Radhia Gleis's Blog, page 5

The Science Behind Giving

I love this meme: “I hate when people ask me if I’m ready for Christmas. No, Susan, I’m not even ready for today!”

Well, sigh! It’s that time of year. The frantic, hustle and bustle of the Holidays. Whether it’s the dread of slogging our way through an overcrowded shopping mall, the ordeal of picking out the right gifts, the frustration over delivery delays, the risk of it turning out to be not what you bargained for online, or the blow to the paycheck, shopping for holiday gifts can be stressful.

My friend asked me the dreaded question that every adult never knows how to answer:“What do you want for Christmas?” What do I want? What I really want is a million dollars and a villa off the coast of Spain. You know they are asking because it’s easier than risking that awkward moment when you open the three-pack of mock turtlenecks your aunt Vivian gave you, while feigning a half smile and performing the classic line “Ohhhh, just what I always wanted.”

So, what’s your answer? It has to be within their budget, of course — but nothing is affordable anymore. We don’t really want another thing — another tchotchke that will someday end up on a shelf in a Goodwill store or possibly, for purely sentimental reasons, get dragged around in a box to be put in your attic or expensive storage facility every time you move. Many of us adults might say, “I don’t want anything, just your company.” Which is probably true, but not really satisfactory to the gift giver. What’s the point of it all? Shouldn’t the holiday season simply be about family, friends, and food? And wouldn’t everyone be better off spending their own money on things they know they want? The truth is, there is more to the gift giving than the obligations of tradition. The act of receiving may be just as much a gift as the giving.

According to Psychology Today:

Studies show that spending money on others feels better than splurging on ourselves. In fact, neuroscientists have found that making a donation makes the brain’s reward circuitry light up more than receiving a gift. Moreover, the joy of giving a gift lasts longer than the fleeting pleasure of accepting it. Dec 24, 2021

Turns out there a neurobiological basis for cooperation in personal and relational exchanges! Studies show that gift offering far exceeds the immediate bonds of kinship, even when no material or reputation gains are anticipated. The act of gift giving releases endorphins and dopamine within your brain. These natural chemicals are part of the body’s reward system, and are designed specifically to make you feel good. Nov 3, 2014

The studies show that the mesolimbic reward system, triggered when giving, is the same area of the brain that distributes the dopamine chemicals associated with receiving money and food. It’s the system that delivers dopamine to the nucleus accumbens (NAc), part of the neural circuit that controls reward-seeking in response to reward-predictive cues. The act of giving modulates reward and pleasure in the same way as when monetary rewards are obtained.

In other words, we literally get as much feeling of reward when we give as when we receive money. So the act of giving, then, is truly a natural high.

Furthermore, consider that this time of year can offer us more pleasure when we participate in activities like volunteering and providing assistance to friends or family members. According to an NIH study, “When you give money to a cause you believe in, your brain activity changes, which can bring on a wide range of benefits, including everything from lower blood pressure to a lower mortality rate.”

Remarkably, more anterior sectors of the prefrontal cortex, known to promote higher cognitive functions such as task management and planning, are distinctively engaged when altruistic choices prevail over selfish material interests.

Sounds to me like giving in general makes you happier, healthier, smarter, and more organized. And if researching and writing this Holiday article makes you feel a little bit better about giving this season, then this is my gift to you. And hey, I do feel a little bit smarter and a lot more joyful in giving it. We wish you and all your loved ones a fruitful and joyous Holiday season!

1. Nowak MA, Sigmund K. Nature. 2005;437:1291–1298.

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5. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1622872/

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Gratitude May Be the Best Medicine

By consciously practicing gratitude every day, we can help our immune system, our central nervous system, pain response, sleep, even our memory and cognitive function. The effects of gratitude, when practiced daily, can be almost the same as medications in strengthening neural pathways.

Here’s what happens when we express gratitude:

Feelings of gratitude activate the hippocampus and amygdala, the two main sites regulating emotions, memory, and bodily functioning. Gratitude significantly impacts psychological conditions like stress, anxiety, and depression by producing a feeling of long-lasting happiness and contentment. The physiological basis for this lies at the neurotransmitter level. As we feel grateful, our brain releases dopamine and serotonin, the two crucial neurotransmitters responsible for our emotions, thereby enhancing our mood immediately.

By regulating the level of dopamine, gratitude can reduce subjective feelings of pain. A study conducted to evaluate the effects of gratitude on physical wellbeing, Counting Blessings vs Burdens (Emmons & McCullough, 2003), indicated that 16% of the patients who kept a gratitude journal reported reduced pain symptoms and were more willing to exercise and cooperate with the treatment procedure.

Studies also show that gratitude practices significantly reduce cardiac diseases, inflammations, and neurodegeneration.

A study by Zahn, et al., (2009) stated: “A brain filled with gratitude and kindness is more likely to sleep better and wake up feeling refreshed and energetic every morning.” Improving the sleep-wake cycle and enhanced mood helps people with insomnia, substance abuse, and eating disorders.

Gratitude practices are especially effective for treating phobias like death anxiety, PTSD, social phobia, and nihilism. The brain doesn’t know the difference between reality and thought. For example, jumping out of an airplane is the greatest thrill to some, but to others the idea of even getting into an airplane triggers a physiological fear reaction. The person hasn’t even left the runway, yet their heart beats faster, lungs breathe more heavily, and blood rushes from the digestive tract to the extremities in order to fight or take flight. From a neurobiological standpoint, gratitude regulates the sympathetic nervous system that activates our fight-or-flight responses, countering our fear response and producing a calming effect; and at the psychological level, it conditions the brain to filter the negative ruminations and focus on positive thoughts.

