Immune System Health

Omega-3 for Kids: Why You Should Boost Your Child’s Intake

The therapeutic properties of omega-3s can help in the treatment of many short-term ailments while also providing protection against long-term health conditions. But omega-3 fatty acids are not just beneficial for adults; research has proven that there is no shortage of health benefits of omega-3 for kids. This important fatty acid can produce a profound effect on children’s short-term and long-term health.

Here is what you need to know about omega-3 fatty acids, how they can boost your child’s health and wellness in a variety of ways and how you can ensure that your child is getting sufficient amounts of this nutrient.

What Are Omega-3 Fatty Acids?

If you have spent any time researching vitamins and minerals, you have likely run across studies documenting the many benefits of omega-3 fatty acids. But what are omega-3s exactly? These fatty acids are vital to many health functions, most specifically fetal development, immunity strength, heart health and brain function.

Because your body does not produce these fatty acids on its own, they are considered essential. This means that you need to be proactive about getting them from food and other supplements.

There are three primary types of omega-3 fatty acids. You can find alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) in plant foods, including some vegetables, nuts, seeds and vegetable oils. Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) are found in fatty fish such as tuna and salmon. Many people also choose to obtain their EPA and DHA from supplements.

Omega-3 for Kids Benefits

Although the generous health benefits of omega-3s is well-documented, it has been more recently that the advantages of this fatty acid for the growing bodies of children has come into light. These benefits include both physical health advantages and an improvement of mental wellness. Here are some of the most compelling reasons to incorporate omega-3 fatty acids into your child’s diet.

Protects Against Asthma

A study out of the UK shed light on how the intentional intake of more omega-3 fatty acids can offer protection against asthma. The intake of these acids provides a preventative measure in the development of asthma in children.

Boosts Brain Health

What parent does not want to boost their child’s brain function? Kids who regularly eat fatty fish or take an omega-3 supplement have been shown to score higher on intelligence quotient (IQ) tests. In addition, multiple studies have demonstrated that omega-3 supplements may decrease the symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

Encourages Healthy Sleep Patterns

One of the reasons that children enjoy better mental health and brain function due to the intake of omega-3s is because this fatty acid also encourages healthy sleep patterns. The studies show that regular intake of omega-3s reduces sleep disturbances, supporting healthy sleep patterns.

Lowers Cholesterol Levels

Supplementing with essential fatty acids has been shown to offer protection to kids with unhealthy cholesterol levels. The protection is vital because it helps to guard against the development of heart disease later down the road. The intake of this nutrient provides this protection by increasing the level of healthy omega-3 fatty acids in the bloodstream. The research showed that an omega-3 supplement has the potential of changing the lipid profile of a child’s bloodstream, lowering their risk of heart disease later in life.

How to Incorporate More Omega-3s into Your Child’s Diet

While you may have to work a little harder to incorporate omega-3s into your child’s diet when compared with more accessible nutrients, it is still within reach if you are diligent about this practice. The amount of omega-3s needed to see optimal benefits largely depends on the age and size of your child. Your healthcare provider will be a good resource when determining the dosage goal that is appropriate for your child.

Start with looking at ways to incorporate the omega-3s through food. The gold standard for omega-3s is cold-water fatty fish such as salmon, tuna, mackerel and sardines. Other good food choices include nuts, seeds and plant oils. Walnuts, chia seeds, flax and canola oil are some of the most accessible foods for children.

Fortunately, many of today’s most kid-friendly foods are also fortified with omega-3s, making it even easier for your child to hit the recommended intake for optimal health. It is a good idea to get in the habit of reading labels to find foods that are high in this fatty acid.

Supplements also provide an extra layer of insurance for your omega-3 needs. There are a number of omega-3 supplements designed with a child’s growing body in mind, giving you the assurance that your child will not be deficient in this crucial building block for good health.

As more evidence pours in, it becomes even more obvious that kids can benefit from omega-3 fatty acids. Health-savvy parents would be wise to consider using these fatty acids as a means to supporting optimal health and wellness for their children.

Vitamin D2 and Vitamin D3: What’s the Difference?

May 18 by Ewcopywriting

While it’s known that vitamin D is essential for health, there are important differences between vitamin D2 and vitamin D3. Being aware of these differences is of utmost importance when seeking to improve your health.

