Your Health and Longevity Coach

Heart Disease can be improved by taking the antioxidant booster, Protandim.

Cholesterol constantly gets a bad press, but the truth is cholesterol performs necessary functions in our body as well as creating some cardiovascular risks. The trick is to keep a good balance.

 One of the little known facts about cholesterol is that it protects us from the effects of toxicity. As we know, our environment is far more toxic than it used to be, and as toxicity is passed on from mother to child via the placenta, we are starting life full of toxins. Each day we eat, breath and absorb more toxins. So the binding of cholesterol to toxins in order to protect the body, is vitally important to our health. So while diet can increase cholesterol levels, so to can a heavy load of toxins such as heavy metals (mercury, lead etc), petrochemicals, drugs or pesticides. In particular heavy metals such as mercury increase total cholesterol and LDL Solvents (such as alcohol) raise LDL and triglycerides.

 A cholesterol level that is too low is a risk marker of cancer, intestinal problems, stroke and depression. So balance really is the key.

 Dyslipidaemia or abnormal blood lipids (fat), such as cholesterol or triglycerides increases your risk of atheroschlerosis, heart disease, stroke, hypertension and other cardiovascular disorders. A total cholesterol reading by itself is not particularly useful. There are 2 main types of cholesterol that you need to be aware of. HDL cholesterol refers to high density lipoprotein. This is the good cholesterol, so remember that we want HDL to be high. HDL carries cholesterol away from the heart and back to the liver where it is excreted as bile. It also helps remove excess cholesterol from inside the blood vessels.

 Low density lipoprotein or LDL is supposedly the bad stuff which we need to keep low. LDL transports cholesterol & triglycerides towards the cells and tissues which readily take them up.  LDL cholesterol can adhere to the walls of the blood vessels that feed the heart and brain. Increased LDL cholesterol supposedly therefore leads to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease.

 So why I am saying that LDL cholesterol is supposedly bad? New research tells us that it is only when LDL cholesterol becomes oxidized that it causes problems for the heart. A raised LDL cholesterol on its own has not been found to cause any problems. Oxidation is like a rusting effect. It occurs as a result of inadequate antioxidants. If you diet is high in nutrient poor foods such as breads, cakes, biscuits, pasta or processed foods, you are at increased risk of insufficient antioxidants and therefore heart disease. The best available antioxidant booster, available today is Protandim.

 So before you go into a spin about the effects of cholesterol on heart disease, remember that inflammation and lack of antioxidants is likely to be a greater risk factor of cardiovascular disease than raised cholesterol. Cholesterol repairs membranes that are damaged by inflammation. By reducing inflammation you can therefore reduce the stimulus for the synthesis of cholesterol by the liver. Any treatment that is designed to protect you from heart disease must decrease inflammation. Fish oil can effectively reduce inflammation & triglycerides and slowly bring cholesterol to a satisfactory level.

 If you are still concerned about reducing cholesterol, a high fibre diet is essential as fibre prevents cholesterol absorption and promotes elimination. At least one serving of green leafy vegetables will assist with adequate fibre intake. Eat other foods that are rich in antioxidants such as berries to prevent oxidation of your LDL cholesterol. It is worth remembering that despite the hype around saturated fats, grains can contribute to dyslipidemia as they contain palmatic and stearic acid.

 The secret as with all good health is to ensure you have a balanced diet of  the macronutrients. 30% protein (eggs, milk, dairy, fish, and soy), and 40% carbohydrates and 30% good fats from foods such as avocado, nuts, sesame, coconut or olive oil. Keep processed foods to a minimum and enjoy lots of fresh, whole produce.

We are all familiar with the supposed positive effects of antioxidants to our health because antioxidants get rid of free radicals right? What if what we know about the benefits of antioxidants to our health, is

The super antioxidants - glutathione, superoxide dismutase

 not quite right. And what if the supplements you are taking are doing more harm than good.

If supplementation with vitamin C, E and other antioxidants are producing adverse affects, then this is a major concern. Every day foods such as bread and cereal are now having these added to them and subsequently the potential to be taking large doses of the exogenous antioxidants is high.

Recent research has questioned whether supplementation of antioxidants from outside the body, is suppressing our natural mechanisms to bring about balance and maintain health. Super antioxidants such as such as glutathione which is produced inside the body, is stimulated by a process known as mitochondrial hormesis (mitohormesis). In a study by Ristow and Zarse it is suggested that by directly giving antioxidants such as vitamin C and vitamin E, we are in fact suppressing the body’s natural ability to produce its own antioxidants.

So if hormesis stimulates the body’s production of our natural antioxidants, we all need to get more hormesis. Think of hormesis as a natural type of stimulation that makes the body do some work. Things that stimulate hormesis include physical exercise, reduced calorie uptake, glucose restrictions and just the right amount of stress. There are a few problems with this.

1.  Few of us get enough exercise and most of us consume too many calories, especially those that break down to glucose. And it is hard to get a balance between absolute boredom and not too much stress. So can we produce the right amount of hormesis to stimulate a good level of super antioxidants inside our body – probably not.

 2. Problem number one might make you think that taking your vitamin C and E is not such a bad idea after all. But as you have learnt this can suppress your body’s own ability to produce the super antioxidants. Problem number  two, is that vitamin C becomes exhausted and eventually also becomes a free radical.

 3. Our own body produces antioxidants (e.g. glutathione) and these are way, way more effective than those that come from food sources or supplements such as vitamin C or E. In fact they are up to 1 million times more effective. Vitamin C destroys free radicals at a ratio of 1:1, whilst glutathione destroys free radicals at a rate of 1:1,000,000 per second.

