By: Cat Ebeling, RN, MSN-PHN, co-author of the best-sellers:  The Fat Burning Kitchen, The Top 101 Foods that Fight Aging & The Diabetes Fix

A wonderful, festive holiday salad, good any time of the year.

Everyone bashes kale these days, but it still contains a lot of super nutrients including magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, and potassium. Also, vitamin A (important for eye health and a strong immune response), vitamin C—also good for immune system and collagen repair, and vitamin K for bones and teeth. Kale also contains lots of absorbable folate, key for mental health and nervous system, alpha linoleic acid (a type of omega 3 fat), and lutein and zeaxanthin, important to prevent macular degeneration and fight aging.

The squash is full of fiber, carotene, and vitamin C as well, and pomegranate is loaded with antiaging, cancer fighting nutrients as well.

I made up this salad for a holiday get-together and it was a big hit! I hope you love it too.

Note: All measurements are approximate.

Ingredients

• 1 Bunch of dinosaur kale or baby kale
• ½ cup or so of pomegranate seeds
• 1 small or half large butternut squash, cubed and baked
• Handful of sunflower seeds, pine nuts, almonds, or pumpkin seeds

Dressing

• 1 orange, squeezed
• ½ lemon or lime juice
• ¼ cup olive oil

Directions

1. Massage kale with a rolling pin. This makes it much more tender to chew. De-stem kale and chop in small bite-sized pieces.
2. Cube the squash and toss in a bowl with a drizzle of olive oil, a tsp or so of maple syrup, salt, pepper, and a tiny sprinkle of cayenne (optional). Bake in a 400F degree oven for 15 minutes or so until soft. May need to be stirred on baking sheet halfway. Remove from oven when tender and still slightly firm, and cool.
3. Add kale to salad bowl with pomegranate seeds, squash, and sunflower seeds. Mix up dressing, toss and serve. This salad works well if you want to make it ahead of time and keep in the refrigerator until ready to serve, up to 24 hours.

Wishing you good health and a soaring spirit.

The post Festive Kale, Squash, and Pomegranate Salad with Citrus Dressing appeared first on thenutritionwatchdog.com.

By: Cat Ebeling, RN, MSN-PHN, co-author of the best-sellers:  The Fat Burning Kitchen, The Top 101 Foods that Fight Aging & The Diabetes Fix

You may be seeing mushrooms as ingredients in everything from kombucha to coffee drinks to protein powders and supplements to healthy snacks lately. Mushrooms are everywhere and they have been discovered as the new ‘superfood’.

Medicinal mushrooms have been used for centuries around the world to fight cancer, enhance or modulate immune response, boost brain power and focus, increase antioxidants, lower blood pressure, help with sleep and relaxation and more. Mushrooms are reported to have antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, cardiovascular-protective, antidiabetic, liver-protective, and anticancer properties.

While mushrooms are not the richest source of common micronutrients like magnesium, calcium, and vitamins, they are full of harder-to-get nutrients like selenium, copper, and pantothenic acid—as well as having some unique nutrients you can’t get in other foods.

Did you know you can take fresh mushrooms, lay them out in the sun for a couple of hours and they will synthesize more vitamin D? Yes, indeed. Pretty awesome.

The most interesting properties of mushrooms come from the rare and unique compounds that won’t show up in any nutrient database. Many edible mushrooms contain substances that perform with therapeutic, medicinal, or pharmacological-like effects.

Some of the more popular and well-known medicinal mushrooms include shiitake, reishi, cordyceps, maitake, chaga, cordyceps, turkey tail, and lion’s mane.

While these are often ingredients sold in powdered form, many of these are also showing up in the produce section of your favorite health food store.

Nootropics are a new form of supplementing to increase brain power, focus, mood, memory, and fight dementia. Several varieties of medicinal mushrooms fit in this category, including, chaga, lion’s mane, cordyceps, maitake, and reishi. And what college student or aspiring professional doesn’t want to increase their brain power?

Mushrooms are also known for their powerful immune-enhancing properties. Many medicinal mushrooms not only make the immune system stronger to fight off pathogens, but these mushrooms also help the body destroy cancer cells as well.

Some varieties of mushrooms can help to modulate the immune system in a way that helps the immune system become more balanced. Strong enough to fight off dangerous pathogens and cancer, but calm enough to lower inflammation and auto-immune health issues.

Here’s an in-depth look at some of the most powerful health-enhancing mushrooms:

Shiitake

Primary Benefits: Best for strengthening the immune system, better liver function, and supporting the cardiovascular system.

Shiitakes are one of my favorite mushrooms, aside from their major health benefits. Shiitakes have a delicious, earthy, almost meaty texture, that makes them a beneficial addition to soups, stews, meat, and vegetable dishes. Shiitakes are denser and higher in protein and iron than many other types of mushrooms.

Shiitakes contains an antioxidant called “L-ergothioneine” which specifically protects the cells from oxidative damage. This amazing antioxidant can only be obtained through diet—most notably, shiitakes.

Shiitakes also contain a polysaccharide—a type of special carbohydrate—that has cancer tumor fighting properties along with immune boosting abilities. This substance, lentinan, is very effective for the immune system. In fact, for people who are immune-suppressed or immune-depressed, lentinan provides added protection.

Reishi

Primary Benefits: Calming, anti-anxiety. Sleep aid and immune modulator.

This mushroom is a very popular medicinal mushroom in that helps alleviate anxiety, depression and help people sleep better. In addition, this powerhouse mushroom helps lower inflammation, fight cancer, and aid in weight loss.

Other reishi mushroom benefits include blood sugar regulation, antioxidant, antibacterial, antiviral, and tumor-fighting capabilities.

What makes this mushroom stand out, however is the calming properties it contains. Reishi contains a compound called triterpene which is the active ingredient in its mood-boosting abilities.

Reishi is also valuable as a treatment for chronic fatigue syndrome. A study in Thailand treated subjects with reishi mushroom or placebo. At the end of the study those who were using the reishi reported a significant increase in quality of life, compared the placebo group.

Reishi supports the growth of Nerve Growth Factor (NGF), which helps boost learning, memory, and longevity.

Many of the polysaccharides contained in reishi mushroom are associated with immune function, and will help modulate the immune system. It is also known to improve sleep, reduce stress and fatigue.

Lion’s Mane

Primary Benefits: Mental clarity, brain function and nerve growth and regeneration.

Lion’s mane is an interesting looking fungus, looking like a big white puffball or even—at first glance—a little like cauliflower.

Do you ever struggle with brain fog? Lion’s mane will help re-establish your mental clarity. This puffball of a mushroom is full of antioxidants and helps immune function, like many other mushrooms.

However, lion’s mane strength comes from the fact that it boosts the production of Nerve Growth Factor and myelin, which is the all-important insulation around your nerves.

NFG and myelin are critical to brain and nerve health. When things go awry, it results in serious neurological diseases including Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s and MS. Lion’s mane protects from these life-changing illnesses.

In addition, lion’s mane helps improve cognition, making it an excellent learning aid, while calming anxiety and irritability. Sounds like a college student’s best friend.

Lion’s mane also helps to enhance chemotherapy treatments in cancer patients and minimizes the toxic effects.

Cordyceps

Primary Benefits: Increases energy, physical strength and endurance, aids in muscle recovery.

Cordyceps has an interesting history. In the wild, cordyceps is a parasitic fungus that grows on a particular type of caterpillar. Cordyceps is now cultivated so it does not have to be grown on caterpillars, although it still retains its amazing medicinal properties.

Over 200 clinical studies show cordyceps mushrooms improve athletic performance by increasing blood flow and boosting ATP synthesis for greater energy and strength. ATP is the compound that gives our cells energy.

In addition, cordyceps helps to enhance lactate clearance. Lactate is the substance that builds up in muscles during strenuous exercise and creates that muscle ‘burn’ and fatigue. Cordyceps is also known as an antioxidant and reduces oxidative stress, making it the ideal medicinal mushroom for improved athletic performance and better recovery.

In fact, cordyceps first gained a lot of attention, when, in 1993, Chinese female athletes began breaking world records in distance running. Their performance was attributed to a nutrition regimen that involved cordyceps supplementation.

