MSG reaction

Monosodium glutamate (MSG again)

Well after 3 years of being fine, again I went to meet my friends for a Chinese Christmas party. The last two years were great and fine.  This year again the MSG in the Chinese Restaurant was too much and in order to detoxifying it I had to take all the possible supplements to support my phase two liver detox and intestinal tract and drink plenty of water. That was not enough though as I had to treat myself for my migraines with cranio-sacral therapy in order to balance my body and feel less like a pendulum swinging from one side to another. It did work and I was fine. But it took me about a week to get rid of the MSG and feel myself again. I started having a knee ache that week as well, which it means the toxins were so much that my liver was not quick enough to eliminate. Well that is only MSG but it can be with any extra toxins during Christmas time, which can lead to headaches and feeling foggy brain and low in energy. In fact some of these symptoms can also be cause by sensitivities to food or drinks or any allergen. It really depends a lot on how your intestinal tract is and how fast the liver can detoxifying…

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hayfever season -naet treatments

Is that season again where for some people being in the open is great and lovely and wanted the season never to end and for some is a nightmare and just waking up in the morning will cause them to have an attack with watery and itchy eyes and sneezing and feeling foggy all day and with low energy. Hayfever is, like any other allergies, an exagerating response to the pollen or grass from the outside environment. In my clinic I have dealt with hayfever and the exhagerating reaction with NAET method with very good results. People that I have treated two years ago are still enjoying the park unless there is a type of pollen or allergen that we did not treat. Still the reaction is much less than before. Please read more about NAET on my website, so that you can think if you or your children can and want to enjoy the spring and summer or not. I also use cranio-sacral therapy with nutritional advice to complete the entire body and mind rebalance.

Maria Esposito BSc (Hons) Nutritional Therapist - RCranio-Sacral Therapist - NAET Practitioner

www.nutritionhealth.net

esposito_m@yahoo.co.uk

cholesterol not the bad guy! finally

Cholesterol not the bad guy! finally the doctors admitted that after years that nutritional therapist and other therapist have been saying that for ages. Click on the link to have a look:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AwkBB2Z6914>


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cranio sacral therapy a magic therapy

I have always been fascinated by cranio-sacral therapy since I took my son to have his treatments at 1 year  old as he kept having a lot of colds, coughs and not cope well with them. They worked on his traumatic birth and after few months that was it, even if he gets a cold and a cough he mainly does not need antibiotics. One because I was so impressed by the therapy that I decided to learn it and therefore I treat him when he needs it. And as his system is so used to the therapy he respond so quickly to it. It is like the NAET treatments for reactions to food and environmental compounds, we cannot prove how it works scientifically but it works and it is amazing. My son used to suck his thumb till 6 years old and unfortunately that got his upper teeth a bit out of place with his lower teeth and the dentist recommended to see the orthodontist. Now my son, now 10, does not want to wear braces. So we agreed for me to work on his teeth and mouth with the cranio-sacral therapy and see how much we can help the situation. I treated him last night and this morning he said, mum it is magical, the front teeth were not even next to each other last night and this morning they are, I can feel them!!! and I can see that he is telling the truth. I have treated adults with the same problem and their orthodontics said the same. So I know the therapy works and especially for Temporal Mandibular Joint pain it is a magical therapy.... So yes the therapy together with nutrition and NAET works amazingly well to reset the physical and emotional balance...

www.nutritionhealth.net
esposito_m@yahoo.co.uk

Onions

Onions properties

It came out while communicating with some of my colleagues about onions properties. There is on the internet the thought that onions cut and put under the bed when somebody is ill with any breathing illness might help getting rid of the disease. Or that the onions will attract all the bacteria and viruses around so if you leave it for few days open and not covered it will attract bed bacteria and will be poison or make us feel sick. Also I read that the onions and garlic ARE poison for dogs and cats and that they can die if they eat it in great quantity. Well the latter one is true, apparently for the cats and dogs the thiosulphate which is an antiplatelet compound found in garlic and onions very therapeutic for humans but is a poisons for the these animals.  As for the rest well not yet drawn a conclusions or I have not seen any research that as disproved or proved that it is the case. Let’s start with the properties of onions and garlic.

·         Onions have also the short-chain fructooligosaccharides, which is a fibre which is digested by the friendly bacteria in the colon (probiotics). Probiotics in turns ferment the short-chain frutooligosaccharides into short chain fatty acid  (acetate, propionate and butyrate, lactate and gas),  which in turn are food for the colon cells which repair the intestinal tract. The probiotics serves as a defender for the other harmful bacteria and eating onions, asparagus, chicory, Jerusalem artichokes and normal artichokes would promote their health. It has been shown that short-chain fructooligosaccharides also increases the absorption of magnesium.

·         Because onions are high in flavonoids, especially quercetin, they are good anti-inflammatory foods. Fermented onions have been shown to increase their quercetin amount. Quercetin is a very good antioxidant and anti-inflammatory as it has been shown to stop the inflammatory cascade prostaglandins (Pg1). Also quercetin is a fat soluble and water soluble antioxidant which protect the nerve cells as well. Quercetin is found in high quantity in apples. Antioxidants might still not be destroyed a lot  if cooked at a temperature of 50 degree C but the storage will reduce the antioxidants content. The longer you store it cooked and cut the less antioxidant the onions will have.

