The New Optimum Nutrition Bible

by Patrick Holford

  Scientists originally thought glucosamine just helped reduce the pain of arthritis, but recent research in Belgium has proven that it actually helps rebuild cartilage, thereby reversing joint damage. So if you do have any joint problems from injury or arthritis, glucosamine could well help you repair the damage as well as relieve the pain. Usual dosage for glucosamine is 500 mg, three times daily. Glucosamine hydrochloride works better than glucosamine sulfate. Glucosamine is a major component of joint tissue and, as a supplement, works to stimulate joint function and repair. It is most effective in battling osteoarthritis, the most prevalent type of arthritis. A number of studies over the last twenty years have shown this. For example, a 1982 clinical study compared usage of the NSAID ibuprofen with that of glucosamine sulfate for osteoarthritis of the knee. During the first two weeks, the ibuprofen decreased pain faster, but by the fourth week the glucosamine group was well ahead in pain relief. The overall results showed that 44 percent of people in the glucosamine group had pain relief, compared with 15 percent of those taking ibuprofen. Because glucosamine is not an anti-inflammatory drug, it takes longer to start working, but it works equally well. Some researchers now feel that glucosamine hydrochloride may be the best form because it has a slightly higher concentration of glucosamine in the molecule (83 percent versus 80 percent for glucosamine sulfate) and has better stability.37

  MSM, which stands for methyl sulfonyl methane, is a source of the essential mineral sulfur. Sulfur is involved in a multitude of key body functions, including pain control, regulation of inflammation, detoxification, and tissue building. Extraordinary results are starting to be reported in terms of pain relief and relief from arthritis from supplementing around 3 g of MSM daily. One possibility is that sulfur deficiency is far more common than has been realized.

  Some pain is due to pressure changes in cells, which in turn affect the nerves that sense pain. If cells inflate as a result of excess buildup of fluid or a drop in the pressure surrounding them, the nerves register the pain. MSM may also help improve cell membrane fluidity, thereby improving the exchange of fluids in and out of cells and reducing pressure buildup. One study at UCLA School of Medicine found that on 2,250 mg of MSM a day patients with arthritis had an 80 percent improvement in pain within six weeks compared with a 20 percent improvement among those who had taken placebos. The therapeutic dose appears to be around 1,500 mg to 3,000 mg.

  My favorite natural anti-inflammatory regime is a combination of omega-3 fats, boswellia, hop extract, hydroxytyrosol from olives, glucosamine, and MSM. Look for combinations of these nutrients and herbal extracts (see Resources).

  To keep your bones and joints in good health

  Keep fit and supple and see an osteopath or chiropractor once a year. Reduce your meat consumption to avoid excessive protein.

  Get out of the “stress cycle” and keep stimulants to a minimum.

  Make sure your diet is rich in minerals from seeds, nuts, and root vegetables.

  If you have arthritis, check out possible food allergies.

  If you have osteoporosis, consider natural progesterone (as a cream, not as HRT).

  If you have joint inflammation, take a daily supplement of 1,000 mg of EPA/DHA fish oil or cod liver oil and a natural anti-inflammatory formula containing ashwagandha, turmeric, boswellia, or hop extracts, as well as glucosamine hydrochloride and MSM.

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  Skin Health—Eat Yourself Beautiful

  Skin. Where would we be without it? Not only does it keep our insides in, but also it protects us from infection, radiation, and dehydration; keeps us warm; and makes us look good. While we are most aware of our “outside skin,” the “inside skin” of the lungs and digestive tract covers a much larger area. This entire surface is replaced every twenty days, and the degree to which the condition of your skin is influenced by what you eat and drink, as well as other factors such as your environment and, more obviously, cosmetics, is quite remarkable.

  Skin is, after all, the largest organ in the body: in an adult it weighs around 11 lb. (5 kg) and has a surface area of 22 square feet (2 m2), about the size of a double bed. No other organ in the body is so exposed to damage or disease from the outside such as from injury, sunlight, smoking, environmental pollution, and germs, so it really can have a rough time. At the same time, skin reflects many conditions and emotions that come from within, for example, when it blushes or sweats.

