Health is wealth and we tend to learn that only after running low on our health. Self care is the daily habits of good food, exercise, rest and de-stressing fun activities that help us relax and rev up for another day of work and play. I am a Registered Dietitian with a low health budget due to autoimmune disease but I have found daily choices can help me stay in remission. Food and sleep, and purposeful activity mixed with exercise and relaxation all help keep me in a healthier and happier body and mind. Self care doesn't mean spa day at an expensive resort so much as just spending a few minutes each morning washing, dressing, and showing up in a relaxed state of mind - lovely images or art objects or just a pretty rock or wildflower in a glass jar can also help. Nature may have a little extra soothing ability whether we see an image or make the time to visit a park. Even taking time to smell the roses in a mental trip to your imagination might help you relax and breath a little more deeply. Extra oxygen can help stress because it is used up and we tend to hold our breaths. So take time to pause and breath and sometimes enjoy the flowers in a park or just in your memory's imagination. Thanks for visiting.
Good question, as a starting point some background information:
The percentages on Nutrient Facts Labels on foods sold in the United States are based on a 2000 calorie diet with a goal that will include 20 percent calories from protein, 35% from fats, and 45% from carbohydrates – this represents a change at at the federal level that will be seen in the market place in a phased in process between July 2018 to July 2019. The current/old percentages were 20% from protein, 30% from fats and 50% from carbohydrates. Medical research trials with weight loss and other chronic illness however suggested that a lower carbohydrate diet is healthier for the average person.
Carbohydrates include digestible complex and simple carbohydrates which provide about 4 calories per gram and also include indigestible carbohydrates in the form of fiber which are not considered to provide calories for our diet but some of which may be modified into beneficial fats by healthy bacteria and provide a small of calories – but it is simpler to not count those potential calories.
Protein provides 4 calories per gram.
Fats provide 9 calories per gram.
Alcohol provides 7 calories per gram (yes the beer belly can be a real side effect of excess alcohol. Excess calories from alcohol tend to be stored as fat in the liver which is why cirrhosis of the liver is a risk with alcoholism).
A 2000 calorie meal plan might not be enough calories for a man and might be too many calories for a woman so it is goal for an average adult. A 1500 calorie meal plan might be more reasonable for an older, or not very active woman.
A menu plan that provided 30% of calories from carbohydrates might include 25% of calories from protein to provide adequate protein without an excessive burden on the kidneys from too much waste to excrete from nitrogen, and that leaves 45% of calories from fats.
2000 calories could be divided into 600 calories from carbohydrate, 150 grams, (approximately 10 bread group equivalents); 500 calories from protein, 125 grams, (approximately 17.8 ounces of meat group equivalents); and 900 calories from fats, 100 grams, (approximately 20 teaspoon equivalents of oil).
1500 calories could be divided into 450 calories from carbohydrate, 112.5 grams (approximately 7.5 bread group equivalents); 375 calories from protein, 93.75 grams, (approximately 12.3 ounces of meat group equivalents); and 675 calories from fat, 75 grams, (approximately 15 teaspoons equivalents of oil).
In a typical diet plan 2 to 3 servings of dairy group would use some of the carbohydrate and protein group equivalents and some of the fat depending on whether skim milk or higher fat milk group servings were chosen. I am not alone in being dairy sensitive; it is not uncommon for people on the autism spectrum to have fewer negative symptoms on a dairy free diet so my own diet plan example is dairy free but I will also show what a sample meal plan with 2-3 dairy equivalents might look like.
A rough count of my own typical daily diet includes approximately 8 protein equivalents of the bean, nut, and seed group; 1 fruit group serving; 2 bread group servings; 6 vegetable group servings; 1 fat group serving. Adding up the calories and grams contained in my typical day’s meals and snacks suggests I may be getting 1865 calories with 79.13 grams of protein, 81.92 grams of fats, 152.33 grams of complex & simple carbohydrates, and 60.9 grams of fiber/indigestible carbohydrate, which would be 316.52 calories from protein (17%/1865), 737.28 calories from fat (39.5%/1865), and 609.32 calories from carbohydrates (32.7% of 1865).
