Showing posts with label Dr Mercola. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Dr Mercola. Show all posts

Monday, 13 January 2014

Probiotics



Beauty starts in the Belly

If you have any skin problems such as acne or eczema or get ill a lot try starting to take Probiotics!
These are healthy gut bacteria and especially after taking an Antibiotic you have to insist in taking Probiotics. Antibiotics kill those good bacteria also so you'll have to help your body to produce them again. 
Healthy guts can produce the bacteria but influence such as stress, medication, too much acidity in the body, wrong foods and other things can interrupt this natural function. Often this problem is not recognized and illness and conditions originate from there, which are often things we don't know where they came from or what's wrong with us. Even newly formed allergies, skin issues or problems to concentrate can be such a symptom. 

If you are hooked and want to buy a probiotic supplement take the foooowing point in consideration:

Make sure your Probiotic states that it has a protective layer so it will go though your stomach acid without to destroy all the bacteria before they get to your gut.

Make sure you buy a probiotic with as many different Baceria as possible. I don't mean as many millions of one, rather how much variety. (for example Lactobacillus acidophilus or Saccharomyces cerevisiae boulardii)
It's best to first research which bacteria is best for your 'health condition' and then buy a probiotic which includes that bacteria. There is a list of a few well knows bacteria and their healthy impact in the end of this post.
 
Good Probiotics: Kimberley Snyder 
Dr. Ohira Probiotics
 Dr Mercola Probiotics
Mercola: 
66billion per capsule
Positive: it has been found that the number on the packet is underpromising, meaning the product delivers even more probiotics than claimed. Which is a good sign.  (closer to 100billion)


Do your research 
Avoid the ingredient magnesium steroid titanium dioxid. As that promotes growth of a bile film which limits absorption.

You want:
- high potency product billions
- objective testing (no in house company testing only)
- trial-error, try which probiotic works best ofr you, everyone is different.

Read the text below to learn more about Probiotics





What are Probiotics? Bacteria with Benefits

 

 

Dr. Leigh Erin Connealy Probiotics are defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) as “Living microorganisms that provide a health benefit to the host when ingested in adequate amounts.” That fairly boring description hardly does justice to these tiny organisms, though.
In fact, the word “probiotic” actually means “for life” – and that’s an excellent description of these beneficial bacteria. Without sufficient supplies, your health can suffer in both mildly annoying and very serious ways. Let’s take a look at beneficial bacteria, also known as probiotics.

What Can Probiotics Do?

  • Help you lose pounds and manage your weight.
  • Decrease your likelihood of being diagnosed with cancer.
  • Assist in managing Type 2 diabetes.
  • Aid in lowering LDL (bad) cholesterol.
  • Improve your digestive function and comfort.
  • Keep your immune system strong, reducing colds and flu.
  • Support good colon health by making it easier to manage constipation, diarrhea, and bloating, as well as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
  • Decrease allergies.
  • Reduce yeast infections.
  • Synthesize vitamin K, which is essential for healthy bones.
  • Combat anxiety and depression.
  • Improve mood and brain functions.
  • Decrease your likelihood of developing auto-immune disorders.
  • Prevent the overgrowth of yeast and other harmful organisms.
  • Enable the body to absorb and utilize essential minerals, such as calcium, zinc, and iron.
  • Assist in the manufacturing of several members of the B vitamin family.
  • Enhance communication between your brain and intestinal tract.
  • Support healthy longevity overall.
That’s a very impressive list of health benefits. In fact, I’d go so far as to declare probiotics one of the closest things we have at the moment to a magic bullet that can solve a whole host of health problems. However, our good bacteria are constantly under attack as a result of poor lifestyle choices, like eating processed foods and drinking alcohol, as well as by taking antibiotics. So let’s take a moment to learn a bit more about probiotics, how they can benefit your health, and how to make sure you have plenty of them.

