Posted by Jeanne M. Schmit, Pharm. D. on Fri, Apr 23, 2010 @ 09:35 AM
"O" is for oil.
Recommendations: 
- Work to improve your ratio of "good fats" to "bad fats". Ideally eliminate bad fats altogether. Bad fats encourage inflammation and promotion of chronic disease.
- Within the "good fats" category (omega 3 and omega 6, omega 9 too), most Americans need to dramatically increase their consumption of omega 3 and decrease consumption of omega 6 to normalize this ratio.
- Get 2gms/day of EPA/DHA (omega 3) via supplement. (EPA and DHA comprise omega 3 fat)
- Choose grass fed beef and organic free range chicken and eggs for higher content of omega 3.
- Avoid and eliminate trans and hydrogenated fats (found in crackers, shortening, fried foods, etc).
- Eliminate consumption of corn fed beef and other animals meant to be raised on grass. By eating corn, the animal develops unhealthy fat that's passed on to YOU.
- Use coconut oil for cooking (can tolerate high heat)
- Use olive oil for light sauteing and room temp use (salads)
- Butter is good for most cooking options
- Limit use of polyunsaturated oils (canola, corn, sunflower, etc). They are high in omega 6 fat. Omega 6 fat is good, but we've overdone it and need to improve our ratio of omega 3/omega 6.
- Completely avoid margarines and other "fake" fats.
Why good oil in the diet?
- Reduce inflammation
- Improve brain and nerve function
- Support GI health
- Support cardiovascular, immune, reproductive and nervous systems
- Important role in hormone production
Getting enough omega 3 oil (DHA/EPA) is one of the basic building blocks for everyone. It's difficult to impossible to have oprimal functioning hormones, brain chemistry and digestion without this piece of the puzzle.
We're lucky to have found a pharmaceutical grade fish oil certified and proven to be clean of mercury and other contaminants commonly found in fish oil supplements. It's the Metagenics brand of DHA/EPA in the studio.
If you buy fish oil somewhere else, be sure it's pharmaceutical grade and certified clean of contaminants.
Posted by Jeanne M. Schmit, Pharm. D. on Thu, Apr 22, 2010 @ 04:33 PM
The H.O.P.E. Formula by Brenda Watson is a program for everyone to adopt into
their daily lifestyle. It's not reserved for those with digestive problems. It's a program to prevent future problems and keep your digestive system (and the rest of your body) running smoothly and effectively.
When addressing any health problem, most experts agree that the first place to start is the digestive system. Supplements, hormones, amino acids and other treatments will not work effectively if the digestive system is not functioning properly. Overlooking this important process could be the barrier to improved health.
Let's start with the "H", for High Fiber.
Why Fiber?
- Absorbs toxins and gets them out of your body (soluble fiber)
- "Sweeps clean" and tones the colon muscles (insoluble fiber), reducing/eliminating constipation.
- Slows glucose absorption, helps keep blood sugar levels balanced and good for diabetics
- Absorbs water soluble cholesterol, reducing cholesterol levels and helps reduce formation of gallstones.
- Improves hemorroids, varicose veins and colitis.
- Promotes weight loss, prevents colon cancer and controls carcinogens in intestine.
- helps remove unwanted heavy metals and toxin and reduces the effects of radiation therapy.
- A blend of soluble/insoluble fiber will both bind toxins and increase elimination. Using only one type of fiber will not give you all these benefits.
Insoluble Fiber Sources
- Whole grains
- Wheat bran
- Veggies/fruit skins
- Flax seed
- Peanuts, brazil nuts
Soluble Fiber Sources:
- Barley, oats, rye
- Fruits/veggies
- Legumes
- Seeds (incl flax)
- Guar gum
- Psyllium husks (not recommended)
How much?
35 grams per day. Very difficult to get only from diet. Fiber supplements are almost always necessary to achieve 35 gm/day. Look for one with a blend of both soluble/insoluble fiber. Flax, acacia and oat bran make a good blend. You can find Brenda's line of products at Whole Foods to make it easy.
