Diet for patients with colon disease

Diet for patients with colon disease

we mean patients who have irritable colon or colon inflammation or ulcers in the colon and we will provide a simple system of food made by Dr. Mahmoud Al-ashr

Forbidden food:
1 - eggs and milk
2 - oil especially animal origin
3 - fried food
4 - canned and preserved food
5 - Beverages, spicy

Food helpful:
1 - yogurt because it contains element of zinc and add to it some wheat then Sweetens by honey
2 - olive oil
3 - talbeenah: water + suspended barley + corn and heat to warm water then Sweetens by honey
4 - yeast + water Duffy + honey
5 - useful for colonic drinks such as thyme, star anise, Alababong, mint, cinnamon, Jnsbel, Brdqoc

Read more

Let food be your medicine

Let food be your medicine

Many diseases can be overcome by eating healing foods that contain powerful medicinal properties. Optimal health and the prevention of disease is only possible by including these healing foods regularly in the diet. The healing substances found in certain foods or therapeutically active chemicals are known as phyto-chemicals. The culinary habits of different cultures have been recognised for decades as being influential in the incidence of diseases. Mediterranean countries have a lower prevalence of cardiovascular diseases because of the protective effect of traditional Mediterranean foods, such as olive oil, tomatoes and legumes. Broccoli and other vegetables in the cruciferous family are known to reduce the risk of bowel cancer, but it is only recently that scientists have isolated the phyto-chemicals which confer this protection. Broccoli has been found to contain a phyto-chemical called sulphoraphane, which enhances the phase two-detoxification pathway in the liver. Sulphoraphane has also been found to block mammary tumor formation in rats.

Tomatoes contain a powerful antioxidant called lycopene, which according to a paper published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (1997:66:116-22), is the most powerful of all the dietary carotenoids. The researchers found that the dietary intake of lycopene was linked to a lower risk of prostate problems. They also found that higher levels of lycopene in the blood lowered the risk of cell proliferation, which would theoretically exert a powerful anti-cancer effect. Cooking or chopping tomatoes increases the absorption of lycopene into the body. Eating tomatoes with oil increases the availability of the lycopene to the body, which is another reason that Mediterranean cuisine confers health benefits.

Beetroot is a beautiful deep purple colour because it contains the antioxidant anthocyanidin. Constituents of beetroot have been shown to exert anti-viral and anti-tumour effects in animal studies. Other foods, which also exert these properties, although to a lesser degree, are red and green peppers, red onion, paprika and cranberry. These foods contain healing phytonutrients such as carotenoids, capsanthin and anthocyanins.

Certain foods have high concentrations of plant hormones, which are known as phyto-estrogens. Examples of these are the isoflavones genistein and daidzein (found in soya beans and red clover), and lignans (found in flaxseed). Asian communities consume a high intake of soy, and have a significantly lower incidence of hormone dependent cancers of the prostate, uterus and breast. All legumes such as beans, peas and lentils contain beneficial phyto-estrogens.

A study published in the British Medical Journal in 1990, looked at a group of postmenopausal women who were given 1.5 oz of soy flour for 2 weeks, followed by half that of flaxseed meal for 2 weeks, and then half again of red clover sprouts. This produced improvements in various blood hormone levels and menopausal symptoms.

Asian and Mediterranean cuisines are now integrating themselves into the old fashioned Western diet consisting of meat, bread and 4 vegetables. This culinary multiculturalism has enormous and proven benefits for our health and also for our enjoyment. We all know that variety is the spice of life, and Asian and Mediterranean foods can add spice to our often bland ways of eating. A wide range of Asian foods is now available from supermarkets and greengrocers as well as Chinese grocery stores. Typical Asian foods and vegetables such as ginger, chilli, garlic, Chinese water spinach, bok choy, lemongrass, coconut, tumeric, curry, Chinese mushrooms and many others can be experimented with, and gradually introduced into the diet if you want to expand the horizons of your taste buds.

written by: Dr Sandra Cabot.

Read more

IN THE PHYSICS CLASS

A college physics professor was explaining a particularly complicated concept to his class when a pre-med student interrupted him.

"Why do we have to learn this stuff?" one young man blurted out.

"To save lives," the professor responded before continuing the lecture.

A few minutes later the student spoke up again. "So how does physics save lives?"

The professor stared at the student for a long time without saying a word. Finally the professor continued. "Physics saves lives," he said, "because it keeps the idiots out of medical school."

Read more

New Anticoagulant Pill Works Well in Trial

By Steven Reinberg
HealthDay Reporter

(HealthDay News) -- The new anti-clotting pill rivaroxaban (Xarelto) lowers the risk of stroke, heart attack and death in patients who have had a heart attack or suffer from unstable angina, a new trial shows.

Rivaroxaban is a pill that blocks factor Xa, which is involved in blood clotting. In earlier studies, the drug was effective in

Read more

THE DIAGNOSIS

A beautiful, voluptuous woman goes to a gynaecologist. The doctor takes one look at this woman and all his professionalism goes out the window. Right away he tells her to undress. After she has disrobed he begins to stroke her thigh.

