prebiotic Archives - Amazing Health Advances

Why Is Sorghum One of My New Favorite Grains?

The AHA! Team — Wed, 10 Sep 2025 20:01:21 +0000

Michael Greger M.D. FACLM via Nutrition Facts – Learn why sorghum is one of my favorite new grains. “Despite playing a significant role in Africa and Asia as a staple grain, sorghum has only recently emerged as a potential human food source in the developed world.” And it isn’t just a principal grain in many parts of the world, but it’s “critical in folk medicine” traditions, too. What might its health benefits be? There are some in vitro data from test tubes and petri dishes, as well as in vivo data, meaning “within the living” in laboratory animals, but only in the last decade have we started seeing human trials. In one study, participants were asked to eat sorghum pancakes or corn pancakes for supper every day for three weeks. Both groups saw significant, 20 to 30 percent drops in their cholesterol, but all participants were also “requested not to consume eggs and other cholesterol-boosting foodstuff,” so that may very well have played a role. Another study used biscuits. Those eating sorghum biscuits said they felt more satiated than when they ate wheat biscuits, but that “did not translate to differences in intake at the subsequent ad-libitum [all-you-can-eat] meal.” So, does it matter that they subjectively felt more satiated if that did not cause them to eat any less? Unsurprisingly, when put to the test, those eating sorghum versus wheat biscuits didn’t lose any weight, though the data are a bit mixed. A recent study concluded that “sorghum can be an important strategy for weight loss in humans.” However, those in the sorghum group didn’t actually lose more weight. They did eat hundreds more calories a day, though, and they still lost more body fat, as you can see below and at 1:41 in my video The Health Benefits of Sorghum. This may be because of their greater fiber consumption or intake of other goodies, like the resistant starch in sorghum. The vehicle the researchers used was an artificially flavored, colored, and sweetened powdered drink mixture of water, milk powder, and either sorghum or wheat flour. That may be good for a study since you can make a blinded control, but it leaves you wondering what would happen if you actually ate the whole food. The resistant starch is exciting, though. Most of the starch in sorghum is either slow-starch—that is, slowly digestible—or fully resistant to digestion in the small intestine, which offers a banquet bounty of prebiotics for our good gut flora down in our colon. Evidently, it isn’t the sorghum starch itself, but interactions with the proteins and other compounds that effectively act as starch blockers, inhibiting our starch-munching enzymes. Sorghum ends up with “the lowest starch digestibility” among grains, which is why, traditionally, it was considered to be an “inferior” grain—but inferior in the sense of not providing as many calories. (That’s a good thing in the age of epidemic obesity.) When study participants were given either a whole-wheat muffin (the control) or a sorghum muffin, with both containing the same amount of starch, researchers saw significantly higher blood sugars 45 minutes to two hours after subjects ate the wheat muffin, as shown below and at 2:58 in my video. They also saw a higher insulin spike, starting almost immediately after consuming the wheat muffin, as seen below, and at 3:03. Overall, after consumption of the sorghum muffin, researchers found a 25 percent lower blood sugar response, and the participants’ bodies had to release less than half the insulin to deal with it, as seen here and at 3:11 in my video. The same type of results were found with people with diabetes. Researchers saw a lower blood sugar spike with sorghum porridge compared to grits, and the participants’ bodies could deal with it with a fraction of the insulin. So, we need to educate people on how healthy sorghum is—and, some suggest, “develop products that are…healthy, convenient to use, and tasty.” No need! Sorghum is already healthy, convenient, and tasty just the way it is. I just press a single button on my electric pressure cooker with two parts water and one part sorghum, and it’s ready in 20 minutes. You can make a big batch and use it all week just like you would rice. Of course, there isn’t big money for the food industry when people eat the intact, whole grain. Instead, the industry is looking at sorghum for its “enormous potential for exploitation” in creating “functional foods and food additives.” (Did you know that adding sorghum to pork or turkey patties can decrease their “cardboardy ﬂavor”? Why eat sorghum when you can instead use it to make gluten-free beer?) It’s funny. When I wrote in How Not to Diet about taxpayer subsidies going to the sugar, corn syrup, oil, and livestock industries to subsidize cheap animal feed to help make Dollar Menu meat, I jokingly asked, “When was the last time you sat down to some sorghum?” Now that we know how good it is for us, maybe we should be taking advantage of the quarter billion dollars the United States is spending to prop up the sorghum industry and sit down to some sorghum after all. If you missed the previous video, check out Is Sorghum a Healthy Grain? My How Not to Diet Cookbook is full of delicious and healthful grain recipes. Check it out here. “Resistant starch”? Learn more about Resistant Starch and Colon Cancer and Getting Starch to Take the Path of Most Resistance. For more on the benefits of different grains, see related posts below. Key Takeaways Sorghum, widely used as a staple in Africa and Asia, is now being studied for its health benefits, with emerging human trials on its potential for cholesterol and blood sugar regulation. Studies show that sorghum may aid in lowering cholesterol and can increase feelings of satiety. However, this satiety hasn’t consistently led to reduced food intake. Sorghum’s resistant starch content results in lower blood sugar spikes and requires less insulin after consumption compared to other grains like wheat, making it promising for blood sugar management, especially in people with diabetes. Sorghum’s unique starch composition, largely resistant to digestion, offers prebiotic benefits for gut health and may act as a natural starch blocker. Despite sorghum’s potential health benefits as a whole grain, the food industry is more focused on its use in functional foods and additives. However, the grain can be easily prepared and enjoyed whole, offering a healthy, cost-effective option for any diet. To read the original article click here.

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Why I Include Lentils in My Prebiotic Recipe

AHA Publisher — Fri, 09 Sep 2022 07:00:23 +0000

Michael Greger M.D. FACLM via Nutrition Facts – Lentils and chickpeas, also known as garbanzo beans, are put to the test. If you compared the total antioxidant content of ten different legumes, which do you think would come out on top? Researchers looked at the “pinto bean, baby lima bean, red kidney bean, black kidney bean [what I believe we more commonly know as black bean], navy bean, small red bean, black eyed bean [black-eyed pea], mung bean, lentil, and chickpea.” Who can guess the winner and the loser? As you can see at 0:33 in my video Benefits of Lentils and Chickpeas, lima beans came in at number ten at the bottom of the list. Then came navy beans, black-eyed peas, and mung beans, which is what bean sprouts are typically made from, in seventh place. Moving into the winner’s circle, kidney beans. I’ll bet many would have guessed those to be our number one, but, no. They came in sixth, in the middle of the pack. Five legumes beat them out: pinto beans, black beans, the bronze to small red beans, the silver to chickpeas (garbanzo beans), and the gold to lentils. As you can see below and at 1:17 in my video how lentils pull away from the pack in terms of scavenging up free radicals. Lentils top the charts based on a variety of different measures. Might it be because they’re so small and their nutrients are concentrated in the seed coat, so smaller means more surface area? That would be my guess. When pitted against cholesterol in vitro to try to prevent oxidation, lentils also seem to stand out, perhaps making it “the best among all tested food legumes for the development of a dietary supplement for promoting heart health and for preventing cancers”—or you could just have some lentil soup. (They are the L in my BROL prebiotic mix recipe featured in How Not to Diet and The How Not to Diet Cookbook.) “Aside from lentils, black beans, black soybeans, and red kidney beans” were also found to top the list. As you can see below and at 2:05 in my video, the ingredients of a breakfast made up of a bagel, cream cheese, margarine, egg, cantaloupe, and whole milk. What would happen if you also served either a bowl of black bean soup, just the amount of fiber found in that bowl of soup, orjust the amount of antioxidants found in that bowl of soup? Which do you think works better? Whole plant foods can be greater than the sum of their parts. “Nowadays, it is popular to isolateand sell functional components of foods as dietary supplements and many supplements are marketed for their ‘antioxidant’ properties. However, functional ingredients”—the extracted ingredients—“may not produce the same effects when delivered outside a whole food matrix” or form. In one study, for example, the researchers compared “the ability of black beans to attenuate postprandial [after-meal] metabolic, oxidative stress, and inflammatory responses [to a crappy breakfast] and determine relative contributions of dietary fiber and antioxidant capacity to the overall effect.” Well, it’s kind of a no-brainer. “Overall, the inclusion of black beans in a meal improved postprandial metabolic responses…that could not be explained by either the fiber or antioxidant fractions alone.” Beans can even affect our responses to subsequent meals. When our body detects starch in our small intestine, it slows down rate at which our stomach empties. That makes sense, since the body wants to finish digesting before the next meal comes down the pike. So, researchers “hypothesized that eating a slowly digestible starch, such as lentils, may trigger these potent…mechanisms to result in a sustained delaying effect on gastric [stomach] emptying.” You can see below and at 3:34 in my video, a graphic showing the stomach emptying rate at a second meal consumed four and a half hours after eating a “premeal of either lentils or bread,” a quickly digesting starch. The chart doesn’t show how fast your stomach empties itself of the premeal, but how fast it empties a second meal eaten hours after you ate those lentils or that bread. So what happened? A premeal of lentils significantly slowed stomach emptying of a second meal compared with a premeal of quickly digestible bread. In fact, the lentil premeal slowed stomach emptying by about an hour, which means you would feel that much fuller for that much longer after lunch, simply because you had some beans for breakfast. And, when all the fiber and resistant starch make it down to the large intestine, they can feed the good bacteria in our colon. Researchers fed people a little over a cup of canned chickpeas a day, and, in just three weeks, some of the bad bacteria, the “pathogenic” and “putrefactive bacteria,” got crowded out, nearly halving the number of people colonizing a high ammonia-producing bacteria, indicating that chickpeas “have the potential to modulate the intestinal microbiome to promote intestinal health in humans” within a matter of weeks. I’ve since expanded my BROL prebiotic mix to include hulled purple barley and rye berries. Together with oat groats and beluga lentils, they form the base for many a sweet and savory dish in the Greger household. Key Takeaways Total antioxidant content of ten legumes, from most to least: lentils, garbanzo beans (chickpeas), small red beans, black beans, pinto beans, kidney beans, mung beans, black-eyed peas, navy beans, and lima beans. Lentils also stand out when pitted against cholesterol in vitro to try to prevent oxidation, making them “the best among all tested food legumes for the development of a dietary supplement for promoting heart health and for preventing cancers”—but why not just eat lentils themselves? Although extracts, dietary supplements, and the like are popular, whole plant foods can be greater than the sum of their parts. When researchers compared black beans to an unhealthy breakfast, the beans were found to improve after-meal metabolic responses “that could not be explained by either the fiber or antioxidant fractions alone.” Beans, such as lentils, can also slow stomach emptying of a subsequent meal, leaving you feeling much fuller for longer. The fiber and resistant starch in beans also feed the good bacteria in our colon, thereby crowding out our bad “pathogenic” and “putrefactive” bacteria. To read the original article click here.

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Energizing Green High Fiber Smoothie

AHA Publisher — Wed, 11 May 2022 07:00:25 +0000

Dr. Don Colbert – Need more ways to get enough fiber in your diet? Need more energy? You’re not alone! Fortunately, these two health desires go hand-in-hand. In fact, when you include high fiber foods in your diet, you can improve digestion. Then, better digestion improves many aspects of life, including energy. Ready to start? Try our Energizing Green High Fiber Smoothie today! Energizing Green High Fiber Smoothie Ingredients 3/4 cup plain Greek yogurt or canned coconut milk 1 scoop Keto Zone® Fiber Zone 1 scoop Divine Health® Fermented Green Supremefood® 1 scoop Keto Zone® Hydrolyzed Collagen 1 tablespoon hemp heart seeds 1 stalk celery 1/2 cup strawberries (2-3 large) water and ice as needed for desired consistency Instructions Place all ingredients in a blender. Mix well. Make sure to add water as needed. Add ice to desired consistency. Drink immediately. Makes one serving. Nutrition info: 367 calories, 12 grams fat, 5 grams net carbs (29 grams carbohydrates, 24 grams fiber), 27 grams protein What Can You Get in a Smoothie? 2 Types of Fiber Our Energizing High-Fiber Green Smoothie contains fiber from Keto Zone® Fiber Zone and whole foods. This combination is great for digestive health. In fact, there are 2 primary fibers in the smoothie. INULIN Inulin is a prebiotic fiber. This means it feeds the healthy bacteria and cells in our digestive tracts. This is a good thing because gut bacteria need a healthy food source! Inulin is found in many plants, like chicory root. Interestingly, human digestive tracts can’t break down and digest it. Therefore, inulin is not a nutritive carbohydrate (one that provides calories). Instead, inulin is consumed by healthy bacteria and converted into a short-chain fatty acid that further nourishes colon cells (1). PSYLLIUM HUSK Psyllium husk is made of both soluble (70%) and insoluble fibers (30%). This means twice the benefits. Similar to inulin, the soluble fiber acts as a prebiotic, to feed and fortify healthy gut bacteria. The insoluble fiber passes through the digestive tract, mostly intact. It provides bulk and softness to stools, subtle laxative effects, and can improve digestive health, in addition to other benefits of fiber (2). Why Go High Fiber? Top 10 Health Benefits of Fiber 1. IMPROVED ENERGY & MOOD As described in detail in this post, you can improve the health of many body systems by improving the health of your digestive system. For one, when digestion is working well, your body delivers the nutrients it needs from foods to every system. This means better metabolism and better energy. Incredibly, the consumption of high fiber and the resulting improvement in digestion also affects mood and mental health. The Microbiota-Gut-Brain Axis (the communication between the bacteria and hormones in the gut and the brain) can trigger emotional shifts, mood changes, anxious and depressed moods, and mental impairments (3, 4, 5, 6). 2. GREAT BONE HEALTH Bone health depends on the efficient absorption of vitamins and minerals, including calcium, vitamin K2, vitamin D, and magnesium. Lab studies have found inulin improves the absorption of nutrients, resulting in improved bone density (7, 8). What’s more, studies of children (ages 9-13) have shown better calcium absorption and bone mineralization when taking inulin (9, 10). 3. WEIGHT LOSS AND NORMALIZED APPETITE For those looking to lose weight, inulin and psyllium husk are great choices. Multiple studies show that high fiber can reduce intake and promote healthy weight changes (11, 12). In fact, in one study the “inulin fiber group” lost 2 pounds while the control group gained one. While consuming 21 grams of inulin per day, the inulin group experienced lower hunger-hormone levels and increased fullness (13). 4. OPTIMAL BLOOD SUGARS AND IMPROVED DIABETES CONTROL For those with impaired blood glucose, several studies on inulin and psyllium husk suggest it may help optimize blood sugars (14, 15, 16, 17). How? First, as a fiber, it slows digestion to reduce blood sugar spikes. Second, it has been shown to actually decrease fat in the livers of people with impairments (18). Reducing liver fat can reduce insulin resistance and may help reverse blood sugar issues (19). What’s more, another study showed that 10 grams of inulin per day reduced fasting blood glucose by an average of 8.5% and hemoglobin A1C (HgbA1C) by an average of 10.5% (20). 5. GOOD PROBIOTIC COLONY HEALTH & REDUCED CONSTIPATION Healthy gut bacteria is essential for overall health. Both inulin and psyllium husk stimulate the growth of beneficial bacteria. When these bacteria proliferate, yeast overgrowth is inhibited, digestion improves, and the immune function benefits (21, 22). Inulin and psyllium husk also decrease constipation, hemorrhoids, and other digestion issues. Inulin relieves constipation with soluble fibers; psyllium does so with both soluble and insoluble fibers. For example, one 4-week study found that 15 grams of inulin per day improved constipation in older adults (23). Psyllium husk softens stools and increases stool bulk to reduce constipation and hemorrhoids. 6. LESS DIETARY CARBOHYDRATES AS THICKENERS Inulin improves the texture of manufactured foods. You can use it in home cooking as well. Use inulin powder in low-carbohydrate recipes to thicken sauces, soups, condiments and more. Stir it into a warm liquid and continue stirring until slightly thickened. 7. HEALTHY TRIGLYCERIDE AND CHOLESTEROL LEVELS Psyllium husk and inulin are proven cholesterol reducers. One study concluded that 6 weeks of psyllium intake resulted in lower cholesterol in obese and overweight participants (24). What’s more, another study confirmed that 5 grams of psyllium three times daily for six weeks reduced triglycerides by 26%, compared to the placebo (25). 8. OPTIMAL BLOOD PRESSURE What about blood pressure? Studies have shown that high fiber and psyllium husk can support healthy blood pressure, too! In fact, one study showed a diet with an additional 12 grams of fiber from psyllium reduced systolic blood pressure by 5.9 mm mercury in 36 participants with high blood pressure (26). 9. MAY REDUCE INCIDENCE OF COLON CELL OVERGROWTH Studies have reported inulin as an agent that reduces colon cell overgrowth. A review of 12 animal studies found that 88% of the groups given inulin saw a reduction in pre-malignant colon growths (27). In terms of human studies, one promising experiment showed that inulin caused the colon environment to be less favorable for cell overgrowth (28). 10. LESS LOOSE STOOLS Since fiber promotes reduced constipation, it’s sort of a wonder it can also improve diarrhea! Digestion is about “balance.” With the right amount of fiber, you should experience regularity without constipation or diarrhea. How does it work? The fibers absorb water, thereby reducing diarrhea and increasing stool softness and bulk (29, 30). Support Digestion With Keto Zone There are many ways the Keto Zone supports digestive health. They include: Keto Zone® Fiber Zone. This proprietary fiber supplement powder is formulated with both psyllium husk and inulin to support health as described above. Dr. Colbert Beyond Biotics™ is an excellent probiotic supplement with 12 billion healthy probiotic bacteria units. These units have been proven to encourage optimal digestive health in just 4 weeks! In fact, Beyond Biotics™ contains 3 clinically studied and tested probiotic strains consisting of 12 billion bacteria, supporting the immune response and natural defenses. If you want to encourage great health throughout your body, this is a great supplement. Dr. Colbert’s Healthy Gut Zone Plan. It will teach you, step-by-step, how to improve your digestive health, support your entire body, and encourage better brain function, alertness and health starting today! Join Dr. Colbert in his challenge to prioritize your gut health. It can make all the difference to health! Dr. Colbert’s Beyond Keto program combines Keto Zone and Mediterranean foods to support gut health! In fact, studies have found the Mediterranean diet specifically improves gut microbiota and its associated metabolism functions (31). Get started with Dr. Colbert’s Beyond Keto today and encourage digestive and whole-body health! Bottom Line Fiber is a great nutrient for whole body health. Keto Zone® Fiber Zone provides 2 effective types of fiber to support your body. Try our Energizing Green High Fiber Smoothie today and flood your body with nutrients that encourage all 10 fiber benefits! To read the original article click here.

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4 UNEXPECTED Benefits of Eating Carrots

AHA Publisher — Wed, 08 Sep 2021 07:00:25 +0000

Lori Alton via NaturalHealth365 – Carrots have a well-deserved reputation as a healthy food that can benefit eyesight. These sweet, crunchy root vegetables are extraordinarily high in beta-carotene, the plant pigment responsible for their brilliant orange color. The body converts beta-carotene to vitamin A, which is essential for vision. And lutein – another plant pigment in carrots – actually reduces the risk of age-related macular degeneration, the leading cause of blindness in older Americans. While carrots’ most obvious health benefits center on protecting and enhancing vision, they do confer additional gifts – some of which may surprise you! For example, a recent Japanese study revealed that a carrot-based herbal medicine may help prevent a serious complication of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). And, that’s not all. For more intriguing benefits of carrots, keep reading. Here Is How Carrots Promote Healthy Weight and Improve the Gut Microbiome Carrots, botanically known as Daucus carota, mainly consist of water and carbohydrates. However, this doesn’t mean they lack nutritional value – carrots manage to sneak in quite a few valuable vitamins, minerals and nutrients as well. A 100-gram serving (two medium carrots) provides almost 3 grams of fiber, much of it in the form of the soluble fiber pectin. Along with carrots’ natural sweetness, this makes them a satisfying snack that may help prevent binge eating. In addition, insoluble fibers in carrots – including cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignins – help prevent constipation and keep the digestive system moving. But carrots’ main claim to digestive health is that they contain a powerful natural prebiotic known as arabinogalactan. Prebiotics improve the gut microbiome (the community of beneficial microorganisms in the digestive tract) by encouraging “friendly” bacteria – such as lactobacilli and bifidobacteria. Because the gut microbiome affects immunity, metabolism, and even mood, anything that supports its health is a big “plus.” But Wait, There Are More Benefits! Carrots Even Protect Against Heart Disease By contributing fiber to the diet, carrots help support cardiovascular health. In a scientific review published in Nutrients, researchers noted that adequate fiber intake consistently lowers the risk of cardiovascular disease and coronary heart disease. Dr. Somdat Mahabir – a nutrition and disease expert with the National Institutes of Health – agrees, stating that dietary fiber lowers harmful LDL cholesterol and reduces the risk for developing heart disease, stroke, and high blood pressure. Fiber may also help to reduce levels of inflammatory molecules such as C-reactive protein. However, carrots’ soluble and insoluble fibers don’t get all the credit for supporting heart health. Carrots are a good source of the essential mineral potassium, which is vital for healthy blood pressure. They also contain vitamin K, which may help to protect against artery-clogging atherosclerosis. Reduce Your Cancer Risk With Carrots One of the most remarkable benefits of carrots is their potential to discourage cancer. Their antioxidant compounds – which include beta-carotene, alpha-carotene, lutein, lycopene, and polyacetylenes – can help to scavenge harmful free radicals and prevent the oxidative damage that may trigger cancer. In fact, one study showed that women with high levels of circulating carotenoids were at lower risk of developing breast cancer. (Carrots seem to be protective against cancers of the colon, prostate, and stomach as well). Although experts agree that a diet high in carrots and other antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables helps to prevent cancer, it is possible that carrots may eventually play a role in treating it. In a study published in the Journal of Medicinal Foods, scientists found that carrot juice extracts caused cell cycle arrest and apoptosis (or “cell suicide”) in leukemia cells. The impressed researchers concluded that carrots “may be an excellent source of bioactive chemicals for the treatment of leukemia.” Carrots May Help Prevent a Serious Complication of COPD COPD, which currently affects 16 million Americans, can cause severe difficulty in breathing. In addition, COPD can lead to sarcopenia, or muscle wasting and atrophy. While exercise is the only established treatment for COPD, sarcopenia impairs physical activity – causing further deterioration in lung function and leading to a downward spiral in health and quality of life. However, carrots may be able to come to the rescue. In a promising animal study conducted by researchers at Osaka City University and published in 2020 in the International Journal of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, the team found that a carrot-based Japanese herbal medicine known as “Ninjin’yoeito” helped to prevent muscle atrophy in mice exposed to cigarette smoke. Study leader Professor Kazuhisa Asai called the preparation a potential treatment for COPD-related sarcopenia in humans and expressed hope that the carrot medicine could help break the “vicious cycle of sarcopenia frailty.” And, while raw carrots are a healthy snack, cooked carrots may be even more beneficial – as their beta-carotene is easier for the body to absorb. Consuming some healthy fat along with carrots is also a good way to increase absorbability. Of course, don’t eat carrots if you are allergic to them. Experts report that allergy to birch and/or mugwort pollen may make a carrot allergy more likely. Don’t let the cartoonish orange color and everyday appearance of carrots blind you to their amazing benefits. When it comes to discouraging serious conditions such as obesity, heart disease, cancer, and sarcopenia, carrots appear to be “serious medicine.” Sources for this article include: ScienceDaily.com Healthline.com NIH.gov BrightFocus.org NewsinHealth.NIH.gov To read the original article click here.

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Common Plant Fiber Gel Doubled Rate of Tumor Eradication

AHA Publisher — Fri, 02 Jul 2021 07:00:02 +0000

University of Michigan via Newswise – Many people don’t realize that the trillions of bacteria, viruses, and fungi residing within the gastrointestinal tract––collectively called the gut microbiome–– are connected to overall health, and specifically to cancer. Manipulating the gut microbiome to produce “beneficial” commensal microbes, which protect the host from pathogens and can boost immune responses, among other things, could potentially help patients respond better to cancer drugs called immune checkpoint inhibitors, a type of immunotherapy. To that end, researchers at the University of Michigan have developed a new dietary fiber formulation that improves the potency of immunotherapies against cancer by modulating the gut microbiome. In the future, cancer patients treated with immune checkpoint blockers may benefit from consuming this inulin gel dietary fiber, said James Moon, the John G. Searle Associate Professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences in the College of Pharmacy. The findings appear in the June 24 issue Nature Biomedical Engineering. Inulin, a dietary fiber found in chicory root, Jerusalem artichoke and other plants, is a prebiotic that helps produce colon-residing commensal bacteria. By formulating inulin into a more colon-targeted inulin gel formulation, the team was able to provide a rich source of nutrients to allow beneficial gut microbes to expand more in the gastrointestinal tract. The inulin gel improved immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy in rodents with colon carcinoma as well as melanoma. For instance, when inulin gel was combined with an immune checkpoint inhibitor in a colon carcinoma rodent model, the rate of tumor eradication doubled (100% improvement), compared with the immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy alone. “Consumption of the inulin gel expanded and increased the number of beneficial microbes in tumor-bearing mice,” said Kai Han, postdoctoral fellow and first author of the study. “These are beneficial commensal microbes that are found in cancer patients who respond well to immune checkpoint inhibitors. “The current approaches to restoring a healthy gut microbiome include oral ingestion of defined probiotics or fecal microbiota transplantation,” Han said. “However, it would be very challenging to develop these as pharmaceutical products due to scale-up manufacturing and quality control.” The human microbiome has recently emerged as the next frontier in drug development. Intense research interest in the microbiome is driven by evidence linking the potential health benefits of modulating gut microbiota to treating various diseases, including cancer, diabetes, obesity and neurodegenerative diseases. In particular, a series of recent studies showed that the gut microbiome plays a crucial role in cancer patients’ response rate to immune checkpoint inhibitors, Moon said. “We and others have shown that the gut microbiome has a crucial role in our immune responses,” Han said. “Close to 70% of lymph nodes in our bodies are located in the gastrointestinal tract and therefore, microbes residing in the gastrointestinal tract closely interact with our immune cells. Maintaining a healthy gut microbiome nurtures our immune system so that our immune cells can effectively fight against cancer.” The group chose inulin because it wanted something that could be readily translated to the clinic. Inulin is a dietary fiber that is widely consumed by the public and is present in many plants. It’s used as a sugar substitute and in candies and butter. By making inulin into inulin gel, researchers found that inulin gel coats the gastrointestinal tract much better, leaving more nutrients to the commensal microbes. The inulin gel also works with anti-PD-1 plus anti-CTLA-4 combo-therapy, (widely used immune checkpoint inhibitors) that treat many types of cancer, Han said. Roughly 10-30% of cancer patients respond to immune checkpoint inhibitors, depending on the types of cancer, and there is risk of serious immune-related complications and side-effects, Moon said. For instance, inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract and skin are common. Previous studies have shown that inulin consumption may alleviate gastrointestinal inflammation, such as colitis and IBD. “So, inulin gel may alleviate gastrointestinal inflammation induced by immune checkpoint inhibitors and we are testing this idea now,” Moon said. To read the original article click here.

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How to Detox Your Body from Mold Without Stressing Out Your Kidneys & Liver

AHA Publisher — Fri, 16 Oct 2020 07:00:04 +0000

Isaac Eliaz, MD, MS, LAc via Dr. Axe – You may not be aware of it, but mold is probably affecting your health. So even if it’s not on your mind, “how to detox your body from mold” should be something we all need to be asking. Even if mold is making you sick, you might not know it’s the source of your symptoms. That’s because mold toxicity can act like many other conditions, so it often goes misdiagnosed and untreated. Exposure can cause many different symptoms, including: Fatigue Cough Shortness of breath Fever Headache Joint pain Memory problems Dizziness Sinus infections Wheezing Trouble concentrating Sensitivity to light Skin rash Digestive problems One of the main reasons mold toxins can cause so many different symptoms is this: These toxins can suppress or damage your immune system. Not only can they bring on symptoms themselves, they can make you more vulnerable to other illnesses. Surrounded by Mold Mold exposure is shockingly common. It’s found in the air, damp or water-damaged buildings, even the food you’re eating. Foods that commonly contain mold include cereal grains, nuts, spices, coffee, bulk foods (like the kind you buy from bins to save money) and dairy products. You come across mold inside and outside, and it can travel around with you. Mold spores can attach to things like: Clothing Shoes Pets Reusable grocery bags That means it can come home with you from just about anywhere. And if it ends up somewhere even slightly damp, it will grow and multiply. Mold Produces Toxins In nature, mold speeds up the break down (decomposition) of things like dead trees and fallen leaves. Some molds are used to make cheese or create antibiotics. But many types of mold can be hazardous to your health. These molds produce mycotoxins, poisons that can cause severe health problems and a wide variety of symptoms. The two most common harmful mycotoxins are aflatoxin and ochratoxin, and exposure to either (or both) of these can trigger substantial health issues — from chronic allergies to cancer. What’s more, if your body can’t remove these toxins on its own, they can slip into long-term storage to cause lasting or recurring damage. Mycotoxins Damage Your Health (and Your Immune System) Mycotoxins are sneaky. While mold itself can’t enter your bloodstream — though it can hang around and colonize in spots like your nostrils and lungs — mycotoxins can get into your bloodstream and circulate throughout your body. These opportunistic toxins can hijack your immune system, making you more vulnerable to infections. If your immune system is already compromised (such as people with autoimmune conditions or undergoing cancer treatment), mycotoxins take advantage. If you’re healthy, they can make you very sick. Studies show that mycotoxins can: Cause lung inflammation that can make it harder to breathe Disrupt your gut health by reducing beneficial bacteria and encouraging pathogens Trigger chronic fatigue syndrome Affect brain function and cognition Cause liver damage, including cancer Worsen allergy and asthma symptoms Unfortunately, mold toxicity is frequently misdiagnosed. Because of its wide-ranging effects, it’s typically mistaken for other conditions including depression, multiple sclerosis, or autoimmune conditions. Plus, because mycotoxins are opportunistic, they’re often connected with debilitating diseases such as Lyme disease, IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) and fibromyalgia. Your Genes Can Make You More Vulnerable Around 25% of people are genetically predisposed to get sick from mold exposure. A simple test, called the HLA-DR, can tell you if you’re in that more susceptible population. If you are, it means your immune system