Zinc for colds: Does it help the symptoms?

Zinc for colds: Does it help the symptoms?

Zinc is a mineral that helps stimulate the body’s immune system. Because our bodies do not produce zinc naturally, it must be obtained by consuming plants and animals that do.

Can zinc help treat the common cold?

Several studies have found that taking zinc may reduce the duration of cold symptoms.

How can I take zinc safely?

In this article, Dr. Brynna Connor suggests taking no more than 40 mg of zinc supplements per day, orally – avoid zinc nasal sprays. Consult a healthcare provider to ensure that zinc does not interact with other medications you take.

West Nile Virus: what you need to know

West Nile Virus: what you need to know

In this article from womansworld.com, Dr Brynna Connor helps us understand how West Nile Virus is contracted, what it looks like, and who is most at risk.

How do people contract West Nile Virus, and what are its symptoms?

West Nile Virus is spread to humans through mosquitoes. While many who contract the virus are asymptomatic, others can experience severe flu-like symptoms. Since there is no vaccine or cure for the virus, it is treated by managing these symptoms.

How can I prevent contracting West Nile Virus?

The best method of prevention is to limit exposure to mosquitoes. This can be done through DEET repellent, protective clothing, and screens installed on doors and windows. You may also prevent further mosquito breeding by emptying any sources of stagnant water near your home.

Superfoods Part 6: Foods That Promote Gut Health

Superfoods Part 6: Foods That Promote Gut Health

woman with bag of groceries
This is the final installment of my first six-part series on superfoods, this time focussing on foods that promote gut health. I welcome you to read the other articles in the series, “What Is a Superfood and What Is So Super About Them?”, “Supercharge Your Diet with Superfoods for Weight Loss”, “Critical Superfoods for a Healthy Heart”, “Essential Superfoods for Diabetics and Pre-Diabetics”, and “Ten Essential Superfoods for Radiant Skin”.

The foods you feed your body play a big role in how well your body works and how healthy and well you feel. Some foods offer very little nutritional value, as you might have heard of “empty calories” while others contain high levels of vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients that boost health and help you tremendously . Eating these superfoods can play an important role in keeping your gut functioning at its best.

Your Digestive System

Your digestive system, also called your gastrointestinal system, or your gut, is important for turning food into fuel and helps keep you healthy. When you eat, food travels from your mouth, through your esophagus, to your stomach. From the stomach, food passes through your small intestine, large intestine or colon, and rectum, and passes out of your body through the anus when you go to the bathroom. Together, these organs form a tube stretching through your body that is about 30 feet long! Other organs, such as the gallbladder, liver, and pancreas also help with digestion by producing enzymes that break down food.

The primary role of the digestive system is breaking down proteins, carbohydrates, and fats into smaller pieces that the body’s cells can more easily absorb. However, the gut also performs several other jobs as well:

  • Absorbing vitamins and minerals
  • Soaking up water
  • Eliminating waste
  • Helping the immune system get rid of harmful germs
  • Communicating with the brain to control digestion, appetite, and emotions

Gut Bacteria

Another very important part of the digestive system is bacteria. Some bacteria, such as E. coli or Salmonella, can make you sick if you eat foods that are contaminated with them. However, other “good bacteria” live in our intestines and are very important for keeping us healthy. Their roles include:

  • Helping the body digest food
  • Crowding out more harmful bacteria
  • Keeping harmful substances from getting into the bloodstream
  • Helping form a barrier on the cells of the intestine
  • Boosting the immune system
  • Creating new vitamins that our bodies can use
  • Helping control appetite and how our body uses fat
  • Communicating with the brain in order to control moods and emotions
  • Helping the body fix damaged cells

The gut bacteria may also play a role in all sorts of different diseases, including cancer and asthma. Adopting habits that help gut bacteria thrive can help our bodies work properly and make us feel healthy.

