Tuesday, May 29, 2012

List ---> Gluten Free Alcohol Beverages UPDATED

GLUTEN-FREE ALCOHOL BEVERAGES - Updated July 30, 2013
Updates for 7/13 are in red

Amaretto - Disaronno Originale Amaretto, Hiram Walker

Anisette - Hiram Walker

*Bacardi Silver products NOT gluten-free

Beer - Redbridge, Bard's Tale Dragon's Gold, Bard's Tale Tavern Ale - coming soon,New Grist, Schlafly Gluten-free Ale, Green's (many flavors), Shakparo Ale (Sprecher Brewery), Mbege (Sprecher Brewery), Honey Beer (Ramapo Valley Brewery), La Messagère & Messagere Red Ale (Canada), Birra 76 Bi-Aglut (Italy), O’Brien Premium Lager, Pale Ale & Brown Ale (O'Brien Brewing, Australia), Glutaner (Mongozo BV - sold in 15 countries - not yet sold in the U.S.), Budweiser *lime*G-Free Beer,

Blue Curacao - Hiram Walker

Brandy - Hiram Walker

Cafe Aztec - Hiram Walker

Champagne, Wine, and Sparkling Wines

Cognac - Martell (email 8/22/08)

Cointreau

Diageo - "Diageo products, which have been distilled, do not contain glutens or gluten residues, Captain Morgan Rums are gluten free but not the Flavored Malt Beverages..." (email 01/28//09)

Dr. McGillicuddy - "the alcohol is sourced from corn products" -"We do not knowingly add any gluten-containing products, but can not certify that they are gluten free." (01/30/09)

E. & J. Gallo Winery U.S. products are all gluten-free (email 12/2/11)

Gin - Beefeater Gin (gluten-free but made from wheat, email 8/11/08), Cold River (potato based)

Grand Marnier

Hiram Walker no gluten present in Hiram Walker products (website FAQ 1/26/09)

Horsby's Hard Cider all gluten-free (email 12/2/11)

Jägermeister "On basis of current analyses Jägermeister can be considered free from gluten, starch and lactose." (email 12/15/09)

Kahlua

Kirschwasser - Hiram Walker

Rum - Pyrat Rum XO Reserve (email 9/26/11), Bacardi (*Bacardi Silver products NOTgluten-free), Captain Morgan, Havana Club (all varieties, email 1/14/10), Cacique Rum, Malibu Rum (email 8/31/10)

Sambuca - Hiram Walker

Schnapps - all Hiram Walker

Scotch

Sparkling Wine

Tequila - Patron (Silver, Reposado, Anejo, Gran Patron Platinum, Gran Patron Burdeos,Citronge, XO Café) email 9/26/11), Cazadores Reposado, *Jose Cuervo Tradicional, Sauza Tequilas (email 6/9/08), Cabo Wabo, any 100% Agave, Including White Tequila by Albertson's, Acme, Jewel, Equaline Good Day Labels (mail 5/21/08)

*Jose Cuervo website states that all Jose Cuervo tequilas, Authentic
Cuervo Margaritas, Margarita Minis, and Golden Margaritas are gluten-free. *Don Julio products are NOT gluten-free -

Triple Sec - Hiram Walker
Vermouth
Vodka - Smirnoff (made from corn), Smirnoff Citrus Twist, UV Vodka (corn), Rain Organics Vodka (made from 100% organic white, corn), Ciroc (grapes), Chopin, Luksusowa, Teton Glacier, Zodiac, Bushman's, Hampton's, Kamchatka, Popov Citrus & Popov Tangerine, Reisk, Monopolowa, Ketel One (gluten-free but is made from 100% wheat), Beak & Skiff Vodka (distilled from apples), Blue Ice Vodka (potato vodka), Bombora (Australian grape based), Boyd & Blair (potato based), Cold River Potato Vodka, Famous Vodka (potato based), Krome Vodka (corn based), RWB Vodka (potato), Tito's Handmade Vodka (corn), Vikingfjord Vodka (potato),
Wine - all except wine coolers made with malt
Whiskey - Queen Jenny Whiskey
Bourbon - Hudson Bay Bourbon (corn)
Hard Cider - ACE Cider, Crispin Cider, Magners Cider, Strongbow Cider, Woodchuck Cider, McKenzie's Cider
Sake - All varieties (rice based)

