GUT BRAIN HEALING with PROFESSOR SUNDARDAS - NATUROPATH, HOMOEPATH, ALTERNATIVE THERAPIES, SINGAPORE

Aluminium Foil Toxicity

drsundardas March 20, 2023 No Comments

You may be putting you and yours in harms way if you use aluminium foil in the kitchen, as aluminium has been scrutinized for years in the scientific community for its potential role as a neurotoxin.

Aluminium does not have a physiological role within the human body which gives it the potential to cause significant detrimental effects, especially if consumed. A 2014 study unequivocally proved this theory showing that a man who died with

Alzheimer’s disease had significantly elevated levels of aluminium content in his brain following 8 years of occupational exposure. The respiratory system was noted to be exposed to aluminium dust, but aluminium is a known neurotoxin.

Aluminium foil is reactive and not fully inert, food cooked or prepared in aluminium foil has been shown to have higher levels of aluminium than if another medium was used. Long term oral aluminium intake could be argued would equate to using aluminium foil regularly for years; meaning using aluminium foil in the kitchen could contribute to associated effects and risks.

Aluminium from sources such as foil has been shown to increase risk for developing bone disease in a study examining the effects of hemodialysis which causes build up of aluminium in the blood: 37% of the dialysis patients were found to have developed aluminium associated bone disease. Researchers concluded long term oral aluminium intake in hemodialysis patients results in high prevalence of aluminium associated bone disease; and theorized aluminium either directly or indirectly impacts osteoblast production which leads to bone wasting.

Use of it to prepare, cook, or store foods can increase risk of developing pulmonary fibrosis, which was shown in a study performing lung tissue analysis of workers exposed to aluminium oxide finding extremely high levels of aluminium in lung tissue; suggesting that exposure contributed to development of pulmonary fibrosis.

Aluminium foil may not contribute to lung disease as the same rate of breathing in aluminium oxides, but that does not change the fact it does still contain the very real risk of cooking with aluminium foil to possibly cause pulmonary fibrosis and other diseases of the lung.

Engineers from the University of Ain Shams examined the different ways in which aluminium foil and other cookwares interact with foods: Results showed leaching of harmful aluminium compounds was highest when acidic foods such as lemon juice or tomatoes can into contact with the aluminium foil exceeding guidelines outlined by W.H.O, which was often further exacerbated with spices. Professor Ghada Bassioni concluded that cooking with aluminium foil allows the metal to enter the body, and it is not suitable for cooking especially with acidic foods.

Take away is that aluminium foil is not fully inert, the dangers occur most when it is heated to high temperatures, and when exposed to certain foods it has been shown to leach a portion of its metallic compounds into food where it is then ingested; after being ingested it can build up in the blood, muscles, and organs to contribute to all manners of health problems that science is starting to understand how negative these consequences may be.

Keeping aluminium foil out of the kitchen and away from foods that will be ingested may be the safest bet. There are alternatives to preparing, storing, and cooking foods that won’t have any of these possible ill effects such as glass containers. Glass is said to be completely inert and will not transfer any harmful chemical or metals into food, regardless of how acidic they are. Once more glass can be used over and over again saving money; and glass can be used for storage, preparation, and cooking saving even more money.

Cooking food items that would normally use foil such as fish or baked potatoes can substitute the foil for using a glass dish with a lid, which will have the same effects and will not leach its compounds into the food. High quality glass bakeware is a nicer material to use that will not create waste. Glass cookware also typically will produce a higher quality dish, which is just a no brainer win win. Be sure to check the manufacturer’s instructions to be sure the glass cookware has been rated for your intended use.

Your health issues can’t wait. At Sundardas Naturopathic Clinic, we’re here for you. We offer in-clinic appointments, as well as mental telehealth, clinical evaluations, and therapy for adults, teens, children, and couples.

Find out more by speaking to a specialist today at +65 6323 6652 or visit our contact page https://www.sundardasnaturopathy.com/

Book your session with the Oligoscan to check your aluminum toxicity status.

This assessment is normally valued at $350. Now If you book in March 2023 you get you toxicity and nutritional assessment for $250 only. (Supplements are not included)

Prof Sundardas D Annamalay

Book a private consultation today and take control of your own health.

Simply email us at admin@naturaltherapies.com to make an appointment

Or call +65 6323 6652

We are pleased to offer consultations via Zoom for online coaching clients.

You can sign up below for a program on healing your gut.

https://masteringtime.app.freshmember.com/socket/cart/add/NDE/NTE

The GutBrain Healing online programme with naturopath Dr Sundardas D Annamalay is a holistic, 6 module kick starter programme for you to rebalance your gut health. Through easy to follow video content with a sound scientific basis, participants are educated on the foundational underpinnings of gut health. By doing so you’ll optimise your immune system, digestion & weight management. You will also get rid of symptoms that have been plaguing you all your life. Here’s to a healthy Gut!

https://masteringtime.app.freshmember.com/socket/cart/add/NDE/NTE

References

https://jmedicalcasereports.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1752-1947-8-41

A naturally occurring compound that awakens stem cells to repair damaged muscle

drsundardas March 13, 2023 No Comments

A new study published in the journal Science reveals a unique form of cell communication that controls muscle repair. In damaged muscle, stem cells must work together with immune cells to complete the repair process, yet how these cells coordinate to ensure the efficient removal of dead tissue before making new muscle fibers has remained unknown.

