11 Tips for Improving Your Digestive Health

 

The digestive system is crucial to good health and if we want to stay healthy in the long term, we need to focus on our current digestive state. But if your digestive system could do with a little tweaking, then it’s important to assess what’s happening so you know how to improve digestion. This is possible with the right know how…

1. Limit high sugar fruits and stick to dark skinned fruits. Fruits such as bananas and pineapples are high in sugar and this can trigger inflammation especially during the digestive process.
   
2. Avoid all grains, cereals, potatoes and high sugar root vegetables such as parsnips. All of these convert into sugar in the bloodstream and can promote inflammation within the body.
3. Never eat meats with the above carbs, or processed smoked meats. These type of ‘foods’ are carcinogenic and acid forming within the body.
4. Avoid fried and burnt foods and vegetables as these can be carcinogenic in the body. They also promote inflammatory processes and make the digestive process much more difficult.
5. Never eat hydrogenated fats or fats cooked at high temperatures. These fats are difficult to digest in the system for even if they taste good, they can play havoc with your digestive processes.
6. Take a probiotic. Healthy probiotics can improve your digestive system and the absorption of nutrients into the bloodstream. By breaking down fats and lactose, it can improve the immune system.
7. Eat a diverse array of foods including nuts. Nuts may be helpful to digestion as as they contain Omega 3’s. This can be found in almonds and walnuts as these are high in fiber and can improve the digestive process. It’s recommended to eat a wide variety of foods as this ensures a steady supply of nutrients within the diet.
8. Choose oily fish. Salmon, trout and tuna are rich in Omega 3 fatty acids and this is vital for improving the digestive system. Omega 3 fatty acids also serve many important functions within the body and these include brain function, improved bowel movements and reduced inflammation in the digestive tract.
9. Get your Fiber from Vegetables or Legumes. Foods high in insoluble fiber can make it easier for the body’s digestive processes to kick=start into action. It’s important to get a mix of soluble and insoluble fiber as this adds bulk to your stool. When you focus on getting enough dietary fiber, you will notice that the elimination process runs more smoothly too.
   
10. Chew your food thoroughly. When you chew your food slowly you will make the digestive process easier. Chewing is really the first stage of the digestive process and helps with the absorption of nutrients into the body.
    
11. Try Enzymes. Proteolytic enzymes such as Serrapeptase in the form of can help to support the digestive process while certain herbs and enzymes can support normal digestive tract health.
    

The key to improve your digestive health is to take the above nutrients on a regular basis alongside following a healthy diet and lifestyle for best results.

Reap the Benefits of Glutathione

 

Vitamin C, vitamin E, beta-carotene, and other antioxidants are on everyone’s radar, so it’s ironic that we don’t hear much about glutathione. After all, it’s the body’s premiere antioxidant—and much, much more.

That’s probably because you can’t go to your health food store and buy glutathione in a bottle. Well, you can, but I don’t recommend it. Because it’s poorly absorbed, most of these supplements have little to no effect on glutathione levels in the body. But you can and should use more creative means to boost glutathione production because low levels of this crucial compound dramatically increase your risk of disease and vulnerability to toxins.

Glutathione Protects Against Serious Disease

Antioxidants are nature’s antidote to oxidative stress, the accumulation of free radicals that underlies a vast number of diseases and the functional impairments associated with aging. Glutathione and its related enzymes are our most prolific antioxidants because, in addition to directly scavenging free radicals, they also reactivate other antioxidants.

But that’s just one of the benefits of glutathione. It also plays crucial roles in the immune response, DNA repair, and the detoxification process that neutralizes drugs, chemicals, radiation, metabolic wastes, and other toxins and carcinogens.

Given this broad range of activities, it makes sense that glutathione depletion is associated with disease and aging—and that increasing glutathione levels is not only a smart move for health maintenance but also an effective therapy for a host of serious diseases.

Boost Glutathione Levels With Food and Other Supplements

Because glutathione is so poorly absorbed, most oral glutathione supplements are worthless. However, you can circumvent this by supplying the body with the raw materials required for glutathione production.

Glutathione is a simple molecule comprised of three amino acids (glycine, glutamine, and sulfur-rich cysteine). That’s why broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, kale, garlic, onions, and other “stinky” cruciferous and allium vegetables, which contain sulfur compounds, help boost glutathione levels. Other dietary sources include avocado and walnuts.

Leading the list of glutathione precursor supplements is N-acetyl-cysteine (NAC). This natural derivative of cysteine is so effective that it’s used in emergency rooms to treat acetaminophen (Tylenol) poisoning and to thin mucus in the lungs. (NAC is also effective for allergies, memory loss, and Parkinson’s disease.)

