A lack of diverse gut flora has been linked to weight gain

So if a complex diet is persona non grata when maintaining a healthy weight, what does inspire diverse gut flora? Well, the answer is simple- a simple diet that is (think my one-ingredient food approach, or whole cultured foods). Put plainly, the Average American Diet simply isn’t cutting it. It decreases gut diversity, because it’s constant barrage of a variety of new and complex foods selects for the survival of only generalist bacteria that’s a “jack of all trades but a specialist of none”. Choosing a simpler diet then, is the better option. This doesn’t mean that you can’t ever change your diet however. Vegan and paleo diet extremes have fostered flora diversity (despite not being started at birth) when introduced into the diet composition slowly. And for meat lovers, there’s good news as well. Meat contains complex polysaccharides, which are essentially excellent nutritive fodder for bacteria and not a detriment when eaten in moderation. So to have a healthy gut all you have to do is eat a simple diet right? Well not exactly. A simple diet will foster gut flora diversity, if that diversity is already present. Perhaps you won out genetically and naturally have such an extreme collage of bacteria from a wide spectrum of genetic options, perhaps not. If you’re in the second camp, there’s no need to lament, just introduce diversity through your diet (i.e. those wonderful probiotics, and more importantly, whole food options I’ve mentioned). Probiotics, and the strains of bacteria found in the fermented vegetable dishes I discussed in another post, simply provide strains that aren’t naturally found in the adult gut that are in abundance in an infants. These strains have the ability to stimulate development of the gut and it’s immune system capabilities, so incorporating them into your diet would be a great addition. While supplements are great, an easy way to keep to a simple diet would be to incorporate cultured foods into your everyday meals. That way you kill 2 birds with one stone; you avoid complex foods and introduce new gut strains in one fell swoop. With an ever increasingly stressful world and environment, having an efficient way to keep the pounds (and other serious health woes) away is a real boon. So the next time you dig into some kimchee or perhaps a one-ingredient snack, take a moment to thank your gut bacteria (both already present and recently added). They’re the unsung heroes that keep you running strong everyday: no nagging or asking necessary.

These powerful little bacterium help keep you running everyday; what a great thing!

References 

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23349065

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23369162

Yours in Health,

Stella Metsovas B.S.

Staff Writer: Hannah Rivera 

Are ice cream, cookies, candy, and soda your ultimate weakness? If you can’t seem to stay away from sweets, there’s a good reason why. Sugar is addictive. Eating sugar stimulates the brain to release a feel good chemical known as dopamine. Surely there’s no harm in feeling good right? Think again. Essentially, sugar acts like a drug. In fact, the consumption of sugar activates the same receptors in the brain as heroin and morphine. Just like with drugs, your brain begins to crave more and more sugar, leading to weight gain and sugar-related diseases, including heart disease and diabetes.

Protein, fat, and carbohydrates are the three essential macronutrients that our bodies use in relatively large amounts. The carbohydrates, more specifically, are divided into four groups: monosaccharides, disaccharides, polysaccharides, and oligosaccharides. The first two kinds, monosaccharides and disaccharides, comprise what we know to be sugar. You have probably heard of sucrose, or table sugar, which is regularly used in food, but glucose, fructose, galactose, maltose, and lactose all make up the family of sweet-flavored substances. Sucrose comes from both sugarcane and sugar beets, while lactose, for example, occurs naturally in milk.

In most parts of the world, sugar is unfortunately an important part of the human diet. Sugar is high in calories, and therefore provides food energy. However, sugar has been linked to obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, macular degeneration, dementia, and tooth decay. One study found that sugar restriction is a necessary step in routine clinical care, especially when concerned with the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Studies by the University of Otago and the Riddet Institute of New Zealand led the World Health Organization to suggest the following: cut sugar intake to less than 10% of the total energy to help reduce the global obesity epidemic. Just by cutting sugars down to less than 10% of total food energy consumption, we could conquer obesity. That’s big news. Considering the rapid weight gain that occurs with a spike in sugar intake, it’s no surprise to hear that reducing sugar intake is a key component in decreasing the high risk of being overweight and obese across most countries. Not to mention, the global costs of obesity are significant and cannot be ignored. In America alone, Reuters found that $190 billion dollars is spent annually on medical costs due to obesity. Additionally, overweight individuals spend around $2,000 more per year on their medical costs than a person of a healthy weight, and obese individuals spend around $5,500 more on an annual basis. Cutting sugar intake down to less than 10% of total energy is not hard to do, and could provide such promising results for both people’s health worldwide and the global costs of obesity.

