Watery Diarrhea|Vomiting And Diarrhea|Toddler Diarrhea

Ginger root is an herb that has been used in a variety of ways as a healing agent for over 2000 years. It is thought to have medicinal properties that can be helpful to those suffering from a myriad of ailments, including arthritis, nausea, motion sickness, headaches, and perhaps even types of heart disease. In the United States the use of herbs as medicine is still considered as alternative, but in places such as China, the Caribbean, India, parts of Africa and Europe ginger is widely accepted as a healing herb.

The history of ginger is quite fascinating. The Sanskrit name for ginger is srngaveram, which translates to "horn root". This is believed to be because of the appearance of the ginger root, which does bear a resemblance to an animal's horn. At some point in history ginger disappeared, but it is thought that Marco Polo brought it back with him after his extensive travels and it then became a delicacy in Europe. Most of the supply of ginger comes from Jamaica, India, Africa, and China. Ginger grows in the wild in Jamaica and other islands of the Caribbean because the tropical climate offers the best growing conditions. Ginger in the wild produces flowers when the herb is at its most ripe stage. Queen Elizabeth I loved the taste of ginger and encouraged her cooks to experiment with it. The gingerbread man is said to have been the direct outcome of this experimentation.

Ginger has been used most commonly to treat gastrointestinal maladies such as nausea, abdominal bloating, diarrhea, uncontrollable vomiting, heartburn, intestinal gas resulting in excess flatulence, and colitis. Many believe that ginger can help with these ailments because it contains properties thought to strengthen the muscle tone in the intestinal tract.

Herbalists use ginger extract to decrease inflammation, which is a leading cause of many ailments including osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, bronchitis, dermatitis, and ulcerative colitis. Studies are not at all conclusive, but many people prefer to use a natural remedy instead of taking ibuprofen or other traditional medication.

Use of ginger to treat motion sickness appears to be at least somewhat effective but more studies need to be conducted and analyzed. As far as heart disease is concerned, it is unclear whether or not ginger can be used successfully to lower cholesterol. It is simply to early to make an intelligent comment on this type of medicinal use of the herb.

Ginger appears as a knotted root with an underground stem known as a rhizome. It consists of volatile oils (somewhere between 1 and 4%), as well as pungent compounds known as gingerol and shogaol. It is these compounds that are thought to be responsible for the healing properties of ginger for nausea and vomiting.

You can find ginger in the produce department as a fresh or dried root. Ginger is also available as a powdered extract, in capsule form, or as an oil. You can use ginger to prepare a tea or use it as a cooking spice to prepare breads, cookies, or as an ingredient in vegetable dishes.

It is always wise to do your own research and talk to your physician before supplanting ginger, or any other spice or herb, with prescribed medications. Many health food stores have herbalists on staff that can also answer any additional questions you may have. As with all things in your life, moderation is the best choice. But when choosing spices that may also be medicinal, try using ginger as a healthy, natural alternative.

Digestion problems can give you a lot of discomfort if you do not treat them early. There are digestion problems that can be temporary while others may take some bit of time to treat. The good thing is that most of digestive disorders can prevented if a person is serious with the observation of the right hygiene and is keen on the diet.

The most common digestion problems are discussed below:

Cancer of the colon and rectum

This is also referred to as colorectal cancer, and it commonly attacks the colon and the sections of the rectum.  In the USA, the colorectal cancer is said to be a major killer.

Stomach cancer

This is also referred to as the gastric cancer, and it is commonly manifested in individuals aged over 60 years. People are advised to eat less of smoked foods, salted meat and fish, low fiber foods, and food that contain high level of nitrates and nitrites.

Diarrhea

Diarrhea will be notable as it leads to a person having stool that is watery, and having a high frequency of passing the stool.  The cause can either be viral or bacteria. Diarrhea is a common digestion problem which may also be as a symptom of many other health disorders.

Gas

Gas in the stomach comes about as a result of the process of breaking down of certain foods in the stomach by the bacteria that are in the colon.  This digestion problem is common to all people, but it may become so embarrassing when there is little or no control of the release of the gas.

Heartburn

This is also a digestion problem which is noted periodically. There are people who have heartburn out of consuming certain meals. The problem is caused by the flow of the gastric acid  to the  esophagus from the stomach.

Learn more about digestion solutions to alleviate these problems.

For those who have not suffered from them yet, you might wonder and ask, "What do hemorrhoids feel like?" It is never unusual why people are keen to know about hemorrhoids as slowly and slowly, almost everybody develops them.

This dreadful dilation of our anal veins happen from constant straining on the toilet, from constipation or diarrhea. Although constipation is the common culprit, frequent diarrhea too can cause it. By sitting there too long, blood pools in the anal veins, causing it to enlarge and eventually swell.

So, what do hemorrhoids feel like?

Some would say it is a pillow-like cushion just beneath the skin of or the anus itself.

Others refer to it as a painful lump that bothers us from pain and embarrassment. Researchers may even claim that everybody has it but not everybody is bothered by it.

It may be a soft lump in the anus; however, if it is left unmanaged, then that soft, cushion lump would eventually turn to a bothersome nightmare.

Habits such as eating too much fatty foods like ice cream, burgers and fries, and being lazy and not doing enough exercise are the major contributing factors.

