Gut Health – Maintaining Gut Health

February 21, 2009 by  
Filed under Gut Health

It is tantamount for the gut to have a proper balance of good and bad bacteria for good gut health. The good bacteria are known as probiotics. Yoghurt is rich in this. Cheese, kefir, fermented vegetables are a few other examples. Prebiotics are non-digestible foods which enhance the growth of certain bacteria. They are present in dairy products, confectioneries, meats, onions, bananas, chicory, leeks, etc. Any deficiency in the body of these can be made up with gut health supplements.

A few gut health supplements are probiotics to enhance the flora of the gut, supplement of digestive enzymes, omega 3 fatty acids obtained from fish and flax seed, butyrate supplements to line the fag end of the colon, zinc supplements, in case the subject has lost zinc in a recent episode of diarrhea. Betaine hydrochloride and enzyme supplements to digest proteins (ulceration cases need to avoid). Kniepp wet packs, Cayce Palma Christi packs help contain gut gas formation. Ginger helps in facing nausea and flatulence. Anti-microbial herbs to chuck out infection causing parasites, over growth of bacteria, for examples, oregano oil, grape seed, olive leaf, caprylic acid, goldenseal.

Gut Health by RPN is a probiotic with rave gut health reviews by users, as a staple food supplement. It is known to reinforce the gut lining, destroy pathogens, reduce gut gas formation, improve digestion, reduce indigestion, reduce bloating and boost immune system.

A four step gut healing program, each to be followed by the other after 1-2 months:
1. Removal of inflammation in the gut by removing conventional unnatural foods from your diet.
2. Addition of digestive, pancreatic, liver enzymes through organic supplements.
3. Reinforcement of the gut with prebiotics which will also fight pathogens.
4. Repair of the gut with cod liver oil, aloe, licorice and vitamins.

A few home remedies to set right gut health which could be considered are:
1. Taking fresh flax seed – ground or pressed.
2. Reducing intake of refined carbohydrates and citrus juices.
3. Every meal could have a little whey in yoghurt, kefir or sour milk. Yoghurt made of goat’s milk helps gut healing and maintain gut health.
4. Consuming Vitamin K rich stuff like alfalfa, yolk of eggs, etc.
5. Taking sprouts having proteins in easily digestible form.
6. Consuming cod liver oil regularly.
7. Papaya juice and raw cabbage juice are good for gut health.
8. Herbs like comfrey, aloe vera, cinnamon, caraway, peppermint, chamomile are helpful. Aloe curbs the immune system from releasing poisons into the gut and helps gut healing.
9. Chronic diarrhoea could be contained with dried blueberry with cinnamon.
10. A millet cereal along with banana does much good.

A few simple tips which you may follow to have a squeaky clean and smooth functioning gut are chewing your food well, taking small portions of meals at frequent intervals, eating slowly and following a diet rich in whole grains, fibers, fresh fruits, raw vegetables, eggs and lean meat.

A gut health diet is no different from a balanced healthy diet. But yes it is different from the balanced healthy diets prescribed for reducing weight. Food allergens like dairy products and wheat could be avoided. Cold water and cold eatables could be avoided. Enough water intakes should be ensured. Physical and mental exercises like yoga helps a lot. A good sleep at the end of the day is a must.

Gut Health – Gut Disorders, Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis

February 21, 2009 by  
Filed under Gut Health

You need guts to do this, to do that…you would have often heard of this phrase ‘guts to do’. Today you will know how this phrase came about. Gut health gives you holistic health and as such making you capable of meeting any challenge thrown by life, physical or mental. And that is how the phrase came into being.

The gut or the technically known gastrointestinal tract starts right from our mouth and extends all the way up to our anus. Digestion and assimilation of food and absorption of essential nutrients from the food takes place in the gut.

Food is broken down into smaller portions and salivated in the mouth. Esophagus helps the food reach the stomach from the mouth. In the stomach the acids and enzymes secreted assimilate the food. Pancreas secretes alkaline juices into the stomach to neutralize acids and enzymes. Some portion of food gets absorbed by the stomach.

Further breakdown and absorption takes place in small intestine and large intestine. Gall bladder releases bile into the small intestine to enable it to break down fats. Liver receives the nutrients absorbed by stomach and intestines, through blood.

