You really are what you eat. I know that is an overused axiom, but think about your body for a minute. You started life as a tiny infant, and your food built every bit of your body, providing the raw materials for more skin, more bones, more hair, more muscle—more everything. If you use substandard building materials, you may have problems with your structure.

You are What You Eat

There has been a renaissance in the appreciation of the incredible importance of quality nutrition. There is more emphasis on organic practices, non-GMO produce, the elimination of trans fats, and other healthy measures striving for the best nourishment.

I imagine many of you reading this grew up on sugary breakfast cereals, skim milk, white toast with margarine, and orange-flavored powdered drink mixes each morning. Parents believed it was part of a healthy breakfast—the TV commercials said so. Now we know more, and are (thankfully) making choices to live better—and longer—lives.

However, it is not just about your food choices and quality nutrition. You are not only what you eat—you are what you absorb. And that brings us to a discussion of digestion, and the role it plays in utilizing nourishment from the food we eat to build—and rebuild—our body.

How Digestion Works

Naturopathic physicians and integrative practitioners often state that all health begins with the gut. Our gastrointestinal system is a miracle of design. Not only does it process the food we eat, it also:

• Allows water to pass into our body
• Is a powerful immune entity
• Houses our microbiome
• Has its own “brain” that creates neurotransmitters that influence mood
• Detoxifies waste

Suggestions to Improve Digestion

Regardless of whether you are in search of more optimal health, or are trying to address a specific condition, a powerful first step it to improve digestion. Here are some simple dos and don’ts for great digestive function—and a maybe or two at the end.

Digestion Do's

• Spice it up. Not only are most spices very healthy, some improve digestion. Good spices to include are cumin, fennel, coriander, ginger, and if you like the hot stuff, cayenne peppers.
• Eat slowly and chew your food thoroughly. Whatever you don’t properly chew adds strain to your digestive system that has to work a little harder to break it up.
• Consume fermented foods and other foods that contain healthy bacteria (probiotics).
• Save it for last if you eat bread. Eating bread first (as it is often served in restaurants) stimulates a larger insulin response and blood sugar spike than consuming it at the end of a meal, where the effect is blunted by the proteins and fats you have already consumed.

Digestion Don'ts

• Don't drink large amounts of icy beverages with meals. Some integrative practitioners are concerned that by chilling the stomach and intestines, you could reduce enzyme activity and slow digestion.
• Don't go to bed right after you eat, as you will have an increased risk of heartburn and indigestion. Gravity rules!
• Don't reach for the over-the-counter acid-reducing drugs and antacids on a regular basis. If you had a challenging meal—say, a chili cheese dog with onions at the ball game—it is fine to use a chewable antacid to reduce your distress. Using once or twice a month is fine, but more than that constantly suppresses your stomach acid, which sets you up for a myriad of health problems and can make your indigestion even worse.
• Don't exercise strenuously after a meal. OK, you probably won’t drown if you go swimming too soon after you eat, but it is true that exercise temporarily diverts blood from the digestive tract to feed the muscles what they need, which in turn impedes proper digestion.
• Don't eat meals while watching scary movies, especially if you react strongly and feel tense during horror flicks. Popcorn at the theater may be fine, but being startled and fearful triggers adrenal activity. Your body can’t tell if the threat is real or not, so it slows down blood flow and energy to the digestive tract to divert to other areas if needed to fight off a threat or run away.

Digestion Maybes: Supplements for Support

Consider supplements! If you have problems with digestion, whether temporary or chronic, there are many supplements that can make a big difference. Talk to your healthcare practitioner to make sure supplements are right for your specific issues. Here are some of the best.

• Boswellia

  Purified boswellia with a minimum of 10% AKBA is very powerful for all kinds of gut inflammation, whether irritable bowel, Crohn’s, or colitis.

• DGL

  Deglycyrrhizinated licorice, called DGL, has the part of the plant removed that might increase blood pressure. What remains is an excellent, clinically studied choice for ulcers or gastritis.

• Peppermint Oil

  Peppermint oil should be enteric coated for proper release in the intestines. It relaxes smooth muscle and resolves intestinal cramps, gas, bloating, and slows transit time to reduce loose stools.some formulas also include the oil of caraway, cardamom, and coriander for an even higher level of benefits.

• Probiotics

  Probiotics are not all created equal. Look for one that does NOT have to be refrigerated, because that means the probiotics are shelf stable. Make sure the probiotics are guaranteed to be alive at time of purchase. Some of the best and clinically studied for colon and bowel problems are Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus rhamnosus, and Bifidobacterium bifidum. If you have issues with milk products, make sure the probiotics are grown on a nondairy culture.

