We review common medical conditions and explore:

Hemorrhoids

Advanced Health Choices #1 search is for Hemorrhoids.  Please visit our Hemorrhoids page for detailed information covering Hemorrhoids Treatment Options, Causes of Hemorrhoids, Internal and External Hemorrhoids, and Natural Remedies for Hemorrhoids. 

Hemorrhoids is probably the most commonly mispelled search word on our site.  Hemorhoids, hemroids, haemroids, hemmorods, hemrroids, hemorroids, roids, and the english term ‘piles’ cover less than one quarter of the ways to get the spelling wrong.  No matter how you type it, for many people it represents at best discomfort, and at its’ worst extreme pain and suffering.  Many doctors do not show much sympathy for the debilitating effects and accompanying pain of Hemorrhoids.  Far too often, surgery is presented as the only viable option for treating recurring Hemorrhoid episodes.  Yet there is no cure for Hemorrhoids and surgery is not a cure either.  In fact we believe that surgery for Hemorrhoids sets a person up for future problems and recurrences.  Perhaps worse yet, most everything over-the-counter and in the prescription realm has litlle merit, while some products actually seem to promote the swelling and symptoms of Hemorrhoids.

Statistically over 80% of the general population will suffer once in their lives from Hemorrhoids.  From there, better than 50% will see a recurrence of Hemorrhoids.  Some 15% to 20% of Hemorrhoid sufferers will end up having surgery.  We are dedicated to helping people realize the natural solutions for Hemorrhoids to avoid the need for surgery.  Of those opting for surgery, approximately 15% of patients return at a later date for additional Hemorrhoid surgery, oftentimes taking a different surgical option in the hopes of achieving better success.  We think that removing a portion of the body each time Hemorrhoids manifests itself is a flawed approach to trying to deal with the problem.

There is much misinformation copied 100 times over between different websites.  We would like to shed some light on a few of the myths so often repeated, sometimes even by health proffesionals.  Example: “take a hot sitz bath daily to ease the discomcort of Hemorrhoids.”  Sorry, but that advice is so wrong and actually promotes the swelling and accompanying symptoms.  Suggestions of a topical cream for helping with the condition are usually misguided.  Taking a fiber supplement may actually promote further problems, and soluable fiber will do nothing for easing Hemorrhoids.  Eating a lot of fruits and vegetables may not be good advice either.  Generally a low carb diet will help speed recovery but too much fruit sugar can impede healing.

We have looked at many of the popular products on the web for Hemorrhoids.  Some companies reference herb books and competitor’s products to arrive at a formulation that they hope will have effectiveness for treating health conditions.  In reviewing many products for Hemorrhoids, we have identified several ingredients that we believe have little merit in a progressive Hemorrhoid supplement. 

Cayenne Pepper—Avoid this ingredient.  When suffering with Hemorrhoids, if you have ever eaten a meal with Chili, Jalapenos, Hot Sauce or Cayenne Pepper, you already know that you paid for it when your next bowel movement followed.  We recommend avoiding that pain and eliminating hot or spicy food, and herbal ingredients that may contribute to additional discomfort.

Butchers Broom—This herb has merit for generally promoting vascular health.  It helps to clean the veins, and has a strong traditional use.  It can be purchased as an individual herb at most health food stores.  However, taking it daily even approaching 2000mg. will do nothing to alleviate a bout of Hemorrhoids.  Including Butchers Broom in a Hemorrhoid supplement likely just dilutes the effectiveness of the main ingredients.

Plantain—You may not know what that is, but you probably have seen it in the produce section of your grocery store.  Ever seen the giant green bananas?  Plantain.  People from South America and Jamaica often eat it and know that helps with Hemorrhoids.  Eating the whole fruit!  Putting a little powder in a Hemorrhoid supplement is like claiming one tablet of fiber will meet your nutritional needs.  Not honest or accurate.

Other Herbal ingredients with little merit for easing Hemorrhoids—Bilberry, Oat Straw, and Bioflavonoids, or Hesperidin, or Diosmin.

Ask any Master Herbalist and they would likely share with you that more is not always better when putting together an herbal remedy.  Sometimes a well thought out simple formula brings maximum effectiveness.  The top most effective ingredients our research found are: Horse Chestnut Leaf, Witchazel Leaf, and Ginger Root.  Click here to view our top Hemorrhoids Treatments Our top rated product for Hemorrhoids was Hem-Relief.

Gout

Our second most recorded search word is for phrases that include the word Gout.  We understand why.  We are often asked if there is a cure for Gout.  Doctors generally consider Gout to be incurable and progressive.  The condition is also not fully understood.  Most commonly it is found in the toes, feet or ankles and manifest as pain, redness and swelling in joints and surrounding tissue.  Discomfort may describe initial symptoms of someone’s first Gout attack.  However over time, Gout episodes may become ever more pronounced in terms of pain, swelling, duration and frequency.  Eventually, attacks may progress to the point of extreme symptoms, with little easing of pain and discomfort even when using prescription medications.

Advanced Health Choices is focused on natural Gout Treatments that are truly effective.  Most every prescription for Gout has a host of side effects usually including liver damage and or kidney damage.  While Gout is considered to be a kidney disease, taking something that degrades the health of a person’s organs should be viewed as a strong negative.  Our Gout page has a lot information for those looking to learn more about the Causes of Gout, Prescriptions for Gout Treatments, and Natural Gout Treatments Reviewed.

In all of our research, we did not find a single herb that has terrific merit for easing of Gout symptoms and pain.  Some individual herbs or extracts may provide marginal relief.  An example much talked about on various websites and blogs is Black Cherry Juice.  However, we found only some marginal benefit with taking it daily.  What we did find is that a well thought out formula has the biggest benefit, and found in at least one case of products we reviewed that a complex of vitamins and traditional herbs may have the most effectiveness.  Some herbal supplements work synergistically, meaning that the proper combination of ingredients can work together to bring maximum benefit.  The best product we reviewed and rated was Gout-Relief.

Constipation and Irritable Bowel Syndrome (I.B.S.)

It may be little wonder that cases of constipation and colon problems are on the rise, just take a look at the average American diet.  Yes, many of us are maybe focused on trying to eat better and looking for healthy alternatives, yet the damage through years of improper diet and eating habits can not be undone in a month or two.  Preservatives, additives, chlorine in our water supply, air pollution, and meat and dairy products containing hormones and trace antibiotics only increase our need for a better diet and perhaps a way to rid ourselves of toxins.  Furthermore, most all Americans have had some exposure to heavy metals from food and environmental exposure.  Add to that the over-prescription of broad spectrum antibiotics and prescription medications; we have become a toxic lot.  All the more reason to include cleansing foods in the diet, and seek out progressive supplements which support colon health.

 Advanced Health Choices has looked very carefully at colon cleansing supplements.  We found it to be a mature market.  There are products on Health Food Store shelves that have held their ground for many years.  We also found confusion exists regarding cleansing supplements.  Some products just focus on and individual fiber, some a fiber blend, other products focused on a ‘green’ plant based approach to cleansing, while still others were merely an herbal supplement using a complex of herbs.  We feel that most of these approaches fall short of the mark, and instead found the best products take the approach of a fiber/herbal blend.  Additionally, we found a wide range of products that include Senna as an ingredient.  Senna used to be popular as a weight loss aid, and still can be found in many teas and colon cleansing products.  Today, most health experts agree that Senna should not be taken daily, and basically promotes loose stools or even diarrhea.  Further, the ability of the colon to absorb vital nutrients is impaired when taking Senna daily.  We advise against taking any such supplement or product which uses this ingredient.