Effects of alcohol addiction on the digestive system

June 12, 2015

Effects of alcohol addiction on the digestive system: The Digestive System Explained

Effects of alcohol addiction on the digestive system can be corrected by the applications of preventive measures of alcoholism

Alcohol consumption when abused can become one of the most dangerous substances that can cause serious health complication to the body. Even though it is said that the use of alcohol can be beneficial to the body, this fact is betrayed by the fact that this substance is very addictive and the minimum level of usage is often very difficult to attain. Moreover the said benefits are very insignificant when compared to the demerits of alcohol. For that reason we want to explore some of the effects of alcohol addiction on the digestive system with a view of understanding the possible corrective measures that we can take to salvage the problem. When we talk of the benefits, it is often eluded to the moderate consumption of alcohol. Users of alcohol will tell you that when taken in moderation, it can make life a bit more enjoyable for some people. These people will tell you that it allows them to socialize more easily, and also cause them to relax after a hard day’s work. However what may not be clear to these users is that there is a dark side to alcohol consumption, and this will soon become apparent when individuals drink beyond the estimated limit. The consequences of this can lead to all sorts of physical and mental health problems. Therefore if people become addicted to alcohol it can completely destroy their life.

Effects of alcohol addiction on the digestive system: Organs of the digestive system

Before we get to understand how alcohol addiction affects the digestive system, it is important to appreciate that people need to consume food in order to survive, to be strong and healthy. Besides that, it is also not only needed for fuel but the body also uses elements of this nutrition for repair of the body. Now the digestive system is a group of organs in the body that are tasked with the role of removing all the needed nutrients from any food that is eaten. In other words, in order for people to live life to the fullest they need to have a fully functional digestive system. These digestive systems are made up of several different organs including the following:

The mouth is where digestion begins. The food that is eaten will be partly broken down by chewing so as to make it easier to digest. At this point, the saliva can begin to break down some chemicals in food.
Food is then transferred to the stomach by the esophagus.
The stomach contains a strong acid that helps to break down food. The churning motion of the stomach turns food into a sludge-like substance called chime.
The liver produces bile which is stored in the gallbladder.
The pancreas produces enzymes that are also required for digestion.
The small intestine is where bile and enzymes help to extract the nutrients from the food.
The large intestine contains microbes that assist in breaking down food. In this organ electrolytes and water is extracted from the chime.
Anything in the food that is not of use to the body ends up in the rectum where it is expelled as feces and that is the process of digestion which can be literally destroyed by the abuse of alcohol.

Effects of alcohol addiction on the digestive system: Digestive System Problems Caused by Alcohol Abuse

According to the experts at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center, alcohol abuse can cause havoc in every organ of the digestive system listed above. Doctor Dalal Akoury shares with us some of the most common problems that are likely to come as a result of the abuse of this substance:

Alcohol increases the risk that people will develop mouth cancer remember that alcohol comes in second besides tobacco smoking to this effect. However it can also cause some people to develop gum disease.
Heartburn is frequently caused by excessive alcohol intake. It does this by relaxing the sphincter that is there to control the acidic contents of the stomach from passing into the esophagus. If this fluid makes it past the sphincter it can be highly irritating to the esophagus, and this is what causes heartburn.
Alcohol abuse can damage the lining of the stomach. This can lead to problems including inflammation of the stomach gastritis.
Alcohol may increase the risk of people developing stomach cancer, but there is no conclusive proof of this.
Alcohol abuse can increase the risk of people developing small intestine cancers.
It can cause mal-absorption so that the individual is not absorbing all the nutrients from food they need.
It may cause leaky gut syndrome where unwanted toxins are able to leak through the intestine into the rest of the body. These toxins then cause problems and lead to ill-health.
It can exacerbate irritable bowel syndrome
Alcohol can cause both diarrhea and constipation
Excessive alcohol intake can lead to an inflammation of the pancreas. This is known as pancreatitis and it can lead to life-threatening complications. It can also interfere with the ability of the digestive system to function effectively.
The effect of alcohol on the liver is well documented. If people are drinking excessively they can start to develop the early stages of alcoholic liver disease. If this progresses to cirrhosis then the damage will be so severe that this organ is unable to function properly. Not only is the liver vital for digestion, but it is also necessary for other important functions as well.

