There are several methods of colon cleansing that are popular with alternative medicine practitioners, which include colonic irrigation, herbal colon cleansing products, and enemas. The concept of colon cleansing is based on the idea that undigested food causes a buildup of toxins and mucus in the colon. This leads to a leaky gut, which then allows undigested food particles, toxins, and bacteria into the bloodstream, which in turn leads to illness. This is partially true. Eating a high-fat diet that includes a lot of animal food and junk food does contribute to poor gastrointestinal health, damage to the gut microbiome, and leaky gut. Taking prescription drugs such as antibiotics contributes to the damage too. But colon cleanses do not resolve these issues and can sometimes make the problems worse or create new ones.
Colon cleanses are advertised as a way to relieve a variety of symptoms ranging from headache and fatigue to weight gain and cancer. As is the case with many treatments, both conventional and alternative, results are exaggerated and risks are minimized.
Colonic irrigation, also known as colon hydrotherapy, involves the patient lying on a table while the therapist uses a low-pressure pump to flush several gallons of water through a tube inserted into the rectum. This water is sometimes infused with enzymes, herbs, or coffee. The patient releases the water, along with waste, into a bucket and the process is repeated.
A review of published research studies concerning various colon cleansing methods showed that there are no rigorous controlled trials that have been conducted on these practices for health improvement, but there are many case reports and case series documenting adverse effects. [1] In the case of colonic irrigation, these include rectal perforation,[2] water intoxication and hyponatremia,[3] aplastic anemia,[4] abscesses,[5] infection,[6] and life-threatening gangrene resulting from rectal perforation. [7] Additional side effects include vomiting, nausea, cramps, dizziness, bowel perforation, partial or total washing away of gut bacteria, and changes in electrolyte balance.
The International Association for Colon Hydrotherapy has established training and certification procedures for colon hydrotherapists. In order to enroll for level one training, which allows an individual to perform hydrotherapy, the candidate must have a high school diploma or equivalent; have completed an anatomy and physiology course at an accredited school, have a CPR card, and received between 1 and 3 colonic procedures. The training itself requires 100 hours of live instruction over a 10-day period of time, or a person can submit proof of having performed 100 colonic hydrotherapy sessions during a one-year period (apparently with no formal training). To complete the process the candidate must pass a written exam and make a 15-minute presentation on colon hydrotherapy to a class. IACH also offers Intermediate Level, Advanced, and Instructor-level certifications, which require more classroom hours and more practical experience. But the basic requirements in order to practice are concerning since colon hydrotherapy is an invasive procedure that involves the risk of side effects, some serious.[8]
Colonic irrigation is not a good idea for anyone, but particularly not for people who have gastrointestinal diseases such as diverticulitis, Crohn’s disease, and ulcerative colitis; or for those with kidney disease or heart disease. People with these conditions have an increased risk of side effects. The FDA has not approved the procedure or the devices used to perform it.[9]
Coffee enemas are another popular form of colon cleansing. Although coffee enemas have been reported since ancient times, Dr. Max Gerson popularized the use of them in the 1930’s for the treatment of cancer in the U.S. His theory was that caffeine from the enema would cause toxins to leave the blood stream through the walls of the colon, and to cause the bile ducts to dilate, which would in turn facilitate removal of toxins from the liver.[10] Max Gerson’s approach to cancer treatment was quite complicated, and it is difficult to determine which of the many parts of the treatment were responsible for the “cures” which he claimed resulted from his plan. It is true that the government, funding agencies and medical institutions had and continue to have no interest in researching the Gerson protocol. But even several decades later, according to Dr. Ralph Moss, the clinic, which is now located in Mexico, has not published credible case reports, or even made patient files available to researchers like Dr. Moss who investigate alternative therapies with an open mind.
While there is little research to support the use of coffee enemas for therapeutic purposes, there is some evidence that they can be harmful. Potential risks include rectal burn,[11] colitis,[12] electrolyte imbalance, and even death. [13]
Another issue is that one of the benefits of coffee is thought to be its caffeine content. The absorption of caffeine from a coffee enema is considerably less than when a subject is given caffeine via suppository or when coffee or caffeine-containing beverages are consumed orally.