Keeping Your Gut Healthy

belly
Many different lifestyle habits, including the foods we regularly eat, have a big impact on how our digestive systems and gut bacteria function. The choices we make can help make our health better or worse. Certain eating habits can optimize our guts. Eating smaller meals can make it easier for our bodies to digest foods. Eating more slowly and chewing food for longer amounts of time before swallowing can also break down food more efficiently and helps us swallow less air. Additionally, creating an eating schedule and having meals at the same times each day may help our guts work better. Other measures to keep your gut working at its best include:

  • Exercising: Getting a lot of physical activity helps the muscles in the digestive system move properly, encourages the growth of more healthy bacteria, and causes lower levels of inflammation in the gut.
  • Sleep: When you get regular sleep on a consistent schedule, your gut gets time to rest and reset. Lack of sleep can cause digestive system inflammation. People who don’t get good quality sleep are also more likely to have gastrointestinal diseases.
  • Lowering stress: High stress levels can make the cells in the intestines more “leaky,” leading more harmful substances to be absorbed into the bloodstream. Some people may often get constipation, diarrhea, or other symptoms of gut diseases during times of stress, because the digestive system isn’t working at its best. See my article, “How Stress Affects the Gut and What You Can Do About It” for more.

One of the biggest factors in how your digestive system and your gut bacteria function is the foods that you eat. Proper nutrition keeps you at your healthiest. This is where superfoods come in. Eating foods that are easily broken down by your gut, that keep the cells of your digestive system working properly, and that keep your gut bacteria healthy can help you get the most nutrition out of your food and prevent disease.

Digestive Disorders

When the organs of the digestive system stop working properly, several different diseases and conditions can occur. A couple of the most common are:

All of these conditions may have more specific treatments that help with specific symptoms. However, the food you eat also plays a big role in when and how often these symptoms come up. Eating some hard-to-digest or less nutritious foods can lead to frequent digestive issues. On the other hand, regularly eating nutrient-packed superfoods helps your gut work the way it’s supposed to.

Probiotics

Probiotic Food picture
You now know that healthy bacteria is one of the keys to a healthy gut. But where do these “good germs” come from? While babies pick up their first gut bacteria during or immediately after birth, adults can introduce more healthy bacteria into their systems using probiotics. Probiotics are live bacteria and yeasts that boost health. Eating foods that contain probiotics helps maintain a good balance of healthy bacteria in your system. These foods have been linked to a lower risk of diabetes, high blood pressure, and obesity. Probiotics may also help treat IBS symptoms, such as diarrhea.

What Foods Have Probiotics?

You can buy probiotics in supplement form, or you can get them from fermented superfoods. These include:

  • Cultured dairy products such as yogurt and kefir
  • Sourdough bread
  • Fermented cabbage like kimchi and sauerkraut (choose unpasteurized products in order to get probiotics)
  • Fermented soybean products like tempeh, miso, and natto
  • Kombucha (fermented tea)

Yogurt is one of the most widely available fermented superfoods. It is jam-packed with healthy bacteria. Choose yogurt brands that are labeled as having “live active cultures”. These cultures may include LactobacillusL. acidophilusL. bulgaricus, or S. thermophilus. Yogurt makes for a great breakfast or afternoon snack. It can also be used in a sauce or a dip as a substitute for mayonnaise or sour cream. In addition to eating probiotic foods, you can also eat prebiotic foods to support gut health. While probiotics contain actual live bacteria, prebiotic foods help feed those bacteria. They can also help the body absorb nutrients such as calcium, decrease the risk of allergies, and improve the immune system. Some items that help good bacteria grow are oats, barley, cereals, dairy products, asparagus, artichokes, onions, garlic, bananas, beans, and honey.

