Potassium

Jul

2019

The Health Benefits Of Beets

By Ben Fuchs | Pharmacist Ben
What are the health benefits of beets?I’ve been hearing a lot of commercials about beets lately, the latest darling of the nutritional supplement industry. Supplements using beets, particularly beet juice and beet powder, look to exploit recent research findings focused on the nutrient-dense tap root’s ability to enhance athletic performance, strength and endurance.

The secret to the beet boost for athletes and workout warriors is in its nitrogen content, specifically in the form of nitrates and nitrites. Despite the conventional wisdom that these chemicals are best avoided, as it turns out the misunderstood molecules have been a valued medicinal asset for doctors and health care professionals for over a hundred years. They’re sources of nitrogen and, when transformed into the gas hormone nitric oxide (NO), they become a potent hormone-like biochemical that plays various important roles in keeping the body healthy. NO is especially important for heart health. It lowers blood pressure, supports the flow of fluid through the circulatory system, improves male sexual performance, fights cancer, destroys tumors and is anti-inflammatory. In addition to being a source of nitric oxide, nitrates may play an important role in eye health, particularly for patients dealing with glaucoma, a leading cause of blindness that affects 3 million Americans. A 1998 article published in the journal Vision concluded that the use of therapeutic nitrates in glaucoma patients may offer a protective effect. More recently, a study published in JAMA Ophthalmology found that American adults who ate the most nitrates were 21 percent less likely than those who ate the least nitrates to develop open-angle glaucoma by the time they were in their 60s and 70s.

But it’s not just nitrogen that makes the beet such a nutritionally significant vegetable. The red root is a source of many other important salubrious substances including betalins, the natural pigment that’s responsible for the vegetable’s rosy hue. Betalins, whose name is derived from the beets Latin name beta vulgaris, act as a type of molecular cleaning crew, speeding up the removal of toxins and dead cells. Betalins can help fight cancer and are, according to a September 2005 article in the journal Phytotherapy Research, particularly important for liver health.

The beet’s nutritional value doesn’t stop there. They’re rich in antioxidants, electrolytes like potassium and magnesium. They’re packed with B-vitamins, especially folic acid. They’ve got Vitamin C, and they’re loaded with fiber. They’re also important sources of carotenoids, particularly lycopene, which can protect the skin from the damaging effects of the sun.

You don’t have to ingest beets to enjoy their skin health benefits. You can apply their juice topically. Blend some up in a VitaMix with some juice or apple cider vinegar and you can make your own beet-based skin care masks and toners. The alpha-hydroxy acids from the vinegar and citrus will smooth and soften the skin, helping drive the beet’s vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients past the surface to the lower levels. This enhances their protective and detoxifying effects, helping prevent wrinkles, dark spots and other signs of age inducing sun damage.

Did You Know?

You can use beets to test your digestive system. Stools should have a red hue 12-24 hours after eating the vegetable. If the rosy color doesn’t appear within a day or so you may be dealing with delayed transit time (constipation) and food stagnation
Beet juice makes a great hair dye. Cut up 1-2 beets into quarters, add water and mix in a food processor or blender. Use cheesecloth to filter out the juice and whip it into 2-4 cups of of melted coconut oil. Let cool and apply to hair as a mask. Let sit for 1-2 hours and rinse and wash hair as usual
Even though they contain sugar, beets make a great diet-friendly dessert. A cup only has 75 calories and can be used to sweeten pies, juices, or as a tasty low-cal sweet to finish off a meal.
The surface of fresh, organic beets contains beneficial microorganisms. When you prepare them, rinse off the dirt, but don’t scrape off the skin and you’ll get the benefits of the good bacteria. If you juice your beets and add some bacterial starter culture (available on the internet), you can make your own probiotic-rich beet beverage (it’s called “kvass”).
The Romans used beets as a natural aphrodisiac, and for good reason. Although they didn’t know it at the time, the sweet root is a source of boron, an important mineral involved in the production of libido-boosting testosterone.

Nov

2017

The Healthy Body Pak is 90 for Life

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Your body needs 90 essential nutrients

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What are the 90 Essential Nutrients?

