The Pressure’s On: Preventing High Blood Pressure

Posted By Dr. Axe On December 2, 2009 @ 7:00 am In Heart Disease | 5 Comments

The “epidemics” associated with life in America are most often the result of the western diet and lifestyle. One of the precursors to a host of other epidemic conditions is hypertension or high blood pressure. Hypertension, as high blood pressure is also known, affects 30% of the American population and is a preventable condition. 

The Western lifestyle—diet, low physical activity levels and stress—contributes to a wide variety of chronic diseases and conditions in Americans. These conditions collectively afflict 65% of the adult population in the U.S., while they are rare in cultures that have been isolated from exposure to a western lifestyle.

In fact, as traditional societies begin to adopt western foods and lifestyles, their incidences of chronic conditions such as cancer, diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, obesity and osteoporosis ^[1] rose dramatically.

An example of this is found in the Canadian Inuit of Nunavik, Quebec. In September of 2009, Dr. Marie-Ludivine Chateau-Degat told the Canadian Cardiovascular Congress that the recent reach of Western foods has severely impacted the health of the natives. The traditional Inuit diet had consisted of fish, seafood, caribou, wild fowl and other marine mammal meat before 1992. The consumption of such a diet included physical labor and activity, the pooling of communal resources, social activities centered around the collective good and social ties, and a diet rich in unprocessed foods, sea salt and other nutrients.

By 2004, store-bought foods had mostly replaced the native diet. 95% of the sodium the Intuits’ now ingest comes from processed foods in the form of highly processed, iodized salt. The majority of carbohydrates they ingest come in the form of sugary drinks. Intake of dietary fiber and essential vitamins and minerals has plummeted, while hypertension, diabetes, heart disease and obesity have soared in the population.

Blood pressure

Most Americans don’t even realize they have high blood pressure until serious problems arise.

Blood pressure is a combination of systolic and diastolic pressure. Systolic pressure represents blood force or pressure while the heart is beating and diastolic pressure stands for blood pressure when the heart is at rest.

Systolic pressure is always the first or top measurement in a blood pressure reading. In a reading of 140/90, 140 represents systolic pressure and 90 represents diastolic pressure. 

In prehypertension, systolic numbers range from 120-139 and diastolic numbers range from 80-89. 

Stage 1 hypertension numbers vary from 140-159 for systolic values and 90-99 in diastolic numbers. 

With Stage 2 hypertension, systolic readings are 160 or higher and diastolic readings measure 100 or higher. 

Although both numbers are significant, after about age 50, the systolic number is most important. Only 10% of high blood pressure cases are due to secondary or identifiable causes such as medications or conditions and diseases of other organs.

Avoid These Like the Plague

High fructose corn syrup ^[2]? If you eat any packaged foods or sodas, most likely you do, and you’re also more likely to develop hypertension (among other problems) because of it. Americans consume 30% more sugar than they did just 20 years ago and 4 times as much as they did 100 years ago, before the advent of highly processed foods. The obesity rates then were less than 5%, while today 64.5% of American adults are overweight and 30.5% are obese.

Researchers studied 4,528 adults that had no prior history of hypertension.  Those who ingested more than 74 grams of added sugar (about the amount in 2 ½ sugary drinks) daily, led to 28%, 36% and 87% increased risk in high blood pressure readings over time. The percentages correspond to blood pressure readings of 135/85, 140/90 and 160/100.

Another study has looked at American sodium intake. Highly refined salt exists in large amounts in processed foods. The study predicted that reducing sodium intake could eliminate 11 million cases of high blood pressure and save the U.S. $32 billion annually.

Research estimates that more than 77% of America’s sodium intake comes in the form of processed foods rather than salt added to foods while cooking or eating at home. Fast food, another fixture of the western lifestyle, is loaded with sodium. Replace all processed and refined salt with natural sea salt.

Helpful Foods

Potassium: is a compound that seems to protect people from the development of hypertension. Supplements of potassium don’t work well according to research, but foods that contain them do.

Spinach: Spinach is rich in magnesium and folate which can help prevent high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease.

Sunflower Seeds: Rich in potassium, magnesium and healthy plant fats, sunflower seeds can help reduce cholesterol levels, opening up blood vessels and promoting healthy blood pressure.

Bananas: Bananas contain loads of potassium and fiber ^[3].

Healthy Fats: Oily, cold-water fish provides  omega-3 fatty acids, a healthy balancing technique to the overload of omega-6 and omega-9 fatty acids that are overly prevalent in processed foods, fast and convenient foods and much of the western diet.

Garlic: Research on the health benefits of garlic is finding more and more miraculous effects. Among them, garlic seems to help thin the blood, prevent the blockage in blood vessels, and so lower blood pressure.

Tomatoes: Tomatoes are loaded with calcium, potassium, vitamins A, C and E and lycopene. Compounds in tomatoes can lower cholesterol buildup in blood vessels and combat the development of hypertension in a variety of ways. Lycopene, one of the tomato’s most useful compounds, is activated by heat, so add tomatoes to your next chili or stew.

Broccoli: Broccoli has been found to have a whole host of beneficial health effects including high amounts of potassium and chromium that help regulate blood sugar levels and weight, both related to high blood pressure.

Melon: Melon is rich in potassium. Cantaloupe and watermelon are especially rich sources.

Lifestyle Aids

Regular exercise ^[4] and diet ^[5] play a large role in the development (or not) of hypertension. One of the most detrimental components of the western lifestyle is stress.Managing stress ^[6] includes relaxation techniques such as deep breathing, yoga, journaling or art therapy.

You can raise your blood pressure to alarming levels just by thinking or stressing about events. Imagined events have as much physiological effect as real ones. This is the basis of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and the improvement of performance in businessmen and Olympic athletic gains with visualization.

The western lifestyle might include career and lifestyle choices that incite chronic disease but that doesn’t mean that you have to proscribe to them. Going against a cultural current takes strength, but the failure of our cultural norm has contributed to the splintering of its route and the availability of alternate paths.

