Plant foods to the rescue!

Enjoy a plant-based diet, including a wide variety of non-starchy vegetables, whole fruits, nuts, and whole grains. Plus, complex carbs are loaded with fiber that enables your blood sugar to stay within normal limits.  It is fine to have a potato or corn; just remember ½ cup of starchy food comprises a serving.  When combined with a variety of foods, veggies, legumes, and healthy fats, even a serving of starch at a meal can help to satisfy endorphins and/or serotonin needs.¹ Legumes are great because they not only provide carbohydrates, but protein, which helps us to keep alert and avoid blood sugar crashes. Low carbohydrates diets may reduce the brain’s ability to make serotonin. Without this neurotransmitter, a positive outlook and self-control are hard to achieve.

Proteins provide amino acids that make brain chemicals that help you to think. Eating excessive protein, however, can reduce your brain’s ability to make serotonin. Legumes, whole grains, and nuts are good sources of cholesterol free protein. An optimally functioning front brain is essential for judgment, impulse control, and will power. Eating meat depresses the electrical activity in the front brain.² Then, too, when mixtures of animal protein and fats (for example, from a pizza) enter the stomach, they can form toxins (biogenic amines).  One such example is the conversion of tyrosine to tyramine. Tyramine changes the way the brain responds to a brain chemical known as norepinephrine.  Tyramine acts upon the nervous system so that it becomes overstimulated and develops a heightened sensitivity to stress. Irritability results.³

Don’t Eat Western.

The typical western diet, high in fat and sugar/high fructose corn syrup promotes inflammation inside the brain and elsewhere in the body. Depression has been linked to inflammation. Additionally, if this diet is consumed frequently, the ability to think and remember gradually deteriorates and can contribute to frustration.  Go easy on the sugar and never eat it on an empty stomach.  Rapid rise and fall of blood sugar decreases the ability of the brain to focus.  Sugar is also bad news for individuals who suffer from chronic pain.  Sugar reduces one’s threshold to pain so that he/she experiences pain sooner.⁴ It is true that sugar temporarily increases pleasure-linked endorphins in the brain, but walking will do that much more safely and provide cardiovascular benefits as well.

Caffeine Is Not Your Friend.

Caffeine is not your friend.  Caffeine initially acts as a stimulant, then as a depressant. Studies show that caffeine reduces the threshold for irritability and anger.⁵ Caffeine magnifies the effect of stress on the body. Long-term use of caffeine lowers the serotonin level in the brain and interferes with metabolism of G.A.B.A., a brain chemical that helps us to keep calm and focus under stress.

Check your diet for adequacy.

Vegans should have their vitamin B-12 level checked. As we age, some of us will lose the ability to absorb this vitamin. Even low normal levels of this vitamin can produce a host of mental problems.  If one does not eat greens, he might develop a folic acid deficiency, which impacts the mood negatively.  Deficiency in vitamin D can also contribute to depression.  Vitamin D supplementation may help ease away the wintertime blues.⁶ An inadequate intake of omega-3 fats promotes depression.  Flaxseed, walnuts, and spinach are good sources of this fatty acid.  While solid animal fats and hydrogenated vegetable fats encourage inflammation inside the brain, omega-3 fats protect it.  Monounsaturated fats from olives, avocados, and nuts also help to protect the brain.  If you protect your brain, not only will you be more pleasant and easier to work with now, but also in your elderly years.

Diet is only one link in the chain of health, but an important one. Persistent mood problems may indicate some type of hormonal imbalance or mental illness.  So consult with your doctor!

All rights reserved by Wildwood Lifestyle Center and the College of Health Evangelism, 2013

References:

1. Baldwin, Bernell E.,  “Lifestyle and Brain Physiology”, Wildwood Lifestyle Center, 2005.

2. Somer E, Food and Mood, Henry Hold Reference Books, New York, 1995

3.  Baldwin, B.E., Griffin, Vikki, Kissinger, Evelyn, Food for Thought 2^nd edition, Lifestyle Matters, pg 108

4. Baldwin, Bernell E., “Use and Abuse of the Front Brain”, Wildwood Lifestyle Center, 2005

5.  Gupta, B.S. (editor) and Gupta, Uma, Caffeine and Behavior: Current Views and Research Trends,CRC  Press.

6. Gloth, F.M., Vitamin D vs. broad spectrum phototherapy in the treatment of seasonal affective disorder.  J Nutr Health Aging. 1999;3(1):5-7.

Do you have some chronic health problems like diabetes and hypertension? This inspirational story by Beth H. could help you!

I came to the Wildwood Lifestyle Center for help and healing for my right knee, and to regulate my blood sugar, as I am a diabetic. I could not walk without severe pain, and could only get around by holding on to things or by using an umbrella crook to help me walk. Due to neuropathy my ankles were swollen and painful. My doctor suggested that I sit with my feet elevated. This would not do, I thought to myself, for I was accustomed to being very busy and active.

I learned about ‘Wildwood’ through a testimony I heard on 3ABN television. The woman being interviewed had a success story to tell, and encouraged anyone who needed help to visit Wildwood Lifestyle Center in Georgia. Immediately I emailed, registered, and was admitted.

Results from the initial tests indicated that my blood sugar index was far above normal levels. My cholesterol was high, and so was my blood pressure.

While at Wildwood I benefited greatly from the vegan diet, complimented by herbal supplements and herbal teas. I also learned the importance of regular exercise and of drinking plenty of water.

Within the eleven days I stayed at Wildwood, my blood sugar improved, my blood pressure reverted to normal and I no longer needed to take my blood pressure pills. I lost seven pounds, and my knee was so much improved with the charcoal and hydrotherapy treatments that by the time I left, I was able to walk at least six miles daily. Even my eyesight has improved; I can see clearer with my naked eye than with spectacles on.

At the end of our lifestyle program, each lifestyle guest with me testified that their success was due to the effectiveness of the treatments received, the efficient doctors and nurses, the God-given diet and lifestyle changes and the friendly, helpful, caring and encouraging staff members. We also benefited greatly from the healthful atmosphere and scenic verdure of those lofty hills and pine trees which surround the center. You actually feel nearer to God.

Today I feel like a new creature, well-equipped to continue this lifestyle. Thanks be to God Almighty.

Stroke is a leading cause of long-term disability and the third leading cause of death in the United States.  So, what can you do about it besides a good lifestyle program of regular exercise, losing weight if obese, and enjoying a plant-based diet?

1. Eat red plant foods:

Finnish researchers studied 1,031 men in Finland between the ages of 46 and 65 in a 12-year study.  The study found that people with the highest amounts of lycopene in their blood were 55-59 percent less likely to have a stroke than people with the lowest amounts of lycopene in their blood.¹ The antioxidant lycopene belongs to the carotenoid family and is found in tomatoes, tomato products, red-fleshed watermelon, pink grape fruit, guava, and papaya.

2. Watch your triglycerides level.

New research shows that in post-menopausal women, the level of triglycerides is a much better predictor of stroke than total and LDL cholesterol levels. Researchers at NYU Langone Medical Center found that high triglyceride levels were significantly associated with the development of stroke. Women in the highest quarter of baseline triglyceride levels had a 56% higher risk for an ischemic stroke than women in the lowest quarter of triglyceride levels during the course of this 15-year study.  An ischemic stroke is caused by an interruption or blockage of blood flow to or inside the brain. This risk occurred even after the researchers adjusted for age, weight, smoking, high blood pressure, diabetes, and exercise.² Since low thyroid hormone and diabetes frequently elevate triglycerides, those who have elevated triglycerides should have these checked.

Interventions to lower triglyceride levels include:

• Limiting the amount of saturated fat to 7 to 10 percent of total calories
• Limiting the total amount of fat to under 30 percent of total calories
• Limiting the amount of cholesterol
• Eating only enough calories to achieve or maintain a healthy weight. (Excess calories are converted to fat or cholesterol.) Just a little weight loss can significantly lower elevated triglyceride levels; in many cases it will even lower them back to a normal level.
• Adding triglyceride-lowering omega-3 fats, like flaxseed
• Engaging in moderate exercise; walking 30 to 40 minutes a day

3. Cultivate a positive attitude.

After controlling for many probable confounders, a Finnish study showed that individuals who had less dispositional pessimism had a 48% less risk of stroke compared to those who had high levels of pessimism.³

Optimism protects against stroke. Researchers from the University of Michigan looked at the results of standard optimism tests for 6,044 men and women. All were free of stroke at the study’s start. The optimism score was on a 16-point scale. After adjusting for age, each unit increase in their optimism score reduced stroke risk about 9 percent. Even when the researchers also adjusted for other factors such as smoking, alcohol use, race, gender, hypertension, mental illness, body mass index and level of physical activity, the association between optimism and reduced risk of stroke remained robust.⁴ By cultivating gratitude and focusing on life’s positives, we encourage optimism.

4. Get sufficient sleep.

Sleep if you want to prevent a stroke. Even in normal-weight, middle-aged or older individuals, insufficient sleep increases the risk for stroke. A University of Birmingham study showed that middle-aged and older individuals who had normal BMI and habitually slept less than six hours had a 4.5 fold increased risk for stroke symptoms than those who slept 8 to 9 hours.⁵ Regularity in sleep hours reduces fatigue, too.

5.  Breathe fresh air.

Moderate air pollution increases the risk for stroke within hours. Researchers who studied more than 1,700 stroke patients in the Boston area over a 10-year period found exposure to ambient fine particulate matter, (generally from vehicle traffic, factories, and the burning of wood), was associated with a significantly higher risk of ischemic strokes on days when the EPA’s air quality index for particulate matter was yellow instead of green.⁶ Perhaps those who are at risk for stroke should exercise inside (with an air purifier) on code yellow and code orange days.

