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vitamin B12 deficiency
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Vitamin B12: Are you deficient?

Would you be surprised to learn that 92% of the U.S. population suffers from a vitamin or mineral deficiency? It sounds crazy, but it’s true. And vitamin B12 is one of the deficiencies most overlooked.

If you are over 50 and reading this, about 20% of you are deficient in vitamin B12 – but it’s not just older adults that are impacted. In general, there is a lack of knowledge of the warning signs of a deficiency and late detection…so folks of all ages may be overlooking a deficiency in this important vitamin.

Why should you care about B12?

For starters, the human body doesn’t make vitamin B12 – so all of us must get this nutrient from our diet. We also can’t store it up, thus we need to consume foods that contain it on a regular basis. Adults need around 2.4 micrograms (mcg) of vitamin B12 each day.

But what does B12 do for us? Plenty!

It is crucial for making DNA and red blood cells and carrying out other functions, such as helping to support the nervous system. And while the optimal situation is to get B12 from our diet, the reality is that many of us don’t eat enough of the correct foods to get the amount of this vitamin we need each day. The chart below shows some of the best food sources for vitamin B12, but if we don’t eat enough of these food categories regularly, a supplement may be needed.

 

Vitamin B12 deficiency

 

Am I at risk of not having enough vitamin B12?

To know for certain, you should ask your medical provider to run a test to see if you are indeed deficient in B12. In general, there are some individuals at a higher risk for a B12 deficiency.

  • Vegetarians, older adults, pregnant or breastfeeding women*
  • Individuals who have recently had weight loss stomach surgery
  • Sufferers of Crohn’s or celiac disease
  • Individuals with pernicious anemia
  • Individuals on prescribed heartburn medications, which impact vitamin absorption
  • Alcoholics or recovering alcoholics – alcoholism causes damage to the gastrointestinal lining, where the vitamin is absorbed and distributed

*If you fall under one of these categories, consider getting your levels checked for an early diagnosis.

Why vegetarians? Well, since animal proteins are one of the best sources of B12, vegetarians are automatically missing out on a regular source of B12. The reality is that non-meat eaters have to work harder than the general public to get enough food sources of B12 and avoid the need for a supplement.

 

What are the signs of a possible B12 deficiency?

There are many signs of a possible deficiency, but keep in mind that these signs could also signal other conditions. A check of your B12 levels, once some of these signs appear, is the best way to know if your symptoms are related to this deficiency or some other cause.

Be on the lookout for the following symptoms:

  • Tingling hands/feet or “pins and needles” sensation (People who are vitamin B-12 deficient may not produce enough myelin to coat their nerves. Without this coating, nerves can become damaged.)
  • Trouble walking due to numbness
  • Jaundice (yellowish, pale skin)
  • Fatigue or weakness due to not enough red blood cell production
  • Fast heart rate and shortness of breath (making up for reduced number of red blood cells
  • Mouth ulcers, swollen tongue, burning sensation in the mouth
  • Cognitive impairment, perhaps due to reduced oxygen getting to brain
  • Irritability
  • Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea (not enough oxygen reaching the gut)
  • Decreased appetite

 

How could B12 benefit me?

The benefits are many when your levels are low. If you are not deficient in B12, you may not experience these benefits .

 

Pregnancy
Taking vitamin B12 during pregnancy has been proven to mitigate birth defects.

 

Supports healthy skin, hair, nails
Since low vitamin B12 levels can cause various dermatologic symptoms, adding B12 can improve those conditions. Hyperpigmentation, nail discoloration, hair changes, vitiligo (the loss of skin color in patches) and angular stomatitis (inflamed and cracked mouth corners) are all common with B12 deficiencies.

 

Better sleep/energy
Vitamin B12 assists in melatonin production, a hormone responsible for sleep regulation. It also aids in glucose metabolism, which can boost your energy levels.

 

Improvement to brain function/mood
One of the vitamins essential in the production of serotonin, the brain chemical responsible for mood regulation, is B12. Supplementing B12 may help in lessening the effects of depression, but I always recommend that you consult with a health practitioner to help you deal with depression symptoms.

