As the winter months approach, many of us get out our bottles of cod liver oil and start taking preventive doses to ward off flu viruses and keep the winter blues from setting in. The vitamin D content of cod liver oil tends to get most of the credit for the above benefits (and rightly so), but there are actually a couple of other factors at work to make cod liver oil a fantastic cool-weather supplement:

• Cod liver oil supplies a natural form of activated vitamin A. Vitamin A is necessary for immunity (white blood cells actually require vitamin A in order to mature properly) and a deficiency in vitamin A can be related to fatigue. Most of the negative press surrounding vitamin A has been related to synthetic forms, such as those found in acne medications. However, excessive intake of natural forms that require conversion and activation by the body, such as beta carotene which requires zinc for activation, can cause problems. People with altered vitamin A metabolism (such as alcoholics) should still be careful to watch total vitamin A intake.
• Cod liver oil is a balanced source of highly absorbable omega-3 fatty acids. Some of the signs of inadequate omega-3 intake include depression, lowered immunity, weakness, fatigue, lethargy, dry skin, dry hair, dry eyes, frequent infection, and irritability. Foods that are richest in omega 3 fats include cold-water fish, egg yolks from pastured hens, flax seed and flax oil, and walnuts.

For more detailed information on cod liver oil, see the article Cod Liver Oil: The Number One Superfood which is available on the Weston Price Foundation website, www.westonaprice.org.

Earlier this week the Wall Street Journal published an article titled “Vitamin E is Linked to Prostate Cancer”.  The title alone is enough to make people question the nutritional supplements in their medicine cabinet and with good reason—not all forms of supplements are the same quality and have the same effect on the body. In my opinion as a scientist, this highly publicized study (the SELECT trial—scientific abstract) has generated some misinformation in regards to Vitamin E. Here’s why:

• The term “Vitamin E” actually refers to a family of eight antioxidants with similar chemical properties, split into two groups—four forms of tocopherols and four forms of tocotrienols. For more info on this, please see the Linus Pauling Micronutrient Information Center’s entry on Vitamin E. This page also contains great info on the health benefits of vitamin E as well as a list of foods that are rich in vitamin E.
• Tocopherols appear to be the most biologically necessary for the body and for this reason most Vitamin E supplements contain only tocopherols.
• Of the four tocopherols, alpha-tocopherol appears to be the most biologically active, which is why many Vitamin E supplements contain only alpha-tocopherol.
• To take it one step further, alpha-tocopherol is what is referred to as a “chimeric” molecule, which means that the same molecule can exist in several different structures depending on how it’s put together. This is probably the most important thing to think about when reading the SELECT trial and comparing it to what you have in your medicine cabinet. Alpha-tocopherol which is labeled as “all-rac” or “dl-alpha-tocopherol” is synthetic and has half the biological activity of natural alpha-tocopherol, which is labeled as “RRR-alpha-tocopherol” or “d-alpha-tocopherol”. Most studies done on vitamin E toxicity are done using synthetic alpha-tocopherol, and most cheap vitamin E supplements are made from this form.
• Guess which form the SELECT trial used? Yes, if you looked at the abstract you would see that they used “400 IU/day all-rac-alpha-tocopheryl acetate”, which is synthetic.
• In addition to the natural vs. synthetic issue, there is also the question of whether it’s a good idea to supplement with only one form of tocopherol. Of the four forms, alpha and gamma appear to have the most prominent health benefits even though gamma is found in the body at a concentration about 10 times less than alpha.
• A 2000 Johns Hopkins University study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute found that selenium and alpha tocopherol (the two nutrients studied in the SELECT trial) only reduced the risk of developing prostate cancer when blood levels of gamma tocopherol were also high. The study came to the conclusion that “The use of combined alpha- and gamma- tocopherol supplements should be considered in upcoming prostate cancer prevention trials, given the observed interaction between alpha-tocopherol, gamma-tocopherol, and selenium.”
• Another important thing to note is that supplementation of alpha tocopherol alone has been found to actually lower gamma tocopherol levels. With the conclusion above, it is easy to see why giving high doses of synthetic alpha-tocopherol without a balance of gamma-tocopherol could lead to the study conclusions that the Wall Street Journal reported on.

If you are taking a vitamin E supplement or know someone who is, I encourage you to tell them to look at the label on their supplement and find out exactly what kind of vitamin E they are taking. The safest bet with any nutrient is always going to be the form found in nature, taken in the ratios found in nature. This is also a good time to reassure our customers that Marilyn Farms Essential E contains a blend of the four types of tocopherols in nature-identical forms and in a ratio similar to what is found in vitamin E-rich foods.

