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How to Make Vaccines More Effective Using Supplements and Lifestyle

If we’re going to rely on COVID-19 vaccines to bring an end to the pandemic, we need to maximize their effects. For the immune system to fight off infection or generate good protection against a disease following vaccination, it needs a variety of micronutrients. This is likely to be just as true for COVID-19 as for other diseases. 

What role does food play? What role does exercising and sleep play? Are there certain things you can eat before and after getting the COVID vaccine to minimize symptoms or support your immune system? Are there foods you should avoid?

Eat Anti-Inflammatory foods

There is not enough research to support that anti-inflammatory foods or supplements such as vitamin C will make the COVID vaccine more effective. But in general, eating highly nutritious food and taking vitamin C does help the immune system. There is no hard evidence taking any supplements can make the COVID vaccine work better. The COVID vaccines have all been tested in people who were eating their usual diets, so we know they are effective without any special nutritional preparation. However, eating mostly whole foods like fruits and vegetables, protein rich foods, healthy fats like Omega 3 and fewer processed foods will help your immune system work better in general because of less inflammation in the body.

Don’t go on empty stomach. There’s no need to fast the night before the COVID vaccine like you might for other procedures. This could make you dizzy and more likely to faint if you are someone who gets queasy around needles.

Stay Hydrated

Doctors agree that staying adequately hydrated before and after getting the COVID vaccine is extremely important. Not only does everything in the body work better in a well hydrated state, but some with needle phobia and fainting history will do a lot better if they show up hydrated.

Recommended to avoid Alcohol

There is currently no evidence that drinking alcohol will make COVID-19 vaccination less effective. There is also no evidence that COVID-19 vaccines are unsafe for individuals who consume alcohol. However, the CDC and doctors recommend avoiding alcohol the day before and after getting the vaccine because alcohol suppresses the immune system and can dehydrate you.

Sleep

Get a good night of sleep the night before your shot. In addition to sustaining a healthy diet, getting an adequate amount of sleep the night prior to vaccination is critical and probably more important than anything consumed that morning. One bad night’s sleep can diminish immune function by as much as 70%. Your body uses sleep to rebuild its defenses, and chronic sleep deprivation actually depresses your immune system.

Exercise

Get some form of exercise. Not everyone is up for a hard workout but even going for a brisk walk gets your circulation going, which is good for priming your health defenses.

Supplementation

  • Vitamin A
  • Vitamin C
  • Vitamin D
  • Vitamin E
  • Vitamin B6, B9, B12
  • Zinc
  • Selenium
  • Iron
  • Copper

As the European Food Safety Authority notes, the vitamins A, C, E, B6, B9, B12, C and D and the minerals zinc, selenium, iron and copper are all needed for the immune system to function as it should. Each of these micronutrients has been shown to play multiple roles in supporting immune function and reducing the risk of infection. It appears that to work at its best the immune system needs vitamins C, D and E together with zinc and selenium in excess of amounts that can usually be achieved through diet alone.

Trials in older people have also shown that responses to vaccination are better after actions are taken to improve nutrition. In another study, giving daily vitamin E supplements to people over 65 was found to increase the amount of antibodies they produced following vaccination against hepatitis B and tetanus.

In majority of studies , the micronutrients people lacked included vitamins A, B12, C and D and the trace minerals zinc, selenium and copper. Given these facts it is recommended to have these immune boosting micro nutrients in specific doses under the guidance of an expert. Else a high quality multivitamin can compensate the daily requirements of these nutrients. Taking a multivitamin on a daily basis is recommended to get all kinds of vitamins and minerals that may not be able to be managed through natural diet each and every day .

~Praveen Jada

*Do read the Disclaimer

References:

Everything About Insulin and Insulin Resistance

  • As obesity and diabetes reach epidemic proportions in the developed world, the role of insulin resistance and its consequences are gaining prominence. The study of insulin and insulin resistance remain in the forefront of medical research.
  • Rapid globalization, urbanization and industrialization have spawned epidemics of obesity, diabetes and their attendant co-morbidities, as physical inactivity and “convenience” foods unmask latent predisposing genetic traits.
  • Understanding the role of insulin across a wide range of physiological processes and the influences on its synthesis and secretion, alongside its actions from the molecular to the whole body level, has significant implications for much chronic disease seen in populations today.
  • We may need to consider the dramatic social changes of the past century with respect to physical activity, diet, work, socialization and sleep patterns.

Main Definitions and Concepts

  • Insulin is a peptide hormone secreted by the β cells of the pancreatic islets of Langerhans and maintains normal blood glucose levels by facilitating cellular glucose uptake, regulating carbohydrate, lipid and protein metabolism and promoting cell division and growth through its mitogenic effects.
  • Insulin resistance is defined where a normal or elevated insulin level produces an diminished biological response; classically this refers to impaired sensitivity to insulin mediated glucose disposal.
  • Compensatory hyperinsulinemia (High Insulin levels in blood) occurs when pancreatic β cell secretion increases to maintain normal blood glucose levels in the setting of peripheral insulin resistance in muscle and adipose tissue.
  • Insulin resistance is when cells in your muscles, body fat and liver start resisting or ignoring the signal that the hormone insulin is trying to send out—which is to grab glucose out of the bloodstream and put it into our cells. 
  • As insulin resistance develops, your body fights back by producing more insulin. Over months and years, the beta cells in your pancreas that are working so hard to make insulin get worn out and can no longer keep pace with the demand for more and more insulin. Then – years after insulin resistance silently began – your blood sugar may begin to rise and you may develop prediabetes or type 2 diabetes. You may also develop non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), a growing problem associated with insulin resistance that boosts your risk for liver damage and heart disease. 

