THE HUMAN DIGESTION:

The food is taken into the mouth where it is chewed, mixed with saliva which is secreted by glands in the mouth. After mastication a portion of food is collected on the tongue. It is then swallowed and the opening to the larynx is closed off by a small flap of tissue called the epiglottis. This flap prevents the food from entering into the respiratory tract. Should some food stray into this tract a reflux action occurs by coughing to expel the food out.

The food passes from the esophagus into the stomach, contractions of the muscular wall of the stomach ensure further mixing and mechanical disintegration of the food, which at the same time is mixed with the gastric juice secreted by the stomach.

The stomach has a mucous membrane lining and is protected from the gastric juice which contains enzymes and hydrochloric acid. The food is broken down into smaller particles for easier absorption into the bloodstream and the rest of the food passes into the small intestine and duodenum through the pyloric sphincter valve, a muscular ring at the end of the stomach and intestine.

In the small intestine, rhythmic movements of the walls churn up the food and mix it with the digestive juices, which include pancreatic and bile juices (The bile is produced by the liver and stored by the gall bladder) further digestion then takes place as the result of the action of enzymes present in these juices.

Absorption of the digestive nutrients takes place mainly through the mucus membrane of the small intestine. The rhythmic movements of the intestine force the unabsorbed food, and waste matter excreted from the blood into the large intestine, here the water is absorbed by the walls of the intestine and partially dehydrated material passes to the rectum from which it is excreted from the body through the anus as faeces.

THE ALIMENTARY RUMINANT SYSTEM

The name ruminant means ” Chewing The Cud” and it’s a name given to those mammals of even – toed, cloven hoofed, such as Cattle, Sheep, Goats are ruminants.

Other groups of ruminant – like animals include the antelopes, deer, camels, llamas, hippopotamus, sloths and kangaroos.

The ruminant has a stomach consisting of four compartments (camels have three.)

THE RUMEN:

The food is partly chewed then swallowed and it passes into the first compartment called the rumen. The large stomach has no digestive juices or excretory glands present and the food is attacked by large numbers of living protozoa, microbes and bacteria which already are present in the walls of the ruminant stomach. The breakdown of cellulose, which plants are largely composed of takes place in this section of the stomach and the food is regurgitated from time to time into the mouth in small amounts and slowly chewed to a pulp, and when food is swallowed again, it enters a second compartment called the reticulum.

THE RETICULUM:

This section of the stomach breaks down the cellulose further and passes it to the third compartment called the omasum.

THE OMASUM:

The omasum contains large leaf – like structures that increases the surface area for effective water absorption, there the muscles stir and reduce it further until it enters the fourth compartment, called the abomasum.

THE ABOMASUM:

“True Stomach” A stomach much like ours. In this organ gastric juice is secreted, it contains hydrochloric acid which kills most of the microbes and begins digesting them and their contents are then absorbed to provide essential vitamins, minerals and amino acids.

Ruminants have specialized metabolisms due to the presence of digestive bacteria. Protein needs are supplied by the rumen bacteria which use simple substances urea and inorganic sulphates to manufacture these proteins. This is a major difference between ruminants and other animals because they produce their own protein. Protein is a dietary requirement of all other animals.

TEETH:

In most ruminants (Cattle, Sheep, Goats) there is a absence of upper incisors – replaced by a hard “Dental Pad” well formed even lower incisors. Well developed molars and premolars for grinding movement is “Lateral”. The toothless gap between incisors and premolars allows the tongue to manipulate the food. Chewing movements acts as a stimuli, leads to increased salivation, particularly on the side on which the chewing is done. In cattle up to 200 litres may be produced in 24 hours. The saliva is rich in bicarbonate, which serves to neutralize the fatty acids produced by fermentation.

DIFFERENCES:

Ruminants

Specialized tongue and lip for grasping and tearing.

Well developed molars and premolars for grinding, movement is “lateral”.

In most ruminants upper teeth replaced by “Dental Pad”.

A gap between premolars and molars allows the tongue to manipulate the food into small amounts prior to swallowing.

Mouth is taken to food.

Complex digestive system (Four Stomachs).

Regurgitation of cud for chewing at rest, one set of teeth for life, teeth wear flat, with the age.

Protein needs supplied by rumen bacteria.

