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The Secret Enemy of Weight Loss

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One of the most common issues we see in people today is difficulty maintaining a healthy weight. Weight loss is a hot topic and a booming industry, but so many products just don’t work. Unfortunately, there is no magic fix for this, but there is one often overlooked aspect of weight management, and that is insulin. Insulin is an extremely important hormone responsible for regulating several metabolic processes and ensuring cells get the energy they need. Due to this, insulin has a strong influence on weight management. When the body begins to respond less to insulin, it could indicate that you are developing insulin resistance, which can contribute to a variety of health issues. In this week’s episode, The Secret Enemy of Weight Loss, we’ll discuss insulin’s role in metabolism and weight management, as well as some positive lifestyle changes you could make.

Transcription

The Secret Enemy of Weight Loss

00:00:01 – 00:05:01

Welcome to the green wisdom health podcast, with doctor Steven and Janet Lewis, where you will learn about natural solutions to common ailments. And now, here are your hosts doctor Stephen and Janet Lewis. Hello and welcome to this week’s edition of the green wisdom health show. I’m Janet Lewis. And I’m doctor Lewis. And we are here to give you some inspiring helpful healthful hope. So in a world full of a lot of chaos, hopefully we’re bringing you a lot of joy and information and news you can use. So we today are going to talk a little bit about the secret enemy of weight loss because it’s summertime and who’s not trying to get into that bikini for the beach. But having a little bit of white problems or a lot of weight problems and we’re going to talk about what that secret and me is, doctor Lewis has got him captured over here behind the door and he’s going to let him loose a little bit and tell us what the enemy has been. He’s good at corralling things. So also, we want to mention our collagen people have been asking a lot about when is collagen coming back in. We do not know. The ingredient in there that’s a registered trademark called mobily, which is one of the several ingredients in that product that make it work wonderfully and that is the reason why it is so missed, we can not get from the manufacturer because it’s trapped in Spain. It is rooster comb. I guess they have special roosters there. I don’t know, but they’re organic. They’re organic rooster combs. Hyaluronic acid. Hyaluronic acid can heal in big ways. So I won’t go into too many stories there, but it’s not here. So that’s the bottom line. We don’t know what it’s coming. People ask if we have a replacement. Not yet. We’re waiting for the person that makes that product for us to tell us what they’re going to do. They have very high standards. And they don’t want to take something out that they may get in. I don’t know. If we do it, you’re going to know it and we’re going to tell you, hey, it didn’t come in with this. I don’t know what we’re going to do. So for the time being that’s out and people say, well, what brand should I take? We don’t know. I know that they have designs for help, has a pretty good one. I just haven’t gotten any kind of feedback from anybody that’s just had miraculous results with collagen other than the powdered one we carry. So sorry about that. You know how it is nowadays, so hopefully that’s the only product that’s doesn’t come in for a while, but you know, there could be others. So anyway, doctor Lewis picked this subject today because he is passionate about helping people regain their health and would you like to let the enemy out of the closet you’re keeping him in and tell us who the secret enemy of weight loss is. Well, I’ve had so many people talk bad about me because I’m so blunt and it’s like, well you made a sugar coat it and the answer to that is most people would rather have it sugar coated. The active, the real enemy is insulin and I will get into that. I promise you in big ways. The problem in our country is we’re overfed and undernourished. That’s a fact. And national health and nutrition examination study. And this is a pretty new and I think that was 2017, 18 said 42% of Americans adults had obesity. The other 30.7% were overweight. So it puts us at over 72% of us are not at our ideal weight. And it’s not just that simple. That reflects our overall health, which is pretty much stinky. And I want you to live life to have life that you can live, you need to be consistent. I want you to have a life worth living and then there was, you know, I read a lot of research and thank God I have a good memory and I take a lot of stuff for that. Journal of American medical association said our healthcare system, healthcare and parentheses. Only address is 10% of the issues that lead to preventable death. That’s scary. The other 90% is our lifestyle, our diet, our environmental exposures like hidden poisons in our foods, chemicals, cleaning products, mold, and workplace exposures. So what Janet and I do, we bridge the gap for the other 90%. And for the people that stick with it, you get great results.

00:05:02 – 00:10:03

I get a lot of good feedback and thank you. I love it. Thanks for taking the time, like Debbie said, oh, I entertained myself all the way from Comanche Texas to Midland. I said, how in the world can you have fun and Comanche Texas? And she says, one of her best friends lives there. That’s where a lot of Janice relatives are from. But it’s the people like Kelly and Alabama, her friend Lee and Jesse, Allen and Maine, Brian and Florida night in Iowa that just keep on doing the right thing. Thank you and God bless you. I love to be your leader. So let’s talk about insulin. That’s why we run it on our lab and that’s pretty pretty unusual. I’m sorry for those that need to know what that is. What is insulin? Well, insulin comes from the pancreas and it’s designed to carry and burn the glucose. And again, I read a lot and the two most dangerous things in our bodies are fat and insulin and one of the research I reached says fats a hormone is like well, I’ve never really studied it being that way, but insulin goes around and says, oh, well, they have too much high fructose corn syrup too many carbs. I’m alternate in to triglycerides. And I’m going to screw up the HDL to total cholesterol ratio. Whale, let’s just store those bad track glycerides in the liver, which you start getting the non alcoholic fatty liver syndrome. And then the body says, well, you know, he’s not burning enough of the glucose into muscles, so I can’t keep it in the liver too much because I don’t want to kill the person, even though the liver enzymes start to go. Then insulin does a funny thing. It stores glucose slash triglyceride slash cholesterol as fat. Yeah. And they’re good fats, right? The only good fats in bacon, I think, really no avocados and coconut. The fat shows up on the outside of the body. Is that what you’re trying to say? Yeah, something like that. Something like that. I’ve got a lot to say. Sometimes I do these things just off the top of my head today I have about 5 hours worth of notes, so pardon me. But we’re doing this in 30 minutes. Yeah, the slow talking Texan. If I’m at hurry and I start talking fast, it’s because I have a lot to say. You know, the problem is that most doctors. And I love all our doctors and our medical professions really, really good, but the bitter truth is they address the symptoms but not the cause of disease. That in and of itself is scary and that’s why I read about that article where we’re bridging the gap that other 90%. They say it and it’s still it’s stupid. Jack Jack sprat could eat no fat. His wife could eat no lean. Well, that implies that fat is fattening in that is not the truth. It is sugar and carbs that turn to sugar that makes us fat. And we’ve already seen for several decades that the high fat diet is the most effective at losing weight. But for fallacies, they hang on for a long time. What about processed vegetable oils that parse staple ingredients in processed food? That’s funny you should mention that. And again, Janet and I have different notes. So she tries to stomp me, which is. I think it’s fun. Pretty easy. She likes to say the deer in the headlines. No, I know it’s all up there. So I know it’s going to come out so I can’t wait. That’s one of the worst things. And some of our government entities and we’ll get too deep into that. But say that certain companies can put all kinds of trans fats in things and call it zero and there’s a minimum okay amount of trans or hydrogenated fatty acids where the limit should be zero and I love potato chips, but that’s one of the worst things you do because all this transhydrogenase fat causes your cell walls to be rigid so you can not get nutrients in and out and we’ll talk about mitochondria and ATP and all that kind of stuff. But insulin starts getting where oh it can’t go into the cell. So you get what’s called insulin resistance or metabolic syndrome. Which can lead to diabetes. Well, you know you read the ingredients on things and it says soybean oil and you think soy’s better for you, so you would assume soy being oil would be. No? You know, I say many times successfully leaves closed, but so does failure. I’m trying to be sweet. But I’m asking about soybean oil.

00:10:03 – 00:15:04

Our son just made from Germany to Alaska and he says, mom, they’re so large, large. Large smell what he said. She said, welcome to America. We’ve been to China. We’ve been to different places in Europe. We spent a couple of days in St. Petersburg, Russia. That was pretty cool. And it’s not that America doesn’t have some great grand and glorious things to be thankful for, but eating soybean and wheat and grains is not where health resides. That’s good. That’s as clean as I can do it. Here’s the thing, some people say, count your calories, other people’s like calories don’t count. And I remember back when I was a tiny, tiny kid, there’s a guy that says calories don’t count, he wrote a book and boy, he gave him holy heck over that. What do you think the calories out of a pancake is going to work the same as calories out of a piece of fresh coconut or berries? No, the calories are different in the way that they are treated and utilized by the body metabolically. Usually say sugar rich diets generate excessive reward signals in your brain that can override normal self control mechanisms, and I found that the fact is that a single week of binging on fast foods impaired appetite control, making the volunteers more likely to desire more junk food even if they just eaten. So I’m blown away. So the minute that you think that you’re hungry again, is it because you just ate something that wasn’t good, you’ve got no you got no nutritional value out of it. So the body’s actually still starving. Yeah, and hopefully I’ll have time to get in some of the bad heavy metals or minerals. Like arsenic. But I’ve said this on a different podcast, too much sugar equals fewer vegetables equals last name equals four taste equals more sugar, so it gets to be a vicious cycle to try to hit those reward centers in the brain. Yeah, the more added sugar, your diet contains the lower your intake of important micronutrients such as calcium, folate, iron, magnesium, potassium, selenium, vitamin C, vitamin D, that you all guys, you guys have heard a lot. And zinc. So could that be a reason why minerals and things like that are so low on lab work whenever we run that? Well, young they’re not in the soil. So the plants not really take them up. One of the lies is milk is good for you. No milk is bad for you. And somebody told me he says, well, Stevie, do you need to get more fact? Well, I’ve been quote and researched for 20 years. Male can increase risk of insulin resistance. Yep, milk does not do a body good. That’s from British of journal nutrition. So that’s a fact. It creates, it does create a lot of mucus in the body. I know that. And insulin resistance, which means as much as I talk about blue bell and Snickers, I’m about 90% teasing, we were at the grocery store the other day. And she said, you know, some more aspirin, I said, no, and she looked at me like I was going to drop dead. And what Janet was talking about, the acidic diet, sugar, meat, soda pop. It must have been a must been a Yankee, said soda pop, because we call them cokes down here in the south. Causes calcium to go from the bones to the pancreas and triggers osteoporosis, but also jams up the pancreas, which leads to less insulin as a result. And that’s journal of the American medical association. So that’s a fact. People said, you need to put more facts. I have been folks. I just didn’t say fat. I’m gonna give you another fact, according to the 2019 state of obesity report. 18.5% of American children ages two to 19 and 39.6% of adults are now obese, not just overweight. And we did talk about that causing depression in children and depression can manifest in many different ways and hyperactivity and attention deficit disorder is just to the many. And the adult obesity rate rose over 70% and the childhood obesity rate rose over 85%. Here’s the deal. You want to get healthy, go on our reviews and read Cowell. Kyle wrote. Cow’s awesome. Oh, but you know what he did something different. Yeah. He did it. Action. He totally changed his diet. I mean, the first day we went over his lab work, he was like, doctor Lewis, what can I do? What can I do? And he said, you know, doctor Lewis said, we might try doing a keto diet. And he said, okay, okay, he called me as soon as he left here and he goes, I’m getting keto strips.