Gratitude can alleviate depression both psychologically and neurochemically. “By displacing our attention from problems to solutions, gratitude practices secrete the serotonin, dopamine, and oxytocin — neurotransmitters that make us feel good” (Burton, 2020). Daily journaling and gratitude jars can help individuals fighting with depression, anxiety, and burnout. The surge of these chemicals in the brain restrains apathy and revives the motivation that depression has otherwise drained.

Fear is our body’s inbuilt wake-up call that alerts us to danger. Our genetic code is programmed for survival; we focus more on the bad things than the good things because good things don’t hurt us. When fear sets in, our body releases hormones that create the fight-or-flight response. The brain doesn’t get much time to analyze the right or wrong when the adrenaline rush begins. Worry and ruminating are compulsions within us, serving to remind us to avoid harm at all costs. Scientists have suggested that by activating the reward center of the brain, gratitude alters the way we see the world and ourselves, exchanging needless worry and fear for serenity and relief.

In the words of Oprah Winfrey:

“Be thankful for what you have, you’ll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don’t have, you will never ever have enough.”

Besides keeping a gratitude journal, one helpful exercise I do myself and give to my clients is the Mind Focus Exercise. (Note: When you are writing this exercise, try to be as descriptive as possible. If you like to draw, then it’s helpful to sketch your answers as well.

Draw 4 columns on a piece of paper.

● In the first column describe: What is the circumstance or event that evokes the negative emotion you may be ruminating on?

● In the second column describe: How does that makes you feel? (i.e., angry, grieved, fearful, sad, etc.)

● In the third column describe: What do you want instead? Then describe, in detail: What does that looks like?

● In the fourth column describe: How does that new perspective make you feel?

Now that you have imagined what your new reality looks like — that is what you focus on. Practice focusing on what you do want, not what you don’t want, and watch your world change around you.

For a list of the top 5 favorite books on gratitude, click here: https://positivepsychology.com/gratitude-books-oliver-sachs/

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WHAT’S UP WITH GLUTEN?

Besides being a certified clinical nutritionist, I teach nutrition at Le Cordon Bleu Culinary College. I always ask my students; how many believe that a “gluten-free” diet is just a fad? I’m not surprised to hear that eight out of ten believe it is.

You may ask what’s up with gluten and why has it become a problem now and not when we were kids? When you eat a bagel for example, it has a lot of gluten in it to make it chewy and give it texture. Gluten breaks down into a sub-protein known as Gliadin. Gliadin is resistant to all human digestion, not just for those with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity.

When protein is undigested it becomes a foreign invader in the body. For people without gluten sensitivity or celiac disease a healthy gut will deal with these invader-threats and heal quickly. But eating gluten a lot causes receptors in our gut lining to become over-active, causing an up-regulation of a substance known as zonulin– zonulin regulates the permeability of the intestinal wall. Long term intake of gluten may lead to a condition known as “Leaky Gut”.

When the tight junctions of our gut lining are open for too long it may allow other invaders such as bacteria or fungus, heavy metals like mercury and lead or chemicals from pesticides, solvents, and toxins to get into the blood stream. All of these foreign invaders cause a tremendous immune and inflammatory response.

There is a lot of research that shows the correlation between “leaky gut” and autoimmune disease. It works like this: now that the gliadin protein has triggered zonulin to open the tight junctions in the gut and these foreign invaders pass the mucosal barrier and get into the blood stream, the immune system has to get involved. A tissue enzyme knowns as TTG allows the gliadin and other invaders to be bound to human immune cells. Although the TTG is part of you, because it is now attached to the gliadin antigen the immune system does not distinguish the difference and recognizes you both as an enemy–guilty by association.

Your immune cells are going to attack everything that looks like gliadin but they are also going to attack the cells that produce TTG. They are going to keep attacking these cells as long as you expose yourself to gluten or the other offending invaders mentioned above. The problem is, TTG is everywhere in the body. TTG is in your thyroid, liver, joints, muscle, brain, blood, organs and glands. And inflammation is the body’s first response.

You may ask, why now? We rarely saw these conditions twenty or thirty years ago. The wheat and grains grown today are not the same as the grains of yester year. For more information on this, there are a few great books that I recommend: Wheat Belly, Loose the Wheat, Lose the Weight, by William Davis and Grain Brain, by Dr. David Perlmutter. A product called Glutenza by NuMedica is my go to product when I have been exposed to gluten. It’s an enzyme formula exclusively designed to remove any gliadin that may be in the gut wall. Then I recommend that people heal their gut with either Gluten Sensitivity GI Restore (cherry Chewables), or Gluten Support GI Restore capsules by NuMedica. I’m also happy to report that Martins Pharmacies are getting all kinds of yummy gluten free products that will be available so we don’t have to compromise our tasty pleasures just to be healthy.

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The Skinny on Fats

For years we have been told that fats are the “bad guys” of the diet story. Yet science tells us that there are good oils–not just less-bad-for-you oils, but oils that positively improve health in many unexpected ways. Trying to figure out “who is who” in this story has been difficult for the public; over the years, scientists change their views regularly. Polyunsaturated oils such as safflower and sunflower apparently were the “good guys” in the fat realm for some time, only to be discredited later as possibly leading to cancer. More recently, olive oil and coconut oil have been the favorites, but the oil story is not that simple.

To appreciate the specific roles that different fats or AKA fatty acids have on health, it is first useful to understand their basic chemical structure. Fatty acids are long chains of carbon atoms bonded to each other by hydrogen atoms. The fatty acid molecules are grouped as saturated or unsaturated.

