Study: probiotics may help treat ulcers

A strain of probiotic bacteria may be useful in treating ulcers caused by Helicobacter pylori, a bacteria that is considered one of the major risk factors in developing gastritis and gastric/ duodenal ulcers. The study is found in the February 2011 issue of the Applied and Environmental Microbiology journal.

“Currently, antibiotic-based treatment for H. pylori infection is neither sufficient nor satisfactory, with the most successful treatments reaching 75 to 90% eradication rates,” the researchers write. “The use of probiotics is a potentially promising tool to prevent H. pylori.” In this case, Bifidobacterium bifidum was the probiotic being studied.

Probiotics are live microorganisms which confer a health benefit when given at appropriate dosages. The regular intake of probiotics has been demonstrated to prevent health disorders including diarrhea, inflammatory bowel disease, colon cancer and eczema. It has also been shown to improve immunity.

SOURCE: Applied and Environmental Microbiology

How well is your fertility treatment working? PCBs linked to IVF failure

A new study published today in the peer-reviewed journal Environmental Health Perspectives (EHP) has revealed that PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls) found in the environment are associated with the failure of fertilized embryos to implant in the uterus after in-vitro fertilization (IVF).

PCBs were banned in the United States and other developed countries in the 1970s after their toxic effects were discovered, but they are still in the environment today due to prior widespread use and resistance to breakdown. Exposure to PCBs occurs mainly through contaminated foods (e.g. fish; animals which are fed contaminated feed) and is associated with adverse health effects, including negative impacts on reproduction and the nervous system.

In the study, among 765 women and 827 IVF cycles, there were 286 live births and 530 pregnancy losses— 229 implantation failures, 177 very early miscarriages (or “chemical pregnancies”), and 124 later miscarriages.

The researchers found that implantation failure was twice as likely in women with the highest exposures to PCB-153 and total PCBs than in women with the lowest exposures. The odds of a live birth were reduced more than 40% in these women.

Environmental toxins, bad lifestyle habits and underlying health conditions may affect fertility. If you are planning to become pregnant, or if you are currently undergoing fertility treatment and would like to improve your chances of success, Dr. Yik can help you prepare your body for a healthy conception and pregnancy.

SOURCE: Environmental Health Perspectives

Childhood abuse and peptic ulcers

We all know that chronic stress, certain drugs or lifestyle habits as well as presence of the bacterium Helicobacter pylori (aka H. pylori) all increase the risk of developing ulcers. But now researchers from the University of Toronto have discovered something new- Victims of childhood physical abuse are more than twice as likely to develop ulcers than people who were not abused as children.

“We found a strong and significant association between individuals who were abused during childhood and those who were diagnosed with peptic ulcers later in life,” says Esme Fuller Thomson, Professor and Sandra Rotman Chair at U of T’s Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work. Even after adjusting for known risk factors such as stress, obesity, smoking or alcohol abuse, those who had been physically abused in childhood had 68% higher odds of peptic ulcers than their non-abused peers.

SOURCE: Journal of Interpersonal Violence (http://jiv.sagepub.com)

ADHD: look beyond the obvious

About a month ago, a mother brought his 8-year-old son to me. He was having difficulty at school, particularly in math class where he just “couldn’t get the math concepts”. Doctors/ specialists assessed him and concluded that it was ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder). The mother wanted a drugless approach so she wanted me to assess him and make sure he was getting all the nutrients needed for optimal growth and development. As a naturopathic doctor with a holistic mindframe, I wanted to do more than that- I decided to do a complete physical exam, something that I realize many medical doctors are too “rushed” to do nowadays during the doctor’s visit (especially in Hong Kong).

Lo and behold (in addition to several other findings), when I checked his eyesight, it turned out he couldn’t even distinguish between X’s and O’s held 20cm from his face! I informed the mother that I suspected there was something not right with his eye accommodation or information processing and suggested that the child see an eye specialist as soon as possible. How can a kid be expected to learn from the blackboard and do his schoolwork when he couldn’t even see properly? I also prescribed natural medicine to help improve his focus and concentration as well as eyesight.

It turned out that my suspicions were valid. Besides getting prescription glasses, the child has since been prescribed eye exercises for his eye muscles. He has been taking the nutraceuticals I prescribed religiously.

After only 3 weeks back to school this new year, he has already received an “improvement” award for focus and concentration at school. Parents, lesson of the day: don’t take everything at face value. Sometimes, it’s necessary to look beyond the obvious.

Are anti-depressants in YOUR water?

The question may not be whether or not they’re lurking in your water, but rather how much there is and what implications this may have on our health. 

A study funded by Health Canada and published online in January 2011 has revealed that anti-depressant drugs are now passing into the waterways and affecting fish. Dr. Sébastien Sauvé at the University of Montreal’s Department of Chemistry and André Lajeunesse, a PhD candidate, led the research team and found that the drugs are accumulating in fish tissues and are affecting the fish’s brain activity.

