Dr. Anders Nerman, N.D. Naturopathic Doctor in Israel
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Chanukah Health Exclusive: The 8 Miraculous Properties of Olive Oil

11/27/2013

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Oil is of major importance to the celebration of Chanukah. We customarily eat “oily” potato pancakes (latkes) and “oily” donuts (Sufganiyah). As well, it is a preferable custom to use “olive oil” when lighting the Chanukiah. 

Keeping on this Chanukah theme, I would like to share what I consider to be the 8 miraculous properties of olive oil.  Many scientific studies have shown that there are exceptionally good reasons to include more olive oil in our diets and I would like to talk about why that is the case.

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Health Miracle #1: Olive Oil Lowers Risk of Heart Disease by Lowering Cholesterol:

Traditionally doctors prescribed a low fat diet to prevent various diseases such as heart disease and diabetes. While studies did show that high fat diets could increase the risk of certain diseases such as cancer and diabetes, it appears we now know that it is the type of fat that counts rather than the amount of fat.  

When looking for the right source of fat one should definitely consider olive oil. Olive oil is unique in that it is the plant highest in a type of fat called monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs). Nuts and seeds also contain MUFAs but not as much as olive oil.  MUFAs are considered a healthy dietary fat and if your diet emphasizes monounsaturated fats like MUFAs instead of saturated fats (red meat and whole-milk dairy products, including cheese, sour cream, ice cream and butter) and trans fats (in some processed food products) you may gain certain health benefits.

We now know that MUFAs found in olive oil may improving the major risk factors associated with cardiovascular disease. For instance, MUFAs may lower your total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels. As well, recent studies indicate that regular consumption of olive oil can help decrease both systolic and diastolic blood pressure.

Try choosing MUFA-rich foods such as olive oil instead of other fatty foods like butter and stick margarine to get the best results. It may take some getting used to but Extra Virgin olive oil tastes really good schmeared on your toast, bagels, or corn on the cob!

Health Miracle #2: Olive Oil reduces Inflammation and this can lower the risk of developing Breast and Prostate Cancer:  

The phytonutrient in olive oil oleocanthal has similar chemical effects to that of ibuprofen making it particularity good in reducing inflammation. Investigations showed that oleocanthal was actually substantially more potent in vitro.

Inflammation causes many problems in the body. It is likely that this oleocanthal compound is the reason for much of olive oils health benefits.  If an olive oil consumer ingests an average amount of olive oil/day the amount of the oleocanthal consumed only equates to a relatively low (10%) equivalent dose of ibuprofen (recommended for adult pain relief). Chronic low doses of ibuprofen and other COX inhibitors such as aspirin are known to have important health benefits in the prevention of cancer development (e.g. colon and breast) and Cardiovascular Disease. Therefore, long-term ingestion of oleocanthal via EVOO consumption may contribute to a reduction in chronic disease development and certainly emerging evidence supports this idea.  

Studies on oleocanthal have shown it to be effective in fighting certain types of cancer.  Studies have reported that oleocanthal possesses anti-proliferative effects in human breast and prostate cancer lines in vitro.

Health Miracle #3: Reduces Oxidative Stress:

Extra virgin oil is rich in plant antioxidants, especially vitamin E, a potent antioxident. Monounsaturated fats, (MUFAs) are particularly interesting in that they do not oxidize in our bodies. This is unlike polyunsaturated fat (PUFAs) that do oxidize. The oxidization of a fat creates what are called Lipid Peroxides that are formed mostly in polyunsaturated fatty acids in the presence of oxygen and put a lot of oxidative stress on the body. Please note however that does not mean that polyunsaturated fats (PUFAs) (found in foods such as Walnuts, Sunflower Seeds, and Sesame Seeds) are bad for you but it just means that MUFAs may be a better choice in providing less oxidative stress. PUFAs have other major benefits to our health so to cut them out would be a mistake.

Consuming olive oil as a replacement to other oils will decrease the total oxidative stress on your body that will likely reduce the risk of heart disease and cancers and will promote longevity.

