Prevent Muscle Loss Due to Aging | Retain Youthful Appearance

It is an established fact that both men and women lose muscle and experience increased body fat percentages as they age.

Muscle mass makes us look slimmer, better toned, and allows us to perform better physically. Experts agree that the imbalance that leads to muscle loss begins around age 50, although some studies suggest it might start earlier. While it is important for middle-aged and older adults to stay active and eat properly to maintain muscle mass, it is also very important for young adults to get a jump on their health to preserve muscle strength over time. Working-out and weight training helps to retain or even add muscle mass, but this will only happen if enough protein is consumed.

It’s important that we eat enough protein each day to cover our body’s needs and maintain muscle mass, especially as we age. Protein helps your body to maintain a proper fluid balance, builds and repairs tissues, transports nutrients, and provides other essential functions. Each protein is made up of smaller building blocks called amino acids. Because the body cannot store amino acids, it must get a regular supply from the diet.

The U.S. government’s RDA (Recommended Daily Allowance) is less than ideal and you will fall short if you follow it.

A good general guideline is for women to consume approximately 75 grams per day and for men to consume approximately 100 grams per day. You can double each of those amounts if you consistently engage in heavy exercising.

Not only will this help you avoid the loss of lean muscle mass as you age (sarcopenia), but consuming the right amount of protein will also help with controlling weight and appetite.

Lean meats like chicken or turkey breast are excellent sources of protein. For those of you who like smoothies or shakes, adding 25 grams of protein powder to your shake from a source like whey protein is a good choice. Whey protein has also been found to enhance immune function.

Protein Before and After a Workout

The evidence from research is mixed when it comes to consuming protein before or after a workout for best absorption and muscle gain. Many experts suggest you should consume protein within a certain window of time. such as within 2 hours of a workout.

For muscle and fitness gains, the timing is not as important as the overall amount of protein you consume in a day.

GOOD SOURCES OF PROTEIN

When it comes to consuming adequate amounts of protein, variety is important to ensure you get all the essential amino acids your body needs. Some foods that are high in protein, with all essential amino acids, include:

Three ounces of skinless chicken – 28 grams
Three ounces of steak – 26 grams
Three ounces of turkey – 25 grams
Three ounces of tuna or salmon – 22 grams
Three ounces of shrimp – 20 grams
Six ounces of Greek yogurt – 18 grams
Four ounces of one percent fat cottage cheese – 14 grams
One ounce of soy nuts – 12 grams

Nuts and seeds are also good sources of protein as a one-ounce serving has between four and seven grams of protein. There is also a variety of plant-based protein on the market today:

Resource Link: Protein Content of Common Foods PDF

Popular plant-based proteins include:

Quinoa – an ancient grain that looks similar to couscous but has a crunch texture and nutty flavor. It is a great rice substitute and can be added to many dishes or salads.

1 cup of cooked quinoa = 8 grams of protein. It is also a good source of magnesium, iron, zinc, and fiber.

Tofu, tempeh, and edamame (derived from soybeans)

Tempeh is much chewier and nuttier than tofu and made from fermented soybeans, which are often combined with other seeds and grains to form a firm, dense cake.

3 oz of tempeh = 11 grams of protein). Also a good source of fiber, iron, potassium, and calcium.

Tofu is made from coagulated soy milk pressed into white blocks and comes in a variety of textures from soft to firm. It is a little bland in taste and picks up the flavor of the foods with which it’s cooked.

3 oz tofu = 8 grams of protein.

Edamame beans are whole, immature soybeans, usually steamed or boiled, and can be eaten as a snack or mixed with salads, soups, and grain bowls.

1/2 cup of edamame = 11 grams of protein. Also a great source of fiber, iron, calcium, and vitamin C.

Amaranth – a great gluten-free grain alternative. It is a grain that can be boiled and eaten as porridge or a side dish. Adds texture to salads or granola bars.

1 cup cooked = 9 grams protein. Ground into a flour, it can be used for gluten-free baking.

Buckwheat – a grain whose hulled kernels or groats can be cooked as you would oatmeal.

1 cup cooked = 6 grams protein. Also a good source of essential minerals, including phosphorus, manganese, copper, magnesium, and iron.

Ezekiel Bread – made from sprouted whole grains and legumes including barley, soybeans, wheat, lentils, millet and spelt.

2 slices of bread = 8 grams of protein.

Spirulina – blue-green algae and supplement that can be consumed in tablet form or powder to be easily added to smoothies, soups, salads, or granola bars.

1 tablespoon = 7 grams of protein.

Chia Seeds – tiny black or white seeds that can absorb liquid and form a gel-like substance. May be used to make puddings or jams or as an egg substitute for vegan cooking. Seeds can also be used raw as a topping for oatmeal or salads, and mixed into baked goods or added to smoothies.

2 tablespoons = 4 grams of protein. Also a good source of omega-3s, iron, calcium, magnesium, and selenium.

Rice and Beans – Good to eat together. Combined they contain all 9 essential amino acids. 1 cup = 12 grams of protein ( and 10 grams of fiber).

Pita and Hummus – a popular middle eastern dish, pita bread combined with hummus (a dip made from chickpeas) is a delicious snack or appetizer.

1 round pita bread plus 2 tablespoons of hummus = 7 grams of protein.

Peanut Butter – a popular lunch sandwich, contains 14 grams of protein (two slices of whole wheat bread + 2 tablespoons of peanut butter).

Remember protein plays a key role in the creation and maintenance of every cell in our bodies. It fuels our cells and powers our bodies. Consider some of the options above to make sure you are getting enough protein in your diet. It is also important to watch your calories, sugar, and salt intake for overall good health.

Hand Sanitizer Safety – What You Need to Know

Together with wearing a mask and maintaining social distancing, keeping your hands clean is essential for preventing the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19). The CDC and other health agencies recommend washing hands with soap and water whenever possible, scrubbing all surfaces of the hands – including the back of the hands, between the fingers, and under the nails – for at least 20 seconds. But there are times when soap and water are not available. In those cases, hand sanitizers – when used correctly – can be just as effective at killing COVID-19 and other types of viruses.

A brief history of the importance of clean hands

Nowadays, handwashing might seem as self-evident as wearing a seatbelt or washing our teeth, but hand hygiene hasn’t always been a given. Religious handwashing rituals have been around for thousands of years; Judaism, Sikhism, and Islam, for example, all outline precise handwashing rules in their holy texts. In the Catholic religion, some priests still practice sprinkling their hands with holy water before the consecration of bread and wine. But it wasn’t until about 130 years ago that the life-saving powers of clean hands were discovered.

In the 1840s, a Hungarian obstetrician named Ignaz Semmelweis became worried at the difference between maternal death rates in two clinics at the Vienna General Hospital. The two clinics were located at the same hospital and used almost the same practices and techniques. But, for some reason, mortality rates were much higher at one of the clinics. The only difference between the locations was their staff: one clinic was run by doctors, and the other was led by midwives.

At the time, it was thought that miasma, or “bad air,” was responsible for spreading disease. These poisonous vapors were believed to emerge from rotting corpses and other types of decomposing matter. But that didn’t explain the disparities between maternal deaths. So, after testing several failed hypotheses, a revelation came to Semmelweis in 1847 when one of his colleagues cut his hand with a scalpel during an autopsy. Soon after, the doctor died exhibiting the same symptoms as the mothers that passed at the clinic.

Because the concept of handwashing didn’t exist at the time, doctors performed all kinds of medical procedures without washing their hands. That meant that it was normal for physicians to perform an autopsy on a corpse and deliver a baby right after.

That realization led Semmelweis to theorize that miasma from the corpses was perhaps clinging to the doctor’s hands and then infecting mothers during childbirth. On the other hand, midwives – who didn’t wash their hands either – were solely attending births, so they didn’t have the same kind of cross-contamination issues. To test his hypothesis, Semmelweis ordered doctors to clean their hands and tools with a chlorine solution.

The experiment was a success – clean hands instantly started saving lives. Although Semmelweis wrongly believed that childbed fever was coming directly from corpses, and not from germs as it was later discovered, mortality rates at the delivery room dropped significantly. Unfortunately, the idea of personal hygiene was received with great resistance in part because Victorians found the idea of their hands being dirty insulting. Soon after his experiments, Semmelweis’ ideas were dismissed, and he was committed to a mental institution, where he died at the age of 47.

How do hand sanitizers work?

Over the decades following Semmelweis’ discovery, a deeper understanding of germs emerged, and attitudes towards hygiene slowly shifted. Today, we know that there are millions of microbes – viruses, bacteria, fungi – capable of causing disease. These bugs live in all kinds of environments, including surfaces such as doorknobs, countertops, handrails, etc., but they can’t move on their own, so they depend on living things to spread them around.

Common germs such as the influenza virus, and more recently COVID-19, lie in wait on surfaces – including other people’s hands – until they can hitch a ride from another host. They enter the body when our hands come in contact with porous membranes such as the mouth, eyes, and nose. We then transmit these germs ourselves by touching our noses, eyes, or mouths and then touching other surfaces or by coughing and sneezing.

Because our hands are the main driving germs inside our bodies, cleaning them frequently is a sure-fire way of preventing the spread of many types of infections. Washing them with soap and water is generally the best way of killing germs, but when they are not readily available, hand sanitizer can also help avoid getting sick and spreading bugs around.