See the food items, with the addition of Nutritional Yeast Flakes as a B12 source, and nutrient content here: (Excel 30% calories from CHO, vegan).
CHO is a chemical reference to the molecular structure of carbohydrates which are a combination of atoms of – Carbon Hydrogen Oxygen.
Specifically I included in the nutrient calculation for my typical day’s foods:
Black beans, 2 cups
Greens, 2 cups
Fennel Seed, 2 Tbs
Almonds, raw 3 Tbs
Hemp kernels, 3 Tbs
Brazil nuts, 2-3, 1/3 oz
Carrot, 1 med, 1/2 cup, 61 gr
Celery, 1 large, 1/2 cup, 61 gr
Basil, dried, 1 Tbs
Oregano, dried 1 tsp
Chives, dried 1 Tbsp
Lemon Juice, conc bttld 2 Tbs
Walnuts, hlvs/pcs 1/8 cup, 1/2 oz
Sweet Potato, plain 1 cup 110 gr
Lundberg Rice Cakes, 2
Tahini, 1 oz, 2 Tbs
Glycine 1/2 tsp
Methionine 1/2 tsp
Chia Seeds, 2 Tbs
Coffee, instant unsweetened, 2 Tbs
Pomegranate seeds, raw 1/2 cup, 70 gr
Coconut oil, 1 teaspoon
Cocoa Powder, 2 Tbs
Tarragon, dried, 1 Tbs
A diet plan similar to mine except with the inclusion of low carbohydrate dairy products includes unsweetened yogurt and cheese and slightly less sweet potato to reduce the total carbohydrates and half the almonds – almonds are a higher calcium nut. I left out the amino acid supplements and instant coffee as the nutrient totals are minor and the beverage/supplements might not be needed or preferred by someone else. Total calories on the plan with low carbohydrate dairy foods equaled 1978 calories with 95.13 grams protein (380.52 calories/19.2%/1978); 90.17 grams fat (811.53 calories/41%/1978); 148.33 grams of digestible complex/simple carbohydrates (593.32 calories/30%/1978) and 58.4 grams or fiber.
A diet with excessive saturated or trans fats may increase heart disease risk so no more than 10% of calories from saturated fats is recommended and limiting trans fats from processed foods to as little as possible is recommended. Polyunsaturated fats are more heart healthy than saturated fats but an imbalance of polyunsaturated to monounsaturated fats may also be a negative health problem due to a possible increase in inflammation, so a diet with more monounsaturated fats or adequate amounts is important instead of having too many liquid vegetable oils (rich in polyunsaturated fats) or too many solid at room temperature coconut or palm oil or animal fat products (rich in saturated fats).
Some coconut oil in the diet may provide health benefits due to the specific phytonutrients it contains in addition to the type of monounsaturated fats it provides. Walnuts, hemp kernels, ground flaxseed meal, and blue green algae such as spirulina are vegetarian sources of a precursor or source of the beneficial omega 3 fatty acids that are also found in salmon, tuna, sardines, other fatty fish and krill oil.
Extra leafy green vegetables and herbs are very low carbohydrate and low calorie so have extra of those if hungry for more. Celery and other nonstarchy vegetables also have low amounts of carbohydrates. Sweet potato, potato, squash, and corn, peas, and other beans do contain significant amounts of carbohydrates and would need to be used with portion control if trying to keep to a 30% of carbohydrate diet plan.
Disclaimer: Opinions are my own and the information is provided for educational purposes within the guidelines of fair use. While I am a Registered Dietitian this information is not intended to provide individual health guidance. Please see a health professional for individual health care purposes. Thanks.
Daisies have nothing to do with autism and Alzheimer’s risk but in order to simplify complex topics into real world strategies for preventative health care guidance the complexity has to be thoroughly understood. In the last post the medical and chemistry jargon got thicker than a field of daisies and taking a break can help the brain sort through the field to find a bouquet – metaphorically speaking.
In my real world I also found some online courses to help brush up on making sense of medical and chemical jargon for the lay reader or the health professional. I’m taking some online courses available through Coursera.org: Writing for the Sciences, Stanford University and Medical Neuroscience, Duke University, and for later in the summer: Essentials of Global Health, Yale University.