Synthesis and Release of Insulin

  • Given insulin’s pivotal role in glucose utilization and metabolism, it is not surprising that glucose has multiple influences on insulin biosynthesis and secretion.
  • Glucose is the principal stimulus for insulin secretion, though other macronutrients, hormones, humoral factors and neural input may modify this response.
  • Insulin, together with its principal counter-regulatory hormone glucagon, regulates blood glucose concentrations.
  • The first phase of insulin secretion represents release of insulin already synthesized and stored in secretory granules; the second phase represents secretion of both stored and newly synthesized insulin.
  • Insulin mediates its actions through binding to insulin receptors located in various tissues and organs in the body. Insulin transports various nutrients and delivers to various tissue cells through insulin receptors.
  • Insulin acts at multiple steps in carbohydrate metabolism. Its effect on facilitated diffusion of glucose into fat and muscle cells.
  • Insulin stimulates fatty acid synthesis in adipose tissue, liver and lactating mammary glands along with formation and storage of triglycerides in adipose tissue and liver.
  • Insulin promotes protein synthesis in a range of tissues.
  • Insulin is the pivotal hormone regulating cellular energy supply and macronutrient balance, directing anabolic processes of the fed state. Insulin is essential for the intra-cellular transport of glucose into insulin-dependent tissues such as muscle and adipose tissue.
  • Signaling abundance of exogenous energy, adipose tissue fat breakdown is suppressed. Insulin therefore promotes glycogen and lipid synthesis in muscle cells, while suppressing lipolysis (Fat burning) and gluconeogenesis (generation of glucose from certain non-carbohydrate carbon substrates)  from muscle amino acids. Hence, In the presence of an adequate supply of amino acids, insulin is anabolic in muscle.

Causes of Insulin Resistance

Things that can make this condition more likely include:

  • Obesity, especially belly fat or visceral fat
  • Inactive lifestyle or sedentary lifestyle
  • Imbalanced Diet
  • Deficiency in key Micro-Nutrients (Vitamins/Minerals)
  • Irregular eating habits
  • Smoking
  • Drinking excess alcohol
  • Hormonal disorders like Cushing’s syndrome and acromegaly
  • Medications like steroids, antipsychotics, and HIV medications
  • Insufficient rest and sleep
  • Chronic Stress and Anxiety
  • Pregnancy

Health Conditions Associated with Insulin Resistance

  • Type 2 Diabetes
  • Metabolic Syndrome
    • Abdominal obesity or High Visceral Fat
      • Men: waist circumference >40 inches (102 cm )
      • Women: waist circumference >35 inches (88 cm)
    • Fasting glucose ≥ 110 <126 mg/dL (6.1–7.0 mmol/L)
    • Blood pressure ≥ 130/80 mmHg
    • High Triglycerides >150 mg/dL (>1.7 mmol/L)
    • Low HDL cholesterol
      • Men <40 mg/dL (<1.0 mmol/L)
      • Women <50 mg/dL (<1.3 mmol/L)
  • PCOS – Polycystic ovary syndrome
  • Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD)
  • Certain Cancers like including colon, endometrial, possibly pancreatic and renal-cell cancer and breast cancer.
  • Sleep disorders or Sleep Apnea.
  • Insulin acts on your brain to increase appetite and specifically an appetite for sugar.
  • It increases LDL cholesterol, lowers HDL cholesterol, raises triglycerides and increases your blood pressure. Insulin resistance causes 50% of all reported cases of high blood pressure.
  • It stimulates the growth of cancer cells.
  • It increases inflammation and oxidative stress and ages your brain.
  • It also causes sex hormone problems and can lead to infertility, hair growth where you don’t want it, hair loss where you don’t want to lose it, acne, and low testosterone in men and more. It also leads to mood disturbances.

~Praveen Jada

*Do read the Disclaimer

References:

Branched-chain amino acids (BCAA) – Benefits, Foods and Supplementation

  • Branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs): Leucine, Isoleucine and Valine.
  • “Branched-chain” refers to the chemical structure of BCAAs, which are found in protein-rich foods such as eggs, meat and dairy products.
  • BCAA are the main essential amino acids for effective muscle protein synthesis.
  • If you are having a protein rich diet especially from animal sources and from quality protein supplements like whey protein, it may not be necessary to supplement with BCAA separately .
  • Foods rich in BCAA include meat, chicken, fish, whey protein, dairy products, eggs. Other plant based foods like nuts, legumes, beans, seeds, whole grains too contain BCAA but in very less ratio. One needs to eat a lot of vegetarian foods to get the required amount of BCAA for optimum muscle protein synthesis.

Benefits of supplementing

  • BCAAs play an important role in building muscle. However, your muscles require all the essential amino acids for the best results.
  • Supplementing with BCAAs may decrease muscle soreness by reducing damage in exercised muscles.
  • BCAAs may be useful in decreasing exercise-induced fatigue, but they are unlikely to improve exercise performance.
  • Taking BCAA supplements can prevent the breakdown of protein in certain populations with muscle wasting.
  • BCAA supplements may improve the health outcomes of people with liver disease, while also possibly protecting against liver cancer.

~Praveen Jada

*Do read the Disclaimer

References:

5 Proven Benefits of BCAAs (Branched-Chain Amino Acids) (healthline.com)

What Are BCAAs & Their Benefits? – MYPROTEIN™

BCAA Benefits: A Review of Branched-Chain Amino Acids (healthline.com)

Glycine – Benefits, Foods and Supplementation

  • Glycine is the smallest non-essential, neutral and metabolically inert amino acid. This amino acid is an essential substrate for the synthesis of several biologically important biomolecules and compounds.
  • It participates in the synthesis of proteins, of the tripeptide glutathione and in detoxification reactions. It has a broad spectrum of anti-inflammatory, cryoprotective and immunomodulatory properties.
  • Glycine can be used for schizophrenia, stroke, and memory and thinking skills (cognitive function).
  • It is also used to protect kidneys from the harmful side effects of certain drugs used after organ transplantation as well as the liver from harmful effects of alcohol.

