Can Pure Maple Syrup Help Reduce Chronic Inflammation?
First-ever Global Symposium Convenes to Review Latest Science on Natural Sweetener
LONGUEUIL, QC, April 3, 2017 /CNW Telbec/ - The first-ever global symposium solely dedicated to sharing the latest scientific discoveries on the potential health benefits of 100% pure maple products from Canada took place on April 2 in San Francisco at the 253rd annual meeting of the American Chemical Society (ACS), the largest scientific society in the world. At the symposium entitled, "Chemistry and Biological Effects of Maple Food Products," scientists from around the world shared the results of their research that expands the science of maple's potential impact on several areas affected by chronic inflammation. These include metabolic syndrome, brain health and liver disease, as well as maple's emerging link to a healthy gut microbiome.
The global symposium was organized by Dr. Navindra Seeram, who currently serves as chairman of the Division of Agricultural and Food Chemistry of the American Chemical Society, and has extensive experience examining the impact of phytonutrients in foods such as berries and pomegranates. In collaboration with the Federation of Quebec Maple Syrup Producers, Dr. Seeram has been studying the unique properties of maple in his laboratory at the University of Rhode Island since 2009. The results of his research stimulated the interest of the global scientific community, which has uncovered additional health benefits of pure maple products.
A new University of Rhode Island study highlighted at the symposium revealed the presence of inulin, a type of carbohydrate recently discovered for the first time in maple syrup. Inulin is a complex carbohydrate (natural dietary fiber) that acts as a prebiotic and works to encourage the growth of "good" or beneficial bacteria in the gut. Inulin joins the other beneficial polyphenols, vitamins and minerals already identified in pure maple syrup. This latest discovery could allow maple to be classified as a functional food.
In addition, a new study conducted on animals and also revealed at the symposium, focused on the beneficial effect of a symbiotic (prebiotic and probiotic) maple sap drink in recovering gut flora balance, which may have been lost for several reasons, including treatment with antibiotics.
"A healthy gut, with a balance of beneficial bacteria, helps to stimulate and support a healthy immune system. A healthy immune system, then, can help protect the body against chronic inflammation," said Dr. Seeram. "Chronic inflammation has shown a potential link to brain conditions such as Alzheimer's disease. As such, this research provides additional information linking pure maple syrup, a unique natural sweetener, to brain health. However, additional animal studies, along with eventual human studies, would be required to confirm these initial findings."
This year, two newly discovered additional compounds with antioxidant properties and potential health benefits have been identified in the lignan's family, bringing the total count of known phytonutrients in maple products to 65. This may help support discoveries made over the past few years on the inherent properties of maple syrup from Canada that comes directly from the sap of the maple tree, making it an all-natural product with unique health benefits. Discovered in 2011, a unique, polyphenolic molecule in maple syrup, Quebecol1, and one of its analogues (isoquebecol, recently synthesized), have demonstrated that it significantly decreases the production of inflammation mediators.
"The 7,500 Quebec-based maple producers are committed to pursue the funding of new research to help further identify the positive health impacts of pure maple," said Serge Beaulieu, President of the Federation of Quebec Maple Syrup Producers. "This is why we have chosen to work with Dr. Seeram along with other researchers. Dr. Seeram's tremendous experience studying the impact of phytonutrients in plants and fruits has propelled maple research since he began studying the natural sweetener in 2009. There is still much to discover about maple's health benefits and the scientific community has only begun to uncover the tip of the iceberg. We will continue to allocate resources to research on maple products to discover its impacts on the human body."
Inflammation is a normal part of a healthy immune response and is a biological process that helps heal injury and fight infection. When inflammation becomes uncontrolled or chronic, it plays a role in exacerbating a variety of health-related issues. There are several ways to help prevent and combat chronic inflammation. A diet rich in foods that contain polyphenols, such as green tea, red wine, fruits and vegetables – and potentially pure maple syrup from Canada – may be beneficial for supporting a healthy immune system.
The Federation of Quebec Maple Syrup Producers does not promote an increase of sugar consumption. When choosing a sweetener for moderate use, it appears that 100% pure maple syrup from Canada has more healthful compounds compared to some other sources of sugar.