Another study from Japan showed significant increases in creatine and catecholamines in men supplementing with cordyceps. Catecholamines help the body respond to stress, and help the body with “fight-or-flight” reactions. Catecholamines are made in the adrenals as a reaction to stress. The primary catecholamines are epinephrine (adrenaline), norepinephrine (noradrenaline), and dopamine.

And yet another study on endurance cyclists found that cordyceps not only improved cycling performance but it also helped prevent overtraining syndrome (OTS), due to the high levels of antioxidants cordyceps contains.

Researchers concluded that during prolonged exercise ingesting cordyceps helps to elicit superior efficiency while saving energy.

Cordyceps also acts as an immune stimulator by increasing cancer-fighting T cells and ‘Natural Killer’ cells, while prolonging the life and power of our body’s white blood cells. This increases its ability to fight pathogens, infections, and cancer. Cordyceps also acts as an immune modulator, keeping it from overreacting in autoimmune situations. And cordyceps also has a powerful effect on the gut’s immune function as well.

Last but not least, cordyceps helps men increase their testosterone production. Testosterone is necessary for normal sperm development and sex drive. Cordyceps has long been used for the enhancement of sexual function in human beings. Evidence shows that cordyceps can improve reproductive activity, enhance the libido, and restore reproductive function in both men and women. A specific protein found in cordyceps may increase blood flow and help the penis trap blood to improve erections, thereby improving sexual function.

Chaga

Primary Benefits: Boosts immune function, supports liver health, brain health and longevity.

Chaga is not your typical mushroom. It is a fungus that grows on the bark of birch trees in northern Canada, Alaska, Siberia, Northern Europe, and Korea.

Chaga is one of the most potent sources of antioxidants on the planet, so chaga is very efficient at fighting free radicals, stimulating the immune system, protecting the liver, and lowering inflammation. Chaga can also slow aging of the skin, help to lower LDL cholesterol and prevent or slow the growth of cancer.

Chaga’s action on the immune system specifically enhances the activation of NK cells – natural killer cells. These powerful immune cells are part of the innate immune system—our first line of defense—against viruses, bacteria, and other harmful pathogens.

Studies on chaga in animals show it to help preserve acetylcholine for better brain function, learning and memory. Acetylcholine is a brain chemical which is critical for creating new memories, reasoning, focus, cognition, and growth of new synapses. Lack of acetylcholine can result in diseases like ADD, ADHD and Alzheimer’s. Chaga, lion’s mane and reishi are the top three medicinal mushrooms for better brain health.

Avoid chaga if you take blood thinning medication, diabetes medication or if you have kidney disease. Chaga is higher in oxalates, which may prevent the absorption of some nutrients and can bother those who are sensitive to high oxalate foods.

Turkey Tail

Primary Benefits: Boosts immune function, increases natural killer cells, fights cancer

Turkey Tail mushroom is one of the best-researched medicinal mushrooms. It grows on dead logs all over the world, and gets its name from the brown and tan rings that look like the tail feathers of a turkey. It’s very pretty.

Many of the medicinal mushrooms exhibit strong anticancer properties, probably due to their high levels of powerful antioxidants. But turkey tail takes it a step further.

Turkey tail improves the body’s immune function by stimulating cytokine production, which helps to increase the body’s supply of natural killer cells (part of the innate immune systems—your first line of defense) and other immune-boosting functions.

Turkey tail contains a special compound called “polysaccharide-K” that stimulates the immune system, especially in fighting cancer. PSK is so effective that it’s become an approved anticancer prescription drug in Japan.

Turkey tail has also been shown to improve the survival rate of people with particular types of cancer, including gastric cancer. Due to the beneficial compounds it contains, turkey tail is often used with traditional cancer treatments like chemotherapy as a natural way to fight certain cancers.

Turkey tail can also strengthen the immune systems of those cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy, enhancing the ability of chemotherapy to work on cancer cells. Turkey tail contains some of the highest levels of beta-glucans of all mushrooms and keeps our immune systems healthy—especially when turkey tail is taken over extended periods of time.

Maitake

Primary Benefit: Helps regulate blood pressure, immune function and relieve depression.

The maitake mushroom is native to northeastern Japan. Its name is derived from the Japanese words for dancing mushroom. Another legend says it was named after people dancing with happiness upon finding it because of its incredible healing properties.

This mushroom, like many mushrooms, is a type of adaptogen. Adaptogens help the body with physical and mental stresses. They also work to help balance any unbalanced systems in the body.

Maitake mushrooms are known to help regulate the immune system by stimulating specific immune cells such as the white blood cells, natural killer cells, and T cells.

The mushroom contains polysaccharides such as beta-glucans, which have been linked to healthy cell growth and turnover. Maitake mushrooms support certain cancer therapies, help chronic fatigue syndrome, protect the liver, fight allergies, and lower blood pressure and cholesterol.

It’s primary value as a nootropic (brain boosting chemical) comes from its ability to help relieve depression. Studies with animals show that supplementing with maitake helps alleviate depression by sensitizing certain receptors in the brain.

Basic Tips on Mushrooms

If you plan to eat the mushroom as a food (and many of these are delicious to eat), be sure to cook them. Raw mushrooms are difficult to digest or metabolize. And many mushrooms are slightly toxic when raw.

The best way to cook most any mushroom is to sauté them in butter or olive oil with some garlic. Add sea salt and cracked black pepper and serve alongside a juicy, grass-fed steak and you will be in heaven.

Dried mushrooms—especially from an Asian grocery store—are far less expensive and work great added to soups and steps or sauces.

There are many types of mushroom supplements available in health foods stores, as well as powders, mixes and proteins that contain mushroom extract. Mushroom extracts are now available in ready to serve coffees, kombuchas, and other drinks as well.

References
https://www.realmushrooms.com/7-medicinal-mushroom-benefits-for-health/
https://www.healthline.com/health/food-nutrition/best-medicinal-mushrooms-to-try#for-brain-health
https://www.marksdailyapple.com/smart-fuel-mushrooms/
https://www.marksdailyapple.com/shiitake-mushroom/
https://www.webmd.com/vitamins-and-supplements/features/nootropics-smart-drugs-overview
https://teelixir.com/blogs/news/mushrooms-for-brain-health
https://bionatures.com/blogs/news/5-medicinal-mushrooms-and-their-health-benef

The post The Magic of Medicinal Mushrooms appeared first on thenutritionwatchdog.com.

By: Cat Ebeling, RN, MSN-PHN, co-author of the best-sellers:  The Fat Burning Kitchen, The Top 101 Foods that Fight Aging & The Diabetes Fix

It’s summertime and after a long cold winter, it feels so great to get out in the sunshine. But should we fear the sun? Do we need to slather sunscreen all over us or wear long sleeved shirts and hats?

I find it odd to think that back in the days of our hunter/gatherer ancestors, there was no sunscreen, no hats, no umbrellas—nothing. How did they do it?

We actually need the sunlight on our skin for mental, emotional and health reasons. We must have sunlight. It’s essential to our health and wellbeing.

The Health Benefits of Sunlight

Some of the essential benefits sunlight provides include:

• Immune Health—Sunlight actually helps to stimulate our T cells in the skin. T cells destroy pathogens and are an important part of our immune systems.
• Vitamin D—Is a hormone that helps strengthen and modulate our immune system, regulate our sex hormone production, strengthen bones, teeth, protect our heart health, prevent cancer and keeps our genes healthy. The best way to get vitamin D is from the sun–but not if you block UVB (the rays that can burn) rays.
• Nitric Oxide—Helps our blood vessels stay dilated and increases blood flow. It also reduces blood pressure, improves cardiovascular health, and physical performance. Sun increases nitric oxide.
• Circadian Rhythm—Our sleep-wake cycle depends on our circadian rhythms. We need daylight sun and nighttime dark to have a normal sleep-wake cycle. In the daylight, sun triggers serotonin and exposure to sun in the daytime helps our bodies produce melatonin for sound sleep at night.
• Cognitive Function—Since sunlight increases vitamin D production, it has a positive effect on cognitive function—especially in the elderly. Maybe that’s why older folks retire to the Sunbelt.
• Mood–Exposure to sunlight increases the brain’s release of a hormone called serotonin. Serotonin is associated with feeling happy, calm and focused. Low levels of serotonin are associated with a higher risk of depression, especially “Seasonal Affective Disorder” or SAD.

