FABULOUS FIBER
NEWSLETTER: MARCH 2011
We all know we need fiber in our diet to facilitate good stool function. Fiber is the non-digestible parts of the foods we consume. Fiber is found in fruits and vegetables, nuts and seeds, grains and legumes (beans). Processed and refined foods often have much of their fiber removed. For example, a slice of white bread has 0.6 grams of fiber whereas a slice of whole grain bread has 1.7 grams of fiber. One cup of corn flakes has 0.7 grams of fiber compared to 4.0 grams in a cup of cooked oatmeal. A cup of cooked white rice has 0.6 grams of fiber while a cup of cooked brown rice has 3.5 grams.
BENEFITS OF FIBER:
The benefits of fiber were clearly demonstrated back in the 1940’s when British surgeon Dr. Dennis, Burkitt, while doing public health work in Eastern Africa, found native Africans eliminated the wastes from food they eat within 30 to 35 hours while for his fellow Britons it was often up to 72 hours. In addition, The Africans had virtually no constipation, hemorrhoids, diverticulosis, diverticulitis, colitis, spastic colon, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), Cohn’s disease or colon cancer. These problems are common in America and other Western countries. The African intake of fiber was found to be around 40 to 50 grams per day obtained from their natural diet.
For Americans the daily intake of fiber is 10 to 15 grams. For many it is much less. Research shows cultures around the world that have high fiber content to their diet have substantially less colon problems. Yet when such cultures begin eating the refined, processed, low fiber diets so common to Americans, they develop the same colon diseases that so many of us have.
The key to preventing colon problems is to increase transit time. Transit time is the time it takes from the moment you eat a meal to the time you eliminate the wastes from the digestion of that meal. The shorter the transit time, the less chance there is of waste material accumulating and sticking to the walls of the colon (large intestine). Fiber increases transit time by moving waste material through the colon and out through the stool.
The colon is constructed of a series of pouch-like segments called sacculations. When waste material is not moved out of the colon in a timely manner, this material begins to accumulate on the walls of these colon sacculations which begin to balloon. Accumulation of waste also decreases the diameter of the colon, leaving only a small opening for fecal matter to pass on through. As this process continues, the eliminative process becomes more and more sluggish and the potential develops for the kind of colon problems mentioned above.
The wastes produced by the body’s digestive process pass into the colon in a liquid form. Muscular contractions move this liquid along the walls of the colon which begin to absorb the water from this liquid material. The solid material that is left forms the stool which is then eliminated. In order to do this, the muscles of the colon must be able to contract. This contraction, called peristalsis, is what moves waste material along its walls and out the body. For this process to properly work, the diet must contain two basic types of fiber, soluble and insoluble.
SOLUBLE FIBER:
Soluble fiber dissolves in water and forms a gel as it passes through the intestinal tract. As it does this it picks up both current waste material and wastes that may have accumulated along the walls of the colon due to lack of consistent elimination. Since soluble fiber retains water, it helps to keep the stool liberated and thus facilitates a soft balky stool for easy elimination. Soluble fiber also slows down the rate of glucose absorption from the break down of carbohydrate after a meal. This can be very beneficial to a diabetic. Soluble fiber also complexes with bile acids which are made from cholesterol in the liver, stored in the gallbladder and secreted into the small intestine to digest dietary fats. By complexing with soluble fiber, this cholesterol derivative is prevented from being reabsorbed and is instead eliminated in the stool thus helping to lower cholesterol levels.
INSOLUBLE FIBER:Insoluble fiber does not absorb water and basically acts as roughage to promote peristalsis which is very important to the movement of waste material through the colon. Insoluble fiber passes through the intestinal tract unchanged and adds bulk to the stool. Many insoluble fibers contain chemical compounds called lignans which have been show to have therapeutic effect in the body. Several lignans found in flax seed have been shown to have anti-inflammatory activity and be protective against both breast and prostate cancer.
Many commonly used plant sources of fiber contain both soluble and insoluble fibers. Psyllium husks contain a mixture of 70% soluble and 30% insoluble fibers. Oar bran is around 50% soluble and 50% insoluble fibers whereas wheat bran is around 90% insoluble fiber. Flex seed is a good source of fiber and provides insoluble fiber about two to one over soluble fiber.
