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October 15th, 2014 at 5:40 pm

 

Image: Fertility Chef.com

 

 

Michelle Cook an author and weight loss expert, recently reported a case study of one of her clients who had experienced significant hair loss after a weight loss diet.  Michelle Cook discovered this client was using a popular diet program that consisted of 4 shakes a day totaling 1200 calories plus diet soda and no solid food of any kind. After taking a look at the ingredients in her shakes, here's she concluded: “I suspect it's the aspartame. Four shakes a day would mean you're getting between 244 to 284 mg of aspartame daily, not counting the diet soda, which is an extremely large amount.
 
In a US Food and Drug Administration-based compilation of self-reported side-effects, the artificial sweetener has been linked to many health problems including hair loss.” Incidentally, a quick Internet search reveals many people also report hair loss while using products with aspartame. While the research specifically studying hair loss is limited, The Nurses Health Study and the Health Professionals Followup Study linked aspartame consumption to other health issues, including lymphoma and multiple myeloma in men. The National Institute of Environmental Health Science published a study which found an increased cancer risk even with low doses of aspartame. 

Aspartame is found in many “diet” products and Maria isn't the first person to tell me that she's lost hair while using products containing the synthetic sweetener. If you're drinking diet shakes, diet soda, or eating other products containing aspartame, here are a few things you need to know to help you decide whether aspartame-laden diet products are for you: Here's what she reported in a WorldHealthNet Forum in September 2014.

"During my research for my book 60 Seconds to Slim, I found that the National Institutes of Health had cataloged 167 adverse effects linked to aspartame use. Lynne Melcombe lists these effects in her book Health Hazards of White Sugar, including: anxiety attacks, appetite problems such as binge eating, birth defects, vision problems such as blurred vision, brain tumors, chest pain, depression, dizziness and vertigo, edema, epilepsy and seizures, fatigue, headaches and migraines, hearing loss and tinnitus, heart palpitations, hyperactivity, insomnia, joint pain, memory loss, PMS, psychiatric disorders, reproductive problems, and uterine tumors. 

-According to Randall Fitzgerald, author of The Hundred-year Lie, some of the cancers linked to aspartame include brain, liver, lung, kidney, and lymphoreticular cancer. 

-According to the authors of the book Hard to Swallow, when a diet drink containing aspartame is stored at 85 degrees Fahrenheit for a week or longer, “There is no aspartame left in the soft drinks, just the components it breaks down into, like formaldehyde, formic acid, and diketopiperazine, a chemical which can cause brain tumors. All of these substances are known to be toxic to humans.” 

While Maria lost weight on the diet shakes containing aspartame, it was more likely due to the extreme caloric restriction. Maria agreed that no diet should contain an ingredient that causes hair loss and that has been linked to so many other problems. If you're suffering from hair loss due to diet shakes, soda, or foods, you may want to reconsider your options. The best way to lose weight is to eat a healthy diet with real food and devoid of synthetic ingredients, while increasing your activity levels. "
 
After reading the linked FDA reports and doing some research on my own, I thought this information was worthy of sharing for this week's forum although the scientific research is not there.  I have seen clients for hair loss who were heavy diet drink consumers for some time.
 
If you've been struggling with unexplained hair loss, you may want to rethink your diet drinks.  You also may want to read my article here for healthy alternatives.  The horrific news about Splenda and healthier alternatives.

 

 

Best of Health!

 

Visit our Natural Product Pharmacy for the best prices and FREE SHIPPING on hundreds of natural products from professional brands like: Metagenics, Douglas Laboratories, Pure Encapsulations, Integrative Therapeutics, Thorne Research, and Carlson Labs!

 

Taryn DeCicco, ND, LAc, LDN

Naturopath

Acupuncturist

Clinical Nutritionist

Professional Vitamins and Supplements

Chinese Herbs

Natural Skin Products

Arlington Heights, IL

www.apple-a-day-clinic.com

 

We specialize in Acne, Skin, and Digestive disorders!  Please contact us for a free consultation!  I do work long distance.  Thank you from the bottom of our cart!  We truly appreciate your product purchases, visits, and referrals!  They enable us to give people the help they need and continue our valuable work.

Views:
10459
October 1st, 2014 at 6:04 pm

We are amazed that it is October already!  We are thrilled with the gorgeous weather, and hope you will visit our awesome events page and sign up for the rest of the events this educational month!

Today's topic is:

 

Lifestyle Poisons to Avoid.

 

Number One is GMO foods….bad for us terrible for the planet.  If you don't believe me read my article about the honey bee population here  It is nearly impossible to avoid GMO's unless you buy organic foods.   It is illegal to use GMO products or ingredients in foods labeled and certified organic.  Again, much better for you and much better for the planet.

