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

Don’t you love spring? The days get longer, the sun is warmer, and the birds are chirping. What’s more, everything is budding and flowering.

And that brings us to…allergies. If you have seasonal allergies, instead of enjoying the beauty of spring, you may be busy dealing with itchy, watery eyes, a runny nose and lots of sneezing. Spring becomes the enemy if you have bad allergies.

Seasonal allergies are our bodies’ response to pollen in the air. Your innate immune system interprets pollen as a dangerous pathogen, and it sends out an army of Immunoglobulin E to mount an attack. This attack takes the form of histamine which produces the watery eyes, runny nose, the itching, and sneezing, and sinus headaches. What’s more, climate change and increased CO2 have created longer, more powerful pollen producing plants.

Why do the immune systems of people with seasonal allergies have the tendency to overreact to pollen?

Back in primal days, humans often had populations of parasites such as hookworms, pinworms, roundworms, tape worms and others. While that sounds pretty gross, those parasites kept the immune system busy instead of going after innocent things like pollen.

What’s more, kids who grew up in a less-than-sterile environment, like they did back in our ancestors’ days, exposed to outside dirt, pets, livestock, dirty dishes, poor hygiene, and no hand sanitizer, had stronger immune systems as well.

Genetics also is part of the picture. Neanderthal fossilized feces show evidence of a lot of parasites taking up residence, and their DNA has evidence of immunity genes that fought off the parasites. When ancient humans interbred with Neanderthals, these genes carried over into the offspring. Populations with the most Neanderthal DNA, such as those from Europe or Asian descent seem to have the most hay fever and allergies. It seems having powerful immunity doesn’t do as well in a modern sterile environment.

Inflammation is a big reason why so many people have allergies—whether they are seasonal allergies, food allergies or environmental allergies. Excessive inflammation due to a poor, high sugar/starch diet, refined and processed foods, too much alcohol, or exposure to environmental toxins all increases overall inflammation. When inflammation is high, reactions to other potential allergens is also going to be bigger. The key is to reduce inflammation and reduce allergic reactions.

My allergy doctor once likened this to “the straw that breaks the camel’s back.” In other words, you can load your body up with various types of things that cause or increase inflammation, until it breaks the camel’s back, and you start having bad reactions. Those reactions can take the form of rashes, eczema, brain fog, achiness, stuffy nose, sinusitis, asthma, wheezing, sleeplessness, anxiety, irritability, depression—or any combination of the above.

Nutrition also plays a big part, especially vitamin D levels, vitamin C levels, B12, iron, and zinc deficiencies. Each of these nutrients play an important part in your immune and inflammatory response and deficiencies of any of these can increase inflammation and lower your immunity.

How does one naturally reduce seasonal allergies?

First, the obvious answer is not to load up on over-the-counter allergy prescriptions. These medications have undesirable side effects. Antihistamines often cause dry mouth, dehydration, drowsiness and/or agitation, reduced co-ordination, reaction speed. They can also cause blurred vision and constipation.

The better choice is to reduce overall inflammation, which not only aids your allergies, but is great for your overall health. How do you start reducing inflammation?

Cutting out sugar, processed foods, inflammatory vegetable oils, and removing all grain makes a huge difference. It’s known –at least anecdotally–that people who give up grains often report their seasonal allergies go away. I know, I tried it and was shocked to see my previously severe seasonal allergies suddenly fade into the background. Along with that, my aches and pains receded, as did brain fog, rashes, stuffy nose, and congestion. It works!

Getting your gut health back in shape is super important too, so the next step is to calm your gut. Food allergies and intolerances not only increase inflammation, but are also the consequence of poor gut health. When the gut is inflamed, there is an increased risk of gut permeability, and that allows for additional allergens to circulate in your system further stimulating an immune response.

Remove potential food allergies and sensitivities, at least during allergy season. If you aren’t sure which foods are provoking problems, you can do a short 7-day elimination diet, and remove dairy, gluten, corn, white potatoes, and any other problem foods you may be aware of.

Eat More Omega 3 Fats

Wild caught fish are known to have a good amount of omega 3 fats in them. Omega 3 fatty acids are made up of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) components; both of these have been shown to lower inflammation. This study also shows that increased intake of omega 3 fatty acids reduces seasonal rhinitis.

100% grass fed beef also contains higher amounts of omega 3 fats. Additionally, cod liver oil would help as well, since it provides omega 3’s, vitamin D, and vitamin A—all of which modulate the allergic response.

Raw Local Honey

Raw, local honey contains small amounts of local circulating pollen and by introducing small amounts of this pollen, it can lower the reaction to certain pollens and reduce sensitivity. Researchers have found that eating honey from local pollen prior to allergy season commences reduces allergy symptoms, resulting in less need for other allergy medication. But in order for this to work, the honey must include pollens you are allergic to.

Reduce Alcohol Intake

Reducing alcohol or avoiding alcohol will help improve allergies in two different ways:

1-Alochol is highly inflammatory to the gut, so cutting back or completely eliminating alcohol calms inflammation in the gut. This helps you repopulate your gut with healthy bacteria, lowering overall inflammation in the gut and system wide. Because inflammation is reduced, allergic reactions improve.

2-Alcohol especially beer and wine, contains large quantities of sulfites and histamines. Histamines initiate the process to remove allergens from your body. Histamines can cause sneezing, eye watering, itching and more.

Histamines are a big part of your body reacting to allergens, so reducing your levels of histamines helps to reduce allergic response overall.

Reduce Stress

High stress levels can cause worsening allergic responses and while it may seem counterproductive, getting outside and getting some exercise can reduce overall allergy reactions, while reducing stress. Pollen levels are highest mid-morning so if you do want to get out, getting out early in the day or later in the early evening may be the best time. Meditating, believe it or not can also reduce stress and help allergy symptoms.

Lifestyle

Lifestyle makes a huge difference in allergy reactions. One of the first things to do is to stop your exposure to toxic chemicals in commercial home cleaning agents, laundry detergents, personal care items, antibacterial cleaners and hand sanitizers, and switch to a more natural approach, Apple cider vinegar makes a safe and effective natural cleaner for most all surfaces, and washing your hands with a natural soap instead of harsh antibacterial soap is just as effective at removing harmful germs and is far gentler to your system.

Getting a good night’s sleep is also effective at calming cortisol levels and counteracting stress, as well as aiding your allergic reactions.

Overall, I noticed a huge reduction in my seasonal allergies when I switched to a Paleo diet, removed grains and sugars, got better sleep, and removed all other inflammatory foods from my diet.

Supplements for Seasonal Allergies

Vitamin D

A vitamin D deficiency has tied to allergies, including seasonal allergic rhinitis, asthma, eczema, and even anaphylaxis. Vitamin D is important for regulating immune system cells and slowing down the release of histamines.

There are several studies that suggest vitamin D supplements may reduce inflammation and allergic reactions. One study had the participants who were low in vitamin D take vitamin D supplements along and antihistamines. Those participants showed much improved allergy symptoms after just eight weeks. And this study also showed that adding in vitamin D supplementation improved allergy symptoms as well.

Probiotics

I am generally not an advocate for probiotics. Each of us has a unique microbiome and it’s somewhat difficult to ‘guess’ as to which probiotics will benefit your particular health needs. However, getting a good general probiotic mix can help lessen allergy symptoms and reduce inflammation in the gut. Specific probiotics have been shown to improve seasonal allergies, including B.longum, B.lactis, L.paracasei, L.rhamnosus, B infantis, and L.acidophilus.

Magnesium

There are a few studies have found that magnesium supplementation in people with seasonal allergies reduces IgE levels and allergy symptoms. Because many people are magnesium deficient these days, this can be a safe and easy thing to try—with plenty of other good health benefits as well. There are many forms of magnesium that will work but magnesium glycinate is often one of the best forms for overall health—without the digestive complaints.

Spirulina

Spirulina is a type of microalgae that comes from Latin America, Africa, and Asia. Spirulina has been highly valued as a nutrient-dense supplement that is abundant in protein, vitamins, fats, and minerals. It’s also a potent immunomodulator –meaning that it works to calm the immune system without suppressing it. It has shown some efficacy in reducing the symptoms of seasonal allergies, even compared to an over-the-counter antihistamine drug.

Quercetin

In studies, quercetin prevents immune cells from releasing histamines, which are the chemicals that cause allergic reactions. This means that taking quercetin may help reduce symptoms of allergies, including runny nose, watery, itchy eyes, hives, and even swelling of the face and lips. Quercetin is a powerful antioxidant found in many fruits and vegetables and it has quite a few health benefits including lowering inflammation, fighting heart disease, and protecting against cancer.

Black Seed Oil

Black seed oil is considered a powerful medicinal substance that has been used for thousands of years to treat chronic diseases, inflammation, and allergies. In one study, people put black seed oil drops in their noses to treat mild, moderate, or severe cases of allergic rhinitis, aka hay fever. After 6 weeks, 9 out of 10 people said their sneezing, itchy eyes, stuffy nose, and other symptoms got better or went away completely. In addition, black seed oil promotes wound healing, hair growth, reduces acne, heals psoriasis, improves blood sugar, and helps with weight loss.

There you go, that is your seasonal allergy toolbox. Hopefully this will help you avoid sneezing, watering eyes, and itchiness that goes along with seasonal allergies. To your health!

References
https://www.marksdailyapple.com/seasonal-allergies-treatment/#ref-14
https://www.healthline.com/program/allergy
https://www.verywellhealth.com/natural-allergy-remedies-89245
https://cell.com/…/abstract/S0002-9297(15)00485-1
https://ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1241165
https://ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20497148
https://ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17456213
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31464382
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20158528/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31464382/
https://ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3269601
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34166843/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26874366/
https://ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16015268
https://ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17634174
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34920650/
https://hindawi.com/journals/ja/2014/983635
https://ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/6202731
https://ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21196761
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/279538706_Magnesium_Supplementation_in_allergic_diseases_Rhinitis
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32773785/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28093815/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15878494/

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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 just seems inevitable, doesn’t it? Once you get into your 40’s, 50’s and beyond, stiff and sore joints just seem to be a ‘normal’ part of aging. But does it have to be?

Arthritis means inflammation of the joints. Arthritis symptoms feel like stiff, aching, difficult or painful to move joints and bones. The pain and stiffness can vary from day to day. There are a number of types of arthritis, but the most common type of arthritis is osteoarthritis.

I started getting arthritis in my hands in my 40’s, but by making a few dietary changes, my arthritis improved drastically. To me, longevity and healthy aging are the keys to a great quality of life. Staying active is also one the keys to living longer—and happier. We should all be able to move around pain free.

When you think about it, osteoarthritis is a simply a common inflammatory disease that attacks the joints. In fact, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 1 out of every 4 adults in the U.S. (23.7%) or about 58.5 million people have doctor-diagnosed arthritis. That means the prevalence of arthritis is most likely much higher, since not everyone goes to the doctor for everyday aches and pains.

