How To Restore Digestive Health

[Guest guest]

How To Restore Digestive Health

By Jordan S. Rubin, NMD, CNC

_http://www.westonaprice.org/moderndiseases/restore_digestivehealth.html_

(http://www.westonaprice.org/moderndiseases/restore_digestivehealth.html)

 

 

Chronic disease wreaks havoc on the American populace. One million

Americans suffer from AIDS; eight million have cancer, and twelve million

battle

heart disease. However, there is one disorder that afflicts more individuals

than the combined total of all of these other potentially deadly

disorders, and, surprisingly, it is rarely mentioned. Thirty-eight million

Americans

are victims of digestive disorders, including Crohn’s disease, ulcerative

colitis, diverticulitis, celiac disease, IBS, constipation, diarrhea, GERD,

candida and food allergies.

 

 

If these staggering numbers of digestive disorders, along with the pain

and discomfort that accompany them, were not enough, there is also the added

burden of treatment costs. The economic impact of digestive disorders is

$123 billion per year, compared to $17 billion for cancer, $58 billion for

neurological disorders, and $88 billion for circulatory problems. Sufferers

from IBS (the most common gastrointestinal disorder) incur an estimated $10

billion more in direct medical charges per year than a similar control group

of people the same age and gender.

 

 

In 1995 at the age of nineteen, I was one of these statistics; I was

diagnosed with " incurable " Crohn’s disease. Back in 1995 the incidence of

Crohn’

s disease was 1 out of every 10,000 people; today, it is 1 out of every

500 to 1,000 people. That is a 10- to 20-fold increase in less than 10 years,

and the incidence of all the digestive disorders is increasing. Like many

of the sufferers of digestive disorders today, I was given confusing,

sometimes contradictory, and often costly " answers " during my search to regain

my

health. The problem was that nothing worked until I discovered three

weapons I used to fight back against my digestive disorder. Those weapons are:

 

-- Eat the right foods.

-- Take the right supplements.

-- Remove the wrong toxins

 

 

Use these weapons and aim them at digestive disorders. It worked for me.

It can work for you.

 

 

Eat the Right Foods

 

What constitutes the right foods for digestive health? Eating the right

foods for good digestion can be accomplished in five major steps; the first

one is to reduce or avoid intake of foods high in hard-to-digest components

such as complex sugars and carbohydrates, phytates and gluten.

 

 

Bad Carbs:

 

The most critical macronutrient group to consider is carbohydrates. We

hear about " low carb " diets, and are beginning to realize that carbohydrates

are not always good for our bodies. Also, we know that whole foods are

superior to processed foods. However, the constituency of carbohydrates will

make them either healthy or unhealthy for digestion. Of primary importance is

avoiding foods high in disaccharides (sugars in groups of two) or

polysaccharides (compounds consisting of many sugars joined together) and foods

rich

in the nutrient inhibitors known as phytates.

 

 

Disaccharides include lactose (milk sugar) and sucrose. Many people do not

produce the enzymes needed to break down disaccharides, which then remain

undigested in the colon and become putrefied by the microorganisms that

live there. Thus, it’s easy to understand why reducing disaccharides is

imperative for those with digestive problems; the more disaccharides ingested,

the more putrefaction in the colon--leading to digestive distress.

Disaccharide foods include anything containing sucrose (that is, all sugars,

including

whole sugars like dehydrated cane sugar juice) and unfermented or

non-cultured, fluid dairy products such as milk, ice cream and some soft

cheeses.

 

 

Starches found in grains are polysaccharides; that is, long chains of

glucose molecules hooked together. If grains are sprouted or sour-leavened,

they are easier to digest because the polysaccharides are somewhat broken down

into individual glucose molecules.

 

 

Not only do grains contain starch molecules, but grains also contain

phytates, which rob the body of minerals such as calcium, iron and zinc, and

gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley, oats and rye, that is very hard to

digest and causes allergic reactions. Once again, when grains are properly

prepared by soaking, sprouting and sour leavening, these components are

largely neutralized.