The reason that GMO foods are so dangerous is that they have mutant DNA genetic material which is not natural to our bodies and the environment.

 

Fake Sugars: 

While no form of sugar, even many natural sugars are to be used in large quantities, fake sugars and sugar alcohols are as above not biochemically harmonious to our bodies and health, some are even downright poisonous.    I go into this in detail in my article “How Sweet it isn't” here:  http://www.apple-a-day-clinic.com/Health_and_Nutrition_Blog?m8:post=the-horrific-news-about-splenda-and-better-and-healthier-sugar-replacers which also discusses natural sugars in detail with a handy chart for shopping sprees.  Two healthy and natural sugar replacers can be found in our store here:

Essence of Tienchi:

Mormordica Tea:

 

GLUTEN FREE Foods:

In my article: Why I don't eat “Gluten Free Products”,  I discuss in detail why most “gluten free” products are to be avoided….As processed foods they are not particularly healthy and also not usually whole grain.  They also tend to be very high in sugars….Much too much to be used regularly.  All in all, just a revisit of the “fat free” craze of the early 90's.

 

TAP Water:

The tap water you and your family and pets may be drinking is adulterated with toxic chemicals and drug residues.  You can read all about this in depth in my article “drugged waters”.  Filtering your water is one of the most important steps you can take to improve your health.  Avoid filters which add fluoride to your water as this will lead to thyroid problems for you and your children and pets.

 

Cleanses/Colonics:

I have so many people come to my office who claim that they are healthy because they do “cleanses” on a regular basis.  Most cleanses are harsh purgatives which in fact just stress the large intestine and do nothing except remove food stagnation.  Ditto: Colonics….  These are the fast food practices of holistic health.  Save your money and adopt real far reaching health behaviours.  Just implementing avoidance of some of these poisons will prove far more helpful. 

 

 

Best of Health!

 

Visit our Natural Product Pharmacy for the best prices and FREE SHIPPING on hundreds of natural products from professional brands like: Metagenics, Douglas Laboratories, Pure Encapsulations, Integrative Therapeutics, Thorne Research, and Carlson Labs!

 

Taryn DeCicco, ND, LAc, LDN

Naturopath

Acupuncturist

Clinical Nutritionist

Professional Vitamins and Supplements

Chinese Herbs

Natural Skin Products

Arlington Heights, IL

www.apple-a-day-clinic.com

 

We specialize in Acne, Skin, and Digestive disorders!  Please contact us for a free consultation!  I do work long distance.  Thank you from the bottom of our cart!  We truly appreciate your product purchases, visits, and referrals!  They enable us to give people the help they need and continue our valuable work.

Views:
10431
September 24th, 2014 at 6:29 pm

Image: StaticEHarmony.com

Major BAD eating habits to avoid now.

 

Eating habits may eclipse even diet in terms of wrecking havoc on your digestive system which will then impact your entire health.

Skipping breakfast 

 

Many people decide to skip breakfast for two reasons, one they falsely believe it leads to overeating, or because they are simply not hungry in the morning.
Having a healthy breakfast energizes you in the morning and helps you to make healthy eating choices throughout the day. It boosts your metabolism and enables you to burn more calories. Also, consuming breakfast in the morning reduces the chances of overeating during the day and especially at night.  From a digestive health perspective eating breakfast is helpful because it helps reduce the binge eating that occurs in the evening among non-breakfast-eaters. That binge eating sets up a constellation of events that overtax the digestive system leading to problems like reflux, fatty liver and gallbladder sludge.  Many people mistakenly believe that getting hungrier on days when they eat breakfast is an undesirable thing.  In fact, it is a very desirable thing in that it demonstrates that food is being digested and assimilated properly  causing the desirable increase in metabolic activity.

 

According to recent studies amongst 14,000 Americans 54% of the adults would like to eat breakfast but only 34% eat it regularly.  After a period of fasting, the body needs nourishment and the GI tract is most readily able to process digest and absorb foods between 7 and 9 AM each day.  When queried, most people describe their lifestyles as too busy to eat properly…How crazy is that???

Binge eating:

                               

Following the current trend in America of skipping breakfast and often skipping lunch or eating a very small lunch, it should be no surprise that there is an epidemic of binge eating at night and after work.  Unfortunately, after almost 24 hours of fasting and waiting until the digestive system is at its lowest ebb, digestion, absorption, and assimilation are seriously compromised.  This pattern will lead to diarrhea, constipation, dyspepsia, belching, burping abdominal pain and other signs of organ distress.  Organ distress will longterm,  lead to organ disease.  This pattern will also lead to weight gain due to unprocessed food stagnating in the body.  It is key to try to not eat past 7PM if unable to do this eat lightly at night.

