Modern life style and modern eating habits have led to an explosion of people complaining of digestive disturbances such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Constipation, Diarrhoea, bloating and excessive gas. These complaints are believed to affect one in three people of all ages, however most don’t present symptoms until they reach their twenties.

Along side lack of energy these are the two most common complaints that I deal with on a daily basis.

There are a number of contributory factors to both these conditions:

- A weak digestive system which can result in poor digestion and poor absorption of nutrients. This in turn can lead to food intolerances, as the body tends to see an undigested food as a foreign substance and sees it as a threat to the immune system.

- Poor refined food providing little if any fibre and little nutrients.

- Stress and working long hours which creates a larger demand by the body for good levels of nutrients.

- Poor beneficial bacteria level within the gut.

One of the ways to deal with I.B.S besides looking for any food intolerances is to deal with the poor environment within the digestive tract.

I usually compare the bodies systems to a bank account if there is plenty of money in the bank account then you can not be overdrawn. If you are badly overdrawn in the health bank account department then the bank manager may start sending warning letters out to inform you of the poor level of funds. The letter is the same as the symptoms you are suffering from, it is a warning that things are out of balance and certain accounts are low.

When the health bank account is low then the body is more liable to present signs and symptoms and play up with such things as food intolerances. It is known that one of the things that trigger food allergies is stress. If we give our bodies what they need when they are stressed then they are less likely to play up with stress related symptoms, which could exacerbate IBS energy, or fatigue problems.

The easiest way to stop a body getting overdrawn is to prevent it happening in the first place by feeding it nutrient enriched food. If due to lifestyle factors this is not always possible then providing it with a good natural organic derived food nutrient is the way forward.

Some people are not always able to find an experienced Allergy/Nutritional practitioner in their area and feel frustrated in being unable to get any help. This is why I have provided a general recommendation of supplements from a respected professional company in order to help people gain better health with good nutrition without the necessity of having to visit a practitioner.

All items that are recommended are safe to take and do not cause any problems if you are already on medication unless stated otherwise.

As a naturopathic Practitioner I believe that our nutrients should come from a natural source, as that is how the body recognises them as an easily absorbable nutrient. In the ideal world this should be our food, but due to growing, processing and preserving methods the food is not the food that it was forty years ago. The nutrient level has decreased and yet our body’s requirement for nutrients has increased due to pollution, toxins and stress.

The next best thing is to take a supplement that is bound in a food based molecule rather than a synthetically derived one as the body recognises this as being natural to itself and therefore has a much greater absorption and retention.

I have a philosophy, don’t ask someone to do something or take something that you are not prepared to do your self. I believe that the food state nutrient give the best results within my practice and that is why I recommend them.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome - General prescription.

Increase water levels to two litres a day as this helps flush toxins through and is beneficial for bowel health.

Take Aloe Vera inner leaf (prod # 2116) (Not to be taken if pregnant) Take three tablespoons a day in water. Aloe does not need to be taken near food, however if you take it before a meal it will help the digestion.

Benefits.

Aloe Vera is one of the oldest medicinal herbs known to Man. It has being used for centuries for helping any problem within the digestive tract from the top to bottom. It has strong antispasmodic properties so it helps greatly ease cramping griping pains. It has a natural antibiotic effect, antiviral, and antiseptic. It only effects the bad guys and yet encourages the good beneficial bacteria to grow. It helps control the yeast type organisms that tend to over populate the gut in most people, which can cause wind, and bloating. It brings down inflammation in the digestive system as well as inflammation on the skin, e.g. spots, eczema. It can also be beneficial for joint problems. It has strong soothing properties, which is why it is popular for skin products. It has immune boosting effects and is good for all types of allergies.

It has a toning effect throughout the whole body and is known to benefit every system.

I find the above product at three tablespoons a day in water works and gives excellent results with all bowel and digestive disturbances.

Fosadophilus (prod # 4135). Strong probiotic and prebiotic.

This product provides over 4 billion bacteria per tablet of the beneficial bacteria that is important for the gut.bowel. These guys help to control the bad putrefying bacteria, they also help with the absorption of B vitamins and are also thought to have hormonal balancing effects.

