nutrition

June 13, 2012 Uncategorized

Warning: The Common Vitamin Supplement That May Actually Be Harmful to Your Health

Food just isn’t as nutritious as it used to be, mainly because over-farming practices have robbed the soil of its nutrition. Fruits and vegetables are less nutrient dense than they used to be, and we are consuming fewer of them on average due to the prevalence of highly processed, readily available foods that are prepackaged and take no prep time (hey, we’re all busy!).

So, you might be swallowing a multi-vitamin or even a combination of supplements to boost your nutritional intake and get all the nutrients you need. One of the most commonly recommended vitamins of late is Vitamin D due to its powerful ability to boost immune system function and help fight disease.

When the body identifies a foreign invader, the T-cell (immune system cells) send out a Vitamin D receptor that actually activates their function and allows them to fight off the pathogen. Researchers have long known that Vitamin D is imperative for calcium absorption, but they had no idea how critical it was for keeping the immune system healthy and functioning.

Vitamin D can be found in foods like fish liver oil, egg yolks and fatty fish such as salmon, herring and mackerel, but the best source of Vitamin D is that which your body absorbs from sunlight (without burning, of course!). Of course, in northern latitudes (hello, Seattle) we don’t get quite so much sun in the winter, which has been linked to higher incidence of multiple sclerosis and other auto-immune diseases.

Suddenly, it makes a lot more sense as to why Nordic cultures rely so heavily on deep water fatty fish as their primary food source….

Enter Vitamin D supplementation! But buyer beware, all Vitamin D is not created equal. There are two forms of Vitamin D – D2 (ergocalciferol) and D3 (cholecalciferol). Vitamin D2 is usually available in prescription form while D3 is available over the counter at relatively low cost (around $6-9 per bottle).

Vitamin D3 is what is produced naturally in our bodies when our skin is exposed to sunlight. D2 is made by irradiating plant matter and fungus. A compilation of 42 studies involving Vitamin D showed that Vitamin D2 is correlated with a 2% increase in mortality while Vitamin D3 is correlated with a 6% reduction in death.

The bottom line is that you should supplement with Vitamin D3, the same form that is naturally produced inside your body when skin is safely exposed to sunlight. You can also use cold water fish oil, such as cod liver oil, to supplement. If you are in northern climates, you almost certainly need Vitamin D supplementation in the winter, although your naturopath or physician can run a blood test to see if you are deficient.

March 21, 2012 Pain Relief

How to End Leaky Gut Syndrome Naturally and Recover Your Clarity, Focus and Vibrant Energy

What is Leaky Gut Syndrome?

Leaky Gut Syndrome is condition whereby your intestinal wall becomes damaged, allowing large molecules of partially digested food to enter the bloodstream. When these molecules come into contact with healthy tissue, they cause an immune response called dietary leukocytosis which puts an excessive strain on your immune system. Now your body is busy cleaning up after your last meal instead of performing its normal function of keeping your body healthy.

What Causes Leaky Gut Syndrome?

Leaky gut syndrome is caused by a diet high in refined sugars and starches (white sugar, white flour, etc.), chemical food additives, drugs (birth control pills, antibiotics, antacids, NSAIDs), microorganisms, nutritional deficiencies and diseases. Basically, anything that irritates your intestine, including a high stress lifestyle, can result in leaky gut syndrome. Overgrowth of yeast, called candidiasis, is another main cause of leaky gut syndrome and results from a diet high in sugar.

What Are the Symptoms of Leaky Gut Syndrome?

If you have leaky gut syndrome, your body’s immune system is now busied with haz-mat clean up, resulting in you feeling fatigued, achy and foggy-brained. If you find yourself experiencing flu-like symptoms, achy joints, brain fog and fatigue after meals, you likely have leaky gut syndrome.

What’s worse, since leaky gut syndrome causes systemic inflammation throughout the body, it puts your joints at risk for arthritic conditions and can worsen already existing arthritis.

How Can I Cure Leaky Gut Syndrome Naturally?

In order to cure leaky gut syndrome, you need to heal your intestinal lining by nourishing the cells that regulate the digestion of food, enterocytes. A natural amino acid called L-Glutamine is the best nutrient to help these cells regenerate and is an important nutrient for maintaining muscle mass. Studies have shown that L-Glutamine can help to heal stomach ulcers, and it also increases water absorption into the gut wall, helping the whole body to stay hydrated and flush toxic waste out of the system.

Food sources of glutamine include cabbage, beets, beef, chicken, fish, beans, and dairy products, but for treatment of leaky gut syndrome it’s best to take L-Glutamine in powder form for optimal bio-availability. It tastes mild and can be dissolved directly in water or masked with a little bit of juice. Most vitamin and supplement suppliers will carry L-Glutamine supplements.

