Heads up, we're running a deal with Quizno's tomorrow (Wednesday, May 18, 2011). For $26, consumers get eight regular-size subs at a location of their choice.
QUIZNO'S
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Monday, May 16, 2011
Jordan Rubin's "New" Direct Sales - Organic Foods (Pre Launch Phase)
Beyond Organics
Independent Mission Partner
You can lock in your position as a Mission Marketer with Beyond Organic and now have the opportunity to invite others to become an Insider as well and officially start building your downline. You can build your downline by giving out your enroller code or by sending out your personal team building link.
As an Insider you will be one of the first to learn about and have a chance to try our delicious, nutrient rich products.
Our goal at Beyond Organic is to create a company that is focused on 3-dimensional success.
We want to make a difference in your life by empowering you to:
Change Your Diet… by consuming the world’s healthiest, sustainably produced foods and beverages.
Change Your Life… by getting educated on the foods & beverages that you consume daily and creating a residual income to help you achieve your goals and dreams.
Change Your World… by educating others about Beyond Organic and by partnering with domestic and international organizations around the world to provide food, shelter, and clothing to widows, orphans and those in need.
Therefore, as you begin to share this opportunity with others, you will want to make sure that you stay completely informed about the Beyond Organic products and mission.
On the Beyond Organic Insider website you will find several videos by Jordan Rubin, which will help get you on your way to becoming a seasoned Mission Marketer.
Finally, on our website you will also find up-to-date information about our training events and online webinars, as well as opportunity presentations happening around the country.
Be sure to stay tuned as we approach our official launch in October 2011.
BEYOND ORGANICS INSIDER
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Here's My Story - What's Yours?
FACEBOOK - Crohns News and Views
CROHNS NEWS AND VIEWS ON FACEBOOK
Hi everyone. Hope you'll had a pain free symptom free day.
I wanted to share some things that I've learned in managing Crohns that later became Colitis and Crohns.
First like many others here, I've lived with Crohns 25 years. Two yrs after diagnosed, had first bowel resection at common ileum bend. After that I was symptom free for exactly 10 years with no meds. I was young and rather ignored and neglected check ups.
Back to Gastro for emergency surgery and ever since spent time in and out of the hospital.
15 yrs in I had first ileostomy, second 17 yrs ( changed locations on abdomen) then 2 yrs ago colon removed.
Symptom free now and take no meds. I do swear by acidolphilus which helps me tremendously. Also I asked to maintain remission by getting remicade which my doctor agreed would be a good idea.
I have days zapped of energy but that's expected due to nutritional factors we share.
I keep telling people that I've always been on the good side of Crohns. I also avoid sugar ( carbs, starches) because It exacerbates flares. I've learned what I can eat and can't.
Back in the 80's I was told to avoid ruffage such as salads, broccoli, etc which I did. I now only avoid onions, nuts and corn. I am never without my 16 oz 2go cup courtesy of many hospital souvenirs.
Know that we dehydrate easily so get in the habit of drinking water all day if you don't already do so. You'll feel sick, lethargic and nauseous otherwise.
Above all stay positive. Visualization works. A great book to keep your hopes high is The Power of Positive Thinking. Order on amazon cheap.
When I tell my story, I get the usual , wow and sympathy comments. I tell everyone- that I'm playing the cards I was given. Someone else has a different set of cards to play. We all have "something".
A special note to remember is I'm not a doctor, I don't play one in real life but I do know better than any doctor what works for me. Amazingly my many doctors tell me I know more than they do. I think we all do. Trust your body and symptoms. Make mental notes of your good days, enjoy the he'll out of them and duplicate your eating and daily activity of that good day.
Don't forget beer and wine are loaded with sugar TRY to avoid. Smoke a toke instead lol. Did I just say that? Lol.
CROHNS NEWS AND VIEWS ON FACEBOOK
Hi everyone. Hope you'll had a pain free symptom free day.
I wanted to share some things that I've learned in managing Crohns that later became Colitis and Crohns.
First like many others here, I've lived with Crohns 25 years. Two yrs after diagnosed, had first bowel resection at common ileum bend. After that I was symptom free for exactly 10 years with no meds. I was young and rather ignored and neglected check ups.
Back to Gastro for emergency surgery and ever since spent time in and out of the hospital.
15 yrs in I had first ileostomy, second 17 yrs ( changed locations on abdomen) then 2 yrs ago colon removed.
Symptom free now and take no meds. I do swear by acidolphilus which helps me tremendously. Also I asked to maintain remission by getting remicade which my doctor agreed would be a good idea.
I have days zapped of energy but that's expected due to nutritional factors we share.
I keep telling people that I've always been on the good side of Crohns. I also avoid sugar ( carbs, starches) because It exacerbates flares. I've learned what I can eat and can't.
Back in the 80's I was told to avoid ruffage such as salads, broccoli, etc which I did. I now only avoid onions, nuts and corn. I am never without my 16 oz 2go cup courtesy of many hospital souvenirs.
Know that we dehydrate easily so get in the habit of drinking water all day if you don't already do so. You'll feel sick, lethargic and nauseous otherwise.
Above all stay positive. Visualization works. A great book to keep your hopes high is The Power of Positive Thinking. Order on amazon cheap.
When I tell my story, I get the usual , wow and sympathy comments. I tell everyone- that I'm playing the cards I was given. Someone else has a different set of cards to play. We all have "something".
A special note to remember is I'm not a doctor, I don't play one in real life but I do know better than any doctor what works for me. Amazingly my many doctors tell me I know more than they do. I think we all do. Trust your body and symptoms. Make mental notes of your good days, enjoy the he'll out of them and duplicate your eating and daily activity of that good day.
Don't forget beer and wine are loaded with sugar TRY to avoid. Smoke a toke instead lol. Did I just say that? Lol.
Healthy Days News
(HealthDay News) -- People with Crohn's disease -- a type of inflammatory bowel -- are prone to being malnourished.
The University of Maryland Medical Center offers these suggestions to help people with Crohn's better manage their diet:
Snack throughout the day on small amounts of food, rather than eating big meals.
Drink plenty of water.
Stay away from spicy foods, and stick to bland, softer offerings.
Steer clear of foods that are high in fiber, such as popcorn, seeds, beans, nuts and bran.
Don't eat foods that are greasy or fried, and avoid heavy and fattening sauces that contain cream, butter or margarine.
Restrict milk and dairy products if you are lactose intolerant.
Limit caffeine and alcohol.
The University of Maryland Medical Center offers these suggestions to help people with Crohn's better manage their diet:
Snack throughout the day on small amounts of food, rather than eating big meals.
Drink plenty of water.
Stay away from spicy foods, and stick to bland, softer offerings.
Steer clear of foods that are high in fiber, such as popcorn, seeds, beans, nuts and bran.
Don't eat foods that are greasy or fried, and avoid heavy and fattening sauces that contain cream, butter or margarine.
Restrict milk and dairy products if you are lactose intolerant.
Limit caffeine and alcohol.
Friday, April 22, 2011
Jordan Rubin- Gluten
From Jordan's Desk: Goodbye, Gluten.
If eating conventional pasta, bread, crackers or other standard grain products create less-than-optimal gut responses, then you may suspect wheat as the culprit, but it may be gluten—the protein found in wheat, rye, barley and possibly oats.
For that reason and others, gluten has become a “sensitive topic.” In fact, an estimated one in 133 Americans has celiac disease, which occurs when ingesting gluten makes the immune system turn on the intestines by damaging the villi—tiny, fingerlike projections in the small intestine that absorb nutrients from food.
That’s not to say that gluten in and of itself is inherently bad, but for those who are gluten-sensitive, it can turn ugly when gluten proteins and gluten-derived peptides encounter the immune system. For some, gluten intake—even in small amounts or from "hidden" gluten in foods and other products—can cause an immune response that attacks the gut and more. For those people, the body creates antibodies to fight off gluten, thinking it’s a foreign invader.
When the immune system attacks, it damages the small intestine’s membranes, leaving holes in the membranes that can let in large proteins. Once through the ravaged intestinal membranes, the large gluten molecules enter the bloodstream, which carries the gluten system-wide in the body. Wherever those gluten molecules settle in the body, that’s where the immune system attacks. That’s why those with gluten sensitivity can experience unhealthy effects in the intestines and even way beyond the gut—including malnutrition that can lead to anemia, osteoporosis, mental unhealth and more.
Unfortunately, there may be as many as three million Americans who have celiac disease, but many may not even recognize it because it is so difficult to pin down. "It takes most adults about 12 years to get a definitive diagnosis of celiac disease," says Michelle Pietzak, M.D., a pediatric gastroenterologist and professor of pediatrics at the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California.
Diagnosis has its own challenges. In the past, celiac disease was diagnosed by blood tests and intestinal biopsies, but those would turn up positive only if there was villi damage. Nowadays, however, there are less invasive tests that are much more expedient.
Celiacs aren’t the only ones dealing with this sensitive topic, though. As many as one in seven folks may have what’s termed Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity or NCGS. For those with NCGS, celiac testing has turned up negative or inconclusive results, but they know something needs to change. Obviously, many with NCGS start by changing their diet. They avoid gluten at all costs. The problem, however, is that it’s easier said than done since gluten is in so many products including standard grain products, salad dressings, toothpastes, lipsticks and much more.
While NCGS is not celiac disease, it’s certainly not a lightweight problem. It may cause malabsorption, abdominal pain or distention, weight loss or weight gain, muscle wasting, peeling nails, bone pain, joint pain, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, nasal discharge and more.
For those with NCGS—and celiacs as well—lifelong, full removal of dietary gluten is important. For them, there’s no safe amount of gluten. They will need to keep a watchful eye, too, because studies indicate that amounts of gluten as low as 0.1 grams can lead to relapses and negative changes in intestinal tissue.
That’s why many are saying, “Goodbye, gluten.”
If eating conventional pasta, bread, crackers or other standard grain products create less-than-optimal gut responses, then you may suspect wheat as the culprit, but it may be gluten—the protein found in wheat, rye, barley and possibly oats.
For that reason and others, gluten has become a “sensitive topic.” In fact, an estimated one in 133 Americans has celiac disease, which occurs when ingesting gluten makes the immune system turn on the intestines by damaging the villi—tiny, fingerlike projections in the small intestine that absorb nutrients from food.
That’s not to say that gluten in and of itself is inherently bad, but for those who are gluten-sensitive, it can turn ugly when gluten proteins and gluten-derived peptides encounter the immune system. For some, gluten intake—even in small amounts or from "hidden" gluten in foods and other products—can cause an immune response that attacks the gut and more. For those people, the body creates antibodies to fight off gluten, thinking it’s a foreign invader.
