Issue #253: NO Limits: The Hormone You Don't Know
Good morning. It’s Tuesday, October 17th.
Today’s Quick Win
From the Lab: Top 6 Ways to Boost Nitric Oxide
Speed Read: CRISPR for Brain Disease
Tuesday QR: Thai Broccoli Salad
“Nitric oxide is a key biological messenger within the body. When released by the cells lining your arteries, it makes the walls of the arteries relax, allowing more blood to flow.”
The annual healthcare cost from heart disease - cost of healthcare, drugs and lost productivity. It’s still probably a low estimate. (CDC)
From the Lab
The best strategy to live longer and better - avoid the top killers.
Number 1 on the list is still heart disease - it still accounts for 20% of all deaths in the U.S.*
*That’s 695,000 deaths a year
So what are we doing about it?
A lot of us (I mean A LOT) are taking statins. In 2009, 31M Americans took a statin - but in 2019 that number jumped to 92M. That’s a 3x increase in 10 years.
That means more than 1 in 3 Americans (35%) are taking a statin, increasing to 57% for everyone over 40.
These drugs target the reduction of cholesterol in an attempt to lower the risk of heart disease. Many professionals suggest these drugs are safe - but there are side effects that can actually increase blood sugar levels (this is the opposite of what you want to do for heart health), liver issues, and muscle problems.
The thinking is that we want to lower the amount of cholesterol flowing through our blood vessels to prevent a blockage - leading to heart attack or stroke.
But cholesterol is also essential to live (see Issue #185) and the correlation between cholesterol and heart problems isn’t as strong as we once thought.**
The problem isn’t cholesterol flowing through our vessels - it’s when it gets stuck to the walls and hardens (why we need to get a Calcium Score).
There’s another reason it gets stuck - we stop producing enough nitric oxide (NO).
NO is actually the primary molecule (and hormone) that keeps the inner walls of our blood vessels (endothelial layer) healthy and smooth so that these cholesterol particles don’t get stuck.
It actually boosts our blood supply to all parts of the body. Lack of blood supply = disease, inflammation, dying cells. This is true in our heart, brain, and just about every organ in our body.
Check out expert, Dr. Nathan Bryan, on just how important NO is to our health & longevity.
**Always consult with your medical professional for all medications and services to protect your heart and all other health-related matters.
What can we do to boost our NO?
It won’t surprise you that it’s the same stuff that we always say - but there are a few specifics for NO:
Exercise releases NO from red blood cells to flow to the brain, heart and muscles.
Eat leafy greens (kale, Swiss chard, arugula), garlic, and beets - NO comes from nitrites and nitrates and these veggies (almost anything of real color that we put in a salad) are great sources (full list).
Eat squash, pumpkins this fall - foods high in L-Citrulline (amino acid) for NO.
Eat grass-fed meat, fish, nuts - foods high in l-arginine (amino acid) for NO.
Avoid mouthwash, antacids - anything that crushes our microbiome. For your mouth - avoid sugar foods, brush, floss and use a water pick.
HUM - it’s real that you can increase your NO 15x by humming. Check out James Nestor for getting the right tune. Here’s the research.
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Speed Read
Health & Longevity in the News
CRISPR-Based Gene Therapy for Brain Diseases: The NIH awarded $40M to the Yale School of Medicine to fund research in a new CRISPR-based gene therapy targeting genetic brain diseases. Per the lead researcher - “if we can prove the concept of this technology in the two diseases we’re studying, we can then apply it to hundreds or thousands of diseases of the brain.” (Source)
AI for Healthy Food: Half of Americans have diabetes or prediabetes. The food industry doesn’t seem interested in helping, but through users’ continuous glucose monitor (CGM) trackers, January AI is developing digital models of a user’s physiology. The company then runs recipes through simulations to determine the food’s impact on glucose levels for each cohort to help their clients, like Nestlé, develop healthier products. (Fortune)
Potential to Solve the Organ Shortage: 17 lives are lost each day while waiting for an organ transplant. MIT engineers have created a method to 3D print robotic hearts that could be personalized to the appearance and function of a patient’s heart. (Source)
Tuesday QR | Thai Broccoli Salad
Enjoy a Thai-inspired broccoli salad, bursting with nutrients from colorful veggies like broccoli, bell peppers, carrots and red cabbage. This delight features protein-rich chickpeas and cashews, and a spicy ginger-peanut dressing. It's not just a flavor fiesta - it's a health boost in a bowl!
Great for a few lunches this week or for a side at dinner.
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The information in this newsletter is for informational purposes only and may not be appropriate or applicable based on your individual circumstances. Thrive25 Labs LLC does not provide medical, professional, or licensed advice. Please connect with your healthcare professional for medical advice specific to your health needs.