Posts Tagged ‘san francisco nutrition’

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Excessive hunger could be dehydration

Sunday, December 20th, 2009

office-water-coolerDo you ever notice that even after eating a good sized meal you are still hungry?  Well, believe it or not the hunger that you may be feeling could be a sign of dehydration.  So many people misinterpret dehydration as hunger and it’s an easy mistake to make considering that even though your body is thirsty the signal it gives off is hunger.

If you find yourself hungry shortly after you have just finished eating, a good habit to get into is to check in with yourself and see where you are at with your daily water intake.  Notice I have written water.  Water is the best beverage for managing dehydration.  Beverages such as sodas, ice teas and coffee are dehydrating agents and no, the water that is in ice teas or herbal teas does not count towards your daily intake.  So, how does one know if they have drunk enough water throughout their day?  Well, the general guideline that we use here at Replenishing Soul is…whatever you weigh; take ½ of your weight and that is the number of ounces of water you should be drinking on a daily basis.  Another good  indicator that you are getting enough of water is that your urine should be clear with the exception of first thing in the morning.

Water is an essential agent to your health; it makes up more than two thirds of the weight of the human body.  Water helps your cells function on a daily basis, flushes toxins out of the body, contributes to brain function, makes up the fluid that surrounds your joints and regulates body metabolism just to name a few.  Below you will see other signs of possible dehydration.  If you notice these signs for yourself or some else considering drinking more water and pay attention to the changes that happen within your body.  Also, if you are someone who is struggling to loose weight and can’t because of hunger, I would strongly recommend re-evaluating the status of your daily water intake.  All those feelings of hunger could be signs of dehydration and when you begin to drink more water not only does the hunger go away but you begin to consume less calories.  In addition, typically by the time you feel thirst you are well into the state of dehydration.

Here are some other signs that you may be dehydrated:

  • - Hunger
  • - Pain (achy low back muscles)
  • - Cramps
  • - Feeling dizzy (vertigo)
  • - Tired
  • Headaches

Lori Metroka

Nutrition & Wellness Specialist

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Antibiotics in our Food

Sunday, December 13th, 2009

chicken_grazing13Farmers have been using sub-therapeutic levels of antibiotics in animals for years. This is done to help the animals gain weight in addition to helping them survive substandard, overcrowded living conditions that make them more susceptible to disease.  Scientists are discovering that this overuse of antibiotics in food is leading to the production of strains of harmful bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics, meaning that these strains are surviving and are most likely being consumed by humans.

The World Health Organization is showing concern over these issues and has stated it’s recommendation to “terminate or rapidly phase out antimicrobials for growth promotion if they are used for human treatment.”  However, it appears that the adherance to these recommendations is not uniform.  In the December 3rd issue of Daily Diagnosis, an online health and daily medical news publication for the American Society of Clinical Pathology, reported the following:

  ”The Minneapolis Star Tribune (11/20, Pabst) reported that the Food and Drug Administration “sent stern warning letters to two central Minnesota dairy farms, which were among only 30 farms nationwide reprimanded so far this year for violating the rules governing how animal drugs can be used.” The farms, J&L Dairy and Evergreen Acres Dairy, were each found to have sent a cow to slaughter with “dangerously high levels of antibiotics” in their systems. One of the cows was drugged “with 129 times the amount of penicillin allowed under federal regulations.” Keith Schaefer, the owner of Evergreen Acres Dairy, said he was “shocked” by the findings, and assured that he had “spent several days retraining the four employees who administer drugs.” The AP (11/23) reports Linda Korfe, who owns J&L Dairy, “said any drug misuse would be unintentional because they try to abide by regulations.” “ 

It is clear that as a consumer it’s difficult to know what is in your food, since farmers are not required to report the use of antibiotics on food labels.  When buying meat, it’s always best to buy organic.  Also look for the words “no antibiotics added” on meat or poultry products which indicates that the producer has satisfied the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service that the animals were raised without antibiotics.

To learn more about what you should be avoiding in your diet, sign up for our Wellness 101 workshop, or contact us for a free consultation.

In Good Health,

Dorothy Lizak

Nutrition & Wellness Specialist

 

 

 

References:

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/meat/safe/overview.html

http://www.princeton.edu/~greening/downloads/antibiotic_table_tent1.pdf

Photo: thank you to: localpoultry.com

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Repair, Aging & Degeneration

Saturday, December 5th, 2009

red-blood-cellsDamage to the body is unavoidable.  Damage to your body comes in many forms: biochemical, electromagnetic, pathogenic, physiological, or toxic.  Even though damage to your body is unavoidable there are still ways to slow down the aging and degenerative processes.  Our practice at Replenishing Soul is not about helping people live longer lives, this is something we feel is not in our hands.  However, we are about teaching our clients how they can have a better quality of life.