Fiber

healthy produce and fish
Fiber is material that can’t be digested by the body. While it might seem odd to eat something that your body can’t absorb, fiber serves other important purposes. Fiber allows the digestive system to soak up more nutrients, feeds gut bacteria, and helps prevent constipation. Fiber has other benefits, too – it can help the body control cholesterol and blood sugar levels and reduce a person’s risk of conditions like diabetes and heart disease. There are two types of fiber, soluble and insoluble, and both are important for good health. Foods that come from plants that have a lot of fiber can also help build up a layer of mucus in the intestines. This is a good thing – it’s where the healthy bacteria live and work to digest food. Fibrous foods help build up this layer, while foods that are processed or have a lot of sugar wear down this layer. There is one caveat to eating a lot of fiber. Many high-fiber superfoods fall into a category called FODMAPs. FODMAPs are molecules found in certain fruits (apples, blackberries, cherries, dates, pears), certain vegetables (artichokes, asparagus, broccoli, cabbage, garlic, mushrooms, onion, peas), dairy products, beans, wheat, and some types of sweeteners (honey, high fructose corn syrup, sorbitol). FODMAPs are perfectly fine for most people to eat. However, some people, such as those with IBS, may be more sensitive to these foods and should eat them in lower amounts. If you want to avoid these foods, try to find other ways to get a lot of fiber into your diet.

Fiber-Filled Foods

Whole grains have large quantities of both soluble and insoluble fiber, in addition to B vitamins, phytonutrients, and iron. Whole grains use the entire kernel of the grain. Refined grains are more processed, which removes a lot of the fiber as well as vitamins and minerals. To get more whole grains into your diet, substitute them for refined grains – for example, use brown rice instead of white rice, or wheat bread or pasta instead of the regular variety. Or try reaching for oatmeal for breakfast, or popcorn for a snack. You can also try cooking up some new grains as a side dish, such as quinoa, bulgur, or wheat berries. Nuts, seeds, and legumes also have high levels of fiber. Legumes include foods like beans, lentils, peas, peanuts, and soybeans, and are often thought of as superfoods because of all the health benefits they provide. Many legumes can be easily incorporated into side dishes. Nuts and seeds also make for great salad toppers, or a filling snack in between meals. Fresh produce also contains a lot of fiber. Some high-fiber fruit and vegetable superfoods include:

  • Berries: In addition to fiber, berries often have other health-boosting nutrients like vitamin C and antioxidants. They can be easily added to any meal. Try topping yogurt, cereal, or oatmeal with blueberries or strawberries. Or blend frozen berries with other superfoods like yogurt, almond milk, or coconut water to make an extra nutritious smoothie. Add them to other meals by throwing them on top of salads or into desserts.
  • Leafy greens: Superfoods like spinach, kale, and collard greens have a lot of vitamins A, C, E, and K, B vitamins, calcium, iron, and magnesium. Make up a salad with some greens, sauté them in olive oil, or toss some in a soup for an easy superfood boost.
  • Cruciferous vegetables: Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, and bok choy are a part of the cruciferous vegetable family. Some leafy greens like kale also fall into this category. Cruciferous vegetables contain immune-boosting phytochemicals as well as vitamins like folate and vitamin K. Try steaming, roasting, or stir-frying cruciferous vegetables as a side dish.

Polyphenols

Many plant-based superfoods contain polyphenols, antioxidants that repair damage and heal cells. When we eat these molecules, the cells of our intestines can’t absorb them very well, so they start piling up in the large intestine, where our gut bacteria use them as food and break them down so that our bodies can benefit from them. Polyphenols can help the digestive system in several ways. They can:

  • Help keep bad bacteria from growing
  • Encourage good bacteria to grow
  • Help bacteria form a stronger barrier in order to protect the intestines from damage
  • Boost metabolism and help fight diabetes, obesity, and high blood pressure
  • Reduce inflammation
  • Improve the immune system
  • Protect against colon cancer

Coffee and tea both contain different types of polyphenols. Many fruits also contain these molecules, especially blueberries, kiwis, apples, and reddish-colored fruits like strawberries, raspberries, cherries, and blackberries. Other foods with polyphenols are onions, soy, red wine, and dark chocolate.