Pain can be managed by taking some measures, but the humiliation you get from blood stains cannot just be forgotten.

Bleeding is a common complication of an untreated hemorrhoid. As the swollen veins are constantly irritated by hard stools and harsh handling, it is like adding more insult to injury.

Answering the question, "what do hemorrhoids feel like" is just tantamount to "how does it feel to have hemorrhoids."

In general, it feels awful because of its complications. Hence, preventing it is ideal.

Clean that colon by eating a lot of green leafy vegetables and fresh fruits every meal, everyday. Put aside those fatty foods and keep a fit body inside and out by healthy habits and of course, regular exercise.

When a person gets affected by diarrhea, he or she passes off more than the normal amount of stool that too in abnormal frequency. During the summer season, the chances of diarrhea increase manifolds.

Chronic diarrhea can cause extreme dehydration in body. It results into scarcity of fluids in body that leads to disruption in normal functioning of the body. Chronic diarrhea must be treated on time especially if it has affected small kids and elderly people.

Diarrhea can take place due to several types of infection in body but its chronic form occurs only due to irregular or unusual disorder of bowel. Places which are unhygienic suffer from more cases of diarrhea sufferers. Moreover close contacts with pet or person with faecal matter can also result into diarrhea problem.

In this ailment, the bacterial infection took place in body due to consumption of polluted food and water. Even there are certain viruses that causes diarrhea. Moreover there are certain types of food products which many people are not able to digest properly which causes severe indigestion. Sensitivity towards certain medicines can also be the reason for diarrhea occurrence.

The various symptoms of diarrhea are swelling, blood in stool, unsettled stomach, contraction in muscles, dehydration, fever, pain in abdomen and lethargy.

An elderly person or a child affected with diarrhea should be given electrolytes or ORS solution to replenish the fluid loss in body. Even the homely solution prepared from sugar, salt and water can also be given to normalize the body.

Most people who are trying to lose weight fall into a bad habit. What makes this habit particularly damaging is that almost no one has any idea they're doing it. This fundamental flaw in thinking is destructive and is usually at the heart of most weight loss failures. The bad habit I'm referring to is this; we want our circumstances to change while keeping everything the same.

In other words, we want our lives to be different but at the same time, we don't want to change anything. Some examples...

"I want to lose weight but I don't want to have to change how I eat."
"I want to be healthy but I don't want to have to change my lifestyle."
"I want to get the benefits of exercise but I don't want to have to actually exercise."
"I want my life to get better but I don't want to have to do anything that makes me uncomfortable."
"I want, I want, I want but I don't want to have to change anything."

Do you see the trap? We want our lives to be different, yet at the same time, we want them to be exactly the same. The impossible dream! This leads to a lifetime of looking for shortcuts, looking for tricks, looking for angles, and looking for quick fixes. There are a lot of companies that love this about us. We line up to buy so much junk, even things that will hurt us, all in the name of the easy, quick fix don't we?

In the context of weight loss, this means that we're all running around frantically trying to find the secret to being able to reap all the rewards of losing weight while not having to change anything we do. Here's what it looks like...

Let's say your favorite food is Ding Dongs. You love sugary, white carbohydrates and to you, Ding Dongs are #1. Let's also say that you want to lose a significant amount of weight so you can enjoy all the wonderful benefits of being healthy and fit. Since we want things to change but also stay the same, what you'll most likely do is ask yourself, "How can I lose the weight and have a great life while at the same time still eat Ding Dongs?" In other words, "How can I change my life while not having to change anything?"

So you start looking. The first thing you discover is that one of the diet food companies has come up with a sugar-free Ding Dong. Halleluiah! Now you can possibly eat Ding Dongs and still lose weight because you're not getting the sugar! The problem is that sugar-free Ding Dongs are loaded up with artificial sweeteners that will harm you more than the sugar. Then a diet company comes out with a low-fat, low-sugar, frozen Ding Dong dinner entree that you can conveniently pop in the microwave and have ready 15 seconds after coming home from work. Great! The only problem is that the frozen dinner entree has about 15,000 milligrams of sodium and contains a list of chemicals that closely resembles fireworks. And finally, an off-shore "nutrition" company has come up with a pill that will block absorption of the Ding Dongs in your small intestine. A side effect of the pill may be chronic explosive diarrhea but hey, at least you still get to eat your Ding Dongs!

So you're in diet heaven because you're eating sugar-free, guilt-free Ding Dongs all day, you get frozen Ding Dong dinners every night, and you pop your "supplements" which blocks absorption of the Ding Dongs in your gut. Congratulations! You've achieved that for which we all strive. You just might get all the benefits of being a healthy and fit person while not having to change a darn thing in your life. You support an entire industry built around tweaking your Ding Dongs instead of simply looking inside and growing past the point that you even want the Ding Dongs in the first place.

Too many dieters primary objective is to figure out how to remain a slave to their "tastes" and "comforts" while still trying to reap the benefits of "radically changing their life by losing a ton of weight." Again, it's the trap of trying to change while remaining the same.

Becoming something new requires letting go of the old ways. In order to change your life and permanently lose weight, you must be willing to stop trying to change the outside world to make it adapt to your tastes and weaknesses. The change that needs to take place is inside. The habits that created your weight problem must be let go so that new habits can be adopted that will create the opposite. You can only do this by being willing to change.

