Top 10 Secrets for a Pain-Free Life - Part 1

by David on April 1, 2009

Chronic disease causes daily pain. The pain of inflammatory arthritis, heart disease, diabetes, and cancer may at times be unbearable. The very good news is that real pain relief may be available to many people who suffer from the pain associated with chronic disease.

It’s important to distinguish between acute pain and chronic pain. Acute pain most often results from an injury or an acute inflammatory response. Acute pain is best managed medically, often with anti-inflammatory medication and rest. Such pain usually resolves within four to seven days.

Chronic pain, on the other hand, occurs on a daily basis. It is neither sudden nor acute, but rather ongoing and persistent. Chronic pain is the result of diseases and conditions that have been developing for a long time.

Most often, medication is not an optimal solution for chronic pain. A person with chronic pain would need to take pain medication every day. Eventually, the person develops tolerance to the drug and stronger medication is needed.

Healthier, holistic solutions are available which address the needs of the whole person. As a complement to regular medical treatment, here are 10 powerful, easy-to-do tools and techniques for helping us achieve real reductions in our daily levels of chronic pain.

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

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

1. Five To Stay Alive
The old adage, “an apple a day keeps the doctor away”, turns out to be remarkably accurate. Research has proven that apples contain large quantities of phytonutrients – biologically active, naturally occurring biochemicals that have many wide-ranging health-promoting actions.1,2

Phytonutrients are powerful anti-oxidants, destroying free radicals which attack your cells and DNA.3 Anti-oxidants reduce cellular damage and reduce inflammation. Both these actions result in markedly reduced pain levels over time.

So, if one apple a day is good for you, five servings of phytonutrient-containing fruits and vegetables will be five times as good. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends at least five servings of fruits and vegetables (F&V) every day. The most colorful F&V are packed with inflammation-fighting phytonutrients.

2. Eat Six Small Meals Per Day
Overeating builds fat cells – everybody knows this. If you take in more than your body needs, the excess will be stored as fat. But not everyone understands how this fat poses health risks. Recent scientific research shows that fat cells are metabolic furnaces, spewing out inflammation-causing chemicals that negatively impact the rest of your body.

The surprising facts reveal that excess fat cells are part of the chain of events leading to high cholesterol, heart disease, inflammatory arthritis, and even cancer. Fight fat by eating six small meals each day.4,5 You will lose weight steadily, reaching your body’s natural weight after several months.6
And, importantly, by eating six small meals each day your hour-by-hour levels of insulin will stabilize, lowering the risk of developing diabetes and many other inflammatory diseases.

3. Food Combining
Make sure you combine protein and carbohydrates at every small meal. This is a key step in long-term stabilization of insulin levels and pain reduction.7,8

Digesting protein is a slow process. Food combining slows the digestion of carbohydrate, as well. Your blood sugar levels no longer swing up and down, and insulin release slows considerably. One of the key long-term benefits of food combining is reduced body fat, as too much glucose and too much insulin directly result in storing energy as fat.

An additional benefit is mood stabilization. Wild swings in blood glucose throughout the day often cause serious mood changes. Food combining makes you more alert, focused, and centered.9

4. Drink Water Throughout the Day
Everyone knows this Secret, yet most of us forget how important drinking water really is. In fact, drinking sufficient water is the most important nutritional advice that anybody could give to anybody.

The standard is 8 glasses of water each day. But it’s important to build up to this amount. Start with 2 or 3 glasses, building up to 6 or 8 glasses per day over the next 4 weeks.

Yes, you’ll be going to the bathroom more. That’s the whole idea. :-)
If you’re not drinking enough water, your body chemistry is toxic.10 Water helps flush away the toxic chemicals that build-up from normal metabolic activity.11 What’s not normal is allowing those toxins to stick around. Drinking enough water makes sure this doesn’t happen.

Chronic pain improves due to reduced metabolic triggers of inflammation. Dry skin gets moisturized, digestion improves, and your sleep is more restful. All from drinking more water!

5. Food Supplements
Even though we’re eating a healthy diet, including all food groups and plenty of fruits and vegetables, we still live in the 21st century. The atmosphere is polluted, the soils are depleted, and ecosystems are out of balance.

