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Category: Health

Lifestream ClinicBlogHealth

Nutrition + Gut Health

How important is gut health and can diet really play a large role in my gut health?Your gut, also known as the entire human intestinal tract, is home to over 100 trillion microbial cells. That’s more than the estimated number of cells that the average man has in his entire body! This complex community of microbes can influence physiology, metabolism, immune function, and synthesize certain vitamins and essential amino acids. Consequently, they are also involved in modulating diseases such as type 2 diabetes, inflammatory bowel disease, cardiovascular disease, and cancer. It has been documented that drastic diet changes can induce large, temporary shifts in the gut microbiota in as little time as 24 hours.

What can happen when many factors such as poor nutrition, stress, heavy alcohol use, and heavy metal toxicity damage the intestinal lining? The junctions between the cells of the gut lining are supposed to be tight, but they begin to spread apart and allow microorganisms to pass through into the blood. This is known as leaky gut syndrome. Altered gut microbiota, otherwise known as dysbiosis, is linked with this increased permeability of the intestinal lining. Studies have also linked intestinal dysfunction and gut dysbiosis to traumatic brain injuries such as a concussion. It is not clear the exact correlation, but a correlation is present.

What can you do to improve your gut health?

  • Eat a diverse diet of fresh fruits and vegetables (these are rich in fiber and essential nutrients)
  • Opt for whole carbohydrate sources such as potatoes, whole grains, and root vegetables instead of eliminating carbs completely (rich in fiber and beneficial carbohydrates)
  • Avoid processed foods that contain simple sugars, inflammatory fats, and additives
  • Consume probiotic-rich foods such as yogurt with live cultures, sauerkraut, kombucha, and pickled vegetables
  • Consume probiotics and enzymes in supplement form to fill the gaps in your diet

Nutrition for Concussion Recovery

What can you do nutritionally to support concussion recovery?

 

Believe it or not, nutrition is not a part of traditional medical treatment for concussions. In fact, Mayo Clinic and Cleveland Clinic say that the main treatment is physical and mental rest, and pain management. No further recommendations are given beyond what is recommended as a healthy diet for all individuals. This blows my mind as the physiological events following a concussion involve a cascade of inflammation and a dramatic increase in the usage of certain nutrients in order to heal the subsequent damage.

Within the first 48 hours of the concussion, blood vessels which are stretched or even torn cause decrease blood flow to the brain which initially causes parts of the brain to become “excited”. This can cause brain cells to die and other injured cells begin to release chemicals that cause inflammation and swelling. Ionic abnormalities in the cells also lead to an increased need for energy in the brain, using almost 40% more glucose than normal in the brain. This increase in oxidative stress and inflammation also increases the need for antioxidants in the brain. These events result in a restructuring process called “brain plasticity”. This is why rest is so important- especially during this period of time following the injury.

 
Nutrients and other factors important for concussion recovery:
– Energy: Our body makes energy out of the food that we eat. Sufficient energy is needed in the form of calories to support recovery. Often, the symptoms (nausea, migraines, etc.) can cause a decrease in appetite and decrease in calorie consumption.
– Protein: Since there is damage to the tissue in the body, additional protein is needed to reconstruct and heal the damaged areas. Some studies suggest 25- 88% more protein is needed than normally recommended for adults.
– Gut health: Gut dysfunction is a hallmark issue with brain injuries. Concussions have been found to modify the bacteria in the gut as well as cause functional and structural damage to the gut.
– Omega 3’s: DHA specifically is the main omega 3 fatty acid in the brain. Omega 3’s are anti-inflammatory, help regulate brain plasticity, and are structurally and functionally important in brain cognition and development.
– Vitamin D: Vitamin D deficiency pre-concussion is linked to poorer recovery rates. It is also involved in regulating brain plasticity and offers neuroprotective effects.
– Magnesium: As a part of the initial ionic imbalance in the brain, acute magnesium deficiency occurs. Magnesium is an important mineral which is involved in enzymatic processes in the brain. Magnesium supplementation was shown to improve recovery.
– Zinc: Zinc plays a very important role in the body’s antioxidant systems, as well as offering anti-inflammatory properties.

Hormonal Health

How can I support my hormonal health? This is a very common question, and not just from women but men, too. Let’s go back to the basics of hormones.

Emerging Trends in Health: Hope for a Vibrant Future

It is no surprise that one of the fastest growing industries in the United States is the healthcare sector. As the baby boomer generation ages, there is a rise in both healthcare costs and need for those who care for health. Another sobering fact is that the current middle age generation is expected to have a shorter lifespan than their parent’s generation. This is the first time in centuries that this drop in life expectancy is predicted. As it becomes easier to access high-quality health treatments, treatments that are more sophisticated than ever before, the quality of health is in decline. Not only is the projected lifespan decreasing, the years of functional life are decreasing. What is functional life you may ask? Functional life is having the freedom to travel, develop relationships, do things that make memories, be free of the need for medications, surgeries, and other life-saving interventions.

 

Why is functional lifespan so important? Is there hope in emerging care models to improve functional lifespan? Can you expect to both outlive your parents and have the freedom into retirement to make memories and truly enjoy a life of freedom? The hope can be found in several scientific “discoveries” and the development of newer models of healthcare.

 

For years, we have been told that the best way to be healthy is through diet and exercise. This is intuitive for most people. However, most individuals don’t know, with absolute certainty, that the top causes of death and decreased quality of life are determined by lifestyle choices. The recent work that has been done in mapping out the human genome was a start to this certainty and understanding in the scientific community. Further advances in understanding that human genes can be turned “on” and “off” has given more proof that conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, and others are both preventable and predictable. An example of genes being expressed can be found in exercise. When you exercise, the DNA for making muscle protein gets switched on. When you spend the day sitting at work, on the couch, or being sedentary, the DNA gets turned off. This field of study is called epigenetics and is a fascinating new understanding of how the human body functions. The study of epigenetics also gives us hope and certainty that with the proper diet and exercise, proper for the human genome, you can express health instead of disease.

 

With the emergence of understand how human DNA expresses itself based on lifestyle choices, a new model for healthcare MUST emerge. The current model in the USA is mostly based on diseases from centuries past, diseases with very low risk due to advances in science. The current model of healthcare is based off of treating symptoms and disease after they impact a person’s health. This is primarily symptom-based care. Models of care that are emerging are, and must be, based on prevention. These models fit with the scientific understand of health and causes of chronic diseases. We must ask ourselves, “Where can we find both healthcare providers and modern models of healthcare?”

 

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