Here is some basic information on Irritable Bowel Syndrome, what it is and what you can do for it.

What I need to know about Irritable Bowel Syndrome

On this page:

• What is irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)?
• What causes IBS?
• What are the symptoms of IBS?
• How is IBS diagnosed?
• How is IBS treated?
• Does stress cause IBS?
• Points to Remember
• Glossary
• For More Information
• Acknowledgments

What is irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)?

Irritable bowel syndrome^* (IBS) is a “syndrome,” meaning a group of symptoms. The most common symptoms of IBS are abdominal pain or discomfort often reported as cramping, bloating, gas, diarrhea, and/or constipation. IBS affects the colon, or large bowel, which is the part of the digestive tract that stores stool.

IBS is not a disease. It’s a functional disorder, meaning that the bowel doesn’t work, or function, correctly.

Words in bold type are defined in the glossary

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What causes IBS?

Doctors are not sure what causes IBS. The nerves and muscles in the bowel appear to be extra sensitive in people with IBS. Muscles may contract too much when you eat. These contractions can cause cramping and diarrhea during or shortly after a meal. Or the nerves may react when the bowel stretches, causing cramping or pain.

IBS can be painful. But it does not damage the colon or other parts of the digestive system. IBS does not lead to other health problems.

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What are the symptoms of IBS?

The main symptoms of IBS are

• abdominal pain or discomfort in the abdomen, often relieved by or associated with a bowel movement
• chronic diarrhea, constipation, or a combination of both

Other symptoms are

• whitish mucus in the stool
• a swollen or bloated abdomen
• the feeling that you have not finished a bowel movement

Women with IBS often have more symptoms during their menstrual periods.

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How is IBS diagnosed?

The doctor may suspect that you have IBS because of your symptoms. Specific symptoms, called the Rome criteria, can be used to more accurately make this diagnosis. Medical tests may also be done to make sure you don’t have any other health problems that cause the same symptoms.

Medical Tests for IBS

In addition to a physical exam and blood tests, the following tests might be done to diagnose IBS:

• Lower gastrointestinal (GI) series. This test uses x rays to diagnose problems in the large intestine. It is also called a barium enema x ray. Before you have the x ray, the doctor will put barium into your large intestine through the anus—the opening where stool leaves the body. Barium is a thick liquid that makes your intestines show up better on the x ray.

• Colonoscopy. For this test the doctor inserts a long, thin tube, called a colonoscope, into your anus and up into your colon. The tube has a light and tiny lens on the end. The doctor can view the inside of your colon on a big television screen. In some cases, a shorter tube, called a flexible sigmoidoscope, is used to look at just the lower portion of the colon.

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How is IBS treated?

IBS has no cure, but you can do things to relieve symptoms. Treatment may involve

• diet changes
• medicine
• stress relief

You may have to try a few things to see what works best for you. Your doctor can help you find the right treatment plan.

Diet Changes

Some foods and drinks make IBS worse.

Foods and drinks that may cause or worsen symptoms include

• fatty foods, like french fries
• milk products, like cheese or ice cream
• chocolate
• alcohol
• caffeinated drinks, like coffee and some sodas
• carbonated drinks, like soda

These foods may make IBS worse.

To find out which foods are a problem, keep a diary that tracks

• what you eat during the day
• what symptoms you have
• when symptoms occur
• what foods always make you feel sick

Take your notes to the doctor to see if certain foods trigger your symptoms or make them worse. If so, you should avoid eating these foods or eat less of them.

Some foods make IBS better.

Fiber may reduce the constipation associated with IBS because it makes stool soft and easier to pass. However, some people with IBS who have more sensitive nerves may feel a bit more abdominal discomfort after adding more fiber to their diet. Fiber is found in foods such as breads, cereals, beans, fruits, and vegetables.

Examples of foods with fiber include

Fruits	Vegetables	Breads, cereals, and beans
apples peaches	broccoli (raw) cabbage carrots (raw) peas	kidney beans lima beans whole-grain bread whole-grain cereal

Add foods with fiber to your diet a little at a time to let your body get used to them. Too much fiber at once can cause gas, which can trigger symptoms in a person with IBS.

Your doctor may ask you to add more fiber to your diet by taking a fiber pill or drinking water mixed with a special high-fiber powder.

Eat small meals.

Large meals can cause cramping and diarrhea in people with IBS. If this happens to you, try eating four or five small meals a day instead of less-frequent big meals.

Medicine

The doctor may give you medicine to help with symptoms.

