Archive for the ‘disease’ Category

Immune System Response, Exercise and Inflammation

anti-aging, disease, Fitness, Free Radicals, inflammation, nutrition, performance, Recovery - Repair | Posted by admin April 30th, 2016

biocellsLike other stressors in our lives—allergic reactions, lack of sleep, emotional duress, poor nutritional intake and excess body fat—exercise can directly affect the body’s complex immune system and produce a cascading effect of inflammatory responses.

 

Inflammation occurs at the peak of the immune response when conditions such as fever trigger the body to increase blood flow and bring in specialized immune cells to help repair and remove damaged tissues.

An acute (short-term) response to internal and external invaders is the basis of a successful immune system. However, when inflammatory stressors become chronic (long-term) and accumulate, trouble begins.

The immune system is divided into two types of responses: natural and specific. The natural response is an all-purpose first line of defense comprising cells that identify and attack a number of different invaders in a short time frame. White blood cells and other cells devour invading pathogens and initiate inflammation by releasing toxic substances that damage and then consume the invader or damaged tissue.

The second component of the immune system, the specific response, is far more complex and mostly beyond the scope of this discussion. Simply put, the specific response recognizes a specific invader, like bacteria or an allergen, and then mounts a defense against it.

This intricate protective mechanism helps maintain the biochemical balance in the body that maintains health or promotes healing. Many body systems must remain balanced for homeostasis to occur. One important example is the endocrine system, which controls much of the body’s regulating hormones, the body’s pH, body temperature and chemicals in the bloodstream, all of which are delicately balanced and vulnerable if altered for a significant length of time.

Physical & Mental Stressors

It should be noted that the immune system is well designed to handle such physical stressors as microbes, sprained ankles and hay fever. What is not clear, however, is how the immune system reacts to the accumulation of other physical stressors—poor nutrition, lack of sleep, food allergies or sensitivities, postural and joint misalignment and foreign substances.

Additionally, behavioral scientists have been examining the effect of mental and emotional stressors. Significant research has indicated that mental stressors provide as great a challenge to homeostasis as physical conditions like influenza or muscle tears.

The term allostatic load refers to the method by which the body adjusts to the combined effect of many physical and mental stressors. A high allostatic load is essentially an overload of those different stressors, creating what one researcher dubbed “a cascade of cause and effect”.

The connecting factor among physical, emotional and mental stressors occurs in an area of the brain known as the HPA axis. Consisting of the hypothalamus, pituitary gland and adrenal gland, the HPA axis serves as the body’s emergency alert system that responds to a variety of stressors by releasing hormones, such as epinephrine and norepinephrine, which prepare different body systems for action. The HPA axis also releases growth hormone (GH) and cortisol; GH helps repair tissue and promotes growth, whereas cortisol fuels the body by maintaining proper glucose and fatty acid levels.

When faced with a lot of different stressors (i.e., a high allostatic load), the intricately tuned immune system can get caught in a stress hormone–inflammation loop. Hormones are released at higher than normal levels, leading to an increase in pro-inflammatory cytokines, which, in a vicious circle, then re-stimulates the HPA axis. Cortisol levels also increase and alter the immune/ inflammation system, resulting in higher levels of inflammatory factors in the body.

Exercise & Inflammation

So how do the immune system, HPA axis and stress response all fit into the exercise and fitness equation? Exercise is a physical stressor, and the exercise stress response follows similar inflammatory physiological pathways to those activated by other physical and mental stimuli.

In fact, the response to exercise is so parallel that exercise scientists borrowed the phrase general adaptation syndrome (GAS) from Hans Selye, a behavioral scientist who pioneered much of the early extensive research on the stress response. According to Selye, stress causes a temporary decrease in function, followed by an adaptation that improves function. In order for us to improve our health, fitness or athletic ability, it is necessary to increase our efforts to fatigue-level intensities and then recover and refuel.

During exercise, the primary hormones that get released are

  • epinephrine (to increase heart rate and blood flow to the muscles)
  • norepinephrine (to raise blood pressure)
  • cortisol (to mobilize fuel sources and lower any inflammation)
  • growth hormone and glucagons (to protect blood glucose and mobilize other energy sources for fuel)

These hormones are the same as those secreted when the body is reacting to mental and emotional stressors.

If the exercise session was designed to elicit higher levels of strength or conditioning, some degree of muscle damage occurred, calling upon the immune system to respond in a number of ways, including an inflammatory response to help muscle repair. While this process promotes muscle regeneration, it can also slow the body’s ability to repair muscle tissue.

Contributing Factors for Inflammation

Many factors play a significant role in increasing body inflammation, including physical imbalances, diet, allergies, sleep deprivation, excess weight and age.

Physical Conditions. Postural and joint mal-alignments play a major role in inflammatory conditions. Exercisers who spend long periods of time sitting each day are especially vulnerable when performing certain upright movements that can create excessive friction in joint complexes. Excessive shoulder internal rotation, thoracic flexion and hip external rotation are classic seated mal-alignment issues that result in pain or damage to areas that then become inflamed.