Unfortunately, we’ve been told over and over again to avoid the sun, that the sunlight is dangerous and we should ‘fear’ it. And yes, you can get too much sun. Your skin can get burned or blistered and you can even develop skin cancer from excessive exposure to the sun. So how then, do we get the above benefits of the sun?

The Truth About Sunscreen

Yes, you are correct, getting sunburned is not usually a good thing. This means damage has occurred in your skin and the resulting redness is an inflammatory reaction. A history of blistering sunburns can actually be a predictor of your chances of skin cancer.

However, lifestyle and diet can definitely protect your skin from getting sunburned and can help lessen the damage, including the redness and discomfort of the sunburn.

The sun has two kinds of rays: UVA and UVB. UVB is actually the type that can burn you. Most sunscreens work to block the UVB rays.

However, blocking the UVB rays and just getting UVA rays (the rays that make your skin browner) won’t give many of the health benefits. Vitamin D is actually synthesized the sun’s ultraviolet B (UVB) rays hitting the cholesterol our skin cells, providing the catalyst for vitamin D synthesis to occur.

The trick with sun benefits is to get shorter exposures and build up time in the sun. So that means getting outside but limiting—not avoiding–your exposure to burning rays.

This also means getting real sun, not the kind you get from a tanning bed, which usually only put out UVA rays.

• Eat plenty of antioxidants

This is actually the key to avoid bad sunburns, and to reduce damage to your skin. Colorful vegetables and fruit are basically a type of edible sunscreen. A diet high in carotenoids (a type of antioxidant in red and orange vegetables) can actually protect against sun damage. Lycopene, the antioxidant in tomatoes has similar skin-protective properties. Vegetables that are high in vitamin C and E are also protective, as are anthocyanidins, the antioxidants found in blueberries, red or dark grapes and red wine. Eating lots of red, orange and purple stuff will prevent your skin from turning those colors!

Skin protective foods include: Berries, tomatoes, carrots, red bell peppers, kale and other dark green leafy veggies, pastured egg yolks, sockeye salmon, and shrimp

• Eat more omega 3 fats and avoid inflammatory omega 6 fats

Any processed seed oil such as canola oil, sunflower oil, safflower oil, soybean oil, corn oil, or any other “vegetable oil”, is highly dangerous to your health. Seed oils are pro-skin cancer.

How? The short explanation is this—inside each and every cell in our bodies, we have the mitochondria. This is the energy production center of the cell. The cells’ mitochondria need to have specific types fatty acids to communicate with each other and work properly. These fatty acids signal when a cell is damaged or dysfunctional and the cell is destroyed. Omega 6 seed oils shut off the alarm to destroy the dysfunctional cell, and instead it can grow out of control and becomes cancerous.

The more (healthy) omega 3s you consume, the more protection from the sun you enjoy.

Skin protective fats include: Salmon, cod, other wild caught fish, grass-fed beef, pastured eggs, grass-fed butter.

• Know your own skin type and get the right amount of sun

The lighter your hair and skin, the less sun you need to get enough vitamin D and the other health benefits the sun provides. However, darker skinned people need more time out in the sun, and if you are dark-skinned and living in the northern hemisphere, you may need to take supplemental vitamin D.

• Get good sleep and get out in the sun early in the day

Did you know your skin’s ability to handle the sun has to do with your circadian rhythm? The skin’s defense against the sun actually works best the first half of the day. So if you are headed to the beach, do it early, not late in the afternoon, when you skin can handle it better.

Early morning sunlight is rich in UVB rays, which also helps prepare your skin for the UVA tanning rays in the afternoon by enhancing its UV resistance.

Daily sun vs sun ‘binging’

People who get out in the sun on a regular basis actually have better defense against skin damage than people who only get intermittent sun exposure. Holiday vacationers who binge on the sun for the week or two they are on vacation are far more likely to be at risk for sun damage, skin cancer and melanomas.

A daily low to moderate dose of the sun is much healthier than occasional sun binging.

What about sunscreen?

Granted, there are times when we all need sunscreen, even if we follow the above guidelines. Camping, a raft trip, boating, fishing, hiking—you name it, if you are outside for long periods of time, sun protection is probably important.

The problem with sunscreens is that the majority of them use chemicals to filter out the sun (mostly UVB) and unfortunately, those chemicals are quickly absorbed into the skin and into the bloodstream where they can be pretty toxic. Some of the more toxic ingredients include:

• Benzophene–Many sunscreens with chemical sun block also come with endocrine disruption. Some forms of the chemical benzophenone will inhibit the action of your thyroid hormones. Result, thyroid hormones T3 and T4 are lower than normal for several days after applying sunscreen with benzophene.
• Octyl-methoxycinnamate–Another common ingredient, octyl-methoxycinnamate is considered a xenoestrogen (artificial estrogen) and disrupts normal hormone function in men and women.
• Oxybenzone—This ingredient filters out UV rays, but it is also an artificial estrogen, which blocks testosterone in men, and can cause estrogen-based cancers in women—in addition to throwing female hormones out of whack. Oxybenzone is also dangerous to unborn children, as this study shows. And sunscreen and bug spray don’t mix—when you apply both, you absorb even more of the toxic bug-killing ingredients as well.
• Octinoxate—This chemical is the most widely used UVB-blocking ingredient. Octinoxate produces estrogen-like activity and also affects thyroid function. The scariest thing about this chemical is how easily it is absorbed into the body and the bloodstream. It has been detected in human breastmilk as well.
• Homosalate – This chemical is also another common UVB-blocking chemical that acts as an artificial estrogen in the body. Homosalate also will increase the amount of pesticides we absorb through the skin, if you happen to use buy spray as well.
• Parabens—One more endocrine disrupting/xenoestrogen synthetic preservative found in cosmetics and conventional sunscreens. Parabens can be tricky to find on labels. Look for ingredient names like methylparaben, propylparaben, isoparaben or butylparaben.

What is SAFE?

If you need to find less toxic protection from the sun, look for formulas that list zinc oxide or titanium dioxide as the active ingredients. Both of these sit on top of the skin, and physically block the sun with little to no absorption through the skin or into the bloodstream.

For a complete list of sunscreens to avoid, and safer sunscreens to use check out this article from Dr. Josh Axe.

Bottom line–if you must spend a long amount of time out in the summer sun, eat a skin-healthy diet, and protect your skin with a safe and natural zinc oxide or titanium oxide based sunscreen too. And enjoy the summer sun!

References
https://bit.ly/3x966CE
https://www.marksdailyapple.com/sun/#ref-11
https://draxe.com/beauty/best-sunscreens/

The post The Truth About Sunscreen appeared first on thenutritionwatchdog.com.

By: Cat Ebeling, RN, MSN-PHN, co-author of the best-sellers:  The Fat Burning Kitchen, The Top 101 Foods that Fight Aging & The Diabetes Fix

Want to know the BEST way to slow down aging and prolong your life?

Continue to build muscle.

As we age, we can lose 5-8% of our muscle mass. Men—because they have more muscle mass when younger—tend to lose about 30% of their muscle mass in their lifetime. Women lose muscle at a slower rate, but still lose a lot of muscle. Compared to men, women tend to higher amounts of body fat, lower muscle density and less strength. Although women generally live longer than men, they are at a much higher risk for disability—much of it having to do with loss of muscle as they age.

Keep in mind, I am not just talking about frail, very old men and women. I am talking about anyone over the age of 30! Muscle loss usually begins after the age of 30 for both men and women and increases every year.

Age-related muscle loss, or sarcopenia, can definitely shorten your life. And our muscles do more than just move our bodies. Muscle plays a major role in our metabolism, circulation, brain health, immune function, and even helping other organs function. Because muscles are linked to many systems in the body, research published in The Journal of Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine concludes that a person’s muscle mass is a far better predictor of health than body mass index. And leg strength has been found one of the best ways to predict longevity.

Interestingly, as reported by MedicineNet.com: “Researchers found that leg strength was a better predictor of brain health than any other lifestyle factor looked at in the study.”

Muscle mass helps protect us from falls and enhances our balance and ability to get around as we age. A recent report from the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research found that people with age-related muscle loss have almost 2 and a half times the risk of a fracture from a broken hip, collarbone, leg, arm or wrist.

Loss of muscle also limits or impairs mobility. And when mobility is affected, overall quality of life and independence go way down. Often this can be the deciding factor for assistive devices and having to outside help.

