Author Archive for nina – Page 2

Food allergies and intolerances can make you fat

By nina · Comments (0)
Monday, November 14th, 2011

Question:

I learned I have intolerances and allergies to certain foods, and that I need to avoid those foods if I want to lose weight. Isn’t it just a matter of eating fewer calories?

Answer:

Some people find they can’t lose weight through calorie restriction alone. When that happens several issues need to be investigated. One of the most important is food intolerances. Eating foods to which you are allergic or intolerant will prevent weight loss.

Food intolerances cause inflammation
Food intolerances and allergies create inflammation, and inflammation prevents weight loss. Every time you eat gluten, dairy, eggs, soy, corn, or some other food that may be a problem for you, you create inflammation in your body.

Leaky gut is a primary culprit
For many people today, a variety of foods trigger inflammation. This is due largely to intestinal permeability, or “leaky gut,” which allows undigested food particles to slip into the bloodstream through damaged and inflamed intestinal walls. Leaky gut is very common today due to poor diets, excessive sweets, chronic stress, and other maladies of modern life. Gluten intolerance and celiac disease are also common and cause leaky gut.

As these food particles circulate throughout the body the immune system responds by attacking and destroying them for removal, just as it would respond to a viral or bacterial infection. Unfortunately, if the food is eaten regularly, this keeps the immune system constantly at work, hence creating chronic inflammation. Symptoms can be obvious in the way of joint pain, skin issues, abdominal pain, or even brain fog, memory loss, or moodiness. Sometimes the inflammation is not obvious, yet a person finds she or he can’t lose weight.

Inflammation halts weight loss
Studies show the immune compounds that cause inflammation also make insulin receptors less sensitive, creating insulin resistance. As a result glucose can’t get into cells and blood sugar becomes too high. The body lowers blood sugar by converting it to fat for storage. Insulin resistance also hinders fat burning.

Inflammation also has been shown to cause leptin resistance, which stimulates hunger and promotes fat storage. Furthermore, excess body fat secretes immune messenger cells that trigger inflammation, promoting a vicious cycle that prevents weight loss.

Comments (0)
Categories : autoimmune health, Health, leaky gut, midlife weight gain, nutrition, Stress, weight gain
Tags : , , ,

Start the New Year as a much improved version of yourself!

By nina · Comments (0)
Wednesday, November 9th, 2011

Check out the free preview of my upcoming Sailing Through Midlife – a makeover for your body, mind and spirit, which is designed to have you start the New Year as a much improved version of yourself. We’ll do a seasonal cleanse, implement effective ways of managing holiday stress, and learn interesting new recipes that are delicious, innovative and even good for you.

You’ll emerge looking and feeling fantastic… and in control, with new friends, ideas, recipes and a fresh
outlook on life. Our goal is that you’ll remember this holiday season as being the best one ever – because you took great care of yourself so you could enjoy the holidays as never before.

Click over to http://www.midlifewithoutcrisis.com/sailing and click on the play button at the top of the page to listen in!

Comments (0)
Categories : Uncategorized

Overflowing calendar? Eat on the run? Do you ever get to work out?

By nina · Comments (0)
Monday, November 7th, 2011

Find out how to make time for yourself, watch this quick video:

Comments (0)
Categories : autoimmune health, Brain Health, Chronic stress, Health, Hormones, midlife health, nutrition, Stress
Tags : , , , , , ,

Poor digestion can cause depression

By nina · Comments (0)
Thursday, October 27th, 2011

Question:

I went to see my natural medicine practitioner for depression and she wants to work on my digestive health. I don’t get the connection.

Answer:

Many people would be surprised to learn how greatly gut health affects brain health. A poor diet, inflamed gut, and intestinal permeability definitely can promote depression.

Depression a not-so-obvious symptom of poor digestion

Sometimes digestion issues are obvious; they cause gas, bloating, heartburn, indigestion, diarrhea, constipation, or abdominal pain. Other times the main symptom is not so obvious—depression.

