phospholipid – Page 3 – Effective Self Care info

February 23, 2018

Phospholipid and fertility for men and women

Fertility for both men and women is also effected by having adequate but not too much cannabinoids/phospholipid. Most of the cannabinoid group of molecules do not cause euphoria as does THC, the cannabinoid that medical marijuana is known for containing. The cannabinoid that is most common within the body is more similar to the non-euphoria causing cannabinoid known by the initials CBD.

Political reasons may be the reason that medical research is being prevented by the Schedule 1 status of the marijuana /cannabis plant. Many medical advocacy groups have recommended that the plant be taken off the Scheduled list or have it changed to a lower rating that indicates medical benefit.

So a change in political environment seems necessary before the goal to help save the human race from extinction can be addressed directly with research into improving both the diet and nutrient guidelines for all age groups and address increasing infertility rates. Currently medical professionals can’t really study or recommend cannabinoids for healthcare purposes due to the Federal designation of Schedule 1 controlled substance.

Additional note: The question of legalizing marijuana is seperate from changing the Schedule from I to III. Simply changing the rating would free academic and medical research teams or businesses to work with non-euphoria producing cannabinoids or the effect of dietary sources of phospholipids on the endogenous cannabinoid systems of the body and their effect on promoting health in certain types of chronic illness or substance abuse or binge eating disorders. Ironically a synthetic version of the euphoria producing cannabinoid known as THC is already considered a Schedule III drug (accessdata.fda.gov/Marinol/dronabinol.pdf) – with medical benefits – while the plant that contains a range of cannabinoids and terpenes that all have medical benefits is rated Schedule I – with no medical benefits.

It is past time for politics to get out of the way of health care research.

Disclosure: This information is being provided for the purpose of education within the guidelines of Fair Use. While I am a Registered Dietitian, the information is not intended to be used for the purpose of individualized healthcare guidance. Please seek an individual healthcare professional for the purpose of individualized healthcare guidance.

February 23, 2018

Phospholipids and infant formula

In the last post I stated my long term goal regarding phospholipids and infant or adult complete diet formulas in simplified terms. The primary complicating factor is the limits that are placed on cannabinoids by the U.S. rating of cannabis/marijuana as a plant with no medical value. As a Schedule 1 controlled substance research is only allowed to be performed regarding toxic or addictive aspects of the plant or substance. Many groups including physician groups have stated that the underlying premise that there is no medical value for cannabis/marijuana is wrong. Phospholipids form one part of the more complex group of molecules called cannabinoids and cannabinoids are found in every cell of the body and in most species of animals and many plants and even a few types of insects. The group of chemicals form a flexible part of cell membranes and also act as messenger chemicals that are important in immunity, appetite control and mood to name a few roles. For infants the nutrients are found in a well nourished woman’s breast milk and it helps promote a good appetite and weight gain for the baby. A chronically ill, elderly, or genetically not average person might also need a dietary source of phospholipids or cannabinoids.

So having a goal of establishing an additional ingredient for infant or adult formula is simplifying the need to have the same group of molecules stated to be of medical value within the controlled substance regulations of the U.S. and other countries. Mexico has changed regulations to state medical value so advances in infant and adult formulas with research to show safety and effectiveness might start there unless or until the U.S. companies work with the simpler phospholipids or the Schedule 1 regulation is changed for cannabis/marijuana at the Federal level.

Disclosure: This information is being 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 care guidance. Please seek an individual health care provider for individualized health care guidance.

February 18, 2018

Pomegranate extract – Master Chef Challenge update

For anyone following along with the pomegranate peel experiments (previous post)- update, I had a lot of pomegranate extract thawed at the same time and for a dietitian that means reheat to steaming to assure food safety. So it was an opportunity to experiment some more with trying to adjust the acidity again. When baking soda is added to a hot acidic liquid there is an obvious bubbling reaction and change in color of the liquid. I have pH strips to check acidity and did manage to adjust the acidity of the extract. The taste is still not great but chronic illness and mood issues are not great either. After three cups of experimental attempts my mood is awesome *(see additional note) and I have some recipe details:

6 cups of pomegranate extract (previous post)

2 Tablespoons Cardamom powdered spice

1 teaspoon Gumbo File powdered spice (Sassafras Leaves, powdered and used in Gumbo’s in Creole style cooking)

1 teaspoon Baking Powder

Add the Cardamom and Gumbo File to the Pomegranate Extract and stir well to break apart any dry lumps of the powdered spices. The Gumbo File acts as an emulsifier and is a digestive aid and the Cardamom adds flavor, phytonutrients and would help alkalize the mixture in addition to the alkalizing power of the Baking Soda.
Bring the mixture to a boil.
Add the Baking Soda and stir. Remove the mixture from the heat and keep stirring. It will froth up and stirring helps keep it from frothing over the top of the pan. The color changes from pinkish to brown from the Cardamom spice.
To drink as a beverage dilute with equal parts water to Pomegranate Extract.

This would be an acquired taste – aka “not good” until you get used to it, or not good at all but the mood and health benefits are worth for me at least. It is also a diuretic which means it is like beer or coffee in the way it increases kidney activity and urine production so it is best to have it earlier in the day followed by plenty of glasses of water early in the day so that you aren’t waking up in the middle of the night as much. Overly acidic, dehydrated body fluids can increase work for the kidneys and result in a frequent feeling of needing to go urgently but then not producing much quantity – drink plenty of water early in the day and produce plenty of dilute quantity early in the day and a diuretic can help cleanse toxins from the body instead of being a middle of the night problem.