Poor Diet. One huge contributing factor to inflammation is the Western convenience/comfort food diet, which is high in saturated and trans fats, simple carbohydrates and animal proteins. The American Dietetic Association (ADA) urges Americans to reduce their consumption of saturated and trans fatty acids to diminish risk factors for inflammation-based disorders such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, cerebral infarction and other immune disorders.. Food allergies and sensitivities also contribute to inflammation. The most common food allergies involve wheat gluten, nuts or shellfish. While less severe than allergies, food sensitivities can produce subtle inflammatory reactions to common trigger foods; for example, products made with dairy, corn, soy, wheat, sugar and nuts

Other Allergens. In addition to food, allergens such as chemicals, dust, mold or pollens can cause the body’s immune system to release chemical neurotransmitters called histamines, which trigger an inflammatory process in the blood vessels. The allergic reaction can be slight (e.g., itchy skin, runny nose) or far more serious (e.g., blood pressure drop, swelling, shortness of breath). Environmental pollutants, cleaning products and noise can also increase inflammation.

Sleep Deprivation. Lack of sleep is associated with inflammation. Sleep is a time for the body to recover and repair both mentally and physically. That’s why sleep experts recommend getting 7–9 hours nightly to function optimally. Studies indicate that this time period is critical for biochemical balance in substances like GH and cortisol.

Excess Weight. Biochemical imbalances have also been linked to inflammation caused by excess intra-abdominal fat. Beyond a certain level, excessive intra-abdominal fat produces a cortisol response, which tells the body to store fat; this begins a never-ending feedback loop.

Advanced Age. Another contributing factor is age. As we age, interleukin levels increase dramatically, which plays a role in the development of many diseases of aging, including heart disease, osteoporosis, Alzheimer’s disease and other cognitive impairment diseases.

Tailoring Exercise Programs

Research indicates that high-intensity (> 70% of maximal effort) exercise sessions lasting longer than 20–30 minutes or low-intensity (< 50%–70%) efforts lasting longer than 75 minutes can flood the body with stress and inflammation biochemical markers, initiating a cascading response. It therefore makes sense to devise a workout that stays within those time and intensity parameters.

Moderate exercise at lower intensities is the better course. Moderate exercise efforts for up to 60 minutes can actually reduce inflammatory markers, increase positive neurotransmitters (e.g., serotonin and endorphins) and improve brain chemistry. Moderate intensities also stimulate the growth of new brain cells, neurons and capillary growth to muscles and neurons.

According to most studies, exercising under the 70% effort level seems to be the baseline for reducing inflammation and stress hormone levels These reduced efforts should be combined with exercise programming design that includes myofascial release, flexibility training and corrective exercise. This type of program can help relieve stress, improve joint alignment and muscle activation and reduce the inflammatory response.

Mental Element

It is perfectly acceptable to give less of an effort and work at lower intensities during times of high stress. High-intensity, long-duration workouts are counterproductive if performed during a time of high demands and increased stress in other areas of life.

Managing the hormonal component of exercise can actually help produce gains. The outdated “no pain, no gain” approach can be detrimental to health because at best it stimulates the body to retain body fat or lose muscle mass and at worst it creates a chronic state of injury and illness.

Inflammation also supports the healing power of 7–8 hours of sleep. Sleep is critical to maintaining biochemical homeostasis. The primary function of sleep is to give the body and the mind some restorative time to help decrease systematic inflammation.

Proactive Anti-Inflammatory Strategy

Several proactive anti-inflammatory nutrition strategies that are fairly simple. For example, research has shown that inflammation can be prevented or reduced by the following:

  • adding more fruits and vegetables to the diet
  • reducing intake of trans fats and saturated fats
  • increasing intake of omega-3 fats (found in fish oils, olive oil, avocados and walnuts)
  • reducing intake of simple carbs and animal protein

Some herbs and other phytochemicals have been shown to significantly reduce inflammation in the body. For example, an active component in the herb turmeric called curcumin has been studied extensively for its ability to inhibit cancer cell growth. Ginger has exhibited the same properties. Some dietary supplements combine tumeric, ginger, rosemary, basil and other herbs to create a potent natural anti-inflammatory with no known side effects. Studies have found that this specific combination is as effective as some pharmaceutical compounds at stemming inflammation.

NSAIDs work to inhibit hormones in the body called prostaglandins, which are vital to many physiological processes but specifically cause the sensation of pain as a protective mechanism. Because these hormones are important in gastric function and because NSAIDs eliminate all prostaglandin activity, gastric distress can be a side effect. Newer studies are finding that instead of speeding recovery from muscular injury, ingestion of traditional NSAIDs may actually slow the process for several days as protein synthesis (tissue healing) is delayed.

Common types of traditional NSAIDs include aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen, ketoprofen and indomethacin. It should be noted that while acetaminophen (Tylenol™) is classified as an NSAID, it exhibits little or no anti-inflammatory effects despite its analgesic properties.

Reference:   IDEA Health & Fitness Association     http://www.ideafit.com

Are Your Prescriptions Depleting Your Nutritional Status ?

anti-aging, disease, Fitness, Free Radicals, nutrition, performance, Recovery - Repair, strength | Posted by admin September 1st, 2015

Becoming familiar with the nutritional depletion effects of taking prescription drugs must be considered in order to adjust diet and nutritional supplements for maintaining optimal health, strength and performance…  Check below for your potential risks…

 

Micronutrient Depletion Rx GuideRev 

(Revised  – September 2, 2015)

Patients shouldn’t self-medicate with supplements. Over-supplementing can be harmful.

