The Hangover.

...no, this blog post is not about the famous comedy, nor is it about its 2011 sequel. This post is about hangovers that are experienced after a night of drinking.

While I haven't learned directly about hangovers this past year at CCNM, I did learn a lot about detoxification and alcohol. Based on my teachings so far, I believe that the feelings with a hangover are the mostly the result of dehydration and toxicity. Here's my hypothesis: alcohol dehydrates and introduces a lot of toxins to the body. Without enough water to solubilize the toxins and flush them out, the toxins linger and make the body feel "yucky".

Now why do all of the hangover symptoms occur the next day, after the body has slept a bit? My thought is that during sleep, detoxification occurs. The body tries to eliminate all of the new toxins; nevertheless without proper hydration, the body prepares the toxins for removal, but has no water to clear them out. Thus they linger, causing nausea, mental fog, tiredness, and headaches.

The interesting thing about detoxification is that is mostly happens during sleep and when the body is not eating. As a result, a detox can be broken by introducing some food (the digestive tract digests if there is food and detoxes if there isn't). On the topic of digestion, it is interesting to mention that of all the macromolecules (carbohydrates, protein, fat, and to a lesser extent, alcohol), fat takes the longest to digest (note: protein ranks second). Knowing this fact and the one that a detox (and its "yucky" symptoms) is broken with food, is probably why so many hangover suffers feel better after indulging in a greasy breakfast. The food stopped their detox and the fatty bacon provides lots of fat and protein to digest, keeping detoxification at bay.

Although it may do the trick, this "greasy breakfast" solution is not ideal because it merely covers up the symptoms and does not address the root cause of the hangover feelings, such as dehydration, lack of sleep, and toxic overload. A more naturopathic approach would be to sleep as long as possible (to encourage a deep detox), eat highly nutritious foods the next day, and drink tons of water (roughly one 250 mL glass for every alcoholic drink ingested), making sure to include some electrolytes too. Examples of healthy electrolyte rich drinks are listed here (no Gatorade!).

My substitution for the typical "hangover breakfast" is simple and provides the body with an instant boost of nutrition: a smoothie! Hangover smoothies are great because they tend to be easy to stomach when feeling otherwise queasy, the provide some hydration, they boost electrolyte levels and the immune system, and allow the body to easily absorb the contained nutrition because everything is liquified, and they don't interrupt detoxification very much as little digestion has to occur as the blender already broken everything down. Hooray for food as medicine!

The Flexible Hangover Smoothie

1 packed cup of greens (kale, spinach, arugula, romain lettuce, parsley) ...by blending the greens their cell walls get crushed and their nutrients are released, making it easier to absorb.
1 scoop protein powder or 3 tablespoons seeds (hemp, pumpkin, sunflower) ...for restoration and satiety.
1 tablespoon flax seeds or 1 teaspoon flax oil ...to absorb the fat-soluble vitamins found in the greens and to boost brain repair with some omega-3s.
1 banana ...for a boost of potassium, an important electrolyte.
1/2 cup frozen berries, mango, melon, or pineapple ...for a boost of immune building vitamin C and antioxidants.
1 cup (or more) water ...more hydration!
A wee pinch of salt ...just a teeny bit, to restore sodium and chloride electrolytes.

Blend all ingredients and drink up; the body will thank you for it! Remember to drink cold (this helps with absorption and will make the drink nice and refreshing).

In addition to the science behind hangovers, I found this article that breaks down the symptoms associated with hangovers and offers an explanation for each. I am not sure how accurate this article is, but it seems to be based on general knowledge about the body's physiology.

Cholera Outbreak.

Image source here.

In the news lately, there have been reports of a cholera outbreak occurring in Sierra Leonean. Sadly, this recent outbreak has cause over 300 deaths! It is the same disease that affected parts of Haiti (source).

What is cholera? Cholera is a disease caused by Vibrio cholerae, a microorganism that when ingested wrecks havoc in the small intestine, causing lots and lots of watery diarrhea (and vomiting). Cholera is spread by drinking water that has been contaminated by feces (in the case of Sierra Leonean and Haiti, this was likely due to mass flooding, mixing clean water with dirty, fecal matter-contaminated water). 

The most unfortunate part, is that even though hundreds of people are dying, the treatment to this disease is quite simple. The vomiting and diarrhea can lead to dehydration (loss of water).  Dehydration, when not treated, can cause death due to electrolytes being imbalanced (sodium, potassium, etc).  It is this dehydration/electrolyte imbalance that is killing people, not the Vibrio cholerae itself. The treatment for cholera is simply to correct the dehydration/electrolyte imbalance with sports drinks (like Gatorade), water mixed with honey, sea salt, and lemon, or the fancy oral rehydration solution. 

Interesting (Physiology) Tid-bits.

As I study Physiology--with a mug of cocoa in hand--for my exam tomorrow, I came across some interesting things to share:

- The vagal nerve supplies the heart and the gut, and as a result, when some women experience heart attacks, it feels like a bad case of indigestion.