·         Onions contains is high in thiosulfinates, a volatile sulfur compounds which gives the pungent flavor of onions and garlic. This compound has been shown to prevent a number of diseases such as high cholesterol, heart diseases, obesity, diabetes type 2 and gastrointestinal problems. Although for some people can actually lead to gastrointestinal problems if intolerant to the compound and as I mentioned above is hazardous for dogs and cats.

·         Onions are also high in the mineral nickel, a mineral that is found everywhere. If you are sensitive or allergic to it then avoids onions and garlic and mushrooms in high quantity.

·         Other compounds such as glycosylate (phenolic and steroidal origins) have shown medicinal properties such as anti-inflammatory and anti-ulcerogenic activity but only if consumed raw.

Funny enough while I was researching the onions properties I got ill with a big inflamed throat and an upper respiratory infection. I knew it was a bad one as my throat suddenly went into fire for two days. I treated myself with cranio-sacral literally all night felt a bit better to work for a little bit and then that was it for 3 days I was out. Treating myself continuously, taking wild oregano, salt throat wash, vitamin C lysine and colloidal silver spray. Ate very warm foods when I could feel hungry. Drank water etc.

Then I thought what a better time to try the onion theory. So I did for two days I put an onion under my bed or near my head.  I was hoping that it would help, maybe the bacteria and virus could quantum leap into the onion and that would be it. I thought about quantum leap after seeing Brian Cox (and I am sure many did) talking about quantum leap and things moving all the time from one place to another by our atoms moving all the time and shifting all the time. So I thought maybe that is how the bacteria/virus would travel. But with a bit of disappointment, my onions was normal a bit less antioxidant in it but still more or less the same. Nothing unusual on it and I was still pretty ill. So kept taking my supplements and treating myself, had some colleagues treating me with cranio-sacral and did an Epson floating session.  All helped so that I did not have to take any antibiotics but definitely not the onions under my bed I am afraid to say. I think maybe for who every tried it there was something in the air that was making their lung weak and therefore by the onion attracted whatever was in the air might have helped their lungs to clear. I cannot say for sure, but I did try…. I still ate the onion in the soup I could not eat it raw as I did not feel eating them, but used a lot of garlic also in my food. In all onions is still very therapeutic  for now by eating it or for the painting to it gets rid of the odors… but the house does stink on onions though (I tried that too when I was painting). 

www.nutritionhealth.net

esposito_m@yahoo.co.uk

Christmas parties again

Is Christmas parties again and most people will indulge in drinking, eating too much and then pay the consequences later. I found now and I am a bit older than even a glass of alcohol or too much salt will affect me the next day, with very puffy eyes and looking much older than I am. Going to Italy for Christmas is great as the food is very tasty and rich. But I know for sure that if I am not careful or if do not take a liver support or extra anti-oxidants I will look like the wrinkled dogs with their skin hanging out for at least two weeks after I come back. And because I do like to eat great food I still do that but get prepared for it. Drinking plenty of water will help and nice long walks also if possible will help with eliminating some of the extra food. I think the good spirit of Christmas has to be there and being Italian I cannot refuse the invitation for dinners and lunches and the amazing tasting food and cakes that is presenting to me. In a nutshell, have fun, enjoy the Christmas but be prepared for the extra indulgence with probiotcs (to help the intestine heal quicker), liver support and extra antioxidants. Have a great Christmas and a Happy New year everyone......
www.nutritionhealth.net

esposito_m@yahoo.co.uk

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) latest research

It seems that with Irritable bowel Syndrome (the research are more and more accepting that there are various cause of the disorder. Now they have also accepted that there is a wheat sensitivities which is different from being Coeliac (gluten intolerant). The two can cause some of the same symptoms, but while with Coeliac the consequences could lead to malnutrition and serious problems with wheat sensitivities the malnutrition part can go take longer and the inflammation part of the wheat reaction can lead to other long term disorders, among them Arthritis, painful joints, belly ache when eating wheat based food and or constant bloating and water retention. In the oldest research and from my experience I have also seen low energy and possible weight gain. In a review of Chinese study on IBS the reasons for the disorders are the same as the Western world, which are food intolerance, childhood trauma,  continuous stress and anxiety and dysbiosis (gut environmental imbalance). So finally some people have been heard and more studies have been done to either prove or disprove of their claim. All is good though as people are finally listening more to their body and finding out what they can do to look after their own health....

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Blackberries and stinging nettles

Blackberries and stinging nettles properties and health benefits

NUTRITION INFORMATION

Amounts per 100 grams

100 g of blackberries which is less that a cup full will have:

• 186 mg of polyunsaturated fatty acids the omega 6
• 94 mg of the omega 3 fatty acids
•  214 iu of vitamin A
• 21 mg of vitamin C
• 1.2 mg of vitamin E,
• 19.8 micrograms (mcg) of vitamin K,
• 25 mcg of folate (folic acid)
• 20 mg of magnesium
• 162 mg of potassium
• Traces of zinc and selenium
• 32 mg of calcium
• Plenty of the antioxidants compounds polyphenols, anthocyanins.

