Chromium and the Quorn Debate

So I'm sitting here next to my box of Cadbury chocolate the boy gave me for Valentine's Day. The box, that held two layers of chocolates, is almost gone. I endulge myself occasionally and gorge a few chocs, nothing wrong with that. Luckily I have the willpower not to go overboard with it. I will admit that around menstrual time I do get the intense craving for all things chocolate. So yes I feel I owe it to myself to allow a treat or two. But again never OVER endulge. I usually can't eat more than one or two anyway, it's just too sweet. Where am I going with this you ask? Chromium. Chromium is a trace mineral in your body that when not present causes a sweet craving from an imbalance of blood sugar levels. Of course eating sugar isn't the correct response, yea I know that but I don't listen to myself, so taking a quick supplement or eating a food high in chromium is a better protocol. The debate continues between me and twitterland about the health benefits of Quorn brand non-meat subsititues. If you go to Quorns website they profess that it's made from mycoprotein (a mushroom). They give a breezy description of how they manufacture this delicious treat, but what they don't tell you is alarming. The fact is, it comes from a fungus called Fusarium venenatum strain PTA-2684. And is grown in vats, not in nature like you would assume. As stated on wired.com "...Quorn is a kind of fungus, and it's not at all a kind of mushroom." Read the entire wired.com post on Quorn and tell me if you'll be eating it again. I've never had a reaction to it, like 550 have (550 out of millions I might add). But the idea of eating a fungus turns my stomach a little. Plus one thats grown in a vat in England. Mmmm tasty!

What the Doctor's Couldn't Fix, I Could

After finishing up with my client this afternoon, my fiance and I went to lunch at a nearby cafe. When I went inside to pay I saw one of my coworkers from the health food shop I work at sitting at a table. I got her attention and said my hellos. She called me over and told me of a customer I had helped the other day. She went on to tell me that it was the woman who was complaining of a pain in her lower left side (descending colon area). I remembered vividly the conversation I had with her in reference to the pain. A pain that was so bad it kept her awake at night. I asked the customer what other symptoms she had and what her bowel movements looked like. And yes I do have to know that as gross as it sounds. She informed me that at certain times it was more yellow in color. That told me liver or possibly gall bladder immediately. Other symptoms were puffy eyes and malaise. Just standing there talking to her I could sense that the problem was more liver. I muscle tested her and found it to be so. I recommeded dandelion root for its tonifying and cleansing effects. She had little funds so she couldn't afford the probiotics I recommended as well. I decided dandelion was the better of the two for that particular situation. It would cleanse her liver, gall bladder, kidneys,stomach, pancreas, blood, and intestines. It soothes the digestive tract and absorbs toxins, and is rich in minerals to balance the body and promote healing. Dandelion also acts as a mild diuretic for abnormal water weight gain due to taxed kidneys or lack of minerals. Probiotics taken as a supplement or in foods like yogurt repopulate the friendly flora (bacteria) in the intestinal tract to allow for nutrient digestion and assimilation. It can provide relief from certain food sensitivities, bacterial or fungal/yeast infections, and boost the immune system. Well, come to find out the pain ceased within 36 hours of starting the dandelion and hasn't returned. All other symptoms have reverse as well. This customer had previously gone to the doctor to rule out cancer, cysts or any other major problem. All tests came out normal but the pain persisted. The doctors were perplexed and since all tests came back negative, there was nothing they could do. Thankfully she cared enough about her health not to take pain killers, and sought out natural remedies instead.

Work Stress, Hack Your Metabolism, Ashwagandha

Let's attack the work atmosphere. The biggest problem in most work environments is stress.

Stress comes in many forms. A few examples are:

Deadlines-too much to do in too little time.

Office 'Soap Operas"-crabby backstabbing coworkers who will do anything to get to the top a.k.a. 'yes man' or 'brown-noser'. Both equally annoying and almost impossible to ignore.