Effects of alcohol addiction on the digestive system: Alcoholism and Malnutrition

Researchers have established that many alcoholics fail to get adequate nutrition, and this leads to serious health consequences. The consequences of this could develop problems like alcoholic dementia and peripheral neuropathy because of nutritional deficiencies. The reason why this occurs is that alcohol contains empty calories while offering little nutritional value. This means that people do not feel hungry. Alcoholism also causes people to lose interest in food, and the impact of alcohol on the digestion of food can lead to mal-absorption when they do eat. This is why chronic alcoholics will usually suffer from poor health because of malnutrition. Finally the notion of moderate drinking has not worked for many owing to the addictiveness of alcohol. It is therefore advisable to quit alcohol altogether for your digestive system to be healthy and effective. Meanwhile if you are struggling with alcohol, then you can schedule for an appointment with doctor Akoury to get professional help and treatment to correct any damage that may have been caused by the abuse of alcohol.

Effects of alcohol addiction on the digestive system: The Digestive System Explained

Enzymes and Contribution in Cancer Treatment

December 9, 2014

Enzymes for Cancer Treatment

enzymes-for-fighting-cancer Cancer has managed to earn itself quite a reputation throughout the world as a major threat to everyone. This therefore warrants a keen understanding of the disease and how it works.

Cancer is formed through a breakdown in a variety of the normal cellular and immunity mechanisms in the body. Often, body components damaged by free radicals are built up within the cells in the body throughout life. Extreme oxidative stress resulting from factors such as body injury or diseases catalyze this process. This damage caused to body tissue initiates the release of chemical signals to arrest the situation, but in large amounts, the chemical signals eventually cause further damage to tissue. This tissue damage cycle is responsible for the damage of DNA in the end.

As you might have known from raw biology, the DNA is responsible for a number of regulatory processes and mechanisms. If it can no longer perform this regulation function, it only means that the growth of cancer cannot be regulated any more. And given the inflammation or tissue damage already in place, the body immunity is likely to miscommunicate, mistaking the developing cancer cells for other damaged body tissue. This disrupted cellular communication gives cancer a window to thrive. Even more disadvantageous to the victim is the effects of the reactive species of oxygen whose effects on the natural cellular controls eventually prevent apoptosis of the developing cancer cells.

Cancer cells are also ‘smart’. They have adaptive characteristics that make them survive against the body immunity mechanisms. While enzymes are known for their digestive abilities in the body, the cancer tumor for instance produce a dense fibrin protein which not only help them stick around but also aid their protection against the possible digestion by the immune system. Enzymes in the bloodstream are capable of digesting and dissolving the fibrin coating on the cancer tumor. The enzymes would however have to be in large amounts. In addition, they would need to be enzymes with high amounts of nattokinase or protease or break down the thick fibrin.

Low Enzyme Levels And Cancer

Research suggests a rather close relationship between low levels of enzymes and the formation and proliferation of cancer tumor. The enzymes as already mentioned are capable of destroying the cancer tumor naturally. The body is programmed to have the foods taken in digested by the very enzymes that come into the gut with the food. This suggests that the digestive system is meant to process foods that are raw for this ideal set up to work out, since raw food comes with enzymes that aid the breakdown of that particular food right in the upper gut (stomach). Food usually stays there for about 30- 45 minutes.

If that were to be the case. It would mean that down the gut in the lower stomach and the duodenum, the pancreatic enzymes have a reduced work and a lot of them can be reserved and channeled into the bloodstream where they do the cleaning work and could help digest any existing cancer tumor in the bloodstream.

However, this is never the case as the foods we eat are processed: cooked or treated. These processes that food undergoes are responsible for killing of the enzymes. The food thus does not get predigested in upper stomach. The pancreas is therefore overworked as soon as the food gets to the lower stomach as it has to produce extra enzymes for braking down the food. In the process, the food is often incompletely digested.

