Posts Tagged ‘disease’

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

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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.

▪

 

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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

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Super Foods for Health

anti-aging, Free Radicals, nutrition, Recovery - Repair | Posted by admin May 17th, 2011
Your health is your wealth and it provides the infrastucture for maintaining strength and performance.  Everyone, especially athletes need to learn and understand the basics of optimal nutrition and how it is key to high performance and rapid recovery.  Muscles cells are injured and replaced constantly and optimal cell replications require optimal nutrients to be available at all times.  Superfoods are natural and they provide the fuel for health, strength and performance.  Learn to like them and make them part of your diet.
Cabbage
Absent from most American kitchens, this cruciferous vegetable is a major player in European and Asian diets.
Why It’s Healthy: One cup of chopped cabbage has just 22 calories, and it’s loaded with valuable nutrients. At the top of the list is sulforaphane, a chemical that increases your body’s production of enzymes that disarm cell-damaging free radicals and reduce your risk of cancer. In fact, Stanford University scientists determined that sulforaphane boosts your levels of these cancer-fighting enzymes higher than any other plant chemical.
How to Eat It: Put cabbage on your burgers to add a satisfying crunch. Or, for an even better sandwich topping or side salad, try an Asian-style slaw. Here’s what you’ll need.
4 Tbsp peanut or canola oil
Juice of two limes
1 Tbsp sriracha, an Asian chili sauce you can find in the international section of your grocery store
1 head napa cabbage, finely chopped or shredded
1/4 cup toasted peanuts
1/2 cup shredded carrots
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
Whisk together the oil, lime juice, and sriracha. Combine the remaining ingredients in a large mixing bowl and toss with the dressing to coat. Refrigerate for 20 minutes before serving. The slaw will keep in your fridge for 2 days.
Beets
These grungy-looking roots are naturally sweeter than any other vegetable, which means they pack tons of flavor underneath their rugged exterior.
Why They’re Healthy: Think of beets as red spinach. Just like Popeye’s powerfood, this crimson vegetable is one of the best sources of both folate and betaine. These two nutrients work together to lower your blood levels of homocysteine, an inflammatory compound that can damage your arteries and increase your risk of heart disease. Plus, the natural pigments—called betacyanins—that give beets their color have been proved to be potent cancer fighters in laboratory mice.
How to Eat Them: Fresh and raw, not from a jar. Heating beets actually decreases their antioxidant power. For a simple single-serving salad, wash and peel one beet, and then grate it on the widest blade of a box grater. Toss with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and the juice of half a lemon. You can eat the leaves and stems, which are also packed with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Simply cut off the stems just below the point where the leaves start, and wash thoroughly. They’re now ready to be used in a salad. Or, for a side dish, sauté the leaves, along with a minced clove of garlic and a tablespoon of olive oil, in a sauté pan over medium-high heat. Cook until the leaves are wilted and the stems are tender. Season with salt and pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice, and sprinkle with fresh Parmesan cheese.
Guava
Guava is an obscure tropical fruit that’s subtly acidic, with sweetness that intensifies as you eat your way to the center.
Why it’s Healthy: Guava has a higher concentration of lycopene—an antioxidant that fights prostate cancer—than any other plant food, including tomatoes and watermelon. In addition, 1 cup of the stuff provides 688 milligrams (mg) of potassium, which is 63 percent more than you’ll find in a medium banana. And guava may be the ultimate high-fiber food: There’s almost 9 grams (g) of fiber in every cup.
How to Eat It: Down the entire fruit, from the rind to the seeds. It’s all edible—and nutritious. The rind alone has more vitamin C than you’d find in the flesh of an orange. You can score guava in the produce section of higher-end supermarkets or in Latin grocery stores.
Swiss Chard
Hidden in the leafy-greens cooler of your market, you’ll find this slightly bitter, salty vegetable, which is actually native to the Mediterranean.
Why It’s Healthy: A half cup of cooked Swiss chard provides a huge amount of both lutein and zeaxanthin, supplying 10 mg each. These plant chemicals, known as carotenoids, protect your retinas from the damage of aging, according to Harvard researchers. That’s because both nutrients, which are actually pigments, appear to accumulate in your retinas, where they absorb the type of shortwave light rays that can damage your eyes. So the more lutein and zeaxanthin you eat, the better your internal eye protection will be.
