Beefing up your brain

How many times in how many years have we been urged to "cut back on" red meat - or eliminate it altogether from our diets?  Sounds familiar, doesn't it?  But is this advice viable?

For her PhD thesis, a student of psychiatry decided to perform a study to prove that increased intake of animal foods was toxic and would be associated with more mental disorders.  She randomly selected 1000+ women, ages 20 to 93 years for the study. Other groups of food - vegetables, fruits, beans, etc. - were included for comparison.

Her words:

"...the strongest correlation of mental health [not illness] was red meat intake.  Consistently, women who have less than the recommended intake of red meat seem to be in an increased risk for common mental disorders (like anxiety and depression) and bipolar disorder. Women only need a small amount - a palm-sized serving - three or four times a week."  Quoted from Am J Psychiatry.2010 Mar;167(3):305-11

This student was very surprised to find that her hypothesis about animal foods being toxic to humans turned out to to disproved instead of proved!  I wonder if she recommends eating red meat to her patients?  Hope so!

Red meat provides complete amino acids, zinc, iron, and omega-3 fatty acids - all nutrients that are important for preventing depression and anxiety.  

As always, we strongly encourage our patients to eat meat that has been naturally raised (pastured on real grass), without hormones, antibiotics or other chemicals that are administered to artificially fatten the animals.  When we eat meat from factory-raised animals, we get the "benefit" of the antibiotic residues they contain. This contributes to the huge antibiotic-resistant problem we now deal with.

Yes, organic meat costs a little more, but when we keep the servings smaller and eat it less frequently, as suggested by the author of the study above, it's a win-win situation.  And the flavor can't be compared!

For more information on handling anxiety, depression, and other conditions that hinder our health, call and ask for Susana.  She is always happy to share her wisdom and experience.

Our number is (562) 861-3896

News on Nutraceuticals

A prominent news health editor wrote a well-publicized news article this week entitled "Are Your Vitamins Killing You?" His basic point was that dietary supplements will not make you healthier, and may actually increase your risks of disease.

Is this true? You may be surprised at my answer. Within certain parameters, there is an element of truth in his premise.

Before you stop reading in amazement or disgust, please consider the following comments.

Notice the words "an element of truth." The most believable presentations often mix truth with fiction to achieve some credibility with a larger number of people. We have to establish the definition(s) before we can sort out the true from the false.

Here is the "element of truth." The vast majority of vitamins or supplements that are available today are artificial, chemically produced to imitate some substance in nature. Their so-called "active ingredient" is isolated and multiplied many times more than it ever occurs in a natural food. No nutrients that normally accompany this factor in food are included. For these reasons, the "supplement" is actually foreign to the body, not recognized as food, and often goes out undigested. In that case, supplements do not make a person healthier, and in some instances as quoted, they may increase the risks of disease.

We call such products "nutraceuticals," because they are so aligned with pharmaceuticals - in their manufacturing process, the flawed principle behind their composition, and in their frequent failure to produce better health. And yes, there are a few research studies - all using nutraceutical products - that prove that "vitamins" don't work.

Don't get me wrong, though. There are multitudes of research studies that prove the abysmal failure of the far more toxic and dangerous pharmaceuticals to produce health or decrease risk of disease. The negative results quoted in the news article.about supplements are completely dwarfed by comparison! There's an all-too-common pattern of one drug being followed by another and another in the attempt to counteract "side effects," resulting in a downward spiral of the patient's health.

There is good reason why at Thropay Health Center we use concentrated whole-food supplements by Standard Process. From soil to supplement, these products are primarily organically grown foodsthat retain their natural balance of nutrients. Using the complete food gives much better "bang for the buck," because nutrients working together accomplish better and greater benefits than isolates that require multiplied amounts in order to "work."

As so many of our patients can attest, the results in promoting health are nothing less than phenomenal! It's important to understand, too, that we can't rely upon supplements alone for our health. Dietary changes, removal of present toxins, natural exercise, and watchful maintenance are all big players in the journey to better health.

Just one more week for our April promo! Elvira has been giving free 20-minute massages to those who referred someone new this month. Thank you for your referrals!

Call us anytime at (562) 861-3896.

Hints for Health re: Dry Cleaning

Everybody knows the importance of using the right methods to keep clothing both clean and in tip-top shape.  That's why we often run to the dry cleaners' with our suits and other professional or delicate garments. 

But with the continued proliferation of volatile toxic chemicals (VOCs) in our current environment, there is increased awareness of the need to change dry cleaning methods - particularly the use of perchloroethylene (PERC) for the purpose.  This chemical has been pointed out by the EPA as cancer-causing to humans.  It can also cause damage to the kidneys, liver, and nervous system.

So what solutions have come up?  Well, there is good news and bad news.  Let's do the bad news first:

"Organic" dry cleaning - unfortunately, this is not guaranteed to be free of toxic chemicals.  Any cleaning substance that contains carbon can be labeled organic - even PERC! - because there are no rules regulating this practice.  If you want to use an organic dry cleaning establishment, ask them for a complete list of the chemicals they use before you decide.

Now for the good news!  There are several tips we can follow to reduce our exposure to toxic dry cleaning chemicals:

1) Some garments that say "Dry Clean Only" -  including many wool, silk, and rayon products - can actually be hand-washed gently in lukewarm water with a very mild soap. There are online articles to help you with the details of how to dry, whether to iron, etc.  

2) There are "Wet Cleaning" places that are worth looking up as an alternative.  Inquire about your specific garments when you call them.