The main – and most important – ingredient in hand sanitizer is alcohol. Alcohol is used in hand sanitizers for its ability to quickly kill disease-causing microbes by dissolving the outer fatty membrane of viruses and bacteria and destroying their inner structure – similar to what happens when you wash your hands with soap and water.

Most hand sanitizers are made with isopropanol or ethanol, two types of alcohol highly soluble in water. Generally speaking, both are highly effective at killing certain types of viruses and bacteria. However, ethanol – the chemical present in alcoholic drinks – is slightly more potent than isopropanol (aka rubbing alcohol).

Hand sanitizers are typically marketed as capable of destroying “99.9 percent of germs,” which is certainly true under some circumstances. The effectiveness of hand sanitizer depends on three things: the alcohol concentration in the formula, the type of germ, and how dirty or oily your hands actually are.

Alcohol concentration: not all hand sanitizers are alcohol-based, and not all alcohol-based hand sanitizers contain the appropriate amount of alcohol needed to kill germs. That means that not all kinds of hand sanitizers are effective against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.

According to a systematic review of studies published in The Journal of Hospital Infection, ethanol is very effective at enveloping and inactivating certain viruses within 30 seconds at a concentration of 80 percent. Lower concentrations, such as under 60 percent, might take longer to neutralize the virus – maybe a minute or more. By which time, however, the alcohol may evaporate from the skin before it can destroy the germs. To prevent the spread of COVID-19, the CDC recommends using a sanitizer that contains at least 60 percent ethanol or 70 percent isopropanol when soap and water are not available.

Types of germs: at the appropriate concentration, alcohol-based hand sanitizers can eliminate a broad range of pathogens, including viruses, bacteria, and fungi. However, alcohol is not effective at neutralizing all bugs. Research suggests that alcoholic preparations cannot destroy the virus that causes hepatitis A. It is also ineffective against the poliovirus – the virus that causes poliomyelitis.

Soiled hands: hand sanitizers may not work well when hands are visibly soiled or too greasy.

Does alcohol-free hand sanitizer protect against COVID-19?

The short answer is no. Alcohol-free hand sanitizers have been popping up all over the internet and grocery stores during the COVID-19 outbreak. These sanitizers are typically made with a disinfectant chemical called benzalkonium chloride, essential oils, and other ingredients that aren’t capable of killing coronaviruses.

Shortages of hand sanitizer caused by this public health emergency have also led some to make their own hand sanitizer solutions at home, but there are several downsides to this. First of all, some ingredients might not be effective at killing the pathogens that cause COVID-19, leaving you unprotected without your knowledge.

Additionally, rubbing alcohol is not enough to make hand sanitizer, and most people don’t have the right ingredients and tools at home. Non-sterile working environments might contaminate the mixture. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has also received reports of skin burns from DIY hand sanitizers.

New FDA guidelines

Now that hand sanitizer is part of our day to day existence, knowing whether the product you are applying so frequently to your hands is safe or not is more important than ever. In June, the FDA issued a warning against nine tainted hand sanitizer brans made by Eskbiochem. The agency has recently expanded its list, and it now contains over 75 hand sanitizers for containing dangerous methanol levels.

Methanol, also called wood alcohol, is a toxic substance that can cause nausea, nerve damage, and blindness when absorbed through the skin. Ingesting methanol can be lethal. According to experts, young children are at the highest risk of methanol poisoning.

The FDA recommends consumers to avoid purchasing and using hand sanitizers that:

Have been tested by FDA and found to contain methanol or 1-propanol
Are labeled to contain methanol
Have been tested and were found to have microbial contamination
Are being recalled by the manufacturer or distributor
Has less than the required amount of alcohol
Are purportedly made at the same facility as products that have been tested by FDA and found to contain methanol or 1-propanol
Are packaged in containers that resemble a food/beverage container, presenting an increased risk of accidental ingestion

Click here to see the FDA’s complete do-not-use / RECALL list.

Using hand sanitizer properly

One common mistake is using too little hand sanitizer because they tend to be too sticky or goopy. The World Health Organization recommends applying a “coin-sized” amount of sanitizer, enough to cover both sides of both hands and between the fingers.

Like washing your hands with soap and water, the process of applying hand sanitizer should take at least 20 seconds. It’s important to pay special attention to your thumbs, the back of the hands, and fingers. You should stop rubbing when the sanitizer has evaporated and your hands feel dry. Store your hand sanitizer in a cool, dry location away from sunlight and heat.

Hand sanitizer safety

While hand sanitizer is a great alternative when soap and water are not readily available, they are regulated by the FDA as over-the-counter (non-prescription) drugs and should be used with caution. Keep these tips in mind for using hand sanitizer safely:

Never ingest hand sanitizer
Store hand sanitizer out of reach of children and pets
Children should only use hand sanitizer under adult supervision
Hand sanitizer is flammable: keep away from heat and open flames
Don’t touch your eyes, mouth, or nose immediately after using hand sanitizer
Read the label and consult the FDA’s do-not-use list before purchasing a hand sanitizer
If your hand sanitizer lists methanol as one of its ingredients, discontinue its use immediately

Health Benefits of Fermented Foods | Probiotics

Fermentation is a food-processing technique dating back thousands of years. Some of the earliest archeological records of fermented foods and drinks can be traced back to the Mesolithic period, more than 13,000 years ago. This method was used by many ancient human civilizations as a means of preserving food.

The production of foods such as yogurt and cultured milk, wine and beer, sauerkraut and kimchi, and fermented sausage were initially valued because of their improved shelf life and safety. It is increasingly understood that fermented foods can also have enhanced nutritional and functional properties due to the transformation of substrates and the formation of bioactive or bioavailable end-products. Many fermented foods also contain living microorganisms some of which are genetically similar to strains used as probiotics. Although only a limited number of clinical studies on fermented foods have been performed, there is evidence that these foods provide health benefits well-beyond the starting food materials.

Food can be fermented a couple of ways. Natural or spontaneous fermentation happens when a food or drink naturally contains specific microorganisms that encourage a fermentation process, like kimchi or sauerkraut. Alternatively, foods can be fermented by adding live starter cultures, like sourdough bread, kombucha, and some types of yogurt.

Fermentation occurs when microorganisms like certain types of bacteria, yeast, or mold ingest carbohydrates (such as sugars and starches) to use them for energy and fuel. During the fermentation process, these microorganisms break down carbohydrates into alcohols or acids, changing the food’s nutritional profile, giving it a distinct tangy zest, and extending its shelf life significantly. Fermentation also promotes the growth and development of healthy bacteria – aka probiotics.

Health benefits of fermented food

Fermented foods provide many health benefits such as anti-oxidant, anti-microbial, anti-fungal, anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic and anti-atherosclerotic activity.

CONTAINS PROBIOTICS – Eating fermented foods can help replenish the beneficial bacteria and even fight off pathogenic (harmful) bacteria in your gut. Probiotics have also been shown to bolster your immune system, cure psoriasis & chronic fatigue syndrome, improve your digestion and help the body absorb nutrients. People who eat fermented foods regularly also tend to have a more diverse microbiome, which is the cornerstone of a healthy gastrointestinal system.

Research suggests that probiotics may also:

Improve some mental health conditions: one randomized placebo-control study of 70 individuals working at a petrochemical company found that those who ate yogurt every day or took a daily probiotic supplement experienced better mental health outcomes than those who didn’t consume probiotics.
Encourage heart health: several study reviews and meta-analyses have shown that probiotics can modestly reduce “bad” cholesterol (LDL) and mildly increase “good” cholesterol (HDL).
Help you lose weight: evidence suggests that a particular strain of healthy bacteria called Lactobacillus acidophilus may help adults reduce body fat, waist and hip circumference, and felly fat.

BOOSTS IMMUNE SYSTEM – Fermented foods like kefir, tempeh and miso provide plenty of nutrients including antioxidants that function to strengthen your immunity. This process ultimately helps to protect against bacteria that contribute to debilitating health conditions.

IDEAL FOR WEIGHT LOSS – Fermented foods can be beneficial for weight control in several ways:

Gut Bacteria can affect the regulation of body weight. The Acetic Acid produced in the fermentation process has been shown to reduce body fat. Fermented foods are nutrient-dense, with high bulk consumed per calorie. Ingestion of strains of Lactobacillus shown to reduce body fat. Digestion is more efficient when our gut has a healthy balance of beneficial microbes.

GOOD SOURCE OF ANTIOXIDANTS – Many fermented foods are enriched with antioxidants and when consumed regularly, these antioxidants fight disease-causing bacteria and germs. Antioxidants are also necessary to ward off major health-deteriorating factors such as free radicals that contribute to chronic diseases.

Heal and seal your gut to reverse disease
Detoxify your body
Reverse food allergies and sensitivities
Absorb more nutrients
Feel all-around more energized and healthy

Migraines and Fermented Foods – Be Cautious

While fermented foods may have many health benefits, if you suffer from migraines, you may have to avoid fermented foods. Tyramine is a substance found naturally in some foods, especially aged and fermented foods, such as aged cheeses, smoked fish, cured meats, and some types of beer. Also, foods high in protein may contain more tyramine if they have been stored for a long time they have not been kept cold enough. If you are a migraine sufferer and not sure about your triggers, you can try going on a low tyramine diet to see if it helps.