There are no side effects of taking L-Glutamine, but taking too much can result in an upset stomach. And, of course, you should check with your doctor if you’re taking other supplements or medications, or if you have a health condition.

March 14, 2012 Pain Relief

The Secret to Eliminating Gas, Bloating and Indigestion, For Good

image courtesy of stock.xchng user pelsen1961

Do you notice a heavy, bloated feeling when you eat? Do you frequently suffer from gas, bloating and indigestion? Here’s a tip that will help you not only eliminate digestive issues but also get way more nutrition out of your food.

Whenever possible, youʼll want to consume your vegetables raw and uncooked. Heating food above 115 degrees Fahrenheit destroys the enzymes in the plant. Enzymes break down the food inside your body and make the nutrients available to your cells.

Your body does produce enzymes on its own; however lifelong habits of eating over processed “dead” foods (like corn chips, white bread, tortillas, crackers, cookies, hydrogenated fats and oils, etc) take an enormous toll on your bodyʼs ability to produce enzymes. The older you get, the fewer enzymes you have available to help you break down food.

Lactose intolerance is, in fact, an enzyme deficiency. Lactose is a sugar in milk that requires the enzyme lactase to break it down. Most people donʼt produce lactase and, thus, are lactose intolerant.

If you find that eating raw produce is difficult at first, I suggest you supplement your meals with a few capsules of plant based digestive enzymes. You can purchase these at any health food store – just ensure that they are plant based.

In fact, if you want to boost your detoxification results, take enzymes even if produce isnʼt a problem! They will help to digest any food residue hanging out in your digestive tract and fermenting. This happens when food is incompletely broken down, causing gas, bloating and indigestion. Digestive enzymes will give you back that light, free feeling in your belly!

December 21, 2011 Uncategorized

Stop Eating Gluten and For Crying Out Loud, Don’t Substitute with Gluten-Free Junk Food

http://www.sxc.hu/profile/elvinstar

Gluten-free is the new fat free. It seems like every time I turn around, I’m meeting another person with Celiac Disease, seeing another gluten-free bakery pop up or walking through grocery store aisles lined with gluten-free goodies. In fact, doctors estimate that 7 out of 10 people have a gluten sensitivity.

Gluten sensitivity is so common; it’s estimated that 99% of the people suffering from gluten sensitivity are unaware of it, and even those who don’t have full blown celiac disease have an increased risk of death by 35% if they consume gluten containing products.

So, what exactly is gluten? How do you know if you’re sensitive to it? And are all those gluten-free substitutes healthy?

Let’s start with the basics…

What is Gluten?

Gluten is a protein found in wheat and some other grains, like barely, rye, and spelt. Gluten is formed when two protein molecules called gliadin and glutelin combine, usually once water or liquid is added to the flour. Gluten gives dough its stretchy, gluey texture and is in part responsible for the rising of the dough. Gluten also helps give the finished baked good its shape.

What is Celiac Disease?

Celiac Disease is a condition where the body has an immune response to the gluten protein found in wheat, barley and rye. When gluten is consumed, the villi, tiny little finger-like projections along the interior of the intestine, atrophy and can no longer extract nutrition from food. The most extreme stage of Celiac Disease is called total villus atrophy (TVA).

Celiac is now thought to be only one type of gluten sensitivity. According to Dr. Tom O’Brien, gluten sensitivity and Celiac Disease specialist, gluten sensitivity can manifest in other organs or tissues. In fact, for every one person who manifests the symptoms of gluten sensitivity in the gut, there are eight people who manifest symptoms elsewhere.

Gluten has been implicated in neurological disorders such as headaches and ADHD. Children diagnosed with ADHD report improvement in symptoms after following a gluten-free diet for six months or longer.

How Do You Know if You’re Gluten Intolerant or Have Celiac Disease?

Standard tests for gluten sensitivity and Celiac Disease test for antibodies to the amino acid gliadin; however, this test is often wrong because many people with gluten sensitivity don’t react to this specific amino acid. So, if you’re reacting to a slightly different component of gluten, your Celiac Disease test will come back negative, but gluten can still be damaging your body.

Other tests that look for something called tissue transglutaminase require you to be in the most extreme stage of shutdown, total villus atrophy, to be accurate. If you have reached the height of Celiac Disease, these tests are right on the money, but if you’re only experiencing inflammation or partial villus atrophy, the tests are wrong seven out of ten times.

Symptoms of gluten sensitivity run the gamut from bloating, gas and abdominal discomfort to fatigue, weight loss, osteoporosis, skin disorders (acne, psoriasis, etc.), mood swings, depression, and more.

What Does Gluten Do to Your Body?

A review paper in The New England Journal of Medicine listed 55 conditions that can be caused by eating gluten, including osteoporosis, irritable bowel disease, inflammatory bowel disease, anemia, cancer, fatigue, canker sores, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, multiple sclerosis, and almost all other autoimmune diseases. Gluten is also linked to many mental and emotional disorders, like anxiety, depression, schizophrenia, dementia and migraines.