How to Eat It: Chard goes great with grilled steaks and chicken, and it also works well as a bed for pan-seared fish. Wash and dry a bunch of Swiss chard, and then chop the leaves and stems into 1-inch pieces. Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a large sauté pan or wok, and add two garlic cloves that you’ve peeled and lightly crushed. When the oil smokes lightly, add the chard. Sauté for 5 to 7 minutes, until the leaves wilt and the stems are tender. Remove the garlic cloves and season the chard with salt and pepper
Cinnamon
This old-world spice usually reaches most men’s stomachs only when it’s mixed with sugar and stuck to a roll.
Why It’s Healthy: Cinnamon helps control your blood sugar, which influences your risk of heart disease. In fact, USDA researchers found that people with type-2 diabetes who consumed 1 g of cinnamon a day for 6 weeks (about 1/4 teaspoon each day) significantly reduced not only their blood sugar but also their triglycerides and LDL (bad) cholesterol. Credit the spice’s active ingredients, methylhydroxychalcone polymers, which increase your cells’ ability to metabolize sugar by up to 20 times.
How to Eat It: You don’t need the fancy oils and extracts sold at vitamin stores; just sprinkle the stuff that’s in your spice rack (or in the shaker at Starbucks) into your coffee or on your oatmeal.
Purslane
Although the FDA classifies purslane as a broad-leaved weed, it’s a popular vegetable and herb in many other countries, including China, Mexico, and Greece.
Why It’s Healthy: Purslane has the highest amount of heart-healthy omega-3 fats of any edible plant, according to researchers at the University of Texas at San Antonio. The scientists also report that this herb has 10 to 20 times more melatonin—an antioxidant that may inhibit cancer growth—than any other fruit or vegetable tested.
How to Eat It: In a salad. Think of purslane as a great alternative or addition to lettuce: The leaves and stems are crisp, chewy, and succulent, and they have a mild lemony taste. Look for it at your local farmer’s market, or Chinese or Mexican market. It’s also available at some Whole Foods stores, as an individual leafy green or in premade salad mixes.
Pomegranate Juice
A popular drink for decades in the Middle East, pomegranate juice has become widely available only recently in the United States.
Why It’s Healthy: Israeli scientists discovered that men who downed just 2 ounces of pomegranate juice daily for a year decreased their systolic (top number) blood pressure by 21 percent and significantly improved bloodflow to their hearts. What’s more, 4 ounces provides 50 percent of your daily vitamin C needs.
How to Drink It: Try 100 percent pomegranate juice from Pom Wonderful. It contains no added sugars, and because it’s so powerful, a small glassful is all you need. List of retailers, go to pomwonderful.com
Goji Berries
These raisin-size fruits are chewy and taste like a cross between a cranberry and a cherry. More important, these potent berries have been used as a medicinal food in Tibet for over 1,700 years.
Why They’re Healthy: Goji berries have one of the highest ORAC ratings—a method of gauging antioxidant power—of any fruit, according to Tufts University researchers. And although modern scientists began to study this ancient berry only recently, they’ve found that the sugars that make goji berries sweet reduce insulin resistance—a risk factor of diabetes—in rats.
How to Eat Them: Mix dried or fresh goji berries with a cup of plain yogurt, sprinkle them on your oatmeal or cold cereal, or enjoy a handful by themselves. Find them at specialty supermarkets or at gojiberries.us.
Dried Plums
You may know these better by the moniker “prunes,” which are indelibly linked with nursing homes and bathroom habits. And that explains why, in an effort to revive this delicious fruit’s image, producers now market them under another name.
Why They’re Healthy: Prunes contain high amounts of neochlorogenic and chlorogenic acids, antioxidants that are particularly effective at combating the “superoxide anion radical.” This nasty free radical causes structural damage to your cells, and such damage is thought to be one of the primary causes of cancer.
How to Eat Them: As an appetizer. Wrap a paper-thin slice of prosciutto around each dried plum and secure with a toothpick. Bake in a 400°F oven for 10 to 15 minutes, until the plums are soft and the prosciutto is crispy. Most of the fat will cook off, and you’ll be left with a decadent-tasting treat that’s sweet, savory, and healthy.
Pumpkin Seeds
These jack-o’-lantern waste products are the most nutritious part of the pumpkin.
Why They’re Healthy: Downing pumpkin seeds is the easiest way to consume more magnesium. That’s important because French researchers recently determined that men with the highest levels of magnesium in their blood have a 40 percent lower risk of early death than those with the lowest levels. And on average, men consume 353 mg of the mineral daily, well under the 420 mg minimum recommended by the USDA.

