The Wellness Times

Omega-3s: Essential for good health

by Eric Robert Santiago on 05/24/13

Omega-3s: Essential for good health

Are omega-3s part of your daily nutritional plan? Most of us were taught growing up that vitamins and minerals are important, but our education on other nutrients that benefit health may be lacking. Omega-3s are essential fatty acids (EFAs), such as eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), that are prevalent in the body but aren't manufactured in the body. EFAs make up a large percentage of some of our most vital organs and influence every cell: structure and repair, gene expression, and cell signaling and responses. So their presence (or absence) impacts multiple aspects of physical and emotional health. But Western diets are typically lacking in foods rich in omega-3s, which also can't be found in a typical multivitamin/mineral. Omega-3s may be the key for healthy aging. Scientific evidence strongly supports EPA/DHA intake for maintaining heart health and reducing risk of serious cardiac events. EPA and DHA also contain anti-inflammatory agents and are suggested as adjunctive therapies for autoimmune disorders like inflammatory bowel disease (to reduce inflammation-associated digestive complaints) and rheumatoid arthritis (to relieve joint stiffness/tenderness). These omega-3s have also demonstrated benefits in helping reduce age-related macular degeneration and dementia to promote healthy aging. And preliminary studies have shown promise in supporting a positive mood. Depending on your health goals, concentrated doses of EPA and/or DHA may be recommended. Get trustworthy omega-3 support. While food is always the preferred source for nutrients of any kind, it would be difficult to obtain therapeutic levels from food alone. Plus, there are warnings for certain populations to limit consumption of omega-3-rich fish that may carry a higher risk of heavy metal contamination. Likewise, omega-3 supplements can become rancid and carry risks of heavy metals, pesticides, and other contaminants. And some may have an excessively fishy smell or taste. So it's important to select an omega-3 supplement made from purity-tested marine oils that are manufactured to exacting standards, in addition to offering an appropriate dose of the right combination of omega-3s to meet your specific needs. Please visit us at www.innovative-nutrition.net and sign up for our free "Wellness Times" newsletter.

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STRESS!!!!!!

by Eric Robert Santiago on 05/08/13

Are you sick of stress?

Stress can cause or aggravate an illness, or an illness can cause additional stressors or increase the intensity of the stress we feel. Overexposure to stress hormones may be an underlying factor in 75% to 90% of al...l primary care visits in the U.S., as well as linked to the 6 leading causes of death. It's also the #1 reason people eat poorly (e.g., eating on the run, skipping meals, making unhealthy choices, eating too late or too much) or abuse substances that may exacerbate stress or increase the risk of other health concerns (e.g., sugar, caffeine, nicotine, alcohol).

Ignoring the signs of prolonged stress can lead to further complications. Stress is a biochemical event that alters your bodys chemistry. It can increase blood sugar and heart rate and suppress the body's ability to digest food properly and clear unwanted substances, such as environmental chemicals. It can also lead to weight gain and/or inflammation that could eventually contribute to heart disease or type 2 diabetes. Furthermore, stress can eat away at your immune defense.

There are different emotional and behavioral responses to our unique stress triggers. Each stress response type has its own intensity, symptoms, and characteristics. You may feel wired or anxious even with temporary stress. And a prolonged stress response may make you feel nervous, sleepless, tense, weak, tired, or emotionally exhausted. It's important not only to bolster your body's resilience to stress but also to respond with healthy substitutes (e.g., deep breathing, nature walks, time with friends) for unhealthy behaviors that may be your go-to response during stress (e.g., snacking, smoking, drinking).

Get personalized stress relief. A healthy diet, regular exercise, adequate rest, and setting time aside for activities that help you relax and enjoy life are all important to building your resistance to both short- and long-term stress. There are also a variety of herbal adaptogens that have been used for centuries, such as rehmannia, licorice, polygala, ginseng, and holy basil, that may help balance the natural events of the stress response so you can feel cooler, calmer, and more collected for whatever life brings your way.

Please visit us at www.innovative-nutrition.net and sign up for our free "Wellness Times" Newsletter.

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Are you sick of Stress?

by Eric Robert Santiago on 04/29/13

Stress can cause or aggravate an illness, or an illness can cause additional stressors or increase the intensity of the stress we feel. Overexposure to stress hormones may be an underlying factor in 75% to 90% of all primary care visits in the U.S., as well as linked to the 6 leading causes of death. It's also the #1 reason people eat poorly (e.g., eating on the run, skipping meals, making unhealthy choices, eating too late or too much) or abuse substances that may exacerbate stress or increase the risk of other health concerns (e.g., sugar, caffeine, nicotine, alcohol).