Learn, and Listen to Your Body

Our diet and subsequent digestive health is crucially important to all aspects of well-being. Taking the time to learn about ways to improve the function of the gastrointestinal system will have a multitude of benefits, both immediately and for years to come.

Germ History 101

Humans and microorganisms have lived together for hundreds of thousands of years. Many bacteria are beneficial and live with us symbiotically, especially in our gut, where they promote our health in exchange for luxury intestinal hotel accommodations. The vast majority of microorganisms are neutral. And a few are called pathogens, meaning they make us sick.

A pathogen can be a bacteria, fungi, or virus. And they don’t make us sick because they want to destroy us, though sometimes, by accident, they do. They make us sick to spread their numbers, to grow and proliferate. Whenever you cough or sneeze, you are sending these pathogens into the air to set up housekeeping in new hosts (people) where the cycle can repeat itself. Like blowing on a dandelion, the microorganisms are sent into the world.

Other pathogens get into our bodies by hitchhiking a ride on our food or drink, and some get into our bloodstream by cuts or open areas, or sharing needles.

The good news is we have our own defense force, constantly patrolling to find and destroy the bad guys. This is our immune system, and the most active parts of the blood-based immune system are our white blood cells.

The pathogens that cause all colds and flu (influenza) are viruses. Viruses are hard to deal with because there are almost no drugs that can treat the cause of colds and the flu. Antibiotics don’t work—they only kill bacteria.

The best way to deal with colds and the flu is to not get sick in the first place. To avoid illness, you need three things. First, block or remove the virus before it gets in your body. One example: wash your hands! Second, make your immune system as powerful as it can be, and third, kill the viruses directly. These latter two strategies will also help you recover much faster should you become ill.

The intelligent use of dietary supplements can be a powerful weapon against these illnesses. Here are some of my favorites.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D has had a great deal of renewed interest with the advent of clinically supported higher dosages. While using 200 IU of vitamin D may not do much for cold and flu prevention, 2,000 IU (or more) can make a huge difference.

In a study involving school-age children, the effect of vitamin D was investigated for its effects on seasonal influenza A. The children were given either 1,200 IU/day of vitamin D or placebo. The vitamin D supplemented group experienced over a 40 percent decrease in influenza A infection, compared to placebo. Additionally, children with a previous history of asthma had a significant reduction in asthma attacks when supplemented with vitamin D.

Elderberry

In a 2016 study involving overseas air travelers, participants were given an Austrian Haschberg elderberry or placebo for cold prevention. The elderberry group had half as many illness (cold or flu) as the placebo group, and those in the elderberry group who did get sick recovered two days faster and their symptoms were not as severe

Scientific studies have shown that elderberry is a strong antiviral agent. In a cellular model, it was even effective against avian influenza (bird flu).  

Elderberry acts against viruses in two ways. First, it neutralizes virus particles so that they cannot enter host cells. Viruses cannot reproduce outside of cells, so keeping them out means they cannot replicate. Second, elderberry causes the immune system to activate, which can help control the spread of a viral infection.

Elderberry can be even more powerful when it is taken with zinc, mixed bioflavonoids, and vitamin A.

Propolis

Propolis is collected and transformed by bees prior to being used in the beehive for fortification and protection. In fact, propolis means “Defender of the City.”

Propolis is antiviral, which is great news for a cold or flu, but also possesses some antibacterial properties as well. This means that propolis may be useful for preventing secondary infections triggered by a cold or flu—like pneumonia—which are usually bacterial. Many of the antiviral studies were done on a purified propolis, removing wax, resin and impurities to yield a more powerful concentrated extract, called GH2002 in Germany.

Sleep

OK, not exactly a dietary supplement, but sleep is incredibly important for preventing and recovering from colds and influenza.

In a survey of sleep patterns and colds in over 22,000 adults, researchers found that “short sleepers” getting five or fewer hours of sleep a night were 28 percent more likely to have experienced a cold and 82 percent more likely to have the flu or ear infection in the preceding month than those sleeping seven or more hours a night.

Aside from feeling tired and run down, researchers have found that sleeping only four to five hours a night leads to up to a 70 percent reduction in natural killer cells, white blood cells that fight infection.

Stage four sleep is also the time you make most of your human growth hormone, which is used in the repair and rebuild mode the body enters in deepest sleep. That is one reason you are so sleepy when you are ill—your body wants you to shut down so it can get busy with the business of healing you.

Predictions for Flu 2017-2018

Many experts believe that 2017–2018 could be one of the worst years for flu illnesses to date.