My own health has been helped by the information I gather – the bouquets of daisies can turn into good hair days and the ability to grow skin. It is easy to take health, and skin, for granted until you lose it and then a physician with a prescription pad is not always available with a helpful answer. “We don’t know what causes it or how to help you but this pain killer might leave you addicted and/or cause uncomfortable side effects” – not a helpful answer and may be a more dangerous answer than “Your lab tests are normal, why don’t you go talk to a therapist about your problems (probably psychosomatic/hypochondria).” Thanks, I’ll go for a walk and think about that, maybe I’ll be able to pick some daisies and get some fresh air and sunshine while I’m out.
Taking a break sometimes is just what is needed to allow the brain to sort through a complicated issue – the solution is there but it may need to be selected out of a field of many possible answers. Some exercise and a little time to not think consciously about it can be what the subconscious needs to put together the pieces so the larger puzzle can be seen. (Don’t Solve Your Problems – Lolly Daskal) Taking a walk was a strategy that Charles Darwin and Charles Dickens liked to use: “If I couldn’t walk fast and far, I should just explode and perish.” – Charles Dickens – (For a More Creative Brain, Take Breaks – Inc.com) (Michael Simmons Quote)
A completed puzzle of a picture of marbles arranged in a rainbow pattern – it was more difficult than it looks.
Taking a walk may not help you solve all your tough puzzles but the exercise is still good for you.
A field of dandelions in front of a mountain (Note: Objects may be closer than they appear).
So what did daisies have to do with yesterday’s post – they represented the pause I took to let all the material that I had read settle into a few take home points about real world strategies that might help protect people with a genetic predisposition to Alzheimer’s Disease or autism – vigorous exercise regularly may help; a diet with a lower than typical balance of calories from carbohydrates versus fats and protein (30% carbohydrate calories); and occasional fasting for a day or afternoon (14) may all help the body to clear out the protein deposits that seem to collect and lead to Alzheimer’s or autism changes in the brain.
Disclaimer: Opinions are my own and the information is provided for educational purposes within the guidelines of fair use. While I am a Registered Dietitian this information is not intended to provide individual health guidance. Please see a health professional for individual health care purposes. Thanks.
Autism is more of a risk for boys than girls by a factor of four boys for every one girl or three boys for every one girl diagnosed with autism depending on the type of study and diagnostic criteria. There is some speculation that autism in girls presents with less obvious symptoms than in boys. Girls with autism may have less repetitive behavior and be able to fit in socially better than boys with autism and may have less obvious focus on one main topic of interest. (1)
At the other end of the age spectrum females have a greater rate of Alzheimer’s Disease than males. (13)
The difference has been shown to be significant, not just a difference in diagnostic criteria. Estrogen is a female hormone that may be protecting girls from the risk of developing autism but then in menopause is no longer protecting older females from the risk of developing Alzheimer’s Disease. Patients with Autism and Alzheimer’s have been shown to have a tendency to have increased amounts of protein clusters (amyloid beta) in the brain which in normal health would be cleared away. An animal based study found a genetic strain of mice with a clear gender and age difference. Young male mice developed autism like symptoms and older female mice developed Alzheimer’s like symptoms.
A different study found a gender difference in the amount of a protective protein (ADNP) in young male mice with autism like symptoms and older female mice with Alzheimer’s like symptoms. (6) Complete lack of the protective protein leads to very early death with neural tube defects in animal studies. (7) The neuroprotective protein (ADNP) seems to promote autophagy (our body’s recycling method, it makes us more energy efficient and helps detoxify/remove old cells or material such as the beta-amyloid protein for reuse, read more: 14) and the deficit of it may also be involved in schizophrenia. (8) The protein is involved with control of the dendritic branching of brain cells which is typically found to be different in children with autism. The protein also plays a role in regulating over 400 genes involved in embryo development including ApoE and the tau protein which is found to collect in the brains of patients with Alzheimer’s Disease in addition to beta-amyloid protein. (9)
The role of apoE involves membranes, cholesterol, cannabinoid receptors and lipid rafts – chemistry geeks have fun, three dimensional drawings and a discussion of cholesterol within the brain and its role in several neurodegenerative diseases is available online in full text, the brain includes 25% of the body’s cholesterol even though the brain only accounts for 2% of the total body weight, on average. (10). A briefer description of the role apoE plays in the brain and with estrogen and Alzheimer’s risk is available with a discussion of the gene differences that are known to increase but not guarantee risk of developing Alzheimer’s Disease. (11)
Disclosure: a genetic screening suggests I do have one of the higher risk differences in the ApoE gene. (rs2254958)
Strategies to help increase autophagy may help reverse some of the risk factors associated with reduced ApoE/reduced ADNP levels –
vigorous exercise,
a ketosis promoting, low carbohydrate diet, regularly or occasionally,
fasting for a day or a partial day occasionally. (14)
The activity of the apoE protein on other genes can be affected by cannabinoids, too little cannabinoids may be a problem or too much.