While arthritis seems like the expected result of aging and general wear and tear on the joints, there are other causes as well. They include:

• Age—especially over age 50
• Previous injuries
• Overweight or obese
• Other autoimmune diseases
• Family history of arthritis
• Muscle weakness
• Poor or tight muscles causing a malalignment of the joints—often in the hips or knees

Osteoarthritis is thought to come from wear and tear on the firm rubbery cartilage that protects the joints from shock and stress. When this cartilage wears down, the result is pain, stiffness, and inflammation in the joint area. Common areas are neck, hands, fingers, knees, feet, and toes, but arthritis can occur in most any of the joints of the body.

At its worst, arthritis can cause bone on bone friction, without the protective cushion of the cartilage. Arthritis can also cause reactive bony growth near the afflicted joint, adding to the pain and difficulty of movement. As joints become increasingly damaged, new reactive bone deposits can form around the joints.

These bone spurs, or osteophytes as they are called, can develop over time in those with arthritis and cartilage damage. Osteophytes often occur in feet, hands, knees, shoulder, and neck area.

Even with heavy wear and tear on the joints, not everyone gets osteoarthritis. Arthritis is primarily a disease of inflammation, so if you can reduce or eliminate inflammation in your diet and lifestyle, you can stop or slow the progression of arthritis—and the pain, stiffness and lack of mobility that accompanies it.

One of the best ways to reduce inflammation is to take a closer look at your diet. It is imperative that you ditch the grains, sugar, and any processed foods first. Many of these foods that you eat on a daily basis cause ongoing inflammation in your body and your joints.

What to Avoid and What to Eat

• Grains–The first step is to eliminate grains from your diet, especially gluten. Gluten is notorious for inflammation and is often connected to arthritis. Some studies have looked at Rheumatoid Arthritis, another form of inflammatory arthritis and there are positive connections to ingestion of gluten and exacerbations of arthritis flares.

It’s a given that gluten will also worsen osteoarthritis. And you don’t have to react to gluten to have it cause inflammation. The inflammation happens anyway.

Corn in all its forms, including corn syrup, corn starch, maize, etc. is also extremely inflammatory, especially to bones and joints. There are many anecdotal reports of diets high in corn causing arthritis and short stature in Native Americans.

Since grains tend to be inflammatory, my suggestion is to ditch all the grains. I personally have noticed that when I occasionally eat a little bit of rice, it’s noticeable the next day in the form of stiff, sore joints, along with brain fog. And avoid “gluten free” products as well. Even if they say “grain-free” they usually contain tapioca or cassava, a refined starch that works well in gluten free foods, but does your body no favors in terms of health or carbohydrate control.

• Vegetable Seed Oils—It’s super important to avoid omega 6 fats as much as you possibly can. Stay away from any foods that contain corn, soybean, canola, sunflower, or other vegetable oils—except extra virgin olive oil. Omega 6 fats from these vegetable seed oils create high levels of an inflammatory cytokine called interluekin-6 (IL-6). In studies, it has been shown that ingesting these fats definitely increases inflammation in joints.

Avoid salad dressings, pre-made sauces, any foods that are fried (especially from a restaurant), and anything labeled “vegetable oil”. These foods generally contain some variety of vegetable oil. Fortunately, there are a few food items available in the grocery stores these days that contain avocado oil instead of vegetable seed oils. Avocado oil is a whole different type of oil and is healthy for you. Just be sure to read the ingredients to be sure that avocado is the only oil used.

Far better fats for your aching joints are the more healing fats like grass fed butter, extra virgin olive oil, coconut oil, and a diet heavy in fatty fish or omega 3 supplements. These oils are anti-inflammatory to all parts of your body.

• Nightshades–While some people find that nightshade vegetables such as tomatoes, potatoes, peppers of all kinds and eggplant can aggravate inflammatory responses, I have found that just avoiding white potatoes can help ease the pain of arthritis. On top of that, white potatoes are often fried in the above offending oils, so eating foods like french fries and potato chips can often deliver a double whammy of inflammation.

Sweet potatoes and squashes are much friendlier to the body and low on the inflammation scale.

• Conventional Meat–Conventionally raised cattle raised on corn and grains, tend to be higher in omega 6 fatty acids and lower in anti-inflammatory omega 3 fatty acids. Grain-fed, conventional meat is a potential source of inflammation due to the different fatty acid profile–along with the antibiotics, hormones and other chemicals used in raising that type of meat. Grass fed meat yields a higher ratio of omega 3’s to the omega 6, making it a better choice to avoid inflammation.

Grass fed dairy, pasture raised eggs, and wild caught fish—are all higher in beneficial omega 3 fats.

Foods and Nutrients that Help Relieve Arthritis

• Foods high in sulfur often are beneficial to those with arthritis. Sulfur helps to reduce joint inflammation. Sulfur contains a form of methylsufonylmethane (MSM) which has been shown to lower pain and help to restore function to inflamed joints. Best sources of sulfur containing foods include turkey, beef, eggs, fish, and chicken, as well as vegetables containing allium such as onions, leeks, scallions, garlic. Cruciferous vegetables also contain lots of sulfur, which is why they taste good, but don’t always smell so great.

• Collagen is another nutrient that is excellent for arthritis. Collagen contains two amino acids, proline, and glycine, that are building blocks for connective tissue and cartilage. Bone broth and meat–especially beef, pork, lamb, and poultry contain good quality collagen. Bone broth also contains chondroitin sulphates and glucosamine which are anti-inflammatory antioxidants. Another great source of collagen is chicken feet—try them in a soup or stew, if you feel brave enough!

• Vitamin D3 from the sun or supplements can also improve osteoarthritis. Vitamin D helps to protect and prevent osteoporosis which increases the risk of osteoarthritis. In a study published in Clinical Rheumatology, it was found that participants who had low dietary vitamin D intake had an increased risk of knee osteoarthritis. Low vitamin D levels also contribute to lower bone mineral density, and those participants were at even higher risk of osteoarthritis.

• Omega 3 fats in the form of fatty fish or grass-fed meat have been proven to be anti-inflammatory and soothing to joints. In the Sept issue of the journal Osteoarthritis and Cartilage, researchers reported results of a study with that found omega-3 fatty acids reduced many of the signs of osteoarthritis.

“This study is the first to look at both cartilage and subchondral bone changes with increased dietary [intake of] omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids,” says John Tarlton of the University of Bristol’s School of Veterinary Sciences. Other clinical studies over the past 20 years have shown repeatedly that omega 3 is essential for inflammatory conditions like osteoarthritis.

• Glucosamine is a natural substance that helps to produce joint cartilage. When a person has osteoarthritis, the glucosamine synthesis is defective. Supplementation with glucosamine, however, is beneficial. In addition to providing raw material for joints, the presence of glucosamine seems to stimulate the body to produce more material to protect the joints. Glucosamine has been shown to slow down progression of the disease and relieve some of the painful symptoms.

• Curcumin, the active ingredient in turmeric, is protective for joints and is proven useful in treating osteoarthritis. This systematic review and meta-analysis provide scientific evidence that standardized turmeric extract (typically 1000 mg/day of curcumin) treatment can reduce pain and swelling in osteoarthritis—as well as using medications such as ibuprofen and diclofenac sodium. Curcumin extract is available a supplement, but the most delicious way to enjoy the benefits of turmeric is to eat Indian food and curries.

While it sounds counterintuitive, movement, exercise, and weight training can all potentially help improve the pain of osteoarthritis. Lifting weights helps support the formation of stronger bones and healthier cartilage. But don’t leave out a variety of cardio activities like hiking, biking and even sprinting to help reduce the pain and stiffness of osteoarthritis. The toughest part is the start. Once you are warmed up, movement and exercise can feel really good.

One of the more recent findings is cold plunge therapy for arthritis, but more research is needed. One small study conducted in 2011 found that cyclists who completed intense training sessions had decreased soreness after they were immersed in cold water for 10 minutes.

Another study from 2016 of 20 participants showed similar findings. Athletes who soaked in a pool of cold water (12°C to 15°C) reported less muscle soreness than those who had no hydrotherapy after exercising. The reason that cold water helps ease pain and soreness is that the cold water tends to reduce swelling and inflammation. It stands to reason that this type of therapy can also help osteoarthritis sufferers as well.

Not only does cold therapy reduce inflammation, but it also helps to lower levels of anxiety and depression as well. The cold stimulates epinephrine, adrenaline, and dopamine, which all contribute to an improved mood. Cold plunge therapy following a workout is especially helpful for those with arthritis.

Although osteoarthritis is a very common disease of aging joints, it does not necessarily have to be a part of aging. Arthritis is a condition of inflammation, so paying attention to diet and lifestyle factors is extremely important to avoid this painful condition. As always, taking care of your health and eating an anti-inflammatory diet, getting good sleep and regular exercise are important pillars for your overall health and optimal aging.

Along with taking care of your health and improving your eating habits, our friends at UpWellness have created this easy 3-Sec Quiz to get your chronic inflammation under control once and for all.  Take this 3-Sec quiz now.

Do you wake up in the morning with stiff joints or pain in your hips, back, knees or elbows? Then chances are you’re feeling the effects of chronic inflammation taking its toll on your body.

The good news is that it is NEVER too late to help get this under control. And the best part is there are certain foods that help you do this naturally, without the need for prescriptions medications.

3-Sec Quiz: What is the #1 Anti-inflammatory Food?

A: Turmeric
B: Onion
C: Pineapple
D: Black Pepper
E: Other

Make your selection above or click here to skip straight to the answer.

Remember, it’s NEVER too late to get chronic inflammation under control. You just need to know how to do it.

Click here to discover the #1 anti-inflammatory food =>

References
https://www.healthline.com/health/rheumatoid-arthritis/gluten-and-arthritis#arthritis-celiac-disease-and-gluten
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/osteophyte/
https://www.cdc.gov/arthritis/data_statistics/national-statistics.html
https://www.healthline.com/health/arthritis#symptoms
https://draxe.com/health/effective-all-natural-treatments-for-arthritis/
https://www.marksdailyapple.com/arthritis-diet/
https://examine.com/search/?q=osteoarthritis
https://www.webmd.com/diet/foods-high-in-sulfur
https://www.lifeextension.com/newsletter/2011/10/study-finds-potential-for-omega-3-fatty-acids-in-prevention-and-treatment-of-arthritis
https://www.lifeextension.com/newsletter/2009/12/omega-3-fatty-acids-boost-glucosamines-arthritis-benefit

The post 10 Things You Can Do to Improve Arthritis 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

Food prices are going up, across the board — and at levels Americans haven’t seen in decades, according to a very recent U.S. Department of Agriculture update to its Food Price Outlook this year. Food prices are expected to increase on average about 5.5-6.5% this year, the USDA’s Economic Research Service explained.

Unfortunately, some of the biggest increases will include important diet staples such as beef, pork, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy, and some fats and oils. Meat prices are expected to rise 14-16%. Fresh fruits and veggies are expected to go up as well.

If you are trying to eat a healthy diet, what do you do?

