Vitamin C and Exercise May Share the Same Benefits

We sometimes find that beneficial foods, lifestyle interventions and medicinal herbs share the same mechanisms of action. Now it seems that this is also the case for exercise and vitamin C, as they have been found to share one of the same pathways for protecting cardiovascular health. While this doesn't mean you can swap exercise for supplements, it could mean that using both together is best.

As a high-risk group for cardiovascular diseases, overweight and obese people are strongly urged to exercise regularly, although more than half ignore this advice. For those who do, however, one of the benefits is a reduction in a protein known as endothelin-1 (ET-1). This constricts the small blood vessels, making it harder to deliver oxygen and nutrients, as well as clear out toxins, in every tissue, including the heart, which increases the risk of cardiovascular disease. Recently, Colorado researchers revealed their findings that 500mg of time-released vitamin C reduced ET-1 just as much as walking for exercise. Of course, this does not mean you can use vitamin C to get out of exercising, as it has many other benefits to muscle and bone health, among other parts of the body (and we are designed for physical activity!). However, this does build on the research of Linus Pauling, who hypothesised that our usually low intake of vitamin C (he recommended 10-12 grams) is behind the epidemic of cardiovascular disease.

Other research has also shown a protective effect of vitamin C against cardiovascular issues. An earlier case-control study (100 cases, 198 controls) aiming to see if vitamin C and other nutrients could protect against heart attacks found that, compared to the lowest quartile for vitamin C intake, those in the highest had an 80% lower risk of heart attack! Vitamin E and fibre both reduced heart attack risk by 70%. Vitamin C may also protect against repeat cardiovascular events. In a study of 800 people who already had heart attacks, those given vitamin C supplementation suffered a collective total of 55 events, compared to 75 in the placebo group. High doses of vitamin C can have fast-acting effects too. When healthy male volunteers were given 2000mg of vitamin C, arterial stiffness was reduced by almost 10% within hours! This may have been because it protected nitric oxide against oxidation. With these studies and more showing the benefits of vitamin C, why not combine vitamin C-rich foods and exercise for the best results?

Have You Seen This Method of Keeping Kids Healthy?

Several videos depicting Russian school-children running around wearing nothing but swimsuits as they play with snow and buckets of water in freezing winter temperatures have pretty much gone viral, because of social media users curious to see what Those Crazy Russians are doing now. But is it really crazy? Or, are Western parents the crazy ones for wrapping their children in cotton wool?

Source: Radziszewski.Marek

Olesya, head of Kindergarten Number 168 in Barnul, south Siberia, says that accusations of cruelty are entirely wrong. About 18 years before she was interviewed for this 2012 article, she and other teachers were concerned about their students' health. Influenza was common, and at times half of the children were sick. Now, much of these illnesses are prevented by children first doing exercises inside with their teacher, and then spending a minute and a half scrubbing themselves and playing with snowballs and buckets of water. It is said that in general, 95% of the children who participate in this are healthy during the flu season, compared to 75% among those who don't. The "dousing" goes on all year round, summer (which can reach temperatures of 30 degrees Celsius) and winter, unless it gets below -30C.

But is there any research to back this all up? Well, yes; for example, this small study suggests that swimming in cold water may "toughen" the body. Ten healthy people who regularly participate in winter swimming were found to have higher levels of glutathione, the "master" antioxidant, than usual. This may be because of mild, acute oxidative stress caused by the cold water exposure. In another study on winter swimmers, the swimmers had higher levels of glutathione, and lower levels of oxidized glutathione compared to healthy controls. This time, there were 36 winter swimmers and 40 "normal people" (who wants to be normal anyway?) The winter swimmers also had much higher levels of the antioxidant enzymes catalase and superoxide dismutase. Interestingly, their levels of non-oxidized glutathione, vitamin C and uric acid, which are all antioxidants, dropped significantly during swimming. All of this could mean that the stress caused by swimming in cold water triggers the body to produce more of its own antioxidants, in order to protect itself from damage. In fact, previous research found that winter swimmers suffered 40% fewer upper respiratory infections, validating Olesya's observations. On the other hand, if left alone, levels of antioxidant enzymes fall with age. Overall, perhaps a teaspoon of cement to harden up and a cold shower or swim could be the best "flu shot" for you, but if you have any cardiovascular or other chronic health issues, it is best to see your doctor first.

Vitamin O - Outside!

Did you know that, before pharmaceutical medicine, spending time in and near the ocean was considered a treatment for many ailments? It works for me in the case of skin and respiratory health, but it isn't outdated nonsense in the eyes of science either. Spending time outside has been shown in research to have health benefits!

