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Funny Tummy? ~ Probiotic Foods Can Fix a Troubled Gut

Gas, bloating, stomach cramps, diarrhea and constipation—each of these digestive issues indicates an imbalance of “good” and “bad” intestinal bacteria.

Chronic digestive discomfort is distressingly common. More than 60 million Americans suffer from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), notes Dr. Mark Pimentel, director of the Gastrointestinal Motility Program at Cedars-Sinai Hospital, in Los Angeles, and author of A New IBS Solution. Many are too embarrassed to mention it to their doctor, so they suffer silently and learn to live with it.

Multiple Culprits

While digestive distress can visit most of us occasionally, regular bouts have increased due to high-stress lifestyles and unhealthy diets, according to Dr. Dustin James, a St. Louis, Missouri, gastroenterologist and author of The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Digestive Health. “Getting home late after a stressful day, eating a high-fat meal and then going to bed is a recipe for problems,” he says.

James advises a food-free interlude of four to six hours before bedtime and notes that prescription and over-the-counter heartburn medications can actually worsen the problem over time.

Pimentel, citing his own research, also suggests that even a minor case of food poisoning may unbalance digestive bacteria enough to cause problems for years. “We think food poisoning leads to bacterial overgrowth,” says Pimentel.

In his clinical experience, James says about 10 percent of IBS cases can be connected to the food poisoning theory. Although such cases are typically treated with an antibiotic, rifaximin, many experts ironically attribute bacterial overgrowth to the use of antibiotics. All antibiotics, taken for any reason, indiscriminately kill both good and bad intestinal bacteria, ultimately creating unbalanced bacteria colonies in the digestive tract, says James. “There can be bad long-term effects,” he advises. James’ antibiotics theory is affirmed by a major Australian review of current research on the links between antibiotics and intestinal bacterial overgrowth.

Sugar is another culprit as are antibiotics in dairy products and meats, which can also aggravate digestive problems. Sugar feeds the growth of unfriendly bacteria and yeast and antibiotics kill friendly bacteria, contributing to imbalances.

The U.S. obesity epidemic has even been linked to digestive problems. In a study published in the journal Frontiers of Public Health, researchers at the University of California-Berkeley warn against long-term exposure to antibiotics through their widespread use in the dairy and meat industries. One animal study from Washington University, in St. Louis, showed that intestinal bacteria tend to extract more nutrients—and more calories—from the same foods when eaten by obese animals than when ingested by thinner ones. This helps explain why obese people tend to stay obese without heroic measures.

Good Food Solutions

There is considerable agreement that probiotics—live bacteria such as those contained in fermented foods like quality yogurt—help rebalance beneficial bacteria in the digestive tract and ease ailments that include IBS. Due to U.S. food regulations, yogurt is routinely pasteurized, which kills its probiotic benefits; conscientious suppliers then add active digestive microorganisms, like Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus, back into their products.

“Check yogurt labels for specific names of the species and a certification that it contains live cultures,” counsels Maria Marco, Ph.D., an assistant professor of food science at the University of California-Davis.

Coconut yogurt may be preferred by those with dairy-free diets. Dairy is acid-forming and can be difficult to digest.

Many fermented foods can provide the same probiotics to ease digestive woes and restore a healthy balance of the right bacteria. Sauerkraut, rich in Lactobacillus and other strains of healthy bacteria, is at the top of the list. It’s easy to make super-healthy sauerkraut at home with shredded organic cabbage and salt.

Other fermented foods to put high on a natural probiotic list include: miso, kefir, tempeh, soft cheese, kimchi, sour pickles and sourdough bread.

James recommends two daily servings of high-quality yogurt or other fermented foods to obtain the 2 to 5 billion live bacteria needed to restore gut health. “Every human is unique; try different products in search of what works,” he says.

Probiotic supplements may be more effective for people with serious digestive distress that need higher bacterial counts and the product label may provide specifics of the bacteria and strains. “For example, Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG is a strain that has been proven to be effective against antibiotic-induced diarrhea,” Marco explains. High-quality probiotics usually require refrigeration to keep the bacteria alive.