So pretty good for a fruit, which can be free if you know the parks where they grow on. I love the season of blackberries as I am lucky enough to go and get them near the park where I live. Otherwise they can be quite expensive to buy but worth the cost as you have seen from the nutritional value above. Being of a dark black colour as well means that they have antioxidants properties as well as the blueberries (which are blue but with even more antioxidant value than the blackberries). 

Ellaigic acid which is an antioxidant found in many super fruits is a powerful antioxidant  and together with other polyphenols and anthocyanins make blackberries and blueberries on top of the list of the superfoods to have everyday in your diet. Antioxidants are very important for the health and support of the blood vessels, keeping the vessels clean and healthy, as well as reducing the effect of inflammations in any part of the body. Blackberries and any berries are not for everybody and for some people it can irritate the intestinal tract and therefore the benefit is not really felt, but for rest of the people that do not suffer from intolerances to the berries are a great food to include in your diet.

I included the stinging nettle in this issue just because quite often if you go and pick up blackberries, there are plenty of stinging nettles around the plants, so be prepared with long pants and long sleeve as you might inevitably get stung by them. Stinging nettles also have amazing properties for being anti-inflammatory, and many people use it for its anti-inflammatory properties by boiling it and drinking the water and/or eat the nettle leaves (make sure that you pick them up with gloves and somewhere that no pesticides has been sprayed, as well as get more information on how to use it). Also some tales of the past mention  that if you have arthritis or pain somewhere, and you put the fresh leaves on another part of the body it will take the pain from the arthritis away. When, inevitable, I get stung picking the blackberries I tell myself that is good for me and the pain will go, I do not scratch and I just keep picking up the berries till I do not feel the sting anymore, but I do feel the numbness of the part of the body that the nettle touched for a long time after!!! Again it is worth the pain! I tell myself I am getting a therapeutic treatment at the same time, even though I do not have any arthritis, I am sure my body still benefit from it. So blackberries and stinging nettle do go together for an all around therapeutic effect, inside and outside!!!

Enjoy the berries and picking them up, do prepared for a bit of sting and be safe, and enjoy the experience and the health benefit of it.

Please note: The above article is not meant to substitute any medications that has been recommended by the medical professional at any time.

 www.nutritionhealth.net

Emotions and physical health

My thought today is how much our emotions can makes us ill or well. As a child I used to have coughs all the time but no allergies or any physical cause was ever found. I kept having bronchitis up to when I moved to London. I had them twice e year and had to take penicillin to get rid of it. I was wandering why I had those. I stopped having bronchitis twice a year when I moved to London even though I felt the London air was much heavier than the countryside air and the sea air where I was living. So what changed! Well I moved away from the emotional issue that was causing that. My parents and a small town society! Just to say that I love my parents and they were wonderful in providing for us children. But pressure from their own upbringing way and small town society can be quite suppressing if your mind is full of different things that you want to do and achieve. You really need a strong will and mind to go against the tide and is not easy if you keep living in the same place. But a shock can bring that courage even though it does not seem like that when you are in there. I think everyone that has got a persistent cough or cold should look at what they are not saying to themselves and what situation their are in that they do not want to be in. Obviously if it does involve other people you need to know what it is for yourself first and then talk to the other people involved or talk to a friend or a professional help to solve the problem. You should never blame anybody else for your own problem as we all have problems and the only one that can help change ourselves and go where we want to go is us. Therapies such as Emotional Freedom Technique, cranio-sacral, counselling, psychology, drama therapy, art therapy, etc can all help us understand what the real problem is. This does not mean that you might not react to food or environmental chemical, you might still react to that, but if there is nothing that anybody can find, do not think that is all in your mind but look into the emotional side of it instead of giving up... 

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Healthy nuts snack are not fattening

Nuts seeds and weight loss

I often hear from my client that they worry about eating nuts and seeds when I suggest it as a healthy snack to stop their hunger way before their dinner. And the main worry is about the fat content of nuts. Well I was trying to see if there are any connection or studies to proof that the nuts are not a problem regarding fat and weight gain. From my experience not one person that had problems with weight was eating nuts regularly. On the contrary when put on a healthy nuts snack they were amazed that they lost weight.  From my research, I found that many studies have shown that people with weight problem did not gain any extra weight but lost weight when added between 26 to 67 g of healthy tree nuts a day. The 67g portion had the benefit of also reducing the bad cholesterol and improving vascular reactivity. This was especially found with the walnuts studies. Walnut contain a high proportion of polyunsaturated fatty acid (the good fat), phenolic acid (ellaic acid, which is an anti-oxidant), especially in the little skin of the walnut, also it contains L-arginine, an amino acid that is also an anti-inflammatory and good for man fertility, high fiber content like any other nuts which helps with any elimination problems, phytosterols which have shown to reduce bad cholesterol and finally walnuts, as well as the other healthy nuts, release the sugar level in the blood slowly therefore people are less luckily to feel hungry or low in energy.  Almonds are another good healthy snack, they are high in absorbable calcium and fibres and again very good for snacking when hungry (needs to be soaked for a better absorption of calcium or grounded). Pumpkins also are a very healthy snack and high in zinc, together with the Brazil nuts are very good for men as Brazil nuts contains selenium which is important for the fertility again. Pecan nuts also very beneficial similar to walnuts. In all in many of the research that I read and seen mostly were mentioning the benefits of eating healthy snacks, and not many connected eating nuts with increase in weight on the contrary few connected the eating healthy snacks with loosing weight.  I would recommend to have also a general healthy diet for the best benefit of eating nuts. But in all adding nuts and seeds into your breakfast or snacks can be very beneficial and maybe even lose weight (no guarantee unless connected to a healthy diet but good to try). Also nuts and seeds are not for everybody as some kids and adults can be intolerant or dangerously allergic to them therefore not be very beneficial. But if you are ok with them enjoy them unsalted and plain. (please remember to store them in a tight air container or in the fridge as nuts and seeds can go rancid or mouldy after they are out of the packet and therefore lose their benefit and cause problems as well).

