| Brain
Chemistry
back to top
Balanced brain chemistry orchestrates mental,
emotional and physical well being.
Imbalances in brain chemistry may lead to anxiety disorders
or depression, emotional eating,
uncontrolled cravings for sugars or breads and/or substance
abuse. Curious?
How do your answers to these statements add up?
(0) never, rarely (1) twice a week or less (2) twice
a week or more (3) daily
1. 0 1 2 3 Eat as a reward or for comfort
2. 0 1 2 3 Worry, anxiety or phobias
3. 0 1 2 3 Difficulty getting to sleep or staying asleep
4. 0 1 2 3 Overly sensitive, emotional
5. 0 1 2 3 Difficulty focusing, maintaining attention
6. 0 1 2 3 Inability to relax after a tense or stressful
situation
7. 0 1 2 3 Low self-esteem, lack of confidence
8. 0 1 2 3 Obsessive behavior
9. 0 1 2 3 Use alcohol or drugs to improve mood
10. Yes(5) No Anti-depressant drugs
11. Yes(5) No Anti-anxiety drugs
If you answered yes to question #10 or #11 or had a
total score higher than six excluding # 10 and #11
you might benefit from assessing your dietary protein
intake. A score of 12 or more suggests a need to
work with a clinical nutritionist. For more information
about protein sources and optimizing protein
absorption, click on Nutrition
101 and read the section on macronutrients.
Mood-food Response (a unique brain
chemical imbalance).
Emotional eating, or using food to boost your mood is
almost always due to an imbalance in certain brain chemicals.
These brain chemicals, known as neurotransmitters are
powerful chemical messengers that nerve cells use to
communicate.
These neurotransmitters are thousands of times stronger
than any street drug. With unbalanced brain chemistry
your
ability to marshal your will power and say no to sugar,
alcohol or other harmful substances is weakened.
The following questions are designed to help you determine
if emotional eating is a health issue you should address.
(0) never,
rarely (1) twice a week or less (2) twice a week or
more (3) daily
1. 0 1 2 3 Crave carbohydrate rich snacks, cookies,
chips, breads, candy, pastry or sweet foods.
2. 0 1 2 3 Routinely eating until stuffed at meals
3. 0 1 2 3 Eat when bored, moody, lonely, angry, worried
or upset
4. 0 1 2 3 Failed diet attempts, regained lost weight
easily
5. 0 1 2 3 Binge eating/purging
6. 0 1 2 3 Weight adversely affects your life on a daily
basis
7. 0 1 2 3 Feel guilty about food or overeating
A total score of 6 or more would indicate a possible
neurotransmitter imbalance. Typically, people who
have emotional issues around food intake find it best
to consult a clinical nutritionist or other health care
professional. To get more information on strategies
to help deal with emotional eating go to Nutrition
101.
Blood Sugar Balance
back to top
Blood sugar levels need to be maintained in an optimal
range to support proper mental function and energetic
processes. A person with fluctuating blood sugar can
expect to experience moodiness and/or a craving for
sweets,
bread or other starches or alcohol. Other symptoms include
difficulty staying focused, fatigue headache or shakiness.
Where do you stand in regards to your blood sugar? Answer
the following questions.
(0) never, rarely (1) twice a week or less (2) twice
a week or more (3) daily
1. 0 1 2 3 Crave a lift from sweets
but later experience a drop in energy or mood after
eating them
2. 0 1 2 3 Crave salty foods
3. 0 1 2 3 Dark circles under eyes
4. 0 1 2 3 Awakening at night, difficulty getting back
to sleep
5. 0 1 2 3 Frequent infections, allergies, or asthma,
especially when the weather changes
6. 0 1 2 3 Use sugary foods, caffeine, tobacco, or other
stimulants to get going or to keep you going
7. Yes(5) No High cholesterol/triglycerides
8. Yes(5) No Family history of diabetes, heart disease
or alcoholism
9. Yes(5) No Skip breakfast
10. Yes(5) N0 Ancestry link to Western Europe, Mexico,
Africa or Native American
A total score of 5 or more or answering yes to questions
#7 - #9 may indicate that you are carbohydrate intolerant.
Reduce your intake of sugary foods and products made
with white flour.
For more information, click on Nutrition
101 and the information concerning macronutrients
as well as
the interactions of glucose, insulin and glycemic load.