Your body is working everyday to keep itself in balance.  This process of keeping balance is called homeostasis and is a word that will be used frequently throughout this blog entry.  Once homeostasis in a particular pathway is lost, for whatever reason, compensations in other pathways will occur.  Your body will naturally shift from the weakened pathway to a stronger pathway in order to keep balance and to either minimize or eliminate symptomatology.  When your body switches over to use stronger pathways these changes may go unknown to you, meaning that metabolic changes are taking place within your body that you are unaware of and cannot necessarily feel taking place.

There are five stages to disorder progression.  The first phase of disorder is the deviation from homeostasis.  If the body cannot do so compensation will progress to the second phase of disorder: pathophysiology.  Once in this phase the body will still attempt to return to the previous phase.  Should the pathophysiology continue then the third phase of progress will take place: pathomorphology.  Pathomorphology is where the body’s tissues undergo change.  Again, the body will try to return to the previous state of disorder.  If the progression continues and goes unnoticed the forth stage of progression will happen which is symtomatology. Should symtomatology continue and the body is unable to go back to the previous stage more systems will go into dysfunction.  It is at this point that the fifth and final stage will take place, stage five being death.  At any point along this progression the transition from acute disorder to chronic disorder may take place.  The further one gets within this progression the harder it is to return to the state of homeostasis.  One point I would like to make here is that these five stages can take place over a course of a few hours to years.

Even though the aging and degenerative process are inevitable there are a few items that you can do to slow them down and have a quality of life that is pain free, full of energy, stable mood and ideal weight:

  • 1. Eat balanced meals. Each meal and or snack should contain a protein, fat and carbohydrate.
  • 2. Keep your hormones in balance. Eating balanced meals, removing sugar and caffeine from your diet and getting to bed on time will help to keep your hormones in check. If you suspect a hormonal imbalance you should have your hormones tested. Call Replenishing Soul to order your hormone kits that can be done in the comforts of your own home.
  • 3. Get sleep. Sleep is vital to helping your body repair. If you suffer from sleeping problems either trouble getting asleep or staying asleep call us for a consultation.
  • 4. Get exercise. Be careful with this one. Even though exercise is good for you it can stress out an already stressed out body. If you are unsure of how you should be exercising you can have one of our CHEK practitioners evaluate your routine for you.
  • 5. Keep your digestive system healthy. 80% of your immune system is within your gut. Therefore, having a healthy gut means having a healthy body. If you have questions or concerns about your digestive system call us, you may benefit from gut testing.
  • 6. Don’t ignore the symptoms your body is giving you. If for any reason you don’t feel well then don’t ignore what your body is trying to tell you. Don’t accept someone telling you that “that is part of the aging process” or you’ll just have to learn to live with it”. If any health practitioner tells you this find yourself a new one. It is not normal to not feel well.

If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to contact us.  We look forward to hearing from you.

 

Lori Metroka

Nutrition & Wellness Specialist

 

Resource:  Biohealth Diagnostics:  Adrenal and Metabolic Interpretive Guide

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Benefits of Vitamin D

Saturday, November 28th, 2009


sunshine1

We’ve all heard about the importance of vitamin D in keeping our bones and teeth healthy, but studies are reporting more and more links between vitamin D and several other aspects of good health. That’s the good news. The bad news, however is that research is finding that 85-90% of us are vitamin D deficient. This can be due to a lack of sun exposure, particularly in winter, reduced intake of vitamin D rich foods and supplements, and aging (as we age we have a reduced ability to absorb, synthesize, and mobilize vitamin D).  This is a relatively new area to be explored and much more research is under way, but here are some exciting findings of what vitamin D has been linked to thus far:

1.     Decreases risk of cancer, especially breast cancer, prostate cancer and colorectal cancer. It also curbs the growth of new blood vessels, which could inhibit cancers from spreading.

2.     Maintains a healthy immune system and hormonal balance by working to regulate the building up and breaking down of body tissue.

3.     Linked to lowering the risk of diabetes.

4.     Weight loss: Several studies have shown people with higher levels of vitamin D have a leaner body mass.

5.     Improves cardiovascular health and decreased risk of heart attacks, strokes and other cardiovascular events by decreasing inflammation. It has also been linked to lowering blood pressure.

6.     May lower the risk of multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and autoimmune thyroid disease because of powerful anti-inflammatory effects.

7.     Helps to prevent falls and fractures. Vitamin D receptors have been found on fast-twitch muscle fibers. These are used when you have to quickly react and stop yourself from losing your balance and falling.

