In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), schizandra is commonly used for coughs, infections, inflammation, hepatitis, insomnia and skin disorders. In the naturopathic community, schizandra is touted primarily for its adaptogenic and hepatoprotective effects. There is a paucity of clinical trials supporting the use of schizandra as an adaptogen. I have personally used schizandra for its supposed anxiolytic (stress reducing) effects and feel comfortable saying that it is worthy of being classified as an adaptogen based on my own experience.
In these days of evidence based medicine though, definitive conclusions based on solid research are preferred over anecdotal evidence. Fortunately, a recent study at Jinan University in China compared the anxiolytic effects of schizandra to both diazepam (Valium) and placebo. Restraint-stressed mice were used as the study population for this experiment. I am not a huge fan of animal studies so I want to make it clear that for this study, the ‘procedures for animal experiments were conducted in accordance with the Guiding Principles for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals as adopted and promulgated by the United States National Institutes of Health.’ The experiment involved fifty mice which were evenly divided into five groups. The five groups included: normal control, stress model, diazepam (0.65mg/kg), low dose schizandra group (100 mg/kg) and a high dose schizandra group (200mg/kg). After the stress experiment, HPLC was used to determine the concentrations of dopamine, norepinephrine, serotonin and corticosterone levels in the five groups. Stress in both mice and humans causes levels of the neurotransmitters norepinephrine, serotonin and dopamine to increase. Plasma corticosterone levels also rise during acute stress. Interestingly, administration of the high dose of schizandra during the stress experiment significantly reduced the levels of all of the neurotransmitters and plasma corticosterone. The low dose of schizandra reduced norepinephrine, serotonin and corticosterone but not dopamine levels. The results of the study led the investigators to conclude that the actions of schizandra lignan extract are similar to those of classic anxiolytics such as diazepam.
In my opinion, there are several reasons why a schizandra lignan extract should be used in lieu of pharmaceuticals like diazepam since, as suggested by this small study, it is as effective. Diazepam requires detoxification by the liver while schizandra is known to be hepatoprotective. These days, our livers need as much support as they can get! Also, patients on diazepam have been known to develop an addiction or tolerance to diazepam while schizandra is very well tolerated based on my own anecdotal experiences. Hopefully clinical trials that look at the efficacy of schizandra as an anxiolytic in a human population will be designed soon!
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| Laura Firetag ND Student Bastyr University |
Chen, W.-W., et al., Pharmacological studies on the anxiolytic effect of standardized Schisandra lignans extract on restraint-stressed mice. Phytomedicine (2011), doi:10.1016/j.phymed.2011.06.004.
Labels: adaptogens, berries, natrual remedies, research, schizandra, sensoril
Stress….It’s like the “itch” that never goes away. Traffic, workload, busy schedules, its tough not to let things get under your skin. When we think about stress, we tend to solely focus on the mental side. “Oh my gosh! I can’t stop thinking or dwelling on this or that." Yet, the reality is, stress is evident not only on a mental level but a physical level.Physical manifestations of stress can include:
Increased blood pressure
- Sweaty palms
- Dilated pupils
- Increased heart beat
- Shallow breathing
- Foggy thinking
- Gastrointestinal upset
- Skin problems (Acne, hives, Eczema flares, etc)
And the list could go on. There are a myriad of ways that a person can react to stress. You remember the last time you had to run to the bathroom before that big presentation?
Speaking of skin, environmental stress is another huge burden on our bodies. The air we breathe is polluted, the water we drink is tainted, the products we use on our bodies shouldn’t be ingested yet we rub it all over our largest organ, our skin. The foods we eat are sprayed, dyed, and morphed. There is no wonder our bodies are in a state of shock and our minds wander to cloud 12.
Essentially, the sympathetic nervous system is triggered to respond as if we are being chased by a wild boar or huge grizzly black bear. Yet with this modern day stress, we do not “run"; we sit at our desk, in our car, or somewhere stationary when this happens. We do not get to work off the spike in hormones released to help our bodies run away from that bear. Instead our bodies have these elevated levels of stress day in and day out. cope with stress.
Big responsibility sometimes comes in tiny packages. Our allies are our adrenal glands. One in particular, which is layered on top of each kidney, has the pleasure of regulating major hormones such as cortisol, epinephrine, and norepinephrine. These hormones are key in the stress response. It is in our best interest to support our adrenals. The cool thing is, while we are supporting those tiny critters, we are also giving our body the ability to adapt to stress, achieve homeostasis, and detox on a cellular level.
