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This is a big weekend in Good Elements world. It is one of the weekends where the Company founders get together and check in with each other as friends - almost family - rather than as business partners. It’s a weekend that will be filled with laughter, maybe a few deep conversations, celebrations of recent joys and some reflection on sorrows. So in keeping with the weekend ahead, we did a little research on the impact of friends and laughter on health. And no surprise, it seems that good friends can have a positive impact on your health.

Research indicates that not being socially connected can negatively impact your overall health and wellness while social connectedness can have the opposite, positive impact. The connections experienced in a good friendship increase your feelings of social belonging, self-esteem, and support positive mental health.

John Cacioppo, director of the Center for Cognitive and Social Neuroscience at the University of Chicago, reports that when you are socially isolated, your brain increases the amount of the hormone cortisol. We touched on the impact of cortisol and its role in adrenal fatigue in this news article in February. Other current research states that as human beings, we are biologically created to seek out social connections. Without these social connections, the same part of the brain that responds when we are hurt, responds by making us feel uncomfortable.

When we laugh we stretch muscles throughout our face and body, our pulse and blood pressure go up, and we breathe faster, sending more oxygen to our tissues. Some researchers believe that laughter may offer some of the same advantages as a workout.

One pioneer in laughter research, William Fry, claimed it took ten minutes on a rowing machine for his heart rate to reach the level it would after just one minute of hearty laughter. And as people who spend an inordinate amount of time using the ergometer for fitness, we here at Good Elements will tell you - we’d rather be laughing! In fact, a small study conducted at Vanderbilt University indicated that 10-15 minutes of laughter burned 50 calories.

Other research has shown that laughter can have positive impacts on blood flow, immune response, blood sugar levels, and relaxation and sleep.

So we here at Good Elements hope that this weekend you too will find some time to laugh and enjoy the Company of friends. Your health will thank you!

source: Webmd

This is a continuation of our pillar blogs from February. See Pillar I- Nutrition/ Digestion / Elimination posted on Feburary 13th and Pillar II-The Mind-Body Connection / Stress reduction posted on February 16th.

Pillar III-Sleep

Consistent sleep and wake cycles, sleeping in fresh or purified air, and sleeping without artificial lights contribute to balanced sleep. Regular, deep sleep boosts the immune system, decreases depression, and helps the body regenerate and grow. There exists many natural ways to improve sleep and relax your body without becoming addicted to pharmaceutical sleep medications.

Having consistent sleep and wakes cycles maximizes melatonin secretion and balances your hormones. Adequate melatonin levels contribute to feelings of well-being and reduce the risks of many types of cancer. Hormonal problems such as low libido, menopause and premenstrual tension can all be improved with regular sleep.

Sleeping in fresh air or with an air purifier in your bedroom also increases the quality of sleep as well as boosts your immune system. When you sleep among pollutants, dust, and mold then the immune system has to work hard all night long combating these irritants. Fresh air or air purification can achieve this goal.

Sleep in the dark to optimize melatonin secretion. Even the light from your alarm clock or personal computer can disturb the diurnal rhythms of melatonin secretion. Turn your alarm clock around, get black-out blinds or a good, soft eye pillow to sleep restfully in the pitch dark.

Having trouble falling to sleep? Try Good Elements’ Dream Supply for a natural, non addictive but effective sleep aide.

Stay Tuned for Pillar IV, Exercise and Movement

Yours in health,
Dr. Britta Zimmer
Chief Naturopathic Physician & Founder

If you are a regular reader of our blogs and monthly newsletter then you know that we are big proponents of yoga. Yoga is a regular part of each of our spiritual and physical workouts. A few years ago, we had a very special group moment in Ibiza, Spain when we took a group yoga class. The sun was high in the sky and a crisp breeze blew through the mountain home where we were staying. It was very memorable.

While we will not go into detail about various types of yoga, we thought we might briefly touch on Baptiste Power Vinyasa Yoga - which has made a big difference for Lyle and for Grady in their core strength and flexibility.

Described as “…a dynamic combination of strength, sweat and spirituality. Baptiste Power Vinyasa Yoga detoxifies, heals, and electrifies. This accessible, challenging and flowing form of yoga will lead you to a state of transformation — it will sculpt, tone and hone the muscles of your body and your mind.”

We can attest to improved strength, flexibility, and a clarity of the mind post practice and for the rest of the day. This is a physical and rhythmic yoga practice where energy is moved throughout the body. More than a yoga practice, this is a true workout that raises the heart rate, and leaves the practitioner heavy with sweat yet lighter from the physical and spiritual release. For more information and to find a studio in your area, visit http://www.baronbaptiste.com/.

And no yoga article would be complete without a quick plug for our favorite yoga studios. Brooklyn yoga lovers are rejoicing at the opening of Bend and Bloom. Located at 708 Sackett St. btw 4th and 5th Avenue, Bend and Bloom has, with good reason, become the hot spot for prenatal, postnatal, kids yoga, and for general yoga practitioners. Bend and Bloom is just a wonderful Yoga experience.