The fight for a culture’s health depends less on science that focuses on finding magical cures in drugs, and more on making fundamental shifts in food production, availability, our connections to food, our work life and stress factors, and re-prioritizing values. The best preventative measure? A healthy lifestyle. It’s common sense, really. With this article and the others on this site, you are now equipped to truly maximize your health.

Dr. Axe's Action Steps

1. Stop the trips to the fast food drive-thru! Eliminate processed foods and sodas that are laden with sugar, high fructose corn syrup, refined salt and unhealthy fats.
2. Eat a wide variety of foods, focusing especially on adding more vegetables to your diet.
3. Supplement with 1 Tbsp. of cod liver oil or 1 salmon oil capsule daily and I-2 cloves of garlic daily.
4. Learn how to recognize and manage stress in your life. Consider making a vision board with your goals. Include pictures and strategies for achieving them.

Most of the Leading Causes of Death are Preventable

 

by Dr. Mercola

Most chronic diseases, including cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and obesity, are largely preventable with simple lifestyle changes. Even infectious diseases like the flu can often be warded off by a healthy way of life.

Imagine the lowered death toll, not to mention costs to the economy, if more people decided to take control of their health … heart disease and cancer alone accounted for 47 percent of deaths in the United States in 2010, and there are many strategies you can implement to lower your risk of these diseases … and most of the leading causes of death in the United States.

The added bonus to this is that the healthier you are, the less you will need to rely on conventional medical care, which is a leading cause of death. So what does a "healthy lifestyle" entail?

• Proper Food Choices

For a comprehensive guide on which foods to eat and which to avoid, see my nutrition plan. Generally speaking, you should be looking to focus your diet on whole, unprocessed foods (vegetables, meats, raw dairy, nuts, and so forth) that come from healthy, sustainable, local sources, such as a small organic farm not far from your home.

For the best nutrition and health benefits, you will want to eat a good portion of your food raw. Personally, I aim to eat about 80-85 percent of my food raw, including raw eggs and humanely raised organic animal products that have not been raised on a CAFO (confined animal feeding operation).

Nearly as important as knowing which foods to eat more of is knowing which foods to avoid, and topping the list is fructose. Sugar, and fructose in particular, acts as a toxin in and of itself, and as such drive multiple disease processes in your body, not the least of which is insulin resistance, a major cause of accelerated aging.

• Comprehensive Exercise Program, including High-Intensity Exercise like Peak Fitness

Even if you're eating the healthiest diet in the world, you still need to exercise to reach the highest levels of health, and you need to be exercising effectively, which means including not only core-strengthening exercises, strength training, and stretching but also high-intensity activities into your rotation. High-intensity interval-type training boosts human growth hormone (HGH) production, which is essential for optimal health, strength and vigor. I've discussed the importance of Peak Fitness for your health on numerous occasions, so for more information, please review this previous article.

• Stress Reduction and Positive Thinking

You cannot be optimally healthy if you avoid addressing the emotional component of your health and longevity, as your emotional state plays a role in nearly every physical disease -- from heart disease and depression, to arthritis and cancer. Effective coping mechanisms are a major longevity-promoting factor in part because stress has a direct impact on inflammation, which in turn underlies many of the chronic diseases that kill people prematurely every day. Meditation, prayer, social support and exercise are all viable options that can help you maintain emotional and mental equilibrium.

• Proper Sun Exposure to Optimize Vitamin D

We have long known that it is best to get your vitamin D from sun exposure, and if at all possible, I strongly urge you to make sure you're getting out in the sun on a daily basis. Vitamin D plays an important role in preventing numerous illnesses ranging fromcancer to the flu.

The important factor when it comes to vitamin D is your serum level, which should ideally be between 50-70 ng/ml year-round. Sun exposure or a safe tanning bed is the preferred method for optimizing vitamin D levels, but a vitamin D3 supplement can be used as a last resort. Most adults need about 8,000 IU's of vitamin D a day to achieve serum levels above 40 ng/ml, which is still just below the minimum recommended serum level of 50 ng/ml.

• High Quality Animal-Based Omega-3 Fats

Animal-based omega-3 fat like krill oil is a strong factor in helping people live longer, and many experts believe that it is likely the predominant reason why the Japanese are the longest lived race on the planet.

• Avoid as Many Chemicals, Toxins, and Pollutants as Possible

This includes tossing out your toxic household cleaners, soaps, personal hygiene products, air fresheners, bug sprays, lawn pesticides, and insecticides, just to name a few, and replacing them with non-toxic alternatives.

Studies confirm chiropractic treatment prevents heart attacks and lowers blood pressure

Reducing blood pressure

Recognizing signs and symptoms

http://www.hulu.com/watch/289122/fat-sick-and-nearly-dead

Click here to take an online Thyroid Quiz from About.com and Mary Shomon.

Posted By Dr. Axe On October 10, 2010 @ 1:00 am In Weight Loss | 14 Comments

According to the National Women’s Health Information Center there are 20 million Americans suffering from some type of thyroid disorder. A whopping one in eight women in the United States will be impacted by thyroid disorder in their lives (from the American Medical Women’s Association). Are you one of them?

Thyroid disorders and thyroid disease can have a negative impact on just about every area of your life. From weight issues to depression ^[1] and anxiety, the thyroid gland is vital to keeping your physical, mental, and emotional life balanced and healthy. And what’s more is it’s estimated that about half of those in the world suffering with thyroid issues are completely unaware this is the root of their problem.

Basics on the Thyroid Gland

The thyroid is a gland located at the base of the throat that controls many aspects of metabolism. The thyroid produces hormones that enable our body to carry out many vital functions. Two of the most talked about hormones the thyroid produces are T3 (triiodothyronine) and T4 (thyroxine). These two hormones, once released by the thyroid, travel through the body via the bloodstream converting oxygen and calories into energy for the body to use.

