Meet the naturopathic doctor

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 look at 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 (refer back to one of your first newsletters on 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. Heading into 2012, use these basics to set the foundation for lasting, life-long vitality and optimal health!

Most of us will have some physical pain throughout our lives (i.e., we fall down, injure ourselves playing sports, etc.). Everyone is also familiar with the typical sensations that go along with those injuries – heat, soreness, swelling and pain. These natural responses by the body to physical injury help with the healing process. However, over time, chronic inflammation can be bad for your health. Luckily, Mother Nature has given us many ways that we can help our body in the healing and recovery process and minimize the pain and discomfort that accompany them.

Controlling Inflammation Naturally

Safe, natural and effective methods of controlling inflammation have become a primary focus of research in chronic auto-immune and inflammatory conditions, largely due to their necessity and the serious side effects associated with prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) medications, such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) including ibuprofen.

Essential fatty acids (EFAs) in the correct balance are needed to maintain a healthy inflammatory response. Typically, we eat diets that are high in omega-6 essential fatty acids (i.e., corn, safflower, sunflower and soybean oils) saturated fats (i.e., animal protein and dairy products), hydrogenated fats and/or partially-hydrogenated fats and oils. These fats increase the production of pro-inflammatory compounds and intensify chronic inflammatory conditions. Omega-3 essential fatty acids – including eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexanoic acid (DHA) – promote anti-inflammatory responses and ease chronic inflammation. Omega-3 EFAs are found primarily in fresh, cold water fish (salmon, tuna, halibut, and mackerel), leafy green vegetables and flaxseed oils. Therefore, balancing a typically omega-6 rich diet with omega-3 fatty acids can be an effective way to shift the balance toward anti-inflammatory compounds and can provide a foundation for relief in chronic inflammatory disorders.

EPA-DHA Complex can provide omega-3 essential fatty acids necessary in cases of inflammation and pain.

Phytochemicals found in herbs, including ginger, turmeric, cayenne and boswellia demonstrate many pain and inflammation reducing properties. Here is a sampling of data supporting the use of these powerful, natural compounds:

• Ginger – patients with osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and muscular discomfort were given ginger; more than 75% of the arthritic patients and all the patients with muscular discomfort reported improvements in pain and swelling.
• Turmeric – curcumin (the principal compound in turmeric) showed significant improvement in joint swelling and relief from morning stiffness when compared to phenylbutazone (an anti-inflammatory drug) in a double blind trial.
• Cayenne – capsaicin (the principal compound in cayenne) has shown marked ability to suppress inflammation, decreasing pain and inflammation in joints and muscles.
• Boswellia – boswellia is an Ayurvedic herb that has shown significant reduction in joint pain, swelling, and morning stiffness, while improving general health and well-being in rheumatoid arthritis patients.

Inflavanoid Intensive Care contains all four of these compounds and has demonstrated ability to reduce the pain and inflammation associated with acute and chronic injury or inflammatory conditions.

In addition, proteolytic enzymes, including bromelain, papain, proteases, trypsin, chymotrypsin and pancreatin, have demonstrated significant reduction in pain and inflammation and faster recovery rates in cases of inflammation by improving circulation to the damaged area.

Vascuzyme is a select blend of proteolytic enzymes that can dramatically decrease inflammation and speed healing in cases of acute trauma and accidents as well as chronic inflammatory conditions.

Repairing the Damage

Glucosamine sulfate is a fundamental building block for joint tissue. Studies show that it can significantly reduce joint pain, tenderness and swelling as well as increase mobility. Studies show that although glucosamine sulfate (1500 mg/day) is slower acting than ibuprofen, the improvements with glucosamine sulfate were more consistent and progressive, leading to significantly lower pain scores after only 8 weeks.

Chondroitin sulfate has also been shown to aid in cases of joint inflammation by inhibiting the breakdown of joint tissue and promoting healthy tissue synthesis.

Chondro-Flx provides therapeutic amounts of glucosamine sulfate and chondroitin sulfate to help repair joint and tissue damage.

Supporting Proper Gut Integrity

Tissue injury due to long term inflammation or use of NSAIDs can propagate chronic inflammatory conditions. Therefore, restoring the health of the gut is often an essential component to eliminating chronic inflammation. Three compounds have proven particularly useful:

• L-Glutamine – supplementation of L-glutamine helps maintain the integrity of the intestinal lining and promotes optimal immune responses. Glutamine supplementation with NSAIDs showed significantly lower damage to the gut as compared to NSAID use without glutamine.
• Deglycyrrhizinized licorice (DGL) – DGL enhances the stomach lining and has been shown to reduce aspirin-induced stomach lining damage and accelerate gastric ulcer healing, making it especially useful for those recovering from NSAID use.
• Aloe vera – aloe vera promotes faster healing in the gut and provides immune support.