Reference:

1.      Brufau, G.; Boatella, J.; Rafecas, M. Nuts, source of energy and macronutrients.          Br. J. Nutr. 2006, 96, S24-S28.

2.      Blomhoff, R.; Carlsen, M.H.; Frost Andersen, L.; Jacobs, D.R. Jr. Health benefits of nuts,potential role of antioxidants. Br. J. Nutr. 2006, 96, S52-S60.

3.      Dreher, M.L.; Maher, C.V.; Kearney, P. The traditional and emerging role of nuts in healthful diets. Nutr. Rev. 1996, 54, 241-245.

4.      Eaton, S.B.; Konner, M. Paleolithic nutrition. A consideration of its nature and current implications. N. Engl. J. Med. 1985, 312, 283-289.

5.      Feldman, E.B. The scientific evidence for a beneficial health relationship between walnuts andcoronary heart disease. J. Nutr. 2002, 132, 1062S-1101S.

6.      Griel, A.E.; Kris-Etherton, P.M. Tree nuts and the lipid profile, a review of clinical studies. Br. J. Nutr. 2006, 96, S68-S78.

7.      Li Z. et al. Pistachio nuts reduce triglycerides and body weight by comparison to refined carbohydrates snack in obese subjects on a 12 weeks loss programme. Journal of American College of Nutrition. 2010 - 29 (3) 198-203

8.      King, J.C.; Blumberg, J.; Ingwersen, L.; Jenab, M.; Tucker, K.L. Tree nuts and peanuts as components of a healthy diet. J. Nutr. 2008, 138, 1736S-1740S.

9.      Kelly, J.H. Jr; Sabaté, J. Nuts and coronary heart disease, an epidemiological perspective. Br. J. Nutr. 2006, 96, S61-S67.

10.  Mattes, R.D.; Kris-Etherton, P.M.; Foster, G.D. Impact of peanuts and tree nuts on body weight and healthy weight loss in adults. J. Nutr. 2008, 138, 1741S-1745S.

11.  Mukuddem-Petersen, J.; Oosthuizen, W.; Jerling, J. A systematic review of the effects of nuts on.blood lipid profiles in humans. J. Nutr. 2005, 135, 2082-2089.

12.  Nash, S.D.; Nash, D.T. Nuts as part of a healthy cardiovascular diet. Curr. Atheroscler. Rev.2008, 10, 529-535.

13.  Rajaram, S.; Sabaté, J. Nuts, body weight and insulin resistance. Br. J. Nutr. 2006, 96, S79-S86.

14.  Ros, E.; Mataix, J. Fatty acid composition of nuts. Implications for cardiovascular health. Br. J. Nutr. 2006, 96, S29-S35.

15.  Ros E. Health Benefits of Nut Consumption. Nutrients 2010, 2, 652-682; doi:10.3390/nu2070652

16.  Sabaté, J.; Fraser, G.E.; Burke, K.; Knutsen, S.F.; Bennett, H.; Lindsted, K.D. Effects of walnuts on serum lipid levels and blood pressure in normal men. N. Engl. J. Med. 1993, 328, 603-607.

17.  Sabaté, J. Nut consumption, vegetarian diets, ischemic heart disease risk, and all-cause mortality:evidence from epidemiologic studies. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 1999, 70, 500S-503S.

18.  Sabaté, J.; Salas-Salvadó, J.; Ros, E. Nuts, nutrition and health outcomes. Br. J.           Nutr. 2006, 96, S1-S102.

19.  Sabaté, J.; Angt, Y. Nuts and health outcomes, new epidemiologic evidence. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 2009, 89, 1643S-1648S.

20.  Salas-Salvadó, J.; Bulló, M.; Pérez-Heras, A.;  Ros, E. Dietary fibre, nuts and cardiovascular disease. Br. J. Nutr. 2006, 96, S45-S51.

21.  Segura, R.; Javierre, C.; Lizarraga, M.A.; Ros, E. Other relevant components of nuts, phytosterols, folate and minerals. Br. J. Nutr. 2006, 96, S36-S44.

www.nutritionhealth.net 

Holidays are over and back to health!

