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Take a break from your hustle and get moving with this 30 minute HIIT circuit with Under Armour trainer Alex Aust.
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According to the World Health Organization, ischemic heart disease and stroke were the top two causes of death across the world in 2016.1 Although there have been dramatic declines in cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), ailments in this category continue to remain major causes of loss of health and life.2
In the U.S., the CDC’s Division for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention reports that 1 in every 3 deaths is from heart disease and $1 of every $6 is spent on CVD.3
While the statistics are disturbing, cardiovascular disease can also lead to nonlethal stroke, heart attack, disability, serious illness and a lower quality of life. These conditions can trigger fatigue, depression and related problems.
The American Heart Association tracks seven key health factors and behaviors they believe increase your risk for heart disease and stroke.4 They call these “Life’s Simple 7,” which they measure to track progress toward their goal of improving the cardiovascular health of people in the U.S.
While each of Life's Simple 7 behaviors and risk factors are important to overall health, they do not address problems with sleep as contributing factors.
In an interview with KYW radio, Dr. Zeeshan Khan, pulmonologist from the Deborah Heart and Lung Center, talked about sleep disorders and the relationship they have with CVD, especially in the midst of the current pandemic.5 He told the reporter that the International Classification of Sleep Disorders identifies at least 60 diagnoses in seven categories.6
The two most common are insomnia and obstructive sleep apnea. With sustained poor sleep, a person may experience altered judgment, mood swings and impaired cognition. Khan also listed problems with the cardiovascular system and immunity in people who chronically get less than seven hours of sleep each night.
He warned that lack of sleep can lead to problems with a person's general health. He recommends that on average, people should get seven hours of sleep each night, but he also shared that in America, about 35% of the people get less than that. “We are kind of a sleep-deprived nation,” he said.
Symptoms of disrupted sleep or insomnia can vary depending on the person. Although you may take a 30-minute power nap in the early afternoon, it doesn't get rid of sleep debt. It may help you feel better in the immediate moment, but it doesn't impact the effect of sleep debt on your overall health.
When asked about how long it should take to fall asleep, Khan said the average amount of time is 15 to 20 minutes. However, the time it takes to fall asleep is extended when people take their smartphone or computer to bed with them. Using these devices can disrupt sleep in several ways, including by engaging your mind at a time when it should be slowing down.
Khan advises people to first use nonpharmacological treatments to help them sleep, such as cognitive behavioral therapy, mindfulness, a consistent sleep routine and meditation. He also recommends steering clear of medications as they can be addictive and they only treat the symptom of sleep disruption, not the reason behind it.
Additionally, he recommends steering clear of having a nightcap to help you relax and fall asleep. This is because drinking alcohol before bed may help you fall asleep faster, but in the long term it can have a negative effect on your sleep patterns. He stresses the importance of using a routine to go to sleep to cue your biological clock.
He went on to discuss the problems with sleep apnea, which often overlap with snoring. During snoring the upper airway narrows, which causes vibrations in the membranes. Although most people with sleep apnea snore, not all people who snore have sleep apnea.
When people with diabetes, heart disease or other problems also snore, they should be evaluated for sleep apnea, especially if they start having problems during the day. Sleep apnea lowers the amount of oxygen delivered to the brain, heart and other organs during sleep. According to Khan:7
“Almost every cardiac morbidity you can think of has been linked to sleep apnea. Heart disease, heart failure, arrhythmias, strokes … inflammatory issues like diabetes, worsening obesity — the list can go on and on.”
In a recent study in Sleep Standards, researchers evaluated the results from a survey of 1,062 people across the U.S.8 The objective was to gain an understanding of how technology may have a relationship with sleep disorders.
