Hearts and Bones

About 7 out of 10 people who come into Nutrition and Bodycare departments are looking for Calcium. Calcium is the most abundant mineral in the human body, and is beneficial to just about every function in the human body; playing a pivotal role in several of the largest health concerns today, namely Heart Disease, Diabetes, Cancer and Osteoporosis.

Starting at around 30, men and women begin to lose up to 1% of their bone density every year, which could result in porous, brittle bones later in life. So, folks take a lot of calcium to prevent this from happening, but studies are showing that excess calcium is building up in arteries, stiffening them up and laying a foundation for heart disease. Therein lies the Calcium Paradox; healthy bones or healthy heart?
Absorbability is a huge issue in calcium supplements with conflicting information on every front, but recently the University of Texas Medical School conducted a study using New Chapter’s Bone Strength Take Care™ on women aged 50 and up (the most susceptible to osteoporosis) and found that Bone Strength Take Care™ increased Bone Density by 2% with no adverse coronary side effects. The calcium complex in Bone Strength Take Care™ is derived from a special form of plant called Algas Calcareas (AlgaeCal®) that is harvested from the pristine shores of a protected national reserve park in South America. Much like the vegetables from an organic garden, the algae is harvested live and then cold processed to retain its nutritional value. Calcium must be completely dissolved in order to be absorbed and most calcium supplements are made from oyster shell or limestone. The plant-based calcium found in Bone Strength Take Care™ is porous, which dramatically increases the calcium’s surface area. Stomach acid can then come into greater contact with the calcium, making it easy to dissolve.
In addition to the whole-food source of calcium and magnesium, New Chapter has added other bone-nourishing nutrients like Vitamin K2, which has been shown to reduce coronary calcification; and Vitamin D3 which activates osteoblasts (cells that build bone) and stimulates the deposition of Calcium in bones instead of in the arteries. Bone Strength Take Care™ also contains other supporting minerals such as strontium, silica and vanadium to complete the food complex and nourish the entire body.

The Science of Supplementation

Just as there is a distinct science to making effective supplements, there is a science to taking them. People often complain that supplements don’t work, or even get digestive problems and nausea when taking them. Nine times out of ten the problem is not the supplement, but how it’s being taken. Taking supplements properly can improve one’s quality of life by actually having the nutrients do what they are supposed to do and most of the supplements on the market that are worth your time and energy are not cheap; proper use insures your are getting the full value of money well spent.

Now, if like most people you start your day with a cup of coffee, don’t take ANY supplements until at least one hour after you’ve finished it. You see, coffee is very acidic in the best of circumstances; organic, slow roasted-whatever (I shudder at the numbers of people who drink coffee that’s been sitting in a pot for hours, slowly burning to death). Coffee can “sear” through most of the nutrients in the supplement and likely damage the rest.

Absorbability is a huge issue in supplement formulation, as companies try to outdo one another with claims that one form of a nutrient is more absorbable than other. This is a major hullabaloo with calcium in particular; but whatever form of calcium you choose to take ALWAYS take it with food. For my full take on the sordid world of calcium please read my article entitled “Hearts and Bones”.

As my pint sized, brilliant and fantastic teacher used to say “Minerals ride around the body in protein taxis”, so always take a mineral supplement with a meal, with the majority of it at lunch and dinner as your body needs calcium and magnesium to sleep properly. Another tip; don’t take all of your pills at once. If you are supposed to take 4 a day, take two with lunch and two with dinner. Especially in the case of calcium; if you take too much at once, it floods your blood and can cause cramping and possibly leech calcium from your body to facilitate its absorption.

Multivitamins should also ALWAYS be taken with meals. Your body is in digest mode and can is ready to assimilate the extra nutrients. If people take multi’s on an empty stomach they often get nauseous, this is usually from the flood of B vitamins coursing through your veins unchecked, as most multi’s have huge amounts of B vitamins, because, well, they’re good for everything…

If you have troublesome digestion the supplements you would take to remedy your situation would be taken on an empty stomach to prep the system for proper digestion. Probiotics (or beneficial bacteria) should always be taken on an empty stomach so that they will proliferate throughout your digestive system and not get digested with your food. Digestive enzymes and bitters should be taken 20 minutes or so before you eat to gear up those gastric juices for efficient meal assimilation, after all you are what you eat!

Other supplements that should be taken on an empty stomach are Proteolytic enzymes like my good friend Bromelain, which are for “eating” scar tissue from an injury or fibrin in atherosclerosis sufferers. Taken on an empty stomach they focus on the areas where they are needed and not on digesting your food.

More important than all of these tidbits is that you take your supplement AS DIRECTED. There are these nice guidelines on the bottle that tell you when and how to use the product properly. So put your ego and fear aside and heed the darn directions!