Understanding how nutrients correlate with each other is a critical part of a personalized

supplement plan.

 

Decrease Oxidative Stress Naturally in Healthy Older Men and Women?

anti-aging, disease, Free Radicals, nutrition, Recovery - Repair | Posted by admin November 8th, 2013

Compared with young adults, older adults have significantly impaired capacities to resist oxidative damage when faced with acute stress such as ischemia/reperfusion. This impairment likely contributes to increased morbidity and mortality in older adults in response to acute trauma, infections, and the susceptibility to diseases such as atherosclerosis, cancer, diabetes, and Alzheimer’s disease.  Consumption of foods high in polyphenols, particularly anthocyanins, have been associated with improved health, but the mechanisms contributing to these salutary effects remain to be fully established.

A study tested the hypothesis that consumption of tart cherry juice containing high levels of anthocyanins improves the capacity of older adults to resist oxidative damage during acute oxidative stress. In a double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover design, data suggests that consumption of tart cherry juice improves antioxidant defenses in vivo in older adults as shown by an increased capacity to constrain an oxidative challenge and reduced oxidative damage to nucleic acids.

Oxidative stress, defined as an imbalance between the rate of formation and the rate of clearance of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS), is thought to be a key mechanism in the aging process and in a variety of age-related chronic diseases, including atherosclerosis, cancer, diabetes, and Alzheimer’s disease.

Research has recently shown that healthy older adults have an impaired capacity to resist oxidative damage after exposure to an acute stress compared with young adults.  This impairment may account for the greater morbidity and mortality of older adults compared with young adults during trauma, infections, or surgery, as well as their increased susceptibility to cardiovascular and neurodegenerative disease.   Acute stress increases production of reactive oxygen species and frequently occurs in acute events that afflict older adults such as trauma, cardiovascular disease, and surgery.

The antioxidative capacity of older adults appears to be sufficient to maintain homeostasis in non-stressed conditions, but insufficient to cope with a substantial oxidative challenge. Therefore, identifying interventions that improve resistance to oxidative damage during an acute challenge might be of great potential value in decreasing morbidity and mortality in older adults, even if these interventions do not affect basal levels of oxidation.

It has been proposed that the antioxidant activities of fruits and vegetables come from the additive and synergistic effects of their phytonutrients and that isolated dietary supplements do not exhibit these same benefits.  Therefore, an intervention that would provide a natural blend of phytonutrients lead to Tart cherries which have high levels of antioxidants in the form of phenolic compounds and anthocyanins.  Diets rich in polyphenols, especially anthocyanins, have been shown to increase resistance to oxidation in research models.

Because anthocyanins can activate xenobiotic responses, including expression of a plethora of antioxidant response genes, it is hypothesized that increasing the dietary intake of diverse antioxidants, such as those contained in tart cherry juice, would increase resistance to oxidative damage after an acute stress, an effect that could potentially dramatically improve resistance to morbidity and mortality in older adults.

The conclusion of the data from a placebo-controlled, crossover study demonstrated that a dietary antioxidant intervention through consumption of tart cherry juice improves antioxidant defenses in vivo in older adults as shown by an increased capacity to resist oxidative damage after an acute stress and reduced oxidative damage to nucleic acids. The results also highlighted the observation that various markers of oxidative damage may reflect different mechanisms of resistance to oxidative damage.

 

References:   The Journal of Nutritionhttp://jn.nutrition.org
published online August 19, 2009; doi:10.3945/jn.109.111716
research study conducted –
Kronos Longevity Research Institute, Phoenix, AZ; 5Kronos Science Laboratory, Phoenix, AZ 85016; and Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN 37232

Immune System Response, Exercise and Inflammation

anti-aging, disease, Fitness, nutrition, obesity, Recovery - Repair | Posted by admin December 17th, 2012

Exercise can help boost the body’s immune system. Physical activity can actually produce an inflammatory response, leading to chronic inflammation?

Like other stressors in our lives—allergic reactions, lack of sleep, emotional duress, poor nutritional intake and excess body fat—exercise can directly affect the body’s complex immune system and produce a cascading effect of inflammatory responses.

Inflammation occurs at the peak of the immune response when conditions such as fever trigger the body to increase blood flow and bring in specialized immune cells to help repair and remove damaged tissues.

An acute (short-term) response to internal and external invaders is the basis of a successful immune system. However, when inflammatory stressors become chronic (long-term) and accumulate, trouble begins.

The immune system is divided into two types of responses: natural and specific. The natural response is an all-purpose first line of defense comprising cells that identify and attack a number of different invaders in a short time frame. White blood cells and other cells devour invading pathogens and initiate inflammation by releasing toxic substances that damage and then consume the invader or damaged tissue.

The second component of the immune system, the specific response, is far more complex and mostly beyond the scope of this discussion. Simply put, the specific response recognizes a specific invader, like bacteria or an allergen, and then mounts a defense against it.

This intricate protective mechanism helps maintain the biochemical balance in the body that maintains health or promotes healing. Many body systems must remain balanced for homeostasis to occur. One important example is the endocrine system, which controls much of the body’s regulating hormones, the body’s pH, body temperature and chemicals in the bloodstream, all of which are delicately balanced and vulnerable if altered for a significant length of time.