• Laxatives treat constipation. Many kinds of laxatives are available. Your doctor can help you find the laxative that is right for you.
• Antispasmodics control spasms in the colon and help ease abdominal pain.
• Antidepressants, even in lower doses than are used for treating depression, can help people with IBS. They can help reduce the abdominal discomfort or pain associated with IBS and, depending on the type chosen, may help the diarrhea or constipation.

Another drug is sometimes prescribed for the treatment of IBS. Alosetron hydrochloride (Lotronex) is for women with severe IBS whose main symptom is diarrhea. Because it can cause serious side effects, Lotronex is only used if other medicines do not work.

You need to follow your doctor’s instructions when you use the medicine. Otherwise, you may need to keep taking it in order to have a bowel movement. Talk with your doctor about potential side effects and what to do if you experience them.

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Does stress cause IBS?

Emotional stress does not cause IBS. But people with IBS may have their bowels react more to stress. So, if you already have IBS, stress can make your symptoms worse.

Stress Relief

Learning to reduce stress can help with IBS. With less stress, you may find you have less cramping and pain. You may also find it easier to manage your symptoms.

Meditation, exercise, hypnosis, and counseling may help. You may need to try different activities to see what works best for you.

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Points to Remember

• IBS means your bowel doesn’t work the right way.
• IBS can cause cramping, bloating, gas, diarrhea, and constipation.
• IBS doesn’t damage the bowel or lead to other health problems.
• The doctor will diagnose IBS based on your symptoms. You may need to have medical tests to rule out other health problems.
• Stress doesn’t cause IBS, but it can make your symptoms worse.
• Fatty foods, milk products, chocolate, alcohol, and caffeinated and carbonated drinks can trigger symptoms.
• Eating foods with fiber and eating small meals throughout the day may reduce symptoms.
• Treatment for IBS may include medicine, stress relief, and changes in eating habits.

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Glossary

abdominal (ab-DOM-ih-nuhl): relating to the abdomen, or lower stomach area.

chronic (KRON-ik): a long-lasting medical condition or disease.

colon (KOH-lon): the part of the digestive system that stores stool. Also called large intestine.

colonoscopy (KOH-lon-OSS-kuh-pee): a test to look inside the colon.

functional (FUHNK-shuhn-uhl): refers to being able to perform normal activity.

lower GI series: an x ray that requires insertion of barium into the large intestine to make it show up better. Also called a barium enema x ray.

mucus (MYOO-kuhss): a clear, sticky discharge made by the intestines. It coats and protects tissues in the GI tract.

syndrome (SIN-drohm): a group of symptoms.

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For More Information

International Foundation for Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders
P.O. Box 170864
Milwaukee, WI 53217–8076
Phone: 1–888–964–2001 or 414–964–1799
Fax: 414–964–7176
Email: iffgd@iffgd.org
Internet: www.aboutibs.org

The National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse (NDDIC) also has a fact sheet about IBS titled Irritable Bowel Syndrome. To request a printed copy, please contact

National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse
2 Information Way
Bethesda, MD 20892–3570
Phone: 1–800–891–5389
Fax: 703–738–4929
Email: nddic@info.niddk.nih.gov
Internet: www.digestive.niddk.nih.gov

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Acknowledgments

The NDDIC would like to thank the following individuals for assisting with the scientific and editorial review of this publication.

Nancy Norton
International Foundation for Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders

Douglas A. Drossman, M.D.
UNC Center for Functional GI and Motility Disorders
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Thank you also to the Salvation Army, SE Corps, Washington, DC, for facilitating field-testing of this publication.

National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse

2 Information Way
Bethesda, MD 20892–3570
Phone: 1–800–891–5389
Fax: 703–738–4929
Email: nddic@info.niddk.nih.gov
Internet: www.digestive.niddk.nih.gov

The National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse (NDDIC) is a service of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK). The NIDDK is part of the National Institutes of Health of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Established in 1980, the Clearinghouse provides information about digestive diseases to people with digestive disorders and to their families, health care professionals, and the public. The NDDIC answers inquiries, develops and distributes publications, and works closely with professional and patient organizations and Government agencies to coordinate resources about digestive diseases.

Publications produced by the Clearinghouse are carefully reviewed by both NIDDK scientists and outside experts.

This publication is not copyrighted. The Clearinghouse encourages users of this publication to duplicate and distribute as many copies as desired.