This partial digestion of the food ends up with some undigested food into the bloodstream where they are treated as foreign and toxic to the body system. Being viewed in that lens by the body’s immunity, the system that already has much to do, has to put up with even extra work of fighting the undigested food being considered toxic in the bloodstream.

The overworked pancreas loses its ability to produce sustainable amount of enzymes in the long run resulting with an individual with low enzyme levels. The moment all the essential enzymes exist in low amounts, the body loses its ability to naturally fight and destroy cancerous cells.

enzymes-for-fighting-cancer

How to Boost the Enzymes Level

In that condition, you must make use of enzyme supplements. A number of them are recommended for use. The most recommended one being the PapayaPro. The product has mature green papaya powder as key ingredient, with the most active enzyme being Papain. Papain has a unique digestive formula and is expressly powerful as compared to pancreatin or even the pancreatic enzymes. It is not affected by changes in the intestinal pH and can work equally in both alkaline and acidic conditions. It is highly aggressive when taken in an empty stomach and will work more than the pancreatic enzymes in its attacking and destroying of the cancer tumor.

The Citrus Pectin enzyme also found in the PapayaPro has an even more unique ability, it can prevent the spread of cancer cells (metastasis). Their molecules enter the blood and confuse cancer cells for lectin (cancer protein). As a result, the tumors are prevented from being able to attach to other body parts to start new cancer colonies. This has been supported by a number of studies.

AwareMed recommends the use of enzyme supplements to boost the body immunity and help fight cancer. More information can be obtained by contacting our doctors at AwareMed.

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Breathe Easier with Bromelain

November 8, 2014

Breathe Easier with Bromelain

A mixture of several enzymes that are naturally found in pineapple juice and its stem, Bromelain, has been found to treat successfully a wide variety of disorders that are responsible for other severe diseases. This proteolytic enzyme is held as being useful in the digestion of proteins.

Some of this proteolytic enzyme is said to be absorbed by the body without being broken or processed into a different form. Because of this characteristic the enzyme is believed to have other effects outside the gastrointestinal tract.

What is most important though is not these behavioral aspects. Rather, its curative nature is what really matters. Medicinal assessments have recommended it as an organic anti-inflammatory used for various conditions including arthritis.

In Germany, Bromelain is also one of the commonest supplements sanctioned by the E Commission for dealing with swelling and distension of the nose as well as the sinuses that come as a result of surgery or other forms of injury.

It is from this perspective that Bromelain comes out as being highly useful in helping people with breathing related issues. One may use the enzyme to help alleviate the effects of these nasal inflammations and this way their breathing is expressly improved.

Sinusitis

Inflammation of a person’s nasal sinus may be treated by the use of Bromelain. It has been recommended by doctors in different parts of the globe as a corresponding treatment for patients of Sinusitis.

Bromelain

From preliminary medical studies, doctors say that it is helpful in reducing congestion of the chest which eventually improves breathing and suppresses coughing. Commission E approves of it as a good alternative for dealing with nasal swellings and inflammations that remain after one has been operated on. The approval is supported by a hoard of previous studies which indicate that the enzyme may bring relief from symptoms of sinusitis.

Other areas

Given that Bromelain is an enzyme it helps with the digestion proteins. As we know, breathing is not purely about inhaling and exhaling through our noses. A lot of other factors come into play in effecting a perfect gaseous exchange. Bromelain therefore comes in handy to help with cases of bloating that could prevent one from enjoying a free flow of breath.

The enzyme helps with a number of digestive related symptoms including excessive gas in the stomach and conditions like the irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). It is effective used alone but can always be used together with other enzymes of similar purposes such as the lipase which help in digestion of fats. Another enzyme it can be used with is the amylase which digests starch in the body.

Bromelain forms

The enzyme can always be taken in the form of capsules or tablets. The pineapple extract is processed and made into these forms for ready use just like other medicines. As a digestive aid though, it is often taken together with meals, but is recommended to be ingested in between meals when the purpose is to treat inflammatory conditions as this will optimize chances of absorption.

