gut inflammation Archives - Amazing Health Advances

Is Endometriosis Causing Your Painful Periods?

The AHA! Team — Fri, 01 Nov 2024 05:11:17 +0000

Esther L Ellis via Duke Health – If you experience extremely painful periods, don’t ignore it. It’s important to seek care from an obstetrician-gynecologist as these symptoms may signal endometriosis. The painful condition affects an estimated 6.5 million women in the U.S., but is often undiagnosed. That is a concern because endometriosis can cause scarring and inflammation, which can lead to infertility if left untreated. Here, Duke Health minimally invasive gynecology surgeon Amy Broach, MD, answers frequently asked questions about endometriosis including its symptoms, testing, and treatment options. What is endometriosis and why is it painful? During endometriosis, the tissue lining the inside of the uterus — the endometrium — grows outside the uterus where it doesn’t belong. Menstruation occurs when the endometrium responds to hormonal signals, grows and sheds each month. The endometrium outside of the uterus also grows, which can cause painful irritation, inflammation, and scarring. What are the symptoms of endometriosis? The most common symptom is painful periods. “We’re referring to pain where a woman is unable to go to school or work effectively, or they’re taking more pain medications than is appropriate,” said Dr. Broach. Symptoms of endometriosis also include pain during sex, bloating, painful bowel movements, and pain during urination or with a full bladder. It is possible to have endometriosis without symptoms. Does endometriosis cause weight gain? Endometriosis does not directly cause weight gain. However, Dr. Broach said the symptoms of endometriosis can impact a person’s ability to maintain a healthy weight. “Sometimes people in pain seek emotional comfort in food, and do not feel up to physical activity so it’s a complex situation.” How is endometriosis diagnosed? Endometriosis can be investigated with a physical exam or an ultrasound, which may show scarring or an ovarian cyst due to endometriosis. However, mild and even severe endometriosis can have normal ultrasounds depending on where it’s located, which is why the condition is often misdiagnosed. “By the time I see someone, they’ve often seen multiple providers and have been told, ‘Oh, you just have painful periods,’” Dr. Broach said. “If you feel like something is not being addressed, advocate for yourself. Seek an expert in the field. “ If your imaging comes back normal and your doctor still suspects endometriosis, laparoscopy is the next step. What is laparoscopy for endometriosis? Laparoscopy is a minimally invasive surgery used to diagnose and treat endometriosis. It allows your doctor to get a complete view of your pelvic area. During the procedure, your surgeon makes a small incision in the belly button, inflates your abdomen with gas, and inserts a lighted camera through the incision to inspect the pelvic area and appendix. Your surgeon will have a clear view to identify, remove, or destroy endometriosis lesions, cysts, and scar tissue without harming the healthy tissue around it. What are the stages of endometriosis? There are four stages of endometriosis based on how deep the tissue has penetrated, how widespread it is, and where it is located. During stage one, spots of endometriosis are smaller and shallower. Stage four means spots are deeply rooted into the tissue and are usually on important organs like the ovaries, colon, or bladder. Pain is not a consideration when staging endometriosis and a higher stage doesn’t mean your symptoms are more severe. How is endometriosis treated? Birth control pills and over-the-counter anti-inflammatories such as ibuprofen are usually tried first. If that doesn’t work, Dr. Broach said progesterone-only hormonal therapy given via pills, injections, or intrauterine devices (IUDs) is typically the next step. “A lot of people respond well to the intrauterine device,” she said. According to Dr. Broach, stronger medications are available for people with more severe endometriosis, which creates a “menopause-like scenario.” “The brain and the ovaries are still talking to each other but at a much lower volume,” she said. These medications are taken by mouth and lower hormone levels to reduce menstrual bleeding and pain. They are tried before the strongest medication used to treat endometriosis, leuprolide. Leuprolide is an injection that completely blocks the communication between the brain and the ovaries, temporarily stopping your periods. Your period will return once you stop taking the medication. Laparoscopic endometriosis surgery is usually preferred for women trying to get pregnant. “Doing surgery and resecting or treating some of the disease increases a woman’s ability to become pregnant for about six months after surgery,” said Dr. Broach. To read the original article click here.

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How Healthy Are Ancient Grains?

