Are You Washing Your Hands Correctly? To wash your hands for the proper length of time, try singing “Happy Birthday” while you vigorously lather up with soap. The friction caused by rubbing your hands together is an important part of removing harmful microbes and dirt. Rinsing for the right amount of time is important too, [...]
Guidelines for Choosing Herbal Products Be sure your choice of a botanical (herbal) product is appropriate to your healthcare goals and compatible with any prescription and over-the-counter medications or other dietary supplements you may be taking. Consulting a nutritional or other healthcare professional who is knowledgeable about dietary supplements is helpful. Always investigate the reputation [...]
Yeast and Mould Allergy Yeasts and moulds are minuscule single celled fungi. They belong to the same biological group as mushrooms, but are smaller. Mould colonies are often seen growing on the surface of moist foods such as bread, jam, and cheese. Yeasts (Saccharomyces species) are used in food production to ferment the nutrient source [...]
Dietary Fibre Q & A Fibre, in a nutshell (pardon the pun), is generally any plant material that the body cannot digest and use. Although our gastrointestinal secretions and enzymes cannot break down the fibre, given the right colonic microflora (bacteria, yeasts), our body can still derive some nutritive benefit from it. For example, some [...]
Folic Acid Folic acid is a water-soluble vitamin belonging to the B-complex group of vitamins. These vitamins help the body break down complex carbohydrates into simple sugars to be used for energy. The roles of folic acid include maintenance of healthy pregnancy, bones, hair, red blood cells, nervous system, digestion, immune systems, protein metabolism, and [...]
What is Glutamine? Glutamine is the most abundant amino acid in the body and is involved in more metabolic processes than any other amino acid. When the body does not have a readily available source of glucose, the body converts glutamine into glucose. Glutamine serves as a source of fuel for the cells lining the [...]
Glycemic Index and Diet Recently, there has been a lot of chatter about the glycemic index and the possible health benefits of including foods ranked low on the glycemic index into your diet. Here we will take a closer look at the glycemic index and discuss why you might not want to make food choices [...]
Milk Alternatives There are many reasons why an individual might choose to consume an alternative beverage to milk. These can include lactose intolerance, ethical objections to consuming milk, a milk allergy, or simply a preference for the taste of these innovative beverages. Lactose intolerance is the inability to metabolize lactose, a sugar found in milk [...]
Olive Oil an Anti-Inflammatory In 2005, scientists discovered a chemical agent in newly pressed extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO) which shares pharmacological properties with the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug ibuprofen. After noticing that EVOO had the same throat irritating properties as ibuprofen, researchers isolated a compound called oleocanthal which they believe is responsible for this irritant effect. [...]
Omega-3 Fatty Acids Even though omega-3 fatty acids make up only a small amount of the recommended total fat in our diet, they are essential for normal body function. Omega-3 fatty acids are polyunsaturated fatty acids found in varying amounts in our food, including fatty fish, certain plant seed oils, and omega-3 enriched eggs. Flaxseeds [...]
Parenteral Nutrition What is Parenteral Nutrition? Parenteral nutrition (PN) is the delivery of nutrients through intravenous access, when the gastrointestinal tract is not working. The nutrients given include protein, carbohydrate, fat, vitamins and minerals, electrolytes, and water. Total volume is also an important factor because some patients require a fluid restriction. When is parenteral nutrition [...]
Get Keen for Quinoa! Quinoa, pronounced keen-wah, is an annual herb native to the Andean region of South America that is quickly gaining popularity in North America. The stalks of the plant grow three to six feet high, with clusters of seeds near the top. Both the leaves and the seeds of the plant are [...]
Sugar-free Gum and Candies Use with Caution When bowel problems strike, you usually take great care choosing foods that are good for you, because irritating your gut can have painful consequences. However, something you might not even think about – chewing gum – could be the source of tummy troubles. Doctors in Germany recently issued [...]
Vitamin B12 Vitamin B12, or cobalamin, is a water-soluble vitamin that is important in enzymatic reactions, normal blood formation, neural function, and metabolism of proteins, fats, and carbohydrates. Absorption of vitamin B12 from foods requires many steps. In the stomach, animal protein releases cobalamin in the presence of gastric acid and pepsin. This then binds [...]
Sulphite-Restricted Diet Sulphite sensitivity is seen in people with asthma (~70% of cases) and in non-asmatics (~30% of cases). Sulphur comes from pollution (sulphur diocide), sulphite-containing foods (additives), and food packaging (that has sulphur-containing compounds for sanitizing). What are the Symptoms of Sulphite Sensitivity? Symptoms of sulphite sensitivity include: wheezing, chest tightness, asthma, diarrhea, nausea, [...]
Diet for the Compromised Bowel If you have an ostomy, or even if you have had sections of your bowel removed and do not have an ostomy, understanding these food characteristics may be helpful: These foods are likely to produce gas: Beer and other alcohol, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, chewing gum, cucumber, dairy products, dried beans, [...]
Product Review Caffeine-free herbal coffee: Teeccino® It’s a wonderful ritual to enjoy a cup of a dark, smooth, warm, and aromatic beverage. For those individuals with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) that have made the decision to stop drinking coffee due to its potential adverse effects on [...]
H. pylori and Halitosis A new study has linked the treatment of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) with curing the chronic bad breath (halitosis) associated with functional dyspepsia. H. pylori is a bacterium that infects the stomach, and is associated with stomach cancer and ulcer disease. Typically, exposure to the bacteria occurs in childhood; although it is often present without [...]
BC Government's Healthcare Silo Approach to Drug Policy Cost $43.5 million Vancouver, BC - January 22, 2009 - A new study published in the journal, Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics,1 reveals that a BC Government PharmaCare policy introduced in July 2003, which was intended to reduce costs by $42 million with minimal impact on patient health, [...]
Medical Research Gastrointestinal Society The GI Society is currently focused on learning more about what patients are going through and is funding a number of surveys to learn the true patient experience. Some examples of these studies are listed below. The Gastrointestinal Society, along with the Canadian Society of Intestinal Research, hosted a [...]
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