Foods

  • Meat
  • Chicken
  • Fish
  • Dairy products
  • Legumes
  • Beans
  • Nuts
  • Seeds

Supplementation

  • Glycine can be supplemented in appropriate dosages to improve or control below health conditions:
  • Memory loss and Schizophrenia.
  • Improve blood supply to brain and reduce brain damage during blood clots.
  • Improve memory and thinking skills.
  • Improve lung function and breathing by a small amount in patients with Cystic fibrosis.
  • Taking glycine before bedtime for 2-4 days seems to improve sleep in people with poor sleep quality. Taking glycine before bedtime might also reduce feelings of tiredness the following day after a shortened night of sleep. 
  • Liver and Kidney protection
  • Multiple protective effects make glycine a promising treatment strategy for inflammatory diseases.

~Praveen Jada

*Do read the Disclaimer

References:

GLYCINE: Overview, Uses, Side Effects, Precautions, Interactions, Dosing and Reviews (webmd.com)

L-Glycine: a novel antiinflammatory, immunomodulatory, and cytoprotective agent – PubMed (nih.gov)

Glycine – PubMed (nih.gov)

Multifarious Beneficial Effect of Nonessential Amino Acid, Glycine: A Review (nih.gov)

Glutamine – Benefits, Foods and Supplementation

  • Glutamine is an important amino acid with many functions in the body. Amino acids are building blocks of protein.
  • It has a key role in immune system functioning and intestinal health.
  • Our body naturally produces this amino acid.
  • L-glutamine is the form found in foods, supplements and the human body. 
  • Almost any food containing protein will contain some glutamine, but amounts vary. Animal foods are good sources due to their protein contents. Getting enough protein in your diet can ensure you are getting enough.

Supplementation

  • Supplementation of Glutamine would be beneficial in improving below health conditions:
  • Sickle cell disease
  • Could aid recovery from skin burns, critical trauma and injuries, certain surgeries.
  • Improve immune health
  • Improve gut and intestinal health.
  • May reduce muscle soreness after an intense workout.

~Praveen Jada

*Do read the Disclaimer

References:

Glutamine: Metabolism and Immune Function, Supplementation and Clinical Translation (nih.gov)

Glutamine: Benefits, Uses and Side Effects (healthline.com)

GLUTAMINE: Overview, Uses, Side Effects, Precautions, Interactions, Dosing and Reviews (webmd.com)

Adrenal Glands and Briefly About Our Stress Hormones

Adrenal glands are located on top of both kidneys. Adrenal glands produce hormones that help regulate your metabolism, immune system, blood pressure, response to stress and other essential functions.

An adrenal gland is made of two main parts:

  1. The adrenal cortex is the outer region and also the largest part of an adrenal gland.
  2. The adrenal medulla is located inside the adrenal cortex in the center of an adrenal gland.

Hormones of the Adrenal Glands

Cortisol
  • Cortisol is a glucocorticoid hormone produced by adrenal cortex.
  • It helps control the body’s use of fats, proteins and carbohydrates; suppresses inflammation; regulates blood pressure; increases blood sugar; and can also decrease bone formation.
  • This hormone also controls the sleep/wake cycle. It is released during times of stress to help your body get an energy boost and better handle an emergency situation.
Aldosterone

This mineralocorticoid hormone plays a central role in regulating blood pressure and certain electrolytes (sodium and potassium).

DHEA and Androgenic Steroids

They are precursor hormones that are converted in the ovaries into female hormones (estrogens) and in the testes into male hormones (androgens). 

Epinephrine (Adrenaline) and Norepinephrine (Noradrenaline)
  • The adrenal medulla, the inner part of an adrenal gland, controls hormones that initiate the flight or fight response. The main hormones secreted by the adrenal medulla include epinephrine (adrenaline) and norepinephrine (noradrenaline), which have similar functions.
  • These hormones are capable of increasing the heart rate and force of heart contractions, increasing blood flow to the muscles and brain, relaxing airway smooth muscles, and assisting in glucose (sugar) metabolism.
  • They also control the squeezing of the blood vessels (vasoconstriction), helping maintain blood pressure and increasing it in response to stress.
  • Are often activated in physically and emotionally stressful situations when your body needs additional resources and energy to endure unusual strain.