Many colon cleansing products and programs contain laxatives, such as cascara, magnesium, cat’s claw, burdock root, and milk thistle. Often fiber products such as inulin are added which expand in the digestive tract and cause bowel movements to become bigger. This gives the appearance that larger amounts of waste are being excreted, leading purchasers to think that the cleanse is “working.” Risks associated with colon cleansing programs include dehydration, cramping, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, electrolyte imbalances, kidney failure, and reduction or elimination of gut bacteria. There is no evidence that long-term health outcomes are improved by using these products and kits.
In my experience, many people who have colonic irrigation, use enemas, or purchase colon cleansing kits and programs do so because they are constipated. These strategies relieve the constipation, which makes them feel better temporarily but it does not address the cause of the constipation, and in fact can make it worse. Instead of relying on laxatives, the individual instead relies on enemas, herbs, or colonic irrigation in order to feel “cleaned out.” This is not a good idea.
Another rationale for colon cleanses is for periodic “detoxification.” Many people have told me that they like to use colon cleansing and other detoxification programs to clean the body out once or twice per year. Many of these people are overweight and do not practice healthy habits, yet think that irrigation, or taking some herbs or enemas once in a while will compensate for not taking optimal care of themselves on a daily basis. This is also not a good idea.
The better and much safer option is to adopt a high-fiber, low-fat plant-centered diet and to drink enough water every day. This strategy is the way nature intended for the body to be cleaned out on a daily basis. Taking high-quality pharmaceutical-grade probiotics is needed in order to restore the gut microbiome, which is sometimes made worse by colon cleansing programs. The bottom line is that “cleansing” is not something to be done with herbal products and mechanical intervention, and to be undertaken a few times per year; but rather something the body takes care of naturally when one practices good habits.
[1] Acosta R, Cash B. “Clinical effects of colonic cleansing for general health promotion: a systematic review.” Am J Gastroenterol 2009 Nov;104(11):2830-2836
[2] Handley D, Rieger N, Rodda D. “Rectal perforation from colonic irrigation administered by alternative practitioners.” Med J Aust 2004 Nov;181(10):575-576
[3] Norlela S, Izham C, Khalid B. “Colonic irrigation-induced hyponatremia.” Malay J Pathol 2004 Dec;26(2):117-118
[4] Smereck J. Aplastic anemia: a possible toxic effect of an herbal “colon cleansing” preparation.” J Emerg Med 2009 Feb;36(2):191-193
[5] Ratnaraja N, Raymond N. “Extensive abscesses following colonic hydrotherapy.” Lancet Infect Dis 2005 Aug;5(8):527
[6] Chen W, Tsao Y. “Fatal aeroportia with systemic embolism after colon hydrotherapy.” J Trauma 2010 Jan;68(1):247
[7] Tan M, Cheong D. “Life-threatening perineal gangrene from rectal perforation following colonic hydrotherapy: a case report.” Ann Acad Med Singapore 1999 Jul;28(4):583-585
[8] http://www.i-act.org/training.html
[9] Mishori R, Otubu A, Jones A. “Colon cleansing – a dangerous practice returns.” J Fam Pract 2001 Aug;60(8):454-457
[10] Gerson M. “The cure of advanced cancer by diet therapy: a summary of 30 years of clinical experimentation.” Physiol Chem and Phys. 1978;10(5):449–464
[11] Sashiyama H, Hamahata Y, Matsuo K, et al. “Rectal burn caused by hot-water coffee enema.” Gastrointest Endosc. 2008 Nov;68(5):1008–1009
[12] Keum B, Jeen YT, Park SC, et al. “Proctocolitis caused by coffee enemas.” Am J Gastroenterol. 2010;105(1):229
[13] Eisele JW, Reay DT. “Deaths related to coffee enemas.” JAMA 1980;244(14):1608–1609
Dr. Pam Popper, Wellness Forum Health
Your Wellness Lifestyle Starts Here
According to the promoters of Paleo and other bad diets, people should avoid eating grains because they increase inflammation and cause disease.