This tablet also contains FOS, which is a prebiotic that provides the main food that makes the good bacteria grow. The bacteria finds it hard to thrive unless the environment that you are putting it in is either conducive or there is a food supply to help it multiply.

This product puts the money back into the account that deals with the lower part of the digestive area. Excellent results have being obtained within my practice with bloating, wind gas and even belching. Take two a day, always advisable to take if you have being on a course of antibiotics.

Cytozyme (Prod #4133) . Plant based digestive enzyme.

This provides the body with additional plant derived digestive enzymes, which help the body break down the food more efficiently. It also helps with reducing the tendency to suffer with food intolerances as it has a strengthening effect on the upper part of the digestive system.

If you break the food down more efficiently then you are less liable to react to it and it is less likely to putrefy further on down in the intestine, which can cause bloating and gas.

Excellent for upper digestive conditions such as heartburn, belching, indigestion. (Not to be taken if you have an ulcer.)

Take one tablet per meal especially if there is protein at the meal.

Linseeds.

Linseeds are high in Omega 3 an essential fatty acid and are also excellent for stubborn bowels as it is an excellent fibre provider. It acts a bit like a toothbrush gently cleaning the intestinal tract and preventing build up of unwanted substances on the intestinal wall.

This helps with internal hygiene as well as helping the beneficial bacteria.

Take one dessertspoon a day in a large glass of water, twice daily before food on an empty stomach.

Energy problems/Stress

Most people have some sort of stress in their lives and what I find shows strongly with people with stress and lack of energy is a tendency to be low in the vitamin B family complex and Magnesium.

The B complex vitamins are the anti-stress vitamins they help relax nerves and have a calming effect. They are also responsible in helping to provide energy, and can be beneficial in speeding up the metabolism for weight problems as they are responsible for helping break down fats, carbohydrates, and proteins.

They are important for hair, skin and nails and also work in helping the body balance out hormones.

People tend to be low in them as they are water soluble which means that you don’t store them so they get lost very easily especially with today’s pace of life. Most refined food is devoid of b vitamins they are found in the whole grain sources.

The supplement that I recommend and it is the one I take regularly in Super B extra (prod # 4076) . I call it my lifestyle one. It provides good levels of all the B vitamins from a food bound source and also provides all trace minerals, which are worryingly low in the soil.

This is also a general one for improving energy and keeping you calm.

Generally I recommend taking two a day for a beneficial effect.

Bad energy problems, sugar cravings, metabolism and period pains.

I like to use cytoplan’s magnesium citrate at a general dose of two a day. This is one that I always use with people if they have very bad energy it also speeds up the metabolism and is really good for balancing out dipping blood sugar problems.

Helps with mood and hormonal cycles. I call it my battery recharger as it helps you to feel more refreshed in the morning. Magnesium also works on muscles and blood vessels and is known as the anti-stress mineral.

Stress/antioxidants.

When you are under stress, living in a polluted area, or smoke you bodies requirements for antioxidants go up. These include Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Vitamin A, selenium and Zinc to name a few.

Taking a good antioxidant is really beneficial for protecting you from the harmful substances that our bodies are constantly being exposed to on a daily basis.

I always use this in my clinic if the person is fairly stressed.

Take antox (prod # 1928) from cytoplan one or two times a day depending on needs.

Comprehensive multi vitamin and mineral

Take Foundation Formula (prod # 4098) for an excellent high absorbency multi vitamin and mineral. This is a good product to take for general all round coverage if you are looking for just a little bit extra boost. Take two a day.

If you are looking for a good calcium supplement then none is better than Cytoplans
Phyto calcium. Phyto means from a plant and this comes from organic seaweed which is the food that is know to have one of the highest levels of naturally occurring calcium in it.

Good for bones and can also aid relaxation, as it is another one that helps with relaxing muscles.

The above recommendations do not in any way warrant an individual prescription or a medical assessment but over the years I have had many clients that have benefited from the above products including my self. These products were used with great success in the treatment of my M.E a number of years ago and that is one of the reasons I have great faith in their ability.

If you have any queries please do not hesitate to contact me about these products or Cytoplan direct via the web link. All orders for these products or any others within the Cytoplan’s range need to be placed direct via the web link.

Fiona Gibson
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