8.     Less risk of developing osteoporosis if our mothers had adequate levels of vitamin D during pregnancy.

9.     Vitamin D taken with calcium significantly reduces risk of bone loss as we age.

10.  Vitamin D with calcium helped to control some symptoms of PMS such as anxiety and irritability.

Symptoms of vitamin D deficiency may include muscle pain, weak bones/fractures, low energy and fatigue, difficulty sleeping, depression and mood swings. If you have kidney problems or intestinal issues such as IBS you may also be at risk of vitamin D deficiency due to poor conversion or absorption in the body.

Since there are several courses of action to increasing vitamin D levels, it’s important to discuss your options with your doctor. Increasing sun exposure (early a.m. is the best since the sun is least damaging), increasing intake of vitamin D rich foods like mackerel, sardines and egg yolks, and taking vitamin D supplements are all options. Too much vitamin D can be toxic, especially if taken orally so be sure to have your levels checked with a simple blood test your doctor can run before making changes in your vitamin D intake. If you would like more information on the health of your digestive system, feel free to contact us. Through a series of questionnaires and health history, we can determine if diet and lifestyle changes or lab testing would be beneficial to you. As always, feel free to contact us for more information or for a complimentary phone or in person consultation.

 

Dorothy Lizak

Nutrition & Wellness Specialist

 

 

 

 

 

References:

http://www.womentowomen.com/healthynutrition/vitamind.aspx

Nutrition Action: From Sun & Sea. November 2009

Photo: thank you to http://www.hawaiisunshine.org/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/sunshine1.jpg

 

 

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Stress and the Brain

Saturday, November 14th, 2009

We’ve all been there one way or another: You hit the snooze button too many times, leaving you with no time for breakfast and scrambling to get out of the house only to be stuck in bumper to bumper traffic all the while panicking about missing that first all important meeting at work, and it’s only 8a.m. For many of us the stress doesn’t stop there. We rush through work all the while thinking about everything we need to accomplish afterwards, whether it’s obligations with our kids, household chores, making dinner, getting to the gym, or like many of us, all of the above. As our minds keep telling us to “Go, go, go”, “Hurry up”, and “I don’t have time”, the stress placed on our bodies is telling us “I can’t keep up”, “You’re wearing me out”, “Slow down!”.                  

As we’ve mentioned in previous blogs, hippocampusthis constant stress response promotes the over-release of the stress hormone cortisol which can lead to a cascade of problems including weight gain, poor sleep, a decreased immune system, cardiovascular damage and many more. In addition, research has found that high cortisol levels can cause your hippocampus (as seen in blue in the picture on the right), a structure in your brain that is responsible for short-term memory and mood, to atrophy and SHRINK! This can actually be seen on an MRI. When this happens, you increase your risk of depression, anxiety, sleep disturbances and short-term memory loss. Researchers are also now finding that the first symptom of Alzheimer’s disease is depression.

 The good news: Scientists are now saying that the hippocampus is one of the few structures in the brain that can regenerate. This means that you CAN heal your brain by making some changes in your lifestyle. Remember, the food you eat, the thoughts that go through your head, and your exercise routine can all either help or worsen the situation. To learn more, sign up for our Wellness 101 Lecture on our events page. Workshop dates for 2010 are coming soon!

 

We’re always happy to discuss your health concerns in person or over the phone, feel free to call us for a complimentary consultation.

 

 

Dorothy Lizak

Nutrition & Wellness Specialist

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Get off the Scale

Friday, October 30th, 2009

We’ve all been there. You go to your scale_girl1doctor’s office for your physical and on the way to the exam room you hear those dreaded words  “Step on the scale”.  At that moment many of us feel like we need to start shedding as many clothing items as possible. Our once very well put together outfit including shoes, socks, belt, earrings, sweater, and anything else that can go is now on the floor. We want the measurement to be accurate, don’t we? Well, guess what? Even then it may not be.

I myself have weighed the same weight since I was 13 years old, yet the size of my clothes has actually changed quite a bit over the years. How can this be?  Well, it’s because muscle weighs more than fat,  so dont be surprised that while you’re reaping the many benefits of weight training (including increasing your metabolism and increasing the release of growth and tissue repair hormones) you may not necessarily notice the scale moving. In my case, I have been 4 different dress sizes and weighed the same. 

So put the scale away and do this instead. A much better way to gage weight loss is to notice how your clothes are fitting. By replacing fat with lean muscle, you WILL notice  more room in your clothes. And remember, you have to be healthy to lose weight, not lose weight to be healthy. Having your lifestyle and nutrition plan evaluated is a critical step in achieving your weight loss goals. An unhealthy, unbalanced body will hold on to fat/weight until it is well. To learn more, feel free to contact us. We’re always here to help.

