Well the giant egg recall is big news right now as it just keeps getting bigger and bigger and unfortunately more and more people are getting ill from it. The day before this recall was issued I had made some french toast which used quite a bit of eggs in it. Luckily the carton of eggs I had in the fridge were not part of the recall since I got them about two weeks before the recall happened(I don’t use a lot of eggs). Needless to say, I will not be making french toast for awhile.
One thing I am wondering is why so many people are getting sick. Salmonella is a bacteria that does die when heated to 165F or above. I have a feeling that many people who are getting sick are possibly mishandling the eggs or not cooking their eggs thoroughly. There are also possibilities of accidental gross contamination say within a grocery bag or in the fridge. I always keep my eggs separate from all my other groceries in the bag and in the fridge. I just don’t have much luck what with developing IBS from swimming in a river and later feeling nauseated with diarrhea that night, then later in life getting a three month bout of Gastroparesis from a norrovirus or food poisoning. So I take food handling very seriously.
It seems like ever summer we have a big name food recall related to salmonella. Last year it was peanuts, the year before it was tomatoes(which is a recurring theme), now it’s eggs. Eggs are actually less shocking as salmonella has always been a risk with eggs. Things like peanuts or tomatoes are scary as you don’t assume those would be a risk and in many cases they’re eaten raw. Even on a local level we’re seeing salmonella recalls. Umpqua dairy had to recall milk, cream, half-n-half & even orange juice because the processing plant was contaminated with salmonella and many people have become ill.
It makes you wonder about where our food is coming from and the people or businesses that produce it. Because our food system is becoming more consolidated all the time, a small outbreak can quickly spread across the nation & while it would seem this consolidation would make it easier to track down where the outbreak started from, that’s rarely the case. For example the tomato recall last year, took a long time to track down and in the end some were even doubting if it was the tomatoes and not a batch of bad jalapeno peppers that were actually causing the illnesses.
Inspections of our food supply & enforcement should be a top priority, but time and time again businesses fly under the radar until people start getting sick or even dying. For example the company Cadbury Chocolates in 2006 was finally fined almost $2 million US dollars because it knowingly put tainted candy bars on store shelves in the UK and lowered it’s hygiene standards to save money. The Peanut Corporation of America had a sloppy history of health violations and when it finally caught up with them causing a major salmonella outbreak, sickening many people, they just closed up shop and filed bankruptcy.
Ultimately I think the public & the government should take a firmer stance to ensure the purity of our food. The FDA may need to be expanded and we also need to “beef-up” the USDA inspection power as well. There are also powerful food industry lobbyists corrupting Washington, would be nice to kick them out too.
There has been some recent news on the drug Rifaximin(brand name XIFAXAN) showing some promising results for treating Irritable Bowel Syndrome. Rifaximin is an anti-biotic that is poorly absorbed by the body. What this means is that most of it stays in the gut where it attacks bacteria. The idea here is that harmful bacteria create toxins in the body causing neurocognitive and neuromuscular dysfunction. By using Rifaximin you can kill off these bacteria and hopefully restore the gut to it’s regular functions. Continue reading “News: Rifaximin For Irritable Bowel Syndrome” »
Special thanks to Hypnotherapy Directory (UK) for writing this detailed post on Hypnotherapy.
Many suffers of Irritable Bowel Syndrome only get occasional pain and discomfort, but for some the condition can effect their lives on a daily basis. You may suffer from constipation, or diarrhea, some may even have both. Pain can vary from mild to severe and can occur at any time of the day. You may also be suffering from indigestion, nausea, cramping, heart burn and muscle pain.
There has been lots of information and research into the condition. Some research suggests that parts of the gut may be over-active, some of the contractions in the muscles can become abnormal. Other research has found that sensitivity to the amount of gas in your bowel and your genes can all contribute to the development of IBS. Continue reading “Hypnotherapy – How Can It Help You And Your IBS” »
The first revision of my new Irritable Bowel Syndrome Guide, DietIBS.com is now up and live. Please check it out :).
Top Six Natural Constipation Remedies
Most people will find themselves dealing with constipation one point or another in their lives. Sometimes synthetic laxatives can be harsh and uncomfortable to use. Before reaching for a laxative drug, perhaps you can give these natural remedies a try.
#6 – Exercising
Even if you feel sluggish from constipation, it’s still a good idea to try to get some movement going. Try to focus on the abdominal area. Getting blood flowing through your system may help wake-up your gut to start moving things again.
#5 – Magnesium
Magnesium is an element that attracts water, this can help soften stool that may be to stiff to allow easy passage. You should look for a magnesium supplement that does NOT have calcium, as calcium will only worsen constipation. Look for a magnesium supplement that has about 250 – 500mg.
#4 – Ginger
Ginger is great for your digestive tract all around. In some cases it can also help with constipation. I’d try a ginger tea or Ginger Chew candies.
Iberogast(STW-5) is an herbal mixture that helps with digestive movement. I would try taking it on an empty stomach instead of with a meal and see if that will get your lower bowels moving again.
#2 – Juices
Many juices can have a laxative effect & are usually pretty gentle. The most well known is prune juice, but other juices such as grape or orange juice might work for you as well. I myself do not like the taste of prune juice, but will happily drink grape or orange juice. For me these seem to only cause a bowel movement if I am dealing with constipation, otherwise I don’t get the laxative effect(which is a good thing!).