00:15:04 – 00:20:03

Ketone strips. And he goes, how long does it take before I’m in ketosis? And I said, jeez, I don’t know it. I have to ask doctor Lewis. How long it takes? He goes, can I speed it up? Is there any way to double something to speed it up? And I think he’s lost like 30 something pounds now. 30, 32 when he wrote the review. And that was three weeks now. It was three weeks into this program. And here’s the other thing. And it’s like, I love these people. You know, they told us this doctors don’t hug your patients. Well, I’m going to hug you. But anyway, I hug this got to people say, I’m taking all these settlements and I didn’t lose weight. Well, you didn’t change the way you eat. You know, you got to quit eating the same old junk as I successfully closed it if you don’t see success. It’s failure. So you’ve got to eat differently, Janet, and I just ate at a very good restaurant, good food, but you know what? We didn’t eat it all. Janet I ate about half of hers and I ate about two thirds. Here’s another interesting fact. You were talking about potato chips earlier, right? Yeah, no, I like them. Yeah, it’s like one of the most bliss has the most, it’s the most bliss inducing thing there is because it has sugar. But you can’t eat just one. Right. Sugar from the potato salt and fat. The fact is, in the research published in 2007, showed 94% of rats allowed to choose between sugar, water, and cocaine chose sugar. Even the cocaine addicted rats quickly switched their preference to sugar once it was offered as an alternative. The rats were also more willing to work for sugar than for cocaine. Huh. So the moral of the story is, don’t be a rap. Insulin sensitivity, regulates the autonomic autonomic, which means automatic, or the subconscious control of the heart rate, even normal non obese non diabetic people. And it’s even worse if you are obese and you are toward metabolic syndrome and diabetes. If you eat a fast food burger, you can easily take in close to half of your daily caloric requirements. And in fries and a soda and you may be nearing an entire day’s worth of required calories. No, I got the look on that one. You’ve heard people distort and delete. Did you know the right of thyroid deficiency and diabetes has doubled? Journal from clinical diabetes, fact we like the word fact. We’re just playing with each other, but the thyroid that has a lot to do with it. And here’s millions of dollars are spent treating the ravages of diabetes, but very little is done to prevent it. That’s from journal of the American medical association. Fact, we’ll get off this back kick. Trans hydrogenated processed fats increase insulin resistance. That’s from journal of diabetes. So we’re talking about that. And then here’s another one of lipoic acid cofactor of the crib cycle. I think energy. Is inside a cell has been shown to improve diabetes and it does so by improving function of cell membranes where insulin resistance becomes a problem that’s from diabetic logic. So lipoic acid, that’s why I love, love, love, love, love, berberine, alpha a, which is full of, it’s got a little bit of vitamin C enough to do some good. Now what does this do? It’s berberine and alpha lipoic acid. And what was the reason someone would take that? Excuse me, it’s a cofactor in the krebs cycle. It helps make energy inside a cell. This has been shown to improve diabetes. It also does so by improving the function of cell membranes where insulin resistance becomes a problem, say I can go back and rebound notes. Remembering in berberine is a really, really good kick, but good product too. So are you saying if they are, you know, most people don’t know what their insulin levels are, but they go to our health certain go to our website, Janice says you’ve got to learn this technological stuff. Go to green with some help. They’ll tell survey and get your lab. Don’t guess test. Good job. Good job. I’m getting brownie points. We’re having too much fun. We’re trying to portray our speaking parts here. Yes, insulin is on our test. But for most people, it is not if they have lab work at the doctor, how would they how would they assume their insulin may be high or another test that might be run? It won’t be triglycerides or real high compared to your cholesterol and the ratios are bad. That’s it. But A1C. 90 to a 120 day test of what your glucose is.

00:20:04 – 00:25:00

And we talked about alpha lipoic acid. The berberine is a phytochemical, has antifungal action, that’s why I give that to a lot of people with intestinal dysbiosis. Oh, and the breaking it down where his so smart telling you this, for those that don’t grasp what he’s saying, what he’s saying is because you’re eating all these things like fries and chips and things like that. It’s feeding me in the body. And so many people go, I think I have candida. You probably do. Everybody does. It’s just a matter of to what degree. And those books were written 30, 40 years ago. And if you start killing the yeast, which is what he’s talking about with the berberine, then you click craving the bad stuff so much. That’s when I can go to the grocery store and not care whether she buys blue bell or not because I rarely eat it anymore. Sorry, it’s a Texas company, but I don’t hardly ever eat it. Because he’s taking the supplements that help kill those things off read as it crave it. And so if you get all this under control and there’s a lot of reasons, a lot of ways to do it. You start feeling better, you start gaining energy in one of the biggest complaints we hear as people say I have fatigue. Well, let me tell you another story. There’s a guy that comes in, he looks really, really good. He’s about 70 and he has actually probably 5 pounds less gut than me. So he does look good. He said he had X amount percentage of carotid artery, plaquing, and I don’t know how many years ago, two or three years ago, whatever it was. And then he started taking our stuff and that kind of nice was one. Natto and the K in the day and he’s on he’s on our fish. He’s a compliant man. Yeah, and most men aren’t, but I’ve just mentioned several that were. But he went and had the ultrasound all the testing and he went from almost ready to do stance from his cardiologist to zero zero zero plaquing and he said the technician couldn’t believe it. He was shocked. He came in at this bump, doctor Lewis. He was like, I just knew they were going to call and say, it’s this much worse. See how it’s time for surgery. And they said they couldn’t see any in there. And he takes too much stuff. He’s 70, but he acts like he’s 35 or 40. He takes a lot of the supplements. He says, well, doctor Lewis, it’s so much easier and so much less expensive to take this stuff than it is to pay several 100,000 to several million for a disease and you’ve lost your quality of life. And I said, well, Rick, that makes you wash her than most people. The Bible says in all these things get wisdom, which means gathering of knowledge. And what kind of money did he just say by not having that surgery? And if the plaquing broke off and it cost a stroke, I know a chiropractor that at 62 had that done, he died. And in no fault of the medical profession, there’s just some risk to all things. It’s easier to be healthy than it is to get back your disease. And I’m glad our medical profession does what they do. I mean, they’ll save you bacon. They’re really, really good. Watch episodes of grace anatomy and be like, oh God, I think it’s easier to stay healthy. So I wanted to mention something about processed food and ultra processed food. Oh good. Americans not only eat a preponderance of processed food, I love that we’re thank you. But 60% is ultra processed. Products that are at the far end of this significantly altered spectrum, or what you typically purchase at a gas station. I don’t know about you, but I’ve seen some of those hot dogs rolling around in there and I’m like, oh my, I have not seen the person that purchased it to eat it. But really don’t. Any food that isn’t directly from the vine ground bush or tree is considered processed. For instance, frozen fruit is usually minimally processed while pizza. Soda, chips, microwave meals are ultra processed. And they found the difference in the amount of sugar between foods that are ultra processed and minimally processed was dramatic. 20, the fact is. 21% of calories and ultra processed foods come from added sugar compared to just 2.4% of the calories and processed food. And none in unprocessed food. Looked at me this morning in amazement when I said something I’ll lead up, which is going to reinforce what she just said. You’ve heard me if you’ve listened to my podcast.

00:25:01 – 00:30:01

I read from a book late 1800s, early 1900s about how flour can cause. Yeah, that was interesting. That was interesting. Why don’t you get better? Okay. What I quoted this morning was 1825, and no, I’m not that old. Her brother said I am. There’s a book called physiology of taste, 18, 25, and it was written the second of the chief causes of obesity is the flowery and starchy substances. 1825, okay, so almost 200 years ago and we have not changed the way we eat. We’ve actually increased the stupid I mean, did I say that? The way we, the bad ways that we eat. I mean, get away from it. Well, that’s what I was talking to my brother about because, you know, one of the things that motivated me to do this was watching my grandfather lose his legs. I mean, he basically was a torso that they carried around. And they did it a little bit at a time. It’s like they chop off a foot. Will it get worse? He’d get more of it cut off until they made it all the way up his legs. Well I was talking to him about that and he goes, well, you know, his mother died of that also. And I was like, no, because you’re a lot older than me. A few years. I said, I knew she was blind, but I did not know why, and he said, because she was diabetic and they also chopped parts off of her. I was really little and she was blind and she reached for me. It scared me to death. And I was done. But I was talking about she said that to me once. And Stephen, I’m like, why would people back that were farmers? I mean, they were outside work, and they weren’t overweight. So just so to speak, how would they get diabetes back then and have that happen? And he’s quoted me that book about how flour has been the culprit. My grandfather also liked to drink like beer. A lot of it. So that could have been a culprit. If you don’t drink beer or drink real stuff, the good stuff. He was still drinking the beer even missing his legs. But I thought it was very interesting that that’s been going on for so long and I guess our genes just can’t handle anymore. So I don’t know. So if you have the insulin resistance and insulin, the ranges go up around 19 to 22, there should be two to 7. So if you get around 7, 8, 9 on your insulin, you have an issue. If you will take our glucose support and it’s got the biotin chromium vanadium, some other stuff in it. It helps and it helps with the insulin sensitivity. And let me just talk just a little bit about bites and people don’t know anything about bite and it helps grow nails and hair. But it helps the metabolism of the carbohydrates the fats and the proteins. A deficiency can cause anemia of depression, hair loss, high blood sugar high blood sugar, inflammation, of the skin and mucous membranes and who doesn’t have insomnia. There’s a lot of possibility reasons loss of appetite. We don’t see much of that. Muscular pain, fibromyalgia, soreness of the tongue. Other things that’s in this glucose support is the chromium and it has to be the right kinds of chromium, not the stuff that’s on your bumper or your trailer hitch. And it’s caused its worse because it’s not in our soul. It’s not an a water supply, but it’s worsened by a diet high in refined, white sugar, flour, and junk food, which is most people. Deficiency and chromium can lead to anxiety. We hear people have that all time. Fatigue, glucose intolerance, people with diabetes in inadequate metabolism of amino acids, so your muscles are going to be breaking down. Vanadium, you don’t hear much about, but it’s in the glucose support. It’s very incredibly important. It’s for cellular metabolism formation of bones and teeth, but it has a rolling growth in reproduction. Inhibits cholesterol synthesis, improves insulin, utilization, deficiency can be linked to cardiovascular and kidney disease. And one of the reasons you’ve got to put these good minerals in there is to offset the heavy metals that I said I was going to get to, but I don’t think I’m going to. Well, one thing about glucose support, the thing that does that I really know that I can tell is if you don’t like eating a heavy breakfast in the morning or you don’t eat protein, people that have diabetic type tendencies or blood sugar problems start getting really mean around lunchtime. And we’re hungry. All right, are they getting nauseous? Because they’ve not eaten in that because their blood sugar is taken huge swings. Glucose support helps keep it stable so that that doesn’t happen to you. So that’s on them.

00:30:02 – 00:34:18

Note of something you might understand. I also wanted to mention because we’re coming toward the end of this show. So fast. We have a new blood work system in place. And doctor Lewis has graciously giving you the website to green wisdom health dot com. I got brownie points on that one. I know. For those of you that have already been our patients, those are the new patients, we’ve changed the process a little bit where we are now able to order LabCorp across the United States. It was quest outside the state of Texas and we did LabCorp inside of Texas, but we’ve made a special new deal with LabCorp where we can actually order outside the state of Texas and because of this new deal, some of our panels actually have another couple of panels of lab added in at no extra charge. And I like quest quest did a good job, but just for consistency sake. It makes it easier on us and it saves us time, which means we’re going to serve you better. We’ve actually have so many people have come in and ask if we have any way to see if they have any kind of damage because they’re concerned about because I’ve had a COVID. They’ve had COVID. That they want to say if they’ve got any kind of issues going on, we have a D dimer test in some of our lab tests now that we added that to some of the men’s, but we added the TPO to some of the women’s because I’m seeing high TPO, which would indicate probability of having Hashimoto’s more so in women. So we’ve added that with no extra charge. Right. And we’ve also added, and it’s a brilliant negotiator. And I’m also working, I’m still in the process of working on it, but we’re now putting your documents into an app called healthy. It’s with an IE and if you’ve already been a patient, you’re already made in that system, you’ll just have to change your password, but we’ll start dumping your labs and any kind of correspondence, doctor Alice will be able to talk to you inside that app. If that freaks you out, which it has some of our people, they’re like, please. She says the old elderly and then looks at me. We can correspond with you other ways as well. So don’t think it has to be that way, but we’re trying to make it worse, convenient for everyone, and they can have all the records in one place. Those that are techno savvy. Yeah, and there’s some really cool features coming with that down the road too. So those are the new things we’ve done. Doctor Lewis, ah, jeez, we were at the end of our show. Would you like to lead us into a prayer is what I wanted to say. We might need that too. I told Jan and I said, I think I’m gonna quit this and be a preacher. She looked at me really, really funny. He says, you cost too much. I don’t cost much, but it’s appropriate. It’s a sentence in hanser when I do it. You know, one of the best things we can do as human beings is to find the spirit and the definition of spirit is the nature of and we have to uplift our spirit. We have to speak about what’s good because you create more of it. If you speak about what’s bad, you create more of that. So different things don’t dwell on what went wrong instead focus on what to do next, what to do, action. Spend your energy on moving forward and finding the answer in as always Janet doing that. Your greatest Trump in life is when you’re able to bless somebody else while you’re going through your own storm. And there’s a lot of that going on. And I’m noticing more and more random acts of kindness because I think people are more stressed. And it just makes them feel good to uplift and bless somebody else. It’s good. We thank you for listening to our show. We hope you have a blessed week. We are here to help you when you need the help. We’ll talk soon. Once again, our show has come to an end, but your hope in your health is only beginning. If you or a loved one are in need of a different outcome and are waiting for a brighter future, take the first step and go to our website and fill out the health survey. Please don’t keep us a secret. If you know someone that could benefit from this podcast, please share the show with your friends and family. You are only one step away from a life worth living.

