What are free radicals?

Free radicals are highly unstable molecules that cause “oxidative stress,” a process that can trigger cell damage and is thought to contribute to health issues ranging from cardiovascular disease and diabetes, to cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and even cataracts. And what’s worse—the negative effects of free radicals seem to increase as we age.

Can we prevent exposure to free radicals? Not entirely. In fact, we are the main source of the free radicals that disrupt our lives! Free radicals are naturally created in the body when we do everyday things like exercise or convert food into energy. Furthermore, environmental factors such as cigarette smoke, air pollution (like all that wildfire smoke), and even sun exposure can create stress that generates additional free radicals.

Thankfully, we have a powerful tool to fight their effects!

How antioxidants protect our cells

With air quality shifting day by day, there’s no better time to increase our consumption of antioxidants—substances that protect our cells from the damage caused by free radicals.

Antioxidants can be natural or man-made. Our bodies have the ability to produce powerful antioxidants such as glutathione, catalase, and many others that fight the stress that generates free radicals. Unfortunately, our ability to create these antioxidants weakens with age, and as it does, the membranes of our bodies—including vital cell and mitochondrial membranes—can suffer damage. Damage to these membranes leads to weakening of the systems that help us produce energy, as well as our immune systems. This helps explain why fatigue is one of the top complaints of patients to their physicians!

You already get some antioxidants from your diet—vitamins E and C, carotenoids (like beta-carotene), lutein, lycopene, and zeaxanthin. If you have not already, introduce antioxidant-rich foods including berries like goji, blueberries, and strawberries, green leafy vegetables like kale and spinach, and even delicious dark chocolate to your diet!

But for most of us, our diet doesn’t provide us with the optimal amount of antioxidants to protect our bodies from free radical damage—that’s where high-quality supplements that can provide Membrane Lipid Replacement (MLR) come in.

The power of Membrane Lipid Replacement

Where your diet ends, the benefits of MLR continue!

Oxidative stress results in part from the damage that free radicals cause to the health of our mitochondrial membranes. When these membranes are damaged, they are less equipped to utilize oxygen, which can lead to feelings of fatigue. When we are young, the amount of antioxidant benefits produced in our cells exceeds the damage done by the free radicals we produce. That equation naturally changes in adulthood and is accelerated by illness, consumption of unhealthy foods, nicotine, excessive alcohol, and other factors. This is evidenced by the overwhelming complaint of fatigue in doctor’s offices.

Unfortunately, antioxidants alone cannot repair the damage to cell membranes.

For that, you need something more powerful: Membrane Lipid Replacement (MLR). MLR is the use of natural, protected membrane lipid supplements exclusively from plant sources to safely replace damaged, oxidized lipids in cellular membranes in order to restore membrane function, decrease various symptoms and improve health. The only ingredient proven so far to effect MLR is NTFactor®, an ingredient patented and provided by Nutritional Therapeutics, Inc. By itself, it restores energy and undoes the damage to membranes caused by free radicals. When used with other supplements, it improves the benefits of those ingredients.

Clinical studies have demonstrated the advantages of MLR in restoring membrane and organelle function and reducing fatigue, pain and other symptoms in chronic illnesses and aging patients. In animal studies it has shown the ability to reduce free radicals while increasing cell motility and resistance to oxidative damage.

BreatheClear with NTFactor®

BreatheClear with NTFactor® combines the benefits of MLR from NTFactor® Lipids with quercetin, a powerful bioflavonoid (a type of antioxidant found in foods containing vitamin C). In addition to its antioxidant properties, quercetin is an anti-inflammatory and works to open up the nasal and respiratory passages, thereby making it easier to breathe and reduce sinus problems. A must-have in these days where a rogue weather pattern can shift harmful air our way, and a good staple to have on hand for any time the air is full of irritants, whether they be manmade or as common as seasonal pollen.

To give your BreatheClear a boost, combine it with our pure NTFactor® Lipids Powder and provide your body with more of the cell-repairing power of Membrane Lipid Replacement! Right now, we’re offering limited-time savings by bundling these two products together! When you shop the bundle, you can choose either size of Lipids Powder (75g or 150g) and receive a FREE bottle of BreatheClear (a $27.49 value!).

