Balancing the metabolism is the long term solution to better vitality, sleep and hormonal balance

 

Metabolism refers to the biochemical process that is used in every cell of the body to breakdown and utilise food and nutrition, oxygenate the organs as well as support growth, detoxification and repair.

A healthy and balanced metabolism is important to achieve and sustain good levels of energy, sleep and weight.  An altered metabolism can often lead to weight gain, inflammation and chronic diseases like cardiovascular disease, diabetes, Alzheimer’s and cancer.

Our body is like an incredible orchestra with all our organs and physiological processes working together in harmony. When we make poor food choices, have an overload of environmental toxins and face stress and pressure (or perceive stress and urgency), disharmony can occur leading to ill health and poor metabolic balance.

By balancing our metabolism, we are giving our body what it needs to nourish and support our lifestyle and health.

Our blood circulates all around the body into the tiniest capillaries through every cell and organ of the body.  It carries with it information on disease, inflammation and function of organs.  It is one of the many indispensable tools used to evaluate health.

Combining chemistry of your blood markers and your weight, height and body measurements with the chemistry of food, you get the blueprint to help you restore health.  We eat daily, we could consume food that nourishes us and enhances our vitality and health or foods that slowly poison us.

The Metabolic Balance program has complex algorithms that support this analysis and with proper coaching, helps you achieve your best possible health outcome. 

The program is divided into 4 phases:

1.      Preparation

2.      Change phase

3.      Relaxed phase

4.      Maintenance phase

The ultimate objective is to enhance vitality, performance and sleep, support acid/alkaline balance, achieve your desired weight, bring renewed energy and sense of wellness and improve your quality of life.

If you would like to know if Metabolic Balance is the program for you, please email to irene@nutriactionz.co.nz to make an appointment for a 15min discovery call.

Homocysteine: The silent cause of heart disease

We are all too familiar with cholesterol numbers and blood pressure causing heart disease.  The total cholesterol number is not the most useful, knowing the breakdown and ratios in the components, triglycerides, LDL and HDL cholesterol is important.

What we have not heard a lot of is homocysteine.  High homocysteine can lead to hardening of the arteries, blood clots, stroke, heart attack and dementia.  So, what is homocysteine?

Homocysteine is an amino acid. Homocysteine converts into methionine and cysteine, 2 amino acids that we need.  However, in nutrient depleted individuals, the breaking down of this amino acid does not complete raising blood levels of homocysteine.  High homocysteine can damage the lining of the arteries and create blood clots leading to heart attacks and strokes. 

Smoking, regular alcohol consumption, increasing age, kidney disease, autoimmunity are risk factors for high homocysteine.  Not all patients with high homocysteine have symptoms.  This is the danger and can make this a silent killer.  So what symptoms do you need to pay attention to?

•        Tingling sensation in the hands, arms and feet
•        Dizziness
•        Fatigue
•        Recurring mouth or tongue ulcers or sores
•        A general sense of weakness or malaise
•        Pale complexion

Genetic factors, MTHFR gene polymorphism can also be the cause of high homocysteine.  There are many diet and lifestyle factors that influence homocysteine.  Perhaps that is why there is not a ‘drug’ for treating this marker!  In conclusion, homocysteine is an independent heart disease risk factor that is modifiable by nutrition and exercise.

Discuss this with your health care professional and order a blood test to see what your homocysteine levels are if you are concerned.

What does your bowel movement say about your state of health?

A toxic digestive system has been implicated with multiple chronic diseases from diseases of the gastrointestinal tract to mental health issues (via the gut-brain connection).  A toxic digestive system includes moving your bowels too frequently or not move your bowels enough.  If you have to move your bowels 3 times before you get out of the door in the morning, that is a problem.  Conversely, if you move your bowels every other day, that is a problem too.

The number of items classified as food has changed dramatically over the last 100 years with industrial revolution and creation of fast food, man made food like substances, highly processed, high sugar, high fat, low fibre, high preservative foods that has substantially altered the bacteria in our gastrointestinal tract (also known as our microbiome).  The change in microbiome has affected the ability of our bodies to burn fats, created problems with blood sugar balance and altered mood and brain function.

Increased use of antibiotics, acid blockers, medication, steroids, chronic stress, highly processed foods and lack of sleep all alter out gut microbiome and function and lead to chronic diseases.  The disruption in our microbiome can change our bowel habits, although bowel habits can also be related to the balance of minerals in your nutritional intake, stress, hydration, lack of digestive energy and inappropriate fibre content of your food.

Most healthy adults have 2-3 main meals a day and it is normal that we have a bowel movement after a meal.  That way, we do not keep rotting remnants of food in our gastrointestinal tract that can feed the bad bugs.  Bad bugs in the gut cause gastrointestinal permeability which in turn can cause loose bowels or constipation, or alternating between the two, weight gain, brain fog and mood swings.

