Not to insinuate that this may be a consolation to its sufferers, but the fact is that better than twenty percent of the adult population of the United States or about one in every five persons over the age of eighteen have been diagnosed with the Irritable Bowel Syndrome. This fact, therefore, makes it one of the most common health issues diagnosed by medical professionals. Women are more prone to it than men and it seems to set in before the age of thirty five in fifty percent of both men and women sufferers.

The most commonly experienced symptoms of the Irritable Bowel Syndrome are abdominal pain, bloating and gas. In addition, some people experience constipation while others experience diarrhea. Still other people who have been diagnosed with the Irritable Bowel Syndrome experience bouts alternating between constipation and diarrhea. Sometimes the symptoms settle down for several weeks or months before returning and at other times there seems to be no reprieve from symptoms that are constantly worsening.

Causes of the Irritable Bowel Syndrome

The exact cause or causes of the Irritable Bowel Syndrome are yet to be uncovered but there are a number of theories. One such theory points to sufferers whose colon (the large intestine) is overly sensitive and highly reactive to certain foods and stress or even a bacterial infection.

• The color temporarily abandons its normal functions or it becomes spasmodic with strong muscular contractions that come and go.
• The epithelium or the lining of the colon that regulates the passing of fluids in and out of the colon seems to continue its normal process in sufferers of the Irritable Bowel Syndrome. However, when the contents within the colon move too rapidly, the colon is unable to properly absorb the fluids which then remain in the stool and the symptoms of diarrhea appear. Conversely, when the contents within the colon more too slowly, the colon absorbs too much of the fluids which leads to symptoms of constipation.
• Certain foods may cause the overly sensitive colon to respond with a strong reaction which translates into pain and the discomfort of gas.
• Serotonin is a neurotransmitter or a chemical that transmits messages from one part of the body to another. Ninety five percent of the serotonin is present within the gastrointestinal (GI) tract while the remaining five percent is in the brain. Serotonin loses its effective transmitting power in sufferers of the Irritable Bowel Syndrome and such changes lead to pain, discomfort and cramping.
• Some people who have had a gastrointestinal infection called Gastroenteritis often develop the Irritable Bowel Syndrome which is then referred to as the Post-Infectious Irritable Bowel Syndrome.
• The Celiac Disease, which is the inability to digest gluten which is a component of wheat, rye and barley, has been found to go hand-in-hand with the Irritable Bowel Syndrome in some sufferers.

Seeking Relief from Irritable Bowel Syndrome

To relieve the unpleasant symptoms of the Irritable Bowel Syndrome, it is recommended to eliminate or to avoid the following:

• The intake of large quantities of food at one time such as at big meals.
• The ingestion of caffeine such as present in coffee, tea, cocoa, chocolate and some soft drinks.
• The consuming of products containing wheat, rye, barley, dairy or alcohol.
• Stress, tension, emotional upsets due to conflicts and so on.

If avoiding the above has sufficiently relieved symptoms, it is time to seek medical advice.

Integrative Medicine and Its Rapid Growth

A nationwide study which was conducted and published in 1993 brought Integrative Medicine to the forefront with the findings which confirmed that as many as one in every three Americans have used an alternative therapy of one kind or another. The two out of three Americans who until then had not yet used alternative therapy finally became aware of its existence and many proceeded to give it a try. Hospitals, clinics and medical centers took these findings to heart and the last ten or so years have seen many medical institutions espousing the Integrative Medicine into their otherwise conservative practice. According to the American Hospital Association, the number of hospitals that offer complementary therapies in the United States is in an extraordinarily rapid growth pattern as only 8.6 percent of hospitals offered it in 1998 in comparison to over 50 percent of hospitals offering it in 2008.

In spite of the fact that most complementary treatments are not covered by insurance and some are not inexpensive, Integrative Medicine has tremendous appeal as it seems to provide patients and professionals more time, more attention, more focus and a broader and farther reaching approach to healing as wisdom is drawn from a variety of cultures. In addition, the professionals see better results reached quicker while patients feel like whole human beings with a complete identity rather than a mere ailment.

