Colic is any cramp-like, recurring abdominal pain. Colic has a variety of causes and may occur at any age. Most often, however, people use the term to refer to colic that occurs in infants.

Infantile colic, or “three-month” colic, is a specific problem that bothers 10 to 20 percent of babies. Colic is far more common in bottle-fed babies than in breast-fed babies. Colic starts during the first few weeks of life and lasts one to six months (an average of three months).

Signs and symptoms

The signs of colic are seen in the typical behavior of colicky infants. A baby with colic cries for hours a day, particularly in the late afternoon and evening. The child pulls the legs up, clenches the fists, screams, and turns red. The child may feed briefly but soon stops feeding and returns to crying. Rocking and cuddling also stop the cries only briefly. In other respects, the infant is normal; the baby gains weight well, has normal bowel movements, and doesn’t spit up any more than most infants do.

A variation of this classical form of colic is the infant past two weeks of age who wakes frequently (every two hours or so), cries fretfully, takes one to two ounces of formula or a few minutes at the mother’s breast, falls into a fitful sleep, and wakens later to repeat this pattern.

Home care

First check for obvious causes of crying and discomfort other than colic. Look for diarrhea or constipation; loose nappy pins; severe nappy rash; a trapped arm or leg; whether the baby is too hot or too cold; or signs of illness – fever, nasal discharge, cough, reddened eyes, vomiting, hernia (a lump in the groin), or sores on the body. See whether your baby responds promptly to talking and cuddling and remains comfortable. A baby in pain can be distracted, but only temporarily. If breast-feeding, check that the mother’s nipples are not bleeding. Swallowed blood causes cramps. If a breast-feeding mother drinks too much cow’s milk, this can also cause cramps in the infant.

Offer your baby a feeding. If your baby drinks generously and falls asleep comfortably for several hours, the child was hungry, not colicky. Keep the baby partially upright in an infant carrier between feedings to be sure the baby is not regurgitating food in the oesophagus.

If colic still seems likely, applying gentle heat to the abdomen temporarily relieves the pain. First place a cloth nappy over the infant’s abdomen. Then place a heating pad (turned to “low”) on top of the nappy. Giving the child a pacifier may help. Also try inserting a glycerin suppository or lubricated thermometer to induce a bowel movement.

Precautions

• Make sure the formula is properly prepared.

• When bottle-feeding your baby, be sure that the nipple is kept full; this keeps your baby from swallowing too much air.

• Make sure the bottle’s nipple hole is large enough so that the baby can finish feeding in a reasonable time.

• Carefully burp the baby in different positions after each feeding.

Medical treatment

Your doctor will check for signs of illness, such as sores in the mouth or urinary tract problems. A urinalysis may be ordered. Your doctor also may recommend a change in formula to investigate the possibility that the child is allergic to the formula. A breast-feeding mother may need to eliminate all milk products from her diet to see if this is what is affecting her child. The doctor may also temporarily stop any solids already started to determine if the child may be allergic to certain foods.

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Correct, deep, belly breathing, says Dr. Hendricks, has been shown to:

•     Melt tension. It counters the shallow tight breaths produced by the instinctive fight-or-flight response that we find ourselves kicked into frequently.

•     Clarify and focus the mind.

•     Increase energy and endurance.

•     Clear unpleasant emotions. Two or three big breaths at the onset of an injurious emotion such as fear, anxiety, or depression are often enough to move it out of the body.

•     Help manage pain. (This is why it is taught in natural childbirth classes.) Do not hold your breath when in pain or anticipating pain. Instead, breathe – calmly, deeply.

•     Improve athletic performance.

•     Significantly lower blood pressure.

Deep breathing and breathing in general help in treating many modern-day maladies. “Breathing exercises are a major emphasis of the yoga classes I teach in Hawaii,” says Arthur Brownstein, M.D., medical director of the Princeville Medical Clinic and clinical instructor of medicine at the University of Hawaii John A. Burns School of Medicine in Honolulu. Breathing exercises are also a major component of the stress-management program taught to heart patients during the highly touted programs conducted by the Preventive Medicine Research Institute in Sausalito, California.