A Closer Look at Probiotics and Antibiotics

Probiotics are what’s known as beneficial bacteria. They are part of a normal, healthy digestive tract. Under ideal circumstances, babies inherit probiotics from their mothers at birth. Unfortunately, the practice of using antibiotics to treat everything, including the common cold (which does not work, by the way, since colds are caused by viruses, not bacteria), is backfiring.
Taking unnecessary antibiotics is bad for two reasons. First, many dangerous bugs have evolved so that they are immune to antibiotics. Second, our own internal colonies of probiotics are being decimated by repeated exposure to antibiotics. This exposure can come from prescription drugs or factory-farmed meat, which uses antibiotics to encourage weight gain in animals.
Meanwhile, recent research is providing plenty of reasons to make certain your own probiotic population is thriving. Longevity researchers, for instance, have found that the diets of some of the longest-living populations on the planet are centered on probiotic-rich fare. And others have determined that maintaining a healthy population of good bacteria in the intestines may be useful in boosting the immune system, which prevents the repeated colds and bouts of flu that can turn into life-threatening respiratory ailments, like pneumonia. In addition, here are a few more reasons to make sure your probiotic population is healthy and happy.

Probiotics and Healthy Weight

For several years now, researchers have been studying the link between certain types of unfavorable bacteria and obesity. Animal studies have revealed that substituting good bacteria for the bad ones results in weight loss, and early human trials support those findings. Since weight management is very important to good health, I’ll keep you posted on future developments in this area. But for the time being, if you’re interested in losing weight, probiotics could be your best friend.

Probiotics and Cancer

Ongoing research examining probiotics’ effect on cancer suggests several possible ways that these beneficial microbes fight the disease. For example, fermented dairy products appear to have anti-tumor effects. In addition, probiotics may suppress the growth of unhealthy bacteria that create an environment favorable to cancer. Finally, probiotics are showing potential as a means of protecting against colorectal cancer, the second leading cause of cancer deaths in the country.

Probiotics for Managing Type 2 Diabetes

Here again, researchers are finding promising outcomes in clinical trials focusing on the use of probiotics to treat and/or prevent Type 2 diabetes. Early studies indicate that a combination of dietary improvements and proper probiotic supplementation, especially with the Lactobacilli and Bifidobacteria strains, may be the best bet for anyone with pre-diabetes or diabetes.

Probiotics for Lowering Bad (LDL) Cholesterol and Raising Good (HDL) Cholesterol

Research has shown that probiotics can help maintain healthy cholesterol levels in three important ways.
  1. These bacteria use cholesterol as fuel, so there’s less of the substance in your body.
  2. Probiotics also reduce the amount of cholesterol your liver makes.
  3. Ingesting probiotics may lead to a significant increase in good (HDL) cholesterol. This is a real advantage, since it is difficult to raise HDL levels, and that alone can be a boon to your heart health.
As I noted earlier, there are plenty of reasons to add probiotics to your daily regimen. The simple fact that they help maintain supplies of good bacteria in the intestines – thereby enhancing digestion and preventing bad bacteria from gaining a foothold – is a huge advantage to your health. So is their ability to support a strong immune system, which protects you from colds and flu, as well as complications from those ailments. And if occasional constipation, bloating, and/or diarrhea ever troubles you, here again, probiotics helps reduce these annoyances by maintaining a healthy colon. Even suffers of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) have found some relief with probiotics!
The truth is, the list of probiotic benefits is long and constantly growing as researchers continue to find new and exciting ways these good bacteria can improve our health. Just recently, for example, scientists discovered that probiotics play a role in emotional health by combating anxiety and depression and lifting overall mood. There is even preliminary research showing that serious autoimmune disorders, such as multiple sclerosis, may be linked to too few good intestinal bacteria and too many of the bad variety.

Making Probiotics Part of Your Life

Probiotics are an essential ingredient in many fermented foods, including yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, buttermilk, kimchi, cheese, miso, and tempeh. While you can get some beneficial bacteria from eating these foods, there’s no reliable way to tell how much they contain In addition, supermarket yogurt is not a good way to get these nutrients. First, it contains far too few probiotics. For good health, we need doses that include billions of organisms. Second, it’s loaded with sugar, and some brands contain artificial flavorings and color, too.
That’s why supplements are the best way to be certain your beneficial bacteria are plentiful and functioning properly. If you’ve ever shopped for probiotics, though, you know that finding the right product is not easy. There are literally thousands of different strains of beneficial bacteria, making for a very confusing shopping experience.
No matter which probiotic product you choose, for best results, follow the dosage and storage instructions (some probiotics need to be refrigerated). One suggestion: Since probiotics do not like heat, I suggest avoiding hot beverages for an hour after taking supplements. Based on the responses from my patients, you may notice an improvement in your health within days.
As long-time patient, Darren, who suffered from symptoms of mold contamination (runny nose, coughing, fatigue, headaches, and joint pain) noted, “After two days on the probiotics, something changed for the better, and I haven’t been sick since. Even my wife noticed the difference. Now I recommend them to anyone who’s feeling ‘off’ and doesn’t know why. Great stuff!”
 


