Next to the thyroid gland, iodine is most concentrated in breast tissue where it helps to normalize the impact of estrogen. Iodine effectively turns off estrogen receptor sites in the breast. When iodine is insufficient, breast tissue overreacts to estrogen and this can result in cancer promotion.
Unfortunately, depletion of iodine in soils as well as low consumption of iodine-rich sea vegetables and seafood has led to nationwide suboptimal intakes. Try including varieties of sea weed in your diet. Wakame is good in soups with miso (fermented soybean paste). Kombu is often cooked with beans and is reputed to make them more digestible..
Hijiki and Arame are tasty when soaked in warm water for a few minutes and then cooked briefly with some chopped onion and carrot slices sauteed in sesame oil. Add a few slivered almonds and a little soy sauce for a dish that’s a perfect accompaniment to fish.
Dulse is good in salads and the powdered form can be sprinkled over vegetables, rice, or any food that can be enhanced by its salty flavor. Nori is used in making sushi rolls (see my Recipes page). Oriental stores also carry seasoned Nori strips that are good eaten alone or with other foods.(more…)
Did you know that your immune system is actually the orchestrated effort of systems of cells working to identify and knock out invading forces and protect your body? The activity of these groups is greatly promoted by both regular physical activity and optimal diet, but in different ways.
The Battle is Engaged
Natural killer cells and neutrophils provide our body’s first line of defense against bacteria, viruses, and other invaders. The strength and number of these cells depend on diet and exercise.
Moderate exercise gives a surge in immunity that lasts for hours afterwards. A regular program of brisk walking enhances the production of both scout cells that seek out invaders as well as the immune cells that kill them.
Health Insurance
Good nutrition gives overall strength and stability to the immune system via protective antioxidants and nutrients from whole plant foods - fruits, vegetables, grains, beans, seeds, and nuts. Healthy diet can prevent on-going chronic inflammation of tissues and organs - the underlying cause of most degenerative disease in industrialized nations.
Exercise also gives protection against illness. A good goal to aim for is at least 45 minutes a day of moderate physical activity. Research has shown that if sedentary people start a program of brisk walking for this amount of time most days of the week, their sick days fall by about half. Therefore, to increase productivity and prevent illness, go for a walk!
Employ these strategies that have been found to be the winning formulas of those in the National Weight Control Registry. The NWCR is the largest investigation of long-term, successful weight loss ever conducted. The registry has been tracking approximately 5,000 people since 1994.
1. The written word
Recording everything you put in your mouth will increase personal accountability and reveal problem areas. Adding in how you felt at each time you ate is helpful for discerning patterns of emotional eating.
2. Plan all eating ahead of time.
It’s crucial to have quick, tasty food at hand whenever you get hungry so that you aren’t faced with nothing but a selection of poor choices. Weekly planning, purchasing, and preparation is essential for success at eating healthy on a consistent basis.
3. Pay attention to portions.
Go heavy on low-calorie, highly nutritive fruits and vegetables, making them 50% of your meals. Let whole grains and lean protein make up the remainder. No foods must be forbidden, but indulgences in high-calorie goodies need to be small and infrequent.(more…)
I work for Haven Hospice as their dietitian and this year the employees were asked to contribute their strategies for keeping stress under control for the company newsletter. The following is my reply.
My biggest aid in stress management is exercise. All forms of physical activity work to release tension, elevate mood, and increase feelings of self efficacy, but some forms are easier and more effective than others. The fastest, simplest, and most powerful form of stress relief I’ve found is Chi Kung (pronounced chee-gong’).
You can find books, videos, and DVD’s on these ancient Chinese exercises, but it’s easiest to learn from a good teacher. I learned from Anthony Korahais (www.FlowingZen.com) who teaches at the Gainesville Wellness Center. I recommend his teaching highly; he has a free class every month so that people can see what it’s like.
When our family moved to Gainesville in 1992, I began taking yoga classes regularly. The release of tension and increase in energy I received was profound and I’ve been a practitioner ever since. However, yoga takes considerable time and it’s not considered particularly easy or fun. It generally requires 45 minutes to an hour of stretching to reach the stress-free zone.(more…)
Elevated blood pressure is a leading indicator of circulatory system dysfunction. When blood vessels contain the plaque of atherosclerosis, the unhealthy fats in our diet cause the red blood cells to clump together and move sluggishly instead of flowing freely. Additionally, the high-fat American diet causes arteries to spasm and constrict, further reducing blood flow for 4 to 6 hours after a meal.
Where arterial plaque exists, less space is available for blood to flow through. In addition, a loss of elasticity in the walls creates further resistance to blood flow. Consequently, the heart has to pump harder to force circulation through the narrow and stiff arteries. This causes pressure on the walls of the vessels to rise.(more…)
Alzheimer’s is primarily a disease of affluence. Like the health conditions that usually precede it, cardiovascular disease and diabetes, AD is largely the result of a lifetime of poor diet and insufficient physical activity.
Incidence
More than 5 million Americans live with Alzheimer’s. One out of every eight people over 65 has the disease. And for those over 85, it’s almost one out of every two.
When baby boomers reach 65 in 2011, these numbers will skyrocket as the incidence of Alzheimer’s is doubling every 20 years. Numbers of victims have been rapidly escalating since the 1970’s, coinciding with the rapid take-off of the fast food industry.
