Testosterone: Male Andropause

Testosterone: Male Andropause

Probiotics: Looking underneath the yogurt label

The following article might be of interest.
Ralph Giarnella MD
Southington Ct USA
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The New York Times

When the label tells you the food you are buying “contains probiotics,” are you getting health benefits or just marketing hype? Perhaps a bit of both.

Probiotics are live micro-organisms that work by restoring the balance of intestinal bacteria and raising resistance to harmful germs. Taken in sufficient amounts, they can promote digestive health and help shorten the duration of colds. But while there are thousands of different probiotics, only a handful have been proved effective in clinical trials. Which strain of bacteria a given product includes is often difficult to figure out.

There is no standard labeling requirement to help buyers make sense of probiotic products. The word “probiotic” on the label is not enough information to tell whether a given product will be effective for a particular health concern. Just as a doctor would prescribe different antibiotics for strep throat or tuberculosis, different probiotic species and strains confer different health benefits.

“It’s a huge problem for the consumer to try to make heads or tails of whether the products that are out there really work,” said Dr. Shira Doron, an assistant professor of medicine at Tufts.

Consider Lactobacillus, a probiotic that comes in a number of strains, among them: Lactobacillus GG (often called LGG), which can be found in the diet supplement Culturelle as well as several milk products in Finland; L. casei DN114 001, included in Dannon products; and L. casei Shirota, found in Yakult, a popular probiotic drink from Japan.

Studies show that all of these strains are associated with reducing diarrhea; LGG, among the most studied, has also shown a benefit in treating atopic eczema and milk allergy in infants and children, according to a 2008 report in The Journal of Clinical Gastroenterology. Meanwhile, both LGG and Dannon’s L. casei strain have been shown in studies of children attending day care to reduce illness.

“Lactobacillus is just the bacterium,” said Gregor Reid, director of the Canadian Research and Development Center for Probiotics. “To say a product contains Lactobacillus is like saying you’re bringing George Clooney to a party. It may be the actor, or it may be an 85-year-old guy from Atlanta who just happens to be named George Clooney. With probiotics, there are strain-to-strain differences.”

The outcome of a recent legal case may help. Dannon, one of the biggest sellers of probiotic yogurts, settled a class-action lawsuit this month over its Activia yogurts and DanActive yogurt drinks, which claimed to help regulate digestion and stimulate the immune system. As part of the $35 million settlement, Dannon agreed to reimburse dissatisfied consumers and make labeling changes, among them adding the scientific names of probiotic strains it uses.

Dannon says that it settled the suit to avoid litigation and that it stands by all of its product claims. The company’s Web site lists numerous scientific studies of its patented probiotic strains.

“A scientific approach has been central to our business for decades,” said a spokesman, Michael Neuwirth, who added, “The essence of the claims of Activia and DanActive remain unchanged.”

So what health problems can probiotics really help? After gathering at a Yale workshop to review the available evidence, a panel of 12 experts concluded that there was strong evidence that several probiotic strains could reduce diarrhea, including that associated with antibiotic use. Several studies have also suggested that certain probiotics may be useful for irritable bowel syndrome, with the strongest recommendation for Bifidobacterium infantis 35624, the probiotic in the Procter & Gamble supplement Align. (Two members of the panel had ties to Procter & Gamble; three others had ties to other companies that sell probiotics.)

A variety of other claims for probiotics, like lowering cholesterol and blood pressure, preventing cavities and reducing cancer risk, were not reviewed by the panel.

And scientists continue to debate whether probiotics offer a meaningful benefit to the immune system.

“The evidence for the general immune strengthening is just not there,” said Barry R. Goldin, a Tufts professor who helped discover LGG but no longer receives royalties from the patent.

But the gastrointestinal tract is an important part of the immune system, and studies show that intestinal bacteria play an essential role in immune defenses. These bacteria not only aid digestion but essentially help form a protective barrier inside the intestine.

The Yale group, whose report appeared in The Journal of Clinical Gastroenterology in July 2008, concluded that the “immune response is definitely affected by the administration of probiotics.” But it did not decide whether probiotics were useful for general disease prevention and maintaining overall health, saying more study was needed. The group reported that many studies suggested that certain probiotics reduced duration of colds, along with time away from work and day care..

“Such findings,” the authors wrote, “suggest that probiotics might be of value for incorporation into the daily diet of healthy people for the purpose of staying healthy.”