                                    organic garden

Probiotics, bacterium types:
Irr bowel: Bifidobacterium infantis 35624 and L. plantarum DSM9843.
Immunity/colds...: L. casei DN-114001, L. rhamnosus GG, and L. acidophilus NCFM
Vagin infection:  L. rhamnosus GR-1 and L. reuteri RC-14, 
Eczema babys:  L. rhamnosus HN001 or L. rhamnosus GG mixed into breast milk or formula substantially reduced the risk that children would develop eczema.  (but not other allergic conditions such as hay fever, asthma, or food allergies)
Travellers dirrahea: S. cerevisiae boulardii strain
Lacto bastillus:yeast etc...
Lactobacillus acidophilus DDS-1 - Works exceptionally well in your GI tract. It supports abdominal health, bloating and occasional elimination irregularities.* Supports the health of human epithelial cell lines when evaluated as part of a probiotic blend.*
Lactobacillus casei - Works with other helpful organisms, and helps to encourage the growth of other beneficial bacteria.*
Lactobacillus plantarum - Has been shown to be resistant to low pH conditions and able to survive bile concentrations in your intestine.
Lactobacillus salivarius - Promotes intestinal health and helps support your oral health as well.*
Lactobacillus rhamnosus - Assists your elimination and occasional intestinal discomfort by working to promote healthy intestinal microflora.*
Lactobacillus brevis - Beneficial lactic acid bacteria that helps support your GI tract.*
Bifidobacterium lactis- A friendly bacteria often found in raw yogurt known to help support healthy immune responses.*
Bifidobacterium longum- Helps keep your digestive system running smoothly, and helps support your immune system.*
Bifidobacterium bifidum- Helps promote a healthy balance of flora in your intestine. This organism provides excellent support for a healthy balance of microflora.*
Streptococcus thermophilus- High potency culture that helps maintain normal intestinal flora in your gut.*
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Wednesday, 8 January 2014

What is the Healthiest Store Bought Milk Alternative

I've stopped drinking Cow's Milk about a year ago when I started having problems with my skin and I recommend it to anyone who gets the flu/a cold a lot, has digestive discomfort, skin problems or any other health issues. Try cutting the milk out and see if it improves your symptoms! Milk isn't easy on our bodies even for people who are not lactose-intolerant and therefore produce the enzyme lactase which is required to break down the milk.

As I am not completely intolerant I'd still eat some cheese once in a while and especially don't bother if it's mixed with a dish, bread or cake at a restaurant or a friends house. I just don't drink any of those lattes anymore, skinny or not I drink my coffee black or with some non-dairy milk which here in the uk forget about it, as I don't know a single cafe in my area who offers that type of thing. Please don't go down the Soy milk route. Soy milk is MUCH worse for you, so please don't.
Strangely since my change, I don't even feel like eating yoghurt or cottage cheese anymore! Something I used to eat every day! I just don't like the way it makes me feel anymore. I get somehow thirsty and my skin sometimes starts to feel dehydrated. Cream and Butter are fine but I often prefer to substitute butter with extra virgin coconut oil anyways. I once tried goats milk as it should be easier on our bodies but I started to be bloated too. Some argue that if you are drinking milk fresh and raw from a farm without it being pasteurised then its fine for the body as the important digestive helper enzymes get damaged with pasteurisation, leaving us with an unnatural food that our bodies have to do so much work on to get through. More about raw milk here.


For anyone who loves their milk and doesn't want to be without it, have it then! But please buy organic. Organic cows eat more closer to their natures food and therefore produce a healthier milk with more vitamins and Omega3's. They also are less exposed to chemicals around them and in them, chemicals which end up in your breakfast milk.

If I couldn't convince you and you need some more infos, best ask Dr Mercola he always has a good answer to any sort of health questions (he also does excellent videos on you tube )  ;-)

Dr. Mercola Interviews Mark McAfee about Raw Milk:

http://www.mercola.com/article/milk/no-milk.htm

'Milk' Winners

Oat Milk


For store bought Milk Substitutes I recommend Oat Milk. I buy the organic one from Oatly at Holland&Barrets or WholeFoods. 