It would take a lot of effort, for example, to be certain your diet contained enough nutrients. How can you be really sure you’re getting your daily requirements of iodine, magnesium, selenium, chromium, and folate, as well as sufficient quantities of vitamins A, C, D, E, K, and all the B-complex vitamins? That could be a lot of work.
High-quality, high-potency food supplements – containing vitamins, minerals, and additional anti-oxidants – help ensure we’re getting all the raw materials we need to be healthy and we’re equipped to fight inflammation and chronic disease.12-15

References
1de Kok TM, et al: Mechanisms of combined action of different chemopreventive dietary compounds: a review. Eur J Nutr 47(Suppl 2):59-59, 2008
2Ware WR: Nutrition and the Prevention and Treatment of Cancer: Association of Cytochrome P450 CYP1B1 with the Role of Fruit and Fruit Extracts. Integr Cancer Ther December 2008
3Liu RH: Potential synergy of phytochemicals in cancer prevention: mechanism of action. J Nutr 134(Suppl 12):3479S-3485S, 2004
4Fischer K, et al: “Carbohydrate to protein ratio in food and cognitive performance in the morning.” Physiol Behav 75(3):411-423, 2002
5Jenkins JD, et al: “Nibbling vs. gorging: metabolic advantages of increased meal frequency.” NEJM 321(14):929-934, 1989
6Verboeket WP, et al: “Influence of feeding frequency on nutrient utilization in man: consequences for energy metabolism.” Eur J Clin Nutr 43(3):161-169, 1991
7Lindstrom J, et al: Sustained reduction in the incidence of type 2 diabetes by lifestyle intervention: follow-up of the Finnish Diabetes Prevention Study. Lancet 368(9548):1673-1679, 2006.
8Orchard TJ, et al: The effect of metformin and intensive lifestyle intervention on the metabolic syndrome: the Diabetes Prevention Program randomized trial. Ann Intern Med 142(8):611-619, 2005
9Claessens M, et al: Glucagon and insulin responses after ingestion of different amounts of intact and hydrolysed proteins. Br J Nutr 100(1):61-69, 2008
10Maughan RJ, Shirreffs SM: Development of individual hydration strategies for athletes. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab 18(5):457-472, 2008
11Manz F, Wentz A: The importance of good hydration for the prevention of chronic diseases. Nutr Rev 63(6):S2-S5, 2005
12Rosen CJ: Clinical practice. Postmenopausal osteoporosis. N Engl J Med 353(6):595-603, 2005
13Holick Me, Chen TC: Vitamin D deficiency: a worldwide problem with health consequences. Am J Clin Nutr 87(4):10805-10865, 2008
14Cavalier E, et al:Vitamin D: current status and perspectives.Clin Chem Lab Med 47:1, 2009
15Klein EA: Selenium and vitamin E cancer prevention trial. Ann N Y Acad Sci 1031:234-241, 2004

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Osteoporosis Risk Factors and Postmenopausal Osteoporosis

by David on March 27, 2009

Osteoporosis is often described as an age-related disorder. Juvenile-onset osteoporosis and post-injury osteoporosis may also occur in populations, but these are much less common. Osteoporosis – loss of significant amounts of bone density – is often specifically associated with a person’s age. In fact, the number one osteoporosis risk factor is age.

Physiologic reparative processes do slow down with age. For example, if you’re over age 50, you may notice that cuts and scrapes heal more slowly. Metabolism also slows to a certain extent – most people over age 40 notice they need to modify their eating habits to retain their usual body weight. A diet of pizza, pasta, and peanut butter may be great when you’re 25 or even 30. After 40 though, such caloric heights will cause the pounds to start accumulating.

A possibly sad fact, but true. :-)

Usually bone metabolism slows, too. Bone metabolism is a complex process involving bone-producing cells known as osteoblasts, calcium, vitamin D, and various hormones such as estrogen. Osteoblasts produce bone matrix, of which the primary mineral component is calcium. Vitamin D is necessary for calcium absorption by bone. Bone matrix hardens, osteoblasts are transformed into osteocytes, and the bone becomes hard. Hormones help drive the entire process.

As bone metabolism slows, osteoblast activity slows. Less bone matrix is produced, less compact bone forms, and the net result is loss of bone density. An additional factor in women is lowered estrogen levels after menopause. Postmenopausal osteoporosis develops via a similar mechanism. Decreased estrogen results in decreased osteoblast activity, ultimately resulting in loss of bone density.

Overall, osteoporosis risk factors include

  • Age
  • Postmenopausal status
  • Lack of exercise
  • Calcium and vitamin D deficiencies
  • Malabsorption syndrome [due to various causes, including gluten intolerance]

In any person, when bone density loss – due to these metabolic and physiologic factors – reaches a certain level the condition is termed osteoporosis.

The problem, of course, is bone fragility. Loss of bone density compromises the ability of bone to support the body’s weight. If bone loss is more extensive, weight-bearing lumbar vertebras may fracture spontaneously. Or a fall may fracture a fragile, structurally weakened area such as the hip joint.

Bone density screening is the current gold standard for diagnosis of osteoporosis. Bone density screening is recommended for at-risk women and men, often on an age-related basis.

Many strategies are available to help prevent osteoporosis. And, most of these strategies are interconnected. Each reinforces the other and the benefits are greatest when a person engages in a range of activities and habits.

