Wellness Corner Archives

JUNE 2020: Seven Tips To Keep Your Immune System Healthy

05/31/2020

Seven Tips to Keep Your Immune System Healthy

One of the most beneficial things you can do for yourself and your well-being is to keep a healthy immune system. Keeping your immune system in check can help protect you from most bacteria, viruses, illness, diseases, and even cancer. Here are some key tips to keeping your immune system healthy.

Eat a healthy diet. Include plant-based foods such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, legumes, herbs, and spices. Include healthy fats such as omega-3 fatty acid, olive oil, and salmon. Eat fermented foods or take a probiotic, for example, yogurt, sauerkraut, kombucha, kimchi, kiefer, and natto. The fiber in plant food feeds your gut microbes and the probiotics.
Decreasing your intake of sugar will help with decreasing inflammation, strengthening the immune system, and help aid with weight loss and maintaining a healthy weight. This in turn can help reduce chronic conditions such as heart disease and Type 2 diabetes. Heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, and obesity can weaken the immune system, so by decreasing your intake of sugar you can help boost your natural defenses.
Getting a sufficient amount of good quality sleep helps strengthen your natural immune system. Not getting the right amount of sleep can increase the levels of stress hormone and also lead to more inflammation in the body. It is recommended that adults should get 7 to 9 hours of sleep daily. Your body regenerates and heals when you sleep.
Moderate exercise regularly can boost your immune system and help with sleep. Some examples of moderate exercise include 30 minutes of light hiking, brisk walking, jogging, swimming, steady bicycling, and strength training. Moderate exercise can also help with stress and lower your risk of developing chronic disease like obesity, heart disease, and Type 2 diabetes. Aim for 150 minutes per week.
Managing stress and anxiety in turn eases the stress hormone, causing you to sleep better and improve the natural immune system. Some ways to manage stress and anxiety include meditation, slowing down, mindfulness practice, yoga, tai chi, connecting with other people, journaling, and exercising.
Staying hydrated with water is recommended due to its zero calories, zero sugar properties, and zero additives. Hydration is necessary for your overall health and for your body to function normally. The recommended daily amount of water to drink is enough fluids to keep your urine pale yellow. Another tip is to limit your alcohol consumption to one drink per day if you’re a woman, and two drinks per day if you’re a man, as recommended by the NIH. High levels of alcohol can affect your body’s ability to fight infection and slow recovery time. When drinking high amounts of alcohol the body is too busy trying to detoxify the system rather than focusing on normal immune system functions.
Cigarette smoking affects the immune system due to the chemicals released such as carbon monoxide, nicotine, nitrogen oxide, and cadmium. The cigarette smoke interferes with the growth and function of immune cells. Smoking can worsen viral and bacterial infections, especially in the lungs. There are many resources to help you stop smoking. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist.

Sources: Everyday Health, WebMD, Healthline, and Harvard Health Publishing

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.

MAY 2020: Top Food Sources for Zinc

05/01/2020

Many of us are looking for zinc supplements and are having a hard time finding them. Zinc is an essential nutrient, meaning that your body can not produce or store it, but it can be obtained naturally through food daily. Zinc supplements can help accelerate wound healing, shorten the common cold, reduce risk of certain age related diseases such as pneumonia, macular degeneration, help boost mental performance in older adults, help treat acne, decrease inflammation, and support your senses of taste and smell.

Only a small intake of zinc is necessary and the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for zinc in the US is 8 mg a day for women and 11 mg a day for men. Zinc is found in meat, fortified foods such as breakfast cereals, dairy products, and plant based diets. Zinc helps with many body functions such as DNA and protein synthesis, gene expression, enzymatic function, immune function, aids in nutrient absorption, improves eye health, aids in the production of hormones, and growth and development.

Meats such as beef, lamb, bison, and pork have ample amounts of zinc. However, red meats are higher in calories and eating large amounts have been linked to an increased risk of heart disease and some cancers. Skinless chicken or turkey would be a lower calorie choice for zinc. Examples: beef patty, 3 ounces (oz): 5.3 mg, cooked pork chop loin, 3 oz: 2.9 mg, and dark meat chicken, 3 oz: 2.4 mg.

