Real Food = A Healthy Heart

Cardiovascular health starts with good nutrition.  Food is a primary part of Eastern medicine, but not a part of Western medicine.  Real food- not Pop Tarts passed off as a serving of fruit and whole grains – I’m talking about an actual piece of fruit and an actual grain (hull and all).  If the food we eat is devoid of nutrients, so is the blood that pumps through the body.  As incredible as the human body is, it can’t make something out of nothing. 

PAUSE A MOMENT…AND LET THAT LAST SENTENCE SINK IN.

 Magnesium is a good example of that.  It’s a mineral and good sources include green leafy vegetables and whole grains, especially.  That mineral is incredibly important to muscle function and what is the heart?  It’s a muscle.  And guess what is a main component of the structure of arteries and veins…muscles again.  Magnesium helps muscle contract and relax normally.  In fact, they don’t really relax well without it.  With green, leafy vegetables being a top source of magnesium from food, does it make sense that many people with heart disease are advised not to eat large amounts green, leafy vegetables because of certain medications (blood thinners)?  What is a “large amount?”  1 serving?  2 servings?  3?  Because of those questions, many people avoid green, leafy vegetables all together.   That seems a bit counterproductive, because the most nutrient-dense foods are typically plants.   Here’s another little tidbit – we are told over and over again to avoid saturated fats, the “bad fats” as they are known (mistakenly).  We are told to replace them with polyunsaturated fats – especially olive oil.  We all know how good olive oil is for our hearts!  News flash – olive oil is pretty high in vitamin K – (that’s the reason why people on blood thinners are told to avoid “large amounts” of green, leafy vegetables.)  So…let’s think about this.  If you are a heart patient, with let’s say a stent and possibly on blood thinners, you can’t eat green leafy vegetables, you can’t eat olive oil, and you’re being told to avoid saturated fats.  Hmmmmm…. what’s left?  Low-fat/no-fat refined carbohydrates and low-fat/no-fat dairy?  The foods that probably put this person in this situation in the first place. 

Here’s a simple solution to this predicament.  Eat your food in the way nature presents it to us.  Full fat-unrefined and whole.  Avoid processed food.  It’s really that simple.  Honey nut cheerios?  Try steel cut oats instead.  Sodas and soft drinks - how about some water?   Skim milk?  No thank-you!!!  I’ll stick with the full-fat, whole version- cholesterol and all.  And I’ll tell you why in our next blog post.  

Raising Awareness - The Goal of American Heart Health Month

Heart disease remains the leading cause of death in both men and women.  Six hundred thousand people die of heart disease in the United States every year.  That equals 1 in 4 deaths.  Why is this?  The prevalence of smoking has decreased to an all-time low since 1944 – at 20% of adults.  We’ve been bombarded by low-fat/no-fat foods for at least the last 3 decades and that is the diet pushed by the American Heart Association.  Three of the top 10 most prescribed drugs are designed to lower a person’s mortality from heart disease.  All of those facts lead me to these questions:

Why are so many people dying of heart disease? 

Why does it remain the leading cause of death? 

Did thousands of people lie on the Gallup poll on smoking? 

Are hundreds of thousands of people ignoring the dietary guidelines? 

Do the drugs not work? 

Think about what your heart does – from the 6^th week of fetal development to the moment life ends – it beats.  That muscle, about the size of your fist, will relax and contract over 3 billion times, pumping about 5 quarts of blood every minute.   In that blood is all the oxygen and nutrition your body needs to survive and thrive and the waste that needs to be removed.   That’s a lot of work; it makes sense why the heart is called the “King of the Body” in Traditional Chinese Medicine. 

Ponder those things during this month of February – American Heart Health Month.  

Schisandra Chinensis

Goji berries, acai berries, sea buckthorn berries, yumberries, macqui berries, blueberries…all considered “superfruits” for their nutritional content and antioxidant potential.  I’m sure you’ve heard of at least a few of those, but you likely have not heard of what could very well be considered the original super-berry:  the adaptogenic Schisandra berry.  