Physical & Mental Stressors

It should be noted that the immune system is well designed to handle such physical stressors as microbes, sprained ankles and hay fever. What is not clear, however, is how the immune system reacts to the accumulation of other physical stressors—poor nutrition, lack of sleep, food allergies or sensitivities, postural and joint misalignment and foreign substances.

Additionally, behavioral scientists have been examining the effect of mental and emotional stressors. Significant research has indicated that mental stressors provide as great a challenge to homeostasis as physical conditions like influenza or muscle tears.

The term allostatic load refers to the method by which the body adjusts to the combined effect of many physical and mental stressors. A high allostatic load is essentially an overload of those different stressors, creating what one researcher dubbed “a cascade of cause and effect”.

The connecting factor among physical, emotional and mental stressors occurs in an area of the brain known as the HPA axis. Consisting of the hypothalamus, pituitary gland and adrenal gland, the HPA axis serves as the body’s emergency alert system that responds to a variety of stressors by releasing hormones, such as epinephrine and norepinephrine, which prepare different body systems for action. The HPA axis also releases growth hormone (GH) and cortisol; GH helps repair tissue and promotes growth, whereas cortisol fuels the body by maintaining proper glucose and fatty acid levels.

When faced with a lot of different stressors (i.e., a high allostatic load), the intricately tuned immune system can get caught in a stress hormone–inflammation loop. Hormones are released at higher than normal levels, leading to an increase in pro-inflammatory cytokines, which, in a vicious circle, then re-stimulates the HPA axis. Cortisol levels also increase and alter the immune/ inflammation system, resulting in higher levels of inflammatory factors in the body.

Exercise & Inflammation

So how do the immune system, HPA axis and stress response all fit into the exercise and fitness equation? Exercise is a physical stressor, and the exercise stress response follows similar inflammatory physiological pathways to those activated by other physical and mental stimuli.

In fact, the response to exercise is so parallel that exercise scientists borrowed the phrase general adaptation syndrome (GAS) from Hans Selye, a behavioral scientist who pioneered much of the early extensive research on the stress response. According to Selye, stress causes a temporary decrease in function, followed by an adaptation that improves function. In order for us to improve our health, fitness or athletic ability, it is necessary to increase our efforts to fatigue-level intensities and then recover and refuel.

During exercise, the primary hormones that get released are

  • epinephrine (to increase heart rate and blood flow to the muscles)
  • norepinephrine (to raise blood pressure)
  • cortisol (to mobilize fuel sources and lower any inflammation)
  • growth hormone and glucagons (to protect blood glucose and mobilize other energy sources for fuel)

These hormones are the same as those secreted when the body is reacting to mental and emotional stressors.

If the exercise session was designed to elicit higher levels of strength or conditioning, some degree of muscle damage occurred, calling upon the immune system to respond in a number of ways, including an inflammatory response to help muscle repair. While this process promotes muscle regeneration, it can also slow the body’s ability to repair muscle tissue.

Contributing Factors for Inflammation

Many factors play a significant role in increasing body inflammation, including physical imbalances, diet, allergies, sleep deprivation, excess weight and age.

Physical Conditions. Postural and joint mal-alignments play a major role in inflammatory conditions. Exercisers who spend long periods of time sitting each day are especially vulnerable when performing certain upright movements that can create excessive friction in joint complexes. Excessive shoulder internal rotation, thoracic flexion and hip external rotation are classic seated mal-alignment issues that result in pain or damage to areas that then become inflamed.

Poor Diet. One huge contributing factor to inflammation is the Western convenience/comfort food diet, which is high in saturated and trans fats, simple carbohydrates and animal proteins. The American Dietetic Association (ADA) urges Americans to reduce their consumption of saturated and trans fatty acids to diminish risk factors for inflammation-based disorders such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, cerebral infarction and other immune disorders.. Food allergies and sensitivities also contribute to inflammation. The most common food allergies involve wheat gluten, nuts or shellfish. While less severe than allergies, food sensitivities can produce subtle inflammatory reactions to common trigger foods; for example, products made with dairy, corn, soy, wheat, sugar and nuts

Other Allergens. In addition to food, allergens such as chemicals, dust, mold or pollens can cause the body’s immune system to release chemical neurotransmitters called histamines, which trigger an inflammatory process in the blood vessels. The allergic reaction can be slight (e.g., itchy skin, runny nose) or far more serious (e.g., blood pressure drop, swelling, shortness of breath). Environmental pollutants, cleaning products and noise can also increase inflammation.

Sleep Deprivation. Lack of sleep is associated with inflammation. Sleep is a time for the body to recover and repair both mentally and physically. That’s why sleep experts recommend getting 7–9 hours nightly to function optimally. Studies indicate that this time period is critical for biochemical balance in substances like GH and cortisol.

Excess Weight. Biochemical imbalances have also been linked to inflammation caused by excess intra-abdominal fat. Beyond a certain level, excessive intra-abdominal fat produces a cortisol response, which tells the body to store fat; this begins a never-ending feedback loop.

Advanced Age. Another contributing factor is age. As we age, interleukin levels increase dramatically, which plays a role in the development of many diseases of aging, including heart disease, osteoporosis, Alzheimer’s disease and other cognitive impairment diseases.

