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symptoms of anemia

First of all, what is anemia?

Technically it means a reduction in red blood cell count, a reduction in hemoglobin and a reduction in hematocrit. Any reduction in these values indicates that there is also a reduction of oxygen getting to your brain.

Anemia also suggests that you may have a deficiency of iron or vitamin B12 & folate. Iron is necessary for activating thyroid hormone and vitamin B12 & folate are essential to the function of your nervous system. So, is a little anemia ok? Is a little less oxygen to your brain ok? NO!! If you are tired, can’t lose weight and are having trouble focusing ask your doctor to check for anemia and iron deficiency. Even a “little” or “slight”anemia needs to be corrected. Fix that and see how your health improves!

10 Keys to Healthy Digestion

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  1. Chew your food well, remember digestion starts in the mouth.
  2. Drink more water, just not while you are eating.  Being well hydrated helps your body eliminate wastes more efficiently, however drinking with your meals dilutes your digestive juices making digestion less efficient.
  3. Eat more fiber.  Fiber feeds your good bacteria, binds toxins & improves bowel movements
  4. Increase your intake of Omega 3 fatty acids (EPA & DHA) to 3g/day.  Omega 3 oils are an important part of your cellular membranes and they are anti-inflammatory
  5. Take a daily probiotic or enjoy foods containing probiotics like yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut and other fermented foods.
  6. Reduce your sugar intake.  Sugar is highly inflammatory and immunosuppressive.  Even 1 teaspoon of sugar decreases your immune system for 5 hours.
  7. Fit activity into your day, the more sedentary we are the more sluggish our digestive system is.
  8. Sleep more
  9. Breathe more.  Breathing helps us slow down and improves digestion.
  10. Follow the 4 ‘R’ Program – Remove, Replace, Re-inoculate & Repair,  to restore healthy digestion

got acne? don’t drink the milk

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Acne may be one of the most common forms of skin problems affecting both teens and adults.

It is a chronic, inflammatory condition affecting the sebaceous gland of the hair follicle that can be very distressing for acute and chronic sufferers alike.  Conventional medicine often focuses on topical treatments, but who says beauty only goes skin deep??   If you really want to clear up your acne, you’ve got to go deeper and get to the source — inflammation, which we now know is an inherent component of every aspect of acne formation.  Inflammation can arise from various sources including stress, hormone imbalances and poor diet – specifically milk & high-glycemic foods (i.e. sugar).

In 2008, a study published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology showed an association between dairy & high-glycemic food intake and the development of acne in teenage boys.  Individuals prone to

Acne

breakouts are known to secrete a greater quantity of lipid-rich fluid called sebum via the sebaceous glands in the skin.  Insulin & Insulin-like Growth Factor-1 (IGF-1) have direct effects on these glands causing increased sebum production.  IGF-1 also stimulates the production of androgen hormones, like dihydrotestosterone (DHT) which stimulates the production of sebum and the enlargement of sebaceous glands causing acne formation.

A 2009 study published in Experimental Dermatology found that milk consumption resulted in a significant increase in insulin and IGF-1 serum levels which was comparable to high-glycemic food intake.  Furthermore, researchers have suggested that the hormones in milk, which include IGF-1 and 5-a-pregnanedione, may survive milk processing.   5-a-pregnanedione is a precursor of DHT.  So, if you are suffering with acne consider eliminating dairy from your diet for a week or two and see if your skin improves.  Dairy includes anything made from cow’s milk including milk, cheese, ice cream, yogurt & cottage cheese.  Many baked and prepared foods contain milk so check your ingredient labels.

Luckily there are many alternatives to cow’s milk on the market.  Go to any grocery store, even Walmart, and you can find almond milk, coconut milk & yogurt, flax milk, hemp milk, and cheese made from almonds.  Vegan products are another alternative as long as they are made from non-GMO soy.  There are also numerous websites available with non-dairy recipes that are free for you to enjoy.

Does having a drink of water help you think?

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YES, it does!

Lemon Water PitcherResearchers in the School of Psychology at the University of East London performed cognitive tests on 23 children.  Forty minutes later, half of the children were given a bottle of water to drink as desired, and the other half were not.  The cognitive tests were repeated 45 minutes later.  The water group had significantly higher scores on visual attention and visual search compared to the no-water group and they had higher ratings on a scale that measured happiness.

These results suggests that staying hydrated enhances cognitive function and general well-being.  In fact, being dehydrated by just 2% impairs performance in tasks requiring attention and memory skills.

Children and the elderly are more vulnerable to dehydration, so if you notice your child is having trouble paying attention or your parent or grandparent is showing signs of memory loss, consider running to the kitchen for a large glass of water before running to the doctor for a prescription.

Reference:  Edmonds CJ et al.  Appetite. 2009; 53(3): 469-72