Conclusion

model of a body
The health of your gut plays a role in the health of other systems of the body. A digestive system that works well can help fight off germs and prevent diseases. One great way to stay healthy is to eat a variety of different superfoods, including probiotics and foods that contain fiber and polyphenols. Making these foods part of your regular meals can help treat digestive disorders such as IBS and prevent other chronic diseases like heart disease, diabetes, and even cancer.

If you would like to discuss any digestive issues you may be experiencing with Dr. Connor, please make an appointment.

My Go-To Supplements to Boost Your Immune System

My Go-To Supplements to Boost Your Immune System

When counseling my own patients about taking the right supplements to boost your immune system, which has become an even more important topic since the rise of Covid-19, these are what I tell them are my own “go to” supplements.

Vitamin C: I recommend 1-2 grams per day for most of my patients in my practice as this vitamin helps to repair tissue, heal skin, boost immunity and maintain normal cell function.

Vitamin D: It is often forgotten that vitamin D is actually a hormone and not really a vitamin at all. Vitamin D, as with all hormones, is helpful for many functions and works as a signaling molecule to cells. Vitamin D assists with respiratory health and immunity.

Elderberry (Sambucus nigra): While further research on elderberry is ongoing, it has been shown to be helpful to boost the immune system and appears to allow the body to recover faster, if and when, people are sick.

N-Acetylcysteine (NAC): The supplement form of the amino acid, cysteine, known as NAC, helps clear mucous. It is such a gem that the World Health Organization has actually deemed it an “essential medicine“.

B Vitamins: All B vitamins assist in stress response, especially B6 and B12, and this includes the immune response but many patients are deficient in various B vitamins. For example, vegetarians in my practice are often found to be low in vitamin B12 which can easily be added into their diet with great effects and improvement to their energy levels as well.

Echinacea: Part of the daisy family, this plant may help the immune response with viruses, including the many rhinoviruses that can cause the common cold. The research shows mixed results but it definitely warrants further study and many of my patients swear by it.

Astragalus: This is an herb used in Chinese Medicine that never seems to get the attention I believe it is due. Nonetheless, the herb’s extract can help with the body’s immune-related response.

Speak with your physician about other ways and other supplements to boost your immune system. Please discuss all supplements or integrative wellness regimens you are taking, or considering taking, so that interactions and side effects can be reviewed, and to ensure the coordinated, safe and top-notch medical care you deserve.

Check out our Market page

You can find some of our favorite supplement recommendations on our Market page and order them online.

Schedule a consultation

If you like, you can learn more and schedule a consultation with Dr. Brynna Connor.

Basic Steps to Improve Your Immune System

Basic Steps to Improve Your Immune System

I’m often asked, “How do I improve my immune system?”

Especially this year, as we have been faced with so much illness and pandemic fears with the COVID pandemic, I have been asked over and over again, “am I doing enough to stay healthy? What else do I need to do to keep my immune system strong?”

Now more than ever, the phrase “boosting our immune system” seems to be all the buzz these days.

Your immune system is the part of your body that helps you fight off infection. If and when you get sick, it is your immune system that keeps any infection under control, kills the infection, and removes it from your body. We definitely want to keep this incredible system of ours running at an optimal performance level.

How do you do this? Here are some basic steps you can take that might seem small, but these are manageable things that you can do to actually help your immune system and its immune cells.

It’s Not a Cliché; It’s a Medical Fact – Sleep is Crucial

First of all, sleep is incredibly important and often under-rated. As important as a healthy diet and exercise are, proper sleep is also crucial. Sleep deprivation can create a chain reaction of negative health consequences. Poor quality sleep and lack of sleep can cause many physical health issues and can also affect what may not appear as a physical issue – at least not right away – and that is your mood.

