The concept that all disease becomes autoimmune was the topic of a course I recently took and would like to share it as a reason to boost your nutrition.  Autoimmunity occurs when your immune system gets confused and attacks your own tissues.  The American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association (aarda.org) lists 155 illnesses, with the list growing each year. One in 6 Americans has one or more autoimmune diseases and four of the top 10 drugs, in sales, in the U.S. are for autoimmune related diseases. I will give you a brief background in the disease process and strategies to boost the body’s immune system.

Poor nutrition is partly contributing to the rise of autoimmune related diseases. Most of us think of boosting our immune system during cold and flu season through nutrition with strategies like eating extra fruit. Unlike the way the body fights off a cold in a matter of days, an autoimmune disease can take decades to develop. One study of veterans diagnosed with Lupus, found markers for the disease in blood tests, years before they were diagnosed. Autoimmunity is not the cause of the disease, but rather an advanced stage in the degenerative disease process.

There are two main parts of the immune system: innate immunity and acquired immunity. The innate immune system provides broad protection against pathogens and keeps us free of infection. Good nutrition is necessary for the functioning of the innate immune system. The acquired immune system handles the big stuff by creating very specific antibodies against pathogenic microbes (foreign proteins) that invade the body. It also attacks body proteins as a way to keep unwanted tissue growth in check. The problem occurs when this system gets out of balance.

Poor nutrition leads to the development of autoimmunity in a number of ways. A weak innate immune system allows latent pathogens to linger creating an overactive acquired immune system. Inflammation and other sources of tissue degeneration also increase the formation of autoantibodies. Either way, the body’s acquired immune system ramps up, goes awry and begins to attack itself.   This process is called cross-reactivity or molecular mimicry. Ultimately, it is a runaway immune response resulting from your body attacking its own tissues.

To address autoimmunity, it’s important to identify the root cause of the inflammation. Underlying causes may include stress, hidden infections, food sensitivities, toxic exposure, nutrient deficiencies, and leaky gut. We can then begin to heal the body through proper nutrition and other lifestyle strategies. It’s important to recognize if unrelated signs and symptoms be may related to the development of an autoimmune disease. Use these strategies to address the development of inflammation and the autoimmune process:

1. Eat a nutrient dense, whole food, anti-inflammatory diet.
2. Balance blood sugar. Sugar suppresses the innate immune system.
3. Check for hidden food sensitivities, especially gluten and dairy.
4. Check for hidden infections such as yeast, viruses, bacteria, and parasites.
5. Test for heavy metal toxicity. Usually done through a hair analysis.
6. Test for mineral ratios and deficiencies. Also done with hair analysis.
7. Fix the gut, by addressing intestinal permeability and dysbiosis.
8. Consider adding whole food supplements. Avoid synthetic isolates.
9. Make sure to move regularly, especially if you have a sedentary job.
10. Practice deep relaxation. Stress reduction is as important as nutrition.
11. Sleep for 7-8 hours every night so the body can repair itself properly.
12. Eliminate exposure to toxins, pesticides, heavy metals and chemicals.
13. Do a cleanse program or detoxification program once a year.

Contact me today to learn how to implement these strategies such as boosting your immune system, addressing intestinal issues or conducting any of the mentioned lab tests to prevent the progression of autoimmune disease.

 

 

 

 

The science of nutrition is filled with conflicting statements. And the question of how often to eat is no exception. Participants of Metabolic Balance follow eight basic rules in addition to their individualized computer-generated meal plan. In this blog we will breakdown rule #2: Ensure there is a five-hour break between meals. Many participants ask, “Why is it so important to observe the 5-hour intervals with no eating between your meals?”

In general, your body needs this time in order to complete the digestion process and take appropriate time to rest. By pausing between your meals without eating, your metabolism begins to burn unwanted fat within these 5 hours. Eating between these hours interrupts your metabolism and disrupts the “fat burning” process; therefore, you will not achieve the results you desire and need.

Common diet recommendations include low fat, carbohydrate rich, eating 5 to 6 smaller meals, low calorie, high protein; you name it. Waiting 5 hours between meals challenges the recommendation to eat 5 to 6 meals throughout the day. When the body is fed every 2-3 hours, it will burn fuel from those meals, rather than from its fat stores. So instead of burning stored fat between meals the way we were designed, the body enjoys having meals delivered every 2-3 hours.

