June 2020 - Nurtured Bones

Beyond Sleep: 5 Ways Melatonin puts the Breaks on Aging

by Susan Brady | Jun 24, 2020 | Sleep & stress reduction

You have probably read about the use of melatonin as a natural sleep aid, but did you know that melatonin may also play an important role in slowing down the aging process?

Melatonin is a hormone that regulates our circadian rhythm, or our sleep-wake cycle. It is secreted by a small gland in the brain, called the pineal gland. The pineal gland has only one function and that is to produce copious amounts of melatonin at night. In the morning, as the sun rises and our eyes are bathed in light, the pineal gland turns off and stops producing melatonin. The natural production of melatonin in response to darkness plays a crucial role in making us feel drowsy and promoting restorative sleep. Additionally, melatonin appears to have several other beneficial roles as well, and may even guard against age-related diseases and decline.

Melatonin has powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. It is well known that the process of aging and many of our chronic degenerative diseases are the results of systemic inflammation and free radical damage to our cells and tissues.

Benefits of Melatonin Beyond Sleep:

Free radical scavenger. Melatonin’s antioxidant effects protect against free radicals that damage tissue and play a role in heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and other degenerative diseases. Melatonin also effectively fights inflammation, another root cause of many diseases.
Immune function. Melatonin can activate T-cells and cytokines, which help to fight off foreign invaders or pathogens.
Anti-cancer properties. There is some evidence that melatonin, through its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and systemic hormonal effects, can prevent cancer from occurring or induce cancer cell death if it does occur. Several studies have found a credible link between night light exposure, reducing melatonin levels, and breast cancer.
Protects the blood-brain barrier. The blood-brain barrier is a special barrier that protects the brain from toxins and pathogens circulating in the blood. Melatonin may have the potential in preventing damage to the blood-brain barrier and thereby decrease the risk of developing neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s as we age.
Bone density. Melatonin positively affects bone density by both suppressing bone loss and promoting new bone formation.

However, many studies have shown that melatonin levels decrease with age. Not only does this leave unable to repair our tissues from daily stress but it may also play a role in the aging process and developing age-related diseases.

But before you run to the store to pick up a melatonin supplement, first try some natural ways to boost your melatonin levels at night.

8 Natural ways to support healthy melatonin levels:

Get morning sunshine. Morning sunlight directly into the eyes deactivates the pineal gland, suppresses the production of melatonin, and helps to “set” the natural rhythm of melatonin.
Avoid light at night. Light is a direct inhibitor to the production of melatonin. Therefore, exposure to light at night, especially the blue light emitted from electronic devices, can prevent the secretion of melatonin making it more difficult for you to fall and stay asleep. So be sure to limit the use of smartphones, pads, and computers at night.
Escape the EMFs or electromagnetic fields. EMFs are not a new phenomenon, but we are getting a steady increase in exposure with all the advancing technologies. Studies have shown that exposure to EMFs can influence our circadian rhythm by interfering with melatonin secretion. It is best to turn off your phone at night while you are sleeping. However, if it is your primary lifeline to your family, place it at least 15 feet away from your bed.
Sleep in a dark environment. A dark environment ensures a good production of melatonin throughout the night. So be sure to turn off all lights, the TV, and any device that may be emitting light.
Eat foods rich in melatonin, tryptophan, and magnesium. Foods rich in melatonin include pistachios, almonds, walnuts, tart cherries, Golgi berries, and tomatoes. Because the amino acid tryptophan is needed in the production of melatonin, eating foods rich in tryptophan such as turkey and chicken can raise melatonin levels. Magnesium-rich foods like leafy greens, nuts and seeds and legumes also naturally boost your melatonin levels. If you do snack in the evenings, snack on foods such as pistachios, pumpkin seeds, almonds, or walnuts.
Limit foods that decrease the secretion of melatonin. Meat and dairy have been shown to decrease the production of melatonin along with caffeine and alcohol.
Take a hot Epsom salt bath. The warm water will have a relaxing effect on the body and the magnesium in the Epsom salt will aid to naturally boost melatonin levels.
Maintain a consistent sleep-wake schedule. Going to bed at the same time every night and waking up at the same time every morning will help to maintain a healthy melatonin rhythm.

Certainly, supplementing with melatonin is also an option, but because melatonin can have side effects and may interact with certain nutrients, herbs, and pharmaceuticals medications, it is best to consult a health care practitioner before taking melatonin.