Why not psyllium?
Psyllium is a popular type of fiber seen sold in stores. It absorbs 40 times its weight in water and can have a dehydrating effect on the colon and can cause costipation and bloating. Psyllium can increase intestinal permeability and possible contribute to stomach or bowel cancer. Additionally, psyllium can encourage overgrowth of the normal intestinal bacteria which can deprive your body of vitamin B12 and produce an increase in the concentration of bacterial toxins.
Information presented here is from The H.O.P.E. Formula by Brenda Watson.
Posted by Jeanne M. Schmit, Pharm. D. on Wed, Apr 21, 2010 @ 11:55 AM
Now that you've learned to detect toxins and understand how they strain your body and cause problems, find out what you can do to reduce your exposure to air, food, water and household toxins.
Posted by Jeanne M. Schmit, Pharm. D. on Wed, Apr 21, 2010 @ 10:51 AM
The 1st video explains water vs fat soluble toxins and the 3 entry sites into your body.
In the 2nd video you'll learn how a sluggish liver can slow the detoxification process. You'll learn the basic ins and outs of how your liver functions.
The 3rd video Brenda Watson describes lifestyle practices you can do to help your body detoxify and function optimally.
As a side note, one of our Body Blitz participants told me last week her husband has had sever chronic fatigue for a few years, has been to numerous doctors (and the last one told him to take Ritalin for the fatigue), and he was preparing to go on disability because the fatigue was so bad. The white of his eyes and his skin was yellow. After reading Brenda's book, she decided to giver her husband milk thistle (Brenda talks about this in the video). His eyes and skin have cleared up and he has energy again and can continue to work. Their lives have changed.
It's not a panacea, but it illustrates how important it is to get our basic body functions working properly. In his case, the liver and detoxification.
Whatever you do, remember, your body wants to be healthy. It continues to heal itself if we don't get in the way TOO much. Our job is to provide the right "biological terrain" so our bodies can do their job.
It's not about taking supplements to "fix" problems or cover up symptoms. Anything you take should be something your body is either missing or it needs the substance to return to its normal function.
Become a detective, learn about how your body SHOULD function, learn how supplements, diet, and lifestyle help or hinder your biological terrain, and make your choices..take action.
Posted by Jeanne M. Schmit, Pharm. D. on Tue, Apr 20, 2010 @ 05:05 PM
Here's your 2nd digestive health video. Learn how to detect toxic chemicals in your food.
Posted by Jeanne M. Schmit, Pharm. D. on Mon, Apr 19, 2010 @ 09:49 AM
Welcome to BodyBlitz week 6! Our focus is digestion and the main educational materials are the Brenda Watson books/DVDs on digestion. Check out her website...she's known as the "poop expert." Her basic program is her H.O.P.E. Formula.
- H: High fiber
- O: Oils (omega 3)
- P: Probiotics
- E: Enzymes
Before we get into the H.O.P.E. Formula, watch this series of 3 videos to get familiar with your basic digestive and detoxification processes. You'll learn what kinds of physical problems are caused by faulty digestion and toxicity, including bloating, fatigue, fibromyalgia, skin problems, hormone problems, autoimmune disease, and many, many more. Study up...a quiz may just appear this week!
Posted by Jeanne M. Schmit, Pharm. D. on Fri, Apr 16, 2010 @ 07:46 AM
If you're having trouble with adrenal fatigue or burnout, it's critical you:
- Adjust your life to decrease stress, including improving your sleep
- Improve your diet (including removing adrenal draining foods such as caffeine, sugar, processed foods, artificial sweeteners, alcohol, and damaged fats). If you're having trouble removing certain things from your diet, you may need amino acid support to address your cravings.
- Caffeine, stimulant drugs: L-tyrosine
- Sugar and carbs: L-glutamine if due to low blood sugar, L-tyrosine if due to low energy, or 5-HTP.
