Author: healthcoach

The Evolution of the Endocannabinoid System

What is the endocannabinoid system and what does it do?

One of the first things I would like my readers to know about the endocannabinoid system is that this system is present before birth through-out the whole body and tissues and that our bodies are making cannabinoids, called endocannabinoids all the time.

The discovery of our bodies’ own “cannabis-like molecules” and associated receptors and metabolic machinery—collectively called the endocannabinoid system—enabled investigations into the physiological relevance for the system and provided the field with evidence of a critical function for this endogenous signaling pathway in health and disease.

Many health related problems start with low-level inflammation through-out the body and responsible for many disease processes, ranging from osteoarthritis and cardiovascular disease, to digestive disorders and neurodegeneration.

The bioactive molecules, known as cannabinoids, found in plants of the Cannabis species, have been shown to possess powerful anti-inflammatory attributes, and research into their mechanisms of action, efficacy, and tolerability are well underway.

CBD-THC

Cannabidiol (CBD) and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) are the two most prominent cannabinoids found in Cannabis, the plant genus that includes both hemp and marijuana.

While there are over 110 different cannabinoids so far identified in cannabis by scientists, CBD and THC are by far the most extensively studied and best understood.

I am not suggesting that CBD or THC should replace modern medicines and or that they are a cure for any disease, what I want to convey is that through-out the history of mankind, man has used medicinal plants as medicine and to this day, mankind still does in an effort to improve health outcomes.

CBD and THC are both found throughout the seeds, stalks, and flowers of both hemp and marijuana. The two exist in cannabis plants in a wide range of proportions. However, while THC is most plentiful in cannabis marijuana, cannabis CBD is present in higher quantities in hemp.

Hemp’s chemical makeup, on the other hand, is dominated by CBD. By definition, hemp’s THC content is no more than 0.3 percent, nearly 10 times less than the least potent strain of marijuana. Instead, hemp naturally has more CBD vs. THC, making it an ideal source of CBD from cannabis.

NEXT Part II

In part II, I will cover the The “History” of medicinal plants and the connection between man and his search for drugs in nature which dates from the far past of which there is ample evidence from various sources, written documents, preserved monuments, and even original plant medicines that this amazing plant has been used to improve health outcomes since Paleolithic humankind.

Gerald J. Joseph, B.S., M.Ed. 

References

0. Endocannabinoids in the Gut, Nicholas V. DiPatrizio, NCBI, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4940133/

1. NCBI, Cannabinoids as novel anti-inflammatory drugs, Prakash Nagarkatti, Rupal Pandey, Sadiye Amcaoglu Rieder, Venkatesh L Hegde, and Mitzi Nagarkatti, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2828614/

2. Pacher, P.; Bátkai, S; Kunos, G (2006). “The Endocannabinoid System as an Emerging Target of Pharmacotherapy”. Pharmacological Reviews. 58 (3): 389–462. doi:10.1124/pr.58.3.2. PMC 2241751 . PMID 1696894.

3. Anandamide (AEA): The Bliss Molecule Is The Human Version Of THC, https://herb.co/marijuana/news/anandamide-aea

4. Lambert, Didier M.; Fowler, Christopher J. (2005). “The Endocannabinoid System: Drug Targets, Lead Compounds, and Potential Therapeutic Applications”. Journal of Medicinal Chemistry. 48 (16): 5059–87. doi:10.1021/jm058183t. PMID 16078824.

5. Pertwee, Roger, ed. (2005). Cannabinoids. Springer-Verlag. p. 2. ISBN 3-540-22565-X.

6. Bulletin on Narcotics – 1962 Issue 3 – 004″. UNODC (United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime). 1962-01-01. Retrieved 2014-01-15.

7. Aizpurua-Olaizola, Oier; Soydaner, Umut; Öztürk, Ekin; Schibano, Daniele; Simsir, Yilmaz; Navarro, Patricia; Etxebarria, Nestor; Usobiaga, Aresatz (2016-02-02). “Evolution of the Cannabinoid and Terpene Content during the Growth ofCannabis sativaPlants from Different Chemotypes”. Journal of Natural Products. 79 (2): 324–331. doi:10.1021/acs.jnatprod.5b00949. PMID 26836472.