The Osher Center for Integrative Medicine at the University of California in San Francisco takes a wide-ranging perspective on health and disease as its website states, “Integrative medicine seeks to incorporate treatment options from conventional and alternative approaches, taking into account not only physical symptoms, but also psychological, social and spiritual aspects of health and illness.” In an effort to advance and promote Integrative Medicine throughout the nation, the Osher Center and thirty other university medical centers including Duke, Harvard, Columbia, Georgetown and Penn formed the Consortium of Academic Health Centers for Integrative Medicine.

Opponents Drive Research into More Action

Just as there are many proponents for Integrative Medicine, there are also many opponents who claim that there is simply not enough hard scientific evidence to prove that any of the alternative or complementary approaches indeed have any true or lasting effects on patients who are dealing with real medical issues. Opponents are concerned that too many resources are spent on a mere fad that has no more healing power than a placebo. The demands for more proof and the ever present quest to uncover mysteries propelled researchers into a frenzy of actions in search for more answers about alternative medicine — and the hunt is still ongoing.

Scientists hypothesize that high plasma levels of insulin and glucose which stem from Insulin Resistance are the origins of the Metabolic Syndrome and Type 2 Diabetes (Diabetes Mellitus) and their various complications. It was Professor Wilhelm Falta (Vienna, 1931) who first introduced the concept and Sir Harold Percival Himsworth of the University College Hospital Medical Center in London confirmed it in 1936.

Symptoms of Insulin Resistance

The symptoms of Insulin Resistance vary greatly due to the overall health of the person, the age, as well as the person’s lifestyle and gender. The most commonly occurring, however, are:

• High blood sugar.
• Increased blood triglyceride levels.
• Elevated blood pressure (hypertension).
• Bloated intestines due to increased gas which is produced from ingesting carbohydrates.
• Low physical energy and overall body fatigue.
• Impaired concentration and diminished ability to focus. This may also be considered as mental weariness.
• The unbalanced metabolic process often leads to psychological effects such as depression and anxiety.
• Sleepiness soon after eating a meal that contains more than 20 or 30 percent carbohydrates.
• Fat storage around the abdominal organs in men and women alike. This, therefore, leads to weight gain and the difficulty in losing it.

The Origins of Insulin Resistance

The origins and causes of Insulin Resistance have not been conclusively determined but there is some undeniable and fundamental evidence which points to several culprits:

• Heredity. The most often pronounced suspected culprit would be heredity as more families have been observe whose close members have been diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes that resulted from Insulin Resistance while other families had no members with such afflictions.
• Carbohydrates. There is strong evidence that lays the blame on high carbohydrate diets.
• Glucosamine. Glucosamine is an amino sugar that is often prescribed for a variety of problems related to joints and some studies have blamed it for triggering Insulin Resistance in some individuals.
• Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS). This is an endocrine disorder which occurs in approximately five percent of all women. It has been closely associated with Insulin Resistance but it is unclear whether Polycystic Ovary Syndrome leads to Insulin Resistance or, conversely, that Insulin Resistance leads to Polycystic Ovary Syndrome.
• Fructose and Sucrose. Studies have shown that the increased fructose and sucrose in today’s diets, particularly in the Western world, are in direct proportion to the rise in diagnosed cases of Insulin Resistance and Type 2 Diabetes. It then becomes reasonable to assume that diets rich in fructose and/or sucrose may lead to Insulin Resistance.
• Obesity. Morbidly overweight people seem to be more prone to Insulin Resistance.

Treatment for Insulin Resistance

The most effective and most frequently prescribed treatment for Insulin Resistance is exercise, weight loss and a lowered carbohydrate diet.

If you have ever spent a sleepless night you would know just how annoying it can be. Imagine then having these kinds of nights on a regular basis — the situation then graduates from a mere annoyance to a real problem which can affect just about every aspect of your life; your moods, your mental alertness, your work performance and your energy level.

Three Types of Insomnia

There are difference degrees and severities of Insomnia but three types have been clearly isolated and explicitly defined:

1/ Transient Insomnia. The Transient Insomnia is a temporary condition which may last anywhere from several days to several months and it is caused by physiological or psychological disorders such as pain, depression, stress; or by the timing of sleep. The results are similar to those of sleep deprivation — sleepiness, fatigue and impaired psychomotor performance.

2/ Acute Insomnia. The Acute Insomnia is a condition in which it is impossible to get a good night’s sleep for about three weeks to six months.

