Aging Archives - PearlMD Rejuvenation

Pearls of Wisdom for Summer-proof Health and Beauty!

Enjoy the outdoors!

Being active outdoors in nature provides more brain benefits than the same amount of exercise would when done in a gym. A 30-minutes nature walk performed 3 or more times per walk as been shown to be as effective as anti-depressant medications in reducing depressive symptoms in mild to moderate depressed individuals. As Canadians, our summer season provides a great chance to be active outdoors with the added brain benefits of a little vitamin D boost from the sun. Whether it is a jog, run, cycle, swim or paddle in a kyak, canoe or stand up board- our Canadian landscapes, lakes and beaches provide endless options.

Wondering which mode of exercise is right for you? Consider our gene based lifestyle programs to get a personalized integrative health plan designed precisely to your genomic, nutritional and metabolic needs and matched to your goals!

Be Sun Smart!

The longer days of summer provide 30% more light and sun exposure than the shorter days of winter. While light is good for our mood and energy, the added UV exposure can be damaging to our skin. Commercial sunscreens often lack sufficient protection from UVA- which are the rays that cause aging, pigmentation and skin cancer. The SPF rating of a sun screen tells you only about the UVB protection factor- which are the rays that burn and tan you. An ideal sunscreen, will provide broad spectrum UVA and B coverage with naturally occurring physical sun-blocks such as micronized (not nano-particles) zinc oxide and titanium dioxide as well as non-benzone containing chemical agents to ensure complete the UVB coverage. By carefully reading labels to avoid potentially irritating and harmful ingredients such as parabens, phthalates, sulfates and benzone-derived chemical sunscreens you can help to reduce not only sun damage but also photo-sensitivity reactions that can be caused when commercial sunscreens interact with sunlight on certain sensitive skin types.

Protect SPF 30 is a slightly tinted silky facial sunscreen with broad spectrum UVA and UVB protection. It combines perfectly with our C-Shine emollient gel that provides a perfect base for sunscreen as it potentiates the sun protective benefits.

Boost your Block!

Omega 3 essential fatty acids such as DHA have been shown to increase the sunburn threshold, potentiate the protective effects of sun screen and reduce the risk of sun damage and skin disease including acne, eczema, psoriasis and skin cancer. The anti-inflammatory and brain benefits of omega 3 fatty acids like DHA have been well established, but their skin benefits are less well known. As our skin is comprised of cellulose, its maintenance and function hinges on a ready supply these important building blocks. A diet rich in healthy fats like salmon, nuts and seeds complimented by a DHA-rich omega 3 supplement can enhance the skin’s ability to shield from UV induced oxidative damage that can not only lead to skin damage but also DNA damage and skin cancer. Select a high quality omega 3 supplement that is pure from toxicities, potent in dose (aim for 1 gram a day of combined EPA and DHA), and enhanced with the additional benefits of astaxanthins, a super-charged carotenoid derived from fish and microalgae that protects from oxidative damage and UV exposure. Astaxanthins are what give salmon their rich pink colour and provide additional skin and eye health benefits.

Bend anti-aging formula is a UV defense skin health omega 3 supplement with a high potency EPA/DHA blend and added zeaxanthin, vitamin D and lutein for skin and eye health. Bend is available in soft gel caps or liquid formula with a natural citrus flavour.

Keep Hydrated!

Hot and humid summer weather can easily leave our skin and body dehydrated. Ensuring ample fluid intake is a great start but –we need more than just water for optimal summertime health and beauty! Increasing our intake of natural body boosters like the vitamins, minerals and electrolytes found in colourful fruits and vegetables is a great start. But beyond veggies and water- adding super foods like a super-nutrient enriched marine collagen can boost summer time skin. Collagen maintains skin structure and hyaluronic acid maintains hydration- holding 1000x it’s weight in water.

Ageless Collagen Protein is a vegan protein blend (hemp-rice-pea) combined with a marine skin matched collagen (10g) in a super-nutrient enriched formula delivering biotin, iron, vitamin C and digestive enzymes to optimally support hair, skin and lean body tissues. Available in unflavoured and chocolate, the formula can be taken with water or blended into your favourite smoothie recipe.

Restore your Skin!

For dry, dehydrated summer time skin- we offer a range of at home and in-clinic treatments to help you rehydrate and restore. Our HydraGlow hyaluronic acid serum is a perfect skin quencher to restore water content to the skin without clogging pores. For a more intense hydrating experience try our POLISH no downtime skin peel which uses a blend of antioxidants and moisturizers to hydrate and our new Nano-Gold Natural Collagen Rejuvenating Masks that boost any in-clinic skin treatment designed for the face, neck and décolletage.

Call us for a complimentary consult to help you achieve Ageless Vitality and summer-proof health and beauty!

Taking Charge of Your Aging

The new science of aging is shedding light on the coveted fountain of youth. Our midlife represents both risk and opportunity. As we creep into our middle years, we often begin to experience disruptive symptoms and face increased risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes and cancer. It is at this critical time that we have the most important opportunity to take charge of our aging. Forget aging gracefully; our generation can choose to age proactively and design the second half of our lives.

But to age well requires that we first understand why we are aging. As we approach midlife, we begin to face accelerated loss of vital factors—our hormones, our nutrients, our sleep and our telomeres. As a result of these losses, rapid aging ensues. Indeed, from the age of 40 to 50 years women age twice as fast as any other decade. While men’s aging speeds up too, by about 60 percent, they do not face the same cliff in the aging process.

