Disease Archives

Traveling this holiday season? 6 ways to avoid traveler’s diarrhea

Disease, Healthy Aging / By Staff Writer

With the Christmas/New Year’s holidays nearly upon us, the “trendy” gifts aren’t big-screen TVs or tablets waiting under a tree to be opened. Material things are taking a back seat to something new: Large families taking long-distance trips to far away places across the ocean, according to travel experts.

Traveling with a large contingent of your family, for instance, on a jungle expedition to the other side of the world conjures thoughts of once-in-a-lifetime memories. One of those recollections that will stay with you forever, however, should not be the days you spent sick with traveler’s diarrhea.

Unfortunately, traveler’s diarrhea is the most common ailment travelers face, affecting as many as half of all Americans traveling to international destinations. Although traveler’s diarrhea may happen any time — even after returning home — the CDC warns the onset usually starts during the first week of your trip.

The symptoms of traveler’s diarrhea — frequent trips to the bathroom, loose stools, nausea, cramping, bloating and fever — are abrupt, meaning they won’t sneak up on you. Although traveler’s diarrhea is rarely life-threatening, most incidents are resolved in a week, just enough time to ruin your dream trip.

The following precautions should do the trick to help you and your family sidestep traveler’s diarrhea and make your trip a healthy one.

The Six Ways to Avoid Traveler’s Diarrhea

1. Be sure you and your loved ones are current on all of your vaccinations. You may also need to be vaccinated for diseases (Hepatitis A and B and Typhoid) that aren’t found in North America.

2. The popular warning “don’t drink the water” should also include avoiding unpasteurized dairy foods (milk and cheeses), fruit that hasn’t been washed and peeled and cooked foods allowed to cool. Also, don’t chill your drinks with ice that may be produced with unclean water.

3. Keep your hands as clean as possible with simple soap and water, especially before a meal. Travelers should also stay away from touching their mouths, faces or any mucous membranes with their hands as much as possible during their trip, according to the CDC.

(A warning: A proposed rule under consideration by the FDA would raise the burden on manufacturers to prove their antibacterial soaps prevent more infections than simpler soaps.)

Watch For Bugs!

4. Because diseases can be spread due to mosquito bites, consider using insect repellants made with DEET or picaridin.

5. As a preventative measure, some medical experts have suggested prescribing antibiotics in the past. However, those same experts are thinking twice, considering all the problems connected with increased antibiotic resistance and eradicating the balance of beneficial bacteria in your gut.

6. A growing number of studies have found consistently taking a probiotic at least two days before a long-distance trip can boost your immune system naturally, and help you and your family avoid traveler’s diarrhea.

For healthy adults, taking a probiotic formulated with multiple strains of bacteria like EndoMune on an empty stomach about a half-hour before eating your morning meal may boost your immune system and promote optimal gut health.

Also, if you must take an antibiotic on the road, be sure to delay taking a probiotic by two hours. Doing so will reduce the risk of antibiotics destroying the live, beneficial bacteria contained in a probiotic that preserve and protect your gut health.

Traveling this holiday season? 6 ways to avoid traveler’s diarrhea Read More »

What is C diff colitis?

Disease, Drug interactions / By Staff Writer

What is C diff colitis?

If you’re not protecting yourself from Clostridium difficile (C. diff) infections, you should be. Chances are better than good, however, you don’t know what C. diff infections really are.

Brace yourself: It’s a “super” kind of bacteria that attacks the lining of your intestines. Worse? It’s on the rise in hospitals.

Earlier, we wrote about the negative effects of superbugs like C. diff, a bacterium known for causing antibiotic-associated diarrhea. Roughly 14,000 Americans die due to C. diff infections every year. Even worse, the number and severity of C. diff cases has exploded over the last decade.

Unfortunately, taking too many antibiotics is only partly to blame for the rise in superbugs. A recent study in Environmental Science and Technology concluded the spread of triclosan, a broad-spectrum antimicrobial compound commonly used in cosmetics, hand sanitizers and toothpastes, has created bacterial resistance problems in streams and rivers in the Midwest.

Although many major manufacturers are starting to phase out triclosan, the damage to our environment is already done. So, what’s the good news?