Herbivores – no meat.

Humans:

Upper and lower teeth movement is “Vertical” Incisors and canine produce shearing action, used for cutting food, premolars and molars for grinding and crushing.

Two sets of teeth – loss through decay and improper nutrition – replaced by dentures (False Teeth).

Food is taken to mouth.

Digestive System (one stomach).

Protein is a dietary requirement and is provided by the intake of various foods.

Vomiting more common in carnivores and omnivores. Forceful ejection of gastric contents from the mouth.

Variety of foods to obtain various other nutrients.

Ill health, weather changes, irritability and stress, may have an effect on digestive processes.

Omnivores – meat and plants.

SIMILARITIES:

Food, water, and oxygen to sustain life, we require similar nutrients and produce waste products.

What is Helicobacter pylori?

Helicobacter pylori is a bacterium that can survive in the stomach and cause inflammation (gastritis). It causes a gnawing upper abdominal pain that is often described as indigestion. It used to be thought that bacteria could not survive in the stomach because of the highly acidic environment (the pH in the stomach is around 2.0). Helicobacter is able to not only survive but it can multiply and cause an infection, an inflammation of the stomach. Helicobacter attach to the lining of the stomach hiding in the mucus secreted by stomach cells. Not surprisingly, people who do not produce much stomach acid (a condition called achlorhydria) are more susceptible to Helicobacter infection.

What are the symptoms?

Gnawing upper abdominal pain or discomfort that tends not to go away but is fairly constant is the most common symptom. Sometimes a bloating feeling is noticed and yet some people have no symptoms at all.

How is Helicobacter spread?

It is difficult to be certain but it appears likely that Helicobacter is not generally spread from person to person. The reason we can be fairly certain of this is that when a person is found to be infected there is a very low risk of their partner or other family members becoming infected. If Helicobacter was easily spread from person to person this would not be the case.

It is much more likely that spread of Helicobacter occurs after contamination of surfaces that we touch. For example, if a person with Helicobacter uses a public toilet and does not wash their hands properly if tiny pieces of faeces are present on their fingers it can be transferred to taps, door handles etc. In the stool there will be very many Helicobacter that have been washed out of the stomach with food and drink. The next person to use the tap or door handle can pick up the bacteria and when they eat they may transfer the bacteria to their mouth. Another person has become infected. This commonly happens abroad in less developed countries where standards of hygiene may be quite poor. We have found people returning from foreign holidays having contracted this disease.

If an infected person is careful about their hygiene it unlikely they will pass the infection on.

What are the risks?

Helicobacter causes inflammation and that can lead to an ulcer forming. Ulcers can bleed if they erode into blood vessels. Bleeding can cause anaemia, fatigue and fainting. Longstanding inflammation of the stomach is a risk factor for the development of stomach cancer.

What tests are available?

Helicobacter Stool test – recommended

A very convenient test and accurate also, the Helicobacter stool test identifies the bacteria directly by an immunological reaction. This means that the test is specific for Helicobacter, that is to say that the test will only be positive when Helicobacter is present and other bacteria will not make this test positive. Helicobacter bacteria pass into the stool from the stomach as they are washed from the stomach with food and drink.

This test comes highly recommended yet it is not widely used in hospitals or General Practice. The accuracy of the test can be adversely affected if antibiotics or proton pump inhibitors such as Omeprazole, have been taken within 2-4 weeks of the test.

Helicobacter Blood test – not recommended

This test is no longer recommended because it tests for the antibodies the body’s immune system makes when Helicobacter is present. This test does not detect the bacteria itself. Antibodies to Helicobacter can remain in the blood long after the infection has gone and antibodies may not be present in the blood in the early phase of the infection. This test should be avoided.

Helicobacter Breath test – recommended

A widely used and highly effective test equivalent in accuracy to the stool test, this test is suitable for people who prefer not to handle their stool. The test detects ‘urease-producing bacteria.’ Helicobacter bacteria produce the enzyme urease. The infected person takes a tablet containing urea labelled with C13 or C14. If urease (Helicobacter) is present the urea is split into ammonia and carbon dioxide that then carries the C13 or C14 label. The carbon dioxide is absorbed into the blood and is then breathed out. A sample of breath is collected and tested for C13 or C14. This test is said to be appropriate even during the prescribing of Omeprazole and related drugs.