~Praveen Jada

*Do read the Disclaimer

Reference

Adrenal Glands | Johns Hopkins Medicine

Tips to Improve Gut and Intestine Health Naturally

  • Eat protein. To avoid the blood sugar imbalances that feed bad gut bacteria, eat protein with every meal, even at breakfast. This will help you to avoid sudden increases in your blood sugar.
  • Eat high-fiber foods and complex carbohydrates. Vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds, and fruit all contain beneficial fiber. Also include variety of beans, lentils and green peas.
  • Eat healthy fats. Increase omega-3 fatty acids by eating cold-water wild salmon, sardines, flaxseeds, walnuts, and even seaweed. Use more free range animal products.
  • Reduce hydrogenated/refined oils. Instead use healthy oils, such as cold pressed coconut oil, olive (especially extra virgin olive oil), cold pressed sesame, unrefined mustard oil, Ghee, Butter and other unrefined oils.
  • Eat good amount of vegetables and fruits a day, which contain disease fighting vitamins, minerals, fiber, phytonutrients, antioxidants, and anti-inflammatory molecules.
  • Reduce processed and packaged foods, baked foods, cookies, cakes, biscuits, chocolates, including sodas, juices, and diet drinks, which impact sugar and lipid metabolism.
  • Try avoiding artificial sweeteners. Natural sweeteners like Stevia can be considered instead.
  • Add in the good nutritional supplements. Zinc, Magnesium, Selenium, vitamin A, Vitamin C, Glutamine, Omega-3 fats (fish oil) are among the nutrients that help repair the gut lining. However, other vitamins and miners have a role to play. A good multivitamin and Collagen peptides would be helpful.
  • Some herbal supplements like Licorice DGL, Mint (Pudina) oil, Curcumin, Chamomile, Ginger extract, Garlic extract may help.
  • Reduce stress. Meditation, deep breathing, and yoga are all great ways to reduce stress.
  • Get good quality sleep. Sleep deprivation makes you fat and leads to depression, pain, heart disease, diabetes, and so many other problems.
  • Exercise regularly. Even 30 minutes of vigorous walking can help, and if you want something more intense, try high-intensity interval training (HIIT) or weight resistance.
  • Repopulate your digestive tract with good bacteria. Take very high-potency probiotics (look for at least 25 billion live CFU’s from diversified strains of Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium, and Saccharomyces boulardii), twice a day for one to two months. Start slowly and observe how the probiotics affect your gut.

~Praveen Jada

*Do read the Disclaimer

High Uric Acid Levels in Blood – Causes, Symptoms, How to Control

  • Normal Uric acid levels are 2.4-6.0 mg/dL (female) and 3.4-7.0 mg/dL (male). Normal values will vary from laboratory to laboratory. Hyperuricemia is an excess of uric acid in the blood.
  • Purines are nitrogen-containing compounds, which are made inside the cells of your body (endogenous), or come from outside of your body, from foods containing purine (exogenous). Purine breaks down into uric acid. Increased levels of uric acid from excess purines may accumulate in your tissues, and form crystals. This may cause high uric acid levels in the blood.

Symptoms of High Uric Acid levels:

  • Many people might not have any symptoms at all.
  • Some people may have Kidney problems like kidney stone formation or inflammation during urination
  • Some people may have inflammation in joints due to accumulation of uric acid. This condition is also call as ‘Gout’.
  • May have fever, chills, fatigue.

Causes of High Uric Acid levels:

Lifestyle reasons:

  • High waist circumference (Waist to Hip ratio)
  • High Visceral Fat (Belly Fat)
  • High BMI
  • Insulin resistance
  • Diabetes
  • High Triglycerides and Low HDL Cholesterol
  • High intake of ultra-processed foods with added sugar, preservatives, artificial flavours and colors.
  • Alcohol consumption
  • High caffeine consumption

Other Reasons:

  • Increased production of uric acid from purine.
  • Your kidneys cannot get rid of the uric acid in your blood, resulting in high levels due to Kidney diseases like Chronic Kidney disease, Kidney stones.
  • May occur after undergoing chemotherapy for different kinds of Cancer.
  • Due to usage of certain medications
  • Diabetes.

How to control Uric Acid levels:

  • Eating whole foods which are nutrient dense.
  • Regular exercise.
  • Sleeping well.
  • Taking vitamin supplementation to aid body’s metabolism.
  • Reduce weight if obese and especially reducing visceral fat makes a huge difference.
  • Controlling blood sugars levels and increasing Insulin sensitivity.
  • Lowering triglycerides and increasing HDL Cholesterol levels.
  • Avoid highly processed foods, junk foods and packaged foods.
  • Minimize Purine rich foods.

Below are some of the foods that you can add in your diet to keep uric acid at normal levels

  • Fruits especially citrus fruits
  • All kinds of Colorful vegetables and green leafy vegetables
  • Green peas and beans
  • Vitamin C
  • Eggs
  • Omega 3 rich foods like flaxseeds, walnuts
  • Dairy products like milk, curd
  • Dry nuts like almonds, ground nuts, cashews
  • Rice, whole wheat, oats, Millets
  • Oils like ghee, butter, coconut oil
  • Apple cider vinegar
  • Water – 2.5 to 3 liters
  • Herbs and spices: All herbs and spices.
  • Green tea

Also read : Natural Remedies and Supplementation to Control Gout – Fit Body to Fit Mind

Reduce Foods with high purine content like

  • Fish
  • Read meat and mutton
  • Liver or other organ meets
  • Chicken
  • Sugary foods and beverages
  • Coffee and tea
  • Alcohol, including beer and other liquor

~Praveen Jada

*Do read the Disclaimer

Selenium – Importance and Supplementation

  • Most of the selenium in the body comes from the diet. The amount of selenium in food depends on where it is grown or raised. Crab, liver, fish, poultry, and wheat are generally good selenium sources.
  • Selenium is important for making many body processes work correctly. It seems to increase the action of antioxidants.
  • Selenium is an essential mineral, meaning it must be obtained through your diet.
  • Selenium has been used in alternative medicine as an aid to treat Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (an autoimmune disorder of the thyroid), and to treat high cholesterol.

Foods

  • Fish
  • Chicken
  • Turkey
  • Eggs
  • Brown Rice
  • Sunflower seeds
  • Dairy products
  • Mushrooms
  • Oats
  • Lentils
  • Cashews
  • Bananas

Supplementation

Some of the researches and studies suggest that supplementing with Selenium Methionine (absorbable form of Selenium) could have below health benefits and treating certain metabolic conditions.