Consumers interested in probiotics should look for products that list the specific strain on the label and offer readers easy access to scientific studies supporting the claims. A good place to find studies on various probiotic strains is the Web site www.PubMed.gov.

www.eastwesthealing.com

Acid Reflux and GERD

Acid Reflux or Gastro-esophageal Reflux Disease (GERD), also known or associated with heartburn and indigestion, happens when acid or bile from the stomach leaks back up through the esophagus, which will irritate and damage the delicate lining of the esophagus.

When stomach acid leaks back up into the esophagus, it is called acid reflux. Normally the sphincter, a muscle at the join between the esophagus and stomach, tightens up to stop acid, bile and food coming back up out of the stomach. Acid reflux happens when the sphincter does not work very well, or when the stomach is very full (for example, after a large meal).

The esophagus can cope with a small amount of stomach acid or bile, however, if acid reflux is frequent it can damage the sensitive lining of the esophagus. This is when simple heartburn becomes GERD. If the damage to your esophagus leads to inflammation (soreness and swelling), this is called esophagitis. Further, when left untreated has the potential to develop into esophageal cancer!

Symptoms of Acid Reflux (GERD)

The main symptom of GERD in adults is frequent heartburn, also called acid indigestion, however it has nothing to do with the heart.  As studies have shown that patients whose symptoms occur at night reported levels of severity that were similar to those reported in angina and congestive heart failure.  This is most likely due to the fact that heartburn is usually felt as a burning pain behind your breast-bone (in front of the chest, over the heart) and happens when stomach acid damages the inside of your esophagus.

Heartburn is most likely to occur in connection with the following activities:

• After a heavy meal
• Bending over
• Lifting
• Lying down on your back
• Smoking
• Overweight
• Pregnant

Other symptoms of GERD may include:

• An acidic taste in mouth
• Burning pain in your throat
• Bloating and belching
• Stomach pains
• Burning pain n your throat and esophagus when you swallow hot drinks
• Regurgitating food
• Nausea and Vomiting
• Vomiting Blood

Causes of Acid Reflux (GERD):

1.Insufficient Acid to Digest the food you eat

The biggest cause of Acid Reflux is insufficient acid. This will come as a major surprise to most of you reading this, but it is a fact. As we get older we produce less hydrochloric acid that is essential to digest the food we eat. When we have insufficient acid the undigested food begins to ferment, in fact rot whilst still in our stomach. This fermenting soup causes us to feel bloated, full of gas that then causes pain and inflammation thus causing a great deal of discomfort. When excess gas has built up it has to be released and when it does you experience a mini explosion that releases the bile upwards and into your esophagus. build up This is contrary to the common belief that is expressed in the media and by many Doctors.

2. Poor sphincter control

There is a sphincter (muscle) at the join between your stomach and the esophagus. It relaxes to let food into your stomach but then tightens to stop stomach acid or bile coming out and back up into your esophagus. In some people, the sphincter does as intended, and this causes acid reflux.

Having a hiatus hernia can also cause poor sphincter control. In this type of hernia, part of the stomach pokes through your diaphragm, the main breathing muscle under the lungs. The muscles in your diaphragm are then stretched and don’t allow the sphincter to close, so acid or bile can escape from your stomach back up into the esophagus.

3. Smoking relaxes the sphincter muscles, so makes acid reflux more likely. Some people find that particular foods, such as fatty foods, chocolate, or oranges, relax the sphincter, while others such as coffee and tomatoes directly irritate the Esophagus.

4. Particular medicines can make GERD worse by relaxing the sphincter,for example, diazepam. Others may directly irritate the esophagus, for example, potassium supplements.

5. Pressure on the stomach

Acid reflux can also happen when there is a lot of pressure on your stomach forcing the stomach contents out and back up into the esophagus. This might happen after a very large meal, during pregnancy, if you are constipated, or when you wear tight-waisted clothes or bend forward.

What Can You Do If  You Have Acid Reflux?

