Natural Health From Head to Toe
Our health woes are often broken down into a specific complaint, like a headache or
upset stomach, yet we consistently fail to recognize our whole self. The true route to
realize vibrant health is recognizing that all of our body’s systems are connected.
Taking our health to the next level can be achieved by taking a holistic approach,
including healthy and clean eating, regular exercise and filling any nutritional gaps
with natural health products (NHPs).
Visit your local CHFA Member health food store for safe, effective, and high-quality
NHPs and revisit your health from head to toe – and everything in between!
Getting “A-head”, Naturally
Let’s take it from the top.
When it comes to the head, there’s one organ we never see that runs our bodies: the
brain. It controls our body’s essential functions, from the movement of our muscles
to our breathing and heartbeat, and is also the central command for our mood and
emotions. Our brain processes what we think and how we feel about everything in
our lives, so it’s important that we take care of it.
1
Weighing in at close to three pounds and home to about 86 billion nerve cells, the
brain is made up of countless molecules of fat. But not just any fat. Essential for the
health and structure of our nerve cells, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is a long-chain
omega-3 fatty acid that makes up 40% of the fat in our brains.
Why is DHA so important for the brain? Not only does it support the health and
maintenance of normal nerve cells, but studies have shown that DHA can protect
nerve cells from early death, acting as a sort of molecular “armour”. DHA has also
been shown to improve memory in young adults.2
DHA is commonly found in oily and fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel and anchovies.
It can also be found in highly purified fish oil and krill oil supplements, and even from
some vegan sources including algae.
1
https://www.theguardian.com/science/blog/2012/feb/28/how-many-neurons-human-brain
http://www.dhaomega3.org/Cognitive-Performance/DHA-Supplementation-ImprovesMemory-in-Young-Adults
2
Omega-3s are also important because of the impact on balancing our mood. A recent
statistical analysis found that omega-3 supplementation helped relieve depressive
symptoms, specifically, “eicosapentaenoic acid,” – EPA – DHA’s long-chain omega-3
cousin.3 This blues-busting ability could be due to the different roles DHA and EPA
play. DHA is actually part of the structure of nerve cells – like individual bricks of
LEGO. EPA on the other hand acts like a hormone in the blood stream, which acts as
a messenger for the ways cells work together.
Probiotics also play an important role when it comes to our mood, with research
showing that probiotic supplements can reduce anxiety and stress. How does our gut
relate to mental health? Our gut is home to billions of microscopic bacteria that
produce specialized nerve hormones. These hormones communicate with both our
nerve cells in the gut and the brain to boost our mood. So if you want to keep the
blues at bay, speak with your health-care practitioner to see how probiotics can
benefit you.
Body Systems: Secrets of the Cardiovascular, Lymphatic and Musculoskeletal
Systems
Cardiovascular System
In Canada, about 1.3 million people live with heart disease, one of the leading causes
of death.
Some tried and tested approaches to reducing cardiovascular disease risk include
maintaining a healthy weight, eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables and
maintaining an active lifestyle.
The cardiovascular system refers to the entire network of arteries, capillaries and
veins, starting and ending at the heart, that deliver nutrients, oxygen and other
essential substances to our tissues. If lined up end to end, it’s estimated that our
blood vessels would stretch 100,000 kilometers – long enough to stretch around the
earth two and a half times!
Coenzyme Q10 is a key natural health product (NHP), essential for many activities in
the body. Found in almost every type of cell, its main role is in the production of
energy. It’s found in particularly high concentrations in muscle cells, including the
heart.
3
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20439549
Research has shown that this NHP can improve the ability of the heart muscle to
4
contract and protects heart cells from damage. Considering that our heart beats
about 100,000 times each day, adding a bit of protection to this process makes good
sense.
Omega-3s, which are essential for nerve cells, play a role in cardiovascular health,
too. The long-chain omega-3 fats, including EPA and DHA, can help to both increase
the flexibility of our blood vessels and lower blood pressure. They have powerful antiinflammatory effects that can help to protect the interior of our arteries and veins.
A final NHP to consider is iron. Iron-deficiency anemia is one of the most common
deficiencies in the world. This is of particular concern for menstruating women. Iron is
the key mineral in our red blood cells that helps transport oxygen throughout the
body. Without iron, our ability to exercise and concentrate is negatively impacted.
Iron is tricky to absorb, and if you take too much at one time, it can lead to some offputting stomach issues. Speak with your health-care practitioner to find an iron
supplement that is right for you.
Lymphatic System
You know the feeling: a sore and scratchy throat, it hurts to swallow, a nasty cough,
swollen tonsils and achy shoulders. This is the lymphatic system telling us we’re sick.
Ask the average person about the lymphatic system and they’ll probably cock their
head in confusion. But this extension of our circulatory system is a vital system for
holistic health.
Our lymphatic system is a series of specialized tubes and nodes that carry clear lymph
fluid back toward the heart. It’s a pulsating immune organ that carries bad bacteriabusting immune cells around the body and cleans up invading bugs. The lymph fluid
also carries dead cells, waste products and protein to be processed and removed
from the body – like our own internal sewer and waste-processing facility.