The berries of the Schisandra chinensis plant have been used in Traditional Chinese, Japanese and Korean medicine for thousands of years.  They are known as “wu wei zi” in TCM which means “five flavor berry”.   You see, these berries have the very unique property of possessing all five flavors of TCM:  sweet, sour, salty, bitter and pungent.  Because it possesses all five flavors, it benefits the 5 yin organs:  liver, kidney, heart, lungs and spleen.  It is widely used as a tonic remedy to increase energy and fight fatigue. 

                As an adaptogen, Schisandra berry displays the required properties to be considered a true adaptogen:  non-toxic; reduces stress; non-specific benefits (works throughout the entire body) and normalizing.  It has been shown to decrease fatigue, increase physical work capacity and promote endurance and stamina.  They are also quite useful for the immune system, particularly during times of stress.  When we are stressed, our bodies are more susceptible to infections like colds and flus.  I’m sure it’s happened to you.  When you think that nothing else could possibly go wrong, you wake one morning with a splitting headache, sore throat and a nasty cough.  Our defenses are down when we are under lots of stress.  Schisandra can stop that from happening.   These little red berries keep our immune systems alert and ready to attack invading pathogens even when we don’t feel like we can attack the next load of laundry. 

                The benefits don’t stop there.  Schisandra also has an unusual dual effect on the nervous system.  As I said before, it is used for fatigue and work capacity.  These show a somewhat stimulant property on the nervous system.  Keep in mind that this only happens when we need it; when we are under stress.  At the same time, Schisandra can have a calming effect on the mind and can ease anxiety.  These berries can actually increase our resistance to emotional stress and create a platform where we are more equipped and ready to handle the many emotional stressors we face from day to day. 

                Modern research has shed light on schisandra’s significant benefits for the liver.  It is a potent hepatoprotective  (liver-protective)  herb and has strong antioxidant effects specifically in the liver.  Basically, it helps the liver rid the body of toxins – whether they are the result of normal, everyday metabolic processes or something environmental. 

             

      It’s incredible that a small red berry would have so many benefits in the body.   Now, you could eat these, I suppose.  It’s common in China that medicinal plants are added to foods to increase their healing properties.  But I’m thinking that the weird flavor profile (first salty, then sweet and sour, then bitter and pungent) may not be appealing to most.  Schisandra is widely available as a dietary supplement.  It also makes a great complement ingredient in formulation.  And remember when the next fad “super-fruit” berry comes around that these little red berries have stood the test of time.  They were super 3,000 years ago and still are today.  

Panax Ginseng (Asian Ginseng)

Panax ginseng has a long, rich history of use in China, Korea and Japan that goes back thousands of years.  It is a well-known adaptogen and a widely used restorative tonic in Traditional Chinese Medicine.  Its scientific name “Panax” comes from the Latin word “panacea” because of its use for a huge variety of conditions.  Panax ginseng is one of the most studied herbs on Earth.  Its safety has been well established, not only through scientific research, but also through historical usage.  And even so, it has gotten a bad rap here in the States.  We are unfortunately “ginseng phobics” – the phobia being rooted in misinformation and simple misunderstanding of the plant. 

                The team here at Redd is not afraid of ginseng.  We feel it is one of the most prized natural medicines available to us.   Remember that Panax ginseng is a true adaptogen.   In Traditional Chinese Medicine, it is one of the great tonic remedies, used to restore “qi”, or vital energy, and restore vitality.  Ginseng promotes resistance to fatigue and stress; increases physical work capacity; stimulates learning and is radioprotective.  It looks to balance and nourish; to support the normal functions of the immune, cardiovascular, endocrine and nervous system. All of these effects are very well-established.  There are so many health benefits of ginseng that I could write volumes on this plant alone.  The roots of Panax ginseng contain various components – polysaccharides, sterols, and saponins.  The active constituents in the roots are collectively called “ginsenosides”, and the amounts of these active compounds can vary depending upon the age of the plant, where it was grown and other factors. 

                Asian ginseng comes in many forms and many varieties.  This is where I think some of the confusion comes in.  There are 2 distinct forms of Panax ginseng that are widely available here in the States – white and red.  White Panax ginseng is simply dried in the air and sun.  Red Panax ginseng is steamed and then dried.  The steaming process slightly changes the properties of the root and essentially the effects in the body.  Red ginseng is much “warmer” than white ginseng, which is considered “slightly warm”.  These obviously aren’t terms we use in Western Medicine, but think about them for a minute….it makes sense.   A “warm” or “hot” herb is more stimulating; hence, its effects in the body might give more of a “push”.   The warming nature of the herb helps to move energy around the body.  While red ginseng is still considered a tonic, it is used when more of a “push” would be more appropriate for a person.  Ginseng is commonly used for fatigue and exhaustion.  In these cases, a little push is certainly needed.  And this brings me to another point…misuse.