Gastroscopy – biopsy and CLO test – only if recommended by your doctor

Gastroscopy is commonly carried out for people with symptoms of a stomach problem to see if there is an ulcer or a tumour in the stomach. At the time of the endoscopy a tissue sample (biopsy) can be taken and tested for Helicobacter using the CLO test or it can be examined under the microscope to visualise the bacteria directly. These tests are very accurate but require endoscopy and sedation so it is an expensive and time-consuming procedure.

Who should be tested?

Anyone with the primary symptom of upper abdominal gnawing pain should be tested. Anyone concerned about the risk of stomach cancer with or without symptoms and anyone who has finished a course of treatment for a Helicobacter infection more than one month ago should be tested.

What is the treatment?

Bacterial infections are usually treated with antibiotics and Helicobacter infection is no exception. A combination of antibiotics is prescribed along with some medication to help the symptoms.

Are there alternative treatments?

Many alternative treatments have been discovered but few have been shown to actively kill Helicobacter. Some alternative treatments probably work by suppressing Helicobacter rather than killing it. Treatments that I have come across include manuka honey, matula tea and herbal treatments.

How effective is treatment?

About 90% of infections are successfully treated with one course of antibiotics (triple therapy). The 10% of patients who suffer a relapse can be treated with a second course of different antibiotics. It is best to have a Helicobacter test one month after treatment to check if eradication of the bacteria has been successful.

You may have heard of GERD or gastro-esophageal reflux in adults. Have you heard of reflux in babies? Well, about half of all babies who come under 3 months of age have reflux. Let us see why babies have acid reflux in this article.

What is Baby Acid Reflux?

Baby GERD or baby acid reflux is the bout of spit-up or regurgitation of food (milk) swallowed into the stomach back into the food pipe (esophagus). At times, the food goes back into the stomach or mostly is vomited back. Babies tend to spit up after almost every feed. It happens when milk and acid are pushed back into the gullet or the mouth.

Why Do Babies Experience Acid Reflux?

Acid reflux in babies occurs as their digestive systems are immature. When food is swallowed, the esophagus automatically contracts and pushes the food down into the stomach. A valve, called the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) relaxes and lets the food pass through. The LES prevents the food and acids from going back up into the esophagus. However, in GERD, the valve does not close properly or remains open. Thus, allowing backflow of stomach acids and food into the esophagus.

In babies, the reflux occurs as the LES valve is weak and may not close properly. Secondly, babies tend to lie down most often and their esophagus is shorter than a grown adult. Thus, babies spit up or burp after every feed. This is usually not painful and quite normal in babies under 1 year of age. At times, the milk may get mixed with stomach acids and come up. This irritates the inner lining of the esophagus causing pain and restlessness in the baby.

Reflux is not bad for babies as it helps reduce the pressure in case the baby has swallowed more milk and overcome the stomach discomfort.

What Are the Signs of Baby Acid Reflux?

Generally, babies do not show any symptoms of acid reflux. They just tend to spill milk after a feed. However, when acid is mixed up with the milk regurgitated, it may cause certain symptoms. When the baby who spits up after feeding that may spoil their clothes, and even yours, yet do not seem to be affected by it, means it is a normal regurgitation.

However, if it bothers the baby and leads to pain, discomfort, and cry during or after feeds. Their vomiting is more significant after feeds. A few babies may vomit more than they feed and tend to lose weight or are unable to gain weight.

At times, these symptoms may go beyond acid reflux. They may be suffering from lactose intolerance, stomach infections, or gastrointestinal disorders. A few babies also suffer from silent reflux that does not cause any visible symptoms. Such babies may cry a lot and appear to be in pain with a persistent cough. However, they may seem a little relaxed when held upright.

How to Treat Baby Acid Reflux?

Baby acid reflux is not a condition that requires treatment normally. It usually goes away on its own as the baby grows. However, if it seems bothersome to the baby, then you may try changing the brand of milk for formula fed babies, or the mom need to tweak their own diet for a breastfed baby.

Give the baby frequent small feeds, so that the stomach does not get too full. Hold the baby upright at least for half an hour after a feed to allow the milk to go down into the stomach. Allow quiet time after feeds so that the milk gets digested and does not lead to discomfort and gas.