Iodine plays an important, yet often overlooked role, in regards to the thyroid and body functions. Iodine and amino acids are converted by the thyroid to the hormones T3 and T4. Too much or too little iodine can impact this important process.

Two Types of Thyroid Disorders

When it comes to thyroid disorders, generally speaking, the sufferer usually is experiencing hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism. There are other thyroid issues but the majority of cases fall into one of these two groups.

Hypothyroidism:

In the case of hypothyroidism, the thyroid doesn’t produce enough of the thyroid hormones T3 or T4 or both. According to the America Thyroid Association in the United States the most common reason for hypothyroidism is a condition called Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, where the body mistakenly attacks the thyroid thus compromising its functioning and its production of hormones. However, on a worldwide level, a lack of iodine in the diet is the number one cause of hypothyroidism.

Symptoms of Hypothyroidism:

• Fatigue
• Dry hair, skin
• Unexplainable weight gain
• Constipation
• Muscle weakness and discomfort

Hyperthyroidism:

Hyperthyroidism on the other hand is when the body has too much of the needed thyroid hormones. According to the American Thyroid Association, the number one cause of hyperthyroidism is Graves’ disease, but lumps on the thyroid or taking too much T4 in tablet form can also be a contributing factor for hyperthyroidism.

Symptoms of Hyperthyroidism:

• Nervousness
• Insomnia
• Racing heart
• Unexplained weight loss
• High amounts of perspiration
• Muscle weakness
• Multiple bowel movements
• Thin, brittle hair

Treatments for Thyroid Disorders

As you can see, hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism are basically the opposite problems. One is too much of the needed hormone and the other is too little. Therefore treatment for each is very different. In one case we want more of the thyroid hormones and in the other case the sufferer needs less of that same hormone.

The options for treatment differ depending on each patient’s particular disorder and the specifics of their case.

When it comes to hypothyroidism, the body is in need of more thyroid hormones. One common treatment in the medical world is taking synthetic thyroxine or T4. There are a number of types of T4 prescription available. Most people respond to this therapy but there are those who don’t.

In these cases the sufferer sometimes takes a combination of the synthetic version of T4 and T3 to help.

In the case of hyperthyroidism, in the United States the most common treatment is the use of radioactive iodine, aka radioiodine. When taken into the body the thyroid immediately absorbs this iodine. This treatment usually takes a few weeks or months to curb the hyperthyroidism.

Other options are drugs which stop the production of the thyroid hormone or surgery to remove a large amount of the actual thyroid gland. All of these treatments run the risk of side effects, are costly, and aren’t always effective.

All Natural Treatment Options for Thyroid Disorders

It is possible to use more natural methods to encourage your thyroid to produce more or less T4 and T3. Let’s look specifically at hypothyroidism and diet.

As stated earlier, most cases of hypothyroidism worldwide are from a lack of iodine. Increasing your iodine intake can help your thyroid produce more of its needed hormones.

One of the best ways to get more iodine in your diet is through consuming kelp. Kelp is a type of algae or seaweed ^[2] that contains more than sixty vital nutrients including minerals, amino acids, and yes, iodine. Kelp is also an excellent source of potassium, iron, magnesium, and calcium.

Kelp can be consumed fresh, dried, or cooked. It can be eaten alone or as an ingredient in a meal. Kelp is often dried and used as a garnish for many dishes. You can find kelp at your local health food store or Asian market.

Many users of kelp to treat their hypothyroidism swear by its effectiveness in helping them regulate their thyroid without the use of drugs.

Hypothyroidism isn’t always caused by lack of iodine. In fact, if you take iodine or kelp and feel like you’re getting worse, make sure you consult with your physician and get your levels rechecked. It can also be caused from heavy metal toxicity like mercury. Heavy metals from amalgam fillings and vaccines have an affinity for the thyroid and can disrupt your hormone balance and thyroid function. So I also recommend reducing toxic exposures and consider seeing a holistic dentist who can remove the silver (amalgam) fillings using the DAMS protocol and bring you through a proper detox program as well.

Also, correcting any loss of cervical lordosis of your spine can help. In which, case going through a program of corrective chiropractic care would be greatly beneficial.

If you think you may be suffering from a thyroid disorder it’s vital to first get the correct diagnosis. Once you confirm you have a thyroid disorder begin to explore your treatment options by finding the root cause of your condition. When you (and your doctor) determine a lack of iodine could be the entire cause or a contributing factor to your hypothyroidism consider adding kelp to your diet.

If you decide to add kelp to your foods you have many options. But be cautioned if you opt for kelp tablets and consult your health care practitioner to determine the right amount to take on a daily basis. Be sure not to take over that amount or you could then be dealing with hyperthyroidism.

Remember with any health issue it’s wise to first consult nature and your diet in order to help the body restore its own natural balance. Your body does the right thing at the right time. Remove the interference (toxicity or deficiency) and let the body heal.

Sources

American Thyroid Association (2009) ^[3]

Dr. Axe's Action Steps

1. If you are familiar with any of the above listed symptoms consult your health care practitioner to determine whether you have a thyroid problem or not.
2. If you suffer from hypothyroidism, consider adding kelp into your diet or supplementing with kelp.
3. If you are familiar with any of the above listed symptoms consult your health care practitioner to determine whether you have a thyroid problem or not.
4. If you suffer from hypothyroidism, consider adding kelp into your diet or supplementing with kelp.

A Natural Approach for High Blood Pressure

By Dr. B.J. Hardick

One in four American adults suffers from high blood pressure and nearly one third don’t even know they have it.  High blood pressure is a leading contributor to Heart Disease which will unfortunately cause the death of 50% of Americans.  The medical approach calls for drug therapy including Diuretics, Beta-blockers, ACE inhibitors, and Vasodilators or Calcium-channel blockers.  Although these drugs may lower blood pressure for a short period of time, they do not address the true cause of the problem, and the drugs’ toxic effects and side-effects may be more damaging than the high blood pressure itself.

