5 Foods that damage your digestive System

5 foods that damage digestion

For every one human cell, there are 10 bacteria. Many of these bacteria live inside the intestines—mostly the large intestine. They are especially fond of the gel-like mucus that your intestinal cells secrete.

The proteins in gluten are pro-inflammatory. They destroy the gut lining and make it “leaky.”

White blood cells are members of your defense team. Besides bacteria and yeast, you will find specialized white blood cells in the mucosal lining of your digestive tract. Even more of your immune system lies just beneath the intestinal wall, in a mass of lymph tissue.

At any one time:

• Drinking regular or diet soda can disrupt your delicate inner ecosystem. Both natural and artificial sweeteners trigger an inflammatory response and negatively affect bacteria and yeast in the digestive tract.
• Your immune system communicates with the bacteria and yeast in your gut.
• The bacteria and yeast communicate with your immune system.
• Mucosal intestinal cells can send signals of distress or balance to other mucosal tissue (for example, within the lungs or birth canal).
• Your immune system and inflammatory signaling speak to the rest of your body.

This is your inner ecosystem. The yeast and bacteria that help to create your inner ecosystem evolve with you. In fact, they are so important to your health, the balance of your immune system, and your survival that scientists have coined your inner ecosystem the “forgotten organ.” (1)

Like any organ in the human body, your inner ecosystem is susceptible to injury and disease.

And unfortunately, stress from the environment or even diet can easily damage this “organ.” Signs to look out for include the common hallmarks of poor digestion, like:

• Heartburn
• Constipation or diarrhea
• Intestinal pain or cramping
• Gas

The reality is that poor digestion can be silent. In other words, you may think that your digestive tract is healthy—meanwhile, you have unexplained migraines, anxiety, depression, joint pain, eczema, allergies, or acne.

One of the best ways to take care of your inner ecosystem is to know which favorite foods (or drinks) can stir up the most trouble.

Top 5 Foods to Avoid

1. Soda Pop: Whether your soda is naturally or artificially sweet, studies agree that the sugar, high-fructose corn syrup, or synthetic sweeteners in soda change how gut bacteria metabolize energy. (2) They also trigger an inflammatory response and alter (for the worse) the communities of bacteria and yeast living in your digestive tract. (3)

2. Cereal Grains: This means whole grains and refined flours that are used to make bread, pasta, cakes, and crackers. Cereal grains contain gluten and other nutrient inhibitors. As it turns out, the proteins in gluten are pro-inflammatory. They destroy the gut lining and make it “leaky.” (4)(5)

3. Vegetable Oils: This includes oils like canola, soybean, corn, and sometimes even olive oil. While not a food per-se, vegetable oils are ubiquitous in processed foods and restaurant fare. The problem? All of these oils are liquid at room temperature. This indicates that they are mostly made up of polyunsaturated fats. According to the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, the breakdown of polyunsaturated fats is “one important mechanism involved in the pathogenesis of inflammation, cancer, and atherosclerosis.” (6)

This breakdown occurs during the manufacture of vegetable oils, during storage, and during cooking. Olive oil makes the list because many people cook with olive oil. Olive oil is rich in mono-unsaturated fats, making it modestly heat-stable but not suitable for cooking. Coconut oil and red palm oil do not make the list because they are made up of mostly saturated fats. Saturated fats can withstand high temperatures, making them ideal cooking oils.

4. Coffee: Not only does coffee trigger the release of stress hormones, we are also learning that it contains a protein very similar to a protein found in wheat gluten. This is the same protein that the immune system reacts to. In a nutshell: The immune system can “mistake” the protein in coffee for the protein in wheat—your body may respond to coffee with the exact same inflammatory response that it has with gluten. This is called a cross-reaction.

If you are not getting results from your gluten-free and casein-free diet, you may want to nix the coffee. A study published this January in Food and Nutrition found that coffee isn’t the only culprit. The proteins in milk, oats, corn, and rice are also at greater risk for being tagged by your immune system as gluten. (7) Interestingly, researchers found that instant coffee was the most cross-reactive of all forms (and brands) of coffee.

