Lately, I’ve been falling over some contents claiming that blood sugar is always stable in healthy people and the glycemic index is none-sense unless you are diabetic. While there are many misconceptions at the moment about what causes chronically dysregulated blood sugar and insulin resistance - i.e. some claiming that carbs are the issue, and we just need to cut carbs out and eat a meat-based (carnivor) or fat-based (keto) diet - it is simply also not true that blood sugar always keeps stable in healthy people. Or actually it is true that for as long as the body is still healthy enough to produce enough insulin to quickly get the glucose out of the blood stream (in contrast to diabetics) the overall blood sugar levels keep stable - but(!!) the more high spikes and following crashes we get from the foods we eat the less healthy we will be in time. So while we at the peak of our health may be able to have overall balanced blood sugar regardless of what we eat on the glycemic index - this doesn’t mean that it down the road is ideal to continue to engage in, if we are to STAY healthy.“There are lots of folks running around with their glucose levels spiking, and they don’t even know it,” said Michael Snyder, PhD, professor and chair of genetics at Stanford and senior author of the study. The spikes are in fact a health problem because high blood sugar levels, especially when prolonged, can contribute to cardiovascular disease risk and a person’s tendencies to develop insulin resistance, which is a common precursor to diabetes, he said.“We saw that some folks who think they’re healthy actually are misregulating glucose — sometimes at the same severity of people with diabetes — and they have no idea,” Snyder said. Furthermore, when we get a blood sugar spike, followed by a crash this is known to affect cortisol which increases hunger - and thus we have the craving cycle.
Read MoreHow cold therapy is RUINING your nervous system!
Now admittedly I’ve been winter swimming in icy waters in Scandinavia since I was 3 years old (voluntarily following my mom in the ocean, mind you). I’ve always been keen on the benefits of cold-and-heat alternating therapies and how it can tone our vagus nerve and thereby help alleviate stress and build resilience.
However, right now this cold therapy trend is getting out of control.
This trend is being pushed by influencers with no health education or people without an understanding of the nervous system - yes, even researches focusing on one aspect only i.e. how cold therapy can change our fat tissue. However, this is ONLY one aspect of how cold therapy is affecting us. We need to understand the bigger picture of how something is affecting us LONG-TERM and our body as a whole, before we dive in. Most importantly we need to understand how our own nervous system is wired and what therapies is best matched to that. Too many lack the understanding of doing things in short bursts or in moderation to stress the body short-term in order to build resilience long-term - instead they are pushing the body beyond capacity, staying in ice water for 5-20 minutes with the mantra “more is better” or just being solely focused on changing fat tissue without understanding what large doses of adrenaline release does to the nervous system.
Read MoreSunlight for weightloss works better than Ozempic
As humans we struggle with the concept of balance. Yet science shows that nature wants balance. And instead of completely staying out of the sun, we would benefit greatly from understanding how to reap the health benefits from daily sun exposure while protecting especially our face and décolleté from damage.
Sunlight has several health benefitting aspects - one being: it actually helps us stay lean!
When skin and the eye are exposed to UVR there is a release of α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (α-MSH) which naturally lowers our appetite and increases our energy expenditure.
For those who want the chemical breakdown of exactly how this happens here goes:
In the central nervous system, α-MSH is cleaved from proopiomelanocortin and then released into different hypothalamic regions to act on melanocortin 3/4 receptor-expressing neurons, lowering food intake, and raising energy expenditure via appetite suppression and sympathetic nervous system.
Most of us know this intuitively, as we tend to lose weight without struggle, when we go on summer-vacation. And this is the reason for it.
In the study they found following:
“In our animal studies, ongoing exposure to low dose ultraviolet radiation (UVR, found in sunlight) reduced weight gain and the development of signs of cardiometabolic dysfunction in mice fed a high fat diet. These observations suggest that regular exposure to safe levels of sunlight could be an effective means of reducing the burden of obesity.”
Read the full study here: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5086738/ And feel free to share.
