Cortisol is Making You Dumber

This is a follow up to my previous post (see below).

In addition to causing glucose levels to rise and growing your waist line, cortisol also destroys your memory! That’s right, excess cortisol damages your mind. Long-term exposure has been shown to cause neurons to shrivel – destroying neuronal connections and the memories that were stored in those connections.

So what happens if you have elevated cortisol levels for extended periods of time? A disease called Cushing's Syndrome perfectly illustrates the effects of long-term cortisol exposure. Cushing's Syndrome is a disease caused by a tumor which abnormally elevates cortisol levels.

Studies done on patients with Cushing's Syndrome have shown that the levels of cortisol are directly proportional to the loss of neurons! So more cortisol = Fewer neurons. These patients are also characterized by abdominal weight gain.

Reduce your stress - laugh! Here is a link to an interesting article talking about how laughter really is the best medicine. Laughter helps to lower cortisol levels, boost your immune system, and lower blood pressure.

The Stress Connection

Ever wondered how stress causes weight gain?

Stress creates elevated levels of cortisol, a hormone which is part of the fight-or-flight response, an important part of survival. Because of its role as a "survival" hormone, its physical manifestations include things that increase an organism's chances of survival in dangerous situations. These include:

• Suppression of the immune system - When you're worried about surviving the next few minutes, your body doesn't care about you getting the flu in a few days.
• An increase in blood sugar concentrations - Cortisol causes the liver to make more glucose and it also blocks insulin receptors at tissues and organs not essential to survival. When you're trying to survive, you don't care if your bladder has enough glucose.
• Protein is converted to glycogen - When fleeing a potentially dangerous situation, you need readily available supplies of energy. Glycogen satisfies this criteria, but you're robbing your protein stores to create even more glucose.
• Your body stores fat - Extreme fasting causes an increase in cortisol, which, paradoxically increases the amount of fat your body stores. The reason? Your body is afraid it isn't going to have enough energy in the future, so it creates more fat, a very efficient way to store and receive energy.

End result: your cells become insulin resistant, your blood becomes awash in glucose and you put on weight.

We rarely have situations where we need to flee from lions or other predators, situations that the fight-or-flight response was created to handle. But, our modern, fast-paced and stressful culture keeps this response active at low levels for days on end. This contributes to poor health, including obesity. And obesity isn't the only negative effect. In my next post, I'll discuss how stress is making you dumber.

Meditate, do yoga, play with your grandchildren, listen to calming music - find what relaxes you and try to set aside time as often as possible to do those things!

New book time...

Here is a book that you should add to your reading list. It will literally revolutionize your life. The title is Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain and the author is Dr. John J. Ratey.

I know I won't do the book justice with a simple synopsis but you need to know that the evidence it mounting/overwhelming on the benefits of exercise and your mind (think mood, stress, and interestingly learning). Our CEO, Stewart Hughes, had recommended this book about a year ago. I didn't take notice (mainly because I had a number of other books I was reading at the time) until my wife started reading it and telling me some of the really cool things she was learning from this book. Thank goodness I listened my wife. I have rekindled my love for exercise and am making it a point to get out and be more active in some way each day. You can too!

Random post

This post has nothing to do with nutrition or Unicity. I am fascinated with these photos from the recent volcanic eruption in Iceland. Amazing! The earth is an amazing creature.

Beware of the dangers of stressful eating...

So you have submitted your taxes (Hurray!) and now can breathe a sigh of relief. In stressful moments or shortly following stressful moments, we often turn to foods that are high in fat or sugar or both to gain a sense of relief.

Recent research suggests we may be doing more damage than good. In a study published in Nature Neuroscience, a research group at the Scripps Research Institute in Florida, examined the effects of high caloric foods on dopamine signaling in rats. The premise of their research lies in the observation that obese individuals continue to eat food even after obtaining the calories needed for their energy needs. To paraphrase their question, "What is the mechanism that drives people to continues in a compulsive behavior?" They looked for inspiration in one area that shares a similar behavior pattern, drug addiction.

