Digestive Disorders Not A Way Of Life!

In contemporary living, digestive disorders are commonplace. Many people accept abdominal pain, bloating, constipation, diarrhea, and heartburn - all too common everyday digestive disorders - as a way of life. They take antacid tablets, elixirs, and all types of indigestion-relieving drugs and pills as if they were vitamin supplements before and after their meals.

Digestive disorders should not be a way of life. They are often consequences of the interplay of eating patterns and attitudes about food and lifestyle, which have been acquired as children or from their culture.

The physical factors

1. Digestive disorders can be caused by extra-sensitive intestine lining as a result of eating gas-producing foods, such as beans, cabbage, and broccoli, causing the abdomen to distend.

2. Bacterial infection may result in peptic ulcers, giving rise to digestive problems.

3. Weakened lower esophageal sphincter (LES) muscle between the stomach and food pipe often causes heartburn or acid indigestion.

The smoking factor

Cigarette smoke gets into the gastrointestinal tract (GT), creating the sensation of bloating, cramping, and gassiness.

In addition, nicotine not only stimulates acid production but also promotes acid reflex and peptic ulcers.

Give up nicotine addiction naturally.

The nutrition factor

1. Poor dietary choice leads to weight gain. Get a FREE copy of my e-book All-Round Weight Loss.

2. Always eat wholesome foods, such as whole grains and vegetables. Eat Super Foods. Avoid fatty foods and junk foods.

3. Eliminate food allergies. Even healthy foods, such as broccoli and milk products, may lead to bloating, gas, and heartburn. Remove them from your diet.

Remember, there is no single diet that will work well for all people with different digestive problems.

The psychological factors

Low self-esteem and stress can trigger not only digestive disorders but also eating disorders (visit my website: Overcoming Eating Disorders).

The social factors

Life style also plays a pivotal part in digestive disorders.

1. Irregular eating patterns and inappropriate eating habits are the culprits in digestive disorders. They include eating while watching television or working on the computer, eating too fast without thoroughly chewing the food, and eating on the run.

2. Lack of exercise is also responsible for developing problems associated with indigestion.

3. For relaxation, many people self-meditate with "comfort food" and alcohol, which become the underlying problems of digestive disorders.

Digestive disorders cause discomfort and disruption to everyday living. It is price that many have to pay at the cost of their health. Taking medications to alleviate or relieve digestive problems does not deal with the root of the problems. All pharmaceutical drugs are potentially dangerous, only leading to more health problems down the road.

Find out more on coping with digestive pain from: What Your Doctor Won't Tell You About Digestive Pain.

For more information on digestive disorders, visit my web page: Digestive Health.

Stephen Lau

The Complications of Diabetes

As you continue to age, you may become more susceptible to developing type 2 diabetes. Because diabetes is only too common among the elderly, many simply do not take this disease seriously enough. This is because people seldom die directly from diabetes, but rather from its many complications.

The complications of diabetes are devastating, such as loss of vision and amputation of limbs, and often deadly.

1. Because the body cannot break down the sugar needed to fuel body cells, the body begins to burn its own fat and muscle for energy. This abnormal metabolism process leads to accumulation of toxic wastes in the blood, creating acidity. Too much acid in the blood may lead to unconsciousness or even death.

2. Even type 2 diabetes may cause hypoglycemia, which is an extremely low-glucose condition. This can be fatal, because the body needs fuel from sugar, and the brain is particularly sensitive to low blood sugar. Brain damage and brain malfunction can be deadly.

3. Diabetes is a nerve disease: that is, it affects the sensation of nerves. Due to the loss of sensation, the nerves are unable to communicate or send messages to the muscles. Diabetes is often a major cause of impotence and sexual dysfunction.

4. Diabetes is a contributor to heart disease. Diabetes patients often develop heart disease, including heart attacks and strokes.

5. Too much glucose takes away too much water during the filtering process by the kidneys to remove waste materials from the bloodstream. Excess sugar provides an environment for bacterial growth, leading to urinary infection, and ultimately kidney dysfunction.

Diabetes is a serious medical condition. Unfortunately, there is no cure, except control. Western medicine uses medications to control the production of insulin. The Chinese medicine uses acupuncture and diet to control diabetes.





If your diabetic condition is not too serious, taking a daily drink of celery, cucumber, green pepper, and bitter melon (a green vegetable obtainable at a Chinese supermarket) will do the trick to control the blood sugar. Bitter melon is a potent vegetable to control and stimulate insulin production in the body.

Learn how to control your diabetes naturally without pharmaceutical drugs from: The Original Diabetes Reversal Report.

Stephen Lau

Strategies For Difficulty With Words And Names

All of us may experience difficulty in finding words or remembering names every now and then, especially when we continue to age. Slower mental processing is not uncommon as aging continues to take its toll on the mind and memory.

Difficulty with words and names is evidenced in word-finding; specifically, in the interchanging of words and names, or verbalizing the interfering word instead of the intended word or name. These slips of the tongue or temporary memory lapses are examples of difficulty in word-finding. They may be embarrassing, and even stressful. The good news is that there are strategies for difficulty with words and names. Learn strategies to Make Your Brain Second To None, even as you age.