The AHA! Team — Fri, 25 Oct 2024 08:45:47 +0000

Michael Greger M.D. FACLM via Nutrition Facts – Ancient types of wheat, like kamut, are put to the test for inflammation, blood sugar, and cholesterol control. The number one killer in the United States and around the world is what we eat. As you can see in the graph below and at 0:15 in my video Friday Favorites: Are Ancient Grains Healthier?, our diet kills millions more than tobacco. What are the five most important things we can do to improve our diets, based on the single most comprehensive global study of the health impact of nutrition? Eat less salt, eat more nuts, eat more non-starchy vegetables, eat more fruit, and, finally, eat more whole grains. Any particular type of whole grains? What about so-called ancient grains? Are they any better than modern varieties? For instance, what about kamut, described as “mummy wheat” and supposedly unearthed from an Egyptian tomb? After WWII, the wheat industry selected particularly high-yielding varieties for pasta and bread. Over the past few years, though, some of the more ancient grains—“defined as those species that have remained unchanged over the last hundred years” despite agricultural revolutions—have been reintroduced to the market. As you can see below and at 1:13 in my video, nutritionally, kamut and einkorn wheat, which is the oldest wheat, have more eyesight-improving yellow carotenoid pigments, such as lutein and zeaxanthin, compared to modern bread and pastry wheat, because the pigments have been bred out of the bread intentionally. People want their white bread white, but modern pasta flour (durum wheat) maintains much of that yellow nutritional hue. As you can see in the graph below and at 1:41 in my video, modern wheat may have less lutein, but it tends to have more vitamin E, as seen in the graph below and at 1:45. Based on straight vitamin and mineral concentrations, it’s pretty much a wash. Both modern and primitive kinds of wheat have a lot of each, but primitive wheats do have more antioxidant capacity, likely due to their greater polyphenol content, as you can see in the graph below and at 2:00 in my video. To know if that makes any difference, though, we have to put it to the test. If you expose human liver cells to digested bread made out of ancient grains (kamut and spelt), heritage kinds of wheat, or modern strains, then expose the cells to an inflammatory stimulus, the modern wheat strains seem less able to suppress the inflammation, as you can see in the graphs below and at 2:09 in my video. The investigators conclude that even though these different grains seem to be very similar nutritionally, they appear to exert different effects on human cells, “conﬁrming the potential health beneﬁts of ancient grains.” That was in a petri dish, though. What about people? If ancient kinds of wheat are better at suppressing inflammation, what if you took people with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and randomized them to receive six weeks of wheat products made out of modern wheat or ancient wheat—in this case, kamut? Same amount of wheat, just different types. If there is no difference between the wheats, there’d be no difference in people’s symptoms, right? But, when study participants in the control group were switched to the ancient wheat kamut, they experienced less abdominal pain, less frequent pain, less bloating, more satisfaction with stool consistency, and less interference with their quality of life, compared to the modern wheat. So, after switching to the ancient wheat, they had “a significant global improvement in the extent and severity of symptoms related to IBS…” What about liver inflammation? The liver function of those with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease randomized to eat kamut improved, compared to those eating the same amount of regular wheat, suggesting kamut is superior, as you can see below and at 3:47 in my video. People with diabetes, had better cholesterol and better insulin sensitivity on the same ancient grain, as shown below and at 3:57. And those with heart disease? They had better blood sugar control and better cholesterol, as shown below and at 4:03. And, people without overt heart disease had better artery function, as you can see below and at 4:06 in my video. The bottom line is that findings derived from human studies suggest that ancient wheat products are more anti-inflammatory and may improve things like blood sugar control and cholesterol. “Given that the overall number of human interventional trials conducted to date are numerically insufficient, it is not possible to deﬁnitively conclude that ancient wheat varieties are superior to all commercial, modern wheat counterparts in reducing chronic disease risk.” However, the best available data do suggest they’re better for us. Regardless of what type of wheat you may eat, a word to the wise: Don’t eat the plastic bread-bag clip. A 45-year-old man presented with bloody stools, and his CT scan showed the offending piece of plastic from his bag of bread, as you can see below and at 4:53 in my video. When the patient was questioned, he “admitted to habitually eating quickly without chewing properly.” Whole grains—ideally intact ones and ancient and modern varieties alike—are an integral part of my Daily Dozen checklist, the healthiest of healthy things I encourage everyone to try to fit into their daily routines. Whole grains are especially good for our microbiome. Learn more in the related posts below. What about gluten? Also, see the related posts below. Key Takeaways Diet is a major contributor to health, surpassing tobacco as the leading cause of death. Key dietary improvements include consuming less salt and more nuts, non-starchy vegetables, fruits, and whole grains. Ancient grains like kamut, considered unchanged over the last hundred years, have been reintroduced to the market recently. Nutritionally, they may differ from modern wheat, with higher levels of eyesight-improving carotenoid pigments and polyphenols. Modern wheat and ancient grains have comparable vitamin and mineral concentrations, but ancient grains exhibit higher antioxidant capacity due to greater polyphenol content. In a laboratory setting, bread made from ancient grains appears more effective at suppressing inflammation in human liver cells compared to modern wheat strains, indicating potential health benefits. Human trials show that switching to ancient wheat, such as kamut, can lead to improvements in symptoms related to irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), liver function in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, cholesterol and insulin sensitivity in diabetes, and blood sugar control and artery function in heart disease, suggesting potential superiority over modern wheat in reducing chronic disease risk. To read the original article click here.

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Researchers Crack a Key Celiac Mystery