 

 

Of course all table sugar should be avoided as well as high fructose corn

syrup. (Fructose is a monosaccharide, but high fructose corn syrup also

contains sucrose, which is a disaccharide.) Also a problem for those with

digestive prolems are potatoes and corn--considered vegetables, but, when

cooked, are really starches. One of the worst foods for those with digestive

problems is the Jerusalem artichoke (tubers from the sunflower family). These

contain complex carbohydrates called inulins, which are extremely difficult

to break down.

 

 

Another difficult-to-digest food category is legumes or beans, especially

soy, and they add to digestive distress because they are high in nutrient

inhibitors. However, when fermented, soy foods such as miso, tempe, or natto

contain virtually no phytates and are probably fine in small amounts.

 

 

Reducing foods rich in polysaccharides and disaccharides is the first step

in your quest to recovery. But you need not feel deprived--there are still

many foods you can eat. Fermented dairy products such as kefir, yogurt and

many hard cheeses are fine. That’s because the disaccharide lactose that

they contain is broken down into simple sugars during the fermentation

process. Properly prepared grains in small amounts, nuts that have been soaked

in

salt water and dehydrated and non-starchy vegetables can all be part of

your diet. You should eat these vegetables cooked--even vegetables normally

eaten raw, such as lettuce and tomatoes, can cause problems for those

suffering from digestive disorders.

 

 

The Right Oils:

 

Most individuals with digestive disorders have some inflammation which is

exacerbated by an overabundance of omega-6 fatty acids. Thus, a major step

to regaining digestive health is avoiding all commercial liquid vegetable

oils. Trans fatty acids also contribute to inflammation so these must be

avoided also.

 

 

At the same time, you will need to increase your consumption of foods rich

in omega-3 fatty acids, including salmon and other wild-caught cold water

fish, eggs from pastured chickens, walnuts, organ meats and flax seeds and

a small amount of flax oil.

 

 

Key to recovery is cod liver oil, which is not only high in special

anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids but also fat-soluble vitamins A and D.

Both

of these nutrients help fight inflammation and build the immune system, so

critical to restoring digestive health, especially in persons with

inflammatory bowel disease.

 

 

Vitamin D is important for those with Crohn’s disease and ulcerative

colitis as they often become vitamin D deficient, allowing for rickets-like

indications. When I was ill with Crohn’s disease, I developed rickets-like

symptoms; my bones were robbed of vitamin D and my legs became bowed.

Fortunately, I followed these steps before it was too late--and restored my

digestive health, which, in turn, took care of my other health challenges.

 

 

Some are concerned about mercury levels in cod liver oil, but testing of

high quality cod liver oil reveals that these oils are virtually free of

mercury and other heavy metals--especially if the fish are caught in the cold

waters of Iceland or Norway.

 

 

Incidentally, Icelanders are blessed with longevity and intelligence. Cod

liver oil certainly plays a role in their good health. Icelandic

women--while they are pregnant--consume two teaspoons of cod liver oil a day,

and cod

liver oil is served at breakfast, even in hotels!

 

 

Anti-Microbial Saturated Fats:

 

Certain fats have anti-microbial properties. People with digestive

disorders often suffer from .......

 

Candida (yeast), fungi, parasites, viruses and other unfriendly

microorganism invasions as a result of damaged digestive terrain.

Anti-microbial

saturated fats help to combat these; the two best sources are coconut oil and

butter from grass-fed dairy cattle. Coconut oil is anti-viral, and contains

lauric, capric and caprylic acids--recommended to combat candida. Coconut

oil is so beneficial for digestive health that years ago a person suffering

from Crohn’s disease wrote to " Dear Abby " insisting that eating macaroons

eliminated symptoms of the disease. The macaroons contained sugar, white

flour, bad oils and guess what. . . 6 to 8 grams of fats from coconut! Even

amidst the bad ingredients, the fatty acids in coconut oil helped this person

with Crohn’s!

 

 

Grass-fed, organic butter also contains anti-microbial fatty acids

including butyric acid, which has strong anti-fungal effects. Coconut oil and

butter are not only anti-microbial, but they also help heal the lining of the

gut; therefore, they are preferred for cooking, baking or eating right off

the spoon.

 

 

Soups and Stocks:

 

In the old days, people made soups and stocks out of animal bones and

cartilage, but no longer. The elimination of soups and stocks from our diets

has contributed to digestive problems as well as joint problems. Stock and

soups made from the bones of chicken, turkey, duck, beef, lamb and fish are

anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory, and contain nutrients which help build the

integrity of the digestive tract. When a person is suffering from a

digestive disorder, a soup based on bone stock can bring fast relief.