A saturated fatty acid has one hydrogenated bond between each pair of carbon atoms in the chain. It is literally “saturated” with hydrogen atoms. These hydrogen bonds hold the molecule stable. Saturated fatty acids come from animal sources, such as meat, dairy, butter, and lard as well as coconut and palm oil and stay solid at room temperature.

Coconut oil has the unique potential to aid in the protection and treatment of a number of health problems due to its documented antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiulcerogenic, antimutagenic, analgesic, and antipyretic activities.1.2. Harvard researcher Vigen K. Babayan, PhD is credited with developing the process of distilling coconut oil down into pure MCT oil, (Medium Chain Trigycerides). He called the purified oil fractionated coconut oil or MCT oil. Researchers began investigating the nutritional and medicinal uses for MCTs. A great deal of research followed and it was soon evident that MCTs possessed unique biological properties with a number of important nutritional and medical applications. Note: unlike other oils when MCTs are consumed, they digest very rapidly and begin breaking down immediately.

Monounsaturated fatty acids are a more flexible molecule such as lipids or oil, which do not stay solid at room temperature. They are found mainly in plant foods, such as olive, canola, and peanut oils. Monounsaturated fats are the best choice because they lower LDL cholesterol without lowering HDL “good” cholesterol. By the way LDLs are as necessary as HDLs. For more information on cholesterol and cardiovascular disease click here:

There are three elements that can break these delicate unsaturated oil molecules: heat, light and oxygen. The more unsaturated the molecule the less stable and vulnerable to breaking these molecular bonds. This will cause these oils to become rancid and produce toxins and free radicals that can be detrimental to good health by causing inflammatory and degenerative disease.

Polyunsaturated fatty acids are very delicate and will go rancid quickly when exposed to heat, light or oxigen. Some polyunsturated fats such as flax seed oil don’t even stay solid in the freezer. Polyunsaturated fat, found in organic sunflower, organic corn, organic soybean, and organic safflower oils, have been linked to decreasing total blood cholesterol by lowering LDL.

Omega-6 fatty acids are polyunsaturated, and they function to protect the body’s cells. Sources of omega-6 fatty acids include whole grains, vegetable oils, seeds, and nuts. Most Americans get too many omega-6 fatty acids and not enough omega-3s which are primarily found in seafood and fish oils. Some Omega-3s are also found in flax seeds and walnuts, chia seeds, some canola and soybean oils, but the best sources are fatty fish such as salmon, sardines, cod, mackerol and tuna .

Research shows that omega-3 fatty acids, consisting of DHA and EPA help lower the risk of heart attacks, increase brain function and vision and reduce inflammation. DHA is important for the eyes, as well as, learning and behavior in both children and mature adults, while EPA is important for normalizing and regulating cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Both together are essential. In 2008, the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition published three studies showing that low concentrations of EPA and DHA resulted in an increased risk of death, as well as accelerated cognitive decline.

My favorite fish oils are ProOmega by Nordic Naturals, or if you don’t like taking gel caps my favorite liquid is the Omega Swirl by Barlene’s, which gives you 1500mg. per tablespoon, of high quality fish oil that tastes like desert. It’s also emulsified, which makes it 90% more bio-available than standard fish oils. The favorite flavor is Key Lime Pie, but they’re all yummie!

A word of caution: Omega-3-rich oils are highly polyunsaturated. This means that unless they are very, very fresh, they–like other polyunsaturates–may deteriorate in such a way as to cause harmful effects in our bodies. The bottom line: refrigerate and consume within a few weeks any flax seed oil or seeds. Buy walnuts still in the shell, and preferably vacuum-packed for freshness.

It is partly because of the freshness issue that monounsaturated oils, such as olive, have become so popular. Their chemical structure is such that they remain stable–that is, they do not oxidize–as readily as do polyunsaturates. As with other mono-unsaturates, intake of olive oil reduces levels of the harmful form of cholesterol in the blood compared to more saturated fats found in red meat, for example. It’s important to note that saturated fats have gotten bad press in the last 40 years due to the propaganda of the processed food industry. Fats such as coconut, and grass-fed butter for example, are high in saturated fat yet have been proven to be highly beneficial to health.

When cooking with fats and oils it is important to do so in a manner that does not destroy them. Never consume any deep fried foods; they are all universally soaked with toxic isomers. Remember that if the oil starts to smoke it is too hot and it is being destroyed. Here is a list of cooking oils and a brief comment on them.

Olive Oil: Contains many mono-unsaturated fatty acids. It is good for pan frying but not good for deep frying. It will break-down and become rancid. Be sure to mix some water with it to prevent the oil from getting too hot.

Coconut Fat: Good for frying only if it is not hydrogenated. Frying with hydrogenated fats are extremely dangerous to your health. In addition to the trans-fatty acids of hydrogenated oils, they contain traces of metallic nickel which is used in the process of hydrogenation.

Organic Grass-fed Clarified Butter: Very good for frying. Commercial users will find it to be more expensive that other oils.

Peanut Oil: Recommended for home or commercial use. You can use the same oil every day but it should not be used more than a few hours each day. It is suggested that you use only organic peanut oil as oil processed from moldy peanuts can be contaminated with aflotoxins, a known carcinogenic byproduct of the mold fungi.

Sunflower Oil: You can fry with this oil all day, but you cannot safely cool and re-use the oil. It needs to be disposed of at the end of the day.

Macadamia Nut Oil: A great new healthy alternative cooking oil is called MacNut oil. One of the great features of this oil is that it is low in saturated fats plus it has the ideal 1:1 ratio of omega 3 to omega 6 fatty acids. In addition, it has a smoke point of 410ºF which makes it well suited for stir frying foods.