When the immune system attacks, it damages the small intestine’s membranes, leaving holes in the membranes that can let in large proteins. Once through the ravaged intestinal membranes, the large gluten molecules enter the bloodstream, which carries the gluten system-wide in the body. Wherever those gluten molecules settle in the body, that’s where the immune system attacks. That’s why those with gluten sensitivity can experience unhealthy effects in the intestines and even way beyond the gut—including malnutrition that can lead to anemia, osteoporosis, mental unhealth and more.
Unfortunately, there may be as many as three million Americans who have celiac disease, but many may not even recognize it because it is so difficult to pin down. "It takes most adults about 12 years to get a definitive diagnosis of celiac disease," says Michelle Pietzak, M.D., a pediatric gastroenterologist and professor of pediatrics at the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California.
Diagnosis has its own challenges. In the past, celiac disease was diagnosed by blood tests and intestinal biopsies, but those would turn up positive only if there was villi damage. Nowadays, however, there are less invasive tests that are much more expedient.
Celiacs aren’t the only ones dealing with this sensitive topic, though. As many as one in seven folks may have what’s termed Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity or NCGS. For those with NCGS, celiac testing has turned up negative or inconclusive results, but they know something needs to change. Obviously, many with NCGS start by changing their diet. They avoid gluten at all costs. The problem, however, is that it’s easier said than done since gluten is in so many products including standard grain products, salad dressings, toothpastes, lipsticks and much more.
While NCGS is not celiac disease, it’s certainly not a lightweight problem. It may cause malabsorption, abdominal pain or distention, weight loss or weight gain, muscle wasting, peeling nails, bone pain, joint pain, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, nasal discharge and more.
For those with NCGS—and celiacs as well—lifelong, full removal of dietary gluten is important. For them, there’s no safe amount of gluten. They will need to keep a watchful eye, too, because studies indicate that amounts of gluten as low as 0.1 grams can lead to relapses and negative changes in intestinal tissue.
That’s why many are saying, “Goodbye, gluten.”
Saturday, March 12, 2011
Gluten
GLUTEN
By Jenny Thompson
In patients with gluten sensitivity or full blown celiac disease, gluten reduces the small intestine's ability to absorb nutrients. But when you start looking for gluten in your diet, it's sort of like "Where's Waldo?" You know it's there, but it's often hard to spot.
Gluten is a component of several grains. As a primary ingredient of flour, gluten delivers protein and gives bread a higher rise.
Dr. Alan Spreen offers this acronym to help you remember the four primary sources of gluten: BROW. That's barley, rye, oat and wheat. If you're gluten sensitive, give those four a wide berth.
But gluten is often hidden in foods such as soups, soy sauce, low-fat or non-fat products, and even in candy. Which brings us to the problem in answering Panna's question. A list of every gluten product would fill a book.
But don't despair. The best way to steer clear of gluten (besides avoiding BROW) is to know what phrases and terminology to look for on ingredient panels.
According to the Celiac Disease Foundation (CDF), ingredients that may tip off hidden gluten content include:
Unidentified starch
Modified food starch
Hydrolyzed vegetable protein (HVP)
Hydrolyzed plant protein (HPP)
Texturized vegetable protein (TVP)
Malt and other natural flavorings
Binders, fillers, excipients, extenders
Note that the last item on that list would include certain dietary supplements and medications that use binders and fillers. This is one of the reasons you sometimes see the statement "no binders or fillers" printed on supplement containers
By Jenny Thompson
In patients with gluten sensitivity or full blown celiac disease, gluten reduces the small intestine's ability to absorb nutrients. But when you start looking for gluten in your diet, it's sort of like "Where's Waldo?" You know it's there, but it's often hard to spot.
Gluten is a component of several grains. As a primary ingredient of flour, gluten delivers protein and gives bread a higher rise.
Dr. Alan Spreen offers this acronym to help you remember the four primary sources of gluten: BROW. That's barley, rye, oat and wheat. If you're gluten sensitive, give those four a wide berth.
But gluten is often hidden in foods such as soups, soy sauce, low-fat or non-fat products, and even in candy. Which brings us to the problem in answering Panna's question. A list of every gluten product would fill a book.
But don't despair. The best way to steer clear of gluten (besides avoiding BROW) is to know what phrases and terminology to look for on ingredient panels.
According to the Celiac Disease Foundation (CDF), ingredients that may tip off hidden gluten content include:
Unidentified starch
Modified food starch
Hydrolyzed vegetable protein (HVP)
Hydrolyzed plant protein (HPP)
Texturized vegetable protein (TVP)
Malt and other natural flavorings
Binders, fillers, excipients, extenders
Note that the last item on that list would include certain dietary supplements and medications that use binders and fillers. This is one of the reasons you sometimes see the statement "no binders or fillers" printed on supplement containers
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Artificial Sweetners and Your Health
A new study concludes that there could be negative consequences associated with artificial sugar substitutes -- including a much higher risk of strokes.
The study is somewhat controversial; some critics have argued that since the participants voluntarily reported how much diet soda they consumed, the results do not come from a rigorously controlled setting.
According to the Seattle Post Intelligencer:
"Researchers used voluntary participants to examine factors related to stroke and heart attacks. About 900 participants said they drank no diet soda, and about 160 said they consumed more than one diet soda every day."
Sources:
Seattle Post Intelligencer February 10, 2011
Paging Dr. Gupta February 10, 2011
Dr. Mercola's Comments:
These latest findings have not yet been published; the research was recently presented at the American Stroke Association's International Stroke Conference.
However, it's still worth paying attention to, as there are already hundreds of published studies linking artificial sweeteners like aspartame to serious health complications. Cori Brackett's documentary film Sweet Misery -- is an excellent summary of the problems with aspartame. I believe it's one of the best documentaries out there on this topic.
This, however, is the first time diet soda consumption has been linked to an increased risk of strokes and other vascular events.
Can Diet Soda Really Raise Your Stroke Risk?
In this study, volunteers were followed for over 9 years. About 900 of them reported not drinking any diet soda, while about 160 reported drinking one or more diet sodas a day. At the end, diet soda consumption, as well as salt intake, was linked to higher rates of strokes, heart attacks and other lethal vascular events.
In terms of salt intake, after close to 10 years, those consuming more than 4,000 mg of sodium per day doubled their risk of stroke compared to those consuming less than 1,500 mg per day.
As for diet soda, the researchers concluded that:
"This study suggests that diet soda is not an optimal substitute for sugar-sweetened beverages, and may be associated with a greater risk of stroke, myocardial infarction, or vascular death than regular soda."
While more research will likely be needed to confirm this potential link, there’s plenty of evidence showing that aspartame can be dangerous to your health. I believe aspartame is, by far, the most dangerous artificial sweetener on the market. Reports of adverse reactions to the US FDA also supports this, as aspartame accounts for over 75 percent of the adverse reactions to food additives reported to the FDA!
Long-term and Acute Adverse Effects of Aspartame
Acute reactions following aspartame ingestion, as reported to the FDA, include:
Headaches/migraines
Nausea
Abdominal pains
Fatigue (blocks sufficient glucose entry into brain)
Sleep problems
Vision problems
Anxiety attacks
Depression
Asthma/chest tightness.
Studies have also linked aspartame consumption to a wide range of health problems, including but not limited to:
Emotional disorders
Epilepsy/seizures
Fibromyalgia, and chronic fatigue syndrome
Parkinson’s disease
Memory loss, and Alzheimer’s disease
Cancer
Premature birth, and birth defects
Pregnant Women Beware!
Pregnant women in particular need to beware of artificially sweetened beverages and foods as they can have an adverse effect not just on the mother, but also on the unborn child.
One of the most recent studies published on the health effects of aspartame revealed that daily intake of artificially sweetened soft drinks may increase the risk of preterm delivery by as much as 78 percent!
In response to these disturbing findings, some British public health experts are now advising pregnant women to avoid aspartame-containing foods and beverages to protect their unborn child, as preterm delivery exposes the baby to a number of health risks, not to mention staggering health care costs.
The researchers found that pregnant women who drank:
An average of just one diet soda per day increased their risk of going into labor before the 37th week by 38 percent.
Four or more diet sodas a day increased the risk of premature birth by 78 percent.
No link was found between sugar-sweetened beverages and preterm delivery.
So please, if you're pregnant, or planning a pregnancy, please consider avoiding ALL sources of aspartame and other artificial sweeteners, and if you know someone who is pregnant, please share this information with them too.
What Makes Aspartame so Dangerous?
Aspartame is made up of:
Phenylalanine: 50 percent
Methanol (aka wood alcohol/poison): 10 percent that is formed from breaking the ester bond linkage of aspartic acid and pheylalanine.
Each of these comes with its own set of health hazards, which you can read more about on my aspartame page. Additionally, diketopiperazine (DKP) is created as a byproduct of aspartame metabolism in your body, and DKP has been implicated in the occurrence of brain tumors.
Those who defend aspartame argue that phenylalanine and aspartic acid are a harmless and natural part of your diet. Indeed, both of these amino acids can be found in most of the protein foods you eat. However, phenylalanine and aspartic acid can only be considered natural and harmless when they are consumed in combination with other amino acids in the correct ratios and not as isolated amino acids.,
When they are consumed as free amino acids not part of food, they enter your central nervous system in abnormally high concentrations, causing excessive firing of brain neurons and potential cell death. This concept has been termed "excitotoxicity" by Dr. Russell Blaylock, a prominent neurosurgeon.
There are close to 500 scientific references showing how excess free excitatory amino acids, such as aspartic acid and glutamic acid (about 99 percent of MSG is glutamic acid) in our food supply causes serious chronic neurological disorders and a myriad of other acute symptoms.
Again, going back to the dangers of aspartame during pregnancy, it's important to know that the blood brain barrier, which normally protects your brain from excess glutamate and aspartate (as well as other toxins), is not fully developed during the fetal period and childhood, so the risks are significantly magnified during that time.
Other high-risk categories include the elderly, and those with certain chronic health problems.
Are Your Health Problems Related to Aspartame Consumption?
You might not realize you're having a reaction to aspartame. In fact, most people don't make the connection, and a tremendous amount of time and money is spent by aspartame "reactors" (people sensitive to the chemical), trying to find out why they are sick.
To determine if you're a reactor, take the following steps:
Eliminate all artificial sweeteners from your diet two weeks. (Note: If you typically consume aspartame in caffeinated drinks, you'll want to gradually reduce your intake in order to avoid caffeine withdrawal symptoms.)
