You can buy a pound of organic herb for around the same price as one or two bottles of store bought herbs in capsule form. You'll get a pound of better, fresher more potent organic herb instead of 3 ounces of lesser quality.
If you do get encapsulated herb in a bottle try to get vegetable based capsules. Look for "Suitable for vegetarians" or "Vegan" or something similar on the label. I want my capsules from a plant source. This goes for herbs or supplements or vitamins.
However I don't take regular so called vitamins or minerals. I use the best I use SuperFood Plus from Dr Schulze's American Botanical Pharmacy. That's my number one choice. Any one that knows me can tell you I don't recommend much. I'm very critical of health related products. If I mention something it's worth at least a look.
Not made from animal scraps or mineral oil. I'm concerned with a recent disease in cattle and other farm animals in the animal based capsules. Mineral oil blocks absorption in the digestive track. Specifically Mad Cow Disease in cattle and Scrapie in sheep and goats.
Mad Cow disease a.k.a. BSE (Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy)
Scrapie a.k.a. TSE (Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathy)
Found in cats in Europe (Feline Spongiform Encephalopathy)
To mention a few.
In people in the US the official agencies call it -
variant Creutzfeldt-Jacob disease (vCJD) and now they added
new variant Creutzfeldt-Jacob disease (nvCJD)
The human form is a Spongiform Encephalopathy but you notice they have been very careful not to include it in the name.
Are they the same disease but given different names because they are in different animals. I'll tell you more of this possible connection in a future post. These diseases and many more in the same class raise well deserved concern. I am very suspicious of pathogens that jump across multiple species all at once.
This is something I don't feel happens in nature by it's self. Maybe from one animal to us or another animal but when it jumps all species all at once a red warning flag goes up. Know what I mean. Some one has been peeing in the gene pool.
If you want to use herbs in capsules there are some people doing this manually so you don't get the flow agents. If you come across an offer for this from one of the herb suppliers you still want organic or wild-crafted herb and please look for or request the vegetable based capsules.
The other option is to buy vegetable based capsules and fill them yourself. You may find you can buy capsules in bulk also. Usually in multiple of 1000 caps. When I do this I get the best prices buying from the same place I get herbs. I have found it much cheaper than buying direct from the companies that make the capsules. I buy herbs from several companies.
The standard sizes of capsules would be "0" or the larger "00". Most herbs you by at the store are in the "0" size capsule. Personally I prefer the "00" size. When you buy bulk everything becomes so cheap there is no reason to skimp.
When you fill capsules by hand it takes time but saves money. To make the job easier you can get a cheap tool that makes the process easier and faster. It will keep your hand from cramping up if your going to fill hundreds of capsules in one sitting.
I started doing this with the Ginkgo biloba for my mother to help with her Alzheimer's disease. It worked better that the stuff we were buying in the stores. Not only does it help with memory it but got rid on the mood swings and bad attitude she occasionally would bless us with.
The one I use has a base made up of 4 parts. A base that has little rounded indentations to cup the bottom of the capsule. In each corner is a vertical peg that you side the next layer onto. Also on the base are 2 more pegs. one centered on opposite ends of the base.
These pegs are for 2 small rectangles. When turned one way the support the filling platform and when turned 90 degrees allow the platform to sit on the base.
The platform has 50 holes that align with the indentations of the base. You start with the platform up. Place a capsule in each hole. The top of the capsule is a hair lower than the platform.
Then spoon some herb on the platform. They give you a card to move the herb around and fill the capsules about the size of a credit card. When all the holes are filled you take the tamper that have one peg for each capsule and press it into all the capsules at the same time. Then repeat until you can't get any more to compress and the capsules are full.
Now you just rotate the pieces that support the platform and let it lower. The filled capsules are now about half exposed but still being held upright. Now place the caps on the capsules and your done. The one I use is called Cap-M-Quik. I have both the "0" and "00" sizes. I have tried others but I like the Cap-M-Quik the best. Fast and easy to use.
I usually take the smaller cap side before I cap the filled capsules and scoop up a little more herb in them before placing the on the filled half. That way I get more herb in them and the capsules are very firm if you squeeze them between to fingers.
When I have taken store bought bottled capsules and squeezed them they seem to have a different amount herb in each capsule. Most of them are only putting half as much herb in their capsules than will fit. This makes you think your getting more than you think. It's a visual deception.
It's just like everything else we buy. They put it in a big container and then add that the contents are by weight not buy volume. Content may have settled. I don't believe that. It's to make you think your getting more when your not.
Like when they started putting 14 ounces coffee in the same size can they previously put 16 ounces in. Then they kept the price the same and people thought they were still getting 16 ounces. Or when you buy an extra large box of breakfast cereal and when you open it there is about what should be in a medium size box. One top of that the bigger container costs you more, takes more space to store and makes more trash.
When you buy herbs in bulk you can usually get it in several forms. Powdered form is what you would get if you planned to put it in capsules. I also get powdered form when the herb is extremely hard like Kola nut when making a tincture. Some herbs are just so hard they will destroy consumer grade blenders, food processors and mills.
They sell chopped which is usually used when making teas. You can get ginkgo biloba in whole leaf. Both dried and at certain times of the year you may be able to buy fresh.
The shipping on fresh is a lot more because it's shipped next day delivery and may have ice packs included. The fresh herbs are often shipped by a certain carrier. This is because they have a controlled environment from the pickup to delivery.
Your herbs don't bake in a hot truck or transit hub on its way to you. Even if shipped when it's cold out you want to know your herbs won't get jammed up against the trucks heater.
This is usually not your choice. The herbal companies that you want to buy from will always take care. They want repeat business. They make sure you get your fresh herb fast and in great shape. Every time I have ordered fresh herbs they looked like I just went out and picked them.
A quick word about bottled herbs bought in health food stores and wellness centers and any other type of stores that carry a line of herbal products. The buyer beware. If your buying a bottle of capsules or herbal tea know that they have been around sitting on the self and in the warehouse for a while. I never buy generic or store brand.
With that said if that was all I had available to me I would use it. The stuff still works. Maybe not as quick or as well but it's better than nothing. Always buy the best you can get or the best you can afford. Don't give up just because you can't have the best.
Also most of the commercially bottled capsules contain flow agents. These are added so the powdered herb flows through the automated equipment that puts the herb in the capsules. Check the label and you will see these chemicals. Still look for organic if you can. I have seen hand packed capsules available through some of the bulk herb sellers.
Know that these companies are in herbals to make a profit and they may be buying cheap pesticide treated herbs for 50 cents a pound to fill their containers. Pesticides lower the immune system. These cheaper herbs may not have the full range of compounds the higher quality herbs have and they may be weaker.
When you buy bulk you have the advantage of seeing what your getting. You see the condition it is in. You can actually smell and taste it. You can see that it isn't half rotten or have mold growing all over it. You can send it back.
After you use herbs for a while you will evening be able to make a good appraisal of its quality. You will even be able to determine if dried herbs are this years crop or last years crop.
Thursday, November 15, 2007
Friday, November 9, 2007
Alzheimer's Urinary Problems Need Help Can't Pee?
After I posted on Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) I noticed this was a topic of reader concern and I needed to give my favorite trusted source to these herbals. I must tell you I have personally used this source and have trusted the person behind it with my life.
One search I saw was for - "alzheimer's no urine for days". This caused great concern in me and prompted the writing of this. The person behind this search didn't leave a comment and I don't know who they where. Any time the flow of urine is greatly reduced with out reason or it becomes concentrated (very dark in color and has a very strong odor not because of something you ate) or stops completely needs attention now.
There are other things you must check out. Are they drinking water or other liquids. There are other things that help but using herbs I get the best results all the time. You need to get a person that isn't peeing to pee before it starts creating damage. The first day I would be concerned. The second day I would start to freak out.
But make sure they aren't sneaking off to the bathroom and going when you don't know it. Or peeing somewhere else like a waste basket or other container and pouring it out or peeing onto a towel and hiding it. I speak from experience.
The American Botanical Pharmacy is where I buy my pre-made tinctures and tea. You will not find this brand in your local store. I you need it fast they have shipping available to get it to you fast. I try to always have at least one bottle on hand.
For Urinary Tract Infection I used their Kidney/Bladder formula. You can read how I use it in my October post titled - "Alzheimer's UTI herbs Vs Doctors" starting at paragraph 14. The paragraph starts with "This stuff doesn't taste bad so". Just look in the right sidebar for Blog Archive. Click on October and you will see it.