DAILY INTAKE OF FIBER:
The 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends 14 grams of fiber per 1000 calories consumed. So, if you consume a 2,500 calorie diet, you should eat approximately 35 grams of fiber per day. To get this much fiber requires a diet plentiful in fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds, whole grain products and legumes. Many Americans can’t or won’t eat such a diet. You can supplement the diet by adding fiber products such as wheat and oat bran, psyllium husks and ground up flax seed. Such fibers can be added to cereals, yogurt, and various baked goods. At Milk’N Honey we carry a product called Fortified Flax which is a ground up flax seed food which can be eaten right out of the package. It has a flavorful nutlike taste. See our "product of the month page" for more information on Fortified Flax.
Getting sufficient fiber in the diet on a daily basis can go a long way toward preventing colon disease and facilitating better all around health. Daily eliminating the wastes of metabolism is essential to a healthy body. Begin today to increase your daily fiber intake.
RADIATION AND YOUR HEALTH
Because of the events currently taking place in Japan, much attention has been given to the effects of radiation on the health of living organisms. The two basic types of radiation are ionizing and non-ionizing radiation. Ionization is the process where an atom loses or gains electrons resulting in creation of an electric charge. Ionizing radiation occurs when sub-atomic particles, referred to as photons, and/or electromagnetic waves, become energetic enough to separate electrons from atoms to create an electric charge. Such ionization produces free radicals (atoms or molecules containing unpaired electrons) that are very reactive. Examples of ionizing radiation are ultraviolet rays, X-rays, gamma rays and nuclear fallout.
Non-ionizing radiation refers to any type of electromagnetic radiation that does not have enough energy to remove electrons from atoms in order to ionize them. Non-ionizing radiation, when passing through a living organism, has sufficient energy only to elevate the movement of electrons to a higher energy state. The light from the sun is largely composed of non-ionizing radiation, with the notable exception of ultraviolet rays which are largely filtered out by the earth’s atmosphere. Most wireless electronic devices use non-ionizing electromagnetic radiation such as microwaves and radio waves. The effect on health of non-ionizing radiation continues to be investigated, especially in light of the tremendous increase in cell phone usage and usage of numerous other electronic devices.
IONIZING RADIATION AND FREE RADICALS:
Effects of ionizing radiation on health are well established. Exposure to such radiation will create free radicals in living organisms. Free radicals are not a bad thing in and of themselves as they will protect the body by destroying disease causing pathogens. The body actually creates free radicals for this purpose. Free radicals become harmful to the body when they are produced in amounts over and above what the body can positively use and instead begin to destroy healthy tissue. This is what occurs with exposure to ionizing radiation from nuclear fallout.
While we all are exposed to some ionizing radiation on a daily basis and are subsequently having free radicals formed in our bodies, our bodies are designed to neutralize free radicals through the action of antioxidants. Antioxidants neutralize free radicals by limiting their ability to create oxidation. Oxidation occurs when oxygen unites with a substance and when electrons are added to or removed from the atoms making up a substance. Oxidation, which results in the breakdown of a substance, is the result of free radical activity.
Vitamin E is a well known antioxidant that will actually sacrifice itself when confronted with a free radical in order to protect us from further damage. Beta carotene, vitamin C, CoQ10, and the minerals selenium and zinc all work as antioxidants. The mineral selenium must be present in order for the body to make the antioxidant enzyme glutathione peroxidase. Without this mineral present in the diet, this enzyme will not be formed, and we reduce our level of protection from fatty acid oxidation.
One type of free radical that is created in our bodies in significant amounts is called the superoxide. During normal aerobic (with air) cellular metabolism, oxygen and nutrients from food combine to create the basic energy molecule of life called adenosine triphosphate (A.T.P). It is during this process that superoxide free radicals are formed. An antioxidant enzyme called superoxide dismutase (SOD) along with another enzyme called catalase, removes the superoxide by converting it to oxygen and water. This oxygen and water is then recycled by the body and used for other purposes. The body can produce around five million units of SOD per day. If your level of nutritional intake is poor, the production of SOD will diminish. There is also a gradual diminishing of this enzyme as we age.