Tailoring Exercise Programs

Research indicates that high-intensity (> 70% of maximal effort) exercise sessions lasting longer than 20–30 minutes or low-intensity (< 50%–70%) efforts lasting longer than 75 minutes can flood the body with stress and inflammation biochemical markers, initiating a cascading response. It therefore makes sense to devise a workout that stays within those time and intensity parameters.

Moderate exercise at lower intensities is the better course. Moderate exercise efforts for up to 60 minutes can actually reduce inflammatory markers, increase positive neurotransmitters (e.g., serotonin and endorphins) and improve brain chemistry. Moderate intensities also stimulate the growth of new brain cells, neurons and capillary growth to muscles and neurons.

According to most studies, exercising under the 70% effort level seems to be the baseline for reducing inflammation and stress hormone levels These reduced efforts should be combined with exercise programming design that includes myofascial release, flexibility training and corrective exercise. This type of program can help relieve stress, improve joint alignment and muscle activation and reduce the inflammatory response.

Mental Element

It is perfectly acceptable to give less of an effort and work at lower intensities during times of high stress. High-intensity, long-duration workouts are counterproductive if performed during a time of high demands and increased stress in other areas of life.

Managing the hormonal component of exercise can actually help produce gains. The outdated “no pain, no gain” approach can be detrimental to health because at best it stimulates the body to retain body fat or lose muscle mass and at worst it creates a chronic state of injury and illness.

Inflammation also supports the healing power of 7–8 hours of sleep. Sleep is critical to maintaining biochemical homeostasis. The primary function of sleep is to give the body and the mind some restorative time to help decrease systematic inflammation.

Proactive Anti-Inflammatory Strategy

Several proactive anti-inflammatory nutrition strategies that are fairly simple. For example, research has shown that inflammation can be prevented or reduced by the following:

  • adding more fruits and vegetables to the diet
  • reducing intake of trans fats and saturated fats
  • increasing intake of omega-3 fats (found in fish oils, olive oil, avocados and walnuts)
  • reducing intake of simple carbs and animal protein

Some herbs and other phytochemicals have been shown to significantly reduce inflammation in the body. For example, an active component in the herb turmeric called curcumin has been studied extensively for its ability to inhibit cancer cell growth. Ginger has exhibited the same properties. Some dietary supplements combine tumeric, ginger, rosemary, basil and other herbs to create a potent natural anti-inflammatory with no known side effects. Studies have found that this specific combination is as effective as some pharmaceutical compounds at stemming inflammation.

NSAIDs work to inhibit hormones in the body called prostaglandins, which are vital to many physiological processes but specifically cause the sensation of pain as a protective mechanism. Because these hormones are important in gastric function and because NSAIDs eliminate all prostaglandin activity, gastric distress can be a side effect. Newer studies are finding that instead of speeding recovery from muscular injury, ingestion of traditional NSAIDs may actually slow the process for several days as protein synthesis (tissue healing) is delayed.

Common types of traditional NSAIDs include aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen, ketoprofen and indomethacin. It should be noted that while acetaminophen (Tylenol™) is classified as an NSAID, it exhibits little or no anti-inflammatory effects despite its analgesic properties.

Reference:   IDEA Health & Fitness Association     http://www.ideafit.com

Inflammation – degrades health at the cellular level

anti-aging, disease, Fitness, Free Radicals, nutrition, performance, Recovery - Repair | Posted by admin May 25th, 2012

Inflammation is central to the body’s ability to defend, maintain and repair itself. Its symptoms appear as redness, heat, swelling and pain, announcing a part of the body that is inflamed.  Heat and redness are signs of blood rushing to the injured area. Swelling is from changes in the small blood vessels that allow plasma to seep into the tissues. Pain results from the release of compounds used by the immune system to draw defensive support to the injured area. The inflammatory response is regulated by hormones which both intensify and dampen the response.  Unchecked inflammation, or chronic inflammation, is abnormal, and occurs upon an imbalance of these hormones which inhibits the ability to turn off the defensive action when healing is complete.

Chronic inflammation extends beyond the location of the original injury, and spreads to areas of the body which are healthy. It is at the cellular level that chronic inflammation begins and is most often due to oxidative stress, brought on by the burning of energy in our bodies along with toxic elements in our environment. Toxins in the form of free radicals build up over time in our bodies, from both external and internal sources (internally, the consumption of fuel by our cells). These free radicals cause an inflammatory reaction at the cellular level, becoming chronic over time.

It is becoming widely known that this inflammation at the cellular level is at the root of over 200 common degenerative, chronic diseases.  A broad category of inflammation related disease is autoimmunity. These diseases include Type I Diabetes, Rheumatoid arthritis, asthma, eczema, coronary heart disease, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, ALS, and even cancer.

There is also mounting evidence of a critical role of inflammation in the development of hypertension. Metabolic syndrome, marked by increased levels of C-reactive protein, is associated the inflammatory response, and a known precursor to high blood pressure, and an increased risk of heart attack and stroke.

Oxidative stress promotes the inflammatory response because the body sees the oxidation of cells as injury, and where excessive oxidative stress exists, inflammation begins to cause the body’s immune system to attack otherwise healthy cells.

Inflammation can be avoided by choices in the diet.

The macronutrients (fats, carbohydrates, and proteins) and micronutrients (vitamins, minerals, enzymes and phytonutrients) we consume have a direct role in maintaining a healthy inflammatory response.