5. Beer, Wine, and Spirits: Beer is made with cereal grains that contain gluten. As a fermented beverage, beer also contains living organisms that can feed Candida yeast overgrowth. Both gluten and Candida contribute to leaky gut. As far as wine and other spirits go, it looks like alcohol itself can irritate the gut lining.

Research has found that alcohol directly damages cells along the digestive tract. (8) Alcohol also drives inflammation in the gut and makes it leaky. (9) Finally, alcohol changes your inner ecosystem and can contribute to bacterial overgrowth, or dysbiosis. (10)(11)

Got Healthy Veins and Heart?

Nourishing your circulatory system

The circulatory system is made up of a collection of vessels and organs that distributes life-giving fluids throughout the body. These fluids deliver nutrients to the tissues of your body, giving each solve the energy it needs to survive and thrive. The circulatory system can be divided into two parts: the lymphatic system and the cardiovascular system.

The lymphatic system produces and nourishes blood cells. It also plays a huge role in the immune functioning.

The cardiovascular system refers to the complicated network of veins and arteries that carry heart pumps blood through the body. The heart serves as the hub of this network, and each heartbeat transports blood to nearly every part of your body. The heart supplies your organs with oxygen, nutrients and chemicals they need to carryout their unique functions. This intricate system requires constant motion, and because every other organ system in the body depends so heavily on the blood, any interruption in the blood pumping process can have dangerous consequences.

The circulatory system can be divided into the lymphatic and cardiovascular systems. The lymphatic system consists of lymph fluid, lymphatic vessels, the lymph nodes, the tonsils and the spleen. The cardiovascular system is made up of the blood, heart, arteries, and veins.

Did you know?

If you lined all the branches of the average person’s blood vessels in a straight line they would total over 60,000 miles. That’s 2 ½ times the circumference of the earth.

Cardiovascular risk factors

Cardiovascular disorders are the most widespread health issues in America. From heart disease to blood clots, clogged arteries to your regular palpitations, dangerous heart and blood vessel problems hospitalize and kill millions each year. While some of these problems are present from birth, most result from unhealthy lifestyle choices. Smoking, inactivity, and poor diet are known to contribute to a variety of cardiovascular problems.

Smoking raises blood pressure, narrows the blood vessels, and increases the likelihood of developing dangerous blood clots. Lack of exercise fails to raise the heart rate slowing the rate at which blood circulates through the organs. This leads to fatigue, weakened heart muscles, and high blood pressure.

Unhealthy eating habits pose a huge risk to cardiovascular health. Eating a diet low in nutrients and high in sugar, salt, cholesterol, and fat, can trigger the buildup of bad cholesterol in our arteries. This cholesterol hardens into plaque that lines the blood vessels, leaving less room to blood flow through and increasing blood pressure. Arteries can become completely blocked with plaque – a condition that leads directly to heart attack.

According to the American Heart Association data collected in 2008.

• Over 780,000 people die from heart disease each year in America
• Coronary heart disease causes one out of every six deaths in the United States.
• On average, someone will die from heart disease every 39 seconds, someone will suffer a stroke every 40 seconds.
• Over 76 million people, or one in three adults over the age of 20, have high blood pressure.
• Heart disease and stroke cost patients over $173 billion annually.

Did you know?

The average heartbeats 100,000 times each day to pump roughly 2000 gallons of blood through the body.

Preventing cardiovascular problems

While age and genetics factor into a person’s risk of developing cardiovascular disease, eating a diet rich in nutrients can fight the buildup of harmful plaque and can even reverse existing cardiovascular damage. Abstaining from tobacco products, getting plenty of exercise, and perhaps most importantly, eating a healthful, nutrient dense diet can help to prevent future heart troubles and reverse problems like high cholesterol and high blood pressure that can lead to heart attacks, heart failure, and stroke.

Did you know?

Women’s hearts tend to be faster than men’s – a woman averages 78 bpm while a man averages 70 bpm.

6 Healing Benefits of Probiotic

6 Healing Benefits Of Probiotics

For most people, the mention of probiotics conjures up images of yogurt. But don’t dismiss the microbes as a marketing gimmick or food fad. The latest probiotic research suggests that live-active cultures of these friendly bacteria can help to prevent and treat a wide variety of ailments.