As he does this he says to the woman, "Do you know what I'm doing?"

"Yes," she says, "you're checking for any abrasions or dermatological abnormalities."

"That's right," says the doctor. He then begins to fondle her breasts. "Do you know what I'm doing now?" he asks.

"Yes," the woman says, "you're checking for any lumps of breast cancer."

"That's right," replies the doctor. He then begins to have sexual intercourse with the woman. He says to her, "Do you know what I'm doing now?"

"Yes," she says. "You're getting herpes."

Read more

AN OLD COUPLE AT THE DOCTORS

An old couple go to the doctor. The old man goes first to have his physical. When the doctor is done with him, he sends the old man back into the waiting room and calls the old woman in.

The doctor tells her, "Before we proceed with the examination, I would like to talk to you about your husband first."

The old woman says, "Oh, no, it's his heart. I told him to lay off the eggs."

The doctor says, "Well, I asked your husband how he is feeling and he told me he felt great. He said that when he got up to go to the bathroom, he opened the door and God turned the light on for him. When he was done, he would shut the door and God would turn the light out for him."

The old woman responded, "Damn it, he's peeing in the fridge again!"

Read more

Cancer-Causing Foods

It’s important for you to know what kinds of foods to avoid since 35 - 60 percent of all cancers are caused by diet - the biggest factor in causing cancer, according to The Cancer Project. And because we usually make our own choices regarding the foods we eat, carefully considering this major factor and making better choices helps make cancer more preventable and avoidable.

So which foods have been identified as playing a part in contributing to the formation of cancer?

Four main food choices stand out:

1. Meat - Many large studies around the world have demonstrated the link between meat consumption and cancer. Why is this so? Researchers believe it is due to several factors: lack of fiber and other protective nutrients, high fat content that tends to affect a person’s hormonal balance, and carcinogenic compounds that are formed during the processing and cooking.

2. Dairy products - The cancer risks associated with dairy are related to meat consumption because of their similar components: high fat and lack of fiber. Dairy has been consistently linked with the formation of prostate cancer. Meat and dairy also tend to have increased levels of dangerous chemicals such as the highly toxic chemical dioxin, and PBDE, a flame retardant.

3. Fried foods - Due to their high fat content, any type of food that is fried - especially meat and dairy - adds to contributing factors for cancer growth. Excessive fat intake has been shown in females to push their estrogen production to unhealthy levels, which encourages cancer cell formation in breasts and other organs sensitive to female hormone levels. Animal fats are deemed a bigger problem than vegetable oils, but even these can produce cancer-causing effects as well, and should be limited.

4. Sugar - While not considered a major contributor compared to meat, fat and dairy, excessive sugar (or even refined carbohydrate) consumption contributes to obesity, which in itself increases the occurrence of cancer. Sugar also increases insulin production, and studies suggest that elevated insulin levels may increase risk because of its ability to promote inflammation and cancer cell division.

Read more

How to Avoid Constipation

1. Eat a diet high in fiber. Fiber helps provide bulk and also accelerates the movement of food through the GI tract. Both insoluble and soluble fiber will benefit constipation.
2. Select breakfast cereals with ideally around ten grams of fiber per one hundred grams but do watch cereal salt content.
3. Introduce more legumes (beans, lentils), seeds, nuts and green leafy vegetables into your diet on a daily basis. They are rich in fiber and nutrients, including magnesium, which is good for constipation.
4. Swap refined carbohydrates such as white bread for whole meal or whole grain varieties. This applies to pasta and rice as well. Whole grains have more fiber and more nutrients. They not only help protect against constipation but may also help prevent insulin surges and reduce the risk of diabetes.
5. Aim for around five portions of fruit or vegetables per day. Vary your choices because different fruits and vegetables provide different kinds of fibers. A variety of fruits and vegetables also enhances the body's ability to fight free radicals by providing a variety of different antioxidants with different roles to play in the body. Remember that those dried and canned count too.
6. Exercise. Set yourself an achievable goal such as a 30-minute walk each day and stick to it. Being more active will increase general health and should make the gut work more effectively. Studies show that exercise increases nitric oxide levels, which may alleviate constipation. Low nitric oxide levels may explain both constipation and hypertension in pregnant women and the elderly.
7. Drink plenty of water (Eight glasses per day is ideal). Constipation occurs when too much moisture is reabsorbed from feces.
8. Cut down on caffeine and alcohol, both of which are diuretics that dehydrate you. Try to switch to decaffeinated coffee.
9. Do not overeat. Smaller meals are easier to digest and may benefit GI health more than larger meals. You could try eating more than three meals a day and see how you feel. Avoid eating late at night because the body has more trouble digesting food while you are sleeping.
10. If you are still constipated after trying this general health-improving advice, try natural means to combat constipation; prunes or herbal teas are an option.
11. Use over-the-counter remedies with caution. If you do try them and they work but constipation returns do not continue using them as a long term solution consult your family physician.
12. Visit your local vitamin or health food store for enzymatic treatments to help balance the good and bad bacterias in your digestive system. The active cultures in yogurt may also help assuage constipation and even reduce the risk of colon cancer. If you are magnesium-deficient, you may consider looking into a magnesium supplement as well.
13. Avoid harsh laxatives, especially when they are used long-term. While the importance of preventing constipation cannot be overstated, the long-term use of laxatives may harm the intestines and lead to dependence. You can take fiber and magnesium supplements your whole life if you are not obtaining enough of these nutrients from your diet.
14. Some yogurts sold in the dairy section of grocery stores have additional enzymes to aid in digestion
15. High protein diets are hard on the digestive system. Constipation may be frequent in those on Atkins or other high protein diets. Diets that limit carbohydrates, such as Atkins, may be deficient in fiber and other nutrients. If you are following the Atkins diet, for example, be sure to include low-carbohydrate foods that are still high in fiber, such as broccoli.
16. Painkillers frequently cause constipation by slowing the movement of food through the intestines. Consider loperamide, an agent that combats diarrhea through its effects on the movement of food through the GI effect. It works through actions similar to opioids, but acts only on the intestines. Make sure that you have a high-fiber intake when taking painkillers. If the problem persists, you may need to try a stool softener
17. In the morning, on an empty stomach, drink 1 glass of orange juice or 1 glass of water or the juice of dried plums or figs that have been softened the previous evening.

