Most of us have heard of prebiotics and probiotics. Now nutritionists and the natural health community are talking about postbiotics. Postbiotics are essentially the byproduct of prebiotics and have recently been found to be beneficial to the body. Postbiotic components includes short chain fatty acids, cell components, proteins, metabolites, and peptides.

The research for postbiotics is fairly new and it’s believed some of the benefits are:

– Increase insulin sensitivity helping to fight pre-diabetes and type II diabetes

– Boost your metabolism

– Improve your immune system

– Reduce inflammation

– Help heal leaky gut by promoting motility or the movement of waste through the digestive tract.

Postbiotics supplements are new and available on the market, however, you can naturally increase the production with food. Foods that increase postbiotics in the gut are fermented foods such as yogurt, sauerkraut, miso, kimchi, soft cheeses, kefir, sourdough bread, buttermilk, kombucha, pickled veggies, and tempeh.

There may be more in the news this year about postbiotics boosting your health, and if probiotics upset your stomach or digestive system, then maybe postbiotics are worth a try.

Sources: Today’s Dietitian, U.S. News Health, and Today.com

About Shima: Shima graduated from the University of Arkansas with a BS in Microbiology in 1997 and worked at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences with the Infectious Disease Department on clinical trials for over 4 years. She then pursued a career change and graduated with her Doctorate degree from St. Louis College of Pharmacy in 2007. During her years enrolled in pharmacy school she worked part-time at St. Louis University, where she helped design a laboratory protocol for the BCG Vaccine Study, which received full funding in 2011.

Shima joined Sinks and Medley Pharmacy in September of 2014 as a pharmacist. She continually strives to focus on improving outcomes and raising the quality of life for patients with all types of medical ailments and conditions.

Are you feeling tired, having mood changes, getting sick often? Do you experience muscle weakness or pain, joint pain, allergies, asthma, brain fog, elevated blood sugar, high blood pressure, or have weak bones? If that’s the case, you may not be getting enough Vitamin D. A study in Nutrition Research Journal in 2011 found that 41.6% of US adults are not getting a sufficient amount. With Vitamin D you need the right amount to keep your body functioning well and your doctor can run blood tests to figure out the perfect balance. It is important to keep Vitamin D balanced because too much can cause headaches, nausea, vomiting, constipation, poor appetite, weight loss, weakness, frequent urination, painful muscles, excessive calcium in the blood, kidney damage, kidney stones, and high blood pressure.

You may be asking why Vitamin D is important for the body. It has many important benefits such as maintaining healthy bones by aiding with the absorption of calcium, helping regenerate genes and cell growth, preventing osteoporosis and rickets (softening and weakening of the bones in children), and helps the immune system. The main way we get Vitamin D is through sun exposure, food, and nutritional supplements.

To get a sufficient amount of Vitamin D we need sun exposure for at least 15 – 20 minutes three days a week. 

Food that are naturally high in Vitamin D include salmon, tuna, mackerel, beef liver, cheese, mushrooms, and egg yolk.

Foods that have Vitamin D added include milk, breakfast cereals or grain products, yogurt, and orange juice.

Many people do not know that they have a Vitamin D deficiency because the symptoms are very non-specific. If you think you may be deficient, talk to your doctor and they can run blood work to check your levels. 

Sources: Medical News Today, Medline Plus, Mayo Clinic, and Healthline

About Shima: Shima graduated from the University of Arkansas with a BS in Microbiology in 1997 and worked at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences with the Infectious Disease Department on clinical trials for over 4 years. She then pursued a career change and graduated with her Doctorate degree from St. Louis College of Pharmacy in 2007. During her years enrolled in pharmacy school she worked part-time at St. Louis University, where she helped design a laboratory protocol for the BCG Vaccine Study, which received full funding in 2011.

Shima joined Sinks and Medley Pharmacy in September of 2014 as a pharmacist. She continually strives to focus on improving outcomes and raising the quality of life for patients with all types of medical ailments and conditions.

Many of us are not motivated to add greenery to our plates. If that is the case, then you do not realize all the health benefits they provide. Research has shown green vegetables help with colon health, cancer, and heart health. They contain minerals, folate, antioxidants, and flavonoids which help decrease free radicals from damaging cells in your body and can lower your risk of cancer and many diseases. Some can contain lutein and beta-carotene which support eye health and may reduce risk of cataracts and macular degeneration. Green foods can help increase energy, immunity, strengthen bones, increase gut health, and detox your body. Start adding a little greenery to each meal and your health will benefit from it.

Here are some examples and their benefits.

