BALANCING YOUR BODY CHEMISTRY FOR GOOD HEALTH

You often hear ‘you are what you eat’ and, while there is some truth in that, we need to go a step further: “You are what your nutrients (food and supplements) help you digest, absorb and assimilate.” To that end, this monthly series of BLOGS for 2013 addresses a number of ways to do that.

FOOD ALLERGIES VS. FOOD INTOLERANCE

Many people confuse food allergy with food intolerance. There is a difference…food allergies cause immediate reactions whereas intolerances take a longer time to realize. Research from a variety of sources estimates that as many as 90 percent of the general population suffers from food intolerance. (This is as opposed to the 5% thought to suffer food allergies.)Learning what your intolerances are is important. An important test (ALCAT) can determine that. But more about that in a future blog here…

As most of us know, a food allergy such as to peanuts can create an emergent situation…it could be something as simple as breaking out in a rash or, in extreme cases, anaphylactic shock (which can be a fatal response). A food intolerance could be considered the ‘hidden’ food allergy. A food intolerance could be just as poisonous to your body chemistry but, because it could take a long time to show up, there are not a lot of us, nor many in the medical world, who recognize it as the culprit for any number of chronic conditions, yes even debilitating diseases.

Symptoms of food intolerance range from relatively mild acne or a stuffy nose to bloating, abdominal pain, and diarrhea. Food intolerance, after time, is thought to be the cause of chronic diseases such as diabetes and asthma. It also may play a significant role in the greatest health epidemic faced by our nation (and the medical community) today – obesity. Obesity is thought not always to be caused by lack of will power, but caused instead perhaps often by biochemical abnormalities from a food intolerance. One of these abnormalities caused by food intolerance happens when a food that is ‘poison’ to our particular biochemistry is consumed on a somewhat regular basis, our insulin metabolism goes awry and, simply put, that triggers levels of fats in the blood to also go awry and you then crave simple sugars. Too much sugar and carbohydrates trigger insulin production designed to bring them into the normal range. When insulin is not needed it pushes sugar out of the bloodstream and deposits it as fat that gets stored, resulting in obesity.

Clearly then, bombarding your body with what could be considered your own ‘personal poison’ could eventually have an adverse effect on your body chemistry. Different foods translate into poisons depending on your own personal biochemistry. These poisons can often be considered good, healthful foods for some but, because of an adverse reaction to your particular biosystem, react badly. Here’s what happens: often your body isn’t able to produce enough of a particular chemical or enzyme needed for digestion. Both natural and artificial ingredients may cause adverse reactions in sensitive people if consumed in sufficient amount, the degree of sensitivity varying between individuals. Underlying digestive problems (e.g. low stomach acidity, gut bacterial overgrowth, a "leaky" or damaged gut lining, yeast infection or poor digestive enzyme production) are common "causes" of food intolerance and must be addressed before avoiding foods unnecessarily. Gallbladder disease, gallstones, and pancreatitis may also be underlying causes of reactions to foods, but these will produce other symptoms too.

Chewing your food thoroughly could help avoid certain food intolerances. It is usually large food particles that cause allergic reactions, so proper breakdown of food (especially protein) via cooking and chewing is vitally important. Digestive enzymes or probiotics can often help too to ensure complete digestion, and once digestion is corrected, things can improve quite dramatically. However, another cause could be attributed to stress! Food-intolerant people often have low levels of secretory IgA, a class of protective antibodies found in the gut. IgA antibodies protect the body against the entry of foreign substances. Stress leads to a decrease in secretory IgA. A bit of vicious cycle really, but it certainly explains the relationship between stress and food intolerance!

Ironically, Hippocrates himself (orientation of the medical profession’s Hippocratic Oath) said 2,500 years ago: “It appears to me necessary to every physician to be skilled in nature, and to strive to know, if he would wish to perform his duties, what man is in relation to the articles of food and drink, and to his occupations, and what are the effects of each of them to every one.” And, yet, only recently are medical schools offering courses in nutrition, and these more than likely don’t touch on the debilitating effect of food intolerances.