As wildfire season seems to expand every year, there’s no better time to arm yourself with the protective power of BreatheClear combined with NTFactor® Lipids Powder, and breathe freely while supporting your body’s fight against free radicals!

References

For antioxidants:

NIH:    https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/antioxidants-in-depth

For MLR:

Seidman, MD. NT Factor® Spares the Age-Related loss of Nerve Function, Energy and Genetic damage in animals. (2002). Otolaryngology- Head and Neck Surgery, 127, pp.138-143.
Approved and supervised by Henry Ford Hosp. IACUC group
# 9 on bibliography at NTFactor.com/research

Agadjanyan, M., et al. Nutritional supplement (NTFactor) restores mitochondrial function and reduces moderately severe fatigue in aged subjects. J. Chronic Fatigue Syndr. 11(3): 23-36 (2003).
# 12 on bibliography

A: The guidelines for determining a healthy weight is called the HAMWI method, which is typically used in healthcare to determine the ideal body weight (IBW) for adult men and women.

As women, we get 100 lbs. for the first five feet of stature. Then 5 lbs. for every inch above that. It’s different for men. They get 106 lbs. for the first five feet of stature and 6 lbs. for every inch after that. That doesn’t seem fair, does it? Due to hormonal differences, men generally retain more lean body mass (LBM) than women and LBM weighs more.

But that’s not all. Because we come in different shapes and sizes, we apply the 10% rule. So let’s do the math: At your height of 5’7”, you get 135 lbs. plus or minus 10% which puts a healthy weight range for you at 122 to 148 lbs. This application largely depends on your frame size, which is either small (think thin wrists as an example), medium, or large (thicker wrists, breadth of shoulders).

A shortfall of the HAMWI method is that an individual’s LBM isn’t taken into account. In this regard, optimum weight is underestimated because muscle weighs more than fat. For example, if you’re athletic or regularly strength train, you will weigh more due to higher LBM, which is desirable.

To your health!

Leyla Muedin, MS, RD, CDN

How does NTFactor Lipids^®  improve the effects of other dietary supplements?

Humans have evolved with digestive and transport pathways that sequester important nutritional molecules, absorb them and transport them to tissues and cells.  This starts in the lining of the small intestine where most nutrients are transported into epithelial cells.  This type of transport can be modeled in the laboratory by the use of intestinal epithelial cells (Caco-2 cells).  The ability of these Caco-2 cells to transport nutrients has been found to be similar to the process in the human small intestine. 

When NTFactor Lipids^® was added to nutrients in the laboratory model of small intestine epithelial cell transport, the NTFactor Lipids^® increased the ability of the nutrients to be transported and thus be available for cells.  This transport across epithelial cells is known as bioavailability.  The Caco-2 epithelial model was used to see if NTFactor Lipids^® could increase the bioavailability of three commonly used nutraceuticals: quercetin, curcumin and coenzyme Q10.  The NTFactor Lipids^® increased the transport, or bioavailability, of the three supplement nutrients 2-fold above controls [1]. 

Therefore, combining various nutrients with NTFactor Lipids^® should enhance their absorption and value to the user.  This may be particularly significant when taking a multi-vitamin, mineral, cofactor supplement like Propax with NTFactor Lipids^®.  Propax was shown to significantly improve fatigue and other health parameters in middle-aged subjects [2].  In conclusion, adding NTFactor Lipids^® to your daily regimen will likely enhance the effectiveness of the supplements you take, while providing the added benefits of the Lipids themselves.

How does NTFactor Lipids^® work to improve health?

Each cell in our body is surrounded by a physical barrier called the cell membrane, which separates our cells from each other and from the environment.  There are also barriers inside cells that divide different internal compartments known as organelles, which contain and manage cellular energy production (mitochondria), genetic machinery (nucleus), synthesis of new proteins (endoplasmic reticulum), degrading waste (lysosomes), bringing in materials from outside the cell (endosomes), and more.  These organelles are all surrounded by intracellular membranes that separate them from the cell’s interior and other organelles.  All of these organelle membranes have in common a lipid matrix that is composed of a specific class of membrane phospholipids called glycerolphospholipids.  Other components of cellular membranes, such as proteins and glycoproteins, are sandwiched into the lipid matrix of cellular membranes where they provide many needed functions, such as platforms for chemical and enzyme reactions, and cell messenger mediators [3].  Unfortunately, these membrane phospholipids are very sensitive to damage that occurs during aging and as a consequence of various health conditions.  When these critical molecules are damaged, cells can’t function normally.  This is where Membrane Lipid Replacement comes in—to repair the damage to cellular membranes and return cellular function to normal states.

