Author: sunshineneutraceuticals

I have been a clinical pharmacist for 31 years. In that time period I have worked with a vast group of patients. My goal is to help people live a happy, healthy life. I am board certified in pharmacotherapy as well as psychiatry.

Baked Ziti with Meatballs and Cheese

Posted on by sunshineneutraceuticals
Baked Ziti with Tomato Sauce and Meatballs

Disclosure:  This post may contain affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I may earn a commission if you click on, or make a purchase through a third-party link.

Both of my younger children love baked ziti. I have developed a special tomato sauce that they both like as well. Sometimes I make home-made meatballs to go with this. Other times I use Italian sausage, or premade meatballs to save time. In this case, I used store-bought meatballs. I think you will enjoy the tomato sauce. It is super easy, and very yummy.

Initial Ingredients

Set out Ingredients

The first step is always to gather all the ingredients you need to make the dish. This is a simple way to be sure you have everything needed before you begin cooking. Everything you see above is what you will need for this recipe.

Chopped Fresh Basil and Garlic

Chop the fresh basil and garlic and set aside.

saute the meatballs

Begin by adding one tablespoonful of the olive oil to a frying pan and cook the meatballs over medium heat. Turn them every 3 to 5 minutes. Meanwhile, boil water and cook pasta according to package directions. I used 16 oz rigatoni for this recipe.

  • cook garlic until fragrant
  • Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, salt, pepper, mint, basil, Italian seasoning, stir and simmer over low heat

Add the other tablespoonful of olive oil to a saucepan and cook the garlic until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, salt, pepper, mint, fresh basil, and Italian seasoning mix. Stir well and simmer over low heat until noodles are finished cooking.

  • drain noodles and add to glass baking dish
  • add half of the sauce and meatballs

After noodle are finished cooking, drain them and pour into a glass baking dish. Add half the sauce and stir well. Place the meatballs in the pan as shown. Cook in a pre-heated 325-degree oven for about 20 minutes.

add shredded cheddar cheese

Remove from oven and add more sauce and stir. Top with shredded cheddar cheese and return to oven and cook for another 20 minutes.

The final product in the baking dish

Remove from oven and serve in bowls. Add more cheese and fresh basil if desired.

Enjoy!

Baked Ziti with Tomato Sauce and Meatballs

This is a baked ziti recipe with meatballs and cheese that the whole family will love
Print Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Italian
Servings 6

Equipment

  • glass baking dish
  • small frying pan
  • medium saucepan
  • spoon for stirring
  • knife for chopping
  • strainer for noodles

Ingredients
  

  • 16 oz rigatoni
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 28 oz crushed tomatoes
  • 15 oz tomato sauce
  • 6 oz tomato paste
  • 4 ea fresh basil leaves chopped
  • 3 ea garlic cloves
  • 2 tsp dried mint
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
  • 1 tsp black pepper

Instructions
 

  • set all ingredients out to be sure you have everything you need for the recipe
  • chop the garlic and fresh basil and set aside
  • add one tablespoonful olive oil to the frying pan and brown the meatballs over medium heat. In the meantime, boil water and cook rigatoni according to package instructions.
  • in a medium saucepan, add another tablespoonful of olive oil and cook garlic for about 2 minutes or until fragrant.
  • add crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, fresh basil, salt, pepper, mint, and Italian seasoning to the saucepan with garlic and stir well. Simmer until noodles are finished cooking.
  • when noodles are finished cooking, drain and add to a glass baking dish.
  • add half of the sauce and stir well. Add the meatballs to the noodles. Bake in a pre-heated 325-degree oven for 20 minutes.
  • remove from oven. Add more sauce if desired, stir and add cheese. Bake for another 20 minutes.
  • remove from oven and serve.

Michael J. Brown, RPh, BCPS, BCPP – Clinical Pharmacist

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Ethanolism – Why You Shouldn’t Drink Alcohol

Posted on by sunshineneutraceuticals

I enjoy a few drinks with friends.

I deserve a drink to calm down after a hard day at work.

Everybody drinks, right?

Disclosure:  This post may contain affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I may earn a commission if you click on, or make a purchase through a third-party link.

I started Sunshine Nutraceuticals in July of 2019. My goal has always been to help my readers live a happy, healthy, healing lifestyle.

I know a lot, if not most, of my readers, drink alcohol.

Ethanolism – Why You Shouldn’t Drink Alcohol is not about judgment. It is not about right or wrong. This post is meant to give my readers the facts about alcohol. The first fact, and likely the most important is this:

Ethanol is a neurotoxin

 What this means is when you drink alcohol, you are consuming poison.

Is it worth it?

Like most of you reading this, I used to drink alcohol. When my second youngest child was born, I decided to stop. Not because I had to, but because I wanted to be more productive and was sick and tired of wasting money on alcohol. I wanted my kids to grow up in a home without alcohol.

My life today without ethanol is much better. I am in good shape, I think more clearly, my anxiety level has decreased, and I am saving money. 

I have seen hundreds of patients admitted to the hospital because of alcohol intoxication. The nurses in ICU will tell you these are some of the most challenging patients to manage. Alcohol withdrawal is no joke. It can kill you!

I have watched people die of liver failure due to ethanol. This is not a good way to go. Remember, your liver is the primary organ responsible for removing toxins from your body. Imagine living your final days with a body full of byproducts. We have dialysis to help with kidney disease, but if your liver fails, there isn’t much that can be done.

If you want to be healthy, ethanol will not help you achieve the goal.   

Sobering Statistics

It is estimated that 88,000 people die from alcohol-related causes each year.  1

This ranks third as the most preventable cause of death in the United States behind tobacco,  poor diet and physical inactivity. 2

In 2014, thirty-one percent of all driving fatalities (9,967 deaths), were attributed to alcohol impairment. 3

In 2017, 26.4 percent of people over eighteen years of age reported binge drinking and 6.7 percent reported heavy alcohol use in the past month:

Binge drinking: a pattern of drinking that brings blood alcohol concentration (BAC) levels to 0.08 g/dL. This typically occurs after 4 drinks for women and 5 drinks for men—in about 2 hours. 4

Heavy alcohol use: Binge drinking on 5 or more days in the past month.

Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) in the United States: According to the 2017 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), 14.1 million adults ages 18 years and older have AUD. 5

Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD): AUD is a chronic relapsing brain disease characterized by an impaired ability to stop or control alcohol use despite adverse social, occupational, or health consequences. AUD can range from mild to severe, and recovery is possible regardless of severity. The fourth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM–IV), published by the American Psychiatric Association, described two distinct disorders—alcohol abuse and alcohol dependence—with specific criteria for each. The fifth edition, DSM–5, integrates the two DSM–IV disorders, alcohol abuse and alcohol dependence, into a single disorder called alcohol use disorder, or AUD, with mild, moderate, and severe subclassifications. 6

Over ten percent of children in the United States live with a parent with alcohol problems, according to a study published in 2012. 7

Drinking alcohol increases the risk of contracting the following types of cancers:

  • Mouth
  • Esophageal
  • Pharynx
  • Larynx
  • Liver
  • Breast 

8

Why Do People Drink Ethanol?

We will now explore the reasons people drink alcohol. Again, no judgment here. I am merely pointing out why you might drink.

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Alcohol Gives Me Confidence and Helps With Socialization at Parties.

What alcohol does is dull your sense of apprehension along with other mental capabilities. Our bodies have a method to combat fear, known as the “fight or flight” response. This is the body’s way of protecting us from dangerous situations. Alcohol has a depressant effect on the brain and suppresses this response.

When our “fight or flight” system is diminished or absent, it makes us vulnerable to dangerous situations. If there is a danger, we are less likely to notice and certainly not as able to respond to it. What do we call people who are drunk? Hammered, wasted, tanked, tipsy, plastered. These words describe someone who can quickly be taken advantage of or hurt. This world is full of individuals that can’t wait to take advantage of someone in a vulnerable state. 

As far as confidence goes, I would much rather spend time with a shy person than someone who is drunk and talks nonstop. Drinking to gain confidence can easily backfire, turning the person into a fool. You are much more likely to develop strong friendships if you appear as you are rather than who you are when drunk. 

Intoxicated people also have diminished impulse control. I explain this to my students in the following way:

Suppose someone has just made you very angry. You don’t like this person and think about punching them in the face. 

Most of us would not punch them. We know there are consequences to such actions. This is an example of impulse control. We stop ourselves from doing something that will undoubtedly have negative consequences. Alcohol removes some of this control. Remember, alcohol deadens all senses, good and bad. 

Why do you suppose there are so many fights in bars? 

Alcohol does not give you any special powers, and it takes away your body’s inherent protective mechanisms.

Another thing to consider is the fact that you have to get home from that party! 

Do you have a designated driver? 

How many times have you driven when you have had too many drinks?

I don’t have to tell you what happens if you get pulled over by the police on the way home.

The least you will lose is a night of freedom and a big pile of money. You could also lose your job or even your career in some cases.

Is it really worth it?

Drinking Alcohol Relaxes Me, and I Deserve That After a Rough Day at Work!

Does alcohol relax us? 

What is it doing? 

The truth is alcohol doesn’t remove stress at all. It merely enables us to ignore our body’s innate warning system. If we are genuinely “stressed,” maybe we are trying to accomplish too much. Our body is telling us to slow down.

In fact, alcohol is very good at causing stress. 

What happens when the alcohol wears off? 

We feel anxious. Most of us want more. 

Wanting more causes stress that is only relieved when we continue to drink. The next drink does induce some relaxation, but this is only due to decreasing the withdrawal symptoms caused by alcohol leaving our body.

What will happen is the more you drink, the more stress you will invite into your life. Secondly, any problems you were attempting to forget will still be there when the alcohol wears off.

Finally, if you end up drinking too much to relax, your next day will likely be worse.

Alcohol helps Me Sleep

Not a chance. It might make you think you are sleeping better, but the sleep quality is reduced. 

Ethanol is a typical “over-the-counter” sleep aid. It increases the quality and quantity of NREM sleep during the first half of the night in non-alcoholics, but REM sleep is disrupted later. The REM stage is where we dream and is considered a restful period as our muscle tone is decreased. Do not use alcohol as a sleep aid! There are many other products that work much better with fewer side effects.