When it comes to baby acid reflux, all you can do is help your baby get comfortable and burp it all out. If it seems bothersome and worrisome to you, speak to your baby’s pediatrician for further advice.

A bold statement, but that’s how much I love this exercise. Partly because I “made it up”, but mostly because it works! I call it the “medicine ball abs blaster” as it’s performed with a medicine ball (MB) and well …it “blasts your abs”. This is the best exercise for abs because it works the entire region (with the exception of the oblique’s). Anyway, rather than talking about how great it is, I’ll tell you exactly how to do it. You’ll need a workout partner for this by the way.

The Best Exercise For Abs – Technique Tips!

First things first, you want to select a medicine ball and lie on your back in a regular sit up position. Elevate the “MB” overhead and when you’re ready – while keeping the arms extended – sit upwards and let it roll off your fingertips and into the hands of your partner (who will be standing by your feet).

Briefly pause while you wait for your training partner to toss the medicine ball back into your hands. Remember, keep those arms extended! Lower your body back down to starting position at a controlled pace. At this point, you then elevate your legs upwards – while keeping them straight – and drive your feet upwards towards the ceiling while performing a “pelvic tilt”.

Lower them back down at a controlled speed and as soon as your heels touch the ground, crunch upwards and toss the “MB” back to your training partner. You’ll want to repeat this sequence for as many repetitions as you can.

Because GERD is so complex, one has to understand the mechanisms underlying the problem. GERD is due to a hiatal hernia. When there is a hiatal hernia, there are different degrees of reflux of stomach acid up to the esophagus. The primary symptom of GERD is heartburn. Another common problem associate with GERD is “water brash” or a feeling of acid up in the throat. It is not uncommon for people with bad reflux, which is what GERD is, to have vocal cord irritation, coughing, and a chronic sore throat, especially in the mornings-and even asthma.

Hiatal hernia is caused simply by overstretching the stomach, which then unfortunately causes the lower end of the esophagus to overstretch as well. When the esophagus is overstretched, acid freely goes up into the esophagus, which is not designed to handle acid.

Heartburn is often also caused by gastritis or inflammation of the stomach. These two conditions may be difficult to differentiate and can only be done so by doing an endoscopy, or putting a scope down the throat into the lower esophagus and stomach. Gastritis is treated as a very different condition, although both of them tend to get treated by using acid suppression with medications like Zantac, Prilosec, the purple pill [protonix], etc.

The condition that is the most worrisome with GERD is the esophagitis,, called reflux esophagitis. In the worst case it becomes known as Barrett’s esophagus. Barrett’s esophagus can lead to esophageal cancer, because of the chronic irritation of acid of the lower end of the esophagus.

So, there are two approaches to handling GERD.

The first is to reduce the reflux of acid into the esophagus. This is again using the acid suppression medications. In a holistic world, the primary strategy is to reduce the amount of time the food sit in the stomach and to try to heal the esophagus. The medications used to suppress acid reflux into the esophagus simply decrease the acid production. They do nothing to heal the esophagus or the stomach. The doctors in this case rely strictly on the body healing itself. Holistic doctors use an additional strategy using a supplement called DGL or aloe to help to heal the lining of the esophagus and stomach.

The second important strategy is to reduce the time the food takes move out of the stomach. Unfortunately, with the acid blockers we are in a Catch-22. By suppressing stomach acid, we are not able to digest our food as well and consequently it tends to sit in the stomach longer. While appearing counterintuitive, we would typically recommend that individuals with GERD should actually use acid during their meals. Many individuals actually develop reflux simply because they already do not have enough acid in their stomachs to digest their food properly. That means food sits there too long and therefore is more likely to reflux into the esophagus. For this purpose people may use apple cider vinegar, 1 to 2 tablespoons in 4 ounces of water at the end of each meal, or to actually use an acid preparation such as betaine hydrochloride, in the proper dose.