Want to further explore the use of melatonin as a sleep aid or to as an adjunct to healthy aging? Schedule a 30-minute supplement review and together we can determine if supplementing with melatonin is right for you.

Or email me at susan@urturedbones.com

Is Your Body Polluted with Plastics?

by Susan Brady | Jun 19, 2020 | Healthy aging

I picked up Consumer Reports magazine this week and the headlines on the front cover reads:

“HOW TO EAT LESS PLASTIC”

The article highlights that, on average, we are consuming a credit cards worth of plastic a day!

Last time I looked, plastic was not considered an essential nutrient in our diet!

So how is it that we are consuming, on average, 5 grams of plastic a week? What are the effects on our body? How can we minimize our consumption of these plastics?

Researchers are finding tiny bits of plastic, called microplastic, in our food, our drinking water and even in the air we breathe. Although plastics appear to be stable, over time they break down into tiny fragments, smaller than 5 mm, and end up in our environment and then in our body. In a small but world-wide study (1), scientists found nine different types of plastic in the stool of every person who participated. It is likely that microplastics are in all of us.

This shouldn’t be surprising since plastics are ubiquitous in our modern day lifestyle. Plastics are in almost every product we use on a daily basis. Obvious sources such as water bottles, containers and plastic bags, and less obvious sources including clothing, personal care products, toothbrushes, laundry and dishwasher pods, and the case on your smartphone. These plastics, no doubt, improve our lives in many ways, but they can also cause environmental pollution and pose potential risks to our health.

So what are the health risks of these plastics?

They can get it into the tissues of our body and cause systemic inflammation
There is some evidence that they can cross the membrane that protects our brain from foreign bodies in our bloodstream
They can be a magnet for other toxins and make it harder for our bodies to eliminate toxins
They expose us to harmful chemicals like bisphenols, phthalates, styrene and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)

Bisphenols and phthalates are known endocrine disruptors and interfere with our hormones. Our hormones are essential to every system of our body, from our reproductive and immune systems to our musculoskeletal system. These chemicals have even been shown to interfere with bone metabolism and trigger bone cell death in animals studies.

Styrene, a chemical found in plastic and food packaging, has been linked to nervous system problems, hearing loss and cancer.

Microplastics in our body can also expose us to PCB’s, which have been linked to various cancers, a weakened immune system, and reproductive problems.

Now as alarming as this might seem, I want you to take a deep breath, because there are some simple steps you can take to reduce the consumption of these plastics.

Minimizing our exposure to microplastics:

Limit the use of plastic water bottles. A study out of the State University of NY found that bottled water contained nearly twice as many pieces of microplastic than tap water. I know a lot of people are weary about drinking tap water as well, so buy a good water filter and fill up your own bottles. Glass or stainless steel bottles are the safest.
Switch to glass or ceramic food storage containers. Storing foods or beverages in plastic containers for long periods will cause the accumulation of microplastics in the foods. If using plastic, check the number printed on the bottom of the container. The plastic containers that have #2, #4 and #5 printed at the bottom, are considered safer for food storage. Containers with a #1, are a single-use container and meant to be used only once and they recycled.
Never heat up plastics. Heating up food in a plastic container will cause the plastic and leach chemicals into your food. The same for plastic water bottles and plastic wraps. If you are going to heat something up in the microwave, you a glass or ceramic dish and cover with a paper towel, wax paper or parchment paper.
When shopping, use paper bags, or your own reusable shopping bags. Best is to try to limit the amount of food that you buy that is packed in plastic wrap. Consider purchasing mesh bags to put your produce in when shopping.
Choose natural personal care products. Take a look at your toothpaste, facial scrubs and soaps. If they list polyethylene in the ingredients, those are microplastics.
Keep a clean house. Believe it or not, dust particles in our homes have been shown to have a high concentration of microplastics and their associated chemicals. Dusting and vacuuming regularly can prevent the buildup of dust in our homes.
Keep your body healthy. By eating clean, exercising, getting good quality sleep and keeping your stress in check, you can support your detoxification systems which will allow enhance your body’s ability to eliminate microplastics and their chemicals.

These are just a few ways you can start to reduce the consumption of microplastics, however, with all the plastics in our world, we are never going to get down to a zero exposure. What I don’t want is for you to drive yourself crazy with worry, because that is not good for you either! My advice is that on a daily basis, do what you can do to reduce the amount of plastics in your life.

References:

1. Schwabl, P. et al, 2018. Assessment of microplastic concentrations in human stool – Preliminary results of a prospective study, Presented at UEG Week 2018 Vienna, October 24, 2018