Like most people, you're probably very concerned with your health. You may or may not be aware that your faucets are contaminated with very dangerous toxins that put you at risk for various diseases. All the obvious toxins are there, regardless of what your water company might tell you, including prescription drugs, waste from humans and animals, chloramine, chloride, fluoride, etc., which is some of the reasons why you need pure home water.

There are even germs in your tap that can cause stomach virus, bloody diarrhea, gastroenteritis, cholera, dehydrating diarrhea, and dysentery. Some of the common germs found in tap water that causes these diseases include E. coli, salmonella, protovirus, Nora virus, pseudomonas, campylobacter, hepatitis A, legionella, and vibrio cholerae.

All Tap Water is Contaminated.

Although not all tap water is contaminated with exactly the same chemicals and toxins, it's all contaminated with at least a few of the above-mentioned germs and bacteria. Depending on where you live, the diseases in your water and pipes may vary. People do not always get sick immediately after consuming tap water, at least not as far as common illnesses are concerned. One very dangerous disease that everyone knows about is cancer.

The chemical used to treat tap water by water companies in an attempt to make sure that it is disinfected before it is sent down the pipes is chloramine. This particular chemical is considered a carcinogen, meaning that it causes cancer. It also contains byproducts that are even more dangerous than the actual chemical itself. There is no way to remove chloramine from water except by using a water filtration system.

Different Types of Water Filtration Systems

There are plenty of systems available for purchasing. Some people simply prefer to purchase nothing more than a standard kitchen sink filter, which is fine if you're only using the water out of your kitchen sink. There are also shower filters that you can add in addition to your sink filter. A popular option to consider is a whole-house water filtration system, which works by cleansing all the water in your home at once.

Activated Carbon Filtration

An activated carbon filtration system is the best for removing the most dangerous chemicals from your tap water. It works by using activated carbon. A natural material obtained from bituminous coal, wood, coconut shell, lignite, etc. It is activated using steam and has various absorption properties. Each material used in an activated carbon filtration system works to reduce and absorb different chemicals in tap water, including those that cause bad taste, hard texture, and disease.

Your Water Company Will Never Tell You

Unfortunately, these companies must use chemicals to disinfect your water. In the end, it is up to you as the customer to do your part to make sure your water is safe and clean, and you have pure home water to drink.

Pineapples despite the common misconception have nothing to do with a pineapple tree if the word tree is taken strictly. They are not hard to grow though, and while the bush doesn't make the garden shine up in the first year, the flowers it has and the fruit in the second year makes it worth it.

Pineapples grow on bushes, about 3-4 feet in height and diameter, and the fruit is a compound of a bunch of flowers. Growing this plant is particularly easy if you know the ins and outs, but there are a few mistakes to avoid.

1. Choosing unripe fruit to grow at first is a rather bad move. Always go for golden or yellow bark because that is what differentiates the ripe fruit from the one that is not ready for it yet. Unripe pineapples are also poisonous and cause mouth and throat burning, and severe diarrhea. Do not under any circumstances eat this fruit green.

2. Too moist soil will make the leaves and the fruit rot. For the best possible results go for sandy and relatively dry soil, and dry the fruit and leaves too, before fitting it into the ground. Water is needed for proper growth but too much promotes fungi and fungal attacks. Fungi are deadly to the small plant, avoid letting it fall victim to them.

3. Over-watering kills the plant. Do not do it. After you cut the crown leaves with about two inches of fruit and dry them for a week you need to fit it into dry soil. Only water when the surrounding sand feels dry to the touch. Pineapple bushes drink way more water through their leaves than they do through roots, a sprinkler may come handy for the task of giving water to the growing bush.

4. Eating the fruit when it's not completely ripe yet. It causes all kinds of problems, you might have already come across them. Mouth burning is just one of the symptoms, severe diarrhea is another, more serious one. Wait until the fruit is yellow or dark yellow. Some are golden when they're ready for human consumption.

The pineapple 'tree' is biannual, it grows its leaves in the first year, which is not at all spectacular, but in the second year you can cash in on compliments, because the flowers look wonderful. They are easy to grow and do well indoors, you just have to avoid a few common mistakes.

What's yellow, sweet and totally nutritious? Mangoes. Grown naturally in the tropical islands of Southeast Asia, they've now found their way to virtually all countries in the world. Mangoes have been dubbed as the "King of Fruits" and with good reason, too.

If you're trying to gain weight, mangoes are your go-to fruits. This is because the tropical mango has high levels of calories and carbohydrates needed by those who want to fatten up in a healthful way. But that's not all mangoes are good for. Their various health benefits include cancer prevention and protection against heart disease. This is because of the powerful antioxidant and anticancer properties of the phenolic compound found in the fruit and the Vitamin A, E and selenium present in it. It is also high in iron and as such is recommended for pregnant women and those with anemia. It also effectively de-clogs skin pores. It is further effective in alleviating acidity and poor digestion even as its anti inflammatory properties help ease asthma symptoms. It is even said that the Vitamin E in mango boosts one's sex life by improving hormonal system function.

