Food

Food
Eat Whole Foods
If it comes in a packet or has been processed, you probably shouldn’t be eating it.

An important factor that determines the quality of foods we eat, is how it’s grown, harvested and/or raised.
The highest quality produce (fruits and vegetables) is local and organic;
the highest quality meat, dairy products, and eggs come from pasture-raised animals; and
the highest quality fish is wild-caught.

The number 1 cause of massive inflammation , toxicity and decreased immune response is Acidity.
Body acidity is caused by poor diet, toxins, heavy metals, electromagnetic pollution, dental infections and negative emotions.
You have to be alkaline for your body to heal.

Cause #2 of massive inflammation, toxicity and decrease immune response: FREE RADICALS AND EXCITOTOXINS !
Long before a thyroid disorder is diagnosed, the affected individual has typically been exposed to a varied host of heavy metals, toxic chemicals and/or inadequate nutrition which leads to free radicals and excitotoxins.
FREE RADICALS Free Radicals damage the mitochondrial DNA of the cell! This is the POWERHOUSE of the cell so free radicals alter the cell energy level.

What causes of free radical damage?
Poor Diet…
Toxic chemicals…
Heavy metals…

Diet plays a key role in producing methyl groups.
Too much caffeine, sugar, alcohol, and processed foods may prevent your body from absorbing methyl-‐related nutrients.
Poor diet and excess sugar increases inflammation as well as homocysteine, C-‐reactive protein, and uric acid.
Poor quality meats and vegetables are often deficient in B12 and folate are another reason why you want to eat organically.

Daily Mineral Requirements

Jan 272017

The Daily Mineral Requirements matrix below breaks down the mineral content of some basic foods that are required to ensure the thyroid, and therefore other systems, are able to work correctly. It also shows the percentage of the daily requirement DV that each particular food provides for the given quantity.

The matrix is focused on Iodine, Selenium, Magnesium. Zinc and Iron.
Other nutrient requirements (eg Calcium, Omega 3, Vitamins ) are generally provided by the same foods that provide these five.

Daily Mineral requirements that can be obtained from whole foods, not “fortified”.

Iodine

Dose of Iodine supplement for Hashimotos is 100-300 mcg per day

Foods containing sufficient amounts of Iodine:

	Average	Max
Adults	150 mcg	1,100 mcg

Food	mcg per serving	DV %	Selen mcg/ DV	Pot mcg/ DV	Magn mcg/ DV	Iron mg/ DV	Zinc mg/ DV	Calc mg/ DV	Mang mcg/ DV	Om3
Seaweed, whole or sheet, 1 g	16 to 2,984	11% to 1,989%
Cod, baked, 3 ounces	99	66%								y
Yogurt, plain, low-fat, 1 cup	75	50%	8/ 11%		42/ 11%		1.7/ 11%	415/ 42%
Milk, reduced fat, 1 cup	56	37%	8/ 11%		24-27/ 6-7%		1/ 7%	293/ 29%
Egg, 1 large	24	16%	15/ 21%			1/ 6%
Tuna, canned in oil, drained, 3 ounces	17	11%				1/ 6%				y
Corn, cream style, canned, 1/2 cup	14	9%
Prunes, dried, 5 prunes	13	9%
Cheese, cheddar, 1 ounce	12	8%				1/ 6%	.9/ 6%	307/ 31%
Lima beans, mature, boiled, 1/2 cup	8	5%	6/ 9%
Apple juice, 1 cup	7	5%
Green peas, frozen, boiled, 1/2 cup	3	2%				1/ 6%	.5/ 3%
Banana, 1 medium	3	2%			32 / 8%

Selenium

Foods containing sufficient amounts of Selenium:

	Average	Max
Adults	55 mcg	400 mcg

Food	mcg per serving	DV %	Iodine mcg/ DV	Magn mg/ DV	Iron mg/ DV	Zinc mg/ DV	Calc mg/ DV	Om3
Brazil nuts, (1-2 nuts)	135	190%
Sardines, canned in oil, drained solids with bone, 3 ounces	45	64%			2/ 11%		325/ 33%	y
Beef steak, bottom round, roasted, 3 ounces	33	47%			2/ 11%	7/ 47%
Turkey, boneless, roasted, 3 ounces	31	44%			1/ 6%
Beef liver, pan fried, 3 ounces	28	40%			5/ 28%
Chicken, light meat, roasted, 3 ounces	22	31%		22/ 6%	1/ 6%
Cottage cheese, 1% milkfat, 1 cup	20	29%					138/ 14%
Rice, brown, long-grain, cooked, 1 cup	19	27%		42/ 11%	1/ 6%
Beef, ground, 25% fat, broiled, 3 ounces	18	26%		20/ 5%
Egg, hard-boiled, 1 large	15	21%			1/ 6%
Baked beans, canned, plain or vegetarian, 1 cup	13	19%				2.9/ 19%
Oatmeal, regular and quick, unenriched, cooked with water, 1 cup	13	19%
Spinach, frozen, boiled, 1 cup	11	16%		74/ 19%	3/ 17%
Milk, 1% fat, 1 cup	8	11%	56/ 37%			1/ 7%	293/ 29%
Yogurt, plain, low fat, 1 cup	8	11%	75/ 50%			1.7/ 11%	415/ 42%
Lentils, boiled, 1 cup	6	9%			3/ 17%
Cashew nuts, dry roasted, 1 ounce	3	4%		74/ 19%	2/ 11%	1.6/ 11%
Corn flakes, 1 cup	2	3%