Taking antioxidants is not a scam, but clearly the antioxidants produced by our body are far superior to supplementation with vitamin C, vitamin E or selenium. What this means is that by taking products that boost glutathione production, the likelihood of preventing and reversing premature ageing, plus preventing disease, is substantially increased.

So wouldn’t it be good if there were products available that stimulate the production of more of these super anti-oxidants such as glutathione.

Well the good news is a type of product known as an NRF2 activator, can stimulate the production of glutathione, superoxide dismutase and catalase. NRF2 activators are now being produced by a variety of companies.

As time progressed we learn more and more about how our body functions and the causes of disease. One major area of study in the last 30 years has been the effect of antioxidants upon free radical damage. Free radical damage is best described as being like a “rusting” effect upon the body. At the cellular level however, it is a fight between your atoms to attain enough electrons to make that atom stable.  The antioxidants assist with that fight by supplying the missing electron and thus making the atom stable again.

 So where do these  disease preventing antioxidants come from and how effective are they really? The source of the antioxidants that most of us are familiar with come from the food that we eat. We have all heard of vitamin C, vitamin E, and selenium. Vitamin C comes from foods such as such oranges, capsicum, broccoli, green leafy vegetables and various berries. Sources of vitamin E include wheat germ, fish liver oil, nuts, seeds, whole grains and green leafy vegetables. The micronutrient selenium is considered to be a powerful stimulator of antioxidants as it increases the effectiveness of vitamin C and vitamin E by around 30% Dietary selenium comes from nuts, (especially brazil nuts) cereals, meat, mushrooms, fish, crab, lobster and eggs.

Unfortunately new research is revealing the antioxidants that we get from our foods are not as effective at protecting our bodies as we once thought. But the good news is, we are learning more and more about a new kid on the block, glutathione. Glutathione is endogenous to our body. In other words it is produced inside our body and compared to vitamin C, E and selenium it is a super scavenger of free radicals.

Once the effectiveness of glutathione becomes common knowledge, few people will bother with taking vitamin C, E or selenium. Why? Because when it comes to destroying free radicals, the antioxidants that are obtained from food sources or supplements work on a 1 to 1 ratio. In other words, for every molecule of vitamin C, one free radical is destroyed. When compared to the ratio of destruction to free radicals that glutathione produces, this is miniscule. Just one molecule of glutathione destroys around 1 million free radicals. So that’s a ratio of 1:1 compared to 1:1,000,000,000.Which one would you prefer?

Can glutathione be purchased as a supplement? Yes it can, but it is expensive and doesn’t taste particularly good either. By far the most effective way to increase glutathione levels is to take a supplement that triggers the body to produce more of its own glutathione. It is claimed that the new NRF2 activators can increase levels of glutathione by up to 300%, but also stimulate the production of superoxide dismutase and catalase. These products claim to be able to reduce free radical damage by up to 40% in just 30 days.

Now that is a powerful antioxidant effect.

Are you feeling tired, sluggish, and a little low? Have you been to you doctors and had some blood tests done to see what might be the problem? You get all excited because you think that finally a reason is going to be found for the horrible way you are feeling. But, even though you have a lot of the symptoms that you suspect relate to thyroid issues, your Doc tells you that everything is normal.

Unfortunately there are many problems of the body that are termed subclinical. The person with a subclinical condition will tell you that something is “”not quite right” and may have numerous vague symptoms such as abnormal moods or poor energy levels. At this stage, it is true that a blood test may not reveal any major abnormalities of a disease process, or that what is termed as a “normal level” is in fact abnormal. At this stage, what can be measured however, are the mineral imbalances which are the precursors to developing health conditions. A Hair Mineral Analysis is an excellent way of investigating a little deeper, to find out if everything really is ok. Continue reading →

Here’s 9 Little Known Reasons Why

Obesity is a major health issue that not only affects the way you look, but also affects the way you feel and the health and ageing of your body. It never ceases to amaze me how much younger people look after they shed those excess pounds or kilos.

Obesity is related to the leading causes of death in developed countries i.e. diabetes and heart disease. It is a sad fact that even with seemingly successful weight loss programs, two thirds of participants, within 2 to 3 years, will regain their initial weight or put more on. Continue reading →

Depression is on the increase in our modern society. We know that depression is linked to weight problems and hypothyroidism. So it begs the question, what comes first? Depression, thyroid problems or obesity? Without extensive research, the answer to this will probably remain unknown.

What we do know however, is that each of these disorders often co-exist. Depression can be caused by thyroid problems (as adrenal and thyroid gland function work hand in hand). Thyroid problems can be caused by obesity. And obesity or over eating can be increased with depression. This is because high calorie carbohydrate rich foods (such as biscuits, chocolates) temporarily make the sufferer feel better and are therefore often eaten in greater amounts. Continue reading →

Have you ever been on a hot date or at an important business lunch, when you let out a burp? Or maybe you have bloating & have been embarrassed when people ask if you are pregnant? Fortunately this problem can be rectified.

Bloating, belching & burping are all signs of digestive problems. One of the main causes is hypochlorhydria – a deficiency of hydrochloric acid in the stomach. Many people are under the impression that they have too much acid in the stomach, but this is rarely the case. Hypochlorhydria increases with ageing. The belching, burping and bloating can be a result of the food sitting in your stomach fermenting rather than being broken down and passing into the bowel.

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The Danger of Muffin Tops and Manboobs!

So you think that your “muffin top”or your “man boobs”are telling you that you are a little overweight, but that doesn’t mean you have any health problems? Think again. That little bit of excess body fat could be causing you more harm than you think. Excess body fat and its often close relative, insulin resistance, are key drives in the development of Metabolic Syndrome (previously known as Syndrome X).

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