So, what are the signs that you may be addicted to sugar? First of all, many sugar addicts crave sugar at the same times each day. For example, if you crave sugar every afternoon because work has you in a slump and you use sugar as a pick-me-up, you might be dependent. Moreover, some addicts crave sugar all of the time. People with a persistent sweet tooth tend to always gravitate towards the sweeter options, even if healthier food choices are available. One of the clearest signs of sugar addiction is feeling great discomfort when you try to cut back. Sugar addicts can experience nausea, headaches, irritability, anxiety, and fatigue when withdrawing from sugar. However, these symptoms eventually fade once the body becomes reacquainted to a healthier diet.

 If you are feeling inspired to restrict sugar consumption, the 21-day digestive health detox is the best detox diet approach for cutting out sugar. The 21-day approach focuses on optimum digestion and metabolism by emphasizing low-allergenic, unprocessed foods as ideal. By consuming foods that are not processed, which means they are made up of only one ingredient and contain no refined sugar, users will reset their taste palates. This brings overall balance to the digestive system, rids the body of its cravings, and leaves individuals healthier all around. Users of the 21-day approach will wonder why they ever ate so much sugar to begin with!

6 Simple Ways to Detox From Sugar

1. Go on a seasonal detox. I believe in going cold turkey for eliminating sugar addiction (you’ll learn why in the e-Hanbook).  Consume the foods recommend in the 21 Day Digestive Health Detox for optimal detoxification.
2. Take Oregano Oil to help rid of unfavorable bacteria 
3. Hydrate the moment you get a sugar craving with lemon water.  Add fresh lemon to still or sparkling water. 
4. Engage in daily exercise outdoors like yoga, swimming or hiking.
5. Make sure you’re getting daily sunlight (if weather allows).  Avoid the damaging UV rays during peak hours and opt for early morning, late afternoon sun instead.
6. Stabilize the adrenal glands and thyroid with quality fats found in the detox like: grass-fed butter, olive and coconut oils.  In addition, add Siberian Ginseng to help with blood sugar throughout the day. 

References

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/30/obesity-costs-dollars-cents_n_1463763.html

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23035683

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/01/130115190208.htm?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+sciencedaily%2Fmost_popular+%28ScienceDaily%3A+Most+Popular+News%29

Probiotics are currently all the rage, there’s no doubt about it. Jamie Lee Curtis, a renowned actress, is now best known for her stint in the Activia commercials where she promotes Dannon’s only probiotic yogurt.  If you’re new to my site, you can click here for recent media regarding the ingredients found in Activia.

So What are the Benefits of Probiotics?

 Probiotics come in all shapes and sizes and for the busy individual, a tablet or pill form is often the most convenient.  But are probiotic tablets the best option available? And how do they compare to cultured food options? Truthfully, they’re just not quite the same. Supplements are a great choice but they’re supposed to be in addition to a healthy diet, and we should always lean towards consuming foods rather than pill popping. Take kimchi for example, a traditional fermented vegetable dish from Korea. Within this one side dish there are 12 strains of Lactobacillus acquired through the fermentation process- and all 12 were “able to survive gastrointestinal conditions simulating stomach and duodenum passage”. Furthermore, these strains had a higher adherence to the gut than a Lactobacillus strain (rhamnosus GG) that’s already being used commercially as a probiotic. >>Click here for my feature in Total Beauty Magazine: Believe in Bacteria<< Though L. rhamnosus isn’t a slacker strain, as all 7 of its sub-strains proved to have good survival rates in simulated gastric and duodenal digestion. Kimchi’s strains weren’t just able to survive however; they all showed antimicrobial capabilities to numerous food borne pathogens and have even demonstrated the ability to lower cholesterol in at least 2 separate studies. Kimchi related strains have also been found to combat obesity and improve allergic dermatitis induced by chemicals in mice. It’s basically a super food- and there’s no guarantee a supplemental equivalent would be able to provide as many benefits as one serving of this Korean staple. No wonder they eat it as frequently as they do! The health benefits are well worth it.

Kimchi: decreases cholesterol, combats obesity and has anti-microbial properties.