Health Miracle #4: Lowers the Risk of Alzheimer’s Disease

Studies were done that showed significant findings demonstrating that oleocanthal inhibits tau fibrillization. The fibrillization of tau proteins leads to neurofibrillary tangles in the brain which are inherently associated with neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease. Without getting too technical – it has been postulated that since olive oil’s unique compound oleocanthal has been shown to slow down this process of tau fibrillization it could be said that it may also prevent or slow the development of Alzheimer’s Disease. Further studies still need to be done to prove this hypothesis but it does seem likely.  

Health Miracle #5: Reduces Risk of Type 2 Diabetes

It has been demonstrated that a diet called the Mediterranean diet (a diet indigenous Mediterranean region) that is rich in olive oil, low in saturated fats, moderately rich in carbohydrates and soluble fiber from fruit, vegetables, and grains is the most effective approach for diabetics. It appears that this diet improves blood sugar control and enhances insulin sensitivity.

A recent Spanish study published in the scientific journal Diabetes Care showed that a Mediterranean style diet can reduce type 2 diabetes by almost 50 percent compared to a low fat diet. Type II diabetes is the most common and preventable form of diabetes.

Health Miracle #6: Good for Osteoporosis:

A high consumption of olive oil appears to improve bone mineralization and calcification. It helps calcium absorption and so plays an important role in aiding sufferers and in preventing the onset of Osteoporosis.

Health Miracle #7: Reduces the Chances of Developing Rheumatoid Arthritis and Osteoarthritis:
Although the reasons are still not fully clear, recent studies have proved that people with diets containing high levels of olive oil are less likely to develop rheumatoid arthritis.

Further as mentioned above the anti inflammatory properties of oleocanthal draws attention to it as potential therapeutic compound that may be of interest in the quest to find suitable natural NSAIDs for the treatment of joint degenerative disease. This has still yet to be proven outside of laboratory studies however.

Health Miracle #8: Lowers the Risk of Stroke

A recent study from France showed that the “intensive” users of olive oil, those that used for both cooking and dressings had a 41 percent lower risk of stroke compared to those that did not use olive oil at all. These results were noted even after considering weight, diet, physical activity and other risk factors.

How much Olive Oil Should I consume?

I recommend up to two tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil a day is needed to be beneficial to your health and wellbeing. Having said this, note that it is essential to replace the other “bad” fats you are consuming with good ones like those found in olive oil to really achieve any health benefits. If one just adds olive oil without reducing the bad oils, then one may just be adding unnecessary calories into their diet. Olive oil is quite high in calories so don’t go over do it!

Proper Storage:

Be aware that light, air and heat can affect the taste of olive oil and effect its health-promoting compounds. Store olive oil in a dark, room-temperature cupboard, or even in the refrigerator. The fats and healthy phytonutrients in olive oil can slowly degrade over time. Always use Extra Virgin Olive Oil as it is the one richest in these compounds.

Can I cook with Olive Oil?

There is a bit of a machlochet (debate) out there in regards to if it is good or not to cook with olive oil. Many natural health practitioners claim that cooking with olive oil creates toxic byproducts or converts the olive oil to a bad oil.  However, when I researched this myself I found that this is not totally scientifically accurate. As mentioned previously monounsaturated fats (MUFAs) do not oxidize easily at room temperature.  Several studies have shown that extra virgin olive oil produces fewer oxidation products than polyunsaturated oils when heated – so it really is a very good choice for cooking. The smoke point for olive oil (the point when real toxic biproducts are released) is 200°C. It is possible that at frying temperatures for prolonged periods of time with little food in the pan one could reach this temperature, but being mindful of this and making sure to not overcook the food or leave the oil burning in the pan that one would be quite safe in using olive oil. I therefore think that it is not a problem to cook with Olive oil despite what I had heard as long as one is careful.

Conclusion:

I believe that the evidence has made it apparent that if one chooses to make Olive oil a regular part of ones diet while at the same time reducing their consumption of saturated and trans fats, one has a much greater chance of reducing the risks of some of the greatest health concerns of our era. Olive oils ability to help us do this, in my opinion, is truly miraculous.  Happy Chanukah!

