Featured Topic: Get Digestive Relief (and more) with Probiotics (4 slides)
3 things you need to know about probiotics Probiotics are helpful bacteria Probiotics prevent disease, they don t cause it (bad bacteria are pathogens ) Probiotics are alive Live, active probiotics reproduce (replicate) to make more probiotics AND help the body fight against inflammation, harmful pathogens, and other diseases Probiotics are normal residents of the human intestinal tract A baby receives its first exposure to probiotics from its mother when passing through the birth canal Babies born via C-section have different microbes in their intestines than babies born via vaginal delivery and are at higher risk of obesity later in life
3 things probiotics do for you Reduce inflammation Strengthen the intestinal wall (reduce intestinal permeability) Influence the immune system 70% of immune function comes from the intestines Plus: Aid in food digestion; keep harmful bacteria (pathogens) in check
Some reasons to add probiotics Most well known benefit: digestive issues 4 week clinical study (Lactobacillus plantarum): reduced IBS symptoms in 95% of those taking it versus only 15% of patients in the placebo group Useful for any inflammatory digestive issue: bloating, gas, constipation/diarrhea, cramping from IBS, colitis, Crohn s, inflammatory bowel and more Other uses: Weight loss: overweight women taking Lactobacillus rhamnosus for 12 weeks lost twice as much weight as women taking a placebo Recovery after colon surgery: post-surgery colon cancer patients receiving probiotics had a 50% reduction in incidence of diarrhea and a 15% faster return of bowel function than patients taking placebo Eczema: babies with eczema given probiotic (Bifidobacterium bifidus) had a 36% reduction in eczema symptom score versus only an 8% reduction in the placebo group Co-treatment with antibiotics: 650 people treated with antibiotics and proton pump inhibitors for H. pylori infection; 15% more people in the probiotic group recovered completely, and had significantly fewer problems with nausea, gas, bloating, and diarrhea than the group receiving standard treatment only
3 things to think about when purchasing probiotic supplements Probiotics are alive look for guaranteed numbers at time of use, not at time of manufacture The right kind is more important than a big number Look for probiotics that are naturally found in the human gastrointestinal tract Examples: Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus rhamnosus, and Bifidobacterium bifidum Store them properly away from extreme heat and humidity
Curcumin and Silymarin: Better Together (1 slide)
Silymarin increases curcumin s anti-cancer effects Researchers exposed human colon cancer cells to silymarin (from milk thistle), curcumin, or silymarin and curcumin together Curcumin was effective at killing colon cancer cells (apoptosis) but when it was combined with silymarin the results were even better Curcumin by itself had a 3 fold increase in cancer cell death Curcumin plus silymarin had a 5 fold increased rate of cancer cell death Additionally, the researchers found that when colon cancer cells were exposed to curcumin first, and then silymarin was added, they saw up to an 80% reduction in the number of colon cancer cells
The CBC and Cholesterol Tests and What They Mean (5 slides)
Two lab tests almost everyone has had: CBC or Complete Blood Count looks at what kind of cells and how many there are in your blood Part of your annual physical - routine look at your health if you have symptoms and the doctor is concerned about infection, anemia, or other problems they may order a CBC test Cholesterol test looks at the amount of cholesterol and triglycerides in your blood used by doctors to predict your risk of heart disease
Primary measures in a CBC test Abbreviation Full name Function If value is low, could indicate RBC WBC Platelet Red blood cells White blood cells Platelet count Carry oxygen to cells and carbon dioxide away Fight infections Form clots to stop bleeding Anemia Bone marrow damage from viral infection (temporary), autoimmune disease, or cancer Hepatitis C, leukemia, bacteria in the blood If value is high, could indicate Low oxygen caused by heart disease or COPD Infection, or if extremely high cancer (leukemia) Iron deficiency anemia, cancer, inflammatory or infectious disease There is other information that can be measured in a CBC test, but the amount of red and white cells, and platelets, are basic parameters that can indicate if further tests are needed.
Cholesterol Test Measures Abbreviation Full name What is it? Recommended Level TC Total cholesterol Number found by adding up the amount of all cholesterol in your blood LDL HDL Low density lipoprotein (the bad cholesterol ) High density lipoprotein (the good cholesterol ) Needed for cell membranes, brain and nerves, and for synthesis of vitamin D Transports LDL cholesterol out of the body when it is no longer needed TG Triglycerides Type of fat that can be metabolized for energy Under 200 Below 100 if at risk of heart disease, 100 129 if at risk of heart disease 40-60 good, above 60 is best Below 150 Despite evidence to the contrary, most doctors still consider high LDL a significant risk factor for heart disease.
One Person s Actual Cholesterol Test Result Female, 42 years old Supplements: daily multiple; curcumin; phospholipid omega-3; silica Would you think Statin drug - STAT? But what about these numbers?
If you have an abnormal test result Treat the Patient, Not the Test Result For any test, what is abnormal on the results scale might be perfectly normal for YOU OR maybe your results are normal but you feel terrible! A lab test is one piece of information What is important is to work with your healthcare provider to evaluate any symptoms you might have along WITH considering the results of your lab tests
Which one scares you: Raw Milk or Strawberries? (1 slide)
Raw Milk versus Strawberries Raw milk has not been pasteurized (heat treated) Pasteurization inactivates some enzymes in milk and reduces nutritional content Sale of raw milk is restricted and raw milk cannot be sold across state lines Strawberries over 80% of US strawberries grown in California Environmental Working Group includes Strawberries in their Dirty Dozen fruits and vegetables with the highest pesticide residue One investigation found 36 different pesticides on strawberries Sales across state lines perfectly legal What food makes people sick? [1990 2004, Center for Science in the Public Interest] 31,496 illnesses, 639 outbreaks from produce 16,280 illnesses, 541 outbreaks from poultry 13,220 illnesses, 467 outbreaks from beef NOT MILK! 11,027 illnesses, 341 outbreaks from eggs 9,969 illnesses, 984 outbreaks from seafood