Lower Your Cholesterol Levels Without Drugs

Are you sitting on the fence? Use food as your medicine, otherwise medicine will become your food

As a seasoned Pharmacologist AND Food Scientist I have a unique perspective on the utility of both medicine and food. My doctoral thesis, written in 1992, focused on the development of new drugs to lower cholesterol levels.  It was a time when Statins were initially developed but had numerous undesirable side effects. They were designed for people with extremely high cholesterol levels, possibly caused by mutations that affect clearance of the "bad" cholesterol, LDL. They were so effective at lowering cholesterol levels that doctors started prescribing them to anyone with even modestly high cholesterol levels.  We are now seeing a backlash from patients who refuse to tolerate the side effects: myalgia (muscle pain), memory loss (neurons in the brain need cholesterol to provide fluidity that enables them to communicate with one another) and loss of blood sugar control. When we train the liver to inhibit cholesterol synthesis it may respond by kicking out glucose from its glycogen stores into the blood.

In early Nov. 2018 I had a major reality check. Over the past three decades I've watched my total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol levels slowly inch higher and higher.  This year they finally made it in to the red zone (see chart below).  Since I am fitness enthusiast and at a healthy weight my blood pressure is still in a healthy range but higher than usual.  I also have healthy levels of HDL cholesterol (the "good" cholesterol) and triglycerides but the non-HDL cholesterol (all forms of cholesterol that are NOT good) is officially in the statin prescribing zone.

I know that a high fiber diet that is low in saturated fat will help but what else can I do to make sure that my Primary Care Doctor (the awesome Dr. Vincent Codella) doesn't whip out the prescription pad? Right after Thanksgiving I pulled out all the stops to do a ten-day cleanse (no cheating) using the Clear Change® 10 Day Detox Program. The process is fairly straight forward and is based on clean eating, NOT fasting. For ten days you may eat fruits, vegetables, legumes, fish (no shellfish), healthy fats, water and tea in unlimited quantities. You may also eat nuts (but no peanuts) and seeds, gluten-free grains and free-range poultry but only on certain days. You must completely eliminate sugar, dairy, gluten, coffee, alcohol and any genetically modified (GMO) crops such as corn and soy. My results were amazing!

Missing out on Happy Hour after an intense week at the office was tough but so worth it. My total cholesterol decreased from 213 to 160 mg/dL, my LDL cholesterol decreased from 132 to 89 mg/dL and the non-HDL cholesterol decreased from 148 to well under 100 mg/dL.  My HDL cholesterol, which was already pretty good, increased a bit and my triglycerides dropped from 78 to 42 mg/dL. The Clear Change Program was already a tool that I rely on to improve the health of just about all of my patients but my own data convinced me that this is probably one of the most practical holistic strategies to correct biomarkers of human health. It is designed to eliminate toxins from the body by improving liver and kidney function, the two organs we rely on specifically for this purpose. Although it is not designed for weight loss it is the perfect tool to launch a weight loss journey or to promote a change in body composition when your metabolism has plateaued. 

A new year means a new you. It is a perfect time to commit to our 10-Day Clear Change program. Get your organs firing on all cylinders, remove toxins such as heavy metals, lower your blood sugar and of course, improve your cholesterol levels. If you'd like to learn more about this detoxification program then book an appointment today at EGGLRock Nutrition. Most insurance plans accepted.

Twelve Things You're Eating That Are Causing Brain Fog

Twelve Things You're Eating That Are Causing Brain Fog Although brain fog can be caused by a number of legitimate neurological disorders and injuries it might also be perpetuated by your diet.  In this age of food abundance and processed foods we may simply be making all the wrong choices even when we are eating a supposed “health food”. In order for you to think clearly your brain needs to make energy in the form of ATP (adenosine triphosphate).  It can do this either with carbohydrates that are broken down into glucose or with fats that are broken down into ketones.  Proteins, on the other hand, are largely used to build muscle, so are a last resort for making energy. The best carbohydrate sources for energy production are those that are absorbed slowly so that energy production is longer lasting.  These kinds of carbohydrates are considered to have a low glycemic index.  Examples would be most, but not all, fruits, vegetables and legumes.  Consuming foods with a high glycemic index causes a rapid rise in blood sugar followed by a steep decline.  When glucose enters the blood this is followed by the secretion of insulin from the pancreas.  Insulin is a hormone that removes the sugar from the blood and brings it to your muscles so that you can do work and to your brain so that you can think.  That feeling of brain fog occurs when the blood sugar drops and there is little to no glucose to make energy in the brain.  High glycemic index foods not only produce sharp spikes in blood sugar but also a sharp spike in insulin followed by a steep decline (Fig. 1).