An unhealthy diet and compromised gut health can promote depression in several ways.

Poor nutrition

When one eats a junk food diet laden with processed foods, trans fats, sugars, and artificial chemicals, the brain suffers. The brain needs healthy fats, high-quality protein, abundant vitamins and minerals, and a diet low in starchy foods and sugars.

Gluten

Gluten is directly linked to depression in some. It causes gut inflammation, which can lead to inflammation in areas of the brain that regulate mood. Some people digest gluten into gluteomorphin, an opioid similar to heroin or morphine that can cause depression (not to mention constipation). Gluten can also cause autoimmune attacks in the brain with symptoms of depression. Dairy or other foods may also cause depression, depending on sensitivity.

Leaky gut

Leaky gut happens when the lining of the intestines becomes overly permeable. This allows undigested foods, bacteria, and other pathogens into the bloodstream, creating inflammation throughout the body. Inflammation in the brain may cause depression.

Inflammation in the gut also inhibits absorption of nutrients necessary for good brain function. An example is tryptophan, an amino acid found in proteins. The brain synthesizes tryptophan into serotonin, a “well-being and joy” brain chemical.

Always consider gut health

Depression is a complex, multi-faceted condition that can have its roots in various causes. However the role of diet and digestive health should always be included in a functional approach to depression.

 

Comments (0)
Categories : Health, midlife health
Tags : , , , ,

Antibiotics: the Shadow Side

By nina · Comments (0)
Wednesday, October 19th, 2011

Question:

It seems as though ever since I took antibiotics I haven’t been the same. I’m sick more frequently, my digestion is messed up, and I have chronic yeast infections. Why?

Answer:

Antibiotics are one of modern medicine’s life-saving miracles. However if preventive care isn’t taken, their use, and especially their abuse, can lead to chronic health problems.

Good bacteria serve us

The digestive tract contains an estimated 2–4 pounds of beneficial bacteria that are an integral part of our immune system. They resist bad bacteria, and they aid in the digestion of food, the absorption of nutrients, and the synthesis of B vitamins and vitamin K.

These beneficial bacteria coat the lining of the intestines, providing a protective barrier against toxins. They also nourish the gut lining and ensure appropriate production of immune cells, helping to maintain balance in the immune system and prevent autoimmune disease.

Antibiotics wipe out good bacteria

While antibiotics eradicate disease-causing bacteria, unfortunately they wipe out the good bacteria too. This leaves the digestive tract defenseless, and it compromises both nutrient status and immune balance.

Overgrowth of bad bacteria produces toxins and antibiotic-resistant strains

Antibiotic use makes it easy for bad bacteria, yeast, and fungi to over multiply, wreaking havoc on digestive and immune health. The overgrowth of yeast, or Candida, is especially common. This can produce a wide range of troubling symptoms, including yeast infections, sugar cravings, skin rashes, brain fog, and more.

Also, pathogenic bacteria, yeast, and fungi produce toxic substances that make their way into the bloodstream and the rest of the body. These toxins have been linked to allergies, and health ailments in the digestive, respiratory, immune, and nervous systems.

Research also shows that antibiotic use develops long-lasting strains of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

Restoring beneficial bacteria is vital

This explains why antibiotics can contribute to myriad health problems, even though they may have successfully treated a condition. Unnecessary antibiotic use should be avoided.

Did you know that Traditional Chinese herbal antibiotics are as effective as pharmaceutical antibiotics – without the side effects? 

When my clients need them I recommend herbal antibiotics, because they are effective and don’t promote candida or yeast infections. My clients report that they get well faster and have fewer yeast infections than their colleagues at work who’ve taken pharmaceutical antibiotics.

When my clients say: “My doctor prescribed antibiotics but I’m still sick!” they usually have a viral or fungal infection. If that’s the case I recommend Chinese herbals that are antiviral or antifungal, or both, depending on the symptoms.

