Category Archives: Nutrition

GMO: What does it mean?

Posted on by

There has been a TON of talk lately about GMOs, and I think most people know they are bad….but they have really no idea what they are and what the controversy is, so I thought it would be helpful if I could shed some light on the topic.  GMOs are Genetically Modified Organisms.  Now what does that mean? Basically, an organism as been genetically altered (or modified) using modern scientific approaches to change the make up; the most frequently modified organisms are bacteria, yeast, plants, fish, mammals (including the chicken and beef that we may be eating!)

What do GMOs mean to me?

Well, it seems like we would be able to easily pick out foods that are genetically modified and just not eat them, right? Well, unfortunately, we don’t really know all of the foods that are genetically altered and what is added to our foods.  Plus, just buying organically does not necessarily mean that foods don’t have GMOs added.  It is not required by law to list GMO ingredients.  So, despite all efforts to eat organic, healthy, non-altered foods, and to serve them to your family, we may still be eating genetically modified foods, all because they are not listed, and corporate farms are not required to report genetic modification of their crops. For example, you might not think that your family ingests a high amount of soy products, but soy is often altered and added to other foods as a filler, so you are all eating more soy than you think! The real risk is that we do not truly know the long-term health effects of eating GMO food, but there have been numerous studies (using rat and mice models) showing that there is an increased tumor rate and shorter life expectancy when eating high GMO diets. Obviously, the studies have not proven 100% that eating GMO diets will kill you, but there is a risk, and the studies are strong enough that I really try to keep as GMO free as possible. Many of these foods are modified with various hormones and chemicals that do put us at risk for various cancers, and adding high amounts of soy to the diet can increase females estrogen levels, and that is just all the more helpful for estrogen supported tumors (i.e. breast and ovarian cancers, among others.) The best way to prevent ingesting GMO foods, is to know the crops at highest risk and try to steer clear of them, or only eat these fruits/veg from local farms where you know they are GMO-free.


What are the crops most at risk for GMO?

– Alfalfa sprouts

– Corn

– Soy

– Cotton

– Papaya

– Zucchini and Yellow summer squash

– Canola

– Cotton

– Sugar Beets

– Siberian Kale

– Acorn squash

– Flax

– Rice

– Chard

– Table beets

– Bok choy

– Turnips

Some additives that commonly are from GMO based products are:

Aspartame, Xanthan gum, High Fructose Corn Syrup, any “natural” or “artificial” flavors added to products, Vitamin C/Ascorbic Acid, Sodium Citrate, Sucrose, Maltodextrins, Molasses, MSG, Vitamins, Yeast products, Hydrolyzed Vegetable products, etc.

As you can see, a LOT of these foods are foods many of us ingest daily, and the additives, while we might not always know what they are, see them on package labeling constantly.  I think it is really hard to have a completely GMO-free diet at this point, but some brands are marketing that they use GMO free products, which is great, and identifying the products that are high risk GMO is a great start.  There are people out there trying to stop GMO in the US and The Non GMO Project is one of them, a non-profit, working off of donations to change legislation and prevent GMO and/or at least force companies to have to label their GMO practices, so we are not ingesting chemicals and hormones that we are not intending to.  The Non GMO Project also has rigorous standards for companies, and testing, if they prove they are GMO-free, they are allowed to use their “GMO Free” seal: 

And you can feel safe and assured that those products are truly GMO-free.  The European Union has gone GMO-free, and hopefully the US will soon follow suit!

So hopefully you know what to look for and what to stay away from, to steer clear (as mush as possible) from GMO foods. No one needs to ingest hormones or chemicals when they are trying to eat some healthy fruits and veg! Keep your eyes peeled, and support local agriculture using GMO free methods, as much as you can!

Yours in Good Health

B

Ch-Ch-Ch-Chia Seeds for Better Nutrition!

