Magic Valley Micro Farm & Nutrition Consulting

08/24/2023

10/27/2022

Hoping this ridiculously cute fact and photo help you fight off The Mondays

12/02/2021

Yup, I grew these delicious, spicy powerpacks. Yummmm… lil blue cheese & these… mmmmmm

The radish microgreen is a good source of vitamin C, energy and carbohydrates. It also contains zinc, potassium, folate, manganese, copper, sodium, phosphorus, dietary fiber, niacin, riboflavin, vitamin B1 & B6, calcium, iron, magnesium and so much more.

11/30/2021

Microgreens are so flavorful and packed with nutrients.

While their nutrient contents vary slightly, most varieties tend to be rich in potassium, iron, zinc, magnesium and copper.

Microgreens are also a great source of beneficial plant compounds like antioxidants.

What’s more, their nutrient content is concentrated, which means that they often contain higher vitamin, mineral and antioxidant levels than the same quantity of mature greens.

In fact, research comparing microgreens to more mature greens reports that nutrient levels in microgreens can be up to nine times higher than those found in mature greens .

Research also shows that they contain a wider variety of polyphenols and other antioxidants than their mature counterparts.

References begin here...

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0889157516
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5362588/300448
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22812633/
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0889157514001513

11/20/2021

IMPROVE SHORT TERM AND LONG TERM MEMORY

Bacopa Extract:

*Increases mental agility and alertness
*Improves memory
*Increases ability to learn new information and skills
*Calms the mind, while promoting relaxation
*Improves academic performance
*Helps concentration and focus

A study compared the effects of Bacopa and deprenyl, a Parkinson's disease drug that has been shown to extend lifespan and enhance antioxidant enzymes in the brain.

Amazingly, Bacopa increased antioxidant activity in all parts of the brain, including the hippocampus, (memory-storing region of the brain), unlike deprenyl, which increased activity in the frontal regions of the brain, but not the hippocampus.

Deprenyl's ability to enhance our natural antioxidant enzymes is believed to be the reason deprenyl slows brain aging and extends lifespan, BACOPA may be a *natural* way to not only protect our brains, but also to extend our lifespan.

One size does not fit all. Let's discuss your unique metabolic profile. It's much better to ask free questions than try something that doesn't work.

References:
Singh HK, Dhawan BN. Effect of Bacopa monniera Linn. (brahmi) extract on avoidance responses in the rat. J Ethnopharmacol 1982;5:205-14.

J Altern Complement Med. 2012 Jul;18(7):647-52. doi: 10.1089/acm.2011.0367. Epub 2012 Jul 2.
The cognitive-enhancing effects of Bacopa monnieri: a systematic review of randomized, controlled human clinical trials.
Pase MP, Kean J, Sarris J, Neale C, Scholey AB, Stough C.

11/20/2021

Mmmm…microgreens dip. Planted, nurtured, harvested…consumed ❤️

11/12/2021

WANT TO KNOW HOW YOUR SKIN BENEFITS IF YOU START EATING MICROGREENS?

Here’s what you can expect:

A Reduction in Fine Lines and Wrinkles

It all comes down to the polyphenol content of microgreens. Polyphenols are an extremely powerful group of antioxidants.

Antioxidants help your skin to produce collagen and elastin, which are the main proteins responsible for keeping your skin smooth, firm, and tight.

They also help to prevent existing collagen and elastin fibers from breaking down, which commonly happens due to everything from sun exposure to pollution.

The more collagen you have, the smoother and younger your skin will look, and antioxidants are key in making this happen.

10/21/2021

The many diverse manifestations of adrenal fatigue

The diverse roles played by adrenal hormones explain why adrenal fatigue can be the underlying cause of such a wide range of symptoms and conditions, including:

• Fatigue—the hallmark symptom
• Decreased immunity
• Functional hypoglycemia
• Weight gain – the temporary increase in cortisol levels produced by driving the adrenals with fast food and caffeine causes people with chronically low cortisol to put on weight since even a temporary excess of cortisol causes visceral fat deposition
• Food and environmental sensitivities and allergies
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Premenstrual tension
• Menopausal symptoms
• Mental disturbances – increased anxiety, depression, difficulty concentrating, less acute memory recall
• Insomnia
• Frequent respiratory infections – chronic and recurrent bronchitis, pneumonia and other chronic lung and bronchial diseases typically have an adrenal fatigue component. Adrenal fatigue is often precipitated by recurring bouts of bronchitis, pneumonia, asthma, sinusitis, or other respiratory infections. The more severe the infection, the more frequently it occurs or the longer it lasts, the more likely the adrenals are involved. If there are other concurrent stresses, like an unhappy marriage, poor diet or stressful job, the downhill slide is steeper and faster.
• Extended recovery period --longer than normal recovery period with decreased stamina and excess fatigue is a strong indication of adrenal fatigue.
• Asthma
• Fibromyalgia & Chronic Fatigue Syndrome -- using recently developed polymerase chain reaction tests, infectious microorganisms have been identified as contributing factors. These pathogens exert a tremendous drain on adrenal resources.
• Type 2 Diabetes
• Auto-immune disorders
• Alcoholism –the hypoglycemia that results from adrenal fatigue predisposes to a compulsive desire for alcohol

09/27/2021

Obesity is NOT caused solely be poor choices or lack of will power or lack of self discipline. It’s quite the opposite! Let that in!