What is Vitamin D?

Primarily, vitamin D is a nutrient that helps cells in the body absorb other nutrients. This makes vitamin D an essential nutrient for your continued health, but particularly in helping to maintain strong bone density. That’s because bone strength and growth relies upon calcium for nourishment, but bones can’t absorb calcium directly. When your body has a sufficient supply of vitamin D, this nutrient serves as a bridge that allows the bones to absorb calcium efficiently.

Additionally, vitamin D is a neuroprotective agent that acts as both an antioxidant and an anti-inflammatory agent. This means a sufficient supply of vitamin D will help promote optimal brain cell activity, ensure muscle health and support a strong immune system. The nerves throughout your body also need vitamin D to successfully carry messages to your brain from various parts of the body.

During an infant’s first year of birth, only 10 mcg of vitamin D is needed daily, but that vitamin D requirement rises to 15 mcg after those first 12 months. This requirement remains consistent until individuals reach 71 years of age, at which time 20 mcg of vitamin D daily is recommended throughout the rest of their lives. This can be a challenge in that the best source of vitamin D is sunlight, yet unprotected exposure to the sun raises the risks for skin cancer. Fortunately, there are other available sources of vitamin D, which we will discuss momentarily.

How Do Vitamin D2 and Vitamin D3 Differ?

Vitamin D exists in multiple forms, two of the most common being vitamin D2 and vitamin D3. Before you see out additional sources of vitamin D, it’s important to understand how D2 and D3 differ. These two types of vitamin D have different molecular compositions and they’re derived from different sources.

Vitamin D2 is also called D2 ergocalciferol, while vitamin D3 is known as D3 cholecalciferol. Vitamin D2 is primarily obtained from plant-based foods, while vitamin D3 can be found in meats and other animal-based foods. Even though the nutrients are derived from different sources, they are similar in most ways and researchers have found that both D2 ergocalciferol and D3 cholecalciferol raise the vitamin D levels in the body.

Although both forms of vitamin D can be helpful, vitamin D3 cholecalciferol seems to have a more significant effect on the body. This particular nutrient produces higher levels of vitamin D in the body, and the effects are longer lasting than those resulting from D2 ergocalciferol. In a recent study, researchers found that increasing intake of vitamin D3 in subjects over a five week period had a more profound effect on vitamin D levels within the body than increasing vitamin D2 intake by the same ratio over the same period of time.

Researchers hope to undertake more studies to determine how the two different forms of the vitamin affect overall health. They also want to examine whether or not D2 ergocalciferol and D3 cholecalciferol produce health differences based on age, gender or other differentiating factors. In the meantime, alternative sources of these nutrients can help anyone increase their vitamin D levels without risking excessive sun exposure.

What Are Some Natural Ways to Increase Vitamin D in Your Body?

Besides sun exposure, there are a few reliable ways to increase your body’s vitamin D levels.

Take a Dietary Supplement

You can boost your vitamin D levels with a high quality supplement, such as Vitachron Female or Vitachron Male. These high-quality supplements provide the body with additional D3 cholecalciferol for longer lasting effects. While recent research has linked vitamin D to better sleep, you’ll better enjoy its effects when you take vitamin D in the morning or early part of the day. This is when the body is more efficient in absorbing the nutrient. Additionally, you’ll be less likely to forget your dose if you take it along with with a healthy breakfast.

Include Sources of D3 Cholecalciferol in Your Diet

Typically, seafood is the best food source of D3 cholecalciferol. For example, a single tablespoon of cod liver oil contains up to 170 percent of the daily recommended value for this nutrient. A three-ounce serving of rainbow trout contains 81 percent of the vitamin D you need daily, while a similar serving of salmon contains 71 percent of the recommended daily value. Two sardines and one egg each contain 6 percent of the recommended value, while three ounces of beef liver or tuna contain 5 percent of the recommended daily dose of this nutrient.

Include Sources of D2 Ergocalciferol in Your Diet

You can increase your intake of vitamin D2 by consuming more plant milk, such as milk derived from almonds, oats and soy. Additionally, you can drink orange juice to get more of this form of the nutrient. Fortified cereals also contain higher amounts of vitamin D in this form, so eating a hearty breakfast will help you boost your vitamin D levels each day. Mushrooms and yeast are more good sources of vitamin D, since they require sunshine to grow.