 Fig. 1.  Low-Glycemic vs High-Glycemic-Index Foods

©Cengage Learning

Although the lowering of blood sugar by insulin is super important, insulin is also a hormone that prevents the breakdown of fat and encourages fat storage, which is how we gain weight. Unfortunately, our bodies have not adapted to food abundance and how to deal with the onslaught of foods with a high glycemic index.  In order to help you avoid the sudden drop in blood sugar caused by these kinds of foods here is my list of 12 foods you’re eating that may cause brain fog:

	Food	Glycemic indexa
1	White rice	126
2	Baked potato	121
3	Dates	103
4	White bread	100
5	Parsnips	97
6	Rice cakes	87
7	Bran muffin	85
8	Pretzels	83
9	Corn flakes	80
10	Oatmeal	79
11	Cheerios	74
12	Baked beans	69

©2016 Pearson Education, Inc.

^aGlycemic Index (GI) is a rating scale of the likelihood of foods to increase the levels of blood glucose and insulin.

It is acceptable to eat some of these foods such as oatmeal and parsnips so long as high fiber items such as apples, pears or woody vegetables are eaten with it.  Fiber will slow the absorption of glucose to avoid spikes in blood sugar and insulin.

An alternative strategy for avoiding brain fog is to follow a ketogenic diet, where the majority (~80%) of calories are derived from fats such as avocados, cheeses, nuts, seeds and meat (preferably from grass-fed or free-range animals).  This type of diet promotes production of ketones which readily penetrate the brain to make energy.  However, since this diet is lacking in many plant-based foods it tends to be low in a significant number of vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber, and high in saturated fat which is a recipe for poor bowel and cardiovascular health.  It is possible to utilize exogenously added ketones while consuming complex carbohydrates but definitive clinical data to confirm the utility of this strategy has yet to be published.

EGGLRock Nutrition profiled on NJBiz.com

My trajectory from Pharmacologist to business owner certainly wasn’t easy but it was, and has been, the most fun I’ve ever had in my career.  I am humbled to have my story chronicled by Brett Johnson for the July 24, 2017 issue of NJBiz.com.  I never imagined that my experience would be used as a barometer of success for other industry types looking to branch out on their own. I hope you enjoy the article.

If you’d like to learn more about me or what I do feel free to peruse my website @ www.egglrock.com, where you’ll also find links to my Social Media feeds.

Beat Cancer Before It Beats You

Ten things you can do now to reduce your risk of Cancer

A healthy diet will not cure you of cancer.  However, a wholesome diet and an active lifestyle can reduce your risk and may even enhance the efficacy of your chemotherapy. Here’s why.

1.       Eat more cruciferous vegetables: One characteristic that sets cruciferous vegetables apart from other vegetables is their high glucosinolate content.  Glucosinolate hydrolysis products could help prevent cancer by enhancing the elimination of carcinogens before they can damage DNA, or by altering cell-signaling pathways in ways that help prevent normal cells from being transformed into cancerous cells.

2.       Flavor your food with herbs: While herbs are most known for their anti-inflammatory properties, curcumin in particular appears to inhibit cancer growth and expedite cancer cell death.

3.       What are flavonoids?: Flavonoids are a class of chemicals found in berries, coffee, tea, green vegetables, herbs and legumes such as soybeans. Consumption of certain subclasses are associated with a reduced risk of many kinds of cancers including cancers of the digestive tract, lung, breast, prostate, kidney and thyroid. Possible mechanisms include increased cancer cell death, reduced DNA mutation rates and inhibition of metastasis.

4.       Fruits & Veggies-More Matters™: The results of numerous case-control studies indicate that eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables decreases the risk of developing a number of different types of cancer, particularly cancers of the digestive tract (oropharynx, esophagus, stomach, colon, and rectum) and lung. A recent systematic review and meta-analysis conclusively showed that that consumption of apples is associated with a reduced risk of cancer in different anatomical sites.

5.       Folate: Folate is a B vitamin needed to regulate DNA expression and to build new cells.  Deficiencies are most commonly associated with neural tube defects but are also associated with an increased risk of cervical, breast, colon, brain and lung cancer. High levels can be found in spinach, beef liver, black-eyed peas, Brussel sprouts and asparagus.