Glutagenics provides these three compounds in an easy to take powdered form to quickly and effectively support proper gut integrity, which also provides added protection for those using or recovering from NSAID use.

An Anti-Inflammatory Diet

What you eat can have a dramatic impact on how you feel. You can speed recovery and reduce pain by eating foods that speed up the healing process and eliminating foods that will slow it down. Here are some general guidelines for you to follow:

1. Eat more sulfur-containing foods, including asparagus, onions, garlic, green leafy vegetables, non-acid fruits, whole grains, oatmeal, brown rice and fish – these compounds are needed for repair of bone, cartilage and connective tissue and also aid in calcium absorption.
2. Eat fresh pineapple frequently. Pineapple contains an enzyme called bromelain that is excellent for reducing inflammation (note that most of the bromelain is in the core of the pineapple); must be fresh, as freezing and canning destroy the enzymes.
3. Eat some form of fiber daily – ground flaxseeds, oat bran, rice bran, legumes, etc.
4. Reduce the amount of fat in your diet. Do not consume milk, dairy products or red meat.
5. Avoid caffeine, citrus fruits, paprika, salt, tobacco and everything that contains sugar.
6. Avoid nightshade vegetables (bell peppers, eggplant, tomatoes, and white potatoes); these foods contain a chemical called solanine that interferes with enzymes in the muscles and can cause pain and discomfort, especially in those with arthritis.
7. Do not take iron supplements. Supplemental iron can increase pain, swelling and joint destruction. Consume iron rich foods instead – blackstrap molasses, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, fish, lima beans and peas.
8. Eat an alkaline diet. When the blood increases in acidity, pain and inflammation also increase. Have at least 50-75% of your plate contain alkaline forming foods.

If you injure yourself, you can dramatically speed your healing and recovery by using the guidelines above. If you suffer from chronic pain, use these guidelines to reduce your pain and facilitate healing. If you have osteo- or rheumatoid arthritis, or if you are particularly interested in joint health, please see our Joint Health Department for more information.

Houston, we have a problem

Not only do sweet foods increase dopamine levels, but over-consumption of sweet foods can actually cause a breakdown in brain chemistry. According to a study published in Nature Neuroscience, “common mechanisms may underlie obesity and drug addiction.” (3) Researchers found that when animals were given a diet of high calorie foods, there was a significant reduction in the activity of their dopamine receptors. This is very similar to the affect that cocaine or heroin has on the brain. (3)

What does decreased receptor activity mean? It means that the brain becomes tolerant to dopamine signals. This is similar to what happens when you go to a concert. When you first get there, the music seems very loud. But as the concert goes on, you get used to the noise level, and it no longer seems as loud as it did when the band started playing – you become tolerant to the noise level. That’s exactly what happens with dopamine in the brain. If you are constantly eating or seeing sweet, high-calorie foods, your dopamine levels are always high, just like the music at the concert is always loud. Your brain gets used to the high dopamine levels and starts tuning them out. The signal does not seem as strong anymore. This means that you will need more dopamine to feel any effect, just like the music would have to be turned up for you to notice any change in volume.

For someone with constantly high dopamine levels, more and more sweet, high-calorie foods are needed to get the same kind of pleasure. This sets many people up for a catch-22 situation – they remember how great something a certain food made them feel and expect it to bring them the same amount of pleasure. However, when they eat the food they aren’t as satisfied as they expected to be, so they eat more and more in hopes of regaining that original feeling (or ‘high’). This often becomes a cycle of constantly elevated dopamine levels, leading to decreased dopamine receptor response, causing decreased pleasure and constant attempts to achieve more pleasure (by raising dopamine levels even higher) by eating more and more super-sweet, high calorie foods. (4) This should start to sound a lot like addiction.

Sugar addiction

Studies have shown that people with addictive-like eating behaviors – which includes addiction to sweet, high-calorie foods, insatiable cravings and binge eating – have greater brain activity in regions associated with substance dependence and abuse. They also have increased activity in their reward circuitry and less activity going on with inhibitory regions of the brain (5). This means that they are more prone to seek out pleasure-inducing experiences and less likely to be able to stop themselves in the process. Their reward systems are being triggered at a higher rate than people who don’t have addictive-like eating behaviors, and they are less able to keep themselves from acting on their desires.

