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Prebiotics to Feed Your Gut Flora

December 31, 2022 Prebioticsingate-alleviateLeave a comment

PREbiotics? There‘s a lot of interest in PRObiotics and their benefits to our digestive system. See our previous blogs for an overview of probiotics.

But what are Prebiotics, and how do they fit into the digestive picture?
Let’s remind ourselves that Probiotics are live microorganisms, colonies of bacteria that live and work within our bodies. When probiotics are active within our systems, in a balanced harmony, they are beneficial to our health by keeping harmful pathogens in check. We obtain probiotic microorganisms, bacteria and yeast, as components of many fermented foods, or as food supplements. In addition to improving digestion and absorption of nutrients, those busy microorganisms produce natural vitamins and short-chain fatty acids, and they stimulate the immune system. All good things for your digestive system.

A Prebiotic is an edible carbohydrate found in many foods. Any particular prebiotic carbohydrate itself is actually not digestible in our gut, yet it provides ‘food’ for, and stimulates the growth of, beneficial probiotic bacteria like bifidobacteria and lactobacilli in the colon. Some of the common beneficial prebiotics are inulin, lactulose and pectin. It is technically incorrect to refer to any particular food as a prebiotic itself, but many common foods contain prebiotics. The very first prebiotic we all come across is found in mother’s milk, which helps to promote a good balance for a growing infant. Some foods which contain good amounts of prebiotics are whole grains, onions, bananas, honey, garlic, leeks, Jerusalem artichokes, & chicory root.

A prebiotic has the following characteristics:

  • It should be a food source for one or more strains of beneficial probiotic bacteria
  • It should promote the growth of good bacteria that will benefit the host.
  • It should remain undigested until it reaches the large intestine
Some common and beneficial probiotics:

Pectin
Pectin is better known as the agent that holds our jams and jellies together. As well as being a soluble fiber, pectin has been shown in recent studies to readily promote beneficial bacteria, lower blood cholesterol levels, and speed up recovery from infection due to its ability to promote anti-inflammatory healing cells. Apples, pears, kiwis, plums, grapefruits, lemons, oranges are some common sources of pectin.

Mother’s Milk or GOS
Besides being rich in lactose, human milk contains non-digestible oligosaccharides, prebiotics which are favored by probiotic bacteria.
Studies have shown that breast-fed babies suffer less colds and are less prone to allergic diseases. This is likely due to a richer gut microflora supported by the oligosaccharide content in mother’s milk. For non-breast fed babies, there is now available a galacto-oligosaccharide (GOS) enriched formula made from cow’s milk.

Inulins
Inulins are a group of prebiotic polysaccharides made up of the plant sugar, fructose. Inulins are found in many root vegetables and fruits such as Jerusalem artichoke, chicory root, garlic, leek, onion, asparagus, burdock and banana, as well as wheat.
The inulin family of molecules cannot be digested in the upper part of the intestine, making them low calorie. Studies show that inulin promotes the growth of bifidobacterial, a beneficial probiotic.

Pregnancy and hemorrhoids part 2

December 31, 2022 Hemorrhoids, Pregnancyingate-alleviateLeave a comment

Do I need to see a doctor for my hemorrhoids?

It is wise to have any signs of rectal bleeding checked by your physician, to rule out more serious issues. In most instances of pregnancy related hemorrhoids, the situation will dramatically improve after delivery.

Topical treatments for hemorrhoids

There are many different types of oral supplements and topical ointments available to treat hemorrhoids. While oils and ointments are typically only a temporary relief for pregnancy related hemorrhoids, they can help when hemorrhoids are particularly painful or bothersome since they often contain ingredients that soothe and anaesthetize.

I’m concerned about safety issues

Most types of hemorrhoid preparations are safe for pregnant women to use, but it’s always best to check with a knowledgeable caregiver. In many prescription products, for example, the active ingredients are a type of steroid that helps reduce inflammation. Most have a local anesthetic as well, to help relieve the pain associated with hemorrhoids. These chemicals can be quite effective short-term, but they might be contra-indicated during pregnancy. Especially while pregnant, we want only body friendly things entering the bloodstream. If you are shopping for a commercial product to alleviate your symptoms, look for one of the newer offerings with all natural & organic ingredients.

Some traditional remedies

Natural Aloe Vera can provide soothing local relief for hemorrhoids. Simply take a small amount of Aloe Vera gel directly from the plant (or use commercially available 100% pure Aloe Vera gel) and apply it to the affected area. To use the plant, simply snap one of the thick leaves about one inch of the way down and use the sticky gel that’s inside. The gel can be left on the affected area for as long as needed, and should help reduce the hemorrhoid swelling, which will in turn relieve the pain and itching.
Native Americans have long used Witch hazel to treat swellings and inflammation. Try combining witch hazel with aloe, glycerine or petroleum jelly and apply gently on external hemorrhoids, and you will reduce itching and dry up most bleeding.

