Birth Control Pills -- Still Hold Risks

By James B. LaValle, R.Ph, ND, CCN

Years ago I started educating health professionals and patients in my practice about birth control pills. If they -- or their wives, daughters, or patients were taking them -- they should make sure to supplement with a multivitamin and mineral containing higher dosages of B vitamins.

The reason? Studies have found that oral contraceptives deplete several nutrients including vitamins B2, B6, and B12, folate, vitamins C and E, magnesium, and even CoQ10.^1-5 These nutrient depletions have far-reaching effects; they can contribute to everything from depression, migraines, and anemia -- to cervical dysplasia -- the precursor to cervical cancer.

Today it is common medical practice to discontinue the use of birth control pills for a few months before trying to get pregnant because the folate depletion they cause can increase the risks of a baby being born with spina bifida.

As recently as 2003, a study found that young women who took birth control pills had twice as much C-reactive protein (CRP) in their blood.⁶ CRP is a product of systemic inflammation and is known to cause narrowing and hardening of the arteries. This was a small study, but it showed that birth control pills promoted inflammation in the body -- part of which is very likely due to the nutrients they deplete.

I emphasized the word "young" because this study showed that the inflammation is happening at a young age. While the authors stated that the study could not determine whether the elevated CRP would increase the risk of heart disease, it only stands to reason that the longer a woman lives with elevated CRP, the greater her risk will be of developing damage from it.

Many gynecologists today still believe the risks from birth control pills were mainly in the past when dosages of the hormones were higher. In fact, most gynecologists still encourage the use of birth control pills because some research suggests that they lower the risk of ovarian cancer and pelvic inflammatory disease.

While this is a very personal decision, I believe women should know that even today's birth control pills can deplete nutrients -- and that any woman using them should protect herself by taking a good multivitamin every day as well as extra CoQ10 (60 to 90 mg per day).

If you or your significant other uses birth control pills, protect yourself with extra nutrients, and measure your CRP levels to see if they are elevated. If they are, you should try to decrease other sources of inflammation to your body like high intake of sugars and other high glycemic index foods.

Taking the nutrients mentioned above plus additional antioxidants will help to reduce CRP levels. If CRP still doesn't come down, you may need to consider other methods of birth control.

References

1. Webb, JL, J Reprod Med 25(4) (Oct 1980) : 150-56.
2. Ahmed, F et al., Am J Clin Nutr 28(6) (Jun 1975) : 606-15.
3. Bermond, P Acta Vitaminol Enzymol 1982;4(1-2):45-54
4. Seelig MS, J Am Coll Nutr, 1993 12(4):442-58
5. American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology (194, 5:e35-e38, 2006).
6. Dreon D, et al. American Physiological Society Annual Meeting, San Diego, 2003.

[Ed. Note: James LaValle, R.Ph, ND, CCN, is the founding Director of the LaValle Metabolic Institute, one of the largest integrative medicine practices in the country. He was named as one of the 50 most influential pharmacists in the US by American Druggist magazine. Dr. LaValle is the author of more than a dozen books including the bestseller, Cracking the Metabolic Code: 9 Keys to Optimal Health.]

Cutting Edge Fitness: 3 Keys to Fitness Success By Carlo X. Alvarez

The design of a successful fitness-training program should begin with the end in mind. There always needs to be a means to an end. I have met plenty of people in my field that believe due to their training strategy, they can't achieve the results they set out to accomplish. In this article I will cover three simple keys to help you achieve fitness success.

Set Goals

Whether in life or in fitness, having a plan is the most important key to being successful. Always begin a workout plan by having specific goals that will allow you to visualize what it is that you would like to accomplish. This will provide you a specific game plan.

Goals are very motivating and can be divided into two types: intrinsic and extrinsic. Extrinsic goals are external (getting in shape for spring break or a beach vacation). These are temporary and fluctuate. Usually, the commitment and discipline during and after workouts of people who are extrinsically motivated is inconsistent.

Intrinsic motivation and goals on the other hand, come from within. It is your desire to be the best you can be. It is the ability and need to reach your goals and full potential. People motivated intrinsically are more consistent from day to day and month to month -- and they sustain great work habits throughout the entire year.

Be Consistent

Most people look at fitness and the basic components of exercise and diet as the most important factors in getting in shape. But being consistent over a period of time will provide the results you are after.

Being consistent can be accomplished by tweaking your program from week to week or month to month. The best programs are the ones that look at what has been accomplished and find ways to make improvements. This means that even the best thought-out program will not give you the results you want forever.

This is because the body adapts to the stimulus and then stagnates. So making sure that you consistently modify the variables (sets, reps, rest, etc.) will allow you to stay motivated, keep your body in a constant state of influx, and achieve results consistent with your goals.

Attack Weak Areas

Before beginning any exercise program you need to make sure that you learn your strengths and weaknesses. This will provide you with a road map that will help you achieve program success.

Whether you are working out to lose fat or to get rid of low back pain, you should always start with the areas that need the most improvement first. For example, if you are trying to eliminate low back tightness, always start with a non-weight bearing warm-up followed by some low-back specific stretches. This will help to increase blood flow to the muscles in that area, raise the heart rate, and prepare the body for activity.

Once the body is warm and stretched properly, begin performing some activation drills. These drills will stimulate motor recruitment in the glutes, hips, and low back and wake up the muscles through central nervous system activation. By attacking the problem first, you allow the body to function as a unit that is totally warm -- instead of stressing the body at its weakest point from the very beginning.