What Causes High Blood Pressure?

When arteries in the body become constricted, due to the hyperactivity of their smooth muscle, or due to inflammation or the build up of plaque, there is less of a channel through which blood can travel en route to the systems of the body which needs the vital nutrients and oxygen it gets via the vascular system.  Naturally, when these channels are reduced in size, but the body’s organs continue to require nutrients and oxygen, the body raises its blood pressure, in order to maintain adequate levels of blood flow to the systems of the body that would otherwise become starved.  The body’s blood pressure is foremost controlled in the brainstem at the medulla oblongata.  This area of the brainstem, in coordination with other smooth muscles of the body, will drive the elevation of blood pressure – demonstrating the body’s most natural response to lack of nutrient and oxygen flow to organs.

Traditional, allopathic treatments

Certainly, if blood pressure remains elevated, and its causes remain unaddressed, deterioration of the cardiovascular system, and ultimately a heart attack, can become likely.  Unfortunately, instead of addressing the true cause of high blood pressure, the most common medical treatments of today only address the symptoms.  However, their success rates are questionable at best.

Beta-blockers – these drugs block nor epinephrine and epinephrine (adrenaline) from binding to receptors on the nerves, thereby causing a reduction of the heart rate and blood pressure by the dilation of blood vessels.  However, in 2006 revelations in the United Kingdom, associating the use of certain beta-blockers with an increased risk of diabetes (which in turn, can lead to heart disease), led the National Institute for Clinical Excellence to advise against their primary application in the treatment of blood pressure.

ACE inhibitors – angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors reduce constriction of the arteries.  Calcium-channel blockers promote dilation of the arteries.  On their own, or used in combination, the relaxation of the arteries forcefully lowers the body’s blood pressure – but negates the body’s natural demands for nutrient and blood flow to vital tissues and organs.  While these drugs may be effective in the time of a crisis, their permanent interference with the body’s natural mechanism raises concern.

Diuretics – these “water pills” encourage the body to expel excess water, which, in turn, reduces blood pressure.  Unfortunately, these drugs are also linked to an increase in diabetes.  Even worse, they do not rid the body of unhealthy inflammation or plaque – just water – leaving the cause of the problem unaddressed.

It comes as no surprise that when patients do not take their medications, their blood pressure rises again.  While this would cause some to think that high blood pressure is a permanent condition that needs to be medicated for life, others would realize that in effect the true cause has yet to be addressed.

Sugar: a True Cause of Arterial Inflammation

Sugar – not salt – creates an inflammatory response in the body.  While heart patients are typically advised to reduce their intake of salt in order to reduce fluid retention in the body, very little is advised about sugar.  While reducing fluid retention may lower blood pressure in the short term, the elimination of arterial inflammation is more vital in the healing of this condition.

Along with sugar, damaged fats and toxins are also major dietary contributors to arterial inflammation.  The complete elimination of these elements in the Maximized Living Advanced Nutrition Plan has been shown to effectively reduced blood pressure without the help of medication or other natural treatments.

Fitness and Blood Flow

The Mayo Clinic has called exercise a “drug-free approach to lowering high blood pressure.”  Regular cardiovascular activity, such as surge training, promotes healthy blood flow and delivery of oxygen to the cells of the body, and has been shown to reduce average blood pressure by 5 to 10 points, over time.

Peace of Mind

Although our bodies are designed to deal with stress in rare “fight or flight” situations, our high-paced, stressful lifestyles cause the continual release of cortisol and adrenaline, leading to higher blood pressure.  To offset this abnormal hormone pattern, examine your stressors, and work to limit them through daily relaxation techniques, meditation, quiet music, prayer, and rest.  Daily exercise, walks, breathing exercises and hobbies will not only contribute to your physical fitness, but your maximized mind will improve your cardiovascular function as well.

The Nervous System – and the Role of Chiropractic Care in the Reduction of Blood Pressure

According to the Journal of Human Hypertension, March 2, 2007, Chiropractic adjustments were more effective in lowering blood pressure than two medications combined.  George Bakris, M.D. director of the University of Chicago hypertension center, said, “Not only does it work, we saw no side effects and no problems.”

This was an 8 week study, where 25 patients with early-stage high blood pressure were specifically adjusted and had significantly lowered their blood pressure compared to 25 similar patients who received “sham” adjustments.

X-rays showed that the procedure realigned the Atlas vertebra - the ring-shaped bone at the very top of the spine - with the spine in the treated patients, but not in the sham-treated patients.

Compared to the sham-treated patients, those who received specific Chiropractic adjustments saw an average 14mm Hg greater drop in systolic blood pressure, and an average of 8mm Hg greater drop in diastolic blood pressure.  None of the patients took blood pressure medicine during the 8 week study.

Dr. Bakris reported, “When the statistician brought me the data, I actually didn’t believe it. It was way too good to be true.”  The statistician said, “I didn’t believe it either, but we checked for everything and there it was.”  The researchers suggested that injury to the neck earlier in life can affect blood flow in the arteries at the base of the skull.  Spinal subluxation at the level of the Atlas is also known to interfere with the activity of the Medulla Oblongata – the brainstem control center for blood pressure.  Specific adjustments of such misalignments naturally re-set the brainstem activity to normal balance, ensuring that the body can recognize conditions of high blood pressure, and correct them through its own mechanisms, naturally.

All 5 Essentials

The application of all 5 Essentials of Maximized Living will not only address the true causes of interference in the body which lead to high blood pressure, but will forever keep your lifestyle in harmony with eternal principles that will sustain great health long-term.

Cooking with Healthy Oils - Is it time for an oil change?

The number one disease killer in the United States is heart disease which is partly attributed to unhealthy oils.  Damaged fats including hydrogenated oils aid in the development of heart disease.  Healthy oils such as olive oil, coconut oil and grape seed oil are incredible alternatives that will not only help you avoid heart disease, but keep you healthy and thriving.

