The Gluten-Cancer Connection

Dr. Isaac Eliaz | Oct 29, 2013


If you’re highly sensitive to gluten or have full-blown celiac disease, you don’t need any extra reasons to avoid what many are calling the “mutant grains.” You’ve already concluded that wheat and its relatives such as barley and rye aren’t invited to the next dinner party. But many people may still be gluten-sensitive and not know it. In fact, it’s quite common to have an undiagnosed food sensitivity that can cause vague symptoms such as occasional indigestion, headaches, skin outbreaks, brain fog and a whole host of other issues. As these symptoms progress, or simply come and go, many people blame aging, stressful schedules or other causes. However, a growing number of health practitioners are now paying closer attention to possible food sensitivities as major factors in diseases related to inflammation and impaired immunity.

Furthermore, advancements in diagnostic procedures have made it quite clear that gluten can be a common allergen for many people, triggering low-grade chronic inflammation that may not even be noticed. You can have none of the classic digestive symptoms, but still have damaging inflammation in many parts of the body. The list of gluten-related health issues is long and includes osteoporosis, periodontal disease and neurological disease.

Some of the more common symptoms produced by gluten sensitivity, whether they’re diagnosed or not, are heartburn and indigestion/stomach pain, as well as bloating and gas lower in the abdomen. As the body struggles to digest the gluten, inflammation ensues and symptoms follow. Did you ever get a stomachache after eating a bagel? That’s probably why. But your gluten problem is more dangerous than you may think.

Indigestion And Cancer

A number of studies, including new research from Rhode Island Hospital, have identified a pattern I’ve observed in my clinical practice for decades: Chronic heartburn and indigestion can contribute to cancer in the esophagus. The overly acidic and chronically inflamed stomach environment can cause what’s called Barrett’s esophagus. This occurs when the cells lining the esophagus become abnormal.

This new study and others suggest a direct link between this degenerative process and the development of esophageal cancer. Although this study didn’t specifically discuss gluten or other food sensitivities as contributing to chronic indigestion and heartburn, and increased cancer incidence, I am confident, based on my experience, that this link will eventually be made. If you have undiagnosed gluten or other food sensitivities, the resulting chronic inflammation puts you at a higher risk for this increasingly common disease. In fact, rates of esophageal cancer are on the rise, similar to rates of food sensitivities — including gluten sensitivity.

Other studies have attempted to link gluten sensitivity to cancer in general, though the findings are mixed. One study showed that there is a higher rate of cancer among people with celiac disease and gluten sensitivity, though the relationships were unclear. This is a relatively new field of research that I will be watching closely.

Long-Term Digestive Health

The truth is that digestive wellness is at the foundation of our long-term health and vitality. In today’s day and age, the digestive system may work harder than any other system of the body to maintain health. Even for people who claim to possess an iron gut, consuming everything from raw meat to jalapeno peppers, digestive vitality can still be reduced over time with the wrong diet. Impaired digestion can lead to malnourishment, suppressed immunity, metabolic problems, irritable bowel disease, allergies, depression and more serious chronic illnesses as we can see from this study. So if you have food sensitivities or not, optimizing digestive function will help put your overall health on the “right tract.”

If you suffer from digestive woes, it’s important to test for food sensitivities with a qualified, integrative health provider. This will guide you in developing an optimal eating plan to help you pave the way to long-term digestive vitality. In addition, certain herbs and nutrients can help support and enhance digestive function over time.

Here are some recommendations:

• Probiotics and prebiotics: These are two of the most important supplements for healthy digestion. Probiotics are critical for digestive and overall health and have been extensively researched for their numerous remarkable benefits. Prebiotics provide food and a nourishing environment for probiotics to thrive.
• Zinc: This is an important mineral for digestive health, and it also plays roles in hormone regulation, immune health, tissue repair and neurological function.
• Proteolytic enzymes: These enzymes, such as amylase, protease and lipase, increase digestive strength, improve nutrient absorption, and support immunity and vital energy.
• Digestive Formula: A unique formula containing a blend of “warming” herbs, such as pomegranate seed, licorice root, a specific mushroom blend, enzymes and nutrients, can be used to alleviate digestive discomfort and promote long term digestive health.
• Medicinal mushrooms: Medicinal mushrooms such as reishi, cordyceps, poria and tremella can help strengthen digestion, improve nutrient assimilation, detoxify the body and support immunity and overall health.

When functioning optimally, digestion is a highly organized and efficient system that ensures vitality throughout the body. Experts now call the gut “our second brain” and “the other immune system” because of its heightened neurotransmitter and immune functions. Often, problems in other areas first manifest as digestive discomfort, and vice versa. So for optimal health and wellness, it’s important to “follow your gut.”

To access more in-depth information on digestive and overall health, visit www.dreliaz.org.

http://easyhealthoptions.com/alternative-medicine/the-gluten-cancer-connection/

The Vitamin That Defends Teeth Against Cavities

Carl Lowe | Oct 28, 2013


Eating sticky sweets can lead to tooth decay. When sugary candy adheres to a tooth, harmful bacteria enjoy a damaging feast. But a review of research on mouth health shows that there’s a vitamin that can cut your chances of suffering a cavity in half.

Research at the University of Washington shows that vitamin D can significantly shrink your chances of suffering painful cavities in your teeth.

The study analyzed 24 controlled clinical trials, from the 1920s to the 1980s, on approximately 3,000 children in several different countries. These studies showed that vitamin D was associated with an approximately 50 percent reduction in the incidence of tooth decay.