NIH Publication No. 07–4686
May 2007

Irritable Bowel, Pain Syndromes Linked

Sept. 28, 2006 -- Doctors have long suspected a link between irritable bowel syndrome, pain syndromes, and depression. New data now strongly support this theory.

The findings come from data on 97,593 people with irritable bowel syndrome enrolled in a large U.S. health plan from 1996 to 2002. J. Alexander Cole, DSc, MPH, and colleagues at Boston University compared these patients with 27,402 people seeking routine health care.

Their results show that people with irritable bowel syndrome are:

• 80% more likely to suffer fibromyalgiafibromyalgia
• 60% more likely to suffer migraine
• 40% more likely to suffer depression
• Overall, 60% more likely to suffer fibromyalgia, migraine, or depression

"Perhaps what is driving the relation between irritable bowel syndrome and these other conditions is some underlying biological disorder," Cole tells WebMD. "Nobody is sure what this could be. But people suggest that there is this constellation of symptoms among people with irritable bowel syndrome, fibromyalgia, migraine, and depression that might present in different ways."

Cole and colleagues report their findings in the Sept. 28 issue of the online journal BMC Gastroenterology.

Common Cause of Pain Syndromes?

Cole, now an epidemiologist with i3 Drug Safety, is not an expert on irritable bowel syndrome. Reza Shaker, MD, is. Shaker, chief of gastroenterology and hepatology at the Medical College of Wisconsin, was not involved in the Cole study.

"Clinical observations of patients with pain syndromes indicate that we are dealing with a syndrome bigger than a single organ," Shaker tells WebMD. "These findings confirm these previous observations."

Shaker says people with irritable bowel syndrome and people with pain syndromes such as fibromyalgia and migraine have something in common. They all have nerve pathways which somehow have become vastly oversensitive to pain signals -- a process doctors call sensitization.

Perhaps, Shaker suggests, there's a common problem at the crossroads where these nerve pathways intersect.

"Is it possible that there is an event -- possibly an early life event -- that affects the crossroads of all these nerve pathways?" he asks. "In areas where these nerves cross, it could be that there is sensitization occurring, affecting different neural circuits."

Cole suggests that different doctors looking at the same underlying illness might make different diagnoses. A gastroenterologist, for example, might diagnose irritable bowel syndrome, while a rheumatologist might diagnose fibromyalgia.

This sounds a lot like the blind men who, on first encountering an elephant, declare it to be like a snake or a tree depending on whether they are touching the elephant's trunk or its leg. Shaker says this analogy is apt. But most doctors, he says, will examine the whole elephant, not just its parts.

"A professional doesn't just focus on one symptom. If we see irritable bowel syndrome along with noncardiac chest pain or fibromyalgia, then we tackle this," he says. "But we doctors need to have a more global picture of this, instead of pigeonholing our diagnosis according to our own specialty or subspecialty."

If You are Nuts About Health, Try the Top 6 Healthiest Nuts
by www.SixWise.com

Many people were scared away from nuts during the low-fat craze of the last few decades, but now nuts are making a comeback. Nuts are excellent sources of protein, minerals, "good" monounsaturated fats and other nutrients, and they're good for the heart.

A study conducted by Loma Linda University in California that involved 31,000 Seventh Day Adventists found that eating nuts lowered the risk of heart disease and helped participants to keep their weight down. Other large-scale studies, including the Physician's Health Study, the Iowa Women's Heath Study and the Harvard Nurses Health Study, also found that eating nuts lowered heart disease risk. Other studies have shown that nuts help lower bad "LDL" cholesterol.

In fact, in July 2003, the FDA approved the following health claim for nut package labels:

"Scientific evidence suggests, but does not prove, that eating 1.5 ounces per day of some nuts, as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, may reduce the risk of heart disease."

It only takes a small handful of nuts to satisfy hunger (and help you stay full longer), and there are many varieties to choose from. Here are six of the healthiest.

6. Macadamia Nuts

These nuts are high in protein, fiber, healthy monounsaturated fats, potassium and magnesium. And, a study done at Hawaii University found that people who had added macadamia nuts to their diets for just one month had total cholesterol levels of 191, compared to 201 for those eating the typical American diet. The largest change was found in the LDL (bad) cholesterol.

A Little Goes a Long Way

The key with nuts is simply not to overeat them. They are highly concentrated in both their calories and their nutrients, so you only need a small handful at a time. Eating a variety of nuts appears to be the best way to get all the different benefits each nut has to offer.