Weight Management
back to top
People gain weight for a variety of reasons, so planning
and executing a successful weight loss program is often
more than just reducing caloric intake and exercising
like crazy. If weight loss is a struggle for you I encourage
you
to look at each spoke of the health hub, from brain
chemistry through adrenal function. Total your answers
to the
questions in each section noticing the categories where
your scores are too high, this should help you in
identifying which area or areas may need special attention.
Weight loss
(regaining normal body composition) requires balanced
physiologic function in a number of
important systems in the body including brain chemistry,
fatty acid sufficiency, adequate digestive enzymes,
blood sugar balance and healthy adrenal function.
Losing weight that stays off means burning body fat.
Identifying how to promote and optimize your
fat burning
pathways is critical to your weight loss plan. Eat foods
and engage in physical activity that support fat burning,
this will help you reach your ideal figure while achieving
healthy body composition. Body composition is the ratio
of one's body fat to one's lean muscle mass. A simple
method for assessing the ratio of your body fat to lean
muscle
mass is to measure the circumference of your waist and
your hips. Divide the measurement of your hips by the
measurement of your waist. An ideal ratio for men is
about 0.9 and for women 0.8.
A ratio above 0.9 in men and 0.8 in woman is undesirable
and may indicate that a significant portion of your
body
fat comes from eating excess carbohydrates especially
refined carbohydrates. Killer exercise routines do not
support fat burning and will slow your efforts to drop
inches. Reaching your body composition goal means making
adjustments in
your dietary choices and possibly your exercise routine
(if you have one). Ideally the meals you eat and the
exercise
program that you design for yourself should promote
fat burning. Keeping this ratio in a ideal range is
the key to
vibrant health and longevity.
Foods that Promote Fat Burning
Proteins: chicken, turkey, beef, lamb, wild game,
fish, eggs, protein powders.
Non starchy vegetables: artichokes, asparagus,
beets, sprouts, cabbages, carrots, cauliflower, cucumbers,
eggplant, all leafy greens, okra, parsnips, all varieties
of peppers, radishes, string beans, squash, Swiss chard,
tomatoes, and turnips.
Fresh fruits: apples, apricots, avocados, bananas,
blueberries, cantaloupe, cherries, figs, grapefruit,
grapes, kumquats,
lemons, limes, mangoes, melons, nectarines, oranges,
papaya, peaches, pears, pineapple, persimmons, plums,
raspberries, strawberries, watermelon.
Note: eat fruits separately from other food as in a
mid-morning or mid-afternoon snack. When
adding fruit to a protein smoothie you must
add 1 tbls. of either flax or olive oil.
Healthy fats and oils: Oil or fat from: flax seeds,
grape seed, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, walnuts,
olives, almonds, brazil nuts, filberts, pecans, pine
nuts.
The labels on bottles of canola or grape seed oil should
have the words "expeller pressed," on bottles
of olive oil look for the words "extra virgin"
or for especially "pure olive oil extra virgin,
first cold press."
Caution:
READ LABELS, avoid buying foods where you see the words,
hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated.
Keep oils, seeds and nuts refrigerated to avoid spoilage.
Dairy Products: Yogurt, cheese, cottage cheese.
Butter and cream are usually associated with being dairy
products but are actually considered fats, use sparingly.
You may be wondering where is cows milk in all this.
Repeat after me;
cows milk is for baby cows. (okay, if you must, a little
half and half in your coffee).
Starchy Carbohydrates: rice, yams, sweet potatoes,
legumes, whole grains (oatmeal, millet, spelt, rye,
quinoa, amaranth). Avoid wheat products that are not
from sprouted wheat. Avoid packaged grain products that
have the words instant or quick as this indicates they've
been refined.
As you can see, there is quite a variety of foods to
choose from when planning healthy meals.
Eliminating simple sugars, refined flours and nutrient
poor convenience foods opens your world to the adventure
of creating healthy, great tasting meals
to help you on the road to a lean body composition.
Exercise that promotes fat burning
Confused about the best way to exercise to get the fat
off and find your lost figure? Exercise gurus
that have been pummeling us with the "no pain/no
gain" philosophy or routines that they are touted
as
EXTREME push your body out of its fat burning range
and can be roadblocks to regaining healthy body composition.
While exercise to exhaustion may make you fit, know
that being fit does not necessarily mean being healthy.
Exercises help you build aerobic fitness promote fat
burning and build a solid foundation for cardiovascular
health.