This K-B formula contains - Uva Ursi leaf, Juniper berry, Corn silk, Horsetail herb, Burdock root and seed, Parsley leaf and root. These herbs are anti-bacterial, anti-microbial, diuretic and anti-inflammatory.
This will disinfect the Urinary Tract and cause easy urination and plenty of it. I like it because it works and fast. It has never failed me.
They also have a K-B (Kidney/Bladder) Tea that has herbs that have the identical action as the formula plus a couple more that aid in dissolving kidney stones and renal calculi. Hydrangea root and Gravel root.
The tea contains - Uva Ursi leaf, Juniper berry, Corn silk, Horsetail herb, Burdock root and seed, Parsley root, Goldenrod herb, Hydrangea root, Gravel root, Mashmallow root, Orange peel and Peppermint leaf.
American Botanical Pharmacy contact info -
On-line at http://www.herbdoc.com
Phone - 1-800-HERBDOC which is 1-800-437-2362
Call center hours -
Monday - Saturday 6 am - 7 pm (PST) Sunday 7 am - 3 pm (PST)
They also have very good educational materials.
Everything at the American Botanical Pharmacy is from the sweat and tears of one of the greatest naturopathic geniuses. Dr Richard Schulze. I've been using his products for years. I have all his educational information available on his site and more.
I also make some of his herbal formulas myself the same way he does but on a much smaller scale for personal use. I always have quart jars in the house filled with tinctures in the making. You can make your own too but if you don't want to do it, not sure you can, or need it tomorrow call them now. Ask for a copy of their catalog too. When your on the web site don't forget to check out their educational stuff. It's good information.
When you make your own you do have an advantage. For example if you were to have kidney stone problems or major calcification on the kidneys you can add extra Hydrangea root and Gravel root.
One of the things that helped my mother with Alzheimer's disease was doing Dr. Schulze's bowel cleansing routine. Read about it on his catalog or on the web site. I'll try to write a post about it. Some of his routines seem like they take up a lot of time. The first day it does because you think about everything and double check and keep reading the instructions. The second day you get the hang of it and from then on it's easy.
I'm going to be doing Dr Schulze's Incurables Program with my mother to work on her Alzheimer's disease. This is a 30 day program. It should be fun. Well for me at least. I have a habit of turning things up a notch or three. I always take every herb I tell others about. I also have consumed higher quantities than most just to see if I can get any side effects. I have experience doing these routines so don't tell me they're to hard to do.
Now go have a healing experience. Your the one that does the healing. If you have a question don't hesitate to click on "comments" at the bottom of each post and leave a comment or question. I'll try to answer it.
I would also like to state I receive no financial incentive to send you to The American Botanical Pharmacy. I am not connected in any way except I have been a very satisfied customer.
I did another post in October titled - "Alzheimer's Warning Urinary Track Infections" that may help if your with a person having Alzheimer's like symptoms.
One search I saw was for - "alzheimer's no urine for days". This caused great concern in me and prompted the writing of this. The person behind this search didn't leave a comment and I don't know who they where. Any time the flow of urine is greatly reduced with out reason or it becomes concentrated (very dark in color and has a very strong odor not because of something you ate) or stops completely needs attention now.
There are other things you must check out. Are they drinking water or other liquids. There are other things that help but using herbs I get the best results all the time. You need to get a person that isn't peeing to pee before it starts creating damage. The first day I would be concerned. The second day I would start to freak out.
But make sure they aren't sneaking off to the bathroom and going when you don't know it. Or peeing somewhere else like a waste basket or other container and pouring it out or peeing onto a towel and hiding it. I speak from experience.
The American Botanical Pharmacy is where I buy my pre-made tinctures and tea. You will not find this brand in your local store. I you need it fast they have shipping available to get it to you fast. I try to always have at least one bottle on hand.
For Urinary Tract Infection I used their Kidney/Bladder formula. You can read how I use it in my October post titled - "Alzheimer's UTI herbs Vs Doctors" starting at paragraph 14. The paragraph starts with "This stuff doesn't taste bad so". Just look in the right sidebar for Blog Archive. Click on October and you will see it.
This K-B formula contains - Uva Ursi leaf, Juniper berry, Corn silk, Horsetail herb, Burdock root and seed, Parsley leaf and root. These herbs are anti-bacterial, anti-microbial, diuretic and anti-inflammatory.
This will disinfect the Urinary Tract and cause easy urination and plenty of it. I like it because it works and fast. It has never failed me.
They also have a K-B (Kidney/Bladder) Tea that has herbs that have the identical action as the formula plus a couple more that aid in dissolving kidney stones and renal calculi. Hydrangea root and Gravel root.
The tea contains - Uva Ursi leaf, Juniper berry, Corn silk, Horsetail herb, Burdock root and seed, Parsley root, Goldenrod herb, Hydrangea root, Gravel root, Mashmallow root, Orange peel and Peppermint leaf.
American Botanical Pharmacy contact info -
On-line at http://www.herbdoc.com
Phone - 1-800-HERBDOC which is 1-800-437-2362
Call center hours -
Monday - Saturday 6 am - 7 pm (PST) Sunday 7 am - 3 pm (PST)
They also have very good educational materials.
Everything at the American Botanical Pharmacy is from the sweat and tears of one of the greatest naturopathic geniuses. Dr Richard Schulze. I've been using his products for years. I have all his educational information available on his site and more.
I also make some of his herbal formulas myself the same way he does but on a much smaller scale for personal use. I always have quart jars in the house filled with tinctures in the making. You can make your own too but if you don't want to do it, not sure you can, or need it tomorrow call them now. Ask for a copy of their catalog too. When your on the web site don't forget to check out their educational stuff. It's good information.
When you make your own you do have an advantage. For example if you were to have kidney stone problems or major calcification on the kidneys you can add extra Hydrangea root and Gravel root.
One of the things that helped my mother with Alzheimer's disease was doing Dr. Schulze's bowel cleansing routine. Read about it on his catalog or on the web site. I'll try to write a post about it. Some of his routines seem like they take up a lot of time. The first day it does because you think about everything and double check and keep reading the instructions. The second day you get the hang of it and from then on it's easy.
I'm going to be doing Dr Schulze's Incurables Program with my mother to work on her Alzheimer's disease. This is a 30 day program. It should be fun. Well for me at least. I have a habit of turning things up a notch or three. I always take every herb I tell others about. I also have consumed higher quantities than most just to see if I can get any side effects. I have experience doing these routines so don't tell me they're to hard to do.
Now go have a healing experience. Your the one that does the healing. If you have a question don't hesitate to click on "comments" at the bottom of each post and leave a comment or question. I'll try to answer it.
I would also like to state I receive no financial incentive to send you to The American Botanical Pharmacy. I am not connected in any way except I have been a very satisfied customer.
I did another post in October titled - "Alzheimer's Warning Urinary Track Infections" that may help if your with a person having Alzheimer's like symptoms.
Monday, November 5, 2007
Alzheimer's Just Add Juice And Herbal Info
When ever I use an herb I use whole herb. This gives me the best results. I stay away from the products that have been standardized because I want the original balance of compounds found in the plant. I don't care that plants grown in different places and environments may have slightly different make up.
Sometimes I mix the same kind of herb from different sources. Sometimes I mix fresh herbs with dried herbs. With ginkgo biloba I have also blended fresh green leaves with the yellowing leaves of fall. I use what I can get when I need to make more. You can buy enough to get you to the time of the year when what you want is available.
If you make herbal tinctures and you end up with a big batch - no worries. As long as it's well sealed and stored properly it can remain potent and effective for years. That's the beauty of tinctures. They have a shelf life the far exceeds any other form of herbs.
Most herbal product lines have a plain whole herb product and one that is standardized. For example on the label it may say extract standardized to 6 percent for a certain chemical or compound. I just checked a bottle of ginkgo biloba leaf extract capsules and it says - standardized to ginkgoflavoglycosides 21mg(24%) and terpene lactones 5mg (6%). Read my last post for more about this.
Whenever possible I use just the plain unchanged whole herb. I tried so many high performance standardized special delivery proprietary process improved uptake special patent herbal junk. I haven't found one product that was better than just plain herbs. All that fancy stuff just empties you pocket faster. If you want an herb concentrate make it yourself.
Use organic herbs or wild-crafted herbs whenever you can. Wild-crafted just means they have be collected in the wild. In their natural environment and hopefully in a way that doesn't deplete or harm the source. To sustain the wild sources I buy organic whenever possible.