 

Eating Too Fast/failure to chew


Only DOGS digest foods in their stomach without chewing.  When you eat too quickly and neglect to chew you are setting the stage for severe digestive problems either now or down the road. As an expert in the areas of gut bacteriology I will tell you that I have no natural remedy to counter poor eating habits.  IBS, Reflux, Colitis etc while having multiple causes will all respond well to proper eating habits.  All digestive peristalsis is enervated by chewing.  If food is gulped down this process is inhibited and food does not move properly through the digestive tract.  It helps to become conscious of chewing each bite at least 10-20 times.  Also, do not eat and drink at the same time.  This enables digestive juices to not be diluted and forces you to chew better.

 

Eating unmindfully

 

Eating while watching television, playing a video game, or while working, increases the chances that you will not digest your food properly. This is because your digestive energy is then not available to digest your food with.  This will result in poor digestion and absorption of nutrients.   Take the time to eat under relaxed, appropriate conditions.

 

Emotional eating

Sometimes, people turn to food when they feel angry, sad, or anxious.  This is not a good idea.  Digestion is hampered by eating when emotions are negative. It is usually better to avoid eating then to eat under stressful conditions.

How Children Develop Unhealthy Eating Habits?

Poor eating habits of parents leads to poor eating habits for your children.  Everyone in your family will be happier and healthier if meal times are planned, healthy events.

 

 

Hope you are able to implement these habits for better health.  Visit the DIGESTION aisle of our store and our Natural Health Library for many other tips on digestive health!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Best of Health!

 

Visit our Natural Product Pharmacy for the best prices and FREE SHIPPING on hundreds of natural products from professional brands like: Metagenics, Douglas Laboratories, Pure Encapsulations, Integrative Therapeutics, Thorne Research, and Carlson Labs!

 

Taryn DeCicco, ND, LAc, LDN

Naturopath

Acupuncturist

Clinical Nutritionist

Professional Vitamins and Supplements

Chinese Herbs

Natural Skin Products

Arlington Heights, IL

www.apple-a-day-clinic.com

 

We specialize in Acne, Skin, and Digestive disorders!  Please contact us for a free consultation!  I do work long distance.  Thank you from the bottom of our cart!  We truly appreciate your product purchases, visits, and referrals!  They enable us to give people the help they need and continue our valuable work.

Views:
9971
September 6th, 2014 at 11:25 am

Due to a power outage we have no access

to our office today.  We will be unable to 

respond to calls or ship orders until we reopen 

on Tuesday.  Sorry for your inconvenience.

Views:
10090
August 27th, 2014 at 6:28 pm

 

 

 

 

 

Nutrition News, and Natural Products Update!

 

 

Turn down the temperature to burn body fat!

Apparently there is an advantage to freezing in Chicago's winters.  Brown adipose tissue, which produces heat by burning energy in order to help the body maintain it's core temp, can be manipulated by cold temperatures.  Researchers from Virginia's Commonwealth University have established that cold exposure promotes activation of a hormone that burns body fat.  This hormone was activated at night time temperatures at 66 degrees but not at temperatures above 70 degrees.  This study was published in the Journal Diabetes June 2014.

Increased Omega 3's equal better sleep in children.

An Oxford University study concludes after a study of almost 400 children ages 7-9 with sleeping difficulties as reported by the parents, that higher levels of DHA an Omega 3 translate to almost one hour per night of improved sleep.  This study was just published in the Journal of Sleep Research March 2014.  It is unknown whether this research would apply to children of all ages or adults….stay tuned. Check out our top Omega 3 right here! FREE shipping on all orders.

Probiotics may regulate blood pressure! Great News for folks on meds.

While probiotics or “good” bacteria are normally associated with benefits to both digestive and immune health, researchers at Griffith University in Australia report that after 8 weeks of supplementation decreases in blood pressure occurred both in healthy people and others.  In this study there was a greater impact on people with elevated blood pressures. This study was published in the Journal of Hypertension, July 2014  For my picks on probiotics visit our aisle right here. FREE shipping on all orders.

 

Natural Products Showcase

I am thrilled to offer you the finest and freshest of natural products, which I have handpicked for my clinic clients, family members and friends. I offer the very best prices and FREE shipping on all online orders.  I am pleased to introduce some new arrivals that you may enjoy.  The first is Drink Up! My own skin oil which boasts professional levels of healing oils such as almond and squalene.  It is a wonderful addition to your skincare lineup for fall and winter skin.  Read more here:

 

 

We are also pleased to offer a natural skin tightener called Youthful Image.  When you review the before and after pictures you will be amazed at the results.  This product contains silk proteins and natural botanicals known to lift and tighten skin. It should be used every other day until the desired result is achieved and then once or twice per week for maintenance.  It lasts a very long time.  Seeing's believing, it is a wonderful natural substitute for risky procedures.

