Winter with all the rain (especially if you live in the Pacific Northwest) and cold temperatures can make you want to take up the practice of hibernation!  It is tempting to hunker down with rich foods and warm drinks and lay low till the happy days of sunshine return.  Now that the holidays are over, it’s time to winterize you body to combat the cold and flu virus and give your immune system a fighting chance.  It is an especially immune suppressing time during the holidays, because the food choices usually are on the nutrient-deficient side and of course your exercise routine is thrown to the curb in favor of shopping, eating, partying and well complete indulgence of the flesh!  Then when all the fun is over with, the reality of winter sets in and alas there is no motivation for all those New Year’s resolutions, especially when you start to get the sniffles and the stomach flu!

Consider this your winter wellness prescription:  

1.      Exercise – If the thought of excessive movement makes you want to have the flu, then consider forming a mental picture of you poolside in a swimsuit come summer time, motivating enough?  Exercise doesn’t have to be in a gym; it could be an exercise video at home or how about learning a new sport or skill and kill a couple New Year’s resolutions?  If all else fails, do laps at the mall or get a treadmill and plant it in front of the TV!  Just move it, because exercise increases the supply of oxygen and nutrients to the cells and keeps toxins flushed out of your system.  Otherwise consider yourself a stagnate pond; open to all kinds of toxic buildup, (including fat) and a sitting target for the cold and flu virus.

2.     Nutrient dense foods – Okay so this doesn’t mean jump on the next diet bandwagon and it doesn’t have to depriving, it’s just choosing foods that will provide the most bang for your bite!  You’ve probably heard it said that shopping the perimeters of the grocery store is best, which is a good general rule of thumb, unless of course this includes ice cream in the frozen food section.  Incorporate citrus fruits such as oranges, grapefruit, lemons and limes, to give your water some kick add a few squirts of lemon or lime juice.  Citrus fruits are full of vitamin C and help to prevent mucus buildup!  Leafy greens are another good source of vitamin C and phytonutrients which help boost the immune system.  Yogurt containing probiotic bacteria may also be effective at preventing respiratory infections such as the common cold, just make sure that the yogurt isn’t full of sugar or a sugar substitute!  The holidays are over so throw out all the sugar and refined carbs since these only suppress the immune system.

3.     Stay Warm! – Not to state the obvious, but how many times do you go outside misjudging the temperature?  Maybe the day starts out moderately warm, but by the time you get off work, the weather has changed personalities and is bone-chilling cold.  Think ahead and keep a coat, gloves and an extra pair of rain boots or tennis shoes in your car so you are never left out in the cold!  There is no sense in being cold all winter and using extra energy to try to keep your internal thermostat up when your body could be using that energy for more important things like fighting disease!  Maybe snuggies aren’t such a bad idea after all!

Stay in-tuned for the second part of this blog tomorrow!

When your holiday to-do list is rivaling Santa’s naughty or nice list, instead of turning to the cookies that are meant for Santa, take a quick sanity break and do something you enjoy, like  reading your favorite magazine or weather permitting, go for a walk.  Those sugar and carbs may release serotonin in the brain, but is it worth the extra pounds come January 1^st? 

The holidays are meant to be a time of connection and celebration with family and friends, not trying to create perfection in the home or with gifts.  Why not start some new and healthy traditions like creating healthy versions of your favorite family recipes or participating in a holiday run/walk? 

The holidays will pass, but the effects of continual stress will stay in your body, so remember the reason for the season and RELAX!

Cancer is an invasive, proliferative process that causes destruction to healthy tissue.  There is no doubt that cancer is a terrible condition requiring serious effort both on the part of the patient and practitioner to overcome it.  However, more than the cancer itself being problematic, is the fear that is associated with this word, CANCER.

You go in for a routine health assessment and then out of nowhere find out that you have cancer.

Before this fateful visit, life couldn’t have been better, now fear is gripping at your heart.  One word was all it took!