One classic example of this is the cellular energy production, which is critical in every aspect of cell function from the transport of materials into cells to the function of organelles such as mitochondria.  Mitochondria provide up to 90% of cellular energy function, and this naturally declines during aging; when you reach 80-90 years-old, you have only about half of the mitochondrial energy production compared to a 30 year-old.  This is primarily but not completely due to the damage to the inner mitochondrial membrane where critical membrane lipids are necessary for mitochondrial function.  When mitochondrial function is impaired, we experience fatigue and malaise, among other effects.  However, when membranes are repaired with NTFactor Lipids^® mitochondrial and cell function can return to more normal states.  We can see this when fatigued individuals take NTFactor Lipids^®, and they eventually find that their fatigue and other health problems are significantly reduced [4, 5].

References

1. Settineri R, Ji J, Shields ZP, Shirvani T, McLaren CE, Nicolson, GL.  The effects of Membrane Lipid Replacement with NTFactor Lipids^® on increasing bioavailability of three test nutrients. Bioactive Compounds in Health & Disease   In press 2022.
   
2. Ellithorpe RR, Settineri R. Nicolson GL. Reduction of fatigue by use of a dietary supplement containing glycophospholipids.  Journal of the American Nutraceutical Association 2003; 6(1): 23-28.
   http://www.immed.org/illness/treatment_considerations.html
   
3. Nicolson GL, Ferreira de Mattos G. A brief introduction to some aspects of the Fluid—Mosaic Model of membrane structure and its importance to Membrane Lipid Replacement. Membranes 2021; 11(12): article 947.
   https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0375/11/12/947
   
4. Nicolson GL.  Membrane Lipid Replacement: clinical studies using a natural medicine approach to restoring membrane function and improving health.  International Journal of Clinical Medicine 2016; 7: 133-143.
   http://www.scirp.org/Journal/PaperInformation.aspx?PaperID=63602
   
5. Nicolson GL, Rosenblatt S, Ferreira de Mattos G, Settineri R, Breeding PC, Ellithorpe RR, Ash ME.  Clinical uses of Membrane Lipid Replacement supplements in restoring membrane function and reducing fatigue in chronic diseases and cancer.  Discoveries, 2016; 4(1): article e54.
   https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6941554

Fortunately, there is a safe and natural way to lose weight and shed inches without starving yourself or using unproven, costly, and sometimes unsafe remedies.  The answer?  An extremely safe and convenient natural food supplement called Healthy Curb^TM that has years of demonstrated success without using stimulants.

INTRODUCING: HEALTHY CURB

What is Healthy Curb^TM, and what makes this supplement so effective and special?  Healthy Curb^TM is a formulation of all-natural ingredients that combines a plant enzyme called amylase inhibitor with a natural, plant-derived lipid mixture called NTFactor^®. This lipid blend provides the little batteries inside each of your cells (more formally known as your mitochondria) with molecules that repair the damage to their membranes caused by aging and stress, which in turn helps them produce the cellular energy that fuels everything you do.  Why is this helpful for weight loss? When you have less energy, you burn less sugar and fat, eventually storing these materials in fat cells that can grow and increase your weight and girth.

How did the ingredients of Healthy Curb^TM end up in the same product?  First, amylase inhibitor has been known for some time to reduce sugar uptake by blocking the breakdown of complex sugars in the gut, but this ingredient alone is not enough to cause significant long-term weight loss.  Second, it was noticed that taking the oral supplement NTFactor^® reduced the urge to snack and over-eat while providing the energy to increase daily physical activity.  In clinical studies, NTFactor^® is known to increase mitochondrial function and cellular energy production by restoring the activities of the mitochondrial membranes. 