Introducing fermented foods in your diet

Fermented foods and drinks are considered safe for most. In fact, people who are lactose intolerant usually find fermented dairy products like yogurt and kefir easier to digest. The most common side effects of eating fermented foods for the first time are increased bloating and gas, though they tend to be temporary.

If you want to get more fermented foods in your diet, but you are not sure where to begin, here are a few simple suggestions for every meal:

Breakfast

Add cultured yogurt, kefir, or buttermilk to your morning cereal or smoothie
Top your eggs with a healthy spoonful of kimchi for a refreshing, tangy kick
Fermented oatmeal

Kimchi goes well as a side dish for many meals

Wondering how to ferment oatmeal? It’s easy! Just mix a cup of rolled oats with 2 tablespoons of a probiotic live culture (yogurt, kefir, or buttermilk) and one cup of dechlorinated water, cover with a clean kitchen towel and let it ferment in a warm spot overnight or for up to two days. Enjoy uncooked or cook it like regular oatmeal.

Lunch

A cup of miso soup with lunch can be both filling and nutritious
- Miso (pronounced mee-so) is a salty bean paste, created by fermenting mashed cooked beans and salt with a culture starter called “koji.” Most people worldwide are familiar with this fermented food in the all popular “miso soup”, which is the paste dissolved in hot water to create a rich broth. The soup usually contains other ingredients like shiitake, vegetables, seaweeds, tofu, or tempeh. It is a traditional fermented food native to China and Japan but is used in all parts of Southeast Asia especially Korea, Vietnam, and Indonesia. Customarily, the soybean is the main ingredient found in Asian miso’s, but it can alternatively be made with other types of legumes. Under the process of natural fermentation, the cooked beans experience a biological transformation in which their proteins, oils, fats, and carbohydrates are converted into easily absorbed fatty acids, simple sugars, and amino acids. Miso contains iron, calcium, choline, tryptophan, folate, protein and vitamin K2. It is important to note that these health properties are only found in unpasteurized versions, rather than pasteurized commercial products, which are void of any enzymes or beneficial microorganisms. Most grocery stores now carry cartons of miso paste. When making broth or soup, it is important to dissolve the paste in warm or hot water BELOW the boiling point to preserve its health benefits.
Swap regular condiments for fermented ones, like fermented mayo, ketchup, or mustard
Try a sourdough bread toast topped with sauerkraut or kimchi for an extra-fermented lunch
Consider lacto-fermenting your vegetables instead or baking or steaming them. (Lacto Fermentation Fruit and Vegetable Recipes)

Snacks

Craving a four o’clock snack? Sip on a cold glass of kombucha or cool down with a refreshing yogurt or kefir popsicle

Dinner

Have some fun with a bowl of white rice, some kimchi, a fried egg, and any of your favorite vegetables
Go meatless with tempeh tacos or fajitas
Experiment with fermented chutneys
Top a burger, hot dog, or burrito with a big spoonful of sauerkraut

Note: You may experience side effects initially if you are new to eating fermented foods or eat them somewhat sporadically. Possible side effects include bloating, diarrhea, constipation, gas or indigestion.

One reason you may be hit with side effects is if you introduce fermented foods too quickly. Some people are sensitive to fermented foods, and need a slow initial introduction. If this is the case for you, you might want to start with a tablespoon of sauerkraut, instead of downing ½ cup of it. Work your way up slowly and your body will likely adapt.

Another reason could be that you’re eating them alongside protein-rich foods. Because protein takes longer to digest, gas and bloating can possibly occur when eating protein with gut-friendly fermented food.

Be Mindful of the Salt in Fermented Foods

Keep in mind, too, that many fermented foods, like kimchi, miso, and sauerkraut, are high in sodium. For example, 4 Tablespoons of sauerkraut contain nearly 400 mg of sodium, or almost 20% of your Daily Value, and just 1 Tablespoon of miso has 775 mg of sodium. Regularly eating a lot of salty fermented foods could be problematic especially for people with high blood pressure. Salty foods can also dehydrate you pretty quickly, and cause your body to excrete more calcium.

Fermented foods can be very beneficial for you but like most things… moderation is key.

How to Protect Your Lungs from Wildfire Smoke

As devastating wildfires driven by strong winds rage in California, Washington, Oregon, Arizona and beyond, many people are concerned about protecting their lungs against smoke pollution.

Among those suffering from increased smoke and bad air quality are migraine sufferers. In general, one of the most difficult migraine triggers to control is air quality. It is especially important to avoid or filter out as much bad air as possible during these difficult times.

2020 hasn’t been an easy year for anybody. With the COVID-19 pandemic still posing a serious global public health threat, wildfire season has arrived in the U.S with unrivaled and devastating ferocity, destroying entire communities and burning millions of acres of land up and down the West Coast.

Wildfire smoke can pose a serious health hazard for people in the surrounding areas. Smoke can travel hundreds of miles during a fire, affecting even those who live outside the immediate threat of the wildfire’s path. According to the American Lung Association, people over the age of 65 or under 18, those who work outdoors, and individuals with chronic conditions – particularly respiratory diseases like asthma and COPD – may be at a greater risk of suffering the effects of fire smoke.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, wildfire smoke can irritate your lungs, cause inflammation, affect your immune system and make you more prone to lung infections, including SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.

What’s in wildfire smoke, and why is it so bad for the lungs?

When a wildfire burns, billions of particles from burnt trees, grass, bushes, and even objects get suspended high into the air. Smoke is a complex mixture of carbon dioxide, water vapor, carbon monoxide, particulate matter, hydrocarbons, and other organic chemicals, nitrogen oxides, and trace minerals. These particles can be big, like the ash that’s left after a fire, or incredibly tiny and invisible to the human eye. Smaller particles are the most damaging, as they can reach deep inside the lungs and trigger inflammatory responses.

In addition to particulate matter, wildfire smoke also contains a mixture of volatile chemicals, carbon monoxide, and different compounds that vary depending on what’s feeding the flames. Different types of wood and vegetation are composed of varying amounts of cellulose, lignin, tannins, and other polyphenols, oils, fats, resins, waxes, and starches, which produce different compounds that are released as smoke when burned. Wildfires that burn through cities or communities can pick up chemicals from plastic and other synthetic materials. In contrast, smoke from fires that blaze through poison oak or ivy may contain trace amounts of these plants’ irritants.

Short-term exposure to wildfire smoke can irritate the eyes, nose, and throat, sometimes causing black or brown mucus and phlegm to buildup in the airways. Breathing fire smoke over a prolonged period is more dangerous because it interferes with the blood oxygenation process, raising the risk of lung damage and, in some cases, precipitating cardiovascular events like heart failure, stroke, and heart attack. Short and long-term smoke exposure can worsen respiratory symptoms in people with chronic breathing issues.

One concern of the general public is whether they run an increased risk of cancer or of other chronic health conditions such as heart disease from short-term exposure to wildfire smoke. It is well known that smoke contains carcinogenic components with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) comprising the largest percent and to lesser extent benzene and formaldehyde. People exposed to sufficient concentrations of these types of toxic air pollutants over long periods of time may have slightly increased risks of cancer or of experiencing other chronic health problems. However, in general, the long-term risks from short-term smoke exposures are very low according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Protecting yourself from wildfire smoke

These are some steps you can take to protect you and your family against wildfire smoke dangers:

Check your local air quality reports: If there’s a fire burning nearby, check the air quality reports to make sure it’s safe outside. The Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) website shows you real-time air quality updates based on your zip code.

Stay indoors as much as possible: If the most effective way to protect yourself and your loved ones from wildfire smoke is limiting your time outdoors as much as possible. You may also want to choose a room in your house that you can close off from outside smoke and install a portable air cleaner to filter out harmful particles.

Keep indoor air clean: If you have one, run your air conditioner in the air circulating setting to avoid outside air from getting in. Try keeping all windows, doors, and fireplace hampers closed to prevent smoke from getting inside. According to the American Lung Association, household appliances with HEPA filters can also provide protection from smoke and soot.
Use room cleaners: It is best to buy an air purifier before a smoke emergency occurs as they are often in short supply during a smoke hazard. High-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter air cleaners and ESPs documented not to produce excess ozone can help reduce indoor particle levels, provided the specific air cleaner is properly matched to the size of the indoor environment in which it is placed. There are wide ranges of air cleaners and prices to choose from: air cleaners are available as either less expensive portable units designed to clean the air in a single room ($90 – $900) or as larger central air cleaners intended to clean the whole house ($400 – $1500). Central air cleaners can be more effective than room air cleaners because they filter a larger amount of air, although two or more well-placed portable air cleaners can be equally effective and their cost may still be less than the cost
of a large central air cleaner.
The two basic types of air cleaners for particle removal include:
a) Mechanical air cleaners, which contain a fiber or fabric filter. The filters need to fit tightly in their holders, and cleaned or replaced regularly. HEPA filters (and Ultra-Low Penetration Air [ULPA] filters, which are not generally available for residential use) are most efficient at removing particles.
b) Electronic air cleaners, such as electrostatic precipitators (ESPs) and ionizers. ESPs use a small electrical charge to collect particles from air pulled through the device. Electronic
air cleaners usually produce small amounts of ozone (a respiratory irritant) as a byproduct, though some, especially those that are combined with other technologies, may produce substantial levels of ozone (see next section on Ozone Generators). Only ESPs that have been tested and documented not to produce excess ozone should be used. Ionizers, or negative ion generators, cause particles to stick to materials (such as carpet and walls) near the device and are also often a source of ozone. Ionized particles deposited on room surfaces can cause soiling and, if disturbed, can be resuspended into the indoor air. Room air cleaner units should be sized to provide a filtered airflow at least two to three times the room volume per hour. Most portable units will state on the package the unit’s airflow rate, the room size it is suitable for, its particle removal efficiency, and perhaps its Clean Air Delivery Rate, or CADR. The CADR is a rating that combines efficiency and airflow
When choosing to buy an air cleaner, review the list of certified air cleaners from the California Air Resource Board that produce little or no ozone.