Sleep quality in alcoholics is even worse. During drinking periods as well as abstinence, altered sleep architecture leads to profound insomnia and daytime sleepiness. 9 

Alcohol and Dementia Risk

As a Clinical Pharmacy Specialist in Psychiatry, I see the consequences of substance abuse often. This is one of the subjects I am most interested in and will be writing about regularly — the unit where I currently practice has geriatric psychiatric patients. 

A large percentage of these have dementia. There are four basic types of dementia. Alzheimer’s disease, Lewy body dementia, vascular dementia and frontal-temporal lobe dementia.  

We know that chronic alcohol use can lead to dementia. 

Vascular dementia occurs as a result of a stroke. Long-term ethanol use increases blood pressure, increasing stroke risk. Alcohol consumption also increases the risk of developing type II diabetes, obesity, and atrial fibrillation. All of these increase the risk of stroke.

Alcohol abuse has also been associated with Alzheimer’s dementia:

“Research from the University of Illinois at Chicago has found that some of the genes affected by alcohol and inflammation are also implicated in processes that clear amyloid beta — the protein that forms globs of plaques in the brain and which contributes to neuronal damage and the cognitive impairment associated with Alzheimer’s disease.” 10 

Alcohol is bad for the brain. I want nothing to do with any avoidable habit that may lead to dementia.

What Alcohol is Doing to Your Body

Ethanol has an effect on every organ in the body. 

Take a look at this short youtube video on how drinking negatively affects the body:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2Aj-iJ6p38

 

Life Without Ethanol

Here are a few positive benefits of an ethanol-free life. Some of these have already been described earlier but will be repeated for emphasis.

  • Fewer calories consumed, which may lead to weight loss: It is no secret that alcoholic drinks contain empty calories. Drinking too much can derail any diet plan.
  • Better sleep quality: As mentioned above, ethanol disrupts REM sleep. This often leads to daytime sleepiness. If you combine this with a hangover, it leads to an awful day! 
  • More money to do the things you enjoy: Drinking is expensive, especially if you go to a bar. I once worked with a psychiatrist who told his patients to take half of the money they spent on their addictive substance (alcohol in this case), and spend it on something they enjoyed.
  • Improved interpersonal communication with family, friends, and colleagues: Nobody wants to be around someone who drinks too much. 

 

Michael Brown pictured with Final Thought written

Alcoholism is a significant problem in the United States. This disease leads to lost productivity, broken families, increased medical costs, and unnecessary pain and suffering. People have lost jobs, been involved in accidents, and gone through a painful divorce because of alcohol abuse.

Many drink booze to “have fun.” Is this making the situation more fun? Maybe you are having a good time because you are surrounded by people you like? Why not try to live without alcohol and see how you feel?

Ethanol does not make you sleep better. It changes your sleep patterns and robs your brain of restful REM sleep.

Think about the positives and negatives of drinking alcohol. If you think about it, drinking poison doesn’t make sense. Take it from someone who has eliminated it. You will feel better!

 It is possible to stop drinking. If you have a problem with alcohol, the most critical thing you can do is get help. Being healthy feels much better than being addicted to ethanol. Click on the following link for more information.

https://www.alcoholrehabguide.org/treatment/

This one-click may be the beginning of the healthiest thing you can do for your body! 

Don’t be shy.

You are in control of your life. 

You are responsible for your happiness, and only you can decide what goes into your body.

Eat right, exercise, get plenty of sleep, and do the things that make you happy!!

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Michael Brown in Lab Coat with arms crossed

Michael J. Brown, RPh, BCPS, BCPP

Mr. Brown is a Clinical Pharmacist specializing in pharmacotherapy and psychiatry.

Read Michael’s story here.

Feel free to send Michael a message using this link.

 

 
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No-Bake Blueberry Almond Whole 30 Snack Bars

Posted on by sunshineneutraceuticals
No-Bake Blueberry Almond Whole 30 Snack Bars

Disclosure:  This post may contain affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I may earn a commission if you click on, or make a purchase through a third-party link.

If you have been through the Total30 diet plan, you know sweets are off-limits. You are not allowed to eat sugar, honey, agave nectar, maple syrup, or any other sugar substitute. This includes Equal, NutraSweet, Stevia, Splenda, etc. After doing some research, I found that dates are about as sweet as you can get. If you add different kinds of nuts, some dried fruit, and a little sunflower seed butter for moisture, you can make snack bars that are very satisfying. I made several versions of these during my 30-day party.

Only five initial ingredients

No Cooking Necessary

You read that right. You don’t need to cook these in any way. All you need is the five ingredients pictured above, a food processor, a pan lined with parchment paper and a little time. The first step in all of my recipes is gathering ingredients. I have started preparing too many meals only to find out I was missing a key ingredient. This frustration has taught me to set all ingredients out before beginning.

  • Draw a circle around the bottom of the pan on parchment paper
  • Lined pan

Prepare the Pan

Set the pan (I used a cake pan) down on a piece of parchment paper. Draw an outline around the pan. Cut the parchment paper along the line drawn to form a circle that fits into the pan as shown above.

  • Add Almonds to Food Processor
  • Add Cashews
  • Add Pitted Dates
  • Add Dried fruit (Blueberries Pictured)

Add Ingredients to Food Processor

To be honest, the hardest part of this recipe is being sure all your ingredients are Whole30 compliant. Be sure the dried fruit does not contain any added sugar or sulfites. Whole Foods has dried fruit that has no added ingredients. Do the same with the dates. The next thing to do is to measure out the dry ingredients and add them to the food processor as shown above.

  • Pulse to this, then add sunflower seed butter
  • Ready to press in pan

Next just pulse the nuts dates and dried fruit until well mixed. Add 2 tablespoonfuls of sunflower seed butter (or almond butter) . This adds moisture and makes it possible to press into your pan.

  • Pour into pan when well mixed
  • Press into pan and refrigerate to set

Press mixture into your pan and refrigerate. I told you this was easy. Sweet, healthy, yummy blueberry bars.

No-Bake Blueberry Almond Whole 30 Snack Bars

Michael Brown

This is a super simple, Whole30 compliant healthy snack bar recipe.
Print Recipe
Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 0 minutes

Course Snack
Cuisine American

Servings 10
Calories 144 kcal

Equipment

  • Food processor
  • Cake Pan
  • Parchment paper

Ingredients

  

  • 1 cup Raw Almonds
  • 1 cup Raw cashews
  • 1 cup Pitted dates
  • 1 cup Dried blueberries May use any dried fruit that DOES NOT contain added sweeteners or sulfites. Read labels closely
  • 2 tbsp sunflower seed butter could substitute almond better

Instructions

 

  • Place cake pan on parchment paper and draw circle around bottom of pan.
  • Cut out circle and place into the bottom of the cake pan and set aside.
  • Add Nuts, pitted dates, and dried fruit to the food processor.
  • Pulse until well mixed.
  • Add sunflower seed butter and mix until moist.
  • Press into the lined cake pan and refrigerate.
  • Slice into wedges and serve.

Keyword Blueberry bar, healthy snack, Larabar, Whole30
My new Best Friend “Ginger”

Turmeric with Bioperine Benefits

Posted on by sunshineneutraceuticals

 

Should I take a turmeric supplement?

What is turmeric good for?

Is it safe?

What is Bioperine?

Turmeric is a spice many of us use in cooking. It is one of the main ingredients in curry powder. It has a yellow color and is also used as a coloring agent for foods and cosmetics. Turmeric is a plant related to ginger that is grown in Central America, Asia, and India. The rhizomes of this plant are dried and used as dietary supplements for a variety of health conditions.

This plant has been used in Indian and Asian medicine for thousands of years.

Turmeric may be the most effective nutritional supplement available today. The active component of this plant is curcumin. The polyphenol known as curcumin has been widely studied for many health-related benefits. Some of these include inflammation, arthritis, obesity, liver disease, and several types of cancer. It is thought that most of the positive benefits of curcumin are the result of its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects.

 

In this post, several health benefits of turmeric are explored. I have started taking this supplement as my father died from cancer and had two different types of cancer during his lifetime. I also have occasional back pain, which seems to respond to this supplement. Only you can determine if this supplement is for you. 

 

 

Disclosure:  This post may contain affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I may earn a commission if you click on, or make a purchase through a third-party link.

Turmeric (Curcumin) for Various Types of Cancer

Probably the most exciting action of curcumin is its effects on various types of cancers. Cancer is the second leading cause of death worldwide. Although the therapy of cancer has progressed, mortality remains high. Many studies have been published on turmeric (curcumin) in the treatment of different types of cancer

 

 

Turmeric (Curcumin) and Breast Cancer

Breast cancer is the leading cause of death among all cancers in women throughout the world.

  1 

The most effective treatment for breast cancer is early detection. Treatment is much more effective if the cancer is discovered in its early stages.

Traditionally, antiestrogen medications have been used for the treatment of breast cancer as more than seventy percent of these are of the estrogen receptor (ER) positive type. It is now known that combination treatment using various medications, surgery, and chemotherapy is the most effective treatment for this cancer type.

The effects of turmeric (curcumin) on breast cancer cells is complicated. Below are just some of the mechanisms thought to fight this deadly malady.

There is a proinflammatory transcription factor (NF-KB) that controls the genes that regulate proteins resulting in inflammation and the development of cancers. 

Curcumin has been shown to decrease the effect of NF-KB, leading to its possible use in breast cancer.

2   3 

Curcumin may also inhibit human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2-TK) alone or in combination with its analogs.

 4 

 HER2-TK is a tyrosine kinase receptor. The overexpression of HER2-TK is associated with the progression of many cancer cell types.

 5 

Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is associated with the development of cancer cells.

 6   7 

 Curcumin inhibits the growth and spread of breast cancer cells by decreasing EGFR signaling.

 8   9 

Curcumin can exert its positive anti-cancer effects on both estrogen-dependent as well as non-estrogen dependent breast cancer cells.

