Keep healthy with a delicious recipe that has heart-healthy, inflammation-fighting omega-3 fatty acids, collagen-boosting protein and free-radical fighting antioxidants.

 

4 skinless wild-caught salmon fillets (6 to 8 ounce, 1-inch thick)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme

1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh marjoram

1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano

1/2 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary

1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, plus 1 teaspoon for the salsa

1 cup diced mango

2 tablespoons chopped spring onion

½ teaspoon rice vinegar

 

Season salmon on both sides with salt and pepper and set in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. When ready, sprinkle and press both sides of the fillets with herbs.

Heat oil in a non-stick pan until just before it begins to smoke and then place in the fillets.

Sauté over high heat for 3 to 5 minutes, then turn them over and sauté for another 2 to 3 minutes on the second side.

If the salmon starts to brown or the oil smokes, turn the heat down to medium.

Cooking time should be 8 to 10 minutes per inch of total thickness depending on how well-done you like your salmon.

Remove salmon from pan with spatula and pat dry on both sides with a paper towel to eliminate fat before serving.

For the salsa, combine mango, spring onions, 1 teaspoon olive oil and rice vinegar in a small bowl.

Top each piece of salmon with ¼ cup salsa.

Serves four.

 

One of the most common reasons patients visit my office is because they are chronically tired and fatigued. Although there are many causes of fatigue, a poorly functioning thyroid gland is often the culprit behind their low energy levels.

If you’re fatigued, this may be your problem as well. Low thyroid function or hypothyroidism not only can zap your energy levels—it can also be to blame for other symptoms such as:

• Increased sensitivity to cold
• Constipation
• Pale, dry skin
• Sluggishness
• A puffy face
• Hoarse voice
• Elevated blood cholesterol and liver enzyme levels
• Unexplained weight gain
• Muscle aches, tenderness and stiffness
• Pain, stiffness or swelling in your joints
• Muscle weakness
• Heavier than normal menstrual periods
• Brittle fingernails and hair
• Depression

Hypothyroidism also is associated with an increased risk of heart disease—and new research indicates that the reason why may be because hypothyroid patients have a higher level of the inflammatory marker C-reactive protein and a higher level of homocysteine, an amino acid linked to heart disease.

Conversely, hyperthyroidism—when your thyroid goes into overdrive—can also cause fatigue as well as the following symptoms:

• Palpitations
• Heat intolerance
• Nervousness
• Insomnia
• Breathlessness
• Increased bowel movements
• Light or absent menstrual periods
• Fast heart rate
• Trembling hands
• Weight loss
• Muscle weakness
• Warm, moist skin
• Hair loss
• Staring gaze

If you have any of the symptoms above, it’s possible you may have an overactive thyroid.

Pinpointing the Cause

If your test results indicate you’re hypothyroid (we’ll talk more about hyperthyroidism later), it’s important to ask: What is causing the sluggish thyroid? Because, without addressing the cause of the problem, we can’t find a true solution.

A one-size fits all approach doesn’t work. In fact, in the Colorado Thyroid Disease Prevalence Study, 60 percent of the subjects taking thyroid medication still didn’t have normal TSH levels.

First, we need to look at the factors that inhibit proper production of thyroid hormones. One of those factors is stress, which increases the conversion of T4 to rT3 and suppresses the production of T3 and TSH. Extreme exercise can have the same effect.

Environmental toxins also inhibit proper production of thyroid hormones. Perchlorate, a toxin found in rocket fuel, pesticides, herbicides and household bleach, is commonly found in the water supply and in food. Researchers have linked increased urinary perchlorate to higher levels of TSH in women with normal serum T4.

Bisphenol A, found in canned foods and even cash register receipts, as well as phthalates, which are found in cosmetics, shampoos and other common products, both disrupt thyroid gland function.

Using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, researchers examined whether there was a connection between phthalate and BPA levels and thyroid function in 1,346 adults and 329 adolescents. Among adults, researchers observed that the higher the metabolites of a particular type of phthalate, the lower the levels of total T4, free T4 and total T3. High phthalate metabolites also were associated with higher thyroid-stimulating hormone.

 The results further confirmed that there is indeed a link between the toxins we’re exposed to every day and altered thyroid.

Other Thyroid-Blockers

People who have celiac disease are often plagued by thyroid problems, possibly due to the fact they have a hard time absorbing selenium, a nutrient essential for proper thyroid function. Celiac disease also occurs more often in people with autoimmune thyroid diseases.