IONIZING RADIATION AND THE MINERAL IODINE:
The mineral iodine is needed by the thyroid gland to produce the hormone thyroxine which plays a vital role in cellular metabolism. Iodine has also been seen to remove toxic chemicals from the body, suppress auto-immune activity, strengthen T-cell immune activity and protect against abnormal growth of bacteria in the stomach. It has been shown that a number of body tissues have receptor sites for the iodine molecule which indicates iodine is necessary for a variety of physiological processes in addition to its association with thyroid function.
Nuclear fusion creates radioactive iodine 131. When the body is exposed to iodine 131, it is taken up by iodine receptor sites, especially those present in the thyroid gland. When this occurs, thyroxine producing thyroid cells are destroyed by the radiation produced by iodine 131 and normal metabolic functions are disrupted. Iodine 131 can also cause cancer. Interestingly, radioactive iodine is used medically, under controlled conditions, to kill thyroid cells that are producing too much thyroxine resulting in an over active thyroid (hyperthyroidism).
A common treatment method for preventing iodine-131 absorption is to saturate the thyroid with non-radioactive iodine-127, as the iodide salt called potassium iodide. This is an ionic compound of the mineral potassium and the mineral iodine. Iodine is a neutral molecule whereas iodide is a negatively charged ion. The thyroid will absorb very little of radioactive iodine-131 after it is saturated with non-radioactive potassium iodide. The radioactive iodine-131 is excreted. The dosage for adults is 130 milligrams (mg) of potassium iodide per day, given in one dose, or divided into portions. This is equivalent to 100 mg of iodine. The protective effect of iodine-127 at this dosage level lasts approximately 24 hours. Therefore, this dosage level should be maintained on a daily basis until exposure to high levels of radioactive iodine is reduced.
This is a therapeutic dosage of potassium iodide and should only be taken by those in close proximity to nuclear fallout. This dosage level is not for everyday use.
OUR DAILY NEED FOR IODINE:
Research has shown iodine to be a dynamic in prevention of breast disease. It is interesting that ductal cells in the breast, the ones most likely to become cancerous, are equipped with an “iodine pump” which is responsible for the uptake of iodine. This pump mechanism is just like the one responsible for the uptake of iodine by the thyroid gland. The very presence of such a pump in the breasts shows iodine to be a necessary nutrient to the health of this tissue. In addition to the thyroid and breasts, a number of other tissues possess an iodine pump and include the stomach mucosa, the salivary glands, ovaries, thymus gland, the skin, choroid plexus in the brain, which makes cerebrospinal fluid, and the joints, arteries and bone.
Iodine is known to induce a process called apoptosis which is programmed cell death. This process facilitates the destruction of cancer cells and cells infected with viruses. It has been shown that when human lung cancer cells are caused to take up and utilize more iodine, they undergo apoptosis and shrink.
Since there is apparent need for iodine in many ways other than for thyroid function, it may be wise to consider increasing dietary iodine. The daily requirement for iodine is recommended at 150 micrograms. This amount was established by the government many years ago as the minimum required to prevent thyroid deficiency. Since many additional needs for iodine have been identified, it may be that higher levels of iodine intake are justified. The Japanese average over 12,000 micrograms of iodine per day obtained from there normal diet which is high in iodine containing sea weeds such as kelp and dulse.
At Milk ‘N Honey, we carry a product called Tri-Iodine from the company EuroPharma which provide 12.5 milligrams (12,500 micrograms) of iodine in one daily capsule. We also carry potassium iodide in 225 microgram (mcg) tablets. For those who may want to keep a high dosage potassium iodide supplement on hand in case of a local nuclear accident, we make available a 30 milligram tablet that could be taken four times in a day which would provide close to the recommended dosage for protection from radioactive iodine.
PROTEIN SUPPLEMENTS
NEWSLETTER: MAY/JUNE 2011
A great variety of protein supplements are available in the marketplace and choosing the right one for you can be very confusing. Here is an overview of the kinds of protein supplements available and how they differ.
