Good Food Good Health – Probiotics

At this time of year anything we can do to help our immune system such as taking probiotics goes a long way to keep us in good health, especially when our bodies are busy fighting off the colds and viruses that are virulent during winter.

As you probably know from reading previous articles I have written that I suffer from COPD, and through this I frequently have to take antibiotics to make sure that no further damage is done to my lungs when I contract colds and chest infections.

I am absolutely against taking antibiotics regularly, but my GP says that this is the lesser of the two evils.

Taking antibiotics kills some of the good bacteria in the gut along with whatever reason you are taking the medication for. So taking prebiotics helps to speed up my body’s natural process of producing bacterium and immunity to fight against other viruses.

Did you know that 70 per cent of our immune system is found in our gut, and that our gut is home to over 400 different strains of bacteria.

The bacteria in the gut, which colonises soon after birth from ingested milk, helps to prevent dangerous bacteria such as e.coli from entering and colonising the body.

The guts ‘eco-system’ of bacteria is a very delicate balance, and can easily be tipped into turmoil by bugs causing diarrhoea and sickness from contaminated or raw foods.

Of course eating a varied diet of good food gives us good health and keeps our immune systems in check, but by adding a probiotic drink or yoghurt can greatly increase the beneficial bacteria in the gut.

As a family we have been taking probiotics for the past couple of years, topping up on the friendly bacteria, and we are all agreed that they have had a good effect on our health and scientists now agree that they do in fact work and help.

I love yoghurt so much that one whole shelf in the refrigerator is always full of them, although for the rest of the family it always used to be ‘children, eat your yoghurt to keep your mum happy’!

I started buying probiotic drinks to begin with, which were not received well at all, but as soon as the yoghurt version was available they became a hit, now as soon as I put them I the fridge they are gone!

There are many products available and these can have different names or jargon on them, either Probiotics, prebiotics, bifidobacillus, lactobacillus and omega 3 & 6:-

Probiotics, the most common, living bacteria that top up the normal bacterial found in the gut.

Prebiotics – soluble food that fuels the bacteria in the gut.

Bifidobacillus bacteria thrive in an oxygen-depleted environment.

Lactobacillus bacteria found naturally in milk, is reproduced in the lab from cultured natural sources.

Omega 3 & 6 are polyunsaturated fatty acids vital for growth and cell development and found naturally in foods such as oily fish and kiwi fruit.

By using a probiotic can only help to maintain a healthy balance of good bacteria in the gut, some products have more than one of the above, so it is always advisable to check the label.

People with an unhealthy gut often suffer from symptoms of pain, bloating, trapped wind or gastric problems, could benefit and alleviate some of the problems by using probiotics.

The friendly bacteria in the yoghurts and drinks work by competing for space with harmful bacteria – the good bugs swamping the bad, stimulating the immune system, sending white blood cells and immunoglobin or antibodies to any area needed to prevent harmful bacteria entering the bloodstream.

A new study published this week confirmed that the benefits of friendly probiotics have a clear effect on the body.

Not only do they significantly change the make-up of gut bacteria that is involved in immune health, but also improve the break down of fat, fibre and protein and the metabolism of vitamins.

Probiotic bacteria also helps to stop the gut absorbing fat, instead being passed out through the body naturally rather than storing it.

These bacteria could be very beneficial for the elderly and also undernourished people, in these instances it is being found to help ward off colds and sore throats.

Research is being carried out to find out whether they are effective in helping protect children against allergies and also with ulcers in the colon – ulcerative colitis.

There is new evidence that a probiotic could be the key in combating the super bug C.difficile. Sufferers of C. diff normally have a recurrence after about 6 weeks as the bacteria re-grows, but bifidobacillus has shown to inhibit this action, so that relapse is unlikely in the patient, so research is ongoing with this.

There are two groups that should definately avoid the use of probiotics – newborn, where bacteria has not been fully colonised naturally, and others whose immune system has been improvised through chemotherapy or blood poisoning. You can always check with your local health advisor to make sure there are no problems taking them.

Using probiotics is no substitute for eating a healthy diet and is not a quick fix, as always ‘good food good health’ should be your regime- make it a way of life and by adding a friendly bacteria can only help your body in its tireless task of keeping us at peak condition.

Sandra & Ted
http://www.goodfoodgoodhealth.com
http://www.thetalkingbooksite.com
http://www.quantum-mind-power.com

Good Food Good Health- Honey

Hi Everyone

Did you know lurking at the back of your kitchen cupboard you probably have a jar of honey that good old grandma gave you and has never seen the light of day.

Well if you have children and they have coughs, colds or sore throats, honey is great for helping to alleviate the problem.

As we always say you are what you eat and that ‘good food good health’ is the basis for a healthy life and healthy outlook on life. By adding honey to your diet is definitely a step in the right direction.

For centuries the healing power of honey has been legendary, and new research finds that it truly is a ‘miracle of nature’.

This golden sticky liquid made from nectar by bees is full of antioxidants that are great for us, and also antimicrobial agents that help to fight infection.

So now you can see why it is time to add this golden nectar to your regular shopping list, as its uses are endless and is the healthiest way to s

weeten your diet, being completely natural and not refined or processed like other sweeteners.