MEET YOUR MITOCHONDRIA

Inside our cells, there are hundreds of mitochondria, and each mitochondrion is surrounded by a double membrane system, but it is the inner membrane in this organelle that contains the specialized lipid molecules and protein constituents that form what has been called the ‘electron transport chain.’ The electron transport chain (ETC) is where almost all cellular energy is generated and oxygen is used to produce high-energy molecules that are needed in almost all cellular processes.  However, these critical organelle structures are also very sensitive to damage by stress, chemicals, disease, and even natural aging—and this is especially true of the mitochondrial membranes.  We can repair our mitochondrial and other cellular membranes using “Membrane Lipid Replacement;” this is where NTFactor^®  comes in to rebuild our cellular membranes by replacing damaged membrane lipids and restoring function.

When our mitochondria are damaged and ETC-produced cellular energy declines, we perceive this as fatigue, malaise and a lack of overall energy to perform daily tasks.  Cellular energy is needed for almost everything that our cells and tissues do, from our internal organs to our muscles and nerves. Damage to our mitochondrial membranes manifests as a decline in every organ system in our body. 

Normally a healthy diet should provide all of the membrane molecules, such as membrane lipids, to maintain mitochondrial function, but for millions of us it isn’t possible to consume enough fresh meats, fruits and vegetables to replace all of the damaged membrane lipids. However, we can maintain our mitochondrial and other cellular membranes by “Membrane Lipid Replacement” with daily consumption of NTFactor^®.  And there are a number of different over-the-counter products containing NTFactor^® that can provide enough undamaged membrane lipids to maintain or even increase mitochondrial function.

WHY HEALTHY CURB?

What is the evidence that Healthy Curb^TM can increase daily activity and safely reduce weight and girth?  In a peer-reviewed, published clinical study we examined the effects of Healthy Curb^TM on weight loss, body girth, body mass, metabolic rate, appetite, cravings for sweets, fatigue and overall activity. In this 2-month study 30 men and women took tablets of Healthy Curb^TM before each meal and were told to eat and exercise normally.  Weight, waist and hip measurements were taken weekly, and appetite and sweet cravings were assessed weekly.  Fatigue and activity were determined by standard methods. 

Here is what we found.  Most participants lost an average of 6.1 pounds (2.8 kg), along with average reductions of 2.5 inches (6.4 cm) and 1.5 inches (3.8 cm) from waist and hip circumferences, respectively.  The entire group lost an average of 3.6 pounds (1.7 kg) with average reductions of 1.6 inches (4.1 cm) and 1.1 inch (2.9 cm) from waist and hip circumferences, respectively.   Weight loss and body measurement decreases were gradual, consistent and highly significant, along with reductions in body mass index (an indicator of total body mass) and metabolic rate measurements (an indicator of activity).  Overall hunger was reduced 44.5%, with reduced cravings for sweets and fats, and there was a 24% reduction in fatigue.  Along with fatigue reduction there was a 27% perceived improvement in cognition and ability to concentrate, remember and think clearly.  Blood lipid profiles at the end of the trial suggested improved cardiovascular lipid profiles, and there were no adverse events from taking Healthy Curb^TM.

The results of the clinical study indicated that Healthy Curb^TM was a safe, effective and easy way to lose some excess weight.  And this doesn’t begin to describe the other health benefits of taking NTFactor^®, including heart and other organ benefits, such as improvements in memory and cognition.  These ‘extra’ health benefits of taking NTFactor^®  make Healthy Curb^TM an excellent choice for a weight-loss product. 

Make it part of your healthy living regimen today and see how you too can take advantage of these unique benefits!