The take home point – magnesium and adequate cannabinoids seem to be involved in helping clear the protein clusters during normal health.
Nutritional strategies recommended to help prevent Alzheimer’s disease include increasing intake of magnesium. Research has found that low levels of magnesium promoted build up of beta amyloid protein while high levels of magnesium promoted breakdown of the misshapen proteins.
“Lab studies show that magnesium modulates enzymes involved in amyloid beta production; at low levels, magnesium favors amyloid beta buildup, while at higher levels it favors amyloid beta breakdown.101,102″ [2] (from a 2014 post)
Certain genetic conditions and chronic health conditions or older age can make the body less able to make cannabinoids endogenously/internally. External sources of cannabinoids have been shown to be helpful for clearing the protein clusters involved in Alzheimer’s Disease. (https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/06/160629095609.htm)
An underlying infection with bacteria or yeast may be involved in the buildup of the protein clusters as they have a protective effect against some types of infection, so addressing low grade chronic infection may be needed to help stop the over production of the amyloid beta protein clusters in addition to providing adequate magnesium and cannabinoids. Note that there are non-euphoric cannabinoids and legal food sources in addition to medical marijuana. Pumpkin seeds are a good source, $200 billion per year is estimated to be spent on Alzheimer’s care annually at our current rate of the disease prevalence – that would buy a lot of pumpkin seeds. (15 )
That article also mentions that 192 pharmaceutical chemicals have been anticipated and tested in hope of a cure or effective treatment for Alzheimer’s Disease but which have ultimately not been found to be successful. One hundred and ninety two chemicals tested, one hundred and ninety two chemicals found ineffective – magnesium and cannabinoids however have been found effective at helping the body to naturally break down the tau and beta-amyloid protein clumps that lead to brain damage and later symptoms of dementia in Alzheimer’s Disease and a few other neurological conditions including traumatic brain injuries and autism. (15 ) (links re tau/amyloid in autism & Alzheimers) (links re tau/amyloid protein in traumatic brain injury)
Ibuprofen is a pharmaceutical that is no longer covered by a patent and it has been found to be beneficial in protecting against Alzheimer’s Disease (link: 16) and the underlying reason is likely that ibuprofen prevents the break down of cannabinoids (17)(Search term: “ibuprofen prevents break down of cannabinoids”) – but you need cannabinoids first and some people might no longer be able to make them after a certain age or state of health or may never have been able to make them as well due to genetic differences.
So celebrate protecting your brain today by eating pumpkin seeds, cardamom spice, the herb rosemary, chocolate, or leafy green vegetables. – and the brightly colored tiny inner part of a piece of corn that you can see when eating corn on the cob is also a good source.
The misshapen tau/amyloid-beta proteins have a protective effect against bacteria and the yeast Candida albicans so a chronic lowgrade infection may be an underlying cause of the accumulation of beta amyloid placques. [3] [4] (from a 2014 post)
There are many more legal food sources of cannabinoids or a precursor available, a longer list is included below. The progression of Alzheimer’s Disease can take twenty years before symptoms are obvious, so getting an early start on protecting against the tau/beta-amyloid protein build-up makes sense to me (Disclosure, I have a direct family history of the disease in older relatives and a genetic screening suggests that I am more at risk, so I am biased towards preventing the disease in my own brain or other family members.)