Fear does one thing, it paralyzes people.  It is true that many people are motivated by fear.  Many people will actually change their diet, start exercising and swear off the use of electronic devices out of a fear of getting cancer. Seriously, this is a ridiculous thinking pattern.  Why not eat living food and move your body because you want to have the energy and vigor to pursue your life purpose will all the gusto you can muster.

Living to not get something as opposed to living to get somewhere.

Today, I am going to eat an apple because they taste good and my body works best when I fuel it with living food.  Remember, all cancers start from a single cell that undergoes many changes. Some of those changes are permanent alterations to the DNA called mutations.  Over our lifetimes, thousands and thousands of damaged cells get terminated before they can cause us any harm.  If our immune defenses are strong and alert having been amply supplied with the necessary nutrition for living, we live out the full number of our days cancer free.  However, if a mutated cell does manage to get past our defenses and starts multiplying without control, it can turn into a mass of abnormal cells called a tumor.

It is the malignant or cancerous tumors that can spread into surrounding tissues, damaging nearby cells and organs that carry the greatest weight of danger.

What makes cancer so intense is that it is not a single disease, and no single factor is likely to be the cause.  Many life decisions and environmental influences contribute to cancers development.  In the same manner, many life decisions and environmental influences contribute to days and years of outrageous health.

A few things you could start doing today to make your tomorrow a little brighter and next year blinding!

• Saturate your diet with plant foods.  Get in the habit of having fruits and/or vegetables at every meal!
• If you have fat around the midsection, find a buddy and start shaving the chubby off with a solid workout routine.
• If you are thin but don’t exercise, shame on you.  Today is your day to break a sweat!
• If you smoke or drink alcohol excessively…right now look at yourself in the mirror and say “self, I want to live without regret, therefore, I will no longer be suffocating you with the toxic burden of cigarettes or alcohol.”

It is truly amazing the wide range of symptoms associated with yeast overgrowth.

Symptoms can include: poor memory, ADD, muscle ache, fatigue, sugar cravings, rectal or vaginal itching, bladder infections, diarrhea, constipation, bloating, gas, nausea, cramps, skin rash, allergic reactions, multiple chemical sensitivity, depression, and the list goes on.  Needless to say, if your microflora is messed up…you will be messed up!

So what do you do about this FUNGUS?!  Well, unfortunately in order to truly eliminate candida problems, one must take on a strict dietary regimen.   This is unfortunate because most people are looking for that magic yeast eliminator pill or the special “yeast detox kit” you can buy from your favorite online doctor.  Yeast gets its nourishment from sugar.  Not unlike another pest, cancer which also thrives in a sugar rich environment.

Your best starting point in getting rid of yeast overgrowth is to eliminate all the simple sugars, wheat grains, food containing yeast, dairy, artificial sweeteners, corn, fried foods, alcohol, hydrogenated oils and pickled foods (bub-bye to the Standard American Diet).  Once you have that down pat, then I would look into using specific herbs and nutrients to kill off yeast and repopulate your microflora. You are wasting two very important commodities namely time and money if you jump straight to the supplements without changing your diet.

FYI: A perpetual/chronic craving for sugar or simple carbohydrates may be a signal that you are low in serotonin, that blessed neurotransmitter that makes you feel all bubbly inside. 

Sugar Craving Support: try 5-HTP, Tyrosine, GABA, L-phenylalanine…since these are neurotransmitters and can be just has harmful as they can be helpful if not administered appropriately, you really need to talk to your natural healthcare professional before diving in!

More and more patients are choosing to build their immune systems and cellular integrity in order to overcome cancer.  These immune based therapies have minimal side effects or long term complications and are yielding amazing results.  They are innovate, patient centered, patient driven and continually evolving.

Consider Dennis a pioneer and beckon of HOPE to people diagnosed with cancer everywhere!