Ignoring the signs of prolonged stress can lead to further complications. Stress is a biochemical event that alters your bodys chemistry. It can increase blood sugar and heart rate and suppress the body's ability to digest food properly and clear unwanted substances, such as environmental chemicals. It can also lead to weight gain and/or inflammation that could eventually contribute to heart disease or type 2 diabetes. Furthermore, stress can eat away at your immune defense.

There are different emotional and behavioral responses to our unique stress triggers. Each stress response type has its own intensity, symptoms, and characteristics. You may feel wired or anxious even with temporary stress. And a prolonged stress response may make you feel nervous, sleepless, tense, weak, tired, or emotionally exhausted. It's important not only to bolster your body's resilience to stress but also to respond with healthy substitutes (e.g., deep breathing, nature walks, time with friends) for unhealthy behaviors that may be your go-to response during stress (e.g., snacking, smoking, drinking).

Get personalized stress relief. A healthy diet, regular exercise, adequate rest, and setting time aside for activities that help you relax and enjoy life are all important to building your resistance to both short- and long-term stress. There are also a variety of herbal adaptogens that have been used for centuries, such as rehmannia, licorice, polygala, ginseng, and holy basil, that may help balance the natural events of the stress response so you can feel cooler, calmer, and more collected for whatever life brings your way.

Please visit us at www.innovative-nutrition.net and sign up for our free "Wellness Times" Newsletter.

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What is Functional Medicine?

by Eric Robert Santiago on 04/08/13

The term “functional medicine” was coined in 1993 to describe the medicine of the future.1 In fact, today, many complementary and alternative medicine, or CAM, practitioners use a functional medicine approach that includes the following:

Patient uniqueness: Each individual is unique. This uniqueness encompasses voluntary activities, such as decision-making, personality development, and emotional response, and involuntary activities like metabolism of nutrients, cellular processing of information, and communication among the body’s organ systems. Functional medicine professionals realize that all individuals have unique metabolic patterns that affect their health needs and thus, the concept of individuality is central to every aspect of functional medicine, from clinical assessment and diagnosis to the broad spectrum of treatment modalities.

Patient-centered approach: Functional medicine practitioners use a patient-centered approach to support wellness. This means that in addition to considering the overall health of the patient, functional medicine practitioners consider the beliefs, attitudes, and motivations, as well as the physical, mental, and emotional aspects, of the patient.

Preventive care: Optimal health is not just the absence of disease. Even the most minor symptoms can foreshadow more serious conditions later in life. This often happens via the “snowball effect,” in which a “minor” imbalance within the body produces a cascade of biological triggers that can eventually lead to poor health and chronic illness. For this reason, functional medicine focuses on the prevention, instead of just the treatment of, even the most minor imbalances.2

Through changes in lifestyle, environment, and nutrition, functional medicine professionals rely on their knowledge of key physiological, genetic, and biochemical processes for establishing an innovative form of total patient wellness amidst the diversity of interests in health care today.

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Is Breakfast making you sick?

by Eric Robert Santiago on 03/28/13

What you eat (or don’t eat) can have serious consequences. Yes, breakfast is the most important meal of the day. After sleeping all night in "shutdown" mode, your body needs fuel to start up again. Skipping breakfast signals the body to store fat and burn muscle for energy. Over time, that can lead to excess body fat and related illnesses. In fact, research suggests that eating breakfast reduces your risk to obesity and metabolic syndrome by 35% to 50%. (Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of conditions that may include high blood pressure, high LDL cholesterol or triglycerides, and/or high blood sugar/insulin.)

But common breakfast foods also threaten your health. Donuts, muffins (English, blueberry, etc.), bagels, sugary cereals, and fruit pastries have a higher glycemic index (GI) that causes a surge in blood sugar. It’s that sugar rush you feel followed by a crash. High GI foods are typically higher in sugar and lower in fiber and nutrients due to heavily processed ingredients like white flour. Research shows that breakfasts of high-GI foods increase your risk to heart disease and type 2 diabetes.

More help for metabolic syndrome and heart disease. Eating regular meals with lower-GI foods (whole grains/fruits/vegetables, lean protein, healthy fats) is a great start. You may also benefit from a comprehensive medical food program that nutritionally supports the management of metabolic syndrome and heart disease risk factors—elevated blood pressure, cholesterol, and triglycerides.

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