“Whole grains” includes foods like whole wheat, oats, brown, basmati, and jasmine rice, rye, barley, buckwheat, bulgur, quinoa, corn, farro, kamut, millet, and spelt. Whole grains do not include bagels, pastry, cookies, white flour pasta, croissants, pretzels, and cereals like Lucky Charms. While this seems simple – whole natural foods vs highly processed junk foods, there is considerable misunderstanding about this issue. “Grain bashers” like William Davis (author of Wheat Belly) claim that their patients are sick because they eat grain-based products like Wonder Bread, Trix, Fruit Loops, HoHo’s, Oreos, Vienna Fingers and Fettuccini Alfredo. They apparently do not understand the difference between eating highly processed products and foods like wheat berries and millet loaf.
Those who advise against eating grains claim, among other things, that eating grains increases inflammation levels. While this might be true when consuming highly processed foods like cookies, the opposite appears to be the case for whole grain foods, which have been shown to reduce inflammation.
A very well-designed study involving 81 participants showed clearly both the benefits of consuming whole grains and the difference between diets based on refined vs whole grain products. For the first two weeks, subjects maintained their typical Western-style and weight-maintaining diet. For the next 6 weeks, 40 subjects stayed on this diet, while the other 41 were switched to a diet which included whole grain foods. Both diets were similar in calories, fat, the number of servings of fruit and vegetables, and the percentage of protein. The meals were prepared by trained staff and designed to make sure that the participants would not lose weight. These strategies were implemented to isolate the effects of whole grain consumption since factors like eating more fruits and vegetables and weight loss have also been shown to lower inflammation levels.
Those subjects eating whole grains had favorable changes in their gut microbiomes including a decrease in pro-inflammatory bacteria. They also showed small but statistically significant and favorable changes in plasma markers for inflammation and improvement in immune function. [1]
In another study, Iranian researchers looked at the impact of grain consumption for 44 overweight or obese girls between the ages of 8 and 15. The girls were randomized to two groups, one that consumed whole grains and a control group. Girls in the whole grain group were give a list of whole grains and asked to make sure that half of their grain intake was from whole grains daily for 6 weeks, while the girls in the control group were given the same list and told to avoid whole grain foods.
Whole grain girls then entered a 4-week washout period after which they crossed over to the other arm for an additional 6 weeks.
Eating whole grains did not affect weight or BMI, but the girls eating whole grains did experience positive changes in inflammatory markers during the 6-week intervention period. These included a 22% decrease C-reactive protein, and a 28% reduction in soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1. The girls in the control group had increases of 12% and 6% respectively during the same period.[ii]
Overweight people have higher levels of inflammation, but these overweight girls still showed lower levels of inflammatory markers even though their weight did not change. The girls did not convert to a program of dietary excellence; in fact, they were permitted to continue to consume half of their grains in refined and processed form. And the rapidity of effect – only 6 weeks – was notable.
A more recent study included 60 Danish adults who were considered high-risk for developing metabolic syndrome. In a randomized crossover trial, subjects were assigned to two 8-week dietary intervention periods during which they consumed either a whole grain diet or a refined grain diet. The first 8 weeks were followed by a 6-week washout period, after which the subjects switched diets.
Not surprisingly, the whole grain diet resulted in fewer calories consumed and more weight loss than the refined grain diet. But in addition, the whole grain diet reduced markers of inflammation such as interleukin-6 and c-reactive protein.[iii]
Other studies have shown not only that whole grain intake lowers inflammation, but that it also improves glucose metabolism and increases weight loss.[iv] Higher whole grain intake is also associated with decreased risk of developing type 2 diabetes, insulin resistance, cardiovascular disease, and obesity; and decreased fasting glucose.[v] [vi]
It’s important to be clear about the objective of this article. It is not to promote the idea that eating whole grains is the solution to our epidemic of disease. In fact, we have advised for many years that there are no magical foods and nutrients, and it is important to focus on adopting a health-promoting dietary pattern. People who eat whole grains as part of an optimal, low-fat, high-fiber plant-centered diet experience much better results than those shown in these studies. But even when the only variable is whole grain intake, the results are better. People who advise against whole grain consumption are giving incorrect advice which is not supported by evidence.
[i] Vanegas SM, Meydani M, Barnett JB et al. “Substituting whole grains for refined grains in a 6-wk randomized trial has a modest effect on gut microbiota and immune and inflammatory markers of healthy adults.” Am J Clin Nutr 2017 Feb;105(3):635-650
[ii] Hajihashemi P, Azadbakht L, Hashemipor M, Kelishadi R, Esmaillzadeh A. “Whole grain intake favorably affects markers of systemic inflammation in obese children: A randomized controlled crossover clinical trial.” Mol Nutr Food Res. 2014 Jun;58(6):1301-8.