Magnesium

Foods containing sufficient amounts of Magnesium:

	Average	Max
Male	420 mg
Female	320 mg	350 mg

Food	(mg) per serving	DV %	Iodine mcg/ DV	Selen mcg/ DV	Iron mg/ DV	Zinc mg/ DV	Calc mg/ DV	Om3
Almonds, dry roasted, 1 ounce	80	20%				.9/ 6%
Spinach, boiled, ½ cup	78	20%		11/ 16%	3/ 17%
Cashews, dry roasted, 1 ounce	74	19%		3/ 4%	2/ 11%	1.6/ 11%
Peanuts, oil roasted, ¼ cup	63	16%
Cereal, shredded wheat, 2 large biscuits	61	15%
Soymilk, plain or vanilla, 1 cup	61	15%					299/ 30%
Black beans, cooked, ½ cup	60	15%
Peanut butter, smooth, 2 tablespoons	49	12%
Bread, whole wheat, 2 slices	46	12%			2/ 11%		60/ 6%
Avocado, cubed, 1 cup	44	11%
Potato, baked with skin, 3.5 ounces	43	11%			2/ 11%
Rice, brown, cooked, ½ cup	42	11%		19/ 27%	1/ 6%
Yogurt, plain, low fat, 8 ounces	42	11%	75/ 50%	8/ 11%		1.7/ 11	415/ 42%
Oatmeal, instant, 1 packet	36	9%
Kidney beans, canned, ½ cup	35	9%			2/ 11%
Banana, 1 medium	32	8%	3/ 2%
Salmon, Atlantic, farmed, cooked, 3 ounces	26	7%						y
Milk, 1 cup	24–27	6–7%	56/ 37%				293/ 29%
Halibut, cooked, 3 ounces	24	6%						y
Raisins, ½ cup	23	6%			1/ 6%
Chicken breast, roasted, 3 ounces	22	6%		22/ 31%	1/ 6%	2.4/ 16%
Beef, ground, 90% lean, pan broiled, 3 ounces	20	5%				5.3/ 35%
Broccoli, chopped and cooked, ½ cup	12	3%			1/ 6%		21/ 2%
Rice, white, cooked, ½ cup	10	3%
Apple, 1 medium	9	2%
Carrot, raw, 1 medium	7	2%

Zinc

Foods containing sufficient amounts of Zinc:

	Average	Max
Male	11 mg
Female	8 mg

Food	mg per serving	DV %	Iodine mcg/ DV	Pot mcg/ DV	Selen mcg/ DV	Iron mg/ DV	Magn mg/ DV	Calc mg/ DV	Om3
Oysters, cooked, breaded and fried, 3 ounces	74.0	493%				8/ 44%			y
Beef chuck roast, braised, 3 ounces	7.0	47%			33/ 47%	2/ 11%
Beef patty, broiled, 3 ounces	5.3	35%
Pork chop, loin, cooked, 3 ounces	2.9	19%
Baked beans, canned, plain or vegetarian, ½ cup	2.9	19%			13/ 19%
Chicken, dark meat, cooked, 3 ounces	2.4	16%				1/ 6%
Yogurt, fruit, low fat, 8 ounces	1.7	11%	75	50	8/ 11%
Cashews, dry roasted, 1 ounce	1.6	11%			3/ 4%	2/ 11%
Chickpeas, cooked, ½ cup	1.3	9%				2/ 11%
Cheese, Swiss, 1 ounce	1.2	8%
Oatmeal, instant, plain, prepared with water, 1 packet	1.1	7%			13/ 19%
Milk, low-fat or non fat, 1 cup	1.0	7%	56/ 37%		8/ 11%			293/ 29%
Almonds, dry roasted, 1 ounce	0.9	6%					80/ 20%
Kidney beans, cooked, ½ cup	0.9	6%
Chicken breast, roasted, skin removed, ½ breast	0.9	6%			22/ 31%		22/ 6%
Cheese, cheddar or mozzarella, 1 ounce	0.9	6%				1/ 6%		307/ 31%
Peas, green, frozen, cooked, ½ cup	0.5	3%				1/ 6%

Turmeric

Jan 272017

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3882399/

Turmeric (the common name for Curcuma longa) is an Indian spice derived from the rhizomes of the plant and has a long history of use in Ayurvedic medicine as a treatment for inflammatory conditions.