Products Mentioned in Today’s Show

Gluco Support – Supplies a powerful mix of nutrients and botanicals that efficiently help support normal glucose metabolism, structure and function of basement membranes such as nerve tissue, and insulin sensitivity. †

Berberine Alpha-A – Provides multidimensional support for cardiovascular health by maintaining healthy cholesterol levels and supporting blood sugar balance already within normal levels.

L-Carnitine – L-carnitine has been shown to stimulate the use of fat for fuel and boost metabolism, making it essential to energy generation in the body.

You can also listen to The Secret Enemy of Weight Loss on Spotify here.

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Don’t Neglect Your Mental Fitness

Mental fitness is a concept used to help us enhance our thought patterns and overall mental and cognitive well-being. Just as the body can be strengthened through physical exercise, our minds too can be made more resilient through conscious training and healthy lifestyle practices. By developing an awareness of our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, we can become more confident and capable in the world.

Everyone has experienced feeling overwhelmed, stressed, and helpless amidst the pressures of daily life, and many people have found this especially true over the last two years. It is when we let these types of thoughts dominate that we run into problems. Feeding into negative beliefs will only make them occur more frequently, as the brain forms neural pathways that become reinforced. The practice of mental fitness is about rewiring the neural pathways that don’t serve us, so that we experience positive thoughts more often than negative ones, and supporting our mental and cognitive health daily.

Instead of responding to challenges emotionally, which often leads to frustration and defeat, mental fitness allows you to step back and respond in a way that is calm, rational, and positive. It also helps to improve our cognition, brain health and memory for years to come.

Ways You Can Optimize Your Mental Fitness

Achieving peace of mind and optimal brain health may sound easier said than done, but there are many small changes and practices that you can add to your routine to keep your brain in top shape.

1 – Sleep

Getting enough sleep not only prevents illness, it also significantly improves your mental health and cognitive functioning. Make sure that you are getting at least seven to eight hours of sleep every night so that your brain functions optimally.

2 – Exercise

Physical fitness is closely connected to mental fitness; you cannot achieve a healthy mind if your body is not performing properly. This is also true the other way around, as poor physical health may also impact mental health. The benefits of leading an active life are well documented. Physical activity increases the flow of oxygen to the brain and releases endorphins – our happy hormones. These so-called “happy chemicals” will help relieve stress and improve your mental state.

3 – Mindfulness

The ability to recognize when a thought is negative or unhelpful is crucial to developing mental fitness. Take the time to step back from your negative thoughts and question their validity. You can then reframe them to more positive ones that serve you and your goals. These can take some retraining, and it’s often useful to talk with a healthcare professional.

4 – Doing new things

Being adaptable and open to change is a major component of mental fitness. Find new ways to challenge yourself and your mental fitness will grow with the world around you. This could be as simple as taking up a new hobby or trying a new food. Studies on Alzheimer’s have found that engaging your brain in different ways helps support brain cells and strengthen neural connections. Variety will increase your brain’s vitality.

5 – Playing!

Many fun recreation activities help keep your brain active. Doing puzzles and playing games have a positive effect on mental fitness. It increases problem solving skills and can help keep the brain sharp. Many physical activities, including dancing and tai chi, have cognitive benefits since the brain must work to remember steps or movements involved.

6 – Active listening

Sometimes, we listen merely to respond, but the type of listening that mental fitness requires is slow and thoughtful. Deep listening will increase your knowledge and your capacity to reason and relate to others.

7 – Spend time in nature

If your stress levels have been high lately, you may benefit from adding at least 20 minutes of outdoor time into your daily routine. Think of it as a “nature pill” for your well-being. Studies have shown that connecting with nature and “forest bathing” can significantly lower stress hormones.

8 – Reading

Even if you only spend 15 minutes a day doing it, reading can be a highly beneficial activity to aid your mental fitness. Visualizing the action on the pages will help you relax and ignite your imagination. Reading also strengthens connections in the brain and improves memory and concentration.

9 – Meditation

Learning to calm your mind and hone your thoughts will significantly increase your mental fitness and help you manage stress. Spend a moment taking in your surroundings and focusing on your breath with no distractions. It will likely be challenging at first, but your mind and body will thank you for it. Many apps and websites can guide you through the basics of meditation.

10 – Foods and Supplements

Many essential nutrients play a role in supporting mental fitness. Vitamin D, for example, helps protect against depression and anxiety disorders. Studies show that a lack of omega-3s in the diet has detrimental effects on cognitive function and has been associated with chronic inflammation, potentially contributing to depression symptoms. Magnesium is also a key player in mental health, as this mineral helps to regulate many key neurotransmitters involved in mood regulation. Magnesium deficiency has been associated with anxiety, ADHD, fatigue, and low libido.

Focus on a natural, whole foods diet with a variety of fruits and vegetables, quality protein and healthy fats. Avoid or limit alcohol as it can alter communication pathways in the brain, as well sugar and processed foods which are oftentimes contributors to impaired cognitive skills and self control.

Like any physical exercise, mental fitness requires a bit of discipline to create a routine. The good news is that science has shown that our brains are elastic and can be trained just as any muscle can to become stronger. With just a few small but meaningful changes, you can adjust your mindset to get more clarity while supporting your brain health for years to come. And, don’t be afraid to reach out – we can help!

Sources:

Albert PR. Adult neuroplasticity: A new “cure” for major depression?. J Psychiatry Neurosci. 2019;44(3):147-150. doi:10.1503/jpn.190072

 Briguglio M, Vitale JA, Galentino R, et al. Healthy Eating, Physical Activity, and Sleep Hygiene (HEPAS) as the Winning Triad for Sustaining Physical and Mental Health in Patients at Risk for or with Neuropsychiatric Disorders: Considerations for Clinical Practice. Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat. 2020;16:55-70. Published 2020 Jan 8. doi:10.2147/NDT.S229206

Robert S. Wilson, Tianhao Wang, Lei Yu, Francine Grodstein, David A. Bennett, Patricia A. Boyle, Cognitive Activity and Onset Age of Incident Alzheimer Disease Demential Neurology Aug 2021, 97 (9) e922-e929; DOI: 10.1212/WNL.0000000000012388

Centeno RPR. Effect of Mindfulness on Empathy and Self-Compassion: An Adapted MBCT Program on Filipino College Students. Behav Sci (Basel). 2020;10(3):61. Published 2020 Feb 27. doi:10.3390/bs10030061

Hunter MR, Gillespie BW, Chen SY. Urban Nature Experiences Reduce Stress in the Context of Daily Life Based on Salivary Biomarkers. Front Psychol. 2019;10:722. Published 2019 Apr 4. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00722

Maraz A, Király O, Urbán R, Griffiths MD, Demetrovics Z. Why do you dance? Development of the Dance Motivation Inventory (DMI). PLoS One. 2015;10(3):e0122866. Published 2015 Mar 24. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0122866

Lang F, Ma K, Leibrock CB. 1,25(OH)2D3 in Brain Function and Neuropsychiatric Disease. Neurosignals. 2019;27(1):40-49. doi: 10.33594/000000182. PMID: 31769259.

Effatpanah M, Rezaei M, Effatpanah H, Effatpanah Z, Varkaneh HK, Mousavi SM, Fatahi S, Rinaldi G, Hashemi R. Magnesium status and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD): A meta-analysis. Psychiatry Res. 2019 Apr;274:228-234. doi: 10.1016/j.psychres.2019.02.043. Epub 2019 Feb 19. PMID: 30807974.

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Functional Lab Testing: Dive Deeper Into Your Health Concerns

Functional lab testing is an approach to selecting and interpreting laboratory tests in the context of a person’s symptoms, health history, medications, lifestyle, and clinical questions. It may provide useful information, but laboratory results do not tell the whole story and do not establish a diagnosis by themselves.

What Is Functional Lab Testing?

Laboratory testing measures substances in blood, urine, saliva, stool, or other specimens. Some tests are used to screen for or diagnose a particular condition. Others provide broader information about areas such as blood-cell production, blood sugar, liver and kidney function, thyroid function, nutrient status, or cardiovascular risk.

The term functional lab testing is often used to describe a more individualized testing process: begin with the person’s concerns and history, choose tests that can help answer specific questions, and then interpret the results alongside the rest of the clinical picture. The value comes from thoughtful test selection and careful interpretation—not simply ordering the largest possible panel.

Green Wisdom Health’s approach is “Test, Don’t Guess.” That means testing should help clarify an appropriate question. It does not mean every symptom has a single hidden laboratory cause or that more testing is always better.

What Laboratory Testing Can—and Cannot—Tell You

A laboratory result may help identify a pattern, monitor a known condition, assess risk, or indicate that further evaluation is needed. However, results must be considered with symptoms, physical findings, personal and family history, medications and supplements, and sometimes imaging or other diagnostic information.

Reference ranges also require context. Laboratories may use different methods and ranges, and a result slightly outside a reference range does not automatically mean disease. Likewise, a result within range does not guarantee that no health problem exists. The National Library of Medicine explains that clinicians combine laboratory results with the rest of a person’s health information to form a more accurate assessment.

How Should Testing Begin?

Testing should begin with a clear reason. Useful questions include:

  • What symptoms or health concerns are being evaluated?
  • What testing has already been completed, and when?
  • Could medications, supplements, fasting, exercise, illness, or menstrual timing affect the results?
  • Would a result change the recommended next step?
  • Is the proposed test clinically established for the question being asked?

This is why Green Wisdom Health asks new clients to begin with the Health Survey. It provides context before a laboratory panel is selected.

Common Categories of Laboratory Testing

General health and metabolic markers

Tests such as a complete blood count and comprehensive metabolic panel can provide information about blood cells, electrolytes, proteins, and aspects of liver and kidney function. These results may offer useful clues, but abnormal findings often require confirmation or additional evaluation.

Blood sugar and cardiometabolic markers

Fasting glucose and A1C are established tests used in evaluating blood sugar. An A1C reflects average blood glucose over roughly three months, while fasting glucose measures one point in time. The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases notes that different tests may occasionally give differing results and that diagnosis commonly requires confirmation.

Lipid measurements and selected cardiovascular-risk markers may also be appropriate depending on a person’s history and risk factors.

Thyroid testing

Thyroid evaluation commonly begins with thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH). Depending on symptoms and initial findings, a clinician may also consider free T4, T3 in certain situations, or thyroid antibodies. According to the NIDDK thyroid-testing guidance, antibody testing may help evaluate autoimmune thyroid conditions such as Hashimoto’s disease or Graves’ disease.