If you have skipped to Florida to beat the winter blues, we recommend Twin Power Yoga in Palm Beach Gardens. Twin sisters Ali and Ann are exceptional instructors of Baptise Power Vinyasa Yoga, welcoming the new and experienced practitioner with fast paced classes that are sure to brighten your day and strengthen your mind and body.

So there is a new addition to the Good Elements family. Buster Brown is a 3 year old terrier mix (well…mutt) who joined us about a month ago. Buster was in a shelter and rescued at the eleventh hour from an unkind fate just before Christmas by a rescue group. After nursing him back to health, Buster was available for adoption. Buster is a great addition to our circle of friends, and brings us a lot of joy.

And that lead us to doing a bit of research on the effect of dog ownership on human health. And considering the calming effect that Buster Brown has on us, and the happiness that he brings, what we found did not surprise us.

Dr Deborah Wells, psychologist from Queen’s University, Belfast, reviewed dozens of earlier research papers which looked at the health benefits of pet ownership and concluded that dog owners tended to have lower blood pressure and cholesterol.

Writing in the British Journal of Health Psychology, she says that regular dog walks account for part of the health benefit. In addition to lower blood pressure and cholesterol, she said dog-owners suffered fewer minor ailments and serious medical problems.

There was also the suggestion that dogs could aid recovery from serious illnesses such as heart attacks, and act as ‘early warning’ to detect an approaching epileptic seizure.

Dr Wells said the precise reason for the benefits was not totally clear.
“The ownership of a dog can also lead to increases in physical activity and facilitate the development of social contacts, which may enhance both physiological and psychological human health in a more indirect manner.”

Dr June McNicholas, a health psychologist who has specialized on research into the health effects of pet ownership said that an important reason for the improved health of dog-owners was not just the exercise received while taking it for walks, but the opportunity for social contact with other dog-owners.

So in addition to Good Elements nutritional supplements, yoga, getting a good nights rest, exercise and good nutrition - we can now happily recommend dog ownership for good health. It is certainly working for us.

Source: BBC Health News

Buster Brown gets ready to hit the beach.

We wanted to bring your attention to a thought provoking article that deserves comment….

Clinically, I have seen my patients improve greatly from taking high quality vitamins and mineral formulas. Of course, I rather they receive all of their nutrition from a healthy balanced diet but really how realistic is that and what exactly does a balanced diet mean. Our food sources are becoming more and more nutritionally deplete as we continue to contaminate the soil with pesticides and transport our foods for days and miles. Studies have shown a 3 fold increase in nutritional content of organic produce versus non-organic produce due to soil mineral content.

As a primary care physician trained extensively in nutrition, I believe if we hang our hats on the studies mentioned in this article and stop recommending vitamins then we will be doing a great disservice to our patients. Andrew Shao, the vice president for scientific and regulatory affairs at the Council for Responsible Nutrition, said himself that there are inherent flaws in the way these vitamins are studied. With a more trained eye, as I examine these study designs there are many more factors that must be considered such as pre-existing conditions and nutritional status of many of the study participants at the onset of the study.

I agree that isolating out vitamin constituents ignores the healing quality that the whole plants have to offer. But we know that specific therapeutic dosing of nutrients are necessary for altering the course of several diseases. For example, based on an individual’s vitamin D status one might have to take over 2500 IU of Vitamin D to prevent contraction of the common cold or flu. In Good Elements, we have formulas which combine the vitamin isolates with whole foods like broccoli and pomegranate which is the best of both worlds. (see Good Element’s Renewal)

Continue to look at these studies critically and use your best judgment. For prevention of disease and to maintain optimal health status, vitamin and mineral supplements can be an enormous assistance

Yours in Health,

Dr. Britta Zimmer Naturopathic Physician and Founder of Goodelements.com

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/17/health/17well.html?em

Pillar II- The Mind-Body Connection / Stress reduction

Emotional processing, breathing fresh air, and movement all lend to reducing stress.

Emotional Processing-
Taking time to reflect on the physical manifestations of stress and imbalance will empower you to understand the way your body functions. Not being aware of the deleterious effects of stress on your body results in the suppression of symptoms and emotions which can lead to further chronic diseases such as cancer, heart disease, and autoimmune diseases. In other words, the stuffing of emotions and denial causes dis-ease in the body which can lead to disease. Holistic / alternative medicine practitioners and therapists can facilitate the process of understanding the mind / body connection to prevent future disease.

Fresh Air-
Breathing fresh air reduces elevated cortisol levels in the body, cleanses the system, and activates the rest and digest nervous system (the parasympathetic nervous system). This relieves the body of stress and helps your body be more resilient against everyday stressors.

Movement-
Movement in any form; exercise, yoga, stretching, tai chi, sex, dancing, or walking, also decreases elevated stress cortisol levels, keeps your circulation healthy, and releases healthy endorphins.