For the average “weight loss” specialist, calorie reduction and exercise are the mainstay of their weight loss programs.  I think the best word to describe the plight of most people trying to lose weight is FRUSTRATION!

This frustration is due to the fact that the weight loss program being practiced is not going to lead to lasting weight loss.  Lasting weight loss or much more importantly FAT loss requires a complete transformation of daily habits.  It also necessitates finding the real issue (aka cause) for fat gain.

When it comes to weight loss, you can be so right and yet be completely wrong.

As I have seen it, the focus of people trying to lose weight is set on “low-fat” and “sugar-free” foods.  On the label, it looks like a dieters dream but in the body, it is an inflammatory mess.  And if the pro-inflammatory effect wasn’t enough, these foods aren’t satiating, and many of them even trigger hunger signals.

Fat cells generate inflammatory chemical messengers (called cytokines), and those chemicals eventually trigger a reaction for cells to stop listening to two important hormones: insulin and leptin.

So, if you are going to bump the FAT forever, you have to get the inflammation under control. Inflammation decreases the cells sensitivity to insulin and leptin.

When cells become resistant to insulin, glucose gets converted into fatty acids and stored as fat instead of being used as energy.  NOT WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR!

When the hypothalamus becomes resistant to leptin, the hormone that indicates satiety, people will consume more calories than necessary.  Also, NOT WHAT WE WANT!

As a dietary starter, this requires eliminating foods that are inflammatory, such as processed sugars, synthetic sweeteners, hydrogenated oils, over-cooked foods, and foods a person is allergic to. You can make it really easy on yourself by simply just eliminating food items that come in a box.

In addition to switching to a whole foods based diet, specific anti-inflammatory nutrients should be added. Omega-3 fatty acids and probiotics should be at the top of the list, as well as magnesium, curcumin, and ginger to name a few.

This is what we call a long-term, sustainable solution!

I have put together a short list of activities you can do daily that will not require a great deal of dedication but will get you started in the right direction.

Before sitting down to eat breakfast, sit down and stand up 20 times.

Every hour stand up and then bend over and touch your toes 10 times.

While sitting at your desk perform calf raises. Lift up on to your toes 20 times at 3 different times during your work day.

While sitting in your chair ,make sure you are maintaining proper posture.

At each restroom break during the day perform 20 punches with each arm in the mirror.  Sugar Ray Leonard style…

At lunch time, before eating, go for a brisk 15 minute walk.

At your mid afternoon break, perform 20 squats or sit down and stand up 20 times.

When talking on your cell phone or wireless phone get up and walk around for the duration of the phone call.

Do a set of 10-20 standing pushups against the wall at morning and afternoon break.

Wear a pedometer and aim for 10,000 steps daily.

Take every available opportunity to walk up stairs and across the room

Before cooking dinner perform 25-50 jumping jacks.

After eating dinner take a 10 minute walk, if it is too cold or dark out just take a few laps around your home.

Stand on one leg while brushing your teeth. Seriously!

When cleaning the kitchen or home, time yourself!  Wow, a new in house record, congratulations!!!

During the mid afternoon or before bed, go through a quick stretching routine

• Interlock fingers and push arms over head to the ceiling, hold for 5 seconds, relax and then repeat 3 times

• Spread legs just beyond shoulder width apart, allowing knees to be slightly bent, stretch arms out in front of you as you bend at hips, keeping back flat the whole time. Hold for 8 seconds and then relax, perform 3 times.

• Stand in door way and place elbows and hands against each side of door way, with elbows even with shoulder or just above and feet in line with front of door way. Lean body weight into door opening. You should feel a stretch in your chest. Hold for 5-10 seconds and relax. Repeat 4 times.

Come on, just give a few of them a try. The worst that could happen is that you feel better (that doesn’t sound too horrific).  These little activities will keep the blood flowing and get you on your way to a full blown exercise routine in no time!

WATCH OUT WORLD!