This will also help the organic herb farmer. The more you support this industry the easier it will be to get these herbs. The availability of a larger selection of safer (no pesticides higher quality) herbs will increase. These organic herb farmers would love to expand into a growing market. It comes down to demand.
There is no reason why you can't grow your own herbs. There are many herbs in high demand and you would be able to sell anything you grow beyond your personal needs. This is true of medicinal herbs as it is culinary herbs. You could start your own little cottage industry and recover your costs.
Once your friends and family see how herbs help you they may become your first customers. Some herbs sold fresh can fetch a price worth the effort. You don't even need to dry them. Even if you don't plan to use the herb yourself.
Many of the herbs and spices you cook with have medicinal use. A good way to ingest additional herbs is to use them in your food preparation. There is no reason not to sprinkle them on your food just before you eat. Add them to you salads.
If you juice as I do stick some herbs into the juicer between pieces of fruit or vegetables. I often add fresh parsley or cilantro to my favorite combinations.
I sometimes do juice fasting. Juice fasting is when you stop eating all other foods and consume only fruit and vegetable juices. This is strictly a vegan adventure. No meat juice. No meat broth.
When it's only for a few days the plain single juices and blended combinations are great. If its a long juice fast it's nice to change things up by adding different fresh herbs. I juice everyday even when I'm not fasting. Juice fasting is great for a person with Alzheimer's disease.
Be careful using hot peppers (especially habanero peppers) and garlic. Not because they will harm you but because they are much stronger in taste when juiced. Remember you can always put more in but you can't take it out.
If a person has Alzheimer's you may notice them napping a lot during the time they should be awake. They may be falling asleep right after eating a snack or a meal. This is not only true of people with Alzheimer's like symptoms but for many elderly people and some of us younger types.
This is in part because to the food we eat. Different types of food digest at different speeds. The digestive process can take several hours for certain food. During digestion up to one third of your bodies blood supply goes to your digestive tract. Not only is it carrying stuff your body can use it's carrying the things it can't use. The liver gets very busy.
When the blood is doing this it's hard for it to do the things we want it to do. Focus on the brain. Take toxins from other processes in the body and transport them to the liver. The liver is one of the major cleansing portals of the body.
Very few people have a healthy liver. It's not bad enough for most of us to feel it. It is easy for the blood to try and pass these toxins to the liver. Working at reduced effectiveness it's easy for the liver to say no vacancy. The blood has no choice but to find some other dump site. Don't count on the blood to fine a safe storage area for all those toxins. There aren't any.
The blood likes to dump stuff. It's very good at doing just that. If it's carrying toxins and the liver won't accept any more it often finds some place in the body to store them. Once stored they usually don't automatically head for the liver when the liver has a lighter load to handle. You store a lot of bad stuff in you body.
Not just eating bad food choices creates toxins. Every process in the body does. Even breaking down and using the nutrients in the right form causes toxins. Then add the stuff that we add in our food. The water we drink. What gets through the skin.
Every movement, every breath, every heart beat, every repair, every cell creation, every bio electrical signal, every thought, the billions of bacteria in us, the parasites, the fungus and more create toxins from within. Wow! How does the liver handle that.
Besides taking care of toxins the liver is the factory that supplies and stores our main supply of energy. This is glucose. The body can run for a while on some other things but the brain works best on glucose.
So when the liver is overloaded. Congested with the unhealthy fats. Over worked and stressed out and under paid. Trying to process man made chemicals it was never meant to handle we have a problem.
One of the things that can help this is juicing. When you drink juice the digestion time is very short. About 20 minutes. You're also giving your body high doses of great nutrition. You're getting all the stuff you destroy when you cook your food. This can cause a major improvement in health and energy levels.
I urge you to try juicing yourself. It is very powerful. My father never wanted to do fresh juicing. He did like fruit juice and the occasional glass of tomato juice. One day I set the juicer up in his kitchen and started juicing. I had gone to the food market and bought a whole shopping cart of organic fruits and vegetables.
I washed some of the stuff and then juiced it. Maybe an hour later I'd doing it again. We were all drinking 12 ounce glasses of juice all day long. More than we needed but we were all enjoying the different tastes.
On the 4th or 5th day I walk into the kitchen and there's my father standing at the sink washing carrots and beets. I couldn't believe it. He went from not really wanting to try the first glass to wanting juice enough to start making it himself and for any one else that wanted it.
My mother being 90 years old and having Alzheimer's is prone to frequent naps especially after eating regular food. Then she will wake up at night and not want to go back to sleep. When I can get her off the regular foods and just juice it's better for all of us.
When I can get everything organized and have the money and time to do these juice fasts she has a even level of energy through out the day and usually gets a good night of sleep - me too. It also appears that the herbs work better when the body isn't constantly bogged down digesting regular food.
There are all types and price ranges for juicers. I have a Champion Juicer. It's very easy to clean. I've had it for six years and have used it hard but it still works like the day I got it. I paid around 200 US dollars for it. It makes nut butters too. You can put frozen bananas through it and it comes out like soft ice cream or frozen custard. People don't believe it's only banana.
No matter what your health is like get a juicer. What you can afford to spend for a juicer doesn't matter. Get one and use it. The more expensive juicers get more juice from what you juice. They cost more to buy but reduce the amount of produce you buy. If you grow what you juice that's better yet.
I have juiced for periods longer than a month - just juice. If I don't use the stove or oven (electric) for cooking and use it just making herb teas I have saved 30 to 50 dollars off the electric bill for the month.
Are you still here? I thought I told you to go buy a juicer.
Sometimes I mix the same kind of herb from different sources. Sometimes I mix fresh herbs with dried herbs. With ginkgo biloba I have also blended fresh green leaves with the yellowing leaves of fall. I use what I can get when I need to make more. You can buy enough to get you to the time of the year when what you want is available.
If you make herbal tinctures and you end up with a big batch - no worries. As long as it's well sealed and stored properly it can remain potent and effective for years. That's the beauty of tinctures. They have a shelf life the far exceeds any other form of herbs.
Most herbal product lines have a plain whole herb product and one that is standardized. For example on the label it may say extract standardized to 6 percent for a certain chemical or compound. I just checked a bottle of ginkgo biloba leaf extract capsules and it says - standardized to ginkgoflavoglycosides 21mg(24%) and terpene lactones 5mg (6%). Read my last post for more about this.
Whenever possible I use just the plain unchanged whole herb. I tried so many high performance standardized special delivery proprietary process improved uptake special patent herbal junk. I haven't found one product that was better than just plain herbs. All that fancy stuff just empties you pocket faster. If you want an herb concentrate make it yourself.
Use organic herbs or wild-crafted herbs whenever you can. Wild-crafted just means they have be collected in the wild. In their natural environment and hopefully in a way that doesn't deplete or harm the source. To sustain the wild sources I buy organic whenever possible.
This will also help the organic herb farmer. The more you support this industry the easier it will be to get these herbs. The availability of a larger selection of safer (no pesticides higher quality) herbs will increase. These organic herb farmers would love to expand into a growing market. It comes down to demand.
There is no reason why you can't grow your own herbs. There are many herbs in high demand and you would be able to sell anything you grow beyond your personal needs. This is true of medicinal herbs as it is culinary herbs. You could start your own little cottage industry and recover your costs.
Once your friends and family see how herbs help you they may become your first customers. Some herbs sold fresh can fetch a price worth the effort. You don't even need to dry them. Even if you don't plan to use the herb yourself.
Many of the herbs and spices you cook with have medicinal use. A good way to ingest additional herbs is to use them in your food preparation. There is no reason not to sprinkle them on your food just before you eat. Add them to you salads.
If you juice as I do stick some herbs into the juicer between pieces of fruit or vegetables. I often add fresh parsley or cilantro to my favorite combinations.
I sometimes do juice fasting. Juice fasting is when you stop eating all other foods and consume only fruit and vegetable juices. This is strictly a vegan adventure. No meat juice. No meat broth.
When it's only for a few days the plain single juices and blended combinations are great. If its a long juice fast it's nice to change things up by adding different fresh herbs. I juice everyday even when I'm not fasting. Juice fasting is great for a person with Alzheimer's disease.
Be careful using hot peppers (especially habanero peppers) and garlic. Not because they will harm you but because they are much stronger in taste when juiced. Remember you can always put more in but you can't take it out.
If a person has Alzheimer's you may notice them napping a lot during the time they should be awake. They may be falling asleep right after eating a snack or a meal. This is not only true of people with Alzheimer's like symptoms but for many elderly people and some of us younger types.
