Omega 3 contribution in improving digestive health

For healthy functioning of the body, it is important to have a healthy digestive system. But our human body has certain limitations. There are essential fatty acids required to improve the digestive system of our body which unfortunately is not produced by the body itself, it has to be procured from external sources. As the name suggests, these fatty acids are essential and a need of our body which should not be ignored. After all, health is wealth.

Omega 3 essential fatty acids have so far been the most important discovery by human scientists. It has been identified that Omega3 fatty acids are indispensible for our cell membranes. They are responsible in maintaining the fluidity, proper shape and the smoothness of the cell membranes. The DHAs (docosahexaenoic) and EPAs (eocosapanteanoic) present in the Omega3 fatty acids play a very important role in almost all the functions of the human body including the digestion. Only proper digestion can help in proper distribution of energy vital for the functioning of the body. The digestive tract or the area is exposed to harmful elements and needs continuous repair and the replacement of the cell membranes including a protection coating against damage. The Omega3 fatty acids help in protecting and preventing these tract cells from harm caused by toxins present in the body. It helps in reduction and prevention of inflammation. EPA and DHA deficiency is also a cause of inflammation besides digestive tract disorder.

The omega3 fatty acids have also a pivotal role to play in the supply of bacteria healthy for the digestion and other probiotics that improves digestive health

and builds the overall immune system of the body. The probiotics released helps in keeping a check in the number of bad bacteria like fungi and yeast in the body along with producing vital vitamins and other important nutrients. The omega3 fatty acids being carriers of EPA and DHA, helps in reducing the risk of colon cancer. The source from which our body procures these fatty acids is our food. Hence, if our dietary habits are improper then we cannot expect a good health. Good health is the key to good life and inclusion of Omega3 fatty acids help in building strong immunity system.

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Maintaining Good Digestive Health

The digestive system extends from the lips and oral cavity to the rectum and anus. The food is taken in by the digestive system and broken down into protein, fat and carbohydrates. Through this metabolic process, the body converts food into energy and the building blocks of life for growth and repair. After absorbing these nutrients, the digestive system then eliminates the waste.

Your digestive health determines whether you will have a vibrant and active life or one of discomfort and disease. When the digestive system is malfunctioning, it sends a distress signal. The most common signal is bloating. If your digestive system is sending you an SOS, here are some things that you can do to help it.

Modify Your Diet
When you heat foods above 48C, you destroy valuable enzymes. Adding raw and cultured vegetables to your meals gives you the enzymes you need to eliminate bloating. These vegetables contain enzymes that make them, and the rest of your meal, easier to digest. Menu ideas include a fresh garden salad or a side dish of kimchi, sauerkraut or pickles.

Fresh pineapple is a delicious way to rescue your beleaguered digestive system. Pineapple is oftentimes used as a meat tenderizer because it contains bromelain, an enzyme that breaks down protein. If meat is on your menu, you might want to include some pineapple on the side or in a fruit salad.
A common reason for bloating is irregular elimination. Adding fibre-rich foods keeps your digestive tract healthy and makes the system more efficient. Look for ways to add more fruits, vegetables and whole grain cereals to your regimen. When you add fibre to your diet, you need to go slowly to give your intestines time to adjust. A fibre-rich diet is a good way to maintain healthy digestion.

Change Your Table Manners
Digestion begins in the mouth. You should chew thoroughly to mix your food with the enzymes in your saliva. The salivary enzymes begin the digestion of fat and starches. Slow and thorough chewing also reduces bloating by reducing the amount of air you swallow when you eat.

Large meals are also a common reason for feeling bloated. If you feel uncomfortable after eating, you can try eating six small meals instead of three large ones.

Another way to reduce bloating is to reduce the amount of liquids you ha ve with your meals. Drinking too much water dilutes your digestive enzymes and stomach acids.

Supplemental Enzymes
Some people may benefit from the use of supplemental enzymes. The following list provides some selected enzymes and the food proteins that they digest:

amylase carbohydrates, starches, sugars invertase sucrose lactase lactose lipase fat sucrose complex sugars and starches

Dietary supplements contain several different enzymes for coverage of the proteins typically eaten during a meal. Supplemental enzymes can also be packaged as single ingredients to address lactose intolerance or excess gas from beans and cruciferous vegetables.

Hippocrates once said, "Let food be your medicine and medicine be your food." Making informed decisions about what you eat can help you achieve optimal digestive health and eliminate bloating.

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Can Enzyme Supplementation Improve Digestive Health?

