Monthly Archives: January 2017

Cinnachrome 60's, Healthy Blood Sugar, Sucroguard, True Food GTF Chromium

Stay balanced: the importance of maintaining a healthy blood sugar level

It’s pretty much taken as given nowadays that high blood sugar levels are bad for you, but why actually is this? After all, scientifically speaking, our bodies need sugar, don’t they? Well, yes; in so much as they need the simple carbohydrate-based blood sugar that’s glucose (derived from the food we eat) that circulates our bodies in our blood and provides our cells with their key form of energy, ensuring it’s of critical importance to aerobic respiration.

That said, it’s all about balance; we should all be aiming to strike a balance and ensure our blood sugar level is neither too high nor too low. For some people, doing that’s easier said than done, but read on for why it’s important for them – and indeed all of us – to do so…

What’s a balanced blood sugar level?

Generally speaking, a balanced, normal blood sugar level varies between around 60 milligrams per decilitre (mg/dL) and 90 mg/dL. Levels are usually at their lowest just before someone eats a meal. For those who are healthy and don’t have diabetes, their level is likely to be in the 70-80 dg/mL range before a meal. Put simply, if you haven’t eaten for a while and your level’s above 100 mg/dL or, alternatively, lower that 60 mg/dL, it’s probably not good news.

High blood sugar dangers

Should your blood sugar level be too high, often due to an unbalanced diet, glucose can end up behaving like a slow-acting poison. This phenomenon is called hyperglycaemia and it inhibits the cells of the pancreas (a gland located behind the stomach) to do their job and create insulin, a hormone that, when the right amount of it is produced, is key to balancing blood sugar at a healthy level. This is because it’s insulin that’s called on to move glucose from the blood stream and into cells, where the latter gets broken down and used as energy. If there’s not enough glucose to do this (or it can’t do it adequately enough) because of hyperglycaemia, it can result in diabetes.

Additionally, high blood sugar levels can cause atherosclerosis (when blood vessels harden), which in turn can lead to a whole host of problems in the body, including heart attacks; strokes; kidney disease/ failure; loss of vision/ blindness; poor circulation; weakened immunity; slowed wound-healing; neuropathy (nerve damage) and erectile dysfunction.

Glycaemic load and GL diets

If you’ve been informed your blood sugar level is high – or gets unhealthily high on occasions – then you may have been recommended an altered diet. This is often referred to as a ‘GL diet’; GL is short for glycaemic load, a measurement referring to different foods and what effect they’ll have on someone’s blood sugar. The higher the GL the more a food will contribute to the level; the lower it is the more the food encourages the body to burn fat and, thus, return it to a healthy blood sugar level – as well as, in the long term, contribute to a potential weight loss programme.

Glycaemic load is itself based on what’s known as the glycaemic index (GI), which arranges foods and drinks according to how fast or slow the carbohydrates they contain are released, thus their potential effects on blood sugar level (fast releasing is good; slow releasing bad). On this index you’ll find many fruits and vegetables are good (lightly cooked or raw especially, although fresh, frozen or canned are also recommended) and, as you may have guessed, sugar-rich snacks are bad (sweets, crisps, pastries and cakes).

Low blood sugar dangers

Essentially, the opposite of the high blood sugar-caused hyperglycaemia is the low blood sugar-caused hypoglycaemia (or ‘hypo’); it’s basically when there’s an abnormally low amount of glucose flowing in your bloodstream. It is possible for someone who doesn’t have diabetes to have hypoglycaemia, but it’s rare; generally, then it’s often linked to diabetes and, to that end, is usually brought on when a diabetic takes too much (exterior) insulin, misses a meal or over-exercises.

Among non-diabetics, it can be brought on through malnutrition, alcoholic binge drinking or due to conditions like Addison’s disease. Usual signs that hypoglycaemia could be about to come on include (often in addition to hunger) trembling, shakiness and/ or sweating. Additionally, in some cases, people have difficulty concentrating, become dizzy or confused or may even lose consciousness.

Treatment-wise, a hypoglycaemia sufferer should find something sugar-based to eat or drink quickly (glucose tablets or sugary fruit juice) in order to help balance blood sugar levels, ideally followed by something that’s a longer-acting, ‘starchy’ carbohydrate (such as a sandwich or biscuits). So important is this, that they’re advised to carry such food/ drink items about with them when away from home as well as a form of identification so that, in case they find themselves in an emergency situation, those around them are alerted they suffer from hypoglycaemia – and, if relevant, diabetes too.

