Total Health Nutrition Center

09/10/2022

Over 50? Keep Reading!

Muscle loss starts in your 30’s with an average loss of about 5% per decade (3-8%). By age 60, you might be down 20% - 30%. Combine this with any weight gain (& knee injury) & stairs are a BIG Problem. If you have gained 25-50 lbs. & have 20+% less muscle, you may be living in a recliner! Muscle loss hits hardest between October & April when many people spend more time indoors. The time to act is NOW to have a better NEXT year!

Here are some facts:
• On the average, a 190 lb. man has 45 lbs. of fat & 145 lbs. of muscle. (Charts for men & women are different.)
• A 230 lb. man has 70 lbs. of fat & 160 lbs. of muscle.
• This difference of 40 lbs. in weight between the 2 examples shows a higher number of fat lbs.
o The ratio of fat to lean defines muscle mass (%) & a BMI Chart will show you the averages.
• It takes ONLY 2 weeks of physical inactivity for those that are physically fit to lose a significant amount of their muscle strength. For someone that is not fit, the muscle loss would be worse. If you have ever been bed ridden or been in a lengthy winter snowstorm, you know this.

What are the Best Ways to Gain (& Maintain) Muscle?
• Eat a balanced diet with carbs, protein & fat. Protein, which is broken down into amino acids, is used to build muscle.
• Use Resistance Training to build & maintain muscle mass (exercises below).

Here are the Best Exercises for Building Muscles. (When doing resistance exercises, exhale our during exertion & inhale on the recovery.)
1. Calf Raises. Go from flat feet to tip toes or put your toes on a step & drop your heel & raise back up.
2. Lunges with or without weights. With your back straight (Use a chair or table for balance) lower your hips & step forward (keep your chin up) to complete the lunge. Bring leg back to standing & repeat. Switch legs.
3. Half Squats. Hold a chair or use an inclined squat machine at the gym. Down & up & repeat.
4. Leg Extensions. Sitting on a chair & raise leg to level or use a leg extension machine at the gym.
5. Leg curl machine at the gym. Like the leg extension machine but reverse action. (See Leg Muscle Test Below)
6. Ankle Circles. Sit in a chair, extend leg & rotate ankle in both circular directions.
7. Step Up on a sturdy box or stair. If you have a short flight of stairs, go up/down repeatedly. Knees hurt? Go down backwards holding railing.
8. Walking Heel to Toe. With your arms straight out to the side, tighten core, shoulders back & walk forward touching your heel to toe & continue. For balance, steady yourself with a hand on the wall.
9. Single-Leg Stance. With your arms out to the side, lift one leg up & hold. Bring knee up as high as able. Hold. Use wall for balance. (Close eyes..)
10. Wall Pushups. With your feet out an arm’s length from wall, lean forward & start pumping.
11. Marching in Place. If you are lacking Zumba Skills, marching in place might help. Bring your knees high & turn up the music!
12. Toe Lifts. Stand behind a chair (for balance) lean back on heels then rock forward on toes
13. Side Leg Raises. Lying on your side on the floor, raise your leg, hold & lower.

Anytime we have leg pain (feet, knee, or hip), we compensate in our gait which usually leads to muscle atrophy in the ‘hurt’ leg. If you have access to the leg extension/curl machines at the gym, you can test your individual leg strength.
• Get in position on the machine with no added weight.
• Move the machine using only 1 leg. (your other leg just hangs there)
• Do a few reps at NO weight & add the 1st weight.
• Continue to do reps & add weight until you have difficulty (do not strain hard)
• Switch to using the other leg with no weight.
• Add weight until you max out.
• Try this on both the leg curl & leg extension machines.
• You will probably find your dominant or ‘good’ leg is MUCH stronger than your weak leg.
• Personally (author) I limped around for 2-3 years until I had my left hip replaced.
o My right ‘good’ leg could move 40 lbs. & my ‘bad’ left leg was at 10 lbs.
o No wonder it was hard going up stairs!!!!
o It took 4 months & 40 trips to the gym to get them both @ 40 lbs.
o BE careful to NOT increase your ‘good’ leg beyond its current weight until your ‘bad’ leg catches up.
o Post-op > no walker or cane & I was dismissed from PT after 4 sessions. I had already done my rehab!
One last thought on losing weight (before starting resistance workouts)
• Without working out & you just ‘diet’ to lose weight, you will probably lose a higher % of muscle than fat. While the scale may make you happy, you are a lighter, but weaker version of yourself.
• The Yo-Yo dieters continue to have a lower % of muscle each time they hit a weight loss goal, which makes their next weight gain MUCH harder on their physical activity with a higher % of body fat.
• ALWAYS maintain exercise (especially resistance workouts) while undergoing any weight loss regime, but at a lower level than normal.