DIY (Do-It-Yourself) air filters for wildfire smoke.
If you are unable to purchase an air cleaner and need a make-shift option, consider a DIY box fan + filter. Buy a MERV 13 or FPR 10 furnace filter and tape it to the back of a box fan. The filters sell for about $15-$20. If you can not find one of these filters, buy something similar at your local home improvement/hardware store. Just line up the filter on the back-side of the box fan (the side that pulls the air in, not the side that blows the air out). The suction from the fan should make the filter stick to the back, but you can also secure it with regular tape. To be effective, there does not need to be a perfect seal between the air filter and the box fan. It is okay to have gaps around the filter. A typical box fan size is 20 x 20 and filter size is 20 x 20 x 1. Place the fan in an enclosed room (a smaller room is best). Make sure the windows and doors are closed. When turned on, the fan will pull the dirty air through the back filtered side and push cleaner air through the front.

Unhealthy air quality: How to keep your pets safe in the haze

“The tape is just helpful to keep it tidy so when you shut off your fan the filter doesn’t just flop off,” Erik Saganic, air resources specialist for Puget Sound Clean Air Agency, said.

For those who are not able to obtain an air cleaning machine, there is a DIY option. Taping an
Cover your face: Surgical cloth and paper masks will not protect your lungs from wildfire smoke. Wearing an N95 or P100 respirator can reduce your exposure to smoke. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it may be hard to find respirators that effectively filter out wildfire smoke particles at your local pharmacy or hardware store.

Anti-pollution masks commonly have valves to help let air out and make breathing easier. Unfortunately, for this reason, the valves make the mask useless in preventing the transmission of viruses – because it is designed to let the air out, along with whatever else might be in that air. These masks should not be considered for the dual purpose of also protecting against Covid-19 or other virus transmissions.

Avoid exercising outdoors: Exercising increases your respiratory rate, making you breathe in more air than usual and causing you to inhale more noxious particles. Avoid exercising outdoors when there’s a fire in the surrounding area or if you notice your eyes or throat getting irritated.

Check-in with your doctor if you have a chronic or respiratory condition: People with cardiovascular disease, asthma, COPD, and other lung diseases should check in with their doctors about any changes in their respiratory management plan, including changes in medications to cope with the smoke.
Here are additional general recommendations to protect you and your family from wildfire smoke:

Roll up your car windows when you are driving your car through smoky areas.
Clean up frequently to reduce dust and soot.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends avoiding activities that increase smoke pollution, like smoking cigarettes and burning candles or fireplaces.
Prepare to evacuate if directed.
Keep house pets indoors as much as possible; smoke can also have a negative effect on animals, especially dogs.

We hope you find these tips useful to ensure you and your loved ones stay healthy and stay safe.

7 Hand Exercises and Stretches for Hand Pain

Why does my hand hurt?

The hands are one of the most sophisticated features of the human body; they are capable of grabbing, pinching, picking up heavy objects, and performing complex, detailed work with outstanding precision. Most of the hands’ movements are controlled by a group of muscles in the forearm that connect to each finger via long tendons that pass through the wrist.
There are 27 individual bones in each hand, as well as several muscles, tendons, ligaments, and sheaths that protect the bones. These structures allow the hands to flex and extend, granting the dexterity and flexibility needed for activities like using utensils, gripping a ball, writing, typing, and more.
Because the hands are so structurally complex, pain can originate in many different parts of the hand or arms, which can be attributed to a wide range of conditions and ailments. Generally speaking, hand pain can stem from:

Traumatic injury
Nerve damage
Inflammation
Fractures and sprains
Repetitive motion injuries (aka “texting thumb”)

And some common conditions that can cause pain in one or both hands include:

Arthritis
Carpal tunnel syndrome
De Quervain’s tendinitis
Traumatic injuries

Depending on its cause, hand pain can be treated with over the counter pain-relieving medications, hot or cold therapy, a splint, physical therapy, and in more extreme cases, steroid injections or surgery. Furthermore, every source of pain has a component of inflammation, which certain herbs, antioxidants and dietary supplements can help address.
Hand exercises and stretches are also a great, non-invasive alternative for improving joint mobility and reducing pain and stiffness. The key is to regularly do the exercises to strengthen the muscles in and around the hands and keep the joints flexible.

Hand and wrist exercises

Thumbs up

Place your elbow on a firm surface and straighten your fingers out.
Bend your hand slowly into a fist, keeping the thumb outside of the hand (as if you were giving a thumbs up).
Hold for five seconds and release.
Repeat 10 times. You can do this exercise as many times as you’d like throughout the day, if it feels comfortable and doesn’t cause pain.

Wrist stretch

The wrists can store a lot of tension and stiffness. Here’s how to stretch them:

Stretch your right arm out in front of you and bend your hand, so your palm is facing down and towards you.
With the left hand, gently bend your right hand in towards you until you feel a stretch in your wrist and forearm.
Hold the position for five seconds.
Repeat the sequence five times on each wrist.

Making a fist

Simple yet effective, you can do this easy exercise anytime you feel your hands are stiff or your fingers feel achy and tired.

Place your arms in a firm, comfortable surface with your palms facing up.
Slowly bend your hands into a fist and wrap your thumbs across your fingers. The goal of this exercise is to work on flexibility, so go as slow as you can!
Open your hand back up and spread your fingers wide.
Repeat at least five times on each hand.

Finger lift

Place one hand on a firm surface, palm down.
Starting with your thumb, lift each finger slowly, one at a time.
Hold the lift for two to three seconds and lower it slowly.
Repeat the entire sequence with the other hand.

Finger tap

Place one or both hands on a table with the palms facing up.
Bring the tip of the thumb together with the tip of each finger, one at a time.
Repeat 10 times on each hand.

The letter “O”

Stretch your arm out in front of you and straighten the fingers.
Slowly, bend all your fingers inward until they touch, forming a circle or the shape of the letter “O.”
Hold the position for five seconds and repeat the sequence on the other hand.

Cooling down: the hand massage

Massages are not only relaxing; they also have the potential to reduce inflammation and pain, as well as improve mobility and general well-being. A hand self-massage can help improve grip strength, reduce anxiety and depression, and help you sleep better. Research also suggests that people with joint conditions like osteoarthritis can benefit from daily self-massages.
Giving yourself a hand massage is easy. Many people like doing self-massages with essential oils or topical pain-relieving creams, but you can also do it with regular lotion or without applying anything. To get the most out of your massage, try doing it every day for at least 10 minutes and make sure to use only light to moderate pressure to avoid worsening the inflammation.

Sit in a comfortable position where you can rest both of your hands and forearms in front of you.
Place the palm of the hand you want to massage facing up and use your other palm to gently stroke your forearm all the way to your wrist with a downwards motion.
Then, clasp your fingers and rub the heels of your palms together in a circular motion.
With your fingers still clasped, rub your thumb against the opposite palm with short, circular motions.
Unclasp your hands and gently pull each finger with the opposite hand until you feel a slight stretch.
Finish by using your thumb and index finger to lightly pinch the webbing between your opposite thumb and index finger.

In addition to exercises and therapies, ensuring adequate nutrient intake can play a crucial role in supporting overall joint health. Products like All Joints Ultra are formulated with a blend of essential nutrients known to benefit joint function. While they do not replace medical treatments, these supplements can complement a balanced diet by providing key vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that contribute to joint health maintenance.

5 Foods That Strengthen Your Gut Microbiome

Gut health refers to the balance of microorganisms that live in the digestive tract. Maintaining the right balance of these microorganisms is vital for physical and mental health, immunity, and more.

The human body is teeming with trillions of viruses, parasites, fungi, and bacteria. Collectively known as microbes, large communities of these ‘bugs’ exist inside your body to support a number of important functions from the moment you are born. The majority of microbes in the human body are found in the cecum, a sort of “pouch” that makes up the first region of the large intestine. However, over the years, people have come to refer to it as the “gut microbiome.”

Babies are first exposed to microbes during delivery when they pass through their mother’s birth canal. Later, as they come in contact with other sources of microbes, such as breast milk, their gut microbiome starts to strengthen and diversify. A diverse microbiome rich with different microbial species is generally considered a good indicator of a healthy gut.

There are more than 1,000 species of bacteria in the gut microbiome. Most of them are ‘good’ and carry out specific tasks to support health, like absorbing nutrients, promoting heart health, and keeping blood sugar under control, among many others. When you have a robust gut microbiome, these good bacteria outnumber harmful bacteria that may trigger unnecessary inflammatory responses and cause disease.