To learn more about the low-stress, no-pain way to exceptional
fitness I recommend the book
THE MAFFETONE METHOD by Dr. Philip Maffetone.
I agree with my colleague, Dr. Maffetone, that the best
way to achieve aerobic fitness is by engaging in exercise
that does not tax the body or the cardiovascular system.
When you start your new exercise regime find out what
your maximum heart rate should be when exercising. Do
this by subtracting your age from 180. While this pace
may seem like child's play to you initially, please
realize that strenuous exercise stresses the body and
prevents you from burning body fat. If you go above
your aerobic threshold with your heart rate, you drop
into anaerobic metabolism where your body switches to
sugar burning relying on glycogen
stored in your muscles for its energy needs. Not long
after this type of workout you will be craving carbohydrates
like crazy to try to replace the glycogen you just used.
Whatever
exercise you choose, keep it simple and make it enjoyable.
Take a nice walk staying within your aerobic range,
and
soon you will find yourself able to walk the same distance
in a shorter time. You will find your exercise pace
will change and you will be able
to go faster and farther while still exercising at the
same heart rate. It takes approximately 6 - 8 weeks
to build an aerobic base. A variety of
benefits result from building an aerobic base, they
include: increasing the number of aerobic muscle fibers
providing a better endurance base
and making muscles resistant to injury, and provide
more endurance during exercise. An increased aerobic
function improves circulation thus
benefiting the entire cardiovascular system.
Once your aerobic system has been developed properly
add anaerobic exercise such as running, cycling,
rowing etc., at a high heart rate. Since weight lifting
is a anaerobic exercise such activity would be include
into an exercise program once the aerobic base has been
developed.
Cardiovascular Health
back to top
If you have come here, you probably already know you
have cardiovascular health issues.
Please be sure to consult with your cardiologist before
amending anything in your routine.
Cardiovascular disease is clearly related to diet. Mounting
medical research links cardiovascular disease to
carbohydrate intolerance that evolves over time into
a metabolic disorder known as insulin resistance. Recent
medical
research clearly associates refined carbohydrate intake
to obesity and elevated levels of cholesterol, triglycerides
and LDLs.
The
survey questions in the health category of blood sugar
balance will help you decide if carbohydrate intolerance
is a health issue for you. Want to learn more about
carbohydrate intolerance and/or insulin resistance?
Click on Nutrition 101.
Digestive Function
back to top
You have probably landed here if you are one of millions
of people who suffer from some degree of
digestive dysfunction. Your ability to fully absorb
nutrients from the foods you eat is dependent upon optimal
enzyme activity. Poor digestive enzyme function can
lead to malnutrition as well as to the episodes of allergic
reactions to substances
in our external and/or internal environment.
Normal bowel function depends upon enzyme quantity and
quality.
A history of constipation or acid reflux disorder reflects
poor digestive enzyme activity.
(0) never, rarely (1) twice a week or less (2) twice
a week or more (3) daily
1. 0 1 2 3 Experience bloating after meals
2. 0 1 2 3 Develop bowel gas within an hour following
meal
3. 0 1 2 3 Regurgitate food, frequent belching following
meal
4. Yes(5) No Medical diagnosis of acid reflux disorder
5. 0 1 2 3 History of allergies, sinus congestion
6. 0 1 2 3 Diarrhea
7. 0 1 2 3 Digestive discomfort following meals
8. 0 1 2 3 Heartburn several times a week
9. 0 1 2 3 Constipation
10. 0 1 2 3 Asthma
Answering yes to #4 or a total score of 4 or more indicates
that digestive enzymes would likely be of benefit
to you. For information about digestion in general click
on Nutrition 101.
You can shop for digestive enzyme on our Products
page.
Adrenal Function
back to top
If you are here it's probably because you are feeling
exhausted, experiencing frequent colds and other infections,
or you may have read about or been told that you have
symptoms of adrenal exhaustion. Adrenal fatigue closely
partners with blood sugar instability so you may want
to go to that section if you haven't already read about
blood sugar imbalances.
Adrenal fatigued people constantly need to whip themselves
into a frenzy of activity in order to keep going and
in moments when they should be able to relax completely
they find it difficult to calm down and turn off the
noise
in their head. As the adrenal system gets pushed farther
and farther into disharmony a person may find that their
sleep patterns begin to change, they stay up later and
later in order to get tired enough to fall asleep and
have difficulty waking refreshed. Using a variety
of stimulants like sugar, caffeine or tobacco throughout
the day then using alcohol to relax weakens the adrenal
system.