Muscle mass is also the single greatest determinant of our metabolic rate, which is the number of calories we burn per day. People with higher muscle mass burn far more calories than people who have lower muscle mass, even when sitting still.

Muscles also are one of our bodies’ biggest consumers of glucose for fuel, so muscle mass has a big effect on insulin resistance and blood sugar levels. Losing muscle mass with aging is thought to be a primary cause of insulin resistance in older adults. The declining muscle strength and progressive slowing of mobility and activity contributes to metabolic dysfunction, which then can lead to complications like type 2 diabetes.

Another very significant factor having to do with muscle mass—heart and lung health. The heart is a muscle and for those with muscle weakness, this can affect the heart muscle as well. Often people with very low body weight and low muscle mass have a higher risk of heart complications, including heart failure and heart arrhythmias, due to declining strength and mass of the heart muscle.

The Sneaky Ways Declining Levels of Muscle Mass Sabotages Your Health

Loss of resilience from sarcopenia is a major factor in the ability to deal with health challenges. People with low muscle mass also experience an increased risk of acquiring contagious diseases and have higher all-cause mortality. And low muscle mass also increases your risk for pneumonia and other lung diseases.

Our skeletal muscle system is actually an organ that helps to regulate the immune system. Muscle cells maintain healthy immune function and regulate both innate and adaptive immune responses. Both of these systems are of extreme importance in fighting viruses such as SarsCoV-2.

While I was an elite level bike racer, which is mostly a cardiovascular workout, I continued to do weight training during the off season. I knew the importance of maintaining strong muscles. Now that I am no longer competitively racing, I regularly lift weights 2-4x a week.

The frustrating thing is that even though I am fit, if I miss a week or so of lifting weights, it’s harder to go back. I get stiff and sore. However, I realize the incredible value weight training has on my ability to move better, balance better, and just feel more confident in my everyday activities. So, I keep at it!

So, while cardio-based exercise is good for your heart and lungs, it will actually break down your muscles and lower your muscle mass. So always accompany cardio-based exercise with a weight training plan.

If you are new to resistance exercise, make it easy to stick to. Incorporate these top movements to help you continue to hold on to—or increase your muscle mass, build up your balance, and help you in your everyday movements and activities. Just say “No” to the grocery bag boy who wants to help you carry your bags to the car!

Remember these principles of resistance training:

1. Keep it consistent—aim to do it 2-3 times a week or more.
2. Incorporate the following movements into your plan.
3. It doesn’t require equipment—you can use items around your house like cans, gallon jugs, rocks, etc.
4. It helps to invest in a few dumbbells (5, 10, 15lbs) and a stretchy band or two you can comfortably put around your thighs.
5. Increase your weights on a regular basis—every 2-3 weeks or so. Or add more reps.
6. Allow a day of recovery in-between training sessions.

It is key to always have significant recovery period to allow your connective tissue and muscles to recover. And the other key is to be sure you are getting enough healthy protein (real food, not powder) in your diet, along with collagen which speeds up muscle recovery and prevents injury.

Every exercise in your strength program has a purpose — to help you build strength and muscle, burn fat and improve your fitness. While there’s a time and a place for nearly any exercise under the right circumstance, some movements are simply more effective than others. It should come as no surprise that the ones that build a foundation for movements you use in everyday tasks, will be the most beneficial for improving fitness and quality of life. These are called “functional exercises,” and should be included in every exercise program.

1. The Squat

The squat is THE most functional exercise you will ever do, and probably one of the best strengthening exercises as well. Think about how many times a day you squat: getting out of bed, going to the bathroom, going up or down stairs, picking things up off the floor, getting in and out of your car, sitting down in a chair—I could go on and on. Leg muscles—or lack thereof–are a primary predictor of longevity.

Begin with legs shoulder width apart. Hold back straight. Keep knees behind the toes. Squat down as low as you can go and stand slowly. Repeat 10-12 times doing 3 sets. For more of a challenge try using a weight or a set of dumbbells. You can also use a wide stretchy band and push the knees out as you squat; this activates the glute medius as well.

2. The Lunge or Split Squat

Another variation on the squat, the lunge helps to focus and concentrate on the smaller balancing muscles of the legs, while working the larger muscles, including the glutes and lower back as well. Standing with your feet slightly apart, take a big step back with one foot. Bend both knees, taking your back knee toward the ground and maintaining a 90-degree angle with the front leg. Push off with the rear leg and stand back up. If you feel out of balance, hold on to a wall, steady chair, counter, etc. For more of a challenge, do walking lunges and add weights. Repeat 10-12 times doing 3 sets.

3. The Deadlift Hinge

Grab some weights, gallon jugs with water or sand, a dumbbell in each hand. Stand with feet a little wider than shoulder-width. Hinge forward from hips with slightly arched back and knees slightly bent. Keep your head up and looking out, not down. (This will help to keep the arch in your lower back. If you round out your back, you run the risk of straining it.) Squeeze your buttocks and feel them contract as you stand back up. Repeat 10-12 times doing 3 sets.

If you don’t feel this move fire up your glutes, your knees aren’t bent enough.

4. The Pushup

Being able to push away from something or push something off you can be a lifesaving move. A pushup activates nearly every muscle in your body, which gives you far more than just toned muscles and increased endurance.

As you lower your body to the floor, you are using every major muscle in your body, including biceps, core and abs, triceps, anterior deltoids, pectorals, and most all your back muscles.

Besides utilizing your muscles to push off a surface, you have to use your muscles in a controlled way to lower yourself as well. And, anyone who does pushups on a regular basis usually has some amazing looking abs!

If you have a hard time doing them from a horizontal position, you can use any angle to help you build up your strength. Try a wall, a countertop or a secure low level table. Keep hands shoulder distance apart, lower slowly, squeeze the shoulder blades together, and push back up into start position. Tighten up your core and don’t let your lower back sag or let your shoulders hunch up. Repeat 10-12 times doing 3 sets.

5. Pulling or Rowing

Muscles used for pulling exercises make up what is known as the posterior chain. The posterior chain is a group of muscles, tendons and ligaments along the back of the body, including the neck, back, hips, and legs.

Modern humans spend too much time seated and hunched over. This tightens the muscles in front of the body and weakens and overstretches the back muscles. Neglecting your posterior chain can negatively affect your posture, mobility, strength, and flexibility, and this sets us up for injuries, arthritis and overly tight muscles.

This exercise can be done either seated or bent over a low table. Keeping back straight, pull in with a weight or stretchy band, until elbows and upper arms are aligned with your sides. Squeeze and contract the muscles in between the shoulder blades. Do not allow your shoulders to come up—instead keep chest out and shoulders down. Since our back muscles are most often overstretched and far weaker than our chest muscles, we should do pulling or rowing exercises often. Repeat 10-12 times doing 3 sets or more.

6. The Glute Bridge

Having strong, functional gluteal and hip muscles can help you avoid injury or strain in your low back, hips, knees, and ankles by creating proper alignment and stability. Our glutes, or ‘butt’ muscles extend and rotate the hips, help us sit down and get up, walk, run, or jump. Every step you take, your glutes are working to stabilize your hips and lower back.

Sitting all day weakens our glutes and shortens our hip flexors and hamstrings. It can also cause lower back problems when our glutes are weak. Glutes are key for balance and mobility too. And of course, nice firm rounded glute muscles also look pretty good too—whether you are a man or woman.

Lie on your back on the floor. Bend knees and place feet flat on ground. Lift hips up to maximum level, lifting entire back up off ground. Only your head and shoulders should be on the floor. Extend up as far as you can, hold and come down. Repeat 12-15 times, doing 2-3 sets. For more challenging bridges, add a stretchy band around your thighs and push out as you lift up.

7. The Plank

Planks are one of those under-utilized and under-appreciated exercises for your whole core. Your core is the whole part of your torso, front and back. Working out your core improves your stability, reduces injury and helps with balance. Planks also put your arms to use, your legs, your chest and some of your back as well. Planks will also improve your posture.

Planks also help you develop strength your abs and back muscles, which gives you the power to stand up straight and hold your back and hips in alignment. And, planks are easy to modify to make easier or harder.

For starters, you can do the most basic plank. Lie on your stomach on your forearms and push off. Hold your abs tight and keep your lower back from sagging down. Hold this position for 15-30 seconds or more. For a more challenging plank, pull your abs in and pull yourself up to a ‘V’, then lower yourself back down slowly. Repeat 10-12 times.