 Kimchi isn’t the only fermented vegetable option that can operate as a probiotic powerhouse. Sauerkraut has been studied for its healthful bacterial strains as well. Naturally fermented sauerkraut contains 15 lactic acid producing strains >>here’s a link to my sauerkraut recommendation in Shape Magazine<< To match that with supplements you’d have to ingest 15 tablets. One of these strains, known as L. Plantarum, was found to combat the bacteria H. Pylori- which causes peptic ulcers. Recently, antibiotic resistant H. Pylori strains have become more common, to the distress of physicians and their patients. They may not need to worry however, as Dr. Rokka and associates of Agrifood Research Finland have found Sauerkraut could be used as a complementary means of suppressing the infection. Sauerkraut has also been found capable of suppressing E. Coli strain H7 completely in 15-28 days when it was of the non-acid resistant variety. Thus, a role as complement to antibiotics during E. Coli infection is potentially open as well.

Besides their wealth of probiotic strains and antimicrobial capabilities, kimchi and sauerkraut have something else in common- they’re both fermented vegetable dishes. Fermentation of vegetables is an extremely old practice of food preservation. Fermentation is as simple as applying salt liberally to the desired vegetable, waiting for it’s natural liquids to seep out, and then submerging the vegetable in it’s own juices for weeks or months at a time. No refrigeration is necessary, and you don’t need to add any cultures either- they’re already in the vegetable. Herbs and other spices can be used as well to add flavor. They’re a great way to add probiotics to your diet naturally, while still keeping with the one-ingredient theory.  For books on fermentation, I recommend purchasing  The Art of Fermentation: An In-Depth Exploration of Essential Concepts and Processes from Around the World

With all this in mind, can tablet supplements really compare to whole cultured foods? It doesn’t quite look like it. Survival of probiotic bacteria is dependent on quite a few variables and that includes the “food matrix” that brings it into your stomach in the 1^st place. A tablet form may be less effective, and it’s doubtful that a pill can guarantee the extra benefits that cultured foods bring to the table. So if you’re serious about adding probiotics into your diet, cultured foods like fermented vegetables would be your best bet. They’re rich in gut friendly bacterial strains, extra benefits, and are a one-ingredient option that won’t trigger inflammation and will be absorbed more readily. Add a dish to your next meal today, and start reaping the benefits. It’s unlikely you’ll regret it. 

With a hectic schedule it’s easy to choose the efficient option; but is that smart in the long run?

A non-processed veggie meal that can combat food borne pathogens? Sounds like a great addition to any healthy diet. And here’s how you can add it to yours:

Directions

1. Combine cabbage, carrots, sea salt, and whey in a medium bowl. Cover with a tea towel and leave to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes while salt pulls juices out of veggies. Remove towel about halfway through and pound a few times with a potato masher or meat hammer to make sure it’s getting juice.

2. Transfer to a wide-mouth quart jar or other fermenting container. Press down firmly so that liquid comes to top of mixture. Leave 1″ space at top of jar. Cover tightly with lid or airlock.

3. Leave at room temperature for 3 to 7 days. In the first 24 hours, open the jar and press down firmly on ingredients a few times to make sure liquid is fully covering mixture. Transfer to cool storage.

References 

Kimchi’s many strains: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21215484

Probiotic longevity: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22475943

Kimchi vs. dermatitis: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18800885

Kimchi is a great probiotic food: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23124342

Kimchi anti-obesity effects: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22978326, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22816655

Sauerkraut’s many strains: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19490332

Sauerkraut and H. Pylori: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19490332

 versus E. Coli: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16013372

Fermented Veggies: http://www.naturalnews.com/027443_vegetables_food_health.html

Authoring a book has been one of the most difficult accomplishments in my life—even more exhausting than 6-hour days in the pool.  In the past, I’ve been approached  to package up a Skinny Bitch-style book and humbly declined (bravo to those ladies, it’s not for me though).  My goal for this book was to have it read well by following the writing style of the great, Gary Taubes.   Most aspects of the book will focus on how to best absorb and assimilate nutrients found naturally in our food, to adopting a Paleo-Mediterranean diet as your core dietary template, selecting certain foods to consume on a daily & weekly basis for detoxification, key supplements for digestive health, rotation methods in detoxifying the gut, testing, and more.  The book will interact with you live ‘in demand’, and by social interactions through media and apps. 

