If you are experiencing any of these situations, then it might be your stress hormone affecting your mind-body connection.
By discovering how hormones and stress can alter the brain�s function, it is impressive how science and psychology are behind the mind and body connection and how it is disconnected due to two concept idealism. Amazingly though, hormones in the body can affect a person’s perception of the world as well as showing how stress is producing in the body while making visible changes in the brain by enhancing the neurological functions. In the previous article, it talks about how the mind-body connection was formed.
By exploring how stress can rewire the brain’s neural architecture, researchers can see how this is being done, understanding allostasis and how the body responds to stress, as well as seeing how five molecules are being required to help rebuild the brain in the body.
How Stress Remodels the Brain
Known as cognitive deficits, any altercations to the brain can make a person more susceptible to neurological dysfunction in their bodies. Studies show that people can become acutely sensitive to stimuli in their bodies, like having fearful facial expressions due to amygdala hyper responsivity. This condition can happen to schizophrenia patients, and recent research shows that the amygdala response can become hyperactive and can decrease over time gradually. With the bidirectional relationship between the environment and the mind, it shows the spheres of the brain can correspond with each other. When there is chronic or severe stress in the body and affecting the brain, it can result in behavioral abnormalities that can be manifested into cognitive impairments.
In a study, the research shows how animals were being exposed to stressful situations, and researchers are examining their stress response. The results show how animals are being exposed to different situations that are causing them to be stress, and the stress hormones are producing dendritic remodeling in the hippocampal neurons.
When the human body is continually adapting to its environment, the brain is being rewired since the brain is the center for regulating the cytoskeleton, epigenetic, and nongenomic mechanism for the body. Surprisingly, the stress hormone can remodel the neural architecture of the brain by gene expression that is continually being mediated by epigenetic mechanisms. This mechanism makes the human body to adapt to its environment and helps the response and corresponding changes in the body; there is a factor that can help mediate these changes.
BDNF or brain-derived neurotrophic factor is a factor that is being directly involved in the neurological function of the brain while also playing an essential role in the hippocampal aging so the brain can function correctly. So when stress is affecting not only the brain but the body as well, it can cause cognitive dysfunction to a person depending on the stress and the situation a person is in.
How Allostasis and The Body Responds To Stress
When the body achieves homeostasis, a process known as allostasis helps the body be adaptive and is connected to the entire human body. Since the HPA axis, the nervous system, the metabolic system, and the immune system are involved with the stress response and can become a stressor. If there is an overabundance of stress, the body can start to fail and cannot regulate these mechanisms, causing the body to burn out. This is known as “allostatic overload.”
With homeostasis, it is there to make sure that the body is doing okay by adapting to stressor mediators. These mediators include the endocrine system that produces hormones, the metabolic system that helps regulate glucose levels, and the immune system. With these meditators, they are there to help maintain the body, while allostasis and “allostatic overload” are the biological concepts that can describe how the body can adapt to stressors. When a person is overly stressed or is suffering from a high allostatic load, they may develop some bad habits in the future. Whether it is smoking, consuming alcohol, eating poorly, or even sleeping less, this can cause their body to develop chronic illnesses over time.
Good stress: This type of stress is an essential part of life that everyone has. What good stress does to the body is that it briefly increases the heart rate and mild hormone rate. This type of stress is a good motivation boost to anyone that is getting their work done.
Tolerable stress: This type of stress is a bit more severe and temporary in the body. What tolerable stress does is that it is associated with non-normative that can be presented from a more significant threat. This type of stress can be from experiences of the death of a family member, natural disasters, or an act of terrorism.
Toxic stress: This type of stress can cause prolong activation of the stress response and can cause chronic impairments to the body. Research at Harvard showed how toxic stress could alter the developmental process on kids, thus producing damaging effects that can affect a child’s development throughout their life. Toxic stress can produce long-lasting abnormalities to a person and can hinder them from being socially active.
The 5 Molecules To Remodel The Brain
Even though the body gets involved when there is a stressful experience, the brain becomes the primary target. The stress hormone can alter the brain’s function and structure, causing the body to have neurological impairments. Surprisingly though, the brain can rebuild itself, and many healthcare professionals can offer patients that have neurological dysfunction a positive therapeutic advancement through the correct internal, external, and environmental conditions that the patient is in.
There are five main groups of molecules that the brain needs, so it can be remodeled and can offer positive treatments for the person. They are:
With the mind-body connection being in a bidirectional relationship, it is essential to know that these two are not separate entities and that they affect the body by sending out hormones to the crucial organs to make sure that it is functioning correctly. When it comes to stress, however, it can cause the brain to rewire itself, and if there is prolonged stress in the body, it causes many disruptive factors that will impact not only the mind-body connection but the body’s system as well. Some products can help the mind-body connection by providing support to the endocrine system, the gastrointestinal system, as well as relieving temporary stress the body may encounter.