So - this group took a group of rats implanted an electrode in their brains and trained the rats to reward themselves via an electrical stimulation in response to their eating habits. They then divided the rats into three groups based on the amount of time they were exposed to the high fat chow (no access, restricted access and extended access). The rats that had the most access to the high fat chow quickly gained weight. The restricted access group tended to be heavier but not enough to be considered statistically significant. What was interesting was that has the rats in the extended access group got heavier, the brain stimulation reward (BSR - the training via electrical stimulation) threshold got higher - meaning they needed to eat more to reward themselves.

Further examination of the feeding behaviors among the three groups was illuminating. The groups who had access to the high fat chow shifted their preference of food by eating more calories from the high fat food. The restricted group shifted 67% of their caloric intake to the high fat food and the extended access group ate 95% of their calories from the high fat food. The results show that the rats tried to eat as much of the high fat food as possible, a pattern of eating known as binge eating.

Another results showed that as the rats got heavier, the density of the D2R (membrane dopamine receptors - these are receptors responsible for binding the neurotransmitter dopamine and signaling a reward response) decreased. This resulted in more high fat chow needing to be consumed in order to trigger the same reward response.

The last result I'll discuss was with a fresh group of trained no access, restricted access and extended access group of rats. These rats were then granted equal access to the high fat chow. However, half of each group was exposed to a light cue and then "punished" via an electric foot shock, while the other half was left alone. The light cue seemed to have no effect in deterring the groups from their behaviors. However, when combined with the foot shock, the no access group and the restricted access group significantly reduced their caloric intake from the high fat chow. The extended access, overweight group was resistant to both the light cue AND the foot shock. They ate right through their punishment. WOW!

Now there are more results from this study that show some strong evidence for food being a trigger for additive behavior. In particular, foods that are high in fat, high in sugar and salt - foods that are deemed "palatable". In times of stress we need to ask the question - why am I eating this food? Am I hungry? Am I trying to divert my attention from a particular traumatic event? Ask these honest questions. If you are hungry - eat an apple. Decide prior to the event what you will eat and when you will eat it. A great way to relieve stress is by exercising - go for walk. Get on your bike but DON"T BINGE EAT. Keep to your eating schedule. Maintaining a regular eating schedule will help in your moments of crisis because you have already committed to the schedule. We would love to hear how you deal with stress. Post your comments or send us an email at science@unicity.net

Nature's Stress Reliever

"Those who think they have no time for healthy eating will sooner or later have to find time for illness."

-- modified from Edward Stanley (1826-1893) from The Conduct of Life

Facial expression of fear from Charles Darwin's The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals.


Since this month is stress month I thought I'd elaborate more on what stress can do to your body and what Mother Nature has given us to combat this nefarious affliction.

First, what it does:

When we’re under stress, the ‘fight or flight’ response is triggered in our bodies, leading to the release of cortisol and other stress hormones. Our body assumes we are in danger and either fights for its life or runs in the opposite direction. We experience a burst of energy, shifts in metabolism and blood flow, along with other changes. If you remain in this state for a prolonged period (chronic stress) your health is at risk. Aside from a host of other dangers, chronic stress can cause weight gain.

So, you ask, what do I do?

Simple. You move. That's right. Mother Nature gave us legs to combat stress.

Thousands of years ago, Hippocrates said that the mind and body were connected, and that to effectively treat a disorder, you must first treat the heart; which at the time was believed to be the center of emotion. Recent science has discovered a hormone called atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) produced by the heart that helps put the brakes on the body’s stress response. This hormone is secreted by heart muscle when we exercise and helps lower stress by modulating the fight-or-flight response caused by the hypothalamus and other parts of the brain. And yes, more is better. As our heart rate increases, so does ANP production and stress levels are subsequently reduced.

So the answer is simple, but maybe execution is the problem. Feeling lackluster? Need motivation? Energy? Focus? Bios Life E contains Chi-Oka Matcha, a special blend of antioxidants and premium matcha green tea to provide you with the energy, motivation, and focus you need to change your life!

Is being stressed keeping you from losing weight?