Sitz baths

There are several ways to treat hemorrhoids in the bath. Epsom salts in the water can help, but remember that for hemorrhoids that are bleeding or are already open wounds, Epsom salts could be very painful. Another traditional bath treatment is with vinegar. You can use one to two cups of vinegar in the bath water as an astringent to help reduce the swelling associated with hemorrhoids. This will help relieve pain and swelling as well.

Other folk treatments

There are other folk treatments that have traditionally been used to soothe hemorrhoids and relieve swelling, although they cannot be relied upon to have lasting effect . One of these is as follows: Chill a potato in the freezer for about 20 minutes and then use a food processor to puree it or grate the potato into pieces. Place the pureed potato on the affected area for fifteen minutes. The cool potato will soothe the area and help reduce swelling and the potato itself is anti-inflammatory and will help to reduce pain and itching . This is best done in an area where the woman can make herself comfortable in order to leave the potato in place for a period of time.

Hemorrhoid treatment in summary

Your body is going through many changes during this time period, and if you are suffering from hemorrhoids it’s important for you to find a safe treatment that will help relieve the pain and itching without causing any problematic side effects.
Chemical additives and steroid products can definitely provide effective short term relief, but these substances are also readily absorbed into your bloodstream, and could be harmful to your baby.
Certainly for a woman pregnant or nursing who might have a history of latex allergies, kidney or liver disease, or diabetes, it may not be safe to take some medications due to the possible side effects of their chemical ingredients. Even some organic ingredients such as horse chestnuts and diosmin/hesperidin may be contra-indicated during pregnancy.
Look for natural & organic solutions that are safe for you and safe for your growing baby. Either experiment with some of the simple topical solutions we have mentioned, or buy a natural health product made with organic and herbal ingredients specially formulated to shrink and heal the hemorrhoids. That’s Alleviate.

Pregnancy and hemorrhoids part 1

December 31, 2022 Hemorrhoids, Pregnancyingate-alleviateLeave a comment

What are hemorrhoids and why particularly during pregnancy?

Generally, hemorrhoids occur when a vein, or other vascular tissue, swells out of shape and develops a sac or bulb. Under normal circumstances, when a person has a bowel movement, additional blood flows to the rectum and colon to assist the muscular function in the area. If a person overly strains or pushes, they may also be pushing extra blood to the veins in and around the anus, causing those veins to stretch. Those stretched veins can then develop into hemorrhoids. In the same way,  the straining brought on by diarrhea or constipation can cause hemorrhoids.

Internal pressures

Many women find themselves suffering from hemorrhoids to some degree during pregnancy, and often post-partum as well.  Your growing uterus puts pressure on the pelvic veins and the inferior vena cava which is a large vein on the right side of the body that returns blood from the lower half of your body back to the heart.  This pressure from the uterus can slow down the blood return, increasing pressure on the veins below the uterus and causing them to dilate, or become swollen.

Varicose veins

Because of this added pressure during pregnancy, you may find yourself prone to varicose (swollen) veins in the legs, vulva, or elsewhere.  Hemorrhoids are simply the same kind of swollen and bulging veins, but in the rectum.   Hemorrhoids can occur singly or in clusters, they can be as small as a pea to the size of a grape and can occur singly or in clusters, and can occur both inside the rectum or protrude through the anus.
Statistically, up to 50 percent of pregnant women get hemorrhoids, particularly in the third trimester. If you’ve had them in the past, you are more prone to have them again now.

What increases my susceptibility for hemorrhoids?

During pregnancy, your body’s blood volume increases greatly and the increased pressure will cause veins to enlarge. The expanding uterus also puts pressure on the veins in the rectum.

An increase in the hormone progesterone during pregnancy causes the walls of the veins to relax in the anorectal area’s supporting muscles, and the baby will press more and more on the veins below it.  The relaxed veins can also swell out of shape more readily.

Furthermore, the hormone progesterone slows down your intestinal tract.  That slowdown, combined with the added physical pressures often cause constipation, and of course constipation and the resulting straining during bowel movements can aggravate the situation.  Hemorrhoids can be itchy and mildly uncomfortable – or downright painful. Sometimes they will result in rectal bleeding,  especially during a bowel movement.

The good news is that hemorrhoids usually resolve after delivery of your baby, especially if you are are careful with your diet to avoid constipation.

What might help reduce my susceptibility while I’m pregnant?