                Much of the negative attention ginseng has received has a lot to do with misuse.  I don’t know why, but many of us have this “more is better” attitude.  It isn’t necessarily the “more ginseng” that is the issue; it’s the “more” of every other stimulant people consume with it.  Remember the first criteria for all adaptogens – they must be nontoxic and safe.  This is true of ginseng.  There is no known toxicity.  There are no known or recognized contraindications according to the World Health Organization and the German Commission E.  Caffeine, on the other hand…certainly has known toxicity issues – is the most widely abused stimulant in the world.  Put those two things together and the “push” it creates in the body can be significant.   It’s not inconceivable that mass amounts of ginseng (especially red) paired with excessive amounts of caffeine could cause issues.  Let me try to explain why.  Caffeine is a stimulant that artificially extends the central nervous system beyond its limits.  (That’s why we experience the “crash”).  Panax ginseng is going to make this artificial boost even stronger, because it is looking to balance a system that is obviously out of whack.  It will also up-regulate body systems, such as the adrenals and the central nervous system, because they need it.  It isn’t the ginseng that causes the irritability or the rise in blood pressure – it’s the caffeine.  If the correct type of ginseng is used in the correct doses in the absence of excessive amounts of other stimulants, the outcome would be very different – it would be normalizing. 

Panax ginseng is the grand-daddy of all adaptogens.  (Its Chinese name, ren shen, actually means “man root”.)  This incredible adaptogen has had the trust of several cultures for many millennia.  And as long as you don’t follow it up with a few cans of Red Bull, you can experience the truly significant health benefits of this little root.  

What are Adaptogens?

I think it goes without saying that we are huge fans of adaptogens here at Redd.  (I think I’ve talked about them once or twice in past blogs.)  Adaptogens are incredible plants and (sometimes fungi) and they deserve some spotlight of their own.  So the next handful of blog posts will focus on this exceptional group of herbs. 

                So what exactly is an adaptogen?  This exceptional group of natural medicines helps the body adapt to stress, restore balance and support normal body functions.  They have the unique ability to increase our resistance to stress – any kind of stress – mental, emotional, environmental or physical, whether it’s short term or chronic.  The use of adaptogens as medicine dates back thousands of years to ancient China and India, but modern science is still playing “catch-up”.  Modern research into adaptogens didn’t begin until the 1940’s in Russia and a formal definition wasn’t developed until 1968.  While there is currently no “official” definition for an adaptogen that is recognized by any herbal or scientific body, scientists and researchers continue to use the 1968 definition of an adaptogen, developed by Dr. Israel I. Brekhman, PhD and Dr. I. V. Dardymov.  In order for any plant or fungi to be considered “adaptogenic”, it should have the following 3 properties:

·         Adaptogens are nontoxic.  Adaptogens should not be harmful.  They must have very minimal side effects on overall health. 

·         Adaptogens have nonspecific actions against stress.  What does that mean, really?  “Nonspecific” is simply a way to describe the “adaptive” properties of these agents – their ability to keep the body balanced in the face of multiple stressors.

·         Adaptogens are normalizing.  Adaptogens work regardless of direction.  If something needs to be “toned-down”, they’ll do that.  If something needs a “tune-up”, they’ll do that too.  They especially have this influence on the immune system, the nervous system and the endocrine system. 

                These 3 properties just highlight the common properties that all adaptogens share.  Many adaptogens have a “highlight” or a “specialty” in the body.  Many adaptogens are cardioprotective, liver-protective, and radioprotective (protect against radiation).  The health effects of adaptogens are diverse and their reach is broad. 

So, I’ve given you a basic overview of adaptogens.  You want to take them every day, right?  We think you should.  Here are a few known adaptogens:  Panax ginseng (Asian ginseng), Ashwagandha, Rhodiola rosea, Reishi mushroom, Holy basil and Schisandra.  These are just a few.  We’ll focus on specific adaptogens and their unique properties in future blog posts.  And if you’ve been using some of our formulas, you probably already have felt the difference they can make in your daily life.