 The Top 10 Gut-Cleansing Foods is a subchapter within the book consisting of more than 100+ recommendations of what exactly you should consume for optimal digestive health.  Key topics will address the crucial functioning of your intestines by using specific foods for intestinal cleansing, along with the worst offending foods to stay clear from. I’m very excited to showcase years of research through case studies and the future promise of what’s to come inside our gut microbiome.

1) Lemons

2) Chia or Flax Seeds

3) Coconut Oil

4) Pumpkin Seeds

5) Garlic

6) Sauerkraut or Kimchi (produced old-world style)

7) Kale

8) Sea Vegetables

9) Fish (from clean waters, preferably smaller, like sardines)

10) Homemade broth

Sea Vegetables

Are you a sushi fan? Well, good news, the seaweed in your favorite California roll offers significant health-boosting benefits. However, for those of you scared away by the thought of slimy seaweed, before dismissing ever consuming the healthy sea vegetable, consider these five reasons showing seaweed to be a valuable source of nutrients.

So what are sea vegetables?

Low in Calories, High in Nutrients

 In about only 30 calories per cup, seaweed, also known as wakame, offers calcium, iodine, magnesium, iron, folate, and B vitamins. Seaweed is a rich source of eicosapentaenoic acid, an omega-3 fatty acid, along with thiamine and niacin. Thanks to the nutritional value, wakame has been used throughout Asian history for intestinal strength, blood and lymph purification, skin and hair restoration, reproductive organs, and menstrual regularity.

 Benefits Digestive Health

 Japanese women have high numbers of healthy bacteria in their guts. Why? Because they consume lots of seaweed! Alginate, a thick substance found in the cells of brown seaweed, thickens gut mucus, which better protects the lining of the digestive tract. This in turn helps to slow down digestion – leading to slower and better absorption of the energy from food, which in turn leads to feeling fuller for longer.

 Detoxifying Properties

Seaweed has been used for centuries for its medicinal, detoxifying properties. Apart from seaweed baths and body wraps, eating seaweed detoxifies the body as well. Consuming seaweed helps to remove toxins and heavy metals, like cadmium, strontium, and lead, from within. In small quantities, many heavy metals are necessary to sustain life. In high amounts, however, these metals can have serious adverse effects on the body’s health.

 Heart Healthy

Some of the world’s longest living individuals live in Okinawa, Japan – a region where eating seaweed is commonplace. People from Okinawa have unclogged arteries, low cholesterol, and minimal heart disease rates. Interestingly enough, these same people eat multiple portions of sea vegetables, including seaweed, on a daily basis. Why might this be? The fibers in seaweed may help lower blood pressure and reduce chances of stroke and heart attack.

 High In Iodine

Western culture could certainly learn a thing or two from the Japanese diet where the intake of iodine from seaweed is among the highest in the world. Iodine is critical for proper thyroid function. Without it, the thyroid increases in size, creating a goiter, in search of any possible iodine in the body. Low thyroid function is also characterized by fatigue, cold hands and feet, weight gain, brittle hair and nails, and dry skin. In addition to the thyroid, iodine deficiency is associated with mental retardation, as sufficient amounts of iodine are necessary for suitable brain growth and development.

Seaweed offers some of the highest levels of iodine naturally available. Natural sources of iodine are preferred because the body can better process and absorb iodine when consumed in a natural form. Supplements of iodine also run the risk of consuming too much iodine, which can be dangerous to health.

For a nutrient-dense, flavor-packed meal, use seaweed in soups, salads, side dishes, and sushi. The nutritional value of this treasure of the sea offers one of the greatest ranges of minerals found in all foods!

The Perfect Snack: Stella’s Quinoa Stuffed Seaweed Wrap

Many of us are meat eaters, after all who doesn’t love turkey sandwiches, bacon or a good steak when cooked right. But what’s in the meat we eat? Unfortunately, unless you’re eating organic and pasture raised most likely your food has been pumped full of antibiotics. In fact, half of the antibiotics being produced today are being given to animals not people. And that means those antibiotics are going to end up in your system too, specifically your gut. But why does that matter? How does it affect our health? Firstly, it’s been found that increased use of antibiotic treatments produce a rise in the instances of antibiotic resistant bacteria. Take China as an example, which is the world’s largest producer and consumer of antibiotics. They don’t monitor the impacts that such rampant usage has on the environment but it has been found that their commercial pig farms are the breeding grounds for 149 unique antibiotic resistant genes that are 192 to 128,000 higher than their control sample counterparts. This sounds like a recipe for disaster. The reliance on antibiotics has become such a global issue that the FDA and World Health Organization have both called for improved regulation of veterinary antibiotic use, citing that such potentially hazardous genes never remain local in their scope.

