This past May I was very fortunate to have had the opportunity to attend the Nutrition and Health Conference put on by the Arizona Centre for Integrative Medicine where I was first introduced to the work of medical doctor Victoria Maizes. Dr. Maizes focuses much of her work on fertility, environmental toxins and their impact on the body and women’s ability to conceive.
After returning home and diving into research on environmental toxins and infertility I has the opportunity to share this information with my first client who had been struggling to conceive for the past 3 years. We worked together on reducing her exposure to environmental toxins through skincare products, food storage containers and bottles, as well as avoiding inorganic foods that fall into the “dirty dozen” category (more about that later). My client informs me a few months later that she is pregnant. Coincidence? You might think. However, the research is extremely strong in this area and I hope to share it all with you over the coming months.
Okay, let’s start at the beginning. Taking a prenatal multivitamin is important for many different reasons and I would like to share not only the importance of taking a prenatal vitamin if you are a woman of childbearing age but what exactly to look for and why each nutrient is important. As a big believer in food first, this is definitely one area where I feel a safety net associated with taking a prenatal multivitamin is important.
Below are some of the top reasons why taking a prenatal multivitamin is important:
•Taking a multivitamin may assist with conception
-According to the Nurses Health Study, the longest running study on women’s health, taking a multivitamin helps women conceive. In addition, women in the study who took a multivitamin had a third lower risk of developing ovulatory infertility, compared with women who did not take a multivitamin. Researchers in the study estimated that 20% of all ovulatory infertility cases would be avoided if women took a multivitamin (Maizes, 2013)
•Taking a multivitamin reduces the risk of birth defects in your baby
-It is estimated that protection against birth defects ranges from 25-50% for neural tube defects, cardiovascular defects, limb defects, cleft palate, and urinary tract anomalies (Maizes, 2013)
•Taking a multivitamin lowers the risk of miscarriage
-Research done in 2007 showed that multivitamin supplementation in the first trimester of pregnancy was linked to a 50% decreased risk of miscarriage (Maizes, 2013)
The Child Autism Risks from Genetics and Environment (CHARGE) study, a Northern California case-controlled study, examined the impact of maternal prenatal vitamin consumption in 276 children with autism and 269 children with typical development. According to the study, the women who began taking prenatal vitamins 3 months prior to conception and up to 1 month into pregnancy had a 38% reduced risk of autism in their children, compared to mothers who did not begin taking a multivitamin until later in their pregnancy.
What should I be looking for?
My first recommendations are to look for a food-based supplement and one that is free from unnecessary additives. Some of the unnecessary additives I am referring to are:
•FD&C Yellow #5 (Tartrazine) Lake
•FD&C Yellow # 6 Lake
•FD&C Blue #2 Lake
•Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose
(I’ll talk more about these additives in a future post – for now, I suggest avoiding them if possible)
Vitamin A
Vitamin A is needed for developing vision and immune function of the fetus.
Animal forms of vitamin A are called preformed vitamin A – they are more easily absorbed and used within the body in comparison to vitamin A coming from fruits and vegetables. The type of vitamin A coming from plant sources is known as the pro-vitamin A carotenoids.
Be cautious – It is possible to get too much vitamin A (particularly when taking supplements), which can increase the risk of birth defects.
Maximum dosage of 2500 IU/day. However, if the form of vitamin A on the label says beta-carotene, the maximum dosage increases to 15,000 IU/day (pre-pregnancy) and 5,000 IU/day during pregnancy since less then 10% of carotenoids are converted to the active form of vitamin A within the body.
“Vitamin A is found in significant amounts only in animal products like liver and grass-fed dairy. You’d have to eat a huge amount of beta-carotene from plants to meet vitamin A requirements during pregnancy. For example, 3 ounces of beef liver contains 27,000 IU of vitamin A. To get the same amount of vitamin A from plants (assuming a 3% conversion of beta-carotene to vitamin A), you’d have to eat 4.4 pounds of cooked carrots, 40 pounds of raw carrots, and 50 cups of cooked kale” (Chris Kresser, Healthy Baby Code)
Iron
The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey study showed that 9-16% of women between the ages of 12 and 49 are iron deficient. In addition, only 20% of fertile women have adequate iron reserve of 500 mg. Iron is stored in our body but as women, we lose a significant amount of iron during menstruation and childbirth.