  • Drink plenty of plain water (eight to ten glasses a day).
  • Fiber-rich foods, like whole grains, beans, raw or cooked leafy green vegetables, and fruits like apples and pears will keep your bowel movement regular.
  • A stool softener, or plenty of fruits and fruit juices can also help regularity. The soluble fiber (pectin) in fruits, like apples and pears, will keep your movements loose as well as regular.
  • Keep as active as you can, a regular walking regimen will keep your bowels moving also.
  • Avoid sitting or standing for long periods of time.  Even lingering on the toilet after a bowel movement adds extra strain on the area.
  • Try not to strain with bowel movements.
  • The Kegel exercises that you should already be doing to tone the muscles around the vagina and urethra will also serve to strengthen the muscles around the anus.
  • Because the inferior vena cava, that large vein on the right side of the body, is under pressure during pregnancy… when you are lying down you can relieve some of that pressure by remembering to lie on your left side while resting or sleeping.
  • Talk to your doctor about using topical ointments or suppositories to soothe and alleviate hemorrhoids.

How can I get quick symptomatic relief?

  • A sitz bath, or just sitting in the tub with a few inches of  plain warm water can provide relief.  A typical sitz bath is taken with Epsom salts, but keep in mind if you have bleeding hemorrhoids that Epsom salts will sting.
  • Ice packs will help decrease swelling and discomfort. Simply prepare a frozen gel pack by wrapping it in a soft cloth before applying for short periods of time.
  • Alternating the cold compresses and warm sitz baths often helps.
  •  Use pre-moistened baby wipes to gently clean the area after a bowel movement, or use the commercially available wipes containing witch hazel, a traditional herbal anti-inflammatory.

Normal bowel movement

December 31, 2022 Digestioningate-alleviateLeave a comment

Some people think that something is wrong with their plumbing unless they have a bowel movement every day.  Truth is, there is no standard definition of what is normal.  In fact, a normal pattern of evacuation can be as little as three times per week or as many as three times per day.

What’s regular?

Less than 3 movements per week may indicate constipation, and more than 3 per day could indicate diarrhea or other conditions.  As long as your stool is not too hard, not too soft, and is comfortable for you, your system is working well.

Individuals vary in the motility of their colons, the speed at which the muscular large intestine moves waste, in an inchworm like motion called peristalsis, to the rectum for elimination.  Your body is slowly taking the nutrients it needs out of the food, and eliminating the waste. This normal process from beginning to end can take one to three days, and can sometimes be accelerated by eating more fibre, drinking plenty of water and getting regular brisk exercise.

What’s normal?

A normal bowel movement is different for each person, as it can vary in size, shape & consistency as well as frequency.  A sudden change in your regular bowel habit, either in frequency, consistency, shape or colour of the stool could be caused by simple changes in your routine.  Travelling, lack of regular exercise, certain medications, and pregnancy can cause changes in bowel habit.

What’s abnormal?

Bloody stools may be an indicator of internal hemorrhoids, yet they may signal more serious intestinal problems.  Whenever blood is present in the stool, it is best to consult your physician. Unusually coloured stools can be simply the result of food additives or indigestible colourings in something you ate.  However, if abnormally coloured stools continue for more than a day or two, or if you have fever, pain or dehydration, your physician should be consulted immediately.

Probiotics, fibre, and chew your food well

In a previous blog, we have looked at a 3 part regimen for a healthy & regular digestive system; a diet including sufficient fiber, foods containing probiotics, and regular activity.  Chew your food well, to stimulate the body’s own enzymes, and keep your body well hydrated with plain unadulterated water, and if your bowel movements are comfortable, don’t worry overly  about the frequency.

Healthy Digestion – A Simple Recipe Part 3

December 31, 2022 Recipesingate-alleviateLeave a comment

The third and final ingredient in our recipe for healthy digestion, are probiotics.  The study of probiotics is fairly new.  Your professor in Biology 101,would define probiotics as a “live microbial feed supplement which beneficially affects the host animal by improving its intestinal microbial balance”…, translated into real talk, means to us that  probiotics are simply live microorganisms that are beneficial to us.

Digestively, probiotics are usually a type of microbial bacteria similar to the beneficial bacteria called flora which is found in our own digestive systems.  Further… a prebiotic is a form of indigestible carbohydrate that feeds and stimulates the growth of probiotic organisms.

Bacterial imbalance

It can happen that the balance of different types of bacteria in the gastro-intestinal tract, or elsewhere in the body, can become disturbed due to infection, inappropriate antibiotic exposure, or alcohol misuse.  Normally the beneficial microbial colonies found in or on the body maintain themselves in a balanced harmony.  When the balance is disturbed, the off-balance state is called Dysbiosis.

Dysbiosis is most prominent in the digestive tract, and may underlie such signs and symptoms as bloating, gas, nausea, constipation, bad breath and body odour.  Dysbiosis has been associated with many other conditions such as attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder, digestive problems, IBS, some immune disorders, liver dysfunction, chronic fatigue, malaise, and more.