Michael Hollick, professor of medicine at the Boston University Medical Center, adds: “the findings from the University of Washington reaffirm the importance of vitamin D for dental health.” He notes that “children who are vitamin D deficient have poor and delayed teeth eruption and are prone to dental caries.”

http://easyhealthoptions.com/alternative-medicine/the-vitamin-that-defends-teeth-against-cavities/

In a Crisis? Let Your Words Create Your World!

By Karen Salmansohn

Psychologists say a single trauma will strike you twice. First, you will live through the actual event—dealing with the reality of it. Second, when you think or talk about the event with others, creating your personalized story of the event, you will recreate the event in your mind. Although there's nothing you can do about what has happened to you, it's important to stay mindful of how you describe the trauma to yourself and others—remember that your words create your world!


Boris Cyrulnik, a famed French ethologist, says there’s good reason to watch what you say.

Simply being told they were strong helped them to be that way. Cyrulnik argues that if another person expresses too much pity or horror for you, their view can actually escalate your pain.

 

What was one of the easiest, yet most powerful, strategies for bouncing back buoyantly from adversity? Remembering the mantra, “I must watch the words I use—because they create the world I see!”

 

Learn the importance of surrounding yourself with people who would verbally reinforce your identity as a strong person. 

 

Positive words of encouraging faith from others would help to reinspire inner strength, 

Neuro-linguistic Programming (NLP) is a therapy that attempts to influence the subconscious mind and affect positive change by consciously using positive words to refocus on the things within one’s control. For example, Cyrulnik warns that after a trauma, you need to make sure you don’t talk with people who accidentally keep you in the victim mode by using depression-inducing language such as:

• You must be suffering so greatly right now!
• How very hurt and in pain you must be!
• I bet you’re exhausted and depressed after all you’ve been through!

 

No, no, no! You must keep away from words like those! While on the surface they seem kind and empathetic, they’re far more capable of souring the mood of a person in crisis.

 

During tough times, you must surround yourself with a chorus of folks who chant, “You are strong! You are strong! You are strong!” creating an endless loop of support!

 

Knowing the subliminal power of words, Morrie and Arleah Shectman, psychotherapists who specialize in bereavement counseling, purposefully use empowering language when helping people through a trauma.“ Too much ‘sympathy talk’ can keep patients stuck, reliving and examining their feelings rather than moving on,” Morrie says.

 

After a little research, I believe Morrie is practicing this “neuroscience of words”—purposefully priming his patients’ subconscious minds with positive language to serve as an inner-strength training program of sorts!

 

The words we use and hear are powerful!

 

“After you’ve been through a trauma or a large loss, assume people won’t be good listeners,” warns Dr. Al Siebert, director of Portland, Oregon’s Resiliency Center and author of The Resiliency Advantage. According to Siebert, the average person will listen to you talk about your ordeal for one to two minutes tops, before they want to get away or they interrupt you with their opinion. This can be really hurtful and emotionally stressful when you’re feeling vulnerable.

Try to use neutral or positive language so you don’t keep reliving your pain. Be sure to put a positive “kicker” at the end. For example: “Yes, I’ve been through a horrible time, but I’m handling it okay. How about you? Have you ever been through anything like this?”

 

Requesting empathy makes it less likely that your listener’s response will hurt or disappoint you.

 

If you feel you’re with someone highly supportive—a friend with whom you want to more freely share your experience—be sure to check in with them first, saying something like: “I must confess what I went through is a very emotional experience. If you have an hour, I’d love to share it with you.” That way you guard against the disappointment of not being able to share in the way you had hoped.

 

Siebert also reminds that it’s okay to decide not to share anything at all. You can simply tell people, “Thanks for asking, but I don’t care to talk about it right now.”

 

Another helpful NLP technique is to dilute strongly negative words. Try to stop saying things like:

• I’m furious!
• I’m devastated!
• I’m completely crushed.

 

Instead replace them with milder expressions such as:

• I’m a bit miffed.
• I’m disappointed.
• I’m surprised.

 

Be mindful that your words also have power in other areas of your life. For example, instead of saying, “I won’t get involved with cheating jerks or sociopaths or toxic people anymore!” you might say, “I’ll only get involved with healthy, loving, trustworthy people.” Instead of saying, “I am no longer going to be in total financial debt!” you might say, “I vow to become financially solvent.”

 

I’m also a big believer that who you think you are actually manifests who you will be. Your beliefs will create the actions and habits you choose. During a challenging time, it’s essential to view yourself as a strong person—capable of bouncing back stronger than ever! With this in mind, I recommend during tough times, you enter what I humorously call the “Identity Protection Program!” Own one of the following identities as yours:

• I’m the type of person who makes the world say yes to me.
• I’m an indomitable spirit, a phoenix rising from the ashes. Nothing keeps me down!
• A lesser person would crumble right now. Not moi!
• When life throws me curveballs, I hit ‘em outta the park!

 

If you find yourself in a challenging time, remember to repeat these types of beliefs as often as possible, even if at first you have trouble believing them. As Muhammad Ali once said: “It’s the repetition of affirmations that leads to belief. And once that belief becomes a deep conviction, things begin to happen.” Or as I like to say, “Sometimes you gotta fake positivity till you make positivity.”

 

Excerpt from: http://www.oprah.com/spirit/Let-Your-Words-Create-Your-World/