Some professionals have questioned whether sugar addiction, and addictive behavior in general, is due more to willpower or genetics. We know that there are a decreased number of dopamine receptors in the brain in both drug addicts and in obese people. The question is whether the decreased number is due to the brain trying to compensate for the abnormally high levels of dopamine or just because those people were born with lower levels of receptors. (2) The evidence to date seems to indicate that it could be a bit of both, with the compensation piece playing a much larger role. For instance, research has shown that the more obese a person is, the fewer dopamine receptors they have (2). This seems to suggest that the brain has built up a tolerance to the high levels of dopamine. Regardless of cause, a person with a decreased number (or function) of dopamine receptors would require more stimulation than the average person to feel the same amount of pleasure, putting them at greater risk for addictive behaviors. (6)

Withdrawal

The final criterion for addiction is evidence of withdrawal. Withdrawal symptoms from sugar addiction can occur within a few hours to several days after discontinuation depending on the person and severity of sugar use. Carvings, often moderate to severe, are the most common withdrawal symptom; people often also have an increased appetite, especially for sweet foods. However, some people have much more severe symptoms, including depression, anxiety, mood swings and an extreme drive to continue eating sugar despite the significant harm it is causing them. People that experience these types of symptoms usually have very low levels (or very low functioning) of dopamine receptors due to years and years of sugar use. Once the sugar is discontinued, there is not enough dopamine to help them feel ‘normal’ and they can feel like their world is crumbling around them. This is why many people need guidance and support to help them break their sugar addiction.

The final part of this three part series will detail how you can break your sugar addiction and free yourself from the daily cravings and binges that can thwart even the best-laid intentions.

Sources

1. “Can sugar be addictive?” foodnavigator.com. William Reed Business Media, 16 Jan. 2006.
2. Leutwyler Ozelli, Kristin. “This is your brain on food.” Scientific American Sep. 2007: 84-85.
3. Daniells, Stephen. “Food addiction: Fat may rewire brain like hard drugs.” foodnavigator.com. William Reed Business Media, 29 Mar. 2010.
4. Gardner, Amanda. “Compulsive Eaters May Have ‘Food Addiction,’ Study Finds.” healthday.com. Health Day, 4 Apr. 2011.
5. Gray, Nathan. “Food addiction has similar brain response to drug addiction: Study.” foodnavigator.com. William Reed Business Media, 5 Apr. 2011.
6. Hyman, Mark MD. “Stopping Addiction to Sugar: Willpower or Genetics?”
7. Scott-Thomas, Caroline. “Animal study suggests existence of sugar addiction, says scientist.” foodnavigator.com. William Reed Business Media, 11 Dec. 2008.
8. Scott-Thomas, Caroline. “Sugar addiction ‘unlikely in humans,’ says scientist.” foodnavigator.com. William Reed Business Media, 9 Jan. 2009.

Many people feel like they are ‘addicted’ to sugar. New research is providing clues as to how this may happen and what can be done about it. In this three part series, we will look at the reasons why some people can’t seem to help themselves when it comes to sugar/sweets and exactly what you can do to break the sugar addiction cycle.

There has been a lot of research and disagreement in the health/medical world lately about sugar and whether or not a person could be truly “addicted” to it. Sure, we all like to eat sweets, and sometimes we find ourselves craving and overindulging in sweet treats. But there are people who have an insatiable sweet tooth; people who “can’t live without chocolate” or it ends up affecting how they feel, their mood and their actions. Could these people actually be addicted to sugar? New research indicates that they could.

Sugar Addicts

First, some background. Medically speaking, an addictive substance is something which induces a pleasant state or relieves distress, leads to adaptive changes in the brain that triggers tolerance, physical dependence and uncontrollable cravings and causes dependence to such an extent that abstaining is difficult (1). Using these criteria, it doesn’t sound so far-fetched that sugar addiction could exist. People are usually happy after they eat cake or some other treat. Some people will eat sweet things to relieve distress; think stress eating or eating chocolate to ease PMS symptoms. And, there are people out there who have such intense cravings for sweets that willpower is literally not enough to abstain – they have to have something sweet every day or they have a very, very bad day. So what are these ‘adaptive changes in the brain that trigger tolerance, physical dependence and uncontrollable cravings’? The answer lies with brain chemicals called neurotransmitters.

“I gotta have that!”

Before we get into the science of neurotransmitters and brain responses, we need to talk about some biology and evolution. Back when humans were hunter-gatherers, food was not always in abundance. You could go through a food-drought at any time, so our bodies were designed to build energy stores out of excess calories whenever possible. That way, when there was an unexpected period of time without enough food, we could survive off of what our bodies had stored as fat. Sweet, sugary foods are often high-calorie foods. So when we are presented with something sweet our body says, “That tastes good. Eat a lot of that so I can build up energy stores for the food-drought.” We are biologically wired to enjoy and seek out sweet, high calorie foods because from an evolutionary standpoint, they provided us the best chance to survive a food-drought. We can’t help it.