Dr. Anders Nerman, ND

Dr. Anders Nerman, N.D. is a Naturopathic Doctor with an Integrative Family Medical practice in Wolfson Medical Center in Jerusalem, Israel. For more visit www.drnerman.com or call 972-54-427-8667.

Information is provided for informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for the advice provided by your physician or other healthcare professional. Always speak with your physician or other healthcare professional before taking any medication or nutritional, herbal or homeopathic supplement, or adopting any treatment for a health problem.


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 What to Eat This Winter to Avoid Getting Sick

11/25/2013

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Winter is a time when many people tend to naturally reduce their activity and exercise. One should therefore consider reducing the amount one eats during the winter. Weight gain is a real issue during the winter and has a substantial effect on health.

Research shows that most people gain an extra pound during this time. This doesn’t sound like much, but research shows most people do not lose this weight the following year. Over time, this pound-a-year weight gain can quickly add up to the 15-20 pounds that many of us struggle with. What makes this a real concern is that being overweight has been shown to be one of the leading risk factors associated with developing heart disease, diabetes and many cancers. So in the winter it’s important to minimize the amount of food you eat to avoid gaining this one-pound weight unnecessarily. Try to continue or increase exercise if possible.

Aside from eating smaller portions, here are a few tips on what to eat from a Chinese medical perspective to keep the body strong during the winter and to avoid colds. The Chinese very much understood the nature of the seasons and its effect on the body.  They suggest avoiding raw foods during the winter as much as possible, as these tend to cool the body, which weaken our immune system. During winter you should emphasize warming, nurturing foods like:

·       Soups and stews

·       Root vegetables

·       Beans

·       Miso and seaweed

·       Garlic and ginger

Eating warm hearty soups, whole grains, and roasted nuts can help to warm the bodies core and to keep us healthy!

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Coffee Revisited: A Critical Look at the Health Effects of Caffeine

11/10/2013

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I am sitting in my office in Jerusalem with a really bad headache. The “I am trying to get off of coffee” kind. Most of my life I was not a coffee drinker but at some point during Yeshiva I just needed a pick-me-up to keep me going---and so began the long term relationship with coffee. Seven years and approximately 4000 cups of coffee later I am beginning to wonder why I need more and more coffee and why I am feeling so tired all the time.

As a naturopathic doctor we are supposed to live what we preach but sadly, in regards to coffee consumption, I am not a very good role model. The naturopathic profession always spoke about how detrimental coffee was for a person’s health.  I have written this article not only for the health conscious reader, but also as a reminder for myself as to why it is important to try to kick this habit. Having prefaced this article with this coffee self-confession, I can now begin to talk to you about the health realities of coffee.


What is it about coffee that makes it so desirable?

Coffee contains caffeine.  In 1994 scientists established that caffeine was an addictive substance. Why do most people not look at coffee this way? When 80% of people are drinking coffee every day it becomes extremely hard to see caffeine for what it really is-- a drug.

Caffeine is in coffee, green tea, black tea, chocolate, coke and other soft drinks. The average cup of drop coffee contains 136 milligrams of caffeine per cup. Three cups per day (my latest average) means one is consuming more than 500 milligrams of caffeine – twice the amount considered a large drug dose of caffeine.  A five minute steeped black tea has between 40-100mg. Coca has 45mg.

How does caffeine work?

Soon after you drink or eat something containing caffeine, it’s absorbed through the small intestine and dissolved into the bloodstream.  Its chemical nature makes it able to penetrate the blood-brain barrier and enter the brain, which is where most of the action of this drug takes place.

Once in the brain caffeine is blocks Adenosine receptors. Adenosine normally activated its receptors which cause a chain reaction that makes us feel tired. Caffeine works by getting to those receptors first and blocking the receptors from being able to accept the Adenosine. Without the adenosine activation the receptor will not be able to trigger the feeling of tiredness.  As well, some of the brain’s own natural stimulants (dopamine) work more effectively when the adenosine receptors are blocked, and all the surplus adenosine floating around in the brain cues the adrenal glands to secrete adrenaline, another stimulant.