Posted on by

I have been asked a ton lately about Chia seeds, and I have seen people snacking on them.  When I first saw it, I thought “hmm, it looks like a little bird eating a snack” but I had no idea how nutritious that snack really was….and I didn’t know what it was either.  Finally, I looked really dumb, but I asked some guy what the deal was with the “bird food” and his response was, “You don’t know about Chia?” and snarked off (which I completely deserved!) And now I feel like a chia expert….not just for being able to grow chia heads, but understanding the nutritional basis of the seeds, and why this is such a hot nutritional trend!

What are Chia Seeds?

Chia seeds are these little edible seeds that comes from the Salvia hispanica plant, which is a relative of mint.  It was used as a staple of the Aztec and Mayan diets into the 16th Century, as it is easily grown in Mexico, and along with being pretty tasty, and easy to add to a multitude of foods, it is fully of fiber and fills you up quickly; the Aztecs used to eat some Chia and be filled up for 24 hours (that wouldn’t work for me, but it may just be mind over matter!).  So, in short, Chia seeds are full of fiber, vitamins, Omega-3’s that can be added into your diet in a bunch of different ways.  They are very low-calorie and they can be ingested wither whole or ground; either way your body can easily break them down and absorb the nutrients.

Why are they so good for me?

As stated before, they are chock full of fiber, which we know is food to keep you filled up longer, aids in digestion, and can help to decrease your risk of certain cancers (like colon). Approximately 25 grams of Chia has about 7 grams of fiber (that equivalent to a half cup of straight oat bran).  They are full of Omega-3 Fatty Acids, which can help to prevent cardiovascular disease and help to regulate cholesterol by increasing your LDL (good cholesterol), help with decreasing inflammation, and help to regulate moods and prevent depression. As well as bring full of calcium, phosphorous, magnesium, manganese, copper, and iron, they also are full of antioxidants, which help in preventing cancer.  These seeds are pretty power packed!

How do I eat them?

The great thing about Chia seeds is that they do not have to be ground to eat them, so you can add them whichever way you want to baked goods to add a nutty flavor packed with vitamins and fiber. In Mexico, it is common to add water to Chia seed with a little lemon or lime juice; as the seeds sit in water, they create a gel which thickens, and is how the seeds break down in the digestive system, but adds some thickness to beverages, and I imagine it would be like bubble tea.  Also, that gel can be used in cooking/baking so that you can halve your butter or oil, and make most of your favorite meals with half the fat and calories!  The gel is formed once the seeds are sitting in water for about 30 minutes- this idea both creeps me out and excites me; I’ve used it in baking, and my cookies still turned out delicious, just healthier! It can be sprinkled in yogurt, on top of ice cream, added to salads for some crunch.  Really there are no limits to how you can add chia to your diet.

The coolest thing is that when chia is added to the diets of farm animals, their proteins are changed: chickens with a diet with chia added to it, have higher amounts of Omega 3’s in their meat, and cows that have chia added to their diet, produce milk with more naturally occurring Omega 3’s. And another really awesome thing about Chia, is that there really are no natural predators (other than humans looking for a tasty treat) so they truly are organic, in that no pesticides need to be used in the cultivation.  Really?  I see no downside to Chia…unless of course you are allergic.

So, give it a try, tell me what you think…and use the chia gel in the kitchen when cooking, your body will thank you and me!

Yours in Good Health

B

The Superpowered Veg: Kale

Posted on by

Some people love it, some people hate it, but there is no denying the fact that kale is the Wonder Woman (she’s a woman and she’s awesome, so yeah it works!) of veggies! I will be completely honest here: I used to absolutely despise kale.  I remember the first time I ate it because I thought it was SO vile; my brother and I bought it when I lived in New Orleans, and he was loving it, so I was super stoked to try it, and it was NOT a match.  I barely swallowed it down without gagging.  My issue is that I am a tactile eater, so if things feel weird in my mouth, I don’t like them, and the texture is much more intense than one would expect (as a kale virgin) and the flavor is über bitter.  But, with some help of my 3-year-old nephew this summer, I learned to love it…I just needed something other than raw kale and lemon juice to make it work.  He introduced me to the world of oven roasted kale (AKA Kale chips):  I think we devoured more kale than I ever thought would fit in our two bodies!