The AHA! Team — Thu, 03 Oct 2024 08:18:59 +0000

McMaster University via Newswise – Where in the body does the gluten reaction begin? People with celiac disease must navigate everyday life by avoiding gluten, a protein in wheat, rye and barley which can trigger painful symptoms in the gut, impede the absorption of nutrients and raise the risk of other serious long-term issues. The autoimmune disorder affects about 1 per cent of the population Its rate of occurrence has roughly doubled in the past 25 years, but there is no treatment available. An interdisciplinary team of medical and engineering researchers centered at Canada’s McMaster University and including colleagues from the US, Australia, and Argentina, has spent the last six years working to unlock a significant piece of the puzzle in the search for a cure: how and where the gluten response begins. It had previously been thought that the inflammatory response to gluten occurred inside the gut wall and exclusively involved immune cells, but In a new paper published today in the journal Gastroenterology, the team has shown there is more to the story. They found that the inner lining of the upper intestine, called the “epithelium” –composed of a variety of cells that are not classically part of the immune system – also plays an active role in directing the inflammatory response to gluten. Using microscopic biomaterials in the laboratory, the team created a biologically functioning model of the intestinal epithelium which allowed the researchers to isolate the effects of specific molecules in the epithelial cells of people with celiac disease. The model allowed the researchers to generate and observe the reactions under controlled conditions, an option that is simply not available in extremely complex gut environments of living beings. They were able to observe how the molecules alert immune cells to the presence of gluten, and to conclude definitively that the epithelium plays a crucial role in activating the immune system in celiac disease. Such a mechanism had been postulated before but was never proven. Answering this controversial question is expected to advance the development of new drugs. “The only way we can treat celiac disease today is by fully eliminating gluten from the diet. This is difficult to do, and experts agree that a gluten-free diet is insufficient,” says Elena Verdu, a corresponding author on the paper who is a professor of gastroenterology and director of McMaster’s Farncombe Family Digestive Health Research Institute. Precisely locating the spark of the immune response could stimulate research into drug delivery to inhibit this newly found role of the epithelium, using drugs already in clinical trials, Verdu says. “This allowed us to narrow down the specific cause and effect and prove exactly whether and how the reaction takes place,” says Tohid Didar, a corresponding author on the paper and an associate professor at McMaster’s School of Biomedical Engineering who holds the Canada Research Chair in Nano-biomaterials. Another significant finding from the study is that after detecting gluten, the epithelium sends stronger signals to immune cells if pathogens are also present. This means that in the future it may be possible to detect the pathogen in a person at risk of developing the disease and inhibit the interactions with gluten and the gut epithelium to prevent the disease, says the paper’s lead author, Sara Rahmani, a PhD candidate in Verdu and Didar labs. To read the original article click here.

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Gut Inflammation? You Might Not Need That Colonoscopy

AHA Publisher — Thu, 03 Feb 2022 08:00:25 +0000

Naama Barak via Israel21c – Undergoing a colonoscopy is no picnic. It is invasive, frightening and likely the butt of all your friends’ jokes. But thanks to a new method developed in Israel, it may also become a thing of the past, at least for detecting inflammatory bowel diseases such as Crohn’s and ulcerative colitis. Researchers from the Weizmann Institute of Science and Sheba Medical Center in Israel have come up with a way to replace colonoscopy data with analysis of fecal samples. Their findings were published in the journal Gut. The study took off when researchers realized that cells shed from the gut lining of mice and expelled in the feces stay alive for several hours. This led to a method that could provide testing for inflammation that is less invasive, much cheaper than colonoscopy and at least as reliable. The researchers analyzed cells collected from the gut lining of 30 patients with inflammatory bowel disease during the course of colonoscopy and compared them with those taken from fecal samples or biopsies of 30 healthy people who had undergone colonoscopies as part of routine cancer screening. Using RNA sequencing and other advanced methods, they determined which cell types were present in each of the samples and found that the fecal samples contained four immune-related cell types associated with inflammation. They then ran algorithms to identify distinct expression patterns, or RNA signatures, of the cells in each sample. These signatures helped reveal the exact proportion of each immune-related cell type in the gut lining and enabled the scientists to determine whether a person had an active case of intestinal inflammation. The fecal samples proved to be more reliable than the biopsies. “A biopsy can miss inflammation because it provides a snapshot of the narrow spot from which it was removed, whereas a fecal sample contains cells shed from the entire lining of the gut,” explains Weizmann Prof. Shalev Itzkovitz. “Moreover, a fecal sample can sometimes be more revealing than the examination of the lining during colonoscopy, which is done by eye, because certain forms of inflammation produce no visible signs.” To read the original article click here.

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Dr. Colbert’s Healthy Gut Zone System