However, in today’s world we very seldom (never!) experience a food-drought, as there is an abundance of food (and processed goods that slightly resemble food) wherever we go. This causes our own instincts to lead us astray and be drawn to sweet, high calorie foods when we, from a biological standpoint, don’t need them.

Now, on to brain chemistry. When we eat sweets, our brain levels of dopamine increase. (1) Dopamine is a neurotransmitter in the brain that controls the brain’s reward and pleasure centers. In essence, when our dopamine levels are high we feel happy. Dopamine also tells you to get into action to achieve a goal that will bring a reward or pleasure (such as eating a cookie). It motivates us to do things that bring us pleasure and it is a very powerful neurotransmitter. This means that the signals it sends can be very hard to overcome with willpower. (2)

It gets worse. Research shows that we don’t even have to eat these high-calorie foods to rev up our motivation to have them; all you have to do is see a high-calorie food and your dopamine levels will rise. (2) This means that just looking at a picture of an ice cream sundae will get you thinking about how much you want to eat it and wondering where you can get one – right now. For others, simply thinking about a food can elicit a rise in dopamine and increase their desire for immediate gratification. For many people, this urge is enough to make them feel like they have to act on it, so they run out and get the food or some other high-calorie alternative.

Marketers know this; why do you think that every TV, billboard or magazine ad has beautiful pictures of tantalizing high calorie foods? They know that just by seeing those ads, you’ll want that food, and want it now. This is also the reason so many fast food ads run at night and during sporting events – people see them and order.

This is just part of the story however; the next post will detail how eating sugar and highly sweetened foods can actually change how your brain processes information, making you crave and eat more, setting up a cycle that is hard to break.

Sources

1. “Can sugar be addictive?” foodnavigator.com. William Reed Business Media, 16 Jan. 2006.
2. Leutwyler Ozelli, Kristin. “This is your brain on food.” Scientific American Sep. 2007: 84-85.
3. Daniells, Stephen. “Food addiction: Fat may rewire brain like hard drugs.” foodnavigator.com. William Reed Business Media, 29 Mar. 2010.
4. Gardner, Amanda. “Compulsive Eaters May Have ‘Food Addiction,’ Study Finds.” healthday.com. Health Day, 4 Apr. 2011.
5. Gray, Nathan. “Food addiction has similar brain response to drug addiction: Study.” foodnavigator.com. William Reed Business Media, 5 Apr. 2011.
6. Hyman, Mark MD. “Stopping Addiction to Sugar: Willpower or Genetics?”
7. Scott-Thomas, Caroline. “Animal study suggests existence of sugar addiction, says scientist.” foodnavigator.com. William Reed Business Media, 11 Dec. 2008.
8. Scott-Thomas, Caroline. “Sugar addiction ‘unlikely in humans,’ says scientist.” foodnavigator.com. William Reed Business Media, 9 Jan. 2009.

We work with a lot of people that suffer from disorders relating to neurotransmitter imbalances, including depression, anxiety, ADD/ADHD, OCD, trichotillomania, migraines, insomnia, additions, cravings, obesity and fibromyalgia.  Most of the time, we find that the gut plays a role in their overall health in one way or another. However, I just came across an interesting article that may provide additional insight into the causes of neurotransmitter imbalance and the how probiotics may be useful in correcting the problem.

Probiotics and mental health

Probiotics are the “good” bacteria that normally reside in a health gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Different formulations are available in many health food stores containing one or more strains of different bacteria. Recently, Professor Mark Lyte and associates at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center have come up with a radical new concept: that you may be able to affect your neurotransmitter levels – and therefore your psychological health – by taking and establishing the right blend of probiotics.

What these researches found was that several neurotransmitters (normally produced in the brain) are also produced by various probiotic strains in the gut. For instance, they found that bacillus and serratia strains of bacteria produce dopamine; streptococcus, Escherichia and Enterococcus strains produce serotonin; Escherichia, Bacillus and Saccharomyces produce norepinephrine; and Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium strains produce GABA.

The Second Brain

This has potentially startling implications. First, it provides another pathway to help explain why a person’s neurotransmitter levels become imbalanced in the first place. If the microbial environment of the gut is abnormal from birth, let’s say, this research suggests that over time, neurotransmitter imbalances could result. In addition, many people experience an exacerbation of symptoms or entirely new symptoms after being treated with antibiotics; this research could help explain this as any shift in the microbial environment in the gut could lead to alternations in neurotransmitter levels.

