Prebiotic For Healthy Probiotic

We know that a healthy probiotic (good bacteria) population in our gut contributes to better digestion and absorption as well as reduced pathogens (disease-causing microbes) in the intestine. Prebiotic is food for probiotics that enable the microscopic organisms to thrive in our intestines.

Oat bran is a fiber-rich prebiotic. It lowers cholesterol, may reduce blood pressure and inflammation, which is great for heart health.  Fiber is a bulk food that helps one feel full, thus contributing to weight lost by eating less. It may also help regulate blood sugar levels, which can aid in the prevention of Type 2 diabetes. All these health benefits are not unique to oat bran. All prebiotic foods offer these health benefits and more. You don’t need to confine yourself to eating oat bran because there are tens of thousands of prebiotic plants worldwide for you to choose from!

Food Sources of Prebiotics

For a long time, I had noticed that when I eat a lot of fruits and leafy green vegetables (especially veggies), I am less troubled by poor digestion and it is easier to move my bowels.  However, not all fruits and leafy greens have this beneficial effect; only selected high-fiber ones are prebiotics. When I travel and do not get enough fiber in my diet, I get constipated. Therefore, normally I would pop probiotic capsules to help with my constipation since the microscopic organisms aid digestion. It was only recently that I came across the term ‘Prebiotics’. On further investigation and reading up research done on the subject, the reason why probiotics and high fiber diet work makes sense to me. If we want our gut to be colonized by beneficial microbes, we have to provide them with the right diet to enable them to flourish.

Here is a list of food to encourage good probiotic growth:

·         Acacia Gums (Gum Arabic), guar gum, raw potato starch, slippery elm, locust bean gum.

·         Bran is the nutritious, fiber-rich outer casing of grains. Common sources are from wheat, oats, maize, rye, rice and barley. You can also get it from whole meal or unpolished grains.

·         Onions, garlic, leeks.

·         Jicama tuber, turnip, wild yam, beetroot, burdock, dahlia tuber.

·         Raw chicory root, rhubarb root, common black nightshade.

·         Raw dandelion Greens, sowthistle leaves, cabbage tree.

·         Spinach, wild spinach, cabbage.

·         Raw asparagus, raw Jerusalem artichokes, yacón, soy bean.

·         Banana, apple and citrus pectin.

·         Flax seed

·         Chlorella, agar-agar, blue agave plant.

·         Radish, carrot, tomato.

·         Beta glucans can be found in most mushrooms, active hexose correlated compound (AHCC), and colostrum (in milk).

Humans have developed a symbiotic relationship with certain microbes over hundreds of thousands of years of co-existence. We provide microbes with nutrition through the food we ingest. The microscopic workforce in our gut in turn releases nutrition from food that our system could not digest properly or not at all. Eating food with prebiotics ensures the beneficial microbes outnumber the harmful, toxin-producing ones.

Why Cholesterol is Essential for Health (2)

Function of cholesterol

Cholesterol is an integral component of every cell in your body, providing structural integrity and strength to cell membranes. It is not used as an energy source by your body because it is not biodegradable. (Cells membrane allows for the passage of nutrients and wastes into and out of the cell. Interaction with the cell membrane allows for molecular communication signals to pass from outside to inside of the cell.)

Cholesterol is the precursor of many bodily substances such as bile acids, vitamin D and hormones. Additionally, it contributes to the development and working of the central nervous system, and it has major functions in signal transduction.

All cells in the body synthesize cholesterol; the sites that produce the highest amount are the liver, intestines, adrenal glands, and reproductive organs.

What organs used cholesterol for

The liver produces about 20–25% of total daily requirements, half of which it converted into bile acids for digestion.

This is followed by the intestines. Bile salts aid in the intestinal absorption of fat molecules as well as the fat-soluble vitamins, A, D, E, and K.