Australia reported almost 100,000 confirmed cases of the flu, which is over 200 percent greater the infection rate last year. Patterns in Australia are often a good prediction of flu activity in the United States as we enter the winter months.

Hospitalizations in Australia due to the flu have also doubled. So this year, it is an especially good idea to take care of yourself and your family with healthy diet, lots of handwashing, and excellent immune-boosting supplements.

I firmly believe that the number one health threat to the lives of both adults and children in this country is diabetes. There are two kinds of diabetes, creatively named Type 1 and Type 2. Type 1 is an autoimmune disease in which the insulin-producing part of the pancreas is destroyed by one’s own immune system. It usually manifests itself in childhood or during the teen years. These individuals need to take insulin the rest of their lives because their body can no longer make insulin. Thus far, this type of diabetes is not reversible unless you have an experimental pancreas transplant.

Type 2 diabetes is much more common, and makes up about 95 percent of the cases of diabetes in America. This type of diabetes is a metabolic syndrome in which the cells of the body become resistant to insulin and won’t let sugar inside the cell. This creates an unfortunate situation where the cell is starving—the food can’t be delivered—and the body is suffering because abnormally high levels of sugar continue to circulate in the bloodstream.

Even slightly elevated blood sugar can wreak havoc on our health. High levels of sugar in the blood cause oxidative damage and inflammation. Problems with abnormal blood sugar have become an epidemic. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 35 percent of American adults (20 or older) have pre-diabetes—fasting blood sugar levels in the 100 to 125 mg/dL range. Those levels of sugar, even when you haven’t been eating, could mean that you’re on track to develop Type 2 diabetes. Unfortunately, about 50 percent of Americans over the age of 65 have high blood sugar levels. And many won’t know they have a problem until serious physical symptoms appear.

Type 2 diabetes is almost completely preventable. Sedentary lifestyles and the commercial manipulation of our diets and food choices are directly to blame. That isn’t meant to be a judgement on anyone’s willpower or athleticism; it’s a direct manifestation of our industrial scale food system. We’re eating more refined sugars, carbs, and high-fructose corn syrup than any time in history. Many foods are filled with chemical additives that didn’t exist 75 years ago. We are Stone Age bodies trying to live in a rapidly changing dietary environment and most simply cannot adapt.

Replacing refined carbohydrates and sugars with healthy fats and proteins in your diet can be one of the most powerful steps you take to get your blood sugar under control.

It may seem counterintuitive that adding more fat helps you lose weight and achieve better blood sugar balance. However, a higher fat and protein diet doesn’t add to the burden of sugar in your bloodstream, and it forces your body to use its energy resources more efficiently.

Some excellent foods include that help keep your blood sugar healthy include:

• Eggs
• Nitrate/nitrite (preservative) free beef, chicken, turkey, and duck
• Coldwater fish
• A variety of vegetables
• Fats like butter, coconut oil, olive oil and avocado
• Nuts (preferably not roasted in soy, corn, or canola oil)

By training your body to stop using glucose (sugar) as its primary source of energy, you help break your reliance on sugar and carbs, and reduce your risk of diabetes.

Helpful Herb to Fight Diabetes

After addressing diet and exercise, there is another step that for many proves quite useful in getting blood sugar back into normal range by adding an extract of the plant Hintonia latiflora to your regimen.

Hintonia has been clinically studied in Europe for over 60 years and developed into a natural medicine sold in German pharmacies specifically for prediabetes or Type 2 diabetes. Early research showed that the botanical product could be equal to or better than antidiabetic drugs in mild to moderate cases of Type 2 diabetes. Since then, studies have found that it could help people reduce or sometimes even replace their medications—all under their doctor’s supervision, of course.

In one clinical study, the hintonia-based product (combined with a few additional vitamins and minerals for support) lowered A1C (the average levels of blood sugar over time) 11 percent and fasting glucose 24 percent. Overall, diabetes symptoms dropped from a score of 4.8 points to 1.3 points, and 39 percent of those still using medication could reduce their levels.

The reason that hintonia works is related to a compound in the bark, coutareagenin, that has been shown to stabilize blood sugar levels and reduce insulin resistance. It also appears to partially inhibit alpha-glucosidase, an enzyme that releases sugar from carbohydrates. It does not block carbs, but slows their conversion to sugar to reduce the strain on the body’s insulin response.

As you begin incorporating healthier foods and exercise into your regimen, along with a Hintonia latiflora extract that can help you accomplish your blood sugar goals, you’ll notice a difference in weight, energy, and overall outlook.