The scientists have now shown that a natural substance called hyaluronic acid, which is used in cosmetics and injections for osteoarthritis, is the key molecule that manages this fundamental interaction.

“When muscles get damaged, it is important for immune cells to quickly enter the tissue and remove the damage before stem cells begin repair,” said Dr. Jeffrey Dilworth, senior scientist at The Ottawa Hospital and professor at the University of Ottawa and senior author on the study.

“Our study shows that muscle stem cells are primed to start repair right away, but the immune cells maintain the stem cells in a resting state while they finish the clean-up job. After about 40 hours, once the clean-up job is finished, an internal alarm goes off in the muscle stem cells that allows them to wake up and start repair.”

Dr. Dilworth and his team identified hyaluronic acid as the key ingredient in this internal alarm clock that tells muscle stem cells when to wake up. When muscle damage occurs, stem cells start producing and coating themselves with hyaluronic acid.

Once the coating gets thick enough, it blocks the sleep signal from the immune cells and causes the muscle stem cells to wake up.

Using mouse and human tissues, Dr. Dilworth and his team also discovered how muscle stem cells control the production of hyaluronic acid using epigenetic marks on the Has2 gene.

“Interestingly, aging is associated with chronic inflammation, muscle weakness and a reduced ability of muscle stem cells to wake up and repair damage,” said lead author Dr. Kiran Nakka, a research associate with Dr. Dilworth who conducted this research as part of his postdoctoral studies. “If we could find a way to enhance hyaluronic acid production in the muscle stem cells of older people it might help with muscle repair.”

The authors note that the regenerative effect of hyaluronic acid seems to depend on it being produced by the muscle stem cells. The team is currently examining if drugs that modify the epigenetics of muscle stem cells could be used to increase their production of hyaluronic acid.

Find out more by speaking to a specialist today at +65 63236652 or visit our contact page https://www.sundardasnaturopathy.com/

Prof Sundardas D Annamalay

Book a private consultation today and take control of your own health.

Simply email us at admin@naturaltherapies.com to make an appointment

Or call +65 6323 6652

We are pleased to offer consultations via Zoom for online coaching clients.

You can sign up below for a program on healing your gut.

https://masteringtime.app.freshmember.com/socket/cart/add/NDE/NTE

References

https://www2.uottawa.ca/about-us/media/news/hyaluranic-acid-naturally-occurring-compound-awakens-stem-cells-repair-damaged-muscle

Are women on vegetarian diets breaking their bones more easily?

drsundardas March 9, 2023 No Comments

Research from the University of Leeds research, published (Thursday, August 11) in the journal BMC Medicine, investigated the risk of hip fracture in occasional meat-eaters; pescatarians, people who eat fish but not meat; and vegetarians compared to regular meat-eaters.

Among 26,318 women, 822 hip fracture cases were observed over roughly 20 years — that represented just over 3% of the sample population. After adjustment for factors such as smoking and age, vegetarians were the only diet group with an elevated risk of hip fracture.

This study is one of very few studies to compare risk of hip fracture in vegetarians and meat-eaters where the occurrence of hip fracture was confirmed from hospital records.

The scientists stress the need for more research into the exact causes of why vegetarians were at a greater risk of hip fracture.

Vegetarian diets can be ‘healthy or unhealthy’

Study lead author James Webster, a doctoral researcher from the School of Food Science and Nutrition at Leeds, said: “Our study highlights potential concerns regarding risk of hip fracture in women who have a vegetarian diet. However, it is not warning people to abandon vegetarian diets. As with any diet, it is important to understand personal circumstances and what nutrients are needed for a balanced healthy lifestyle.

“Vegetarian diets can vary widely from person to person and can be healthy or unhealthy, just like diets that include animal products.

“However, it is concerning that vegetarian diets often have lower intakes of nutrients that are linked with bone and muscle health. These types of nutrients generally are more abundant in meat and other animal products than in plants, such as protein, calcium, and other micronutrients.

“Low intake of these nutrients can lead to lower bone mineral density and muscle mass, which can make you more susceptible to hip fracture risk. This makes it especially important for further research to better understand factors driving the increased risk in vegetarians, whether it be particular nutrient deficiencies or weight management, so that we can help people to make healthy choices.”

Plant-based diets growing in popularity

Vegetarian diets have gained popularity in recent years, with a 2021 YouGov survey putting the size of the UK vegetarian population at roughly 5-7%.

It is often perceived as a healthier dietary option, with previous evidence that shows a vegetarian diet can reduce the risks of several chronic diseases, including diabetes, heart disease, and cancer compared to omnivorous diets.

There is also a worldwide call for reducing the consumption of animal products in an effort to tackle climate change.

Understanding hip fracture risk in vegetarians is therefore becoming increasingly important to public health.

Study co-author Professor Janet Cade, leader of the Nutritional Epidemiology Group in the School of Food Science and Nutrition at Leeds, said: “Hip fracture is a global health issue with high economic costs that causes loss of independence, reduces quality of life, and increases risk of other health issues.

“Plant-based diets have been linked with poor bone health, but there has been a lack of evidence on the links to hip fracture risk. This study is an important step in understanding the potential risk plant-based diets could present over the long-term and what can be done to mitigate those risks.”

The team used data from the UK Women’s Cohort Study to investigate possible links between diet and hip fracture risk. The national cohort of middle-aged women was established at the University of Leeds to explore links between diet and chronic disease, encompassing a wide range of different eating patterns. Dietary information was collected using a food frequency questionnaire and was validated using a 4-day food diary in a subsample of women.