After two weeks of being artificial sweetener-free, reintroduce aspartame in a significant quantity (about three servings daily) and avoid other artificial sweeteners during this period.
Do this for one to three days and notice how you feel, especially as compared to when you were consuming no artificial sweeteners.
If you don't notice a difference in how you feel after re-introducing aspartame, it's a safe bet you're able to tolerate aspartame acutely, meaning your body doesn't have an immediate, adverse response. However, this doesn't mean your health won't be damaged in the long run by this chemical and its breakdown products.
For more information on the dangers of aspartame, visit http://aspartame.mercola.com.
The study is somewhat controversial; some critics have argued that since the participants voluntarily reported how much diet soda they consumed, the results do not come from a rigorously controlled setting.
According to the Seattle Post Intelligencer:
"Researchers used voluntary participants to examine factors related to stroke and heart attacks. About 900 participants said they drank no diet soda, and about 160 said they consumed more than one diet soda every day."
Sources:
Seattle Post Intelligencer February 10, 2011
Paging Dr. Gupta February 10, 2011
Dr. Mercola's Comments:
These latest findings have not yet been published; the research was recently presented at the American Stroke Association's International Stroke Conference.
However, it's still worth paying attention to, as there are already hundreds of published studies linking artificial sweeteners like aspartame to serious health complications. Cori Brackett's documentary film Sweet Misery -- is an excellent summary of the problems with aspartame. I believe it's one of the best documentaries out there on this topic.
This, however, is the first time diet soda consumption has been linked to an increased risk of strokes and other vascular events.
Can Diet Soda Really Raise Your Stroke Risk?
In this study, volunteers were followed for over 9 years. About 900 of them reported not drinking any diet soda, while about 160 reported drinking one or more diet sodas a day. At the end, diet soda consumption, as well as salt intake, was linked to higher rates of strokes, heart attacks and other lethal vascular events.
In terms of salt intake, after close to 10 years, those consuming more than 4,000 mg of sodium per day doubled their risk of stroke compared to those consuming less than 1,500 mg per day.
As for diet soda, the researchers concluded that:
"This study suggests that diet soda is not an optimal substitute for sugar-sweetened beverages, and may be associated with a greater risk of stroke, myocardial infarction, or vascular death than regular soda."
While more research will likely be needed to confirm this potential link, there’s plenty of evidence showing that aspartame can be dangerous to your health. I believe aspartame is, by far, the most dangerous artificial sweetener on the market. Reports of adverse reactions to the US FDA also supports this, as aspartame accounts for over 75 percent of the adverse reactions to food additives reported to the FDA!
Long-term and Acute Adverse Effects of Aspartame
Acute reactions following aspartame ingestion, as reported to the FDA, include:
Headaches/migraines
Nausea
Abdominal pains
Fatigue (blocks sufficient glucose entry into brain)
Sleep problems
Vision problems
Anxiety attacks
Depression
Asthma/chest tightness.
Studies have also linked aspartame consumption to a wide range of health problems, including but not limited to:
Emotional disorders
Epilepsy/seizures
Fibromyalgia, and chronic fatigue syndrome
Parkinson’s disease
Memory loss, and Alzheimer’s disease
Cancer
Premature birth, and birth defects
Pregnant Women Beware!
Pregnant women in particular need to beware of artificially sweetened beverages and foods as they can have an adverse effect not just on the mother, but also on the unborn child.
One of the most recent studies published on the health effects of aspartame revealed that daily intake of artificially sweetened soft drinks may increase the risk of preterm delivery by as much as 78 percent!
In response to these disturbing findings, some British public health experts are now advising pregnant women to avoid aspartame-containing foods and beverages to protect their unborn child, as preterm delivery exposes the baby to a number of health risks, not to mention staggering health care costs.
The researchers found that pregnant women who drank:
An average of just one diet soda per day increased their risk of going into labor before the 37th week by 38 percent.
Four or more diet sodas a day increased the risk of premature birth by 78 percent.
No link was found between sugar-sweetened beverages and preterm delivery.
So please, if you're pregnant, or planning a pregnancy, please consider avoiding ALL sources of aspartame and other artificial sweeteners, and if you know someone who is pregnant, please share this information with them too.
What Makes Aspartame so Dangerous?
Aspartame is made up of:
Phenylalanine: 50 percent
Methanol (aka wood alcohol/poison): 10 percent that is formed from breaking the ester bond linkage of aspartic acid and pheylalanine.
Each of these comes with its own set of health hazards, which you can read more about on my aspartame page. Additionally, diketopiperazine (DKP) is created as a byproduct of aspartame metabolism in your body, and DKP has been implicated in the occurrence of brain tumors.
Those who defend aspartame argue that phenylalanine and aspartic acid are a harmless and natural part of your diet. Indeed, both of these amino acids can be found in most of the protein foods you eat. However, phenylalanine and aspartic acid can only be considered natural and harmless when they are consumed in combination with other amino acids in the correct ratios and not as isolated amino acids.,
When they are consumed as free amino acids not part of food, they enter your central nervous system in abnormally high concentrations, causing excessive firing of brain neurons and potential cell death. This concept has been termed "excitotoxicity" by Dr. Russell Blaylock, a prominent neurosurgeon.
There are close to 500 scientific references showing how excess free excitatory amino acids, such as aspartic acid and glutamic acid (about 99 percent of MSG is glutamic acid) in our food supply causes serious chronic neurological disorders and a myriad of other acute symptoms.
Again, going back to the dangers of aspartame during pregnancy, it's important to know that the blood brain barrier, which normally protects your brain from excess glutamate and aspartate (as well as other toxins), is not fully developed during the fetal period and childhood, so the risks are significantly magnified during that time.
Other high-risk categories include the elderly, and those with certain chronic health problems.
Are Your Health Problems Related to Aspartame Consumption?
You might not realize you're having a reaction to aspartame. In fact, most people don't make the connection, and a tremendous amount of time and money is spent by aspartame "reactors" (people sensitive to the chemical), trying to find out why they are sick.
To determine if you're a reactor, take the following steps:
Eliminate all artificial sweeteners from your diet two weeks. (Note: If you typically consume aspartame in caffeinated drinks, you'll want to gradually reduce your intake in order to avoid caffeine withdrawal symptoms.)
After two weeks of being artificial sweetener-free, reintroduce aspartame in a significant quantity (about three servings daily) and avoid other artificial sweeteners during this period.
Do this for one to three days and notice how you feel, especially as compared to when you were consuming no artificial sweeteners.
If you don't notice a difference in how you feel after re-introducing aspartame, it's a safe bet you're able to tolerate aspartame acutely, meaning your body doesn't have an immediate, adverse response. However, this doesn't mean your health won't be damaged in the long run by this chemical and its breakdown products.
For more information on the dangers of aspartame, visit http://aspartame.mercola.com.
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Friday, January 28, 2011
Probiotics AND Prebiotics- What are they?
Each year, 3.8 million men and 3.4 million women die from heart disease around the world, and at least 90 million people in the US alone report having chronic illnesses like infections, diabetes and cancer.
These figures are astonishing, but the medical community has learned about a new way to reduce risk for coronary heart disease and to boost immunity at the same time.
The humble onion is actually a natural prebiotic- it can feed the friendly bacteria, or probiotics in your gut without encouraging the growth of harmful pathogens.
Prebiotics are one of the newest fields of nutritional research and offer promising benefits for your heart, your immunity and more. Prebiotics stimulate the growth of healthy microflora that populate your large intestine. When these healthy microflora (beneficial bacteria) are allowed to flourish, they help keep you healthy and strong.
Due to stress, the Standard American Diet (full of processed foods and sugar), lifestyle choices and regular use of antibiotics and other drugs, you may be lacking the microflora your body needs to maintain healthy digestion, to fight illness and disease, and to make sure your body gets all the nutrients it needs.
And just as important, if parents lack a healthy inner ecosystem, they may pass this on to their children, setting the stage for a whole generation with lowered
Prebiotics and Probiotics
In a healthy body, your inner ecosystem contains enough good bacteria (microflora or probiotics) to outnumber the bad and help maintain control over them. Probiotics may be a buzzword in the health and wellness industry, but you need to consume plenty of prebiotics, to ensure you have enough probiotics populating your gut.
Prebiotics are derived from insoluble fiber and fructooligosaccharides or FOS (carbohydrate molecules made up of a relatively small number of simple sugars).
If you make fermented foods and drinks at home, you know that you have to add a prebiotic, like honey or EcoBloom, as food for the microflora.
While sweets like honey feed yeast and are not recommended on the Body Ecology program, the microflora in our Body Ecology fermented food and drink Starters "eat" the sugar up in the fermentation process, leaving us with all the healthy benefits of fermented foods.
In fact, the combination of prebiotics and probiotics, as in fermented foods and drinks, have a combined beneficial or synbiotic effect for your health, which is why these foods and drinks are emphasized on the Body Ecology program.
In your body, prebiotics nourish the microflora (probiotics) and encourage them to work more efficiently, keeping you healthy and strong. The synbiotic effect from fermented foods and drinks means that not only do they help populate your intestines with beneficial bacteria, they also help improve the survival, implantation and growth of newly added microflora strains.
Once you've re-established your healthy inner ecosystem and have conquered viral, bacterial and fungal infections, you can add naturally sweet foods, like fruit, to your diet, which will also feed the microflora in your gut.
Until then, you have better choices for prebiotics, which I will outline below.
Types of Prebiotics
Anything with sugar in it can be a prebiotic, since microflora love to consume sugars.
Inulin - Inulin is found in 36,000 plants such as:
Herbs - chicory root, burdock root and dandelion root
Fruits - such as apples, bananas
Sweet vegetables - such as onions, garlic, asparagus, leeks and Jerusalem artichokes
Raw apple cider vinegar
EcoBloom - Body Ecology's prebiotic dietary fiber supplement
§ Mother's milk for babies
Fructooligosaccharides (FOS), a subgroup of inulin, is also a prebiotic and is often added to dairy foods and baked goods. It improves the taste and stimulates the growth of the beneficial bacteria, bifidobacteria.
Dairy products - studies are starting to show that lactose may be considered a prebiotic.1
What Can Prebiotics Do For You?
Heart Health
Prebiotics have been shown to moderate cholesterol and triglyceride levels- both indicators of heart disease. Specifically, one study shows that inulin can reduce artherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries by 30%.
As heart disease becomes more widespread among men and women, new approaches to treatment and prevention that do not involve medications are proving to be effective and have the added benefit of being side effect free, unless you count improved health as a side effect!