We might also emphasize that it is extremely important to prevent diabetes, atherosclerosis, and hypertension. These conditions seriously increase one’s risk for stroke.  If you have these conditions, please get your blood sugar, blood pressure, and cholesterol within your doctor’s recommendation,

All rights reserved, 2013 by Wildwood Lifestyle Center and the College of Health Evangelism

References

(1)  J  Karppi, J. A. Laukkanen, J. Sivenius, K. Ronkainen, S. Kurl. Serum lycopene decreases the risk of stroke in men: A population-based follow-up study. Neurology, 2012; 79 (15): 1540 DOI: 10.1212

(2)  J. S. Berger, et al., Lipid and Lipoprotein Biomarkers and the Risk of Ischemic Stroke in Postmenopausal Women. Stroke, 2012; Apr;43(4):958-66.

(3)  stroke.ahajournals.org/content/41/1/187.full.pdf

(4) www.everydayhealth.com/emotional-health/0722/optimism-may-lower-stroke-risk.aspx

(5)  American Academy of Sleep Medicine (2012, June 11). Top risk of stroke for normal-weight adults: Getting under 6 hours of sleep.

(6) Ref. G. A. Wellenius, et al., Ambient Air Pollution and the Risk of Acute Ischemic Stroke. Archives of Internal Medicine, 2012; 172 (3): 229 DOI: 10.1001/archinternmed.2011.732

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced in March 2013, that by the time they die, one out of three American seniors will have some form of dementia, including Alzheimer’s.  Although dementia might not necessarily be the direct cause of death, it can accelerate the serious decline of one’s health and  consequently contributes to one’s death.  What can you do to reduce your risk?

Alzheimer ’s disease

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a cluster of degenerative diseases that gradually destroy the human brain from the top down and from inside out. As brain cells die, brain tissue shrinks. Loss of memory, attention, speech, thinking capacity, and orientation, along with behavioral problems in various combinations, gradually become apparent. The website for the Alzheimer’s Association provides these sobering, staggering facts:

• One in every eight older Americans has Alzheimer’s disease.
• One of every eight baby boomers will develop AD, and one in six will develop dementia.
• Approximately 500,000 Americans under age 65 have Alzheimer’s or another dementia.
• With people living longer, the number with Alzheimer’s is expected to triple by the year 2050.
• AD is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States.

The likelihood of developing Alzheimer’s doubles about every five years after age 65. Those who have a blood relative with Alzheimer’s are more likely to develop the disease. The risk also increases if more than one family member has the illness. The annual cost for care of AD patients in 2012 is estimated at $200 billion.

Mild Cognitive Impairment

Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is a less serious condition which poses significant problems also. About 10 to 20 percent of adults aged 65 and older are believed to have MCI. Cognitive impairment, or the decline in mental faculties, can result from a variety of conditions. Half of these cases will develop Alzheimer’s later.

Risk Factors

Cardiovascular disease increases the likelihood of getting AD and MCI. Mild cognitive impairment can come on suddenly as from a stroke or other type of head injury or gradually from lifestyle practices. Common diseases, such as high blood pressure, stroke, cardiovascular disease, and a major or long-lasting depression, increase the risk for developing mental impairment. Other chronic conditions that increase MCI risk include:

• Obesity
• Metabolic syndrome
• Diabetes
• Hypothyroidism
• Liver disease
• Parkinson’s
• Multiple sclerosis
• Chronic kidney disease
• Certain drugs and medications

A Closer Look: Chronic Diseases and Mental Deterioration

A NHLBI study¹ found that:

• Individuals with high blood pressure developed small areas of vascular brain damage at a faster rate than those individuals with normal blood pressure. They also experienced a more rapid decline in scores on tests of the brain’s executive functions (such as planning and decision making).
• People with diabetes in middle age lost brain volume in the hippocampus at a faster rate than those without diabetes. The hippocampus is involved in learning, memory, and mood regulation. People who lose brain cells in the hippocampus are more likely to develop dementia.
• The brain’s executive abilities declined at a faster rate in individuals who were obese during middle age.
• People with a high waist-to-hip ratio were also more likely to be in the top 25 percent of those with faster decrease in their brain volume.

Therefore, it is essential that we use proven lifestyle interventions to control (and in some cases reverse) chronic diseases such as hypertension, obesity, and diabetes. For some individuals, the judicious use of medication will also be needed. The good news is the same lifestyle measures that prevent, reverse, or control these diseases also help to preserve brain functioning.

Lifestyle Counts

At least seven of the diseases that increase the risk for AD and MCI are related to the lifestyle we choose and the foods we eat. But that is not all. Consider these statistics:

• One study showed that when compared to non-smokers, those who had smoked two packs of cigarettes a day increased their risk of developing Alzheimer’s by more than 157 percent and had a 172 percent higher risk of developing vascular dementia, the second most common form of dementia after Alzheimer’s.² Smokers lose brain volume overall and in the hippocampus at a faster rate than nonsmokers and are more likely to have detectable signs of vascular damage in the brain.
• Alcohol and Alzheimer’s produce similar effects on cognition, brain disorders, and brain chemistry.³
• The hippocampus is vulnerable to THC in marijuana. Marijuana use impairs a person’s ability to form new memories and to shift focus. Marijuana’s effects on the brain can gradually accumulate and deteriorate critical life skills over time.⁴ Such effects may be worse in those with other mental disorders, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and obesity.

Obviously, a person who is serious about preventing cognitive decline will address any addiction issues he/she may have.

Diet and Brain Health

Eat temperately. Overeating in middle-age years impacts memory in the later years. Indeed, a recent study showed that individuals who are obese in middle age are at almost four times greater risk of developing dementia in later life than people of normal weight.⁵ Obesity increases inflammation within the brain. In contrast to overeating, calorie restriction improves memory and reduces certain inflammatory markers in elderly people.

Avoid dietary pitfalls. A typical Western diet (high fat, high sugar) causes cell membranes in the brain to be less flexible, thus compromising the flow of nutrients into the brain cells. A moderate intake of unsaturated fats at midlife is protective, whereas a moderate intake of saturated fats may increase the risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s.⁶ In her studies, Rothenburg found that a high intake of meat, butter, high-fat dairy products, eggs, and refined sugar was associated with an increased risk for AD. Meat, especially pork, decreases electrical activity in the pre-frontal cortex of the brain.⁷ According to neurophysiologist Dr. Bernell Baldwin, some studies show that vegetarians have approximately 50 percent less risk of developing dementia than non-vegetarians.⁸

Enjoy a plant-based diet. Even if you have not eaten wisely, when you adopt a good diet, the flexibility of membranes of the brain cells improves. Not only that: the blood flow, the electrical balance, and the chemistry within the brain get better.

Monounsaturated fats, found in almonds and olives, prevent the clumping of blood cells in the brain. This results in longer attention spans and improved cognitive performance. Omega-3 fats improve the ability of brain cells to receive messages.⁹ Although fish is a good source of omega-3 fats, the fatty tissues of fish often accumulate environmental toxins (mercury and pesticides) which damage the brain. For this reason toasted flaxseed, walnuts, soybeans, and spinach are preferable as omega-3 sources.

Colorful fruits and vegetables provide antioxidants and anti-inflammatory phytochemicals that can protect the brain from cognitive decline. Flavonoids in purple, red, and blue fruits improve memory and problem solving.^{10,11,12,13,14} Apples reduce pro-inflammatory chemicals (which promote dementia) in the brain. Their regular consumption seems to also help prevent the decline in cognitive performance seen in normal aging.¹⁵ They increase the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. Studies suggest that regular consumption of cruciferous, green leafy veggies, and yellow vegetables may also afford protection.

Check your blood levels.

Even low normal levels of B12 can cause neurological damage and mental symptoms. Vitamin D deficiency is rather common in North America and Western Europe. Older men and women with low levels of vitamin D are nearly four times as likely to have problems with their mental faculties of memory, attention, and logic.

Keep Physically Active

Exercise increases neurotrophin levels in the brain and spinal cord. Neurotrophins act as fertilizers that nourish and protect brain cells and increase the number and efficiency of synapses (microscopic places of communication between nerve cells) thus making learning and recall easier. Neurophysiologist Bernell Baldwin teaches that exercise promotes the production of stem cells in three areas of the brain. If the diet is right (low in saturated fat and ample in antioxidants, for example), these stem cells can then migrate to other parts of the brain. Recent studies suggest that regular, physical exercise can reverse actual physical shrinkage of the hippocampus of the brain, an area important for memory and mood regulation.

Use It or Lose It

Brain cells will die unless stimulated. Engage in a variety of wholesome mental activities that stimulate the different portions of brain. Jigsaw puzzles, mathematics, learning a new skill or a language, carpentry, mechanics, Bible study, and meaningful social relationships stimulate the various faculties of mind and make them stronger.

So, will your lose your brain? That depends largely upon how you take care of it.

All rights reserved, 2013 by Wildwood Lifestyle Center and the College of Health Evangelism

References

1. High Blood Pressure, Diabetes, Smoking and Obesity in Middle Age May Shrink Brain, Damage Thinking, Science Daily (Aug. 2, 2011).
2. Marcus, M.B., Study: Alzheimer’s risk spikes 157% with heavy smoking. usatoday30.usatoday.com/yourlife/health/medical/alzheimers/2010-10-26.
3. Tyas, S., Alcohol use and the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/arh25-4/299-306.htm↩
4. www.drugabuse.gov/publications/marijuana-abuse/how-does-marijuana-use-affect-your-brain-body
5. www.guardian.co.uk/science/2011/may/02/obese-more-likely-to-develop-alzheimers-disease
6. Laitinen, M.H., et al, Fat intake at midlife and risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease; a population-based study. Dement Geriatr Cogn Disord, 22(1):99-107, 2006.
7. Baldwin, B.E. and Baldwin, M.V., The Effects of Some Flavor Chemicals of the Gastric Vagus, Brain, and Heart, and the Integrity of the Gastric Mucosa, Proceedings of the International Union of the Physiological Sciences, abstract 122, 1977.
8. Giem, P., et al. The incidence of dementia and the intake of animal products, preliminary findings of the Adventist Health Study, Neurobiology: 12:28-36, 1993.
9. Griffin, V., et al, Foods for Thought: Nutrition’s Link to Mood, Memory, Learning and Behavior, Review & Herald
10. Lau, F.C., Nutritional intervention in brain aging: reducing the effects of inflammation and oxidative stress. Subcell Biochem, 42:299-318, 2007, review.
11. Galli, R.L., et al, Fruit polyphenolics and brain aging: nutritional interventions targeting age-related neuronal and behavioral deficits. Ann N Y Acad Sci, 959:128-32, 2002.
12. Joseph, J.A., et al, Reversing the deleterious effect of aging on neuronal communication and behavior; beneficial properties of fruit polyphenolic compounds. Am J Clin Nutr, 81(1 Suppl):313S-316S, 2005.
13. Shukitt-Hale, B., Berry fruit supplementation and the aging brain. J Agric Food Chem, 56(3):636-41, 2008.
14. J Alzheimers Dis. 2005 Dec;8(3):283-7.
15. Tchantchou F, et al., Apple juice concentrate prevents oxidative damage and impaired maze performance in aged mice. J Alzheimers Dis. 2005 Dec;8(3):283-7.