Supplements

Maintaining a balanced blood sugar level isn’t always easy, especially for diabetics, so a helping hand may well be welcome for some sufferers of hyperglycaemia or hypoglycaemia. Moreover, should you have been advised to follow a GL ‘low’ diet, you may sometimes find it a challenge to always buy and eat the recommended types of food and drink. To that end then, perhaps you may be interested in taking a look at trying some blood sugar supplements? The following – and more – are all available from The Finchley Clinic:

Cinnachrome-60-Capsules

Cinnachrome 60’s (60 capsules) – suitable for those following a GL diet, this product combines Cinnulin PF (a concentrated extract of cinnamon) with niacin (Vitamin B3), which aids the release of energy from carbohydrates; suitable for vegetarians.

SucroGuard-90-Capsules

Sucroguard – Blood Sugar Support (90 and 30 capsules) – blends together key nutrients involved in managing glucose levels (including chromium picolinate) to ensure the body’s cells are provided with the energy they need; suitable for vegetarians and vegans.

Chromium-90-tablets

True Food GTF Chromium (90 and 30 tablets) – for healthy glucose and lipid metabolism, this supplement comprises Saccharomyes cerevisiae (food yeast) which, with its naturally-occurring GTF (glucose tolerance factor) Chromium plus co-factors, supports insulin action; great for a weight management programme and suitable for vegetarians and vegans.

Colds and flu, General Health & Nutrition, Green Magma, Probiotics, Winter Health

A gateway to winter illness: treating and preventing a sore throat

It’s something that automatically causes dread in people this time of year – a tickle in or at the back of the throat. The reason? Because, in so many cases, it tends to indicate an oncoming sore throat. Granted, on its own a sore throat’s usually a minor complaint, but too often it’s also a gateway to something that truly has to be endured (a cold, the flu or another type of viral infection), forcing many people to try and battle through work during the cold, dark days of winter while they feel unwell. So what can you do to treat a sore throat – and can you prevent yourself from ever getting one in the first place? Good question…

Causes and symptoms

The causes of a sore throat are many and various. In the vast majority of cases in both adults and children (as many as 95%), the reason for one developing is because of the onset of a virus like the common cold or influenza (the flu)1. Less often but occasionally, a sore throat may be caused by the likes of allergies, dry air, pollution, smoking, tonsillitis or acid reflux 2, 3.

As pointed out then, a sore throat is, of course, a symptom itself, yet owing to the fact some can be more severe than others, it can practically feel like they’re made up of their own various symptoms. For instance, you may merely experience a tickling soreness and a hoarse voice or you might have swollen glands around your throat and neck and find swallowing painful and difficult1. Moreover, you may be suffering from other symptoms in addition to a sore throat, such as congestion, a headache, a runny nose, a fever and even abdominal pain or vomiting. Obviously if you feel your sore throat’s part of something serious, you should consult a doctor – in fact, it’s advisable to do so if it alone lasts more than a week.

Natural remedies

There are several natural sore throat remedies you can turn to:

  • Drink warm beverages – they can moisten and make comfortable an inflamed, painful throat; ordinary tea is an obvious choice here but healthy green or oolong tea are excellent options too
  • Gargle salt water or try garlic – gargling warm water with half a teaspoon of salt is great for quick relief from throat pain4, or how about trying the fantastic health-giving properties of this odourless, aftertaste-free garlic?
  • Honey and black seed oil – research suggests that honey can provide relief to children’s coughs5; just a teaspoon in a drink or on its own will suffice each time and you might add to it two or three drops of black (cumin) seed oil, as it’s anti-inflammatory so ought to further aid pain relief6, 7
  • Essential oils – inhaling the vapours of myrrh8 and eucalyptus are recommended for a sore throat, as is gargling with the former; while applying two drops of Lavandula angustifolia (lavender oil) to the back of the tongue may also prove effective
  • Spices – both turmeric and ginger have been recognised for centuries for their therapeutic aspects9; as such, ginger is thought to alleviate sore throat pain, while turmeric contains the soothing component that’s curcumin (see many of the products we stock that contain turmeric and curcumin here)10.

Prevention

Finding natural resources for relief to a sore throat’s all well and good, but what about preventing one from developing in the first place? Well, you might try to limit your exposure to people whom seem to be ill and could give you one, but this isn’t always particularly practical. However, making sure to wash your hands regularly and avoiding smoking and second-hand smoke are easier achievable aims that’ll cut the likelihood of a sore throat.