Those suffering from bacterial infections, constipation, diarrhea, dysentery, eye disorders, hair loss, heat stroke, leucorrhea, liver disorders, menstrual disorders, morning sickness,, piles, prickly heat, scurvy, sinusitis, spleen enlargement and vaginitis area also helped by a regular diet of this luscious tropical fruit. A medium sized mango contains 107 calories, 0.84 g of protein, 28 g of carbohydrate, 0.45 g of total Fat, 3 g of fiber, 6425 IU of Vitamin A, 45.7mg of Vitamin, 18 mg of magnesium, 300 mg potassium and 20 g of calcium. It contains no cholesterol and no saturated fat.

One of the best ways to enjoy mangoes is to make them into refreshing drinks called mango smoothies. They do not only pack the nutrients in, smoothies are also combined with yogurt or other fruits for added nutritional value and more goodness. Here are some sample mango smoothie recipes and how to make them:

For this most basic mango recipe, you only need a cup of chopped mango, a cup of vanilla yogurt, a cup of crushed ice, and a tablespoon of sugar (optional since the mango is already ripe in itself). Simply combine all the ingredients in a blender or smoothie maker, run for thirty seconds or until smooth. Pour into tall glasses and serve immediately.

For another mango smoothie recipe that you can try at home, prepare half a cup of frozen mangoes, half a cup of frozen strawberries, about a third of a cup chilled orange juice (fresh if possible) and half a cup of chilled milk. Put the ingredients in a blender or smoothie maker. Plug it and blend them together to the desired thickness and consistency. Once done, immediately serve them in tall glasses and enjoy. You can substitute chilled milk with soy or some other milk of your choice. You can also pair mangoes with strawberries and/ or avocados to create other great-tasting smoothies. You can also add protein powders to this mixture, especially if you want to gain weight.

One of the hardest things to do in life is to live once you've been told you are going to die. It's as if life speeds up after you receive knowledge that your days are ticking away on a finite clock that you have no control over. One important thing that I learned while experiencing the devastating affects of Pancreatic Cancer with my mother as she fought this distressing disease is that it is crucial to focus on the time that you have rather than on the time you don't have. To me this article is a condensed version of the Diary of Cancer Patient's Daughter as I explain what living with Pancreatic Cancer is like from diagnosis to death as I framed the picture of my mother's experience in my mind.

I hope and pray that you receive something out of these words birthed out of pain that will bring you peace and help you or your loved one with a Cancer diagnosis live a little longer and happier in spite of the sad reality you are facing. There are 7 D's in this Cancer Diary that can help you manage the physical and mental aspects of this awful disease. Remember that what you don't do in the Cancer Crisis is just as important as what you do.

Entry # 1: The Diagnosis:

My mother Joyce was 66 years old when she was diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer during the summer of 2008. Though all Cancer is bad, Pancreatic Cancer is considered one of the worst because it is the most difficult to diagnose. The reason is that the symptoms mirror digestive problems as the disease hides in the depths of the digestive system. My mother had chronic pain in her stomach and though she went to the emergency room several times receiving numerous tests and ultra sounds the doctors kept telling her nothing was wrong with her and sent her home every time. Initially they thought it was a problem with her gal bladder which is a common misdiagnoses in the case of Pancreatic Cancer.

Her Father Boyce whom she was named after died of Pancreatic Cancer 20 years earlier, but the chance that she could have that very same thing never occurred to her or anyone else in our family. If Cancer runs in your family, especially Pancreatic Cancer, I would advise you to have regular screenings for this disease as early diagnosis is a key to survival. One of the most deadly things about Pancreatic Cancer is that because it is so hard to diagnose most patients don't receive their diagnosis until they are already in Stage 4 of the Cancer when there is practically no hope.

The symptoms of Pancreatic Cancer include: abdominal pain and pressure, jaundice, nausea, loss of appetite, depression, weight loss and weakness. My mother had all symptoms except for jaundice. Just because a person is missing a common symptom doesn't mean they don't have Pancreatic Cancer. The most common procedures used to diagnosis this brutal disease are: Ultrasonography, CT Scanning, Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancretography, Endoscopic Ultrasound, MRI, and Cholangiogram Percutaneous Transhepatic. I'm pretty sure my mother had all of these tests done and it can be very draining to endure such experiences, however it is vital in obtaining a diagnosis. The results of her diagnosis showed that there was a tumor on her pancreas blocking the flow of bile from her liver, as well as, the flow of enzymes from her pancreas. In her case the tumor was wrapped around a blood vessel and surgery to remove the tumor was not really an option. Very few surgeons in the country would have been able to successfully perform the surgery and her chances of survival would have been slim to none. Even if she had of had the surgery her quality of life following it was questionable. This surgery is commonly known as the Whipple Operation and removes a large part of the pancreas, the duodenum and a portion of the bile duct

What do you do in this situation? You make the choice to live the best life in the time that you have which is undetermined and different for everyone. Suck every drop of joy out of life you can as quickly as possible. If we could turn back the clock and do it all over again the one thing we would do differently is have annual screenings for the disease conducted because had we done that my mother might still be alive today. What you do in time can determine the time you have on this earth.