Cholesterol esters is a major constituent of the adrenal gland; providing the raw material for the synthesis of the steroidal hormones, cortisol (influences or regulates blood sugar, blood pressure, immune function, the body's anti-inflammatory processes and Central Nervous System [CNS] activation.), glucocorticoids (involved in immune and inflammatory processes), and aldosterone (the principal regulator of the salt and water balance of the body, thus influencing blood pressure).

Mineralocorticoids need cholesterol in its formation. This hormone regulates osmotic balance.

Reproduction

The reproductive organs need cholesterol for sperm development. This structural fat is also used in the formation of estrogens, testosterone, androgens and progesterone.

Embryonic development is affected by cholesterol through its covalent bonding to Hedgehog proteins, resulting in their activation. During embryonic development, Hedgehog proteins regulate cell proliferation and differentiation and where each type of cells should migrate to. Without cholesterol, the signaling activity is disrupted and cell differentiation may be impaired.

It is also involved in prenatal genital development.

The above show cholesterol plays a vital part in human embryogenesis and development.

Nerves

Nerves are like telephone lines that allow messages to be sent to different parts of the body for communication. Cholesterol is a precursor of neurosteroids (involved in neurotransmission and excitation).

The myelin sheath is very rich in cholesterol and form a protective layer around nerve neurons. This insulation provides conduction of impulses more efficiently. Myelination occurs most rapidly during prenatal development.

Others

Interaction of cholesterol with ceramides is essential for the barrier function of the skin.

Sunlight act on cholesterol on the skin for Vitamin D synthesis. A study found increased concentration of blood cholesterol during the winter months in participants. They speculated, “Lack of Sunlight could increase blood cholesterol by allowing squalling metabolism to progress to cholesterol synthesis rather than to vitamin D synthesis”.

Some research indicates cholesterol may act as an antioxidant. (Smith LL (1991).

Your brain comprises roughly a quarter of the total free cholesterol in the human body. That is why people with genetic defects that impair cholesterol formation or usage have impaired mental capacity.

Cholesterol is necessary for the ligand binding activity of the serotonin receptor. (Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that has an enormous influence over many brain functions).

It promotes and stabilizes membrane fluidity over a substantial range of physiological temperatures and sterol concentrations.

Cholesterol   is a sterol produced only by animals and can be found in dairy products, animal meat and egg yolk. This article is meant to dispel public fear of cholesterol. It is not meant to be an excuse to indulge in excessive quantities of food with saturated fats (lots of ice cream, whipped cream, rich cakes and coconut milk curries). You only need 20 percent of fats from your diet. Your body can provide the remainder 80 percent. Consume a mixture of saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats as each has its own distinctive role in the diet.  Refer to the food pyramid on amount of fats to include in your diet. Excessive amounts will upset the natural balance needed by your body. Minimize fries because high heat changes the structure of fat, rendering it toxic to the body.

Cholesterol loaded food is fine in moderation for those without metabolic diseases.

Why Cholesterol is Essential for Health

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We are well aware of the warning that ‘Cholesterol is BAD for us’.  Our body synthesizes about 80 percent of this much maligned fat from simpler molecules in a complex 37 step process. Cholesterol itself is but an intermediate substance needed by our body to synthesize critical substances needed for our well-being and survival. Experiments with mutant cell lines and specific inhibitors of cholesterol biosynthesis suggested that is essential for the growth of mammalian cells. With little or no cholesterol, the fetus will be aborted or has serious defects.

What could happen if our body could not use cholesterol? 

SLOS or 7-dehydrocholesterol reductase deficiency is an inborn error of cholesterol synthesis. Children born with this genetic disorder have problems ranging from intellectual disability and behavioral problems to life-threatening malformations. The condition includes defects in the brain, face, limbs, kidneys, liver, heart and genital area in varying degree of severity.

