By Dr. Nicole Sundene

2020 has truly been NUTS therefore I have taken on the important task as a Naturopathic Doctor to officially declare walnut the OFFICIAL NUT OF 2020!

Why walnuts do you ask? 

Walnuts are extremely healing and calming for our brains and nervous systems and should therefore be everyone's #1 GO TO SNACK to munch on while trying to stay calm in the Pandemic. You can calmly snack on your walnuts and enjoy watching my Facebook video of "Squirrels Eating Walnuts." Watch how FAST the squirrels are able to rotate the walnuts around in their tiny little hands....must be all of those powerful Omega 3's in their walnuts! 

Who doesn't need some brain soothing Omega-3's at this point in the Pandemic to calm their over-stressed and frazzled nervous system?

Researchers have concluded from multiple human and animal studies that walnuts are preventive for Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, Stroke, and Depression. Walnuts are also shown to be preventive of Cardiovascular Disease and Type 2 Diabetes [1,2,3].  

Walnuts are effective in multiple health conditions because they are anti-inflammatory. This is extremely important right now in the Pandemic with overweight patients dying at higher rates due to increased inflammatory molecules produced by their fat cells. 

Walnuts have multiple anti-inflammatory benefits necessary to reduce CRP, nitrous oxide, cytokines and PGE-2 which triggers the evil inflammatory cascade of Prostaglandins in the COX-2 pathway that are increased in obesity. Due to these excess Prostaglandins made from fat cells the more overweight someone is---> the more fat cells they have making PGE-2 and inflammatory molecules and thus the higher baseline levels of inflammation laying the foundation for increased risk during the Pandemic. When your body is inflamed you are at risk at any point for chronic disease. 

Inflammation and weight gain are an ironic vicious loop patients get stuck in as: 

MORE FAT causes --->MORE PGE-2 which then causes ---> MORE INFLAMMATION which further --->INCREASES PGE-2 levels----> which increase ESTROGEN which causes BLOATING, FATIGUE, MOODINESS, SWELLING AND MORE WEIGHT GAIN---> increasing our FAT CELLS---> MORE PGE-2--> RINSE & REPEAT

We then have a vicious cycle of further weight gain which causes --->more fat cells to create more PGE-2 which then---> Turns Lipolysis OFF. 

PGE-2 is the MASTER SWITCH that ----> TURNS LIPOLYSIS OFF!

When the body is "on fire" with inflammation it is not burning fat it is busy burning inflammation. When you cannot properly burn fat for fuel you are constantly fatigued and looking for caffeine to boost your energy. You can scroll down my blog to read the story of when I suffered from this vicious cycle and read about my "PGE-2 Diet" designed to balance hormones and break women out of constant pain and weight gain. 


While Almonds and Cashews have been the "Rockstar Nuts of Christmas Past" in many popular health fads they are not nearly as powerful as walnuts when it comes to improving inflammation and brain health due to their Omega-3's.

I am appointing Walnut as the OFFICIAL NUT OF 2020 for the following Biochemical Reasons:


I love how walnuts look like little tiny brains while also helping our big brains with their HUGE Omega-3 content! In Naturopathic Medicine we refer to this as the "Doctrine of Signatures" when the plant looks like the body part it is useful for. Nothing could be more true with walnuts! Researchers have actually concurred with the "Doctrine of Signatures"  and found walnuts beneficial for preventing cognitive decline in both Alzheimers and Parkinsons disease.

Walnuts are my favorite nut because they are one of the only significant vegetarian sources of Omega 3's aside from chia seeds and algae. Omega-3 Fatty acids are needed to make the fatty conductive layer around our nerves known as the Myelin Sheath. Without a healthy Myelin Sheath our brains and nervous systems do not work efficiently and are about as effective at transmitting signals as a frayed electrical cord.

If you have Neuropathy, Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinsons, Alzheimers or any other degenerative disorder of the nervous system you should think about making walnuts your new favorite snack. Of course check with me or your Naturopathic Doctor if you take any medications when using Functional Foods like walnuts that are delicious to eat and also healing to your body. 