The scope of our information is limited to chiropractic, musculoskeletal, and nervous health issues or functional medicine articles, topics, and discussions. We use functional health protocols to treat injuries or disorders of the musculoskeletal system. Our office has made a reasonable attempt to provide supportive citations and has identified the relevant research study or studies supporting our posts. We also make copies of supporting research studies available to the board and or the public upon request. To further discuss the subject matter above, please feel free to ask Dr. Alex Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900.
References:
Team, Biotics Education. �Managing Inflammation through Gut Microbiota.� Biotics Research Blog, 7 May 2019, blog.bioticsresearch.com/managing-inflammation-through-gut-microbiota.
McEwen, Bruce S. �The Neurobiology of Stress: from Serendipity to Clinical Relevance.� Harold and Margaret Milliken Hatch Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology, The Rockefeller University, 25 Sept. 2000.
Shi, Shou-Sen, et al. �Acute Stress and Chronic Stress Change Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) and Tyrosine Kinase-Coupled Receptor (TrkB) Expression in Both Young and Aged Rat Hippocampus.� Yonsei Medical Journal, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Sept. 2010, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2908888/.
Suslow, Thomas, et al. �Automatic Amygdala Response to Facial Expression in Schizophrenia: Initial Hyperresponsivity Followed by Hyporesponsivity.� BMC Neuroscience, BioMed Central, 13 Nov. 2013, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24219776.
Team, Biotics Education. �Stress – The Mind-Body Connection Part 2.� Biotics Research Blog, 12 Dec. 2019, blog.bioticsresearch.com/stress-the-mind-body-connection-part-2.
Team, Harvard University. �Toxic Stress.� Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University, 2019, developingchild.harvard.edu/science/key-concepts/toxic-stress/.
If you are experiencing any of these situations, then your mind-body connection might be unbalanced.
Throughout history, there have been studies and theories that the mind and body are separate. This theory has been accepted by many; however, there is so much evidence showing the mind, and the body having a bidirectional relationship in the body like the gut system that sends signals to the brain and vise versa. Since each organ sends its signals to the brain, the endocrine system sends out signals to the brain in the form of hormones, which can alter the person’s perception of the world through their eyes.
With that in mind, neuroplasticity has shown people that when they are in their environment, it can be altered the physical make up of the environment. Many modern scientists have acquired very sophisticated tools that can monitor the body’s brainwaves, the microbes, and many other factors that can change the body’s mind. Since stress is a full-body response, it can be both a good thing and a bad thing for the body. Good stress in the body gives the “fight or flight” response while the bad stress can become chronic and can lead the body to be dysfunctional. So the idea of having the mind and the body being a separate function seems to be a bit outdated but also informational.
By exploring the science and psychology of the mind-body disconnect, researchers can see how a person�s hormones can affect their perception of the world. By diving into the body, researchers can also see how stress can produce any visible changes in the brain as well.
How Experiences Alters the Mind
Many experiences can alter the mind. Whether it be good experiences that can be used in the work atmosphere or it can be bad experiences like being traumatized from horrible events. Studies show that trauma can alter the mind and depend on the situation. Even though the damage that is caused by trauma can be healed if it is minor. In some cases, it can scar a person even though the physical damage is healed. The mental damage is affected as a person can relive the traumatic experience that they encountered.
With good experience, they can be useful to a person if the damage has minored. If a person accidentally hurt themselves from any activities, they know not to do that again. Although if a person practices on specific activities and get better at it with time, it becomes a skill they can use. Sometimes a person can have a set of specific skills that are beneficial when they are working in the job they are in. So depending on the experiences that a person is dealing with, it can be either good or bad, but their brains will remember it.
The Difference Between Dualism and Monism
There has always been a philosophical debate on the mind and body. There are different ways to look at the mind-body connection, as many researchers have debated whether the mind is part of the body or that the body is part of the mind. Thus the difference between Dualism and Monism has different views on the mind-body connection.
Dualism is defined as being born out of the body as a physical object, and the mind or the consciousness is being constructed. The origins of dualism started with the Cartesian ways of thinking, where people started to argue that there was a two-way relationship between the mental and physical substances in the body. Surprisingly, the belief of the physical and mental systems are compartmentalized and not inter-related like what some people think.
French philosopher Ren� Descartes stated that the mind interacts with the body through the pineal glands and that the mind controls the body. He also summed his thoughts with one of his famous statements: �I think therefore I am.� With this statement, it tells researchers that the mind is a nonphysical and non-spatial substance that is being identified with consciousness and self-awareness in the body.
With monism, it is defined as a material point of view and that all humans are just merely complex physiological organisms. There is another type of monism known as phenomenalism. It also goes by subject idealism, and the concept of this monism is that the mind and the body are two separate entities. With each type of monism, the concepts always seem to be the same, which shows that each type of monism seems to ignore either the mind or the body. It is always one or the other, never together at the same time.
How Stress Hormones Influences the Brain
When it comes to stress and hormones, there has been a lot of scientific advancements on how the stress hormone affects the brain in the body. Since hormones have been found to alter the hippocampal neurons with stress hormones, they can give the body the burst of energy that it needs. Although, if there is a long-term activation of the stress hormone can wear the brain down and kill the brain’s cells. If someone has any psychological disorders that cause prolonged stress, it can impair cognitive function, and the results can be enhanced emotionally.