6.       Healthy Fat:  Dietary fat is enjoying a bit of a renaissance due, in part, to the health benefits attributed to phytosterols, a type of fat derived from vegetable oils and nuts.  Limited data from animal studies suggest that very high intakes of phytosterols, may inhibit the growth of breast and prostate cancer.  Studies to confirm these effects in humans are in progress.

7.       Choline: Choline is an essential macronutrient that is found in eggs, legumes, cuciferous and leafy green vegetables, nuts and seeds. Diets low in choline increase the risk for cancers, most notably liver cancer, due to increased DNA mutation rates.

8.       Does sugar feed cancer? All cells use glucose to grow but cancer cells consume it in particularly high amounts. This is why a radiolabeled form of glucose is used to detect cancer cells in PET scanning.  Bottom line-get rid of added sugar.

9.       Eat less animal protein: In his documentary, Forks Over Knives, T. Colin Campbell describes how communities that transition from a plant-based to an animal-based diet show an increase in cancers, even in children. Protein intake influences the levels of the growth hormone IGF-I (Insulin Growth Factor-1), which not only affects the growth of healthy cells, but can also encourage cancer cell growth.  This trend can be reversed as communities transition back to a plant-based diet.

10.   Eat Whole Grains: Dietary fiber from whole grains may reduce the risk of cancers of the dietary tract, particularly the colon.  This is because higher fiber intakes are known to speed up the passage of stool through the colon, allowing less time for potentially carcinogenic compounds to stay in contact with cells that line the inner surface of the colon. Clinical studies to confirm this hypothesis are underway.

11.   Bonus suggestion: Even if you have a poor diet you can still reduce your risk of cancer through exercise. Women with high estrogen levels in their blood have increased risk for breast cancer. Since exercise lowers blood estrogen, it helps lower a woman’s breast-cancer risk. Exercise also reduces other cancer growth factors such as insulin.

What Your Body Shape Says About Your Health

What Your Body Shape Says About Your Health

There is a growing body of evidence to support the hypothesis that your body shape is a risk factor for certain diseases.  For example, people who accumulate fat in their mid-section (aka Central Adiposity) are more prone to metabolic diseases such as hypertension, atherosclerosis and diabetes.  It was thought that those who stored fat below the waist were protected from these diseases but researchers at UC Davis have dispelled this assumption.  Lead researcher, Ishwarlal Jialal, Ph.D, found that fat in the buttock area increases the levels of chemerin and omentin-1, proteins that can lead to inflammation and insulin resistance.

As a Healthcare practitioner I have made a similar observation.  My patients suffering from metabolic disease cover the gamut of body shapes from apple to pear to banana.  However, when it comes to my patients with seemingly healthy body weights, but trending towards a pear shape, I have made a much more provocative observation.

The Perils of a Pear-Shaped Body Type

Lately, I have noticed that my pear-shaped patients tend to suffer from auto-immune diseases or simply present with a weaker immune system than my classically obese patients.  These folks suffer from seasonal allergies that are incapacitating whenever the seasons change.  They also have terrible gut health (diagnosed with Inflammatory Bowel Syndrome or Inflammatory Bowel Disease) and a plethora of food intolerances.  Constipation and diarrhea are a constant companion.  Other trends that I have noticed are as follows.  These patients report having contracted mononucleosis in their teens or twenties.  As they get older they test positive for Lyme disease and also test positive for active Epstein-Barr (the virus that causes infectious mononucleosis).  These patients may also suffer from hypothyroidism, fibromyalgia and in extreme cases, have been diagnosed with Lupus or other autoimmune conditions such as Rheumatoid Arthritis or Multiple Sclerosis. 

What To Do

It is my belief that immune health is strictly tied to gut health.  The bacteria that live in the gut (i.e. large intestine) turn the immune system on and off.  They also assist with digestion and extraction of nutrients from the food we eat.  Immunity is compromised when there are not enough bacteria in the gut or when we harbor the wrong bacteria. These immune-compromised patients may benefit from a gut restoration regimen that may consist of some or all of the following steps.

Eating for a Health Gut
Step 1. The first step to take is to identify food intolerances. This means following a temporary elimination diet to remove sugar, wheat, soy, dairy, eggs, peanuts, spicy foods, and anything else that you might be sensitive to.  Some of these foods may return to the diet once they have been ruled out as a food demon.  