In addition, it provides other possible avenues to correct those underlying imbalances. This research suggests that altering the bacteria in the gut could dramatically affect a person’s overall neurotransmitter balance.

More research needs to be done, but if this hypothesis is confirmed, probiotics could prove to be a valuable adjunctive therapy to help those who suffer from disorders relating to neurotransmitter imbalance.

Stuffy head, runny nose, pressure behind the eyes, maybe a tickle in the throat; these are all common allergy symptoms that plaque a growing number of people. This post will focus on simple ways to naturally eliminate your symptoms and breathe easy.

Allergies are one of the most common health conditions in America. In fact, more than 1 in 5 people suffer from allergies, and the number is growing every year. Common causes of allergy symptoms include food allergies such as peanut allergy or milk allergy, and seasonal allergies resulting from grass, weed, tree pollen, or various molds. Cat allergies and dog allergies can also cause miserable symptoms such as itchy eyes, sneezing, nasal congestion, and wheezing. Allergic skin conditions can cause a rash and itchy skin.

Nailing Down the Source of Allergies

Almost anything can cause an allergy, but the most common underlying cause is an imbalance in the immune system. Most people shouldn’t react to pollen, grasses, animal dander, etc., but for some reason, they do. That reason is often excessive stress put upon the immune system via stress, improper food choices, and lack of sleep or illness. Long term allergy control depends on correctly these underlying lifestyle factors. However, we must also identify the things a person is reacting to so that we can minimize them in order to allow our immune system to rebalance.

• Skin testing is the most widely used; there are several different methods, but all involve exposing the skin to small amounts of various substances and observing the reactions over time. Blood tests (RAST) generally identify IgE antibodies to specific antigens. Both of these tests can help identify specific reactions to certain substances, but often miss most immune reactions and are of little clinical value to many people.

• The most accurate testing available today is called a lymphocyte response assay (LRA); it is a simple blood test that looks at every immune reaction a person can have against a substance (except IgE reactions). It is more comprehensive and accurate than any testing currently available (find out more at www.elisaact.com). You can test a variety of substances; most people begin with either a Basic or a Comprehensive profile. Once we receive your test results, we work with you to identify where you may be being exposed to these substances and how you can eliminate them from your life while your immune system readjusts.

Relieving Symptoms

You don’t have to wait in anguish as your immune system rebalances; Mother Nature has provided several options that have been combined to provide quick, effective relief without the side-effects many over-the-counter and prescription allergy medications provide.

• Sinatrol contains several components to help thin and drain mucus, support optimal immune function and reduce sinus pressure and pain. We have had countless clients use and benefit from this formula taking just 1 capsule 3x/day (ideally between meals).
• Natural D-Hist provides key factors to help address and support the underlying nasal and sinus imbalances that can lead to so many symptoms. It also helps balance the immune system and provide fast relief if your allergies have really kicked in. Most people start with 2 capsules three times daily for 7-10 days, then reduce to the lowest amount possible to control symptoms. Kids can use D-Hist Jr, which provides the same formula in a kid’s strength chewable that tastes great!
• Another incredibly effective therapy to use in conjunction with the supplementation above is to use a Nasaline to help clear the sinuses. All you do is make a saline solution, using either the Nasaline Salt or sea salt (start with ½ tsp in 1 pint of warm water; you can add ¼ tsp baking soda if you have any inflammation in the sinuses) fill the Nasaline with water and push it into one of your nostrils. The water will fill the sinuses, decreasing pressure and inflammation and killing any bacteria that could be causing the pain, and drain through your other nostril. Do this twice on each nostril and you are done with the whole procedure in about 3 minutes from start to finish! Using the Nasaline 1-2x/day is a great way to keep the sinuses clear and healthy any time of year.

Allergies can affect every aspect of your life, but they don’t have to. Using the simple steps above to identify and address the reasons you have allergy symptoms can naturally alleiviate your symptoms and allow you to get back outside again and enjoy breathing fully again!

The media has been buzzing about the negative health impact that trans-fat (a.k.a. partially hydrogenated oils) can have on the human body. Some cities, such as New York have even gone as far as to require all restaurants to go trans-fat free. This is a very drastic measure and upon further investigation it seems necessary to protect our health.

Trans-fats are produced when a hydrogen molecule is added to vegetable oil. The hydrogenation process makes liquid oil solid at room temperature. Companies choose to use trans-fats because they are cheap, increase shelf life and create flavor stability.

The increased intake of trans-fats does not come without a price. Trans-fat consumption is directly related to increased LDL (less desirable form of cholesterol) and decreased HDL (the “good” cholesterol) cholesterol. This can be linked to the increase in heart disease over the last 30 years.

