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December 13, 2015 By Luke Coutinho Leave a Comment

Your Gut Health

You would have heard of the saying. ‘Almost all diseases begin in the gut’. Well it’s true and maintaining the right ‘microflora’ (balance of good bacteria) in the gut is crucial for great health, immunity and even, preventing, healing and recovery from serious diseases like cancer.

Your intestines (gut) contain pounds of good bacteria, whose job it is to help with the absorption of nutrients from the food you eat. The ‘good bacteria’ determines the strength of your immunity, regulates weight loss, recovery, healing, colon health, toxicity in the body and several other functions.

The gut also contains yeast (fungals) which if exceeds in numbers compared to the good bacteria, causes serious digestive issues, affects assimilation of nutrients, and can cause leaky gut, vaginal rashes, IBS and several other bowel and GI tract disorders. It is extremely important that the proportion of good bacteria is maintained at all times, especially in children.

A shortage of these bacteria can also be the leading cause of allergies, skin problems, headaches, migraines, in ability to lose weight and even contribute towards piling on fat. Energy levels of the person fall when there is an imbalance.

Everything we eat and drink passes through the gut along the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. It seems simple enough, but the tube like GI tract, lined with a thin, sticky mucous, is embedded with millions of bacteria that live, grow, and metabolize (digesting and absorbing) in what’s considered a complex ecosystem comprised of both beneficial and harmful bacteria.

I would say maintaining gut health is one of the most important and least looked into things. Many lifestyles that we adopt deplete the gut of the ‘ good’ bacteria’ and that’s where all health problems begin, something as small as acne to something as deadly as cancer.

If you have more bad bacteria (fungus) than good bacteria in your gut, even the healthy food you eat will not be assimilated the right way. Whether you choose to eat clean, organic or expensive foods, it does not matter if your gut microflora is out of balance.

That’s where probiotics come in.

Probiotic bacteria do several things that contribute to good health and immunity.
Their most basic function is to fight harmful foreign substances that enter the body by detoxifying them and easing their elimination. Probiotics can prevent the growth of harmful bacteria, which thrive and grow within a neutral pH environment, by producing organic acids such as acetic and lactic acids that, in turn, lower the pH of the large intestine.

This lower pH also prevents the metabolism of cholesterol and bile acids in the colon. Since cholesterol and bile metabolites act as cancer-causing agents, they can play an important role in the prevention of cancers of the GI tract and other organs as well. These helpful bacteria can even lower serum cholesterol levels along with cardiovascular disease risk by preventing the activity of an enzyme involved in the synthesis of cholesterol.

Inside the gut are about 100 trillion live microorganisms that promote normal GI ( gastro intestinal tracts) function, protect the body from infection, and regulate metabolism and the mucosal immune system. In fact, they comprise more than 75% of the immune system.

Also important is their role in maintaining and protecting the GI barrier. An intact GI barrier maintains gut health, while a problem with its microbiota composition will affect the body’s defense systems and can create a condition known as leaky gut syndrome, which can compromise gut health and lead to diseases such as inflammatory breast cancer, obesity, chronic fatigue syndrome, and depression.

Your diet is the most important element when it comes to building gut health and I cannot emphasise how important it is to do this.

Make sure your diet contain curds or take a probiotic supplement if you are vegan or cannot have yogurt. Here are some top natural probiotic rich foods

Yogurt ( plain kind)
Miso
Sauekraut
Kimchi
Kefir
Kombucha tea
Pickled gherkins
Spirulina
Chlorella

Your diet should be rich in complex carbs, fiber, fruits, vegetables, omega – 3 and you should have a healthy water intake and low intake of sugar, processed foods and red meat.

Sodas, processed foods and sugar quickly depletes the gut of good bacteria, dropping immunity almost instantly, making it the worst thing your child or you can consume.
I constantly tell parents that giving your child aerated drinks is worse than drugs.

June 11, 2015 By Neha Morche Leave a Comment

QUINOA SUPERGRAIN of 21st CENTURY

Quinoa is a grain like any other grains or cereals that we consume on a daily basis and is definitely a better option to include and to avoid monotony in our daily routine. It is obtained from plant which tastes like spinach. Although it is mostly eaten in Northern America, it is now getting worldwide recognition. Quinoa is a whole grain which has striking health benefits.

