Inflammation | A Metabolic Plan

Jun

27

This is the second in a series of posts about what blood tests you need on a yearly basis and what they tell you.

2. Fibrinogen

Fibrinogen levels increase with tissue inflammation. Increased fibrinogen levels can help predict the risk of heart disease and stroke as well as other inflammatory diseases. Obviously with knowledge of increased fibrinogen levels, lifestyle changes become important—such as quitting smoking, losing weight, and becoming more physically active—as well as adding nutritionals such as fish oil, niacin, folic acid and vitamins A and C, which may lower fibrinogen levels.

3. DHEA

DHEA is a hormone produced by the adrenal glands and is a precursor to estrogen and testosterone. In your twenties, levels of DHEA peak and then decline with age, decreasing to 20-30% of peak levels between the ages of 70 and 80. DHEA is frequently referred to as an “anti-aging” hormone. However DHEA is extremely important as we age as healthy levels may support immune function, bone mineral density, mood, libido, reduces abdominal fat, protects the brain following nerve injury, and helps prevent diabetes, cancer, and heart disease. Research also suggests that DHEA may help with depression and clinical trials are evaluating DHEA’s role in memory and Alzheimer’s.

4.Estradiol

In non-pregnant women, estradiol is the most commonly measured type of estrogen. Estradiol levels fluctuate throughout the menstrual cycle and drop after menopause to a consistent but lower level . Women with increased levels of estradiol may be at a higher risk for breast or endometrial cancer. Very low levels may indicate a higher risk for bone fractures. In fact, in men with osteoporosis, research has shown a correlation with a low estradiol levels. Men do produce smaller amounts of estradiol than women but it is not only an indicator of increased incidence of osteoporosis but is tied to pituitary functions. Also men with low estradiol levels and low levels of testosterone may experience low sex drive and difficulty with urination.

Significant positive correlations were found between estradiol levels and levels of total cholesterol.

Supplements such as DHEA, pregnenolone, soy, black cohosh, and pomegranate as well as bioidentical estrogens may be helpful in maintaining healthy estradiol levels.

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Jun

10

Aloe Vera is known primarily for its topical benefits on a scrape or burn. However, it is actually enormously beneficial when ingested. It’s like moisturizing your body from the inside out. Used on a daily basis, Aloe can help reduce the damage which occurs in the gastrointestinal system much like it helps heal a skin lesion.

How many people do you know who complain of heartburn, gas, acid indigestion, colitis, irritable bowel syndrome, constipation or diarrhea, to name a few? All of these ailments are related to the GI tract. Many things such as medication (antibiotics for example), affect the health of the GI tract and its ability to function properly by fighting off harmful bacteria and eliminating waste. When the gastrointestinal tract is damaged or stressed it effects the entire body.

For years people who consumed Aloe have testified to the its healing qualities and now there is more and more scientific research that supports those claims. Aloe has been added to hand and body lotion to help add moisture and heal the skin which is “epithelial tissue”. The GI tract is also lined with epithelial tissue and therefore aloe also heals and keeps it supple. Just like the skin, when the GI tract is dry and “cracked” it’s susceptible to infection.

Aloe is reported to aid in

digestion
blood-sugar regulation and cleansing
detoxification
healing by stimulating cell replication
reducing inflammation in joint and muscle tissue associated with arthritis
strengthening the immune system

Even consuming aloe daily may require several weeks to notice significant improvement and any continuing gastrointestinal issue should be addressed by a doctor.

There are many Aloe products on the market. Before selecting one, check to be sure it’s bioactive and that it has a good ratio of aloe to water. Univera’s Aloe Gold®* has 200 parts aloe to 1 part water. For added defense, active botanical compounds – Fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS) and green tea extract are added to help support the growth of beneficial intestinal flora. Most aloe on the market has been heat processed thereby destroying the polysaccharides and therefore many of the benefits. Also much of the value of aloe is lost in about 6 hours after it is harvested. This aloe is processed near the fields in order to capture those active elements.

*Aloe Gold® with ACTIValoe® from the Aloe inner gel fillet is the only Aloe Vera product with guaranteed purity, potency, and biological activity.

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Apr

29

The big buzz for this week is the swine flu. It’s of concern and it should be. We’re living in a global society and germs are easily transmitted around the world in a very short time. I’ve heard scientists say that while the leading causes of death today are heart attack, cancer, etc., the leading cause in the coming years will be epidemics.
So what can we do about this? Well, just as there are things we can do to lower our risk of heart attacks and cancer, so there are things we can do to improve our immune system to better fight off the germs that can spread so rapidly and cause so much sickness.
Many of the things are the same – like eating right, getting adequate sleep and exercise. But what else can you do? I truly believe that our diet is at the core of our health but I also know that the nutritional value we receive from our foods is not what it used to be for various reasons. So we turn to natural supplements to boost our immune system in times of stress, when it is compromised and needs extra help.