Each person has their own unique gut microbiome, which is, in part, determined by their DNA and other hereditary factors. But fortunately, the foods that you eat also influence your gut microbiome, allowing you to fine-tune the types of bacteria that live inside you so you can look and feel your best.

Here are 5 evidence-based foods that heal and strengthen your gut:

Sauerkraut

Fermented foods are very hot right now; kimchi, kombucha, miso, tempeh, kefir, probiotic yogurts… the list goes on and on. Fermenting food brings to life vast colonies of healthy bacteria that are hard to obtain in other ways, and these mighty bugs have myriad health effects, like improving digestion, boosting immunity, and supporting weight loss, among others.
Sauerkraut is, according to many, the crown jewel of fermented foods. The name means sour white cabbage in German, and it has been used for centuries as a means of preserving cabbage and extend its shelf life. It has a distinct tart flavor that emerges from the lactic acid released by bacteria when they ingest the sugars in the cabbage leaves. A spoonful of sauerkraut delivers an even higher dose of probiotics and fiber than most yogurts in the market.

Sauerkraut is gut friendly

Low in calories and high in essential nutrients, just a cup of this superfood fulfills 35 percent of your daily vitamin C needs and 21 percent of your daily vitamin K needs for a scant 27 calories.

Garlic

With the rise in popularity of gut health in the world of nutrition, probiotics and prebiotics have become pretty important topics of conversation. Although they sound similar, probiotics and prebiotics play different roles in the body. Put simply, probiotics are the good bacteria that you can find in food or supplements, while prebiotics are a type of fiber that the human body cannot digest, but bacteria can. Essentially, prebiotics are food for friendly bacteria.

Raw garlic is a delicious and accessible prebiotic food loaded with health-promoting compounds like inulin, manganese, selenium, allicin, and sulfur. Research has shown that the inulin in garlic boosts the production of good bacteria in your gut. It also contains antioxidants that may help protect against oxidative stress, a precursor of neurodegenerative conditions like Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.

Asparagus

Another great prebiotic food, asparagus contain high levels of inulin, the dietary fiber that feeds friendly bacteria, promotes digestive health, aids weight loss, and keeps you full longer. Asparagus are also low in calories but pack an impressive, nutritious punch.

A cupful of asparagus will only set you back 40 calories while offering almost as much potassium as a medium-sized banana and 57 percent of the recommended daily intake of vitamin K, which is essential for heart health and circulation.

Kimchi

Many of the pickled and fermented foods that we know and love today were invented hundreds, if not thousands of years ago, as a means to preserve food long before there were refrigerators and stabilizers that extended shelf life. That is also how kimchi came about. A traditional Korean dish made with fermented vegetables and varying seasonings like sugar, ginger, spring onions, and chilis, early versions of kimchi can be traced back almost 3,000 years.

A plate of kimchi — a great side dish.

Typically, kimchi is made with cabbage, though it is common to include other vegetables such as cucumbers, carrots, parsnips, radishes, beets, and bamboo shoots. It can be eaten fresh, or it can be left to ferment for a few days or weeks – it will become funkier and more acidic the longer it sits.

When left to ferment, the bacterial strain Lactobacillus eats the sugars in the cabbage and turns it into lactic acid, giving kimchi its characteristic tang. This transformation turns kimchi from a spicy, crunchy snack, into a probiotic powerhouse packed with health-boosting bacteria.

Not sure how to eat kimchi? Truth is, you can add it pretty much to anything! But if you still need some ideas, try:

Adding it to steamed white rice for a tangy kick
Mixing it with pancake batter for savory, crunchy pancakes or waffles
Folding it into scrambled eggs for an umami-packed breakfast
Eating as is for a funky, gut-friendly snack

Miso Paste (broth, paste, soup, dressing etc.)

Miso is rich in essential minerals and a good source of various B vitamins, vitamins E, K, and folic acid. Miso is a salty paste made from fermented beans (usually soybeans) that has been a staple ingredient in the Japanese diet for thousands of years. As a fermented food, miso provides the gut with beneficial bacteria that help us to stay healthy, vibrant and happy; good gut health is known to be linked to our overall mental and physical wellness.

Red vs. White Miso

There are many different miso products available, and several varieties of miso available as well. Two of the most common types are red and white.
White miso paste is made from soybeans that have been fermented with a higher percentage of rice. This results in a lighter color and gives the final product a slightly sweeter taste. Red miso, on the other hand, is made from soybeans that have been fermented for longer periods of time, typically with barley or other grains. It tends to have a deep, rich and salty flavor, plus a darker color that ranges from red to brown.

Sourdough

Provided you are not allergic to gluten or sensitive to gluten, sourdough is your best option for gut health if you enjoy eating bread. Made by fermenting the yeast naturally present in flour and water, sourdough is considerably healthier and tastier – than regular white bread because it is easier to digest.

Sourdough

Making your own sourdough starter to bake your own sourdough bread at home is easy. You just need three ingredients: flour, water, and some patience! Watch this short video to learn how to make it.

Foods to skip

Many factors of our modern life can be damaging to our gut microbiome. Having a frequently upset stomach, sleep disturbances, skin rashes or irritation, autoimmune conditions, allergies, and even migraines are just a few ways an unhealthy gut may manifest. Avoid these foods and drinks as much as possible to keep your gut microbiome happy:

Fried foods
Alcohol and caffeine in excess
Red meat
Artificial sweeteners
Sugary drinks
Sodas and seltzers (including sugar-free)

Incorporating some of these gut-friendly foods into your diet while eliminating others’ will help you maintain the right balance of microorganisms vital to a strong immune system and your overall physical and mental health.

Can’t Sleep? Simple Carbs May Be to Blame

If you’ve ever spent hours tossing and turning without being able to fall asleep, you know how frustrating it can be. According to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM), about one in three people have at least mild insomnia, and about 70 percent of American adults report not sleeping enough at night. So, what’s keeping so many people up at night?

There are hundreds of answers to that question, from common behaviors like drinking coffee too late in the day to unusual sleeping disorders like somnambulism. And now, a recent study has added another factor to the list: refined carbohydrates or simple carbohydrates.

What are carbohydrates?

Carbohydrate is one of the three macronutrients in food that provide fuel for the body to function properly. The other two are protein and fat. During digestion, all three are broken down into the elements the body can use for energy: Protein is reduced to amino acids and fat is reduced to fatty acids, both of which are then stored for future use. Carbohydrates, on the other hand, are broken down into glucose (sugar) which get processed in the liver before entering the bloodstream and is immediately available to be used by cells for energy. This is why eating carbs can affect blood sugar levels so quickly and dramatically.

What is the difference between simple carbohydrates and complex carbohydrates?

There are two types of carbohydrates with each impacting blood glucose levels differently. Simple carbs are like quick-burning fuels. They break down fast into sugar in your system. It takes your body longer to break down complex carbs into sugar. Simple carbs are found in everything from table sugar (sucrose) to fruit. Complex carbs, or starches, occur in foods such as whole grains and starchy vegetables like sweet potatoes, pumpkin and squash. Other good sources of complex carbs are beans. Kidney, white, black, pinto, or garbanzo beans also have lots of fiber.

Carbohydrates and Sleep Study

A study, conducted by researchers from Columbia University’s Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, looked at the relationships between the glycemic index (GI) of different types of carbohydrates and insomnia. Data from the food diaries of more than 50,000 post-menopausal women were gathered to determine if women who ate foods with higher GIs were more likely to develop insomnia.

The glycemic index of a food is a measure that assigns a value to carbohydrates based on how fast or slow they raise your blood sugar levels. Generally speaking, “complex ccarbohydrates” have a low GI value, and are digested, absorbed, and metabolized slower, making your body release glucose in a slow, controlled way.

Simple carbohydrates are high GI foods, that are digested quickly, causing a rapid spike in your blood sugar and insulin levels right after you eat. Eating foods with high GI values has been liked to an increased risk of obesity, diabetes, overeating, and now, insomnia.

The results of the study showed that, after a three-year follow-up, women who regularly ate higher GI foods – especially those who ate lots of added sugars and processed grains like white bread – were more likely to experience insomnia. In contrast, participants who ate a more balanced diet with lower GI foods (like whole grains, fruits, and vegetables) had less trouble sleeping at night.

Because the study only looked at data of women between the ages of 50 and 79, more research is needed to determine if these findings hold true in the general population. If that’s the case, the authors of the study believe that “(…) dietary intervention[s] focused on increasing the consumption of whole foods and complex carbohydrates could be used to prevent and treat insomnia.”

Sleep Aide – Small Complex Carb Snack Before Bedtime

Many people who wake during the night do so because they experience a drop in blood sugar. If you have trouble sleeping through the night, trying eating a small amount of slow burning “COMPLEX CARBS” like a couple spoonfuls of beans (pinto, kidney, garbanzo, black beans etc.) or whole grain crackers. This may help you avoid waking from a drop in blood sugar.

If you need extra help, don’t forget Akeso’s comprehensive natural sleep aide, “SLEEP ALL NIGHT” formulated to reestablish healthy sleep patterns or download our Free Sleep-Ebook & Insomnia White Paper

Grinding Your Teeth at Night | Cause and Prevention

What Is Bruxism?

Bruxism is when you clench or grind your teeth unconsciously. According to the Mayo Clinic, bruxism is a movement disorder that can be caused by a combination of physical, genetic, and psychological factors.