One key finding was that 71.8% of the respondents who reported a disruption in sleep pattern also used technology just before bed. The researchers separated the participants into five age groups, which represented the total number in the survey. They were:
They also found that those under age 25 were the most likely to have sleep disorders. People who had a sleep disorder averaged five hours of sleep per night and spent up to 20 hours in front of a bright screen each day.9 The participants also reported that they used their technology devices within 30 minutes of bedtime: 70.2% watched television; 59.4% checked social media; 31.8% checked email; and 32.9% played video games.10
Of all the participants, 57.8% said they used cell phones, which was higher than television use at 18.5% or computer use at 14.2%. The highest percentage of participants in the survey had insomnia at 64.3%.
Although sleep apnea was the second most common disorder, it ran a far second at 14%. Other disorders reported in the survey included sleep paralysis, parasomnias, restless leg syndrome and narcolepsy. Although many experts such as Khan recommend steering clear of pharmaceutical remedies to treat insomnia, 51.2% of those surveyed reported using sleeping pills and 47.5% had tried other medications.
Fragmented or disturbed sleep happens when you fall asleep easily but awaken during the night. This may happen frequently, and you go back to sleep easily, or you awaken and have a hard time going back to sleep. This type of sleep pattern can trigger chronic inflammation that contributes to mental health issues and neurological disorders.11
Lack of sleep also affects your immune system by reducing the number of protective cytokines available.12 In addition, it is associated with atherosclerosis, which is the buildup of plaque in the arteries. This may be called “clogged” or “hardened” arteries and can lead to lethal heart disease.
The exact mechanism of poor sleep in inducing atherosclerosis may have been clarified in a study published by UC Berkeley sleep scientists, who found that an increase in neutrophil and monocyte levels during fragmented sleep had an impact on the pathology of atherosclerosis. They wrote:13
“… these findings affirm a pathway in which the quality of human sleep, specifically the degree of fragmentation, raises inflammatory-related white blood cells, thereby conferring increased risk for atherosclerosis. This was true of sleep fragmentation assessed across a week or across a single night, which predicted increasingly higher CAC [Coronary Artery Calcification] score through a mediating association with increased neutrophils.”
Sleep deprivation is also linked to the development of Alzheimer's disease and other neurodegenerative conditions. A recent animal study from Marche Polytechnic University in Italy revealed that astrocytes in the brain will start to break down healthy nerve synapses when you are chronically sleep deprived.14 They wrote that the results suggested:
"… that like many other stressors, extended sleep disruption may lead to a state of sustained microglia activation, perhaps increasing the brain's susceptibility to other forms of damage."
For several years Mattress Firm has commissioned a survey on sleep habits and the number of hours people are sleeping each night. The 2019 results show Americans are sleeping less and less. They asked 3,000 adults about their sleep habits, how satisfied they were with their sleep and about the frequency of sleeping and naps. They compared those results to those from 2018.15
What they found was a sad commentary on the speed at which modern society has chosen to live. It seems that getting at least six hours has become more challenging with each passing year. In 2018, results from the survey showed the average person was sleeping six hours and 17 minutes each night, but by 2019 that had dropped to 5.5 hours.16
Experts currently recommend adults from 18 to 65 years sleep consistently from seven to nine hours each night.17 In other words, most people are sleeping at least 1.5 hours less each night than the minimum that experts think is important for optimal health.
While the number of hours you sleep is important, so is the quality. So, it’s even more disheartening to read that 25% of the respondents reported they also “consistently slept poorly in 2019.”18
Since the amount of quality sleep at night was on the decline, it makes sense that respondents reported they took more naps in 2019 than 2018. But, while more were taken, survey findings indicate there were many planned naps that didn’t get taken.
The survey defined a “great night’s sleep” as “quickly falling asleep and staying that way until morning.” There were about 120 nights fitting that criteria. Americans are so desperate for a good night of sleep they said they were willing to “pay $316.61 for just one night of perfect sleep.” This was $26.16 more than in 2018.
Interestingly, the people who reported the best sleep were those who slept on their back or slept with a pet in their bed. While side sleeping was the more common position reported in the survey, these were the same respondents who had the most difficult time getting to sleep.
