Strict Gun Laws Lower Gun-Murder Rates in Cities
https://ift.tt/2sTjgVb MONDAY, June 11, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- U.S. states that require police background checks for a handgun license see 14 percent fewer gun murders in their urban counties, a new study found. These "permit-to-purchase" licensing laws require a background check by state or local law enforcement, not just a background check conducted by gun dealers. Prior research has linked such laws to fewer deaths statewide, but the new research looked at urban areas, where nearly two-thirds of all U.S. gun deaths occur. "This study extends what we know about the beneficial effects of a licensing system on gun homicides to large, urban counties across the United States," said study lead author Cassandra Crifasi. She's an assistant professor with the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Policy and Research. For the study, the researchers assessed the effects of changes in gun policies in 136 of the nation's largest urban counties between 1984 and 2015. They also found that states that only required dealer background checks, without other requirements, saw a 16 percent increase in firearm homicides in urban areas. "Background checks are intended to screen out prohibited individuals, and serve as the foundation upon which other gun laws are built, but they may not be sufficient on their own to decrease gun homicides," Crifasi said in a Hopkins news release. Handgun laws that send purchasers to law enforcement and require fingerprints provide a longer period for police to conduct background checks, the researchers noted. Crifasi and her colleagues also examined the effect of right-to-carry laws, which allow concealed carry handgun permits, and stand-your-ground laws, which allow people to defend themselves against intruders. They found that counties in states that adopted stand-your-ground laws saw a 7 percent increase in gun homicides, and counties in states with right-to-carry laws saw a 4 percent increase in firearm deaths. "Our research finds that state laws that encourage more public gun carrying with fewer restrictions on who can carry experience more gun homicides in the state's large, urban counties than would have been expected had the law not been implemented," Crifasi said. "Similarly, stand-your-ground laws appear to make otherwise nonlethal encounters deadly if people who are carrying loaded weapons feel emboldened to use their weapons versus de-escalating a volatile situation," she added. The report was published online recently in the Journal of Urban Health. Health via WebMD Health https://www.webmd.com/ June 12, 2018 at 12:51PM
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Impotent? Maybe You Should See a Heart Doctor
https://ift.tt/2MkJbgH MONDAY, June 11, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- Troubles in the bedroom can be a double whammy for older men: Researchers have found that erectile dysfunction ups the risk for heart disease. Their four-year study concluded that men whose impotence is vascular-related, not emotional, are twice as likely to suffer a heart attack, stroke or sudden cardiac death. This was true even without other heart risk factors such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol or a history of smoking. "The magnitude of the effect was surprising to me," said study author Dr. Michael Blaha. The findings suggest doctors should aggressively manage other risks such as high blood pressure or high cholesterol in men with erectile dysfunction, said Blaha. He is director of clinical research with the Johns Hopkins Center for the Prevention of Heart Disease in Baltimore. The link between impotence and heart disease appears to be "a two-way street," Blaha said, given that men who have had a heart attack appear to face a higher risk for ED. About 1 in 5 men over age 20 has trouble sustaining an erection, the researchers noted. For this study, the investigators tracked the heart health of about 1,900 men, ages 60 to 78, with and without vascular-related impotence. Vascular impotence "is at its root a cardiovascular problem," Blaha said. Unlike impotence related to anxiety or other psychological concerns, vascular ED stems from arterial blockage and insufficient blood flow. "ED may be a sign of subclinical cardiovascular dysfunction," said Blaha. Experts have long observed that impotence is associated with poor cardiovascular health, but it was thought that obesity, high blood pressure and diabetes were some of the reasons why. This study found that impotence on its own is a significant risk factor. "In addition, this signal for increased risk is independent of depression and medication usage, said Blaha. That appears to negate theories that depression or its treatment might explain any link between impotence and heart disease. Study participants were enrolled in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis, conducted in several U.S. cities. Over four years, 115 men had a serious heart problem, such as heart attack, stroke or cardiac arrest. Health via WebMD Health https://www.webmd.com/ June 12, 2018 at 12:51PM
If Your Hamstrings Are Crazy Tight, Open Them With These 18 Stretches
https://ift.tt/2sWRNBc Tight hamstrings go hand-in-hand with running, biking, or sitting at a desk all day. Aside from not being able to jump into a full split on a whim (you know you want to!), tight hamstrings can cause hip, lower back, and knee pain. If you stretch your hamstrings regularly, they will open up! Add these to your stretching routine, and feel the glory of loose hammies. Health via POPSUGAR Fitness https://ift.tt/2mWxwLI June 12, 2018 at 12:39PM