A quick review:

• Don’t take supplements within an hour of drinking Coffee

• With meals: multivitamins and minerals, essential fatty acids and most supplements (use as directed!!!)

• Empty stomach: probiotics, digestive and proteolytic enzymes, bitters, as well as most “weight loss” products.

• Don’t take your pills all at once-spread them out throughout the course of the day. (And through a meal, take a bite, take a pill, take another few bites, take a sip of water, take another pill etc etc)

• Always read the label before using and use as directed!

Sidestepping Flu Season

Golden sunlight, shorter days and brisk breezes cue the onset of Flu Season. When our beloved little germ bags head back to school to wriggle around with other beloved little germ bags, and the deceptive warmth beckons one more dip in the pool or hike in the woods, all while your beleaguered immune system, neglected over a sunny summer of revelry, is solemnly facing the winter ahead.

Taking preventative measures is more than just mainlining Vitamin C; don’t get me wrong it’s a great antioxidant and beneficial to the body in dozens of ways, but it’s not really as effective against preventing colds and flu as it’s cracked up to be. Multiple studies over the years have proven this, but the general populace is still programmed to reach for the OJ when the telltale symptoms appear. You know them as fatigue, stuffy head, fever and/or chills, scratchy throat and congestion.

But what I’ve been telling people for years, especially teachers and parents, is to get friendly with a good medicinal mushroom supplement like Paul Stamet’s Host Defense, Herbs Etc’s Deep Health or Planetary Formula’s Reishi Supreme. Medicinal mushrooms nourish the immune system with Beta Glucans which are types of polysaccharides (or complex sugars) that activate the immune system; all of it. White Blood Cells, B cells, T cells and Natural Killer (NK) cells are all nourished, and yet not over-stimulated, potentiating your bodies ability to defend itself not only from illness but from chemical and environmental toxins.

A good multivitamin, taken regularly will go a long way. Most Multi’s are rich in minerals and antioxidants to keep you at your best. Puressence Multi’s are my favorite, they are easy to absorb and well formulated. Their superstar is Life Essence Multi, which already has immuno supportive herbs like eleuthro and astragalus. Source Naturals Life Force is a great, easy multi to take; at only 2 tablets a day, you can feel the energy.

Taking Source Naturals Wellness Formula is also not a bad idea. Hey, it’s hugely popular because it works. Wellness Formula covers the gamut of infectious possibilities with immuno stimulants like Echinacea, and astragalus, as well as anti-virals like elderberry, olive leaf and andrographis, antibacterials like goldenseal, garlic and propolis, and tonic herbs like ginger and eleuthero. Wellness Formula is available in homeopathically, in tablets, capsules and liquids, for adults and children.

But in my opinion the coolest thing to come out lately for viral defense is definitely Immune Take Care by New Chapter. It’s not like they discovered Elderberries; people have been using elderberries since 500 BC at least, but they did prove that targeted potencies of elderberry extract can actively prevent colds and flu, and in such a fascinating way: viruses are spiky little buggers, they use the spikes to puncture our cells and use our DNA to replicate themselves. Elderberry has been proven to dull those spikes so the virus cannot penetrate the cell wall, and hence the nasty thing shrivels up and dies. Elderberry is safe for everyone, and available in a multitude of forms. I’ve found that kids love the story of how it works, and then are eager to take it!

To keep skin moisturized and supple, remember to take plenty of balanced essential fatty acids like fish oil or hemp seed oil, to moisturize from the inside out. If your skin is naturally dry, try switching from lotion to a rich oil like almond or jojoba. Oily skinned folks can also use jojoba as it mimics skin sebum and won’t clog pores. Apply your lotion or body oil right after you bathe while your skin is still moist and warm. It will absorb better as your pores are open and inviting. Some skin care professionals say moisturizing your face at night is unnecessary, but even my oily skin suffers when I do that, so I use Grateful Body’s Facial Therapy to keep my face healthy and moist. I even cover it with a layer of jojoba oil in these dark, cold evenings for extra nourishment.

You can also use almond, jojoba or even olive oil for an indulgent hair treatment: fold an old bath towel and place on a cookie sheet in your oven, well spaced from any heating elements (please don’t set your house on fire for beautiful hair!) at 200 degrees for 10 minutes or until warm to the touch, in the meantime, gently warm your oil in a double boiler, again, just until warm, and smooth the warm oil through your hair, comb and wrap your hair in the warm towel until it cools. Shampoo out the oil and voila! Shiny, lustrous hair magically appears. For extra shine try Weleda’s Rosemary Hair oil, I love to massage it into my scalp to encourage healthy hair growth.