Breathe Easier with Bromelain

Alcohol causes malnutrition and liver toxicity

April 2, 2014

Alcohol causes malnutrition and liver toxicity-Its Effects

alcohol consumption is a great contributor to malnutrition

Whichever way you look at it alcohol is the most abused drug and the most addictive of all known drugs in the world. The most surprising and interesting thing is that as toxic as it is, it is legalized and consumed freely. Its effect is felt in all homes directly and indirectly. Many alcoholics are malnourished, either because they ingest too little of essential nutrients like carbohydrates, proteins, and vitamins or because alcohol and its metabolism prevent their body from properly absorbing, digesting, and using those nutrients. As a result, alcoholics frequently experience deficiencies in proteins and vitamins, particularly vitamin A, which may contribute to liver disease and other serious alcohol–related disorders.

A complex interplay exists between a person’s alcohol consumption and nutritional status. Many people, including light to moderate drinkers who consume one to two glasses or less of an alcoholic beverage per day, consider those beverages a part of their normal diet and acquire a certain number of calories from them. When consumed in excess, however, alcohol can cause diseases by interfering with the nutritional status of the drinker. For example, alcohol can alter the intake, absorption into the body, and utilization of various nutrients. In addition, alcohol exerts some harmful effects through its breakdown (i.e., metabolism) and the resulting toxic compounds, particularly in the liver, where most of the alcohol metabolism occurs.

Alcohol causes malnutrition and liver toxicity-Nutritional Value of Alcohol

Alcoholic beverages primarily consist of water, pure alcohol (chemically known as ethanol), and variable amounts of sugars (i.e., carbohydrates); the content of other nutrients (e.g., proteins, vitamins, or minerals) is usually negligible. Because they provide almost no nutrients, alcoholic beverages are considered “empty calories.”) Therefore, any calories provided by alcoholic beverages are derived from the carbohydrates and alcohol they contain. The carbohydrate content varies greatly among beverage types.

At least under certain conditions, however, alcohol–derived calories when consumed in substantial amounts can have less biologic value than carbohydrate–derived calories, as shown in a study in the weights of two groups of participants who received balanced diets containing equal numbers of calories. In one of the groups, 50 percent of total calories were derived from carbohydrates, whereas in the other group the calories were derived from alcohol. The study participants were observed on the metabolic ward of a hospital during the experiments. The quantity of alcohol administered did not exceed the amount routinely consumed by these volunteers.

Although all participants received the same number of calories, those in the alcohol group exhibited a decline in body weight compared with those in the carbohydrate group. Moreover, when the participants received additional calories in the form of alcohol, they did not experience any corresponding weight gain. This suggests that some of the energy contained in alcohol is “lost” or “wasted” meaning, it is not available to the body for producing or maintaining body mass.

Alcohol causes malnutrition and liver toxicity-Nutritional Status

General observation suggests that many alcoholics do not consume a balanced diet; moreover, as mentioned earlier, excessive alcohol consumption may interfere with these alcoholics’ ability to absorb and use the nutrients they do consume. Accordingly, many alcoholics suffer from various degrees of both primary and secondary malnutrition. Primary malnutrition occurs when alcohol replaces other nutrients in the diet, resulting in overall reduced nutrient intake. Secondary malnutrition occurs when the drinker consumes adequate nutrients but alcohol interferes with the absorption of those nutrients from the intestine so they are not available to the body.

The most severe malnutrition, which is accompanied by a significant reduction in muscle mass, generally is found in those alcoholics who are hospitalized for medical complications of alcoholism (e.g., alcohol–related liver disease or other organ damage). If these patients continue to drink, they will lose additional weight; conversely, if they abstain from drinking, they will gain weight. This pattern applies to patients with and without liver disease.