Consistent weight-bearing exercise is the primary activity to help prevent osteoporosis. Your body will make weight-bearing bones stronger if there’s a specific reason to do so. Weight-bearing exercise will cause your body to strengthen lumbar vertebras, hip bones, shin bones, and ankles – this physiologic strengthening occurs in response to the mechanical stresses placed on these bones by the exercise you’re doing. Osteoporosis-fighting exercises include

  • Walking
  • Running
  • Bike-riding
  • Weight-lifting
  • Tennis
  • Basketball
  • Volleyball

In addition to exercise, natural nutritional supplements are needed to help prevent osteoporosis and restore normal bone density. Calcium, vitamin D, and strontium are the necessary osteoporosis supplements. Many people may not recognize strontium as a promoter of bone density. Naturally occurring strontium has a similar chemical structure and activity to that of calcium. The body utilizes strontium as it does calcium – to stimulate production of bone matrix. In fact, research shows strontium helps speed up the process.

A best practice is to take a strontium supplement in the morning and to take both calcium and vitamin D approximately 12 hours later. Calcium and vitamin D should be taken with food, not on an empty stomach.

The best time to begin osteoporosis prevention is in your 20s and 30s. A healthy lifestyle, including regular exercise and a good daily nutrition, goes very far toward preventing osteoporosis. If you’re in your 40s or older, the best time to begin osteoporosis prevention and/or rebuilding bone mass is right now!

If you’re older, be sure to consult with your family physician before beginning an exercise program. Your doctor will help you design an exercise program that is safe, healthy and effective for you.

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Osteoporosis - Getting and Retaining New Bone Mass by Exercising

by David on March 26, 2009

Osteoporosis – a systemic loss of bone mass – affects 10 million Americans. Another 18 million have low bone mass and are on their way to developing osteoporosis. Of those with osteoporosis, 80% are women.

Osteoporosis is both a lifestyle disorder, a result of nutritional deficiency, and a result of postmenopausal hormonal changes. Osteoporosis is a complex problem with potentially significant and severe consequences, including hip fractures and lumbar spine fractures.

Bone as a tissue is composed of osteocytes – bone cells – surrounded by the bone matrix, which is composed of calcium, other minerals, and collagen – a tough, fibrous connective tissue. In osteoporosis, minerals, particularly calcium, are lost from the bone and the bone matrix becomes disorganized.

Osteoporotic bone is not structurally sound – such bone cannot support the body’s weight effectively and has a higher rate of fracture than does healthy bone.

How is lifestyle a causative factor in the development of osteoporosis? Lack of exercise is the primary factor. A physiologic principle known as Wolff’s law states that bone will remodel along lines of mechanical stress. In other words, bone becomes stronger when it is subjected to physical loads. Exercise is the primary activity by which to strengthen bones.

Of course, the converse principle applies. If you don’t use it, you lose it. Your body is very smart. If you don’t do consistent, regular exercise your body will say, “hey, the bones aren’t using that valuable calcium. Let’s take it out of the bones and use it elsewhere.” That’s pretty much what happens.

If by not exercising we signal our bodies that we don’t need strong bones, the minerals used to make those bones strong are moved to where there’s a greater need. You can’t fool Mother Nature.

So exercise is one major key to preventing osteoporosis. Exercise is also a major key to helping restore whatever bone mass has already been lost.

When’s the right time to begin exercising? Right now. If you’re 25 years old and begin exercising regularly, all other things being equal, you might never have to be concerned with developing osteoporosis. Your bones will become strong and stay strong.

If you’re 60 years old and have been diagnosed with osteoporosis, today is the day to begin exercising. Over time your physiology will shift and your bones will begin to remodel, gaining more bone mass as you continue to exercise.

Of course, for an older person who hasn’t exercised for years or possibly decades, a physician’s supervision is very important. Discuss your exercise goals with your doctor and have her recommend a plan or program that is appropriate for your particular situation. You want to get healthy, not develop new problems because you overdid it.

In forthcoming articles in our new Restorative Remedies series on Osteoporosis, Nutrition, and Lifestyle, we’ll feature

  • Nutrition and Healthy Eating
  • Natural Remedies
  • How to Effectively Combine Vitamin D, Calcium, and Strontium in a Complete Supplement Program

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Gluten Insensitivity and Gluten Intolerance

by David on March 25, 2009

None of us have the ability to digest gluten – a composite protein found in many grains, most particularly wheat, rye, and barley. The inability to digest gluten results in a range of responses.

Many individuals have no detectable response to this inability, and remain asymptomatic for their entire lives with respect to gluten sensitivity. Others do demonstrate a mild degree of response, termed gluten sensitivity. Gluten sensitivity could include mild diarrhea, mild gas, and/or mild constipation or abdominal pain.