Recent research highlights several ways to curb C. diff infections:

Try to avoid antibiotics during infancy and childhood as often as you can. This is even more important since antibacterial soap does more harm than good. You may think antibacterial soaps and hand sanitizers are the safest things around, but triclosan may alter hormonal levels during development. Also, antibiotics can eradicate helpful gut bacteria that usually stop C. diff. Instead, overusing antibiotics causes C. diff to multiply at high levels.
Breastfeed your children. Why fix what isn’t broken? Research has shown breastfeeding lessens the chance that the breastfed child will fall victim to C. diff infections in adulthood.
Avoid the hospital if you can help it. Superbugs can find their way to you in a place that’s supposed to protect you from them. The number of C. diff infections from 2001-10
Get a fecal transplant. While the very idea may seem disgusting, fecal transplants have proved to be very effective. These procedures can be performed via nasogastric tube, nasojejunal tube, upper tract endoscopy, colonoscopy and retention enema. The $64,000 question: Do you really need a fecal transplant? Probably not.
Use a probiotic. You’d be surprised to learn how much a probiotic, like EndoMune, could help. A review of 31 randomized trials found probiotic use (when given with an antibiotic) reduces the risk of C. diff by 64 percent. According to the study, probiotics improve the balance of gut bacteria and reduce the amount of bad bacteria.

By taking these precautions, you can lower the chances of superbugs like C. diff harming you and your family.

What is C diff colitis? Read More »

What you need to know about fecal transplants

Disease, Drug interactions / By Staff Writer

You’ve probably seen an increasing number of stories about the “wonders” of fecal microbiota transplants, the process of transplanting gut flora from a healthy donor to a patient suffering from Clostridium difficile infection (C. diff) that contributes to diseases ranging from diarrhea to colitis.

Fecal transplants may not be the perfect cure-all many patients are expecting, however. In fact, taking a multi-strain probiotic every day can go a long way toward preventing C. diff infections without the need for one.

Some background about C. diff

Symptoms of this infection can range from inconvenient and mild (loose stools punctuated by abdominal pain or tenderness for a few days) to life-threatening and possibly fatal (loss of appetite, fever, weight loss, severe abdominal pain and even a hole in the intestines).
Some 14,000 Americans die each year due to the effects of C. diff., out of 23,000 who perish due to antibiotic-resistant infections. Medical experts estimate 25 percent of patients who are treated for C. diff suffer recurrences, and half of them occur in stages.
C. diff is a bacterium that resides in our intestines and, generally, will not cause harm because the normal, healthy bacteria in our gut will suppress its growth. The main reason C. diff becomes a problem: The overuse of antibiotics eliminate the good bacteria that fight infections.

After the success reported in a recent New England Journal of Medicine study conducted in the Netherlands, some medical experts believe fecal transplants have created “a lot of buzz for lots of illnesses” may show some potential for treating Parkinson’s disease, ulcerative colitis and celiac disease.

Simply put, the success of fecal transplants underscores the importance of good gut health that contributes to the total scope of health. But, do you really need one?

What follows are answers to common questions about fecal transplants.

Why have fecal transplants become so popular in treating gut health problems?

Fecal transplants have been shown to be safe and effective for C. diff-related diarrhea and colitis. It is known that ulcerative colitis and many other health disorders are related to an unhealthy balance of intestinal bacteria. By giving a fecal transplant — which is really a “super probiotic” — it is possible to infuse healthy bacteria that can rebalance the intestinal flora and stop the immune mediated inflammation.

There are ongoing trials of fecal transplant for ulcerative colitis, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), pre-diabetes, autism, obesity and other conditions. Some of the results have been very promising.

What are the primary causes of C. diff that have pushed gastroenterologists to prescribe fecal transplants?

C. diff is a bacteria that has become a common hospital-acquired infection, especially when a patient is given an antibiotic that disrupts the normal intestinal bacteria.

C. diff produces severe diarrhea and colitis which will respond to specific antibiotic therapy. Unfortunately, there is a significant risk of relapse of the colitis. Some patients have become critically ill, especially after their third or fourth relapse. Drastic situations require drastic care.