How to Eat Them: Whole, shells and all. (The shells provide extra fiber.) Roasted pumpkin seeds contain 150 mg of magnesium per ounce; add them to your regular diet and you’ll easily hit your daily target of 420 mg. Look for them in the snack or health-food section of your grocery store, next to the peanuts, almonds, and sunflower seeds.

Antioxidants, Explained
The science is clear:
Plant foods are good for you. And the credit often goes to chemicals they produce called antioxidants. Just as the name suggests, antioxidants help protect your cells against oxidation. Think of oxidation as rust. This rust is caused by free radicals, which are unstable oxygen atoms that attack your cells, inducing DNA damage that leads to cancer. Thankfully, antioxidants help stabilize free radicals, which keeps the rogue atoms from harming your cells. So by eating more antioxidant-rich foods, you’ll boost the amount of the disease-fighting chemicals floating in your bloodstream. The result: Every bite fortifies your body with all-natural preventive medicine.

 

Reference:  Men’s Health Magazine & Eat This? Not That!  – May 2011

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Pancreatic cancer – daily diet of sugar?

nutrition, performance, Recovery - Repair | Posted by admin October 31st, 2010

(NaturalNews) New research published in the journal Nature reveals that pancreatic cancer can take up to 20 years to grow to the point where it is diagnosed by the practice of conventional medicine. This was determined by sequencing the DNA of cancer tumor cells from deceased patients. Because cancer mutations occur in growing tumors at a known rate, scientists were able to map the timing of the development of full-blown pancreatic cancer tumors.

Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute found:

• It takes an average of 11.7 years for one mutation in a pancreas cell to grow into a “mature” pancreatic tumor (which might show up on a medical scan).

• It can take another 6.8 years for the pancreatic tumor to spread and cause tumors to appear in other organs of the body.

How to grow and feed a cancer tumor

First of all, to grow a cancer tumor, you need to eat lots of sugar. Liquid sugars are the best (like soda?), but any form of refined sugar will do. You have to eat sugar daily if you really want to support cancer cell division and growth.

Next, you have to be vitamin D deficient most of the time.  That’s because vitamin D may halt the progress of 77 percent of all cancers (including pancreatic cancer), and when combined with other nutrients like selenium, may halt progress of even more.

By combining vitamin D and selenium nutrition with other anti-cancer nutrients such as fresh vegetable juice (on a daily basis), omega-3 fatty acids, a wide variety of fresh fruits (including citrus and berries), and even red wine (rich with resveratrol), you will create an internal biological environment in which cancer tumors cannot thrive.

This is especially true if you pursue a more alkaline diet that’s rich in vegetables and green foods rather than acidic substances such as sugar, fried foods and caffeine.

Combine all this with some regular exercise, good sleep, stress reduction habits and strict avoidance of cancer-causing chemicals, and you’ve got a recipe for blocking virtually all tumor growth in your body.

Cancer tumors simply cannot grow in an environment that’s rich in plant-based nutrients and life based on healthy, natural living.

So even if you have a wayward pancreatic cell that decides to mutate and try to become cancerous on its own, that cell will not have any long-term success in replicating inside your body because it’s surrounded by healthy cells and bathed in anti-cancer nutrients carried to it each day in your blood!

Remember, your cells rely entirely on nutrients delivered by your blood, and if your blood is delivering anti-cancer nutrients each day, then “bad” cells will never be allowed to replicate and become cancer tumors.

Obviously, the composition of your blood is determined by what you eat. If you eat junk food, your blood will be junk blood, and it will deliver junk to your cells (cancer cells love junk!). If you eat healthy foods, you will have healthy blood, and cancer tumors will shrivel up and actually lose their blood supply then die.