The rapid loss of ovarian hormones, estrogen and progesterone, during the years saddling a woman’s menopause contributes to this accelerated aging. By 50 years of age, many other critical hormones have dwindled including melatonin (which sets our sleep-wake cycle), the adrenal hormone DHEA (which has been linked with vitality and libido in women) and other hormones regulating our metabolism.

It is not only our hormonal rhythms that begin to fail, but so too our nutritional status. Even if we take in the required nutrients in our diet, our guts become less able to absorb them. Acquired deficiencies in essential minerals and vitamins may arise interrupting key pathways and functions.

Just a few years ago, Nobel prize winning research unlocked the code to our biological aging. The discovery of telomeres and an enzyme telomerase has shed light on cellular aging. Telomeres are protective caps on the ends of our chromosomes that shorten as we age and place a finite limit on our lifespan. Telomerase is a housekeeping enzyme that functions to preserve telomeres. With defects in the enzyme and shortening of our telomeres, cells face programmed senescence. More recently, it has been shown that telomere length can be improved with comprehensive lifestyle changes including; diet, exercise, stress management and social support.

While hormones and telomeres are important, so too are nutritional factors. Food-gene interactions play an important role in shaping our health, risks of disease and aging. Indeed, our diet provides energy, micronutrients to support our body processes and shapes microbiome (the collection of bacteria housed primarily in the colon). Our diet can also predict our aging. Dietary factors are thought to determine approximately 30 percent of how long we live and can add as much as a decade to our life.

In fact, one of the most robust models of longevity is based on caloric restriction in mice. Mice fed low calorie diets remain more youthful; both on the inside and out. They have longer life expectancies and are also less likely to have cancer, diabetes, and heart disease. They look younger too, with richer fur, fewer wrinkles and less body fat.

In mice and other animal models, caloric restriction has been shown to promote longevity through the activation of sirtuins, proteins known to regulate the lifespan and contribute to genomic stability. A lot of attention has been given recently to the role of sirtuins in aging, because they play an essential role in the cellular response to environmental, physiological and psychological stress.

For sirtuins to work, they depend on a co-enzyme called NAD+. Nicotinamide Riboside (NR), a form of vitamin B3 , is a precursor to NAD+ and plays the vital role in replenishing the supply of NAD + in the cell. Nicotinamide Riboside, as found in the health supplement Tru Niagen, when taken in a single oral dose has been shown to increase human blood levels of NAD+ by 2.7-fold. So it may be possible to mitigate age related decline in NAD+ levels and accentuate the benefits of caloric restriction through the use of NR supplementation to ramp up NAD+ production.

Despite the potential benefits of caloric restriction, it is not a lifestyle intervention that most would be able to follow successfully. To mimic the benefits of starvation, several caloric restriction mimetic diets have been developed. The most popular are the intermittent fasting (IF) diet and the ketogenic diet (KD). IF combines moderate caloric restriction with time restricted eating. At least 3 days per week, a prolonged fast of 12-15 hours sometimes coupled with high intensity exercise (HIIT), is used to activate the sirtuin pathway and other metabolic modifications that occur during fasting. The KD shifts the macronutrient makeup of the diet, to restrict both carbohydrates and often calories. The ketogenic diet drives a switch in the body’s primary fuel from glucose to ketosis, a state where a more energy efficient form of fuel is used, ketone bodies which are derived from stored body fat as well as dietary fat or dietary ketone supplements. The low carbohydrate ketogenic diet is the best studied low carb diet for weight loss, energy, brain health and longevity. IF and KD are complimentary dietary interventions involving sirtuin activation and NAD+. Supplementation with the dietary ketone, betahydroxybutryrate (BHB), and NR may potentiate the benefits of both IF and KD.

Clearly it is not just calorie counting and timed fasting, but rather qualitative factors that can contribute to a longer lifespan.

So, is there a longevity diet? To design one, it is instructive to look at populations who boast the highest proportion of centenarians and longest life expectancy. With an average lifespan of 81-years. Okinawa islanders of Japan are considered the oldest demographic in the world. Compared with other Japanese diets, theirs is lower in calories, carbs and salt and higher in nutrients such as calcium, iron and vitamins.

The Okinawa diet is plant-based with little red meat. American gerontologist, Dr. Craig Willcox authored a book “the Okinawa Program” describing his findings of a 25-year study of Okinawan longevity and recommends that we “eat as low down the food chain as possible.” According to the JAMA network, other studies have confirmed that very low meat intake may contribute to longevity. Vegetarians in three continents have been shown to live longer than people on the Standard American Diet (SAD), high in refined sugars, trans-fats and meat products.

Life stress, especially when it is chronic and extreme, works as the common denominator when it comes to aging. Stress shortens telomeres, depletes NAD+ as well as the pool of precursors needed for healthy hormone balance, impedes nutrient absorption in the gut and leads to inflammation. It is estimated that chronic stress may shave more than seven years off the lifespan due in part to the shortening of telomeres. Proven stress-management techniques such as mindfulness, meditation, deep breathing and visualization as well as tai chi may favorably affect cellular aging by reversing the deleterious effects of stress. New mindfulness based apps and digital tools and technology are making some of these practices more accessible to a larger population who may not access more conventional psychological resources.

The emerging field of “epigenetics” is revealing how our lifestyle, our stress and environmental exposures can affect the expression of our genes. Our DNA is not our destiny but rather a roadmap that is shaped by our lifestyle and life choices. The understanding of how these gene-environment interactions shape our health is the new frontier of Personalized Medicine.