Chronic infections are also known to decrease blood levels of T4, T3, TSH and selenium

Additionally, certain foods (called goitrogens) may inhibit thyroid function. Soy is possibly the worst offender. It can interfere with thyroid hormone absorption to the point where people taking thyroid hormone replacement for underactive thyroid continue to be hypothyroid until they either stop consuming soy or significantly increase their doses of thyroid hormone.

In humans, infants fed soy formula developed goiter. However, in post-menopausal women and healthy young men, soy intake did not affect thyroid function.

Helping the Thyroid Thrive

Now that we’ve discussed the factors that inhibit thyroid function, let’s look at what the thyroid needs to stay healthy.

Most importantly, the thyroid craves balanced levels of iodine. Even mild iodine deficiency is associated with multinodular goiter (enlarged thyroid).

Iodine deficiency is more common than you would think. This is because the amount that’s added in salt isn’t enough to compensate for the fact you’re exposed regularly to substances that compete with iodine. Bromide is one of those substances.

Bromide is found in sodas like Mountain Dew in the form of brominated vegetable oil. It also lurks in pesticides (methyl bromide), some breads (as potassium bromate), hot tub cleansers, some asthma inhalers and prescription drugs, plastic products, personal care products, fire retardants and some fabric dyes.

Selenium is another nutrient crucial to a healthy thyroid. The human thyroid gland contains one of the highest selenium contents of any tissue in the body. Selenium is present in thyrocytes (cells in the thyroid gland) and thyroid tissue and helps provide antioxidant defense against significant amounts of hydrogen peroxide resulting from thyroid hormone production.

Vitamin D deficiency also spells trouble for the thyroid. The prevalence of vitamin D deficiency was significantly higher in patients with autoimmune thyroid disorders compared with healthy individuals (72 percent versus 30.6 percent), as well as in patients with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis compared to patients with non-autoimmune thyroid disorders (79 percent versus 52 percent).

Other nutrients important for thyroid function include iron, tyrosine, zinc and vitamin C. Consuming a good detoxification supplement also can help rid the body of thyroid-disrupting toxins.

Treating Hyperthyroidism

For some people, the problem isn’t a sluggish thyroid, but rather a thyroid that has gone into overdrive, causing hyperthyroidism. Hyperthyroidism is a serious condition, and left untreated, it can be life threatening.

Protect Your Thyroid, Protect Your Health

Having your practitioner perform thyroid testing can help pinpoint the true cause of your fatigue. If your thyroid is the cause of your plummeting energy levels, weight gain, depression and other problems, giving this gland what it needs to stay healthy will make a huge difference in how you feel.

The cosmetic industry has generated a multi-billion dollar market based on the promise of recreating youthful-looking skin with fewer wrinkles, fine lines and age spots. And thousands of women and men buy into this promise, spending hundreds—if not thousands—of dollars every year on creams, laser or microdermabrasion treatments and more drastic procedures like Botox injections or plastic surgery.

But what if you could get similar results at a fraction of the cost—just by taking a few inexpensive vitamins? A recent study shows that it’s possible to regain the appearance of more youthful, radiant skin just by taking a handful of readily available supplements.

In this double-blind study, researchers provided postmenopausal women with a specially formulated drink that contained lycopene, soy isoflavones and vitamins C and E, which they took along with fish oil. They found that this combination of nutrients produced clinically measurable improvement in the depth of wrinkles, all thanks to the “increased deposition of new collagen fibers in the dermis.”

The Collagen Connection

Why is the production of collagen so important in this equation?

Collagen is a sponge-like framework upon which skin is built. Because its main role is to support the skin, collagen is what makes the skin look taut and youthful. Inside this framework exist chambers that are occupied by substances called glycosaminoglycans (GAGs), which—along with fat—also keep the framework plumped up.

Fibroblasts, cells that live in the skin, are constantly breaking down old collagen fibers and supplying fresh collagen and GAGs to keep the framework strong and robust. In our younger years, this breakdown/rebuild cycle is perfectly balanced.

However, as we age, the production of new collagen and GAGs starts to slow down, while the breakdown of old collagen continues at the same pace—leaving a definite imbalance in favor of the breakdown process. Over time, the supportive framework that keeps your skin firm and lifted starts to collapse, resulting in the dreaded signs of aging—fine lines, wrinkles and sagging, thinning skin.

Fortunately, this research shows that the breakdown/rebuild cycle can be balanced out simply by giving the skin with nourishing, antioxidant-rich nutrients.

Antioxidant Protection and More

Vitamins C and E are known for their strong antioxidant properties, particularly when it comes to preventing and repairing ultraviolet damage from the sun. And lycopene, better known for its role in prostate health and cancer prevention, also happens to be a powerful antioxidant for skin health.