 

Also: We are now offering a full array of vaginal and anal suppositories read more here for natural relief from anal itching, vaginal dryness and more.

 

Lastly, I am pleased to announce a new anti microbial for intestinal dysbiosis called Intestinalis.  It has been another great tool in establishing balanced microflora.

 

You can check out this and many other fine products right here in our store:

 

Next Month I will kick things off with an article about healing heartburn naturally.  Subscribe NOW to get our blog delivered to you each week.

 

Have a safe and wonderful Labor Day.  See you in September!

      

Best of Health!

 

Visit our Natural Product Pharmacy for top prices and FREE SHIPPING on hundreds of natural products from professional brands like: Metagenics, Douglas Laboratories, Pure Encapsulations, Integrative Therapeutics, Thorne Research, and Carlson Labs!

 

Taryn DeCicco, ND, LAc, LDN

Naturopath

Acupuncturist

Clinical Nutritionist

Professional Vitamins and Supplements

Chinese Herbs

Natural Skin Products

Arlington Heights, IL

www.apple-a-day-clinic.com

 

We specialize in Acne, Skin, and Digestive disorders!  Please contact us for a free consultation!  I do work long distance.  Thank you from the bottom of our cart!  We truly appreciate your product purchases, visits, and referrals!  They enable us to give people the help they need and continue our valuable work.

Views:
9950
August 21st, 2014 at 4:47 pm

Image: Courtesy UrbanHouseCallMagazine.com



This just in!  Bacterial Dysbiosis of the intestine some of you know it as SIBO, may  the underlying cause of heart disease.  Most of us involved with naturopathic medicine have known for years that platelet aggregation, the clumping of red blood cells, elevated lipid levels, IE cholesterol, and CRP's etc are simply markers of bodily inflammation they do not indicate the cause but simply let us know that inflammation is present and to what degree.

 
Another recent study has confirmed the presence of bacterial pathogens in arterial plaque.  This study is the first to pinpoint biofilms or the presence of living organisms on the arterial wall itself.
 
A previous study identified Pseudomonas Aeroginosa as a common bacteria colonizing many diseased arterial samples.
 
I receive reports with Pseudomonas present in the microbiology analysis stool culture of many GI clients.
 
It brings me great joy to know that I am not only restoring someone's GI health but perhaps saving them from heart disease in the future as well. 
 
A vast majority of research clearly associates periodontal disease and inflammatory bowel disease with an increased risk of coronary artery disease.
 
Many of us have suspected for years that inflammation of the vessels caused by bacterial infiltration is an unknown underlying cause of heart disease.  This research will hopefully lead the way to more exploration.
 
Best of Health!   


Source: Crossmark Journal,  Bernard Lanter et al:
Bacteria  present in carotid arterial plaques are found as biofilm deposits which may contribute to risk of plaque rupture: May/June 2014
  

 

Visit our Natural Product Pharmacy for top prices and FREE SHIPPING on hundreds of natural products from professional brands like: Metagenics, Douglas Laboratories, Pure Encapsulations, Integrative Therapeutics, Thorne Research, and Carlson Labs!

 

Taryn DeCicco, ND, LAc, LDN

Naturopath

Acupuncturist

Clinical Nutritionist

Professional Vitamins and Supplements

Chinese Herbs

Natural Skin Products

Arlington Heights, IL

www.apple-a-day-clinic.com

 

We specialize in Acne, Skin, and Digestive disorders!  Please contact us for a free consultation!  I do work long distance.  Thank you from the bottom of our cart!  We truly appreciate your product purchases, visits, and referrals!  They enable us to give people the help they need and continue our valuable work.

Views:
9705
August 7th, 2014 at 6:04 pm

Photo: Courtesy OasisDiscussions.ca

 

About 90% of Cervical Dysplasia have been linked to HPV infection.  Dr Tori Hudson, Naturopathic Physician, Clinician, and Author of the Women's Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine has researched and published most of the natural protocols for reversing this disorder.  I am currently formulating a supplement protocol based on her research and clinical experience as well as my own.  They will be available on this website within the next 30 days and will eliminate the difficulty,(and expense) for patients having to piece together various products, and taking multiple pills each day.  We will cover those protocols in a forthcoming article next month when the products are available.
 