With this in mind, your life and health are not a rehearsal.  Nutrition is the key to your health, strength and performance.  Learn what combination of nutritional foods support your health at the cellular level, then learn to like them.  In all cases, refined sugars need to be limited as much as possible.

If you’ve been pursuing a lifestyle of junk foods, processed foods, fried foods, excessive animal products and sun avoidance, then you are probably growing cancer tumors in your body right now. Almost as if you were trying to!

So you might be on year 10 of the 20-year cancer diagnosis plan. There’s no way to know because solid cancer tumors usually don’t show up in diagnostic tests when they’re only 10 years old. But if you’ve been following a cancer-promoting lifestyle, you can rest assured you have micro tumors in your body that are just waiting for more sugar and less vitamin D in your blood in order to divide and grow even more.

Consider yourself informed… Preventing cancer is its cure.

Adapted from Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor

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Sugar is poison to the human body? . . . Why?

anti-aging, Fitness, nutrition, Recovery - Repair | Posted by admin October 13th, 2010

Sugar’s toxic wrath is in part due to its composition as a purely refined carbohydrate.  It is a chemical.  Our bodies cannot utilize this poison because it has been stripped of all vitamins, minerals, and all other nutrients that help your body create optimum health. What occurs when sugar is ingested is a balancing act that takes place inside our bodies.

Because balance or homeostasis is so essential to our bodies, the minerals sodium, potassium, magnesium and calcium are utilized to create this balance.  For example, in order to neutralize the blood from sugar (sugar creates an acidic body), calcium is taken from the bones and teeth, thus, decay and osteoporosis may occur.  If sugar is consumed every day, our bodies eventually will be depleted of these very important minerals and lead to mineral deficiencies that depletes your health and weakens your defenses against disease. This process allows the generation of dreaded free-radicals to cause major damage.  

(Free-radicals lead to cell destruction and single nucleotide polymorphisms at replication during new body cell regeneration)

Excess sugar affects every single organ in the body – including the liver. The liver is where sugar is stored in the form of glycogen (glucose complex).  Eventually, if sugar is consumed every day, your liver will be unable to store the excess sugar and is returned to the blood in the form of fatty acids.  Guess where those fatty acids are stored?  They are stored in the most inactive areas: The belly, the buttocks, the breasts and the thighs.  After these areas have been filled-up, the fatty acids then get distributed to organs such as the heart and kidneys.

Sugar hinders the body’s immune system and predisposes people to illness and disease.  Our white blood cells are adversely affected. Here are just some health conditions associated with over-consumption of sugar: Obesity, cancer, aging, cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, adult-onset type II diabetes, eczema, kidney stones, depression, Candida (yeast over-growth), anxiety, dental cavities, atherosclerosis, poor brain function and countless other conditions.

Cancer is affected by sugar due to the cancer cell’s main source of fuel:  Glucose. By controlling blood glucose, the cancer cells are starved for fuel and the immune system is bolstered.

We think of sugar as the granulated white stuff, but it can be disguised in many forms such as: corn syrup, fructose, sucrose, lactose, molasses, honey, maltose, fruit juice and many other forms. It is essential that we become aware of the hidden sources of sugar found in processed foods.  In order to achieve optimum health, it is essential to mindfully choose whole grains, fruits, vegetables, lower stress levels, exercise and avoid sugar as much as possible.

Reference: Lori L. Shemek, PhD, CNC, CLC has devoted the past 20 years, practicing and teaching others about the principles of nutrition. As an Author, Health Expert and Speaker, Dr. Shemek combines her background in Psychology with a lifetime of practicing natural and preventive wellness to create optimum health for her clients at every level of health. Dr. Shemek holds a Doctorate in Psychology, she is a Certified Nutritional Consultant, and a Certified Life Coach. Dr. Shemek is the Founder and President of DLS HealthWorks, LLC.  http://www.dlsHealthWorks.com

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The Whole Truth about Good Health & Eating Nuts . . .

nutrition | Posted by admin July 31st, 2010

Long ago our ancestors gathered nuts as a means for survival. Although no longer needed to persevere, nuts are still a staple in our diets today. Found on coffee tables, at baseball games, tossed in salads, stir fried with vegetables and topped on sundaes, nuts play an integral role in our culture. And they should. There is emerging evidence linking the consumption of nuts to a reduced risk of coronary heart disease.

