Take Your Fiber, Prolong Good Health

We hear about having enough fiber in our diet and eating fiber, but what does it mean? What is fiber and why is it important to consume?

We can find fiber in plant foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes (beans, chickpeas, lentils, etc). Fiber is the part of the plant that our bodies cannot digest. If we can’t digest it, why do we want to eat it?

Fiber normalizes our bowel function and its effect on transit time and nutrient absorption. Without normalized bowel function, we can suffer from constipation, especially as we age. Constipation is said to be the most common chronic digestive disorder in the United States and it affects 4.53 million people a year and costs over $200 million for prescribed cathartics alone each year

Transit time is the time that it takes food to move through the digestive track. It is generally divided into three phases. Gastric phase (emptying of food from the stomach), which usually takes 2 to 5 hours; small intestine phase (time it takes food to travel through the small intestine) 3 to 6 hours; colonic phase is the longest taking any number of hours. It is here that problems of prolonged intestinal transit results in fewer bowel movements, constipation and disease.

Dietary fiber, in general, prolongs transit time at the gastric phase helping the body to feel fuller longer. This is caused by soluble not insoluble fiber.

What is the difference between soluble and insoluble? Soluble fiber is found in fruit, beans, peas and oat bran. It has a gel-like consistency that improves bowel movements by increasing the volume of bulk in the colon. Soluble fiber is the type of fiber that gets very gooey and sticky when it gets wet. It also binds together cholesterol in the small intestines and takes it out of the body. Certain soluble fibers such as pectin (found in apples) slow down the release of the sugars contained in the foods we eat, thus reducing the risk of diabetes.

Insoluble fiber is found primarily in greens, peels, nuts, seeds, beans and skins of grains. Insoluble fiber is the type of fiber that doesn't change at all when it gets wet. Insoluble fiber under a microscope looks like a sponge, and indeed it serves us as a miraculous sponge, because every piece of it can absorb more toxins than its own volume. Sponges are fibrous; they make the job of cleaning easier by absorbing. So does insoluble fiber. It grabs the toxins and takes them out of the body.

Soluble fiber does a lot of good things for our bodies, such as helping to lower cholesterol.

Insoluble fiber also does a lot of good things for our bodies, such as helping eliminate waste more quickly. Insoluble fiber also helps prevent constipation.

Moving toxins and waste through our body and not letting them accumulate helps prevent colorectal cancer, irritable bowel syndrome, and other diseases. Being constipated is not only uncomfortable; it also isn’t healthy for our bodies.

So make it easy on yourself, eat your fiber and if you find yourself unable to consume enough, try a fiber supplement to help you along the way.

About the Author: R. Fredriksen is the Vice President of Nutrition Dome, a leading provider of Jarrow Formulas, Pioneer Nutritional Forumulas, Lipodrene and other quality supplements. For more information, please visit www.nutritiondome.com.

Antioxidants and Free Radicals

We often hear how various foods and even drinks are great antioxidants. But what is an antioxidant and how are they connected with free radicals?

The whole concept started with Dr. Denham Harmon, M.D., Ph.D., who first proposed a theory that aging was due to the indiscriminate chemical re-activity of free radicals possibly leading to random biological damage. Dr. Harmon's theory stated that antioxidants such as vitamin C and vitamin E, which prevent free radicals from oxidizing (removing electrons from) sensitive biological molecules, will slow the aging process. Dr. Harmon launched his theory by showing, for the first time, that feeding a variety of antioxidants to mammals extended their life spans.
By what mechanisms do free radicals cause damage and disease?

Theories suggest that our body’s free radicals contribute to many different diseases.

So what is a free radical? A free radical is any atom or molecule, which has an "unpaired electron" in the outer ring. An "unpaired electron" will also always mean that there is an odd number since "pairing" of electrons goes by twos.

Protons have a positive electrical charge. Electrons have a negative electrical charge. The electrons move around the central mass made up of protons and neutrons. Neutrons have no electrical charge. The word is related to "neutral."

Being neutral, the molecule seeks to attract an electron or positive charge. Free radicals will seek out electrons from another molecule that is more willing to give one up.