Step 2.  To assist the digestion process you may want to add aids such as enzymes or lipotropic factors (to assist the digestion of fats). Those with very sensitive systems may need to eat foods that are easy to digest such as cooked fruits and vegetables, bone broths and white rice.  

Step 3.  A poorly colonized gut may originate at birth, or may be due to a nutrient-poor diet or to repeated courses of antibiotics (that kill off both the bad and the good bacteria).  To re-inoculate the gut you should enrich your diet with fermented foods or you may need to take strain-specific probiotics.  Probiotic containing foods include yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, tempeh, kimchi and even pickles.  Effective probiotic supplements are those that deliver 20-50 billion live organisms per dose and contain a combination of different strains of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium.  If you are suffering from a systemic yeast infection, often caused by diets high in sugar and low in nutrients, then you may want to take Berberine or an essential oil supplement made from thyme, oregano and mint.

Step 4.  In order for your gut to function properly it needs to be completely healed in the same way that you would heal a wound on open skin.  Highly effective, holistic remedies include aloe, licorice root and glutamine, which supports new growth of the intestinal lining.  Omega-3 fatty acids are both restorative and anti-inflammatory as are herbs including turmeric, rosemary, quercetin and ginger.

Step 5.  To maintain your healthy gut you need to feed the good bacteria food they love.  These foods are referred to as prebiotics, which are non-digestible carbohydrates that help your bacteria flourish.  Prebiotics can be found in artichokes, garlic, beans, oats, onions, asparagus or any green leafy vegetable.  To maintain optimal colon health you should consume between 20 to 30 g of fiber per day.

For those suffering from active autoimmune disease I encourage you to do your own research and to speak with a reputable Nutritionist.  There are a myriad of dietary suggestions for building a healthy immune system.  If nothing else, then be sure to remove food demons like sugar and refined carbohydrates and replace them with nutrient dense fruits, vegetables and whole grains.  For further assistance with your immune health concerns please send inquiries to egglrock@comcast.net or you may make an appointment with our staff here.

Calcium and Vitamin D - The Disappearing Micronutrients

Calcium and vitamin D are so critical for human health and yet these micronutrients are slowly disappearing from Western diets.  This is largely due to a reduction in consumption of animal products, either because of dietary preferences or due to digestion challenges.  It is widely known that calcium and vitamin D are critical for building healthy bones, yet they do so much more to maintain health.

 

Calcium is by far the most abundant mineral in the body of which 99% is stored in the bones and teeth.  Did you know that almost the entire adult human skeleton is rebuilt every ten years?  This is because our bones are in a constant state of formation and dissolution.  The remaining 1% is found in the fluids that bathe and fill the cells in the body.  This reservoir of calcium is critical for nerve cell transmission, blood pressure maintenance, blood clotting and muscle contraction (and therefore, the heartbeat).  In addition, calcium enables secretion of hormones, digestive enzymes, and neurotransmitters.  Studies are emerging to suggest that calcium deficiency is associated with a number of major illnesses including high blood pressure, colon cancer, and diabetes. 

 

Obtaining dietary calcium outside of dairy products is not as hard as you may think.  Significant quantities may be found in tofu, green vegetables such as broccoli, kale and collard greens, figs, oranges, sardines, canned salmon, almonds and white beans.  The Daily Recommended Intake (DRI) for calcium is 1000 to 1200 mg per day.

 

While calcium is a critical dietary component, vitamin D (theoretically) is not.  This is because with exposure to sunlight your body can make all the vitamin D it needs.  UV light converts a cholesterol-like compound to a vitamin D precursor which is then converted to vitamin D in the liver and kidneys.  Unfortunately, blood level of this vitamin have been declining due to lack of sun exposure and due to the rising obesity epidemic.  Since vitamin D is a fat soluble vitamin it is easily trapped in fat cells and thus, less available in the blood where it functions to regulate blood calcium, and thereby maintain bone integrity.  Once activated by light vitamin D also functions as a hormone.  In this capacity it affects how cells grow, multiply and specialize.  Not only is vitamin D deficiency a risk factor for osteoporosis but nascent research suggests a correlation with many diseases including macular degeneration, cardiovascular disease, some cancers, respiratory infections and multiple sclerosis.  

