I have heard so many things about apple cider vinegar (ACV) recently that I’ve decided to look into it myself. Not knowing enough about something doesn’t deter me from sharing what I find… I look for excuses to jump into the research and see if there are any significant benefits to everything I might expose myself to! So… Here we go!✓ Here are a few of the health benefits I’ve heard about…and then..whether or not there is evidence to supports it. 1- Apple Cider Vinegar Reduces Blood Sugar Many of you may already know that Type 2 diabetes is characterized by insulin resistance. This means that your body does not react as it should to the insulin your pancreas releases. You make insulin… your body is not sensitive enough to respond to it, so the sugar in your blood…stays there instead of being picked up by your body cells and used as energy.✓ 2. So, where does this benefit from vinegar come from? Vinegar makes your body more sensitive to insulin! Research showed a 34% improvement in insulin sensitivity in diabetic participants and a 19% improvement in the control group. So benefits were observed in both diabetics and non-diabetics. Just having some vinegar before bed can even help reduce your morning blood sugar levels. Research has recommended that vinegar be looked into for POSSIBLE adjunct therapy for diabetes (adjunct = besides, to…other diabetic meds). So does this mean you SHOULD add apple cider vinegar to your diet? Why not? 3. Not only can it add to the flavor of your foods, …but if it can also help you maintain your sugar within the normal range, then I don’t see why you wouldn’t. This DOES NOT mean you should stop your medications and replace them with ACV. Always mention changes to your diet to your physician, especially when done to affect your health.✓ Weight Loss 1. Weight Loss Research shows that acetic acid, a component in vinegar … all kinds of vinegar…promotes weight loss in MICE! IT showed decreased food intake and changes in the microbes in the gut (both of which can affect your weight). One study among obese Japanese participants found that daily vinegar intake reduced weight, BMI, waist circumference, fat around the belly, and blood triglycerides.✓ So… should you add some ACV to your diet to help you maintain or lose weight? Sure.. why not. If food is medicine, then use it to your benefit! 2. Apple Cider Vinegar Improves Acne No actual evidence for this was found. The closest thing was a study done on alternative medicine that had vinegar in it, meant to be applied externally and combined with a low-calorie diet. It showed improved symptoms in acne. However, there were other ingredients in the medication, and it was combined with a lower calorie diet. It’s hard to say the vinegar was the cause of the improvement based on that information.✓ So if you like apple cider vinegar, and since using it, you’ve noticed an improvement in your acne… by all means, continue using it. Suppose you’ve never tried it but want to.. why not. Give it a shot! If applying ACV externally improved your acne.. then be sure to let me know! I’d love to hear more! 3. Apple Cider Vinegar: Great for your Heart Two things can be affected here… oxidative stress (the stress that leads to plaque deposition in your arteries, which then closes them up, preventing blood from getting to the heart, aka causing a heart attack)….and the blood pressure. So let’s talk about those two for a second here. With regards to oxidative stress… a reduction of oxidation was seen in High Fat Fed RATS. No individual results yet… meaning that these results don’t help us much other than… obese rats benefited. Sure, research usually begins with animal trials and later human trials…but no social study has been released yet. What about blood pressure? Evidence supports the effect of Acetic Acid (inside ACV) on blood pressure. It has been shown to lower blood pressure. How? In a way similar to a class of drugs used to treat high blood pressure (Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors, aka ACEI such as lisinopril and captopril, etc.). This drug inhibits the conversion of angiotensin into angiotensin II (which causes vasoconstriction and, therefore, higher blood pressure). By preventing that conversion, you don’t have angiotensin II and therefore don’t have that constricted blood vessels that lead to higher blood pressure. Acetic Acid has been shown to act similarly. It doesn’t prevent the conversion to angiotensin II… but it does affect renin, which can lead to angiotensin II. So by reducing renin, there is less angiotensin I to convert to angiotensin II. Which has the net effect of lowering blood pressure? Hopefully, I didn’t lose you guys with all that science!! I know I know I couldn’t help myself! 