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I have been doing a lot of research lately on the effects of chronic sleep deprivation. Most of this is for a new book I am writing on what underlying metabolic factors create a condition that makes it nearly impossible for many people to lose weight. However, during that research I was astounded by all the studies that have been done documenting the incredibly adverse effects that not sleeping can have on a person over time.

Basically, what happens when your body is chronically deprived of sleep, levels of the stress hormone cortisol tend to rise, especially at the end of the day. This in turn raises insulin levels. Insulin promotes fat storage. Therefore, chronic sleep deprivation can quickly pack on the pounds.

However, research has shown that people suffering from chronic sleep debt can also expect to experience adverse health effects in virtually every area of their lives, including:

In contrast, studies show that sleeping 7-8 hours each night reduces mortality from all causes.

The bottom line is this – if you can sleep, you should get as much sleep before midnight as possible and shoot for a total of 8 hours of sleep every night. If you have difficulty sleeping or suffer from chronic insomnia, figure out why and address those underlying reasons ASAP. If you need help figuring out what to do, follow the links below for more information or give us a call – we’ll have you sawing logs before you know it.

Learn more about fatigue

Get a Good Night’s Sleep Naturally

Drinking enough water is something that everybody hears about, everybody talks about and we all know we should do, but most of us for whatever reason, do NOT do. In this post we will outline why it is so important to be properly hydrated as well as show you ways you can easily get more water into your daily routine.

Water, Water Everywhere?

We’ve always heard that we need to drink ‘enough’ water; and some have told us that  ‘enough’ is eight 8 oz. glasses of water daily. We are told that if we drink eight 8oz. glasses of water daily and/or if our urine is clear,  we are properly hydrated. While this may be true, it is not necessarily true. What we are not told is that many of our lifestyle and dietary habits induce dehydration.

Consuming caffeine, alcohol, soda, processed foods or smoking will all cause water loss from the body. Once more, exercise, low humidity (winter), sweating, etc., all cause increased water needs. Even minor dehydration can have dire health consequences.

You cannot always see dehydration, but it is crucial you do not ignore it. The reason is that almost every single chemical reaction in the body depends upon water, and in order for the body to perform at its very best, we MUST be properly hydrated.

Functions of water in human body

• Improves oxygen delivery to the cells
• Transports nutrients (very important for healing)
• Enables cellular hydration
• Promotes health mucosal membranes (i.e., GI tract, respiratory tract, urinary tract)
• Cushions and lubricates bones and joints (i.e., arthritis, joint pain)
• Absorbs shocks to joints and organs
• Regulates body temperature (i.e., hot flashes, cold hands/feet, intolerance to hot/cold)
• Removes wastes and flushes toxins (i.e., detoxification)
• Improves cell-to-cell communications (i.e., mental function, coordination)
• Maintains normal electrical properties of cells (i.e., mental function, fatigue, muscle soreness)
• Allows immune system to function properly

If we are not hydrated properly, the body will begin to send us signals, such as:

That is not to say that every one of the conditions listed above is due solely to dehydration (although this is entire possible in many cases); however, every one of the conditions above will be exacerbated by dehydration. And it is VERY likely you are dehydrated.

A Dehydration Epidemic

We have a dehydration epidemic in this country. Your body is approximately 67% water by weight. If your body’s water content drops by as little as 2%, you will feel fatigued. If it drops by 10% you will experience significant health problems, such as those above. Losses of water over time are a real threat to our health, yet Americans don’t drink enough water.

In a survey of 3003 persons in 15 major US cities, participants reported drinking an overall average of only 4.6 – 8 oz. servings of water per day. Once more, 44% said they drank three or less servings of water per day and nearly 10% said they didn’t drink water at all.

In addition, many of the things we do drink actually decrease hydration, including coffee, soda, caffeinated beverages, and alcohol, which are all diuretics – which means they are dehydrating. Soda/pop is particularly damaging becuase it is also very acidic in addition to being dehydrating. Net is that the average American consumes approximately three 8 oz. servings of hydrating beverages daily, which means most of us are in a constant state of dehydration!

So How Much Water Do I Need to Drink?

We lose approximately 2-3 quarts of water every day through normal perspiration, urination, breathing and metabolism. This can change/increase dramatically with increased exertion/exercise, changes in temperature, humidity, stress, body size and altitude. However, a good rule is to drink ½ your body weight in ounces every day. For example, if you weigh 150 lbs., you should drink about 75 oz. of water per day.