It is also important to minimise added sugar in our food. In this age of lots of processed foods, sugar can be hidden in many foods.  We should only have sugar from fresh fruits and vegetables. (Note:  dried fruits are very sugar dense).  From clinical observation, I have also seen dairy and gluten sensitivity common for people with chronic symptoms particularly in the gastrointestinal tract. However, we are all unique and one man’s meat is another man’s poison.  Identifying what causes your irregular bowel movement is important.  The target is for a Type 4 bowel movement on the Bristol stool chart and that you get a movement every day at least once a day, which does not contain mucus or blood.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PxsQtQJ8Ihg

Sugar substitutes - which ones can we use?

As spring approaches, and we try to shed those few extra pounds gained in winter, sugar is the first to get struck off the list.  But which are good substitutes?  In this article, I explore the different sweeteners, natural and artificial, and recommend the ones that can be used and the ones we should avoid.

Fructose - Avoid

Many of a weight loss diet or low carbohydrate diet use fructose as a sweetener.  Fructose goes straight to your liver for processing and gets converted to glycerol, so whilst it does not create an immediate spike in insulin, it does create an insulin spike a few hours later.  Fructose raises triglyceride (cholesterol) levels.  Fructose is naturally found in fruits and some vegetables, but in its natural form, the naturally occurring fibre in fruits and vegetables slow down the fructose absorption.  However, high fructose corn syrup, a processed fructose from corn added to many processed foods like fruit juices, jams, desserts, soft drinks, protein shakes and other commercially processed food or drinks create huge imbalances in blood sugar levels and can increase fatty deposits in the liver leading to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.  Fructose can also create bloating in patients with gastrointestinal problems.

Sucralose - Avoid

The most common tradename for Sucralose is Splenda, although a few other companies also make sucralose sweeteners.  Sucralose is bound to maltodextrin, which has about 12-15% sugar which causes insulin response, making it difficult to reverse diabetes and work on weight loss.  This additive has a E number index of E955.

Stevia – Can use 

Stevia is a plant with extremely sweet non-caloric leaves that contains no carbohydrates.  It is 30 times sweeter than sugar, and putting too much of stevia powder or liquid into your food or drink makes it bitter.  It does not stimulate an insulin response.  Be careful that you do not use stevia with maltodextrin.

Buddha’s fruit (or Luo Han Guo) – Can use

This is a relatively new sweetener, with zero calories and does not raise blood sugar levels.

Aspartame - Avoid

The most popular brand names of aspartame are Equal and NutraSweet. Typically, if the product/ drink says ‘Diet’ it is may be sweetened with aspartame.  Long term use of aspartame can create other problems particularly of the neurological systems like headaches, migraines, dizziness and mood disorders.  Aspartame in powder form sold as Equal or NutraSweet contains maltodextrin which leads to weight gain and metabolic syndrome.  This sweetener has been shown to affect the gut microbiome.  This can have a huge impact on weight loss.  This additive has a E number index of E951.

Acesulphame K - Avoid

This is one of the most popular artificial sweeteners.  It is used in many ‘diet’ products.  Though it contains no calories, it sparks an insulin response and weight loss is difficult with Acesulphame K.  This additive has a E number index of E950.

Saccharine – Avoid

This is one of the oldest brand names around.  Whilst it contains zero calories, the latest tests have shown that saccharine disrupts the gut microbiome which we now know has a great impact on weight loss.  Hence, this is not a good sweetener for weight loss purposes.  This additive has a E number index of E954.

Erythritol – Can use with care

This is a sugar alcohol with very little sugar and very low glycemic index (GI=1).  It is good for dental care (does not contribute to tooth decay) but is not easily digested in the stomach, so is fermented by bacteria in the intestines.  This can increase flatulence.

Xylitol – Can use with care

This is a sugar alcohol with a higher glycemic index (GI=10).  Like erythritol, it does not contribute to tooth decay and some clinical trials claim that xylitol may even prevent dental plague.  However, xylitol may cause diarrhea in susceptible individuals or in larger doses.  Use with care.

Thaumatin – Can use

This is a natural sweetener and has zero glycemic index.  This is extremely sweet.  This sweetener is not easily available.  However there are no known disadvantages using it.

Alkaline diet: why do we need it and how do we have it?

There are many diets out there, and you are probably not alone in trying to work through the minefield and decide which is the best for you.  Should you be keto, paleo, vegan, vegetarian, mediteranean and the list goes on.  There needs an element of individualisation according to your genetic tendency and lifestyle needs.

An alkaline diet is a diet that is high in fresh vegetables, fruits, seeds and nuts.  A review in the Journal of Environmental Health 2012 showed that alkaline diets reduce morbidity and mortality from chronic diseases such as arthritis, cancer, heart disease, diabetes and loss of bone density.

Our blood runs in a tight pH band of about 7.36-7.40.  Our body goes through great lengths to maintain stable blood pH.  A lower pH means our body is acidic, a higher pH means it is basic.  We want to maintain a neutral to slightly alkaline pH.  Alkaline diets have been shown to be beneficial for maintaining good blood pressure, preventing formation of kidney stones, build stronger bones, reduce muscle wasting, lowers chronic pain, boost vitamin absorption and help weight loss.  (NOTE:  do not confuse blood pH with stomach pH.  The stomach is the only part of the body that should maintain an acidic pH to allow digestion to pass through efficiently.)