Gluten intolerance includes more pronounced symptoms. Diarrhea or constipation, gas, and abdominal pain are now actually interfering with a person’s daily activities and impacting the quality of life. In addition, gluten intolerance may include a variety of related serious immune, inflammatory, and musculoskeletal disorders – including

  • Osteoporosis
  • Fibromyalgia
  • Psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis
  • Irritable bowel syndrome
  • Attention deficit disorder
  • Peripheral neuropathy
  • Schizophrenia

And less commonly,

  • Rheumatoid arthritis
  • Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis
  • Systemic lupus erythematosus
  • Scleroderma

Where do all these symptoms and problems come from? The main issue is the body’s inability to digest gluten. Various hypotheses account for resulting immune response. One likely hypothesis suggests that tens of thousands of years ago, migrating humans discovered that wheat, barley, and rye flourished easily. These grains were hardy and adaptable. Wheat, barley, and rye became the grain staples of choice, and the human diet became restricted to these few grains. Over evolutionary time, our bodies became sensitized to this foreign protein.

The degree of sensitivity – i.e., the degree of immunologic response – is specific to the individual, based on her own genetic profile. Some have minimal response and others demonstrate a continuum of immune hypersensitivity. Those with increased immune reaction to gluten demonstrate increased and worsening symptoms.

If gluten sensitivity/intolerance is a permanent genetic characteristic, then how is this significant disorder controlled? The answer necessarily involves a variety of activities and interventions.

Primarily, a person with gluten intolerance needs to eliminate gluten from her diet. Some people who are very sensitive need to be rigorously vigilant. This in itself can be very stressful, both to the person and their family and friends. Many strategies can be developed to make the process of gluten elimination a life-affirming experience, as opposed to a burden and an ongoing annoyance.

In addition to eliminating sources of gluten, both the person’s metabolic and immune system needs must be addressed. The metabolic component relates to the malabsorption syndrome which results from gluten intolerance.

Malabsorption leads to deficiencies in Vitamin D and calcium – these nutritional deficiencies may lead to osteoporosis. Hormonal imbalances may affect parathyroid hormone and, in women, prolactin. All these metabolic components are addressed by Vitamin D and calcium supplementation.

Immune disorders are treated by medication – if necessary in the case of autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis or lupus – and importantly, normalization of gastrointestinal (GI) microflora.

Normal GI microorganisms – necessary for healthy GI functioning – are destroyed in the GI inflammatory processes provoked by gluten intolerance. Opportunistic – “bad” – bad microflora take over, creating more GI disorder and disease. So, the normal “good guys” need to be repopulated.

Microorganism restoration is accomplished by including prebiotics and probiotics in the daily diet. Prebiotics help keep beneficial bacteria healthy. Prebiotic foods include oligosaccharides – these carbohydrates are not digested and linger in the GI tract, encouraging growth of the “good” bacteria. Oligosaccharides are found in fruits, whole grains (including gluten-free whole grains), and legumes.

Probiotics are living bacteria such as lactobacillus – “good” bacteria that aid in the functioning of our GI tract. Probiotics are found primarily in yoghurt.

Effective management of gluten sensitivity/intolerance is a comprehensive process. All components of the disorder need to be addressed to accomplish a timely and long-term response.

Effort is involved, of course, and yet the outcome is a greatly improved quality of life, well-being, and good health.

Gluten Intolerance - Overview
Gluten Intolerance - Solutions

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Gluten Intolerance - Solutions

by David on March 20, 2009

Gluten intolerance causes a lot of distress to a lot of people. Treatment of gluten intolerance is difficult, and yet definitely doable.

The first key is to get an accurate diagnosis. Gluten intolerance is a notorious masquerader - physicians are easily led astray and offer inaccurate diagnoses and ineffective treatments for conditions ranging from connective disorders to autoimmune diseases to non-critical food allergies.

The gold standard for accurately diagnosing gluten intolerance is to do an elimination diet. Eliminate all possible sources of gluten, most importantly all wheat, barley, and rye products. Strictly maintain the elimination diet for eight to 12 weeks, and then re-introduce a few gluten-containing foods. The reappearance of the stressful gastrointestinal symptoms or related allergic responses is diagnostic.

Of course, don’t do an elimination diet on your own. Be sure to consult with your family physician and follow her guidance and advice. Medical supervision is very important!

As an aside, genetic testing and serum immunologic testing are available. However, these tests are costly and have low sensitivity. The elimination diet does not involve laboratory fees and it results in a clear-cut diagnosis.

Now that the correct diagnosis is in place, what about management and therapy for gluten intolerance? Relatively effective management is possible, utilizing a learning curve of lifestyle and behavior changes.

Management of gluten intolerance incorporates two primary and mutually supporting goals –

  • Eliminate all gluten from the diet
  • Ensure sufficient nutrition every day

Eliminating all gluten involves more than just avoiding wheat, rye, and barley. Depending on your level of sensitivity, you might need to have your own toaster if you live with family members. And you might need to set aside your own jars of food, ensuring that others don’t introduce gluten-containing bread crumbs into gluten-free products.

It’s important to experiment and be creative in devising new, more effective strategies to ensure your meals are actually gluten-free.