The science of aging is complex and evolving rapidly. Achieving a lifestyle optimal for your genes and body type is the cornerstone to maintaining health and vitality through the ages. We can now choose to take charge of our aging and live longer better.

Bridal Beauty Boost!

Marni’s Protein Smoothie!

The Five Step Guide to Fighting Age Related Weight Gain

The Clear Cut Guide to Fighting Age Related Weight Gain

Despite our collective obsession with counting calories, we are now the fattest generation in history. Obesity levels in Canadian adults have increased from 3 per cent in 2003 to 18.5 per cent in 2012, according to Statistics Canada, with the greatest rate of increase seen in women.

These extra pounds aren’t just about calories.

A tidal wave of risk factors for obesity and metabolic problems is wreaking havoc on our physiology and contributing to the fat phenomenon.

Our evolving understanding of these risk factors is shedding light on the question of why calorie-restricted diets, regardless of regimen, don’t work, or may seem to work only temporarily but are inevitably followed by rebound weight gain. This vicious cycle of weight loss and gain is hazardous to our health. Recent research suggests that yo-yo dieting redistributes toxins from fat tissue exposing the brain to their harmful effects.

So if calorie counting doesn’t work, what can we do about age-related weight gain? The first step is redefining the problem and moving away from a quantitative approach and toward a qualitative framework. I encourage focusing on food quality (not calories) and body composition (not simply pounds on the scale). There are no cookie-cutter solutions, but by understanding an individual’s metabolic, inflammatory, hormonal and psychological status along with their habits and lifestyle a comprehensive plan may be born.

Preventing age-related weight gain requires an individualized, multifaceted approach as diets alone are doomed to fail.

The following five steps target the metabolic, hormonal, psychological, environmental and lifestyle factors contributing to weight gain.

Reset insulin sensitivity
By the time we’re 50, our ability to effectively metabolize dietary carbohydrates has plummeted to about 50 per cent of our level as teenagers. We acquire a varying degree of insulin resistance that makes us more prone to elevated insulin levels even in the setting of normal blood sugar. So while we are not yet diabetic, an unfavourable metabolic cascade is at play with faulty insulin signaling and inflammation. As a result, we become adept at converting the carbs we eat to deep stores of body fat, especially in the belly. Cutting back on grains and highly processed food along with increasing aerobic exercise can improve insulin sensitivity and stop the mid-waist drift.

Restore hormone balance
Declining estrogen and progesterone in women and testosterone in men produces changes in body composition with redistribution and accumulation of deep fat stores coupled with a loss of lean body tissues such as bone and muscle. The role of hormone therapy is well established for maintenance of lean body mass while its role in preventing weight gain is less clear. The decision to initiate hormone therapy must be a highly individualized one between a patient and their qualified physician that considers the total risk-reward profile. While hormone therapy may not be right for all, an easily accessible first step is to reduce harmful environmental exposures. Common household products like skin care and cleaning agents may contain hormone-disrupting or estrogenic chemicals known as “xenoestrogens” that can interfere with hormone balance and increase risk of breast cancer.

Repair the gut
Overgrowth of unfavourable gut bacteria can adversely affect human health and metabolism. New science has shown that the typical Western diet fosters gut bacteria that are more efficient at harvesting energy from food. These gut bugs are much better able to convert the food we eat into calories – literally delivering an even faster version of fast food to our cells with the extra energy being stored as fat. To keep the microbiome thriving, a plant-based, high-fibre diet is preferred as it increases transit time and supports favourable flora. Fermented foods like kimchi and sauerkraut may have an edge on a store-bought probiotic pill as these traditional “germy” foods contain a naturally derived symbiotic blend of both the necessary pre-biotic substances and probiotic organisms. So at once we can live clean and eat dirty to better balance the gut.

Rethink calories
Be mindful of portion size but think mostly in terms of quality, not calories. An energy-equivalent portion of kale and processed fast foods are not equivalent in any other way, as the cruciferous kale is akin to a warehouse of nutrition with anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidative and anti-carcinogenic health benefits. Get more nutritional punch with each bite by loading up on cruciferous vegetables like kale and broccoli instead of starchy ones like potatoes and avoiding processed foods that often have hidden calories.

Reboost brain controls
Sleeplessness and stress are both strongly associated with weight gain and poor dietary choices. Chronic stress produces a state of elevated cortisol, which in turn can lead to insulin resistance. Psychological stress has been shown to alter levels of the satiety hormone, leptin, leading to overconsumption of comfort foods that are high in fat and sugar. Mindfulness-based interventions and stress-management techniques such as tai chi, yoga and deep breathing have been proven to be effective in keeping stress at bay and improving sleep.

Using this five step program you can ensure that you keep your 20 year old physique well into your 80’s!

How to Rekindle your Sexual Desire

With Valentine’s Day soon approaching comes the question, what is the fix to a languishing libido?

While men have many treatment options available to boost their sexual function, women have none. Despite how common the complaint may be, sexual health concerns and a languishing libido remains a complicated and hard to treat issue.

Sexual health problems affect women more than men but remain largely under-recognized. Lack of desire, or hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD), is the most common form of female sexual dysfunction (FSD). With HSDD, a woman may experience a languishing libido but still be able to engage in partnered intercourse. With loss of libido, women are more prone to mood problems and relationship discordance. But how do you treat what can’t be measured? Unlike erectile dysfunction in men, libido is not as easily quantified. Furthermore, the multitude of factors that contribute to sexual desire makes a “magic bullet” solution improbable. For women, sexuality is affected by their level of stress, fatigue, hormones, mood, self-esteem, body perception, vaginal health as well as intimacy. And so, a top to bottom approach starts with rebooting the sexual brain.