Studies show that patients who have lower levels of B12 have an increased risk for brain volume loss, particularly as they age. Adding a B12 supplement can boost the production of neurotransmitters, which help our cognitive functioning and memory.

 

Aid to digestion
If you struggle with digestion issues, you’ve likely learned about the importance of “gut” bacteria. Vitamin B12 helps the production of necessary digestion enzymes, fostering healthy bacteria production needed to break down foods and support a healthy metabolism.

 

Other benefits
Many folks boosting their vitamin B12 levels – either through foods or supplements – have experienced other benefits. While there is still a lot of research around these benefits, it’s worth noting that if you are deficient, B12 may:

  • Support bone health and prevent osteoporosis
  • Assist in maintaining heart health
  • Reduce macular degeneration

 

So what are your best ways to get B12?

First, I always recommend getting your levels checked. If you are deficient, you can always increase your intake of foods high in B12. However, a serious vitamin B12 deficiency can be corrected two ways: weekly shots of B12 or a daily high-dose B12 supplement. A mild deficiency can be corrected with a standard multivitamin.

 

Final thoughts

If you fall into a high-risk category for a deficiency in vitamin B12 or any other vitamin (vitamin D is another one where folks are often deficient), talk to your health provider and get your levels checked. If you aren’t high risk but you are having some of the deficiency symptoms noted, you should also talk with your health provider. Deficiencies are so common…and often overlooked. A level check is easy – and could be a huge difference maker in your health! Call our office to schedule one and a vitamin consultation with me.

Dr. Sharman

how to eat a Mediterranean diet
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How to Eat a Mediterranean Diet

The Mediterranean diet – you’ve likely heard of it but may not know why it’s popular, how it would benefit you or what to do to get started. The good news is that it’s not a fad diet – one that you try for a while and drop after reaching your goal (weight loss, cholesterol level reduction, etc.). What I love about it is that the Mediterranean diet is more of a lifestyle plan for eating and achieving wellness. Best of all, you can incorporate parts of it into your meals and still get some great benefits for your overall health and specific health conditions.

So let’s learn more about this lifestyle approach to eating.

 

The Diet Defined

how to eat a Mediterranean dietThe Mediterranean diet gets its name from the traditional cooking and eating style of the countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea – Greece, Turkey, Israel and Spain…to name just a few. The diet incorporates the basics of healthy eating with fruits, vegetables, fish and whole grains. Specifically, the tenants of Mediterranean diet include:

  • Eating primarily plant-based foods, including legumes and nuts
  • Replacing butter with extra-virgin olive oil
  • Flavoring foods with herbs and spices over salt
  • Only eating red meat a few times a month
  • Eating fish and poultry at least twice a week
  • Avoiding sugar-sweetened beverages, processed foods, refined grains and refined oils

As well, a part of this diet/lifestyle of eating includes enjoying meals with family and friends. I love this! Eating is pleasurable and it’s important to not eat in a hurry and grab things quickly. The emphasis on sharing meals helps us to focus on taking time to enjoy the food we eat. The diet also advocates drinking red wine in moderation and getting plenty of exercise. Many of the people in the countries from where this diet hails spend a lot of time walking each day rather than driving in a car.

 

Benefits of the Mediterranean Diet

As with most diets that focus on plant-based foods and steer clear of processed foods and unhealthy fats, you will likely lose weight. For those of us looking to trim back our weight, this eating lifestyle will help you do it while still enjoying many delicious foods.

Studies have shown that the traditional Mediterranean diet reduces the risk of heart disease – so anyone with a preexisting heart condition or the genetics to develop a heart condition should consider this diet. As well, it’s been shown to help reduce the level of oxidized low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol – what we often refer to as “bad” cholesterol – that can build up and eventually cause blocked arteries.

The Mediterranean diet is associated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular mortality, incidence of cancer and occurrence of Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases. It may even reduce breast cancer in women, due to the emphasis on extra-virgin olive oil and mixed nuts. The bottom line is that most scientific organizations encourage this eating lifestyle as a preventive for many major diseases and to improve overall health and wellness.

There’s just not much to NOT love about it!

