Does Your Body Need Probiotics?

Author: Kyle Ellen Nuse

Recently, 57-year-old, Anne Turner started researching gentle ways to treat her irritable bowel syndrome, constipation and chronic digestive issues.

"I was not getting any relief with conventional methods, so I went to my local natural food store and asked the nutritionist if she had any recommendations for my specific conditions," she said.

To her surprise, the answer was simple and pain-free—she needed to take a dietary supplement called probiotics to replenish her digestive flora.

Probiotics, meaning "for life," are the antithesis of antibiotics, which are designed to kill most bacteria in the body, both good and bad.  Up to one in five people on antibiotics stop taking their full course of antibiotic therapy due to diarrhea. Physicians could help patients avoid this problem by prescribing probiotics, according to a study by researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University published in American Family Physician.

Probiotics are naturally occurring beneficial bacteria located in the intestines, whose job it is to help prevent the harmful bacteria from wreaking havoc.

After a few weeks of taking a recommended probiotic supplement and making small changes in her diet, Turner started feeling better than she had in years, affirming her decision to take control of her health with probiotics.

According to holistic nurse Luanne Pennesi, almost everyone, especially in today's industrialized society, can benefit from taking probiotics to help strengthen the immune system, utilize certain vitamins effectively, and regulate the digestive system.

"Probiotics are vital for proper digestion of fats and proteins, synthesizing vitamin K, which is vital for the prevention of osteoporosis and production of many of our B vitamins, plus they detoxify the intestinal tract," she said.

The digestive track is home to more than 500 million species of bacteria; ideally 80 percent should be beneficial bacteria and 20 percent harmful bacteria.

"Probiotics are helpful when it comes to maintaining the body's chemical and hormone balance. Their ability to protect the body from absorbing toxins from the GI tract also makes them vital to our health and longevity," said Pennesi.

Good Bacteria vs. Bad

But with literally trillions of bacteria residing in the digestive tract, how do you know which ones are the “good” guys and which are the 'bad?”

According to experts in digestive care, the two most prevalent probiotics are lactobacilli, which make up the majority of the probiotics in your small intestine, and bifidobacteria, which make up the majority of the probiotics in the large intestine.

Lactobacilli help regulate the immune system, digesting nutrients such as proteins, carbohydrates and milk sugars; and produce compounds and acids that create an unfriendly environment for harmful bacteria. Lactobacilli are also the most prevalent in the vagina and help guard women from yeast infections.

Bifidobacteria, on the other hand, is located in the large intestine and are present in much higher in numbers. This is because there is less constant movement in the large intestine compared to the small intestine, which makes it easier for harmful bacteria to build up and multiply.

Bifidobacteria also ferment soluble fiber and produce compounds including short chain fatty acid, vitamin B and K. However, studies show that the population of bifidobacteria significantly declines with age and with unhealthy lifestyle practices.

"If its balance and function is thrown off by a poor diet, lack of proper hydration, overuse of antibiotics, overweight conditions, constipation and lack of exercise, you are setting yourself up for chronic illness and premature aging," said Pennesi.

So what are different kinds of ways you can get more healthy bacteria in your body?

Here are Pennesi's Top 3 recommendations:

• Consult with your health care professional and take a high quality probiotic supplement.
• Take supplements or enjoy foods with Fructo-oligo-saccharides (FOS), which feed the healthy flora (probiotics) of the body, like bananas, onions, garlic, artichokes, barley and tomatoes.
• Eat more kefir, sauerkraut, tempeh, umeboshi plum and yogurt.

However, Pennesi cautions that not all probiotics products contain both lactobacilli (lactobacillus) and bifidobacteria (bifidus).

Minimizing the use of synthetic antibiotics, as they kill off healthy bacteria in the body, is also a great way to keep your healthy bacteria counts up.

http://www.diabetesinfocenter.org/View.aspx?url=Probiotics_Constipation_Irritable_Bowel_Digestion

Gravity and Its Effects on Women

By Amy S. D. Lee, MS, WHCRNP, Nurse Practitioner

When I start thinking about how the force of gravity tugs and pulls on the female body, I usually reflect on the various parts of me that I can see have begun to sag!