Macronutrients:

Fats:
We all know about the bad fats (the saturated fats) and the good fats (polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats). The saturated fats will have a more pro-inflammatory response in our bodies. Some fats are extremely pro-inflammatory. These are the artificially hardened fats: margarine, vegetable shortening, and partially hydrogenated vegetable oils. These products include oxidized fatty acids and trans fats. Balancing essential fatty acids (EFAs) is critical in maintaining the body’s ability to temper the inflammatory response. In general, the hormones synthesized from omega-6 fatty acids, which are abundant in our SAD (Standard American Diet) increase inflammatory reaction, while the hormones we create from omega-3 fatty acids have the dampening effect on this response. In the distant past our diets consisted of a more equivalent amount of these fats, but are now heavily weighted in the omega-6 fats. Unfortunately, omega-3’s are much harder to come by than omega-6’s. They are found in low concentrations in leafy greens, a few seeds and nuts (pumpkin seeds, walnuts, flax, hemp) and a few vegetable oils (soy, canola), sea vegetables, and oily fish from cold waters (salmon, sardines herring, mackerel, black cod, and bluefish). Animals that are allowed to graze on grass rather than being fattened on grains accumulate omega-3s in their fat. Oxidized fatty acids occur when oils are exposed to air, light and heat. Rancidity is a sign of oxidation; if your oil smells at all funny, toss it! This includes nuts and seeds, which do not have a long shelf life. The omega-3’s in these foods break down with oxidation, and as with oils, dispose of them when they begin to smell the least bit rancid. Refrigeration can extend their shelf life.

Carbohydrates:

As with the fats, our sources of carbohydrates can be pro-inflammatory. The glycemic index and glycemic load are indicators of the oxidative stress that will occur as a result of ingesting certain foods.  As you eat more high-GI foods, such as bread, white potatoes, white pasta, sugars, chips, crackers and snack foods, your body processes these foods as simple sugars. It burns these sugars very rapidly, causing excessive oxidation which results in an inflammatory response. Eat foods with a low-GI such as whole grains, beans, sweet potatoes, winter squashes and other vegetables, temperate fruits (berries, cherries, apples and pears) and less refined or processed food. Eating these foods will avoid inflammation, as the body will process these foods in a more regulated manner.

Proteins:
The influence of proteins on inflammation is not as direct, but are more a result of their fat and carbohydrates. Animal fats are more commonly saturated, while they also come with greater environmental contamination than plant foods.  Toxins from this environmental contamination cause inflammatory response from the resulting oxidative stress. Vegetable sources of proteins include soy and other legumes. These sources of protein are no less nutritious than meat protein but limit and even aid in controlling chronic inflammation.  Fish is highly recommended in favor of meat for its omega-3 fatty acids, but it is desirable to avoid some fish, such as tuna or shark, for their levels of mercury and PCBs. Good choices are wild Alaskan salmon, Alaskan black code (sablefish or butterfish), and sardines.

If fish oil supplements are taken, they should be distilled and toxin free, and not from farmed fish as they will contain no omega-3s which are derived from plankton and other natural sources not available to farm fish.  If you are taking EFA supplements, try to find those which have parental rather than derived fatty acids, and contain the correct balance.

Micronutrients:

Vitamins, minerals, enzymes, and phytonutrients are obtained for the most part from fruits and vegetables. We are told by the FDA that we should consume from 5-9 servings of fruit per day (1 cup of raw or 1/2 cup of cooked is considered one serving).

However it is not recommended that variety and raw foods are extremely important considerations. But it is well known that these nutrients are critical in reducing oxydative stress and related inflammation.

Phytonutrients are indicated by the colors of fruit and vegetables. There are tens of thousands of known phytonutrients, and more are being studied every day.  For example, the phytonutrients creating the red, blue, and purple in fruits and vegetables contain anthocyanins, which are water soluble. Anthocyanins are part of a larger subgroup of plant compounds called flavanoids, which are a subclass of plant polyphenols.  Plant polyphenols are known to have significant antioxidant capabilities, and so in turn, limit inflammatory response. Plant polyphenols have been studied for some time now for their role in protecting cells against cancerous conditions.

Reference:  Nutrition-To-Wellness
Nutrition and Health Blog, Discover Wellness, by Vicky Berry

Sugar is Sugar ??? – Not So . . .

anti-aging, disease, Fitness, nutrition, obesity, performance | Posted by admin November 14th, 2011

Your Brain Reacts to Fructose and Glucose in  Very Different Ways

A study performed at Oregon Health and  Science University is intriguing, as it shows that the difference between  fructose and glucose is not just limited to how they’re metabolized in your  body; your brain also reacts to these two sugars in entirely different ways. Nine healthy, normal-weight subjects  received either glucose, fructose, or saline (as the control). Their brains  were then scanned to evaluate activity around the hypothalamus, which is a key  player in appetite control and production of metabolic hormones. Interestingly, the researchers  discovered that the “cortical control areas” surrounding the  hypothalamus responded very differently to each substance:

  • Glucose significantly raised the level of neural activity for about 20 minutes
  • Fructose reduced neural activity in the area for about the same amount of time
  • Saline had no effect on neural activity

So, what does this mean?

At this point, the implications of these differences are unclear. The Chicago Tribune reported that:

“At this point, said [lead researcher] Purnell in a phone interview, it means nothing more than that the two substances did prompt different responses in the brain–that the brain did not respond to them identically.

