Nutrition. Vitamins. You.
Subscribe Today! Please see below for a complete transcript of this episode. CONSTIPATION: EASY TREATMENTS THAT ARE SAFE, INVITEⓇ HEALTH PODCAST, EPISODE 659 Hosted by Jerry Hickey, Ph. *Intro Music* InViteⓇ Health Podcast Intro: [00:00:04] Welcome to the InViteⓇ Health Podcast, where our degreed health …
Dr.Claire concludes her series by summarizing the most common digestive health issues that occur among many individuals.
Written by Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND Constipation
For further questions or concerns email me at carcidiacono@invitehealth.com†
Every week I get calls asking about how to deal with constipation. Clinically speaking, constipation refers to less than 3 bowel movements a week. From a more holistic viewpoint, an optimum digestive tract will lead to a daily bowel movement. There is a common misconception going around that it is necessary to have a bowel movement after every meal. This is not true and is actually a symptom of rapid transit time!†
The symptoms include having a few bowel movements a week. Having a bowel movement every other day is considered mild constipation. Whereas, straining to have a bowel movement is constipation. Even if you do have a bowel movement every day, if the stool is hard/small or you feel as though there is stool left behind, you’re experiencing constipation. It can cause gas, bloating, anal itching, hemorrhoids, bloody stool, stomach pain as well as nausea or even vomiting.†
When it comes to working with this, it’s important to understand what is causing it. Oftentimes, it’s a symptom of different underlying systemic conditions. For example, thyroid disorders and pregnancy can affect bowel movements. Neurological disorders such as Parkinson’s disease or Multiple Sclerosis can have it as a symptom. Medications often cause constipation as a side effect. For example, overusing laxatives, even herbal laxatives such as Senna. On a very serious note, it can be a sign of colon cancer. Just like many different medical concerns, constipation can be caused by or exacerbated by stress. Before addressing the symptoms, it is important to address these underling concerns. In addition to underlying medical concerns, dietary concerns such as lack of water, fiber and even too much dairy can be a cause. A lack of movement is also a common issue. In children resisting the urge to have a bowel movement can also lead to constipation.† (1)
An overgrowth of pathogens such as Candida Albicans can also be a cause; as pathogens can cause diarrhea and constipation. (2) Disorders of the GI tract such as IBS, Diverticular Disease and Lazy Bowel Syndrome or structural defects such as fistulas, Intussusception, malforatation, colonic rotation and outlet dysfunction can also have it as a symptom. (4) While there can also be other causes of constipation, these are the most common.†
When addressing constipation it is very important to rule out any systemic concerns such as hypothyroidism. Underlying medical concerns need to be addressed first. Clearing up the underlying issue will often resolve the constipation. Follow up or schedule a visit to a Gastroenterologist. A stool analysis will be performed. It’s a great way to determine the presence of any pathogens.†
ICYMI: DIGESTIVE HEALTH, PART 4 ON STOOL TESTS >> Read Now!
The following suggestions are things that have been found to be helpful in combating constipation. I cannot stress enough how important it is to have information on hand when you call regarding constipation. Recent lab work, and a diet diary are important resources to have on hand when you call InViteⓇ Health. This way a protocol can be personalized.†
Address any underlying medical concerns and eliminate any food sensitivities or allergies. Increase water to half your body weight in ounces. If you weigh 200 pounds you need to be drinking 100 ounces (12.5 cups) of water. Every 8 ounces of water is 1 cup.†
Add fiber to your diet! Fiber is naturally found in fruits and vegetables. These are a great jump start for your digestive tract. Maltodextrin has been found to help combat constipation (4) Psyllium seed husk has also been found to help constipation. (5) For relief of temporary constipation, InViteⓇ Health Colon HxⓇ and soluble fiber can help. A great every day fiber is InViteⓇ Health’s Organic Flaxseed Powder. It’s better to use the powder rather than the seeds since the powder is broken down. That way, the fiber is more easily used by the body.† (6)
Caprylic acid has been found in studies to help eliminate H. Pylori, Candida and other types of pathogens.† (7) InViteⓇ Health’s Nutristatin 144 is a great item.†
Garlic has been found in studies to help eliminate bacteria and fungus such as Candida. (8) See InviteⓇ Health’s Aged Garlic.†
Olive Leaf Extract has been found to help eliminate microbes such as yeast in the body. (9) See InViteⓇ Health’s Olive Leaf Extract and our Renalaid formula.†
Probiotics help to kill bad bacteria and help colonize new healthy bacteria.† (10)
Herbs have been found to help eliminate constipation. Now it is important to stay away from herbs considered laxatives. While these can be a temporary relief, long term they can cause damage to the digestive tract. Triphala fruit complex has been found to help promote bowel movements. (11) See InViteⓇ Health’s Colon HxⓇ, Marshmallow Root and Slippery Elm have also been found to help when taken in tea. (12) InViteⓇ Health’s GI Maintain has both of these and can easily be mixed into a warm cup of chamomile tea.†
THE POWER OF ADAPTOGENIC HERBS – INVITE HEALTH PODCAST, EPISODE 447 >> Listen Now!