Nutrient-related testing

Testing for specific nutrients may be useful when symptoms, dietary history, medication use, malabsorption risk, or other findings suggest a possible deficiency. The appropriate marker and interpretation depend on the nutrient and the person’s circumstances. Broad testing without a clear question can produce findings that are difficult to interpret.

Hormone testing

Hormone tests can be useful when selected for a specific concern, but timing and context matter. Age, sex, menstrual status, pregnancy, medications, time of day, and other factors can influence results. A collection of nonspecific symptoms does not by itself prove a hormone disorder.

Specialty testing

Some health questions may lead to specialty testing using stool, saliva, urine, finger-stick blood, or other specimens. These tests vary considerably in evidence, purpose, and clinical usefulness. Before ordering one, it is important to understand what the test measures, whether it has been validated for the intended use, what its limitations are, and how the result would affect the next step.

Why Results Must Be Interpreted in Context

Several ordinary factors can change a laboratory result, including food and drink, medicines and supplements, strenuous exercise, illness, hydration, menstrual timing, and whether preparation instructions were followed. Biological variation also means that a person’s results can change over time even when health status has not meaningfully changed.

A careful review therefore asks more than whether a number is marked high or low. It considers the laboratory’s own reference range, trends over time, related markers, symptoms, and factors that may have affected collection. When a finding is unexpected, repeat or follow-up testing may be more appropriate than drawing a conclusion from one value.

What Happens Through Green Wisdom Health?

  1. Begin with the Health Survey. This gives Dr. Stephen Lewis context about your concerns, history, and goals.
  2. Choose an appropriate testing path. Depending on your situation, that may involve a Core Lab Panel, a Specialty Lab Panel, or review of recent comprehensive results obtained elsewhere.
  3. Complete the testing. Instructions depend on the panel. Product pages explain what is included and how the specimen is collected.
  4. Review the results in context. Laboratory findings are considered alongside the information you provide. Testing alone does not constitute a diagnosis.
  5. Discuss the next step. When included with the selected service, this may involve a private Zoom results consultation and personalized wellness recommendations.

Already Have Recent Lab Results?

If your results are no more than 12 months old and sufficiently comprehensive, Dr. Lewis may be able to review them through the Outside Lab Review process. Submit the results first; Green Wisdom Health will confirm whether they are appropriate before asking you to purchase the review.

Listen: Looking Beyond Normal Lab Results

For an audio companion to this article, listen to Dr. Stephen Lewis and Janet Lewis discuss why a result within a reference range is useful information but must still be considered alongside symptoms, history, test preparation, and related findings.

Where Should I Begin?

If you are deciding whether laboratory testing may be appropriate, start by sharing your current concerns and health history. Green Wisdom Health can then help you understand the available pathways without assuming that every person needs the same panel.


References

This article is for educational purposes and is not a diagnosis or a substitute for medical care. Seek prompt medical attention for severe, sudden, or worsening symptoms.

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Supplements – Why You Likely Need Them

Do you need to take supplements? The answer isn’t always straightforward. In a perfect world, all the nutrients we need are readily available from a well-rounded diet. However, many other factors come into play. Simply put, today’s world isn’t always conducive to a diet that meets all your needs.

Here are some questions to ask to determine if supplementation is the right choice for you.

Where do you get your food?

Conventional farming practices have led to nutrient loss in many foods. Overfarming often reduces nutrients in soil, which in turn lowers the nutritional value of produce in vital areas like vitamins A and C. Similarly, animals raised in feedlots miss out on the varied diets that animals who graze in open spaces benefit from. One study found, for example, that grass-fed beef is higher in vitamins A and E and antioxidants than beef from feedlots. These trends mean that consumers have to consider their foods’ origins in order to get maximum nutritional value. However, because it’s not always possible – or affordable – to buy right from a farm, supplementation may be necessary.

Where do you live?

In much of North America, we don’t get enough sunshine to produce enough vitamin D. That’s why over 40% of people in the US are deficient in this crucial nutrient, with seniors being at particularly high risk. It can be difficult to get enough vitamin D through diet alone, so supplements are often necessary.

Do you eat a well-rounded diet?

Certain diets or dietary restrictions can leave us deficient in nutrients. Vegans, and vegetarians who don’t eat many eggs or dairy products, often require vitamin B12 supplements as it’s only available through animal sources and fortified grains. The consequences of B12 deficiency can be severe, including fatigue and depression, so it’s important to maintain healthy levels.

Similarly, people who aren’t able to consume dairy may not get enough calcium or vitamin D, necessary for strong bones, teeth and immune function. A gluten-free diet can also put people at risk for deficiencies in nutrients like folate, zinc, and magnesium.

Picky eaters? If you are not consuming enough fruits and vegetables you should ensure they are getting enough vitamin C as well. Studies show Vitamin C, a powerful antioxidant, can help support heart health and lower risk of heart disease, lower the risk of gout,  and improve the absorption of iron.

Do you take prescription medications or have a genetic/health condition?

Many health issues lead to difficulties absorbing nutrients, or raise the levels that you require to stay healthy. People with ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s Disease have difficulty absorbing nutrients and often require supplements for optimum health. Some cancer patients benefit from supplementation, but it’s important to work with your healthcare team to determine your needs. As well, some autoimmune disorders require supplementation. People with pernicious anemia, for example, don’t produce enough intrinsic factor, a protein that helps absorb vitamin B12, so will need B12 supplements. Studies also show that people with heart disease benefit from omega-3 supplements.

It’s important to note that many of today’s commonly prescribed medications can also lead to vitamins and minerals being leached from the body.

This includes the birth control pill, which has been shown to deplete the body of B vitamins (riboflavin, B6, B12, and folic acid), vitamin C, magnesium, and zinc. Metformin, a common prescription for the treatment of Type 2 diabetes, has been shown to deplete Vitamin B12, folic acid and Coenzyme Q10.

Be sure to speak with a qualified healthcare practitioner when incorporating supplements along with your prescription medications to avoid negative interactions or side effects.

How is your energy and mood?

Feeling chronically tired or fuzzy-headed can be a sign that you’re deficient in at least one important nutrient. For example, Magnesium helps with over 300 processes in the human body, including muscle function and energy production. Proper levels of magnesium are necessary in order to metabolize the nutrients that you take in through food into energy. Research also indicates that there is a strong link between vitamin D deficiency and anxiety as well as depression. If you never feel fully rested or experience anxiety or depression, talk to a healthcare provider to rule out deficiencies and recommend the proper, quality supplementation – we can help!

How old are you?

As we age, our risk for nutritional deficiencies increases. That’s largely because of changes within your body. For example, stomach acid is needed to absorb vitamin B12 and iron, but we tend to produce less stomach acid with age.

Our bodies also become less efficient at absorbing Vitamin D and calcium, two nutrients essential for bone health. Plus, we tend to eat a bit less, since metabolism often slows with age (many people are also less active with age). In some seniors, the ability to recognize hunger cues starts to decline.

The need for supplements isn’t always connected to growing older, though. All women of childbearing age need to monitor their iron levels, since menstruation can lead to anemia. For women during pregnancy, folic acid and vitamin D among other nutrients, are recommended to help with a growing baby.

The Importance Of Smart Supplementation

Dietary supplements aren’t regulated the same way prescription medications are. Although supplementation has many benefits for many people, choosing to take a supplement requires some due diligence. It’s important to work with a healthcare provider to determine the right supplements and correct levels, and to rule out any contraindications. Even the best supplements can have negative impacts. St. John’s Wort, for example, is a popular supplement to treat depression, but it can interfere with your body’s ability to absorb some medications, including oral contraceptives. 

It’s also important to make sure you take the best dose for you. When it comes to supplements, more is not always better. Fat-soluble vitamins like A and D can be toxic when taken in large amounts.

There’s also a wide range of quality when it comes to supplements. Because they’re not regulated as medications, the amounts of an ingredient can even vary within the same product. It’s important to purchase high-quality professional grade supplements from a trusted source.

Meeting your nutritional needs through a high-quality, well-rounded diet is the best approach, but for many of us, that’s simply not always possible. Supplements have been used to manage health conditions for many years. We can always look to nature to see if there is a healthy alternative to prescription medications to rebalance your system, replenishing your body and help to restore it back to a healthy state. Carefully chosen supplements can help us bridge any gaps on our road to wellness. If you’d like to talk about what supplements are best for you, give us a call.

Sources:

Davis DR, Epp MD, Riordan HD. Changes in USDA food composition data for 43 garden crops, 1950 to 1999. J Am Coll Nutr. 2004 Dec;23(6):669-82. doi: 10.1080/07315724.2004.10719409. PMID: 15637215.

Forrest KY, Stuhldreher WL. Prevalence and correlates of vitamin D deficiency in US adults. Nutr Res. 2011 Jan;31(1):48-54. doi: 10.1016/j.nutres.2010.12.001. PMID: 21310306.

Vici G, Belli L, Biondi M, Polzonetti V. Gluten free diet and nutrient deficiencies: A review. Clin Nutr. 2016 Dec;35(6):1236-1241. doi: 10.1016/j.clnu.2016.05.002. Epub 2016 May 7. PMID: 27211234.

Jain AP, Aggarwal KK, Zhang PY. Omega-3 fatty acids and cardiovascular disease. Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci. 2015;19(3):441-5. PMID: 25720716.

Morris HA, Need AG, Horowitz M, O’Loughlin PD, Nordin BE. Calcium absorption in normal and osteoporotic postmenopausal women. Calcif Tissue Int. 1991 Oct;49(4):240-3. doi: 10.1007/BF02556211. PMID: 1760766.

Murphy PA, Kern SE, Stanczyk FZ, Westhoff CL. Interaction of St. John’s Wort with oral contraceptives: effects on the pharmacokinetics of norethindrone and ethinyl estradiol, ovarian activity and breakthrough bleeding. Contraception. 2005 Jun;71(6):402-8. doi: 10.1016/j.contraception.2004.11.004. PMID: 15914127.

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Top 10 Superfoods for Longevity

The small choices we make every day add up to a lasting impact on our long-term health. One of the most striking examples of how good decisions lead to good outcomes is the role of our everyday food choices on longevity. Growing research points to the importance of diet on both quality of life and lifespan – it turns out there really is a fountain of youth, and it starts with what you eat!

We Are What We Eat

Western diets have increasingly become pro-inflammatory, calorie heavy and nutrient devoid. In fact, the USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans defines the Standard American Diet (SAD) as being too low in fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, and healthy oils, and too high in red meat, high-fat dairy products, processed and fast foods, refined carbohydrates, added sugars, salt, and calories. Eating a Standard American Diet is a root cause of the “diseases of civilization.” Diseases of civilization include heart disease, diabetes, cancer, infertility, mental health issues, and other metabolic diseases – which all impact a long and healthy life.

The nutrients found in the right foods can alter the aging process at a cellular level, reducing damage from oxidative stress. In other words, the superfoods below can actually impact the aging process! We need to prioritize the foods that give our bodies the energy and strength that it needs in order to fight off disease and other effects of aging.

The Blue Zones: Models for Healthy Aging

Scientists have studied the diets and lifestyle of people living in the “blue zones,” which are areas with exceptionally long average lifespans, including Sardinia, Italy; Okinawa, Japan; and Ikaria, Greece. People in these areas share many common healthy lifestyle practices, like maintaining strong social connections and regular movement. They also share many dietary patterns, such as a focus on whole, natural and plant-based foods, and they avoid processed foods. The foods below appear often in research around the blue zones, and other studies show striking health benefits.

Top 10 Anti-Aging Superfoods

Let’s take a look at what studies today suggest are some of the top superfoods for longevity.