The primary active constituent of turmeric, which is responsible for its vibrant yellow color, is curcumin, which was first identified in 1910 by Lampe and Milobedzka. Curcumin exists as a bright yellow powder that provides the pigmentation of turmeric, which is used in the dye industry.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3288651/

Curcumin is the active ingredient of the dietary spice turmeric and has been consumed for medicinal purposes for thousands of years. Modern science has shown that curcumin modulates various signaling molecules, including inflammatory molecules, transcription factors, enzymes, protein kinases, protein reductases, carrier proteins, cell survival proteins, drug resistance proteins, adhesion molecules, growth factors, receptors, cell-cycle regulatory proteins, chemokines, DNA, RNA, and metal ions.

Although curcumin has shown therapeutic efficacy against many human ailments, one of the major problems with curcumin is its poor bioavailability, which appears to be primarily due to poor absorption, rapid metabolism, and rapid systemic elimination. Therefore, efforts have been made to improve curcumin’s bioavailability by improving these features. Adjuvants that can block the metabolic pathway of curcumin have been most extensively used to increase the bioavailability of this polyphenol. For instance, in humans receiving a dose of 2 g curcumin alone, serum levels have been either undetectable or very low, but concomitant administration of piperine was associated with an increase of 2000% in the bioavailability of curcumin. Furthermore, the effect of piperine in enhancing curcumin’s bioavailability has been shown to be much greater in humans than in rats . Other promising approaches to increase the bioavailability of curcumin include use of nanoparticles , liposomes , micelles, phospholipid complexes, and structural analogues .

Curcumin is now regarded as a “new drug” with great potential and is being used as a supplement in several countries. For example, in India, turmeric containing curcumin has been used in curries; in Japan, it is popularly served in tea; in Thailand, it is used in cosmetics; in China, it is used as a colorant; in Korea, it is served in drinks; in Malaysia, it is used as an antiseptic; in Pakistan, people use it as an anti-inflammatory agent to get relief from gastrointestinal discomfort; and in the United States, it is used in mustard sauce, cheese, butter, and chips, as a preservative and a coloring agent. Curcumin is marketed in several forms including capsules, tablets, ointments, energy drinks, soaps, and cosmetics.

Curcumin 100% Turmeric 500mg

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3206621/

http://www.chemistwarehouse.com.au/buy/73691/Wagner-Bio-Curcumin-60-Capsules

fairly low dose of 98mg when probably 500 is needed

https://csn.cancer.org/node/219876 how much curcumin needed 400-500 mg 3 times per day with meals

mix with olive oil or coconut oil and black pepper for better absorbtion

The coconut oil is better than olive oil only because most/much of the olive oil in our groceries is now being found to be of questionable quality and some isn’t olive oil at all. Coconut oil kills fungus, yeast etc.

Effective Dose

Taking raw curcumin, which is the active spice of Tumeric, can be made many times more effective by adopting some well known strategies.

(1) Mix curcumin with high quality fish oil, there is a great synergy between the two. Solubility is an issue as less than 1% of curcumin is soluble in fish oil.

(2) Mix Piperine with the curcumin, around 1% by weight. Also Quercetin is helpful and if you mix curcumin 94%, Quercetin 5% and Piperine 1% you have the right ratios. If you have cancer and are treating it with curcumin etc then the price of some precision scales is but a small price.

(3) There is a product already on the market that combines phospholipids from marine sources, complexed to curcumin, quercetin and piperine. It has many times the potency of a single Meriva capsule.

Curcumin

It should be noted that Curcumin loses a lot of efficacy when heated at 70 degrees centigrade or higher, as does Piperine. When combining note that the ratio of piperine to curcumin is 1%, higher is definetly not better. Add curcumin to all fats taken during the day, butter, oils etc. A ratio here is 0.5% of curcumin to fats. Tumeric is definitely inferior to curcumin and should not be used.

Heating is necessary for dissolving important components. Some are water and some are oil soluble.

The unsaturated oils including flaxseed oil, canola oil, soy oil, maize oil, sunflower oil etc turn into free radicals when heated – don’t use at all in cooking – they turn the food carcinogenic. They should be totally excluded from cooking in Cancer cases and also by the rest for preventing cancer. People who used these foods in cooking had significantly higher rates of all kinds of cancer.

