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Archive for the ‘Healthful thoughts’ Category

The hydration of the skin is important in many ways. Prolonging the youthful, soft look of healthy skin is a desired effect for all people, but without proper care and hydration, it can become a far off dream and lost over time.

• The ability to retain water by the skin is important to combating age-related drying, flaking, and wrinkles.
• Increasing the ability for the skin to retain water has been sought for years on end.
• A connection between the abilities of marine organisms, which regulate the balance of hydration, and skin cells has led to a breakthrough molecular moisturizer.
• The combination of homarine, a compound used by certain mollusks that protects skin cells from an electrochemical imbalance, and erythritol, a water-retention compound, increased the ability to retain water in the skin.
• Clinical trials in women, ages 27 to 63, have yielded boosted water levels in surface skin cells by as much as 30%, due to the combination of homarine and erythritol.

The cells in our body responsible for storing fat are called adipocytes. As the aging process takes its course, these adipocytes expand and build up in areas of the body which are cosmetically unsightly and detrimental to our health. The greatest concern with adipocytes is when they settle in our deep abdomen. It becomes visceral fat which in turn releases pro-inflammatory cytokines into the body. When our bellies are bulging at the waistline, we are at risk of triggering the metabolic syndrome which creates many harsh side-effects.

There are plants which can nurture lipolysis, or fat-burning, to help combat the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines into the body.

For more on Lipolysis and Adipocytes contact Carolyn at Natural Choices for Healthful Living in Columbus.

In today’s world we are driven by long work hours and minimal sleep, but this theory has many flaws when it comes to the immune system, the skin, and insomnia. With insomnia and sleep deprivation our bodies are vulnerable in terms of look and texture of our skin, and immune system. The link between chronic insomnia and skin disorders is attributed to the immune-altering effects of the excess release of glucocorticoids caused by lack of sleep. As the name suggests, glucocortoids are in the group of hormones which regulate glucose metabolism in the human body. As with glucose, every cell in the body has glucocortoid receptors, and it is involved in immune function as well. (Cortisol is a vital glucocortoid.) The excess production of glucocortoid is linked to every tissue in the body and shown to accelerate the aging process.

In terms of skin health, the formation of collagen is highly dependant on the immune-balancing which occurs during sleep. Collagen is responsible for skin health by protecting the skin from UV ray and bacterial damage, maintaining the elasticity of the skin, keeping the skin moisturized, and preserving the young, healthy appearance.

With insomnia the immune-balancing process becomes flawed in terms of the body not being able to produce collagen in order to maintain healthy skin.

For more information on skin health contact Carolyn at Natural Choices for Healthful Living in Columbus, IN

As many of you are aware, the USDA released its final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on Dec. 16th of 2010 regarding the potential impact of genetically engineered (GE) alfalfa.  The USDA received many comments from concerned citizens and demands that a review, of the impacts not considered previously, be conducted.

One of the major concerns is the contamination of organic crops.  The Organic Trade Association (OTA) has taken the position that regulatory/policy decisions should move the costs associated with GE contamination ( contamination of Non-GE crops) from the organic or natural farmer to the GE patent holder.  Additionally, non-GE crops should be protected from GE pollution. Today this is not the case.  The organic farmer is liable for the contamination.  How can an organic farmer possibly bear the expense of defending him/herself against biotech giants with access to legions of attorneys?

The movie/documentary Food Inc. has offered great insight into these very topics. It is available at most video stores for rent, if you are willing to further your interest in the subject.  Both Natural Choices and Healthy Communities have sponsored the film at YES cinema in Columbus, Indiana.  These issues are important to our community as well as the nation.

The OTA has outlined the requirements for co-existence of GE and organic crops, but it is important to point out that not only organic farms are impacted.  There are large agricultural segments that have an interest in access to unadulterated seeds.  The population has several masses who are sensitive to foods made with GE, which have a need for food items which are not produced with non-GE products.

Food for Thought:   The European Union has not approved GE crops nor does it seem likely that they will anytime in the near future.

Let us think of the future and its generations to come.  How can we ensure the survivability of our descendents?  My vote is whole foods! What is yours?

• Systemic free radical damage is an age accelerator– in experimental models, life span may be boosted by nearly 100% when the organism’s internal free radical defenses are genetically enhanced.
• Among the most potent of external free radical fighters are anthocyanins, polyphenols (plant-based compounds) abundant in dark fruits and vegetables.

Aging and diabetes both share two crucial biological processes which destroy the human body: glycation and oxidative stress. Glycation is the result of protein and lipid molecule damage, and oxidative stress is characterized by increased free-radical activity and damage to tissues.

Glycation is the biochemical process in which series of non-enzymatic reactions between proteins and or certain lipids and glucose. The result is the formation of dangerous glycotoxins called advanced glycation end products, or AGEs.

Foods within the fat and meat protein group contain twelve and thirty times more AGE content than in the carbohydrate group, while foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, raw nuts, and unprocessed, unrefined foods have low levels of glycotoxins.