Immunity
From an immunity standpoint, who doesn't want to feel better and get sick less often? In preliminary research, prebiotics boost white blood cells and killer T cells, and may even improve your body's response to vaccinations.
Children in one test group who ate yogurt containing inulin had fewer daycare absences, fewer doctor visits and took fewer antibiotics.
Chronic Illness and Digestion
Because prebiotics act in your intestines, they have a profound effect on the pathogens and bad bacteria in your body that can cause disease.
NOTE;
Prebiotics are being used to treat Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Crohn's Disease, and may also prove useful for treating cancer, osteoporosis and diabetes.
Prebiotics and Body Ecology
Think of a fish tank: to keep your fish healthy, you need to keep their environment clean and give them food. Microflora are very similar: they need water and prebiotics (food), and since they are anaerobic, they do not like oxygen.
Pathogenic yeast (like the fungal infection, candidiasis) also feast on sugars and starches that easily break down into simple sugars. So the key is to focus on prebiotics that don't feed these pathogens so you can encourage the growth of friendly microflora.
I created the gluten-free, casein-free, sugar-free Body Ecology system to starve pathogenic and infection-causing organisms while simultaneously feeding immune-enhancing good bacteria. So how do you feed the microflora but starve the pathogens (like candida)?
Fermented Foods & Drinks - The Body Ecology program has a large array of fermented foods and drinks that you can choose from to get the synbiotic effect of prebiotics and probiotics. In the intitial stage of the Body Ecology program, here are some options: cultured vegetables, Coco-Biotic and Young Coconut Kefir.
In the later stages (after about 3 months or when you conquer candida and your inner ecosystem is re-established), add milk kefir and fermented soyfoods (like natto, miso and wheat-free tamari).
Sour Fruit - In early stages of the Body Ecology program when your inner ecosystem is still being recolonized by good bacteria, take special care to avoid all sugars, even natural ones found in fruits. Initially, we recommend only these sour fruits: lemons, limes, unsweetened black currants and unsweetened cranberries.
Gluten-Free Grains - While grains like wheat act as prebiotics, they also feed yeast. Body Ecology grain-like seeds (amaranth, quinoa, millet and buckwheat) are gluten-free alternatives that act as prebiotics AND don't feed pathogenic yeast. For more information on our recommended grains, read: The Risks of Choosing Typical Grains and the Healthy Grains to Choose Instead.
Sweet Vegetables - Vegetables are 80% of the Body Ecology Diet, so you can eat plenty of asparagus, leeks, onions, garlic, Jerusalem artichokes and other sweet vegetables to feed healthy microflora without feeding pathogenic yeast.
These figures are astonishing, but the medical community has learned about a new way to reduce risk for coronary heart disease and to boost immunity at the same time.
The humble onion is actually a natural prebiotic- it can feed the friendly bacteria, or probiotics in your gut without encouraging the growth of harmful pathogens.
Prebiotics are one of the newest fields of nutritional research and offer promising benefits for your heart, your immunity and more. Prebiotics stimulate the growth of healthy microflora that populate your large intestine. When these healthy microflora (beneficial bacteria) are allowed to flourish, they help keep you healthy and strong.
Due to stress, the Standard American Diet (full of processed foods and sugar), lifestyle choices and regular use of antibiotics and other drugs, you may be lacking the microflora your body needs to maintain healthy digestion, to fight illness and disease, and to make sure your body gets all the nutrients it needs.
And just as important, if parents lack a healthy inner ecosystem, they may pass this on to their children, setting the stage for a whole generation with lowered
Prebiotics and Probiotics
In a healthy body, your inner ecosystem contains enough good bacteria (microflora or probiotics) to outnumber the bad and help maintain control over them. Probiotics may be a buzzword in the health and wellness industry, but you need to consume plenty of prebiotics, to ensure you have enough probiotics populating your gut.
Prebiotics are derived from insoluble fiber and fructooligosaccharides or FOS (carbohydrate molecules made up of a relatively small number of simple sugars).
If you make fermented foods and drinks at home, you know that you have to add a prebiotic, like honey or EcoBloom, as food for the microflora.
While sweets like honey feed yeast and are not recommended on the Body Ecology program, the microflora in our Body Ecology fermented food and drink Starters "eat" the sugar up in the fermentation process, leaving us with all the healthy benefits of fermented foods.
In fact, the combination of prebiotics and probiotics, as in fermented foods and drinks, have a combined beneficial or synbiotic effect for your health, which is why these foods and drinks are emphasized on the Body Ecology program.
In your body, prebiotics nourish the microflora (probiotics) and encourage them to work more efficiently, keeping you healthy and strong. The synbiotic effect from fermented foods and drinks means that not only do they help populate your intestines with beneficial bacteria, they also help improve the survival, implantation and growth of newly added microflora strains.
Once you've re-established your healthy inner ecosystem and have conquered viral, bacterial and fungal infections, you can add naturally sweet foods, like fruit, to your diet, which will also feed the microflora in your gut.
Until then, you have better choices for prebiotics, which I will outline below.
Types of Prebiotics
Anything with sugar in it can be a prebiotic, since microflora love to consume sugars.
Inulin - Inulin is found in 36,000 plants such as:
Herbs - chicory root, burdock root and dandelion root
Fruits - such as apples, bananas
Sweet vegetables - such as onions, garlic, asparagus, leeks and Jerusalem artichokes
Raw apple cider vinegar
EcoBloom - Body Ecology's prebiotic dietary fiber supplement
§ Mother's milk for babies
Fructooligosaccharides (FOS), a subgroup of inulin, is also a prebiotic and is often added to dairy foods and baked goods. It improves the taste and stimulates the growth of the beneficial bacteria, bifidobacteria.
Dairy products - studies are starting to show that lactose may be considered a prebiotic.1
What Can Prebiotics Do For You?
Heart Health
Prebiotics have been shown to moderate cholesterol and triglyceride levels- both indicators of heart disease. Specifically, one study shows that inulin can reduce artherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries by 30%.
As heart disease becomes more widespread among men and women, new approaches to treatment and prevention that do not involve medications are proving to be effective and have the added benefit of being side effect free, unless you count improved health as a side effect!
Immunity
From an immunity standpoint, who doesn't want to feel better and get sick less often? In preliminary research, prebiotics boost white blood cells and killer T cells, and may even improve your body's response to vaccinations.
Children in one test group who ate yogurt containing inulin had fewer daycare absences, fewer doctor visits and took fewer antibiotics.
Chronic Illness and Digestion
Because prebiotics act in your intestines, they have a profound effect on the pathogens and bad bacteria in your body that can cause disease.
NOTE;
Prebiotics are being used to treat Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Crohn's Disease, and may also prove useful for treating cancer, osteoporosis and diabetes.
Prebiotics and Body Ecology
Think of a fish tank: to keep your fish healthy, you need to keep their environment clean and give them food. Microflora are very similar: they need water and prebiotics (food), and since they are anaerobic, they do not like oxygen.
Pathogenic yeast (like the fungal infection, candidiasis) also feast on sugars and starches that easily break down into simple sugars. So the key is to focus on prebiotics that don't feed these pathogens so you can encourage the growth of friendly microflora.
I created the gluten-free, casein-free, sugar-free Body Ecology system to starve pathogenic and infection-causing organisms while simultaneously feeding immune-enhancing good bacteria. So how do you feed the microflora but starve the pathogens (like candida)?
Fermented Foods & Drinks - The Body Ecology program has a large array of fermented foods and drinks that you can choose from to get the synbiotic effect of prebiotics and probiotics. In the intitial stage of the Body Ecology program, here are some options: cultured vegetables, Coco-Biotic and Young Coconut Kefir.
In the later stages (after about 3 months or when you conquer candida and your inner ecosystem is re-established), add milk kefir and fermented soyfoods (like natto, miso and wheat-free tamari).
Sour Fruit - In early stages of the Body Ecology program when your inner ecosystem is still being recolonized by good bacteria, take special care to avoid all sugars, even natural ones found in fruits. Initially, we recommend only these sour fruits: lemons, limes, unsweetened black currants and unsweetened cranberries.
Gluten-Free Grains - While grains like wheat act as prebiotics, they also feed yeast. Body Ecology grain-like seeds (amaranth, quinoa, millet and buckwheat) are gluten-free alternatives that act as prebiotics AND don't feed pathogenic yeast. For more information on our recommended grains, read: The Risks of Choosing Typical Grains and the Healthy Grains to Choose Instead.
Sweet Vegetables - Vegetables are 80% of the Body Ecology Diet, so you can eat plenty of asparagus, leeks, onions, garlic, Jerusalem artichokes and other sweet vegetables to feed healthy microflora without feeding pathogenic yeast.
GLUTEN FREE "Challenge".
GLUTEN FREE FOODS
Onion, garlic, leeks, Jerusalem artichokes, asparagus, chicory root, jicama, dandelion, banana, agave, jams, Prebiotin
MILK PRODUCTS
Whole, low fat, skim, dry, evaporated or condensed milk; buttermilk; cream; whipping cream; Velveeta cheese food; American cheese; all aged cheese such as Cheddar, Swiss, Edam and Parmesan
MEATS and byproducts
100% meat (no grain additives); seafood; poultry (breaded with pure cornmeal, potato flour or rice flour); peanut butter; eggs; dried beans or peas; pork
BREADS
Cream of rice; cornmeal; hominy; rice; wild rice; gluten-free noodles; rice wafers; pure corn tortillas; specially prepared breads made with corn, rice, potato, soybean, tapioca, arrowroot, carob, buckwheat, millet, amaranth and quinoa flour
FATS AND OILS
Butter, margarine, vegetable oil, shortening, lard
FRUITS
Plain, fresh, frozen, canned or dried fruit; all fruit juices
VEGETABLES
Fresh, frozen or canned vegetables; white and sweet potatoes; yams
SNACKS AND DESSERTS
Brown and white sugar, rennet, fruit whips, gelatin, jelly, jam, honey, molasses, pure cocoa, fruit ice, carob
BEVERAGES
Tea, carbonated beverages (except root beer), fruit juices, mineral and carbonated waters, wines, instant or ground coffee
THICKENING AGENTS
Gelatin, arrowroot starch; corn flour germ or bran; potato flour; potato starch flour; rice bran and flour; rice polish; soy flour; tapioca, sago
CONDIMENTS
Gluten-free soy sauce, distilled white vinegar, olives, pickles, relish, ketchup
SEASONINGS
Salt, pepper, herbs, flavored extracts, food coloring, cloves, ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon, bicarbonate of soda, baking powder, cream of tartar, monosodium glutamate
"Sample Menu"
BREAKFAST
Cream of rice - 1/2 cup
Skim milk - 1 cup
Banana - 1 medium
Orange juice - 1/2 cup
Sugar - 1 tsp
LUNCH
Baked chicken - 3 oz
Rice - 1/2 cup
Green beans - 1/2 cup
Apple juice - 1/2 cup
Ice cream - 1/2
* Ice cream should be made
without wheat stabilizers.