[iii] Roager HM, Vogt JK, Kristensen M et al. “Whole grain-rich diet reduces body weight and systemic low-grade inflammation without inducing major changes in the gut microbiome: a randomized cross-over trial.” Gut Published Online First: 01 November 2017. doi: 10.1136/gutjnl-2017-314786
[iv] Montonen J, Boeing H, Fritsche A et al. “Consumption of red meat and whole grain bread in relation to biomarkers of obesity, inflammation, glucose metabolism, and oxidative stress.” Eur J Nutr 2013 Feb;52(1):337-345
[v] Tang G, Wang D, Long J, Yang F, Si L. “Meta-analysis of the association between whole grain intake and coronary heart disease risk.” Am J Cardiol 2015 Mar;115(5):625-629
[vi] Lutsey PL, Jacobs DR Jr, Kori S et al. “whole grain intake and its cross-sectional association with obesity, insulin resistance, inflammation, diabetes, and subclinical CVD: The MESA Study.” Br. J Nutr 2007 Aug;98(2):397-405
Pam Popper, Wellness Forum Health
We talk about habits often in our classes. We all have habits, good and bad, especially when it comes to our diet and lifestyle. Why is a bad habit so difficult to change? It is common to struggle to replace those bad habits with good habits. Change is difficult because we don't have the right tools. And... we don't like change.
Our Emotional Eating and Forming & Maintaining Optimal Habits classes help us to look at our state of mind and emotional state. Habits are reward based, and resistance is subconscious. We place our own obstacles in our way without even knowing it. We resist change because we are focusing on what we are giving up instead of what we have to gain.
"For example, we all get a dopamine hit when we eat. That is a survival mechanism. Signals to the brain encourage us to eat. But sometimes eating bad foods makes us feel better and we repeat this behavior because we want that "reward" of feeling better and relieve our anxiety, because what gets rewarded gets repeated. So now a good habit (eating for survival and energy) turns into a habit that is self-destructive." This is the process that produces discouragement. We know what to do but we can't do it.
So how do we start? First, examine what your goals are, keeping in mind that reaching that goal is never a straight line from A to B. Make a decision to change one thing at a time, have a vision, write down what you want to accomplish, examine that goal honestly, formulate a plan (that's where attending classes comes in). Start new. "Starting new is not starting over. Starting over implies returning to where you were. Starting new means stepping into something that has never existed before.: (Graham Cooke) Most importantly, be consistent. James Clear says that "consistency enlarges ability." Imagine that every day that you are consistent in your goal towards a healthier lifestyle, the greater your ability will be to accomplish it. And THIS is what makes you resilient. The definition of resilience is "the ability of a system (or person) to respond to or recover readily from a crisis, disruptive process, etc."
Pam Popper from Wellness Forum Health says it best "If you really want to change your life and your health, the best comparator to use is “optimal.” How do your diet and lifestyle habits compare to habits that are optimal? Two important clarifications are needed here; one is that “optimal” does not mean “perfect” and the other is that optimal habits are defined as those that lead to high quality of life and longevity."
Practicing mental resilience in order to live "optimal" healthy diet and lifestyle is a way to show compassion towards yourself. You will start to learn when your body is saying no to the things that do not serve it in a healthy way. You will start to discover what frustrates and exhausts you and walk away from those things. You will know that you do not need to go beyond your ability. You will start to dig deeper in being intentional on creating the vision of what you want to accomplish.
Liz Fattore
Nurture Your Health
Licensed Food Over Medicine Professional
Wellness Forum Health
For a very long time, doctors have mistakenly told patients that higher HDL cholesterol levels are a marker for better health, and that the ratio of HDL to LDL was an important metric to monitor. Many doctors have furthermore insisted that lower HDL levels are markers of poor health. None of this is true. Lower LDL AND HDL cholesterol levels should be the goal, and higher HDL levels are not only not protective, but are a risk factor for coronary artery disease and other health issues.