Many gluten-free products are low in nutrients, and it’s common for those with gluten intolerance to develop a number of nutritional deficiencies. Taking actions to develop new habits of healthy eating are critical to your long-term health and well-being.

  1. Eat lots of fresh fruits and vegetables. Fresh produce – in a variety of bright colors – provides a wealth of vitamins and an abundance of phytonutrients that help you fight inflammation and reduce the effects of chronic disease. At least five servings of fresh produce are recommended every day.
  2. Eat healthy starches. We need our carbohydrates – where are they going to come from? Sweet potatoes, yams, squash, and legumes all provide plenty of nutrition-packed carbohydrates. And, none of these contains gluten!
  3. Eat protein at each meal. Eating protein at each meal provides the raw materials your body needs to regenerate itself. And protein is digested slowly, so your digestion of glucose is slowed and you have less insulin spiking and less mood swings.
  4. Eat healthy fats every day. Fats are very important for optimal health, but we need to make sure we’re consuming fats that are actually good for us. Olive oil, seeds and nuts, and avocados are excellent sources of unsaturated fats that our bodies use to build brain and nerve cells, protect abdominal organs, and provide energy for our daily activities.

This is a big program, no doubt. But these nutritional recommendations are actually the same recommendations as for anyone desiring to be healthy and well. Those with gluten intolerance may have extra motivation to adopt these guidelines right away.

A return to good health is possible and available. Once you get used to eating well nutritionally, you’ll begin to notice additional benefits beyond the reduction of symptoms. Healthy food plans provide many benefits across the range of human experience.

Gluten Intolerance - Overview

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Gluten Intolerance - Overview

by David on March 19, 2009

Gluten intolerance causes a lot of serious problems for a lot of people. In addition to chronic gastrointestinal distress and upset, gluten intolerance may be associated with numerous other disorders, including

  • Osteoporosis
  • Rheumatoid arthritis
  • Pseudogout
  • Hashimoto’s thyroiditis
  • Various gastrointestinal malignancies

And, gluten intolerance may progress to full-blown celiac disease.

The numbers are significant. A recently published multiyear study documented the presence of celiac disease in one of every 133 Americans. The genetic predisposition to developing gluten intolerance is estimated to be present in between 10 and 35% of the U.S. population.

Gluten intolerance and its possible end-stage, celiac disease, are major public health issues.

What is gluten intolerance and what are its effects? Gluten is a composite protein found in grass-related grains - wheat, barley, and rye. Humans do not produce an enzyme to digest gluten effectively, and large fragments of gluten may leak into the general circulation.

Certain individuals – between 10 and 35% of the U.S. population – launch an immune inflammatory response to the presence of these large gluten fragments. The long-term effects of such ongoing low-grade inflammation are the symptoms associated with gluten intolerance –

  • Gastrointestinal symptoms - bloating, gas, pain, diarrhea, constipation
  • Headaches
  • Fatigue
  • Joint aches and pains
  • Eczema
  • Irritability and mood swings
  • Infertility
  • Weight loss or weight gain

This is a long list. Most of the symptoms relate to the long-term inflammatory reaction to gluten in the diet. We can’t metabolize it, and some people are genetically predisposed to launch inflammatory responses to the foreign protein.

A key physiologic response to the ongoing inflammation is development of gastrointestinal (GI) malabsorption syndrome. The lining of the GI tract becomes chronically inflamed, and over time it undergoes physical changes that reduce its ability to digest and absorb nutrients.

As a result, persons with gluten intolerance may become malnourished and develop various nutritional deficiencies and new sets of health problems.

Owing to the widely diverse symptoms that a person with gluten intolerance may experience, it’s often difficult for physicians to make an accurate diagnosis. The actual root cause becomes masked, and diagnoses such as mixed connective tissue disorder, autoimmune disorders, Raynaud’s phenomenon, and psychosomatic disorders may be considered and treated with ineffective results.

To ensure an accurate diagnosis, a physician needs to have a high index of suspicion. Patients can help in locating the correct diagnosis by being educated and informed.

Gluten Intolerance - Solutions

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Phytonutrients and Antioxidants

by David on March 13, 2009

Phytonutrients are the superstars of 21st century nutrition. These amazing biochemicals are abundant in nature. We walk past tens of thousands of different phytonutrients every time we shop at our local fruit and vegetable market. These health-promoting and life-supporting nutrients are packed into every cell of every colorful fruit and vegetable. Who knew?

Remarkably, research shows that phytonutrients need to be consumed in their natural state to work their magic. Phytonutrients work in combination with each other to provide their remarkable services, helping us ward off a wide range of serious illnesses. Nature knows how to design the best and most powerful combinations. Fresh fruits and vegetables are the way to go.

Many phytonutrients are antioxidants – they circulate throughout the body, scooping up and neutralizing free radicals. Free radicals are a normal byproduct of cellular metabolism, but too many of them will cause a lot of problems. Excess free radicals have, for example, been linked to development of chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, and even cancer.