DINNER
Sirloin steak - 3 oz
Baked potato - 1 medium
Peas - 1/2 cup
Fruit gelatin - 1/2 cup
Butter - 1 Tbsp
Tea - 1 cup
Sugar - 1 tsp
"MAY" CONTAIN GLUTEN
Sour cream, commercial chocolate milk and drinks, non-dairy creamers, all other cheese products, yogurt
Meat patties; canned meat; sausages; cold cuts; bologna; hot dogs; stew; hamburger; chili; commercial omelets, souffles, fondue; soy protein meat substitutes
Packaged rice mixes, cornbread, ready-to-eat cereals containing malt flavoring
Salad dressings, non-dairy creamers, mayonnaise
Vegetables with sauces, commercially prepared vegetables and salads, canned baked beans, pickles, marinated vegetables, commercially seasoned vegetables
Custards, puddings, ice cream, ices, sherbet, pie fillings, candies, chocolate, chewing gum, cocoa, potato chips, popcorn
Cocoa mixes, root beer, chocolate drinks, nutritional supplements, beverage mixes
Commercially prepared soups, broths, soup mixes, boullion cubes
Flavoring syrups (for pancakes or ice cream), mayonnaise, horseradish, salad dressings, tomato sauces, meat sauce, mustard, taco sauce, soy sauce, chip dips
All medicines - Check with pharmacist or pharmaceutical company.
DOES CONTAIN GLUTEN
Croquettes, breaded fish, chicken loaves made with bread or bread crumbs, breaded or floured meats, meatloaf, meatballs, pizza, ravioli, any meat or meat substitute, rye, barley, oats, gluten stabilizers
Breads, buns, rolls, biscuits, muffins, crackers and cereals containing wheat, wheat germ, oats, barley, rye, bran, graham flour, malt; kasha; bulgur; Melba toast; matzo; bread crumbs; pastry; pizza dough; regular noodles, spaghetti, macaroni and other pasta; rusks; dumplings; zwieback; pretzels; prepared mixes for waffles and pancakes; bread stuffing or filling
Cakes, cookies, doughnuts, pastries, dumplings, ice cream cones, pies, prepared cake and cookie mixes, pretzels, bread pudding
Postum™, Ovaltine™, malt-containing drinks, cocomalt, beer, ale
Wheat starch; all flours containing wheat, oats, rye, malt, barley or graham flour; all-purpose flour; white flour; wheat flour; bran; cracker meal; durham flour; wheat germ
Onion, garlic, leeks, Jerusalem artichokes, asparagus, chicory root, jicama, dandelion, banana, agave, jams, Prebiotin
MILK PRODUCTS
Whole, low fat, skim, dry, evaporated or condensed milk; buttermilk; cream; whipping cream; Velveeta cheese food; American cheese; all aged cheese such as Cheddar, Swiss, Edam and Parmesan
MEATS and byproducts
100% meat (no grain additives); seafood; poultry (breaded with pure cornmeal, potato flour or rice flour); peanut butter; eggs; dried beans or peas; pork
BREADS
Cream of rice; cornmeal; hominy; rice; wild rice; gluten-free noodles; rice wafers; pure corn tortillas; specially prepared breads made with corn, rice, potato, soybean, tapioca, arrowroot, carob, buckwheat, millet, amaranth and quinoa flour
FATS AND OILS
Butter, margarine, vegetable oil, shortening, lard
FRUITS
Plain, fresh, frozen, canned or dried fruit; all fruit juices
VEGETABLES
Fresh, frozen or canned vegetables; white and sweet potatoes; yams
SNACKS AND DESSERTS
Brown and white sugar, rennet, fruit whips, gelatin, jelly, jam, honey, molasses, pure cocoa, fruit ice, carob
BEVERAGES
Tea, carbonated beverages (except root beer), fruit juices, mineral and carbonated waters, wines, instant or ground coffee
THICKENING AGENTS
Gelatin, arrowroot starch; corn flour germ or bran; potato flour; potato starch flour; rice bran and flour; rice polish; soy flour; tapioca, sago
CONDIMENTS
Gluten-free soy sauce, distilled white vinegar, olives, pickles, relish, ketchup
SEASONINGS
Salt, pepper, herbs, flavored extracts, food coloring, cloves, ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon, bicarbonate of soda, baking powder, cream of tartar, monosodium glutamate
"Sample Menu"
BREAKFAST
Cream of rice - 1/2 cup
Skim milk - 1 cup
Banana - 1 medium
Orange juice - 1/2 cup
Sugar - 1 tsp
LUNCH
Baked chicken - 3 oz
Rice - 1/2 cup
Green beans - 1/2 cup
Apple juice - 1/2 cup
Ice cream - 1/2
* Ice cream should be made
without wheat stabilizers.
DINNER
Sirloin steak - 3 oz
Baked potato - 1 medium
Peas - 1/2 cup
Fruit gelatin - 1/2 cup
Butter - 1 Tbsp
Tea - 1 cup
Sugar - 1 tsp
"MAY" CONTAIN GLUTEN
Sour cream, commercial chocolate milk and drinks, non-dairy creamers, all other cheese products, yogurt
Meat patties; canned meat; sausages; cold cuts; bologna; hot dogs; stew; hamburger; chili; commercial omelets, souffles, fondue; soy protein meat substitutes
Packaged rice mixes, cornbread, ready-to-eat cereals containing malt flavoring
Salad dressings, non-dairy creamers, mayonnaise
Vegetables with sauces, commercially prepared vegetables and salads, canned baked beans, pickles, marinated vegetables, commercially seasoned vegetables
Custards, puddings, ice cream, ices, sherbet, pie fillings, candies, chocolate, chewing gum, cocoa, potato chips, popcorn
Cocoa mixes, root beer, chocolate drinks, nutritional supplements, beverage mixes
Commercially prepared soups, broths, soup mixes, boullion cubes
Flavoring syrups (for pancakes or ice cream), mayonnaise, horseradish, salad dressings, tomato sauces, meat sauce, mustard, taco sauce, soy sauce, chip dips
All medicines - Check with pharmacist or pharmaceutical company.
DOES CONTAIN GLUTEN
Croquettes, breaded fish, chicken loaves made with bread or bread crumbs, breaded or floured meats, meatloaf, meatballs, pizza, ravioli, any meat or meat substitute, rye, barley, oats, gluten stabilizers
Breads, buns, rolls, biscuits, muffins, crackers and cereals containing wheat, wheat germ, oats, barley, rye, bran, graham flour, malt; kasha; bulgur; Melba toast; matzo; bread crumbs; pastry; pizza dough; regular noodles, spaghetti, macaroni and other pasta; rusks; dumplings; zwieback; pretzels; prepared mixes for waffles and pancakes; bread stuffing or filling
Cakes, cookies, doughnuts, pastries, dumplings, ice cream cones, pies, prepared cake and cookie mixes, pretzels, bread pudding
Postum™, Ovaltine™, malt-containing drinks, cocomalt, beer, ale
Wheat starch; all flours containing wheat, oats, rye, malt, barley or graham flour; all-purpose flour; white flour; wheat flour; bran; cracker meal; durham flour; wheat germ
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Gluten Free Print Out
Celiac Central suggests printing out and posting in the kitchen until you learn what is safe and what is not.
I am jumping on the gluten free bandwagon. It certainly can't hurt to give it a try.
This print out has some great info.
Courtesy of www.celiaccentral.org
Free to Print and Post
I am jumping on the gluten free bandwagon. It certainly can't hurt to give it a try.
This print out has some great info.
Courtesy of www.celiaccentral.org
Free to Print and Post
What Foods Contain Gluten?
I found a very good link that explains gluten and gluten free foods.
LINK
LINK
Ceiiac/ Crohns
This is a lengthy bit of Q & A but it may help answers sone if the questions we all may have.
How do you diagnose Crohn's vs celiac disease?
July 14, 2009 10:08 PM
How can doctors tell the difference between Crohn's/IBD and celiac disease?
I'm looking for (research-based) information that explains how doctors can diagnose Crohn's vs celiac disease.
For example, say a Crohn's diagnosis was made from barium, flexible sigmoidoscopies, colonoscopies and various symptoms over the years. What markers would show that this is Crohn's and not celiac? Or vice versa? I can find comparisons of Crohn's and ulcerative colitis, but I can't find anything that explains how Crohn's is different from celiac disease.
Thanks.
posted by acoutu to health & fitness (10 answers total) 2 users marked this as a favorite
I was misdiagnosed as having Celiac when I had IBD. The first, less invasive way of diagnosing Celiac is to go on a wheat elimination diet. If you feel better and symptoms go away- then there's your diagnosis. If not, they can do an endoscopy. With an endoscopy the doctor can conclusively diagnose celiac. Villi are damaged by Celiac, so if the doctor sees evidence of damage to the Villi he'll know you have Celiac.
posted by bananafish at 10:31 PM on July 14, 2009
But would villi be damaged if you had Crohn's?
posted by acoutu at 10:35 PM on July 14, 2009
For one thing, as I understand it, you can have DNA testing to see if you are at risk for Celiac disease. The DNA testing is not used to diagnose celiac disease, but can exclude the diagnosis because you must have certain genetic markers in order to develop Celiac disease.
Having these so-called "celiac disease genes" does not mean you're guaranteed to have celiac disease. In fact, the vast majority of people with the genes never develop celiac disease. Having the genes only means you have a risk of someday developing celiac disease. On the other hand, if you don't have these genes, your odds of developing celiac disease are slim to none. More info. here.
posted by gudrun at 10:57 PM on July 14, 2009
There is a blood test for celiac disease that tests for certain antibodies to gluten that will be present in an individual with celiac. These antibodies will not be present if an individual has Crohn's or IBD.