1. Slow down your speech. If need be, pause to screen out the interfering word. For example, you want to say "Clint Eastwood" but the interfering word may be "Cliff"; so take a pause when you come to the word, phrase, or name you are about to say to give yourself time to prevent verbalizing the interfering word or saying the interchanging word.

2. Listen to yourself (often times we are not paying attention to what we are saying) in order to identify the words, phrases, or names you may have difficulty in saying, and correct them instantly.

3. There is nothing wrong with self-correcting. Just continue to talk to maintain the flow of conversation.

4. Avoid behaviors that indicate your frustration, such as saying "Oops!" or snapping your fingers. Such behaviors will only draw attention to your problems in word finding.

5. Think ahead to identify the words or names you may have difficulty retrieving. For example when you are going to give a speech or to go to a social funtion, identify in advance a potentially elusive word, and find a synonym for it; try to remember the word through association so that you will avoid future word-finding problem.

Difficult with words and names can be overcome with the right strategies, although a little effort is required.

Your brain is still amazing despite the occasional setbacks in retrieving information and word-finding. Do keep your Brain Fit For Life.

Also, visit my web page: A Healthy Brain to get information and tips on keeping your brain healthy. Remember, use it or lose it.

Stephen Lau

The Human Brain Is Amazing - If You Have The Know-How!

You have an amazing mind! Your brain is made up of about 100 trillion brain cells. These nerve cells called neurons are responsible for releasing chemicals known as neurotransmitters. They are all inter-connected, and, as such, the more connections you have, the greater is your brain power. Yes, you do have an amazing brain!

Your brain is like a recorder, which records all information on a tape (your neurons). A good memory means your brain knows when to turn on and turn off the recorder. This is crucial. However, the "when" factor is no more than your basic memory skills, without which, you just turn on the recorder all the time. The problem is that you may have just too many tapes: when you want to look for a certain tape, you may have problems finding it right away - which is reflected in your forgetfulness, or inability to retrieve the desired information when needed.

When you are in your forties (the beginning of senility, whether you like it or not), it takes you longer to recall things. As you continue to age, you will take longer time to process new information. Things could get worse with time: you develop the common tip-of-the-tongue problem in remembering a common word, or a familiar name. Mental deterioration will continue if you live long enough: for example, you don't remember directions, or recall lists, among other daily annoyances and frustrations. Poor memory is associated with old age and the elderly.

You may not have dementia or Alzheimer's if your brain is still healthy. But you do want to avoid, or at least defer, for as long as you possibly can the occurence of the above-mentioned memory-lapse problems.

The good news is that you can maintain and retain your amazing brain power, if you have the know-how. You can Make Your Brain Second To None.

1. Memory has to do with your senses: sight, sound, smell, and touch. They are your memory skills, that is, tools for you to remember, store, and process information. Therefore, sharpen your senses to sharpen your mind. Protect and preserve your senses, for example, take care of your vision health.

2. Avoid emotional upheavals, such as depression or stress, which can adversely affect your brain power. Practice daily meditation to calm your nerves, and let your brain relax and rest. Meditation is a powerful tool to optimize your memory skills. Learn how to meditate from my web page: Meditation Techniques. All you need is patience and consistency.

3. Avoid pharmaceutical drugs wherever possible, especially over-the-counter ones, such as cold remedies and sleep aids. Drugs are dangerous chemicals that may damage your brain cells. Remember, brain cells, unlike other cells, do not regenerate, although you have trillions of them. Use natural herbs and home-made medicine, which are less toxic and have fewer side effects than chemicals.

4. Good nutrition enhances brain health. The rule of thumb is: What is good for the heart is also good for the brain. Eat a diet low in animal fat.

5. Try not to do too many things too quickly at the same time. This not only creates time stress but also disorients the mind.

Your brain is amazing. And you can keep it amazing for as long as you wish. If there is a will, there is a way.

Go to: Brain Fit For Life for more information.

Visit my web page: A Healthy Brain.

Stephen Lau

Forgetfulness or Dementia?

Even healthy aging is often accompanied by benign changes in the brain, which result in forgetfulness. But is it benign forgetfulness, or the onset of dementia?

Truly, older people without dementia may develop and experience changes in mental ability that may look like early symptoms of dementia or Alzheimer's. But how can you tell one from the other?

Forgetfulness can be explained by a decline in connectedness between brain cells. This gradual and slow decline is responsible for a reduction in mental processing speed, especially if the brain is not used regularly.

As you age, a certain degree of mental slowing is unavoidable. However, the good news is that the speed of the slowing down can be reduced. For example, you may have difficulty in remembering certain vocabulary as you age. This is only natural. As you age, you know more words, but the dilemma is that you may not be able to have access to your good stock of vocabulary due to the temporary inability to make the right connection between brain cells, or the slowing down of the mental processing.

