Sage Health Living Blog

It's Apple Season!Apples are such a delicious and versatile fruit full of antioxidants, a good source of Vitamin C and potassium, and soluble fiber. They are easy to eat on the go, can be paired with other foods as part of a healthy snack or meal. There are so many varieties of apples, each with their own unique flavor and texture, it would be easy for everyone to have a favorite! They also seem to grow most climates, so many people can try local varieties. Apple picking is a fall fun family tradition.A medium apple  -6.4 ounces or 182 grams - offers the following nutrients : Calories: 95Carbs: 25 gramsFiber: 4 gramsVitamin C: 14% of the RDIPotassium: 6% of the RDIVitamin K: 5% of the RDI2–4% of the Recommended Daily Intake: manganese, copper, and the vitamins A, E, B1, B2, and B6.

Apples are also a rich source of flavonoids which benefit the whole body studies show they effect the heart, brain, lungs, gut and may be protective against cancers. The antioxidants, polyphenols and fiber that make apples so nourishing for the gut microbiome are found mainly in their skin, so make sure to eat the whole organic apple;) The Environmental Working Group has consistently found that apples are commonly sprayed with pesticides, more so than other fresh fruit and vegetables. 

 Quercetin, a nutrient that also occurs in many plant foods. Studies show quercetin may have anti-inflammatory, antihistamine, antiviral, anticancer, and antidepressant effects. Catechin, a natural antioxidant, catechin is also present in large amounts in green tea and research has shown to improve brain and muscle function.Chlorogenic acid, also found in coffee, chlorogenic acid has been found to lower blood sugar and prevent diabetes.Pectin, a fiber found in apple skins, has been shown to promote the presence of anti-inflammatory beneficial bacterial species in the Firmicutes family, which are known for their health-supporting functions.Procyanidins, a class of antioxidant flavonoids, from apples can prevent obesity in mice by improving the ratio of good to bad bacteria in the microbiome.Eating apples affect your gut microbiome by proving prebiotic fiber, polyphenols and antioxidants to nourish the beneficial bacteria. A recent article look at at the microbiome of organic verse conventional grown apples and found that consuming the whole organic apple includes an approximate uptake of "100 million bacterial", which sounds gross, but in reality that's what helps our own microbiome to become healthy and diverse.  

Some simple and yummy ways to eat an Apple a day:Apple and yogurt, topped with flax, pumpkin and chia seedsRoasted apples topped with granola and honeyChopped apples with roasted beets and goat cheese and walnuts on a bed of mixed greensApples dipped in chocolate hummusApple and Butternut squash soup 

Self-Care for your Health 

Self-care isn't about being selfish. Self-care is needed for optimal health and wellness, by all. With all that is going on in the world, and in your life, taking moments for yourself each day, or a full day, or whatever time you have is key to improving your health. Providing yourself with love, focus and most importantly (and maybe the hardest) time, can have significant personal, social and even economic benefits. 

However, for some the idea of self-care conjures up the image of an expensive "spa day" with head-to-toe pampering or "Instagram worthy" meals, fancy detox programs, or other products pushed by the "self-care/wellness" industry. While these examples certainly qualify, they might be out of reach for a multitude of reasons. I'm talking about the kind of self-care that is really focusing on your health, and putting you as a priority. 

Self-care can be as simple as a 5 minute a day routine of breathing, journaling, meditation, or prayer. It can be keeping your phone or tablet out of reach during meal time or while in bed. It can be taking a walk outside or an on-demand yoga class, while the laundry is going. Making that doctor's appoint that you have been putting off or finding a new medical professional that will take the time to listen to you. Self-care can be being gentle with yourself for needing more support or help. It can also be as simple as doing what you enjoy and allowing yourself to enjoy it- a comfort meal, watching your favorite show, reading that book you love again. Sometimes its saying "no" instead of yes to some things you might not want to do. Conversely,  it can be saying "yes" to some new things that get you out of your box.

Take the self-care check-up and find where you can practice simple, daily self-care:

Nutrients- Increase variety in meals, less guilt around comfort foods, trying something new and exciting, focus on eating vs. working through lunch, Movement- Increase daily movement, find an activity that brings you joy, walk or hike a new area, engage in a social outing with some new movement (ax throwing, golf, pick up games etc.)Sleep- Rest and sleep are vital to health and happiness. Find ways to improve sleep hygiene, take a nap, reset your bedtime/wake timeLaugh is Medicine- Make it a point to watch a comedy, read comics, find a funny video, or call or visit that one person that makes you laugh more than anyone elseSocial Expansion- Find a new hobby, join a club or meet-up, cooking classes, partner yogaSoul Journey- Reconnecting with your spiritual side, meditation, prayer, going to a place of worship (old or new)Practice Mindfulness- Being more present in the moment, reduce the thoughts of the past and the "what-ifs" of the future.

The most important thing is finding something that will help you de-stress and come back to your everyday life and responsibilities a little more refreshed, energized, or with a different mindset. Self-care is listening to what your body, mind and soul need in the moment, and more broadly as well. Stress reduction, even momentarily, can help build resilience and improve all bodily functions. Given the current state of the world, we could all use as much love and support as possible, especially from ourselves. The kindness we give to ourselves, the more kindness there is in the world.