Omega-3 Fatty acids are extremely necessary for proper nerve conduction. Without sufficient Omega-3's our nervous system cannot run optimally. Whenever MD's ask me how they can practice more integrated medicine I tell them "Just put everyone on Omega-3 fish oil, watch them improve...and then of course happily take all the credit when they are better!"

Omega-3's are truly THAT powerful and therefore an important part of my "PGE-2 Diet" program to balance female hormones, reduce pain and chronic inflammation. When our cells and hormones are not made from good fats and instead made from arachidonic acid we have more pain, inflammation and chronic disease.

When researching walnuts I was able to find multiple studies that they are good for reducing inflammation, assisting with weight loss and satiety, decrease risk for diabetes and improve function in our brains and cardiovascular systems. Omega-3's also help reduce PGE-2 aka inflammation which is very important to keep your body in an anti-inflammatory state during the Pandemic. You can take my word for it and eat 1/4 cup of walnuts a day for brain health while happily watching my new Facebook video on "Squirrels eating walnuts,"  OR you can read all my science and research below on walnuts. Be sure to follow my Facebook page to receive my latest videos, recipes and herbal crafts!


History of Walnuts
Walnuts are the seeds mostly found in genus Juglans that have numerous health benefits. The most commonly consumed walnut is the English Walnut which is scientifically known as Juglans regia and also called Persian Walnut. The hull of Black Walnut or Juglans Nigra is commonly used in herbal medicine as an anti-parasitic. 


Biochemistry of Walnuts
Walnuts are rich with certain phytochemicals, including fatty acids (such as alpha-linolenic acid), Ellagitannins, Proanthocyanidins, phenolic compounds (such as syringic acid and naphthoquinone juglone), flavanols, and dihydrochalcones. Walnuts also contain alpha tocopherols (vitamin E), phytosterols, non-sodium minerals, and melatonin [1, 2].

In historical herbal medicine, walnuts were used as an aphrodisiac agent by Romans to improve their sexual performance. The high Omega-3 content is likely helping with vascular elasticity. The tree of Walnut is considered a symbol of wisdom, knowledge, and intelligence. Native Americans considered walnut as a symbol of focus, attention, clarity, and high energy source for new projects [13]. 


Anti-inflammatory Activity of Walnuts
Walnuts shows an anti-inflammatory response by inhibiting the production of pro-inflammatory mediators such as nitric oxide and inflammatory cytokines. Walnuts also prevent the risk of chronic inflammatory diseases of the heart and joints by lowering C-reactive protein (CRP) that is linked to many inflammatory conditions. A medical study reported that walnuts support nerve health by decreasing the risk of neuroinflammation [2].


Antioxidant Activity
Walnuts possess a potential antioxidant activity that relieves oxidative stress and prevents cellular damage. It has been reported that it increases antioxidant activity in the brain that improves dementia, increases cognitive performance, and decreases the risk of Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson's. Walnuts improve the symptoms of depression, stroke, and type 2 diabetes [2, 3, 6].


Cholesterol Lowering
Walnuts are a rich source of Omega-3 fatty acids that are known to decrease cholesterol. Omega-3 Fatty Acids decreases the level of bad low-density lipoproteins and increases good cholesterol aka "HDL". Thus, Omega-3's prevent atherosclerosis and improve heart function.


Digestive Aid
Walnuts supports gut health and metabolic processes by nourishing the gut microbiota [2, 6]. Improving our microbiome improves not just digestion but also immune function.


Anti-Aging and Reproduction
Walnuts are anti-aging and support longevity and delay aging by protecting and nourishing the heart, brain, and gastrointestinal tract. Walnuts boost reproductive health by improving the motility, vitality, and morphology of sperm [3, 5, 8, 11].


Weight Loss, Diabetes & Cancer
Walnuts may help to control body mass index by controlling hunger and appetite. This effect can also help to maintain blood sugar levels and improve symptoms of diabetes. Some studies have also reported that regular use of walnuts prevents the risk of certain cancers, including colorectal, prostate, and breast cancer [7, 8, 9].