60 Minerals

Calcium, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium, Sodium, Chloride, Sulfur, Cobalt, Copper, Aluminum, Arsenic, Barium, Beryllium, Boron, Bromine, Carbon, Iodine, Iron, Manganese, Selenium, Zinc, Cerium, Cesium, Chromium, Dysprosium, Erbium, Europium, Gadolinium, Gallium, Germanium, Gold, Hafnium, Holmium, Hydrogen, Lanthanum, Lithium, Lutetium, Molybdenum, Neodymium, Nickel, Niobium, Nitrogen, Oxygen, Praseodymium, Rhenium, Rubidium, Samarium, Scandium, Silica, Silver, Strontium, Tantalum, Terbium, Thulium, Tin, Titanium, Vanadium, Ytterbium, Yttrium, Zirconium

2-3 Essential Fatty Acids

Omega 3, Omega 6, Omega 9

16 Vitamins

Vitamin A, Vitamin B1, Vitamin B2, Vitamin B3, Vitamin B5, Vitamin B6, Vitamin B12, Vitamin C, Vitamin D, Vitamin E, Vitamin K, Biotin, Choline, Flavonoids (Bioflavonoids), Folic Acid, Inositol

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Bioavailability

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Oct

2013

Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension

By Ben Fuchs | Pharmacist Ben

Late last week the FDA approved a new drug to treat Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (PAH). The medication, called macitentan (Opsumit, Actelion) is the second drug approved this month to treat the debilitating disease. Earlier, the regulatory body approved a medication called riociguat (Adempas).

Micrograph showing a plexiform lesion of the lung, as seen in irreversible pulmonary hypertension. Image contributed by Bulent Celasun, MD, via Wikimedia Commons.

Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension is a condition that affects the blood circulation in the pulmonary system, which is medical term referring to respiratory mechanics and the lungs. Although no one knows exactly how many people have PAH, according to the American Thoracic Society (ATS), it may affect as many as hundreds of thousands of Americans. It can best be thought of as high blood pressure of the lung arteries and can lead to all kinds of unpleasant bodily symptoms including bluish lips, hands or feet, dizziness, fatigue and lethargy, shortness of breath, fainting and swelling in the lower extremities. PAH has no surgical cure, progresses rapidly and is marked by progressive degeneration and breakdown of the blood vessels that travel from the heart to the lungs. In a normal healthy body, blood is carried from the heart, then to the lungs, where it picks up oxygen, which is then in turn delivered back to the heart and then to the rest of the organs and tissues of the body. Under conditions of Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension however, pulmonary arterial constriction, i.e. a tightening of the blood vessels in the lungs, restricts flow resulting in a sluggish circulation to the heart as well as a decrease in the amount of blood and oxygen that is ultimately delivered to the rest of the body. In addition, long term hypertension in the pulmonary arteries can lead to vascular changes including thickening of vessel walls, inflammation and the formation of plaques, all of which can further impair circulation and blood flow. Most significantly as the condition progresses, the heart, which is forced to work harder and faster to compensate for the vascular changes, becomes weakened. This can result in heart failure which is the most common cause of death in cases of PAH.

PAH can be associated with various other disease states including connective tissue disease, hypothyroidism, liver disease and heart disease, HIV infection and stimulant drug intake. However the vast majority of cases, according to ATS literature are said to be idiopathic, meaning they are associated with no known cause.

Although there is no medical cure for Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension, drug treatments have traditionally focused on vasodilators, which open up the blood vessels. However these kinds of drugs can create potential problems via lowering blood pressure in the rest of the body and ultimately decreasing the flow of blood to the lungs. Although the recently approved drugs, macitentan and riociguat, operate via novel mechanisms they are still vasodilators and can result in the same kind of problems as the more conventional PAH medications.