There were case reports of patients responding to fecal transplant dating back to 1958. The medical community knew that it might work, but the “ick” factor had made it an unattractive therapy.

In 2010, there were reports that greater than 90 percent of patients were cured after a fecal transplant. Given the serious nature of a C. diff infection and the safe and rapid recovery after fecal transplants, physicians are now embracing its use.

Are fecal transplants FDA-approved procedures?

No, they are not. It is a real problem in that controlled clinical trails need to be done with sick patients who have C. diff, giving half a real fecal transplant and the other half a placebo to prove there is a statistical improvement, and that there are no serious side effects. Studies are now underway.

Because of the severity of the illness and the noted benefits, the FDA has issued a statement that “fecal transplants be used only on patients with C. diff who have not responded to any other therapy, and only after doctors make sure the patient understands the approach is ‘investigational’ and has ‘potential risks’.”

How much do fecal transplants cost?

The current standard treatment for C. diff is costly since expensive courses of medications may need to be given a number of times and, even then, the patient may need to be hospitalized.

The cost for a fecal transplant depends on how the transplant is delivered. It can be given as a retention enema or through a colonoscope or nasogastric tube. I would think depending on the route given, the total cost would be less than $3,000.

Can probiotics help in ways that fecal transplants cannot?

Probiotics have been shown in clinical trials to lessen the risk of developing a C. diff infection if given during the course of the antibiotic. Probiotics can lessen the risk of C. diff multiplying and causing colitis. It wouldn’t make sense to give a transplant to a healthy patient taking a prescribed antibiotic.

How can probiotics help by preventing C. diff and avoiding fecal transplants?

Probiotic bacteria produce antibacterial proteins that kill C. diff bacteria and also inhibit it from adhering to the intestinal lining cells. These properties of probiotic bacteria prevent C. diff from multiplying and producing toxic substances that cause diarrhea and colitis.

Just a reminder, it’s important to know when to take probiotics and antibiotics to get the maximum benefits from both. Taking antibiotics and probiotics two hours apart lowers the risk of the former, eliminating the live and beneficial probiotic bacteria that preserve and protect your gut health.

Photo source: CDC’s Public Health Image Library

What you need to know about fecal transplants Read More »

10 Ways to Protect Yourself this Flu Season

Disease, Healthy Aging, Probiotics / By Staff Writer

With autumn upon us and cooler temperatures on the way, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has already begun posting comprehensive dos and don’ts about the 2013-14 flu season (that can begin as early as October and end as late as May). These reminders include all the reasons you absolutely need to get a flu shot.

However, if you’re feeling a little shy about getting a flu shot, there’s plenty you and your family can do to protect yourselves from the flu. Here are 10 completely safe, effective and natural ways to protect your health from the flu and boost your immune system naturally without a flu shot.

1) Wash your hands early and often with plain ol’ soap and water for at least 15 seconds to get rid of germs that may linger. There’s no need to use antibacterial soaps.

2) Don’t forget the exercise. Staying active with some kind of exercise program will help you stay a few steps ahead of the flu.

3) Get the right amount of sleep you need every night. Skipping valuable sleep time to catch the end of a late football game will catch up to you over time, leaving your body vulnerable to diseases like the flu.

4) Don’t overdo the antibiotics. Taking antibiotics every time you’re sick can deplete your immune system residing in your gut, leaving your body more vulnerable to disease.

5) Drink plenty of water. Depleting your body of the natural fluids it needs is one more variable among many that makes your body more vulnerable to the flu.

6) Keep your home extra clean to repel the bugs. According to the CDC, human flu viruses can survive as long as 8 hours on common surfaces (doorknobs, books and doors).

7) Take care of your emotions. Our go-go-go lifestyles don’t leave much time for you to handle stress as well as you should, so give yourself the gift of time—ideally 30 minutes a day—for you.

8) Eat the right foods, every day all the time. Even something as simple as a hot liquid like chicken soup may more helpful in treating congestion than consuming the same thing at room temperature.

9) Get enough vitamin D. However, before supplementing your diet with vitamin D, health experts like the Vitamin D Council recommend getting your blood levels checked often.