"There is an increasing interest in probiotic interventions," wrote the authors of one of the most recent studies, a meta-analysis of previous research in a recent issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association. Those researchers found that probiotics were particularly useful against a common gastrointestinal problem: antibiotic-associated diarrhea (AAD). But studies show that probiotics can help with a great deal more -- warding off infection and boosting immune systems, as well as helping to improve women’s health and perhaps even fighting obesity.

The word "probiotic" is a compound of two Greek words: "pro," to signify promotion of and "biotic," which means life. Their very definition is something that affirms life and health. That's true even by modern standards: the World Health Organization defines a probiotic as any living microorganism that has a health benefit when ingested. Similarly, the USDA defines a probiotic as "any viable microbial dietary supplement that beneficially affects the host."

That doesn't mean that all probiotics, or probiotic-containing foods are created equal. So what should you look for? "There is a lot of 'noise' in this space as more and more 'food products' are coming out with Probiotics," Dr. Shekhar K. Challa, a gastroenterologist and the author of Probiotics For Dummies tells The Huffington Post. "Unfortunately it is impossible to quantitate the CFU's of probiotics in most food products."

CFUs -- or colony-forming units -- is a microbiological term that describes the density of viable bacteria in a product. In other words, the CFU tells you how rich in probiotics a food actually is -- and how much will be available to your body.

Dr. Challa recommends the following unpasteurized probiotic rich foods:

• Plain unflavored yogurt
• Kefir
• Sauerkraut
• Miso
• Pickles
• Tempeh
• Kimchi and
• Kombucha tea.

So what can probiotics help you with?

Digestive Health

Each of us has more than 1,000 different types of bacteria that live in our digestive tracts, helping us to break down food and absorb nutrients. But when we take antibiotics -- medicine that is designed to kill destructive, illness-causing bacteria -- the drugs can also kill the healthy intestinal flora that helps us digest. About 30 percent of the patients who take antibiotics report suffering from diarrhea or some other form of gastrointestinal distress, according to the recent JAMA study on probiotics and antibiotic-associated diarrhea. As a result, doctors commonly prescribe taking probiotics to "repopulate" the digestive tract with healthful bacteria. The study found that it was a viable solution for many.

But probiotics can also help with other types of digestive issues. Research has shown that probiotics can be helpful for people with irritable bowel syndrome, or IBS -- a hard-to-treat condition that can have a range of intestinal symptoms, such as abdominal pain, cramps, bloating, diarrhea and constipation. In one study, female IBS patients experienced some alleviation of symptoms like abdominal pain and irregularity when they were given a supplement of the bacterial strain, Bifidobacterium infantis.

Even for those without an urgent problem, probiotics can help with overall digestive management. Challa argues in his book, Probiotics For Dummies, that good bacteria help "crowd out" bad bacteria. That's because the intestine is lined with adherence sites where bacteria latches on. If the sites are populated with good-for-you microbes, there's no place for a harmful bacterium to latch on.

Urinary Health

Probiotics make a nice compliment to antibiotics among people who suffer from urinary tract infections, according to the research.

What's more, there's emerging evidence that regular probiotics can help prevent bad bacteria from invading the urinary tract by maintaining a population of healthy bacteria on the tract's adherence sites.

Infections of the urinary tract are extremely common, especially in women. Most infections disappear with antibiotics, but about 30 to 40 percent might return, according to literature from the University of Maryland Medical Center.

Allergies

Allergy research is still preliminary, but at least one large, high quality study found a relationship between women taking probiotics during pregnancy and a 30 percent reduction in the instance of childhood eczema (an early sign of allergies) in their infants.

Researchers selected women who had a history of seasonal allergies -- or whose partners had histories of allergies. The infants who received probiotics in-vitro also had 50 percent higher levels of tissue inflammation, which is thought to trigger the immune system and reduce allergy incidence.

Women's Health

Just like the digestive tract, the vagina relies on a precarious balance of good and bad bacteria. When that balance is off, it can result in one of two very common, though thoroughly uncomfortable infections: bacterial vaginosis and yeast infections. In fact, bacterial vaginosis can actually lead to a yeast infection.

Some small studies have found that L. acidophilius can help prevent infection, manage an already active one or support antibiotics as a treatment, though it's worth noting that the probiotics were taken as vaginal suppositories, rather than orally in food.

