The Sun is Shining and life feels much better at this time of year despite the ongoing pandemic. I thought I would share information from a lecture I did a few years ago on healthy summer practices so you can feel empowered to have a better summer. Let us start with reminding ourselves of the benefits of Sunshine. Sunshine acts as a natural analgesic (pain reliever). Sitting in the warm sun causes the release of endorphins which are feel good chemicals that we all need after a long winter spent indoors.

Sunshine exposes you to ultraviolet rays both UVA A rays and UVB rays. UVA rays are always present and can come through glass like a window. These rays damage skin and cause wrinkles. This is why selective sun exposure is important versus excessive.  UVB rays are produced by the sun hitting your skin and are highest from 10 am to 2 pm. These rays are lowest in the morning and evening. UVB rays produce Vitamin D in your body.

Sunshine gives you Vitamin D which is often deficient in our northern latitude. Vitamin D is important for bone health. It is also a potent immunomodulator which is critical in managing autoimmune disease. Improving Vitamin D levels can also support and encourage anti-cancer protection. Vitamin D helps maintain proper cell growth.  In fact, improving levels of Vitamin D may reduce your risk of cancer by 30 to 50%.  Vitamin D if deficient can make you more at risk for having a heart attack. You can ask your doctor to check your Vitamin D to find out what your level is.  I recommend checking Vitamin D 25(OH) once a year in the spring.  I can order this but it does cost money. To maximize Vitamin D presently, I recommend exposing your body (arms, legs, abdomen and back) to the sun without sunscreen for 20 minutes, three days a week between 10 am and 2 pm. Protect your face with a wide brim hat. If you do this from April to September you will be getting enough Vitamin D.  Be sure to check your levels with your Doctor though first. People that are very deficient may need to supplement Vitamin D3 in special cases. Apply sunscreen after your twenty minute exposure to protect your skin. Vitamin D toxicity is rare but the first sign is high calcium level in the blood. I am not going to talk about supplementation because it is very individual and you would need to talk to me about it in a consultation.

One thing I want to mention though if you are taking Vitamin D3 in a supplement, you need to also supplement Vitamin K2. K2 tells your body to put the calcium in your bones vs the blood vessels. If you are supplanting with Vitamin D, you should ensure you are also taking Vitamin K2. The recommended daily allowance of Vitamin K2 is 90 mcg/day. A comprehensive bone support would also have magnesium and other minerals such as boron. Book an appointment with me to talk further about bone health if you would like more specific information. Food sources of K2 include fermented foods such as natto, goose liver pate, gouda and brie cheese.

Protection from the Inside from Sun Exposure. Astaxanthin is sunscreen in a pill. It is a red carotenoid that has strong free radical scavenging activity. It is produced by the microalgae Haemotococcus pluvialus when it is exposed to the sun. This carotenoid protects the microalgae from excessive sun exposure so it protects us too. 2 mg is a typical starting dose for Astaxanthin. It can be dosed up to 4 weeks to protect your skin when you are getting regular sun exposure and want extra sun protection. Hope this is helpful for you. Book an appointment with me if you want to talk specifics. Thanks, Dr. Vinge 4032321283

 

I just did a lecture on the Microbiome and Mental Health for Cenovus in the last month. The more I research and study the more I want to pass on to you.  So the health of your gut is imperative to all of your physiology as I have talked about in previous blogs. If you eat a poor diet, high in saturated fat, sugar, processed food you essentially create a gut that is more likely to be colonized by pathogenic bacteria. If you have gut dybiosis which can be looked at via tests such as the GI Map or can be discerned via the symptomatic picture (gas, bloating, abdominal pain, diarrhea or chronic constipation, brain fog, anxiety, depression for instance), you are more likely to be colonized by gut pathogens. 

