MedicalToday

Don’t believe the hype

You’ll have been told probiotics – anything that puts “friendly” bacteria into the gut – can perform all manner of digestive tricks. Many of these claims aren’t substantiated and they depend on the amount, quality and in what form they’re consumed. Low dose liquid probiotics, for example, will be neutralized by stomach acids. So take capsules – the shell will dissolve but not the bacteria inside.

Handy on the runs

Fiber, which is found in all plant-based foods, is composed of a group of compounds that makes up the framework of plants. Although fiber cannot be digested, it is an essential nutrient for good health. The health benefits of a diet rich in fiber include lower cholesterol and a reduced risk of heart disease and certain cancers. Also referred to as roughage, fiber is made up of many compounds, mostly carbohydrates. It can be found in a variety of foods, including wheat, potatoes, and certain fruits and vegetables. Although the recommended amount of fiber is 20 to 35 grams a day, the average American consumes only 12 to 15 grams on a daily basis. Asians, on average, consume three times as much fiber as Americans do.

Definition
Hemorrhoids, which are also called piles, is a condition of weakened and swollen veins in the anus or lower rectum. They often go unnoticed and usually clear up after a few days, but can also cause long-lasting discomfort of the rectum such as pain, itching, and bleeding.

Lactose intolerance is the inability to digest significant amounts of lactose, the primary sugar in milk. This inability results from a shortage of the enzyme lactase, which is normally produced by the cells that line the small intestine. Lactase breaks down lactose into simpler forms that can then be absorbed into the bloodstream during the digestive process. Common symptoms of lactose intolerance include nausea, cramps, bloating, gas, and diarrhea.

Fibre forms the skeletal system of plants. Without it no plant or tree would be able to stand upright. Dietary fibre, the roughage of yesteryears, consists of those parts of the plant foods that cannot be digested by enzymes or other digestive secretions in the ailmentary canal.