How can you detect if a company is trying to scam you with their colon cleansing product?

Well the first question is to ask yourself if you really need to “clean your colon”? The truth is that your body does not normally build up waste that then sticks to the walls of your intestines for years and years, that is a lie. There are conditions that can lead to retaining fecal matter and it becoming impacted or turning into fecalomas(hardened fecal matter), this is usually the result of a serious medical condition and needs to solved by a medical professional. In fact taking a high fiber or stimulating laxative, such as a colon cleanse will probably do more harm than good for people in this situation. So ultimately, if you have a normal intestinal tract, it will not horde poo. If your system is slow at moving stool(typical constipation) then there are better methods(soluable/insoluable fiber, yogurts, juices, magnesium, licorice root) than harsh colon cleanses. If your system truly is blocked then you need to seek medical attention immediately.

What is in a colon cleansing program?

What manufacturers do not want you to know is that essentially what you’re getting are basic fibers, minerals & herbs that have laxative qualities. Some even put cheap gums or gelatin like substances(guar gum, xanthan gum,agar or Carrageenan), which can cause distress for people who don’t tolerate these products. Sometimes you will even find things such as earthen clays mixed in. Usually colon cleansing websites fail to disclose their actual ingredients list or make it extremely difficult to find it. This alone should be a warning sign.

How safe are colon cleansing products?

While most colon cleanse products like to tout that they are “all natural”, “safe for anyone”, & “no interactions with other drugs”, this is again a lie. There can be serious health effects caused by going through a colon cleanse. Basic concerns are things like dehydration & loss of nutrients. If there are certain minerals like magnesium added, this can cause problems for people who are susceptible to kidney, liver or heart problems. Taking medication and then flushing your system is a bad idea as you’re essentially flushing your medication through your body along with everything else. In many cases you should make sure you take any prescribed medications hours before or after taking a colon cleansing product. People who already have issues with chronic diarrhea or have other digestive issues such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Chron’s Disease or diverticulitis should be especially wary of taking a product that, in most cases, will only make their symptoms worse. If you have heart, liver, kidney problems or diabetes you could put yourself in grave danger by voluntarily inducing diarrhea like these products do. If you do take a colon cleansing & have a major health condition you MUST get the entire ingredients list and cross reference it with any medication you are taking to ensure they will not conflict. Last thing you want to find out is that some random herb or mineral is blocking your heart medication.

Since most colon cleanse products are listed as being “supplements” they are not regulated or tested buy the FDA. In all likelihood they haven’t been extensively tested before being released to market.

Are these companies trustworthy?

No they are not. Many colon cleansing product companies have been known to fake testimonials, reviews & even create fake gross-out pictures of their product clearing out “years of waste”. The truth is that in many cases these pictures are either completely made-up or are the dramatic result of the product’s ingredients being excreted, not any actual toxic build-up being removed. Many blogs or websites that promote colon cleansing products are affiliates of the company which means they are getting a cut of each sale. When someone is getting 15 – 20% off of each sale, wouldn’t you think that might lead to a bit of bias? Sites that aren’t directly controlled by a company or it’s affiliates might be inundated with spam. If you are on opinion or review sites, check how long the person who left the review has been a member. In many cases you will find that the person only joined to post a positive review of said product, which is very concerning. For some examples, here are some positive and less than positive Amazon.com reviews for the Dr Natura Colonix program , one person even ended up in the hospital for heart arrhythmia.

Are these products worth the price?

No. The ingredients in colon cleanses are cheap. You can get psyllium husk, magnesium or things like licorice root extremely cheap on your own. It’s not uncommon to find things being advertised for $80 when you could by the supplements at retail for around $20 – $25. It’s a HUGE markup. They may claim they are using higher quality ingredients or they have more overhead. However the majority of their overhead is in advertising not in the quality or efficacy of their product.

Overall the goal here is to make you aware that in many cases these companies do not have your best interest in mind and are out to make a quick buck on a cheap product sold at a high mark-up to people who are desperate.
Buyer Beware.

Related posts:

1. Fecal Transplantation Helps With Chron’s, IBS, Clostridium difficile Infection.
2. Hypnotherapy – How Can It Help You And Your IBS
3. Digestive Charities You Can Donate To.

Some symptoms too look out for are:

“…abdominal bloating, increased abdominal size and urinary urgency.”

as well as:

“…feeling full after a small meal, unexplained weight loss, indigestion, constipation or diarrhea, fatigue and abnormal uterine bleeding.”

Factors that could put you at risk are:

…[a] personal history of breast cancer, family history of breast, uterine, ovarian or colorectal cancer, certain breast cancer genes and use of fertility drugs, especially without achieving pregnancy.

Check out the full article on GoErie.com.