List Referenced from: http://www.glutenfree-lifestyle.com/gluten-free-alcohol-beverages.html

Probiotic Drink - Brings Relief To IBS Sufferers

Sounds gross but promising to bring relief to IBS sufferers. Made in the UK and available over the counter and found online for purchase. Tesco stores also supply this probiotic drink, Symprove.

£2 drink that could ease IBS misery for millions available over the counter

The £2 Symprove drink could provide relief for millions of IBS sufferers

British doctors are claiming a major breakthrough in treating a stomach condition which causes misery for millions.
They proved that a drink containing ‘friendly’ bugs relieves bloating and stomach pain for long-term sufferers of irritable bowel syndrome.
Around 12million people in the UK are affected by IBS. Three in four sufferers are women.
The probiotic drink called Symprove is already available online and in some Tesco stores and a daily dose costs around the same as a cappuccino at £2.
The study, run to the same standard as a drugs trial and sponsored by King’s College Hospital, London, involved 186 people, aged 18 to 65, who had been diagnosed with moderate to severe IBS.
Two-thirds of patients were given Symprove and the rest drank a placebo for 12 weeks.The results showed that Symprove was effective in reducing the severity of a range of symptoms, particularly constipation and diarrhoea, with patients feeling less pain and discomfort at the end of the trial and four weeks later.

The drink is already available online and in some Tesco stores

More than one in five receiving the probiotic drink saw their symptoms fall from the severe category to mild.
Researchers said many people eat yoghurts and other probiotic products to promote a healthy gut, but the majority do not have the ‘robust evidence’ for improving IBS symptoms.
They presented their findings at a medical conference in San Diego last week.
Professor Ingvar Bjarnason, who led the study, added: ‘The Symprove trial is a real breakthrough for IBS sufferers.’

Monday, May 28, 2012

IBD Risk Factors - Research Studies 4 Factors That Could Help IBD Patients

Good read! Research studies on the following:

High-Altitude Journeys and Flights Are Associated with the Increased Risk of Flares in IBD Patients (Abstract #303)

Reproductive Factors and Risk of Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn's Disease: Results from Two Large Prospective Cohorts of U.S. Women (Abstract #402)
PIANO: A 1000 Patient Prospective Registry of Pregnancy Outcomes in Women with IBD Exposed to Immunomodulators and Biologic Therapy (Abstract #865)

Environmental Risk Factors for Crohn's Disease: Maltodextrin (MDX), a Ubiquitous Dietary Additive in Western Diets, Enhances Biofilm Formation and Adhesivness of E. coli (Abstract #Tu1844)

New research identifies possible risk factors, treatments for bowel

NEW Treatments for Crohn's, MS, Autoimmune Diseases - Good Read!

Good reading about 2 treatments in the making to treat diseases

such as MS, IBD & Type 1 diabetes. This is the 1st I've read about

this treatment. They discuss a lot of financial aspects in this article, but

also explain how these treatments work to halt abnormal immune function .

The many benefits of taking probiotics regularly.

Some Article Highlights:

"As a result from taking antibiotics, absorption of fatty acids and glucose are interrupted and osmotic diarrhea ensues along with the immune system’s efforts to flush out contaminants. With probiotics, the chance of suffering through the condition is lessened by 42%

"the combination of multiple bacterial strains in probiotics have been guaranteed to lessen the duration of diarrhea as well as the frequency of defecation."