Eat More Dairy

In general, dairy products are also excellent sources of vitamin D. This is especially true with products that are made with fortified milk, such as yogurt and pudding. You can also eat cheeses and eggnog, which provide good amounts of vitamin D as a result of the milk used to manufacture them.

If you’re concerned that you’re not getting enough vitamin D, you should consult your doctor. A simple blood test can determine whether you should start taking a vitamin D supplement or increase your intake of certain foods. Before making any dietary changes, it’s a good idea to consult your doctor to avoid any adverse reactions that may otherwise occur.

How COVID-19 Lockdowns Affect the Immune System

May 05 by Ewcopywriting

In the past, it was revealed that the COVID-19 lockdowns and self-isolation contributed to a rise in emotional health problems. While this is disturbing in itself, an additional concern has been that these practices may have also had adverse effects on physical health by compromising the strength of the immune system in certain cases. Learn more about how COVID-19 lockdowns affect the immune system.

New Research Examines How COVID-19 Lockdowns Affect the Immune System

How COVID-19 lockdowns affect the immune system has become a common concern among many people in recent times. The concern is that isolation and social distancing could be contributing to poor immune system health by preventing people from exposing themselves to the bacteria, viruses and germs that would otherwise force the immune system to maintain stronger defenses.

Fortunately, lockdowns and isolation should not cause the immune system to lose the knowledge it has acquired in the past, so there’s no reason to believe that your body will no longer be able to fight off disease-causing microbes. By the time an individual reaches early adulthood, the body has already learned to fight off common threats to health. Even after a period of lockdowns and self-isolation, the immune systems of healthy adults should still be strong enough to eliminate most common microbial threats.

The story is a little different for children. When babies are born, they have the immune system that’s necessary to fight off diseases, but a lack of exposure to microbial threats means the child’s immunity isn’t fully developed. Young children need to be exposed to bacteria, germs and other threats to help their immune systems learn how to combat those threats. Doctors believe decreased exposure to these threats through more sanitary play and learning environments could be responsible for the increased incidences of eczema, hay fever, asthma and other respiratory conditions.

In short, exposure to microbial threats isn’t as necessary to continued immunity as many people believe it to be. This exposure is essential during pregnancy and through the first few months of infancy, but it becomes less important as the child ages. Instead, good hygiene and sanitary environments are actually more helpful to the immune system as children grow older. Professor Sally F. Bloomfield adds that it’s impossible to maintain an environment that’s completely free of hazardous microbes regardless of how frequently a parent cleans. As soon as those microbes are removed, more will come along to contaminate the same surface.

The answer is that moderate exposure to microbes is beneficial to immunity, but good hygiene practices are also important. For instance, taking the family for a daily “lockdown walk” to get some exercise is a good way to stay safe but also get exposure to an outdoor environment. Even allowing young children to play with friends at a playground can be beneficial; just be sure they wash their hands as soon as they get home. As more studies on how COVID-19 lockdowns affect the immune system get underway, researchers hope to find more information about how lockdowns, social distancing and self-isolation affect unborn babies and teen children.

Natural Ways to Boost the Strength of Your Immune System

If you’re concerned about keeping your immune system strong in a post-COVID world, there are plenty of natural ways you can boost your immune system. Here are a few suggestions that you can implement with your family to help keep everyone safe and healthy.

Regulate Your Circadian Rhythm

Your circadian rhythm is the biological clock that manages the various systems throughout your body. New research has found that it also regulates the release of microphages, which are immune cells that attack unwanted bacteria throughout the body.

When your circadian rhythm is disrupted, microphages can’t properly fight off disease-causing microbes. This is why people with irregular sleeping patterns have a greater risk of developing heart disease, type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, cancer and other degenerative illnesses.

Proteins released by the circadian system help to regulate the production of enzymes and hormones, which, in turn, affect the functioning of the immune system. However, the positive proteins that regulate this system are sometimes blocked by negative proteins. This blockage remains in effect until the negative proteins degrade. This is a condition that can quickly create a cycle in which the positive and negative proteins are continuously interacting, preventing the positive proteins from functioning. Researchers believe these findings confirm that our circadian rhythm plays a key role in keeping our immune systems functioning optimally.