In the US, April has been designated National Stress Awareness Month. Healthcare professionals and trained counselors will celebrate Stress Awareness Day on April 16th - the day after taxes are due (How appropriate!).

While the term stress generally has a negative connotation that need not be the case. Stress is a physiological and psychological response to demanding situations in our lives. These demands vary from person to person but can include things like job loss, death, injury, hectic schedules, job performance and so forth. When your mind perceives this so-called "demanding situation" it triggers the fight or flight mechanism. Once that threat or situation has been removed the body returns to normal. The problem with arises when the mind is constantly perceiving the stress triggers and keeping the body at high alert. Constant stress or chronic stress is related to a number of different ailments including hypertension, increased risk for stroke, increased risk for cardiovascular disease and heart attacks, sexual impotency and weight gain.

This last issue can create a nasty downward spiral. A stressed person secretes a hormone called cortisol. One of the negative side effects of cortisol is fat accumulation. A small amount of weight gain after a stressful period leads to further stress and depression and so on. So the question arises - what can I do to control my stress and in particular my eating habits when I am stressed?

There is one pretty simple rule - establish three regular meals a day, four hours apart and stick to it. In general, people eat more when they are stressed and they have irregular meal patterns. A recent study showed a strong correlation with irregular meal patterns and insulin resistance and increased risk of metabolic syndrome. Eating a different number of meals each day appears to not allow your body to establish proper hormonal signaling (e.g. insulin, ghrelin, and leptin). Your body doesn't know how to regulate itself if it doesn't know when the next meal is coming. Set the pattern of three meals every four hours and don't eat after dinner and stick to it.

We have a product that will help you establish this pattern, Bios Life Slim. Slim should be a daily part of your routine. Everyone needs more fiber in your diet. Nearly every registered dietician will recommend including fiber with your meals. Slim slows down the absorption of glucose in the gut, delays gastric empyting, reduced your insulin levels and improves your cholesterol. Slim is what will make the difference in staying true to three meals a day, four hours apart and not eating after dinner.

Now - it helps to recognize when you are stressed. Take this survey provided by the Mayo Clinic to assess your stress. Learn what sets off your stress triggers. Ask yourself if you are eating because you are hungry or because you are stressed. Make sure that you are getting enough sleep (more on this in tomorrow's post). Develop a strategy to deal with stress that should include relaxation techniques and exercise and don't forget Slim and three meals a day four hours apart and no eating after dinner!

Are Statins Making You Sick?

A new study published in the Journal of Leukocyte Biology has found some evidence that the statin Simvastatin may impair the ability of immune cells to kill pathogens.

Statins are medications used to lower cholesterol. This is a good thing, since cholesterol is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease. It is believed that cholesterol plays a roll in atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries), a disease which can ultimately lead to blocked arteries, preventing adequate blood flow to the heart and causing a heart attack.

That's the good part.

The bad part; however, is that some statins, like Simvastatin appear to have negative side effects, like an impaired immune response.

National Nutrition Month...

March is the American Dietitic Association's National Nutrition Month. The ADA is a fantastic resource for learning about the basics of healthy nutrition and disease prevention through diet and nutrition. One of my take-aways from last years Obesity Society's Conference is that nutrition is the largest determinant in maintaining a health body weight. Not only is eating the right foods critical for getting the most out of your meals but understanding what is the right amount and eating the right amount of foods is just as critical to good health.

The ADA has a page giving the following recommendations for ways to reduce calories seen here. Two great Unicity products will help you fulfill some of those recommendations, Slim and Bios Life E. Drinking Slim will help you control your portions. Rather chugging down your Mountain Dew, drink Bios Life E. It has low calories and full of anitoxidants and vitamins to boost your metabolism and energy levels.

Also, nearly every registered dietician will tell you to eat more fiber in your diet which you can do simply by drinking Slim. Slim will help keep your appetite in check and will be help manage your lipid panel and blood sugar. Check out the ADA website. It's free and the information will help you get even better results with Slim.

Green Tea Helps Fend Off Superbugs?

According to research presented at the Society for General Microbiology's 162nd meeting, green tea may amplify the effects of antibiotics, making them more effective against "superbugs".