Red Wine Revisited – Something Better!
Elizabeth J. Hall

Elizabeth Hall has taught and researched health topics for more than 25 years at Wildwood Lifestyle Center & Hospital, Wildwood, Georgia and is currently the director of the health science curriculum for the online College of Health Evangelism.  This article originally appeared in The Journal of Health and Healing and is used by their permission.
FOR THE LAST DECADE you have heard it. I hear it regularly, too: “Red wine and beer are good for your heart.” Some research seems to support this.  A recent Harvard study found that one alcoholic drink a day for women and two a day for men was associated with significantly fewer heart attacks when compared to non-drinkers. Several other studies suggest that light-to-moderate consumption of red wine and other alcoholic drinks can improve your cardiovascular health, but heavy drinking hurts it. I How do we explain these varying conclusions? Is alcohol a recommendable health measure? Let’s examine available evidence to find out “the rest of the story.”
Red Wine, Alcohol, and Cardiovascular Health
In order to form a background for better understanding the factors involved in this issue, let’s consider a bit of physiology. When we accidentally cut ourselves, we want our blood to clot. This physiological reaction is one that frequently saves lives. However, platelets sticking to a blood vessel are undesirable, even dangerous when there is no bleeding, because they can initiate an abnormal clotting process. The clot then reduces blood flow to the area normally supplied by that blood vessel. You see, when platelets in¬appropriately stick together, they tend to initiate a clotting process whether or not there is actually bleeding. Eighty percent of all heart attacks are associated with undesirable platelet clumping and clotting. This type of clot formation, if it occurs within the arteries feeding the brain, can reduce its blood supply so that some brain tissue dies. This causes a condition known as ischemic stroke. About eighty percent of all strokes are caused by undesirable clot formation and atherosclerosis in the arteries feeding the brain.

One large study found that, when compared to men who drank alcohol less than once a week, men who imbibed it three to seven times a week had significantly fewer heart attacks. Another study from Boston University School of Medicine revealed that, overall, drinking alcohol did not reduce the risk for ischemic strokes (those caused by reduced blood supply to or within the brain). In fact, men who drank more than 12 grams of alcohol per day (a typical drink has 12 grams of alcohol) had 2.4 times higher the risk of ischemic stroke than men who did not. The only time alcohol consumption actually reduced the risk for ischemic stroke was for individuals ages 60 to 69.1 Another study from Harvard found that while red wine offered some protection from ischemic strokes, other alcoholic beverages did not, and intakes of two or more drinks a day, may increase the risk for ischemic stroke.(2)

However, moderate young drinkers have six to eight times the risk of developing a stroke resulting from bleeding within the brain (hemorrhagic strokes). Heavy drinking and binge-drinking are especially significant risk factors in these cases. If coronary artery disease (CAD) is present, binge-drinking reduces the blood-flow to the heart. Withdrawal from alcohol increases the risk for undesirable clot formation because the platelet activity is el¬evated, and there are marked fluctuations in blood pressure, electrical disturbances of heart rate and rhythm, and sustained vasoconstriction in blood vessels of the brain. Scientists at the University of Western Australia observed, “Hence, further exploration of any protective association of alcohol against coronary artery disease needs to carefully consider the implica¬tions of pattern-drinking for the relation¬ship. The modulating influences of co-timing—drinking with meals, cigarette smoking, or illicit drug use—also need to be evaluated. Without such vital information, public health advice on alcohol and CAD will be limited in its scope and potentially flawed in its impact.”(3)

Light-to-moderate drinking of alco¬hol does seem to reduce the risk of heart attacks. But the bottom line is often missed: the benefits of red wine and beer, including the cardiovascular effects, are contradictory and need to be placed in context, with any contributing factors being well-evaluated. Note the quote, “Con¬troversy remains regarding the effect of mild-to-moderate alcohol consumption; while some studies reported a protective effect, others found a dose-dependent linear relationship between the amount of alcohol consumed and the risk of hemorrhagic stroke. That is, the more alcohol consumed, the greater the risk of hemor¬rhagic stroke. Heavy drinking should cer¬tainly be considered as one of the risk factors for hemorrhagic stroke. In contrast to the protective effect of mild-to-moderate alcohol use against ischemic strokes, moderate drinking might result in an increased risk of hemorrhagic strokes.”(4)
The Brain Counts, Too

A few studies show that the flavonoids in red wine can indeed decrease inflammation in the arteries, thus reducing the risk of undesirable clot formation and atherosclerosis. However, loss of brain cells is the real problem with a stroke, with con-current decline in mental and physical performance. Equally valid studies show that alcohol consumption promotes inflammation within the brain’s supporting cells (glial cells), thus promoting cerebral atrophy. We know that just one alcoholic beverage a week impairs abstract reasoning. Driving skills, especially judgment, are impaired in most people long before they show signs of drunkenness. Studies “indicate that moderate social alcohol consumption has cumulative effects on brain function that persist for hours after chemi¬cal and behavioral indicators of intoxication have dimin-ished.”(5) Knisley, from the Medical University of South Carolina, and his colleague also showed that every time a person drinks alcohol, it progressively causes damage to the brain. As the drinking continues, the damage accumulates.

Alcohol also reduces the oxygen supply to the nerve cells because it makes the red blood cells stick together, reduces their oxygen carrying capacity, and slows circulation in the small blood vessels. Indeed, chronic brain injury caused by alcohol is second only to Alzheimer’s disease as a known cause of mental deteriora¬tion in adults. John Olney, a brain scientist from Washington University in St. Louis, observed, “Over the millennia, alcohol has damaged more fetal brains than any other agent in the human environment.” 
Olney found, using infant rodents, that just one hour of exposure to blood alcohol levels of 0.06-0.08 (just below the le-gal limits for driving in most states) markedly accelerated a natural process causing developing neurons to “commit suicide” if they fail to connect on schedule with neighboring brain cells. Alcohol slowed the rate at which connections are formed, tricking the cells into believing they’ve failed to make contact.(6),(7) He concluded that the effects on humans would be similar—that of the premature, unnecessary death of brain cells. Obviously this is a most undesirable effect.

A few recent studies show that red wine can possibly slow cognitive decline and help protect brain cells. More precisely, it is the resveratrol in the red wine that affords these benefits. For example, generation of free radicals from oxygen is a very real problem in the brain. It is worth mentioning that alcohol forms acetaldehyde, which is toxic to DNA. Alcohol also encourages the production of free radicals and thereby can and does encourage oxidation and accelerates aging of the brain. Resveratrol and grape polyphenols protect the brain from this oxidation.

Alcohol also, as we’ve no doubt heard, affects body balance and coordination. One way in which this happens is by ethanol inhibiting brain-derived nerve growth factor (BDNF) in the cerebellum, the lower part of the brain in which balance and coordination is controlled. BDNF, as it is sometimes called, promotes communication (by synapse development) between nerve cells, protects the brain cells, and encourages the development of new brain cells in certain parts of the brain.

Heavy use of alcohol shrinks the hippocampus, a very important area in the temporal lobe for memory and learning. Animal studies indicate the effects of alcohol in the hippocampus are worse in adolescents than in adults. It should also be noted that many of the studies regarding the effect of alcohol consumption on cognitive performance did not adequately take into consideration other factors like social position and edu¬cational advantages. When this is done, the improvement of cognitive performance “disappears” or is significantly less convincing. Important also to know: obesity, insulin resistance, diabetes, atherosclerosis, and hypertension all contribute to cognitive decline; wise calorie restriction, and the antioxidants found in berries and dark green leafy vegetables retard brain aging in key areas of the brain.

So why in the world would I want to drink alcoholic beverages in the supposed hope of decreasing the risk of stroke and other cognitive declines, while simultaneously, slowly killing my brain cells?!
Something Better!
Are there ways to get the benefits of red wine without its dangers? Yes! Indeed, let’s consider each benefit that red wine gives the cardiovascular system, and replace it with lifestyle factors and dietary changes that are far superior to—and free of—alcohol’s adverse effects.


Claim #1: Red wine inhibits platelet clumping and undesirable clot formation.
True, but it is not the only lifestyle factor that can do so. No, indeed! Red grapes are excellent, and without the side effects. Scientific studies also show that moderate physical activity improves blood flow within the body and reduces a pro-clotting protein, called fibrinogen (the same one that beer decreases). Moderate exercise also increases fibrinolysin, a special chemical that actually breaks apart tiny clots and keeps them from becoming larger. It even increases prostacyclin, a compound that inhibits platelet clumping. Under competitive, strenuous exercise, however, the adrenal glands release extra epinephrine, a hormone that increases the stickiness of platelets and their ability to clump.