Get Better Sleep

Even though you may know that sleep is important for your health, it’s specifically vital to the production of T cells. These are the cells the immune system sends to lymph nodes, where those cells are then assigned specific tasks. In studies conducted on sleep, it was discovered that people who were denied sleep exhibited a T cell deficiency. T cells contain memory, which allows them to learn how to fight specific threats and store that information for future use.

To maintain a higher count of T cells, you can improve the quality of your sleep with the following tips:

Stop drinking caffeine six hours before bed.
Turn off your mobile device one hour before bed.
Replace scratchy or uncomfortable bedding.
Create a restful atmosphere by turning up the AC, wearing earplugs and putting on a sleep mask.
Engage in a relaxing activity, such as taking a warm bath, meditating or practicing yoga.
Take a sleep supplement that contains melatonin.

Other Methods for Boosting Immunity

There are many more ways to naturally boost your immune system, such as:

eating more plant-based foods
quitting smoking
reducing your consumption of alcohol
reducing your intake of refined sugar, trans-fat and cholesterol
exercising for 30 minutes each day

If you’re still concerned about your immune system’s strength, talk to your doctor. Your primary care physician will be familiar with your medical history, giving them the information to provide you with insight tailored to your situation. Under the guidance of your doctor, you can ensure you’ll live a longer and healthier life.

The Complete Guide to Vitamin D for Bone Health and More

Mar 24 by Ewcopywriting

Vitamin D is a crucial fat-soluble vitamin that plays multiple roles in ensuring overall health and wellness. Vitamin D is naturally present in a few types of foods, but can also be obtained from a supplement or most famously, via sun exposure. If you are not getting a sufficient amount of vitamin D, you are putting your personal health at risk. This guide to vitamin D is intended to help empower you to make smart decisions about your food choices, supplements and sun exposure.

Why is Vitamin D Important?

Vitamin D is most useful in supporting calcium absorption throughout the body, particularly in the gut. Vitamin D also works in tandem with calcium for bone growth and maintenance. The bones in the body are more likely to become too thin and brittle without adequate levels of vitamin D. Sufficient levels of vitamin D in children will help to prevent rickets. For adults, vitamin D, along with calcium, is needed to mitigate the risk of developing osteoporosis. Inadequate vitamin D levels are also associated with a variety of other health issues, including poorer colorectal cancer outcomes, joint pain, periodontal disease, decreased muscle strength and more.

Signs You May be Low on Vitamin D

There are a number of symptoms that may present if you are low on vitamin D. Because this vitamin is so important for bone and muscle strength, a general feeling of weakness is associated with a vitamin D deficiency. Increased incidences of depression, fatigue and mood swings also may be signs that you are not getting enough of this crucial vitamin.

Other signs that you may be deficient in vitamin D include high blood pressure, hair loss, a depressed immune system, a greater sensitivity to pain, chronic gum disease, problems with your gut and greater susceptibility to allergies.

In addition to these short-term health issues, a vitamin D deficiency that continues for the long-term can lead to a host of chronic complications. This includes an increased risk for developing cancer, autoimmune issues, type II diabetes, cardiovascular problems, pregnancy complications and more.

The bottom line is that there are a variety of health conditions that you may be at a higher risk of developing both in the short-term and in the long-term if you are not diligent about getting enough of this important vitamin.

How to Ensure You Are Getting Enough Vitamin D

Now that you know about the problems associated with a deficiency in vitamin D, you are probably wondering how you can ensure that you are taking in enough of this crucial nutrient. Here are the three primary ways to boost your intake of vitamin D.

Food

While vitamin D is not plentiful in a wide variety of foods, it is still possible to boost your intake by focusing on foods that feature the nutrient. Good food sources for vitamin D include cheese, fatty fish, mushrooms, egg yolks and beef liver. You can also find many foods that are fortified with vitamin D. The most common foods that are fortified with vitamin D include cereal, bread, milk and orange juice.

Sun

You may have heard the phrase, “soaking up that vitamin D.” This is because the sun is one of the best sources of vitamin D. The sun’s rays hitting the body’s bare skin stimulates the production of vitamin D. Because the UVB radiation does not travel through glass, sun exposure needs to be direct. You will receive the highest concentration of vitamin D if you spend time in the sunlight between the hours of 10 a.m. and 4 p.m..