Read more

Need to increase your appetite?

To help those challenged by a loss of appetite, whether it be due to illness, or the medications used to treat it, Drs. Katz and Block put together the following six tips on how to increase your appetite and stave off malnutrition.

1. If you can eat with family members and friends, do so. Let them know that you are having difficulty with your appetite and ask for their support.
2. Serve food attractively prepared and in a pleasant atmosphere
3. Eat high nutrient food and avoid junk foods and sugar
4. Eat small meals or snacks frequently
5. Add seasoning to help flavor foods
6. Shift eating pattern to coincide with appetite. For example, eat the biggest meal of the day in the morning, if that’s what you are most inclined to do.
7. With your physician’s approval, add light exercise

Studies show that increased intake of nutritious food is especially important for those suffering from cancer. According to the National Cancer Institute, an astounding 20% to 40% of cancer patients die from causes related to malnutrition, not from the cancer itself.

So what kind of a diet can fight malnutrition and help a patient combat their disease? "Include cancer and inflammation-fighting phytochemicals (found in abundance in many fruits and vegetables), omega 3 fats, monounsaturated fats such as olive oil, complex carbohydrates and healthy sources of proteins" says Dr. Block. "Eat energy dense/nutrient dense foods such as nut butters; and soy" adds Dr. Katz.

Both doctors agree it is extremely important to avoid "bad" dietary fats such as saturated fats found in milk, cheese, butter, red meat, pork, coconut, and poultry. Eliminate unnatural fats, called trans fat, found abundantly in margarine, hydrogenated oils, as well as many baked goods and convenience foods. Reduce or eliminate simple carbohydrates such as sugar, honey, high fructose corn syrup, concentrated sweeteners, sugary beverages, cookies, cakes, pastries, white bread, crackers and white-flour baked goods. These are high-glycemic foods that cause a sudden rise in blood sugar and ultimately increase inflammation.

Read more

acai berry helps fight cancer

A lot of scientists and nutritionists are now conducting researches and studies about the nutritional and medical benefits that can be gained from Acai berry. After several studies and lab tests, it showed that the Acai berry has the capability to fight cancer cells.

Cancer starts from the formation of free radicals which are small molecules that starts to form from pollutants, cigarette smoke and many others. These harmful elements attack body cells and it can also destroy DNA. And when damage is done it leads to different kinds of illnesses such as atherosclerosis, diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease and of course cancer. To fight such harmful elements, antioxidants are needed which is found in Acai berry.

To measure the antioxidants contained in Acai the Oxygen Radical Absorbency Capacity score (ORAC) method is used. According to the results the Acai berry scored the most antioxidants as compared to blueberry, apple and banana. The Acai berry scored 167/175 while blueberry which is in second scored 32/175 which is a huge difference. It has been reported that there are 80 to 90% of individuals who are not taking in enough antioxidant to fight these harmful elements.

During a lab test done, it was found to automatically fight cancer cells. Though, this was only the result of a lab test there are possibilities that this type of berry will have a good effect when taken in. Aside from this there are a lot of claims that are being advertised but most of them were not proven. Right now experts are still starting to discover all the benefits that can be acquired from it.

There are still a lot of things to be uncovered from this amazing food from the Amazon. Now, the berry is not yet dubbed as the cure for cancer but with the high amount of antioxidants it can prevent the formation of harmful elements that lead to cancer. Several researches will be provided afterward and hopefully more positive results will be shown. Though, one should not depend on Acai berry products alone for good health, healthy diet and clean living will still be the main factor to achieve good health.

Read more