However, the key to proper hydration is how much water you drink at once and how often. The cells can only absorb a limited amount of water at any given time; any excess is simply eliminated through the urine (making the urine clear). Therefore, you should drink your water in divided doses – about 2-4 oz. every 20-30 minutes ideal. In addition, you should try and drink the purest water available – distilled would be best, reverse osmosis, filtered bottled water, and spring water would be next best. Keep in mind that it can take weeks to months to become properly hydrated due to the fact that the cells can only absorb a limited amount of water at one time, so get your water in throughout the day on a regular basis.

Here are some tips to increase your water intake:

• Have multiple water containers stashed where ever you are during the day so it is always around.
• Use a timer/alarm to remind you to drink water regularly and often.
• Use Emer-Gen-C or other powdered mix (such as Endura) to give the water some flavor.
• Use lemon/lime to flavor the water.
• Use Stevia drops to flavor the water; we have several flavors available at the clinic.
• Mentally connect drinking water to some other activity you are doing regularly throughout the day (i.e., deep breathing, sending email, talking on the phone, people calling your name, etc.).

Other things you can do to improve your hydration is eliminate dehydrating drinks, foods and habits, including coffee, black tea, soda (especially soda!), alcohol, processed foods and smoking.

If you’d like to know or track your hydration status, the Natural Path Health Center has a simple, inexpensive test called bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) that will provide not only your hydration status, but also your body composition and basal metabolism (to the calorie). Contact us for more information.

Proper hydration will help with almost any health condition, especially those listed before. In fact, becoming properly hydrated is the least expensive and most impactful thing you can do for your health.

Stay healthy – stay hydrated!

References

1. Dr. Fereydoon Batmanghelidj, MD – wwww.watercure.com
2. Report from Nutrition Information Center at the New York Hospital-Cornell Medical Center, May 11, 1998.
3. Cornell University Medical Center, Nutrition Information Center. Survey conducted by Yankelovich Partners. Underwritten by the International Bottled Water Association (IBWA).  Reported in Alternative Medicine Magazine. June 3, 2000

Once your neurotransmitter levels are rebalanced, your symptoms will disappear. This is like a ‘light-switch’; you either have enough or you don’t. When you do, you will wake up one day and your symptoms will be gone. It often seems miraculous, but it is actually just a sign of balanced brain chemistry. You will be back in control and able to function optimally.

Once this happens, you will stay on that dose of amino acids for 6-9 months while your body replenishes its stores of neurotransmitters. After that time, we will work with you to steadily decrease the amino acids to the minimum dose necessary to keep your symptoms under control. Many people can eliminate the need for the amino acids altogether with the proper dietary and lifestyle adjustments.

There are four reasons why someone would need to take amino acid products ongoing in order to control their symptoms:

1. Head trauma – this can cause permanent nerve damage and the need for continual amino acid therapy
2. Neurotoxicity – this is caused by environmental and/or other toxic exposure that permanently damages neurons
3. Genetics – a person can have impaired ability to create or maintain proper neurotransmitter imbalance from birth
4. Continuation of dietary or lifestyle habits that cause neurotransmitter imbalances

The first three are permanent states and people with these impairments will need some amount of amino acid therapy to remain symptom free. However, the amount needed long-term is often much less than the amount needed to establish proper neurotransmitter balance. The fourth cause is completely correctable and we will work with you to establish the dietary and lifestyle habits to help you maintain neurotransmitter balance.

Note: you cannot substantially increase your neurotransmitter levels through diet or lifestyle alone, but you can maintain your neurotransmitter levels using diet and lifestyle. This is because in order to achieve proper neurotransmitter balance, you need specific doses of specific nutrients at specific times to maximize absorption and conversion of the raw materials into neurotransmitters. Even though the raw materials used are normal components of food, they are administered in much higher amounts and in different combination than those found in food.

Also note: many medications can cause depletion of neurotransmitters, including all anti-depression, anti-anxiety, migraine and sleep medications. If you have taken or are currently taking medications that deplete neurotransmitter levels (including all selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) and selective norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI) medications), you may want to consider taking the following to restore proper nutritional status:

CoQ10 (100 mg) – 1 gelcap daily with food

Glycogenics – 1 tablet twice daily with food

In addition, taking a low level of amino acid therapy along with these medications will help stop further depletion of neurotransmitters and will help improve the effectiveness of anti-depression, anti-anxiety, migraine and sleep medications (including all SSRI and SNRI) medications.