Here are a few tips to help you maintain your healthy diet without breaking the bank:

1. Eliminate all processed foods and drinks—Junky foods have no place in your home or your budget, so eliminate all chips, cookies, crackers, and sweetened drinks. Period. This will help to free up your budget for nutrient dense foods. Junk food is a total waste of money and is full of empty calories, sugar, and chemicals.

Processed foods are foods that come in boxes, wrappers, and bags. Not only are processed foods unhealthy, but the packaging is also wasteful as well, and processed foods tend to make you hungrier—thanks to all the chemicals, preservatives, and taste enhancers they contain

Consider, for example, that buying a bag of potato chips costs anywhere between $2 and $5. Some of the fancier, organic or gourmet chip varieties can cost upwards of $6-$8. That’s big savings to cut those out. Snack on fresh cut up veggies instead and save your money.

I do realize that buying meat and vegetables may seem expensive, but when you compare the nutrient density of meat and vegetables to the nutrient density of chips, crackers, or cookies—there is absolutely no contest!

2. Stop with the grains—Breads, whether gluten free or not are completely unnecessary and generally garbage. Bread is not needed in your diet. And if you are planning on eating low carb, there is no room for bread.

What about breakfast cereal? Another grain product that is incredibly expensive, full of air, sugar, and refined grains. And again, no real nutritional value. Breakfast cereals mostly just jack up your blood sugar, create a quick crash and make you hungrier for more.

Have you ever started on ONE bowl of cereal, and soon find yourself gobbling up your second and third bowl? There isn’t anything good or healthy about processed breakfast cereal, despite the encouraging message on the box about how “healthy” or “natural” it is. Cross breakfast cereal off your list.

3. Avoid “Gluten free” as much as possible. Sure, even us gluten free folks wouldn’t mind having a piece of toast with breakfast on occasion, but these foods are just as bad, just as processed—if not more, than regular processed grains. And they are way more expensive! Most gluten free products are made of super refined tapioca starch, rice flour, or other expensive “no-grain” flours like almond flour.

You are far better off finding a ‘real food’ to substitute for those gluten free products. Wrap your sandwich or taco in lettuce. Rustle up some shredded sweet potatoes to go with your eggs instead of toast, or just avoid all those extra carbs. Perhaps now may be the best time start eating lower carb and start reaping the benefits.

4. Do meal prep instead of buying pre-prepared foods—It really doesn’t take that long to do a little meal prep with leftover foods from meals. Just remember to make extra when you are cooking up a batch of chicken thighs or slow cooking that roast. Throw in some extra broccoli or add the meat to some salad greens for a complete meal. A premade meal from home is far healthier, with no additives, no unhealthy oils, no high price, and it’s all there in fridge when you are ready.

5. Frozen fruits and veggies for the win—Yep, frozen veggies can be every bit as nutritious, or even more so than fresh produce vegetables. Frozen vegetables are picked at peak ripeness and frozen to keep their nutrition locked in. Fresh vegetables often have a long trip on a truck or train to get to the grocery store, and can be week or two old when you get them “fresh” in your grocery store.

Instead, grab some nutrient dense fruits and veggies that are frozen and often on sale. Best picks are broccoli, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, spinach, or frozen kale. I love keeping a bag of organic blueberries or mixed berries in my freezer to throw in smoothies, whip up a quick blueberry sauce, or just add to some homemade buckwheat pancakes.

6. Make your own—A lot of so-called convenience foods are made of just a few ingredients that are easy to make on your own. For example, I rarely buy spaghetti sauce. When you look at the ingredients, you will find that it’s super easy to mix up your own batch in the same amount of time it takes to pour out a bottle of pre-made spaghetti sauce.

Buy a can of crushed tomatoes or tomato sauce, add some chopped fresh garlic, a teaspoon or so of oregano and/or basil, and maybe a pinch of palm sugar. Heat and serve. If you want to get really fancy, you can brown the garlic and minced onion in a pan of olive oil, and then add the tomato sauce.

Salad dressing is the same, and it’s most often made of unhealthy, inflammatory omega 6 oils. Salad dressings often have added sugar and preservatives in them as well, turning your healthy bowl of greens into unhealthy glop. Instead, try mixing up some extra virgin olive oil, some apple cider vinegar, a touch of palm sugar, honey or maple syrup, a little bit of Dijon mustard, and some fresh chopped herbs. Mix it all up and keep it on hand for a delicious, healthy dressing.

7. Buy cheaper cuts of meat—Instead of buying steaks, roasts, or brisket, buy ground beef. Good quality ground beef is one of the most versatile foods and can go in many recipes. Buy the chicken thighs instead of the fancy (and lesser nutrition) boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Use ground turkey or chicken if available. Better yet, just pick up a whole chicken, roast it in the oven and use the leftovers for meals the next few days. Chicken salad, chicken soup, chicken on top of your salad greens, etc.

It’s true that grass fed or organic naturally raised meat does have a little bit of nutritional edge over conventionally raised meat, but if you cannot afford to buy grass fed or organic, you are still getting high quality protein with conventional cuts, as opposed to cutting out meat.

One of the best buys in meat is to find a farmer who raises grass-fed meat, and go in halves or quarters with someone. Many cattle farmers will sell their meat this way, and you get some of the highest quality meat without the grocery store overhead.

8. Drink water—Cutting out those sugary or fruity drinks is another great way to create major savings in your grocery budget. Sugary drinks do absolutely nothing for your waistline, or your bottom line. Even the ‘healthy’ drinks like kombucha or probiotic flavored waters are expensive, full of calories and sometimes hidden sugars, and don’t do near as much for your gut health as you think they do. Some of the trendier probiotic drinks can cost $3, $4 or $5 a bottle! That’s a lot of money when a glass of water may do quench your thirst just as well.

9. Prepackaged salad greens—You may be thinking I’m going to tell you to cut out buying the bags of salad greens, but in reality, it may be a better option than buying several different types of fresh lettuce, baby kale or spinach.

Most of these greens are very delicate and can go bad a few days, so unless you can use up all those different varieties of greens, you are probably better off grabbing a bag of mixed baby super greens and eating them while they are fresh.

10. Stick to a list—Changing the way you grocery shop may be a matter of changing your shopping habits. Having a list you’ve thoughtfully prepared ahead of time and sticking to it, will help you avoid grabbing those empty-nutrition foods and drinks that tend to gobble up your food budget. Save your money for the most nutrient dense foods like fruits, vegetables, meat, poultry, fish, eggs, and butter.

Making some changes in your grocery shopping, while adding in more nutrient dense foods will not only make a difference in your shopping budget, but it can also have a major positive effect on your health.

Removing junk foods, processed foods and high carb snacks and drinks will help you stop the munchies, stop the mindless eating, and help you stick to your health and weight loss goals far better. Happy shopping!

References
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/19-ways-to-eat-healthy-on-a-budget
https://www.marksdailyapple.com/eat-healthy-food-on-a-budget/
https://www.npr.org/2022/03/31/1090086246/grocery-store-food-prices-increase-2022-usda-report

The post Ten Ways to Eat Healthy on a Budget 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

High blood pressure has become a very common problem but can definitely become a serious health issue. Hypertension means that your blood vessel walls have lost their elasticity and ability to easily expand.

The narrow opening in your blood vessels means that you run a higher risk for heart disease, heart attacks, strokes and aneurysms. An aneurysm is a bulging spot in the blood vessel. An aneurysm can be extremely dangerous because it can rupture, causing a hemorrhagic stroke internal bleeding. This is most often deadly.

As is the case with most chronic diseases, diet plays a huge role in determining whether or not you get high blood pressure. In fact, what you eat and drink—or don’t eat and drink—plays a far bigger role than even genetics. Diets high in sugar, vegetable seed oils, processed foods and alcohol can contribute to high blood pressure. However, certain foods high in antioxidants, vitamins and minerals can help to lower blood pressure.

Foods containing Magnesium and Potassium

Colorful fruits, veggies, seeds and nuts contain a generous supply of magnesium and potassium. Magnesium is vital to over 300 bodily functions, including helping to relax blood vessel walls. Numerous studies have shown a direct physiological link between magnesium levels and high blood pressure.

Both potassium and magnesium are essential blood electrolytes, helping to maintain the appropriate levels of fluid in the body and the cells. Both magnesium and potassium should always be considered as a supplement for anyone with elevated blood pressure.

Potassium is readily available in most all fruits and vegetables, so eating an assortment of colorful fruits and vegetables should supply most all your potassium needs. Eating a diet high in potassium and magnesium has been shown to lower blood pressure significantly.

Adding greens to your morning smoothie or consuming a colorful salad of a variety of vegetables every day will go a long ways towards helping lower blood pressure and contributing to your overall health.

Antioxidant and Anti-inflammatory Foods

Curcumin–is the active ingredient in turmeric and is considered one of the most powerful anti-inflammatory natural supplements. Many studies have shown that curcumin is highly protective for the heart and blood vessels, helping to reduce the incidence of heart attacks and reducing blood pressure.

In fact, turmeric in some ways is as effective as a prescription blood pressure medication. Turmeric also acts as an anti-inflammatory in the blood vessels, which also helps to lower blood pressure.

Beets—Beets, especially red beets, have been found to lots of nitric oxide. This substance lowers resistance in blood vessels, helps them relax, increasing blood flow and lowering blood pressure.

Research published in Nitric Oxide, and another study published in Hypertension, showed that diets that include regular consumption of beets or beet juice can significantly lower blood pressure, while increasing oxygen delivery to the whole body and enhancing the health of the blood vessels.

You may have heard of people taking a drug called “nitroglycerin” for chest pain and heart attacks. This medication contains the same compound found in beets, which helps to relax the blood vessels to promote better circulation.

A study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition also shows kohlrabi, celery and celery root, watercress, leeks, parsley, arugula, spinach, and turnips contain large amounts of nitric oxide as well.

Tomatoes—Tomatoes can be a lifesaving blood pressure reducer. Tomatoes contain lycopene, which is a powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant, known for protecting the cardiovascular system, bone health, and preventing cancer.

Several studies have been done showing a strong link between levels of lycopene and heart disease. This analysis from the Physicians Health Study showed an almost 40% decrease in stroke risk in men with higher blood levels of lycopene. Lycopene is also responsible decreasing cholesterol, so eating foods with more lycopene also helps to reduce LDL cholesterol.

Ginger—Fresh ginger is considered a superfood for heart health, better circulation, cholesterol levels and blood pressure. Eating ginger reduces blood pressure in several different ways. For one, it acts as a natural calcium channel blocker, just like some blood pressure medications, and it also acts as an ACE inhibitor, similar to other types of blood pressure medication.

A study of more than 4,000 people found that the people who consumed 2-4 grams of ginger per day had the lowest risk for high blood pressure. And the thing that’s great about ginger is that it’s delicious, zingy and adds tons of flavor to dishes, smoothies and drinks.

Avocado–Avocados may also do wonders for your soaring blood pressure levels. Avocados are packed with oleic acid, also in olive oil. Oleic acid is known to reduce high blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

Avocados are also rich in potassium, magnesium and folate, all of which are good the blood vessels and cardiovascular system. Avocados are also chock full of antioxidants and lower inflammation in the body, including the blood vessels. Avocados are also loaded in vitamin A, K, B & E and fiber as well. Add avocados to your smoothies, salads and dressings.