The crucial question is: Why does the slowing down of the mental processing vary greatly with individuals? In other words, some are more prone to forgetfulness than others. Another question is: Can anything be done to slow down the process of decline?

Research has indicated that a good memory, irrespective of age, has to do with a good strategy of remembering. In other words, an older individual has the same capability of remembering things as that of a younger person, if they are given the correct way of remembering things. That is to say, it has to do with how you remember. You can learn how to remember well in spite of your age.

The moral lessons here are:

1. Do not panic if you have occasional memory lapse. This may not be dementia or Alzheimer's (even if it is, there is little you can do). Do not become obsessed and distressed with your forgetfulness, and there is no need to worry yourself to death.

2. As you continue to age, expect a little more effort to recall. If you do not remember a word instantly, at least pride yourself that it is better to know more and not being able to recall it instantly, than to know less and be able to remember it right away.

3. You can always compensate for slower processing by developing new techniques to help you remember.

Your forgetfulness is probably not dementia.

Harness your Brain's Unlimited Power.

Visit my web page: A Healthy Brain.

Stephen Lau

Stress Management Through The Mind

Some people can conquer stress, while others cannot. Some researchers have attributed this to the psychological and physical makeup. Essentially, those who do not easily succumb to stress demonstrate not only strong commitment to themselves but also staunch belief that change is challenging but unavoidable in life. As a result, they show adaptability and flexibility, which contribute to enhanced physical and mental health. In other words, stress management is all in the mind.

Your brain is the hardware of your whole being. Your brain is responsible for your stress. It is all in your mind. You are what you think, and you become what you think. Therefore, manage your stress through you mind. You control your own thinking, and your brain creates your own world: how you live your life, and how happy you are. And you are responsible for how you feel - even the stresses in life.

This is what happens when stress occurs. You have a thought (usually a negative one) about the stressful event or situation. Your thought sends electrical signals to your brain, which releases chemicals, and you become aware of your own thinking. No matter what you think, your thought is real to you, and must be treated as real. The goal is not to discard that thought or to distract yourself from that thought, but to change your perception of that thought.

To be able to change that thought, you must be aware of your body's reactions to the chemicals released by your brain as that thought occurs. For example, notice how your muscles tense up when you are distressed.

The next step is to talk back to that negative thought. Change your thought, and do not believe it. Learn how to train your mind to change your thought, and accordingly change your feeling about that thought. Reinforce your changed feeling by talking back to that thought which gives you the stress. Always use positive affirmations.

Next time, when you are confronted by a stressful situation, think "STOP!" Take a deep breath. Do some mental reflection, such as asking yourself why you think you are distressed. Acknowledge any feeling of anxiety, and become aware of the subtle changes in your physical body. Talk back to any negative thought responsible for creating the stress. The final step is to take appropriate action. Make a list of possible solutions to the problem. If it requires tackling the problem immediately, take the action at once: procrastination only aggravates the situation. But defer taking action if you are able to deal with it more effectively later on. Relax, such as taking a deep meditation, or doing something enjoyable to calm yourself.

Use your mind to manage your daily stress.

Visit my websites: The Seven Pillars of Wisdom.

Stephen Lau

Arthritis May Not Be What You Think It Is

Arthritis may not be what you think it is: just swollen cartilage and painful joint.

Arthritis is an autoimmune disease in which the immune system is attacking itself. It is more than inflammation of joints: it affects other organs, such as glands of the eyes and mouth, linings of the heart and lungs. In its initial stages, the patient may have difficulty in climbing stairs and lifting heavy objects. Even if pain is experienced, the pain is usually mild, or occurs only in the morning or at night. The pain may be intermittent, giving the illusion that there is nothing too seriously wrong. However, without proper treatment, the disease will continue to progress in the body with disabling joint deformity pain, affecting surrounding ligaments and tendons, robbing them of tone and flexibility. The ultimate result is disability.

There are more than 100 types of arthritis, and among them osteoarthritis is the most common. Arthritis affects more than one percent of the adult population in the United States.

Arthritis is more than just joint pain: it is a systemic disease, that is, involving the whole system of the body. Arthritis is not localized. As such, the disease is a reflection of the general health conditions of the patient. An individual suffering with arthritic conditions most probably has other chronic conditions, such as digestive disorder, constipation, fatigue, nutritional deficiencies, or insomnia, among others. In other words, poor diet, improper digestion, unhealthy lifestyle, mental and physical stress, insufficient rest are aggravating factors contributing to a toxic body, resulting in arthritis.

Therefore, treating arthritis requires a holistic approach, not just nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), corticosterioids, and disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs). Drug therapy only suppresses the arthritic symptoms. If the underlying health issues are not fully addressed, symptoms will show elsewhere in the body in the form of other diseases.

Remember, arthritis is not just a pain disease: it is a systemic disease.

Arthritis Free In One Month shows you how to cure your arthritis naturally.

Also, visit my websites: Are You Healthy? and The Seven Pillars of Wisdom.

Stephen Lau

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