The total acid load in our diets from our hunter gatherer diets to our current modern diets has increased dramatically.  Our foods have significantly less potassium, magnesium, fibre, essential vitamins and antioxidants and have significantly higher sodium, processed fats and refined carbohydrates.  This causes electrolyte imbalances and acidity.

How to keep an alkaline diet:

1.  Buy organic foods that have been grown in an alkaline soil.  If you grow you own fruits and vegetables, give the soil enough essential minerals and seaweed.
2.  Eat fresh fruits and vegetables, they are best bet to increase alkalinity.  Fruits and vegetables like beetroot, cucumber, cabbage, spinach, carrots, beans, alfalfa, barley grass, celery, watermelon, figs, tomatoes, mushrooms, lemons, grapefruit and kale.
3. Eat plant based protein like almonds, pumpkin seeds, flaxseeds, tempeh, tofu, sunflower seeds and hazelnuts.
4. Reduce intake of acid forming foods, keeping it to no more than 25% of your food intake.  These foods include animal meat, shellfish, dairy, eggs, deli meats, peanuts, walnuts, grains and its derivatives, breads, and baked goods.
5. Decrease processed and refined foods, sugar, coffee, carbonated drinks, alcohol and cordials.

Precautions and Implementation of Alkaline Diet

It is important to keep a balance of alkaline and acid forming foods.  Some acidic foods like eggs, fish and walnuts have much to offer in terms of nutritional benefits like essential fatty acids and antioxidants.  We are aiming for a healthy balance.  Eat a variety of real, whole, unprocessed foods like fresh fruits and vegetables and limit consumption of packaged and processed foods and beverages.  Should you be drinking alkaline water or bicarbonate of soda to alkalise?  The short answer is No.  Whilst short term studies done on subjects drinking alkaline water and bicarbonate water showed an increase in pH, these studies have not tested the long term effects and addressed the potential of the alkaline fluids in neutralising stomach pH that can cause more problems with pepsin and delayed protein digestion and acid reflux.

Are you at risk of a heart attack or stroke from your painkiller?

The NZ Herald last month published increased risk of a heart attack or stroke from just 4 weeks of use of 5 different painkillers – ibuprofen, celacoxib, mefenamic acid, diclofenac and naproxen.  The trials were done on a large sample size, 56,000 people with hypertension (high blood pressure).

The published study noted that the risk of a cardiovascular event like a heart attack or stroke from 4 weeks of use ranged from 1 in 104 adults to 1 in 394 adults.  There were no significant statistical incidence difference between the 5 drugs.  The events were documented when patients were hospitalised for strokes, heart attacks, TIA and angina.  This has cardiologists calling for tougher control on these Non-Steroidal Antiinflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) as some can be purchased from the supermarket from as low as 20 cents per tablet. This puts patients with hypertension at a higher risk if they also suffer from pain and are using NSAIDs to medicate their pain.

In light of this risk, what can you do to deal with pain?  There are many natural options to address the problem.  Natural interventions like acupuncture, massage and frequency specific microcurrent are great methods to reduce and alleviate pain.

If pain is constant and repetitive, address the cause of it - is it from an inflammatory diet that does not agree with you?  Do you have an intolerance that repeatedly trigger the inflammation? Do you have lifestyle habits that are inflammatory?  If you do, change them.

Some of the things you can do include:

1. Eat a diet high in fresh vegetables and fruits that agree with you.  For some people consuming the vegetables in the nightshade family can increase their pain.  Nightshades include tomatoes, potatoes, capsicum, eggplant and tamarillos.
2. Reduce intake of processed foods – even if it says high fibre or five star health rating on the packaging.  Most people start of their day with highly processed breakfast cereal that converts to sugar easily and get their inflammatory process brewing. 
3. Cut out sugar – in all forms.  Sugar is inflammatory.
4. Breathe and oxygenate – oxygen is crucial to life.  Deep breathing into the abdomen rather than just shallow breathing (like when we are stressed) will help.  If you are shallow breathing because of stress, practice mindfulness, yoga or download some apps to help de-stress. 
5. Consult your natural health practitioner for herbs and supplements that will tailor towards the type of inflammation and pain you are experiencing- i.e. is it muscular, joint, glandular, headache, abdominal, etc.

Please do not just cover up the symptoms of pain with a band aid like NSAID as it may cause you a major cardiac event!

Five-spiced Chicken with Goji Berries

4 pieces boneless skinless chicken thighs

Handful of curry leaves

1 head of broccoli, cut into small florets

2 tablespoons of goji berries soaked

2 cloves garlic

½ tsp five spice powder

1 tsp salt

Marinate chicken thighs in five spice powder and salt for at least 30 minutes.

Mean while, put oil in a pan and fry curry leaves until fragrant/ golden. Set aside.

Heat some olive oil and sauté garlic until fragrant and add broccoli florets in.  Put a dash of tamari to season and add drained, soaked goji berries in.

Fry marinated chicken thighs in a pan, 10 minutes on each side until juices turn clear (not pink).  Serve with broccoli and goji.  Sprinkle prepared curry leaves on top.  Serves 4.