Having inadequate iron status prior to and during pregnancy can have a significant impact on fetal development by reducing infant growth rate. If iron deficiency is present prior to conception, this can impact the development of the placenta during early pregnancy.
"According to the Nurses’ Health Study, women who took iron supplements had a 40% lower risk of ovulatory infertility than those who did not take iron supplements” (Maizes, 2013)
Recommended daily iron intake per day is 18 grams for women during the preconception stages, and 27 mg per day for pregnant women.
Nutrient dense food sources of iron: Most bioavailable form of iron is red meat.
One of the side effects of many iron supplements is constipation. Trying to avoid this unpleasant side effect is one of the reasons why many women avoid iron supplementation. Using food-based iron supplements of iron bisglycinate can reduce the constipating effect of iron. See here (https://www.thorne.com/products/dp/iron-bisglycinate) for an iron supplement from a supplement company I trust.
Iodine
Iodine is essential within the body in the production of thyroid hormone and helping to prevent brain damage. Iodine deficiency is linked to miscarriage and stillbirths.
The recommended daily allowance for iodine is 150 mcg prenatally and 200 mcg while pregnant and breastfeeding.
Food sources of iodine:
Milk, egg yolks, saltwater fish, sesame seeds, asparagus, garlic, spinach, mushrooms, seaweed, dulse, kelp, lima beans.
Folate
Folate is a critical nutrient during preconception and pregnancy. Folate is required for the synthesis of DNA and cell division. Unfortunately, 90% of women do not get sufficient folate from their diets alone. Due to the importance of folate in the development of a healthy baby and prevention of neural tube defects, it is recommended by multiple professional organizations that women of childbearing age take 400 mcg of folic acid per day. However, there is some controversy around this folic acid recommendation, as supplemental folic acid can mask symptoms of pernicious anemia (anemia linked to vitamin B12 deficiency). The emphasis on folic acid for women of childbearing age regardless of whether or not you plan to become pregnant is related to the fact that beginning to supplement with folic acid at 8-12 weeks into pregnancy is too late.
Although we discuss folic acid (the common synthetic form of folate) more than the food source of folate, there is a difference between the two. Folate in its natural form is better utilized within the body compared to folic acid. Look for folate on the label not as folic acid, rather “folate”, “5-methyl-tetrahydrofolate”, “L-methylfolate” or “Metfolin”.
Nutrient dense food sources of folate: leafy green vegetables, liver, legumes.
Although this is not the end of my list, I will end today’s long-winded blog post here. Be sure to check out “Part 2” for a continuation on prenatal supplements and discussions of omega 3, vitamin D, calcium, vitamin E, vitamin B12 and trace minerals.
Yours in health,
Kristin
There has been a lot of hype about the "sunshine vitamin" in the past decade due to its many important roles within the body. At my first meet and greet with a family physician in Calgary, he gave me a requisition to get my blood work done. After scrolling through the checked boxes on the sheet I asked if I could also get my vitamin D levels checked. To this question my physician answered “most Canadians are deficient in vitamin D so we don’t bother checking it”…….
I went on to tell him that I have been supplementing with 1000 IU/day and want to make sure it’s enough to keep me within the normal range. He reluctantly checked the box and off I went. [vitamin D is no longer tested in Alberta unless you display outward symptoms of deficiency]
So, why do I care? Why does this matter?
Vitamin D is necessary for the normal metabolic functioning of the body.
Unlike other vitamins, vitamin D can be produced in the body through a photosynthetic reaction that occurs when the skin is exposed to sunlight.
Vitamin D can also be categorized as a hormone based on the fact that it is produced by the body and controls and regulates the activity of certain organs and cells.
Vitamin D appears in several different forms in the body – a precursor form, a vitamin form, and a bioactive hormonal form. These transformations depend on a variety of different factors. There is potential for the precursor of vitamin D to never become either a vitamin or a hormone if there are disruptions in the pathway of precursor to hormone. These disruptions to a successful transformation may help to explain why some individuals have sufficient exposure to sunlight and still have low levels of active vitamin D in the bloodstream or why some people have adequate levels of active vitamin D according to their blood work, yet they have evidence of vitamin D deficiency as a result of inadequate transformation of vitamin D into the bioactive hormonal form.
