Monday, March 26, 2012

Acidophilus: Lactobacillus Acidophilus ABC

Lactobacillus acidophilus is a lactic acid producing bacteria. Some scientifics think that acidophilus have beneficial effects on digestion and overall health.  Acidophilus can be found in yogurt and other dairy products, which named acidophilus as probiotics.

Acidophilus aids digestive system, because different factors decrease the number of lactic acid producing bacteria that live and work in the gastrointestinal tract and protect us from harmful disease-causing bacteria. Among these factors, it is possible to find narcotics, alcohol, diet deficiencies, aging, antibiotics, drugs, medications, nicotine, and stressful living.

The digestion of food begins in the alimentary canal, mouth and stomach, and finally in the intestines, where millions of microorganisms, working simultaneously, metabolize the partially-digested food. Digestion can be impaired, short-changing us of the full nutritional value from foods, if there is too small a colony of L. acidophilus and other friendly bacteria, such as L. bulgaricus and L. bifidus. Also a fewer quantity of key vitamins will be synthesized and the immune system may be rendered less effective.

According to some health professionals, acidophilus aids the digestive process, helps correct constipation, diarrhea, mucous colitis and diverticulitis. It also reduces blood cholesterol, enhances the absorption of nutrients, sweetens bad breath, treats acne and other skin disorders, conquers harmful bacteria and certain viruses, helps alleviate candidiasis and other vaginal infections, and may even prevent cancer.

There is no solid scientific evidence for these claims according to some experts, but lactic acid-producing microorganisms, such as L. acidophilus, have been called a “second immune system”, because they put the brakes on growth of disease-causing bacteria, such as shigella-caused dysentery and salmonella and various types of diarrhea.

Summary:
Lactobacillus acidophilus is a lactic acid producing bacteria. Some scientifics think that acidophilus have beneficial effects on digestion and overall health.  Acidophilus can be found in yogurt and other dairy products, which named acidophilus as probiotics.

Monday, March 19, 2012

Acidophilus: Acidophilus Supplements May Help Million People with Digestive Diseases

According to the National Digestive Disease information clearinghouse in Bethesda, MD, 60 to 70 million Americans suffer from digestive diseases; however, acidophilus supplements may help them to diminish their digestive conditions.

Procedures of current commercial food processing can destroy viable beneficial organisms, making it difficult for the body to maintain good intestinal flora. Even the majority of yogurt products no longer contain a viable acidophilus culture. Poor intestinal flora is, at times, due to preservatives, additives, alcohol, high-fat diets, birth control pills, and stress.

Intestinal flora is often damage by antibiotics drugs, which kill all kinds of bacteria, both good and bad. Antibiotic effects on intestinal flora can last for weeks even after the drug is discontinued. This situation may lead to allergies, fatigue, yeast overgrowth, poor digestion and chronic infections, among other things.

Beneficial bacteria can be reintroduced into the system by acidophilus supplements. Acidophilus supplementation has important benefits not only for digestive system, according to experts, such as: Keeping constipation and diarrhea under control; reduction of bad breath; counteracting lactose intolerance by its association with lactase; cholesterol control by promoting normal absorption of dietary fats; reduction of internal gas; suppression of candida yeast; prevention of intestinal contamination from infectious organisms common in some foreign countries; and suppression of a number of intestinal disorders.

Acidophilus contains bacteria that have a symbiotic, or mutually beneficial, relationship with the human stomach. It is a nutritional supplement product, which is often added to milk or other dairy products or it is also sold as a capsule.

Summary:
According to the National Digestive Disease information clearinghouse in Bethesda, MD, 60 to 70 million Americans suffer from digestive diseases; however, acidophilus supplements may help them to diminish their digestive conditions.

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Acidophilus: Acidophilus May Help Patients with Small-Bowel Obstruction

A study carried out by the National Taiwan University Hospital and the National Taiwan University, College of Medicine in Taipei, determined that patients with partial bowel obstruction may improve with oral intake of laxatives, acidophilus, and simethicone.

According to some specialists, patients with partial adhesive small-bowel obstruction are usually managed conservatively, receiving intravenous hydration and nothing by mouth. “Previous studies have suggested that this approach is associated with longer hospital stays and an increased risk of delayed surgery”, as reports Shyr-Chyr Chen, MD, from National Taiwan University Hospital and National Taiwan University College of Medicine in Taipei, and colleagues.

From 144 consecutive patients with adhesive partial small-bowel obstruction that was admitted between February 2000 and July 2001, 128 met the inclusion criteria and were randomized to either the intervention group -IV hydration, nasogastric (NG)-tube decompression, and oral therapy with magnesium oxide, Lactobacillus acidophilus, and simethicone- or to the control group (IV hydration, NG-tube decompression, and nothing by mouth).