People with Cerebrotendinous xanthomatosis lack an enzyme to convert cholesterol into bile acids normally. The function of bile acids is to emulsify lipids (fat) and fat-soluble vitamins to enable our body to absorb and use them. Children with this disorder experience diarrhea, cataracts and tendon xanthomas, which are soft bumps under the skin made up of yellow fatty deposits. These fatty deposits accumulate in the blood, nerve cells and the brain.

As they grow older, these children  may lose mental capability and begin to show signs of abnormal movements, cholesterol deposit in the brain, Degeneration of parts of the brain , Psychiatric symptoms, Seizure and  Premature atherosclerosis (hardening of blood vessel).

Cystic fibrosis or cholestatic liver disease is a disorder where sufferers have an impaired capacity to absorb dietary fat and therefore fat-soluble vitamins as well. They experienced injury to the sensory nerves (peripheral neuropathy), impaired balance and coordination (ataxia), muscle weakness (myopathy), and damage to the retina of the eye (pigmented retinopathy).

The medical profession recognizes eight different inherited disorders of cholesterol biosynthesis that lead to congenital abnormalities. These diseases showed a decrease in the concentration of cholesterol in the body can result in severe health problems. The next article will focus on the numerous vital roles cholesterol plays that ensure our well-being.

CAUSES OF DANDRUFF (5)

Diet & Dandruff

The year is nearing is full cycle. It is the season for feasting whether to bid Old Year goodbye or welcome to a fresh New Year; marking the longest night of the year or celebrating the rebirth of the new Sun, people will offer a spread of mouth-watering rich foods, tempting desserts and sweets accompanied by toasting. Gaily decorated shops enticed shoppers with an enormous variety of gift that included hampers filled with boxes of chocolates, sweets, fruits preserved in honey or sugar, crispy potato chips, buttery baked goods, fine wine or liquor… a sweet end leading to a sweet beginning.

The contents of the hampers that I’d just described actually increases the risk of dandruff. Consume them sparingly and binge on ‘anti-dandruff’ food instead.

Nowadays, some dieticians and dermatologist are advocating diet therapy as an adjunct treatment because they believe   certain food increases the risk of getting dandruff and skin problems such as acne and psoriasis while other food reduces the chances. Dandruff-causing culprits are high glycemic index food (sugar and refined carbohydrates), yeast, saturated fats, fried food and alcohol. Ayurveda added food that can create ama (digestive impurities) such as icy cold food and drink as well as food that is not fresh (leftovers) to the list. TCM believe diet that impairs your liver and kidney function is harmful to hair.

Sugar (High glycemic index food)

The glycemic index (GI) indicates how fast and how high blood sugar rises after eating a food. Food that can increase our blood sugar rapidly has a high GI.

Why is sudden, rapid increase in blood sugar bad? The sudden increase lead to insulin spikes, which in turn lead to stimulation of hormone surges that can trigger the output of fatty acids (sebum). Your body deals with the excess sebum by expelling it through the pores of the skin and scalp. Studies have found that when there is excessive sebum, the oil-loving malassezia grow rapidly, irritates your scalp leading to excessive shedding of skin or dandruff.

Moreover, high sugar level in the blood depletes Vitamin B6 and Zinc which are known to fight dandruff. It also has a negative impact on the antioxidants, vitamins C and E, both of which are necessary for healthy, lustrous hair.

Sugar and saturated fats triggers inflammation. Blood sugar spurs the pancreas to produce high levels of insulin thus causing inflammation. Inflammation triggers the immune system to ramp up and the body produces more free radicals that attack collagen (a type of connective tissue). Collagen binds all tissues together and provides structure and strength to organs, skin, bones, walls of blood vessels etc.

Limit the following foods in your diet:

Chocolates, processed potatoes, soft drinks, candies and food made from refined flour such as white bread, pasta, and cakes etc. processed food may contain high amounts of hidden sugar and refined carbohydrate. The GI also increases in carbohydrate food that had been cooked for a long time and became gelatinized.