1 – Cruciferous vegetables

These flavorful veggies are high in fiber, antioxidants, and vitamins C, A, E, and K. Antioxidants help fight aging by curtailing damage from free radicals and reducing inflammation. Vitamin C is an antioxidant that can also help you look younger, since it boosts collagen production, which in turn strengthens your skin’s elasticity.

Cruciferous vegetables include broccoli, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, cabbage, turnips, and even radishes. Try stir frying some with some amino acids for flavor! Many are also good roasted – if you’ve never tried roasted radish before, it’s a great way to remove the bitter edge that characterizes raw radishes!

2 – Leafy green veggies

Leafy green vegetables are high in antioxidants, vitamin K, folate, fiber, and lutein, a nutrient that can help protect aging eyes. Studies have shown a diet with a lot of leafy greens helps protect against cognitive decline and heart disease. (Note that people who have to take anticoagulants should talk to their healthcare professional about eating foods high in vitamin K.)

Aim for a variety of leafy greens, and think outside the salad bowl: sauteed turnip greens, and baked kale chips are a nice change of pace. Generally speaking, aim for darker colors – spinach over iceberg lettuce in a salad, for example.

3 – Nuts and seeds

Don’t avoid nuts for fear of their calorie content. One study found that people with a diet high in nuts were 20% more likely to have a longer lifespan than those who didn’t consume them. Another found that people following a Mediterranean diet had improved cholesterol levels with increased nut intake. Walnuts, pistachios, and almonds are all particularly beneficial, and versatile. Add some salads and baking, or just snack! Nuts are a good source of fiber, antioxidants, and healthy fats.

Flax seeds, chia seeds, and hemp seeds are excellent sources of protein and omega-3, and have been linked to reduced cholesterol levels and lower blood pressure. It’s easy to incorporate these powerhouses into your diet – just sprinkle some on your cereal and even yogurt, and incorporate seeds into salads and wherever possible.

4 – Berries

Brightly colored berries like blueberries, strawberries, and raspberries are high in antioxidants, fiber, and vitamin C. Blueberries and strawberries can help fight insulin resistance and diabetes, and all berries are excellent substitutes for sweet desserts. Make sure to buy organic – all berries, strawberries in particular, can contain high levels of pesticides. Plus, organic tastes better!

5 – Beans and legumes

With their high amounts of fiber, beans keep your digestive system working in top shape and can help prevent colon and other digestive cancers. They’re also protective of heart health, and are associated with lower blood pressure. And, beans are a filling high protein source, which can help regulate blood sugar, and keep weight in check. In fact, one study linked bean consumption with a smaller waist circumference.

Beans are an excellent addition to soups, salads and stews. If you’re a meat eater, try adding some to recipes with ground beef, like meatballs, to add extra fiber and vitamins.

6 – Mushrooms

Mushrooms are high in B vitamins and potassium, and therefore good for your heart. They’re a good source of selenium, a mineral that acts as a powerful antioxidant.

They’re also very versatile, and can be enjoyed raw, grilled, or sauteed. Try marinating mushrooms on a skewer before barbecuing, or use a marinated portobello mushroom as a healthy burger substitute.

Recently, functional mushrooms have been taking center stage in the mainstream health and wellness space. Functional mushrooms include chaga, lion’s mane and cordyceps among others and are considered adaptogens for their supportive role in the body’s natural adaptation. Typically found in supplement form, functional mushrooms can be a great addition to your routine to help manage stress, improve focus and more. Be sure to speak with a qualified healthcare practitioner to see if these are right for you!

7 – Alliums like onions and garlic

These aren’t just flavor enhancers. Allium vegetables include onions, garlic, leeks, and shallots. Alliums have antioxidant, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory properties, which are good for heart health and cancer prevention. Research suggests onions can even improve bone health. Some people have unpleasant digestive issues with onions, so some trial and error may be necessary, but it’s easy to add more sauteed or raw onions to many dishes.

8 – Tomatoes

In addition to high levels of insoluble fiber, vitamin C, and potassium, tomatoes are an excellent source of the antioxidant lycopene, which is associated with a lower risk of heart attacks and strokes. It’s also thought to lower rates of cancer and cholesterol levels. Lycopene content in tomatoes increases with cooking, so tomato sauces are particularly good sources.

9 – Turmeric

The medicinal properties of this herb have been recognized for centuries, and recent studies back its effectiveness. The benefits of turmeric are largely derived from the compound curcumin, which is highly anti-inflammatory and beneficial to heart health. Some studies have found that it can help prevent cancer and reduce the symptoms of arthritis. It’s difficult to get therapeutic levels through diet alone (although it is delicious in a smoothie), so supplements may help. Interestingly, absorption is increased when consumed with black pepper – a combination that happens in many spicy dishes.

10 – Green tea

The many benefits of green tea make it one of the healthiest beverages you can consume. It’s high in antioxidants and polyphenols, which are compounds associated with cancer prevention. Matcha green tea is considered one of the healthiest varieties of green tea because the entire leaf is consumed by tea drinkers. Make sure you are buying organic to reduce pesticide exposure and to ensure you are reaping all the benefits of this superfood

Eat Your Way To A Longer, Healthier Life

You may have noticed that all of these superfoods are easily adapted into your regular diet. These simple dietary changes can have positive impacts on your health, and, ultimately, your longevity.

Reach out if you want to learn more about lifestyle changes that can improve your quality of life!

Sources:

Matheson EM, Mainous AG 3rd, Carnemolla MA. The association between onion consumption and bone density in perimenopausal and postmenopausal non-Hispanic white women 50 years and older. Menopause. 2009 Jul-Aug;16(4):756-9. doi: 10.1097/gme.0b013e31819581a5. PMID: 19240657.

Caprara, Greta. ‘Diet and Longevity: The Effects of Traditional Eating Habits on Human Lifespan Extension’. 1 Jan. 2018 : 261 – 294.

Poulain, Michel, et al. “The Blue Zones: Areas of Exceptional Longevity around the World.” Vienna Yearbook of Population Research, vol. 11, Austrian Academy of Sciences Press, 2013, pp. 87–108, http://www.jstor.org/stable/43050798.

Morris MC, Wang Y, Barnes LL, Bennett DA, Dawson-Hughes B, Booth SL. Nutrients and bioactives in green leafy vegetables and cognitive decline: Prospective study. Neurology. 2018 Jan 16;90(3):e214-e222. doi: 10.1212/WNL.0000000000004815. Epub 2017 Dec 20. PMID: 29263222; PMCID: PMC5772164.

Morris MC, Wang Y, Barnes LL, Bennett DA, Dawson-Hughes B, Booth SL. Nutrients and bioactives in green leafy vegetables and cognitive decline: Prospective study. Neurology. 2018 Jan 16;90(3):e214-e222. doi: 10.1212/WNL.0000000000004815. Epub 2017 Dec 20. PMID: 29263222; PMCID: PMC5772164.

Pollock RL. The effect of green leafy and cruciferous vegetable intake on the incidence of cardiovascular disease: A meta-analysis. JRSM Cardiovasc Dis. 2016;5:2048004016661435. Published 2016 Aug 1. doi:10.1177/2048004016661435

Bansal M. Association of nut consumption with total and cause-specific mortality. Indian Heart J. 2014;66(3):388-389. doi:10.1016/j.ihj.2014.03.020

Damasceno NR, Sala-Vila A, Cofán M, Pérez-Heras AM, Fitó M, Ruiz-Gutiérrez V, Martínez-González MÁ, Corella D, Arós F, Estruch R, Ros E. Mediterranean diet supplemented with nuts reduces waist circumference and shifts lipoprotein subfractions to a less atherogenic pattern in subjects at high cardiovascular risk. Atherosclerosis. 2013 Oct;230(2):347-53. doi: 10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2013.08.014. Epub 2013 Aug 21. PMID: 24075767.

Papanikolaou Y, Fulgoni VL 3rd. Bean consumption is associated with greater nutrient intake, reduced systolic blood pressure, lower body weight, and a smaller waist circumference in adults: results from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 1999-2002. J Am Coll Nutr. 2008 Oct;27(5):569-76. doi: 10.1080/07315724.2008.10719740. PMID: 18845707.

Karppi J, Laukkanen JA, Sivenius J, Ronkainen K, Kurl S. Serum lycopene decreases the risk of stroke in men: a population-based follow-up study. Neurology. 2012 Oct 9;79(15):1540-7. doi: 10.1212/WNL.0b013e31826e26a6. PMID: 23045517.

Shoba G, Joy D, Joseph T, Majeed M, Rajendran R, Srinivas PS. Influence of piperine on the pharmacokinetics of curcumin in animals and human volunteers. Planta Med. 1998 May;64(4):353-6. doi: 10.1055/s-2006-957450. PMID: 9619120.

Matheson EM, Mainous AG 3rd, Carnemolla MA. The association between onion consumption and bone density in perimenopausal and postmenopausal non-Hispanic white women 50 years and older. Menopause. 2009 Jul-Aug;16(4):756-9. doi: 10.1097/gme.0b013e31819581a5. PMID: 19240657

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Chandran B, Goel A. A randomized, pilot study to assess the efficacy and safety of curcumin in patients with active rheumatoid arthritis. Phytother Res. 2012 Nov;26(11):1719-25. doi: 10.1002/ptr.4639. Epub 2012 Mar 9. PMID: 22407780.

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Cortisol – Effects on Women’s Health

Balance is the key element when it comes to cortisol, a hormone produced in your adrenal glands. Cortisol performs many vital functions, including:

  • Reducing inflammation
  • Regulating blood pressure
  • Metabolizing glucose
  • Assisting with circadian rhythm regulation
  • Formulating memories

Many of these tasks contribute to cortisol’s role in controlling the “flight or fight response.”  When your body senses danger, cortisol kicks in with the physiological responses that enable you to either flee the danger or fight it. Your heartbeat increases, blood flows to your major muscle groups, your nervous system is on hyper alert – all thanks to cortisol and other hormones like adrenaline. In this state of emergency preparedness, even the clotting ability of your blood increases, in case of injury. To create a fast supply of energy, you metabolize carbohydrates faster.

From an evolutionary perspective, these responses made a lot of sense. Long ago, stressors were often direct threats requiring a fast physical response, one that still serves us well in certain stressful situations.

Now, however, much of the stress in modern life is chronic stress, and we have much more sedentary lives. The cortisol our bodies release in times of stress isn’t necessarily required to initiate a physical response.

How High Cortisol Levels Affect Women

As a result of our more sedentary and stressful lives, many women suffer from an imbalance in their cortisol levels. An excess of cortisol in the body can lead to many troublesome symptoms, including:

  • Hypertension
  • Irritability
  • Weight gain, particularly in the belly and upper back
  • Unexplained fatigue
  • Difficulty focusing
  • Muscle weakness
  • Trouble concentrating
  • Headaches
  • Memory problems
  • Indigestion
  • Insomnia
  • Low libido

For menopausal women, these symptoms can be particularly pronounced. Cortisol levels rise at the end of menstruation, exacerbating menopausal symptoms at what is already a difficult time achieving hormonal balance. This is one of the main contributors to a frequent complaint among menopausal women: excess belly fat.

In menstruating women, excess cortisol can lead to painful, heavy, or absent periods. When estrogen is lowered from continuous stress and cortisol production, all the female hormone imbalance symptoms such as night sweats, sleep problems, and mood swings can get worse.

3 Key Steps to Balance Cortisol Levels

1 – Eat for success

A healthy diet is one of the most effective ways to regulate cortisol levels. Start by implementing these habits into your daily meals.