Thanksgiving is six weeks away, but it is my favorite holiday so I’m already thinking about it. I love that the weather is cooler, family snuggles into home for at least half a day, the leaves change color, plus it’s my wedding anniversary and so many of my favorite foods are served all in one meal. I look forward to it for months every year. Although I have so many reasons to adore Thanksgiving, the best reason is the boost of serotonin I receive from the entire holiday.

Serotonin is a neurotransmitter found in the gut (90 percent) and brain (10 percent). Although it is in higher quantity in the gut, we associate serotonin with happiness or depression rather than digestion. Serotonin is the neurotransmitter most antidepressants target to increase levels of in order to decrease symptoms of sadness. Antidepressants do this by increasing the amount of time serotonin stays in the space between nerves where it actively promotes happiness rather than being broken down by enzymes in the body.

If you are trying to promote happiness (and most people like to be happy!) you may want to start at the beginning. Serotonin is produced from the amino acid tryptophan. Tryptophan is found in many foods, but the most common highly abundant food is…turkey! Once tryptophan is eaten and absorbed, it must pass through the blood brain barrier. The blood brain barrier protects the brain against bacteria, but also meters nutrients across based on availability. The higher amounts of amino acids get across easier than the amino acids that are not as common in your diet. To sway your body into thinking there is more tryptophan and less of the other amino acids, you can eat something rich in carbohydrates such as mashed potatoes or sweet potato pie.

Now the tryptophan is in the brain and ready to make you happy! All you need are a few vitamins and minerals to help the process along. Magnesium and B-complex should do the trick. B vitamins do many jobs inside the brain, but making serotonin is a big one. It is important to note when you are under high amounts of stress that your body increases its use of B vitamins. Therefore, when serotonin production is not given enough of the B complex vitamins the feelings of sadness and carbohydrate cravings increase.

If you are starting to experience sadness:

• Increase foods rich in tryptophan such as turkey, chicken breast, grass fed beef, and salmon.
• Make sure you are taking magnesium every night.
• Each morning take B-complex when you wake.

NOTE: This blog is not intended to replace the advice of a qualified healthcare practitioner. If you are under the care of a physician or are on prescription medications, please consult with your physician prior to making dietary or lifestyle changes or taking nutritional supplements.

Last week a study was published associating increased caffeinated coffee consumption to a decreased risk of depression. As this study was not testing causation, caffeinated coffee has not been shown to actually prevent depression but to be associated with a decreased risk. The benefits started with those who drank half of a Starbucks tall coffee and increased as the coffee consumption increased. Everything I had read before always reported caffeinated coffee to increase anxiety and depressive symptoms. This new information made me start thinking about caffeine and its effects on brain health.

Below are some of the side effects of caffeine:

• Caffeine is a central nervous stimulant (irritability, anxiety, restlessness)
• Gives a boost of energy (the shakiness is the proof)
• Increases the body’s use of Magnesium, Calcium and B- Vitamins
• Increases urination and can promote dehydration.

Below are the signs and symptoms of depression that caffeine may affect:

• Appetite or weight changes: We tend to eat differently when drinking coffee which may offset the depressive changes. Also, coffee consumption for many people is a social interaction which decreases depressive symptoms.
• Sleep changes: Coffee helps us get motivated and sleep less if we are over sleeping due to depression.
• Anger or irritability: Coffee may make this symptom worse.
• Loss of energy: Anyone who has had their first cup of coffee can attest to the fact that it gives at least a little boost of energy.
• Concentration problems: As energy is increased it becomes easier to concentrate and get things done.

(List taken from this helpguide link)

So what does all this mean for you? Coffee has both benefits and disadvantages, as much of the research has shown. Some of the disadvantages include increased side effects of chronic diseases while one advantage coffee offers is to increase amounts of dietary antioxidants. If you choose to drink coffee, it should always be organic.  When it comes to caffeinated coffee and depression, there is no link to preventing depression so do not start drinking coffee for this reason. If you are a coffee drinker the best results for decreasing the risk of depression were found for those who drank one grande Starbucks coffee or similar each day. To help mitigate some of the negative effects of coffee make sure you drink extra water and increase the amount of magnesium and B-complex vitamins taken per day.

Age related muscle loss, known as “sarcopenia”, affects 25 percent of the U.S. population over age 65. Sarcopenia cannot be detected by calculating BMI (Body Mass Index—a ratio of height and weight) or looking at a person. A person can appear obese or look very slim and still have muscle loss. The research shows that whether one is under or overweight, too little muscle decreases quality of life and increases the risk for chronic diseases. The ultimate loss with sarcopenia is the loss of functional independence and the tendency toward physical disability. Although sarcopenia is common, it is a very reversible and preventable condition.