 

Getting Started with the Diet

It’s really not complicated to get started once you learn a little about the foods to include and exclude from this eating lifestyle.

What to eat

  • Generous helpings for various fruits and vegetables
  • Nuts and seeds – go beyond peanuts; think about almonds, walnuts, Macadamia nuts, hazelnuts, cashews, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds
  • Legumes– seed or pod foods like beans, peas, lentils, chickpeas
  • Tubers – foods grown underground such as potatoes, sweet potatoes, turnips
  • Whole grains
  • All kinds of seafood and fish at least twice a week
  • Poultry
  • Dairy – Greek yogurt, cheese
  • Extra-virgin olive oil plus other healthy fats like avocados
  • Herbs and spices –  garlic, basil, mint, rosemary, sage, nutmeg, cinnamon, pepper

Stick with whole, single-ingredient foods.

 

What not to eat

In general, processed and multi-ingredient foods are to be avoided. To know what to avoid, you’ll likely want to get in the habit of reading labels more carefully. Specifically, steer clear of:

  • Table sugar
  • Anything with added sugar – ice cream, sodas, candy
  • Refined grains – non-whole grain breads, cereal, pasta
  • Anything containing trans fats, especially margarine
  • Refined oils – canola, vegetable, soybean
  • Processed meats – hot dogs, lunch meats
  • Highly processed foods – made in a factory or labeled “diet”

 

A Word About Beverages

how to eat a Mediterranean dietYes, red wine is a staple in the diet of these Mediterranean countries. However, it’s meant to be consumed in moderation. Studies have connected wine with a reduced risk of heart disease in some research studies. So how much should you drink?

A moderate amount of wine means no more than 5 ounces of wine daily for women (or men over age 65), and no more than 10 ounces daily for men under age 65. This is about one glass per day.

Water is actually the main beverage in the Mediterranean diet. Coffee and tea are OK (both are made from water) but avoid any sugar-sweetened beverages and fruit juices.

 

Resources

Sample diets abound online – so if you’re not ready to invest in a cookbook, start here with some ideas for crafting your own Mediterranean meal plan. Some websites have downloadable cookbooks with recipe and meal planning ideas.

There are tons of cookbooks available – one of the best rated ones I came across is The Complete Mediterranean Cookbook. It contains over 500 recipes that have been kitchen-tested. And if you want to read more about this eating lifestyle and others from around the world, I highly encourage you to check out a fun website called Oldways. You will learn a great deal and come to appreciate how cultural food traditions can impact our health and wellness.

Eating healthy doesn’t have to be a chore….it can still be a very positive experience with significant benefits to your wellness.  If you switch to this eating lifestyle, be sure to let me know about your experience!

 

Dr. Sharman

 

antioxidant superfoods
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15 Antioxidant superfoods (and why you should eat them)

Have you ever heard the phrase “food is medicine”?

Well, food CAN be medicine. We each need a variety of vitamins, minerals, good fats, enzymes, proteins and antioxidants from foods. These essential nutrients from foods allow our body to stay healthy and fight. They can help us fend off illness and slow the development of chronic conditions of aging. Certain foods, called Superfoods, are especially unique in that they are packed with a large amount and variety of these healthy nutrient building blocks.

Everyone can reap the benefits when they make these antioxidant superfoods a part of their regular diet. Read up on them when you can…but in the meantime, here are my top 15 superfoods with the reasons you should be eating them:

 

Blueberries

Blueberries are low in calories and high in nutrients and a great source of fiber…and who doesn’t need more fiber in their diet? They are high in vitamins K and C and antioxidants known as anthocyanins, which have been associated with improving memory and brain function as well as reducing risk cancer. Blueberries also turn down your inflammatory pathways. Studies show blueberries may reduce risk of heart disease and cancer and even improve memory!

 

Kale

On the whole, Americans don’t consume enough green leafy vegetables. People can benefit from eating more salads but kale is an exceptionally nutritious leafy option – so be sure to throw some in your salad. It can also be sautéed and served as a side vegetable. Kale has more antioxidants than most other fruits and veggies, has all essential amino acids and is a good source of fiber, iron and calcium.