How to do: The ancient asian cultures give an indication: they traditionally dissolve all spices in a about two tablespoons wather along with as much of oil – ghee preferably or coconut oil – these are resistant to heat. The water has two important roles: it prevents the temperature from rising above 100 and dissolves the important water-dissoluble components. Cook for some 3-4 minutes.

http://www.healthdiaries.com/eatthis/20-health-benefits-of-turmeric.html
The medicinal properties of this spice have been slowly revealing themselves over the centuries. Long known for its anti-inflammatory properties, recent research has revealed that turmeric is a natural wonder, proving beneficial in the treatment of many different health conditions from cancer to Alzheimer’s disease.
Here are 20 reasons to add turmeric to your diet:
1. It is a natural antiseptic and antibacterial agent, useful in disinfecting cuts and burns.
2. When combined with cauliflower, it has shown to prevent prostate cancer and stop the growth of existing prostate cancer.
3. Prevented breast cancer from spreading to the lungs in mice.
4. May prevent melanoma and cause existing melanoma cells to commit suicide.
5. Reduces the risk of childhood leukemia.
6. Is a natural liver detoxifier.
7. May prevent and slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease by removing amyloyd plaque buildup in the brain.
8. May prevent metastases from occurring in many different forms of cancer.
9. It is a potent natural anti-inflammatory that works as well as many anti-inflammatory drugs but without the side effects.
10. Has shown promise in slowing the progression of multiple sclerosis in mice.
11. Is a natural painkiller and cox-2 inhibitor.
12. May aid in fat metabolism and help in weight management.
13. Has long been used in Chinese medicine as a treatment for depression.
14. Because of its anti-inflammatory properties, it is a natural treatment for arthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.
15. Boosts the effects of chemo drug paclitaxel and reduces its side effects.
16. Promising studies are underway on the effects of turmeric on pancreatic cancer.
17. Studies are ongoing in the positive effects of turmeric on multiple myeloma.
18. Has been shown to stop the growth of new blood vessels in tumors.
19. Speeds up wound healing and assists in remodeling of damaged skin.
20. May help in the treatment of psoriasis and other inflammatory skin conditions.
Contraindications: Turmeric should not be used by people with gallstones or bile obstruction. Though turmeric is often used by pregnant women, it is important to consult with a doctor before doing so as turmeric can be a uterine stimulant.

Ashwagandha Benefits Thyroid and Adrenals

Jan 272017

If you are looking to restore your energy, look younger, and reverse disease then ashwagandha may be the herb you’re looking for. Ashwagandha benefits are impressive.

Ashwagandha, is an adaptogenic herb popular in Ayurvedic medicine that has shown incredible results for lowering cortisol and balancing thyroid hormones.

In India, ashwagandha is known as the “strength of the stallion” since it has traditionally been used to strengthen the immune system after illness.

Ashwagandha has also been referred to as Indian ginseng because of its ability to enhance stamina and has extraordinary stress relieving properties.

There have been over 200 studies on Ashwagandha’s ability to:

Improve thyroid function

Treat adrenal fatigue
Reduce anxiety and depression
Combat effects of stress

Increase stamina and endurance

Prevent and treat cancer

Reduce brain cell degeneration
Stabilize blood sugar
Lower cholesterol
Boost immunity

This article discusses the benefits of ashwagandha in healing your thyroid, adrenal glands, improving mood and energy, preventing cancer, and supporting brain health.

Ashwagandha Thyroid Benefits

Ashwagandha is a superstar when it comes to improving the health of your thyroid. Scientists don’t completely understand how adaptogens work, but we know that they can be extremely effective especially at balancing hormones.

One of the most incredible aspects about adaptogenic herbs like ashwagandha is that it can help people with both hypo and hyper thyroid issues. It has been shown to support a sluggish thyroid for people diagnosed with Hashimotos, and has been shown to improve the health of those with an overactive thyroid or Graves disease.

Adaptogenic herbs work with your body to bring you back into balance whether your levels are high or low.

Animal studies reveal ashwagandha has a thyroid hormone balancing effect. In a 20 days study mice were give ashwagandha and their T3 and T4 levels were analyzed along with lipid peroxidation (anti-oxidant protection). Significant increases in serum T4 were found which indicates this herb has a stimulatory effect on a sluggish thyroid.

Also, ashwagandha may benefit thyroid function because it greatly reduced lipid peroxidation by promoting scavenging of free radicals that cause cellular damage. These results prove ashwagandha can be useful in treating hypothyroidism.

There are currently millions of people who struggle with thyroid problems (many who don’t even know it) and ashwagandha may just be the solution they are searching for.

Ashwagandha Adrenal Rejuvenation

Ashwagandha has also been proven effective in supporting adrenal function helping you overcome adrenal fatigue and chronic stress.

Your adrenal glands are endocrine glands that are responsible for releasing hormones (cortisol and adrenaline) in response to stress on your body.

If your adrenals are overtaxed due to an overabundance of emotional, physical and mental stress, it can lead to a condition known as adrenal fatigue. As you can see from this chart below, if your adrenals become exhausted it can also disrupt your other hormones, including progesterone, which can cause infertility and lower DHEA — which can cause you to age faster.
diagram

Medical studies have shown that ashwagandha improves cortisol levels, improves insulin sensitivity and naturally balances hormones. A case study reported a case of a 57-year-old woman with non-classical adrenal hyperplasia. She was treated with ashwagandha for six months, and after her treatment she saw improvements in four adrenal hormone markers, including corticoosterone and 11-deoxycortisol, which decreased by 69 percent and 55 percent respectively — a major improvement!