Read MoreOZEMPIC AND WEGOVY LINKED TO INTESTINAL BLOCKAGE - A POTENTIALLY LIFE THREATENING CONDITION!
Last month I wrote a post about intestinal blockage and how serious a disorder it is - especially because it is high season for this disorder during the holidays. However, now entering January and relentless slimming season, this may also turn out to be high season for intestinal blockage due to the increase in prescriptions of certain popular weightloss medications.
Thinking of kick-starting January's weight loss with medical help?
Ozempic and Wegovy - both drugs where side effects include reducing intestinal peristalsis to such an extent that the FDA issued a letter in the autumn in which they made it clear that they will henceforth warn against acute intestinal blockage on the packaging. The risk of intestinal blockage is something most of us incl. health professionals and doctors have been unaware of with this apparent weight loss miracle drug.
Intestinal blockage is potentially life-threatening and if you already have a history of digestive disorders, you should stay far away from these medicines. Regardless of the fact that obesity is linked to a domino effect of biochemical problems in the body, the risk of intestinal blockage is simply too serious.
Last year, I admittedly also considered whether this remedy could be included as part of a broad-spectrum aid to kick-start weight loss in clients with a particularly addictive relationship with food - both to break the habit but also to change the brain's reward system. Unfortunately, it has become more apparent that the problems with muscle loss (leading to reduced metabolism - and increased tendency to gain more weight after treatment) as well as the side effects around digestion - and especially the risk of intestinal blockage - are not sustainable nor worth it.
Read MoreIf you struggle with hormone imbalance don't treat the hormones!
8 out of 10 people struggling with hormone imbalance is due to hormone disruptors present in the body - chemicals, mold and/ or certain heavy metals.
If you fail to test for the causes of the hormonal imbalance, you will be stuck taking often very high dosages of bioidentical hormones. Hormones - regardless of being bioidentical or not, are never without risk. While they can be an absolute game changer for treating issues related to menopause (female hormone decline) and andropause (male hormone decline), what I’ve found in 80% of cases is that you can get the body back to balance with either no hormone therapy or with the bare minimum IF you first treat hormone disruption issues.
This is because mold and various hormone disrupting chemicals often attach themselves to our hormone receptors, blocking bioidentical hormones from attaching.
So treating hormone imbalance with hormone therapy is the wrong way to go in 8 out of 10 cases.
You can read more on how various toxins from mold cause dangerous high estrogen levels here: https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/nursing-and-health-professions/zearalenone
Read MoreHow safe is weightloss drug Ozempic?
Everyone in Hollywood seems to be on Ozempic these days, but should we be thinking twice before we take the short-cut to weightloss?
The HighWire recently discussed exactly this topic. Click below to watch the video
https://thehighwire.com/ark-videos/the-dangerous-side-of-ozempic/
Read MoreArticle feature: Why is it so hard for us to lose weight (and keep it off)?
I’ve written an article for Danish health organization NatureHelse about why we struggle with weightloss resistance and how to break through the plauteau. You can read it here: on p. 18 in Danish only. Click here to read it.
Read MoreARTICLE feature: Women’s Health - 7 Essential Supplements to Keep You Healthy
“As a woman, you have unique nutritional needs when compared to men. And in a perfect world, you’d meet all those requirements through a balanced diet. But in reality, eating healthy isn’t enough.
“A key thing I see a lot of women struggling with is being undernourished–in large part, due to depleted soil which results in our fruit and veggies only containing a fraction of nutrients compared to what they did 50 years ago,” says Christina Santini, clinical nutritionist and owner of The Nutrition Clinic in Los Angeles, CA. “This is easily a recipe for disaster because both our overall health and hormones along with our appetite control center is tightly regulated by how nutrient dense our diet is.”
So even if you eat a wholesome, balanced diet, proper supplementation is key–especially during the winter. Here are the best women’s supplements to keep you healthy and vital all season long–and for years to come.”
I am interviewed for an article on women’s health in alternative medicine read on here:
https://alternativemedicine.com/vitamins-supplements/irreplaceable-supplements-for-women-in-the-midseason/ and feel free to share it.