Breathing exercises

The following are the basics of Breathing 101, as taught by Dr. Hendricks as well as Barbara Lang, who teaches Yogic breathing in an intensive medically supervised program for people with heart problems and other degenerative diseases.

Get past tense. Tense your abdomen. Relax your abdomen. Tense your abdomen. Relax your abdomen. Do this maybe a dozen times, until you are well aware of how a relaxed abdomen feels.

Give yourself a hand. Put your hand on your abdomen. Breathe slowly, comfortably, deeply enough to make your hand rise with each inhalation and fall with each exhalation.

Go for ribs. Keep breathing slowly, comfortably and into your belly. If you are truly breathing correctly, you will feel your rib cage expand to the side with each inhalation.

Move your spine. “Babies can lie in a crib all day without getting a backache because they move their spines with each breath,” says Dr. Hendricks. “We tend to hold ourselves more stiffly as we age.” With each in-breath, let your spine move away from the chair back (if you’re sitting) or away from the floor (if you’re lying on your back). On each out-breath, let it flatten against the chair or floor.

That’s your basic, healthy breathing. To remember to do it, associate the term breathe with normal everyday activities such as standing, sitting, or turning, says Larry J.

Feldman, Ph.D., director of the Pain and Stress Rehabilitation Center in New Castle, Delaware. Then, he says, taking healthy, deep breaths at intervals throughout your day will be as natural as, well, breathing.

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Screening procedures that are definitely not worth doing routinely are barium enemas; barium meals; looking for cells in the sputum (spit); stress testing; lung-function tests; and biopsies of the lining of the uterus. All of these are, of course, useful diagnostic procedures in specific individuals.

Screening can be carried out in the community in general or it can be focused on specific sub-groups who are thought to be ‘at risk’. As we have seen, when screening for cervical cancer, money is best spent on screening women from lower down the socio-economic scale because it is much more common in this group.

Families are population sub-groups ripe for screening. The predisposition for many diseases (as well as truly hereditary disease, of course) runs in families. Common examples are breast cancer, diabetes, asthma and high blood pressure. Doctors have always considered screening families in the context of infectious diseases in the past but few do this kind î intra-family screening for chronic conditions.

Screening, especially the sort that involves paying a fixed sum for a batch of tests and examinations, is currently enjoying something of a revival. One of the attractions of screening programmes is that the; can often be inexpensive and can be implemented by relatively low grade personnel rather than doctors. But as the price has come down, fewer questions tend to be asked and screening is now-with the coming interactive computer systems-set become even more popular, after decade of apathy and serious questioning of its worth. Another reason for an increased interest in screening recently is that, with the setting-up of new health maintenance and prevention-orientated medical organizations, screening equipment and personnel can be used with the curative staff on hand. A major criticism of screening centers in the past has been that they left the patient high and dry with his or her findings from the screening. These new ways numbers of false positives that occur of working enable responsible follow- with certain screening procedures, up to be a part of the whole picture. This is essential in the light of the Much more research needs to be done before we can be absolutely sure just how valuable many screening procedures are. What looks like commonsense preventive medicine is often not so on deeper analysis. The danger with the coming of cheaper and easier screening methods is that society might ask fewer questions, not more.

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Sinusitis is inflammation of the sinuses or passages which are found in the bones surrounding the nose and eyes.

Sinusitis is a debilitating problem that can cause pain, mild fever, headaches, stuffy nose and depression. Allergies are a common cause (see ‘Allergies’). Dairy products can be a problem and should be avoided. There are some herbs that can help relieve the problem. Horseradish is one. Horseradish forms mustard oil in the body and it gives off mustard gas. This can help clear out the sinuses. Garlic is another herb that can help. It has anti-bacterial activity and will help dry up the infected sinuses.