WHEY PROTEIN:
Whey protein is a by-product of cheese making. Milk contains about 80 percent casein protein, and 20 percent whey protein. When you add an enzyme like rennet to milk, it causes it to curd. This process separates the semi-clear whey, which rises to the top, from the heavier curded casein which sinks to the bottom. The whey is siphoned off from the casein and the curded casein is processed to become various types of cheese. The whey is then processed into a powder and sold as a protein supplement.
Cottage cheese is a good example of a food containing both whey and casein. Cottage cheese is milk that has been separated into casein and whey by the action of enzymes. The lumpy curds are the casein and the liquid part is the whey. Cottage cheese use to be called curds and whey.
All proteins are made of amino acids which are the building blocks of the hundreds of different proteins that make up our body. The body uses 20 amino acids of which 12 are called non-essential, not because we don’t need them, but because our bodies can make them. The other 8 are called “essential” because our body can not make them and we must obtain then from the food we eat. When protein is digested, the amino acids are released and become the building blocks of muscle tissue, enzymes, hormones and other body parts.
Whey protein contains all 20 amino acids and is high in branch chain amino acids which, as seen below, are very important to muscle growth and maintenance. Whey protein breaks down quickly into its amino acids and becomes readily available for use by the body. Therefore, whey protein is ideal for taking right before and after a workout as it will provide an immediate supply of amino acids to repair and rebuild muscle tissue that was stressed during the workout.
CASEIN PROTEIN:
Casein, because it forms a gel in the gut, releases amino acids more slowly into the body and provides long term support for repair, strengthening and maintenance of muscle tissue. Casein is especially helpful in weight training where muscle tissue is more readily broken down and must be rebuilt over a period of time. Since much tissue repair takes place during the first four or five hours of sleep, casein protein is ideal to take before bed time as it will provide a sustained feed of amino acids for repair work while sleeping. Because casein protein slowly enters the blood stream, its most powerful effect is that it suppresses protein breakdown and therefore protects muscle from losing protein. Muscle growth is dependent on a balance between protein synthesis and protein breakdown. To build muscle, you want to increase protein synthesis and decrease protein breakdown. This can be achieved by consuming both fast acting and slow acting proteins such as found in whey and casein.
SOY PROTEIN:
Soy protein supplements are made by cleaning, cracking, de-hulling and rolling soybeans into flakes. The soy oil is then removed from the flakes and the flakes are dried. This de-fatted product forms the basis of the three major soy product categories: soy protein concentrate, soy protein isolate and textured soy protein. Soy protein is considered a complete protein and contains all 8 of the essential amino acids. The speed of utilization for soy protein versus animal protein such as whey and casein is that soy protein is utilized slower than whey but faster than casein. In general, plant derived proteins are not as biologically active as animal sources of protein. Studies have revealed that while both soy and milk proteins increased protein synthesis, such protein synthesis was greater after using milk derived protein as opposed to soy derived protein.
EGG PROTEIN:
The protein in eggs has a biological quality greater than any other natural food. Egg protein contains 18 of the 20 amino acids our body uses and all 8 of the essential amino acids in the exact proportions required by the body for optimum growth and maintenance of muscle tissue. Protein from eggs is readily utilized by the body. An average sized egg contains about 6.3 grams of protein. The albumen (egg white) has 3.597 grams of protein and the yolk has 2.696 grams of protein. The yolk also has a fat content of around 5.6 grams and 210 mg of cholesterol. The yoke contains a number of vitamins and minerals and is especially high in choline which is an essential nutrient for brain function. Egg white powders are available as a supplement.
CONCENTRATED, ISOLATED AND HYDROLYZED:
These are all terms that tell you the extent of processing that has been done to a particular protein source. If the label says protein concentrate, it means much of the water, carbohydrates, lactose, minerals, and fat has been removed from the protein source which results in the protein being more concentrated than it was before processing. Such concentrates are usually around 80% protein. Isolates are further stripped of non-protein materials to yield concentrations of pure protein of 90% or higher. Hydrolyzed proteins are proteins that have been partially broken down into their respective amino acids which allows for faster utilization once ingested. Hydrolyzed proteins are sometimes referred to as pre-digested.