Bruxism is a fairly common disorder that tends to be more prevalent among children than in adults. A 2015 study conducted by researchers at the Children’s Hospital Boston Dental clinic showed that 38 of participants aged 17 or younger clenched their teeth at night, based on self-reported questionnaires filled by their parents.

Most people who clench or grind their teeth do so at night. However, awake bruxism (grinding your teeth during the day), is also common among adults who experience a lot of stress.

What Causes Bruxism?

Experts don’t fully understand what causes teeth grinding, though a number of internal and external factors can make you more likely to brux. In children, bruxism usually begins when the first few teeth start to erupt. Experts believe that babies and toddlers sometimes grind their teeth as a pain response from teething, like when you rub a sore muscle with your hands.

Children and adults can also clench their jaws when their top and bottom teeth are not aligned properly, which is called an occlusal discrepancy. Bruxism can also be a side effect of some medications like certain antidepressants or antipsychotics. Additionally, several studies have linked chronic stress and anxiety to adult teeth grinding.

Exposure to certain substances, including alcohol, cigarette smoke, and caffeine, has also been shown to increase your risk of grinding your teeth at night. In fact, in a systematic review of studies looking at night-time bruxism found that the odds of developing it were two times higher for people who drank alcohol and for those who smoked cigarettes. The odds were 1.5 higher for people who drank more than eight cups of coffee a day.

Some neurological conditions like cerebral palsy, Parkinson’s, Huntington’s, and Alzheimer’s disease are also associated with teeth clenching. Experts suggest that these abnormal jaw spasms can be caused by malfunctions in the direct and indirect pathways of the basal ganglia. Sleep apnea and snoring may also trigger bruxism on some people.

Treating and Preventing Bruxism

While bruxism is not a dangerous condition in and of itself, clenching or grinding your teeth repeatedly can cause oral health issues. Severe and chronic teeth grinding, for example, can result in fractured teeth or tooth loss. Frequent grinding can also wear down your teeth, creating a need for implants, root canals, and other dental procedures. People who have bruxism can also suffer from earaches, headaches or migraines, temporomandibular joint syndrome (TMJ), and disrupted sleep.

There is no cure for teeth grinding, but managing stress is one of the best approaches for treating and preventing it. Several strategies for managing and avoiding bruxism, include:

Using a night guard: a custom-fitted appliance that you wear at night over your top teeth won’t stop you from clenching your teeth but can protect them from the constant grinding and rubbing that happens when you brux during sleep.

Taking a bath before bed: any technique that can help you relax your jaw muscles before bed, including taking a warm water bath or shower, may be useful for preventing teeth grinding. Applying a warm washcloth on your cheeks or even using a heating pad in the lowest setting can also help.

Avoiding alcohol and caffeine: research shows that excessive caffeine or alcohol consumption can increase your risk of grinding your teeth at night. If you are susceptible to bruxism, avoid drinking coffee or alcohol in the evening.

Some experts believe that sleeping better at night can also help you improve or prevent teeth grinding, especially if you usually go to bet stressed or anxious, as many of us do. Having good sleeping habits like keeping your bedroom or sleeping space clean, quiet, and at an appropriate temperature can help you to sleep better at night. Daily exercise, mindfulness meditation, and relaxing night-time rituals like breathing exercises may also help.

For people who toss and turn all night but don’t want to experience the side effects involved with prescription sleeping pills, a natural supplement can potentially help them reset their internal clock, reestablish healthy sleep patterns, and improve sleep quality. Some science-backed ingredients that are known to promote sleep are:

Valerian Extract: an herbal remedy extracted from the perennial valerian plant, valerian extract is commonly used as a natural treatment for sleep disorders, ADHD, anxiety, and restlessness. Research suggests that valerian might reduce the amount of time needed to fall asleep and improve sleep quality. One of the benefits of taking a valerian extract for sleep is that it doesn’t cause morning grogginess or difficulty to wake up.

Melatonin: melatonin is a naturally occurring hormone that is closely tied to your sleeping patterns. As people age, their melatonin production declines, and it gets more challenging to fall asleep. Melatonin is a popular ingredient in sleeping aids because it can shorten the time needed to fall asleep and even improve the symptoms of jet lag.

Magnesium: magnesium is an essential mineral used in over 600 biochemical reactions throughout the body. Magnesium supplements have been shown to offer a variety of benefits, including a better mood, improved migraine symptoms, and a greater ability to stay asleep during the night.

Hops extract comes from the flowers (seed cones) of the hop plant Humulus lupulus. Hops has long been recognized for its relaxation and calming effect. Studies suggest Hops extract may help to improve sleep quality, shorten time to fall asleep and improve sleep brain wave patterns.

Zizyphus Jujube extract is a fruit most frequently used for sleep problems in Traditional Chinese Medicine with little side-effects. It is also used for purposes related to gastrointestinal health and digestion and is also known for its relaxation and calming effect.

Glycine is an amino acid that enhances sleep and supports whole-body health. Early research on glycine and its essential role in sleep was published in 1989 and later in 2008. One of the ways in which glycine aids in sleep was clarified when it was discovered that glycine is responsible for the profound muscle relaxation that occurs during various stages of REM sleep. In another study, glycine improved sleep efficiency, reduced difficulty in falling asleep and enhanced sleep satisfaction.

Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine HCL) Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine HCL) helps your body convert food energy into glucose, metabolize fats and proteins, and ensure proper function of your nervous system. With these various effects, there are ways in which your vitamin B-6 status may cause or contribute to your sleeping difficulties, or insomnia. Pyridoxine is considered adequate for neurotransmitter production to support sleep. Studies show that vitamin B6 positively impacts aspects of sleep and is essential for promoting and maintaining a good mood.

Taking a comprehensive natural sleep supplement containing the above mentioned ingredients in the right amounts shown in clinical studies to be beneficial to sleep, will help you reach the stages of DEEP SLEEP and help prevent night-time teeth grinding.

For more sleep tips, download our FREE SLEEP E-BOOK

Fibromyalgia and Sleep

Sleep – or the lack thereof – is one of the most challenging aspects of fibromyalgia. On the one hand, research suggests that good quality sleep can improve fibromyalgia symptoms. But on the other hand, staying asleep throughout the night and feeling rested in the morning is extremely difficult when you have a pain condition.

What Is Fibromyalgia Anyway?

Before we delve into the specifics of how fibromyalgia affects sleep and talk about some strategies for managing sleep deprivation when you have a pain condition, it’s important to understand what fibromyalgia is.

Fibromyalgia is a medical syndrome characterized by widespread physical pain. This condition affects between 2 and 6 percent of the population, and women tend to be more likely to develop it than men. Even though fibromyalgia can occur to anyone of any age, it’s more common during early adulthood and middle age.

Not so long ago, medical professionals were still debating the existence of not just fibromyalgia but dozens of other pain conditions as well. The 16th century was the first time, as far as we know, that the medical community started thinking of pain as a condition instead of a symptom. In 1592, a French doctor named Guillaume de Baillou coined the term “rheumatism” to describe physical pain that didn’t stem from an injury. The name stuck for hundreds of years until physicians in the 19th century introduced more specific names.

In the early 1820s, a group of doctors discovered that non-injury-related widespread pain was somehow connected to inflammation in certain nodes and nodules throughout the connective tissues of the body. These nodules later became the famous “tender points” that doctors used, until very recently, to diagnose fibromyalgia. The word “neuralgia” was created to describe the pain that irradiated from these tender points and traveled along the nervous system.

But the discovery and classification of fibromyalgia as a medical condition didn’t follow the same path of other diseases. Even though the criteria used to diagnose conditions varies widely, the information required to make an accurate medical diagnosis is usually a combination of the patient’s history and the results of one or more diagnostic or screening procedures. Diagnostic procedures can be lab or imaging tests, exploratory surgeries, and more.

In the case of fibromyalgia, however, experts are still trying to understand how and why it happens. The limited knowledge that we have of this condition means that physicians haven’t been able to develop a diagnostic test or procedure that can accurately identify the presence of this disease. In some cases, people are diagnosed with fibromyalgia when rheumatologists are unable to find another reason for their pain. Physicians also diagnose fibromyalgia by looking at the patient’s clinical history and by administering a questionnaire about symptoms.

The lack of diagnostic procedures and the fact that fibromyalgia shares many symptoms with other poorly understood conditions like depression, led many to believe that this was not a real condition. Contestants of fibromyalgia claimed that the chronic pain and other symptoms associated with this syndrome are a response to anxiety, depression, or other mental health disorders.

It wasn’t until 1976 that the name fibromyalgia and a more accurate description of the disease and its symptoms came about. Then, in 1990, the American College of Rheumatology established the official fibromyalgia diagnostic criteria, finally recognizing this debilitating syndrome as a real medical condition. In 2007, the FDA approved Lyrica, the first pharmaceutical drug to treat fibromyalgia.

Nowadays, we know that there are more than 100 different types of arthritis and several autoimmune conditions and syndromes – like fibromyalgia – that cause unexplained and sometimes debilitating widespread pain.