 

Cabbage

Cabbage contains a large amount of indoles, which have been shown to reduce risk of cancer. It also stimulates the immune system. Remember the anthocyanins from the blueberries? Well, if you go for the red cabbage, you’ll also get a dose of those anthocyanins.

 

Broccoli

Cruciferous vegetables are known for their health benefits but broccoli contains more Vitamin C and folate than the others. Broccoli has several anti-cancer compounds and is a great source of fiber.

 

Chia

Did you know that chia seeds have more essential fatty acids than any known plant? They are a great source of Omega 3 fatty acids, which lower inflammation. Chia seeds also contain the important minerals magnesium, potassium, calcium and iron.

 

Turmeric 

Turmeric has amazing anti-inflammatory effects, can regulate blood sugar and regulate immune function. Although turmeric is full of minerals, it’s most powerful healing ingredient is curcumin.

 

antioxidant superfoodsGreen Tea

There is a simple reason drinking green tea is an ancient tradition that has stood the test of time. It is full of antioxidants and phytochemicals that fight cancer. Today, you’ll find green tea baked into foods, in smoothies and of course, in a traditional hot cup of tea.

 

Almonds

Did you know that almonds have more nutrients than any other nut? They are a great source of fiber and magnesium, potassium, calcium and iron. Almonds also contain vitamin E, a known antioxidant. The combination of monounsaturated fat and fiber in almonds has been shown to reduce cholesterol.  Finally, almonds are a blood sugar stabilizer because they contain a good balance of carbohydrate, protein and fat leading to a very slow rise in blood sugar. See why almonds made the superfood list?!

 

Mushrooms

This one may surprise you. Mushrooms have been used in Chinese healing for years and can help prevent cancer – particularly Reishi and Chaga varieties. Eating mushrooms regularly can help reduce blood pressure and cholesterol.

 

Avocados

Everyone is crazy for avocados these days…and for excellent reasons! Avocados are full of good fats and can help reduce heart disease, cancer and diabetes. Like almonds, they are good blood sugar stabilizers. They are also known to assist in blood and tissue regeneration. And they happen to taste fantastic!

 

Salmon, Sardines or Anchovies

These three fish are packed with omega 3 fatty acids, which turn down inflammatory pathways and slow or prevent chronic conditions of aging such as, diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, high cholesterol, Alzheimer’s and autoimmune illnesses. Omega 3s are vital for proper brain function and even for mood regulation. Most Americans are low in Omega 3s and are too high in Omega 6, keeping them systemically inflamed. This is so important to reverse, that we actually test Omega 6/Omega 3 ratios using our Brainspan test.

Note: Stay away from farm raised salmon, as it has many toxins, and look for wild caught Alaskan salmon.

 

RELATED: How to easily know your Omega-3 Fatty Acid Levels

 

Eggs

Eggs have more protein than any other food source…and they can be incorporated into your diet in so many easy ways. They contain a variety of necessary amino acids, and the yolks contain choline, which is important for brain function and is protective of the heart.

 

antioxidant superfoodsPomegranates

Pomegranates and their juice have been known for their anti-aging and cancer-reducing properties. They are #1 in antioxidants of all the fruit.  And pomegranates have even more antioxidants than green tea!

 

Garlic

First, garlic reduces cholesterol. Second, because it is strongly antiviral and antibacterial, it also boosts immune function and helps to fight off infection. Finally, garlic can help detoxify the body of heavy metals. Who knew it could do more than ward off vampires?!

 

Maca

If you haven’t heard of maca, you’re not alone. Maca is a Peruvian root that packs a protein punch, is full of vitamins B1, B2, C and E and contains calcium, magnesium, potassium, phosphorus, sulfur, sodium and iron. What makes maca so different from many other superfoods is that it is an adaptogen. This means it affects the body’s hormones in ways that help build stamina and endurance, deal with the effects of stress, improve sexual health and positively affect mood. Ask your local grocer to start carrying maca!