 

 

Consuming soups and stocks can bring about results similar to those used

by practitioners who give drug therapies to combat inflammatory bowel

diseases such as Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. While medications

simply

mask the problem, soups or stocks get to the root of the digestive

disorder, to soothe and help bring healing to the condition.

 

 

The Right Supplements

 

Those suffering from digestive disorders face a bewildering array of

products said to help with digestive problems--from alka-seltzer for the

stomach

to herbs for parasites. During my illness, I tried most of these nostrums,

to no avail. Here are the ones that worked.

 

 

Whole food probiotic:

Essential to digestive health is taking a whole food probiotic. Healthy

bacteria found in healthy soil and plants are missing from our modern food

supply. They protect the plants in the soil, and also protect humans who

ingest them. A major discovery in the battle against digestive disorders is how

beneficial bacteria can help people with " leaky gut syndrome, " as the use

of beneficial bacteria can reduce the hyper-permeability of the gut. Before

the days of modern hygiene and chemical farming, these bacteria were in

the soil and hence on the surface of our vegetables; they thus helped colonize

the gut with beneficial flora whenever people ate raw fruits and

vegetables--and whenever children played in the dirt! Homeostatic soil

organisms

(HSO) were the key to my own recovery and the basis of Primal Defense, the

first product that I developed for Garden of Life.

 

 

A recent, soon-to-be-published, double-blind placebo controlled study,

carried out by Linda Kim, ND and her team at Southwest College of Naturopathic

Medicine, found that ingestion of homeostatic soil organisms (HSO) for as

little as 90 days brought cases of very " leaky gut " down to high levels of

normal; that is greatly significant to sufferers of food allergies--which

is primarily a digestive problem, not an environmental one.

 

 

In this study, HSOs also reduced the population of bad bacteria in the

gut. Increased urinary indicators in test subjects showed that the level of

dysbiosis went from a high level to within normal range after use of HSOs for

the same 90-day period, even without dietary changes.

 

 

Additionally, probiotics containing HSOs enhance the immune system and

detoxify the colon; those are major benefits for all people, but especially

for those who suffer from digestive disorders.

 

 

Lacto-fermented foods such as yogurt and sauerkraut also provided healthy

bacteria in traditional diets and these should be part of the diet of any

person suffering from digestive problems. But probiotic formulations can

help " jump start " the system in those with serious digestive problems as they

will quickly populate the gut with beneficial organisims.

 

 

Digestive Enzymes:

Enzymes help break down the foods we eat. Broad-spectrum, plant-based

enzyme formulations contain high levels of carbohydrases--lactase to break down

lactose, sucrase to break down sucrose, etc. People with digestive

problems cannot break down disaccharides very well, but many still choose to eat

foods high in disaccharides. Digestive enzymes help break down these food and

can help break the vicious cycle that afflicts so many with digestive

problems. Additionally, these formulations contain proteases--enzymes that

digest proteins--which assist in the breakdown of harmful accompaniments

sometimes ingested with meals, such as pathogenic microorganisms found in

improperly prepared food from food handlers who did not thoroughly wash their

hands.

 

 

Whole food fiber:

People with digestive disorders need their whole food probiotic supplements

to help clean and seal up the gut, along with enzymes to help break food

down so that it will not putrefy in the colon. What is needed next is a way

to move the waste out, especially the toxins generated by the dying bad

bacteria. A whole food fiber blend is the answer.

 

 

Whole food fiber products for sufferers of digestive orders should not

contain psyllium; it can cause gas and bloating, and it contains compounds that

will exacerbate their disorder. Garden of Life has developed a whole food

fiber product called Super Seed containing flaxseed, chia, sesame or

pumpkin seed and legumes, all of which have been fermented. It is recommended

for

constipation and minor digestive disorders. For best results, the product

should be consumed first thing in the morning and just prior to bedtime.

 

 

However, those suffering from inflammatory bowel disease, Crohn’s disease,

ulcerative colitis, or diverticulitis should be cautious with additional

fiber. In those cases it might be more prudent to use some type of

detoxifying clay; one to two tablespoons of clay twice a day is beneficial for

those

with IBD.