Pomegranate—Pomegranate has some amazing antioxidant power with proven antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer abilities. Pomegranate is another natural food that possesses medicinal qualities without any negative side effects that some medications have.

Pomegranates are great for helping any health issue related to inflammation. Pomegranates contains very powerful substances called polyphenols that exert strong antioxidant, anti-inflammatory capabilities. The antioxidant level of pomegranate juice is higher than red wine and green tea.

One of the biggest benefits of pomegranate is its ability to lower blood pressure naturally. Scientific studies actually show pomegranate to have significant blood pressure-lowering ability. The effect of pomegranate is to relax blood vessels and allow better blood flow.

While pomegranates are delicious, they can be slightly challenging to eat. Pomegranate juice works well, but be sure to only use 100% pure pomegranate juice with no added sugar.

Green Tea—Green tea is well-known for its health benefits but did you know it also has a medicine-like effect on blood pressure as well?

Green tea contains powerful polyphenol antioxidants known for their health benefits. One of green tea’s active ingredients, EGCG, helps fight a variety of diseases and health conditions. Study results also show EGCG can be helpful for the prevention of arterio¬sclerosis, blood clots, heart attack, and strokes—partly due to its ability to relax blood vessels and improve blood flow.

While organic green tea is beneficial for health, matcha green tea can contain up to 100 times the EGCG that regular green tea contains.

Green tea also fights cancer, lowers inflammation, promotes healthy digestion, and aid in concentration. Besides being an excellent source of antioxidants, green tea is also packed with vitamins A, D, E, C, B, B5, H, and K, manganese, and other beneficial minerals such as zinc, chromium, and selenium.

Important Note About High Blood Pressure

High blood pressure can be very sneaky, with no obvious symptoms. Many people have high blood pressure and don’t know it. When blood pressure gets dangerously high, it becomes a medical emergency.

Signs and symptoms of severe hypertension may include:

• Severe chest pain
• Severe headache, accompanied by confusion and blurred vision
• Nausea and vomiting
• Severe anxiety
• Shortness of breath
• Seizures
• Unresponsiveness

This is a medical emergency and you should contact your doctor or head to an urgent care center. Medical complications of a hypertensive crisis can include strokes or aneurysms. Be sure to check your blood pressure regularly.

Blood Pressure-Lowering Beet-Apple-Carrot-Ginger Smoothie

You will LOVE this amazing blood pressure-lowering healthy, delicious Beet-Apple-Carrot smoothie rich with magnesium, potassium, nitric oxide, lycopene, antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and healthy bacteria:

• ½ large fresh raw beet or 1 whole small to medium beet, chopped or grated
• 1 medium sized carrot, chopped or grated
• 1 thumb-sized (more or less) piece of fresh ginger, chopped
• ½ green organic Granny Smith apple
• 1 big handful fresh, raw, organic spinach
• 1 ginger kombucha or sparkling water
• Handful of ice

Blend, and enjoy this refreshing drink as often as you wish!

People Who Use THIS Bathroom Product Are 85% More Likely to Develop Hypertension

It’s a shocking discovery…

But this common, over-the-counter bathroom product has been shown in clinical studies to raise blood pressure.

In fact, if you frequently use this product, you have an 85% higher risk of hypertension compared to less frequent users.

Can you guess what it is?

Find all about it here:

Common bathroom habit raises blood pressure

References
https://www.ndtv.com/food/hypertension-5-fruits-that-may-help-you-manage-high-blood-pressure-naturally-1828135
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/herbs-to-lower-blood-pressure#9.-Ginger
https://www.healthline.com/health/drinks-to-lower-blood-pressure#berry-juice
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/foods-high-blood-pressure
https://thenutritionwatchdog.com/the-blood-pressure-fix/

The post Drink THIS for Lower Blood Pressure! appeared first on thenutritionwatchdog.com.

Today’s blog is republished from my friends at TheAlternativeDaily, a leading publisher of daily alternative health tips that I personally read every day…

If you suffer from frequent urination at night — also called nocturia — chances are you’re probably not getting enough restful sleep, leaving you cranky and frustrated with your body. Here’s how to get your overactive bladder under control, naturally.

What is nocturia?

If you find yourself getting up more than once during the six to eight hour period when you should be sleeping, you’re not alone. Approximately one in three adults over the age of 30 have nocturia (an excessive need to urinate at night), says the Urology Care Foundation. It could be the case that your body is making too much urine, your bladder can’t hold it for long periods of time or it’s a bit of both.

According to researchers, nocturia has a significant impact on people’s overall health and wellbeing. It contributes to fatigue, memory issues, depression and anxiety, higher risk of heart disease, gastrointestinal distress and increased risk of falls. Sleep is tied to everything — and without it, our bodies suffer.

What causes nocturia?

There are several lifestyle choices, health conditions and medications that affect the presence of nocturia. One of the most common is aging. That’s because the older we get, the less our bodies produce the hormone that tells our kidneys to take it easy while we’re resting. In addition, with age, the bladder becomes less elastic, so it can’t hold onto as much urine as it used to be able to. The result? Frequent trips to the restroom in the middle of the night.

In older men, an enlarged prostate could be the culprit behind nocturia. This occurs because the bladder is unable to empty out completely, leading to more trips to the toilet round-the-clock. In women, those who have had children may have weaker muscles if they haven’t worked on their pelvic floor muscles. Additionally, women who have gone through menopause experience reduced estrogen production, which can impact the urinary tract.

More causes for nocturia

If you think you might have a serious medical condition, make an appointment with your doctor today. Here are some other common reasons for frequent urination at night:

• Heart issues
• Diabetes
• Liver failure
• Alzheimer’s
• Parkinson’s
• Overactive bladder
• Prostate tumor
• Interstitial cystitis
• Pregnancy
• Obesity

Keep a diary by your bed and record how often you’re going to the restroom, so you can report back to your doctor. You can also use the BladderTrakHer web app and log every trip to the toilet. In the meantime, here are some ways to handle nocturia:

Drink less before bed

Are you having several cups of tea before bed? Drinking a few too many glasses of wine in your PJs? Before anything else, try modifying the amount of liquid you drink before bedtime to see if this can effectively reduce nighttime urination. You may find immediate relief! Also make sure to avoid caffeine in the afternoon or alcohol in the late evening, since both interfere with your natural urination cycle.

With all of that said, it’s important not to reduce your overall fluid intake too much. It may seem like this is an easy way to stop peeing at night, but it could have adverse health effects, like a urinary tract infection. Speaking of which…

Check in with your urinary tract

When you have the early symptoms of a urinary tract infection (UTI), you may feel the urge to “go” more often than normal, especially at night. Before a full-blown infection strikes, stay hydrated every day, adjust your diet to include probiotics and always pee after sex. You might have an infection if your nighttime urination is paired with pain in your stomach, a fever and blood in your urine. If this is the case, see a doctor right away to confirm your diagnosis.

Talk to your doctor about your meds

Many medications have nocturia as a side effect. For example, if you suffer from heart failure, your doctor may have prescribed you a diuretic to get rid of the edema (fluid buildup) in your lower extremities. Unfortunately, you may feel the need to pee more often at night. Talk to your doctor about changing the medication or see if you can take it earlier in the day.

Soothe your sleep disorder

It may not actually be the urge to pee that’s waking you up, but a different problem altogether. Do you have chronic pain? Sleep apnea? Are you feeling anxious or depressed lately? All of these things can interrupt your normal sleep pattern, leaving you awake at strange hours of the night. Talk to a physician you trust about to fix your sleep disorder, naturally. You may find that your peeing problem goes away too.

Eat a handful of raisins

The evidence on this is purely anecdotal, but many nocturia sufferers have reported positive effects from eating a handful of raisins just before bed. To see if this works for you, eat 1/4 cup of raisins (about 30) before you head off to sleep. Try this for several nights in a row to see if it makes a difference. Even if it’s only the placebo effect, at least it works for some people!

Avoid ‘irritating’ foods and drinks

There are several foods and beverages that are known to make bladder irritation even worse. If you’re eating or drinking any of these, stop and see if your nocturia gets better:

• Alcohol
• Chocolate
• Coffee and tea
• Processed foods
• Tomatoes, tomato sauce, salsa
• Hot sauce, chili peppers, wasabi or anything else that’s spicy
• Acidic fruit juices, like orange and grapefruit

Make sure to scan the complete list of foods to avoid from the Cleveland Clinic.

Strengthen your pelvic floor

It’s always a good idea to strengthen your pelvic floor muscles, which support a woman’s uterus, bladder, small intestine and rectum. For a man, strong pelvic floor muscles support the bladder and urethra, helping to combat incontinence and other problems down the line.

So what’s the solution for both men and women? Kegel exercises! Studies have shown that performing kegel exercises on a daily basis can significantly strengthen pelvic floor muscles, which helps to address many of the biggest problems associated with urinary issues.

First, identify the muscle group by interrupting the flow of urine. Hold for five seconds, then resume peeing. Once you’re familiar with the right muscles, lie down on your back in a comfortable spot. Tighten the pelvic floor muscles, holding the contraction for five seconds, then relax for five seconds. Do the exercise four to five times in a row, a few times a week. Be careful not to overextend your bladder and cause further irritation. Within a few weeks, you should have a stronger pelvic floor, especially if you try out this next tip…

Roll out your yoga mat

Among yoga’s numerous benefits are exercises that strengthen the pelvic floor. Get on down to your nearest yoga studio or search for “yoga and pelvic floor” exercises on YouTube. Some of the best asanas for your pelvis are:

• Squat
• Locust pose
• Warrior II pose
• Bridge pose
• Chair pose
• Child’s pose

(The original article source is here)
Hilary Lebow

Before you go, I have another important message for both men and women…

Attention Women: Stop ‘pee leaks’ with this upper body stretch

If you want to stop bladder leakage and tighten your pelvic floor, you’re supposed to do kegels, right? Well…

That’s wrong, but there is an UPPER body stretch that strengthens your pelvic floor and stops ‘pee leaks’…

>> This strange upper body stretch STOPS bladder leakage

Attention Men: try THIS if you have an enlarged SWOLLEN prostate:

Just a handful of doctors knew this until recently:

Every man over 40 suffering from prostate problems has this hidden toxin “leaking” inside their bodies…

And not only does it swell the prostate, giving you the nagging sensation that you have to pee immediately…

But could also lead to other incurable complications!

How to avoid the dangerous “prostate toxin”.

The post Peeing Too Much At Night? Here’s How To Stop 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

There is a silent and serious disease slowly taking over a large portion of our population. Fatty liver disease is becoming increasingly common in many parts of the world—especially the United States. It affects 1 out of five people globally, and is a major risk factor for liver failure, as well as diabetes, heart attacks, and even cancer. In the United States it is the most common liver disease there is.

This disease is called NALFD (non-alcoholic fatty liver disease) or fatty liver. It has definite links to fructose, vegetable seed oils and our overall nutrition. What is this disease?