Stay Tuned for Pillar III, Sleep.

Yours in health,
Dr. Britta Zimmer
Chief Naturopathic Physician & Founder

Pillar I- Nutrition/ Digestion / Elimination-

Food is medicine and fuel for the body. The body will function well when fueled with good quality food. Just like a car, if you put bad quality gas in a car it will not run efficiently. Likewise treat your body like a nice car that requires supreme, high test gasoline. Organic, fresh, low-allergenic food provides optimal nutrition for your body. An ideal diet goal would consist of whole grains, vegetables, fruits, nuts, local protein sources, limited amounts of dairy and no refined sugars or processed foods. To optimize digestion and absorption of these nutrients emphasize the importance of eating in a relaxed setting to calm down your fight and flight nervous system (the sympathetic nervous system) and activate your rest and digest nervous system ( the parasympathetic nervous system). Chew your food well and take your time to eat.

Finally, understand the importance of proper elimination by monitoring your bowel habits. Is food taking more than 18 hours to clear your system? You can test this by eating beets or taking activated charcoal capsules and noting when you see your stools turn red or black respectively depending on if you ate beets or consumed charcoal capsules. This is called the transit time test.

Heed this advice and quickly begin to feel more energetic and healthy once you have adopted a freshly balanced diet and healthy eating skills. Ultimately, you will be able to reflect back on past unhealthy food relationships and habits, as you choose to make healthy food choices based on how you feel.

Stay Tuned for Pillar II the Mind-Body Connection / Stress reduction

Yours in health,
Dr. Britta Zimmer
Chief Naturopathic Physician & Founder

I recently visited my 96 year old grandfather, a vibrant, sharp man who still works a couple of days a week, amazing! Unfortunately, a cancerous growth was recently discovered in his mouth and the purpose of my visit was to help him develop a plan of action. A hefty course of radiation is the only recommended treatment for someone of his age. Herein lies the dilemma, should he live his comfortable life as is and not treat the growth or should he attempt the radiation with all of its side effects and low level of efficacy? I think I know what I would choose since I consider radiation a rather barbaric treatment for a 96 year old, quality of life is too important to me. But what does Papa want? This is what matter.

Papa’s big question, why me and this, so soon? He is not giving up without a fight.

I never pushed my opinion on him because this is his body and his fight. I solely explained to him in plain words what’s going on while translating all of the doctors’ words heard in the past 2 weeks. He finally asked me seriously “What do you think will help me?” I replied “Follow your heart and do what you think will help most.” Which ever course he sets his mind to will extend his life the longest.

No one knows how long it will be but Papa’s mind can dictate this. No statistic, textbook, or doctor can tell your body how to behave, you have the power. Make up your mind and your body will follow.

Yours in health,
Dr. Britta Zimmer
Chief Naturopathic Physician & Founder

This is a common question I receive in my practice especially after I recommend discontinuing consuming dairy products to a majority of my patients.

Animal-based dairy products are very abundant in our culture and are consumed daily by most people. For this reason dairy has become a common food allergen and it is important to avoid or limit the daily consumption of dairy products.

Organic dairy products are better than regular dairy products because they lack hormone, pesticide, and antibiotic residues that often are present in nonorganic dairy.

In my practice, I have seen dairy allergies cause chronic ear infections,
chronic sinus infections, chronic skin rashes, postnasal drip, chronic coughs or throat clearing, bloating, gas, irritable bowel symptoms, heart palpitations, and acne.

How will you get your calcium if you do not eat dairy? Easily! Almonds, tofu, soybeans, leafy greens, sesame seeds and broccoli have high calcium content.

It is of particular importance to restrict dairy intake in your children to support their immune systems. Do you feel like your child is always catching colds, having chronic ear infections, or a constant runny nose? Take them off of dairy x 6 weeks and you will see the difference. If your child does not eat the above non-dairy sources of calcium daily then give them a chewable or liquid calcium supplement to support their growing bodies.

I know this advice seems to contradict what your elders and many doctors have said in the past but the dairy industry is omnipresence and unfortunately selling pesticide, hormone, and antibiotic residues in their dairy products. Take our advice and live the difference.

Goodelements.com super supplements have been featured in L.A. Parent due to the Company’s commitment and support of funding for breast cancer research. The article highlighted the company’s donation of proceeds from supplements sales in the month of October to the Susan G. Kormen Foundation and the important work they are doing to get people involved with the cause.

Through the foundation’s website, average people can help support breast cancer research by signing up for walks, donating to research funds or purchasing items from companies (such as the super supplements from goodelements.com) that donate a portion of their proceeds to the foundation. Doctors and researchers can also use the site to look for grants or submit proposals to fund new research endeavors.

We are truly proud to be associated with such a wonderful foundation, and continue our support for organizations that help promote health and wellness in all areas of life. We look forward to participating again next year.