MY HEALTH RIGHTS » bacteria

Irritable Bowel Syndrome

admin — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 18:04:35 +0000

To make a diagnosis of irritable bowel syndrome there should be at least 3 months of continuous or recurrent abdominal pain or discomfort which is relieved with defaecation and associated with a change in either the frequency or the consistency of the stool.
Irritable bowel syndrome is a diagnosis of exclusion which means that, as part of the initial investigation, other serious or life-threatening disorders are first ruled out.
Can anything be done apart from “more fibre, Madam, relax more and have an occasional yogurt” Do any therapies really work for Irritable Bowel Syndrome?Usually it is possible to obtain relief from the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome using a clinical approach which combines laboratory investigation and treatment of low-grade gut infections and identification of any food intolerances together with the identification of any lifestyle sreessors whish may be worsening the situation.
At a guess I would say that 95% of IBS patients can be significantly helped by a mixed conventional/ complementary medical approach.
When I see new patient who has come ot me for help with their IBS I prefer it if they have already had a definitive diagnosis of irritable bowel syndrome made by a consultant gastroenterologist. It is important, particularly in certian age groups to exclude serious disease before arriving at a diagnosis of irritable bowel syndrome.
Then, when serious disease has bene excluded, we can concentrate on improving quality of life for the patient
The irritable bowel syndrome / chronic fatigue syndrome connection: How can a gut infection affect a patient’s overall sense of well-being?
Certain areas of bodily function come up again and again in medical problem lists taken from M.E. / chronic fatigue syndrome patients patients. Very often patients are informed (erroneously, in my opinion) that there is no connection between their fatigue and their abdominal symptoms, despite the fact that the patient may have quite severe abdominal disturbance. In my own clinical experience many patients with chronic (i.e. long-standing) medical conditions, may have low-grade gut infections making a large ‘contribution’ to their lack of well-being. Very frequently my experience is that normalising gastrointestinal function makes a huge contribution to the patient’s overall sense of well being.
How can this happen?
The Bowel contains a lot of immune system tissue. Additionally the bowel should function competently as a barrier between the potentially toxic faecal matter contained in the bowel and the bloodstream forming a reliable separation between the two .
A brief explanation of ‘leaky gut syndrome’
The gut contains a large amount of immune or lymphoid tissue. The bowel wall is thin -just the thickness of an upper eyelid- however it needs to form a competent barrier between the essentially toxic faecal matter, which it contains, and the blood/circulatory system. The bowel has its own blood return system -called the portal venous system- which is a subdivision of the blood and circulatory system. Blood coming from the portal (bowel) circulatory system to rejoin the main circulatory system has to pass through the liver filtration system before doing so. The lumen (hollow) of the bowel contains partly digested food, bacteria, bacterial toxins, moulds or fungi, fungal / myco toxins, enzymes, the bugs that did not get washed off the lettuce with that quick wash you gave it(!)

The average healthy bowel contains a greater number of bacteria than the number of cells in the human body.
It is critical for well-being to maintain the correct bacterial balance in our gutfor a wide variety of reasons not least immune competency. If the gut wall is inflamed and ‘leaky’ and not functioning properly as a barrier, then toxic products and half-digested materials get across this barrier into the blood stream. This may make people feel vaguely but decidedly unwell. This ‘leaky gut syndrome’ which then occurs may cause proteins not not to be broken down properly into their constituent amino acids and as a result larger protein particles, called peptides (a particle composed of of several amino acids), become absorbed across the gut wall into the blood stream causing immune system problems and possibly also contributing to joint pains and various forms of arthritis. Dr Alan Ebringer in London’s Middlesex Hospital has done much in his research to study the role of bowel bacterial infections in both rheumatoid arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis and he has identified certain species of proteus and also klebsiella as potential troublemakers.

The Liver and irritable bowel syndrome connection. The Liver has an important role in detoxifying materials after they enter the bloodstream.
Any toxins that get into the blood stream have to be dealt with by the liver before they are allowed out of the specialised gut blood circulation, into what is called the ‘Systemic Circulation’ (the heart, great vessels, brain, etc.). Relatively frequently the liver may be ‘overloaded’ by gut toxins or it may be sluggish for other reasons and find it difficult to cope with its work of detoxification. Consequently patients may feel somewhat weak and fuzzy-headed. Sluggish liver detoxification also contributes to chemical sensitivity. As one patient told me “I constantly feel as if I’m on the morning after the night before – except there was no night before. I constantly feel fuzzy-headed, as as if I had a skinful last night, except that I didn’t!”.

What kinds of troublesome low-grade gut infections are there?
Gut infections may be fungal, bacterial or possibly worm-like. At the moment conventional medicine is working hard to develop more sensitive means of diagnosing gut infection and advances have been made, especially in terms of diagnosing bacterial gut infection using the Hydrogen Breath Test, but there is still a long way to go in terms of developing reliable investigations that are both relative and specific.

What happens if liver pathways are not running at or near full efficiency.
This does not mean that there is something drastically wrong with the patient’s liver, that is life-threatening. Almost everyone I see has had liver function tests, checked by either family doctor or consultant. These will usually have been totally satisfactory. This is important in that it excludes any serious or life-threatening liver disease. However, the liver may be somewhat sluggish in its normal work of breaking down toxins/old red blood cells/old hormone molecules that are past their sell-by date. A liver that is not functioning optimally may result in its owner fee ling sluggish a lot of the time. It may also result in increased sensitivity to toxins.