 

Dark chocolate and red wine

I’ve paired these together because everyone needs a little indulgence! Whether it is chocolate, red wine or both, these have great health benefits if eaten and drank in moderation. Dark chocolate (70 percent or higher) is anti-inflammatory, which helps to reduce pain. It contains both antioxidants and magnesium and can elevate your mood.  Red wine reduces blood clots, raises HDL (the good cholesterol) and contains the antioxidant resveratrol.

 

Are you ready to head to the grocery store and shop for some superfoods?

This is just a sample of the antioxidant superfoods out there that will provide the building blocks to keep you healthy, slow aging, reduce inflammation and prevent disease. Include a variety of these healthy whole foods in your diet – by themselves, in smoothies or as part of a recipe. Have fun and feel better by knowing what these superfoods can do for you!

Want even more superfoods? Dr. Mercola has a great list.

 

Dr. Sharman

 

Featured Photo by Brooke Lark on Unsplash

 

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Is the Farmers’ Market Really That Good for You?

Frequenting your local farmers’ market is not only an enjoyable way to spend your morning or afternoon; it’s also great for your health. Being out and about gets the heart pumping and the blood flowing, which contributes immensely to a healthy well being. To help power that well being, you need the right nutrients at the right time of year. Let’s explore how the farmers’ market can provide what your body needs, when it needs it better than a supermarket.

 

Peak Nutritional Value

Buying fruits, vegetables, and herbs grown locally allows you to eat foods that are typically harvested at a more appropriate stage of ripeness. This allows for maximum nutrient content. When a fruit ripens, its starch converts into sugar, making it softer and sweeter, says Joseph Scheerens, Ph.D., a horticulture professor at Ohio State University. “The ripening process is a somewhat oxidatively stressful situation for plants, so they develop antioxidants to defend themselves against that stress,” Scheerens says. That makes it easier for host plant to survive, and even better for your body when you eat the fruit or vegetable.

Produce found in the grocery store often travels many miles – even from other continents. With such a long journey ahead, farmers must harvest the crops long before peak ripeness sets in. The produce also typically goes through some process of gassing, waxing, or irradiation in order to keep it looking good and preserved after finally arriving at a supermarket. All of that processing just adds chemicals with no nutritional value whatsoever. Who really wants that?

 

First-Hand Knowledge

At local farmers’ markets, you can usually speak directly to the farmer or those that work at the farm in order to get more insight into how the crops are grown. This helps you make informed decisions about what to purchase and, ultimately, consume. Perhaps you prefer produce grown with sustainable farming practices? Or, you like heirloom varieties of produce that is not genetically modified? Or, even more importantly, you want to be sure organic practices have been used with no pesticides? You can first-hand knowledge straight from the people who grew the crops. That’s comforting.

 

farmers' market 

Right Food, Right Time

Eating food that is in season is better for your body. Humans have eaten “seasonally” for thousands of years before modern refrigeration technology. The body benefits from eating foods that are in season, such as lighter fruits and vegetables during hot summer months, heartier fruits in the fall, and heartier vegetables during the winter. Plus, as mentioned earlier, seasonally fresh produce is picked when it’s ripe and fully developed. That means it has had maximum time in the sun and soil to gather and produce nutrients which get passed on to you.

 

[Related: What Vitamins Should I Take? Getting the Essentials]

 

Diversity is Good

Generally, farmers’ markets offer a greater variety of fruits and vegetables than supermarkets, allowing for more diversity in your diet. A diet rich in diversity is very good for our bodies. By changing your menu according to what’s available, you are also less likely to develop food intolerances. We humans are complex creatures. We require between fifty and one hundred different chemical compounds and elements in order to be healthy. While we depend on animal products for a tiny handful of these, the vast majority lie within the roots, shoots and leaves of consumable plants. The more you consume, the better!

 

Safer is Better

Most cases of food contamination come from mass produced food in large industrial settings.  Did you know that food from your local farmers’ market is statistically likely to be safer? This is mostly due to local farmers growing smaller quantities of crops and doing it naturally. Doesn’t that just sound better for you?

Knowledge is power, so if you would like to know which non-organic produce has the most pesticides, take a look at the Environmental Working Group’s Dirty Dozen list. If you’re interested in the produce with the least pesticides, check out the Clean 15 guide. Of course, if you are at your local farmers’ market you can ask them specifically about what (if any) pesticides they use.

