The liver is one of the largest and most important organs in a person’s body. The liver is about the size of a football located on the upper right side of a person’s body, behind the lower ribs. Almost all the blood in a person’s body passes through the liver and it has hundreds of critical functions, including storing nutrients such as glucose, vitamins, minerals, and carbohydrates. It also removes toxins like alcohol, waste products, and worn-out cells from the blood. The liver filters and processes chemicals in food, alcohol, and medications; and produces bile- a liquid that helps break down fats and eliminate waste products. The liver plays a key part in digestion by managing protein, fats, and carbohydrates.

 

So how do we keep such an important organ healthy?

1. Limit alcohol use. Talk to your doctor to find out what amount is right for you.
2. Avoid foods high in calories, fat, sugar, salt, undercooked or raw shellfish, or oysters and clams.
3. Eat fiber rich whole grains, fruits, vegetables, meat (limit red meat), beans, milk (low fat) and good fats such as nuts, seeds, olive oil, and fish (containing omega 3 fatty acids).  
4. Stay hydrated, this helps the liver function better.
5. Exercise regularly and maintain a healthy weight. This helps reduce liver fat and prevents nonalcoholic fatty disease (NAFLD) a condition that leads to cirrhosis.
6. Avoid toxins such as insecticides, chemicals, aerosol products, additives, and cigarette smoke.
7. Avoid concoctions of medications and herbs that can cause liver damage. Overdosing on certain medications such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) and drinking alcohol with certain medications can cause damage to the liver. 
8. Get vaccinated for liver diseases such as hepatitis A and B (C has no vaccine).  Hepatitis A spreads through contaminated water or food. Hepatitis B and C spread through blood and body fluids. Avoid sharing items such as needles, razors, toothbrushes, nail clippers, drinks, food, etc.
9. Avoid contaminated needles and the use of illicit drugs.
10. Practice safe sex.

Sources: American Liver Foundation, Healthline, WebMD, CDC, Medical News Today

About Shima: Shima graduated from the University of Arkansas with a BS in Microbiology in 1997 and worked at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences with the Infectious Disease Department on clinical trials for over 4 years. She then pursued a career change and graduated with her Doctorate degree from St. Louis College of Pharmacy in 2007. During her years enrolled in pharmacy school she worked part-time at St. Louis University, where she helped design a laboratory protocol for the BCG Vaccine Study, which received full funding in 2011.

Shima joined Sinks and Medley Pharmacy in September of 2014 as a pharmacist. She continually strives to focus on improving outcomes and raising the quality of life for patients with all types of medical ailments and conditions.

 

Fiber is part of plant-based foods that the body cannot digest or break down in fruits, vegetables, or grains. There are two types of fiber: soluble and insoluble. Soluble fiber dissolves in water and forms a gel, which can slow down the passage of food. It is found in dried beans, oats, barley, banana, potatoes, soft parts of apples and pears, Brussel sprouts, broccoli, and turnips.

Insoluble fiber does not dissolve in water. It holds on to water which adds bulk to the stool thus helping regulate bowel movements and prevent constipation. It is found in whole wheat flour, wheat bran, nuts, carrots, grapes, berries, cauliflower, green beans, and potatoes with skin.

The current daily dietary guidelines for Americans recommend for adults up to age 50 are as follows: men should aim for 30 – 38 grams of fiber and women 21 – 25 grams. For individuals older than 50, men should have 30 grams of fiber daily, and women should have 21 grams.

Fiber has many health benefits such as lowering cholesterol, lowering risk of cardiovascular disease such as stroke and heart disease, helping regulate blood sugar levels, helping you feel fuller longer, preventing intestinal cancer, fueling healthy gut bacteria, and relieving constipation.

The best way to add it into your diet is slowly and naturally through food. You want to give your gut a chance to get used to the increase of fiber. Plan about 2 – 3 weeks to reach your daily goals. Try spreading out your fiber throughout the day. Too much at once can cause cramping, nausea, gas, bloating, or constipation. When adding it to your diet make sure to drink at least 8 cups of water daily to prevent constipation.