Some Basics
A primary role of HDL cholesterol is reverse transport, the mechanism by which the body takes excess cholesterol from the peripheral tissues and bloodstream and delivers it to the liver for removal by the gall bladder. Generally, HDL levels can be expected to rise in response to higher plasma LDL levels. With few exceptions, higher plasma LDL levels result from consuming a diet high in saturated fat and cholesterol, both of which are concentrated in animal foods. The more LDL and saturated fat consumed, the more cholesterol produced by the liver. Another way of looking at this is that there would be no need for higher HDL levels if a person were not consuming so much food containing LDL cholesterol and saturated fat.
Quality is Better Than Quantity
The measurement of plasma cholesterol that is most related to the prevention of atherosclerosis and coronary events is HDL efflux capacity – the ability of HDL to remove bad, or LDL cholesterol from macrophages.[1] Macrophages are immune cells that become pro-inflammatory foam cells when they engulf LDL cholesterol. This explains why some people with high plasma HDL cholesterol develop coronary artery disease, while others with lower plasma HDL do not.
To illustrate this point, HDL efflux capacity was measured in almost 1000 subjects;
442 of them had been diagnosed with coronary artery disease, 351 had not been diagnosed coronary artery disease, and 203 healthy volunteers.
The researchers reported that:
· Subjects with high HDL efflux capacity had lower levels of atherosclerosis and obstructive coronary artery disease, while those with low HDL efflux capacity had higher levels of atherosclerosis and obstructive coronary artery disease.· Statins were not effective for raising HDL efflux capacity.· There was no relationship between blood levels of HDL and efflux capacity.· Habits influenced efflux capacity: smokers had low HDL efflux capacity even if they had higher plasma HDL levels, for example.· There was a significant relationship between HDL efflux capacity and carotid artery thickening (a marker for atherosclerosis), and this relationship persisted regardless of plasma levels. In other words, higher plasma cholesterol was not protective, while lower plasma levels with higher efflux capacity was.· The proportion of patients with coronary artery disease decreased consistently with increases in HDL efflux capacity.[2]
The bottom line:
Measuring plasma levels of HDL to determine health status is futile. Additionally, attempts to increase HDL levels using drugs and supplements has been shown to increase the risk of cardiovascular events and death.[3] [4]
Furthermore, higher HDL levels are indicators for risk of macular degeneration,[5] fractures,[6] and dementia. Data from a longitudinal study that included 18,668 healthy participants showed that those with HDL levels of 80 mg/dLor higher had a 27% higher risk of dementia than subjects with HDL levels of lower of 60 mg/dL.[7] The diet that protects the cardiovascular system also protects the brain.
Conclusions:
A plant-centered diet that is low in saturated fat and cholesterol is the best diet for humans. The incidence of coronary artery disease is very low in cultures that consistently consume a plant-based diet. These include the Tarahumara Indians[8], The Papua New Guinea highlanders[9], and rural Chinese.[10] In some rural areas of China, hundreds of thousands of people go for years without a single myocardial infarction.
[1] Khera AV, Cuchel M, de la Llera-Moya M et al. “Cholesterol efflux capacity, high-density lipoprotein function, and atherosclerosis.” NEJM 2011 Jan;364(2):127-135
[2] IBID
[3] Keene D, Price C, Shun-Shin MJ, Francis DP. "Effect on cardiovascular risk of high-density lipoprotein targeted treatments niacin, fibrates, and CETP inhibitors: meta-analysis of randomized, controlled trials including 117 411 patients." BMJ 2014; 349:g4379
[4] Michael O'Riordon "No Clinical Benefit to Raising HDL With Existing Therapies, Meta-Analysis Shows" July 23, 2014 www.heartwire.com
[5] Colijm JAM, den Hollander AI, Demirkan A et al. “Increased High-Density Lipoprotein Levels Associated with Age-Related Macular Degeneration: Evidence from the EYE_RISK and European Eye Epidemiology Consortia.” Ophthalmology 2019 Mar;126(3):393-406
[6] Hussain SM, Ebeling PR, Barker A, Neilin LJ, Tonkin AM, McNeil JJ. “Association of Plasma High-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol Level With Risk of Fractures in Healthy Older Adults.” JAMA Cardiol 2023 Mar;8(3):268-272
[7] Hussain SM, Robb C, Tonkin AM et al. “Association of plasma high-density lipoprotein cholesterol level with risk of incident dementia: a cohort study of healthy older adults.” Lancet Regional Health 2023 Nov: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lanwpc.2023.100963
[8] Connor WE, Cerqueira MT, Connor RW, et al. “The plasma lipids, lipoproteins, and diet of the Tarahumara Indians of Mexico.” Am J Clin Nutr 1978 Jul;31(7):1131-42
[9] Sinnett PF, Whyte HM. “Epidemiological studies in a total highland population, Tukisenta, New Guinea. Cardiovascular disease and relevant clinical, electrocardiographic, radiological and biochemical findings.” J Chron Diseases 1973 May; 26(5):265-290
[10] Campbell TC, Parpia B, Chen J. “Diet, lifestyle, and the etiology of coronary artery disease: The Cornell China Study.” Am J Card 1998 Nov;82(10B):18T-21T.