Why is Kale so awesome?             

– One cup of kale has only 36 calories and 5 grams of fiber 1020% of the daily requirement  of Vitamin K, 40% magnesium, 200% Vitamin C, 180% Vitamin A, and 15% of calcium and vitamin B6.  That is truly a powerhouse veggie- all that in ONE CUP?!?!

– It is full of antioxidants which help to prevent free radicals and are thought to prevent cancer. Vitamin A, C, and K are all antioxidants, along with carotenoids and flavonoids.

– The high levels of fiber, can help to decrease circulating cholesterol by binding to the free fats/cholesterols and helping to excrete them from the body before they can be absorbed in the blood and create plaques in the arteries.  Decreasing cholesterol, decreases you risk of heart disease!  (If you steam kale, it is more effective in lowering your cholesterol levels by stimulating a higher bile production by the digestive tract to decrease the circulating cholesterol)

– It is a green leafy veggie that thrives in cooler weather, so we can enjoy all winter long! And there are very few things to look forward to, as far as healthy eating goes during cold, winter months!

– It is a low carbohydrate food, so perfect for those of you looking to eat a lower carb diet.

– There is some research to specifically link the antioxidants present in kale to decrease you cancer risk for 5 different types of cancer: breast, ovarian, colon, bladder, and prostate.

How to prepare kale:

Add it in to any recipe instead of lettuce or half lettuce/half kale to ease it into your diet.  You can chop it up and add it to stir-fry, stews, soups, and really any other food that you want.  If you want to make a full on kale salad, most people just rinse and chop raw kale and add lemon juice to cut the bitterness.  That kale salad set me off on the wrong foot with this Wonder Woman veg…but kale chips couldn’t be easier (especially if someone makes them for you!): Cut kale into bite sized pieces, drizzle with some Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO), a pinch of sea salt, and roast at 350 degrees in the oven for 10-15 minutes.  Yumbos!

Is there any downside to this magnificent veg?

I urge caution to anyone who is taking the blood thinner Coumadin (AKA Warfarin). You are totally able to eat kale and other green leafy veggies (cruciferous veg) which tend to have higher vitamin K levels, but be careful if you are all of a sudden increasing your intake because Vitamin K is actually the antidote for Coumadin, it increases your clotting factors and helps your blood clot, offsetting the medication which is a blood thinner.  So don’t stay away from these healthy, yummy foods, just be careful, and make sure to communicate with your Health Care Practitioner (HCP) if you eat a diet high in Vitamin K, you make require higher doses of the blood thinning medication, or they might choose an alternate treatment based on your eating habits!

Give kale a try, and your body will thank you! If the first way you try it doesn’t work, remember that you can add it in to almost anything, and there are tons of different ways to prepare….kale is certainly no one trick pony! And remember, if you are on any blood thinning medications, especially Coumadin, talk to your HCP before adding high amounts of Vitamin K into your diet.

Yours in Good Health

B

Watch out: the Norovirus is lurking!

Posted on by

Many people are coming down with rather similar symptoms lately: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, & cramping.  There is a virus that is going around, which spreads quickly, and you could be at risk. I wanted to discuss what the Norovirus is, how to know you have it, treatments, and, most importantly, prevention!

What is the Norovirus?
It is actually the name for a group of viruses that all act similarly, if not the same, on the gastrointestinal (GI) tract and cause nausea/vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal cramping, etc. and are thought of as a gastroenteritis (an infection of the GI tract). They were once referred to as the “Norwalk Like” viruses after an outbreak of these viruses in Norwalk, Ohio in the early 1970’s. They also gained a lot of press after hundreds (if not thousands) of guests on cruise ships were getting infected, and ships had to go to port due to such high rates of illness (If I ever even ponder taking a cruise, I remember this fun time, and I’m all set; could you imagine how horrible that must have been? Gross!) The tough part of the Norovirus is that the virus strains are highly virulent, in that they spread from person to person quickly and easily, and infections from these viruses are usually at the highest during cold winter months. That is a true bummer for all of us living here in New England! Fun fact? Norovirus is the leading cause of food-related gastroenteritis in the United States.  Another fun fact: You will never forget how miserable you feel while infected!