Here are 5 herbs that work with the body's stress response:
Ashwaganda- An Ayurvedic herb known to decrease Adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH), returning those steroid hormones to normal.
American Ginseng- Helps to calm an over stimulated nervous system.
Rhodiola- Enhances the transport of 5 HTP (serotonin precursor) and tryptophan to enhance your mood.
Astragulus Root- Supports the immune system.
Gotu Kola-Strengthens the adrenals, cleanses the blood, and decreases both depression and low libido
The good old fashioned way of relieving stress, is to move your body! Exercise has been shown to decrease stress by increasing endorphins and making you feel and look great!
Herbs, vitamins, deep breathing and physical activity are effective and affordable tools we have to help balance stress hormones. Next time you feel the urge, take a 5 minute walk outside or take five deep breaths, your adrenals will thank you!
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Stacy Mobley, MPH, ND Student (SCNM) |
Labels: adrenal, cortisol, exercise, herbs, stress relief
While hemp fiber has long been used to make clothing, shoes, paper, and accessories like wallets and belts, its recent uses in the food industry have been getting lots of favorable attention. Touted as “the new flax,” hemp’s popularity seems to be more than just a fad.
One reason for all of the attention is hemp’s versatility. You can eat the raw seeds, add them to smoothies or salads or baked goods,grind them into flour, or make them into hemp milk. In addition, you can eat the fresh leaves in salads. Several food manufacturers have leveraged this versatility by creating numerous hemp products; these include cereals, granola, frozen waffles, nut butters, hemp oil, protein and meal replacement powders, and varieties of flavored non-dairy milks and ice cream-like frozen desserts.
Another (and more compelling) reason for the attention is hemp’s numerous nutritional benefits. The hemp nut (the inside of the hemp seed) is an excellent source of protein and provides 10 essential amino acids. While the hemp nut does not contain as much protein as a soybean, it does tend to be more easily digested than other vegetable proteins. The hemp nut also contains healthy oils, most of which are essential fatty acids (EFAs) in both omega-6 (linoleic acid and gamma-linolenic acid) and omega-3 (alpha-linolenic acid and stearidonic acid) forms. In comparison, flax seed does not contain gamma-linolenic acid (GLA). The ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fats in hemp is roughly 3:1; experts consider this to be the optimum ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fats in the diet, making hemp a good food choice for reversing the imbalance caused an overabundance of omega-6 EFAs in most North American diets. Other nutrients in hemp include magnesium, beta-carotene, calcium, fiber, iron, potassium, riboflavin, niacin, and thiamin.
As a healthy food with so many uses, hemp’s popularity in food products is well founded. When you also consider that hemp seeds are safe for people with allergies to tree nuts, soy, and dairy, the scale tips even further in favor of this superfood.
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| Karen Brothers, ND student, NCNM |
For more information about hemp, see the following web articles:
Lisa Barnes’s “Seven Healthy Hemp Foods to Try” on SparkPeople.com
“Benefits of Eating Hemp Food Products” on EcoMall
Dr. Weil’s “High on Hemp Milk”
Labels: amino acids, hemp, hempseed, protein
When a woman is pregnant and ‘eating for two,’ it makes sense to increase the amount of nutrients consumed so there is enough nutrition for both the mother’s increased metabolism and the developing fetus. Does this thinking apply to vitamin D as well? Back in 1997, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) recommended that pregnant women consume 200 IU of vitamin D per day during pregnancy which is the same amount they recommended for everyone else. The latest guidelines from the IOM, which were just published in 2010, list the Estimated Average Requirement (EAR) and the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for pregnant women as 400 IU/day and 600 IU/day respectively. Again, the current recommendations are the same for everyone whether you are a one year old child, a 60 year old man or a 29 year old pregnant woman. Is it really advisable for a pregnant woman to get the same amount of vitamin D as a one year old child?