Fibromyalgia Symptoms

Even though widespread physical pain is the hallmark symptom of fibromyalgia, it is not the only one. People with this condition may also experience:

Extreme sensitivity to touch
Tenderness in or around the joints
Joint stiffness
Brain fog
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
Migraines
Tingling, burning or prickling sensations in hands or feet
Anxiety
Depression

And in the vast majority of cases, fibromyalgia also affects sleep.

Fibromyalgia and Sleep

The vast majority of fibromyalgia sufferers report poor sleep quality, restlessness, and fatigue. In fact, a 2011 research study published by the British Journal of Health Psychology with 104 women with fibromyalgia and 86 healthy controls showed that 98 percent of women with fibromyalgia had significant sleep problems in contrast with 38 percent of healthy controls.

For decades, healthcare professionals have theorized about the relationship between poor sleep and pain conditions. In the same study, researchers found poor sleep quality was also associated with increased pain, worst levels of self-efficacy and independence, anxiety, and depression. But it is not just that not sleeping enough can worsen the pain. Most fibromyalgia sufferers say that widespread pain is the number one reason why they cannot sleep through the night.

Fibromyalgia sufferers are also more likely to have other sleep disorders like obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). OSA happens when the muscles that line the airway relax too much, narrowing the throat and blocking air from reaching the lungs. One research study published by the American Journal of Medicine found OSA present in 44 percent of male fibromyalgia patients and in 22 percent of female patients.

But it’s not all bad news for people with fibromyalgia. Research suggests that lifestyle changes and some dietary supplements may help improve sleep quality and duration for people with pain disorders like fibromyalgia. These are some clinically proven drug-free tips and treatments for sleeping better when you have fibromyalgia.

What May Help to Improve Sleep

Vitamin D – a research study published in 2018 found that a vitamin D supplement can improve sleep quality of life of people with fibromyalgia and reduce morning stiffness. It is estimated that more than half of fibromyalgia patients have deficient or insufficient vitamin D levels, which is also associated with depression and anxiety.

Mindfulness Meditation – a 2007 analysis published by the American College of Rheumatology found that a type of mindfulness meditation called Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) to be more effective than the standard treatment for depressive symptoms – including poor quality of sleep – among women with fibromyalgia.

Melatonin – melatonin is a naturally-occurring hormone made by the pineal gland that works with the circadian rhythm to signal the body when it is time to sleep. Preliminary research on the effects of melatonin on pain syndromes showed that people with fibromyalgia had lower night-time levels of fibromyalgia than other people. However, other studies have revealed mixed results.

Nonetheless, even when patients don’t have lower levels of melatonin, evidence suggests that melatonin supplements may help ease fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue symptoms, including depression and sleep deprivation.

To learn about a combination sleep supplement that contains melatonin and other ingredients proven beneficial for reestablishing health sleep patterns and promoting deep rejuvenating sleep, visit MySleepAllNight.com.

To download Akeso’s FREE Sleep-Ebook and Insomnia whitepaper CLICK HERE.

Your Body’s Language: Nutritional Deficiencies and Consequences

Learn How to Speak Your Body’s Language: Nutritional Deficiencies and Their Consequences

Most people are aware of the short-term consequences of an unhealthy diet: weight gain, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, tooth decay, etc. But in 2019, a group of doctors in the United Kingdom observed another complication stemming from a teenage boy’s junk food-based diet: blindness. In a case report published in the Annals of Medicine, researchers from the University of Bristol offer a cautionary tale for healthcare practitioners about the unexpected consequences of a deficiency-deprived diet, emphasizing the permanent damages it can cause to vision and the nervous system.

The patient, a 14-year-old boy at the time, was first taken to his primary care practitioner complaining of fatigue. Blood panel tests showed that he had a vitamin B12 deficiency but otherwise was in good health. His doctor prescribed B12 injections and nutrition counseling. By the following year, the teenager had begun to develop vision and hearing difficulties, but tests still came back normal. These visions disturbances continued worsening over two years until he was eventually referred to a neuro-ophthalmologist.

At 17, the boy was legally blind, which is defined as a central visual acuity of 20/200 or worse and was diagnosed with optic neuropathy – the name given to damage to the optic nerve from any cause. Optic neuropathy can result in complete blindness if left untreated. Through imaging and genetic tests, doctors were able to confirm that the teen didn’t have any hereditary conditions or lesions that were causing his vision loss. However, his vitamin B12 levels were still abnormal.

Upon further examining his eating habits, doctors learned that “since elementary school, [the boy] would not eat certain textures of food.” Subsisting only on a diet of chips, processed meats, white bread, and a daily portion of french fries. Doctors also found copper, selenium, zinc, and vitamin D deficiencies, as well as decreased bone density.

Nutritional deficiencies are a fairly common occurrence; the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that nearly 10 percent of Americans have at least one deficiency. Globally, nutritional deficiencies affect an estimated 2 billion people, and in the developing world, these deficiencies account for a significant percentage of the morbidity and mortality rates among babies, children, and pregnant women.

When experts talk about “nutritional deficiencies,” they are usually referring to micronutrients. Nutrients are often divided into two categories: macronutrients and micronutrients. Macronutrients, as the name suggests, are the nutrients that we need in big amounts; fats, proteins, and carbohydrates are all examples of macronutrients. Micronutrients, on the other hand, are nutrients that the body needs in smaller quantities, like vitamins and minerals. Most of the micronutrients that humans need to survive can be found in food, with the exception of vitamin D, which the body produces after being exposed to the sun.

Because we only need small quantities of micronutrients, it can take a long time for the body to become completely depleted of any particular one of them. In the case of the teenage boy, his nutritional deficiencies became so severe over the course of at least six years, the authors say, that they eventually caused irreparable damage to his optic nerve.

According to a report published in 2012, the top five nutrition deficiencies in the United States were vitamin B6, iron (especially among women in childbearing years), vitamin D, vitamin C, and vitamin B12. The symptoms of a nutritional deficiency vary depending on the nutrient; iron deficiency (which often leads to anemia) can cause fatigue, headaches, and weakness. The symptoms of a deficiency in vitamin B12, which is common among vegans and older adults, can produce dizziness, nausea, weight loss, nausea, and shortness of breath. Research also suggests that people who suffer from migraines tend to have lower levels of magnesium and vitamin B2 (riboflavin).

In the case of the 17-year-old patient, even though doctors prescribed dietary supplements, his vision did not return. But that is not to say that nutritional deficiencies are irreversible or inevitable. According to nutrition experts at Harvard University, most people – except those with restrictive diets or specific health problems – can get all their vitamins and minerals through their diet. Strict vegetarians and vegans should consider supplementing with vitamin B12 and iron, however.

Eating a healthy, well-balanced diet goes beyond maintaining a healthy weight. Severe nutritional deficiencies, like the one in the case study, can cause serious and irreparable damage to the body, and in extreme cases, they may even become fatal.

To meet nutrient needs, the CDC recommends choosing “a variety of nutrient-dense foods across and within all food groups,” including a variety of vegetables like dark leafy greens, orange and red produce, and legumes. Additionally, the World Cancer Research Fund recommends limiting the consumption of red meat – a valuable source of vitamin B12, iron, and zinc – to no more than three portions per week, and avoiding processed meats like ham, bacon, and salami altogether.

5 Facts You Need to Know About Joint Pain

Joints are the places on the body where two or more bones meet. Humans have three main types of joints: synovial, cartilaginous, and fibrous. Synovial joints are freely movable, meaning that they allow you to extend, rotate or pivot the bones to which they are connected. Some common examples of synovial joints are the knee, elbow, wrist, and knuckle joints.

Cartilaginous and fibrous joints provide little to no range of motion; the fibers that connect the bones on your skull are examples of fibrous joints. Cartilaginous joints can be found in between the vertebrae or connecting the pubic bones. When we talk about joint pain, we are typically referring to synovial joints.

Synovial joints, as the name suggests, are surrounded by a membrane filled with synovial fluid. Synovial fluid is a viscous liquid that keeps joints lubricated, but too much of it can trigger inflammation and pain. More often than not, joint pain occurs when there is a buildup of synovial fluid caused by normal wear and tear, an injury, or an autoimmune condition.

Joint pain can be chronic or temporary, mild or severe, and it can happen for several different reasons. These are five important facts that everybody who experiences joint pain should know.

Joint pain can be caused by a variety of factors

The most prevalent cause of joint pain is arthritis, which is not a disease in and of itself, but an umbrella term used to describe inflammation and pain in one or more joints. Arthritis is extremely common; according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), one in every four American adults suffers from some type of arthritis. As of this year, arthritis is the leading cause of disability in the United States.

There are more than 100 different types of arthritis, and while it is usually more common among older adults (especially women), people of any age or gender can develop it. The two most frequent forms of arthritis are osteoarthritis (OA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

OA, sometimes called degenerative arthritis, happens when one or more joints break down as a result of normal “wear and tear.” OA is the most common type of arthritis in middle-aged and older adults and tends to affect the hands, knees or hips. Symptoms of OA include pain, swelling, stiffness, and tenderness in or around the affected joints.

RA is an autoimmune disease that happens when the immune system attacks the joints and other parts of the body by mistake. When a person has RA, their immune system constantly activates an inflammatory response that causes the joints to swell and become extremely tender and painful. While most types of arthritis cannot be cured, certain medications, lifestyle changes, and natural supplements have been shown to help ease the symptoms and manage their pain.