3/ Chronic Insomnia. The Chronic Insomnia can last for years. It may be a condition brought on by another disorder or this may be the basic disorder and its effects largely depend on the causes which may be: sleepiness, overall fatigue, hallucinations, mental exhaustion and double vision.

The Various Patterns of Insomnia

Insomnia has been categorized by patterns which are closely linked to causes:

• Onset Insomnia is the trouble falling asleep in the beginning of the night and it is usually coupled with an anxiety disorder.

• Middle of the Night Insomnia is identified by the trouble falling asleep after having woken up in the middle of the night or waking up too early in the morning. It is also frequently referred to as nocturnal awakenings and it is the combination of Middle and Terminal Insomnia.

• Middle Insomnia is characterized by awakening in the middle of the night and being unable to fall asleep again. It is most often connected to a painful disorder or a pathological ailment.

• Terminal Insomnia is typified by awakening too early in the morning and it is associated with clinical depression.

Causes of Insomnia

Insomnia can be caused by a huge list of factors but the most readily identifiable are:

• Psychoactive drugs or stimulants such as various medications, herbs, caffeine and an entire range of recreational drugs.
• Hormonal shifts such as those preceding and during menstruation, menopause, postpartum, perimenopause and postmenopause due to estrogen instability.
• Life problems such as fear, stress, anxiety, anger as well as marital, work and financial problems.
• Mental maladies such as bipolar disorder, clinical depression, general anxiety disorder, post traumatic stress disorder, schizophrenia or obsessive compulsive disorder.
• Disturbances of the circadian rhythm such as night shift work or jet lag.
• Some neurological disorders, brain lesions and traumatic brain injuries.
• Medical conditions such as hyperthyroidism and Wilson’s syndrome.
• Poor sleep hygiene such as disruptive noise.
• Parasomnia which includes nightmares, sleepwalking, violent movements during sleep and REM behavior disorder.
• Fatal familial Insomnia is a permanent genetic condition which ultimately leads to death.
• Intestinal parasites which cause disturbances during sleep.

Prevent and Cure of Insomnia

The simplest solution to preventing or curing Insomnia is simply eliminating all its causes. However, that is often easier said than done. Before seeking the medical advice which may ultimately be necessary, it is a good idea to first eliminate as many causes as possible and that, in and of itself, may prove to be a huge relief if not a total one.

• There are 900 thousand known species of insects in the world. This makes them the most diverse group of organisms with a number of species greater than any other group.
• It is estimated that there are still as many as 30 million species of insects that have not yet been identified and named by scientists.
• Entomologists have estimated that there are 10 quintillion (10,000,000,000,000,000,000) individual insects living among us at any given time.
• In the United States alone, the estimated known species are 91,000 while the unknown are estimated at 73,000. The largest counts of known species are categorized into four major groups: Coleoptera (beetles) with 23,700, Diptera (flies) with 19,600, Homenoptera (ants, bees, wasps) with 17,500 and Lepidoptera (moths and butterflies) with 11,500.
• There are more than 200 million insects for every human being on earth and an article in a recent New York Times publication claimed that there are 300 pounds of insects for every pound of humans on planet earth.
• Their vast numbers, according to scientists, are largely due to their exceptionally long geological history, their capability of flight, their small sizes allow them to create habitats just about anywhere, their ability to hoard sperm for postponed fertilization and their immense fertility, as well as their ability to adapt to the ever-changing environment.

Insect Bites Allergic Reactions

It is said that insects do not attack unless they are provoked. However, due to the size disparity, the most innocent movement we make may be viewed as aggressive and threatening to an insect that is smaller than the tiny nail on our smallest finger. So, we get stung or bitten by defensive little beings. Many of the stings and bites go unnoticed but some result in a localized redness and swelling which may or may not be accompanied by itching and pain. Other bites or stings can be life-threatening to people who get an allergic reaction to the venom that was injected at the time of the insect’s attack.

Bees, wasps, hornets, yellow jackets and fire ants are insects whose attacks most frequently cause serious allergic reaction. As a matter of fact, death from bee stings is three to four times more prevalent than death from snake bites.