A brave group of researchers at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) in Charleston, SC set out to begin to answer this question. They were given permission to conduct a study that supplemented pregnant women with up to 4000 IU of vitamin D per day as long as the study had very stringent safety guidelines in place. The study, surprisingly, began in 2004 when the IOM still suggested that pregnant women only need to consume 200 IU of vitamin D per day for a healthy pregnancy. The study at MUSC was designed very well and divided the participants into three randomized groups. One group took a prenatal multivitamin which contained 400 IU of vitamin D and a placebo capsule with 0 IU of vitamin D for a total intake of 400 supplemental IU of vitamin D per day. The second group took a prenatal multivitamin with 400 IU of vitamin D and a capsule with 1600 IU of vitamin D for a total of 2000 IU of supplemental vitamin D per day. The third group took a prenatal multivitamin with 400 IU of vitamin D and a capsule with 3600 IU of vitamin D for a total of 4000 IU of supplemental vitamin D per day.
The vitamin D supplementation began between weeks 12 and 16 of pregnancy and continued until delivery. At the conclusion of the study in 2010, the researchers analyzed the data from the 350 study participants and determined that it is quite safe to consume 4000 IU of vitamin D during pregnancy (after week 12). To quote the investigators: “Not a single adverse event was attributed to vitamin D supplementation or circulating 25(OH)D [(vitamin D)] levels.” The researchers also concluded that daily supplementation with 4000 IU is the most effective way to achieve sufficient serum levels of circulating vitamin D during pregnancy in all ethnicities. It is interesting to note that the study was conducted in the Southeastern US where high quality sunshine is plentiful. Therefore, it is possible that pregnant women in areas that get less quality sunshine might need to supplement with even higher doses of vitamin D as noted by the investigators. The investigators did speculate about the benefits of sufficient serum vitamin D levels but did not come to any definitive conclusions since the study only looked at safety rather than long-term beneficial effects. In general, adequate vitamin D levels could have beneficial effects on the cardiovascular system, the immune system, the musculoskeletal system and endocrine function.
So yes, when ‘eating for two’ it is safe to say that women need to double, triple, quadruple up on the vitamin D! A good way to approach vitamin D supplementation is to monitor your own serum levels especially during pregnancy. The authors of the study discovered that pregnant women should maintain serum levels of at least 30 ng/mL (75 nmol/L) but ideally 40 ng/mL (100 nmol/L). Vitamin D is found in salmon (sockeye), mackerel, tuna fish, egg yolk, mushrooms that have been exposed to the sun, fortified orange juice, cereal and milk. Be aware, though, that most fish contain mercury so it is not advisable for pregnant women to consume fish every day. Also, as a side note, cod liver oil is normally a good source of vitamin D but it contains very high amounts of vitamin A which can be harmful during pregnancy.
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| Laura Firetag ND Student Bastyr University |
Hollis, Bruce, et al. "Vitamin D Supplementation During Pregnancy: Double Blind, Randomized Clinical Trial of Safety and Effectiveness." Journal of Bone and Mineral Research. (2011): 1-52 (link to pdf)
Labels: D3, pregnancy, sun, sunlight, sunshine, supplementation, vitamin D
Summer’s here, and it’s time for fun in the sun! And while you’re lounging by the pool, strolling on the beach, or entertaining in the backyard, you’re not just enjoying the summer sun — you’re making oh-so-essential vitamin D, too! Vitamin D helps our bodies absorb calcium, which is essential for bone growth and bone density maintenance. Without sufficient vitamin D, bones can become thin or brittle, potentially leading to disorders such as rickets, osteomalacia, and osteoporosis. Vitamin D also affects neuromuscular and immune functions, reduces inflammation, and influences genes that regulate cell proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis. Given vitamin D’s importance in the body, it’s understandable that our bodies are capable of synthesizing it. So how does this happen?
The type of vitamin D that our bodies make is D3 (cholecalciferol), and its production, occurs in the epidermis of the skin when 7-dehydrocholesterol (a cholesterol precursor) reacts with ultraviolet light (UVB) at wavelengths between 270 and 300 nm. To perform its functions, cholecalciferol must be converted to its active forms. After synthesis in the skin, cholecalciferol enters the blood and is transported to the liver, where it is hydroxylated to form 25-hydroxyvitamin D (calcidiol). A second hydroxylation reaction occurs in the kidney, resulting in the formation of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D (calcitriol). While calcidiol is the major form of vitamin D in the blood and is the form measured to assess nutritional status, calcitriol is responsible for most of vitamin D’s functions in the body.