Yeast

If you are susceptible to yeast infection, avoid fermented products and products containing yeast during yeast infection episodes. According to a holistic dermatologist, dandruff is due to a reaction to Malassezia. The condition can be aggravated by an overgrowth of yeast in the gastrointestinal tract.

Wine and beer use yeast in its fermentation process. Alcohol in wine and beer is a toxin that puts a strain on your liver and releases hormones that causes acne and worsens your dandruff problem.

Some food scientists found dairy products such as cheese and whole milk can acerbate dandruff problem perhaps due to a combination of fats and other elements. Therefore, some people suggested drinking skim milk to reduce fat intake. However, a Harvard study on the effect of drinking skim milk on the skin and acne found that skim milk caused the worse breakouts with an increased 44% likelihood of developing blemishes. They suggested hormones in skim milk may be higher perhaps due to concentration during processing (and caused hormonal imbalance in the body).

Foods to avoid during yeast attack:

Limit sugar because it fuel yeast growth. I notice whenever I take marmite /vegemite, I get yeast infection. So I avoided it now.

Some experts also suggested minimizing fermented foods and drink such as beer, wine, cheese, mushrooms, soy sauce, vinegar and certain types of bread using yeast as rising agent. Some experts suggested taking probiotics (found in yogurt, miso, and sauerkraut) to crowd out yeast in the intestine; others said such food should be avoided. Diet therapy is still in its infancy in the West. We need more evidence backed by research and long term human studies to validate expert advice on specific food to eat or avoid.

What current studies have established is that diet does have an impact on dandruff although there is disagreement on specific foods.

CAUSES OF DANDRUFF (4)

How climate affects dandruff

The North is gripped in the depths of winter now. For some people, it is also the season for winter dandruff. This type of dandruff has flakes that are smaller and less oily than those from other causes of dandruff and is often accompanied by dry skin on other parts of the body, such as the limbs and face. Since time immemorial, people had tried to deal with the problem with various remedies such as slathering on yogurt, rubbing with salt or mud, dousing with teas and washing the scalp with various herbal concoctions.

The hypothesis is winter dandruff is due to exposure to extremes in temperature such as cold, dry winter air outside and overheated rooms indoors. Researchers noted dandruff worsened for Yeast-sensitive people during winter and improved during the warmer months. Winter dandruff symptoms may appear only during winter or worsened during these months.

There is lack of sunshine in winter and UV rays of the sun is reported to kill Malassezia, the yeast often associated with dandruff. Interestingly, sun exposure is also reported to trigger dandruff. Pityriasis versicolor is a yeast infection that develops in hot humid weather on oily skin. The yeast feeds on skin oils (lipids) as well as dead skin cells. Infections are more common in people who have seborrheic dermatitis, dandruff and hyperhidrosis.

Experts believe Malassezia is responsible for both dandruff and pityriasis versicolor, a condition characterized by patchy rashes with scaling on upper torso, arm and lower leg.

When Malassezia is present, there is a higher chance of getting dandruff than pityriasis versicolor. The chances are fifty percent for dandruff and merely two to eight percent for pityriasis versicolor. This strain variability puzzled experts. Why do Malassezia give the skin on the scalp more problem than skin on other parts of the body? Does local immunity play a role in the disease predisposition? Many questions are yet to be answered.

Experts found a number of contributing factors to seborrheic dermatitis, the severe form of dandruff and scaling of the skin. They are   Genetic, environmental, hormonal, and immune-system factors. The condition may be aggravated by sleep deprivation, psychological stress, fatigue, change of season, illness and reduced general health.

Genetic, climatic and hormonal factors are beyond our control. We can adjust lifestyle factors to reduce the chance of getting dandruff. Since cholesterol-loving Malassezia is often associated with dandruff, we can adjust our diet so our body do not overproduce cholesterol. Is that possible? Let us explore this last contributing factor to dandruff in the next article.