Health Topics and Videos

Foam Rolling Hamstrings and Quads

Dr. Nathan Karpinsky at Elite Health Solutions in Mt Pleasant SC demonstrates utilizing the foam roll on the Hamstrings and Quadriceps.





Foam Rolling Glutes and External Rotators

Dr. Nathan Karpinsky at Elite Health Solutions in Mt Pleasant SC demonstrates utilizing the foam roll on the Glutes and external rotators of the hip.



Foam Rolling Thoracic Spine

Dr. Nathan Karpinsky at Elite Health Solutions in Mt Pleasant SC demonstrates utilizing the foam roll on the Thoracic Spine.



GF Lemon Chardonnay Grilled Chicken

For this week here is a new recipe for those who have a gluten-sensitivity. For those who don’t remember what gluten-sensitivity is you can read past posts about this subject below.

Today we have a lemon-chardonnay grilled chicken. This flavorful meal is great to serve with a quick side of steamed broccoli and gluten free penne.

Ingredients:
• 1 tablespoon grated lemon rind
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons chardonnay or other dry white wine
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon fresh oregano leaves
• ½ teaspoon dried dill
• ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 2 medium garlic cloves, minced
• 4 (6-oz) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
• Cooking spray
• ¼ teaspoon salt

Instructions:

• Combine first 8 ingredients in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk. Reserve 2 tablespoons marinade. Add chicken to remaining marinade in bowl, turning to coat. Cover and marinate in refrigerator for at least 15 minutes, turning chicken occasionally.
• Heat a large nonstick grill pan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Remove chicken from bowl, discarding marinade. Add chicken to pan; cook 6 minutes on each side or until done. Place chicken on a serving platter.
• Stir salt into reserved marinade; spoon evenly over the chicken for that extra flavor.
Yield: 4 servings (serving size 1 chicken breast half)
Calories: 213; fat: 4.6 g (sat 0.9g, mono 2.3g, poly 0.7g); protein 39.4g; carb 0.6g; fiber 0.1g; chol 99mg; iron 1.3mg; sodium 256mg; calc 23mg



Get a Better Nights Sleep

night sleep

Last week we discussed how sleep can alter hormones in our bodies and have real physical consequences. As we explained previously, these hormones altered by lack of sleep can be regulated back to normal levels shortly after proper sleep is reintroduced.

To review sleeps effects on hormones you can check out the previous post on sleep below.

This week we will discuss some of the conservative methods to get the best night sleep you have had in a long time.
The first and easiest way towards better sleep is to check your pillow. Everybody has a different preference to pillows, and it’s not our goal to say one pillow is better than another. Dr. Karpinsky personally uses a memory foam pillow and has for years, while others swear that an ergonomic neck pillow works best for them. The most important thing is to try different pillows and find the one that is most comfortable for you. Some things to be aware of:

• If you use memory foam pillows and the foam begins to clump, this is an early sign that you need a new pillow.
• If you use a feather pillow and you have to repeatedly “re-fluff” it to get neck support, it is time to replace the pillow.
• If you need to place your arm under your pillow, your body is subconsciously telling you that you need more support and likely a new pillow.

Many of us use caffeine throughout the day, but studies have shown that the half-life of caffeine varies from person to person meaning we all process caffeine slightly differently. This half-life range has been found to be from 4.8 – 11.4 hours meaning that even if you consumed caffeine early in the morning you may have caffeine present in your blood at bedtime. A rule of thumb when having difficulty sleeping is to avoid caffeine all together.

Two supplements that have been shown to be helpful with sleep are Melatonin and Valerian Root (Valeriana officinalis). Melatonin is a hormone that our bodies normally secrete for regulating the sleep-wake cycle. These levels are normally low during the day and increase significantly at night. These levels typically decrease as we age, and could be part of the reason why we don’t sleep as well as we age. Simply taking a dose of 2-5mg at night of melatonin may help you fall asleep easier and actually keep you asleep throughout the night.

Valerian, which is the root of Valeriana officinalis, has been shown to contain two substances that have sedative effects. Typically, valerian is taken 30-60 minutes before bedtime and dosages vary. This is another great natural remedy to try if falling asleep is difficult for you.

If you are not getting the sleep you think you should be please visit or call us at 843-654-9330. We would be glad to discuss more options to improve your sleep and get you feeling great!



Sleep

sleep

This week we will be changing gears a little bit and discuss something most of us probably will admit we don’t get enough of….sleep. Most of us have probably heard that lack of sleep will cause us to be emotionally moody, or that it can cause us to gain weight. However, that is not the true point behind this week’s topic. We will be explaining what our bodies go through when we are sleep deprived, and why we should do our best to get a great night’s sleep when possible.