What can you do to prevent muscle loss or re-gain muscle that has already been lost:

1. Move: The old saying is true, USE OR LOSE IT! If you want to maintain muscle you must use it. All types of exercise work. If you are home bound or a TV aficionado, lifting soup cans with your arms does the trick. If you can walk or do water aerobics that would work also. The biggest thing is to find something you can do, enjoy doing and do it.

2. Eat Protein: It is harder for the body to make protein from scratch than to use it from food. Ensure you are getting appropriate amounts of protein each day to make/maintain muscle. Protein foods include animal products (beef, chicken, turkey, seafood, fish, eggs, and dairy) and vegetable sources (legumes, nuts, and seeds)

3. Digest Protein: Once chewed, protein must be digested to do any good. Digestion begins with stomach acid. By the time we turn 65 our stomach acid production has decreased 75 percent. By adding lemon/lime juice or vinegar to meals we can help increase the acidity of the stomach and digest proteins better.

Consider Essential Meal: If fat loss is important, your appetite is low, or there is a meal you tend to forget to eat on a regular basis, Essential Meal is a great solution to ensure adequate protein intake to prevent muscle loss.

As a nutritionist, I am continually aware of the latest and greatest supplements out there to help combat the aging process. I do agree that many of these supplements—especially those containing antioxidants—are important, but I am sometimes concerned that all the media hype around anti-aging formulas makes people forget that the basic micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) found in food and in multivitamin formulas are part of the foundation for healthy aging. Here are a few things to consider:

• Our modern food supply is lower in micronutrients than it was 50 or 100 years ago because crops nowadays tend to be grown in soil that has been stripped of nutrients through over-farming or use of chemical fertilizers. To make sure you are getting the most nutritious food available, buy food as fresh as possible from local sources such as farmers markets and/or start your own backyard garden using compost as fertilizer.
• All of the bodily processes that are intimately involved in healthy aging such as cell division and producing correct copies of DNA rely on a vast assortment of essential vitamins and minerals that should be found in a healthy diet. When our diets are deficient in these nutrients due to food processing or eating the wrong types of foods, it sets us up for the signs of accelerated aging caused by unhealthy cell division and damage to DNA.
• A simple multivitamin formula may provide “extra insurance” to help supply your daily needs for micronutrients. Just be sure that it contains absorbable forms of nutrients and does not contain a lot of fillers. One way to quickly check the quality of your multivitamin is to look on the label for what form of calcium it contains. The “calcium carbonate” form of calcium is the cheapest form out there and is one of the least absorbable. If a multivitamin contains this form as its sole source of calcium, I usually take it as a sign that the overall formula is not as absorbable as others out there. This is not a hard and fast rule, and there are times when calcium carbonate is helpful (such as in antacids) but I personally don’t think it belongs in a quality multivitamin.

For an interesting read on micronutrients and aging, please see the article by Bruce Ames printed in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America titled “Low micronutrient intake may accelerate the degenerative diseases of aging through allocation of scarce micronutrients by triage”. The full text article is available online.

Recently, I was sitting on a plane and overheard my neighbors talking about sunburn, sunscreen, and of course the good old days. The younger one was saying his children get sunburned within 15 minutes of being in the sun and the older one stated that many years ago her children could be outside all day and not get burned. The whole conversation was summed up with, “What a shame that we destroyed the ozone layer”…but what if the destruction of the ozone layer was only half the story?

Anti-oxidants, especially vitamin C and vitamin E may be a missing part of the equation. One study found that those who took 2000mg of vitamin C and 1000 IU of Vitamin E orally had the ability to increase their daily exposure to UV radiation (harmful sunlight) before becoming sunburned. Thinking about the seemingly recent increase in sunburn, we may very well be a society that is not getting enough antioxidants to protect against the lack of ozone layer. All of this becomes more personal when realizing that sunburn causes increases in the risk of skin cancer and excessive skin wrinkling.

However, without UV radiation (sunlight), cholesterol cannot be turned into vitamin D, which is an important nutrition for protecting against dementia, heart problems and age related depression. So sunlight is an important part of an anti-aging protocol, but skin still has to be protected!

As with everything, the sooner we start to work on prevention the greater the benefits. Acting now to protect your skin can help guarantee beautiful skin that is free of excessive wrinkles. Unfortunately, many of us have been sun worshipers and need a “wrinkle redo”. A serum containing 5 percent vitamin C has been shown to decrease the depth of sun-induced wrinkles and cause skin to appear more youthful. As vitamin C breaks down quickly it is best to make your own single use serum and use it immediately. Below is a recipe:

1. Dissolve 1000 mg vitamin C (ascorbic acid) in 1 teaspoon distilled water in a small glass container. Make sure it is fully dissolved before proceeding to next step.