10 

 

Turmeric for Prostate Cancer

Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of death from cancer in men. 11

Curcumin has been shown to kill cancer cells and inhibit cancer cell proliferation both in the laboratory and in human subjects. 12

This is achieved by interfering with many cellular pathways including mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), EGFR, and nuclear factor k (NFkB). 13  14

Curcumin has also been shown to activate protein kinase D1 (PKD1), which attenuates the oncogenic signaling by beta-catenin and MAPK. 

This leads to the inhibition of prostate cancer. 15

Turmeric for Colorectal Cancer

The third leading cause of cancer death in men is due to colorectal cancer. 16 

This cancer is removed surgically, and often radiation therapy is prescribed, but over fifty percent relapse. 17

One of the markers for colorectal cancer is prostaglandin E2 (PGE2). PGE2 is a bioactive lipid that causes a wide variety of biological effects associated with inflammation and cancer.  

A study was conducted on fifteen patients with treatment-resistant adenocarcinoma of the colon or rectum. Subjects received between 0.45 and 3.6 g oral curcumin daily for up to four months.

Intact curcumin and its metabolites were found in the plasma at a concentration of 10 nmol/L and also in the urine.

It was found that the 3.6 g curcumin daily dose led to 62% and 57% reductions in PGE2 levels one hour after administration on days 1 and 29.

This has led to a dosage recommendation of 3.6 g curcumin by mouth daily. 18

 

 

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Turmeric for the Prevention and Treatment of Alzheimer’s Disease

Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is the most common cause of dementia. Currently, we only have medications available to slow the progression of this disease.  

Can turmeric help to prevent AD? 

We know that curcumin has many properties that may help prevent the development of Alzheimer’s disease. These include antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-amyloid, and anti-tau actions that may be neuroprotective. 19  20

It is also known that populations that consume curry have a lower incidence of AD, and older people in this group have better cognitive function. 21

A study of 1010 sixty to ninety-year old’s who were occasional or frequent curry consumers found this population had significantly higher Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores compared to those who either didn’t eat curry or only consumed it rarely. 22 

Animal studies have also shown that curcumin can improve tasks requiring memory and reverse stress-induced reductions in the production of neurons associated with the brain-derived neurotropic factor (BDNF). 23

An article was published in the American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry in January of 2018, looking at the effects of curcumin on memory in people without dementia. This study, conducted at UCLA, also explored the effect of curcumin on the plaques and tangles in Alzheimer’s patients. 

This was a double-blind, placebo-controlled study of forty adults between 50-90 years of age with mild memory complaints.

Study participants either received 90 mg curcumin or placebo twice daily for eighteen months. All were given cognitive assessments at the beginning of the study and every six months. 

Curcumin blood levels were obtained at the beginning and end of the study. 

Subjects who received curcumin realized a significant improvement in memory and attention. 

The placebo group did not show significant improvement in either. 

The curcumin group improved their memory scores by 28% over the 18-month period. This group also showed less amyloid and tau plaques in the hypothalamus and amygdala regions of the brain than the placebo group.

This research group is planning a follow-up study with a higher number of subjects. Antidepressant effects of curcumin will also be explored in their future study.

Turmeric for Type 2 Diabetes

There have been several studies evaluating the use of curcumin in the treatment of diabetes. 

A 36-week study followed 240 pre-diabetic patients in 2012. The subjects were split into two groups. One group received 1500 mg curcumin daily while the other group received a placebo. At the end of the study, 16.4% of the placebo group developed T2DM, while no patients in the curcumin group developed diabetes.  24 

A study published in 2008 compared curcumin to atorvastatin (Lipitor) in T2DM patients. In this trial, patients received either 300 mg curcumin supplements daily, 10 mg atorvastatin daily, or a daily placebo. 

The curcumin and atorvastatin group showed significant improvement in endothelial function and also a significant decrease in IL-6, TNF-alpha, ET-1, and malondialdehyde. 

These results suggest curcumin has a positive effect on reducing inflammation and oxidative stress similar to that of the prescription medication atorvastatin. 25

Turmeric for Heart Disease

The number one cause of death worldwide is heart disease, according to the World Health Organization. There are several risk factors that increase the chances of having a heart attack. Some are modifiable, while others are not. Some of the most prominent risk factors, according to the CDC are:

  • High blood pressure (HBP): HBP is a significant risk factor for heart disease. On my unit, pharmacists check blood pressure on each patient daily. A blood pressure that is too high affects not only the heart but also the kidneys and brain. HBP is sometimes called the “silent killer” because patients typically do not feel different. Medications, exercise, avoiding alcohol, and smoking are some methods to help decrease blood pressure.
  • High Cholesterol: This substance is made by our liver in sufficient quantities to fulfill our body’s needs. Unfortunately, poor diet leads to a build-up in the walls of the arteries.  There are different types of cholesterol. The low-density type (LDL) is considered “bad” because it can lead to heart disease.  The high-density type (HDL) is “good” because it provides protection from heart disease.  Changing your diet to include more fresh fruits and vegetables, olive oil, nuts, and lean protein can help improve your HDL/LDL ratio. There are also medications available to decrease LDL levels. If you don’t know these “numbers,” please visit your doctor for a blood test. It may save your life.
  • Diabetes: The risk of heart disease is higher in patients with diabetes. 26This disease causes an increased level of sugar in the blood.
  • Obesity: Excess body fat usually occurs with high LDL cholesterol and triglycerides and lower HDL cholesterol levels. Obesity increases the risks of HBP and diabetes. The best way to combat obesity is with diet and exercise. Always visit your physician before starting a new exercise program.

A study utilizing rats conducted in 2012, found curcumin improved cardiac repair and function after reversible cardiac ischemia. Left ventricle dilation was reduced, and wall thickness increased. This led to the conclusion that curcumin may be useful in the treatment of heart failure caused by ischemia. 27

In 2014, a study performed by Cheungsarman et al. found curcumin showed an improvement in inflammatory and metabolic profiles as well as a significant positive impact on an atherosclerosis marker. 28

Curcumin has been shown to improve disrupted cardiac function caused by cardiac fibrosis using various molecular mechanisms. 29

Turmeric for Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis. This condition affects millions of people worldwide. The joints most affected are in the spine, hips, knees, and hands. Pain and swelling are caused when the cartilage in the joints that cushions the ends of the bones wear out.

The best initial treatment for osteoarthritis is exercise. Medications such as NSAIDs can also be utilized, but they cause some significant side effects, especially if used long-term. 

Since it is known that curcumin has anti-inflammatory properties, its use in this disease process has been studied.

A review article published in May of 2019 evaluated curcumin in the treatment of autoimmune and rheumatic diseases. 

Of the sixteen articles reviewed on osteoarthritis treatment with curcumin, fourteen reported significant improvements in several disease patterns. All studies were randomized, placebo-controlled trials. 30

Curcumin utilized in these studies was most commonly isolated from turmeric rhizomes. The average curcumin dosage reported in the clinically effective studies was 834.29 mg daily. 

Clinical outcomes were measured in most of these studies using:

  • Walking distance. 
  • Lequesne’s pain functional index (LPFI). 
  • Knee injury Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS).
  • Clinical Global Impression Scale (CGI).
  • visual analog scale (VAS).
  • Karnofsky performance scale.

In thirteen of these studies, dietary intake of curcumin resulted in improvement of at least two clinical measures, 31  32  33  34  35  36  37  38  39  40  41  42  43

While seven studies showed improvement in at least three. 44  45  46  47  48 49 50  

The two clinical outcomes which increased most commonly were walking distance and decreased WOMAC scores.

There have also been studies conducted comparing the effectiveness of curcumin versus NSAIDs in the treatment of osteoarthritis. 

A study in 2014 compared curcumin to ibuprofen. A total of 367 patients with arthritis of the knee were divided into two groups. 

The Ibuprofen group received 1200mg Ibuprofen daily, while 1500mg curcumin daily was administered to the other group. Treatment lasted four weeks. Both groups showed significant improvement in WOMAC pain and function scores, and the ibuprofen group had more complaints of abdominal pain.  51

A similar study was conducted in 2009. Patients received either 800mg ibuprofen daily or 2 grams curcumin extract daily for six weeks. No difference in adverse effects between the two groups was found, and there were no differences in outcomes except for pain on stairs. 52

Turmeric for Ulcerative Colitis

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is an inflammatory bowel disease that causes the formation of ulcers and inflammation in the digestive tract. This disease affects the inner lining of the colon and rectum. Since we know curcumin is useful in the treatment of inflammation, it is expected that this substance would have a positive impact on UC.

The symptoms of UC are diarrhea, abdominal pain, fever, weight loss, fatigue, and rectal pain and bleeding.

If the bleeding becomes severe, this disease can lead to death.

There have been positive and negative studies regarding the use of curcumin in the treatment of UC. 

A study in 2017 by Kedia et al. found no difference in patients receiving 450 mg daily of curcumin and placebo in inducing remission in patients with mild to moderate UC. 

This study spanned eight weeks and found no benefit of curcumin for clinical remission rates, clinical response, or mucosal healing when compared to placebo. It should be noted that the dosage of curcumin was low in this study. 53 

By contrast, a 2015 study by Lang et al. found that UC patients who received 3000 mg curcumin daily for one month, along with mesalamine, saw significant improvement in clinical response, endoscopic remission, and rate of clinical remission as compared to a mesalamine-placebo group. 54 

Another randomized, double-blind study of eighty-nine patients with UC was conducted in 2006. Forty-five subjects received curcumin 1000 mg twice daily, plus sulfasalazine (SZ) or mesalamine. The placebo group consisted of forty-four patients who received a placebo plus SZ or mesalamine. 

The results showed only 4.65% of the curcumin group relapsed, whereas 20.51% of the placebo group relapsed during the study.