Sleep deprivations effect our body’s hormones, specifically insulin, androgens, growth hormone, and cortisol (the stress hormone). Let’s break down the importance of each of these hormones and how sleep can manipulate them.

Insulin is an important hormone for our bodies because it allows our cells to pick up glucose. It is a vital component that helps regulate carbohydrate and fat metabolism in the body. Research has shown that insulin levels do not seem to be affected by sleep deprivation; however, it does show that there is a decrease in insulin sensitivity in fat cells and the liver. This reduced sensitivity can occur very quickly and can actually increase your risk of developing diabetes. A loss of only 90 minutes of sleep over a few weeks has shown to decrease insulin sensitivity. Fortunately, once proper sleep is reintroduced the insulin sensitivities quickly normalize.

The second hormone of importance is androgens, such as testosterone. Testosterone, similar to insulin, is quickly affected by sleep deprivation. One study from JAMA in 2011 showed that getting up to three fewer hours of sleep for five days can reduce testosterone by over 10% and other studies suggest even higher reductions. Again, like insulin, testosterone can reduce quickly, but can normalize once sleep is restored.

Growth hormone is a hormone that is not affected by sleep deprivation as much as others. Studies have shown that a large amount of growth hormone is released shortly after we sleep. Our bodies adjust and compensate the secretion of growth hormone even if our sleep cycle is altered or reduced. Having a lack of sleep does not reduce the overall secretion of growth hormone, but it does alter the secretion cycle.

Last is cortisol, which helps to mediate the waking process. During the morning (when you wake), the cortisol levels are elevated, and suppressed during the evening (allowing you to fall asleep). When we become sleep deprived these levels become deregulated and increased, creating an all-day exposure. Therefore, it is important to prevent sleep deprivation to avoid this altered regulation of cortisol.

Sleep can have profound effects on hormones, and this should give us a big wake up call, no pun intended, of the importance sleep has and how quickly it can affect our bodies. Next week we will go into this topic a little deeper and provide some useful tips to help regulate your sleep.

If you have any questions about this topic or any other previous health topic visit or call us at 843-654-9330.


Systemic Inflammation Part 6

inflammation

Now that we have covered many aspects of the diet that contribute to systemic inflammation, here are some tips to begin to apply it to your daily life. Please remember eating to decrease systemic inflammation is not a diet, but a lifestyle change.

First, try to have 3 balanced meals every day. When we say balanced that means having some high quality protein, fat, and carbohydrates in each meal. This includes a good palm sized serving of protein, (fish, eggs, beef, chicken, etc.), filling up your plate around that protein with veggies and possibly some fruits (veggies are the more important factor though), and last to include some good healthy fats like a couple tablespoons of olive oil, coconut oil, or ghee, a handful of almonds, or half an avocado (these fats can be included in the cooking of your food). Don’t be afraid to try something different and replace any vegetable oil for cooking with olive oil, ghee, or coconut oil. Some great resources for delicious recipes can be found just by Googling “Paleo recipes”(one of my favorite resources is http://nomnompaleo.com/recipei... ) .

Second, make sure to read all ingredients in the items that you purchase. Many minimally processed foods contain additives and preservatives that have been linked to chronic diseases and cancer. Some of the worst include MSG, sulfites, and carrageenan. All three have been linked to increasing systemic inflammation in the body and even neurotoxic effects!
Last, try to have fun with changing the way you eat. Take the time to actually sit and enjoy your food even if it is for only a 15 minute break. Try to eat while not watching TV or being distracted by something else. A recent study showed that on average, consuming food while distracted, like watching TV, increased the amount of food eaten by 10%. What is more notable is that eating with distractions increased what study subjects ate at the subsequent meal by more than 25%.

I challenge you to mark off 30 days on your calendar and commit to changing your eating habits during those 30 days. You will be amazed at how great you will feel at the end! Also, if you are interested in exploring further how you can decrease systemic inflammation, feel better, and have a better guide for this lifestyle change check out http://whole9life.com/itstarts... and order this book!

Next week we will be moving on to new topics but if you have any questions about this or any other topic please visit or call us at 843-654-9330.



Systemic Inflammation Part 5

inflammation5

Polyunsaturated fats (PUFAs) include omega-6 and omega -3 fatty acids (FA’s). These are essential fatty acids because we are unable to create them in our body, which means we must get them from our diet. Both omega-3 and omega-6 FA’s have important critical functions like maintaining a healthy brain, growth, memory, and even retinal health; however, too many omega-6’s in our diets can promote an inflammatory state in the body. Many of the common foods we eat contain added seed and vegetable oils (peanut, soybean, sunflower, canola, etc.). Vegetable and seed oils contain a high amount of PUFA’s, with a large amount of them being omega-6 ‘s, these omega 6’s get incorporated into our cell membranes making them more vulnerable to oxidation by free radicals leading to systemic inflammation. Even products that say “with olive oil” still contain added seed and or vegetable oils, just read the labels!