BRANCHED CHAIN AMINO ACIDS:
Branched-chain amino acids (BCAA’s) are leucine, isoleucine and valine. They are called branched-chain because their structure has a “branch” off the main trunk of the molecule. The combination of these three essential amino acids (ones that must come from the diet) makes up approximately one-third of skeletal muscle in the human body. They are very important to the rebuilding and maintenance of muscle tissue. Supplementation with these amino acids can protect muscle from excessive breakdown during intense workouts. Leucine is also effective in causing insulin secretion from the pancreas and therefore lowers elevated blood sugar levels. It also aids in growth hormone production. Isoleucine stabilizes and regulates blood sugar and is needed for hemoglobin formation.Valine is important to maintenance of proper nitrogen balance in the body. These amino acids are found in both animal and vegetable protein.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
Most Americans get enough protein if they eat a good mix of animal and vegetable products as protein is well distributed in the food chain. Some vegetarians lack sufficient protein and may need to consider adding a vegetable based protein supplement to their diet. The world health organization and many national health agencies have independently conducted studies which all conclude our daily protein requirement should be between 10% to 15% of our daily caloric intake.
For individuals who work out on a regular basis, there may be a need for additional protein to prevent muscle wasting. Since muscle tissue is primarily made up of protein, you can be at risk for breaking down protein faster than you are replacing it. This leads to a reduction in muscle tissue which is the opposite of what you are trying to accomplish through exercise. Therefore, it is important you eat not only sufficient amounts of protein but also complex carbohydrates and some fats as a source of fuel for energy production to insure that the body doesn’t go to using protein for energy production when working out. One must also be careful, however, not to overdo it with protein. Studies have shown that excessive amounts of protein intake can increase bone loss and facilitate osteoporosis. This is due to the high levels of phosphorous and sulfur in protein which increases the acidity of the blood leading to greater loss of calcium in the urine.
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT CALCIUM
NEWSLETTER: JULY/AUGUST 2011
An adult's body contains two to three pounds of its total body weight in calcium, making it the most abundant mineral in the body. Ninety-eight percent is found in bones, 1% in teeth, and the remaining 1% (about two-thirds of a tablespoon) is found in soft tissues and body fluids. The body continually adjusts the amount of calcium in the blood in order to keep it at an exact level.
Calcium is a critical mineral in the development and maintenance of hard tissue such as bone and teeth. It is also required for heart muscle contraction and regulating the heart beat. It assists in the utilization of iron, helping it pass through cell walls. Calcium quickens the reflexes by aiding the nervous system in impulse transmission and helps to alleviate insomnia. It is an important mineral in blood coagulation and in the activation of numerous enzymes.
The body strives to maintain certain ratios between calcium and other minerals in order to maintain homeostasis. For example a blood ratio of approximately 2:1 calcium over phosphorus is necessary for the body to function properly. If there is too much phosphorus coming into the body from the diet, the body will draw calcium from the bones into the blood to maintain this ratio. Since the typical western diet is high in phosphorus compared to calcium, this diet becomes a serious dynamic in the development of osteoporosis. The western diet often has a reverse ratio of 2:1 phosphorus over calcium and often much higher. This has led to a dramatic increase in osteoporosis and other hard tissue problems. Phosphorus is found in high amounts in animal products and in processed and refined foods.
FORMS OF CALCIUM FOUND IN FOOD:
Elemental calcium is inorganic as it does not contain carbon which is what defines a substance as organic. However, most calcium is bound to an organic agent and therefore is considered an organic substance. For example, the most common form of calcium is calcium carbonate where you have inorganic elemental calcium bound to organic carbonic acid which is made from water and carbon dioxide. This form of calcium is generally 40% calcium and 60% carbonic acid. It is found in limestone, marble, dolomite rock, and egg and oyster shells. Calcium carbonate is the form most often used in calcium supplements as it is the least expensive to obtain. Supplements containing pure calcium carbonate require more hydrochloric in the stomach in order to be absorbed. This is why this form is used in antacids such as Tums as it will “soak up” stomach acid.