4. Anti-Cancer The only piece of evidence here was conducted in mice where they saw cell death of cancer cells and inhibition of inflammation with the use of COCONUT WATER VINEGAR. But.. beyond that, there isn’t anything too substantial to support the use of ACV in cancer prevention. If you like it, and you feel better by taking it. I don’t see why you shouldn’t continue using it. But as for using it specifically for cancer prevention, there isn’t enough evidence to show that it does. But relax… and consume on…ha! 5. Varicosity Symptoms A study found that applying apple cider vinegar (externally) over the areas affected by varicosities helped improve symptoms such as leg cramps, pain, swelling, itching, leg fatigue, and pigmentation (meaning darkening of the skin). It even helped reduce the anxiety from social appearance as well as pain perception. For those who have never had varicosities in their lower extremities, this may not seem like a big deal, but for those who have… this will likely make you want to start applying some apple cider vinegar to the areas affected. Not only were these results found… they were statistically significant, which
Baby, don’t hurt me… kidding… HA! Though… What is love? It’s such a powerful emotion! And it’s not specific to just one thing or person. You feel it for your pets, your friends, your family, significant others, and yourself! Especially yourself. What is LOVE? LOVE is at the core of everything! What career you choose, what hobbies you take on, what skills you wish to perfect. LOVE moves us all.. and we need it more than you think. So this coming week, I want you all to forget that Valentine’s Day is about one specific relationship.✓ I want you to think; it’s about every single relationship you have ever had with anyone, including yourself. As humans, we are social beings. We need to connect with other humans. Social isolation can be extremely harmful. Have any of you heard of Harlow’s monkeys? Harry Harlow was an American psychologist who used monkeys to study emotional attachment and separation from their mothers. Monkeys preferred a mom that was cuddly (cloth mom that gave the monkey food), and further, monkeys who had a cuddly mom looked for the mom when presented with stressful situations. Monkeys with metal moms (who also gave nourishment) rocked back and forth and threw themselves on the floor when presented with stressful situations.✓ Harlow found that the maternal bond depended on more than just getting food. It depended on things like love and affection. So yes, love is everywhere and at the core of every relationship. Let’s not forget that LOVE is exceptionally beneficial for your mental health and wellness. What is LOVE? When you do things you love, you have a positive effect on your brain, including stress reduction. When you love or are in love, similar things happen. There is a calming effect, anti-stress effect on your mind and body when you LOVE. So this Valentine’s Day I hope you realize that when “Love is on the Brain”… its no joke. It’s also hormonal. Oxytocin plays a role in love, protective feelings, and attachment. Not only that, but did you guys know that oxytocin, the hormone released when you love, has healing properties…. In the heart?? So yes… it can heal a broken heart. It has therapeutic properties in the heart, anti-inflammatory, and anti-oxidant properties when it comes to atherosclerosis, aka plaque formation in the arteries.. which leads to heart disease. Not only that, but animals in isolation don’t heal as well as social animals. Mothers of premature babies are motivated to touch and hold their infants. Create the bond. It reduces the stress response of the infant and improves weight gain and outcomes. As you can see, there is so much more to love than just one type of relationship. Let’s not forget the love you have for yourself. Self-esteem and self-respect are at the core of loving yourself. If you don’t see reasons to love yourself, your self-esteem and self-respect fall low. This brings about doubt, self-isolation, depression, and more. So this Valentine’s Day, Love yourself! Treat yourself! Love your family, love your friends. Do things you love with the people you love. Give your brain what it needs to stay healthy. I have always said that a healthy mind helps you have a healthy body and vice versa. The mind-body connection is as essential as any. So… what’s love got to do with it? EVERYTHING! Happy Valentine’s Day! And don’t miss out I’m Bananas For Bananas; Wanna Know Why? Coffee What’s Good What’s Bad? Share: More Posts NewsLetter Recent Articles Discover More Articles