The main characteristic of this disease is an overload of fat stored in the liver. So much so that the liver cannot function properly. The liver is considered “fatty” when more than 5% of it is fat. Non-alcoholic fatty liver is the initial stage of this liver disease—and at this point—is still reversible.

The biggest problem with this disease is that it often has no symptoms, so it goes undiagnosed. Over time, NAFL can become NASH, or non-alcoholic steatohepatitis. At this point, the inflammation and fat begin to damage the liver cells, leading to scarring of the liver and cirrhosis. By the time the disease advances to NASH, the liver is no longer functioning very well. NASH can be life-threatening and can be the beginnings of liver cancer, an aggressive and difficult-to-treat form of cancer.

The liver is one of the primary organs in our bodies, and one we cannot live without. It is responsible for:

• Production of bile, carries away waste and breaks down fats
• Production of proteins for blood plasma
• Production of cholesterol and special proteins that carry fats
• Conversion of glucose into glycogen for storage
• Processing of hemoglobin for iron
• Conversion of ammonia to urea to be carried out of the body
• Metabolizing drugs and ridding the body of toxins
• Regulating blood clotting
• Creating immune factors to fight infections
• Clearance of byproducts of red blood cells.

When the liver gets overloaded with sugar or starches, it turns starts making fat like crazy. This is the body’s normal response to excess glucose. However, fructose—especially when it comes in the form of high fructose corn syrup, is a trigger to put the liver into overdrive and really turn on the fat production. Because high fructose corn syrup has found its way into virtually all processed foods and drinks, it is the primary cause of fatty liver syndrome—as well as numerous other serious health issues.

Having fatty liver disease comes with a cascade of health issues. First of all, high blood sugar, high levels of inflammation and insulin resistance point you towards diabetes and obesity. As fat builds up in the liver, and surrounding organs, “visceral fat”, is a precursor to many serious, chronic diseases.

Excess abdominal fat also elevates LDL cholesterol, when combined with excess inflammation, making you a prime candidate for heart attacks. What’s even more shocking, is that this disease is not a disease that just middle-aged or older people get. Children, as young as 10 and 12 years old are getting this disease from spending their childhood drinking juice and soda.

What are the risk factors for fatty liver disease? Nonalcoholic fatty liver (NAFLD) is more common in people who exhibit any of these health problems or features:

• Menopausal or post-menopausal women
• People who have had their gall bladders removed
• Obesity
• Type 2 diabetes
• Prediabetes
• Metabolic syndrome
• Hispanic
• Rapid weight loss
• High blood pressure
• Middle aged or older; children can also have NAFLD
• Corticosteroids and some cancer drugs
• Low intake of choline, a necessary nutrient

Choline Deficiency and NAFLD

Research now shows that choline deficiency, a key nutrient found in egg yolks and beef liver, is one of the key risk factors that trigger fatty liver disease, along with fructose. According to Chris Masterjohn, who holds a PhD. in nutrition science, choline deficiency actually appears to be an even more significant trigger for fatty liver disease than fructose, and in his view, the rise in this liver condition is largely the result of avoiding liver and egg yolks. Says Dr. Masterjohn:

               “More specifically, I currently believe that dietary fat, whether saturated or unsaturated, and anything that the liver likes to turn into fat, like fructose, [sucrose] and ethanol, will promote the accumulation of fat as long as we don’t get enough choline,” Masterjohn says adding:

               “Once that fat accumulates, the critical factor igniting an inflammatory fire to this fat is the consumption of too much PUFA (polyunsaturated fat from vegetable … oils).”

When you combine a low choline diet with excessive fructose and starches, you are almost guaranteed to develop fatty liver disease at some point.

What is Choline?

Choline is a nutrient found in egg yolks, beef liver, legumes, nuts, beef, leafy greens. Choline is an essential component of our cell membranes and is required for the synthesis of phospholipids. Choline helps our bodies create the neurotransmitter acetylcholine which is important for memory, mood, muscle control, and other brain and nervous system functions.

Choline also works with the metabolism of B vitamins as well. Choline is essential to make phosphatidylcholine which is important to the structure and integrity of our body’s cell walls. Many people are low in choline due to dietary restrictions (egg yolks, liver) and people who are vegetarians and vegans.

Menopausal Women and Choline Deficiency

Younger women need less choline from their diet than children or other adults because the female hormone estrogen helps the body make choline. After menopause, estrogen levels decline, making it necessary to get choline from the diet. This makes menopausal and postmenopausal women at a much higher risk for fatty liver disease, particularly when they have a poor diet high in sugars and starch.

Choline and B Vitamins

In addition, when someone is deficient in folate, a B vitamin, the need for dietary choline increases even more, because choline is needed to help body utilize B vitamins.

Two very common genetic variations in the PEMT gene and the MTHFR gene (I will discuss these gene variations in an upcoming article) create a higher need for both folate AND choline, further increasing the risk of getting fatty liver disease.

What does this mean?

Post-menopausal women and people with these common gene variations are at high risk for choline deficiency, making them at an even higher risk for fatty liver disease. AND when you combine these factors with a common gene variations, a poor diet–high in processed foods, high fructose corn syrup and processed grains, the chances of fatty liver disease are extremely high.

What are the Symptoms?

Often this sneaky disease causes few, if any, symptoms. If it does, symptoms can include fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea, and discomfort in the upper right abdomen. Left unchecked, it can progress to serious liver problems including:

• Abdominal swelling
• Enlarged blood vessels
• Enlarged spleen
• Red palms
• Yellowing of the skin and eyes (jaundice)
• Mental confusion or dementia
  

How to Prevent or Reverse Fatty Liver Disease

You can reverse fatty liver disease by changing your diet. Strictly eliminating foods containing fructose and high fructose corn syrup, as well as sucrose or any added sugars is the first step. Avoid these foods:

• Processed foods, especially any foods containing added fructose, corn syrup or high fructose corn syrup.
• Any vegetable seed oils such as soybean oil, canola oil, sunflower oil, corn oil, safflower oil, cottonseed oil
• Alcohol
• Certain medications including acetaminophen and ibuprofen

Foods to eat more of:

• Egg yolks
• Grass fed liver
• Naturally raised meats, poultry and fish—you may need to considering eating these even if you are vegetarian or vegan
• Beans and peas
• Liver boosting foods such as artichokes, arugula, and dandelion
• Green leafy vegetables which are high in folate

In addition, taking supplements can help the liver clear out fat, while rebuilding and lowering inflammation. Include these supplements:

• Lecithin, which is high in choline
• A multi-B vitamin with natural folate or methylfolate, NOT synthetic folic acid
• Milk thistle which aids the liver
• Zinc
• Selenium
• Berberine, which lowers blood sugar
• Whey protein, shown to reduce liver fat by up to 20%
• Green tea contains catechins which decrease liver fat and inflammation

Other Supplements like probiotics, resveratrol, curcumin, vitamin E, vitamin C and vitamin D may help to naturally improve a fatty liver and overall health.

And don’t forget to get regular exercise, which can help you burn off excess glucose, increase your insulin sensitivity, and help you lose weight.

Could your doctor be missing these warning signs of a lurking health nightmare?

If you struggle with fatigue, belly fat, or brain fog… and he hasn’t been able to help you… then the answer could be “yes”.

But it’s a health risk you can’t afford to ignore. (Go here to find out what it is.)

The great news? Once you discover the truth about this ignored body organ, you can effortlessly renew your endless energy levels, melt away pounds of stubborn belly fat, and regain your sharp thinking.

To find out what doctors rarely check for, watch this shocking report now (click here).

References
https://drhyman.com/blog/2013/09/26/fatty-liver-90-million-americans/
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/nonalcoholic-fatty-liver-disease/symptoms-causes/syc-20354567
https://www.theartofhealing.com.au/eggs.html
https://draxe.com/health/fatty-liver-disease/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21288612/
https://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2019/05/08/why-children-are-getting-fatty-liver-disease.aspx?fbclid=IwAR0l_PNLDz1g4gcGUXJlg9VOs8F9I57HKVmIF8oXzUYZ9OtNdOFYRtjXrpw
https://www.healthline.com/health/visceral-fat#complications
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5893377/#R8
https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/liver-anatomy-and-functions
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4462685/
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/fatty-liver#TOC_TITLE_HDR_6
https://draxe.com/health/fatty-liver-disease/
https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article/92/5/1113/4597519
https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Choline-HealthProfessional/
https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article/85/5/1275/4632979?itm_medium=sidebar&itm_content=ajcn&itm_source=trendmd-widget&itm_campaign=trendmd-pilot&utm_campaign=The_American_Journal_of_Clinical_Nutrition_TrendMD_0&utm_source=TrendMD&utm_medium=cpc

The post This ONE Nutrient Can Protect You from Fatty Liver Disease 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

Back when I was growing up in the 60’s and 70’s, there was a new so-called ‘health’ breakthrough that dictated that “saturated fats” should be crossed off the list of foods we should eat. Steaks and hamburgers were bad news, and in order to fight heart disease we were told to avoid all animal fats, or “saturated fats” and only use vegetable oils like Crisco, soybean oil, canola oil, corn oil, sunflower oil, and cottonseed oils.

Everyone started using margarine, made from partially hydrogenated seed oils, and vegetable oil for cooking, frying, baking, etc. And there was Crisco—a baking wonder! I even remember doctors telling patients who had had heart attacks to avoid all saturated fats, red meat, eggs and butter; and eat only chicken and fish, vegetable oils and margarine. Foods and cooking oils that were vegetable-based were advertised as ‘heart-healthy’. Including Crisco.

But now, everything has changed. Many health experts are now discovering that vegetable oils are significantly worse for us than sugar and grains. Vegetable seed oils are considered to be one of the primary root causes of many inflammatory degenerative diseases including heart disease, Alzheimer’s, diabetes and even cancer.

“I wonder how many people who followed the mistaken advice of eating vegetable seed died too early. This dietary change has likely killed millions of people prematurely and still continues to do so because most people just don’t understand this concept, or blindly buy into the mainstream medical paradigm.”

However, there exists a huge disconnect between what nutrition science has found and what official dietary guidelines tell us we should be doing. The nutrition scientists say that vegetable oils, which are a type of omega 6 fatty acids, are extremely toxic because they are connected to many chronic diseases. Meanwhile, the government and the FDA tell us to consumption of these oils are healthy.

Many people–including many health experts–believe that omega 6 fats are considered an ‘essential fat’ and necessary in our diets. The fact is, omega 6 fats, which are polyunsaturated fatty acids—or PUFA’s, are made up primarily of linoleic acid, which is actually very harmful to our health.

Now stay with me here—although it’s a bit involved, the following information is something I highly recommend you read all the way through. Your life and your health are at stake and it’s important to understand this information on vegetable seed oils.

Omega 6 fats have increased in the human diet from only about 2-3 grams a day, a 150 years ago, to over 30-40 grams a day in current times. Omega 6 fats now make up almost 20% of our diets.

