 |
|
|
|
Natural Choices Newsletter
Natural Choices Newsletter – October, November, December 2005
Brought to you by : Jane Oelke, N.D., Ph.D.
DoctorOelke@aol.com
How does Cinnamon Affect Blood Sugar Levels?
Recent news articles talk about the benefits of cinnamon for diabetics and people with blood sugar imbalances. Although it may not help all people, just a ¼ teaspoon twice per day can make a difference for many. In a 2003 study, the U.S. Department of Agriculture found that taking 1 gram (less than ½ teaspoon) of cinnamon over 40 days reduced cholesterol levels by 12–26%, triglyceride levels by 23–30%, and blood sugar levels by 18–29%. When the research subjects took more than 1 gram they did not see any added improvement, and the good results were maintained for at least 20 days after the study ended.
Why cinnamon?
Cinnamon is a spice that has been used for centuries to increase vitality and balance energy. It helps improve digestion, preventing bloating, gas, and diarrhea. It also is used in arthritis remedies as an anti-inflammatory herb.
Cinnamon can reduce the cramps associated with painful periods. And it can be especially helpful during menopause to balance body temperature. It has been known to reduce hot flashes, especially when the upper body is too warm and the lower body (legs and feet) is too cold.
The active components in the cinnamon aren't lost if heated, so you can add cinnamon to teas and cooked oatmeal. Just be careful not to use too much (more than ½ teaspoon) since it can affect the insulin levels and may alter how medications work.
The active phytochemical in cinnamon that works like insulin is called methylhydroxychalcone polymer (MHCP). It helps glucose get into the cells, and stimulates glycogen for energy. Insulin is made by the pancreas to balance blood glucose levels. When insulin receptors are not able to function well, glucose does not get into the cell, and this is called insulin resistance. Then glucose levels stay high, and the pancreas tries to compensate by creating more insulin. Cinnamon helps get the cells to respond to insulin better, reducing glucose levels and insulin resistance.
References
Jarvill-Taylor KJ, Anderson RA, Graves DJ. A hydroxychalcone derived from cinnamon functions as a mimetic for insulin in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. J Am Coll Nutr 2001 Aug;20(4):327-36.
Khan A, Safdar M, Khan MMA, Khattak KN, Anderson RA. Cinnamon improves glucose and lipids of people with type 2 diabetes. Diabetes Care 2003 Dec;26(12):3215-8.
How do you know if you have insulin resistance?
Some of the beginning signs are:
unexplained fatigue
insomnia,
foggy thinking,
irritability,
perspiring skin,
heart palpitations,
light headedness,
panic attacks,
sugar cravings, and
loose bowel movements.
Measurable symptoms of continued insulin resistance are persistent high blood pressure, abnormal cholesterol readings including high triglycerides and low HDL, type II diabetes, excess weight in the abdominal area, and plague build-up in your coronary arteries and brain.
How can we reverse insulin resistance?
Diet is a huge factor. The amount and type of carbohydrates in our meals can either increase insulin resistance or make our cells more insulin sensitive. Look for high soluble fiber in the carbohydrates you eat. If we eat foods with no fiber, insulin will become out of balance more quickly. When we eat foods high in soluble fiber then our cells will become more insulin sensitive.
Learn to use the Glycemic Index or Glycemic Load charts available today. These charts are useful in helping you understand which foods translate to sugars in our system too quickly. Potatoes turn to sugar very quickly in our cells, grains also. Non-starchy vegetables have the lowest glycemic index or glycemic load values, and these are the only types of carbohydrates we should be eating to reverse insulin resistance.
You can increase insulin sensitivity by taking omega-3 oils. Essential fatty acids help to increase the level of nutrients getting into cells by increasing the fluidity of the cell membrane. When our cells are insulin resistant the cell membranes do not allow nutrients into the cells since the cell receptors are not able to function. The omega-3 fatty acids improve the circulation of nutrients into and energy out of the cells.
When insulin levels go down the triglycerides will start releasing some of the stored saturated fat. Your cell membranes require a balance of saturated and poly-unsaturated fat, and keeping that balance is what helps improve the fluidity of the cell membrane. Supplementing with EPA-DHA fish oils is very beneficial in improving insulin sensitivity. EPA helps reduce inflammation in tissues, especially the arteries, and DHA is extremely helpful for circulation and brain function.
Fructose is a type of sugar that can contribute to weight gain and insulin resistance. Fructose is metabolized to fat in your liver. In the past, fructose was considered to be beneficial for people with type II diabetes and insulin resistance. But in a report in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, November 2002 it was found by testing hormonal factors that fructose actually promotes disease more than glucose.