10) Take a multi-strain probiotic every day gives your body’s immune system a much-needed boost. Not only can taking a multi-species probiotic restore the healthy balance of good and bad bacteria in your gut, but it also boosts your body’s immunities naturally and safely.

Also, studies have shown probiotics containing lactobacillus acidophilus and bifidobacterium lactus strains like EndoMune Jr. can decrease cold and flu symptoms in kids, too.

10 Ways to Protect Yourself this Flu Season Read More »

Probiotics can improve hypertension

Digestive Health, Disease, Probiotics / By Staff Writer

Study after study shows that probiotics help treat gastrointestinal issues including IBS, diarrhea, gas and constipation. However, the benefits aren’t confined to digestive health.

Recent studies are also proving that probiotics can improve hypertension, more commonly known as high blood pressure. Primarily caused by environmental factors such as salt intake, minimal exercise, weight gain and high cholesterol due to bad diet, high blood pressure is a major risk factor for stroke, heart attacks and heart failure.

The International Journal of Molecular Science published a review on various studies conducted on how probiotics improved hypertension, particularly the effects on cholesterol and diabetes. Among their conclusions, researchers proved that probiotics could reduce the amount of cholesterol, thus decreasing the chance of high blood pressure. Additionally, probiotics provide a safe alternative treatment to drugs or hormone therapy, with milder or no known side effects.

Probiotics not only treat digestion problems, but they also help lower your risk for hypertension. Add a daily probiotic like EndoMune Advanced Probiotic to your diet to improve your chances for a healthier life.

Probiotics can improve hypertension Read More »

Endomune Special Edition News

Disease, Healthy Aging / By Staff Writer

March is Colon Cancer Awareness MonthCan probiotics help prevent colon cancer?

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, colon cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States and the third most common cancer in men and women.

The majority of these cases could have been prevented if people followed the recommended screening tests. Currently, only about 50% of people aged 50 or older have these tests performed.

Causes of Colon Cancer

In most cases, it’s not clear what causes colon cancer. Recently, there have been a number of scientific articles on how inflammation in the colon can contribute to the development of colon cancer.

Colon cancer occurs when healthy cells in the colon become damaged by inflammation. Healthy cells grow and divide in an orderly way, but sometimes this growth gets out of control. Over a period of time some of these abnormal cells may become cancerous.

The following are some interesting observations that give insight to the causes of colon cancer:

The incidence of colon cancer is far higher in developed countries than in developing countries because Western diets are rich in red meat, saturated fats, and processed sugars.
Our intestinal bacteria influence our health, and the scientific research proving this is rapidly expanding.
Studies have found there are more bacteria producing potential carcinogens (cancer-causing agents) when exposed to a typical Western diet.
These carcinogens cause an inflammatory reaction in the intestinal lining cells, which damages the cell’s DNA and increases the risk for developing cancers cells.
Some strains of intestinal bacteria have been shown to inhibit carcinogen-induced colon tumor development in research studies.
Bolstering the body’s balance of intestinal bacteria may help prevent colon cancer.

Lower the Risk of Colon Cancer

Based on the information above, here are a few suggestions:

Start taking a high quality probiotic that contains multi bacterial strains and multispecies of bacteria. Studies suggest a daily dosage of at least 8-10 billion.
Adhere to a healthy diet containing high fiber, fruits and vegetables, and lean meats, particularly fish and chicken.
Exercise vigorously for 30 minutes at least 5 days a week.
Maintain an ideal body weight.
Start colon cancer screening, preferably with a colonoscopy at age 50.
Start earlier if you have a family history of colon cancer, ongoing gastrointestinal symptoms, or a change in stool habits or see blood in your stool.

Colon cancer is treatable if found in its early stages. Visit your healthcare provider to arrange for the appropriate screening. Follow a healthy diet and lifestyle. And take a high quality probiotic like EndoMune that contains 10 bacterial strains. A serving size of two capsules provides 16 billion healthy bacterial colonies!

Eat healthy, exercise, take EndoMune and live well!