4 Easy Ways You Can Work Out Like Carrie Underwood
https://ift.tt/2sSaN4F Country superstar Carrie Underwood has the power to move us to tears with her killer vocal chords and motivate us to get our butts to the gym. As far as people who embody #fitnessgoals goes, she pretty much tops our list. While we do know what her go-to workouts are, we also know it takes a whole regimen to get in the best shape possible. For the many of us who can't afford a personal trainer, we can copy the ways she stays in shape in the comfort of our own home. Read on to see what you can be doing to work out just like her. Do Squats and LungesShe recently told us that she enjoys doing cardio outdoors. When she jogs, she makes sure to incorporate squats and lunges as well. "In my neighborhood, it's pretty hilly. So if I'm going to go for a jog, I'll lunge up the hills so I'm not just running," she said. MultitaskProving that you can work out just about anywhere, she is a big fan of portable fitness equipment such as the DeskCycle. "New gadget for underneath the table on the bus," she wrote in an Instagram caption. "Now, I can keep moving on those long bus rides!" Find a Workout Buddy
It's always nice to have a buddy to encourage you when going through rigorous workouts; sometimes you just need the emotional support. As seen in this Instagram, she picks her husband, NHL player Mike Fisher, for her exercise buddy. "The couple that slays together...stays together!" she wrote in the caption. "Working out is always better with a partner!" Use the Right EquipmentHow does she tone and define her legs? With the use of kettlebells. According to a Glamour, she'll hold a 10- to 25-pound kettlebell with both hands while switching off between bending from the hips with a completely straight back to standing completely straight. Health via POPSUGAR Fitness https://ift.tt/2mWxwLI June 12, 2018 at 12:39PM
This Is Why You Get Hangry, According to Science
https://ift.tt/2HHIeeS If you've ever been on the receiving end of someone's "hanger," or hunger-induced anger, you know that it's a real thing. I, for one, experience a complete Jekyll/Hyde situation, and my poor boyfriend has had to learn not to even look at me until food is in my mouth the hard way. (Love you.) But now, science has an actual explanation to why some of us get "hangry." Jennifer MacCormack, MA, a doctoral student in the department of psychology and neuroscience at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and a team of researchers dove deeper into how personality and environmental cues affect our response to hunger. They conducted two online experiments that included more than 400 participants across the US. And according to their findings, which were published in the journal Emotion, context and self-awareness are two key factors that determine whether hunger will make someone upset. But being hungry doesn't automatically turn you into a monster. It typically depends on who you're with and where you are at the time. During the experiments, participants were shown an image that was supposed to induce a positive, neutral, or negative feeling. Upon seeing the image, they were then asked to rate it on a seven-point scale (from pleasant to unpleasant) and report how hungry they felt. Turns out, the hungrier people were, the more likely they were to rate an ambiguous image as negative after first being shown a negative one. "The idea here is that the negative images provided a context for people to interpret their hunger feelings as meaning the pictographs were unpleasant," MacCormack said. "So there seems to be something special about unpleasant situations that makes people draw on their hunger feelings more than, say, in pleasant or neutral situations." In addition to environmental factors, a person's level of hanger also depends on if they're aware that their negative emotions are being caused by hunger. In another lab experiment, 200 university students were instructed to either eat beforehand or fast. Next, they completed a writing exercise that focused on their emotions before completing an exercise on the computer that was designed to crash before they were able to finish. Results found that hungry participants who were not focused on their emotions reported more negative feelings than those who were. "Our bodies play a powerful role in shaping our moment-to-moment experiences, perceptions, and behaviors - whether we are hungry versus full, tired versus rested, or sick versus healthy," MacCormack said. "This means that it's important to take care of our bodies; to pay attention to those bodily signals and not discount them, because they matter not just for our long-term mental health, but also for the day-to-day quality of our psychological experiences, social relationships, and work performance." Health via POPSUGAR Fitness https://ift.tt/2mWxwLI June 12, 2018 at 12:39PM
16 Ways to Get Healthy and Fit This Summer Without Spending a Single Penny
https://ift.tt/2JwMHqs Summer's a great time to hang with your favorite people. School's out, sun's out, and it's time to reconnect with the great outdoors (or the AC-ed indoors when it gets too hot). But with all this newfound time on your hands, it's easy to fall into a slump (Netflix binge, anyone?). While that's just what you need some days, it's also a good idea to make sure you're staying healthy and partaking in fun activities that keep you strong and fit. Luckily, you don't have to break the bank to do just that. In fact, we've got a list of 16 fun and healthy things to do over the Summer that are totally free! Health via POPSUGAR Fitness https://ift.tt/2mWxwLI June 12, 2018 at 11:59AM
Anxiety May Be Affecting Your Gut Health—and Vice Versa. Here's Why.