Elder flower (Sambucus nigra) is a herb that I have found very helpful when used for the treatment of sinus problems, especially when used in conjunction with Echinacea, garlic, and horseradish.

Vitamin A supplementation is also beneficial as it strengthens the mucous membranes in the nose and throat. The antiinflammatory properties of the essential fatty acids found in cod liver oil give relief from the inflammation and pain.

SUPPLEMENTS

elder flower 1250 mg twice daily

eyebright 1000 mg twice daily

horseradish 300 mg twice daily

garlic 2000 mg fresh herb twice daily

liquorice 200 mg twice daily

Echinacea 375 mg twice daily

cod liver oil 5 ml daily

vitamin C 2000 mg daily

iron phosphate 15 mg 3 times daily

potassium chloride 32 mg 3 times daily

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HEALTHY NAILS

Quite often we overlook the importance of healthy nails and hair. These are signs, or can be signs, of ill health or dietary deficiencies.

What we should look for is unusual nail shape. If we have ‘spoon’ shaped nails this can indicate an iron deficiency. White spots on the finger-nails could indicate a zinc deficiency. These are very important minerals and quite often overlooked. Fatty acids which are found in evening primrose oil and fish oils are very important as well. These can help strengthen the nails.

Another mineral is silica. Silica is the most common mineral on our planet and yet you won’t find it in most multi-vitamin preparations available. The addition of silica to the diet will strengthen your nails and hair.

SUPPLEMENTS

multi vitamin mineral

formula containing iron,

PABA, and zinc 1 daily

Silica 50 mg daily

evening primrose oil 500 mg 1 capsule twice daily

fish oil 1000 mg 1 capsule twice daily

HOW TO LOSE WEIGHT

If we are overweight then as we get older, it can exacerbate many diseases such as osteoarthritis. Even cholesterol is increased in those who are overweight. It also can lead to blood pressure problems.

Eating correctly and having a well-balanced diet are very important. We should look at low fat foods and low calorie foods. Include celery, cucumber, and carrots as these are very low in calories, quite good snack food and also act as diuretics.

Evening primrose oil and alfalfa are excellent supplements. They help break up the fats and will help you lose weight.

To curb hunger pains try apple fibre with a large glass of water half an hour before your meal. Remember it is also very important to drink 6 to 8 glasses of water per day. If you do all of these things you will notice you will feel better and the weight will come off.

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Constipation can have many causes. Some people have a predisposition to irregular bowel movements from childhood. People who are anxious and fretful can become constipated. Lack of exercise is a common cause. People who fail to establish a regular time for bowel movements can become chronically constipated and should accustom themselves to a bulky breakfast and sitting on the toilet, to train the bowel. Constipation can bring about many other problems apart from

the obvious inability to pass normal stools. Headaches, a feeling of nausea, or just being generally unwell can also be a result of constipation.

We must rid our body of toxins and the major process to remove these toxins is through our bowels, our urine and our skin. If any of these systems are affected or clogged, then we may reabsorb some of these toxins and this can cause us to feel unwell.

It is important that we maintain good eating habits. Roughage (fibre) is essential. You can get this fibre by eating whole cereal grains. Bran is very important. I have discussed bran and its importance in lowering cholesterol but it is also very beneficial in helping prevent constipation. Include whole cereals, fruits, vegetables, in your diet but most of all, to soften the stools and help flush the body of toxins, don’t forget water. You should be drinking 6 to 8 glasses a day.

If you find that your problem is not solved even after doing all the right things with your diet, or if you have difficulty in eating correctly all the time, then natural laxative herbs can be very beneficial. Herbs such as cascara, senna and cape aloes in a combination can help solve the problem of constipation. These herbs will stimulate natural peristalsis (bowel movement). As with all laxatives, you should not use them all the time. Twice per week will normally help the problem.