AHA Publisher — Wed, 17 Nov 2021 08:00:35 +0000

Dr. Don Colbert – Did you know there’s one system in your body that’s responsible for the health of all other systems? Sure, if your nervous system or cardiovascular system fails, the whole body fails. However, there’s one system that functions to maintain the health of all other crucial organs. This one system is the digestive system. Your digestive health is paramount to your entire body’s health, and specifically your brain’s health. Unfortunately, it’s estimated that 60-70 million Americans suffer from chronic digestive issues each year (1). Some are severe. Some are more minor. All impede everyday life to some extent and affect every other system in the body. It’s for this reason that Dr. Colbert has created an amazing system to help you care for your digestive health: Dr. Colbert’s Healthy Gut Zone System. This complete kit includes the best probiotics available, a two-fiber supplement powder for complete digestive health, and Dr. Colbert’s Gut Zone book. With the Healthy Gut Zone System, you’ll learn how digestive health affects your entire body and what you can do to keep yours in top-notch shape! Digestive Health, Brain Health and Beyond Amazingly, your digestive health has direct implications for your brain health. In fact, it’s now known that: Gut inflammation promotes brain inflammation and declining function An unhealthy digestive tract promotes illness in other parts of the body Healing your gut can reduce brain fog, increase alertness, support youthful memory, and energize the body and brain Immune function is dependent on a healthy digestive tract Healthy digestion is first responsible for nourishing your body, from your hair to your toes. What’s more, there is an incredible gut-brain connection that impacts your brain health directly. In fact, your digestive tract is home to 75% of your immune system. The health of your brain depends on strong immunity and a healthy gut-brain connection! Are you convinced? Ready to take care of your digestive health above all else? Here are 5 steps you can take today to optimize digestive health and therefore, whole-body health with Dr. Colbert’s Healthy Gut Zone System. 5 Steps to Optimal Health 1. Take Care of the Good Bacteria Forty trillion. This is the number of bacteria in your body. Most are in your intestines. And, most are there to help you. It’s time to start helping them. How? It’s simple, really. The first thing to do is to replenish and fortify your healthy bacteria with probiotic supplements and foods. Within Dr. Colbert’s Healthy Gut Zone System, you’ll receive Dr. Colbert’s Beyond Biotics Ultra Blend. Beyond Biotics is a probiotic supplement that contains live, viable probiotic bacteria in pill form. It is specifically beneficial to modern-day humans since we have many food-supply, environmental, and chemical compounds that harm our digestive tracts and bacteria. Both anecdotal reports and studies show that probiotics help acute digestion symptoms. They can also produce beneficial effects on the bacteria in the gut (2). What’s more, they can affect other health issues within the body as they improve digestion comfort, nutrient absorption and microbiota (3, 4, 5). In addition, Dr. Colbert’s Gut Zone Book emphasizes healthy foods you can consume to fortify your digestive tract’s healthy bacteria. These include Divine Health® Fermented Greens Supremefoods, plain yogurt, kimchi, sauerkraut, kefir, kombucha, tempeh, and more. Don’t leave your healthy bacteria to fend for themselves. Fortify them with probiotics each day. 2. Fortify Your Digestive Tract with Fiber Next, you can fortify your digestive tract with fiber. Dr. Colbert’s Keto Zone® Fiber Zone is included in the Healthy Gut Zone System. Dr. Colbert’s Keto Zone® Fiber Zone is a delicious fiber powder specially formulated using 2 of the most powerful, important fibers available. First, it contains psyllium husk. Psyllium husk is made of both soluble (70%) and insoluble fibers (30%). This means twice the benefits. It acts as a prebiotic, feeding and fortifying healthy gut bacteria. Its insoluble fiber passes through the digestive tract, providing bulk and softness to stools. This encourages digestive health, reduced inflammation, and a healthy gut-brain connection (6). Next, Fiber Zone contains inulin. Inulin is a prebiotic fiber. Like psyllium, it feeds the healthy bacteria and cells in our digestive tracts, making them stronger and healthier (7). Together, these fibers work to reduce hunger cravings, support healthy digestion, encourage optimal weight, support bone health and optimize the gut-brain connection (8). In addition, following Dr. Colbert’s Gut Zone Book, eat healthy high fiber and prebiotic foods. These include berries, artichokes, asparagus, broccoli, greens, onions, garlic, leaks, cacao, flaxseeds, hemp heart seeds, nuts, and more. 3. Nourish With Collagen Collagen is another great food for your digestive health! In fact, collagen supports healthy digestion, joint health, vibrant skin, healthy weight, and more! In particular, those who suffer from leaky gut syndrome can find relief by adding collagen to their diets. With this digestive issue, toxins, allergens and large particles are able to pass from your gut into your bloodstreams, causing negative reactions. Collagen can help fortify connective tissue in the protective lining of the digestive tract. It heals it and helps it seal out the offending particles. Further, it supports better digestive health in those who suffer from inflammatory digestive issues, acid reflux, and more (9). Keto Zone® Collagen Powder is a great source of collagen. It is enzymatically hydrolyzed, or predigested, for effortless digestion and full absorption into the body. It is derived from chicken and marine peptides, and contains Types I, II, and III collagen. This combination of collagen supports the formation of elastin in the body, which is critical in fighting against wrinkles and sagging skin. 4. Avoid Harmful Substances Did you know some substances you consume actually harm digestive health? Some foods, drinks, and environmental contaminants harm or destroy digestive cells, healthy bacteria, and more. These include: Sugar: Sugar can harm the digestive tract in a few ways. First, it promotes the growth of harmful Candida albicans which can lead to leaky gut and other digestive issues (10). Next, high-sugar diets increase gut permeability, degrades healthy gut barriers, increases spleen weight, and increases inflammatory immune response in animal studies (11). Man-Made Artificial Sweeteners: Chemical artificial sweeteners have been widely used in “diet foods.” Unfortunately, they can have negative effects on gut bacteria. Animal and human studies have shown that aspartame, saccharin, sucralose, and other artificial sweeteners can impair gut bacteria (12) allowing other microbes to take over (13). If you use sugar substitutes, make sure they are natural ones like sugar alcohols: xylitol is safe and does not seem to affect gut bacteria (13). Antibiotics: In recent years, there has been a push to drastically reduce the use of antibiotics in humans and animals. Most doctors have been urged to only prescribe antibiotics only when necessary, and with much less frequency than in previous decades. The overuse of antibiotics has been shown to 1) hurt the gut by wiping out healthy bacteria, and 2) lead to antibiotic-resistant bacteria. In fact, the World Health Organization is also working to reduce the antibiotics that humans consume. It is recommending that routine antibiotic use in animals is stopped and reserved only when the animal is sick (14). Alcohol: Unfortunately, alcohol, especially in large quantities, can negatively affect the bacteria colonies in the gut. In fact, many people who abuse alcohol have impaired nutrient absorption, poor digestion, and discomfort. When used in moderation, bacteria colonies can remain healthy. But, overuse of alcohol can destroy them (15). Nicotine: Nicotine is harmful to digestive health. It has been associated with excess reflux, peptic ulcers, and a decrease in colon strength. What’s more, smokers experience higher Helicobacter pylori infections (16). While you use the tools in Dr. Colbert’s Healthy Gut Zone System, you will learn to also avoid these compounds that harm your digestive system. 5. Be Active, Hydrate, and Reduce Stress Your lifestyle choices make a difference in the health of your digestive system. First, exercise can improve digestion. Movement and gravity helps food naturally move through your intestines. On the other hand, a sedentary lifestyle actually harms the digestive system. When we sit all day, our digestive tract is kinked. This makes natural, healthy digestion more difficult. Make sure to get up frequently and include physical activity each day to support healthy digestion. Next, healthy digestion depends on the presence of fluids. Water helps break down food, lubricates the digestive tract, reduces constipation, and keeps your cells healthy. Make sure to drink water throughout each day. Lastly, chronic stress can have a negative effect on digestion. In fact, chronic stress can decrease the blood flow to the intestines, slow nutrient absorption, and even change how the bacteria in your gut function. One way to reduce stress? In addition to daily de-stress strategies, make sure you stay hydrated! Dehydration is linked to elevated cortisol levels. Bottom Line You can improve your digestive health, support your entire body, and improve brain function, alertness and health starting today! Join Dr. Colbert in his challenge to help the millions of Americans that suffer from digestive issues. Try Dr. Colbert’s Healthy Gut Zone System now and enjoy better digestion! To read the original article click here.

