Our modern life involves irregular sleeping and eating patterns that are associated with adverse health effects. Studies have shown late eating habits and short periods between sleep and eating are associated with metabolic syndrome, weight gain and altering the gut microbiome and gut health. This study of breast and prostate cancer patients and their controls in Spain found those sleeping two or more hours after supper had a 20% reduction in cancer risk for breast and prostate cancer combined and in each cancer individually. A similar protection was observed...
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One of the most important factors in regulating our gut health, digestion and controlling our microbiome is the pH or acid level. While often mentioned in terms of the stomach, the pH has a controlling role to play in the health of the entire GI tract from the mouth to the anus; changes in the “normal” pH anywhere in the gut can have major implications on the rest of the GI tract. The pH scale goes from 1, being very acidic, to 14, being very alkaline. The level in our blood and tissues should be constantly around 7.36, neutral, and the level in our GI tract varies f...
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While antibiotics have been lifesaving, the over-prescription of antibiotics has sparked the evolution of drug-resistant strains of life threatening bacteria, resulting in tens of thousands of deaths each year.[1] The US Centers for Disease Control estimate that up to 50% of antibiotics prescribed in the US are unnecessary.[2] Unfortunately, the use of antibiotics is often prescribed for those groups who are more vulnerable to dysbiosis, including infants born via C-section[3] and in those born preterm, compared to term infants born vaginally,[4] potentially compounding...
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The human stomach, when healthy, is not a suitable host for micro-organisms, but in pathological conditions such as gastritis, when gastric acid secretion is impaired, microbial overgrowth can be observed. The use of gastric acid suppression drugs has been shown to have profound effects on the microbiome.[1] Acid-blocking drugs, or proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) used for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) to reduce gastric acid secretion, are among the most commonly prescribed medications in the world with approximately 6%–15% of the general population receiving acid ...
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Depression itself is not a disease, but a symptom of an underlying problem. A new theory called the “Immune Cytokine Model of Depression” holds that depression is a “multifaceted sign of chronic immune system activation,” inflammation. Depression may be a symptom of chronic inflammation. And a large body of research now suggests that depression is associated with a low-grade, chronic inflammatory response and is accompanied by increased oxidative stress—not a serotonin imbalance. Researchers discovered in the early 1980s that inflammatory cytokines produce a w...
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Claiming our power as consumers means we need to challenge assumptions we have about these products, the companies that manufacture them and the government bodies that regulate them. Common Consumer Fallacies I can trust in the safety of the products I use. The products I use do not affect my health. Labels are accurate and consistent and list all of the chemical ingredients in the products I use. The government adequately regulates these products and in the process protects me from chemicals known to harm my health. I can trust the companies making the pr...
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Another study shows that the stress around you increases your risk of putting on weight, increases your risk of diabetes2 and reducing the stress helps with weight loss. The stress this time was living in a poorer environment. But many studies have shown multiple forms of stress works the same way. Persistently elevated cortisol levels have been closely tied to weight gain, increased abdominal fat, and other aspects of metabolic syndrome, a collection of things that includes obesity and pre-diabetes. When cortisol is released in response to stress, it signals the body to ...
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While we have an idea on what a healthy gut looks like we are also aware of what constitutes a dysfunctional gut that contributes to adverse health. This condition is called “Dysbiosis” where the microorganisms in the gut including the bacteria do not live in mutual accord, when the “good”, microorganisms are not successfully controlling the “bad” ones or disturbing the balance between “protective” versus “harmful” intestinal microorganisms.[1] It can also mean where an overgrowth of “pathobionts,” i.e., normally good bacteria[2], could negatively a...
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The integrity of our gut and our gut health is so important to our health but has largely been ignored until recently. The mucous membrane absorbs and assimilates foods and serves as a barrier to pathogens and other toxic substances. When this integrity is compromised the permeability of the gut may be altered, gut function erodes and we end up with many health conditions associated with inflammation and leaky gut. The gut lining is composed of close fitting, thin cells separated by tight junctures, like a thin protein mortar. When the barrier is disrupted the intestines...
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Stress is an essential part of a lifestyle; however, it is also a major precursor to insomnia, probably the most important contributing factor. Studies have shown that a reduction of stress could lead to a 53% decline in insomnia rates. Stress and insomnia are tricky to control because if the stress is not removed and the insomnia persists it is also creating a stress on the body, and increasing the insomnia; this quickly becomes a vicious cycle. Stimulus control is generally used in conjunction with sleep restriction, as a method of reducing time in bed. It is particula...
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