by Chris D. Meletis, ND
The holiday season is one of the busiest times in clinical practice as a result of an increase in patients suffering from acute illnesses ranging from stress-related illness, colds, flus, bronchitis, pneumonia, anxiety and depression, gastrointestinal symptoms and even cardiac complaints.
Certainly the single biggest concern from November through spring is avoiding contracting the influenza virus that can be so devastating for young and old alike. Because techniques for boosting immunity are covered in another article in this newsletter (Surviving Cold and Flu Season) the clinical pearls shared in this article are designed to help anyone who wants a guide for overcoming the other challenges many of us face around the holidays, from depression to weight gain to increased alcohol consumption.
Coping with Holiday Stress
During the holidays interactions with friends, family, neighbors and coworkers as well as the overwhelming array of tasks we need to accomplish from buying gifts to baking may generate excessive amounts of stress. In regards to feeling overwhelmed it is important to abide by the old saying "don’t bite off more that you can chew."
In addition, the best way to stay stress free or deal with a stressor is simply to talk it out. A mellow and relaxing conversation with a friend can help keep things in perspective. Though it is easy to fall into the trap of focusing on life’s stressors, it is essential to build up positive energy as well by discussing cherished times like the upcoming weekend, vacation plans, and recent fun experiences. Science has shown that individuals who take time to interact with friends and family are healthier and live longer.1 2
In our hectic modern society we go, go, go and then go faster yet. This hustle and bustle is particularly prevalent around the holidays. In order to increase the brain’s efficiency, I advise my patients to give the brain some down time. I tell them to take a 3-to-5 minute mental health break every hour with the clear intent of engaging the mind in something not related to the current train of thought such as gazing at a picture or even the computer’s screen saver. A better option is for them to close their eyes, remove themselves from the high stimulation environment they are in and imagine themselves someplace relaxing and safe such as in the midst of a springtime meadow.
Another technique I recommend is to prioritize holiday activities to prevent becoming overcommitted. In addition, I ask my patients to inhale deeply throughout the day to oxygenate the 50 to 100 trillion living cells in the body. When stressed, individuals take shallow breaths and do not receive all the oxygen the body needs.
Combining these anti-stress lifestyle techniques with the proper supplements can be particularly effective for surviving the extra anxiety that’s often served up along with the pumpkin pie and eggnog. L-theanine, a component of green tea, is one of the best supplements to help promote relaxation. It has been shown to increase alpha-waves in the brain and also supports GABA levels that help balance the excitatory neurotransmitters.3 L-theanine can work within as little as 30 minutes and can also be used synergistically with the botanicals valerian and passionflower.
Ashwagandha also works with L-theanine to produce a sense of calm. It has been widely tested in animals with positive results. In one study, rats were exposed to severe overcrowding conditions or tactile stress (continuous poking), and then given morphine. Seventy percent of the tactile-stressed and 100 percent of the overcrowding-stressed control rats developed convulsions, and 80 percent and 90 percent died, respectively. Yet only 10 percent of the tactile-stressed rats and 10 percent of the overcrowding-stressed rats that were given both morphine and ashwagandha developed convulsions, while only 0 percent and 10 percent died.4
Because stress-induced shallow breathing causes oxygen deprivation, it is also helpful to consume lung-supporting supplements such as N-acetyl cysteine. NAC is a powerful building block for production of the antioxidant glutathione and acts a mucolytic to break up mucus during the cold and flu season.5
Finally, B-complex is necessary to support brain chemistry and stress response, and individuals under stress often need extra B vitamins.
Controlling Seasonal Weight Gain
All too often when stressed we default to less than optimal dietary choices and start eating or drinking items that do not promote good health—especially during the holidays when we are surrounded by sugary foods. Yet, when we are anxious, it is more important than ever to consume items that help defend against the effects of stress. The best choice we can make is to reach for a drink of pure water and a piece of fruit to nurture our sweet tooth while providing some critical antioxidants and energy. This will help stop insulin levels from spiking, which occurs after a sugar binge.
It is also very important not to miss meals. When stressed and hungry the body enters storage mode because it thinks it is in a famine state. Therefore, the body will store the calories from the next meal consumed as fat.
When willpower weakens and we succumb to the wide array of unhealthy foods we encounter at holiday gatherings, it can be helpful to turn to nutritional supplements that will stop the roller-coaster effect that occurs with blood sugars after consuming high glycemic foods. This insulin spike can cause depression and increase weight gain.6 Nutrients that help support healthy blood sugar levels include goat’s rue, chromium, vanadium and cinnamon extract. Goat’s rue causes a long-lasting reduction of blood sugar content in rats and an increase in carbohydrate tolerance. In one study, goats rue extract lowered the blood sugar of diabetic rats by 32 percent.7 In addition, this herb lowers blood sugar in both normal and diabetic humans.8 I call chromium “willpower in a bottle,” since by stabilizing blood sugar it helps decrease carbohydrate cravings. Cinnamon has emerged as a botanical that plays a role in healthy blood sugar levels. In one of the most recent studies, cinnamon bark extract mitigated the adverse effects of fructose loading on glucose metabolism and lipid profile in rats.9
White kidney bean extract (Phase 2®) also is useful for helping to digest starch. Researchers conducted a series of studies to test Phase 2’s ability to inhibit starch-glucose absorption. They plotted the “area under the curve,” a measure of glucose absorption, after the consumption of various starch meals with and without Phase 2. In one study the area was reduced 57 percent;10 in another it was reduced 66 percent.11 With a small group of college students the area under the curve was reduced 85 percent compared to placebo.12
Another technique for helping to reduce the damage done by high-refined carbohydrate meals is to consume powdered or encapsulated fiber (about 10 grams) to offset the effects of the low-fiber meal. This helps lower the glycemic load during occasional indiscretions. Rice Bran Protein Concentrate is a particularly effective form of fiber shown to lower glucose levels in diabetic patients.13
Exercise also is crucial to both maintaining a healthy weight and a sense of well being. Just two, 10 minute activity sessions per day will help burn calories. By maintaining and building lean body muscle tissue, which is caloric hungry tissue, the body burns calories both while at rest and while exercising.14
Food Allergies
Holiday dining and snacking often leads to consumption of our most common food allergens. Having a food allergy test done to determine which foods to avoid is one of my strong clinical recommendations. Now thanks to advances in testing technology, a home test is available from VRP using a simple diabetic finger stick to determine which of 96 different foods the patient is allergic. A national lab will then send the patient a list of his or her hidden food allergies. Even though the holidays are one of the most difficult times to avoid food allergens, knowing which foods we should avoid is a powerful navigational tool so that we can do our best to avoid exposure to the worst offenders during much of the holiday season.