Probiotics may also have a special role in maternal health, as pregnant women are particularly susceptible to vaginal infections. And bacterial vaginosis has been indicated as a contributing factor to pre-term labor, making probiotics a potential boon for fetal health.

Immunity

Surprisingly, one of the main functions of healthful bacteria is to stimulate immune response.

By eating probiotic-rich foods and maintaining good intestinal flora, a person can also help to maintain a healthy immune system. And that has real world effects: for example, in one small study of students, those who were given a fermented dairy drink (instead of milk) displayed increased production from lymphocytes -- a marker of immune response.

Obesity

In 2006, Stanford University researchers found that obese people had different gut bacteria than normal-weighted people -- a first indication that gut flora plays a role in overall weight.

Some preliminary research shows that probiotics can help obese people who have received weight loss surgery to maintain weight loss. And in a study of post-partum women who were trying to lose abdomnial fat, the addition of lactobacillusand bifidobacterium capsules helped reduce waist circumference.

It's still unclear how probiotics play a role in weight loss -- and there is some controversy about how significant the probiotics-associated weight loss is.

But as long as the probiotics source is low-calorie and healthful, itself, it is an innocuous method to attempt.

10 reasons to eat Sprouts

Sprouts truly are the best locally-grown food, yet not enough people eat or grow them. Considering there many health and environmental benefits, it’s time to consider adding sprouts to your diet.

10 Reasons To Eat More Sprouts:

1. Experts estimate that there can be up to 100 times more enzymes in sprouts than uncooked fruits and vegetables.  Enzymes are special types of proteins that act as catalysts for all your body’s functions. Extracting more vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and essential fatty acids from the foods you eat ensures that your body has the nutritional building blocks of life to ensure every process works more effectively.

2. The quality of the protein in the beans, nuts, seeds, or grains improves when it is sprouted.  Proteins change during the soaking and sprouting process, improving its nutritional value.  The amino acid lysine, for example, which is needed to prevent cold sores and to maintain a healthy immune system increases significantly during the sprouting process.

3. The fiber content of the beans, nuts, seeds, or grains increases substantially.  Fiber is critical to weight loss.  It not only binds to fats and toxins in our body to escort them out, it ensures that any fat our body breaks down is moved quickly out of the body before it can resorb through the walls of the intestines (which is the main place for nutrient absorption into the blood).

4. Vitamin content increases dramatically.  This is especially true of vitamins A, B-complex, C, and E.  The vitamin content of some seeds, grains, beans, or nuts increases by up to 20 times the original value within only a few days of sprouting.  Research shows that during the sprouting process mung beansprouts (or just beansprouts, as they are often called) increase in vitamin B1 by up to 285 percent, vitamin B2 by up to 515 percent, and niacin by up to 256 percent.

5. Essential fatty acid content increases during the sprouting process. Most of us are deficient in these fat-burning essential fats because they are not common in our diet.  Eating more sprouts is an excellent way to get more of these important nutrients.

6. During sprouting, minerals bind to protein in the seed, grain, nut, or bean, making them more useable in the body.  This is true of alkaline minerals like calcium, magnesium, and others than help us to balance our body chemistry for weight loss and better health.

7. Sprouts are the ultimate locally-grown food. When you grow them yourself you are helping the environment and ensuring that you are not getting unwanted pesticides, food additives, and other harmful fat-bolstering chemicals that thwart your weight loss efforts.

8. The energy contained in the seed, grain, nut, or legume is ignited through soaking and sprouting.

9. Sprouts are alkalizing to your body.  Many illnesses including cancer have been linked to excess acidity in the body.

10. Sprouts are inexpensive. People frequently use the cost of healthy foods as an excuse for not eating healthy.  But, with sprouts being so cheap, there really is no excuse for not eating healthier.

How To Get Sprouting At Home!

Growing your own is a great way to have a supply of gourmet varieties, ensure access to high quality fresh foods year round if you live in a colder climate, or simply to become more aware of the food you are eating.

I prefer the jar method which involves using a wide-mouth mason jar and either sprout lids from a health food store or cheesecloth and a rubber band.

