Primo Health Blog

We are born with more brain cells than we will ever have again in our lives. As we age, we lose brain cells, and as far as science can tell at this time, our bodies cannot regenerate the neurons in the brain. To preserve health and brain function, it is essential that we protect, nourish and exercise our brains. This is the topic of discussion for my Healthy Brain series.

Although our brains are unable to regenerate dead neurons, scientists have discovered that the brain has an amazing way of overcoming this downfall in order to preserve memory and brain function. This process is called neurotropism. When a neuron (brain cell) dies, there's a gap left between the cells on either side of the dead cell. Nerve transmissions usually travel from one neuron to the other much like electricity does. The healthy neurons surrounding the dead space where the cell once was will reach out with their extensions (dendrites) and stretch across that dead space to create new connections with surrounding neurons. This phenomenon maintains the function of the brains cells so that messages are able to travel across those divides without disruption. You can see some cells in neurotropism in the video below.

Glutathione is known as the "Master Antioxidant." Without antioxidants, nature's free radicals would cause endless damage to our bodies and living healthy would be quite difficult. Fortunately, we have a built in system of antioxidant power that when operating optimally, the dreaded effects of aging can be thwarted and youth preserved.

Glutathione is revered because of it's amazing power over free radicals. Free radicals are unstable molecules in our body that cause damage to our tissue and organs because of their erratic behavior. Glutathione, like other antioxidants, grab on to the unruly free radical and remove an electron, the bad influence on the free radical, and render it harmless. Glutathione is our most abundant antioxidant found in our cells and livers, and even stored in our protein. Science has observed that when there is marked illness, glutathione levels plummet. It is crucial to maintain adequate levels of glutathione, especially for those with chronic disease and autoimmune conditions.  Those with autoimmune conditions are often low in glutathione levels.

Taking vitamins and supplements without consulting with a nutrition professional can lead to unwanted health issues, and can end up being a waste of your money. It is best to do some sort of nutrition assessment like the Primo Blood Chemistry Analysis in order to identify any deficiencies or potential health issues related to nutrient deficiencies.

I can't lie and say that I don't miss eating bread on my grain-free diet. I am Latino and Italian, both of which are great bread eaters. My family in Costa Rica made bread for the whole town of Puriscal for decades. Bread is in my blood. I've probably eaten enough bread for two lifetimes if I was honest about my previous consumption. Nonetheless, I experience health problems when I eat grains or foods made from grain flours. So I've had to adjust my life in order to feel better and live longer.

On my last trip to Costa Rica early this year I discovered that they make many non-grain flours there. I was suprised to learn that a traditional cheese bread eaten in many Latin American countries is actually grain-free! Pan de Yuca (yucca buns) are a delicious grain-free cheesey bread that can be eaten on a grain-free diet. It may not be for the strict Paleo Dieter because it is somewhat processed and does have cheese. But I've made adjustments to the recipe to make it healthier and less allergy provoking.

Recently I was approached by a representative of Arm & Hammer's Simply Saline Nasal Care line. They sent me a free Neti Pot Kit so that I could test out their product and write a review if I felt compelled to do so. Since I had suffered with sinus congestion and infections for many years, I agreed to do the review of the product.

Nasal irrigation is used clinically to flush out mucus and eliminate bacteria. A recent STUDY showed that certain bacteria are significantly eliminated by this procedure. Several bacterium species were significantly reduced, but not the H. influenzae that is responsible for a wide range of clinical diseases. Nonetheless, this study supports the claims of those that use such practices to reduce the complaints of sinusitis and allergies.

Modern lifestyle and diet have made the "d" in the vitamin D stand more for deficient than for anything else. The 2003 National Institute for Health (NIH) conference on vitamin D reported "a growing prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency/deficiency in the U.S. population." Previous concerns over vitamin D toxicity along with a modern sun-phobic America are probable causes of this growing trend towards a lack of something good.

Growing concerns over skin cancers and aging skin have forced many of us out of the sun and into the dark about vitamin D. Dramatic increases in sun protection are suspiciously coinciding with decreases in blood vitamin D levels. But is this correlation really that mysterious? Not if one knows that sun exposure is the body's main source of vitamin D production. The Vitamin D Council website states that "the high rate of natural production of vitamin D3 cholecalciferol in the skin is the single most important fact every person should know about vitamin D..."

Guest blogger Dr. Turbide shares some expertise with us on Crohn's disease and other gastrointestinal disorders. Dr. Christian Turbide is a gastrointerologist working in Canada. He is a fellow health blogger with a passion for health like my own. I'm happy to give Dr. Turbide an opportunity to share with my readers.

In the United States the most common cause of hypothyroidism is Hashimoto's autoimmune thyroid. An autoimmune condition is an immunological response of the body against...

Is that a sweet potato? Or is that a yam? Good question! I was confused myself for so long. But now I know there is a distinction. That orange colored flesh of the picture on the left is the sweet potato, though it is often labeled as a "yam." It comes from the plant family known as Convovulaceae, or Morning Glory. It is very different from the yam that comes from the Caribbean, which is an edible root of the Discorea genus. The true yam is rough and scaly. And its nutrient content is much different from the sweet potato. There are several varieties and colors of the sweet potato. To make matters even worse, the sweet potato is not a potato either!

SWEET POTATO'S NUTRITIONAL VALUE

The sweet potato is considered one of the most nutritious vegetables around. It is nutritionally unique from the potato and the yam. It is very high in beta-carotene, providing several times the recommended daily allowance of Vitamin A. This root vegetable is also packed with potassium, manganese and copper. It is a good source of vitamins C and B6. The sweet potato is high in fiber but you have to eat the skin!

The white potato is a species belonging to the nightshades. These are foods that cause inflammation that are especially a problem for those with arthritis and other inflammatory conditions. Other nightshades include tomatoes, eggplant, capers and peppers. Fortunately, the sweet potato is NOT a nightshade. In fact they contain quercetin, which is a powerful anti-inflammatory.

If you haven't been following my latest series, I've been discussing the thyroid gland. This seemingly insignificant organ produces hormones that can affect the metabolic rate of every cell in your body. If the thyroid is not functioning properly, your body will begin to feel the negative results of this malfunction.