Conclusion
With the mind-body connection, they can send signals to each other and make sure that the human body is functioning correctly. When there is prolonged stress in the body, it can disrupt the signals and cause the body to dysfunction. The next article will be discussing how stress can rewire the brain in the body. Some products can help the body by supporting the endocrine system as well as helping the body to relieve temporary stress.
The scope of our information is limited to chiropractic, musculoskeletal, and nervous health issues or functional medicine articles, topics, and discussions. We use functional health protocols to treat injuries or disorders of the musculoskeletal system. Our office has made a reasonable attempt to provide supportive citations and has identified the relevant research study or studies supporting our posts. We also make copies of supporting research studies available to the board and or the public upon request. To further discuss the subject matter above, please feel free to ask Dr. Alex Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900.
References:
Perry, Bruce D., et al. �Childhood Trauma, the Neurobiology of Adaptation, and �Use?Dependent� Development of the Brain: How �States� Become �Traits.�� Semantic Scholar, 1 Jan. 1995, www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Childhood-trauma%2C-the-neurobiology-of-adaptation%2C-Perry-Pollard/1d6ef0f4601a9f437910deaabc09fd2ce2e2d31e.
Team, Biotics Education. �Stress – The Mind-Body Connection Part 1.� Biotics Research Blog, 9 Dec. 2019, blog.bioticsresearch.com/stress-the-mind-body-connection-part-1.
Woolley, C S, and P A Schwartzkroin. �Hormonal Effects on the Brain.� Epilepsia, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 1998, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9915614.
If you are experiencing any of these situations, why not try to fix your resolution for the New Year.
New Year�s Resolution
With the new year coming up, many people make resolutions to better themselves for the upcoming year. Whether it be getting healthier, being more organized, stressing less, or living life to the fullest, resolutions are little reminders for anyone to get back on track on themselves. With the end of the month and during the holiday season, more people are more likely to put aside their health habits aside and indulge in the seasonal sweet and savory foods. The holiday season is filled with frequent gatherings with family and friends, which involves more consumption of food. In many parts of the U.S., sedentary behaviors have become a form of hibernation. Even though these holiday habits tend to make many people feel guilty, they always fuel resolutions so they can create healthier habits for when the new year begins.
Surprisingly, the most natural part is making resolutions; however, keeping them is the hardest part. Sometimes a person can make too many resolutions and can not follow through with them due to so many that they want to achieve. Other times there are people that are more likely to stick to their resolutions in the long run when their goals are more realistic than unattainable. There are a few changes that can make a tremendous impact on the person’s overall wellbeing and can make their lives a bit easier if they have a hectic lifestyle. One of the significant changes is getting healthier, and the majority of any chronic health issues can be rooted through a few practices that can sabotage a person’s physical, mental, and emotional health. So focusing on making good choices and making them habits or lifelong practices can provide a significant influence to not only the body but to the individual as well.
Getting Rid of Sugar
One of the first things that a person should do if they want to keep track of their health resolution is to ditch the overabundance sugar consumption. Many healthcare practitioners have continued to try and stop their patients from unbridled sugar consumption. It has been on the top list of chronic health problems that are plaguing the industrialized world since everyone in the world has consumed refined sugar into their bodies. Studies show that consuming refined sugar is the leading cause of dental cavities and being linked to obesity, type 2 diabetes, and endocrine dysfunction.
Studies even show that sugar consumption can also lead to hypertension and obesity-related cancers, as well as common mental disorders like depression. Research from the American Heart Association recommends that if both males and females want to limit their sugar consumption, then females must consume no more than six teaspoons of sugar a day. At the same time, males consume no more than nine teaspoons of sugar a day. The interesting fact is that people can reach that intake by just consuming a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Sadly though, according to a 2012 research study, the average American individuals in the U.S. have consumed 19 teaspoons of sugar a day.
The body�s metabolism requires sugar to make sure that the person�s energy is leveled. Research shows that the metabolic mechanisms in which sugar helps contribute to diseases that can be both indirect and direct to the body. When there either a low sugar count or even a high sugar count in a person, it can lead to a dysregulation of the lipids and carbohydrate metabolism. When this happens, the body can have chronic conditions like dyslipidemia, reduce beta-oxidation as well as insulin resistance. Other mechanisms can affect the body when sugar is traveling through the bloodstream, like a positive energy balance. In some cases, when the sugar metabolism is too high, it can lead to hyperuricemia, oxidative stress, and chronic inflammation in the body, and it can cause developing problems for the individual. So by making the right choices and eliminating added sugars that are in packaged foods out of the diet can result in a drastic shift towards better health for the person.
Staying Hydrated
It is highly essential that everyone at least drinks about eight glasses of 8 ounces of water every day. Sadly though, not many people drink the recommended amount of water, thus getting dehydrated. Studies show that dehydration is a common, under-recognized condition that many individuals have. Sometimes chronic dehydration starts in childhood and continues throughout their lifespan. Research shows that an estimated 54% of the population lives with chronic dehydration since the human body is nearly 85% of water and why dehydration can be problematic.