Office Romance-a no no in my book, but where else are you going to meet someone you can get to know on a daily basis? A pub? No thanks. Just make sure if it gets hot and heavy that you have an exit plan to avoid the uncomfortable atmosphere you're going to create.

Micromanagers-managers that watch and comment on every little thing you do. Can't go to the bathroom without being questioned. This needs to be adressed to the manager causing the offense or possibly upper management who might not be aware that it is going on. Be tacticle though. No one like a whiner.

So where am I going with all this? Relaxation exercises that you can do before, during, or after work.

I recently came across Zenhabits, a blogsite devoted to zenning out. Check out the 17 Unbeatable Ways to Create a Peaceful, Relaxed Workday


Learn how to Hack Your Metabolism with lifehacker.com Their recent post states..."Personal trainer and blogger Lauren proposes that you can bolster your metabolism by eating enough (not too little, like most people who diet), eating more frequently (5-6 small meals a day), and adding more protein and fiber to your diet. Exercise should also be added to your daily regimen. Weight-training, building muscles, and doing more high-intensity cardiovascular exercise are critical."

Herb of the Day-Ashwagandha-A personal favorite of mine

Ashwagandha root is a herb of the ages. It is the 'ginseng' of Ayurvedic medicine, the traditional medicine of India and is considered an 'adaptogen', a term used to describe herbs that improve physical energy and athletic ability, increase immunity to colds and infections and increase sexual capacity and fertility.

One reason for ashwagandha's reputation as a general energy-promoting, disease-preventing tonic may be its effect on the immune system. A number of studies have shown significant increases in white blood cell counts and other measures of strengthened immunity in rodents given ashwagandha or certain chemicals extracted from the herb.

Ashwagandha may also have a mild sedative effect on the central nervous system and in animal studies it has been shown to be a muscle relaxant. It is commonly used to increase vitality, particularly when recovering from chronic illnesses and pain management for arthritic conditions. Ashwagandha may also help regulate blood sugar which aids in suppressing sugar cravings.

Research shows ashwagandha may be a promising alternative for cancer treatment and prevention. Ashwagandha seems to show positive effects on the endocrine, cardio, and central nervous systems. It is one herb that could help your body produce it's own thyroid hormones. Ashwagandha is used to restore male libido, cure impotence and increase male fertility. It is widely used in southern Asia as a male sexuality tonic.

Latin Names: Withania somnifera, Physalis flexuosa Common Names: Ashwagandha, Winter Cherry, Ashgandh, Achuvagandi, Amikkira-gadday, Amkulang-kalang, Amukkira-kilzhangu, Amukran-kizhangu, Asagandha, Asana, Asgandh, Asundha, Asvagandhi, Fatarfoda, Hirimaddina-gadday, Hirre-gadday, Penneroo-gadda, Pevette, Sogade-beru

Suggested Properties: Strengthens immune system, antioxidant, rejuventaing. abortifacient, adaptogen, antibiotic, aphrodisiac, astringent, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-anxiety, anti-tumor, immuno-modulating, diuretic; narcotic, sedative, tonic.

Uses: Increase immunity to colds & infections, vitality, male fertility and libido. Combats impotence and helps regulate blood sugar.

Indicated for: Insomnia, Slows tumor growth,Anxiety,Reduces Cholesterol

Preliminary studies indicate that the herb helps to reduce the negative effects of stress, slow tumour growth, treat anxiety and insomnia, and reduce cholesterol in addition to increasing sexual performance. Ashwaghanda is generally safe at the doses recommended on the packaging. In high doses it may have steroidal activity similar to Creatine.

Research on ashwagandha has concluded that extracts of the plant has a direct spermatogenic influence on the seminiferous tubules of immature rats presumably by exerting a testosterone-like effect1. It is could also a potential source of hypoglycemic, diuretic and hypocholesterolemic agents2. Because ashwagandha has traditionally been used to treat various diseases associated with nerve tissue damage related to the destructive molecules known as free radicals, some researchers have speculated that the herb may have antioxidant properties. Free-radical damage plays a role in normal ageing and in such neurological conditions as epilepsy, Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease.