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Understanding Gut Inflammation May Hold Clues to Mitigating Parkinson’s Onset

AHA Publisher — Mon, 14 Jun 2021 07:00:31 +0000

Van Andel Research Institute via EurekAlert – GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (JUNE 8, 2021) — Chronic inflammation in the gut may propel processes in the body that give rise to Parkinson’s disease, according to a study by scientists at Van Andel Institute and Roche. The study, published in Free Neuropathology, is the latest in a growing list that links the gut and the immune system to Parkinson’s. The researchers’ findings in an experimental mouse model of gut inflammation track with several large-scale epidemiological studies that show an association between Parkinson’s and inflammatory bowel diseases, such as ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease. Epidemiological evidence from other groups indicates the risk of developing Parkinson’s fades in certain people whose inflammatory bowel disease is treated with anti-TNF, a standard-of-care anti-inflammatory therapy, which suggests that reducing gut inflammation may have promise for mitigating Parkinson’s onset. “There is increasing evidence that changes in the gut can affect a variety of neurological and psychiatric brain disorders,” said Patrik Brundin, M.D., Ph.D., VAI deputy chief scientific officer and co-corresponding author of the study. “Parkinson’s is a complex disease with a wide range of factors that work in concert to spark its onset and progression. We need to understand the gut’s likely influence on Parkinson’s development better. This study provides novel insights, and this new knowledge can facilitate the development of improved treatment approaches.” In their disease models, the team found that chronic gut inflammation triggers a protein called alpha-synuclein to clump together in walls of the colon, as well as in local immune cells called macrophages. A similar process may play out in the colons of some people — such as those with inflammatory bowel diseases — thereby increasing their risk to develop Parkinson’s as shown in studies by other groups. Similarly, in the brains of people with Parkinson’s, “sticky” alpha-synuclein aggregates also develop. For reasons that still are unclear, these aggregates can clog the molecular machinery that keep neurons alive. The resulting loss of some of these critical cells — and the chemical messenger they produce called dopamine — causes Parkinson’s hallmark movement-related symptoms, such as freezing and loss of voluntary movement. The additional wide-spread development of alpha-synuclein aggregates throughout the brain also may be associated with the disease’s non-motor symptoms and may fuel its progression, which cannot be slowed or stopped with existing treatments. The study also revealed that chronic inflammation in the gut early in life can exacerbate alpha-synuclein clumping throughout the brain in older mice. While it isn’t clear exactly how this happens, the team has two theories: first, they suggest inflammatory chemicals may travel from the gut to the brain via the bloodstream, triggering a runaway inflammatory immune response that leads to protein aggregation. Another idea is that alpha-synuclein aggregates may travel to the brain via the vagus nerve, one of the longest nerves in the body and a “superhighway” between the gut and the brain. Once there, the proteins may then execute their toxic activity in the brain. “We now know that systems throughout the body contribute to Parkinson’s,” said Emmanuel Quansah, Ph.D., a postdoctoral fellow in Brundin’s lab and a key contributor and co-author of the study. “It was striking to see protein aggregation pathology in the brain that mirrored pathology in the colon brought on by inflammation. A particularly intriguing observation was the loss dopamine-producing nerve cells — which play a major role in Parkinson’s onset — in our models that had gut inflammation a year-and-a-half earlier.” Notably, the team also found that modulating immune activation in the colitis mouse model by genetic or therapeutic means tuned the level of alpha-synuclein clumps in the colon up or down. “Our results in mice, together with the genetic and epidemiological data by others in humans, make a strong case for further exploring systemic immune pathways for future therapies and biomarkers for Parkinson’s,” said Markus Britschgi, Ph.D., Senior Principal Scientist and Section Head in the Neuroscience and Rare Diseases Research Department at the Roche Innovation Center Basel and co-corresponding author of the study. Authors include first author Stefan Grathwohl, Ph.D. (previously a Roche postdoctoral fellow), Nazia Maroof, Ph.D. (previously a Roche postdoctoral fellow), Liz Spycher, Krisztina Oroszlan-Szovik, M.S., Helga Remy, Markus Haenggi M.S., and Marc Stawiski of Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Neuroscience and Rare Diseases Discovery and Translational Area, Roche Innovation Center Basel; Jennifer A. Steiner, Ph.D., Zachary Madaj, M.S., and Martha L. Escobar Galvis, Ph.D., of VAI; Fethallah Benmansour, Ph.D., of Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, pREDi, Roche Innovation Center Basel; Gonzalo Duran-Pacheco, Ph.D., Juliane Siebourg-Polster, Ph.D., Matthias Selhausen, Pierre Maliver, EVCP, Arel Su, DVM, and Annika Herrmann, DECVP, of Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Roche Innovation Center Basel; Andreas Wolfert and Thomas Emrich, Ph.D., of Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Roche Innovation Center Munich; and Christoph Mueller, Ph.D., of Institute of Pathology, University of Bern. To read the original article click here.

