Technorati Tags: anti-inflammatory, hip pain, knee pain

Technorati Tags: Gluten Intolerance, gluten-free

Large numbers of people are affected by metabolic syndrome. The age-adjusted prevalence ranges as high as 25% of white men, 25% of African-American women, and 37% of Hispanic-American women.

According to the World Health Organization², diagnostic criteria for metabolic syndrome include

• Blood glucose levels above 150 mg/dL
• BMI greater than 30
• Blood pressure above 140/90
• HDL cholesterol levels below 35 mg/dL for men and below 39 mg/dL for women
• Triglycerides above 150 mg/dL

An additional sign of metabolic syndrome is hyperuricemia (elevated serum uric acid levels). Uric acid levels should normally be less than 6.2 mg/dL and ideally below 5 mg/dL.

Elevated serum uric acid levels are found in gout, a chronic inflammatory arthritis caused by deposition of uric acid crystals in joints and related soft tissues. Recent research demonstrates an association between gout and metabolic syndrome. Symptoms of gout may be a good predictor of later onset of high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and obesity.³ Evidence suggests that symptoms of gout provide a good opportunity to diagnose, prevent, and help reduce long-term complications of metabolic syndrome.

Of course, gout continues to affect increasing numbers of Americans. At present, more than 2 million Americans have this severely painful form of arthritis. Many natural remedies for gout are available, including black currant oil, morin (the active ingredient of Morus alba), and yucca extract.

Importantly, increased serum uric acid levels are an independent risk factor for heart disease and stroke.⁴ The impact of uric acid on potential cardiovascular disease is greater than that of elevated levels of cholesterol.

Be proactive as a patient – when your physician diagnoses your pain as being due to gouty arthritis, request additional tests related to the possible presence of metabolic syndrome. Likewise, everyone going for a regular annual physical should request that uric acid be added to the standard blood work-up.

Early diagnosis is always crucial to an improved prognosis, whether the condition is gout, metabolic syndrome, or heart disease and stroke.

Going forward, the most effective and long-lasting therapy for all aspects of metabolic syndrome involve new lifestyle behaviors –

• Weight loss
• Healthy daily nutrition
• Regular exercise

Remarkably, these three action steps provide symptomatic benefit for all three conditions - high blood pressure, overweight/obesity, and type 2 diabetes. The solution is straightforward, but not necessarily simple. People need ongoing encouragement and support to continue to make lifestyle changes on their own behalf.

A team approach for metabolic syndrome is frequently beneficial - the person’s family members, friends, community support, and physician support are help to make a real and long-lasting difference in peoples’ lives.

¹Deen D: Metabolic syndrome: time for action. Am Fam Physician 69(12):2875-2882, 2004
²Alberti KG and Zimmer PZ: Definition, diagnosis and classification of diabetes mellitus and its complications. Part 1: Diagnosis and classification of diabetes mellitus - provisional report of a WHO consultation. Diabet Med 15:539-553, 1998
³Hernandez-Cuevas CB, et al: First acute gout attacks commonly precede features of the metabolic syndrome. J Clin Rheumatol 15(2):65-67, 2009
⁴Alderman MH: Uric acid and cardiovascular risk. Curr Opin Pharmacol 2:126-30, 2002

Technorati Tags: Anti-aging, cardiovascular disease, Gout, Metabolic Syndrome

A pain-free life is not just a dream, but within reach for many of us!

Restorative Remedies Top 10 Secrets for a Pain-Free Life – Part 1

6. Regular Moderate Exercise
Here’s another Secret everyone already knows they “should” be doing. But most of us just don’t seem to get around to making this important Secret part of our regular routine.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends 30 minutes of moderate exercise 5 times a week.¹⁶ This amount of exercise provides remarkable benefits, including improved cardiovascular health as well as reducing the pain of chronic disease.

Exercise causes your brain to produce endorphins. These “feel-good” biochemicals have two potent benefits – they’re natural pain-killers and they’re natural mood elevators. The “runner’s high” is real. But you don’t have to be a runner to reap the rewards.

Scientific research shows that people can get all the important benefits of exercise from walking 30 minutes per day, five times a week. If you haven’t exercised in a while start slowly – and gradually build-up to 30 minutes per day. If necessary, make sure to get your doctor’s guidance and advice.