8. The Phylogenetic Distribution and Evolutionary Origins of Endocannabinoid Signalling, M. R. ElphickM. Egertová, https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007%2F3-540-26573-2_9

9. Xiao L. Tan, Ju L. Chen, Giovanni Benelli, Nicolas Desneux, Xue Q. Yang, Tong X. Liu and Feng Ge, Pre-infestation of Tomato Plants by Aphids Modulates Transmission-Acquisition Relationship among Whiteflies, Tomato Yellow Leaf Curl Virus (TYLCV) and Plants, Frontiers in Plant Science, 8Crossref

10. The Building Blocks of Life May Have Come From Outer Space, Ker Than, SMITHSONIAN MAGAZINE, https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/the-building-blocks-of-life-may-have-come-from-outer-space-3884354/

Weight Loss Success Linked to Telehealth Coaching, mHealth Devices.

A new study finds that a TeleHealth platform offering one-on-one coaching and an mHealth App connected to wireless devices can lead to “significant” reductions in weight and body mass and an increase in activity for those struggling with obesity.

As reported in the Journal of Telemedicine and Telecare, a 12-week weight loss program that included weekly video visits with a healthcoach and an mHealth App linked to a Bluetooth-enabled wireless scale, blood pressure monitor and accelerometer resulted in clinically significant weight-loss for almost 70 percent of the participants.

By contrast, a control group with access to the same wireless devices but not weekly telehealth coaching sessions saw only 8 percent of participants losing a significant amount of weight, and there was a “significant difference” in both body weight-loss and percent body weigh-loss between the two groups.

https://mhealthintelligence.com/news/weight-loss-success-linked-to-telehealth-coaching-mhealth-devices

Gerald J. Joseph International, LLC

Imagine you could go about your day and all the while a device you wear on your wrist or the phone you are holding, is sending data to your personal HealthCoach to help you make better dietary and physical activity decisions, decisions that can help you to be the best, healthiest version of yourself.

The Gerald J. Joseph HealthCoach Program does exactly that.

The Gerald J. Joseph HealthCoach Program uses an all-in-one HealthCoach App that stores a user’s data, and sends biometric information from a wearable device for real-time assessment and allows a HealthCoach to monitor a client’s progress and give real-time feedback. Using this app, a HealthCoach can improve clients’ health outcomes and reduce healthcare costs for client and provider alike.

HealthCoach App

The App is rich in communications abilities. It allows a client to upload health-related files (HIPPA compliant), and also provides links for educational video content and secure messaging.

The App can be programmed to track basic information like steps per day, weight (loss or gain), blood sugar, sleep, and hydration as well as a host of other cohorts. On the simplest level, tracking only steps and weight, the App can be used by Health Coaches to help clients with weight loss, Type II Diabetes, program compliance, and basic fitness levels.

The App helps individual Health Coaches communicate with their clients, and it is scalable. A single HealthCoach can oversee the progress of 100-150 clients, and we anticipate scaling the program to accommodate any number of clients. The software also allows for a supervisor to monitor the progress of the Health Coaches, and to help guide them to best assist their clients.

TeleHealth

Telehealth is one of the fastest growing segments of the healthcare industry – the American Medical Association reports that 70 percent of all healthcare visits could have been done virtually.

Gerald J. Joseph International, LLC has developed a cloud-based HealthCoach program aimed at reducing employers’ overall medical spending, reducing accidents, improving productivity, and improving return-to-work outcomes by engaging employees with a digital HealthCoach App based wellness program to improve health outcomes.

The Gerald J. Joseph HealthCoach Program shifts the focus onto the success of the employee active participation in improving nutrition, mobility and perception of their improved health.

The Gerald J. Joseph HealthCoach Program uses a validated “Motivational Interviewing” (MI) tool to assess the fidelity of wellness, disease management or care management services for evidence-based health coaching best practices.

HealthCoach

As your “HealthCoach“, I communicate with you via text, email and phone 24/7 to help you achieve the benefits of a well-designed diet and exercise program. I answer questions, I interface with your medical doctor, I provide wellness insights, I empower you, help you evaluate lab results, and help you steer toward the outcome you have stated when you began working with me.

Most of my adult life has been spent in the pursuit of knowledge to help people live better, more fulfilling disease free lives, through proper evidence-based nutrition and exercise.

Gerald J. Joseph, B.S., M.Ed. 

Does processing vegetables & salad greens hold their nutrients and does processing of produce affect its nutrient content?

Farm to Fork?

After fruits and vegetables have been harvested, they continue to live, ‘breathe, and respire’ and have a limited shelf life.

This process consumes oxygen and produces carbon dioxide and water vapour.

The key to keeping products fresh for as long as possible is to reduce the respiration rate without harming the quality of the product – its taste, texture and appearance.

In general, the rate of respiration can be reduced by keeping the temperature low, having lower levels of oxygen in the packaging atmosphere and increased levels of carbon dioxide.