A six-month follow-up was performed on both groups who were taking either SZ or mesalamine. Eight addition patients in the curcumin group and six patients in the placebo group relapsed. 55 

Safety

The US Food and Drug Administration considers curcumin to be “generally recognized as safe.”  56 

Turmeric should not be used by women who are pregnant or lactating.  It possesses some uterine stimulant effects.  It should also be avoided in people with gall stones or bile duct obstruction. 57 

Side Effects of Turmeric (Curcumin)

Turmeric is generally well tolerated. I have been taking my Turmeric with Bioperine supplement daily for about one month with no noticeable adverse effects. The side effects reported in several clinical trials were mild. Below is a list in decreasing frequency of side effects that may result:

  • Mild gastrointestinal symptoms (dyspepsia, Bloating, GERD)
  • Nausea and vomiting
  • Edema
  • Loose stools
  • Constipation
  • Increased stool frequency
  • Hot flashes

These effects were not statistically different than those of the placebo groups. 58 

Turmeric Drug Interactions

The drug interactions to be aware of all regard the risk of bleeding.  Caution should be exercised when using tumeric with the following drug classes:

  • Anticoagulant/Antiplatelet Agents:  
  • NSAID’s
  • Salicyclates
  • Thrombolytic Agents

59 

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Bioavailability Boost

The substance known as piperine is a major component of black pepper. Piperine is marketed under the trade name Bioperine and is added to some turmeric supplements to increase the bioavailability of curcumin. This substance has been shown to increase bioavailability by 2000%.  60 

Michael Brown pictured with Final Thought written

I am very excited about the information I have learned while researching turmeric. It can be consumed in foods and has been used as a medicine in different parts of the world for centuries.

I have been taking this supplement for about a month with absolutely no side effects.

Our family has also been eating curry several times per week. This is an easy way to decrease the odds of contracting cancer or dementia. Working on a unit with dementia patients has taught me I don’t want to burden my family with this disease.

The curcumin in turmeric also helps reduce inflammation, which helps with my back pain.

I firmly believe this is the most versatile supplement available in my store.

I hope you have enjoyed reading this post. Remember to eat a healthy diet, exercise, get plenty of sleep, and spend as much time with your happiness elements as possible.

Please send me a message if you have any topics you would like for me to cover in my blog.

Michael Brown in Lab Coat with arms crossed

Michael J. Brown, RPh, BCPS, BCPP

Mr. Brown is a Clinical Pharmacist specializing in pharmacotherapy and psychiatry.

Read Michael’s story here.

Feel free to send Michael a message using this link.

 
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Spinach Tomato Bell Pepper Frittata Whole 30 Compliant

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Spinach Tomato Bell Pepper Fritatta Whole 30 Compliant

Disclosure:  This post may contain affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I may earn a commission if you click on, or make a purchase through a third-party link.

I am now on Day #19 of the Whole 30 diet.

Eleven days to go.

To be honest, I am not a big fan of eggs unless they are part of a cake!

I did decide to try a frittata because eggs are a great source of protein and I wanted something a little different to try on this diet. This recipe is super easy and I actually enjoyed it. It will probably find its way onto our table at least every other week.

This is one of those recipes that lends well to substitutions. I would love to add mushrooms (most of my family hates them), ham, green onions, salsa, etc. You could add anything that goes with eggs to this recipe!

The best thing about this recipe is it is SUPER FAST and EASY!!

You can have this on the table in no time. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.


Initial ingredients for the fritatta

As you can see from the picture above, there are not many ingredients for this recipe. The only thing not pictured that you will need is some sort of Whole 30 compliant fat. I use coconut oil. Be sure to gather all ingredients to be sure you have everything. For this recipe, I used eight large eggs, a bag of baby spinach, a red bell pepper, several cherry tomatoes a small regular tomato and half of an onion. As mentioned above, you could substitute many ingredients.

If you aren’t doing Whole 30, cheese would be a fabulous addition.

Chopped onion and red pepper

The first step is to peel and chop the onion. Next, chop up the entire red pepper discarding the stem, seeds, and membrane from the inside of the pepper. Set these aside.

halved cherry tomatoes and chopped tomatoes

Next seed and dice the tomato and cut the cherry tomatoes in half. Set these both aside.

  • Use whisk to beat eggs
  • Beaten eggs

The next step is to prepare the eggs. Crack the eggs into a bowl, use a whisk to beat them well as shown above and set the bowl aside. I added salt and pepper at this stage as well. About one teaspoonful of each.

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  • Oven-proof large frying pan and coconut oil
  • Add 2 Tablespoonfuls of coconut oil

Now that everything is prepared, we are ready to start cooking. The first thing to do is get a large oven-proof frying pan and add 2 tablespoonfuls of coconut oil as shown above. Melt oil over medium heat. I use medium heat throughout this recipe. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees. We will bake the final mixture at a high temperature for a short period.

Add onions, chopped tomatoes, and bell pepper to melted coconut oil

After the coconut oil is melted, add the onions, bell pepper, and chopped tomatoes to the skillet. DO NOT ADD the cherry tomatoes. We will add them later. Cook this mixture for three to four minutes or until the vegetables begin to soften.

Add Spinach

Add the spinach and cook until wilted. Once the spinach is wilted, the eggs can be added.

cook until spinach is wilted.

This is what your pan should look like prior to adding the beaten eggs.

Add beaten eggs to vegetables

Add the beaten eggs to the vegetables. Do not stir. The eggs should be folded into the veggies with a rubber spatula.

Fold eggs into veggies

Fold the eggs into the vegetables quickly before the eggs begin to set. Cook for about three minutes.

Place cherry tomato halves on to of egg mixture and bake

Place cherry tomatoes on the top of the egg mixture and bake in the 500 degree over for about five to seven minutes or until mixture is set throughout and not runny. This one took seven minutes and turned out perfect.

Cooked frittata ready to slice and serve

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Spinach Tomato Bell Pepper Frittata Whole 30 Compliant

Michael Brown

This is a quick and easy, super healthy fritatta that is Whole 30 compliant.
Print Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes

Course Main Course
Cuisine American

Servings 4
Calories 505 kcal

Equipment

  • Oven Proof Large Deep Skillet or Frying Pan
  • Sharp Knife
  • Whisk
  • Wooden Spoon
  • Large Rubber Spatula
  • Butter Knife for Serving

Ingredients

  

  • 8 eggs
  • 8 oz spinach
  • 1 tomato
  • 12 cherry tomatoes
  • 2 tbsp Coconut Oil
  • 1 Red Bell pepper Any color will work
  • 1/2 onion

Instructions

 

  • Gather ingredients as shown.
  • chop and peel onion and red bell pepper. Discard stem, membrane and seeds of bell pepper. Set aside.
  • Chop and seed regular tomato and cut each cherry tomato in half.
  • Crack eggs into bowl, add one teaspoonful each of salt and pepper.
  • Beat eggs and set aside
  • Melt coconut oil over medium heat. Preheat oven to 500 degrees.
  • Add onion, bell pepper and chopped tomato to pan. DO NOT add cherry tomatoes yet! Cook for about 3 minutes.
  • Add spinach and cook until wilted.
  • This is what the mixture should look like prior to adding eggs.
  • Add beaten eggs, do not stir. Fold eggs into vegetable mixture quickly using rubber spatula before eggs begin to set.
  • Cook mixture for about three minutes.
  • Add cherry tomato halves to the top of the egg mixture. Place in preheated 500 degree oven and bake 5 to 7 minutes or until eggs are totally set.
  • Slice the frittata into wedges like a pie and serve immediately.

Keyword Egg recipe, fritatta

Cut the fritatta into wedges like a pie and serve. Hot sauce and salsa can be added. ENJOY!

Michael J. Brown, RPh, BCPS, BCPP

Thank you for visiting our site! More to come soon. Be happy and healthy!

Whole30 Compliant Stuffed Green Peppers By Sunshine Nutraceuticals

Posted on by sunshineneutraceuticals
Yummy Healthy Stuffed Peppers

Disclosure:  This post may contain affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I may earn a commission if you click on, or make a purchase through a third-party link.

One of the favorite meals in the Brown household is stuffed bell peppers. Even the kids love these. I first made these on day 7 of the Whole30 and decided to make them again tonight (Day 16).

These are very simple and healthy. They don’t take long and they are very tasty. Vegans or vegetarians can substitute the ground beef with beyond meat or another meat substitute.

All ingredients for stuffed peppers

I always start by gathering ingredients. For this recipe, you will need all of the items shown above. See the recipe at the bottom of this post for a complete list.

  • Acorn Squash cut in Half
  • Partially peeled Acorn Squash
  • Peeled and Sliced Acorn Squash
  • Cubed Acorn Squash

The first step is to prepare the acorn squash. Cut it in half, scoop out the seeds with a spoon and peel as much of the green skin as possible. Cut the squash in the grooves and finish peeling all the green skin off as shown. Finally, cube the squash.

  • Organic Zucchini Squash
  • Peeled and cut Zucchine
  • Cubed Zucchini

Cut the zucchini in half and peel it. Cut the zucchini into cubes and set aside.

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  • Half large shallot
  • Pelled Chopped Shallot

Cut the shallot in half, peel it and chop it as pictured above.

  • Whole Bell Peppers
  • Chop off top of Pepper
  • Seed and discard Stems

The next step is to prepare the bell peppers. First, cut the tops off of the peppers. Cut them about an inch from the top of the edible part of the pepper. Turn the tops over and cut around the stems. Chop the tops up as shown above and discard the hard stems. Clean the seeds and membranes out of the larger part of each pepper and discard. Rinse the inside of each pepper removing any remaining seeds and membranes.

  • Bell Peppers Submerged in Boiling Water
  • Blanched Bell Peppers

Prepare the large parts of the bell peppers which will serve as the bowls for our filling. To a large pot of boiling water, add the peppers and submerge them. Boil the peppers for three minutes. Remove the peppers from the boiling water bath with tongs and be sure to drain any water from the inside. Place the peppers in an oven proof glass dish and set aside.

Ground Beef and Coconut Oil

Now we can start cooking. First, over medium heat, begin to brown the ground beef. If you use ground beef with more than 7% fat, cook until browned and drain off any remaining fat. I used 93% lean ground beef so draining will not be necessary.

Ground Beef, Coconut Oil, Zucchini, Acorn Squash, shallots, and Pepper Tops

Add all of the chopped vegetables (zucchini, acorn squash, shallots, and pepper tops) to the ground beef, coconut oil mixture and stir well.