The lack of western medicine to recognize that we are not only ‘what we eat’ but ‘what our nutrients help us digest, absorb and assimilate’ results in many people being diagnosed with serious diseases such as diabetes, arthritis, asthma, and even cancer when the possibility that the root cause might actually be a food intolerance is overlooked. It takes a proactive patient to pursue this with his or her healthcare provider. Eating foods that are ‘friendly’ to your particular biochemistry can not only lead you to better health and help you be disease free, but to just feeling much better!

Next month our blog will delve more deeply into the obesity and food intolerance connection. Check it out! NES

Now That You Know a Little About Probiotics, How Do You Select the Best?

In earlier blogs, I defined the word ‘probiotic: the prefix ‘pro’ means ‘for’ – and the word ‘biotic’ means ‘life’, so probiotics are for life. Often called the ‘friendly bacteria’, scientists believe that probiotics are as important in this century as antibiotics were in the last. And I go along with the scientists’ belief. Again, my feeling is that probiotics are the unsung hero of wellness, but they have to be good, high functioning probiotics.

In previous blogs about probiotics (check them out below if you’re ‘new’ to my postings), I’ve listed functions performed by probiotics, both our own natural ones and those helped with high quality supplements,  along with explanations; a list of conditions attributed to Dysbiosis (the causes of an imbalance between the harmful and good bacteria), and a listing of the symptoms and/or warning signs of Dysbiosis; and in my most recent blog, a list of factors that can upset the balance of good and bad intestinal flora.

Now, as promised, I’ll address factors to look for when choosing the most effective probiotic product:

·         Must deliver the flora alive. First and foremost, you should expect the produce to be shelf-stable without refrigeration for up to three years. (With a refrigerated product, you have no real idea how carefully it has been handled along its delivery route or how effective it will be when you take it in and out of the refrigerator which attracts moisture. Blister packs are best.

·         The best bacteria are the ‘alive’ ones. The strength of the bacteria is more important than the total count of them. You want ‘critters’ that will thrive (i.e., alive) and that will, in most cases, adhere to the digestive tract. (A product with freeze-dried type that doesn’t arrive alive, or can’t be reawakened or are weak, cannot do the job that live bacteria can do.)

·         The species you use must be proven useful and natural to humans. If the species produced by a probiotic company does not meet this test, no amount of marketing hype will make up for this lack. There are products, for instance those made from organisms in the soil, which create a big effect, but they often cause diarrhea. (This isn’t surprising given that this is how the body gets rid of things it doesn’t like – it flushes them.) See next bullet.

·         Look for a blend of a number of beneficial lactic acid bacteria strains. Each strain has its own unique and distinct benefits. Ideally, you’ll want to look for organisms that fight deadly smart bugs which would serve to protect the body against antibiotic-resistant bacteria such as MRSA, H. pylori, E. coli and the other bacteria that can cause food poisoning. (Check my next blog for a list of examples of friendly bacterial strains, along with some of their roles.)

·         The form of the product should be able to protect the bacteria until they reach the lower intestine. I recommend and ‘enteric coating’ to help keep digestive juices from destroying the bacteria before they get to the intended place.

·         Product should be milk-free and hypoallergenic.

·         Product should guarantee the inclusion of colony-forming units (CFU) of at least 1 to 1.5 billion per gram.

·         The safety and efficacy of the product should be known to be well-researched with both in-vivo (human) and in-vitro (laboratory) scientific studies (not just stories, but actual scientific tests).

·         The product should contain robust, naturally-occurring organic acids. These are necessary to correct and maintain the proper “acidic” pH environment in the colon. (Consider this: the good guys are called “lactic acid bacteria”, and a pH level of 5.2 – 6.5 is essential for their proper proliferation and adhesion.

·         A probiotic product is best if supported with natural-occurring fructooligocaccharides (FOS). This prebiotic nutrient is important to the health and long life of lactobaccilus (LAB).

·         A few quality-assurance factors you should insist on include a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility with the highest standards of quality as analyzed by third-party authorities.

·         Other important qualities to look for include: non-GMO; free of chemicals, preservative, and artificial additives. The product should be totally vegan, including the capsule material.