Allergies can be related to foods you eat, things you touch, and substances you inhale. This latter category rears its ugly head in the months when plants are active. In the northern United States, that might be spring and fall, but in the South, some of these allergy issues can last all year. And if your inhalant allergy is indoors, like dust, those are year-round issues as well.

Allergy symptoms can range from annoying (itching eyes and an occasional sneeze) to life-threatening (airway closure). Fortunately, most people fall into the mild to moderate category when it comes to these kinds of allergies.

Common Allergens

Some of the most common inhalant allergens include pollen, ragweed, hay fever, dust mites, and pet dander. It is estimated that nasal allergies affect over 50 million people in the United States to the point that they seek medical care, and almost 18 million are diagnosed with hay fever. More than 13 million annual visits to doctor’s offices, hospital clinics, and emergency rooms are due to allergic rhinitis, or the symptoms of nasal allergies. Another 10 million adults and children who have pets are actually allergic to their pets!

Allergies cause an over-release of a substance in the body called histamine. This is responsible for the itchy, watering eyes, nasal congestion, sneezing, coughing, and redness.

Pharmaceuticals Linked to Dementia?

The most common pharmaceutical approach to allergies is to use drugs that reduce histamine, or anti-histamine drugs. These are in a class of drugs called anticholinergic drugs, which deplete choline from the body. Choline is needed by the body to make an important brain communication chemical called acetylcholine, and the Journal of the American Medical Association (Neurology) recently published a study showing these drugs may increase the risk of Alzheimer’s disease and other dementia. It has been found that using these types of drugs consistently for three years or more increases risk by 54 percent. You shouldn’t have to choose between alleviating allergy misery and long-term neurological damage.

This is NOT true of the emergency prescription drug intervention called the EpiPen, or epinephrine injection. This is a lifesaving medication that is used rarely and opens up the airways in people suffering from the most severe allergic reaction, anaphylaxis. Never be afraid to use your emergency rescue medication if you are suffering a severe allergic reaction. But if possible, you should avoid daily use of over-the-counter drugs like diphenhydramine.

Natural Allergy Relief

Natural interventions for allergies can be very useful. Recent research has looked at the use of Nigella sativa (black seed). The results showed that by two weeks of use, N. sativa could reduce the presence of the nasal mucous congestion and itching, runny nose, and sneezing attacks. More research is needed, but this could be a promising botanical for allergies.

Purple butterbur or Petasides hybridus is another effective herbal intervention for nasal allergies. There are 12 clinical trials involving butterbur for this application. However, this plant contains liver toxins called pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) that must be removed for safe use. Don’t let this scare you off, but look for a clinically studied form of this herb and make sure it is properly prepared. It does not work quickly, but can be highly effective, so have patience if you use this herb. It is especially useful for long-term allergy use, for example, with dust and pets.

Another interesting way to stop allergies is to prevent the allergens from coming into contact with the allergy receptors. Researchers in the United Kingdom have developed a medical device—a spray of ultrafine cellulose powder that gently coats the interior of the nasal passages, turning into a soft thin layer of gel. The process has been described as the equivalent of wearing a surgical mask on the inside of the nose. The gel is expelled when the nose is blown, and the powder is reapplied. Published human studies have shown dramatic reductions in allergic reactions and allergy symptoms in both children and adults, without any adverse effects.

Men and women have more in common health wise than you might think.

• Most of our organs are the same, though they may be shaped a little differently.
• Men and women both have thyroids and adrenal glands and livers and elbows.
• We all need essential vitamins, minerals, and fatty acids for optimal health.

Therefore, to talk about men’s health is 90 percent talking about human health.

The biggest point where men and women diverge is with sex hormones and organs. For example, men have a prostate gland and women do not have a prostate (though they have a Skene’s gland, which is a little similar).

The prostate creates and helps expel the fluid that carries sperm to ejaculation. The prostate surrounds the urethra just below the bladder. That means that increases in prostate size can interfere with urine flow and bladder activity.

Common Prostate Issues

The most common problem with the prostate is called benign prostatic hyperplasia (or hypertrophy) usually referred to as BPH.

Nearly all men experience prostate enlargement as they age, and this can cause problems with bladder function, including urgency, incomplete bladder emptying, and nocturia—getting up frequently at night to urinate.

Therefore, when men complain about prostate problems, what they often mean is they are experiencing a bladder dysfunction.

Because of differences in health, lifestyle, and genetics, some men may experience these problems in their early forties, while others may not have these issues until their late fifties or older.

How to Delay Prostate Problems

There are some activities that can help slow or delay prostate problems.