A meta-analysis of eight prospective cohort studies from Europe and the United States showed that being in the lowest 20% of serum 25(OH)D (the active form of vitamin D) was associated with cardiovascular and all-cause mortality. The results were consistent across study populations, age groups, sexes, and seasons of blood drawn (Schottker, 2014).
Adequate levels of vitamin D (measured as serum 25(OH)D) are defined by the National Osteoporosis Society as above 50 nmol/L. Inadequate is defined as serum 25(OH)D levels of 30-50 nmol/L and deficient is less than 30 nmol/L.
3 of the top responsibilities of vitamin D in the body include:
1) Bone Health
The most critical effect of vitamin D and the one we hear about the most is the maintenance of bone health. Vitamin D has been linked to various skeletal disease including osteoporosis, fractures, and rickets/osteomalacia.
Vitamin D does not act directly on bone cells, rather it works to enhance absorption of calcium and phosphorus from the intestine and may increase reabsorption of calcium in the kidneys. Without adequate vitamin D levels, calcium can accumulate in the inner surface of the intestinal cells instead of being channeled into bone cells (Bikle, 2009).
2) Immune System Support
Vitamin D plays a basic role in regulating the immune system and as a result, vitamin D deficiency has been correlated with increased rates of infection (Gombart, 2009). The reason for this inverse relationship is likely due to vitamin D’s ability to improve the effectiveness of barriers to infection in the skin, gut, lungs and placenta by increasing production of cathlicidin, a bacteria-killing protein (Adams, 2010). In addition, when intracellular bacteria is detected by the immune system in our body, it responds by converting 25(OH)D (serum vitamin D) into 1,25(OH)2D (the hormonal form). It is now believed by some experts that low serum vitamin D is a consequence of uncontrolled bacterial infection and chronic inflammation (Mangin, 2014).
Prior to the discovery of antibiotics, cod liver oil, a rich source of vitamin D, sunlight and pharmacological doses of vitamin D were used to treat the infectious disease, tuberculosis.
A significant association was found between children and teenagers with several food and environmental allergies and low serum vitamin D levels (it was not noted in adults). This association did not suggest that low levels of vitamin D caused allergies, rather that the anti-inflammatory effect of vitamin D could be protective against developing these allergies (Sharief, 2011).
There is also a potential link between low vitamin D status and autoimmune conditions (multiple sclerosis, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, type 1 diabetes, psoriasis, Crohn’s disease).
3) Cognitive Function
Higher serum vitamin D levels have been associated with better memory and cognitive function after adjusting for other risk factors (Lee, 2009; Llewellyn, 2010). The Cardiovascular Health Study, a study of older participants, found that very low levels of vitamin D (under 25 nmol/L) was associated with a 122% increased risk of dementia (Littlejohns, 2014).
A systemic review of the literature found that people with Alzheimer’s disease had lower concentrations of vitamin D than those without Alzheimer’s disease. Better cognitive test results were also lined to higher serum concentrations of vitamin D (Balion, 2012)
Lower levels of vitamin D were also associated with increase in depressive symptoms, PMS, seasonal affective disorder, and non-specified mood disorder (Murphy, 2008; Llewellyn, 2010).
Toxicity
Sometimes when we think a little is good, a lot is better. With vitamin D that is definitely not the case, as toxicity is definitely a possibility when a person is using supplements. Toxicity can only occur when using supplements due to the body’s ability to self regulate. Taking 50,000 IU per day over time has been known to cause vitamin D toxicity.
Buildup of calcium in the blood is one of the major consequences of vitamin D toxicity. This buildup can cause nausea, vomiting and poor appetite. Kidney problems and frequent urination can also occur. People dealing with liver or kidney conditions are at increased risk of developing negative effects of vitamin D toxicity.
Food First
As I’ve said before, in my practice I follow a food first policy. Below are some of the most nutrient dense foods rich in vitamin D. That being said, it can be extremely difficult to get enough vitamin D from food sources alone (particularly in the winter), so vitamin D is one of the vitamins that is a staple recommendation for most of my clients.