From the NIH:
People with celiac disease have higher than normal levels of certain autoantibodies—proteins that react against the body’s own cells or tissues—in their blood. To diagnose celiac disease, doctors will test blood for high levels of anti-tissue transglutaminase antibodies (tTGA) or anti-endomysium antibodies (EMA). If test results are negative but celiac disease is still suspected, additional blood tests may be needed.
posted by fuzzbean at 11:06 PM on July 14, 2009
My understanding is that during the colonoscopy, they take a biopsy and the lab work on this will give a 100% positive for Crohn's disease (BTDT). Coincidentally, at the time when I started having the symptoms, a co-worker of mine was also getting similar ones. He Celiac disease is harder to positively diagnose - his was diagnosed through a fairly uncommon (at the time) blood test that he insisted upon.
posted by plinth at 3:19 AM on July 15, 2009
Definitive diagnosis is by biopsy for both diseases, as mentioned above.
posted by objdoc at 5:57 AM on July 15, 2009
except that definitive biopsy for Celiac disease is from the first part of the small bowel, while Crohn's is generally biopsied in the large bowel. Crohn's can affect other parts of the bowel, so this isn't universally true, but it's the general approach.
posted by cameradv at 7:52 AM on July 15, 2009
Some of what has been said above is untrue. In most cases, the clinical presentation and in particular the extent of bowel involvement along with biopsy and blood test results can help differentiate these two disease.
But there is a small potential for diagnostic uncertainty particularly with Crohn's disease limited to the small bowel when a biopsy fails to identify the hallmark pathological features of Crohn's disease. Suggestive biopsy findings (from the duodenum) alone are not enough for a definitive diagnosis of celiac disease in the absence of antibodies in the blood that are also consistent with celiac. Villous atrophy on pathology specimen may be due to celiac, but it may also be found in Crohn's, bacterial overgrowth, tropical sprue and a number of other conditions. This should prompt careful assessment of other clinical, laboratory or pathological features that might prompt the diagnosis of one of these other conditions. If there's no other clear cut evidence of Crohn's (or other disease) and a suggestive biopsy is all you have, a presumptive diagnosis is entertained and patients will often be treated for celiac at that point. I'd say a response to gluten-free diet in addition to pathological findings is then probably adequate for a diagnosis, even if there were no antibodies present. However really, the combination of celiac specific antibodies and a duodenal biopsy consistent with the disease is more convincing. To add even more confirmation, symptomatic improvement as well as possible improvements in the blood tests while on a gluten-free diet might really confirm things.
In patients that have blood tests that are positive for celiac but a pathology specimen that is negative for the disease, the diagnosis is again murky. For some, this leads to repeated endoscopy for more tissue to evaluate, referral for second opinions, or again, a trial of therapy as previously described.
There is clearly a genetic component to celiac, and there is a DNA test for specific HLA-alleles that are associated with the disease. However at this time genetic testing is not, as far as I'm aware, a part of the "standard" diagnostic approach. Some experts may be using genetic tests with increasing frequency to differentiate murkier cases but I suspect that these tests have only been available for a year or so, and they may suffer from poor specificity. Again, I could be wrong on that as I'm not an academic gastroenterologist.
Again, most of the time Crohn's versus celiac is not a difficult diagnosis to make, but in rare cases it can be a challenge, and really what I've described is the tip of the iceberg, and for all I know, may already be behind the times on the issue. That's why if the diagnosis remains unclear, I'd suggest seeking out care at an academic center with gastroenterologists experienced in the subtleties of such diagnoses.
posted by drpynchon at 10:05 AM on July 15, 2009
Thank you all for your responses. Dr Pynchon, if the patient has indeed been diagnosed with Crohn's, would celiac have been ruled out? Or are there definitive hallmarks of Crohn's that would rule out celiac and not cause confusion. Say a patient has had fistula, abscess, fissures, various states of blood in stool and has had biopsies that indicate Crohn's. Based on my own research, I believe these to distinguish Crohn's from celiac. But is there still room for confusion? I can't find any studies that show how they can tell the difference, especially given that many people with Crohn's do have celiac. And if the patient, who was diagnosed with Crohn's by two separate specialists 10+ years ago now has a sibling with celiac and may have child who has celiac, I just wanted to know how the diseases are distinguished.
(I am not seeking a medical opinion. I just wondered how doctors know which is which. There are several sites and journal articles that explain IBS vs celiac, but not IBD vs celiac.)
posted by acoutu at 10:33 AM on July 15, 2009
Just to be clear, there are two different blood tests that can identify celiac disease: one is the test for antibodies to gluten (or rather gliadin, which is the protein in the gluten that causes the problem) and the other is a DNA test of the patient that identifies if he/she has an HLA type that is associated with celiac disease. The gliadin antibodies test is now a common enough test that it is usually included in a standardized blood test panel given at many gastroenterologists' offices, so I would hope that if you know someone with IBD that their doctor, if at all competent, should have taken the time to check for the antibodies already. The HLA test is pretty new.
Neither test is considered definitive proof without also doing a biopsy, but sometimes you can skip that if other factors warrant it. Personally, I had tested positive for antibodies and did much better after a few months on a gluten-free diet, so my doctor and I were fine with skipping the biopsy and assuming I have celiac disease. Years later, I happened to find out that my HLA type is indeed one of the ones associated with celiac disease, after being tested and typed for the national bone marrow donor database.
posted by Asparagirl at 9:48 AM on July 16, 2009 [1 favorite]
How do you diagnose Crohn's vs celiac disease?
July 14, 2009 10:08 PM
How can doctors tell the difference between Crohn's/IBD and celiac disease?
I'm looking for (research-based) information that explains how doctors can diagnose Crohn's vs celiac disease.
For example, say a Crohn's diagnosis was made from barium, flexible sigmoidoscopies, colonoscopies and various symptoms over the years. What markers would show that this is Crohn's and not celiac? Or vice versa? I can find comparisons of Crohn's and ulcerative colitis, but I can't find anything that explains how Crohn's is different from celiac disease.
Thanks.
posted by acoutu to health & fitness (10 answers total) 2 users marked this as a favorite
I was misdiagnosed as having Celiac when I had IBD. The first, less invasive way of diagnosing Celiac is to go on a wheat elimination diet. If you feel better and symptoms go away- then there's your diagnosis. If not, they can do an endoscopy. With an endoscopy the doctor can conclusively diagnose celiac. Villi are damaged by Celiac, so if the doctor sees evidence of damage to the Villi he'll know you have Celiac.
posted by bananafish at 10:31 PM on July 14, 2009
But would villi be damaged if you had Crohn's?
posted by acoutu at 10:35 PM on July 14, 2009
For one thing, as I understand it, you can have DNA testing to see if you are at risk for Celiac disease. The DNA testing is not used to diagnose celiac disease, but can exclude the diagnosis because you must have certain genetic markers in order to develop Celiac disease.
Having these so-called "celiac disease genes" does not mean you're guaranteed to have celiac disease. In fact, the vast majority of people with the genes never develop celiac disease. Having the genes only means you have a risk of someday developing celiac disease. On the other hand, if you don't have these genes, your odds of developing celiac disease are slim to none. More info. here.
posted by gudrun at 10:57 PM on July 14, 2009
There is a blood test for celiac disease that tests for certain antibodies to gluten that will be present in an individual with celiac. These antibodies will not be present if an individual has Crohn's or IBD.
From the NIH:
People with celiac disease have higher than normal levels of certain autoantibodies—proteins that react against the body’s own cells or tissues—in their blood. To diagnose celiac disease, doctors will test blood for high levels of anti-tissue transglutaminase antibodies (tTGA) or anti-endomysium antibodies (EMA). If test results are negative but celiac disease is still suspected, additional blood tests may be needed.
posted by fuzzbean at 11:06 PM on July 14, 2009
My understanding is that during the colonoscopy, they take a biopsy and the lab work on this will give a 100% positive for Crohn's disease (BTDT). Coincidentally, at the time when I started having the symptoms, a co-worker of mine was also getting similar ones. He Celiac disease is harder to positively diagnose - his was diagnosed through a fairly uncommon (at the time) blood test that he insisted upon.
posted by plinth at 3:19 AM on July 15, 2009
Definitive diagnosis is by biopsy for both diseases, as mentioned above.
posted by objdoc at 5:57 AM on July 15, 2009
except that definitive biopsy for Celiac disease is from the first part of the small bowel, while Crohn's is generally biopsied in the large bowel. Crohn's can affect other parts of the bowel, so this isn't universally true, but it's the general approach.
posted by cameradv at 7:52 AM on July 15, 2009
Some of what has been said above is untrue. In most cases, the clinical presentation and in particular the extent of bowel involvement along with biopsy and blood test results can help differentiate these two disease.
But there is a small potential for diagnostic uncertainty particularly with Crohn's disease limited to the small bowel when a biopsy fails to identify the hallmark pathological features of Crohn's disease. Suggestive biopsy findings (from the duodenum) alone are not enough for a definitive diagnosis of celiac disease in the absence of antibodies in the blood that are also consistent with celiac. Villous atrophy on pathology specimen may be due to celiac, but it may also be found in Crohn's, bacterial overgrowth, tropical sprue and a number of other conditions. This should prompt careful assessment of other clinical, laboratory or pathological features that might prompt the diagnosis of one of these other conditions. If there's no other clear cut evidence of Crohn's (or other disease) and a suggestive biopsy is all you have, a presumptive diagnosis is entertained and patients will often be treated for celiac at that point. I'd say a response to gluten-free diet in addition to pathological findings is then probably adequate for a diagnosis, even if there were no antibodies present. However really, the combination of celiac specific antibodies and a duodenal biopsy consistent with the disease is more convincing. To add even more confirmation, symptomatic improvement as well as possible improvements in the blood tests while on a gluten-free diet might really confirm things.
In patients that have blood tests that are positive for celiac but a pathology specimen that is negative for the disease, the diagnosis is again murky. For some, this leads to repeated endoscopy for more tissue to evaluate, referral for second opinions, or again, a trial of therapy as previously described.
There is clearly a genetic component to celiac, and there is a DNA test for specific HLA-alleles that are associated with the disease. However at this time genetic testing is not, as far as I'm aware, a part of the "standard" diagnostic approach. Some experts may be using genetic tests with increasing frequency to differentiate murkier cases but I suspect that these tests have only been available for a year or so, and they may suffer from poor specificity. Again, I could be wrong on that as I'm not an academic gastroenterologist.