Alcohol’s Effects on Digestion and Absorption of Essential Nutrients

Alcohol consumption, particularly at heavy drinking levels, not only influences the drinker’s diet but also affects the metabolism of those nutrients that are consumed. Thus, even if the drinker ingests sufficient proteins, fats, vitamins, and minerals, deficiencies may develop if those nutrients are not adequately absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract into the blood, are not broken down properly, and/or are not used effectively by the body’s cells. Two classes of nutrients for which such problems occur are proteins and vitamins.

Alcohol causes malnutrition and liver toxicity-Amino Acids and Proteins

Proteins are essential components of all cells. They help maintain the cell’s structure, transport certain substances in and out of cells, and act as enzymes that mediate almost all biochemical reactions occurring in the cells. Proteins are composed of approximately 20 different building blocks called amino acids. Many of these amino acids can be produced by the body itself from various precursors or are recycled when proteins that are damaged or are no longer needed are broken down or degraded. Other amino acids however, must be acquired through diet. Alcohol can interfere with the uptake of these essential amino acids.

Patients with chronic liver failure also exhibit a number of defects in protein metabolism. These include decreased production of proteins in the liver that are secreted into the blood decreased urea synthesis, and decreased metabolism of a group of amino acids called aromatic amino acids. These defects have important clinical consequences:

Alcohol causes malnutrition and liver toxicity-Vitamins

Vitamins are molecules that are present in small amounts in various foods and are essential for normal metabolism; insufficient vitamin levels in the body can lead to serious diseases. Alcoholics, even without liver disease, tend to have clinical and/or laboratory signs of deficiencies in certain vitamins, particularly vitamins B₁ (thiamine), B₂ (riboflavin), B₆ (pyridoxine), and C (ascorbic acid), as well as folic acid. The severity of these deficiencies correlates with the amount of alcohol consumed and with the corresponding decrease in vitamin intake.

A Person’s Nutrition Affects Liver Function

Malnutrition, regardless of its causes, can lead to liver damage and impaired liver function. For example, children in underdeveloped countries whose diets do not contain enough protein can develop a disease called kwashiorkor. One symptom of this disorder is the accumulation of fat in the liver, a condition known as fatty liver. Studies performed during and after World War II indicated that severe malnutrition also could lead to liver injury in adults. However, in these cases other factors, including exposure to certain toxins or parasites that are prevalent in war–ravaged or underdeveloped countries, may have exacerbated the relationship between liver injury and poor nutrition.

Because malnutrition also is common in alcoholics, clinicians initially thought that malnutrition, rather than alcohol itself, was responsible for alcohol–induced liver injury. Over the past 40 years, however, a more balanced view has evolved. Studies in humans, primates, and rodents have established that alcohol can cause liver damage even in well–nourished people.

It is becoming clear that nutritional effects and the toxic effects of alcohol often are intertwined at the biochemical level. For example, alcohol induces the MEOS to break down alcohol. Similarly, alcohol promotes the breakdown of nutrients such as vitamin A, of which alcoholics may already consume too little with their diet.

Alcohol causes malnutrition and liver toxicity-Its Effects

A good blend of Probiotics and Prebiotic could help you lose and be sexy this summer

February 19, 2014

A good blend of Probiotics and Prebiotic could help you lose and be sexy this summer- Did You Know?

Probiotics

Probiotics are generally safe for children; however you should speak with your pediatrician before giving them to your kids

They are live bacteria in yogurt, other dairy products and pills. Even though probiotics have shown effectiveness in managing certain gastrointestinal conditions, they do not have the same power that prebiotics do. They’re delicate, heat and stomach acid can easily kill them rendering them ineffective even before they are digested. Again, those who don’t eat dairy foods for taste or dietary reasons may find ingesting adequate amounts of probiotics difficult, if not impossible.

What is a prebiotic?

Prebiotic is a specialized plant fiber that beneficially nourishes the good bacteria already in the large bowel or colon. The body itself does not digest these plant fibers; instead, the fibers act as a fertilizer to promote the growth of many of the good bacteria in the gut. These, in turn, provide many digestive and general health benefits.

Probiotics and Children

Probiotics are generally safe for children; however you should speak with your pediatrician before giving them to your kids. They may be beneficial for digestive complaints and diarrhea, but research hasn’t clearly indicated any benefits beyond that.