The adrenal glands are an integral part of the endocrine
system and as such any adrenal dysfunction will ultimately
affect many other systems in the body leading to declining
health and ultimately immune failure. This series of
questions was designed to help you determine if this
is an area of health that may require your attention.
(0) never, rarely (1) twice a week or less (2) twice
a week or more (3) daily
1. 0 1 2
3 Light headed, especially upon rising from a prone
or sitting position
2. 0 1 2 3 Using sugary foods, caffeine, tobacco or
other stimulants to get going.
3. 0 1 2 3 Crave salty foods
4. 0 1 2 3 Frequent infections, allergies or asthma
5. 0 1 2 3 Feeling exhausted in the morning upon awakening
6. 0 1 2 3 Difficulty getting asleep or staying asleep
7. 0 1 2 3 Excessive anxiety
8. 0 1 2 3 Inability to relax after a tense or stressful
situation
9. 0 1 2 3 Use a cortisone inhaler
10. 0 1 2 3 Intolerance to exercise
11. 0 1 2 3 Low blood pressure
12. 0 1 2 3 Foggy thinking
13. Yes(5) No Difficulty losing weight
If you had a total score of 8 or more, adrenal fatigue
may be a part of your health profile.
To learn more about achieving and maintaining healthy
adrenals go to Nutrition
101.
Fatty Acid Sufficiency
back to top
Here you find out if you would benefit from adding healthy
fats to your diet. Fatty acids are found in certain
fats and oils that are largely
deficient in the American diet. Fatty acids aid the
body in burning excess body fat, improving your body
fat to lean muscle ratio, help lift
depression, maintain mental stability and concentration,
reduce carbohydrate (sugar/bread) cravings, reduce the
pain and inflammation of arthritic joints and make hair
and skin lustrous. If you find yourself frequently craving
or munching away on fatty foods your body is trying
to get a message to you "Feed me fats, I'm in trouble."
The fact is, your body will take on the harmful fats
found in chips, cheese, and packaged snack foods just
to keep your body functioning. But the price you pay
is declining health. Your answers to these survey questions
will help you to determine if you are eating the right
kinds of fats and oils.
Do you need an oil change?
(0) never, rarely (1) twice a week or less (2) twice
a week or more (3) daily
1. 0 1 2 3 Crave chips, cheese and other rich foods
2. 0 1 2 3 Feeling depressed
3. 0 1 2 3 Difficulty with attention or focus
4. 0 1 2 3 Poor memory or learning difficulties
5. 0 1 2 3 Light colored stools, or stools that float
6. Yes(5) No Have ancestry that includes Irish, Scottish,
Welsh, Scandinavian or coastal Native American
7. Yes(5) No History of hepatitis or gallbladder problems
8. Yes(5) No Family history that includes alcoholism
and/or depression
9. Yes(5) No High cholesterol/ low HL levels
10. Yes(5) No Dry, flaky skin
11. Yes(5) No Difficulty losing weight
There is a strong correlation to ancestry and the need
for certain essential oils, so if you answered yes to
#6 consider
adding EPA/DHA (fish oil)
to your nutrition regimen. A score of five or more is
an indication of the need for essential fatty acid supplementation.
If you are one of those people who has difficulty losing
weight, essential fatty acids are for you.
It
is well documented that resistant depression can be
lifted by adding EPA/DHA
to the diet.
Fish are contaminated with toxins like mercury and PCB's.
Beware when buying EPA/DHA that purity of
the oil is assured. We carry fish oil products from
Nordic Naturals because
of their purity and the added benefit
of being free from a fishy aftertaste.
If you answered no to question #6 but yes to other questions
or had a total score above five, adding flax seed or
borage oil to your diet
is recommended. Flax seed oil may be used as a salad
dressing or added to protein smoothies in the amount
of one tablespoon to eight ounces of liquid. Try to
have a tablespoon of flax seed oil daily. In addition
to flax seed oil take one
1000mg. borage oil capsules
two to three times daily with food.
Want to stoke the fat burning activity of the liver?
Try CLA Conjugated linoleic
acid; this is a terrific product to use when attempting
to decrease body fat while increasing lean muscle.
To learn more about fats, oils and essential fatty acids
please go to Nutrition 101.
You can shop for essential fatty acids in our Products
Pages.
|
