health – Inspired by Miranda

The Body Signs Series #5 – Dark Circles

May 8, 2022May 9, 2022 Miranda

We often think that dark circles are due to lack of sleep, but that is not the only cause.

They could be due to genetically inherited thin, pale skin under the eyes which makes dark circles a lot more prominent.

Dark circles could also point towards hormone fluctuations (our skin becomes paler during menstruation and pregnancy), dehydration or immune conditions such as eczema and allergies (both food and seasonal).

In fact, dark circles are also known as allergic shiners because allergies can cause blood vessels to become congested and blood to pool under the eyes. Dairy intolerance, in particular, has been associated with dark circles under the eyes, along with other common allergens such as nuts, shellfish, soy, yeast, pollen, mold and dust mites.

And of course, dark circles could also be signs of the following #nutrient needs:

👉Iron deficiency can lead to pale skin and makes the area around the eyes look darker. It can also affect sleep quality, which in turn can exacerbate dark circles

✅Other signs of insufficient iron levels include fatigue, rapid heart rate, palpitations, cold intolerance, impaired immune function, spoon-shaped nails, cracks on the corners of the mouth, sore tongue and feeling out of breath with minimal physical exertion.

👉Vitamin B12, just like iron above, can lead to paleness and is also needed for red blood cell formation and, along with other B vitamins, energy production.

✅Other signs of B12 deficiency include tingling in hands & feet, memory challenges, mood changes, sore tongue, constipation, fatigue, muscle weakness, appetite loss and more.

👉Vitamin K is needed for healthy blood circulation and can strengthen veins & capillaries (and weak capillaries can result in blood pooling in the delicate area under the eyes).

✅Other signs of vitamin K deficiency include easy bruising, nosebleeds, bleeding gums, heavy menstrual bleeding and more.

✳️ The above are only some of the functions & deficiency signs of these nutrients. Our physiology is quite complex and many nutrients interact in multiple ways, so we should not view them in isolation.

✳️✳️ As always, it is recommended to check your #nutrient levels and speak with your healthcare provider before coming to conclusions and starting any supplementation.

Your body is talking, are you listening?

References

Liebmann-Smith, J., Nardi Egan, J. Body Signs. New York, NY: Bantam Dell; 2008.
Higdon J. Iron. Linus Pauling Institute. https://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/minerals/iron. Published 2001, updated 2016. Accessed May 8, 2022.
Higdon J. Vitamin K. Linus Pauling Institute. https://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/vitamins/vitamin-K. Published 2000, updated 2014. Accessed May 8, 2022.
Matozzo M. Vitamin Deficiencies That Could Make Dark Circles So Much Worse. SheFinds. https://www.shefinds.com/collections/vitamin-deficiencies-making-dark-circles-worse/. Published 2022. Accessed May 8, 2022.
Higdon J. Vitamin B12. Linus Pauling Institute. https://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/vitamins/vitamin-B12. Published 2000, updated 2014. Accessed May 8, 2022.

Nutrients, Nutrition

Chromium

April 8, 2022May 8, 2022 Miranda

Chromium… what do we know about it? I recently did a functional nutrient test and my chromium levels were pretty low. I knew chromium is vital for blood glucose regulation (I make sure my grandma supplements with this for her diabetes and we’ve seen improvements), but I thought I’ll refresh my mind about this essential mineral.

First discovered in 1797, chromium is mainly known for its role in enhancing sensitivity to insulin and thus lowering blood glucose levels. It does have a few other functions related to its blood sugar balancing benefits, such as:

Carbohydrate & fat metabolism
Nutrient absorption
Cholesterol synthesis
May lower blood pressure
May improve blood lipids
May enhance cognitive function
It could even improve mood

Chromium deficiency is rare, since it is found in many whole foods, especially in:

Broccoli
Turkey
Beef
Shellfish
Liver
Brazil nuts
Brewer’s yeast
String/Green beans
Apples (with peel)
Grapes

It may even be found in some beer & red wine products (chromium is present in grapes after all)!

Signs of insufficient levels include:

Elevated blood sugar & lipids
Elevated insulin levels
Glucose intolerance
Impaired coordination
Low energy
Anxiety (due to blood sugar imbalances)

Vitamin B3 and C can enhance chromium absorption. Iron & chromium compete for the same transport proteins in the body, although chromium supplementation does not seem to affect iron levels.