Superbugs are bacteria that have evolved to become resistant to most antibiotics, and are therefore a major concern for healthcare practitioners.

Dr Mervat Kassem from the Faculty of Pharmacy at Alexandria University in Egypt, a lead researcher on the study, explained the results of their research, "In every single case, green tea enhanced the bacteria-killing activity of the antibiotics. For example the killing effect of chloramphenicol was 99.99% better when taken with green tea than when taken on its own in some circumstances."

The mechanisms for green tea's ability to increase the efficacy of the antibiotics are unknown.

Green tea could be an excellent adjuvant to antibiotic treatment; not only is it inexpensive and safe in very large quantities, it is readily available - yet another reason piled onto the stack of reasons to drink green tea.

Fish oils...the key to longevity?

Dr. Neal Secrist, a presidential diamond, sent me a note with a link to this article. The article was based is a recent report published in the Journal of American Medical Association (JAMA) this past week. Researchers have long known the health benefits of omega-3 fatty acids, including reduced triglycerides levels, anti-inflammatory, anti-hypertensive, to name a few. This research group from the Bay Area in California, wanted to know the mechanism of how omega-3 fatty acids exert their protective benefits.

One potential hypothesis to test was is there a relationship between omega-3 fatty acid supplementation and telomeres. Telomeres are repeating squences of DNA (TTAGGG)n that reside at the ends of chromosomes (see the red areas in the image). They are thought to form a protective cap for the chromosomes. As cells divide, the enzymes involved in replicating DNA can't fully replicate the ends of the chromosome resulting in a shortening of the chromosome. As research has progressed, telomere length has become a good marker for longevity.

This group wanted to know if supplementing with omega-3 fatty acids would affect telomere lengths. They recruited 608 patients and divided them into four groups. Each group would supplement with increasing doses of omega-3 fatty acids. After five years of supplementation they reviewed the telomere lengths of the patients in each group. The results showed that the group with the lowest dose had shorter telomeres and that as the dose increased the telomeres lengths increased suggesting that omega-3 fatty acids slowed the rate of telomere shortening.

Now the results are promising but preliminary. However, there is substantial evidence for the increased health benefits that one should strongly consider increasing the amount of fish you consume in your diet. A high quality fish oil supplement such as Omega Life-3 or Salmon Omega oil will benefit any person.

Keep Standing...

Ira Flatow from Science Friday recently spoke with an Australian researcher who, after studying 8,000+ participants, discovered that sitting (specifically watching TV) shortens your life span (Link to abstract).

Not surprisingly, the scientists found that those who sat a lot, had higher rates of cardiovascular disease. The surprising part was that, even if these people were not overweight, they still had an increase in CVD if they sat a lot. So, all you thin people out there who think it's still OK to watch TV for 3+ hours a night - beware!

This coincides with the video below showing that sitting increases the amount of fat in your bloodstream. Perhaps, the increase in fat in the bloodstream creates an increased risk of arteriosclerosis, since this is thought to occur by lipid oxidation.

There's hope though! The researchers suggest taking a break every twenty minutes and doing a little walking. Take this time to grab a glass of water, play with the kids, or get some fresh air. Apparently, this helps to reset the some internal mechanism in the body (I don't know what that is - perhaps the lipase thing alluded to in the post below).

Get up, stand up...

Check out the video (sent to me by JT) at this link. The article/video has a remarkably simple way to improve your health. There is one part in the video that really caught my attention. It deals with the lipase activity of sitting vs. standing. Plus check out what the phlebotomist collects!

Helping out the kids...

One of the key ideas that I took home from the Obesity Society's 2009 conference was the impact that adults, specifically parents/guardians have on children. It's powerful when you see the data demonstrating the effect of parental/adult behavior on children. In a timely article recently published, the authors examine the impact of removing junk food from a group of middle schools in Conneticut. The results are remarkable, you remove junk food as a snack option and kids eat less junk food. Hmm, we may be onto something here.