Recommended Daily Intake
Men and Women aged 19-50
Aim for: 600-3000 IU/day
*Note - supplementation/intake amount will vary based on your blood levels of vitamin D
Men and Women aged 51-70
Aim for: 600-3000 IU/day
Men and Women aged 71 and older
Aim for: 800-3000 IU/day
Meat and Alternatives Serving Size Vitamin D (IU)
Egg, yolk, cooked 2 large 57-88
Pork, various cuts, cooked 75 g (2 ½ oz) 6-60
Beef live, cooked 75 g (2 ½ oz) 36
Fish and Seafood
Salmon, sockeye/red, canned, cooked or raw 75 g (2 ½ oz) 530-699
Salmon, humpback/pink, canned, cooked or raw 75 g (2 ½ oz) 351-497
Salmon, coho, raw or cooked 75 g (2 ½ oz) 326-421
Snapper, cooked 75 g (2 ½ oz) 392
Salmon, chinook, raw or cooked 75 g (2 ½ oz) 319-387
Whitefish, lake, cooked 75 g (2 ½ oz) 369
Mackerel, Pacific, cooked 75 g (2 ½ oz) 342
Salmon, Atlantic, raw or cooked 75 g (2 ½ oz) 181-246
Salmon, chum/keta, raw or cooked 75 g (2 ½ oz) 203-221
Mackerel, canned 75 g (2 ½ oz) 219
Herring, Atlantic, pickled 75 g (2 ½ oz) 210
Trout, cooked 75 g (2 ½ oz) 150-210
Herring, Atlantic, cooked 75 g (2 ½ oz) 161
Roe, raw 30 g (1 oz) 145
Sardines, Pacific, canned 75 g (2 ½ oz) 144
Halibut, cooked 75 g (2 ½ oz) 144
Tuna, albacore, raw or cooked 75 g (2 ½ oz) 82-105
Mackerel, Atlantic, cooked 75 g (2 ½ oz) 78
Tuna, white, canned with water 75 g (2 ½ oz) 60
Fats and Oils
Cod liver oil 5 mL (1 tsp) 427
Milk and Alternatives
Goat’s milk, fortified with Vitamin D 250 mL (1 cup) 100
Rice, oat, almond beverage, fortified with Vitamin D 250 mL (1 cup) 88-90
Yogurt (plain), fortified with vitamin D 175 g (3/4 cup) 58-71
Milk (3.3 % homo, 2%, 1%, skim) 250 mL (1 cup) 103-105
Source: "Canadian Nutrient File 2010"
www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/nutrition/fiche-nutri-data/index-eng.php
When a client is unable to consume the above foods on a regular basis (due to dislikes, allergies, sensitivities, etc.) I follow the National Osteoporosis Society recommendations of 1000 IU per day of vitamin D during the winter months (October – April here in Alberta). During the spring and summer months, in order to keep serum vitamin D levels adequate it is suggested that 15-20 minutes of sun exposure between 11 am – 2 pm with arms, shoulders and back uncovered (and not covered is sun screen) is necessary.
As always, please consult your personal care practitioner or pharmacist before starting a new supplement routine. Keep your eyes open for my next post on why I pair my vitamin D with a vitamin K2!
Hopefully this post answers some of your questions regarding vitamin D in the body. Please don’t hesitate to let me know if you have any questions or concerns.
Yours in health,
Kristin
Sources
Adams JS, Hewison M. Update on vitamin D and hypertension: a casual association? Lancet Diabetes Endocrinol. 2014; 2:682-684.
Balion C, Griffity LE, Strifler L, et al. Vitamin D, cognition, and dementia: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Neurology. 2012;79(13):1397-1405.
Bikle D. Nonclassic actions of vitamin D. J Clin Endocrin Metab. 2009;94:26-34.
Gombart AF. The vitamin D-antimicrobial peptide pathway and its role in protection against infection. Future microbiology. 2009;4:1151-1165.
Lee DM, Tajar A, Ulubaev A, et al. EMAS Study Group. Association between 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels and cognitive performance in middle-aged and older European men. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 2009;80:722-729.