All Ingredients Added and Ready to Cook

Add the tomato paste, cumin, chili powder, salt, and pepper and stir well. As you can see from the picture above, I added all ingredients at once before the ground beef was fully cooked. You may brown the beef first if you prefer. This mixture needs to cook about ten minutes stirring often. If you like your veggies a little crunchy, add them when three minutes are left in the browning time.

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Stuffing Mix Fully Cooked

After ten minutes of cooking, this is what your filling will look like.

Stuffed Peppers Prior to Cooking in Oven

Stuff the peppers with the meat mixture as shown above. Cook in a preheated 350-degree oven for ten minutes. Serve immediately.

Whole30 Compliant Stuffed Bell Peppers by Sunshine Nutraceuticals

Michael Brown
This is a yummy version of stuffed bell peppers using ground beef, acorn squash and zucchini for filling. It is Whole30 compliant and very healthy.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 6 Stuffed Peppers
Calories 285 kcal

Equipment

  • Large Pot
  • Deep Frying Pan
  • Cutting Board
  • Sharp Knife
  • Tongs
  • Potato peeler
  • Stirring Spoon
  • 9×13 inch glass oven baking dish

Ingredients
  

  • 6 EA Bell Peppers Any color will work
  • 6 oz Tomato Paste Be sure there is no added sugar in your tomato paste
  • 1 lb Lean Ground Beef If you use a higher fat version, you will need to drain the fat prior to adding the vegetables and tomato paste.
  • 1 ea Acorn Squash You only need half for this recipe
  • 1 ea medium Zucchini Squash I used half in this recipe
  • 1 tbs Ground Cumin
  • 1 tbs Chili Powder
  • 1 tbs salt
  • 2 tsp freshly ground black pepper any black pepper is fine

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees, Cut the acorn squash in half. Scoop out the seeds of one half, peel the green skin off and cut into cubes, set aside.
  • Cut the zucchini in half, peel the zucchini and cut it into cubes, set aside.
  • Cut the shallot in half, peel off the skin and cut it into cubes.
  • Cut the peppers in two parts about an inch from the top as shown.
  • cut tops around the stems and remove seeds and membranes from the larger portion of each pepper. Rinse to remove all remaining seeds and membranes. Discard stems.
  • chop up the remaining tops of the peppers as shown.
  • Brown and break up ground beef in coconut oil until meat is no longer pink in color, about 10 minutes.
  • While meat is cooking, submerge peppers in boiling water and cook for 3 minutes
  • remove peppers from boiling water with tongs and be sure to drain all water from them.
  • add vegetables (Acorn squash, zucchini, cubed pepper tops, and shallots) to meat and cook an additional 2 minutes.
  • Add tomato paste, cumin, chili powder, salt, and black pepper. Stir until well mixed. Cook until vegetables are tender.
  • This is how the stuffing will appear when cooked.
  • Stuff each pepper with meat mixture.
  • Cook in a preheated 350-degree oven for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and serve immediately.
Michael J. Brown, RPh, BCPS, BCPP

Thank you for visiting Sunshine Nutraceuticals. Have a GREAT Day and remember to take care of yourself!

Migraine Abortive Treatment Guidelines and Prevention of Migraine Headache

Posted on by sunshineneutraceuticals

Disclosure:  This post may contain affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I may earn a commission if you click on, or make a purchase through a third-party link.

A migraine is a severe headache, often accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and light sensitivity. These headaches may last from four hours to several days. The American Migraine Foundation estimates that migraines occur in 1 billion people worldwide. Migraine affects adult women about 3.25 more often than men.

 1

 

 This is likely the result of hormone fluctuations occurring in females. The fact that prepubertal children have a migraine incidence of 3-10% regardless of gender also supports the theory that hormones play a role.

 2

 

The incidence of migraines remains relatively equal in boys and girls until the age of nine. After nine, more girls experience these headaches.

 3

 

It is known that estrogen is able to cross the blood-brain-barrier freely. Obese women have a higher risk of developing migraines. This is thought to be due to increased estrogen production in the adipose tissue.

 4  5

Migraine headache ranks seventh globally for years lived with disability.

 6

Migraine Aura Triggers

In fifteen to thirty percent of migraine sufferers, an aura precedes the headache pain.

 

This is most commonly visual but may be a disturbance of speech or motor function as well. This phase generally lasts less than sixty minutes.

 

I am fortunate to have only had a few migraines during my lifetime. My headaches always begin with visual problems, and I am unable to perform simple tasks such as opening a combination lock. I also have trouble speaking and have word-finding difficulties. The symptoms I suffer mimic a stroke.

 

What are the triggers of migraine headaches?

Medication Overuse Headache

Medication overuse headache (MOH) occurs when analgesics, triptans, or ergotamine agents are overused chronically. It is essential to take medications only as prescribed by your physician. There is an increased risk of MOH with opiates, Fiorinal, and analgesic medications containing barbiturates.

 7

Medication less likely to cause MOH are hydroxyzine, metoclopramide and low-dose non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen and naproxen.

 8

Medications That May Trigger a Migraine

Several drugs have the ability to trigger a migraine. These include oral contraceptives, reserpine, nitroglycerin, cocaine, nifedipine, and hydralazine.

 

 If you suffer from migraines and are taking any of these, ask your physician for a substitute. 

 

If you are using cocaine, either stop on your own or get treatment. Cocaine is very addictive and extremely dangerous.

Diet

Many foods are known to precipitate migraine headaches. Some of these include chocolate (I know, this is sad), processed meats, aged cheeses, onions, oranges, tomatoes, and some dairy products. Red wine and champagne consumption can also lead to migraines.

 

Caffeine is a double-edged sword. It can help with migraine treatment, but caffeine withdrawal can cause headaches in some individuals. For this reason, it is recommended that frequent migraine sufferers stop ingesting caffeine for a two to three month period to determine if headache frequency declines.

 9

Individuals who consume large amounts of caffeine should slowly taper off the drug to decrease the chance of precipitating a withdrawal headache.

 

It is also important to be aware of additives and food preservatives. Substances such as aspartame and MSG can trigger a headache. Whole foods are always the safest option.

 

Environment

Cigarette smoke, perfume, weather changes, loud noises, and bright or flickering lights can cause a migraine. A change in altitude and extreme heat or cold are also culprits. 


Getting too little or too much sleep can be a trigger. If possible, sleep at the same time each night for the same amount of time. Try to eat at regular intervals. Skipping meals has been shown to trigger migraines in some individuals.

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Other Migraine Triggers

People with psychiatric disorders are more prone to migraines. Stress and menses also increase migraine risk.

Treatment of Migraine Headaches

It is a pretty safe bet that either you or someone you know suffers from migraine headaches. You are most likely reading this because you want to know how to make them stop! 


I am going to go over abortive treatment as well as prophylactic (preventative) treatment of migraines. My goal is to present the medications with the most evidence to support their use. 


Please remember that different people respond to various therapies. What works for others may not work for you. I am going to present a list of the treatments that are most likely to be effective.

Biofeedback for Migraines

During my research on migraines, I came across an article that discussed the use of biofeedback as prophylaxis for pediatric migraine headaches. Even though I am a pharmacist, I will always recommend non-drug treatments for patients if they are safe and effective. 

 

There is not a single medication that does not possess side effects.

 

Biofeedback is where patients learn to control automatic bodily functions through the use of feedback such as temperature or muscle tension. When properly trained, the patient can control the temperature of their hands, for example, without the use of equipment.

 

When we are under stress, the blood vessels in our hands become smaller. With less blood flowing, the temperature of our hands decreases. By learning to relax using biofeedback, it is possible to lower the stress level, which increases the size of the blood vessels leading to warmer hands.

 

But does this work for migraines?

 

Nesoriuc and Martin published a meta-analysis on the effectiveness of biofeedback for migraine in 2007. They reviewed 55 studies, which included 2229 migraine patients. 

 

The conclusion was that biofeedback significantly and substantially decreases the pain and psychological symptoms after only eleven sessions. This led to the recommendation that biofeedback can be used as an evidence-based behavioral treatment option for migraine headache prevention.

10

A meta-analysis looking at biofeedback as prophylaxis for pediatric migraine was conducted in 2016. The researchers concluded that biofeedback is most likely effective, especially when combined with relaxation therapy. Since the number of studies was small, and they had methodologic issues during the meta-analysis, their recommendation is to continue research on this topic.

 11

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Migraine Abortive Treatments According to the Guidelines

When you get a migraine, it can be disabling. Light, noise, and even movement can make the pain worse. 


The first thing most people reach for is Excedrin migraine or ibuprofen. Excedrin migraine is acetaminophen (Tylenol) and caffeine. If this works for you great, but remember, if you get migraines often, you should avoid caffeine. 


The over-the-counter medications with the best data to support use in the treatment of a migraine headache are aspirin, ibuprofen, and naproxen sodium. If these are ineffective, see your doctor.


What are the first-line treatments for migraines?

Triptan Drugs for Migraines

Triptans are first-line for migraine pain relief. There are several drugs in this class. Imitrex (sumatriptan) is the most common. Imitrex comes in a variety of dosage forms, including nasal spray, tablets, transdermal patches, and subcutaneous injection. The injection is the fastest acting and also the most effective. Remember, nausea often occurs with a migraine, so taking anything by mouth can lead to vomiting. 

 

The triptans work by making the blood vessels in the head smaller. These drugs should NOT be used in hemiplegic or basilar migraines.

 

There seems to be a difference in the effectiveness of the triptans in individual patients. My advice is to see what your insurance company covers and start with that. If it doesn’t help, try another agent. The most significant difference in the individual triptans is the dosage forms available and the onset and duration of action.

 

Triptans available are listed below:

 

  • Sumatriptan (Imitrex) – Injectable is ultra-fast acting and the most effective. Also available in tablets, nasal spray.
  • Rizatriptan (Maxalt) – Available in disintegrating tablets and regular tablets.
  • Zolmitriptan (Zomig) – Tablets, disintegrating tablets, and nasal spray
  • Naratriptan (Amerge)- Slow acting/ long-lasting
  • Almotriptan (Axert) – Tablets only.
  • Eletriptan (Relpax) – Tablets only
  • Frovatriptan (Frova): Longest acting triptan

Dihydroergotamine (Nasal Spray) for Migraines

Dihydroergotamine is available as a nasal spray (Migranol), as well as an injection that can be given intravenously, subcutaneously, or intramuscularly.