What is this talking about? One example of this is a 2009 study from the Netherlands. It showed that living within one kilometre of a green space was linked with a lower incidence of 15 diseases, the strongest associations being for anxiety and depression. Asthma, migraines and diabetes were some of the other conditions where going outside had a protective effect. Some of the benefits come from the production of vitamin D when you are exposed to sunlight, which aids absorption of calcium, iron and zinc. It also helps to balance the immune system and strengthen muscles; actually, all tissue types have receptors for vitamin D and therefore need it for healthy functioning. Additionally, some swear by the benefits of exposure to negative ions, which are said to be in higher concentrations in environments such as the beach or countryside. A book by Professor Robert E Thayer cited research showing that negative ion exposure "increased energetic feelings as well as improved reaction time". Natural light is also known to lift people's moods. Compared with exercising inside, physical activity in natural environments is linked with better self-esteem and increased energy. Poor natural light is linked with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), which may be caused by a drop in serotonin and melatonin associated with darkness.

In the Netherlands study, a total of 345,143 people from 195 general practitioners' medical records were involved, making it nothing to sneeze at. Both green space within 3 kilometres and 1 kilometre of a person's residence were analysed in relation to disease prevalence. For those living within 3 kilometres of a significant amount of green space, there was a reduced incidence of anxiety, digestive infections and Medically Unexplained Physical Symptoms (MUPS). Although a "significant" reduction in disease prevalence was only 2-5%, these conditions are very common. The mechanisms behind these benefits may be due to more physical activity (such as in diabetes, musculoskeletal pain and heart disease), better air quality (asthma, COPD and respiratory infections) and the mental health benefits of a natural environment (depression and anxiety).

Robert E Thayer's 1990 book, The Biopsychology of Mood and Arousal, discusses many studies which show a benefit of negative ions and natural light. One study by Cunningham (1979) showed that hours of daily sunshine was positively linked with people's willingness to help out with weather readings. He then found that sunshine and warm weather was correlated with waitresses earning more tips. Negative ions, which he said are concentrated around natural bodies of water, have also been linked to better mood. One 1981 study showed increased tension and irritability around positive ions, and another showed faster reaction times and improved energy around negative ions. Buckalew and Rizzuto (1982) found increases in positive mood and decreases in negative mood with exposure to negative ions. Baron, Russell and Arms (1985) also found that negative ions improved the moods of volunteers. Overall, spending time outside is good for you!

Fight Stress This Holiday Season with Adaptogens

Unfortunately for many, the holidays, whether it be Christmas, Chanukah or something else, can be more stressful than actually enjoyable. Travelling to visit relatives, family conflicts, all of this can have a nasty impact on our health. As Life Extension states, before listing some of the effects of stress, as many as 75-90% of visits to primary health care providers could be related to acute and chronic stress. It is chronic stress that is particularly horrible. Chronic stress causes harmful changes to the intestinal bacteria, which help to regulate not only digestion but also immunity and inflammation. Psychological stress has been found to be the strongest risk factor for cardiac events (e.g. heart attacks) in people with coronary artery disease. It can also impair immunity, increasing vulnerability to viral infections and even cancers. Another alarming study showed that stress can even shorten telomeres; these are protective caps of DNA on our chromosomes, which contribute to aging as they shorten.


Bacopa. Source: JM Garg

Where do adaptogens come in? Adaptogens are a type of medicinal herb that improve our resistance to stress, and increase our mental and physical strength. They each work in different ways, and have varying effects, but can all help protect us from the harmful effects of chronic stress.

Ashwagandha, or Withania somnifera, has been used for centuries in Ayurvedic medicine as a rasayana, an antiaging, pro-longevity remedy. Its 'specialty' is physical performance. In a study of healthy, athletic adults, taking 300mg of ashwagandha twice a day doubled their oxygen consumption after 12 weeks, compared to the placebo group. Increased oxygen consumption indicates better cardiovascular endurance. In a second study, volunteers taking 300mg twice daily showed greater improvements in muscle strength compared to the placebo group. After only eight weeks, the men taking ashwagandha could bench-press 101 pounds, compared to 58 pounds; they could also lift 31.9 pounds in leg-extension exercises, compared to 21 pounds. Biochemical test results showed that men taking ashwagandha had a greater reduction of exercise-induced muscle damage, a greater reduction in body fat and...a 4.3 times increase in testosterone levels! This could mean a lot for women going through menopause, and men going through andropause.