Many people allow the hands of time to cover their eyes to what they don't want to see. Open your eyes today and if you have not been diagnosed with this disease begin to use preventative measures such as a healthy diet, exercise, and regular checkups with your doctor.

Entry # 2: Denial:

We were in such disbelief after receiving the diagnosis we failed to take immediate action locked in the paralysis of our new found reality. One thing Cancer does not give you is time. That big devil called denial must be dealt with. I can still hear my mother saying, "I can't have this...not me!" You must come to grips with what you have in order to get a grip on the situation. Sometimes I think of Cancer being more of an accident of health rather than a mistake of nature. All you can do with a mistake is wish that it never happened but accidents can be prevented. Maybe this is a little optimistic since Cancer tends to creep in like an unexpected thief to steal your most prized possessions. Even so, optimism is always stronger than pessimism and it merely means that our powerful spirits encased in a fragile frame of flesh chooses to live.

Even people with diseases such as drug addiction and alcoholism must come out of denial before they recover. I know Cancer survivors and they are the same people that came out of denial and dealt with the disease. You will never take action in regards to something you don't believe.

Entry # 3: Drugs:

We live in a pill popping nation where there is a drug for every situation. One of the main problems with drugs is that they mask symptoms but fail to provide a cure. Drugs do their best to cover up the Cancer until the victim is covered with earth in a coffin. I keep hearing rumors that there is a cure for Cancer but the medical and funeral industries are making too much money off of the disease to release the cure. I don't know if that is true but it sure makes sense.

Though drugs were diagnosed to help my mother one of the first things we did which is extremely important for Pancreatic Cancer patients was to have a stint put in. Stints were inserted into the tubes leading from her liver and pancreas to help them function and this helped her to live a better life. In some cases, depending on the size of the tumor, it is very difficult to insert stints but there are several alternative methods and procedures to accomplish the same effect. If you have a good doctor he will inform you of all options. If you have a doctor that doesn't tell you all the options; get another doctor.

My experience with a mother with Pancreatic Cancer perfected a hatred in me for Morphine which is the pain medication my mother was put on. Since the pain caused by the Cancer is so intense our options were limited and we wanted my mother to be able to live out her days as pain free as possible as I think anyone would. The Morphine altered her mind, changed her personality, and caused aggression and paranoia. The effects of the Morphine put the family in pain while relieving my mother's pain.

At times it was as if she was out of her mind and it nearly drove us out of ours. She no longer trusted the people that loved her and many times would forget what she was saying in the middle of a sentence. The family told her many things over and over again and she wouldn't do them and always forgot what we told her. To me Morphine kills a person before they die. It kills their ability to convey the essence of who they truly are. There are alternatives for pain relief drugs but I don't know how much better they are since we only dealt with Morphine.

It amazes me how Patrick Swayze filmed a television series with Pancreatic Cancer refusing to take pain medications so he could concentrate on and accomplish his work. I remember hearing him speak about preparing hours in advance of his shoots to be mentally and physically prepared to accomplish every task in pain. I think drugs such as Morphine make a person die faster because it arrests their mind. In the movie the Matrix if you've ever seen it, Neo is doing the jump program with Morpheus and falls. When he comes out of it he is bleeding and makes a statement to the fact that he thought it wasn't real and Morpheus tells him that the mind makes it real and that the body cannot live without the mind. If you are mentally incapacitated, how can you make a conscious decision to fight for your life?

A glimmer of hope came to us while dealing with the madness of the Morphine which is an alternative pain treatment that Cancer patients can receive that deals with injecting alcohol around certain nerves to block the feelings of pain. My mother had this procedure done but said that it didn't work. To this day I don't know if the treatment really didn't work or if by the time she had it she was

already addicted to the Morphine and the pain she felt were the pangs of withdraw.

Unfortunately Morphine was only one wave in the ocean of drugs we had to deal with. There were digestive enzymes that had to be taken prior to eating, beta blockers, heart medication, anxiety medication, insulin for the diabetes caused by the shut down of the pancreas, medication for indigestion, vitamins, blood thinners for blood clots and so many medications we had to make an Excel spreadsheet just to keep track of them.

One of the effects of the disease that had to be dealt with was extreme swelling of the abdomen and feet to the point where diuretics were prescribed, fluid draw procedures had to be performed by using a needle to draw the fluid from the abdomen and as for the feet; only house shoes could be worn. I found out that the swelling was caused by the Cancer mainly due to the body's reaction to the tumor and to the lack of protein in the blood disabling the bloods ability to hold fluid.

The things that a person goes through with Cancer are almost endless. Every part of the body is affected; especially the mind, the will, and the emotions. Based upon the experience I encountered with my mother a couple of other crises we had to press through was the C Diph infection causing chronic diarrhea causing contact isolation that is almost like quarantine to be implemented. My mother could barely eat and we had to put on hospital gowns and gloves to be in the room with her or even come in contact with her.

An episode we faced with internal bleeding caused by the rupturing of blood vessels was very traumatic and hospitalized my mother after she passed out from weakness with her eyes rolling back in her head due to the extreme blood loss. Blood was in her bowels and blood transfusions had to be issued in order to get her blood count back up to normal which is usually 14 and hers was almost half that. Had we not sought medical attention for her at that time she could have died. So that you can recognize this, the symptoms are usually extreme weakness and black loose bowels. I experienced the same thing when I was four years old and diagnosed with acute hemorrhagic pancreatitis.