Alpha lipoic acid also ramps up glutathione synthesis and significantly enhances detoxification, and it is used along with selenium and silymarin, to treat hepatitis and other liver diseases. Research suggests that the “sleep hormone” melatonin boosts glutathione status too, by stimulating production of the antioxidant enzyme glutathione peroxidase.

The suggested dosages for these glutathione-boosting supplements are: NAC and alpha lipoic acid 600 mg of each 1–3 times a day, plus daily doses of selenium 200–400 mcg; silymarin 900 mg (for liver disease); whey protein 1 scoop; and melatonin 3 mg at bedtime.

Make sure your daily multivitamin contains optimal levels of other nutrients that help optimize glutathione status: vitamin C 1,000 mg; vitamin E 300 IU; folic acid 800 mcg; vitamin B12 150 mcg; and vitamin B6 75 mg.

IV, Inhaled Glutathione Are Also Helpful

While these targeted nutrients improve systemic glutathione status, some conditions call for more intensive doses. This can best be accomplished by administering it intravenously, thereby bypassing the digestive tract and efficiently delivering it to target tissues.

There have been particularly good success treating patients who are recovering from strokes and those with hepatitis, neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson’s disease, and other chronic illnesses—conditions associated with dramatic increases in oxidative stress and depletions in glutathione. IV glutathione isn’t a slam-dunk, and it’s always used in conjunction with hyperbaric oxygen and other therapies, but we’ve seen remarkable improvements, particularly in patients who’d been told that nothing else could be done.

For example, C.G., who’d had Parkinson’s disease for more than a decade, had a pronounced tremor and an unsteady, halting gait that made her dependent on a walker. But with treatment, she graduated from walker to cane—to dancing! Ellie came to the clinic because her viral load was sky-high, despite having tried the gamut of drugs for hepatitis C, and she had been advised that, sooner or later, she would need a liver transplant. After glutathione treatment, she left with a fivefold reduction in her viral load and normalization of liver enzymes.

Glutathione is also an excellent treatment for emphysema, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), cystic fibrosis, and other serious lung diseases, but again, getting therapeutic amounts into the lungs is a challenge. The solution: nebulized (converted into a fine spray) inhaled glutathione. Before Roger started using inhaled glutathione, COPD made every breath a struggle. He was constantly coughing up phlegm and was on continuous oxygen therapy. Glutathione cannot cure this chronic condition, but it reduced Roger’s oxygen requirements, coughing, and phlegm and dramatically improved his quality of life.

Inhaled glutathione requires a prescription and can be ordered from compounding pharmacies.

Other Benefits of Glutathione

Maximizing glutathione status is also a proven treatment for chronic fatigue, autoimmune disorders, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, environmental sensitivities, autism, and more. Disease aside, it’s a ticket to better health and longevity.

Now it’s your turn: Have you ever heard about any of these benefits of glutathione?

Dr. Whitaker

Benefits of Protein In The Morning

 

Carbohydrate and sugar overload aside, you may want to rethink that blueberry muffin for breakfast. New research shows that eating a meal that is full of protein in the morning can help with appetite control for the rest of the day.

Researchers evaluated three groups. The first ate a protein-rich egg and sausage breakfast, the second had pancakes and syrup, and the third skipped the morning meal entirely. The group who ate the protein-packed, egg-based meal reported feeling more full and experienced a reduced desire to eat throughout the morning. Furthermore, the high-protein group ate fewer calories at lunch.

Other Benefits of Protein

Protein is the most satiating of the macronutrients (protein, carbohydrates, fats), which is why it is so helpful when it comes to appetite control. It sticks to your ribs and helps you feel full longer. One of the other main benefits of protein is that it takes longer to digest than sugary or starchy carbohydrates.

Several other aspects of health and well-being are also dependent on protein and its constituent amino acids, such as the construction of hormones, neurotransmitters, muscles, and nerves, to name a few. That’s why it’s important to make sure you get adequate amounts of high-quality protein in your diet every day—not just in the morning.

The Role Protein Plays in Your Body

Protein and its constituent amino acids transport nutrients and other molecules into and out of cells and provide the building blocks for enzymes, hormones, neurotransmitters, blood plasma, sperm and saliva. It is also required for the construction of muscles, hair and nails, nerves, skin and internal organs.

What Are Good Sources of High-Quality Protein?

Many people think that you have to eat meat, eggs and dairy products to get enough protein. It’s true that, unlike animal-derived foods, most plant-source proteins do not contain all of the essential amino acids your body needs (these are the amino acids your body cannot produce on its own).