Today, we will cover a very important breakthrough in the HPV/Cervical Dysplasia battle: Green Tea:
 
According to Dr. Hudson: Green Tea in suppository form is an important ally in this disorder. On Dr Hudson's Blog she states:
 
 
"Perhaps the most encouraging of the studies was an investigation of the clinical efficacy of green tea extracts delivered vaginally and/or orally in patients with HPV infected cervical lesions. Fifty-one patients with cervical lesions ranging from chronic cervicitis, mild dysplasia, moderate dysplasia and severe dysplasia were divided into four groups as compared with 39 controls. A green tea polyphenol vaginal product was applied locally twice a week to 27 patients. 20 of the 27 patients using the vaginal green tea product showed a response. An oral 200 mg EGCG capsule was taken orally every day for eight to 12 weeks in six patients and three out of the six showed a response. Group three consisted of eight patients using the vaginal product and the oral capsule. Six of eight showed a response. Group 4 consisted of 10 patients using a higher dose EGCG capsule (amount not stated). Six out of the 10 patients with this higher dose EGCG oral capsule only, showed a response. Overall, 35 of 51 (69%) response rate was noted for the green tea products compared with a 10% response rate in the untreated controls. The mechanisms involved appear to be apoptosis, cell cycle arrest, modification of gene expression and anti-tumor effects, specifically, inhibition of cell proliferation. These results demonstrate green tea extracts in the form of a vaginal delivery and an oral capsule are effective strategies for treating cervical lesions."
 
 
It is important that clients wishing to use these, do so with their health providers approval.  It is also extremely important that the client follow up regularly for pap smears etc.  We have a variety of professional products for sale for this disorder. There are also other educational articles I've written as a resource for you right here: a post about one woman's recovery from HPV, and two others: Second: another post about healing HPV naturally and third: another post about healing HPV naturally!
 
 
 
 
The almost 70% response rate of the Green Tea Suppository users is very important information and we are happy to share this good news with you.
 
I look forward to bringing you additional help in the next month.
 

 

 

 

Best of Health!

 

Visit our Natural Product Pharmacy for top prices and FREE SHIPPING on hundreds of natural products from professional brands like: Metagenics, Douglas Laboratories, Pure Encapsulations, Integrative Therapeutics, Thorne Research, and Carlson Labs!

 

Taryn DeCicco, ND, LAc, LDN

Naturopath

Acupuncturist

Clinical Nutritionist

Professional Vitamins and Supplements

Chinese Herbs

Natural Skin Products

Arlington Heights, IL

www.apple-a-day-clinic.com

 

We specialize in Acne, Skin, and Digestive disorders!  Please contact us for a free consultation!  I do work long distance.  Thank you from the bottom of our cart!  We truly appreciate your product purchases, visits, and referrals!  They enable us to give people the help they need and continue our valuable work.

Views:
16246
July 23rd, 2014 at 5:48 pm

Image Courtesy: MNN.com

 

Waaaay back in 1997 while still a graduate student, I learned firsthand about treating autistic children by treating a good friend's year old son. I administered nutrients that were serotonin precursors and he responded fabulously.  He became way less violent, and began speaking.  Amazing response, and I have helped many psychiatric clients with nutrition and herbs and most importantly getting their body ecology corrected.

 

Here's some great news for people struggling with these issues!

 

Beneficial bacteria in  the gut are known to fight pathogens, manufacture B and K vitamins and even act as anti-cancer agents. New research appearing in the journal Cell strengthens the recent scientific understanding that the microbes that live in your gut may affect what goes on in your brain. It is also the first to show that a specific probiotics are capable of reversing autism-like behaviors. 

Researchers have for some time suggested  links between the gut--brain axis and neuro-psychiatric disorders such as autism, depression, and eating disorders. The gut contains microorganisms that share a structural similarity with the neuropeptides involved in regulating behavior, mood, and emotion- According to Karen Foster at World Health News this is a phenomenon known as molecular mimicry. Here, the body can't tell the difference between the structure of these mimics and its own cells, so antibodies could end up attacking both, potentially altering the physiology of the gut--brain axis. 

Beneficial Bacteria offset other intestinal bacteria that produce putrefactive and carcinogenic toxins. If harmful bacteria dominate the intestines, essential vitamins and enzymes are not produced and the level of harmful substances rises leading to degnerative disorders like: cancer, liver and kidney disease, hypertension, arteriosclerosis and Auto Immune disorders. Harmful bacteria can proliferate under many different circumstances including peristalsis disorders, surgical operations of the stomach or small intestine, liver or kidney diseases, pernicious anemia, cancer, radiation or antibiotic therapies, chemotherapy, immune disorders, emotional stress, poor diets and aging. 

A Correlation Between Autism-Like Symptoms and Gut Bacteria 

“The broader potential of this research is obviously an analogous beneficial bacteria that could treat subsets of individuals with autism spectrum disorder,” wrote the commentary authors of the study in Cell, who also included CU-Boulder Research Associate Dorota Porazinska and doctoral student Sophie Weiss. 

The study not causally link microorganisms to autism, but rather emphasizes a correlation between specific bacteria and ongoing symptoms and methods of addressing a possible reversal in those symptoms. 