  Similarly, some skin disorders, such as warts, are confined just to the skin, while others—indeed most of them—tell a story of what is going on inside. Cold sores and chicken pox show that there is some sort of internal infection that the immune system is fighting off, a rash may be the result of an allergic reaction to a food that has been eaten, and a yellowish skin tone may indicate that there is a problem with the liver. So you can see that the condition of your skin is sensitive to a number of factors including your age, genes, hygiene, circulation, digestion, detoxification, immune system, the environment, your psychology, and, of course, what you eat.

  A cross section of the skin.

  Nutrition is fundamentally involved at every stage of skin development. Starting with the inner layer of the skin, the dermis, collagen is made when vitamin C converts the amino acid proline into hydroxyproline. No vitamin C, no collagen. The flexibility of collagen and elastin fibers declines in time owing to damage caused by free radicals. This damage is limited by antioxidants such as vitamins A, C, and E and selenium and many others.

  Vitamin A helps control the rate of keratin accumulation in the skin. A lack of this vitamin can therefore result in dry, rough skin. Both eating a diet rich in vitamin A and taking supplements of vitamin A can help maintain healthy skin, but even more effective is to apply vitamin A–rich skin cream (see Resource). The membranes of skin cells are made from essential fats. A lack of essential fats makes these cells dry out too quickly, resulting in dry skin and excessive need of moisturizers. The health of skin cells depends on sufficient zinc, which is needed for accurate production of new generations of skin cells. Lack of zinc leads to stretch marks and poor healing and is associated with a wide variety of skin problems from acne to eczema. Skin cells also produce a chemical that, in the presence of sunlight, is converted into vitamin D, which is needed to maintain the calcium balance of the body. So in many ways what you eat today you wear tomorrow.

  The following good dietary guidelines are especially important for people with skin problems. Limit alcohol, coffee, tea, sugar, and saturated fat (as in meat and dairy products) and increase your intake of fresh fruit, vegetables, water, herb teas, and diluted juices. It is also well worth taking a good all-round multivitamin and mineral supplement, plus at least 1,000 mg of vitamin C a day.

  Your skin is a remarkable barometer of your body’s health and, as such, is very much affected by how well you are internally. We’ve all looked a bit pale after a few too many parties. All sorts of signs of what is going on inside the body show up in the skin, such as a red face when we are hot and sweaty after strenuous exercise or a rash in response to something we’ve eaten. So getting all your body systems working well is crucial to addressing skin problems.

  Many skin disorders can be traced to imbalances in the digestive tract. While an insufficient intake of the right nutrients can affect the health of your skin, so can poor digestion and absorption. Some people eat healthy food but, for one reason or another, don’t digest it properly and therefore don’t get the nutrients they need. Other factors linked to digestion can contribute to skin problems, such as insufficient “good” bacteria or an overgrowth of the candida yeast. Once too many toxins and large molecules start “gate crashing” through the digestive tract, the body’s ability to detoxify starts to weaken. This results in compromised liver function. By this stage, even the slightest increase in toxins results in a whole host of symptoms such as fatigue, headaches, and inflammation, as well as poor skin condition.

  Dry skin

  Slapping on moisturizing cream certainly
goes some way to relieving or preventing dry skin—but only some way. Without enough water, each one of the cells in your body becomes dehydrated, losing its plumpness and structure, so the first step in keeping your skin well hydrated is to do just that—hydrate it by drinking at least 1.5 quarts of water a day. You can keep your skin well “oiled” from the inside by eating essential fatty acids from fish, nuts, and seeds (see below). If you have particularly dry skin, it’s best to supplement them too, as either fish, flaxseed or evening primrose oil, or as a special blend such as Udo’s Choice or Essential Balance.

