The BRAT Diet

Brat diet for dogs seems to get a lot of attention on this website, so I went digging through my numerous bookmarks and finally found this video I watched awhile back about a guy who feeds his dog an all natural diet – mostly vegetarian, he admits that his dog (LOVES) and eats meat, but he does not.

It’s more in depth than just the if it’s o.k. to give the Brat diet to your canine friend or not (which of course it is and there are specific times when you’ll want to), but I thought as a reader you might enjoy a new perspective on the expanded view of how this dog owner lovingly takes care of his dog.  He suggests some different ways to work Brat diet alternatives into your dogs diet that are affordable.

Here’s the video about fresh, natural dog food and it’s about forty minutes long.  It is a LOT of information packed in there, but there are some specific examples of what not to give your dog, based on his own experiences, that is a staple ingredient that most dog owners actively put INTO their own dog’s diet.  Just thought you might get some additional benefits from this dog resource and his healthy insights.

Sandy

I began to write (and rewrite) an up and coming post focused on the many different things I’ve been reading about IBS and diarrhea that readers have asked me some questions about and as I crafted one particular post, some of the digging-deeper investigative work to double-check reported facts in a popular magazine article, led me to go off on a tangent.  My findings are included below, standing on their own.  I opted for the sake of fluidity and staying on topic to put those findings here by themselves, rather than as an indented quote or editor side bar in the original post.

EDITORS NOTE: A WARNING: One of the articles I have recently read about alternatives for IBS and diarrhea, gas and bloating was via a normally trusted and reliable source: Natural Health Magazine.  But, I came across an herb suggested, based on a Chinese herbal formula, sold as IBS-F based on a study monitored by the “Journal of the American Medical Association”, or JAMA, a peer-reviewed general medicine journal whose stories and studies get picked up by popular, known media outlets: USA Today, major (U.S.) prime television and cable networks.

What was published about the study, in my opinion is not conclusive enough to endorse it here.  Those details include: Researchers administered IBS patients one of three formulas for their Irritable Bowel Syndrome: a 5-capsule dose per day of a Chinese herbal formula with ginger, licorice and “18 other ingredients” three times a day, OR a placebo (sugar pill) or a “similar mix” targeting specific symptoms.  According to Natural health Magazine: 64-76 percent saw their symptoms improve in four months time, versus only 33 percent of those taking just the placebo.  The Chinese formula used in the study was IBS-F, manufactured by Brion Herbs (BrionHerbs.com).

I’m including a screenshot of the only similar clinical study relating to determining the use of Chinese herbs in relation to treating IBS, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, via the JAMA website.  It is possible, that what was reported a published in Natural Health Magazine, and what I found is not the same.  But, when I went fact checking to dig deeper before I share opinions and conclusions with my readers, some parts just didn’t add up, in my book.

Note that the study I found dated back to a trial from 1996-1997, and the Natural Health Magazine article was published in 2010.

Note that an improvement was marked by a “degree with interference of life caused by IBS symptoms”, which could also be interpreted as not actually improving IBS, in actuality.  To me, sounds like science was not the desired result here.

Note that the clinical study only had 116 people in it.  That’s very few in my opinion.

Note that their conclusion, based on the above criteria was: “Chinese herbal formulations appear to offer improvement in symptoms for some patients with IBS.“

Well, one could also conclude that if you have IBS and suffering from the conditions and symptoms which include: gas, bloating, constipation and or diarrhea that if you take five placebos (plain sugar in a capsule) three times a day over a four month stretch and have IBS, you’ll see a 33 percent improvement in your symptoms!

Mentioning such a story, in a semi-recent magazine, without digging deeper in my opinion is misleading to the general public.  There are many out there who are legitimately sick, but I really don’t believe that what needs to be fixed requires such complications – - unfortunately, the media is only fueled by what the public demands: quick, painless options that require little or no work or dietary or lifestyle change from individuals suffering from poor diet and lifestyle habits that have resulted in their current, unhealthy predicament.

I didn’t feel right implying an endorsement to that Chinese herbal formula in particular, decided to do a little more legwork, dig deeper and went to their (BrionHerbs) website, located in California, and frankly did not like what I saw.  I lot of ways to buy and formulas being sold, but little explanation, a red flag in my opinion.  Which led to further digging.  – Sandy!

P.S.  I will be posting the original, additional posts about other alternatives to fix and heal IBS and diarrhea in the next few days, so watch for those related posts.

There are several ways to combat and ultimately remedy your IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) and diarrhea, I’ll be discussing IBS and diarrhea in a couple of my next up and coming posts, this is the first.

I’m constantly scouring over the latest findings about all things that relate to the brat diet and related ailments that may cause one to seek out the eating regimen for relief, thus IBS is certainly often in that conversation.  Here’s some of the latest thinking from experts and researchers in their field and an accumulation of things read or notes taken that have made it to my desk.