Weight Loss Part 4 - Hormones, Hormones, Hormones

We’ve come to the final part of our weight loss series, and if you’ve been following along, you may have come to realize that hormones play an integral role in our ability to lose weight and maintain a healthy weight. I’ll recap some of the hormones I’ve already mentioned and I’ll introduce some others. Like it or not, they have some control over our weight. Let’s get started with the new introductions.

The Thyroid

The thyroid is the master gland of metabolism. This gland and the hormones it produces decide how high our fat-burning engines run. When regulation of this gland is imbalanced losing weight can be difficult. Most people who are familiar with the thyroid are probably all too familiar with iodine. This element is important to the thyroid because it is a major component of thyroid hormone. But the thyroid doesn’t exist in a vacuum within our bodies. It isn’t completely isolated running on its own systems. Its function is dependent upon the hypothalamus and the pituitary gland. After thyroid hormones are released into the blood stream, our cells’ ability to use that hormone is dependent upon enzymes, some of which are influenced by the liver. You really can’t expect dramatic changes if you ignore all those other body systems. Bottom line – iodine doesn’t really do anything for those other body systems. First and foremost, we need to make sure that the hypothalamus and the pituitary are communicating with the thyroid. If the pituitary never tells the thyroid to make and release hormone, it never will. Adaptogens like Ashwagandha do a good job making sure those lines of communication are open and running smoothly. In order for the body to utilize the hormones produced by the thyroid, they must first be converted to a usable form. Think of the process of refining oil into gasoline. What the thyroid releases is a rough, crude form of thyroid hormone. Before it can be taken up by the cells and boost metabolism, it must first go through a refining process in the liver. Therefore, a healthy liver is quite important to a healthy thyroid. Many of us have tried severe calorie-restricted diets to lose weight; however, what many of us don’t realize is that these starvation diets can be counter-productive to lasting weight loss. Starvation, or large restrictions of calories, triggers a decrease in thyroid function and metabolism. This decrease actually leads to your body storing more calories as fat and burning muscle tissue for energy.

Estrogen

“Estrogen” actually refers to a group of hormones, not just a single hormone. Normally, estrogen is balanced with progesterone, the other primary female sex hormone. At times, the balance can be tipped by an overabundance of estrogen, known as “estrogen dominance”. This can occur from excess estrogen production in the body, HRT, or an intake of estrogen-mimics from the environment. Weight gain can be an effect of estrogen dominance. Our own fat cells produce estrogen, and the more fat cells we have, the more estrogen we create. The more estrogen we create, the more fatty tissue we create. See the cycle? There are ways to reduce exposure to environmental estrogens – like eating organically grown produce or eating hormone-free meat, avoiding plastics with BPA and avoiding body care products that contain phthalates. You can also use certain supplements that contain a broccoli-derived ingredient called Indolplex©, which can change your ratio of good to bad estrogens.

Testosterone

Weight gain and weight loss isn’t just a girl’s issue! A loss in testosterone for men equals abdominal fat. As men age, testosterone levels decline and this causes levels of estrogen and insulin to rise. (Oh yes, boys, you too make estrogen!) This happens because aging men convert a lot of their testosterone into estradiol – a type of estrogen; the rest of the testosterone is bound to a protein and not biologically active. These two things lower a man’s free testosterone. The lower a man’s free testosterone levels, the higher the ratio of estrogen and insulin – and voila! A pudgy midsection is born! Men can have their levels of testosterone tested by a healthcare practitioner and there are replacement therapies for that. The supplement I mentioned for estrogen can also have benefits in men by balancing the ratio of testosterone to estrogen.

And a review…

Insulin

Insulin is a hormone and its main job in the body is to drive glucose into muscle tissue and into fat cells for storage. The problem with insulin lies within the cells’ ability to use it. The decreased ability of some cells to use insulin is called “insulin resistance”. When the cells don’t allow insulin to open the door for glucose uptake, blood sugar levels remain high and the body releases more insulin. This elevated level of insulin makes it difficult for the body to use stored fat as energy. The way to overcome these issues is two-fold. Most importantly is a change in diet. Reduce the amount of sugars and simple carbs (think processed foods) and increase complex carbs (think raw veggies, whole grains, i.e. – fiber). Secondly, make sure you are getting sufficient amounts of minerals such as chromium, which helps the body use insulin.