This huge increase in omega 6 fats, combined with the toxic end products from these fats, cause damage that many scientists now believe to be one of the primary causes behind the massive increase in chronic disease including obesity, diabetes, heart disease and cancer.

By simply lowering your omega 6 intake to what your great-great grandparents used to eat, you may be able to essentially eliminate most chronic disease that are now prematurely killing us.

We used to mistakenly believe that it was the ratio of omega 6 fats to omega 3 fats (the anti-inflammatory fats found in fish and grass fed meats) that was healthy or unhealthy. It was thought that you could just eat more omega 3 fats to ‘balance’ out the omega 6 fats, but we are now coming to the realization, through scientific research, that it is the total consumption of omega 6 fats—regardless of the ratio—that damages our health.

Much has been discussed about sugar and processed grains being incredibly harmful, but little is actually known about the dangers of processed omega 6 fatty acids in vegetable oils.

Vegetable oils are considered a processed, industrialized seed oil. Vegetable oils are a fairly new addition to our diets, replacing the traditional fats that have been used for hundreds of years such as ghee, butter, olive oil, coconut oil and lard.

How are Industrial Seed Oils Made?

While these vegetable oils are labeled as ‘natural,’ they are most definitely not natural. I invite you to Google the making of industrial seed oils and watch the process for yourself. It’s not an appetizing operation.

Soy, corn, cotton, safflower and rapeseed (for canola oil) plants are grown (mostly GMO and heavily sprayed with pesticides and other chemicals) for vegetable oil. Once the plants are mature, the seeds are harvested from the plants. Next the seeds are heated to extremely high temperatures, oxidizing the unsaturated fatty acids, and creating harmful byproducts. Then the seeds are processed with a petroleum-based chemical solvent such as hexane, which maximizes the oil that can be extracted from the seeds.

More industrial chemicals are added to deodorize the terrible smell that this chemically extracted oil contains. The deodorizing process yields trans fats (yes, the ones that can kill you). Lastly, the oil has even more chemicals added to it to improve the color. All of this very UN-natural processing creates a high calorie, nutrient-poor, inflammatory GMO oil with leftover pesticides, chemical residue, trans fats and oxidized byproducts.

Because the fatty acids in industrial seed oils are so unstable, synthetic antioxidants are added to help prevent oxidation and rancidity. However, these synthetic antioxidants are not healthy either. Synthetic antioxidants such as BHA, BHT, and TBHQ have endocrine-disrupting, carcinogenic, and immune-disrupting effects. And additionally, TBHQ has been found to trigger an IgE (immunoglobulin E) response to some foods, which may promote the development of food allergies.

How is this oil considered ‘healthy’???

The History of Vegetable Oil

Before the turn of the century, two soap makers named William Procter and James Gamble, created a new type of soap from cottonseed oil, which at the time, was considered a toxic waste product that no one wanted. Previous to this, soap was usually made from lard or beef tallow. The breakthrough came when it was discovered that when cottonseed oil was chemically altered and hydrogenated, it became a solid fat that resembled lard (a.k.a. Crisco). A new market for vegetable ‘lard’ was created.

Soybeans became a popular crop in the United States in the 30’s, and soon much of it was made into soybean oil. Canola, corn and safflower oil came soon after. These cooking oils were very popular due to an excellent marketing and advertising campaign.

In the 1940’s, the newly formed America Heart Association received a large donation from Procter & Gamble and then endorsed vegetable oils as a healthier alternative to animal fats. The icing on the cake, however, was when scientist Ancel Keys presented his flawed “lipid hypothesis”, suggesting a link between animal fat, cholesterol and heart disease. Keys of course, pushed vegetable oils as the preferable choice to use, and the medical society and the public soon followed.

As we now know, Keys’ hypothesis was flawed, he cherry-picked the studies he wanted to use, and his ties to the sugar industry helped to further exaggerate his claims against saturated fat. Soon the entire industrialized world was using vegetable oils and demonizing animal fats.

How Are Different Types of Fats Classified?

For the purposes of this discussion, we will be talking primarily about omega 6 fats, linoleic acid, and PUFA’s. All of these are components found in industrial seed vegetable oils.

Other healthier choices of oils include monounsaturated fats like olive oil and saturated fats such as lard, butter and coconut oil. Fish oil contains healthy omega 3 fats including DHA and EPA.  For an in-depth discussion on how fats are classified, I recommend you click here.

Discussing fats can get somewhat complicated, but generally fats are divided up into these three groups:

• Saturated fats— have a full complement of hydrogen atoms. Examples of these types of fats include coconut oil and animal fats like butter, beef tallow and lard.
• Monounsaturated fats—are missing a single hydrogen atom. Examples include olive oil, avocado oil and nuts.
• Polyunsaturated fats or PUFA’s–are missing multiple hydrogen atoms. Examples include vegetable oils like canola, soybean, corn, sunflower, cottonseed, safflower, etc.

These missing hydrogen atoms make PUFAs much more likely to oxidize, and the fat breaks down into harmful metabolites. Omega 6 vegetable oils contain a large portion of linoleic acid. OXLAMS (oxidized linoleic acid metabolites) have a profoundly negative impact on human health. When you hear of oxidization in your blood vessels or plaque buildup that causes heart attacks, OXLAMS are often a contributing cause.

Note: Do not confuse linoleic acid (LA) with conjugated linoleic acid (CLA). CLA is found mostly in grass fed beef, while linoleic acid is found in vegetable seed oils. Many people think CLA and LA are interchangeable, but they are definitely not. CLA has many potent health benefits and will not cause any of the problems that LA does.

The truth is that the TOTAL amount of omega 6 you eat is detrimental to your health and as long as you eat fish a 2-3 times a week, you will get plenty of omega-3. So, you mostly want to pay attention to your omega 6/PUFA/linoleic acid intake.

Paul Saladino, author of “The Carnivore Code”, also discusses a lot of research that shows that it’s the ratio of saturated fat to omega 6’s that he thinks is actually MORE important than the omega 6 to omega 3 ratio, with higher saturated fat being protective, and higher polyunsaturated omega 6 fats causing the majority of health problems.

Why are seed oils so bad for us?

First and foremost, highly processed industrial seed oils are something our bodies do not recognize. As Chris Kresser states, industrial seed oils are an “evolutionary mismatch.” Up until the 1900’s humans never consumed industrial seed oil. However, beginning in the 70’s, the average consumption of just soybean oil went from 4 pounds per person a year to 26 pounds per person! As a result, these high levels of industrial seed oil consumption are ruining our health.

The primary reason seed oils are so detrimental, however is that they contain large amounts of linoleic acid. When we talk about omega 6 fats, we are referring primarily to the linoleic acid, or LA in those fats. LA makes up about 60% to 80% of omega 6 and is the primary ingredient that appears to spark the disease process.

Seed Oils, Covid-19 and ARDS (Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome)

Seed oils are suspected to play a role in the development of ARDS, especially in Covid-19. One of the primary causes of death in Covid-19 is the development of acute respiratory distress, often brought on by an overreaction of cytokines, an inflammatory immune reaction of the body.

One of the key toxins that contributes to the development of symptoms of ARDS is called leukotoxin, and leukotoxin is made from linoleic acid by the white blood cells to kill off pathogens. However, leukotoxin is toxic to humans as well as pathogens. Leukotoxin is toxic enough to kill animals in minutes if you inject high amounts of it.

ARDS can brought on by many different pathogens, including viruses like influenza or pneumonia. You can also get ARDS from smoke inhalation or other toxic substances in the atmosphere as well.

Doctors started noticing that patients being fed liquid diets in the hospital (which are high in seed oils such as soybean oil) were developing ARDS. While the fatality rate from ARDS is generally 30% to 60%, according to one researcher, Tucker Goodrich, feeding seed oil-based liquid diets increases the rate of ARDS in patients 700%.

Seed Oils and Cancer

Each of the cells in our body contain a tiny powerhouse that generates energy, called the “mitochondria”. On this cellular level, excess linoleic acid consumption impedes the body’s ability to generate energy in our mitochondria. But, energy is necessary for most all body processes.

Depending on the body part, the cell’s mitochondria work best with specific types of fatty acids. These fatty acids can include LA, palmitic acid (another type of fat) or the fatty acid components from fish oil, such as DHA and EPA.

The appropriate fatty acids in cells can be compared to a cellular alarm system that triggers cell death when something goes wrong with the cell. If those fatty acids are full of linoleic acid, they are unable to signal, and the damaged cell is not killed. As a result, dysfunctional cells continue to grow, which then turn into cancerous cells or tumors.

Animals typically develop cancer once the omega 6 fats in their diet reaches 4% to 10% of their energy intake, depending on the cancer. In fact, scientists can actually induce cancer in animal models by feeding them seed oils.

Most humans today are eating 15% to 20% of their calories from omega 6, so you can see there can be a correlation. Our ancestral human diet is believed to be made up of only about 2% to 3% omega 6 fats, and when intake increases above that level, you will see significant health problems start to happen.

When you consume too many omega 6 fats, you make it far more susceptible to oxidative damage, which damages the cells, and in turn relates to higher risks of cancer. However there is some research showing that when the omega 6 linoleic acid is replaced with the oleic acid from olive oil, the cells become resistant to oxidative damage.

Seed Oils and Diabetes

Other research shows that mice fed a diet high in omega 6 fats, versus a high carbohydrate diet, developed diabetes. The mice became insulin resistant, leptin resistant and obese. Contrast this with mice who were fed a diet high in carbohydrates–which we generally associate with the development of diabetes. These mice did okay. On the other hand, the mice whose diet was high in omega 6 fats had a breakdown in the mitochondria in their hearts. So, the conclusion one can make here is that just by adding in seed oils, heart damage occurs because of a change in the fatty acids of the cells.

Seed Oils Age Your Skin and Increase Risk of Skin Cancer

There is even plenty of evidence showing eliminating seed oils from your diet will dramatically reduce your risk of sunburn and premature aging. People with a high intake of seed oils and omega 6 fats have increased inflammation which in turns shows up as sunburn and sun damage.

Susceptibility to UV radiation damage is controlled by the amount of omega 6 consumption in the diet. Higher omega 3 consumption and lower omega 6 consumption has been shown to control how fast or slowly one can get skin cancer. High omega 3 consumption slows down or eliminates skin cancer, while high omega 6 intake increases the risk of skin cancer.

In addition, the inflammation and oxidation from sun exposure and high omega 6 intake also increases the breakdown of collagen and speeds up the aging in the skin. Studies show people with a higher intake of saturated animal fat have less photoaging of the skin, compared to those who have a higher intake of vegetable oils in their diets.

Chronic Disease and Vegetable Oils

High intakes of omega 6 fatty acids increase the pro-inflammatory mediators associated with asthma, autoimmune diseases, infertility, macular degeneration, and osteoarthritis.

One of the most notable takeaways is that seed oils are especially harmful to the brain. Too much omega 6 fats can make people much more susceptible to depression, anxiety and dementia, due to the increased inflammation in the brain. Canola oil, which we’ve been told is ‘healthy’ is linked to poor memory, cognitive decline and a higher risk for Alzheimer’s disease.

