Through research over the last two decades, the impact of sleep on brain, immune, cardiovascular and hormonal functions has become increasingly apparent.

A recent study from the University of Rochester Medical Center(URMC) has connected sleep deprivation with inefficiency of the glymphatic system, meaning the body can't properly wash away waste and toxic proteins.

"Because the accumulation of toxic proteins such as beta amyloid and tau in the brain are associated with Alzheimer’s disease, researchers have speculated that impairment of the glymphatic system due to disrupted sleep could be a driver of the disease," the article says.

Another novel study from URMC linked sleep and microglia cells, which play a role in connections between nerve cells, fighting infections and repairing damage. The study indicates that the signals in our brain that modulate the sleep and awake state also act as a switch that turns the immune system on and off.

"This work suggests that the enhanced remodeling of neural circuits and repair of lesions during sleep may be mediated in part by the ability of microglia to dynamically interact with the brain," said Rianne Stowell, PhD, a postdoctoral associate at URMC and first author of the paper.

Sleep has also been linked to the proper function of T cells as part of the body's immune response, hormones that influence glucose regulation and appetite control and play a role in obesity, and atherosclerosis of the cardiovascular system.

Findings suggest that sleep therapy or other methods to boost quality of sleep for at-risk populations may be a potential clinical approach for treatment, a topic that will be discussed in detail at the 2020 Collaboration Cures meeting this November.

1. DRINK WATER. There is not a more important, or inexpensive, endeavor physically than replenishing our bodies of clean water. All of our systems require water to function optimally - our cells bathe in it, wastes and nutrients flow because of it, our detoxification systems rely on it, digestion is impaired without it. At times chronic headaches and low back pain are related to water deficiency. We are 80 % water in our physical makeup. Two litres per day for most people is required; or take your weight in pounds, divide by 2 and drink that amount in ounces (e.g. a 150 lb woman would drink 75 ounces daily). I suggest avoidance of chlorinated drinking water. Re-mineralized reverse osmosis is a good choice.

2. A SALAD A DAY. At my clinic I routinely conduct a diet review with all new patients. I consistently find, especially in patients that are chronically fatigued, chronically pained and/or chronically constipated that, not only is their water intake diminished, consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables is much reduced. North American diets are horribly inundated with refined, packaged, nutrient poor foods, white flour and refined sugar. Eliminate these, and replace them with fiber, nutrient dense leafy greens and other vegetables. For those that have a challenge with gas and bloating from fruits and vegetables, a reasonable approach is to start with steamed vegetables. A useful intervention is digestive support, as with enzymes, during meals, and avoidance of food sensitivities.

3. CHOOSE ORGANIC. Organic food has made its way into the marketplace for healthy reasons. Foods high on the food chain concentrate chemicals and hormones in their tissues, and yet we require many such foods for optimal nutrition balance. The dominance of hormones in our food supply accumulates progressively in our own tissues, leading to problems with reproductive tissue structure and function, and ultimately to the worst kind of pathology: cancer. Antibiotic use in livestock takes place at a huge cost to human health, affecting bowel flora balance and contributing to reduced effectiveness of antibiotics when required to fight life-threatening infections (i.e. antibiotic resistance). Organic food has been shown to possess 40% more nutrients than non-organic counterparts, since chemicals negatively impact soil richness. In Canada, our largest exposure to pesticides comes from our standard diet. One's greatest defense against environmental toxicity in general is nutrients. Our diets, therefore, must be sources of nutrients, not chemicals.

4. PAY ATTENTION TO SYMPTOMS. Ignore, or worse suppress, symptoms at your own peril. Headaches, bloating, gas, fatigue, muscle pain, frequent colds, skin rashes and so on are all signs of an underlying disturbance calling out for correction, not mere suppression. Track symptoms, listen to your body, and learn to describe them in detail to a health provider who will listen. The greatest amount of information about one's health comes not from lab tests or scans, but from symptoms interpreted meaningfully.

5. BE KIND TO YOUR LIVER. Sub-optimal liver function lies at the core of many medical symptoms. It is an organ with multiple roles, from detoxification, to digestion, to hormone metabolism, to regulator of circulation. Being kind to the liver means avoiding undue exposure to chemicals, both in the diet and around the household. It means paying attention to healthy intestinal function, thereby reducing bowel toxicity and autointoxication. It means using probiotics routinely, and other supplements, particularly antioxidants and herbs, that are therapeutically supportive to liver functions. It means understanding Eastern medicine concepts detailing the liver as an emotional organ, and its connection to anger.

6. PRACTISE ACTIVE LIVING. Exercise has innumerable health benefits, for mood and sleep, for immune system strength, for cardiovascular function, for sweating and detoxification. A sedentary lifestyle is a choice for chronic medical conditions, and the options for inactive living are far too accessible. Computers, television and video games, combined with unhealthy snack foods and drinks, have assisted the development of our current pediatric obesity epidemic. Over 50 % of adult Ontarians are overweight and obesity is now recognized by experts as the second-leading preventable cause of death after cigarette smoking. For most of us, overweight or not, active living can also mean taking the stairs, raking the leaves, parking further away, or not driving at all. It is time to get back to active living, to get off the couch or desk chair, and to breathe some fresh air outdoors.