Digestion actually begins in the mouth. People need to properly until their food is liquid before it leaves the mouth. This pre-digestion reduces the amount of work the stomach has to do and as a result of food will leave the stomach faster, decreasing reflux. I strongly believe that a large part of our reflux problems in our society is that people don’t chew adequately, because of how much we end up rushing meals. In addition, those people with reflux — particularly with morning symptoms– need to elevate the head of the bed or get a foam wedge with a 6 inch rise. The foam wedge needs to cover their body from their head to their tailbone. Fortunately, this can be done on one side of the bed so that any partner is not affected. It’s important to do elevation with a wedge [additional pillows just don’t work] to decrease the possibility of acid refluxing into the esophagus. In addition, meals should not happen within two hours of bedtime, as food is likely to still be in the stomach and then reflux into the esophagus. Small meals throughout the day also decrease the amount of food in the stomach at any one time. The stomach is like a small balloon, the size of a fist, and when it is pressed by the down the muscles with bending and lifting or other abdominal muscle straining, the balloon is pressed and the food has only one way to go, up into the esophagus.

In terms of the value of PEMFs in the setting of heartburn or GERD, it is possible that PEMFs may help with motility of the stomach to evacuate food faster. This helps to decrease the amount of reflux. Additionally PEMFs may increase the amount of acid production during a meal to help to digest food better and faster. Finally, PEMFs can help to reduce the symptoms of heartburn and gastritis. I have used magnetic fields numerous times when I have overindulged in spicy foods. They do help the pain of heartburn fairly dramatically. However, this use of PEMFs is just a Band-Aid as long as the other components of reducing reflux are not used. So, using PEMFs in the setting of GERD has to include mechanical measures, nutritional measures and proper digestive practices. PEMFs may be very helpful to reduce symptoms and may additionally speed up gastric motility, reducing the amount of time food spends in the stomach and therefore the likelihood of reflux.

Obviously if you own a PEMF system, it could be used for other health needs as well. If you already have a PEMF system for other reasons, it can also be used for your reflux by applying the magnetic field directly over the upper abdomen and lower esophagus. This can be done particularly at bedtime, whenever heartburn is felt – until the discomfort is relieved, and in the morning when symptoms may be the worst. In this case, again, the PEMFs would be symptomatically helpful along with whatever other therapy is being used.

Peptic ulcer is a crater-like hole in the stomach or the beginning of the small intestine. The gastric ulcers form in the stomach while the duodenal ulcers form in the beginning of the small intestine. Duodenal ulcers occur in twelve to fifteen percent of adults in the United States.

Ulcers occur due to the breakdown of protective barriers that line the stomach and intestines. Digestive juices are very acidic but there are secretion substances such as bicarbonate and mucus that neutralize this acidity. These protective secretions are emitted to prevent ulcer formation. A loss of integrity in the lining of the small intestine or stomach due to a breakdown of these protective barriers leads to ulcers.

The culprits that cause this loss of integrity and development of ulcers are listed below:

#1. Bacterium Helicobacter pylori, is an infection that attaches to the protective lining in the stomach and weakens it.

#2. Food allergies

#3. Overuse of Naproxen, Ibuprofen and Aspirin increase risk of gastrointestinal bleeding

#4. Emotional stress may be a causative factor

#5. Smoking is a significant factor

It is difficult to diagnose the sometimes vague symptoms of an ulcer. The most common symptom is abdominal pain that feels like an ache, burning sensation or cramp. This gnawing feeling can occur anywhere from forty-five minutes to two hours after a meal.

Sometimes this “heartburn” type feeling can worsen in the evening. Other symptoms are black stools, vomiting or nausea. A procedure known as an endoscopy can be performed by a physician to evaluate this disorder. Swift medical attention is advised. Individuals that have a peptic ulcer must be monitored by a doctor. There are serious complications that can quickly translate to “medical emergencies.” One of the biggest problems is that individuals experiencing these symptoms mask them with a large quantity of antacids. These supplements, natural remedies and dietary considerations have proven to be beneficial:

#1. Vitamin A

#2. Vitamin E

#3. Vitamin C

#4. Aloe Vera – drink a couple of glasses daily

#5. Increase dietary fiber

#6. Flavoniods

#7. Cabbage juice

#8. Rhubarb

#9. Bismuth Sub-citrate – natural mineral available through a compounding pharmacy.

#10. Licorice

Last but not least, control stress through effective relaxation techniques. Deep breathing, Yoga, or stretching through Pilates exercises can provide beneficial and therapeutic outlets. Stress management, high fiber diet and antacids (on an occasional basis only) are helpful. A combination of all of these is the key to preventing and healing ulcers.