Omega -3 fatty acids include both DHA and EPA which have been shown to reduce inflammation as well as decrease the risk of chronic health conditions, such as heart disease, cancer, and arthritis. There are many ways to increase your consumption of omega-3 FA’s including grass-fed beef, wild salmon, fish oils, walnut, chia, hemp, and flax oil (note that walnut, chia, hemp, and flax oil contain omega-3’s in the form of ALA which does not have the same benefits of DHA and EPA. Our body is able to convert a trivial amount ALA to DHA or EPA but not nearly the amount to get the anti-inflammatory effects). Studies have shown that consuming 1-2 grams of omega-3 FA’s in the form of EPA and DHA on a daily basis is recommended for the anti-inflammatory effects. It is difficult to consume that amount through our diets alone so we suggest a supplement. It is also important to note that all omega-3 supplements are not created equal. Many contain low quality, poorly purified, highly processed oils that will actually limit the effectiveness of omega-3’s and may even contain levels of mercury or other toxins. We recommend Nordic Naturals ProOmega because they utilize independent 3rd party testing to assure no heavy metal, PCBs, or dioxins and guarantee that the omega-3’s are of the highest quality and freshness.

Next week we will continue our discussion on systemic inflammation and how we can change our eating habits to combat it. If you have any questions about this or any other topic please visit or call us at 843-654-9330. Also, if you are interested in exploring further how you can decrease systemic inflammation and feel better, check out http://whole9life.com/itstarts... and order this book!



Systemic Inflammation Part 4

inflammation 4

Fats are a well-known and often misunderstood macronutrient. Most of us think of fat as a bad, calorie-dense, heart disease inducing, greasy substance. This is somewhat true in certain aspects; however, fats are critical for maintaining proper immune function, absorbing particular vitamins and nutrients, providing the building blocks for brain tissue, nerve fibers, reproductive and stress hormones, as well as being an integral part of all cellular membranes. Fats also provide an excellent energy source for our day to day activities and low intensity activity. To begin to understand how fat plays both a good and bad role in systemic inflammation, as well as other diseases, we first need to learn that not all fats are equal.

Fats are naturally found as free fatty acids (FFA’s) or built into complexes. Fatty acids belong to one of three categories: saturated, monounsaturated, or polyunsaturated. There are also unnaturally occurring fats like Trans fats (partially hydrogenated oils or substances) that, as most people know, are linked to many diseases like cancer and heart disease.

Monounsaturated fats (MUFAs) are found in many vegetables, some nuts and oils, like avocados, hazelnuts, macadamia nuts, olives, and olive oil. Studies have shown that eating a diet rich in MUFAs can improve blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and even reduce the risk of cardio vascular disease. They also have found that other compounds found food with high levels of MUFAs, like olive oil, may have some anti-inflammatory effects in the body thus decreasing systemic inflammation.
Saturated fats are generally thought of as the artery clogging and heart attack inducing fat found in red meat and butter. This is not necessarily the case. A meta-analysis of 21 studies published in the Journal of Clinical Nutrition that followed over 347,000 individuals for up to 23 years concluded that “there is no significant evidence for concluding that dietary saturated fat is associated with an increased risk of coronary heart disease, stroke, or cardiovascular disease.” The problem is not the saturated fat but the systemic inflammation that is going on in your body from many of the things we discussed in previous topics. The other problem with many saturated fats is the quality of the source. If you are eating factory farmed, genetically modified, anti-biotic infused meat you will be consuming many unhealthy toxins. These toxins increase the amount of inflammation going on in your body. Good sources of saturated fats include ghee, clarified butter, grass-fed organic meats and coconut (which also have Medium Chain triglycerides, MCTs, a form of saturated fat that is very beneficial). These types of fats are great for cooking at high temperatures because they are very stable when exposed to heat, air, and light unlike many other fats.

Polyunsaturated Fats (PUFAs) are most commonly discussed as omega 3 or omega 6 fatty acids. Next week we will explore more about these and continue our discussion on systemic inflammation and how we can change our eating habits to combat it. If you have any questions about this or any other topic please visit or call us at 843-654-9330. Also, if you are interested in exploring further how you can decrease systemic inflammation and feel better, check out http://whole9life.com/itstarts... and order this book!

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