As with other circulatory health challenges there are many nutritional and dietary strategies that may help improve PAH. According to researchers writing in the European Respiratory Journal in April 2013, there is an increased prevalence of insulin resistance in PAH patients. Thus, restoring insulin sensitivity by reducing the intake of sugars and refined carbs may have a beneficial effect. Additionally there are nutritional supplements that can be used that improve insulin response. Niacin, thiamin, chromium and vanadium can all increase insulin sensitivity. So can the mineral magnesium, which can the potentize effects of insulin, and can provide lung and circulatory benefits. Magnesium has also been used as a medical treatment for PAH in newborns. In a 2004 study of 12 newborn babies with pulmonary hypertension published in the Journal of Tropical Pediatrics, magnesium was found to be “a safe and effective pulmonary vasodilator”, which is medical talk for “a safe substance for opening up blood vessels in the lungs”.

Finally, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center, while not specifically associated with treating pulmonary arterial hypertension, there are several nutritional supplements that can be used to improve heart health function in general. These include carnitine (500mg, three times a day), CoQ10 (200-600mg a day), Vitamin E (400 IU a day), potassium (20mg and day) and taurine (1000mg twice a day).

Apr

2013

Bone Soup: Miracle Food

By Ben Fuchs | Pharmacist Ben

It’s no secret that most people don’t get adequate nutrition through their daily food consumption. I spend much of my time educating folks about the nutritional supplementation we need to add to our diets to achieve longevity and vitality. There are a few foods, however, which stand out for their nutritional value, that I consider to be “superfoods”, and that can be included generously in the diet to great effect. One of my favorites is Bone Soup.

Chinese Pork Bone Soup (Gar Dook Mu On Tom Made Bur).

Bone Soup, made from chicken, beef, lamb or turkey, is a traditional food found in many cultures with a long history as a source of nourishment. While it is most commonly known as “Jewish Penicillin,” because of its powerful cold and flu-fighting powers, there are numerous health benefits received by consuming bone soup that make me wonder why people don’t drink it every day.

Bone Soup contains vitamins and minerals that have been shown to give the immune system a significant boost. In addition, long-chain saccharides, the healthful kind of sugars, within the soup are perfect to ease all ailments of the joints and muscles. This makes bone soup especially helpful when healing from surgery or broken bones, and a perfect recovery food for athletes, and everyone else who ever has muscle aches. Bone stock also contains healing substances that soothe, coat and rebuild the digestive tract, which is perfect for treating ulcers and intestinal problems. Finally, the broth contains skin-friendly amino acids and moisture factors that reduce wrinkle formation and keep skin soft and hydrated from within.

Basically, Bone Soup is a liquid food derived from the dissolution of animal bone, tendon and meat components in water. Prolonged simmering, known by culinary experts as “reducing,” allows cartilaginous factors of the animal parts to solubilize in the broth. In this process, long chain sugars co-mingle with protein-sulfur components to create glucoseaminoglycans, and form a gel matrix within the water. This process traps the minerals released from the bone, which include calcium, magnesium, and potassium, into a type of suspension called a colloid. This colloidal gel system has an electrical nature that vivifies the liquid and enhances the biological value of the nutrients carried within it.

Bone soup is easy to make. To get the maximum benefit from bone soup, it’s best to prepare the soup with oils, spices, and vinegar. One way to start the soup is to place your favorite spices and some oil or butter in the bottom of a large soup or spaghetti pot. Apply very slight heat until the spices dissolve within the oil. This allows active components in the spices to release into the oils, enhancing the medicinal properties of the oil.

Drop your bones into the pot and top them off with water. You can use just bones or a whole cooked chicken or turkey if you want to add more protein. Add a splash of vinegar, or lemon or lime juice, to help release the nutrients from bones. Cover and simmer for several hours. Fish requires only a few hours of simmering, while chicken bones can be stewed up to 12 hours and thicker bones of the beef shank may be rendered for 24 hours. If you use a pressure cooker you can save time.

Next, strain the soup to discard the bones and parts you don’t want to consume and salvage the broth. Next, you may add vegetables or more spices, and that’s it. If you make extra broth, it can easily be frozen and saved for later.

Bone soup is as much a nutritional supplement as delicious food. It’s a considerable source of vitamins, minerals, amino acids, proteins, and anti-cancer compounds, all in a bio-electrically active, easy to absorb form. All told it’s nutritionally packed, inexpensive, easy to make and a valuable, tasty part of a healthy lifestyle.