The best set of stomach workouts and exercise are sit-ups on parallel bars. If you haven’t realized your dream of six pack abs even after 3-4 months of exercising, it is dead certain that you haven’t used parallel bars to do sit-ups, period. I know you are wondering why this is not written about anywhere online. Simple sit-ups are practiced by anyone who is working out ab exercises either using sit-up bars or plainly lying flat on a floor mat, but I can challenge anyone, which other exercise for abdomen stresses the whole of muscle as the sit-ups on parallel bars do. The plain truth is there is no other ab exercise that comes anywhere near beating the efficiency of sit-ups on parallel bars.  

Why sit-ups on parallel bars are the best for you

Let me help you remove whatever apprehensions you might have about sit-ups on parallel bars. This is the only ab exercise that loads your entire body weight on the abdominal muscle, right from the lower abs through to middle pack that makes the six packs in a few weeks, to its maximum possible extent. Imagine being able to stress a literally adamant muscle everyday to its maximum, set after set and enjoying the pain; there is nothing that feels better than this.  

How to do sit-ups on parallel bars

Warning:

• You must be prepared for severe pains in the lower abdomen for the first few days
• Not advisable for elderly persons
• Not advisable for those suffering severe arthritis

What you need:

• Parallel bars, either the ones used by gymnasts or the half length, wall mounted ones.
• Good pair of shoes with soft tongues
• Strong resolve to flatten your stomach in 3-4 weeks

1.  If you are new to this, climb up the parallel bars, hang yourself upside down with one bar passing under your knee joints while your feet tucked firmly to the other bar.

2.  It’s unnecessary to hold your feet close to each other. A relaxed gap in between feels better when lifting up your body.

3.  You need to clasp your hands behind your head before beginning to rise up. Let me warn you not to swing up your arms in fully stretched position as some people wrongly do. Swinging both your arms together generates a lot of upward force enough to share a part of the gravitational pull you have to defy. If you don’t work against the sum of this advantageous gravity and your own body weight, you will only be deceiving yourself.

4.  Pull up your upper body with no support or nothing to hold. It is only the abdominal muscle, the one small portion of your body, which is working at this stagnant moment. It feels like it is taking a Herculean effort to reach up.

5.  Reach up to your knees and touch them with your forehead.

6.  You have got to do this just as slowly both ways as you can, feeling the tremendous gravity at work on your muscles through mid way. When flat stomach is your only fad and when you are in a hurry, sit-ups on parallel bars don’t disappoint you unlike other abdominal exercises.

In Western literature the spleen has always been denigrated and in medicine mostly ignored. TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) and Feng Shui revere the spleen as the official in charge of boosting the immune system. Together with its partner, the stomach, the spleen resonates with the earth element. It is the largest lymphatic organ, and from its position in the center it regulates distribution and transportation throughout the system. As a pair, the spleen and the stomach are a hub for bodily functions and energy flow. This central location is significant in feng shui and the layout of your space. The center, also known as the Tai Ji or “Grand Ultimate” is the hub around which all other activities radiate. In cross-dynamic patterns of the bagua where feng shui connects and relates pairs of guas in support of each other, the pathways always lead through the center hub.

The stomach is crucial for nutritional input and output which is then filtered by the spleen for purified essentials and essences. This essence of life, made manifest in energy levels, is the sheng qi we all depend on for well-being and good health. The center of our space which is the health gua in feng shui needs to be constantly monitored and refreshed. This important sector is attributed to the earth element, but earth permeates other areas of the bagua as well relating to feng shui principles in more than one sector. The relationship corner which is the trigram of the mother or feminine principle, is an earth gua, as is the wisdom and knowledge area, endemic to the mountain trigram.

Earth in addition to its many other responsibilities also governs transitions. Late summer or Indian summer is earth, when nature reaches fruition in time for harvest. Some TCM practices identify the last ten days of each season with the earth element as a transition period.

Earth is the element of equilibrium and stability, therefore, if our element profile is well balanced, we should feel centered and grounded. Earth is the element of containment. The stomach is the container that receives nutrition and holds it through the initial digestive process. The spleen holds purified blood cells and platelets.