For more information, please visit our websites (www.naturalpathhealthcenter.com, www.optimalbodybalance.com or www.stoppullinghairout.com ) or www.neuroassist.com.

Well, maybe not literally, but having a faulty digestive system can certainly cause more problems than a little gas. New research is showing that having a healthy digestive tract may support proper brain function. Scientific links have been made between several GI diseases and IQ deficits, depression, chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, and even autism.

The Gut-Brain Connection
The digestive system and the nervous system don’t seem like they would be so interrelated, but it turns out that good digestive health is dependent on normal communication with the nervous system. The   nervous system communicates with the digestive system through neurotransmitters and hormones, especially serotonin. In fact, up to 95% of the body’s serotonin is found in the gut. Serotonin communication is responsible for moderating proper movement of food through the digestive tract and perception of pain among other things. When something goes wrong with the serotonin signaling it follows that there will be consequences for cognitive health as well as digestive health. Research shows that problems with signaling are part of the reason people develop irritable bowel syndrome and other gastrointestinal disorders.

Serotonin is not the only player in the link between the brain and the gut. Good probiotic bacteria in the gut is necessary for digestive health and it also affects the nervous system. Not enough probiotic bacteria in the gut allows for bad bacteria to take hold. The bad bacteria produce toxins which can cause chronic inflammation of the digestive tract, which causes the release of toxins into the rest of the body. This process is often referred to as ‘leaky gut syndrome’. This release of toxins may be responsible for the development of the different neuropsychological illnesses listed above (i.e., IQ deficits, depression, chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia and autism).

Get Good Bugs
In order to keep both systems healthy, the best plan of attack would be to include a good probiotic in your daily routine. Probiotic bacteria levels in the gut decrease with age and can also be affected by illness, stress, antibiotics, drug use (such as NSAIDs and aspirin) and changes in the diet. Using a good probiotic will maintain proper function and health of the digestive system and protect you from toxins that could have consequences for your mental well being. We recommend Ortho Biotic – 1 capsule 1-2x/day on an empty stomach.

Aminos to the rescue
If you’ve had a long standing gut issue, even a minor one, it can severely impact your neurotransmitter balance (like serotonin and dopamine). This can affect your mood, food cravings, cognition, pain tolerance, appetite and even lead to migraine headaches. In order to get to optimal function, you must first restore proper neurotransmitter balance, and the only way to do that is to give your body the nutrients it needs to make the necessary neurotransmitters. If this is an area that you feel you could use some help with, give us a call and set up a quick initial consultation. We’ll figure out what you need to do and get you what you need to get things back in balance.

People hear a lot about the dangers of ‘processed foods’ and are often told not to eat them. We’ve been examining many of our client’s diets and are finding that several are still eating these ‘processed foods’! Upon questioning, we found that most of the clients simply didn’t think of the foods they were eating as ‘processed foods’. Therefore, in this post we will explain what we mean by the term ‘processed foods’ and why they are detrimental to your long-term health.

What Are Processed Foods?

‘Processed foods’ include any food products that have more processing than shipping, handling, washing, drying, simple mixing or dehydrating. Through processing, these foods lose many vital nutrients, especially minerals. Some companies try and ‘fortify’ or ‘enrich’ their processed foods with added vitamins and minerals, often times trying to replace some of what has been lost. However, most times two to three times more nutrients are lost than are replaced, and often times, they are replaced with synthetic variants of the nutrients that are far inferior to the original product.

It would be like taking your home from you and replacing it with a large cardboard box – you may be able to live in it, but not nearly as well or as comfortably as before. So it is with processed, fortified/enriched foods – your body may be able to use some of the nutrients, but the original product would be far superior. Therefore, we encourage all our clients to eat whole foods in as close to the natural state as possible. This means eating foods that are grown, shipped to you and eaten in a relatively short period of time and with little else done to them.
So what foods are considered processed foods?

A quick look at the label will tell you if the food you are looking at is processed. If it is fortified or enriched, contains flour or sugar, or has any additives, preservatives, colorings or any ingredient with a number in it (!) it is processed. Here is a partial listing:

A special note on bread:
ALL breads are processed foods. Those containing whole grains are slightly less processed than plain white or wheat bread. Only breads claiming ’100% whole wheat/grain’ and are sprouted are the least processed.

