Category: health care

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World Suicide Prevention Day

First, do no harm – I share information because I have been ill, physically and mentally and managed to get better for the most part. Not one hundred percent better though, prevention is the best medicine, or second only to laughter. Mental illness is treated as if it is separate from physical health and largely the two are very connected. I have improved but it has been with many lifestyle and dietary changes – every day, or at least most days of the week. Getting a genetic screening done and finding out more specifically what was different about me also was necessary.

Metabolism is a fancy word for the body’s many chemical reactions that burn energy and use it to combine nutrients from the diet and oxygen from the air for the purpose of building and repairing cells. Most cells other than brain cells are regenerated on a regular basis. Old ones are dismantled and new ones replace them on a time cycle that varies with the type of body part. If our individual genetic coding has differences sometimes we need more or less of some nutrients and possibly additional types of chemicals that in normal health could be manufactured within normal metabolic pathways. Mental illness including depression and suicidal urges can have to do with emotional issues or history of trauma but there can also be nutrient deficiencies causing too much or too little of some types of brain neurotransmitters/messenger chemicals.

Twenty percent of adults in the U.S. have a mental illness and twenty-two percent of young adults. Magnesium deficiency can be a cause of anxiety and depression. (Magnesium: an Essential Supplement for Psychiatric Patients, PsychiatryAdvisor) Magnesium is commonly low in people with chronic pain or migraines, diabetes, and other chronic conditions too. (Dietary Magnesium Intake in a Nationals Sample of U.S. Adults, The Journal of Nutrition) Topical creams or a soak in Epsom salt may be better absorbed for people with a digestive malabsorption problem — if there is magnesium in the diet but the digestive system isn’t absorbing it then there still may be symptoms such as muscle cramps, pain, or anxiety and depression. (See previous post on magnesium)

Crisis line: Suicide Prevention Lifeline at (800) 273-8255 for confidential support 24/7, for Veterans or their families, press 1 to then reach the Veterans Crisis Line.

Other resources for LGBTQ support: see link.

Crisis lines for a variety of nations other than the U.S.: see link.

Support can be meant well but hurtful to the person in mental anguish – some commonly used statements that may make a person with suicidal thoughts or actions feel worse: themighty.com.

What to say – some helpful brief tips: see link.

Symptoms or other lifestyle changes in a person that may indicate risk for suicidal thoughts or actions: see link. 

I have no affiliation with Epsom salt companies – it just really works well.

/Disclaimer: This information is provided for educational purposes within the guidelines of fair use. While I am a Registered Dietitian this information is not intended to provide individual health guidance. Please see a health professional for individual health care purposes./

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Brain cells and aging

Within the majority of the brain the type of brain cells that send nerve signals generally do not get replaced, however they also generally don’t lose function. Dementia – loss of memory and other cognitive skills – is not a normal part of healthy aging. Age related forgetfulness has to do with loss of the connections between brain cells but the brain cells remain functional – so continuing to take part in learning and social activities may help prevent dementia and forgetfulness by helping to maintain current connections between brain cells and add new connections formed during learning or socializing. 

And yet Alzheimer’s dementia now “afflicts 5% to 10% of the U.S. population over the age of 65 and as much as 45% of the population over 85.” (page 694, Neuroscience, 6th. edition, 1)

Research for medications for Alzheimer’s treatment have focused on reducing the levels of certain types of protein that collect in the damaged areas of the brain of a patient with the condition, however even if successful at reducing the amount of the protein the medications have not been found very helpful for restoring the patient’s cognitive health. (previous post) People with normal brain function also can have excess of the protein and it is also found in the brains of people with autism disorder – confusing, yes. Adequate quality sleep may help the brain waste removal system keep the levels of excess protein from building up to damaging amounts. (previous post on sleep and the glymphatic system)

Things that may increase risk include chronic stress and the excess cortisol and inflammatory oxidative stress chemicals production. Moderate exercise may help reduce stress and promote detoxification of inflammatory chemicals. Staying socially and mentally active also may be protective of brain function. Prevention is the best medicine for conditions that cause irreversible degenerative changes such as the damage in Alzheimer’s Disease. Learning about new foods and recipes and then making healthy meals to share with others can be a way to combine physical and mental activity and gain from nutrients that help detoxify inflammatory oxidative stress chemicals. (previous post, Foods for beneficial T-cells) – (Nrf2 promoting foods)

T cells are a type of blood cell with immune system functions. Beneficial T cells can help clear excess protein found in Alzheimer’s (2) while other types can increase inflammation and the types can transform based on the level of oxidative stress chemicals that are present so having antioxidants and other phytonutrients in daily meals can help signal the T-cells to take the beneficial forms instead of the inflammatory forms. (The non euphoria producing endogenous cannabinoid 2-AG (acts at the CB2 receptor, somewhat similar to CBD) may also help signal T cells towards the less inflammatory type, and reduce migration of them. page 96)

Nrf2 is a gene and protein that help promote the more beneficial types of T cells and help the immune system in other ways and also promote our own production of antioxidants for reducing the oxidative stress chemicals that are a natural waste product left from energy metabolism – when blood sugar is turned into a usable form of energy.