Canola Oil: Made from genetically engineered rapeseed and used extensively in restaurants. Registered with the EPA as an insecticide. There is much controversy surrounding this oil. From the research I’ve read related to this oil, I would suggest avoiding it

Refined Vegetable Oil: Totally devoid of nutrients and breaks down easily. Should be totally avoided. Even as a salad oil.

Remember that the majority of corn and soy sold in this County is GMO, so I would recommend avoiding them all together unless it is organic. For more info on GMO click here:

As long as polyunsaturated fats are left in their natural state, known as the cis form fatty acid, they are healthful, but when vegetable oils are removed from vegetables, they turn rancid rather quickly. So manufacturers use a chemical process that converts healthful polyunsaturated oils into cancer and heart attack-causing partially hydrogenated fats, also known as trans fatty acids.

For the most part fats that have undergone chemical alterations are referred to as “hydrogenated,” “partially hydrogenated” and even “polyunsaturated.” This process simply bubbles hydrogen gas through warm oils which were chemically and physically extracted from vegetable sources such as soybeans. The hydrogen bonds to the fat molecules so that oxygen can no longer interact with it. During hydrogenation, the oil changes from a clear liquid to a solid at room temperature.

When fats are hydrogenated something drastic happens to their vital and life-sustaining characteristics. Hydrogenation destroys the nutritive value of the fat and creates a slow-developing toxicity demonstrated to be involved in (if not totally responsible for) diverse diseases including heart diseases and cancer, the two leading causes of death.

These “pseudo fats” are also referred to as “polyunsaturated.” If that word sounds familiar it is. It’s the same word repeated millions of times in TV commercials designed to dupe you into believing that hydrogenated fats are really healthy. Nothing could be farther from the truth.

Fat has many duties in our bodies. In order to maximize good health, we need avoid all refined and hydrogenated fats and eat healthy mono and polyunsaturated fats, along with good saturated fats such as coconut, and grass fed butter.

1. Zakaria, A.A., et al. In vivo antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory activities of dried and fermented processed virgin coconut oil. Med Princ Pract 2011;20:231-236.

2. Intahphuak, S., et al. Anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and antipyretic activities of virgin coconut oil.Pharm Biol 2010;48:151-157.

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Sugar Junkie?

Recently a client came to me and said, “I’m driven by cravings and need sugary foods. I feel like I should be able to resist it, but I can’t and things keep getting worse? I feel depressed, I overeat, I get headaches, tired, irritability, mental fogginess, and, lethargy. Is there such a thing as sugar addiction?”

Some people really are addicted to sugar; trying to tell them not to eat sugar is like telling a drug addict to simply stop taking their drug. Why? Because sugar addiction, like food intolerances, affects the same biochemical systems in your body as highly addictive drugs. Cutting down on sugar can cause withdrawal symptoms, but they don’t last long, and once you have got through it you will feel like a new you!

By slowly changing when and what we eat, we can change how we feel – dramatically! Low glycemic load (GL) diets such as the Ultra Lite Diet are the most effective as they are based on one principle: If you lose blood sugar control, you gain weight, and feel hungry and tired. If you gain blood sugar control, you lose weight, feel happy and full of energy.

However, I recommend a food intolerance test as well. Food intolerances trigger the immune system and once an immune response is triggered in the body the body feels that it is ‘under siege’ thus hoarding supplies, storing fluid and increasing weight.

The provocation of the immune system also leads to inflammation and swelling and causes the release of endorphins ultimately producing the well-known cycle of allergy (intolerance) and addiction; over 50% of those with food intolerance actually crave the foods that they are intolerant to!

In addition, serotonin levels drop adding to the cycle of cravings which are in turn satisfied by the foods which destabilize insulin and blood sugar and ultimately cause additional weight gain; in other words a vicious circle and it takes an overall approach to ‘undo’ the damage done.

A promising new product that has just been released is PrenuPhase by Numedica. PrenuPhase is a powerful carb and blood sugar controller. The formula has three effective ingredients: Prenulin® — clinically proven to aid in reducing the body’s ability to absorb sugar, thereby lowering glucose and insulin impact by almost 30%. Phase 2 Carb Controller® — an all-natural, non-stimulant, white kidney bean extract clinically shown to help delay the digestion and absorption of dietary starches and InnoSlim® — shown to help decrease circulating glucose and may reduce glucose absorption in the intestine while reducing fat accumulation.

I would recommend the combination of PrenuPhase, a low GL diet, which can help gradually reduce sugar intolerance, and the identification and elimination of any food sensitivity or intolerances which is essential in order for the approach to be fully effective.

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Magnesium: Mother Nature’s Miracle Mineral

Magnesium is involved in over 300 biochemical processes in the body. One of its most important functions is that it plays a key role in producing energy, this makes it vitally important for all cellular functions and processes. It helps maintain normal muscle and nerve function, keeps heart rhythm regular, supports a healthy immune system, and keeps bones strong. The key to magnesium is getting enough.

Many folks are confused about the words connected to magnesium, such as magnesium glycinate or magnesium citrate, aspartate, taurate, etc. Those adjunct words describe the particular amino acid chelate attached to the magnesium. Chelation can give you better bioavailablity, in other words, make it easier for the body to absorb magnesium.

There are so many kinds of magnesium, people become dazed and confused when it comes to picking the right magnesium for their needs. So, let’s break it down:

Magnesium oxide: Often used in milk of magnesia products since this form has a strong laxative effect. It has poor bioavailability and readily causes loose stools; therefore it is considered the least optimal form to use as a supplement but great for constipation.