Precautions/Warnings
Always check with your Naturopathic Doctor, but consuming walnuts at typical dietary levels should not generally interfere with your medications. It is advised not to take Walnut concomitantly with oral drugs because anything with high fiber can decrease medication absorption and effectiveness. Walnuts otherwise do not have any severe interaction with medications. Walnuts do not have side effects at regular doses, but may cause diarrhea at higher than recommended doses. Walnuts are not recommended for individuals with known hypersensitivity to nuts [12]. In my experience using omega-3 fatty acids with patients as a Naturopathic Doctor I do see that we generally need to reduce medications as we implement new Herbal Medicines and Functional Foods such as walnuts. 

There you have everything you need to know about walnuts in a nutshell! 

Eat your walnuts and  try to stay calm!

If you need further support with your mood or hormones please call me to set up an appointment.

I would be happy to help! Holistic mental health and hormones are my favorite subject! 

Dr. Nicole Sundene
(480) 837-0900


References:
1. de Souza, R., Schincaglia, R. M., Pimentel, G. D., & Mota, J. F. (2017). Nuts and Human Health Outcomes: A Systematic Review. Nutrients, 9(12), 1311. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu9121311
2. Sánchez-González, C., Ciudad, C. J., Noé, V., & Izquierdo-Pulido, M. (2017). Health benefits of walnut polyphenols: An exploration beyond their lipid profile. Critical reviews in food science and nutrition, 57(16), 3373–3383. https://doi.org/10.1080/10408398.2015.1126218
3. Chauhan, A., & Chauhan, V. (2020). Beneficial Effects of Walnuts on Cognition and Brain Health. Nutrients, 12(2), 550. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu12020550
Ros, E., Izquierdo-Pulido, M., & Sala-Vila, A. (2018). Beneficial effects of walnut consumption on human health: role of micronutrients. Current opinion in clinical nutrition and metabolic care, 21(6), 498–504. https://doi.org/10.1097/MCO.0000000000000508
4. Poulose, S. M., Miller, M. G., & Shukitt-Hale, B. (2014). Role of walnuts in maintaining brain health with age. The Journal of nutrition, 144(4 Suppl), 561S–566S. https://doi.org/10.3945/jn.113.184838
. Berryman, C. E., Grieger, J. A., West, S. G., Chen, C. Y., Blumberg, J. B., Rothblat, G. H., Sankaranarayanan, S., & Kris-Etherton, P. M. (2013). Acute consumption of walnuts and walnut components differentially affect postprandial lipemia, endothelial function, oxidative stress, and cholesterol efflux in humans with mild hypercholesterolemia. The Journal of nutrition, 143(6), 788–794. https://doi.org/10.3945/jn.112.170993
6. Bitok, E., Rajaram, S., Jaceldo-Siegl, K., Oda, K., Sala-Vila, A., Serra-Mir, M., Ros, E., & Sabaté, J. (2018). Effects of Long-Term Walnut Supplementation on Body Weight in Free-Living Elderly: Results of a Randomized Controlled Trial. Nutrients, 10(9), 1317. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu10091317
7. Bamberger, C., Rossmeier, A., Lechner, K., Wu, L., Waldmann, E., Fischer, S., Stark, R. G., Altenhofer, J., Henze, K., & Parhofer, K. G. (2018). A Walnut-Enriched Diet Affects Gut Microbiome in Healthy Caucasian Subjects: A Randomized, Controlled Trial. Nutrients, 10(2), 244. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu10020244
8. Pan, A., Sun, Q., Manson, J. E., Willett, W. C., & Hu, F. B. (2013). Walnut consumption is associated with lower risk of type 2 diabetes in women. The Journal of nutrition, 143(4), 512–518. https://doi.org/10.3945/jn.112.172171
9. Juranović Cindrić, I., Zeiner, M., & Hlebec, D. (2018). Mineral Composition of Elements in Walnuts and Walnut Oils. International journal of environmental research and public health, 15(12), 2674. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph15122674

​

Lose weight at home with Dr. Sundene’s PGE-2 Diet ™ Weight Loss Plan! 