 I find that exercise helps my fibromyalgia by giving me more energy and
loosening up my muscles a little. Yes it hurts to exercise but you have
to just work through that. I try to exercise for 30 minutes 4 or 5 days
a week. Now that the weather is nice I walk outdoors. If the weather
doesn't cooperate I use my ski machine plus do some stretching exercises
for my arms/shoulders.
Does anyone else with fibromyalgia find that exercising is beneficial?

I have tried massage therapy several times for upper body. The therapist
tells me I have knots up and down alongside my spine. The massages are
painful and I am not sure how helpful they are in the long run. I have
not tried a different therapist to see if the pain is less. This one
seems to do deep muscle therapy. My shoulders and back hurt as she is
working on them to the point that I have found myself gritting my teeth!
If anyone out there has found massage therapy of a specific type to be
helpful without being quite painful I would like to know about it.

 I am curious whether other fibromyalgia sufferers notice any difference
in how various diets affect their symptoms? Does a high protein diet
help more than a high carbohydrate diet for example? Does a high
carbohydrate diet give you more over-all energy or do you get energy
slumps? Any comments relative to this subject are encouraged.

 I am interesting in knowing if anyone is taking medication for symptoms
of fibromyalgia. If so, does it seem to help? What type of medicine is
helping for which symptoms?
I am taking cyclobenzoprine (Flexeril) at night to help my muscles relax
when I sleep. Otherwise I am prone to muscle spasms, especially in my
feet, legs, and back. These are very strong and painful. I must get out
of bed and dance around on my toes to decrease the pain in my feet and
calves. The medication keeps my muscles from feeling as stiff and
painful after a few hours of sleep. My sleep quality has improved
somewhat although I still semi-wake up several times during the night.

DonnaZ

Treatment for Irritable Bowel Syndrome, (IBS) depends upon the person's symptoms. For some,

certain foods may trigger symptoms. It is helpful

to keep a food diary so you can determine whether

particular foods trigger your symptoms.

Some suggestions of problematic foods to limit or avoid are:

1. Caffeine
2. Fatty foods
3. Dairy products
4. Fruit
5. Sorbitol (artificial sweetener)
6. Beans
7. Cabbage
8. Raw cauliflower
9. Raw broccoli

Other suggestions to try:

1. Increase fiber intake. You may have to experiment with different types of fiber for best results.
2. Drink at least 8 gl***es of water daily.
3. Exercise regularly.
4. Try to practice relaxation techniques. You may need to learn about stress management to help relieve your symptoms.
5. Try loperamide if you have irritable bowel syndrome with mainly diarrhea.
6. Try Zelnorm (tegaserod) if you have irritable bowel syndrom with mainly constipation.
7. Try antianxiety medication such as Paxil.
8. Quit smoking if you are a smoker.
9. Eat slowly and in a relaxed atmosphere.
10. Limit the amount of liquids you drink while eating. It is better to get your liquids between meals so you don't dilute your stomach acid.

Try some of these suggestions to determine whether they help your irritable bowel syndrome. Adopt those treatments that help you the most. You will need to experiment, as we are all individuals with different symptoms.

___________________________________________________

You may reprint this article as long as you keep this resource box intact.

http://www.bizzyblogz.com/DonnaZ

http://DonnaZ.jerkydirect.com

http://happybookworm.com

http://ebookparadise.com

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For my friends with fibromyalgia and/or chronic fatigue syndrome here are some pointers on how to increase your energy. We definitely have problems in the energy category so I hope this article can make a difference.