To be more sexual, first requires being more present. Forever the multi-taskers, women tend to be less able than men to set aside their worries and the endless mental “to-do”list” and simply be in the moment. To be sexual we must think sexually too. Clearing your mental slate prior to sex can allow a more mindful experience.

Sex is experienced through our senses and our senses are key to our sexuality. Through scent, taste and touch signals are sent to our brain that influence mating, libido, and orgasm. Being sexual then is also about being sensual.

The question of pheromones has long tied our noses to our lust. Animals, plants and even bacteria release chemical signals to attract mates. While no obvious pheromone signal has yet been found in humans, new research is revealing that a signature of chemo-signals released from our bodies may subliminally sway potential partnerings and social relationships. Differences in the major histocompatibility complex (MHC), a set of important immune system genes, imprints us with a unique “odourprint.” It is thought that our “odourprints” play a role in attracting a mate with an unlike MHC. This pairing yields an evolutionary advantage with offspring having a more diverse and more robust immune system.

Our taste buds can send sexual signals too. Aphrodisiacs are substances that increase sexual desire. Chocolate, perhaps the king of natural aphrodisiacs, contains three potent psychoactive compounds; anandamide a feel good chemical, PEA (phelethylamine) the love chemical which releases dopamine in the pleasure centre of the brain and tryptophan, a precursor to serotonin which helps lift mood. The Aztecs called avocado ahuacuati the “testicle tree” and coveted them for their sexual enhancing effects. Other foods and herbs claimed to be aphrodisiacs include; oysters (zinc), chili peppers (capscacin), maca, ginseng, and ginkgo biloba.

While our scents and tastes may help elicit sexual arousal, there is no question as to the vital role in foreplay and sexual touching. From hosting a party to competing in sport, being prepared is key to a successful outcome. Sex is no different. Sexual touching is not only considered the socially accepted sexual norm, it is vital to achieving physiological and psychological readiness. Foreplay readies our bodies for sex; exciting our brains, quickening our heartbeat, and preparing the genitals for intercourse, while also relaxing us through stimulating the release of oxytocin. Forgoing foreplay affects women more than men as their sexual arousal tends to be more complicated. Indeed, research suggests the relationship between sexual touching and the quality of intercourse is stronger in women than in men. There is no one right way to engage in erotic touching. For women, the erotic regions are not related to their sexual organs. Whether it is on the lips, the ear, the scalp or the mons (pubic bone) — women want and need to be touched for proper sexual function. Couples can help each other by sharing the “roadmap” to their erogenous zones.

When it comes to medical therapies, none are as potent in both partners as testosterone. This male sex hormone drives sexual function from libido to orgasm in both men and women. In women, testosterone begins to fall within two years of her menopause coinciding with the frequent complaint of absent or diminished libido. Testosterone’s role in enhancing both sexual and cognitive function in peri- and post-menopausal women has been confirmed by a substantial body of scientific research. However, there remains no government approved pharmacologic testosterone therapies available for use in women in North America.

Sexual dysfunction remains a complex and inadequately addressed concern affecting health, wellbeing and lifestyle.

The solutions need to be as multi-faceted as the problem; addressing the brain, sensory and hormonal aspects as well as intimacy.

So take a hit of that Chanel #5 while dining with your mate on chocolate and oysters to help make this Valentine’s one you both will not forget!

A Complete Plan for Breast Healthy Living

An Ounce of Prevention is Worth a Pound of Cure

When it comes to Breast Cancer, leading science can now take us beyond the Race for the Cure to root out disease through Prevention and Risk Modification

Breast cancer results from uncontrolled growth of breast cells. About 1 in 8 Canadian women will develop invasive breast cancer over the course of her lifetime. Only 20% of women diagnosed with breast cancer have a family history of breast cancer and known gene mutations (such as BRCA1 and BRCA2) account for only 5 to 8% of cases. This means that most breast cancers occurs in women without a family history.

Women living in the US have a 10-fold greater risk of dying from breast cancer as compared to women living in Thailand. When women migrate from areas with a low incidence of breast cancer (i.e. Asia) to North America their breast cancer risk increases. These facts suggest that environment, diet and lifestyle play an important role in shaping risk and combine with our genetic predispositions to determine our health, aging and risk of chronic disease and cancer. Breast biology is largely determined by hormonal and tissue factors. Estrogen is the dominant hormonal signal stimulating the breast and in more differentiated cancers the most common hormonal trigger for metastatic spread. Other tissue factors such as inflammation and injury (chemical, physical or radiation) can also increase risk. The transformation of a normal breast cell to a cancer cells often proceeds the diagnosis by 7 years. During this critical window, early breast cancer remains below the detection limit of our screening tests such as mammograms and physical exam. But in the early subclinical stage, there is the greatest possible impact of risk reduction and prevention through hormone balance, estrogen metabolism and detoxification support and anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidative therapy.

Here is an EIGHT STEP PLAN to reduce risk as part of a BREAST HEALTHY LIFESTYLE;

Restore Hormone Balance

In peri-menopause, the phase prior to menopause which can span 5-7 years, levels of estrogen increase while the anti-estrogen hormone, progesterone, decreases. With the ovarian follicles becoming resistant and no longer ovulating efficiently or at all, progesterone will fall precipitously. Unopposed estrogen is a potent stimulator of breast tissue and linked with hormone sensitive breast cancer. The loss of protective progesterone and related hormonal imbalance in the perimenopause period contribute to the rise in breast cancer risk through the menopause transition.

