From eNewsletter 4/11/2020
DID YOU KNOW that higher concentrations of vitamin D3 at diagnosis are associated with a lower mortality risk in colorectal cancer (CRC) patients? However, researchers in a new study from this month's American Journal of Clinical Nutrition wanted to understood the importance of magnesium in vitamin D metabolism. When investigating the interaction between vitamin D3 levels and magnesium, they observed the lowest risk of all-cause mortality in patients with sufficient vitamin D concentrations (at or above 50) and a high magnesium intake compared with patients who were vitamin D deficient and had low magnesium intake. LOW D3 = TWICE THE RISK OF SEVERE COVID-19 Please give an "attaboy" to researchers in our own back yard! A new study conducted at Northwestern University concludes that vitamin D is an essential ingredient to protecting oneself from the coronavirus. The lower the vitamin D levels present in a patient's body, the more likely that person will develop severe symptoms and complications. Data used in this study encompassed numerous hospitals from all over the world, including China, France, Italy, South Korea, and the United States, among others. They found that patients in countries with higher mortality rates, such as Italy and Spain, usually had lower vitamin D levels than patients in other nations. They decided to investigate vitamin D in regards to COVID-19 after noticing the drastic differences in fatality rates between countries. The overriding factor in all age groups was a significant correlation with vitamin D deficiency. An in-depth analysis revealed a correlation between vitamin D levels and cytokine storm (a form of hyper-inflammation due to an overactive immune system). A relationship between vitamin D and mortality rates among COVID-19 patients was noted as well. The research team believes vitamin D is helpful against COVID-19 because it simultaneously boosts our existing immune systems while also preventing new immune responses from going over board. Their analysis shows that, while will not prevent a patient from contracting the virus, it may reduce complications and prevent death in half of those who are infected. You can imagine our reaction when we first came across this study last week :) Now, please tell everyone you know to make sure their vitamin D levels are optimally between 50-75! Here is the full study if interested. PREVENT AND FIGHT CORONAVIRUS: SPECIAL ISSUE If you missed this, please familiarize yourself with the information at this link.
OPTIMAL MIND, OPTIMAL BODY
Steve and Bonnie: The inextricable link between a healthy body, especially the gastrointestinal tract, and a healthy mind has been strengthened. This connection has never been more important to adhere to, buoyed by the latest impeccable research.
Start From the Beginning
It starts pre-conception and into late pregnancy. According to a study in European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, optimal maternal folate levels early in pregnancy were associated with children's fine motor development, and late in pregnancy, were significantly associated with children's language development at age 2. This supports the importance of not just folic acid supplementation across the entire gestation, but making sure any folate genetic mutations are discovered and addressed with the proper supplemental folate source so it can be absorbed properly.
Lifestyle Choices
Children who follow key healthy lifestyle recommendations at age 10 and 11 are much less likely to be diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) by age 14. In one of the first investigations of its kind, the Psychosomatic Medicine study of more than 3000 fifth-grade students showed that those who met at least seven of nine healthy lifestyle recommendations had a substantially lower incidence of ADHD compared to their counterparts who only met between one and three of the criteria. The healthy lifestyle recommendations included diet, physical activity, sleep and screen time, among others.
Controlling Our Sense of Reward
A new study from Neuron will help us overcome the "magic hold" some foods have on us. What food chemists have understood for decades is that sugary and fatty foods activate dopamine neurons. Dopamine is the brain neurotransmitter associated with giving us a sense of reward.
Food chemists know that most of us have depressed reward systems due to genetic mutation, so making dopamine-rewarding foods the most prominent will continually activate intense reward-fulfilling cascades. This is why we consider sugar as addictive, if not more than, the most potent drug.
Researchers discovered one of the keys to controlling this reward cascade: the vagus nerve. Vagus nerve connects the brain to not only the GI tract, but liver and other trunk organs. The nerve can be manipulated in a non-harmful way to condition us to be less addicted to dopamine-rewarding foods.
Until this therapy is approved, you can screen your affinity for dopamine reward through our Pure Genomics panel. Having this knowledge has empowered hundreds of clients to condition themselves against the "dopamine rush".
WILL I ALWAYS HATE BITTER FOODS
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