  • Selenium is used for selenium deficiency, a disease that causes underactive thyroid (autoimmune thyroiditis).
  • It is also used for diseases of the heart and blood vessels, including stroke, complications from statin drugs, and abnormal cholesterol levels.
  • A disorder that affects the bones and joints, usually in people with selenium deficiency (Kashin-Beck disease). 
  • A pregnancy complication marked by high blood pressure and protein in the urine (pre-eclampsia). 
  • Selenium supplementation seems to be useful (according to some studies) in controlling Asthma, Eczema, certain cancers, auto-immune conditions, skin irritations and allergies.

~Praveen Jada

*Do read the Disclaimer

References:

https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-1003/selenium

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/selenium-benefits

https://www.emedicinehealth.com/drug-selenium/article_em.htm

https://www.healthline.com/health/selenium-foods#milk-and-yogurt

What Happens in Our Body While We are Sleeping

  • Sleep accounts for one-quarter to one-third of the human lifespan. sleep is a period during which the brain is engaged in a number of activities necessary to life—which are closely linked to quality of life.
  • Questions like why we have sleep cycles, why we dream and why humans even need sleep in the first place are ones scientists are still finding exact answers to.
  • Sleep serves to reenergize the body’s cells, clear waste from the brain, and support learning and memory. It even plays vital roles in regulating mood, appetite and libido. The brain stores new information and gets rid of toxic waste. Nerve cells communicate and reorganize, which supports healthy brain function. The body repairs cells, restores energy, and releases molecules like hormones and proteins.
  • When you’re exhausted, your body is even able to engage in microsleep episodes of one or two seconds while your eyes are open. Napping for more than 30 minutes later in the day can throw off your night’s sleep by decreasing your body’s sleep drive.

The brain generates two distinct types of sleep—slow-wave sleep (SWS), known as deep sleep, and rapid eye movement (REM), also called dreaming sleep.

  1. Most of the sleeping we do is of the SWS variety, characterized by large, slow brain waves, relaxed muscles and slow, deep breathing, which may help the brain and body to recuperate after a long day.
  2. After SWS, REM sleep begins. This mode is bizarre: a dreamer’s brain becomes highly active while the body’s muscles are paralyzed, and breathing and heart rate become erratic.
To date, scientists have found that sleep helps the body in several ways. The most prominent theories and reasons are outlined below.
  • Energy conservation and regeneration – We need sleep to conserve energy. Sleeping allows us to reduce our caloric needs by spending part of our time functioning at a lower metabolism.
  • Cellular restoration – Muscle repair, protein synthesis, tissue growth, Hormones related to cellular growth and maintenance are released.
  • Recharge brain functions – like learning, memory, problem-solving skills, creativity, decision making, focus, concentration. When you sleep, your brain’s glymphatic (waste clearance) system clears out waste from the central nervous system.
  • Emotional well-being – During sleep, brain activity increases in areas that regulate emotion, thereby supporting healthy brain function and emotional stability. sleep disturbances can contribute to the onset and progression of mental health issues.
  • Weight maintenance – Recent research shows that chronic sleep deprivation, even as few as five consecutive nights of short sleep, may be associated with increased risk of: obesity, metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes.
  • Proper insulin function – Sleep may protect against insulin resistance. It keeps your cells healthy so they can easily take up glucose. Insulin resistance is the main reason for Pre-diabetes and Type 2 Diabetes.
  • Immune system health – When you sleep, your body makes cytokines, which are proteins that fight infection and inflammation. It also produces certain antibodies and immune cells. Together, these molecules prevent sickness by destroying harmful germs.
    Heart health
  • Heart health – While the exact causes aren’t clear, scientists think sleep supports heart health.
Lack of sleep is associated with risk factors
  • High blood pressure
  • Increased sympathetic nervous system activity
  • Increased inflammation
  • Elevated cortisol levels
  • Weight gain
  • Insulin resistance
  • Mood changes
  • Anxiety
  • Depression
  • Poor memory
  • Poor focus and concentration
  • Poor motor function
  • Fatigue
  • Weakened immune system
  • Weight gain
  • High blood pressure
  • Chronic diseases, like diabetes and heart disease
  • Increased risk of early death

~Praveen Jada

*Do read the Disclaimer

References:

Benefits of Probiotics and Reversing Side-effects of Antibiotics

Why does our stomach get upset when we take Anti-Biotics

There are many side effects of using Anti-Biotics, stomach upset is one among them. Most of the people experience some sort of gut issue while taking an anti-biotic drug such as bloating, diarrhea, constipation, indigestion.

While anti-biotics are necessary to kill harmful bacteria and relive us from various infections, they would also kill good bacteria in our stomach. An anti-biotic does not discriminate between good and bad bacteria and kills everything in its path. As a result this disrupts and create imbalance in our gut microbiome or gut flora causing various digestive issues.



What to do?

Add Pro-Biotics to bring back balance in gut flora – Probiotics are friendly bacteria, fungi that restore or maintain the natural flora in the gut reducing antibiotic induced digestive issues.



Why is it important to maintain gut microbiome balance?

There are trillions of bacteria, fungi, virus and protozoa that reside in our gut. All these different species of micro organisms living in our gut are called gut flora or microbiome. Apart from gut these good microorganisms also live in mouth, vagina, urinary tract, skin, lungs. There are many key functions that our gut flora performs in our body.

  • Modulates Immunity
  • Helps in digestion and absorption of nutrients from food
  • Produces some of the vitamins like Biotin and Vitamin K
  • Controls our mood as our gut produces 95% of serotonin – a neurotransmitter that controls mood and our digestion
  • Control proliferation of bad micro organisms
  • Support cell lining of our intestines

What are the most common types of probiotic bacteria?