When you get sick, you may notice swelling in your neck and throat. Our tonsils are
lymph nodes, which are the meeting points for immune cells to head out into battle
to tackle an infection. We have five to six hundred lymph nodes dotted around the
body, but mainly clustered in the groin, armpits and neck.
4
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15632821
Keeping our lymphatic system healthy and supporting the immune cells that use this
system is essential for everything, from keeping the body hydrated to recovering from
a cold.
The key to lymphatic health is staying hydrated, consuming plenty of omega-3
polyunsaturated fats and nutrients that support immune health, like vitamins A and C.
Our bodies are mostly water, and staying hydrated is essential for optimal
performance, whether you work in an office or run marathons. One of the key roles
of the lymphatic system is to maintain our fluid balance by returning water from our
tissues to our blood vessels, so staying hydrated is the best way to support the flow of
our lymphatic system.
Some preliminary research has shown that omega-3 polyunsaturated fats, often
found in seeds, such as hemp, chia and flax seeds, can reduce inflammation in our
lymph nodes, helping them to function more effectively and drain lymph fluid more
efficiently.
Research points to the central role vitamin A plays in increasing the number of
healthy immune cells destined for our lymph nodes. Interestingly, Vitamin A was one
of the first vitamins to be isolated and identified. Even with a long history of
understanding its necessity, about 40 per cent of Canadian adults do not meet their
requirements for vitamin A from their diet. This fat-soluble vitamin is essential for the
function of the immune system, vision, reproductive health and cell communication.5
Vitamin C is one of the first nutrients people think of when they think about illness,
6
and its role in immune system health has been strongly established. Its natural
antioxidant properties protect our cells from damaging free radicals. Increased longterm vitamin C supplementation can significantly increase the number of immune
cells and improve their function, according to research; this includes “lymphocytes,”
specialized immune cells in the lymphatic system.
The lymphatic system is an underappreciated network with so many important roles.
From keeping us hydrated to fighting off infections, the health of our lymphatic
system deserves close attention.
Musculoskeletal System
5
6
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25808452
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25608928
Our musculoskeletal system gives us the ability to move, and provides us with form,
support and stability.
Despite our best efforts, our busy lives can lead to injuries. Some of the most
common injuries faced by recreationally active folks and weekend warriors alike are
the knees. In fact, women are four to six times more likely to suffer a knee injury than
men.
It’s important to protect yourself from injuries when you can by avoiding
overexertion, using proper form when exercising, and providing your body with the
proper nutrients needed to build strong bones and healthy muscle.
Calcium is extremely important when it comes to bone health, but most Canadians do
not meet their nutrient requirements from their diet alone. Over 80 per cent of
Canadian seniors over the age of 70 do not consume enough calcium. A calcium
supplement can help to fill the nutritional gaps and ensure that we are getting an
optimal amount of calcium to build and maintain healthy bones.
Calcium doesn’t work alone: it requires its trusty partner, vitamin D, to do its job.
Vitamin D is essential in the absorption of calcium, and taking a vitamin D supplement
is highly recommended. Canadians in particular are at risk for low vitamin D levels
because we are not able to produce vitamin D through our skin during the winter
months.
Recovering from an injury can be a long road, and relying on therapy and healthy
eating to provide the building blocks for getting back in shape can be integral to the
healing process. Branched Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs) refers to three amino acids:
leucine, isoleucine and valine. BCAA supplementation can promote muscle recovery
and even increase muscle growth.
BCAAs can also be beneficial in reducing soreness when returning from a period of
rest or injury. BCAAs are important to ingest on a daily basis and can be found in your
diet, in meat and eggs, or in supplement form.
Feet/Toes
With the rush to get outside and get active in warmer weather, we may not be paying
attention to one of our most neglected body parts – our feet.
Our feet are the foundation of our bodies. When our feet are in pain, the
repercussions can extend to other areas of our bodies. Foot pain can cause
imbalance, back problems and muscle tension.
This pain can be caused by a number of factors, such as uncomfortable shoes,
standing on your feet all day, fractures, ingrown toenails and diabetes or other health
conditions.
The good news is that there are a number of natural ways you can pamper your feet
at home using simple and cost-effective materials.
Vinegar can help with foot pain due to sprains or strains, reducing inflammation. Fill a
basin or tub with hot water, add two tablespoons of vinegar to it and soak your feet
for about 20 minutes. You can also add sea salt or Epsom salt.
A number of essential oils can be used to soothe your aching feet. Tea tree oil has
deodorizing and anti-fungal properties, and peppermint or clove oil can promote
circulation and help relieve muscle pain. Peppermint oil’s cooling effect also keeps
our feet feeling refreshed all day long.
Another common remedy for muscle pain is arnica. You can safely use arnica topically
on your feet and other areas of your body to reduce bruising and relieve aches,
sprains and soreness.
Olive oil and coconut oil are rich in vitamins and minerals, and can be used to
moisturize your feet to get them pedicure-ready for spring. Try using coconut oil with
an exfoliator to moisturize and exfoliate your feet at the same time.
Many of these products are easily found at your local CHFA Member health food
store.
Conclusion
Our bodies work together like a carefully crafted machine: The bodies systems
interact with each other in tandem to support our overall health. That’s why it is
crucial to support all of these systems with care.
Visit your local CHFA Member health food store to explore more options for how to
love your whole self. For more information about your health from head to toe, visit
chfa.ca.