Sometimes dehydration can go beyond merely feeling thirsty. Studies show that when a person is mildly dehydrated, it can impair cognitive functions, and when it is prolonged, it can cause urinary and bladder dysfunction in the body. A good rule for anyone who wants to maintain adequate hydration is to drink at least half of their body weight in ounces of water since hydration is directly linked to body mass and making sure that the weight is leveled. By drinking plenty of water, it is a simple yet easy health resolution that people can get for free and can provide a powerful impact.
Eating a Healthy Protein Breakfast
Another health resolution that can have a significant positive impact on a person’s health is by consuming a protein-rich breakfast. Sadly though in North America, people have developed two breakfast habits that can be bad for their health. They are skipping breakfast altogether and consuming a high refined carbohydrate breakfast. Both of these bad habits have been associated with obesity and other related comorbidities.
In contrast, though when a person starts eating a protein-rich breakfast, the results are remarkable. Research shows that eating a protein-rich breakfast can help reduce a person�s appetite, increased their satiety, and provide a healthier energy intake that can get a person over the mid-afternoon slumps. The positive effects show that consuming a protein-rich diet can lower the effects of obesity and being overweight as well as reducing the risk of obesity-related health conditions that can affect the body. By eating a sumptuous protein breakfast, the results show that it can help the body by changing the blood lipids and blood pressure as well as reducing the risk of metabolic syndrome and chronically elevated insulin for individuals that have diabetes and cardiovascular diseases.
Conclusion
With the new year coming around the corner, making resolutions to not only better oneself, but it can provide a positive change to the person. Many healthcare professionals can encourage their patients to make these simple yet highly effective changes to promote wellness. New Year’s resolutions do not have to be complicated or unattainable; they can be simple and easily attainable with these fundamental changes. By eliminating added sugars, drinking more water, and consuming a protein-rich breakfast can make anyone keep track of their resolution. Some products can help make sure that anyone can keep track of their resolutions by providing support to the body’s metabolism as well as regulating sugar metabolism as well.
The scope of our information is limited to chiropractic, musculoskeletal, and nervous health issues or functional medicine articles, topics, and discussions. We use functional health protocols to treat injuries or disorders of the musculoskeletal system. Our office has made a reasonable attempt to provide supportive citations and has identified the relevant research study or studies supporting our posts. We also make copies of supporting research studies available to the board and or the public upon request. To further discuss the subject matter above, please feel free to ask Dr. Alex Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900.
References:
Association, American Heart. �Added Sugars.� Www.heart.org, 17 Apr. 2018, www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-eating/eat-smart/sugar/added-sugars.
Chang, Tammy, et al. “Inadequate Hydration, BMI, and Obesity Among U.S. Adults: NHANES 2009-2012.” Annals of Family Medicine, American Academy of Family Physicians, July 2016, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4940461/?report=reader.
Chow, Kai Foo. �A Review of Excessive Sugar Metabolism on Oral and General Health.� The Chinese Journal of Dental Research: the Official Journal of the Scientific Section of the Chinese Stomatological Association (CSA), U.S. National Library of Medicine, 2017, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29181456.
Kn�ppel, Anika, et al. �Sugar Intake from Sweet Food and Beverages, Common Mental Disorder and Depression: Prospective Findings from the Whitehall II Study.� Scientific Reports, Nature Publishing Group U.K., 27 July 2017, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5532289/.
Leidy, Heather J, et al. �Beneficial Effects of a Higher-Protein Breakfast on the Appetitive, Hormonal, and Neural Signals Controlling Energy Intake Regulation in Overweight/Obese, �Breakfast-Skipping,” Late-Adolescent Girls.� The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, American Society for Nutrition, Apr. 2013, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3718776/.
Maki, Kevin C, et al. �The Effects of Breakfast Consumption and Composition on Metabolic Wellness with a Focus on Carbohydrate Metabolism.� Advances in Nutrition (Bethesda, Md.), American Society for Nutrition, 16 May 2016, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4863265/?report=reader.
Stanhope, Kimber L. �Sugar Consumption, Metabolic Disease and Obesity: The State of the Controversy.� Critical Reviews in Clinical Laboratory Sciences, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 2016, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4822166/.
Team, DFH. �New Year’s Health Resolutions � Easy Does It.� Designs for Health, 23 Dec. 2019, blog.designsforhealth.com/node/917.
Urkin, Jacob, and Yair Bar-David. �Voluntary, Nonintentional Dehydration and Health.� American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, Nov. 2015, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4605154/.
Vos, Miriam B, et al. �Added Sugars and Cardiovascular Disease Risk in Children: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association.� Circulation, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 9 May 2017, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5365373/.
If you are experiencing any of these situations, then why not enjoy a cup of tea to relieve some stress from your hectic day.