Secondly, seriously consider a vegan diet. Even in diabetic individuals who have an increased risk of clotting, stroke, and heart disease, a vegan diet with moder¬ate exercise improves blood flow. Sluggish circulation is a major cause of clot formation. Some studies show that a vegetarian diet reduces fibrinogen. And a vegan diet is cholesterol-free and low in saturated fats—of import considering that both cholesterol and saturated fats aggravate atherosclerosis. Well-balanced, unrefined vegetarian foods are high in fiber, phytochemicals, and arginine, an amino acid that helps the cardiovascular system. In fact, one study showed that compared to general populations who had 57 percent incidence of coronary artery disease, vegans had only 14 percent incidence of the same disease.(8)

Take for example, specific plant foods. Citrus fruits inhibit platelet clumping. Purple, blue, and red fruits contain anthocyanins, which not only inhibit platelet-clumping, but also both reduce the body’s ability to make cholesterol and protect it from oxidation. Oxidized cholesterol encourages inflammation in, and clogging of, the arteries. Because heat destroys anthocyanins, it is preferable to eat these fruits fresh. By the way, aging of red wine significantly reduces anthocyanins. The resveratrol in red wine that inhibits platelet clumping and inflammation is also present in red grape juice, red grapes, cranberry juice, peanuts, blueberries, and their cousins, bilberries. Like anthocyanins, resveratrol is heat-sensitive. Consider also another valuable fruit for the cardiovascular system—kiwi-fruit. People who consumed two or three kiwi-fruit a day for a month reduced platelet clumping by 18 percent. And unlike alcohol that raises triglycerides (blood fats), kiwi-fruit actually reduced them by 15 percent, according to the same study.(9)
Recent studies also show that a diet high in vegetables, fruits, and whole grains reduces the risk for ischemic strokes, but a diet high in red and processed meat, refined grains, and desserts increase the risk. Flaxseed, walnuts, spinach, and soybeans are all excellent sources of omega-3 fat (linolenic fatty acid), which inhibits plate-let clumping.
Meat, however, because of its saturated fat and pro-coagulants, can promote undesirable clotting because it reduces prostacyclin, an important hormone-like chemical that reduces platelet clumping.
Other suggestions from scientific study substantiate the following measures for prevention of undesirable clotting:
•    Replace negative thoughts with positive ones. Both acute stress and major depression will promote platelet clumping and increased risk of clot-formation.


•    Keep well-hydrated and breathe deeply. These two oft-neglected simple healthful habits, by improving your blood flow, will reduce your risk of un-desirable clot formation.

•    Use helpful herbs. (Notice the available chart.*) Garlic and onions, like red wine, inhibit platelet clumping. Contrary to alcohol, they actually improve efficiency of the immune system. Turmeric also inhibits platelet clumping. Unlike alcohol, which generates damage from free-radicals in the liver, both garlic and turmeric improve the liver’s ability to detoxify cancer-producing agents. Whereas alcohol increases the risk of gastritis and
stomach cancer, garlic and turmeric possess chemical properties that inhibit the development of gastric cancer.

•    Gingko biloba also, has been shown to reduce the risk of platelet clumping and inhibit inflammation within the arteries. Numerous studies indicate that gingko biloba, unlike alcohol, improves mental performance it seems to improve memory and cognitive functioning even in healthy young men.

•    Maintain, achieve, a healthy weight; obesity increases pro-clotting factors in the blood.


Claim #2: Red wine increases HDL.
High Density Lipoprotein (HDL, the good cholesterol), elevated levels of which are protective against coronary artery disease and stroke, carries cholesterol to the liver, where it is converted into bile. Many scientific studies show that regular aerobic exercise and losing weight if one is obese, elevate HDL. Actually, just 10 percent weight loss within 6 months in post-menopausal women increased their HDL by 9 percent and improved their ability to utilize glucose more efficiently.(10)
Replacing white bread and other refined carbohydrates with whole grains helps to improve blood-sugar control in young individuals. Good blood sugar con¬trol is an important predictor of HDL levels in youth. Even a normal level of blood sugar that is on the high side, especially when accompanied by obesity or high blood pressure, increases the risk of cardiovascular damage. Whole-grain millet elevates HDL. And healthful nuts and seeds also help raise HDL. For example, daily consumption of walnuts lowers Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL, the bad cholesterol), but raises HDL in diabetic individuals.
Alpha-linolenic acid from flaxseed, spinach, and soybeans improves HDL levels in the blood. Olives raise HDL and help to reduce undesirable clotting. Evening primrose oil is another fat that can boost HDL. And the mineral chromium, and vitamins folic acid and time-released niacin, also elevate it.” So, exercise and a good diet are better and safer than alcohol.

Claim #3: Red wine in¬hibits LDL oxidation.
Before examining this effect of red wine and alternative options, let’s again briefly discuss a bit of physiology. LDL carries cholesterol to the arteries. When it is elevated, it increases the risk for cardiovascular events. But it is the oxidized LDL that sets up inflammation in the arteries and pushes atherosclerosis. Oxidized LDL actually kills the smooth muscle cells of the arteries, promoting atherosclerosis and hardening of the arteries. Where do we find this dangerous substance? Aged cheese, powdered dairy milk, custards, and puddings. These need to be eliminated by those who are serious about reducing atherosclerosis. And really, health wise, they are not advisable for anyone.
Now, to our point under consideration: it is true that resveratrol in red wine can reduce LDL oxidation under certain circumstances. But what are some other dietary ways of reducing the oxidation of LDL? Scientific studies all indicate that soy, the fibers pectin and psyllium, and anthocyanins all reduce LDL levels. Some studies suggest that lycopene in tomatoes and watermelon, genistein in soy-beans, and luteolin in artichokes, reduce LDL oxidation. And adopting the good is not enough; one must also avoid the bad. In this case, junk food, which increases LDL, needs to be avoided.
Medicinal doses of nician total cholesterol, “bad” LDL-cholesterol, and triglyceride levels, while raising the “good” HDL-cholesterol level. It also reduces LDL oxidation.  However, individuals with liver damage or those at risk for retinopathy (those with hypertension or diabetes) should forgo it, as high dosages of niacin can encourage liver damage11, 12 and serious eye problems (13) in susceptible individuals. Fenugreek would probably be a safer alternative to reduce elevated LDL and triglycerides (blood fats) and to increase HDL in diabetic individuals.(14)
Homocysteine is another factor to consider. Smokers often have elevated levels of oxidized LDL and homocysteine. (Homocysteine is a metabolic byproduct of certain amino acids.) Elevated levels of homocysteine increase the risk of heart disease, stroke, and Alzheimer’s.
In a double-blind, wash-out, crossover study, smokers who were given fruit and vegetable concentrations actually had a decline in their oxidized LDL and homocysteine levels.(15)

Claim #4: Red wine improves the ability of blood vessels to dilate.
Wine can improve what we call the endothelial function of blood vessels. This term refers to the function of the endothelial cells, which are found in the innermost lining of blood vessels, to make substances that cause these blood vessels to dilate or constrict. When these cells make too many constrictors and not enough vasodilators, the condition of endothelial dysfunction results. This problem, in turn, contributes to atherosclerosis.
The endothelium also produces several other important molecules, one of which is “nitric oxide.” This molecule helps the blood vessels open up, improving blood flow. It also inhibits platelet clumping and protects from atherosclerosis. Obesity, high blood pressure, active or passive smoking, and diabetes all decrease nitric oxide levels, resulting in endothelial dysfunction. The above-mentioned health concerns also promote LDL oxidation and encourage atherosclerosis. Elevated levels of circulating insulin or homocysteine also contribute to endothelial dysfunction. These conditions can be controlled, if not corrected, by judicious, steady lifestyle habits.
Moderate amounts of red wine can improve the production of nitric oxide. However, high doses of alcohol significantly impair its production in the arteries. Fortunately there is no need to imbibe alcoholic beverages that jeopardize the health of your liver and suppress your immune system, to increase the amount of this valuable molecule in your blood vessels. Purple grape juice and the amino acid arginine, from nuts and legumes, are two healthful precipitators of improved nitric oxide production.

Studies show that replacing usual fats with walnuts improves endothelial function. Vitamins C and E have been demonstrated to improve compromised endothelial functioning in diabetes, whereas vitamin B-12 and folic acid improve it in individuals who have elevated levels of insulin (a common problem in obese people) and high levels of homocysteine. Artichoke juice improves endothelium function; soybeans help, too. The intake of saturated fats should be greatly limited because they impair the ability of the blood vessels to dilate. Obesity or a high-fat diet stiffens the arteries.

One recent study showed that eating a meal rich in fat impairs endothelial function in middle-aged men. Ninety minutes of walking before a meal improved it by twenty-five percent even in middle-aged, obese men.(16) Children also can develop endothelial dysfunction if they are obese. Six weeks of exercise training reverses this problem. No need for children to wait to become of drinking age to alleviate this problem with red wine! On the other hand, recent studies show that physical inactivity increases endothelial dysfunction. Therefore better ways than red wine are available to open arteries.

Claim #5: Red wine inhibits the ability of the white blood cells to stick to the blood vessels.
When white blood cells (WBCs) stick to blood vessels, the WBCs ability to digest oxidized cholesterol is impaired. The resulting increase of cholesterol contributes to both inflammation and atherosclerotic plaques in the arteries. What causes these WBCs to stick? Certain molecules, known as adhesion molecules, when they are increased in number, make the endothelial layer (lining) of blood vessels become like Velcro instead of Teflon. One such molecule, is Alpha-Tumor Necrosis Factor (α TNF). Obesity, diabetes, nicotine, a high-cholesterol diet, and stress all are serious precipitators of dangerously high levels of adhesion molecules.
Gallates (phytochemicals in wine) decrease these molecules. However, there are safer ways of doing so, such as eating omega-3 fats and olives. One cross-sectional study of 727 women found that the higher the level of alpha-linolenic acid (an omega-3 fat), the lower the plasma levels of a pro-inflammatory marker CRP (c-reactive protein) and adhesion molecules were in post-menopausal women. Adhesion molecules contribute to the inflammatory process that complicates atherosclerosis. In fact, alpha-linolenic acid even lowers adhesion molecules in patients with el¬evated levels of cholesterol and blood fats. Olives have been shown to protect the heart. Weight loss, for obese individuals, also reduces adhesion molecules. Animal studies show that regular exercise reduces their activity, and vitamin E inhibits them. Clearly healthful alternatives to red wine produce as good or better results.