Low-Fat Diets vs. Vital Fat Your Body Needs

The fear of weight gain has caused most of us to think that all fat is bad.  Oil is a fat – so many of us avoid it.  However, while it’s true that some fats and oils are dangerous for your health, it’s inaccurate to lump them all together.  Not all fats are bad; some are actually very beneficial.

Healthy Oils include olive oil, avocado oil, raw walnut oil, coconut oil, hemp oil, flax oil, and grape seed oil.  They provide your body with the nutrients it needs to build cell membranes, absorb vitamins, cushion vital organs, protect you from extreme temperatures, build hormones, lower inflammation, and make up 70% of your brain tissue.

Dangerous Oils are those which have become altered in the process of extracting them from their sources, or as they are assimilated by your body, or during the manufacturing process as in the case of hydrogenated oils (trans fats).  These oils have no place in your diet!  Since your body can not recognize or metabolize these fats, they naturally contribute to weight gain by clinging to cell membranes and preventing cellular detoxification.  Beyond the concern of weight loss, these damaged fats also adhere to arterial walls, cause inflammation, damage and contribute to heart attacks and stroke.  Dangerous oils include hydrogenated oils (trans fats) and vegetable oils, specifically canola oil.

Hydrogenated Oils – the world is waking up to the realization that altering foods is harmful to consumers.  Hydrogen, forced into otherwise non-hydrogenated oils, causes these fats to become more stable at room temperature, thereby extending the shelf life of candy bars and packaged foods.  However, this process also changes the composition of fats from a state that can be recognized by your body, to one that can not be recognized, and as a result may have deadly consequences.  Never purchase any product that reads “hydrogenated” or “partially hydrogenated” on the ingredients label.  Beware of labels that read “trans fat free,” because manufacturers can modify serving sizes to meet “trans fat free” standards, while still loading their products with hydrogenated oils.

Vegetable oil is processed by chemical extraction using solvent extracts that will produce quick, cheap, and high yields of oil to be used in foods.  Vegetable oil’s primary uses include adding texture and flavor to foods.  Vegetable oils are found in nearly every packaged food and salad dressing in the grocery store.  They include soybean oil, corn oil, cottonseed oil, canola oil, and others simply labeled as “vegetable oil.”

Vegetables aren’t unhealthy – but their oils become harmful when they are unnaturally extracted from their sources.  Not only do vegetable oils have a very unbalanced ratio of Omega-6 fats to Omega-3 fats, which is associated with elevated inflammation and obstructed blood flow, but they become rancid or decompose easily by exposure to air, heat, or light, causing them to oxidize and form free radicals.  This process is unquestionably related to cancer.  The chemical breakdown destroys the nutrients your body needs, creating a compound that is hazardous to your health.  Vegetable oil belongs in the vegetable, not in your box of crackers or your frying pan.

Canola oil needs special attention – this oil does not occur in nature.  In fact, there is no such thing as a wild canola plant growing anywhere on our planet.  Canola oil is a genetic manipulation of rapeseed oil, altered to reduce its levels of toxic erucic acid.  Originally called “Lear” oil, standing for “Low Erucic Acid Rapeseed” oil, the name was changed to the more consumer-friendly “Canola” oil, meaning “Canadian Oil Low Acid.”  Canola oil is man-made, which negates our first principle of sustainable nutrition, which is to select foods in their most natural state.  Avoid canola oil in your diet at all costs.

Margarine – whether your margarine is made from trans fats or vegetable oils, it falls into the category of damaged fats and should be avoided.  Alternatively, butter, which has been consumed by cultures for hundreds of years without any elevated risk of heart disease, contains arachidonic acid and conjugated linoleic acid, vital for brain function and fat metabolism.  Butter is also much closer to its natural source and state – making it a superior choice over margarine.

Cooking with oils:

High heat – Use only coconut oil, olive oil, or grape seed oil for frying.  The best choice is coconut oil because of its superior flavor when frying food such as chicken, not to mention its health benefits!  Olive oil, while just as healthy, tends to make food soggy rather than crispy.  A word of caution regarding olive oil: it will decompose when heated above 120°F.  If any of these oil “smoke” in the cooking process, they have already turned rancid.

Medium heat – To sauté foods, use sesame oil, olive oil, grape seed oil, coconut oil, butter or clarified butter (ghee).  Note: butter has turned rancid once it browns.

Baking – Butter, coconut oil, sunflower, safflower or olive oil can be used in baking if the temperature is less than 325°F.  In a hotter oven, only use butter, olive oil or coconut oil.  If coating a pan or cookie sheet use only coconut oil or grape seed oil.

Cooking with flax oil vs. flax seed meal – Cold-pressed oils such as flax oil and hemp seed oil should never be heated or used for frying, but can be added to foods once they are cooked.  These healthy oils can be added to stews, soups, sauces, salad dressings, casseroles, and nut butter, adding nutritional value and flavor.  They should be refrigerated at all times.

Although flax oil, once extracted, should never be heated on its own, numerous studies have shown flax seeds and ground flax meal (aka milled flax seeds) to be very stable when cooked.  Even when baked at 350 degrees for 1 hour, there are no changes to the peroxide values or fatty acid composition – making ground flax meal an excellent and acceptable substitute for flour in Maximized Living Advanced Plan recipes.

Healthy Oil Supplementation

Clearly, fat is North America’s #1 missing ingredient.  If you’re eating a standard commercial diet that consists of very little grass-fed meat, omega-3 eggs, walnuts, avocado, or fish, then you need to supplement the missing omega-3s in your diet.  You need good fats – and lots of them – in the healthy ratios your body uses for function.  The natural solution for this problem is daily supplementation with healthy fats and oils.

However, beware of two problems associated with omega-3 supplementation:  It’s now common to overdo omega-3 supplementation and end up creating the opposite problem, “omega-3 dominance.”  The other risk of fish oil supplementation is mercury contamination from toxic waters.  Therefore, the best Omega-3 supplements will give your body the ideal ratio of Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids, and come from a blend of plant and fish sources, having been molecularly-filtered for optimum purity.

