Probiotics May Help Prevent Colon Cancer

Colorectal cancer is a major disease of the Western civilizations and diet may account for at least 35% of cases. Epideminologic studies reveal that major dietary constituents implicated in the disease process are fat/red meat (causative) and fibre (protective).

Researchers in New York examined the potential anticancer properties of two concentrations of L. acidophilus in laboratory animals. Their results showed that the animals with probiotic supplementation significantly suppressed precancerous cell formation in a dose dependent manner.

These results suggest that L. acidophilus may potentially prevent colon cancer development. Further studies are warranted in humans to determine full potential of this probiotic strain in preclinical efficacy studies.
Researchers in the UK also found that probiotic consumption was also associated with decreases in factors that have been associated with carcinogenesis of the colon experimental animal models.

Source: Heath of Probiotics Dr. S.K. Dash, Dr. Allan N. Spreen Dr. Beth M. Ley

Fiber supplements lay foundation for health

In the world of wellness, the benefits of fiber may be too easily forgotten. After all, there is nothing flashy about fiber. In comparison to dietary stars such as “super foods” and antioxidants, fiber may appear downright pedestrian.

Years of solid research and scientific investigation, however, prove that fiber is no flash in the pan. In fact, this food staple helps lay a strong foundation for good health, as fiber has been linked to a number of physical benefits.

According to the Mayo Clinic, a diet high in fiber can decrease cholesterol, help with regularity, aid in the prevention of constipation and speed up the passage of material through the GI tract. It also may decrease your risk of digestive conditions, such as irritable bowel syndrome and hemmorhoids. Experts report that the consumption of fiber can slow the absorption of sugar as well, which is good news for diabetics and for the prevention of type 2 diabetes.

Added on to the list of benefits associated with fiber is the fact that it can help you feel full for a longer period of time, which may lead to weight loss. Plus, as people choose foods that are high in fiber, they usually are choosing foods that happen to be lower in fat, sodium and other unhealthy components as well. For example, good choices for high-fiber foods include grains, whole-grain products, fruits, vegetables, beans, peas, legumes, nuts and seeds.

However, not everyone may be able to meet their daily fiber needs through food intake. In this case, it is important to look toward fiber supplements to do the trick.

Health experts recommend that men to get 30 to 38 grams of fiber per day, and that women get 20 to 25 grams per day. Study your diet, and figure out whether a fiber supplement would contribute to overall wellness.

In order to understand the importance of consuming adequate amounts of fiber, it’s important to know the definition of fiber. The Mayo Clinic defines it as “all parts of plant foods that your body can't digest or absorb.”

“Unlike other food components such as fats, proteins or carbohydrates — which your body breaks down and absorbs — fiber isn't digested by your body,” the Mayo Clinic reports. “Therefore, it passes virtually unchanged through your stomach and small intestine and into your colon.”

Fiber frequently is classified into two types: soluble and insoluble. Soluble fiber, found in foods such as oats, peas, beans, apples, citrus fruits, carrots and barley, dissolves in water to form a gel-like substance.

Insoluble fiber, on the other hand, does not dissolve in water. This type of fiber, found most often in foods such as whole-wheat flour, wheat bran, nuts and many different vegetables, promotes the movement of material through your digestive tract. It also increases stool bulk, which can be beneficial for those who have irregular stools or constipation.

The benefits of fiber are many, especially as it addresses the risk factors tied to so many diseases, including heart disease, diabetes, diverticular disease, diverticulitis, constipation and metabolic syndrome.

If you do decide to up your fiber intake, be sure to choose a broad-spectrum dietary fiber supplement, which contains both soluble and insoluble fiber.

This article is a reprint of http://www.chiroeco.com/chiropractic/news/7715/42/Fiber-supplements-lay-foundation-for-health/The time or date displayed reflects when an article was added to Google News. ‎Jul 7, 2009‎

Healthy fat link to bowel disease

A high intake of polyunsaturated fat in the diet, while good for the heart, may lead to inflammatory bowel disease, say researchers.

Experts believe a high intake of linoleic acid, found in foods like "healthy" margarines, may be implicated in a third of ulcerative colitis cases.

The researchers base their findings, due to be published in Gut, on food diaries from more than 200,000 people.

If the link proves to be causal, some people might want to modify their diet.

The researchers also found that a diet rich in another type of fat, omega 3 fatty acid found in oily fish such as salmon and herring, reduced the likelihood of developing ulcerative colitis by 77%.

Linoleic acid is a naturally occurring essential fatty acid, present in a variety of foods, including the oils of seeds and nuts, such as sunflower, safflower, soya, corn seeds or walnut oils.

The multinational team working on the EPIC (European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition) study say there is a plausible biological mechanism that could explain why linoleic acid is linked with this bowel condition.

Cell membranes

Once in the body, linoleic acid is converted to arachidonic acid, which is a component of the cell membranes in the bowel.

Arachidonic acid can then be converted into various inflammatory chemicals, high levels of which have been found in the bowel tissue of patients with ulcerative colitis.

In all, 126 of the people in the study developed ulcerative colitis after an average period of four years.

After adjusting for other factors likely to influence the results, including smoking, age, total energy intake, and use of aspirin, those whose diets included the most linoleic acid were more than twice as likely to develop the condition as those whose diets contained the least.

Lead researcher Dr Andrew Hart of the University of East Anglia, Norwich, said: "There are no dietary modifications of benefit in patients with ulcerative colitis, although, based on this study's findings, a diet low in linoleic acid may merit investigation."

In the UK, people consume on average about 10g per day of linoleic acid, found in around nine level teaspoons of polyunsaturated margarine or three teaspoons of sunflower oil.

In the study, the people who consumed the most linoleic acid had a daily intake three times this or more.