Though there are many types of bacteria that can be considered probiotics, there are two specific types of bacteria that are common probiotics found in stores. These include:

  • Lactobacillus.
  • Bifidobacterium.

Probiotics are also made up of good yeast. The most common type of yeast found in probiotics is:

  • Saccharomyces boulardii.

Foods that contain probiotics

  • Yogurt or Curd (fermented more than 12 hours)
  • Buttermilk made from fermented curd.
  • Sourdough bread.
  • Kombucha.
  • Tempeh.
  • Fermented pickles.
  • Fermented sauerkraut.
  • Kimchi.

Will probiotics from natural foods enough while taking antibiotics

Most of the good micro organisms from natural foods listed foods are good enough to maintain a healthy gut while not using anti-biotics. When we use anti-biotics it is recommended to supplement with probiotics as the antibiotic has a high tendency to kill these natural cultures.

Hence one may consider taking a quality probiotic supplement which as 10 to 20 billion CFUs (colony forming units) per day while on antibiotic course.



When to take Probiotics

  • While taking antibiotics: Since there is a high chance that antibiotics can kill good bacteria in probiotics if both of them taken together, keep a gap of at least 2 hours between two tablets. For example if antibiotic is taken in the morning, take the probiotic supplement in afternoon. It is a good practice to take probiotic during the antibiotic course and also continue for 5 more days after to restore the gut microbiome.
  • If not taking antibiotics and for general health: A Probiotic supplement can be taken empty stomach or 15 minutes before a meal. If a probiotic is taken after a meal, there is a possibility that some of the probiotic bacteria could die due to our stomach acid.

~Praveen Jada

*Do read the Disclaimer

Protein Absorption Rate and Utilization for Muscle Growth

Is all the protein we eat is not used for building muscles ? We eat a protein rich meal, what happens?

One of the researches conducted by Groen et al., demonstrated that after consuming 20g of protein, 40-50% of that protein is “first-pass cleared,” meaning that it’s used up by the our digestive system and liver for local metabolism, then protein synthesis and the other 50% made it into circulation. Only 11% of the total 20g protein bolus was used for muscle protein synthesis (MPS). That means that only a small percentage of what is consumed is actually used for building muscles .

So how much do we need per meal?

Well, this depends on age. Older adults develop “anabolic resistance” which means that its hard to turn on anabolic processes. Thus, older adults require more protein than younger adults to maximally stimulate MPS.

A study conducted by Stokes et al., found that young adults (22 years) can maximize MPS with 0.24 g per kg of bodyweight in a single meal whereas that number is much higher for older adults (0.60 g/kg BW). Of course, these numbers are dependent on protein quality and Bio Availability (BV) of the protein source. Protein sources with more leucine (animal proteins like whey & egg) require less protein to maximize MPS whereas lower quality sources of protein like wheat (low in leucine) require quite a bit more total protein. This data is gathered in resting adults though.

A study conducted by Witard et al., suggest that following exercise 40g has significant benefits over 20g. Our body can only absorb 30 grams of protein in a single meal has been proven untrue by many studies already. You absorb almost all of it, but only a small amount goes to MPS, but in order to maximize MPS it requires a disproportionate amount of protein compared to what is incorporated into muscle.

Thus, consuming 30-40g of protein per meal every 3-5 hours should maximize MPS & muscle growth.