The Maximized Living Approach

The Maximized Living whole-health approach will help you learn about the benefits of healthy oils.  Our advanced workshops on preventing heart disease, family recipe nights and personal nutrition programs teach you easy ways to eat healthy.  From a chiropractic perspective, our doctors utilize structural X-rays to identify areas of spinal subluxations.  Subluxations causing diminished nerve supply and interfering with the brain’s ability to regulate digestion and absorption of nutrients in the body should always be evaluated in one’s whole-body approach to improving their health, naturally.

No Gallbladder – Now What?

By Dr. B.J. Hardick

People frequently enquire about a natural, healthy approach to resolving gallbladder issues.  Poor digestion, gallstones, the absence of the gallbladder after surgery – these are frequent concerns for people consuming the average North American diet.  Gallbladder problems are not confined to people who are overweight – many skinny people have the same issues.  And it’s not necessarily tied to genes.

The gallbladder is a misunderstood organ.  Because it is medically considered to be a non-vital organ, people often misunderstand the ramifications of living with gallbladder troubles, or without one at all. At least 10 percent of adults, twice as many women as men, form stones in their gallbladders. The incidence rises with age; after the age of 60, 10 to 15 percent of men and 20 to 40 percent of women have gallstones. ⁱ The gallbladder is frequently removed at the first sign of gallstones, which affect more than 25,000,000 Americans; there are 500,000 to 700,000 gallbladder removals every year in the U.S., and this is one of the most frequently performed elective surgeries here in Canada, as well.  Truthfully, however, every part of the body was made for a purpose and the gallbladder is no exception.ⁱⁱ

About the Gallbladder 
Your gallbladder is part of the digestive system.  It is closely connected to your liver, and is designed to store the bile produced by the liver.  It’s the only organ that stores fluid in your body to aid with digestion.  Every time you eat, your gallbladder squeezes and releases a surge of bile into your small intestine to assist in digesting and absorbing fats.  It also helps to digest other nutrients, and to remove toxins and cholesterol by the nature of its manufacturing process in the liver.  The gallbladder breaks down fats by emulsification so they’re more easily digestible.

Why would the body have a gallbladder, instead of just create bile whenever needed?  First, during storage in the gallbladder, bile becomes more concentrated which increases its potency and intensifies its effect on fats.  Then, when you eat, your body needs an instantaneous release of bile, and the liver doesn’t produce it in large quantities over a short period of time – it’s waiting for the time when it’s needed to digest.  It would be very taxing on the body to produce bile with every meal.

Without bile to break down the fats, the body would naturally experience higher levels of toxicity as most toxins are fat soluble.  When your body doesn’t know what to do with external toxins, nor with damaged fats that we put into our digestive system, it sends them back to the liver, thus creating inflammation.  Such toxins may end up in the gallbladder and accumulate in the form of gallstones (consisting of cholesterol and calcium).  If the stones accumulate, there is less room for bile.  The liver tries to fill the gallbladder, but it’s blocked because of the stones.  The gallbladder becomes sluggish and can become inflamed or infected.  The conventional medical solution is surgery – a cholecystectomy – to remove the gallbladder.ⁱⁱⁱ

Symptoms
Symptoms of poor gallbladder function include bloating, gas, heartburn, constipation or diarrhea.  Some people experience no symptoms, even though their body has created gallstones.  The symptoms occur when the gallstone blocks the bile duct.  The stone either passes into the duct itself, causing pain, or it blocks the duct, causing a buildup of bile.  The most common symptoms are pain in the upper right abdominal area, with referred pain in the midback or shoulder blade.  The pain often increases after eating, and is worse at night.  

Gallbladder symptoms often appear as other problems – ulcers, heart attack or other gastrointestinal issues.  People experiencing gallbladder problems may complain of neck pain, or even knee pain (Applied Kinesiology has established a relationship between the gallbladder and the popliteus, a knee stabilization muscle).  Undigested fats show up in light coloured stools, or stools that float.

Causes of Gallbladder Disease
The cause of gallbladder disease can arise from a variety of factors.  It may arise from sensitivities or allergies to less-favorable foods such as pork, wheat, conventional dairy, chocolate and coffee, and even some healthier foods like eggs.  Consuming refined foods such as sugar and white flour, damaged fats, particularly trans-fats such as margarine and Crisco, can contribute to the disease.  It is important to note that stone accumulation may occur over years!  Therefore, symptoms may still easily present in a person who has changed his or her diet and lifestyle for the good – the damage was done years earlier.

Additional risk factors for gallbladder troubles are insufficient exercise, obesity, and using hormone replacement therapy or birth control pills.  From a neurological perspective, the presence of gallbladder disease would be evaluated for any association with thoracic spinal dysfunction in the regions of nervous system control of the gallbladder.

Conventional Treatment

Although conventional medicine considers a cholecystectomy to be a routine procedure, prior to the 1960’s, removal of the gallbladder was not a common at all.  Treatment consisted of two operations to open and clean out the gallbladder.  It was laborious, time consuming and doubled the risk that any surgery presents – but you got to keep your gallbladder.  In 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson elected to have his gallbladder removed through surgery and made national news when he showed his scar to reporters in a news conference.  At that time, elective gallbladder removal had become a common practice.  Currently, the common  treatment is to remove the gallbladder through laproscopic surgery, a procedure that has increased the frequency of surgical removal.^ivOther techniques for removing gallstones include extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy (ESWL) to break up the stones into small pieces that can then pass through the bile duct and be excreted through the urinary tract, and using drugs to dissolve the stones.  Surgery may prevent the reformation of stones in the gallbladder, unlike treatment by ESWL or drugs, but it leaves the patient with a host of other potential complications.