With sufficient dietary antioxidants we can help prevent chronic disease, and do a lot more besides. Antioxidants strengthen the immune system, combat the effects of overweight and obesity, help a person gain much more energy, and have numerous anti-aging benefits.

So, with fruits and vegetables, you’re not only eating well, but you feel good and look great! :-)

Where do you find these wonder foods? The colors of the rainbow are the key. The brightest, most colorful fruits and vegetables contain the most phytonutrients. For vegetables, choose among carrots, tomatoes, broccoli, spinach, yams, kale, and red beans. For fruits, choose among blueberries, raspberries, apples, pears, cherries, plums. and pomegranates.

Other foods, especially nuts, are very good sources of antioxidants. Walnuts and pecans contain high concentrations of antioxidants. In fact, walnuts play an important role in how the body handles cholesterol. Walnuts contain high concentrations of omega-3 fatty acids, and many studies have linked walnuts to improvement in cardiovascular health.

What’s the bottom line? To optimize your health and well-being, eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables every day. After only a short while, you’ll begin to notice numerous benefits.

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How to Manage Gout

by David on March 9, 2009

Gout is a chronic inflammatory arthritis caused by deposition of uric acid crystals in joints and related soft tissues. Due to a variety of metabolic or physiologic factors, the serum becomes saturated with uric acid and the crystals precipitate into various tissues and organs including joints, kidneys, and skin.

Symptomatic gout is excruciatingly painful. All the “cardinal signs of inflammation” are present in affected joints – pain, redness, warmth and swelling. The most common joint affected is the base of the big toe (metatarsophalangeal joint). The ankle, knee, hip, elbow, wrist, hand, and even spine may also be affected. Typically, the symptoms of gout are worse early in the morning when the body temperature drops to its lowest level which promotes the crystal formation.

Initial acute episodes of gout may resolve in a week and not return for months or years. However, over time, attacks of gout become more frequent, last longer, and affect more joints. Eventually, stone-like collections of uric acid crystals – known as tophi – form in affected joints. Tophi may cause permanent joint symptoms and loss of mobility.

Uric acid is produced in the liver from purines – products of the breakdown of DNA and RNA. The key enzyme responsible for uric acid synthesis is xanthine oxidase. The excessive serum uric acid levels that result in gout are caused by four distinct mechanisms.

  • High serum uric acid levels are due to increased consumption of food containing high amounts of purines or their precursors (meat, seafood), as well as alcohol and fructose.
  • High serum uric acid levels may be caused by coexisting conditions such as renal insufficiency, psoriasis, or diabetes, or by certain drugs such as aspirin, cyclosporine, or diuretics
  • High serum uric acid levels are due to decreased excretion by the kidneys
  • High serum uric acid levels are due to decreased elimination by the gastrointestinal tract

Gout is relatively easy to diagnose. Treatment is directed at avoiding acute attacks and preventing long-term loss of joint function. Historically, the standard medical treatment for gout has been the drug allopurinol – a xanthine oxidase inhibitor which results in lowered serum uric acid levels.

But allopurinol has known side effects, and is not effective for cases of gout which involve defective excretion or elimination of uric acid.

In contrast, natural remedies are available and are targeted to specific metabolic and physiologic pathways.

In certain individuals, it may be possible to identify the specific pathway involved. In these cases, specific recommendations may be made. Otherwise, combination approaches are employed and modified based upon results.

Black currant oil is a natural remedy which inhibits xanthine oxidase activity, helping restore more normal serum levels of uric acid. Black currant oil has the added benefit of containing high levels of GLA, an important omega-3 fatty acid, and therefore can effectively reduce inflammation caused by deposits of uric acid in the joints and soft tissues.

Morin – the active ingredient of Morus alba (white mulberry tree) – improves uric acid transport and excretion in the kidneys, lowering serum ucid acid levels via this specific pathway.

Yucca extract (Yucca schidigera) and celery seed extract stimulates gastrointestinal elimination of uric acid, addressing the fourth specific pathway and lowering serum uric acid levels.

Vitamin C at doses above 500 mg per day stimulates elimination of uric acid via the kidneys.

If persons with gout are overweight, losing weight is a very good idea. It’s also important to markedly reduce alcohol intake, if that had been an issue. Reducing intake of meat and shellfish, particularly, is another worthwhile lifestyle modification.

The natural remedies – black currant oil, Morus alba, celery seed extract, yucca extract, and Vitamin C – taken alone or in combination – may have great benefit in reducing serum uric acid levels in people suffering with the symptoms of gout.

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Strontium - Natural Remedy for Osteoporosis

by David on March 7, 2009

Ten million Americans have osteoporosis. Another 18 million have low bone mass. These 28 million individuals represent almost 10% of all Americans. Of those with osteoporosis, 80% are women.