At the time they were recruited into the cohort study, the women ranged in age from 35 to 69 years.

Effect of low BMI

The research team found that the average BMI among vegetarians was slightly lower than the average among the regular meat eaters. Previous research has shown a link between low BMI and a high risk of hip fracture.

Lower BMI can indicate people are underweight, which can mean poorer bone and muscle health, and higher risk of hip fracture. Further investigation is needed to determine if low BMI is the reason for the observed higher risk in vegetarians.

Study co-author, Dr. Darren Greenwood, a biostatistician in the School of Medicine at Leeds, said: “This study is just part of the wider picture of diet and healthy bones and muscles in older age.

“Further research is needed to confirm whether there could be similar results in men, to explore the role of body weight, and to identify the reasons for different outcomes in vegetarians and meat-eaters.”

Find out more by speaking to a specialist today at +65 63236652 or visit our contact page https://www.sundardasnaturopathy.com/

Prof Sundardas D Annamalay

Book a private consultation today and take control of your own health.

Simply email us at admin@naturaltherapies.com to make an appointment

Or call +65 6323 6652

We are pleased to offer consultations via Zoom for online coaching clients.

You can sign up below for a program on healing your gut.

https://masteringtime.app.freshmember.com/socket/cart/add/NDE/NTE

References

Lee Y, Park K. Adherence to a Vegetarian Diet and Diabetes Risk: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Observational Studies. Nutrients. 2017 Jun 14;9(6):603. doi: 10.3390/nu9060603. PMID: 28613258; PMCID: PMC5490582.

The average adult Is living with at least 4 health issues

drsundardas February 27, 2023 No Comments

This research carried out by OnePoll and commissioned by Perigo involving 2,000 adults suggests that the average person is currently trying their best to live with at least four health ailments such as headaches, seasonal allergies, muscle twinges, and back pain. The data reveals that an astounding 82% have at least one minor health condition and 59% of those people report being in significant pain or discomfort.

More than one-quarter of those struggling with ailments have had specific health issues for several years or more; nearly 8% report that they have been struggling with an ailment for more than a decade.

The impact of the struggle is wide-ranging with 46% reporting having issues with sleep, 28% having developed mental health conditions, and 18% reporting that they are no longer able to work.

7 in 10 of those struggling with ailments report that they have tried to adopt a keep calm and just carry on type of mindset as a coping mechanism. Another 28% report that they do so because for one reason or another they feel like their doctor just doesn’t seem interested. 27% claim that they are not able to even get an appointment with their doctor, and 22% say that they just don’t like going in for an appointment to see their doctor. Surprisingly, 52% admit that it has never even crossed their mind to visit a pharmacy for some advice.

“Even minor issues and ailments can impact our quality of life and the way we want to live, when they really don’t have to,” suggests Farah Ali, superintendent pharmacist at London’s Warman-Freed, in a statement.

“Don’t ignore your body by putting up with discomfort and suffering in silence. There are ways to manage conditions early through self-care so that problems don’t build up and disrupt everyday activity.”

The data suggests that there is a common tendency to go it alone and suffer in silence, with 57% of all participants reporting that they typically keep quiet when they develop a health condition. However, 54% admit that they are better at looking at other people’s health status rather than their own.

This approach appears to be applied to self-care as well with 56% agreeing that they neglect self-care, and 43% not even considering self-care to be a priority. But 43% think that they have been improving with self-care over recent years, and 69% reported that they are good at listening to their body and understanding its needs.

The data suggests that the average adult has called in sick to work at least 7 days over the past year. However, this number should perhaps be higher due to 3 in 5 participants reporting that they have worked despite feeling too ill to do so.

37% report going to work despite being ill because they just don’t like taking time off, 31% report having too much work to do, and 20% report that they go to work because they simply don’t want to acknowledge that they had a problem to begin with.

Stress and other health issues can’t wait. At Sundardas Naturopathic Clinic, we’re here for you. We offer in-clinic appointments, as well as mental telehealth, clinical evaluations, and therapy for adults, teens, children, and couples.

Find out more by speaking to a specialist today at +65 6323 6652 or visit our contact page https://www.sundardasnaturopathy.com/

Prof Sundardas D Annamalay

Book a private consultation today and take control of your own health.

Simply email us at admin@naturaltherapies.com to make an appointment

Or call +65 63236652

We are pleased to offer consultations via Zoom for online coaching clients.

You can sign up below for a program on healing your gut.

https://masteringtime.app.freshmember.com/socket/cart/add/NDE/NTE

How Does Nature Nurture The Brain?

drsundardas February 20, 2023 No Comments

After a 60-minute walk in nature, activity in brain regions involved in stress processing decreases. This is the finding of a recent study by the Lise Meitner Group for Environmental Neuroscience at the Max Planck Institute for Human Development, published in Molecular Psychiatry.

Living in a city is a well-known risk factor for developing a mental disorder, while living close to nature is largely beneficial for mental health and the brain. A central brain region involved in stress processing, the amygdala, has been shown to be less activated during stress in people who live in rural areas, compared to those who live in cities, hinting at the potential benefits of nature.

“But so far the hen-and-egg problem could not be disentangled, namely whether nature actually caused the effects in the brain or whether the particular individuals chose to live in rural or urban regions,” says Sonja Sudimac, predoctoral fellow in the Lise Meitner Group for Environmental Neuroscience and lead author of the study.