Claim #6: Resveratrol in wine reduces the effects of PAF.
Platelet activating factor (PAF) promotes inflammation in the brain and arteries, causes white blood cells to stick to the endothelial layer, and encourages platelet clumping. It also contributes to complications in diabetes. Omega-3 fats inhibit its production in the brain. Consumption of olives reduces its activity. And Ginkgo biloba inhibits its production. So PAF problems are better prevented by a good vegetarian diet than partially alleviated by wine.

Claim #7: Red wine inhibits inflammation.
A key component of atherosclerosis is inflammation; unfortunately, inflammation is involved in many of today’s chronic degenerative diseases. Red wine, and to a lesser extent gin, decreases several pro inflammatory agents in the body, at the same time, however, increasing others. Some studies indicate that resveratrol in red wine inhibits NF-kappa B (a pro-inflammatory protein) activity. However, it has clearly been shown that moderate drinking of red wine actually increases IL-6,17 a pro-inflammatory agent that especially targets brain and liver cells and aTNF, which is involved in the inflammation of the pancreas, liver, colon, and arteries. To
demonstrate, alcohol encourages the liver to emphasize inflammatory responses of even normal metabolism. Alcohol consumption may cause excessive cytokine production in the liver, leading to inflammatory liver disease. Bottom line? Alcohol is an overall pro-inflammatory agent. So why drink wine to reduce inflammation in your arteries—only to stir it up elsewhere in your body? Rather, bring on the grapes!    
Scientific studies reveal that there are superior ways of reducing unwanted inflammation.(18) These include:


•    reach and maintain ideal weight,


•    avoid or limit animal foods,


•    seriously limit sugar and/or other refined carbohydrates,


•    emphasize red grapes, citrus fruits, green vegetables, and anti-oxidant-rich foods like berries. (As an example, the phytochemical nobiletin found in oranges, inhibits several of the pro-inflammatory agents that red wine does not.),

•    use less omega-6 oils (corn, soy, safflower, sesame) and more omega-3 fats and avoid trans fats,*


•    use a variety of anti-inflammatory herbs: garlic, turmeric, ginger, milk thistle, and ginkgo biloba (which has been shown to significantly inhibit arterial inflammation),


•    keep blood sugar and blood pressure within the normal range, and

•    cultivate cheerfulness and peace of mind.
.

Claim #8: Red wine relaxes a person.
Neurophysiologist Dr. Bernell Baldwin suggests that some of alcohol’s physiological benefits are due to its tranquilizing effects. Even small amounts of alcohol lower inhibition, causing anxiety levels to be reduced or even erased. This drug-effect of alcohol actually helps explain much of wine’s chemical benefits.
To understand this point, consider some of the adverse physiological effects of negative mental states. Major depression increases unnecessary blood clotting, makes the heart muscle more sensitive to electrical disturbances, and decreases the production of nitric oxide. Frequently, individuals with major depression have low folate levels. This is one reason why major depression increases homocysteine levels, which in turn pushes inflammation in the arteries. Chronic anxiety increases the incidence of atherosclerotic plaque formation and reduces the elasticity of the carotid arteries. Hostility, in¬ability to trust, impatience—all these increase the risk of developing high blood pressure. Viewing a tension-filled drama on T.V. substantially reduces the blood flow through vessels in our body, while humor and laughter improve it.

Alcohol is really a depressant that interferes with the complex functioning of the front brain. Engaging in moderate exercise, hobbies, relaxing in a warm tub-bath, progressive, systematic exercises-all of these can help a person to unwind without compromising front brain judgment.
Peace of mind is what we need. What constitutes peace? The persistent perusal of noble purposes, coupled with a deep-seated trust in a personal God who has a special place in His heart for me that no other person can fulfill, and the ability to live in the real world of His providences, plans, and promises—though my resources on this earth may be steadily dwindling. To seize His perspectives and to live life by His priorities is peace indeed. Such a peace helps us to relax, strengthens our cardiovascular system, and is far superior to potentially intoxicating drinks.

A Final Word
One more word about beer and wine: “The beneficial effect of moderate alco¬hol consumption in lowering the risk of cardiovascular disease has been shown in several epidemiological studies. Such studies have also shown, however, that the protective effect of alcoholic beverages like wine and beer is not only due to the ethanol content but also to the presence of nonalcoholic constituents.”(19) Example: when homosysteine levels are elevated, the risk for stroke and heart disease increase. Chronic heavy drinking increases this risk factor. We know that vitamin B-6, B-12, and folate decrease it. Beer, because it contains vitamin B6, reduces homoscysteine levels. Let’s be clear: light to moderate drinking seem to offer some benefits to our cardiovascular system, but so many of those benefits are related to phytochemicals apart from the alcoholic content—phytochemicals and other nutrients that are available in many non-alcoholic sources.
The genuine health benefits of alcoholic drinks are not derived solely from the alcohol content. To illustrate, red wine contains resveratrol, which is a natural COX-2 anti-inflammatory agent. Unlike the COX-2 drugs, this most valuable phytochemical does not promote undesirable clotting. However, turmeric, ginger, garlic, milk thistle, and vitamins C and E are all natural COX-2 inhibitors. Resveratrol is also founds in purple grape juice, cranberry juice, and blueberries. Even an ounce of peanuts contains approximately 73 milligrams of resveratrol!
Another example: studies show that beer can protect from lifestyle-related diseases like cardiovascular dysfunction, cancer, and osteoporosis. However, it is isohumulones, the bitter substances derived from hops, that may benefit and improve obesity, Type-II diabetes, and protect from atherosclerosis and abnormal lipid metabolism. No need to drink beer; these hops-derived components can be obtained in standardized capsule form.
Then, too, the association between between moderate drinking and lower incidence of coronary artery disease could be attributable to overall health habits, social-economic status, mental health, and other lifestyle factors.
Wisdom would suggest we weigh the benefits against the risks in consuming alcohol. Consider:
•    One out of ten people who try one drink of alcohol will become an alcoholic or “a problem drinker.”


•    One out of three Americans says that alcohol abuse has brought trouble into their family.

•    Alcohol increases triglycerides (blood-fats). Increased triglycerides mean increased risk for stroke or coronary artery disease.


•    About 65 out of every 100 persons in the USA will be in an alcohol-related crash sometime in their lives.

•    More than one half of violent crimes have been associated with alcohol.

•    Moderate consumption of alcohol over a period of time has toxic effects on the heart muscle cells, damages the power plants (mitochondria) in the heart muscle, and contributes to accumulation of fibronectin, a substance involved in tissue repair, clotting, and the adhesion of WBCs to the blood vessel walls. Over time, alcohol can compromise the contraction of heart muscle, leading to electrical disturbances of this vital organ.
•    Just two drinks a day reduces by 66 percent the ability of the plasma-B lymphocytes to make antibodies, thus compromising the immune system.(20)

•    Alcohol is toxic to the entire gastrointestinal tract.

Does red wine or a can of beer offer any health benefits? In a word, yes. But for every benefit, there is a more serious detrimental effect. Would you invest your capital in stock that had, for every financial advantage, greater liabilities attached—especially when you could diversify your capital in a variety of stocks and bonds yielding considerable interest with little or no risk and liability-free? Combining a healthful diet, moderate exercise, and the judicial use of beneficial herbs appears to be a much safer investment. All considered, I must put my stock in the Wise Man’s observation: “Wine is a mocker, and strong drink is raging.” ■

If you enjoyed this article, you would enjoy Liz Hall’s Lifestyle Physiology Online Course from the College of Health Evangelism. This course provides the most up-to-date information of how lifestyle and natural remedies impact the physiology of the body. If interested, contact registrar @health evangelism.com. If you would like to subscribe to The Journal of Health and Healing or order back issues where much more health information is available, call 706-820-1493, Ext. 1016

REFERENCES:

(1).    Djousse, L., et al. Alcohol consumption and risk of ischemic stroke: the Framingham Study. Stroke, 33:907-912, 2002.
(2).    Mukamal, K.J., et al. Alcohol and risk for ischemic stroke in men: the role of drinking patterns and usual beverage. Ann Intern Med., 142(1): 11-9, 2005.
(3).    Puddey, I.B., et al. Influence of pattern of drinking on cardiovascular disease and cardiovascular risk factors—a review. Abs. Addiction, 94(5):649-63, 1999.
(4).    Daniel, S., and Bereczki, D. Alcohol as a risk factor for hemorrhagic stroke. Abs. Ideggyogy Sz, 57(7-8):247-56, 2004.
(5).    Ilan, A.B., et. al. Prolonged neuro-physiological effects of cumulative wine drink¬ing.  Abs. Alcohol, 25(3): 137-52, 2001.
(6).    Lovett, R. Two Drinks Too Many. Psychol Today, May/Jun 2004 (Doc. ID: 3432).
(7).    Washington University Program in Neuroscience. Small amounts of alcohol or anesthetics may damage the develop¬ing brain. Seattle, Feb. 14, 2004.
(8).    Nedley, N., Proof Positive.  Nedley Publishers, Ardmore, OK, 1998, p.84.
(9).    Duttaroy, A.K., and Jorgensen, A., Effects of kiwi fruit consumption on platelet aggregation and plasma lipids in healthy human volunteers. Abs. Platelets, 15(5):287-92, 2004.
(10).    Hall, E. Healthy Arteries. The Journal of Health and Healing, 25(2):l6-20, 2003.
(11).    Rizakallah, G.S., et al.  Should liver en¬zymes be checked in a patient taking nia¬cin? Abs. J Fam Pract, 54(3):265-8, 2005.
(12).    Djousse, L., et al. Alcohol consumption and risk of ischemic stroke: the Framingham Study. Abs. Stroke, 33:907-912, 2002; The rational use of potentially hepatotoxic medications in patients with underlying liver disease. Abs. Expert Opin Drug Saf 1(2): 159-72, 2002.
(13).    Fraunfelder, F.W.,et al. Adverse ocular effects associated with niacin therapy. Abs.  Br J Ophthalmol, 79(l):54-6, 1995.
(14).    Gupta, A., et al. Effect of Trigonella foenum-graecum (fenugreek) seeds on glycaemic control and insulin resistance in type 2 diabetes mellitus: a double blind placebo controlled study. Abs. J Assoc Physicians India, 49:1057-61, 2001.
(15).    Samman, S., A mixed fruit and veg¬etable concentrate increases plasma antioxidant vitamins and folate and lowers plasma homocysteine in men. Abs. J Nutr, 133(7):2188-93, 2003.
(16).    Gill, J.M., et al. Effects of prior moderate exercise on postprandial metabolism and vascu¬lar function in lean and centrally obese men. Abs. J Am Coll Cardiol, 44(12):2375-82, 2004.
(17).    Williams, M.J., et al. Acute effect of drinking red and white wines on circulating levels of inflammation-sensitive molecules in men with coronary artery disease. Abs. Metabolism, 53(3):318-23, 8 IL-2004.
(18). Hall, E. Quenching the Fires of Inflamma¬tion. J Health & Heal¬ing, 26(l):24-29, 2004.
(19). Bassus, S., et al. Effect of dealcoholized beer (Bitburger Drive) consumption on hemostasis in humans. Alcohol Clin Exp Res, 28(5):786-91, 2004.
(20).  Nedley, N., Proof Positive.  Nedley Publishers, Ardmore, OK, 1998, p.431.