Supplements

If you are worried that you are not getting enough vitamin D, you may want to consider the use of supplements as an added layer of insurance. There are a number of highly effective supplements that provide vitamin D, including Vitachron.

The Great Sunscreen Debate

Because vitamin D is not as plentiful in foods as other vitamins, many people turn to the sun to deliver this nutrient. The challenge is finding that balance between sufficient protection from the sun and getting your daily dose of vitamin D.

As more is understood about vitamin D, the great sunscreen debate continues to rage on. Practicing sensible sun-protective measures is the best way to protect yourself against skin cancer while also ensuring that you are getting enough vitamin D. This means that you should avoid applying sunscreen so thickly that it blocks out all of the sun’s ability to provide vitamin D. It is also important to remember that most people only need about 20 minutes of sun exposure a few times per week to generate the amount of vitamin D needed for optimal health.

When it comes to vitamin D exposure via the sun, keep in mind that a little goes a long way. You do not need to bake in the sun to see the benefits.

Understanding the importance of vitamin D and how you can guarantee that you are taking in adequate amounts can have a profound positive effect on your overall health and well-being.

The Importance of Omega-3 Fatty Acids and Why They’re Crucial to Your Health

Jan 27 by Ewcopywriting

Omega-3 fatty acids are one of the most elusive nutrients in the typical American diet, and one that many people miss out on getting enough of. Unlike omega-6, omega-3 is not found in many commonly consumed foods, so most people have to be intentional about getting adequate amounts of this beneficial fatty acid. Gaining a clear understanding of the importance of omega-3 fatty acid for adults and children alike can have a profound effect on your overall health. Here is what you need to know about the importance of omega-3 fatty acids and why you should be purposeful about consuming them regularly.

What Are Omega-3 Fatty Acids?

Omega-3 fatty acids are a type of polyunsaturated fat, a type of fat that the body is unable to make on its own. Because the body cannot produce omega-3, it is designated as “essential,” meaning that it must be obtained via the diet.

There are various unique types of omega-3 fatty acids, distinguished by their structure and size. The three most common types of omega-3s are eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), and alpha-linolenic acid (ALA).

Where to Find Omega-3 Fatty Acids

So if your body does not naturally produce these essential fatty acids, where can you find them? The best source of omega-3s are oily fish. Good choices include salmon, trout, mackerel, sea bass and sardines. You can also get minimal amounts of ALA by eating flax seeds, chia seeds, walnuts and various plant oils. If you know that you are not likely to consume these food products, you would be wise to look into getting your omega-3 fatty acids through a high-quality dietary supplement.

The Difference Between Omega-3 and Omega-6 Fatty Acids

It is important that you do not confuse omega-3 fatty acids with their omega-6 counterparts. While both types of fatty acids deliver benefits to the body, there needs to be a proper balance between the two in order to reap optimal benefits. Similar to omega-3s, omega-6s are considered to be essential fatty acids.

Omega-6 fatty acids are found primarily in seeds, nuts, leafy vegetables, grains and vegetable oils. These fatty acids help to promote bone health, keep your metabolic system in check, encourage healthy skin and hair growth and much more.

Most Americans tend to consume an unhealthy ratio of omega-6 fatty acids to omega-3 fatty acids. While the optimal ratio would be somewhere between 1:1 and 4:1, ratios between 15:1 and 17:1 are more realistic when following a typical Western diet. This is primarily because Americans tend to consume large amounts of cooking oils and grains that contain omega-6 as opposed to eating more foods that boast a high amount of omega-3s.

Too much omega-6 intake is harmful, leading to excess amounts of inflammation in the body. The good news is that you can counteract this abundance of omega-6 by being mindful about consuming more anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids.

The Importance of Omega-3 Fatty Acids

There is no shortage of benefits to getting an adequate amount of omega-3 fatty acids in your diet. Here are a few of the key benefits to consider.

Anti-inflammatory Agent

Sufficient amounts of omega-3s will act as an anti-inflammatory agent.

Heart Health

In addition to boosting overall heart health, omega-3s work to regulate the body’s blood clotting function.

Thyroid Function

By regulating thyroid function, you will also enjoy a better metabolic response.

Mood Booster

Consuming just a small amount of omega-3 fatty acids can produce a meaningful positive effect on your mood. Not only will omega-3 naturally boost your emotional and mental health, but it can also improve sleep quality.