Enzymes function in our bodies as a catalyst. They are basically protein molecules. We get these from the plants and animals that we eat as well as manufacturing them in our bodies. A catalyst basically allows the chemical reactions in our bodies to occur faster. There are many different reactions in our bodies that these help to facilitate. They help us digest the foods that we eat, aid in the growth of new cells and help transport substances around the body. There are enzymes that are produced in our salivary glands, stomach and pancreas as well as the small intestine that are responsible for digestion of nutrients. These also help to transport and absorb nutrients as well.

We all live a very hectic lifestyle and eat a lot of proceeded and fast foods. For this reason we may not be getting the proper balance of enzymes that our bodies need. Our bodies have to compensate by producing more of the enzymes that we require to clean up the "mess" we have created. A s we age normal enzyme production in our bodies decreases. This makes it difficult for us to digest some of the foods that we are used to eating. We all know someone who always enjoyed spicy foods but now is having problems digesting them due to age. The problem arises when this inability starts to lead to illness. Without proper digestion we are not getting the vitamins and nutrients needed.
When foods are processed methods such as pasteurization and microwaving destroy the enzymes that are present. Enzymes are very sensitive to heat that these modern techniques incorporate. For this reason these foods are more difficult for our bodies to digest. When foods are cooked our bodies have to rely on the natural enzymes that it produces to digest them. This is why nutritionists will tell you to eat raw vegetables such as we get from salads. Also if we are under prolonged periods of stress or have health issues or an illness the production of these natural enzymes will also decrease.

If you feel that you fall into any one of these groups you may want to consider enzyme supplementation. This will allow the digestive process to occur more efficiently and eliminate some of the harmful toxins that can accumulate.

There are three main enzymes that our bodies use for digestion.

Amylase is the enzyme which is responsible for break ing down starches into sugar. It exists in our saliva and is the first step in the digestive process. Foods such as potatoes and rice may taste a little sweet to us because they contain a lot of starch. The sweetness that we are tasting is because amylase is breaking down this starch into sugar. The pancreas also produces amylase which converts starches into disaccharides and trisaccharides which are later converted to glucose to supply our bodies with energy.

Protease is responsible for breaking down the proteins that we consume. This is the most difficult substance for us to metabolize. This is why protease is one of the more important enzymes that we have. Proteins need to be fully digested or they will make their way to our circulatory system and other organs.

Lipase works in the small and large intestine and is responsible for the absorption and digestion of nutrients. It breaks down lipids (fats) that come from the fats that we eat. Once they are broken down into smaller components they are more easily absorbed in the intestines.

When your digestive system is functioning properly our bodies are better able to fight off disease and infection. This is why nutritionists believe that enzyme supplementation keeps the body healthy and can be a benefit to everyone.

While supporting good health enzyme supplementation can be of additional benefit for anyone suffering from diseases that affect the digestive system. When your overall digestive health is improved it will aid your body in the absorption of much needed nutrients and improve overall health.

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5 Ways To Restore Your Digestive Health

Digestive Health

Digestive health is essential for overall health. Your digestive tract is the most reactive part of your body and is an important component of your immune system, playing host to more immune cells than any other part of your body. It is from the digestive tract that we absorb nutrients the substances needed for growth & maintaining life. Some nutrients are Essential' as we cannot make them in the body and they must thus come from our food. Any reactions to what you eat can shut down the complex sequence that leads to proper digestion, absorption and elimination. This, in turn, can lead to constipation, bloating, intermittent diarrhoea and abdominal pain tell-tale signs of poor digestive health. Consequences of poor digestive health can include Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), gastritis, stomach bugs, candidiasis, ulcers, Crohn's, colitis, diverticulitis and chronic fatigue.

The following steps can be helpful in restoring digestive health: Identify and eliminate foods that you are allergic to the commonest culprits are wheat and milk products. You can identify what might be upsetting your digestion by eliminating the suspected food for 2 weeks and assesing your response. Identify and eliminate foods that you are intolerant of. Cleanse and balance your digestive tract with a daily cleansing tonic such as Aloe Vera juice . This is useful in all cases but is particularly so for IBS. Take Probiotics (Friendly bacteria), ideally in capsule form so that they are not broken down by stomach acid. Drink plenty of water.

www.drsylvi.com

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Take Proper Care of your Digestive Health

The diseases which affect the digestive organs are known as bacterial digestive infections. It is caused as a result of ingesting of infectious bacterial organisms. Scientifically infectious bacteria are known as Escherichia coli (E coli), Salmonella and Shigella. These infectious bacteria are the common causes of bacterial digestive infections.

One of the common digestive problems is known as dyspepsia. This condition of digestive health gives the feeling of uncomfortable, fullness and burning. This type of feeling occurs especially after a large meal. Though many of us face this problem frequently but this condition is more common in people who drink lots of alcohol or caffeinated beverages, smoke, eat greasy or spicy foods. Some of the other causes of indigestion are intake of certain medication or doing exercise after a large meal. To maintain our digestive health, it is very important.