Which sugar is good for you?

There has been a lot of publicity of late regarding sugar and its relationship with the diabetes and obesity epidemic.  All sugars affect your insulin balance and metabolism.  If you have diabetes, candida, yeast or fungal infections, autoimmunity or are having a battle with your waistline, all sugars should be avoided.  Artificial sweeteners (zero calorie sweeteners) are no better solutions as they can be toxic to your body.  One in three adult New Zealanders is obese, and this is a serious health crisis.  If you fall into that category, please avoid all natural and artificial sweeteners.

However, if you are a healthy adult, you can have some natural sugars from raw honey or maple syrup.  For both these sweeteners, choose the darker varieties.  NZ active manuka honey is known for its non-peroxide antibacterial activities, which is unique and has been proven to react against Staph aureus.  All honeys contain peroxide antibacterial activity.  Honey is high in fructose (with some sucrose and glucose), as well as minerals and vitamins.  Honey is also a demulcent which soothes the mouth and throat.  But, if you are diabetic, insulin resistant, FODMAP and/or overweight, you should not consume honey.

Maple syrup is a natural sweetener from the sap of the maple tree.  It is rich in minerals, particularly sodium, magnesium, potassium, iron, zinc and manganese, vitamins and polyphenol antioxidants.  Maple syrup is high in sucrose (with some fructose and glucose).  It has a lower glycemic index than table sugar and less processed.

On the other hand, there is agave, table sugar, artificial sweeteners and high fructose corn syrup.  These sweeteners are a no go, because they are low in antioxidants, some are even artificial, as the name suggests and toxic, so using them to sweeten will just raise your blood sugar, crease an insulin spike, without any other added benefits of antioxidants, minerals or nutritional benefit.

And the whole idea of sugar free?  You need to be cautious!  If you see the label “Sugar Free”, always check if there are artificial sweeteners.  Technically there is no added sugar, but the product is still sweet.  The only acceptable sugar free substitute is if it is sweetened with Stevia or Lovia which typically are plant based sweeteners, Stevia from the stevia plant and Lovia from combining Buddha’s fruit and stevia.

Avoiding processed foods is a good way of avoiding added sugar.  

Inflammation: Problems with anti-inflammatory drugs and what you can do naturally

Inflammation is a biological response in our body to injury, infection or irritation to remove damaged cells and tissues and initiate repair.  It is likened to the lighting of a spark to attract attention of the immune system to hasten the healing process.  The hallmarks of inflammation include redness, pain, swelling and heat. More severe inflammation can lead to loss of function. Some or all the hallmarks may be present. Acute inflammation is necessary to move white blood cells to the area of need to carry out biochemical events to help the tissues heal. 

Long term inflammation that is not resolved will result in chronic inflammation.  That is when the spark that was intended to help the tissue heal or remove the irritation now turns into a forest fire.  When chronic inflammation happens, the conventional medical treatment is to use anti-inflammatories, which is commonly in the form of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.  These drugs can have many undesirable side effects, for example the increase in cardiac risk from the use of diclofenac sold under tradename like Voltaren. In 2004, the FDA in the US pulled a drug made by Merck, used for arthritis, Vioxx, off the market because of the increase in incidence of stroke and heart attack from its use. 

Think about this:  if pain and inflammation is a signal from your body to tell you that you are out of balance, why do you shut off that signal?  If your car dashboard has a red light, wouldn’t you want to know what has triggered the red light to happen?  You won’t use a hammer and smash the red light or use a plaster to cover over the red light, so that you don’t see it.  Why do we do that to our bodies?

We need to deal with the underlying cause of inflammation.  Identifying whether the source inflammation is from the diet, lifestyle, mental states e.g. stress, insomnia or depression; lack of nutrition, excessive exercise or increased exposure to toxins is important to treat the cause rather than just the symptoms.  It is important to maintain good quality of life whilst you correct the underlying physiology and using natural anti-inflammatories in therapeutic doses like turmeric, fish oil, astaxanthin and mineral combinations can help to manage the cause of inflammation without undesirable side effects.

One man’s meat is another man’s poison.  Addressing your individuality and which food works for you and which ones do not can reduce a large inflammatory burden on your body.  A review of your toxin exposure, exercise and lifestyle can also reveal where other triggers for inflammation are for you.  Your naturopathic or functional medicine doctor will be able help you do that.  Most of your diet should be made up of good, wholesome, clean food, not necessarily raw, but lightly cooked to assist digestion and uptake of nutrients.  You do not need to be vegan to reduce inflammation, as long as food is nutritious and wholesome, you will benefit.  As to which food items are setting off your inflammation, this needs a personalised approach and it is advisable for you to seek professional help.

So when the dash board light comes on, be curious!  Find out what is driving that problem, do not put out the light by just shutting it down.  The engine could be struggling hard and is a ticking time bomb waiting to burn out or break down.

Does coconut oil or saturated fat cause heart disease?

Many people are very confused.  One moment you hear that coconut oil is good for you, then the media will refute that to say that coconut oil is bad for you, because can cause heart disease.  Whom should you believe?  Nutrition has become a bit of a religion.