Read MoreARTICLE: Recovering from mold illness
I’ve written an article based on my 10 years experience working with mold illness cases - part two of the series is out now (Danish only): Click here to read it on p 20. This article is written for the non-profit organization LNS for clients and therapists wishing to integrate conventional and holistic medicine and better transparency in health care. I recommend joining the benefits of this organization by becoming a member. You can read more about it here (Danish only): https://lns.dk/ and feel free to share.
Read MoreMold - when your home is making you sick! NEW TALK (Zoom webinar - Danish only) 13th of April
Christina Santini has been the first therapist in Europe to treat mold exposure since 2013. Did you know that 25% af astma is linked to mold exposure? How about we treated the cause instead of the symptom! It is important to get a handle on our basic needs for healthy air and clean water before we embark on more advanced dietary trends - especially since diet does not help much if our water and air are highly polluted. Gain insight into whether this is a problem for you and possibly related to your symptoms and get help to find out how it can be best managed.
To sign up for webinar click here: https://tidslerne.nemtilmeld.dk/295/
Please share.
Read MoreWhat to do about PFAS?
PFAS is a component of non-stick cookware made with Teflon, microwave popcorn, and is found in a variety of medications: anesthetics, nerve agents, antibiotics, antidepressants, antifungals, antihistamines, cholesterol-lowering medications, anti-malarials, chemotherapy, arthritis medications, psychotropics, and steroids. Of course, you should not stop taking vital medication for that reason, but it is important to know about the possible side effects. Possibly the most overlooked source in our immediate environment is our drinking and shower water.
Read MoreIs a calorie a calorie? Stanford professor explains bad science.
This is a must see, if you are stuck on counting calories.
Read MoreI'm talking about our toxic relationship to food (podcast interview)
I'm talking about health myths and facts and what a healthy relationship to food really is.
Too many of us have a toxic relationship to food and our body, and it is time we focus on thriving, rather than depriving ourselves. Afterall, life is too short to be miserable.
Listen in on the Danish podcast show #tothemoon here (in Danish only).
Read MoreToxic and obesogenic BPA most common route is from receipts NOT food!
“A study published July 11 by Swiss scientists found that BPA transfers readily from receipts to skin and can penetrate the skin to such a depth that it cannot be washed off (Biedermann 2010). This raises the possibility that the chemical infiltrates the skin's lower layers to enter the bloodstream directly. BPA has also been shown to penetrate skin in laboratory studies (Kaddar 2008). EWG collected 36 receipts and commissioned the University of Missouri Division of Biological Sciences laboratory to investigate their BPA content. This laboratory is considered one of the world's foremost research facilities in its capability to detect environmentally relevant BPA concentrations. The Missouri scientists found that the total mass of BPA on a receipt is 250 to 1,000 times greater than the amount of BPA typically found in a can of food or a can of baby formula, or that which leaches from a BPA-based plastic baby bottle into its contents. These data should not be interpreted to suggest that policymakers shift their focus from BPA contamination of food, which is widespread, to receipts. BPA exposure from food sources is ubiquitous and should remain the first priority of U.S. policymakers. However, a significant portion of the public may also be exposed to BPA by handling receipts. Since many retailers do not use BPA-laden thermal paper, this particular route of exposure is easy to correct.” Read the full report on Environmental Working Group site here: https://www.ewg.org/research/bpa-in-store-receipts
Read MoreWhy you can get fatter from fasting and eating late in the day
Everything in life is about timing. We know this intuitively - we can have the right credentials, but if we present ourselves to a potential business opportunity at the wrong time, we lose out. We can meet “the right person” at “the wrong time” - and we miss out.
I’d say the most important thing in life is neither talent nor hard work, but mastering the art of timing.