What are the symptoms?
Nausea
Vomiting
Diarrhea
Stomach cramps
Low grade fever, chills
Headache
Muscle cramps
*the symptoms can occur very suddenly 12-24 hours after exposure to the virus, and normally last around 12 hours and people feel better within 48 hours (see below: you are still a carrier for much longer and can infect others)

How is it spread?
Most often it is spread from person to person through contaminated food and/or water, caring for an infected person, or through contact with contaminated surfaces. It can live on hard surfaces that are infected for around 12 hours and has been found in infected carpet fibers (i.e. an area that someone threw up on) for up to 12 days, plus it can withstand pretty high amounts of chlorine before being killed off. The viruses live in the stool (poop) and vomit from people with the virus, so when caring for children, elderly, or anyone who needs a lot of assistance with care/cleanup, there is a high rate of spreading the infection. You are contagious from the moment you are infected (even before you feel ill) until a full three days after your symptoms end! Which makes this virus so quick to spread especially in places where people live/work closely together, and it is hard to stop the spread once it starts.

My standard at home hydration "go to"

My standard at home hydration “go to”

What is the treatment?
There is no vaccine or antiviral for these viruses, unfortunately. And as we all know antibiotics only treat bacterial infections, so they are useless against the Norovirus. So you are really just trying to treat/prevent the dehydration that can occur after the diarrhea and vomiting; fluids such as gatorade and coconut water will help to replace fluids and nutrients lost, but really any fluids that you can get in and keep down will help to prevent severe dehydration. If your mouth and tongue are really dry and you cannot make saliva, you feel dizzy when changing positions, you aren’t urinating (or it is very dark), you are clinically dehydrated.  When dehydrated, if you are unable to take in fluids, you should go to the Emergency Department for intravenous (IV) fluids. With children, they often will become restless, cry without tears, and have dry oral cavities; they need treatment with IV fluids if they refuse, or cannot keep down, fluids. The best assessment of dehydration status is to watch your pee (frequency, amount, and color- if it appears on the darker side, drink more).

How do I prevent this from happening?
Wash your hands FREQUENTLY!!
Eat food that is thoroughly cooked if you are eating out (or unsure of food quality)
Wash fruits and veggies before eating them
Wash areas that have become contaminated with hot soapy water or bleach
Immediately wash all clothes, bed linens, etc that have become in contact with vomit or stool of an infected person
If you do get infected, avoid contact with others and preparing food until three days after symptoms are gone

Generally, the Norovirus is a nasty couple of days where you feel horrible (absolutely miserable), but it always ends and there are no long-term effects. But if you have chronic illnesses or other active diseases, it can be deadly because of the effects of dehydration and the electrolyte imbalances that can occur. In children, the elderly, and chronically ill, you need to make sure they are taking in fluids with nutrients (pedialyte, Gatorade, coconut water)and if they cannot, you need to seek medical assistance.  Even if you are vomiting, still try to push those fluids…even absorbing small amounts are better than nothing!

So wash your hands, cook that food, and steer clear of anyone with those symptoms and you will be Norovirus free this winter!

Yours in Good Health
B

Pretty and healthy too?

Posted on by

Hypertension (high blood pressure) is a health problem that affects millions of people worldwide, and drug therapy can be helpful and really work, but many people are borderline and drug therapy is rather aggressive, so we need to look towards alternative therapies.  For some, merely increasing the amount of exercise you get, cutting the amount of fats in your diet, and losing some weight can have huge effects….but what if you’ve done that and still have hypertension? It might be genetic, but maybe we need to look to certain fruits to help lower blood pressure…

What should your blood pressure be?
Any blood pressure readings less than 120/80 are usually considered “normal” and above 120/80 but less than 139/89 are considered borderline or “prehypertension” and above 140/90 is considered hypertension.  When you are in the borderline state, your HCP usually gives you the suggestions to make some lifestyle changes to try to lower your blood pressure, and even one blood pressure above 140/90 doesn’t mean that you are always hypertensive, but you need to start making a change because a couple of elevated readings, and your HCP will put you on medications.