To achieve causal evidence, the researchers from the Lise Meitner Group for Environmental Neuroscience examined brain activity in regions involved in stress processing in 63 healthy volunteers before and after a one-hour walk in Grunewald forest or a shopping street with traffic in Berlin using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).

The results of the study revealed that activity in the amygdala decreased after the walk in nature, suggesting that nature elicits beneficial effects on brain regions related to stress.

“The results support the previously assumed positive relationship between nature and brain health, but this is the first study to prove the causal link. Interestingly, the brain activity after the urban walk in these regions remained stable and did not show increases, which argues against a commonly held view that urban exposure causes additional stress,” explains Simone Kühn, head of the Lise Meitner Group for Environmental Neuroscience.

The authors show that nature has a positive impact on brain regions involved in stress processing and that it can already be observed after a one-hour walk. This contributes to the understanding of how our physical living environment affects brain and mental health.

Even a short exposure to nature decreases amygdala activity, suggesting that a walk in nature could serve as a preventive measure against developing mental health problems and buffering the potentially disadvantageous impact of the city on the brain.

The results go in line with a previous study (2017, Scientific Reports) which showed that city dwellers who lived close to the forest had a physiologically healthier amygdala structure and were therefore presumably better able to cope with stress.

This new study again confirms the importance for urban design policies to create more accessible green areas in cities in order to enhance citizens’ mental health and well-being.

In order to investigate beneficial effects of nature in different populations and age groups, the researchers are currently working on a study examining how a one-hour walk in natural versus urban environments impacts stress in mothers and their babies.

Stress and other mental health issues can’t wait. At Sundardas Naturopathic Clinic, we’re here for you. We offer in-clinic appointments, as well as mental telehealth, clinical evaluations, and therapy for adults, teens, children, and couples.

Find out more by speaking to a specialist today at +65 63236652 or visit our contact page https://www.sundardasnaturopathy.com/

Prof Sundardas D Annamalay

Book a private consultation today and take control of your own health.

Simply email us at admin@naturaltherapies.com to make an appointment

Or call +65 63236652

We are pleased to offer consultations via Zoom for online coaching clients.

You can sign up below for a program on healing your gut.

https://masteringtime.app.freshmember.com/socket/cart/add/NDE/NTE

Reference

Sudimac, S., Sale, V. & Kühn, S. How nature nurtures: Amygdala activity decreases as the result of a one-hour walk in nature. Mol Psychiatry (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41380-022-01720-6

Sitting Raises Heart Disease Risk Factor

drsundardas February 13, 2023 No Comments

Regardless of exercise, sitting for many hours a day raises a person’s level of coronary artery calcification (CAC).

Mounting evidence warns of the life-shortening effects of too much sitting. Jacquelyn Kulinski, from the Medical College of Wisconsin (Wisconsin, USA), and colleagues analyzed heart scans and physical activity records of over 2,000 adults living in Dallas (Texas, USA).

The data revealed that each hour of sedentary time per day on average associated with a 14% increase in coronary artery calcification (CAC) burden – a measure of the amount of plaque in the coronary arteries. The association was independent of exercise activity and other traditional heart disease risk factors.A sedentary lifestyle is a risk factor for heart disease. The more you sit, the less you move, and the less you move, the more your risk increases.

Sitting a lot can kill you even if you exercise regularly. There is a new saying floating around: Sitting is the new smoking. That’s because evidence is coming out showing that sitting for long periods of time can have a profound negative effect on your health.

A study published at the end of 2017 in the Annals of Internal Medicine found evidence that sitting for long periods of time is a risk factor for early death. According to their study, the more time you sit, the greater your risk for early death becomes. Here are some statistics from the study:

Participants in the study who sat for more than 13 hours per day had a 200 percent greater risk of death than participants who sat for less than 11 hours.
Participants who moved more and sat less (sitting less than 30 minutes at a time) had a 55 percent lower risk than those who sat for 30 minutes or more at a time.
Participants who often sat longer than 90 minutes at a time were about twice as likely to die than those who always limited their sitting time to less than 90 minutes at a time.

Another study compared transit drivers who sit most of the time with conductors and guards who are standing or moving most of the time. The study compared people with similar diets, and they found that the people who sat a lot had twice the risk of developing heart disease as the people who moved around a lot.

The largest study about the dangers of sitting involved 800,000 people. This study, published in 2011 and run by Loughborough University and the University of Leicester in the United Kingdom, showed that people who sit the most, when compared to those who sat the least, had an increase in disease and death, specifically:

Their diabetes risk increased by 112 percent.
They had a 147 percent increase in cardiovascular events, like heart attacks and strokes.
They had a 90 percent increase in death from cardiovascular events.
They had a 49 percent increase in death from any cause.

WHAT HAPPENS TO YOUR BODY WHEN YOU SIT A LOT?

Sitting all day can be very damaging to your body. Here are some of the things that happen in your body when you spend too much time sitting.