• Improved Diet

  Eating a diet rich in clean fruits, vegetables, and protein sources, with fewer carbohydrates, especially sugar, can help keep the prostate healthy.

  Maintaining a healthy weight is preventive.

• Avoiding Xenoestrogens

  Another consideration is to avoid exposure to toxins called xenoestrogens, which can accelerate prostate enlargement and potentially, prostate cancer.

  The best known example of this toxin is BPA, or bisphenol-A, a plasticizer found in water bottles, can liners for acidic foods, and some food storage containers. If you use plastic, make sure it is BPA-free.

• Angelica Extract

  There are very effective herbal interventions for prostate-related bladder issues.

  A clinically studied herb that provides significant benefits is called Angelica archangelica, also known as Icelandic Angelica. The angelica leaf extract shows remarkable potential for patients suffering from urinary urgency.

  In an eight-week, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, men suffering from nocturia used an extract of Angelica archangelica or were given a placebo.

  Individuals in the angelica group saw up to a 50 percent reduction in waking up at night to urinate. It also nearly tripled the time that men slept before first having to wake for urination.

  The most significant results were in men with the lowest bladder capacity, meaning their bladders could not hold very much urine at a time.

  Not only did Icelandic angelica increase the bladder’s strength and ability to hold more urine, it also helped them get a better night’s sleep. Getting a good night’s sleep is not just about feeling refreshed upon awakening.

  Poor, interrupted sleep is linked to weight gain, mood disorders, blood sugar instability, slow wound healing, accelerated aging, and musculoskeletal pain.

• Pharmaceuticals

  The pharmaceutical approach to bladder problems like urinary frequency or urgency is to prescribe anticholinergic drugs like Detrol, Ditropan, Vesicare or others.

  However, anticholinergic drugs can cause cognitive impairment after only two months of use. Anticholinergic drugs deplete choline, which is needed to make the crucially important neurotransmitter, acetylcholine. Acetylcholine is greatly depleted in Alzheimer’s disease.

  What can be even more problematic is if a person is using a bladder drug, and then also takes an over-the-counter drug like Benadryl (diphenhydramine, also an anticholinergic) for allergies, or Advil PM, Tylenol PM, or other analgesic combinations containing diphenhydramine for sleep, the potential for dementia is magnified even more.

  Unfortunately, the list of drugs with anticholinergic activity is very long and also contains certain drugs used for diarrhea, intestinal issues, anxiety, depression, dizziness, and other health problems, so the chances of using two or more drugs that diminish choline simultaneously is quite common.

  If you are concerned about a medication you are currently using and whether or not it depletes choline, ask your pharmacist.

  Therefore, given these considerations, it becomes even more important to find safe and effective interventions for prostate-driven bladder problems that can diminish comfort and quality of life.

Just about everyone in the US has experienced what it is like to alter brain function.

Maybe you had a cup of coffee and were suddenly more conversational, or a margarita and you were suddenly more conversational.

Maybe you were partially anesthetized for a dental procedure, and have hilarious videos to prove it.

These experiences show us we are not who we think we are. We are, at least partially, how our brain is currently functioning.

Brain Health and Personality

Our thoughts are influenced by a complex electrochemical soup that triggers emotions and actions.

Our memories are physically coded into special areas of our brain.

Our ability to walk, run, jump, and dance are coded into another area.

If the brain is not healthy, its poor functioning will manifest in thought and behavior changes.

An Invisible Disease

If we break a leg, no one is surprised that our walking ability is changed. But if the brain is not working correctly, and we exhibit sadness or lethargy or anxiety or some other unpleasant emotional state, we are often told to cheer up or settle down or get a grip.

No one tells a boy with a broken leg to just get up and walk, darn it!

Because brain functioning is not as visible, and because we are wedded to the idea that all behavior is—or should be—under our conscious control, people with these types of challenges are often stigmatized.

Therefore, it makes sense to take good care of our brain if our goal is healthy thinking, good memory, emotional stability, and predictable behavior.

Inflammation and Brain Function

Inflammation can create all kinds of havoc in proper brain functioning.

Inflamed tissues create neurotransmitter imbalances and suppress the brain’s auto-repair activity, called neurogenesis.

There are many dietary and lifestyle interventions that can reduce inflammation, including reducing sugar in the diet, increasing whole food consumption, and maintaining healthy levels of movement throughout the day.

There are also clinically proven supplements that have been shown to reduce brain inflammation.

Curcumin for Inflammation

The best all-around natural inflammation-reducing botanical is curcumin.

The Difference Between Turmeric and Curcumin

Curcumin is extracted from turmeric, but turmeric will not deliver enough curcumin for medicinal benefits in people with brain health concerns.