Osteoporosis is characterized by a loss of bone mass. There are many causes of this loss of bone density, including

  • Menopause
  • Age greater than 50
  • Calcium deficiency
  • Vitamin D deficiency
  • Inadequate dietary protein
  • Certain gastrointestinal syndromes
  • Lack of exercise
  • Smoking

bone_sm
In women, loss of bone mass is often related to the hormonal changes associated with menopause. Cells that produce bone are known as osteoblasts. In women, estrogen stimulates osteoblast activity, so when estrogen levels decrease, osteoblast activity decreases as well. Less bone is produced as a result, and bone mass decreases.

Sufficient dietary protein, vitamin D, and calcium are needed to produce all the components of bone. Deficiencies of any of these building blocks results in loss of bone mass, and ultimately, osteoporosis.

Additionally, we need to exercise regularly to get the most out of the nutrition we’re providing our bodies. When we exercise – particularly when we do strength training and other gravity-resisting activities such as running, walking, and bicycling – our bodies respond not only by building new muscle but by building new bone as well. This response follows a physiologic principle known as Wolff’s Law – bone remodels along lines of physiologic stress.

In other words, bone responds to mechanical challenges by building more bone. The result is more dense, stronger bones. Such bones are significantly less likely to fracture. And. logically, exercise helps prevent loss of bone mass, a primary cause of osteoporosis in postmenopausal women and older adults.

An additional powerful dietary support is strontium. Not radioactive strontium, of course, but rather stable strontium. Stable strontium – strontium-88 – comprises 0.4% of the earth’s crust. In fact, there is more strontium than carbon in the earth’s crust. The human body also contains trace amounts of strontium, most of which is found in bone and related cartilage, ligaments, and tendons.

Strontium is closely related to calcium – it is positioned just below calcium in the periodic table. These elements have similar chemical properties, and strontium can replace calcium in various biochemical processes, including those that help build bone. Dietary strontium also causes bone to absorb more calcium. The overall result is stronger and thicker bones.

Strontium has been safely used in medicine for more than 100 years. Studies at the Mayo Clinic1 and McGill University2, among others, have demonstrated the safety and effectiveness of daily strontium supplements in the treatment of osteoporosis. The impressive results included increased bone mass in 78% of the cases in the Mayo Clinic study, and 172% increase in the rate of bone formation in the small McGill University study.

In the small Mayo Clinic study (32 patients), 84% of patients reported a marked relief of bone pain.

Recently, a recent large multi-center trial known as the Strontium Ranelate for Treatment of Osteoporosis3 (STRATOS) tested the safety and effectiveness of strontium as a treatment for postmenopausal osteoporosis. STRATOS included 353 osteoporotic women who received placebo or strontium daily for two years.

The important findings of the STRATOS study showed that strontium supplementation increased vertebral bone mineral density and reduced the number of vertebral factors.

A larger trial by the STRATOS research team included 1600 postmenopausal women with osteoporosis.4 They received placebo or 680 mg/day of strontium [determined to be the optimal dose in the STRATOS study] for three years.

Major findings in the strontium group included an average of 14.4% increased lumbar spine bone mineral density and an average of 8.3% increase in femoral neck (hip) bone mineral density.

The authors concluded – “treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis with strontium ranelate leads to early and sustained reductions in risk of vertebral fractures”. Quality of life would be greatly improved as a result.

Strontium has been proven highly effective and safe – even after several years of daily supplementation – in increasing bone mineral density and reducing the more severe consequences of osteoporosis. These peer-reviewed studies demonstrated decreased numbers of vertebral fractures and hip fractures, as well as markedly reduced bone pain.

Strontium supplementation is a breakthrough in the treatment of osteoporosis.

1McCaslin FE, Janes JM: The effect of strontium lactate in the treatment of osteoporosis. Proc Staff Meetings Mayo Clin 34:329-334, 1959
2Marie PJ, et al: Histomorphometry of bone changes in stable strontium therapy. In Hemphill DD (ed): Trace Substances in Environmental Health XIX. Columbia, MO, University of Missouri, 1985, pp 193-208
3Meunier PJ, et al: Strontium ranelate: dose-dependent effects in established postmenopausal vertebral osteoporosis. A 2-year randomized placebo controlled trial. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 87(5):2060-2066, 2002
4Meunier PJ, et al: The effects of strontium ranelate on the risk of vertebral fracture in women with postmenopausal osteoporosis. N Engl J Med 350(5):459-468, 2004

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Top Ten Benefits of Anti-Oxidants

by David on March 4, 2009

Foods, supplements, and natural remedies containing anti-oxidants provide health benefits that go beyond simple nutrition. Anti-oxidants are free radical–fighting super-biochemicals that powerfully impact a wide range of your body’s systems and activities.

Here are the Top Ten Benefits of anti-oxidants in your diet.

