Headaches | A Metabolic Plan

Your Body is Screaming for Water!

Filed under: gastrointestinal system, health and nutrition; Tagged as: allergies, asthma, constipation, energy, fatigue, glycogen, headaches, health, high blood pressure, insomnia, nutrition, water

One of the most critical nutrients the body requires is water and it’s probably one of the most overlooked parts of our diet. Every bodily function is dependent on our body being hydrated. Water flushes toxins out of vital organs and joint tissue, carries the nutrients to your cells, provides hydration for the tissues such as nose, throat, etc. and contributes to the production of vital energy.

Glycogen, which is the body’s main source of stored energy, is produced through a process which combines water with glucose. If there is not enough water, extra amounts of glucose remain in the bloodstream, which increases your blood sugar level and ultimately is stored as fat.

One of the primary functions of the liver is to metabolize stored fat into energy. The liver needs the kidneys to filter toxins, wastes, ingested water, and salts out of the bloodstream in order to function properly. If you are dehydrated, the liver must compensate for the kidneys inability to filter out this debris. As a result, the liver metabolizes less fat and therefore more is stored.

Water is also a great natural appetite suppressant. It actually decreases hunger cravings. However, do not drink large quantities of water before a meal, because that will actually dilute the digestive enzymes and prevent proper digestion.

The amount of water you need depends on your diet, your health, your weight, the climate you live in and even the elevation. Some estimates say that you should get 1/2 your body weight in ounces each day through drinking water. Obviously our diet provides water also and therefore it’s important to choose foods that are not calorie laden or are actually diuretics such as caffeine, soda pop or alcohol.

Besides just drinking water, our skin is another method of providing hydration to our bodies. How many times have you worked out or been outside working or just had a long hard day and then took a shower. It refreshes you partly because you’re re-hydrating. The health of your skin is a great indicator of your body’s hydration level.

While water isn’t a cure-all, certainly there is indication that dehydration may be implicated in the following ailments.

Headaches
Joint & Back Pain
Anxiety & Depression
High Blood Pressure
High Cholesterol
Fatigue & Insomnia
Allergies and Asthma
Constipation

The evidence is certainly compelling - water is the source of life. So instead of drinking water as an afterthought, put it at the top of your daily routine. It could quiet your body’s screams.

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Are Your "Energy Factories" Producing?

Filed under: health and nutrition; Tagged as: acetyl-L-carnitine, amino acid, brain, brain health, cellular energy, energy, fatigue, headaches, health, heart disease, L-carnitine, memory, Omega 3 fatty acids

As we age, the metabolic activity in our cells decreases which means less energy. Cellular energy is produced by transporting stored fat through the cell membrane and into the mitochondria within the cell, where the fats are oxidized. Overtime cellular debris builds up from the oxidation and less energy is produced. Since energy is necessary for the proper functioning of all our organs, they too are affected by a slowing in our “energy factories“.

Acetyl-L-carnitine (ALC) is the biologically active form of the amino acid, L-carnitine, which aids the body in the production of energy and has been shown to protect cells throughout the body against age-related degeneration. Most clinical research has focused on the brain, where improved mood, memory and cognition have been observed in response to ALC. A new study shows that ALC helps maintain normal blood flow in the brain by maintaining the cell’s energy cycle. As people grow older, circulation to the brain diminishes which may cause fatigue, reduced drive, faintness, dizziness, headaches, as well as deficits in attention and memory. Acetyl-L-carnitine appears to protect against some of the known negative effects that aging induces in the brain. There is a study that even suggests that ALC might someday be used in hospital emergency rooms and stroke recovery centers to improve the prognosis of patients (with thrombotic or embolic stroke) who are often given little hope of full recovery. Acetyl-L-carnitine may also facilitate nerve regeneration after nerve injury.

However, reports on ALC for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease have been contradictory. Some studies show encouraging signs, while other studies show no benefit. A placebo-controlled study at Stanford University School of Medicine in California showed that Alzheimer’s disease patients under age 62 benefited more from ALC than older patients. The doctors concluded that acetyl-L-carnitine slows the progression of Alzheimer’s disease in younger subjects. Though this is an important study, Alzheimer’s patients over 61 may want to still consider ALC for its other known neurological benefits, which were not included in this particular study.

Published research shows ALC is critical to youthful cellular function in the brain, heart, liver, peripheral nerve and immune system as well helping in prevention of cataracts. Supplementation with ALC becomes an even greater consideration when we realize the potential anti-aging effects this amino acid may produce when taken in combination with CoQ10 and alpha lipoic acid.

When sugars bind with protein(called glycation), it forms most notably in the lens of the eye (cataract), the brain (senility) and the collagen of the skin. Scientists recently evaluated the effects of acetyl-L-carnitine on the glycation of lens proteins. The results show that ALC suppresses glycation by 42%, thus lowering the risk of cataracts.

There have been studies focusing on respiration rates in the heart mitochondria of rats. Older rats had a 40% lower rate of respiration and cell energy. But when they received acetyl-L-carnitine, their heart rates were almost entirely restored to a more youthful rate. Acetyl-L-carnitine has actually been used in treating congestive heart failure in humans, as well.

While research is ongoing, there are certainly indications that supplementing with Acetyl-L-carnitine, alpha lipoic acid and CoQ10 is beneficial in aiding our “energy factories” to produce efficiently. This, in turn, keeps many organs functioning at a more youthful level.