The St. Lawrence river is a major international waterway that connects the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes, and it surrounds the island of Montreal. It is reported that one in four people in Montreal take some form of anti-depressant medication. Sauvé has been looking at the chemical pollution of the water system for years. He explained, “… The chemical structure of anti-depressants makes them extremely difficult to remove from sewage, even with the most sophisticated systems available.”

The findings are internationally significant as the city’s sewage treatment system is similar to that in use in other major cities, and moreover, it is reputed to be the third largest treatment system in the world.

SOURCE: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/00456535 

Planning for a (healthy) baby?

Did you know that:

  • In a study done by the Chinese University of Hong Kong, 35.6% of male partners of infertile couples had a whole blood mercury concentration higher than the normal range (concentration of sperm, percentage of morphologically normal sperm and percentage of motile sperm were reduced in these men, though the difference was not statistically significant)
  • A 2008 study found that women with exposure to pesticides at home or work took longer to get pregnant. Those with work exposure to pesticides were 30% less likely to conceive each month.
  • A study done in Hong Kong on 150 infertile couples undergoing in-vitro fertilization (IVF) versus 20 fertile couples found that the infertile couples had significantly higher blood mercury then the fertile group. Over 1/3 of infertile men had abnormally high mercury and about 1/4 of the infertile females had high mercury levels.
  • The University of Surrey held a fertility-boosting program that included use of appropriate supplements, removal of heavy metals, improvement of diet with increased organic food as well as correction of infections and lifestyle issues. By the end of the study 89% of the couples had given birth. Within the group 37% had been having a history of “infertility” – and of those 81% had born a healthy child through following the natural health program. Of the study group, 38% had past miscarriage – of these 83% had given birth and none had miscarried.

Click here to read more on what Dr. Yik can do to help assess your health status and improve your chances of becoming pregnant.

Dr. Yik and TCM practitioner Gianna Buonocore will be holding a free health seminar on BOOSTING FERTILITY NATURALLY. Whether you have a medical condition or the cause of your infertility is “unexplained”, we are dedicated to helping you to improve your chances of becoming pregnant naturally and carrying a healthy baby to term. 

Come find out more on how we can help at IMI’s free “BOOST YOUR FERTILITY NATURALLY” health seminar.*

Address: Integrated Medicine Institute, 17th Floor, Kailey Tower, 16 Stanley Street, Central, Hong Kong

Date and Time: Thursday, January 20th, 2011 at 7pm

*Plus- A COMPLIMENTARY NUTRIENT ABSORPTION TEST TO ALL ATTENDEES
Of all nutrients associated with fertility, zinc is among the most important. Want to know your nutrient status? Dr. Yik will be offering zinc absorption tests for each attendee in a complimentary 10-minute session to discuss your fertility concerns.

SOURCE: Aust N Z J Obstet Gynaecol. 2001 Feb;41(1):75-7; Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine 50(12):1335-1342

A new year, a new (lighter) you

Over-indulged this holiday season? Need to shed some extra weight? Whether you suffer from a health ailment due to being overweight or just want to look and feel better, the following health tips can help you shed the excess pounds and make your health a top priority in 2011! 

  1. Write it up and break it down! Research shows that setting specific heath goals is useful. People who make resolutions by writing them down or writing up an informal contract are ten times more likely to reach their goals than people who don’t. Unfortunately, however, after one month, only six out of ten people continue to follow the resolutions. To make things easier for you, take mini-steps by adopting small changes every week instead of forcing yourself to change your entire lifestyle from the beginning. It’s easier to change one habit at a time instead of five at a time. Try this: for the first week, switch to sparkling water (no more soft drinks or alcohol!), for the second week, add an extra 20-minute brisk walk to your daily routine, and so on. By breaking things down, it’s easier to reach your goals.
  2. Eat your breakfast. Patients often tell me they skip breakfast because they think they can lose weight that way. However, studies show that the opposite can be true. Not eating breakfast makes you hungry later, which leads to binge eating at lunch and dinner. Always make time for a healthy morning meal, like fruit, high-fiber cereal with low-fat milk or an egg-white omelet with veggies.
  3. Be aware of portion sizes. Restaurants tend to supersize portions so when dining out, split restaurant servings in half. Slowly enjoy your food and ask yourself if you are full after that half serving before digging into the second half. Use salad or appetizer plates and smaller glasses to downsize servings. Take snacks out of the container so you can eyeball how much you consume instead of eating them directly from the container. 
  4. Ensure adequate sleep. When you don’t get enough sleep, your body under-produces the hormone leptin, which tells you when you’re full, and overproduces the hormone ghrelin, which stimulates appetite. Getting enough sleep helps you feel rested and full so remember to catch your zzz’s at night!
  5. Eat protein. Protein keeps you fuller for a longer period of time. It also helps to preserve muscle mass. The type of protein you choose is important- go for healthier choices such as lean meat, yogurt, fish, beans or nuts.
  6. Have more vegetables and fruits. Vegetables and fruits are not only rich in nutrients and antioxidants, but they are also high in fiber and water, which can give you a feeling a fullness, prevent constipation and help aid in digestion. Have a variety, but beware of bananas and avocados which, although very nutritious, contain more calories compared to other fruits.
  7. It’s about your health. Remember, at the end of the day, your health is more important than the numbers on the scale. As you adopt better eating and exercise habits, losing weight should be but a side effect of these healthier lifestyle changes. Strive to eat right and be more physically active every day. Take time to de-stress and relax/ meditate every day. Find others who can support you on your “back-to-health” journey.