Always aim to get your nutrients from whole foods first. And test – don’t guess!

References

Body Signs, Nutrition

The Body Signs Series #4 – Brittle Nails

March 21, 2022 Miranda

Do you often find your nails weak, thin, easy to break off or peel? Do they have ridges or lines? All of these could be signs of the following nutrient needs:

👉Dietary protein provides the building blocks (amino acids) necessary for keratin synthesis – a type of protein that makes up our nails, hair and skin.

✅Other signs of insufficient protein intake include slow wound healing, fine & brittle hair, decreased muscle strength, impaired immune function, fluid retention in feet & ankles, anxiety, poor concentration, joint pain, cravings and more.

✅Low intake of protein may not be the only reason for poor protein status – insufficient stomach acid and digestive enzymes can reduce the amount of protein our bodies absorb from our diet.

👉Iron, copper, zinc, and calcium which are all needed for healthy nails. Just like with protein, in order to absorb them we need sufficient stomach acid.

✅Other signs of mineral deficiencies include pale skin, tongue and gums, cracks in corners of mouth, kinky hair, weak bones, muscle cramps, high blood pressure, acne, poor vision, geographic tongue, loss of taste, diarrhea and more.

👉Essential fatty acids, which are needed for healthy cell membranes and may reduce nail brittleness.

✅Other signs of deficiency include acne, reduced visual acuity, dandruff, parasthesia and neuropathy, impaired memory, increased thirst, eczema, dermatitis, poor mental health and more.

The above are only some of the functions & deficiency signs of these nutrients, our physiology is quite complex and many nutrients interact in multiple ways, so we should not view them in isolation.

As always, it is recommended to check your nutrient levels and speak with your healthcare provider before coming to conclusions and starting any supplementation.

Your body is talking, are you listening?

Recipes

Rise & Shine Green Smoothie

February 28, 2022 Miranda

Rise & Shine Green Smoothie

Servings: 2
Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 0 mins
Difficulty: Easy
Rating: ★★★★★
Print

We all know the importance of a healthy breakfasts, but what if you're not an 'egg & veggie' type of a breakfast person. What if you're not a breakfast person at all? Enter the breakfast smoothie! It's a great option for those who just can't stomach solid foods in the morning or prefer to start their day with something on the sweeter side. And, best of all, allows us to pack in loads of nutrient-dense foods, such as veggies, seeds and healthy fats. I also love breakfast smoothies because they are quick and easy to make, you can even batch prep your ingredients and store them in individual serving bags - all you have to do is pop them in your blender in the mornings.

Tips: Feel free to experiment with different fruit & veg combinations. The key thing is to make sure your smoothie includes: protein (e.g. nuts, seeds, beans, collagen or protein powder), fats (nuts or seeds butters, coconut or MCT oil, etc.), veggies (frozen cauliflower and baby spinach are great for beginners), and a liquid for hydration (e.g. nut milk, water or herbal tea). Add a small amount of fruit for sweetness and some herbs or spices for extra flavour!

Ingredients

2 stalks celery
½ cup broccoli florets
2 small cucumbers
1 cup baby spinach
1 cup (or more) water
1 banana, frozen
2-3 sprigs parsley
2-3 sprigs cilantro (coriander)
1 tbsp collagen powder
1 tbsp coconut oil
1 tbsp tahini
Pinch of cinnamon
1 tbsp maple syrup (optional)

Directions

Chop celery, broccoli and cucumber.
Place spinach, broccoli and water in blender, blend on high for 10-15 seconds.
Add cucumber and celery (and more water if needed), blend on high for 10-15 seconds.
Add banana, fresh herbs, collagen powder, coconut oil, tahini, cinnamon and maple syrup if using, blend on high for 10 seconds.
Pour in your favourite glass and enjoy the green goodness!

Nutrition

Per Serving: 237 calories; 11.4g fat; 25.4g carbohydrates; 7.3g protein; 6g Fibre; 205% DV for vitamin K; 162% DV for vitamin A; 51% DV for manganese; 41% DV for vitamin C; 39% DV for potassium.