#1 – Raisin Bran
This seems to always work for me, but it is the last on my list as usually it causes quite a bit of gas as well. Raisin Bran cereals taste pretty good & can definitely get your digestive motor going. It’s probably a bit harsher than the other items listed here, but if nothing else has worked, raisin bran probably will. You could also try other things like a bran muffin or an over the counter fiber product.
Other Options?
Do you have a favorite natural constipation remedy? Please post it below.
Align Probiotic For Irritable Bowel Syndrome Update
This is a follow-up to my post “Align Probiotics Review: First Glance“. I did have some time to try out Align Probiotics and see how they worked out for me. Check out below for a week by week run-down.
Week #1
Week #1 started out pretty well. I did notice that I was dealing with some aches and fatigue, possibly due to Align clearing out toxins or possibly due to something else entirely(I am known to get sinus infections randomly). Within a few days these aches and pains stopped. I think I did start to see some benefit from Align almost immediately. Improvements such as not having to go to the bathroom as often, bowel movements feeling more complete & perhaps even less gas/cramping. Having the pills labeled by the day of the week was pretty handy to keep on top of taking it. I tried to take it the same time each day. Continue reading “Align Probiotic For Irritable Bowel Syndrome Update” »
Making Your Own Homemade Ginger Ale
I’ve talked quite a bit about Ginger on here before and its digestive benefits. There are some high quality ginger ales(or brews) on the market that can help aid in digestion. Unfortunately these brews are usually pretty costly. I’ve improvised and made my own homemade ginger ale a few days ago. Here’s my recipe below:
Ingredients
- 8 – 10 ounces Ginger Root
- 1 Cup Sugar
- 32 ounces Water
- Juice of two lemons
Directions:
Grate ginger, you may want to peel it first, this can be done by scraping it with a spoon. I would use the finest grate you have on your grater, you could probably also use a food processor if you have one. Place the ginger, water, sugar & juice into a pan & stir until sugar is dissolved. Place on Med-High heat until the mixture is bubbling. Lower heat to Medium. Let simmer for about 15 – 20 minutes. Strain out all the ginger, making sure to squeeze out the ginger juice. Now you can try to use it as-is by mixing it 50/50 with sparkling water or you can let it boil down to about 1/5th its original volume for a more concentrated flavor.
Esophyx Procedure Reduces Heartburn For Some. For Others The Results Vary
Update: It appears EndoGastric Solutions is in some hot water from the FDA regarding the device malfunctioning, as well as marketing the device as being reversible when in most(?)/many(?) cases it is not. There is also some legal action taking place as well.
Just read about the Esophyx procedure on NBC’s Dallas Fort Worth website. The procedure is offered as an alternative to Nissen Fundoplication. The goal is to resolve acid reflux symptoms by strengthening the Lower Esophageal Sphincter valve.
Nissen Fundoplication is usually done via laparoscopic surgery, which means one or more incisions are made and a tiny camera is used through these incisions to guide the surgeon. The surgeon wraps part of the stomach around the LES valve and then staples it together so it holds tight around the LES. In some cases mesh devices are needed to help hold the stomach in place. Overall it is a serious procedure with side effects being the inability to belch causing a build of of gas, the inability to vomit, dumping syndrome as well as others. Continue reading “Esophyx Procedure Reduces Heartburn For Some. For Others The Results Vary” »
HealMyIBS.com Interview with Dr. Wangen from the IBS Treatment Center.
Yiannis over at HealMyIBS.com recently did an interview with Dr. Wangen from the IBS Treatment Center:
Yiannis:
How did you get involved with IBS and what is the idea behind the IBS treatment center?
Dr.Wangen:
I was once diagnosed with IBS. I wasn’t very impressed with the diagnosis, but like many of my current patients, I assumed that stress was the cause of my problem. It turned out that stress had little to do with my symptoms. It can exacerbate symptoms, but it is usually not the fundamental cause of digestive problems. Once I discovered how to cure my own IBS, that gave me more confidence in exploring how to help other people. That led to the development of the IBS Treatment Center, the first comprehensive treatment center dedicated to resolving.
Read the full interview at HealMyIBS.com.
Tribute to The Best Toilet Paper In The World
Yes! That’s right, I am going to praise Conttonelle & their excellent Aloe & E toilet paper. Those with digestive problems are going to be using more TP than the average person. A lot of TP out there, even though it’s soft, doesn’t mean it doesn’t cause wear & tear after awhile. Plus there are some products out there that are too soft, almost like you’re using a blanket. Probably the best thing about Cotonelle Aloe & E is that it has Aloe & E in it, which is good for your skin and helps prevent irritation from occurring.
I looked high and low for an Aloe & E toilet paper product locally & Cottonelle Aloe & E was the only one I found & it works marvelously. Perhaps in your area you may have more choices, but I would strongly suggest you find one with Aloe in it or get Cottonelle Aloe & E. If you cannot find it locally you can buy :cottonelleaff: in bulk from Amazon.com, which if I didn’t have it locally, I’d probably do it.
Plus, who doesn’t like a cute puppy on the packaging :)?