Amazing Multi-Tasker

Written by Elizabeth J. Hall

Under the diaphragm, in the right upper abdomen is the liver which receives twenty percent of the blood pumped each minute by the heart.  All the blood from key abdominal organs must be filtered and cleansed by the liver before returning to the heart.  In fact, every minute, the liver detoxifies about two quarts of blood. When working correctly, its special phagocytes (germ-eating blood cells) called Kuppfer cells capture, eat, and destroy ninety-nine percent of the bacteria.  Highly efficient, the liver performs over 500 chemical jobs each day!

Every day the liver makes one quart of bile that emulsifies fat, rendering it easier for chemical digestion.  The bile also carries toxic material to the intestines.  Fiber absorbs these toxins, and they are then eliminated in the stool.  Like a pantry, the liver stores glucose in the form of glycogen.  When a meal or two is missed, some of the glycogen is converted back into glucose and released into the blood.  The liver packages fat and cholesterol into lipoproteins.  LDL (low-density lipoprotein), when elevated, is dangerous since it carries cholesterol to the arteries.  VLDL (very-low density lipoprotein) is harmful, as well, because it is changed into LDL.  Elevated levels of these two lipoproteins increase the risk of heart attack and stroke.  The liver, however, also makes a good lipoprotein, HDL (high-density lipoprotein), which seizes cholesterol circulating in the blood and transports it to the liver where it is converted into bile.  Elevated levels of HDL protect from heart disease and stroke.

Yes, the liver is an extremely important organ, and it is subject to the influences of our lifestyle habits—for good by appropriate ones and for bad by harmful ones.  Let’s explore the lifestyle factors that damage the liver and those that promote its health.  First, what damages the liver?

Alcohol

Alcohol poisons and promotes inflammatory responses in the liver.  If alcohol abuse continues, it can lead to permanent scarring of the liver (cirrhosis).  Amazingly, more than three-fourths of the liver can be damaged before symptoms occur!  If more than two alcoholic drinks are consumed each day, serious liver damage will occur.  The individual will tire more quickly since his blood is dirtier, and he will become more susceptible to infections, as well as brain and kidney dysfunction.  Alcohol also thickens the blood, slowing its circulation and impeding its cleansing activity in the liver.  Since any amount of alcohol burdens the liver and compromises its efficiency, why drink it at all?

Overeating

Overeating, obesity, and visceral fat (the fat stored in the abdominal organs) also damage the liver.  Overeating generates more free radicals.  Free radicals are unsteady molecules that damage the membranes and DNA of the body’s cells.  Because it detoxifies toxins, the liver is already the hot seat of free-radical production in the body.  Overeating magnifies this free-radical assault on the liver.

Twenty percent of the general population in the United States has NAFLD (non-alcoholic fatty-liver disease), making it the most common form of liver disease.  NAFLD is a spectrum of fatty-liver diseases not caused by alcohol.  Ninety percent of individuals with NAFLD are obese!  In fact, obesity increases the risk for developing NAFLD by fifty-four to seventy-four percent.  Some studies show that up to seventy percent of individuals with NAFLD have visceral or central obesity.

Perhaps the fat in the liver accumulates because fat cells elsewhere are full to capacity and there is nowhere else for it to go, or perhaps the liver cannot change the fat into a form that can be eliminated.  When ten percent of the liver is fat, it is called a fatty-liver.  However, if the liver continues to receive further insults from obesity, toxins, medications, or diabetes, serious forms of NAFLD can develop.  Although NAFLD presents no symptoms, it may cause some liver enzymes to be elevated.  Laboratory tests can easily detect abnormal values of these enzymes.  Studies show that obesity, elevated levels of blood-fats in both sexes, and alcohol consumption in men are significant predictors of fatty-liver disease.  A CAT scan or liver biopsy can give definitive proof of NAFLD.

Avoid Risk Factors

Avoid alcohol and other risk factors for hepatitis (inflammation of the liver), such as poor personal hygiene, poor sanitation, intravenous street drugs, unsafe sex, body piercing, and tattooing.  If working in a medical setting, use gloves when handling body fluids or drawing blood.  Consider the advantages and disadvantages of the hepatitis vaccine.

An individual who is obese or has a “pot-belly” needs to work on losing weight.  If the liver has been infiltrated with fat, slow, steady, and permanent weight-loss is much kinder to the liver than fast weight-loss.  Rapid weight-loss promotes inflammation and fibrosis in the liver.  Permanent weight loss, however, can reverse NAFLD.

Judicious weight loss has other benefits to offer.  In an obese individual, weight reduction of just twenty percent will significantly improve cholesterol and blood-fat profiles.  That is good news, indeed!  Weight loss also improves the body cells’ sensitivity to insulin; this reduces the risk of diabetes, heart disease, and reoccurring NAFLD.  Pro-inflammatory agents like TNF-alpha and PGE-2 decrease.  The results are less inflammation and less cancer.

Dietary Measures That Protect the Liver

Because the liver is adjacent to parts of the intestines, healthy intestines help the liver.  Animal studies show that treating the intestine with friendly bacteria, such as acidophilus, improve NAFLD in ob/ob mice (obese mice that manifest many of the same problems as obese people) and inhibit TNF-alpha’s inflammatory activity.

Dietary fiber encourages the growth of friendly bacteria in the intestines and reduces TNF-alpha in the colon.  It also reduces the contact time a carcinogen has with the bowel wall, meaning fewer carcinogens are absorbed from the intestines.  Consuming food rich in dietary fiber helps to reduce the workload of the liver.

Green leafy vegetables are high in antioxidants that help to protect the liver from the free-radical damage it incurs by processing toxins.  Chlorophyll (the green pigment of plants) reduces absorption of toxins from the gut, thereby reducing the toxin load the liver has to handle.  Chlorophyllin, a water-soluble derivative of chlorophyll, reduces the formation of DNA adducts* from heterocyclic amines which damage the colon.  It also reduces the development of aflatoxin B1, a carcinogenic mold that damages the liver.  Residents of Qidong, People’s Republic of China, are at high risk for developing liver cancer, partly from consumption of foods contaminated with aflatoxins.  Animal models show that chlorophyllin is an effective inhibitor of liver cancer since it blocks the bioavailability of aflatoxin.  Individuals of Qidong, China, who were given chlorophyllin, had a fifty-five percent reduction in aflatoxin biomarkers, compared with those who took a placebo.

Legumes offer special benefits to the liver.  Their phytic acid helps to protect the liver and colon from cancer.  Soybeans, in particular, improve the antioxidant activity of the liver.  As previously mentioned, antioxidants destroy harmful free radicals.  Mung beans and black beans have been shown to help protect the liver from some of this free-radical damage.  Legumes can reduce the cholesterol and triglyceride levels in the liver.  They help the LDL receptors in the liver remove bad cholesterol (LDL) from the general circulation.  They are a source of the amino acid arginine; animal studies show that arginine reverses the inflammatory and fibrotic changes in the liver that occur from ingestion of alcohol, even when the alcohol consumption is continued.

Liver Enzymes

In its detoxification of poisons and cancer-producing agents, the liver’s phase-1 liver enzymes begin to break apart carcinogens, but the resulting byproducts of this process can be even more toxic.  However, phase-1 enzyme activity is essential to prepare the toxins for total destruction by phase-2 enzymes.  For the destruction to take place, the phase-2 enzymes must be synchronized with phase-1 activity, or the dangerous toxin level escalates.  The typical American diet, low in fruits and vegetables, causes phase-2 enzymes to lag behind phase-1 enzyme activity and toxic effects accumulate.  We can help the liver increase its phase-2 activity by eating cruciferous vegetables, citrus fruits, strawberries, raspberries, and raw apples.  Not too terribly difficult to do!  The herbs, turmeric and rosemary, also stimulate phase-2 activity.
Glutathione is needed for phase-2 detoxification.  Glutathione is an amino acid complex of glutamic acid, cysteine, and glyceine and is also an important antioxidant that scavenges free radicals and protects the liver.  Stress, obesity, toxins or drugs, alcohol, too much dietary fat, and severe exercise deplete the liver of glutathione.  Lemon contains a special flavonoid that counters this depletion and reduces oxidative stress occurring in the liver.  The trace mineral, selenium, is necessary for glutathione to do its work.  Avocadoes, asparagus, potatoes, raw tomatoes, grapefruit, strawberries, and watermelon are all good sources of glutathione.  As foods are processed, they lose some of their glutathione content.  Oral glutathione supplements are not well absorbed.