11 Fail Proof Habits for Producing a Floodgate of Energy By: George Alarcon

Feel less tired, more alive, and energized by adopting the following energy boosting strategies: * Always eat breakfast Believe it or not, the first meal of the day is the most important one which provides your body the required fuel to keep you going throughout the day. Never miss breakfast; snack on an energy bar, a banana or apple, or drink a gl*** of juice, if you’re in a hurry. * Eat smaller meals and more often Studies have proven that by eating smaller and healthier meals actually give you more energy as opposed to bigger meals which often make you feel tired and sleepy! Try to eat a healthy snack every four hours to maintain your energy levels. * Exercise! Walk, jog, or cycle at least fifteen minutes everyday. Any kind of physical activity will boost your energy levels. Find time between breaks, cl***es, before or after work. Plan ahead and establish a schedule for exercising. You’ll notice an immediate difference in energy! * Feed your cells! If you feel run down and extreme fatigue often or just sometimes, this may be a sure sign that the cells in your body are not receiving enough nutrients. When our body does not get its required dosage of nutrients from our diet, we become exhausted much faster. A powerful way to feel more energized is to supplement our diet with Cellfood. Personally, I take Cellfood every day like clockwork; because of Cellfood I feel more energetic, I sleep less, and I don’t easily get so tired. For information on Cellfood go to: http://www.chronic-fatigue-aid.com/cfs_articles.html * High energy foods Consider adding high energy foods to your diet such as low-fat cheese, milk, yogurt, beans, eggs, fish, poultry, and lean meat. * Hoodia Gordonii To get an added natural flow of energy, consider taking Hoodia Gordonii. This amazing cactus-looking plant is fast becoming popular around the world. To learn all of its benefits, you can visit: http://www.hoodia-way.com * Juice Drink a whole gl*** of organic apple or pure orange juice. These two will provide you with plenty of energy, especially when you are running low! * Water Drink water on a regular basis. * Reduce caffeine consumption! A great way to help maintain your energy levels is to reduce or eliminate caffeine from your diet. Remember: caffeine is a stimulant and will make you jittery. * Vitamins Take supplements of vitamins C, E, and B6. Or, eat foods rich in these vitamins like oranges, almonds, peanuts, and pecans. * Minerals Take iron as a supplement; it will boost your overall energy. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- George Alarcon runs http://www.chronic-fatigue-aid.com where he offers highly effective treatments for conquering extreme fatigue and successfully treating chronic fatigue syndrome—for free. __________________________________________________________________ http://www.bizzyblogz.com/fibromyalgia

Although this article refers to Chronic Fatigue Syndrome I believe the advice is just as pertinent for those of us with Fibromyalgia since the symptoms of the two conditions overlap so much.

Exercise and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

"Is exercise making you sick?"
What exactly is healthy exercise for chronic fatigue syndrome? I used to go down to the gym, lift weights for a few hours until I reached total exhaustion and then repeat the process several days a week.

Externally my body looked in healthy muscular condition. But internally I was very sick and exhausted. As well as weight training my exercise regime was strenuous running and intense martial art training.

At this stage in my life I truly believed that such hard-core body building training or exercise was beneficial to my health. We are told everywhere to exercise more. But the body building training I was doing was in fact making my body very weak and was one of the elements causing my body to finally break down into a state of bedridden exhaustion (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome) for several years.

Weight training involves tearing the muscle fibres and then letting these muscle fibres heal again. This causes a growth in muscle m***. Weight training is like a mild trauma to the muscular tissue and nervous system. If a person does not fully recovery from each body building training session then overtraining results.

Every athlete will tell you the dangers of overtraining. Overtraining syndrome is a serious problem marked most noticeably by a decrease in performance, strength, speed, endurance, increased fatigue, persistent muscle soreness, mood disturbances and feeling “burnt out”.

If overtraining is continued for a sustained period of time it can lead to a full nervous system shutdown resulting in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is a chronic medical condition. Symptoms include excessive unrelenting fatigue and weakness, general body pain, mental brain fogginess, stomach and intestinal problems. The degree of severity can differ widely among people. Severity can vary between getting unusually fatigued following stressful events, to being totally bedridden and completely disabled.

What is healthy exercise?

So what is healthy exercise? To answer this lets look into the ancient wisdom of the 5000 year old healing science known as ayurveda.

According to ayurvedic medicine exercises main aim is to create vibrant energy, radiant health, and keep ones body in good shape.

But exercise should be within limits. Modern research confirms that too much exercise can create free radicals and damages the body. Excess free radicals have been linked to over 80% of degenerative disease as well as premature aging. Also too little exercise creates weight gain, fatigue and poor health.

According to ayurvedic medicine you should not use more than 50 percent of your total energy capacity to exercise. And that capacity depends on daily fluctuations of energy, health, change of the seasons, age, and body type.

Exercising beyond one's capacity can create imbalance in mind and body and do more harm than good.

Exercise should not exhaust people. Exercise should not be a torture chamber of running 50 miles a day. It should be beneficial to ones health and also beneficial to ones mind. How can doing painful exercise, that makes ones mind react negatively, be of benefit? And most importantly most people will not make exercise a daily habit if it’s too painful a task.

One should exercise every day, as part of your regular daily routine. If possible, exercise in the morning before 10:00, as your body has more strength and stamina during this time of day. Exercising at this time also energizes you for the day ahead.