Two large epidemiological studies, the Nurses’ Health Study (1) and the Adventist Health Study (2) assessed the diets of over 110,000 men and women in relation to coronary heart disease. Adjusting for other coronary heart disease risk factors, they linked the intake of five or more servings (five ounces) of nuts per week to a 35 – 50 percent reduction in risk of coronary heart disease incidence and death (1,2). This is great news, as over the years nuts have received more negative reviews on health than positive ones. Now you and your family can enjoy the culinary versatility, flavor, aroma and crunch nuts provide while at the same time reaping their heart-protective benefits.

Nuts come from many different plant families and are classified as either tree nuts (a one-seeded fruit in a hard shell) or peanuts (a member of the legume family).

A one-ounce serving of nuts contains between 160 and 200 calories, of which 80-90 percent comprises fat. Despite this high-fat content, the fat in nuts is primarily in the monounsaturated form. Monounsaturated fats, when substituted for saturated fat in the diet, can help reduce total and LDL, or “bad” cholesterol levels while maintaining the “good” cholesterol, HDL.

Other added benefits of nuts are they are naturally cholesterol free, a good source of dietary fiber and protein, and contain a variety of heart disease-fighting vitamins and minerals like vitamin E (a potent antioxidant), folic acid, niacin, magnesium, vitamin B 6, zinc, copper and potassium. Nuts also contain the nonessential amino acid arginine. Arginine is touted for it’s role in protecting the inner lining of the arterial walls, making them more pliable and less susceptible to atherogenesis. Lastly, nuts are a good source of healthful phytochemicals, biologically active plant chemicals with high antioxidant properties linked to prevention of coronary heart disease.

Because nuts are so calorically dense it is important to incorporate them into the diet sensibly. To avoid weight gain, substitute added nuts for food sources high in fat, specifically saturated fat. For example, top a salad with nuts instead of bacon bits and croutons. Proper serving size is also a must. Having a scale on-hand is your best bet, although not always practical. If a scale is not available, check the Nutrition Facts panel on the food label to locate the serving size. A one-ounce serving of nuts greatly differs.

The following equal one ounce: 24 almonds, 18 medium cashews, 12 hazelnuts or filberts, 8 medium Brazil nuts, 12 macadamia nuts, 35 peanuts, 15 pecan halves and 14 English walnut halves (3). Prepackaging nuts into small, single-serving containers or bags can help keep the servings under control. All it takes is one, one-ounce serving a day or five ounces per week of a variety of nuts to reap the heart-disease fighting benefits found in the research presented above.

However you enjoy them, remember that adding nuts to your diet is one of many nutritional strategies aimed at reducing your risk of coronary heart disease. The best way to reduce your risk is to combine a high-fiber diet, rich in complex carbohydrates (whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds) to a variety of fruits, vegetables and low-fat dairy each day to reap optimal heart-health benefits. Add to the equation a healthy body weight and regular physical activity and you can effectively reduce your risk of coronary heart disease.

Some more nut facts:

  • Walnuts contain a large percentage of polyunsaturated fat and are an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids effectively help reduce triglycerides and are linked to a reduced risk of heart disease.
  • Almonds contain calcium, around 80 milligrams in one ounce, and can be a healthful way to boost calcium in the diet.
  • Pine nuts are a good source of iron, containing almost 3 milligrams in a one-ounce serving.
  • The bulk of calories in chestnuts come from carbohydrate instead of fat. Five ounces of water chestnuts contain only 3 grams of total fat, but pack a whopping 350 calories.
  • Peanut butter contains the same heart-protective benefits as whole peanuts however, manufacturers add salt, sugar and sometimes partially hydrogenated fats to enhance flavor and spreadability. Opt for natural peanut butter, which contain fewer to none of these additives.**
  • Unsalted, dry roasted or unprocessed nuts are typically found in the baking isle, produce or bulk food section of the grocery store; salted, oil-roasted nuts in the snack section. To reduce sodium and added fats in the diet, avoid the salted, oil-roasted nuts.

** Note: a strong association between a reduced incidence of coronary heart disease and consumption of peanut butter was not found in the articles referenced. However, peanut butter can be incorporated into a healthful eating pattern and still provides a variety of heart-disease fighting nutrients. Consume in moderation.