About the Federation of Quebec Maple Syrup Producers and Maple Products from Quebec
The Federation of Quebec Maple Syrup Producers (FPAQ) was founded in 1966. Its mission is to defend and promote the economic, social and moral interests of some 7,500 Quebec maple businesses, as well as to develop initiatives that collectively market the products that flow from Quebec's 44 million taps. The quality work of these maple producers has made Quebec the source, on average, of 72 percent of the world's maple syrup production and 90 percent of Canada's maple syrup output. Together, Ontario, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia contribute the other 10 percent of Canadian production.
FPAQ proudly promotes the reference brand Maple Products from Quebec in addition to coordinating the international promotion and value creation of Canadian maple products on behalf of Canada's maple industry. In this capacity, the FPAQ leads and directs the research efforts of the Réseau international d'innovation des produits d'érable du Canada.
_________________________ 1 Li, L., Seeram, N.P. Quebecol, a novel phenolic compound isolated from Canadian maple syrup. Journal of Functional Foods 2011, 3, 125-128.
In my experience, 90% of the knee pain reported by athletes can be eliminated using preventative measures or ‘pre-hab’ type activities. These include all of the following measures:
1) Daily stretching. Areas to focus on – quads, IT band, glutes, calves, hamstrings, hip flexors. When any of these muscles become tight, it can result in knee pain. Always stretch when you are warm. Hold each stretch for 20 seconds, breathing slowly and deeply the whole time to encourage muscle relaxation. Stretching has to be done daily in athletes that are training every day and multiple times/day. The more stress on a muscle, the more likely it is to tighten up.
2) Foam rolling. At least every other day, athletes should be using a foam roller and/or rehab ball to find knots and kinks in the lower body and apply pressure to release them aka ‘roll them out’. Foam rolling should be done before or after your stretching. Spend about 5 minutes on each knot that you find, using very slow, small back and forth rolls alternated with constant pressure to stimulate the area to release.
3) Monthly massage therapy sessions. Try to find a therapist that has some experience with athletes – they tend to be able to find issues faster then the average / general therapist. Often times what happens is the muscles of the lower body can start to ‘stick’ together in bunches as the fascia gets tighter. A good massage therapist can identify this and work to loosen up the fascia and eliminate this bunching or sticking together of the muscles. You can also use an athletic therapist in place of a massage therapist, which would address the issue as well.
4) Epson salt baths. At least once per week you should be soaking in a hot bath with 2 cups of Epson salts to stimulate muscle relaxation, reduce muscle soreness and promote recovery. Be sure the salts are fully dissolved in the water by stirring around and lay for at least 15-20 mins. When following these four, maintenance-type does nothing to relieve your knee pain, you could have a mild form of arthritis. Although this is more common in the elderly, it’s not uncommon for athletes to develop it.
The best ways to treat arthritic knees are:
1) Natural anti-inflammatory phytochemicals and bioflavonoids. Some more common options are: curcurmin/turmeric, vitamin C, grapeseed, fish oil, resveratrol, aloe.
2) Anti-inflammatory meds. i.e. Naproxen (Aleve), Celebrex, Ibuprofen (Advil)
3) Reduction/elimination of all high impact activities i.e. box jumps, plyos, etc.
If after all this, you are still experiencing knee pain, the best advice is to see your doctor or a sports medicine clinic to have things investigated further. They will likely do a full assessment and in some cases send you for a ct scan or mri.
Top 6 Clues That Your Body Is In Flames
Typically, you can immediately tell that acute inflammation has occurred when an injury you had has started to turn hot, red and inflamed. For instance, when you scrape your knees due to an accident, you can see the inflammation occurring right away before your eyes. The symptoms of this situation are hard to miss. So, when your body is trying to heal itself from injuries that just had happened, you can always conclude that acute inflammation is taking place.
Chronic inflammation on the other hand tells a different story. When your immune system has been permanently “turned on” due to factors like unhealthy diet, allergens, toxins and poor lifestyle choices, chronic inflammation begins. As a result, the immune system constantly sends “cell-fighting” chemicals to inflamed areas that can damage the surrounding healthy tissues and cellular material. You can consider it like a forest fire that never burns out.
Recent research suggests that the main culprit of modern diseases like obesity, heart disease and diabetes is chronic inflammation. In addition to that, chronic inflammation can make you feel washed out and very tired. Since your body is attacking itself, you can expect that you’ll get sicker and sicker by the day if some form of intervention is not done sooner than later.
You can get yourself checked by seeing a doctor and getting some medical lab tests done. What they usually do to you is test the c-reactive protein levels of your blood. A high C-reactive protein indicates chronic inflammation is indeed wreaking havoc in your body.