Dr. Pam Popper, President, Wellness Forum Health
This salad is one of my favorites for a quick protein packed lunch.
Ingredients:
1 block super firm organic tofu, drained well. I wrap it in paper towels and let sit with in a strainer, squeezing the excess water out
1 can chickpeas, drained
2 - 4 scallions, thinly sliced (depending on how you like onions
2-4 dill pickle spears or 1 whole pickle, chopped
3-4 celery ribs, sliced
1 -2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1-2 tablespoons Tahini
Salt & pepper to taste
Instructions:
Place well drained tofu block (you can break it up a bit) and the chickpeas in a food processor. Pulse about 20 seconds as you don't want it too mushy. If you do not have a food processor, place the tofu and chickpeas in a bowl and mash with a fork.
Scrap mixture into a large bowl and add all other ingredients. Stir and taste. Add more mustard or tahini to your taste if desired.
Serve in a wrap or a whole grain bread with lettuce or sprouts for a nutrient dense sandwich. You can also add it on top of a salad for a filling meal.
Your Wellness Lifestyle Starts Here
Some of the worst dietary advice is given to athletes of all ages. The misinformation starts in middle and high school, when well-meaning but misinformed coaches often instruct student athletes to eat more protein, use sports drinks for hydration, and consume dairy products for strong bones. Supplements are almost always recommended by trainers for body builders and other adult athletes with the promise that they contribute to more rapid muscle development and better performance. Diet and supplement recommendations are delivered with the implication that results are virtually assured and usually without any explanation of the potential risks. Furthermore, other dietary patterns, such as more plant-based diets are almost never discussed, except to dismiss them as not adequate for helping athletes to train and perform.
Supplements, in particular, are a concern, and the results of a new study should encourage even more people to avoid them. This study included 356 men between the ages of 18 and 55 who had had testicular cancer and 513 controls. Researchers looked at many factors, including exercise, smoking, drinking, family history, and the use of supplements for building muscle. The researchers concluded that muscle-building supplements, particularly those that contained both creatine (which is a hot topic right now) and protein, and those with testosterone-boosting androstenedione, significantly increased the risk of testicular germ cell cancer. Lead researcher Tongzhang Zheng said, “The observed relationship was strong. If you used them at an earlier age, you had a higher risk. If you used them longer, you had a higher risk. If you used multiple types, you had a higher risk.”
The researchers also noted that many supplements contain unknown ingredients that can increase the risk of cancer, citing a study that showed that 15% of supplements that did not include hormones on the labels contained anabolic androgenic steroids which have been associated with testicular cancer in animal studies.
The incidence of testicular germ cell cancer is rising in both the U.S. and Europe, and is the most common malignancy in men between the ages of 15-39 years of age. While many other factors are most certainly contributors, including poor diet, supplements to boost sports performance increase the risk even more, and should be avoided.
Athletes should be informed that optimal performance can be achieved without high-protein diets and supplements; in fact more and more athletes are finding that sports performance is enhanced by eating a more plant-based diet. Athletes do not need to choose between optimal performance or optimal diet. In fact optimal diet leads to optimal performance.
Li N, Hauser R, Holford T et al. “Muscle-building supplement use and increased risk of testicular germ cell cancer in men from Connecticut and Massachusetts.” British J Cancer March 31 2015;112:1247-1250
Niamh Michall “Muscle-building supplements linked to testicular cancer risk.”