https://ift.tt/2JHuToF If nervousness feels like butterflies in your stomach, anxiety can feel like a small, live rodent loudly nesting in there, pushing things around, making you wish you hadn't eaten that day. For some anxiety sufferers, deeply unpleasant digestive problems are extremely common—even though stomach troubles aren't exactly the first symptoms we tend to associate with anxiety. When we think of anxiety, we typically picture panic attacks, which are often characterized by a racing heart, trouble breathing, and warped vision. But if your anxiety is frequently accompanied by various kinds of digestive discomfort, you're far from alone. Stomach problems tend to be less debilitating than panic attacks, but loud gurgling, stomach pain, gas, nausea, and diarrhea can be embarrassing, inconvenient, and seriously uncomfortable when you're trying to get through your day. Especially if that day involves a big date or work presentation—which may have sparked your anxiety to begin with. The Brain-Gut ConnectionDaniela Jodorkovsky, M.D., a gastroenterologist at NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Medical Center, says that the relationship between gastrointestinal discomfort and anxiety is "very complex," but offers a couple of explanations for the link between anxious feelings and stomach-churning. "The GI tract is considered the 'second brain' because it contains many nerves, which send signals back and forth to the brain," she says. "Chronic stress and anxiety release a compound in the brain called corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF). This can have effects on spasms or diarrhea, as well as increased pain signaling from the nerve fibers of the gut to the brain." So it makes perfect sense that anxiety-brain can lead to anxiety-stomach—the connection between the brain and the digestive system is strong in the human body, and that's before complicating factors like anxiety disorders or IBS even enter the picture. The Anxiety and Depression Association of America estimates that at least half—and up to 90 percent—of IBS sufferers also have anxiety and/or depression, which makes sense, considering IBS is the condition of having a sensitive colon, which is easily upset by certain foods or by stress. "Having anxiety and/or depression are independent risk factors for the development of irritable bowel syndrome, but even those without anxiety disorders can notice their symptoms worsening when they are feeling anxious or stressed," Jodorkovsky says. Anxiety: Why?Anxiety, like most human experiences, is theorized to have had a purpose in our biological development as a species—what Walter Bradford termed the "fight-or-flight" response in the early part of the 20th century. "When we're anxious, our bodies believe we're in danger, and that has historically been very useful," says New York-based psychotherapist Nicole Reiner, LMHC. This kind of response made sense when early humans were, say, running from saber-toothed cats, but nowadays, "we find that our stomachs become collateral damage," Reiner says. So while it might be helpful when faced with a large, hungry cat or a bear, most modern anxiety-sufferers do not benefit from the physiological changes of anxiety, including but not limited to blood flow being diverted to the muscles (to aid in running or fighting) and away from other body parts, such as the digestive system. How to Handle ItBecause the GI tract and anxiety are so closely related, it's not always obvious what physical symptoms are caused by IBS, or anxiety, or IBS as a result of anxiety—so it can be useful to take a two-pronged approach. Reiner urges her clients to tackle the problem not just psychologically, but medically, as well. "When someone is reporting debilitating stomach issues, I will first direct them to a gastroenterologist or primary care physician to rule out any underlying issues," she says. Even if your symptoms seem to be spiked by anxiety, there might be a physical cause that therapy or psychiatry alone cannot treat. But if symptoms can't be fully treated through other means, there are practical ways of dealing with anxiety-induced (or worsened) GI discomfort when it arises. For some patients, Reiner suggests breathing exercises as a way to manage the physical symptoms, as well as the feeling of anxiety itself. "Diaphragmatic breathing relaxes your stomach," she says. "Breathe in really slowly for about five counts, hold it in, and breathe it out for somewhere between six and eight counts." This can help turn on the rest-and-digest response, the body's natural recovery mechanism to fight-or-flight, Reiner says. Jodorkovsky says that hypervigilance is one pitfall you can try to avoid. "When we are anxious, our bodies become 'hyper-aware' of our symptoms, as if the nerve signals are amplified. This makes the symptoms even more distressing than they would otherwise be." Reiner refers to the tendency to constantly check in with your physical pain or discomfort as "body-scanning" and says that "the more we look for something, the more likely we are to find it." It's a vicious cycle: The anxiety and discomfort make us hyper-aware of how bad we feel, and focusing on how bad we feel makes us feel worse. Of course, it's nearly impossible to just ignore debilitating pain and discomfort, so Reiner recommends practicing mindfulness meditation instead. "It's a different way of being with the pain—paying attention to the moment with curiosity and kindness. You're noticing your pain, but not becoming consumed by it." It’s important to resist ways of managing symptoms that are potentially unhealthy and unhelpful—such as avoiding food. While it may seem intuitive to refrain from eating if you’re anticipating your body having trouble digesting, there are, predictably, some major problems with depriving your body of nourishment. However, your doctor may suggest you steer clear of certain foods or avoid eating close to bedtime (both common strategies for gut healing). "When you're not eating, you're more likely to be jittery and anxious," Reiner says. "The anxiety gets worse, not better." It's important to continue taking care of your body in all of the ways you normally would. And remember: Like all bouts of anxiety, this, too, shall pass. Ariana DiValentino is a writer and filmmaker based in Brooklyn. She is very, very worried. You can follow her on Instagram and Twitter. Health via Greatist RSS https://greatist.com/ June 12, 2018 at 11:27AM