Removal of the gallbladder does not always eliminate the symptoms, and it can create new issues.  The liver continues to make bile, but the reservoir has been removed.  The amount of bile is insufficient to handle the fat and toxin load ingested through diet and lifestyle.  Though most medical experts protest that we can manage without a functioning gallbladder, one must be concerned about where toxic sludge would accumulate without one.  People having had their gallbladder removed are seldom given good medical advice on how to manage the impact of living without it.  Removal of the gallbladder treats the symptom, but not the disease.  Having no gallbladder, and without a change to diet or lifestyle, a person can expect to have further health issues as the body tries to find ways to eliminate toxins and fat.

Natural Solutions
Prevention, of course, would be our first line of defence.  Adopting the five essentials ofMaximized Living – eliminating stress, maximizing the nerve supply to the digestive system, eating properly with healthy fats, exercising effectively, and minimizing the number or toxins we absorb – will naturally enhance one’s health outcomes and reduce the chance of developing this disease.  It’s particularly vital to engage our children in this process of healthy living to prevent the potential of becoming ill.

Natural methods of treating gallbladder disease would include these five essentials along with adherence to a nutritional system consistent with the Maximized Living Advanced Nutrition Plan.  The traditional advice of greatly reducing fats from the diet (often in exchange for various sources of fiber) is not a comprehensive approach that, on its own, would necessarily improve a person’s overall health, never mind the health of his or her digestion.

Instead, it remains vital to consume healthy fats such as coconut oil, hemp oil and extra virgin olive oil.  Eliminate refined carbohydrates such as sugar, white flour, and anything that turns into sugar once in your body, such as potatoes, rice or pasta.  Increase your consumption of vegetables, especially raw vegetables. Reduce your weight if you are overweight.  Exercise to increase your oxygen uptake and decrease stress.  Consider specific supplementation and cleansing of the liver, which we’ll describe later.  These measures will help you to reduce the toxic overload that is the cause of gallbladder disease, and will assist in managing any symptoms you are experiencing.^v

What if my gallbladder is already gone?
Obviously, people without a gallbladder may have a difficult time breaking down and digesting fats.  Remember, in order to do this, your body must produce bile, which is done in the liver, and eject it from the gallbladder, the sac responsible for holding some of the bile that the liver produces.  Despite your gallbladder being removed, your liver is still producing bile in order to digest fats.  Without the gallbladder, however, the bile is not as readily secreted in the body, and the liver can become overwhelmed when faced with large amounts of any fats, particularly damaged fats, and some healthy, longer-chain fats described below.

Quite often people whose gallbladders have been removed either become overweight due to their weakened ability to metabolize fats, or underweight, which is not good either, due to a modified but unhealthy diet after surgery.

Fat is essential for hormone function, brain function, cellular regeneration and detoxification.  Although we need lots of healthy fat, people without a gallbladder must be cautious about consuming too much of it at once.  Moderation of the good fats and complete elimination of the bad fats are essential.  However, the complete elimination or radical reduction of all fats is an amplification of this often-misunderstood phenomenon.  Don’t do this.

The Maximized Living Advanced Nutrition Plan recommends having three meals a day, high in healthy fats which are your primary source of energy.  People without a gallbladder may have to moderate this, perhaps having four to five smaller meals per day, and/or adding a snack.  This would be one of few exceptions to the Advanced Plan rule of three meals per day.  You need to consistently be getting healthy fats in smaller doses, as the level of bile available to emulsify the fats is lower.  The body can’t squish a large quantity of bile into the digestive system, so handling a larger amount of food will be strenuous on the liver.  Moderate the amount of eggs, higher fat dairy products, beans and legumes, nuts and red meats you consume.  These are long chain triglycerides that require a significant amount of bile to break down and digest.  Truthfully, every individual will have to tweak his or her own consumption, and monitor closely.  Although the Advanced Plan recommends no snacking, someone without a gallbladder may benefit from snacking in moderation, but this could also vary with the person’s body mass, levels of activity, and meal sizes.

Words about healthy fats
Current opinion in the media would suggest that all saturated fats are unhealthy.  This is misleading.

While the saturation content is one method of differentiating fatty acids, what is most important to the health of your gallbladder in this context is the length of the fat triglycerides, whether they are long chain, medium chain, or short chain triglycerides. The long chain triglycerides (LCT) require bile to break down and are circulated through the intestinal walls and back into the bloodstream, releasing particles of fat that collect in and clog up artery walls.

Medium chain triglycerides (MCT) are water soluble and do not require bile to break them down.  They are broken down almost immediately by enzymes in the saliva and gastric juices, so they may be sent directly to the liver and are preferentially used as a source of fuel to produce energy.  Not only is there less of a bile surge required to break down MCTs, pancreatic fat-digesting enzymes are not even essential.^vi

Coconut oil has been targeted by both conventional medicine and dieticians as evil.  The natural health care community does not agree.  Coconut oil is a medium chain triglyceride and is an excellent energy source that doesn’t create a lot of stress on the gallbladder, if it is still present.  It certainly puts less stress on the liver than do the other 95% of fats typically consumed, which are long chain triglycerides.  That’s a good thing with or without a gallbladder.  Consuming coconut oil is absolutely the best way to get the essential fats needed for fuel without requiring large amounts of bile, so it’s perfect for those who have had their gallbladder removed.^vii

Supplementation
The fact that a body would be missing the gallbladder – or severely taxed by gall stones blocking bile –creates the need for some supplementation.

Healthy fats essential fatty acids, Omega 6 and Omega 3, should be combined and then metabolized in the body in the optimal ratio of between 1:1 and 4:1, respectively.  The current North American diet and person ranges from 10:1 to 25:1 – or worse.  The imbalance creates and/or exacerbates health issues.  Supplementing with healthy fats in the optimal ratio, two to three times over the day in smaller doses, would allow the body to process the healthy fats at a slower rates.  Monitor this to determine the best frequency, for you.  One to two teaspoons per day of hemp seed oil in a smoothie, a shake or in salad dressing is a good way to get in this cold-pressed oil which contains the optimal ratio of healthy fats.  Maximized Living’s Perfect Ratio Omega comes from healthy, clean sources and gives the right balance of healthy fats and is my supplement of choice.