Most of the patients were men, whose age was 54.4 ± 15.9 years in the control group and 53.9 ± 16.3 years in the intervention group. A 91 per cent of patients in the intervention group and 76 per cent of patients in the control group had successful treatment without surgery.

“Oral therapy with magnesium oxide, L. acidophilus and simethicone was effective in hastening the resolution of conservatively treated partial adhesive small-bowel obstruction and shortening the hospital stay," the authors write. "Further trials with larger patient samples are needed to verify the value of oral therapy for partial adhesive small-bowel obstructions observed in this study”, the experts report.

Summary:
A study carried out by the National Taiwan University Hospital and the National Taiwan University, College of Medicine in Taipei, determined that patients with partial bowel obstruction may improve with oral intake of laxatives, acidophilus, and simethicone.

Friday, March 9, 2012

Acidophilus: Acidophilus May Cure Yeast Infections and Vaginitis

Lactobacillus acidophilus may cure different diseases according to some experts. It is a lactic acid producing bacteria that it is thought to have beneficial effects on digestion and overall health. Under some experts, yogurt with acidophilus culture and acidophilus on its own has been shown to clear up yeast infections and vaginitis in children and adults, among other properties.

Acidophilus –experts explain- is a nutritional supplement product, which is often added to milk or sold as a capsule. It contains one or more bacteria which aid in digestion. Among these bacteria, you can find Lactobacillus acidophilus (A); Lactobacillus casei (C); Lactobacillus bulgaricus; Bifidobacterium bifidus (B) and Streptococcus thermophilus.

L. acidophilus, however, is not present in all brands of yogurt. So, you will have to check the labels of products. Acidophilus supplements usually work quickly and effectively. This occurs because they contain as many as one billion individual friendly bacteria per gram.

However, for those who cannot use milk products, acidophilus is also present in carrots, soybeans, rice starch, garbanzo beans and other sources. Health food stores carry a variety of acidophilus supplements in capsule, liquid and powder form. Some of the formulas contain bifidobacteria, another helpful bacterium, as well as vitamin C and other nutrients.

With the powder, you can make your own yogurt-type drink. For best results, acidophilus supplements should be taken on an empty stomach before breakfast, one hour before other meals. Many who have difficulty digesting ordinary dairy products often have success with cultured milk products, such as yogurt or acidophilus milk.

Summary:
Lactobacillus acidophilus may cure different diseases according to some experts. It is a lactic acid producing bacteria that it is thought to have beneficial effects on digestion and overall health. Under some experts, yogurt with acidophilus culture and acidophilus on its own has been shown to clear up yeast infections and vaginitis in children and adults, among other properties.

Saturday, March 3, 2012

About Vitamins - Everything you need to know!

Learning about vitamins can be confusing, especially when you are trying to figure out just what type of supplements you should be taking. We’ve all been told at one time or another, that if we ate a nutritionally balanced meal three times a day we wouldn’t need dietary supplements or need to know about vitamins, but of course, this just isn’t realistic in our society.

A huge number of us are stressed out on a routine basis, and don’t always have time to eat at all let alone a nutritionally balanced meal (and three of them?!). Vitamins should never be substituted for good nutritional intake. Your body needs fuel to accomplish all the tasks you have to attend to in a day. A good diet is one with plenty of calcium, protein, fats, carbohydrates, and fiber supplemented by vitamins as needed for specific health concerns.

Many food items are enriched with vitamins and minerals, like breads, pastas, and cereals. Information about vitamins listed on packaging includes the percentage of the daily recommended allowance of each, which will give you a pretty good idea how much you are getting of a certain vitamin or mineral. Calcium is an important mineral for women, and most sources about vitamins state that women should consume at least 1200-1500 mg of calcium daily. Most calcium supplements only contain 30-50% of the recommended daily amounts and must be supplemented by diet intake of other sources, such as cheese, yogurt, milk, and ice cream. About vitamin D, this is an important vitamin and is essential to bone health, and is included in some calcium supplements as well. Vitamin D can be absorbed through the skin via sunlight as well, but for people living in northern states, or for the elderly, this is not always an option, therefore a vitamin supplement is the answer.

Part of taking care of yourself is learning about vitamins and minerals that our bodies require for optimal health. Many sources are available to you to learn more about vitamins and how certain vitamin deficiencies as well as excess intake can be detrimental to your health. It’s important to take an active role in your health, and be knowledgeable about vitamins in your cabinet and which are right for you. In addition to searching on the web, you can find an abundance of information about vitamins in various health publications, or you can even consult a nutritionist or naturopathic physician for advice about vitamins and supplements, and how you can implement them into your diet. Here’s to your good health!

Summary:
Learning about vitamins can be confusing, especially when you are trying to figure out just what type of supplements you should be taking. We’ve all been told at one time or another, that if we ate a nutritionally balanced meal three times a day we wouldn’t need dietary supplements or need to know about vitamins, but of course, this just isn’t realistic in our society.