Here’s more great news – it’s not necessary to do 30 minutes all at once. Several short bursts of activity have been shown to be of equal benefit. So you could walk for 10 minutes in the morning, 10 minutes at lunch, and 10 minutes at the end of the day.

Develop a routine that works for you. The key is to get a total of 30 minutes of exercise on most days of the week.^17,18

7. Get Enough Rest
Let’s face it – there’s never enough hours in the day. Each of us only gets 24 hours – and it’s so easy to push those 24 hours to the limit. What often gets lost in the daily race to get everything done is setting aside enough time for our bodies to rest and recuperate.

Getting enough sleep is the most important regenerative tool we have.^19-21 While we sleep, our metabolic clean-up crews get us ready for the activities of the next day. Sufficient sleep helps reduce inflammation, restores energy to muscles, and strengthens the heart. Much of the pain of chronic disease is made worse by missing out on these natural-healing opportunities.

Make plans to get at least 7 hours of sleep every night. You’ll notice the benefits almost immediately. And, you’ll have more energy to get things done efficiently and effectively, leaving enough time to get the rest you need.

8. Visualize
Visualize the powerful results you want in your life. Professional athletes – dancers, gymnasts, figure skaters, football players, and baseball players – all use this remarkable tool to achieve peak performance.^22,23 You can use it, too.

Why do they do it? Extensive research and experience have proven that visualization is a powerful form of preparation. Your mind and your body cannot tell the difference between the imagined activity and the real thing. Visualization is your personal virtual reality – always on and always available.²⁴

Visualize your body as whole, well, and pain-free. Visualize your body as healthy and strong. Visualize your body the way you want it to be. Over time, your body will transform.

9. Quiet Time
Be good to yourself. Set aside at least 10 minutes each day to settle down and wind down. This quiet time will significantly lower the impact of stress on your body, reducing inflammation and reducing chronic pain.

We all have stress – it’s part of living in the real world. And yet, our response to stress is the key. Study after study has shown that stress is a critical factor in the development and severity of symptoms of cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and inflammatory arthritis. How successfully we manage the stress in our lives often determines whether we’re healthy and well or suffering with various physical problems.^25-27

Sitting quietly with no distractions may not be the easiest thing to do at first. But the benefits are profound, and you’ll soon find you’re eagerly looking forward to each day’s quiet time.

10. Train Your Brain
When we’re engaged and involved, we’re less focused on pain. And, this reduced focus allows our muscles and joints to relax and loosen up, further decreasing our levels of pain.

Be proactive – actively seek out new interests and opportunities to expand your horizons.^28-30 Learning photography, learning a new language, or taking a class in literature or world history are a few examples of activities that can engage your whole self. Taking on new challenges provides real personal satisfaction and increasing self-esteem. Your focus and attention shift away from chronic pain and toward what is actually inspiring you.

New pursuits can result in more fun and enjoyment – and reduced levels of daily pain.

11. BONUS: Make Sure You’re Handling the Big Problems
Prevention – so critical in cancer – is also the key to forestalling development of almost every other chronic disease. Be sure to schedule your annual check-ups. See your family doctor and/or gynecologist regularly. Get the medical information you need to prevent and manage problems before they become bigger problems.

Getting better is a process. Taken individually, the Restorative Remedies Top Ten Secrets for a Pain-Free Life are key pieces in solving the puzzle of chronic pain. Taken together, the Top Ten Secrets provide a powerful toolkit for reducing and resolving chronic pain patterns.

Please visit the Restorative Remedies website and online store. The Restorative Remedies Personal Supplement Advisor will help you learn more about our natural high-quality, high-potency remedies for chronic pain.