What is this about berries?
A recent study from Nurses from the UK found that the anthocyanins (the water-soluble pigments that are found in plants/fruits tat create a blue/purple coloring) in blueberries, strawberries, and blood oranges help to lower blood pressure.  anthocyanins are a flavonoid, just like those found in tea, red wine, and dark chocolate, which have all been shown to help protect our hearts.  They found an average 10% decrease in blood pressure by increasing the intake of anthocyanins to one full serving a week of fruits with these flavonoids; they looked at blueberries, strawberries, and blood oranges but stated that only because they were easiest to add to the diets of their approx. 150,000 people studied.  The researchers said that any fruits and veg high in anthocyanins like black currants, raspberries, and eggplant can also help with the decrease in blood pressure.

What does this mean?
Well, a couple of things, really!  This means that eating a colorful plate of food really is healthy for you, and increasing the purple and blues on your plate can help to reduce your blood pressure.  If you are someone who is borderline and making changes to help reduce your blood pressure without having to take a pill daily, give it a try to see where it takes you.  Also, I urge you to check your blood pressure at home, in the morning and at night.  You can get a cheap blood pressure cuff that is automatic, and know where you stand between HCP visits, and that way you aren’t nervous, and you can show your HCP the trend in your blood pressure…and see the effects that your changes in health and diet are making!  Some people get nervous when HCP’s check their blood pressure…take the stress off and do it yourself….and eat your blues!!!

Yours in Good Health
B

Why should I add probiotics to my diet?

Posted on by

Probiotics are live microorganisms that benefit the host in which they live. They can aid in digestion, and normalize the intestinal flora.  There are currently many studies being done to look at the use of probiotics in preventing the symptoms for IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome), IBD (Inflammatory Bowel Disease) as well as some other chronic diseases.  The most common probiotic is the lactobacillus strain and it is found in raw milk (unpasteurized), most yogurts, as a dietary supplement, or in Kombuchas (fermented teas.)

A Little History….
Just for a little background, in the beginning of the 20th century, it was presumed that the bacteria that is in our guts (totally normal and appropriate) can cause toxins when we breakdown certain foods, like proteins (they are called proteolytic bacteria).  This process, diet and body depending, can build up a lot of toxins in the gut can cause various stomach discomforts like bloating, gas, diarrhea, constipation, etc. So, a Russian scientist at the Pasteur Institute in Paris, who had noticed a link between long life span (completely observational in his hometown in rural Russia)and drinking fermented milk (AKA sour milk), started drinking it himself, and found that he felt much healthier.  After that, he started to test it on friends and patients, and it became a widely followed trend in Europe and MD’s even prescribed it to patients as a treatment for stomach ailments.  They found that the lactic-acid bacteria helped to change the pH in the intestine and prevented the proteolytic bacteria from having damaging effects.  In 1989 Roy Fuller defined probiotics as “A live microbial feed supplement which beneficially affects the host animal by improving its intestinal microbial balance.” And thus, the modern studies of probiotics on health really began!