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NEW Study: Vitamin D Helps to Improve Gut Function and Your Immune Response

AHA Publisher — Wed, 11 Nov 2020 08:00:41 +0000

Joy Jensen via NaturalHealth365 – Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a phrase used to describe a group of conditions, including ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease, all of which involve chronic inflammation throughout the gastrointestinal tract. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than three million adults have been diagnosed with the disease, and it’s becoming increasingly common. But, the big question is: what does science tell us about how vitamin D can improve this condition? Well, previous studies have found that vitamin D deficiency is common among individuals with IBD, and lower levels of this vitamin correlate with a more complicated course of the disease and higher disease activity. In a new study, researchers took a closer look at why a vitamin D deficiency seems to play a part in these diseases and how the vitamin regulates immune response in the gut. The connection between vitamin D deficiencies and IBD patients This new study, published in Autoimmunity Reviews, was built on evidence collected in the past that has shown the protective role vitamin D plays on gut health, which is why a deficiency is linked to poor outcomes and greater disease activity. Not only did researchers review the evidence and confirm that vitamin D deficiencies are higher among patients who have IBD, but they also found out more about how this vitamin works in the gut. Experts believe that leaky gut, which is an insufficient intestinal barrier, is central to how IBD develops. In addition, research has shown that vitamin D seems to work on the cellular level to help increase the integrity of that barrier, reducing problems with leaky gut. It also promotes the interplay between the gut’s microbiome, intestinal epithelial cells, and immune cells, helping to regulate the immune response of the intestines. Although researchers caution that there’s still work to do to further reveal how vitamin D works in the gut, it once again highlights the serious complications that may occur in individuals with a vitamin D deficiency. Scientifically CLEAR: There are serious consequences to this hormone deficiency Beyond its role in the gut, studies also show that vitamin D deficiency comes with additional serious consequences. Being deficient in this important vitamin, particularly if you have blood levels under 30 ng/ml, increases your risk of premature death from any cause. To be clear: Premature death from respiratory disease, heart disease, fracture, and cancers have all been linked to having chronically low vitamin D levels. While that may sounds scary, it’s easy to take control of your vitamin D levels to reduce your risk of chronic disease and premature death. Start by getting 20 minutes daily of direct sunlight so the body is able to create its own. Naturally, if you live in more northern climates … direct sunlight – that’s strong enough to produce a positive result – may not be realistic. The fact is: it’s more difficult to produce this hormone (naturally from sun exposure) during the wintertime or if you live in an area that just doesn’t get as much sunshine, on a regular basis throughout the year. This is where D3 supplementation can help to solve the problem. Just keep in mind, you’ll need to ensure it’s taken with fat-containing foods for the best absorption since it’s a fat-soluble vitamin. And, finally (for best results), you may want to consider taking all the cofactors that enhance absorption such as, zinc, boron and (of course) vitamin K2. Ultimately, if you’re deficient and concerned, it’s a good idea to consult with an experienced (integrative) physician before making any significant changes to your diet or supplement routine. Bottom line: It’s good to know what your vitamin D levels are … so, get a simple blood test and make it a health priority to maintain blood levels of about 50 – 80 ng/ml to protect your health. Sources for this article include: ScienceDirect.com, NIH.gov, NaturalHealth365.com To read the original article click here. For more articles from NaturalHealth365 click here.