Well the holidays are over and who ever survived the eating and indulgence is ready for going back to health. I went back to my family and being Italian, they cannot deal with low salt or less wheat. Being an Italian myself, I love the food but I realised that eating a lot more salt and eating more wheat that I usually eat lead to my increase in my weight, and that without any alcohol. So now that I am back to my normal no salt and little wheat a day I already lost 1 kg. I loved the Italian foods but eating it every day is too much. But that is only traditional food, if you eat fresh salads from the garden and fresh vegetables without the salt and wheat is actually the healthiest diet! I suppose once a year even the healthiest person can let go of being strict and enjoy what everybody else eats. I was actually craving though for my own foods after a week I do not think I could bare much of the good tastier food or the rich food that I was eating, once a week or twice yes but everyday was too much!! Well my advice after the new year for everybody, is staying away from alcohol  for a month, reduce the salt and wheat products and eat plenty of vegetables, fruits, beans, lentils for the vegetarians and vegans and fish and white meat for the non vegetarian, grilled or oven baked or stir fryed. Enjoy long walks in the park or visit your nearest gym for some extra exercise!!!

www.nutritionhealth.net

Love your liver this holiday!

Is that time of the year again where we start to indulge again in a lot of food, sweets and alcohol. Just a short reminder again of taking care of your liver!!.  Here is again a reminder of what your liver does and how much pressure it gets under the holiday seasons.....

The liver is quite often forgotten by people or not thought about at all. Even though the liver is the only organs that can regenerate, when it cannot cope with too much work, you can start feeling it by having spots on your face or forehead, feeling sluggish, having headaches and feeling tired and having the feeling of being spaced out. Even if you are eating healthy but loosing weight for any reason the liver is the one that will have to do a lot of the work by eliminating all the toxins freed by the fat cells or any cell. The liver also is the one that makes protein that you need for repair of cells as well as transforming excess sugar into fat for storage. It is the major detox organ for drugs, hormones, as well as being the organ where vitamin D is activated. The liver is also a storage place for some of the vitamins such as vitamin A, D, E, K, and B12.  Now it is Christmas time again and time for Christmas parties and overindulgence of alcohol based drinks and overeating time. It is good to have fun but think of your liver as well. So even though you do not want to miss out on a Christmas party, take few steps to help your liver to cope with the extra work. Take some extra vitamin B, vitamin C, as well as milk thistle, dandelion root tea or tincture. Drink water between alcoholic drinks, fruits such as mandarins, and other seasonal fruits, as well as vegetables such as chicory salad, fennel, beetroots, artichokes, rockets, watercress, cabbage family and radicchio. If you drink water between the alcohol you will not drink as much and you will still have plenty of fun. Eat some food with your alcohol, which helps with reducing the effect of the alcohol. By taking the few steps above you can still have fun without the feeling that you need a month to feel good again after your parties. And most of all enjoy yourself…….. 

Heart burn suggestions

I have been quite busy lately and have not done much on writing here but just to get back to it I have something that I wrote a while back on suggestions on heart burn which is a problem for many people.

Triggers factors

• Heavy meals
• Lying down or bending after a meal
• Eating immediately prior to exercise
• Prior esophageal surgery
• Esophageal stricture (narrowing of the esophagus)
• Cigarette smoking
• Alcohol intake

Sign and symptoms

Heartburn -- a burning sensation under the sternum in the chest -- is the primary symptom of GERD. Heartburn often occurs after a meal and worsens at night, when you are lying flat. It is more likely to occur following a heavy meal, or if you bend, lift, or lie down just after eating.

Other symptoms of GERD include:

• Regurgitation of food
• Belching
• Nausea and vomiting
• Chronic cough, wheezing
• Sore throat, hoarseness or change in voice, difficulty swallowing
• Chest pain

Life style

• Avoid behavior that does not allow food to easily move down into and through the stomach. This includes bending, lying down, or participating in jarring exercises soon after a meal.
• Don't eat heavy meals
• Avoid acidic foods and drinks. These include caffeinated beverages, decaffeinated coffee, and orange juice
• Avoid alcohol, chocolate, spearmint, and peppermint. These can relax the low esophageal sphincter.
• Avoid carbonated beverages
• Avoid eating fatty foods, including full-fat milk, which also may relax the lower esophageal sphincter tone. Avoid fried foods.
• Citrus foods
• Take medication with plenty of water
• Lose weight if you are overweight
• Quit smoking
• Avoid cranberry juice

·         Avoid Italian heavy food,

·         Avoid Mexican foods

·         Avoid Tomatoes

·         Processed foods

·         Sugar

·         Drink a big glass of water when the reflux starts, - Chew well - Eat plenty of raw vegetables - Eat slowly - Do not eat 3 hours before going to bed

