GABA – One girl’s cure for stress cases everywhere!

It seems as though stress levels just keep on climbing year after year in our fact-paced world. Technology has made us accessible 24/7, and the world is getting faster and more intense every day. So, how is it possible that we, being only human, can keep up with the demands? Well, as we all know, it is a constant challenge. Rates of existing and new chronic illnesses are on the rise with every passing year, and sometimes it feels that there aren’t tons of things we can control. But luckily for us, our health is one of the most important things we have control over. And even luckier for us, there are some natural treasures that can help us deal with the world when stresses are high and we just can’t keep up.

My #1 go-to supplement when the world is kicking my butt and I just can’t keep up with the physical and mental demands is my best friend GABA! Its full name is Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid, and although it is chemically an amino acid produced in the body, its chief function is acting like an inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain. In simple speak, this means that GABA regulates the excitability of our nervous system response, acting to basically disconnect our mind from mental stress and anxiety. In my own experience of particularly stressful and overwhelming times, I find that GABA really helps to take the edge off when you feel like your nerves just can’t take a minute more.

Now, you may be wondering if it’s alright to take GABA on a regular basis during a stressful period - and it is! As GABA is naturally produced in our bodies, we are well acquainted with its actions, and taking it in excess of what our body makes is perfectly acceptable. Daily dosages for GABA range from 200-1000mg per day depending on the need. I would highly recommend spending a few extra bucks on a good brand, as it can – literally – make all the difference.

So, when your life seems a bit out of control and you need a little mental vacation, pop a GABA before bed or whenever you need to take a breath throughout the day. Although some of us are more sensitive than others, I feel GABA’s smooth effect within minutes.

So, make room in your bathroom cupboard, GABA’s coming to stay! 

Lisa Batson, CNP

Holistic Nutritionist &

Wellness Consultant

Live Dynamic

647.278.8703

www.livedynamic.ca

STRONTIUM AND OSTEOPOROSIS

Overview:

When it comes to osteoporosis the public has been fooled over the years to think dairy consumption is the answer to building and keeping healthy bone.   The fact is North American’s have the highest consumption of dairy products along with the highest rate of Osteoporosis. We also have the highest consumption of meat.  In countries where dairy and meat are rarely consumed, they have the lowest rates of Osteoporosis.  How can this be?  Well for one thing, dairy is not the most bioavailable form of calcium.  Our bodies can obtain calcium far easier from a plant-based diet.  Also, meat is acidic, so when we consume large amounts of meat, calcium is often leached from our bones in an attempt to alkalinize it.   

Age is also another factor that affects the balance of tearing down and the rebuilding of bone.  Normally old bones are torn down and reabsorbed by cells called osteoclasts while osteoblasts build new bone tissue to replace it.  When we age, this balance is disrupted, especially for women during menopause due to the reduction of estrogen which can slow down the tearing and building process.  What does this mean?  The bone quality is lacking causing brittle bones. 

To help with underlying causes of low bone mass and quality, there needs to be a component that not only slows bone resorption, but has the ability to create new bone as well.  That’s where Strontium comes to the rescue.  This wonderful trace mineral is a vital component of the skeletal system and where 99% of this mineral is found.  New research confirms that Strontium not only slows down the breakdown of existing bone, but it boosts the body’s ability to build new bone as it causes an increase in the area covered by bone building osteoblasts, and decreases the number of bone dissolving osteoclasts in bone tissue, and the amount of surface they occupy. 

A study was conducted where 1649 postmenopausal osteoporosis women were divided in two groups.  One group took a placebo with calcium and vitamin D3, and the other group took 680 milligrams of elemental strontium for 3 years along with calcium and D3.  The results were amazing!  The placebo group unfortunately lost 1.3% of their lower spinal bone, but the group receiving Strontium and D3 & Calcium increased their bone mass by 14.4%!  To put this in perspective, Fosamax one of the most powerful osteoporosis drugs, increased the body mass index no more than 5.5% even combined with other therapies.

Supplementation:

Strontium is not effective without Calcium but they cannot be taken at the same time because Strontium and Calcium use the same pathways for absorption in the intestinal tract.  So taking these two minerals at the same time would reduce absorption.  Strontium can however be taken with vitamin D3. 