One of my huge pet peeves is when my children come home from school laden with candy as a reward for good behavior. My oldest daughter used to receive extra treats for purchasing a school lunch. We had to put a stop to this practice and specifically asked the school, teachers, etc... to please not give our children candy. I am not opposed to a sweet treat once in a while, but I am opposed to excessive amounts of candy either for me or my kids.

Fun Fact

I'm a closet Science Friday listener. Science Friday is a program on NPR every Friday (no surprise) that discusses a wide range of scientific topics.

The topic today fascinated me because they were discussing the amazing human body. According to the scientist they were interviewing, the human body can run longer and farther than any other animal (birds not included). The scientist said that if you were to have a marathoner run a marathon against a horse, dog, whatever, that the marathoner would win.

At the speed a marathoner runs, a horse and other mammals are required to gallop, or whatever their equivalent of a run is. Because of the way their physiology works, they are unable to cool their bodies as efficiently as a human can, and quickly overheat. This overheating causes them to stop and cool down.

Additionally, the human body is built for running: the Achilles Heal, and other tendons, act as springs that help store energy, the quadriceps are powerful, long distance pistons, and our cooling system is top notch.

So at the 26.2 mile track, my money's on the biped.

US Recommendations Fail to Correct Vitamin D Deficiency

An article published in the Oct. 2009 edition of Nature Reviews: Endocrinology highlights that supplementation with the currently recommended vitamin D levels of 400 IU falls well short of being effective.

The article was written by Dr. Bruce Hollis, a respected researcher that has published numerous articles on vitamin D and its role in cardiovascular disease, cancer, osteoporosis and more. Do any sort of search on vitamin D and chances are good that his name will come up.

Hollis discusses how the current recommendations of 400 IU don't do anything to increase serum (blood) levels of vitamin D. Vitamin D sufficiency (adequate levels) is defined as having vitamin D levels above 75 nmol/l. In one study, they found that 74% of postmenopausal women had levels lower than 50 nmol/l. Vitamin D levels this low are implicated in a number of diseases in epidemiological studies.

The graph below, taken from the article, shows how vitamin D supplementation below 1,000 IUs/day did not significantly increase serum levels of vitamin D.


To put this in plain English:

When you take vitamin D supplements that provide a daily dose of less than 1,000 IU you are paying for nothing, literally.

BoneMate Plus provides you with 4,000 IU of quality vitamin D3, as well as calcium and other minerals that help the body to utilize and better absorb calcium.

Dosage studies show that it is best to space out your calcium supplementation - as more will be absorbed this way. We recommend that you take BoneMate Plus in the morning and then at night.

Scooped...

My wife gave me an article on ways simple ways to combat fatigue at home. See it here. Simple things to do that can help with energy levels. The ladies over at the Women's blog beat me to the post.

I have to say that it has been very intellecutally stimluating attending this conference. I have been eating very well/carefully and exercising but I can't seem to get past the after lunch malaise. Good thing I brought some E with me. It has been a life saver! What experiences have you had with E? Post them in the comments section.

Day 2 recap...

Another day filled with interesting reports and LOTS of data.

1. I attended a session on Pediatrics (mainly due to personal reasons, I am the father of three very delightful kids). Parental example and the inherent responsilibity associated with setting a good example for your children was underscored by great talks and posters. Of the two parents, mothers played a huge role in healthy eating choices, activity levels, etc... more so than fathers. Another interesting study focused on introducing vegetables (low energy, high nutrient foods) at the beginning of a meal to see if vegetable consumption was increased and also how it affected the consumption of other energy sources. The study concluded that giving children vegetables as a "premeal" increased their veggie consumption and decreased the amount of mac&cheese they ate later in the meal. If your kids are clamoring for food, give them some carrots.
2. Turn off the TV. A couple of different research groups showed results correlating turning off the TV or removing a TV with increased phyical exercise. Again, the importance of phyiscal activity cannot be overstated. One researcher joked that they hadn't see a study where exercise has been the cause of cancer. Physical activity improves way too many health parameters to be ignored.
3. In a session for clinicians on obesity treatments, the underlying theme was to assess each person individually (there is no one set way to address weight loss and each person is different). There may be underlying reasons for a person's lack of compliance (i.e. ADHD resulting in a lack of focus and inability to stay on task; joint problems from broken bones resulting in decreased activity) and addressing those issues may lead to improved results. Patients need to set goals that are measurable, attainable and within a specified time frame. Best success comes as patients reward themselves for "good" behavior or achieving small steps to a larger goal. Tracking progress pays large dividends in terms of increasing compliance but also it gives the patient a perspective on how much they have achieved. This is crucial during episodes of weight management fatigue and reflection can be a positive reinforcement for continuing to establish long-term lifestyle changes.