Benefits of probiotics

Probiotics appear to play a role in modulating immune system activity related to the gut-related lymphoid tissue (GALT) which is embedded in the gastro-intestinal tract.  Probiotics are currently being credited with restoring many health benefits including alleviation of chronic intestinal inflammatory diseases, prevention and treatment of pathogen-induced diarrhea,  urogenital infections, and atopic (hyperallergic ) diseases.

Probiotic supplements

If you choose to start taking a probiotic supplement, look for a supplement that provides more than one type of microorganism; choose a supplement that guarantees to provide billions of live cells; carefully follow the label instructions for storage and follow the manufacturer’s instructions for use, unless instructed by your health care practitioner.

Supplements or no, it is always a healthy choice to include foods in your diet that naturally enhance the body’s microfloral balance; foods such as yogurt, buttermilk or kefir, sauerkraut, miso soup, tempeh, and believe it or not…pickles. bon appétit.

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Summing up

Our healthy recipe is complete, simple yet delicious it can be: try a serving of plain yogurt with chunks of fresh fruit, a sprinkling of bran, oats or granola, and remember Mom’s advice… chew your food well.

Healthy Digestion – A Simple Recipe Part 2

December 31, 2022 Recipesingate-alleviateLeave a comment

The second ingredient in our recipe for healthy digestion, are enzymes. What are enzymes? Enzymes are chemically active proteins that enhance reactions between other substances. Whether in a chemistry laboratory, or within your body, that’s what enzymes do. Our bodies use enzymes for many things, including digestion.

Enzymes produced as we chew

Digestive enzymes are produced by our salivary glands as we chew our food, then in our stomach, small intestine and pancreas… to aid in the breakdown of carbohydrates, fats and proteins.
For various reasons, there are times when our bodies don’t produce sufficient quantities of the required enzymes. Such a condition can result in incomplete digestion. What happens then is really no surprise. Undigested carbohydrates ferment, proteins putrefy, and fats become rancid.

Insufficient enzymes

An instance of a carbohydrate malabsorption syndrome is lactose intolerance. Due to an insufficiency of the digestive enzyme lactase, a person can suffer with symptoms of gas, bloating, cramping and diarrhea.
Incomplete digestion of proteins may result in the presence of toxic compounds called “polyamines”. Some polyamines have been implicated in the loss of cell growth regulation, seen in cancerous tumours.
And when fats are not fully digested, they can cause a form of diarrhea called “steatorrhea”, which can lead to dehydration, and other problems.
By-products of incomplete digestion can cause great distress to our gastro-intestinal tract, with symptoms such as gas, bloating, cramps, constipation, diarrhea, and fluid retention. Some of these symptoms may cause secondary conditions such as internal fissures and hemorrhoids.

Supplements may help

Supplemental enzymes may aid in providing symptomatic relief. If you consider taking enzyme supplements, choose one that is ‘broad spectrum’ and provides support for digestion of proteins, fats and carbohydrates.

Stay tuned for the next ingredient in our recipe….

Healthy Digestion – A Simple Recipe Part 1

December 28, 2022 Recipesingate-alleviate1 Comment

The main ingredient in our recipe for healthy digestion, is fibre. Fibre, or roughage, is plant materials that our bodies are actually not able to digest. Because we don’t digest the fibre, as it passes through our gastro-intestinal system it sweeps along a lot of unwanted matter with it.

Two types of fibre

There are two types of fibre: soluble and insoluble, and both are necessary. Soluble fibre becomes gel-like, as it dissolves in water. That soluble fibre gel maintains the water balance in our systems while managing hormone levels, cholesterol and blood sugar levels. Fruits such as apples and pears supply us with pectin, a soluble fibre. The same way pectin gels up jams and jellies, it gels up in your gut.
Insoluble fibre does not dissolve, and thereby increases bulk. The bulkiness of feces helps it to move efficiently through and out of the system. Cellulose is an insoluble fibre which is found in fruits and vegetables.
It is well documented that a high fibre diet will stimulate regular and healthy bowel movements, normalized levels of blood sugar, insulin, and cholesterol, while ridding the body of potential toxins and carcinogens.

Daily fibre intake

Since the recommended daily fibre intake for adult males is 30-38 grams and for women 21-26 grams, many people find it challenging to obtain all their fibre from dietary sources. Unless there are specific indications otherwise, it is preferable to look for supplements that contain a combination of soluble and insoluble fibre. If you do plan to increase your fibre intake, through diet or supplements, plan on making the change slowly. Too rapid an increase could result in unwanted side effects such as gas and bloating.
Stay tuned for the next ingredient in our recipe….