Fats and carbohydrates can be used for either energy production or be stored for later use. Fats either get used for energy or stored as fat, whereas carbohydrates get stored in the cells of our muscles or liver as glycogen, used for energy or stored as fat. Our carbohydrate stores are limited, around 400 grams or 1600 calories. That’s why we can survive a day of not eating just fine. If we don’t use the food we eat for energy, it gets stored as fat. That’s where the calories-in calories-out concept comes from.

But, it’s more complicated than that. If we think about the gauge for a car’s gas tank, one side has an E for empty and the other, an F for full. Instead of “empty”, place “energy” for the E and instead of “full” place “fat” on the F. Some people can eat anything and don’t seem to gain weight. They are said to have a high metabolism. Others seem to gain weight just looking at food. They are said to have a slow metabolism. How we partition our food, is not a matter metabolism rate, but rather of efficiency. That efficiency comes from balancing your hormones. Balancing your hormones is the ONLY way to achieve fat loss that is sustainable.

As I stated, calories don’t control your metabolism, hormones do. Therefore the easiest way to fix a poor metabolism is to balance your hormones. Since insulin is the key hormone of the nutritional metabolism, it’s important to focus on controlling your insulin levels. In case you don’t know, insulin is a hormone produced in the pancreas that allows your body to use glucose from carbohydrates. It keeps blood sugar levels under control.

If we are constantly eating throughout the day, even so called healthy snacks, our insulin levels stay elevated. Elevated insulin levels have a negative effect on almost all the other hormones in our bodies leading to a host of problems. The following is a discussion how elevated insulin levels sabotage even the best efforts to lose weight and maintain health. Increased levels of insulin:

• Increase lipogenesis, that is the process by which we store fat.

• Elevate levels of cholesterol and triglycerides.

• Elevate levels of the stress hormones adrenalin and cortisol. These elevated levels lead to increased blood pressure and heart rate. Elevated levels of cortisol, the long term stress hormone also encourages fat storage.

• Increase hemostasis. Hemostasis is the process that causes bleeding to stop or blood to clot. In excess, this can lead to stroke, heart attacks and embolisms.

Increased levels of insulin also:

• Block the production of melatonin, DHEA (dehydroepiandrosterone) and HGH (human growth hormone). Melatonin is our sleep hormone. While insulin blocks the formation of melatonin, since it is fat soluble, it is also stored in excess fat. DHEA is a precursor hormone used to make all of our major anabolic hormones: estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone. HGH as the name implies is responsible for cell growth and regeneration. All of these hormones together are anti-aging, anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative.

• Block lipolysis, the breakdown of fat. Lipolysis is the burning of fat in muscle cells.

• Block the formation of a FOXA2. FOXA2 influences the intake of food and spontaneous movement. If FOXA2 is blocked, the motivation to do physical exercise and burn sugar and fat visibly decreases.

Amongst the many impacts of high insulin levels, the greatest impact comes its influence on lipogenesis (fat storage) and lipolysis (fat breakdown).

When we consume carbohydrates, they get broken down into simple sugars, i.e., glucose. In order to clear the glucose from the blood, the body releases insulin to signal cells to take up the sugar. Since glucose is water-soluble, it needs a way to get into the cells that are surrounds by a layer of fat. It does this through the use of insulin attaching to insulin receptors. Insulin receptors signal glucose transporting factors to take up the glucose.

A constant supply of excess sugar in the blood stream leads to the constant production of insulin. This eventually leads our cells to reduce the number of insulin receptors and glucose transporting proteins. This is known as insulin resistance. Since the cells have reduced their way to communicate with insulin, the body ends up trying to make more insulin. Eventually the pancreas wears out and the end result is Type 2 Diabetes. But before this ever happens, we can live with negative effects elevated insulin levels for years.

Lets take a closer look how elevated levels of insulin increase fat storage and decrease fat breakdown. An enzyme called lipoprotein lipase (LPL) chops up triglycerides into glycerol and fatty acids. This needs to be done because fatty acids are two big to go enter cells and must be broken apart to fit. Elevated insulin levels block the enzyme in muscle cells forcing the fatty acids into fat cells. These two reactions together increase fat synthesis and reduced fat breakdown.