Tea has been consumed by everyone and has been dated back since the Shen Nong dynasty in China. There is growing evidence that demonstrates that when people are drinking tea, it is beneficial to their health in various ways. In recent years, it has been established that there are antioxidative properties that are found in tea, especially in green tea, which has many components to help the body, especially L-theanine and caffeine. When a person drinks tea, the effects are quite favorable since the tea can help alleviate a person’s mood, stress, and anxiety they might be feeling. Consuming tea has also been known to reduce the risk of cognitive decline, cancer incidents, and mortality in the body. As more research shows that all kinds of tea, especially the non-caffeinated varieties, can exert multiple health benefits in the GI tract since it has potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory capacity from its abundance of polyphenols.
Tea Consumption Benefits
Surprisingly the majority of studies that have been conducted have evaluated the effects of tea consumption on an individual’s health. Neuropsychological measures have approached the consumption of tea. It has been focusing on the neuroimaging that can measure the structure and function of a person as they consume tea. Furthermore, studies have shown that even though the individual properties are being presented in tea consumption, the benefits that it provides can help improve cognitive abilities and reduce the risk of neurocognitive decline in the body. Even though the neuropsychological measures show individuals consuming tea, there are no significant effects; however, there are synergistic effects with a multi-constituent combination of brewing whole tea leaves for consumption.
A recent study that was published in the National University of Singapore has explored how the effects of tea consumption on the brain were being investigated, both structural and functional as system-level brain networks. Researchers did a study on how tea consumption can affect the structural and functional imaging of the brain in healthy older adults. There are previous studies that have suggested that the DMN (default mode network) that is within the brain is the primary contributing factor that involves in neurodegenerative and cognitive diseases and aging.
Cognitive Benefits From Tea
Therefore, researchers can measure the interregional connectivity that is associated with DMN and the hemispheric asymmetries that the brain has to test the effectiveness of a person consuming tea. The results showed that when anyone is consuming tea, that the beneficial tea’s properties can improve the person’s engagement in the preparation of task implementation. The results also provided evidence of tea drinking can positively contribute to the brain structure by making the network organization more efficient. When a person drinks tea regularly, the beneficial properties have a protective effect in reducing age-related cognitive decline in the brain as well.
Since the rates of neurodegenerative diseases are unfortunately climbing at a rapid rate in the United States, it is essential to know that dietary and lifestyle factors can play a crucial role in the development of diseases that can harm the body. Therefore, being educated on incorporating more brain-healthy foods and beverages into a daily diet is very important. Surprisingly, the Mediterranean diet incorporates antioxidant-rich foods that are beneficial to the body and preventing inflammation from reaching critical masses. Plus, adding a cup or two of high-quality tea and consuming it daily is an easy way for anyone to boost their overall polyphenols.
Surprisingly for anyone that needs a caffeine boost in the morning or has been experiencing the mid-afternoon slumps, they can consider switching a cup of coffee for a cup of tea. The benefits of tea consumption are that it can help the body give a boost of energy without the jittery effects that coffee provides. With tea, it can help the body relax after it has been through a hectic, busy day and can relieve stress, anxiety, and improve cognitive functions in the body. Studies found that a variety of different teas can exert positive health benefits like decreasing stress, improving alertness, and sustain attention and memory.
Conclusion
So drinking tea has been around for several millennia and has provided excellent benefits for the body. By drinking at least one to two cups of tea, it can dampen the effects of inflammation as well as giving a caffeinated boost in the morning or the afternoon slumps to anyone. So go and enjoy a nice cup of tea as well as its benefits. Some products are beneficial to the body by relieving temporary stress that the human body may encounter.
The scope of our information is limited to chiropractic, musculoskeletal, and nervous health issues or functional medicine articles, topics, and discussions. We use functional health protocols to treat injuries or disorders of the musculoskeletal system. Our office has made a reasonable attempt to provide supportive citations and has identified the relevant research study or studies supporting our posts. We also make copies of supporting research studies available to the board and or the public upon request. To further discuss the subject matter above, please feel free to ask Dr. Alex Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900.
References:
Dietz, Christina, and Matthijs Dekker. �Effect of Green Tea Phytochemicals on Mood and Cognition.� Current Pharmaceutical Design, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 2017, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28056735.
If you are experiencing any of these situations, then why not try some elderberries for your immune system.
With the full swing of the cold and flu season and the holiday season, the body�s immune system could use a little bit of extra support this time of the year. Back in the 17th century, elderberries have been used in traditional folk medicine to help the body give an added boost of immunity. Hippocrates has called this berry and its tree �his medicine chest,” due to its health-promoting properties for the body. Now with modern research, the elderberry has properties that are a great addition to the immune system against the cold and flu season.
Elderberries
Like all the other berries, elderberries are an excellent source of antioxidants, and their ORAC (oxygen radical absorbing capacity) score is higher than cranberries and blueberries since these two berries have the same ORAC score, which is relatively high. Elderberries have a dark purple-black color on them. They have anthocyanin and quercetin compounds that are found in other boldly colored berries and fruits. Not only that, these berries are excellent in pies and jellies to be enjoyed.