Homocysteine and Coronary Heart Disease

Homocysteine is a type of protein, produced by the body and found in the blood, which ideally should be present in very low quantities. However, if you are not properly nourished, homocysteine can accumulate in the blood, increasing the risk for over fifty diseases, including heart attacks, strokes, certain cancers, diabetes, depression, and Alzheimer’s disease. The good news is that this new and important risk can be reversed in weeks. (Holford p137)

Homocysteine is produced from the amino acid methionine, which is in normal dietary protein. Your body naturally turns homocysteine into one of two beneficial substances; glutathione (the body’s most important antioxidant) and SAMe ( a very important “intelligent”nutrient for both brain and body).(Holford p 137)

The problem is if you don’t have sufficient B vitamins in your diet, the enzymes that turn homocysteine into these beneficial substances don’t work well enough.(Holford p 137)

Increasing dietary and supplemental levels of vitamins B6 and B12 and folic acid can normalize homocysteine levels. B vitamins are also lacking in the SAD (Standard American Diet). It’s estimated that taking a multivitamin with B-complex vitamins could prevent 10 percent of dealth from heart disease. (Lipski pp 4-5)

“What we are about to unfold is a story that has been years in the making, and until now, has missed the limelight of most important medical discoveries. An elevated blood homocysteine level is a powerful risk factor for coronary heart disease (CHD), and the majority of physicians in the United States do not know this. For this reason, there has been no attempt to control it . . . until now. Prominent researchers now believe that plasma homocysteine elevations may be just as important, if not more so, than cholesterol elevations in the genesis of atherosclerosis and CHD” . This is an excerpt from a rough draft of “Homocysteine Can Kill You” by Glenn Tisman, M.D. and Melanie Tisman. It’s a controversial report posted online in July of 1997. They go on to state that “your chances of learning about homocysteine from your physician are remote. Not because physicians are consciously withholding this information, but because it is likely your physician was never taught about homocysteine's unique relationship to atherosclerosis.”
The ability of the body to maintain chemical balance hinges upon its ability to add or subtract molecules called methyl groups. This is how it’s done.
First you receive methionine, protein, from your diet.That is converted into homocysteine-this goes one or two ways depending on which B-vitamin you consume.

• If you consume folate, B12, B2, and zinc, homocysteine converts to methyltransferase.

• Methyltransferase converts to MTHFR with TMG and B12 which then become SAMe.


• If you consume B6, B2, and zinc homocysteine becomes cystathionine lyase.
• Cystathionine lyase becomes cystathionine beta-synthase with the same nutrients. Thus resulting in glutathione.


Dietary recommendations for lowering your homocysteine levels are as follows


1. Eat less fatty meat and more fish and vegetable protein

• No more then four servings of lean meat a week. Eat fish, but not fried, at least three times a week. You may also have soy-based food, such as tofu, tempeh, or soy sausages; or beans, such as kidney beans, chickpea hummus, or baked beans, at least 5 times a week.


2. Eat your greens

• Have at least five servings of fruit or vegetables a day

3. Have a clove of garlic a day
• Either eat a clove of garlic a day or take a garlic supplement every day. You can take garlic oil capsules or powdered garlic supplements

4. Don’t add salt to your food

5. Cut back on tea and coffee
• Don’t drink more the one cup of caffeinated or noncaffeinated coffee, or two cups of tea, in a day. Instead, choose from a variety of herbal teas and grain coffees available.

6. Limit your alcohol

7. Reduce your stress

8. Stop smoking

9. Correct estrogen deficiency
• If you are postmenpausal, or have menopausal symptoms or other menstrual irregularities, check your estrogen and progesterone levels with a hormone saliva test. You can correct deficiencies with a natural progesterone in the form of transdermal skin cream.

10. Supplement a high-strength multivitamin every day
• Take one providing at least 25 mg of the main B vitamins, 200 mcg of folate, and 10mcg each of vitamins B12 and B6, plus A, D, and E, and the minerals magnesium, selenium, chromium, and zinc. Also supplement 1 g of vitamin C for general health.

