SEPTEMBER 8, 2022 HOMOCYSTEINE

What is homocysteine ? Homocyteine is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease, stroke, osteoporosis and several neurodegenerative diseases., In diabetics, homocysteine adds a significant burden, especially in those with poorly controlled blood glucose. Homocysteine levels below 6 umol/L are to be ideal. and moderate risk begins when levels are between 9 - 13 umol/L/. Levels above 13 are associated with and may be seen in kidney diseases.

These are the factors causing Hyperhomocysteinemia:
1. increased age; 2. male gender ; 3. menopause
A diet low in consumption of fruits and vegetables, no consumption of multivitamins, low intake of folic acid, vitamin B6 and vitamin B12 and a diet high in methionine containing proteins.

So you do not get panicked--there are diseases with higher homocysteine levels., These are diabetes, kidney diseases, certain malignancies, rheumatoid arthritis, hypothyroidism, psoriasis, and enzyme deficiencies as methionine synthetase.

I have mentioned methionine twice so there are metabolic pathways concerting homnocysteine to either cysteine and/ or methionine ( 2 other amino acids) It is straight forward in reducing homocysteine levels. You do this by increasing the intake of folates, Vitamin B12 and Vitamin B6

B12 is by far the most studied single ingredient to reduce homocysteine. I prefer to use a methylated folic acid as there is a very common enzyme deficiency (5 MTHFR) A methylated folic acid is more beneficial. If you cannot get a methylated folic acid, then you can use TMG ( trimethylglycine) as it is a methyl donor and an alternative substrate for converting homocysteine to methionine.

There are some drugs that can also increase homocysteine as metformin ( glucophage for diabetes) niacin, theophylline ( for asthma ( and estrogens ( as in birth control) There are others but these are just a few.

Until tomorrow...

SEPTEMBER 7 2022 SIGHT

I honestly do not know which sense of the 5 I would desire if I lost all 5. Some say sight, and some say hearing. I know I couldn’t be able to read or stitch initially. I would learn There are many nutrients beneficial to the eye.

Lutein and zeaxanthin play a vital role in eye health. These are both found naturally in the retina where they filter blue light ( which is damaging) and protect against ultraviolet

Both of these reduce the age related macular degeneration and cataracts. These compounds also been found to improve visual acuity and contrast sensitivity. Also essential is Vitamin C, niacin, and omega 3

Until tomorrow…

SEPTEMBER 6 2022 BROCCOLI

As a child I was never fond of broccoli. I ate it but didn’t like it I preferred peas or string beans. Go figure

Broccoli has a reputation as being a remarkably healthy food, and that reputation is deserved. It’s a great source of vitamins C, K1, and A, as well as folate, potassium, iron, manganese, iron, and calcium. It even has protein . Today I love broccoli

It is a member of the Brassica Family which includes cauliflower, cabbage, kale, kohlrabi, and Brussell sprouts. Broccoli is essentially a large edible flower . Its name comes from the Italian word broccolo, which means “the flowering crest of a cabbage,” as well as the Latin word brachium, which means branch, shoot, or arm.

It contains great vitamins and a powerful vegetable full of anti oxidants. The two active compounds found in broccoli are glucoraphanin and glucosinolates. As part of the digestive process, our bodies convert glucoraphanin into sulforaphane a compound known to fight many types of cancer. I use many compounds with sulforaphane as DIM, Super Greens and Greens First . I use these compounds to support my patients with cancer especially breast cancer. There are many studies citing the benefits of broccoli in fighting cancer Some researchers are beginning to use broccoli (and broiccoli sprouts in particular, which contain 20–100 times higher concentrations of glucosinolate, sulforaphane’s precursor, than adult broccoli) as an adjunct to chemotherapy. There are other herbs used in Europe as Mistletoe which can used adjunct to chemotherapy

It appears that sulforaphane can conduct multipronged attack on cancer cells (including inducing apoptosis, which is basically convincing carcinogenic cells to kill themselves for the sake of the organism).

So the conclusion is …. EAT BROCCOLI

Until tomorrow…

SEPTEMBER 1, 2022 BENEFITS OF MUSHROOMS

Do you remember when seeing a mushroom as a child ? Were you fascinated by the shapes and colors of mushrooms ? I know I was intrigued even at a very early age. I was fascinated with plants , bugs , insects and birds as a child. Mushrooms are often seen as a bland and boring food, but they actually offer a surprising amount of health benefits

Certain mushrooms can increase your vitamin D levels. Certain mushroom contains a naturally lowering agent for cholesterol and some for autoimmune disease and anti-cancer benefits.