Why are they so good for me?
All of the modern research on probiotics is very new and hasn’t had the full battery of testing including randomized control trials (the gold standard in research!) Lactobacillus has been shown to prevent antibiotic associated diarrhea and is being studied for its usefulness in other diseases.
Lactose Intolerance: The strain of bacteria turns lactose into lactic acid, so you are able to tolerate more lactose than you would have.  For example, eat some yogurt before eating ice cream (or pizza with cheese) and you won’t get the normal response that you usually get. It is being tested to see how many different strains of bacteria aid in this process.
Lowering Cholesterol: In animal studies the addition of probiotics has shown to increase the breakdown of bile (which is stored in the gallbladder and released into the stomach when you ingest food) in the stomach before it gets reabsorbed; when bile is re-absorbed it is in the form of cholesterol. It needs MUCH more human testing.
Lowering Blood Pressure: A few small studies have shown that fermented milk with certain strains of probiotics can break down and create these peptides, which are similar to proteins in chemical nature but smaller, and they can have similar effects to certain blood pressure lowering medications (specifically ACE inhibitors). It needs larger studies to be performed.
Strengthening immune system and prevent Infection: Some studies have been performed and it has shown that they can reduce respiratory infections, by increasing the number of “killer” cells that attack pathogens (viruses and bacteria that we are exposed to) and can decrease cavities in children.  As well, induction of probiotics in your diet has been studied as far as decreasing the severity of rotavirus and shortening symptoms, along with preventing altogether. (rotavirus is a highly contagious virus that causes usually stomach issues like diarrhea along with fevers and it is very common among children.)
AND, probiotic use is still being studied (very promising) in the areas of: colon cancer prevention, IBS, IBD, eczema, reducing inflammation (generalized in the body), improving absorption, in relief of UTI and bacterial vaginosis, and the decrease of ulcers during stress.

Any side effects?
You are introducing live bacteria to your system, so immunocompromised people (due to illness or medications taken) should probably not add probiotics to your diet.  As well, you need to be very careful with the very young and the elderly; babies immune systems are not fully developed, and I am generalizing when I say “elderly”, but for the most part, older adults have other chronic medical issues which puts their immune system under strain and they are considered immunocompromised.  Also, as I’ve stated a billion times, full side effects aren’t known because more studies are needed to find out the short and long-term effects of probiotic use.  One study did show that children under six months of age that were given doses of various probiotics had much higher rates of food allergies/sensitivities!

Best Sources of probiotics:
Yogurts, pickles (naturally fermented- not with vinegar), miso, kimchi (pickled cabbage), Kefir (fermented milk), buttermilk, raw milk, raw or aged cheeses, kombuchas, and probiotic supplements that can be added to a smoothie, for example, or other foods.
Oral Supplements:
A few of them are align, culturelle, phillips, jarrow, and nature made brands.  You can find them at basically any pharmacy, grocery store, or health food/vitamin store.

Personally, I am a huge believer in probiotics even though some of the data is weak.  I eat only raw dairy products and try to eat foods that are high in probiotics whenever I can.  I did used to take supplements, but I don’t think they are absorbed as well, and you need to ingest them regularly to see their effects, and I am HORRIBLE with taking supplements; I always forget, which is why I just eat a healthy diet!  So the choice is up to you, and if you do have medical issues I would discuss with your HCP if probiotics are right for you.  If you are healthy, the choice is yours if you want to wait for more studies to come out or not!

Yours in Good Health
B

A little overhung??

Posted on by

Why do we get hangovers? I think people don’t really understand the metabolism of alcohol, because there are ways to prevent hangovers, and make that fun night that you may have imbibed too much, into a much softer morning wake up!

 How the body responds to alcohol metabolism:
Its how our bodies convert substances into other compounds that we can either use  or excrete . Oxidation is the process by which alcohol is metabolized in the blood. Obviously the alcohol is distributed throughout the body, including the brain, organs, and tissues after ingestion and during metabolization, and small amounts are excreted through your breath and urine in unmetabolized forms.
You have your favorite adult beverage, it goes into your intestines, then is absorbed into your blood stream, it is metabolized by various enzymes.  In the liver the enzyme that breaks down alcohol is called alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) which turns alcohol into acetaldehyde, which is then broken down to carbon dioxide and water.  Alcohol is also broken down by an enzyme in the liver called P450IIE1, which can increase in number with chronic drinking (hence how people build up a “tolerance” for drinking….increase P450IIE1) and this is where most alcohol is metabolized.

