Marilyn Farms Blog » blood sugar

Memory Loss: Time to Stop… Drop… and Roll

Elizabeth Wagner, RD CCN — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 04:05:38 +0000

Dementias, including Alzheimer ’s disease, are associated with debilitating memory loss. Inside the body, as memory loss becomes greater, inflammation increases. Inflammation can be likened to a fire, which needs fuel and oxygen. Following this example inside the body, the wood feeding the fire is high stress, poor diet and little exercise. The oxygen fanning the flames comes in the form of uncontrolled free radicals and high levels of insulin. Here are four simple ways to take charge and put out the smoldering coals in the brain before they catch fire:

Balance Blood Sugar—You can control the inflammation in your body by simply keeping blood sugar constant. Eat a meal or snack every three to four hours that includes a protein source. Choose appropriate portions of low glycemic foods as carbohydrate sources such as green vegetables and whole grains. Most important, choose foods that are unprocessed or minimally processed.
Take Antioxidants—In combination with an active lifestyle, antioxidants are the best defenders against dementia. There are many important antioxidants and it is important to have all of them in your diet or supplement regime. Coenzyme Q10 is especially important as it has been shown to increase brain function in those with Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s related dementias and helps the heart muscle function appropriately. CoQ10 is fascinating because it is a vitamin that is used at the end of the body’s process for making energy, called the Kreb’s cycle. Without Coenzyme Q10, the oxygen used to make energy would create even more free radicals and cause increased inflammation.
Use the Brains You Have—An extensive web of brain connections is critical in protecting functional memory. The more connections you have, the less likely you will miss one if it disappears. The best way to increase or maintain these connections is to turn off the TV and continually learn. Learning can occur in many ways including: taking a class or taking on a new responsibility/skill at work; playing games, crosswords or cards; reading a book.
Healthy Fats—Fish Oils not only improve brain connectivity but also help decrease inflammation when in taken combination with GLA, an anti-inflammatory omega 6 oil. Nordic Naturals Omega 3-6-9 contains a good ratio of fish (EPA/DHA) to GLA fatty acids for brain health.

Muscle Mass and Healthy Aging

Jessica Forbes MS, CCN — Mon, 05 Sep 2011 04:01:14 +0000

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.

Ask the Nutritionist Webinar Coming Soon!

Jessica Forbes MS, CCN — Sun, 21 Aug 2011 21:52:14 +0000

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.

Five Natural Ways to Fight Fatigue

Jessica Forbes MS, CCN — Sun, 13 Mar 2011 01:51:04 +0000

March is Chronic Fatigue awareness month. While Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) is an actual medical disorder, many of us suffer from varying levels of fatigue on a daily basis. Here are five natural ways to help fight fatigue.

1. Stay hydrated. Mild dehydration can be a major factor in fatigue, especially fatigue that occurs in the afternoon. The basic rule is that a person should drink the amount of water in ounces that is equal to their body weight in pounds divided by two. This means that a person who is 150 pounds needs around 75 ounces of water daily. This number may change based on individual needs and activity level.

2. Eat enough protein. Protein is the building block for muscle, as well as for many of the hormones involved in keeping energy levels balanced throughout the day. Protein also helps to stabilize blood sugar levels, which prevents the fatigue associated with low blood sugar. An easy way to calculate the minimum amount of grams of protein that you should aim for is to divide your body weight by 2.75 (use your ideal body weight in this calculation if you are significantly over or under weight). For example, a 150 pound person needs about 55 grams of protein to maintain that weight. Athletes, pregnant or breastfeeding women, and people who are healing or are under stress usually need more protein.

3. Eat every two to three hours. Skipping meals or leaving too much time between meals can lead to low blood sugar which may create a drop in energy levels. Eating regular, balanced meals and snacks has the added benefit of helping your body to conserve hard earned muscle tissue. If you need help, try incorporating one of our Essential Meal products as a meal or snack replacement up to twice daily. Each serving of Essential Meal provides 15 grams of protein as well as a balanced profile of other necessary nutrients.

4. Exercise. Exercise in any form helps the body to detoxify and builds muscle tissue—both of which help to keep energy levels up. If you don’t exercise regularly, it’s best to start with gentle forms of exercise such as walking or mild yoga and gradually build your way up to a more challenging workout. Overexertion during exercise can actually contribute to fatigue!

5. Sleep. This may seem like a really obvious way to fight fatigue, but many of us tend to push sleep to the bottom of the priority list. This is especially true when we are under stress, which is unfortunate since times of stress are when the body needs the most rest! If you are fatigued, make it a priority to get eight uninterrupted hours of sleep each night (starting before 10 p.m., if possible). If your schedule allows, also give yourself at least 10 or 15 minutes in the afternoon to lie down and rest even if you don’t actually fall asleep. This practice is healing and restorative to the adrenal glands, which are responsible for your stress response. If you have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep, consider adding a daily dose of a magnesium supplement such as our Essential Calm to your evening routine.

If you’ve found other ways to help fight fatigue, please share them in the comments section of this blog!