References
¹⁶U.S. Department of Health and Human Services: Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans. Washington, DC, DHHS, 2008.
¹⁷Vallance JK, et al: Maintenance of physical activity in breast cancer survivors after a randomized trial. Med Sci Sports Exerc 40(1):173-180, 2008
¹⁸Heckman GE, McKelvie RS: Cardiovascular aging and exercise in healthy older adults. Clin J Sport Med 18(6):479-485, 2008
¹⁹Goldman SE, et al: Poor sleep is associated with poorer physical performance and greater functional limitations in older women. Sleep 30(10):1317-1324, 2007
²⁰Parish JM: Sleep-related problems in common medical conditions. Chest 135(2):563-572, 2009
²¹Richardson GS: Human physiological models of insomnia. Sleep Med 8(Suppl 4):S9-S14, 2007
²²Todd, ME: The Thinking Body. Princeton, NJ, Princeton Book Company, 1980
²³Eckel S: Learning how to walk. The New York Times, November 11th, 2008
²⁴Gawain S: Creative Visualization: Use the Power of Your Imagination to Create What You Want In Your Life. New World Library, 2008
²⁵Walton KG, et al. Psychosocial stress and cardiovascular disease. Effectiveness of the Transcendental Meditation program in treatment and prevention. Behav Med 28(3):106-123, 2002
²⁶Grant JA, Rainville P: Pain sensitivity and analgesic effects of mindful states in Zen meditators: a cross-sectional study. Psychosom Med 71(1):106-114, 2009
²⁷Appel LJ, et al: Effects of comprehensive lifestyle modification on blood pressure control: main results of the PREMIER clinical trial. JAMA 289(16):2083-2093, 2003
²⁸Rocchiccioli JT, Sanford JT: Revisiting geriatric failure to thrive: a complex and compelling clinical condition. J Gerontol Nurs 35(1):18-24, 2009
²⁹Rozema H, et al: The role of illness representations in coping and health of patients treated for breast cancer. Psychooncology, December 10, 2008
³⁰²⁰Ax S, et al: Coping and illness cognitions: chronic fatigue syndrome. Clin Psychol Rev 21(2):161-182, 2001

Technorati Tags: Add new tag, Anti-aging, Anti-oxidants, cardiovascular disease, chronic inflammatory disease, Gluten Intolerance, inflammatory arthritis, Lifestyle Medicine

Factors include

• Biology – Women’s bodies are designed with wide hip joints, to facilitate the birthing process. Wider hips may lead to increased mechanical stress on knees, which may increase the development of osteoarthritis.
• Genetics – Osteoarthritis tends to occur in families.
• Hormones – Estrogen reduces the inflammatory effect of mechanical stress on joints and cartilage. After menopause, decreased levels of estrogen may result in increased joint inflammation.
• Obesity – More women are obese than are men, and research has shown that obesity is associated with the development of osteoarthritis.

The excellent article in everydayHEALTH provides additional information and reminds women to seek the advice and guidance of their family physicians in helping prevent and manage the effects of osteoarthritis.

Technorati Tags: Anti-aging, chronic inflammatory disease, Osteoarthritis

These three conditions frequently occur in the same individual – this relationship has been termed metabolic syndrome.

Fat cells, it turns out, are not merely fat. Fat cells are metabolic factories and they are involved in both healthy and unhealthy processes. Too much fat, of course, leads to a range of negative health outcomes. Overweight and obesity are strongly associated with increases in type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. More recently, overweight and obesity have been correlated to increases in risk for breast cancer.

But fat cells in and of themselves are not bad news. Fat cells become problematic when there are too many of them. Fat cells in normal quantities secrete a number of hormones involved in keeping the body healthy, including adiponectin.

In relation to diabetes, for example, adiponectin may reduce inflammation, improve insulin sensitivity, and improve glycemic control.

Adiponectin is also a work-horse in keeping the heart healthy and helping prevent cardiovascular disease.³ The hormone’s beneficial effects are produced by its direct action on cardiovascular tissue. Under stressful conditions adiponectin protects the heart and blood vessels by stimulating cellular responses and inhibiting inflammatory activity.

Also, low levels of adiponectin have good predictive value for development of cardiovascular disease. So it’s important for all of us to raise the levels of adiponectin in our bloodstream. How do we encourage our fat cells to produce more of this critical hormone?

The answer – like so much else in the ongoing effort to improve our health, welfare, and well-being – is consume more fruits and vegetables and more whole grains. Additionally, magnesium has been associated with increases in circulating adiponectin.

Magnesium is found in whole grains, green vegetables such as spinach, nuts, seeds, and beans. In addition, magnesium chelate supplements are an excellent source of this important mineral.