Nutrients in fruits and vegetables start to break down after harvest very rapidly. This loss of nutrients can be minimized by proper storage or processing. Fresh fruits and vegetables are picked, packed, and distributed to stores very quickly so that you get the freshest items available.

Storing fruits and vegetables in the refrigerator will prolong their shelf life and slow down the spoilage process, the tomato is my exception to maximize taste.

The three natural destroyers of vitamins in fruits and vegetables are heat, light, and oxygen. However, cooking and storing methods can help retain or destroy nutrients.

Here’s how:

Limit storage time. Fresh is always best when it comes to taste and nutrition.

Store fruits and vegetables in the refrigerator to slow spoilage. However, tomatoes are my exception. Their flavor is destroyed in the refrigerator. Hold them at room temperature. If you want to store produce items for a longer time, consider freezing them.

Raw is my first choice, cook minimally is an option like using steam to briefly cook vegetables until just crisp-tender. For example, asparagus and broccoli should retain their glorious bright green color when streamed.

Water-soluble nutrients are destroyed with prolonged cooking time. If you do cook vegetables in water, those nutrients will leach into the cooking liquid, so try to use the cooking liquids in soups.

Avoid slicing vegetables too far in advance. When we slice into a vegetable or fruit, we expose the cut surfaces to heat, light, and oxygen — they are nutrient destroyers. Better to wait to slice foods until we are ready to cook and eat them.

According to Mario G. Ferruzzi, a professor in the Department of Food, Bioprocessing and Nutrition Sciences at North Carolina State University, there are many variables including processing that will affect the nutrient content of food, but it may really depend on the nature of the product, the type and extent of processing and the actual nutrient we are talking about.

I am asked this question all the time, whats the difference between just picked farm fresh vegetables and bagged greens (pre-washed), frozen greens and canned vegetables?

First lets begin with the fact that Americans typically eat only one-third of the recommended daily intake (three servings instead of nine) of fruits and vegetables, and one of the root causes of chronic disease syndrome (lack of plant-based minerals) along with inactivity.

When looking at just farm fresh, bagged, frozen and canned vegetables, canned vegetables tend to lose a lot of nutrients during the preservation process (notable exceptions include tomatoes and pumpkin), frozen vegetables may be even more healthful than some of the fresh produce sold in supermarkets, says Gene Lester, Ph.D., a plant physiologist at the USDA Agricultural Research Center in Weslaco, Texas.

Why? Fruits and vegetables chosen for freezing tend to be processed at their peak ripeness, a time when—as a general rule—they are most nutrient-packed.

But what about bagged greens?

Washing and Chopping

Bagged greens are often pre-washed but washing intended to clean produce, can also damage plant tissues and expose them to oxygen dissolved in the washing water. This can cause a loss of vitamins that are water-soluble and sensitive to oxygen, such as vitamin C and the B vitamin folate.

All greens are washed to a certain extent, whether we’re talking about a fresh bunch of spinach right off the farm or the bagged version, but a triple-washed bagged spinach can create surface damage, provide opportunities for leeching or even facilitate oxidation reactions, all of which impact quality.

The first step of freezing vegetables is to blanch them in hot water or steam to kill bacteria and arrest the action of food-degrading enzymes—causes some water-soluble nutrients like vitamin C and the B vitamins to break down or leach out, the subsequent flash-freeze locks the vegetables in a relatively nutrient-rich state.

In general, minerals such as iron and calcium are largely stable in the plant. Losses may occur when heat is applied (as in the process of canning), but not as much through typical washing. Vitamins tend to be more sensitive to light, heat and oxygen. Beta-carotene, for example, is not very stable in the presence of oxygen or light,

On the other hand, fruits and vegetables destined to be shipped to the fresh-produce aisles around the country typically are picked before they are ripe, which gives them less time to develop a full spectrum of vitamins and minerals.

Outward signs of ripening may still occur, but these vegetables will never have the same nutritive value as if they had been allowed to fully ripen on the vine.

In addition, during the long haul from farm to fork, fresh fruits and vegetables are exposed to lots of heat and light, which degrade some nutrients, especially delicate vitamins like C and the B vitamin thiamin.

Bagging greens often involves a process known as modified atmosphere packaging. The amount of oxygen that typically exists in the atmosphere is reduced in the bag, replaced with an inert gas such as nitrogen.

In essence, less oxygen is available to react with nutrients which according to Professor Ferruzzi helps with the retention of color and the most oxidatively sensitive nutrients, like vitamin C, folate and beta carotene.