Other chronic conditions such as cancer and diabetes are also related to high trans-fat intake. Hydrogenated oils interfere with the insulin receptor sites on cell membranes that can trigger type II diabetes. They also interfere with the enzymes the body produces to protect itself against cancer. If this information is not convincing enough, one study showed that women who consume trans-fats weighed more than women who did not consume any trans-fats, even though their caloric intake was the same.

Following are some simple steps you can take to cut the trans out of your fat intake:

• Eat whole foods – this means choosing food as close to nature as possible. The most common foods that hydrogenated oils are found in are highly processed (margarine, cookies, candy, cakes, crackers, baked goods, breads, fried potatoes, chips, microwave popcorn, peanut butter, and salad dressing) and restaurant foods that are cooked in hydrogenated oils, including all deep fried foods. Focusing on eating fresh vegetables, fruits, whole grains and high-quality proteins will greatly reduce exposure to trans-fat.
• Read labels – check the back of food packages for the words ‘partially-hydrogenated’ oil or ‘hydrogenated’ oil. You can not count on the new labeling law to tell if a product is trans-fat free because the government allows 0.5g per serving to be considered trans-fat free. Many companies are simply changing their serving sizes to get below this limit. In other words, just because the trans-fat number is “0″ on the label does not mean that the food is free of trans-fat.
• Home cook’ in – try to prepare as many meals as possible at home. This allows control of the products and oils that are used.
• Ask – when dining out, ask the server what type of oil is used for cooking various dishes or if there is trans-fat in their baked products. If they don’t know, don’t eat it. Trans-fat can also be avoided if food is cooked in chicken or vegetable broth instead of oil. Most chain restaurants provide ingredient information on their website.

The bottom line – reducing intake of trans-fat not only helps your heart and waistline, it will also increase YOUR shelf life.

Resources:

Trans fatty acids in the food supply: A comprehensive report covering 60 years of research Enig, Mary G, PhD, 2nd Edition, Enig Associates, Inc, Silver Spring, MD, 1995.

In our ongoing effort to get you as relaxed as possible, we would like to devote this post to a very powerful, very simple and often misunderstood aspect of health – meditation.

What is Meditation?

Meditation is simply the natural process of withdrawing attention from outside forces, including any physical or mental processes (i.e., day’s events, thoughts, physical activities, etc.) and consciously directing it inward to a chosen focus of concentration.

It is spending time in silence with yourself with no purpose other than to be with yourself. No motives, no expected outcomes, no outside influences. Just time to be with yourself and do nothing. Kind of a freaky concept – doing nothing. We are always on the go-go-go; we must produce, do something constructive, do something. It is because we don’t allow ourselves daily ‘down-time’ that we suffer from so many disorders and diseases due to stress. Meditation will elicit clear states of consciousness and facilitate progressive, authentic spiritual growth with continued practice as well as improve your overall health.

Benefits of Meditation

The benefits of a regular meditation practice are many and have been studied extensively around the world. Here are a few of the many benefits:

• Strengthens the body’s immune system
• Physiological functions (i.e., body’s organs, glands, systems, etc.) are encouraged to be more balanced and efficient
• Reduces stress and improves your reaction to stressors in your life
• Improved concentration
• Enhanced powers of memory
• Refinement and enlivening of the nervous system
• Awakening of regenerative energies
• Slowing of the biologic aging processes
• Awareness of intuitive energies are heightened
• Thinking processes become more organized
• Appreciation for living is enhanced
• Creativity is stimulated
• Innate spiritual qualities are awakened, enabling us to be more insightful, and functionally skillful.

There are many types of meditation practiced around the world; all of them have as the goal to come to a clearer state of consciousness. We will be using some simple techniques which you can do everyday that will help you balance your life and aid your awakening to your inner self and guidance. Click here to learn some simple meditation techniques.

Use these techniques, or find others that are more appealing to you and get in the routine of daily practice. It has been shown that as little as 20 minutes daily in deep meditation can provide substantial long-term health benefits.

The Bottom Line:

You can live a longer, happier and more fulfilling life if you take some time each day to be with yourself, be quiet, and relax!

Emotional eating is very common – many people reach for a bowl of ice cream, some cookies, a bag of chips or whatever their comfort food of choice is when they get down or stressed. This may help them feel better momentarily, but a new study shows that eating junk food significantly increases one’s risk of developing depression.