Quinoa is a very good source of manganese, phosphorus, copper, magnesium, dietary fibre, folate , and zinc, protein, antioxidants than any other grain including Vitamin B6, thiamin, niacin, potassium, and riboflavin, vitamin E and MUFA(mono unsaturated fatty acids)..Quinoa is a perfect food to include on a gluten-free diet, since it lacks gluten.

It is available in red, light yellow and black colour in market. It is a very interesting grain as it expands than its original size on cooking, here we will have an idea of cooking:

Uses:

Always rinse Quinoa till soapy texture gets washed away (as it has saponin ; a toxic chemical substance) also it has bitter taste after repetitive wash. If the soapy texture does not go then rubbing it may help. Mixture of Quinoa and water should be 1:2 ratio, boil it, approximately it takes 15 minutes to cook. Once it gets cooked the germ gets detached and it looks translucent. If roasted on low heat before cooking it gives it a nuttier flavor. It can be refrigerated for 3 to 6 months.

It can be used as sprouts, in soups, porridge for breakfast; cooked Quinoa can be used in sandwiches and tossed over pasta. Quinoa can be mixed with brown rice and vegetables…and also you can make yummy Quinoa pudding. It can be popped like popcorn which children enjoy.

Pros :

It has good amount proteins for wear and tear of the tissues.
Good for hypertension (low in cholesterol and sodium ), breathing problems and migraine pain as it relaxes blood vessels.
It has abundance of fibre which improves digestion, hinders excess secretion of bile.
It is good sources of calcium for bones.
It is gluten free, which is good cereal option for people having gluten allergy.
Manganese and copper acts as an antioxidant which prevents from free radicals produced in the body.
It reduces triglycerides compared to gluten free breads and pastas.

We have seen the benefits of Quinoa but, let me tell you it does have oxalates which should be avoided in oxalate restricted diets (kidney stones).

So let’s try and inculcate some new stuff in your diet to become more healthy.

July 1, 2014 By Luke Coutinho Leave a Comment

Inflammation –What you should know

When you think pain, think inflammation.   Inflammation is a good thing. It’s your body’s way of rising up to fight out germs/bacteria/infections, heal bruises when you fall, heal torn ligaments/tissues/tendons etc. Once it does its job of fighting out these invaders or foreign organisms, the inflammation should reduce back down to normal. The problem arises when that does not happen.

Have a torn ligament or muscle pulls that your struggling to heal? Seen the best doctors, therapists etc and still not fixed? Struggling with arthritis and joint pain? Check your CRP (C-Reactive protein) levels and focus on reducing inflammation. The cure is in reducing inflammation.

Many of us live with chronic inflammation and that’s dangerous. It’s also one of the reason people –struggle to lose weight, experience excruciating joint pains, age faster than normal feel tired through the day, higher chances of cancer and heart disease, Fibromalgia / Headaches/Migraines, higher chances of Alzheimer’s/dementia, struggle with diabetes, feel depressed and low.

Silent inflammation like the ones described above can destroy your nerves and cellular health, suppressing and weakening your immune system, leading to deadly diseases like cancer, etc.  

What’s scary is the fact that you can be extremely healthy and fit, but silent inflammation could be eating into you from inside, which is one of the many explainable reasons why cancer or heart attacks can strike down a healthy and young human being. Checking cholesterol levels, Vitamin D3, B12, SGOT, SGTP is imperative, but what most people miss out on is checking their CRP levels. (C-Reactive protein). This is an important protein level to check and a simple blood test will cover that for you. This level will tell you volumes about the amount of inflammation you have in your body.

In my years of experience what stands out in a cancer report of a person is an increase in CRP levels and white blood cells and the immediate action is to reduce inflammation thru food and lifestyle change. Diseases breathe in inflamed environments, in environments that are acidic and in environments where there is less oxygen supply to the cells.

Over training causes inflammation. Vigorous exercise, inconsistent exercise and high intensity training which is not planned for your body type will make your CRP levels soar and kill your immunity, which is why many trainers ask their clients to take a Vitamin C and E post workouts.