The Best (and Worst) Foods for Your Gut
https://ift.tt/2sQmJDR "I pooped three times today and feel great!" maybe isn't something you shout from the mountaintops, but gut health is popping up more and more often in conversation these days. That's because your gut microbiome (basically all the bacteria that live in your digestive tracts) has been associated with everything from allergies, obesity, and diabetes to irritable bowel syndrome, heart and brain health, and much more. One way more and more people are trying to improve their gut health is by taking probiotics (that’s the more palatable term for bacteria) and prebiotics (the food bacteria eats). Nearly 3.9 million American adults take probiotic and prebiotic supplements to help improve their gastrointestinal health. And while taking a pill may help, it’s important to remember that supplements should be treated as just that--supplements to a healthy diet. We’ve compiled some of the top gut-friendly foods to help boost your gut-health game. And be sure to keep reading for the foods that don't help—and may actually hurt. Foods That Help Your GutWhen it comes to foods that help promote a healthy gut, we really have two categories: probiotics and prebiotics. That's one of the reasons fermented foods are so hot right now: Fermentation not only creates a wide range of tangy, funky foods, but it also results in a natural source of probiotics. Prebiotics, on the other hand, are fibers that we don’t digest ourselves, so they are consumed by the good bacteria in our gut. Taken together, prebiotics and probiotics can turn into a healthier, happier gut. Here are the top foods for better gut health. 1. KimchiThis fermented cabbage Korean staple is rich in two classes of good bacteria associated with better gut health (they're called Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium if you want to get technical). Early research suggests fermented kimchi alters the bacterial environment of the gut, potentially reducing the risk of insulin resistance, obesity, and blood pressure. Not a fan of kimchi? Try other fermented foods like sauerkraut, kombucha, or tempeh. 2. YogurtLike kimchi, yogurt is a naturally fermented food that can offer some serious probiotic power. Research found that women who ate a probiotic-rich yogurt for four weeks reported better gastrointestinal health, digestive comfort, and an overall improvement in quality of life. While most yogurts contain bacteria, sometimes the strains used aren’t super beneficial or the heat-processing protocols kill off the good stuff. For that reason, you’ll want to look for a yogurt that has at least 1 billion live or active colony-forming units (CFUs) on the label. Sick of yogurt? Try kefir instead. 3. Jerusalem ArtichokesAlso known as a sunchoke, the Jerusalem artichoke is a tasty tuber packed full of the prebiotic fiber, inulin. Earlyresearch suggests that inulin from the sunchoke increases the good bacteria in the gut, suppresses the bad pathogenic bacteria, and helps promote regularity. But a word to the wise—insulin in excess has been known to cause some serious gas. Hey, there’s a reason these babies are affectionately nicknamed “fart chokes”. We suggest introducing them to your diet slowly in small amounts until your gut adjusts. If you can’t find these nutty-sweet tubers, other great sources of inulin fiber include chicory root, asparagus, dandelion root, onions, and garlic. 4. GarlicIn addition to providing inulin fiber, garlic is also rich in the natural prebiotic fructooligosaccharides (FOS). Early in vitro research has found that garlic increases the good Bifidobacteria in the gut, which may help prevent some gastrointestinal diseases and irregularity. If you want to double down on those FOS fibers, other rich sources include leeks, asparagus, and onions. 5. Green (Unripe) BananasUnripe bananas are loaded with prebiotic fiber-resistant starch, which is broken down by gut bacteria to develop those SCFAs (like butyrate) we discussed. Findings from a meta-analysis and systematic review of randomized control trials suggest that supplementing the diet with resistant starch significantly improved bowel movements and the overall function of the gut. Research suggests you’ll likely want to aim for at least 6 grams of resistant starch per meal to reap the most benefits. So in addition to eating green bananas, you’ll also want to up your root veggies, legumes, and grains. And not just any grains—believe it or not, cooling off your starch (a.k.a. eating leftover cooked rice right from the fridge) can significantly increase the resistant starch content. 6. BarleyBarley is loaded with the prebiotic fiber beta-glucan, which research has found can increase the growth and probiotic benefits of four different good Lactobacillus strains. A randomized control trial also found similar outcomes for the good Bifidobacteria when volunteers supplemented their diets with fiber-rich barley. Not a fan of the grain? Try whole oats to get the same effect. 7. ApplesAn apple a day keeps the gastroenterologist away, and that might be largely due to its pectin content. Pectin makes up about 50 percent of the fiber content in an apple and has been shown in exploratory animal research to help increase the total SCFA content in the bowels (a.k.a. bacteria’s favorite food). It also appears to help reduce bad bacteria in the gut, so keep an apple on hand for your daily snack attack. 