Blood flow slows down, which allows fatty acids to build up in the blood vessels. This can lead to heart disease.
Your body’s ability to process fats is decreased. Lipoprotein lipase is an important enzyme your body produces to break down fat in your blood. When you sit, your body’s production of lipoprotein lipase drops by about 90 percent, which makes it very difficult for your body to use fat. When your body doesn’t use fat, it gets stored.
Sitting can lead to insulin resistance, which can cause type 2 diabetes and obesity, two risk factors for heart disease.
When you sit regularly for extended periods of time, your bones get weaker and your entire skeletal system can experience negative effects, including pain, bone spurs, inflammation, and other symptoms.
When you don’t use your muscles, they can lose strength and the ability to support other body systems.
It can affect your brain. Exercise triggers the production of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which grows neurons in the brain. It also helps fight the effects of cortisol (the stress hormone). So when supplies of BDNF decrease, cortisol increases, which leads to increased stress. Blood flow to the brain also slows when you’re sedentary, which reduces the amount of oxygen your brain receives.

People who sit too often and too long can have a myriad of health effects

slowed metabolism
posture issues
back and spine injuries
metabolic syndrome
chronic pain
osteoarthritis
obesity
diabetes
significant increased risk of heart disease
increased risk of early death

As you can see, sitting can lead to negative effects throughout the body, including increasing your risk for heart disease.

Lack of exercise is a known risk for coronary artery disease. This is in part because a sedentary lifestyle increases the risk for diabetes and high blood pressure. Getting regular physical activity can help reduce your risk of heart disease by helping you manage blood pressure and cholesterol, regulate your blood sugar levels, and maintain a healthy weight or lose weight. Exercise can strengthen your heart. There is also evidence that it can help improve your circulation and build a “back-up system” of blood vessels that can take over if one of your arteries is blocked by disease or a clot.

YOU HAVE TO SIT ALL DAY AT YOUR JOB. WHAT CAN YOU DO TO COUNTERACT THE EFFECTS OF SITTING?

Just because your job requires you to sit doesn’t mean you have to just give in to the effects of sitting. Here are some tips for counteracting the negative effects of sitting for a long time:

Use a standing desk or a convertible desk that allows you to sit or stand. This will encourage you to move around more.
Take frequent breaks to move, walk, and stretch. Get up at least once an hour and walk around for a few minutes. Try using an app on your phone or desktop to remind you to move, or get a smart watch and set it to alert you that it’s time to get up and take a movement break.
Get regular aerobic exercise – at least an hour per day.
Watch your posture. Part of the negative effects of sitting are due to poor posture. If you slouch or sit with a bent back, it can be detrimental to your health. If you have to sit at a desk, try using a stability ball to encourage good posture or make a point to sit up straight.

A 2019 Journal of the American Heart Association study has some encouraging findings for the desk-bound – sitting at work may not be as bad for your heart and longevity as sitting and watching TV in your free time.

Find out more by speaking to a specialist today at +65 63236652 or visit our contact page https://www.sundardasnaturopathy.com/

I am going to offer each of you a complete posture analysis, a value of $160for just $40. The return on investment for this postural evaluation, for my clients was life-?changing. I am confident that if we find postural distortions we will have transformational results with you as well.

SPECIAL OFFER:

YOU CAN DISCOVER IF YOU HAVE A POSTURAL DISTORTION.

NORMAL POSTURE SCREEN PICTURES AND ASSESSMENT IS $160.

SIGN UP NOW FOR ONLY $40

YOU WILL GET THE SCREEN PICTURES AND A DISCUSSION IF YOU HAVE POSTURAL DISTORTIONS AFFECTING YOUR BRAIN.

CALL US AT 6323 6652 FOR AN APPOINTMENT TODAY!

Prof Sundardas D Annamalay

Book a private consultation today and take control of your own health.

Simply email us at admin@naturaltherapies.com to make an appointment

Or call +65 63236652

We are pleased to offer consultations via Zoom for online coaching clients.

Blueberry could reduce dementia

drsundardas February 6, 2023 No Comments

The old adage says that an apple a day keeps the doctor away, but new research from the University of Cincinnati shows the potential benefit of a different fruit for your health.

Researchers led by UC’s Robert Krikorian, Ph.D., found that adding blueberries to the daily diets of certain middle-aged populations may lower the chances of developing late-life dementia. The findings were recently published in the journal Nutrients.

Research approach

Krikorian said his team has been conducting research on the benefits of berries for people with greater risk for Alzheimer’s disease and dementia for several years.

While not entirely different from other berries and plants like red cabbage, Krikorian said blueberries have a particularly high level of micronutrients and antioxidants called anthocyanins. Anthocyanins help give blueberries their namesake color and also help defend the plants against excess radiation exposure, infectious agents, and other threats, Krikorian said.

These same properties that help blueberries survive also provide benefits to humans, Krikorian said, such as reducing inflammation, improving metabolic function, and enhancing energy production within cells.

Previous berry studies Krikorian led focused on older populations, but with this research, the team wanted to study middle-aged individuals in order to focus on dementia prevention and risk reduction.

Krikorian explained that about 50% of individuals in the U.S. develop insulin resistance, commonly referred to as prediabetes, around middle age. Prediabetes has been shown to be a factor in chronic diseases, he said.

“We had observed cognitive benefits with blueberries in prior studies with older adults and thought they might be effective in younger individuals with insulin resistance,” said Krikorian, professor emeritus and director of the division of psychology in the UC College of Medicine’s Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience. “Alzheimer’s disease, like all chronic diseases of aging, develops over a period of many years beginning in midlife.”

Study details and results

The researchers enrolled 33 patients from around the Cincinnati area between the ages of 50-65 who were overweight, prediabetic, and had noticed mild memory decline with aging. Krikorian said this population has an increased risk for late-life dementia and other common conditions.

