6 probiotic foods to improve digestion and immunity Tue. Apr. 15, 2014 by Michelle Marks, staff writer (NaturalHealth365) Probiotics are foods that help build the population of healthy bacteria in the gut. Why is this so important to human health? Antibiotics kill healthy bacteria. Eventually a condition called dysbiosis can occur – which can cause arthritis, autoimmune illness, vitamin B deficiency, chronic fatigue syndrome, food allergies and food sensitivities, irritable bowel disorders plus skin problems like, eczema and psoriasis. Naturally, antibiotics may be necessary – in some cases. Try eating fresh sauerkraut and pickles. Fortunately, it’s quite easy to make your own sauerkraut – at home – by combining finely shredded cabbage with Himalayan sea salt. If you want to buy sauerkraut, be sure to avoid the ‘commercial’ varieties that are heat-treated and pasteurized for obvious reasons. Miso soup is one the mainstays of traditional Japanese medicine and is commonly used in macrobiotic cooking as a digestive regulator. References:1.
Healing Foods Diet for Colitis and Crohn's | Listen To Your Gut If you cannot afford to go on an elemental diet, or pay for the targeted healing supplements for IBD or IBS, then I have a few options for you that will not cost more than your regular grocery bill and should go a long way toward providing foundational healing for your digestive system and your whole body. Ayurvedic IBD Diet This diet was given to me in London, UK, by an Ayurvedic physician from India. A friend of mine had used one of his other diets to cure her asthma and so he came highly recommended. At the time, he didn’t explain, and I had no idea why this should work. It was a classic case of “if I knew then, what I know now…” Here’s the thing that would have made this diet work for me: Throw the bananas and yoghurt in a blender on low speed and sweeten with stevia if required. The bananas need to be black, because in this state they are naturally pre-digested and so absorption is enhanced. Live (or homemade) yoghurt contains live enzymes which help with digestion.
Eliminate ulcerative colitis naturally Sun. Apr. 13, 2014 by Karen Sanders, staff writer (NaturalHealth365) With inflammatory bowel disease on the rise in the United States, the tab for treating the condition is rising as well. The Centers for Disease Control reported that $1.7 billion is currently being spent on health costs associated with ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease – two forms of IBD. These conditions – which can be life-threatening – have no known medical cure, and doctors aren’t even sure what causes them, although experts believe our increasingly toxic environment does play a role. Conventionally-trained doctors tend to treat symptoms with drugs such as aminosalicylates and steroids, but these medications can cause a host of serious side effects, including high blood pressure, osteoporosis, diabetes, glaucoma, inability to absorb certain nutrients, and increased risk of infection. Don’t you wish these studies were required reading for all gastroenterologists? Boswellia attacks inflammation on many fronts.
Crohn's disease can be defeated naturally Sun. Jun. 29, 2014 by Karen Sanders, staff writer (NaturalHealth365) For the 1.4 million Americans currently suffering with Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis – a related form of inflammatory bowel disease – the ailments can be stressful, painful and debilitating conditions that can wreak havoc on daily life. Unlike ulcerative colitis, which is confined to the large intestine, Crohn’s disease can attack any part of the digestive tract, from the mouth to the rectum. Symptoms of Crohn’s disease include severe abdominal pain, diarrhea, cramping after meals, decreased appetite, fevers, weight loss and anemia. Thankfully, there are natural substances you can use to help alleviate symptoms, contribute to intestinal healing, and ward off relapses and flare-ups. Vitamin D – which many researchers believe to be protective against cancer, heart disease and infections – is showing promise as a way to both prevent and treat Crohn’s disease. But zinc may play a role beyond mere cell repair.
Systemic Enzymes: What they do and Why We Need Them! Beat acid reflux naturally Sun. Jan. 5, 2014 by Dr. David Jockers (NaturalHealth365) Would you like to beat acid reflux without taking toxic drugs or ‘magic’ potions? Upon eating – food naturally passes from the throat to the stomach through the esophagus. If the LES is not closing well it allows for food, liquid and hydrochloric acid to leak back into the esophagus. By the way, chronically damaging the esophageal tissue often results in esophageal cancer and other more serious conditions. The most common risk factors for GERD include anything that obstructs the esophagus or stomach region such as hiatal hernia, pregnancy, and scleroderma. The drugs listed below can actually cause GERD – check this out with your family physician: •Anticholinergics (sea sickness) •Beta-blockers for high blood pressure or heart disease •Bronchodilators for asthma •Calcium channel blockers for high blood pressure •Dopamine-active drugs for Parkinson’s disease •Progestin for abnormal menstrual bleeding or birth control About the author: Dr.
Heartburn? My Gut Feeling Is That You Need More Acid | Suzy Cohen, RPh Dear Pharmacist, In a previous column on apple cider vinegar (ACV), you stated that “heartburn and reflux can sometimes be related to insufficient levels of stomach acid, not high levels like many of you who take acid blockers assume.” Really Suzy? I’ve been on Omeprazole for years for heartburn. My doctor says you’re nuts and got angry when I questioned him. –T.B. Doctors who thoroughly understand gastrointestinal function know this basic principle of physiology. Hashimoto’s thyroiditisOsteoporosisElevated homocysteineRosacea and acneRheumatoid arthritisEczema and psoriasisYeast infectionsAdrenal exhaustionVitiligo Why does acid help?