Certain insect bites or stings may lead to a wide variety of disease ranging from the insignificant to the very serious:

• Mosquitoes do not usually cause serious problems unless they carry organisms such as those leading to Malaria, the West Nile Virus, Encephalitis, Dengue and Yellow Fever.
• Lice can communicate Epidemic Relapsing Fever or Typhus.
• Sand flies can transmit Leishmaniasis.
• Tsetse flies pass on the Sleeping Sickness.
• Deer flies can spread Tularemia.
• Fleas can spread the Bubonic Plague.
• Ticks spread Lyme Disease.
• Chiggers and mites usually only leave local swelling and itching.

Symptoms of Insect Bites or Stings

• Pain, swelling redness and itching of the affected area. An infection may set in if the area is scratched.
• If the bite or the sting triggers an allergic reaction, the symptoms are more serious and may lead to anaphylaxis (anaphylactic shock) whose symptoms begin with hives, and then progress to wheezing, shortness of breath, loss of consciousness and even death within thirty minutes.
• If the tongue is stung or bitten by an insect, the throat may swell and close off the airway passages.
• Stings from large hornets or multiple bee stings have been known to cause muscles to breakdown and the kidneys to shut down.

Treating Insect Bites and Stings

All insect bites should be tended to as soon as possible by cleansing the affected area, removing the sting if it was left visibly, and applying ice to reduce the swelling as well as administering an antihistamine (topical plus oral) to relieve the itching. Any insect bites or stings which results in symptoms that are more severe than the mere localized itching and redness, should be immediately seen by a medical professional.

Preventive medicine is always preferable and insect bite or stings can be avoided by applying insect repellants, especially when participating in outdoor activities.

Home-Based Treatments For Ingrown Toenails

If they are recognized at an early stage and before infection sets in, Ingrown Toenails can effectively be treated at home:

1/ Bathe the affected toe in water that is as hot as can be tolerated three or four times a day.
2/ Between bathes, keep the affected toe completely dry.
3/ Wear open-toe shoes or sandals until the Ingrown Toenail has been cured. Closed shoes may be worn but they must be very roomy.
4/ If the pain is too severe, take ibuprofen or acetaminophen to relieve it.
5/ There should be an apparent improvement of the condition within two or three day. If, however, the Ingrown Toenail shows no improvement or even seems to have gotten worse, professional medical advice must be sought right away.

Professional Medical Treatments For Ingrown Toenails

If and when all of the home-based treatments failed and the Ingrown Toenails has become more inflamed, the swelling has spread, the pain is more severe and there is an oozing discharge, the site is now infected. The medical professional may do one or all of the following:

• Prescribe antibiotic medications for oral ingestion as well as an antibiotic topical.
• Surgery to remove part of the nail (partial nail avulsion), the entire nail (complete nail plate avulsion) and/or some of the surrounding soft tissue may be the next step of treatment process.
• It may take up to three or four months for the toenail to re-grow completely and in that time period the toe must be closely guarded from injury and kept very clean and dry to avoid an infection.

Possible Complications

If the Ingrown Toenail goes unnoticed or the condition is simply ignored, the localized infection may spread into the local bone and beyond, which makes the condition a whole lot more serious. In diabetic patients whose blood circulation and nerve supply to the feet have been significantly curtailed, an untreated Ingrown Toenail may result in hard-to-treat open sores or foot ulcers which are likely cured by surgical removal. If and when foot ulcers are left untreated they can eventually become gangrenous and in extreme situation may require amputation as the only means by which to stop the dire condition from further spreading.

Be good to your toes and pay close attention to their needs.

How To Treat Ingrown Hairs

Here are some options, but it is up to you to decide which works best for you and your particular anatomical site of ingrown hair:

1/ If possible, shave less frequently to let the hair grow out and to allow the affected area to heal. If letting your hair grow is not an option:

- Use a single blade razor and avoid pressing too hard.
- Stretch the skin and follow the direction of the growth (face downwards, neck upwards, legs upwards, bikini area sideways, armpits downward).
- Use the same blade only two or three times.
- Shave only after having thoroughly soaked the area with plenty of hot water and always use shaving cream.
- Cologne may add to the irritation but a medicated after shave lotion is a good idea.

2/ Gently lift out the ingrown hair with a cleansed pinpoint and let it heal.

3/ Using the sharp point of a cleansed pair of tweezers, you may pluck the ingrown hair out.

4/ Exfoliate the dead skin cells which are trapping the ingrown hair by rubbing your face with a loofah sponge, a soft skin brush or any number of cosmetic scrubs and/or exfoliating masks.

5/ The various acne skin products available on drugstore shelves work effectively to relieve and heal the irritated areas.

6/ When the red bumps become infected they fill with pus and a dermatologist should assess the condition at this point. Try to resist the temptation to squeeze it because that can only lead to other unpleasant skin conditions.

7/ Electrolysis and laser hair removal kill the roots of hair to prevent them from ever growing back again. These may be good solutions for those who suffer from chronic ingrown hair. Both these procedures are fairly lengthy and not inexpensive, but they may be worthwhile.

8/ Using a home-made sugar mask will sooth the irritated area of the ingrown hair while exfoliating the skin.

Heat the juice from a half medium lemon with one cup of sugar plus one and one half teaspoons of cornstarch and one quarter cup of honey. Mix to a smooth paste and let cool. Sprinkle the affected skin lightly with cornstarch and spread the mixture evenly over the skin. Leave it on for twenty minutes and remove with warm water. You may treat your skin to another such mask after three days.

Types of Inflammatory Bowel Disease and Their Symptoms

The two major types of the Inflammatory Bowel Disease are:

• The Ulcerative Colitis (UC) which only affects the colon (the large intestine).
• The Crohn Disease (CD) which mostly affects the small intestines although it can actually affect any part of the digestive systems; starting at the mouth and ending at the anus.

Because both these types of the Inflammatory Bowel Disease are chronic and, therefore, last for an extended period of time, they run through varying courses of intensity and severity. When the inflammation is acute, the disease is said to be active. When there is an easing of the inflammation or an absence, the disease is considered to be in remission.

Depending on the intensity of the inflammation and its locations along the digestive system, the symptoms may vary from mild to brutal but most of sufferers of the Inflammatory Bowel Disease experience the following:

- Damaged intestinal walls.
- Abdominal cramps and pains.
- Bloody diarrhea which also results in anemia.
- Urgent and frequent needs to have a bowl movement.
- Fever.
- Loss of appetite that leads to weight loss.

Inflammatory Bowel Disease Complications

As if the Inflammatory Bowel Disease is not enough to deal with, it often leads to a long list of complications:

• Uncontrolled hemorrhaging from the ulcers.
• Rupturing of the bowel.
• Strictures and obstructions in Crohn Disease can be resolved with medication or surgery. In Ulcerative Colitis, strictures and obstructions are often malignant tumors.
• A fistulae is an abnormal passage which usually occurs in Crohn Disease, it often requires surgery and it tends to reappear recurrently.
• Toxic megacolon is an acute non-obstructive dilation of the colon in cases of Ulcerative Colitis. It can lead to fatalities if corrective surgery is not performed urgently.
• Whether it is the Crohn Disease or the Ulcerative Colitis, the risk of malignant cancer at the site of the inflammation is substantially raised above that of the general public.

Inflammatory Bowel Disease Treatment

It is important to follow a healthful diet which does not aggravate the condition further and then there is a long list of medications that are designed to first relieve the symptoms of the Inflammatory Bowel Disease and then to reduce the rate and length of the flare-ups with antibiotics, aminosalycylates, corticosteroids, immune modifiers, anti-TNF agents, and others. In some cases, surgical intervention is in order.

It is important to note that infertility is not synonymous to sterility. As a matter of fact, approximately fifteen percent of all heterosexual couples are infertile while only one or two percent of them are actually sterile. Statistics show that fifty percent of couples who reach out for medical help sooner or later have children either on their own or with the help of a number of medical options.

Fertility Evaluations

To determine infertility, its extent and to draw plans of action to overcome it, comprehensive medical evaluations need to be performed. The process usually begins with complete physical examinations as well as the assessment of the medical and sexual histories of both partners.

The Female Partner. In women, ovulation is assessed through blood tests which detect the presence of hormones, through ultrasound examinations of the ovaries or through ovulation tests. Irregular menstrual cycles may arouse suspicion but that does not necessarily lead to the cause of the problem.