This hormonal improvement was also accompanied by a noticeable reduction in hair loss.

Benefits Brain Health

Emotional, physical, and chemical stress can all have damaging effects to the brain and nervous system. Recent research has proven ashwagandha is more than a stress reliever, it also protects the brain from degeneration and improves symptoms of alzheimer’s, depression, and anxiety.

One of the main reasons ashwagandha is so effective at healing the brain has to do with its powerful antioxidants that destroy free radicals that cause aging. A study published in Phytotherapy Research explains these benefits:

“Several studies have revealed that natural antioxidants, such as vitamin E, vitamin C and beta-carotene, may help in scavenging free radicals generated during the initiation and progression of this [Alzheimer’s] disease. But we found Ashwagandha afforded lipid peroxidation inhibitory effects more potent than commercial antioxidants.”

Researchers at the National Brain Research Centre found that mice with Alzheimer’s were unable to retain what they learned, but after 20 days of supplementing with ashwagandha, this improved significantly. The results of the study found a reduction in amyloid plaques (these cause degradation of the brain).

Improves Mood

There is also now evidence that ashwagandha is effective at treating both anxiety and depression. In fact, in a recent study its results were comparable to common pharmaceutical drugs lorazepam and imipramine without the side effects.

In the 12-week controlled study, 87 participants with anxiety were given 300mg of ashwagandha two times a day or two placebo pills two times per day. The group treated with ashwagandha resulted in much greater improvements in anxiety as well as focus, reduced stress, and decreased fatigue than the placebo group.

The other major benefit of ashwagandha is that there are no adverse reactions by taking it compared to anti-depressant and anti-anxiety medications which can have terrible side effects.

Prevents and Treats Cancer

Ashwagandha extract has been shown in studies to have very promising benefits when it comes to helping with preventing and treating cancer. In certain studies, researchers have found that ashwagandha extract has a powerful anti-tumor effect. (1)

The extract has been shown to help inhibit the proliferation of cancer cells – specifically breast, lung, stomach, and colon cancer cells which are among some of the leading types of cancers in the world. It’s believed that ashwagandha helps to prevent the growth of cancer cells mostly due to its immune boosting and antioxidant abilities. Supplementing with ashwagandha is correlated with an increase in white blood cells within the body, which indicate that the immune system is better able to protect the body from disease and harmful invaders (2). Another way that ashwagnadha helps prevent cancer is due to its ability to stop blood vessels around cancer cells from feeding into the growth of cancerous tumors.

In addition to preventing cancer cells from growing, studies have shown that ashwagandha can be a very useful addition to chemotherapy in treating existing cancer. Taking the extract seems to be effective in halting the immune system from becoming suppressed during chemotherapy.

Ashawagandha is able to counteract one of the biggest concerns with chemotherapy- the count of white blood cells in the body becoming lowered, which puts cancer patients as much higher risk for things like infection. Many cancer experts are now recommending ashwagandha extract be both a cancer prevention method as well as an addition to typical cancer treatments. In fact some studies have shown that some patients are even able to reverse signs of cancer using ashwagandha alone over other standard treatment methods (3).

Increases Stamina and Endurance

Studies have shown that ahswagandha can boost endurance during physical activity by sharpening brain function and reducing bodily pain. Due to its positive calming, yet energizing, effects on the brain and ability to lower stress hormones, ashwaganha showed improvements in concentration, motivation, and stamina in conducted studies.

One particular study found that when lab rats were given ashwagandha, they actually were able to swim twice as long compared to the same type of rats that were not given the supplements (4). Researchers believe that similar effects take place in humans due to the extract’s ability to balance adrenal hormones that are involved in physical activity. The extract was also shown to reduce bodily pain in the muscles and joints while at the same time keeping energy levels more steady, which is another reason why it could be a promising supplement for athletes, or for those who find it difficult to be physically active due to pain.

Ashwagandha Dosage

As you can see, ashwagandha is an adaptogenic superstar that can have some tremendous health benefits. It is recommended to supplement with 500mg 1-2x daily along with following a diet high in healthy fats, protein, and fiber as well as removing grains and sugars from your diet.

These dietary changes along with supplementing with ashwagandha can help you see great results in aging slower, reducing stress, balancing hormones, boosting energy, and improving neurological health.

Adaptogens

Jan 272017

What Are Adaptogens?

Phytotherapy refers to the use of plants for their healing abilities. Adaptogens are a unique class of healing plants: They help balance, restore and protect the body. As naturopath Edward Wallace explains, an adaptogen doesn’t have a specific action: It helps you respond to any influence or stressor, normalizing your physiological functions.