Littlejohns TJ, Henley WE, Lang IA, et al. Vitamin D and the risk of dementia and Alzheimer disease. Neurology. 2014;83:920-928.
Llewellyn DJ, Lang IA, Langa KM, et al. Vitamin D and risk of cognitive decline in elderly persons. Arch Intern Med. 2010;170:1135-1141.
Magin M, Sinha R, Fincher K. Inflammation and vitamin D: the infection connection. Inflamm Res. 2014;63:803-819.
Murphy PK, Wagner CL. Vitamin D and mood disorders among women: an integrative review. J Midwifery Women’s Health. 2008;53(5):440-446.
Schottker B, Jorde R, Peasey A, et al. Vitamin D and Mortality: Meta-analysis of individual participant data from a large consortium of cohort studies from Europe and the United States. BMJ. 2014;348:g3656.
Sharief S, Jariwala S, Kumar J, Muntner P, Melamed ML. Vitamin D levels and food and environmental allergies in the United States: results from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2005-2006. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2011;127:1195-1202.
Zeratsky K. What is vitamin D toxicity, and should I worry about it since I take supplements? Accessed on Nov 1, 2015 at http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/expert-answers/vitamin-d-toxicity/faq-20058108
[vc_row type="in_container" scene_position="center" text_color="dark" text_align="left"][vc_column column_padding="no-extra-padding" column_padding_position="all" background_color_opacity="1" background_hover_color_opacity="1" width="1/1"][vc_column_text]Magnesium is needed within the body for many different reasons – strong teeth and bones as well as a healthy cardiovascular and nervous system. Concern regarding magnesium status in the body is not often brought up to me by clients – with the exception of clients dealing with renal insufficiency. This is likely because when we get our annual blood work done, magnesium doesn’t seem to ever come up as a red flag for being “outside of the normal range”. This is due to the fact that 99% of magnesium is located in bone, soft tissues and muscles and these values are not accurately reflected in a blood test. Magnesium levels are best detected via a 24-hour urine analysis rather than a blood test.. and how many of us do 24-hour urine analyses on a regular basis? Not many.
Other factors that can lower magnesium levels include:
▪ Drinking too much coffee, soda, or alcohol
▪ Eating too much sodium (salt)
▪ Heavy menstrual periods
▪ Excessive sweating
▪ Prolonged stress
Symptoms of low magnesium levels are:
▪ Agitation and anxiety
▪ Headaches
▪ Restless leg syndrome (RLS)
▪ Sleep disorders
▪ Irritability
▪ Nausea and vomiting
▪ Abnormal heart rhythms
▪ Low blood pressure
▪ Muscle spasm and weakness
▪ Insomnia
▪ Poor nail growth
Symptoms that I tend to see most frequently in my practice that are positively impacted by an increase in magnesium-rich foods of a magnesium supplement are: sleep disorders, muscle spasms, and restless leg syndrome. Magnesium citrate taken in the evening can also help with regularity of bowel movements.
I always recommend food first.. so let’s take a look at the daily magnesium recommendations some nutrient-dense foods that contain magnesium
Adult
▪ Males, 19 to 30 years of age: 400 mg daily
▪ Females, 19 to 30 years of age: 310 mg daily
▪ Males, 31 years of age and over: 420 mg daily
▪ Females, 31 years of age and over: 320 mg daily
▪ Pregnant females, 19 to 30 years of age: 350 mg daily
▪ Pregnant females, 31 and over: 360 mg daily
▪ Breastfeeding females, 19 to 30 years of age: 310 mg daily
▪ Breastfeeding females, 31 years of age and over: 320 mg daily
Food; Serving Size; Magnesium (mg)
Vegetables and Fruits
Spinach, cooked 125 mL (½ cup) 83
Swiss chard, cooked 125 mL (½ cup) 80
Potato, with skin, cooked 1 medium 47-52
Okra, cooked 125 mL (½ cup) 50
Grain Products
Quinoa, cooked 125 mL (1/2 cup) 47
Meats and Alternatives
Legumes (dried beans, peas and lentils)
Peas, black-eyed peas/cowpeas, cooked 175 mL (¾ cup) 121
Beans (black, lima, navy, adzuki, white kidney, pinto, Great Northern, cranberry, chickpeas), cooked 175 mL (¾ cup) 60-89
Lentils, split peas, cooked 175 mL (¾ cup) 52
Nuts and Seeds
