May 2021
By Drew Mulvey MS, CDN, CNS
Seasonal Produce
The sun is starting to radiate a little extra heat and the produce is starting to make it’s way out of the ground! Certain produce is at it peak nutrition during different parts of the year, making it more beneficial for consumption and one’s health. Here are some of the produce that can be enjoyed this month!
Pineapple
This is probably one of my favorite fruits. Why? I love the bitter and sweet taste that it delivers and makes me think of virgin pina Coladas and getting caught in the rain in Hawaii. (I had to!). Not only do they offer a nice flavor to your dishes, but they are also full of amazing health benefits.
Pineapples are very widely known for their anti-inflammatory benefits. This is due to the content of bromelain, a powerful compound responsible for this effect. This is incredibly important for athletic performance and recovery as long bouts of training and exercise can increase oxidative stress in the body. Bromelain is not only beneficial for decrease inflammation but can also be used as a digestive aid! In fact, bromelain is known as a protease that helps with the digestion of protein. This also can help with better muscle recovery as protein helps to repair and rebuild damaged tissues.1 Speaking of muscle recovery, in mice bromelain, appeared to activate a beneficial immunomodulatory protein in response to cellular stress. We need a level of inflammation to repair our muscles and our cells. This is even more of an excuse to have a little pineapple after your hard workout session.
Other properties these lovely yellow fruits house are anticlotting (antithrombotic and fibrolynic), anticancer, regulating the immune system, and can decrease the side effects associated with antibiotics!1 The latter is pretty amazing!
Pineapple is a little high in sugar but after a 30-60 HIIT workout or 90-minute steady-state cardio, your muscle glycogen (fuel source) is used up and needs to be repleted. This also can help with recovery and prevention of the “bonk” for those longer rides and runs. Therefore, this can be used as an excellent recovery food!
Try this recovery recipe!
Pineapples Salsa
https://www.redeeminglifenutrition.com/blog/the-importance-of-electrolytes-for-optimal-health
Other Seasonal Produce:
Vegetables: Artichokes, asparagus, lettuce, okra, radishes, rhubarb, spring peas, swiss chard, zucchini
Fruits: Apricots, asparagus, cherries, mangoes, pineapples, strawberries.2
Health and Fitness Month
Fitness plays a huge role in mental health. Particularly the activation of the endocannabinoid system. This is usually widely talked about with the use of CBD oil but what exactly is the system?
The endocannabinoid system is a branch of the nervous system and brain responsible for pain perception and mood. It is comprised of receptors, neurotransmitters, and receptor proteins. Activation of this system has been associated with lower levels of pain perception and anxiety and a “sense of calm.” 3
A recent study done in athletes showed elevated levels of cannabinoid receptor proteins in the blood responsible for a sense of well-being, calm, and lowered pain perception. THC in CBD oil also attaches to these receptors and is thus responsible for these effects.3
What is the moral of the story? Exercise can help not only be calming but may help to manage your day better! What else can exercise do?
Keeps LDL levels in check and promotes insulin sensitivity.
Our bodies are made to move. The society that we live in today is much more sedentary than it was, say, 500 years ago. Overall we are sitting more. Sitting has actually been coined “the new smoking”. Why is that? Constant sitting actually leads to more inflammation in the body and can thus decrease insulin sensitivity and increase LDL levels, as LDL goes up in an attempt to decrease oxidative stress.4 I have written a blog post about this very topic! Be sure to check it out here! Moral, it is important to be moving continuously throughout your day and not just leave it to one part of your day.
What can you do around the office?
· Get up every hour and walk for at least 5 minutes (do this for 6 hours in a row and you have already logged 30 minutes of walking for the day!)
· Invest in a stand-up desk. Standing for an hour burns an extra 60 calories per hour! 5
Mental Health Awareness Month
Last month we covered National Stress Awareness Month. Exercise and nutrition can play a vital role in one’s mental health. Just a recap of what we covered last month.
The food that you eat and the nutrients you are taking will have an effect on your mood. Yet, the mood also plays a huge factor in how your body processes nutrients and food. In my talk last month Mood Food, I covered a little bit about the gut-brain connection. The thoughts in your head can directly affect how well your body is digesting and assimilating nutrients just as the nutrients in your food can have a direct effect on your brain. Here are some ways to to boost your mood.
Nutrients
Magnesium: Decreases transmission of excitatory neurotransmitters and is a cofactor in the production of serotonin, which can help with mood and sleep.
Sources: Pumpkin seeds, organic green leafy vegetables, avocados, broccoli, asparagus, nuts (cashews, almonds), seeds, legumes, whole grains, chocolate, organic tofu, quinoa.
Tryptophan: is the precursor to well-being neurotransmitter serotonin and our sleep neurotransmitter melatonin.
