So Obvious, It's Revolutionary

One of my main recommendations for folks who are having trouble sleeping is a simple one:  Turn out the lights.  I've heard folks say they "can't" fall asleep without surfing the web right before bedtime, or having the TV on in the bedroom.  But late night exposure to light suppresses the body's natural production of melatonin, our main sleep hormone.

Melatonin is produced by a tiny gland at the base of the brain called the pineal gland.  The pineal gland releases melatonin in response to darkness, and this signals the brain to go into sleep mode.

Recent findings have shed more light (so to speak) on the importance of darkness and melatonin.  Melatonin has antioxidant effects in the body that protect against cancer.  Nurses who work the night shift (and therefore get round-the-clock light exposure) produce less melatonin, and are at significantly higher risk for breast cancer (1, 2).

A new study found that even low light levels in the sleeping room at night can produce symptoms of depression (3).  Granted, this study was done using hamsters, but the biological effects were clear:  depressive symptoms after four weeks of dim light at night.

Depression?  Insomnia?  Cancer risk?  Turn out the lights:  shut off all screens (TV, computer, iPad, smartphone, etc.) 30-60 minutes before bedtime.  Get rid of the night lights and television in the bedroom.  You might even want to move that bright LED alarm clock away from your head.  Allow a few weeks for your body to readjust to what is becoming a scarce, but highly valuable, commodity:  darkness.

1. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2012 Apr;21(4):609-18. Epub 2012 Feb 7.
2. Cancer Causes Control. 2006 May;17(4):539-45.
3. T A Bedrosian, Z M Weil and R J Nelson.  Chronic dim light at night provokes reversible depression-like phenotype: possible role for TNF.   Molecular Psychiatry , (24 July 2012).

If You Value Freedom, Then Read On

This Independence Day, my family watched the movie 1776, a dramatic reminder of the birth of our nation, and the risks the founding fathers were taking to stand for freedom from tyranny.  The Declaration of Independence was not just a piece of paper -- it was a set of principles that was carefully crafted and debated, with at least one founding father resigning from Congress rather than participate in what he viewed as treason.

We carry the legacy of liberty two hundred thirty-six years later, and indeed, it is what makes our country great.  Not perfect, but still an order of magnitude above so many oppressive regimes in the world.  With this tradition of freedom so firmly etched into our national identity, it's sometimes challenging to get the message that certain boundaries do make us healthier and happier.

We live in the land of endless choices:  two hundred channels on cable, but nothing worthwhile to watch.  Fifty varieties of pasta sauce on the grocery store shelf.  Clothing in any color or style imaginable.  Is this what our founding fathers fought for?

The most famous phrase in the Declaration of Independence is "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness."  Did you know that when it comes to choices, more is not always better?  Dr. Barry Schwartz has done rigorous research in this area, and found that more options increase happiness -- up to a point.  Beyond that, we become increasingly anxious, or even paralyzed, by the number of choices we're faced with.




With so many choices, we are led to believe (especially by the marketing industry) that there is some option out there that is perfect for us.  Paradoxically, though, we often end up regretting what we chose, because we imagine that one of the other options out there might be better still.

In the area of health care, pharmaceutical companies advertise prescription drugs directly to consumers.  Why market something to the general public that needs to be prescribed by a physician?  So that we go to our medical doctor and demand that drug, rather than relying on the expertise of the doctor to prescribe what is best for our health.

We suffer from too many options -- fast food, processed food, endless sources of electronic entertainment to deprive us of exercise and sleep.  In this sense, naturopathic medicine is counter-cultural:  a major principle we have is vis medicatrix naturae, or the healing power of nature.  In other words, get back to the basics -- simple, nourishing food, restful sleep, regular physical activity, and conscious methods of stress management.  Discover how to fit these into your life, and be on constant guard for the seduction of excessive choice under the guise of "liberty," that in reality detracts from our life and pursuit of happiness.

Exercise, Sunrise, and a Reminder

You've probably gotten the message by now that exercise is essential to health and longevity.  Newer research (performed locally here at the University of Illinois) even shows that resistance exercise helps prevent cognitive and memory decline in the elderly.  The question often comes up, though:  What type of exercise is best?

Different forms of physical activity can serve different purposes.  For example, if fat loss is the goal, then a specific program of "burst" training, such as Sprint-8, has been shown to boost the body's production of human growth hormone, leading to significant decrease in fat tissue.  This approach uses very short (30-second) bursts of maximal effort (e.g., on a stationary bike), followed by 90 seconds of low-to-moderate effort, repeated over 8 intervals.  With warm-up and cool-down, this translates into a 20-minute workout that, performed properly three times per week, can provide more fat-burning punch than 45 minutes of daily walking.

No matter what type of exercise is chosen, the key is to provide some variety and enjoyment.  Here's a secret:  for a long time, I resisted exercise, because of negative associations with team sports (just look back at my P.E. transcripts).  Gradually, I learned that exercise can be (a) enjoyable, (b) done in a non-competitive atmosphere, and (c) more about health than image.

