Archive for the ‘Health’ Category
The hows and whys of alkalising
Balancing pH with diet
Generally speaking, animal proteins will be most acid forming; grains (such as wheat and rye) will be more on the acidic side, unless sprouted in which case they become more alkalising; and vegetables, especially raw vegetables, and seaweeds are largely alkalising. Most fruits produce an alkalising ash, but the excess of sugar they contain may produce acidic conditions in the body, especially when consuming large amounts.
Many of us have been brought up with high levels of meat, bread and pasta, with alkalising vegetable struggling to find space. Sweets, pastries and caffeine add more to the acid load, so tea and cake or regular puddings will be pushing us even more in that direction. But the answer is not to stop eating everything acidic, but rather to gently bring things back to centre by adding in more alkalising foods, and making wiser choices about which acid-forming foods are most useful to us.
To begin with you may need to gradually increase the levels of alkalising foods, and gradually reduce the more acidic elements, until you find a balance that works for you.
A classic way to increase the vegetable content of our diets is with vegetable juicing. By juicing organic or biodynamic raw vegetables, we can absorb more of the goodness without having to digest huge bowlfuls of fibre (too much fibre can be at least as challenging for the digestion as too little). With a good juicer, this can be a useful and envigorating addition to the day.
For those with less time, an inefficient juicer or not enough vegetables, a supergreen powder stirred into a smoothie or other cold drink can be an energising and alkalising boost. Stirred into a vegetable juice, they can be a powerful addition to a well supported cleansing programme.
Aloe Vera – Great for the whole digestive system
Aloe Vera – great for the whole digestive system, reduces candida and promotes friendly bacteria
We often hear that aloe vera can soothe inflammation in the bowel, but benefits throughout the digestive tract have been measured in a comprehensive study. (1) After just 7 days of oral supplementation with unconcentrated aloe (2oz taken 3 times a day), benefits were noted that implied improvements from protein digestion to bowel flora composition.
The first measurement was a stool culture test, which showed an improved bacterial balance, plus a reduction in yeast. There is no live bacteria in aloe, so the research concluded there must have been an improvement in the underlying conditions which affect the bacterial balance.
The next step was to record indican levels in the urine. This indicates the levels of toxic amines produced by the bowel flora, and had reduced by an impressive 40%. This outcome has a number of implications, including that the aloe had reduced putrefactive activity in the bowel, and increased digestion and absorption of dietary proteins in the stomach and small intestine. So aloe may well have a positive effect in pancreatic enzyme production as well as bowel flora and stomach pH, all of which are involved here.
In fact, researcher Jeffrey Bland also tested the gastric pH, and found it to have dropped significantly, but only in those whose stomach acidity was too high in the first place.
Bland also measured stool density, which demonstrated a better water-holding capacity, and bowel transit time, which showed faster pace without signs of diarrhoea or loose stools. The result may therefore be attributable to improved muscle tone in the bowel, rather than any laxative effect.
Aloe is described in traditional Eastern medicine as having cooling properties, and many of us have experienced its cooling effect on sunburn. This same property has traditional applications for cooling internal heat too, such as inflammation, peptic ulcers and hyperacidity in the stomach (2).
Aloe vera may therefore be useful to help soothe and rebalance problems throughout the digestive tract, which is often at the root of problems elsewhere. If we can improve conditions in the gut, then the whole body will have a chance benefit from the increased levels of nutrients, improved ability to eliminate toxins, and lower levels of irritation to the central nervous system.
Can natural B vitamins help prevent age-onset diseases like alzheimers?
Or should we be looking at the more holistic picture, for example, our overall diet and lifestyle supported by a more comprehensive nutritional regime?
Following the recent BBC Health News coverage of a trial conducted at Oxford University, which has demonstrated that taking a B vitamin complex has had far reaching results in that it has reduced the risk of brain atrophy and therefore, consequent cognitive impairment. The media quoted this as being good news for those with Alzheimer’s, yet this section of the population was not included in the trial. Certainly, the random, double blind trial was conducted over two years, with two hundred and seventy participants with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Half of the population were in the control group, and the other half were given vitamins B6, B12 and folate (often referred to as folic acid). The results were indeed positive, demonstrating a 30% reduction in brain shrinkage in the test group, but those who had a raised homocysteine level had a 50% reduction. So how is homocysteine implicated?