As I've written before, your sleep quality may be impacted by several factors, including your sleep pattern, the number of hours you spend sleeping and by the light and electromagnetic pollution in your area. If you've ever gone camping, you may have noticed a change in your sleep quality. Chances are you had a deeper sleep and awakened more rested.
Two factors that influence sleeping better outdoors are the drastic reduction in artificial lights and the reduction in electromagnetic fields (EMF). Your circadian clock is affected by your melatonin levels, which in turn are affected by exposure to light at night. You might enjoy the same restful sleep if you install blackout blinds, use a sleep mask and get rid of any light-emitting source in your bedroom.
Electromagnetic fields also may impair sleep quality19 and produce oxidative damage during sleep.20 Consider shutting off all your electronic devices and your Wi-Fi modem and router at night to reduce your exposure and improve your sleep quality. For more tips on improving the number of hours you sleep and the quality of your sleep, see “Top 33 Tips to Optimize Your Sleep Routine.”
Glucosinolates are sulfur-containing phytochemicals most notably found in cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cabbage and Brussels sprouts. But research shows that Moringa, also known as the drumstick tree or the horseradish tree, is also high in these health-promoting compounds.
According to a May 2018 report published in Scientific Reports,1 Moringa not only contains high levels of glucosinolates, but also has unique glucosinolates that are responsible for many of its medicinal properties.
Glucosinolates, which are inert, are metabolized into bioactive isothiocyanates by an enzyme called myrosinase.2 The primary isothiocyanate in Moringa responsible for many of its health benefits is moringin,3 created by hydrolysis of glucomoringin.4
Moringin is also known as 4RBITC (after its chemical name, 4-(alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyloxy)benzyl isothiocyanate). Like sulforaphane in broccoli, moringin has potent anti-inflammatory and cytoprotective effects.5
According to Jed Fahey, a nutritional biochemist and assistant professor at Johns Hopkins Medical School, moringin is just as potent as sulforaphane, and in some assays actually more potent.
Before diving into the specific health benefits of Moringa and why glucosinolates are important, it’s helpful to know what Moringa is. Moringa is a tree native to India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan.6
There are 14 different species of Moringa, but the most common and most widely consumed is Moringa oleifera, sometimes referred to as the “miracle vegetable.” If you live in a subtropical area and decide to plant this tree, be careful, as it is one of the fastest growing trees I have ever seen.
I planted a few to have as shrubs that I can harvest for my salad. I stopped using it when I switched to carnivore and six months later, these trees were 25 feet tall, blocking my solar panels, and the trunks had a 12-inch circumference.
For centuries, Moringa oleifera has been used in Ayurvedic and natural medicine as a remedy for inflammation, infectious diseases and chronic conditions such as heart disease, blood diseases and digestive disorders.7
While Moringa oleifera is an excellent source of vitamins, minerals and several phenolic compounds, many of the health benefits of the plant come down to its glucosinolates and the isothiocyanate moringin. Interestingly, recent research has revealed a previously unknown glucosinolate in wild Moringa.
Glucosinolates are a class of sulfur-containing compounds found in cruciferous vegetables, also called the Brassica family of vegetables, and Moringa, but Moringa oleifera contains several members of the glucosinolate family that aren’t found anywhere else. The most concentrated glucosinolate in Moringa oleifera is glucomoringin (GMG), which has antioxidant and anticancer benefits.
Researchers recently discovered a novel type of glucosinolate in wild forms of Moringa oleifera dubbed 4-(-L-glucopyranosyloxy)benzyl GS (4GBGS).8 Domestic forms of Moringa oleifera, or those specifically grown for human consumption, also had some levels of 4GBGS, but in much lower concentrations.
The researchers speculate that this may be due to the manufacturers’ desire to improve the naturally bitter taste of Moringa. Since glucosinolates contain sulfur, they have a distinct, sometimes off-putting flavor.
In addition to GMG and 4GBGS, Moringa oleifera also contains at least 10 other glucosinolates that work together to provide many of the health benefits of Moringa.