Nutraingredients-usa.com April 14 2015
Wellness Forum Health
Stress Paralyzes Immune Cells
A research team in Australia led by immunologist Scott Mueller injected a stress hormone, norepinephrine, into the bloodstreams of mice. The purpose was to see how immune cells responded to stress hormones. Within just a few minutes, T-cells stopped moving. To make sure it was the stress hormone and the injection itself, the researchers performed the same experiment using dopamine, which had no effect on immune function.
To further research the issue, researchers infected the mice with herpes simplex virus (HSV). After two days the mice were treated with a molecule called Iso that mimics the action of adrenaline, a stress hormone. This also stopped the action of T-cells and dendritic cells for over two hours. When another substance called salmeterol, which acts on the same receptors, was injected two times per day for three days, there were fewer virus-specific T-cells at the sites of infection. Additional experiments with mice injected with melanoma cells or malaria parasites showed the same result – stress hormones and substances that mimic them suppress immune function.
There are other mechanisms at work too:
- In response to intense fear or stress, messages from the brain are sent to the endocrine system
- The adrenal glands release adrenaline and noradrenaline
- The body gets ready for fight or flight
- The heart beats faster, and blood pressure rises to send more blood to the arms and legs
- Extra glucose and fat are released for energy
This cascade of events works well for short-term situations in which people must act quickly to survive but does not work well when lower-level stress and anxiety becomes a chronic condition.
Stress also activates responses like inflammation, which helps to repair damaged or infected tissues. Inflammation causes white blood cells to flood an area where an injury has occurred, and release cytokines and recruit macrophages to clean out debris and dead cells. Inflammation is helpful for healing injury; not so much when stuck in the “on” position due to being in a continuous state of fight or flight.
Remaining constantly stressed about viruses makes you more likely to get sick from viruses. Here are some recommendations to reduce your stress:
- choose sources of information that do not result in increased stress
- carefully choose the people you hang around with – some have become toxic sources of stress and panic
- focus on strategies like eating well, exercising, getting out in the sunlight, drinking water – you will feel less stressed about health if you are healthy
- practice gratitude – thinking about what is good in life shifts the focus from the things that are not as good.
Devi S, Alexandre YO, Loi JK et al. “Adrenergic regulation of the vasculature impairs leukocyte interstitial migration and suppresses immune responses.” Immunity 2021 Jun;54(6):1219-1250
Building a Muscular Body for Health and Longevity
Did you know that as we age, we "disintegrate"? Nursing homes are full of folks who did not age well.
Building muscle strength is protective for our health. Frailty is destructive to our health.
Muscle is a functional metabolic organ and poor muscle strength is an independent predictor of poor health outcomes for the elderly who do not engage in proper strength training.
Skeletal muscle is the largest organ in the body by mass-30% to 50% of total body mass-depending on fitness level. Muscle is considered an endocrine organ contributing to metabolic function, hormone regulation and disease prevention. Muscle plays a part in preventing Type 2 diabetes because it plays a role in glucose metabolism. Muscle controls glucose and lipid levels, which results in reduced risk of diabetes. Muscle loss results in reduced glucose clearance, which then increases the risk of Type 2 diabetes. Energy expenditure, or calorie burn, is related to how muscular you are as well, with exercise playing a more minor role.
Most people in westernized countries lose muscle as they age. This is referred to as sarcopenia. The average muscle mass of a young healthy person ranges from 77 to 110 lbs. Contrast that to an elderly woman that has not engaged in strength training with only around 29 lbs. of muscle mass.
Muscle burns more calories than fat. A young person loses around 0.5% muscle mass per year. By the time we are in our 50s-60s, it accelerates to 3% per year. It is an imperceptible change which leads to that moment in life when we wake up one day and say, "how did I get so overweight and out of shape?!" Sarcopenia has been happening!
Early signs include not being able to climb stairs like we used to, not being able to lift something heavy that never gave us trouble in the past, and falls, to name a few. This all leads to a loss of independence.
Life spans are shorter for people who are not muscular and recovery from diseases can take longer due to complications that develop in older and frail people. During illness, the body depends on nutrients stored in muscle to promote better immune response and tissue repair. People with limited muscle reserves therefore have a harder time recovering from illness, including cancer.