The trans fats in vegetable oils, which are a result of the heat and processing, are also associated with a higher chance of dementia, as well as increased aggression.

Other research in mice shows that high levels of linoleic acid increases food consumption and encourages weight gain and obesity. Further research shows a diet with high intake of soybean oil in particular, brings on obesity, insulin resistance, diabetes, and fatty liver disease.

Even a mother’s diet high in omega 6 fats is associated with a higher risk of obesity in her children. And children who eat high levels of omega 6’s often have insulin resistance, prediabetes, and obesity when they grow up.

What About Heart Disease?

We’ve had it drilled into our heads for the past 50 or more years that vegetable oils are “heart healthy” and help us prevent heart disease. Nothing could be further from the truth!

In fact, oxidized fatty acids from industrial seed oils appear to play a pivotal role in the development of cardiovascular disease.

Researcher James DiNicolantonio has been working on a theory called the “oxidized linoleic acid theory of coronary heart disease” that presents a link between consumption of linoleic acid-rich industrial seed oils and cardiovascular disease. His theory includes these points:

• Linoleic acid from our diets from gets into blood lipoproteins (triglycerides and cholesterol).
• The instability of linoleic acid causes oxidization.
• Oxidized lipoproteins activate macrophages which initiate foam cell formation, atherosclerosis, and cardiovascular disease.

Industrial seed oils are also a causative factor in cardiovascular disease by increasing the omega 6 to omega 3 ratio. This high omega 6 to omega 3 ratio creates excess inflammation and dangerous clotting effects in the heart and blood vessels. And LDL, the part of cholesterol which we’ve all been taught is the ‘bad cholesterol’ is only dangerous when it is exposed to high levels of omega 6 fats, which cause it to oxidize in blood vessels

Industrial seed oils are also harmful to our gut health, making conditions like IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) and IBD (Irritable Bowel Disease) much more likely. This information leads us to the conclusion that high levels of omega 6 fats can alter our gut microbiome and increase GI inflammation, contributing to the development of IBS and IBD.

Anyone with any type of inflammatory or autoimmune disease should avoid processed vegetable oils and instead consume only natural fats from olive oil, coconut oil, wild seafood, nuts and seeds, and healthy animal fats.

How to Avoid Linoleic Acid and Omega 6’s

The difficult task is to avoid omega 6’s altogether. Omega 6 fats are not just in the vegetable oil you buy in a bottle at the store. These harmful fats are in most all processed foods, salad dressings, sauces, chips of all kinds, crackers, cookies, bread and more.

Most all fried food—unless it is specifically labeled, is fried in vegetable oil (strike one!) and repeatedly heated (strike two!). Restaurants and even home cooks often reuse vegetable oil to fry foods. When vegetable oils are heated over and over again, it further magnifies the toxicity of the oil.

Repeated heating also depletes vitamin E which is a natural antioxidant. It dramatically increases the free radicals that damage DNA, proteins and lipids in the body. This helps to explain why fried foods are associated with high blood pressure, heart disease, and liver damage.

Even meat, such as commercially-raised chicken which is fed high LA grains is high in this dangerous fat. And eating more foods high in omega 3 fats may help but will not avoid the problem. As noted researcher, Tucker Goodrich states, “The ratio is not really what’s important. What’s important is [totally] avoiding the omega 6 fats…”

Avoiding all processed foods, especially fried foods and chips and only eating saturated fats or monounsaturated fats like olive oil is the best way to avoid omega 6’s.

What About Olive Oil?

Yes, olive oil also contains LA, but it also has other healthy fats that help to offset this. Olive oil contains oleic acid, which is one of the best fats for your body. Oleic acid is highly resistant to oxidation, which is why olive oil is much healthier to cook with. However, olive oil can contain varying amounts of linoleic acid, and many olive oils are cut with cheaper seed oils, raising the LA content even more. So just be aware of how much olive oil you are consuming. It can be detrimental in higher amounts.

Other Healthy Fats

Beef fat—even conventionally-raised beef — is a combination of monounsaturated and saturated fats, and only has trace amounts of PUFA’s. Grass fed beef is higher in CLA (a healthy fat) and DHA (an omega 3 fat). On the other hand, chicken and pork have ten times as much omega 6/LA content of beef, bison or lamb, so if you want to be as healthy as possible, choose grass-fed RED meat instead of chicken or pork.

Coconut oil is another healthy saturated fat, and olive oil is monounsaturated, as is avocado oil and the oil from nuts. And butter, my favorite, is mostly all saturated fat, some monounsaturated fat and very little polyunsaturated fat. Grass fed butter is also very high in vitamin K-2, another essential nutrient valuable for heart health.

I hope you stuck with me on this important article. Many people underestimate the tremendous value a healthy diet has on every aspect of their lives. From health, to energy, to body composition, to your moods—diet matters. Making sense of conflicting information is the hardest part, so following the science is what matters most.

As my colleague Mike Geary says,

“…many people make statements like “just live a little and eat a donut”. And, honestly, I don’t equate “living a little” with eating donuts or chips or any other stuff that harms my quality of life. I’d rather eat a delicious steak or grass fed burger, and know I’m nourishing my body instead!

I’d rather have amazing energy, brain clarity, and LOOK & FEEL great every day instead of whatever 10 seconds of pleasure that a donut or chips might give to you. Plus, there are always better alternatives for a treat that doesn’t contain vegetable oil.”

I am 100% in agreement!

Our good friend and one of America’s top Heart Doctors, would like to share some amazing insights with you. His research over the years on heart health has lead him to this amazing find from this one food we ALL are not getting enough of.

NASA Doctor Reveals: #1 Heart-Healthy Food 89% of Americans Aren’t Eating Enough

Did you know that astronauts rarely have heart problems?

Surprisingly, it all comes down to one specific food they eat in outer space.

“This food works to clean your arteries and support your heart health by dissolving the sticky protein building up inside them,” says Dr. Sam Walters.

Dr. Sam Walters is a former nutrition consultant to NASA. He’s also a leading “heart doctor” whose natural solution has helped thousands of people enjoy a healthy heart without living on drugs.

He recommends his patients add this food as a staple in their diets… because multiple studies have shown that it can:

– SLASH your risk of heart attack & stroke by nearly HALF
– Lower “bad” LDL cholesterol & triglycerides
– Keep your blood pressure under control
– Unclog your arteries

Yet, up to 89% of Americans aren’t getting enough of it in their diets!

Fortunately, Dr. Walters has released a short video revealing the #1 heart-healthy food you should start eating today.

Watch it here:

>>> Former NASA Doctor Reveals The #1 Heart-Healthy Food 89% Of Americans Aren’t Eating Enough

References
https://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2020/12/13/linoleic-acid-health-effects.aspx?ui=91e4943fb31272c2cf6bf823f245f818b8eba68082a47a5a743f980f03272d6c&cid_source=dnl&cid_medium=email&cid_content=art1HL&cid=20201213_HL2&mid=DM746090&rid=1033766169
https://chriskresser.com/all-about-the-carnivore-diet-with-dr-paul-saladino/
https://chriskresser.com/how-industrial-seed-oils-are-making-us-sick/?fbclid=IwAR29gPfOPGm2JCdif0_Npayr3aekSD8koUX82yr8lIhgoRH9U4uCd7xMjjM

The post This Type of Oil Can Cause Cancer, Heart Disease, Obesity and Diabetes 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

Let’s address a topic that isn’t discussed out in the open that much. Menopause. Most every woman goes through this at some point, so it’s important to consider that this passage is not a disease or dysfunctional health. It’s NORMAL but the symptoms can vary widely, depending on several factors—many under your control.

In fact, at this very moment, one-third of the women in the United States are going through some stage of menopause—whether its peri-menopause, menopause or post menopause. Menopause has a wide range of symptoms and those symptoms affect every woman differently.

Some of the symptoms—hot flashes, insomnia, brain fog and mood changes can be severe enough to make it difficult to get on with normal day to day living, and while many women are (understandably) desperate for relief, traditional hormone replacement therapy can have some negative effects on long-term health. And—also very frustrating—is that only 1 out of 5 OB/GYN’s actually ever study menopause issues in medical school, leaving you in the dark when it comes to getting some relief!

There are many things you can do naturally to help ease the symptoms and your best bet is to work on diet and lifestyle changes first, then look for other natural options such as supplements and bioidentical hormone therapy.

The most common menopause symptoms that are bothersome include:

• Hot flashes, sweating
• Mood swings
• Anxiety and depression
• Vaginal dryness, pain with sex, and decreased sex drive
• Weight gain, especially around the midsection
• Insomnia
• Lethargy and loss of energy
• Dry skin, wrinkles
• Breast changes-larger or smaller
• Higher risk for chronic age-related diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, osteoporosis, arthritis, etc.

Diet, Inflammation and Estrogen

Inflammation can most definitely exacerbate the hormonal symptoms that go along with peri- and menopause—and diet and lifestyle practices can play a huge role in this.

Here is something to consider: Only about 10 percent of women in China, and 20 percent of women in Japan experience hot flashes and the other uncomfortable symptoms of menopause.

Why is that?

While the differences may be due partly to cultural differences, it’s a fact that the majority of Asian women follow very different diet and lifestyle practices than women here in the US, which may be a big part of the reason for the differences in menopause symptoms. Let’s explore some of the reasons for that.

For one thing our Standard American Diet is highly inflammatory. We eat large quantities of meat raised on inflammatory grains, full of pesticides, antibiotics and hormones. Conventional meat is also full of inflammatory omega 6 fats, instead of anti-inflammatory omega 3 fats that are in wild caught fish and grass fed meats. Women on the western side of the globe consume more than twice as much red meat, and four times as much fat (usually in the form of inflammatory omega 6 fats), as women on traditional Asian vegetable, fish and rice based diets.

Most of the meat eaten in this country comes from Concentrated Animal Factory Operations (CAFO’s). The beef, pork and poultry are fed a diet primarily of corn and soy products, creating meat that is high in inflammatory omega 6 fats.

In addition, the feed operations that supply food to our livestock are full of pesticides, and usually genetically modified. Cattle, chicken and pork are given hormones and antibiotics to unnaturally speed up growth. And cows raised for dairy products are pumped full of hormones to create perpetually pregnant or lactating cows.

All of this not only creates higher levels of inflammation in our bodies, but the growth hormone and antibiotics in conventional meat also makes our own hormone go haywire—and that especially affects women in menopause.

Could it Be the Fiber?

Contrast the standard American diet with Asian women eating a traditional diet heavy in vegetables, rice and fish and you will find that only about 10-20% of the Asian women reported menopause symptoms—compared to 80% of American women. As the traditional Asian diet gets replaced with a more Westernized diet heavy in CAFO and processed meats, starchy, sugary foods and processed grain/seed oils, you will find that the incidence of menopause symptoms goes up.