In addition, there are many non-fermented foods, including certain juices, candies and energy bars, with specific strains of bacteria added that have probiotic effects.

Kathleen Barnes is the author of a wide variety of natural health books including 8 Weeks to Vibrant Health, with Dr. Hyla Cass. Connect at KathleenBarnes.com.

Simple Sauerkraut Recipe

It’s easy to make a healthy batch of sauerkraut in a glass quart canning jar in as little as three days.

Organic cabbage, finely shredded 1 Tbsp sea salt or other natural salt

Mix salt and cabbage together in a large bowl, squeezing the salt into the cabbage. Cabbage will become limp and begin to release its juice.

Tightly pack cabbage and juice into a clean glass canning jar. Keep the cabbage submerged in liquid; if necessary, use a smaller canning jar loaded with marbles or stones.

Cover jar with a clean cloth or piece of cheesecloth and keep it in a cool place.

Jar contents will begin to bubble, signaling that fermentation is taking place (note that conventional cabbage additives may interrupt the fermentation process).

It’s ready to eat in three days, but keeps well for several weeks in the refrigerator.

Primary source: TheKitchen.com

 

Safe Digestive Relief

In addition to fermented foods, these foods offer digestive relief.

Ginger: Safe enough to quell the nausea of early pregnancy, ginger can offer relief from nausea, gas and even colic in babies.

Peppermint Oil: A traditional remedy now validated by science, peppermint oil can relieve irritable bowels and heartburn. Consider enteric coated (acid resistant) capsules that can impact the small intestine, where relief is needed.

Fennel: This mildly licorice-flavored seed hasn’t been extensively studied, but lovers of Indian cuisine have traditionally used it to promote smooth digestion after consuming curry-laden meals.

Sources: American Botanical Council; Mayo Clinic, MN; Baylor University, TX; University of Michigan; University of Rochester, NY

 

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Tick Talk

Spring officially sprung on March 21. We have turned our clocks ahead. We are looking forward to warm winds, sunny skies and the smell of fresh cut grass. The daffodils and tulips have recently bloomed and we are just starting with the yard work that comes with the warmer weather.  Sadly, another season has started ramping up.  Tick season.

•             The best form of protection is prevention. Educating oneself about tick activity and how our behaviors overlap with tick habitats is the first step.

•             According to the NJ DOH, in 2022 Hunterdon County led the state with a Lyme disease incidence rate of 426 cases per 100,000 people. The fact is ticks spend approximately 90% of their lives not on a host but aggressively searching for one, molting to their next stage or over-wintering. This is why a tick remediation program should be implemented on school grounds where NJ DOH deems high risk for tick exposure and subsequent attachment to human hosts.

•             Governor Murphy has signed a bill that mandates tick education in NJ public schools. See this for the details.  Tick education must now be incorporated into K-12 school curriculum. See link:

https://www.nj.gov/education/broadcasts/2023/sept/27/TicksandTick-BorneIllnessEducation.pdf

•             May is a great month to remind the public that tick activity is in full swing. In New Jersey, there are many tickborne diseases that affect residents, including Anaplasmosis, Babesiosis, Ehrlichiosis, Lyme disease, Powassan, and Spotted Fever Group Rickettsiosis.

•             For years, the focus has mainly been about protecting ourselves from Lyme disease. But other tick-borne diseases are on the rise in Central Jersey. An increase of incidence of Babesia and Anaplasma are sidelining people too. These two pathogens are scary because they effect our blood cells. Babesia affects the red blood cells and Anaplasma effects the white blood cells.

•             Ticks can be infected with more than one pathogen. When you contract Lyme it is possible to contract more than just that one disease. This is called a co-infection. It is super important to pay attention to your symptoms. See link.

https://twp.freehold.nj.us/480/Disease-Co-Infection

A good resource from the State:

https://www.nj.gov/health/cd/topics/tickborne.shtml

 

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