  Another, more subtle, factor that can contribute to dry skin is poor metabolism of the mineral calcium in the body—if you are not processing calcium well it will get dumped in certain tissues, including the skin. Calcium is a drying mineral—think chalk—so excess in the skin will dry it out. (A hair mineral analysis, available through nutritional therapists, can show how well you are metabolizing calcium.)

  Skin’s enemies

  Various outside factors as well as processes inside our bodies bring on the signs of aging. The culprit is oxidative damage, caused by oxidants (free radicals).38 They come from pollution, cigarette smoke, fried and burnt foods, processed cooking oils, sunlight, combustion, and, ironically, even the body’s own burning of oxygen to produce energy Just as oxygen can damage iron to form rust, so it can damage molecules in our bodies. The oxidants are overall very destructive as they damage fats, proteins, connective tissue, and nucleic acids (DNA and RNA). Parts of the body that are particularly vulnerable to such attack are the membranes of our cells and the DNA within them—obviously affecting the condition of the skin and its ability to generate new cells.

  The good guys

  Diet

  A good diet consisting of fresh, untreated foods is crucial for the health of your entire body, not just your skin. It reduces the speed at which the skin ages or degenerates in any way. Eating plenty of antioxidant-rich foods every day is therefore a key dietary essential. These foods include red, orange, and yellow vegetables and fruits such as sweet potatoes, carrots, apricots, and watermelon; purple foods such as berries and grapes; green foods such as watercress, kale, alfalfa sprouts, and broccoli; “seed” foods such as peas, whole grains, fresh nuts, seeds and their oils, and onions and garlic.

  Another important component of a good skin diet is the omega-3 and omega-6 essential fats. Each cell membrane—in effect the skin of each cell—is composed partly of essential fats, and in turn your skin is made up of countless cells. So the fatty-acid content of your cell membranes is vital. Not only do the essential fats keep cell membranes smooth and soft, but also they help the membranes do a better job of controlling what goes in and out of cells. Without enough fats in the cell membranes, they are not able to retain water and they lose their plumpness. So for soft skin, include plenty of essential fat-rich foods in your diet such as fish, nuts, and seeds and their oils. Have seeds in salads, as snacks, or ground up, and on cereals, yogurt, or soups.

  Given the importance of keeping your digestive tract and liver in good working order for healthy skin, it is important to have a diet that includes unprocessed foods naturally high in fiber, such as whole grains, root vegetables, lentils, and beans. These should be well chewed and eaten when you are relaxed. The above recommendations are in addition to a wholesome, fresh diet.

  Water—nature’s moisturizer

  One of the most important nutrients is water. Imagine a balloon filled with water—taut and firm to the touch. Allow some of the water out and the balloon will shrink, and the rubber may even become a little shriveled. Deprive a cell of water and it will produce a similar result—in addition to the change in structure, the way it works will also be diminished. The process of removing water, or dehydration, leaves all the cells in our body gasping for replenishment, not least those in the skin, which are exposed to the harsh elements of the outside world—sun, cold, heating, air-conditioning, pollution. Without an adequate supply of water, your cells cannot rebuild your body, and waste products that stack up in the cells and your blood cannot be cleared. This turns into a vicious circle whereby the cells cannot receive enough oxygen or nutrients to work or cleanse properly. Deep in your skin, water is a crucial component, providing a basis for the healthy, soft, taut look of youthful skin.

  Skin supplements

  Following on from the recommendations above, a standard good multivitamin can be supplemented with extra antioxidants and some EFAs (flaxseed, fish oils, or GLA). In addition to this, individual conditions will require specific supplementation.

  One other nutrient that deserves a mention is sulfur. This essential mineral is a constituent of keratin and collagen—substances in skin, nails, and hair, so it’s no surprise that they improve when people take supplements in the form of MSM (methyl sulfonyl methane). Rather than taking collagen, or using expensive creams that contain it, you will be better off supplying your body with the raw materials it needs to make collagen, such as MSM (along with vitamin C). Sulfur is needed for new cell formation (remember, your skin is constantly renewing itself) and keeping the bonds between cells pliable, and it’s also a great detoxifier. MSM has been shown not only to enhance the beauty of skin, nails, and hair, but also to help skin healing (for instance after burns or wounds), acne, allergies, arthritis, and much more. Start by taking 1,000 mg three times a day. The recommendations above are in addition to a good diet and a multivitamin and multimineral supplement.