www.nutritionhealth.net

loosing weight, brown fat and white fat

Loosing weight, brown fat, white fat

What is the difference between white fat and brown fat? Well is better to have brown fat for thermogenesis (production of heat) if you want to lose weight and keep warm. Brown fat has got a high degree of vascularity (more blood into them). They contain more mitochondria, where the energy fuel is made. Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP) is the main energy for the building up compounds as well as breaking them up. Babies have a lot of brown fat as they need to cool down or warm up more than adults for survival, then, once they start moving the muscles will deal with activating our brown fat. Adrenaline, which is the hormone that deals with stress activates the brown fat which is why when hunting or doing fighting might make you lose some weight (also there is a danger of exausting your adrenal glands if that carries on for too long). Thermogenesis is the dissipation of energy derived from ingested food as heat. So when you overheat or you are exposed to prolonged cold, the brain and more specifically the sympathetic division of the brain (the division that is more to do with stress activation, running, fear, etc) activates the thermogenesis. For this process also retinoic acid is also stimulated (vitamin A). Also lipoprotrein lipase and glucose transporters are enhanced to provide fuel. This means that the more heat is needed the more ATP needs to be produces which stored glucose and nutrients are then broke down to supply this. In theory this is a way to lose more weight. There is a theory regarding obesity and defective thermogenesis in obese people, which counts for the fact that they cannot loose weight. I have been to a seminar yesterday that actually confirmed this with plenty of research. According to their study, people exposed to cold baths would activate the brown fat and therefore thermogenesis. The people participated in the study lost about 38 kgs in 24 weeks without being on a restricted diet. Certain food activate or de-activate thermogenesis, capsicin and protein would activate it and carbohydrates and sugars would turn it off. Nutrients such as vitamin A, vitamin D and essential fatty acid (omega 3 oils) are needed for the brown fat to be activated. Low or deficiency of these nutrients would not activate the thermogenesis. Warm clients or heating system would not activate the thermogenesis either. Also this is my thought is the eschimos have a lot more brown fat than anybody else and they do not have high incidence of heart problems. That because they eat a lot of fat from fish and because they are exposed to extreme cold.

The above is a thought for people that would like to lose weight and nothing works…… There are many more factors to losing weight though, as emotional and mental condition, allergies, and the entire body-mind integration…..

http://www.nutritionhealth.net/

Vitamin A for the immune system

Vitamin A has had a bad repution for a while and many people think that they have to be away from it. The most danger from vitamin A is if you eat the liver of a bear or liver everyday, which can contain a lot of the vitamin A and other nutrients. The following are facts about vitamin A:

Vitamin A is one vitamin that has a bed reputation for being bad in pregnancy. But a vast majority of pregnant women and children in the third country and some in the western world are deficient of this vitamin. This leads to many problems in the foetus and pregnancy as well as reducing the activity and function of the immune system.

Vitamin A has an important role in the mucosal surfaces of the intestinal tract (which is the first line of defence for the body) and the lining of the lungs. Deficiency of the vitamin A leads to night-blindness, xerophtalmia, retardation of growth, impaired reproductive capacity and anaemia.

There are two ways that you can get the vitamin A, directly from food via animal sources in the retinol form. These foods are egg yolk, liver, butter, cheese, whole milk and cod-liver oil. The pro-vitamin A in the form of beta-carotene is found in vegetables foods such as dark green leafy vegetables, yellow and orange foods such as carrots, sweet potatoes, mangoes, papaya, oranges and tangerines and many others..

How vitamin A works is in the form of retinoic acid and attaches to retinoid receptors in order to make its effect on the target cell and specific target gene. Retinoic acid influences gene activation through specific receptors that are part of the thyroid and steroid receptors. Vitamin A receptors is very closely involved in the gene expression (DNA expression, where each individual body takes their instruction) and therefore involved in regulating genes.

Vitamin A is essential for the mucosal surfaces of the gastrointestinal, respiratory and genitourinary tracts and it is also essential for the lymphoid system of the mucosal tract Deficiency of vitamin A in childhood is one of the most causes of mortality in the developing world. Also vitamin A it seems to be recognized as essential for many aspects of the immune function, including components of both non-specific immunity such as phagocytosis (eating debris or bad bacteria), maintenance of mucosal surfaces and specific immunity, such as generation of antibody responses (IgA in mucosal surfaces).

Deficiency in vitamin A can lead to:

• Abnormal expression of keratins in the respiratory tract, genitourinary tract and ocular surface

• Loss of Cilia from respiratory epithelium

• Loss of microvilli from small intestine

• Decrease in goblet cells and mucin production in mucosal epithelia

• Impaired neutrophil function

• Impaired natural killer (NK) cell function and decreased number of NK cells (NK are included in the immunity as anti-viral and anti-tumour immunity)

• Neutrophils are impaired (involved in phagocytosis adhesion and generation of active oxidant molecules (retinoic acid plays a role in the normal maturation of neutrophil)

• Impaired aspects of haematopoiesis (CD4 + lymphocytes count is lower)

• Shift towards T-helper type 1-like immune responses (vitamin A balances the T-helper type 1 and T helper type 2 like response.

Measle

Some studies have shown that children with deficiency of vitamin A are more at risk of mortality from measles. Children given vitamin A, showed reduce mortality and less complication from measles. Children who received 60mg of retinoic acid had significantly higher IgG responses to measles virus and higher circulating lymphocytes counts during follow up compared with children receiveing placebo.


Diarrhoeal diseases

Diarrhoeal disease caused by rotavirus, Escherichia coli, Shigella, Vibrio cholerae Salmonella and Entamoeba histolytica have been shown to reduce mortality and morbidity from these pathogens by fortification or supplementation of the vitamin A in Tamil Nadu, Nepal, Ghana and Brazil.

Vitamin A in pregnancy and lactation might has shown to be very important for the immune system and for night blindness. Vitamin A in the form of beta-carotene has shown to reduce all cause of mortality and morbidity in the developing countries and western world. Beta-carotene needs zinc to be converted into the retinoic acid.