• Kale contains vitamin K which helps with bone health and blood clotting. It is also high in fiber helping with colon health. Kale is an excellent source of vitamin C and flavonoids, decreasing free radical damage in the body which decreases cancer risk, and helps the immune system work effectively so it can fight disease. Some studies show kale can regulate blood sugar with a meal. It also contains lutein and beta-carotene which support eye health and may reduce risk of cataracts and macular degeneration.
• Microgreens are young greens sprouted from seeds of herbs and vegetables. They are flavorful and packed with vitamin C, E, and K.
• Beet greens are rich in vitamin A and K, fiber, riboflavin, calcium, and potassium. They also contain antioxidants beta-carotene and lutein.
• Seaweed contains iron and zinc, and is a good source of iodine, helping with thyroid function.
• Bok Choy contains selenium, helping with proper thyroid function, immunity, cognitive function, and cancer prevention.
• Green beans are high in fiber which can help lower cholesterol and stabilize blood sugar. 
• Asparagus is an excellent source of fiber, an array of vitamin B, and folate. 
• Broccoli is rich in vitamin C, K, folate, potassium, manganese, and iron.
• Collard Greens are good sources of vitamin K and help with healthy bones.
• Kiwi contains fiber, vitamin C, and folate. Research suggests that kiwi contains serotonin and eating them regularly could help people fall asleep faster and have a longer and better quality of sleep.
• Swiss Chard is rich in vitamin A, C, K, potassium, and manganese.
• Spinach is packed with folate, vitamin A, K, and manganese. 
• Romaine lettuce is a good source of vitamin A and K.
• Turnip greens are high in vitamins A, C, K, folate, calcium, and manganese. They also contain several antioxidants that help decrease stress in the body. 
• Avocados contain healthy fats that help with cholesterol levels and heart health. It is also high in vitamin E which helps with free radicals, memory & cognitive function. Avocados also contain lutein which helps with preventing age related macular degeneration. They are high in fiber helping with colon health and maintaining healthy weight.

Keep in mind to eat well balanced meals daily. Watch out for some medications such as Warfarin (Coumadin) as it interacts with foods high in vitamin K. Also, if you have stomach/bowel issues and kidney disease you may want to talk to your physician about making any changes in your diet.

Sources: Healthline, WebMD, Everyday Health, and Medical News Today

About Shima: Shima graduated from the University of Arkansas with a BS in Microbiology in 1997 and worked at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences with the Infectious Disease Department on clinical trials for over 4 years. She then pursued a career change and graduated with her Doctorate degree from St. Louis College of Pharmacy in 2007. During her years enrolled in pharmacy school she worked part-time at St. Louis University, where she helped design a laboratory protocol for the BCG Vaccine Study, which received full funding in 2011.

Shima joined Sinks and Medley Pharmacy in September of 2014 as a pharmacist. She continually strives to focus on improving outcomes and raising the quality of life for patients with all types of medical ailments and conditions.

It’s a new year and many of you may have a New Year’s resolution to lose weight. Recognizing bad habits that slow your metabolism may help with losing weight. Here are some tips to help with recognizing what will slow your metabolism:

     • Not getting enough high-quality sleep

     • Eating too many foods high in sugar

     • Drinking beverages high in sugar

     • Not getting enough water

     • Drinking too much caffeine

     • Drinking alcohol  

     • Skipping breakfast

     • Not eating enough of the right foods

     • Eating refined carbohydrates

     • Eating fatty foods

     • Not eating enough protein

     • Not eating balanced meals

     • Eating odd amounts of food at odd hours

     • Eating too many calories right before bedtime

     • Not eating nuts

     • Not using iodized salt

     • Not getting enough calcium

     • Skipping your probiotic   

     • Dieting too much  

     • Living a sedentary lifestyle

     • Lack of strength training

     • Exercising at odd hours

     • Keeping your room temperature too warm

     • Not managing your stress or cutting down on your stress

Sources: Healthline, WebMD, Everyday Health, EatThis,NotThat!, Lifehack, and Cooking Light

About Shima: Shima graduated from the University of Arkansas with a BS in Microbiology in 1997 and worked at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences with the Infectious Disease Department on clinical trials for over 4 years. She then pursued a career change and graduated with her Doctorate degree from St. Louis College of Pharmacy in 2007. During her years enrolled in pharmacy school she worked part-time at St. Louis University, where she helped design a laboratory protocol for the BCG Vaccine Study, which received full funding in 2011.

Shima joined Sinks and Medley Pharmacy in September of 2014 as a pharmacist. She continually strives to focus on improving outcomes and raising the quality of life for patients with all types of medical ailments and conditions.