The study underscores the importance of the work being undertaken by the newly formed Autism Microbiome Consortium, which includes Knight as well as commentary co-authors Jack Gilbert of the University of Chicago and Rosa Krajmalnik-Brown of Arizona State University. The interdisciplinary consortium--which taps experts in a range of disciplines from psychology to epidemiology--is investigating the autism-gut microbiome link. 

For the new Cell study, led by Elaine Hsiao of the California Institute of Technology, the researchers used a technique called maternal immune activation in pregnant mice to induce autism-like behavior and neurology in their offspring. The researchers found that the gut microbial community of the offspring differed markedly compared with a control group of mice. When the mice with autism-like symptoms were fed Bacteriodes fragilis, a microbe known to bolster the immune system, the aberrant behaviors were reduced. 

It's common knowledge that a mother's milk can help beef up a baby's immune system. New research indicates that the protective effects of gut bacteria can be transferred from mother to baby during breastfeeding. Work published in Environmental Microbiology shows that important gut bacteria travels from mother to child through breast milk to colonize a child's own gut, helping his or her immune system to mature. 

Scientific evidence is mounting that the trillions of microbes that call the human body home can influence our gut-linked health, but more recently, researchers are discovering that gut microbes also may affect neurology--possibly impacting a person's cognition, emotions and mental health, said Knight, also a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Early Career Scientist and an investigator at CU-Boulder's BioFrontiers Institute. 

"Research has shown that children with ASD commonly have GI [gastrointestinal] symptoms," said Christine Pennesi, medical student at Penn State College of Medicine. "Notably, a greater proportion of our study population reported GI and allergy symptoms than what is seen in the general pediatric population. Some experts have suggested that gluten- and casein-derived peptides cause an immune response in children with ASD, and others have proposed that the peptides could trigger GI symptoms and behavioral problems." 

The Autism Microbiome Consortium hopes to broaden this understanding by further studying the microbial community of autistic people, who tend to suffer from more gastrointestinal problems than the general public. 

People with autism spectrum disorder who would like to have their gut microbes sequenced can do so now through the American Gut Project, a crowdfunded research effort led by Knight. 

Why Probiotics RULE:

The following are the most well documented benefits of taking probiotics regularly: 
- Defend against antibiotic resistant bacterial strains, attack new types of pathogens (supergerms) and infections in immuno-compromised people requiring treatment (i.e. resist opportunistic infections like candidiasis) 
- Manufacture B vitamins (biotin, B3, B5, B6, folic acid, B12) and vitamin K 
- Secrete lactase, an enzyme required to break down lactose in milk 
- Act as anti-cancer factors (especially for bladder and bowel) by inhibiting bacteria that convert nitrates into nitrites 
- Inhibit bacteria that secrete carcinogens 
- Function as natural antibiotics against unfriendly bacteria, viruses and yeast like Candida albicans 
- Enhance bowel function and elimination; prevent constipation 
- Reverse diarrheal conditions (Crohn's disease, AIDS, Traveller's Diarrhea) 
- Reduce or eliminate bloating, gas, straining and abdominal pain due to any cause 
- Prevent skin problems, especially acne and other skin infections. (FYI - most chronic acne conditions in adults are often improved or eliminated by a good bowel flora balance). 
- Protect against the adverse effects of radiation and pollutants 
- Reduce blood levels of cholesterol and triglycerides 
- Fight stress and food cravings and thereby prevent or reverse obesity 
- Help eliminate bad breath due to bad bacteria in the mouth
- Optimize sex hormone levels, enhance fertility and prevent osteoporosis 
- Produce lactic acid, improve the digestibility of foods 
- Oppose putrefactive bacteria like bacteroides associated with a meat-rich diet 
- Treat eczema, psoriasis, ulcerative colitis, Crohn's Disease, irritable bowel syndrome, all cancers, gastritis, duodenitis, diverticulitis, food allergies, lactose intolerance, environmental allergies, urinary tract infections, vaginitis, other chronic infections (TB, AIDS, Herpes, venereal diseases) and autoimmune diseases (e.g. rheumatoid arthritis, polymyalgia rheumatica, ankylosing spondylitis, psoriasis, lupus, alopecia areata, scleroderma, thyroiditis, etc.) 

Probiotic Sources 

Cultured dairy products like yogurt, acidophilus milk, buttermilk, sour cream, cottage cheese and kefir are the best known food sources of friendly bacteria. Equally effective probiotic food sources include cultured/fermented vegetables (cabbage, turnips, eggplant, cucumbers, onions, squash, and carrots). Other, lesser known or used food sources of probiotics are sauerkraut and sourdough breads.  It is unknown if dietary sources actually implant in the intestine.  Furthermore, in cases of bacterial overgrowths, it is necessary to work with someone like myself to test and treat toxic intestinal bacterias.  I do recommend several excellent probiotics in my store.   FREE shipping and top prices
Also, many of you know that I am a freak about proper digestion and health.  Visit our digestive

 

 

Best of Health!