September is PCOS Awareness Month

Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) is the most common cause of infertility in women. The condition is determined by genetics, reproductive hormonal imbalances and environmental factors. 1 in 10 women have PCOS, making it one of the more common women’s health conditions.

Common Symptoms used in diagnosing PCOS:

·       Irregular periods - a big contributor to infertility (missed periods, not ovulating, very heavy bleeding, excessive pain)

·       Polycystic ovaries (enlarged ovaries or many follicles)

·       Excessive androgen hormone levels (excessive facial/body hair, acne, baldness)

Other symptoms often seen in people with PCOS are:

·       Difficulty managing weight (disordered eating may be involved) *

·       Fatigue (low energy, poor sleep)

·       Mood Changes (anxiety, depression)

·       Pain (pelvic, ovarian, menstruation, headaches)

·       Skin changes (darkening patches, acne)

·       Unwanted or excessive hair growth (facial/body)

·       Hair (baldness, thinning)

  There are four types of PCOS. People can have one or multiple factors that contribute to their main type of PCOS.

·       Insulin Resistance (IR) PCOS* (majority of cases)

·       Adrenal PCOS (stress triggered)

·       Inflammatory PCOS (chronic inflammation)

·       Post-Birth Control pill PCOS

*The vicious cycle of IR is a cause for PCOS and the weight gain around the middle section of the body, inability to lose weight, and carbohydrate cravings. Higher body weight is a symptom- not a cause for PCOS. IR contributes to abnormal levels of hunger hormones, which lead to inability to listen to the body innate hunger cues and satiety cues. Weight loss is often given as a “treatment” for PCOS- however, research shows that maintaining your body’s natural set point weight, (which differs for each person) is healthier than weight cycling.

The first line of defense against all forms are PCOS are through dietary and lifestyle adjustments. Working with a Functional Nutritionist is a great way to assess and address the contributors to your PCOS. Everyone with PCOS will have individual aspects that can be addressed to improve symptoms. Functional medicine looks to support the individual needs and underlying causes of dysfunction.

 A Functional Nutritionist can guide you in adjusting diet and lifestyle based on the type(s) of PCOS one has and support the biological systems like the Hypothalamus-Pituitary-Adrenal axis for optimal health and wellness for that individual.

Ways to improve life with PCOS:

·       Dietary changes based on your food intake influences hormonal balance, insulin resistance, gut, thyroid, and immune health. Work to increase healthful food choices, understand how specific foods affect your body and improve your relationship with food in general.

·       Supplemental / Herbal therapies as a natural approach to support optimal functions and balance in the H-P-A axis, to improve your symptoms and your health based on your health history and present symptoms.

·       Lifestyle adjustments to reduce and cope with stress, such as work to heal from past traumas, which are stored in the body.

·       Find joyful movement that makes you feel good. Anything (walking, swimming, kickboxing, yoga, resistance training, gardening, dancing, etc.) that you want to do, as often as you can, based on what feels good for your body.

·       Improve sleep, so your body can operate at is best during the day.

Conventional medications are available for people whose symptoms resist diet and lifestyle changes. There are also many advanced reproductive technologies that make it very possible for people with PCOS get pregnant.

PCOS is a chronic condition with multiple contributing factors, including genetics and environment. It can be helpful to find PCOS social supports, through social media, podcasts, and books to work through the many emotions surrounding PCOS diagnosis, symptoms, and treatments. Ultimately, making an individualized plan to adjust and support your body to manage PCOS symptoms and underlying causes can allow you to live your best life. Research suggests that there might be an evolutionary advantage to PCOS, that we as a species are still perfecting.

Resources:

Azziz, R., Dumesic, D. A., & Goodarzi, M. O. (2011). Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: An Ancient Disorder? Fertility and Sterility, 95(5), 1544–1548. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fertnstert.2010.09.032

Bernadett, M., & Szemán-N, A. (2016). Prevalence of eating disorders among women with polycystic ovary syndrome. Psychiatria Hungarica: A Magyar Pszichiatriai Tarsasag Tudomanyos Folyoirata, 31(2), 136–145.

Dapas, M., Sisk, R., Legro, R. S., Urbanek, M., Dunaif, A., & Hayes, M. G. (2018). Family-based quantitative trait meta-analysis implicates rare noncoding variants in DENND1A in pathogenesis of polycystic ovary syndrome (p. 460972). https://doi.org/10.1101/460972

Wang, Fan, Zheng-Hong Zhang, Kai-Zhuan Xiao, and Zheng-Chao Wang. “Roles of Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis and Hypothalamus-Pituitary-Ovary Axis in the Abnormal Endocrine Functions in Patients with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome.” Zhongguo Yi Xue Ke Xue Yuan Xue Bao. Acta Academiae Medicinae Sinicae 39, no. 5 (October 30, 2017): 699–704. https://doi.org/10.3881/j.issn.1000-503X.2017.05.017.