Bottom-line:

When vegetables are in-season, buy them fresh and ripe. “Off-season,” frozen vegetables will give you a high concentration of nutrients and are not as bad as people might say but today, you can get farm fresh vegetable delivered for every corner of the world.

If you think about it, for example, fresh lettuce or fresh spinach that’s picked and harvested … it might be washed and bundled … and it’s exposed to oxygen, light and moisture, and it’s getting sprayed with water to stay cold and fresh, and there’s significant nutrient loss occurring day by day.

With packaged greens, you may lose a little more up front during the initial processing, but depending on how they are packaged, you have the potential to control the rate of quality and nutritional declines when veggies are stored.

The same can be said for frozen veggies, which are initially blanched to inactivate enzymes that would otherwise break down nutrients and then frozen to stop bacterial spoilage, versus the natural degradation and rotting that occurs in fresh produce.

When you compare fresh string beans in a store vs. frozen, frozen will be almost always be higher in nutrient content, because they were picked and processed at the highest point of quality and then frozen to preserve them, according to Professor Ferruzzi. .

I recommend you choose farm fresh seasonal vegetables native to your state, county or country first, packages marked with a USDA “U.S. Fancy” shield, which designates produce of the best size, shape and color; vegetables of this standard also tend to be more nutrient-rich than the lower grades “U.S. No. 1” or “U.S. No. 2.”

Eat them soon after purchase when farm fresh: over many months, nutrients in frozen vegetables do inevitably degrade. Finally eat raw first, steam is a great option, not microwaved, rather than boil your produce to minimize the loss of water-soluble vitamins.

Canned vegetables are your last choice because the majority of canned vegetables tend to be higher in sodium since salt is often used as a preservative, but as I stated, Americans typically only eat only one-third of the recommended daily intake (three servings instead of nine) of fruits and vegetables so in the end, its about consuming more plant-based food especially for young children.

Finally, people tend to eat the same foods over and over again and purchase the same brands over and over again.

I recommend to rate the foods you eat, you have unlimited plat-based food to choose from, think about trying new fruits and vegetable that you have never eaten as they all have unique vitamin and mineral profiles that your body needs.

In the end, there is one final question to ask, are ‘organic’ vegetables better then non-organic vegetables? Stay tuned to my blogs and Ill answer that question .

One Day, One Meal, One Step At A Time!

LETS GO!

References

(1) Lisa Drayer, MA, RD, http://www.lisadrayer.com

(2) Dr. Mario Ferruzzi, ProfessorFood Science and NutritionDepartment of Food, Bioprocessing and Nutrition Science,

(3) Healthy Lifestyle Nutrition and Healthy Eating, Mayo Clinic, https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/organic-food/art-20043880

(4) Vitamin retention in eight fruits and vegetables: a comparison of refrigerated and frozen storage, Bouzari A1, Holstege D, Barrett DM, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25526594

Gerald J. Joseph, B.S, M.Ed HealthCoach 

Fasting Improves Your Brain Function

New research has indicated that fasting can significantly reduce the effects of aging on the brain. It has been known that bouts of intermittent fasting have a powerful anti-inflammatory effect on the entire body. Leading scientists now believe that intermittent fasting is one of the key strategies for maximizing brain function.

Researchers at the National Institute of Aging in Baltimore have reviewed the literature and performed studies to indicate the positive effects of fasting on overall brain health. Professor Mark Mattson, who the head of the Institute’s laboratory of NeuroSciences, made it clear that these benefits were not just related to calorie restriction but instead to intentional periods of intermittent fasting (1)

Major Phases:

Building and Cleansing:

Eating stimulates the body to go into building phase where we are anabolic in nature and store both nutrients and toxins. This phase is essential for building new cells and tissues and store nutrients for times of scarcity. This building phase of physiology is predominately led by the hormone insulin.

Fasting for more than 6 hours begins the cleansing phase. The cleansing phase is catabolic in nature in that it tears down old damaged cells. This process turns on brain autophagy, or “self-eating,” in where the cells recycle waste material, regulate waste products and repair themselves.

These genetic repair mechanisms are turned on through the release of human growth hormone (HGH). Intermittent fasting is one of the most powerful ways to reduce inflammation, boost immunity and enhancing tissue healing (2, 3, 4).

This is one of the reasons why many people feel nauseated when they have infections. This innate mechanism is the body’s way of influencing us to fast so it can produce the right environment to boost natural immunity.