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Why Improving Gut Health Should Be a Number One Priority

AHA Publisher — Wed, 07 Oct 2020 07:00:06 +0000

Lori Alton via NaturalHealth365 – We sometimes use the words “gut instinct” to refer to a deeply held belief or powerful impulse – without fully realizing just how appropriate that phrase is. Researchers are beginning to recognize the immense power of the gut microbiome (the community of bacteria living in the gastrointestinal tract) to protect against disease, regulate metabolism and even influence mood and outlook. But, how do we keep a healthy balance between life-sustaining “friendly” bacteria and harmful, disease-causing microbes? A newly published scientific review showcases the profound effect of diet and nutrition on the microbiome -and provides hints as to which type of foods can help optimize gut health. Why the Gut microbiome Is So Important to Your Health The gut microbiome is composed of literally trillions of microbes, including bacteria, fungi and viruses. “Friendly” bacteria help extract energy from food and stimulate the immune system by activating disease-fighting T and B lymphocytes. In fact, a surprising 70 percent of the immune system is located in the lymphatic tissue of the gut. These helpful microbes also regulate neurotransmitters that affect your mood and cognition. By the way, the relationship between the gut microbiome and cognitive health is so strong that many scientists maintain that intestinal bacterial health is one of the primary factors in determining the severity of cognitive decline as we age. And, some natural health experts believe that dietary changes over the last century – along with the use of pesticides on food – are the primary factor behind growing rates of depression! From the growing body of research on the microbiome, one important fact is emerging. Imbalances in the ratio of friendly and unfriendly bacteria – a condition known as dysbiosis – is strongly associated with a grim parade of serious diseases. WARNING: Cutting-Edge Research Links Dysbiosis with Heart Failure In a recent article published in Journal of the American College of Cardiology, the authors reported that changes in the composition of the microbiome (such as the diversity and ratio of various bacteria) are associated with atherosclerotic coronary artery disease (CAD). In one study, participants with CAD were found to have an abundance of Enterobacteriaceae, a microbe associated with inflammation and chronic diseases. In addition, they had relatively low levels of bacteria that produce butyrate, an anti-inflammatory fat needed for proper immune function. Meanwhile, congestive heart failure patients were found to have overgrowths of pathogenic fungi, such as candida – along with the Campylobacter bacteria. And, patients with type 2 diabetes also had lower concentrations of butyrate-producing microbes. Not only did patients with heart disease have overgrowths of certain pathogenic bacteria – but they exhibited a “consistent decrease” in microbial diversity. The authors concluded that dietary nutrients serve as “key environmental influences” on intestinal microbes, and stated that modulating the microbiome could help prevent – and possibly even help treat – heart disease. More Evidence: Diet Profoundly Affects the Health of Intestinal Bacteria In a 2020 overview of literature published just this month in Nutrition Reviews, the authors examined 86 scientific articles and studies involving the gut microbiome. The review, which was conducted by scientists at George Washington University and the National Institute for Standards and Technology, revealed just how profoundly nutrition affects the microbial composition of the gut – and highlighted the contributions of plant fiber to microbial health. By contrast, the authors noted, protein metabolism appeared to result in harmful byproducts that could linger in the gut, with possible health consequences. More study is needed, the authors declared, to investigate ways in which the microbiome responds to dietary interventions. Read Carefully: The Key Nutrients for a Healthy Gut Microbiome Most of the research on nutrients for a healthy microbiome has centered on plant fiber, which serves as fuel for gut microbiota and causes the production of short-chain fatty acids. These beneficial fats function as signaling molecules that help to modulate blood pressure and inflammatory responses. Short-chain fatty acids also improve absorption of nutrients and reduce intestinal transit time – thereby shortening the time that toxic byproducts can accumulate in the intestines. In addition to dietary fiber – which is found in good supply in legumes, fruits and vegetables – probiotic foods like miso, sauerkraut and kimchi can help support a healthy gut microbiome while reducing the inflammation that lies at the root of virtually all serious chronic diseases. Here’s a tip for you: unsweetened yogurt with active cultures helps encourage beneficial microbes known as lactobacilli, while apples, artichokes, blueberries and almonds increase numbers of anti-inflammatory Bifidobacteria. And, don’t forget about prebiotics, those non-digestible carbohydrates that provide fuel for gut bacteria. Asparagus, bananas, garlic and onions are all good sources. You can also protect microbiome balance by avoiding pro-inflammatory refined oils, refined sugars and GMO foods. Important to note: artificial sweeteners, such as aspartame, don’t get a thumbs-up either. These have been shown to increase the number of bacterial strains linked with metabolic and heart disease. Natural health experts advise opting for the natural sweetener stevia instead. You can also preserve intestinal health by avoiding harsh chemical cleaning products, cigarette smoke, and unnecessary courses of antibiotics. On the whole, plant-based and vegetarian diets seem to offer more health benefits to the gut microbiome than meat-based eating plans. Before switching, however, check with your integrative doctor or nutritionist for help in creating a dietary plan that is right for you. Sources for this article include: JACC.org, MedicalNewsToday.com, Healthline.com To read the original article click here. For more articles from NaturalHealth365 click here.