Adaptogenic herbs can recharge your adrenal glands, helping you to respond to stress. Adaptogens include ashwaganda, astragalus, ginseng, licorice root, holy basil, some mushrooms and rhodiola.

Top 7 Adaptogen Herbs

1. Ginseng

Benefit-rich ginseng is the most well-known adaptogen, and Asian ginseng (Panax ginseng) is considered the most potent. According to Wallace, research has validated Asian ginseng’s use for improving mental performance and your ability to withstand stress. This red ginseng also has antioxidant effects, antidepressant effects, and can help naturally lower blood pressure and blood sugar levels.

There are a number of adaptogens referred to as ginsengs that aren’t technically ginsengs, but keep in mind that they have similar composition or effects.

2. Holy basil

Also called tulsi, holy basil is known in India as the “elixir of anti-aging.” Preliminary studies suggest that holy basil benefits include helping you fight fatigue and stress; boost your immune system; and regulate blood sugar, blood pressure and hormone levels.

3. Ashwaganda

Ashwaganda is often referred to as Indian ginseng. Often used in Ayurvedic medicine, ashwaganda regulates the immune system and eases anxiety. Ashwaganda has been used in Eastern medicine for over 2,500 years and has immuno-modulating effects that boost your immune system and aid the body in lowering cortisol levels.

4. Astragalus root

Used in Chinese medicine, astragalus boosts immunity and buffers the effects of stress. It increases the amount of anti-stress compounds our bodies use to repair and prevent stress-related damage. It may also reduce the ability of stress hormones like cortisol to bind to receptors.

5. Licorice root

Licorice root can increase energy and endurance, boost the immune system, and protect the thymus from being damaged by cortisol, but its use requires professional supervision because of how it may affect blood pressure.

6. Rhodiola

Rhodiola (rhodiola rosea), or golden root, is a potent adaptogen that has been the focus of much research. Rhodiola provides a buffer to stress-related mental and physical fatigue. According to Whiticomb, Rhodiola was used by Russian cosmonauts, athletes and military personnel, and years of study have begun to uncover the very mechanisms by which it acts as an adaptogen.

Rhodiola rosea contains a phytochemical known as salisdroside. This component helps relieve anxiety and combat aging. Rhodiola suppresses the production of cortisol and increases levels of stress-resistant proteins.

Studies have found that it restores normal patterns of eating and sleeping after stress; lowers mental and physical fatigue; and protects against oxidative stress, heat stress, radiation and exposure to toxic chemicals. Rhodiola also protects the heart and liver, increases use of oxygen, improves memory, and may even extend longevity. Also, new research proves it’s effective as a weight loss agent. (4, 5, 6, 7)

7. Cordycep mushrooms

Cordyceps, reishi, shiitake and maitake mushrooms are funguses with antioxidant properties. That means nutrition-rich mushrooms have all the benefits of antioxidant foods. They may not be adaptogens in the classic sense, but each has adaptogenic, anti-tumor and immune-enhancing properties.

Eating well, getting proper rest, staying active, writing down what you’re grateful for and maintaining social connection all help protect you from chronic stress, which can kill your quality of life. Adding adaptogens to your routine can make you even more resilient to the damaging effects of high cortisol levels.

High cortisol levels and chronic stress can affect every physiological and psychological system.
Adaptogens balance and restore the body.
You can increase your capacity to deal with stress and improve your mental and physical performance with the use of adaptogens.

Cortisol

Jan 272017

It’s likely that you’ve heard about the detrimental effects of the stress hormone cortisol. Elevated cortisol levels and chronic stress can affect every physiological system in your body, including your thyroid and adrenal glands. It can make you anxious and irritable, lead to weight gain and bone loss, contribute to diabetes and heart disease risk, and deplete your energy levels.

Cortisol is also known as the aging hormone. When cortisol gets too high, it puts you into a “fight or flight” response, which stimulates your sympathetic nervous system and your adrenal glands. When this occurs, there is a decrease in your digestive secretions and an increase in blood pressure. This puts your body in a state of constant stress, which will burn out your adrenal glands, stress your digestive tract and cause you to age more rapidly.

So if you want to look younger, feel younger and be healthy — and heal adrenal fatigue — you must get your cortisol levels balanced.

Side effects of chronically elevated cortisol can include:

Anxiety
Autoimmune diseases
Cancer
Chronic fatigue syndrome
Common Colds
Hormone imbalance
Irritable bowel disease
Thyroid conditions
Weight loss resistance

So what can help us adapt to stress and lower cortisol? Adaptogens

High cortisol levels and chronic stress can affect every physiological and psychological system.
Adaptogens balance and restore the body.
You can increase your capacity to deal with stress and improve your mental and physical performance with the use of adaptogens.