8. Quadruped Row

This exercise is actually one of my favorites. It’s much harder than it looks, and it works all of the core muscles, including the all the different muscles of the abdominal area, the lower back, the upper back and the glutes. Plus it really helps you pinpoint and eliminate any weak spots in your core. It also targets your balance. I notice sore muscles I never knew I had!

Begin on the floor on all fours. Pick up a weight (5-10lbs is a good starting point) and hold it in one hand. Then extend out the leg on the opposite side. While holding the leg out and balancing, pull the weight in towards your body as in a bent-over row. Extend the arm back down and repeat. When you are ready for more of a challenge, try this on a weight bench and increase the dumbbell weight.

If you desire to live a long high quality life, I suggest you start incorporating these exercises 2-3 times a week. The stronger you are today, the longer (and better) you’re likely to live in the future.

1. Strength in your legs is likely a bigger predictor of future health than the amount of muscle you have overall, but for better mobility, better health, and better balance, it’s important to work your whole body.
2. Consume adequate amounts of protein to maintain your muscle and strength as you get older. You can give your body a boost on muscle by switching out carbs for an extra serving of chicken or turkey whenever possible.

If you found this article to your liking and would like to read about how exercise can slow down the aging process, check out what my friends Steve and Becky have discovered to keep yourself young and fit.

Did you know that certain exercises can help you slow aging and help you to look younger, but other specific types of exercises can actually age you FASTER.  Not good!

Make sure to AVOID the types of exercises that accelerate aging in your body.  My colleague Steve Holman explains which exercises to avoid at this article:

This exercise accelerates AGING in your body (plus 5 tips to look 10 years younger)

Steve also shows you on that page which specific format of exercise helps reverse aging!

References
https://dailyburn.com/life/fitness/best-strength-training-exercises/?partner=goog2&mtype=102&sub_id=nonbrand&gclid=CjwKCAiAxeX_BRASEiwAc1QdkUGB0sLB3r_LqdwZYLgNxd5jweHJwBNVEDUxhAAMi6ErOhU6tHi36xoC-VoQAvD_BwE
https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/preserve-your-muscle-mass
https://www.nutritionnews.abbott/healthy-living/aging-well/5-ways-to-age-proof-your-muscles/
https://www.aarp.org/health/healthy-living/info-2018/muscle-strength-bone-health-aging/
https://healthtide.com/impact-leg-strength-life-expectancy-brain-health/
https://www.fix.com/blog/the-importance-of-pulling-exercises/
https://www.healthline.com/health/fitness-exercise/plank-exercise-benefits#Make-planks-part-of-your-exercise-routine

The post This ONE Thing Will Help You Slow Aging and Live Longer appeared first on thenutritionwatchdog.com.

By: Cat Ebeling, RN, MSN-PHN, co-author of the best-sellers:  The Fat Burning Kitchen, The Top 101 Foods that Fight Aging & The Diabetes Fix

I have been taking Vitamin C to prevent colds and the flu since the 70’s, when Linus Pauling declared vitamin C’s ability to defeat the common cold. I have always thought it helped prevent or shorten any illness. Since then, it’s been a hotly debated subject as to how effective it actually is for preventing colds, and influenza. Personally, I am a believer.

Vitamin C is a very potent antioxidant that protects against free radicals that can lower your immunity, and increase the risk of chronic disease, as well as speed up the aging process.

Vitamin C does help the immune system protect against viral infections and other types of infections more efficiently. It does this by strengthening the function of our innate immune system, which is our first line of defense against bacteria and viruses—especially those we have never encountered before.

In addition, vitamin C also activates the adaptive immune system responses to increase levels of antibodies which attack specific types of germs, bacteria and viruses that the body has previously fought off.

One of the hallmark signs of vitamin C deficiency is a weakened immune system.  A study out of Switzerland found that getting adequate levels of vitamin C can help reduce the symptoms and duration of respiratory infections, such as the common cold, bronchitis, or sinusitis. And, when combined with zinc, more importantly, it can also prevent or improve outcomes of pneumonia, malaria and diarrhea infections as well.

Some of the most convincing evidence of vitamin C’s ability to fight respiratory infections comes from a large study of 29 randomized trials that included more than 11,000 participants. Researchers found that active athletes who exercised in cold weather cut their risk of respiratory infections in half by taking only 200mg of vitamin C a day. Taking just 200mg of vitamin C per day also reduced the duration of the cold and flu symptoms significantly, helping people return to work and their lives more quickly.

Vitamin C is also effective at both preventing cancer cells and stopping their spread. A study from Finland shows vitamin C’s ability to help prevent heart disease—people who took 700mg of vitamin C a day had a 25% lower chance of developing heart disease, as well as lowering both triglycerides and levels of (bad) LDL cholesterol.

Unfortunately, humans are one of the only species who cannot create vitamin C in their bodies. So we must get it from our diets and supplementation. Vitamin C is also water soluble, so it easily washes out of the body. If you want the benefits of vitamin C, you’ll need to consume it daily, and not just at the start of getting sick.
While high doses of vitamin C may be effective at helping with some health issues, most of the vitamin C over 400 mg may get washed out in the urine. High doses of vitamin C work best in divided doses throughout the day, otherwise, it may cause digestive upset and diarrhea.

A recent study published in Seminars in Preventive and Alternative Medicine looked at over 100 studies and found a growing list of benefits of vitamin C. Some of those health benefits include:

• Protecting against heart disease, high blood pressure and strokes
• Lowering bad cholesterol levels including LDL and triglycerides
• Helping prevent cataracts and macular degeneration
• Reducing aging by building up collagen that prevents wrinkles
• Protecting the kidneys, eyes and blood vessels of those with diabetes
• Enhancing the absorption of iron, preventing anemia
• Reducing histamine reactions, lessening the symptoms of allergies and inflammation
• Preventing seasickness
• Strengthening and helping repair tendons, ligaments, and cartilage in the body.

Since we don’t make vitamin C, it’s easy to become deficient in it. Some of the signs of low vitamin C include:

• Bruising
• Swollen or bleeding gums
• Slow wound healing
• Dry hair
• Rough scaly skin
• Nosebleeds
• Weak immune system, frequent colds and flu
• Digestive disorders like leaky gut and food allergies
• High blood pressure and heart disease

Because the vitamin C in foods is accompanied by a host of other healthy antioxidants and super nutrients, it’s best to eat foods with high vitamin C content. Some of the highest levels of vitamin C in foods include all forms of citrus fruits, kiwi, peppers—especially red peppers, papaya, strawberries, broccoli, tomatoes, kale, guava, and mango. But it’s easy to get plenty of healthful vitamin C just by choosing a wide variety of organic, brightly colored vegetables. Keep in mind that overcooking destroys the vitamin C, so cook lightly or eat raw.

However, you should probably still consider supplementing to achieve the optimal protective levels of vitamin C in your body. While high doses are generally safe, it is still important not to exceed the and upper limit of about 2,000 milligrams a day to avoid adverse digestive symptoms such as stomach upset and diarrhea.

Liposomal (or pro-liposomal) vitamin C is a brand new highly absorbable option for high-dose vitamin C. When you take the common form of ascorbic acid (vitamin C) only about 14-30% of it is actually absorbed in the body. And the absorption rate goes down, the higher the dosage. Dosage of standard forms of vitamin C are only about 200-1,000 mg/day but with liposomal vitamin C you can safely take 1000-2000mg a day and know it will all be absorbed.

This is where liposomal vitamin C has an advantage.

Liposomes are particular microscopic spheres that carry vitamin C at their core. Their absorption does not depend on vitamin C transporters, but rather on the direct fusion of the liposome with the small intestinal cells resulting in direct intracellular (inside the cells) release of the vitamin C and eventually into the blood circulation. Liposomal vitamin C has a substantially improved rate of absorption than conventional vitamin C supplements which further magnifies all the health benefits of vitamin C.

Experts agree that Vitamin C, in combination with a healthy lifestyle, can boost your immune system and help prevent colds and flu, or shorten the duration.

We put one of the worst modern health crisis in our rear view mirror, but is it really over?

2026 – ER doc has urgent immunity warning for what’s coming

According to one ER doctor, there are 3 terrifying warning signs right now…

The media is hiding them (the politicians needed votes this fall).