Devastating Dementia
AD impairs language, perception, planning skills, and reasoning as well as memory. Forgetting where you laid your comb doesn’t mean you have AD, but not remembering what a comb is for, does! Although most adults begin to notice memory lapses in their 40’s and 50’s, scientists believe the neurological changes of Alzheimer’s typically begin much earlier.(more…)
It’s now known that brain regeneration continues throughout adulthood. Building brain reserves through healthy lifestyle is currently our best defense. The following strategies can dramatically reduce your risk of developing AD:
1. Regular Physical Activity
No other lifestyle choice has as much impact on aging and Alzheimer’s as exercise. In a 2009 review of literature from the International Journal of Clinical Practice, scientists documented that over time, physical activity effectively reduces the probability of Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias.
To maximize your benefit: a) Exercise for 30 minutes to an hour on most days. Five workouts a week can reduce your risk by as much as 35%. b) Build muscle. Lifting weights not only increases muscle, it helps prevent brain drain. Combining aerobics and strength work is better than either activity alone. Adding 2-3 strength sessions to a weekly exercise routine cuts risk in half for those over 65.(more…)
According to USC’s Dr. Vincent Fortanasce, although stress can greatly increase your risk for AD, simple daily tools can reduce levels of the harmful stress hormone, cortisol which accelerates cognitive decline.
Conquer stress with these techniques: a) Breathe! Stress alters breathing rates and impacts brain oxygen levels. Turn off the stress response with slow, deep, abdominal breathing. From momentary inhale, hold, and exhale sequences to guided group exercises, controlled breathing is powerful and simple. b) Daily relaxation activities - Walking, tai chi, yoga, bicycling or other forms of relaxing exercise can aid greatly in keeping stress hormones under control. c) Stay connected - We are social beings and the most connected fare better on tests of memory and cognition. Developing a strong support system through family, friends, groups, clubs, and activities improves mental state and slows decline. d) Nourish inner peace - There exists a strong mind-body connection and studies associate spiritual activities with better cognitive aging. Regular meditation, prayer, reflection, and religious practice aid in reducing stress.(more…)
Tai Chi Chuan is a traditional Chinese martial art that is mostly practiced for its health and longevity benefits. In the first Tai Chi class I took, about 6 years ago, I met a woman who stated that practicing these gentle, fluid movements had normalized her high blood pressure. Since so many people the world over have experienced such remarkable health benefits from Tai Chi, it has become a focused area of medical research in recent years.
In 2008, The Journal of Preventive Cardiology published a review conducted by Harvard Medical School in Boston. They examined 26 separate studies on the effects of Tai Chi and concluded that it is able to significantly reduce blood pressure.(more…)
Four months ago I started taking classes in Shaolin Cosmos Chi Kung (pronounced chee-gong) and Tai Chi from Anthony Korahais at the Gainesville Wellness Center on the recommendation of my son, Moishe. Since then I’ve been practicing 10 to 30 minutes a day and find it very enjoyable and highly rewarding.
These forms of exercise affect the body in dramatically different ways than traditional Western exercise. I’ve noticed I have more energy, am sleeping much better, and have more resistance to viral infections.
The Shaolin Cosmos Style
My instructor gained his knowledge from Grandmaster Wong Kiew Kit of the Shaolin Wahnam Institute in Malaysia. This style of Chi Kung and Tai Chi was developed by monks of the Shaolin Monastery in China, dating from 495 AD.(more…)
Iodine and Sea Vegetables
Did you know that your immune system is actually the orchestrated effort of systems of cells working to identify and knock out invading forces and protect your body? The activity of these groups is greatly promoted by both regular physical activity and optimal diet, but in different ways.
Employ these strategies that have been found to be the winning formulas of those in the National Weight Control Registry. The NWCR is the largest investigation of long-term, successful weight loss ever conducted. The registry has been tracking approximately 5,000 people since 1994.
I work for Haven Hospice as their dietitian and this year the employees were asked to contribute their strategies for keeping stress under control for the company newsletter. The following is my reply.
Elevated blood pressure is a leading indicator of circulatory system dysfunction. When blood vessels contain the plaque of atherosclerosis, the unhealthy fats in our diet cause the red blood cells to clump together and move sluggishly instead of flowing freely. Additionally, the high-fat American diet causes arteries to spasm and constrict, further reducing blood flow for 4 to 6 hours after a meal.
Alzheimer’s is primarily a disease of affluence. Like the health conditions that usually precede it, cardiovascular disease and diabetes, AD is largely the result of a lifetime of poor diet and insufficient physical activity.
It’s now known that brain regeneration continues throughout adulthood. Building brain reserves through healthy lifestyle is currently our best defense. The following strategies can dramatically reduce your risk of developing AD:
5. Stress Management
Tai Chi Chuan is a traditional Chinese martial art that is mostly practiced for its health and longevity benefits. In the first Tai Chi class I took, about 6 years ago, I met a woman who stated that practicing these gentle, fluid movements had normalized her high blood pressure. Since so many people the world over have experienced such remarkable health benefits from Tai Chi, it has become a focused area of medical research in recent years.