Dr. Sundene’s 3 month IN HOME weight loss plan helps you balance your hormones and discover the BEST FOODS to eat for weight loss and the foods you should specifically avoid that are plugging up your PGE-2 pathways, causing estrogen dominance and ultimately slowing down fat burning. 

Finally a weight loss program designed FOR WOMEN by a female hormone specialist!  

You will receive: 

• A Food Intolerance Test for 184 Foods & Spices 
• 3 phone consultations with Dr. Sundene to address hormone imbalance that may be impacting your body’s ability to lose weight. (Cost of labs per patient's insurance.)
• 100 PGE-2 Diet ™ Recipes
• The PGE-2 Diet ™ Rainbow Refrigerator Chart
• "The Complete PGE-2 Diet ™ Guide to Weight Loss, Pain, Arthritis, Headaches, Estrogen Dominance, Stomach aches and Breast Cancer Prevention.” By Dr. Nicole Sundene, NMD

Did you know the “Side Effect” of a diet designed to lower your PGE-2 levels is Breast Cancer prevention?

Researchers have found elevated levels of PGE-2 associated with Breast Cancer, Colon Cancer, Migraine Headaches and Chronic Pain. By working to lower your PGE-2 levels you are not just losing weight but also PREVENTING cancer, pain and chronic disease!  

To learn more about how Dr. Sundene personally developed and used the The PGE-2 Diet ™ to lose weight and balance her own hormones visit: "Is PGE-2 a Weight Loss Hormone?"

To begin working with Dr. Sundene on your weight loss from the comfort of your own home simply call (480) 837-0900 or book your package below. 
​

I dislike this picture of myself. 
I was 30 pounds overweight, depressed, in pain and overall miserable. 
No matter how little I ate I could not lose the weight. 
But my weight is not what makes me cringe the most when I look at this picture that I SHOULD LOVE of me and my adorable daughter. 

What makes me cringe the MOST is not actually my weight but HOW SICK I felt mentally and physically at the time of this picture. 

I was exhausted, inflamed, depressed, anxious and in pain. 
My hormones were out of balance. I did not feel like myself. 
I felt trapped in a “Fat Suit” of pain and misery. 

My entire attention was so focused on being a “Good Mom” and taking care of my daughter that I had essentially stopped taking care of myself. 
 
My diet had dramatically shifted away from the fuel I felt best on to the convenient few foods my daughter would eat. I was eating too much kid food from the Zoo, Legoland and the Aquarium. Our new world revolved around birthdays at Peter Piper Pizza and play dates at Chick Fil-A and Chuck E. Cheese. 

Like a good Mom, I was so busy working hard to keep my daughter educated, exercised, entertained and socialized that I was eating too much junk food, not exercising enough and not putting my own health first. 

I was eating for fun and not for fuel.
 
My anxiety was SO BAD I could not sleep through the night. I would wake up at 2-4 am every day in a complete panic. It was no longer my child waking me up but my own anxious thoughts. 
I was terrified without a good night of sleep that I would not have the energy to make it through another day. 
I was trapped in a vicious cycle of insomnia and anxiety at night that fed directly into my exhausted and depressed days. 

My weight went up and down like the stock market. I could not keep my weight stable even 5 years after having my daughter. If I ate the wrong food, fried foods, too much sodium or too many calories I instantly blew up like a balloon. I could gain 8 pounds in a single day from bad food  choices. My body would instantly swell up. 

You can see how swollen my hands are in this photo. Eating the wrong foods was causing me to retain water. 

Feeling swollen, bloated and lethargic would then drive me to make EVEN WORSE emotionally driven food choices and I would gain more weight. I was trapped in a vicious cycle. 

As a Thyroid Doctor and Women’s Hormone specialist I ran every hormone on myself imaginable. I was horrified to see that my thyroid hormone levels were sufficient and I did not need an increase in medication even by my own OCD Optimal Thyroid lab standards. I was BARELY EATING ANYTHING yet whatever I did eat would cause me to blow up like a balloon. 