As a result of sluggish liver detoxification people may notice food sensitivities and sensitivities to perfume, alcohol, chemicals. People may also notice sensitivity to processed foods.

In any case of irritable bowel syndrome I would stress that there are no ‘magic’ cures and people need to take and be guided by the advice of their general practitioner and gastroentrerologist but, that being said, I feel that using integrative therapies in a thoughtful way is frequently, in my experience, a tremendous help.

RESIDENTS MOLD PREVENTION GUIDE

admin — Mon, 26 May 2008 14:33:47 +0000

The best means to prevent or control the spread of mold growth is to deny the spores the moisture necessary for germination. Therefore, regulating the environment, especially relative humidity is essential for preventing the deterioration of valuable property from microorganism growth. Relative humidity levels should be routinely monitored. Spore germination is less likely to occur if relative humidity is controlled between 35-45 percent. When relative humidity levels rise above 65 percent, the use of portable dehumidifiers might be necessary to reduce the moisture content of the air. A temperature between 68-72oF (spring/summer) and 70-740F (fall/winter) should be targeted. These levels only decrease the potential of germination and growth; they do not eliminate it. Therefore, other factors, such as adequate air circulation should be maintained; a fan will help to increase circulation.

The following guidelines for fungal invasion prevention:

1. Place books/book shelves, and furniture at least 1-2 inches from the wall for airflow.

2. Store books, materials, important documents, and collectibles in a room where there are no extreme temperature/humidity changes, and not in extreme light/darkness.

3. Keep indoor plants to a minimum as they draw fungus, bacteria, and other microbes.

4. Regularly inspect for mold infestation wherever water/moisture has been historical.

5. Open closet doors for air circulation. Use a 40-watt light bulb to dry/heat closet air.

6. Whenever possible do not use humidifiers and open a window for 20-30 minutes daily (on sunny days, but never on rainy days).

7. Change air filters at least once every 30 days.

8. In vacuum cleaners, High Efficiency Particulate Absolute (HEPA) filters are the best at taking fungus, mildew, and dust out of the air, and vacuum at least once weekly.

9. Wash sheets, pillowcases, and mattress covers frequently in hot soapy water. If someone is allergic to dust mites, buy special vinyl covers for the pillow/mattress.

10. Remove stuffed animals/dust-collecting objects from moisture areas, e.g. windows.

11. Some new products may help reduce dust mite populations. Ask your medical doctor about control solutions for upholstered furniture and bedding.

12. It is important to keep any area that maintains collectibles and other such valuable objects clean and free of dust, dirt, and other organic debris that can nourish spores.

13. Wash cooking oil buildup off kitchen walls at least four times per year.

14. Clean condensation moisture/dust particles from windowsills after storms/weekly.

General Indoor Cleaning Instructions:

Keep surfaces and household textiles clean. Mold grows on materials contaminated with soil and grease. A grease-cutting solution of detergent and water should be used to wash hard surfaces, e.g., walls and floors to remove contaminants that can support mold growth. Tri-sodium phosphate (TSP) found in hardware stores is an effective cleaner for removing grease. After cleaning, rinse with clear water to remove any cleaner residue. Dry quickly and thoroughly using fans. CAUTION should be observed when using strong cleaners such as TSP. Wear rubber gloves and avoid breathing/getting the powder in the eyes.

Store clothes for washing in a hamper with a black plastic liner. Allow moist soiled clothes to dry first before placing them into a hamper. This discourages the growth of mildew.

During rainy or moist seasons, visually inspect periodically for any beginning evidence of fungi contamination, especially in closet areas. If found, remove all clothing before cleaning the contaminated area. A vinegar and hot water solution should be strong enough to safely remove minor fungi contamination (an area of approximately 2 feet by 2 feet) from walls. A cleaning product, e.g., ZEP with an antibacterial disinfectant and fungicide for cleaning windowsills, bathroom tiles and toilet basins, other reachable areas is recommended. CAUTION: Always read the WARNING of cleaning products before use and never mix solutions. This can produce very toxic mixtures with health hazards. Please take care to not get this material on carpet as it will discolor the carpet.

Clothing observing any odor of contamination should be either washed in hot detergent water, then, rinsed thoroughly in hot clean water only, before being machine dried. Any clothing that cannot be washed should be dry-cleaned (under special cleaning instructions which dry-cleaning management should be aware of). Closets should not be overfilled, as this will reduce air circulation in the closet.

Protect Bathroom areas. Keep bathrooms as clean and dry as possible. Wipe down shower walls with a towel, sponge, or squeegee after showering. If available, use a vented exhaust fan to pull moist air out of the bath during and after bathing or showering. Be sure that the fan is vented to the outside, not into the attic or crawlspace areas.

Protecting carpets. The longer the carpet remains wet, the greater the chances of permanent damage, including shrinkage, color change, and soil staining. Once the textile starts drying, the longer it remains damp, the more likely mildew will develop. It is important to rapidly clean and dry the carpet.