Meanwhile, a failsafe way to reduce the chances of catching a cold, the flu or putting yourself at risk from sore throat-causing viruses and infections is to try and boost your body’s immunity. To that end, introducing into your diet cruciferous vegetables (such as broccoli, bok choy and cauliflower)11 and carotenoid-rich tomatoes12 comes highly advised.

Supplements

That said; it ought to be pointed out that some people have dietary constraints, so it may be best for them to boost the infection-combating Vitamins B and C in their bodies – as well as improving or maintaining their immunity – via vitamin supplements. The following are all advisable and available through us at The Finchley Clinic:

Aerobic O7 (70ml) – nascent oxygen, when taken as Aerobic O7, prompts the formation of white blood cells, which are critical in helping the body fight infections.

vitamin-c-ultra-pure

Tapioca Vitamin C (90 capsules) – contains the immune-building and infection-fighting Vitamin C.

Echinacea Cold Flu Relief (capsules) – a traditional herbal medicinal product used to relieve symptoms of the common cold and flu-type infections; can be used in combination with our Liquid Oxygen products (including Aerobic O7) and others.

 

References

1. Worrall G. J. ‘Acute Sore Throat’. Canadian Family Physician 53.11 (2007): n.pag.
2. CDC. ‘Sore throat’. Centers for Disease Control. CDC. 23 July 2015.
3. ‘Sore throat’. Medline Plus. National Library of Medicine. 21 Oct 2016.
4. ‘Strep throat’. Medline Plus. 2 Dec 2016.
5. Paul I. M. et al. ‘Effect of Honey, Dextromethorphan and No Treatment on Nocturnal Cough and Sleep Quality for Coughing Children and Their Parents’. Archives of pediatrics & adolescent medicine. 161.12 (2007): 1140–6.
6. Ali B. H. and Blunden G. ‘Pharmacological and Toxicological Properties of Nigella Sativa’. Phytotherapy Research 17.4 (2003): 299–305.
7. Padhye S., Banerjee S., Ahmad A., Mohammad R. and Sarkar F. H. ‘From Here to Eternity – the Secret of Pharaohs: Therapeutic Potential of Black Cumin Seeds and Beyond’. 6.b (n.d.) (2008): 495–510.
8. El Ashry E. S. H., Rashed N., Salama O. M. and Saleh A. ‘Components, therapeutic value and uses of myrrh’. Die Pharmazie – An International Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences. Avoxa – Mediengruppe Deutscher Apotheker GmbH, 1 Mar. 2003.
9. Baliga M. S., Haniadka R., Pereira M. M., D’Souza J. J., Pallaty P. L., Bhat H. P. and Popuri S. ‘Update on the Chemopreventive Effects of Ginger and Its Phytochemicals’. Critical reviews in food science and nutrition. 51.6 (2011): 499–523.
10. Lim T. K. ‘Edible Medicinal and Non-Medicinal Plants: Volume 12 Modified Stems, Roots’. N.p.: Springer. 2016.
11. Veldhoen M. and Brucklacher-Waldert V. ‘Dietary Influences on Intestinal Immunity’. Nature reviews. Immunology. 12.10 (2012): 696–708.
12. Watzl B., Bub A., Brandstetter B. R. and Rechkemmer G. ‘Modulation of Human T-Lymphocyte Functions by the Consumption of Carotenoid-Rich Vegetables | British Journal of Nutrition | Cambridge Core’. British Journal of Nutrition 82.5 (1999): 383–389.

Detoxification, Latero-Flora, Oxy-Powder, Probiotics

Back down to earth with a bump: the January detox and what alcohol does to the gut and liver

If anything defines the seasonal period then it might be said to be indulgence. All that rich food, piled up on plate after plate and meal after meal. And, of course, all that alcohol too. Alcoholic consumption spikes at this time of year and, although there’s nothing wrong with having a good time and unwinding (in fact, it can obviously be good for your health), overindulging in food and drink can be very bad for your health. Especially if you do it often.

No surprise then that in January people can feel like they’ve come back down to earth with a bump and, thus, gut detoxification – or detox as it’s often known – is especially popular with them during that month. And done right; it’s far from a bad idea.

Alcohol-derived gut and liver problems

It’s widely known that excessive – or even unmoderated, regular consumption of – alcohol can cause many health problems. To be fair, there really are too many of them to cover properly in a single article like this, so let’s focus on just a few and, in particular here, one: what effect alcohol can have on what the gastrointestinal system – dysbiosis (bacterial imbalance in the gut)1.