Breathing Exercises for Core Strength
• Without working out & you just ‘diet’ to lose weight, you will probably lose a Lie down on your back with your legs bent and your feet flat on the floor.
• Place both hands on the below your ribcage.
• Breathe in slowly through the nose to the count of 4, feeling your ribs expand underneath your hands as you press your back ribs into the floor. Do NOT let your shoulders lift towards the ears and don’t let your belly or chest rise up.
• Hold the breath to the count of 4
• Exhale through your mouth to the count of 4 like you're blowing up a balloon or exhaling through a straw, feeling how the abdominal muscles gently tighten and pull in.
• Hold your breath to the count of 4.
• Complete five breath cycles like this.
• Some breathing exercises have you do this sitting straight up in a chair.

09/08/2022

This is Real Nice!

A closer look at the things we protect

01/11/2022

Swallowing Pills 101
1. You will need a water bottle (not a glass)
2. Take a sip to moisten mouth
3. Put pills in mouth
4. Tip head back & drink from your bottle
If you did it right... the pills floated down your throat!

This is how we teach kids to swallow pills (& now you know!)

09/04/2021

Here comes Lambda & Mu!
Same plan...
Vit D over 60
Zinc & Quercetin daily
Lauricidin daily

08/29/2021

Is your D3 level between 60 & 80?
Why not give yourself an edge on the 1,000's of critters that want to reside in your body.
Life Extension website D3, Hydroxy Blood Test on sale!

12/09/2020

75% of the people you are in contact with can make you sick!
(Based an average of 50% of the population gets a Flu Shot, which is 50% effective)

Do you have a Self-Rescue Plan for Cold & Flu?
It is like a Snowstorm Power Outage Plan or a Hurricane Plan?

Are you always ready to shake a sore throat or the flu or do you give in & hope for the best? When you start to get sick, brain fog & fatigue will hamper your ability to launch a recovery, but if you have YOUR PLAN in place, you can start cranking up your defenses.

Most people can look back & see the factors that weakened your defenses like lack of sleep, dehydration, acidic diet (usually sweets & ‘bad’ carbs), stress, travel & maybe over exertion.

It may take a week to ‘correct’ for your imbalance in the unhealthy factors above, but this is the starting point. Immediately start drinking more water, eliminate the acidic food choices, take time to relax & go to bed earlier.

This will help reset your healthy balance, but it may not be enough. If you have a developing sore throat, cold or the flu, your body may benefit from some supplements. The information on Google is amazing & the most common supplements people use for cold and flu are:
• Zinc (25-50 mg & always better with food)
• Vitamin C (500-1,000 mg) & in a buffered form for a sensitive
stomach
• Saline or Colloidal Silver Nasal Rinse (or Zicam)
• Vitamin 2,000 to 10,000 iu’s (taken all year with higher doses
in winter)
• Elderberry (& liquids for sore throat)
• Quercetin 500 mg (for any allergy or sinus issue)
• Lauricidin or Monolaurin (for cold & viruses)
• Sore Throat > Zinc Lozenges, colloidal silver gargle
or Elderberry Syrup

If you have these on hand BEFORE you start to get sick, it is easy to start your self-rescue & possibly prevent an illness from taking charge. Stay Well!

11/11/2020

Are You a Host for Disease? AKA > I Like Your Mask, but what is YOUR Vitamin D Level?