Phospholipids are part of cannabinoids and other phosphorus containing nutrients are important in energy production. The phospholipids and cannabinoids are important for the health and function of skin and other membranes lining cells and organs, and/or if you care more about having a good hair day than whether you might get Alzheimer’s Disease in several decades, then the phospholipids are also important for hair growth: *The phospholipid mixture in this animal-based study was applied on the skin surface for hair loss associated with inflammatory skin dermatitis: (18)
(Additional Discloure: I am also genetically at risk for Male Pattern Baldness which became visibly apparent when my autoimmune disease was more severe, however with my switch to phospholipid rich foods my hair has since grown back and my autoimmune condition is in remission as long as I continue with my new health habits).
Other nutrients including the B vitamins, vitamin E, and zinc are also important for healthy hair growth (read more) but many of the following list would also be good sources of B vitamins, vitamin E, zinc and other trace minerals and essential omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids. Pumpkin seeds are a good vegetarian source of zinc, otherwise the mineral is more commonly available in meats.
Food Sources of Phospholipids and other phospho-nutrients: Hemp seed kernels and oil; Artemisia turanica/wormwood leaf; amaranth seed; asparagus; avocado fruit or the inner kernel, dried and powdered; beans/legumes; cardamom seeds and powder; carrots; celery stalks and leaves; cocoa beans and cocoa powder, baker’s chocolate, dark chocolate and to a lesser amount milk chocolate and chocolate syrup; coconut; cumin seed/powder; fennel seed, flax seed, pine nuts; sesame seeds, pumpkin seed kernels, squash seeds; butternut squash and pumpkin; gingko leaf; grapefruit and orange juice with the pulp; Jerusalem artichoke (this is a root vegetable rather than a green artichoke); lettuce, spinach and mustard leaves and other leafy green vegetables and herbs; nuts/peanuts, cashews, walnuts; oats; okra seeds; onion root, leek leaves, garlic; parsnip root; pomegranate seeds and pomegranate peel extract;rice, white or brown but the bran is the best source; rosemary; sorghum; sweet potato or yam; buckwheat (a seed botanically that is not wheat and is gluten free); wheat. (G.26)
That topic took a walk around the block and picked some daisies along the way but the important message might be that eating well and exercising regularly may promote healthy hair, a fit body right now while helping maintain healthy brain function into the future. Genetic susceptibility may be involved in the rate of young males with autism and older females with autism and prevention might include more magnesium and phospholipid rich foods in the diet with a diet that is moderate in carbohydrates and regular vigorous exercise to promote autophagy to help promote the natural recycling of tau and beta-amyloid protein that tends to accumulate in the brains of people with autism and Alzheimer’s Disease. Lack of ADNP protein may lead to lack of ApoE or a genetic difference may cause reduced ApoE and the deficiency may lead to a reduced level of autophagy.
Fasting for a day or partial day occasionally or a low carbohydrate diet, even just a diet balance as low as 30% of calories, and vigorous exercise are three natural ways that may help promote autophagy – our body’s natural method for removing and reusing old cellular material. (14) Those strategies might help a woman with Alzheimer’s risk but for an infant or toddler may need to be adapted to simply allowing vigorous, safe play, and a diet that with a greater percentage of healthy fats than average. The list of phosphonutrient rich foods are generally healthy and safe for prenatal diets or other stages of life and would likely promote a fit body and healthy hair for a person of any age and gender – and what is good for the hair is good for other membranes throughout the body and is also good for the brain. The hair is a protein that is a modified form of skin tissue and so is fingernail protein – beauty is more than skin deep.
Some daisies.
Disclaimer: Opinions are my own and the information is provided for educational purposes within the guidelines of fair use. While I am a Registered Dietitian this information is not intended to provide individual health guidance. Please see a health professional for individual health care purposes. Thanks.