10 Signs You're Gluten Intolerant More than 55 diseases have been linked to gluten, the protein found in wheat, rye, and barley. It’s estimated that 99% of the people who have either gluten intolerance or celiac disease are never diagnosed. It is also estimated that as much as 15% of the US population is gluten intolerant. Could you be one of them? If you have any of the following symptoms it could be a sign that you have gluten intolerance: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. How to test for gluten intolerance? I have found the single best ways to determine if you have an issue with gluten is to do an elimination diet and take it out of your diet for at least 2 to 3 weeks and then reintroduce it. The best advice that I share with my patients is that if they feel significantly better off of gluten or feel worse when they reintroduce it, then gluten is likely a problem for them. How to treat gluten intolerance? Eliminating gluten 100% from your diet means 100%. Source:
Heal Your Gut – Top 5 Superfoods | Healing the Body In a world where digestive problems run amok, it’s little wonder that people are desperately looking for remedies that will help fix their gut issues. Although it is not simple, these five superfoods can help clean up the ‘internal trash’, balance your bacteria, and heal any damage that has been done, so you can heal your gut and get back to normal. Garlic Garlic is an amazing superfood that can dramatically alter your inner ecology with its antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal properties. In fact, Washington State University has confirmed that garlic is far more effective than pharmaceutical antibiotics in fighting a common bacteria known as campylobacter bacterium, which currently infects 2.4 million Americans per year. Keeping your gut clear of these harmful bacteria will go a long ways to healing your gut. Learn more about the healing benefits of garlic. Coconut kefir Coconut kefir is somewhat of a lesser-known superfood, but is powerful nonetheless. Sauerkraut Aloe vera
Gluten allergies affect everyone (NaturalHealth365) Fatigue and depression are at epidemic levels in ‘modern’ society. Today, I ask you, could gluten allergies (toxicity) be causing so many of today’s health problems? While I make great efforts to keep up on the current medical literature, my efforts consistently fall short of the mark. In particular, I would like to inform all health-seekers about two very important books. ”The food you eat is making you sick and the agencies that are providing you with guidelines on what to eat are giving dangerous advice with devastating health consequences. Repeatedly, it seems that so much information is literally buried in the medical literature, and it takes docs like Davis and Perlmutter to wade through it all and show the world what was hiding in plain sight all the while. “Brain disease starts with your daily bread” – David Perlmutter, MD I learned about gluten 40 years ago in medical school. Wheat, from any source or anything derived from it, will expose you to gluten.
Three ways to quickly remedy constipation and maintain bowel regularity (NaturalNews) A variety of health issues can arise from bowel irregularity; for this reason, it's best to regularly evacuate the colon. The accumulation of fecal matter in the bowel creates an ideal environment for parasites and bacteria to proliferate. This can create or further exacerbate bowel issues such as diarrhea, constipation, hemorrhoids and diverticulitis. Constipation can increase your chances of developing candida, an overgrowth of yeast. Additionally, some parasites, such as roundworm, can contribute to intestinal blockage due to their size. While pharmaceutical laxatives are commonly sought out to remedy constipation, they can be harsh on the colon, create dependency, decrease the colon's ability to contract, deplete the body of minerals and damage the nerves, muscles and tissues of the colon. Click here for on cleansing the bowel, written by the author, Jeanette Padilla. Sources:
Systemic enzymes eliminate pain, fibroids and boost immunity Sat. Oct. 26, 2013 by Dr. David Jockers (NaturalHealth365) The human body uses enzymes to carry out virtually every metabolic function. While supplemental enzymes play an important role in optimizing digestion – taking enzymes outside of meal times has a powerful effect on the body’s immune response. Using a wide array of different enzymes can provide a full-body anti-inflammatory effect that benefits several different systems in the body. Enzymes are biocatalysts that are used to carry out and speed up the process of chemical reactions in the body. How the human body reacts to chronic stress or injury When the body is injured or under chronic stress the immune system initiates a protein chain called ‘Circulating Immune Complex’ (CIC) that causes pain, redness and swelling in a particular region. Non-steriodal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID’s) work by blocking CIC activity in the body. Can systemic enzymes actually help us prevent disease? Yes! Looking for natural health solutions?
4 simple mealtime habits that can improve your digestion (NaturalNews) Eating is a necessary practice that is intended to nourish our bodies with the fuel required to operate at optimal levels. However, poor food production and eating habits have compromised our digestion and resulted in a multitude of digestive problems that open the gates for all kinds of disease processes. When eating, consider making these very easy changes to ensure digestion goes much more smoothly and so you feel much better following mealtime. Digestion begins as soon as food enters your mouth. Most people chew their food between 7 and 14 times per mouthful, which is a bit shy of the 30 to 50 times per mouthful suggested in order to mix the food with saliva to ensure optimal digestion. As a result of our poor chewing habits, the first stage of digestion is compromised, which makes it more difficult for the second stage to complete its job effectively. A common habit during meals is to consume some type of beverage, most often water, milk, juice, or alcohol. Sources: