TAG | Digestive Health
Wed 6/16 on the Poop Scoop: Going from Fatigue to Fantastic
06/15/10 0 Comments | Posted by bwatson in General
Every day I meet people who, after hearing what I do for a living, proceed to tell me their health issues. One of the most common complaints I hear is fatigue, and I mean extreme fatigue. People want to know ‘why do I feel so bad?’ or ‘Why don’t I have any energy?’ Most people don’t realize that this health issue can be stemming from your gut. What I mean is that your chronic fatigue may be the result of an unhealthy and unbalanced digestive system.
Join me as we focus on one such person who was suffering from prolonged, progressive chronic fatigue and her journey back to better health — my good friend and personal trainer, Katie. Just because you’re in the fitness business doesn’t mean you’ll be full of energy and vibrant health. Wait till you hear what Katie’s health was really like!
Log on and listen to Brenda’s Poop Scoop LIVE every Wednesday from 4-5 pm (EST) right from your computer. Missed an episode? Visit the Episode Directory on my website and listen to past shows from the archive!
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New Studies Warn Against Acid Reflux Drugs, Promote Natural Alternatives
05/12/10 3 Comments | Posted by bwatson in General
It’s a subject you’ve heard me talk about before, but considering new research it’s definitely worth repeating. A recent CBS news segment revealed that not one but five new studies showed that using acid-blocking drugs called proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) can be potentially dangerous to your health, and that “more than half of prescriptions for these drugs are unnecessary”. Folks, this is an eye-opener if there ever was one!
Every year more than 100 million Americans are prescribed PPIs to help relieve symptoms of heartburn and acid reflux, but what many people don’t know is that these drugs often come with some pretty serious side effects—including a nearly 75 percent greater risk of developing a severe intestinal infection known as C. diff, according to new evidence. Essentially, taking PPIs upsets the healthy bacterial balance in your intestines (which is where the majority of your natural immune defenses can be found), leaving your body vulnerable to illness and infection.
Widespread PPI use has also been linked to higher rates of pneumonia, as well as esophageal candidiasis (yeast overgrowth), inflammation of the stomach lining, increased permeability of upper GI tract lining, and even osteoporosis-related bone fractures due to the fact that PPIs block calcium absorption in the body. Because long-term PPI use also leads to hypochlorhydria (low stomach acid secretion), bacterial overgrowth and acetaldehyde production, PPI users have an increased risk of developing gastric cancer.
The good news? There are simple things we can do every day to help prevent heartburn and acid reflux without relying on harmful drugs. Diet changes like limiting our intake of caffeine, alcohol, chocolate and fatty or spicy foods can make a big difference, along with maintaining a healthy body weight, getting plenty of exercise and quitting smoking—all pretty good advice if you ask me! Natural supplements made with ingredients such as ellagic acid (from raspberries and pomegranates) can also provide soothing relief for occasional heartburn, and digestive enzymes with added HCl can help ensure complete digestion and reduce the chances of heartburn and acid reflux happening in the first place.
The bottom line is this: why take a potentially dangerous drug when smarter, safer alternatives exist? My hope is that the more people learn about PPIs and their side effects—including why they may not even need them in the first place—the more people will take steps to improve their digestive health naturally.
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Wed 4/28 on the Poop Scoop: Feeding your Child’s Brain – Nutrition and Behavior
04/27/10 0 Comments | Posted by bwatson in General
Parents Unite! Getting Your Children to Eat Right – Every parent knows it’s not always easy getting kids to eat healthy, especially since we can’t be with them every second of the day. But teaching children early on about the benefits of good nutrition is one of the most important things we as parents can do to help them grow into healthy adults, and the good news? It may not be as hard as you think!
On tomorrow’s Poop Scoop I’ll be talking with Dr. Tara Garlitz about simple and effective ways to helps kids make smart choices when it comes to food. Tara is a mom of three who’s been working with children and families for more than 10 years to help them understand the important connection between diet, digestive health and overall wellness, including the role of good bacteria in the gut and why daily probiotics are a must. So parents—don’t miss out on this valuable advice!
Log on and listen to Brenda’s Poop Scoop LIVE every Wednesday from 4-5 pm (EST) right from your computer. Missed an episode? Visit the Episode Directory on my website and listen to past shows from the archive!
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Wed 3/24/10 on the Poop Scoop – Going From Fatigue to Fantastic!
03/23/10 0 Comments | Posted by bwatson in General
Every day I meet people who, after hearing what I do for a living, proceed to tell me their health issues. One of the most common complaints I hear is fatigue, and I mean extreme fatigue. People want to know ‘why do I feel so bad?’ or ‘Why don’t I have any energy?’ Most people don’t realize that this health issue can be stemming from your gut. What I mean is that your chronic fatigue may be the result of an unhealthy and unbalanced digestive system.
Join me as we focus on one such person who was suffering from prolonged, progressive chronic fatigue and her journey back to better health — my good friend and personal trainer, Katie. Just because you’re in the fitness business doesn’t mean you’ll be full of energy and vibrant health. Wait till you hear what Katie’s health was really like!
Log on and listen to Brenda’s Poop Scoop LIVE every Wednesday from 4-5 pm (EST) right from your computer. Missed an episode? Visit the Episode Directory on my website and listen to past shows from the archive!