References

Nicolson GL, Ferreira de Mattos G. A brief introduction to some aspects of the Fluid—Mosaic Model of membrane structure and its importance to Membrane Lipid Replacement. Membranes 2021; 11(12): article 947.
https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0375/11/12/947


Nicolson GL, Ferreira de Mattos G, Settineri R, Breeding PC. Membrane Lipid Replacement and its role in restoring mitochondrial membrane function and reducing symptoms in aging and age-related clinical conditions.  Nature Cell Science 2024; 2(4): 238-256.
https://doi.org/10.61474/ncs.2024.00038


Ellithorpe RA, Settineri R, Jacques B, Nicolson GL. Lipid Replacement Therapy functional food with NTFactor for reducing weight, girth, body mass, appetite, cravings for foods and fatigue while improving blood lipid profiles. Functional Foods in Health & Disease 2012; 2(1): 11-24.
http://www.functionalfoodscenter.net/files/49450833.pdf

As we reemerge this summer from our prior restricted lifestyles, the so-called “COVID cocoon,” we have an unanticipated opportunity to live better than before and, with thoughtful planning, turn one big lemon into lemonade! With that in mind, here is your checklist of practical tips to help reemerge from our pandemic cocoon-like state and prioritize our well-being:

• Schedule an appointment for an annual physical examination. If there’s one thing that can kickstart your reemergence into normalcy, it’s getting a baseline read on where you’re starting from. Review with your physician any significant changes in health status since your last physical. Those may include an evaluation of your blood chemistries, weight, fitness level, vaccination schedule, and changes in your emotional or mental status. Also, consider the other specialists for routine care including (but not limited to) your dentist, ophthalmologist, gynecologist, and dermatologist.

• Visit friends and family. If fully vaccinated against COVID, it is now safer to visit your loved ones. Travel restrictions are in the process of being lifted, and transportation is becoming more readily available. What we formerly took for granted, such as meeting a friend in a café for lunch or stopping by to look in on an elderly family member, now feels celebratory! (Note that visitation restrictions continue to exist in long term care facilities, so call ahead to check with their social services department on the latest requirements.)

• Schedule on-site events and activities. Miss camping, sports participation, lounging at the pool club, seeing an opera, or visiting the local art museum? Now is the time to begin poring over the available events and activities that may have been closed or restricted over the past year. The adrenaline of re-engaging with your athletic or creative passions will be positively intoxicating! Reservations continue to be required for most activities, so start planning early and enjoy the breadth of what nature, fitness, and cultural institutions have to offer. In some cases, full COVID vaccination status may be required for attendance or participation.

• Be mindful of your dietary and nutritional support needs:  Most of us gave ourselves wide latitude during the lockdown, sometimes treating ourselves to an abundant supply of high calorie, high fat, and/or high concentrated sweets foods delivered (without contact) to our doors.  Your reemergence can still be filled with a wide selection of fun foods, but with a mind towards making them of enhanced nutritional quality.  Similarly, as we get back into a more active lifestyle, our bodies may require nutritional supplements to help compensate in part for any nutrient deficits we may have inadvertently incurred over the past year. Remember to speak with your physician or registered dietitian about your individual dietary needs. Today, commonly used nutritional support products may include (but are not limited to) a quality, broad-range daily multivitamin/mineral supplement, a naturally sourced fish oil for omega-3 fatty acids, and additional Vitamin D3 supplementation (especially for those who had spent significant amounts of time indoors).  Plus, add a daily dose of NTFactor, a phospholipid complex to work with cellular mitochondria to help promote more efficienct energy metabolism, and a probiotic to help improve digestion and restore normal intestinal flora.

• Prioritize your “resolution” activities. Schedule events and activities based on your current lifestyle and needs. For many of us, it may be medical appointments first. Or, enjoying an outdoor concert or playing a game of tennis will be the tonic of choice. A note of caution: Trying to do too much, too soon may leave you stressed and drained after months of reduced activity. Take it slowly, plan carefully, and build up to a summer season that exceeds your expectations!

For additional reference:
Recommended Adult Immunization Schedule
Clinical Preventive Services
National Alliance on Mental Illness
List of Museums in the United States
Find a Park
Office of Dietary Supplements, National Institutes of Health

Since you will be “allowed” to eat these special occasion foods (holiday goose with all the trimmings, fruit cake, egg nog, etc.), you won’t feel deprived. Feeling deprived is what increases the reward value of the food you’re missing. This strategy takes care of that.

Makes sense, right? We also do away with this negative self-talk: “I just completely blew my diet so I might as well continue to gorge.” You’re not blowing it. You’re having a holiday meal. That’s all. Discard the drama.

