Do you want to avoid chronic illness? If you get into the habit of fixing small problems like constipation now, there will be less chance of developing a serious gut illness as you age.
If you are aware of the warning signals, (the “little” symptoms that you often ignore or take for granted), that can lead to larger health problems, you can often avoid serious and, sometimes chronic, illnesses.
We all know that prevention is always the best action to take. Serious, chronic debilitating illnesses are physically and emotionally draining on the individual in addition to their families and loved ones. But there is also the monetary cost – expensive treatments which add to the overall burden.
I’ll bet I’ve got your attention now! It is a sad fact that most of us don’t pay attention until it costs us financially. We must all learn to read the warning signs and take heed when our body starts to warn us of impending ill health. Take a look at the signs and symptoms below, and take action NOW!
Don’t put off going to your doctor or health-care professional for a full consultation and proper examination and diagnosis. We have seen patients over the years who ignored the warning signals and are unfortunately – no longer with us.Many of us are not that familiar with the very subtle warning signals we experience on a daily basis. We are bombarded daily by many advertisements designed to mask these symptoms rather than find the cause of them. We have come to believe that these symptoms are “normal”. We must be aware that if we only temporarily relieve the symptom and do not get to the root cause of it, it will escalate and cause further damage to our body.
There is no such thing as an “isolated” health problem in your body. All illness, diseases, and symptoms of ill-health are related. Your disease did not drop into your lap like a plague of locusts, it took time to develop and for many different reasons.
Western evidence based medicine will encourage you to treat any symptom as an isolated incident, without determining the root cause of the symptom. This will not lead to a cessation and will ultimately mask the real cause of your health problems. On this basis, we, at The Naturopaths, work with you and your body as a “whole” so that your body’s built-in healing mechanism can give you balance and vital health. We believe in informed choice and do not suggest for one minute that you ignore the warning symptoms and not visit your doctor if you are concerned in any way. We believe in integrative medicine, the best of what Western and natural medicine has to offer.
| Abdominal pain or cramps Acne and other skin disorders Anal itching Angina Bad breath Bladder or urination problems Bloating Body aches and pains Bowel movements that do not float Breathing disorders Chronic tiredness Dandruff Diarrhea and/or constipation Dizziness |
Dry/oily hair Dry/oily skin Ear infections Fevers, night sweats Flatulence Foggy head Frequent sore throat Headaches Hemorrhoids and/or protruding rectum Hiatus hernia Hormonal imbalance Indigestion or incomplete digestion Insomnia or irregular sleep patterns Itchy eyes |
Low attention span Low back pain Nausea Pain, swelling, lumps of any kind Painful joints Painful menstruation Sensitive mouth or gums Sensitivity to perfumes and chemicals Shortness of breath Soft or brittle nails Swollen abdomen Varicose veins Water retention |
Widespread Drug Marketing How many TV advertisements have you seen lately for products that are designed to “instantly” eliminate of most of the symptoms listed above? In America and New Zealand, the only two countries legally allowed to market pharmaceutical drugs on television, they are on the television every night, targeted for headaches, pain, digestive problems, erectile dysfunction, arthritis and many more symptoms. Smiling actors marketing drugs aimed to “switch off” symptoms which can often be rectified by a change in diet and lifestyle.
Did you ever wonder why the symptoms return again and again to haunt you? Perhaps you did not think there was a cause – but there is and it most probably was never addressed. The reason for the continual return of the same symptoms is that the root “cause” has not been addressed. Patients go from doctor to doctor, drug store to natural health stores looking for a “cure”. The problems keep on going, the causes are not adequately addressed and over time chronic illness develops.
Do you ever look at what comes out of your body? The quantity and quality of your bowel movements is nature’s way of telling you the level of health that you are experiencing. Just as you need to monitor what goes in your mouth, stool investigation will give you valuable information regarding your the digestive tract. Your digestive tract is the “assembly line” for the food you eat. Your bowel movements can give you a clear picture as to whether the most important process of health is functioning properly.
Learning what to look for in your bowel movements can prevent future illness and suffering. We have been taught to feel embarrassed about talking, or even thinking, about our bowel movements. Get over it! Do not let this restrain you from obtaining and maintaining your vibrant health. The large intestine is the sewerage system of the body. Mismanagement of the large intestine will only cause the digestive tract to become a toxic. Do you rely on a laxative? You’d be surprised how many dollars are spent every year to “keep people regular”.
An indication of a good bowel is the stool floats and does not mark the toilet bowl. One or more bowel movements every day is essential to good health. Did you know that New Zealand leads the world in bowel cancer in females?
If you have been in a health program for more than six weeks and you are not experiencing “real” results, or if you have been experiencing recurring symptoms that never seem to go away, it is my opinion that the root cause of your symptoms has not yet been addressed. You could visit a naturopath or integrative medicine practitioner for advice. It could make all the difference what it comes to recovery. Why live with symptoms and anxiety about the future when you can do something about it – today.