This is in part because to the food we eat. Different types of food digest at different speeds. The digestive process can take several hours for certain food. During digestion up to one third of your bodies blood supply goes to your digestive tract. Not only is it carrying stuff your body can use it's carrying the things it can't use. The liver gets very busy.
When the blood is doing this it's hard for it to do the things we want it to do. Focus on the brain. Take toxins from other processes in the body and transport them to the liver. The liver is one of the major cleansing portals of the body.
Very few people have a healthy liver. It's not bad enough for most of us to feel it. It is easy for the blood to try and pass these toxins to the liver. Working at reduced effectiveness it's easy for the liver to say no vacancy. The blood has no choice but to find some other dump site. Don't count on the blood to fine a safe storage area for all those toxins. There aren't any.
The blood likes to dump stuff. It's very good at doing just that. If it's carrying toxins and the liver won't accept any more it often finds some place in the body to store them. Once stored they usually don't automatically head for the liver when the liver has a lighter load to handle. You store a lot of bad stuff in you body.
Not just eating bad food choices creates toxins. Every process in the body does. Even breaking down and using the nutrients in the right form causes toxins. Then add the stuff that we add in our food. The water we drink. What gets through the skin.
Every movement, every breath, every heart beat, every repair, every cell creation, every bio electrical signal, every thought, the billions of bacteria in us, the parasites, the fungus and more create toxins from within. Wow! How does the liver handle that.
Besides taking care of toxins the liver is the factory that supplies and stores our main supply of energy. This is glucose. The body can run for a while on some other things but the brain works best on glucose.
So when the liver is overloaded. Congested with the unhealthy fats. Over worked and stressed out and under paid. Trying to process man made chemicals it was never meant to handle we have a problem.
One of the things that can help this is juicing. When you drink juice the digestion time is very short. About 20 minutes. You're also giving your body high doses of great nutrition. You're getting all the stuff you destroy when you cook your food. This can cause a major improvement in health and energy levels.
I urge you to try juicing yourself. It is very powerful. My father never wanted to do fresh juicing. He did like fruit juice and the occasional glass of tomato juice. One day I set the juicer up in his kitchen and started juicing. I had gone to the food market and bought a whole shopping cart of organic fruits and vegetables.
I washed some of the stuff and then juiced it. Maybe an hour later I'd doing it again. We were all drinking 12 ounce glasses of juice all day long. More than we needed but we were all enjoying the different tastes.
On the 4th or 5th day I walk into the kitchen and there's my father standing at the sink washing carrots and beets. I couldn't believe it. He went from not really wanting to try the first glass to wanting juice enough to start making it himself and for any one else that wanted it.
My mother being 90 years old and having Alzheimer's is prone to frequent naps especially after eating regular food. Then she will wake up at night and not want to go back to sleep. When I can get her off the regular foods and just juice it's better for all of us.
When I can get everything organized and have the money and time to do these juice fasts she has a even level of energy through out the day and usually gets a good night of sleep - me too. It also appears that the herbs work better when the body isn't constantly bogged down digesting regular food.
There are all types and price ranges for juicers. I have a Champion Juicer. It's very easy to clean. I've had it for six years and have used it hard but it still works like the day I got it. I paid around 200 US dollars for it. It makes nut butters too. You can put frozen bananas through it and it comes out like soft ice cream or frozen custard. People don't believe it's only banana.
No matter what your health is like get a juicer. What you can afford to spend for a juicer doesn't matter. Get one and use it. The more expensive juicers get more juice from what you juice. They cost more to buy but reduce the amount of produce you buy. If you grow what you juice that's better yet.
I have juiced for periods longer than a month - just juice. If I don't use the stove or oven (electric) for cooking and use it just making herb teas I have saved 30 to 50 dollars off the electric bill for the month.
Are you still here? I thought I told you to go buy a juicer.
Friday, November 2, 2007
Alzheimer's And Herbs Before You Start
This is a valuable insight into the world of herbs few know about. I thought I would tell you a little about herbs and how I feel about different variations. These are my own opinions. I feel you need to be informed and this might make you think. If I come across info I don't hide it like others do.
When using herbs to help with Alzheimer's disease use a supplier that will tell you where they get their herds. I always use herbs that are organic, wild-crafted (wild harvested) or I grow or collect in the wild myself. I buy from people that sell herbs in bulk. This is usually one pound and up. Some will sell as little as 4 ounces. Rare expensive herbs may be sold by the ounce.
Please do your own research and know that many of the books on herbs may not have reliable information. Isn't that true about everything these days. Just be aware that if it's in a book doesn't mean it's right. Some of the most bought books have the least value. Some of the herbal magazines are also spreading disinformation. Some on purpose and some don't know any better.
There's always some biochemist trying to isolate the magic bullet in nature. What they do is try to pick the one ingredient they think is responsible for the action and then they set it to a certain percentage. You'll often hear the an herb has been standardized to have a certain amount of a chemical. That a study has found this modified herb to be effective to some degree in a study.
I wonder if this is just a sales gimmick. Where does the money come for these studies. It involves isolating a single chemical which sounds the way the drug companies work. The herbal companies will sell these processed herbs and make a lot of money. After these herbs have been standardized can you really call them herbs?
A lot of herbal companies that put herbs in bottles jump on the band wagon. They hear about a study and put out a standardized herbal product to match what the study says it used. This is money driven. They know people will be looking for a standardized herbal product that matches the study. This is based on the idea that it must be one chemical - one alkaloid and that's wrong.
Another reason I am not for standardized herbs is they are using some kind of process to accomplish this. They will do it as cheap as they can. What chemicals are used. Is there anything in the end product that wasn't there in the beginning.
What they don't want you to know is the herbs may contain more of that chemical to begin with. If there is. When they standardize it they may be actually reducing the strength of the herb. That doesn't matter to them. It only matters that the percentage matches the study.
You might see references to ratios like 10:1 (ten to one). Where they take 10 pounds a make a pound of more potent product. If there is a pesticide residue on the herb this will be increased as well. You don't think they have a special process to remove these pesticides do you? Do they care? They don't think you will find out.
Many herbs imported into the United States are gassed with Ethylene Oxide to kill bacteria. Believe me you don't want your herbs treated with this stuff. It is very dangerous and can cause cancer or worse. Herbs can be treated with Ethylene Oxide and still be called organic. Can you believe that. I'm sure there are other countries taking measures to treat herbs and food coming from other countries.
Many drugs the pharmaceutical (drug) companies make originated from plants. The chemicals they make aren't an exact match. They say herbs don't work. Why do you think drug companies research the chemical composition of plants searching for alkaloids and testing each one to see if it's responsible for the healing effects of that plant. If they find one that shows promise they try to make it the lab. But they say herbs don't work only their pills. Some body isn't telling the truth.
Take Premarin for example. You have probably seen in the news this is used for women and supplies estrogen. Before World War II they would get biologically identical estrogen from plants. Putting our brilliant knowledge to use some genius said, we can get a cheaper source if we use the urine from pregnant horses. The miracles of modern chemistry.
It's not bio identical to humans but it's an estrogen. All we need to do is take a pregnant mare and stick a catheter up the horses urethra and collect the urine in a container. A little magic in the lab and presto change-o we have a pill. We can call it Premarin. Look at the spelling. See it. PREgnant MARe urINe. PRE-MAR-IN. PREMARIN. Yum!
This is only an example and just the tip of the iceberg. There are many manufacturers, brands and different hormone replacement drugs not just for estrogen. Where do they come from? Do they increase the chance of getting cancer or will they speed up the growth of an existing cancer?
Most of us have heard of the actress Suzanne Somers. If not you can do a search. You can bet she isn't taking Premarin. She's very well informed and she found a doctor to help her by using bio identical estrogen. Every time I see her on television she is talking about health and how bio identical hormones have changed her life. Way to go Suzanne. I just hope she's using bio identical hormones from plants and not cadaveric hormones harvested from dead people.
Strange that they say herbs don't work but that's where the got most drugs and they continue to search plants for new drugs. You can tell when an herb is interfering with their profits. How you ask? They have it declared dangerous and tie in dozens of weak claims that the herb has killed some one. Yet their poison can kill many thousands and disable even more and all they need to do is put a warning on the label.
Other drugs come from bacteria and other creatures of god. Not out of the head of some super chemist in the lab. There are also plants that don't contain alkaloids and still they heal and the pharmaceutical companies can't figure out how they work. They have eyes to see but they are blind. Perhaps by choice. If the drug companies can't patent it and charge a fortune for it they say it doesn't work.