Iodine optimisation

Jan 272017

Why optimizing your iodine intake is so crucial, and why both too little and too much iodine can be harmful.

Iodine deficiency is the most common cause of hypothyroidism worldwide. Once researchers realized this, health authorities around the world began adding iodine to table salt.

This strategy was effective in correcting iodine deficiency. But it had an unanticipated—and undesired—effect. In countries where iodine has been added to table salt, the rates of autoimmune thyroid disease have risen.

Why does this happen? Because increased iodine intake, especially in supplement form, can increase the autoimmune attack on the thyroid. Iodine reduces the activity of an enzyme called thyroid peroxidase (TPO). TPO is required for proper thyroid hormone production.

On the other hand, restricting intake of iodine can reverse hypothyroidism. In one study, 78% of patients with Hashimoto’s regained normal thyroid function with iodine restriction alone.

However—and this is a big “however”— it appears that iodine may only pose a problem for people with Hashimoto’s and other autoimmune thyroid diseases in the presence of concurrent selenium deficiency. In the study above where rats developed goiter while receiving excess iodine, when they were given adequate selenium they did not develop the goiter.

Other studies have shown that selenium protects against the effects of iodine toxicity and prevents the triggering and flaring of autoimmune disease that excess iodine without selenium can cause.

Always test for both iodine deficiency and Hashimoto’s when a patient presents with hypothyroid symptoms. If they are iodine deficient, start them on a trial of iodine and selenium together. In most cases, patients see a significant improvement. In a minority of cases, they cannot tolerate supplemental iodine even with adequate selenium intake.

Unfortunately, the blood test for iodine that your doctor might run is not very accurate. The best way to determine iodine status is with a 24-hour urine loading test. This involves taking a large dose of iodine and collecting your urine for 24 hours afterward. If you are iodine deficient, you’ll retain more of the ingested iodine than you should and the level of iodine excreted in the urine will be lower than expected.

If your doctor or health care practitioner won’t order these tests, you can simply begin an iodine protocol. This involves starting with a low dose of iodine ( start with kelp tablets that contain 325 mcg of iodine per tablet) and increasing very slowly over time. It’s crucial that you also take 200 mcg of selenium per day during this protocol to protect against the potentially adverse effects of iodine supplementation, especially if you have autoimmune thyroid disease.

Physicians that specialize in treating hypothyroidism with iodine suggest doses as high as 50 mg per day may be necessary to restore iodine levels in those that are deficient. It’s imperative that patients build up to such high doses very slowly, and I don’t recommend doing it without the supervision of a clinician experienced with iodine treatment. Be aware that high doses of iodine can lead to a transient increase in TSH levels, which can be mistakenly interpreted as a sign of hypothyroidism.

Finally, it’s important to keep in mind that a minority of patients with Hashimoto’s confirmed by biopsy (the gold standard) never test positive for thyroid antibodies. This is probably because their immune systems are so depressed they can no longer produce antibodies. If you have a combination of hyper- and hypothyroid symptoms, I would still suspect Hashimoto’s even if your thyroid antibody tests are normal. It’s wise to be cautious with iodine if you have any signs of autoimmune thyroid disease, even without a confirmed diagnosis.

How much Iodine per day

Life Stage	Recommended Amount
Birth to 6 months	110 mcg
Infants 7–12 months	130 mcg
Children 1–8 years	90 mcg
Children 9–13 years	120 mcg
Teens 14–18 years	150 mcg
Adults	150 mcg
Pregnant teens and women	220 mcg
Breastfeeding teens and women	290 mcg

How much is too much

Life Stage	Upper Limit
Birth to 12 months:	Not established
Children 1–3 years:	200 mcg
Children 4–8 years:	300 mcg
Children 9–13 years:	600 mcg
Teens 14–18 years:	900 mcg
Adults:	1,100 mcg

https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Iodine-Consumer/

Bioavailabilty of Nutrients

Jan 272017

The importance of bioavailability
It’s not just the amount of nutrients that a food contains that is important, it’s how bioavailable those nutrients are to the body.
Bioavailability refers to the portion of a nutrient that is absorbed by the body.
The amount of nutrients we absorb from a food is invariably lower than the absolute amount of nutrients the food contains.
The nutrients in some foods are more bioavailable to humans than others. For example, the grass on your front lawn is loaded with vitamins and minerals, but they’re largely inaccessible to humans. Grass contains large amounts of a plant fibre called cellulose, which humans cannot break down. Since we can’t break down the cellulose, we can’t absorb the nutrients grass contains.
On the other hand, nutrients in animal products like fish, meat, poultry, dairy, and eggs are highly bioavailable. This means we can absorb them easily.
The key to nourishing your body, then, is to maximize your intake of bioavailable nutrients. This will ensure that your body has everything it needs to function optimally.

The nutrient density and bioavailability of foods
The table below ranks foods according to their nutrient density and bioavailability.