Besides its antioxidant benefits that it provides, the elderberry has been known to be a powerful force when it is facing various strains of influenza and bacterial infections that are harmful to the body. Studies found out that in a double-blinded RCT (randomized controlled trial), the elderberry extract has immune-modulating properties for healthy people while playing the role of boosting the immune system. Surprisingly elderberry extract is effective against ten different strains and can destroy flu-like symptoms.
The same study also showed that elderberry extract could increase the production of inflammatory cytokines between 2 to 45 folds. Compared to LPS (lipopolysaccharide) is known as a monocyte activator that can ramp up any of these free tools by 3 to 10 folds in the immune system. The researchers have concluded that with the addition to its antiviral properties, elderberry extract can activate healthy immune systems in the body by increasing the production of inflammatory cytokines. With many other studies supporting elderberry’s effects against many flu strains and illnesses, elderberry in a syrup form can help relieve flu-like symptoms less than four days.
Elderberry Properties
In another study, it showed individuals that were given elderberry extract, experienced a faster resolution they have been experiencing from fever and many other flu-like symptoms. With the elderberry group, about 93% of individuals have shown entirely of an improvement in fever-like symptoms in just two days than the individuals who were in the placebo group. Even though the results have different days, elderberry can be beneficial for anyone who needs to be in their tip-top shape as well as feeling better faster. These include:
Doctors
Emergency responders
Parents
Teachers
Law Enforcement
Surprisingly studies also suggest that elderberry can be potent when it is consumed and be useful when the symptoms make their first appearance in the body. What is impressive about elderberries is that they are not only effective at fighting the flu, but these powerful berries are packed with an antimicrobial punch as well. Research shows that elderberries are effective against certain bacterial strains from harming not only the body but also the immune system as well. With elderberry extract, it can go to a concentration level at 10% is added to bacterial strains and decreasing their growth by over 70%.
As if these powerful berries could not get any better, elderberries have been in the spotlight for fighting off winter illnesses. Nutritionally speaking, these berries are making a comeback in the nutrition department. Studies show that elderberries are an excellent source of vitamins and nutrients for a healthy body. About one cup of elderberries has about 27 grams of carbohydrates with only 10 grams of fiber; these berries are an excellent choice for anyone that is watching their carbohydrate intake but still want to enjoy some fruit, then elderberry is for them.
Conclusion
Elderberries are the super antioxidant berries that can help dampen the effects of inflammation in the immune system. These berries can help the body from alleviating symptoms from the cold or flu, while also dampening the bacterial strains that the body may encounter. By adding these berries into pies and jams, a person can get the full benefits from the super berry, while also lessening the chances to get sick during the colder seasons where cold and flu season starts. Some products work well with elderberry by providing support to the gastrointestinal system and designed for more excellent stability for the body.
The scope of our information is limited to chiropractic, musculoskeletal, and nervous health issues or functional medicine articles, topics, and discussions. We use functional health protocols to treat injuries or disorders of the musculoskeletal system. Our office has made a reasonable attempt to provide supportive citations and has identified the relevant research study or studies supporting our posts. We also make copies of supporting research studies available to the board and or the public upon request. To further discuss the subject matter above, please feel free to ask Dr. Alex Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900.
References:
Barak, V, et al. �The Effect of Sambucol, a Black Elderberry-Based, Natural Product, on the Production of Human Cytokines: I. Inflammatory Cytokines.� European Cytokine Network, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 2001, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11399518.
Charlebois, D. �Elderberry as a Medicinal Plant.� ASHS Press, 2007.
Krawitz, Christian, et al. �Inhibitory Activity of a Standardized Elderberry Liquid Extract against Clinically-Relevant Human Respiratory Bacterial Pathogens and Influenza A and B Viruses.� BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine, BioMed Central, 25 Feb. 2011, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3056848/.
Krawitz, Christian, et al. �Inhibitory Activity of a Standardized Elderberry Liquid Extract against Clinically-Relevant Human Respiratory Bacterial Pathogens and Influenza A and B Viruses.� BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine, BioMed Central, 25 Feb. 2011, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21352539.
Team, DFH. �Elevate the Immune System with Elderberry.� Designs for Health, 5 Jan. 2018, blog.designsforhealth.com/elevate-the-immune-system-with-elderberry-0.
Vlachojannis, J E, et al. �A Systematic Review on the Sambuci Fructus Effect and Efficacy Profiles.� Phytotherapy Research: PTR, U.S. National Library of Medicine, Jan. 2010, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19548290.
Zakay-Rones, Z, et al. �Inhibition of Several Strains of Influenza Virus in Vitro and Reduction of Symptoms by an Elderberry Extract (Sambucus Nigra L.) during an Outbreak of Influenza B Panama.� Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine (New York, N.Y.), U.S. National Library of Medicine, 1995, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9395631.
Zakay-Rones, Z, et al. �Randomized Study of the Efficacy and Safety of Oral Elderberry Extract in the Treatment of Influenza A and B Virus Infections.� The Journal of International Medical Research, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 2004, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15080016.