The six main reasons for women’s infertility are:

1/ The lack of ovulation (also known as anovulation) which is the ejection of eggs from the ovaries. This is usually due to the polycystic ovary disease (PCOS). Anovulation is the most common reason for women’s infertility.
2/ The failure of the fallopian tubes to transport eggs from the ovaries to the uterus. This condition is most often caused by scar tissue resulting from an infections or endometriosis which leads to blockage of the passage.
3/ Fibroid growths, tumors, cervical problems or an irregularly shaped uterus may prevent the egg from implanting in the uterus.
4/ The mucus of the cervix injures the sperm or stops their movement.
5/ Obesity.
6/ Advance age.

The Male Partner. Men go through an analysis of their semen for a sperm count as well as the sperm’s movement to verify whether they are sluggish or wandering and at what percentage. Thus far, scientists do not know all the reasons for infertility in men but recent studies show that a large percentage may be linked to genetics and the abnormality of the Y chromosomes.

The most frequently occurring reasons for infertility in men are related to sperm disorders but some are related to injuries of the testicles:

1/ Low sperm count. There may not be enough sperms or there are no spermatozoa present in the semen
2/Low sperm motility. The sperm move too slowly or inefficiently.
3/ Malformation of the sperm.
4/ Blocked sperm ducts.
5/ Overheated testicles.
6/ Testicles exposed to chemicals.
7/ Effects of alcohol and/or tobacco.
8/ Advanced age.

Depending on the source of the infertility (the male partner or the female partner) and the cause of the problem, there is a wide range of very effective options which can rectify infertility and those may be hormonal treatments and various medications, surgery and in vitro fertilization. However, none of these options are accessible without appropriate medical teams of professionals.

Types of Urinary Incontinence

There are seven identifiable types of Urinary Incontinence and they are:

1/ Stress Incontinence – a small leakage of urine which occurs when pressure is applied to the lower stomach muscles such as during physical exertion, strenuous exercise or heavy lifting, or as a reaction to a sudden and abrupt jerking movement such as coughing, sneezing or hardy laughter.
2/ Urge Incontinence – A large leakage of urine which transpires unexpectedly during wakeful hour as well as during sleep and it is a condition by which the need to urinate is so pressing that there is no way of holding it long enough to make it to the toilet.
3/ Overflow Incontinence – A small leakage of urine when the bladder gets full.
4/ Functional Incontinence – This is urination before reaching the toilet and it may be due to a physical disability or some external obstacle. It may also be due to problematic thinking or communicating that led to a delay in getting to the toilet.
5/ Overactive Bladder -  A urinary frequency with urgency and it may go hand-in-hand with Urge Incontinence or without.
6/ Transient – This is a temporary condition in which leakage of urine occurs due to an infection, some new medications or an illness.
7/ Mixed – A combination of any two or more of the above Urinary Incontinence conditions but it most frequently appears as a combination of the Stress plus the Urge Incontinence.

Training the Bladder

There is a way to control Urinary Incontinence, particularly the Stress Incontinence, Urge Incontinence or the Mixed Incontinence, and that is by training the bladder to reduce the frequency of trips to the toilet, to increase the bladder’s capacity to hold urine and to strengthen the control over the urge to urinate.

Currently, there are three methods by which to train the bladder in order to decrease or eliminate Urinary Incontinence mishaps:

1/ Kegel Exercises – Named after Dr. Arnold Kegel, these exercises strengthen and tone the muscles which form part of the pelvic floor and these are the same muscles used to stop the flow of urine. The Kegel exercises are effective for women as well as for men and they are performed in the following way:
- Quick pumps beginning with 15 repetitions and working up to 100 repetitions twice daily.
- Contracting the muscles slowly, holding for five seconds and then releasing them slowly. This should be repeated 25 times twice daily.
- Slowly contracting muscles part of the way, pausing, contracting them a little more, pausing and then continuing the contraction to its maximum. This should be performed ten times and twice a day.
2/ Delay Urination – Works particularly well with Urge Incontinence and the object of this exercise is to postpone trips to the toilet. It should start with waiting five minutes and then slowly increasing it to ten minutes, fifteen minutes and so on, until the number of visits to the toilet are down to three or four per day.
3/ Scheduled bathroom trips – This exercise makes toilet visitations consistent and preset whether the urge is there or not.

There are other remedial steps which help Urinary Incontinence such as drugs, devices and dietary adjustments but these should all be discussed with a medical professional.