The Vitamin C Booster

Vitamin C has also long been viewed as an immune system booster. For example, vitamin C has been shown to boost antimicrobial and natural killer cell activities and to increase the production of white blood cells. Vitamin C protects cells during the inflammatory response our body has from the attack of foreign invaders.

In fact, Vitamin C is essential for proper immune function. Because the human body cannot manufacture Vitamin C, we are dependent on dietary intake to provide adequate amounts of this essential nutrient. Vitamin C concentrations decline rapidly in blood plasma and white blood cells during infections, suggesting that illness increases one’s need for this nutrient.

Immune-Boosting Power of Beta-Glucan
There many studies showing that Beta-Glucan, a polysaccharide (which is a relatively complex carbohydrate), can be a biological response modifier (BRM) because of its ability to activate the immune system. Beta-glucans improve the body’s immune system defense against foreign invaders by enhancing the ability of our natural killer cells to respond to and fight a wide range of challenges such as bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites. The studies have included issues such as wound healing, infection prevention, arthritis, radiation exposure and even cancer treatment. Studies in Japan have been very encouraging with regard to cancer patients and radiation exposure.

There is a company, who has developed a product (Wellmune WGP®) which includes beta-glucans. They gave it to fire-fighters in Montana a couple of years ago. Obviously, these people are subjected to extreme amounts of toxins from the heavy smoke and fire. What they found is that those who were taking the product with the Beta-Glucans had fewer respiratory issues and illnesses than those without the added boost to their immune system.

Univera has developed a new product to enhance their line of immune products called ImmunoBurst™. It not only contains Wellmune ® but several other ingredients which enhance the immune system – check it out at www.metabolicplan.com.

These supplements are a great addition for people but they don’t replace a healthy lifestyle. What are you doing to improve your health?

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Apr

24

The Vitamin D Deficiency Epidemic

Filed under: Vitamin D, health and nutrition; Tagged as: dementia, health, heart disease, high blood pressure, inflammation, metabolic syndrome, nutrition, rheumatoid arthritis, Vitamin D, Vitamin D3

Do you know what your Vitamin D level is? Chances are you don’t and chances are it’s low. Research seems to be coming out almost daily about the effects of Vitamin D deficiency and how many people are deficient. Estimates range from about 35% in young people to 100% in the elderly.
There is a growing awareness of how critical Vitamin D is to our health. There have been many studies on various diseases and conditions which point to Vitamin D deficiency as playing a relevant role.
Recent research indicates thatthe following may be associated with Vitamin D deficiency:

rheumatoid arthritis
cognitive impairment and dementia.
hypertension which may cause high blood pressure
metabolic syndrome, a precursor to type II diabetes
heart disease

As you can see most of the above are related to inflammation. People with higher levels of Vitamin D also have better lung capacity, something that could be important to asthma sufferers.

Vitamin D is not something we get in large quantities from food but rather something we absorb from sunshine. As we have become a society who spends more and more time indoors or covered up when we’re outdoors, our Vitamin D levels have dropped. And many of us live in northern climes where, at least in the winter months, there may not be a lot of sunshine. Although surprisingly, there is a large number of people in states like Florida and Texas with below normal Vitamin D levels. Taking Vitamin D3 supplements is an inexpensive and simple solution which scientists believe will give us more protection against many diseases that are on the rise.

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Apr

20

Continuing on the subject of inflammation there is more and more evidence that the risk of heart disease and/or diabetes can be greatly reduced by lowering inflammation.

Are you at high risk for heart disease or diabetes? During your yearly blood work, note the level of CRP (C-reactive Protein). This is a measure of hidden inflammation – it shows if there is inflammation active in your blood vessels, for instance. If the levels of CRP are high (>3.0 mg/L) the risk of a heart attack can double or triple. This is something you need to discuss with your doctor to understand what your individual risk is.

There are, however, several lifestyle changes one can make if you are at high risk and everyone should follow as a matter of staying healthy.

Exercise: 30-60 minutes/day has been shown in studies to significantly reduce inflammation – this should include aerobic as well as strength training.
Weight loss improves insulin response and lowers inflammation.
Eating Healthy – one diet that seems to be an overall diet to follow is the Mediterranean diet. It is primarily fresh fruits and vegetables, olive oil, nuts and fish with basically no processed foods.

Besides these three critical things to do, supplements of fish oil (Omega 3 fatty acids) and Vitamin D can greatly reduce inflammation as well as improve other important functions. There are many other supplements that have been found t o reduce inflammation as well, such as DHEA, chromium, white bean extract, magnesium and flavinoids. Flavinoids are found in green tea, dark chocolate, apples and cinnamon as well as red wine which contains resveratrol.

Start making small changes in your lifestyle now and you will over time make large changes in the quality of life you will experience. Of course, you should discuss with your doctor the changes you are making as you may have special needs.

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Confused About What Your Blood Chemistry is Telling You? part 2

4.Estradiol

Nourish Your Body with Aloe

Is Your Immune System Up to Snuff?

The Vitamin D Deficiency Epidemic

Lowering Your Risk of Heart Disease or Diabetes

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