Author: Scott & Rhonda

About the Gallbladder

Todays post is about the gallbladder.

This little organ is given little thought but its function makes a difference to how we digest our food.

What is the gallbladder?

The gallbladder is a part the body’s biliary system, which is made up of the liver, gallbladder, and pancreas and associated ducts. This system is needed for the production, storage, and secretion of bile.

Inside the body, the gallbladder can be found under the liver. It’s approximately the size of a small pear. Its function is to store bile until it’s needed for digestion.

The gallbladder is not considered absolutely necessary for human survival, as bile can reach the small intestine in other ways.

Bile is a thick liquid that’s green, brown, or yellow in color. It’s used to help with the breakdown of dietary fats and is produced by the liver. During a meal, bile moves from the liver directly to the small intestine. However, when we’re not eating, it is stored in the gallbladder until it’s needed

The gallbladder extracts water from its store of bile until the liquid becomes highly concentrated. The presence of fatty foods triggers the gallbladder to squeeze its bile concentrate into the small intestine.

Most people do not pay much attention to their gallbladder until it starts causing trouble.

What is meant by ‘trouble’?

For unclear reasons, substances in the bile can crystallize in the gallbladder. This forms what are known as gallstones. Gallstones are small stones made from cholesterol, bile pigment and calcium salts, usually from a mixture that forms in the gallbladder.  The stones can range in size from as small as a grain of sand to as large as a golf ball.

They are a common disorder of the digestive system, and affect around 15 per cent of people aged 50 years and over. Some people develop just one gallstone, while others develop many gallstones at the same time.

Gallstones are actually more common in women than in men. They are also more common in overweight people and people with a family history of gallstones. However, there is no known single cause of gallstones.

In most cases gallstones don’t cause any problems. Though if a gallstone lodges in a duct and causes a blockage, the resulting signs and symptoms may include:

– Sudden and rapidly intensifying pain in the upper right portion of the abdomen or in the centre of the abdomen, just below the breastbone

– Back pain between the shoulder blades

– Pain in the right shoulder

– Nausea or vomiting

Gallstone pain may last anywhere from several minutes to a few hours. Blockages can also cause complications such as infections or inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis).

When gallstones cause infection in the gallbladder, this is called Cholecystitis. This condition causes severe pain and fever, and can require surgery when infection continues or recurs.

Medical treatment isn’t considered necessary unless there is a high risk of complications from the gallstones. Treatment options include surgery and shattering the stones with sound waves.

Best way to a healthy gallbladder

You can lower your risk of gallstones by following a healthy diet and getting regular physical activity to help you reach and maintain a healthy weight.

Experts recommend:

– Eating foods that are high in fibre, such as fruits, vegetables, beans, and peas.

– Eating whole grains, including brown rice, oats, and whole wheat bread.

– Eat healthy fats, like fish oil and olive oil, to help the gallbladder contract and empty on a regular basis.

– Eat fewer processed and refined carbohydrates and less sugar.

– Avoid fast foods and unhealthy fats, like those often found in fried foods.

As always, if you think your gallbladder is causing you trouble. Seek medical advice from your health professional.

We hope you found this information helpful.

Till the next post,

Live clean n prosper

Sources – Live Science , Healthline , Web MD –

Circadian Rhythm

Todays post is about circadian rhythm. This is a subject that has recently made its way into mainline media. So we have decided to share what we know and have learned about it.

What is Circadian Rhythm?

Circadian rhythms are physical, mental, and behavioural changes that follow a 24-hour cycle. These natural processes respond primarily to light and dark and affect most living things, including animals, plants, and microbes. Basically, it is the bodies’ own internal clock. This biological clock is a natural timing device, regulating the cycle of circadian rhythms.

Nearly every tissue and organ contains biological clocks. They’re composed of specific molecules (proteins) that interact with cells throughout the body. A master clock in the brain coordinates all the biological clocks in the body, keeping the clocks in sync. In humans, the master clock is a group of about 20,000 nerve cells (neurons) that form a structure called the suprachiasmatic nucleus, or SCN.

The SCN is in a part of the brain called the hypothalamus and receives direct input from the eyes. It also controls the production of melatonin, a hormone that makes you sleepy.

What does it do?

Our Circadian rhythm is so much more than an internal clock. It is a control mechanism that influences important bodily functions such as eating habits, digestion, blood pressure, body temperature and hormone release. Most specifically, it controls the hormones that determine our level of alertness or sleepiness.

The rhythm is affected by external stimuli mostly light. Jet lag, shift work and light from electronic devices at night can confuse our biological clocks. These changes can cause sleep disorders, and may lead to other chronic health conditions.

This is why the use of blue screen devices before bed can have a negative impact on sleep. Once our eyes see the blue light, the master clock thinks that it is daytime and releases the appropriate hormones, such as cortisol, for that time of day.