If You Have a Gluten Sensitivity or Celiac Disease, Do You Have to Give Up Wheat and Gluten Completely?

If you have been diagnosed with Celiac Disease, you must completely eliminate wheat and gluten from your diet. Even one milligram of gluten – about the size of an eighth of your thumbnail – is enough to keep your intestines from healing.

If you are merely sensitive to gluten, it’s yet unknown whether eating gluten from time to time will have adverse effects or not. Doctors are still doing research with their improved tests to monitor the progress of gluten-sensitive individuals. It’s very risky to eat gluten even when your symptoms are not present, however, because gluten-intolerant individuals face a much shortened life span than those without gluten sensitivity.

When you eat gluten, your body treats it like a foreign invader, attacking it instead of treating it like food. This creates systemic inflammation and is often associated with abdominal bloating. Over time, this constant internal war wears down your body. Even though you may not overtly feel symptoms from eating gluten, effects can still be happening at the sub-clinical (cellular) level.

Finally, Are Gluten-Free Products Good for Me?

Just because it’s gluten-free doesn’t mean it’s good for you. A brownie is still a brownie in all its sugary gloriousness, even if it is gluten-free. In fact, many gluten-free foods contain more fat, sugar and carbohydrates than their gluten-filled counterparts. Most store-bought gluten-free mixes are full of fillers, like sugar and starch. It’s no more okay to sit down and eat a box of gluten-free cookies than it is to eat regular cookies. That said, gluten-free products can provide nice treats for people on gluten-free diets, but eat them as you would any candy…sparingly.

October 30, 2011 Pain Relief

Interview with Mike Mahler: Addressing Systemic Inflammation for Pain Relief and Longevity

About Mike Mahler

Today I’m honored to bring you an interview with internationally recognized strength trainer, kettlebell instructor and nutrition expert, Mike Mahler. Mike has always been an inspiration to me. He is deeply knowledgeable about all facets of fitness and is a superb teacher, having the ability to synthesize complicated scientific concepts into logical and actionable strategies for health.

Mike Mahler has taught numerous strength and conditioning workshops and seminars around the world, most recently focusing on nutrition and lifestyle strategies for hormone optimization and combating systemic inflammation. Mike has published hundreds of articles on training and nutrition and is the creator of several DVDs including Advanced Kettlebell Training and Hormone Optimization.

I’ve asked Mike to share his knowledge of systemic inflammation, its effects on physical aches and pains and its correlation with aging.

Without further ado…

What is systemic inflammation, what causes it and why should we be concerned about it?

Inflammation is the result of an immune response to irritation, infection, or injury. When we are under stress, eat the wrong foods, workout too much, fail to get enough deep sleep and restoration, we develop a high level of inflammation that the immune system has a hard time keeping at bay. As a result, we develop GI tract issues such as IBS (irritable bowel syndrome), joint pain, muscle pain, and ultimately serious diseases as the immune system becomes very week after years and years of fighting inflammation and no longer functions adequately. The immune system can even become confused and attack healthy tissue and this is what autoimmune diseases are such as arthritis are.

Many people have high inflammation due to too much Omega 6 consumption and not enough Omega 3. Omega 6 is pro-inflammatory and ramps up levels of AA (arachidonic acid). Omega 3 is anti-inflammatory and ramps of levels of ALA (alpha linolenic acid). According to essential fatty acid expert, Udo Erasmus you want a 2:1 ratio of Omega 3 to 6. This is especially important for people that are already experiencing the negatives of too much inflammation.

Lowering excess inflammation makes you more disease proof to cancer, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, asthma, arthritis and IBS. I am not going to say that you will never get these diseases if you address inflammation but it definitely stacks the odds in your favor.

How can you tell if you have systemic inflammation that is out of control?

Some signs of high levels of inflammation include joint pain, muscle pain, GI tract issues, and low energy. You can also do a blood test for HS (highly sensitive) c-reactive protein. C-reactive protein is a measurement of inflammation.

I know you’re a huge proponent of hormone optimization. Is there a connection between hormone levels and systemic inflammation?

When inflammation goes up, the body has an immune response to lower it by increasing cortisol levels, as cortisol is an anti-inflammatory hormone. The hormonal pathway goes from the master sex hormone Pregnenelone to cortisol instead of the ultimate stress management hormone DHEA and you are left with much lower levels of DHEA, androstendione, testosterone, and progesterone. Thus lowering inflammation is critical for hormone optimization. DHEA in particular is a potent anti-inflammation hormone and one that is depleted when we are under long-term stress.

What role does systemic inflammation play in physical aches and pains (back pain, neck pain, stiff, tight muscles, etc) commonly referred to as “aging?”