The research showed that the more trans fat you eat, the higher your risk of depression. In fact, people that ate more trans fats had a 48% increased risk of depression than those that didn’t eat trans fat. What is particularly interesting about this study is that the diets of the ‘high’ trans fat group in this study (those with significantly increased risk of depression) actually contained a fairly low amount of trans fat (only about 0.4% of their total caloric intake) compared to what people typically consume in this country. In the US, the average person in the US consumes about 2.5% of their total calories from trans fats, which is far higher – more than 600% higher – than that consumed in this study.

What does this all mean? All of our clients know that there is no safe amount of trans fat – this means that you should not eat anything that contains trans fats, hydrogenated fats/vegetable oils, partially hydrogenated fats/vegetable oils or shortening. And be aware that “0 grams” doesn’t mean zero trans fat. Food manufacturers are permitted to list a product’s trans-fat amount as “0 g” if each serving of the food contains less than half a gram of the fat per serving, so many of them just made the servings sizes smaller to reach this lower limit. This means, of course, that you could still consume significant amounts of trans fat from such a product — especially if the serving size is small and your appetite is big. To make sure “0 g” truly means what it implies, check the ingredients list.

The good news is that other fats, including olive oil might actually lessen the risk of depression. This same study found that consuming more than 20 grams of olive oil a day could reduce the risk of depression 20-30%. That’s about 1.5 tablespoons of olive oil per day.

So, change the oil you eat and significantly decrease your risk of depression. Read food labels carefully until you find those products that don’t contain trans fats. Keep products with trans fat out of your grocery cart, off your dinner plate, and out of your pantry and freezer. As often as possible, cook from scratch, using fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, fish, good fats (like olive oil), and lean meats.

Remember: While moderate amounts of healthy fats are critical to your body’s function, trans fat is nothing but trouble. You can live longer, healthier and happier without it.

High blood pressure, or hypertension, is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease. In the US, approximately one in three adults has high blood pressure, totaling more than 72 million people. Additionally, more than half of Americans over the age of 60 have hypertension.¹

Blood pressure medications have helped a lot of people reduce a condition that can damage their cardiovascular systems. However, recent research has also shown that these medications can have serious health consequences. Here we will explore alternative, natural ways you can use to help lower your blood pressure and support your overall health.

Blood pressure medications, diabetes and cholesterol

Recent research indicates many high blood pressure medications may substantially increase your risk of diabetes as well as adversely affect your cholesterol levels.² Take thiazide diuretics (also known as ‘water pills’), for example. Often considered the first choice drug for hypertension, not only do they disturb the balance of key electrolytes – including potassium, sodium and magnesium – they increase your risk of dehydration (which has a myriad of health consequences), as well as increase your risk of diabetes – by as much as 45 percent!³

What’s worse, thiazide diuretics aren’t the only blood pressure drugs that studies have associated with this serious disease – calcium channel blockers (e.g.,  verapamil,  nifedipine, etc.) and ACE inhibitors (e.g., enalapril, lisinopril, etc.) have also been shown to increase mean blood sugar levels within five years of use.⁴ Another long-term study showed that as many as 20.4 percent of patients treated with blood-pressure medications will develop diabetes – which in turn poses a greater risk of stroke, heart attack and death.⁵

In addition to diabetes, anti-hypertensive medications are associated with adversely impacting cholesterol (blood lipid) profiles. Studies have shown that beta-blockers reduced the ratio of beneficial HDL to total cholesterol by nearly 12 percent and increased serum triglyceride levels by nearly 26 percent.⁶ Diuretics can cause an increase in total and LDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels while beta-blockers can decrease HDL cholesterol and increase triglyceride levels.⁷ Some beta-blockers also have been found to decrease levels of CoQ10.⁸

Furthermore, it has been shown that death caused by coronary artery disease and sudden death is not significantly reduced by the use of antihypertensive medications in hypertensive patients, despite the evidence that hypertension is a major risk factor for heart attacks.² Some researchers suggest that this is due to the adverse metabolic effects caused by the drugs that counteract the benefits of lower blood pressure.²

Natural Approaches for Lowering Blood Pressure

Hypertension can have serious consequences and patients should never stop taking their blood-pressure lowering drugs without a doctor’s guidance. However, for individuals who want to explore other options, there are a number of natural approaches.

There are a number of simple dietary measures that have been shown to significantly decrease blood pressure. British researchers have discovered that drinking two  cups of beet juice daily can decrease blood pressure 10 points.⁹ That’s because beets are loaded with the nutrient nitrate. Spinach, lettuce, and other green, leafy vegetables also have high levels of nitrate, so eating and juicing these daily can provide significant blood lowering benefits.

