Organic acids are metabolic intermediates produced in pathways of central energy production, detoxification, neurotransmitter breakdown, and intestinal microbial activity. Accumulation of specific organic acids in urine often signals a metabolic inhibition or block. This abnormality may be due to a nutrient deficiency, an inherited enzyme deficit, toxic build-up, or drug effect. Testing for organic acids helps reveal activity and changes at the metabolic level, helping practitioners discover hidden issues and pinpoint where therapeutic focus is needed.

These profiles are available from the clinic. They provide important information for treating certain conditions. They can investigate root causes into some common ailments including:

Fatigue
Sleep abnormalities
Mood changes
Blood sugar dysregulation
Weight gain
Nausea
Multiple chemical sensitivity
Bloating
Distention
Joint pain
Gas
Reflux
Autoimmune disorders
Dermatitis
Depression
Anxiety
Cancer
Inflammation
Headaches
Early aging

The biggest factor that most men face is chronic stress. This chronic stress leads to use of cholesterol to form cortisol which in turn means that you have a decrease in amount of cholesterol available for testosterone production. We also know that estrogen intake and metabolism can serious upset the balance of testosterone in the body. For a bit of science, we know that the 2, 16, 4 estrogen pathways all have different effects on the body – and that 16 and 2 are the healthier. All of them are however influenced by dietary factors. Xenoestrogens are become more and more present in our environment and for this reason it is important that the body can get rid if the damaging 4-pathways with adequate methylation. This is an important way in which we can transform substances to be excreted and removed from the body. To make this happen we need adequate vitamins E and A, as well as NAC, green tea and lipoic acid. Also good glutathione levels are key at the point of handling quinones for removal. We also know that folates are important for proper methylation. Any insufficiency here in the body is related to cancer, cardio vascular disease, depression and anxiety – and it is some 10 years since the information came out that about 30% of us inadequately absorb folates.

So apart from keep good excretion pathways in the body to keep estrogens in balance, what can we do to decrease stress? The most important thing to do is to sleep properly. During sleep we have human growth hormone released which is essential for cortisol decrease. Often men are going to bed late, tired, stress and having had a few drinks which means that the quality of sleep is not good and there is not growth hormone decreased in order to balance high cortisol level. It’s not strange then to also see that in the USA the most common day and time for a man to have a heart attack is during the football games. High stress + bad foods. The body just gives up. The same we have to transfer to our daily lives. Stop watching the TV in the evening, play some cards, read a book, listen to some music, chat to your partner. Relax without stimulants in simple terms. Try putting the TV away in the corner or in the attic for a week. Do the same with the laptop/computer. You might realize how much more time there is the week for rest and social activities.

A week long yoga retreat at the beautiful West Lexham in Norfolk. Time to enjoy a peaceful space to rest and renew. The  surrounding landscape fields, rivers, sky and woods support a natural process of relaxation. Mindful yoga will enhance this restorative process, helping unravel and dissolve deep tensions and open towards more physical ease, fluidity and well-being.

Through creative, playful and restorative movement, participants will be invited to explore safe and varied practice to inspire and support a personal yoga enquiry. Guidance will be given in the quieter practices of breath awareness (pranayama) and towards the spacious stillness of meditation. This practice will be balanced with nourishing food, and time to sleep, read or take enchanting walks at the nearby beaches.

West Lexham Yoga Retreat

Retreat Leaders

Anita is an experienced teacher and yoga therapist, and has practiced yoga for over 20 years. Her classes and individual sessions are well known for being welcoming and inclusive. Her warm, intuitive approach encourages a gradual exploration of movement, stillness and breath to help open and integrate body, mind and heart.

Humphrey is an accomplished bodyworker, nutritionist, writer and teacher. He will be cooking during the week, an organic vegetarian whole food menu that Humphrey has personally designed to revive the whole body and enhance the relaxation process.

More Details

The retreat will be limited to 14 people.

The cost of the retreat will be £850 per person if paid in full by January the 20th 2012. The cost will be £950 after (on a twin sharing basis). En-suite rooms will be available at extra cost. Please call me on 01865 479368 to find out more. Or e-mail – humphrey.bacchus@gmail.com

Dr. Williams genetotrophic principle which states that “every individual organism that has a distinctive genetic background has distinctive nutritional needs that must be met for optimal wellbeing.” The premise of Dr Williams genetotrophic principle is that we all have wider variations in body chemistry that at once thought. As is becoming more clear the idea of ranges that are within normal limits are somewhat misleading, as each and every one of us seems to be a deviant in some respects, so we must understand that we all need to modify our diets to suit individuals not a generic population.

