Nutrigenomics to the Rescue

Dear Friends,

Well here we are again my good friends—another year’s ending, waiting for the dawn of 2012.  It’s a time for reflection, thanksgiving, and hopefulness.

Dohrea and I thank you for your business and friendship. We send you warm hugs, wishes, and prayers for much health and happiness in this coming New Year.

We’re very excited about the new research on foods that are therapeutic. We are working together with such wonderful scientists and farmers from the wilds of Alaska and will bring aboard in 2012 some exquisite products. But that is not all, we have expanded our relationships everywhere as we believe that it is the power of the community that will heal our globe.

Over the past several weeks we have focused on answers to the question— What makes Food Therapeutic? We will be continuing with this very fruitful inquiry in the coming months, for in fact, our new products come forth from such machinations.  We won’t get too far into it today for it’s a vacation week, but—somebody stop me—here’s a few thoughts for you to ponder over.

Two weeks ago we began this query by defining the emerging field of Nutrigenomics. Nutritional genomics adds amazing power to the prospect of using foods as medicine. Many phytonutrients activate transcription factors (cytoplasmic messenger molecules) which in turn cause the up-regulation or down-regulation of whole suites of genes in our body cells.

For example, NF-kappa B is a transcription molecule that when activated by specific phytonutrients goes to the cell’s nuclear membrane causing specific genes to transcribe for pro-inflammatory cytocine and chemokines—TNF alpha, IL-1, 4, 6, 8, 10, etc.—causing gross inflammation throughout the body.  Blueberry’s catechins, cinnamon’s cinnamic aldehyde, tumeric’s curcuminoids, rosehip’s, pomegranate’s and raspberry’s ellagic acid and garlic’s allicin all downregulate NF-kappa B—reducing inflammation throughout the body.

As we have said and we all know, reducing the fires of inflammation in the body is a major healing strategy for today’s chronic disease patterns because many are mediated by inflammation.

Additionally, as we mentioned last week, these wonderful forementioned berries and spices up-regulate the powerful transcription factor NRF2 which functions as a protective transcription factor. It causes the genes to transcribe (produce) anti-inflammatory and antioxidant enzymes like glutatione-s transferase, hemoxygenase, quinone reductase, and many many others.  It is a one-two punch with these wonderful phytonutrients for knocking out inflammation and facilitating good health.

We mentioned also last week the Blue Zones, areas of the world where people achieve old age (well into their 90s and even over 100) all the while maintaining their strength, and abilities to work and to think!  The diseases of age—CVD, cancer, diabetes, arthritis, Alzheimer’s, overweight and obesity hadn’t brought them down.

Maintaining strength and lean body mass is a challenge as we age.  Skeletal muscle mass and strength generally peak between 20 to 35 years of age.  From then on, 3 to 8% of muscle mass may be lost per decade, a loss rate that accelerates after the age of 60.  The same can be said for bone loss, with as much as 30% of the bone mass being lost by the age of 80.  But it doesn’t have to be that way on both these counts of sarcopenia and osteopenia.  With food one can turn-on lean muscle building metabolism and turn-off excess fat storage—improving the lean body mass ratio and with bone we can improve the bone density profile—all through the food’s manipulation of gene expression.  Let’s talk about this next week, especially after our big food binging Holidays of Thanksgiving and Christmas and New Year.  Phytonutrients and Nutrigenomics can come to the rescue.

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!!

Sincerely yours,

Seann Bardell

BioImmersion.com

Clinical Note:

Last week we talked about a healthy morning drink with a rainbow of colorful phytonutrients—blueberry, pomegranate, cranberry, tart cherry, pineapple, chlorella, the cruciferous sprouts of watercress, kale, broccoli, daikon and red radish, mustard and cabbage sprouts.  This I accomplish with one tbl spoon of the Beta Glucan Synbiotic Formula, one tsp of the Number 7 Systemic Booster, four capsules of Organic Chlorella, two capsules of Wild Blueberry Daily, four capsules of Crucerfous Sprouts Complez.  All of this is taken in a tall glass of spring water.

Based on the osteropenia I would add 2 capsules of the Fructo Borate Complex daily.  And, for the sarcopenia, I would initiate the consumption of Energy Sustain Complex.  The chia in this product is fabulous source of fiber, omega threes, complex proteins, and energy. More on these things next week.

The Last Quiz Answer:

This beautiful creature is a Husky, perhaps a Siberian Husky.  The Siberian Huskies were bred by the Chukchi of Northeastern Asia to pull heavy loads long distances through difficult conditions.  The dogs were imported into Alaska during the Nome Gold Rush to work as sled dogs.

There are many mixtures that are called huskies—there are Siberian Huskies, Alaskan Huskies, Greenland Huskies, McKenzie River Huskies, etc.  The Mackenzie River Husky is usually rangy, deep chested and long legged, built for heavy lifting in single file through deep snow.  Some are bred with St. Bernards, stag hounds and Newfoundlands.  Reminds me of The Call of the Wild by Jack London—a must read for animal lovers.

This beautiful husky is wishing you a Happy New Year! (Do click on this loveable link)

I can’t think of a better and more appropriate way to end 2011 and welcome the New Year than this quote from Food Democracy Now:On December 4th 2011 farmers and activists from across the country joined the Occupy Wall Street Farmers March for ‘a celebration of community power to regain control over the most basic element to human well-being:  Food.’ The Farmers March began at La Plaza Cultural Community Gardens where urban and rural farmers addressed an excited crowd about the growing problems in our industrial food system and the promise offered by solutions based in organic, sustainable and community based food and agricultural production. This was followed by a 3-mile march from the East Village to Zuccotti Park, the birthplace of the Occupy Wall Street movement. This is what happens when farmers join with their urban allies- Together we are unstoppable!  Please join the movement and spread the word!