At Life Care Chiropractic and Wellness, we’re all about good nutrition leading to a healthy lifestyle. So definitely start shopping at your local farmers’ market versus the supermarket. The benefits are numerous. If you need some additional guidance on nutrition, don’t hesitate to give us a call.

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How to Combat Pesky Common Digestive Problems

For most of us, talking about the little aches and pains in our bodies is no big deal. In fact, we kind of find it therapeutic knowing others may be having the same ailments. There are other bodily issues, though, that many people just suffer with in silence. One in particular is digestive issues. Not exactly a topic of conversation at dinner parties, but it can be on someone’s mind – a lot. Do you ever have constipation, acid reflux, excess gas or bloating? We all do from time to time. These common digestive problems can actually be symptoms, though, of a poorly functioning or unhealthy digestive system. Not to worry. As bad as your situation may seem, there are ways to improve your digestive health. It just takes some effort and discipline on your part.

Here are seven methods for improving or even resolving common digestive problems. Try one or a combination to see what works for you.

  1. Stay hydrated.

    Too little water slows down digestion and hardens stool. So, drink plenty of water each day. A quick way to estimate how much water you need is to divide your weight in half. That number is what your body needs in ounces of water daily. In fact, throw a slice of lemon in your water. Lemon helps to stimulate the secretion of gastric juices and the citric acid from the lemon also interacts favorably with digestive enzymes.

  1. Eliminate fatty or fried foods.

    Foods high in saturated fats and fried foods typically require a lot of work from your liver and pancreas to break them down. If you consistently consume a high-fat diet, over time you can exceed the functioning capacity of your liver and pancreas causing a build-up of fats. The backlog of fats can coat carbohydrates and proteins, interfering with their absorption leading to indigestion.

  1. Eat more fiber.

    Fiber keeps everything moving along the digestive tract and helps produce regular bowel movements. It also helps to maintain a steady absorption of sugar, reducing the future risk for diabetes. Read more about good sources of fiber in this WebMD article.

  1. Eat slowly.

    Chew each bite of food at least 20 times to break down the food as much as possible. This makes it easier for digestion to occur in the stomach and intestines, and promotes the absorption of nutrients.

  1. Eat real food.

    Processed foods and foods with refined carbohydrates, such as white flour and white sugar, contain toxic additives and can increase inflammation in the intestinal walls. If your intestines aren’t functioning properly, you’ll experience symptoms like loose bowel movements or diarrhea, and it will affect the absorption of key nutrients.

  1. Get a dose of helpful good bacteria.

    Good bacteria assist in digestion and disease prevention as well as the production of serotonin and GABA, which allow proper mood regulation. You can get good bacteria from a high-quality probiotic supplement or from eating fermented foods like sauerkraut, kefir, fermented vegetables, kimchi and kombucha.

 

Related: Gut Bacteria and Why You Should Care About It

 

  1. Try apple cider vinegar.

    Drink 1 to 3 teaspoons of organic apple cider vinegar mixed with water 15 to 20 minutes before a meal. The apple cider vinegar helps maintain healthy acids levels in the stomach.

 

Most people will experience a marked improvement in how they feel within two to four weeks. Your results may vary, but be patient with the process. Your digestive system didn’t become unhealthy overnight and it will take time to bring it back to a healthy state. When it is finally healthy and functioning efficiently, you’ll feel better, stronger, and happier… and you can focus on living life to the fullest!

If you would like help with your common digestive problems, give our office a call and set up an appointment. Your wellness is important to us and we’re happy to help in any way we can.

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How to Easily Know Your Omega Fatty Acid Levels

If you have been my patient, you have probably heard me talk over the years about the importance of omega-3 fatty acids and how your brain relies on them to function normally. I may have also cautioned you against getting too many omega-6 fatty acids. Aside from musculoskeletal pain, an elevated omega-6 level can lead to plaquing of the arteries, diabetes, and Alzheimer’s. So how do you know if you have too many or too few? It’s been complex, in the past, to know your omega fatty acid levels – but not anymore.