Bacopa monnieri, commonly known as brahmi or water hyssop, 'specialises' in cognitive function. One trial showed that taking 125mg of brahmi every day led to significant improvements in memory, learning and mental control. Sounds like the perfect remedy for students! Another demonstrated its ability to improve cognitive performance and mood soon after multitasking, a bad habit of students and nearly everyone else! Multitasking is inherently stressful, and does affect mental performance. It is not an "adulting" badge of honour.

Cordyceps sinensis, a fungus used in traditional Chinese medicine, has a few specialties, such as immunity. In a study on mice, cordyceps was shown to have antioxidant activity and increase production of immune chemicals that, while inflammatory, are helpful in acute infection. Fortunately, it does not overstimulate the production of these chemicals. In fact, although it can boost the functioning of immune cells, other research has shown anti-inflammatory ability, and even an ability to help anti-rejection drugs protect transplanted organs! Overall, you don't have to let your health suffer during times of stress, even when it feels like you have to put yourself last, you owe yourself proper self-care.

New Evidence That Fat Isn't Bad

Billed as good news for everyone who likes to stuff their faces during Christmas, a new study has found that fats, even saturated fats, aren't necessarily bad for you. But not all Christmas dishes have been given a free pass, as high-carb foods were shown to be the major contributor to obesity.



Cream. Source: Paul Downey (CC 2.0)

Led by experts from the University of Bergen in Norway, this research involved obese men who had diets high in either carbohydrates or fat. Their levels of body fat in the abdomen and around the heart, as well as other risk factors for cardiovascular disease and diabetes, were measured and compared between the two groups. Professor and cardiologist Ottar Nygard said that "The very high intake of total and saturated fat did not increase the calculated risk of cardiovascular diseases", going against conventional dietary advice that has been the norm for years (regardless of accuracy). "Participants in the very high-fat diet also had substantial improvements in several important cardiometabolic risk factors, such as ectopic fat storage, blood pressure, blood lipids (triglycerides), insulin and blood sugar", he added. Processed and low-quality foods, however, were also key factors in obesity. Total and saturated fat consumption was examined in context with healthy diets that were rich in fresh foods and favoured vegetables and rice over flour-based products. The fat sources were typically unprocessed, and were mainly butter, cold-pressed oils and cream. Conventional wisdom would tell you that saturated fats raise "bad" LDL cholesterol, but these researchers found no such thing - while there was no significant increase in LDL cholesterol, the "good" HDL cholesterol was higher in people with high fat diets.
"These results indicate that most healthy people probably tolerate a high intake of saturated fat well, as long as the fat quality is good and total energy intake is not too high. It may even be healthy", Professor Nygard concluded.

This research and the mainstream news article reporting it comes soon after Australia's AHPRA has attempted to silence Gary Fettke, an orthopaedic surgeon with an interest in nutrition, because of his support for the same ideas found by this study! AHPRA failed to recognise his thousands of hours of research, from textbooks to journal articles and working with scientists and other health professionals of all types. He is no longer allowed to participate in research or speak in public in Australia, all because of his support for the Low-Carb High-Fat (LCHF) diet. His reasons for being such a bad little boy? Most of his patients had joint issues related to obesity and/or diabetes, and for years, all he could see was these patients get worse on government nutritional advice. Fortunately, Nutrition for Life is setting up a not-for-profit community arm so that their work can continue. And we can all join in to spread the news of diets that actually heal, instead of one-size-fits-all, government-approved ideas that do not. We have more power than what these people would like us to believe.

What is Carnosine and What Can it Do?

If you are interested in natural health and antiaging, you have probably heard of the non-essential nutrient carnosine. But what is it? Carnosine is a dipeptide, meaning that it is made of two amino acids, in this case L-histidine and beta-alanine. It is "non-essential" because it is produced naturally by the body, and is mostly found in the brain, nerves and muscles as these are the most energy-demanding. One of carnosine's most important roles is to defend us against toxic substances and excess glucose. It prevents glucose molecules from reacting with proteins (glycosylation) and prevents proteins from cross-linking in ways that cause excess stiffness and interfere with their functioning. Because of this, carnosine helps to prevent the formation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) that worsen the sugar-induced damage to proteins seen in people with diabetes. Glycation and AGEs are a major cause of aging in everyone, partly because of the inflammation they produce. It can also protect cells from damage caused by AGEs that have already been formed, and even slow telomere shortening! (Telomeres are protective caps on chromosomes that are required for cell division) All of this means that carnosine was one of the first substances to be deemed antiaging at a cellular level.