Homocysteine, a neurotoxic amino acid, induces cellular calcium influx, free radical activity and apoptosis, or cellular death. It is found to accumulate in disorders such as Alzheimer’s and is therefore deemed to be implicated in its pathogenesis. Looking at the research, such as the Framingham Study, high homocysteine levels are positively associated with dementia. In addition, levels of homocysteine are inversely proportional to vitamin B status, because in fact the B vitamins act as enzyme co-factors in homocysteine metabolism. It is then formed into more useful amino acids, taurine and cysteine. These amino acids are deemed essential for heart health, which is another facet to the homocysteine story. High homocysteine levels are also linked to cardiovascular disease and stroke. Nitric oxide in the blood dilates blood vessels that increase blood flow, but the presence of high homocysteine levels appears to reduce the supplies of nitric oxide. It has even been implicated in damaging arterial vessel walls, to incur atherosclerotic plaques. There has also been a link to the increased risk of fractures in the elderly, because of its pro-oxidant capacity. It affects collagen, the matrix that keeps tissue intact, by attacking the cross-linking between collagen fibres and the tissue itself. So some researchers have argued that homocysteine tests should be made more available, to check blood levels in routine GP visits.
It seems that the B vitamins must play a role in homocysteine metabolism, but whether the vitamin B status is the only player in this repertoire of age-related diseases, it is likely not. There are other factors which appear to be in decline that may also have a part in the ageing process. Phosphatidyl serine, a phospholipid that has been researched extensively, has been shown to enhance the metabolic rate of brain cells, increasing the blood and oxygen supply to the brain. Phosphatidyl serine is biosynthesised in the body but as we age, this ability deteriorates. It is a substance that demands energy to create it, so it is essential to have a good intake of vitamins and minerals, including the B vitamins and magnesium, in order for it to be synthesised.
How useful is it?
Well, learning and cognition improved in individuals in their 60s to that of people in their early 50s, within as little as three weeks of commencing taking supplemental phosphatidyl serine. The real evidence came from PET scans that showed higher levels of glucose metabolism and wider areas of the brain were influenced with a daily supplement of phosphatidyl serine. It is thought that it also reduces stress hormone production and has a positive effect on clinical depression, both of which can contribute to age-related decline. Phosphatidyl choline, another phospholipid, is very much part of each cell membrane, as its structure allows one end of the molecule to be water soluble and the other, fat soluble. This unique structure gives the cell membrane its integrity, allowing the cell membrane to have a ‘sandwich’ configuration, maintaining strict control over the import and export of nutrients and wastes within the cell. Phosphatidyl choline is also involved in the transportation of fats and reduces the pathological storage of these fats within the arteries. Moreover, it is implicated in the structural integrity and function of the nervous system. Olthof et al (2005) found that supplementing phosphatidyl choline (or its precursor, betaine) is also associated with lowering homocysteine levels. It is therefore, difficult to judge whether B vitamins alone can be implicated in helping with age-related diseases such as Alzheimer’s, or should we be looking at a more comprehensive regime to hold back the ageing processes, which should really deliver a wider spectrum of nutrients with particular focus on Magnesium, essential fatty acids (in particular omega 3), B vitamins, antioxidants and trace minerals.
The hows and whys of alkalising
The importance of an alkalised body. The hows and whys.
Why do we need to alkalise?
We associate “alkalising the body” with being healthy, vibrant and clear. Supergreens such as sprouted grains and spirulina, alongside vibrantly coloured fruits and vegetables, can all help keep our pH in balance so we can perform better on every level.
We function best when the majority of our cells have a slightly alkaline environment. However, many of our day to day functions and experiences create acidity where we need to be alkaline. As long as we have the energy, nutrients and space we need, our bodies have clever systems in place to bring us back into balance again.
Unfortunately, modern diets tend to lean more towards acidity than alkalising, as do modern lifestyles, and there is only so much our bodies can achieve. Pollution, alcohol, smoking and high stress lifestyles added to a poor diet can tip our bodies too far out of balance to recover effectively, especially when the nutrients required to help bring us back to alkaline are in short supply.