 

[Related: What Do I Need to Know About Going Gluten-Free?]

 

The Guessing Game

Essentially, omega-3s turn down your inflammatory pathways and omega-6s turn up your inflammatory pathways. Our bodies need both, but most people acquire way too many omega-6s from processed foods and high grain diets. Typically, I talk to patients about their diet and try to guess at what they need to balance omega-3 and omega-6 levels in their systems. I know that an optimum omega-6 to omega-3 ratio is 1:1 and anything over 4:1 really makes the body pro-inflammatory. However, I am just guessing at the patient’s status based on what they are telling me about their diet. Until now, I really had no way to measure this.

 

No More Guesswork

Recently, I was introduced to a simple testing procedure called BrainSpan. It is a comprehensive neurohealth assessment that assesses both structural and functional brain and cell health. So, what does that have to do with omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids? There are two components to the test, the first of which measures fatty acid levels:

  1. Blood Test

This first component begins with a simple finger prick. When the lab receives your blood sample, they break down the membranes of the red blood cells to analyze their composition. This is where omega-3s, omega-6s, transfats and palmitic acid can be measured. Because your red blood cells replace themselves every 120 days, this is a very accurate measurement of the fatty acid levels in your cells as there is no influence from what you recently ate in the days or even week prior to the test.omega fatty acid levels

The blood test component has several measurements and significance:

  • Omega-3 Index – Here, the test measures the amount of omega-3 fatty acids in your cell membranes. Omega-3s are essential to reducing inflammation, repairing cells, and regulating vital neurotransmitters.
  • Inflammation Index – This is the ratio of omega-6 to omega-3. Although y0u need both 6 and 3, when omega-6 far exceeds omega-3, your body’s ability to manage inflammation is disrupted.
  • Trans Fat Index – Trans fats can cause cellular destruction, deregulate hormone production, adversely affect memory, and increase inflammation of the brain and body. Research has associated people with higher levels of trans fats in their blood with smaller brain volume due to accelerated aging.
  • Palmitic Acid Index – This is the percentage of palmitic acid (a fatty acid) in your blood cells. There is a link between higher levels of palmitic acid in the blood and a greater risk for diabetes and a rise in cholesterol levels.
  1. Cognitive Test

In addition to measuring the components of blood cell membranes, a cognitive test measures how well your neural connections are functioning. The cognitive aspect of the test measures sustained attention, memory, cognitive flexibility and processing speed.

omega fatty acid levels

The test takes approximately 15 minutes and you can complete it at your leisure at home.

This May Be What You Need

Once the blood and the cognitive tests are complete, we can look at things like resilience to concussion, risk of future dementia, risk of stroke, mood regulation, cell inflammation and many other things. We can then determine what type of intervention would improve the score. The good news is that we can make changes, improve your situation and retest afterwards!

If you would like to know more about the Brainspan test or take the test, please contact our office. I highly recommend knowing your omega fatty acid levels so that we can get the correct ratio.

what is gout
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What is Gout and Why You Should Know About It?

That sudden burning pain, stiffness and swelling in your joints means one thing: Gout! But what is gout and how can you prevent it?

Since gout affects 3.9% of US adults – 5.9% men and 2% women – it can be a real problem for many. Some people only have infrequent flare-ups but many are plagued by recurring symptoms.

It often feels like being burned by a hot poker and is just absolutely miserable. The symptoms of joint pain are often debilitating causing missed work and inability to get through your activities of daily living for days to weeks.

However, I’ve had patients who have had repeated flare-ups of gout and we’ve had success in reducing them by introducing some natural remedies. That’s why I want to tell you about gout and ways prevent it.

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clean living
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Clean Living: An Important Truth You Need to Know

Are you concerned about clean living? To many people, clean living is about staying mindful – mindful of what you put in and on your body.

When choosing what to eat and drink as well as what products to use, you may consider the number of calories, how processed things are and whether there is a lot of sugar or other refined carbohydrates.

However, one very important issue to consider when thinking about eating and drinking healthfully and choosing products is the issue of endocrine disruptors.

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