AUGUST 5, 2019 B12 DEFICIENCY

Vitamin B12 deficiency is very common, especially in vegetarians, vegans, and older adults. The most common symptoms include blood disorders, impaired brain function, and elevated homocysteine levels.

Vitamin B12 is an essential nutrient that your body can’t make on its own, so you need to get it from your diet or supplements. Before you start supplementing with B12 you need your doctor to do a blood test to whether you have a gene mutation MTHFR which detects if you can absorb B12. This test needs to be done - MTHFR 677 and MTHFR 1298

If positive for a methylation defect you need to take a special B12 - methylcyanocobalamin. You can start eating foods that are high in B12 as organ meats. eggs, and of course leafy greens.

Organ meats are some of the most nutritious foods out there. Liver and kidneys, especially from lamb, are rich in vitamin B12. A 3.5-ounce (100-gram) serving of lamb liver provides an incredible 1,500% of the RDI for vitamin B12. Leafy greens are also high in B12. I prefer sardines as my source of B12 A one-cup (150-gram) serving of drained sardines provides more than double the RDI for vitamin B12. Salmon is another one of my favorite choices for B12. A half fillet (178 grams) of cooked salmon can pack more than 80% of the RDI for vitamin B12

Until tomorrow…

AUGUST 1, 2019 WHAT USED TO BE ---IS NOT

When I was growing up, a glass of OJ was enough for breakfast. Fruit contains sugar that can amount to a meal’s worth of calories pretty quickly.— not the best choice. Juice is also devoid of the filling fiber found in fruit, protein, and fat. Milk is another example of something I no longer do. I was encouraged to drink milk as a child. What parent doesn’t want their child yo drink milk. If we were lucky to get raw milk snuck into the state - that was great. We did not have organic milk as we do today. There is a major difference between conventional milk and organic milk Conventional one contains a dangerous amount of estrogen because it comes from cows treated with hormones. As research has shown, consuming this type of milk increases the risk of breast, ovarian and uterine cancer .

Is there any good beverage to drink. Probably not unless water from a glass bottle. As a child I remember drinking soda or as my cousin’s in Detroit called it - ‘ Pop” From sport drinks to iced teas and sodas, each of these commonly encountered beverages contains chemicals, artificial colorings and sweeteners that mess with your brain and body in no time. Most of all, these so-called healthier drinks ruin the balance of good bacteria in your gut

Until tomorrow…

JULY 31, 2019 HIGH BLOOD PRESSIURE

Around 103 million American adults have high blood pressure (hypertension), according to the American Heart Association. The number one killer among men and women is still heart disease. There are many things you can do in the way of dietary and exercise lifestyle changes.

We need to encourage 30- 45 minutes of exercise at least three times a week. We need to decrease simple carbohydrates and processed foods. The two epidemics contributing to heart disease aee

1. Diabetes

2. Obesity

These foods below are definitely not healthy for high blood pressure

1. Salt and sodium are villains when it comes to living with high blood pressure and heart disease.

2. Processed deli and lunch meats can be real sodium bombs. These meats are often cured, seasoned, and preserved with salt.

3. Frozen pizza is especially dangerous for people with high blood pressure.

Until tomorrow…

JULY 30, 2019 AMLA

A 2015 paper published the potential benefits of using Amla or Indian Gooseberry to lower blood sugar levels.

Indian gooseberry is taken by mouth for high cholesterol, "hardening of the arteries"(atherosclerosis) , diabetes, pain and swelling of the pancreas (pancreatitis), cancer, , eye problems, joint pain, diarrhea, bloody diarrhea (dysentery),, obesity, "organ restoration", and for a skin disorder that causes unpigmented skin (vitiligo).

Amla is available at ethnic stores in many different forms. You can buy amla powder or in capsula. Amla is a fruit that has the highest content of Vitamin C. It can be found in ethnic stores throughout NYC or on line

I have used both pickled gooseberries and powdered amla with positive results. You only need a small amount, about equal to one gooseberry daily.

Until tomorrow…

JULY 29, 2019 HERBS TO SUPPORT DIABETES

There are many herbs and nutraceuticals that can help decrease blood sugar levels. There are millions of Diabetes in the United States. There are even more pre- diabetics with insulin resistance, also known as pre - diabetes, and metabolic syndrome.

Many of the herbs that can decrease blood sugar are herbs/foods that you know. Some are fenugreek, rosemary and cinnamon.

A recent study published in the American Diabetes Association Journal found that taking 1 to 6 grams of cinnamon daily produced a significant decrease in plasma glucose levels, LDL cholesterol, and triglyceride levels. It was a small study and the length was only 40 days. It seems like a a lot of cinnamon so I suggest for patients to take 1-2 grams with each meal.

The other herb, Fenugreek also can decrease glucose levels and improve insulin resistance. Fenugreek has saponins, alkaloids, phenolic acids, and other ingredients that increase the release of insulin and improve the use of insulin in the body The amount of fenugreek can be up to 6 grams daily.

Until tomorrow….

JULY 26-28, 2019 PLANTAIN

Plantain it’s super nutritious, easy to identify, has no poisonous look-alikes and it is used as medicine Plantago major is a species of flowering plant in the plantain family Plantaginaceae

It is not to be confused with the type of banana. Plaintain is a common weed that is found in your back yard, and almost in most cities within the United States. It has many medicinal properties.

It has three major components which have anti inflammatory properties. These constituents are allantoin, flavonoids and phenolic compounds. The allantoin is anti inflammatory, the flavonoids is anti microbial and the phenol compound is an anti oxidant.

I use plantain for many insect bites as a poultice and for many wounds.

Until tomorrow…

JULY 25, 2019 NO NO BEFORE BED

Do you ever want a little snack before bedtime?

Many foods are a no-no before bedtime, but I gathered the worst ones that can cause sleepless nights and serious digestive issues. Even healthy foods like raw vegetables should be avoided before sleeping. I have many patients who eat a bowel of cereal before bedtime with milk. If you eat cereals with milk they get tryptophan-rich milk in your system, which technically helps you sleep, but cereals are coated with syrups and sugars and your blood glucose will be high, so don’t eat them before bed. So No cereal.

Any food that contained tyramine like cheese can jolt the system awake and should be avoid. So no cheese .Many cured meats such as ham, pepperoncini and salami are processed AND they contain tyramine Tyramine as stated can jolt you awake You could eat turkey, because it contains tryptophan that is a benefic compound which helps you sleep faster.

There are many foods that should be also avoided as sweets like ice cream Even the healthy raw veggies are bad because they are hard to digest right before sleep. I suggest a tablespoon of a nut butter as almond or organic peanut butter

Until tomorrow…

JULY 24, 2019 TINNITUS

More than 50 million Americans have tinnitus or ‘ ringing in the ears’ Tionnitus is a hissing, buzzing or ringing sound experienced in the ears. It is related to damage of the hair cells of the inner ear. It can be associated with a degree opf hearing loss. There are many causes as ear wax, viral infection, prolonged loud noises, and Meniere’s disease. I find that heavy metal intoxication especially with mercury can be the cause. You must have a provocative challenge for metals or a hair analysis in selected states like Connecticut

The treatment could involve using herbs and acupuncture by a traditional Chinese herbalist/acupuncturist Some of the herbs used are Tu Su Zi, and Shu di Huang. I use Feverfew and Hawthorn

I also have utilized aromatherapy with cypress, rosemary and rose. Sometimes there is a nutrient deficiency so I check trace minerals as well as magnesium

Until tomorrow…