Bone Health

By positively affecting the calcium balance throughout your body as well as membrane function, adequate amounts of omega-3s will promote bone health.

Immune System Function

Taking in the right amount of omega-3 has also been shown to promote solid immune system function and gut health.

Signs You May be Deficient in Omega-3s

There are a number of signs that you can watch out for to determine if you may not be getting enough omega-3s in your diet. Many individuals diagnosed with depression determine that they are low in omega-3 intake. Some people first notice the deficiency when the health of their skin begins to deteriorate. Skin that unexplainably becomes dry or irritated could be a sign of an omega-3 deficiency.

In the same way omega-3 intake can promote healthy and hydrated skin, it also helps to keep your hair looking its best. Hair that suddenly appears dry or brittle may be the result of not getting enough omega-3 in your diet. This fatty acid also plays an important role in maintaining good eye health. One last telling symptom of an omega-3 deficiency is recurring joint pain or stiffness in the body.

While there is no specific test to measure the levels of omega-3s in your body, your health care provider can look for clues in other lab results to try to determine if you need to increase your intake of this crucial fatty acid. Aside from including more omega-3 rich foods in your diet, taking a high-quality dietary supplement like Resverchron can help you get an adequate amount of omega-3’s, along with other important vitamins and minerals.

Omega-3 Fatty Acid Recipes

Now that you know what omega-3 fatty acid is, why it is important and the signs that you may be deficient, you can take control over this part of your health and take the necessary steps to boost your intake of this essential fatty acid. Below are a few simple and delicious recipes to get you started.

Poached Salmon Salad

Ingredients

Salmon:
1/4 c. dry white wine
1/4 c. water
2 (6 – 8 oz. filets) wild-caught salmon
2 tbsp. butter, softened
1 – 2 tsp. parsley
salt and pepper to taste

Salad:
1 1/2 c. lettuce of choice, chopped into bite-size pieces
1/4 small red onion, chopped
1 avocado, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 tbsp. red wine vinegar
2 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 c. fresh parsley
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Put white wine and water in a large, non-stick skillet. Heat over medium-high heat for about five minutes.
Add salmon filets, dotting with softened butter. Season with parsley, salt and pepper.
Bring liquid to a boil, then reduce heat to medium. Poach salmon at medium heat for 10 to 15 minutes, or until flesh is opaque.
Combine lettuce, red onion, avocado, red wine vinegar, olive oil and parsley in a large bowl. Salt and pepper to taste. Place poached salmon filets on top of the salad and enjoy!

Omega-3 Smoothie

This delicious and simple-to-make smoothie provides a number of omega-3-rich ingredients. Enjoy daily for a healthy boost of the omega-3 fatty acids your body craves!

Ingredients

8 oz. non-dairy milk of choice (coconut, flax or almond milk work well)
1 banana, peeled
1 c. spinach
1 tbsp. peanut butter or almond butter
1 tbsp. walnuts, chopped
1 tbsp. flax seeds, ground
1/2 tbsp. chia seeds

Directions

Combine all ingredients in a blender.
Blend until smooth. Pour into a glass and enjoy!

No-Bake Omega-3 Energy Balls

These yummy and nutritious no-bake energy balls can be enjoyed as a snack or healthy dessert by adults and kids alike.

Ingredients

1 c. walnuts or almonds, chopped
1/2 c. green pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
1/2 c. rolled oats
1/2 – 3/4 c. raw honey
5 tbsp. cocoa powder
3 tbsp. peanut butter (or nut butter of choice)
2 tbsp. flax seeds
1 tbsp. coconut oil
1/4 tsp. Himalayan sea salt

Directions

Add nuts, pumpkin seeds and flax seeds to food processor. Pulse until finely ground.
In a medium bowl, combine nut/seed mixture with rolled oats, cocoa powder and sea salt. Mix well.
Add honey, nut butter and coconut oil. Stir until smooth.
Form mixture into tablespoon-size balls.
Place on cookie sheet or plate and put in refrigerator for 10 – 15 minutes, or until firm.