The recommended dosage for Strontium per day is 600-700 milligrams.  Strontium should be taken either

1-hour before breakfast or 3 hours after your last meal

The recommended dosage for Calcium per day (including diet) is 1000 milligrams for young adults, and 1200 milligrams for people over the age of 50.  Some evidence even suggests 1300-1600 milligrams of Calcium to lower the fracture risk in the elderly.

Until recently, the drug companies only help for osteoporotic women and others with bone health concerns, were drugs that slow down the resorption of bone, but they did not create new bone tissue, and these drugs had their share of side effects.  Strontium on the other hand, is part of our genetic makeup, and research has shown it has powerful bone structure and function properties with no side effects.  So when it comes to bone health, Strontium is definitely an important mineral to consider.

Susan J Morton

Second Chance Nutrition

secondchancenutrition@hotmail.com

905 995-4791

 

Why Do We Need Nutritional Supplements?

By Maria E. Roldan, RNCP, ROHP, NNCP

A common complaint I get from clients, family and friends to whom I recommend nutritional supplements is that they don’t like taking “pills”. They think the pills are too big, too many and too expensive. I wish I had a short answer for the “Why do we need nutritional supplements?” question.  That’s why I decided that my first blog post for “Healthy Hotties” would be about this subject.

Let me start by saying that I am a Holistic Nutritionist that truly believes in a “Foods First” approach. Which means….yes, you guessed it: eat your vegetables, cut down on junk food, drink plenty of water and eat a lot of fiber-rich foods among other things. This is a very simplistic recommendation but a great starting point for anybody that wants to begin a healthier lifestyle.

Unfortunately, due to the hectic/modern/stressful lives we live, it is almost impossible to get all the nutrients you need from food alone. Here are some reasons why:

Most foods are harvested before they are ripe, that is, before they have developed their full nutrient potential.

Foods grow in soils exhausted of their essential elements.  If the minerals are not in the soil, they will not be in our food. Most of Canada’s soil is deficient in minerals – especially iodine, selenium, iron, zinc and chromium. Furthermore, synthetic fertilizers deplete minerals.

Highly processed foods that are depleted of nutrient content. Food companies are only worried about making their foods taste good and long lasting (shelf life). What does that mean? Adding preservatives and flavour enhancers, in other words: chemicals!

Genetically modified foods (GMO). Foods bred to resist disease or to retard decay and improve appearance but not for nutritional content[i].

Stress increases our demand for nutrients and if our nutrient level is low, it will deplete the body’s stores of vitamins and minerals.

Drugs deplete nutrients. Both socially accepted drugs (e.g. alcohol, caffeine, nicotine) and pharmaceutical drugs interfere with our bodily utilization of many vitamins, minerals and trace nutrients. Pharmaceutical drugs are the worst. They block metabolic pathways which prevent nutrients from being fully utilized. The most commonly used nutrient-depleted drugs are laxatives, antacids, painkillers, antibiotics and the birth control pill.[ii]

Lack of exercise. Inactivity contributes to poor circulation and inadequate lymphatic drainage. This affects the rate at which nutrients are delivered and toxins are removed.

Biochemical Individuality. We are all biochemically different, thus, certain organs may be genetically weak or different in size, shape or ability. Such differences result in specific nutrient needs.

Lastly, as Dr. David Rowland says, “Perhaps we could get all the nutrients we need from food alone some 100 years ago, before the dominance of “agribusiness” and processed foods. Nowadays this is becoming an increasingly naïve notion. Food supplements are no substitute for eating correctly, but they can be a wonderful enhancement to it”.

I hope you found this information helpful. If you have further questions please do not hesitate to contact me (maria@rediscoveryourhealth.com). And remember: the key to a successful supplementation plan is to use it as a supplement to a healthy diet and having a health professional help you re-evaluate it at least every 6 months because your nutrient needs are in constant change.

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[i] Vanderhaeghe, Lorna and Bouic, Patrick. The Immune System Cure. Viking Canada. Toronto, ON. 1999.

[ii] Rowland, David. Food Alone is Not Enough. Rowland Publications Inc.  Parry Sound, ON. 1996