The gut is lined with mucus with trillions of both good and bad bacteria of some 400 species. The numbers in the colon are double that elsewhere. There are many parameters affecting these numbers like, age, gender, diet, medications being used, surgical procedure undergone, etc. They, among other functions, help resist infection, diseases and also promote immune system of the body. Ideally the number of good bacteria should exceed the number of bad bacteria to maintain good gut health.

The most likely disorders which are going to visit you if your gut health is not healthy are constipation, indigestion, diarrhea, gallstones, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), Crohn’s disease, peptic ulcers, bowel cancer, diverticulitis , colonic diseases, etc.

The most likely causes which would have played truant with your gut health are inadequate digestive enzyme production, inadequate acid production, lack of good bacteria, bacterial infection, food allergens, sugary low fiber diet, sickness, antibiotics, aging and stress.

The symptoms which should set you running to the doctor are, marked change in bowels, blood in bowels, painful bowel movement, incomplete bowel movement, feeling of incomplete bowel movement, constipation, diarrhea, indigestion, difficulty in swallowing, stomach ache just before or soon after meals, nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite and weariness along with these other symptoms.

The tests likely to be performed to diagnose gut health problems:

1. ELISA food allergy test to find out the allergens which cause adverse reaction in an individual.
2. Stool analysis test for excess of parasites, bacteria, fungi in the gut.
3. Test to confirm the presence or otherwise of leaky gut. Sometimes a portion of the small intestinal wall becomes permeable (leaky gut) allowing harmful bacteria to seep through to other parts of the body and cause infection. This also leads to mal-absorption, disruption of blood sugar and insulin levels, fatigue, muscle pain, joint pain and moodiness.
4. Test for poisonous gas in the gut is performed. Sometimes poisonous gases get released in the gut and absorbed by the body. Certain disorders ensue. The condition can also deplete the body of some minerals.

If your gut health is in disarray, take corrective gut healing steps to restore your gut health. Because you need guts to take on challenges other than maintaining gut health.

Boosting Up Gut Health – A Basic Guide to Probiotics

February 20, 2009 by  
Filed under Gut Health

With the busy lifestyle we are practicing now, it is inevitable that we usually eat unhealthy food products. Add a little bit of overnight alcohol sessions, stress and lack of proper exercise, on that one and we end up having a badly shaped gut health. Yeah, that’s right – our gastrointestinal system suffers for these. Fast food products may pack some energy to boost us for the day but these food products also contain a lot of preservatives and other undesirable compounds. In due time with our current lifestyle, these will cause the development of toxins in our gut health.

In normal settings, our intestines contain millions of bacteria. These are both good and bad bacteria. On default, the good bacteria overrun the bad bacteria. This setting helps our immune system and other body systems to function well. We are able to put up a formidable defense system to resist possible infections because our immune system is boosted up by our good bacteria in our gut health. But due to our currently bad gut health diet, sometimes bad bacteria overgrow the good ones.

And so, this would result in a great imbalance. When this imbalance occurs, our gut health is being sacrificed causing a chain reaction within our other bodily systems. We tend to have low resistance to common diseases, and we get sick easily. Because of such, we must therefore fortify and maintain a good gut health.

Regular intake of a balanced diet coupled with some nutritious green vegetables can help maintain a robust gut health. Some gut health healing food also include yogurt. However, this is not entirely enough since we are not able to maintain intake of nutritious food all the time. Overtime, toxins still find their way into our intestines because of environmental factors. And so, this is where gut health supplements called Probiotics come in.

A great example of this one is RPN Gut Health; this probiotic contains floral bacteria that settle in the large and small intestines. These bacteria will help maintain and conserve the balance within our gut health. With this health aide on our side, our gut health will be healthier than ever – enough to fight the imbalance in our system. RPN Gut Health contains a superior good bacteria strain of Lactobacillus casei which are called KE99. Aside from the stated functions, this probiotic eliminates protein related gastrointestinal distress (gas).

It also improves intestinal membranes – giving exemplary efficiency of digestion within our intestines. Another unique feature of this probiotic is that it hinders pathogens which are the causes of some diseases. RPN Gut Health also aids in the prevention of bowel irritation. And further more, this also reduces Nitrogen excretion thus increasing the absorption of protein within our body. These functions make this probiotic very vital in maintaining the balance within our gut health.

With the knowledge garnered above, we can truly say that the key to a good gut health is through maintaining the ever tenacious balance of the ratio of good and bad bacteria. So if you want to have a formidable resistance against diseases, always remember that your gut health does a good number of protecting it.