Don’t be afraid of the Vampire: Breaking Down your Blood Values

With Halloween around the corner, you've probably heard about the rage of vampires and The Twilight Saga:  Breaking Dawn coming out in November.

Let's take a break from the candy this Halloween and understand what this vampire elixir is all about for your health.

You may go to the doctor each year to get your blood work done since you care about your health.  However, do you really understand the results once they come back? 

Some physicians are great at explaining each value and some just say, “your numbers are good.” 

Taking control of your health means understanding the values, if they’ve changed and what they represent.

For example let’s say your normal levels for a certain blood value like your thyroid hormones are at the top of the range and now they are at the bottom, which is not normal for your body.  Unless you keep abreast of this your health could be deteriorating without your knowledge.

Let’s start with a common labatoary value called your blood glucose. 

Blood glucose is related to how well your body is metabolizing food, specifically carbohydrates.  Since our diets are rather high in processed, starchy foods this is one I pay close attention to.

“Normal” values are between 70-110 depending on the lab.  However, having a fasting (without food) glucose value of 110 is not normal. 

Healthy fasting glucose values are considered below 90. 

I’ve had many a client come in with several years of blood work only to see their blood glucose values gradually rising over those years without their knowledge, since they were in “normal” range.

If your glucose levels are above 95 consider checking a value called your glycosylated hemoglobin A1C which measures what your blood glucose has been averaging over the previous 3 months.  The normal value is 4-6.  If your level is over 6 you are at a risk for impending diabetes and if it is over 6.4 you are considered diabetic.

Another important value now is Vitamin D. 

“Normal” values are between 30-100 but health experts consider optimal values above 50 since Vitamin d functions as a hormone and affects hundreds of metabolic pathways in the body.

Since it is almost impossible to get enough vitamin D in our food and most of us avoid the sun, this important nutrient is low in much of our population and needs to be supplemented.  If your values are 30-35 it is in “normal” range but having a higher value could help significantly help with your immune system, metabolizing fat due to lowering of insulin resistance, lowering cancer risk and optimal bone health.

Take home message?

1. Get a copy of your yearly blood work and have your doctor go over each value with you and compare to previous years 

1. If your physician is not available to go over the values with you, consider switching to someone who can or have an appointment with an RD or other trained health-care professional who understands these values and can help you make appropriate lifestyle changes

This Halloween get your numbers checked and be informed about their values.

Don’t be afraid to face the vampire at your doctor’s office - it could be good health for you and your blood.

Easy Omega 3’s: Wild Salmon in a Can

To be truthfully honest I was never a big fish lover.  I did not grow up eating fish as my Father would not eat it and my Mother would not make anything he would not eat.  I do believe we develop tastes based on what we were fed early in life.  However, over time we can acclimate our tastes to health if we desire it.

Trying to be a healthy dietitian I ate salmon in my 20’s but got away from it after a few years.  About 3 years ago I attended an amazing conference on omega 3’s and realized I needed to eat more fish, regardless of my upbringing.  And that is how I started eating salmon again.

Wild fish is what I eat and since salmon is the highest in omega 3’s it seemed like a slam dunk.  Since getting to Santa Monica seafood weekly for wild salmon not only gets time-consuming and expensive I discovered another option in a can:  Pure Alaska Salmon Company Wild Canned Salmon.  It comes 4 ways:  as skinless and boneless wild sockeye called “Redhead”, as wild pink salmon which is also skinless and boneless called “Think Pink” and both kinds with bones and skin.

It is more expensive compared to tuna (about 4 dollars per can) but compared to fresh salmon which can average 20 dollars per pound it’s a deal.  What can you do with canned salmon that is easy?

• Put it in your scrambled eggs for an easy meal
• Make an easy casserole with canned salmon, quinoa, broccoli, carrots, a few eggs and bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes (I tried this and it was easy and tasty)
• As a salad with olive oil, vinegar/lemon and spices over lettuce

Most anything you do with tuna can be done with salmon.  Why use salmon over tuna?

Here’s a few great reasons - canned salmon:

1. Contains at least 2-4x more omega 3 fats than tuna depending on the brand and type of tuna (1100-1400 for salmon vs. 300 mg-900 mg for regular or wild tuna)
2. Is at least 5-10 times higher in vitamin D than tuna (450-800 IU vs. 80-180)
3. Is a great source of calcium (about 250 mg per 3 ounce versus 15 mg. for tuna)

Pure Alaska Salmon Company has been in business for 45 years and harvests salmon sustainably – you can read their story on their site which also has some great recipes.

Easy, healthy and can sit on your shelf till you’re ready – now that’s something worth blogging about!

What About New Vitamin D Recommendations?

This week the NY Times article rocked the Vitamin D world with a report from the Institute of Medicine's (IOM) Food and Nutrition Board (FNB) questioning the need for Vitamin D supplements.

The IOC reported most people individuals have adequate levels in their blood supplied by diet and natural sunshine and taking extra Vitamin D and calcium supplements was not indicated.  In addition, they stated extra Vitamin D could possibly increase the risk of kidney stones and a variety of illnesses.

On a side note I was formerly the kidney dietitian at UCLA and never once had a patient with kidney stones who had been taking more than the amount of vitamin D in a regular multi-vitamin.  Most kidney stones are caused by calcium oxalate stones and linked to excessive vitamin C intake and inadquate calcium intake.

The committee concluded that a level of 20-30 ng/dl is all that is needed for bone health and most individuals are in that range.