Cortisol

Aahhh…our beloved stress hormone. Remember that cortisol increases appetite and increases blood sugar levels. On top of that, elevated cortisol levels block the use of thyroid hormone by the cells (and testosterone too!). For any weight loss program to be successful, we have to address the stress response. How do we do that? ADAPTOGENS. Rhodiola rosea and Panax ginseng are good adaptogen choices.

I hope that I’ve provided you with some usable information. A weight loss plan is personal and unique. There isn’t one diet plan that will work for everyone. Adding just a few supplements to support your unique needs may be all you need to get over that plateau and on your way to a healthy weight.

Healthy Weight Loss Part 3 - Emotional Eating

Ever drown your sorrows in nice big bowl of ice cream, or over a plate of chocolaty brownies? I have. I think a lot of us have. There’s nothing wrong with turning to a comforting indulgence every once in a while to cope with a bad day. And there’s a biological explanation for why it really does help us feel better. Sugary foods like chocolate stimulate the release of endorphins. These are hormones that have a lot of effects in the body. One of them is to exert a pain-killing and relaxing effect on the body. Eating these foods also creates an excess amount of serotonin in the brain. This all leads us to feeling good, relaxed and maybe a little sleepy. Not a bad thing on occasion. Problems arise when the occasional turns into the habitual and we begin to use food as a coping mechanism for the bad times and a reward for every good achievement; when we eat for reasons other than hunger.

There are absolutely physical components that are involved in food cravings – particularly cravings for sugar and carbohydrate-laden foods. I covered this issue specifically in a previous blog, “Fight Your Sugar Cravings”. Part 3 of our weight loss feature is going to focus on the emotional and mental component of eating. We eat for so many different reasons and not all of them are related to actually being hungry or needing to give our bodies some nutrition. Sometimes we eat when we are bored; sometimes we eat as a distraction; we eat when we are nervous, stressed, sad, happy…the list goes on and on. Eating for emotional reasons will sabotage weight loss efforts and can lead to an unwelcomed cycle. The act of eating is just a quick fix. Regardless of the emotion that is driving the urge to eat, it will return and in addition to that emotion could be feelings of guilt about the setback – and the cycle begins. Your emotions drive you to eat; you beat yourself up because of getting off track; you feel terrible about your choices; you overeat again. There are things you can do to put a stop to this cycle. If you’ve been following our blog, you might start to see some recurring themes…

1. Get stress under control. In our previous blog, I talked about the reasons why stress has a negative impact on healthy weight management and the power of adaptogen herbs. There are adaptogens – such as Schisandra and Holy Basil that have an emotional component to them. These adaptogens can elevate your spirit and increase your resistance to emotional stress and give you a platform for building emotional strength.

2. Stop and check your hunger. Are you really hungry? If you just ate an hour ago and your stomach isn’t growling, then your craving probably isn’t based on a need for nutrition. Take a deep breath and give it a little time to pass.

3. Write it down. Keep a food journal and over time, you might see some patterns emerge that can help you recognize what you eat, when you eat and why.

4. Keep yourself busy. Many of us eat when we are bored. It’s just something to do to pass the time. Get up. Take your dog for a walk. Clean your house. Do whatever you need to do to get moving.

5. Eat regular, well-balanced meals with variety. Eat – do not starve yourself. Limiting your calories too much will just increase your cravings – especially your emotionally charged cravings. Don’t eat the same things every day. Mix it up and keep it fresh.

6. Don’t keep a secret stash. C’mon…admit it. You have one. It’s garbage. Put it where it belongs and throw it away! Clean out your pantry! Why tempt yourself with the foods you are trying to avoid? Replace it with fresh fruits, raw nuts and seeds.

It seems so easy as I type it (and probably as you read it). I said before that there is a biological reason why eating food helps us feel better. The more we cycle through the patterns for emotional eating, the stronger those urges become. Consider using a mood support formula to give you nutrients for healthy brain function and healthy neurotransmitter levels. A blend of B vitamins, amino acids and adaptogens can go a long way to help you gain control again.