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Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

References:
Gentrie’s Hunger Game
Gentrie McKall Hansen’s facebook
G-PACT
Gastroparesis & Dysmotilities Association
Living With Gastroparesis

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Just what is a plantain? It’s basically a banana that isn’t sweet. In some places you can find “plantain chips” which are salted, not sweetened. As far as broccoli goes, the best way to cook

Plantains - Photo By Daegis

References:

University of Liverpool Press Release

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1. Accutane linked to Chron’s / Inflammatory Bowel Disease
2. Fecal Transplantation Helps With Chron’s, IBS, Clostridium difficile Infection.

Thierry Thaure, President and Chief Executive Officer of EndoGastric Solutions commented: “Our technology offers significant clinical, economic and strategic benefits to our hospital and surgeon customers. Over the past two years, the EsophyX and StomaphyX product platforms have been embraced with a high level of enthusiasm by the surgeon community…

Esophyx is a fundoplication device & procedure that does not require incisions and instead is performed completely through the esophagus. Esophyx has come under fire recently for misleading statements & performance. It is marketed as a reversible procedure, but many have been told that their procedure cannot be undone. Additionally some have found no benefit or have had their symptoms worsen after the procedure. There is currently at least one lawsuit claiming Endogastric Solutions has made misleading statements regarding the Esophyx procedure.

References:
Endogastric Solutions Press Release

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Zoi Strawberry Yogurt

The Rise of The Greek Yogurt Empire

Today we’re reviewing Zoi Greek Yogurt.

Greek style yogurt is a yogurt that has been strained to reduce extra moisture. It also has a higher fat content. Those two properties causes it to have consistency similar to a high moisture cheese. I would say it’s half-way between a firm sour cream & a soft cream-cheese. Even that doesn’t quite describe it properly, as the texture is pretty unique.  Basically, it’s thick, it’ll stick to your spoon without sliding off. The texture is much more satisfying than a lot of the goopey mass marketed yogurt you’ll find  on store shelves.

Zoi Yogurt is made by Auburn Dairy Products. It’s a regional brand found in the Pacific Northwest. The packing is simplistic but charming. It advertises itself as having a “Great Taste – Fit For The Gods”. You can get Zoi in the following flavors: Plain, Vanilla, Honey, Strawberry & Blueberry. One of the best things about the fruit flavors is that they have “Fruit on the Bottom”, which I feel lends to use of higher quality ingredients and allows one to mix the fruit in or slowly make their way to the fruity explosion awaiting at the bottom. I initially didn’t even know that there was fruit on the bottom(failed to read the label), there was the essence of fruit flavor throughout the yogurt even before I hit the bottom, so the fruit on the bottom was an extra bonus.

Zoi Yogurt has Vitamin A & D3, as well as live cultures(S. thermophilus, L. bulgaricus, L. acidophilus, B. lactis, L. rhamnosus & L. casei). This is a cow’s milk yogurt. As far as I can see it looks as though the ingredients are all natural. One thing that might be concerning is the fat & calorie content. For example the Strawberry flavor contains 5g of fat(3.5 of which are saturated fats) & 200 calories per 6oz cup. I actually don’t think that is a big deal as the cups are very satisfying & can easily take the place of your breakfast or lunch. You are at least getting 7g of protein out of that as well. Also because the texture and flavor is so good, I could easily see someone using it to substitute for something much worse like cheesecake or ice cream without feeling disappointed.

Overall, I really like the product. You can find it at QFC, Haggens, Winco or Top Foods. There is a $1.00 off coupon on their website.

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PART 1:

PART 2:

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Fecal transplantation is simply taking stool from a donor who has a healthy, functional digestive system and implanting it into the affected patient. A poo slurry is created with saline, stool & in some cases added fiber. This is done with a blender(you probably won’t want to make smoothies in this thing afterward). Implantation can be done in different ways, such as via enema, colonoscopy or naso-jejunal tube. This is repeated for 5 – 10 days.

The idea behind fecal transplantation is that the sufferer with the disease is suffering from a bacterial/microbial imbalance in their digestive system. There are literally thousand and thousands of different types of microbes and bacteria in our bodies. If you are missing certain types then you will have an imbalance that will either cause problems with digesting food or allow harmful invaders to setup shop in your digestive system. Since you won’t have the good bacteria available to fight off the infection, this can cause long-term problems. This is the case with Clostridium difficile, a bacteria that is extremely hard to get rid of with normal antibiotics or by the immune system. Also in some cases Chron’s Disease may be the bodies response to invading bacteria, but since it has trouble penetrating the gut to attack the bacteria, it instead inflicts damage on the gut itself.

One thing that is interesting is that many people who had a a history of taking antibiotics seemed more likely to see improvement after transplantation. Antibiotics are known to wipe out your bacterial flora. When I was little I went through many ear infections which involved many doses of antibiotics. I am wondering if this might play some part in my Irritable Bowel Syndrome. A lot of this is theory, but the facts are that fecal transplantation is real and has had beneficial results for many people.