8. Shirataki NoodlesYou know those weird low-cal noodles the keto world is crazy about? Yep, those are surprisingly good for your gut. This faux pasta is made from the konjac root, which is high in a prebiotic fiber called glucomannan. Research has shown glucomannan may help improve the frequency and volume of bowel movements as well as the overall bacterial composition in your gut. One study found that even a small dose of the fiber helped reduce constipation by 30 percent. 9. CacaoHey, we'll take any excuse to double down on the chocolate. Cacao (the unprocessed version of chocolate), is rich in polyphenol flavanols, which, in addition to their heart-healthy properties, also have a prebiotic effect. One study found that consuming a drink rich in cocoa flavanols significantly increased the good Bifidobacteria and Lactobacilli content of the gut while reducing the bad bacterial counts. To get the biggest flavanol bang for your chocolate buck, make sure you’re choosing cocoa nibs or a good quality dark chocolate with at least 70 to 80 percent cocoa content. 10. Wheat BranThere’s a reason dietitians insist on eating more whole grains—it’s because they haven’t been stripped of their beneficial bran. Wheat bran contains a unique prebiotic fiber called arabinoxylan oligosaccharides (AXOS), which has been shown to increase the good Bifidobacteria in the gut. Studies have found that in comparison with refined white breads, whole-grain breads rich in AXOS helped improve bowel movement frequency, so make sure you’re looking for the words whole grain on the ingredient list of your morning toast. Foods That Hurt Your GutWhile getting in lots of probiotics and prebiotics may help you improve your digestive health, avoiding some of these gut-busters may help too. 1. Too Much BoozeWe know that too much of the happy juice isn’t a good thing for our health overall, but it turns out it's really not favoring our guts. Early research looking at alcoholics suggests that chronic alcohol intake is associated with changes in the bacterial microbiome, which may play a role in alcohol-induced tissue injury and liver disease. While we need more research done on a healthy population, it's probably best to throw 'em back in moderation. 2. Artificial SweetenersThe health of non-nutritive sweeteners has been a hot topic of debate for years, but with increasing interest in gut health, we may see a clearer story emerge. Rat research dating back to the 1980s had linked the use of artificial sweeteners to shifts in the bacterial populations in the animal microbiome. Follow-up studies have even found an association between the use of artificial sweeteners and glucose intolerance, an outcome affiliated with the shift in gut bacteria. This has led to research on humans that also has noted an association between artificial sweeteners, metabolic outcomes, and changes in our gut microflora. Maybe it’s time to try to cut back on the fake stuff in favor of smaller amounts of real sugar. 3. High Saturated Fat DietDespite the popularity of high-fat diets, early research suggests that a diet rich in saturated and trans fat may not be so good for the gut. Studies in both animal and human populations have shown that a diet rich in saturated fat (like from butter or fatty cuts of meat) may increase the “bad” gut bacteria population and decrease the “good” bacteria. In contrast, enjoying more unsaturated fats such as olive oil, avocado, and nuts may help your gut. 4. High Animal Protein DietResearch has linked animal products, especially red meat, to an unfavorable microbiome. Studies suggest that red meat may reduce the beneficial short-chain fatty acids that help feed the bacterial community, promote the growth of “bad” bacteria, and potentially increase the risk of irritable bowel disease. We believe everything fits in moderation, so you don't need to quit meat cold turkey (pun intended), but we can all likely benefit from eating less of it. 5. Food AdditivesWhile research in humans is still lacking, early rodent research found an association between common food additives such as polysorbate 80 and carboxymethylcellulose (don’t worry, there won’t be a spelling quiz) and shifts in the microbiome. It also found evidence of intestinal inflammation and an increased risk of irritable bowel disease. What does this mean for humans? At this point, we’re not sure, but considering most food additives are present in high-fat, low-fiber, and heavily processed foods, it’s probably safe to say this type of food isn’t great for the gut. 6. Carrageenan (Possibly)A common stabilizer found in cheese, ice cream, bread, jam, milk, and lunch meat, carrageenan has gotten a bad rep for its proposed role in gut inflammation. The vast majority of animal studies have found some evidence of intestinal damage with a carrageenan-rich diet, but how applicable this is to humans is another question. And while the early human studies we do have displayed some signs of inflammation in response to carrageenan, it’s important to note that the studies didn’t even take place in the human body and the carrageenan wasn’t added into food, so it’s hard to know how things would fare in the real world. Not surprisingly, building a better gut comes down to basic nutrition 101: Increase fiber-rich fruits and veggies; reduce refined, processed foods; and go easy on the booze. If you want to take things a step further, consider an at-home microbiome testing kit. While the science is still new, testing your own gut can give you more insight into your individual microbiome and what you should—and should not—be eating. (We recommend Viome, which you can read more about here. And for a super limited time, you'll also get $150 off if you use code GREATIST2 at checkout.*) *Greatist receives an affiliate fee for purchases made. Offer valid through Monday, June 18, 2018, 11:59 p.m. PST. Health via Greatist RSS https://greatist.com/ June 12, 2018 at 11:27AM
The Beginner’s Guide to Better Gut Health