Antioxidants have also shown significant benefits. A Finnish study has found that eating just ½ cup of berries twice daily can decrease blood pressure 7 points and increase HDL cholesterol.¹⁰ Berries contain particularly high levels of antioxidants known as polyphenols; other polyphenol-rich foods include chocolate, tea, and red wine, which also have been linked to lower heart disease risk.

Vasotensin provides peptides from bonito fish (related to tuna and mackerel) that have demonstrated significant blood lowering effects due to angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibition. In fact, the bonito peptides in Vasotensin are the strongest commercially available natural ACE inhibitors ever reported.¹¹ Clinical research suggests that bonito peptides are approximately 64% effective in reducing blood pressure (compared with approximately 50% for drug treatments) with no known side effects.¹²

Nattokinase is an enzyme derived from a fermented bean called natto, and has been shown to be effective in dissolving blood clots, preventing plaque build-up and lower blood pressure.¹³ Nattokinase helps dissolve fibrin, which is a protein in the blood that decreases blood flow and causes blood clots. In addition, researchers have confirmed the presence of ACE inhibitors in Nattokinase and demonstrated an approximate 10 percent reduction in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure with regular use.^14,15

High dose EPA and DHA fish oils have also demonstrated significant reductions in blood pressure.¹⁶ Orthomega is a great source of purified, high-potency fish oil, containing therapeutic amounts of EPA and DHA in 2 softgels 2-3x/day (with meals).

In addition, many lifestyle factors can significantly reduce blood pressure, including smoking cessation, increased exercise and weight reduction. If you would like assistance with weight reduction, our Optimal Body Balance program can help you uncover the reasons why weight loss or maintenance may be difficult for you and help you address these areas to help you attain and maintain your weight goals.

You can reduce your blood pressure and improve your overall health by following this simple plan. If we can be of further service, don’t hesitate to contact us.

References

1. National Institutes of Health. Who is at Risk for High Blood Pressure? Available at: http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/Hbp/HBP_WhoIsAtRisk.html.
2. Morgan TO. Metabolic effects of various antihypertensive agents. J Cardiovasc Pharmacol. 1990;15 Suppl 5:S39-45.
3. Shafi T, Appel LJ, Miller ER 3^rd, et al. Changes in serum potassium mediate thiazide-induced diabetes. Hypertension. 2008 Dec;52(6):1022-9.
4. Barzilay JI, Davis BR, Cutler JA, et al. Fasting glucose levels and incident diabetes mellitus in older nondiabetic adults randomized to receive 3 different classes of antihypertensive treatment: a report from the Antihypertensive and Lipid-Lowering Treatment to Prevent Heart Attack Trial (ALLHAT). Arch Intern Med. 2006 Nov 13;166(20):2191-201.
5. Almgren T, Wilhelmsen L, Samuelsson O, et al. Diabetes in treated hypertension is common and carries a high cardiovascular risk: results from a 28-year follow -up. J Hypertens. 2007 Jun;25(6):1311-7.
6. Leren P. Comparison of effects on lipid metabolism of antihypertensive drugs with alpha- and beta-adrenergic antagonist properties. Am J Med. 1987 Jan 5;82(1A):31-5.
7. Hunninghake DB. Effects of celiprolol and other antihypertensive agents on serum lipids and lipoproteins. Am Heart J. 1991 Feb;121(2 Pt 2):696-701.
8. Kishi T, Watanabe T, Folkers K. Bioenergetics in clinical medicine XV. Inhibition of coenzyme Q10-enzymes by clinically used adrenergic blockers of beta-receptors. Res Commun Chem Pathol Pharmacol. 1977 May;17(1):157-64.
9. http://www.webmd.com/hypertension-high-blood-pressure/news/20080208/beet-juice-lowers-blood-pressure.
10. http://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/news/20080215/berries-good-for-heart.
11. Fujita H, Yasumoto R, Hasegawa M, Ohshima K. Human volunteers study on antihypertensive effect of “Katsuobushi Oligopeptide” (I). Jpn Pharmacol Ther 1997;25(8):147-51.
12. Fujita H, Yasumoto R, Hasegawa M, Ohshima K. Human volunteers study on antihypertensive effect of “Katsuobushi Oligopeptide” (II) – a placebo-controlled study on the effect of “peptide soup” on blood pressure in borderline and hypertensive subjects. Jpn Pharmacol Ther 1997;25(8):153-7.
13. Barron J. Health Science Institute Members Alert. March 2002.
14. Maruyama M, Sumi H. Effect of natto diet on blood pressure. JTTAS, 1995.
15. Sumi H. Healthy Microbe “Bacillus natto”. Japan Bio Science Laboratory Co. Ltd.
16. The New England Journal of Medicine. 1990;322:795-801.