Earth is the plateau on which we create our lifestyle. All flat tops and surfaces are earth, and any kind of container, i.e. bowls, vases, chests and closets serve to receive gifts from mother earth. In symbolic feng shui we replicate natural phenomena with auspicious objects, colors and shapes to reinforce our intentions. If we honor these aspects in our space, we must realize that earth abhors clutter and stuffed closets. Excess and overabundance creates an earth dilemma that will make us feel stagnant and stuck.

Earth likes check lists and favors routine and regularity. The spleen needs concentration and focus. In that spirit we offer our feng shui considerations for an earth friendly environment:

• First and foremost, let’s go on a space-clearing crusade. Get rid of all unnecessary clutter and debris.

• Once you have cleaned surfaces and containers, and pulled everything out of closets and drawers, you may start with creating “beauty.” Anything that is pleasing and gratifying to your perception can be regarded as beautiful. As an attractive focal point, it is probably auspicious for your spleen.

• Mark the center with a special object that attracts your gaze. This could be a chandelier, a mobile, a crystal, a special rug or unique piece of furniture.

• Identify the health sector by placing the bagua on your floor plan.

• Create feng shui enhancements within the health area. This can be done with objects, colors and shapes.

• Yellow is a wonderfully uplifting earth color, and a bouquet of yellow flowers, sunflowers or mums, will give you the needed boost.

• Enjoy the time of harvest and tonify with foods in earth colors. Earth foods are tightly layered around themselves or densely packed.

• The spleen prefers room temperature beverages and can be damaged with artificial and concentrated sweeteners.

• The stomach and spleen connect to the lips and mouth, and since they control tasting, it explains why the preferred earth flavor would be “sweet.”

• Sound and music for energizing earth types would be repetitive or drum pieces, as in Philip Glass or Ravel’s “Bolero.”

• Heavy, flat and low pieces of furniture are anchors and keep you grounded and bound to your space. In case you intend to move, consider removing them as part of your relocating strategy.

• Enjoy your newly discovered peace of mind that comes with feeling grounded and centered after you have honored earth with considerations for the needs of your stomach and spleen.

If you want to know the absolute fastest way to lose 3 inches off your stomach, then read on, and use the powerful stomach-shrinking information in this article to begin to rid yourself of the bulge, and start to flatten your stomach right away!

Maybe you’ve been on a diet before. And maybe you lost weight. And maybe you felt really good about it. But even with your weight loss, you still wished you could lose more inches, specifically off your stomach, right?

Well, in this article you’ll learn the absolute fastest way to lose 3 inches off your stomach-even if that has always been one of your body’s must stubborn problem areas.

And the secret is actually quite simple. So here it is:

Have a full, powerful, complete bowel movement!

That’s right, The absolute fastest way on earth to lose 3 inches off your stomach is to have a full, powerful, complete bowel movement! It’s faster than torturing yourself with grueling abdominal exercises, which can take up to forty-eight hours before you see results. It’s faster than going on a diet, which can take up to thirty-six hours before you see results. It’s faster than weight loss pills, which can take up to twenty-four hours before you see results (not to mention the dangerous side effects!). And it’s faster even than body wraps, which can take up to sixty minutes before you see results.

The simple truth is, that a full, powerful, complete bowel movement can cause you to lose 3 inches off your stomach, in as little as 30 seconds or less! That’s faster than fast. That’s instantly!

You see, those unwanted extra inches on your stomach are caused by three things.

#1. They are caused by swollen fat cells in your stomach area.
#2. They are caused by weak, stretched untoned stomach muscles, and supporting abdominal body tissues.
#3. They are caused by full stretched bulging bowels that need to be thoroughly and completely emptied.

Now, there are many proven ways to cure these three problems fast. But just remember, your first step toward losing 3 inches off your stomach is to make sure that you have a full, powerful, complete bowel movement. Because that will start to flatten your bowels and tone your stomach muscles. And suddenly you’ll notice that you’re actually starting to lose inches off your stomach!

Now here’s what to do to have a guaranteed stomach-flattening bowel movement. Finish eating your last meal or snack as early as possible today. Then, just before you go to bed tonight, take the recommended dose of Swiss Kriss herbal laxative. Follow the instruction on the container, exactly-including drinking the recommended amount of water with it. The flakes form of Swiss Kriss is best. But if you use the tablets, simply chew them to powder in your mouth. Then swallow them down with the recommended amount of water. Then go to bed.