It's not one but many chemicals and compounds working together and you can't make them in a chemical plant. The only kind of plant that can make them is the kind that grows with it's roots in the soil. All herbs have so many things in them they don't know what they all are. But when you buy your prescriptions they only have one active chemical in them with binders, flow agents, dyes and coating chemicals.
I feel this way about working on any serious condition. Not only for dealing with Alzheimer's disease. I'll talk more on the herbs I use after I discuss some of the basics.
When using herbs to help with Alzheimer's disease use a supplier that will tell you where they get their herds. I always use herbs that are organic, wild-crafted (wild harvested) or I grow or collect in the wild myself. I buy from people that sell herbs in bulk. This is usually one pound and up. Some will sell as little as 4 ounces. Rare expensive herbs may be sold by the ounce.
Please do your own research and know that many of the books on herbs may not have reliable information. Isn't that true about everything these days. Just be aware that if it's in a book doesn't mean it's right. Some of the most bought books have the least value. Some of the herbal magazines are also spreading disinformation. Some on purpose and some don't know any better.
There's always some biochemist trying to isolate the magic bullet in nature. What they do is try to pick the one ingredient they think is responsible for the action and then they set it to a certain percentage. You'll often hear the an herb has been standardized to have a certain amount of a chemical. That a study has found this modified herb to be effective to some degree in a study.
I wonder if this is just a sales gimmick. Where does the money come for these studies. It involves isolating a single chemical which sounds the way the drug companies work. The herbal companies will sell these processed herbs and make a lot of money. After these herbs have been standardized can you really call them herbs?
A lot of herbal companies that put herbs in bottles jump on the band wagon. They hear about a study and put out a standardized herbal product to match what the study says it used. This is money driven. They know people will be looking for a standardized herbal product that matches the study. This is based on the idea that it must be one chemical - one alkaloid and that's wrong.
Another reason I am not for standardized herbs is they are using some kind of process to accomplish this. They will do it as cheap as they can. What chemicals are used. Is there anything in the end product that wasn't there in the beginning.
What they don't want you to know is the herbs may contain more of that chemical to begin with. If there is. When they standardize it they may be actually reducing the strength of the herb. That doesn't matter to them. It only matters that the percentage matches the study.
You might see references to ratios like 10:1 (ten to one). Where they take 10 pounds a make a pound of more potent product. If there is a pesticide residue on the herb this will be increased as well. You don't think they have a special process to remove these pesticides do you? Do they care? They don't think you will find out.
Many herbs imported into the United States are gassed with Ethylene Oxide to kill bacteria. Believe me you don't want your herbs treated with this stuff. It is very dangerous and can cause cancer or worse. Herbs can be treated with Ethylene Oxide and still be called organic. Can you believe that. I'm sure there are other countries taking measures to treat herbs and food coming from other countries.
Many drugs the pharmaceutical (drug) companies make originated from plants. The chemicals they make aren't an exact match. They say herbs don't work. Why do you think drug companies research the chemical composition of plants searching for alkaloids and testing each one to see if it's responsible for the healing effects of that plant. If they find one that shows promise they try to make it the lab. But they say herbs don't work only their pills. Some body isn't telling the truth.
Take Premarin for example. You have probably seen in the news this is used for women and supplies estrogen. Before World War II they would get biologically identical estrogen from plants. Putting our brilliant knowledge to use some genius said, we can get a cheaper source if we use the urine from pregnant horses. The miracles of modern chemistry.
It's not bio identical to humans but it's an estrogen. All we need to do is take a pregnant mare and stick a catheter up the horses urethra and collect the urine in a container. A little magic in the lab and presto change-o we have a pill. We can call it Premarin. Look at the spelling. See it. PREgnant MARe urINe. PRE-MAR-IN. PREMARIN. Yum!
This is only an example and just the tip of the iceberg. There are many manufacturers, brands and different hormone replacement drugs not just for estrogen. Where do they come from? Do they increase the chance of getting cancer or will they speed up the growth of an existing cancer?
Most of us have heard of the actress Suzanne Somers. If not you can do a search. You can bet she isn't taking Premarin. She's very well informed and she found a doctor to help her by using bio identical estrogen. Every time I see her on television she is talking about health and how bio identical hormones have changed her life. Way to go Suzanne. I just hope she's using bio identical hormones from plants and not cadaveric hormones harvested from dead people.
Strange that they say herbs don't work but that's where the got most drugs and they continue to search plants for new drugs. You can tell when an herb is interfering with their profits. How you ask? They have it declared dangerous and tie in dozens of weak claims that the herb has killed some one. Yet their poison can kill many thousands and disable even more and all they need to do is put a warning on the label.
Other drugs come from bacteria and other creatures of god. Not out of the head of some super chemist in the lab. There are also plants that don't contain alkaloids and still they heal and the pharmaceutical companies can't figure out how they work. They have eyes to see but they are blind. Perhaps by choice. If the drug companies can't patent it and charge a fortune for it they say it doesn't work.
It's not one but many chemicals and compounds working together and you can't make them in a chemical plant. The only kind of plant that can make them is the kind that grows with it's roots in the soil. All herbs have so many things in them they don't know what they all are. But when you buy your prescriptions they only have one active chemical in them with binders, flow agents, dyes and coating chemicals.
I feel this way about working on any serious condition. Not only for dealing with Alzheimer's disease. I'll talk more on the herbs I use after I discuss some of the basics.
Sunday, October 14, 2007
Alzheimer's UTI Herbs Vs Doctors
The first time Edith acquired an urinary tract infection I felt so bad seeing her suffer with it. The way it was handled by the allopathic (regular) medical doctors was in my opinion was inhumane. Here is what they do where we live. Edith is my mother and she has Alzheimer's disease.
First I'd like to say that mom does pretty good communicating when in a familiar environment like at home. Put her in a strange place like a hospital and it gets difficult for her to focus and follow what is being said or asked of her.
The people in the hospital don't exhibit much patience in dealing with the situation and just want to get things done. They worry more of the time involved than the mental state they are creating in the Alzheimer's patient. They know she has trouble urinating.
It's an inconvenience to them and they need to put a little more effort into communicating. I could see the impatience in their face. They want a urine sample so they resort to a catheter and draining a sample for testing. They have drained her so the urgency and pain are gone.
That's the only plus I saw of the process. The way they handled the situation rubbed me the wrong way. I'm a proactive caregiver and you don't want to rub me the wrong way. I will not hesitate to make my feelings and demands known.
I can be a doctors, a medical assistants or a nurses worst nightmare if that's what I feel is necessary. I don't feel they are half as special as they do. The barbarians. Sorry if I offended any barbarians I didn't mean to insult you.
I don't intentionally look for a confrontation but if reasonable efforts don't work. The warrior awakes in me and I use whatever it takes. There is a warrior in you. Don't be afraid to let that warrior take control when you need it.
They send the sample to the lab to see what is causing the infection. This involves growing a culture and testing with various antibiotics to determine which will be the best choice. They then fax the report to the family doctor who in turn calls us. It's off to the drugstore to pick up the prescription.
The prescription requires taking food with it and is to be taken a certain times of the day. It's the end of the third pill taking day before she starts to improve in the discomfort department. She was able to pass small amounts of urine during the treatment period. I didn't need to take her back to the hospital to get her drained again.
So this whole process took over 4 full days until she started to feel better. That really tormented me but she was lucky in a way. She couldn't remember what happened before or how long it had been.
We have always been a family that used herbs for a lot of ills and had pretty good results. I even remember my grandmother collecting and using herbs. This was something that has always been used by our family. We would use them because we could and because we didn't have a lot of money. We did go to the doctor but I think it was more from being indoctrinated over the years.
When I saw how they did things at the hospital and the attitude they had I decided to do for mom what she would have done for me. I went herbal. Not the run of the mill watered down over filtered poorly made stuff you can get at the store. The same organic wildcrafted kick ass industrial strength stuff my grandmother would have made if she was still around. I wouldn't be surprised if she was there urging me on.
Months later Edith got another infection and it was worse because she couldn't pee at all when I noticed the problem. She was rocking on the toilet and saying no-no-no-no and had her hand between her legs. Well this the moment I was preparing for.
This stuff doesn't taste bad so she will drink it down with ease. I gave her 2 droppers full (around 120 drops) in about an ounce of water. Twenty minutes later another dose and a half hour later another dose. When she laid down it didn't bother her as much so she took a nap.