 

 

Dorothy Lizak

Nutrition & Wellness Specialist

 

References:

Picture: thank you to http://www.adrenalinfitnessandweightloss.com/trainers

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Inflammation – redness, swelling and pain

Saturday, October 24th, 2009

inflammationWhat is inflammation?  By definition it is …Pathology. Redness, swelling, pain, tenderness, heat, and disturbed function of an area of the body, esp. as a reaction of tissues to injurious agents.

Typically one thinks of inflammation as a cut or a sprain that may become red and swollen and this is the extent of what one thinks of when it comes to inflammation.  I am here to tell you that inflammation is more than just a cut or a sprain.  Just as the definition above states it is a disturbed function of an area of the body do to injurious agents.  For the purpose of this blog entry I will be discussing areas of the body that are susceptible to inflammation and explain what the injurious agents are.

First of all, any part of the human body can become inflamed.  That means that muscles, joints, nerves, organs and skin are all vulnerable to inflammation.  Becoming inflamed does not just happen from being injured from an accident.  Becoming inflamed as stated above in the definition comes from injurious agents.  What I need all of you to understand is  that an injurious agent can come from the food you eat, the beverages you drink, lack of sleep, emotional and physical stress, etc.  Each of these agents can affect your body in different ways but all can end up causing inflammation.

We see so many people that come into our offices not feeling well, feeling tired, knowing that something is wrong with them but yet nothing is found during a doctor’s visit.  More times than not these individuals bodies are trying to fight inflammation and our job is to find the source of the inflammation.  Typically what is given to treat inflammation are anti-inflammatory drugs and at times this is necessary but what I want all of you to know and understand is that if the injurious agent is not removed then you are only treating the symptoms and not the problem.

If you would like more information about how food, beverages, lack of sleep, emotional and physical stress become injurious agents sign up for our Wellness 101 lecture.  Visit www.replenishingsoul.com/our-events for more information or write us your questions, we would love to hear from you.

 

Lori Metroka,PT

Nutrition & Wellness Specialist

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The Benefits of Fiber

Sunday, October 18th, 2009

Dietary fiber is the edible part of plant cell walls that gives plants its structure. Because it is undigestible it is not considered a nutrient, but it does aid in digestion, helps promote weight loss, helps regulate blood sugars and had been found to offer protection against certain diseases. There are two types of fiber, soluble and insoluble.legumes

Insoluble fiber does not dissolve in water, and has also been known as “roughage”. It is found in whole-wheat products, nuts, seeds, dark green leafy vegetables, and in the skins of fruit and vegetables, such as potatoes and green beans. Here’s a list of some of the ways insoluble fiber works in your body:

1. It makes you feel full, and promotes a reduction in over-eating and weight loss.

2. It stimulates the intestinal wall to contract and relax which helps food move through the intestinal tract, acting as a natural laxative.

3. It adds bulk and softness to the stool, which promotes regularity and prevents constipation and hemorrhoids.

4. It allows waste to move through the colon quickly. This is important in preventing harmful substances from staying in the intestinal tract and coming in contact with the intestinal lining. 

5. It help prevent colon cancer by keeping an optimal pH in intestines to prevent microbes from producing cancerous substances.

Soluble fiber dissolves in water. Some good sources of soluble fiber are: oats and oat bran, barley, nuts, apples, carrots, legumes, psyllium husk and flaxseed. In your body, soluble fiber:

1. Promotes weight loss by slowing down digestion (you feel full faster).

2. Helps reduce your risk of diabetes by controlling blood sugar: The gradual absorption of digested food helps control the amount of glucose that enters your blood stream.  

3. Helps reduce your risk of heart disease.

4. Appears to help lower cholesterol. The pectin in some soluble fibers binds to fatty substances, preventing the absorption in your body and instead aids in their excretion.

When trying to add more fiber to your diet, remember to choose whole grains (including breads, cereals, and pasta), replace white rice with brown rice, and choose whole fruits and vegetables instead of canned or in the form of juices. If you have questions or would like more personalized information for your body’s needs, feel free to contact us. We’d love to hear from you.

 

Dorothy Lizak

Nutrition & Wellness Specialist

 

 

References:

Nelson, Miriam E. Strong Women Eat Well, Berkeley Publishing Group. 2001

http://www.myfooddiary.com/resources/ask_the_expert/soluble_insoluble_fiber.asp

http://www.healthcastle.com/fiber-solubleinsoluble.shtml

Photo: thank you to: http://www.body-perfect-fitness.com/images/Legumes.jpg

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