Because the gut is connected to the brain by the enteric nervous system and by the vagus nerve (this is believed to be the case at this time) and because gut bacteria have been shown to create many metabolites inclucing neurotransmitters, they may play a big role in how we feel on a daily basis. Gut bacteria that are pathogenic that have been associated with depression include Clostridium species, Alistipes,E. Coli, Shigella, Salmonella, Vibrio, Campylobacter, Yersinia, Enterocolitica, Aeromonas, Listeria for starters. How is it proposed they influence the brain and how we feel? Research has shown that chronic infections induce T cell activation, inflammatory cytokine formation, macrophage activation, and increased oxidative stress which may impairs neurotransmitter function. Working to improve your gut health may improve your brain and mood feasibly.

How can we eat to improve our mood with diet? Patients with depression show reduced levels of Lactobacilli and Bifidobacteria which are essentially lower levels of good bacteria.  Diets with lower levels of omega 3 fatty acids, lower in fish, nuts, beans, and whole grains were associated with higher incidences of depression. If you consume a healthy diet such as a low glycemic Mediterranean Diet, rich in prebiotic foods and probiotic foods, high in fibre especially the Microbiota Accessible Carbohydrates, fermentable fiber for the gut bugs such as resistant starch, you will positively influence your microbiome. All these factors will improve the production of short chain fatty acid, which in turn, will support the growth of healthy good bacteria in the gut and will contribute to neuroproctection and attenatuate inflammation.  Aim for fibre to be greater than 50 grams (In Africa they eat 70-120 grams daily), low saturated fat, high in omega 3 fatty acids (chia, hemp, flaxseed, wild seafood). Emphasize polyphenols (unsweetened whole berries, raw nuts, unsweetened cocoa, green tea, apricots, olives, etc) which increase good bacteria and suppress the growth of bad bacteria. 

if you work every day on improving your diet and eat for your microbiome, surely you will notice a difference in or your ability to maintain a better attitude, cultivate better relationships with others and improve your daily disposition. If you are interested in improving your health status,  talking more about your diet and your microbiome, please book an appointment with me at Parallel Wellness downtown Calgary. Kind regards, Robin

References: Gut Bowels and Behavior: The Groundbreaking Story of the Gut Brain Connection C:2013. The Pyschobiotic Revolution: Mood, Food, and the New Science, Scott C. Anderson, John F. Cryan, Ted Dinan Dec. 2019

 

As I have been researching the microbiome and how best to support it, I thought I would put a list of tens way in which to optimize gut flora.

1. Make 75% of your plate vegetables and plant- based foods in general. Plants are high in fiber and accessory nutrients that feed good bacteria. Fruits and vegetables that are brightly coloured like pomegranates, kiwis, and cranberries fit the bill.
2. Eat more fiber. Aim for seventy grams which helps lower rate of chronic diseases. Nuts, seeds, and legumes are high in fiber and feed healthy bacteria.
3. Make sure you eat resistant starch found in yams, taro, plantains, rutabagas, celery root and konjac root noodles. Gut bacteria digest resistant starch and produce short chain fatty acids such as butyrate, acetate and proprionate which have a wide range of positive effects on health. These starches do not spike blood sugar.
4. Eat more prebiotics like broccoli, artichoke, asparagus, onions, leeks, garlic. These foods help the growth of bugs that nurture the mucous layer of your gut.
5. Cut out refined carbohydrates, sugar and artificial sweeteners. These are hard on your gut microbes.
6. Consume healthy fats such as omega 3 found in wild seafood and ground flax seeds or chia seeds or hemp seeds.
7. Exercise outdoors for at least 30 minutes daily. Hike in the woods to increase your exposure to microbes in your environment. (Exercise outside led to increase in beneficial butyrate producing bacteria. Butyrate is a short chain fatty acid which can reduce inflammation in your body.)
8. Get more quality sleep. Aim for 7- 8 hours of sleep. Get to bed by 10 pm and wake at 6 am if possible.
9. Reduce your stress. Breathe and incorporate mind/body components such as yoga, tai chi or martial arts.
10. Minimize alcohol consumption which contributes to gut permeability.