Unfortunately, in China antibiotics are weakly regulated and are thus used 4 times more on their farms than in the United States. This wouldn’t be a problem if their antibiotic resistant strains were kept away from the general population. However, antibiotic resistant genes (ARGs) travel straight through the intestines of most animals and are poorly absorbed. From there they enter the nearly 700 million tons of manure produced in China alone. This manure ends up in fertilizers, in rivers and once potable drinking water, and is sold as compost around the world. ARGs tag along with them for the ride and can end up near crops anyone will eat (this means vegetarians aren’t necessarily safe from these ARGs either. Not if their food is being grown in its host). Basically ARGs can reach the world through drinking water, crops and interactions with farm workers. They’re a pollutant with potentially immediately harmful effects.   Because new antibiotics are so hard to manufacture, it’s become direly important to protect the stores we already have. Increasing the number of ARGs through the injudicious use of  antibiotics could have terrible consequences.

>>Quick Tip: Try purchasing grassfed beef and organic pork whenever possible.  Buying the meat frozen will also save on cost. 

What are the side effects of antibiotics?

What does this have to do with gut health? Well, everything. Your gut represents 80% of your immunity, so it’s your first line of defense. It’s also known as the “epicenter of antibiotic resistance”. Consequently it’s going to be the first and hardest hit if you ingest an ARG. Battling an ARG would simply not be the time to have poor gut health. Especially since the administering of antibiotics that would be initially overseen would decrease the number and diversity of the microbiota in your intestines. Furthermore, ARGs are often transferrable. So a harmless strain already present in say, manure (or your gut) could have harmful genes transferred to it. And more ARGs in a wider variety is simply something the world doesn’t need.

So shop carefully, avoid processed products whose ingredients you can’t source, and wash and cook your ingredients thoroughly.  In a previous article I mentioned how fermented vegetables were able to combat certain vicious strains of e. coli that tried to breed within them, so they’re a great add in to any diet if you’re worried about bacterial contamination. This makes sense as they’re a source of probiotics, which I also noted were often used in augmenting treatment for particularly resilient or harmful strains of bacteria. More studies may highlight the treatment potential of specific probiotics, for now eating them can only help not harm. There’s no need to be paranoid or fearful about ARG contamination, it’s best to be aware and choose food options accordingly as well as keep up to date on any FDA regulations or recalls. Be a savvy eater, your gut (and thus overall) health can only benefit from it.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22763792

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23181506

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23139222

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130211162236.html

Yours in Health,

Stella Metsovas

Staff Writer: Hannah Rivera 

 Within our guts we have TLRs, or Toll-Like Receptors. They respond to the presence of unknown antigens and are able to unleash an inflammatory response to what it perceives as infection in the gut. Processed foods possess antigens that may not be recognized as “harmless” by these receptors. If your gut doesn’t recognize the antigens in your processed food, an inflammatory reaction could occur. If this happens enough, you’ve developed an inflammatory disease. So how do we avoid this fate? By foregoing the processed meals of today and returning to the one-ingredient food of our paleolithic past.

Toll Like Receptors

One-ingredient foods are lacking in those pesky antigens that set off our TLR receptors. They’re the clear winning choice if you desire sustenance without the intestinal swelling and trauma. Filling your diet with one-ingredient foods like herbs, coconut oil (olive oil is also a great option), turkey, brown rice, broth, onions, garlic and lemons are always the core of my top food recommendations. Power foods also to include are cucumbers , broccoli, kale, swiss chard, various berries (think blueberry), and salmon are key to optimizing digestion.  I also recommend these foods specifically for detoxification purposes. Take the blueberry for example: daily ingestion of the blueberry boosts your immune system capabilities and reduces inflammation, not just in the gut but also throughout the body. “Acute ingestion [of blueberries] reduces oxidative stress and increases anti-inflammatory cytokines” (McAnulty). It’s such a super food it’s been suggested as a pre and post exercise snack, to avoid aches and swollen muscles the next day. They are also rich in antioxidants known as anthocyanins, found in any berry with blue/purple/black shades, which have been found to have potentially significant health benefits, including the ability to combat free radicals and other harmful oxidants.