Turmeric contains only 2% to 5% curcumin. Turmeric is an excellent food, but curcumin is the natural medicine.

Studies on Curcumin

Studies on curcumin have shown it is effective for both depression and anxiety, and may be quite useful in other brain disorders, such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease.

Initial animal research has demonstrated potential for this herb to help people with autism as well.

Enhanced Absorption

Early studies on ordinary curcumin required as many as 24 capsules a day to attain any serum levels of key compounds.

The best curcumin forms have enhanced absorption so that medicinal levels can be achieved with only 2 capsules a day.

BCM-95

One enhanced absorption curcumin is BCM-95, which uses turmeric essential oils rich in turmerones as the delivery system, and has four published studies on major depressive disorder (MDD).

It has been found that people with depression and anxiety both have elevated levels of inflammation in the brain.

In one human study, this curcumin was compared to the prescription drug fluoxetine (one brand name is Prozac) and found to be as effective as the drug without the major side effects.

BCM-95 has also been shown to be especially useful in atypical depression, which is often resistant to drug therapy.

How to Rebuild Your Brain

The omega-3 fatty acids from fish—eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) —are crucial for proper brain health. About 60% of the brain is fat, and nearly 20% of your cerebral cortex is specifically DHA! If you are low on omega 3s, your brain will suffer. Not only are EPA and DHA anti-inflammatory, DHA is used in the brain cells themselves as part of the cell membrane.

Increasing healthy levels of EPA and especially DHA has great promise for schizophrenia, stroke, traumatic brain injury, depression, anxiety, autism and spectrum disorders, and more.

Even people without a serious brain disease can derive brain benefits from DHA and EPA from fish. In a published meta-analysis reviewing a variety of studies on mild memory problems associated with aging, using these two omega-3 fatty acids demonstrated significant improvements in memory in otherwise healthy older adults.

Another review article looked specifically at studies on DHA and found impact in almost every measure of cardiovascular health. This is important, because the same risk factors for heart disease are risk factors for strokes and other types of brain problems.

There is no question that omega 3s are beneficial for a healthy brain. However, there are an enormous amount of omega-3 products on the market, including oils from fish, squid (calamari), and krill, as well as more cutting edge extracts without oil from salmon. Losing the oil as a delivery system means you don’t have to worry about triglyceride content and/or rancidity.

The brain is a physical organ that responds to physical interventions. Helping to improve brain function in turn improves brain activity, whether it be mood, memory, or risk of disease. Lifestyle changes and clinically validated supplements can be more beneficial that once imagined, and it is never too late to late to make a difference.

We have all had our bouts with serious fatigue, when we feel we are moving in slow motion and our heads are filled with cotton. When all we can think about is a place to lay our weary head and close our eyes.

My worst experience with fatigue was during a massive blizzard, when I worked in a grocery store to hand out food and medicine packages to snowmobiler volunteers for delivery to the housebound. I worked over 36 hours in a row, and by the time I reached my bed, I was confused and wobbly and as drained as I had ever been.

I think about this when I work with people who experience serious fatigue almost every day of their lives. Some may be experiencing the side effects of chemotherapy, some may have an adrenal or thyroid disorder, some are having a major depressive episode, and some are diagnosed with chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia syndrome (CFS/FMS).

The most important first step to regaining energy is to understand what is causing the problem in the first place, and this is where mainstream medicine sometimes lets us down. For example, there is evidence that chronic fatigue syndrome was reported as early 1750, but it wasn’t until the 1990s that physicians started to accept it as a legitimate diagnosis. Some doctors still do not fully accept the reality of this devastating syndrome. Upwards of a third of people with suboptimal thyroid function are misdiagnosed with depression. Medicine has a long way to go to better understand fatigue, its causes, and its treatment.

There are dietary supplements that have been proven to help with fatigue. Some of these are in a class of botanicals called adaptogens.

Adaptogens modify an individual’s response to stress and improve his or her ability to adapt. The stressors could be either physical, psychological, or both. Adaptogens increase activities in the body that generally improve energy levels and stamina, sometimes by strengthening adrenal gland activity.

Rhodiola

Rhodiola rosea is an adaptogen herb. Sometimes called “golden root,” this botanical has been a part of the official Russian medical system since the late 1960s, and was approved in Sweden as an Herbal Medicinal Product in 1985.

An eight-week clinical trial showed that using rhodiola extract was associated with a nearly 50 percent reduction in fatigue (as measured on a standardized scale). Like many plant medicines, standardized key compounds are important for optimal benefits. Rhodiola should have at least 5% percent rosavins and more than 1.8 percent salidrosides. These marker compounds better assure effectiveness.