Magnesium sulfate: is not used in oral formulations, but it does have some absorbability through the skin, so it is found in Epsom bath salts. It’s great for muscle relaxation and although it can be used as a laxative, I recommend magnesium oxide or citrate for that.

Magnesium Citrate: has a better bioavailability compared to oxide, but does have a stool loosening effect.

Magnesium Aspartate: has some promising clinical trials that found a combination of magnesium and potassium aspartates had a positive effect on fatigue and may reduce muscle hyper-excitability.

Magnesium Glycinate: Glycine is a well-known calming amino acid. This combination has good bioavailability and does not have a laxative effect since glycine is actively transported through the intestinal wall. This is the magnesium I recommend for sleep.

Magnesium Malate: Since malate can help improve ATP production; there is some preliminary evidence that it may reduce muscle pain and tender points, especially in fibromyalgia patients.

Magnesium Orotate: has good bioavailability and has had been studied specifically for heart health. It has been shown to improve heart failure, symptoms of angina and exercise performance in clinical trials.

Magnesium Taurate: has a potentiating effect on insulin sensitivity and also a calming effect on neuromuscular excitability. It has been shown to reduce blood pressure, stabilize nerve cells, improve the contraction of the heart muscle and have an anti-thrombotic effect.

Magnesium-L-Threonate: This form of magnesium has recently been studied to improve memory and brain function.

Well, I hope that clears up any confusion. Take this chart into the Martin’s pharmacies the next time you need to pick your magnesium or ask the wellness consultant to assist you with your magnesium needs.

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Cholesterol and Cardiovascular Disease, CVD: The Whole Picture?

In 1989, my mother died, suddenly, of a massive heart attack. A year and a half later, my father, after suffering and recovering from 2 strokes, died of congestive heart failure. Besides my brother, I am the only living member on both sides of the family that has not died of a heart related disease. There is no doubt that both my brother and I have a high genetic risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). So, it is of great interest to me that I keep abreast of the latest prevention methods available.

Most people go to their doctor and have their cholesterol checked, and are told that if it is in normal range and they exercise, eat a low fat diet and not smoke they are safe. But is that enough? Research has found that there are other factors that lead to CVD beside elevated cholesterol or triglycerides. This idea has been gaining popularity since researchers have long known that at least “50% of the people who suffer a heart attack had normal total cholesterol levels” (1).

Many studies have found that in fact low cholesterol is in certain respects worse than high cholesterol; for instance, in 19 large studies of more than 68,000 deaths, it showed that low cholesterol predicted an increased risk of dying from gastrointestinal and respiratory diseases (2).

Consider the finding of Dr. Harlan Krumholz of the Department of Cardiovascular Medicine at Yale University, who reported in 1994 that old people with low cholesterol died twice as often from a heart attack as did old people with high cholesterol (3).

Let’s take a closer look at cholesterol. You have heard of “good” cholesterol and “bad” cholesterol; well, there really is no such thing as “good” or “bad”, all cholesterol both LDLs and HDLs have very important functions; from making every new cell in your body to making hormones. The outer membrane of every cell is called a phospholipid, the “lipid” is cholesterol. The “sterol” in cholesterol is the building material for your steroid hormones, such as estrogen, testosterone, etc. and glucocordicosteroid hormones that enable the body to cope with stressors by increasing concentrations of glucose, fatty acids and amino acids, in the blood and by raising blood pressure. All of these functions are vital to life and rely on LDLs. HDLs, which have been considered “good” cholesterol, are “good” because they carry LDLs back to the liver to be recycled.

So when you go to your doctor and get a cholesterol test and your LDLs are high, is this a problem or is this the body’s response to other factors? A mentor, who taught me advanced blood analysis, once said, “The body doesn’t make mistakes”. In this case, the body doesn’t just make excess cholesterol for no reason. When the body is out of balance our complex, physiological system is programmed to do what ever it can to respond to the body’s needs. When the emergency phone is ringing off the hook, instead of just cutting the cord, like suppressing the symptoms with cholesterol lowering drugs, answer the phone. In other words, I believe we should try and find the underlining cause of the elevated cholesterol and help the body re-balance itself.

With all that being said, there can be a problem with LDLs but just knowing your LDL count is not the whole picture. There is a difference in the size of LDLs and in this case — size matters. LDL patterns A and B refer to the size of LDL cholesterol particles in the blood. Persons with LDL cholesterol pattern A have large, buoyant LDL cholesterol particles that bounce along through the arteries with no obstruction. Small LDL cholesterol particles in the blood however, can get snagged on tiny lesions on the lining of the blood vessels and clog the artery which may pose a greater risk for developing atherosclerosis and heart attacks. We can test for these cholesterol particle size variations, also known as, “fractionated LDLs”. A special blood test called polyacrylamide gradient gel electrophoresis can measure particle size and determine whether a person has blood cholesterol LDL pattern A or LDL pattern B. A more common name for this test is a “NMR Lipo Profile”.

Though many physicians both in private practice and some at academic medical centers have had their doubts about the importance of cholesterol, testing is a widely accepted part of the routine physical examination of all adults. The American public has been educated to know their cholesterol scores and think that by just knowing the score they can protect themselves from heart disease. Factors such as the fractionated LDLs mentioned above are rarely checked but other important factors are very often overlooked in blood work as well, such as: Apo A-1 /Apo B, CRP (C-reactive protein), fibrinogen, and homocysteine levels. Research is now showing evidence that these may have an equal to or greater role in determining an individuals risk for CVD.