can’t easily identify and get rid of mycotoxins. That can allow them to build up in the body, causing harm wherever they end up. On top of that, because of that genetic twist, even relatively small exposures to mycotoxins can affect you. And even if you’re not genetically susceptible to mold sickness, it can still impact your health. Healthy people can get sick from chronic or intense mold exposure. People with already compromised immune systems — even if their bodies can identify mold — are also extra vulnerable to mold toxicity. If that’s you, be sure should to double down on how to detox your body from mold. How to Detox Your Body from Mold Even if you’re not especially sensitive to mold, your body still needs help safely clearing out mycotoxins. When these aren’t removed properly and completely, they can cycle back around, and cause ongoing damage and symptoms. The best way to clear out these toxins is with proven toxin-binders. It’s important to make sure you’re working with safe, gentle detoxing agents so they don’t overtax your body’s clearance system (mainly your liver and kidneys). At the same time, you must use proven binders that don’t allow toxins to be reabsorbed in the intestines rather than excreted from the body. One prescription cholesterol-lowering medication called Cholestyramine binds strongly to some mycotoxins — especially ochratoxin — and keeps them getting reabsorbed. On the natural front, modified citrus pectin (MCP) has been extensively researched as an effective detoxifying agent. Because MCP works so gently, it’s safe for long-term use, which is often necessary for completely removing mycotoxins from your system. MCP works especially well when paired with another natural detoxifier: seaweed-derived alginates, natural gel-like substances that bind tightly to toxins. The combination of MCP and alginate prevents toxins — including mycotoxins and heavy metals — from being reabsorbed in the intestines. And although they make a strong detoxifying team, MCP and alginate are easily tolerated and their gentle action won’t strip essential minerals from your body. Equally important, MCP offers additional benefits that are essential when combating mold: Breaking the biofilm — By blocking galectin-3 and disrupting the biofilm backbone structure, it makes it easier for the body to identify the mold hiding in these areas and clear it, along with fungal infections that produce mycotoxins. Removing heavy metals — Fungus thrives on mercury. MCP as well as alginate are superior binders that safely remove mercury as well as lead, cadmium, uranium, arsenic and other heavy metals from the body. Calming inflammation — MCP reduces the excessive inflammatory response that is responsible for many of the mold-driven symptoms. Other mycotoxin detoxifiers include: Activated charcoal Bentonite clay Glutathione Chlorella In addition to utilizing detoxifiers when answering the “how do I detox my body from mold” question, it’s also important to strengthen your gut microbiome (the trillions of bacteria that live in your gut) with a high-quality probiotic and prebiotic combination. And, whenever possible, avoid mold exposure. This can be tricky, as mold can be tough to detect (if it’s inside walls, for example) and remove. Most important, if you’re concerned about mold toxicity, it’s critical to work with an experienced health practitioner who knows what to test for and which therapies are most appropriate for your situation. With the right support, you can identify—and resolve—any long-standing mold issues, and experience greater long-term health and vitality. To read the original article click here. For more articles from Dr. Axe click here.

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