You may not know but the gastrointestinal tract contains an entire ecosystem of bacteria, which are often referred to as gut microbiota. When we think of bacteria, we often only think of ‘bad’ harmful bacteria (the sort that are the basis of infections, for instance) and, sure, they form an amount of the microbiota in the gut, but it’s also made up of ‘good’ healthy bacteria (the sort that form the basis of probiotics that many people take to ensure good gut health). When taken together then, these microbiota are critical for successful digestion, good immunity and even mental health2.

Now, while it’s fairly widely known that an unhealthy diet rich in refined sugars and artificial additives can negatively affect this microbiota balance (tip the scales too much in favour of the ‘bad’ bacteria over the ‘good’ bacteria), too much alcohol can also contribute to this negative imbalance, upsetting and disrupting the equilibrium and intestinal environment3. In addition to dysbiosis, though, overconsumption of alcohol can lead to gut permeability – or ‘leaky gut syndrome’4.

What’s this? Well, it sees ‘bad’ bacteria escape the gut through thin membranes and into other parts of the body (bacterial translocation)3, which can lead to inflammatory issues and injuries in the liver, as well as elsewhere in the body5. And, while we’re on the subject of the liver, too much alcohol can also result in cirrhosis (scarring of the organ) and fatty liver disease (when more than 5-10% of the organ’s weight is fat)6.

How can you protect your gut from alcohol?

Before we go on, it’s probably only fair to address the fact that some experts believe alcoholic consumption, in the form of drinking red wine in moderation, is good for you and can ‘promote’ gut health, owing to it containing polyphenols (chemicals that naturally occur in plants and possess antioxidant properties)2. Indeed, a particular study suggests that red wine increases Bifidobacterium and Prevotella levels in the gut, thus lowering the levels of plasma lipopolysaccharides (an endotoxin whose presence in the intestinal tract triggers an immune response)7.

However, it’s fair to say that, in general, the less alcohol you drink the better for your body it’s going to be. So the trick is not to overconsume alcohol at any time of the year, eat a decent amount of highly healthy, green, leafy vegetables and whole, raw foods. Moreover, you might consider taking a recommended probiotic supplement to promote the growth of ‘good’ bacteria and ensure a balanced gut environment.

Supplements

Speaking of which, if you feel in need of something of a body cleanse or detox following an indulgent Christmas and/ or New Year, the following detox supplements may interest you – they’re available through The Finchley Clinic:

oxy-powder-120-capsules

Oxy-Powder (120 capsules) – a high quality oxygen based colon cleanser that helps promote friendly intestinal flora

latero-flora-60-capsules

Latero-Flora (60 capsules) – its probiotic ingredients help establish friendly colonies that contribute to good health and systemic function and support optimum digestion and helps you absorb more nutrients from food.

References

  1. Mutlu E. A., Gillevet P. M., Rangwala H., Sikaroodi M., Naqvi A., Engen P. A., Kwasny M., Lau C. K. and Keshavarzian A. ‘Colonic microbiome is altered in alcoholism’. Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol. 2012 May 1; 302 (9): G966-78. doi: 10.1152/ajpgi.00380.2011.
  2. Engen P. A.; Green S. J., Voigt R. M., Forsyth C. B., and Keshavarzian A. ‘The Gastrointestinal Microbiome: Alcohol Effects on the Composition of Intestinal Microbiota’. Alcohol Res. 2015; 37(2): 223–236.
  3. Medscape. ‘Alcohol and Gut Microbiota’. medscape.com Pharmacol Ther. 2015; 41 (10): 917-927.
  4. Bode C. and Bode J. C. ‘Effect of alcohol consumption on the gut’. Best Pract Res Clin Gastroenterol. 2003 Aug; 17(4):575-92.
  5. Purohit V., Bode J. C., Bode C., Brenner D. A., Choudhry M. A., Hamilton F., Kang Y. J., Keshavarzian A., Rao R., Sartor R. B., Swanson C., and Turnerk J. R. ‘Alcohol, Intestinal Bacterial Growth, Intestinal Permeability to Endotoxin, and Medical Consequences’. Alcohol. 2008 Aug; 42 (5): 349–361.
  6. Alzheimer’s Association. ‘Korsakoff Syndrome’. Alzheimer’s Association. 2016.
  7. Clemente-Postigo M., Queipo-Ortuño M. I., Boto-Ordoñez M., Coin-Aragüez L., Roca-Rodriguez M. M., Delgado-Lista J., Cardona F., Andres-Lacueva C. and Tinahones F. J. ‘Effect of acute and chronic red wine consumption on lipopolysaccharide concentrations’. Am J Clin Nutr. 2013 May; 97(5):1053-61. doi: 10.3945/ajcn.112.051128.