In such conditions, most of the basic chemistry that needs to happen within us will struggle, from digesting and metabolising foods to keeping our cells healthy and functioning. We become less able to do everything from keeping our bones strong to having enough energy to get out of bed in the morning.
Balancing pH with diet
Generally speaking, animal proteins will be most acid forming; grains (such as wheat and rye) will be more on the acidic side, unless sprouted in which case they become more alkalising; and vegetables, especially raw vegetables, and seaweeds are largely alkalising. Most fruits produce an alkalising ash, but the excess of sugar they contain may produce acidic conditions in the body, especially when consuming large amounts.
Many of us have been brought up with high levels of meat, bread and pasta, with alkalising vegetable struggling to find space. Sweets, pastries and caffeine add more to the acid load, so tea and cake or regular puddings will be pushing us even more in that direction. But the answer is not to stop eating everything acidic, but rather to gently bring things back to centre by adding in more alkalising foods, and making wiser choices about which acid-forming foods are most useful to us.
To begin with you may need to gradually increase the levels of alkalising foods, and gradually reduce the more acidic elements, until you find a balance that works for you.
A classic way to increase the vegetable content of our diets is with vegetable juicing. By juicing organic or biodynamic raw vegetables, we can absorb more of the goodness without having to digest huge bowlfuls of fibre (too much fibre can be at least as challenging for the digestion as too little). With a good juicer, this can be a useful and envigorating addition to the day.
For those with less time, an inefficient juicer or not enough vegetables, a supergreen powder stirred into a smoothie or other cold drink can be an energising and alkalising boost. Stirred into a vegetable juice, they can be a powerful addition to a well supported cleansing programme.
Did you know that regular alcohol consumption depletes our essential Omega 3 levels?
Are you in the mood to consider the wisdom of supplementing Omega-3 on a daily basis?
The benefits of Omega 3 have been well documented with regards to inflammatory processes in the body, but it is not often associated with depression and anxiety. A recent randomised controlled trial (RCT), conducted over 12 weeks by workers at the Ohio State University, has shown that there was a 20% reduction in anxiety levels, with concomitant reduction of pro-inflammatory Interleukin-6 levels by 14% when individuals were given Omega-3 as 2085mg of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and 348mg of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).
Interleukins are part of a repertoire of proteins secreted by white blood cells such as macrophages and CD4+ (helper) T cells, which help induce the growth and differentiation of stem cells and lymphocytes via cell signalling. They are stimulated by antigens expressed by micro-organisms and other cells, which produce a variety of lymphocytes, particularly T cells, to combat foreign pathogens. Deficiencies of interleukins are rare, but are expressed as autoimmune diseases or immune deficiency syndromes. However, they are also indicative of inflammatory conditions, which play a major role in many age-related conditions, such as arthritis and cancer. Although the individuals in this particular trial were considered not to have any particular inflammatory or anxiety disorders, the reduction in anxiety symptoms heralded the additional benefit that there is evidence that Omega-3 PUFAs may influence the emotional aspect of brain function.
So how are inflammatory markers and brain function linked? Proinflammatory proteins, such as the Interleukins, have the ability to promote the secretion of Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone (CRH) from the hypothalamus. This hormone is released as a response to stress but, interestingly, it also stimulates the amygdala, which is the seat of fear and anxiety. Yet another factor may influence this picture, in that high continuous alcohol consumption is known to deplete the function of the amygdala and it is also linked to low concentrations of Omega-3 levels in red blood cells. Studies have shown that there is a proportional correlation between low levels of Omega-3 to the severity of depression. What is more interesting is that not only are Omega-3 levels depleted with increased alcohol consumption, studies in bipolar mice showed that without Omega-3 supplementation, the mice had a particular need for alcohol. With Omega-3 supplementation, this preference decreased.
The authors of this study have highlighted that there is an association between higher dietary intake and reduction in anxiety symptoms, which may have profound benefits for individuals with anxiety disorders. It may well be that Omega-3 oils have a much more profound effect on our moods, our emotional stability and our resistance to depression. We would consider this a much better option for our wellbeing than many of the alternatives.