It is the measure used by scientists to indicate cellular health.  According to Dr. David Perlmutter, MD who is an innovate expert in neurological disorders, glutathione leads the charge in brain research around the world.

Glutathione regenerates a popular antioxidant most people have heard of, Vitamin C.  Vitamin C then works to recycle a fat-soluble brain friendly antioxidant Vitamin E and the cycle continues.  Vitamin C is no doubt an extraordinary nutrient that every human would do well to take regularly.  However, vitamin C works it’s magic outside of the cell whereas glutathione exerts its life sustaining effects inside the cell.

Fibromyalgia is a condition of severe mitochondrial dysfunction. Your mitochondria are the energy hub of every cell.  They literally provide the currency by which you go about living, laughing and eating broccoli.  In this condition, it is as if maple syrup has been poured over the mitochondria, making them slow and sluggish (think: a broken ATM or one with a line around the corner and you have a “hot” date waiting).  This leads to massive fatigue and chronic unremitting muscle pain as toxins are not able to be cleared from cells.  Glutathione just happens to be a potent enabler of mitochondrial function!  Consider glutathione as the gold backing your mitochondrial money factory.

This tripeptide likes to have it’s hands in everything!

It functions in the synthesis, protection and repair of DNA (keeps you from getting cancer). It is also present for the synthesis of proteins, the transport of amino acids (so you can build and repair damaged tissue), the elimination of heavy metals, the removal of toxins and carcinogens and on the side, it enhances natural killer cell activity (helps find and fight cancer if you have it).   Glutathione is structurally unusual, which allows it to react with would be “bad guys” keeping them from harming your cells.

Glutathione also resides over the activation of enzymes, which are considered the fire of cellular life.  Free radical damage is the foundation of all degenerative disease and LOW glutathione is the enabler of free radical damage.  Hence the aging process..

That said, it is no wonder why glutathione is paramount for optimal mitochondrial functioning.

Well, 25 years and 90 thousand journal articles later we have found this statement to be false on all levels. Glutathione is recognized as an extremely important intracellular antioxidant that also plays a central role in the detoxification and elimination of potential carcinogens and toxins. Studies have found that glutathione synthesis and tissue glutathione levels become significantly lower with age, leading to decreased ability to respond to oxidative stress or toxin exposure.

The higher the glutathione peroxidase in the plasma or red blood cells, the more your body is running through and out of glutathione.  Now consider the follow…

Total glutathione peroxidase activity was elevated in females 65 years of age or older. Cigarette smoking significantly elevated glutathione peroxidase.  Alcohol elevated glutathione peroxidase, with the highest levels seen in drinkers who also smoked.  Increased glutathione peroxidase was also seen in vigorous exercise, especially triathletes and marathoners.

According to the National Cancer Institute, dairy products, cereals and breads are low in glutathione. Fruit and vegetables have moderate to high amounts of glutathione. Frozen versus fresh foods had similar amounts of glutathione. Processing and preservation resulted in considerable loss of glutathione.

A 27% reduction in glutathione has been reported in the cerebrospinal fluid of schizophrenic patients.

Studies have shown that dietary glutathione enhances the metabolic clearance and reduces net absorption of dietary peroxidized lipids, which cause intense cellular damage.

High altitude exposure reduces glutathione levels.

Glutathione functions as an antioxidant and can maintain vitamin C in its reduced and functional form.

Chronically low glutathione levels are seen in premature infants, autistic children, alcoholic cirrhotics and individuals with HIV.

Glutathione increases sperm motility patterns and sperm morphology. In a double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover trial of infertile patients, patients were randomly and blindly assigned to treatment with one injection every other day of either glutathione at 600 mg or an equal volume of placebo.  All the glutathione selected patients showed an increase in sperm concentration and a highly statistically significant improvement in sperm motility, sperm kinetic parameters and sperm morphology.  Want to get pregnant? Make sure your husband has optimal levels of glutathione.