Fasting Boosts Human Growth Hormone:

Human Growth Hormone (HGH) is known to create physiological changes in metabolism to favor fat burning and protein sparing. The proteins and amino acids are utilized to improve brain and neuron processing. They also repair tissue collagen which improves the functionality and strength of muscles, tendons, ligaments, and bones.

HGH also improves skin function, reduces wrinkles & heals cuts and burns faster (5, 6, 7, 8). Researchers at the Intermountain Medical Center Heart Institute found that men, who had fasted for 24 hours, had a 2000% increase in circulating HGH. Women who were tested had a 1300% increase in HGH (9).

The researchers found that the fasting individuals had significantly reduced their triglycerides, boosted their HDL cholesterol and stabilized their blood sugar.The Dance Between Insulin and HGH:HGH and insulin are opposites in function.

HGH is focused on tissue repair, efficient fuel usage and anti-inflammatory immune activity (10). Insulin is designed for energy storage, cellular division and pro-inflammatory immune activity (11). Insulin is the dominant player in this game. When conditions demand an insulin release (carbohydrate intake), HGH is inhibited (12, 13).

Additionally, too much protein or fat may not stimulate insulin but they will inhibit HGH release. Studies have indicated that the disruption of neuronal autophagy results in accelerated neurodegenerative states throughout the brain (14).

Elevated circulating levels of insulin reduce the amount of neuronal autophagy and cause metabolic problems as well as accelerated degenerative states (15). Bouts of intermittent fasting are essential for the brain to clean itself up and drive new neurons and communication lines for optimal function (16).

Fasting and Exercise:

The cleansing phase also acts like a slinky that is being spring-loaded for when the body moves into the building stage. It provides a sort of pre-load that allows the body to adapt in an incredible manner when it goes into the building phase. This enhances the neuronal connections and improves brain function.

Experts believe the intermittent fasting puts the brain cells under mild stress that is similar to the effects of exercise on muscle cells. The stress causes them to adapt and get more energy efficient (17). The body recovers from intense exercise through both the building and cleansing phases.

Brain-Derived NeuroTrophic Factor:

Brain-Derived NeuroTrophic Factor (BDNF) levels govern the formation of new neurons and the development of synapses and various lines of communication within the brain. Higher levels of BDNF lead to healthier neurons and better communication processes between these neurological cells (18).

Low levels of BDNF are linked to dementia, Alzheimer’s, memory loss and other brain processing problems (19). Intermittent fasting from 16 -18 hours has been shown to boost HGH levels by 50-100% and fasting up to 36 hours has been shown to boost BDNF levels by up 400% (1).

Research has shown that bouts of fasting have a great anti-inflammatory effect on the entire body (20, 21, 22). Sufferers from asthma have shown great results as have preliminary reports on individuals with Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s (23). Mattson and colleagues are preparing to study more details about the impact of fasting on the brain using MRI technology and other testing.

Best Strategies For Fasting:

The best way to begin fasting is by giving your body 12 hours between dinner and breakfast every single day. This allows 4 hours to complete digestion and 8 hours for the liver to complete its detoxification cycle. After this is a standard part of lifestyle, try taking one day a week and extending the fast to 16-18 hours.

Eventually, you may choose to do a full 24 hour fast each week. During the Fasting Period it is great to drink cleansing beverages such as fermented drinks, herbal teas, water with infused superfood extracts, water with lemon or apple cider vinegar, etc.

These enhance the cleansing process by providing anti-oxidants and micronutrients that enhance healing while not interacting with insulin or HGH levels.

Precautionary Step Before Fasting:

Before one begins a lifestyle of intermittent fasting they should first remove as much sugar and grains from their diet as possible. This will create better blood sugar balance and help regulate insulin and the stress hormone cortisol.

The diet should be built around good fats, anti-oxidant rich plant-based foods, non-altered protein, good fat and fiber. It can take three to seven days to stabilize blood sugar and stress hormones before intermittent fasting would be advised. Once the body is properly trained, most people are able to easily do a 16-18 hour fast everyday.

The easiest way to do this is by missing breakfast to extend the overnight fast. Have a light lunch or mid-afternoon snack and then a large dinner. For many, they feel so great doing this that they choose to never go back to eating any differently.

Mental health struggles like Alzheimer’s are slow, silent killers sapping us of energy and happiness. Whether challenged by depression, anxiety, stress, addiction or another manifestation, every single person is impacted and affected–you, your family, friends, neighbors and coworkers–either directly or indirectly every single day.

HealthCoach

In The End

The Gerald J. Joseph HealthCoach Prevention Program (HCPP) is a shift in the prevention and treatment of chronic disease syndromes Heart Disease, Type II Diabetes, Obesity and Cognitive Loss Disorders like Alzheimer’s Disease which is a progressive disease that destroys memory and other important functions.