The biochemical individuality principle means that each and every one of us has unique blood, serum, enzyme, neurotransmitter and cell requirements. This means that there is a huge increase in the potential for sub clinical deficiencies nutritionally. In this case one person might need the recommended 3g per day of vitamin C to meet their requirements while another might need 5g or 1 g per day. We must be aware of all the possible signs and symptoms of deficiency that might appear for our patients in the skin, nails, cardiovascular system, nervous system, gums, teeth, lips. eyes and face for example. I believe that sub clinical nutritional deficiencies are prevalent in the majority, if not all, the population. This is one of the challenges facing humans since the change to our environment, lifestyle and food sources has altered radically since the hunter gatherer ancestors while our genes have altered very little.

A-tocopherol has the biggest biological activity in the body. Its main role is that of an anti-oxidant. Oxidative stress which can come about through normal metabolism as well as environmental factors such as smoke will cause fats to be damaged by the free radicals released in oxidation. Alpha-tocopherol has a unique role in protecting cell membranes, which contain fats, from these free radicals. It also has a role in reducing the oxidation of the more dangerous low density lipoproteins (LDL). LDL are implicated in a deterioration of cardiac health amongst other things. We also know that vitamin C can reinstate the activity of a-tocopherols once they have lost their activity by neutralizing free radicals, which makes the presence of vitamin c very important in antioxidant supplementation alongside vitamin e. Recently there has been much more research into the effects of one of the other tocopherols. Gamma-tocopherol (y) levels are measured to be around 10x lower in the body than a-tocopherols. This is mainly due to liver transfer proteins. Studies suggest that y-tocopherols may be utilized by the body to protect from free radicals as well as an association with reduced risk of prostrate cancer.

True vitamin E deficiency is rare. This may occur as a result of malnutrition, genetic defects and fat malabsorption syndromes. The main symptoms associated with this are neurological symptoms including dysfunction in proprioception, muscle control and the whole locomotor system. Children are particularly susceptible at the early stages of development in acquiring neurological deficits. The RDA for vitamin E ranges from 6mg/d for infants of 1-3 years old to 15mg/d for adults. This can increase to 19mg/d for women who are breastfeeding. This level was set in relation to a-tocopherol. There are few side effects of taking vitamin E though an upper limit of 1000 mg day has been set, especially as it is fat soluble. Particular care needs to be taken if vitamin E is being taken alongside blood thinners or those who are vitamin K deficient. This is because they will have an increased risk of hemorrhage. A standard western diet appears to be deficient in regard to the current guidelines for adults to consumer 15mg/d. There are many sources of oils/nuts that provide the required tocopherols. These include peanut, almonds and hazelnuts as well as olive oil, canola oil, spinach and avocado. This means that moderate vitamin E supplementation can be considered for large amounts of the population.

Most of the research surrounding vitamin E in the diet is around disease prevention. This includes cardiovascular disease, immune function, cancer, cataracts, diabetes mellitus and dementia. Studies have focused on the anti-oxidant qualities of vitamin E since many diseases are associated with increased oxidative stress. Vitamin E studies suggest that it can help to decrease risk of heart attack and heart disease in both sexes. More research is being conducted on the effect of vitamin E in neutralizing free radicals in relation to cancer, particularly in prostrate cancer. More research is being conducted into whether vitamin E has a role to play in decreasing the development of cataracts alongside a multitude of other antioxidants as well whether it can help to enhance the immune system (which some studies have shown). Positive studies have highlighted the use of vitamin E in slowing the progression of dementia and neurological impairment. We will have to wait for the outcome of more research into the specific benefits of vitamin E with regards to certain pathological states, but what we do know is that it is key in combating free radical damage in the body which is a precursor to physical and mental dysfunction.

Emotions also affect muscular tone and tension patterns. These tension patterns can be stimulated by the sympathetic nervous system. This is in control of our fight or flight mechanism and the release of cortisol from the adrenal cortex. This can impact on the mastication of food as well as the quality of connective tissue and the tissue response to physiological processes in the small intestine and down into the colon. Abdominal tension as well as restrictions in the movement of the diaphragm from paradoxical breathing impact on our digestion. The abdominal tension and changes in breathing patterns from stress and anxiety mean that we change our blood physiology from the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide. As the patterns change we alter essential metabolic processes and enzyme reactions. These elevated states and negative mindsets mean that the diaphragm also does not descend into the abdominal cavity on each inhalation. Each inhalation is restricted and the organs do not receive a gentle massage and downward movement that aids in digestion. This starts right at the moment we sit down to eat as the anxious or depressed person often does not become present and calm when eating. This means that their digestion is handicapped before they even have a mouthful of food – which makes focused breath-work and mindfulness is the most important first step to being able to facilitate proper digestion.