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May 2002 Newsletter Better Sleep Naturally Sleep disorders can manifest in many different ways, ranging from an inability to fall asleep to an inability to stay asleep. In older persons especially, insomnia can take the form of waking up too early and then not being able to fall back asleep or falling back into a fitful sleep. Several herbs are especially useful for those who have suffered from insomnia for extended periods of time and who are trying to reestablish a natural sleeping rhythm. Those who don’t have sleeping problems but who want to change their sleeping routines can also benefit from these herbs. This includes people who are shifting from working days to graveyard or those who are traveling from one time zone to another. For best results, it is suggested that these herbs are taken one hour before sleep and again right at bedtime, regardless of whether bedtime is at night or during the day. The first dosage helps one to relax and sends the proper signal to the brain that sleep is desired. The second dosage helps to assure that the person stays asleep for the proper amount of time. California Poppy, Valerian, and Passion Flower perform three specific physiological actions in the body. They have sedative effects, they reeducate the brain sleep center, and they support beneficial REM sleep. Valerian has been shown to reduce sleep latency which means it helps people fall asleep more quickly than if they tried to fall asleep naturally. Passion Flower slows excessive “mind chatter” allowing the person who takes it to fall asleep. California Poppy is used for ingrained patterns of insomnia as it permits deep, refreshing sleep and helps prevent premature wakefulness. By re-educating and balancing the sleep center of the brain, these three herbs help the person suffering from a sleep disorder regain a balanced state. Chamomile has been a very useful herb for mild to moderate insomnia. Lemon Balm is known to calm respiration, cardiac rhythm, and blood pressure. It is best not to combine taking a sleep prescription or over-the-counter sleep drug with herbs because their effects may be multiplied and side effects may occur. It is important for insomnia sufferers to exercise every day. Eating a light complex-carbohydrate snack before going to bed helps some insomniacs. Others have found that taking 500 mg to 1000 mg of calcium one hour before bed relaxes muscles and facilitates sleep. Reference: Gagnon, D. Liquid Herbal Drops in Everyday Use; 3rd Edition, 1997. Botanical Research and Education Institute, Santa Fe, NM.
Food - Mood Connection - Joy Pacitto, CCN Did you know that eating certain types of foods can evoke a mood state such as alertness or depression? Conversely, we can exercise control over our moods by eating or avoiding particular foods. For example, when you eat carbohydrate rich foods such as breads, pasta and sweets your brain produces a higher level of serotonin. This is a natural neurotransmitter (a talking chemical) made by the body’s nervous system. Higher levels of serotonin cause one to feel sleepy, drowsy, calm and less pain. This is similar to the state you are in just before you fall asleep when the worries and thoughts of the day drift away. So it is easy to understand why a person would enjoy a carbohydrate rich meal on a day when stress is intense. Stress spelled backwards is desserts. On the other hand, if a person overindulges in carbohydrates several times daily, they would have the tendency to be fatigued, mentally dull and have a loss of initiative or interest in daily affairs. This person might say” I can’t seem to get with it today or I just feel like doing nothing”. The opposite of this sluggish, lethargic mood is a state of alertness and mental clarity. When you eat protein rich foods (eggs, nuts, chicken, turkey, beef, fish, tofu, cheeses), the presence of another brain chemical, called dopamine, becomes dominant. Dopamine helps you to feel mentally alert. You can think more clearly, make decisions more readily and your reaction time shortens. For example, if you had to swerve your car suddenly to avoid a collision, a high level of dopamine would help to execute the necessary moves immediately. Try this test: eat a meal that is predominantly pasta, bread, or sweets. Then wait 30 minutes and try to balance your checkbook or read some work related literature. You’ll probably find you are drowsy. It is difficult to concentrate and you are trying to justify taking a nap. Of course, the opposite experiment would be to eat a piece of freshly broiled fish and a salad and see how differently you feel. This insightful information can be very useful if you are driving a long distance of you need to study for an exam. The ideal meal is generally a balanced mixture of carbohydrates and proteins. Joy Pacitto is a board certified clinical nutritionist with a private practice in Rocky Hill, CT. Joy’s clinical protocols reflect her belief in a holistic model of healing and living. Joy can be contacted at her office, Nutritional Therapy, 860-529-8313.
Vitamin E—more Than Alpha Tocotrienols are members of the vitamin E family. Unlike some vitamins which consist of a single compound, vitamin E consists of eight different compounds: four tocopherols and four tocotrienols—designated as alpha, beta, gamma, and delta. Although original research centered only on alpha-tocopherol, we now know that there is a full spectrum of benefits of vitamin E by taking the complete family of tocopherols plus tocotrienols. Synthetic vitamin E contains only alpha-tocopherol and none of the other tocopherols and tocotrienols. Underscoring the importance of taking the whole vitamin E family, other tocopherols have unique functions different from those of alpha-tocopherol. Researchers at U.C. Berkeley reported that gamma-tocopherol has stronger anti-inflammatory properties than alpha-tocopherol and is the effective form for fighting nitrogen radicals. These radicals are major culprits in arthritis, multiple sclerosis, and diseases of the brain such as Alzheimer’s. A recent study evaluated the role of tocotrienol extracts on atherosclerosis. In a recent clinical study, a rice bran oil tocotrienol rich extract supplying 312 mg tocotrienols and 360 mg tocopherols significantly reduced total cholesterol, LDL, and triglycerides. The strongest evidence yet for tocotrienols comes from a clinical study conducted by the Kenneth Jordan Heart Research Foundation in NJ, which evaluated patients who had stenosis of the carotid artery. After four years, 92% of the placebo group remained stable or experienced a worsening of their condition, while 40% of the group receiving tocotrienols and tocopherol actually experienced a regression of the disease. Reference: “Tocotrienols: Biological and health effects” in: Antioxidant Status, Diet, Nutrition and Health, A.M. Papas, Editor; 1998, 479-96.