Jane’s note: I know that with my own insulin resistance problems, staying away from processed fructose in my diet makes a huge difference in my own insulin problems. Real fructose is found in whole fruits and vegetables. Processed fructose is found in meal replacement shakes, and as a sweetener in many foods and supplements. I know digesting processed fructose will create hypoglycemic reactions in me. Watch out and see if it may be causing some of your symptoms too.
You can learn more about the Glycemic Index and Glycemic Load, essential fatty acids, and fructose on my website at NaturalChoicesForYou.com. There you can find a downloadable booklet called “Yes, You Can Have Carbohydrates” that has a list of 133 foods and their glycemic numbers, along with a full explanation on how to use the chart on a daily basis.
Fish and Inflammation – How are they related?
We are now told that many diseases are caused by chronic inflammation – heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, fibromyalgia, and chronic fatigue. Where does inflammation come from? Free radicals cause inflammation, and free radicals can come from combinations of foods that we eat.
One way to reduce inflammation is to eat fish regularly, or take fish oils as supplements. But are all types of fish anti-inflammatory? Not by any means!
I recently attended an American Nutraceutical Association seminar on Inflammation and Fatty Acids. I found out that there are different types of fatty acids in fish. The type that causes inflammation is called arachidonic acid. Certain fish have more of this inflammatory fatty acid than the beneficial EPA-DHA fatty acid and should be avoided. So which ones are good and not so good? I have put together the following chart abridged from the presentation at the seminar: The higher the inflammatory index the more arachidonic acid there is, and the more inflammation that fish can cause.
Inflammatory Fish Chart
Types of Fish and their Inflammatory Index
Perch 0.8
Sockeye Salmon 1.1
Copper River Salmon 1.2
Haddock 1.2
Hake 1.3
Toothfish 2.2
Cod 2.3
Wild Chinook Salmon 2.4
Flounder 3.0
Rainbow Trout 3.7
Bluefish Tuna 4.0
Canadian Salmon 4.7
Red Trout 4.7
Halibut 6.8
Tuna 8.6
Snapper 13.7
Grouper 21.3
Swordfish 21.3
Tilapia 39.5
Catfish 41.2
Escolar 77.9
In comparing types of tuna – it has a neutral level on this chart but certain types are better for you than others. The white albacore tuna has much less arachidonic acid than chunk light tuna, and so is better for you. Any time you can get wild or ocean fish over farm raised fish you will have a lower inflammatory index, but also a higher price.
Arachidonic Acid and Prostaglandins
Arachidonic acid is found in butter, fat, fatty beef, shellfish, and other fish with a high inflammatory index. Arachidonic acid causes prostaglandins to go out of balance. Prostaglandins are hormone-like compounds that regulate blood pressure, stimulate muscle contractions, stimulate inflammation, modulate action of hormones, regulate transmission of nerve impulses, and inhibit gastric secretions. Prostaglandin imbalance causes allergies, asthma, arthritis, chronic pain, and pre-menstrual syndrome.
The basic diet that helps keep prostaglandins in balance is:
1. Avoid trans fats (fried foods, margarine, hydrogenated oils, and commercially processed vegetable oils.
2. Avoid arachidonic acid
3. Avoid excess alcohol and food additives
4. Get Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids
5. Omega-3 in flaxseed and fish oils
6. Omega-6 in evening primrose oil, borage oils
7. Get anti-oxidants, minerals, and B-complex vitamins from fruits and vegetables.
So what about fish oil supplements?
I have noticed with many of my clients over the years that they tend to reduce their inflammation better when they take a combination of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. EPA-DHA (omega-3) is the natural source of the omega-3 essential fatty acids from cold-water fish oil. When combined with Gamma-linolenic acid (GLA, omega-6) in a supplement form, they work together to compete against arachidonic acid to reduce leukotrienes that cause respiratory symptoms such as asthma. The combination of GLA (omega-6, borage oil) with EPA-DHA (omega-3, certain fish oils) in a 1:2 ratio also helps with liver toxicity and other inflammatory processes.
The two most common omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acid supplements I use in my office are Omega-EFA from Metagenics and Super Omega 3-6-9 from NOW brand. Both of these have a good combination of fish oils and borage oil to keep the arachidonic acid levels low, and in turn reduce inflammation. To learn more about the Metagenics brand you can go to: My Metagenics website and after you sign up as a patient you can find the Omega-EFA on the product list. The NOW brand, Super Omega 3-6-9, is available in health food stores and contains flax oil also as part of the omega-3 fatty acids.
What are you doing after the Holidays?
Maybe now is not the best time of the year to think about cleansing. With the holiday season here, and extra events, parties, cookie walks, and family get-togethers, food is the often the focal point of the celebration.