Sunlight exposure may not provide enough vitamin D for everyone. People with dark-colored skin and the elderly synthesize less vitamin D with sunlight exposure. And, as you might expect, people who do not live in sunny areas year-round may not make enough vitamin D to meet their nutritional requirements. Cloudy days, shade, and protective clothing reduce the amount of vitamin D the skin makes. Even the application of sunscreen with SPF 8 reduces production of vitamin D by 95%! This does not mean that you should avoid wearing sunscreen. Experts recommend 10 to 15 minutes of direct sunshine three times weekly; after that amount of time you should apply sunscreen to prevent skin cancer and sun damage.
So go outside and get your 10-15 minutes of vitamin D! But don’t forget the sunscreen!
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| Karen Brothers, ND student, NCNM |
For more information about vitamin D::
National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements
Micronutrient Information Center, Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University
Labels: cancer prevention, D vitamins, D3, health benefits, sun, sunblock, sunlight, vitamin D
Fig season in Terceira Island is August through September. Luckily, each time my family visited their homeland, it was perfectly timed to enjoy the festivities and the succulent sweet-tasting, fresh, plump figs.I have always consumed figs in their entirety, with the skin. But figs can also be consumed unpeeled, if preferred. Although dried figs are never out-of-season and available year-round in the grocery store, freshly picked figs are truly worth the wait. Did you know that figs are an inverted flower, yet still considered a fruit?! These decadent fruits are densely-packed with nutrition. Figs are high in polyphenol antioxidants, minerals (potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, copper, and manganese), Vitamins B1 & B2, small amounts of omega-3 and 6s, phytosterols, carotenoids (lutein and zeaxanthin), and fiber. A serving of 4-5 figs provide a sweet source of 150 milligrams of calcium, plus 5 grams of fiber, and 400 milligrams of potassium. That’s about 10% of the daily value for both calcium & potassium, and 20% of the daily value for fiber! Figs provide a nice boost to your bones, while decreasing your blood pressure, and keeing you regular. The plentiful of seeds provide most of the fiber source. Their high amounts of mucin make figs a soothing laxative for constipation.
Figs are an alkaline-producing food—actually, one of the most alkalizing foods. As a result, figs help support a healthy pH in the body. There is one word of caution…If you are prone to calcium oxalate stones, then consider limiting fig consumption because they are known to have high levels of oxalates. Even the fig leaves are medicinal. Not only do the fig leaves have anti-diabetic properties to lower blood sugar, the leaves can also lower triglyceride levels.
Fresh figs even help maintain beauty and have a detoxifying action on the skin. Figs have been referenced in ancient writings. Figs were a favorite fruit for Cleopatra, and King Solomon used fig juice on boils. To discharge unwanted materials from the skin such as splinters, corns, warts, and boils—give figs a try! Figs contain a proteolytic (protein-dissolving) enzyme called ficin, which can be found in the milky discharge from the fruit and twigs. Ficin helps to dissolve unwanted skin growth. Just open up a fresh fig and adhere the pulp to the affected skin overnight. The next morning, uncover the affect area and soak in hot water before attempting to remove any unwanted discharges or growths. More than one application may be needed, especially if it is “stubborn”. How is that for a home remedy?!
If you have a “sweet tooth” like me, and want to satisfy your sweet-craving—Figs are lusciously sweet. A simple refreshing dessert of fresh fruit will usually do the trick!Here is my grandfather enjoying a freshly picked fig! Mmm. Fig-Licious!
Fig-licious ingredients:
Some raw honey (desired amount, but much in not needed)
Freshly squeezed lemon or orange juice, or both!
Ripe whole figs, rinsed in cool water and then sliced into rings
Variety of your favorite fresh fruits (I like to mix between oranges, blueberries,
raspberries, strawberries, peaches, pears, grapes, mango, cherries, pineapple, and
melons)
A cup of your favorite whole-fat plain (unflavored) yogurt is optional
Fig-licious instructions:
Stir the raw honey and freshly squeezed fruit juices together in a small bowl.
In another larger bowl mix, add all your fruits.
Then pour the honey & fresh juice mix over the fruit and stir.
Then stir in the unflavored yogurt if you’d like.
Cover and allow to chill in the refrigerator for an hour before serving.
Decorate with rinds and mint sprigs and enjoy a fig fabulous dessert with friends and
family!
Cindy Azevedo, ND Student, University of BridgeportLabels: figs, fruits, health benefits, nutrition, plants
© 2010 Innate Response
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