Oat Milk has more carbs than Almond Milk but hey, also more Protein! Plus these carbs are healthy so they will only be beneficial for you no matter what diet you are following or not! 

Just one 250ml glass of Oatly oat drink provides a third (1g) of the daily requirement of beta-glucan (soluble fibre) to help lower cholesterol.
Typical valuesper 100g
Energy150kj
Energy35kcal
Protein1g
Carbohydrate6.5g
of which sugars4g
Fat0.7g
of which saturates0.1g
of which cholesterol0mg
Fibre0.8g
Sodium
0.04g






Nut and Seed Milks

My choice of most healthy homemade milk substitute would be Nut and Seed Milks, I love Almond or Hemp. It's so easy to make if you have a blender just blend the nuts or seeds with filtered water on high speed, sieve the left-over nut bits out for example with a nut bag - Voila, delicious. Nut Milks are high in protein and lots of important nutrients.

Home made nut and seed milk is nice, especially if you add some banana and vanilla or cinnamon, but sometimes there is no time, or you feel like something a little more fuller tasting and easier to heat and then go to the shop. 


Make Nut Milks at home

Don't get me wrong, I like store bought Almond milk as well, 
BUT unfortunately that is not the best as it has so many unhealthy ingredients!! 

Synthetic Vitamins in Store-Bought “Almond Milk”

Here are just some of the harmful ingredients you will find listed on your store-bought “almond milk” carton:
Vitamin A Palmitate – This is a synthetic version of vitamin A that is associated with birth defects and bone fractures while providing zero health benefits. Other side effects of this isolated chemical form of vitamin A include tumor enhancement, joint disorders, osteoporosis, extreme dryness of eyes, mouth and skin, enlargement of liver and spleen, and immune suppression. As an added note, vitamin A toxicity, known as hyper-vitaminosis, always results from consuming too much synthetic “purified” vitamin A and never from naturally occurring vitamin A found from natural food sources.  Still haven’t thrown out your store-bought “almond milk?”
Vitamin D2 – This synthetic chemical needs to be avoided at all costs as toxicity occurs easily with ingested synthetic D2. This occurs especially in children. In fact, a single dose of synthetic vitamin D of 50mg or greater is toxic for adults. The immediate effect of toxicity is abdominal cramps, nausea, and vomiting. In time, as toxicity builds, the result is a buildup of irreversible deposits of calcium crystals in the soft tissues of the body that damage the heart, lung and kidneys.*
Calcium Carbonate – This is a non organic, non-living mineral source of calcium and, most of the time, it is just plain chalk! That’s right- you are consuming chalk – the same stuff you use to write on a blackboard. Good luck with that!
Tocopherol Acetate – This is a synthetic man-made version of vitamin E. Studies have repeatedly shown that the human body prefers natural Vitamin E because it retains it at healthful levels while working to quickly excrete synthetic vitamin E.

Synthetic Vitamins Are Not Nutrients!

  • Our digestive system does not recognize synthetic man-made vitamins as food.

  • When you ingest a synthetic supplement, such as the ones found in “almond milk”, your body reacts as if you have swallowed some foreign toxic chemical. This means that your immune system must combat the enemy invasion. If you keep stressing your immune system in this way it will eventually become too weak to protect you from illness or disease.

  • Lastly, since the very beginning of the boom in the supplement industry which included “fortified” and “enriched foods”, the scientific community has known, researched, and shown with every study that synthetic supplements weaken our health. In fact, these chemicals found in your “almond milk,” bread, and cereal boxes are not absorbed nor utilized by your body – instead they act as a burden to your health, even causing withdrawal symptoms when you eliminate them from your diet. Nothing replaces whole food, naturally occurring nutrients that your body naturally recognizes, absorbs, and utilizes as nourishment.



The One and only Store Bought Almond Milk  

The one and only Store bought Almond milk I found here in the UK (I couldn't find any good one in the US) is the EcoMil. But it's pricey. For the cost of 3-4£ per liter it's not really worth it. Make sure you buy unsweetened. 

Ingredients

Water, Almond* (7%), Tapioca Starch*, Natural Almond Flavouring*. (*Organically grown)


Be aware to buy unsweetened Milk Subsitutes and check the labels about the additives mentioned above and other sweeteners such as brown rice sirup, evaporated canu juice, agave ... you don't want any of those high GI sugars in your 'milk'




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