Today as a Naturopathic Doctor and Female Hormone Specialist it is important to me to share this awkward and uncomfortable memory of my perfectly imperfect photo so I can help other Mom’s with the same challenges. Many women never truly recover from their Post Partum state.  I see patients going through menopause that tell me their weight gain issues began “After the birth of my last child I never could get my weight back down.” I have heard this hundreds of times and I am here to help. 

Healthy food is the foundation to proper hormone balance. If your fuel is not right your Post Partum hormones will fail to properly recover.  Macronutrient ratios and vitamin and mineral levels can be adjusted to support your return to normal hormone balance. While we can and should test your hormones if you are struggling Post Partum, the foundation to healthy hormones is through a properly balanced diet and avoiding foods that trigger PGE2 that specifically make your body inflamed. If you are struggling to lose weight, while also battling depression, chronic pain, stomach aches, headaches or fatigue then we need to address and target your PGE2 levels to lower them while also balancing your other metabolic hormones. 

Is PGE2 Making Me Fat?

Excess PGE2 is what was causing my weight problem in this photo. PGE2 or Prostaglandin E2 is an inflammatory molecule that inhibits fat burning and increases pain, swelling, inflammation, redness, fatigue and allergies. PGE2 is what was making me fat in this photo and until I switched my diet to reduce my levels of PGE2 my weight, pain and fatigue cluster would not improve. Paying attention to  PGE2 is necessary for me personally to feel good and have pain free days. 

If you are struggling to lose weight AND also have swelling, pain, arthritis, headaches and other signs of PGE2 elevation then you most likely have persistently elevated levels of PGE2 inhibiting your fat burning potential. 

What is PGE2?

I jokingly refer to Prostaglandin E2 as the  “Annoying Red Headed Step Child” of the Hormonal Weight Loss World.  PGE2 is the more annoying and less thought about cause of weight gain. While PGE2 is not the MOST popular weight loss hormone we think of such as TSH in Hypothyroidism, PGE2 is still an ANNOYING AND FRUSTRATING little known cause of weight gain that many of my patients suffer from and cannot get under control without a targeted program designed specifically to address and lower the abnormally high PGE2 levels. Especially when combined with other metabolic issues such as Metabolic Syndrome, Prediabetes, Insulin Resistance and Estrogen Dominance. 

Just like the “Annoying Red Headed Step Child,” PGE2 will also keep screaming in your face until you decide to pay attention to it and get it under control.  Or in my case it was literally screaming in my “Fat Face” and causing it to swell up.  My face was swollen and inflamed from excess PGE2 in this picture. That is what makes it hard for me to look at. 

HOW CAN WE SILENCE THE SCREAMING PGE2 CHILD? 

When you place your hand over a screaming child’s mouth you can succeed in getting them to temporarily stop screaming. 

BUT WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE TAKE OUR HAND OFF? 

The child will just SCREAM LOUDER! Therefore we can conclude that putting  your hand over a screaming child’s mouth does not stop their screaming and it may even get you kicked. Any attempts to suppress the screaming will just result in MORE SCREAMING! 

Just like any WRONG ATTEMPTS to lose weight when we ignore PGE2 will just result in MORE WEIGHT GAIN BACK when we stop our latest WRONG ATTEMPT plus a “Kick” in the form of a handful of other PGE2 related problems like migraines, stomachaches, fatigue, arthritis, depression and anxiety.   

Instead of telling PGE2 to SHUT UP we need to calm it down and soothe it in the same manner we would an angry child. We need to LISTEN TO and try to UNDERSTAND where our PGE2 is coming from!

In order to truly understand where PGE2 is coming from we must first understand PGE2. 

Is Prostaglandin E2 a Hormone?

While I think of PGE2 as a hormone being a “Hormone Doctor” PGE2 is technically not a hormone as it is not made by a specific gland, but it does have the capacity to act in a multifactorial manner very similar to how a hormone works. The purpose of PGE2 is to cause swelling during an injury or infection which brings more blood flow to an affected area so it can be healed. 

When PGE2 remains constantly elevated the body continues to swell and inflammation now impairs fat burning. 