Again, most of the time Crohn's versus celiac is not a difficult diagnosis to make, but in rare cases it can be a challenge, and really what I've described is the tip of the iceberg, and for all I know, may already be behind the times on the issue. That's why if the diagnosis remains unclear, I'd suggest seeking out care at an academic center with gastroenterologists experienced in the subtleties of such diagnoses.
posted by drpynchon at 10:05 AM on July 15, 2009
Thank you all for your responses. Dr Pynchon, if the patient has indeed been diagnosed with Crohn's, would celiac have been ruled out? Or are there definitive hallmarks of Crohn's that would rule out celiac and not cause confusion. Say a patient has had fistula, abscess, fissures, various states of blood in stool and has had biopsies that indicate Crohn's. Based on my own research, I believe these to distinguish Crohn's from celiac. But is there still room for confusion? I can't find any studies that show how they can tell the difference, especially given that many people with Crohn's do have celiac. And if the patient, who was diagnosed with Crohn's by two separate specialists 10+ years ago now has a sibling with celiac and may have child who has celiac, I just wanted to know how the diseases are distinguished.
(I am not seeking a medical opinion. I just wondered how doctors know which is which. There are several sites and journal articles that explain IBS vs celiac, but not IBD vs celiac.)
posted by acoutu at 10:33 AM on July 15, 2009
Just to be clear, there are two different blood tests that can identify celiac disease: one is the test for antibodies to gluten (or rather gliadin, which is the protein in the gluten that causes the problem) and the other is a DNA test of the patient that identifies if he/she has an HLA type that is associated with celiac disease. The gliadin antibodies test is now a common enough test that it is usually included in a standardized blood test panel given at many gastroenterologists' offices, so I would hope that if you know someone with IBD that their doctor, if at all competent, should have taken the time to check for the antibodies already. The HLA test is pretty new.
Neither test is considered definitive proof without also doing a biopsy, but sometimes you can skip that if other factors warrant it. Personally, I had tested positive for antibodies and did much better after a few months on a gluten-free diet, so my doctor and I were fine with skipping the biopsy and assuming I have celiac disease. Years later, I happened to find out that my HLA type is indeed one of the ones associated with celiac disease, after being tested and typed for the national bone marrow donor database.
posted by Asparagirl at 9:48 AM on July 16, 2009 [1 favorite]
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Celiac Disease and Crohn's
Celiac.com 06/30/2005 – Researchers in Italy have determined that those with Crohns disease also have a high prevalence of celiac disease. Their study evaluated 27 consecutive patients who were diagnosed with Crohns disease—13 were men and 14 were women, with a mean age of 32.3 years. Each patient was screened for celiac disease using antigliadin, antiendomysium, and antitransglutaminase blood antibody tests, and the sorbitol H2 breath test. If either the blood or breath test was positive, the patients were given a small bowel biopsy for final confirmation.
The results of the celiac disease screening of the 27 Crohns patients:
Positive antigliadin – 8 - 29.63%
Positive antiendomysium – 4 - 14.81%
Positive antitransglutaminase – 5 - 18.52%
Positive sorbitol H2 – 11 - 40.74%
Positive biopsy – 5 of 11 - 18.52% Crohns patients studied
The researchers conclude that there is a high prevalence of celiac disease in those with Crohns disease, and that all patients who are diagnosed with Crohns disease should begin a gluten-free diet at the time of diagnosis.
I will be posting many mote articles and links.
The results of the celiac disease screening of the 27 Crohns patients:
Positive antigliadin – 8 - 29.63%
Positive antiendomysium – 4 - 14.81%
Positive antitransglutaminase – 5 - 18.52%
Positive sorbitol H2 – 11 - 40.74%
Positive biopsy – 5 of 11 - 18.52% Crohns patients studied
The researchers conclude that there is a high prevalence of celiac disease in those with Crohns disease, and that all patients who are diagnosed with Crohns disease should begin a gluten-free diet at the time of diagnosis.
I will be posting many mote articles and links.
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
How Probiotics Can Boost Your Overall Health Regime
How Probiotics Can Boost Your Overall Health Regime
by Michael Shahani
Probiotics, sometimes called “friendly bacteria,” are beneficial microorganisms that naturally inhabit the human digestive system. You already have billions of bacteria living in your gut. Some are harmful (pathogenic), but many are beneficial. Keeping a balance between the good and the bad bacterial is critical to maintaining good health. The right probiotic will go to work directly in your intestines to help digest your food and purge wastes from the body. Probiotics help keep bad bacteria and yeast from growing in your intestinal tract, and confer many other proven benefits to you, including vitamin production and keeping your immune system healthy.
Without realizing it, every day you eat processed, over-refined, or sterilized foods that destroy the natural balance of healthy flora in your intestines. Even when eating a so-called healthy diet, your body’s flora is bombarded with chemicals, pesticides, and antibiotics that further endanger this delicate balance of friendly bacteria. In addition, most of us do not eat enough, if any, of the traditional, naturally fermented foods that contain these bacteria. Probiotics are a great way to help improve your overall health and are becoming one of today’s hottest health trends.
Daily Dose
Every human can benefit from a daily regime of probiotics. Taking a daily supplement* (be sure to consult an expert and/or your doctor) can have positive lifelong effects. Most of our daily lifestyle contains stress, alcohol, caffeine, and medications, which kill your body’s supply of friendly bacteria. As our bodies get older they become less efficient at digesting food and maintaining high levels of probiotics in the intestines. Taking a probiotic supplement can provide your intestines with the vital bacteria it is missing as well as help your body produce its own brand of B vitamins to combat stress and disease.
Probiotics play a vital role in the healthy operation of many of our body’s daily functions. Here are some of the most common and well-researched problems that can be improved with probiotic supplementation (without side effects):
Control Digestive Problems - helps to build up a healthy supply of good bacteria in the intestine and can be an alternative to over-the-counter remedies.
Enhances Weight Loss and Weight Maintenance Programs - maintaining ideal body weight to make sure that your digestive system is functioning properly. A healthy digestive system increases energy and improves your metabolism.
Inhibit Tumors and Carcinogenesis - in clinical studies, Dr. Khem Shahani’s discovery of L. Acidophilus DDS-1 and L. bulgaricus has been shown to inhibit tumor growth and block the formation of carcinogenic compounds in the colon.
Fight Yeast and Fungal Infections - probiotics stimulate the production of white blood cells in the body that combat candida yeast and fungal infections.
Enhance Calcium Metabolism - increase the body’s ability to absorb and metabolize calcium.
Improve Immune Function - maintain intestinal health and enhance natural immune system response by stimulating the body’s production of NK- and T-cells.
Reduce Cholesterol in the Blood - in the digesting of fats that contribute to the levels of LDL and HDL cholesterol in the blood.
Produce B Vitamins Naturally - increase the rate of metabolism, help maintain healthy skin and muscle tone, and enhance nervous system function.
Reduces Skin Problems - help alleviate skin problems such as acne, psoriasis, and eczema.
Help With Liver Function - detoxify the blood to help the liver to perform more efficiently and with less strain.
*NOTE: Information in this article, including comments on medical treatments, is not intended as medical advice. It should be evaluated critically and should not take the place of medical advice from a licensed healthcare professional.
by Michael Shahani
Probiotics, sometimes called “friendly bacteria,” are beneficial microorganisms that naturally inhabit the human digestive system. You already have billions of bacteria living in your gut. Some are harmful (pathogenic), but many are beneficial. Keeping a balance between the good and the bad bacterial is critical to maintaining good health. The right probiotic will go to work directly in your intestines to help digest your food and purge wastes from the body. Probiotics help keep bad bacteria and yeast from growing in your intestinal tract, and confer many other proven benefits to you, including vitamin production and keeping your immune system healthy.
Without realizing it, every day you eat processed, over-refined, or sterilized foods that destroy the natural balance of healthy flora in your intestines. Even when eating a so-called healthy diet, your body’s flora is bombarded with chemicals, pesticides, and antibiotics that further endanger this delicate balance of friendly bacteria. In addition, most of us do not eat enough, if any, of the traditional, naturally fermented foods that contain these bacteria. Probiotics are a great way to help improve your overall health and are becoming one of today’s hottest health trends.
Daily Dose
Every human can benefit from a daily regime of probiotics. Taking a daily supplement* (be sure to consult an expert and/or your doctor) can have positive lifelong effects. Most of our daily lifestyle contains stress, alcohol, caffeine, and medications, which kill your body’s supply of friendly bacteria. As our bodies get older they become less efficient at digesting food and maintaining high levels of probiotics in the intestines. Taking a probiotic supplement can provide your intestines with the vital bacteria it is missing as well as help your body produce its own brand of B vitamins to combat stress and disease.
Probiotics play a vital role in the healthy operation of many of our body’s daily functions. Here are some of the most common and well-researched problems that can be improved with probiotic supplementation (without side effects):
Control Digestive Problems - helps to build up a healthy supply of good bacteria in the intestine and can be an alternative to over-the-counter remedies.
Enhances Weight Loss and Weight Maintenance Programs - maintaining ideal body weight to make sure that your digestive system is functioning properly. A healthy digestive system increases energy and improves your metabolism.
Inhibit Tumors and Carcinogenesis - in clinical studies, Dr. Khem Shahani’s discovery of L. Acidophilus DDS-1 and L. bulgaricus has been shown to inhibit tumor growth and block the formation of carcinogenic compounds in the colon.
Fight Yeast and Fungal Infections - probiotics stimulate the production of white blood cells in the body that combat candida yeast and fungal infections.
Enhance Calcium Metabolism - increase the body’s ability to absorb and metabolize calcium.
Improve Immune Function - maintain intestinal health and enhance natural immune system response by stimulating the body’s production of NK- and T-cells.
Reduce Cholesterol in the Blood - in the digesting of fats that contribute to the levels of LDL and HDL cholesterol in the blood.
Produce B Vitamins Naturally - increase the rate of metabolism, help maintain healthy skin and muscle tone, and enhance nervous system function.
Reduces Skin Problems - help alleviate skin problems such as acne, psoriasis, and eczema.
Help With Liver Function - detoxify the blood to help the liver to perform more efficiently and with less strain.
*NOTE: Information in this article, including comments on medical treatments, is not intended as medical advice. It should be evaluated critically and should not take the place of medical advice from a licensed healthcare professional.
Monday, January 24, 2011
Vitamin D Deficientcy
Vitamin D Absorption Is Diminished In Patients With Crohn's Disease
20 Jan 2011
Researchers from Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) have for the first time shown that reduced vitamin D absorption in patients with quiescent Crohn's disease (CD) may be the cause for their increased risk for vitamin D deficiency. The findings, which currently appear on-line in Inflammatory Bowel Diseases, also showed that the only way to determine absorption efficiency is to perform a vitamin D bioavailability test.
Vitamin D is ingested in the diet as well as synthesized in the skin from UVB irradiation from the sun. People living in areas that receive less sunlight have lower circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] levels and have higher prevalence rates of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). In addition, both children and adults with IBD have an increased incidence of vitamin D deficiency. In particular, patients with CD have an increased incidence of vitamin D deficiency, relative to both patients with ulcerative colitis and the general population.