Lawrence J. Hoberman MD

Endomune Special Edition News Read More »

Lessen Risk of Preeclampsia with Probiotics

Disease, Women’s Health / By Staff Writer

High blood pressure increases a woman’s chance of having heart disease, but it is also a symptom of a serious complication during pregnancy called preeclampsia. Preeclampsia occurs when women develop high blood pressure and protein in the urine after the 20th week of their pregnancy. Other symptoms include swelling of hands, face or eyes, sudden weight gain over one to two days, and infrequency of urination.

A recent study published by the American Journal of Epidemiology found that by taking a daily probiotic, pregnant women can reduce the risk of developing preeclampsia. Scientists analyzed more than 30,000 pregnant women who drank milk products with and without a dose of probiotics in the first 13 weeks of their pregnancy. Results have shown that women who took probiotics reduced their risk of developing the disease.

A healthy balance of intestinal bacteria lessens the intestinal inflammation that can lead to disorders like preeclampsia. Probiotics, like EndoMune Advanced, contain billons of bacteria that improve intestinal digestion and immune system function, reducing pregnant women’s risk of complications.

Lessen Risk of Preeclampsia with Probiotics Read More »

Recover Faster from Stomach Flu with Probiotics

Disease, Probiotics / By Staff Writer

In addition to the regular flu and winter cold, the stomach flu, called a norovirus, is making the rounds. Noroviruses cause diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and other stomach ailments. After one person in the family gets a norovirus, it quickly spreads to the other family members. In addition to staying hydrated by drinking plenty of fluids, physicians suggest you take a probiotic to speed up your recovery.

By taking a daily probiotic, you are replacing the healthy bacteria that the virus is flushing from your system so you can fight it and feel better faster. A recent review of more than 60 studies involving more than 8,000 children and adults showed that probiotics can lessen the severity of the symptoms and improve recovery time without any harmful side effects. Controlled trials also found that probiotics can shorten the time you suffer from diarrhea by one day and decrease your risk of dehydration.

Before you catch a stomach bug, try taking EndoMune Advanced as part of your daily regimen. You might recover faster if you get a norovirus and reduce your chances of becoming sicker due to a loss of fluids.

Recover Faster from Stomach Flu with Probiotics Read More »

Counteract the Holiday Cold with Probiotics

Disease, Probiotics, Women’s Health / By Staff Writer

With the weather changing and people packing indoors, more and more people are contracting cold and cold-like symptoms. Now, during the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, is the time to offset the spread of cold and upper-respiratory viruses.

A small study conducted by researchers from the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey and published in the British Journal of Nutrition examined the connection between probiotics and reduced cold and upper-respiratory infection symptoms. In this double-blind study, nearly 200 students were divided into two groups, one receiving a daily probiotic supplement and the other receiving a placebo.

The results concluded that the study participants that took the probiotic supplement had a reduced length of cold by two days, missed less class days and had 34% less severe symptoms.

Adding a daily probiotic supplement, like EndoMune Advance, may help kick those coughs and sniffles away, just in time to enjoy the close company of family and friends.

Counteract the Holiday Cold with Probiotics Read More »

Probiotics Reduce Big Gut Problems

Disease, Drug interactions, Probiotics / By Staff Writer

Obesity is a condition that affects hundreds of thousands of individuals around the world and can lead to health-related problems. A doctoral thesis published in the British Journal of Nutrition found that probiotic consumption may reduce the risk of developing obesity.

Three groups of rats were used for the study. The first group of rats were given lactobacilli plantarum, a lactic bacteria commonly found in most probiotics. The second group of rats, or the control group, were not given any bacteria or supplements. The third group was given E. Coli along with high-energy food that was given to all three test groups.

Researchers at Lund University in Sweden found that the rats that consumed lactobacilli put on less weight than the control group rats. The rats given E. Coli gained body fat and caused a change in their gut flora.

But what does this study mean for humans? There are now a number of pilot studies researching the benefits of probiotics in lessening weight gain in obese individuals.

As the holidays approach with all the parties and delicious bake goods, you may want to consider taking a high quality probiotic like EndoMune. It will help to maintain the healthy intestinal bacteria and maybe even lessen adding extra inches around the waist.

Learn more about the study and its results here.

Probiotics Reduce Big Gut Problems Read More »