In our next article, we will cover some hip and low-back specific exercises to improve stability, mobility, and flexibility. For now, make sure that you set high achievable goals, are consistent in your routine, and work on weak areas of the body first. By following this advice, your workout will allow for more successful and efficient results.

[Ed. note: Carlo X. Alvarez is a noted authority in the customized fitness and sports performance field. He is recognized for his integrated and systematic approach to training, based on a foundation of safe and proven methodology that has direct and measurable benefits to performance.]

Healthy Nutrition: EVOO... Is it Always Healthy? By Laura LaValle, RD, LD

Thanks to Rachel Ray and the recent popularity of the Mediterranean Diet, it seems that everyone is on the EVOO (extra virgin olive oil) bandwagon.

Certainly, healthy oils and fats are now known to have many benefits when eaten as part of a low carb, anti-inflammatory diet. But many people are not aware that the biggest trick to keeping our intake of fats healthy, is to know whether they can be heated or not -- and if so, to what temperature.

In pressing nuts, seeds, grains, or olives to make oil, the pressing itself creates heat. This is why cold-pressed oils are more desirable. Keeping the temperatures down during pressing helps prevent the creation of oxidized fats. Oils are more prone to the damaging effects of heat than saturated fats, which are chemically more stable. Heating oils to higher temperatures than they can tolerate, oxidizes them and creates a potent source of free radicals -- highly unstable molecules that can damage our cells.

For instance, because EVOO is from the first pressing of the olives, it has only been subjected to low heat. And because it is not further refined, it has a high concentration of plant phenols. These naturally occurring plant chemicals fight nasty free radicals and decrease inflammation, and therefore protect against heart disease and cancer.

So the last thing we want to do is to squelch the activity of these protective compounds through cooking with high heat. According to the Journal of Agricultural Food Chemistry, heating EVOO to somewhere in the range of 180°C or approximately 356°F, causes a decrease in two beneficial plant phenols.

The experts at the World's Healthiest Foods, a website originated by the former owner of Health Valley foods, note that the more refined the oil, the more heat it can withstand. Since cold-pressed EVOO comes from the initial pressing, it is in the most unrefined state, and therefore most vulnerable to heat. They recommend heating EVOO to temperatures no higher than 250°F or what we would call "low heat". This translates to light sautéing for short periods of time.

The best-case scenario to obtain the maximum phytochemicals with the least oxidation, would be to consume EVOO in unheated form -- in other words using it in salad dressings versus cooking with it. One strategy is to play it safe by steaming vegetables in some broth or water and then drizzle the olive oil over the vegetables just before eating. This can be done with most foods and is a sure way to guard the precious phytochemicals in this health-promoting oil.

If you want to use olive oil for cooking, it is best to use an extra light olive oil, which is more refined, but can tolerate temperatures up to about 400°F. Or try other healthy oils and fats that can be used for cooking. Grapeseed oil, butter, ghee butter, coconut oil, and macadamia nut oil are all good choices.

[Ed. Note: Laura B. LaValle, RD, LD is presently the director of dietetics nutrition at LaValle Metabolic Institute (formerly part of Living Longer Institute). She offers personal nutritional counseling at LMI for clients who need help with their diet in relation to illness or disease. Laura also provides educational services in the areas of health promotion, wellness, and disease prevention.]

Healthy Recipes: Red, White, and Blueberry Salad By Laura LaValle, RD, LD

Turkey and cranberry gets a summertime makeover with this cool, refreshing salad that's loaded with vitamins, minerals, and healthy antioxidants. The addition of juicy, sweet blueberries and creamy goat cheese makes this a flavorful, eye-pleasing treat when it's just to hot to cook.

Serves: 4
Time to Table: 15 minutes

Healing Nutrient Spotlight
Excellent source of vitamin B-12, niacin, folate, selenium, manganese
Good source of vitamin A, vitamin B-6, zinc, copper, vitamin C, iron, thiamin, magnesium

Ingredients*

4 cups arugula lettuce
4 cups frisée lettuce
1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
1/4cup dried cranberries
1 cup fresh blueberries
1/2 cup pine nuts
1/2 lb. roasted turkey breast
1/2 cup goat cheese crumbles

*Select organic ingredients for optimum nutrition.

Preparation
Wash lettuces and pat dry with paper towels or use a salad spinner. Tear into bite site pieces and divide onto four plates. Top each plate with 1/4 of remaining ingredients: red onion, cranberries, blueberries, pine nuts, roasted turkey, and goat cheese. Serve with your favorite balsamic vinaigrette.

Nutrition
270 calories, 13 g total fat, 3 g saturated fat, 3 g monounsaturated fat, 4 g polyunsaturated fat, 60 mg cholesterol, 15 g carbohydrate, 3 g fiber, 11 g sugar, 25 g protein, 700 IU vitamin A, .2 mg thiamin, .14 mg riboflavin, 5 mg niacin, .6 mg pantothenic acid, .4 mg vitamin B-6, 35 mcg folate, 1.6 mcg vitamin B-12, 11 mg vitamin C, .3 mg copper, 65 mg calcium, 70 mg magnesium, .9 mg manganese, 385 mg potassium, 3.4 mg iron, 21 mcg selenium, 400 mg sodium, 2 mg zinc

Source: LMI dietitian, Marta Graham, MS, RD, LD.

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These articles appear courtesy of Early to Rise’s Total Health Breakthroughs [Issue 07-15-08] which offers alternative solutions for mind, body and soul. For a complimentary subscription, visit http://www.totalhealthbreakthroughs.com/