 

Visit our Natural Product Pharmacy for top prices and FREE SHIPPING on hundreds of natural products from professional brands like: Metagenics, Douglas Laboratories, Pure Encapsulations, Integrative Therapeutics, Thorne Research, and Carlson Labs!

 

Taryn DeCicco, ND, LAc, LDN

Naturopath

Acupuncturist

Clinical Nutritionist

Professional Vitamins and Supplements

Chinese Herbs

Natural Skin Products

Arlington Heights, IL

www.apple-a-day-clinic.com

 

We specialize in Acne, Skin, and Digestive disorders!  Please contact us for a free consultation!  I do work long distance.  Thank you from the bottom of our cart!  We truly appreciate your product purchases, visits, and referrals!  They enable us to give people the help they need and continue our valuable work.

Views:
9963
July 16th, 2014 at 5:42 pm

This common antibacterial compound recently found to cause a dread disease!  Image courtesy: Bath and Body Works

 

 

Call me crazy, but I get concerned when I see how fad crazed US culture is when it comes to just about anything but especially diet and health.  I was therefore concerned and only half joking when I mentioned on FB last year I wonder what is doing to turn out to be deadly about the hand sanitizer I see everywhere on every desk on earth?  Well my friends that day has come...

Turns out a commonly added antibacterial and antifungal agent to numerous consumer products, including soaps, detergents, toys, and surgical cleaning treatments, triclosan is an endocrine disrupting chemical – capable of causing adverse changes in hormones in those exposed.    Korean researchers conducted tests on human breast cancer cells and in special immunodeficient mice with tissue grafts, with the researchers finding that triclosan interfered with genes involved with breast cancer cell growth, resulting in more cancer cells. Mice that were exposed to triclosan had larger and denser breast cancer tumors than the control group.  The study authors warn that: “these results suggest that [triclosan] may promote breast cancer progression, via an [estrogen receptor]-mediated signaling cascade.”

I think it is also important to point out that often research findings that point to breast cancer are usually also relevant to prostate cancer in men though that correlation was not studied here. Stay tuned!

If you are concerned about this substance in your products visit the environmental working group website for information on product safety. http://www.ewg.org

Our skincare products are almost 100% organic and contain no toxins.  Visit our aisle here.

 Ki-Hoan Nam, Hyoung-Chin Kim, Kyung-Chul Choi.  “Progression of Breast Cancer Cells Was Enhanced by Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals, Triclosan and Octylphenol, via an Estrogen Receptor-Dependent Signaling Pathway in Cellular and Mouse Xenograft Models.”  Chem. Res. Toxicol., 2014, 27 (5), pp 834–842.

Interested in breast cancer prevention? Visit our Women's Health aisle!

Best of Health!

 

 

Best of Health!

 

Visit our Natural Product Pharmacy for top prices and FREE SHIPPING on hundreds of natural products from professional brands like: Metagenics, Douglas Laboratories, Pure Encapsulations, Integrative Therapeutics, Thorne Research, and Carlson Labs!

 

Taryn DeCicco, ND, LAc, LDN

Naturopath

Acupuncturist

Clinical Nutritionist

Professional Vitamins and Supplements

Chinese Herbs

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Arlington Heights, IL

www.apple-a-day-clinic.com

 

We specialize in Acne, Skin, and Digestive disorders!  Please contact us for a free consultation!  I do work long distance.  Thank you from the bottom of our cart!  We truly appreciate your product purchases, visits, and referrals!  They enable us to give people the help they need and continue our valuable work.

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July 10th, 2014 at 6:05 pm

Image: courtesy Farmstarliving.com

 

Prebiotics are compounds that help to promote “good bacteria” (probiotics) in the gastrointestinal tract, with which a wide variety of beneficial health effects are associated. More about that a bit later in this forum.  Zhibin Liu, from Fuzhou University (China), and colleagues enrolled 48 healthy men and women, ages 18 to 22 years, in a study in which the participants either: received 56 grams of roasted almonds added daily to their diet; added 10 grams of almond skins daily to their diet; or consumed 8 grams per day of fructooligosaccharides (control group).