This morning, I went cycling across Lake Vermilion (Danville folks are familiar with the Denmark Road causeway).  I love this route early in the morning, with the sunrise over the water, spying a blue heron on the strand, and being watched warily by a family of raccoons.  In spite of our ongoing drought, the trees all along the shore provide a luxuriously green border.  This natural setting is exercise for the soul, at the same time that I'm exercising my body.  In fact, there's plenty of scientific evidence that exposure to natural surroundings can decrease blood pressure, stress hormones, and improve immune function.  In Japan, this is called Shinrin-yoku, literally "taking in the atmosphere of the forest," or just Forest Therapy for short.

This past weekend, I went kayaking in Kickapoo State Park:  another opportunity for Shinrin-yoku, and a great upper body workout.  I got to thinking that this would be a wonderful form of cardiovascular and strength exercise for those with hip and knee pain.

My bicycle route also took me past a small cemetery -- a reminder of the final destination for all of us.  It's also a reminder of the steps we can take to maximize the years of our life, and maximize the health and well-being we pack into those years.  Every choice we make can have an impact on our health -- choose wisely.

The Key Nutrient for Weight Loss, Lowering Cholesterol, and Controlling Blood Sugar

When you think of nutrients, do you think of vitamins and minerals?  These are essential components of a healthy diet -- and best consumed in whole food form, rather than from supplements in most cases.  Something else we don't always think of as a nutrient, but is just as critical to health, is dietary fiber.

When you hear "fiber," you may think of a bottle of Metamucil, to help with constipation.  While it's certainly true that that is a benefit of a fiber supplement, whole food sources are much better.  Supplements tend to contain just one kind of fiber, called insoluble fiber, which helps to clean out the bowels - that by itself is important to health and quality of life.  But you can go beyond that:  Whole food sources of soluble fiber are associated with obesity prevention, lower blood cholesterol, better blood sugar control, and even lower risk of colon and breast cancer.

So how much is enough?  Most Americans get about 8-14 grams of fiber per day, but even mainstream nutritional guidelines recommend 25-35 grams per day!  If you're eating the Standard American Diet (S.A.D.), start working on increasing your fiber intake to improve your health.  This is best done gradually, to avoid digestive upset.  Also, don't just reach for a fiber supplement -- make fiber-rich foods a part of your daily diet:

• Vegetables
• Flaxseed (grind 2 Tablespoons daily)
• Pears, prunes, pineapple
• Legumes (beans)
• Nuts (almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts)

Pots and Pans

If you've read my blog or heard me speak, you know I'm an advocate of eating whole, natural foods as the best path to health -- no matter what specific diet you follow.  The one thing that eating more healthy foods from scratch requires is more time in the kitchen.  Just think of it -- up till about 70 years ago, folks didn't have a choice but to spend a good chunk of the day cooking.  The advent of fast food and processed "convenience" foods brought with them the promise of "freedom" -- the word that makes every American heart sing.

But what are we free to do?  Spend more time on our butts in front of the TV or computer?  My very busy family manages to find time to fit home-cooked meals into our daily schedule -- it's just a matter of readjusting priorities.  And in the evening, when it's my turn to do the dishes, I reflect on how this is not just a chore -- it's part of the gift of good health for my family.

Bad for the Body, Bad for the Mind: Are You Eating this Harmful Ingredient?

One of the key markers of a highly-processed diet is trans-fatty acids, or trans fats.  These abnormal fats are a result of either deep frying or a process called hydrogenation, which is used to extend the shelf life of packaged foods.  Doughnuts, cookies, crackers, French fries, or almost any fried fast food are rich sources of this insidious killer.

Numerous studies in recent years have found that these are more of a culprit in raising the risk of heart disease, stroke, and diabetes than the oft-maligned saturated fats.  Recently, researchers have found that trans fats have an impact on mood and behavior as well.  Spanish researchers in 2011 found a direct relationship between intake of trans fats and risk of depression.  On the flip-side, consuming monounsaturated fats (such as olive oil and avocados), or polyunsaturated fats (such as fish oil, nuts, and seeds) decreased depression risk.

Just a few months ago, researchers at the University of California San Diego found that higher trans fat intake is associated with increased aggression and irritability.  And once again, the polyunsaturated fats correlated with increased agreeableness and reduced impulsivity.  While this doesn't prove that trans fats cause increased aggression, it just adds to the mountain of evidence for avoiding this toxic ingredient.

One caveat:  trans fats are harmful in and of themselves, but they are also a marker for highly processed foods.  And one thing that American food manufacturers are good at is manipulating processed foods to follow the latest trends in nutritional awareness -- just look at the labels touting "Trans Fat Free," "Low-Carb," "Low-Sodium," etc.  Your best bet is to stick as much as possible to real, whole foods -- foods as close to their natural plant or animal source as possible.