The key to preventing chronic disease syndromes, and age related cognitive disorders like Alzheimer’s and dementia lie in our understanding of 2 key factors, 1) malnutrition, 2) lack of physical activity –

The HCPP central thesis is that the human diet has changed far too quickly for our genes to keep up. As a result, both Neolithic and modern day humans developed metabolic syndromes, conditions such as elevated blood pressure, blood sugar (HbA1c), weight gain (obesity), high cholesterol levels (lipids) and cognitive loss (beta amyloid 42) as a result of the consuming the highly processed, meat centric Western American diet and because humans have become sedentary creatures by no longer engaging in daily physical activity. (walking with gate speed.)

People in almost every region of the world could benefit from rebalancing their diets to eat optimal amounts of various foods and nutrients, according to the Global Burden of Disease study tracking trends in consumption of 15 dietary factors from 1990 to 2017 in 195 countries.

The study estimates that one in five deaths globally — equivalent to 11 million deaths — are associated with poor diet, and diet contributes to a range of chronic diseases in people around the world. In 2017, more deaths were caused by diets with too low amounts of foods such as whole fruit, vegetables, root vegetables, nuts, seeds and deep sea water fish (omega-3 fats) then by diets with high levels of foods like trans fats, sugary drinks, and high levels of red and processed meats.

In addition, evidence has clearly establishes that lack of physical activity affects almost every cell, organ, and system in the body causing sedentary dysfunction and accelerated death.

The massive dysfunction caused by living a sedentary lifestyle means that just as food and reproduction remain as requirements for long-term continued human existence, physical activity is also a requirement to maximize health span and lifespan.

The only valid scientific therapeutic approach to completely counter sedentary dysfunction is primary prevention with physical activity itself.

References:

1. Martin B, Mattson MP, Maudsley S. Caloric restriction and intermittent fasting: two potential diets for successful brain aging. Ageing Res Rev. 2006 Aug;5(3):332-53. PMID: 16899414

2. Dirks-Naylor AJ, Kouzi SA, Yang S, Tran NT, Bero JD, Mabolo R, Phan DT, Whitt SD, Taylor HN. Can short-term fasting protect against doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity? World J Biol Chem. 2014 Aug 26;5(3):269-74. PMID: 25225594

3. Michalsen A, Li C. Fasting therapy for treating and preventing disease – current state of evidence. Forsch Komplementmed. 2013;20(6):444-53. PMID: 24434759

4. Michalsen A. Prolonged fasting as a method of mood enhancement in chronic pain syndromes: a review of clinical evidence and mechanisms. Curr Pain Headache Rep. 2010 Apr;14(2):80-7. PMID: 20425196

5. Ho KY, Veldhuis JD, Johnson ML, Furlanetto R, Evans WS, Alberti KG, Thorner MO. Fasting enhances growth hormone secretion and amplifies the complex rhythms of growth hormone secretion in man. J Clin Invest. 1988 Apr;81(4):968-75. PMID: 3127426

6. Vendelbo MH, Jørgensen JO, Pedersen SB, Gormsen LC, Lund S, Schmitz O, Jessen N, Møller N. Exercise and fasting activate growth hormone-dependent myocellular signal transducer and activator of transcription-5b phosphorylation and insulin-like growth factor-I messenger ribonucleic acid expression in humans. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2010 Sep;95(9):E64-8. PMID: 20534752

7. Yamamoto M, Iguchi G, Fukuoka H, Suda K, Bando H, Takahashi M, Nishizawa H, Seino S, Takahashi Y. SIRT1 regulates adaptive response of the growth hormone–insulin-like growth factor-I axis under fasting conditions in liver. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2013 Sep 10;110(37):14948-53. PMID: 23980167

8. Farzad Hayati, Mohsen Maleki, Maryam Pourmohammad, Kamran Sardari, Mehrdad Mohri Amir Afkhami. Influence of Short-term, Repeated Fasting on the Skin Wound Healing of Female Mice. Woundsresearch.com Link Here

9. Anderson JL, Carlquist JF, Roberts WL, Horne BD, May HT, Schwarz EL, Pasquali M, Nielson R, Kushnir MM, Rockwood AL, Bair TL, Muhlestein JB; Intermountain Heart Collaborative Study Group. Asymmetric dimethylarginine, cortisol/cortisone ratio, and C-peptide: markers for diabetes and cardiovascular risk? Am Heart J. 2007 Jan;153(1):67-73. PMID: 17174641