Mucosal immunity

The way the mucosal function can be impaired by the deficiency of vitamin A is through the loss of cilia in the respiratory tract (cilia are hair like processes, they are also found in the uterine tract to move the ova towards the uterus). Loss of microvilli in the gastrointestinal tract (this are fingerlike projection that makes your nutrients being absorbed from the intestine). Loss of mucin and goblet cells in the respiratory, gastrointestinal and genitourinary tracts (mucin and globlet cells, make mucous which get rid of any bacteria and waste from the mucosal lining). Squamous metaplasia with abnornla keratinisation in the respiratory and genitourinary tracts. Alteration in antigen-specific secretory immunoglobulin A (IgA) concentrations (this are the antibodies that fights bacteria and other pathogens in the mucosal surface). Impairment of mucosal-associated immune-cell function and lastly decreased integrity of the gut (allowing more pathogens and bigger molecule to enter the blood leading to possible allergies and intolerances reaction).

Well the above was a bit scientific but it is nice sometime to have some breakdown of what the actual nutrient do in your body and how wanderful our body is to make all these things from just a little nutrient and which we get from our healthy food!!!!!
http://www.nutritionhealht.net/

One apple a day

Almost everyone know the expression ‘one apple a day keeps the doctor away’, even in Italy when I grew up! Being lucky enough to grow up in the countryside in Italy and near the seaside I did not realize then that not everyone had the same fortune of picking up their own fruits and vegetables from their front yard. I remember just going under the tree and picking up the fruits of the season wash eat or clean it and eat it. I don’t think I have ever tasted the same fruit ever again really. Or I still do when I go back to Italy and my parents still pick up pears from the tree for our breakfast. But all fruits have really a good amount of nutrients and vitamins, so why just apples are the ones that are so important or why the expression. I am not sure where it started or when but here are some apple history and qualities:

There are about 25 types of apples and they vary in colour and texture, from green to red. Some are sweet such Red Delicious, Royal Gala (my favourite) to Granny Smith, Pink Lady, Cox Apple, etc.. It seems that the original apple tree comes from Eastern Europe and Southwester Asia. Because of the cultivations and hybridization (is the process of combining different varieties or species of trees and make a new type) there are now many more varieties of apples from the first original apple tree. In the past the apple was thought to keep people forever young. Scientifically the consumption of apples in many studies have show to reduce the risk of heart disease, cancer, asthma, type 2 diabetes (as it releases the blood sugar slowly). Here are some of the nutritional benefits of apples. Apples contain high amounts of flavonoids especially quercetin. Quercetin is an antioxidant that protects the integrity of the cell membrane. Our body is formed of millions of cells and the outside of the cell can be under oxidation attack all the time. Quercetin and other antioxidant such as vitamin C, and many more flavonoids found in coloured fruits and vegetables, protect our cells from being destroyed. Quercetin also blocks the inflammatory cascade, which involves quite a lot of the inflammatory disorders such as asthma, arthritis, allergies, etc... Of course you could be allergic to the apple and so in that case you need to find the solutions for that (see my website for treatments). Pectin is another ingredient in apples; pectin can help lower cholesterol levels by improving the intestinal motility and reducing therefore the reuptake of fat and toxins (in few words good for elimination of food waste). One medium whole apple supplies 3 grams of fibres; eating about two apples a day will reduce the cholesterol up to 11 percent. Pectin is good not only to relieve constipation but also diarrhoea (Kaopectate is an over the counter medication for diarrhoea that contains pectin). Nutritionally raw apples contain vitamin C, pectin, fibres, potassium, phytochemicals such as ellagic acid (anti-oxidant) and quercetin. So really when they say that one apple a day keeps the doctor away is quite true but it is also true that many fruits also contain some sort of nutritional value, antioxidants, and fibres and therefore is worth to vary and combine our fruits to get the most of goodness from them. So hopefully the above has convinced you a bit to start keeping an apple or two in your lunch box or bag or any other fruits. Fruits salads are really good to have and enjoy!!!!

 

http://www.nutritionhealth.net/

Probiotics and immune system

I am still amazed at the fact that in England, most doctors still are oblivious to recommend probiotics and multivitamins after they have prescribed antibiotics or after diarrhoea infection of any kind. Doctors in Italy suggested multivitamins to children and adult 30 years ago and at least for the past 10 to 15 years they suggest probiotics to all children and adults after a rotavirus or any other intestinal. It is always amazing at the huge difference of suggestions. I am sure that quite few doctors do know about the benefit of doing so, but I wander if they do not suggest that because they assume that people cannot afford to buy them. I am sure that any person that can or cannot afford to buy the probiotics would want the option of knowing what is best for them regardless of the cost. Here I summarized some of the benefit of taking probiotics with or without infections.

Microbacteria are part of our gut ecology and depend on what type of bacteria is more prevalent which can help the immune system or cause problems with it. The lumen of the intestinal tract (the small intestine) has got the most bacteria followed by the colon. The stomach does not have many friendly bacteria as they would be killed by the stomach acid. Most friendly bacteria that are found in the intestine are the Bifido species and the Lactobacillus species. The colonization of the intestinal tract starts from birth and it depends on the health of the baby and the milk given on how much will stay and protect the intestinal tract and therefore help the immune system (some formula now include probiotics and the milk of the mother especially the first few days of life will have colostrum which protect and repair the intestinal tract. Things that would destroy the friendly bacteria includes: antibiotics, diarrhoea, viral diarrhoea, allergies reactions, alcoholic drinks and some medication. Consuming a live yogurt or actimel type yogurt is not enough to repopulate the intestinal tract with the billions of good bacteria that it needs when the intestinal tract ecology is not well balanced.