Pumpkin or squash seeds, without shell 60 mL (¼ cup) 317
Brazil nuts, without shell 60 mL (¼ cup) 133
Sunflower seed butter 30 mL (2 Tbsp) 120
Sunflower seeds, without shell 60 mL (¼ cup) 119
Almonds, without shell 60 mL (¼ cup) 88-109
Cashews, without shell 60 mL (¼ cup) 90
Pine nuts, without shell 60 mL (¼ cup) 70-86
Cashew butter 30 mL (2 Tbsp) 84
Flaxseeds 30 mL (2 Tbsp) 78
Sesame seeds 30 mL (2 Tbsp) 56-68
Peanuts, without shell 60 mL (¼ cup) 65
Chinese chestnuts, without shell 60 mL (¼ cup) 54
Peanut butter 30 mL (2 Tbsp) 50-52
Hazelnuts, without shell 60 mL (¼ cup) 48-52
Fish and Seafood
Salmon, Chinook, cooked 75 g (2 ½ oz) 92
Halibut, cooked 75 g (2 ½ oz) 80
Mackerel, Atlantic, cooked 75 g (2 ½ oz) 73
Pollock, Atlantic, cooked 75 g (2 ½ oz) 64
Crab, Atlantic snow, cooked 75 g (2 ½ oz) 47
Meat and Poultry These foods contain very little of this nutrient.
There is quite a bit of concern regarding the magnesium content of our soil (or lack thereof) due to our current agricultural practices. Many experts say that magnesium is one of the most depleted minerals in farm soils today. Increased use of NPK fertilizers (NPK standing for nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium) has led to much of this controversy regarding the magnesium content of our soil. Potassium and phosphorus are antagonists of magnesium and as a result, can create magnesium deficiencies in the soil. Acid rain causes magnesium to leach from the soil and therefore, it is unavailable for the crop. Finally, genetically modified hybrid plants that are continuously being introduced to our food supply are bred to grow in soil that is depleted of these minerals making it less important that the mineral content of the soil is adequate. Your best bet to avoid purchasing fruits and vegetables that are depleted in these minerals is to talk to your local farmer about his/her soil replenishment practices.
If we decide that a supplement will be helpful - remember, the form of the supplement matters! I often look at nutrition supplement labels when I am browsing through the pharmacy and see “magnesium oxide” as the magnesium source of many multi-vitamin/mineral supplements. This is unfortunate, as magnesium oxide is poorly absorbed and utilized within the body, however many supplement manufacturers use it because it is less expensive than other forms of magnesium. The two that I tend to stick with, based on the success experienced with my clients are: magnesium glycinate (I typically only find this in health food stores) or magnesium citrate (this is commonly found in the pharmacy). I also really like the idea of using magnesium (in the form of salts or oil) topically to be absorbed through the skin.
According to Dr. Sealy "transdermal therapy creates “tissue saturation”, which allows magnesium to travel to the body’s tissues and cells at a high dose without losses through the gastrointestinal tract".
Medication Use
Several commonly prescribed medications can cause us to lose more magnesium in our urine. Some of these medications include, but are not limited to, diuretics, insulin, birth control pills, corticosteroids, tetracycline and other antibiotics just to name a few.
You may notice if you’re shopping for a calcium supplement that they usually come in the form of calcium/magnesium. This is due the fact that magnesium helps prevent calcium from being deposited into the soft tissues in the body. Magnesium also assists with the conversion of vitamin D to it’s active form in the body, which also increases the absorption and utilization of calcium in the body. It is important to note that although magnesium assists with proper utilization of calcium within the body, calcium actually interferes with the absorption and utilization of magnesium. Therefore, magnesium in the form of a calcium/magnesium supplement is NOT a good source of magnesium.
Since the kidneys are responsible for excretion of magnesium, people with heart or kidney disease should not take magnesium supplements except under their doctors' supervision.
So what can we do to increase our intake and absorption of magnesium from our food sources?