- Alcohol, smoking, tranquilizers, anxiolytics: GABA if due to anxiety/nervousness
- Comfort foods, pain killers (incl ibuprofen): DL-phenylalanine or D-phenylalanine to increase "feel good" endorphins
- Fried/fatty foods: EPA/DHA essential fatty acids
Before using any aminos, be sure you have no contraindications. Check past blogs on amino acids or use the contraindication sheet in the studio.
Adrenal recovery can take between 6 months to 2 or more years. Supplements support this process by helping your adrenals return to normal function.
Helpful adrenal supplements:
- Vitamin C, magnesium, panothenic acid, B vitamins: work in concert to potentiate the action of adrenals; essential for the production of enzymes and energy needed for the adrenal hormone cascade.
- Adrenal glandulars; supports and rejuvinates adrenals
- DHEA (do not take this without knowing your levels. Work with a health practitioner if you take DHEA)
- targeted amino acids; see below
- Licorice extract: supports adrenal function
- Ashwaganda root: normalizes cortisol levels
Before taking any of these supplements, read up and understand what you are taking and why. A good explanation of most of these can be found on the James Wilson Adrenal fatigue website listing product faqs.
Aminos important in adrenal healing depend on the state of adrenal fatique you are in. If your brain chemistry is not ideal for daily (and nightly) functioning, your adrenals continue to be stressed.
- If you feel very stressed and have a difficult time relaxing or you find yourself snapping at people, GABA is helpful.
- If you are dull, feeling flat, with low energy, focus and concentration, tyrosine/phenylalanine is helpful.
- If you feel depressed, low self esteem, withdrawn, 5-HTP/L-tryptophan is helpful.
Many people need a combination of aminos. If you take aminos, take them on an empty stomach (without other proteins in your stomach) and be sure you have B vitamins (especially B6) available. Bs are necessary to convert the amino to the neurotransmitter.
Posted by Jeanne M. Schmit, Pharm. D. on Wed, Apr 14, 2010 @ 08:29 AM
Healing Adrenal Fatigue
Diet and De-Stress
Once you've done your saliva levels and determined you have low adrenal output, you'll need to make changes in your lifestyle, stress level, sleep, and diet. Read these recommendations by James Wilson, N.D., D.C., Ph.D., author of Adrenal Fatigue. Discussion of adrenal supplements will follow in another article.
1. Diet recommendations for healing adrenals:
"Even in the best of times, you need food to survive and be healthy. Adrenal fatigue is definitely not the best of times, so the food choices you make become even more important to your health. When your adrenals respond to stress your cell metabolism speeds up, burning many times the number of nutrients normally needed. With adrenal fatigue, the cells have used up much of the body's stored nutrients, creating a nutritional void. Good quality food is the best source for replenishing these nutrients. Read full article
2. How to de-stress to heal your adrenals
During these stressful times it is vitally important that you look after your health and the health of those around you. Stress intensifies the demands on your body - nutrients are used up faster than they can be replaced by food, toxic by-products rapidly build up, and every organ and gland (including your brain) is asked to work harder. During stress your body is in a race. Read full article
James L. Wilson D.C., N.D., Ph.D. has helped thousands of people experiencing adrenal fatigue regain their health and vitality during his many years of private practice.For the past 10 years he has lectured extensively to physicians and is acknowledged as an expert on endocrine imbalances and their impact on health, including the effects of stress on adrenal function.He is the person who presented adrenal fatigue as a distinct, diagnosable syndrome. A scientist as well as a physician, Dr. Wilson holds 3 doctorate degrees and 2 master's degrees, all from different health disciplines. He was one of the founding fathers of the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine (CCNM) in Toronto, Ontario and is listed in The International Who's Who in Medicine (Cambridge, England).His internationally-renown book, Adrenal Fatigue: The 21st Century Stress Syndrome (Smart Publications, 2001), is a comprehensive, easy-to-use guide to uncovering, dealing with and preventing adrenal fatigue and the negative effects of stress on health. Dr. Wilson currently resides in Tucson, Arizona.