In previous years, I’ve advised that if you are hosting, have your guests bring a suitable storage container so they can carry away all those tempting leftover goodies. Make sure every last nibble goes out the door. Out of sight, out of mind! This year, most of us are celebrating the holidays with only our own household, so passing off any leftovers may be more of a challenge. Try repurposing your leftover meats and veggies into new, healthier meal ideas—a Christmas turkey can become a great base for homemade turkey soup, and ham or roast beef can be diced up and added to hearty salads or incorporated into a breakfast hash using leftover potatoes. If you have friends who are celebrating alone this year, consider portioning single servings of leftover desserts into to-go containers and arrange a safe, socially distanced drop-off. This way, your sumptuous holiday meal doesn’t turn into a weeklong feast.

Speaking of desserts: Are you receiving a lot of sweet treats as gifts—like boxes of chocolates? You don’t have to eat them to show your love and appreciation. Pay it forward. Make donations to your local food bank or soup kitchen. They will really appreciate it, and your waistline will thank you, too.

Now go enjoy those holiday indulgences! And the very next day, get right back on program. Breaking the rules on special occasions is good for the soul and can help restore your willpower. 

Remember: the perfect is the enemy of the good. Life is not about living in extremes. Enjoy these special times with your loved ones. Be present, engaged, and have fun! 

To your health! 

Leyla Muedin, MS, RD, CDN 

Whatever your situation, the next several weeks are almost certain to create their share of stress and frustration. But don’t despair; there are things you can do to reduce the temptation to bury yourself under a festive fleece blanket and not emerge until 2021.

Above all, prioritize your health—both mental and physical. While this is true every year, it is especially important this year. Good well-being can go a long way toward helping you manage the ups and downs of this busy and uncertain season. Our longtime friend, and one of the country’s leading integrative physicians, Dr. Ronald Hoffman has provided some tips for keeping your health on track during the winter months.

Catch those Zzzz’s. We’ve talked before about the health benefits of getting enough sleep, and Dr. Hoffman agrees: “The holidays are a busy time, so don’t shortchange your sleep. You’ll feel better, you’ll enhance your resistance to viruses, and you’ll even put the brakes on runaway carb cravings.” Check out our previous article for tips on sleep hygiene, then try to keep yourself to a consistent schedule that allows for seven to eight hours of uninterrupted, restful sleep per night.

Stay active. While many of our routines have been disrupted by gym closures, there are still plenty of options for staying physically active—even in the chilly winter months. Investing in something as simple as a set of hand weights or a resistance band can bring your at-home workouts to the next level. A quick YouTube search can provide a plethora of free guided exercises. If you’re on a budget, try something equipment-free like yoga, or use your own stairs as a low-tech step machine!

Don’t be afraid to bundle up and get out there. Outdoor activities like jogging, cross-country skiing, or even briskly walking laps around the neighborhood can help get your heart rate up and your stress rate down. “Your workouts will not only keep you lean,” Dr. Hoffman says, “they’ll also generate endorphins to bust your holiday stress.”

Embrace the chill. Don’t avoid the cold entirely. Spend a little time outdoors or turn your thermostat down and reap the benefits. Not only can the cold help you acclimate better to the winter months, it can also improve sleep and may even help keep those holiday pounds at bay. “Bundle up and face the elements,” encourages Hoffman. “The chill will stimulate upregulation of your brown fat—the fat-burning kind that promotes weight loss.”

So go ahead and pass the cookies (in moderation)!

Avoid isolation. Don’t let restrictions on gathering in-person keep you from socializing entirely. Instead, use them as an opportunity to explore new ways to connect! With virtual options like Zoom or Skype, and video chat apps like FaceTime or Marco Polo, it’s easier than ever to keep in touch with family that’s far away (or not so far away!). “This holiday, reach out to friends and family members whose social networks are limited,” Dr. Hoffman suggests. Schedule time to call or video chat your loved ones—and make a special effort to reach out to those you know who are living alone or who struggle particularly this time of year. 