These nutrients work together to preserve, repair and produce collagen, fight free radicals and protect against the sun’s damaging ultraviolet rays. In fact, the skin uses lycopene to fight the inflammation and resulting DNA damage caused by excessive sun exposure and sunburns. Declining levels of lycopene are also associated with skin roughness.

Additional research shows that soy isoflavones—phytoestrogens that provide estrogen-like effects in the body—can improve the tone and texture of skin, especially in postmenopausal women.

One study followed 30 postmenopausal women who took 100 mg/day of isoflavones for six months. At the end of the study period, 23 out of the 30 participants experienced an average 9.46 percent increase in skin thickness. Furthermore, skin wrinkle measurements decreased in 21 women and the amount of collagen fibers in the dermis increased in 25 women.

Finally, omega-3 fatty acids not only reduce inflammation throughout the body, but also enhance your complexion by keeping your cells hydrated. This is especially important as we age, because the cells naturally lose their ability to hold on to water, which causes them to shrink and stiffen.

Feed Your Skin From Within

The takeaway is that no amount of creams or treatments can reduce the appearance of wrinkles if you’re not also providing your skin with the nutrients it needs to build and repair from within. So if you want to boost the health, appearance and radiance of your skin, take a high-potency multivitamin that contains vitamins C and E, and be sure to add omega-3 fatty acids, lycopene and isoflavones to your daily supplement regimen.

• New Jersey grows 2/3 of the world’s eggplant.
• Research indicates that 50 percent of fountain drink machines are contaminated with bacteria, often fecal in nature.
• According to the Journal of Gastroenterology, up to 20 percent of dietary starch (like that found in wheat) is not absorbed by the small intestine, which can lead to gas and bloating.
• Eating vegetables with a fat (preferably a healthy one like olive oil) can help your body absorb the nutrients more effectively.
• Dark chocolate with a high cocoa percentage may help prevent sun damage.
• Look for Cassia cinnamon versus Ceylon. The Cassia variety is what is used most often in blood sugar research.
• Don’t be fooled by “light” olive oil. The light refers to the color – not the calories or fat.
• Think sports drinks are better than soda? Think again. Not only are they often high in sugar, but studies show that they erode tooth enamel even more than soda.
• People who are light to moderate alcohol consumers (especially wine) have a lower risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s than teetotalers.
• If you heat water in the microwave beyond the boiling point, it can actually explode. (No, don’t go try this.)
• According to a Cochrane Collaboration review, if you take zinc within 24 hours of cold symptoms, you can lessen the severity and duration of the cold.
• Almond milk (versus almonds themselves) contains very little protein, with an eight-ounce glass only providing one gram of protein.
• “Organic” beef isn’t the same thing as “grass-fed.” Organic simply means they don’t get antibiotics or hormones, but they can eat grasses or grains.
• Too much iron can cause constipation. To help avoid this side effect, look for the chelated form.
• While licorice is best known for its peptic ulcer-soothing properties, it also supports your adrenal glands and can ease stress.
• One in five people suffer from tinnitus, or ringing in the ears.
• Ease dry winter skin by boosting omega-3s with a combination of fish oil and pumpkinseed oil.

 

A report published online on January 22, 2014 in the journal Neurology® reveals an association between higher levels of the omega-3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and greater brain volume in older age. “These higher levels of fatty acids can be achieved through diet and the use of supplements, and the results suggest that the effect on brain volume is the equivalent of delaying the normal loss of brain cells that comes with aging by one to two years,” commented lead author James V. Pottala, PhD, of the University of South Dakota in Sioux Falls.

 “This study thus adds to the growing literature suggesting that higher omega-3 fatty acid tissue levels, which can be achieved by dietary changes, may hold promise for delaying cognitive aging and/or dementia.”

The study included 1,111 participants in the Women’s Health Initiative Memory Study, which was a subset study of subjects enrolled in the Women’s Health Initiative. Subjects were between the ages of 65 to 80 years upon enrollment. Blood samples were analyzed for red blood cell fatty acid levels and magnetic resonance imaging was conducted a median of eight years later to evaluate brain volume.

Having a higher blood level of EPA combined with DHA was associated with larger total brain volume and hippocampal volume at the time of the MRI scans. (The hippocampus is an area of the brain involved with learning.)

“In this cohort of postmenopausal women, lower red blood cell EPA plus DHA levels correlated with smaller total and hippocampal brain volumes, the former being an indication of cognitive aging and the latter being centrally involved with Alzheimer’s disease pathology,” Dr Pottala and his colleagues conclude. “This study thus adds to the growing literature suggesting that higher omega-3 fatty acid tissue levels, which can be achieved by dietary changes, may hold promise for delaying cognitive aging and/or dementia.”