Archive for the ‘inflammatory bowel conditions’ Category

Burning Pain in the Stomach – Could It Be Helicobacter?

Wednesday, March 30th, 2011

Burning Pain in the Stomach

When you go to your doctor and complain of pain and burning in your solar plexus, and he recommends Zantac or Tagamet for an ulcer, ask him what he thinks about the ‘theory’ that this condition is caused by an infection. If he gives you the old doctor-shrug, decline his prescriptions, pay him for his time, and come and see us and have a helicobacter pylori test and a live blood screening.

Helicobacter is a genus of spiral bacteria that amazingly are able to survive the severe acidity of the stomach. We have known of the existence of such bacteria since 1889 but it wasn’t until nearly 100 years later that the significance of these bacteria was realized.

Until the 1980’s, stomach ulcers were treated with an assortment of antacids with the idea that excess acid had caused the ulcer. In fact, most stomach and duodenal ulcers of humans stem from infection with Helicobacter bacteria.

Helicobacter survives the extreme acidity of the stomach by using enzymes to create its own layer of protective bicarbonate. This little “safety suit” allows the bacteria to burrow into the stomach’s mucus layer. Its presence generates inflammation in the stomach tissue.

Many patients are colonized by Helicobacter and do not develop symptoms; however, if Helicobacter penetrates deeply enough, it will bind to the mucus secreting cells of the stomach disrupting their ability to produce normal mucus.

Ultimately, the mucus lining is disrupted, stomach acid gains access to the stomach tissue, and burning results. Ulcers are thus formed. Making matters worse, Helicobacter organisms are able to stimulate extra acid secretion by the stomach tissue. More burning and more ulcers result and soon the patient is experiencing pain, nausea and/or vomiting.

H. pylori infection is most likely acquired by ingesting contaminated food and water and through person to person contact. In the United States, 30% of the adult population is infected. (50% of infected persons are infected by the age of 60.)

The infection is more common in crowded living conditions with poor sanitation. In countries with poor sanitation, 90% of the adult population can be infected

If you have a chronic infection with H. pylori, it weakens the natural defences of the lining of the stomach against the ulcerating action of acid and can cause severe health problems.  Live Blood Analysis lets us know how damaged the gut and the liver are in relation to the Helicobacter.  If you are one of the 50% who don’t have helicobacter, then the live blood analysis gives plenty of other information and reasons for the pain in your tummy.

To find out whether or not you have an ulcer, it can’t hurt to test for H. pylori. Call us today on 07 3348 6098  and book in for a helicobacter pylori test and live blood analysis.  Ask if there are any website specials for this combination of tests!

Yours in Health
Madonna Guy ND
Naturopath
New Leaf Natural Therapies

Integrated Detoxification Specialists – Not your average clinic! Madonna Guy ND

Tuesday, March 22nd, 2011

Digestive Tract Cleansing – Fact or Fiction

What Does it REALLY MEAN to cleanse your digestive tract?

What does a well functioning digestive tract mean?  It means we have no symptoms of constipation or diarrhoea, bloating, burping & belching, acid reflux, heartburn or indigestion or bad breath and have good immunity and well balanced blood sugar.  Is this you?  Even if you have no symptoms (the classic cast-iron stomach for example) we often find issues such as parasites, oxidative stress or leaky gut and allergies.  When we do live blood analysis (hemaview) and urinary indicans testing (amount of gut dysbiosis/bad bacteria being released through the urine) these are the tests that let us know how long it’s going to take to cleanse the digestive tract – and it’s not as easy as it sounds.

I had a client once (with allergies, hayfever, reproductive issues and anxiety) who had a great looking live blood analysis when we first did the test.  There was very little sign of parasites, leaky gut or liver stress.  Knowing the health history, I would have expected the live blood to have looked worse.  What we did was give her a detox pack which cleanses mucoid plaque from the intestinal walls.  I’d have to say it’s better than colonic irrigations due to the fact that it pulls mucoid plaque (hardened oxidised bile) from the stomach, small intestines as well as the colon (large intestine).  Colonic irrigations only work a maximum of 70% of the colon, whereas this is the entire digestive tract.

Once we completed the mucoid plaque cleanse (it’s simple and very effective for the mucoid plaque release for most people – but some people need to do it several times as the hardened oxidised bile can turn into ‘concrete’ in the intestines which takes some time to loosen…  ) we had another look at the live blood analysis and it was totally different – we found huge signs of parasites, leaky gut and liver stress.  So what happened?  Basically this hardened oxidised bile/ mucoid plaque creates a barrier between the intestinal wall and inside the digestive tract and lots of nasties live behind it, it creates a heated, toxic environment which nourishes parasites, fungus and candida.  So, once we released these mucoid plaques, it allowed the release of these stored parasites, fungus, candida.  Then we got to work clearing the next layer for this client!

So, when practitioners either 1. don’t have the technology to show you how good/how bad things are (and therefore are doing purely guesswork) and 2. don’t have the knowledge/products/techniques in order to move through the processes (many clinics do not specialise in detoxification) or 3. believe their training that two week detoxes are all that’s needed and wonder why their clients never have the results they’re after – clients suffer.  Seminars which teach detoxification often simplify things.  Training in naturopathic college simplifies things.  I assume it’s more popular to tell people it’ll take 2-6 weeks for a full, integrated detox, less cost, less time, simpler – but really – it’s doesn’t help clients, the industry or anyone’s health long term.

There is no health problem that exists that can’t benefit from an integrated four-filter cleanse.

Call us today to find out how your digestive tract is doing…  Ask for a urinary indicans test and a live blood analysis.  We can also screen (blood) for candida, coeliac disease testing and helicobacter pylori testing.

Our Foundations of Health Programme was designed for a 9 month integrated detoxification programme.  We have a special offer at present where if ALL of the Foundation of Health Testing Processes are completed, as well as an initial Foundations of Health Consultation – mention this New Leaf Blog and recieve 50%off.

Madonna Guy ND
Naturopath, Wynnum, Brisbane
07 3348 6098 / 0417 643 849
healthteam@nlnt.com.au

Testimonials: Crohn’s Disease/Ulcerative Colitis

Sunday, February 28th, 2010

Ulcerative Colitis/Crohn’s disease

When I was six I was diagnosed with a bowel condition known as Ulcerative Colitis/Crohn’s. Initially the disease was managed with medication, however, at the age of eleven the disease became progressively worse until the point where I was admitted to hospital and put on a feeding tube. The results I received from just a few treatments [at New Leaf Natural Therapies] were amazing. I stopped taking medication and got on with my life. But the real shock for me came 5 years later when I was 16. I went in for a check up and the doctors informed me that it was as if I had never had the condition, there were no traces of anything. Words cannot express the gratitude i feel towards Madonna. ~ Dale