It works by constricting blood vessels. Like triptans, this medication should not be used in hemiplegic or basilar migraine.

Only the nasal spray received a level A recommendation from the American Headache Society (AHS).


The drugs in this class were the treatment of choice before the triptans were available. Ergot alkaloids such as dihydroergotamine should not be given along with protease inhibitors, macrolide antibiotics, or antifungal agents.

Ask your doctor or pharmacist if you have any questions about this.


Ergot alkaloids have many side effects, but the most common is nausea and vomiting. The nasal spray is the preferred route of administration due to less nausea.

Other Level A Recommendations for Aborting Migraines

Acetaminophen (Tylenol): Good choice for pain, especially in older individuals or those with kidney problems.

 

NSAIDs: Aspirin, ibuprofen, and naproxen sodium have the most evidence.

 

Opiates: May be useful but not recommended for chronic use. Side effects and addiction potential may outweigh benefits.

 

Sumatriptan/naproxen (Treximet)-A combination product promoted by the drug company. 

 

Acetaminophen/Aspirin/Caffeine (Extra strength Excedrin)-Works very well for some but careful with caffeine.

Migraine Prevention Treatments According to Guidelines

If you experience migraine headaches often or are having to miss work on a regular basis, you may wish to take something to help prevent the headaches.

Which therapies are recommended?

Aniticonvulsants

Depakote for Migraine Prevention

Divalproex (Depakote) has substantial evidence to support its use in the prevention of migraine headaches. A Cochrane review published in 2013 found patients taking Depakote were twice as likely to decrease migraine frequency by 50% or more than those taking placebo.

 12

 

Depakote does have adverse effects and risks associated with its use. It can cause congenital disabilities and should be used with caution in women of childbearing age. It also may cause weight gain, nausea, hair loss, and dizziness. Depakote has also been associated with liver failure, but this is uncommon. 

Topamax for Migraines

Topamax also has a Cochrane review that supports its use in migraine prevention.

 

This review looked at seventeen trials and found topiramate to be two times more likely to decrease the frequency of migraines by 50% or more when compared to placebo.

 13

 

Topamax can decrease appetite and commonly causes a burning or prickling sensation in the feet, arms, legs, and hands. It may also cause nausea, difficulty with memory and concentration, kidney stones, and word-finding problems.

 

 

Other Level A Recommendations to Prevent Migraines

For women who suffer from menstrually associated migraines (MAM), frovatriptan (Frova) should be offered for short-term relief.

 14

 

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Treatment of Nausea Occurring with Migraine

More than two-thirds of patients who experience migraine headaches vomit during their attack.

 15  16

Many drugs used for nausea and vomiting can also be used to treat migraines. Below is a list of the most popular agents that fit this category.

Promethazine for Migraines

Promethazine is a drug used primarily for nausea and vomiting. It can also be effective in the treatment of migraine and received a level B recommendation (probably effective) from the AHS.

 17

 

This medication is available in multiple dosage forms such as tablets, injection, syrup, and suppositories. This makes promethazine useful during a migraine accompanied by nausea and vomiting. 

 

Promethazine has the potential to be abused due to its sedative effects and its ability to cause delirium. It is also known to increase euphoria when combined with opiates.

The recreational drug “purple drank” is a mixture of promethazine with codeine, hard candy, and carbonated soft drinks.

 

This mixture is popular among the hip-hop culture.

 

Promethazine should not be used in patients with asthma.

It can cause many side effects such as nausea and vomiting, dry mouth, problems breathing, dizziness, and sedation.

Chlorpromazine for Migraines

Chlorpromazine (Thorazine) is also a level B recommendation, according to the AHS. This medication is a phenothiazine that blocks dopamine receptors. This is how it works as an antipsychotic agent.

 

Chlorpromazine also possesses anti-nausea effects.

A study conducted in 2002 found chlorpromazine to be significantly better than a placebo in treating migraine headaches in the emergency room.

 18

 

 Chlorpromazine does cause a high level of sedation and postural hypotension. It is a highly anticholinergic drug leading to dry mouth, blurred vision, constipation, and confusion. It is available as a tablet and injectable form.

 

Droperidol for Migraines

Droperidol is also probably effective in the treatment of migraines, according to the AHS.

 

I have spent countless hours working in the hospital setting, and I definitely received complaints when droperidol was on back-order.

 

It is undoubtedly one of the favorite agents used for migraine at my institution. 

 

Droperidol can have some pretty severe cardiac side effects. It may also cause anxiety, restlessness, and a dysphoric mood. 

 

This drug is normally used as a pre-anesthetic agent for sedation before surgery. Droperidol has a very short duration of action. 

 

It is only available in an injectable form.

Metoclopramide for Migraines

Metoclopramide (Reglan) is also classified as probably effective by the AHS. It is available as a tablet and as an injectable form. Reglan should not be used in patients with epilepsy. Headaches may be caused by Reglan in some individuals. Drowsiness, nausea, vomiting, and movement disorders may also occur with its use.

Alternative Migraine Treatments

There are migraine treatments available that utilize dietary supplements and other medications such as Botox.  I have included some of the most popular and effective therapies below.

Botox Shots for Migraines

Botulinum toxin type A (BTX-A) was approved for the treatment of adult chronic migraine headaches in 2010.

 

Most of the data which led to this approval was obtained from two randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind studies also published in 2010.

 19   20

BTX-A is administered intramuscularly at a dose of 155 units once every twelve weeks. Each dose should be equally divided and administered to thirty-one specific muscle regions of the head and neck, as shown below.

 

 

 

 

 

The images above were taken from the Botox package insert by Allergan, 2019

According to the American Academy of Neurology (AAN), BTX-A is safe and effective for chronic migraines and is probably effective for improving health-related quality of life (QOL) for these patients. They recommend offering BTX-A to chronic migraine sufferers to increase the number of headache-free days and improve QOL. 

 

Chronic migraine is defined as fifteen or more headaches per month for at least three months. These headaches must last four hours or more.

The AAN recommends against the use of BTX-A for episodic migraine and considers it ineffective for this population.

 21

 

 An updated Cochrane systematic review was published in the British Medical Journal in 2019. This review included twenty-eight trials, which included 4190 subjects. 

 

I prefer to cite Cochrane reviews whenever possible as they are reliable, and their evidence has the most impact on the scientific community.

 

They also update their studies when new information becomes available, as is evidenced in this subject.

 

Of the twenty-eight trials identified, twenty-three compared BTX-A with placebo injections. Three of the trials compared BTX-A with other migraine prophylactic drugs.

 

The studies comparing BTX-A to placebo included 23 trials with 3912 subjects. The analysis showed a reduction of 3.1 days of migraine occurrence per month in the BTX-A group.

 

In an episodic migraine subgroup of 418 subjects, no difference was found between the two groups.

 

It should be noted that BTX-A is very expensive compared to other treatment options.

 

It should be reserved for those with chronic migraine headaches who do not respond or cannot tolerate other therapies.

Butterbur for Migraine Headaches

Petasites hybidus, or butterbur, is a shrub that grows in wet, marshy soil. The large leaves have traditionally been used to wrap butter during warm weather to prevent melting.

This plant has been used to treat fever, cough, asthma, and wounds of the skin.

It is important to note that unprocessed butterbur contains pyrrolizidine alkaloids (uPA). These may be harmful to the liver if ingested over a prolonged period.

Butterbur, which has been processed to remove uPA is safe to consume.

 22

 

There have been studies comparing butterbur to placebo.

In one study conducted in 2000, sixty men and women who suffered from a least three migraines per month were given either 50 mg butterbur extract or placebo twice daily for three months. Seventy-five percent of the butterbur group reported improvement in the number of attacks and total number of days with migraine pain, compared to only twenty-five percent of the placebo group.

 23

Another study administered either 50 mg butterbur extract twice daily, 75 mg butterbur extract twice daily, or placebo twice daily to 202 people with migraines for three months. Patients in all three groups saw improvement in their headaches, but the 75mg butterbur group saw significant improvement as compared to the placebo group.

 24

 

Magnesium and Riboflavin for Migraines

A meta-analysis published in 2014 compared IV magnesium with placebo in emergency room patients presenting with migraines.

 

Subjects received either IV magnesium, a dopamine antagonist, or a placebo.

More patients experienced pain relief in the magnesium group than in the placebo group, but it was not statistically significant. 

 

This study also discovered magnesium works better in patients who have migraine with aura. There was no difference in effectiveness between magnesium and placebo in patients with migraine without aura.

 

It was also discovered that the magnesium-metoclopramide combination led to more pain relief than the placebo-metoclopramide combination.

 25

 

Riboflavin has been found to be effective at reducing the number of migraines when taken at a dosage of 400 mg per day.

 

In a study of fifty-five patients, 400 mg of riboflavin daily was found to be superior to placebo at reducing both the number of headache days and the frequency of migraines.

 26

 The most common side effects of riboflavin are diarrhea and increased urination. 

 

Both magnesium and riboflavin can be found in many foods:

Feverfew and Ginger for Migraines

Feverfew (Tanacetum parthenium) is a plant with flowers resembling daisies that grows wild throughout the world. This plant has previously been used for its anti-inflammatory properties and pain related to menses in women. 

Tanacetum has been used to prevent migraine headaches. The flowers contain a compound known as parthenolide, which is thought to decrease the incidence of migraines utilizing multiple mechanisms of action.

Inhibition of cyclooxygenase-2, tumor nucrosis factor-alpha, interlukin-1, 

 27

and serotonin

 28

are all thought to be involved.

A systematic review of the literature regarding feverfew and migraine was published in the Journal of Dietary Supplements in 2009.

 29

Some interesting information was gleaned from this study. It is possible that other compounds contained in the feverfew leaves assist in parthenolide’s mechanism of action. 

 

One of the studies found no benefit of an alcohol extract of parthenolide, while two other studies using dried leaves found a statistically significant decrease in migraine severity and frequency.

 

These studies found feverfew to be safe with no difference in adverse effects as compared to placebo.