Click here to see what’s coming next, and how to protect yourself

Immunity has been the perfect “back door” for taking away our freedoms..

And, what comes next could make the last few years look like a cakewalk.

Here’s this MD’s suggestions for supporting your immune system right now.

References
https://coremedscience.com/blogs/wellness/how-to-pick-the-best-liposomal-vitamin-c
https://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/vitamins/vitamin-C#common-cold-treatment
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/vitamin-c-coronavirus#recommendation
https://draxe.com/nutrition/vitamin-c-foods/
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/219352#what_is_vitamin_C_and_why_do_we_need_it

The post Vitamin C and Your Immune System appeared first on thenutritionwatchdog.com.

By: Cat Ebeling, RN, MSN-PHN, co-author of the best-sellers:  The Fat Burning Kitchen, The Top 101 Foods that Fight Aging & The Diabetes Fix

Vitamin D from the sun has existed for a long time as an immune booster. In the 1800’s when many people had tuberculosis, sunshine was known to have curative powers, and sick patients flocked to sanitariums in sunny places to soak up the healing sunshine. Cod liver oil, also a rich source of vitamin D, has also been around for decades as a preventative for infections, colds and flu.

Studies show that vitamin D regulates many functions in the body, including hormone balance, metabolism, blood pressure, bone density, fighting cancer, and immune function (ever notice that people tend to get colds and flu in the winter when the sun is low?).

Vitamin D is critical for our health. We know that vitamin D is essential for healing and protecting against many contagious diseases and chronic diseases. Low levels of vitamin D are associated with upper and lower respiratory infections, heart disease, asthma, cancers, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, HIV, hypertension, inflammatory bowel disease, Alzheimer’s disease and other autoimmune diseases. Vitamin D deficiency is a worldwide public health problem in both developed and developing countries.

Did you know that our bodies contain cell receptors for vitamin D in virtually every system of the body? That tells us that vitamin D is necessary for virtually all body functions. Vitamin D actually influences the expression of over 200 health-supporting genes in our bodies.

There’s a lot of buzz about vitamin D boosting immune function to fight off colds, seasonal influenza, and other viruses. Research suggests that vitamin-D deficiency may one of the primary reasons people get more colds and flu in the winter when sunshine is less available.

As many as 70 percent of Americans are considered deficient in vitamin D. The elderly, females more than males, those who live the far north or south of the equator, people with darker skin pigmentation, those who work and stay inside during the day, and people with poor dietary habits generally have the lowest levels of vitamin D.

How does vitamin D boost immune function?

The immune system is an incredibly complex protective mechanism, but to simplify, we can divide the immune system into two main categories: innate immunity, and adaptive immunity.

Innate immunity is our nonspecific defense mechanism that activates in the presence of an invading pathogen. So, even if you have never been exposed to a virus or pathogen, your body has a built-in ability to protect itself from an invader. This part of your immune system is your first line of defense against any type of new type of germs—whether it is bacteria, viruses, and fungi. And it’s super important to be sure this line of defense is strong.

The other type of immune response is your adaptive immune response. This immune response is active against pathogens that you have previously encountered. The body recognizes, adapts and attacks specific invaders much more efficiently.

In the case of brand new types of influenza strains, the body has not had a chance to develop specific antibodies against it yet. So, this is where we call in the powers of our innate immune system to protect us. Vitamin D works to strengthen this innate immune system response.

Many different studies have associated vitamin D with its power to fight infection. One report looked at almost 19,000 people and found that the individuals with the lower levels of vitamin D were more likely to report upper respiratory tract infections, than those with sufficient levels of vitamin D.

This study looked at 800 people in Finland, and found that those with the lowest levels of vitamin D lost more days at work due to respiratory infections. Other studies have focused on how vitamin D helps to prevent influenza, colds and even HIV. And this well-designed study using therapeutic doses of vitamin D showed that vitamin D administration resulted in a statistically significant (42%) decrease in the incidence of influenza infection.

Vitamin D works by boosting the strength of the immune system while lowering inflammatory reactions. This makes vitamin D a powerful immune modulator. It helps boost immune power, but prevents the immune system from overreacting, as in the case of autoimmune disease.

How does it work? Vitamin D strengthens particular cells within the immune system, such as the T cells. It also helps to decrease levels of inflammatory cytokines, a part of the immune system that can overreact with dangerous outcomes.

There are three ways to get vitamin D levels up in your system. One—you can take a vitamin D3 supplement. D3 or cholecalciferol is most easily utilized in the body, over vitamin D2. Secondly, you can get some vitamin D from foods and third, you can get vitamin D from the sun—IF you are in an area where the sun is strong enough. Depending on the latitude where you live and the time of year, you may or may not be able to get vitamin D from the sun. In my opinion, however getting vitamin D from sunshine is the best way if you can.

The sun’s rays are too weak in the winter generally (depending on the latitude that you live). Even if you can get outside in the winter, if you live north of say, Los Angeles to the west and Atlanta Georgia to the east, you won’t be able to get enough sun from November through February.

The only way for our bodies to make vitamin D from the sun is to allow the UVB rays of the sun to reach our skin. That means we need to expose enough skin for 20-40 minutes without sunscreen at the strongest times of the day, between the hours of 10am and 2pm.

UVB rays are the rays that cause sunburn, just don’t overdo it! Full-body exposure of pale skin to summer sunshine for 30 minutes without clothing or sunscreen can result in the synthesis of between 10,000 and 20,000 IU of vitamin D.

However—if you don’t supplement with vitamin D3 in the winter you’re can pretty much count on being deficient in vitamin D in the winter.

Supplementing with vitamin D has a wide range of ‘suggested’ dosages, and you can overdo it with this fat soluble vitamin and create adverse health effects. While some doctors advise people to take 5000 to 10,000 Iu per day of vitamin D, this can be too much and a safer range would be around 5,000IU vitamin D3 per day.

According to Dr. Chris Kresser, the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, and K work synergistically, so adding adequate vitamin A and K2 may protect against toxic effects of excess vitamin D. Sufficient levels of potassium and magnesium have also been suggested to protect against vitamin D toxicity.

Lastly, be sure to get plenty of healthy food with natural sources of vitamin D, such as egg yolks, wild caught salmon and mackerel, organ meats, and some mushrooms. And avoid those processed foods with added vitamin D—those do nothing for your health.

Some of the best absorbed vitamin D comes from taking some cod liver oil daily. Make sure to take only small doses of cod liver oil (enough for 50% to 100% DV of vitamin D), as large doses can give you an overdose of Vitamin A.

One more thing to point out as we near the end of winter, sunlight has far more beneficial benefits for our health than just increasing our vitamin D.

A recent 20-year study following 29,518 subjects found that those individuals avoiding sun exposure were twice as likely to die from all causes. Sunlight helps us make more endorphins, the natural chemical in our bodies that makes us feel relaxed and happy.

Sunlight promotes production of a peptide that helps to dilate the blood vessels, lowering blood pressure, and it helps create another substance called ‘Substance P’, that promotes better blood flow and regulates the immune system in response to acute stressors. And one more benefit of sunshine, it helps to reduce appetite, increase the libido and gives you a nice looking golden glow, while regulating your sleeping/waking cycle better.

If you want to stay healthy and strong, it’s not only wise, but essential to spend time outdoors in the sunshine. Soak it up!

We put one of the worst modern health crisis in our rear view mirror, but is it really over?

2026 – ER doc has urgent immunity warning for what’s coming

According to one ER doctor, there are 3 terrifying warning signs right now…

The media is hiding them (the politicians needed votes this fall).

Click here to see what’s coming next, and how to protect yourself

Immunity has been the perfect “back door” for taking away our freedoms..

And, what comes next could make the last few years look like a cakewalk.

Here’s this MD’s suggestions for supporting your immune system right now.

References
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/10/well/live/can-i-boost-my-immune-system.html
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3166406/
https://chriskresser.com/vitamin-d-more-is-not-better/
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/04/190417111440.htm
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2821804/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3738984/#B7-nutrients-05-02502
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3738984/

The post Vitamin-D and Immune Function appeared first on thenutritionwatchdog.com.

With the rapid spread of Covid-19 around the world, along with the dramatic and scary news stories, it seems everyone is scrambling to grab supplements to boost their immune systems. While nothing takes the place of a healthy diet that lowers inflammation in your body, a good night’s sleep, stress reduction, exercise, and vitamin D production in your skin from sun exposure—some supplements can definitely be helpful as well.