What about other types of health?  Avoiding diabetes, high blood pressure and autoimmune diseases are a few that come to mind.  Was the committee of 14 members ignoring the multiple studies that exist showing how optimal levels of Vitamin D (above 50) assist in:

• Lowering insulin resistance and body fat
• Lowering risk of adult onset diabetes
• Substantially reducing colds and flues
• Lowering risks associated with autoimmune diseases
• Lowering risk of pregnancy related complications- gestational diabetes and pre-eclampsia
• Eliminating rickets

Since we receive very little D from foods and most of us wear sunscreen (anything above an 8 SPF blocks absorption of vitamin D) supplements are necessary.  The 400 IU in most multiple vitamins are not meeting most individual requirements.

I’ve been seeing values of 15-25 ng/dl on many Vitamin D levels of my clients.  When levels are this low, it is close to impossible to utilize fat which increases body fat and diseases associated with it. 

About a year and a half ago I had my levels measured and they were optimal at 57 ng/dl but I started taking 4000 IU to help with aches and pains associated with menopausal symptoms, and some weight gain.  The extra D got rid of the pains and helped my weight.

I had my levels measured last week and they were 59 ng/dl.  If I had not been taking the supplements I would have dropped to lower levels showing how much my body needed during this transition in life.

Do all people need that much?  How much should you be taking?  It depends on your current levels, and your health status.  Start by having your levels measured and discuss with your health care practitioner how much to take to lower any risk factors.  A committee of 14 people does not need to determine the future course of your health.  Taking 1000-2000 IU is not going to hurt and can improve your health.

Regardless if vitamin D is not the “apple a day to keep the doctor away” it might be just a factor in keeping disease away and that is a dose I can believe in.

Should you be concerned about Vitamin D?

In a word – YES.  Vitamin D may be the new buzz but for good reasons.  Not only is Vitamin D necessary for your bones but low levels are now linked to increased risk of autoimmune diseases, diabetes, heart disease, mood disorders and even the common cold.

How can Vitamin D influence so many things?  For starters, every cell in the body has a Vitamin D receptor and it is thought about 2000 genes are regulated by Vitamin D.  Vitamin D is actually a hormone rather than a vitamin and has more important functions than scientists ever imagined.

According to biochemist and endocrinologist Michael Holick, M.D., Ph.D., author of The Vitamin D Solution, the average levels measured ranged from 22-28 ng/ml.  Although the cutoff for normal is 30-35 most researchers state optimal levels should be over 60 ng/ml.

Higher levels of Vitamin D have been linked with 60% reduction in cancer, and 50% reduction in getting a cold or the flu.  76% of pregnant and lactating women who were taking a prenatal vitamin and drinking 2 glasses of milk per day were vitamin D deficient and 81% of their newborns at birth.  This scenario makes rickets a comeback, something we want to keep as history only.

What is the best strategy for achieving optimal Vitamin D levels? 

• Have your physician check your Vitamin D levels
• Take a minimum of 1000 IU of Vitamin D3 per day
• If your levels are below 45 increase your supplement by 1000 IU for every 6 points you need to raise it
• Monitor your levels yearly as they change depending on your circumstances

Even if you are in the sun chances are you are not getting enough Vitamin D.  In addition, the darker your color of skin the more risk you are at for deficiency since your skin blocks the absorption - raising your risk of medical issues.

Take home message – Vitamin D for health.  Your life may depend on it.

Breast Cancer in Both Women and Men

Since it is Breast Cancer Awareness month I thought it apropos to do a blog on breast cancer prevention.  Many times we think this is a female problem but men develop breast cancer as well.

Lifestyle choices can increase risk, but genetic factors play a powerful role in development of breast cancer even with healthful living.

Let’s focus on things we can do to help prevent and help reoccurrence of breast cancer.

Research has consistently linked high insulin levels to development of inflammation and cancer.  A high glycemic carbohydrate diet can increase production of insulin, which in turn can increase cell growth or tumors in the body.  When insulin levels are high, tumor cells can get the food they need to divide and multiply.

How do we keep insulin levels normal?

1.  Eating foods close to the earth that do not come with in a package or have a label -  such as fruits, vegetables, nuts/seeds, avocados, etc.

2.  Eating animal products from animals that eat what they were designed to eat – cows that eat grass, chickens that eat grass and insects and fish that eat food from the sea.  Many of our animals are eating corn which increases inflammation and insulin levels.  The exact terms are “grass-fed beef,”  “pastured chicken and eggs, “  “grass-fed or European cheese” and “wild fish.”

3.  Making sure you have omega 3’s every day – best sources are ground flax seed and fish oil that is concentrated in DHA and EPA.

4.  Optimize your Vitamin D levels – many of us have low levels since we wear sunscreen, are indoors much of the time, and our diets do not contain adequate amounts.  Have your physician check your vitamin D.  Keeping your level above 60 ng/dl is a good form of prevention.

5.  Limit alcohol.  Alcohol is linked to breast cancer since it increases estrogen levels in the blood, increases blood triglycerides levels and lower’s the liver’s processing of excess estrogen besides decreasing the immune system.

6.  Do some form of physical activity for 30 minutes per day.  Exercise lowers insulin resistance by 40-50% - an unbeatable statistic for a short amount of time.

These 6 steps may not prevent breast cancer but can dramatically lower your risk of developing it.  And it can set the stage for health in many other arenas of your life.