Regardless of the scientific chemical ways that caffeine works, one thing is forsure, caffeine makes us less tired and more alert. With the ever-increasing work and family demands we are in need of more and more energy and it appears that as a society we reach out to the drug caffeine to help us cope. But the question is clear - what are the long-term side effects of taking an addictive drug?


Why is caffeine/coffee so bad for our health?


What happens is that people who consume coffee, tea, soda or energy drinks with caffeine on a daily basis eventually begin to have altered brains with adjusted brain chemistry. The most notable change is that brain cells grow more adenosine receptors. As I mentioned above, Adenosine receptors control the feeling of being tired. With more receptors we are going to need increased amounts of caffeine to block them or we will end up feeling even more tired. As well, studies indicate that caffeine causes the brain to decrease the number of receptors for norepinephrine, our natural stimulant that gives us energy.  In other words – Drinking Coffee makes us more tired in the long run.  

What else is coffee/caffeine doing to my body?

Although research has not always been consistent, caffeine has been implicated as a definite or contributing factor in reactive hypoglycemia, anxiety, panic attacks, depression, moodiness, insomnia, hypertension, fibrocystic breast changes, impaired fertility, headaches, cardiac arrhythmias, and acid reflux.

As can be ascertained from the above list, coffee is not a good choice for people who have with these concerns or anyone trying to avoid the their development. 

Aside from the abovementioned disease states caffeine causes a host of other problems.

Depletes Magnesium: Caffeine has been noted to block Magnesium from being absorbed in the body, which is a critical mineral, involved in relaxing muscles – so you may end up with body aches and pains as a heavy coffee drinker. Note that the Fibromyalgia patients have 20% less magnesium to begin with, so coffee is a really bad idea for people suffering from Fibromyalgia.

Depletes B vitamins: Most common is B1 – responsible for energy metabolism, protein synthesis and nervous system function. Deficiency leads to fatigue, and headaches.

Pesticides: Yes it is unfortunate but true. Growers of coffee use more pesticides on coffee plants than on any other crop.

Nitrosamines: These naturally occurring substances in coffee are the same carcinogens found in bacon and other cured meats.

Dehydration: Caffeine is a diuretic. For each cup of coffee you drink you lose a cup of water. When drinking it you are actually not getting any water intake.


Adrenal exhaustion: Feeling extremely tired? Remember I mentioned that adrenal glands secrete the stimulant adrenaline. The problem is that eventually the adrenal glands start to burn out from being stimulated for adrenaline too much by the caffeine.

Suppressing Optimal Digestive Functioning: The response of the body to coffee is to not "rest and digest" but to shunt blood away from the stomach. Eating food while drinking coffee is therefore not a good idea. Food left in the stomach will ferment, putrify and turn rancid. Nutrients and mineral will not be absorbed.

Acidic: The acidic nature of coffee will over time kill a lot of the healthy bacteria in your stomach. Health problems associated with decreased good bacteria are: acne, constipation, diarrhea, recurring colds and flu’s, colitis, IBS, and fibromyalgia.

Blood Sugar Chaos: Caffeine makes blood sugar levels rise slightly. Adding sugar and milk to your coffee further worsens this increase in blood sugar. What happens is that the sugars are then removed rapidly from the blood into the cells via insulin but the effect is that you are left more sugar deficient in the blood (reactive hypoglycemia) than you started before drinking the coffee. Then you end up craving more sugar and feel tired shortly after your coffee – it’s a vicious cycle.

Is there any good news about Coffee?

It is an antioxidant, which is generally a pretty good thing. It also is associated with reduced incidence of certain chronic diseases, namely gallbladder disease, Parkinson’s disease and type 2 diabetes. But green tea has the same effect (at least on reducing the incidence of acquiring diabetes) with much less caffeine and a much wider variety of bioflavonoids, antioxidants and anti cancer properties.

What are some Coffee Alternatives?

Start kicking your caffeine addiction by replacing coffee with green tea or herbal teas. Drink a lot of water.

What are some healthy alternatives I can use for improving my energy?

There are a lot of healthier ways to support energy production in the body. Diet, nutrition, exercise, certain vitamins and herbs can help you safely support the body as it tries to cope with the rigors and stresses of work and life demands.