  • Reduce sugar and simple carbs. Studies show that a diet high in refined carbohydrates and sugar raises cortisol levels. Somewhat paradoxically, a high-sugar diet can also make your body less efficient producing cortisol when in a stressful situation.
  • Drink lots of water. When you’re dehydrated, your cortisol levels rise.
  • Focus on fiber. The gut microbiome influences hormone production. A healthy microbiome requires high fiber intake, in order to stimulate the production of “good’ bacteria in the microbiome,
  • Choose omega-3. The anti-inflammatory qualities in omega-3 fatty acids help reduce cortisol levels. Foods high in omega-3 include fatty fish like salmon, flax and chia seeds, and nuts like walnuts.
  • Fermented foods for gut health. Fermented foods like yogurt, kimchi, and sauerkraut help contribute to healthy bacteria levels in your gut, which helps regulate hormone production.  

2.  Supplement smartly

Supplements that reduce inflammation and improve gut health can support lower cortisol levels. Some to consider include:

  • Fish oil. Boost your consumption of omega-3 fatty acids with high quality fish oil supplements.
  • Ashwagandha. Adaptogens like ashwagandha help your body cope with stress by lowering cortisol production.
  • Chamomile. Tea made with chamomile has been a relaxation treatment for centuries, and new studies suggest it may reduce cortisol levels.

Taking any new supplementation should be discussed with a healthcare practitioner to make sure it’s the right fit for you. We can help you with a personalized wellness plan tailored to your needs.

3. Reduce daily stress

Chronic stress contributes to problems with cortisol because your body is in a constant state of alert. However, reducing stress is often easier said than done. Focus on coping mechanisms to help address the way you respond to stressful situations.

  • Get enough sleep. It’s frustrating: When we’re tired, we produce more cortisol, but that cortisol also keeps us awake! This creates a seemingly endless cycle of exhaustion. Focus on creating a relaxing nighttime routine, including a regular bedtime and a restful sleep environment. Avoid alcohol, screens, large meals, and intense exercise before bed. You want to associate sleep with peace.
  • Spend time in nature. It’s a prescription that has stood the test of time. Being outside lowers your stress responses, including cortisol production. It doesn’t have to be an epic hike – just taking a walk through the neighborhood on a busy day helps.
  • Work on your relaxation responses. Meditation, yoga, and breathwork all condition your body to deal with stressful thoughts while minimizing their physical impact.
  • Be careful with the company you keep. Ever notice that some people are inherently stressful to be around? Although positive social relationships can improve our responses to stress, negative relationships create a sense of chronic stress that isn’t good for your cortisol levels. And, don’t limit your reach to human companionship – studies have found that positive interactions with pets can lower cortisol too!

If you recognize any of the signs of high cortisol levels, it’s time to take a proactive approach to managing your response to stress. Let us know if you want to learn more about controlling cortisol levels – and improving your overall health!

Sources:

Woods NF, Mitchell ES, Smith-Dijulio K. Cortisol levels during the menopausal transition and early postmenopause: observations from the Seattle Midlife Women’s Health Study. Menopause. 2009;16(4):708-718. doi:10.1097/gme.0b013e318198d6b2

Hannibal KE, Bishop MD. Chronic stress, cortisol dysfunction, and pain: a psychoneuroendocrine rationale for stress management in pain rehabilitation. Phys Ther. 2014;94(12):1816-1825. doi:10.2522/ptj.20130597

Soltani H, Keim NL, Laugero KD. Increasing Dietary Carbohydrate as Part of a Healthy Whole Food Diet Intervention Dampens Eight Week Changes in Salivary Cortisol and Cortisol Responsiveness. Nutrients. 2019;11(11):2563. Published 2019 Oct 24. doi:10.3390/nu11112563

Tryon MS, Stanhope KL, Epel ES, Mason AE, Brown R, Medici V, Havel PJ, Laugero KD. Excessive Sugar Consumption May Be a Difficult Habit to Break: A View From the Brain and Body. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2015 Jun;100(6):2239-47. doi: 10.1210/jc.2014-4353. Epub 2015 Apr 16. PMID: 25879513; PMCID: PMC4454811.

Tryon MS, Stanhope KL, Epel ES, Mason AE, Brown R, Medici V, Havel PJ, Laugero KD. Excessive Sugar Consumption May Be a Difficult Habit to Break: A View From the Brain and Body. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2015 Jun;100(6):2239-47. doi: 10.1210/jc.2014-4353. Epub 2015 Apr 16. PMID: 25879513; PMCID: PMC4454811.

Salve J, Pate S, Debnath K, Langade D. Adaptogenic and Anxiolytic Effects of Ashwagandha Root Extract in Healthy Adults: A Double-blind, Randomized, Placebo-controlled Clinical Study. Cureus. 2019;11(12):e6466. Published 2019 Dec 25. doi:10.7759/cureus.6466

Keefe JR, Guo W, Li QS, Amsterdam JD, Mao JJ. An exploratory study of salivary cortisol changes during chamomile extract therapy of moderate to severe generalized anxiety disorder. J Psychiatr Res. 2018;96:189-195. doi:10.1016/j.jpsychires.2017.10.011

Zimberg IZ, Dâmaso A, Del Re M, Carneiro AM, de Sá Souza H, de Lira FS, Tufik S, de Mello MT. Short sleep duration and obesity: mechanisms and future perspectives. Cell Biochem Funct. 2012 Aug;30(6):524-9. doi: 10.1002/cbf.2832. Epub 2012 Apr 4. PMID: 22473743.

Ewert A, Chang Y. Levels of Nature and Stress Response. Behav Sci (Basel). 2018;8(5):49. Published 2018 May 17. doi:10.3390/bs8050049

Pauley PM, Floyd K, Hesse C. The stress-buffering effects of a brief dyadic interaction before an acute stressor. Health Commun. 2015;30(7):646-59. doi: 10.1080/10410236.2014.888385. Epub 2014 Aug 4. PMID: 25090099.

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5 Signs of a Healthy Gut

How’s your gut health? A simple “gut check” is one of the most comprehensive ways to assess your overall well-being. Growing research points to the importance of the microbiome in a wide range of functions, from your immune system, to your weight, to your mental health and more.

The term microbiome refers to the trillions of microorganisms – bacteria, fungi, and other living microorganisms that exist in your gut. It’s a complex world, with hundreds of different kinds of bacteria. Those microorganisms are the foundation of the gut-brain axis, the two-way communication network between your brain and your gut.

Maintaining the microbiome requires a delicate balance of bacteria. The “good” bacteria helps digest food, absorbs nutrients, helps produce vitamins and hormones, and protects against “bad” bacteria. A myriad of factors can impact this balance. High-fiber foods are beneficial – gut bacteria breaks down fiber to digest it, a process which stimulates the production of more bacteria. A varied, nutrient-rich diet is important for a diverse biome, something that isn’t typically possible if you eat a lot of processed food. Stress, alcohol, and many medications may also alter the composition of the microbiome.


Is Your Gut Healthy? 5 Ways To Tell

Scientists are only just beginning to learn about the complexity of the microbiome. Despite the many mysteries still to discover, it’s actually quite easy to do a general check of your gut health. Following are some things to look for.

1 – Transit time

Healthy digestion is the key to maintaining the microbiome, and one indication of that is transit time, which is how long it takes food to pass through your digestive system. Why does this matter? Slower digestion can lead to the formation of harmful bacteria. On the other hand, when food passes through your body too quickly, you may not absorb essential nutrients. Although everyone is slightly different, optimal transit time is from 12 to 24 hours, which, for most of us, means one to two bowel movements a day. If you have no idea how long it takes to digest food, try eating about a half cup of raw beets, then keep an eye on the color of your stool.

How to improve transit time:

  • Foods high in fiber keep things moving through your intestinal tract, so focus on unprocessed fruits and vegetables and whole grains.
  • Many people find that dairy and overly processed foods slow digestion.
  • Movement leads to increased blood flow and stimulates peristalsis, the wavelike contractions that move food through the intestines. Many yoga poses can help with digestion, particularly twisting moves.
  • Some supplements that can speed up digestion include magnesium citrate and supplements with psyllium. However, it’s important to work with a healthcare practitioner to determine the correct use and dose. It’s possible to become dependent on supplements and laxatives, which can ultimately harm your digestive system.

2 – Perfect poops

It’s nobody’s favorite subject, but the condition of your poop actually gives a good indication of your intestinal health. The Bristol Stool Scale provides an easy visual reference. Some key things to look for include:

  • Texture: Should be smooth. Hard, lumpy poops often indicate constipation.
  • Shape: Sausage-shaped is ideal. Overly liquid is typically a sign of diarrhea, and pellet shapes are a sign of constipation.
  • Buoyancy: Sinks in the toilet. Poop that floats may contain undigested fat.

Any straining or experiencing any pain during bowel movements should be investigated, as should any blood.Get to know your own body, and be alert to any changes.

3 – Gas after meals is not disruptive or painful

Some gas is inevitable after a meal, and some foods, like beans and raw veggies, certainly trigger gas more than others. Excess gas, however, can indicate something is amiss in your gut. While everyone has a different baseline, pay attention if you notice changes in your level of gassiness, or if gas causes distress or pain.

Easing gassiness

The following tips can reduce gassiness:

  • Chew food slowly and thoroughly. The more you break down food in the mouth the easier it is to further digest.
  • Keep a food diary to identify triggers. Common culprits include legumes and dairy products.
  • Try a short walk after a large meal since movement helps stimulate peristalsis.
  • Limit the consumption of carbonated drinks.
  • Try probiotic supplements. It’s best to work with a healthcare practitioner, since sometimes excess probiotics can actually cause gas.

4 – Good energy levels

Do you feel rested when you wake up? The answer is a good indicator of your gut health. Since we get energy as food is digested, your gut health is essential to your energy level, and how ready you are to face the day. If you can’t break down food properly, you won’t receive vital essential nutrients. However, the role of your gut in fighting fatigue goes deeper than that. Bacteria in the microbiome produce B vitamins, which are essential for energy. They also regulate the immune system, which is imperative for good energy.

The gut-brain axis also influences your sleep. It’s a two-way communication channel: your sleep influences the balance of bacteria, but bacteria also influences your circadian rhythms.

Low energy can also be a sign of leaky gut syndrome, which happens when the lining of the gut becomes too permeable, which allows unhealthy gut bacteria and inflammatory substances to leak into the bloodstream. People with leaky gut syndrome are at high risk for issues like Crohn’s and Inflammatory Bowel Syndrome, conditions that lead to fatigue.

5 – Your memory, mood, and focus

Growing research points to the impact of gut bacteria on our moods. Up to 90% of your body’s serotonin is produced in the gut, so it’s not surprising that altering the balance within the biome has notable effects on mood. Once again, this is a two-way street, as stress alters gut composition, which in turn can make you even more stressed because the gut’s production of hormones that impact your mood then shifts. It’s ultimately a sign of the importance of recognizing and addressing gut issues early.

The neurochemicals in your gut also impact your ability to learn new information and retain it. If you notice a change in your cognitive abilities, it’s a good idea to evaluate the other signs of a healthy gut to see if there is a connection.

How did your gut check turn out? If any items on this gut health checklist raise concerns for you, don’t hesitate to reach out!