Ashwagandha

Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) is another adaptogenic herb that has a great deal of research on energy, stamina, and fatigue.

 In Sanskrit, this herb’s name means “smells like a horse.” Scholars point out that this name likely originated to indicate that using ashwagandha provides for you the essence of the horse: strength, endurance, and stamina.

In a study of healthy men and women, use of the herb ashwagandha improved response to exercise, cardiovascular fitness, psychological health, and social relationships over 12 weeks of use.

Paradoxically, ashwagandha increases energy in the daytime, but people using this herb during the day also report better sleep at night. This is likely due to ashwagandha’s ability to reduce the negative impact of stress on the body.

There are over 900 published studies on ashwagandha archived on the electronic database of the National Institutes of Health, and interest in this herbal medicine continues to increase.

Look for a clinically-studied ashwagandha that has a minimum of 5 percent withanolides. For best results, I prefer to use in the morning and early afternoon because that is the usual normal energy pattern for human physiology.

Iodine

The mineral iodine is crucial to proper energy production in the body. Iodine is required for the thyroid gland to make thyroid hormone. Thyroid hormone dictates the rate and efficiency that our body converts fuel (food) to energy. If there is not enough thyroid hormone or it does not properly convert to its active form, people gain weight and lose energy.

We have less iodine in our food nowadays because of changes in farming and soil depletion. We also have less iodine in our diet because of changes in commercial baking, which used to use iodine as a dough conditioner. Because of these changes, Americans on average have about half the amount of iodine as did people in the 1970s. Some experts believe this may even be playing a role in the obesity epidemic.

How to Tell If You Need Iodine

Adding supplemental iodine for a few weeks will tell you whether lack of iodine might be contributing to lower thyroid function and fatigue.

A good starting dose of iodine is 6.25 to 12.5 mg each day. Iodine comes in more than one form, and a blend of potassium iodide, sodium iodide, and a small amount of molecular iodine can be very beneficial.

These supplements are the tip of the iceberg. There are many natural medicines that can improve health, and with it, energy levels. Taking the first step, and committing to work with your healthcare practitioner to get to the root cause of your ongoing fatigue, can move you in the right direction. 

This is not for the faint of heart. She had a change of heart. Cross my heart and hope to die. That boy has a heart of gold. Eat your heart out, football fans!

I can’t think of a body part with more iconic meaning than the heart. If you don’t believe me, try using the word “kidney” in the previous phrases!

The heart is seen as the center of our lives and the receptacle that holds all our passion and emotion. While this has been shown to be incorrect, scientifically speaking, still my own heart flutters when I see those I love, especially after a long absence.

Heart Health, Your Health

It is also true that if your heart is not healthy, you are not healthy. Every organ and activity of your body suffers. So it pays to get to the heart of the matter and work toward the goal of making your heart strong and vital.

The most important elements of heart health have to do with food choices, activity, and avoiding both smoking and second-hand smoke.

Causes of Heart Disease

My specialty is how to use dietary supplements medicinally to achieve health goals, and improving heart function is no exception.

Atherosclerotic heart disease does not occur overnight. There is a sequence of events that leads to damaged blood vessels and higher levels of pressure on the heart, and oxidative stress and chronic inflammation are at the core.

The body tries to cover up blood vessel damage with cholesterol, fatty compounds, cellular waste material, and calcium, forming plaque. In my observation, cholesterol does not cause heart disease—it is merely a big part of the Band-Aid. However, this accumulation narrows the passageway within the artery, raising blood pressure and causing heart muscle fatigue. If a blood clot comes along, it is likely to get stuck and result in a heart attack or stroke.

Supplements for Optimal Heart Health

There are many steps you can take to create an optimal supplement protocol for cardiovascular health. Omega-3 essential fatty acids, coenzyme Q10 (coQ10), and D-ribose are important, as is curcumin, which reduces inflammation in blood vessel walls.

Mesoglycan for Cardiovascular Issues

A supplement called mesoglycan can also have a profound impact on cardiovascular issues. Although not well known in the United States, mesoglycan is considered a medication in Europe.

Mesoglycan is a grouping of porcine-sourced compounds called glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) in a specific ratio that are used for repair, strengthening, and rebuilding of blood vessels in the body.

Mesogylcan helps to prevent abnormal blood clots without thinning the blood. It is surprising that such a clinically proven intervention for heart and blood vessel health is not utilized more frequently in the US.