When leptin goes rogue...

Leptin is a hormone secreted by your fat tissue, in proportion to how much fat you have stored and plays a key role in regulating body fat storage.

When leptin is behaving ideally, it influences your food intake relative to activity levels, causing your body to maintain weight within a relatively narrow range – gaining and losing weight within a 10- 15 pound range.

When you gain fat, your leptin levels also go up, signaling your brain to not want to eat so much and telling you to go move around – exercise, clean the house, play tennis – whatever. In turn, your body fat storage goes down.

The opposite is also true. When you lose fat mass and you get to the lower end of the 10-15 pound range, your leptin levels increase. Your brain says, let’s eat and your body wants to get just a little more rest.

When leptin behavior is defective, obesity is the result. It's technically called LEPTIN RESISTANCE, a condition that develops where your cells will not let leptin communicate with your brain.

Approximately 5% of the obese population was born with genetically low levels of leptin and they do not have the brain chemistry which regulates how much they eat or how active they are.

However, FOR THE MAJORITY of obese people, they have Leptin Resistance. Remember, high leptin levels signal you to eat less and get more active – this is not the case in obesity.

>>>>Obese people HAVE high leptin levels, usually very high leptin levels, but the cells are not letting the leptin in and the communication to eat less and get more active is not received clearly – if at all...so the body just pours more leptin into the blood stream trying to get the message through.

But the brain is still behaving as if the leptin levels are low – “let’s eat and get some rest.”

>>>> No amount of choosing to eat less, eat right, and get some exercise is going to be able to sustain overriding the brain being signaled to eat and get some rest.

**Think of it this way, you have some event that is going to keep you up past your bedtime of 10 o’clock. Bedtime, comes, you feel the urge to go to sleep, but you override that urge and stay up. One o’clock, five o’clock, you’re getting pretty tired, right? Your brain is ordering you to go to sleep, but you can’t.... You really have to get the kids to school or get to work or whatever. You continue to override the brain signal to sleep.

How long can you sustain this willpower to not sleep?

>>That is what it’s like for someone who has Leptin Resistance. Their bodies perceive low levels of leptin and, thus, have the urge to eat and rest. They can override this urge for a while, but eventually...they will eat and rest.

The only solution is to increase leptin sensitivity.

So, how do overweight people deal with this then? Can leptin sensitivity be increased? How?

I am going to discuss all of this and more over the next week.

HOWEVER, I am choosing to stop at this point, because I really want YOU to let this sink in. Whether you are obese or thin or somewhere in between -let this sink in.

Obesity is NOT caused solely be poor choices or lack of will power or lack of self discipline. It’s quite the opposite! Let that in.

Does that mean food habits, exercise, lifestyle, environment, blah blah blah doesn’t matter? NO. But biology and physiology are greatly the deciding factors.

09/24/2021

Total Cholesterol ... HDL Cholesterol ... LDL Cholesterol ... Triglycerides - what you need to know:

Your doctor can tell a lot about your risk for heart disease by measuring total blood cholesterol, as well as the proportions of substances called lipoproteins which carry cholesterol in your bloodstream.

Here's what you need to know:

•Total cholesterol is the most common measure of blood cholesterol. Often it's the only number you get from your doctor.

Cholesterol is measured in milligrams per deciliter of blood (mg/dL). A total cholesterol reading less than 200 mg/dL means a lower risk of heart disease, which everyone should try to attain. Any reading over 200 is considered high cholesterol and an urgent risk factor for heart disease.

•HDL cholesterol, the "good" cholesterol, helps carry cholesterol out of the body, including cholesterol deposited inside blood vessels, where it may block the flow of blood.

If there is too much cholesterol for the HDLs to pick up, or an inadequate supply of HDLs, cholesterol may aggregate into plaque groups that block arteries. Those blockages are the main cause of heart attacks.

Remember that higher is healthier. A reading of less than 40 is low, at or greater than 60 is high. Having a level of 60 or greater is considered a "negative risk factor" that can offset another risk factor.

In other words, IT'S AN EXTREMELY PROTECTIVE HEALTH BONUS YOU CAN ACHIEVE, THROUGH THE RIGHT NATURAL SUPPLEMENTS AND DIET.

•LDL cholesterol, the "bad" cholesterol, hauls cholesterol from the liver to all cells in the body. The lower you get your LDL, the better.

A reading of less than 100 is optimal; 100-129 is near or above optimal; 130-159, borderline high; 160-189, high; 190 or greater is very high.

HEART HEALTH FACT: You want to raise your HDL and lower your LDL.

•Triglycerides make up most of the body's fat and are the storehouse for energy.