Sources:

Madison, Annelise, and Janice K Kiecolt-Glaser. “Stress, depression, diet, and the gut microbiota: human-bacteria interactions at the core of psychoneuroimmunology and nutrition.” Current opinion in behavioral sciences vol. 28 (2019): 105-110. doi:10.1016/j.cobeha.2019.01.011

John F. Cryan, Kenneth J. O’Riordan, Caitlin S. M. Cowan, Kiran V. Sandhu, The Microbiota-Gut-Brain Axis, Physiological Reviews, 28 AUG 2019, https://doi.org/10.1152/physrev.00018.2018

Science Daily, “Food’s transit through the body is a key factor in digestive health,” June 27, 2016

Li Y, Hao Y, Fan F, Zhang B. The Role of Microbiome in Insomnia, Circadian Disturbance and Depression. Front Psychiatry. 2018;9:669. Published 2018 Dec 5. doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2018.00669

Rao SSC, Rehman A, Yu S, Andino NM. Brain fogginess, gas and bloating: a link between SIBO, probiotics and metabolic acidosis. Clin Transl Gastroenterol. 2018;9(6):162. Published 2018 Jun 19. doi:10.1038/s41424-018-0030-7

Holzer P, Farzi A. Neuropeptides and the microbiota-gut-brain axis. Adv Exp Med Biol. 2014;817:195-219. doi:10.1007/978-1-4939-0897-4_9

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Healthy Glowing Skin Starts from Within

Healthy, glowing, wrinkle, and blemish-free skin is something we take for granted when we’re young, but as we age, retaining that youthful glow becomes more challenging. This is partly the result of the natural aging process, and partly due to accumulated exposure to environmental toxins. Add in stressors like poor diet and gut health, dehydration, UV rays, dry and cold air, and skin becomes noticeably duller and more damaged over time. However, rejuvenating your skin doesn’t have to be expensive or rely on invasive procedures. Below are five steps to achieve healthy, glowing skin naturally…because beautiful skin starts from within!

Stay hydrated

Most people know to put moisturizer on dry skin, but it’s equally important to hydrate the skin from within. Staying adequately hydrated affects every cell in your body, including your skin. Studies show that drinking enough water improves skin density and improves blood flow to skin. Here are some quick tips on staying hydrated:

  • Drink enough throughout the day. Although adequate amounts vary by individual, aim for about two to three liters a day.
  • If you have trouble remembering to drink your water, invest in an eco-friendly stainless steel bottle so it’s always with you even on the go.
  • Don’t like the taste of water? Adding a bit of lemon juice can also help make water more palatable (plus it adds a little antioxidant boost!)
  • Stay hydrated with fruit and vegetables! Including foods with high water content like leafy greens, strawberries and cucumbers also contribute to skin health.

Protect your gut health and eat a nutrient dense diet

Good skin is also linked to your gut. Many conditions, including acne, psoriasis, and eczema, can be linked to bacterial imbalances in the microbiome. How does this work? In simple terms, hormones greatly impact your skin, and they are metabolized in your gut. So, when your gut can’t do its job, you’re at risk of hormonal imbalances. Balance is also important with relation to the microbiome, and an overabundance of “bad” bacteria increases inflammation throughout your body, particularly on your body’s largest organ – your skin.

Restoring healthy bacterial balance reduces inflammation and helps to regulate hormones. Focus on whole, natural foods, and eliminate processed foods, in particular, foods high in trans fat, sweets, and fried foods. Also, alcohol can wreak havoc on your gut and lead to dehydration. Too much vino is not your best plan for healthy glowing skin!

Top skin and gut healthy inclusions:

  • Foods high in omega-3 fatty acids like salmon, many kinds of nuts, and flax seeds. Omega-2 can help protect your skin from harmful UV rays. Healthy fats also contribute to smoother, more supple skin, according to research. 
  • Foods high in beta carotene, like sweet potatoes, carrots, and bell peppers, can help protect your skin from sun damage. Beta carotene is an antioxidant, which means it neutralizes damaging free radicals and reduces oxidative stress that leads to inflammation. Another carotenoid called lutein also contributes to skin health, and is found in brightly colored produce like broccoli and tomatoes. One interesting study of 800 women found women who ate a lot of green and yellow vegetables even had fewer wrinkles.
  • Foods high in vitamin C are associated with more youthful skin. It’s also needed to produce collagen, which is the protein that keeps your skin in good shape. Brightly colored fruits and vegetables, citrus fruits and leafy greens are full of beneficial vitamin C.
  • Be sure to also include probiotic-rich food and beverages like kefir, kombucha, tempeh, kimchi, and sauerkraut which add to the good bacteria that keep your microbiome in top shape.

Achieving a healthy gut starts with understanding your gut imbalances as well as removing food sensitivities, a common issue which can lead to further inflammation even when eating healthy foods. With proper functional testing we can determine what’s really going on in your gut and create a treatment plan unique to the needs of your body.  Ready to get to the root cause of your less than glowing and healthy skin? We can help!

Supplement with collagen

Collagen is an abundant protein found and made in the body. Repeated studies have found that collagen improves skin elasticity and reduces the appearance of wrinkles. As we age, our bodies naturally start to produce less collagen which becomes a major contributor to dry skin, loss of volume and wrinkles. Collagen can be sourced from animal products such as fish, chicken and beef bone broth, and can also be found in supplement form. Add collagen powder to your morning smoothie and never look back!

Gua Sha

This traditional chinese healing method uses a scraping tool on lubricated skin in certain fluid motions to help increase circulation. One study noted a decrease in blemishes after one week while another pilot study reported increased microcirculation to the areas treated. While not all “beauty treatments” deliver what they promise, the ancient technique of Gua Sha may be a healthy add on to your skin regimen!

Facial acupuncture

An easier, typically much cheaper alternative to injections, facial acupuncture offers a myriad of benefits with minimal side effects. It’s thought that acupuncture can improve circulation and stimulate collagen production, resulting in a brighter complexion and smoother skin. And, by improving circulation and detoxifying, acupuncture is also an effective treatment for acne, psoriasis, and eczema.

Create a skin-friendly lifestyle

Sleep and exercise both impact your skin. Moderate exercise increases blood flow and stimulates antioxidant production in a way that slows the aging process. The connection between skin health and sleep is not always apparent but there’s a reason we call it “beauty sleep.” Studies show that even one night of missed sleep can impact the quality of your skin.

Aim to get 7 – 8 hours of quality restful sleep each night and set aside time in your day for exercise to maintain youthful and glowing skin!

Start on the path to glowing skin the natural way, by addressing it from within. If you’d like to get started on a plan to look and feel your best, give us a call!

Sources:

Wipke-Tevis DD, Williams DA. Effect of oral hydration on skin microcirculation in healthy young and midlife and older adults. Wound Repair Regen. 2007 Mar-Apr;15(2):174-85. doi: 10.1111/j.1524-475X.2007.00202.x. PMID: 17352748.

Pilkington S.M., Rhodes L.E. (2010) Omega-3 Fatty Acids and Skin. In: Krutmann J., Humbert P. (eds) Nutrition for Healthy Skin. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-12264-4_9

Black HS, Rhodes LE. Potential Benefits of Omega-3 Fatty Acids in Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer. J Clin Med. 2016;5(2):23. Published 2016 Feb 4. doi:10.3390/jcm5020023

Nagata C, Nakamura K, Wada K, Oba S, Hayashi M, Takeda N, Yasuda K. Association of dietary fat, vegetables and antioxidant micronutrients with skin aging in Japanese women. Br J Nutr. 2010 May;103(10):1493-8. doi: 10.1017/S0007114509993461. Epub 2010 Jan 20. PMID: 20085665.

Proksch E, Segger D, Degwert J, Schunck M, Zague V, Oesser S. Oral supplementation of specific collagen peptides has beneficial effects on human skin physiology: a double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Skin Pharmacol Physiol. 2014;27(1):47-55. doi: 10.1159/000351376. Epub 2013 Aug 14. PMID: 23949208.

Crane JD, MacNeil LG, Lally JS, Ford RJ, Bujak AL, Brar IK, Kemp BE, Raha S, Steinberg GR, Tarnopolsky MA. Exercise-stimulated interleukin-15 is controlled by AMPK and regulates skin metabolism and aging. Aging Cell. 2015 Aug;14(4):625-34. doi: 10.1111/acel.12341. Epub 2015 Apr 22. PMID: 25902870; PMCID: PMC4531076.

Proksch E, Segger D, Degwert J, Schunck M, Zague V, Oesser S. Oral supplementation of specific collagen peptides has beneficial effects on human skin physiology: a double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Skin Pharmacol Physiol. 2014;27(1):47-55. doi: 10.1159/000351376. Epub 2013 Aug 14. PMID: 23949208.

Crane JD, MacNeil LG, Lally JS, Ford RJ, Bujak AL, Brar IK, Kemp BE, Raha S, Steinberg GR, Tarnopolsky MA. Exercise-stimulated interleukin-15 is controlled by AMPK and regulates skin metabolism and aging. Aging Cell. 2015 Aug;14(4):625-34. doi: 10.1111/acel.12341. Epub 2015 Apr 22. PMID: 25902870; PMCID: PMC4531076.

Tina Sundelin, MSc, Mats Lekander, PhD, Göran Kecklund, PhD, Eus J. W. Van Someren, PhD, Andreas Olsson, PhD, John Axelsson, PhD, Cues of Fatigue: Effects of Sleep Deprivation on Facial Appearance, Sleep, Volume 36, Issue 9, 1 September 2013, Pages 1355–1360, https://doi.org/10.5665/sleep.2964

Lam CT, Tse SH, Chan ST, Tam JK, Yuen JW. A survey on the prevalence and utilization characteristics of gua sha in the Hong Kong community. Complement Ther Med. 2015 Feb;23(1):46-54. doi: 10.1016/j.ctim.2014.12.002. Epub 2014 Dec 31. PMID: 25637152.

Nielsen A, Knoblauch NT, Dobos GJ, Michalsen A, Kaptchuk TJ. The effect of Gua Sha treatment on the microcirculation of surface tissue: a pilot study in healthy subjects. Explore (NY). 2007 Sep-Oct;3(5):456-66. doi: 10.1016/j.explore.2007.06.001. PMID: 17905355.

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Top 10 Ways to Boost Your Metabolism

If weight loss and a healthier lifestyle are at the top of your list of New Year’s resolutions, you’re not alone. Many people start out the new year vowing to drop some pounds – but not all succeed. This may be due to an under functioning metabolism – the rate at which we burn calories for energy – which directly correlates to weight gain and loss. The good news is that scientists have made a lot of advancements in our knowledge regarding metabolism, and tapping into those discoveries can put you on the road to success. According to current research, you’ll be more successful if you have a concrete plan that centers around a proactive approach to adding healthy habits to improve your metabolism, not depriving yourself.

Key Terms for Understanding Metabolism

In simple terms, your metabolism refers to the number of calories your body burns for energy. We know that when the body is efficiently burning calories, it also maintains a healthy weight and body composition. Your resting metabolic rate (RMR) is a measurement of how many calories you burn while at rest, without adding in additional exercise. The thermic effect of food is a reference to the increase in metabolic rate (the rate at which your body burns calories) that occurs after ingestion of food. When you eat food, your body must expend some energy (calories) to digest, absorb, and store the nutrients in the food you’ve eaten.

Many factors influence your metabolism overall and this includes your age, body, composition, gender, and even the food you consume. Although we all tend to blame a slowing metabolism in middle age on growing older, new research shows that it’s not so much the aging process (although that does play a role), but the lifestyle changes we tend to make in late adulthood are to blame for midlife weight gain.

Signs Your Metabolism May Need a Boost

Our metabolism impacts more than just our weight. Several other body systems are also impacted including our hormones.

If you are experiencing the following, it may be a sign that your metabolism is not functioning optimally:

  • Tiredness and fatigue
  • Struggle to lose weight – despite exercise
  • Cold hands and feet
  • Thinning hair
  • Low libido
  • Irregular periods
  • Poor sleep
  • Bloating, constipation and more

So what can we do to help speed up our metabolism and once again become an efficient calorie-burning machine? Read on for 10 easily implemented lifestyle changes that can boost your metabolism and help you reach your resolution goals for 2022.

10 Healthy Ways to Boost Your Metabolism

1 – Give your body the calories it needs.

It may seem counter-intuitive, but calorie restriction can slow down your RMR. Think of it this way: Your body wants to make sure you have the energy you need. When it senses you might not have enough caloric intake to support basic energy requirements, it adapts by requiring fewer calories for survival. That’s a big reason why although crash diets may result in short-term weight loss, many people can’t sustain their new lower weight very long.

2 – Spice up your meals.