We all should eat mushrooms. Mushrooms are anti-inflammatory and have a multitude of anti-oxidants. Mushrooms can help improve your immune system function. This is because mushrooms contain compounds that help to stimulate the immune system. Mushrooms can protect your brain and support good cognitive function. Mushrooms are also heart healthy. There are some studies to s8uggest that mushrooms can lower your blood pressure.

I believe that gut health is essential for general good health. The gut is the gateway to all disease. Mushrooms have been shown to improve gut health

So, start eating mushrooms. I recommend all to watch ‘Fantastic Fungi” on Netflix Amazing film and so educational

Until tomorrow…

AUGUST 31, 2022 KOLA NUT

This is not a nut you hear about al lot. It is called the Kola Nut. It is from the cacao Family of Trees. Its botanical name is Cola acuminata. The native tree is African and can grow up to 60 feet. I have never seen the tree but it is described with pale yellow flowers streaked with purple. It must look spectacular. The fruit is wrinkled, and each fruit contains about a dozen seeds

The seeds are the kola nut. The Africans treat the seeds as a burst of energy—caffeinated that is.

Medicinally the Kola elixirs have been prescribed for seasickness and as an appetite stimulant. I have seen it prescribed with quinine and genitan. There are Kola wines. There was one well known wine from Kola called Toni - Koli

I couldn’t find this wine anywhere on the internet

Until tomorrow…

AUGUST 30, 2022 CHIVES

Chives are used in cooking as are other plants in the Lily Family. The botanical name for Chives is Allium schoenoprasum. The better known Allium plants are Garlic ( Allium sativum ) and Onion ( Allium cepa ) Chives are the smallest of the Onion Plants. They do have a delicate onion taste without being overwhelming The flowers are edible as are with Garlic and Onions.

Chives are easy to grow in pots. I always grow Chives because it adds a wonderful flavor to food. In addition, I eat the flower. Chives like partial sunlight and plenty of water To get new growth always separate your chive clumps.

Energetically chives excel at protection ( as do Garlic and Onion) and absorb all negative energy

Grow all Allium plants in your garden

Until tomorrow…

AUGUST 29, 2022 FAKE HONEY

I was amazed by an article in the Insider ‘ “ Honey is one of the most faked foods in the world, and the US Government isn’t do anything about it “ This bothers me so much. Is fake honey or adulterated honey plaquing the beekeeping industry. I am a small beekeeper and prodduce honey and propolis. I utilize bee venom in my life.

Either these manufacturers of faux bee honey are diluting the honey with syrup, or they chemically modify the sugars they put into this faux honey. This is a shame as the purchaser of the honey is being robbed of the benefits of honey. I prefer raw honey right from the hive

The US government got involved in 2013 and charged to honey manufacturer. There needs to be more regulation on honey Manufacturers from 2008 were changed and so were individuals manufacturing this adulterated honey It is a shame that such a pure product from what i consider the most respected insects can get a bad rap. It is so unfair

Yet 10-12 years later there is still fake honey on the shelves of stores. You as the consumer should look into the manufacturers before oyu buy honey. I would buy from your local beekeeper. He is not selling volume Like me, he/she is selling about 20-30 lbs from each hive You need to support the local beekeeper. It is better than buying from a store. He might have it a bit higher in price, but it supports their love for their bees and the environment. It is not just the honey you buy in plastic jars that be adulterated but think about all the honey used in the food industry. This is a bigger problem. I try to do my part by warning individuals about honey calling people out, but I cannot do it all.

Be an activist. Take up this cause or any cause you believe in

Until tomorrow…

AUGUST 25, 2022 VITAMIN E

Vitamin E is not just a single compound., It is composed of a family of eight similar compounds, There is much known about Vitamin E as compared to when I was in medical school , a mere 30 years ago.
The alpha tocopherol Vitamin E has fallen from the sky as a crashing comet, but you must give credit to the other compounds, especially tocotrienol. This is the lesser known Vitamin E. There are great studies on this type for cardiovascular disease, and now I look forward to the new studies for cancer therapies.

For one the tocotrienols have a different chemical structure and there is a wider range of cell membrane coverage versus the alpha tocopherol group. The other fact which I find the most important is the superiority of the antioxidant effect for the tocotrienols as compared to the alpha tocopherols.

There are many more pathways that are activated by the tocotrienols. Due to this fact alone, there will be in the future more cancer prevention and cancer therapies studied for the tocotrienols. This group has repeatedly in studies been shown to inhibit cancer cells. This is not true of the alpha tocopherols. Astonishing a third of all the research on Vitamin E has been published in the last 2 years, even though there are studies dating back to the 1970's on Vitamin E

For those who take Vitamin E ...take a mixed tocotrienols. Do not take one specific Vitamin E as alpha tocopherols. You must move with the times. You must be well informed.