Melissa Stevens, MS, RD, LD
Nutrition Program Coordinator
Preventive Cardiology and Rehabilitative Services
Cleveland Clinic Foundation – Cleveland, Ohio

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Vitamin D – Its Role in Health & Optimal Athletic Performance

Fitness, nutrition, performance, Recovery - Repair | Posted by admin May 24th, 2010

There are a pandemic number of people who are vitamin D deficient.  This has become evident due to increased discovery and sharing of documentation from clinical trials, epidemiological studies, and educational journals.  The end results from an alarming and growing number due to lack of sunshine exposure and inadequate supply of vitamin D from daily food intake.   This added to obesity trends, an aging population, and improved skin products that block formation of vitamin D3.  Until recently, vitamin D was understood to be solely related to bone mineralization and calcium utilization in the body.   Further studies have revealed vitamin D to play a leading role in many additional cell processes.  More than 36 cell types and 10 extra renal organs have been discovered to possess the vitamin D receptor, or VDR. Insufficient vitamin D is related to reduced immunological conditions, cancers of the breast, colon, pancreas, and prostate as well as heart diseases, type I diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, cognitive impairment, and all cause mortality.  This impressive collection of medical conditions accounts for more than 60% of all deaths in the Western World.

What is Vitamin D?

A fat soluble pro-hormone, vitamin D is a seco-steroid which exists in two forms:  vitamin D2 & vitamin D3.  Vitamin D2 is obtained from yeast and plant material, vitamin D3 is produced endogenously in the skin by the photo-chemical conversion of 7-dehydrocholesterol. Vitamin D circulates in the body bound to the vitamin D binding protein, or VDBP.  Both vitamin D2 and D3 are converted to the biomarker 25-hydoxyvitamin [D (25(OH)D] in the liver and undergoes further hydroxylation in the kidneys to the bio-active form of the hormone 1,25(OH)2D.

The Frequency of vitamin D Deficiency:

The March 2010 issue of the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism points towards an overwhelming 59% of people that are vitamin D insufficient.  This was based on a cross-sectional study designed to establish a relationship between serum 25(OH)D and the degree of fat penetration in muscle.  These results have been duplicated as well in several independent studies of people from all over the United States in recent months.

Adverse Outcomes of Vitamin D Insufficiency:

Presence of 1,25(OH)2D and vitamin D receptors (VDR) in a wide variety of tissues ranging from pancreas, colon, brain, liver, muscle, skin and lung  speaks of its newly found broad involvement in the functionality of bodily systems.  Published literature over several years indicates that the non-bone mineralization effects of vitamin D are autocrine, not endocrine.  Thus, implying these functions are not based or derived for the amount of circulating 1,25(OH)2D in the body, but rather due to the intracellular synthesis of 1,25(OH)2D by these tissues.  Studies also indicate that the levels of 1,25(OH)2D required for these non-calcemic functions are higher than the levels of normal serum 1,25(OH)2D. 

Epidemiological evidences have linked deprived levels of vitamin D conditions to osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, obesity, multiple sclerosis, hypertension, type I diabetes and several cancers.  Vitamin is also effective in maintaining low susceptibility to infections including pulmonary diseases.

Conclusion:

Vitamin D has been shown to have an extensive area of biological influence due to the discovery of VDR and its conversion in several body tissues.  Health, strength and athletic performance can be optimized by measuring the residual levels of vitamin D at the cellular level to determine the degree of insufficiencies in order to adjust diets and nutritional supplements which directly influences athletic strength and recovery time.

Contact us for information on measuring residual vitamins & minerals by functional intracellular analysis at the cellular level – which is directly proportional to the body stores . . .

Reference:  Ray J, Meike W. D-Light: Vitamin D and Good Health. MLO. 2010;42(5):32-38

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Glutathione Considered – The Body’s Master Antioxidant

performance, Recovery - Repair | Posted by admin November 22nd, 2009

Antioxidants are intimately involved in the detoxification process and are a very important part of our defenses against environmental toxins and carcinogens. They protect our cells from oxidative stress which can come from our environment in a variety of ways. Because such damage plays a role in the weakening of the immune system that it should come as no surprise that antioxidant supplementation can benefit those with degenerative diseases such cardiovascular disease, cancer, arthritis, neurological diseases and viral infections for example.