SUPPLEMENTS

Water 6 to 8 glasses per day

Psillium husks 2 teaspoons in orange juice each morning

Peritone 1 or 2 tablets every second night if

required

magnesium 1 tablet twice daily

complex

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High blood pressure is a very dangerous condition and if you are under a doctor’s supervision for this problem then you must advise him or her of any changes you wish to make to your diet.

Vitamin E can help lower blood pressure. Drs Shute and Shute were pioneers in the use of vitamin E in the treatment of heart disease. Vitamin E’s action on the cardiovascular system (under supervision) should not be overlooked. Vitamin E can also help prevent blood clots forming in the blood. This and its ability to lower blood viscosity makes vitamin E important for the treatment of many circulatory disorders (see Hawthorn Berry).

Herbs such as hawthorn and garlic have been shown to have a favourable effect on the cardiovascular system. Hawthorn improves coronary blood flow and causes peripheral vasodilation. This action reduces the myocardium’s (heart muscle) need for oxygen and also lowers blood pressure.

Garlic has a direct effect on the heart muscle and has mild vasodilating properties. It too can lower blood pressure. Garlic and hawthorn help lower blood cholesterol levels and can help reverse arteriosclerosis (hardening of the arteries). These herbs, in combination, are very beneficial and useful when used for the prevention and/or treatment of high blood pressure.

Medical trials have shown that evening primrose oil can also help to lower blood pressure and cholesterol. It therefore should be included in the diet if high blood pressure is a problem.

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RECOMMENDED DIETARY INTAKE (RDI)

For a healthy body there is no substitute for a well-balanced diet and we all should be looking closely at the food we eat. Most of us today, because of our rushed lifestyle, unfortunately don’t eat as well as we would like. Even if we did, the quality of the food may well be lacking in the essential minerals and vitamins required for healthy life.

In 11 mid-western states in the USA a 1000 crop samples were taken, and a decline in mineral levels of up to 68 per cent were noted over a four-year period. The question must be asked, ‘How good is the quality of our food in comparison with that of our forebears?’

Indeed we are not getting enough from our average diet to meet the RDA levels in some nutrients. Further examples of this can be shown by investigations reported in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 37, 1983, showing the dietary patterns of healthy pregnant women, even on a balanced diet, didn’t have adequate amounts of some essential nutrients. For example, the healthy middle class North American women surveyed in the study were found to have lower levels of zinc intake, with the average only receiving 56 per cent of the RDA figure.

Worldwide studies involving people in all age groups and socioeconomic backgrounds, have shown nutritional deficiencies are common and the need for vitamin and/or mineral supplements is growing just so the RDA recommended dietary allowance can be maintained.

Stress, illness, pollution, menstruation, pregnancy, lactation, age, use of medication and increased activity, play a very important role in deciding whether or not supplements to diet are necessary and, if so, how much?

The RDA gives a figure below which known and tested deficiency symptoms would show up. If our diet was to contain less than 30mg of vitamin C, then in a short time the disease scurvy would become evident. No allowance was made in the RDA for high stress or other illnesses when working out the dietary allowance. The RDA really is a minimum allowance for persons in good health under ideal conditions.

If we look at the Australian Health Survey 1977-78, conducted by the Australian Commonwealth Government Department of Statistics, we would see that approximately 45 per cent of the Australian population suffers one or more chronic conditions. This means that nearly 50 per cent of the Australian population, at any given time, does not fit into the criteria for measuring the Recommended Dietary Allowance.

We should not be looking at the minimum levels of vitamins and minerals but the optimum daily intake needed to compensate for our lifestyle and environmental pollution.

Dr Linus C. Pauling, Nobel Laureate, Professor of Chemistry, states that the optimum daily intake of vitamin C for most human adults is between 2300 to 9000 mg and not that of 45 mg per day as stated in the RDA.

If we live a stress-free life without illness, have plenty of exercise and sleep, together with well-balanced diet without medication, and our environment is free from pollution, smog, cigarette smoke and car exhaust fumes, then we do not need supplements.

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