About two hours had passed and I see her heading for the bathroom so I followed. As soon as she sat on the toilet seat she started to pee and pee and pee. A nice strong constant stream and no pain or discomfort.
I continued to give her 4 doses a day for three days just to make sure the infection was gone. It was gone. About 6 months later another UTI so I did the same thing I did the last time hoping for the same results and it worked the same way.
I have used this two more times since. Once when the urinary tract infection was acute like the previous times and once when I caught it early. This treatment worked every time.
No hospital. No aggravated inconvenienced doctors. No catheters. No snappy nurses. No waiting for tests. No prescriptions. No special feedings so she could take the prescription. No waiting over 4 days before starting to feel improvement.
Best of all my mother didn't need to be thrust into a state of confusion, anxiety and fear because of the way she was treated at the hospital. Oh did I mention no bills coming in the mail from the hospital, the emergency room, the emergency room doctor, the lab test, the family doctor or the prescription. Yea!
I hate it when you go to the hospital because you don't get one bill you get 15 people billing you. That should stop. You should get one itemized bill from the hospital and they should pay the idiots that work there for their tests and services. They should pass a bill or law. Call it - "One Roof One Bill".
We had used herbs for other conditions that our family doctor said herbs couldn't fix. This was years before the UTI problems. Each time my parents said they didn't take what she had prescribed she would try to scare us into following her recommendations and to take her prescriptions. She would make comments like it's probably to late now. It was to late because the condition was gone.
Every time a new medical condition was found she would stare me down and say you can't fix that with herbs and every time herbs worked. Not just worked but worked without side effects and better and faster than anything she could come up with. I'll go into more depth about this another time.
Why she looked at me when she would say you can't fix that with herbs I don't know. I think she wanted me to take sides with her. She may have thought I was telling my parents what to do. If you knew my parents you would know I didn't have that kind of power over them. No one did. They always would decide on their own. If they made it known to me what they wanted I would just assist them to make it so.
First I'd like to say that mom does pretty good communicating when in a familiar environment like at home. Put her in a strange place like a hospital and it gets difficult for her to focus and follow what is being said or asked of her.
The people in the hospital don't exhibit much patience in dealing with the situation and just want to get things done. They worry more of the time involved than the mental state they are creating in the Alzheimer's patient. They know she has trouble urinating.
It's an inconvenience to them and they need to put a little more effort into communicating. I could see the impatience in their face. They want a urine sample so they resort to a catheter and draining a sample for testing. They have drained her so the urgency and pain are gone.
That's the only plus I saw of the process. The way they handled the situation rubbed me the wrong way. I'm a proactive caregiver and you don't want to rub me the wrong way. I will not hesitate to make my feelings and demands known.
I can be a doctors, a medical assistants or a nurses worst nightmare if that's what I feel is necessary. I don't feel they are half as special as they do. The barbarians. Sorry if I offended any barbarians I didn't mean to insult you.
I don't intentionally look for a confrontation but if reasonable efforts don't work. The warrior awakes in me and I use whatever it takes. There is a warrior in you. Don't be afraid to let that warrior take control when you need it.
They send the sample to the lab to see what is causing the infection. This involves growing a culture and testing with various antibiotics to determine which will be the best choice. They then fax the report to the family doctor who in turn calls us. It's off to the drugstore to pick up the prescription.
The prescription requires taking food with it and is to be taken a certain times of the day. It's the end of the third pill taking day before she starts to improve in the discomfort department. She was able to pass small amounts of urine during the treatment period. I didn't need to take her back to the hospital to get her drained again.
So this whole process took over 4 full days until she started to feel better. That really tormented me but she was lucky in a way. She couldn't remember what happened before or how long it had been.
We have always been a family that used herbs for a lot of ills and had pretty good results. I even remember my grandmother collecting and using herbs. This was something that has always been used by our family. We would use them because we could and because we didn't have a lot of money. We did go to the doctor but I think it was more from being indoctrinated over the years.
When I saw how they did things at the hospital and the attitude they had I decided to do for mom what she would have done for me. I went herbal. Not the run of the mill watered down over filtered poorly made stuff you can get at the store. The same organic wildcrafted kick ass industrial strength stuff my grandmother would have made if she was still around. I wouldn't be surprised if she was there urging me on.
Months later Edith got another infection and it was worse because she couldn't pee at all when I noticed the problem. She was rocking on the toilet and saying no-no-no-no and had her hand between her legs. Well this the moment I was preparing for.
This stuff doesn't taste bad so she will drink it down with ease. I gave her 2 droppers full (around 120 drops) in about an ounce of water. Twenty minutes later another dose and a half hour later another dose. When she laid down it didn't bother her as much so she took a nap.
About two hours had passed and I see her heading for the bathroom so I followed. As soon as she sat on the toilet seat she started to pee and pee and pee. A nice strong constant stream and no pain or discomfort.
I continued to give her 4 doses a day for three days just to make sure the infection was gone. It was gone. About 6 months later another UTI so I did the same thing I did the last time hoping for the same results and it worked the same way.
I have used this two more times since. Once when the urinary tract infection was acute like the previous times and once when I caught it early. This treatment worked every time.
No hospital. No aggravated inconvenienced doctors. No catheters. No snappy nurses. No waiting for tests. No prescriptions. No special feedings so she could take the prescription. No waiting over 4 days before starting to feel improvement.
Best of all my mother didn't need to be thrust into a state of confusion, anxiety and fear because of the way she was treated at the hospital. Oh did I mention no bills coming in the mail from the hospital, the emergency room, the emergency room doctor, the lab test, the family doctor or the prescription. Yea!
I hate it when you go to the hospital because you don't get one bill you get 15 people billing you. That should stop. You should get one itemized bill from the hospital and they should pay the idiots that work there for their tests and services. They should pass a bill or law. Call it - "One Roof One Bill".
We had used herbs for other conditions that our family doctor said herbs couldn't fix. This was years before the UTI problems. Each time my parents said they didn't take what she had prescribed she would try to scare us into following her recommendations and to take her prescriptions. She would make comments like it's probably to late now. It was to late because the condition was gone.
Every time a new medical condition was found she would stare me down and say you can't fix that with herbs and every time herbs worked. Not just worked but worked without side effects and better and faster than anything she could come up with. I'll go into more depth about this another time.
Why she looked at me when she would say you can't fix that with herbs I don't know. I think she wanted me to take sides with her. She may have thought I was telling my parents what to do. If you knew my parents you would know I didn't have that kind of power over them. No one did. They always would decide on their own. If they made it known to me what they wanted I would just assist them to make it so.
Saturday, October 13, 2007
Alzheimer's Warning Urinary Track Infections
The first thing is getting a person with Alzheimer's to drink some water when they wake up. I do this because we all become dehydrated to some degree when we sleep. When you get older the brain doesn't work as well as it can if you don't keep hydrated. Also this gets the kidneys working and helps flush out anything that's in the urinary tract.
I try to fit in a serving of cranberry juice not long after mother gets up. I do this to help cut down on the possibility of a urinary track infection. It was thought that cranberry juice killed the bacteria that cause infection and I still feel that maybe be one of the things it does.
Now I have read that it makes the surfaces of the urinary tract very slippery and this makes it hard for bacteria to attach to anything and they flush out easily. I doesn't matter to me how it works. Only that it helps.
When people with Alzheimer's go to the bathroom they don't always wipe themselves in a proper manner. This is especially important for women. They can easily reach between their legs to wipe their bottom and smear fecal matter over their vaginal area. Females with Alzheimer's are at higher risk for repeat urinary tract infections because of anatomy.
That's a perfect environment for an infection to start and migrate up the urethra to the bladder and up the ureters to the kidneys. This is the most common direction for a UTI to infect them and you also. It's a lot easier to keep a person with Alzheimer's disease clean. When they develop an infection you must keep them clean and treat the infection.
I always try to be close by when mom goes to the bathroom. By watching how things go you can see a problem they won't or don't know how to tell you about. You see them holding their bladder area or exhibit a rocking motion while sitting on the toilet.
They may express discomfort with facial expressions or even verbally. If you are not there you can not see these signs when they first start. If the person did not have Alzheimer's they would be able to say they are having a problem long before this degree of infection. You must learn the symptoms.
Audio sounds may be as simple as a moaning or repetitive sounds like oh-oh-oh-oh or no-no-no-no. They will often use the same sounds and or movements if a second infection occurs so its important for you to learn what the person you are taking care of does when an infection flowers. You should look for return visits to the bathroom every few minutes also.