10. Growth Horomone Wikipedia Link Here

11. Insulin Wikipedia Link Here

12. Lanzi R, Luzi L, Caumo A, Andreotti AC, Manzoni MF, Malighetti ME, Sereni LP, Pontiroli AE. Elevated insulin levels contribute to the reduced growth hormone (GH) response to GH-releasing hormone in obese subjects. Metabolism. 1999 Sep;48(9):1152-6. PMID: 10484056

13. Ji S, Guan R, Frank SJ, Messina JL. Insulin inhibits growth hormone signaling via the growth hormone receptor/JAK2/STAT5B pathway. J Biol Chem. 1999 May 7;274(19):13434-42. PMID: 10224108

14. Jin H Son, Jung Hee Shim, Kyung-Hee Kim, Ji-Young Ha and Ji Young Han. Neuronal autophagy and neurodegenerative diseases. Experimental & Molecular Medicine. Nature.com

15. Young JE, Martinez RA, La Spada AR. Nutrient deprivation induces neuronal autophagy and implicates reduced insulin signaling in neuroprotective autophagy activation. J Biol Chem. 2009 Jan 23;284(4):2363-73. PMID: 19017649

16. Alirezaei M, Kemball CC, Flynn CT, Wood MR, Whitton JL, Kiosses WB. Short-term fasting induces profound neuronal autophagy. Autophagy. 2010 Aug;6(6):702-10. PMID: 20534972

17. Mattson MP. Challenging oneself intermittently to improve health. Dose Response. 2014 Oct 20;12(4):600-

18. PMID: 2555296018. Li L, Wang Z, Zuo Z. Chronic intermittent fasting improves cognitive functions and brain structures in mice. PLoS One. 2013 Jun 3;8(6):e66069. PMID: 23755298

19. Diniz BS, Teixeira AL. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor and Alzheimer’s disease: physiopathology and beyond. Neuromolecular Med. 2011 Dec;13(4):217-

20. PMID: 2189804520. Levenson CW, Rich NJ. Eat less, live longer? New insights into the role of caloric restriction in the brain. Nutr Rev. 2007 Sep;65(9):412-5.

21. PMID: 1795820821. Gillette-Guyonnet S, Vellas B. Caloric restriction and brain function. Curr Opin Clin Nutr Metab Care. 2008 Nov;11(6):686-92.

22. PMID: 1882757122. Fontán-Lozano A, López-Lluch G, Delgado-García JM, Navas P, Carrión AM. Molecular bases of caloric restriction regulation of neuronal synaptic plasticity. Mol Neurobiol. 2008 Oct;38(2):167-77.

23. PMID: 1875900923. Longo VD, Mattson MP. Fasting: molecular mechanisms and clinical applications. Cell Metab. 2014 Feb 4;19(2):181-92. PMID: 24440038

Mommy’s Beans Gerald J. Joseph, B.S., M.Ed. 

When I was a small boy, I can still remember the great smells coming from our family home kitchen, and mom in all her beauty, cooking away, I can still smell it to this day?

Fava beans sautéed in garlic, onions, and a little artichoke in olive oil…. with a few olives, wow, they were soft…. meaty and unbelievable good.

Years later when I began to study the science of food, I discovered that they were Legumes, or more commonly known as “Beans” and are contenders for the title of one of the most world’s healthiest food.

The bean is one of the most nutrient dense foods on earth and great for people who are transition to a higher plant-based diet, and reducing animal proteins.

How you cook your beans I found out, can have a huge effect on the way they affect your body and make you feel.

Beans contain oligosaccharides sugars that only are broken down by bacteria in your colon, therefore causing a little more stomach gas which has caused some people to shy away from eating beans. There are ways around this when cooking beans and once again mom was right as she explained to me “ you have to soak your dried beans over night and rinse and re-rinse the water at least 3 times.”

There it was, I realized what was happening, soaking the beans activates the beans to begin the germination process. Once wet, the beans release enzymes that begin to break down their complex sugars into more simple ones.

It is the bean’s complex sugars that gives you gas and indigestion after eating beans that haven’t been pre-soaked. So when mom would soak her Fava beans overnight, it reduced over 60% of the complex sugars in the beans and in the end reduced the gas
 some people can get from eating beans.

What I like about legumes is that they are very low fat and high vitamin and mineral foods. They contain significant amounts of potassium, iron, folate, and magnesium. All essential and often deficient vitamins and minerals in the modern American diet.