If pharmaceutical antibiotics are necessary, be sure to take probiotics to restore the beneficial bacteria in your digestive tract.

Want to know more about herbal antibiotics or probiotics? You can ask your questions as a comment or you can write to me nina@ninaprice.com

Comments (0)
Categories : Health, Herbal Antibiotics, Traditional Chinese Medicine
Tags : , , ,

Why do so many people have an autoimmune disease these days?

By nina · Comments (2)
Wednesday, October 12th, 2011

Question

My practitioner diagnosed me with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis and celiac disease, two autoimmune diseases. It seems many of my friends have an autoimmune disease too, including asthma, eczema, arthritis, and Type I diabetes. Why is it so common now?

Answer

Incidences of autoimmune disease, in which the body’s immune system attacks its own tissue, have skyrocketed and continue to climb, affecting as many as one in nine Americans.

Hygiene hypothesis incomplete

The media darling for an explanation is the hygiene hypothesis – that lack of early childhood exposure to sufficient filth improperly prepares the immune system for later battles. While likely valid, it too neatly dismisses more significant factors linked with triggering autoimmune disease:

Environmental pollutants

We live in a sea of more than 80,000 chemicals. The few that have been studied have been shown to play a role in triggering autoimmune reactions. People who work with toxic compounds, such as pesticides or solvents, are significantly more likely to die from autoimmune disease. One study also showed that infant fetal-cord blood contains 287 pollutants.

Genetically modified foods

Although the impact of genetically modified (GM) foods on humans has not been studied, multiple animal studies link them with immune disregulation, inflammation, and an increase in allergies or factors that trigger autoimmune disease.

Poor diets

Many people today eat a diet that sets the stage for autoimmune disease. This includes foods full of artificial chemicals, sugar and starchy carbohydrates, and trans fats. Gluten in particular has been linked to autoimmune disease.

Leaky gut

In leaky gut, or intestinal permeability, the lining of the intestines becomes too porous, allowing undigested food and pathogens to slip into the bloodstream. This triggers inflammation and leads to immune disregulation.

Chronic stress

Chronic stress from diet, poor health, lack of sleep, as well as excess sugar and caffeine can lead to inflammation and immune disregulation, setting the stage for autoimmune disease.

What can you do?

The best medicine is prevention. To help your body cope with the burdens of modern life, eat an anti-inflammatory diet and work with a practitioner to address the health imbalances that make you more vulnerable to autoimmune disease.

Want some suggestions or answers to your own questions about autoimmune health – let’s talk.

Comments (2)
Categories : autoimmune health, Chronic stress, environmental pollutants, genetically modified food, Health, leaky gut, nutrition, Stress
Tags : , , ,

Could I have a food intolerance?

By nina · Comments (0)
Tuesday, September 27th, 2011

Question:

I’m told food intolerances can affect my health. How can this be true when I don’t have any digestive symptoms?

Answer:

Sometimes it’s difficult to connect a food we eat every day with such health complaints as joint pain, brain fog, mood imbalances, congestion, skin rashes, or chronic inflammation. It’s not obvious a particular food is at fault until after you quit eating it for a period of time.

The Elimination/Provocation Diet

A variety of lab panels can diagnose food allergies and intolerances, however sometimes the most reliable test is to go cold turkey on a group of common foods for several weeks. Some of the best foods to eliminate are gluten, dairy, eggs, corn, soy, yeast, and nuts. It’s important to strictly eliminate these foods for two to three weeks for the test to be accurate. You may want to consider going grain-free for best results.

Symptoms Pop Up After Reintroducing the food

Reintroducing these foods one at a time every 72 hours after a temporary abstinence can suddenly elicit a powerful and negative response. Symptoms vary but include digestive upset (bloating, gas, constipation, diarrhea, etc.), abdominal pain, headaches, joint pain, respiratory congestion, skin rashes, brain fog, mood changes, or flare-ups of an autoimmune condition.

