Optimize Health and Nutrition

Water is necessary for digestion and, at a cellular level, it is needed to transport nutrients and remove waste. Proper hydration also helps regulate our body temperature, especially during exercise. Mild dehydration can impact blood pressure, heart rate, and body temperature. Severe dehydration can lead to kidney damage, brain damage and death.

The general recommendation is to drink 1 oz of water for every 2 lbs of body weight daily. It is also more effective to spread water intake throughout the day. In healthy individuals, the kidneys can process 27 to 33 oz of water per hour. Drinking in excess of this amount at once can cause the sodium content of your blood to become diluted. This is called hyponatremia and it can be life-threatening.

Electrolytes are essential minerals like sodium, calcium, potassium, magnesium, chloride and phosphorus. These minerals are necessary to maintain proper fluid balance at a cellular level. A healthy diet of fruits and vegetables is usually sufficient to keep electrolyte levels balanced. However, in extreme heat or during strenuous activity, it may be necessary to supplement with electrolytes to avoid dehydration.

Avoid drinking sweet beverages which are often nutritionally void, cause tooth decay, weight gain and increase your risk of insulin resistance, diabetes and cancer. According to Harvard Health, two or more servings of sweet beverages per day are associated with a 31% higher risk of premature death from cardiovascular disease. Each additional serving increases the risk by 10%.

Heavily processed foods often include unhealthy levels of added sugar, sodium, trans fats, preservatives, nitrates and other chemicals. Food manufacturers add these ingredients to make foods taste better, look better or increase shelf life. However, overconsumption of processed foods is associated with inflammation, obesity, heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, cancer and cognitive decline.

Examples of heavily processed foods include cereals, sweetened yogurts, lunch meats, hot dogs and sausages, canned soups, frozen meals, chips, crackers and baked goods. When examining food labels, avoid products containing:

• Trans fats and partially hydrogenated oils - associated with blood clots and metabolic syndrome

• Refined white grains like flour, bread, pasta or rice - stripped of fiber and nutrients, spike blood sugar

• High fructose corn syrup - raises fat-storing hormones

• Sodium nitrates and nitrites - known carcinogens

• Also, read the Environmental Working Group's Dirty Dozen, the top 12 food chemicals to avoid including artificial sweeteners, artificial colors, sodium benzoate, BHA, BHT and more. The list describes the dangers of these carcinogens and endocrine disruptors.

To make reading food labels easier, you can obtain safety scores for packaged food products at the Environmental Working Group. The scores are calculated based on nutrition, ingredients and processing concerns.

♥ Yuka is a very useful free app that scans barcodes on food and other product labels and grades the nutritional quality. It focuses on food additives and macronutrients such as calories, sugar content, fiber, sodium, saturated fat, fruits and proteins. It identifies food additives as risk-free, limited risk or hazardous and explains why.

♥ Fooducate is another free app that scans barcodes and grades the nutritional quality of foods. It is less informative than Yuka regarding food additives but it provides other useful features including the ability to track daily meals, calories, water intake and exercise. It can sync with Apple Health and Google Fit, but not Samsung Health.

The Epoch Times has a very comprehensive article by Dr. Joseph Mercola about the extensive danger of seed oils. He indicates that seed oils (high in linoleic acid) are a primary contributor to chronic diseases, including cardiovascular disease and cancer, and are even more dangerous to our health than sugar. Other sources have implicated seed oils in obesity, diabetes, and metabolic disorders.

There are several types of essential fatty acids necessary to human health which are involved in building cell membranes:

• Saturated Fatty Acids - solids like butter and coconut oil

• Monounsaturated Fatty Acids - liquids, high melting point

• Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids (PUFA) - liquids, low melting point

  • Omega-3 includes EPA, DHA, ALA (alpha-linolenic)

  • Omega-6 includes CLA, LA (linoleic acid)

PUFAs are essential in our diet but they are only needed in small quantities. The typical modern diet, however, includes excessive amounts of Omega-6 linoleic acid which is harmful in high quantities. Increasing intake of Omega-3 to balance the Omega-3 to 6 ratio does not fix the problem. The body readily uses saturated and monosaturated fatty acids but PUFAs are unstable, susceptible to oxidation and free radical formation, increase inflammation and are harmful to cellular function in excess. PUFAs oxidize LDL cholesterol, creating arterial plaques, clogged arteries and cardiovascular disease.