The unsaturated lipid molecules of cell membranes are particularly susceptible to this damaging free radicals process and readily contribute to the uncontrolled chain reaction. Oxidative damage, another name for the chemical reaction that free radicals cause, can lead to a breakdown or even hardening of lipids, which makeup all cell walls. If the cell wall is hardened (lipid peroxidation) then it becomes impossible for the cell to properly get its nutrients, get signals from other cells to perform an action (such as firing of a neuron) and many other cellular activities can be affected. In addition to the cell walls, other biological molecules are also susceptible to damage, including RNA, DNA and protein enzymes.

The primary site of free radical damage is the DNA found in the mitochondria. Mitochondria are small membrane-enclosed regions of a cell, which produce the chemicals a cell uses for energy. Mitochondria are the "energy factory" of the cell. Every cell contains an enormous set of molecules called DNA, which provide chemical instructions for a cell to function. This DNA is found in the nucleus of the cell, which serves as the "command center" of the cell, as well as in the mitochondria. The cell automatically fixes much of the damage done to nuclear DNA. However, the DNA in the mitochondria cannot be readily fixed.

When this happens, extensive DNA damage accumulates over time and shuts down mitochondria, causing the cells to die and the organism to age.

The free radical generation process can disrupt all levels of cell function. This is why free radical damage is thought to be such a basic mechanism of tissue injury. It damages us at the cellular level.
The more toxic metals in your body, the higher the free radical activity.

So, to stop the oxidization process of the free radicals requires the intake of antioxidants. Foods highest in antioxidants include red beans, red kidney beans, pinto beans, blueberries, cranberries, blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, applies and artichoke hearts. These are just to name a few.

So to sum it all up, if you want to slow the aging process, try eating more berries and beans or take your antioxidant supplements.
About the Author: R. Fredriksen is the Vice President of Nutrition Dome, a leading provider of Jarrow Formulas, Pioneer Nutritional Forumulas, Lipodrene and other quality supplements. For more information, please visit www.nutritiondome.com.

Adrenal Fatigue

Are the following symptoms familiar to you?
• Tendency to gain weight and unable to loose it, especially around the waist.
• High frequency of getting the flu and other respiratory diseases
• Tendency to tremble when under pressure.
• Reduced sex drive.
• Lightheaded when rising from a laying down position.
• Unable to remember things.
• Lack of energy in the mornings and also in the afternoon between 3 to 5 pm.
• Often feel tired between 9 - 10 pm, but resist going to bed.
• Need coffee or stimulants to get going in the morning.
• Crave for salty, fatty, and high protein food such as meat and cheese.
• Increase symptoms of PMS for women; period are heavy and then stop, or almost stopped on the 4th day, only to start flow again on the 5th or 6th day.
• Pain in the upper back or neck with no apparent reason

If many of these symptoms are familiar to you, you may be experiencing adrenal fatigue. Adrenal fatigue has a broad spectrum yet somewhat non-specific set of symptoms, which makes it easy for doctors to miss.

The adrenal glands are two small glands, located at the top of the kidneys. Their main function is to help the body cope with stress and help it survive.

Each adrenal gland has two compartments. The inner or medulla, modulate the sympathetic nervous system through secretion and regulation of two hormones called epinephrine and nor epinephrine that are responsible for the fight or flight response. The outer adrenal cortex comprises 80 percent of the adrenal gland and is responsible for producing over 50 different types of hormones. One of which is called cortisol. When our cortisol is lowered, our body is unable to deal with stress.

When a person experiences chronic stress, the cortisol level may rise to such a high level that its production reduces as the adrenal becomes exhausted. When this happens, DHEA, a hormone normally produced in the adrenal glands, starts to decrease.

Our adrenals after time cannot keep up with the increased demand for cortisol production. In response, cortisol output is therefore reduced.

Eventually our adrenals become totally exhausted.