Some antacids are advertised as being good sources of calcium. While they are good sources of calcium, their calcium is in the form of calcium carbonate which is difficult to absorb due to its requirement for large amounts of hydrochloric acid. Many antacids contain aluminum, which inhibits the absorption of calcium, as well as creating toxicity for the body. Some antacids, such as Maalox, and Mylanta contain as much as 200 mg. of aluminum per tablet. When calcium carbonate comes into contact with hydrochloric acid, it is converted to calcium chloride which is better absorbed but it also enhances aluminum absorption.
Calcium found in vegetables is in the form of calcium gluconate where inorganic calcium is combined with gluconic acid produced from the oxidation of glucose. Calcium in this form contains 9.3% of actual calcium. The gluconic acid in this compound will also increase the bio-availability of dietary or supplemental magnesium. Calcium from animal sources is in the form of calcium lactate and consists of 12.5% calcium bound to lactic acid.
FORMS OF CALCIUM FOUND IN SUPPLEMENTS:
Bone Meal contains around 40% of a form of calcium called hydroxyapatite along with other minerals. Hydroxyapatite closely resembles the form of calcium found in the body’s bones and teeth. It is into this form the body processes dietary calcium in order for it to be utilized by the body in building and maintaining hard tissue. Hydroxyapatite can be obtained in supplemental form. As a supplement, hydroxyapatite is generally derived from bones of bovine animals. A negative with bone meal is that it sometimes has been found to be contaminated with lead and other heavy metals. At Milk ‘N Honey we carry a product called Boneup from the nutritional company Jarrow, which provides hydroxyapatite along with other nutrients necessary for building and maintaining the health of hard tissue. This is a high quality product where the hydroxyapatite is derived from animals tested for contaminates.
Dolomite, a pale colored mineral, is a mixture of 21.7% calcium carbonate and 13% magnesium carbonate. Oyster shells contain 37% elemental calcium in the form of calcium carbonate. Some oyster shell calcium supplements have been found to be contaminated with lead. Di-Calcium Phosphate consists of 29.5% calcium bound to phosphorus. Calcium aspartate consists of 12.5% - 20% elemental calcium bound to 80% - 87.5% aspartic acid. Between 50% and 90% of the calcium in calcium aspartate is absorbed by the body. Calcium Citrate consists of 21% to 22% calcium bound to citric acid. Calcium citrate dissolves easily in water and is regarded as being well-absorbed. Those with insufficient production of HCL will absorb approximately 45% of the calcium content of calcium citrate supplements.
ABSORPTION OF CALCIUM:
Calcium is widely available in the food chain being found in a wide range of animal and plant based products. Dietary calcium must be made soluble in the stomach and remain in a soluble state as it enters the duodenum, the first part of the small intestine which is the primary site of calcium absorption. This solubility in the stomach is made possible by the action of hydrochloric acid (HCL). In the small intestine the calcium must be chelated (attached to) calcium binding substances in order to be absorbed and utilized by the tissues. It is interesting to note that the absorption of calcium decreases as calcium intake increases. For example, one study demonstrated that an average of 60% of a daily supplement of 600 mg of calcium citrate was absorbed, while an average of 55% of a daily supplement of 1,200 mg of calcium citrate was absorbed. A low-calcium diet (300 mg of calcium per day) resulted in an average 71% absorption. The body has a way of closely regulating calcium absorption.
In addition to HCL in the stomach, vitamin D is absolutely essential for the utilization of calcium. Without enough vitamin D, calcium will not be utilized! As stated above, 98% of calcium is used to build and maintain bone tissue. Calcium, however, does not work alone in this process. The macro-minerals magnesium and phosphorous along with such trace minerals as silicon, boron and manganese are also very important along with vitamin K.