·         Check for the product’s inclusion of naturally-developed micronutrient by-products such as amino acids, hydrogen peroxide, enzymes and bacteriocins, and anti-fungals – one way to fight the bad guys.

·         For the best results, the product should contain the nutritional medium in which the culture was actually grown. This will assure a stable growth base, remembering that the bacteria may not like what you ate for dinner.

If you want more information on a very safe and effective product, contact me either by e-mail at liz@nutried.com, and on my website at www.nutried.com. Remember, most importantly, the product you use MUST WORK!

What do you know about probiotics? Part 3

“What Do You Know About Probiotics?”

In earlier blogs, I defined the word ‘probiotic: the prefix ‘pro’ means ‘for’ – and the word ‘biotic’ means ‘life’, so probiotics are for life. Often called the ‘friendly bacteria’, scientists believe that probiotics are as important in this century as antibiotics were in the last. And I go along with the scientists’ belief. My feeling is that probiotics are the unsung hero of wellness.

In my last two blogs, I posted a list of functions performed by probiotics, both our own natural ones and those helped with high quality supplements (NOTE: Not all probiotics are created equally… I’ll address that in more detail in a subsequent blog.). My last blog had two lists along with explanations: Dysbiosis, meaning the causes of an imbalance between the harmful and good bacteria (the bad being detrimental if more than a 15/85% ratio), and then a list with the warning signs of Dysbiosis.

As evidenced in my earlier blogs, there is much at stake in assuring that friendly bacteria are in control in our bodies. Hence, in this posting, I thought I would give you a list of the factors that can upset the balance of intestinal flora, thus causing Dysbiosis:

·         Antibiotic medications and antibiotic residues often in our meat and dairy products – note that this is not only first alphabetically, but a strong first as far as a cause of Dysbiosis*

·         Chlorinated / fluoridated water (chlorine put in water to kill bacteria is also not selective)

·         Constipation (a condition which creates a toxic environment for the good ‘bugs’)

·         Diets high in sugar and other simple carbohydrates…junk foods strengthen and feed an undesirable element in our guts

·         Estrogen replacement therapy (this is an example of a treatment intended to remedy one situation which can exacerbate another)

·         Excessive fiber (yes, you can ingest too much fiber, too…and it strips the colon of micro flora)

·         Excessive exposure to radiation (CT scan, and excessive dental and/or medical X-rays)

·         Heavy or excessive use of (even natural) antiseptic agents such as echinacea, barberry, goldenseal, colloidal silver

·         Oral contraceptives (birth control pills contain hormones which are damaging to good bacteria)

·         Parasites, usually gotten from traveling to third-world countries, but also contracted by eating foods that are either not washed properly or cooked thoroughly

·         Poor digestion – possibly now thought to be caused, at least in part, by lengthy ingestion of acid blockers (more on this relatively new concept in future blogs) Chew your food throughly!

·         Steroids (and these include even the anti-inflammatory steroids prescribed by physicians)

·         Stress, the chronic type

·         Toxic chemical intake (and our everyday life has many – breathed in, ingested, etc.)

*Antibiotic drugs are not discriminating in selecting only harmful bacteria to kill, they kill them all, especially the broad-spectrum variety. It is especially important to replenish the good ‘bugs’ in your system with probiotics when taking an antibiotic well before the bad guys get too comfortable in our guts. (You can take probiotics while on an antibiotic by allowing two hours between taking each.) In a subsequent blog, I’ll discuss the importance of selecting a high quality probiotic, or you can contact me at liz@nutried.com or through my website at www.nutried.com.

Meanwhile, I’m posting a list of measures you can take if you think you may be suffering Dysbiosis – an imbalance of intestinal flora:

·         REST your GI tract by cutting out starches and sugars that yeasts love…

·         REPLACE carbohydrates with vegetables, in particular

·         DRINK large amounts of water

·         CLEANSE the colon with a quality oral colon cleanse product, or visit an experienced colon therapist for advice

·         REBALANCE bacteria in your system by flooding the colon with high quality probiotics during this whole process

·         CONTINUE TO USE a high quality probiotic which will help you maintain sufficient and healthy levels of good bacteria in your colon, enhancing the purpose of your immune system in finishing the job of eliminating and keeping away the ‘bad guys’

Always follow the instructions of your physician! Just be informed about side effects and how to manage them. 