There is no evidence to show that low fat and low cholesterol diets will prevent heart disease.  NO evidence.  75% of the cholesterol that we have is produced by our liver, it’s not even from the diet!  The whole low fat diet for heart disease was flawed.  This led to a 2015 revision by the USDA on dietary fats and cholesterol.  New Zealand has also revised its food pyramid.  It is widely recognised that the recommendation of eating 6-11 servings of bread, pasta, rice and grain products daily (the broadest base of the food pyramid) and focusing on a low fat diet has not seen a decrease in cardiovascular diseases in the last 30 years.  In fact to the contrary!  The revised base of the food pyramid is now lots of vegetables and water.

So, what’s the story with coconut oil if it cannot be related to heart disease?  The statin and pharmaceutical industry has educated us that high LDL cholesterol cause heart disease. This is wrong! We should be focused on the protective cholesterol that will prevent us from getting heart disease and that’s HDL cholesterol (the good cholesterol).  And the fact is that coconut oil raises HDL!  We need good saturated fat like what we get from coconut oil to make good cell membranes, cholesterol, sex hormones and brain cells. However, combining saturated fats, including that from coconut oil with a high sugar, high starch and low fibre diet will cause inflammation and heart disease.

So is coconut oil good?  Coconut oil increases HDL, which decreases the Total Cholesterol to HDL ratio, which is a good predictor of heart disease.  Coconut oil improves the quality, size and type of cholesterol.  Cholesterol is dangerous if it is small and dense, but is fine if it is large and fluffy.

The medium chain triglycerides in coconut oil (MCT) boosts metabolism and improves cognitive function.  Lauric acid in coconut oil is antimicrobial and antifungal.  Another good source of lauric acid is breast milk – which is 24% saturated fats! 

I would recommend using a combination of coconut oil and olive oil in your daily intake.  Coconut oil is great for anything that needs to be heated up and olive oil in your salad dressings and low heat cooking or cold food.  Olive oil has been used widely in the Mediteranean and this region is known for its heart healthy food intake.  And do not take coconut oil with high sugar and high starch.

Organic Foods and Gluten Free Foods are not necessarily healthy

There is an increasing awareness on the accumulation of pesticides and chemicals in our food chain.  Organic food purchase is on the rise.  Studies have always wanted to defy the nutritional contents of organic food, i.e. the vitamins and minerals in the organic food that it is no better than conventionally grown food.  However, these studies have not considered how much resilience a plant without pesticides needs to have in order to survive, and when we consume organic foods, we are consuming this resilience and ability to thrive.  These are minute phytochemicals produced innately by the plant that is beneficial for us.

Gluten Free is a term used to define grains that do not contain gluten, namely rice, buckwheat, quinoa, millet and amaranth.  Root vegetables, vegetables, fruits, seeds and nuts do not contain gluten either.  When foods are sold as fresh produce, the contents is 100% of the produce itself, e.g. an avocado is 100% avocado, a capsicum is 100% capsicum.  There is no question of gluten, hence no need for the label gluten free, unless it is whole wheat, barley, rye, oat or spelt.  The problem arises when foods are processed, e.g. the making of gluten free biscuits, the contents may be made of sugar, butter, rice flour and potato flour.  A gluten free biscuit made out of sugar, butter, rice flour and potato flour is gluten free but high in sugar.  Everyone of the content in that biscuit other than butter is or will convert to sugar, making that biscuit a sugar load!

There are many parties that have jumped onto the organic and gluten free band wagon, including gluten free cereals, gluten free sausages, gluten free cakes and biscuits, and the prices can be many times that of their conventional counterparts.  Gluten has been shown to be a problem for many people even if they are not coeliacs.  You can only be celiac if you have the gene transcription for it.  However, you can still have non-celiac gluten sensitivity, which creates many problems, digestive or otherwise.  The solution is not to get out there and buy gluten free substitutes but to go back to the drawing board and consume organic, whole foods that are rich in nutrients and low in processing.

Metabolic syndrome may be the cause of your fatigue, diabetes or weight gain

Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of signs that can drive many serious diseases in our society.  Some of the indicators of metabolic syndrome include:

• Waist circumference over 80cm for women and over 94cm for men
• High blood pressure
• Diabetes or prediabetes or poor control of blood sugar
• Carrying extra weight around the waist – beer belly
• Increase triglycerides in your blood lipids test
  
  

Metabolic syndrome increases your risk of serious diseases such as diabetes, stroke, cancer and Alzheimer’s.  We live in an age of plenty, where our genomics are designed to cater for survival against scarcity.  Average calories per day have increased from 2100 to 2800 over the past 60 years, and energy expenditure from physical activity has reduced by 46% over the same period.  Excess adipose (fat) tissues lead to systemic inflammation.

Every cell is equipped with its own energy sensing mechanism.  Like a fuel gauge, cells can sense states of high or low energy (ATP) and activate the adaptive mechanism accordingly.  When ATP is low, our cells activate an adaptive response to boost cellular energy which stimulates glucose and fat burning and reduce oxidative stress and inflammation.  This also activates the mitochondria (energy production powerhouse in the cell). This is called the AMPK response.  However, if there are large fluctuations with insulin induced from the diet, AMPK levels will be low and there will be less down regulation of inflammation, hence more pain, increase in fatigue and subsequent development of insulin resistance.