For those folks that head into the hills to play in the snow-remember your sunblock, as the sun’s rays bounce of the snow and right in your face, I love Hara Sport for all my sunscreen purposes, but for skiers and snowboarders the beeswax, shea and cocoa butter moisturizes while protecting sensitive skin from wind and rain, and is non greasy and unscented; great for everybody. Lips are among the extremities at risk so try not to let your lip balm go through the laundry! I have recently fallen in love with John Masters Organics Lip Calm, which is smooth, nourishing and richly moisturizing. Feet and hands suffer as well, so rub your tootsies with Collective Well Being’s Cardamom Foot Butter, and keep your hands soft with Weleda’s Sea Buckthorn Hand Creme. Weleda has another great product for dry skin anywhere: Skin Food is rich moisturizer for face, hands, body you name it.

According to Ayurvedic medicine, drinking cold water can dampen your digestive fire, so let your water reach room temperature or keep it warm in a thermos before sipping. This time of year it may also be a good idea to trade in that cold smoothie for a nice cup of tea or chai. Chai spices are inherently warming, mildly antibacterial and stimulate circulation, whereas a cold, rich smoothie would just muck up your digestion and energy. There are dozens of tasty teas with ingredients like rooibos and green or white tea which are all rich in antioxidants. To get your daily dose of greens steam or saute kale and/or chard and munch them as is or add them to hearty winter soups. I love to mix spirulina with a little Spike Seasoning and Nutritional yeast for a tasty sprinkle over those greens. Winter squash are rich in antioxidants and can be a great starch option for a balanced meal. And if you are used to a berry smoothie, try a nice, warm fruit compote instead. You’ll still get lots of antioxidants, and a yummy dessert treat! Stay warm, stay balanced and stay well!

Sleepy Genes

It is often joked that human beings are the only machines that don’t come with an instruction manual, but we have approximately 25,000 instruction manuals for every system in our body; they’re called genes. Genes are the blueprints for building and operating every nuance and function inside these masses of plasma and bones we live in. They determine everything from eye and hair color to cellular metabolism and how your immune system reacts to carcinogens. These are hereditary traits, passed down through the history of human kind. However, while genes play a role in determining things like a person's height or eye color, the environment, nutrition and health that person experiences also have a large effect on how their genes express themselves in their life and in the lives of their offspring.

And that’s what we call Evolution. For the life of this planet (that we know of) the environment of has directly affected the organisms on it and vice versa. And the environment we’ve created over the last several hundred years of human history is radically affecting everything. It is undeniable that the prevalence of coal based industry, nuclear energy, chemical use, and even a diet of highly processed foods is changing us. And I don’t think we’re going to like what we’re changing into. The most common diseases in the world like diabetes and heart disease are both genetic and dietary; as generation after generation of humans are exposed to varying toxic chemicals, and consume processed and low nutrient foods, the genes of their offspring change, go dormant or shut down entirely over time. The way we are headed now will have us all evolving into Jabba the Hutt!
As science is giving us more understanding of our genes, the study of how nutrition affects our genes is growing with it. It is my pleasure to introduce Nutrigenomics to you; in Nutrigenomics, nutrients are seen as signals that tell a specific cell in the body about the diet. The nutrients are detected by a sensor system in the cell, and depending on the level of nutrients it detects, it changes gene expression and metabolite production. As a result, different diets should elicit different patterns of gene expression and metabolite production. Nutrigenomics seeks to describe the patterns of these effects, and help create diets for individual needs.
This is a relatively new science and still in early forms of development, but here’s something we do know; the best thing you can do to keep your genes awake, alert and ready for action is to (you guessed it!) eat a diverse diet rich in organic fruits and vegetables, whole organic grains, and well raised, untreated meats and seafood (in that order).
Even here in Santa Cruz, where our health and diets are a high priority, it’s never a bad idea to supplement your diet with any one of a variety of tasty, nutrient dense green drinks such as New Chapter’s Berry Greens, Healthforce Nutritional’s Vitamineral Greens, Garden of Life’s Perfect Food, and the newly released Nutrigenomics Powder by Eclectic Institute which contains rich red fruits like black raspberry, Aronia and Acai.
There are evolutional factors that we can’t control, but our diet and lifestyle are things we can, for our lives and the lives of generations of people to come.

Planned Parenthood

We are at a unique point in History in many ways, but the one I would like to expound upon today has to do with how we are preparing for our future; for millions of women over lifetimes of existence, pregnancy simply occurred. Through trial and error we learned to avoid certain herbs, foods and such during pregnancy, but more and more women and men of today are focusing on the health of their bodies before they get pregnant to ensure and enhance the lifelong health of their children.