A Restored Immune System Produces Reactions

Why would a food you have been eating your whole life suddenly make you feel terrible after a three-week break? Because eliminating it from your diet has allowed your immune system to rest and recover. While eating the food regularly your immune system had to work constantly to buffer the damage, draining it of strength. The elimination diet allows the immune system to become more robust. It is then able to sound the alarms to a food intolerance with uncomfortable symptoms. This lets you know eating that food negatively impacts your health.

Say goodbye to problem foods and hello to better health

Permanently eliminating foods to which you are intolerant allows your digestive system to repair, your immune system to strengthen, and other systems in your body to come into better balance. Many people find chronic health conditions improve or disappear after the elimination, or find they feel more alert and energetic.

If you react to everything

If, however, it turns out you react to practically everything you consume, you may need qualified guidance for advanced gut repair.

Comments (0)
Categories : Brain Health, Health, nutrition
Tags : , , , , , , , , , ,

Why is menopause so hard for some women?

By nina · Comments (0)
Tuesday, September 20th, 2011

Question:
I’m going through menopause and feel like I’m falling apart. I get severe hot flashes, mood swings that border on psychosis, and my brain isn’t working. Why?

Answer:
As the ovaries begin to wind down production of the sex hormones the adrenal glands, our stress organs, are supposed to take over that job. Unfortunately by the time most women reach menopause their adrenal glands are worn out and not up to the task of making sex hormones.

Chronic stress taxes the hormones

In the face of stress our adrenal glands secrete adrenal hormones to help our bodies cope and adapt. However we were designed to call on this action only on an occasional basis. These days our adrenal glands are on constant red alert.

Factors that activate the adrenal glands include lack of sleep, being over scheduled, excess caffeine, inadequate nutrition from a poor diet, and too many sweets and starchy foods. Lesser known stressors include chronic inflammation, autoimmune disease, overgrowth of yeast and bacteria in the intestinal tract, leaky gut, and chronic viral or bacterial infections.

Reproductive hormones are vital for proper body and brain function

As a woman nears menopause her ovaries begin to produce fewer reproductive hormones, including estrogen and progesterone. Women still depend on these hormones even after fertility for proper function of the brain, thyroid activity, immune system, and other systems in the body.

Because so many women enter menopause with fatigued adrenals, their adrenal glands cannot produce enough sex hormones or produce them in an appropriate manner. The result is deficiencies or swings in hormone production, which disrupts the function and health of other systems in the body. This causes the symptoms so commonly seen today, including hot flashes, memory loss, poor cognition, depression, strong mood swings, and more.

The best option is prevention

Natural medicine offers many solutions to help women transition through this period more safely and comfortably. However the best option is prevention. Ideally a woman will work to shore up her adrenal health, which is a whole-body diet and lifestyle approach, well before menopause.

Working preventively will help prevent or minimize the unpleasant symptoms associated with the transition into menopause. If you would like help coming up with strategies that will help you sail into menopause, let’s talk. Sign up for a strategy session with me.

Comments (0)
Categories : Health, Hormones, Menopause, midlife health, midlife sleep
Tags : , , , , , , , , ,

Why do I have brain fog all the time?

By nina · Comments (0)
Tuesday, September 13th, 2011

Question

I seem to live in a perpetual fog, like I can’t think clearly or I’m not all the way there. Why do I have brain fog?

Answer

Brain fog is a sign of brain inflammation. Although inflammation in the brain doesn’t cause pain, it can cause symptoms of brain fog.

The brain is protected by a thin lining called the blood-brain barrier, which allows nano-sized compounds in or out of the brain as appropriate. However the blood-brain barrier can become “leaky,” just as the gut barrier can. This allows large particles into the brain that don’t belong there. These invaders trigger the brain’s immune system and cause inflammation.

Brain inflammation can also result from:

  • Hypothyroidism
  • Chronic inflammation in the body
  • Blood sugar imbalances
  • Hormonal imbalances
  • Gut infections
  • Stress and lack of sleep
  • Heavy metals and pollutants
  • Head injuries or stroke

 

If left unmanaged brain inflammation causes damage to nerve tissue and accelerates brain aging, increasing the risk of neurological disorders such as Alzheimer’s.