Over a period of 12 weeks, the patients were asked to abstain from berry fruit consumption of any kind except for a daily packet of supplement powder to be mixed with water and consumed either with breakfast or dinner. Half of the participants received powders that contained the equivalent of one-half cup of whole blueberries, while the other half received a placebo.

Participants were also given tests that measured certain cognitive abilities that decline in patients with aging and late-life dementia, such as executive functions like working memory, mental flexibility, and self-control.

Krikorian said those in the blueberry-treated group showed improvement on cognitive tasks that depend on executive control.

“This was evident as reduced interference of extraneous information during learning and memory,” Krikorian explained.

Patients in the blueberry group also had lower fasting insulin levels, meaning the participants had improved metabolic function and were able to more easily burn fat for energy.

Krikorian said the blueberry group displayed an additional mild degree of higher mitochondrial uncoupling, a cellular process that has been associated with greater longevity and reduced oxidative stress. Oxidative stress can lead to symptoms like fatigue and memory loss.

“This last finding was exploratory but points to an interesting, potential mechanism for blueberry benefits,” he said.

Moving forward, Krikorian said he is interested in better understanding the exact mechanisms of blueberries that help to improve cognitive performance and metabolic function. But the main takeaway from the current study is that regular blueberry supplementation in at-risk middle-aged diets may lower the chances of developing late-life dementia.

“The sample size is an obvious limitation of the study, so it will be important to reproduce these findings, especially by other investigators,” Krikorian said. “In the meantime, it might be a good idea to consume blueberries on a regular basis.”

Dementia, depression, and other mental health issues can’t wait. At Sundardas Naturopathic Clinic, we’re here for you. We offer in-clinic appointments, as well as mental telehealth, clinical evaluations, and therapy for adults, teens, children, and couples.

Find out more by speaking to a specialist today at +65 6323 6652 or visit our contact page https://www.sundardasnaturopathy.com/

Prof Sundardas D Annamalay

Book a private consultation today and take control of your own health.

Simply email us at admin@naturaltherapies.com to make an appointment

Or call +65 63236652

We are pleased to offer consultations via Zoom for online coaching clients.

You can sign up below for a program on healing your gut.

https://masteringtime.app.freshmember.com/socket/cart/add/NDE/NTE

Reference:

Krikorian, R.; Skelton, M.R.; Summer, S.S.; Shidler, M.D.; Sullivan, P.G. Blueberry Supplementation in Midlife for Dementia Risk Reduction. Nutrients 2022, 14, 1619. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu14081619

Adrenal Fatigue

drsundardas January 31, 2023 No Comments

Adrenal fatigue is not just a disorder that high-end athletes get. Anybody with an overly stressful life and prolonged tiredness that lasts from morning until night could be suffering from adrenal fatigue.

Adrenal fatigue is not just a disorder that high-end athletes get. Anybody with an overly stressful life and prolonged tiredness that lasts from morning until night, you could be suffering from adrenal fatigue. In this two-part article, you’ll learn about nine possible symptoms and nine remedies to help you recover if you’re suffering from this problem. It should be stated at the outset that in some rare cases, your fatigue may actually be from an adrenal gland tumor. Watch this video on adrenal fatigue to get an understanding of adrenal symptoms to find out how adrenal fatigue’s symptoms can affect you.

NINE COMMON SYMPTOMS

There are many symptoms associated with the disorder. Review a list of the nine most common symptoms below. There are three stages of fatigue. In the first stage, sufferers often feel energetic but in a very edgy sort of way. In the second stage, people wake up early and are unable to fall asleep. In stage three, exhaustion at all hours of the day is common and it puts the individual at risk for autoimmune disease.

1. Fatigue:

Feeling tired and listless is a common symptom associated with the disorder. The fatigue remains even when you get enough sleep, eat right and ingest foods and drinks that would normally make you more alert.

2. Fogginess:

Many suffers often remark how they continue to feel foggy and unable to concentrate when they suffer from adrenal fatigue’s impact.

3. Stress:

A large amount of stress is common with people who suffer from fatigue. They offer a difficult time dealing with stress that is both emotional and physical.

4. Salt Cravings:

People who suffer from adrenal fatigue’s symptoms often exhibit a craving for salty foods. The adrenal cortex is responsible for producing aldosterone, which regulates the kidneys. This results in an inability to regulate levels of sodium, potassium and magnesium, which can lead to cravings for salty foods.

5. Allergies:

Sufferers may notice an increase in allergies as low levels of cortisol can lead to a suppression of your immune system.

6. Infections:

People with advanced cases may start to get an increase in infections as the body becomes unable to fight off illnesses and disease. Restoring cortisol to optimal levels is a core aspect of treatment.

7. Low Libido:

People who suffer from this disorder may experience a lower than usual sex drive. With proper treatment, libido often comes back.

8. Circulation Issues:

Many sufferers note circulation issues. This may manifest as numbness in the fingers or general symptoms of poor circulation.

9. Weight Gain:

Gaining weight without other lifestyle changes is a common symptom. Sufferers may report weight gain even with a significant calorie reduction or exercise regimen.

NINE REMEDIES TO IMPROVE SYMPTOMS

Curing the disorder may not require a trip to your doctor. Some mild cases of the disorder can be treated with some simple lifestyle changes.

1. Hydrate:

It may seem like a simple recommendation, but our bodies require water for everything we do. Drink plenty of water to ensure your body has the energy to function.