What To Do About Your IBS And Diarrhea

Since no specific cure exists for anyone, the best solution to problems related to IBS is lifestyle management, according to Locke. Stress management, having exercises on a regular basis, avoiding large amount of foods and choosing to eat small regular amounts instead, can help solve the difficulty. Once this is accomplished, other interventions should base on what the patient is experiencing regularly; constipation or diarrhea. If diarrhea is the main occurrence, one can take nonprescription Imodium, which is also referred to as loperamide, or take milk of magnesia where constipation is the predominant occurrence. This applies for light symptoms, and of the symptoms persist, patients can do one of the following:

Avoid foods which cause the symptoms or the triggers. The likely triggers in this case are milk, chocolate, and alcohol. Patients can also avoid taking beverages with caffeine and greased foods. This is important because many associate IBS with particular foods, according to Chang.

Both diarrhea and constipation-related cases can be settled by use of fiber foods. These foods help accumulate stools because they can hold water. They can also help patients to avoid constipation by bringing fluid in the bowels.  Supplements such as FiberCon can assist according to professor Galier. Another solution is the Detoxifiber. This is manufactured and sold by the Garden of Life and has no gluten. It comprises of fiber, both in soluble and insoluble forms in a balanced quotient. It also does not have harsh laxative or psyllium.  However, it is recommended that people should avoid taking too much fiber to avoid bloating, but establish the workable dosage as directed on the package.

Use of Probiotics: they add good bacteria in the intestines, hence improves the condition therein. A number of studies during a yearly scientific meeting argued at the America College of Gastroenterology that probiotics can return to normal the bowel conditions. This happens in 28 days of use. However, these studies do not explain whether treatment is achieved by use of combined strains or single strains of probiotics.

Use of Lactobacillus acidophilus can reduce IBS symptoms after four weeks as would use of Bifidobacterium infantis (both are influential types of bacteria). In addition to having no side effects, these types increase the patient’s quality of life. Vegetarians may use the American Health Priobiotics CD option. It has the two types of bacteria mentioned.

Consider using Ginger: it is an herb that is argued to help in digestion. It can also help reduce stomach problems, as well as a solution for diarrhea. The forms and dosage to be taken include powdered root of the herb (2-4g/day), as well as tincture (1 and half-3 mls/day) and fresh root (a quarter gram to 1 gram/day). This is just the start of some of the material I’ll be writing about related specifically to IBS and diarrhea, but don’t fret, more posts are around the corner.

Sandy

Probiotics: The Discussion Begins:

Probiotics are very important in prevention and managing of digestion of ailment. The supplement is also important in boosting of body immunity. Probiotics are found in both the supplement and also from fermented food like yoghurt and miso. Individuals’ bodies contain billions of both harmful and good bacteria. Most of the bacteria are found in the intestines. Beneficial bacteria aid in digestion of food and synthesize of nutrients like vitamin K, B and fatty acids.

Antibiotics, stress and gastrointestinal ailment interfere with good-bad bacteria ratio in the intestines. They contribute in the reduction of beneficial bacteria, leaving one exposed to infections from the action of harmful bacteria. Adding of probiotics supplement helps beneficial bacteria to thrive in the intestine. This is important in solving of the intestine ailment. Probiotics are helpful in boosting of body’s immune system. They boost the effectiveness of the white blood cells, which act to safeguard the body immunity. People who take three capsules of supplement daily are able to boost their immunity.

Some Precautions Before Taking Probiotics And Adding Them To Your Diet

Before buying probiotic supplements, it is necessary to ensure that the product is fresh and not expired. You should make sure that expiry dates are well checked and shown. Expired probiotic are not effective and can be harmful to your health. The fresher the probiotic, the better it is. Effectiveness of probiotic is very high when it is fresh.
Liquid probiotics should always be stored in the refrigerator section. Chilling keeps bacteria alive. Live bacteria are more effective than dead ones. So, to get good results, one should make sure that fresh probiotics are picked from refrigerators.

Choosing Probiotics For You And those You Care For

Different probiotics can be obtained for different ailment. It is important that the right probiotic is purchased to ensure desirable results are obtained. Visit natural food stores to buy the right probiotic to tackle your problem.
There are different probiotic brands available. Some additional common ailments causing a need for using or buying probiotics are as follows, why take probiotics – other than what we have already discussed elsewhere on this Brat Diet website are:

Traveler’s diarrhea: This kind of complication can be avoided by taking some strains of good bacteria in the form of OTC – over the counter probiotics, including the saccharomyces boulardii and lactobacillus rhamnosus GG. These kinds of probiotics are normally taken by individuals who are intending to travel to places. The product is taken two days before traveling, and stopped two days after returning home. Such probiotics help in prevention of diarrhea for persons who are traveling, avoiding the horror stories of bad water, poor hygiene, etc.  That said, just because you are taking probiotics, does not mean you through caution at the wind; you must be smart about the foods you eat and stay in the mind set of prevention.