From the journal of Digestion: Glutathione is extremely important in normal functioning of the pancreas, being needed for normal folding of the proteins that will ultimately form key digestive enzymes when the pancreas is stimulated after a meal. In patients with chronic pancreatitis, it has been found that glutathione is often significantly depleted, suggesting that lack of glutathione has a role in the generation and/or maintenance of the disease. In addition, many patients suffering from chronic pancreatitis appear to be under xenobiotic or oxidant stress, creating an even greater need for glutathione. Since the pancreas is under relative glutathione “stress” during the normal process of packing and secreting digestive enzymes, it is easy to see how the lack of glutathione could have a role in chronic pancreatitis.

From the Journal of Brain Research Reviews: Glutathione depletion can enhance oxidative stress and may increase levels of excitotoxic (toxins that excite neurons to the point of death) molecules, which may initiate cell death in specific nerve cell populations. Evidence of oxidative stress and reduced glutathione status is found in Lou Gehrig’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease.

From the Annals of Pharmacotherapy: Glutathione is important in DNA synthesis and repair, protein and prostaglandin synthesis, amino acid transport, metabolism of toxins and carcinogens, enhancement of immune function, prevention of oxidative cell damage and enzyme activation.

From the Journal Acta Dermato-Venereologica: Low levels of blood glutathione were found in patients with pemphigoid, acne conglobata, polymyositis, rheumatoid arthritis, scleroderma, systemic lupus erythematosus, atopic dermatitis, eczema and psoriasis.

From the Journal of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology: Intracellular glutathione enhances the immunologic function of lymphocytes (perhaps the most important immune cell line in preventing infection and cancer). Low levels of glutathione limit the optimal functioning of T cells.  Cytotoxic T cell (necessary to eliminate cancer) responses and interleukin-II-dependent functions are inhibited even by a partial depletion of the intracellular glutathione pool.

From the journal of Ocular Pharmacological Therapy: Susceptibility of the lens nucleus to oxidative damage and loss of transparency has been shown in experimental animal models, including exposure to hyperbaric oxygen, x-ray and UVA light.  Depletion of glutathione allows the levels of oxidant to damage lens tissue and structure.

From the Journal of Laboratory and Clinical Science: An increased incidence of low glutathione levels in apparently healthy subjects suggests a decreased capacity to maintain metabolic and detoxification reactions that are stimulated by glutathione. The authors stated that glutathione status, physical health, and longevity are closely related.

From the Lancet: The plasma glutathione in young, healthy adults was 0.54 umol/L; in healthy elderly it was 0.29 umol/L; in elderly outpatients it was 0.24 umol/L; and in elderly inpatients it was 0.17 umol/L.  Aging results in a decrease in plasma glutathione and an increase in oxidative damage in apparently healthy individuals.

Simply put, if you want young cells and the ability to overcome disease you need to work on getting your glutathione levels up!

Great question! If you are looking to eat in a way that promotes strength, energy, vitality, longevity, great libido and a body that smiles back at you, then this is your happy place.

The eating plan of choice for you would be a cross between the Paleolithic diet and the Mediterranean diet.  You could call it “Paleo meets Mediterranean” for the greater good of human bodies everywhere.

In this eating plan, your body will be consuming outrageous amounts of fruit, vegetables, seeds, nuts, omega-3 and monounsaturated fatty acids, lean sources of protein like lean beef, chicken, turkey, fatty cold water fish (just say no to Atlantic salmon), and for some whey or soy protein may also be included.

The plan completely excludes–do to a desire for long life–overconsumption of chemical preservatives, artificial sweetners, and carbohydrate dominant food such as candies, soda, pastries, breads, potatoes, grains and other foods containing a high glycemic load and a low phytonutrient density.

Then, SUPER CHARGE your eating plan by taking one day a week where you juice vegetables and low glycemic fruits.  Drink the juice for your meals and enjoy natures finest in cleansing and micronutrient replenishment.

Talk about a lean well oiled cellular machine!