It is not at all unusual to feel some resistance at this point, particularly if you regularly eat many of these processed foods. And we are not talking about totally eliminating these foods (at least not at first); think about processed foods like a condiment, something you have as a side dish in very small amounts to augment or complement your meal. In fact, by focusing more on eating whole, unprocessed foods, you will naturally and easily crowd out and eliminate these processed foods.
So what do you eat?

Raw and cooked fruits and vegetables, whole grains, beans, nuts, seeds, and organically raised fish, fowl, wild game and lots of water and herbal tea. You can obviously eat whatever you desire, but the fewer processed foods in your diet, the healthier you will be and the more you will be able to enjoy a vibrant and disease-free life. In addition, making sure you properly digest your food will insure you get the most out of it; chew your food until it is a liquid. For additional support, take Ortho Digestyme – 1-2 capsules with each meal.

See our recipes for some great ideas on enjoying the natural path to optimal health.

Our last post talked about how and why we need to get enough sleep to help us recharge our batteries.  Part two in our two part series will provide more useful information about why sleep may not be enough and how you can super-charge your life by supporting your adrenal glands.

The Adrenal Glands

The adrenal glands are small, walnut sized glands that sit atop your kidneys. They play a role in numerous body functions, including blood sugar regulation, immune function and your physical, psychological and emotional reaction to stress. It is the latter function that usually gets the most press. The adrenals are involved in the manufacture and distribution of a number of chemical messengers, including cortisol, adrenaline/epinephrine and DHEA, which help us adapt and react to stress. As such, they play a direct role in our ‘fight-or-flight’ response, where our body is prepared to react to stress by taking a stand or running away. This serves a valuable purpose if our stressors are few and far between and we can take adequate action and then relax. However, in our busy, constantly-on-the-go lives, stress often takes it toll.

When Fight-or-Flight Fizzles

After prolonged stress, our adrenals become taxed and may no longer be able to respond adequately to stresses. We may experience this as a profound drop in energy level, motivation and/or sleep disturbances. Some people may sleep a lot, others may not be able to sleep, but what is universal is that no matter if you sleep too much or too little, you still don’t feel rested in the morning. This can lead to constant fatigue, anxiety and burn-out. In cases such as these, the adrenals are in need of some serious support.

Providing Adrenal Support

The first thing you have to do is incorporate more relaxation and down-time into your daily life. This doesn’t have to be large chunks of time (in most cases); it can be 5-minutes here or there where you take a break and allow your body and mind to recharge. Periodically take deep breaths (post-it notes with the word “BREATHE” on them work great as reminders), do a couples stretches and shake out any tension several times throughout your day. See our Stress Management and Deep Breathing Exercises for some more ideas.

Several supplements can also be used to help the adrenals perform their job more adequately:

• Adreset – for those that are stressed and tired, with symptoms ranging from fatigue, depression, impaired memory, central (mid-rift) body fat/obesity and reduced sex drive.
• Serenagen – for those  that are stressed and wired, with symptoms of anxiety, irritability, nervousness, ‘feeling out of control’, hot flashes and food cravings
• Licorice Plus – for those that are stressed and hot, that feel sore, achy, and tired; other symptoms may include joint pain and tenderness; inflammation, or chronic NSAIDs or prednisone use.

These products can be used separately or in combination; see our complete line of Adrenal Support Products for more details on these and other products.

The adrenals have an important job to do and in our hectic, stress-filled lives, they need all the support they can get! Give yourself breaks throughout the day, get enough rest (see our last post if you need help in the ZZZs department) and use supplemental support as needed to recharge your batteries along your natural path to optimal health.

In much of the world, it’s wintertime.  A time when we feel dragged down and slow.  In this two part series we will explore great ways to recharge your batteries!

Fatigue is one of the most common health complaints we hear about in the clinic. It seems that almost everybody is tired and that we are all looking for some way to increase our energy and feel better. In Part One of this two part series, we will explain why getting enough rest is important and how you can get the sleep you need to recharge your batteries and have the energy you need to achieve your goals.

“I know I should sleep more, but…”

We hear this time and time again. We are tired, irritable, complain of brain-fog, poor concentration and inability to focus, and yet, we don’t allow ourselves to sleep. Sleep is absolutely vital to the healing process. If you don’t get enough sleep, you will NEVER achieve optimal health. Because of this fact, getting adequate sleep is the number one thing you need to do if you are tired or feel worn out.