Antibiotic caused diarrhea: This complication is common in people who are taking antibiotics. Probiotics used to prevent this kind of complication include lactobacillus rhamnosus GG and saccharomyces boulardii.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS): This kind of complication is common in persons who are in medications. Some medicine taken react with the body, causing such complications. This probiotics are normally taken to prevent such kinds of complication from occurring and include lactobacillus plantarum and bifidobacterium infantis. This probiotic should always be taken as long one is taking treatment. This probiotic helps in preventing this kind of complication.

Vaginal yeast infection: A common type of yeast infection, vaginal yeast infections can be prevented by taking probiotic lactobacillus acidophilus. Make note of the previously discussed myths about “yeast infections” on this site, for further reading.

This last example, lactobacillus acidophilus is an example of the type of good bacteria strain you will commonly find on the back of a bottle of probiotics.  When I listed each strain, specifically above, it was to arm you with the very specific information needed when comparing labels, and yes, I do realize that unless you are a licensed medical doctor or practitioner or lab tech studying biomedicine regularly, pronouncing such words may be a mouthful.

Taking of Food or Supplements

Many of the researchers are of the view that food sources don’t produce the required number of bacteria to handle some illness. Food sources should be supplemented with probiotics to produce the required number of bacteria in the intestines. Taking of fermented food helps in improving of individual health. Fermented food contains both beneficial and harmful bacteria, so it’s important to take probiotic supplement to boost thriving of the beneficial bacteria. By using probiotics, you will be able to obtain more health benefits.

Some of the food that produces beneficial bacteria includes sauerkraut and miso. These are natural source of beneficial bacteria in the intestines and can always be obtained in the natural food stores.

When one is experiencing intestine ailments or wants to boost immune system, there are many probiotic supplements which he/she can choose from. Some of the common probiotic available includes lactobacillus, bifidocaterium, entrecoccus and saccharomyces. Probiotics will have different results for different people – because when it comes down to fine-tuning one’s health, individualized answers are the key – specific fixes and solutions specific to your body and the trouble that needs to be fixed.

Effectiveness of beneficial bacteria can be enhanced by taking probiotic supplements. This supplement helps in the generation of massive bifidobacterium in the colon, intestines and digestive tracts and system. Some of the natural sources of the probiotics includes barley, chicory and also dandelion. These can be taken to boost the immune system and solve of gut ailments, but I’ll be certain to cover this is more detail in an upcoming post, as I have gotten some questions about it. A common ingredient to bring to your diet, with regulation (I’m not suggesting you have an excuse to eat entire loaves of breadd, fortified with whole grains or not!) food which has helped some in the thriving of beneficial bacteria includes whole grains in one’s meal.

Sandy

Hey there,

A few days ago, I did a post about flu symptoms, the brat diet and how viral infections spread.  Typical of my usual style, as I went off on a slight tangent, I failed to mention a key part of the discussion.  Specifically, related to how the cold and the flu spreads and the timing related to the window when you are most contagious.

So to clarify my original point, and because I received a handful of emails asking additional health related questions (some on topic the spreading of influenza viruses as they relate to 2011 flu symptoms, and a couple slightly off topic which I’ll expand on in future posts), here’s one of the trickiest parts of diagnosing, curing, stopping the spread of such contagious viruses and getting over the cold or flu, to date:

Let’s use YOU as an example here.  Suppose you are just minding your business, doing all the things you normally do in, say, a typical work day.  Get up, maybe kiss your spouse, significant other, parents, or kids.  Maybe eat breakfast, grab a cup from the cupboard, utensils from the drawer, cereal box, fresh juice, and eat it while reading the paper or surfing the latest news online, or maybe a bit of channel flipping with remote in hand, before opening the door and heading to your car.

Now, you feel just fine.  No cold or flu symptoms to speak of.  Feeling good and healthy.  Not even a suspicion of being ill, or feeling sickness coming on.

You’re not sick today.  But tomorrow flu symptoms pop-up and you start feeling sick.  So naturally, you might react a bit different, knowing you are NOW coming down with something.  Right?  You might avoid people, or be more conscious about staying extra healthy, or doing more preventative acts, because those cold symptoms are making you feel less than normal, and red-flagging you to something being a bit off.  Maybe you have a runny nose, or a sore throat, or a headache coupled with a fever.

Well here’s the real kicker of that scenario: the time when you are most contagious, is the day before your symptoms appeared!  Yes, the day when you were touching things and behaving as if you were not sick, is the time you are most contagious and spreading your cold pretty much wherever you go, depending in your lifestyle, routine and habits.

Sure, you can remain contagious for about a week while you are sick and feeling sick, but it’s that twenty four hour period (24 hours) right before you actually feel sick that the influenza virus as spreading from you in rapid force.

Pretty tough to combat, eh?  Even with the best intentions, most don’t even know they are doing more harm than good…