Research is showing that women who eat a high-fat/ low-fiber diet experience higher estrogen levels at all points in their lives. Consequently, as the ovaries slow the production of estrogen, the women on the high fat/low fiber diets have the most dramatic drop in estrogen. Because Asian women eat diets that are far lower in fats and higher in fiber, over the course of their lives, they tend to carry lower amounts of estrogen as well, and they seem to have far less symptoms of estrogen withdrawal because of this.

More evidence of the diet and hormone link comes from a study from the University of California who interviewed Greek and Mayan women about their experiences going through menopause. About three-quarters of the Greek women had hot flashes, but they were considered minor, normal events and did not cause the women to seek medical treatment.

The Mayan women did not even have a word for hot flashes, as they did not normally occur. The Mayan diet of the women in the study consisted of corn, beans, tomatoes, squash, sweet potatoes and a variety of other vegetables, with very little meat or dairy products. In other words, very high in fiber.

The Greek women’s diet contained plenty of vegetables, but also lots of fish, meat and dairy. The difference between Americans and Greeks and other Europeans for whom hot flashes are common, and the Mayans and Asian women on the other hand, for whom hot flashes are rare or unknown, appears to be diet-related. The study’s conclusion was that the higher fiber diets contributed to fewer menopausal symptoms.

What does fiber have to do with estrogen?

Fiber helps regulate and balance estrogen. In one study, researchers found that among 250 women ages 18 to 44, those who reported eating the most fiber had the lowest blood levels of estrogen and other reproductive hormones.

High-fiber diets, they explain, decrease activity in certain intestinal enzymes, leading to less estrogen re-absorption in the colon. Fiber actually causes more estrogen to be excreted from the body in feces. This is a good thing, health-wise. It helps prevent the problems of estrogen dominance which can be detrimental to health.

A low fiber diet actually allows for more re-absorption of estrogen through the digestive system, which is then re-released into the bloodstream. Higher levels of estrogen worsen menopause and peri-menopause symptoms, increase risks of fibroid tumors, but also contribute to higher risks of breast, ovarian and uterine cancers. Higher levels of estrogen also contribute greatly to weight gain.

By contrast, a diet high in processed starches, sugars and unhealthy fats is very low in fiber, AND it also causes weight gain, obesity and inflammation. The more weight gained, the higher the levels of inflammation in the body. It’s a vicious cycle.

Women who consume higher amounts of processed vegetable oils, high sugar/starch diets have the highest levels of inflammatory biomarkers, body weight (BMI) and menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes, night sweats, muscle and joint issues and bladder problems. Women on this type of diet also report far more negative symptoms in the perimenopausal period as well.

Excess fat also produces estrogen, especially as the ovaries slow down during menopause. Higher levels of estrogen indicates a higher than normal risk for postmenopausal breast cancer, according to the Nurses Health Study.

As the drops in estrogen become more dramatic during peri-menopause and menopause, the negative symptoms of menopause become more and more noticeable.

However, this study from Tehran University of Medical Sciences on women, menopause and diet showed that the women who consumed the highest levels of vegetables had the lowest reported menopause symptoms and also lower BMI.

And in one of the biggest studies on diet and menopause, this one-year intervention study of over 17,000 menopausal women, showed that the women who consumed the most vegetables, fruit, fiber and soy experienced an average of 20% reduction in hot flashes compared to the control group. This reduction in hot flahses was attributed to the healthier diet, high levels of antioxidants, plentiful fiber, and weight loss.

In addition to eating more vegetables and (small amounts of) fruit, it is important to include a particular type of vegetables, especially. Cruciferous vegetables. Cruciferous vegetables include broccoli, cauliflower, kale, brussels sprouts, arugula, kohlrabi and cabbage.

One study on cruciferous vegetables showed that increased intake was linked to lower levels of estrone (a more harmful type of estrogen). And this study, it was showed that an increased consumption in the brassica type of vegetables (cruciferous) changed estrogen hormone metabolites to significantly lower the risk of breast cancer in postmenopausal women.

Grain, Inflammation Hormones and Weight Gain

Grain of all kinds—whether ‘whole-grain’ or ground into a processed flour and made into breads, pastas, crackers, pizza crust, etc. is highly inflammatory and high-glycemic as well, meaning it raises blood sugar. In other words, any type of grain will raise blood sugar.

Foods that spike blood sugar are not only physically addictive, but they increase inflammation in the body. Grains also do more than raise blood sugar; they also raise insulin levels, cause problems with thyroid hormones, and interfere with optimal levels of leptin (a hunger/satiety hormone), causing people to overeat.

In addition, menopause itself is somewhat inflammatory, and can be a cause of low-level inflammation and elevated CRP, a primary inflammatory marker that is connected to heart disease and other chronic health issues.

An inflammatory diet that includes grain can make this risk even worse. A high-glycemic diet is also associated with oxidative stress in pre-and post-menopausal women. This study of over 117,000 men and women aged forty to seventy found that higher carbohydrate intake (mainly from white rice and refined wheat products) and dietary glycemic load were associated with an increased risk of heart disease in both women and men.

Grains also contain potentially harmful anti-nutrients, along with gluten, a protein in wheat that causes inflammation and autoimmune reactions. These include agglutinins, which is a type of lectin that is associated with leaky gut, inflammation and overgrowth of bad gut bacteria; phytates, which also cause leaky gut, and block absorption of calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium and zinc; and digestive enzyme inhibitors which contribute to undigested proteins leaking into the blood and overstimulating the immune system.

And–there’s the gluten issue. Gluten is just one of the proteins in wheat that can cause a variety of symptoms including bloating, nausea, diarrhea, and gut inflammation. Even if you are not having a strong reaction to gluten, it can still be triggering reactions and inflammation. Gluten’s ability to create inflammation, weight gain, digestive issues, and mess with hormone levels should not be overlooked.

While many doctors can test for gluten sensitivity, it may not show up—depending on the test. Standard blood tests for gluten sensitivity only have about 15-20% percent accuracy rate. Gluten has to have significantly destroyed the gut wall for the blood testing to be actually be effective. And in many people, gluten damages other tissues in the body.

Current tests only screen for one component of wheat, alpha gliadin. Yet people can react to at least 12 different portions of the wheat protein. What does this have to do with menopause? It seems during perimenopause and menopause, hormone changes, inflammation and long term sensitivity to certain proteins such as gluten, can suddenly rear its head, so on top of the classic symptoms of menopause can come digestive issues, bloating, weight gain, and diarrhea as well.

All this can cause menopause symptoms to drastically intensify, in addition to being linked to an increased risk of osteoporosis, thyroid disease, anemia, and even diabetes. And it’s not just the gluten in wheat that can be a problem, rye, barley and sometimes oats can cause similar reactions. Corn, and even rice can also have a cross-reactivity reaction as well, so truthfully, you are better off avoiding all grains—even the whole grain ones.

It’s a fact that women with un-diagnosed celiac disease and those who are diagnosed celiac or gluten sensitive but don’t follow a strict gluten free diet, will have a much harder time going through perimenopause and menopause. Women who have gluten sensitivity or celiac disease can also enter menopause earlier, have higher than normal occurrence of osteoporosis, and other serious health issues.

While giving up your bread, pasta, pizzas, crackers, and other baked goods may seem like a huge sacrifice, the rewards of your health, well-being, hormone balance and even weight loss should make it all worthwhile. And fortunately, there are some great grain substitutes available now like tortillas made from coconut flour or almond flour, noodles and pasta made from black beans, breads made from almond flour or garbanzo beans and even pizza crust made from cauliflower.

Diet for Easier Menopause

So, what’s the bottom line for a diet to help with menopause symptoms?

1. Keep the fiber high

Eat plenty of organic vegetables and a couple servings of fruit. Try to get in a pound of veggies a day, which isn’t too hard if you throw some greens in with your eggs or smoothie in the morning, eat a big salad for lunch and have a dinner with healthy proteins and a big serving of veggies. This will help fill you up with antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and other phytochemicals—all of which help ease menopause, lower inflammation and help you feel full. Fiber helps to gently lower estrogen levels in the body, and eases the symptoms. This helps with weight loss too! Be sure to include plenty of cruciferous vegetables like cauliflower, cabbage, brussels sprouts, broccoli, arugula, etc. And add in some non-GMO, fermented soy such as tempeh or miso to help further balance hormone levels.

2. Avoid sugars and grains completely—especially from processed foods

Keeping your blood sugar stable helps to balance hormones, calm your nerves, give you more energy, and stop the blood sugar ups and downs which sap your energy. Lower glycemic foods and lower blood sugar levels help you continue to burn fat for energy, keep insulin levels lower which helps fight cancer, helps you lose weight and helps to lower levels of unhealthy estrogens.

Lower blood sugar also goes a long way towards lowering inflammation levels which in turn drastically reduce heart attack, diabetes and cancer risks. Avoiding grains also help your body to better absorb nutrients from foods. You will get all the fiber you need from vegetables. Many studies find that the glycemic load of a postmenopausal woman’s diet is a strong predictor of her fat mass. Keep in mind glycemic load basically means carbohydrates and sugars.

3. Eat healthy proteins, naturally raised

Be sure to get in 50-100 grams of protein per day from natural sources. Natural sources include grass fed meats which are high in omega 3 fats, lower in omega 6 fats and high in conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) which fights cancer, protects the heart and burns fat better. Other natural proteins are pasture raised eggs, also high in omega 3 fatty acids and other valuable nutrients, pastured chicken, and wild caught fish.

Avoid as much as possible any animal products from conventionally raised animals, including dairy, as these foods all contain harmful disrupting hormones, antibiotics, pesticides and unhealthy fats.

What really does seem to work best for menopause is the classic paleolithic diet: naturally raised meats and protein, fruit, nuts, vegetables, eggs, berries, and fish. AVOID grains, most legumes, sugars, dairy, potatoes, and added salt.

Over 24 months, menopausal women on a paleo diet lost more fat, more waist circumference, and lowered their levels of dangerous triglycerides than those on a standard so-called “healthy” diet.

While it may be difficult to stick at first, getting your diet in line, along with a few lifestyle changes like making sure you add in small amounts of exercise daily (outdoors if possible), avoiding smoking, drinking one drink or less per day, and cutting back on caffeine will go a long ways towards easing menopause symptoms. You can take back your life, regain control over your hormones—and your health, lose weight, and start feeling awesome. The next chapter in your life is about to begin!

Check out this next story below if you want an innovative new way to lose weight:

> Do THIS 1 hour before bed to pee out stubborn fat in the morning

References
https://www.marksdailyapple.com/diet-for-menopause/
https://www.verywellhealth.com/can-celiac-disease-cause-early-menopause-562633
http://drflannery.com/why-your-negative-gluten-test-may-have-been-wrong/
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-menopause-diet/diet-rich-in-fruits-and-vegetables-tied-to-fewer-menopause-symptoms-idUSKCN1NP2DW
https://www.pcrm.org/news/exam-room-podcast/how-food-affects-menopause
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-fiber-ovulation/high-fiber-intake-may-interfere-with-ovulation-idUSTRE5A23KC20091103
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/menopause-diet#menopause
Gottfried, S., 2016. The Hormone Reset Diet, Harper and Collins, New York, NY.

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