You’ll need only a few basic supplies to get started sprouting. They include: organic sprouting seeds, nuts, legumes, or grains (such as mung beans, alfalfa seeds, clover seeds, broccoli seeds, and garbanzo beans.)

Avoid sprouting kidney beans as they are poisonous if eaten raw or sprouted. Make sure the seeds you choose are from a reputable supplier that can guarantee they haven’t been heated during processing, which prevents them from sprouting.

What You’ll Need:

1. Large wide mouth mason jars

2. Sprouting lids for jars (Sprouting lids are typically available in most health food stores but you can use cheesecloth and rubber bands over the top of the jars if you prefer)

Now you’re ready to get sprouting!

Grow Your Own Sprouts

• For hygiene’s sake, wash your hands before handling seeds. Use seeds, grains, nuts, or legumes. For simplicity, I’ll be referring to any of these items as seeds throughout the instructions.

• Remove any broken or discolored seeds, stones, twigs, or hulls that may have found their way into your sprouting seeds.

• Place one type of seed in the jar. Use about a teaspoon of seeds or one-third cup of beans. Remember they will grow in size during the soaking and sprouting process.

• Cover the seeds with pure water. If you are using a few tablespoons of seeds, cover with at least one cup of water. If you are using beans, nuts, or grains, use at least three times the water of the amount of seed. In other words, one cup of water for one-third cup of mung beans, for example.

• Allow the seeds to soak for about 6 to 12 hours. I find it easiest to start them before going to bed. They absorb the water while I’m sleeping and are ready to start sprouting in the morning.

• Cover the jar with the sprouting lids or cheesecloth. If you’re using cheesecloth, secure over the top of the jar with a rubber band. Drain off the water.Rinse thoroughly with fresh water and drain off the water again. Set upside down in a clean, cool spot in your kitchen area, preferably on a slight angle to allow excess water to drain off. Alternatively, use a stainless steel dish drying rack which gives the sprout jars the perfect angle for draining.

• Rinse the sprouts a few times a day. Be sure to drain them well each time.

• Once the sprouts are ready to be harvested (this amount of time differs for each variety; alfalfa or mung bean sprouts are ready in about a week), place them in a large bowl of cool water and stir them around to loosen hulls and skins from the seeds (this is an optional step). They’ll usually come to the top so you can remove them. Don’t worry about removing every hull. Doing so helps prevent spoilage so the sprouts will last longer. Drain sprouts well and store in the refrigerator covered for a week to 10 days, depending on the sprout type.

HANDY TIP:

To increase the mineral content of your sprouts, add a piece of kelp or other type of seaweed to the water while the seeds are soaking.

10 Healthy Reasons to use Coconut Oil

1. All Fats Are Not Created Equal

Coconut oil contains short term medium-chain saturated fatty acids (MCFAs), which is a "healthy" form saturated fat compared to trans fat. Trans fatty acid consumption is linked with heart problems, depression and increased cholesterol levels. What does consuming MCFA fats in coconut oil mean for your body? Our body metabolises these fats in the liver, immediately coverting this into energy (fuel for the brain and muscle function) rather than it being stored as fat.

2. Helps Controls Weight

One 2009 study looked at the weight loss link between women's consumption of coconut oil and found that it reduces abdominal obesity. Researchers discovered coconut oil is easy to digest and also protects the body from insulin resistance. To try coconut oil for weight loss start by adding one teaspoon to your diet and gradually work your way up to four teaspoons per day.

3. Eases Digestion

If you suffer from poor digestion or tummy bloating try adding coconut oil to your diet. Coconut oil has been found to benefit digestive disorders including irritable bowel syndrome and microbial related tummy bugs. Fatty acids in coconut oil contain anti microbial properties, which have a soothing affect on bacteria, candida, or parasites that cause poor digestion.

4. Manage type 2 Diabetes

A recent study by the Garvan Institute of Medical Research found that coconut oil protects against insulin resistance, reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes. MCFA fats are small enough to be absorbed into the cells where they're quickly converted to energy. It is this process that not only reduces the amount of fat we pack into storage, but improves insulin sensitivity.