Many of the patients who come to me initially do not have good diets. They may be too busy to shop and prepare meals, or not know how to prepare healthy food on the go. By the time someone ends up in my office they have a medical necessity and are in desperate need of a dietary turnaround for their health.

If someone has been eating poorly, I try to make food adjustments that are better but not perfect so as not to overwhelm him or her. In light of that attempt on my part, occasionally when I present a person with an individualized food plan they may become overwhelmed. This depends on the individual. For some, dietary changes are exciting and for others they can be down right daunting.

In this blog I am enclosing my 8 food tips to help someone shift towards a new dietary practice. Read on…

1) Start slowly: Read over the entire food plan and go on a shopping field trip to the local health food store, farmers market, or Trader Joes. Browse through the aisles; compare what the plan says to what you see on the shelves. Check out the vegetables, which ones would you normally bring home, try something different.
2) Focus on breakfast: Read the food plan and incorporate changes to your typical breakfast routine each morning during week one. Do not change lunch or dinner until the following week. Really work at becoming familiar with your new breakfast routine.
3) Simple and delicious: Keep meals simple but hearty. For example plain quinoa flakes can be dressed up with chopped apple, walnuts, flax seeds, stevia and cinnamon.
4) Invest in a good cookbook: Check out my cookbook,Feed your Cells!What can I say I’m biased, for years my patients asked me to recommend a good cookbook and I couldn’t so I wrote my own.
5) Get Inspired! Ever go to a restaurant, have a fantastic meal and try to re-create it at home? Well do it!
6) Think Positive: Instead of feeling deprived, think about how all of the new adventures in vegetables that you are having is helping your body to detoxify and ward off cancer.
7) Make one meal go a long way. You will read about this in my cookbook but there should always be leftovers for lunch. I will cook a pot of lentils on a Sunday and have them over quinoa and spinach for breakfast and lunch for two days in a row. That saves a LOT of time.
8) Transition from fake to real. Ask yourself does this food grow out in nature? Have I seen this food on a farm? If the answer is yes, then it is probably real. Real food gives us life.

Note from Dr. P:
Remember when you were a kid and learning to ride a bicycle? You didn’t ride that bicycle perfect the first time you tried. For some reason when we become adults we do not give ourselves the compassion of trial and error. We become impatient with ourselves when something is difficult. Healthy eating is a necessity, you pay now or you pay later. When you are ready to embrace good health, the path reveals itself. Adapting to a new way of eating and adopting new food behaviors take time. Try to break it down into bite size pieces and before you know it you will be shopping, cooking, and eating healthy, nutritious food. Looking for healthy recipes?Buy my book!

-Be Healthy, Happy & Holistic

Diets rich in fruits and vegetables are good for us, skin included. Healthful foods reduce inflammation and decrease the likelihood of skin breakouts. On the flip side, there are also a few studies that scientifically support the role of two food groups in acne promotion: dairy products and simple carbohydrates (think processed foods and sugary soft drinks).

To keep your skin in tip-top shape, make sure you incorporate these foods into your diet (along with a good skincare routine that features natural skincareproducts):

Vitamin A. Vitamin A helps regulate the skin cycle and is also the main ingredient in Accutane, an effective prescription medicine for acne. Good food sources of vitamin A include fish oil, salmon, carrots, spinach, and broccoli. Too much vitamin A can lead to toxic side effects, however. Limit your daily dose to 10,000 IU and never take it while pregnant or nursing.

Zinc. There is some evidence that people with acne have lower than normal levels of the mineral zinc. Zinc appears to help prevent acne by creating an environment inhospitable to the growth of P. acnes bacteria It also helps calm skin irritated by breakouts. Zinc is found in turkey, almonds, Brazil nuts, and wheat germ.

Vitamins E and C. The antioxidants vitamin E and vitamin C have a calming effect on the skin. Sources of vitamin C include oranges, lemons, grapefruit, papaya, and tomatoes. You can get vitamin E from sweet potatoes, nuts, olive oil, sunflower seeds, avocados, broccoli, and leafy green vegetables.

Selenium. The mineral selenium has antioxidant properties that help protect skin from free radical damage. Food sources of selenium include wheat germ, tuna, salmon, garlic, Brazil nuts, eggs, and brown rice.

Omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids support the normal healthy skin cell turnover that helps keep acne at bay. You can get omega-3 fatty acids from cold water fish, such as salmon and sardines; flaxseed oil; walnuts; sunflower seeds; and almonds.

Water. Last but definitely not least, water. Many of us have our morning coffee and then drink only one drink during the day and one at night. Water helps hydrate your body and leads to plump, healthy skin. Adequate hydration helps flush out toxins that can cause skin problems. It is also essential for skin metabolism and regeneration.

Sources: Mt. Sinai Medical Center,WebMD