Here are some examples of foods naturally high in fiber:

• 1 cup of raspberries has 8 grams
• 1 medium pear has 5.5 grams
• 1 medium apple has 4.5 grams
• 1 medium banana has 3 grams
• 1 cup of strawberries has 3 grams
• 1 cup of boiled broccoli has 5 grams
• 1 medium baked potato with skin has 4 grams
• 1 cup of cooked whole wheat spaghetti has 6 grams
• 1 cup of cooked instant oatmeal has 5 grams
• 1 cup of cooked quinoa has 5 grams
• 1 cup cooked brown rice has 3.5 grams
• 1 slice of whole wheat bread has 2 grams
• 1 cup of canned black beans has 10 grams
• 1 ounce of chia seeds has 10 grams
• 1 ounce of almonds has 3.5 grams

Sources: Harvard Health Publishing Harvard Medical School, Cleveland Clinic, Mayo Clinic, Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, and Healthline

 

About Shima: Shima graduated from the University of Arkansas with a BS in Microbiology in 1997 and worked at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences with the Infectious Disease Department on clinical trials for over 4 years. She then pursued a career change and graduated with her Doctorate degree from St. Louis College of Pharmacy in 2007. During her years enrolled in pharmacy school she worked part-time at St. Louis University, where she helped design a laboratory protocol for the BCG Vaccine Study, which received full funding in 2011.

Shima joined Sinks and Medley Pharmacy in September of 2014 as a pharmacist. She continually strives to focus on improving outcomes and raising the quality of life for patients with all types of medical ailments and conditions.

 

Taking care of your kidneys is important for many reasons. The kidneys process body waste by filtering excess water, toxins, and other impurities from the blood. The kidneys also activate vitamin D to maintain healthy bones, make hormones that regulate blood pressure, and control red blood cell production. They also regulate salt, potassium, phosphorus, and pH in the body.

Tips to keeping kidneys healthy include:

Staying hydrated helps your kidneys clear sodium and toxins from the blood. Aim for at least 1.5 to 2 liters of water daily. If you have a history of kidney stones, drink a little more water to help prevent stones from depositing in the kidneys.

Eat a balanced diet that is low in sodium and processed meats. Try eating fresh fruit, veggies, whole-grain, fish, and food low in sodium. Avoid excess protein.

Exercise regularly to help keep your blood pressure and cholesterol within normal range, and to help keep your kidneys and heart healthy. Try walking, running, cycling, or even dancing.

Control your blood sugars and intake of sugar. When your cells cannot use the sugar in your blood the kidneys have to work extra hard to filter it out.

Long-term use of over-the-counter (OTC) pain medications called nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) such as ibuprofen and naproxen may cause kidney damage. Make sure to talk with your doctor if you are using NSAIDS long term. If you have kidney issues talk to your doctor about kidney safe treatments to cope with pain.

Stop smoking. Smoking can damage the bodies blood vessels causing slower blood flow throughout the body and to the kidneys, which may reduce the kidneys’ function.

There are tests your doctor can run to see how healthy the kidneys are. One of the tests is called a kidney function test. Your doctor should be running this test routinely if you have high blood pressure, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, or have any kidneys issues. 

 

Sources: Healthline, National Kidney Foundation, and Cleveland Clinic 

 

About Shima: Shima graduated from the University of Arkansas with a BS in Microbiology in 1997 and worked at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences with the Infectious Disease Department on clinical trials for over 4 years. She then pursued a career change and graduated with her Doctorate degree from St. Louis College of Pharmacy in 2007. During her years enrolled in pharmacy school she worked part-time at St. Louis University, where she helped design a laboratory protocol for the BCG Vaccine Study, which received full funding in 2011.

Shima joined Sinks and Medley Pharmacy in September of 2014 as a pharmacist. She continually strives to focus on improving outcomes and raising the quality of life for patients with all types of medical ailments and conditions.