Functional medicine is about taking the human body and treating it as a whole. The human body has many systems but they all work together to maintain homeostasis. In many cases with traditional medicine, a patient with headaches, joint pain, inflammation, and fatigue will be referred to many specialists to treat each individual symptom.� However, by looking at the entire body as a whole and digging into the root cause of the issue and not just the symptom itself, a lot can be revealed.
With functional medicine, often times a series of labs are run that look deeper than the typical basic blood panel. In traditional medicine, a glucose and AHb1c test will be done to assess diabetes. In functional medicine, a deeper test is ordered to rule out other possibilities and practitioners are able to view all components of diabetes including , Adiponectin, Insulin.� This allows a deeper understanding of what is happening inside the body and how to best treat it.�
With this being said, there are many labs that functional and integrative medicine practitioners utilize, each specializing in their own unique panels. The average integrative practice uses an average of 5-10 different lab companies for their patients to have the best care. Eight of the most utilized lab companies are:
Diagnostic Solutions offer many tests but their specialty lies within their GI Map. This test measures the gastrointestinal microbiota DNA from a stool sample. This allows practitioners to see and detect the exact microbes that may be causing a disturbance in the gut or a factor contributing to illness.
Vibrant Wellness has a wide variety of tests but one of the most frequently used is the food sensitivity panel. This allows practitioners to see what foods their patients are consuming that are creating havoc for their gut health.
SpectraCellstarted as a nutritional testing company but has since evolved into a lab that tests cellular nutrition, cardiometabolic health, hormone balances, and genetic predisposition.
Precision Analytical (the D.U.T.C.H test) the D.U.T.C.H test stands for Dried Urine Test for Comprehensive Hormones and takes a look at adrenal and hormone imbalances.
Genova Diagnostics has a wide variety of tests but one of the most common is the GI Effects Comprehensive Profile. This test takes a patient’s stool and detects an organism’s DNA as part of a comprehensive assessment.
Doctors Data provides a wide array of functional testing to provide patients with the best outcomes. Some tests include Environmental Exposure and Detoxification, Toxic and Essential Elements, and Allergy and Immunity.
Cyrex categories their tests as “arrays”. These arrays test for things like diabetes autoimmune reactivity,� The blood-brain barrier, Mucosal Immune Reactivity and more.
Dunwoody Labs offers food sensitivity testing, adrenal, neurotransmitters and many more. Dunwoody can test for specific IgE and IgG4 molecules.
The patient’s health comes first, and getting down to the underlying issues sometimes requires one than one lab company. These companies use the top of the line technology to ensure their patients and physicians obtain the most accurate results for optimal healing.
It is important to make sure the patient gets the best possible care available. This usually means ordering different labs from different companies to obtain the best results. Each lab is great in its own way, but they often specialize in a certain area. This is key because it often allows the patient and the practitioner to get the highest quality of results. A practitioner who uses multiple labs is educated on the subject and truly cares for their patients. – Kenna Vaughn, Senior Health Coach�
*The scope of our information is limited to chiropractic, musculoskeletal, and nervous health issues or functional medicine articles, topics, and discussions. We use functional health protocols to treat injuries or disorders of the musculoskeletal system. Our office has made a reasonable attempt to provide supportive citations and has identified the relevant research study or studies supporting our posts. We also make copies of supporting research studies available to the board and or the public upon request.�
If you are experiencing any of these problems or situations in your body, why don’t you try foods that are rich with antioxidants by using the ORAC.
Throughout scientific literature, it has been well established at how necessary the daily vegetable and fruit intake is for anyone’s physiological health and wellbeing. Not many people understand the importance of consuming more vegetables and fruit in their diet. Many healthcare professionals will often prescribe patients fruits and vegetables as well as more exercising, although some do not often explain why they should eat more fruits and vegetables.
Fruits and vegetables are filled with antioxidants like polyphenols, phytochemicals, and nutrients that are measured by their ORAC value. ORAC or oxygen radical absorbance capacity is a measurement of any food, spice, or nutrient/substance�s ability to get rid of oxidative free radicals in a test tube. What is interesting is that free radicals and reactive oxidative species (ROS) are synonymous. What this means is that essentially free radicals are unstable molecules that are produced under a normal metabolic process.
Free radicals can take the electrons from other molecules that are nearby in the body, which will cause a chain reaction consisting of oxidative stress and damage. When the body has continuous oxidative damage from inflammation, it can be a significant culprit to many degenerative conditions and age-related diseases, harming the person.
Many people would consider any medical diagnosis of any illnesses or diseases to be part of “normal” aging. With any conditions, people will accept and adapt to it, however, it may come as a shock for many people to find out that �age-related diseases� are not inevitable but a sign of unhealthy aging. Studies found out that cultures living in the blue zones are the healthiest cultures that have the highest life expectancy around the world. With these healthy cultures, they are a testament to anyone that aging does not equal to disease and poor health.
With healthy aging, it is defined as the metabolic age of being “younger than” the biological and chronological age. A journal review mentioned how to reduce systemic inflammation is the key to longevity and can prevent the development of the chronic disease. Studies were researching how risk factors for all-cause mortality and cardiovascular disease incidences in elders that live in Northern Greece. They found out that drinking coffee and tea, consuming fruit in vast quantities, and exclusive usage of olive oil was associated with cardiovascular diseases.