"Prolonged antibiotic treatment also makes folks susceptible to Clostridium difficile overgrowth – which is another major cause of digestive problems.
Introduction of Lactobacillus, for example, in the system is more than a welcome alternative to the usual protocols as it not only reduces the chance of antibiotic-associated diarrhea but also enhances the immune system and improves stool consistency"

I would recommend Metagenics for a trusted & high quality probiotic.

http://www.metagenics.com/

Fiber Reduces Crohn's Disease Risk in Woman

Fiber Cuts Crohn's Risk in Women

By Nancy Walsh, Staff Writer, MedPage Today

Published: May 23, 2012

Reviewed by Dori F. Zaleznik, MD; Associate Clinical Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston.

SAN DIEGO -- High fiber intake was associated with a 38% reduction in risk of Crohn's disease in women, a researcher reported here.

Data from the Nurses' Health Study I and II showed the hazard ratio for Crohn's disease among women whose fiber intake was highest was 0.62 (95% CI 0.40 to 0.95) compared with those consuming the lowest amount of fiber, said Ashwin N. Ananthakrishnan, MBBS, of Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston.

Crohn's disease is believed to result from a combination of genetic and environmental factors, and some evidence suggests that dietary fiber may play a role, possibly through effects on the gut microflora, epithelial barrier function, and the prevention of bacterial translocation.

However, previous studies have been retrospective in design, included small numbers, and were subject to recall bias.

To prospectively investigate the effects of fiber on inflammatory bowel disease, Ananthakrishnan and colleagues analyzed data from 164,248 women in the Nurses' Health Study.

During 3,010,426 person-years of observation, there were 248 cases of Crohn's disease, for an incidence rate of 8 per 100,000 person-years, and 308 cases of ulcerative colitis, with an incidence rate of 10 per 100,000. Self-reports of these diagnoses were confirmed with a review of patients' medical records.

The median age of the Crohn's patients was 54, and the ulcerative colitis patients were 2 years younger.

Intake of various types of food was assessed every 2 years on a validated food frequency questionnaire. Patients in the lowest quintile of fiber intake averaged 11 grams per day, while those in the highest quintile consumed 25 grams per day.

The risk of Crohn's disease in the highest quintile was primarily lowered with consumption of soluble fiber:

Fruit, HR 0.55 (95% CI 0.36 to 0.83)
Vegetables, HR 0.72 (95% CI 0.48 to 1.06)
Cruciform vegetables, HR 0.73 (95% CI 0.50 to 1.08)

The trend toward significance for cruciform vegetables suggested a role for the aryl hydrocarbon receptor in risk reduction, the researcher said.

In contrast, consumption of insoluble fiber did not decrease risk:

Cereals, HR 0.89 (95% CI 0.58 to 1.35)
Whole grains, HR 1.04 (95% CI 0.67 to 1.61)

There was no observed dose response among women in the medium quintiles of fiber intake, with the risks for the second and fourth quintile being quite similar.

"There may be a threshold effect," Ananthakrishnan said.

Unlike for Crohn's disease, increased fiber intake had no effect on risk for ulcerative colitis, with a hazard ratio of 0.88 (95% CI 0.60 to 1.28) in women with the highest level of consumption. Intake from the various specific sources of fiber also was not associated with a reduction in risk for ulcerative colitis.

Limitations of the study included its inclusion of mostly white women and their older age.

Further research is warranted to explore the biological mechanisms by which fiber influences the risk for Crohn's disease, Ananthakrishnan concluded.

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Birth Control Pills, Hormone Therapy Linked to Digestive Diseases Stated by Researchers.

If you're on birth control pills and experience digestive problems or have been diagnosed with Crohn's or UC, you should read this.