Give back. They say it’s better to give than to receive, and studies have shown that altruism can actually boost our health and extend our longevity. This year has seen record unemployment numbers. Many people and families around the country are struggling to put food on their tables or presents under the tree. If you’re financially able, seek out neighborhood toy or food drives, or donate money or time to community resources that help those who have found themselves struggling this year. If you’re not in a position to help others financially, you can still gift your time by offering services like online tutoring for families struggling with at-home schooling, or even organizing an online event to stream some festive cheer to all through music or other entertainment.

“Volunteering is a way of getting outside of yourself and reaping the benefits of generosity,” Dr. Hoffman reminds us. “You can help a senior citizen. . . shop for Christmas toys for needy kids, tutor a child, or mentor an aspiring young person.”

Prioritize downtime. These days, it seems like distractions and input are our constant companions, but too much time spent “on” can wreak havoc on our stress levels. Designate a space in your home for some quiet relaxation, and spend a bit of time each day reflecting, journaling, or doing something else that helps you relax. But put that phone away! Hoffman warns, “Avoid the temptation to check your email, texts, holiday sales announcements, or social media for a short time. Read a favorite book, listen to music, or enjoy a regular hobby to reboot your brain.”

You can read more of Dr. Hoffman’s tips for weathering the holiday madness in his two-part series, “13 Tips for Surviving the Holidays.” (Part one / Part two).

All of us here at Nutritional Therapeutics wish you and yours a safe, healthy, and happy holiday season.

To put it another way, exercise is a powerful medicine. This medicine makes your cells more sensitive to insulin, optimizing glucose metabolism. It oxygenates muscles and organs allowing for nutrient exchange via blood circulation and detoxification through perspiration and lymphatic drainage.

This medicine releases powerful neurotransmitters called endorphins. Endorphins don’t just make you feel great, like that runner’s high, these important neurochemicals alleviate depression and smooth the edges around tension and anxiety. Moreover, endorphins are potent immune system modulators. 

Exercise provides energy by stoking metabolism and is critical to deep, restful sleep. And did you know that it has been shown to delay shrinkage of the hippocampus—the brain’s memory center? In this way, exercise bestows positive effects on thinking and memory. 

Not motivated enough to start an exercise program? Play a sport. Do you enjoy basketball, soccer or volleyball? Recreational sports create a wonderful sense of camaraderie and team spirit. And as an added bonus, the interval training is built right in! 

Or, if you prefer something solo, maybe running or working out at the gym is more your thing. I’m partial to yoga and strength training myself, but I love a game of volleyball on the beach, or badminton in the yard on sunny days. 

A positive psychological aspect to exercise is it’s YOU time. Whether you’re on the road, in the gym, or on your exercise mat in the living room, it’s an opportunity to get out of your head and into your body; an opportunity to be PRESENT and aware of your breath. 

Namaste! 

Leyla Muedin, MS, RD, CDN 

In fact, this message is more important today than at any other time in our lives.

As we grow older and face our future health with some trepidation, we as individuals are tasked with taking the best care of ourselves we can to avoid chronic disease, acute illness and accidents that may lead to a requisite hospital stay.

While we can’t shield ourselves from every ill—and short of becoming a nation of paranoid recluses (that’s not good for health either!)—there are steps we can take to lower our risk of accidents and illness. Along with looking both ways before crossing the street, and wearing a bicycle helmet EVERY time you ride your bike, there are multiple opportunities every day to manage the things we can control, such as the food we choose to eat and our lifestyle choices.

Choosing organic foods daily will help reduce exposure to toxins like herbicides, pesticides, fungicides, hormones and antibiotics. And don’t forget, you have the same opportunity to reduce your toxic burden when it comes to personal grooming products, household cleaners and even how you care for your lawn. We get some healthy exercise too when we manually weed our gardens rather than use toxic chemicals like Roundup (perfectly manicured lawns have always looked unnatural to me. I like dandelions!). And, you get to say NO to Monsanto.

If you have the real estate, consider growing your own produce. There’s nothing like walking out to your own garden to gather fresh vegetables, fruits and herbs for your next meal. The nutrition content of fresh picked produce surpasses anything we get at the store, even if it’s organic.

Stay healthy, and you’ll be wealthy the rest of your life!

To your health!

Leyla Muedin, MS, RD, CDN