Glycotoxins are also formed in the production and preparation of food as well. Preparation of food with high heat such as broiling, roasting, barbecuing vastly increases the glycotoxicity of said food.

Preparation of food at temperatures lower than 250°F avoids the formation of dietary glycotoxins. Most methods, of lower temperature cooking involve using some type of liquid to cook the food, such as poaching, steaming, braising, stewing, and slow cooking via crockpot cooker.

The damage brought on by glycation can be prevented with specific nutrients. Benfotiamine helps with the prevention of nerve and blood vessel damage, and resulting complications of glycation.

Carnosine (not to be confused with L-Carnitine)  is an antioxidant that acts as a shield against sugar molecules, thus preventing glycation. It also stimulates enzymes and other substances to eliminate damaged, glycated proteins, thus helping to reduce the impact of diabetic complications.

To learn more or if you have questions, be sure to ask for Carolyn at Natural Choices

• Obesity causes male testosterone levels to drop, as aromatase in adipose tissue converts testosterone to estrogen.
• Falling testosterone levels predict and cause the development of obesity and the metabolic syndrome
• Testosterone has a powerful impact on many features of metabolism, most notably glucose, insulin, and fat regulation.
• The decline in testosterone levels with age may explain why so many men at or beyond middle age have trouble shedding weight even through diet and exercise.
• Keeping a good level of testosterone through frequent checks can help be an early indicator of risk for metabolic syndrome.
• Careful testosterone replacement therapy has proven effective in reducing body weight, fat content, and insulin resistance.

• Many women worldwide are using micronized diosmin to achieve smoother, more healthy looking legs.
• Micronized diosmin improves the outward appearance of varicose and spider veins, heavy leg syndrome, and chronic venous insufficiency (CVI).
• It reduces pain and swelling in the legs and ankles, helping the legs feel lighter and looking better.
• It relieves the acute and chronic pain and swelling of hemorrhoids.
• Venous leg ulcers show marked improvement due to micronized diosmin.
• Helps to relieve lymphedema, which can occur after breast cancer treatments.

Chlorophyll

• DNA mutations can be caused due to carcinogens in the food we eat everyday, and in the environment in which we reside.
• Protection from DNA mutations is critical for to preventing disease and prolonging life.
• Chlorophyll,   a water-soluble compound,  is the forerunner in the protection against carcinogens found within the confines of the human diet and environment in moderate, daily doses.
• Numerous mechanisms within chlorophyll help the fight against cancer via modulating enzymes involved in the daily metabolizing of carcinogens by directly binding with carcinogens, considered to be dietary, to quicken the excretion rate, which further protects from ionizing radiation.
• Experimental studies reveal that a special form of chlorophyll could very well help to prevent liver, breast, colon, and pancreatic cancers. It also could confer protection from the harmful effects of radiation.
• It is especially effective in exterminating carcinogens found in well-done meat.
• Clinically it is found to produce positive benefits for leukopenia patients. Leukopenia is a disease in which the person has a low white blood cell count.

Studies say that almost 30 million Americans age 20 and up are at a crucial crossroads in life. Excessive caloric intake is taking control and beginning to play with their life and longevity without even knowing.

Though appearing thin and fit looking on the outside, and even when dieting and exercising properly, they still are most likely taking in too many calories than they should.

The research conducted via the Mayo Clinic revealed that people are still at risk and susceptible to deadly consequences:

• Four-fold higher rates of metabolic syndrome in later life.

• Increased cardiovascular disease risk.

• Blood lipid abnormalities in men and women.

• Hypertension in men.

• Double the risk of cardiac death in women.

The main dilemma with taking in too many calories is the fact that this practice hastens the pathological aging process. A way to stimulate genes, which favor youthful physiological traits, is caloric restriction, or CR. What caloric restriction can do is slow the pathological aging process, which in turn lengthens longevity and overall personal health.

Calorie restriction mimetics are a handful of nutrients which stimulate the beneficial aspects of CR without the need for harsh dieting practices.

In 1989, a landmark study on calorie restriction and its impact on longevity began. The study used Rhesus monkeys, due to their biological and aging characteristic similarity to humans. The study used two equal groups of monkeys. One group comprised of monkeys, which ate a normal diet of food and water. The second group ate a diet 30% lower in total calories. After 20 years, the group, which ate an unaltered diet, experienced a 37% mortality rate of age-related deaths, while the group, eating 30% lower calories, experienced a 13% death rate. Calorie restriction reduced degenerative diseases by a factor of three. In 2009, the journal, Science, published the results of the study.

In today’s environment, it is difficult to reduce one’s calories, but for those who can, life extension may be one of the impacts based on this study.  If you find, you are unable to reduce your calories, scientists have found a select group of nutraceuticals, which mimic ‘caloric restriction’ without the need for a reduction in calories.  Genes have the capacity to influence the life span directly by regulating various aging factors (e.g., inflammation, metabolic function, immunity, etc.)

To find out more about the study or what you can do to mimic calorie restriction, stop by Natural Choices in Columbus Indiana and talk with Carolyn.