A commonly seen cause of brain fog is a food intolerance, particularly to gluten. Many people have resolved chronic brain fog simply by adapting a strict gluten-free diet. Recent research has shown gluten to be implicated in many neurological disorders, including brain fog.

The good news is the brain is responsive to inflammation management. Research shows a variety of natural compounds and botanicals have powerful anti-inflammatory effects in the brain.

These compounds and therapies to address the underlying cause of your brain fog—whether it is hypothyroidism, gluten, a hormone deficiency, or all three—can not only lift brain fog but also ensure better brain health and function for years to come.

If you’re experiencing brain fog and would like some help managing inflammation – let’s talk.

Comments (0)
Categories : Brain Health, Health, midlife health
Tags : , , , ,

Debugging Your Weight Loss Plateau: Why can’t I lose weight?

By nina · Comments (0)
Wednesday, August 31st, 2011

Question:

It seems all my attempts to lose weight and get rid of my belly fat fail. Is there hope for me?

Answer:

Absolutely. Normal attempts at weight loss can fail if you’re battling a metabolic disorder.

When you are doing all the right things but still not losing weight you may have some health issues sabotaging your efforts.

 

Here are some issues that can hinder weight loss:

  • Hypothyroidism
  • Chronic inflammation
  • Food intolerances
  • High cortisol
  • Insulin resistance
  • Leptin resistance
  • Hormonal imbalance
  • Brain chemistry imbalances
  • Certain medications

 

Hypothyroidism

Hypothyroidism affects millions of Americans yet its root cause rarely goes addressed, which can make it impossible to lose weight. Although thyroid hormone medication may be necessary, an autoimmune disease is behind most cases of hypothyroidism and needs to be addressed for success.

Chronic inflammation

Chronic inflammation is a common reason many people can’t lose excess belly fat. Food intolerances (gluten in particular), autoimmune disease, poor diet, or a blood sugar imbalance are things that can cause chronic inflammation. Chronic inflammation raises the adrenal hormone cortisol, which causes belly fat to accumulate and makes weight loss difficult.

Blood sugar imbalances

Blood sugar imbalances trigger leptin resistance. Leptin is a hormone that controls appetite, satiety, and whether you burn or store fat. Constant insulin surges from starchy, sugary diets cause cells in the body to become resistant to leptin, which in turn causes constant hunger while hindering fat burning.

Hormonal imbalances

Hormonal imbalances sabotage weight loss. In many women this translates to high cortisol, high testosterone, and insulin resistance (a precursor to diabetes.) These women battle not only weight gain, but also excess belly fat, facial hair growth, hair loss, and problems with menstruation or menopause.

Men in andropause often have low testosterone and high estrogen, which promotes not only belly fat, but also “breasts,” “hips,” and a low libido.

Brain health

Hypothyroidism, inflammation, blood sugar issues, or hormonal imbalances may also impact brain health, which is very sensitive to deviations in metabolic health. Imbalances in the brain’s neurotransmitters, or relay chemicals, can lead to cravings and addictive behavior, such as overeating.

Certain medications can also cause weight gain, inflammation, or bloating.

Address the underlying cause for weight loss

Weight loss is so much more than counting calories or grams of fat or carbs. It’s also important to address the underlying issues that cause weight gain or prevent weight loss.

If I can help you get to the root cause of why you’re not losing weight, sign up for a free strategy session with me http://www.thetalkaboutmidlife.com/strategysession

Comments (0)
Categories : Andropause, Health, Hormones, Menopause, midlife health, midlife sex, midlife weight gain, nutrition, weight gain
Tags : , , , , , , , ,
« Previous Page
Next Page »

Copyright © 2012 All Rights Reserved
iThemes Builder by iThemes
Powered by WordPress