3) For those items that simply MUST be dry-cleaned, when they are cleaned, immediately hang them outdoors in a sheltered, well-ventilated area.  Remove the plastic bag and allow them to air out completely for at least 24 hours, but preferably several days.

4) As often as possible, purchase clothing that doesn't require dry cleaning.  Try to avoid flame-retardant fabrics as well.  If you do purchase these, give them the "hanging out" treatment before washing and then wearing them.

Closets can attract moths, so many people use mothballs to chase away the moths.  But mothballs are made of paradichlorobenzene, which is a strong carcinogen linked to leukemia and lymphoma in children.  It doesn't remain in the closet, either - this powerful chemical will spread throughout the house.

But there is a much better way to control moths! Cedar wood is a natural moth repellent. A cedar chest can be purchased - wonderful for wool blankets. For clean clothes, if you don't have a cedar closet, store them in sealed bags with cedar blocks or balls.  

Thropay Health Center always appreciates your feedback!  Call us anytime at (562) 861-3896.

Cosmetic Chemicals In Fast Food!?

Smoking thins a vital part of your brain, but quitting reverses the damage

Smoking thins a vital part of your brain, but quitting reverses the damage

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The region of the brain that controls language and memory is thinner in smokers than the rest of the population, research has found.

by RevContent

Cigarettes may be damaging our brains as well as our lungs and cardiovascular systems, a new study suggests.

An analysis of 504 people has revealed that the cortex of a smoker’s brain is thinner than the same region in a non smoker – as you can see in the image above, where yellow represents a large difference between thickness, and the colour gets darker orange as the gap decreases.

And that’s not great, because the cortex is pretty important – it’s the outer layer of the brain, and is involved in vital functions like memory, language and perception. Previous studies have shown that a thinner brain cortex is associated with cognitive decline in adults.

However, it’s not all bad news – the study also found that quitting starts to partially, but very slowly, reverse the cortex damage.

“We found that current and ex-smokers had, at age 73, many areas of thinner brain cortex than those that never smoked,” said lead researcher Sherif Karama, a psychiatrist from McGill University in Canada, in a press release. “Subjects who stopped smoking seem to partially recover their cortical thickness for each year without smoking.”

But the damage may never be fully repaired, with the study showing that former heavy smokers who quit more than 25 years ago still have thinner cortices than people who never smoked.

This is the largest study ever conducted on cortex thickness and smoking, and it may help explain the link between cigarettes and neurological issues. Researchers already know that being a smoker increases the risk of cognitive decline and dementia, but it was unclear up until now exactly how cigarettes changed the structure of the brain.

The research involved 244 males and 260 females with an average age of 73. All of the participants had been examined in 1947 when they were children as part of the Scottish Mental Survey. And the team more recently analysed the volunteers’ health, behavioural choices and also used MRI scans to study their brain cortices.

Although the cortex gradually thins as people get older, the researchers found that smoking appeared to speed up this process. Even after adjusting for lifestyle factors such as sex and age, current and ex-smokers had significantly thinner regions in their cortices than people who had never smoked. The results have been published in Molecular Psychiatry.

“Smokers should be informed that cigarettes could hasten the thinning of the brain’s cortex, which could lead to cognitive deterioration,” said Karama in the release.

And even though the research shows that quitting is good, not starting in the first place is even better. “Cortical thinning seems to persist for many years after someone stops smoking,” Karama added.

Source:

http://www.sciencealert.com/

Why Standard Processing?

HAPPY EASTER!

This special weekend we'll be celebrating new life, both in the Resurrection of Christ and the coming of spring. May it be a blessed time for each of you and your families.

Need some healthful ideas for your holiday table? Dress it up with the bright colors that are associated with the season!  I like to emphasize yellow, so how about a large organic yellow pepper as a classy dish for dip?  Remove part of one side  (along with the seeds) and fill the pepper with organic guacamole or roasted red pepper hummus.  Great accompaniment for a tray of fresh organic veggies.

Devilled eggs are always attractive and popular.  Mix free-range, hard-boiled egg yolks with finely chopped organic celery, chopped organic green onions if desired, and enough non-soy, non GMO mayo and organic yellow mustard to make the mixture moist.  Use a pastry decorator tip to fill the whites.  Decorate the tray with parsley or sprigs of any other fresh herbs. 

If you're a lemon lover, this old-time recipe still has plenty of ap"peel"!

LEMON CURD

6 large or jumbo free-range eggs (not vegetarian or soy-fed; chickens are omnivores)

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup raw clover honey - or any mild-flavored honey

grated rind of 2-3 organic lemons - about 4 tbsp.

juice of 3 organic lemons - about 1/2 cup of juice

Set up a double boiler and get the water boiling.  Cut the butter into pieces and place it in the top of the double boiler to melt, along with the honey.  Grate the juice and lemons, and beat the eggs very well to make them totally smooth (I use a blender).  Add eggs, lemon rind and lemon juice to double boiler, and mix everything together well with a wooden spoon.  Continue stirring over the boiling water for about 10 minutes , or until mixture is thick and smooth.  Remove from heat.  Store in a jar in the refrigerator.  Makes about 3 cups.

For Easter, use this "pudding" to create beautiful parfaits, layering it with berries, sliced bananas, and whipped cream.  It can also be used alone as a dessert in glass dishes, or as a spread or filling.  Very adaptable - and totally delicious! 

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Our April promo at Thropay Health Center is one of our most popular!  Refer someone new to our office this month, and receive a FREE 20-minute massage from Elvira. 

Call us for details and your appointment at (562) 861-3896.