Body Signs, Nutrition

The Body Signs Series #3 – Dry Skin

February 15, 2022February 28, 2022 Miranda

Dry skin. Seems like a common problem which we often try to solve with lotions and potions… but sometimes hydrating your skin is not enough. For healthy, glowing skin you also need sufficient amounts of these nutrients:

👉Vitamin A, which plays a key role in skin cell proliferation & differentiation, photo protection (from UV light), and overall skin health.

It is also an important epigenetic regulator that influences the expression of hundreds of genes.
Other signs of deficiency include acne, eyesight problems, gingivitis, bone & joint pain, skin hyperpigmentation, poor wound healing, psoriasis and more.
Zinc deficiency can impair vitamin A metabolism & function

👉Biotin, which plays a key role in the production of fatty acids that nourish the skin, as well as energy metabolism and cell membrane integrity.

It is also another potent regulator of genetic expression.
Other signs of deficiency include sore & reddened tongue, hair thinning and brittleness, slow cognition, seborrheic-like dermatitis and more.

👉Zinc, which can reduce skin inflammation and is needed for collagen production and wound healing.

And (no surprise here) this mineral also plays a role in regulating gene expression.
Other signs of deficiency include acne, poor vision, cracks in corners of mouth, geographic tongue, impaired wound healing, hair thinning and brittleness, loss of taste, weak nails, diarrhea and more.
Note: zinc, copper, iron & calcium all interact in each other’s absorption and metabolism.

👉Essential fatty acids, which are needed for healthy cell membranes, skin barrier integrity, protection from UV light, wound healing and reduction in skin sensitivity.

Remember, we have trillions of cells with fatty membranes and our brain is made up of nearly 60% fat, which makes healthy dietary fats an important component of our body’s physical structure.
Other signs of deficiency include acne, reduced visual acuity, dry hair, dandruff, weak nails, parasthesia and neuropathy, impaired memory, increased thirst, eczema, dermatitis, poor mental health and more.

✳️ The above are only some of the functions & deficiency signs of these nutrients, our physiology is quite complex and many nutrients interact in multiple ways, so we should not view them in isolation.

✳️✳️ As always, it is recommended to check your nutrient levels and speak with your healthcare provider before coming to conclusions and starting any supplementation.

Your body is talking, are you listening? 👀

References

Lord R, Bralley J. Laboratory Evaluations For Integrative And Functional Medicine. Duluth, Ga: Genova Diagnostics; 2012.
Angelo G. Vitamin A and Skin Health. Linus Pauling Institute. https://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/health-disease/skin-health/vitamin-A. Published 2012. Accessed February 15, 2022.
Higdon J. Biotin. Linus Pauling Institute. https://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/vitamins/biotin. Published 2000, updated 2015. Accessed February 15, 2022.
Higdon J. Zinc. Linus Pauling Institute. https://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/minerals/zinc. Published 2001, updated 2019. Accessed February 15, 2022.
Angelo G. Essential Fatty Acids and Skin Health. Linus Pauling Institute. https://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/health-disease/skin-health/essential-fatty-acids. Published 2012. Accessed February 15, 2022.

Body Signs, Nutrition

The Body Signs Series – #2 Muscle Pain & Weakness

January 20, 2022January 20, 2022 Miranda

Are your muscles weak & achy, even if you haven’t exercised recently? Then you may consider checking your nutrient levels because:

Vitamin D is needed for muscle fibre (especially fast-twitch fibres) and cell protein synthesis, as well as optimal immune function, hormone & heart health. It is also an important epigenetic regulator that influences the expression of hundreds of genes. Other signs of deficiency include myofascial back pain, loss of muscle strength, bone tenderness & pain, hypotonia (poor muscle tone) and joint pain. Vitamin D deficiency is also associated with accelerated ageing (btw did you know you can actually REVERSE ageing?).
Thiamin (vit. B1) is needed for the clearance of lactic acid and thus B1 deficiency can lead to muscle pain due to lactic acid build up. It is also needed for optimal function of the nervous system and so insufficiency can contribute to neurological pain and reduced signalling in muscle cells. Other signs of thiamin deficiency include glucose intolerance, tingling and numbness, increased heart rate, poor cognition (memory, confusion), poor coordination, burning feet syndrome, abnormal reflexes and more.
Dietary protein provides the building blocks (amino acids) necessary for muscle synthesis, amongst many other functions such as hormone & immunoglobulin production. Low intake of protein may not be the only reason for poor protein status – insufficient stomach acid and digestive enzymes can reduce the amount of protein our bodies absorb from our diet.