Running marathons without proper nutrition causes massive inflammation. Stress causes inflammation (chronic stress). Improper nutrition (high fat foods, sugar, artificial sweeteners, doughnuts, white sugar, aerated drinks, salty foods, packaged foods), and Smoking causes inflammation. (I’ve seen CRP levels fall in a smokers’ blood report within 10 days of kicking the butt)  

How to keep your inflammation in check:

Smart and moderate exercise such as meditation and controlling your stress and BP levels, nuts and seeds, green leafy veggies and fruits, good fats ( like nuts, olive oil, coconut oil) helps in keeping your inflammation under check. Finally, I should not be saying this but it has been proven that a small amount of alcohol can actually lower CRP levels. Vitamin D3 , Curcumin (turmeric extract) is one of the best spice based inflammation fighters.

May 1, 2014 By Satish Kurapaty Leave a Comment

Gluten Fear: Understand and then Decide!!

How many of us know what Gluten is before fearing it? Then I would ask the second question why does everyone fear Gluten? Or is it just the latest weight loss fad because celebrities’ are going gluten free so let’s go gluten free!

This protein found in wheat, barley, rye and some oats is considered dangerous for health issues such as headaches, poor immune system, weight gain and even behavioral problems among children.

For the longest time doctors believed individuals who have celiac disease (a disease where the lining of the small intestine is damaged and prevents it from absorbing parts of food that are essential for the body) require a gluten-free diet for health reasons. Ingestion of gluten in these individuals causes an adverse reaction which damages intestinal cells and can lead to potentially serious health problems.

A gluten-free diet requires these naturally occurring proteins in grains and any foods or ingredients derived from them to be removed or omitted. This includes the obvious breads, pastas and baked goods made with gluten-containing flours, but may also include foods with more obscure presence of gluten such as sauces, salad dressings, soups and other processed foods.

The gluten-free diet is sometimes promoted as a way to lose weight or simply a “healthier” diet for the general population. However, these claims are unfounded. The gluten-free diet is healthier for people with gluten-related disorders, but there is no evidence that it is beneficial for people who do not have these conditions, according to gluten.net.

In the last couple of years gluten intolerance has increased across the world. ‘Gluten Free Diet’ has become very common. Restaurants have a section in their menu card that offers gluten free food items. The fear of Gluten has set in so much that people have started to consider gluten as one of their worst enemies. Anything that contains gluten is considered as an unhealthy diet choice. Unfortunately, most are following ‘the one size fits all’ concept without understanding what or how exactly Gluten contributes to one’s body.

Gluten may not have a particular nutritional quality in itself but, the grains containing it certainly do. Gluten in any grain actually work as a glue to help the dough to become elastic or to help the dough rise well. Cutting down on gluten is not a good idea because of the same.

Imagine a day without bread, sauces or even salad dressings? Apart from naturally secreted gluten many packed products contain added gluten to achieve thicker texture. So unless you have celiac disease or gluten intolerance do not avoid gluten. Avoid it if you tend to throw up after you have eaten bread, or experience diarrhea after eating a cake then you need to pay attention and get checked for Gluten allergy.

Observing you’re eating habits and your body reactions will help you detect gluten allergy in its early stages, preventing you from worst conditions, such as intestinal cancer.

How to recognize signs of gluten allergy

Irritable feeling after the meal, or difficulty in concentrating post meal
Ambiguous types of headaches ranging from migraine to regular headache starting within 30 minutes of consuming meal.
Often people with gluten intolerance develop joint pains and/or tingling sensation in their hands and legs.
Observed less energy levels post meal, many describe meals as ‘tiring’ experience.
Development of rashes, blotches, eczema etc.
Many symptoms related to poor digestive health may occur

The observed symptoms may occur due to any other diseases, it is strongly recommended to go to the doctor to conform whether they indicate towards celiac disease or gluten allergies. If left untreated these two health conditions can have disastrous long term effect on health.

Gluten allergies and celiac disease can be easily detected by blood test. But once you detect the disease it’s very important to act on it. Your first action has to be to cut down on all gluten products from your meal for at least 2 to 3 weeks. Watch out! There are few cosmetic products contain gluten too. If you are diagnosed with gluten allergy or with celiac disease, ingredient lists on product label is now your new best friend! Read before you eat, read before you apply anything to your skin. Gluten allergy may improve over the course of time but sadly in most individuals the gluten intolerance sustains throughout.