~Praveen Jada

*Do read the Disclaimer

Most Common Factors That Hamper Your Weight Loss Goals

Nutrition

  • Not getting enough vitamins and minerals (Micro-nutrients):
    • While one needs to understand that we need to be in calorie deficit (we need to burn more energy than what we get from food), not focusing on getting sufficient Micro Nutrients (Vitamins, Minerals) may be detrimental. We need to Eat Nutrient dense foods and reduce calorie dense foods. Many people eat less food to lose weight and miss out some crucial vitamins and minerals. Vitamins and minerals are needed to efficiently support macro-nutrients (proteins, carbohydrates, fats) metabolism.
    • Some of the main symptoms of not having optimum vitamins/nutrients are low immunity, increased infection rate, feeling anxious and moody, tiredness and fatigue, muscular pain, joint pain, cognitive decline, hair loss, brittle nails, acne, hormone imbalance, other cellular disfunctions, neurological abnormalities, brain fog, red blood cell disorders etc., to name a few.
  • Eating too much of healthy foods:
    • Unknowingly over-eating natural/whole foods and not being in calorie deficit may slow down our weight loss. Many people say that they eat only healthy and whole foods but unable to lose weight. One of the reasons for this might be that they are over-eating the healthier foods. Many people would be under the assumption that over-eating healthy foods would not result in weight gain. Moderation is important and calories intake need to be controlled.
    • For instance, Nuts are an excellent source of healthy fats, protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals but they are also calorie dense due to high fat content in them. Nuts like Almonds, Cashews, Peanuts, Walnuts are very nutritious but they are also dense in calories, hence we need to eat them moderately and also at right time of the day.
  • Snacking :
    • Snacking in between the meals or eating lot of small meals may not work for many people and could hamper weight loss. Because eating any food raises blood sugar and insulin in blood. We need to keep a gap of at least 3 to 4 ours in between meals. If you have health conditions, you may have some healthy snack in between meals like some nuts or a fruit or a protein bar, but otherwise snacking in between meals is not really necessary.
  • Sugar and Refined foods:
    • Sugar or jaggery or coconut/palm sugar or other derivatives including honey are all carbohydrates without much (or no) nutritional value attached to them. Jaggery or honey or coconut sugar may be better than sugar because they have some trace minerals in very trace amounts which does not make a huge health difference. They have almost same calories as sugar. All these sweet substances lack protein, healthy fats, vitamins and minerals.
    • Sugary foods and drinks will add unwanted empty calories to our diet program. Sugar and comfort foods need to be reduced to minimum or completed avoided for quicker results. Instead we can plan and prepare healthier options like protein bars or protein rich food which are tasty and healthy at the same time. Take some time out to prepare tasty and healthier foods which keeps you satiated for longer time. Use healthier alternatives to sugar like natural sweeteners (Stevia extract, Monk fruit extract) which have zero calories.
  • Fruit Juices:
    • We need to eat whole fruits. Do not drink them. Avoid drinking fruit juices. When you juice them and drink, they create a high sugar spike and insulin spike in blood because it is very easy for our digestive system to dump sugars from fruit juice into blood. We need to avoid untimely sugar and insulin spikes . When we eat a whole fruit it goes through slower digestion process which releases energy and nutrients slowing into our blood.
  • Not eating enough Protein
    • Optimum Protein intake is very important during loosing weight. Getting enough protein can help support a healthy metabolism and reduce your appetite. It can also help you lose body fat without losing muscle. Protein may decrease your appetite by affecting your hunger hormones. It may also help you feel full for longer. Protein may temporarily increase metabolism because of the energy required to digest and metabolize it. When combined with resistance training, adding more protein can also help you build muscle.
  • Eating late night meals.
    • Our body absorbs and assimilates food when eaten in regular intervals at right times. When we do certain activities ignoring our Circadian Rhythm, we might dysregulate cellular/metabolic events and could later impair glucose metabolism. When we eat too late in the night or eat close to going to bed, according to some studies there is a possibility of changing the balance between glucose and lipid utilization predisposing to obesity and diabetes.
  • Fasting
    • Intermittent fasting or Time restricted feeding helps many people. There are other health benefits of fasting along with weight loss if done correctly. Fasting is a protocol or a lifestyle rather than dieting. Fasting is about when to eat food and does not specify what to eat. Many people binge eat after fasting or eat unhealthy foods. Even if we eat just one time a day, if we eat excess calories than what we need then our t body just stores all the extra energy as fat. Whether we eat once or thrice a day, eating a balanced nutritious meal is important. After a water fast, we need to plan our meals in such a way that we get daily requirement of calories, protein, healthy fats, vitamins and minerals.

Exercise

  • Not Exercising enough:
    • It is easy to over-estimate the amount of exercise we do. Especially when it comes to strength training. It is relatively easier to approximate the amount of calories burnt if we do aerobic exercises like walking or jogging or cycling. We can use various mobile apps or fitness bands to calculate various exercise parameters when it comes to cardio or aerobic exercises.
    • When it comes to resistance/strength training, it requires bit of attention to details like doing exercises in right form, lifting weights for full range of motion, training to failure, doing the sets and repetitions optimally, progressively overloading.
  • Over-training:
    • Exercising excessively would make recovery difficult from previous workout. Body takes a bit more time to repair itself when you are in calorie deficit for weight loss. So use a training program that is well balanced and gives enough time for rest and recovery.
  • Not incorporating Weight training:
    • Doing only Aerobic exercises (Cardio) like walking, jogging, cycling etc., would enable fat loss but at the same time you would lose significant amount of muscle as well. Muscle is metabolically active organ and losing muscle lowers our BMR. A low BMR would make us feel lethargic, low energy, cold, trigger food craving etc., Our focus needs to be fat loss and not muscle loss when we loose weight. Lifting weights in right form and strategy will stimulate the body to keep the muscle and burn more of fat. So include a good mix of resistance training along with cardio for a healthy weight loss. It is inevitable that we will loose some muscle when we shed some weight, but by using the right exercise protocol it is definitely possible to loose fat to the maximum and keep the muscle loss to minimum.

Rest

  • Not Sleeping enough:
    • There are enough scientific studies which show that lack of sleep causes insulin resistance, impaired blood sugar metabolism, makes you hungry, triggers stress and anxiety, creates other health issues and hormonal imbalances. Our body recovers and repairs itself during sleep. Sleep enables fat loss. So, not getting enough sleep will slow down your weight loss goals.

Hormones

  • Hormonal imbalances:
    • Not addressing existing hormonal imbalances like High Insulin, Low Testosterone, High Prolactin, High or Low Thyroxin could cause serious problems during weight loss. You need to optimize hormonal function during weight loss program to prevent other health issues in future.
  • Stress:
    • Chronic stress and anxiety would trigger stress hormones like Cortisol in body which hampers with our weight loss. Stress is not good for overall health and wellbeing. Stress negates all other essential functions in our body and reduces the efficiency of critical organs in our body.