We tried chemotherapy which is extremely hard on the body, killing the good cells along with the bad. Chemotherapy is like infusing your body with a poison in order to get rid of another poison. For some people it works but sadly to say in the cases of Pancreatic Cancer it is rarely effective. I am not a doctor and therefore give no medical recommendations as to how to treat Cancer of the Pancreas but in my own personal opinion and experience through observation I would say if possible, find a better way.

There are alternative treatments, natural remedies, and experimental treatments. A Cancer patient can seek studies that are being conducted for the type of Cancer they have and in many cases when they become a part of the study they can receive free or very low cost experimental treatments. One day one of these experimental treatments might be the answer. My mother used an experimental chemotherapy that was available but it was too hard on her heart. One of her smaller tumors did disappear but that wasn't enough to save her.

Chemotherapy can carry such side effects as nausea, vomiting, and decreased white blood cell counts. Historically, Chemotherapy has not been effective in the treatment of Pancreatic Cancer, but there are more up to date treatments that use an FDA approved agent called gemcitabine which has helped to shrink some tumors for Carcinoma of the pancreas.

At one point we went to see a naturalpathic doctor specializing in alternative Cancer treatments that knew of a treatment that had proved to be effective for Pancreatic Cancer. The name of the treatment is Intravenous - Lipoic Acid/Low-Dose Naltrexone Protocol. There are various articles and information on this treatment for you to research and intelligently consider.

Our problem with the treatment was that one of the drugs prescribed for it that could only be filled at a compound pharmacy blocks the affects of opiates and since my mother was on Morphine for pain a known opiate she plunged into a chronic pain episode that caused her to lose coherency from the pain and go to the emergency room where the only thing they could do to relieve her pain was to give her a drug strong enough to sedate her and completely knock her out. It was a tremendous setback in her treatment. The opiate blocking drug was supposed to be a very low dosage that should not have negatively affected her so if this particular treatment is chosen I would do extensive research and make ample preparations before trying it.

When you are personally dealing with Cancer or know someone close to you that is, you will find out quickly that everyone has a product to sell you that they claim has cured someone from Cancer. Maybe they have and maybe they haven't. Again, I remember watching an interview with Barbara Walters and Patrick Swayze when he said something to the effect of, "If you had a miracle cure for Cancer you would be rich and everyone would know you so just shut up." We tried several products and ordered everything we thought could make a difference or be a cure. I'm going to share with you two things that you can buy on your own that we didn't get a chance to try because we found out about them too late. I don't know it they work, but its worth a try as anything is when you or someone you love is dying.

You can search YouTube and find videos on the banking soda Cancer treatment and you can search the Internet to find articles that specifically discuss the use of asparagus to treat Cancer. There is so much more I could say about different treatments and drugs but instead of going on and on about this subject I will instead give you a few helpful hints.

Helpful Hint #1: If you are strong enough to do it, aerobic exercise helps Chemotherapy patients by ridding the toxins in their system from Chemotherapy through sweat. I read an article once about a lady with Cancer that felt too sick to do aerobics when her coworkers kept inviting her to class because they didn't know she had Cancer. She started the classes eventually and felt sick at first and then started feeling better. She sweated the toxins out and one year later was teaching the class Cancer Free.

Helpful Hint #2: When a Cancer patient's veins are to the point where it is extremely difficult to draw blood or administer IV medication a Central Line which is a port for IV and medication inserted into the jugular vein by ultrasound can be good. I witnessed the pain of my mother as she was poked multiple times with attempts to draw blood and insert IV's. Save yourself this pain with a Central Line.

Helpful Hint #3: Keep a positive attitude and laugh as often as possible. The Bible says that laughter doeth the heart good like a medicine. Sometimes simple laughter will do more for a Cancer patient than any drug. Laughter heals and it makes a person's time on this earth more enjoyable. Talk about funny memories from the past with family and friends and laugh, laugh, laugh! You deserve it! Mental support is important. Encourage, speak positive things, and most of all be there for the person that you know that has Cancer. Cancer and all the things a person goes through with it are scary. I coached my mom and encouraged her and told her she could make it when she didn't think she could. Encouragement in love can add time to a Cancer patient's life. Ask lots of questions and gain as much knowledge as possible. If a drug or treatment you or a Cancer patient you know is on doesn't seem right; talk to the doctor about it because there is always an alternative.

Entry # 4: Disappointment:

Normally in life there are disappointments. When you already have a disappointing disease, disappointment can be magnified. What do you do when the Chemo doesn't work? How do you react when the miracle cure you found out about doesn't cure? How do you deal with setbacks that surface along the way? What you do is keep going, keep trying, and don't give up. It is important to express disappointment and acknowledge it as long as it doesn't take you captive. Just having the disease is disappointing, not to mention all of the obstacles encountered while dealing with the disease. Disappointment is not only experienced by the Cancer victim but by the family and friends that love that person so much.