If you are going to be a caregiver your duties will include monitoring bathroom activities. From using the toilet to bathing and everything in between. You become a specialist of bowel movements, personal hygiene and safety. You will see, smell and clean up things you never thought you would have to clean.
I may be difficult at first but you'll get the hang of it. It all becomes boring and routine. Nothing will shock you. You may even find yourself breaking out in laughter at inappropriate situations. I often do. It's a good way to relieve tension.
A UTI can come on very fast so it is important that you learn the early warning signs. Once it starts it can escalate to the point where no urine will able to flow. If this has ever happened to you I know you understand how bad this feels.
I try to fit in a serving of cranberry juice not long after mother gets up. I do this to help cut down on the possibility of a urinary track infection. It was thought that cranberry juice killed the bacteria that cause infection and I still feel that maybe be one of the things it does.
Now I have read that it makes the surfaces of the urinary tract very slippery and this makes it hard for bacteria to attach to anything and they flush out easily. I doesn't matter to me how it works. Only that it helps.
When people with Alzheimer's go to the bathroom they don't always wipe themselves in a proper manner. This is especially important for women. They can easily reach between their legs to wipe their bottom and smear fecal matter over their vaginal area. Females with Alzheimer's are at higher risk for repeat urinary tract infections because of anatomy.
That's a perfect environment for an infection to start and migrate up the urethra to the bladder and up the ureters to the kidneys. This is the most common direction for a UTI to infect them and you also. It's a lot easier to keep a person with Alzheimer's disease clean. When they develop an infection you must keep them clean and treat the infection.
I always try to be close by when mom goes to the bathroom. By watching how things go you can see a problem they won't or don't know how to tell you about. You see them holding their bladder area or exhibit a rocking motion while sitting on the toilet.
They may express discomfort with facial expressions or even verbally. If you are not there you can not see these signs when they first start. If the person did not have Alzheimer's they would be able to say they are having a problem long before this degree of infection. You must learn the symptoms.
Audio sounds may be as simple as a moaning or repetitive sounds like oh-oh-oh-oh or no-no-no-no. They will often use the same sounds and or movements if a second infection occurs so its important for you to learn what the person you are taking care of does when an infection flowers. You should look for return visits to the bathroom every few minutes also.
If you are going to be a caregiver your duties will include monitoring bathroom activities. From using the toilet to bathing and everything in between. You become a specialist of bowel movements, personal hygiene and safety. You will see, smell and clean up things you never thought you would have to clean.
I may be difficult at first but you'll get the hang of it. It all becomes boring and routine. Nothing will shock you. You may even find yourself breaking out in laughter at inappropriate situations. I often do. It's a good way to relieve tension.
A UTI can come on very fast so it is important that you learn the early warning signs. Once it starts it can escalate to the point where no urine will able to flow. If this has ever happened to you I know you understand how bad this feels.
Thursday, October 11, 2007
Alzheimer's Imagine All The People
When people reach this stage of their life and the person is no longer able to remain in our reality. They often live in a world much more difficult than ours. Imagine getting old and one by one you give up your pleasures and the control of your own life. Then add Alzheimer's too.
You know that your physical ability is diminishing and you can no longer take care of yourself. On top of that your mental function is declining and your memories are almost impossible to recall. Your ability to understand what you see and hear is on the retreat.
The world that you live in becomes smaller and smaller. The sights, sounds, smells and the touch of a soft breeze that have brought you joy so many times no longer come to visit.
The food looks and smells good but your taste in food has changed and you don't like the taste of most foods so it's hard to please you. You don't enjoy eating most of the time. Even if something tastes good at first a few spoonfuls later you don't like it and don't want to eat any more.
Now take away your social skills and manners. Leave behind everything you have ever learned about etiquette. You struggle to remember the most basic vocabulary and how to use it.
You spend most of the day in a state of confusion. Recognizing those around you but not knowing who they are. Not knowing if you belong where you are. Are the people around you your family or friends or may they be people you should fear. Do you risk interaction with them. Often for no reason you become overwhelmed with fear and can't escape it.
You become frustrated because no one seems to hear your questions and when they do talk to you it doesn't make sense. You feel you are a burden and don't belong here because of the facial expressions you see and the tone of the voices you hear.
Nobody talks to you any more they talk at you. They talk as if you aren't even there. As if you aren't even here. You don't understand what that means but you know how it feels. How alone one must feel.
You can't tell those taking care of you that you are not comfortable or don't feel good. You're in constant pain and you can't do anything about it. You ate something earlier you thought was food but now you feel like you might have poisoned yourself. The shoes they have you wear make your feet hurt.
Your eyesight is getting worse and you will probably never see clearly again because you can't tell the optometrist which setting makes your vision clear. Don't forget the dentist. That's just some of it. Imagine all the people that are going through this.
Many times they may show signs of clarity and reason for short bursts. Like fireflies in the night. A flash, a flicker, a little streak of light in a void of blackness. As a caregiver it is important to look for those little streaks of light. When they happen don't waste one second of it.
It makes me wonder if these random re-connections can occur why can't we find a way to increase there number or duration. Why can't we bring them back to full function. If it's happening randomly there must be something that causes it. I know they study the progression of Alzheimer's disease and trying to find better ways to diagnose it. But is any one trying to study how the random access to previously blocked memory occurs.
I just want to say that I don't feel they are doing an acceptable job researching any diseases. I think they have gotten fat and lazy. I don't think they have any incentive to work any harder or smarter. They don't need to show true results to earn money for this. All they do is go out and beg and lie for more money with no accountability. A never ending source of money.
From watching closely it seems to me that the person is often still aware but when trying to express themselves their speech and movement becomes scrambled. They know what they what to express and in their head it sounds right to them but to us that listen it becomes a mixed up jumble of babble.
They make up there own language using words that sound almost right but aren't really words. At least to us. They become repetitive and you have no answers to put their questions to rest.
Other times it seems like the mind and body are on autopilot and what made them who they are is no longer there. Almost as if they are not present in the body when they are at their worst. As if they re-enter their body and are more of what you recognize is there when at their best.
When a person with Alzheimer's like symptoms is repetitive they may be asking or saying something again because they forget they did it already. It may be there is something wrong and what you are hearing is an attempt to express that. I might mean nothing more than they are stuck in a loop.
If there is a problem like a urinary tract infection they may feel extreme discomfort. Since they can't express that as we would they say something and keep repeating it because the pain continues. What they say becomes attached to the discomfort and they repeat.
It's a primal response like when you have a tooth abscess. When the pain becomes intense enough people have a tendency to moan and begin a rocking motion. This response is a release. It helps break the focus on the pain.
When I see or hear something repetitive I like to check things out just to make sure there isn't something physically wrong triggering it. If there doesn't appear to be a physical issue I use some of the techniques I use to break there focus on it that are in other posts.
It may be their way of saying they need some one to make them feel loved or cared about. Not just cared for. They may need reassurance they fit in and are safe and that you know they are there. They feel doing annoying things gets them noticed faster than doing what you which they would do.
How many times does a child do annoying or disobedient action and gets negative attention rather than seeking out positive actions and getting positive attention. This is most certain because negative actions always attracts more attention and often positive actions return no attention at all.
Maybe when a child is doing what we don't want them to and we think they are doing it on purpose they are not. At least not in a conscious way. Maybe these actions in the person with Alzheimer's disease or Alzheimer's like symptoms originates from the same process that triggers this type of behavior in children.
Remember that Alzheimer's disease and the Alzheimer's like symptoms of dementia and senility are all very complex disease processes to cope with. The diagnosis of this is very traumatic to the person and may cause issues. When you get told you have it you know it's a life sentence and your on you way out of this world.
This is usually a long unforgiving journey that nobody would sign up for. It's one of those milestones that make you face your mortality. Make sure you address the persons concerns. Don't let them feel they will be going through this alone. Talk about everything and leave no stones unturned.
Their mental and emotional state will play a big roll in getting through this ordeal. It's very important that every body involved has their head in the right place. That goes for the person that has been diagnosed, the family and the caregiver(s).
When a person has Alzheimer's they tend to remember things from long ago. If they aren't looking in a mirror they may even think they are a young child. I can't count the number of times my dear mother has called me daddy. They make act out of character for their age. They may often think they are young. They may act and do things you would expect of a child.
Sometimes I think we allow ourselves to be bothered because we are so close to the person we take care of. It's hard to see and accept that a person we knew so well has been reduced to this terrible condition. Maybe when we look at that person they become our mirror. Is this my future and is this what my existence is destined to become.