11. Take Homocysteine Supplements
• The most powerful and quickest way to restore a normal H score, below 6 units, is to supplement specific homocysteine-lowering nutrients. These include vitamins B2, B6, B12, folic acid, trimethyl glycine (TMG), and zinc.

Be sure to get enough of these nutrients on a daily basis. If you are at risk or know you have high homocysteine levels, you need to take mega doses of these essential nutrients. Very high risk patients, above 15 units, need to take 2000 mcg of folic acid, 1500 mcg of B12, 100 mg of B6, 50 mg of B2, 20 mg of zinc, and 3-6 g of TMG. This is a very serious condition and if left unattended it can result in cancers, heart disease, Alzheimer’s and even death.

One way you can ensure that you’re getting enough of the proper nutrients and not too many anti-nutrients is to write it all down on a chart. On a spreadsheet list all the nutrients you need to consume in a day in the left hand column. On the bottom of the chart should be a list of the anti-nutrients you shouldn’t consume daily as a reminder not to eat these foods. Everyday, until you have completely changed your eating habits and committed them to memory, check off the foods and supplements you have taken in. All boxes should be marked at the end of the day. This will guarantee maximum health benefits.

Another approach is to get a pill box and place a weeks worth of supplements in every box. This is a simple, and portable, reminder of the supplements you need to take. You can also laminate and index card of the important foods you should be consuming so you can take that with you everywhere. Use it when ordering at a restaurant or grocery shopping.


Resources ofr the information obtained for this include:

The New Optimum Nutrition Bible, by Patrick Holford

Digestive Wellness, by Elizabeth Lipski, Ph.D, CCN

http://www.homocysteine.com/mfheart.html

I highly recommend reading all three of these sources for a more in depth education on the subject matter.

New Year's Healthy Resolutions?

Dr. Weil, a well known author on health and nutrition, gives some great ways to combat health related issues for the new year. Ways such as anti-inflammatory foods, smart snacking, and taking time for (green) tea.

New Year's resolutions always include a new diet, exercise goals, and a reduction in weight. But the number of people who run out of steam by February and March is staggering. For this new year try and make your goals smaller then becoming more gradual as the year goes on. Be excited about making your changes and monitor your progress regularly to keep up the momentum. Reward yourself at every goal attained with a gift. Buy that new outfit or gadget you've been eyeing. Celebrate your accomplishments. And pat yourself on the back whenever possible. Maintaining a positive attitude while making lifestyle changes makes it a more pleasurable one and will ensure you don't run out of steam.

Think Sugar is Harmless?

Durning the holiday season people can consume about 3 times the amount of sugar than they do throughout the entire year. Some effects this can have on your include:

• Massive production of insulin to compensate for the increase in blood sugar levels
• Taxation on pancreas from production of too much insulin which can result in borderline diabetes (insulin can run out, you're only given so much in a lifetime)
• Lack of exercise with a mega increase in calories means getting that spare tire you didn't ask Santa for
• A decrease in your immunity to viruses and bacteria (it's not the winter chill that makes you ill, it's your sugary treats)
• Sugar feeds systemic yeast that can result in an array of symptoms from vaginal yeast infections to skin eruptions. Yeast is bimorphic which means it can travel around your bloodstream and root itself as a fungus anywhere it finds a plentiful food supply.

So next year be mindful of what effects overconsumption of delicious treats like chocolate Santa's and candy canes can have on your body. Try planning for healthy alternatives. Surf the web for some simple recipes and plan ahead to make sure you're not scurring last minute to make your holidays tasty ones.

Before You Get That Manicure, Look At This

Found something interesting today. A webcast about what fingernails look like and possible related health issues. Sorry about the ad at the beginning but it's only about 15 seconds long.

That's all for today. I'll post another one maybe two before the holidays start. Then I'll be travelling and away from civilization.