Lipoprotein (a) (Lp(a)) is an LDL cholesterol particle that is attached to a special protein called apo(a). In large part, a person’s level of Lp(a) in the blood is genetically inherited. Lipoprotein A or LP(a), is a lipoprotein that resembles low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol but has a sticky, Velcro nature, causing it to easily tie up in blood vessels which gives it a more atherogenic characteristic. Atherogenic means the formation of a fatty thickening of the walls of our arteries, as found in atherosclorisis, or hardening of the arteries. Approximately 20 percent of the population has elevated levels of lipoprotein A which is believed to be the threshold to increase the risk of CVD twofold. The risk is even more significant if the Lp(a) cholesterol elevation is accompanied by high LDL/HDL ratios (4).

Findings from Oxford University found that cardiac patients with high levels lipoprotein-a in their blood are 70 percent more likely to have a heart attack than those with lower concentrations (5).

Estrogen has been shown to lower Lp(a) cholesterol levels by approximately 20% in women with elevated Lp(a) cholesterol. Therefore, women who are in post-menopause have a greater risk for CVD than younger women. Estrogen can also increase HDL cholesterol levels when given to postmenopausal women (6). Additionally, nicotinic acid (Niacin or Niaspan) in high doses has been found to be effective in lowering Lp(a) cholesterol levels by approximately 30%.

Research studies from The American Heart Association National Center, showed that Apolipoprotein “B”, (apo B), a protein associated with LDLs, appears to be a reliable predictor of increased risk of Ischemic Heart Disease, which is damage to the heart muscle caused by artery blockages. Some studies suggest that apo B may be even a more accurate forecaster of increased risk from atherosclerosis, than LDL itself (7).

The “A” apolipoproteins (Apo A) form is the major proteins found in high density lipoproteins, ((HDL) the “good” cholesterol). Many studies using different approaches have suggested that elevated HDL levels may reduce the risk of coronary artery disease, (CAD) whereas; reduced levels are associated with increased risk for coronary artery disease. Deficient levels of Apo A-1 have been reported to be one of the most reliable predictors of CAD. In fact, the studies show that men with the highest levels of apo B and the lowest levels of apo A-1 were nearly four times as likely to have a fatal heart attack than those with opposite values (8). The blood test “Apolipoproteins Assessment” can be done to check your status.

Another very important marker for CVD is C-reactive Protein. A revolutionary eight year-long study of 27,939 women, was specifically designed to address how C reactive Protein (CRP) measurement might help better identify those at high risk for heart disease. Researchers at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH) have shown that this simple and inexpensive blood test for CRP, a substance produced in the liver when arteries become inflamed, is a more powerful predictor of a person’s risk of suffering a heart attack or stroke than screening based on LDL cholesterol (9).

Paul Ridker, MD, Director of the Center for Cardiovascular Disease Prevention at the BWH and lead author of the study, estimates that approximately 25 percent of the United States population has elevated CRP levels, but normal to low levels of cholesterol. This means that millions of Americans may be unaware that they are at increased risk for future heart problems, even if they are routinely screened for elevated cholesterol (10).

The CRP test is a general test to check for inflammation in the body. It is not a specific test. That means, it can reveal that you have inflammation somewhere in your body, but it cannot pinpoint the exact location. A more sensitive CRP test, called a high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) assay, is available to determine a person’s risk for heart disease. Many consider a high CRP level to be a risk factor for heart disease. However, it is not known whether CRP is merely a sign of cardiovascular disease or if it actually plays a role in causing heart problems (11,12).

Another test that can be easily performed is your fibrinogen level. In order for blood to clot, fibrinogen is converted to fibrin by the action of an enzyme called thrombin. Fibrin molecules clump together to form long filaments which trap blood cells to form a solid clot.

Fibrinogen rises sharply during tissue inflammation or injury. When this occurs, high fibrinogen levels may be a predictor for an increased risk of heart or circulatory disease. Other conditions in which fibrinogen is elevated are cancers of the stomach, breast, or kidney, and inflammatory disorders like rheumatoid arthritis (13).

Several years ago I had a Cardiovascular Risk Assessment test to check all of these factors, although my Cholesterol and triglycerides were normal my fibrinogen was quite out of range. My father had two strokes, five of my uncles died of stroke and my mother had a blood clot in her leg when she was my age. I took a simple, specific enzyme supplement for this and in two months my fibrinogen was normal…needless to say, the test is worth it.

Another important CVD marker often overlooked is Homocysteine. Homocysteine (“ho-mo-sist-een”) is an amino acid (a building block of protein) that is produced in the human body. The hypothesis is that homocysteine can have a toxic effect on the cells that make up the innermost layer of blood vessels. Homocysteine may irritate blood vessels, leading to blockages in the arteries (14).

High homocysteine levels in the blood can also cause cholesterol to change to something called oxidized low-density lipoprotein, LDL, which is more damaging to the arteries. In addition, high homocysteine levels can make blood clot more easily than it should, increasing the risk of blood vessel blockages. A blockage might cause you to have a stroke or a problem with blood flow. Up to 20% of people with heart disease have high homocysteine levels (15). Studies are not yet clear whether high homocysteine levels are the cause of CVD or just a marker. Further studies are needed to clarify the role of homocysteine in atherosclerosis and thrombosis. But enough studies indicate that elevated homocysteine can increase your risk for:

Coronary artery disease (atherosclerosis)

Heart attack

Stroke

Peripheral arterial disease

Venous thrombosis

Deep vein thrombosis

Pulmonary embolism

Dementia

Having a child with a neural tube defect (ie, spina bifida)

The good news is that elevated homocysteine levels can be lowered. We know that folic acid, vitamin B6, and vitamin B12 are all involved in breaking down homocysteine in the blood. Therefore, increasing your intake of folic acid and B vitamins may lower your homocysteine level.