Carnosine.

But how has carnosine performed in clinical trials? In one study, 56 volunteers over 65 were given either chicken meat extract, which is high in carnosine, or placebo, for 13 weeks. After these 13 weeks, the Body Mass Index (BMI) of the carnosine group fell significantly compared to placebo, meaning they lost weight. Only the carnosine group saw significant increases in two of the six Senior Fitness Tests and reported less perceived exertion. They were also the only group to improve their scores in the Short Test of Mental Status, in the areas of construction/copying, abstraction and recall. Another trial also looked at the similar "chicken essence", a traditional Asian remedy for fatigue. Twenty healthy men were assigned to either a drink containing chicken essence or placebo for four weeks, and those taking the chicken essence had significantly better energy levels and cognitive performance. These studies mean well for those of us who prefer food over supplements.

Of course, supplementation of carnosine can also be effective, including in the case of congestive heart failure (CHF). Fifty patients received either 500mg of carnosine for six months or a placebo, in order to test differences in walking distance, quality of life and heart function. Patients getting carnosine saw significant improvements in the distance walked over six minutes, quality of life, peak exercise workload and oxygen levels. As for diabetes, a clinical trial of people at high risk for developing the disease found that although insulin resistance worsened in both groups, it increased 3.8 times more in the placebo group than in the carnosine group. Insulin secretion increased by 36% in the placebo group, but only by 3% in the carnosine group. Therefore, carnosine was able to mostly offset the effects of their current diet and lifestyle. The wide range of benefits that carnosine has demonstrated is because of the fact that high blood sugar and glycation affect every inch of our bodies. However, taking it is not an excuse to eat large amounts of sugary, processed foods all the time - but it can be a good prevention strategy for everyday, lower levels of glycation and during times when you do eat a lot of junk food, such as Halloween and Christmas.

Can Coffee Fight Skin Aging?

It seems as though coffee has a never-ending list of health benefits when used correctly and in moderation. Yet another one of these could be an ability to fight skin aging. While aging may be a universal complaint, it is still a complaint, and one factor in skin aging is ultraviolet light exposure. The fine lines, wrinkles, discolouration and loose skin that just can't seem to hold moisture reflects the deterioration of the connective tissue which makes up the dermis. A healthy dermis will contain a strong framework of the proteins collagen and elastin, as well as water-binding glycosaminoglycans (which means they are made up of amino acids and sugars). The elasticity, strength and ability to bounce back is what gives skin a youthful appearance. Large amounts of ultraviolet light and other toxic substances produce free radicals that break down this framework and cause cell damage, which leads to skin aging.

Source: Kenny Louie (CC BY SA: 2.0)

Fortunately, researchers around the world have found that some phytochemicals extracted from coffee beans can rejuvenate aging skin. When applied topically, green, unroasted coffee beans provide many benefits. In a randomised, double-blinded trial, 40 women were assigned to receive either a high-antioxidant skin care set of facial wash, day lotion, night cream and eye serum, or a placebo set, for 12 weeks. Evaluations of efficacy were performed by a board-certified dermatologist at the beginning, at 6 weeks and at 12 weeks. It was found that the high-antioxidant set, which contained coffee extract, gave significant benefits to photo-aged skin. Almost every parameter showed improvement: wrinkles, level of firmness, pigmentation, roughness, redness and clarity. In another trial studying the seed oil of Coffea arabica, researchers found a 1.5 times increase in elastin production and a near doubling of collagen production compared to the controls. As stated above, these are the main connective tissue proteins that support the skin. There was also a doubling of glycosaminoglycans, and a increase of aquaglycerolporins by seven times! As the name of the second type of protein suggests, these work together to trap moisture in the skin, which promotes firmness and prevents uncomfortable, possibly harmful drying out.

Coffea robusta, which is native to West Africa, contains a greater amount of caffeine and other active constituents because of how it is processed. In a study of 35 women aged 30-70, they were instructed to apply a caffeine-containing eye cream to the area around one eye twice a day, and not to the other half. After four weeks, there was a significant improvement in smoothness and wrinkle depth in the treated halves of their faces. This was measured with a 3D optical imaging technique. In research on mice, caffeine was also found to prevent damage caused by UV light.

If you are having trouble with dry, rough skin that doesn't seem to be protecting itself enough, coffee may be best paired with honey. Honey is a humectant, which means it helps trap moisture, much like the glycosaminoglycans that coffee supports the production of. As it is sticky, it also makes a great addition to any home-made face masks because it would help keep the other ingredients stuck to your face.