Decrease Aromatase Activity

After menopause, there is a shift in the balance of estrogens as levels of ovarian estrogen; estradiol (E2) fall and levels of fat derived estrone (E1) rise. The predominant form of estrogen after menopause is estrone, which is more carcinogenic and thrombogenic than ovarian estrogen leading to increased risk of breast cancer and stroke. Estrone is converted from androgens by an enzyme in fat tissue called, aromatase. Estrone (E1) is a potent stimulator of breast tissue and tightly binds to estrogen receptors. Maintaining a healthy body weight and fat percentage can help decrease the amount of estrone produced from testosterone. Dietary factors can block aromatase activity including omega3, green tea extract (EGCG), vitamin C, chrysin and flavinoids. Prescription medications called aromatase inhibitors such as letrozole work in treating and preventing breast cancer by inhibiting this enzyme.

Optimize Estrogen Metabolism and Detoxification

Phase 1 Detoxification

The first phase of estrogen metabolism occurs in the liver along one of three pathways. The “2/16 ratio” considers the ratio of favourable metabolites (2hydroxy-estrone) to less favourable metabolites (16hydroxy-estrone). A high ratio has been shown to confer protection in pre-menopausal women and low levels are associated with fibrocystic breast, increased breast density and breast cancer recurrence. The 2-hydroxy pathway can be supported through dietary factors found in cruciferous vegetables, such as kale and broccoli. These vegetables are rich in glucosinolates; phytochemicals that induce Phase II of detoxification and inactivate carcinogenic chemicals. Cruciferous consumption (unlike total fruit and vegetable consumption) has been associated with reduced risk of lung, colon and breast cancer. The effect is dependent on variations within human genetics and the presence of the ideal gut flora needed to activate the glucosinolates to protective compounds known as isothiocyanates and indoles (i.e. sulforaphane and indole-3-carbinol or I3C). These phytochemicals increase urinary excretion of estrogen and may help to prevent both breast and endometrial cancer.

Phase 2 Detoxification

Phase 2 detoxification involves conversion of intermediate estrogen metabolites into a form that can be excreted by the kidneys. Methylation is one of the most important phase 2 processes that aids in the elimination and inactivation of potentially toxic estrogen metabolites. Women who are poor methylaters may be at increased risk of breast cancer due to accumulation of toxic intermediaries. Because methylation also plays a role in inactivating neurotransmitters, these women may have a personal or family history of mental health problems such as; depression, alcoholism, or attention deficit disorder. Glutathione conjugation is another major mechanism of estrogen inactivation and depends on a set of transferases whose activity can be affected by variations in genetics, nutrition and the presence of gut flora.

Enhance Elimination of Estrogen Metabolites

Phase 3 detoxification is thought to involve a process wherein the metabolic intermediates are excreted through the GI tract. This process depends on a healthy mix of gut bacteria (known as the microbiota) and proper function of the GI tract. Fermented foods, fiber and cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli are key to supporting this phase of detoxification and elimination.

Maintain a healthy Body Weight

Carrying an extra 10 pounds of body fat after age 30 increases the risk of breast cancer by 25%. Deep abdominal fat is most toxic to the body as it is metabolically active and triggers inflammation. Fat also is the major source of estrone production following menopause. Maintain a healthy body weight and body composition (which reflects percentage of body fat and abdominal fat).

Exercise regularly

Regular aerobic exercise reduces insulin resistance and body fat and independently can reduce the risk of breast cancer. Data from the Nurses Health Study has shown that even after a diagnosis of breast cancer, women who exercise enjoy better survival rates.

Avoid Alcohol

Excessive consumption of alcohol is an important risk factor for breast cancer ranking after family history and obesity. Alcohol is a known liver toxin and impairs estrogen metabolism. Drinking more than 3 glasses per week increased the risk of breast cancer by 5-fold in the Nurses Health Study.

Eat the Colour Wheel

Fruits and vegetables are rich in anti-oxidants (vitamin A, C, and selenium). The more colourful the food –the better. Anti-oxidants reduce free radical damage to DNA. Cruciferous vegetables are perhaps the most important food group in breast cancer prevention. These vegetables contain indole-3-carbinol (13C), which increases the 2/16 ratio and sulfurophanes, which enhance phase 2 detoxification. Consume at least 3 servings daily of cruciferous vegetables such as; broccoli, nappa cabbage, cauliflower, Brussel sprouts, and kale.

Limit Environmental Exposure to xeno-estrogens and hormone disrupters

Over 85,000 chemicals have been produced and released into the environment since the end of the Second World War. Chemicals in industrial plastics, pesticides and herbicides (i.e. DDT) as well as colorants can bind to estrogen receptors. These hormone disrupters are called xeno-estrogens and have been linked to early puberty and breast cancer in women and infertility in men. Xeno-estrogen exposure can be limited by consuming organically grown produce, avoiding plastic food containers -especially when rewarming food, and reducing intake of red meat as industrial pollutants bio-accumulate up the food chain.

Be Skin Safe

Our bathrooms , like our kitchens, is one of the most likely places in our homes where we may be exposed to xenoestrogens like parabens. Parabens are a pervasive preservative used in almost all commercial skin and sun care products. The scalp is even more absorbent than the skin and some of the chemicals found in hair dyes are carcinogenic and bind estrogen receptors. Research has linked hair dyes and parabens to increased risk of breast cancer.