However, as long as you eat a varied diet that includes foods like legumes and nuts, it doesn’t matter whether or not specific foods are “complete” proteins. For example, flaxseed is a great plant source of high-quality protein—a quarter cup of freshly ground flax contains almost 8 g of high-quality protein.

Other good sources of high-quality protein include fish and seafood, skinless poultry, eggs and egg whites, nonfat or low-fat cheeses and Greek yogurt, tofu, nuts, and soy and whey protein.

How Much Protein Should You Eat?

For optimal health, you should aim for a serving (20–25 grams or four ounces) of high-quality protein with every meal. A serving size of animal protein is slightly larger than a deck of cards; a serving of plant protein is the size of a tennis ball.

Here are two “egg-cellent” recipes that are sure to help with appetite control and provide plenty of good-for-you protein.

Egg white Scramble

Serves 6

Ingredients:

• 12 egg whites
• 1/2 cup skim milk
• 1/2 cup nonfat cottage cheese
• 1 bell pepper, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• Dash pepper (to taste)
• Dash salt or salt substitute (to taste)

Directions:

Scramble egg whites with the skim milk, cottage cheese, bell pepper, and onion. Pour onto heated, non-stick skillet coated with olive oil cooking spray. Cook gently, turning with spatula as needed to keep from burning.

Western Omelet

Serves 2

Ingredients:

• Olive oil spray
• 1 small tomato, sliced
• 1/2 yellow onion, chopped
• 1 zucchini, sliced and quartered
• 4 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced
• 1 slice green pepper, chopped
• 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons mild salsa,
• 1 teaspoon vegetable broth seasoning
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 eggs
• 2 egg whites

Directions:

Spritz a medium skillet with olive oil spray and sauté tomato, onion, zucchini, mushrooms, and green pepper. Add oil, salsa, seasoning, and pepper. While the mixture simmers, beat eggs and egg whites with a fork and pour onto the mixture, stirring while it cooks to keep it from sticking. Cook until the egg sets.

Now it’s your turn: Do you know of any other benefits of protein?

Dr. Whitaker

Be Aware of Grapefruit-Drug Interaction.

For many people, the day begins with a grapefruit or a tall glass of grapefruit juice. Nothing could be healthier, right? Perhaps, but if you’re taking prescription medications, what you don’t know about grapefruit might hurt you.

Though this fruit is an excellent source of vitamins, minerals, and fiber, it also contains a substance that blocks the liver’s capacity to metabolize certain drugs.

The interaction between grapefruit and drugs was accidentally discovered when Canadian researchers were exploring a possible interaction between alcohol and the blood pressure drug felodipine (Plendil), and grapefruit juice was used to disguise the flavor of the alcohol. Combining alcohol with the drug did not result in the predicted effects. Inexplicably, however, blood levels of the drug were three times higher than expected. After double-checking dosages and testing various combinations, they finally isolated the culprit: grapefruit juice.

Further research found an explanation for this unexpected effect. Several drugs are metabolized by a group of enzymes produced in the liver known as cytochrome P450. Natural substances in grapefruit inhibit the activity of one of these enzymes, CYP3A. This means that grapefruit essentially stops this enzyme from doing its job of breaking down certain chemicals. As a result, the blood levels of some drugs are higher and the drugs stay in the system longer, which increases risk of side effects and overdose.

To avoid these dangerous, and potentially fatal, consequences I recommend that you do the following:

1. Check to see if your medication is on the grapefruit interaction list. For several years the grapefruit effect was believed to be limited to very few drugs: most calcium channel blockers, a couple of the statin cholesterol-lowering drugs, and several benzodiazepines (sedatives). But as more and more drugs have been tested, scientists have found that grapefruit interactions are fairly common (85 drugs have been identified so far). That said, research on grapefruit interactions is far from complete. If you’re unsure about any drugs you’re taking, talk to your doctor or pharmacist.
2. If your drug is on the interaction list, do not eat grapefruit or drink grapefruit juice. Whereas most food-drug interactions can be avoided simply by taking the substances several hours apart, grapefruit may inhibit CYP3A for up to 72 hours. So if you have a glass of grapefruit juice on Monday, your body’s ability to metabolize your drug may be compromised until Thursday!
3. If you consume grapefruit regularly and you’re taking any of the listed drugs, do not abruptly give up grapefruit. This could dramatically reduce or increase the blood levels of your medications, so discuss this with your doctor.
4. Read labels carefully—mixed juices may contain grapefruit.
5. Avoid tangelos and Seville oranges, which have effects similar to grapefruit.

Now it’s your turn: Have you ever been advised by your doctor or pharmacist to avoid grapefruit?