Omega-3 and your baby’s eye health

You may have heard that consuming omega-3s, particularly DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), during pregnancy is essential for proper fetal brain/ cognitive development, mental health as well as lowering the risk of postpartum depression. What you may not know is that DHA is also important for visual development.

Researchers in Quebec, Canada, studied the effects of maternal omega-3 intake and concluded that higher fetal exposure to DHA enhanced children’s visual function up to 13 years later. The findings suggested that the effect was specific to parvocellular function, which affects visual acuity and color processing.

DHA is highly concentrated in the photoreceptor membranes of the retina, and an insufficient intake of DHA results in impaired visual function, at least in short-term visual acuity in the first 6 months of life. There is also growing evidence that adequate DHA may reduce the risk of developing age-related macular degeneration later in life.

SOURCE: PUFA Newsletter, www.fatsoflife.com

Study: Pomegranate juice and prostate cancer

Love the tarty taste of pomegranate juice and its heart-healthy benefits? Here’s another reason to enjoy more of this antioxidant-packed superfood:

Researchers at the University of California, Riverside have found that components in pomegranate juice can both inhibit the movement of cancer cells and weaken their attraction to a chemical signal that promotes the metastasis (i.e. spread) of prostate cancer to the bone. The research findings were presented at the 50th annual meeting of the American Society for Cell Biology in December, 2010.

Prostate cancer is the 2nd-leading cause of cancer-related deaths in men in the United States. If prostate cancer recurs after surgery or radiation, the next treatment is usually the suppression of the male hormone testosterone, which stops the growth of the cancer cells. But over time, the cancer often develops ways to resist hormone suppression therapies and metastasizes to the bone marrow, lungs and lymph nodes, usually resulting in the patient’s death.

SOURCE: University of California, Riverside

Be flight-smart this holiday season!

This article is especially dedicated to my patients who fly into Hong Kong for the day just to come see me. Your commitment to your health is commendable and I am honoured to be a part of your journey toward better health.  

Traveling this holiday season? Or just a frequent flyer? The following tips will help you stay healthy while you fly:

1) Keep hydrated by drinking adequate amounts of water. Minimize caffeinated or alcoholic beverages as they are dehydrating.

2) Airline “snack boxes” available on shorter flights are usually high in fat and/or sodium and filled with refined carbohydrates. Try to eat a healthier meal before a short flight to avoid hunger on the plane. If you do get hungry, check out #3. Remember to keep hydrated.

3) Natural nutrition bars are good alternatives to the the salted pretzel/ nut assortments offered in-flight. One of my favourite snack bars is the all natural gluten-free LARA BAR. Or, you can bring your own fruit and (unsalted) nut mix for an energy boost and healthy snack alternative.   

4) For long-haul flights, noodle soup cups are very popular “mini-meals”. Unfortunately, these are laden with MSG and other additives, and carry next-to-zero nutritional value. Usually, flights will offer a veggie sandwich alternative which is a healthier choice. If you must have the noodle soup cups, try to avoid the high-sodium and high-MSG broth.

5) Wear loose clothing and stretch regularly. Stretch your legs/ feet and get up for regular walks to reduce the risk of forming blood clots.  

6) It may be wise to stock up on antioxidant supplements, glutathione in particular. Glutathione is a vital antioxidant involved in protecting the body from free radical damage and helps to “recycle” other important antioxidants. Flying exposes us to more radiation (long-term exposure of which could increase risk of cancers and degenerative diseases) as we are at a higher altitude. A paper from the American Journal of Epidemiology found a higher incidence of acute myeloid leukemia among 2740 Air Canada pilots compared with the general population. The paper concluded that “monitoring of in-flight radiation exposure and long-term follow-up of civil aviation crew members is needed to further assess cancer incidence and leukemia risk in this special occupational group” (Am J Epidemiol 1996;143:137–43). Reduce the harmful effects of radiation (and stress!) while flying by ensuring adequate antioxidant support. If you fly frequently, discuss with your naturopathic doctor how to ensure optimal health while up in the air.