Certain spices have thermogenic effects which means they can switch on your body’s heat-production systems, boosting your metabolism as you eat them, and afterwards. Spicy foods can have a more pronounced thermogenic effect, so increasing consumption of spicier foods, including cayenne pepper, ginger, and turmeric, can impact your metabolism.

3 – Focus on B vitamins.

The B vitamins serve many functions in the body, one of which is to help your body metabolize food, so it’s essential to get enough. Good sources of B vitamins include fruit and vegetables, such as bananas, spinach and peas, whole grains, legumes, eggs, and lean meats. Note that vitamin B12 is mostly available through animal sources, so vegans and vegetarians may want to investigate supplements. Proper testing and speaking with a natural healthcare practitioner can help determine if you have any nutrient deficiencies.

4 – Choose whole foods and plenty of protein.

Heavily processed and overly sweetened foods and beverages create an inflammatory response in the body that slows digestion, increases the production of harmful free radicals, raises insulin resistance, and ultimately slows your metabolism. Instead of processed foods, choose foods as close to their natural state as possible. In particular, quality sources of protein are important. The thermogenic effect of consuming protein is higher than that of carbohydrates or fat, and protein helps prevent muscle loss if losing weight.

5 – Add resistance training to your workout routine.

Because muscle is more metabolically active than fat, increasing the amount of muscle on your frame will raise your resting metabolic rate. A resistance training workout can also create an “afterburn” effect, in which you continue to burn a greater number of calories after the workout is over.

6 – Stay hydrated and choose your beverages wisely.

Making careful choices about what you drink can help keep your metabolism in check. Staying hydrated with water is important for maintaining a well functioning metabolism, as even mild dehydration may slow metabolism down. Some studies show that green and oolong tea consumption can boost your metabolic rate by as much as 5%. Coffee also has a similar thermogenic effect shortly after consumption.

7 – Get enough sleep.

Sleep has a surprisingly big impact on your metabolism, considering you’re not active when you’re asleep! Your body will find ways to conserve energy if you’re tired, and studies confirm that your RMR decreases after a night of inadequate sleep. Plus, when you’re tired, you’re more likely to make poor food choices, in part because sleep helps maintain a balance between the hunger hormone, ghrelin, and the fullness hormone, leptin.

8 – Reduce stress.

When you’re stressed, your body’s “fight or flight” response leads to increased production of the hormone cortisol. Once again, this is the body’s way of trying to conserve energy in stressful times, and, as a result, cortisol can lead to an increase of appetite. Insulin secretion also increases with higher cortisol levels. This made sense centuries ago, when resources were often scarce during times of stress, but in today’s world of modern conveniences, it often leads to weight gain. Of course, reducing stress isn’t always easy, but stress-reduction strategies like moderate exercise and meditation have proven results.

9 – Build in incidental movement to your days.

Moving more doesn’t have to mean formal workouts at the gym. Simply adding more incidental movement throughout the day improves your metabolism. Whether you’re cleaning your house, parking a bit further away from the store, using a standing desk at work, or taking the stairs instead of an elevator, you’re helping your metabolism in a way that fits with your daily life. Even fidgeting more can help improve your non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT), which is the number of calories you burn aside from formal workouts. NEAT tends to slow down with age – we move less in regular life as we get older – so make a conscious effort to keep this on your radar as you age.

10 – Keeping a regular schedule for meals.

Skipping meals might seem like a good weight loss strategy, but ultimately, your body likes a regular schedule. As with low-calorie diets, skipping meals can trigger your body to conserve energy, which ultimately slows your metabolism.

Implement these healthy lifestyle changes and take control of your metabolism today! If you’d like some help finding the perfect balance for your unique needs with tailored recommendations, we’re here to help.

Sources:

Pesta DH, Samuel VT. A high-protein diet for reducing body fat: mechanisms and possible caveats. Nutr Metab (Lond). 2014;11(1):53. Published 2014 Nov 19. doi:10.1186/1743-7075-11-53

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Dulloo AG, Geissler CA, Horton T, Collins A, Miller DS. Normal caffeine consumption: influence on thermogenesis and daily energy expenditure in lean and postobese human volunteers. Am J Clin Nutr. 1989 Jan;49(1):44-50. doi: 10.1093/ajcn/49.1.44. PMID: 2912010.

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Heartburn and GERD: Get Right to The Cause and Feel Better

Heartburn and GERD can be extremely frustrating to deal with. Both are painful and debilitating, and always carry some anxiety since the symptoms can resemble a cardiac event. To further complicate matters, many traditional “cures” carry their own serious risks to health – and they can actually make things worse!

But rest easy. We’ve got your back. Keep reading to learn how to end heartburn and GERD the natural way

What Is Heartburn And GERD?

Despite its name, heartburn has nothing to do with your heart, but it certainly feels like it sometimes. The prime symptom of heartburn is a burning pain in the chest that typically starts after eating or drinking, and worsens when you lie down. It can also be accompanied by an unpleasant taste in your mouth and difficulty swallowing. Heartburn is caused by acid reflux, which happens when acid from your stomach flows into your esophagus. The resulting pain is because the lining of the esophagus is far more sensitive than your stomach lining. When acid reflux becomes a chronic condition, it’s called gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).

In addition to the uncomfortable and worrisome symptoms, GERD and heartburn can have serious health consequences, including an increased risk of esophageal cancer and esophagitis. There is also a correlation between GERD and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) – more on that below.

Note: If you have severe chest pain and other signs of a heart attack, like arm or jaw pain or shortness of breath, get immediate medical help. It’s always better to be safe than sorry.

The Root Causes Of Heartburn And GERD

Given the definitions above, it would be easy to assume the cause of heartburn and GERD is an excess stomach acid. However, these contradictory stats suggest otherwise.

  • Heartburn and GERD are increasingly common with age.
  • We produce less stomach acid as we age.

However, the typical approach to addressing heartburn and GERD is to slow the production of stomach acid. No wonder those treatments are often ineffective – they don’t address the root cause, and only mask the symptoms – temporarily!

In fact, they can make a bad situation worse. Over-the-counter antacids such as Tums or Maalox can cause constipation, for example. Other treatments such as proton pump inhibitors can impact the balance of bacteria in your gut, with far-reaching effects, with long-term use.

So, what causes heartburn and GERD? It’s helpful to take a step back. Because the esophagus is sensitive, any amount of acid can be harmful. That’s why the lower esophageal valve (LES) acts as a one-way “gate” that allows food and liquids to go into the stomach, but that keeps stomach acid from escaping into the esophagus. With this in mind, it makes sense that the root cause isn’t necessarily an excess of acid that must be somehow stopped, but a malfunction of the LES.

Several things can cause the LES to perform ineffectively, including:

  • Overeating
  • Obesity
  • Lying down after eating
  • Bending over with a full stomach

Most people with heartburn and GERD notice the impact of those things on their symptoms, and it certainly makes sense that abdominal pressure would cause the stomach contents to travel backwards into the esophagus. However, a vital element is often missing – the role of gut bacteria. Research shows that a bacterial imbalance in the intestine produces enough gas to create the same kind of pressure as the factors above, which pushes stomach acid into the esophagus. The role of bacteria also explains the correlation between GERD and IBS, since IBS is also the result of gut bacteria imbalances.

This bacterial overgrowth is triggered by maldigestion of carbohydrates. Somewhat ironically, reduced stomach acid contributes to further bacterial overgrowth. The resulting gas leads to a malfunction of the LES, so acid escapes the stomach into the esophagus.

This dynamic highlights the difficulties with proton pump inhibitors as a treatment for GERD. If they create bacterial overgrowth, ultimately, they contribute to an increase, not a decrease, in GERD.In other words, the treatment only makes the disease worse in the long run.

Stop GERD And Heartburn By Addressing The True Cause

As mentioned, many conventional treatments can make matters worse and act as a band-aid solution at best. A better approach is to get to the root of the problem: bacterial overgrowth caused in part by a shortage of stomach acid. The following steps may help.

1 – Aim for a diet that prevents bacteria overgrowth and protects stomach acid

The food you consume plays a big role in your bacteria balance. Some studies have found that a low-carb diet slows the growth of “bad” bacteria in the gut, and consequently reduces symptoms. Some strategies include:

  • Focus on complex carbohydrates like sweet potatoes and oats when you do eat carbs.
  • Avoid overly processed foods marketed as “low carb”
  • Eliminate artificial sweeteners and reduce fructose consumption.
  • Avoid foods extremely high in fiber, as they can contribute to increased gas
  • Follow a low FODMAP diet. FODMAPs are a type of carb that some people can’t digest efficiently.

2 – Restore a healthy level of stomach acid

Testing your stomach acid levels is a good first step – a natural health practitioner can help with that! From there, we can work together to increase acid production if necessary. Some ways to increase stomach acid production include:

  • Tiny doses of bitter herbs, including dandelion root, ginger, gentian root, ginger, milk thistle, and carraway.
  • Apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, and unpasteurized honey.
  • Hydrochloric acid supplements. (These are best used under supervision as it takes some testing to get the right dose.)    
  • Lifestyle changes such as avoiding drinking too much water with meals, which can dilute stomach acid.

3 – Restore beneficial gut bacteria and gut lining

The end goal is to bring bacterial balance back to your digestive system. Probiotic supplements can help restore good bacteria, but fermented foods and drinks are an even better option since they contain other beneficial nutrients. That includes items like kefir, yogurt, kimchi, sauerkraut, tempeh and kombucha (but be aware of the sugar content in your kombucha!)

It’s also important to protect the lining of your stomach. Certain medications like steroids, aspirin and ibuprofen can irritate the gut lining. Stress can also damage your stomach lining, so stress reduction strategies are always a good idea.

Don’t let the pain of heartburn and GERD hold you back, call us if you want to get to the root cause. Together, we can create a tailored plan to end the discomfort of heartburn and GERD for good.

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Jaynes M, Kumar AB. The risks of long-term use of proton pump inhibitors: a critical review. Ther Adv Drug Saf. 2018;10:2042098618809927. Published 2018 Nov 19. doi:10.1177/2042098618809927

Mayo Clinic, Proton Pump Inhibitors Decrease Diversity in Gut Microbiome, Increase Risk for Complications

Seto, Charlie & Jeraldo, Patricio & Orenstein, Robert & Chia, Nicholas & DiBaise, John. (2014). Prolonged use of a proton pump inhibitor reduces microbial diversity: Implications for Clostridium difficile susceptibility. Microbiome. 2. 42. 10.1186/2049-2618-2-42.

Piche T, des Varannes SB, Sacher-Huvelin S, Holst JJ, Cuber JC, Galmiche JP. Colonic fermentation influences lower esophageal sphincter function in gastroesophageal reflux disease. Gastroenterology. 2003 Apr;124(4):894-902. doi:10.1053/gast.2003.50159

Pimentel, Mark M.D., F.R.C.P.C; Rossi, Federico M.D.; Chow, Evelyn J. B.A.; Ofman, Joshua M.D., M.P.H.; Fullerton, Steven M.D.; Hassard, Phillip M.D., F.R.C.P.C; Lin, Henry C. M.D. Increased Prevalence of Irritable Bowel Syndrome in Patients With Gastroesophageal Reflux, Journal of Clinical Gastroenterology: March 2002 – Volume 34 – Issue 3 – p 221-224

Yancy WS Jr, Provenzale D, Westman EC. Improvement of gastroesophageal reflux disease after initiation of a low-carbohydrate diet: five brief case reports. Altern Ther Health Med. 2001 Nov-Dec;7(6):120, 116-9. PMID: 11712463.

Barrett JS, Canale KE, Gearry RB, Irving PM, Gibson PR. Probiotic effects on intestinal fermentation patterns in patients with irritable bowel syndrome. World J Gastroenterol. 2008 Aug 28;14(32):5020-4. doi: 10.3748/wjg.14.5020. PMID: 18763284; PMCID: PMC2742929.