Life’s Application: Total Detoxification

The liver is one of the major organs involved in detoxification, but do we need spiritual detoxification, too?  Jesus cautioned us in Luke 21:34, “Take heed to yourselves lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting and drunkenness, and cares of this life.”  Overeating, indulgence, alcohol, and stress can damage our spiritual life, just as they do our livers.  As humans our minds also need detoxification because they have become polluted by the influences of a corrupt world and the desires of a sinful nature.  How can we detoxify our mind?  Psalm 119:9 holds one clue, “Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way?  By taking heed, thereto, according to thy word.”  Only as we internalize His grace, His love, and His principles, can our minds become pure in motives and actions.
*a perverting junction of DNA and a cancer-producing molecule

excerpted from online Lifestyle Physiology course at www.healthevangelism.com/online

All rights reserved by author, 2008  No publication or mass duplication without author’s permission.

References

Andersen, T., Liver and gallbladder disease before and after very-low-calorie diets. Am J Clin Nutr, 56(1 Suppl):235S-239S, 1992.

Buldilion, F.G., et al, Gastroenterology School. Faculty of Medicine, 2nd University of Naples, Naples, Italy.

Egner, P.A., et al, Chlorophyllin intervention reduces aflatoxin-DNA adducts in individuals at at high risk for liver cancer. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA, 98(25):14601-6, 2001.

Hall, Elizabeth, The Healthy Liver. The Journal of Health and Healing, 25:2

Li, Z., et al, Probiotics and antibodies to TNF inhibit inflammatory activity and improve nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Hepatology, 37(2):343-50, 2003.

Luke 21:34, The Bible, KJV.

Mehta, K., et al, Nutri Rev, 60(9):289-93, 2002.Youssef, W.I., and McCullough, A.J., Steatohepatitis in obese individuals. Best Pract Res Clin Gastroenterol, 16(5):733-47, 2002.

Nedley, N., Proof Positive. Nedley Publishers, Ardmore, OK, 1999, pp.193-210.

Youssef, W.I., and McCullough, A.J., Steatohepatitis in obese individuals.  Best Pract Res Clin Gastroenterol, 16(5):733-747, 2002.

Sleep expert Dr. James Maas asks these three questions: Do you need an alarm clock in order to wake up in the morning? Do you hit the snooze button a few times before finally getting out of bed? Do you sleep extra hours on the weekend? If so, consider yourself one of the millions of chronically sleep-deprived people.

The National Sleep Foundation’s 2005 Sleep in America Poll showed that U.S. adults are generally sleeping on average 6.9 hours a night, including both weekdays and weekend sleep. Forty percent reported sleeping less than seven hours on weekdays, and 71% were sleeping less than eight hours on weekdays.(1) According to James Maas, at least 63 million American adults are moderately to severely sleep deprived. Forty- million Americans suffer from one or more of the 81 known sleep disorders. Estimates for Australians are that almost 90% of people suffer from a sleep disorder at some time or times in their lives, with 30% suffering a severe or serious disorder.(2) Nearly every high school and college student needs 9 ½ hours of sleep to be fully alert, yet he or she usually averages only six hours a night.

Sleep deprivation costs Americans more than 100 billion dollars annually. Sleep deprivation induces significant reduction in performance and alertness. Unfortunately, reducing one’s nighttime sleep by as little as 1 ½ hours for just one night could result in a reduction of daytime alertness by as much as 32%.(3) Studies suggest that sleeping five or fewer hours per night may increase mortality risk by as much as 15%.4

SHORT-CUT TO SERIOUS TROUBLE

Consider these facts:

Less Sleep = More Accidents

The Institute of Medicine estimates that drowsy driving is responsible for 20% of all motor vehicle crashes. That means that drowsy driving causes one million crashes, 500,000 injuries, and 8,000 deaths each year in the U.S.(5) Researchers in Australia and New Zealand report that sleep deprivation can have some of the same hazardous effects as being drunk. They found that sleeping less than six hours a night substantially affects coordination, reaction time, and judgment. They also discovered that people who drove after being awake for 17 to 19 hours performed worse than those with a blood alcohol level of .05%.(6) That’s the legal limit for drunk driving in most western European countries, though many U.S. states set their blood alcohol limits at .08%. Being awake for 22 hours straight slows your reaction time more than drinking four alcoholic drinks.

Less Sleep = More Cardiovascular Disease

Dr. David White and colleagues of Harvard University studied data collected from five countries and found that if one sleeps less than six to seven hours per night, the risk for heart attack increases sharply. In their studies, individuals who slept about five hours a night had about a 40% higher risk of having a heart attack than did people that slept eight hours a night.(7)

IMMUNE SUPPRESSION

In a study involving nearly 4,033 women under age 65, researchers at the National Cancer Institute reported that women who consistently slept less than seven hours a night had a 47% higher risk of cancer.(8) A study by the National Cancer Institute found that exercising can reduce a woman’s risk of cancer by as much as 20% and that sleeping less than seven hours a night eliminates the cancer-fighting benefits of exercise.(9) In some cases, lack of sleep increased the risk for cancer by 50%. Studies show that even partial sleep deprivation decreases natural killer cell activity by 30%.(10) Natural killer cells destroy viruses and cancer cells. Sleep deprivation also affects the immune system in milder ways. A recent study showed that people who averaged less than seven hours of sleep a night were about three times more likely to develop cold symptoms when exposed to the cold-causing rhinovirus than study volunteers who got eight or more hours of sleep. In addition, those individuals who got better quality sleep were the least likely to come down with a cold.(11)

FATTER

People who sleep six hours a night are 23% more likely to be obese than those sleeping seven to nine hours per night. Other studies from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine showed that about 33% of those who slept less than six hours a night and 26% of those who slept nine hours a night or more were obese. Normal sleepers were the thinnest group.(12), (13)

MORE INFLAMMATION

Two hours of sleep deprivation nightly for one week in healthy individuals is also associated with marked activation of the body’s inflammation system. Even partial sleep deprivation increases the levels of alpha-tumor necrosis factor, interleukin-6, and C-reactive protein, all of which are pro-inflammatory agents and markers.(14) This is important because chronic inflammation fuels chronic disease.

GRUMPY AND WORSE

Studies have shown that even partial sleep deprivation has a significant effect on the mood.(15) Researchers from the University of Pennsylvania found that individuals who were limited to only 4 ½ hours of sleep a night for one week reported feeling more stressed, angry, sad, and mentally exhausted. Fortunately, when the subjects resumed normal sleep, they reported a dramatic improvement in mood.(16) Sleep problems might, in turn, contribute to mental disorders. Chronic insomnia may increase an individual’s risk of developing a mood disorder, such as depression or anxiety. In one major study of 10,000 adults, people with insomnia were five times more likely to develop depression.(17) In the same study, people with insomnia were 20 times more likely to develop panic disorder.

Another study showed that insomnia is a reliable predictor of depression, and many other psychiatric disorders, including all types of anxiety disorders. The amount of sleep a person gets also impacts the severity of mental symptoms if they already have either a tendency toward, or an actual, mental disorder. Researchers at Harvard and Berkeley studied the brain scans of participants who were deprived of sleep for 25 hours. In most participants amygdalae (a part of the brain that is responsible for emotional reactions) activity was 60% higher for sleep-deprived participants than in those participants who slept.(18) When the amygdalae become overactive, fear and emotional responses predominate over reason. Consequently, self-control is impaired.

TYPES OF SLEEP

There are two types of sleep: non-rapid-eye-movement sleep (NREM) and REM. The deepest levels of sleep are stages 3 and 4 of NREM sleep, often referred to as slow-wave sleep. During slow-wave sleep there is an increased blood supply to the muscles. Muscles totally relax. The heart rate and respiration slows while blood pressure decreases. Growth hormone is released, which facilitates the entry of amino acids into the cells, and thus promotes protein synthesis in the ribosomes. Consequently, there are faster repair processes and wound healing, healthier joints, stronger muscles, and brighter minds. Growth hormone also promotes fat catabolism. In short, sleep deprivation blunts growth hormone and promotes fat synthesis in the body while reducing protein synthesis.

Rapid-eye-movement (REM) sleep accounts for 25% of a night’s sleep. It first occurs about 90 minutes after falling asleep and then recurs about every 90 minutes, getting longer later in the night. During REM sleep dreams occur, and neurotransmitters are replenished. REM sleep helps to facilitate memory storage and retention. It is essential for preparing the mind for peak daytime performance.

SLEEP IMPACTS THE NERVOUS SYSTEM

PET brain studies show that sleep deprivation exerts many of the same effects as drinking alcohol upon the prefrontal cortex, the executive command center of the brain. Thus, our ability to choose, plan, and execute ideas is compromised. Studies on sleep-deprived soldiers show that sleep deprivation degrades the higher, more complex mental processes.(19) It especially decreases the efficiency of key areas of the brain involved in speech, language, and memory. Memory lapses, decreased ability to concentrate, and impatience result from inadequate sleep. Sleep deprived individuals do not have the speed or creative abilities to cope with making quick, but logical decisions, nor do they have the ability to implement them well. Adolescents who get less than eight hours of sleep have difficulty with complex tasks.(20) Studies have demonstrated that losing an hour of optimal sleep impairs one’s ability to multi-task.(21), (22)

Restricting sleep below an individual’s optimal time in bed can cause a range of neurobehavioral deficits, including lapses of attention and thought, slowed working memory, and depressed mood. Laboratory studies of healthy adults subjected to sleep restriction have found adverse effects on endocrine functions and metabolic and inflammatory responses.(23) Researchers from the University of Pennsylvania found that after days of chronic sleep restriction below 7 hours per night, significant daytime cognitive dysfunction accumulates to levels comparable to that found after severe, acute, total sleep deprivation.(24) They also found that chronic sleep debt is accumulative. Studies show that we need between seven to eight hours of good quality sleep per night.