  A to Z of skin problems and nutritional solutions

  Acne

  Factors to consider: Excess fat blocks the skin pores. High-histamine types (see this page) produce more sebum, an oily secretion in the skin. Vitamin A deficiency produces skin congestion through overkeratinization of skin cells. Vitamin A and zinc deficiency lead to lowered ability to fight infection, as does lack of beneficial bacteria (often through overuse of antibiotics).

  Diet: Low in fat, low in sugar, plenty of water, fresh fruit, vegetables (high-water-content foods), and regular cleansing diets or fasts.

  Supplements: Vitamin A, zinc, vitamin C, all antioxidants, niacin to combat skin flushing, vitamin E for wound healing.

  Skin treatments: Use a cream containing significant amounts of vitamins A, C, and E in forms that can penetrate the epidermis (such as retinyl palmitate, ascorbyl palmitate, and vitamin E acetate—see Resources).

  Cellulite

  Factors to consider: Excess saturated fat or fat-based toxins render fat cells immobile. If you strictly avoid dietary sources of saturated fat and eat only sources of essential oils, fat cells decongest and become softer. The body takes in many toxins, for example, pesticide residues, which are hard to get rid of. These are dumped in fat cells to keep them away from vital organs. Hard fat and fat-based toxins can be eliminated by improving the circulation. Circulation to and from fat cells is stimulated by high water content, while lymphatic drainage is achieved by massage, movement, exercise, and skin brushing.

  Diet: A strict no-saturated-fat diet, which means no meat or dairy products. Essential fatty acids can be acquired from seeds. Drink lots of water and eat plenty of high-water-content foods such as fruit and vegetables, all organic. Apples are particularly good at eliminating cellulite. The pectin found in apples, carrots, and other fruit and vegetables is an important phytochemical, which strengthens the immune and detoxification systems of the body. Consider a three-day apple-only fast or eat only organic apples one day a week.

  Supplements: Lecithin granules, hydroxycitric acid, high-dose vitamin C, and niacin.

  Dermatitis

  Factors to consider: Dermatitis literally means skin inflammation and is similar to eczema. The term is used when the primary cause appears to be a contact allergy. Consider all possibilities, such as metals in jewelry, watches, and so on; perfumes or cosmetics; detergents in dishwashing liquids, soaps, shampoos, or laundry powders. Where there is a contact allergy, there is often a food allergy too: common culprits are dairy products and wheat. Sometim
es a combination of eating an allergy-provoking food and contact with an external allergen is needed for symptoms to develop. Another factor that makes dermatitis more likely is a lack of essential fatty acids from seeds and their oils, which turn into anti-inflammatory prostaglandins in the body. Their formation is blocked if you eat too much saturated fat or fried food or lack certain key vitamins and minerals. The skin is also a route that the body can use to get rid of toxins. One kind of dermatitis, called acrodermatitis, is primarily caused by zinc deficiency and responds exceptionally well to zinc supplementation.

  Diet: Keep it low in saturated fat, eat sufficient essential fats and very little meat or dairy products—stay mainly vegan, although fish is all right. Test for dairy or wheat allergy, if suspected, by avoiding these foods for a couple of weeks and seeing if there is any improvement. Consider a cleansing diet.

  Supplements: Essential oils such as flax, evening primrose, and borage oil; vitamin B6, biotin, zinc, and magnesium, plus antioxidant vitamins A, C, and E.

  Skin treatments: Use a cream containing significant amounts of vitamins A, C, and E in forms that can penetrate the epidermis (such as retinyl palmitate, ascorbyl palmitate, and vitamin E acetate—see Resources).

  Dry skin

  Factors to consider: Possible disturbed water balance due to essential fatty acid deficiency, poor intake of water, or lack of vitamin A.