The long story is complicated, the short story remains,

  • include moderate exercise most days of the week,
  • have adequate sleep, 6-8 hours/night, ideally with complete darkness, blackout curtains and cover the light from an electric bedside alarm clock (put it in a nearby drawer or cover it with something),
  • get some natural sunshine or full spectrum light during the day if possible (may help with vitamin D, bioactive sulfate, and circadian rhythm metabolism within the body which includes production of melatonin,
  • stay mentally and socially active,
  • reduce stress when possible and/or practice relaxation techniques,
  • drink adequate water and regularly eat a good variety of colorful fresh produce, whole grains, nuts, beans, seeds, and include omega 3 fatty acid sources on a daily or weekly basis.
  • Clean air quality is also important. Formaldehyde (from secondhand smoke or even excessive use of decorative candles), and other air pollutants (released by plastics or new carpeting/flooring for example) can collect in poorly ventilated buildings. See this post for more information about formaldehyde sources and ways to reduce it: Formaldehyde: Health Risks, and Environmental and Dietary Sources.(effectiveselfcare.info)
  • Adequate water, not getting dehydrated regularly, is important enough to repeat because dehydration allows toxins within the body, including formaldehyde, to collect, instead of being removed by the glymphatic/lymphatic and vascular system, and to then be excreted by the kidneys. Brain Formaldehyde is Related to Water Intake Behavior, Ting Li, et al, 2016, (PubMed) A discussion of how much water is typically needed for health each day, and how much protein to eat for basic needs without being too much for long term kidney health, is available in a previous post: Make Every Day Kidney Appreciation Day. (effectiveselfcare.info)

More of the long story – the Cannabinoid Receptor Type 2 is also activated by a phytonutrient called beta-caryophyllene (BCP) which is found in many aromatic herbs and spices including: oregano, cinnamon,  clove , rosemary,  thyme, black pepper, (4), and copaiba oil. (5) Benefits may include reducing inflammation and pain, anti-anxiety, anti-cancer, (4), and protection of the brain by helping reduce increased activity after brain trauma which can lead to scar like tissue walling off the area of trauma instead healing.(5)

The problem in Alzheimer’s may not be the protein itself but instead the cells that over-actively making it in response to inflammatory signals so the solution would be not trying to remove excess protein but to stop the production of excess protein by signaling the overactive cells that all is well again, stop walling off the supposed injury. Formalin, a more dilute buffered form of formaldehyde was the toxin used to create inflammation in an animal based study of the potential benefits of beta-caryophyllene. A dose of 5 mg/Kg purified beta-caryophyllene essential oil given by mouth (rather than by an injection) was found to help reduce inflammatory pain from the formalin. (4) For a 75 kilogram adult that would be a capsule with 375 milligrams of the purified oil.

The herb rosemary is pine needle like plant that has been used as a pain killer in traditional folk medicine for arthritis pain and was thought of a s a memory aid. Studies more recently have found the essential oil beneficial for improving memory. (6)  **Use care when purchasing essential oils, some are intended only for external use either on the skin when diluted in a small amount of milder oil such as almond oil for massage or topical pain relief, or as an aromatic for scent (example, put a few drops on a cotton ball that is attached to a fan or on the outlet of a humidifier to circulate the aroma through a room).

/Disclosure: This information is provided for educational purposes within the guidelines of fair use. While I am a Registered Dietitian this information is not intended to provide individual health guidance. Please see a health professional for individual health care purposes./

  1.  Neuroscience, 6th Edition, Editors D. Purves, G.J. Augustine, D. Fitzpatrick, W.C. Hall, A.S. LaMantia, R.D. Mooney, ML. Platt, L.E. White, (Sinauer Associates, Oxford University Press, 2018, New York) (Barnes&Noble)
  2. Anna Mietelska-Porowska and Urszula Wojda, “T Lymphocytes and Inflammatory Mediators in the Interplay between Brain and Blood in Alzheimer’s Disease: Potential Pools of New Biomarkers,” Journal of Immunology Research, vol. 2017, Article ID 4626540, 17 pages, 2017. https://doi.org/10.1155/2017/4626540. https://www.hindawi.com/journals/jir/2017/4626540/
  3. edited by Karsten Sauer, Klaus Okkenhaug, Lipid Signaling in T Cell Development and Function, Frontiers Media SA, Nov 12, 2015 page 96
  4. A.-L.Klauke, I.Racz, B.Pradier, et al., The cannabinoid CB2 receptor-selective phytocannabinoid beta-caryophyllene exerts analgesic effects in mouse models of inflammatory and neuropathic pain. European Neuropsychopharmacology, Vol. 24, Issue 4, April 2014, Pages 608-620, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0924977X13003027
  5. Guimarães-Santos A, Santos DS, Santos IR, et al. Copaiba Oil-Resin Treatment Is Neuroprotective and Reduces Neutrophil Recruitment and Microglia Activation after Motor Cortex Excitotoxic Injury. Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine : eCAM. 2012;2012:918174. doi:10.1155/2012/918174. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3291111/
  6. Rachel Hosie, Surge in Rosemary Sales as Aromatic Herb Found to Boost Memory, May 19, 2017, independent.co.uk,  https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/rosemary-sales-surge-herb-boost-memory-holland-barrett-a7745231.html
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Phosphonutrients, infant formula, & brain health