Sources: Organic turkey (this is why you get sleepy), wild caught fish, pasture-raised eggs, grass-fed dairy, Pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, almonds, organic peanuts, organic tofu, and whole soy.
Phenylalanine/Tyrosine: are direct precursors to dopamine, the neurotransmitter responsible for our wake/sleep cycle, mood, focus, and it is also our reward center. Low dopamine levels can contribute to anxiety which second handedly decreases insulin sensitivity and dysregulate blood sugar.
Sources: Grass-fed, pasture-raised meats, wild-caught fatty fish such as salmon, oats, oregano oil, seaweed, almonds, chocolate, organic coffee, bananas; organic berries, apples, and papaya; avocado.
B6: is a cofactor in the generation of 5-HTP to serotonin and melatonin, our well-being, and sleep neurotransmitters.
Sources: Organic sweet potatoes, organic potatoes, bananas, brown rice, organic peanuts, organic carrots, organic spinach, green peas, bananas, chickpeas, avocados.
Vitamin D and Health
This little vitamin is not only responsible for proper hormone production, bone health, and our immune system, but plays a crucial role in our well-being, particularly on mental health parameters in children!6 The RDA for men and women between the ages of 19-50 is about 600 IUs. When an individual is deficient, a typical therapeutic dose of Vitamin D can range between 4,000 IUs to 10,000 IUs daily dependent on how depleted they are.7 (Note: The Tolerable Upper Limit is set at 4,000 IUs. It is strongly advised to be under the supervision of a licensed professional when taking higher dosages.) When sunlight hits our skin there is a chemical reaction that stimulates the production of 25(OH)D or vitamin D3. Did you know that 30 minutes in the sun can produce upwards of 10,000 to 20,000 IUs of Vitamin D?8
Nature
Direct contact with anything in nature is better known as grounding or earthing. Grounding/earthing may be responsible for improving a sense of well-being and decreasing inflammation. One particular study assessing the effects of earthing on subjects with Delayed Onset of Muscle Soreness (DOMS). Inflammatory proteins such as neutrophils and the amount of cell-damaging Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) were decreased in the grounded subjects, ultimately accelerating recovery.9 At the beach, your body is in direct contact with natural elements from the sand and ocean, working in your favor.
References:
1) Rathnavelu V, Alitheen NB, Sohila S, Kanagesan S, Ramesh R. Potential role of bromelain in clinical and therapeutic applications. Biomed Rep. 2016;5(3):283-288. doi:10.3892/br.2016.720
2) Huffstetler, E. Cheapest Fruits and Vegetables Month- by – Month. The Spruce Eats Website. https://www.thespruceeats.com/the-cheapest-fruits-and-vegetables-month-by-month-1388345. Accessed April 20, 2021.
3) Sparling, PB, Piomelli, D. Rosskopf, L. Deitrich, A. Exercise activates the Endocannabinoid system. Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuropsychology. 2003. 14(17). https://doi.org/10.1097/00001756-200312020-00015
4) Duvivier, B.M.F. et al. Minimal Intensity Physical Activity (Standing and Walking) of Longer Duration Improves Insulin Action and Plasma Lipids More that Shorter Periods of Moderate to Vigorous Exercise (Cycling) in Sedentary Subjects When Expenditure Is Comparable. PLOS one[serial online]. February 2013; 8(2):1-8. Article retrieved from http://eds.b.ebscohost.com.libproxy.bridgeport.edu/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=2&sid=bf229488-bebb-46aa-990a-c47bf5ed4756%40sessionmgr102.
5) Bubnis, D. Do You Really Burn More Calories While Standing? Healthline Website. 2019. https://www.healthline.com/health/fitness-exercise/calories-burned-standing. Accessed April 16, 2021.
6) Głąbska D, Kołota A, Lachowicz K, Skolmowska D, Stachoń M, Guzek D. The Influence of Vitamin D Intake and Status on Mental Health in Children: A Systematic Review. Nutrients. 2021;13(3):952. Published 2021 Mar 16. doi:10.3390/nu13030952
7) Vitamin D. National Institutes of Health Website. Updated March 24, 2020. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminD-health%20Professional/. Accessed May 27, 2020.
8) Cicarma, E. Sun and Sun Beds: Inducers of Vitamin D and Skin Cancer. International Journal of Cancer Research and Treatment. 2009. 20(9):3495-500. Article retrieved from http://ar.iiarjournals.org/content/29/9/3495.long.
9) Oschman JL, Chevalier G, Brown R. The effects of grounding (earthing) on inflammation, the immune response, wound healing, and prevention and treatment of chronic inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. J Inflamm Res. 2015;8:83‐96. Published 2015 Mar 24. doi:10.2147/JIR.S69656