Several studies have shown the benefit of the probiotics. Some of these benefits are protecting the intestinal tract in the children diarrhoea infection by the rotavirus, some protection after a vaccination in adult volunteers, protection against recurrent inflammatory intestinal disorders (there are still many studies on their way regarding the benefit for Chron’s disease, irritable bowel syndrome and ulcerative colitis). Some reduction of allergies, the IgE count goes down in elderly subject with nasal allergies, reduction in milk hypersensitive infants and adults, reduction in tumour recurrence in adult bladder and many others. The most used strains of probiotics used in the research are the Lactobacillus acidophilus, the Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG, and the Lactobacillus casei Shirota, La1 lactobacillus johnsonii and Lactobacillus brevi. The Bifido species are found in the colon section of the intestine in the most used are Bifidobacterium bifidum Bb12, Bifidobacterium lactis HN019 and Bifidobacterium brevisYIT4064.

The best way of getting the proper benefits of the friendly bacteria after antibiotics or for helping the elimination process is to buy one that has got all the different strains (for children there are appropriate ones either in powder of liquid). For adults the combination should be a total of billions of them to be most effective. If there are any intestinal settling when you first take the probiotics, the dosage should be reduced until the intestinal tract is settled. The good probiotics will cost a bit more than the common ones but they are worth it and YOU are worth it….

http://www.nutritionhealth.net/

Vitamins claims and probably food soon

From March 31st there is a directive from the EU that state that we cannot make any claim on health from supplements or probably even food. So what does this mean? We cannot say anymore that vitamin C prevents scurvy? or that eating 5 fruits and vegetables a day will prevent obesity and heart problems in later life? Eating 30 g a day of fibre will help your intestine to function well? What can we say then? And why can the pharmaceutical company claim health for their drugs? For example why can they advertise so much or publicize so much on the benefit of statins for prevention of heart problems when in reality there are no even much evidence of that. Why can they advertise on the benefit of aspirin on health when is not something that the body needs to function?

A friend of mine mention also that something is going on saying that soon there will be an elimination of all books regarding the benefit of herbs and supplements books and all information about it. "I answer well if we were in China that might happen". But I was reflecting on that later on. What if they are going to sensor all health claims so that they can make it life easy for doctors and pharmaceutical companies to take over all the power from the people? Can that be a truth on the rumour? What if I and millions of people are to naive to think that something like this might happen in Europe? What if there is enough recession and people are not going to be concerned about supplements and food claims as it would not matter? What if the government and the European committee is distracting us with other serious things and than they just pass the law without the people having any knowledge of that until is too late? Are we going towards a Chinese government style so that things will be easier for the government to keep an eye on us and our own choices? Well I hope not, I hope people are better than that and they start now enquiring and responding to the threat of our own choices..

www.nutritionhealth.net

New Year detox

Simple New Year Detox

After the big meals and drinking time is time for a month of detox to give the liver and the body some respite. The best thing to do is to start with drinking at least 1 litre and half to two litres of water a day. Eat more salads and vegetables soups. Eat fruits between meals and for breakfast. Cook stir fry, oven baked or steamed vegetables and fish or white meat. Eat more of lentils and beans, avoiding creams and cheesy foods. Eat a smaller portions of food but first of avoid drinking any alcohol if you have drunk a lot. To help the detox also you can take some milk thistles and probiotics which help the intestine. Happy New Year and best Wishes

Maria Esposito

www.nutritionhealth.net

Fish for your mind and now for your feet!!

I heard about fish eating the hard skin of your feet last summer, and it sounded great. I meant to try it since as I know there were some in Camden Town but never managed too. Yesterday at Wood Green shopping centre I had the opportunity to try it. At the beginning was very ticklish but as after few minutes it was so relaxing and it felt like little current massaging your feet. There was a woman next to me that was very regular to her feet being nibbled by the little fish. She went few times in Camden Town and she had already two treatments that week alone. She said that her feet were great during the summer. We trying to convince some of the onlookers that it felt great and I think quite few people were thinking piranha biting your feet. They do not bite but nibble your skin. Also many were thinking who putting your feet in there where everyone else put their feet! Well if you go bare feet on the beach or walk bare feet in the swimming pools than you should not worry about the fish tank as that is much cleaner than the sand and the swimming pool floors!! The water in the tank is warm and you feel like you want to be there all day really. It seems that some hospital in London might be using these fish for medical reasons. You need to be referred by your doctor, but hey how great would be to be referred by your doctor to have your feet or body nipped. The name of the fish is Garra Rufa and they live and breed in the outdoors of some Turkish spas. They are used there and other parts for psoriasis condition, where you bath in a pool. That must be quite a fantastic experience!! It helps the skin condition for a while, but as psoriasis is a lot to do with internal mechanism errors and external endogenous factors you need a continuous trip to the Spa (hey could be worse!). The Garra rufa fish also lives in the Northern and Central Middle East, Syria, Iraq and Iran. It is protected legally from commercial exploitation in Turkey. Well that is great!! You can take or eat oily fish for your mind and now you can get them to heal your feet!! Worth to try for 5 to 10 pounds for 15 minutes….

http://www.nutritionhealth.net/