Fruits and vegetables and whole grains have low glycemic indexes. They contain complex carbohydrates that cause insulin to be released slowly and effectively. Additionally, these foods are very good sources of dietary fiber – fiber is partly responsible for increasing adiponectin levels.

For those who are gluten intolerant or who have celiac disease, many gluten-free whole grains are available. These include amaranth, quinoa, buckwheat, corn, brown rice, and montina.

Human physiology, the prevention and treatment of disease, and nutrition are deep and complex subjects. Two critical common denominators are the need for daily fresh fruts and vegetables and the need for daily servings of whole grains. A third necessary ingredient is to ensure we’re getting our daily requirements of vitamins and minerals.

The long-lasting benefits in the prevention and treatment of obesity, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease are profound.

¹Cassidy A, et al: Plasma adiponectin concentrations are associated with body composition and plant-based dietary factors in female twins. J Nutr 139(2):353-358, 2009
²Qi L, et al: Dietary glycemic index, glycemic load, cereal fiber, and plasma adiponectin concentration in diabetic men. Diabetes Care 28(5):1022-1028, 2005
³Shibata R, et al: Adiponectin and cardiovascular disease. Circ J 73(4):608-614, 2009

Technorati Tags: adipnectin, Anti-aging, cardiovascular disease, chronic inflammatory disease, Diabetes, Lifestyle Medicine, Metabolic Syndrome

One study investigated whether gluten intake is a risk factor in causing cerebral impairment in a group of patients with celiac disease.¹ Cerebral function, of course, is responsible for all conscious mental activity, including thinking, speaking, purposeful movement, and remembering and reasoning.

The patients’ brains were imaged using single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT). SPECT imaging allows researchers and laboratories to investigate brain metabolism, based on assessing the amount of blood flow to specific regions.

Seventy-one percent (24 of 34) patients with celiac disease) showed abnormal cerebral perfusion. The more significant deficiencies were localized in the frontal cortex. Importantly, more significant abnormalities were found in patients on an unrestricted diet, compared to those on a gluten-free diet.

The study’s authors concluded that, at least in the frontal cortex, brain function abnormalities may be improved by a gluten-free diet.

In another study investigating the relationship between cognitive impairment and celiac disease², the authors identified a trend of frontal-subcortical impairment. A small sample of 13 patients were evaluated - these patients all had progressive cognitive decline which began within two years of symptomatic onset or severe symptomatic exacerbation of celiac disease.

The most common neurologic/psychiatric findings were personality changes, loss of memory, and confusion.

Gluten withdrawal enabled three of 13 patients to improve or stabilize cognitively. The authors stress the importance of treatment - specifically, gluten withdrawal - given the possible association between celiac disease and progressive cognitive impairment.

In a remarkable case study³, physicians used SPECT to demonstrate reduced circulation to the left frontal region of the brain in a 33-year-old patient with schizophrenia. The patient had presented with symptoms suggestive of celiac disease, and intestinal biopsy confirmed typical findings. The patient was started on a gluten-free diet, which resulted in a normalization of the SPECT findings and a disappearance of psychiatric symptoms.

The authors stress this was the first case (1997) of SPECT-documented cortical abnormalities disappearing following a gluten-free diet.

For individuals with celiac disease, a recent review article⁴ stresses the importance of continuing on a gluten-free diet for life. Part of the challenge of maintaining such a food plan is ensuring sufficient nutrition and sufficient intake of all necessary vitamins and minerals. The review affirms that a gluten-free diet is a complex undertaking and patients need comprehensive education in balanced nutrition.

Many excellent web sites offer recipes for gluten-free foods. One of the best is elana’s pantry – a wonderful resource providing delicious easy-to-prepare recipes and a wealth of related information supporting the gluten-free life.