WHERE TO GET YOUR CALCIUM:
It is best to get your calcium from food where it is naturally chelated to various carrying agents that promote its absorbability and utilization by the body. It is also wise to eat more foods that have high calcium to phosphorous ratios. As discussed above, two much phosphorous in the diet leads to the body robbing calcium from the bones in order to maintain necessary blood levels of calcium. Even though more calcium supplements are taken by Americans than by those in other parts of the world, we still have the highest levels of osteoporosis and bone fractures than any other country. This is because the typical American diet is way too high in phosphorous. It is high in phosphorous because of our high consumption of animal products along with processed and refined foods which are high in phosphoric acid based compounds. Meats in general have a 10 to 200 calcium to phosphorous ratio. Even cow’s milk which is a good source of calcium has almost as much phosphorous as calcium with a ratio of 118 calcium to 93 for phosphorous. Vegetables, on the other hand, are generally higher in calcium than phosphorous. For example, leaf lettuce has a ratio of 68 to 25, turnip greens 246 to 58, kale 149 to 93, spinach 93 to 51 and broccoli 103 to 78. Fruit, nuts and seeds, legumes and grains generally have more phosphorous than calcium. EAT VEGETABLES and eat less animal products. Stay away from processed and refined foods. Eliminate soda water which is high in phosphoric acid.
SUPPLEMENTAL CALCIUM:
If you feel your diet is not giving you the calcium you need, it is wise to add a high quality calcium supplement to your diet. I would stay away from strict calcium carbonate supplements as they have been shown to not be well absorbed. This would include typical mass market calcium supplements often made from oyster shells. It is best to supplement with a chelated form of calcium where the manufacturer has taken elemental calcium and attached it to a carrying agent such as an amino acid or some other acid that is common to the body such as citric acid. Calcium citrates are felt to be very well absorbed and do not require a lot of HCA in the stomach. Production of HCL diminishes as we grow older and therefore a calcium citrate and other chelated forms of calcium can be helpful to older consumers. We carry a variety of chelated calcium products at Milk ‘N Honey. Some of the best calcium supplement products contain calcium derived from food sources and are naturally combined with many other nutrients necessary for proper calcium absorption and the building of hard tissue. At Milk ‘N Honey we carry Bone Strength Take Care from New Chapter and Vitamin Code Raw Calcium from Garden of Life. These are both high quality calcium products that provide very absorbable calcium along with many other nutrients necessary for maintaining the health of bone tissue. See our Product of the Month page for more information on Bone Strength Take Care.
HOW MUCH CALCIUM DO YOU NEED?
In general, calcium absorption becomes less efficient as we age. During infancy and childhood, 50-70 percent of the calcium ingested may be absorbed, whereas an adult might use only 30-50 percent of dietary calcium in his or her body. Some of this reduction in absorption may be the result of reduced need by the body while some reduction is due to less HCL production as we age. Since absorption of calcium is so variable, it is difficult to determine the right amount of calcium for all people. Many dynamics regarding absorption come into play. With the average absorption rate ranging from 30-50 percent for adults, the 800 mg. RDA may not be enough to prevent osteoporosis and other calcium deficiency problems. Possibly half of the population is getting less than the RDA, and many people are consuming a diet that supplies less than two-thirds of the RDA for calcium.
Research indicates a daily intake of 1,000 mg. (1 gram) is recommended for adult men and women. Pregnant and nursing women should be getting 1.5 grams per day of calcium. The calcium intake suggested for postmenopausal women has recently been changed to 1.5 grams per day with some additional magnesium and vitamin D because of higher elimination and decreased absorption in postmenopausal women.
People with high-protein, high-fat, or high-phosphorus diets need even more calcium. When we increase calcium, we should also increase our magnesium intake, keeping it at about one-half the calcium supply. Magnesium helps calcium stay more soluble, and thereby may reduce the risk of kidney stone formation and other calcification's. Many Americans are deficient in magnesium. Magnesium is largely found in green foods.HOW HERBAL SUPPLEMENTS ARE MADE
NEWSLETTER: SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2011
Herbal supplements have been in the marketplace for many years. Initially, herbs were simply ground into a powder and placed into capsules, pressed into tablets or processed into a liquid. If such herbs were processed at low heat, the consumer would get the full spectrum of constituents that make up the herb in whatever ratio those constituents naturally occurred in the herb. As time went on, specific compounds were identified in herbs to have therapeutic effects in the treatment of various health problems. Such discoveries led to the development of standardized herbal products where specific amounts of certain herbal constituents are made available in a product to the exclusion of other constituents. More recently, processes have been developed that provide the full spectrum of an herbs constituents while at the same time providing specific levels of certain constituents believed to be instrumental in dealing with a specific health problem.