Tips to reduce consumption of Omega-6 Linoleic acid:

• Limit processed foods which are often high in linoleic oils

• Avoid restaurant foods fried in oils like french fries

• Avoid sauces, dressings, and condiments like mayo made with linoleic acid

• Don't use these cooking oils:

  • Safflower, Sunflower & Grapeseed oils (70% linoleic)

  • Corn, Soybean, Cottonseed oils (50-55% linoleic)

  • Peanut oil (30% linoleic)

  • Canola oil (20% linoleic)

• ♥ Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) and Avocado oils are relatively low in linoleic acid (10%). Both have similar fat profiles but EVOO benefits from high levels of polyphenol antioxidants. Read more about the amazing benefits of EVOO in the next section and why it is an excellent choice for cooking.

• Butter and coconut oil are very low in linoleic acid (1-3%), both contain antioxidants and have anti-inflammatory properties. Butter also contains short and medium-chain fatty acids including butyrate which is beneficial for brain, gut and metabolic health. Butter and coconut oil, however, are high in saturated fatty acids which increase LDL cholesterol (ongoing debate concerning its relationship to heart disease.)

• ♥ Macadamia nut oil is also very low in linoleic acid (1-3%), contains antioxidants and has anti-inflammatory properties. Unlike butter and coconut oil, macadamia nut oil is relatively low in saturated fatty acids, high in beneficial monosaturated fatty acids and lowers LDL cholesterol.

• ♥ Minimize consumption of most nuts and seeds as they are high in linoleic acid. The only exception is macadamia nuts which contain only 2% linoleic acid. Macadamia nuts are rich in flavonoids and antioxidants that fight harmful free radicals and lower inflammation. The fiber in macadamia nuts also acts as a prebiotic to feed the beneficial bacteria in your gut.

Nonstick cookware, manufactured prior to 2013, contained harmful substances called perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA). Modern Teflon, a.k.a polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), is reported to be safer and more stable. However, when pans are heated >500°F, the nonstick coating can break down, releasing toxic chemicals in the air. Inhaling these chemicals can cause polymer fume fever. Avoid overheating nonstick cookware and replace pans every 5 years or sooner if they become scratched or discolored.

As an alternative, 100% ceramic, ceramic coated and cast iron cookware are somewhat less nonstick but are made from natural materials and are free from toxic chemicals. Stainless steel (not nonstick) also remains a safe and durable alternative.

♥ One alternative for pure ceramic cookware is Xtrema, a highly recommended and trusted brand. Their cookware is beautifully crafted, comes with a 10-year warranty and can be used on the stovetop, oven or microwave.

♥ Another option for high-quality, colorful, ceramic-coated cookware is Tramontina which comes with stainless steel rims, tempered glass lids and a lifetime warranty.

• Take charge of your health and prioritize nutrition by making the effort to learn about beneficial nutrients and toxins in the food supply.

• Avoid fast food and cook more meals at home with a variety of minimally processed foods. Use apps like ♥ Yuka and ♥ Fooducate to scan barcodes in your pantry and at the grocery store to identify toxic chemicals in food products.

• Buy organic foods when possible, especially for those foods with the highest pesticide content.

• Reduce consumption of most nuts which are high in linoleic acid and eat more ♥ Macadamia nuts which are low in linoleic acid and provide other health benefits.

• Use ♥ Extra Virgin Olive Oil (providing many health benefits) instead of harmful seed oils and avoid condiments that contain seed oils. Make your own dressings with EVOO, balsamic vinegar and spices.

• Reduce the amount of sugar and sodium in your diet, especially sweetened beverages which spike blood sugar and increase diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Instead, hydrate with water and unsweetened tea. Pay attention to your water intake to ensure sufficient hydration.

• Avoid artificial sweeteners which are associated with a number of negative health effects including negative impacts to gut microbiome. Instead eat foods that increase fiber and serve as pre-biotics.

• Replace older nonstick teflon cookware with healthier ceramic, cast iron or stainless steel alternatives.

• Store and microwave foods in glass containers to reduce exposure to endocrine-disrupting phthalates and BPA.

• Learn how exercise and stress impact physical and mental health and take steps to improve in those areas.

• Learn how to slow down the aging process by reducing oxidative stress and increase consumption of foods high in polyphenols.