I was working on my MBA when my mother was diagnosed with Cancer. Since she was already in Stage 4 of Cancer when she was diagnosed we found out shortly after the diagnosis that the Cancer had spread to her lungs and other areas of her body. I can remember the day I found out about that. I started crying at work and couldn't stop and had to leave the office. I know what it feels like to try and hold tears in and there is nothing you can do to keep them held in your eyes. I know what it is to cry until your stomach jerks in and out and snot comes out of your nose and you feel like throwing up. My mother was my best friend and because of that I am well acquainted with disappointment.

I always wondered how the people with these miracle stories that publish these books about overcoming Cancer did it. Their methods worked for them with no doubt but my mother was in such a bad state she couldn't even do most of the things these books said to do and that was so disappointing. I wished I could speak with these people personally just to ask them...HOW? How did you do it?

One of the greatest challenges faced was that my mother was a Minister and Pastor and she had a lot of people praying for her as she even believed for her own healing. Father Yah (God) is a healer but He doesn't always heal and there is always a question of why for those that are not healed. Dottie Olsteen the wife of the late Pastor John Olsteen of Lakewood Church in Houston, Texas now pastured by Joel Olsteen at one time had terminal Liver Cancer. Dottie gathered together the healing scriptures from the Bible and began to speak them over herself three times a day like a medicine prescription and was totally and completely healed.

Why her and not my mother? I don't know. Maybe Yah (the name for almighty God the Creator in Hebrew) was ready for my mom to come home with Him. All I can tell you is that disappoint can and will come in many forms. The best cure for disappointment is to overcome with an attitude of thankfulness, accepting that you don't know the reason for all things but you do know that there is a reason and a purpose for all things. Stay positive while keeping your mind and spirit open to whatever might happen. Disappointment comes when something other than what you expect or anticipate happens. With Cancer you have to be prepared for the success or failure of anything and everything. Be encouraged; you are stronger than disappointment. Don't let it catch you off guard but be prepared for it. Know that for every disappointment there is a triumph on the other side.

Entry # 5: Diet:

Anyone with Cancer should reconstruct their diet to contain the foods that fight against and can even cure Cancer. Eat and drink substances that are non-acidic, alkaline, and highly concentrated with antioxidants. Research to find Cancer healing foods.

One of the most important things to do is to drink a lot of water. Water is the source of life and the human body is mostly composed of water. There is an author that wrote a book called, "You Aren't Sick You're Just Thirsty" talking about the importance of water and its affects on the body.

Diet is a rough subject with Pancreatic Cancer because you can know all the right things to eat and not be able to consume them. The affects of the disease on the digestive system makes it very hard to eat and drink. The patient may lose their appetite and even if they do have an appetite, once they eat it can make them feel sick. Pancreatic Cancer sabotages the digestive system.

One thing that helped us was some information we found on dill pickles that assists in the digestion of food. In many instances when someone with Pancreatic Cancer or other digestive problems eats a dill pickle with each meal it helps to counteract the digestive problems so they can eat in comfort and keep the food down for nutrition to the body.

There are also drugs available to enhance the appetite, but if dill pickles can also be eaten with every meal that should help greatly as well. Since Pancreatic Cancer patients have difficulties in eating and tend to lose a lot of weight, dietary supplements such as protein shakes are suggested which are ingested easier with the use of a straw. Peanut butter can be added to the shakes to increase the calorie content and nutritional value of the shake. Another suggestion is to eat very small meals all throughout the day. The Cancer patient may not feel like eating but in order to live they must FORCE themselves to eat. Lack of food and liquid can kill quicker.

Vitamin D fights Cancer and freshly juiced vegetable juices containing the juice from green leafy vegetables can be extremely helpful especially when drank right after juicing when vitamin content and living substance is at a high level. The external diet is also important which consists of Epson salt baths that help to heal and release toxins from the body.

We all know the saying, "You are what you eat." Eat what is alive and it will help you stay alive. The first 3 letters of the word diet is the word die. Don't let what you are eating kill you. Since Cancer patients many times have to give up foods they love in order to live, it is great if the family can conform to their diet in support of their dietary efforts. Some foods make Cancer grow like simple sugars. Cut the sugar out of your diet and use a natural alternative like Stevia to sweeten foods. Stevia is a naturally sweet leaf that is available in powder and liquid form to sweeten foods and use in recipes. I am a big Bible reader so I love that Stevia is a leaf because the Bible says that the leaves shall be used for the healing of the nations. Other well-known artificial sweeteners can actually be poisonous to the body so be careful with them and avoid them if possible.

Entry #6: Death:

Even when you know someone is going to die, nothing really prepares you for the affects, effects, and real life reactions to that death. Everyone's experience is different, and I will share my personal experience with you hoping it will help you in some way. I can remember my mom looking at me one night and saying to me, "I'm dying!" I didn't know what to say back because even though I knew she had Cancer and death seemed inevitable, I refused to accept the fact the she was actually going to die.

We took her to the hospital on a Thursday and the very next day they wanted to send her to hospice. Hospice is a great and awful place all at the same time. Great due to the care and support and painless exit for the patient from this world they provide. Awful because you know that it is the last place you will be with the one you love. Hospice facilities are very comfortable and they give you a chance to say goodbye even if you don't want to. No one does. Please know that you aren't the only one going through this; neither are you the only one that has ever gone through this.