Biologically plausible

Dr Anton Emmanual, medical director of the digestive disorders charity Core, stressed that the study did not prove that linoleic acid caused bowel disorders, and warned that dietary diaries could be unreliable.

However, he said: "Nevertheless there is good biological plausibility of why linoleic acid can cause inflamation, and certainly Western diets are often excessive in this kind of fat.

"The omega 3 fish oils counteract the harmful effects of lineloic acid it would be helpful to see whether diets high in fish oils reduce colitis.

"Lineloic acid may have small part to play in some patients, but factors such as smoking, bacteria and stress are likely to be at least as important."

Professor Jon Rhodes, of the British Society of Gastroenterology, said the study was interesting, but also stressed it did not prove cause and effect - further tightly controlled studies would be needed to do that.

Dr Elisabeth Weichselbaum, of the British Nutrition Foundation, said the study was interesting.

But added: "The results need to be interpreted with caution.

"People who have very high intakes of omega-6 fats are likely to have a generally different diet from those with low intakes. Therefore, it may as well be possible that there are other factors that could have an effect."

This article is a reprint of http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/706464 The time or date displayed reflects when an article was added to Google News. ‎July 24, 2009

SEROVERA® the leader in the Industry

Founded in 1936, the Natural Products Association is the nation’s largest and oldest non-profit organization dedicated to the natural products industry. The Natural Products Association represents more than 10,000 retailers, manufacturers, wholesalers and distributors of natural products, including foods, dietary supplements, and health/beauty aids.


Vice-President of Teamtrade Inc./SEROVERA®, Mrs Perrin was present in the Las Vegas TradeShow to make sure our products comply with the latest Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) and FDA regulations.


The Natural Products Association, the largest dietary supplement trade association in the United States, has developed GMP standards based upon dialogs with member suppliers, other trade associations, and the FDA. The Natural Products Association GMPs are a living document and will be updated periodically based upon feedback from consultants, member companies, best quality practices and the FDA.

How is ulcerative colitis diagnosed?

Many tests are used to diagnose ulcerative colitis. A physical exam and medical history are usually the first step.

Blood tests may be done to check for anemia, which could indicate bleeding in the colon or rectum, or they may uncover a high white blood cell count, which is a sign of inflammation somewhere in the body.

A stool sample can also reveal white blood cells, whose presence indicates ulcerative colitis or inflammatory disease. In addition, a stool sample allows the doctor to detect bleeding or infection in the colon or rectum caused by bacteria, a virus, or parasites.

A colonoscopy or sigmoidoscopy are the most accurate methods for making a diagnosis of ulcerative colitis and ruling-out other possible conditions, such as Crohns disease, diverticular disease, or cancer. For both tests, the doctor inserts an endoscope a long, flexible, lighted tube connected to a computer and TV monitor into the anus to see the inside of the colon and rectum. The doctor will be able to see any inflammation, bleeding, or ulcers on the colon wall. During the exam, the doctor may do a biopsy, which involves taking a sample of tissue from the lining of the colon to view with a microscope.

Sometimes x rays such as a barium enema or CT scans are also used to diagnose ulcerative colitis or its complications.


Information:Healthocrates

The Dangers Of Acid Reflux Surgery

Surgery for acid reflux, also known as gastroesophageal reflux disease or GERD, is a process of medical intervention designed to calm acid reflux symptoms and is also suggested by doctors as an extreme solution in the case of severe GERD. Under usual circumstances, this surgery is rarely done. It is recommended for the most part to those patients whose condition no longer responds to medication or changes in lifestyle.

Conventional wisdom is a strong supporter of the surgical approach because gastroesophageal reflux disease is perceived to be a local problem with immediate causes to be tackled. The perspective then focuses on the local causes of acid reflux where it occurs when the one-way valve at the lower end of the esophagus (the LES or lower esophageal sphincter) fails to shut and so stomach contents goes back up into the esophagus. When this food and acid meets the esophagus lining, the burning sensation known as heartburn occurs in the chest and/or the throat.

Nissen fundoplication is the surgery that is standard for gastroesophageal reflux disease. The whole operation is often accomplished with a laparoscopic (where small incisions allow surgery that is minimally invasive) technique for the surgery, but can be done as well as traditional open surgery.

During this operation, the surgeon folds parts of the stomach (the gastric fundus) around the lower esophagus to reinforce the natural valve linking the stomach and the esophagus. In doing this the refluxed stomach content no longer comes in contact with the esophagus.

Regrettably, fundoplication has several possible complications, such as nausea, camps in the abdomen, gas bloat syndrome, glutition problems and others. Another clear disadvantage of the surgical solution to GERD resolution (tackling local immediate causes) is that it ignores and does not properly treat several essential internal factors and co-factors creating the so-called environment that triggers acid reflux.

During a period of one year up till late 2005, a treatment was available as an alternative to acid reflux surgery. A spongy material called Enteryx was injected during endoscopy into the lower wall of the esophagus. In 2005 the FDA recalled Enteryx however after a death and several injuries. The Enteryx marketer Boston Scientific Corp. was criticized by the Food and Drug Administration for "ongoing systemic violations" of standards of quality control and said that no new products from the company would find approval before the problems were corrected.

This case can be construed as evidence for the dangers associated with surgical procedures for treating gastroesophageal reflux disease. There is fortunately an alternative to acid reflux surgery that is much safer.

Were you aware that your painful, uncomfortable GERD symptoms could be permanently cured using a program that is all-natural and holistic? This program comprising homeopathic cures, herbal cures, and changes to diet and lifestyle with detoxification, can resolve the internal problem of acid reflux forever with no potential surgical complications or side effects from drugs.

Information: heathocrates