Jaundice
By Dr. Rita
All rights reserved

In our bodies, old or damaged blood cells are constantly being removed from the circulation. As part of this process, the hemoglobin (the part of the blood cell that transports oxygen) is removed from the blood cells by the spleen. Once removed, the remaining dark greenish-yellow cellular material that is left is called bilirubin. From the spleen, the bilirubin is then carried via the bloodstream to the liver. The liver is responsible for removing waste products, such as bilirubin, from the blood. Waste materials from the liver are then secreted into the gallbladder as part of the bile and excreted from the body as part of the feces. In fact, it is the presence of bilirubin in our waste material that gives it its brown color.

Often thought of as a disease, jaundice is caused by high levels of bilirubin in the blood. When someone has jaundice, the skin and whites of the eyes appear yellow in color. Jaundice can appear when there is a problem in any part of the pathway that removes bilirubin from the blood, and is typically an indication of a deeper underlying disorder. The most common reasons why someone would have jaundice include: if the body produces too much bilirubin for the liver to effectively remove from the blood, if there is a defect in the liver that impairs the function of the liver, or if there is an obstruction in one of the bile ducts.

In addition to the yellowish coloring of the skin and eyes, characteristic of jaundice symptoms can include dark colored urine and light colored stools. Some individuals also experience an intense itching, called Pruritus. Weakness, fever, loss of appetite, severe constipation and nausea is also commonly reported.

It is also important to mention that a condition called Hyper-carotenemia is sometimes mistaken for jaundice. Hyper-carotenemia occurs when someone has consumed too much beta-carotene, which turns the skin yellow to orange in color. With this disorder, however, the eyes remain white and do not turn yellow in color.

If you have jaundice or think you might, there are a number of natural remedies and alternative health ideas you can try to help support the liver and elimination pathways of the body.

Recommendations For Health

* Get plenty of rest.

* Drink lots of clear fluids to help flush the system.

* A glass of fresh tomato juice with a pinch of rock salt and pepper is a simple home remedy for jaundice; or try drinking a glass of warm water with the juice of a lemon in it.

* Avoid fatty, oily or fried foods, which stimulate the release of bile from the gallbladder. This is especially true if you suspect a bile duct obstruction.

* Alcohol can aggravate this condition because it puts a strain on the liver, so it should be eliminated.

* If the cause of jaundice is caused by hemolytic anemia, supplementation with vitamin E can help. Vitamin E is known to strengthen the red blood cells.

* Burdock root, alfalfa, and red clover can be used to support the liver and work as effective aids in cleansing the blood supply.

* Dandelion has historically been used to stimulate the gallbladder and liver and is used to aid in the proper functioning of the liver.

* Safflower can be used to help thin bodily fluids, including the bile, and has been effectively used to help dissolve build up.

* Yellow dock is valued as one of the best available sources of iron. It can also be used to purify the blood, and help improve the flow of bile and digestive fluids.

© Copyright Body, Mind & SoulHealer – www.soulhealer.com 2008. All rights reserved.

Dr. Rita Louise, Ph.D., is a Naturopathic Physician, the founder of the Institute of Applied Energetics, as well as host of the internet, Just Energy Radio. She is author of, Avoiding the Cosmic 2x4 and The Power Within. Her unique gift as a medical intuitive and professional clairvoyant enlivens her work. Vsit www.soulhealer.com 

 
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