The only solution to this is strength training. Eating a high protein diet does not help. Muscle mass also contributes to lower levels of inflammation and muscle releases myokines like interleukin 6 that lowers inflammation. Inflammation is a major influence in promoting all of the diseases that we don't want to get, like cardiovascular disease, arthritis, cancer.
Aerobic exercise helps, but strength training helps more! Another benefit of strength training is that it directly stimulates mitochondrial biogenesis and improves mitochondrial function, which impacts energy production and improves the function leading to increased endurance and lower risk of disease and lower risk of early death.
Strength training is key to preventing osteoporosis and improving bone mass if you have already lost some bone mass.
Just walking is not enough because strength training impacts bones that walking does not, like hips and spine. 10,000 steps a day does not build strength, or even aerobic capacity. You are just "marking time".
Be willing to do what needs to be done for your long-term health. It's fun to be a strong person.
Did you know that you can rebuild your brain with exercise?
In a previous blog, I wrote about the brain's capacity to rewire itself based on repeated thoughts and experiences. This is called "neuroplasticity". If you are a scripture reader, the apostle Paul points to neuroplasticity when he says, "be transformed by the renewing of your mind." (Romans 12:2) The more you do or think something, the more neural pathways you create. Our goal should be to create strong pathways by setting our minds and actions on positive thoughts and habits, reinforcing them daily. Whatever "rut" you think you are stuck in, well, you are not if you don't want to be. We have the ability to change, to transform.
When we exercise, we are also creating new neural pathways. People who exercise have physically different brains.
- The hippocampus, which is key for memory, is stimulated by exercise that increases heart rate. Out of shape people grew new blood vessels in the hippocampus after just 12 weeks of exercise. Aerobic exercise that is good for the heart is good for the brain. Higher levels of aerobic fitness is associated with increased hippocampus volume.
- Exercise has been shown to reverse age-related shrinkage of the brain. Klotho, which is a hormone associated with longevity and protection against cognitive decline, show increased levels after only 20 minutes of intensive aerobic exercise.
Alzheimer's is almost always a diet and lifestyle induced disease, and exercise plays a key role in prevention as well as a diet rich in fruit and vegetables, high in fiber and low in fat. Physical activity
affects the brain’s immune cells, which results in lowered inflammation in the brain.
Microglia are immune cells in the brain which clear away debris and dying cells that result from injury or infection. Microglia also stimulate production of new neurons, which communicate with other cells, a process called neurogenesis that is involved in learning and memory. Microglia shift from a resting state to an activated state in order to do their jobs. When signals from pathogens or damaged cells activate the microglia, they produce pro-inflammatory molecules which are needed to repair damage to resolve infection or injury. The bottom line is that if we eat well for our health, we will be eating well for our brain!
Are you ready to transform your mind? Is it still in a rut? Are you believing the negative spin that you tell yourself? Once you buy into the lies you tell yourself, you risk that it will certainly play itself out.
We remain committed to making learning about health interesting and fun. You CAN take control of your health and make better and more informed decisions about what you eat, how you exercise, and other optimal lifestyle changes.
Liz Fattore
Certified Food Over Medicine Instructor
Diet & Lifestyle Intervention
Summer Rice and Bean Salad
Hot weather calls for cool foods. This dish tasted better the next day after it marinated in the citrusy dressing!
Ingredients
- 1 cup rice (white or brown)
- 2 carrots, shredded
- 1 can each garbanzo and kidney (or black) beans. Reserve the liquid from the garbanzo beans, rinse the beans.
- 3 scallions, sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, diced (sauté first if you do not like the strong flavor)
- Handful of fresh cilantro or parsley, chopped
- Juice of 1 lime
- Juice of half an orange
- 1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- Salt and pepper to taste.
Instructions
Cook the rice and cool (salt your rice as usual) While rice is cooling, sauté the garlic in some vegetable broth. For the dressing, place the liquid from the garbanzo beans (it's called aquafaba) in a bowl, add the juices from the lime and orange, the vinegar, cumin, salt and pepper. Whisk until blended and frothy. When rice is cooled, place in large bowl. Add the carrots, cilantro or parsley, onions, garlic and dressing. Toss together until well blended. Enjoy!