Ten normal subjects (50 percent female) and 37 CD patients with quiescent disease (51 percent female) were included in this study. A vitamin D bioavailability test was performed on all subjects. After a baseline blood draw, all subjects were then given a single 50,000 IU oral dose of vitamin D2 in a capsule formulation and had their blood drawn 12 hours later to determine serum vitamin D2 which reflected their vitamin D2 absorption capacity. The researchers found that CD patients had on average a 30 percent decrease in their ability to absorb vitamin D2 when compared to normal subjects.
According to the researchers, this study emphasized the important role of an oral vitamin D absorption test, which may be an excellent means to assess for the malabsorption of fat soluble vitamin. "We demonstrated that neither disease activity nor prior surgery or location of disease predicts the ability to absorb vitamin D," said lead author Francis Farraye, MD, MSc, a professor of medicine at BUSM.
"Since the ability to absorb vitamin D in CD patients is unpredictable, the only way to determine absorption efficiency is to perform a vitamin D bioavailability test. This test is convenient and its use may guide clinicians in administering the appropriate therapeutic dose of vitamin D for treating vitamin D deficiency in patients with CD," added senior author Michael Holick, PhD, MD, a professor of medicine, physiology and biophysics at BUSM.
Additionally, in a pilot study, the researchers performed vitamin D absorption tests in four patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) and found a wide variability of vitamin D2 bioavailability in patients with UC as well as in 17 patients with CD, which was unexpected since vitamin D is absorbed in the small intestine and not in the colon.
The results, if confirmed by others may merit the development of a vitamin D assay by reference laboratories as a clinical test. "Our data support the use of an oral vitamin D absorption test in CD patients, especially in those patients who could not correct in the vitamin D deficiency by either dietary or pharmacologic means," added Farraye.
Source:
Gina DiGravio
Boston University Medical Center
Article URL: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/214128.php
20 Jan 2011
Researchers from Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) have for the first time shown that reduced vitamin D absorption in patients with quiescent Crohn's disease (CD) may be the cause for their increased risk for vitamin D deficiency. The findings, which currently appear on-line in Inflammatory Bowel Diseases, also showed that the only way to determine absorption efficiency is to perform a vitamin D bioavailability test.
Vitamin D is ingested in the diet as well as synthesized in the skin from UVB irradiation from the sun. People living in areas that receive less sunlight have lower circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] levels and have higher prevalence rates of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). In addition, both children and adults with IBD have an increased incidence of vitamin D deficiency. In particular, patients with CD have an increased incidence of vitamin D deficiency, relative to both patients with ulcerative colitis and the general population.
Ten normal subjects (50 percent female) and 37 CD patients with quiescent disease (51 percent female) were included in this study. A vitamin D bioavailability test was performed on all subjects. After a baseline blood draw, all subjects were then given a single 50,000 IU oral dose of vitamin D2 in a capsule formulation and had their blood drawn 12 hours later to determine serum vitamin D2 which reflected their vitamin D2 absorption capacity. The researchers found that CD patients had on average a 30 percent decrease in their ability to absorb vitamin D2 when compared to normal subjects.
According to the researchers, this study emphasized the important role of an oral vitamin D absorption test, which may be an excellent means to assess for the malabsorption of fat soluble vitamin. "We demonstrated that neither disease activity nor prior surgery or location of disease predicts the ability to absorb vitamin D," said lead author Francis Farraye, MD, MSc, a professor of medicine at BUSM.
"Since the ability to absorb vitamin D in CD patients is unpredictable, the only way to determine absorption efficiency is to perform a vitamin D bioavailability test. This test is convenient and its use may guide clinicians in administering the appropriate therapeutic dose of vitamin D for treating vitamin D deficiency in patients with CD," added senior author Michael Holick, PhD, MD, a professor of medicine, physiology and biophysics at BUSM.
Additionally, in a pilot study, the researchers performed vitamin D absorption tests in four patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) and found a wide variability of vitamin D2 bioavailability in patients with UC as well as in 17 patients with CD, which was unexpected since vitamin D is absorbed in the small intestine and not in the colon.
The results, if confirmed by others may merit the development of a vitamin D assay by reference laboratories as a clinical test. "Our data support the use of an oral vitamin D absorption test in CD patients, especially in those patients who could not correct in the vitamin D deficiency by either dietary or pharmacologic means," added Farraye.
Source:
Gina DiGravio
Boston University Medical Center
Article URL: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/214128.php
Celebrities with Crohn's Disease
Here is yet another well known actress with Crohn's Disease. Can you guess why she might have gotten a reputation for being "bitchy"?
Shannen Doherty is an American actress who starred in the hit television series Beverly Hills 90210 and Charmed revealed in 1999 that she suffers from Crohn's disease.
Monday, January 17, 2011
Health Benefits of Cabbage
The health benefits of cabbage include treatment of constipation, stomach ulcers, headache, excess weight, skin disorders, eczema, jaundice, scurvy, rheumatism, arthritis, gout, eye disorders, heart diseases, ageing, and Alzheimer's disease.
Did you know that the cheap, humble looking and so widely used cabbage could work miracles? Cabbage is a leafy vegetable of Brassica family, round or oval in shape, consisting of soft light green or whitish inner leaves covered with harder and dark green outer leaves. It is widely used throughout the world, eaten cooked or raw as salad and is a very popular vegetable.
Deficiency Symptoms:
Deficiency of Vitamin C: Scurvy, which is recognized by spongy and bleeding gums, cracked lip corners etc., very weak immune system, frequent infections and cold, ageing, depression etc.
Remedy: Cabbage is abundant is Vitamin C. You will be surprised to know that it is richer in vitamin C than the famous oranges. Vitamin C, being one of the best anti oxidant, reduces free radicals in your body which are the basic causes of ageing. It also helps repairing the wear and tears in the body. Thus it is very helpful in treating ulcers, certain cancers, depressions, for strengthening immune system and fighting against cough and cold, healing of wounds and damaged tissues, proper functioning of nervous system and thereby help curing Alzheimer’s disease etc.
Deficiency of Roughage: This is a very serious deficiency but most neglected. Lack of roughage in the food results in constipation, the root cause to innumerable other ailments and health hazards such as stomach ulcers, headache, intestinal cancer, indigestion and resultant loss of appetite, skin diseases, eczema, ageing and hundreds related problems.
Remedies: Cabbage is very rich in fiber. This helps retain water and forms the bulk of the food and the bowels. Thus it is a good cure for constipation and related problems.
Deficiency of Sulphur: Sulphur is a very useful nutrient as it fights infections. Its deficiency results in microbial infections and late healing of wounds.
Remedy: Again, cabbage is rich is sulphur. So, it helps fight infections in wounds and ulcers.
Detoxification by cabbage: Cabbage is a good detoxifier too, i.e. it purifies blood and removes toxins (primarily free radicals and uric acid which is major cause for rheumatism, gout, arthritis, renal calculi, skin diseases, eczema, hardening and de-colorization of skin etc.). This detoxifying effect of cabbage is due to the presence of vitamin C and sulphur.
Other benefits of Cabbage: Cabbage, being rich in iodine, helps in proper functioning of the brain and the nervous system, apart from keeping the endocrinal glands in proper condition. Thus, it is good for brain and treatment of neurotic disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease. The various other nutrients present in cabbage such as vitamin-E which keeps the skin, eye and hair healthy, calcium, magnesium, potassium, etc., are very useful for overall health. The cabbage can also be used for treatment of varicose veins, leg ulcers, peptic and duodenal ulcers etc.
So, now you know that the inevitable part of your Chinese dish could do you miracles. Add more and more cabbage in your daily diet, be it your soup or be it your salad, this is going to help you live a healthy and longer life.
This article was contributed by Aparup Mukherjee.
Did you know that the cheap, humble looking and so widely used cabbage could work miracles? Cabbage is a leafy vegetable of Brassica family, round or oval in shape, consisting of soft light green or whitish inner leaves covered with harder and dark green outer leaves. It is widely used throughout the world, eaten cooked or raw as salad and is a very popular vegetable.
Deficiency Symptoms:
Deficiency of Vitamin C: Scurvy, which is recognized by spongy and bleeding gums, cracked lip corners etc., very weak immune system, frequent infections and cold, ageing, depression etc.
Remedy: Cabbage is abundant is Vitamin C. You will be surprised to know that it is richer in vitamin C than the famous oranges. Vitamin C, being one of the best anti oxidant, reduces free radicals in your body which are the basic causes of ageing. It also helps repairing the wear and tears in the body. Thus it is very helpful in treating ulcers, certain cancers, depressions, for strengthening immune system and fighting against cough and cold, healing of wounds and damaged tissues, proper functioning of nervous system and thereby help curing Alzheimer’s disease etc.
Deficiency of Roughage: This is a very serious deficiency but most neglected. Lack of roughage in the food results in constipation, the root cause to innumerable other ailments and health hazards such as stomach ulcers, headache, intestinal cancer, indigestion and resultant loss of appetite, skin diseases, eczema, ageing and hundreds related problems.
Remedies: Cabbage is very rich in fiber. This helps retain water and forms the bulk of the food and the bowels. Thus it is a good cure for constipation and related problems.
Deficiency of Sulphur: Sulphur is a very useful nutrient as it fights infections. Its deficiency results in microbial infections and late healing of wounds.
Remedy: Again, cabbage is rich is sulphur. So, it helps fight infections in wounds and ulcers.
Detoxification by cabbage: Cabbage is a good detoxifier too, i.e. it purifies blood and removes toxins (primarily free radicals and uric acid which is major cause for rheumatism, gout, arthritis, renal calculi, skin diseases, eczema, hardening and de-colorization of skin etc.). This detoxifying effect of cabbage is due to the presence of vitamin C and sulphur.
Other benefits of Cabbage: Cabbage, being rich in iodine, helps in proper functioning of the brain and the nervous system, apart from keeping the endocrinal glands in proper condition. Thus, it is good for brain and treatment of neurotic disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease. The various other nutrients present in cabbage such as vitamin-E which keeps the skin, eye and hair healthy, calcium, magnesium, potassium, etc., are very useful for overall health. The cabbage can also be used for treatment of varicose veins, leg ulcers, peptic and duodenal ulcers etc.
So, now you know that the inevitable part of your Chinese dish could do you miracles. Add more and more cabbage in your daily diet, be it your soup or be it your salad, this is going to help you live a healthy and longer life.
This article was contributed by Aparup Mukherjee.
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