Moringa has also been shown to have potent antibiotic activity against a wide variety of pathogens, including Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhimurium, Candida and Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori).9 According to Scientific Reports:10
“ … (4RBITC), the isothiocyanate created by hydrolysis of ‘glucomoringin’ … from M. oleifera is a potent and selective antibiotic against H. pylori.
Other studies have shown that the antibiotic activity of 4RBITC from M. oleifera is selective and potent against other important human pathogens such as Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans. It also appears to be effective in controlling certain manifestations of both ALS and multiple sclerosis in mouse models.
A growing number of epidemiologic, animal, and clinical studies link dietary glucosinolates and their cognate isothiocyanates to protection against chronic diseases including a variety of cancers, diabetes, and autism spectrum disorder …”
A 2005 study11 in Planta Medica compared the effectiveness of several different isothiocyanates to see which offered the most potent protection against H. pylori. Of the isothiocyanates tested, sulforaphane and moringin (4RBITC) were the most effective.
In another study,12 researchers collected bacteria samples from fecal matter that was supplied by a hospital in Portugal. A total of 18 aerobic bacterial strains, including Enterococcus faecalis, Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus saprophyticus, E. coli (two strains) and Salmonella typhi, were isolated.
The samples were then exposed to three different glucosinolates and three isothiocyanates. While the intact glucosinolates had no effect on the bacteria, the isothiocyanates, specifically SFN, BITC and PEITC, had high antimicrobial activities. In some cases, the isothiocyanates were actually more effective than antibiotics.
Moringa is also a source of high-quality protein. Just 2 teaspoons of dried Moringa powder contain 1 gram of protein13 and the total mean protein content of domesticated Moringa oleifera is 30.24%.14 Perhaps most important is the fact that Moringa contains all of the nine essential amino acids, something that many other sources of plant protein fall short on.
Amino acids are important because they’re the building blocks of protein. Conversely, when your body breaks down or digests the proteins you eat, amino acids are what's left behind. Your body uses amino acids to make new proteins that carry out a variety of different functions, from growth and repair to wound healing to food metabolism.
There are 20 different amino acids that are classified as either essential or nonessential. Your body can make the nonessential amino acids itself, but it cannot make the essential amino acids. That’s why you need to get them from food.
The nine essential amino acids are histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, tryptophan, threonine and valine. Three of these essential amino acids — leucine, isoleucine and valine — are also categorized as branched-chain amino acids (BCAA) because they have a branched molecular structure.
While your liver breaks down most amino acids, it can’t break down BCAAs. Because of this, BCAAs are broken down primarily in your muscle. As such, they help improve exercise performance and reduce the breakdown of muscle.15
There aren’t a lot of plant foods that contain all of the essential amino acids, but moringa does. According to the African Journal of Biotechnology, moringa has a total of 19 amino acids,16 including all nine essential amino acids.17 As detailed in several research articles, including the journal Amino Acids, the nine essential amino acids have important biological roles, including the following:18
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Isoleucine19 — Helps stabilize your blood sugar and is required, along with leucine and valine, for muscle synthesis, repair, energy and endurance. |
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Leucine20 — Helps lower blood sugar that is elevated and triggers the production of growth hormone. Along with isoleucine and valine, leucine promotes the growth of muscle, bone and skin. |
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Valine21 — Helps maintain muscle metabolism and nitrogen balance. It’s also used in tissue repair and energy production. |
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Lysine22 — Is needed in the production of hormones, collagen, enzymes and antibodies. It also helps combat viruses and plays a role in calcium assimilation and protein construction in bones and muscle. |
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Methionine23 — Is converted into homocysteine and vice versa, based on the needs of your body. It’s also a primary source of sulfur in your body, which is required for healthy hair, skin and nails. |
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Tryptophan24 — Aids in the production of niacin (vitamin B3), which is required for serotonin and melatonin production. |
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Phenylalanine25 — Plays a role in memory formation and nervous system function and helps reduce inflammation. |
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Threonine26,27 — Important for healthy cardiovascular system, central nervous system, immune system and liver function. It also plays a role in the digestion of fats, and promotes healthy collagen, muscle tissue, skin and bones. |
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Histidine28 — Required for red and white blood cell production, and aids in tissue repair. Importantly, histidine helps protect your nerves by maintaining the myelin sheath around them. |
In addition to essential amino acids, Moringa contains beneficial fatty acids (44.57% being a-linolenic acid29), beta-carotene, phenolics, zeatin, quercetin, beta-sitosterol, kaempferol,30 flavonoids and isothiocyanates.31 Two teaspoons of dried Moringa powder also offers32 0.999 grams of fiber, 80 mg of calcium and 200 IU of vitamin C.