2. Vitamins:

Most vitamins should be obtained from the diet, but taking B vitamins, vitamin C and Omege-3 fatty acids have been shown to reduce the symptoms of fatigue.\

3. Sleep:

An additional surge of cortisol tends to come after 11 p.m. at night. It may come later if you wake up later in the day, but you should get to sleep no later than 16 hours after you wake up.

4. Caffeine and Sugar:

Reduce or eliminate both caffeine and sugar from your diet. Both of these have been shown to increase cortisol levels, which can increase your levels of fatigue.

5. Regular Meals:

Don’t skip any meals. Even if you think you’ll gain weight, skipping meals is the wrong course of action. Once you get into a routine of eating at regular intervals, your body will adjust and you’ll likely start shedding the pounds by treating your adrenal insufficiency. Regular eating helps to maintain stable blood sugar levels throughout the day.

6. Improve Nutrient Absorption:

Improve nutrient absorption by incorporating bone broth, low fat yogurt, seaweed and fermented drinks into your diet. These are all good at helping you maintain proper nutrition to get the right nutrients for your body.

7. Salt:

Himalayan sea salt contains a large amount of trace minerals that your body needs. Consume natural form of salts to ensure that your body is able to regulate the levels of the hormone aldosterone.

8. Don’t Overtrain:

If you’re running for extended periods of time or trying to complete too much cardio work, you’re likely overstressing the adrenals. Even professional marathon runners take periods of rest to restore their bodies.

9. DHEA:

Adrenal glands that are misbehaving can often benefit from the inclusion of DHEA. This compound helps you to reduce the levels of cortisol in your body. This is one of the best adrenal remedies available to help get your endocrine system functioning properly again. It’s possible to increase DHEA through the supplementation of magnesium. Adrenal Remedies are available to treat your adrenal symptoms, but the most important thing is to treat yourself well, eat well and get plenty of rest. Look for stressors and allergens in your life, and attempt to simplify your life if it’s overly complex. Successful treatment will result in a decrease of depression as well.

Adrenal fatigue, depression, and other mental health issues can’t wait. At Sundardas Naturopathic Clinic, we’re here for you. We offer in-clinic appointments, as well as mental telehealth, clinical evaluations, and therapy for adults, teens, children, and couples.

Find out more by speaking to a specialist today at +65 63236652 or visit our contact page https://www.sundardasnaturopathy.com/

Prof Sundardas D Annamalay

Book a private consultation today and take control of your own health.

Simply email us at admin@naturaltherapies.com to make an appointment

Or call +65 63236652

We are pleased to offer consultations via Zoom for online coaching clients.

You can sign up below for a program on healing your gut.

https://masteringtime.app.freshmember.com/socket/cart/add/NDE/NTE

How to Exercise with Functional Training

drsundardas January 25, 2023 No Comments

Functional training is a type of exercise that looks like movements you make in your daily life. It can be helpful for athletic performance, injury prevention, and other everyday fitness tasks.

How Functional Training is Used in Exercise

Functional movements use large groups of muscles working together across your body. These exercises often look similar to movements you’d make in your daily life. Picking up a heavy object, swinging a baseball bat, or carrying groceries are real-world situations that functional training can help you improve.

While many exercises fit the definition of “functional training,” others don’t. Less-functional strength training can have different characteristics and goals:

Workouts that target a specific body part. Non-functional exercises work on only one muscle, or a muscle group in one part of the body. Think “leg day” or “arm day” at the gym. Traditional strength training exercises like bicep curls, calf raises, and seated leg press are all less functional. Functional training prioritizes muscle movement over appearance.

How to Incorporate Functional Training Into Your Workouts

Functional workouts can look different across muscle groups and goals. Some common functional exercises include:

Push-ups
Walking Lunges
Jump squats
Jumping, lunging, or stepping onto an elevated surface
Bodyweight squats
Lateral bounds (running from side to side)
Jumping jacks
Movements done while balancing on one leg

All of these exercises target more than one muscle or muscle group at a time.

How to Get the Most Out of Functional Training

Functional training isn’t one-size-fits-all. The benefits and drawbacks are different for everyone depending on their goals, the exercises they practice, and more.?

Combine it with other exercises. Different styles of exercise can help you reach similar goals. Exercises that only target a few leg muscles can still help runners increase their speed. Use functional training along with other workout styles to improve your fitness.?

Specificity matters. Chair squats will help you get up from chairs more than jumping jacks. Your skill in an activity is better when your functional training closely resembles it.?

Be safe. Functional training can be safer than other types of exercise, but it still carries risk of injury. Perform intense functional movements with correct form to get the most out of your workout. Talk to your doctor if you have any questions or concerns about starting a functional exercise program.

Benefits of Functional Training

Functional exercises teach your body to work as a whole rather than training specific parts. Strengthening the whole body in this way has many benefits for your health.

Daily life. Functional training trains the same muscle movements you use in everyday life. For example, a senior citizen might practice bodyweight squats to improve their ability to stand up from a chair. These everyday activities can get easier when you train for them.

Balance and coordination. Functional exercises can help maintain and preserve your sense of balance. Functional exercise makes different parts of your body move together smoothly. This is helpful for older adults to prevent falling and related injuries. People recovering from injuries can also regain balance with functional training.?