Shellfish such as oysters are a great source, including Alaskan crab, lobster, shrimp, clams, and mussels. They are a lower calorie source and if pregnant, shellfish need to be completely cooked before eating to reduce food poisoning. Examples: oysters, 3 oz: 74 mg, Alaskan king crab, 3 oz: 6.5 mg, cooked lobster, 3 oz: 3.4 mg.

Legumes such as chickpeas, lentils, and beans, do contain phytates that decrease the absorption of zinc. If you eat these try heating, sprouting, soaking, or fermenting the legumes first. Example: baked beans, 1/2 cup serving: 2.9 mg.

Seeds including squash, pumpkins, chia seeds, flax seed, and sesame have a significant amount of zinc, however hemp seeds have a higher content.

Nuts including pine nuts, peanuts, cashew, pecans, and almonds can boost your intake of zinc. Examples: pecans, 1 oz: 1.3 mg, dry roasted peanuts, 1 oz, 0.9 mg.

Dairy including milk, yogurt, and cheese contain high amounts of bioavailable zinc. The zinc in dairy products can be easily absorbed by your body. Example: plain yogurt, 8 oz: 1.3 mg.

Eggs contain a moderate amount of zinc.

Whole grains, wheat, quinoa, brown rice, and oats contain some zinc. They contain phytates and can reduce the absorption of zinc. Example: cooked wild rice, 1/2 cup: 2.2 mg.

Some vegetables and fruits contain zinc. Sweet potatoes and potatoes, pumpkin, mushrooms, asparagus, green beans, spinach, Swiss chard, kale, green peas, broccoli, garlic, avocado, and berries are good sources. Example: cooked green peas, 1 cup: 1.2 mg.

Dark chocolate of 70% – 85% (3.5 oz) contains 3.3 mg of zinc. However this is a high calorie choice containing about 600 calories and is high in sugar.

Fortified foods including breakfast cereal, snack bars, and cereal bars with vitamins and minerals including zinc. Example: Fortified breakfast cereal, 3/4 cup serving: 3.8mg.

According to the Mayo Clinic zinc can interact with prescription medication. The absorption of certain antibiotics in the quinolone or tetracycline class can be affected by zinc. Cuprimine (penicillamine) can decrease the amount of zinc in your body. Try taking zinc supplements 2 hours before or 4 hours after taking these medications. The diuretic/high blood pressure medication in the class of thiazide can increase the loss of zinc. Talk to your doctor about taking zinc supplements if you’re on a thiazide. Before adding a zinc supplement to your diet, talk to your doctor and pharmacist to make sure your zinc supplements will not interact with other medications you’re currently on.

To get the full benefits of zinc take it at least 1 hour before, or 2 hours after a meal. Zinc supplements can come as high as 50 mg, which exceeds the RDA. Exercise caution as high amounts of zinc taken long term can be harmful. Symptoms of zinc toxicity include stomach pains, nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, headaches, diarrhea, lower copper levels, lower immunity, and lower levels of HDL (good cholesterol).

Sources: Healthline, Everyday Health, and Medical NewsToday

APRIL 2020: What You Need To Know About Gout

03/31/2020

Gout is a type of arthritis that is caused by high uric acid levels in the blood, which then accumulate as crystals around a joint causing inflammation, pain, and discomfort similar to osteoarthritis. The majority of gout cases affect the big toe. The remainder affects the fingers, wrists, knees, and heels. Gout affects an estimated 8.3 million people in the United States and can be controlled with medication, diet, lifestyle changes, and natural remedies.

People with gout cannot remove excess uric acid from the blood. The uric acid accumulates in the joints causing gout attacks. Trigger foods are high in purines and when digested, our body turns them into uric acid. Trigger foods include organ meats, red meat, seafood, alcohol, and beer. Fructose, even though a non-purine, has shown to increase the risk of gout and gout attack.

A gout diet can help decrease uric acid levels and lower the risk of gout attacks and joint damage.

What foods to avoid?

All organ meats including liver, kidneys, sweetbreads, and brain
Game meat including pheasant, veal, and venison.
Fish include hearing, trout, mackerel, tuna, sardines, anchovies, and haddock.
Seafood such as scallops, crab, shrimp, and roe.
Sugary beverages, especially fruit juice and sugary sodas.
Sugars such as honey, agave nectar, and high fructose corn syrup.
Limit alcohol intake
Yeast, including nutritional yeast, brewers yeast, and other yeast supplements.
Refined carbs such as white bread, baked goods, cakes, and cookies.
Lifestyle changes such as maintaining a healthy weight and exercising can decrease your risk of gout. Excess weight causes insulin to become resistant, not allowing your body to remove sugar in the blood. This insulin resistance can increase uric acid levels. Research has shown that losing weight and exercising can decrease insulin resistant and decrease uric acid levels in the blood.