Manage your Stress

Mind-body balance is critical to wellbeing and good health. Constant stress contributes to a prolonged state of high cortisol levels, which in turn impairs the function of our immune system. We are dependent on our immune system to detect and eliminate cells damaged by free radicals. It is not uncommon that a woman is diagnosed with breast cancer following a stressful life event such as divorce or death of a loved one. Stress reduction techniques include meditation, moderate exercise, tai chi and yoga and pleasurable activities such as enjoying a massage or bath.
Following the eight tips above can help you better manage the emerging risk factors for developing breast cancer. Unlike mammograms, these breast healthy lifestyle practices can help shape risk of disease. As goes the wise adage, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

There are emerging risk factors for breast cancer including exposure to synthetic hormones such as those used in oral contraceptives and in certain forms of menopause hormone therapy, tobacco smoking, direct trauma or injury to the breast, radiation, stress and environmental exposures.

Regular screening for breast cancer enables early detection –but not prevention. Screening mammograms have been shown to save lives. It is important to partake in regular screening programs involving mammograms every 1 to 2 years after menopause. But there is growing interest and demand for prevention. Research suggests that breast cancer may begin its transformation up to 7 years prior to detection is possible with mammograms. And so, breast healthy lifestyle practices compliment routine screening with a comprehensive approach to improve hormone balance and reduce risk.

How to Maintain a Healthy and Fit Brain

Image attribution: Experiencelife.com

Maintain a Healthy and Fit Brain

Our brains are more adaptive than we ever imagined. Neuroplasticity describes the amazing ability of our brains to reorganize and adapt itself to form new neural connections throughout life in response to interactions with our environment. Scientists have now shown that brain maps are adaptive and malleable and can be “re-wired” in response to environmental triggers so that one area can assume the function of another. Re-organizing of our brain maps though is not the only amazing brain super-power. Recent research has shown that certain areas of our brains poses the ability to regenerate throughout adult life. Neurogenesis, the regeneration of brain cells, plays a vital role in the recovery from brain injury.

So how do we harness the possibilities of neuroplasticity and neurogenesis to maintain a healthy and fit brain function? The answer is largely in our reach. Through targeted lifestyle interventions we can indeed boost our brain health and fitness. Here is a ten step plan to get started.

Exercise your Brain

If you don’t use it, you risk losing it! Brain exercise does not require however a membership in a “Brain Gym” or downloading the latest “Brain Game App”. Instead, you can challenge your brain often with novel and engaging activities. Learning to play a musical instrument, speak a new language or taking on a new hobby can provide ongoing learning and mental challenge. And change your environment. Traveling to new locations and exploring them- without relying on navigation tools to get around- can bolster cognition.

Take Risks and Make Mistakes

Trying new things requires risk taking behaviour. The failures that arise from our own decisions to take risks can often provide better learning experiences than the successes. This is because of the powerful impact of negative feedback in our adaptive neural networking. If you want to know how to do something, trying it and doing it wrong a few times is often necessary to learn and retain the new knowledge. Indeed, we learn a lot from our mistakes. And it is always better to try and fail then to not have tried at all. As Wayne Gretzky has famously said, “You miss 100 percent of the shots you don’t take”.

Practice Positivity and Action-oriented Thinking

Optimism works like a buffer to protect the brain from stress. On the other hand, ruminating, negativity and self-doubt can actually kill neurons and prevent the creation of new ones. A morning ritual of inscribing in a gratitude journal can help drive positive thinking, until optimism is more automatic and the brain can turn to action-oriented productive thoughts. When the brain thinks about action, the learning and networking that occurs nearly matches the mental memory laid down by performing the action. As the Canadian psychiatrist, scientist, and acclaimed author of “The Brain that Changes Itself”, Dr. Norman Doidge, has said; “imaging an act engages the same motor and sensory programs that are involved in doing it.” In other words, merely thinking about action is almost as good for your brain as doing it. So, to paraphrase Nike, is not always necessary to “Just do it” –sometimes we can “Just think about it!”

Keep your Body active

Sitting is the new smoking. Beyond all the other health benefits of being active, exercise also enhances brain function and neurogenesis at any age. Moderate intensity aerobic activity like jogging or cycling, has been shown to boost concentration in school-aged children, improve cognitive performance and reduce the risk of dementia in adults. Exercising outdoors has the added benefit of providing a variable sensory experience. An outdoor run provides a changing terrain, scents, scene, and sounds and in this way is significantly more stimulating and brain boosting than a run of the same duration, intensity and caloric burn performed indoors on a treadmill.

A Strong Frame is needed for a healthy Brain

Aerobic exercise, however is not enough. A healthy brain needs a fit and strong frame. As we age, the maintenance of healthy bones and muscle is highly linked with brain function. The frailty syndrome arises when osteoporosis, weakened and demineralized bone, is accompanied by sarcopenia, the loss of muscle bulk. Frailty in old age can increase the risk of cognitive impairment or dementia. However, by engaging in regular weight resistance exercises we can maintain a strong frame for a healthy brain as we age.

Consume Superfoods for a Better Brain

While the brain accounts for only 2% of your body mass, it consumes 20% of our oxygen and nutrient intake. So is there a brain diet? It turns out that there are brain super foods that can effect mood, memory and brain performance.