Many reports state that people that are sick have low Vitamin D. The Reference Range for Vitamin D3-Hydroxy is 25>80.
If you are low (below 25), you will probably get an Rx for 50,000iu taken for 6 weeks, which will get you into the reference range. This is usually followed by a recommendation to take 1-2,000 iu a day. According to one study in 17 people, taking vitamin D with the largest meal of the day increased vitamin D blood levels by about 50% after just 2–3 months (Healthline.com / Oct 23, 2018)

Integrative Medicine doctors often recommend 5-10,000iu of D3 taken every day, which will bring the level up slowly into the 60’s to 80’s, while monitoring the increase thru an inexpensive blood lab regularly. While some of Vitamin D is stored in fat, the rest is depleted. Those recommending daily dosing versus the Rx dosing feel this addresses the natural depletion, while maintaining a healthy level.
Life Extension (lifeextension.com > $39.95) has a D3 Blood Lab you can order online. They email you a lab requisition, which you take to a local lab testing office. A week later, you get your results! Many doctors only test this once a year based on insurance. This is an inexpensive way to check your OWN level.
Vitamin D is inversely related to the sleep hormone Melatonin. To mimic getting it the same way we would from the sun, it is suggested that morning is the best time to take it.
In summary, with Vitamin D3 being inexpensive & readily available, is there any reason to not improve your level?

10/08/2020

Get to know your immune system
(Original Article is from AARP Magazine / THNC’s Supplement Notes are listed below each of the Five Defenders in italics)

From Wikipedia ~ A lymphocyte is one of the subtypes of a white blood cell in a vertebrate's immune system. Lymphocytes include natural killer cells (which function in cell-mediated, cytotoxic innate immunity), T cells (for cell-mediated, cytotoxic adaptive immunity), and B cells (for humoral, antibody-driven adaptive immunity).
When bacteria and viruses enter your body, these 5 natural defenders spring into action:
Macrophage
This gargantuan white blood cell lies in wait within healthy tissue. Sometimes years pass without action, but when a pathogen emerges, macrophages release a blast of proteins called cytokines, which calls the immune system into battle. From there, the macrophage joins the cleanup crew by gobbling up dead and crippled pathogens.
• Omega 3 Fatty Acids (EPA & DHA) – May reduce Stress Response (inflammation) & enhance function of all the other 4 Defenders below)
• Probiotics – May inhibit the growth of pathogenic bacteria
• Vitamin D – from sun or supplements, Vitamin D’s hormonal activity may stimulate the production of AMP, which may have anti-viral & anti-microbial activity. There seems to be is a division on being in the sun to get Vitamin D & avoiding the sun to protect from skin cancer. We are unable to find any trials or data that support increases in Vitamin D levels by sitting in the sun (usually recommended for 15-20 min/day). Perhaps the answer lies in get some sun, see a Dermatologist, take supplemental Vitamin D & get a Vitamin D Test!
• Melatonin – by enabling sleep, it may boost the immune system by increasing the body’s ability to release cytokines to combat an infection or inflammation. Many studies show impaired sleep contributes to colds, & virus infection
• Curcumin – may inhibit pro-inflammatory cytokines (harmful) while enhancing immune response. Many enhanced forms work well and turmeric powder (aka spice aisle in grocery store) is worthless.

Natural Killer Cell
Some infected cells can be rendered “invisible” to the immune system, which allows the pathogen to continue to spread unabated. That’s when natural killer cells provide an extra layer of defense. A natural killer cell has the ability to identify abnormal cellular appearance — as is often the case with cells infected by a virus. The killer cell studies its mark, and if the suspect cell appears to be infected, it releases proteins near the suspected pathogen. The pathogen then eats the protein — a fatal, final meal.
• Best foods for Stimulating NK Cells are soy, eggs, zinc-rich protein like poultry & lean meat, oysters, nuts, and beans
• Mushrooms like Maitake, Reishi or Cordyceps may also stimulate production of NK Cells
• Other supplements may be Quercetin, resveratrol, blueberry extract & garlic

Neutrophil
At the first sign of trouble, neutrophils swarm like killer bees with multiple stingers. Neutrophils can capture their enemy, set traps, inject poison and amplify signals that pull in more immune-system warriors. Neutrophils only live for about a day, but as long as the battle continues, fresh cells keep showing up to fight. Unfortunately, in their frenzy, they can often mistake healthy cells for the enemy. When that happens, and the neutrophils attack healthy tissue, the result is inflammation, and inflammatory diseases, throughout the body.
• Vitamin B3 (Niacin) is linked to higher numbers of neutrophils
• Foods that raise B-12 (eggs, milk & dairy) may improve low neutrophil levels.
•
Page 2 - Get To Know Your Immune System
• Foods or supplements high in Vitamin C, E & Zinc may raise neutrophils. These include fruits, vegetables, almonds, avocados, olives (& oil) & all the foods listed in NK Cells above.
• Neutrophils are lowered when you have an infection.
• A dietary ‘theory’ recommends a Neutropenic Diet, which is purported to reduce pathogenic bacteria (neutrophil lowering) by limiting foods that might increase pathogenic bacteria Foods that lower neutrophils could include RAW nuts, grains, vegetables, salads, herbs & spices (uncooked) & raw fruit.
• The rationale behind limiting these foods is to lower the pathogenic bacterial load in the gut. Studies for and against this diet have no real answer & most studies have insignificant results to warrant either approach (limit or eat raw foods).