Good news, work on a phosphoprotein (osteopontin), found naturally in human and other mammal milk, has been refined from bovine (cow) milk and successfully used in early clinical trials with human infant formula. Babies were found to have improved immune development and reduced days with fever. See (Pediatric Ingredients: Osteopontin, by Arla Foods Ingredients, 8) for more information on the potential benefits of osteopontin as an infant formula additive for the health and development of infants.

/Disclosure: This information is provided for educational purposes within the guidelines of fair use. While I am a Registered Dietitian this information is not intended to provide individual health guidance. Please see a health professional for individual health care purposes./

  1. Nutritional Cognitive Neuroscience Research at the Crossroads of Nutrition, Psychology, and Neuroscience, https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/4257/nutritional-cognitive-neuroscience-research-at-the-crossroads-of-nutrition-psychology-and-neuroscien
  2. Reddan Jeffery M., White David J., Macpherson Helen, Scholey Andrew, Pipingas Andrew, Glycerophospholipid Supplementation as a Potential Intervention for Supporting Cerebral Structure in Older Adults. Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience, Vol. 10. 2018. https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fnagi.2018.00049 DOI=10.3389/fnagi.2018.00049 ISSN=1663-4365 https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnagi.2018.00049/full
  3. Gimenez MS, Oliveros LB, Gomez NN. Nutritional Deficiencies and Phospholipid Metabolism. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2011;12(4):2408-2433. doi:10.3390/ijms12042408.   https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3127125/ (3)
  4. Jiang R, Lönnerdal B. Biological roles of milk osteopontin. Curr Opin Clin Nutr Metab Care. 2016 May;19(3):214-9.   https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27504516
  5. Bruun S, Jacobsen L N, Ze X, et al., Osteopontin Levels in Human Milk Vary Across Countries and Within Lactation Period: Data From a Multicenter Study. Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition: Aug. 2018 – Vol. 67 – Issue 2 – p 250–256 doi: 10.1097/MPG.0000000000002004 https://insights.ovid.com/crossref?an=00005176-201808000-00023&isFromRelatedArticle=Y
  6. Camilia R. Martin,Pei-Ra Ling, George L. Blackburn, Review of Infant Feeding: Key Features of Breast Milk and Infant Formula. Nutrients 2016, 8(5), 279; doi:10.3390/nu8050279   http://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/8/5/279/htm#B61-nutrients-08-00279
  7. Lönnerdal B, Biological effects of novel bovine milk fractions. Nestle Nutr Workshop Ser Pediatr Program. 2011;67:41-54. doi: 10.1159/000325574  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21335989
  8. Pediatric Ingredients: Osteopontin, Arla Foods Ingredients, https://www.arlafoodsingredients.com/our-ingredients/pediatric-nutrition-ingredients/osteopontin/
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Spinning 101 – Vestibular system

Pause for a dance break – I’m trying to quickly read a Neuroscience textbook, (1), to get a broader background understanding of myelin before getting back to the topic of protecting myelin, promoting regeneration, and preventing demyelination. The current section of the text is about our inner ear and sense of balance and it answered a question that I have heard somewhat frequently over the years – “How can you spin like that and not get dizzy or feel queasy?”

I did have a couple semesters of ballet training in high school. I didn’t get very good however I did learn the basic moves which include pirouettes (Youtube video: How to do a Pirouette) I have always enjoyed spinning and getting a little dizzy on the playground merry-go-round that you could get going fast if you pushed it around and then jumped on, was part of the fun of spinning, however I enjoyed learning the insider tips of how ballet dancers don’t get dizzy.

Vision is part of the dizziness and the inner ear is part of the queasiness of spinning. Ballet dancers are trained to keep a visual focal point on one wall and then half way through the spin quickly turn your head 180’/half way around a circle and find a new visual focal point on the opposite wall. Spin smoothly and gracefully at an even speed, slower for beginners, and picking up speed as you improve. Dancing with your eyes closed (page 320, 1) can be another way to remove the visual dizziness factor but then you can’t see where you’re going or if other dancers are nearby.