Of course, there are many other reasons why we may have achy, wobbly muscles. These include accelerated ageing, active viral infection (fever, etc.), chronic fatigue syndrome, thyroid, autoimmune & neuromuscular conditions, prolonged bed rest and certain medications.

P.S.

If possible, always check your nutrient status and speak with your healthcare provider before starting any supplementation.

Your body is talking, are you listening?

Body Signs

The Body Signs Series – #1 Cracked Tongue

January 13, 2022January 15, 2022 Miranda

Have you ever thought how impressive and intelligent our bodies are? Constantly ticking away, sensing and adapting to a whole host of internal and external inputs, and in the processes sending us a myriad of signs & clues about our state of health. Fascinating isn’t it?

In this new series of posts called ‘Body Signs’ we’ll learn how to decode our bodies’ messages from a nutrition perspective (and you’ll be surprised with some of the things we’ll uncover!) But why is learning to read our bodies important? Well, being aware of what is happening in our bodies can help steer our health in the right direction, ease our anxiety, motivate us to take better care of ourselves and build a better relationship with our bodies.

So let’s start with the tongue. It is often one of the first areas of the body to show signs of nutrient deficiencies. Although this sign may not tell us exactly what’s out of balance, it can help guide further assessments.

Both iron and B vits are necessary for energy production, hormone and neurotransmitter function, immune health and DNA repair. All of which are critical processes for our overall health.

Blood tests are usually used to determine iron deficiency, whereas B vitamin levels can be assessed either through blood (standard) or urine (functional) testing. The advantage of a urine test is that it tells us whether your body has enough nutrients to function optimally (vs. a set reference range on a blood test).

Of course, such assessments should never be viewed in isolation – there are a lot of tools we can use in combination to build a clear picture of our nutrition status (including these physical signs and biochemical assessments).

Your body is talking, are you listening?

Nutrients

Vitamin A

January 10, 2022January 7, 2022 Miranda

Did you know that there are 13 vitamins essential for life? They are essential because each one of them serves a whole host of important functions in the body.

Take for example Vitamin A. It is needed for:

Eyesight
Immune function
Bone growth
Skin integrity
Reproductive health
Optimal gene expression
Red blood cell production

This fat-soluble vitamin is found in animal foods as preformed vitamin A and in plant foods as its precursor – carotenoids.

Top sources include:

Beef liver
Eggs
Butter
Sweet potatoes
Pumpkin
Carrots
Dark coloured veggies (spinach, kale, collards, etc.)

Vitamin A status can be tested through a simple serum (blood) test and deficiency can produce notable symptoms such as vision problems, poor immune function, skin and hair conditions, thyroid dysfunction + more (we’ll explore some of those in our Body Signs series).

Zinc and iron deficiencies are often associated Vitamin A deficiency (zinc is needed for vit. A metabolism, whereas vit. A is needed for iron metabolism).

For optimal absorption consume vitamin A and carotenoid-rich foods with healthy fats.

References:

Lord R, Bralley J. Laboratory Evaluations For Integrative And Functional Medicine. Duluth, Ga: Genova Diagnostics; 2012.
Higdon J. Vitamin A. Linus Pauling Institute. https://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/vitamins/vitamin-A. Published 2022. Accessed January 7, 2022.

Nutrition

Calorie Counting – Is It Really That Important?

September 29, 2018 Miranda

The short answer would be ‘it depends’.

If you have had even the tiniest of experiences in weight loss or ‘toning’ your body (i.e. building muscle) you would have been told to stick to your daily calorie target. You would also have been told about the concept of ‘calories in’ vs. ‘calories out’. In order to lose weight the calories consumed should be less than the calories used up.

Although this concept is very true and correct, simply looking at calories is not automatically going to give you good health (even if you’re achieving your fitness/weight loss targets!).

Calories post

Why is that? Because each calorie has its own nutritional value. That means that, depending on its source, a calorie will have a different composition of nutrients (protein, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, minerals and water). And so calories from fat will function differently in the body compared to calories from sugar.