 

Dietary sources of vitamin D include cod liver oil, sardines, salmon, mackerel, tuna and fortified foods like milk, orange juice and cereals.  Recommended intake for those between the ages of 19 and 70 is 15 micrograms per day.  Have your blood tested for vitamin D deficiency at your yearly physical.  You may need to take a supplement of 1000-5000 IUs per day.  However, since this vitamin is the most potentially toxic among vitamins it should only be taken on an as-needed basis.  Vitamin D intoxication raises the concentration of blood calcium, which can then collect in soft tissues leading to a decline in kidney and heart function.

Why You Need to Eat Dirt

9 Minerals You Cannot Live Without

Minerals are elemental compounds that most of us overlook when considering a nutritious diet.  We all know about the importance of calcium needed for bone health and the perils of excess sodium but what about the other minerals we need?  Minerals are found in abundant amounts in whole foods and produce but are largely depleted from processed foods.  Here is a brief description of the minerals you need to consider for optimal health and where they can be found:

1.       Magnesium – Like calcium, magnesium is also needed to support bone health and is quite critical for muscle contraction.  Deficiencies are commonly associated with muscle spasms.  Magnesium is readily obtained from spinach, black beans, Soy milk and yogurt.  Excess magnesium from non-food sources may cause diarrhea which left untreated can lead to a pH imbalance and dehydration.

 

2.        Potassium – Potassium is essential for maintaining a steady heartbeat.  It also assists chemical reactions and promotes nerve cell function.  Dietary sources include orange juice, bananas, salmon, potatoes, honeydew melon and avocados.  Those with chronic kidney disease however, need to avoid this mineral since it is not properly flushed from the kidneys and can lead to hyperkalemia.  Symptoms include nausea, weakness, numbness and slow pulse.

 

3.        Iodine – Iodine is needed for optimal activity of thyroid hormones.  Profound iodine deficiency is commonly associated with goiter, or an enlarged thyroid gland (apparent as a large bulge in the neck).  Thyroid hormones are critical regulators of our metabolic rate which is why deficiencies are commonly associated with weight gain, fatigue, sensitivity to cold, muscle pain and weakness, and reduced heart rate (among a slew of many other unfortunate symptoms).  Iodine is found in optimal amounts in iodized salt and seafood.  Excess iodine depresses thyroid activity also causing goiter.

 

4.        Iron – Iron is a critical component of hemoglobin found in red blood cells.  Hemoglobin carries oxygen from the lungs to tissues throughout the body.  It is also a key component of myoglobin, a protein that holds and stores oxygen in muscles for later use.  Deficiency is commonly associated with weakness, fatigue and headache caused by anemia.  While iron is typically found in red meat and greens such as spinach and Swiss chard, it is most abundant in shell fish like clams.  Individuals with disrupted iron storage and absorption capabilities should have their iron levels checked because this mineral is a strong oxidant that can promote DNA damage.  Excess iron is associated with GI distress, infections, fatigue, joint pain and organ damage.

 

5.        Zinc – Zinc is an element that is required for the function of many enzymes which are the workhorses of all cells.  This element is used for immune function and appears to be critical for behavior, learning and mood.  It is thought to be deficient in children with learning disorders.  Zinc is found in modest amounts in beef, pork and yogurt but in copious amounts in oysters.  Excess amounts are associated with an impaired immune system and low HDL (a risk factor for heart disease)

 

6.        Selenium – Selenium is an anti-oxidant that can reduce inflammation.  Deficiency is associated with heart disease and may increase cancer risk.  Selenium is found in meats, shellfish, fruits, vegetable and grains grown in selenium-rich soil.  Excess amounts cause hair loss, brittle nails, fatigue, bone, joint and nerve abnormalities.

 

7.        Fluoride – It has been proven that fluoride prevents cavities and is therefore added to drinking water and toothpaste.  Excess fluoride causes tooth discoloration (i.e. fluorosis) and is highly toxic if ingested and chronic exposure to fluoride in large amounts interferes with bone formation.

 

8.       Phosphorous – Phosphorous is the second most abundant mineral in the body and greater than 80% is found combined with calcium in the bones and teeth.  This element is a critical component of cell membranes, DNA and RNA as well as ATP, the body’s primary energy source.  Deficiency is unlikely since it is abundant, even in processed foods but excess amounts can cause calcification of soft tissue such as that in kidneys.

 

9.        Chromium – Chromium participates in carbohydrate and lipid metabolism thus enhancing the activity of insulin and increasing glucose uptake.  As a result, chromium is marketed as a weight loss supplement.  However, clinical data to support this are lacking.  Chromium is found in meat and minimally processed foods.  Moderate uptake of chromium(III) through dietary supplements poses no health risk.