Since pomegranate growing season is limited the powdered spice made from Sumac might be a health substitute. It has been shown to have a range of health benefits, and is also a diuretic. Its phytonutrients are similarly colored suggesting there might be some similar antioxidant content as well. The gallotannin group of phytonutrients are in common and would likely promote Nrf2. (More about Sumac in this post) (a series of posts on Nrf2)

To put a financial perspective on this – for my health needs the pomegranate extract or pomegranate seeds and cardamom powder and a few other good sources of phospholipids are adequate replacements for my medical marijuana which cost me around $1000-1200 per month. The medical effects are slightly different and not quite as good for pain killing properties but the negative psychological effects that can occur with withdrawal for some people are also not present.

To review – cannabinoids are a group of chemicals that are made within the cells of most species and are similar to the group of cannabinoids found in the cannabis plants commonly known as marijuana or hemp. Medical marijuana has a euphoria producing one known by the chemical initials THC while hemp has only non-euphoria producing cannabinoids. Both types can have medical or other basic health benefits. Cannabinoids are found throughout membranes and add to cell wall flexibility and help with messenger chemical type activities that can help reduce inflammation and fight infection. Some people such as myself can have genetic differences that make it impossible to make the chemicals internally as in average health. I have had minor health problems since infancy and having external dietary sources of phospholipids or cannabinoids helps my body and mood and immune system. More information about the topic is available in the post/article Is it Addiction or Starvation?

People with problems with binge eating disorders, alcohol abuse tendencies, meth or heroin/opioid abuse tendencies, or seem to have an excess use of marijuana, and nicotine to a lesser extent all may actually have underlying genetic differences that leave them in need of increased dietary sources of phospholipids/cannabinoids. The article Is It Addiction or Starvation? has some legal food sources in addition to pomegranate seeds and cardamom spice. It doesn’t mention the Middle Eastern spice Sumac but it might help also.

*Additional note – three cups was likely to large of a serving, an awesome mood for someone with unstable mood issues was too much of a good thing – Newton’s Law of Gravity may apply metaphorically, “What goes up must come down.” I had a worse mood problem later in the evening. Today (the next morning) I’ve enjoyed a few spoonfuls of the spicy, creamy slightly thickened mixture in my coffee and it is good to my “acquired taste.” The thing about having acquired an acquired taste for something is that you then want to acquire more – pun intended. The pomegranate season in Australia turns out to also be November to March so that isn’t much help. Processing pomegranate peel during the growing season would be necessary if I hope to continue to be able to acquire pomegranate extract all year long. It has medicinal benefits according to the research that is available, (see links in earlier posts on this site).

New Zealand isn’t ideal for pomegranate either as the summer length may be too short some years, however their harvest season is February-April: “Pomegranates grow best in areas with cold Winters and long hot, dry Summers.” (Pomegranate Wonderful)

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.

January 20, 2018

Foods that are good sources of phospholipids or other phospho-nutrients

This is not a list of all foods but a list of some good sources mentioned recently and a few additions.

Artemisia turanica (wormwood) an herb I take as a supplement I had forgotten that my new bottle uses the botanical name.
Amaranth Seed – a grain that can be cooked as a breakfast porridge like dish or is available as a flour. It is gluten free.
Asparagus stems
Avocado, the fruit, or the inner kernel which can be dried and ground into a powder to use in baking perhaps, I haven’t seen the recipe and having tried to cut one it doesn’t seem like an easy task for the average home kitchen equipment.
Beans, common green beans, Adzuki beans, Lentils, Lima Beans, Mung Beans, Green Peas, Split Peas – probably all the bean family.
Cardamom – a seed pod available whole or powdered and is generally used as a powdered spice in baked goods or in savory dishes in India style curries.
Carrots
Cashew nuts, Peanuts, Walnuts, – probably all the nuts, seeds, beans, peas and legumes.
Celery stems and leaves
Coconut
Cumin seed – generally available as a powdered spice and used in bean dishes in Mexican or Indian cooking.
Gingko Leaf, available as an herbal supplement called Gingko biloba
Grapefruit juice and orange juice.
Hemp Seed, Fennel Seed, Flax seed, Squash Seed, Pine Seeds, Pumpkin Seed kernel.
Butternut squash and pumpkin.
Jerusalem Artichoke (this is a root, not an artichoke, but artichokes are probably a source to as a green leafy type vegetable)
Lettuce Leaf, Spinach leaves, Mustard leaves, – many leafy green vegetables.
Oats, – most grains like the bean, nut, seed group contain some as phospho-nutrients are part of membranes.
Okra seeds (eaten as a green vegetable with the seeds left in the vegetable)
Onion root, Garlic, Leek leaves
Parsnip root,
Pomegranate seeds
Rice, white or brown, the bran contains more though.
Sesame Seeds (also available as tahini, a sesame paste that is oilier than peanut butter but can be used similarly if used in less quantity)..
Sorghum, a grain available whole or as a flour
Sweet Potato or Yams
Buckwheat, a grain that is not wheat and is gluten free, available as a grain or flour
Wheat – a grain typically used a flour but also available in whole wheatberries or cracked wheat or more refined breakfast cereal versions.

Source: Table 4.15 and Table 8.2 Chemistry of Plant Phosphorus Compounds, by Arlen Frank, (1)

Arlen Frank, Chemistry of Plant Phosphorus Compounds, Elsevier, Jun 3, 2013, https://books.google.com/books/about/Chemistry_of_Plant_Phosphorus_Compounds.html?id=6btpFSV1T2YC (1)