¹Usai P, et al: Frontal cortical perfusion abnormalities related to gluten intake and associated autoimmune disease in adult celiac disease. Dig Liver Dis 36(8):513-518, 2004
²Hu WT, et al: Cognitive impairment and celiac disease. Arch Neurol 63(10):1440-1446, 2006
³De Santis A, et al: Schizophrenic symptoms and SPECT abnormalities in a celiac patient. Regression after a gluten-free diet. J Intern Med 242(5):421-423, 1997
⁴Niewinski MM: Advances in celiac disease and gluten-free diet. J Am Diet Assoc 104(4):661-672, 2008

Technorati Tags: celiac disease, chronic inflammatory disease, Gluten Intolerance, Lifestyle Medicine, nutrition

The rheumatic disorders – involving bones, cartilage, joints, and connective tissue – include

• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis
• Systemic lupus erythematosus
• Psoriatic arthritis
• Osteoporosis
• Osteoarthritis
• Fibromyalgia

The behavioral disorders associated with gluten intolerance and celiac disease include

• Attention deficit disorder (ADD)
• Attention deficit disorder with hyperactivity (ADDH)
• Autism
• Bipolar disorder
• Chronic fatigue syndrome

Gluten intolerance is the most common food-based autoimmune disease affecting humans. Recent studies suggest from 10 to 35% of Americans are susceptible to gluten intolerance. In susceptible individuals, large gluten protein fragments cause chronic inflammatory and systemic autoimmune responses.

It seems the ongoing and long-term presence of immune-reaction complexes and other proteins associated with the biochemical inflammatory cascade are responsible for the wide range of related conditions. Recent studies have focused on the associations of gluten intolerance with ADD, ADDH, and autism.

One study found ADDH symptoms improved significantly in a short period of time following institution of a gluten-free diet, in persons with celiac disease.² These authors suggested that celiac disease be included in lists of diseases associated with ADDH-like symptoms.

In adolescents, celiac disease has been associated with increased depressive and disruptive-behavior disorders. A 2005 study demonstrated a significant decrease in psychiatric symptoms after three months on a gluten-free diet.² Additionally, significant decreases in celiac disease activity were found.

A gluten-free diet may provide across-the-board benefits for persons with gluten intolerance, including young people with various chronic behavioral disorders. Additional proactive lifestyle activities, including vitamin D and calcium supplementation, and dietary prebiotics and probiotics, may provide enhanced benefit, support, and symptomatic improvement.

¹Niederhofer H, Pittschieler K: A preliminary investigation of ADHD symptoms in persons with celiac disease. J Atten Disord 10(2):200-204, 2006
²Pynnonen PA, et al: Gluten-free diet may alleviate depressive and behavioural symptoms in adolescents with coeliac disease. BMC Psychiatry 5:14, 2005

Technorati Tags: attention deficit disorder, Gluten Intolerance, Lifestyle Medicine

Trial participants will follow a gluten-free and casein-free diet for 18 weeks. Participants will be evaluated using standard autism testing methods, scheduled laboratory tests, and weekly diet and sleep diaries. Ages eligible for the study range from 2.5 years to 4.5 years.

Autism is a serious brain disorder. The condition affects brain development and often causes educational and social problems. Studies suggest a gluten-free and casein-free diet may have a therapeutic effect on children with autism.

The current research cycle investigating potential benefits of a gluten- and casein-free diet for children with autism began in 2004 with a review article published in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews.¹ Various research articles have suggested that excessive opioid activity linked to peptides derived from gluten and casein may be related to the origins of autism. Literature reviews have underscored the need for quality randomized controlled clinical trials.²

Gluten is found in wheat, rye, and barley - the majority of the grains we consume every day. Why is gluten such a problem? Humans cannot completely digest gluten in their gastrointestinal (GI) tracts. The undigested large protein fragments may cause a chronic inflammatory response in the lining of the GI tract. This chronic inflammation sets the stage for development of many other serious conditions, including

• Malabsorption syndrome
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Celiac disease
• Osteoporosis
• Fibromyalgia
• Behavioral disorders

The good news is that gluten intolerance can be addressed directly, by managing one’s diet, correcting nutritional deficiencies, and restoring the normal intestinal microorganisms that have been compromised by the ongoing gluten-provoked GI inflammation.

The key step is dietary control - maintaining a gluten- and casein-free diet. This step in itself frequently provides significant benefits for affected individuals.

For example, there have been many anecdotal reports describing the benefits of gluten- and casein-free diets for children with autism. A family with an autistic child could weigh the challenges involved in maintaining a three-month gluten- and casein-free diet against the potential benefits.

Many nutritional supplements are available to help address the consequences of gluten intolerance. These products may be of benefit in gluten-sensitive children with autism.