Aside from getting some blood work done, there are numerous markers that identify whether you have chronic inflammation or not. It can reveal itself in a variety of ways, but here are the top 6 clues your body might be communicating to you.
Excess Fat Around Your Waist
Chronic inflammation is associated with excessive fat deposits in the waist area. The size of the belly fat is somewhat proportional to how much inflammation your body is currently undergoing. For men, the classic “beer belly” is a determinant that inflammation has been taking over their health.
High Blood Sugar
Individuals who have high blood sugar levels due to poor diet choices are susceptible to inflammation. High blood glucose increases the inflammatory cytokines running in your blood vessels. When this happens, it also increases the “advanced glycation endproducts” or AGEs which are pro-inflammatory molecules in your blood stream.
Digestion Problems
A person experiencing indigestion, gas, bloating, diarrhea or constipation is usually someone who’s suffering from a leaky gut. Having Leaky Gut Syndrome allows toxins – often from the food you eat to escape the gut and enter the bloodstream. When this happens, a widespread case of inflammation in the body occurs.
Feeling Tiresome
Constant fatigue may not just be a result of stress. The cells in your body can’t exactly keep up with the demand of energy they need to feel alert and invigorated due to the over activity of pro-inflammatory cells in your body. This means the energy your body produces is simply being routed to support your body’s inflammatory response, and little is left for proper cellular metabolism.
Skin Issues
Skin problems like psoriasis, eczema, and blotches are all signs of an inflamed body. According to medical practitioners, skin problems (especially psoriasis) are manifestations of internal inflammatory conditions. Individuals suffering from obesity, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes are usually the ones who are experiencing skin problems.
Suffering From “Brain Fog”
Inflammation can affect the chemistry inside your brain. Because pro-inflammatory cells can penetrate the blood brain barrier, it can cause oxidative damage and can potentially put you at risk of neurodegenerative diseases. Some of the symptoms include anxiety, depression and impaired working memory.
How Do You Turn Chronic Inflammation Around?
Because the health signs are pointing to chronic inflammation, changing your lifestyle can be a solution to becoming healthier again.
You can begin by cutting out foods that can cause weight gain. These foods include saturated fats, excess salt, sugar, and carbohydrates. Eat more lean proteins like fish, turkey and chicken. Low-carb vegetables should also be eaten at least 4x a day.
Eating foods that are rich in antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties will also be a huge help in turning off your internal fire. Foods like blueberries, and raspberries are known for their antioxidant content. Also, you can include turmeric in your daily diet. Turmeric curcumin can significantly reduce inflammation, redness and pain in the body.
Eliminate toxins like insect repellants, chemical fertilizers or even plastic products. They emit toxins in the air that can agitate your body’s inflammatory response within seconds.
Turning over a new leaf and living a healthy lifestyle is the best and the simplest prescription in solving chronic inflammation. Be smart with your life choices and you’ll be in your way to proper healing.
Bio:
Katrina Rice is a mom and a freelance writer. She strongly believes in the concept of holistic wellness through healthy and natural living, travelling and immersing one's self in new activities. A self-proclaimed health enthusiast, she hopes to inspire more people to take more action to their lifestyle to fight inflammation-related diseases.
Inflammation: Why Food Matters
Did you know that inflammation is a component of the vast majority of diseases? It originates in the gut with an autoimmune reaction that advances into systemic inflammation. Examples of chronic inflammation diseases include cancer, arthritis, heart disease, chronic peptic ulcer, and Crohn’s.
Unfortunately, doctors have a tendency to prescribe medication instead of figuring out the original source of the problem. Why is this an issue? Because taking medications only blocks the inflammation, it doesn’t quell the disease process. Inflammation is the body’s way of defending itself, and for acute diseases it is beneficial, but for chronic diseases it exacerbates the problem.
Dr. Lanae Mullane, the Director of Nutrition at LifeSpan medicine is a huge proponent of helping treat inflammation by changing one’s diet. That’s correct, food matters. Everyone reacts to food differently, so why do doctors give blanketed statements about what to eat? To put it bluntly, they shouldn’t.
When clients come to see Dr. Mullane, blood is drawn to see which foods cause that specific person inflammation. Foods are then put into three categories: green, yellow, and red.
Green foods are what the client should focus on eating, yellow are neutral, and red are foods that should be avoided. Dr. Mullane always suggests strictly eating what’s on the green card for 4 weeks, and then slowly (one by one) incorporating foods on their yellow card to see if it causes inflammation.