We’ve all been told that sleep is important. We’ve all been told that we need at least 8 hours of sleep each night to function optimally. We all know that we feel better, think better and perform better when we are well rested, and that our health and performance suffer from long-term sleep deprivation. So why don’t we get the sleep we need? Why don’t we take the time to sleep? Part of the reason is that we may not know why rest is so important. Another part is that we say we don’t have time to sleep. Well, once we know why sleep is important, we can come up with the downtime.

The Consequences of Skimping on ZZZs

Millions of Americans consciously choose to skimp on their sleep in the mistaken belief that sleeping fewer hours allows them to be more productive. Many people even look on the fact that they can “get by” on so few hours of sleep as a badge of honor. In fact, however, they are likely doing themselves a great deal of harm in the long run. Research has shown that people who get seven to eight hours of sleep each night live longer, happier, healthier lives than those who skimp on sleep.

“So I miss a few hours of sleep each night – I feel okay” you say. Well, the following data says that you are fooling yourself, as sleep deprivation has been linked to:

Not to mention it makes the pursuit of happiness near impossible and makes you a lot less fun to be around. So why wouldn’t you sleep more???? “I don’t have time”, you say…”I can’t sleep”, you say. I say,”Get to bed earlier, or die earlier.” Can I state it more clearly than that?

How Much is Enough?

There are no hard and fast rules about how much sleep is enough, because every individual’s requirements are different. Most adults need about eight hours of sleep nightly in order to feel refreshed and operate at peak efficiency during the day. Children, especially very young children and adolescents, generally require more sleep than adults to be at their best. It is not uncommon for people to sleep less as they get older, especially after the age of sixty.

Regardless of how many hours of sleep you get each night, if you wake up easily in the morning, especially if you rarely (if ever) need the services of your alarm clock, and if you can make it through the entire day without seeming to run out of steam or feeling drowsy after sitting quietly or reading for a while without needing caffeine or some other stimulant, you are probably getting enough sleep. However, if all these criteria do not apply, you need more sleep.

But What If I Have Trouble Sleeping?

There are numerous strategies for helping re-establish regular sleeping cycles. Here are a couple things to avoid:

• Avoid alcohol. A small amount can help induce sleep initially, but it invariably disrupts deeper sleep cycles later.
• Avoid tobacco. While smoking may seem to have a calming effect, nicotine is actually a neurostimulant and can cause sleep problems.
• Avoid caffeine-containing beverages after lunch.
• Avoid bacon, cheese, chocolate, eggplant, ham, potatoes, sauerkraut, sugar, sausage, spinach, tomatoes, and wine close to bedtime. These foods contain tyramine, which increases the release of norepinephrine, a brain stimulant.
• Don’t go to bed angry. Cool off before you hit the sack.

Next, you want to establish a set of ‘sleep-habits’ and follow them consistently to establish a healthy sleep cycle:

• In the evening, eat turkey, bananas, figs, dates, yogurt, and whole grain crackers or nut butters. These foods are high in tryptophan, which promotes sleep. Eating half a grapefruit at bedtime also helps some people.
• Use the bedroom only for sleep and sex – not for reading, working, eating, or watching television.
• Exercise regularly in the morning, late afternoon or early evening – but not right before bedtime. Physical exertion is an excellent way to wake up or make your body tired so that sleep comes about more easily.
• Take a hot bath (not a shower) an hour or two before bedtime.
• Keep the bedroom comfortable and quiet. If too much quiet is the problem, try running a fan or playing a radio softly in the background. There are also devices available that generate “white noise” sounds like the ocean surf or a steady rain or waterfall that help people who are “quiet-sensitive” to sleep.

For more ways on how to sleep soundly, see Paying Off Your Sleep Debt

For occasional sleeplessness, try the following:

• Somnolin – features a complementary blend of nutrients, including 5-HTP, theanine and targeted B vitamins, to promote a restful, relaxed state and relieve occasional sleeplessness.
• Valerian, passionflower, and/or chamomile teas have mild sedative properties. These herbs are safe even for children if taken in tea form. For adults, drinking chamomile teas several times throughout the day helps to calm and tone the nervous system, promoting restful sleep.

Sleeping Your Way Back to Health

Rest, sleep and relaxation are vital components of optimal health and well being. As holistic human beings, we must realize that not only does our diet, physical health and mental attitude affect our ability to deal  with the stresses of the day and our sleep patterns, but our sleep patterns and ability to deal with stressors affects or physical, emotional and spiritual health. If leading a truly happy, fulfilling and rewarding life is your goal, sleeping and getting adequate rest are vital steps toward achieving your goal. Use the information above to help you achieve better sleep and reap the benefits of listening to your body and enjoying your life.