Several conditions may increase your blood homocysteine level such as an inadequate dietary folic acid intake, (green leafy vegetables), smoking, drugs (i.e. methotrexate, synthetic hormones like Birth Control Pills, antiepileptics), renal failure and an inherited gene polymorphism of methylene-tetra-hydro-folate-reductase (MTHFR). This polymorphorphism or gene defect decreases your ability to metabolize folic acid (16,17,18).

I noticed that in both my brother’s blood work and my blood work we always seem to have an elevated MCV, MCH, MCHC; which is a clear indication of B12/Folic acid deficiency. Several years ago I did a genomic profile and sure enough my test indicated a polymorphism in my MTHFR.

A standard CBC will tell you what your MCV, MCH, MCHC are, which is a start but it is clearly not the whole picture. In that CBC you may also check your RDW. My mentor used to call the RDWs a poor-man’s homocysteine test because if your RDWs are elevated it’s a good chance that your homocysteine will be too…not an absolute but a pointer. If you have any familial history of CVD it is very important to have your homocysteine tested. If you’ve had an elevated homocysteine level in the past, you may want to check your blood for that polymorphorphism or gene defect that decreases your ability to metabolize folic acid. The test is called MTHFR, DNA Analysis that checks for two mutations: C677T/A1298C. These mutations and their associated risks are inherited, so if you test positive, then testing of at-risk family members should be considered.

Once an elevated homocysteine level has been found and folic acid and/or vitamin B6 and B12 therapy is initiated, it is worth while to recheck a level about two months later to make sure that it has normalized. If it has not normalized, the dose of folic acid or vitamin B6 and B12 can be increased. It is reasonable to then recheck levels another two months later. You may need to use the 5MTHF, (5-Methyltetrahydrofolate) supplement which is the predominant metabolic form of folic acid; in other words a pre-metabolized folate.

There are other causes for CVD such as viral infections, e.g. herpes simplex, Hepititis C or cytomeglia virus, or bacterial infections such as endocarditis, and H Pylori. A standard CBC will indicate if there is an infection and you can ask your doctor to run further tests to determine which kind it is. You can also run immune assays and genomic profiles but I suggest you start with the basics and take prudent precautions. The best way to protect yourself from CVD is to find out what your status is. All of these tests are included in the Boston Heart test. In most cases the treatment is a matter of diet/nutritional support, and lifestyle changes. If you want to learn more about the Cardiovascular Risk Assessment or how to prevent or lower your risk factors for CVD.

References:

(1). Paul Ridker, a cardiologist at Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. Gregg C. Fonarow, M.D., professor, cardiovascular medicine and science, University of California, Los Angeles; Manesh Patel, M.D., assistant professor, medicine, Duke University, Chapel Hill, N.C.; Jan. 12, 2009, American Heart Journal

(2). Jacobs D and others. Report of the conference on low blood cholesterol: Mortality associations; reviewed by Professor David R. Jacobs and his co-workers from the Division of Epidemiology at the University of Minnesota, Circulation 86, 1046–1060, 1992.

(3). Krumholz HM and others. Lack of association between cholesterol and coronary heart disease mortality and morbidity and all-cause mortality in persons older than 70 years; Journal of the American Medical Association 272, 1335-1340, 1990.

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Genetically Engineered Food –Allergies and Food Sensitivities

Biotechnology, the technology of genetic engineering (GE or GMO), put forth by transnational corporations such as Monsanto and Novartis, is the practice of altering or disrupting the genetic blueprints of living organisms — plants, animals, humans, microorganisms – then patenting them, and selling the resulting gene-foods, seeds, or other products for profit.

These corporations proclaim, with great enthusiasm, that their new products will make agriculture sustainable, eliminate world hunger, cure disease, and vastly improve public health. In reality gene splicing may actually add new toxicants to the food, mutant genetic material may transfer to the gut microflora, where it could interfere with the GI tract’s natural functions or provoke a dangerous immune response, additionally new proteins may cause allergic reactions to otherwise common foods.

Over 70% of the clients that come to see me have complained of symptoms ranging from anxiety, chronic diarrhea, eczema, fatigue, headache, muscle aches, obesity, and nasal congestion. Many of them have been medically diagnosed with: allergies, arthritis, asthma, clinical depression, diabetes, ear and upper respiratory infection, chronic fatigue, inflammatory bowel disease, fibromyalgia and auto-immune diseases. Whenever I would do a food sensitivity blood test 100% of the clients showed allergies or sensitivities to many foods.

Up until now, few food items (such as peanuts, soybeans, milk, wheat, peanuts, fish and shellfish, and eggs) caused most food allergies. Now, more than 160 foods are known to be allergenic. Food allergies are a major concern as a result of genetically engineered crops because the context of a gene pattern may be altered so that gene products are mixed in an atypical configuration. The result is that the body no longer recognizes the protein components of a genetically engineered food.

A paper written by Dr. Michael Antoniou, a renowned molecular biologist discusses the inherent unpredictability of genetic engineering. “First and foremost, the concept of genetic engineering emerged at a time when it was still believed that genes were simple carriers of properties, independent of the surrounding situation.” This has turned out to be incorrect. “Modern research has established that the effect of a gene is dependent on the interaction with other genes and on the surroundings. This means that a gene inserted from a foreign organism may have unpredictable effects in its new environment, including the creation of unexpected substances”.