 

Osteoporosis is a slow progressive disease that weakens bones to the point they become weak and brittle and then break easily. It is known as a silent disease because you experience no symptoms until you break a bone, most often in bones in the hip, backbone, and wrist. Both women and men can have osteoporosis, but it is more common in women after menopause because of the decrease in estrogen.

Doctors can run bone density tests to find out how strong your bones are. Bone density is at its highest in people in their late 20s and then starts to weaken around the age of 35. As people age, bone loss happens more quickly, and bone growth is slower. In time this causes the bone to weaken, and osteoporosis may develop. It is recommended that ages 50 – 64 get a baseline, 65 and older get tested once, and then ask the doctor about repeating the test. There are exceptions for younger people who have risk factors for serious bone loss. 

There are things you can do to help prevent the disease and fractures.

• Eating foods high in calcium and vitamin D
• Women and men ages 18 to 50 need 1,000 mg of calcium a day and 1,200 mg daily for women above 50 years and men above 70 years. If you have a history of kidney stones talk to your doctor before adding calcium.
• Eating protein and food rich in vitamin K, zinc, and magnesium can help keep bones healthy 
• Staying physically active such as weight training, walking, hiking, jogging, climbing stairs, tennis, and dancing
• Quitting smoking
• Drink alcohol in moderation
• Women and men can consider the pros and cons of hormone therapy
• Taking medications to prevent fractures in people who are diagnosed with osteoporosis
• Prevent falls by creating a safe environment or using canes or walkers for additional stability

Sources: National Institute on Aging, Medical News Today, Healthline, and Mayo Clinic

 

About Shima: Shima graduated from the University of Arkansas with a BS in Microbiology in 1997 and worked at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences with the Infectious Disease Department on clinical trials for over 4 years. She then pursued a career change and graduated with her Doctorate degree from St. Louis College of Pharmacy in 2007. During her years enrolled in pharmacy school she worked part-time at St. Louis University, where she helped design a laboratory protocol for the BCG Vaccine Study, which received full funding in 2011.

Shima joined Sinks and Medley Pharmacy in September of 2014 as a pharmacist. She continually strives to focus on improving outcomes and raising the quality of life for patients with all types of medical ailments and conditions.

 

Most of us have heard of prebiotics and probiotics. Now nutritionists and the natural health community are talking about postbiotics. Postbiotics are essentially the byproduct of prebiotics and have recently been found to be beneficial to the body. Postbiotic components includes short chain fatty acids, cell components, proteins, metabolites, and peptides.

 

The research for postbiotics is fairly new and it’s believed some of the benefits are:

– Increase insulin sensitivity helping to fight pre-diabetes and type II diabetes

– Boost your metabolism

– Improve your immune system

– Reduce inflammation

– Help heal leaky gut by promoting motility or the movement of waste through the digestive tract.

 

Postbiotics supplements are new and available on the market, however, you can naturally increase the production with food. Foods that increase postbiotics in the gut are fermented foods such as yogurt, sauerkraut, miso, kimchi, soft cheeses, kefir, sourdough bread, buttermilk, kombucha, pickled veggies, and tempeh.

There may be more in the news this year about postbiotics boosting your health, and if probiotics upset your stomach or digestive system, then maybe postbiotics are worth a try.

Sources: Today’s Dietitian, U.S. News Health, and Today.com

 

About Shima: Shima graduated from the University of Arkansas with a BS in Microbiology in 1997 and worked at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences with the Infectious Disease Department on clinical trials for over 4 years. She then pursued a career change and graduated with her Doctorate degree from St. Louis College of Pharmacy in 2007. During her years enrolled in pharmacy school she worked part-time at St. Louis University, where she helped design a laboratory protocol for the BCG Vaccine Study, which received full funding in 2011.

Shima joined Sinks and Medley Pharmacy in September of 2014 as a pharmacist. She continually strives to focus on improving outcomes and raising the quality of life for patients with all types of medical ailments and conditions.