If you are suffering from the problem of chronic digestive then it gives you the signal to change your life style immediately. Our digestive health mainly depends upon the things we eat, the amount of exercise we do and also the level of our stress. All these factors had a great impact on the efficiency of our digestive health. You should always choose mostly fresh, unprocessed food and also you should prefer to do enough exercise which makes easier to our body to digest meals and also to absorb nutrients. By doing all these things you will achieve a healthy body weight which is very essential for our good digestive health.

A problem of peptic ulcer is related with a microbial infections. It is believed that the problem of peptic ulcer is associated with spicy foods, stress and the consumption of alcohol. It is also believed that all these agents cause the production of acid in excess in the stomach and it gives birth to irritation of the lining of the stomach and small intestines and finally the formation of an ulcer. But now it has become clear that most ulcers are caused due to the bacterial infection and if it is not caused due to bacterial infection then it may be the result of anti-inflammatory drugs such as aspirin.

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Gluten Free Kitchen and Restaurant Tips

One of the main concerns with a gluten free diet is cross-contamination. Gluten meals have to be prepared with no cross contamination from gluten products in your kitchen and in restaurants. Cross-contamination happens if gluten containing foods come in contact with gluten free foods. An example is commercial oaks. Oaks are gluten free but can be processed in the same environment as wheat there for can become cross contaminated. For those that require a gluten-free diet oaks should not be consumed. Likewise, preparation of gluten free foods requires rules to eliminate cross-contamination with gluten produces in your home and in restaurant.

Here are a few kitchen tips:

1.Use two different sifter for gluten foods and gluten free foods. Label the two sifters one for gluten and the other for gluten-free.

2. Do not prepare gluten foods on same surface with gluten free foods. If the same surface is used it must be cleaned thoroughly befo re gluten free food preparation.

3. Use different utensils for gluten free foods and foods containing gluten. If the same utensils are used the utensils have to be cleaned thoroughly for gluten free products.

4. The same toaster cannot be used for gluten containing foods and gluten free foods. A separate toaster is needed for gluten free products.

5. Gluten free foods cannot be fried in the same oil used to fry gluten breaded items. One simple rule that can be easily overlooked.

6. Cross contamination can occur with jams, jelly, mustard, mayonnaise and butter. Watch out for gluten crumbs that can be shared. Have separate items for celiac persons.

Gluten Free Tips at Restaurants:

1. Check with waiter or owner of the restaurant to verify that fried foods are not cooked in same oil as gluten products.

2. In restaurant the grill has to be cleaned before preparing gluten free foods.

3. Verify that salad dressings, sauces, gravies and fried foods are gluten free.

Many everyday products contain GlutenGluten Free Safe Foods:

-Fish and meats (cannot be marinated, breaded or basted coated)
-Most dairy products
-Fresh fruit

-Fresh vegetables
-Rice
-Potatoes
-Gluten free flours (rice, soy, corn, potato)
-Wine and distilled liq uors, ciders and spirits

Note: Wheat-Free does not mean gluten free. These products may still contain gluten.

-Fresh poultry

-Food additives, malt flavoring, modified food starch and etc.
-Many vitamins and medications use gluten as a binding agent
-Lipstick and lip balms
-Toothpaste
-Postage stamps (only used the self adhesive)
-Play dough

HONEST INGREDIENTS: The Paleo Dairy Free and Gluten Free Cookbooks combines 310 recipes. All which are gluten-free, dairy-free and preservative-free recipes. A healthy low fat diet consisting of lean meat, fish, poultry, raw fruits and vegetables and nuts. Delicious healthy dairy free recipes that anyone can enjoy. Order: Paleo Gluten Free Recipe Cookbookhttp://www.favoriterecipes.biz/paleo.html For a selection for Favorite Secret Recipes Order: Favorite Recipe Secrets. http://www.favoriterecipes.biz

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Treatment Works for Drug and Substance Abuse and other Addiction Disorders as Long as Everyone Helps

Decades of research has demonstrated that treatment works for addiction disorders and substance abuse patients.

> > Studies of publicly supported treatment programs show a savings of $7 or more in other societal costs
for each dollar invested in treatment.1
> > Studies indicate drug treatment reduces use by 40-60% and significantly lowers criminal activity.
> > Counseling and other behavioral therapies are critical components of virtually all effective treatments for
addiction. For certain types of disorders, medications are an important element of treatment, especially
when combined with counseling and other behavioral therapies.2
> > A parent must be matched to the appropriate treatment program in terms of intensity, duration, and
treatment content. In addition to treating the addiction, for recovery to occur, the child welfare and
alcohol and drug services partnership must identify and treat othe r co-occurring psychological, physical,
and social problems.3

Community-based partnership is key when treating addictions disorders and substance abuse victims.