Once the SARS-CoV-2 or Coronavirus gets inside the human respiratory tract, it infects and multiplies in the cells lining the airways and lungs. This kicks the body’s immune system into action. In most people, the immune system does its work, then recedes and the patient recovers.

Normally, an immune response which causes inflammation is a normal and good thing in the fight against a pathogen or an injury. However, with this coronavirus, the Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome that occurs in some people, happens as a result of a dysfunctional immune response to the presence of the virus. The uncontrolled immune response triggers an overproduction of immune cells and their signaling molecules which leads to a ‘cytokine storm’. This cytokine storm is generally what causes the severe and potentially fatal symptoms of severe pneumonia and breathing difficulties with a Covid19 infection.

So it’s more about having a healthy immune system overall and reducing inflammation in the body, because if the body is already overridden with inflammation, leaky gut, Diabetes, obesity, and other health problems, it’s possible this can contribute to the cytokine storm that’s being seen in some patients.

There are several supplements that actually help to strengthen the immune system and reduce inflammation, without overstimulating the immune system. One of the top nutrients for this is Quercetin.

What is Quercetin?  It is a potent anti-inflammatory and antiviral substance found in certain foods, including red onions and apples. Many people take Quercetin in the fall and spring to help their allergies to tree and weed pollen.  Quercetin has been shown in many studies to have fairly broad anti-viral properties against most viruses.

Quercetin is considered a bioflavonoid. Quercetin is found in the highest concentrations in red onions, berries, red wine, green tea, buckwheat, and apples.

Quercetin is now also undergoing trials in China for its effectiveness against Covid19 (but I am in no way saying Quercetin cures or blocks your ability to get it). In a recent analysis published by the University of Tennessee and Oak Ridge National Labs, they used high-powered computer modeling to look at which compounds or supplements might best prevent the coronavirus from binding to our cells.

This is key, because this is how this virus gets into to our bodies and starts reproducing. It enters our bodies through nasal passages, mouth, eyes, or respiratory passages. Once it binds to a cell, it finds its way into the cell, starts reproducing like crazy, and takes over the respiratory system, especially the lungs.

The coronavirus uses the ACE2 or Angiotensin Converting Enzyme receptor in our bodies to enter the cells. This is important too, because ACE2 receptors have to do with regulating our blood pressure—I’ll talk more about that below.

The analysis from Tennessee looked at several different compounds and nutrients to see which ones worked best at interfering with the virus’s ability to attach to a cell and get inside to do its damage. One of the top 5 virus-fighting natural compounds is Quercetin.

Quercetin is a natural supplement that has other big benefits including lessening reactions to allergies, as well as fighting aging and free radicals. Well worth it to start taking since it has multiple benefits for our health. According to most research, the usual dose is 500mg to 1,000 mg a day. Quercetin is often compounded with a digestive enzyme like bromelain, plus Vitamin C, to improve absorption. All good things.

Quercetin is also inexpensive, especially compared to some of the pharmaceutical grade antiviral drugs that are being used now. This broad-spectrum antiviral supplement has already proven successful for treating the Ebola and Zika viruses, according to Dr. Michel Chrétien, a researcher at the Clinical Research Institute of Montreal.

Does it work for sure? It’s too early for standard clinical trials to show positive proof, but the circumstantial evidence is strong in favor of its anti-inflammatory and antiviral capabilities. The best thing about quercetin is, even without clinical trials, we know that quercetin will not harm you, or cause your immune system to overreact. Including quercetin in your immune-boosting weapons seems like a wise idea, along with these other practices as well:

Get good sleep

Poor sleep increases the risk of infectious illness. One study found that getting less than 5 hours of sleep over the course of a week, can increase the chances of catching a cold by 350%. Also, important to note is that lack of sleep can increase inflammatory levels in the body, creating higher risk for a cytokine storm. If you are having trouble sleeping, a small dose of melatonin at night may help you sleep better and keep your immune system strong.

Manage your stress

It’s no secret that stress definitely disrupts our immune function and increases our levels of inflammation, making us far more susceptible to getting seriously ill. Stop reading the news, follow precautions and find something relaxing to do—meditation, breathing exercises and exercising outdoors all go a long way to manage stress, reduce anxiety and strengthen your immune system.

Take Zinc

Zinc has been proven to reduce the activity of coronavirus and may prevent its entry into our cells while reducing its power. Zinc has proven powerful in fighting off regular influenza and the common cold as well. The suggested dosage for zinc is about 15mg – 30mg daily.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C has shown great promise in inhibiting inflammatory reactions and is thought to be very effective against viruses as well.  Several clinical trials have found that vitamin C shortens the frequency, duration and severity of the virus that causes the common cold (a type of corona virus) and the incidence of pneumonia. Vitamin C can be taken in reasonably high doses as any excess is washed out of the body.

Eat Other Immune-Boosting Nutrients:

Other foods to consider including in your diet are garlic, fresh ginger, berries, green tea, and even grass fed butter and organ meat–full of vitamin A and other immune-boosting natural compounds.

Stay well, be healthy, and remember, a healthy body is the best defense against any disease.

We put one of the worst modern health crisis in our rear view mirror, but is it really over?

2026 – ER doc has urgent immunity warning for what’s coming

According to one ER doctor, there are 3 terrifying warning signs right now…

The media is hiding them (the politicians needed votes this fall).

Click here to see what’s coming next, and how to protect yourself

Immunity has been the perfect “back door” for taking away our freedoms..

And, what comes next could make the last few years look like a cakewalk.

Here’s this MD’s suggestions for supporting your immune system right now.

References
https://www.cbc.ca/radio/thecurrent/the-current-for-feb-28-2020-1.5479561/as-coronavirus-spread-speeds-up-montreal-researchers-will-trial-an-anti-viral-treatment-for-covid-19-in-china-1.5480134
https://regenexx.com/blog/coronavirus-episode-9-can-Quercetin-help-covid-19/
https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-294/Quercetin
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4808895/
https://jvi.asm.org/content/78/20/11334
https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/pharmacology-toxicology-and-pharmaceutical-science/quercetin
https://doi.org/10.26434/chemrxiv.11871402.v3

The post Quercetin vs Viruses (Powerful anti-viral properties of this unique nutrient) appeared first on thenutritionwatchdog.com.

By: Cat Ebeling, RN, MSN-PHN, co-author of the best-sellers:  The Fat Burning Kitchen, The Top 101 Foods that Fight Aging & The Diabetes Fix

Nothing soothes and warms like a homemade chicken soup. This soup is especially warm, delicious and comforting, especially on a chilly day. You don’t have to be sick to appreciate its healing qualities, but it certainly will warm your soul and your body if you are.

Avgolemono–it’s a mouthful! (avgo means ‘egg’; lemono means ‘lemon’) soup is a dish that Greek mothers make to keep their families healthy. And this soup is full of antioxidants and other powerful nutrition to fend off colds and flu.

Why is chicken soup so soothing and healing? Scientists have actually studied it to find out! A Dr. Stephen Rennard, who is an MD from the University of Nebraska Medical Center, tested chicken soup to see if it helps the immune system.

It was found that the chicken soup had strong anti-inflammatory powers, which is why it helps with stuffy noses, sore throats and coughs. The soup actually helps to break up congestion and eases the flow of nasal secretions. And chicken soup is also loaded with valuable nutrients that strengthen the immune system too.

Chicken also contains an amino acid called cysteine that is released when you make the soup. This amino acid is similar to the drug acetylcysteine, which is prescribed by doctors to patients with bronchitis. It thins the mucus in the lungs, making it easier to cough out.

Carrots, a regular ingredient found in chicken soup, is a great source of beta-carotene. The body uses beta-carotene to converts to vitamin A. Vitamin A helps prevent and fight off infections by enhancing the actions of white blood cells that destroy harmful bacteria and viruses.

Beyond the soup’s soothing qualities and easy to digest protein, this soup contains mint and oregano, which both contain rosmarinic acid, which helps to open up the bronchial tubes and lungs, and ease respiratory problems. The lemon juice provides vitamin C, and the leeks, garlic and onion deliver antioxidants that are potent cold and flu fighting immune benefits.