But arthritis is not the only responsible for joint pain; other factors and conditions that may cause pain in or around the joints are:

Bursitis
Fibromyalgia
Gout
Hypothyroidism
Injuries
Lupus
Lyme disease
Polymyalgia rheumatica
Some types of infections
Tendonitis
Whipple disease

Medications can help ease joint pain

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are over-the-counter (OTC) pain relievers that reduce inflammation and relieve pain and discomfort. Common NSAIDs that you’ve probably seen or even used yourself before are ibuprofen (Advil), naproxen (Aleve), and aspirin. These medications can help with mild to moderate joint pain and even arthritis.

When OTC medications aren’t effective, your doctor may want to take a more serious approach. Injections are usually the second line of treatment for moderate to severe pain that doesn’t respond to drugs because they allow the medication to penetrate directly into the joint.

Depending on the type of injury and the location of the pain, your doctor may decide to inject hyaluronic acid, corticosteroids, stem cells or platelet-rich plasma. The downside to injections is that the effect is temporary, so the pain generally returns within a few months.

But long-term medication use can cause serious side effects

Just because OTC medications are available without a prescription doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t be careful when you take them. Experts advise never taking NSAIDs for more than ten days without consulting a healthcare professional because extended use has been shown to:

Increase your risk of having a heart attack or stroke
Cause headaches and dizziness
Develop stomach ulcers or cause stomach bleeding
Cause heartburn
Increase blood pressure
Damage the liver and kidneys

Nutritional Options

Supplements with proven benefits for joint pain include Boswellia, hyaluronic acid,

Boswellia – A tree that produces a resin known to have anti-inflammatory properties and therapeutic benefits for joint pain/arthritis, rheumatism and gastrointestinal disorders. Of all the Boswellia species, Boswellia Serrata is the most commonly used in herbal extracts and research. (100 mg / day)

Hyaluronic Acid – Is similar to a substance that occurs naturally in the joints. It works by acting like a lubricant and shock absorber in the joints and helps the joints to work properly. Hyaluronic acid helps in both initiating early inflammation for recovery and stopping the natural inflammatory response from going overboard. (150 mg / day)

Ginger – Recent research studies have shown that ginger can help reduce inflammation in people with arthritis and joint pain. Ginger contains more than 200 substances in its oils, which is why it has so many different uses. It has been used medicinally for thousands of years in Ayurvedic medicine in India and has anti-inflammatory, anti-ulcer, and antioxidant properties. Ginger has been known to be beneficial for arthritis sufferers because it blocks the formation of inflammatory compounds (prostaglandins and leukotrienes) and also has antioxidant effects that break down existing inflammation and acidity in the fluid within the joints. (600 mg / day)

Feverfew – Traditionally used for joint pain, feverfew is more commonly used in migraines. This herb can protect the joint against inflammatory changes. It can reduce the symptoms of arthritis-like pain in the joints, restricted movements, swelling in the joints, redness of the skin overlying the joint, and stiffness. (50 mg / day)

Boron – The element boron plays an important role in the integration of calcium into the joint’s cartilage, which helps prevent joint deterioration and arthritis pain. Research shows people with lower boron concentrations in their bones and synovial fluid experience higher rates of arthritis than those with higher levels. (10 mg / day)

Magnesium – Magnesium helps promote a healthy inflammatory response, improves calcium absorption, and reduces oxidative stress. The sufficient intake of magnesium is particularly important for maintaining muscle and nerve function, which also contributes to the structural development of bones—especially important to those involved in sports, the elderly, and anyone of any age with joint issues.

Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) – In terms of joint health, vitamin C is critical for the production and maintenance of collagen, the major component of connective tissue throughout the body. Our joints are largely made of the fibrous protein “collagen”, supporting both flexible and strong joints.

Physical therapy can give you some of your mobility back

When medications simply aren’t cutting it – but you are not ready for major surgery yet – it may be time to consider other options for relieving your pain. Physical therapy (PT) is a fantastic drug-free alternative for managing arthritis and other conditions that cause joint. The principal benefit of PT is that it can help you relieve stiffness and pain by gently strengthening the affected joint and surrounding areas.

PT uses a combination of tailored exercises and therapeutic approaches like ultrasound, massage therapy, and hydrotherapy to help people recover from injuries, manage conditions like RA or OA, and improve balance.

During a PT session, a licensed professional, called a physical therapist or physiotherapist, will assess your condition by asking you to perform a series of movements. Then, they will create a personalized routine and teach you exercises that you can do at home to improve your range of motion. In many cases, PT can help people avoid surgery and significantly improve their quality of life.

PT is often prescribed by doctors, but in some states, you can go to a physical therapist by yourself without a referral. Most health insurances cover all or most of the costs of PT.

Lifestyle changes can minimize pain

Natural approaches to pain management are becoming more and more popular because people want to avoid the side effects of painkillers. Here are three lifestyle changes that will help you maintain function and keep your pain at a minimum.

Hot and cold therapy

Applying heat and cold to your joints is the simplest (and cheapest!) treatment to relieve joint pain, and you can do it from the comfort of your own home. Heat is an effective home remedy for treating stiffness because it promotes blood circulation and relaxes the muscles, and cold reduces inflammation and temporarily alleviates pain.

Apply heat to the affected area by taking a long, warm bath or by laying a heating pad or electric blanket over the affected area. Cold treatments can be done by placing a gel ice pack on the painful joint, but remember to protect the skin with a towel or a cloth to avoid injuries. Do not apply cold for more than 8 minutes at a time.

Losing weight

Every one pound of excess weight exerts three to six pounds of extra force on joints. Losing even a couple of pounds can significantly improve joint pain according to experts. In fact, one research study published in 2005 found that losing only one pound can ease up to four pounds of pressure from your knees. This means that if you lost just five pounds you would be removing 20 pounds of weight from your knee joints!

Swimming

Everybody knows that physical activity is important for improving your overall health and reducing your risk of developing a chronic condition like heart disease or type 2 diabetes. Regular movement also helps to maintain flexibility in your joints. However, when you have an achy joint exercising is usually the last thing on your mind and weight-bearing exercises such as running and walking can be damaging.

The good news is that low-impact exercises such as aquatic activities are both gentle on the joints and extremely effective at soothing pain. The buoyancy of water reduces impact while making you work harder than you would on land, which means that you can burn more calories.

Swimming on a heated pool can also provide some much-needed relief. Remember to bring a flotation device if you are going to work out the deep end of the pool if you get tired or want some extra support.

Keep Moving

Joint pain can make even the simplest of activities challenging. Holding a joint still to protect it or to avoid pain can make moving more difficult and put pressure and stress on other parts of your body. For example, a painful knee can cause you to walk in a way that affects other parts of your body, such as your feet, back, and hips. You must keep moving, however, to maintain flexibility and joint health. Taking dietary supplements and incorporating the above-mentioned tips into your daily routine can go a long way towards keeping active by protecting and lubricating your joints, improving mobility, and promoting comfort.

Never Underestimate the Power of Nutrition
To learn more about a combination supplement to nutritionally support overall joint health, joint integrity, and joint comfort, visit AllJointsUltra.com

New Sleep Supplement for Reestablishing Healthy Sleep

LOS ANGELES—(BUSINESS WIRE)– Akeso Health Sciences, creator of MigreLief, the leading line of dietary supplements for migraine sufferers announced the launch of “Sleep All Night” a nutritional supplement formulated to reestablish healthy sleep patterns for people who have difficulty sleeping.

“Studies have shown a migraine-sleep connection” states, Curt Hendrix M.S., C.C.N., C.N.S. the creator of MigreLief® Triple Therapy with Puracol™ and Sleep All Night. “Sleep is a key issue for migraine sufferers and any disturbance from a normal sleep routine can trigger a migraine attack.”

Having pioneered dietary supplements for migraine sufferers over two decades ago, Akeso has made it its mission to improve quality of life for people suffering this debilitating disorder. “Creating an effective sleep supplement is a natural fit, promoting deep restorative sleep for not only migraine sufferers but anyone experiencing sleep issues,” said Hendrix. “In fact, reestablishing healthy sleep patterns is the most powerful tool any one can rely on to maintain good health and extend life” Hendrix continued.

Sleep affects all aspects of our lives. Deep restorative sleep is where the body and internal systems regenerate themselves. Sleep improves immune function, protects against cellular damage, supports proper brain function, and improves focus, memory, concentration, learning and productivity. Healthy sleep also lowers risk of heart disease, diabetes, stroke dementia, and obesity while sleep loss activates undesirable markers of inflammation and cell damage.

Despite all of the well-documented health benefits of getting a good night’s sleep, quality and quantity of sleep are at an all-time low. For some, good sleep practices and habits are not enough. Sleep All Night was created for those people who need extra help falling asleep faster and staying asleep longer.

“It takes years to develop poor sleep patterns for many people, so it may take up to two weeks to correct them,” states Hendrix. “Sleep All Night should be taken every night and is not just a drug to knock you out and leave you groggy in the morning”, Hendrix concludes.

About Akeso Health Sciences
Akeso formulates condition-specific dietary supplements for improving quality of life and longevity. Curt Hendrix, Chief Scientific Officer of Akeso, has dedicated his life to researching and developing safer medicines based on herbal and natural compounds. He has been the principal scientific investigator in multiple NIH studies examining the benefits of natural supplements for Alzheimer’s disease.