Magnesium Citrate is one of the best supplements to help. It is a natural, non-habit forming stool softener. (13) See InViteⓇ Health’s Magnesium Citrate, Bioavail Magnesium Complex and Bone Powder. Castor oil packs are incredibly powerful tools in helping with concerns. (14) Omega 3s such as Fish Oil and Krill Oil have also been found to help lubricate the stool. (15) See InViteⓇ Health’s Fish Oil and Krill Oil Advanced.†
Next week we’ll cover the topic of Diarrhea.†
Let us continue to learn about digestive health. This week we are taught about Stool tests from Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND.
Join our 6 weeks of weeks of crazy colorful smoothies! The first one being the amazing Red smoothie. made with Melissa Bistricer, trained Chef and Dietitian.
Prebiotic
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Please see below for a complete transcript of this episode.
Hosted by Jerry Hickey, Ph.
*Intro music*
InViteⓇ Health Podcast Intro: Welcome to the InViteⓇ Health Podcast, where our degreed healthcare professionals are excited to offer you the most important health and wellness information you need to make informed choices about your health. You can learn more about the products discussed in each of these episodes and all that InViteⓇ Health has to offer at www.invitehealth.com/podcast. First time customers can use promo code PODCAST at checkout for an additional 15% off your first purchase. Let’s get started! †
*Intro music*
Melissa Bistricer, MS, RDN: [00:00:40] Welcome back to another podcast here at InViteⓇ Health. So oftentimes we hear about prebiotics and probiotics. Are they beneficial? Yes, they are. But you may be asking yourself, what is the difference between a prebiotic and a probiotic, which I will be discussing today and seeing where you can get prebiotics and probiotics from foods and supplements. † [00:01:03]
[00:01:04] My name is Melissa Bistricer and I am a registered dietitian. I am so excited to bring to you the nutritional aspect of nutrients here at InViteⓇ Health. Nutrition, food for thought: exercise is king, nutrition is queen put them together and you’ve got a kingdom. InViteⓇ Health promotes an integrative approach and providing vitamins into your daily life to increase your quality of life. In conjunction with nutrients, it is also important to learn and include other lifestyle modifications like nutrition, exercise, and sleep. These practices with the use of vitamins will promote optimal benefit in your daily life. † [00:01:40]
[00:01:41] Probiotics are living organisms that are in foods and supplements. They are intended to help improve the good bacteria in our body, also known as normal microflora. A probiotic is made up of good bacteria or yeast that are naturally found in our body. There are always good and bad bacteria in the body, but when an infection occurs in our bodies, that means there is more of the bad bacteria affecting our system. When the body has more good bacteria, this helps to get rid of any extra bad bacteria that the body does not need returning our body to a normal balance. Probiotics again, help our microbiome. Microbiome is a diverse community of organisms that help the entire body work together to help keep us healthy. The community is made up of microbes. Those are throughout our body. These microbes are bacteria, fungi like yeast and viruses. Microbes live throughout the body. But the most common place that are beneficial is the gut, mostly in the large intestine. There are also within our gut, mouth, urinary tract, skin and lungs. The main job of a probiotic is to provide good bacteria to maintain a healthy balance in the body. When we get sick with an infection, that will knock us off our balance. Think of a probiotic keeping us in check, providing us with a good bacterium to help support our immune health, inflammation and help the body digest food, absorb nutrients, vitamins and minerals, support the cells that line our gut health to prevent bad bacteria from entering into the body and break down or absorb any medication you may be on. † [00:03:21]
[00:03:21] This process is naturally happening in the body, so you may not need to be taking a probiotic at all. The most common sign your body needs more probiotics, either through foods or supplement is well, while being on antibiotics due to the antibiotics stripping the body of that bacteria along with good bacteria. When we want to get rid of the extra bad bacteria but replenish the good bacteria to bring our body back into a normal microflora, you may want to start taking a probiotic when you find yourself getting sick or feeling bloated, unwell or having any skin issues. There are also certain conditions that additional probiotics may be beneficial for like diarrhea, constipation, irritable bowel disease, irritable bowel syndrome, yeast infection, urinary tract infection, eczema, lactose intolerance, and lastly, gum disease. † [00:04:11]