As you all probably know from reading my articles, I believe in extra virgin, cold-pressed 0live oil, which has long been extolled as the king of oils. Dr. Pelucchi and associates of a pharmacological institute in Milan Italy note the high life expectancies of those who ingest a Mediterranean diet. We’ve all heard the rumors and rumblings about the “magic” of the long-lived Italians and their deliciously healthy meals. Their secret ingredient? Olive oil and minimally processed foods. Pelucchi studied the effects of the Mediterranean diet on the risk of cancer amongst native Italians and found that “Olive oil and unsaturated fats, which are typical aspects of the Mediterranean diet, were inversely related to the risk of several cancers, particularly of the upper aerodigestive tract”. Simply by switching out processed foods that contain mostly saturated, rancid- fats–opting for coconut and olive oil instead–can potentially decrease your risk of cancer, particularly of the digestive variety. Now we know that olive oil is a heart healthy choice, and now a gut healthy option as well, there’s no reason not to love the olive!

We live in a fairly well educated society, we’re in the know about how often we need to exercise, to avoid that Big Mac and to wash our hands more often when it’s flu season. But staying healthy is becoming more complicated by the day, the right choices hidden behind easily available foods with questionable ingredients. Your gut does it’s best to do right by you, and combat all the antigens and microbes you’re exposed to. It’s time to help it stay in balance, by incorporating more one-ingredient foods into your diet. With a wide range of options from turkey to kale to blueberries and olive oil, you’re hardly limited. And when they have the ability to prevent cancer, lengthen your life, decrease inflammation and combat the blues you’ve really got nothing to lose. So find your edible “One”, or as many “ones” as you can. Your gut, and your immune system, will thank you for it. 

Try a healthy, one ingredient recipe like my Chicken with Herbes de Provence. 

 Yours in Health,

Stella Metsovas

Staff Writer: Hannah Rivera  

• Komori, T, et al. “Effects of citrus fragrance on immune function and depressive states.”Neuroimmunomodulation2.3  (1995): 174-80.Pubmed.com. Web. 1  Jan.  <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8646568>.
• McAnulty, L S., et al. “Effect of blueberry ingestion on natural killer cell counts, oxidative stress, and inflammation prior to and after 2.5 h of running.”Applied Physiology, Nutrition and Metabolism36.6  (2011): 976-84.Pubmed.com. Web. 1  Jan.  <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=blueberries%20and%20immune%20health>.
• Sterling, Marilyn, et al. “Anthocyanins.”Nutrition Science News(2011):PatientMedia.org. Web. 1  Jan.  <http://www.chiro.org/nutrition/FULL/Anthocyanins.shtml>.

So what exactly are homeostatic soil organisms? Commonly referred to as HSOs, homeostatic soil organisms are supposedly found in rainforests and other untapped, untouched regions of the world where pesticide and fungicide usage is not commonplace. The soils where we grow our food, however, apparently do not have these bacteria because of modern agricultural practices. In theory, HSOs make sense – our ancestors were far less cleanly than we are today, and regularly stored meat and other valuable food products within the soil and dirt, and they managed to survive just fine.  *Primal Defense Probiotic by Garden of Life is the most notable HSO’s in the marketplace.

Theory aside, research on the Internet does not indicate the types or names of the organisms, and evidence in support of the organisms is sparse. Some individuals swear by the miraculous abilities of homeostatic soil organisms to treat and ultimately cure Crohn’s Disease. On the other hand, many doctors are more skeptical, and some even believe that HSOs are just another health scam.

Did our ancestors have better intestinal health because they regularly consumed healthy bacteria? Could we learn a thing or two from primitive eating habits? More research is necessary to find out, but truth may lie in the idea that today’s standards on cleanliness and anti-bacterial views could in fact be keeping many of us from ingesting healthy, gut-friendly bacteria.  

Here’s an excerpt from an article in Scientific American I found interesting:

DIRT DETOX

The idea that, in most cases, eating dirt is probably a way to get rid of toxins could explain why people and animals so often prefer claylike soils to other kinds of earth. Negatively charged clay molecules easily bind to positively charged toxins in the stomach and gut—preventing those toxins from entering the bloodstream by ferrying them through the intestines and out of the body in feces. Detoxification might also explain why some indigenous peoples prepare meals of potatoes and acorns with clay—these foods are bitter because they contain small amounts of toxins.