Let’s look at one antioxidant –Glutathione- and how glutathione can affect the body. Glutathione is a small molecule made up of three amino acids, which exists in almost every cell of the body. The presence of glutathione is required to maintain the normal function of the immune system. It is known to play a critical role in the multiplication of lymphocytes (the cells that mediate specific immunity), which occurs in the development of an effective immune response. The cells of the immune system produce many oxygen radicals as a result of their normal functioning, resulting in a need for higher concentrations of antioxidants than most cells. Glutathione plays a crucial role in fulfilling this requirement.

Glutathione helps the body fight almost any disease, because it is a powerful antioxidant and helps maintain cellular health and there is a body of research on degenerative disease that has shown that people with degenerative disease are also experiencing low levels of glutathione. Glutathione acts as a detoxifying agent by combining with undesirable substances and ridding the body of them through urine and bile. Aside from being a powerful antioxidant and system detoxifier, it helps repair and protect DNA. Glutathione has been heavily researched and many researchers believe that the degenerative processes take place when the body is lacking the glutathione it needs to protect from degenerative damage.

Glutathione works in a protective role by boosting the immune system, thereby helping the body’s immune response and helps protect the body from oxidative stress – and oxidative stress is associated with aging. Thus, glutathione levels are correlated with aging and physical function. One way to drastically increase glutathione levels, aside from consuming glutathione precursors, is through the ingestion of ascorbic acid – vitamin C3 – and l-glutamine, vitamin E, ALA (Alpha Lipolic Acid), and N-acetylcysteine (NAC) which all help with glutathione synthesis.

Oxidation damage is now recognized as being the key feature of much of the aging processes that our bodies endure. It is known that as we age, there is a precipitous drop in GSH levels. Lower Glutathione levels are implicated in many diseases associated with aging, including Cataracts, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s, arteriosclerosis and others.

The key to living better is to resist age related deterioration due to oxidation. Recent studies have shown that glutathione play a key role in reducing the oxidation process (antioxidant) and protecting our bodies against free radicals. Supplements that increase glutathione may be a way for us to protect our bodies against the aging process.

What can reducing the oxidative process on the body mean for the athlete?

Many world-class athletes are discovering the importance of glutathione, which when maintained, gives them the edge over the competition. Increased glutathione levels provides athletes with increased strength and endurance, decreased recovery time from injury, less pain and fatigue and possibly an increase in muscle-promoting activities.

During workouts, athletes generate free radicals which in turn lead to muscle fatigue and poorer performance. Glutathione neutralizes these radicals and allows our bodies to recover faster. Recent research indicates that the body has a natural tendency toward many degenerative diseases and aging itself. Some believe how well the body can protect itself from damage and recover from oxidative damage can be determined by measuring the intracellular stores of Glutathione.

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GoTo: Prevention not Prescriptions

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Importance of Magnesium – Especially for Athletes

Fitness, nutrition, performance | Posted by admin June 19th, 2009

Most people are aware of the importance of getting enough calcium, which remains a widespread problem. Most people don’t know there are other common micronutrient deficiencies that need to be addressed. Magnesium is one of those important micronutrients that doesn’t seem to get much attention, but plays a huge role in the body promoting health & performance.

Unfortunately the diets of all Americans are likely to be deficient and they don’t even know it. Sources estimate that nearly 70 percent of Americans get inadequate doses of magnesium every day and do not consume the daily recommended amounts of Magnesium. Studies have also shown food alone can’t meet the minimal Recommended Daily Allowances (RDA) micronutrient requirements for preventing nutrient-deficiency diseases. For several years experts have suggested that the availability of magnesium in the soil has significantly decreased and it is difficult to get the amount of magnesium needed to function at an optimal level. This, in combination with diets low in whole grains and fresh fruits and vegetables, has led to a general deficiency in the population.

Magnesium is used for more than 300 bodily functions and assists in energy production, maintains healthy bone density and aids the electrical conduction of the heart. Magnesium belongs in a category of minerals called electrolytes because they conduct electrical signals in the body. It is needed in energy metabolism, glucose utilization, protein synthesis, fatty acid synthesis and breakdown, muscle contraction, all ATPase functions, for almost all hormonal reactions, and in the maintenance of cellular ionic balance. It is found in all of the body’s cells, although it is mostly concentrated in the bones, muscles, and soft tissues. Magnesium also affects calcium’s role in homeostasis through two mechanisms.