And—if you use chicken bone broth it has its own set of benefits as well. Bone broth also strengthens the immune system, soothes the digestive system, fights inflammation, helps with weight loss, adds electrolytes, is good for your hair and nails, is anti-aging and great for your joints.

This soup tastes every bit as good the next day, but if reheating, be sure to heat over low heat to prevent the eggs from curdling.

Ingredients

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 cup cooked, shredded chicken
2 medium leeks, white parts only, chopped
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 carrots, peeled and diced
5-6 cups organic free-range chicken bone broth
½ cup quinoa or brown rice (in stead of the traditional orzo pasta)
2 large organic, free range eggs
3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
1 Tbsp chopped fresh mint
1 Tbsp chopped fresh oregano

Directions

In a saucepan, add leeks, onion and carrots along with a pinch of sea salt to olive oil. Cook, over medium heat, stirring gently for about 6-7 minutes.

Stir in chicken and broth, add enough salt and pepper to taste. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for about 10 minutes. Add rice and cook until tender. Remove from heat.

In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs and lemon juice. Add 3 ladles of soup broth to the egg mixture, whisking constantly. Mix egg mixture back into soup and cook over low heat for another 2-3 minutes. Do not allow it to boil. Garnish with parsley, mint and fresh oregano and lemon wedges. Serves 4-6.

Get your FREE copy of the Keto Slow Cooker Cookbook.

Looking for easy, tasty recipes that help you burn fat, then look no further…

This free recipe book is packed with over 80 fat-burning Keto recipes, such has mouth-watering chicken, beef, pork meals and more…

Best yet, every single recipe uses a slow cooker. Spend less than 20 minutes in your kitchen whipping up these delicious meals.

The post Homemade Greek Avgolemono Soup appeared first on thenutritionwatchdog.com.

By: Cat Ebeling, RN, MSN-PHN, co-author of the best-sellers:  The Fat Burning Kitchen, The Top 101 Foods that Fight Aging & The Diabetes Fix

Years ago, I discovered an amazing, but little known tea from South America. It was recommended to me by a very enlightened preventative medicine doctor I knew. I drank it to relieve Candida symptoms, allergy issues, and inflammation. It had a delicious woody, slightly spicy flavor. And it turns out, it is a valuable tea to drink for many other wide-ranging health benefits as well.

The tea is called Pau d’Arco, and it is known to benefit arthritis, pain, and inflammation, fever, diarrhea, and even various cancers. One of the easiest ways to use pau d’arco is by consuming the tea made from the inner bark of pau d’arco or applying the tea water to the skin.

Pau d’Arco, or Taheebo, comes from the inner bark of a tree grown in South America. The inner bark and the live wood can be made into tea which is useful when ingested or even applied externally. While there are many species of pau d’arco trees, only a few types are specifically effective as a health tonic.

Pau d’arco actually contains two primary active ingredients, lapachol and beta-lapachone. These two natural chemicals are what make it effective against bacteria, fungi, yeasts, viruses and even parasites. Lapachol is known to not only kill many different types of fungi, bacteria and yeasts, but it also lowers inflammation. These ingredients are also effective at preventing the spread of cancer from one organ system to another.

Kills Resistant Microorganisms, Including Candida

Pau d’arco has been known to kill certain bacteria, yeasts and fungi, possibly by inhibiting their reproductive cycle. Test tube studies (not tested on human subjects) show that extracts from the bark fight disease-causing organisms including deadly methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), which is extremely antibiotic-resistant and very difficult to control, especially in hospitals and other medical clinics.

This powerful bark also protects against other disease-causing pathogens, including H.pylori, the bacteria that can attack the stomach lining, causing ulcers. Pau d’arco also fights E.coli bacteria, Clostridium and other staph infections without adverse effects on important beneficial bacteria growing in the digestive system. Pharmaceutical antibiotics, on the other hand, kill ALL bacteria in the body, good and bad, leaving room for the regrowth of harmful bacteria.

Pau d’arco is also useful against Candida albicans, a common fungus that grows in the digestive system. Normally, healthy bacteria growing in the intestines keep Candida levels under control, but often candida can grow out of control when the immune system is compromised, healthy bacteria are killed off by antibiotics, or a diet high in sugar and carbohydrates is consumed.

Overgrowth of candida can cause a multitude of health problems like brain fog, joint aches, fatigue, urinary infections, vaginal infections, digestive issues, sinus problems and even thrush (a candida overgrowth in the mouth). Drinking pau d’arco on a regular basis will help keep this opportunistic yeast under control and lead to more optimal health.

Fights Inflammation

Many people are fighting inflammation in the body due to a poor diet high in processed ingredients, toxins in the environment, allergies, over-exercising, stress and more. When the immune system gets activated, it causes harm to the body by attacking it. Inflammation is involved in the development of diseases such as asthma, arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, heart disease, diabetes, Alzhiemer’s, cancer and more. Think of inflammation as being similar to pouring gasoline on a fire, and you have an idea of how devastating it can be to the human body.

This 2014 study published in The Journal of Toxicological Sciences shows pau d’arco increases the expression of a type of protein, Nrf2, that regulates the expression of antioxidant proteins. These antioxidant proteins actually help protect against cellular damage triggered by inflammation.

The results of this study show that the activation of this protein can be particularly beneficial in the intestine, which is often severely affected by inflammation, through diet, food allergies, gluten, and more. This study, conducted on mice, also shows inflammation was reduced 30-50% when compared to a placebo. Reducing inflammation makes this a valuable part of anyone’s diet, particularly those who deal with inflammation in any body system.

Cancer Fighting

Pau d’arco is known as an effective tool to help fight cancer as well as helping relieve pain from cancer. A study conducted by the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston found that beta-lapachone, a major compound in pau d’arco tea, is a potential compound which can be added to cancer therapy to improve the outcomes.

Another 2002 study concluded that beta-lapachone is one of a few novel anticancer drugs that shows promise for chemotherapy alone, and especially in combinations. This powerful compound resulted in killing cancer cells in mice, without any adverse effects, as many chemotherapy drugs seem to have.

Effects of beta-lapachone was also observed in a human leukemia cells. Among other human cancer cells tested, beta-lapachone was active against prostate, breast and ovarian cancer cells, as well. These results suggest that beta-lapachone is a potential compound to be added to a variety of cancer chemotherapies.

Reduces Weight

Pau d’arco seems to be valuable for weight loss. Studies in mice demonstrate that pau d’arco extract inhibits a pancreatic enzyme that helps the body digest and absorb dietary fat. This means that dietary fat is not absorbed, resulting in fewer calories.

In one 16-week study, mice fed pau d’arco extract lost significantly more weight than those on a placebo — even with no changes in food intake or calories ingested. Similarly, pau d’arco prevented weight gain in this trial with mice fed a high-fat diet.

Even though preventing fat from being absorbed may seem like an effective way to lose weight, many dietary fats are beneficial, so preventing their absorption on a regular basis may be detrimental to health. And it’s important to keep in mind that these studies were done on mice, and little research has yet been done on humans with pau d’arco and weight loss.

Detoxifies

Pau d’arco tea is helpful to detoxify the body, especially when removing heavy metals, like lead and mercury—as well as pesticides, preservatives, and toxic residue from chemotherapy.

One of the methods for its detoxifying process is through its laxative effects. While it aids digestion, it also helps to relax the bowels, making evacuation easier, ridding the body of any toxins.

Eating a diet of highly processed, refined, artificial foods overloads our digestive systems, and causes imbalances in our healthy gut microbiome. Drinking pau d’arco tea helps the body to eliminate these toxic substances quicker, cleaning out the system.

This allows the body’s natural detoxification process to function more efficiently moving waste through the lymph system, the blood and the cells.

Conclusion

Pau d’ arco or taheebo tea is very beneficial as for its anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, candida controlling, cancer fighting, weight reduction, and detoxifying properties.

Pau d’arco has few side effects and can be taken as a tea, in capsules, liquid or powder form. It is important to note, however, that many of the benefits of pau d’arco have not been fully tested on human subjects, and pau d’arco can be toxic in large quantities, so follow directions carefully.

References
http://pennstatehershey.adam.com/content.aspx?productId=107&pid=33&gid=000268
https://draxe.com/pau-darco-tea/
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/pau-d-arco#forms-and-dosage

The post What This Amazing South American Tree Bark Can Do For Your Body (Pau d’arco) appeared first on thenutritionwatchdog.com.