Avoid exercise in the late evening or towards bedtime, because it rises body temperature and disturbs sleep patterns. Avoid exercise from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

It's not a good idea to exercise on a full stomach, nor is it good to exert yourself if your stomach is too empty. Wait about two hours after a full meal. Have a light snack of fruit, soup and warming food before exercising and eat your full breakfast afterwards.

The seasons follow another pattern. If you want to increase your exercise, winter and spring are the best times. In hot weather, you need to decrease exertion and stay out of the hot sun.

As for age, younger people have more capacity for exercise and older people need less although daily body exercise is essential at any age.

What exercise should people with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome do?

Ayurveda recommends three exercises which are supreme in creating energy and health. These three exercises should be approached slowly with people with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and should be combined with adequate recovery rest time.

The length of time one does exercise is in direct relation to ones energy. The rule is to exercise to half your capacity, not more. Often people with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome have no capacity to exercise at all due to chronic depletion. In such a situation one should rest and avoid exercise until ones energy capacity increases enough to gain benefit from exercise.

Walking

With walking exercise to half your capacity. If you can walk twenty minutes do only ten minutes. Your capacity represents the total amount of energy you have and going beyond that you are completely tired and can't go any further. The purpose of exercise is not to drain all your energy but to produce more of it. For this reason, never work out to your full capacity. Stop while you still feel energetic and comfortable both mentally and physically.

Breathe through your nose, close your mouth while walking. Breathe deeply with your abdomen. Exercise should enhance rather than diminish energy and vitality. You should be energetic both during the exercise and afterwards. As long as you feel this you are not going beyond what your body can handle. If you feel strained and exhausted during the exercise or afterward, you're doing too much.

If you're not exerting enough, you can exercise for a longer period or with more intensity. You could start with a walk, but each day you could increase the intensity of exercise (by walking faster). Or you could walk for a longer time (increasing the duration). Start out slowly and gradually increase the intensity and time. Stop when you note signs of overexertion. If you begin by exercising at 50% of your maximum capacity, with time your maximum capacity will rise as you become stronger.

You can continue to walk until you notice one of the following two signs of overexertion:

If you can no longer breathe through your nose, that's a sign that your body is overstrained, slow your pace until nose breathing becomes possible again. Sweating on forehead or tip of nose. Its fine to sweat elsewhere in the body, but when you notice sweat in these two places it's a sign that you are overexerted and you should stop. If you're not exerting enough, you can exercise for a longer period or with more intensity. Each day increase the intensity of exercise by walking faster or for longer time. Start out slowly and gradually increase the intensity and time. Stop when you note signs of overexertion. After any exercise always fully relax and lie on the floor with your arms and legs stretched in shavasana pose. Stay in this pose for half the amount of time you spent doing walking. This is as important as the exercises because if not done strain will occur while the body is adjusting to its new healthier structure.

Yoga

Yoga is the king of exercise. Yoga exercises include stretching poses, breathing techniques and muscular locks.

Yoga is a perfect healing science that’s been time tested and holds strong today as it did thousands of years ago. Its techniques are derived from yoga masters whom spent their life learning everything about the human body, mind and soul.

Yoga techniques powerfully help detoxify and rejuvenate your body. Yoga m***ages and nourishes all your internal organs.

With all yoga exercises it’s important to go at a level that doesn’t aggravate your imbalance. Often too much movement aggravates Chronic Fatigue Syndrome but some mild gentle slow movement heals it. If you’re very weak then complete rest and no exercise is needed. So be aware of how your body reacts with yoga exercises. Never push through pain. Pain is an indication to stop. Start with only a few exercises then slowly build up to do them all. Please adjust to your own body’s response and use common sense.

If you are very weak do one rounds once a week or once every two weeks and slowly build up to more rounds when your body’s physiology adjusts, heals and repairs to its new healthier structure. Always listen to your body. Your body knows exactly how much exercise it can tolerate. If exercise doesn’t increase your energy and well-being then your physiology isn’t ready for it yet.

I describe in full detail in my e book “Cure Your Chronic Fatigue Syndrome” what yoga exercises are useful for healing Chronic Fatigue Syndrome at my website:

www.curechronicfatigue.com

M***age

M***age has huge rejuvenating attributes that heal the human body. M***age is a very p***ive exercise, perfect for those depleted with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Special herbal oils are m***aged and absorbed through your skin. These go deep into nourishing your nervous system. They penetrate the vital organs providing health and vitality. Plus the heat from the m***age friction makes absorbing these oils very easy.