As you can see, there is much information out there about the goodness of probiotics which I will delve more into in future editions. Check out my blog regularly for more information about probiotics and other nutritional data. I would be happy to advise you on the most effective probiotics available to help you toward a life of wellness. Again, you can contact me through my e-mail or website (noted above), and we’ll work together on getting you on a path to a healthy life.

What do you know about probiotics? Part 2

With the prefix ‘pro’ – which means ‘for’ – it’s logical to assume that probiotics are good, and they are! The word ‘biotic’ means ‘life’, so probiotics are for life. Often called the ‘friendly bacteria’, scientists believe that probiotics are as important in this century as antibiotics were in the last. And I go along with the scientists’ belief. My feeling is that probiotics are the unsung hero of wellness. Last time I posted a list of functions performed by probiotics, both our own natural ones and high quality supplements. NOTE: Not all probiotics are created equally. Again, I’ll address that in more detail in a subsequent blog.

Given the more than thirty functions performed by both our own and our supplemental probiotics (I listed 16 of the more important in my last blog), it is no wonder that when medications and/or lifestyle choices kill too many of these friendly teammates (yes, I call them ‘teammates’), bad things can start to happen. I consider a healthy balance of good and bad to be 85% and 15%, respectively. In the case of too many harmful and bad ‘teammates’, we experience a condition known as Dysbiosis. Please know that Dysbiosis may cause illness, so this is important information to digest…pardon the pun.

Following is a list of just some conditions which may be aggravated by Dysbiosis:

Allergies                                      Digestive issues                              Joint pain            

Asthma                                        Fatigue                                             Poor nutrient assimilation

Autoimmune difficulties          Food poisoning                               Sinus infections (chronic)

Candida yeast infestation        Gastritis                                            Skin problems

Constipation                               Headaches                                       Sleep disturbance

Diarrhea                                      Heartburn                                          

Now I’ll give you a list (also in alphabetical order) of warning signs and symptoms associated with Dysbiosis – more commonly known as an intestinal imbalance – caused by an imbalance of more harmful flora than the good ‘teammates’:

·         Acne, eczema, and skin problems

·         Allergies and chronic food sensitivities

·         Bad breath and gum disease

·         Chronic (otherwise unexplained) fatigue

·         Chronic yeast problems (including Candida albicans overgrowth)

·         Constipation and/or diarrhea

·         Difficulty losing weight

·         Extreme menstrual or menopausal symptoms

·         Faulty digestion (including acid reflux)

·         Foot problems including fungus, bacteria, etc. as probiotics gobble up bad bacteria

·         Frequent colds, flu and/or respiratory infections

·         Joint pain / inflammation

·         Peptic ulcers

·         Poor sleep habits (including nightmares)

As you can see, there is much information out there about the goodness of probiotics which I will delve more into in future editions. Check out my blog regularly for more information about probiotics and other nutritional data. I would be happy to advise you on the most effective probiotics available to help you toward a life of wellness. Contact me through my website, and we’ll work together on getting you on a path to a healthy life.

See www.NutritiionEducationServices.com  for more information about our services.

 

 

What Do You Know About Probiotics

“What Do You Know About Probiotics?”

With the prefix ‘pro’ – which means ‘for’ – it would be logical to assume that probiotics are good, and they are! The word ‘biotic’ means ‘life’, so probiotics are for life. Often called the ‘friendly bacteria’, scientists believe that probiotics are as important in this century as antibiotics were in the last. And I go along with the scientists’ belief. My feeling is that probiotics are the unsung hero of wellness. Following is a list of functions performed by probiotics, both our own natural ones and high quality supplements. NOTE: Not all probiotics are created equally. I’ll address that in more detail in a subsequent blog.