[00:04:13] I would highly suggest that you talk with your health care provider to see if you may benefit from using an additional probiotic supplement. There are also foods that support our gut and provide us with good bacteria such as yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, miso, sour dough bread, and my ultimate favorite kombucha. If you have never tried kombucha, you definitely should, they are delicious. If you eat or drink these daily, you are naturally providing food sources of probiotics straight to your body without having to take a supplement. Now the strains of probiotics can get confusing for some individuals, since there are so many. I just wanted to name the most popular ones that are found in our Probiotic HxⓇ. Since these are the most commonly seen in probiotic supplements, the strains are lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium. † [00:04:58]
[00:05:00] Prebiotics are essentially plant fibers found to help healthy bacteria grow in the gut to help the digestive tract work more effectively. Prebiotics essentially are food sources such as carbohydrate, high fiber that the body has a hard time to digest in order for them to go to a lower part of the digestive tract, so they are free to help our healthy bacteria in the gut flourish. Prebiotic foods are in a lot of fruits and vegetables, such as apples, artichokes, asparagus, bananas, berries and whole grains, barley, cocoa, dandelion greens and flaxseed. Think anything high in fiber that is mostly likely going to be a prebiotic food. Prebiotics are not only beneficial for our gut, but can also help to absorb calcium, can help to maintain blood sugars, preventing spikes in our blood sugars, fermented foods faster, meaning it can spend less time in our digestive system to prevent constipation or digestive health issues. And it keeps the cell lining of our gut healthy. † [00:06:01]
[00:06:02] Although prebiotics are beneficial for most individuals, those who cannot tolerate fiber foods should talk to a health care provider to see their recommendations. I would try to stay away from prebiotic foods if you have IBS, irritable bowel syndrome or SIBO to eliminate symptoms that may occur such as bloating, constipation, diarrhea or gas. Prebiotics and probiotics are both beneficial to supporting the body with a healthy colony of bacteria and other microorganisms to help the gut and digestive health. Prebiotics are presented in high fiber foods where probiotics are in fermented foods. Prebiotics and probiotics essentially work together where prebiotics are seen to be the food for probiotics. Therefore, healthy individuals who consume a balanced diet, rich in fermented and fiber foods, should be beneficial for individuals to sustain a healthy gut microbiome. A diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and fermented products can be sufficient with a pre-and probiotic without relying on supplements. Does someone who has a weakened immune system and underlying issues may benefit from consuming a probiotic supplement to help the gut further. † [00:07:12]
[00:07:14] So just to recap really quickly, the difference between probiotic and prebiotic is that a probiotic is a live bacteria or yeast, and prebiotic is the food that probiotic thrives on to survive. Prebiotic is from food sources high in fiber that the body cannot generally absorb, such as fruits, vegetables and whole grains. And probiotics are found in fermented foods and drinks, such as yogurt, fermented pickles, sauerkraut, kefir, cottage cheese and kombucha. You can also get probiotics in a capsule form where you can check out the product on invitehealth.com. Our product has five different clinically studied strains to help with overall healthy bacteria to support digestive health, immune health and skin health. † [00:07:55]
[00:07:55] The big takeaway here is that if you want to support your gut and digestive health, start to increase your intake of probiotic foods and prebiotic foods. In certain conditions a probiotic may be beneficial, so definitely check out our probiotic HxⓇ sold at invitehealth.com. And if you have any further questions about this product, if it’s beneficial for your gut health, you can certainly chat with myself as a nutritionist or any other health care providers to assist you here at invitehealth.com or email me at mbistricer@invitehealth.com. † [00:08:25]
[00:08:25] I am Melissa Bistricer, RDN ready to share the knowledge to help you modify your lifestyle to live a happier and more successful life. I am looking forward to continuing to provide you with educational podcasts and blog posts. I want to thank you so much for tuning in to the InViteⓇ Health Podcast. Remember, you can find any of our episodes for free wherever you listen to podcasts or by visiting invitehealth.com/podcast. Again, nutrition food for thought: exercise is king, nutrition is queen put them together and you’ve got a kingdom. Have a great day and tune in for the next podcast coming your way soon. † [00:08:25]
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