 

It is important to note that feverfew is a supplement which is thought to prevent migraine, not treat the actual headache. For this reason, patients will be taking the supplement over an extended period.

 

More studies are needed to assess the long-term safety and recommended dosage of this supplement.

 

Can ginger fight a migraine headache?

 

Ginger is a common spice used in cooking. It is also used to cleanse the palate in between the consumption of various types of sushi.  Ginger is native to southeastern Asia.

 

This plant has been used for many medical purposes, including treatment of motion sickness, generalized pain, vertigo, arthritis pain, and dyspepsia.

 

One study conducted in 2005 found Gelstat (an OTC drug containing ginger extract) completely alleviated migraine pain in forty-eight percent of patients within two hours.

 

Thirty-four percent achieved partial relief during the same period.

 30

 

In a study published in May of 2013, Maghbooli et al. compared ginger to sumatriptan in the treatment of migraine headaches.

 

One-hundred patients were selected to either receive ginger or sumatriptan if a headache occurred. 

 

Twenty-two percent of the sumatriptan group and twenty percent of the ginger group had a severe headache during the study and were treated. 

 

Seventy percent of the sumatriptan group and sixty-four percent of the ginger group had their headache pain decrease by at least ninety percent two hours following drug administration.

 

There was not a significant difference between the two treatments regarding migraine pain relief.

 

The only side effect reported by the ginger group was dyspepsia. Alternatively, the sumatriptan group reported dizziness, dyspepsia, vertigo, and sedation.

 

Although this study had a limited number of subjects, it shows promise in ginger’s ability to fight migraine headache pain.

 31

A dosage recommendation of 500 mg ginger taken at headache onset and repeated every four hours up to 2 grams daily for three to four days has been recommended by Mustafa and Srivastava.

 32

 

Try Turmeric with Ginger for your Migraine

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Michael Brown pictured with Final Thought written

Migraine headaches are a common health problem today. They lead to decreased productivity, increased health care costs, and a lower quality of life. 

 

There are many treatments for this disorder. Choosing the right therapy depends on several factors. Patients who have nausea and vomiting occurring with their headaches may benefit from an agent that is available as a non-oral dosage form. 

 

Elderly patients or those with kidney disease should be careful with NSAIDs. These drugs can damage the kidneys, especially if taken over a long period.

 

Those who suffer from multiple monthly migraine attacks may want to consider preventive drug treatment. Again, there are many options to accomplish this, and they are patient-specific.

 

I suggest keeping a headache journal. Write down what you eat each day, your activity level, exposure to smoke or strong odors, and hours of sleep as well as the level of stress. Try to find a pattern that leads to your headaches. It may be easier to avoid foods or other factors that cause your headaches than to use medications. 

 

Consider biofeedback. It does take an initial time commitment but may pay off in the future if you can learn to master it.

 

Other alternative therapies, such as vitamins and nutraceuticals, may also decrease headache frequency. It is possible to get some of these just by eating certain foods.

 

More studies should be done in the future regarding these agents in the treatment and prevention of migraine.

I have covered the medications with the most evidence in this post. There are many more second and third-line agents available as well.

 

At times it may be necessary to combine medications to get the desired effect.

 

If you have any questions regarding migraine headaches or any other topic, please feel free to send me a message. I am always happy to help whenever possible.

 

Michael Brown in Lab Coat with arms crossed

Michael J. Brown, RPh, BCPS, BCPP

Mr. Brown is a Clinical Pharmacist specializing in pharmacotherapy and psychiatry.

Read Michael’s story here.

Feel free to send Michael a message using this link.

 

 
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Panang Curry With Chicken Recipe For Whole30

Posted on by sunshineneutraceuticals
Panang Curry With Chicken Recipe For Whole30 – YUMMY!

Disclosure:  This post may contain affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I may earn a commission if you click on, or make a purchase through a third-party link.

I have had a wonderful experience with the Whole30 diet so far. I am now on day number twelve and feel better than I have in years. I wore a pair of pants to work today that haven’t fit in many months. I am very happy with the program so far.

This is a happy, healthy, healing website so this last week I have decided to start adding healthy recipes to the website. I love to cook, and have many recipes my father left me after he passed away that I would like to share with my readers.

Cooking is something I use to relax and unlike most people, I enjoy grocery shopping as well. It is just a break from my pharmacy life at the hospital. This recipe is one I created a couple of weeks ago for the Whole30 program. This is not a difficult recipe and please feel free to substitute any vegetable that can be stir-fried. I would have added mushrooms but my family doesn’t enjoy them so I left them out.

I have recently begun to use imperfect produce for some of my vegetables. This is a fantastic program that benefits farmers as well as consumers. You simply go on-line and tell them what you want, and they deliver organic produce to your doorstep weekly. The produce may have small blemishes but you save money and support local farmers so I am all for it. This recipe is perfect to utilize seasonal vegetables.

Purchase Anxiety Formula in the Sunshine Store

Ingredients

Ingredients- The bell pepper and spices are not shown.

Here are most of the ingredients you will need for this recipe. The bell pepper and spices aren’t shown but you will see them later.

Yellow squash, zucchini, and green beans

I always like to cut everything up before I start cooking. I also often measure everything out. I do this for two reasons. First, missing ingredients will be discovered BEFORE you start cooking. It will also prevent over-cooking because this step often takes longer than anticipated. The yellow squash, green beans, and zucchini are pictured above.

  • Whole green bell pepper
  • Chopped green bell pepper

The pesky elusive green pepper is pictured above before and after chopping.

  • Chopped Tomato
  • Cubed Chicken Breast

The tomatoes and chicken breast are the last two ingredients that need to be cut up. If you prefer vegan or vegetarian meals, omit the chicken.

Spices Needed

Here are the spices you will need. Cumin, black pepper, turmeric, and salt

Time to Cook

Browning the Chicken

The first cooking step is to heat a large, deep frying pan or wok over medium heat and add the coconut oil. You may use any fat source allowed by Whole30. Brown the chicken until no pink color remains. This usually takes five minutes or so.

  • Panang Curry Paste and Coconut Milk
  • Curry Paste and Coconut Milk Mixed

While the chicken is browning, prepare your curry by adding it to a small amount of coconut milk and stirring. Do not start with as much paste as shown above unless you like your food super spicy. This was way too hot for the kids and my wife, but mom and I ate it and it was wonderful. I suggest starting with a tablespoon of paste. You can always add more paste later.

  • Curry Mixture Added to Chicken
  • Tomatoes Added

Mix the curry and coconut milk mixture well heating over medium heat. Add the tomatoes and cook for another minute.

All vegetables added to the chicken, curry mixture and tomatoes
Add the Vegetables

The final step is to add the vegetables. I usually add the sweet potatoes first and let them cook for about three to four minutes (covered), and then add the rest of the vegetables. The sweet potatoes take a little bit longer to cook. If you prefer your potatoes a little firmer, add all the vegetables at the same time. Stir the mixture well. Turn the heat down to medium-low, cover, and cook for about eight minutes or until the vegetables are tender, stirring every two to three minutes.

ENJOY!!!

Panang Curry With Chicken for Whole30

Link To Sunshine Store

Panang Curry With Chicken Recipe For Whole30

Michael Brown

This is a quick and easy super healthy panang curry recipe I came up with while on the Whole30 plan. Even the kids loved it. Give it a try.
Print Recipe

Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes

Course Main Course
Cuisine Mediterranean

Servings 5 people

Equipment

  • Large Wok or Deep Large Frying Pan with lid
  • Measuring Cups
  • Wooden Spoon
  • Bowls
  • Large knife for chopping

Ingredients

  

  • 1 tbsp Coconut Oil or other Whole30 compliant Fat
  • 1 lb Chicken Breast (Boneless, Skinless), chopped may use thighs if desired or Omit for Vegan
  • 1 tbsp Panang Curry Paste Be Careful! Start with a little and add more to taste. This can be very spicy!
  • 1 cup Coconut Milk You can add more if desired. I use 365 Organic Milk.
  • 2 cups Yellow Squash, chopped Butternut Squash can be substituted
  • 2 cups Zucchini Squash, chopped
  • 2 cups Sweet Potatoes, peeled and chopped
  • 1 cup Carrots, chopped
  • 1 each Bell Pepper, chopped, any color
  • 1 each Medium Red Onion, Chopped could use any type of onion here.
  • 1 cup Green Beans, cut into 2 inch segments
  • 1 each Large Tomato, seeded and cubed
  • 1 tbsp Cumin Adjust amount to taste
  • 2 tsp Tumeric Adjust amount to taste
  • 1 tsp Salt Adjust amount to taste
  • 2 tsp Freshly Ground Black pepper Adjust amount to taste, can substitute plain black pepper

Instructions

 

  • Melt the coconut oil over medium heat, add chicken and cook until brown.
  • While chicken is cooking, mix the Panang curry paste into the coconut milk and set aside.
  • After chicken is browned, add the curry, coconut milk mixture to the chicken and stir.
  • Add the tomato and mix well. Add the cumin, turmeric, salt, and pepper, and stir.
  • Add the Sweet Potato first and cook mixture covered for two to three minutes. Add the remaining vegetables, stir well, cover and cook for eight minutes or until vegetables are tender stirring mixture every two to three minutes.
  • Serve in bowls

Michael J. Brown, RPh, BCPS, BCPP
Clinical Pharmacist

Best Cleanses and Detoxes for Weight Loss

Posted on by sunshineneutraceuticals

Disclosure:  This post may contain affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I may earn a commission if you click on, or make a purchase through a third-party link.

Have you felt crappy lately?

Have you had low energy or problems sleeping?

Do you ever consider trying a body cleanse or detox program for weight loss?

Body cleansing and detox have become very popular in recent years. Some people use these for health reasons and others for weight loss. Cleansing and detoxes are meant for short term use only and are used to eliminate toxins from the body.

Due to global industrialization, we are all subjected to harmful chemicals daily. These chemicals include pesticides, phthalates, bisphenol A, and many others. Adverse health conditions can be caused or exacerbated by these chemicals, including various cancers,1

reproductive effects, 2

and cardiovascular disease.3

There are more than 80,000 chemicals registered for use in the US. Each year, 2000 new ones are added. A large percentage of these have not been adequately studied for detrimental health effects.4

Naturopathic doctors study methods of detoxification during their schooling. We know that medical nutrition can treat and prevent several ailments, including allergies, asthma, and inflammation. It can also be useful in treating and averting toxic environmental exposures.