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Wednesday, 2/24/10 on the Poop Scoop – The H.O.P.E. Formula: The Ultimate Health Secret
02/23/10 0 Comments | Posted by bwatson in General
Are there days when you feel sluggish and tired, and you just don’t have the energy to do the things you enjoy? Do digestive problems like constipation, diarrhea or even gas and bloating seem to weigh you down? Or do you sometimes feel more scatterbrained and forgetful than usual and wish there was a way to feel like yourself again? It’s time to discover the natural solution that will bring back the vibrant health and energy you deserve.
I’ll share with you the secret to better digestion and a clearer mind and body, and it all begins with High fiber, Omega oils, Probiotics and Enzymes. These four nutritional supplements are the key to my H.O.P.E. Formula, and they have helped millions of people just like you live healthier every day. But where should you start? And how much do you need every day to get the most benefit? Join me and learn everything you need to know!
Log on and listen to Brenda’s Poop Scoop LIVE every Wednesday from 4-5 pm (EST) right from your computer. Missed an episode? Visit the Episode Directory on my website and listen to past shows from the archive.
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Notable News – I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard that we don’t need our appendix and that it has no function. Now don’t get me wrong, I understand removing the appendix if someone has appendicitis (a potentially fatal inflammation of the appendix) but the appendix isn’t completely useless! Did you know that it actually plays an important role in digestive health?
Recently researchers have determined that the appendix acts as a safe storage area for good bacteria in the body—you know, the kinds that help with digestion and immune function? So after a case of diarrhea, or a bout of antibiotics, both of which wipe out populations of good bacteria, the bacteria hidden in the appendix can actually repopulate the colon and bring balance back to your digestive tract!
It makes perfect sense, really. The appendix is a narrow tube that sits at the bottom of the first part of the large intestine (also called the cecum). A bacterial infection or antibiotics would easily bypass the appendix because of its small opening, so the beneficial bacteria inside would stay protected. But inside the appendix are still enough bacteria to repopulate the gut when needed… which is pretty important when you consider that chronic dysbiosis (or a lack of enough beneficial gut bacteria) can contribute to infection if bad bacteria reach the appendix and multiply. And what happens then? You guessed it! Appendicitis!
So take it from me, your appendix is important, and so is making sure you take probiotics every day to keep your digestive system in balance!
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Health Links Wednesday – We’re always being told to do things like watch our weight, take care of our heart, and even protect our skin—but what about taking care of that part of our bodies where more than 70 percent of our natural immune defenses are?
That’s right—the gut is like the body’s good health powerhouse, so doesn’t it deserve a little extra love? I say yes! And to help you get started, here are a few tips for digestive health from The Foundation for Digestive Health and Nutrition:
- Eat plenty of foods rich in fiber (at least 35 grams a day!)
- Consume fish at least 3-5 times weekly
- Don’t rush while eating (that means slow down and chew your food)
- Maintain a healthy body weight
This site is right up my alley—talk about some great information! There’s even a quiz that helps you determine your level of “digestive distress,” and a section about the benefits of Omega-3s and probiotics, so be sure to check it out!
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Invest in Your Children’s Future; Give Them Healthy Food Choices
04/13/09 0 Comments | Posted by bwatson in Children, Dietary Fiber, Digestive Health, General
On my recent trip to Canada I was reading Newsweek and came across a small article about getting kids to pick healthier foods in school cafeterias. One suggestion was to get rid of all the junk food choices available in most schools. This would be highly unlikely to happen and most kids, depending on their age may starve until they reach the 7-Eleven after school. Another suggestion in the article was to rename foods for the younger crowd. “X-ray vision carrots, bulk-up broccoli, groovy green beans…could this get kids to eat more vegetables? According to a Cornell researcher kindergarten kids ate the renamed vegetables 50% more than “plain” vegetables.
I don’t see this being as successful on the older kids.
How do we really get our kids to make better food choices, not only at school but at home? We educate them on nutrition starting at a very early age. This means nutritional education in school as well as at home. Very few schools include any kind of nutritional courses, and most that do start them at the teenage years which may be too late to teach the value of foods. Most children will mimic what they learn in the home environment. If at home you are serving mostly processed foods, high starches and sugar, that is what your kids will learn. And those are the types of foods they will choose when given the opportunity.
In most cases it is a matter of educating the parents as well.
Maybe some of you have seen a show that was running on The Learning Channel called “Honey, we’re killing the kids”. In this show the nutrition expert goes to a typical family’s home with children who may be overweight, unhealthy or just eating all kinds of junk food. Using computer images she shows the parents what their children will look like as adults if they continue the diet and lifestyle path they are currently on. She then goes through their kitchen and teaches the parents and the children about good nutritious food choices verses what they may be eating. She teaches not only about a healthy diet but about a more active lifestyle. She then challenges them within a three week course to use these changes and suggestions. The difference at the end of just three weeks in how these families feel and look are amazing. She then shows the parents again by computer imaging and statistics how their children may look as adults on this healthier, more active lifestyle.
Getting back to the point of where do we start, what do we do NOW to start helping our children eat better? Even if your children are older, it is never too late to start setting a good example. Try starting a program like my Fiber 35 healthy eating plan. The foods suggested, although healthy, are still delicious and allows the kids to have healthy tasty snacks. Although I target weight loss with my Fiber 35 Diet, it is a great, healthy way of eating for your whole family. The recipes are terrific and so are the eating-out tips.
Check out my fiber35diet.com website for more fiber recipes and snack ideas for your whole family. Do you have some tasty healthy treats? Share your ideas and thoughts here.
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