Within some of the “cortical control areas” where differences were seen, lie some important neural real estate, including regions where notions of reward and addiction are processed.

As scientists have a closer look in future studies, they should be able to zero in on which specific areas are affected differently by the two forms of sugar.”

So, time will tell what these latest findings really mean, but we already know that fructose has a detrimental impact on two hormones involved with satiety and hunger, namely leptin and ghrelin, and that this influence sets in motion a vicious cycle of hunger, increased food intake, and increased fat storage.

Fructose Packs on the Pounds Faster than Any Other Nutrient

Part of what makes HFCS so unhealthy is that it is metabolized to fat in your body far more rapidly than any other sugar. The entire burden of metabolizing fructose falls on your liver, and it promotes a particularly dangerous kind of body fat, namely adipose fat. This is the fat type of fat that collects in your abdominal region and is associated with a greater risk of heart disease.  Additionally, because most fructose is consumed in liquid form (i.e. soda and sweetened beverages of all kinds), its negative metabolic effects are magnified. Because while HFCS has about the same amount of fructose as cane sugar, the fructose in HFCS is in its “free” form and not attached to any other carbs. The fructose in fruits and in cane sugar is bonded to other sugars which results in a decrease in its metabolic toxicity.

Consuming foods that contain high amounts of fructose—even if it’s a natural product—is, to put it bluntly, the fastest way to trash your health. Among the health problems you invite with a high-fructose diet are:

  • Obesity, insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes
  • Elevated triglycerides and LDL (bad) cholesterol levels
  • Elevated blood pressure
  • Liver disease
  • Depletion of vitamins and minerals—Unbound fructose, found in large quantities in HFCS, can interfere with your heart’s use of minerals such as magnesium, copper and chromium.
  • Cardiovascular disease, arthritis, gout, and cancer

Beware: Mixing Fructose with Glucose Increases Destructive Effect

Fructose consumption clearly causes insulin resistance whereas straight glucose does not. However, it’s worth knowing that glucose accelerates fructose absorption!  So when you mix glucose and fructose together, you absorb more fructose than if  you consumed fructose alone…

This is an important piece of information if you are struggling to control your weight. Remember, sucrose, or table sugar,  is exactly this blend — fructose plus glucose. So, the key to remember is to not get too nit-picky about the names of the sugars. ALL of these contribute to decreased health:

  • Sucrose (table sugar)
  • Corn syrup
  • High fructose corn syrup (HFCS)
  • Crystalline fructose, and any other high-fructose sweetener they may dream up
  • Natural fructose in the form of fruits, fruit juices, and natural sweeteners such as honey and agave.

Is Fructose from HFCS Worse than Fructose from Table Sugar?

High fructose corn syrup is about 55 percent fructose while table sugar is about 50 percent. The fructose in the corn syrup is also dissociated from the glucose, unlike table sugar which has it attached. So HFCS is clearly worse than table sugar, but not orders of
magnitude. It is only marginally worse.

The MAIN reason why fructose and HFCS are so bad is that in the mid 70s two things happened. Earl Butz changed the US Agriculture policy to massively subsidize corn production in the US, and scientists also figured out how to make HFCS in the lab from corn.  The combination of these two events made fructose VERY cheap. So cheap that it’s put in virtually all processed  foods because it is virtually free and massively improves the flavor of most foods. So if you are a processed food producer there are virtually no downsides. So it becomes a QUANTITY issue, and the average person is now consuming 600 percent more than their ancestors did, and some are consuming 1500 percent more. So the massive increase in this toxin is what is causing the problem. If table sugar was as cheap and used as much it would cause virtually identical side effects.

Fructose Metabolism Basics

Without getting into the very complex biochemistry of carbohydrate metabolism, it is important to understand how your body processes glucose versus fructose. Dr. Robert Lustig, Professor of Pediatrics in the Division of Endocrinology at the University of California, has been a pioneer in decoding sugar metabolism. His work has highlighted some major differences in how different sugars are broken down and used.

Here’s a summary of the main points:

  • After eating fructose, 100 percent of the metabolic burden rests on your liver. With glucose, your liver has to  break down only 20 percent.
  • Every cell in your body, including your brain, utilizes glucose. Therefore, much of it is “burned up” immediately after you consume it. By contrast, fructose is turned into free fatty acids (FFAs), VLDL (the damaging form of cholesterol), and triglycerides, which get stored as fat.
  • The fatty acids created during fructose metabolism accumulate as fat droplets in your liver and skeletal muscle tissues, causing insulin resistance and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Insulin resistance progresses to metabolic syndrome and type II diabetes.
  • Fructose is the most lipophilic carbohydrate. In other words, fructose converts to activated glycerol (g-3-p), which is directly used to turn FFAs into triglycerides. The more g-3-p you have, the more fat you store. Glucose does not do this.
  • When you eat 120 calories of glucose, less than one calorie is stored as fat. 120 calories of fructose results in 40 calories being stored as fat. Consuming fructose is essentially consuming fat!
  • The metabolism of fructose by your liver creates a long list of waste products and toxins, including a large amount of uric acid, which drives up blood pressure and causes gout.
  • Glucose suppresses the hunger hormone ghrelin and stimulates leptin, which suppresses your appetite. Fructose has no effect on ghrelin and interferes with your brain’s communication with leptin, resulting in overeating.