Prof. Thomas Borody has been pioneering this technique in Australia at the Centre for Digestive Diseases. There hasn’t been much effort taking place in the United States, though there are some Gastro doctors who may be willing to entertain the idea. There have been suggestions that the University of Chicago has been holding focus groups regarding fecal transplants & possibly seeking a grant to do further research. There is nothing on their website right now confirming this though.

If you are in the US or UK or you’re not a character on a Grey’s Anatomy episode, you might try doing this on your own. Some enterprising individuals have taken up doing the job of doing it on their own by recruiting stool from their spouse or family. Some have had surprisingly good results as far as combating Chron’s or Irritable Bowel Syndrome symptoms. Here is a very informative discussion from the HealingWell.com forums with experiences from people who have done the procedure themselves.

Have you done fecal transplantation? Are you a doctor researching it? Comment or e-mail and tell me your story.

References:

• Research & Instruction Pamphlet For ‘Home Infusion Protocol’
• Probiotic Therapy Research Centre
• Centre For Digestive Diseases – Staff Information

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1. Accutane linked to Chron’s / Inflammatory Bowel Disease
2. Broccoli and Bananas/Plantains May Help With Chron’s Disease
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In my research  I found that Accutane has been studied for possible links to IBD as far back as 2001. Also non-public internal documents from Roche Holdings suggests that Accutane damages the intestinal tract & that physicians who were prescribing Accutane also noted a higher risk for IBD. Accutane was “discontinued” by Roche Holdings in 2009, the claim it was not due to the lawsuits or concerns over safety. Keep in mind that even before this link to IBD, Accutane was noted for causing birth defects when taken by pregnant women as well as causing depression.

The first Accutane lawsuit ended in 2007 in which found Roche Holdings liable for failing to label the drug correctly. Plaintiff Andrew McCarrell was originally awarded $2.62 million dollars, Roche Holdings appealed & the case was re-tried. In 2010 the retrial ended and Andrew McCarrell was awarded over $25 million dollars. Since 2007 then there have been other lawsuits that have come to completion & the outlook is not looking good for Roche Holdings. Although one judgment was overturned on appeal, there are hundreds more lawsuits on the way.

Most of the people who have won awards have been severely affected by IBD, needing parts of their lower digestive tract removed. Due to the large quantity of people who are filing for lawsuits, I am wondering if this may turn into a class action lawsuit, though the award settlements usually amounts to far less when dealing with class-action style lawsuits.

Are you someone who is pursuing legal action against Roche Holdings or are you a lawyer representing something who is? Please comment below and let us know your story.

Related posts:

1. Broccoli and Bananas/Plantains May Help With Chron’s Disease
2. Fecal Transplantation Helps With Chron’s, IBS, Clostridium difficile Infection.

One thing I am wondering is why so many people are getting sick. Salmonella is a bacteria that does die when heated to 165F or above. I have a feeling that many people who are getting sick are possibly mishandling the eggs or not cooking their eggs thoroughly. There are also possibilities of accidental gross contamination say within a grocery bag or in the fridge. I always keep my eggs separate from all my other groceries in the bag and in the fridge. I just don’t have much luck what with developing IBS from swimming in a river and later feeling nauseated with diarrhea that night, then later in life getting a three month bout of Gastroparesis from a norrovirus or food poisoning. So I take food handling very seriously.

It seems like ever summer we have a big name food recall related to salmonella. Last year it was peanuts, the year before it was tomatoes(which is a recurring theme), now it’s eggs. Eggs are actually less shocking as salmonella has always been a risk with eggs. Things like peanuts or tomatoes are scary as you don’t assume those would be a risk and in many cases they’re eaten raw. Even on a local level we’re seeing salmonella recalls. Umpqua dairy had to recall milk, cream, half-n-half & even orange juice because the processing plant was contaminated with salmonella and many people have become ill.

It makes you wonder about where our food is coming from and the people or businesses that produce it. Because our food system is becoming more consolidated all the time, a small outbreak can quickly spread across the nation & while it would seem this consolidation would make it easier to track down where the outbreak started from, that’s rarely the case. For example the tomato recall last year, took a long time to track down and in the end some were even doubting if it was the tomatoes and not a batch of bad jalapeno peppers that were actually causing the illnesses.

Inspections of our food supply & enforcement should be a top priority, but time and time again businesses fly under the radar until people start getting sick or even dying. For example the company Cadbury Chocolates in 2006 was finally fined almost $2 million US dollars because it knowingly put tainted candy bars on store shelves in the UK and lowered it’s hygiene standards to save money. The Peanut Corporation of America had a sloppy history of health violations and when it finally caught up with them causing a major salmonella outbreak, sickening many people, they just closed up shop and filed bankruptcy.

Ultimately I think the public & the government should take a firmer stance to ensure the purity of our food. The FDA may need to be expanded and we also need to “beef-up” the USDA inspection power as well. There are also powerful food industry lobbyists corrupting Washington, would be nice to kick them out too.

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