All I ask is that when the person you are taking care of starts to drive you crazy remember who the driver is. It's you not them. You allow and choose to let their actions influence you. You choose to regard them as the stimuli that drives you crazy.
This is not the case. This is the difference of going for the ride or tapping into your higher self and choosing to be a compassionate being. When you view something as negative it causes the negativity in you to grow. The person that is driving you crazy is not doing it on purpose. They have had their ability to choose stolen away from them.
So don't punish the spirit because the vessel has become damaged. When you start feeling like ignoring the person or start viewing them as an annoyance or you just want to scream and yell. Have a talk with yourself.
Look at yourself in a mirror and tell yourself you are not going to respond to this insanity with insanity. That you allow your higher self to take a dominant role in the way your react to the physical world and the other beings that share it with you. In time all things pass.
The majority of us have a similar fate awaiting us in not to many years as long as our life isn't cut short by choice, accident or disease. The longer we live the closer the chance of being a victim of Alzheimer's disease, senility or dementia gets. The statistics of avoiding it aren't in our favor.
It doesn't matter who you are, what you have done or how much money you have. It doesn't matter what color your skin is, the language(S) you speak or where in the world you live. It doesn't matter if your religious, spiritual, agnostic or atheist. It doesn't matter if you never went to school or have multiple advanced degrees. There are no magic pills to take, no doors to lock, no secret hiding place or sanctuary to take refuge.
Even if the person you take care of wasn't one of your favorite people take care of them as you would want some one to take care of you. Do unto to others as you would have others do unto you.
You know that your physical ability is diminishing and you can no longer take care of yourself. On top of that your mental function is declining and your memories are almost impossible to recall. Your ability to understand what you see and hear is on the retreat.
The world that you live in becomes smaller and smaller. The sights, sounds, smells and the touch of a soft breeze that have brought you joy so many times no longer come to visit.
The food looks and smells good but your taste in food has changed and you don't like the taste of most foods so it's hard to please you. You don't enjoy eating most of the time. Even if something tastes good at first a few spoonfuls later you don't like it and don't want to eat any more.
Now take away your social skills and manners. Leave behind everything you have ever learned about etiquette. You struggle to remember the most basic vocabulary and how to use it.
You spend most of the day in a state of confusion. Recognizing those around you but not knowing who they are. Not knowing if you belong where you are. Are the people around you your family or friends or may they be people you should fear. Do you risk interaction with them. Often for no reason you become overwhelmed with fear and can't escape it.
You become frustrated because no one seems to hear your questions and when they do talk to you it doesn't make sense. You feel you are a burden and don't belong here because of the facial expressions you see and the tone of the voices you hear.
Nobody talks to you any more they talk at you. They talk as if you aren't even there. As if you aren't even here. You don't understand what that means but you know how it feels. How alone one must feel.
You can't tell those taking care of you that you are not comfortable or don't feel good. You're in constant pain and you can't do anything about it. You ate something earlier you thought was food but now you feel like you might have poisoned yourself. The shoes they have you wear make your feet hurt.
Your eyesight is getting worse and you will probably never see clearly again because you can't tell the optometrist which setting makes your vision clear. Don't forget the dentist. That's just some of it. Imagine all the people that are going through this.
Many times they may show signs of clarity and reason for short bursts. Like fireflies in the night. A flash, a flicker, a little streak of light in a void of blackness. As a caregiver it is important to look for those little streaks of light. When they happen don't waste one second of it.
It makes me wonder if these random re-connections can occur why can't we find a way to increase there number or duration. Why can't we bring them back to full function. If it's happening randomly there must be something that causes it. I know they study the progression of Alzheimer's disease and trying to find better ways to diagnose it. But is any one trying to study how the random access to previously blocked memory occurs.
I just want to say that I don't feel they are doing an acceptable job researching any diseases. I think they have gotten fat and lazy. I don't think they have any incentive to work any harder or smarter. They don't need to show true results to earn money for this. All they do is go out and beg and lie for more money with no accountability. A never ending source of money.
From watching closely it seems to me that the person is often still aware but when trying to express themselves their speech and movement becomes scrambled. They know what they what to express and in their head it sounds right to them but to us that listen it becomes a mixed up jumble of babble.
They make up there own language using words that sound almost right but aren't really words. At least to us. They become repetitive and you have no answers to put their questions to rest.
Other times it seems like the mind and body are on autopilot and what made them who they are is no longer there. Almost as if they are not present in the body when they are at their worst. As if they re-enter their body and are more of what you recognize is there when at their best.
When a person with Alzheimer's like symptoms is repetitive they may be asking or saying something again because they forget they did it already. It may be there is something wrong and what you are hearing is an attempt to express that. I might mean nothing more than they are stuck in a loop.
If there is a problem like a urinary tract infection they may feel extreme discomfort. Since they can't express that as we would they say something and keep repeating it because the pain continues. What they say becomes attached to the discomfort and they repeat.
It's a primal response like when you have a tooth abscess. When the pain becomes intense enough people have a tendency to moan and begin a rocking motion. This response is a release. It helps break the focus on the pain.
When I see or hear something repetitive I like to check things out just to make sure there isn't something physically wrong triggering it. If there doesn't appear to be a physical issue I use some of the techniques I use to break there focus on it that are in other posts.
It may be their way of saying they need some one to make them feel loved or cared about. Not just cared for. They may need reassurance they fit in and are safe and that you know they are there. They feel doing annoying things gets them noticed faster than doing what you which they would do.
How many times does a child do annoying or disobedient action and gets negative attention rather than seeking out positive actions and getting positive attention. This is most certain because negative actions always attracts more attention and often positive actions return no attention at all.
Maybe when a child is doing what we don't want them to and we think they are doing it on purpose they are not. At least not in a conscious way. Maybe these actions in the person with Alzheimer's disease or Alzheimer's like symptoms originates from the same process that triggers this type of behavior in children.
Remember that Alzheimer's disease and the Alzheimer's like symptoms of dementia and senility are all very complex disease processes to cope with. The diagnosis of this is very traumatic to the person and may cause issues. When you get told you have it you know it's a life sentence and your on you way out of this world.
This is usually a long unforgiving journey that nobody would sign up for. It's one of those milestones that make you face your mortality. Make sure you address the persons concerns. Don't let them feel they will be going through this alone. Talk about everything and leave no stones unturned.
Their mental and emotional state will play a big roll in getting through this ordeal. It's very important that every body involved has their head in the right place. That goes for the person that has been diagnosed, the family and the caregiver(s).
When a person has Alzheimer's they tend to remember things from long ago. If they aren't looking in a mirror they may even think they are a young child. I can't count the number of times my dear mother has called me daddy. They make act out of character for their age. They may often think they are young. They may act and do things you would expect of a child.
Sometimes I think we allow ourselves to be bothered because we are so close to the person we take care of. It's hard to see and accept that a person we knew so well has been reduced to this terrible condition. Maybe when we look at that person they become our mirror. Is this my future and is this what my existence is destined to become.
All I ask is that when the person you are taking care of starts to drive you crazy remember who the driver is. It's you not them. You allow and choose to let their actions influence you. You choose to regard them as the stimuli that drives you crazy.
This is not the case. This is the difference of going for the ride or tapping into your higher self and choosing to be a compassionate being. When you view something as negative it causes the negativity in you to grow. The person that is driving you crazy is not doing it on purpose. They have had their ability to choose stolen away from them.
So don't punish the spirit because the vessel has become damaged. When you start feeling like ignoring the person or start viewing them as an annoyance or you just want to scream and yell. Have a talk with yourself.
Look at yourself in a mirror and tell yourself you are not going to respond to this insanity with insanity. That you allow your higher self to take a dominant role in the way your react to the physical world and the other beings that share it with you. In time all things pass.
The majority of us have a similar fate awaiting us in not to many years as long as our life isn't cut short by choice, accident or disease. The longer we live the closer the chance of being a victim of Alzheimer's disease, senility or dementia gets. The statistics of avoiding it aren't in our favor.
It doesn't matter who you are, what you have done or how much money you have. It doesn't matter what color your skin is, the language(S) you speak or where in the world you live. It doesn't matter if your religious, spiritual, agnostic or atheist. It doesn't matter if you never went to school or have multiple advanced degrees. There are no magic pills to take, no doors to lock, no secret hiding place or sanctuary to take refuge.
Even if the person you take care of wasn't one of your favorite people take care of them as you would want some one to take care of you. Do unto to others as you would have others do unto you.
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alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer/'s Disease