 
The final word on coffee:

It’s clear from the abovementioned information that caffeinated Coffee is not a good long-term solution for dealing with our need for more energy. It has been shown to have many negative side effects and seriously affects our bodies while at the same time altering our brain chemistry. What’s worse – it contains a known addictive substance that makes us more tired in the long run. Although coffee has some real benefits, in my opinion, they do not outweigh the negative effects it causes to our overall health. Hopefully this article has inspired you to think a bit more critically about the nature of coffee and possibly given a few of you the “boost” you needed to quit drinking coffee for good.


Dr. Anders Nerman, N.D. is a Naturopathic Doctor with an Integrative Family Medical practice in Wolfson Medical Center in Jerusalem, Israel. For more visit www.drnerman.com or call 972-54-427-8667.

Information is provided for informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for the advice provided by your physician or other healthcare professional. Always speak with your physician or other healthcare professional before taking any medication or nutritional, herbal or homeopathic supplement, or adopting any treatment for a health problem.


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The  "GARLIC TRICK" - The Ultimate Home Remedy for Chest Colds

11/4/2013

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If you or someone you know gets sick this winter with a chest cold there is a home remedy that one should definitely consider using to clear the chest of mucus and help kill the invading bacteria in the lung - Garlic latin: Allium Sativa sp.  I want to share with you the secret of how to properly prepare the Garlic so that the "Garlic Trick" will work for you.

This well known home remedy was one of the first I learned in Naturopathic Medical school years ago and it has proven itself effective time and again for helping my patients get over nasty chest and head colds fast. Although most people know that eating garlic during a cold helps boost the immune system many people don't know the most important ingredient to making this Garlic "trick" work---exposure to oxygen/air, time and crushing of the garlic. Why? Because research has shown that by crushing the garlic one exposes the chemicals inside the cells to air which activates a chain on chemical reactions necessary to create its antibacterial and antiviral components. In this way Garlic chemically acts much like those "hot pockets" one uses when skiing to warm their hands - exposure to air to start the chemical reactions.   Research has shown crushed garlic to be bacteriostatic, antiviral and antifungal inhibiting the growth of a wide range of pathogens including Staphylococcus sp., Neisseria meningitidis, Corynebacterium diphtheria and Vibrio cholera. Chopped garlic that has been exposed to the air for 10-20 minutes will do the trick!

I usually recommend that one raw clove is finely chopped and exposed to air for 10-20 minutes. This can be swallowed 1-2 times/day while sick. (Note it can be very hard to swallow if raw - one good way to eliminate the strong scent is to take it mixed in honey). Garlic is one of the best herbs for upper respiratory (chest) infections because the antibacterial chemical in garlic is excreted out of the body through the lungs thereby acting strongly on bacteria in the lungs. Cooking the garlic will remove the antibacterial compounds and make it ineffective.

This may come as a surprise to some but caution should be taken when using fresh garlic in high amounts. It is not appropriate for people with stomach ulcers, gastrointestinal reflux or other stomach conditions as it can irritate the stomach lining. As well, fresh raw garlic should not be used during early pregnancy due to its uterine stimulant action and during breastfeeding as it tends to cause colic in babies.  Also diabetics with unregulated blood sugar so should not use garlic because it affects insulin levels.  Fresh garlic may increase the effects of anticoagulant drugs like Warfarin so people on blood thinners or people going into surgery should not use it.

Garlic is really one of the easiest and most effective home remedies available for chest colds! It works fast and effectively if properly prepared. So remember to crush that garlic for better health this Winter! it will do the trick!


Dr. Anders Nerman, N.D. is a Naturopathic Doctor with an Integrative Family Medical practice in Wolfson Medical Center in Jerusalem, Israel. For more information visit www.drnerman.com or call 972-54-427-8667 for a FREE 15-minute consultation or to book an appointment.

Information is provided for informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for the advice provided by your physician or other healthcare professional. Always speak with your physician or other healthcare professional before taking any medication or nutritional, herbal or homeopathic supplement, or adopting any treatment for a health problem.






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    Dr. Anders Nerman, N.D. is a Canadian-trained Naturopathic Physician living and practicing in Jerusalem, Israel.

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