Easy Ways to Control Blood Sugar

Jessica Forbes MS, CCN — Sun, 14 Nov 2010 01:56:58 +0000

Last Saturday’s webinar on weight management had a big emphasis on blood sugar control as a key to keeping weight in check. You don’t have to have diabetes or hypoglycemia to care about blood sugar! When blood sugar is out of control (too high or too low), you may be prone to mood swings, fatigue, body fat gain, and loss of muscle. We covered several key points during the webinar to help keep blood sugar levels stable. If you missed it, contact us at info@marilynfarms.com for information on how you can purchase and download the webinar complete with handouts. Here are a couple of easy ways to support stable blood sugar levels that we didn’t discuss in the webinar:

Eat cinnamon! Cinnamon exhibits effects similar to insulin in its ability to reduce high blood sugar levels. A study done earlier this month in the journal Phytomedicine (title of the study is “Cinnamon extract regulates glucose transporter and insulin-signaling gene expression in mouse adipocytes”) showed that cinnamon may even work on a genetic level to keep expression of genes in a balance to improve the body’s sensitivity to insulin and decrease the likelihood of excess blood sugar being used as fat. Most studies recommend one to two teaspoons, per day of ground cinnamon sprinkled over food or try Marilyn Farms tasty Cinnamon Extract.
Use vinegar in cooking and on salads! In fact, a study in the January 2010 issue of the Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism found that just two teaspoons of vinegar consumed with a meal were found to effectively lower blood sugar levels after the meal. Other studies found that regular intake of vinegar produced a modest (but still significant) decrease in HbA1c levels (this test gives a window into the level of a person’s blood sugar over the past three months), and that people who consumed a tablespoon of vinegar with lunch and dinner lost an average of 2 pounds over 4 weeks! For more info see the article A Spoonful of Vinegar Makes the Blood Sugar Go Down? which can be located at www.dlife.com.

News Update: Corn Syrup may be renamed as Corn Sugar on Food Labels

Jessica Forbes MS, CCN — Sat, 25 Sep 2010 23:38:00 +0000

Last week, makers of corn syrup petitioned the FDA to be allowed to list their product on food labels under the name “corn sugar”. This is a (deceptive) marketing move to improve sales of corn syrup since many big food producers have replaced corn syrup in their products with sugar due to customer demand. Here is a New York Times article with more info: click here for article

The FDA has 6 months to respond to the name change petition, and if accepted (I personally hope it will not be), then the formal decision of whether to allow “corn sugar” on labels would take place in 12 to 18 months. While all high-calorie sweeteners can lead to obesity and diabetes, high fructose corn syrup is especially harmful. Here are some of the issues with corn syrup to be aware of:

It is usually made from genetically modified corn.
It is a highly processed food.
The production of corn syrup requires the use of a plethora of chemicals that are harmful to the environment, some of which may remain in trace levels in the finished product.
It contains high levels of fructose (fruit sugar), which can only be metabolized by the liver. Fructose was not an issue for our ancestors who obtained small amounts of it in fruit and whole foods. In today’s world, however, high fructose corn syrup is hidden in so many foods that people may not realize they are overloading their liver. Excessive intake of fructose contributes to fatty liver disease and other liver problems.

Webinar information posted on website

Jessica Forbes MS, CCN — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 03:38:37 +0000

For today’s entry I wanted to inform you of two new educational pieces on our website. Both of these came out of our recent Nutrition & Diabetes webinar, which will be repeated November 1st. The first is a sample menu for blood sugar control – in our original slide handout it was way too small to read so we decided to make it available online for webinar attendees and any others who need ideas for healthy menus. Sample menu for blood sugar control.

After the webinar ended we had a few technical difficulties with our Q&A session so decided to take questions via e-mail for several days afterward. This method ended up working perfectly because we were able to easily post the written questions and answers on the website in order to share them with all of you! From now on – even when we don’t have technical difficulties – I would like to post portions of our Q&A sessions that may apply to many of you out there so that even if you weren’t able to attend the webinar, you can benefit. Nutrition and Blood Sugar Webinar Q & A.

Comment on the Nutrition and Blood Sugar webinar

Jessica Forbes MS, CCN — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 09:00:54 +0000

It’s homework time! I’m posting this blog entry as a place for people to share what they have added to or changed in their lifestyles as a result of what we talked about during the Nutrition and Blood Sugar webinar. I can’t tell you how excited I am about this topic! From our past seminars here at MFC I do know that the people who choose to attend these events tend to be pretty excited about the topics and ask some great (and sometimes entertaining) questions. So I’m sure the comments that end up posted here will be useful for all of us!

So please, take a minute to share what you’re doing. And if you missed the webinar feel free to participate anyway. We plan to somehow make the information available through the website, either by repeating the session at a later date or by having it available for download. Check back often at www.marilynfarms.com to see what’s happening!

Learn to control your blood sugar

Jessica Forbes MS, CCN — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 02:48:23 +0000

In three short weeks, I will be teaching a webinar (online seminar for you non-webbies) on blood sugar. This subject is so huge that I could probably teach on it for eight hours straight. When I realize that I only have an hour of your attention I get into editing and prioritizing mode.

When most of us think of blood sugar, we think of diseases – like diabetes since it can be a life and death issue for a person dealing with the illness. But there is so much more to blood sugar than that! It is a topic that applies to every single one of us living in today’s world of processed foods and readily available junk who need to learn how to make choices that keep our bodies balanced.

Many health practitioners believe that erratic blood sugar is the cause of accelerated aging and disease. I know for a fact that the fatigue so many of us deal with daily (though it has been good business for coffee shops) has a lot to do with a lack of blood sugar control. Uncontrolled blood sugar is also a major impediment to maintaining a healthy weight and preserving muscle mass.

Needless to say, it will be an hour jam-packed with information, along with my super funny and sometimes lame jokes. There is nothing stranger than the feeling of telling a biochemistry joke (yes, the best jokes of all!) while staring at my computer and knowing that 50+ people are on the other end of that computer and I can’t tell if they’re laughing or crying. Oh well, I just hope I don’t talk too fast. Click here to register for the excitement, or go to marilynfarms.com and click on the promo piece next to the specials.

If any of you out there have ideas for future blogs or webinars, please share by adding a comment below!