• Gluten-Breaking Enzymes – Gluten-breaking enzymes breakdown gluten, casein, and soy proteins after exposure to these food contaminants. For children who are especially sensitive, gluten-breaking enzymes may help prevent inflammatory reactions after exposure to small quantities of these antigenin proteins.
• Prebiotics – Prebiotics stimulate growth of normal intestinal microorganisms which enhance gastrointestinal and immune system functions.
• Probiotics – Probiotics are living “friendly” microorganisms that help restore normal microorganism balance to the GI tract and assist in supporting immune system function.
• Vitamin D3 and Calcium-Citrate – Vitamin D and calcium work synergistically to help build strong bones. Vitamin D helps strengthen the immune system, promotes neuromuscular function, and helps normalize glucose metabolism. Vitamin D3 is the biologically active form of vitamin D.

¹Millward C, et al: Gluten- and casein-free diets for autistic spectrum disorder. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2(CD003498), 2004
²Millward C, et al: Gluten- and casein-free diets for autistic spectrum disorder. Cochrane Database Syst Rev Apr 16(2):CD003498, 2008 [update]

Technorati Tags: autism, Gluten Intolerance, Lifestyle Medicine, malabsorption syndrome, nutrition

What does a loss of bone mass mean? Bone is much more than a hard, rigid structure. Bone is a highly dynamic tissue, constantly reshaping and rebuilding to compensate and adapt to ever-changing mechanical stresses and pressures. Many bones have varied and unusual tasks, such as supplying the body with red and white blood cells.

Hard, compact bone – weight-bearing bones mostly consist of compact bone – is built from bone matrix. Bone matrix is a mix of organic components such as collagen and inorganic materials such as calcium and phosphate. Loss of bone mass refers to loss of the components of the bone matrix.

Healthy bones depend on a number of factors, including sufficient dietary calcium and vitamin D and sufficient exercise. Before industrialization, we didn’t have to think about getting enough exercise. There was plenty to go around. Now, for most of us, our work is sedentary and we have to intentionally make room for exercise in our busy schedules.

But without exercise – real physical work – bones will begin to lose mass. The body always operates in the presence of limited resources, and it will take what is not being used in one place and put it to use in another. So if bones are not being stressed by physical work (exercise), the body will strip away some of that bone and use it elsewhere. In other words, use it or lose it.

So, regular exercise is essential for healthy bones. Vitamin D and calcium are two additional critical elements. Vitamin D is needed to help absorb calcium from the gastrointestinal tract and also to help bone tissue make use of the available calcium. If sufficient quantities of these nutrients are not available, bone quality will deteriorate.

For most of us, vitamin D and calcium supplements are necessary. Dietary calcium recommendations are approximately 1200 mg per day. Vitamin D – in its most active form as vitamin D3 – is available as a dietary supplement. Federal guidelines recommend 400 IU per day, but recent research suggests 400 to 600 IU for persons over age 50, and at least 600 IU for those over age 65.

Strontium is a very useful supplement to assist in supporting bone health. Strontium and calcium are similar chemically, and strontium boosts bone uptake of calcium. The result is stronger and thicker bones.

Strontium should be taken in the morning. Calcium and vitamin D should be taken together in the evening, at meal time. Both nutrients are best absorbed in the presence of food.

But again, exercise is the key. If you’re not exercising, there’s no need for your body to maintain high levels of bone density. The calcium and vitamin D you’re taking as supplements will not be used effectively, and you’ll excrete or metabolize what you don’t need. With exercise, your body uses calcium and vitamin D efficiently, keeping bones strong. Your dietary supplements are doing what they’re supposed to do.

So every component is necessary to keep your bones healthy and strong and minimize bone density loss –

• Exercise
• Vitamin D supplements
• Calcium supplements
• Strontium supplements

When is the right time to begin exercising and taking nutritional supplements? Now. If you’re 30 years old, begin now. If you’re 60 years old, begin now. Of course, if you haven’t exercised regularly in a long time, discuss your plans with your family physician. She’ll be able to help you develop a program and plan that will work for you and meet your specific needs.

Technorati Tags: Anti-aging, bone mineral density, Lifestyle Medicine, Osteoporosis