Counselors are provided, as well as, chaplains for spiritual support and prayer. You will receive a booklet explaining the death process which helps you know when death is near. During this process, give the Cancer patient a lot of love, comfort and support, and make sure you yourself get ample food and rest. Speak to your loved one while they are responsive and even after they are in a drug induced comma because they can still hear you. Be sure not to be selfish and release them to pass on so they won't linger on in suffering. That is all I will say about the hospice experience as you will learn more as you are actually in it. This is the time to meet with the funeral home and make preparations for the funeral and burial. You won't want to do this, but it is necessary and will help smooth out the process. Overall, hospice is a place to say your final goodbyes.

Entry # 7: Debt:

My dad only had enough life insurance to cover my mom's funeral, and this is not recommended. The moment a Cancer diagnosis is in place get as much checkup free insurance as you can get. For some reason the bill collectors don't understand the word death, and you can be stuck with bills that increase your sorrow after your loved one is gone. You will need a living will for your patient to be able to make medical decisions for them and you also need a power of attorney to deal with their accounts way before a death experience is upon you. You may have to handle business matters that they can't deal with while they are still alive and after they have passed on.Also make sure a will is in place so you don't have to deal with probate. Some accounts are easily closed after death simply by submitting a copy of the death certificate to the creditor and it is important to see if insurance is in place to pay off accounts upon death such as mortgages.

I have shared my heart, soul, and intimate personal experience with you in this article to the best of my ability. It should not take a crisis such as Cancer for us to become mortgage and debt free but if something such as Cancer arises I know that being mortgage and debt free can be one less worry. Work to reduce or delete your debts as much as possible. My dad would have more freedom and options today had his house been paid off when my mother passed. In addition to medical bills there were some prescriptions that cost $800 for a 10-day supply after our prescription benefits ran out. Death and sickness know nothing of the extra financial burdens that can increase and extend sorrow.

You will feel the pain of your loss for awhile and it will be absolutely unbelievable for a very long time, but you will get through it. Remember the good times, look at pictures of life, and hear the voice of your loved one live on in your mind and spirit forever. I wish you abundant peace. If you would like to find out how to get a copy of the book I've written in hopes of helping people deal with the loss of a loved one, please call or email me.

Poultry diseases are ailments that affect birds that are usually raised for human consumption e.g. chickens, ducks, turkeys, geese, pheasants and quail. The diseases may be bacterial, viral, due to a deficiency, parasitic and neoplastic. Although, there are a number of common poultry diseases amongst these birds, let's take a look at particular diseases that affect different poultry.

Coccidiosis - This is one of the many universally-recognized poultry diseases in chickens and it comes about as a result of Eimirea. The infection takes place in the intestines after ingesting oocytes that are sporulated. This occurs due to poor living conditions such as spaces with excessive moisture, high temperature and unsanitary surroundings. When chickens are infected with poultry diseases such as coccidiosis, the result is bloody diarrhea, intestinal hemorrhaging and premature death of cells, tissue and organs. To detect this disease in chickens, take note of morbidity and the mortality rate of chickens as well as bloody/watery droppings in the coop. To treat this disease, vaccinations are required and this can be done by spraying the food with the vaccine, administering it as eye drops or distributing it in the water. If the infection returns due to moist litter, vitamins and minerals should be dispensed in the water.

Avian Influenza - This is one of the most well-known poultry diseases among birds, also commonly known as bird flu. It is caused by a virus, orthomyxovirus, and it's contracted by inhaling infected feces. It is one of the most contagious poultry diseases and is readily transmitted by waterfowl. Birds affected by this disease will show signs of sneezing, coughing, loss of appetite, diarrhea, depression, respiratory pain and emaciation. When it occurs in chickens, there is usually a drop in egg production and the quality of the shells is deficient. Antibiotics are available to treat the disease, although prevention is the best way to go because it is communicable to humans.

Ornithabacter (ORT) - This is a disease caused by bacteria and is prevalent in both turkeys and chickens. Though many poultry diseases occur in most pullets, some are more common in certain birds than others. This contagious disease affects the respiratory system with symptoms such as nasal congestion and coughing being signs of its onset. In some cases, poultry farmers may notice swelling on the head of the birds as well as noticing that the birds experience respiratory discomfort. One way to treat this disease is through vaccination and this can be administered to fowl at a very early age to create resistance to the disease.

Colibacillosis - Also known as E-Coli or Cellulities, this is also a very common poultry disease. A bacterial infectious disease, it is transmitted via water, food, ovarian transmissions and through fecal matter. If younger birds or the embryos are infected, high mortality rates will be noted, whereas with older birds a decrease in general activity may be observed. To prevent this poultry disease, water can be chlorinated while improved sanitation can prevent transmission. Moreover, vaccinations are available that will help protect embryos. Diseases such as E-coli can be treated using antibiotics such as Oxytetracycline (OTC), Quinolones (Flumequine) and Chlortetracycline (CTC).

As already mentioned, some diseases are common and display similar symptoms across bird species. But there are ways to prevent or curb these diseases before they can cause a pandemic. Not too long ago, bird flu posed a threat to humans. But through measures that in some cases included the quarantine of particular infected bird species, the disease was brought under control. As a poultry farmer, it is your obligation to know of the above diseases so that you may take the necessary steps when signs and symptoms occur.