Edible oils from seeds, egg yolks, and animal fats also are composed mainly of triglycerides. They may not be as corrosive as LDL, but excess triglycerides exacerbate heart disease potential when they oxidize and damage artery linings or induce blood cells to clump.

A reading of under 100 is optimal; under 200 is normal; 200-400 is borderline high; over 400 is high.

When high triglycerides and low HDL occur together, risk of cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, heart and kidney failure, and other degenerative diseases increase.

The best way to lower your triglyceride levels is to reduce your intake of carbohydrates, especially sugar and starch foods, and take a high-quality fish oil product.

09/23/2021

KILL INFECTION FAST WITH OLIVE LEAF EXTRACT

Studies show Olive Leaf Extract's positive effects on diabetes, cardiovascular disease, HIV-1, cancer, and a myriad of infections caused by bacteria, viruses, fungi, and other microbes.

Olive leaf extracts have been used for thousands of years for treating fevers, wounds, and infection, and for skin rashes and boils.

Scientific research proves that the active ingredients in olive leaves do indeed have vast healing powers.

Olive Leaf Extract provides a number of powerful health benefits by:
• Protecting low density lipoprotein from oxidation
• Inhibiting the growth of bacteria and viruses
• Inhibiting platelet aggregation and production of thromboxane
• Exerting a vasodilator effect
• Providing potent antioxidant protection

References begin here:
Foster S. 101 Medicinal Herbs. Loveland, CO: Interweave Press, 1998, 148–9.
↑
Grieve M. A Modern Herbal, vol II. New York: Dover Publications, 1982, 598.
↑
Turner R, Etienne N, Alonso MG, de Pascual-Teresa S, Minihane AM, Weinberg PD, Rimbach G. Antioxidant and anti-atherogenic activities of olive oil phenolics. Int J Vitam Nutr Res. 2005 Jan;75(1):61-7.
Abstract ↑
Fleming HP, Walter WM, Etchells JL. Antimicrobial properties of oleuropein and products of its hydrolysis from green olives. Applied Microbiol 1973;26:777–82.
Abstract ↑
Renis, H. (1969). In vitro antiviral activity of calcium elenolate. Antimicrobial agents and chemotherapy 9: 167-172.
Abstract ↑
Petroni, A., Blasevic, M., Salami, M., Papii, N., Montedoro, G.F. and Galli, C. (1995). Inhibition of platelet aggregation and eicosanoid production by phenolic components of olive oil. Thrombosis Research 78: 151-160.
Abstract ↑
Bruneton J. Pharmacognosy, Phytochemistry, Medicinal Plants. Paris, France: Technique & Documentation-Lavoisier, 1995, 487–9.
↑
Zarzuelo A, Duarte J, Jimenez J, Gonzalez M, Utrilla MP. Vasodilator effect of olive leaf. Planta Med. 1991 Oct;57(5):417-9
Abstract ↑
Kruk I, Aboul-Enein HY, Michalska T, Lichszteld K, Kladna A. Scavenging of reactive oxygen species by the plant phenols genistein and oleuropein. Luminescence. 2005 Mar-Apr;20(2):81-9.
Abstract ↑
Bruneton J. Pharmacognosy, Phytochemistry, Medicinal Plants. Paris, France: Technique & Documentation-Lavoisier, 1995, 487–9.
↑
Visioli, F., G. Bellomo and C. Galli (1998). "Free radical-scavenging properties of olive oil polyphenols." Biochem Biophys Res Commun 247(1): 60-4.
Abstract ↑
Bisignano, G., A. Tomaino, R. Lo Cascio, G. Crisafi, N. Uccella and A. Saija (1999). "On the in-vitro antimicrobial activity of oleuropein and hydroxytyrosol." J Pharm Pharmacol 51(8): 971-4.
Abstract ↑
S Lee-Huang, L Zhang and PL Huang. Anti-HIV activity of olive leaf extract (OLE) and modulation of host cell gene expression by HIV-1 infection and OLE treatment. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2003 Aug 8;307(4):1029-37.
Abstract ↑
Micol V, Caturla N, Perez-Fons L, Mas V, Perez L, Estepa A. The olive leaf extract exhibits antiviral activity against viral haemorrhagic septicaemia rhabdovirus (VHSV). Antiviral Res. 2005 Jun;66(2-3):129-36. Epub 2005 April
Abstract ↑
Gonzalez, M., Zarzuelo, A., Gamex, M.J., Utrilla, M.P., Jimenez, J. and Osuna, I. (1992). Hypoglycemic activity of olive leaf. Planta Medica 58: 513-515.
Abstract ↑
Al-Azzawie HF, Alhamdani MS. Hypoglycemic and antioxidant effect of oleuropein in alloxan-diabetic rabbits. Life Sci. 2005 Oct 15.
Abstract ↑
Hamdi HK, Castellon R. Oleuropein, a non-toxic olive iridoid, is an anti-tumor agent and cytoskeleton disruptor. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2005 Sep 2;334(3):769-78.
Abstract ↑