The Carotenoids — Powerful Antioxidants Carotenoids are powerful antioxidants and have been associated with the prevention and reduction of free radical-related diseases such as cancer, heart disease, cataracts and macular degeneration. Carotenoids are the pigments that make up the color of fruits and vegetables. They are also plentiful in dark leafy greens. Because the human body cannot manufacture these phytonutrients, they must be acquired through dietary intake. Based on epidemiological evidence there appears to be a dietary gap between actual consumed levels of carotenoids and the levels thought to be needed for optimal antioxidant protection. A relationship has been established between people who eat larger quantities of fruits and vegetables and health. They tend to have lower rates of cancer, heart disease, and other serious illnesses. The most common carotenoids include beta-carotene, alpha-carotene, lycopene, lutein, zeaxanthin, and astaxanthin. Beta-carotene is thought to assist in the prevention of lung, colon, bladder, and skin cancers. Alpha-carotene levels in the plasma have been found to be an indicator of coronary heart condition. Lycopene has been found to possibly suppress the growth of cancer cells. A Harvard study found that men on a Mediterranean-type diet—high in tomato sauce—had a 40% lower incidence of prostate cancer. Lutein and zeaxanthin are unique because they are found in highest concentrations in the part of the eye where the lens focuses the image. Epidemiological evidence suggests that deficiencies of lutein and zeaxanthin can leave the eye vulnerable to damage from sunlight. Astaxanthin is a super-antioxidant, 500 times more powerful than vitamin E. Reference: Nutr Cancer 36(1):59-65; 2000.
Gynecological Cancers Respond To Herbal Approach Up to 64% of cancer patients use complementary and alternative medicine either as an alternative treatment or as adjunctive treatment to augment conventional therapy. Naturopathic physicians commonly prescribe Essiac (a proprietary formula of burdock root, Turkey rhubarb root, sheep sorrel, and slippery elm bark), and the Hoxsey formula (a mixture of licorice, red clover, burdock root, stillingia root, berberis root, poke root, cascara bark, prickly ash bark, and buckthorn bark). Of 27 botanical agents, eight were found in peer-reviewed papers to have anticancer effects for gynecological cancers: curcumin, garlic, genistein, Asian ginseng, green tea, lentinan, quercetin, and silymarin. For the eight botanical agents, 23 relevant studies have been published. One in-vitro study examining the effects of curcumin on ovarian carcinoma found that curcumin-induced cytotoxicity killed the cancer cells. Another study tested the effect of oral garlic on inhibiting cervical carcinoma. The garlic significantly decreased the incidence of carcinoma indicating preventive effects on cervical cancer. Genistein and quercetin showed synergistic antitumor activity against an ovarian carcinoma. Quercetin is a flavonoid found in high concentrations in tea, onions, kale, French beans, and apples. Five studies have been conducted that examine the effect of quercetin on ovarian and endometrial cancers. Quercetin was found to synergize with chemotherapeutic agents. Researchers agree that more studies are needed in botanical disease therapy, especially involving the interaction between herbal remedies and drugs. Reference: Journal of the American Medical Women’s Association, 1999; Volume 54, 184-95.
Herbs To Enhance Physical Performance Herbs have been used throughout history to enhance physical performance. There is a growing body of evidence to support the ergogenic properties of certain herbs. Asian ginseng has been found by controlled studies to serve as an exercise aid when the standardized root extract form of the herb is used. Enhanced performance in several parameters has been documented, including muscle strength, oxygen uptake, work capacity, alertness, and motor skills. Ginseng provides greater benefit for untrained or older (40+ years) individuals. Many other herbs have been tested in terms of exercise enhancement, and these herbs fall into two categories: adaptogens (tonics) and anabolics (muscle building). Wild oats combined with stinging nettle root, sea buckthorn, and vitamin C improved strength and endurance, while schizandra improved performance in runners. Tribulus is another herb that has garnered popular interest lately. This extract has been reported to raise testosterone levels in men who previously had depressed levels of that hormone. Reference: Am J Clin Nutr 2000; 72(suppl):624S-36S.
Health Tip Lutein plays a unique role in vision, since it is found in abundance in the macular pigment of the eye. A new study published in the eye journal Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science reports that taking supplemental natural lutein leads to more density of the macular pigment. In addition to greater macular pigment density, blood concentrations of lutein also rose after taking this supplement. Reference: Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2000; 41:3322-6.
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