M***age also stimulates all the acupressure points, which stimulate and balance all the organs and glands in the body. A daily oil m***age is a panacea in bringing about human rejuvenation. It is a must for those suffering from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

The best exercise for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome suffers is self m***age or yoga. If one is too exhausted to do self m***age you can get a weekly full body m***age from a professional. And for those too exhausted for full body m***age start with a weekly foot m***age from a professional reflexologist.

Final thoughts

Weight lifting is clearly not the ideal exercise to promote health and energy. Where as walking to half your capacity, yoga and m***age nourish your organs, increase strength and promote health. These exercises lead you to extraordinary vitality, energy and well-being. They also reduce fat and keep your body is prime shape and appearance.

Author of this article Jeremy Carew-Reid is a natural healer in Ayurvedic medicine. On his website www.curechronicfatigue.com you can learn how you how you can heal Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. His website contains a wealth of free health articles on everything you need to know about healing Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Copyright © 2004 by Jeremy Carew-Reid.
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http://www.bizzyblogz.com/fibromyalgia

What does Chronic Fatigue Syndrome have to do with Fibromyalgia you might ask. When I read this article on Chronic Fatigue Syndrome I was struck by the similar symptoms to Fibromyalgia. Perhaps they are related, as some physicians have believed.

What is chronic fatigue syndrome?

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) is a debilitating illness characterized by chronic exhaustion, chronic brain fog and a variety of other symptoms.

The illness is also known as Chronic Fatigue Immune Dysfunction Syndrome (CFIDS), Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME) and Chronic Epstein-Barr Virus (CEBV).

What are the signs and symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome?

The core signs and symptoms include excessive unrelenting fatigue and weakness, general body pain, mental brain fogginess, stomach and intestinal problems.

Many other symptoms may also be present which include very poor memory, inability to concentrate, low body temperature, constipation, gas, abdominal bloating, headaches, joint pains, back pains, depression, mood swings, fear, body aches, sore throat, low blood pressure, chronic nerve and body pain, malabsorption, insomnia, total exhaustion from any movement, dryness, thirst, intolerance to loud sounds, intolerance to smells, coldness, ringing in the ears, ungrounded feeling, fear, nervousness, anxiety, flu like feelings.

The degree of severity can differ widely among people. Severity can vary between getting unusually fatigued following stressful events, to being totally bedridden and completely disabled.

For a complete program and website dedicated to curing Chronic fatigue Syndrome, please visit: Cure Chronic Fatigue....This website explains everything you need to know about chronic fatigue. It also has a great and guaranteed program and ebook that will eliminate chronic fatigue syndrome symptoms.

_____________________________________________________________________

http://www.bizzyblogz.com/fibromyalgia

This article isn't strictly about fibromyalgia but about healthy cooking which is important for those of us with fibromyalgia as well as others.

Recipe Makeovers: 10 Commandments of Healthy Cooking

My 10 Recipe Lightening Commandments

1. In most bakery recipes (muffins, cakes, cookies, coffee cakes, brownies, nut breads, etc.) you can substitute whole-wheat for half the white flour called for. Compared to 1/4 cup of white flour, each 1/4 cup of whole-wheat flour adds 3.5 grams of fiber and various phytochemicals, and doubles the amount of magnesium and selenium. The extra fiber helps slow digestion and increase fullness.

2. In most bakery recipes, you can replace half of the sugar with Splenda (or a similar artificial sweetener). This cuts the calories from sugar in half, saving you 48 calories per tablespoon of sugar you replace.

3. In egg dishes (quiches, frittatas, omelets, breakfast c***eroles), you can use egg substitute in place of half the eggs. In other words, if the recipe calls for 6 eggs, you would blend 3 whole eggs with 3/4 cup egg substitute (1/4 cup of egg substitute replaces each egg). You can replace half the eggs in bakery recipes with egg substitute as well. By replacing one large egg with 1/4 cup egg substitute, you'll shave 45 calories, 5 grams of fat, 1.6 grams of saturated fat, and 213 milligrams of cholesterol.

4. In many bakery recipes, you can cut the fat ingredient (butter, margarine, shortening, or oil) in half. In other words, if a cake recipe calls for 1 cup of butter or margarine, you can usually use 1/2 cup instead. Remember to replace the missing fat with a similar amount of a moist but healthful ingredient (fat-free sour cream, orange juice, low-fat yogurt, applesauce, etc.) This change cuts both fat and calories, since each gram of fat translates into 9 calories as opposed to 4 per gram for protein or carbohydrate.