Injury protection. Perfecting the movements involved in daily life can help you prevent injury. Functional training protects your spine from movements that cause back pain. If you lift heavy objects off the floor correctly while exercising, you can avoid accidents picking up heavy objects at work.

Athletic performance. Athletes improve with functional exercises based on the movements of their sport. A basketball player might practice leaping from side to side to improve their agility and speed on the court. Rowers may practice squats to train the same leg muscles they use in the boat.

Time-efficient. Functional exercises can be more time-efficient for fitness and weight loss than focusing on one muscle at a time. Adding a few shorter, more intense full-body exercise sessions to your routine boosts the calories you burn.

SPECIAL OFFER:

YOU CAN DISCOVER IF YOU HAVE A POSTURAL DISTORTION.

NORMAL POSTURE SCREEN PICTURES AND ASSESSMENT IS $160.

SIGN UP NOW FOR ONLY $40

YOU WILL GET THE SCREEN PICTURES AND A DISCUSSION IF YOU HAVE POSTURAL DISTORTIONS AFFECTING YOUR BRAIN.

CALL US AT 6323 6652 FOR AN APPOINTMENT TODAY!

Prof Sundardas D Annamalay

Book a private consultation today and take control of your own health.

Simply email us at admin@naturaltherapies.com to make an appointment

Or call +65 6323 6652

We are pleased to offer consultations via Zoom for online coaching clients.

You Can Age Gracefully

drsundardas January 17, 2023 No Comments

Over the past few years, an increasing number of people—from everyday citizens to athletes and celebrities—have fearlessly disclosed information about the status of their mental health. Going public in this way has contributed to destigmatizing common issues like anxiety and depression and has encouraged many people who need help to reach out for it. So why, then, do the majority of senior citizens with mental health issues continue to suffer in silence and fail to seek the treatment they need?

Interestingly, the medical journal, International Psychogeriatrics, published a study that investigated the various barriers older adults faced in getting the help they need. The researchers found that one of the key beliefs held by the participants (aged 60-79) was that feeling depressed and anxious during their golden years was normal. It turns out this assumption is widely held by many people in the older generations.

Many older people believe that it’s normal to feel anxious or depressed during their golden years, but in reality, mental health issues are NOT a normal part of aging. It’s never too late to seek help or to feel better.

The reality is, mental health issues are NOT a normal part of aging, yet when they occur, doctors commonly overlook them, or the symptoms are not disclosed by the millions of baby boomers and beyond who have them. According to the Centers for Disease Control, 1 out of every 5 people over the age of 55 has some type of mental health condition, the most common of which include bipolar disorder, anxiety cognitive problems, and depression sadly, elderly men (age 85 and up) have the highest rate of suicide in the U.S.—45.23 per 100,000 versus 11 per 100,000 in the general population.

COMMON LIFE CHALLENGES FOR SENIORS

There’s no question that aging can pose challenges that increase the risk of mental health issues for some people and make them more vulnerable to conditions like depressive disorder anxiety disorders, substance abuse and other problems. In addition, difficulties such as the following ones can stack up and exacerbate already burdensome situations.

Accumulated losses, such as the death of a spouse/partner, family members, close friends, or beloved pets
Serious medical problems, illnesses, or chronic pain that affect mobility, activities, and independence—as well as one’s sense of self
Social isolation—nearly 14 million people over the age of 65 live alone
Poverty or other financial stressors that stem from living on a fixed income or the diminishment of other resources
Forced retirement due to problems with job performance or difficulty finding work because of age discrimination
Feeling invisible in a culture that is largely focused on the beauty and energy of younger people
Lost sense of purpose and meaning in life

There’s no question that all these issues are serious concerns that can have a devastating impact on mental well-being. But when this occurs—and regardless of age—a correct diagnosis and a targeted treatment plan can make a significant impact, not only on reducing symptoms but also in improving the quality of a person’s life. Unfortunately, the majority of older people who struggle with impairing symptoms never get diagnosed, and therefore, never receive the treatment that could make their life so much more fulfilling.

One study published in Psychiatric Services found that approximately 70% of seniors who had anxiety and mood disorders never sought help for their mental health issues. There are also many older folks who don’t believe they can change at their age or don’t think it’s possible to feel better simply by talking to a professional about their problems. Research, however, has shown otherwise.

AGE IS NOT A BARRIER TO MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT

Reaching out for help at any time in life is not an indication of weakness or failure; it’s a sign of courage. Mental health issues are actually brain problems—not character flaws or personal shortcomings—and once they are correctly identified strategies can be undertaken to help bring the brain into greater balance, no matter how old you are.

Whether someone is age 5 or 105, the right diagnosis and an optimal treatment plan for resolving mental health symptoms make all the difference in the world for being able to function well and enjoy life more.

You’re never too old to start feeling better again.

Anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues can’t wait. At Sundardas Naturopathic Clinic, we’re here for you. We offer in-clinic appointments, as well as mental telehealth, clinical evaluations, and therapy for adults, teens, children, and couples.

Find out more by speaking to a specialist today at +65 6323 6652 or visit our contact page https://www.sundardasnaturopathy.com/

Prof Sundardas D Annamalay

Book a private consultation today and take control of your own health.

Simply email us at admin@naturaltherapies.com to make an appointment

Or call +65 63236652

We are pleased to offer consultations via Zoom for online coaching clients.

You can sign up below for a program on healing your gut.

https://masteringtime.app.freshmember.com/socket/cart/add/NDE/NTE