For anyone that is living in the blue zone, their diets and lifestyle factors are the primary determinants for their health and are the essential factors of longevity. The diets from the blue zones are usually plant-based, high in fiber and loads of vegetables, while also incorporating locally-caught fish that are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, this diet is similar to the Mediterranean-style diet.
ORAC Nutrients
There are a few specific vitamins and dietary compounds in food that have some of the highest ORAC values. One of the vitamins is vitamin E subfractions, especially delta-and gamma tocotrienols, which have a higher ORAC value than alpha-tocopherol while respectively contributing to substantially more significant health benefits. The two foods that are very high on the ORAC charts are cherries and elderberries. These two are highly nutritious due to phytonutrient-rich components like anthocyanins and quercetin. For vegetables, leafy greens like spinach and lycopene possess a high antioxidant profile.
In early 2019, a study showed how the consumption of spinach could help modulate the metabolism of lipids in the liver, while also finding out that the hepatic accumulation of alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, and lutein was correlated with blood glucose and total serum cholesterol. The many other fruits and vegetables that have antioxidants components that can help damp oxidative stress in the body and are highly nutritious for anyone to eat.
With many high ORAC fruits and vegetables can be condensed and form into supplements inside capsules and powders. Research shows that powdered greens that contain fruits and vegetable blends have become very popular amongst the health and wellness community. It makes sense due to that these capsules are loaded with antioxidant-rich phytochemicals that support the individual’s overall health. Since densely packed fruits and vegetable powders are great tools, some individuals would argue that these powders are not adequate amounts for a person�s diet.
With antioxidant-rich green powders, they are helpful for older adults who have limited mobility. For anyone that cannot prepare their meals, the powders can be blended with water or added to smoothies for optimal nutrition for the body. Another benefit that green powders have is that they can help counteract the deleterious effects of process food intake. For anyone unwilling to change their dietary patterns if they are taking particular nutrient-depleting medicine, as well as anyone who smokes or drinks alcohol, will suffer from chronic diseases in their body.
Conclusion
With the abundance of other compounds and foods that have a high ORAC value, any foods that have these antioxidants can help the body by removing inflammation in the joints and the gut, combating free radicals, and getting rid of oxidative stress that will cause systemic inflammation. By using the ORAC value system, finding food that has high antioxidant properties are essential. Even incorporating more fruits and vegetables in the diet is necessary for a healthy, functional body. Some products are formulated to help counter the metabolic effects of stress and support the gastrointestinal system in the body.
The scope of our information is limited to chiropractic, musculoskeletal, and nervous health issues or functional medicine articles, topics, and discussions. We use functional health protocols to treat injuries or disorders of the musculoskeletal system. Our office has made a reasonable attempt to provide supportive citations and has identified the relevant research study or studies supporting our posts. We also make copies of supporting research studies available to the board and or the public upon request. To further discuss the subject matter above, please feel free to ask Dr. Alex Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900.
References:
Barclay, Eliza. �Eating To Break 100: Longevity Diet Tips From The Blue Zones.� NPR, NPR, 11 Apr. 2015, www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2015/04/11/398325030/eating-to-break-100-longevity-diet-tips-from-the-blue-zones.
Elvira-Torales, Laura In�s, et al. �Ameliorative Effect of Spinach on Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Induced in Rats by a High-Fat Diet.� International Journal of Molecular Sciences, MDPI, 3 Apr. 2019, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30987167.
Hossain, Afzal, et al. �Enhancement of Antioxidant Quality of Green Leafy Vegetables upon Different Cooking Method.� Preventive Nutrition and Food Science, The Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition, Sept. 2017, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29043220.
Liu, Qing, et al. �Comparison of Antioxidant Activities of Different Grape Varieties.� Molecules (Basel, Switzerland), MDPI, 23 Sept. 2018, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30249027.
Pisoschi, Aurelia Magdalena, et al. �Antioxidant Capacity Determination in Plants and Plant-Derived Products: A Review.� Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity, Hindawi Publishing Corporation, 2016, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28044094.
Team, DFH. �Cherries: Whats Not to Love?� Designs for Health, 5 Jan. 2018, blog.designsforhealth.com/cherries-whats-not-to-love.
Team, DFH. �Elevate the Immune System with Elderberry.� Designs for Health, 5 Jan. 2018, blog.designsforhealth.com/elevate-the-immune-system-with-elderberry-0.
Team, DFH. �Tocotrienols.� Designs for Health, 7 Dec. 2018, blog.designsforhealth.com/node/909.
Tsoupras, Alexandros, et al. �Inflammation, Not Cholesterol, Is a Cause of Chronic Disease.� Nutrients, MDPI, 12 May 2018, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5986484/.
Weil, Andrew. �ORAC: Scoring Antioxidants? – Dr. Weil.� DrWeil.com, 5 Aug. 2016, www.drweil.com/vitamins-supplements-herbs/vitamins/orac-scoring-antioxidants/.
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