Posted by Jeanne M. Schmit, Pharm. D. on Mon, Apr 12, 2010 @ 04:06 PM
Tired adrenals affect your thyroid and low thyroid stresses your adrenals. You need to consider both. 
Julia Ross, author of The Mood Cure, suggests we think of our adrenals as our "A" Team. Your adrenals produce 30-60 different hormones. When you experience stress, your adrenals increase production of adrenaline (short-acting) and cortisol (long acting). Initially these 2 hormones are too high, and with continued stress, they become too low (adrenal fatigue or burn-out).
You already know that upsets, injuries, anger or fear causes increased adrenal output. You may be surprised to learn the following items also cause excessive adrenaline/cortisol output:
- High sugar, low protein diet
- Severe or chronic infection
- Environmental chemicals/toxins
- Chronic caffeine use
- Unbalanced sex hormones
- Parasites
- Yeast or fungal overgrowth
- Allergens
- Overexercise
Whatever the cause, elevated stress hormones not only keeps us in an overramped emotional state, it leads to heart disease, osteoporosis, obesity, decreased immune function, Alzheimer's, and decreased memory.
Many studies confirm low cortisol to be an increasingly common problem. It's estimated that more than 70% of Americans may be affected by low adrenaline reserves.
Look at the following list of common symptoms of adrenal exhaustion (from The Mood Cure). Think about which apply to you, how often you get them and how much they bother you:
- Sensitive to exhaust fumes, smoke, chemical smells
- Feel worse after exercise or inability to tolerate much exercise
- Depression or rapid mood swings
- Dark circles under eyes
- Dizziness upon standing
- Lack of mental alertness
- Tendency to catch colds when weather changes
- Headaches along with insomnia
- Breathing difficulties
- Edema (water retention)
- Salt cravings
- Trouble falling asleep or staying asleep
- Feeling of not being rested upon awakening
- Feeling tired all the time
- Feeling of mental and emotional overstress
- Low blood sugar symptoms
- Need for caffeine to get going in the morning
- Low tolerance for loud noises or strong odors
- Tendency to startle easily
- Food or respiratory allergies
- Recurrent chronic infections such as yeast infections
- Lightheadedness
- Low tolerance for alcohol, caffeine and other drugs
- Fainting
- Tend to get upset easily, quick to cry
- Tend to get a second wind at night
- Low blood pressure
- Haven't felt your best in a long time
- Eyes sensitive to bright light
- Feeling of being weak and shaky
- Fatigue and muscular weakness
- Frequent heart palpitations
- Chronic heartburn
- Vague indigestion or abdominal pain
- Sweet cravings
- Lack of thirst
- Clenching/grinding teeth especially at night
- Chronic pain in lower neck and upper back
If you suspect low adrenals, order an adrenal saliva test. Get one that checks cortisol 4x in 24 hours (usually 8am, noon, bedtime and 12 midnight). You'll also want to check DHEA-S at the same time (1x). Take these results to your health practitioner to get help with interpretation and treatment if necessary.
Your cortisol output should follow a specific rhythm; a morning high, holding steady throughout the day, decreasing at bedtime with the lowest point in the middle of the night, rising again to get you up in the morning. Look up saliva hormone testing online. ZRT Labs is a good one.
You may find your cortisol rhythm is upside down; high at night keeping you awake, yet low in the morning. You may see your entire cortisol pattern lower than normal but following the pattern. DHEA usually follows cortisol; if overall cortisol is low, DHEA is often low. You'll find out if DHEA supplementation would be helpful for you.
In any case, you'll get an understanding of how your adrenals are doing...another piece of the puzzle.
We'll put that together with thyroid to get the bigger picture.