The more carbohydrate rich food we eat, the more insulin needs to be secreted. The more processed a carbohydrate food is, e.g. pastries compared to kumara (sweet potatoes), the more insulin is secreted to deal with larger blood sugar fluctuations. Insulin promotes glucose, protein and fat storage, inhibits fat burning and promotes growth of tissues.  Some insulin is essential, some growth of tissues are crucial for cell functioning, repair, growth and muscle building.  With excess carbohydrate intake in modern societies, insulin levels are higher, which by nature of the anabolic function of insulin, is associated with common health problems like acne, polycystic ovarian syndrome, atherosclerosis, hypertension and cancer.

So if you are having issues of weight gain, increasing waist circumference, fatigue, sweet cravings, imbalance in blood sugar levels, diabetes or prediabetes, I highly recommend that you address these problems before it turns into more serious diseases.  Consume foods that increase your satiety, with good fats and protein, rather than carbohydrates.  I can help you with dietary, nutritional and physical activity strategies to reverse your problems and run appropriate tests to monitor your progress over time.

Not all Fish Oils are created equal

A recent University of Auckland study has found the bulk of fish oil pills sold in New Zealand and Australia are misleading consumers with false claims.  The study found the bulk of supplements sold in the two countries were almost a third lower in omega-3 fatty acids than their labels claimed.  Only three of the 32 fish oil supplements analysed by the scientists contained the concentrations of fatty acids listed on the label.  The rest had on average 68 per cent of the claimed content.  The majority of the supplements tested were considerably oxidised, ie. the oils were on the way to becoming rancid, and the price made no difference to the quality of the product.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/well-good/teach-me/65297838/Fish-oil-sold-in-NZ-is-actually-more-like-snake-oil

There are many benefits that a high quality and highly concentrated fish oil supplement can bring to the health and wellness of you and your family.  Fish oil is important for us at all different stages of our life - during childhood, adulthood and even into old age.  Without doubt, omega-3 fatty acids are part of a balanced diet.  Fish oils rich in omega-3 essential fatty acids are important to enhance general health, as well as supporting cardiovascular and metabolic health, promoting healthy brain development and cognitive function, reducing inflammation and supporting healthy mood.

How do you choose a good quality fish oil supplement?

Although the study did not indicate any relationship between price and the quality of the fish oils, commonsense tells us that if the price is too good to be true, it is most likely the case.  The market is now flooded with fish oil supplements at unbelievably cheap prices.  Just imagine how much oil you can get out of a fish, I hope you would think twice on what sort of oil you are actually getting, next time you think of buying those fish oils at very special prices!

Find out what the manufacturers do to remove and test for impurities, organic pollutants and contaminants such as DDT and other pesticide derivatives, dioxins, heavy metals such as mercury, lead, cadmium and arsenic, as compared to the standards provided by the authority.  If a manufacturer cannot provide or does not have this information, you might want to consider another brand.

Good quality fish oils are manufactured using nitrogen flushing to produce oils that are fresh and are protected from oxidation.  Like all other oils, fish oils can become oxidised or rancid when exposed to heat, air or light.  Anisidine and Peroxide are indicators of the level of oxidation in a fish oil.  Oxidised fish oils can taste and smell very “fishy”.  If you are using liquid fish oil, you will know your fish oil is oxidised when it tastes and smells too “fishy” to be normal.  If you are using fish oil pills, you can always chew into one and check the taste if it is too “fishy”.  Fish oils being fish oils will always taste and smell a bit “fishy”.  Most fish oil supplements will use some kind of flavouring to make it palatable. Check that natural flavouring is used.  You may want to avoid fish oils that have synthetic flavouring or sweeteners as artificial flavouring may mask the taste and smell of the fish oil that has gone rancid.

Fish oil manufacturers that support sustainable fishing and marine conservation tend to source their fish oils from small fish species.  Small fish species generally have less organic pollutants and heavy metal loads than large fish species.  So, check if the manufacturers of your fish oils support sustainable fishing.  If they do, they should have information that they are certified by for example, Friend of the Sea, an independent organisation that audits and certifies products that practise sustainable fishing.

Remember different health conditions need varying levels of omega-3 essential fatty acids (EPA/DHA). Therapeutic amounts of EPA and/or DHA are needed to deal with different health conditions.  High level of DHA is needed to help support normal, healthy brain function as well as improve memory in people with age-related cognitive decline.  For temporary relief of pain and inflammation from arthritis and help maintain cardiovascular health, you will need higher level of EPA.  Depending on the health condition you are trying to address, you will need a fish oil created specifically to help with your condition. 

If you are still confused about what fish oils you should be choosing after reading this article, come and see us.  We can advise you and help you choose the fish oil that best suits your needs based on the health outcomes you want to achieve.

Is Cholesterol really that bad?