If your circadian rhythm is off it can mean impaired sleep. This is when sleep is not good quality, not long enough or you may not be getting the right type of sleep at the right time. Too much impaired sleep can lead to poor feelings of alertness during the day and a general feeling of needing more sleep because basically you do.

Can you fix your Circadian Rhythm?

Circadian rhythm miss alignment is often treated with anti-psychotics and anti-depressants however, as always there are side effects. There are other ways of correcting your circadian rhythm.

Taking melatonin can be a way of resetting the rhythm of your sleep but not recommended as a long-term plan, as it does not address the underlying issue. From a naturopathic perspective it is preferable to treat the cause. This can include a number of factors; diet, sleep routine, lifestyle and exercise.

Looking at your diet to determine if you are eating the appropriate foods to allow the body to create the neurotransmitters needed to maintain the correct rhythm. Develop a sleep routine reducing screen time at least half an hour before bed.

If you are still are struggling with sleep after making these changes, there are more options. You could visit a sleep clinic or consult with a health professional to undergo testing for circadian rhythm sleep disorder. This involves checking your levels of melatonin, cortisol and your core temperature.

We hope that you have found this information helpful.

 Till the next post,

Live clean n Prosper

 Sources – Torrens University of Australia, Science Direct, National Institute of General Medical Sciences

A look at Lactose Intolerance

Todays post is about lactose intolerance. This has been a recent topic of discussion amongst my work colleagues. I decided to do a bit or research and, as usual, share my findings.

First, what is lactose?

Lactose is the main carbohydrate component of mammalian milk. It is a disaccharide consisting of glucose and galactose. Lactose is also found in breast milk, and almost everyone is born with the ability to digest it. Human milk actually contains about 70 grams per L (7%) of lactose. In comparison, cows milk only contains about 46 grams per L (4.6%).

What is lactose intolerance?

This condition, which is also called lactose malabsorption, is usually harmless, but its symptoms can be uncomfortable. In some cases, it has been confused with cow’s milk allergy. However cow’s milk allergy usually has additional external symptoms such as hives and swelling of the lips and tongue.

Lactose intolerance is caused by a lack of a certain enzyme produced in the small intestine. This enzyme is called ‘lactase’. The body uses it to break lactose down into glucose and galactose, which can then be absorbed into the bloodstream and used for energy.

It is possible to have low levels of lactase and still be able to digest milk products. But if the levels are too low, this will result in an inability to digest the lactose. The lactose in your food moves into the colon instead of being processed and absorbed in the gut. In the colon, normal bacteria interact with undigested lactose. This creates symptoms such as abdominal cramps, diarrhoea, gas and bloating after eating or drinking dairy products.

There are two main types of lactose intolerance, which have different causes.

The most common is primary lactose intolerance. It is caused by a decrease in lactase production with age, so that lactose becomes poorly absorbed. This form of lactose intolerance may be partially caused by genes, because it’s more common in some populations than others.

The other type, secondary lactose intolerance, is rare. It is usually caused by illness, such as a stomach bug or a more serious issue like celiac disease. This is because inflammation in the gut wall can lead to a temporary decline in the body’s lactase production.

How is it diagnosed?

A doctor can confirm a diagnosis of lactose intolerance by conducting several tests. The most common are a Hydrogen breath test and a Lactose tolerance test.

The Hydrogen breath test: after drinking a liquid that contains high levels of lactose, the doctor measures the amount of hydrogen in the person’s breath at regular intervals. Breathing out too much hydrogen indicates that the lactose isn’t being fully digesting or absorbed.

The Lactose tolerance test: blood samples are taken 2 hours after drinking a liquid that contains high levels of lactose. Tests are then conducted to measure the amount of glucose in the blood. If the glucose level doesn’t rise, it means the lactose isn’t being properly digested and absorbed.

Is dairy totally off limits?

All dairy foods contain lactose, but this doesn’t mean they are totally off limits for people with lactose intolerance. Most people with lactose intolerance can tolerate small amounts of lactose. For example, some people can tolerate the small amount of milk in tea but not the amount you would get from a bowl of cereal.

Dairy products like butter, yogurt and some cheeses, as well as low fat and skim milk are often tolerated better than whole milk. Most people with lactose intolerance can manage the condition without having to give up all dairy foods.

It is also possible to buy enzymes to help digest lactose. There are lactase enzyme supplements tablets available or drops that can be added to foods and drinks.

As with all supplements, the effectiveness of these products can to vary from person to person.

If you think you may be suffering from this condition, as always, seek advice from a health professional.

I hope you found this information helpful.

 Till the next post,

 Live clean n Prosper.

(Sources – Mayo Clinic, Karger – Annuls of Nutrition and Metabolism, US National Library of Medicine, Healthline )