When we are inflamed we are not burning fat at our true metabolic potential. Our thyroid and other metabolic hormones could all look perfect on paper yet we still struggle to have that perfect metabolism. PGE2 n tells the body "We are on fire and in an emergency state" 

PGE2 in my mind is the  “Missing Weight Loss Mystery Hormone” when all my patient’s other hormones are PERFECT yet they still cannot release the weight. 

If you feel like your PGE2 and Metabolic hormones are out of balance, have pain, cramps, stomach aches, depression, anxiety and mood issues please call to schedule an appointment (480) 837-0900 or simply book your PGE2 Weight Loss Program below. 

Do You Need  A Food Allergy Test?

Food allergy intolerance testing is not always necessary for every patient, but oftentimes as a Naturopathic Doctor I find it difficult to truly help patients with chronic symptoms when we are not looking at the root triggers for inflammation and immune dysfunction via Food Allergy Intolerance Testing. Food Intolerance's can cause many insidious and annoying symptoms that nobody can ever seem to figure out and my patient is constantly frustrated going to different types of doctors and specialists with no lasting answers or improvement.

I have seen patients spend $10,000 in specialty testing and visits to specialists only to realize the cause of their symptoms could be solved with a simple Food Allergy Intolerance Test. If you suspect your symptoms are caused by a food trigger we can save you time and money by ordering a Food Allergy Intolerance Test. 

If you suffer from chronic symptoms such as digestive issues, headaches, fatigue, insomnia, irritability, depression, anxiety, migraines, joint pain, autoimmunity, coughing, wheezing, acne, psoriasis, eczema and any digestive symptoms such as IBS-Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Diarrhea, Constipation, Abdominal Pain, Bloating and weight gain a food allergy intolerance test is usually vital to understand what the best type of diet over the long term works the best for your body. 

25 Years ago I had terrible stomach problems, headaches and skin problems that no doctor or specialist could figure out. I was finally referred to a Naturopathic Doctor where I began my journey of a gluten free, dairy free lifestyle and learning how to heal my gut from Food Allergies and Intolerance's so I am now able to eat a more diverse diet and live without constant stomachaches, headaches and skin problems!

If you simply need to know what food is triggering your symptoms you can order the Basic Home Food Allergy Test Kit and receive your report of 184 Foods and Spices, a Free 15 Minute Consultation with me to review your results and a Free custom allergy free menu plan to insure your success. 

Home Food Allergy Test Kit Package $395

• 184 Foods and Spices IgG Food Allergy Intolerance Testing
• FREE 15 Minute Consultation with Dr. Sundene to Review Your Results
• FREE Custom Allergy Friendly Menu Plan & Recipes

3 Month Food Allergy Manager Package $895

• 184 Foods and Spices IgG Food Allergy Intolerance Testing
• 1 hour New Patient Naturopathic Consultation
• 3 Monthly Follow Up Appointments to Review Nutrition, Meal Plans, Herbs and Supplements (Phone or Office)
• FREE Custom Allergy Friendly Menu Plan & Recipes
• Get your food allergies expertly managed and your allergy free meal plans on track with in a 3 month program designed to help identify and remove food triggers while healing your body from Leaky Gut Syndrome and other causes of chronic digestive and skin disease. 

When you sign up for either program below we will contact you within 24-48 hours to insure your Food Allergy Test Kit is mailed with tracking information. If you do not receive a tracking confirmation text or email please call us immediately at (480) 837-0900. If you require assistance with collecting the blood please also call us for support and to answer your questions. We are happy to walk you through the test collection process over the phone. You can also watch a video on "How To Self Collect Your Food Allergy Test."

When you sign up for our Food Allergy Test program we will contact you within 24-48 hours to insure your Food Allergy Test Kit is mailed with tracking information. If you do not receive a tracking confirmation text or email please call us immediately at (480) 837-0900. If you require assistance with collecting the blood please also call us for support and to answer your questions. We are happy to walk you through the test collection process over the phone. You can also watch a video on "How To Self Collect Your Food Allergy Test."