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The Robots Inside Your Belly

AHA Publisher — Mon, 17 Aug 2020 07:00:09 +0000

Abigail Klein Leichman via Israel21c – Every list of the greatest Israeli inventions includes PillCam. PillCam is a video camera swallowed like a vitamin pill. It travels through the gastrointestinal tract, sending clear images to the physician on its way out of the body. Invented by an Israeli electro-optical engineer and his neighbor, a gastroenterologist, the camera-in-a-pill endoscopy device signaled a worldwide diagnostic revolution. Capsule endoscopy has been FDA-approved and in use since 2001. Given Imaging, the Israeli company that commercialized the PillCam, was acquired in 2013 by Irish company Covidien. Following Covidien’s acquisition by US-based Medtronic, the PillCam platform has been further developed through the Covidien Minimally Invasive Therapies Division of Medtronic. The PillCam capsule endoscopy platform now enables physicians to detect GI abnormalities, monitor disease (such as Crohn’s) and assess treatment efficacy for conditions in the esophagus, stomach, small bowel and colon (large intestine). Imaging the digestive system noninvasively is a lifesaving medical advance. In the United States alone, 2020 will see an estimated 147,950 new cases of colorectal cancer and 27,600 cases of stomach cancer. And even though everyone over age 50 is encouraged to have a colonoscopy to screen for cancer, approximately 1 in 3 people decide not to undergo this invasive procedure. While PillCam started the ball rolling on noninvasive imaging, other Israeli medical inventors have innovated additional ways to provide images from inside the digestive tract. Let’s look at some of these amazing devices. Check-Cap C-Scan The C-Scan system from Check-Cap aims to be the first-ever ingestible device to detect colon polyps without laxative preparation. That is possible because rather than video imaging as PillCam uses, the C-Scan capsule takes ultra-low dose X-rays, which don’t require a clean colon. The patient simply swallows the capsule along with one tablespoon of a contrast agent and fiber supplements with each meal. Over two or three days, the system collects data as it is propelled naturally through the gastrointestinal tract. During that time, patients continue their daily routine. The system also includes an integrated positioning, control and recording system, and proprietary software to generate a 3D map of the inner lining of the colon. Only if a polyp is found, which happens in up to 25% of cases, would the patient have to get a colonoscopy. Approved in Europe and Israel, C-Scan is undergoing additional clinical studies with the aim of optimizing the system for FDA approval through a pivotal study next year in the United States – the first market targeted by Check-Cap. Last December, the company announced results of a US pilot study at NYU Grossman School of Medicine in New York and the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota. “The results of the study are promising, both in terms of safety and patient compliance of the procedure,” said Dr. Seth A. Gross, principal investigator of the NYU study. “We are excited about the potential of the C-Scan System offering a patient-friendly screening option that could detect pre-cancerous polyps before they become malignant.” Dr. Elizabeth Rajan, principal investigator of the Mayo Clinic study, said: “The availability of preparation-free options for colorectal cancer screening are appealing to patients and may indeed increase screening rates. Initial results from the pilot study are promising.” Check-Cap CEO Alex Ovadia tells ISRAEL21c that the company is working toward the pivotal study while at the same time preparing a manufacturing infrastructure with partner GE Healthcare and exploring potential collaborations with strategic industry leaders. SAW While capsule endoscopy is a significant medical advance, the physician cannot control the navigation of the pill camera or which pictures it takes. Prof. David Zarrouk from the Bio-inspired and Medical Robotics Laboratory at Ben-Gurion University aims to improve capsule endoscopy with his SAW (single actuator wave-like) microbot. Using a proprietary single-motor propulsion system invented in Zarrouk’s lab, SAW will allow doctors to control the tiny camera’s movement and position for better accuracy. “You can stop it where you want to do further inspection, take more pictures and then continue,” Zarrouk tells ISRAEL21c. “You could potentially drop medicine to a spot the camera shows you. And if you see something that needs attention you can stop the robot and check further with ultrasound or another technology, and you’ll know exactly where it is in the intestine. With a regular PillCam, it’s hard to know the exact position of a problem spot.” SAW is still in development. “We’ve gotten it pretty small but not small enough to be swallowed yet because there aren’t electrical motors small enough,” Zarrouk explains. “We don’t believe a motor will be invented that is smaller, so we hope to shrink it through other means, or redesign it longer but narrower so it’s swallowable.” His lab also is improving the microbot’s traction and locomotion by attaching two together. Preliminary results using intestines from pigs are promising, he adds. TipCAT and ViRob Moving from capsules to robots, Israel’s Microbot Medical invented two preclinical robotic solutions for visualizing the inside of tubular body structures: TipCAT and ViRob. Both products originated in the lab of the company’s cofounder and scientific director, Technion mechanical engineering Prof. Moshe Shoham. A worldwide authority in medical robotics, Shoham also founded Mazor Robotics for surgery, sold to Medtronic for $1.6 billion. (Fun fact: Shoham was David Zarrouk’s PhD adviser at Technion.) ViRob is an autonomous crawling micro-robot designed to be controlled remotely or within the body. Its miniature dimensions allow it to navigate and crawl through the tight spaces and curved passages of digestive tract, blood vessels or respiratory system for a prolonged time under a physician’s supervision. It can carry a mini camera, shunt or medication. TipCAT is a self-propelled, flexible, semi-disposable endoscope providing “see and treat” capabilities within tubular body passages such as the colon, blood vessels and urinary tract. Its locomotion mechanism is designed for fast and gentle advancement through the body. This preclinical robot is collecting patents across the world as it heads toward regulatory approval. To read the original article click here. For more articles from Israel21c click here.

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