Now lets go a little deeper and look at how man co-evolved with plants, like the legume. Plants, animals, and all earthly creatures innately know what is good for them because they evolved to survive and if they are around today, they are doing something right.

The legume is no different, it evolved lacking an immune system comparable to animals, and develop structural, chemical, and protein-based defenses designed to detect invading organisms and stop them before they are able to cause extensive damage.

The pod is an example as it evolved to protect its seed, its fruit within a pod against viruses as well. Some pods have exploding seeds that are an evolutionary tactic to disperse seeds far from the mother plant which then allows insects, birds and animals to spread them even further, allowing there species to survive in new locations. In the case of man, he realized that if he consumed the legume when it was sprouting, it was easier to digest and it was healthier for him.

Today, we still eat some of the same legume foods as our ancestors did, scientists today are busy trying to grow plant seeds some frozen over 32,000 years ago to study what man consumed in the past and how man coevolved to consume plants like legumes.

Evidence shows that the earth was full of flowering fruit plants, much smaller then modern varieties of today such as apples, oranges and legumes. Vegetables are different in there shape and size today then in the past due to mans involvement as farmers which started around 15,000 bc and are much much bigger today!

The term co-evolution is something I will be using allot and is used to describe cases where two (or more) species reciprocally affect each other’s evolution.

Some examples are the bacteria in mammalians gut, pollinators, plant root bacteria, and insect/plant relationships. Man evolved together with the plant gaining valuable minerals, prebiotic fiber, plant protein to become stronger and more resilient against disease and also allowing man to also spread plant seeds as he circumvented the globe.

Lentils provide so much nutrition to man, about 18 grams of dietary protein, no saturated fat or cholesterol and contains a high concentration of thiamin, vitamin K, vitamin B-6, potassium, copper, selenium, zinc and magnesium in a single cup.

As compared to animal protein, 3 ounces of grilled chicken provides about 27 grams of protein but also comes with saturated fat which when over consumed can lead to heart disease. These protein-rich, animal-based foods, however, lack the fiber present in lentils and other legumes that are essential for human health.

In fact, a study by Lydia A. Bazzano, PhD; Jiang He, MD, PhD; Lorraine G. Ogden, MS; indicates a significant inverse relationship between legume intake and risk of CHD and suggests that increasing legume intake may be an important part of a dietary approach to the primary prevention of CHD in the general population.

So, now I know why I was leaner and so healthy as a youth, mom used very little processed foods, little animal proteins, she fed us more fish, legumes, vegetables, whole fruits, root vegetables, nuts & seeds and used olive oil.

Finally, I just moved to Florida, and I found myself waking up wondering, what local beans mom would be cooking for me tonight when I got home, mom I love you and your the best.

References:

32,000-Year-Old Plant Brought Back to Life—Oldest Yet Rachel Kaufman, National Geographic News,

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2012/02/120221-oldest-seeds-regenerated-plants-science/

An Overview of Plant Defenses against Pathogens and HerbivoresBrian C. Freeman and Gwyn A. BeattieIowa State University http://www.apsnet.org/edcenter/intropp/topics/Pages/OverviewOfPlantDiseases.aspx

“Beans, kidney, mature seeds, sprouted, raw Nutrition Facts & Calories.” Beans, kidney, mature seeds, sprouted, raw Nutrition Facts & Calories. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Feb. 2017.

Chen, Yu Ming, and Suzanne C. Ho. “Fruit, Vegetables, and Bone Health.” Bioactive Foods in Promoting Health (2010): 173-94. Web.

“Did You Know: Food History – The World of Legumes.” Did You Know: Food History – The World of Legumes. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 Feb. 2017.

Examples of Plants That Disperse Seeds by Shooting Them http://homeguides.sfgate.com/examples-plants-disperse-seeds-shooting-70888.html

Legume Consumption and Risk of Coronary Heart Disease in US Men and WomenNHANES I Epidemiologic Follow-up StudyLydia A. Bazzano, PhD; Jiang He, MD, PhD; Lorraine G. Ogden, MS; et al, http://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/649612

Moores, Carly J., Michael Fenech, and Nathan J. O’Callaghan. “Telomere dynamics: the influence of folate and DNA methylation.” Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences 1229.1 (2011): 76-88. Web.

Telpner, Meghan. “How to Eat More Beans and Fart Less.” Meghan Telpner. N.p., 06 June 2016. Web. 06 Feb. 2017.

Understanding Co-Evolution, http://evolution.berkeley.edu/evolibrary/article/evo_33

Www.ramesessolutions.com, RAMESES Solutions;. “History of Cocoa.” History of Cocoa. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 Feb. 2017.