But don’t despair. The good news is that adrenal fatigue can be reversed. It takes between six months to two years for the recover process to take place. To start, try these steps:

1. Remove life stressors. Look at what is causing stress in your life and find ways to work with them if not remove them.
2. Sleep. Get plenty of sleep. Try going to bed by at least 10 p.m. before the adrenal glands kick in its ‘second wind’ keeping us up between 11 p.m. and 1 p.m. This is also the time our adrenals work the hardest.
3. Avoid caffeine if possible. Try herbal teas or decaf coffee. Caffeine can interrupt your sleep patterns.
4. Exercise. Exercise reduces depression, increases blood flow and normalizes levels of cortisol, insulin, blood glucose, and helps with your thyroid
5. Nutritional Supplements. Supplements such as DHEA at 15 to 30 mg helps. Vitamin C, 500 mg to 3,000 mg; Vitamin B5, 900 to 1,500 mg; Vitamin E, 400 to 800 I.U; Beta-Carotene, 10,000 to 25,000 I.U.
6. Diet. Combine unrefined carbohydrates (whole grains) with protein and oils (nuts and seeds) at most meals—olive, walnut, fiber, flax and high-quality fish oil. Eat regular meals, chew food well, and eat by 10 AM and again for lunch. Avoid any hydrogenated fats, caffeine, chocolate, white carbohydrates, and junk foods. Diets should have a heavy emphasis on vegetables.

R. Fredriksen is the Vice President of Nutrition Dome, a leading provider of pioneer nutritional formulas. For more information, please visit www.nutritiondome.com.

Nutritional Supplements for Allergy Relief

According to the Cleveland Clinic, “allergies are the immune system’s incorrect response to a foreign substance. Exposure to what is normally a harmless substance, such as pollen, causes the immune system to react as if the substance is harmful. Substances that cause allergies are called allergens. When you come into contact with an allergen, you may experience a number of allergic symptoms including itchy, watery nose and eyes; asthma symptoms such as wheezing and coughing; or hives.”

On a scientific level, the first time an allergy-prone person is exposed to an allergen, large amounts of the corresponding IgE antibodies are produced. The IgE antibodies cause the mast cells to release inflammatory chemicals that cause swelling of tissues, as well as histamine and several other chemicals that cause itching, engorgement of blood vessels, increased secretions, and bronchospasm (tightening of muscles that surround the airways). Some of these chemicals attract white blood cells known as eosinophils. The eosinophils add more inflammatory chemicals.

There are different types of allergens. If you recognize the symptoms in your eyes, nose and lungs, your reaction is to something airborne. If you have problems with your stomach, mouth or intestines, the allergen had been ingested.

Scientists are discovering that nutritional supplements may be the simplest way to relieve allergy and sensitivity symptoms. Which vitamins are most noted?

• Vitamin C – This vitamin works as an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory. It has been shown to block asthma attacks and allergic rhinitis symptoms. Vitamin C also helps remove environmental toxins from the body and helps with the formation of collagen to rebuild joint tissue damaged by allergy-induced arthritis.
• Vitamin E – Acts as an anti-inflammatory that blocks the activity of an enzyme that provokes inflammation. It helps maintain the elastic quality in cells. Research has shown asthma patients are often low in Vitamin’s C and E.
• Vitamin B5 – Produces adrenal hormones such as cortisol and has an antihistamine effect. This vitamin also reduces stress in the body.
• Magnesium – Serves as an adrenal and immune stimulate that relaxes smooth muscles and serves as a natural bronchodilator and antihistamine.

In addition to vitamins Chinese herbal medicine and botanicals can help you with your allergy relief. Chinese herbal formulas include apricot seed, astragalus, centipede, corydalis, chrysanthemum, ginseng, magnolia, perilla seed, and xanthium. Botanicals include but are not limited to Stinging Nettle, Ephedra, Ginkgo Bilboa, Licorice root, Chinese Skullcap, and Feverfew.

Choosing natural remedies first instead of over-the-counter medications will not only strengthen your body but will provide you with additional benefits. There is also fewer side effects.

So if you are looking to battle those allergies and recurrent reactions, look to nature first.

R. Fredriksen is the Vice President of Nutrition Dome, a leading provider of pioneer nutritional formulas. For more information, please visit www.nutritiondome.com.