- Sour foods (e.g. citrus fruits, vinegar) are important for blood acidity as they provide H+ ions, while salty foods are important for blood electrolyte levels as they provide Na+ and Cl- ions.

- Tonic Receptors: these receptors continue to fire action potentials until the stimulus (that the receptor is responding to) has stopped. At first they fire more frequently, then their rate decreases slightly and maintains this reduced rate until the stimulus is gone. Example: when you get a paper cut, you feel the pain sharply at first, then it decreases slightly, but the pain does not go away until the cut is healed (or fairly healed).

- Phasic Receptors: these receptors fire initially, but then turn off as they adapt to the stimulus. Example: when you turn the light on, you see and recognize the new light; however after these 2 seconds, you are no longer consciously aware that the light is on. When the light is later turned off, the phasic light receptors would fire again, letting you know the light is off, but again they would stop stimulating as you become used to the darkness.

- Respiration depends on a pressure gradient and not necessarily on the inspiration and expiration muscles.

- Sound wakes you when sleeping as the temporal lobe (i.e. sound region) of the brain is located close the the reticular formation of the brain, which is responsible for keeping you asleep.

- The lung is responsible for filtering out blood clots. As blood travels through the vessels of the lung, it eventually reaches the smallest vessels: the alveoli. If there is a clot in the blood, it will get stuck in the alveoli. The clot-containing alveoli is then degraded (and it is okay to sacrifice alveoli for clot removal because we have millions of them).

Tea Party
If one thing is learned from my blog entries this semester, it's that herbal tea is a great addition to the diet.

Recently a bunch of my family members sat down together to enjoy a cuppa herbal tea. Also this week, Tony bought himself a box of tea to sip. I'm so proud. Here's tea you, my loyal readers!

Coocoo for Coconut.

  Coconut the ultimate superfood 

My-oh-my have we humans managed to exploit every last drop of goodness from this fruit (it isn't actually a nut). This one fruit has spawned at least ten different health products; products I use regularly and love.  Don't shy away from coconut products because of their 'high fat' content: the fat they contain is ridiculously healthy and actually can help with weight-loss. I'm here today with a summary of all the coconut goodies now available and how you can incorporate them into your life and diet.

Coconut Milk (Canned) - Creamy, smooth, and thick. Used in curries, both Indian and Thai. Cook rice in coconut milk for an extra creamy rice that is perfect to pair with a spicy curry or stew. Shake can before opening. Very mild coconut flavor.

Coconut Milk (Tetrapak) - This is sold as a replacement for moo-cow milk.  Sold with the soy and almond milk tetrapaks at major grocery stores.  Use in cereal or simply drink a glass on its own.  Sort of a rip-off, because this product is basically just watered down canned coconut milk.  Make your own for much cheaper by just buying the canned stuff and mixing it with water yourself.  Contains virtually no protein, so do not consider this as a true dairy replacement (if you do use it, make sure to get enough protein in your diet through other means).

Coconut Cream - Coconut milk that has the water removed. Very, very thick.  Often used in dairy-free baking, in place of heavy cream.

Coconut Flakes - Coconut flakes are a type of shredded coconut (you can buy finely shredded coconut (dessicated) or thick pieces which are in fact, flakes).  Furthermore, you can buy sweetened and unsweetened varieties.

Coconut Meat - If you buy a whole coconut and whack it open, the inner white part is the coconut 'meat'. Feel free to just snack away on this flesh!  The meat is chewy and slightly juicy. When dried, it makes coconut flakes (see above).

Coconut Water - Coconut water is available in Tetrapaks at grocery stores. It is an electrolyte-rich drink, great for re-hydrating after exercise or a sweaty day.

Coconut Oil - Great for cooking because it is heat-resistant. An amazing replacement for butter in baking. Also great in homemade body products as it melts upon contact with human skin (solid at room temperature, smooth on skin!). No coconut flavor.

Coconut Butter - Part nut-butter, part oil.  This is a super creamy, super coconutty spread.  You can use it in the same ways that you would use coconut oil, but this product has way more coconut flavor.  Naturally sweet because it contains coconut meat that has been creamy. A wonderful product if you love coconut flavor.

Coconut Flour - A gluten-free and grain-free flour.  Very soft; creates delicate baked goods. Be careful with moisture, because this flour absorbs liquid. 

Coconut Sugar - No coconut flavor. An alternative to refined sugar. Made from crystallized coconut sap. Contains more nutrients than white sugar; less processed. No coconut flavor.

 When I was young, my Mom used to make me oatmeal, but in order to find it palatable, I used to add lots of brown sugar and dairy cream (18% milk fat).  It was such a treat because the sugar melted and got all caramel-like.  Well, I had a craving for that same concoction, but seeing as I've cleaned up my diet quite a bit since then, I turned to the fabulous coconut to recreate this childhood dish.  Organic oats, coconut milk, and coconut sugar. Coconut to the rescue!