Kara a researcher says probiotics are live microorganisms found within particular foods that help promote good gut health. Consuming probiotics is thought to increase the “good” bacteria within your gut and assist in maintaining an optimal balance between the good and the bad bacteria that are present.”

Several studies have been carried out and according one published in Bravo 2011, it states that mice that were fed on a particular strain of probiotics showed significantly fewer stress levels, anxiety and depression-related behaviors than those who were not given any probiotics. Besides, they also had lower levels of the stress induced hormone corticosterone.

If you want to lower stress and boost your gut health, with probiotics, then you need to try foods rich in probiotics like yoghurt with live active cultures, kefir (which is often found commercially as a yoghurt style drink), buttermilk, some blue and aged cheeses, as well as non-dairy products such as fermented foods i.e., sauerkraut (fermented cabbage), kimchi (Korean spicy cabbage), tempeh (a fermented soybean product), miso and soy sauce.

The process of manufacturing the food can kill the probiotics strains, which help in improving your gut health, thus, it is important to look out for words like “live” “active” “raw” “unheated” or “unpasteurized”, if you are planning to buy commercial brands from the market.

If you don’t like market products, you can make your own gut boosting products at home yourself, by utilizing simple processes.

On the other hand, Prebiotics are non-digestible, or selectively digestible, carbohydrates that fuel the growth of healthy bacteria in your gut. For this reason, consuming both, foods rich in probiotics, as well as those rich in prebiotics, can be beneficial to your gut health.

Many prebiotics are soluble fibers that are fermented by the bacteria in your gut to produce short chain, fatty acids, which have a range of beneficial effects on your body. These short chain fatty acids are known to reduce inflammation and play a role in digestive health and reduce the incidence of bowel cancer.

Prebiotics have been shown to improve insulin sensitivity, slow glucose absorption, and thereby aid with blood glucose control. They can also improve blood lipid (fat) profiles by increasing HDL, your healthy (heart protective) cholesterol, and reduce LDL, your bad cholesterol, and triglycerides (Cani & Delzenne, 2009).

Who needs extra prebiotics and probiotics?
Antibiotics work well at killing off the bad bacteria that make us ill, but they also kill off good bacteria needed for digestion: acidophilus and bifidus, which are both types of probiotics. If you have taken antibiotics in the past, or will need to take them in the future, be sure to supplement with probiotic supplements that contain acidophilus. Other medications, such as the birth control pill and cortisone (used to treat inflammation), may affect gut bacterial balance. In women, recurrent yeast infections may be an indication that the healthy bacterial balance in the large intestine has become compromised.

Supplementing the diet with beneficial bacteria like probiotics and prebiotics stimulates immunity through increased activity of cells (macrophages) that consume invading organisms, as well as through increased production of other white blood cells and cytokines — this could lead to stronger resistance to bacterial and viral infections. In fact, studies have also shown that children attending daycare catch fewer colds and the flu if they are given probiotic supplements containing acidophilus, bifidus or both. Adults have been found to experience the same beneficial effect on immune system function. With benefits ranging from reduced cholesterol and inflammation to improved digestion and weight loss, the right type of bacteria should be a staple in your supplement cupboard (or in this case, fridge).

Getting the healthy bacteria your body needs

Yogurt naturally contains probiotics, but supplements may be more effective if you are looking for a concentrated source. Some prebiotics are naturally found in foods like chicory root, Jerusalem artichoke, onions, asparagus, garlic, bananas, barley, wheat, rye, and tomatoes.

Probiotic supplements should be refrigerated to maintain the viability of the microorganisms, in the same way yogurt, milk and other refrigerated cultures need to be stored. Without proper storage, probiotic supplements may spoil and or lose potency.

Suggestion for those who have trouble digesting some probiotics and prebiotics:

Purchase a coconut milk kefir product to get your probiotics in without the lactose.
Consume a small amount of Greek yoghurt (which typically has most of the lactose pre-digested anyway) but don’t consume it along with other foods.

Tag Archives: Digestion