Magnesium deficiency results in altered cardiovascular function, including electrocardiographic abnormalities, impaired carbohydrate metabolism, with insulin resistance and decreased insulin secretion, and high blood pressure. Even a mild deficiency causes sensitiveness to noise, nervousness, irritability, mental depression, confusion, twitching, trembling, apprehension, insomnia, muscle weakness and cramps in the toes, feet, legs, or fingers.

In active adults and athletes low magnesium levels can acutely contribute to early fatigue, nausea, muscle cramps & an irregular heartbeat during exercise. Magnesium as well as zinc, chromium and selenium are excreted in the sweat or as part of the process of metabolic acceleration. Heavy sweat loss can interfere with the important functions for which magnesium and other electrolytes are responsible. Also, the rate of magnesium loss is increased in conditions of high humidity and high temperature. An important consideration for athletes is the rate of magnesium loss that occurs during heavy physical activity. Heavy exercise makes you lose magnesium in the urine and scientific evidence suggests this is why long distance runners may suddenly drop dead with heart arrhythmias.

In a very tightly controlled three-month US study carried out last year, the effects of magnesium depletion on exercise performance in 10 women were observed. In the first month, the women received a magnesium-deficient diet (112mgs per day), which was supplemented with 200mgs per day of magnesium to bring the total magnesium content up to the RDA of 310mgs per day. In the second month, the supplement was withdrawn to make the diet magnesium-deficient, but in the third month it was reintroduced to replenish magnesium levels.

At the end of each month, the women were asked to cycle at increasing intensities until they reached 80% of their maximum heart rate, at which time a large number of measurements were taken, including blood tests, ECG and respiratory gas analysis.

The researchers found that, for a given workload, peak oxygen uptake, total and cumulative net oxygen utilization and heart rate all increased significantly during the period of magnesium restriction, with the amount of the increase directly related to the extent of magnesium depletion. In plain English, a magnesium deficiency reduced metabolic efficiency, increasing the oxygen consumption and heart rate required to perform work – exactly what an athlete doesn’t want!

No serious athlete or trainer can afford to overlook the benefits that magnesium brings to athletic performance and the recovery process. Research suggests that even a small shortfall in magnesium can lead to greatly reduced performance and stamina. Many athletic medical specialists believe that magnesium is the single most important mineral to sports nutrition. Not only does it help optimize an athlete’s performance, but it speeds up recovery from fatigue and injuries.

Optimal muscle contraction and relaxation is the foundation of an athlete’s performance. Proper magnesium levels are required for muscles to relax fully following a contraction. Some doctors believe that injuries to hamstring muscles can be partially avoided through intake of magnesium and stated that a shortened hamstring is a result of lack of available magnesium.

The first step is to eat more magnesium rich foods, especially beans, nuts and vegetables. The more active a person is the greater the need to make sure there is a variety of balanced micronutrient-enriched foods into their diet. The challenge is to eat large amounts of magnesium-rich foods on a consistent basis. Often this proves difficult and unrealistic, as an athlete’s requirement of magnesium intake far surpasses that of an average person. Micronutrient supplementation still may be needed to be incorporated into their wellness program as a preventative protocol for preventing these observed deficiencies.

Another important step is to have your levels checked. The residual level of magnesium in the cells is what’s important. The body does all it can to keep the blood levels normal, so if there is a body deficit, it will be found within the cells. Work with a practitioner that will check your RBC-magnesium level (the level of magnesium in red blood cells) or provide an FIA (functional intracellular analysis) for your body’s residual nutrient levels that will benchmark your cell level status to find the amount of supplements needed to achieve normal levels. Recommended intake for endurance athletes is 500 to 800 mg daily.

There is virtually no one that cannot benefit greatly from increasing daily magnesium intake. In terms of health and longevity magnesium is essential. For the professional athlete it means the difference between winning and losing, and in some cases, living and dying.

Suggest: Isotonic Nutraceutical Calcium Complete with Magnesium & Vitamin D3 daily –http://tinyurl.com/25w6hez

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