Research Update: Gut Microbes Influence Mood, Bone Strength and Cancer Risk

Jan 22 by Ewcopywriting

In recent years, a great deal of new information has been uncovered by scientists regarding the role of the gut microbiome in overall health and well-being. That body of information is rapidly expanding as scientists increase their understanding of just how vital maintaining a healthy gut microbiome is to immune system function, disease prevention, heart health and optimal mental health. New information links gut microbes to bone strength, mood and cancer risk. Diet is a major influence on gut microbiome health, underscoring the critical importance of healthy eating.

How Gut Microbes Impact Mood

While there are already established links between gut microbiota and brain functioning and mood disorders, a new study suggests yet another connection. Published by the North American Menopause Society (NAMS), the study found a connection between the amount of fiber in the diet and the risk of depression in premenopausal women. Researchers attributed this to the link between dietary fiber and gut microbiome health, as well as the role of gut-brain interactions in mood regulation and brain function.

According to the study, postmenopausal women didn’t experience as much depression risk reduction connected to dietary fiber as the premenopausal women did. Researchers suggested that this has to do with the way estrogen impacts the balance of gut bacteria, pointing to the difference in estrogen levels between the two categories of women. This study confirmed the importance of diverse and balanced gut bacteria.

The Role of Gut Microbes in Bone Strength

A number of studies have demonstrated that the gut microbiome plays a role in bone strength. Researchers have found that gut bacteria are involved in the modification of bone tissue, impacting overall bone strength. Gut microbiota also have a role in the regulation of bone density loss as estrogen levels decrease.

Researchers using mice demonstrated with fecal transplants containing segmented filamentous bacteria (SFB), a gut microbe that breaks down bone, that the gut microbiome can affect bone structure and density. The eventual goal of such research is to improve treatments for diseases and chronic health conditions that target the bones, such as osteoporosis.

Gut Bacteria and Cancer Risk

Microbial balance and a robustly diverse, healthy gut microbiome are important for keeping undesirable microbes in check. Enterotoxigenic Bacteroides fragilis (ETBF), a microbe typically located in the colon, has been connected to increased breast cancer risk, as well as to colon cancer. In animal studies involving mice, colonizing their breasts or gut tissue with this microbe consistently resulted in tumor cell growth and metastatic progression of those cells.

In another intriguing cancer related study, researchers found some evidence that a healthy gut microbiome may contribute to better breast cancer outcomes in relation to chemotherapy treatment success. This was a very small study, involving just 42 women; 21 with early stage breast cancer and 21 healthy women. However, the results have led researchers to plan further research and larger studies.

Gut Bacteria Impacts Numerous Health Issues

Scientists have connected the health of the gut microbiome to a wide range of health conditions. These include type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and obesity. Some studies show that gut microbiome health can even influence how severely a person is impacted by Covid-19. People who had to be hospitalized due to severe Covid-19 symptoms were more likely to have a less healthy gut microbiome and a poor balance between good and bad gut bacteria. That probably relates to the role of gut bacteria in immune system function, which is essential to fighting off illness and disease.

New research, building on established links to cognitive development and function, indicates that the gut microbiome may even play an important role in the sleep-wake cycle, influencing the circadian rhythm and the production of serotonin and dopamine. Part of the influence of gut bacteria in these processes has to do with their role in the chemical reactions involved in the production of those substances, as well as their part in the chemical reactions that help make up the brain’s communication system.

A Healthy Diet is Essential to Gut Health

The daily diet is the key element when it comes to the health of the gut microbiome. In fact, researchers have been able to connect specific microbes to specific foods. In the future, that may be able to help produce detailed, food-specific diets to help people with a high risk of a particular disease reduce that risk via modification of their gut bacteria. The typical Western diet, all too often based heavily on overly processed foods, tends to be high in fat and sugar, and low in fiber and nutrition. This diet damages the diversity of gut bacteria that is so essential to overall health and well being.

Feed Your “Health Partners” Well

Your gut bacteria operate as important partners in your physical health, mental well-being and cognitive function. Feed them – and yourself – well for optimal health. Enjoy a varied, diverse diet and you’ll have a diverse collection of gut bacteria. Include real, whole foods, including plenty of fresh fruits, vegetables, legumes and beans in the daily diet. Reduce the use of highly processed foods with a goal of eliminating them altogether. Taking a high-quality supplement that provides both prebiotics and probiotics can also help promote a healthy balance of gut bacteria. Ensuring you are feeding your body what it needs to keep your gut microbiome healthy and diverse will undoubtedly improve your overall health.