Birth Control Pills, HRT Tied to Digestive Ills

Researchers found apparent connections between estrogen treatments and Crohn's disease, colitis

May 21, 2012

By Kathleen Doheny
HealthDay Reporter
MONDAY, May 21 (HealthDay News) -- The use of oral contraceptives by younger women or hormone therapy by older women may be linked with inflammatory bowel disease, new research indicates.
Birth control pills are associated with a higher risk for Crohn's disease, said researcher Dr. Hamed Khalili, a clinical and research fellow of gastroenterology at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. Crohn's causes inflammation of the lining and wall of the large or small intestine, or both. The lining can become so inflamed it bleeds.
Hormone replacement therapy taken by some women after menopause is linked with ulcerative colitis, the study found. It is a disease of the colon (large intestine) or rectum. It causes diarrhea, abdominal cramping and rectal bleeding.
Khalili presented the findings Sunday at the Digestive Disease Week meeting, in San Diego.
Of the two links they found, Khalili said, the association with birth control pills and Crohn's is the most relevant to patients.
That is especially true, he said, for long-term users. "If you took oral contraceptives for more than five years, you have a threefold increased risk of Crohn's disease," he said.
For the study in younger women, Khalili and his colleagues looked at about 233,000 women enrolled in the large U.S. Nurses Health Studies I and II.
He looked at data from the beginning of the first study, 1976, through 2008. He found 309 cases of Crohn's disease and 362 of ulcerative colitis.
He compared those who never used birth control pills to those who did. Current users had a nearly three times greater risk of Crohn's disease. Those who used birth control pills had no increased risk of getting ulcerative colitis compared with never-users.
In the second study, he looked at the data from nearly 109,000 women past menopause. They were enrolled in the Nurses Health Study that began in 1976.
He followed them through 2008. He found 138 cases of Crohn's disease and 138 of ulcerative colitis.
Those on hormone therapy had a 1.7 times higher risk of ulcerative colitis, compared to never-users. No link was found with Crohn's disease.
While the studies uncovered an association between the hormone-based therapies and digestive problems, it did not prove a cause-and-effect relationship.
Still, how to explain the apparent connections? "We probably don't have a clear mechanism," Khalili said.
In animal studies, he said, researchers have found that the colon is more vulnerable to inflammation when estrogen is given. It changes the permeability of the colon, he explained.
The link is probably of more concern in younger women, said Dr. David Bernstein, a gastroenterologist and chief of hepatology at North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset, N.Y.
In the study of older women, "the risk may be present, but it seems to be quite small," he said. The link appears stronger, he said, for oral contraceptive use and Crohn's disease.
Older women on hormone therapy probably do not need to be concerned, Bernstein said. More research may clarify that link.
However, "younger women on oral contraceptives need to be told that there is an increased risk," he added.
Khalili agreed. He said women on birth control pills who have a strong family history of IBD should especially be made aware of the research finding a link. A link is not a cause-and-effect relationship, but simply an association.
Still, he said, they should be aware, in case they want to pick another form of birth control.
Digestive Disease Week is jointly sponsored by four societies: the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases, the American Gastroenterological Association Institute, the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy and the Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Tract.
A co-author on both studies reports consulting work for Pfizer, Millennium Pharmaceuticals and Bayer AG.
Because this research was presented at a medical meeting, the data and conclusions should be viewed as preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal.
http://health.usnews.com/health-news/news/articles/2012/05/21/birth-control-pills-hrt-tied-to-digestive-ills?page=2

Saturday, May 19, 2012

Updated w/ Full Article - Irritable Bowel Syndrome: New Dietary Guidelines - A Must Read for People With IBS

Good info to know if you suffer from IBS.

As you know diet is 90% of the battle and IS important to improving your health and being healthy while living with IBS. If your doctor says "eat whatever you want", find a new doctor.. seriously, that's terrible advice.

PS: Let me know when these links don't give you the info you need. I noticed this one was broken. Now you don't have to worry about linking anywhere. The whole article is below.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome: New Dietary Guidelines

May 15, 2012 — The British Dietetic Association (BDA) has issued evidence-based guidelines for the dietary management of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) in adults. The new recommendations were published online April 10 and in the June print issue of the Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics.

"[IBS] is a chronic and debilitating functional gastrointestinal disorder that affects 9–23% of the population across the world," write Y.A. McKenzie, MSc, from Nuffield Health the Manor Hospital, Oxford, United Kingdom, and colleagues from the BDA Gastroenterology Specialist Group. "Diet and lifestyle changes are important management strategies. The aim of these guidelines is to systematically review key aspects of the dietary management of IBS, with the aim of providing evidence-based guidelines for use by registered dietitians."