The Neuroscience textbook gives the real inside story – our inner ear senses acceleration and deceleration of sudden motions or change in motion. Nerves from the inner ear then send a strong nerve signal about those motions to the brain but in between the acceleration and deceleration the nerve signal returns closer to a normal level of relaxation or normal sense of motion. (pp 311-312, 1)

Spinning at an even pace can be very relaxing. Personally however I always felt more balanced in my body afterwards to ‘unspin’ – spin for awhile in the other direction. Likely it helped keep muscles strengthened evenly on both sides of my body as well as giving my inner ear a workout in both directions – each ear has a matching but in reverse/mirror image set of the tubules that include the vestibular system. (Figure 14.8, page 311, 1) (Spinning in both directions, smoothly with the knee in line with the foot can help strengthen muscles in the body evenly and protect the knees – additional note – spinning intensely without slippery dance shoes can twist the knee and may lead to injury. Stretching and strengthening exercise that focus on knee stability can also help reduce risk to the knees. (Dancers & Knee Pain).

Preventative health tip – listening to very loud music or having your ear buds set to a loud volume regularly is not only risking your sense of hearing but it may also be risking your sense of balance. Loud sounds and vibrations may over stretch the delicate hair cells which turn the vibrations of sound into electrical signals that can be sent along nerve signals to the brain and the vestibular system also uses hair cells to sense the changes in angle of the head or sudden acceleration or deceleration. Hair cells can not be regenerated once they are damaged which is why loss of hearing is a common risk of aging, one in three people tend to have hearing problems as they get older.

Problems walking, and increased risk of falling, and increased risk of developing dementia have been linked to hearing loss: The Hidden Risks of Hearing Loss. (2) The increased problems with walking and falling risk are not directly linked to vestibular changes, the two areas are separate, however sound is used to judge distance from objects and help orient us in our environment while walking. Social isolation due to not hearing well is thought to be involved with the increased risk for dementia.(2)(4) Hearing aids can help with some types of hearing loss.

Safety tips for preventing hearing or vestibular damage:

  • Wearing ear plugs or noise cancelling headphones around loud noises, (5), keeping the volume at a moderate level when listening to television or music can help protect hearing, (4) and not listening to ear buds with the volume set too loud can also help protect hearing. (5) Chronic exposure to loud noise as experienced by military personnel has found that symmetrical hearing loss may have correlated vestibular damage that isn’t clear due to the damage being equal on both sides. Asymmetrical hearing loss was found to be correlated with vestibular damage on the side with hearing loss. (6)
  • Avoiding head trauma can help both the inner ear vestibular hair cells and those involved in hearing.
  • Aminoglycoside antibiotics and a few other medications have an increased risk of causing hearing loss due to damage to the hair cells; mitochondrial DNA changes may be involved as the condition can then be passed on to children by a mother with aminoglycoside related hearing loss. Taking loop diuretics along with aminoglycoside antibiotics can increase the risk of deafness occurring and exeriencing loud noise levels while taking aminoglycoside medication can also increase risk of the hearing loss damage occurring. (3)

Disclaimer: Opinions are my own and the information is provided for educational purposes within the guidelines of fair use. While I am a Registered Dietitian this information is not intended to provide individual health guidance. Please see a health professional for individual health care purposes.

  1. Kesarwani P, Murali AK, Al-Khami AA, Mehrotra S. Redox Regulation of T-Cell Function: From Molecular Mechanisms to Significance in Human Health and Disease. Antioxidants & Redox Signaling. 2013;18(12):1497-1534. doi:10.1089/ars.2011.4073. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3603502/ (1)
  2. The Hidden Risks of Hearing Loss, Johns Hopkins Medicine, https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/healthy_aging/healthy_body/the-hidden-risks-of-hearing-loss (2)
  3. Joseph Foster II, Mustafa Tekin, Aminoglycoside induced ototoxicity associated with mitochondrial DNA mutations. Egyptian Journal of Medical Human Genetics, Volume 17, Issue 3, July 2016, Pages 287-293, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1110863016300325 (3)
  4. New study names hearing loss as one of nine risk factors for dementia, healthyhearing.com, https://www.healthyhearing.com/report/52780-New-study-names-hearing-loss-as-one-of-nine-risk-factors-for-dementia (4)
  5. Headphones and your risk of hearing loss. audiorecovery.com, https://www.audiorecovery.com/blog/do-headphones-increase-your-risk-hearing-loss (5)
  6. Golz A, Westerman ST, Westerman LM, Goldenberg D, Netzer A, Wiedmyer T, Fradis M, Joachims HZ. The effects of noise on the vestibular system. Am J Otolaryngol. 2001 May-Jun; 22(3):190-6. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11351289 (6)