Sugar, the simplest form of carbohydrates, requires very little digestion and goes straight into the bloodstream. Now, the body can only process the sugar at a certain rate and it also has a limit as to how much sugar should be circulating in the blood. Too much sugar in the blood can cause a range of serious metabolic derangements in the body and so our bodies try really hard to remove excess sugar from the bloodstream (in fact, our bodies work best when we have less than 1 teaspoon of sugar circulating in the bloodstream). And so the body will first use as much sugar as it can for energy and then the rest will be stored as fat.

Blood sugar

On the other hand, calories from fats are released more slowly because fats take longer to digest and absorb (some say up to 8 hours!). This allows the body to use up the energy released from the fats in small batches, avoiding the flood of energy which then has to be stored as fat.

To make things more complicated, it is not just about the macronutrients (those required in large quantities) – proteins, fats and carbohydrates. We can think of these macronutrients as the fuel and building blocks of the body. However, it is the micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) which act as the gears that enable the body to use the fuel and function properly. Thus, a calorie which contains mostly macronutrients but little or no micronutrients is also of little use to the body.

And so we go back to the beginning – not all calories are made equal. If you’re just interested in weight loss, eating anything within your calorie target could still help you lose weight. However, in addition to losing weight you may also deplete the body of the vital minerals and vitamins, the gears of the body, which affect how your body functions and ultimately your health!

Oh, by the way, did you also know that calories from different food sources are burnt differently? We’ll talk about this and the various factors which affect how we burn calories in part 2 of this post. Stay tuned!

Nutrition

What is Functional Nutrition and Why Should You Care?

June 16, 2018June 16, 2018 Miranda

Nutrition – the word itself conjures images of strict diets and weight scales, doesn’t it? And yet nutrition is about a lot more than just that.

Over the years nutrition has started taking a more prominent spot in the worlds of health and medicine. Not just in the treatment of digestive diseases, but for a wide variety of ailments and health situations.

Functional Nutrition post

At the forefront of change is a new discipline called ‘Functional medicine’ – I spoke about it in an earlier post. In a nutshell, functional medicine relies heavily on nutrition and lifestyle interventions before turning to pharmaceuticals.

Why are these changes happening now? Because people from both sides of the field (i.e. patients and healthcare providers) are starting to realize that the current system doesn’t work.

To put it in the words of the great biochemist and author Dr. T. Colin Campbell, most countries today have a “disease-care system” rather than a healthcare one.

Current Western medical models are too focused on the individual parts of the human body (reductionism). Although this approach can tell us a lot about how specific organs work on their own, it doesn’t reveal much about how they all function together in the complex human body. For example, knowing how the neurons in the brain work doesn’t really help us understand why we react emotionally to our favorite song.

We need to see the full picture to truly understand what is going on. And we can do this through functional medicine and functional nutrition.

How? Functional nutrition goes much deeper than food labels and diet plans – its main focus is finding the root cause of your symptoms and resolving them. A nutritionist trained in functional medicine will use advanced laboratory testing and other assessment techniques to create powerful and highly personalized therapeutic interventions.

The first step in the functional approach is to take a detailed look at the patient’s history – not just the physical symptoms but also other predisposing factors, such as past stressful life events. Stress is a huge factor in many (if not all!) diseases.

The next step would be lab testing to confirm (or exclude) possible underlying causes of the symptoms. As the saying goes – “test, don’t guess”.

Based on all of the information collected, a functional nutritionist will then start investigating what is the root cause. Where are all of your symptoms and ailments intersecting? Is there a common factor, pathway or axis? Are there any imbalances in body functions and systems?

You may be surprised how intricately all systems of our body are connected. For example, food intolerances (e.g. lactose and gluten) can cause headaches and migraines with mild or minimal symptoms in the digestive tract (which may be missed easily). A traditional doctor may just prescribe you a medicine for the migraines, without really looking into the root cause.

In other cases, a person may be experiencing a range of symptoms, however standard medical tests would come back “in the clear” and the person would be told that there is nothing wrong with them. This is usually because most lab reference ranges are for end-stage disease and not for optimal health – just because something isn’t marked red on the test result doesn’t mean that all is ok!

Another example is the link between inflammation and many “incurable” chronic diseases:

what-is-chronic-inflammation-jan-overbay

As you can see, a functional nutritionist is committed to finding the root cause of your symptoms and resolving them, no matter how long it takes. They are also committed to working together with you, listening to your story and how your body feels. And that is why functional nutrition and functional medicine is the answer to some of the problems in health and healthcare today.