As a species we are also experiencing a rise in infertility, which could be attributed to our lifestyle and environment; as many of the common chemicals we are exposed to everyday leave traces of themselves that often register in our bodies like hormones. Plastics, for example, have been proven to disrupt hormone function as its residue is absorbed in the form of Xenoestrogens. Researchers have reported that sperm counts have fallen almost 50% since the 1930s. Although some dispute these findings, it is generally accepted that sperm counts are indeed on the decline.

Excessive consumption of alcohol, while great for stimulating arousal, dampens both male and female ability to actually reproduce. It is said that 4 alcoholic drinks per day can cause defects in sperm behavior. All of the usual suspects like poor nutrition, too much or too little exercise (athletic women tend to have a harder time conceiving, due to a low percentage of body fat, and yet obese women have a hard time due to excessive body fat) smoking and prescription drug use are common baby blockers in both sexes, but there may also be more serious problems like fibroids, tumors, genetic defects or infection, all of which should be checked for at annual physicals.

At this point in history we are also waiting longer in life to have our babies. With early sexual education and the availability and choices of contraceptives, many of us are postponing pregnancy and planning for our future families by trying to build a successful financial foundation first. But even still, most households require two incomes, and that is exceptionally hard on parents and children of all ages.

It really is harder to get pregnant than one would think, especially considering how much traffic there is in the world! Timing plays a huge part in successfully fertilizing an egg, it is said the best chances are right before ovulation, which can be predicted with regular use of a calendar, thermometer or can be tested for quite easily. But it also depends on pH and temperature of the uterus, not to mention how healthy and how prolific the little swimmers are. But even healthy couples in their 30’s have only a 10% chance per month to concieve, so it seems that pregnancy truly is a miracle!

Every species has a natural tendency to procreate, so here are some natural supplemental choices to help you grow your own wee bundle of joy:

My favorite is Maca, good for both men and women; Maca is a root that grows high in the Andes that looks kind of like a turnip, but tastes infinitely better! Called the “South American Ginseng”, Maca was a common food for the indigenous peoples, and when the Spanish Conquistadors noticed that the livestock they brought with them seemed to be proliferating in the high mountain terrain, they took a closer look at what they were grazing on; Maca root. Maca can be found in pills, powders and liquid extracts, all are quite tasty. Maca has a malty-vanilla flavor that is sure to please, I like Healthforce Nutritionals Macaforce, for it’s spicy versatility; you can make smoothies with it or bake it into cookies (that’s what I do) which is a sure fire way to get ones persnickety male partner to enjoy getting healthy without even knowing it!

Dr. Tori Hudson, queen of women’s natural medicine and formulator for Vitanica Herbs, has a great formula called Pregancy Prep, which has herbs like Donq Quai, False Unicorn, and Vitex that stimulate proper reproductive cycles and enhance uterine strength. Also, an old Indian herb is making it big in the states; Shatavari, tones, cleanses, nourishes, and strengthens the female reproductive organs and so is traditionnaly used for PMS, ammenorrhea, dysmenorrhea, menopause and pelvic inflammatory disease like endometriosis. It also supports deeper tissue and builds blood and so it helps to remove infertility, prepare the womb for conception, prevent miscarriage and acts as a post-partum tonic where it helps to increase lactation and normalize the uterus and the changing hormones. Also good for the fellas, it acts like a nutritive tonic for their reproductive systems in a similar way.

Speaking of the fellas, a healthy baby also requires healthy sperm. Astaxanthin is an antioxidant derived from red algae that was also shown to increase sperm motility and strength in a Belgian study. Ginseng has been a male tonic in China for centuries, and judging by that countries population seems to do well. Saw Palmetto is commonly suggested as it acts as an anti inflammatory for the prostate gland and minerals like Zinc and Selenium increase testosterone (where it is low) and increase sperm motility.

Ideally, both parents should be taking multivitamin/minerals, (prenatals for the momma's, I really like Puressence Labs Mother to Be)for at least 3 months prior to conception. And these days, women should really take a DHA rich essential fatty acid supplement like Minami's MorDHA or MorEPA daily to ensure the baby's overall health.


Acupuncture for both partners has proven helpful in increasing fertility, as well as organic lifestyles-get this: in a study of Danish greenhouse workers, an unexpectedly high sperm count was found among organic farmers, who grew their products without the use pesticides or chemical fertilizers. The sperm count was more than twice as high in these men as in a control group of blue-collar workers. Although these findings are not definitive, they suggest that consuming organically grown foods may enhance fertility.

But probably the most important thing you can do is RELAX; stress is a libido killer, and when a couple is facing infertility, the stress of it all can be maddening. So, relax, do the best you can and love your partner, after all, love is the main ingredient in making a healthy family grow.