B Cell
Although B cells don’t kill invaders directly, they help to slow down pathogens by covering them with sticky Y-shaped proteins, robbing them of their strength and making them easy targets for cells like macrophages, which eat them in clumps. The B cell is an adaptive immune cell, meaning it is highly effective against diseases it has battled before but struggles to recognize new pathogens. When a novel coronavirus arrives, it takes time to ramp up production of antibodies.
• DHA in fish oil (see Macrophage above) may enhance B-Cell activity & anything that raises white blood cells helps B-Cell count.
• Other general recommendations are to eat a nutrient-rich healthy diet, get plenty of sleep & stay clean (hand washing, reduce touching surfaces, stay away from sick people, etc.)
• Nicotinamide riboside may increase NAD+, which is necessary to produce ATP, or cellular fuel and this is loosely linked to B Cell activity.
• B-Cell (Ecological Formulas) is a formula dating back over 20 years that contains specially prepared fractions of bone marrow & synergistic glandular extracts (Spleen & Liver).

T Cell
The T cell is one of the special-ops white blood cells called upon to “recognize” a foreign invader and know exactly how to fight it off. With new viral enemies constantly emerging, the process can take weeks. Once the T cell learns the code — essentially mapping the molecular structure on a pathogen’s surface — it quickly trains an army of T cells to begin opening infected cells and pumping them full of toxins. ‘Doctors’ call this process immunity, but how long this ‘immunity’ lasts isn’t known.
• Studies reference ‘T-Cell Exhaustion’, which limits their ability to defend against infection
• Vitamin C has been shown to raise white blood cell counts
• Foods or supplements high in Folic Acid, B6, Thiamine may help
• Foods high in protein & good fats are fuel for increasing T Cells
• T-Cell (Ecological Formulas) is a formula dating back over 20 years that contains specially prepared high potency fractions of thymus tissue.

Page Three – Get To Know Your Immune System
In review, THNC comments that healthy people with strong immune systems (disease-free) have a lifestyle that includes:
• Healthy Diet
• Exercise regularly (at least a brisk 30 min walk)
• Maintaining a Healthy Weight
• Non-Smoker
• Moderate drinker (alcohol)
• Sleeping 7 hours or more
• Sanitization (hands, face & surroundings), which includes food preparation
• Stress Reduction, which includes techniques & methods to self-control stress
Foods that may enhance your immunity are:
• Fish, soy, eggs, lean meats, nuts, beans, fruits & vegetables, garlic, dairy
Supplements that may enhance your immune system are:
• Fish Oil (especially rich in DHA> B Cells)
• Probiotics
• Vitamin D
• Vitamin C, E & Zinc
• Melatonin
• Curcumin (specially prepared formulas)
• Mushrooms (Maitake, Reishi & Cordyceps)
• Quercetin, Resveratrol & blueberry extract
• B3 (niacin), Folic Acid, B-6, B-12 & Nicotinamide Riboside
• Specific formulas are B-Cell & T-Cell (Ecological Formulas) & Neutrophil Plus (Biotics)
In looking at the ‘Healthy Person’ list above, this is the exact opposite of the environment for someone in a Nursing Home or in ‘lockdown’ in an urban environment. This may ‘explain’ why these populations may suffer from a reduced immune system. The ‘quarantine’ lifestyle may be a contributing factor for these populations to easily get sick the minute they ventured ‘outside’ their bubble.

06/17/2020

Should you Skip the Rx Fish Oil?
Television commercials are increasing for prescription fish oils, which are pricey versions of standard fish oil formulations that have been available for years.