Don’t recommend this, but fascinating:

Women in sub-Saharan nations and in the southern U.S. have reported that they consume clay to alleviate this discomfort. Some researchers have proposed that morning sickness purges the mother of toxins that might harm the fetus. Perhaps geophagia and morning sickness work together to protect the developing fetus. Because clay can bind bacteria and viruses, it may also protect both mother and fetus from food-borne pathogens such as Escherichia coli and Vibrio cholerae.

Overall, the evidence presented and the descriptions provided to back up HSOs are vague. More research is necessary to determine whether homeostatic soil organism formulas cause any clear improvement within the intestinal tract. Should the evidence come out in favor of HSOs, they may end up as a great gut supplement in addition to regular probiotics. 

As I’m always recommending: consuming 1-ingredient foods + using specific nutraceuticals like those found in the Digestive Health Detox, are key to optimizing digestive health.

Yours in Health,

Stella Metsovas B.S., CCN

Staff Writer: Lauren Ball 

Cold and flu season is among us, but you can keep healthy by staying active, eating right, and getting a good night’s sleep.

The immune system is more powerful than we realize – it wards off bacteria, common colds, viruses, and cancer cells throughout our lifetimes. On the whole, your immune system does an outstanding job keeping you healthy and safe from disease-causing microorganisms. But sometimes, it fails, and a germ successfully makes you sick. Is it possible to prevent sickness by making the immune system stronger? Yes, with the right choices and habits, you can strengthen your immune system. In addition to sleep and exercise, one of the most important ways to strengthen your immune system is by focusing on nutrient-dense foods. Common lifestyle habits like consuming too much sugar and fat is dangerous because it suppresses the immune cells responsible for warding off bacteria.

In addition to stocking up on nutrient-dense foods, there are relatively easy steps you can take everyday to strengthen your immune system. Here are some of the top tips on how to keep your immune system in tip-top shape:

 1. Consume Garlic. Garlic has been used for centuries for its antibacterial and antiviral properties. Recent science shows that garlic works in preventing and treating colds by increasing T cell production. T cells, a type of white blood cell, help fight infections and target specific pathogens. Scientists from the University of Florida found that garlic contains many compounds that proliferate the production of T cells, ultimately reducing the severity of both the common cold and the flu.  If you really want to get onboard with garlic, try the garlic soup recipe at the end.

 2.Get your vitamin D. Research suggests vitamin D boosts immune response. Scientists from the University of Birmingham discovered that vitamin D helps to control the balance between regulatory and inflammatory T cell responses. In other words, if you don’t have enough vitamin D, your T cells could respond incorrectly, leading to more seasonal colds and flus. When taking a supplement, around 2,000 IUs a day for adults and 1,000 IUs a day for kids is all that’s necessary. However, our skin can make more than enough vitamin D by soaking up some valuable sunshine, so be sure to include some daily outdoor activity in your routine.

 3. Juice green vegetables for chlorophyll. Chlorophyll is a green pigment found in algae and plants. It’s the biomolecule that allows plants to absorb energy from light. So how does a pigment important in plant life aid your immune system? Chlorophyll helps to thicken and strengthen cell walls, which accelerates tissue activity and the regrowth of cells, ultimately helping the body to heal faster. All green vegetables, including spinach, broccoli, celery, green beans, romaine lettuce, and kale, contain concentrated sources of chlorophyll.  Try my Kale Shots<==here

 4.Take probiotics. Your gut bacteria fulfill a host of necessary functions, including aiding in digestion, repressing the growth of harmful microorganisms, training the immune system to respond only to pathogens, and preventing certain diseases. However, there is a delicate balance of bacteria has to be maintained. Harmful bacteria can invade the digestive tract and prevent the healthy bacteria from doing their work, leading to diseases both inside and outside of the intestines. A primary role of probiotics is to strengthen the healthy bacteria in the gut. Adding more healthy bacteria providers strong immune defense by reducing bad bacteria. Certain probiotics, such as Lactobacillus casei Shirota, enhance the activity the natural killer cells in the immune system, decreasing the risk of becoming sick. The integrity of the mucosal lining within the digestive tract is critical to overall health – as soon as it is compromised, toxins can enter into the body. Probiotics assist in keeping the mucus lining secure. If you are not already taking probiotics, you should be on your way to your local health food store now to pick some up. Helping the immune system is only one of the numerous benefits that probiotics offer.

