Leaky Gut Syndrome Archives

Another look at LGS---Archive.

Friends,

FYI.

Walt

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Misty L. Trepke
http://www.searching-alternatives.com

From: JoAnn Guest

KEYS TO OPTIMUM DIGESTION
The Benefits of Bitter Herbs

Digestion is key to a healthy life for it is through the process of
digestion that our bodies absorb those nutrients that sustain our
lives.

Yet too many people suffer from indigestion because of sedentary
lifestyles, shallow breathing, eating too many depleted and processed
foods or uncomplimentary food combinations, or eating on the go.

To many of us, when the digestive process doesn't work right, it is a
nuisance at best: we feel sluggish, tired and moody, until the
problem becomes serious.

Without proper digestion, the body cannot maintain adequate nutrition
for its cells, or properly eliminate and detoxify.

Undigested or reabsorbed food molecules can cause irritation in the
intestines, weaken the immune system and stimulate allergic
responses.

Fortunately, there are herbal remedies which help prevent heartburn,
and those that stimulate bile flow. You can also choose from enzymes
which help break down food and herbal formulations rich in fiber
which help clear and detoxify the bowels. If improving your
digestion is the last thing on your 'to do' list, think again, and
read on.

THE BENEFITS OF BITTER HERBS
Herbal Medicine Research Report: Volume 2 No. 2
1999

Suzanne Diamond, B.Sc., M.Sc. (Botany)

Herbs traditionally used as 'bitters', such as dandelion leaves and
root, artichoke leaves and flowers, milk thistle seed, Belgian
endive, or chicory and wild lettuce, act to cleanse and rejuvenate
the liver and stimulate bile flow for flushing the gallbladder and
liver.

Our ancestors knew the importance of regularly using a 'bitter', but
modern society has forgotten this - and cultivated lettuce has been
bred to remove all the bitterness.

When 'bitters' are tasted in the mouth, they stimulate the body to
secrete saliva and bile and this aids digestion tremendously and
reduces the likelihood of gallstone formation.

Because bile breaks down fats and bitters stimulate the conversion of
cholesterol into bile acids and increase bile solubility, the more
bitters in the diet, the more bile the body produces and the faster
fat digestion works, cutting cholesterol naturally.

Clinical trials done on artichoke leaf juice and extract for lowering
cholesterol have shown dramatic results within only 6-12 weeks.
Several conventional cholesterol-lowering drugs are based on bile
acid metabolism.

Bitters also stimulate appetite while at the same time cleansing the
body of poisons and toxins and relieving a common condition known as
liver congestion, associated with poor eyesight, skin problems and
many other diseases.

Bitters can immediately improve the health of many individuals whose
diet, high in animal products and sugar, is far too acidified and
whose systems are clogged with bad fats.

Our society's current diet focusses on sweet, sour and salty and has
neglected the very important bitter or alkaline compounds.

This fact is recognized by all long-standing, traditional schools of
medicine such as those from Europe, China and India. Bitters also
strengthen and tone and are great for spring cleaning the liver, the
body's filtration system.

One example of a traditionally used bitter is Blessed Thistle. The
following paragraphs describe this wonderful bitter that was used by
our ancestors.

Blessed Thistle (Cnicus benedictus L.)

Composition
The primary active ingredient of blessed thistle is a bitter tasting
compound called cnicin, a sesquiterpene lactone. The seed contains
several lignans that are phytoestrogen precursors for the key
mammalian lignans: enterolactone and enterodiol which are present in
humans and animals1. Cnicin aids digestion and has considerable
antitumor, cytotoxic, antimicrobial and phytotoxic activity2,3.

Mechanism of action
1) Choleretic and hypolipidemic action: Through its bitter
properties, blessed thistle increases the flow of gastric juices
relieving dyspepsia, indigestion and headaches associated with liver
congestion4.

British and German Pharmacopoeias recognize that 'bitters', including
blessed thistle, stimulate bile flow and cleanse the liver.

Bitter compounds and commercial anti-cholesterolemic drugs such as
cholestyramine and colestipol promote bile acid excretion and
conversion of cholesterol to bile acids5.

In Europe "bitter vegetable drugs" are considered medicinal agents
and used to stimulate appetite, aid digestion, and promote health6.
Studies confirm that bitters increase gastric juice and bile acid
secretions by increasing the flow of saliva through stimulation of
specific receptors on the mucous membrane lining of the mouth7.

2) Tonifying: Traditionally in most countries, including England,
Germany, Russia, China, India and Africa, bitters are used to
strengthen and tonify the body8.

Certain bitter compounds found in the leaves, stems and barks of many
plants such as the oligomeric proanthocyanidins concentrated in pine
bark and grape seed, have been shown to improve blood circulation by
binding to the membranes of blood vessels and capillaries, repairing
collagen and elastin and preventing their degradation by enzymes and
free radicals, thereby strengthening the vascular system9.

3) Antibiotic activity: Blessed thistle extracts have anti-bacterial
activity. Research on blessed thistle herb has demonstrated
antibiotic properties for: 1) cnicin10, 2) the essential oil which
includes n-paraffin (C-9 - C-13), aromatic aldehydes (cinnamaldehyde,
benzaldehyde, cuminaldehyde) and monoterpenes (citronellol, fenchone,
p-cymene and others), and 3) the polyacetylenes contained in the
herb. The essential oil has bacteriostatic action against
Staphylococcus aureus, S. faecalis, but not E. coli.

References:

1. Stitch etal. Occurrence of lignans, enterolactone and enterodiol
in man and animal species. Nature. 1980; 287: 238.

2. Duke J; Handbook of Biologically Active Phytochemicals and their
Activities. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press; 1991: 32.

3. Rodriguez etal. Biological activities of sesquiterpene lactones.
Phytochemistry. 1976; 15: 1573-1580.

4. Bradley PRe; British Herbal Compendium. Volume 1, A handbook of
scientific information on widely used plant drugs. Holy Thistle.
Bournemouth, Dorset: British Herbal Medicine Association; 1992.

5. Hardman eae; Goodman and Gilmans "The Pharmacological Basis of
Therapeutics. 9th ed. McGraw-Hill Health Professions Division; 1996.

6. Weiss RF; Herbal Medicine. Translated from the 6th German edition
of Lehrbuch der Phytotherapie by A.R. Meuss, FIL, MITI. Beaconsfield,
Bucks, England: Beaconsfield Publishers, Ltd.; 1988.

7. Schneider G, Lachner I. A contribution to analytics and
pharmacology of cnicin. Planta Medica. 1987; 53: 247.

8. European Scientific Cooperative on Phytotherapy; Wormwood,
Dandelion, Gentian. Execter, U.K.: ESCOP Secretariat Argyle House;
1997.

9. Facino ea. Free radical scavenging action and anti-enzyme
activities of procyanidines from Vitis vinifera. Arzneim-Foprusch.
Drug Res. 1994; 44: 592-601.

10. Vanhaelen-Fastre R, Vanhaelen M. Antibiotic and cytotoxic
activity of cnicin and of its hydrolysis products. Chemical
structure - biological activity relationship. Planta Medica. 1976;
29: 179-189.

http://www.florahealth.com/flora/home/USA/HealthInformation/articles/

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THANK YOU TO Dr. Stoll & sending blessings this day.. Sedona nmi

Thanks!

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