Cholesterol lowering drugs are now one of the most prescribed drugs in the world.  It seems like everyone has high cholesterol nowadays!  But, cholesterol is a type of fat that is vital for life. It is a building block for many metabolic processes in the body including making hormones such as oestrogen, testosterone and cortisol, supporting cell structure and making bile. Cholesterol can be found in certain foods such as meats, dairy products and eggs, but most people are not aware that cholesterol is also made by our liver.

Too much cholesterol can be detrimental to your health by promoting fatty plaque deposits in blood vessels, known as atherosclerosis, increasing your risk of cardiovascular disease. But, our bodies need cholesterol to function properly and remain healthy.  Lowering it too much can also be detrimental to your health.  So, managing your cholesterol at a healthy level is key to being healthy and well.

There are two main types of cholesterol: high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol and low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol. HDL is essentially the ‘good’ form of cholesterol while LDL is the ‘bad’ form of cholesterol. If the ratio of HDL:LDL is out of balance (i.e. not enough HDL, too much LDL), this puts you at increased risk of heart disease. So, it is important to look at the HDL:LDL ratio. If you have unhealthy cholesterol balance, specific nutrients are needed to restore the balance between the good and bad types of cholesterol.

Most people can control their cholesterol levels without the use of any prescription drugs.  Remember that you need cholesterol to remain healthy.  So, you can’t just avoid eating foods high in fats.  Also, your liver can play a part in your cholesterol levels.  One thing for sure – you need to eliminate damaging trans fats found in fast foods, fried foods and baked goods. Trans fats increase the ‘bad’ cholesterol.  You need to increase the amount of good fats you eat from fresh fish, nuts and seeds.  Embrace a diet full of whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables, olive oil and garlic. Cut down on sugar in your diet.  Soft drinks, fruit juices and processed foods frequently contain ‘hidden sugars’. When there is an over-supply of sugar the body converts this to fat, which negatively affects cholesterol balance.

If you are overweight, weight loss is an essential part of reducing your cholesterol levels. Daily physical activity is vital for stabilising cholesterol levels and for weight maintenance.  As well as the dietary and lifestyle strategies suggested, appropriate natural supplements and medicines may also help prevent and/or treat high cholesterol.

It is never too late to improve your health. Simple dietary and lifestyle modifications, along with appropriate supplementation, can add years to your life and life to your years!

Eggs and butter don’t cause heart disease, sugar does!

I have always preached the benefits of having 1-2 eggs a day, it is a nutritious food, rich in protein, Vitamin A, choline, folate, B12 and some minerals.  It is one of the most affordable wholefoods that has been demonised by many. 

For half a century, we have been hearing doctors preaching that fats cause heart disease, and patients have been advised to reduce intake of eggs and swap butter out for margarine.  Most patients would be swapping eggs out for cereal for breakfast, which apparently was thought to be good for you.  Half a century on, cardiovascular disease is still the leading and growing cause of death, causing 30% of all deaths in New Zealand.

The problem is we have got it wrong!  Eggs and butter don’t cause heart disease, the cause of heart disease is in the consumption of sugar!  Swapping eggs out for breakfast for cereal that is a highly processed carbohydrate is a green card to causing increase in insulin and blood sugar which increases the risk factor for heart disease.

Sugar is the culprit to increasing inflammation and narrowing of the arteries from inflammation increases the risk of a stroke or heart attack.  Sugar is addictive, whether it comes in the form of refined cane sugar or high fructose corn syrup.

Butter is a saturated fat, but it is a naturally occurring fat.  Our bodies need saturated fats, adequate amounts of them are required to reduce the levels of lipoproteins in our blood, which is protective of the cardiovascular system. Margarine, on the other hand, is often made out of a vegetable oil.  Vegetable oils are often liquid at room temperature.  In order to solidify it, the structure of the oil needs to be manufactured and firmed up.  What firms up the oil also firms up your arteries.  It is therefore not a substitute for butter.  If you need to have butter, have it but without the sugar, because it is the sugar that causes heart disease more than the butter!

Do you really need statins when you have high cholesterol? What are the natural alternatives to statins?

High cholesterol has been preached so much as a cause of heart attacks making statins one of the best selling drugs in the world.  In 2010 alone, Simvastatin was the third most prescribed drug in New Zealand with 1.3 million prescriptions, according to the 2010 Pharmac Annual Report.  The USA Food and Drug Administration has issued warning on the use of statins with increasing the risk of diabetes, raised blood pressure and memory loss.  The first two risks are specifically related to cardiovascular health, and it is a paradox to work on lowering cholesterol and the side effects of the drug is causing the increase in cardiovascular risk itself!

So what does the scientific research say about the use of statins?  In a nutshell, statins are protective against heart disease for patients who have had a heart attack.  However, in healthy patients who have not had any cardiac event, especially women, there is no evidence to support the use of statins!  It is interesting that many doctors are still trying to push statins onto their patients just because their cholesterol is elevated even though the patient is healthy otherwise.

You need to know that your liver produces the bulk of your cholesterol.  Eating well – with adequate good fats, not low fats!  The Heart Foundation Diet has not been found to be effective in the reduction of cholesterol. Looking for the Heart Foundation tick is not the answer.  The tick is given to companies willing to pay to get the tick.  We should really have the tick on every head of cabbage and broccoli, should we not?