In addition to the previously mentioned health benefits, other studies report that Moringa also:
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Helps protect diabetes patients from retinopathy — Retinopathy is caused by the inflammation of the blood vessels in the eyes, which may lead to fluid leakage. If left untreated, retinopathy may advance into complete blindness. Moringa may help stop retinopathy by regulating blood sugar in diabetes patients and protecting the retina from inflammation. This is usually attributed to moringa's high antioxidant content.33 |
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May ease asthma — One study34 found Moringa oleifera can decrease the severity of symptoms in people with asthma and improve lung function parameters, including forced vital capacity, forced expiratory volume and peak expiratory flow, without any negative side effects. Moringa oleifera was also shown to reduce the severity of asthma attacks. |
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Helps protect liver, kidney, heart, testes and lung health35 |
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Has analgesic properties36 |
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Has antiulcer activity37 |
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Helps lower blood pressure38 |
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Protects against radiation39 |
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Helps modulate immune function40 |
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Has anti-inflammatory41 and antiviral activity, thanks to quercetin42,43,44 |
Similar to matcha, most Moringa is available in powder form. The Moringa leaves are dried and then ground to form a concentrated powder that’s rich in all of the beneficial compounds, vitamins and minerals that moringa has to offer.
Consuming Moringa this way may be especially beneficial because the leaves are never cooked, only dried. Cooking can denature the myrosinase enzyme, reducing the amount of glucosinolates that get converted to the active isothiocyanates and the amount of isothiocyanates that your body absorbs.45
You can also purchase Moringa in oil or capsule form. When deciding on a source, consider one made from wild Moringa. Wild-harvested Moringa may be more bitter than domesticated versions, but ensures that you’re getting all of the beneficial glucosinolates and the health benefits that come with them.
Moringa supplements can contain a large range of Moringa leaf powder, anywhere from 500 to 2,000 mg, depending on the size of the capsule. The recommended amount for adult supplementation is two capsules per day, one in the morning and one at night.
However, it would be best that you consult a doctor or health practitioner before taking the supplement. This will ensure that the dosage is advisable for you or that the supplement will not interact with any medications you may currently be taking.
While moringa offers impressive health benefits, it's also important to be aware of the possible side effects moringa supplementation may cause. For pregnant mothers, it's best that you avoid the use of Moringa oleifera supplements, as there are insufficient studies that show Moringa is safe for pregnant women. There are also a few studies that suggest Moringa, when taken during the early stages of pregnancy, may cause miscarriage due to its ability to cause uterine contractions.46
You can also harvest the seeds, sow them and harvest them like microgreens, i.e., while they’re small, like sprouts. For guidance on how to grow Moringa trees in general, see my previous article, “How to Grow Moringa Tree.”
It’s true that Moringa contains unique glucosinolates, like glucomoringin that you can’t find anywhere else, but they’re not the only source of glucosinolates in the diet. If you want to increase your intake of these beneficial plant compounds in other ways, you can do so by including these foods:47
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Brussels sprouts |
Broccoli |
Watercress |
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Garden cress |
Mustard greens |
Turnip |
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Savoy cabbage |
Kale |
Turnip greens |
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Red cabbage |
Horseradish |
Cauliflower |
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Bok choy |
Collard greens |
Kohlrabi |