This time of year brings sniffles, colds, coughs and more into the home.  Nothing is more important to a parent than keeping their children healthy. Luckily, there are two very simple things that have proven extremely effective at improving kids’ immunity and substantially reducing illness. Those two things are vitamin D and probiotics.

Vitamin D – Super Protection

Vitamin D is getting a lot of press these days, as low levels have been linked to numerous disorders including rickets, depression, pain, cancer and immune suppression. Even more telling is that research is showing that the Recommended Daily Intake (RDI) is nowhere near high enough to protect against a majority of these illnesses. For example, an analysis of the medical literature found that at least 1000-2000 IU of vitamin D3 per day is necessary to reduce the risk of colorectal cancer.¹

One of the challenges with taking the necessary amount of vitamin D is the outdated acceptable upper limit for vitamin D3 consumption, which was set at 2000 IU. However, researchers point out that more recent studies have shown that 10,000 IU is the safe upper limit.² Sunshine is a great source of vitamin D – research shows that you need at least 30 minutes of sunshine on your bear arms, legs and face without sun block at least 3 times per week to get adequate vitamin D3. For most of us, this simply isn’t possible from autumn to spring, so high quality vitamin D3 supplements can fill in the gaps.

Vitamin D levels can and should be monitored to insure optimal levels and to adjust supplementation. This is a simple blood test that can be done at any hospital or clinic. The test you should request is called 25 (OH) Vitamin D and ideal levels are between 40-60 ng/ml.

Probiotics to Supercharge the Immune System

Most people don’t think of probiotics or the health of their gastrointestinal system (i.e., GI tract or gut) as an integral part of their immune system. However, it is probably the MOST important component. Research has shown that as much as 70% of your immune function originates in your gut, and a major component of that system is the organisms that live in your GI tract. These organisms (mainly bacteria and yeasts) not only help you digest and absorb nutrients, they protect you from most of the bacteria and viruses you may be exposed to.

In fact, research has shown that daily probiotic supplementation is a safe, effective way for children to reduce fever, runny nose, cough duration and incidence and antibiotic prescription use, as well as the number of missed school days due to illness.³ The numbers are even more amazing.

Relative to placebo, kids taking a combination probiotic reduced their incidence of fever 73%, coughing by 62%, and runny nose by 59%. Antibiotic use was reduced 84% relative to placebo, and kids taking probiotics missed almost a third fewer days of school than those that did not.

What this all means is that you can help your kids be much healthier, especially during the cold and flu season, by giving them the right amount of vitamin D and a high quality, multi-strain probiotic. Here’s what we use:

Bio-D-Mulsion Forte – 1 drop (2000 IU) every other day for children 3-5 years of age; 1 drop daily for children 5-12 years of age; 1 drop twice daily for kids older than 12 years old as well as for adults.

FloraBoost – 1 scoop daily (mixed with juice or water on an empty stomach) for kids between 15-60 lbs.; 1 scoop twice daily for kids 60-100 lbs.; adults should use Ortho Biotic – 1 capsule 1-2 times daily on an empty stomach.

Please feel free to contact Dr. Chad if you have questions regarding this post.  Be healthy – be happy!

References

1. Gorham ED, Garland CF, Garland FC, Grant WB, Mohr SB, Lipkin M, Newmark HL, Giovannucci E, Wei M, Holick MF. Optimal vitamin D status for colorectal cancer prevention: a quantitative meta analysis. Am J Prev Med. 2007 Mar;32(3):210-6.
2. Hathcock JN, Shao A, Vieth R, Heaney R. Risk assessment for vitamin D. Am J Clin Nutr. 2007 Jan;85(1):6-18.
3. Pediatrics. August 2009;124(2):e172-9.

We see a lot of very complex and often times extreme cases at the Natural Path Health Center; many of our in-house clients need a complete overhaul of their health and lifestyle to achieve their health goals. However, a good number of our clients simply need to make some targeted changes in their lifestyle or dietary habits in order for them to achieve the health and vitality they desire. No matter your current state of health, there are a few things we all need to do everyday to establish a firm foundation for optimal health. Let’s review the most important things everyone can do to dramatically improve their health.

Keep the Body (Chemistry) in Balance
We talk a lot about body chemistry. What we are really talking about is balancing the acid forming foods and lifestyle habits we have with alkaline forming foods and habits.  The three most acid forming foods are coffee, soda/pop and sugar; the most acid forming lifestyle habits are smoking and drinking alcohol regularly. Almost no amount of alkaline forming foods can make up for these habits (especially since the average American consumes 175 lbs. of sugar every year!), so you should limit or eliminate these as much as possible.