Molnar Mark, Alzheimer’s Disease Emerging Role of Infection, http://miklossy.ch/
Why women have more Alzheimer’s disease than men: gender and mitochondrial toxicity of amyloid-beta peptide. J Alzheimers Dis. 2010;20 Suppl 2:S527-33. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20442496
Activity-dependent neuroprotective protein (ADNP) exhibits striking sexual dichotomy impacting on autistic and Alzheimer’s pathologies. Transl Psychiatry. 2015 Feb 3;5:e501. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25646590
Shmuel Mandel, Gideon Rechavi, Illana Gozes,Activity-dependent neuroprotective protein (ADNP) differentially interacts with chromatin to regulate genes essential for embryogenesis. Developmental Biology, Volume 303, Issue 2, 15 March 2007, Pages 814-824. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0012160606013960
Shlomo Sragovich, Avia Merenlender‐Wagner, Illana Gozes, ADNP Plays a Key Role in Autophagy: From Autism to Schizophrenia and Alzheimer’s Disease. Bioassays, Volume39, Issue 11, November 2017, Pages 1700054 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/bies.201700054
M Maccarrone, G Bernardi, A Finazzi Agrò, and D Centonze, Review: Cannabinoid receptor signalling in neurodegenerative diseases: a potential role for membrane fluidity disturbance. British Journal of
Pharmacology, Themed Issue: Cannabinoids in Biology and Medicine, Part I, Nov. 16, 2010. http://files.iowamedicalmarijuana.org/petition/2012/bjp-aug-2011-1379-1390.pdf
Hilary Lampers, ND, 5 Reasons to Know Your APOE: Understanding Your Alzheimer’s Disease Risk. June 13, 2016 thenatpath.com
Maxwell A. Ruby,Daniel K. Nomura, Carolyn S. S. Hudak, Lara M. Mangravite, Sally Chiu, John E. Casida, and Ronald M. Krauss, Overactive endocannabinoid signaling impairs apolipoprotein E-mediated clearance of triglyceride-rich lipoproteins. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2008 Sep 23; 105(38): 14561–14566. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2567196/
The rate of autism in the 1970s was around 1 child in 10000. Prior to the 1930s the disease was barely heard of and only a few children, fewer than ten, had even been documented in psychiatric medical records as having any symptoms similar to the autism spectrum symptoms. (Denial/Blaxill, Olmsted)
Around 1999 to 2000 there was a sharp increase in the rate of autism diagnosed. Changes in awareness and/or diagnosis criteria may have some impact on short term changes but the increase in rate from the 1970s is significant. Extrapolating into the future following the recent rate of change in the rate of children diagnosed with autism takes us to an estimated rate of 1 in 34 children in the year 2042. We all need to ask ourselves if now is a better time to try to prevent autism from occurring in our nation’s children or if we should wait until 2042. There are multiple risk factors including specific timing during the infant’s prenatal development, exposure to certain toxins, and nutrient deficiency and/or genetic susceptibility – complex, yes, but complex just takes a little more work to handle.
Autism Rate, U.S., Actual : 1970s-2018, Extrapolated from 2018 to 2042U.S. Autism Rate Soars to 1 in 59 Children, SafeMinds.org
Improved screening for risk factors of mothers during perinatal and prenatal care and screening of infants and toddlers before symptoms occur could help provide individualized guidance to help reduce known risk factors associated with increased risk of developing autism.
This series of pages titled as Step 1, Step 2, etc. is a draft of steps for how to prevent autism or other chronic illnesses:
(Biomarkers are ways to tell that the baby’s body chemistry, lab tests, are different than typical using the umbilical cord blood sample that is already being collected and used for other screening purposes – it would just add expense, so first set of five simplest tests would be done on all infant’s samples and those who had the differences noted in children who later in life developed autism, would be screened for the second set of five and those who continued to have the noted differences in lab values would have the third set of five lab tests performed on the cord blood sample; the series of testing provides increased accuracy of results while saving some time and money on the number of biomarkers involved. It is a complex problem, requiring complex strategies. The infants who tested with the differences could then have nutrient deficiency and genetic screening tests done for the known risk factors and social and lifestyle factors could be evaluated in the home (things like vinyl flooring and poor air circulation, especially if there is a smoker in the house or large numbers of decorative candles).
Disclaimer: Opinions are my own and the information is provided for educational purposes within the guidelines of fair use. While I am a Registered Dietitian this information is not intended to provide individual health guidance. Please see a health professional for individual health care purposes.