Upset Stomachs
Upset stomachs caused by the ingestion of too much rich, sugary food can ruin festivities with family and friends. Many of my patients attend gatherings armed with a probiotic capsule containing Lactobacillus GG to offset the array of microbial exposures that occur during these events and a digestive enzyme to help eliminate the burden holiday treats impose on the gastrointestinal tract. This topic is covered in more detail in the article Digestive Health: Natural Support for E. Coli, H. Pylori and Other Digestive Concerns, found in this newsletter.
Holiday Heart Health
Cardiac events increase during the winter months. Some studies have linked this increased occurrence in part to lower vitamin C and vitamin D intake.15 Additionally, when we consume holiday fare, caloric intake and cholesterol levels can begin to soar. Actively controlling cholesterol levels with the addition of supplemental fiber, vitamin C and cholesterol-supporting supplements such as niacin or red yeast rice extract and CoQ10 can help prevent unnecessary wear and tear on the body’s 60,000 plus miles of blood vessels. These nutrients also tend to lower C-reactive protein, which is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. One study in the International Journal of Cardiology found that CRP levels increased significantly in winter and spring in the group of people tested.16
Blood clots, which can cause heart attacks, strokes or deep vein thrombi, are also a concern and stroke incidence also increases in winter months in many populations. The use of systemic enzymes like nattokinase or serrapeptase can support cardiovascular health by controlling healthy blood viscosity.17
Alcohol Consumption
Not only does our consumption of sugar and refined carbohydrates increase at this time of year, but also our intake of alcohol. When we consume too much alcohol, our body produces a toxic byproduct called acetaldehyde. It is this byproduct that is responsible for the symptoms of a hangover. Acetaldehyde belongs to a dangerous class of chemical pollutants, aldehydes that can autoxidize to produce free radicals and act as cross-linkers, mutagens and carcinogens.
There are a number of nutrients and botanicals that can slow or stop the damaging effects of alcohol by slowing the alcohol-to-acetaldehyde conversion process and preventing the reduction of antioxidant levels. N-acetyl Cysteine (NAC), by increasing production of the super antioxidant glutathione, protects against alcohol-induced damage to intestinal mucosal cells.18 19 Even moderate alcohol consumption elevates body iron stores and NAC has been shown to influence the activity of hepcidin, a circulatory peptide synthesized in the liver that is a key mediator of iron metabolism.20 Iron is a pro-oxidant that can cause free radical damage at high levels.
Kudzu is another natural substance of interest to holiday drinkers. A recent study showed that kudzu can even reduce alcohol intake in humans. Male and female “heavy” alcohol drinkers were treated with either a placebo or a kudzu extract for seven days and then given an opportunity to drink their preferred brand of beer in a laboratory setting. Kudzu treatment resulted in significant reduction in the number of beers consumed, which was paralleled by an increase in the time to consume each beer and a decrease in the volume of each sip.21 Past studies have shown the same effect in rats and hamsters.21
Kudzu also works synergistically with the herb silymarin (milk thistle) to inhibit acetaldehyde’s effects. Diadzein and genistein, the active ingredients in kudzu, inhibit the liver enzyme ADH required for conversion of ethanol to acetaldehyde.22 Additionally, silybin, an extract of silymarin, has been shown to alleviate the reduction of glutathione levels mediated by chronic alcohol consumption.23 Silybin has also been shown to be an excellent free radical scavenger, specifically against the lipid peroxidation induced by exposure to ethanol (alcohol).23 24 25
Another nutrient that supports the health of alcohol consumers is thiamin (vitamin B1). Chronic alcohol exposure leads to a deficiency of B vitamins and increased risk of alcoholic cardiomyopathy when the alcohol metabolite acetaldehyde causes damage to heart cells. During a recent in vitro study, scientists found that vitamin B1 stopped the protein damage and heart cell death caused by acetaldehyde.26
Conclusion
Although surviving the holidays with our health intact often takes a monumental degree of willpower, it’s well worth the effort to make our well-being a priority this time of year. Combining a supplement routine with a health-promoting diet and lifestyle establishes a strong foundation for healthy aging and overall wellness during the holidays and beyond.
Dr. Chris D. Meletis , Executive Director, The Institute for Healthy Aging, article reprint via an educational grant from Complementary Prescriptions
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