Mindset

  • Lacking Discipline:
    • Discipline is doing the right thing that is in our best interest even though we don’t feel like doing it. We need to do the things that that we know are good for us even though we do not feel like doing them.
    • It is our natural tendency to avoid pain and struggle, seek pleasure and easier options, avoid any activity that consumes our energy. We need to be mindful of these natural tendencies of our sub-conscious mind and push through the resistance.
    • There is no magic pill or book or diet or exercise or a 30 day program for healthy and happy life. We must not fall for those marketing gimmicks. Nothing works unless we work and keep working.
    • As someone said “Reasons don’t matter, only results will”. Commitment and consistency is needed for a meaningful change in our mindset towards healthy lifestyle. It takes time to reach that momentum. We need to remember that life has its own plans. People around we will have their own expectations out of us and unexpected events keep happening in our life.
    • Our goal and vision must not be impacted by the external circumstances. Our decisions cannot be dependent on external circumstances. Let’s control our choices and not external factors that are uncontrollable.
    • There is no end to leading a quality lifestyle. We need to learn to fall in love with the process and make it a life long journey. A healthy body and mind, loving relationships, financial security and fulfilling job needs daily attendance. It is not like we give everything for a day or two and take the benefits for ever after. We need to go through the grind daily to have a harmonious life. We need to pay a rent to have a high quality life and this rent is due daily.
    • Postponing : Not taking a strong decision to act on most important value of our life which is our Health and Wellness could be a costly mistake. Our procrastination only compounds the interest we pay and the interest we pay here is in magnitude of amount of suffering in future. We generally look out for a right moment and right day to start with our health goals. We all know that there is no such right day or a convenient time to start with anything in life. Every day has its own challenges to deal with. We need to do something immediately to start the momentum and evaluate how serious we are in making a change and make some adjustments if needed.
    • We need to change the way we think for better especially in the areas of health, personal wellbeing, relationships, emotional health, which then leads to having better feelings and emotions, which then leads to having better outlook and attitude towards our life, which then leads to taking better decisions and choices, which then leads to taking right action, which then leads to better results.

  • Reaching out to an expert or educating oneself with right information is very important before venturing out on a weight loss program or any other life goal for that matter.
  • Apart from that, taking a comprehensive health check up and blood test is highly recommended. Once we understand the current state of our body and its functioning, we can plan the nutrition and training program accordingly.

Important parameters in the Blood test that would help us to plan our wellness program include

  • Complete Blood Count, Hemogram/Hematology
  • Kidney Function Test
  • Complete Lipid Profile
  • Liver Function Test
  • HBA1C
  • Fasting Blood Glucose
  • Fasting Insulin
  • Thyroid Profile
  • Testosterone test
  • Vitamins Test – Folate, Vitamin D3, Vitamin B12
  • Mineral
    • Magnesium
    • Zinc
    • Chloride
    • Potassium
    • Sodium
    • Calcium
    • Chromium
    • Copper
    • Iron
    • Lead
    • Mercury
    • Selenium
  • Enzymes and Inflammatory markers
    • Anti CCP
    • Anti-nuclear antibodies (ANA)
    • Erythrocyte Sedimentation rate
    • Cysteine C
    • Homocysteine
    • HS C- Reactive Protein
    • Lipoprotein A
    • APOLIPOPROTEIN – A1
    • APOLIPOPROTEIN – B
  • Ferritin
  • TOTAL IRON BINDING CAPACITY
  • Amylase
  • Lipase
  • SGOT, SGPT
  • EST. GLOMERULAR FILTRATION RATE (eGFR)

~Praveen Jada

*Do read the Disclaimer

Protein Bio-Availability

Bio-availability: this represents the percentage or scale rating of just how much our bodies can make use of certain protein sources. You need to know that our bodies and digestive systems absorb some protein’s better than others and also certain sources will provide a higher amino acid profile.

  1. The elderly are known to reduce their protein intake due to decreased appetite for these kinds of foods. This, accompanied by a decreased rate of muscle synthesis puts them at risk of sarcopenia or muscle loss.
  2. Athletes who undergo strenuous physical exercise need a surplus of protein to repair muscle tissue. Plant-based proteins have a lower leucine content (which stimulates protein synthesis and inhibits protein degradation); so if you are an athlete on a plant-based diet you should boost your protein intake to guarantee a safe muscle recovery.
  3. Both internal and external factors affect the bioavailability of macronutrients. The internal factors include age, gender, overall health and nutrient status and pregnancy. The BV goes down with age, or if you are unfit, because your body is not processing the food efficiently.
  4. The external factors include dietary and food choices, including food combinations and cooking methods.
  5. Cooking protein-based foods at high temperatures, on the other hand, upsets the amino-acid links in the protein and affects the BV of the food.

Few examples below:

Protein SourceBio-Availability Index
Whey Protein Isolate Blends100-159
Whey Concentrate104
Whole Egg100
Cow’s Milk91
Egg White88
Fish83
Beef80
Chicken79
Casein77
Rice74
Soy59
Wheat54
Beans49
Peanuts43

A protein is called complete when, proportionally to its overall amino-acid content, it has enough of each EAA. The main advantage of animal proteins is that most are complete.

Conversely, most plant proteins are incomplete. Of course, incomplete proteins can complement one another when taken in mixed proportions.

The PDCAAS scale has displaced the BV scale, not because it is more accurate, but because it is more pertinent: it rates protein not only based on bioavailability but also on amino acid profile, so as to better reflect human needs. Better, but not perfectly, which is why the Food and Agriculture Organization has already proposed to replace it with yet another scale: the Digestible Indispensable Amino Acid Score (DIAAS).

PDCAAS looks at how much protein was absorbed after it has gone through your small and large intestines, whereas DIAAS looks at how much protein was absorbed after it has left the small intestine

~Praveen Jada

*Do read the Disclaimer

Exercise Impact on Anxiety and Mood

  • Aerobic exercise reduces anxiety in people who have clinical anxiety, with higher-intensity exercise tending to be more effective.
  • Resistance training has less evidence, but it seems to benefit people with anxiety disorders and with overweight or obesity.
  • Yoga tends to incorporate the basic anti-anxiety coping strategies: deep breathing, muscle relaxation, and stretching. Yoga is also a form of meditation, which may help.

Exercise is roughly as efficacious as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, but generally less than medicines

There is decent evidence that at least five nutrients help modulating mood: magnesium, zinc, vitamin D, omega-3 fatty acids, and tryptophan

Source : Examine.com

~Praveen Jada

*Do read the Disclaimer