There are more than 30 functions our own bacteria and the very finest supplemental probiotics perform. In the interest of brevity, I’m listing here (in alphabetical order) some of the more important health issues that probiotics can help stem:

·         Acid reflux, heartburn, and GERD by helping food digest better

·         Acne, psoriasis, and eczema by helping control causes

·         Allergy and/or food sensitivity by keeping your stomach lining healthy

·         Arthritis due to the anti-inflammatory action of probiotics

·         Asthma due to the anti-inflammatory action of probiotics

·         Bone density loss by improving absorption of minerals and making vitamin K

·         Depression by helping release good bacteria which serve as a natural antidepressant

·         Diabetes by helping preclude inflammation of the pancreas

·         Diarrhea by fighting harmful organisms causing it

·         Gum disease by reducing harmful bacteria

·         Glaucoma by helping control bacteria such as H. Pylori, a known cause of this eye disease

·         Inflammatory bowel disease and colitis by reducing inflammation and ‘leaky gut’

·         Liver disease by helping detoxify the gut, thus reducing load on liver function

·         Migraine by helping suppress H. Pylori bacteria, also a cause of cluster headaches

·         Ulcers by suppressing H. Pylori bacteria

·         Urinary tract / vaginal infections by fighting harmful organisms

So, as you can see, probiotics not only perform dozens of important functions in helping prevent disease, but they are truly essential to life…to living ‘well’, i.e., without sickness. We get some of our natural probiotics at birth, and some still come from fermented foods we might consume, but processed foods and our modern life in general actually forces us to get some probiotics via supplements. I would be happy to advise you on the most effective probiotics available to help you toward a life of wellness. Contact me through my website, and we’ll work together on getting you on a path to a healthy life.

As you can see, there is much information out there about the goodness of probiotics which I will delve more into in future editions. Check out my blog regularly for more information about probiotics and other nutritional data. For more information about NES see www.NutritionEducationServices.com.

Gluten - are you sensitive or intolerant to Gluten

Many people have a sensitivity to gluten products and have various symptoms that are not resolved with medications.  If you have stomach discomfort, digestive issues, energy problems, skin irritations, sinus issues and many others, consider staying off all gluten grains for 30 days.  Wheat, Rye, Barley are the main culprits.
Oats may be processed in a plant that process gluten grains and may be contaminated. Use organic oats to insure cleanliness in processing. More and more restaurants are producing menu items that are gluten free and there are many books with gluten free recipes.

There is a difference between gluten sensitivity and gluten intolerance.  I am gluten sensitive meaning that if I occasionally have a little bit of wheat - like a cracker, or eat the filling of a pie and not the wheat crust, and stay away from spongy breads made with gluten grains, I do well.  I save this exposure for eating out.

Others need to stay completely off gluten including hidden gluten in skin care products, snack bars (modified food starch).  

This is an enormous topic so I suggest taking it a little bit at a time.  Just realize that food is medicine and what we put in our mouth influences how we feel.  We are all individuals and respond to toxic exposure differently.
My toxins include dairy, gluten, sugar.  I work diligently to keep these food items out of my diet.

For information regarding how NES can assist you in discovering your food sensitivities contact us at www.nutried.com   or call 802-874-4429

Surviving Holiday Eating Challenges

With the holidays come parties, celebrations and food. Delicious goodies that tempt the appetite and reduce our discipline and all our promises to ourselves in a flash.
Here are a few tips I have learned over the years that help me enjoy without over-indulging.

• Have some protein before going to a party. That reduces the appetite and makes it easier to make better decisions at the party. I use either a protein bar or shake with some vitamin/mineral supplements.
• Begin with the healthy snacks, chew them slowly and thoroughly and leave the most fattening to the last. Have one of each offering. 
• Drink a glass of water before having an alcoholic beverage. Many times we drink more then planned because we are thirsty.  Cutting down on alcohol save a myriad of calories.
• Get plenty of rest. This allows our body to cleans properly the effect of which makes us less hungry. 
• Keep up moderate exercise to help the body cleanse, sleep deeper and stay healthy. 
• Take vitamin/mineral supplements to make sure you get the nutrients you need during the stress of the holidays.  Doing this will help keep you healthy.
• Keep in mind the holidays are about family, friends and fellowship.  Make that the center of your focus, not food. Keeping in conversation with loved ones away from the food table always helps. 

Stay healthy and safe and may the holidays bring you joy and peace. 

Liz Harrison, NES

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