin at 1:00 am i.e. on 28 July. The eclipse is likely to last for 6 hours and 14 minutes and is the longest eclipse of the century.

Earlier this year, the world witnessed the super blue blood moon on 31st January 2018, when the supermoon coincided with the moon’s closest orbit point to earth. However, this blood moon is a rare event, as this is a first such eclipse in 36 years.

Why is it known as the blood moon?

At the time of a lunar eclipse, Earth comes in-between the sun and moon, which causes the moon to disappear into the darkness of Earth. At that point, the moon appears to be red in color, due to sun’s light being deflected by the Earth, which makes the moon to appear red in color.

Common myths & beliefs associated with the lunar eclipse!

According to Indian traditions and various other societies, a number of myths are in circulation regarding lunar eclipse, some of these myths are listed below.

One should not eat anything during the time of Grahan

During the time of the eclipse the magnitude of the light radiations present on the earth changes, which causes certain out of ordinary physiological changes. This can lead to the uncontrollable growth of bacteria in the food, thus deteriorating its quality. Also, this is a time when the body’s metabolism is slow thus people are advised to avoid heavy foods as it takes time to digest the food.

Why should a pregnant woman not go out during the lunar eclipse?

It is often said that eclipse increases the risk of miscarriage, however, there is no scientific logic attached to it. It is rather the opposite, as the menstruation cycle in females operates in sync with the movement of the moon and is known to regenerate & revitalize the feminine energy. The only logical reason that can be associated with it is that it gets dark during a lunar eclipse and in earlier days, due to lack of light women were advised not to walk around or work at such a time so as to avoid slipping in the dark.

Health tips to follow during a lunar eclipse

• Drink plenty of water & stay hydrated

• If required eat light food

• Practice light exercises, yoga or meditation so as to free your mind from anxiety and stress

Avoid taking a meal until the previous meal has been digested. Allow approximately three to six hours between meals.