Even when you minimize or eliminate these extremely acid forming foods and behaviors, you still need to incorporate plenty of alkaline forming foods, drinks and practices to counteract the hustle-and-bustle of everyday life. Eating plenty of vegetables and fruits and consuming fresh vegetable juices regularly is a great start. Go for as many colors as possible and change what you eat on a daily or at least weekly basis. Variety is the spice of life! Deep breathing is also very important, as is regular (aerobic) exercise.

Deep Breathing
Deep breathing is one of the most important lifestyle habits everyone can benefit from. There are several Deep Breathing and Stress Management Exercises you can do. You can also do something as simple as taking 10 deep breaths first thing in the morning and last thing at night before bed. I really like to use Post-It® notes or other reminders to help me remember to breathe deeply. For example, if you’re at your computer a lot, put a Post-It® note on your screen that says “Breathe” or use the word “Breathe” as your screensaver; if you’re on the phone a lot, every time you take a call, take a deep breath; every time you hang up the phone take a deep breath; every time you get into your car (as long as you don’t work in a polluted area) take a deep breath – get the picture. Find something that is repetitive in your day and use it to remind you to breathe deeply.

Get Moving
Another way to dramatically improve your health is through regular aerobic exercise – we all know this, but only 10-15% of Americans exercise regularly. We can change that, but motivation is the key. Don’t do something you don’t like – you’re pretty much guaranteed to quit at some point. The flip side of this is that you have to keep looking for things you do like (and hopefully find some things that you love) to do. You don’t have to run a marathon to enjoy the health benefits of regular exercise – 20-30 minutes a day is all you need.

Perform a variety of exercises that excite and invigorate you – have fun!!! Do one exercise for the entire time, or do a variety. If you don’t have 30 minutes, do something for 10 minutes three times a day. Many things count towards exercise, including:

Find a friend and catch up while you take a walk, or take a yoga class together. Make exercise fun and a regular part of your daily routine.

Chew Your Food
What? Did he say chew your food?? Doesn’t everybody chew their food??? The answer is yes, but most people do not chew their food nearly enough. For optimal digestion to take place, we need to chew our food 30-50 times per mouthful; that means the food should be a liquid before we swallow! How many people do you know that take a bite of food, chew it once or twice and then swallow? These are the same people that need antacids, get bloated, tired and/or irritable after eating and usually have gas. We need to slow down, relax while eating and chew our food so the body can digest it and absorb the nutrients correctly.

Here’s why: the simple act of chewing your food helps with digestion in three ways. First, chewing breaks up the food into smaller and smaller particles. This provides more surface area for your digestive enzymes to work on, so digestion is more efficient and takes less energy. Second, the act of chewing stimulates the stomach to produce more stomach acid, which will help digest foods more easily (note: most people that need to take antacids actually produce too little stomach acid or eat too quickly which causes the upset). Third, the act of chewing also stimulates the pancreas to produce more digestive enzymes, so we can get more nutrients out of the foods we eat. Think of digestion like buttoning a button-down shirt. Digestion starts in the mouth, so chewing is just like the first button. If the first button is not done correctly, you cannot button the rest of the shirt properly. In the same way, if we do not chew our food thoroughly, the rest of the digestive process cannot proceed correctly, and we will have problems.

Drink Water
Everybody knows that we are supposed to drink eight 8 oz. glasses of water (= 64 oz.) everyday. What most people don’t know is that the body can only utilize about 2-4 oz. of water every 20-30 minutes. That means that if you slam down four 16 oz. glasses of water throughout the day, you think you consumed the requisite 64 oz. (4 x 16 oz. = 64 oz.) but you really only got 16 oz. (4 x 4 oz. absorbed = 16 oz.) of water and at least four trips to the bathroom. Therefore, ideally you would drink about 4 oz. (or ½ cup) of water every half-hour. I like to have a water bottle on hand throughout the day and take sips from it every chance I get. Make it easy on yourself and have a water bottle at work, at home and in your car. Carry one with you when you travel so you can stay hydrated. Proper hydration is absolutely essential for optimal health.