5. Cook with reduced-fat or fat-free products when available -- and when they taste good. Try fat-free sour cream, reduced-fat cheeses, light cream cheese, light mayonnaise, reduced-fat or light sausage, less-fat turkey bacon, light salad dressings, and light or low-fat ice cream or frozen yogurt. Many cut calories and saturated fat along with total fat. A few fat-free products are in my arsenal as well: fat-free sour cream and half-and-half, chicken broth, wine, strong coffee, fruit purees, and fruit juice. These foods add moisture, and sometimes flavor, to recipes where you aren't using a lot of fatty ingredients.

6. Never deep-fry when you can oven-fry or pan-fry with a lot less oil. Choose canola oil or olive oil, and use about 1/2 teaspoon per serving (depending on the item). When you pan-fry or oven-fry in a controlled amount of oil, you can cut a lot of the fat and calories your food would soak up if it were submerged in hot oil. For every tablespoon of oil you cut, you'll save 120 calories and 13.5 grams of fat.

7. Use whole grains in your recipes whenever possible. We've already talked about whole-wheat flour, but you can also substitute brown rice for white rice, add barley to stews and c***eroles, and look for recipes that call for oats. Whole grains offer fiber to fill you up, along with a plethora of health benefits.

8. Extra ingredients and embellishments can often be removed or cut in half. If a recipe calls for chocolate chips, you can use less. If it calls for dotting your c***erole or pie with butter, you can skip this step. In a cake recipe, you can use half the original amount of frosting (in a double-layer cake, just frost the top and middle and forget the sides). And in some cakes, bars, and cookies, you can skip the frosting in favor of a light sprinkling of powdered sugar. Using 2 tablespoons of frosting instead of 4 will shave 130 calories, 4.5 grams of fat, and 2 grams of saturated fat. Each tablespoon of chocolate chips you skip cuts the calories by 50 per serving, the fat by 3 grams, and the saturated fat by almost 2 grams.

9. Use top-quality ingredients when possible. Start with the best-tasting, freshest ingredients you can find. For example, I use fresh garlic (I buy it already minced in jars) and fresh herbs when I can -- they usually have more flavor than the dried. Use extra-fresh fish, the sharpest reduced-fat cheddar cheese, and so on. All this means your lighter dish will be more likely to p*** muster with the m***es!

10. Switch to "smart fat" ingredients when possible. Certain fats, when used in moderation, actually have health benefits! Omega-3 fatty acids (found in fish and some plant foods like canola oil and ground flaxseed), as well as oils that contain monounsaturated fats (like olive and canola oil) and foods high in monounsaturated fats (like avocado and almonds) may help protect against heart disease. In recipes, you often have a choice of which oil or margarine to use, or you can choose to add fish instead of red meat. When a recipe calls for melted butter or margarine, you can often substitute canola or olive oil.

Elaine Magee, MPH, RD, is the "Recipe Doctor" for the WebMD Weight Loss Clinic and the author of numerous books on nutrition and health. Her opinions and conclusions are her own.

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http://www.bizzyblogz.com/fibromyalgia

If you or someone close to you has fibromyalgia then you know how alone a person can feel with the vast array of symptoms possibly present with this syndrome. You can feel isolated, depressed, rejected, helpless, confused, and/or misunderstood.

One way to help cope with fibromyalgia syndrome is to discuss your feelings and symptoms with like-minded people who can give positive feedback and who can understand what you are going through.

If you cannot find a local fibromyalgia group you might consider joining  fibromyalgia blogs or forums. One great networking group to which I personally belong isn't geared specifically to one area, but there are members who have fibromaylgia, myself included. I recommend clicking my link and checking into the community. There are lots of friendly and helpful people you can communicate with. If you want to read poetry, check out art work, talk about nutrition, discuss health, learn more about at home business, etc. this is the community for you. Please take a few minutes to check it out, it may be of benefit to you emotionally.

http://www.adlandpro.com/default.asp?rep=DonnaZ

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http://www.bizzyblogz.com/DonnaZ

It would be interesting to know what percentage of people with fibromyalgia also have arthritis. The people I know personally who have fibromyalgia also seem to have problems with their joints, which may be due to osteoarthritis. It may be difficult to tell the difference between pain caused by one or by the other when both are present.

If you or someone you know has fibromyalgia, do you or they also have some form of arthritis?

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http://www.bizzyblogz.com/fibromyalgia

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Please share your knowledge concerning this topic.