Early human brain development (encephalization) tracks closely to the development of a shore based diet rich in fish derived omega 3 fatty acids (notably DHA). In fact, it is thought that our early ancestors encephalization was made possible only when their diet evolved to one rich in DHA. In modern times, fish consumption tracks closely with cognition and mood. Comparative studies have shown that countries where there is little fish consumption face higher rates of depression than countries that have DHA-rich diets. Omega 3 (DHA) rich food sources include fatty fish (sardines, salmon), seeds (flax and chia), krill, and walnuts. Phytonutrients in berries (blueberries) and cruciferous vegetables (like kale) have anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory brain boosting benefits. Brain active flavonoids like quercetin can be found in ginkgo leaves while other sources include cocoa, dark chocolate, and green tea. Coffee, like green tea, contains polyphenols and caffeine and has been shown to improve memory, mental performance, and protect against depression in women.

The MIND diet has been endorsed as a brain healthy diet that combines the Mediterranean diet with a reduced salt heart healthy DASH diet. The MIND diet has been shown to reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease.

Sleep well to Reboot your Brain

A good night’s sleep is vital to brain health. During sleep, the brain is unencumbered to carry out important housekeeping tasks such as flushing out accumulated toxins (like beta-amyloid the hallmark protein of Alzheimer’s) and cementing new learning and memories through neuroplasticity. New research suggests that sleep deprivation blocks neurogenesis involved in memory formation and the regenerative changes needed to repair from daily wear and tear. As a result, lack of sleep can lead to shrinking brain volume. So night owls beware; the sleep deficit accumulated from getting less than seven to eight hours a night may increase the risk of cognitive decline, memory loss, and Alzheimer’s disease.

Balance your Mood

Not only is untreated depression a risk to your health, but it can also threaten your brain. Researchers have shown that depression can impair memory and increase the risk of dementia. Notably, depression marked by an early onset (before age 65 years) or recurrent symptoms has been shown to increase the risk of developing dementia or cognitive impairment later in life. Keeping mood balanced, such as with extended use of anti-depressant medication, may buffer this risk. So if you’re battling the blues or experiencing bouts of sadness, a thorough assessment by a qualified medical doctor can help you identify and appropriately address significant mental health issues.

Buffer Stress

Stress serves as a common denominator in aging the brain and body. The impact of sleeplessness and mood disturbances mimics the impact of chronic stress on the brain; shrinking vital brain components such as the hippocampus, amygdala and prefrontal cortex; the three regions responsible for memory, learning and biofeedback. While small amounts of stress at the time of learning may be critical to encode new information in the first place, excessive stress acutely or extreme stress chronically can greatly impair memory and learning. The best way to mitigate the toll of stress is to continuously hone your stress management techniques. While you can’t always predict when stressors while emerge, it’s never too early to master the practice of mindfulness, meditation and deep breathing. New neurofeedback driven meditation tools, like the brain-sensing headband MUSE, can help you keep on track.

Boost your Social Network

Spending time enjoying the company of friends can be good for your brain. Social interactions have been shown to boost brain function as much as intellectual stimulation. To maintain your mental vitality as you age, it is important to cultivate your social network and enjoy stimulating friendships. So cherish your friends and spend time laughing together. It’s good for your brain!

The new science of neuroplasticity and neurogenesis has informed us that the choices we make can shape our brain health as we age. The above ten science-based brain tips can be incorporated into your lifestyle to improve memory and cognitive performance. Brain vitality is well within your reach!

5 Things To Do Now For A Long, Healthy Life: A Doctor Explains

By Dr. Jennifer Pearlman

Your health is not entirely predetermined by your genetic code. In fact, lifestyle and environment play a big role in determining how your genes get expressed, how healthy you will be, and how well you will age.

In other words, you can age proactively. But to age well requires that we first understand why we are aging. As we approach midlife, we begin to face accelerated loss of vital factors: our hormones, our nutrients, our sleep, and our telomeres. As a result of these losses, rapid aging ensues.

By selecting the right foods, getting enough exercise and sleep, minimizing your exposure to harmful chemicals, and supplementing your diet strategically with the right science-based supplements, you can make the most out of the genetic deck of cards you were dealt.

As a medical doctor focused on women’s health and aging, I often counsel women on the best ways they can optimize their health and aging. Here are my top tips:

1. Avoid refined and processed sugars.

Always read food labels to look for hidden sugar. Sugars entering your bloodstream attach to proteins, forming harmful molecules called AGEs. The more sugar entering your bloodstream, the more AGEs tend to be produced. Refined and processed sugars are more potent than those found naturally, such as in fruits.

AGEs accumulate and can increase your risk of cardiovascular disease and possibly other diseases as well as age your skin.

2. Eat the color wheel.

Phytonutrients found in colorful fruits and vegetables provide the essential vitamins, antioxidants, and micronutrients that we need for optimal functioning. In particular, B vitamins found in many fruits and vegetables help support cell turnover, energy production, and neurological function.

3. Don’t be afraid of eating fats.

Your body needs healthy fats to absorb certain key nutrients. Low- or no-fat diets may lead to poor skin and nails. I recommend eating plenty of healthy fats, including those found in seafood, nuts, and avocados.

4. Move your body.

Physical activity is required for healthy metabolism as well as maintenance of your lean body mass such as muscle and bone. Exercise, especially outdoors, has been shown to reduce stress levels and cut the risk of depression, memory problems, heart disease, and diabetes. Even a 30-minute moderate-intensity workout can help lower your blood sugar.

5. Get enough shut-eye, every night.

Sleep is your body’s repair cycle. Lack of sleep is associated with depression, heart disease, and obesity. Our brains require adequate sleep (usually six to eight hours) to store memories, learn new information, and reboot to be able to function properly the next day.

As we age, our sleep quality and quantity can be reduced, and it may take more effort to maintain sleep. A calming bath in warm water with essential oils in the evening can help ready you for sleep. Keeping the bedroom free of work and worries can also free your mind for shuteye.

