We hope you are all well and that you are gearing up for a good summer and the end of the school year.
In our latest write up you’ll find information on:
- Vitamin K2 and Nattokinase for Heart Health
- New insights on fiber and glucose control
- Latest research on exercise
- How to improve MPO-an important marker of oxidative stress and inflammation
- Diet matters for Dads-to-be
- High Protein Oats
- My cousin Spero announcing NBA playoff games
Let’s dive in!
Vitamin K2 and Nattokinase for Heart Health
A prominent Infectious Disease, Lyme Disease, and Covid-19 specialist takes a deep dive into the worst serial killer ever, cardiovascular disease (CVD), with a focus on the lesser known and safe treatments of vitamin K2 and nattokinase which I have been personally taking for many years. From the Japanese food Natto to Dutch Gouda cheese and the French Paradox, it’s a well-written look at some other important ways to get key heart-protective nutrients.
And this series of articles doesn’t provide information on the importance of controlling cholesterol and blood pressure—Not because they’re not meaningful in mitigating cardiovascular disease—They are. But because you can get that information anywhere, from virtually any doctor. But in many cases it’s just not enough.
The intent of this series is to shine a light into the dark corners of cardiovascular disease—To expose the critical information that your doctors won’t tell you, simply because they don’t know.
Here are our favorite Vitamin K2 and Natto supplements
Fiber, Fermentation, and the “Second Meal Effect”
The HumanOS health team have an excellent newsletter about some of the other reasons that fiber is so healthy- its positive effect on lowering blood sugar. Although this is not new, what has emerged is the role water-soluble fiber has on subsequent meals. From releasing the peptide GLP-1 to lower glucose and improving the microbiome these special types of fibers have some important health benefits. Not all fibers are the same though- legumes like lentils, oats, barley, mushrooms, peas, and some fruits and vegetables also have them as well as some supplemental fibers like acacia, glucomannan, and guar gum. Acacia is interesting since it may have less fermentation and thus be better tolerated in those with IBS or sensitive GI systems. Glucomannan and guar gum have excellent track records for weight loss, lowering cholesterol, and healing gut inflammation. We include some of our favorites below.
Odd as it may sound, water-soluble fiber specifically is able to lower blood sugar after meals because it forms a thick gel when it is mixed with fluid, like in your stomach.
(A good illustration of how this works is pectin, a soluble fiber found in fruit, which is used to make jelly because of this physicochemical property.)
Anyway, this gel sits in your gastrointestinal system, and digestive enzymes have a hard time penetrating and doing their job. This, in turn, slows the breakdown of carbohydrates and triggers the release of the hormone GLP-1, which helps your cells take up more glucose. In this way, consuming food high in soluble fiber helps tamp down glycemic “spikes” after that meal.
But here’s where things get interesting. Certain forms of fiber can also lower blood sugar responses to subsequent meals that are consumed hours later!
JJ Virgin has a good article on how to get more fiber in your diet
Here are our favorite fiber products
Why is exercise good for you? Scientists are finding answers in our cells
-Decades of evidence shows that exercise leads to healthier, longer lives. Researchers are just starting to work out what it does to cells to reap this reward.
Interesting cutting-edge research on untangling the molecular web that lies behind the benefits of exercise and how it interacts with different systems in the body. Don’t think we can put these “exerkines” in a bottle yet though, so for now, don’t skimp on this essential health tool.
How to improve MPO- a key oxidative stress and inflammation marker that we routinely check
MPO is a critical lab marker we follow closely; it plays a vital role in brain and heart injury via mediating oxidative stress and neuroinflammation. Targeting MPO with natural compounds could be a promising strategy for treating or preventing ischemic stroke.
Why your diet matters as a dad-to-be – From Max Lugavere
Lately, there’s been a lot of buzz about women optimizing their health for pregnancy and childbirth, which is awesome. But hey, what about the dads? It does take two to tango, and let’s not forget that an embryo is half sperm and half egg. A recent mouse study underscores how crucial a male’s diet and health are for preparing to start a family. Male mice were fed one of ten different diets and then mated with females on a standard diet. The researchers then evaluated the offspring. Researchers found that male mice on a low protein/high carbohydrate diet were more likely to have male offspring with INCREASED ANXIETY levels. And there’s more—male mice on high-fat (which, to be fair, is usually high fat and high sugar) diets were more likely to have female offspring with higher rates of METABOLIC DISEASE. Wild, right?
What’s the takeaway? It shows that a father’s diet before conception can influence the health of the offspring. We know that sperm health and quality can affect fertility and even the health of the future child, and a healthy diet plays a huge role in that. When it comes to fertility, let’s not forget about the dads-to-be! Check out the article here.
High Protein Oats
I’ve been experimenting with Bob’s Red Mill Protein Oats – 1/3 cup has 10 grams of protein and 6 grams of fiber.
Our supercharged Protein Oats pack 10 grams of protein per serving from just one simple ingredient—whole grain rolled oats—with no added protein powders. Instead, they’re grown from a special conventionally bred variety that is higher in protein and less processed than traditional oats.
Greek power covering the NBA- my cousin Spero announcing NBA playoff games
My cousin Spero Dedes, who I wrote about in a previous post about his announcing College Basketball and March Madness, also does play-by-play on TV for NBA playoff games. He recently called the Cavaliers and Celtics (which unfortunately for him and my wife’s Cleveland family was not competitive). He’s calling Game 4 of the series in Cleveland on Monday and then Game 5 on Wednesday in Boston.
I close out with a good quote applicable to health and life:
“Timidity is dangerous: Better to enter with boldness. Any mistakes you commit through audacity are easily corrected with more audacity.” – Robert Greene