https://ift.tt/2JG5Cev Want to hear about a messed-up study? Of course you do. Here's how scientists measure the will to live: Separate a young rat from his mother, throw him in a pool of water with no exit, and see how long it takes him to stop optimistically swimming in circles and start sadly treading water as he waits for the inevitable sink to the bottom. It's a test to measure how long it takes to give up on life. Don't worry, the rat lives through it. We're only bringing this up because in one such experiment in 2010, scientists found if the rat had been consuming probiotics, it was less likely to suffer from that anxiety and despair after being separated from its mother and tossed to its watery doom. That's right: Probiotics—the so-called "good" bacteria that are often found in yogurt and help with digestion—might increase our will to live. The Role of Bacteria in Your HealthOne of the most exciting and revolutionary topics in health right now is also one of the least sexy: We're talking about the bacteria that live in our digestive tracts—what science types call the gut microbiome. Our bodies play host to trillions of these critters, and they make up a mini-ecosystem that helps us break down the food we eat and absorb its nutrients. At least, that's all we thought the microbiome did. Recent research has shown that our belly bacteria have an incredible impact on everything from fat loss and inflammation levels to perhaps even our susceptibility to depression and anxiety. The Value of a Diverse MicrobiomeLet's start with the fat loss. Your gut bacteria has a huge effect on your insulin sensitivity, which controls the way your body responds to carbohydrates—specifically how likely it is to turn them into fat. Essentially, increasing your insulin sensitivity makes it easier to burn carbs. So how can you manipulate your microbiome into helping you burn more fat? Diversity. "You've got trillions of bacteria that help you digest food," says Brad Pilon, a nutrition consultant and lead researcher on Flat Belly Forever, a weight-loss system that cuts body fat by optimizing your gut bugs. "But when you don't have enough kinds of bacteria in there, it can contribute to a lot of issues with your health, and there's a real correlation with low gut diversity and obesity." In one quirky (if, again, kind of messed up) study, scientists pulled the gut bacteria out of obese mice and put 'em into the bellies of regular mice. Having the gut bacteria of obese mice increased the healthy mice's body fat even though their diet didn't change. And multiple human studies have also shown that crummy gut diversity leads to more fat storage and poor insulin sensitivity. A lack of gut diversity is also a really important marker of inflammation, which is linked to obesity, heart disease, arthritis, and even depression. The Gut-Brain ConnectionThat brings us back to our water-logged rodent pal from the beginning and how probiotics can make rats (and even humans) less anxious: the so-called gut-brain axis. The fact that the brain and belly are linked isn't surprising. (After all, indigestion is a fairly well-known side effect of stress.) But we're now learning that connection is a two-way street: The mind can affect the gut, and the gut can affect the mind. Here's a good example: In 2011, British scientists gave probiotics to both rats and human subjects. After a month, they noted a significant decrease in both the rats' anxiety-like symptoms and in the humans' levels of anger, distress, hostility, and depression. More recent research out of Oxford showed that supplements designed to boost the numbers of healthy gastrointestinal bacteria may improve anxiety levels by changing the way we process emotional information. The participants were actually found to pay less attention to negative words and more attention to positive words after three weeks of supplementing. "Some people think this is a little out there," Pilon says. "But after all, we accept that your kidneys affect brain function, and there's evidence the liver might be involved with multiple sclerosis. If you start viewing the microbiome as another organ, it makes a lot of sense." What You Can DoEach day brings new findings about how the bacteria in our gastrointestinal tract affect systems throughout the body. And each day we catch a glimpse (and a whiff) of our own GI, er, output. Taking advantage of the many benefits of diverse, healthy gut bacteria isn't as easy as eating yogurt every single day—but it's not much harder either. Follow these simple steps: 1. Determine whether you've got a problem in your gut.If you have diarrhea, constipation, or stomach cramping all the time, this isn't even a question. But there are other signs your gut isn't as healthy as it could be. "The notion of optimal digestive health can't be compared from one person to another," says Pascale M. White, M.D., assistant professor of medicine and director of the gastroenterology clinic at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York. "Everyone has their own baseline." That means whether you normally have three bowel movements per day or one every other day, a change from your individual baseline could mean there's something wrong, White says. Other signs of intestinal issues are increased bloating, heartburn, or stomach pain. Due to what we now know—or at least suspect—about the microbiome, you might even look to other parts of your body for signs of an imbalance in your GI tract. "The gut is like our second brain; it's very predictive of the other things that happen in our body," says Deepa Verma, M.D., AIHM, an integrative health physician. "Eczema, rashes, psoriasis, depression, anxiety, migraines, headaches... concerns that manifest outside the gut can be linked back to it." 2. Keep a food diary.We're not always paying the best attention to the cause and effect of what we do to our bodies, so this is where White often starts with her patients. "It can help them look at what they are eating in relation to what they are feeling," White says. Often, people are surprised by patterns they find, she says, and this gives them a much clearer idea of what foods to eliminate from their diets. You may find, for instance, that you've developed a lactose intolerance, which is something that often happens in adulthood. 