•Regularly consume foods higher in magnesium
•Consume nuts that are raw and soaked (to help reduce phytic acid content) rather than roasted (I will discuss this in a future post)
•Filter water to get rid of fluoride (check out reverse osmosis water filters – not all water filters filter fluoride)
•Decrease (or better, eliminate) intake of processed foods
•Be mindful of the amount of tannins, phytic acid and oxalates we are consuming – all of these compounds bind to magnesium in the body, making utilization difficult (again, we will talk more about this later)
•Talk to your local farmer at the market about soil replenishment practices
Hopefully this post shed some light on the importance of adequate magnesium status in the body. Please don't hesitate to let me know if you have any further questions.
Yours in Health,
Kristin
Sources:
http://www.berkeleywellness.com/supplements/minerals/article/magnesium-mighty-mineral
http://www.dietitians.ca/Your-Health/Nutrition-A-Z/Minerals/Food-Sources-of-Magnesium.aspx[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
When I ask my clients "have you heard of sleep hygiene?", to this day not one person has answered "yes". I often get a range of responses from "does that mean you have a shower before you go to bed?" to "I wash my sheets every week". Sleep hygiene is defined as "habits and practices that are conducive to sleeping well on a regular basis".
I care about the sleep quality of my clients for a number of reasons.
First of all, when we are lacking good quality sleep (shoot for 7-9 hours) we often experience that afternoon slump when we are more likely to reach for a bag of chips or a specialty coffee drink. The immediate result of our choices is a short spike in our blood sugar giving us a short-lived burst of energy, however the long-term result is a slow but steady increase in the number on the scale.
When we are running on little sleep, the brain reward centre revs up meaning we are desperately looking for something to make us feel good.
Sleep also impacts our production of hunger hormones leptin and gherlin (read more about these hormones here). When we are tired, more gherlin is produced and less leptin is produced.
Finally, when we are getting little quality sleep, our cortisol (stress hormone) levels will rise. Having higher cortisol levels will signal the body to conserve energy and losing weight will become much more difficult.
Begin implementing some of these tips into your routine and improve your sleep hygiene tonight!
Yours in health,
Kristin
Sources:
O'Brien, M. (2011). The healing power of sleep. California: Boomed General Concord.
We hear it said all of the time "eat less, exercise more" to lose weight. If it were that simple, why would 1 in 4 Canadians be considered 'obese'?
Hormones have a significant impact on our appetite and, as a result, how much food we consume in a day. Three of the hormones and chemicals that play a important role in what, when, and how much we eat are:
Leptin
Leptin is a hormone that is produced strictly by fat cells in the body. When leptin is produced, a message is sent to the brain that we do not need of anymore fuel.
Insulin
Insulin is produced by cells in the pancreas called the beta cells and is then transported directly to the brain. Insulin is produced after we eat foods containing carbohydrates. It is responsible for getting the sugar circulating in the blood where it belongs.
Dopamine
Also referred to as the "reward neurotransmitter". It is the release of dopamine that we "crave" when we decide to indulge in highly palatable foods (think: chocolate, chips, cookies, etc.).
When we consume highly palatable foods, we activate the "reward circuitry" within the brain and dopamine is released. This gives us a quick rush of good feelings.
Once consumed, both food and drugs light up the same pathway in the brain, eventually reaching the brain's pleasure centre, which then sends out a message to "consume more".
This reward circuitry doesn't only occur in humans. Studies have shown that well-fed rats, with food freely available, will voluntarily expose themselves to adverse conditions (ex. extreme cold, foot-shocks, heat pain) in order to obtain highly palatable foods (shortcake, Coca-Cola, M&Ms, chocolate, etc.). So what does this mean? We will go to long lengths to activate that reward circuitry in the brain. If that wasn't bad enough, food restriction/deprivation increases the reinforcement value of a highly palatable food. As a result, avoiding the dish filled with our favourite candies at work gets harder every day that we diet.
So with this drive to adhere to the "eat less" portion of the weight loss equation, why do we continue to overeat?
Well.. there are three hypotheses:
If you find yourself succumbing to the temptation of various indulgent foods, there are a number of things you can do to help end the cycle:
The next time you have one of those pesky cravings give some of the above methods a try and let me know how you make out!
Yours in health,
Kristin