Sleep deprivation can increase the effects of stressors, and, as a result, external stressors can seem much worse than they otherwise might. Depression and anxiety often follow closely behind. In addition, if we don’t get enough sleep, physical health is often affected; blood pressure changes, our metabolism is affected, and our diet can be negatively affected (hello carbs and sugar to stay alert!). If sleep-deprived, we often don’t have time – or make the time – to exercise. Hence, our physical activity level suffers which directly affects our brain and even our emotional regulation.

Sleep is actually involved in the regulation of the immune cells mentioned above, and these cells are responsible for fighting off infections, like Covid-19. So, those of us who are sleep deprived actually have an increased risk of contracting a virus or bacterial infection when exposed to these pesky germs.

Also, we often cannot think clearly or make sensible decisions without proper sleep. This affects our concentration in school and work. For example, I am the quintessential “napper” and I chuckle when I admit that power naps are THE way I got through medical school. I could literally shut my brain off in two minutes, close my eyes, and take a power nap for 25 minutes – and then wake up and hit the books again! Get your sleep. It is precious and good for your immune system!

Practice Good Sleep Hygiene

Remedy the bedtime routine and practice good sleep hygiene. This sounds bizarre but it IS a thing. Establish that bedtime routine to unwind and use your bed for sleep and sex only. Try to go to sleep and wake up at the same time daily. Most adults need 6-8 hours of good quality sleep per night.

Decrease caffeine intake in the afternoon and evening. People often wonder why they can’t drink several cups of coffee once they get into their 30s or 40s as they could in college. After all, it’s not unheard of for college students to drink several cups of coffee (or even a few pots of strong caffeinated coffee before exams), AND they are still able to go to sleep at night!

This is because our liver does a beautiful job of detoxifying when we are young but when we are a bit older, not so much. This is just simply part of life and aging and can cause us to have lighter sleep , which is less restorative, and not to mention the trips to the bathroom in the middle of the night.

Limit media exposure and don’t use technology close to bedtime. Blue light (TV, phones, gaming devices, tablets, computer monitors and other tech screens) is bad news for sleep and can affect one’s stress response and anxiety level. Set an alarm for yourself to stop using these devices at least an hour before bedtime.

Socialize and Supplement

Talk to other people. In times of stress, the best way for us to handle our own stress and anxiety can be to reach out to others who may be feeling the same way. You can social distance but you don’t have to be emotionally distant or isolated.
Consider supplements. If your food is not rich in the many immune boosting ingredients you need, considering taking vitamins and supplements.

Some important nutrients for boosting immunity are:

Vitamin B6, which is crucial to support biochemical reactions in the immune system. B6 rich foods include chicken, cold water fish, (salmon/tuna) and green veggies, chickpeas. (Yum! Hello, hummus!)

Vitamin C, which is one of the biggest immune system boosters of all, is crucial. The lack of Vitamin C can make you more prone to illness. Foods rich in Vitamin C include oranges, grapefruit, tangerine, strawberries, bell peppers, kale, broccoli, spinach. Also remember, your body does not store vitamin C so you need to take it in daily, but it’s in many foods. And if you don’t get enough, you can always supplement with a high-grade supplement. A study on the efficacy of vitamin C on the immune system you can read is here.

Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant that helps the body fight off infection and some foods rich in vitamin E include, nuts, seeds and spinach.

Zinc helps the immune system too. Zinc, known as an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant, helps the main immune cells perform their job, and, in turn, helps our bodies recover from and respond to illness. Adding a zinc supplement to your regimen, especially right now, helps to ensure that you are better prepared for those pesky germs we discussed earlier.

For more on supplements, keep an eye out for my next “Ask the Doctor” article at NorthWestPharmacy.com.

Check out our Market page

You can find some of our favorite supplement recommendations on our Market page and order them online.

Schedule a consultation

If you like, you can learn more and schedule a consultation with Dr. Brynna Connor.

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