But after the first of the year, we plan new beginnings. Like finding time to pamper yourself with healthy choices that will you feel better. One area I am often asked about is internal cleansing. There are different types of cleanses focused on the colon, lymph, kidney, or liver. Most of them use a variety of herbs, and these herbs help detoxify the specific organs. Yet, herbs also work on more than one organ, so even though you are directing the cleansing to one organ, other health problems often disappear.
Liver Cleansing – Why It is SO Necessary
Your heart is your hardest working organ, since it pumps every second of every day for as long as you live. But your liver is also very hard working. It has many functions. Some of the most common functions are:
= It metabolizes proteins, sugars, fats, vitamins and minerals from the foods you eat.
= It makes cholesterol that is needed as a protective device in your body.
= It makes bile to help digest fats.
= It detoxifies many environmental chemicals, prescription drugs, and any processed foods that you eat.
= It removes waste products from the blood, by supporting the spleen.
= It helps and supports other organs to stay healthy.
Do You Need to Detox your Liver?
• Do you have unexplained fatigue or depression?
• Do you have a distended stomach, even when the rest of your body is thin?
• Do you experience frequent colds and flu?
• Do you have dark circles under your eyes?
• Do you have many food and chemical sensitivities?
• Do you have monthly PMS with nausea or cramps?
• Do you have liver spots or skin itching?
To keep your liver healthy, certain lifestyle habits need to be considered:
1. Watch Your Drug Intake – Including Over the Counter Drugs
Many people do not believe that over the counter drugs can hurt you. When they get sick they go for the commonly advertised medication listed for their symptoms. These medications, if they work at all, usually just cover up your symptoms and you only heal if your liver is strong enough to counteract the added amount of toxins from these medications. Combining alcohol with some of these over the counter medications such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) is not recommended. Yet, NyQuil combines them together to help you sleep.
2. Avoid Processed Foods
Foods that come in boxes or bags contain many preservatives that our liver has to detoxify. Even when these foods are “enriched” with nutrients, the toxic preservatives that are added can overburden the liver so much that the food is too toxic to be beneficial. Even many supplements have added preservatives such as polyethylene glycol, which actually makes the liver work harder to help digest any benefit from it.
3. Eat as much whole food as possible. Whole food consists of plants, seeds, nuts, grains, or animals that is eaten before other chemicals or preservatives are added. Anything with high fructose corn syrup and partially hydrogenated oil should be avoided. Foods that contain these chemicals cause a lot of excess stress on the liver. Eat only high fiber whole grain foods. For example, breads should have at least 3 grams of fiber per slice. Higher fiber foods will tend to have more real nutrients. Fiber helps remove excess bile out of the system, so the liver does not reabsorb it.
4. Take Natural Whole Food Supplements
When choosing supplements, only take whole food supplements. Too many grocery store multi-vitamin and mineral supplements are not digested, and have so many fillers that your liver will be stress just by taking them. Whole food supplements should contain mostly, if not all, food components, without chemical preservatives or food colorings.
My favorite whole food supplement, that contains 17 concentrated fruits and vegetables, is ,b>Juice Plus+, and is the only supplement I have continued to take for over 10 years. Juice Plus+ puts the fruits and vegetables into separate capsules to help the liver in its daily detoxification process. The bioflavonoids and other antioxidants in the fruits are necessary in liver phase 1 detoxification, and the combination of antioxidants and minerals found in the cruciferous vegetables are necessary for liver phase II detoxification. If you currently are not taking Juice Plus+ you can sign up at Juice Plus.com
5. Take Liver Cleansing Herbs
Your liver is your body’s main organ of detoxification, filtering out toxins at a rate of over a quart of blood per minute. More than any other organ, your liver enables you to benefit from the food you eat. It manufactures bile to digest fats and prevent constipation. It’s a warehouse for vitamins, minerals, and enzymes that it releases as needed to build and maintain healthy cells.
Specific herbs help the liver stay healthy. Liver cleansing herbs accelerate toxin release and encourage regeneration of damaged tissue. Sluggish digestion and fatigue usually improve right away. Excess weight can be reduced as built-up toxins are released. Even brown skin spots and eye "floaters" may clear up. Mood swings, PMS, and menopausal imbalances often improve as hormone metabolism normalizes.
Try a Liver Cleansing Formula
The common herbs used for liver cleansing that come in a tea or in a capsule are: dandelion root, burdock root, watercress, hyssop leaf, yellow dock root, red sage leaf, dandelion leaf, milk thistle seed, Oregon grape root, hibiscus leaf, parsley leaf, and ginger root.
|