3. Eat more fiber.Isn't it nice to think about adding foods to your diet rather than eliminating them? That's the approach Amy Gannon, M.Ed., R.D., L.D., department manager of eCoaching at the Cleveland Clinic Wellness Institute, takes to improving the gut microbiome. "The easiest dietary fix across the board would be to include whole foods that have dietary fiber—even better if those foods can be a source of prebiotics," she says. Gannon suggests eating more of all kinds of fruits, vegetables, lentils, and whole grains to get fiber, which ferments in the intestines. Prebiotics are foods that break down into chemicals that feed good bacteria. Onions, garlic, leeks, and oats fall into this high-fiber, prebiotic category. While you're at it, you should also know that your gut will benefit from having an extensive menu, because variety, apparently, is the spice of microbiota. "Foods have different benefits that promote different kinds of bacteria—so apples, artichokes, and pistachios benefit a certain kind of bacteria," Gannon says. "Then other foods, like yogurt, have a different kind of bacteria." 4. Eat fewer inflammatory foods."I don't expect all my patients to be plant-based or vegan, but I do expect them to at least limit the amount of animal products that they consume because meat and dairy are very inflammatory," Verma says. Studies have shown that the staples of our "Western" diet (high in sugar, starch, and saturated and trans fats) cause an inflammatory response. Inflamed intestines lead to poor absorption of nutrients and more serious conditions such as Crohn's disease and inflamed bowel syndrome. Verma suggests limiting meat and dairy to about 20 to 25 percent of your diet, with the rest being plant-based. That gives you plenty more opportunities for adding those high-fiber foods too. 5. Eat (the right kind of) fermented foods and yogurts.If you know nothing else about good bacteria, you probably at least know they're in yogurts. Fermented foods such as kimchi, tempeh, and miso are also excellent sources of probiotics. But you have to pay attention to the labels: The yogurt should say it has "live active cultures," and the fermented foods should be the refrigerated kind, not the shelf-stable versions that have been pasteurized—a process that kills off bacteria. "The beauty with these food sources is that you're getting probiotics, and you're also getting other nutrients along with them," Gannon says. By the way, there's no prescribed amount of these foods you should eat—the science is still too new for that kind of precision. For now, Gannon says you can let your taste buds guide you rather than treating them like medicine. "With some of those foods, they do have benefits, but if you don't like them, then I definitely wouldn't force yourself to eat them," she says. "It really is important to go with things you like and can include day to day." Also, probiotic supplements can be beneficial, but there's no magic pill here—adding probiotics blindly without fixing other issues isn't a good solution. 6. Look at the FODMAP list.After doctors have ruled out organic or structural GI disorders (such as infection, colitis, cancer, colon polyps, Crohn's disease), they turn to the much more vague diagnosis of irritable bowel syndrome. White says the priority for IBS is to treat the symptoms (diarrhea, cramping, constipation, gas). The food diary is one way to begin identifying IBS triggers, and another is looking at the list of foods high in fermentable oligosaccharide, disaccharide, monosaccharide, and polyols, a.k.a. the high-FODMAP foods. The way these foods break down produces gas, which is problematic to those with hypersensitive systems. "Each patient is different, so some patients may look at the FODMAP-eliminating diet and say, 'Apples never bothered me, but when I have corn syrup, it does bother me,'" White explains. "It's not as if they have to completely avoid those foods. It's more like you look at the list and determine which ones you're eating more of that you didn't realize could be contributing to your symptoms." 7. Sleep more.There is conflicting evidence about whether sleep deprivation actually negatively impacts the human microbiome. What we do know, however, is that lack of sleep does increase levels of cortisol (a.k.a. the stress hormone) in your body and that stress affects your gut in a number of ways. "Some studies say that chronic stress can induce a dysbiosis, or abnormal growth pattern of gut microbes," White says. Her patients with IBS also often identify stress as a trigger for their symptoms. Cortisol also causes inflammation, which can be another source of problems in digestion and beyond. "Inflammation impedes natural processes like digestion and metabolism that are crucial for us to thrive and survive," Verma says. Gannon adds that melatonin, the hormone that makes us sleepy, is produced in the gut, which adds to this particularly nasty cycle. 8. Exercise regularly.This is another way to decrease the stress that could be disrupting your gut, thanks to those endorphins it gets pumping through your brain. "Exercise is awesome in that it's one of our most underutilized antidepressants and anti-anxiety agents," Verma says. Just last year, scientists at the University in Illinois looked at the gut microbiota of lean and obese people when they were exercising regularly and when they were sedentary. During periods of exercise, both the lean and obese groups had an increase in the kind of microbes that produce the short-chain fatty acids our bodies need for a whole host of functions, including digestion. 9. Check up on yourself.Everybody's body is different, and that's true for our guts, as well. If you want to learn more about your own body's ecosystem and its particular needs, a home microbiome-testing kit may give you personalized insight into what steps to take to optimize your gut health. We're fans of Viome (read more about it here), and for a limited time only, you can get $150 off when you use code GREATIST2 at checkout.* (We also make an affiliate cut if you follow through.) 