Second, Dr Antoniou points out that genes are arranged in an organized sequence of commands that is important for normal functioning. “The artificial insertion of a gene disrupts this sequence and this random splicing of the foreign gene into the host DNA will always result in a disruption in the normal genetic order in the “string of pearls”.” In this manner, the close control of the extraordinarily intricate assortment of cellular activities may be disturbed in an unpredictable way”. Toxic intermediary substances that normally occur in very small amounts may increase considerably. There is a significant risk that the interference may lead to loss of substances that are important for maintaining normal metabolism.

With Genetic engineering, host genes can be inactivated or improperly altered resulting in either a deficiency of a given protein(s), the presence of the wrong protein(s) in the wrong place, or in the wrong quantity, or all of these combined. In addition, it is also assumed that the introduced gene and the protein that it creates, will function in exactly the same way in it’s new host as it does in it’s native environment which often will not be the case. Gene and protein functions have evolved over millions of years to work together in any given organism.

The anti-freeze gene/protein in the arctic sea flounder for example, has evolved to work together with the other genes/proteins in this fish, but who knows how it will interact with a strawberry or a tomato. It is pure speculation that it will work in precisely the same way with no unwanted side effects in a new host where it will now be surrounded by plant proteins!

The resulting disturbance in biochemical function can unexpectedly produce novel toxins, allergens and reduced nutritional value.

Some of you may remember back in the late 80’s when the FDA took the nutritional supplement L-tryptophan off the market because a batch was contaminated. Within a few months of this product being on the market, it caused the deaths of 37 people and caused 1500 more to be permanently disabled. It was never widely publicized that the contaminated batch was genetically engineered. It took months to discover that the poisoning was due to toxin present in the tryptophan produced using Showa Denko’s genetically engineered bacteria.

One factor contributing to this time delay was the fact that the product was not labeled to distinguish it from tryptophan produced through conventional methods. The balance of nature is a delicate one; man has brought us to the critical edge of imbalance on this planet in many ways. Insects and weeds that we call pests play an intricate part in this delicate balance. Organic farmers have been able to work harmoniously with these elements for the last 10,000 years.

Imagine one day having an allergic reaction to every food you put in your mouth. We’re not talking about building a new rocket ship, or developing another electronic device; this is tampering with the food chain. The price of a mistake could cost us the human race.

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HAPPY NEW YOUs RESOLUTION!

Don’t expect any New Year’s resolutions from me. I intend to remain the same sarcastic, lil’ bit pudgy, long-winded, foul-mouthed delight you’ve all come to know and love. Ahh, yes, it’s the New Year. I can’t believe it’s been a year since I didn’t become a better person. I thought about it last January and then a plate of heart-shaped raspberry brownies showed up at the office on Valentine’s Day, and my resolution popped like the seams in my sweatpants. There’s something about the first day of the first month of a brand-new year, when the last of the holiday champagne bubbles pop and we suddenly snap out of it.

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Dr. Cannell and the Curious Case of the Flu.

Dr. John Cannell was a psychiatrist at the Atascadero State Hospital in California. In 2005, he was in charge of a maximum security facility for the criminally insane. Knowing that the patients got very little sun exposure, he prescribed high doses of vitamin D to all 32 of his patients. As the winter came the hospital broke-out with a terrible flu epidemic. Dr. Cannell noted that wards all around his got hit hard with the severe flu outbreak but none of his 32 patients caught the flu – even after they mingled with infected inmates from other wards.

Ever notice that flu season is always in the winter?

Researchers discovered that vitamin D stimulates your white blood cells to make a substance called cathelicidin. Studies report that it attacks a wide variety of pathogens including: fungi, viruses, bacteria, tuberculosis and even cancer. Here’s how it works: T-cells are a type of white blood cell that circulate around our bodies, scanning for cellular abnormalities and infections. When a T cell is exposed to a foreign pathogen, it extends a signaling device or ‘antenna’ known as a vitamin D receptor, with which it searches for vitamin D. This means that the T cell must have vitamin D or activation of the cell will cease. If the T cells cannot find enough vitamin D in the blood, they won’t even begin to mobilize.

How much is too much vitamin D?

The research states that the tolerable upper limit of 2000 IU’s is a great daily dose for vitamin D therapy for children, but that it has no basis in any science for an upper level for adults and is not in any way excess vitamin D since the levels required for symptoms of vitamin D overdose are at least 5 times that much for an extended period of time. About 42% of U.S. adults are deficient in vitamin D, according to the journal Nutrition Research and the latest research is seeing that the acceptable range should be higher than we previously thought. I always recommend including an OH25 vitamin D test when you get your regular blood work. A 5000mg Vitamin D3 is a prudent dose for the winter. But if your blood test shows a deficiency, you may need to take more till you build it up to be in range.

While we’re at it — according to recent findings, the benefits of vitamin D, in terms of bone strength and cardiovascular health, are greatly improved when combined with vitamin K. Specifically K2. Vitamin D3 improves your bone health by helping you absorb calcium. However, it is vitamin K2 that directs calcium to your bone, to prevent it from being deposited in the wrong areas. Think of it like a rudder on a boat, it steers the calcium to where it’s supposed to go — like your bone — rather than your arteries, which can lead to atherosclerosis. Vitamin K2 activates a protein hormone called osteocalcin, which is needed to bind calcium into the matrix of your bone. Vitamin D is dependent on vitamin K, and vitamin D toxicity (although very rare with the D3 form) is actually caused by vitamin K2 deficiency.

Oh and one more thing: magnesium may help vitamin D by helping your body activate vitamin D into a form your body can use. Just say’n! I like Vitamin K2 with D3 by OrthoMolecular. It has 5000IU of D3 and 45mcg of K2. The perfect combo for immune and bone support.

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