This essentially means we can get away with working smarter rather than harder in life at whatever goal it is we want. This doesn’t mean lazy, it just means understanding how to roll with resistance and surf on the waves, rather than swim against them and end up utterly burnt out. Which is, inevitable what many A-type personalities do: they keep at it til they are completely beyond exhaustion. While hard work can be admirable, there is nothing admirable about working yourself through to the bone. Life is supposed to be fun and we want to thrive.
And if we want that, the single most important thing to learn is how everything in life revolves around timing.
This applies especially to our body - how it secretes digestive enzymes and hormones at certain times throughout the day. How eating too much too late can interfere with proper detoxification at night and deep sleep. These are proven today to be irrefutable facts according to modern science and its study in circadian rhythm. Ironically this advice has been around since ancient time according to Ayurvedic teachings.
Read MoreI'm LIVE: talking with personal trainer Rocky Snyder
I'm talking to personal trainer Rocky Snyder about how mental health, hormone imbalance and men's health issues more than ever is tied to toxicity issues (also lots of crazy facial expressions going on here, but hey, I just had a double-dipped chocolate croissant, so probably a sugar-high, what can I say).
Read MoreWhy you do NOT want to consume "light" or "sugarfree"
I’ve never been a fan of light products. It’s just counterintuitive to common sense: the body counts calories partly based on taste in combo with calorie density, and if we mess with food, that will very likely have an impact on our appetite-satiety switch, which is the worst thing ever to mess with, if we wish to have a healthy relationship with food, body and weight. It is true: we don’t have science to support that drinking artificial sweetened products can be tied to serious diseases. However, I think that is pretty much besides the point. Just because you don’t get cancer from one single life-style factor, it doesn’t make it harmless.
Read MoreYou. On coffee.
It is critical to understand that coffee should be consumed no more than 3-4 x weekly, in order to keep performance optimization in tact from caffeine. If we take in high amounts of caffeine daily, we deplete our adrenals and actually lower our baseline performance. In this case, coffee only serves to help us feel somewhat normal over time, rather than the over-performer we aim to be. So go check your coffee habits. Click on to get the studies.
Read MoreStudy finds that 62% of us weigh 10-12 lbs more due to "hidden chronic constipation".
A European medical study found that approx. 62% of adults whom doctors examined had an average of 10-12 pounds of residual fecal matter buildup in their large intestines and rectums. Even people who had a bowel movement daily were at risk for accumulating old fecal matter. The majority of my clients I start of putting on a variety of herbal supplements including mimosa pudica which literally scrubs the gut and gets rids of old fecal matter and biofilm. It smells utterly disgusting the first couple months when people go to the restroom, because old bacteria and rotten fecal matter is being expelled. But better that, than having this stuff inside our gut, creating chronic inflammation and inhibiting our ability to absorb nutrients. We are NOT what we eat, if we can’t absorb it. And if the walls of our gut is insulated with a layer of old fecal matter, we have created a haven for inflammatory conditions, pathogenic bacteria, parasites etc. If we do not remove this, but rather focus on treating the situations created by this toxic environment, we will never get to the root of the cause. We will stay stuck in symptom-management: taking stuff for our bacteria balance, getting rid of fungus growth or focusing on killing the parasites etc. All of which need to be addressed, but if the environment in which these things thrive is not cleaned up, it is all in vain, and will not last in the long-term whenever we stop “treatment”. We are NOT supposed to be stuck in need of constant treatment - we are supposed to treat the core issues and then be able to finally live a normal life. Read the study here: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16009067/
Read MoreWEBINAR: The Essential role of detoxification in modern life (English only)
How do we navigate a toxic world and what is most important? Join Christina Santini, Human Nutrition and Biological Medicine practitioner to find out what it is our bodies actually need to detox from and how to do it.
ASMALLWORLD Members are invited to join an online webinar on "The Essential Role of Detoxification in Modern Life" with guest speaker Christina Santini as part of our ASMALLWORLD Webinars Series.
Tune in to this Zoom Webinar for ASmallWorld members on Tuesday, March 2nd at 20:00 CET (20:00 Zurich, 19:00 London, 14:00 New York).
To join live click here (membership required).
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