Honey was used abundantly in ancient times, especially being spread on wounds to stop infection, prevent gangrene and improve recovery, and therefore was an important item on the battlefield – a fore runner to antiseptic cream today.

My grandparents swore by a mixture of honey, a dash of vinegar or lemon and a little boiling water mixed together as a remedy for coughs and colds. I remember taking this many times, and especially just before bed it really did help. It was great for sore throats too.

Recent research carried out has shown that it easily outperforms a pharmaceutical cough suppressant that is widely used in many of the popular children’s medicines on sale today.

The key active ingredient in many over the counter cough mixtures is Dextromethorphan or (DM), and is even used in flavoured syrups as well, but was found not to work as well as a spoonful of ordinary buckwheat honey given before bedtime.

They found honey did a better job of reducing and soothing the frequency, severity and bothersome nature of coughs and colds, thus giving a positive effect on the child and parent by enabling a better quality of sleep.

During the tests DM made no appreciable difference to symptoms compared when offering no treatment at all, unlike honey.

Researchers at the Penn State College of Medicine in Pennsylvania said ‘Our study adds to the growing literature questioning the use of DM in children, but it also offers a legitimate and safe alternative for physicians and parents’.

Recently in the United States there have been deaths in young children linked to over the counter cough and cold remedies, and it was disclosed that they have been found to cause serious side effects in children under the age of two.

Some of the same ingredients used in the American remedies are also included in some British brands as well – including some of the most popular, but if taken at the correct amount and intervals have been deemed safe.

Therefore if we can use honey, with it being completely natural must be a plus and with its great flavour should be easier to administer to our little ones.

The researchers also suggested that parents that regularly bought expensive cough medicines might be wasting their money.

As always, medical assistance should be sought with persistent coughs and colds whether in children or adults and if honey is great for children then it is also excellent for adults as well.

Being able to use natural substance and knowing there are no additives is a great bonus, when you look at the length of the list of ingredients on some cough remedies it is amazing, especially today when we are trying to be more aware of what we put into our bodies.

So perhaps we should keep honey in the bathroom cabinet as well as the kitchen.

Yet again you can see that we are what we eat, so just remember good food is good health.

Sandra & Ted

http://www.goodfoodgoodhealth.com

http://www.thetalkingbooksite.com

http://www.quantum-mind-power.com

Good Food Good Health- Detox naturally

Hi

After eating all the rich food that Christmas entails it is time to naturally detox your body, and quite simply eating a good balanced healthy diet can do this. Our motto ‘good food good health’ says it all.

Nowadays there are many books written about this subject and many famous people swearing by some new treatment which costs the earth and generally has little effect the body cannot do itself.

Did you know that our bodies already have fantastic ways of ‘detoxing’ – getting rid of things that we do not need, silently and effectively every day?

What we need to do is to help and support these natural processes. By taking stock of our diet though eating a variety of fresh fruit and vegetables, regularly, enables the body to work at its best – ‘good food good health’.

The word varied here is of utmost importance. It would do your body no good at all if you ate only one type of fruit or vegetable, and ate that in abundance. The body gleans different components from various foods and needs an array of vitamins and proteins a good balanced varied diet delivers.

Basically the body has three methods of naturally ‘detoxing’. Firstly through your lungs when you exhale, secondly your skin and the third most obvious way of getting rid of waste is through stools and urine.

The skin is the area most people over look, and yet it is the largest area on our body. Many cultures in the past used the skin far more for cleansing and detoxing and knew its importance for cleansing the whole body.

Your skin is fabulous, when you start thinking of it as a two-way membrane through which substances can pass back and forwards, into and back out of your body, then there is a lot you can do to assist and improve detoxification processes through your skin.

Making your own salt scrub is cheap and easy, mix olive oil and finely ground sea salt together with a few drops of essential oil. Vigorously rub the mixture in and leave for at least 15 minutes before showering or bathing.

As always make sure you are sensible and use a rubber slip proof shower or bath mat when using any form of oil products in the bathroom.

As well as detoxing, you can have added benefits by having a partner or friend to massage each other, with relaxation and de-stressing, and the great smell of the aromatherapy oil adds to this.

Can also be great fun is you share the shower too! But beware, this kind of malarkey is no good if you both slip and do yourself an injury. Always take care.

The shower is another great tool too, and any shower can be turned into a naturopathic treatment just by alternating hot and cold water, although this is most definitely not advised for people with heart or blood pressure problems.

After taking a normal shower, turn the heat up as hot as you can bear – obviously not to burn yourself, and focus especially on the chest, tummy and thighs for about 30 – 60 seconds. Next switch to cold water for 30 – 60 seconds, and yes it is ok to shriek at this point, although family members and neighbours might be confused!

Repeating this procedure a few times after your daily shower will really get your blood circulating through the skin, with the added benefit of each skin cell getting boosted oxygen and nutrition. Detoxing is this simple.

Honestly, after a couple of weeks your skin will feel great and have a healthy glow, and by eating good food at the same time will maintain this and help strengthen your body’s ability to fight off stress and viruses that are prevalent at this time of the year.

So as always just remember good food is good health.

Sandra & Ted

http://www.goodfoodgoodhealth.com

http://www.thetalkingbooksite.com

http://www.quantum-mind-power.com