It plays a big role and generally constant pain in one area is a sign of high levels of systemic inflammation. Lowering high levels of inflammation overall well help with pain that seems isolated such as elbow pain and knee pain. A high level of inflammation is a sign that we are out of balance and need to address it. Stress management or even better stress eradication is a must in addressing high levels of inflammation.

What other physical ailments and diseases are correlated to systemic inflammation?

I think every ailment and disease can be correlated to high levels of inflammation. When we have inflammation that is out of control we are much more disease prone. Heart disease, asthma, arthritis, you name it. Inflammation is definitely a factor.

What foods combat inflammation? Which foods make it worse?

High sugar and processed food consumption are the primary causes of inflammation. I firmly believe that sugar plays the biggest role in all diseases and is highly addictive. Sugar addiction is not much different than hardcore drug addiction as far too many people realize. Tell the average person to cut out sugar for a week and they will have some serious withdrawal symptoms before the week is up. Too much caffeine consumption also causes a lot of inflammation.

Sugar causes inflammation by prompting the hormone insulin to be elevated all the time. Insulin is not something we want high all day long. It constricts the arteries and raises blood pressure. It causes a great deal of inflammation. What we want is insulin sensitivity, which means we only have to produce a small amount to get the job done. Insulin is a critical hormone for life and without it our cells will die and us with it. The key is to keep insulin sensitivity high by eating a good amount of high quality protein, healthy fats, and low glycemic carbs such as legumes, berries and many vegetables at each meal.

Taking longer stretches in between each meal such as 6-8 hours will also play a big role in keeping insulin sensitive and inflammation down. According to Byron Richards, author of The Leptin Diet, Insulin starts going down three hours after we eat. When that occurs, the hormone glucagon is released from the pancreas to pull energy from the liver and then stored body fat to keep our glucose levels stable for optimal functioning. Thus, we are essentially getting a snack on stored body fat in between each meal.

Regarding specific foods that lower inflammation that will vary with each person. This is why food sensitivity testing is important. It tells you exactly which foods are ideal for you. Why every diet ultimately fails without exception is that it cannot take you as an individual into account. Food sensitivities are food allergies in slow motion. I learned about this from my friend Dr Peter Rouse of the AF performance center in Santa Monica.

When we hear about inflammation, we typically think about taking anti-inflammatory drugs like aspirin or ibuprofen. Are there any natural anti-inflammatory supplements you’d recommend in place of these?

Yes and I have two favorites for lowering inflammation: magnesium oil and systemic enzymes.

Magnesium is critical for overall health and lowering inflammation and magnesium oil is the best source of magnesium as it by passes the GI tract and has much higher absorption. It has also been shown to ramp up the stress management hormone DHEA that I can personally attest to as it took me from low normal to high normal. Here are some key benefits of magnesium from a book called The Magnesium Miracle

Helps lower cortisol levels. Magnesium Oil helps drive up DHEA, which is a potent anti-inflammatory hormone.
Lowers levels of C-reactive protein. Magnesium deficiency equals higher CRP
Inflammatory responses are much higher when magnesium deficiency is present
People with magnesium deficiency have a hard time metabolizing inflammation fighting EFA’s.
Magnesium helps convert the essential fatty acid GLA to anti-inflammatory DGLA.
Magnesium deficiency causes lower activation of systemic enzymes. These enzymes are needed to eat up scar tissue, fibroids.
Magnesium is the ultimate stress management nutrient and supports the adrenal glands that get worn out from stress
Research shows a direct relationship between the amount of magnesium in the diet and the ability to avoid high blood pressure.
Magnesium prevents calcium buildup in cholesterol plaque in arteries, which leads to clogged arteries.
Magnesium is a vasodilator, opening up blood vessels
Magnesium is a natural muscle relaxant
Magnesium is an important part of treatment for chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia.
Magnesium helps detoxify toxic chemicals
Magnesium deficiency increases insomnia
Magnesium deficiency causes muscle weakness and fatigue

Click here for more information on magnesium oil

Next I love systemic enzymes and have been using them for many years after I learned about them from my friend Dr William Wong N.D. I have tried several good brands but my current favorite is Excylzym. Here is what systemic enzymes do:

Work to lower inflammation by eating up cytokines.
Enzymes eat scar tissue and fibrosis
Act as blood cleansers
Reduce the need for a large cortisol response to inflammation and thus lower cortisol as well.
Modulate the immune system. Helps prevent an over active immune response which can cause auto immune disorders (antibodies acting its own tissues)
Fights viruses

For more info on Excylzym, visit Mike Mahler’s website

Other supplements I like include resveratrol, curcumin, zinc, tocotrienols, and phosphatidylserine. However, Magnesium oil and systemic enzymes are by far the most powerful supplements to fight excess inflammation.

For More Information…

Find out more about Mike Mahler’s workshops, books and DVDs at www.MikeMahler.com