 

Tasted just like the good ol' days :)

How to Fight a Cold.

Although preventative medicine is key to good health, sometimes we overtly neglect our body and end-up weakening it to a point where it is easily overcome by a bacterium or virus, and as a result, we get sick. Once the body is sick, it will require time and rest to overcome the infection. We must be patient and bare with the associated symptoms; these symptoms are signs that the battle is being fought and although they are annoying, they are needed to fully recover. Note: this list will obviously expand as I continue through my studies of Naturopathic Medicine. Also, if cold symptoms persist or become unbearable, please consult a health care professional.

Although we must be patient and wait for our immune system to do its job, there are some ways to make the fighting and healing processes a little more bearable:

- Drink lots of fluids, including water and pure fruit juices (but avoid orange juice as it is mucous forming).
- Drink herbal tea and remember to inhale the steam while the herbs are breathing (many of the medicinal compounds are volatile, meaning they will evaporate into the air). If herbal teas really aren't your fancy, try warm water mixed with lemon.
- Eat a BRAT diet (bananas, brown rice, apple sauce, and toast) as these foods are bland and easy to digest. When the body isn't busy digesting, it can focus on defending.
- Consume lots of soup. Soup is great as it helps keep the fluid intake up, usually contains vitamin-rich veggies, is easy to digest and allows for easy nutrient assimilation, keeps electrolyte (i.e. sodium and chloride) levels up (which may be depleted by all of the water drinking). An excellent soup for the sick: bring one whole head of minced garlic to a boil as well as one or more onions (other seasonings and vegetables are optional). The onion and garlic both have potent anti-microbial proprieties, making them the perfect sick-soup combo.
- Preform contrast showers.
- Stock-up on probiotics (via capsule form, yogurt, or fermented foods).
- Keep vitamin C levels by drinking juice (other than orange), supplementing, and/or eating fresh fruits and veggies when tolerable.
- Seek out a herbal tincture from your Naturopathic Doctor (if possible).
- Preform wet socks (look for a post on this technique later this week!).

Cold Weather Protocol.

Here are some tid-bits to maximize your health as we enter the colder months of the year:

Vitamin C - now is the time to boost the immune system. Consider eating more vitamin C rich foods or tablets/capsules. Learn more about this vitamin here. When buying vitamin C, beware of ones containing artifical sweeteners or dyes, such as aspartame or sucralose. One cool product on the market is Emergen-C electrolyte powder packages. They are basically powdered vitamins and electrolytes that you can mix with water to create a sports-drink type of beverage.  The packets are portable so you can instantly turn any water into a vitamin-rich cocktail. Talk to your doctor about the best vitamin D dose for you.

Vitamin D - behold the sunshine vitamin! Learn more about it here. Take this vitamin from October until April to beat Winter blues, decrease your risk of cancer, and to optimize the immune system.  Talk to your doctor about the best vitamin D dose for you.

Scarves - I've already talked about their importance here (Physical Medicine theory) and here (Traditional Chinese Medicine theory).  Don't forget to wash them periodically during the  colder months to remove any pathogens that may have taken up camp.

Warming foods - goodbye salads, hello soups and stews! The warmer the food, the easier it is to digest and the more nourishing it is to the body this time of year. When our body spends time digesting, it has less time to spend repairing.

Hot tea - drink it up! We may not crave cold glasses of water or other beverages now that it is no longer hot, but keeping the body hydrated is super important all year wrong. Switch ice cubes for herbal tea bags. Bonus: herbal teas have many medicinal properties too!

Interesting Tid-Bits 8.

- When protein powder is cold, it is better absorbed by the body (so adding protein powder to smoothies with COLD milk or a FROZEN banana is best). Protein powder-based smoothies are also excellent fuel after strenuous exercise because digestion is inhibited during exercise and thus it is an easy-to-digest way of getting protein and nutrients into the body while digestion is slowly resuming.

- It is good for the brain to watch foreign films as it forces the brain to activate multiple sensory receptors at once: reading, listening, viewing, interpreting language, etc. It is quite a mental exercise to watch and read subtitles at the same time.

- Mild exercise is good when you're not feeling well. Exercise generates heat and puts the body in a fever-state, which boosts the immune system.

- Changes in lifestyle are key to managing chronic disease. (Also, apparently 60% of those who use alternative medicine have chronic disease).

- We are better rested the next day when our sleep did not involve lots of dreams.

- Babies are not to be given honey under the age of one because honey contains bacteria that their new immune systems may not be able to combat. A consequence may be botulism.

- Skin tenting is when the skin on the back of a relaxed hand is pulled upward. If the skin doesn't immediately spring back to normal, the person may be dehydrated.

- Electrolyte drinks that are better than Gatorade (which has way too much sugar) are homemade chicken broth, coconut water, or a mixture of lemon water, maple syrup, and a pinch of salt.