SLEEP, SNS, AND HYPERTENSION

Insufficient sleep dysregulates the balance between the sympathetic and parasympathetic divisions of the autonomic nervous system because during deep sleep, sympathetic nerve activity is generally decreased and parasympathetic nerve activity is increased. The sympathetic nerves help to mobilize us to action in times of stress. Blood pressure, heart rate, and blood sugar increase while digestive processes slow down under sympathetic influences. The parasympathetic nerves slow the heart rate, stimulate the digestive process, and help us to take care of our daily needs. We actually need a balance of both systems. However, excessive sympathetic tone and decreased parasympathetic tone can contribute to high blood pressure, diabetes, and electrical disturbances of the heart’s rate and rhythm. The Harvard School of Health, for example, studied 4,800 adults between ages 32-59. The study found that those who averaged less than five hours of sleep per night were about 60% more likely to develop high blood pressure than those who got six or more hours of sleep.(25)

People who sleep five hours or less a night increase their risk for hypertension based on the NHANES I data from 4,810 people aged 32-86 who did not have hypertension at baseline. Of the younger people aged 32-59 years who slept five hours or less a night, 23.6% developed hypertension compared with 11.8% of those who got seven to eight hours of sleep. Subjects who slept five or less hours per night continued to have a greater risk for hypertension after controlling for factors such as obesity, diabetes, physical activity, salt and alcohol consumption, smoking, depression, age, education, gender, and ethnicity.(26)

Why is this? Sleep debt leads to a prolonged exposure to greater sympathetic influences. Additionally, an activated sympathetic nervous system, also could accentuate structural remodeling in the blood vessels and major organs that regulate blood pressure, including the heart and kidneys. Additionally, an activated sympathetic nervous system increases the renal sodium retention which contributes to elevated blood pressure.

SLEEP IMPACTS THE ENDOCRINE SYSTEM

As mentioned before, deficient sleep increases sympathetic influences and reduces parasympathetic influences. Endocrine glands are vulnerable to these autonomic nervous system influences.(27) Normally the anti-inflammatory, adrenal hormone, cortisol, decreases in the evening and rises in the early morning. However, partial sleep deprivation increases cortisol production in the evening.(28) This extra cortisol actually inhibits protein synthesis in the brain and muscle cells, joints, gastrointestinal tract, and immune system so that their efficiency is compromised. Cortisol causes, in turn, the release of insulin, and insulin is a storage hormone that promotes fat storage.

The thyroid hormones regulate metabolism—the sum of all the chemical processes that occur inside our body. Thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) from the pituitary gland stimulates the thyroid gland to produce its hormones. After six days of four-hour sleep time, the normal nocturnal thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) rise is strikingly decreased, and the overall mean TSH levels are reduced by more than 30%.(29) Consequently, the production of the thyroid hormones is reduced.

The regulation of leptin, a hormone released by the fat cells that signals satiety to the brain and thus suppresses appetite, is strikingly dependent on sleep duration. After six days of bedtime restriction to four hours per night, the plasma concentration of leptin was markedly decreased, particularly during nighttime.(30)

SLEEP DEPRIVATION, OBESITY, AND APPETITE

Research shows that sleep-deprived people may increase their caloric consumption by as much as 15%.(31) Chronic sleep loss may increase the risk of diabetes because it impairs the way the body disposes of glucose. A study of 28,000 children and 15,000 adults showed that sleep deprivation doubles the risk of obesity in both children and adults.(32) Lack of sleep increases the hormone, grehlin, which stimulates the appetite and reduces leptin, the hormone that promotes satiety.(33)

NATURAL REMEDIES FOR SLEEP AIDS

1. Get at least thirty minutes of physical exercise per day, even if it is in several smaller segments of time. Studies show that daily regular aerobic exercise helps to reduce stress, anxiety, and depression.

2. Gradually reduce caffeine consumption to the point of eliminating it entirely. Caffeine reduces the quality of slow-wave sleep, the most restorative sleep, increases the time it takes to get to sleep, enhances the impact of stressors, and magnifies the effects of stress hormones. A morning dose can interfere with nighttime sleep. It also magnifies the effects of the sympathetic nervous system.

3. Cultivate regularity in rising and retiring. Studies show that fatigue occurs four hours sooner on an irregular schedule than on a regular schedule. According to Dr. James Maas, research shows that if you take two groups of students and have them both get an equal number of hours of sleep, but group one goes to bed on what we call a “yoyo schedule” – they can go to bed at 11 p.m. one night and 3 a.m. the next – and group two goes to sleep at the same time every night, group two will be significantly more alert than group one.(34) Have the room at a comfortable temperature with a little fresh air. The room should be totally dark for optimal production of melatonin, a sleep-promoting, anti-oxidizing, immune-bolstering, and cardiovascular-protecting hormone.

4. Eat a light third meal consisting mainly of fruit or, better yet, skip supper if you are overweight or sedentary. Skipping supper increases the production of growth hormone during deep sleep. This valuable hormone assists in tissue repair, improves efficiency of the immune system, and increases the ability of the body to burn fat.

5. Before retiring, soak in a lukewarm tub of water; then go to bed immediately.

6. Both the herbs hops and passionflower in the form of tea induce sleep. If you are taking medications, check with your pharmacist before taking any herbs in medicinal amounts so as to avoid a possible drug-herb interaction. 7. See your physician if these simple remedies do not help you have restorative sleep.

Spiritual Application: Father Knows Best

God was right when He said, “evening and morning,” in that order, constitute the days of our lives.(35) As the great Creator, He knew that we needed the deep restorative sleep of the night as a preparation for the activities of the coming day. Centuries ago the psalmist observed, “It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows, for so He gives His beloved sleep.”(36) Modern medical research affirms the truth of this time-tested counsel.

This article is copyrighted by the online College of Health Evangelism and is excerpted from the e-book, Keys to Optimal Health and Happiness (available from the online division of CHE 706-820-1493. ext 1440,1040

REFERENCES

(1). Brink, S., Sleep: it’s required, www.nwseo.org/pdfs/Sleepart1006, Oct 24, 2006.

(2) Proposal for a national sleep health agenda, http://www.sleepaus.on.net/nationalsleephealthagenda, June 2003.

(3). Bell, V., How sleep deprivation affects work performance, www.thefabricator.com/Safety/Safety_Article.cfm?ID=1111.

(4). Colten, H.R. and Altevogt, B.M., (editors) Sleep Disorders and Sleep Deprivation: An Unmet Public Health Problem. Board on Health Sciences Policy, National Academies Press, 2006.

(5). Ibid.

(6). Labovick, L., Drowsy Driving, www.injurylaw.labovick.com/tags/drowsy-driving, June 2007.

(7). Sleep deprivation: a health hazard yet to be taken seriously, www.ehealthnews.eu/content/view/1609/26/.

(8). Gever, J., AACR: Exercise and poor sleep combine as odd cancer risk,www.medpagetoday.com/Cardiology/Prevention/11848.

(9). Exercise, sleep help women fight cancer, www.wral.com/lifestyles/healthteam/story/4004264, Nov 21, 2008.

(10). Irwin, M., et al, partial sleep deprivation reduces natural killer cell activity in humans, www.psychosomaticmedicine.org/cgi/reprint/56/6/493.

(11). Cohen, S., et al, sleep habits and susceptibility to the common cold, Arch of Intern Med, 169(1):62-67, 2009.

(12). Schardt, D., How sleep affects your weight, cspinet.org/nah/08_05/perchance_can.

(13). Study ties amount of sleep to obesity, cbs11tv.com/health/sleep.obesity.study.2.717955, May 7, 2008.

(14). Simpson, N., et al, Sleep and inflammation. Nutr Rev, 65(12 pt. 2):S244-52, 2007.

(15). www.healthysleep.med.harvard.edu/need-sleep/whats-in-it…/mood

(16). Dinges, D., et al, Cumulative sleepiness, mood disturbance, and psychomotor vigilance decrements during a week of sleep restricted to 4 – 5 hours per night. Sleep, 20 (4): 267–277, 1997.

(17). Neckelmann, D., et al, Chronic Insomnia as a Risk Factor for Developing Anxiety and Depression. Sleep, 30(7): 873-880, 2007.

(18). Weissman, M., et al, The morbidity of insomnia uncomplicated by psychiatric disorders. General Hospital Psychiatry, 19(4): 245–250, 1997.

(19). www.armymedicine.army.mil/reports/mhat/mhat_v/Redacted1-MHATV-OIF-APPENDIX-F.

(20). Enough sleep improves memory, Flinders University, July 25, 2008.

(21). ‘Sleep debts’ accrue when nightly sleep totals six hours or fewer. University Of Pennsylvania Medical Center, March 14, 2003.

(22). Martin, F., et al, The effects of sleep deprivation and stress on fatigue and performance, www.amc.edu.au/ports.shipping/mlm/papers/MartinGrewal-FatiguePresentation.

(23). Banks, S., et al, Behavioral and physiological consequences of sleep restriction. J Clin Sleep Med, 15:3(5):519-28, 2007.

(24). Ibid.

(25). Bakalar, N., Research ties lack of sleep to risk for hypertension. New York Times, April 24, 2009.

(26). Lack of sleep linked to increased risk of high blood pressure, www.medscape.com/viewarticle/530242_7.

(27). Van Cauter, E., et al, The impact of sleep deprivation on hormones and metabolism, cme.medscape.com/viewarticle/50282-5

(28). Leproult, R., et al, Sleep loss results in an elevation of cortisol levels the next evening. Sleep, 20:865-870, 1997.

(29). Ibid., Van Cauter, E.

(30). Ibid., Van Cauter, E.

(31). Craig, W.J., Don’t Cheat Yourself 24/7, www.vegetarian-nutrition.info/nuggets/cheat_yourself.php.

(32). Obesity in children and adults: sleep deprivation doubles risk, www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/47181.php.

(34). Bosley, Galen, Get Your Rest, www.wildwoodhealth.com.

(35). Genesis 1:5, 8, 13, The Bible.

(36). Psalm 127:2, The Bible.