For more information on inflammation and why food matters please visit www.lifespanmedicine.com. If you would like to speak with expert nutritionist Dr. Mullane and for all press inquiries contact Brooke Cockrell at brooke@kipmorrison.com or 818.209.3800.
ABOUT LIFESPAN MEDICINE
LifeSpan medicine is an integrative, functional medical practice with a team of doctors that offer the most advanced technology for non-invasive medicine. The practice has two locations in Santa Monica and Dallas. Clients range from the average person looking to be healthier to NFL, NBA, and Olympic athletes to movie stars and Fortune 500 executives.
ABOUT DR. LANAE MULLANE
Dr. Lanae Mullane conducts individual consultations and assessments to identify deficiencies and imbalances and customizes plans involving lifestyle modifications, diet, supplementation and exercise. Her clients include families, executives, athletes and young professionals looking to perform and be their best. She helps each client reach any nutrition or health goal they may have from weight loss, to more energy, less inflammation or just feeling and looking better overall. She utilizes her expertise in the kitchen to provide specialized menus and recipes to fit each clients’ individual preferences, food sensitivities, biochemistry, and overall lifestyle.
Hazing Aging - Book Review
Physician, Robert Buckingham believes the key to reversing the aging process lies within a group of cells that line the body's blood vessels, called the vascular endothelium. He wants to help as many people as he can through disease prevention to develop anti-inflammatory lifestyle choices that would serve people well in againg with grace.
His new book, “Hazing Aging” explores how maintaining the health of these cells through basic lifestyle changes can reverse effects of aging and drastically prolong lifespans. A lot of the clients that I work with are all going through some form of lifestyle change so I found this book very eye opening with the tactics that I will now implement with them. "Health care prevention does not have to be complicated or disjointed, rather it can be wrapped around a core understanding of vascular inflammatory risk mitigation." I am a firm believer and so is Dr. Buckingham that when you get older you don't have to hurt, your heart doesn't have to fail and that your brain does not have to rot.
I consider myself well educated based on my degrees, certifications and experience so I found this book very interesting because this is the first time that I had heard of the vascular endothelium which is a group of cells that line the body's blood vessels. These cells have evolved according to Dr. Buckingham in both structure and function to facilitate efficient and specific exchanges between blood and organs. He says that by focusing on theses cells, you'll improve end-organ function, reverse adverse effects of aging and live happier. After delving into the physiology I believe that this is possible but for some it does take a lot of change. I feel in my experience that the personal has to willingly understand and want the change and you can't force it on them. No one can change unless they desire it themselves deep down.
According to the National Council on Aging, approximately 92% of oder adults have at least one chronic disease. That's crazy to me. And so unfortunately. That means that you or a loved one could be suffering in the future from a chronic disease. Doesn't that make you want to do everything that you can to prevent that so that you can age with grace.
About The Author Robert L. Buckingham, MD, FACP, has been a practicing physician in Ojai, California, for thirty-six years. He received his medical degree from the University of Illinois College of Medicine, where he graduated as a James Scholar with an MD and a master’s degree in pharmacology. He firmly believes that all should be informed about health, longevity and anti-aging.
Check out this great video by Dr. Buckingham below explaining his book:
How To Handle DOMS - Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness
1. Drink plenty of water before, during and after your workout. Make sure to drink electrolytes or BCAA's during your workout. The essential salts will help regulate muscular contractions and nerve function as well as give you energy throughout your workout.
2.Espesso or coffee before your workout will increase muscle strength and endurance as well as help to reduce the chance of soreness.
3. Make sure to do a proper warm up and cool down. This will help clear out lactic acid, regulate the heart and help with blood flow.
4. Eat a post workout meal or snack that contains a ration of 4:1 carbs to protein. This will help restore muscle nutrients lost in the muscle during the workout. Chocolate milk is actually a great post workout options.
5. Massage, stretching, foam rolling, and trigger point release post workout also helps to increase circulation, help with tight muscles and reduce muscle tension like knots etc.
6. Take a cold shower post workout. This will help reduce inflammation to the muscles.
7. If you can't handle the cold shower a hot bath with epsom salts will also help blood circulation and inflammation of the muscles.
8. Proper rest. if you are training hard it is recommended that you get a minimum of 60-70hrs of sleep a week. This includes naps. Sleep is when your body recovers and rebuilds muscle. If you are training hard and often the more sleep you need to help those muscles.
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