> > Most states identify substance use as one of the top two factors in child abuse and neglect.4
> > Studies suggest that 40-80% of children in the child welfare system have been affected by child abuse
or neglect because of a parents' addiction to drugs or alcohol.5
> > It is important for child welfare workers to recognize when alcohol or drug use is a factor in the case of
child abuse or neglect; to help parents obtain appropriate treatment; and to understand the concept of
recovery in the context of child safety.6
> > To help accomplish permanency for children, child welfare workers should partner with local alcohol
and drug addiction treatment professionals and programs. An effective partnership between the child
welfare and the alcohol and drug treatment systems can help parents with substance use disorders
retain or regain a parental role with their child, while not putting the child at risk of harm. Thus, the child
welfare-alcohol and drug services partnership becomes a cornerstone for long-term child protection, a key issue for child welfare workers.7

Co-occurring Disorders are Prevalent

> > The co-occurrence of substance abuse and substance dependence with mental illness is estimated
to affect between seven and 10 million adults each year. Child welfare workers should be aware of the
prevalence and complexity of co-occurring substance abuse and dependence and mental illness and
identify providers who are experienced working with both illnesses.8
> > Individuals with coexisting substance use and mental health disorders should have both disorders treated
in an integrated way.9

Gender-specific considerations are important in the treatment of addictions disorders and the recovery of substance abuse patients.

Research studies have begun to identify gender-specific components and issues to address in treatment. Research indicates that women are more likely to complete treatment in women-only programs and that women have different needs than men in treatment (such as dealing with a history of victimization). A high percentage of women who access addiction treatment have experienced physical or sexual abuse in childhood. Many have a history of family dysfunction or addiction. In addition, women who use substances may have experienced physical or sexual victimization as adults
(e.g., domestic violence).10

Shared planning and service delivery lead to practices that better meet the needs of children and
Families.

Through collaboration, multiple agencies working with the same family can reduce confusion and fragmentation for the family members and improve coordination of services. Collaboration with local treatment programs can provide the expertise that is needed for a family in the child welfare system.
If the protective services on-site investigation and screening of parents suggest that alcohol or drug use is a factor in the abuse or neglect, al cohol and drug addiction treatment providers are needed to:
> > Conduct a substance abuse assessment or evaluation;
> > Help identify the level and type of treatment program that is needed;
> > Provide treatment and aftercare services; and,
> > Participate in case management and monitoring.

In addition, alcohol and drug treatment agencies may be able to provide crisis intervention, trauma-related services, or other services needed by the parent.11

References

1. The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) at Columbia University (2001). Shoveling Up: The Impact of Substance Abuse on State Budgets http://www.casacolumbia.org.
2. NIDA InfoFacts: Treatment Approaches for Drug Addiction, http://www.drugabuse.gov/Infofacts/treatmeth.html
3. Understanding Substance Abuse and Facilitating Recovery: A Guide for Child Welfare Workers, Available online at: http://www.ncsacw.samhsa.gov/ files/UnderstandingSAGuide.pdf
4. Id.
5. "Safe and Sound: Models for Collaboration Between Child Welfare and Addiction Treatment Services." Arthur Liman Policy Institute of the Legal Action Center. http://www.ncsacw.samhsa.gov/files/SafeSoundReport.pdf. 2003
6. Understanding Substance Abuse and Facilitating Recovery: A Guide for Child Welfare Workers, Available online at: http://www.ncsacw.samhsa.gov/files/ Understanding-SAGuide.pdf
7. Id.
8. U. S. Department of Health and Human Services (1999). Mental Health: A Report of the Surgeon General. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Center
for Mental Health Services, National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Mental Health. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (2002). Report to Congress on
the Prevention and Treatment of Co-Occurring Substance Abuse Disorder and Mental Disorders. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Young, N.K.
and Gardner, S.L. (2002). Navigating the Pathways: Lessons and Promising Practices in Linking Alcohol and Drug Services With Child Welfare. SAMHSA Publication No.
SMA-02-3639. Rockville, MD: Center for Substance Abuse Treatment, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, p. 132.
9. NIDA InfoFacts: Treatment Approaches for Drug Addiction, http://www.drugabuse.gov/Infofacts/treatmeth.html
10. Understanding Substance Abuse and Facilitating Recovery: A Guide for Child Welfare Workers, Available online at: http://www.ncsacw.samhsa.gov/files/UnderstandingSAGuide.pdf
11. Id.

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