A guideline development group wrote questions concerning diet and IBS symptom management, such as the role of milk and lactose, nonstarch polysaccharides (NSP), and fermentable carbohydrates in abdominal bloating; use of probiotics; and empirical or elimination diets. To identify pertinent studies, the investigators electronically searched the Cinahl, Cochrane Library, Embase, Medline, Scopus, and Web of Science databases from January 1985 to November 2009.

On the basis of their comprehensive literature search and critical appraisal of 30 studies, the group developed evidence statements, clinical recommendations, good practice points, and research recommendations. The resulting dietetic care pathway followed a logical sequence of treatment, including 3 lines of dietary management:

First-line dietary management: clinical and dietary evaluation and healthy eating and lifestyle management, with some general advice on lactose and NSP.
Second-line dietary management: Advanced dietary interventions to alleviate symptoms resulting from NSP and fermentable carbohydrates, and use of probiotics.
Third-line dietary management: Elimination and empirical diets.

The group also made research recommendations mandating sufficiently powered, well-designed, randomized controlled trials (RCTs).

Clinical Recommendations

Specific clinical practice recommendations, and their grade of recommendation, include the following:

To improve IBS symptoms, remove milk and dairy products. When milk sensitivity is suspected and a lactose hydrogen breath test is unavailable or appropriate, attempt a trial period of a low-lactose diet, particularly in individuals in ethnic groups associated with a high prevalence of primary lactase deficiency (D).
Treat individuals in whom lactose hydrogen breath test is positive with a low-lactose diet (D).
When milk is suspected to be a problem food and symptoms do not improve on a low-lactose diet, consider the contribution of other components of milk, such as cow's milk protein. Consider a milk-free diet or use of an alternative mammalian milk (D).
Avoid dietary supplementation with wheat bran. Individuals with IBS should not increase their wheat bran intake above their usual dietary intake (C).
A 3-month trial of dietary supplementation of ground linseeds is recommended for individuals with constipation-predominant IBS, as symptom improvement may be gradual (D).
Consider reducing intake of fermentable carbohydrates for individuals with IBS and suspected or diagnosed fructose malabsorption (B).
Consider reducing intake of fermentable carbohydrates for individuals with IBS and abdominal bloating, abdominal pain, and/or flatulence (D).
Individual tolerance levels to fermentable carbohydrates may vary. A planned and systematic challenge of foods high in fermentable carbohydrates can identify both individual tolerance levels and which foods can be reintroduced to the diet (D).
After the above steps, consider probiotics, selecting 1 product at a time and monitoring the effects, as there is considered to be no harm associated with probiotics for individuals with IBS (B).
Each probiotic trial should last a minimum of 4 weeks at the manufacturer's recommended dose (B).
Particularly for patients with diarrhea-predominant IBS, consider an elimination or empirical diet when food appears to be a trigger for IBS symptoms (D).
If symptoms do not improve within 2 to 4 weeks, the specific foods eliminated are an unlikely cause of IBS symptoms (D).

"These guidelines provide evidence statements, recommendations and practical considerations for dietitians on the effective dietary management of IBS in adults and will improve evidence-based practice," the authors conclude. The guidelines will also "increase standardisation in clinical practice, thus improving patient outcomes in relation to the dietary management of this disorder."

"Because much of the evidence is of poor quality and limited by the lack of suitable papers for inclusion, research recommendations were also proposed," the authors add, stating that future research should involve "[a]dequately powered and well designed RCTs, with long-term follow-up," and "should focus on the clinical effectiveness and/or safety of dietary treatments using objective symptom assessment and taking into consideration IBS-subtype."

The General Education Trust of the BDA partly funded this project. All members of the IBS dietetic guideline development group signed conflict-of-interest forms annually during the development of these guidelines.

J Hum Nutr Diet. 2012;25:260-274. Abstract

Ahhhhhhhh!!! I HAVE Crohn's Disease!!