So, if anyone tries to tell you “sugar is sugar,” they are way behind the times. As you can see, there are major differences in how your body processes each one. The bottom line is: fructose leads to increased belly fat, insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome — not to mention the long list of chronic diseases that directly result.

If you, like so many others, have struggled with your weight for years; examined your diet; avoided fat and counted your calories, yet not getting anywhere and wondering what you’re doing wrong, please pay very close attention to this issue!

In many cases the primary culprit is an excessive intake of hidden sugar in the form of fructose, whether natural fructose (such as agave syrup or 100 percent fruit juice, for example), or in the form of corn syrup (or high fructose corn syrup), which is a main ingredient in countless beverages and processed, pre-packaged foods.  It’s extremely easy to consume high amounts of fructose on a daily basis, especially if most of your foods are processed in any way, or if you drink sodas or any other sweetened beverages  such as ice-teas, fruit juices and sports drinks. As previously discussed, even seemingly “health-conscious” beverages like Vitamin Water, Jamba Juice and Odwalla SuperFood contain far more added sugar and/or fructose than many desserts!  So please, understand that it’s not dietary fat that’s making you fat. It’s fructose.

Recommended Fructose Allowance

As a standard recommendation, keep your TOTAL fructose consumption below 25 grams per day.

For most people it would also be wise to limit your fructose from fruit to 15 grams or less, as you’re virtually guaranteed to
consume “hidden” sources of fructose if you drink beverages other than water and eat processed food. Remember, the average 12-ounce can of soda contains 40 grams of sugar, at least half of which is fructose, so one can of soda ALONE would exceed your  daily allotment.  Fifteen grams of fructose is not much — it represents two bananas, one-third cup of raisins, or two Medjool  dates. In his book, The Sugar Fix, Dr. Johnson includes detailed tables showing the content of fructose in different foods — an information base that isn’t readily available when you’re trying to find out exactly how much fructose is in various foods. We encourage you to pick up a copy of this excellent resource.

Here’s a quick reference list of some of the most common fruits that you can use to help you count your fructose grams:

Limes –                   1 medium = 0 grams
Lemons –                1 medium = 0.6 grams
Cranberries-           1 cup= 0.7 grams
Passion fruit-         1 medium = 0.9 grams
Prune –                     1 medium = 1.2 grams
Apricot –                  1 medium = 1.3 grams
Guava –                    2 medium = 2.2 grams
Date deglet            1 medium = 2.6 grams
Cantaloupe –          1/8 portion = 3.2 grams
Raspberries-         1 cup = 3.0 grams
Clementine –         1 medium = 3.6 grams
Kiwifruit –               1 medium = 3.6 grams
Blackberries –        1 cup = 3.5 grams
Star fruit –              1 medium = 3.6 grams
Cherries sweet –   10 total = 3.8 grams
Strawberries –       1 cup = 3.8 grams
Cherries sour –      1 cup = 4.0 grams
Pineapple –            1 slice = 4.0 grams
Grapefruit pink –  1 half =   4.3 grams
Boysenberries –     1 cup = 4.6 grams
Tangerine –            1 medium = 4.8 grams
Nectarine –             1 medium = 5.4 grams
Peach –                    1 medium = 5.9 grams
Orange navel –       1 medium = 6.1 grams
Papaya –                  1 half = 6.3 grams
Mellon honeydew –  1 eighth = 6.7 grams
Banana –                  1 medium = 7.1 grams
Blueberries –           1 cup = 7.4 grams
Date medjool –       1 medium = 7.7 grams
Apple –                     1 medium = 9.5 grams
Persimmon –           1 medium = 10.6 grams
Watermelon –         1 sixteenth = 11.3 grams
Pear –                       1 medium = 11.8 grams
Raisins –                  1 forth cup = 12.3 grams
Grapes seedless –   1 cup = 12.4 grams
Mango –                   1 half = 16.2 grams
Apricots dried –     1 cup = 16.4 grams
Figs dried –            1 cup = 23.0 grams 

The Way Toward Better Health…

There is nothing benign about the fructose consumption inherent in our modern diet. It is literally supercharged with fructose, and we’re seeing the consequences of this type of eating in our skyrocketing rates of obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and cases of non-fatty liver disease.  Fortunately, there’s plenty of good news here.

There IS a way out of this evil circle, and that is a return to a more holistic diet based on whole foods, along with physical exercise and safe sun exposure to optimize your vitamin D levels.  One of the easiest things you can do to quickly improve your health is to eliminate all soda and sweetened beverages from your life.   ALL soda, because even though HFCS is clearly something you want to avoid, it is still not as bad as artificial sweeteners,  which damage your health even more rapidly than HFCS.  Then, since most processed foods also contain HFCS, avoiding as many processed foods as possible is your next step.
If you want an occasional sweetener, consider:

  1. The herb stevia
  2. Dextrose (pure glucose)

Say no to agave syrup since it is a highly processed sap that is almost all fructose. It is one of the more seriously mismarketed foods in the natural food world. An informal study found the most popular agave brands ranged from 59 to 67 percent pure fructose, far worse than HFCS. Once you realize the hazards of fructose and begin to avoid it in earnest, your diet will significantly improve, which is an essential factor for a long, healthy life.

Reference:  Mercola.com