HIGH	MEDIUM	LOW
Organ meat	Whole grains*	Refined grains (i.e.bread, pasta, crackers, etc.)
Meat,wild game and poultry	Legumes*	Sugar
Fish and shellfish	Plant fats and oils**	Industrial seed oils
Eggs	Animal fats and oils**	Processed food and snacks
Fruits	Dairy products	Sugar-sweetened beverages
Vegetables		Artificial ingredients
Nuts and seeds*		Alcohol
Herbs and spices		Natural sweeteners

* Whole grains, legumes, and nuts and seeds contain substances called “nutrient inhibitors” that impair the absorption of some of the nutrients they contain.
** Plant and animal fats are relatively low in nutrients, but they play other crucial roles, including helping us to absorb the nutrients in other foods.

Looking at the table you might notice several interesting things.

Firstly, all of the most nutrient-dense foods are real, whole foods, and all of the least nutrient-dense foods are processed and refined foods.

Processed and refined foods are destroying our health because they promote overeating and inflammation, and inflammation is at the root of all modern disease. Here we see yet another problem with these foods: they are at the bottom of the scale in terms of nutrient density.

Secondly, you might be surprised to see that organ meats, meat, fish and shellfish are in the highest category of nutrient density. In fact, when the major nutrients required for human function are considered, these foods are even more nutrient-dense than fruits and vegetables.

One serving of beef (about 3.5 ounces) typically contains more B12, niacin (B3), vitamin D, retinol (vitamin A), zinc, iron, potassium, phosphorus, and EPA and DHA than the same amount of blueberries or kale, which are two of the most nutrient dense plant foods. In addition, the nutrients in meat are highly bioavailable when compared to foods like cereal grains, nuts and seeds, and legumes. The bioavailability of zinc, for example, is four times higher in meat than it is in grains.

Thirdly, while neither animal nor plant fats are especially nutrient dense, they do play other important roles in the diet. Perhaps most importantly, they help us to absorb the nutrients that are present in other foods.

Finally, look at where whole grains and legumes are on the table; they’re not the nutritional powerhouses you may have been led to believe they are. Not only do they lack important nutrients, but they also contain substances called “nutrient inhibitors” that make it more difficult for us to absorb some of the nutrients they do contain.

Cultures who ate a lot of grains and legumes went to great lengths to break down these nutrient inhibitors so they could better absorb the nutrients in these foods.
Methods included soaking, sprouting, fermenting, and leavening.
If you have the time and energy to prepare grains and legumes in these ways, and you tolerate them well, there’s no reason they can’t be part of a diet that emphasizes other more nutrient dense foods like meat, fish, eggs, and fruits and vegetables.

Likewise, if you eat nuts and seeds, you should soak and then dehydrate or roast them first in order to increase the bioavailability of the nutrients they contain.

Vitamin E

Jan 272017

Food

Numerous foods provide vitamin E. Nuts, seeds, and vegetable oils are among the best sources of alpha-tocopherol, and significant amounts are available in green leafy vegetables and fortified cereals. Most vitamin E in American diets is in the form of gamma-tocopherol from soybean, canola, corn, and other vegetable oils and food products

Selected Food Sources of Vitamin E (Alpha-Tocopherol)
Food	Milligrams (mg) per serving	Percent DV*
Wheat germ oil, 1 tablespoon	20.3	100
Sunflower seeds, dry roasted, 1 ounce	7.4	37
Almonds, dry roasted, 1 ounce	6.8	34
Sunflower oil, 1 tablespoon	5.6	28
Safflower oil, 1 tablespoon	4.6	25
Hazelnuts, dry roasted, 1 ounce	4.3	22
Peanut butter, 2 tablespoons	2.9	15
Peanuts, dry roasted, 1 ounce	2.2	11
Corn oil, 1 tablespoon	1.9	10
Spinach, boiled, ½ cup	1.9	10
Broccoli, chopped, boiled, ½ cup	1.2	6
Soybean oil, 1 tablespoon	1.1	6
Kiwifruit, 1 medium	1.1	6
Mango, sliced, ½ cup	0.7	4
Tomato, raw, 1 medium	0.7	4
Spinach, raw, 1 cup	0.6	3

Tolerable Upper Intake Levels (ULs) for Vitamin E
Age	Male	Female	Pregnancy	Lactation
1–3 years	200 mg (300 IU)	200 mg (300 IU)
4–8 years	300 mg (450 IU)	300 mg (450 IU)
9–13 years	600 mg (900 IU)	600 mg (900 IU)
14–18 years	800 mg (1,200 IU)	800 mg (1,200 IU)	800 mg (1,200 IU)	800 mg (1,200 IU)
19+ years	1,000 mg (1,500 IU)	1,000 mg (1,500 IU)	1,000 mg (1,500 IU)	1,000 mg (1,500 IU)