10. Be careful about antibiotics.Downing antibiotics can be a doctor's first response to conditions as common as bronchitis, sinus infections, and sore throats. But these pills kill off massive amounts of both "good" and "bad" gut bacteria ("anti-biotic" is literally the opposite of "pro-biotic"). Worst of all, exposure to antibiotics at a young age may even influence whether a person will develop diabetes or Crohn's disease later in life. Try to explore alternatives whenever possible. 11. See a primary care doctor regularly.Most young adults visit a doctor only when something is wrong. That means you never have a doctor who knows what you look like when you're healthy and therefore they won't be as helpful in diagnosing your problems. "Having that person keep an eye on you on a continual basis is your first line of defense," White says. "That primary doctor is, over time, going to know you. Then when you step out of that normal boundary, they will be able to direct you to more testing they can do or to a specialist like me." The TakeawayWe weren't kidding when we said practically every facet of your health is affected by an invisible alien ecosystem in your gut that you've probably never given much thought to. It's kind of crazy, but it's also important: At a time where there are rising rates of obesity and type 2 diabetes across America, we need to start thinking more about the microbiome and the role it can play in managing those health issues. Luckily, tending to your gut bugs doesn't have to be complicated: Eat fermented foods, sleep a lot, fill up on fiber, and maintain a healthy weight. Your belly and your brain will thank you. *Offer valid through Monday, June 18, 2018, 11:59 p.m. PST. Health via Greatist RSS https://greatist.com/ June 12, 2018 at 11:27AM
The One Test That Made Me Take My Gut Health Seriously
https://ift.tt/2sRbawm Time for a little overshare: Recently, I've been experiencing some seriously awkward bloating after meals, feeling like I swallowed a balloon that just won't pop. This is a new development—and frankly, it sucks. Despite the fact that I eat fairly well, I just haven't been feeling right. So I started to pay more attention to the way different types of foods made me feel—including dairy, gluten, alcohol, and sugar. You know, my best food friends. Of course, I knew the problem probably lay in my gut. Like everyone else, I’ve been reading tons about how the trillions of bacteria in your digestive tract—a.k.a. the gut microbiome—affect everything from weight, inflammation, and digestion to sleep issues, allergies, and stress. The truth is, the more we find out, the more our understanding of the gut has the power to transform the way we manage our health and fight illness. Pretty epic. But I had no idea how to apply this new scientific knowledge to my newly miserable gut. As I paid attention to my diet, no easy pattern emerged—none of the foods I was tracking seemed to be the culprit. People suggested probiotics, but I didn't know where to start, and besides, everyone's body works differently, right? I wanted to know what really made my system tick. In search of an at-home gut-testing kit, I found Viome.Curious, I tried it out—which meant that yes, I collected a tiny sample of my poop (the process is way less gross than you might expect) and sent it off. Mailing my poop felt a little weird (but it's legal!), and the results ended up being more than worth it. Unlike most microbiome "assessments," Viome doesn't just identify the bacteria you have in your gut but also what they're doing and how they're interacting with each other. This is all done via some impressive AI work led by the engineer who built IBM Watson—yeah, that IBM Watson. My results came back, and I was floored.Turns out, my gut was in pretty bad shape, and it was finally time for me to take my gut health seriously. My Viome results came with actual, actionable recommendations, mostly ones I would never have come up with on my own—and unlike every blood or genetic test I've taken, the recommendation wasn't just "eat healthy and work out more."
But these were just the results that affect my particular gut. Other people get their own specific results, including recommendations that they should...
So is it legit?Look, I'm as skeptical of things like this as can be. No test is perfect—it's SUPER early in our understanding of the microbiome, and there's a long way to go. I believe Viome's leading the way, but a lot of these tests are controversial and most are very limited in application. My results almost certainly applied to a snapshot of my gut when I sent off the sample, not all the time—although Helen Messier, Ph.D., M.D., Viome's chief medical officer, told me these tests are pretty consistent if you mostly eat the same way. And Viome isn't cheap—although it's significantly cheaper than most tests like this at a clinic—so it's a big commitment. But I'm convinced that understanding the gut is an important new area of health full of potential. These results convinced me that getting to know your gut today can be the start of a healthier relationship with yourself—and potentially surprise you with unexpected ways that can help you live a better life. And the more of us who try this, the more we can push our understanding of gut health forward together (not to mention reduce costs over time). If you'd like to try Viome, you can get $150 off for a limited time only when you use code GREATIST2 at checkout.* (We also make an affiliate cut if you follow through). I can only speak for myself, but since I started eating less protein, taking digestive enzymes, and generally following Viome's other suggestions, that annoying bloating feeling has mostly disappeared. I'm just beginning my journey to getting to know my gut and how it affects my health—but this feels like one heck of a start! *Offer valid through Monday, June 18, 2018, 11:59 p.m. PST. Health via Greatist RSS https://greatist.com/ June 12, 2018 at 11:27AM |
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