  After six weeks, the data revealed that the almonds and almond skins significantly increased Bifidobacterium spp. and Lactobacillus spp. populations. Among the almond skin group, the enhanced levels of “good bacteria” were sustained for two weeks after the intervention period concluded.  Among the roasted almonds group, the beneficial changes were not seen until week six.  Study authors conclude that: “Our observations suggest that almond and almond skin ingestion may lead to an improvement in the intestinal microbiota profile and a modification of the intestinal bacterial activities, which would induce the promotion of health beneficial factors and the inhibition of harmful factors. Thus we believe that almonds and almond skins possess potential prebiotic properties.”

Prebiotics are one of the newest fields of nutritional research and offer promising benefits for your heart, your immunity and more. Prebiotics stimulate the growth of healthy microflora that populate your large intestine. When these healthy microflora (beneficial bacteria) are allowed to flourish, they help keep you healthy and strong.

Due to many stressors inherent in the American Culture today, microbial balance is often way out of harmony setting the tone for many chronic illnesses such as gastrointestinal illness, autoimmune disease, skin disease and many more. The importance of this in human health is why I have chosen digestion as my naturopathic medical specialty.

ALSO, if parents lack a healthy inner ecosystem, they will pass this on to their children, setting the stage for a whole generation with lowered immunity. I will discuss this further in an upcoming article!

Prebiotics Versus Probiotics

In a healthy body, one's inner ecology contains enough good bacteria (microflora or probiotics) to outnumber the bad and help manage them. Probiotics may be THE buzzword in the health and wellness industry, but you may also need to consume plenty of prebiotics, to ensure you have enough probiotics populating your gut.

Prebiotics are derived from insoluble fiber and fructooligosaccharides or FOS (carbohydrate molecules made up of a relatively small number of simple sugars).

In the human  body, prebiotics are thought to nourish the microflora (probiotics) and encourage them to work more efficiently, keeping you healthy and strong. The symbiotic effect from fermented foods and drinks means that not only do they help populate your intestines with beneficial bacteria, they also help improve the survival, implantation and growth of newly added microflora strains.

Known Prebiotics

Inulin - Inulin is found in 36,000 plants such as:

§                         Herbs - chicory root, burdock root and dandelion root

§                         Fruits - such as apples, bananas

§                         Sweet vegetables - such as onions, garlic, asparagus, leeks and Jerusalem artichokes

§                         Raw apple cider vinegar

§                         Fructooligosaccharides (FOS), a subgroup of inulin, is also a prebiotic and is often added to dairy foods and baked goods. It improves the taste and stimulates the growth of the beneficial bacteria, bifidobacteria.

Dairy products - studies are starting to show that lactose may be considered a prebiotic.

§                         Chronic Illness and Digestion

Because prebiotics act in your intestines, they have a profound effect on the pathogens and bad bacteria in your body that can cause disease. Prebiotics are being used to treat Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Crohn's Disease, and may also prove useful for treating cancer, osteoporosis and diabetes.

§                         Fermented Foods & Drinks - The Body Ecology program has a large array of fermented foods and drinks that you can choose from to get the synbiotic effect of prebiotics and probioticsIn the later stages (after about 3 months or when you conquer candida and your inner ecosystem is re-established), add kefir and fermented soyfoods (like natto, miso and wheat-free tamari).

§                         Sour Fruit sour fruits: lemons, limes, unsweetened black currants and unsweetened cranberries.

§                         Gluten-Free Grains - While grains like wheat act as prebiotics, they also feed yeast. (amaranth, quinoa, millet and buckwheat) are gluten-free alternatives that act as prebiotics AND don't feed pathogens

§                         Sweet Vegetables - Vegetables are 80% of a healthy diet so you should eat plenty of asparagus, leeks, onions, garlic, Jerusalem artichokes and other sweet vegetables to feed healthy microflora without feeding pathogenic bacteria, fungi and yeast.

§                         Of course, it is also possible to supplement see my suggestions right here: greensfirst, Primal Defense: FREE Shipping. PLUS 10-20% OFF TOP Professional brands! Visit my digestive aisle for other great suggestions. If you need a natural digestive specialist, please contact us anytime for an appointment! Also see this article on digestive health or query my natural health library.

 

 

Best of Health!

 

Visit our Natural Product Pharmacy for top prices and FREE SHIPPING on hundreds of natural products from professional brands like: Metagenics, Douglas Laboratories, Pure Encapsulations, Integrative Therapeutics, Thorne Research, and Carlson Labs!

 

Taryn DeCicco, ND, LAc, LDN

Naturopath

Acupuncturist

Clinical Nutritionist

Professional Vitamins and Supplements

Chinese Herbs

Natural Skin Products

Arlington Heights, IL

www.apple-a-day-clinic.com

 

We specialize in Acne, Skin, and Digestive disorders!  Please contact us for a free consultation!  I do work long distance.  Thank you from the bottom of our cart!  We truly appreciate your product purchases, visits, and referrals!  They enable us to give people the help they need and continue our valuable work.

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