I should note that most non-caffeinated herbal teas also count as water. In addition, you need to drink (and can absorb) more water during and after exercise. Need another reason to drop coffee and soda? Both are diuretics, which mean they cause you to lose more water. The more coffee and soda you drink, the more water you need to drink and the more time you will spend in the bathroom. Do yourself a favor and substitute water or tea for coffee and soda – your bladder will thank you!

Remember the 80/20 Rule
Rules, rules, rules! Relax. When it comes down to it, it is what you do a majority of the time that counts. That’s where the 80/20 Rule comes in – it states that it’s what you do 80% of the time that counts. That means you can (and should) indulge yourself in your favorite foods and drinks from time-to-time, even if they aren’t the most healthy thing for you. Literally speaking, this would translate into 3 meals a week or one entire day every week where you could stray from your normally healthy eating and living habits without much change in your overall health. Said differently, you can have your cake and eat it too, just make sure you have humble-pie most of the time and live as though you will be alive and vital for a good, long time.

Key Points

• Minimize/eliminate soda/pop, coffee and sugar
• Eat many vegetables, fruits, and vegetable juices
  • Eat as many colors as possible
  • Eat a variety of foods
• Breathe deeply throughout the day and/or perform deep breathing exercises
• Get 20-30 minutes of exercise daily – do something you love!
• Chew, chew, chew your food (until it is a liquid)
• Drink water throughout the day (shoot for ½ cup every ½ hour)
• Keep it in perspective and follow the 80/20 Rule

Illness and disease can be very complex with multiple symptoms and underlying root causes. Restoring health is a process that often requires professional guidance. Maintaining health is easy, as long as we follow some simple ground-rules. Use this information to set the foundation for lasting, life-long vitality and optimal health!

Studies show that birth control depletes key nutrients

Several studies have shown that hormonal birth control, whether it be oral (i.e., birth control pills), vaginal (i.e., vaginal ring) or transdermal (i.e., patches) deplete the body of several key nutrients.

Nutrients depleted

A study done published in Obstetrics and Gynecology International, August 2010, showed that women that used any of these hormonal birth control measures for at least 4 months had significantly less coenzyme Q10, vitamin E and total antioxidants than women that did not use hormonal birth control.

Other studies have shown that oral contraceptives can deplete many of the B-vitamins, including B6, B12 and folic acid; vitamin C; magnesium; calcium; selenium; and zinc. Any one nutritional deficiency can lead to short and long term health consequences. And considering many people using birth control have a diet that is far from ideal, the problems associated with nutritional deficiency are compounded.

I’m not pregnant, but I am…

Unfortunately, there is a long list of side effects that are common with taking hormonal birth control. Nausea, breast tenderness, weight gain, changes in mood, and breakthrough bleeding are the most common ones. However, one look at the drug index shows a number of other side effects, including blood clots, heart attack, stroke, gallbladder disease, visual disturbances and high blood pressure as well as increased risk of liver cancer, cervical cancer and breast cancer. These forms of birth control are effective, but at what cost?

Getting the nutrients you need

A high-nutrient diet is the best prevention for many of these problems. Eating a whole food diet, rich in vegetables, fruits, nuts, whole grains and seeds is important. Eating lots of vegetables along with seeds is the best way to prevent many mineral deficits and also maintain weight.  Extra virgin, cold-pressed olive oil should be used daily to provide essential fatty acids that are crucial for hormone balance. Lastly, be sure to get in adequate protein, particularly from cold water fatty fish (not fried) and legumes with a touch of red meat now and then to give the body the building blocks it needs to repair. The Vital Life Diet can be very useful.

Supplementation can also play a role, and should if the diet is or has been deficient. We recommend Wellness Essentials for Women – 1 packet 2x/day with meals along with CoQ10 – 1 softgel 1-2x/day with meals.

The only truly natural form of birth control is abstinence; however, there are other forms of birth control that can be used, such as condoms, which do not cause any biochemical or nutritional imbalances. There are many factors to consider before deciding to take, or continue taking, hormonal birth control. The effect on your nutritional status and your long term health should be one of them.

References and Resources

Abstract: Obstet Gynecol Int. 2010;2010. pii: 925635. Effects of oral, vaginal, and transdermal hormonal contraception on serum levels of coenzyme q(10), vitamin e, and total antioxidant activity.

Palan PR, Strube F, Letko J, Sadikovic A, Mikhail MS.

Full article: Effects of Oral, Vaginal, and Transdermal Hormonal

Contraception on Serum Levels of Coenzyme Q10, Vitamin E,and Total Antioxidant Activity

http://www.leaflady.org/bcpillnutrition.htm