 

 

Remove the Wrong Toxins

 

The third component of our healing strategy involves removal of harmful

toxins.

 

 

Air:

 

We are inundated with commercials for purified air, and the indoor air we

breathe is extremely important, particularly because we spend the majority

of our time indoors. Air purifiers are very affordable and definitely work

to reduce molds, yeasts and other microorganisms, minimizing overall

exposure and keeping overall health optimal.

 

 

I also recommend changing air filters more often, opening windows and

having house plants.

 

 

Water:

 

Any person with a digestive disorder (and everybody else) should use

purified water for drinking and cooking.

 

 

Of critical importance is avoidance of chlorine in showers, baths and

swimming pools. Each shower we take is equivalent to drinking six to eight

glasses of tap water; plus, the warm water opens our pores up so that we absorb

the chlorine more efficiently.

 

 

Chlorine is a harmful toxin, and when it is combined with other chemicals

like aspartame, nitrates, or nitrites, it can cause even more damage. To

circumvent this, install a simple, carbon-block shower filter, and look into a

salt water system for the pool--as it can reduce the free chlorine content

by 90 percent or more.

 

 

Skin Care and Cosmetics:

 

Anything put on the skin is absorbed systemically; therefore, we should not

put anything on our hair or skin that we would not eat! We know that

anti-perspirants not only block the lymphatic detoxification, but also introduce

aluminum and heavy metals such as lead into the body. Likewise, we absorb

the harmful chemicals contained in shampoos and lipsticks. Health food

stores sell cosmetics, shampoos, creams, etc. that do not contain these

unwanted elements. It is worth looking into.

 

 

You Can Win

 

The battle for healthy digestion can be won by eating the right foods,

taking the right supplements, and removing toxins--three effective weapons that

can help you win the battle against digestive disorders. You don’t have to

be a statistic. You can fight back and win!

 

 

About the Author

Jordan S. Rubin, is a New York Times best-selling author and is a

featured, regular television and radio guest covering the topics of nutrition

and

health. He is founder and president of Garden of Life nutritional products.

For more information read Jordan’s books Patient Heal Thyself, Restoring

Your Digestive Health, his newly-released book The Maker’s Diet, or log onto

_www.makersdiet.com_ (http://www.makersdiet.com/) .

 

 

REFERENCES

 

-- Digestive Disorders Foundation [homepage on the Internet]. London: NW1

4LB; Available from: _http://www.digestivedisorders.org.uk_

(http://www.digestivedisorders.org.uk/) .

 

-- Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center. JHBMC: Motility and Digestive

Disorders: Facts. Available from : _http://www.jhbmc.jhu.edu_

(http://www.jhbmc.jhu.edu/) .

 

-- Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center. JHBMC: Motility and Digestive

Disorders: Statistic. Available from: _http://www.jhbmc.jhu.edu_

(http://www.jhbmc.jhu.edu/) .

 

-- Rubin, Jordan S. " Healing the digestive tract " [audiocassette]. December

11-14, 2003 SOHO Expo, producer. Orlando, FL.

 

-- Rubin, Jordan S., N.M.D., and Brasco, Joseph, M.D. Restoring your

digestive health: how the guts and glory program can transform your life.

Kensington Publishing Corp., New York, NY (2003)

(http://www.papercut.biz/emailStripper.htm)

 

Grim Statistics

 

-- Two of the top five most widely prescribed prescription drugs in this

country are for digestive disorders. The other three drugs in the top five

are prescribed for heart disease-related conditions and arthritis.

 

-- Colorectal cancer, one of the most severe digestive or

gastro-enterological diseases, is the second leading cause of cancer deaths.

 

-- More than 60 million Americans experience heartburn at least once a

month, and about 25 million are daily sufferers, leading to gastro-esophageal

reflux disease (GERD), which, if left untreated, can lead to more serious

conditions.

 

-- As many as 37 million episodes of diarrhea occur annually among America’

s 16.5 million children under five. This problem leads to three million

physician visits each year and 163,000 hospital visits; it also accounts for

13 percent of all hospital stays for children in this age group.

 

-- Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) alone affects almost 20 percent of the

adult population in America.

 

 

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