Originally posted at Mind Body Green.

How To Expertly Navigate Menopause

By Dr. Jennifer Pearlman

Menopause is an eventuality that all reproductive women will reach; her final menstrual period. It is, however, a somewhat useless term as we define the menopause only 12 months after the fact. This means that during the time a woman is likely to be most symptomatic she may not realize that her symptoms are associated with changes in hormones and her impending menopause.
A more useful framework to describe reproductive aging is the concept of the menopause transition and the various stages from early peri-menopause to late post-menopause. This framework is based on the clinical history, including bleeding pattern and symptoms. However, testing hormone levels may help to confirm the stage.

As periods become more irregular, estrogen levels begin to decline and trigger further symptoms such as the hallmark hot flashes and night sweats.

Early in the transition, women often begin to experience disruptive symptoms such as sleeplessness and mood disturbance even while periods are still happening with a regular cycle. The higher estrogen state that can accompany the early peri-menopause may mean that she has swollen, tender breasts, heavy bleeding and increased pre-menstrual symptoms (i.e. PMS). During this phase she may not be offered much from conventional physicians as menopause hormone therapy is only indicated to control symptoms after menopause is reached. But there are several evidenced based interventions that may help buffer some early symptoms.

A healthy lifestyle is important to mitigate both symptoms and risks that arise at this time. Maintaining a healthy body weight, minimizing use of alcohol and caffeine and partaking in regular exercise are all important lifestyle interventions. Non-hormonal and herbal therapies such as researched derivatives of black cohosh, rhubarb, soy and red clover may be helpful and can be combined with progesterone therapy usually given in the second half of the cycle. While there are no commercially available forms, vaginal progesterone therapy is most effective with direct effects on the uterus and can be custom compounded to treat the individual woman’s needs.

As periods become more irregular, estrogen levels begin to decline and trigger further symptoms such as the hallmark hot flashes and night sweats. While anti-depressants and anti-seizure medications can be used off-label to control hot flashes, nothing is more effective than estrogen. Estrogen, given in combination with progesterone offers not only symptom control but for the newly menopausal and otherwise well woman, important preventative benefits toward the bone, brain and heart. Hormone therapy has been shown to meaningfully reduce the risk of osteoporosis and bone fractures, memory problems, and heart disease.

There are many options available when it comes to hormone therapy. Bioidentical hormones are available by prescription in both pharmaceutical and custom compounded formats. Estrogen therapy has been shown to be both safer and more effective when delivered through the skin in a “transdermal” cream or patch. Vaginal estrogen therapy as the added benefit of protecting the vagina and lower urinary tract from the degenerative changes that occur in low estrogen states. While pharmaceutical estrogen patches are available, a vaginal cream containing both estradiol (ovarian estrogen) and estriol (a weak protective estrogen) may be preferred. Progesterone taken orally or vaginally when combined with estrogen has been shown to reduce the risk of clots, stroke and breast cancer. Thus, progesterone is markedly different than the progesterone-like synthetic analogues like Provera that have been shown to increase these risks.

From diet to herbs to hormones, there is much that can be done to successfully navigate the menopause transition.

By the later stages after menopause, hormonal needs tend to change. Typically, there systemic hormone therapy as described above would be discontinued possibly with a transition to lower dosed local vaginal estrogen therapy. Because vaginal dryness is the one certain and progressive symptom of the late post-menopause, vaginal estrogen therapy is critical to maintain the health of the vagina and lower urinary tract as well as for sexual health. This treatment is considered safe; even for many women with a history of breast cancer. Vaginal estrogen therapy can reduce dryness, pain, risk of infection and improve urinary dynamics and bladder control.

While there are no hard fast rules as to how long hormones can be prescribed, some guidelines recommend initiating therapy within five years of menopause and continuing for up to 10 years of therapy or the age of 60 years. However, hormone therapy requires a highly individualized assessment that considers each woman’s unique set of symptoms, risks, goals and preferences. When prescribed in the right form, dose and route by a well qualified medical expert, hormone therapy can be an integral part of navigating midlife aging successfully.

From diet to herbs to hormones, there is much that can be done to successfully navigate the menopause transition. For many women, starting this proactive approach in the mid-forties can manage early peri-menopausal symptoms and simultaneously reduce emerging health risks. For all women, the discussion of hormone therapy is important and should be conducted with a health professional who is qualified to discuss the goals, benefits and risks and monitor the safety of recommended treatments.

Originally posted at The Huffington Post.

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The Clear Cut Guide to Fighting Age Related Weight Gain

These extra pounds aren’t just about calories.

The following five steps target the metabolic, hormonal, psychological, environmental and lifestyle factors contributing to weight gain.

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How to Rekindle your Sexual Desire

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An Ounce of Prevention is Worth a Pound of Cure

Here is an EIGHT STEP PLAN to reduce risk as part of a BREAST HEALTHY LIFESTYLE;

Phase 1 Detoxification

Phase 2 Detoxification

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Maintain a Healthy and Fit Brain

Exercise your Brain

Take Risks and Make Mistakes

Practice Positivity and Action-oriented Thinking

Keep your Body active

A Strong Frame is needed for a healthy Brain

Consume Superfoods for a Better Brain

Sleep well to Reboot your Brain

Balance your Mood

Buffer Stress

Boost your Social Network

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1. Avoid refined and processed sugars.

2. Eat the color wheel.

3. Don’t be afraid of eating fats.

4. Move your body.

5. Get enough shut-eye, every night.

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