5. Fill up on omega 3 fatty acids. Inflammation is a double-edged sword. It can either be your best friend or your worst enemy. When you are injured or infected, the body sends immune cells to the scene, ready to fight off any toxins and repair the tissue – causing inflammation to the area. While it can be necessary for healing, too much inflammation can cause tissue damage and more overall damage than the original problem. Diseases like rheumatoid arthritis and psoriasis are caused by unregulated, excessive inflammatory responses. So where do omega 3 fatty acids come into play? Omega 3 acids play a role in reducing inflammation throughout the body.

6. Soak up the sun and sleep tight. This flu this year is being considered the worst flu since 2003-2004. However, only 32% of Americans have been vaccinated. For those that haven’t been vaccinated, those who are choosing not to, and those that want extra protection, one of the best ways to prevent sickness and keep the immune system healthy is through two of many people’s favorite things: sleep and sunshine. Be sure to get 7.5 to 8 hours of sleep every night for solid immune strength. While only some of us live in places like Arizona and Florida, try to soak up and possible sunshine you can.

Garlic Soup Recipe for Colds

The standard garlic soup, in which you would use several heads of roasted garlic tastes wonderful, and is a good use of garlic as a preventative. But for treating a cold, the garlic should not be roasted, as this lessens its impact as an antibacterial agent. Instead, make a garlic soup using chicken or vegetable broth, chopped garlic and a little ginger or hot peppers. Bring 2 cups of chicken or vegetable broth to a boil. Chop two to three cloves of garlic and drop them into the broth and reduce the heat to simmer. Grate 1 tsp. of ginger and add to the broth. Let it for 15 minutes and remove from the heat. Let it stand for 5 minutes, then sip the soup slowly. It doesn’t taste very good, but it will clear your head. *Source, eHow.com 

Yours in Health,

Stella Metsovas B.S.

Staff Writer: Lauren Ball 

 References

 http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/infocenter/othernuts/omega3fa/

 http://news.yahoo.com/video/phoenixktvk3tv-15751070/dr-oz-sleep-and-sun-protect-against-flu-31516000.html

 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22280901

 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23087405

GSE is full of antioxidants, bioflavonoids, limonoids, vitamin C, vitamin E, and minerals, making it known for its antiviral, antifungal, anti-allergic, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer properties. The bioflavonoids and vitamins C and E promote wellbeing by supporting immune system function and maintaining digestive health.

Quick Facts about Grapefruit Seed Extract 

Studies showed benefits in Grapefruit Seed Extract for Candida 

GSE is a powerful antioxidant

Promotes healthy microflora and gut ecology

GSE and Digestive Health

When used for digestive health, grapefruit seed extract can aid in producing digestive balance. Symptoms such as bloating, constipation, stomach pain, diarrhea, and food sensitivities may be caused by harmful bacteria or yeast overgrowth within the digestive tract. Grapefruit seed extract can help to eliminate the harmful bacteria responsible for such symptoms.

A common fungus found inside the body, Candida albicans, can become toxic when it over-multiplies in the digestive tract, causing the symptoms listed above. Antibiotic medications would successfully kill the Candida fungus, but would also eliminate healthy and necessary bacteria, leading to even more possible digestive issues. GSE, on the other hand, kills the Candida by exerting powerful antifungal activity, but leaves the healthy bacteria intact.

Studies have shown that citrus limonoids inhibit the growth of cancer in the lungs, mouth, stomach, and colon. Expanding on these findings, researchers specifically studied red Mexican grapefruit and found that grapefruit is an excellent source of limonoids and antioxidants. In addition, other studies have shown the gastroprotective effects of GSE in preventing ethanol-induced damage and gastric lesions.

Grapefruit seed extract has also been proven to prevent bacterial and fungal infestation during carrot and parsley growth, with a protective effect substantially higher than the control. The same protective effects apply to the human gastrointestinal system, in which GSE effectively defends against fungal and bacterial overgrowth.

Considering that so many people suffer from negative digestive symptoms, including bloating and constipation among others, grapefruit seed extract can be a great choice in creating a healthier and better functioning digestive system.

DISCLAIMER

Please consult with your physician, pharmacist, or health care provider before taking any home remedies or supplements or following any treatment suggested by anyone on this site. Only your health care provider, personal physician, or pharmacist can provide you with advice on what is safe and effective for your unique needs or diagnose your particular medical history.

References

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15800396

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16886437

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17542482

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18396816

Yours in Health,

Stella Metsovas B.S., CCN

Staff Writer: Lauren Ball