There is nothing that takes the place of bile in emulsifying and breaking down fats, therefore actual Ox Bile is a preferred supplement in natural health care to aid digestion.  Additional natural digestive support comes in the form of digestive enzymes, specifically pancrealipase and lipase, and glutamine for for integrity of the intestinal walls.^viii Betaine Hydrochloride can help to prevent fat accumulation in the liver.^ixHerbal supplements such as golden seal, rose hips, and red beet may also support digestion.  Often, these digestive enzymes and co-factors can be found in one supplement, but be careful not to become dependent on these supplements, no matter how natural they are, for digestion.  What supplements you use and what quantity is very much dependent upon the individual.  Monitor your response as you try the supplements to see which may aid in supporting digestion.

The liver and gallbladder: keeping them clean
With or without a gallbladder, it should be clear that keeping the liver as purified as possible should be a goal for anyone striving to maintain optimal health.  (The same goes for keeping the gallbladder purified, assuming it hasn’t been removed.)

Liver detoxification, in addition to daily cellular detoxification, will not only support a healthy digestive system, but one’s overall health, energy, and wellbeing.  Cellular and liver detoxification supplementation are in most cases more essential than are digestive enzymes and herbal support.  (A healthy body will produce its own hydrochloric acid and digestive enzymes.)

Activated charcoal is a toxin binder and helps to rid the intestines of toxins.  It also binds toxic bile and removes it from the body, allowing for new, healthy bile to be produced without re-toxifying the liver.  Ideally, a daily detoxification protocol would incorporate activated charcoal along with natural liver detoxifiers such as fenugreek, ginger and milk thistle, and the body’s strongest antioxidant responsible for cellular detoxification, glutathione, and its precursors.  All of these ingredients can be found in Maximized Living’s Daily Detox system, as can be magnesium, to enhance gentle flushing of the bowels while detoxifying.

If the gallbladder is full of stones, a person may want to attempt one or more cleanses, which most natural health practitioners agree have been practiced for hundreds of years.  The gallbladder “flush” typically involves a number of days of supplementation or consumption of apple juice to soften bile ducts, then a non-fat period of rest on the gallbladder, leading up to a night-time ingestion of olive oil and lemon juice to cause incredible pumping of the gallbladder and ejection of stones by the next day.  Although the flush is lauded by many in the natural health field, it is contested by others, and can be swapped for natural, homeopathic, or herbal remedies when treated by a naturopathic doctor, homeopathic physician, or integrative medical practitioner.  Regardless of one’s approach, the intentional flushing of the gallbladder is a process which should be supervised by a natural health care practitioner to avoid complications, and pre- and post- objective assessments of gallbladder health (i.e. gallstone sizes and density within the gallbladder) should be done to ensure progress is being made, if a person follows this path.

With or without a gallbladder, and with or without a “flush,” it’s generally a good idea to enhance detoxification and cleansing of the liver on a cyclical basis – it’s also much safer and predictable than the gallbladder cleanse.  The following sample practice can be performed once every 4-8 weeks with ease.  Though this is a conservative practice, because it is an advanced approach to improve one’s health naturally, this and other cleanses should in all cases be done with appropriate consultation and/or supervision with a trusted physician.

Step one would be to double up on ML Daily Detox and ensure “no cheating” on the ML Advanced Plan on a regular, rhythmic basis.  Step two would be to periodically use ML Body Detox (part of ML Daily Detox), as follows:

1. On a Friday night, two hours after dinner, consume a large dose of ML Body Detox (for its activated charcoal), i.e. 4-6 tablets, therefore 400 mg to 600 mg.
2. One hour later, consume a double dose of liver digestive support supplements (i.e. ML Perfect Ratio Omega, 6-9 capsules, plus Ox Bile, digestive enzymes, etc.) and do not eat again before bed.  Phosphatidylcholine is an additional supplement which can be ingested due to its cell membrane functions and benefits for liver repair. 5-10 total grams of phosphatidylcholine, taken with this flush, would be a good number of capsules, but in a 4:1 ratio would be appropriate for an adult liver.
3. The next morning, consumer 4-6 tablets of ML Body Detox.
4. Repeat on Saturday night into Sunday morning.

Ultimately, there are many ways to provide liver support.  Some people may need liver enzymatic support and herbs that contribute to liver health, and we all need some level of daily detoxification to fight the toxins in the foods we eat and the environment in which we live.

The importance of nerve supply
Fundamentally, all disease processes will first manifest in the nervous system, and/or will communicate through the afferent nervous system via viscero-somatic reflexes in the body.  Present-day opinions on the benefits of corrective chiropractic care not only validate the removal of physical stressors from nerves in the body, but improvement in the afferent-efferent communications within the central nervous system.  Whereas the nerves supplying the gallbladder and liver derive from hepatic plexus exiting the mid-thoracic spine  at T4-T9, and the from the tenth cranial (Vagus) nerve in the upper cervical spine, either of these nerve supplies when impinged with improper spinal alignment should be assessed in the management of a person with gallbladder or liver concerns.^xii, ^xiii Healthy care of the spinal column and maintenance of proper spinal alignment before the onset of illness is a vital factor in maintaining good health.  Maximized Living doctors not only practice spinal corrective care to enhance the health of the nervous system, but address advanced nutrition and detoxification protocols to ensure all vital factors in the restoration of one’s health, naturally.

Regardless of the condition, current trends continue to show that consideration of dietary and toxic stresses on the body, improved oxygenation of tissue cells, release of stress, and vital control of the nerve system are critical factors in the maintenance of good health.  With or without the gallbladder, attention to the five essentials, albeit with some modification and refinement will allow the patient to develop a wholly functioning digestive system and to live a healthy lifestyle.