5. Supports Immunity

Coconut oil is made up of healthy fats lauric acid, caprylic acid and capric acid which contain antifungal, antibacterial, antiviral prosperities to boost the immune system. Lauric acid contains the highest concentration of MCFA fatty acids, approximately 75 per cent. The body turn this fat into monolaurin which is claimed to help heal viruses such as herpes, influenza, cytomegalovirus, helicobacter pylori and candida.

6. Boost Metabolism

A study reported in the Journal of Nutrition found that coconut oil boosts metabolism. Researchers found that participants who consumed two tablespoons of coconut oil per day burned more kilojoules than those who consumed less. A speedy metabolism helps boost the body's immune system and keep weight off.

7. Slows Fine Lines

Coconut is not just for your cooking – it's a wonderfully hydrating treat for skin too. It keeps the skin's connective tissues strong, which prevents sagging and wrinkles. Apply coconut oil directly to your skin to soften the appearance of fine lines or use it daily on your face and body for a healthy glow. Be sure you use virgin coconut oil with no additives.

8. Cooks In High Temperatures

Because coconut oil is a medium-chain saturated fatty acid, it gives it a higher smoking temperature than most polyunsaturated or monounsaturated oils. If you're preparing recipes that require high temperatures you should consider coconut oil for this type of cooking. Unlike olive oil which will oxidise at high temperatures, creating free radicals.

9. Stops Sugar Cravings

Instead of reaching for the lollie jar for an afternoon sweet hit, try eating a teaspoon of virgin coconut oil to beat sugar cravings. This is because good quality fat is more satiating than carbs, so if you cut down on sugar you will feel less 'ravenous'.

Most of us do not realize but constant hunger is a major clue that your body is not being fed correctly.  With the proper amounts of fats and protein, you can fuel your energy reserves properly, and come off the sugar roller coaster that many of us are on.

10. Coconut Oil Makes Delicious Desserts

Try this recipe for a nutritious high protein, gluten and dairy free coconut treat.

1 tablespoon of coconut oil

1 cup of almonds or walnuts (soaked for at least 4 hours or overnight)

5 organic dates soaked in hot water to soften (or raw honey to taste)

3 tablespoons of raw cocoa powder

Shredded coconut (check it contains no preservatives)

Place all ingredients in a food processor. Roll into small bite size balls and roll into shredded coconut. Place in the refrigerator for 15 minutes to set.

Keep your brain healthy

A recent study has minted a new diet that may significantly reduce your risk of Alzheimer's disease. The Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay ( MIND ) diet encourages regular consumption of 10 brain healthy food groups, which include green leafy vegetables, nuts, berries and whole grains, and limited consumption of five unhealthy food groups, which include fried or fast food and pastries ans sweets.  

Rush University Medical Center researchers studied the food intake of 923 people between the ages of 58 and 98 and scored how closely the participants' food intake matched the MIND diet, the Mediterranean diet or the DASH diet.  Next, they measured the incidence of Alzheimer's over and average follow-up of 4.5 years.
  
Th conclusion?
Those who followed one of the three diets had a lower risk of Alzheimer's. 
Those who moderately adhered to the MIND diet saw a 35% lower risk of the disease while those who moderately adhered to the Mediterranean or DASH diets had no reduced risk, giving the MIND diet the top spot.  

Bottom line: Stay with your clean diet by eating lots of dark leafy greens, nuts and berries, but if the disease runs in your family, it might be worthwhile to try the MIND diet. 

Article Thanks to Clean Eating Magazine June 2015

Extra Virgin Olive Oil - Anti-Cancer?

A new Study indicates that adding extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO) to your diet may be just what the doctor should order. Long known for its heart-healthy benefits, EVOO may even have cancer killing properties thanks to an antioxidant compound it contains call oleocanthal. Though scientists have known that oleocanthal killed some cancer cells without harming the good cells, no one really understood how it happened - until now. It turns out that oleocanthal "targets" cancer cells by rupturing and then killing off the lysosomes of cancer cells (where the cells store waste) within 30 minutes to an hour. However, noncarcerous cells are spared from such actions, suggesting that oleocanthal can eventually be used medicinally to prevent disease because of the targeted damage it exerts.  The findings also leave some helpful takeaways for clean eaters. Study co-author Paul Beslin, PhD, "Sample the oil. The more it stings you throat, the higher in oleocanthal it is."

Article from Clean Eating Magazine - June 2015