2. Add 1 teaspoon of glycerine (can be purchased in the beauty section of most health food stores) and mix.

3. Apply directly to skin. Store any leftovers in a dark glass container (i.e. a clean tincture jar) in a cool place such as the refrigerator.

Study reference: “Protective effect against sunburn of combined systemic ascorbic acid (vitamin C) and d-α-tocopherol (vitamin E).” Bernadette Eberlein-König MD, Marianne Placzek MD and Bernhard Przybilla MD. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology. Volume 38, Issue 1, January 1998, Pages 45-48

Maintaining muscle mass as time goes by is one of the most important things a person can do to ensure healthy aging. Here are a few fun facts about muscle health!

• If muscles are not used regularly, the gradual loss of muscle mass begins in the third decade of life.
• It has been estimated that muscle mass decreases 35 percent to 40 percent between 20 and 80 years of age unless active measures are taken to prevent this.
• Factors that accelerate muscle loss include stress, lack of exercise, smoking, insufficient protein intake, blood sugar imbalance, and excessive intake of alcohol.
• A diet rich in antioxidants from fruits and vegetables has been found to help prevent muscle damage and loss of muscle mass.
• A minimum of 30 minutes of resistance weight training three times per week is recommended to help prevent muscle loss associated with aging.
• Whey protein is one of the most absorbable forms of protein available and contains amino acids that directly nourish muscle tissue. A serving of whey protein taken in the morning has been found to be especially helpful in promoting muscle health and maintenance through the day.

Last week, I flew to Baltimore with my husband and son for a three-day nutrition conference and to visit with my family who live nearby. Traveling from Honolulu to Baltimore takes about 16 hours, the majority of which was spent with a toddler in my lap. My son is still nursing (I plan to nurse until he’s two), which is great for his immune system but not so great for my back when he wanted to nurse off and on for almost the whole plane trip! After this trip and the three days of sitting in a conference room all day I started to really understand the importance of stretching to prevent and to relieve back pain. Here are just a few benefits of stretching:

• Stretching increases the flow of blood to the afflicted area. This promotes repair and helps to oxygenate tissues.
• When you take a moment to stretch, you are also taking a moment to calm the mind which can help relieve stress. Excessive release of stress hormones can increase pain!
• Stretching increases your range of motion, which helps to prevent injuries. Maintaining flexibility is one factor that has been linked to healthier aging. In fact, the ancient yogis used to say “you are as young as your spine is flexible.”

For a few easy yet effective back stretches that you can do anywhere, please see the Mayo Clinic slideshow on the subject.

On Saturday, August 27, I will be participating in an “Ask the Nutritionist” webinar hosted by Marilyn Farms. In this free one-hour session, participants can send in questions and I will answer as many as I can in the time we have. It will be a nutrition question feeding frenzy! Below are a few examples of questions that I received during our last “Ask the Nutritionist” webinar. To take advantage of this offer, please register here or through our website, www.marilynfarms.com. I look forward to talking with you!

Q: What are the top veggies/fruits that we should buy organically?

A: Each year, the Environmental Working Group sends out a list of the “Dirty Dozen”, which are the top 12 produce items that should be purchased organically. This year, that list includes apples, celery, strawberries, peaches, spinach, nectarines (imported), grapes (imported), sweet bell peppers, potatoes, blueberries (domestic), lettuce, and kale/collard greens.

Q: Are there nutritional supplements that a child can take after a course of antibiotics to prevent diarrhea and other side effects?

A: The most important thing for recovery is of course going to be a healthy diet that minimizes sugar and maximizes nourishing foods such as green vegetables, meat, poultry, bone broths, and fermented foods such as yogurt or kefir. As far as supplements go, the #1 most important thing to take after (and if possible, during) a course of antibiotics is probiotics (healthy bacteria). There are many different probiotic formulations for children available, just make sure that they contain a blend of bifidus and acidophilus bacteria to re-colonize all areas of the digestive tract. In addition to this, taking cod liver oil (recommended dose for most children is 1 tsp per day) can help to restore levels of nutrients that may have been depleted by antibiotics.

Q: Can diabetics use cod liver oil?

A: Cod liver oil is a wonderful supplement for diabetics because it contains omega-3 fats, natural vitamin D, and natural vitamin A—all three of which help with blood sugar control and nerve health. The one caution with any fish oil is that it can thin the blood, so a person on blood thinners such as aspirin or Coumadin should be sure to check with their doctor to make sure medications are in balance.