Staying hydrated with water helps remove the excess uric acid from the blood by flushing it out of the urine.

As for natural remedies for gout, a few studies support cherries or tart cherry juice to help with gout management and reducing flares.
The studies recommended over a two day period, three servings of any cherry form. Some other remedies with not much supporting evidence are vitamin C, coffee, magnesium, ginger, stinging nettle, dandelion, milk thistle seeds, hibiscus, apples, bananas, epsom salt, and the concoction of apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, and turmeric.

A gout diet, lifestyle changes, and natural remedies are not a cure, but it can help lower the number of gout attacks and limit their severity. Remember to let your healthcare team know if you are making any of these changes so they can modify treatment.

Sources: US. News (How to prevent gout), healthline.com, and Mayo Clinic (Gout diet)

MARCH 2020: Eye Health

02/28/2020

March is workplace eye wellness month and many of us neglect our eye health at work and home. Always use the proper personal protective eye wear at work or at home depending on the type of hazard you are dealing with. Visit an eye care specialist on a regular basis to help detect any problems. Here are some tips on how to keep your eyes healthy at work and home.

• When outdoors wear wraparound sunglasses that block 99%-100% of UVA and UVB rays to decrease the risk of cataracts, macular degeneration, and other eye problems.

• Stop smoking. Smoking can increase the risk of eye related diseases such as cataracts, macular degeneration, and harm the optic nerve.

• Eat healthy foods that are high in lutein, zinc, omega-3-fatty acid, vitamin C and E. Be sure to eat plenty of broccoli, carrots, green leafy vegetables like spinach, kale, and collard greens.

• Eat foods high in omega-3-fatty acids such as salmon, tuna, halibut, or other oily fish.

• Eat eggs, nuts, beans, and other non meat protein sources. Eat citrus fruits or drink the natural juices. These foods can help reduce the risk of age related diseases like macular degeneration and cataracts.

• Staying hydrated is essential for eye health.

• Looking at your phones, computers, televisions, and laptops constantly can cause headaches, dry eyes, eyestrain, blurry vision, trouble focusing at a distance, and neck, back, and shoulder pain.

• Try resting your eyes every 20 minutes by looking 20 feet away for 20 seconds.

• Wear eye protection that blocks the blue light while working on computers and laptops and use anti-glare screens and blue light blocking glasses.

• Make sure contact lenses or glasses are up to date for looking at any type of screen. Make sure the computer screen is an arm’s length away from the eyes and the eyes are level with the top of the computer monitor.

• Blink more if your eyes are dry.

• Try dimming the brightness of the screens on the phone, computer, or laptop. Too much light exposure may irritate the eye.

Sources: National Eye Institute and WebMD

FEBRUARY 2020: Reducing Your Risk of Heart Disease

02/01/2020

February is healthy heart month. Heart disease is the number one killer in both men and women in the United States. People who have high blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes, are overweight, or have a history of smoking or cardiac conditions in their family are at a higher risk of developing heart disease. Other factors include: not enough physical activity, excessive alcohol use, stress, and not eating a healthy diet. Here are some healthy steps to take to reduce your risk of heart disease.

• Quit smoking – smoking is a major cause of coronary heart disease.

• Maintain a healthy weight – the extra weight puts more pressure on the arterial walls and forces your heart to work harder.

• Reduce stress and look after your mental health. Anxiety and depression can put a strain on the heart.

• Control your cholesterol and blood pressure with diet, exercise, stress reduction, or prescription medication. See November and December 2019 Wellness Corner.

• Stay physically active – The American Heart Association recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise a week. See January 2020 Wellness Corner.

• Get enough sleep. Research has shown a lack of sleep can lower the metabolism, making it harder to lose weight and increases the risk of developing high blood pressure. See March 2019 Wellness Corner.

• Eat nutritious foods and moderate proportions – eat foods that contain healthy fats from vegetables, nuts, seeds, and fish. Avoid foods high in salt, saturated fat, and sugar. Avoid butters, red meat, cheese, and baked goods.

• Get yearly checkups.