As with all problems, the first step is to identify the cause. Remedial measures that can be taken are as follows:

1. Eat less and chew more. The mixing of digestive enzymes with your food in the mouth kick starts the digestion process, minimizing the chance for fermentation in the stomach and facilitating the speedy passage of food through the stomach.
2. Choose foods that are in their natural state, or whole foods. Include plenty of vegetables, seasonal fruit and unrefined grains.
3. Avoid refined carbohydrates, sugars, caffeine, chocolates and spicy foods.
4. Avoid big rich meals, especially food fried in oils and fats.
5. Don’t eat when angry or upset, nor when rushed and can’t sit down.
6. It helps not to lie down immediately after eating, this allows gravity to keep the stomach contents below the opening of the lower esophagus.
7. Take a short and gentle stroll after a meal.
8. Avoid drinking beverages prior to, and during meals, as this will dilute enzymes, however, some may find that taking small sips of water throughout a meal can help in buffering stomach acid, helping to reduce the discomfort of acid reflux.  This of course may not help some people, the best thing to do is try it for yourself.
9. Avoid cigarette smoking and too much alcohol.
10. Eating organic sauerkraut or taking 2 tbsp. of apple cider vinegar prior to any meal will help in supplying additional essential enzymes necessary for the proper breakdown of foods.

www.eastwesthealing.com

Urinary Incontinence: How Ben Wa Balls and Anal Beads can help!

Urinary Incontinence: How Ben Wa Balls and Anal Beads can help!

Ovarian Cysts

Ovarian cysts are small fluid-filled sacs that develop in a woman’s ovaries. Most cysts are harmless, but some may cause problems such as rupturing, bleeding, or pain; and surgery may be required to remove the cyst(s). There are many possibilities as to how these cysts form as it is a major concern among many women, especially in childbearing age. While a majority of the ovarian cysts are simply functional in nature, some ovarian cysts can turn out to be cancerous.

The first step of correctly diagnosing and treating ovarian cysts is to locate the cause of the cyst in the first place.  Clearly, this in and of itself can be a daunting task as ovarian cysts can be triggered by a variety of primary factors and secondary factors. It is imperative to understand these different factors in order to seek appropriate treatment.

There are many primary factors, which lead to ovarian cysts. These factors should not be isolated, however, sometimes the combination of these factors can together lead to the cause of ovarian cysts.

1. Genetic predisposition: Genetic predisposition is often considered to be the primary cause of ovarian cyst as research has shown that the genetic pattern of women who suffer from this chronic condition is different as compared to women who never get ovarian cysts or PCOS. However, this should not be a death warrant as many times the genetic characteristics can be modified with the help of environmental factors and proper lifestyle related changes.
2. Poor dietary choices: Different types of food including the ones rich in carbohydrates, junk food, toxic food and acidic food can bring about hormonal imbalance and can weaken your immune system making you more vulnerable to ovarian cyst. Similarly diets rich in sugar and low on fresh vegetables can make the task of flushing out toxins difficult thereby aggravating ovarian cyst problem.
3. Weak immune system: A weak immune system invites trouble, as it is not able to put up a natural fight against ovarian cyst triggers. Many factors including dietary factors and sleep deprivation can lead to weakened immune system.
4. Insulin resistance: High level of insulin can stimulate ovarian androgen production, which leads to the production of male hormones. This reduces the serum sex-hormone binding globulin or SHGB. The SHBG can in turn aggravate the ovarian cyst condition to quite an extent.
5. Failed ovulation process: Sometimes, the ovaries fail to release egg on a monthly basis. This fails to produce progesterone and brings about hormonal imbalance. This can then lead to the formation of ovarian cysts.

Besides the above primary factors, toxins in liver and even environmental toxins can aggravate ovarian cysts. What is important to point out is the common factor in each of these possible causes, as each one is perceived as stress by the body.  When the body senses stress the sympathetic nervous system is immediately stimulated, placing the body into a state of “fight or flight.”  Anytime this happens the bodies endocrine system releases a slue of hormones. Over time, this can create severe hormonal imbalances, which are shown to be one of the common factors in all ovarian cyst.

Ovarian cyst condition is not a simple one to understand or treat. Conventional wisdom blinded by hackneyed forms of treatment cannot treat and cure ovarian cysts. To treat this complex disease, a multidimensional view adopted by the holistic approach is needed. A holistic approach is also effective as it deals with a variety of factors and manages to find out the root cause of the disease. Then, systematically with a comprehensive method, a holistic practitioner, specializing in nutrition and lifestyle management, can help you bring about many lifestyle changes, which can aid in treatment. Hence, when it comes to curing ovarian cyst, a holistic approach is required to understand the causes of your ovarian cysts and to treat this condition in a scientific and holistic manner.

Jeanne Rubin

www.eastwesthealing.com