This brings us back to Metabolic Balance Rule #2. Eat three meals a day and nothing in between: no snacks, no sweets, not even anything we think of as healthy. In order for us to stay healthy, the body needs to fast between meals. Unfortunately Rule #2 does not exist in a vacuum and give you the freedom to eat anything every five hours. You still have to eat the foods that are right for you, have the right macronutrient balance and are in the right proportion to support weight loss. This is where the Metabolic Balance Plan comes into play. It will provide you with a meal plan based on your blood values, health history and food preferences.

Contact me today for your free 15-minute consultation to see if Metabolic Balance is right for you!

 

 

 

 

What are probiotics?

Probiotics refer to the incredible population of beneficial bacteria in our gut. These beneficial bacteria are critical to maintaining normal gastrointestinal and immune system function. They help stimulate the natural digestive juices and enzymes that keep our digestive organs functioning properly, defend against the illness and infection caused by harmful bacteria which may thrive where beneficial colonies are lacking and aid the production of certain vitamins such as vitamins B and K.

Where do they come from?

Probiotics are normally consumed in fermented foods that contain active bacterial cultures such as yogurt, sauerkraut and kimchi. Fermenting foods creates an environment to allow good bacteria such as lactobacillus to flourish. While probiotics are available in supplemental form, fermented foods not only give you a wider variety of beneficial bacteria, they also give you far more of them. A 4-6 ounce serving of home-made sauerkraut was reported to have literally ten trillion bacteria. With each serving of fermented vegetables you will be replenishing the beneficial flora in your digestive tract.

What are the benefits?

A healthy colony of beneficial microorganisms in the gut can:

• Maintain a healthy digestive system
• Replenish lost or damaged beneficial bacteria
• Protect the body from pathogenic bacterial infection and illness
• Reduce symptoms of diarrhea and constipation
• Promote balance of alkalinity and acidity in the intestine
• Provide support to the immune system
• Support overall wellness

Sources of unpasteurized probiotic rich foods include:

• Sauerkraut
• Pickled Vegetables
• Kimchi
• Yogurt
• Kombucha
• Kefir
• Miso
• Tempeh

Should I make my own fermented foods?

Fermenting foods at home can be a fun and enjoyable way to get the most out of the fermented foods you consume. Even though the whole process might seem long and complex, fermenting food at home takes nothing but a few basic instruments and ingredients. Making your own fermented foods can save you money while feeding your family nutrient-dense cultured foods. Below are listed a number of great sources of information to make your own fermented foods.

Should I buy fermented foods?

Any product that you buy should ideally contain organic ingredients, unrefined sea salt, and be produced through natural lactic acid fermentation. Because natural fermentation can be unpredictable and inconsistent, most food manufacturers don’t want to be bothered with its inconvenience. As a result, most commercially fermented products are vinegar based and don’t provide the same benefits as natural lactic acid fermentation. Look for locally make products made through naturally fermented process.

How much should I eat?

The key is to introduce fermented foods slowly as not too overwhelm your digextive system. Begin with ¼ cup of cultured vegetables or 2 oz. of your favorite probiotic liquid to see how your body reacts. As your body gets used to fermented foods and drinks, you can start to add 1 additional serving at a time. Eventually, you can work up to having a serving of cultured vegetables and probiotic liquids at every meal or possibly, as a between-meal snack. Try to consume fermented foods at least five times a weeks from three different sources.

Sources for more information:

http://www.wildfermentation.com

Sandor Katz is a pioneer in the world of fermented foods. His website is a treasure of information, with links to his New York Time best selling book, “The Art of Fermentation”, workshops and blogs.

http://www.krautsource.com

Kraut Source is mason jar kitchenware for making fermented foods like sauerkraut, natural pickles, kimchi, kefir and more. A must have for making fermented foods.  Pictured above.

http://www.fermentedfoodlab.com

Fermented food lab is another great source of recipes and information on how to make fermented foods.

https://www.kombuchakamp.com

Kombucha Kamp is a one-stop source of learning tools and products to make your own kombucha.

http://www.culturedfoodguild.org

The Cultured Food Guild, a non-profit organization, is a new trade association created to support and promote the local cultured food in Colorado.

http://www.culturesforhealth.com

Cultures for health is a great place to get your first starter kit to make fermented foods such as yogurt, cheese and tofu.

http://www.culturedfoodlife.com

Cultured Food Life is another great source of information on fermented foods.