The irritable bowel syndrome, or IBS, is a very common condition in which the large intestine, or colon, fails to function properly.  It is also known as spastic colon.  This refers to the fact that certain foods, drinks, and stressful events in your life give you alternating bouts of diarrhea, constipation, and abdominal pain.  Other characteristic symptoms include bloating, excessive mucus production in the colon, intestinal gas, indigestion, loss of appetite, nausea, and varying degrees of anxiety or depression....

Stone formation in the urinary tract has been recognized for thousands of years.  In the past, stone formation was almost elusively in the bladder.  Today, most stones form in the kidney or upper urinary tract.  The rate of kidney stones has been steadily increasing, paralleling the rise in other disease associated with our so-called western diet (e.g., atherosclerosis, gallstones, high blood pressure, and diabetes).  The incidence of kidney stones varies geographically, reflecting differences in environmental factors, diet, and drinking water....

As we age, we tend lose memory cells that are needed for recalling recent events.  This is known as “short-term memory loss.”  Examples of such forgetfulness include having a hard time remembering names, phone numbers, and important dates.  Have you ever forgotten where you parked your car in a parking lot?  Do you sometimes forget how to spell common words?  If so, there’s a very good chance that your forgetfulness is curable....

Menopause, also referred to as “the change of life,” is the point at which women stop ovulating.  In fact, the word “menopause” actually refers to a single point in time--the last menstrual period.  Normally, most women will reach menopause by the age of fifty-one.  However, each woman will be affected differently as she makes the transition from the reproductive state of life to the non-reproductive state....

Menstrual cramps, referred to as “dysmenorrhea,” are a chemical problem.  Each month, the lining of a woman’s uterus produces chemicals called prostaglandins, which help the uterine muscles contract and expel tissue and fluids during menstruation.  High levels of prostaglandins cause uterine muscle contractions or cramps.  Women with a history of heavy menstrual bleeding, or menstrual cramps, tend to concentrate much more arachidonic acid (a fatty acid from which prostaglandins are made) in the lining of the uterus than is normal.  The increased arachidonic acid released during menstruation results in increased production of prostaglandins.  This is thought to be the major underlying factor in menstrual cramps....