As soon as you get up in the morning, pour one-third of a glass full of fruit juice. Then sprinkle in 1teaspoon of whole flax seeds, plus 1 tablespoon of ground golden flax seeds, plus 1 heaping teaspoon of Yerba Prima brand Colon Care Formula. Then fill the rest of the glass completely full with water, and quickly stir the whole mixture with a fork,(or pour it into a blender, and blend it for a few seconds). Then drink it down immediately, and chase that down with another full glass of plain water.

Then go to the toilet, take your shoes, pants, and underwear completely off, and lay them aside. Raise up both the stool cover and the seat. Then sit on your hunches, with your feet positioned on the naked rim of the toilet. In that position your knees and thighs will be somewhat pressed up against your abdomen.

This idea may seem strange or unusual or new to you. But just remember one thing: it works like magic for emptying your bowels powerfully and completely. And for losing those inches off your stomach even faster!

And obviously, If you find yourself in a situation where the sitting-on-your-hunches position is not practical, Just sit on the toilet seat as usual. And wait for the inevitable to happen. And when it does, see how many inches you’ve lost off your stomach from just that one movement!

Gastric dilatation-volvulus (GDV) or dog bloat or gastric torsion is a serious life-threatening disease in dogs. Gastric dilatation-volvulus is the condition where the stomach rotates on itself causing a twisting of the esophagus where it enters the stomach and the pylorus where the stomach normally empties into the intestines, thus reducing the ability for things to get in or out of the stomach. Once twisted, the stomach starts to distend with gas turning into a large balloon within the abdomen, leading to impairment of blood flow in the body and to the stomach wall dying because of overdistention. Left untreated, almost all dogs with GDV will die.

Dog bloat affects mainly large breed dogs with deep chests. Common breeds include the Great Dane, Doberman Pinscher, Weimaraner, Saint Bernard, German Shepherd dog, and Irish Setters. Why canine bloat occurs is not known. There are some predisposing factors that have been identified such as exercising after eating a large meal, elevated feeding, having a fearful temperament, and having a parent or close relative that had a GDV.

The classic signs of bloat include nonproductive retching, hypersalivation, restlessness, and a progressively distending and tight abdomen. Diagnosis of GDV is made with radiographs. Radiographs taken with the dog laying on the right side show a classic “reverse-C” or “double bubble” sign which is the malpositioned pyloric region of the stomach sitting above the fundic region of the stomach.

Initial treatment for dogs with GDV involves fluid resuscitation to improve blood flow to the heart, and some form of decompression of the stomach, either by an orogastric tube or by trocharization of the stomach. An orogastric tube is passing a tube from the mouth into the stomach. This can be difficult in an awake dog and with the stomach severely dilated. Trocharization involves passing a large sterile needle or catheter through the abdominal wall into the stomach to relieve the gas within the stomach. Both of these are temporary ways of relieving the pressure build-up within the stomach to make the dog more stable.

Surgery is always recommended for dogs with gastric torsion. Surgery is necessary to reposition the stomach and to pexy or permanently attach the stomach to the abdominal wall so that it cannot twist again. If a pexy is not performed, the chance that the dog will bloat again is as high as 80%. After pexying the stomach to the abdominal wall, the chances of bloating again are less than 10%.

In some cases, the stomach wall shows areas of necrosis or death. If areas of the stomach wall are not viable, then these portions need to be removed. When a gastric resection needs to be performed, the mortality rate associated with surgery increases to around 60%.

Post-op dogs need to be monitored closely for arrhythmias which can occur within the first 24 hours after surgery. With gastric resection, other conditions like disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) are common and potentially life-threatening. A majority of dogs recover with no problems and once they are eating, can go home, usually within 48 hours of surgery. Owners are instructed to feed smaller, multiple feedings rather than one large meal. Exercise is restricted for two weeks while the abdominal incision heals then the dog can return to normal activity.

Prophylactic gastropexies are commonly recommended for high risk breeds. These are sometimes performed during spaying or neutering as puppies and can be done using a laparoscope to assist the procedure so the incisions in the abdomen are kept to a minimum. Or if surgery into the abdomen is required for another reason such as to remove an intestinal foreign body, a prophylactic gastropexy can be performed during the same surgery.