When you look to the two main products, one is an EPA only formula (in 500 or 1,000 mg) & the other is a combo EPA/DHA (465 mg /375 mg). They are also both produced by ethyl ester distillation, which we refer to as being the cost effective route. I recall seeing comments many years ago about the main focus of Pharma Manufacturing was to generate stockholder profits, so it doesn't surprise me that they didn't opt for the better triglyceride processing (no relation to cholesterol) which is NOT commonly used. There are a few 'better' Supplement Companies that have triglyceride forms of EPA & we stock/can get them easily. [If you want some more info on the two processing methods, email me & I'll send it to you.]

So, lets look at the costs! The EPA only formula is 120 softgels & has a cash price over $300. I see an online special of $9 for 90 days, which probably increases for a refill.
The combo EPA/DHA formula is also 120 softgels & has a cash price of over $200 (as high as $326 on some sites). The best deal is $21.97 with a savings coupon.

If your 'prescriber' recommends one of these and you want to be on it, you could bypass Pharma. For EPA only, we would recommend Carlson Labs EPA Gems (120 softgels @ 1,000 mg EPA for $68).

While there are very few Supplement Companies making EPA only formulas, many EPA/DHA combo formulas are available. One comment on the exact ratio of EPA/DHA >> there is a natural ratio of 3:2 for EPA/DHA & each distillation yields a higher number. The basic '1st' distillation is 180/120. The next distillation yields 360/240. From there it can be 480/320 & so on. There is really NOT a best final total mg that works better, but a a higher yield reduces the # of gels you would need to take to get a total # mg/day.

Another note on mg/day... When you get a recommendation of # mg/day for EPA/DHA, ask is this is actual EPA/DHA?
Too many people buy a fish oil that says "1,000 mg" on the front & take 2 a day (2,000 mg/d) while the label shows 180/120 mg per 1,000 mg gel! This is only giving you 300 mg & you would need to take 6-7 gels a day. A higher strength (yield) formula might reduce it to 2-3 a day. This is why Rx fish oil came to the market, as a 1,000 mg softgel is 1 a day!

So, with many combo formulas on the market, our go-to formulas are:
* Life Extension Mega EPA/DHA (120 gels @ 360/240 mg for under $20)
*Source Naturals Arctic Pure (120 gels @ 450/340 mg for $38.95)
*Protocol for Life Balance Ultra Omega-3 (90 gels @ 500/250 mg for $24)

Personally, with non-Rx fish oil available as an affordable alternative, we feel you can accomplish your treatment goals, support your local health food store!

04/29/2020

Immune System Check-UP!
You can get a Vitamin D Test for $35.25 thru Life Extension. They email you a lab requisition & you go to a local Lab Testing sight for the blood draw. In a few weeks, they email you your results.

The Vitamin D, 25-Hydroxy blood test measures vitamin D levels and can help determine proper dietary and supplemental intake.

03/28/2020

Update on Key Items:
Lauricidin in stock (1 per family)
Vit C 1000 Low stock
D3 5 & 10,000 iu in stock
Vit A 25,000 iu in stock
Mushroom Formulas Low Stock
Homeopathic Immune & Viral in stock

We are in M-Th 9-4 (door locked) & Fri 9-1.
Call ahead for parking lot pickup!
Mailing 20-40 packages a day!

Jeff, Ken & Andy
(919) 781-9994
Orders@totalhealthnutritioncenter.com

Stay Well!

03/20/2020

Until further notice, we are limiting our walk in traffic.
We are on the store M-Th 9-4 & Fri 9-1.
Contact us by email or phone & the building is open for pickup orders.
In coming shipments are slow & Vit C 1000, Vit D 5 & 10,000, Vit A 25,000iu, Zinc & Mushroom Formulas are going in & out of stock.
Lauricidin is in stock & we are limiting to 1 per 'family'.
In stock are many choices in Immune Boosting Homeopathic Remedies.
We've been consolidating the suggestions for averting cough, cold, bronchial & sinus distress that are on the web. We will probably not post them, but email us & we'll send them to you.
Remember dis-ease LOVES an acidic body, so if you want to swing your ph to alkaline (healthy) avoid dairy, sugar, CHOCOLATE, Pizza, Hot Pockets, Bread, Pasta.. you know... everything you want when you are stressed!
Start the day with lemon water to alkaline your system!
Stay Well! We can do this!
Jeff , Ken & Andy