Unfortunately, gravity can cause some of our organs, such as the uterus, to fall down or slip out of place. But there are ways to handle this condition, which we in medicine commonly refer to by the catchall term, prolapse. Prolapse literally means "to fall out of place," and it affects the vagina and the bladder as well.

What is prolapse?

Prolapse is a condition in which the pelvic organs begin to sag into, and even out of, the vagina. There are varying degrees of severity of prolapse, and the severity of the symptoms a woman will experience are usually related to the degree or extent of the prolapse.

Women who have never had children may have prolapse, but it's more common in women who have had vaginal deliveries. Other factors contributing to prolapse include

• older age
• heavier weight
• constipation
• prolonged cough
• pelvic tumors (like heavy uterine fibroids)
• perhaps a genetic predisposition

Common Symptoms of Prolapse

• pelvic pressure
• feeling of vaginal fullness
• leakage of urine
• pain with sex
• constipation (both a cause and a symptom)

Diagnosis

Diagnosis of mild prolapse can be made during a pelvic exam at your GYN visit. A more severe prolapse sometimes will become evident when the pelvic organs can be seen or felt protruding from the vagina. Your healthcare provider should then confirm the diagnosis with a pelvic exam.

While it can be quite alarming to discover that you have prolapse, it’s usually a pretty benign condition that can be corrected.

Treatment

Treatment of a prolapse often depends on the severity of both the prolapse and the symptoms. Mild prolapse can often be treated with vaginal topical estrogen andvaginal exercises (Kegel exercises), both of which strengthen the vaginal walls. Other tactics for treating milder prolapses include avoiding heavy lifting and avoiding caffeine (which acts as a diuretic).

More severe prolapse can be treated with a device called a pessary. Pessaries come in a variety of designs and are fitted by your healthcare provider. They stay in the vagina and lift the organs back into normal position. (No, you can't feel them.)

Last, the most severe cases of prolapse can be addressed with surgery. Severe uterine prolapse may require a hysterectomy, followed by repair of the vaginal muscles to lift the bladder back into position. There are also surgical procedures that can be done to suspend the bladder to or from other parts of the abdomen. Women who do not plan to ever be sexually active again may choose to have a procedure that closes the vagina, thereby lifting the organs into place and preventing them from falling back down.

What if you think you have prolapse?

The first thing ALL women should be doing--whether they have a prolapse condition or not--is the Kegel exercises. We should start doing them early (even as teens and young adults) to keep the vaginal muscles strong. Practice by squeezing the vaginal muscles (like starting and stopping the stream of urine) 10 times at least 10 times per day. If you are concerned that you have prolapse, or are at risk of prolapse, discuss your situation with your healthcare provider. Early intervention is an important part of prevention.

http://health.yahoo.net/experts/womentoday/gravity-and-its-effects-women

Complications Of Gastric Bypass Surgery

What are some of the complications of gastric bypass surgery?

There can be many complications when undergoing gastric bypass surgery. Some are minor and some can be life altering. All of the following should be considered before making a decision:

• Nutritional deficiencies
• Constipation
• Diarrhea
• Dumping Syndrome
• Anorexia
• Hypoglycemia
• Permanent alteration of dietary and bowel habits
• Food intolerances: red meat, milk, or sugar
• Nauseous from overeating or eating too quickly
• Death
• Psychological changes, including possible effects from a new smaller body image affecting interaction with family and friends
• Avoid pregnancy until weight becomes stable because the rapid weight loss can harm a developing baby

The surgery can and will change the way your body processes food, and some people find that post-operation they eat in a completely different way. All of these changes can be permanent or temporary.

The surgery can and will change the way you perceive yourself. Women can struggle with anorexia after surgery because they are not mentally prepared for the way their body goes through these changes. Be educated. Get all the information you can before making this decision.

The surgery can and will change the way others perceive you. Be prepared for a lot of questions and a lot of weird looks. People will not always understand. Be educated so that you might educate them.

Believe it or not, gastric bypass surgery ends a lot of marriages. Doctor’s believe that it is because the women or men have such an altered view of their own body that they can not bear to be with someone who was with them when they were obese. It is yet another reason to prepare yourself mentally for the resulting changes. Spend time discussing this option with your spouse beforehand and keep communications open before and after surgery. Work on keeping your marriage together. 
allaboutlifechallenges.org