1. Neutralize free radicals. Free radicals are normal remnants of normal metabolic processes. Free radicals are highly reactive molecules that attempt to neutralize their own negative charge. They do this by oxidizing normal body structures. Left unchecked, in high concentrations free radicals can create a lot of damage. Dietary anti-oxidants are necessary to neutralize free radicals and prevent them from damaging your DNA, cells, and tissues.

2. Reduce DNA damage. Free radicals can penetrate the cell’s nucleus and attack strands of DNA. DNA is damaged by free radicals’ oxidative activity. Not all DNA is repaired successfully. As a result, the cell that contains damaged DNA may no longer function properly. In the worst case, such a cell may become cancerous.1

3. Reduce cellular damage. Free radicals can also damage cells by directly attacking the cell membrane. Such damage may alter the membrane’s permeability. Toxins may enter the cell and important nutrients may leak out. If enough cells are damaged or destroyed, larger structures such as tissues may malfunction and actual symptoms may develop.

4. Reduce inflammation. Inflammation is your body’s natural response to foreign invaders and cell and tissue damage. Inflammation helps destroy bacteria, viruses, and other foreign pathogens. And, inflammation helps repair damaged cells and tissues.

However, too much inflammation is not a good thing. High concentrations of free radicals may cause cellular damage throughout the body, leading to an ongoing low-grade inflammatory response. Ongoing inflammation may actually begin to damage normal healthy tissue, leading to further inflammation and damage. Anti-oxidants help to break this vicious cycle.2

5. Reduce cholesterol deposits. High levels of free radicals also damage the inner walls of small blood vessels. Cholesterol can become trapped on the surfaces of these damaged walls. Cholesterol deposits are themselves irregular structures, and more cholesterol gets trapped. The deposit enlarges, and over time the diameter of the affected blood vessel narrows. Again, anti-oxidants help to break this vicious cycle by neutralizing free radicals before they can do further damage.3

6. Reduce gastrointestinal problems. Similarly, free radicals can damage the lining of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Inflammation can lead to more damage, and the cycle of disease begins. Anti-oxidants are an important part of prevention and management of GI disorders.

7. Strengthen immune system. Anti-oxidants help support the immune system via two mechanisms. First, they prevent free radical attack on immune system cells - lymphocytes and other white blood cells - and on immune system progenitor tissue such as lymph nodes and bone marrow. Second, by oxidizing free radicals, anti-oxidants lower the levels of inflammation throughout the body. This greatly benefits the immune system by enabling it to concentrate its forces on fighting infections and other diseases.

8. Combat effects of overweight and obesity. Recent research demonstrates a number of beneficial effects of anti-oxidants in relation to overweight and obesity.

  • Fat cells are known to be metabolic factories.
  • Anti-oxidants help counter the inflammatory effects of the metabolic products of fat cells.
  • Animal studies have shown that anti-oxidants reduce the amount of triglycerides produced by fat cells. Anti-oxidants reduce levels of free radicals produced in overweight adults after exercising.4

9. More restful sleep. Anti-oxidants neutralize free radicals, and reduce cellular and tissue damage caused by these oxidative scavengers. And, anti-oxidants help to reduce inflammatory processes throughout your body. The result is a better-functioning organism–your body’s machinery is much better able to do its job. Your nerve system is able to relax because it’s not dealing with ongoing physiological problems, and you get a much more restful night’s sleep.

10. Much more energy. You’re wasting less precious resources trying to repair damage caused by free radicals. Your body is spending less time fighting the results of inappropriate inflammation. The result is much more available energy for you to live your life. You become healthier, happier, glad to be alive.

11. Anti-aging. This is the bonus benefit. The bottom line is that anti-oxidants reduce physiologic stress. Less wear-and-tear means healthier, more vital skin with improved tone and less wrinkles, age lines, and age spots. You feel much better and look much better. You have more energy and may even start to glow.

Many or all of these benefits may be available from consistently eating a healthy diet that includes plenty of colorful fruits and vegetables. Red, orange, blue, purple, and yellow fruits and vegetables contain the highest concentrations of beta-carotene, Vitamin C, and Vitamin E - the most powerful anti-oxidants. Zinc and selenium are important mineral anti-oxidants. They are found in whole grains, tuna, nuts, and dairy products. Devil’s claw is a good example of a natural remedy containing powerful anti-oxidants.

1Pauwels EK, et al: Antioxidants: a tale of two stories. Drug News Perspect 20(9):579-585, 2007
2Holt EM, et al: Fruit and vegetable consumption and its relation to markers of inflammation and oxidative stress in adolescents. J Am Diet Assoc 109(3):414-421,
3Ullegaddi R, et al: Antioxidant supplementation enhances antioxidant capacity and mitigates oxidative damage following acute ischaemic stroke. Eur J Clin Nutr 59(12):1367-1373, 2005
4Vincent HK, et al: Antioxidant supplementation lowers exercise-induced oxidative stress in young overweight adults. Obesity 14:2224-2235, 2006

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