Lots of fun. Will post more tomorrow.

Obesity Society recap day one...

I am attending the 2009 Obesity Society Conference in Washington D.C. There are a number of top-notch researchers presenting their work. The topics are wide ranging from cellular mechanisms that lead to obesity to population studies investigating correlative associations.

Some quick thoughts from day one:

1. Obesity is very complex. There are so many factors both environmental and genetic that contribute to weight gain. There is no one quick fix to obesity
2. A key factor is how we cope with stress. The research data regarding our ability to deal with stress and obesity is very compelling
3. Exercise matters. There data surrounding the health benefits regarding small incremental increases in physical activity are astounding. Some recommendations 150 minutes per week of moderate activity as a minimum for improved health. 250-300 minutes per week for weight loss. Start small and work up to these times.

The conference is very stimulating and hopefully will yield fruitful information for all.

Super Chlorophyll Powder™ and Aflatoxin

Dr. Cutler sent an interesting article to me this morning that I thought I would post on this blog since it is so pertinent to Super Chlorophyll Powder™.

The full article can be found here.

The article discusses how a toxin, aptly named aflatoxin, produced by mold growing on legumes (peanuts, soy beans, etc.) can lead to liver cancer. Here is a quote from the article that astounded me,

"In places such as China, Vietnam and South Africa, the combination of aflatoxin and hepatitis B virus exposure increases the likelihood of liver cancer occurrence by 60 times, and toxin-related cancer causes up to 10 percent of all deaths in those nations."

These; however, aren't the only countries that are exposed to aflatoxin. Have you ever chomped down on a peanut that was slightly black and been assaulted by a pungent, sort of burnt taste, that only went away after you'd eaten twenty more good peanuts? Chances are pretty good that you just ate a peanut contaminated by the mold Aspergillus parasiticus. Aflatoxin is a toxin that can be found everywhere.

The aflatoxin produced by this mold is one of the most potent carcinogens found in nature, and, unfortunately, is quite ubiquitous. These are some of foods that can harbor A. parasiticus:

• Cereals
• Peanuts
• Soybeans
• Chili peppers
• Black pepper
• Coriander
• Ginger
• Almonds
• Pistachios
• Walnuts
• Coconuts
• And more

Super Chlorophyll Powder™, a green powder known for its use as an antioxidant and beauty enhancer, can also help reduce the danger that occurs as a result of aflatoxin ingestion.

In a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science by Egner PA, and colleagues, they found that chlorophyllin (the scientific name of Super Chlorophyll Powder™) was able to protect DNA from the damage caused by aflatoxin. Their conclusion from this study was that chlorophyllin could be an economical way to protect against this common toxin.

Some information about Super Chlorophyll Powder™:

Chlorophyll is a natural, fat-soluble molecule found in plants, and is responsible for their green color. Chlorophyllin, the form of chlorophyll commonly used in supplements, is a water-soluble version of chlorophyll that contains copper instead of magnesium as its central atom. Plants use chlorophyll to trap light needed for photosynthesis and create the energy needed to separate water to make sugar and oxygen.

Because of its unique chemical properties, chlorophyllin is able to form tight molecular complexes with chemicals that are suspected or known to cause cell damage including aromatic hydrocarbons in tobacco smoke; some heterocyclic amines found in cooked meat; and aflatoxin-B1, a toxin produced by fungi found in food products such as corn, peanuts and soy products.
Super Chlorophyll Powder™ is a green powder that is mixed with water and has a light mint flavor.