 5

 

 6

The purpose of this article is to present cleanses and detoxes available to help in weight loss. Some of these may also help rid the body of toxins. 

It is essential to be aware of the harmful effects some of these detoxes and cleanses may have on our bodies.

Most of these methods consist of fasting, following a specific diet, and drinking plenty of water. 

What are the best choices?

Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple cider vinegar (ACV) promotes a healthy digestive tract by creating an environment more conducive to “good” bacteria. This can lead to improved absorption of nutrients, which increase energy, metabolism, and aids in cholesterol removal.

 It has also been associated with improving insulin sensitivity. Some report ACV can diminish appetite leading to weight loss.


APV can lead to stomach upset and may remove the enamel from teeth when consumed as a liquid.


If you plan to incorporate ACV into your weight loss program, I suggest using capsules that will protect your teeth. You may also consider making a salad dressing using it in a diluted form. Below is a simple recipe for ACV salad dressing:

Apple Cider Vinegar Salad Dressing

¼ cup Apple Cider Vinegar
1/3 Cup high quality extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons sweet mustard (I like Beaver brand sweet hot mustard)
3-4 teaspoons real honey (add to taste)
Salt and pepper to taste

Use an immersion blender to mix or make in a salad dressing shaker.

Whole 30

The whole 30 was started ten years ago by Melissa Hartwig Urban. This is an outstanding program that I am starting myself.

If you sign up at her website, you will receive the Whole 30 starter kit. She includes a few recipes and simple rules for success. I am not going to suggest this will be easy! Here are the foods and substances you must avoid for 30 days:

Added sugar, real or artificial
Alcohol of any kind
Grains
Legumes
Dairy products
Carrageenan, MSG, or sulfites
Baked goods, junk foods, or treats with “approved” ingredients
No weighing yourself or taking body measurements for 30 days!

This is a way to change the way you eat and learn how your body feels without preservatives and high calorie, unhealthy foods.  The complete rules of this plan can be found at:

https://whole30.com/whole30-program-rules/

 

Juice Detox Diets

There are many juice diets available on the internet for purchase. These usually promise weight loss and removal of toxins from your body. Most of these products are very expensive and may or may not include supplements. 

I am very wary of any detox or cleanse that starves the body, especially over a long period. As explained in last week’s post, when our body goes into starvation mode, metabolism slows, and it becomes harder to lose weight.

Some Juice diets only allow consumption of 400 calories per day. This will lead to weight loss but also increases cortisol levels. Cortisol is the primary stress hormone found in our bodies. These levels can remain elevated even after a 21-day caloric restriction of 1200 kcal/day.

 7

This increase in cortisol can lead to binge eating due to appetite stimulation.

 8

 9

 

Most juice diets are similar to the lemon detox described below but are probably more healthy because they contain more nutrients.

 

The Lemon Detox Diet

The Lemon detox program, also known as the Master Cleanse or Lemonade Diet, was developed by Stanley Burroughs in the 1940s. It is a very low calorie diet (VLCD) providing 800-1000 kcal/day. This method substitutes meals with:

· two tablespoons of lemon juice
· two tablespoons of maple syrup
· cayenne pepper
· water

A research study was conducted in 2015 using the lemon detox diet. In this study, lemon juice was mixed with organic maple and palm syrups. Overweight Korean women were divided into three groups. The period of the detox was seven days. 


This study found that the lemon detox diet can reduce body fat, improve insulin resistance, and may have a positive effect on cardiovascular disease risk factors. 


There were some unexpected changes in homocysteine levels and serum lipid profiles of the subjects in the Lemon-D group, which questions its positive cardiovascular effects.

 10

Michael Brown pictured with Final Thought written

Obesity is a significant problem in the United States. The National Center for Health Statistics estimates 39.8% of adults over 20 years old were obese, and another 31.8% were overweight in 2015-2016. The rates of obesity have increased for all population categories during the last several decades.

It is not surprising than many are looking for a quick fix for this problem. Unfortunately, we don’t become obese overnight, and we can’t remedy the problem quickly. My research into cleanses and detox programs have led me to the following recommendations.

Start with the Whole 30 plan. I am now on day #9 of this diet and at the present time, feel outstanding. There have been periods where I have felt low on energy. This was especially evident during the evening of day six. I am hoping I have passed the sluggish stage.

I recommend this plan first because you are still eating plenty of calories. You are detoxing your body by drinking a lot of water and consuming only whole foods. It is not easy to eliminate all added sugar, sugar substitutes, dairy, and grain from your diet, but I feel really good and have learned a lot from this program in the last two weeks.

The Whole 30 teaches you how your body can feel in the absence of chemicals and processed foods. It does take more time to prepare meals, but I have been able to cook dinner each night, and my kids have enjoyed every meal so far! Look for my post on my experience with the Whole 30 in the next month.

I recommend avoiding juice detoxes. The weight loss will likely not last after the detox ends. There is a good chance your cortisol level will increase, making you hungry. Your body needs a certain number of daily calories to function correctly. These programs are expensive and have limited data to support their use.

Experimenting with apple cider vinegar or a colon cleanse supplement such as Psyllium Husk Plus is also an option and will allow you to maintain your current eating habits. Just remember to use these products in moderation. There is no reason to take Psyllium Husk Plus capsules daily.

I hope I have answered your questions regarding cleanses and detoxes for weight loss. If you have any further questions or comments, please feel free to contact me. If you believe juice detoxes have helped, I want to hear from you. My ultimate goal is to make this blog as informative and as useful as possible for my readers.

Michael Brown in Lab Coat with arms crossed

Michael J. Brown, RPh, BCPS, BCPP

Mr. Brown is a Clinical Pharmacist specializing in pharmacotherapy and psychiatry.

Read Michael’s story here.

Feel free to send Michael a message using this link.

 
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Are Rasberry Ketones Safe While Pregnant Or Breastfeeding? Do They Work For Weight Loss? Are There Side Effects?

Posted on by sunshineneutraceuticals

Disclosure:  This post may contain affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I may earn a commission if you click on, or make a purchase through a third-party link.

What can I use raspberry ketone for?

Is raspberry ketone safe while pregnant or breastfeeding?

Is a raspberry ketone supplement right for me?

Raspberry ketone is the compound found in the red raspberry responsible for its distinctive odor. This substance is often used as a flavoring agent in the food industry.

 1

Raspberry ketone is a popular weight loss supplement. This substance has also has been used to promote hair growth and improve the elasticity of the skin.

This post will take a closer look at this unique substance and the data to support its use. Raspberry ketone is available at our Sunshine Store in both capsule and liquid form.

Fit Track Black Friday

Raspberry Ketones for Weight Loss and Obesity

Raspberry ketone helps to regulate adiponectin in the body. Adiponectin is a protein specific to adipocytes (cells that store fat). Adiponectin is thought to affect both insulin resistance and atherosclerosis.

 Raspberry ketone helps to burn fat by breaking it up more efficiently within these specialized cells. 

Higher levels of adiponectin are found in people with healthy weight. As overweight individuals lose weight, adiponectin levels increase.

 2

 

 3

 

 

 

 

After four weeks of supplementation with raspberry ketone, Ushiki et al. were able to show a significant loss of both body weight and body fat. Arteriosclerosis index scores and triglyceride levels were also suppressed.

 4

 

The data mentioned above is from three small studies. There are many success stories on the internet for individuals claiming raspberry ketone has helped them lose weight. 

I am currently in the middle of the Whole 30 diet, so am unable to test the product at this time. I plan to try my supplement in both forms to see if it indeed curbs my appetite.

 More research needs to be conducted to determine the optimum dose, potential side effects, and effectiveness of raspberry ketone supplements in helping with weight loss. 

 

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Raspberry Ketones for Hair Loss and Skin Rejuvenation

Raspberry ketone may be useful in treating alopecia (hair loss).

A small study was conducted by Harada et al. in 2008. This study had many limitations, including a small sample size (N=10).

After five months of daily treatment with topical 0.01% raspberry ketone cream, 50% of the subjects showed increased hair growth.


This same study also looked at the effects of raspberry ketones on skin elasticity.

The study was performed on ten healthy females. The researchers concluded the topical raspberry ketone increased cheek skin elasticity.

 5

Raspberry ketone works by promoting the release of insulin growth factor 1 (IGF-1) in the scalp. This helps to create new hair cells and increase hair count.

Raspberry Ketone Use During Pregnancy and Breastfeeding

Although the FDA categorizes raspberry ketone as “Generally Recognized as Safe” when used as a food additive, there is insufficient evidence to determine whether this substance is a safe supplement for weight loss in individuals who are pregnant or breastfeeding. I would suggest not using raspberry ketone if you fit into either of these categories.

Raspberry Ketone Side Effects

More studies need to be conducted to determine the incidence of various side effects that may be caused by raspberry ketone. I have listed a few adverse effects reported by users of this substance below:

  • Increased blood pressure and heart rate.
  • Nausea.
  • feeling jittery.
  • Decreased blood sugar levels.
Michael Brown pictured with Final Thought written

After researching raspberry ketone, I believe this supplement can work for some people.  I would prefer to see more research on its effect on weight loss.  I do not think this supplement is harmful, but would definitely not recommend it to a woman who was pregnant or breastfeeding. I feel the risk outweigh the benefit in this circumstance. 


Overall I have been impressed with the positive information I have learned while researching my supplements. I plan to keep the raspberry ketone in my store as I believe it may benefit some of my readers. 

My product also contains African Mango, which has positive effects on obesity and diabetes.


I would love to hear feedback from anyone who has used this product. I may even add your story to this post!

Michael Brown in Lab Coat with arms crossed

Michael J. Brown, RPh, BCPS, BCPP

Mr. Brown is a Clinical Pharmacist specializing in pharmacotherapy and psychiatry.

Read Michael’s story here.

Feel free to send Michael a message using this link.

 

 
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