What’s the first thing you do in the morning? Grab a cup of coffee. You’re not alone! Millions of people around the globe depend on coffee to begin their day. Do you think they’ve researched this? Yes! Scientists and doctors are divided over one issue, is coffee good or bad for health? Let’s find out. First, what are the benefits of coffee? Coffee boosts Performance We can all vouch for that cup of black coffee when it comes to performing at our best. The caffeine present in coffee increases the level of adrenaline in the blood, which helps us to prepare better for physical exertion and gives us more stamina.✓ Coffee boosts memory A study by the University of Florida reveals that having coffee decreases your chance of getting dementia and Alzheimer’s. People who consume coffee regularly experience a slower rate of cognitive decline and lower risk of cognitive impairment.✓ Coffee lowers the chance of getting oral cancer The risk of getting mouth and upper throat cancer is lower in people who drink coffee daily. May decrease pain associated with exercise One study showed that a caffeine dose 1 hour before exercise helped decrease leg pain by 27% if in hot environments (33 C), but had no effects in the cold. Also, pain perception was 74% higher in the heat than in the cold, and caffeine partially tempered it. Cognitive Benefits of Coffee Coffee improves our focus, concentration, and alertness. What about the risk of Diabetes? Reduce the risk of getting type 2 diabetes lowers the risk of stroke. A meta-analysis showed that 4 cups or more of coffee per day was preventative Longevity. A new study found that people who drink more coffee live longer! How? Telomeres are small protective ends on your chromosomes, …which you get 23 from mom, 23 from dad. As your DNA replicates, the telomeres get chopped off, and eventually, the DNA dies, your cell dies, and your age. Coffee was found to be associated with longer telomeres. Therefore you live longer! Negative Effects of Coffee But what is wrong about it? Drinking excessive coffee disrupts sleep patterns. It also increases anxiety making you more restless. So, if you have insomnia or are sleep deprived, having coffee may increase your problem. Caffeine interacts with some drugs and may cause adverse effects.✓ If you have thyroid, depression, or take psychiatric drugs, you should consult your doctor about drinking coffee. Postmenopausal women should restrict their intake of caffeine as they may experience the spinal bone loss if they are taking enough calcium. People who suffer from heartburn and acid reflux should avoid drinking coffee as it may aggravate the symptoms. Coffee may not be prudent in people with high cholesterol. It has been found in a study that caffeine is bad for babies. Even unborn babies are sensitive to it. So, pregnant women should stay away from it or restrict their intake to only one cup a day, which is advised by their OBGYNs during pregnancy. Why? Some studies show that maternal caffeine intake early in pregnancy is associated with behavioral disorders later in the life of the child. Other studies show that as long as it’s <300mg/day, then there is little risk to the fetus. Another study showed that high caffeine intake during pregnancy was associated with adverse effects on fetal growth. Babies were born smaller. They had smaller head circumferences, all of which are known as small-for-gestational-age infants at birth. Meaning, they were born smaller. Are you perplexed? Cannot decide whether to have your coffee or not? We would suggest you drink coffee in moderation. Do not take coffee after 8 ‘o’clock as it may disrupt your sleep, but if you’re like me, you might still get Zzz’s you need. If you have Diabetes or high blood sugar, you may be told to limit yourself to one or two cups of coffee. Studies show that moderate coffee intake is NOT HARMFUL in these diseases, and some studies even show that average caffeine intake may reduce the risk of developing Diabetes.✓ If you suffer from acid reflux or heartburn, switch to decaf. What about if you have high blood pressure? You can continue drinking your coffee! Studies have shown that regular intake of caffeinated coffee does not increase your risk of high blood pressure (hypertension). Even during pregnancy, no association has been found between coffee and maternal blood pressure.✓ A healthy lifestyle, getting enough nutrition, and physical exercise is what you need to remain healthy. If you love coffee, consume it. If you feel like you had one too many cups today and feel a bit jittery, chances are you should lower your intake the next day. Being of Colombian heritage, I love coffee! And depending on the day, I can drink between 1-4 cups a day. During medical school, I had like 4.. but more recently, I have cut back without trying to. Don’t miss Childhood Obesity in Florida Share: More Posts NewsLetter Recent Articles Discover More Articles