The therapeutic benefit of a medicinal plant is closely related to the chemicals found in the plant. Extraction of these chemicals requires a variety of extraction methods to get the chemicals out of the herb and into the product being prepared. For example, while water can be used to extract some chemicals found in plants, other chemicals can only be extracted by using alcohol or some other solvent. Sometimes the same herb may be prepared in one way to treat a specific condition and in another way to treat a completely different condition. For example, using a water extraction process may extract a delicate group of anti-inflammatory plant steroids to treat arthritis while leaving behind non-water soluble chemicals. Yet when the same plant is exposed to an alcohol extraction process, the delicate steroids are degraded by the alcohol but different antibacterial alkaloids, which are only soluble in alcohol, are extracted instead. So while the water extraction of the herb may be used to alleviate inflammation, the alcohol extract may be used to treat various bacterial infections.
While some constituents can be removed from an herb by simple water extraction, many chemicals in herbs must be removed by other means. This is especially true of the fatty components of an herb which will not separate from the herb by water extraction. These fatty components are often the most therapeutic constituents of the herb. Manufacturers of herbal supplements often use solvents such as hexane to extract these substances. Hexane is a volatile hydrocarbon found in gasoline and used as an industrial solvent. Residues of such solvents can be found in the finished product. Some manufactures use high heat to remove fatty constituents which can degrade the fats and also destroy the water soluble constituents.In recent years, a process called supercritical extraction has become available to extract fatty constituents. The supercritical process uses highly compressed carbon dioxide in it gaseous state for this purpose. This process is called supercritical because there is a critical temperature point beyond which a gas will maintain its gaseous state and not turn to a liquid. In the case of carbon dioxide (CO2), the critical temperature point is 31 degrees centigrade. If CO2 gas is heated up to any temperature over 31 degrees centigrade (which would be over, or “super” the “critical” point), then it will not turn to a liquid no matter what the pressure. At high compression, CO2 has the density of a liquid, but is able to penetrate deeply into an herb and dissolve the fatty constituents of that herb. When the pressure is released, the gas dissipates into the atmosphere or can be collected and recycled. What is left behind are the fatty constituents of the herb. This process has been found to not damage the herbal constituents in any way and there is no residue of the CO2 in the extraction. When done correctly, this process can provide a broad spectrum of herbal constituents in a bio-available form.
Since not all herbal constituents can be removed through supercritical extraction, companies that use this method also use water and alcohol extraction methods when necessary to produce the desired results. The advantage of supercritical extraction is that no harmful solvents are used and this process is able to provide most if not all of the chemical constituents that make up the herb. While herbal products made by using supercritical extraction can be “standardized” to contain specific amounts of certain constituents, the users of such herbs are also getting the full spectrum of other constituents found in the herb. Therefore, this approach provides whole herb benefits while at the same time providing specified levels of components that are known to provide specific therapeutic effects.For example, a company called New Chapter makes available a number of supercritically extracted herbs which provide a broad spectrum of the herbs constituents while at the same time providing specific levels of particular constituents that are known for their benefits. One such herb marketed by New Chapter is Turmeric. Turmeric is known for its anti-inflammatory benefits which appear largely tied to compounds called curcumins found in the fatty constituents of turmeric. By using supercritical extraction, New Chapter is able to provide a fuller spectrum of curcumins and then concentrate certain ones known to have demonstrated therapeutic levels. Water and alcohol extraction is also used to make available additional curcumin fractions. The difference between New Chapter’s turmeric and other turmeric products is that the spectrum of curcumins is much broader and thus may provide a wider spectrum of health benefits. New Chapter has used supercritical extraction in a number of its products.
Supercritical extraction has added another dimension to the manner in which herbs are prepared. This procedure allows for a greater spectrum of herbal constituents to be present in the herbal product being prepared. However, it should not be concluded that one should only choose herbal products processed in this manner. There are many effective herbal products in the market place. When choosing an herbal product it is important to determine what benefit is desired and then seek out a product that will provide the greatest potential for such benefit to be obtained. This is why buying herbal products at a health food store that has knowledgeable personnel is important to obtaining the right herbal product for the health concern being addressed.