Most people know that vitamins and minerals support proper immune system function, but give little thought to the need for phytochemicals.
What are Phytochemicals?
Phytochemicals are naturally occurring compounds produced by plants. The beautiful colors of fruits and vegetables are derived from these chemicals, and they are known to have protective properties.
What do they do for the plant?
In addition to making the plants pretty, they have an important role in defending the plant against dangers. Phytochemicals act as the plants immune system protecting them from viruses, bacteria, fungi, and pests. Since plants can’t run away or go to the doctor's office, they need phytochemicals help them stay healthy.
What can do they do for us?
According to Dr. Jeffrey Bland, there are many health benefits for us when we consume the phytochemicals in these plants. Bland explains that "when eaten by humans, (phytochemicals) have effects upon immuno-rejuvenation". This goes beyond simply supporting your immune system, and actually helps your immune system heal so it can function more effectively.
So what can you do with this knowledge?
To begin with see how many colors of veggies you can get on your plate today!! Then the next time you shop, be sure to pick a large variety of colorful fruits and vegetables to enjoy. It is fun to challenge yourself to buy at least three brightly colored vegetables each time you go to the store. Make sure that some of them are ones that you have never tried before. You will get all the phytochemicals from these plants and may find a new favorite!
It is amazing how our nutrition impacts our body. Our choices can not only support our immune system, but assist with immuno-rejuvenation!
You can learn more by listening to Dr. Bland speak with Dr. Hyman about immuno rejuvenation in the Doctor's Farmacy Podcast episode 105.
Dr. Jamie
#8essentials #RealFood
Are you ready to make some changes to start feeling great? Do you want to encourage your family to be healthy by setting a good example for them and teaching them life-long healthy habits? Are you thinking about becoming pregnant and want to prepare your body by giving it the most nutrient dense food possible?
If so, Dr. Jamie’s program “7 Weeks of Real Food: Eat to balance hormones, stabilize blood sugar, and feel great!” is for you.
What to Expect
This online self-paced course is full of great information, sample meal plans, and shopping lists distributed through daily emails. It provides guidance on what foods to eat freely, what to limit, and what to avoid completely. All of the material will be given through DAILY emails. But you don’t have to make these changes on your own!
Participants are invited into a community of like-minded individuals who are on similar paths to healing. We will connect weekly through optional zoom calls and an exclusive Facebook group. The community is where we will support one another, ask questions, & exchange ideas.
Throughout this “7 Weeks of Real Food”, you will learn how to make LIFELONG changes to your diet so that you can improve your health and longevity. For less than $2/day, you can learn skills and form healthy habits that will help you to feel better for a lifetime!
Why Now?
Most people are experiencing increased levels of stress in their lives today! Since stress wreaks havoc on your system, now would be a great time to support it through proper nutrition.
Your gut impacts literally EVERYTHING in your body! Investing in gut health will make a huge impact in your body. Your cycle, hormones, gut, skin, brain, and immune system will thank you!
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Living in the Midwest, I’m sure you have seen a burr stuck to your pants after walking in the woods. It can be rather annoying to remove these burrs because they were designed to securely attach to whatever they come in contact with. The Velcro like material on a burr is similar to structures in your body called glycans.
Glycans attach to the cell membranes within your body the way a burr sticks to your pants, but glycans have a very important reason to attach in this way.
Literature suggests that glycans support healthy cell-to-cell communication within the human body, helping your body to function the way it was designed to!
What Is Glycosylation?
Glycosylation is a process that helps the 30 trillion cells in our body communicate with each other more effectively. It is one of the eight essentials that we promote, yet many people have never heard of it!
Glycosylation takes place when a glycoprotein hooks into the cell membrane. You see, a glycoprotein is a protein that has a carbohydrate (sugar) attached to it. When the protein attaches to the cell membrane, the carbohydrate extends off of the cell. Together it acts like a little antenna to help with better cell-to-cell communication.
Beneficial Sugars!
After all of the negative press sugar has been getting lately, it may be surprising to you that anything good can be associated with sugar. It is important to remember that we are talking about a specific type of sugar found in glyconutrients.
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There is a health practice that takes no energy, but quite a bit of self control. It is free, yet the cost of going without is high. Sunshine encourages it, but light hinders it. What is it?
The answer to this riddle may surprise you as it's not often though of as a "health practice". But it is as just as important for our health as exercising, meditating, managing stress, and eating nutritious foods.
What is it? Sleep!
Sleep is essential for all of the body's systems! Without adequate sleep the neurological, endocrine, musculature, digestive, and immune systems are compromised. But our society does not recognize the importance of sleep or value it the way it should.
You may be surprised, but my encouragement for you today is to get some more sleep!
Does Sleep Really Matter?
While adults generally need 7-9 hours of sleep each night, almost a third of adults don’t even get six! Getting less than six hours of sleep a night is associated with chronic inflammation, obesity, insulin resistance, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, heart disease, and hypertension. Lack of sleep can also increase the risk of psychiatric disorders such as depression & anxiety.
Melatonin, one of the main hormones that controls your circadian rhythms, actually increases your immune system function. This immune support may help your body fight off infections and protect you from illness.
Sleep is also crucial for...
- Enhancing memory and mental clarity
- Musculoskeletal growth and repair
- Boosting mood and energy
- Increasing stress tolerance
How to Get a Good Night’s Rest
My biggest challenge for you is to simply go to bed 30 minutes earlier than you have been going to bed over the last few weeks. Many of us have had our routines disrupted by the current state of things in the world. This may have impacted when you end up going to bed.
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During this time of sheltering in place it can be a challenge to stay active. The last couple weeks we have teamed with H4 Training and Mindful Movements to provide you with some great workout videos.
Today we want to share a video made right here at DuPage Family Wellness. In it Dr. Jamie leads you through a series of functional movement exercises. These movement sequences are the foundation of natural healthy movement.
What is Functional Movement?
Functional movement is based on the way a baby develops movement - how they move, organize movement patterns, and learn stabilization. This results in a solid foundation for all movement.
Research has found that the way a baby moves is the most efficient way to move. When we deviate from this type of movement we will not function at our best. These exercises allow us to reestablish these movement patterns so that they become natural again.
Functional Progression Exercises (in less than 15 minutes)
Go ahead and check out the Functional Movement Video. Be sure to stay to the end when I add on one more final movement pattern that I almost forgot about!
I would love to hear what you thought of this video! Were any of the exercises challenging for you? Did you think it would be easier than it was?
If you are interested in learning more about Functional Progression or would like to work with me directly to learn these movements give us a call at 630-448-0255.
Dr. Jamie
P.S. More information about Functional Movement can be found in the blog When “Acting Like a Baby” Isn’t a Bad Thing.