Mesoglycan for Arterial Plaque

In a published human clinical study on atherosclerosis, subjects took either 200 milligrams (mg) mesoglycan daily or a placebo. They were monitored for 18 months to determine the level of ongoing plaque buildup (intimal thickening) on the inside of their blood vessels. The placebo group had 7.5 times (or 750 percent) more narrowing compared to the mesoglycan group. Those are astounding results.

Mesoglycan for Blood Vessel Health

Another study on mesoglycan’s ability to improve blood vessel health targeted diabetic retinopathy—a leading cause of vision loss. As this disease progresses, more and more tiny blood vessels, called capillaries, rupture, and an area of the retina dies. The larger the area of the retina that is affected, the greater the level of vision loss. Keeping these blood vessels open and functional is a major key to preventing blindness.

In this human study, individuals with diabetic retinopathy were given either 100 mg mesoglycan a day or placebo and monitored for six months. The group receiving mesoglycan experienced significant improvements, while the placebo group continued to worsen over time.

In addition to atherosclerosis, mesoglycan can be used supportively for many other diseases of the blood vessels to improve strength and resilience of the arterial and venous walls.

Mesoglycan to Fight Disease

Mesoglycan can be used to fight peripheral artery disease, diabetic retinopathy, Raynaud’s disease, stable aneurysms, strokes, transient ischemic attacks (TIAs), varicose veins, chronic venous insufficiency, venous leg ulcers, hemorrhoids, and phlebitis (abnormal blood clots). 

I consider mesoglycan an excellent nutrient tool for any concern relating to blood vessels. For more information, there is an excellent review article on this natural medicine in the International Journal of Vascular Medicine, available at: www.hindawi.com/journals/ijvm/2010/390643/

Gout is an incredibly painful chronic disease. I have had patients with a gout attack whose toes are so painful they cannot sleep with a sheet touching their feet.

Gout is caused by a buildup of uric acid in the blood that crystallizes in the joint, often the big toe, though ankles, wrists, fingers, and other joints can also be affected. These crystals can cause joint deformities and bumps on the skin, especially the hands and fingers. Imagine razor sharp crystals rubbing inside your joint, and you get an idea of the terrible pain and inflammation associated with this disease.

Gout tends to come in waves, starting as a throbbing pain that intensifies for a few days and then starts to subside. Gout used to be called a rich man’s disease, because red meat and alcohol contain purines that increase uric acid levels in the body. However, gout is more complicated than diet alone.

Combat Gout with Water

There are two effective natural interventions to help prevent gout attacks. The first is increasing your intake of water to at least eight 8-ounce glasses a day. Adding more water dilutes the blood and makes it less likely that uric acid will stick in the joints and crystalize. A recent study showed that increasing water intake can reduce gout attacks by as much as 50 percent. I am not aware of any prescription drug that can reduce gout attacks to this degree, and without serious side effects.

Fight Gout with Cherry

The second natural intervention is found in the cherry. This fruit contains anthocyanins, which are flavonoids that give cherries their deep red color. These compounds reduce inflammation and increase the excretion of uric acid. Cherries make the body more efficient at getting rid of excess levels of this compound, and studies have shown they can also significantly decrease the incidence of gout attacks.

What does the science say? One clinical study from 2014 looked at the effects of cherry juice on uric acid levels and inflammatory markers in healthy people. The researchers found that those who drank 30 or 60 milliliters of cherry juice for just two days had lower levels of uric acid and C-reactive protein, an inflammatory marker. Uric acid output in urine samples was increased.  Since excessive uric acid buildup triggers the excruciating pain and deformities associated with gout, getting more of it out of the body is definitely a good thing.

Natural Remedies for Gout

So should we eat the cherries, drink the juice, or take supplements? I vote for all of the above. However, eating cherries every day is not realistic for most people, and there is a lot of sugar in cherry juice. For consistent benefits, I recommend cherry fruit supplements that are standardized for anthocyanins. Freeze-drying is a good method because heat drying and extractions can damage the antioxidant value of the cherry. A good dose is 1500 to 3000 milligrams daily.

Tart or Sweet Cherry for Gout?

I am often asked: tart or sweet cherry? Quite honestly, I think all cherries offer health benefits. There is more scientific data on tart cherry, so perhaps it has a bit of an edge as far as proven effectiveness.

If you or someone you love suffers from gout, increasing water intake, eating more cherries (but not in pie!), and using a standardized cherry supplement may tremendously reduce incidences of pain and suffering. And there are side benefits as well to being well hydrated and full of healthy antioxidants from cherries.  Inflammation in other areas of the body may also subside. Skin may improve. Kidneys function better. All this contributes to a healthier you!