Have 2-3 tablespoons of cold pressed olive oil in your diet daily.  Eating plenty of raw seeds and nuts will help with the plant based fibre and healthy fat intake.  And keeping your liver well is the key, removing excess sugar, processed carbohydrates and having lots of fresh vegetables will help you win the game.

If working through all these strategies still leaves your cholesterol in limbo, you need additional help.  These are people who would benefit from a Hemaview Live Blood Screening test to take a snapshot about your nutritional status, oxidative stress status and inflammation status to address any other underlying causes of your elevated cholesterol.

I have emphasized the importance to keep your blood pressure in the normal or low-normal range.  The increase in blood pressure puts you at high risk of a cardiac event, probably higher than having high cholesterol!  And if you have high homocysteine levels, correct that!  You need to know your homocysteine levels if you are truly interested in having a healthy cardiovascular system. 

Your Painkiller can put you at Higher Risk of Heart Attack and Stroke

NZ Herald July 10, 2013 – “Heart attack, stroke link to pain killer”

The NZ Herald has reported at least a couple of times this year about diclofenac, sold as Voltaren, and its link to increased cardiovascular risks.  This drug is prescribed to 400,000 New Zealanders a year. 

Earlier in February 2013, researchers from the UK and Canada say Voltaren should be pulled off the market because it raises the risk of heart attack and stroke. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10865535

Diclofenac is the active ingredient used in Voltaren which belongs to a bigger group of drugs called non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS). Painkillers are commonly used in higher doses and for longer periods of time in arthritis sufferers and people who constantly suffer from headaches and migraines.

Pain, redness, swelling and heat are all signs of inflammation.  In some areas of our body, we can only “feel” the inflammation, i.e. pain.  Our diet, lifestyle and nutrition, or lack of, are major contributors to inflammation. Fortunately, there are many things that we have naturally that are natural anti-inflammatories.  Having adequate sleep to allow our bodies to repair is anti-inflammatory.  Eating a diet high in fresh food and low in processed food loaded with additives and sugar can reduce inflammation.  For each person who is in pain, you need to remove the trigger, and using diclofenac to kill or mask the pain is not a solution.  It is a bandaid to simply remove signs or feeling of the pain.  You don't feel the pain but the pain is actually still there as you have not addressed the cause of the pain.

To enjoy better health, you always need to address the cause of your health imbalance, not put a bandaid over it, especially if the bandaid increases your cardiovascular risk!

How to prevent Heart Disease and maintain a Healthy Cardiovascular System

How healthy is your heart? 

•         Do you smoke?
•         Are you overweight?
•         Do you have high blood pressure?
•         Do you have high cholesterol?
•         Are you on cholesterol or blood pressure medication and don’t like the side effects?
•         Does your family have a history of cardiovascular disease?
•         Do you do very little exercise?

If you have answered ‘yes’ to any of the questions above, you should look at how you can help your heart and blood vessels be as healthy as possible naturally.

Keeping your cardiovascular system healthy is vital.  Your heart and blood vessels make up your cardiovascular system. Cardiovascular disease is one of the leading causes of death in the world today, especially in the developed countries.

Here are five steps you can follow to optimise your heart health:

1.      Follow a healthy eating plan:

·        Eat a minimum of 3 cups of vegetables and 2 pieces of fruit every day.

·        Eat a handful of nuts and seeds and up to 2 tablespoons of “good” fat from foods such as fish, nuts, seeds and cold pressed vegetable oils (eg. Olive oil). 

·        Include protein-rich foods in each meal or snack.  Make sure you choose lean protein sources.  Reduce fatty meats high in saturated fat such as bacon.

·        Drink a minimum of 8 glasses of pure water daily.

2.      Exercise regularly.  For a healthy heart you need to do a minimum of 30 minutes of light to moderate exercise at least 5 times in a week.  Gentle to brisk walking is recommended.  Consider having a friend to join you for the exercise so you can keep each other motivated.

3.       Relax and have fun.  Stress can have a major effect on your body, especially your heart! You need to manage stress to ensure balance and health.  Take 30 minutes of each day to enjoy some relaxing and fun activities.

4.      Commit to some key lifestyle changes such as getting regular wellness checkups, maintaining a healthy weight, limiting alcohol consumption and quitting smoking if you smoke.

5.      Take natural supplements beneficial to your heart and cardiovascular system such as Bonito Peptides, Policosanols, DHA, Taurine and Magnesium, Krill Oil and Coenzyme Q10 (if you have elevated cholesterol and are taking medication for this from your doctor, then Coenzyme Q10 is even more important to take.  A class of cholesterol medications called “Statins” have an unfortunate side effect of reducing the body’s ability to manufacture Q10, which may lead to side effects such as fatigue.)

Don’t wait until it is too late to look after your heart.  Commit to improving your cardiovascular health now by making the dietary and lifestyle changes.  You can improve your heart health and maintain a healthy cardiovascular system naturally using natural herbal medicines and supplements without the side effects of drugs.