The liver can only metabolize a certain amount of alcohol per hour, no matter if you are a virgin drinker or if you have your sea legs.  That being said, the ability to metabolize alcohol is dependent upon the number of metabolizing enzymes, which varies in each individual and can be genetic (i.e. over half of all east Asians have low numbers of ADH enzymes so they tend to get drunk easily, have wicked hangovers, and get flushed with drinking which is due to a fast heart rate which is how their bodies respond to metabolism of alcohol.) Usually, once you have a drink, your blood alcohol level peaks within 30-45 minutes.

Wilkinson et al., Journal of Pharmacokinetics and Biopharmaceutics5(3):207-224, 197
 
IMG_2336
What other factors influence alcohol Metabolism?
Food: The higher the dietary fat content in the stomach/GI tract increases the amount of time it takes for the alcohol to get absorbed into the blood stream.  One study showed that people who ate a meal of fat, carbs, and protein absorbed alcohol 3 times more quickly than those who drank on an empty stomach.
Gender: Unfortunately, women absorb alcohol differently than men.  Us ladies will have a higher Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) than men drinking the same amounts, and we are more susceptible to alcoholic liver disease, heart muscle damage, and brain damage.  It is presumed that the difference is due to women having a smaller amount of body water and we may have a lower amount of ADH (never been proven but highly likely based on numerous studies).
Effects of Alcohol:
Body Weight: interestingly, Women who drink (moderately) tend to have significantly lower body weights than those who don’t drink at all.  Men, there is no weight difference, but if non drinkers add alcohol to their diet, they don’t tend to gain any weight.  Chronic alcoholics tend to lose weight because they substitute alcohol for food….
Sex Hormones: Chronic alcohol intake causes significant hormonal imbalances; the liver metabolizes estrogen into testosterone, but when damaged, it is unable to do that, so you can have decreased sperm production.  In men who consume 220 grams of alcohol daily for 4 weeks, testosterone levels decreased after 5 days and kept dropping throughout the study period.  Also, chronic alcohol intake in men can lead to testicular atrophy (getting smaller) and the growth of male breast tissue. In women, we can create estradiol, which increases bone density and decreases the risk of cardiac disease (whoo hoo!!)
Medications: Tylenol (paracetamol, acetaminophen) can be toxic in the liver in large doses by itself, but add alcohol and it is a HUGE problem that can lead to immediate liver failure.  Like 4-5 extra strength pills in the course of the day with someone who is drinking can cause death. Other drugs such as pepcid (famotidine), ranitidine (zantac), and cimentidine (tagamet) can cause alcohol to be metabolized slower for reasons truly unknown at this point.
What can also cause increased rate of metabolism?  
The only thing known to increase the rate of metabolism of alcohol is fructose!! Consuming 100 grams of fructose has been shown to increase alcohol metabolism by 80%!  So, not helpful for people like me that drink vodka sodas, but great for the rum and coke (not diet coke) drinkers of the world!!  I guess I need to go back to my gin and Q-Tonic beverages OR maybe a handful of skittles after every drink???
So, the best way to prevent a hangover is to eat a meal with fat, protein and carbs (cheeseburger anyone?), increase your water (before bed chug a coconut water if you have one, or just regular water) because we all know the metabolism process dehydrates our bodies (because of the effects of alcohol), and increase your sugar intake….high fructose corn syrup does count!!  So seriously, a great idea for a bar is to hand each patron a bag of candy with each drink!!  Actually, one of the reasons why “fruity” drinks tend to make you less drunk 🙂 hmmmm…..  BUT I must say, carbonation supposedly increases your alcohol absorption, so maybe a Harvey Wallbanger is the way to go…and try to stick with the same kind of alcohol.  Really, I think we all knew these tips except for the sugar.
So, ladies apparently drinking is good for you?!?!  And men, if you are looking to be more manly, you may want to lay off the booze for a bit….
Yours in Good Health
B

Start them young on the right foot

Posted on by

I am not a parent to any human beings, I clearly have two dogs, and I really don’t like when people give me advice related to my pooches (I almost made the statement that I hate when people without dogs give me advice related to my dogs, but really, it is all unsolicited advise!!).  So, I am going to preface that I am not a parent, and not preaching about how to raise a child here at all, but I have touched on it before in my blogs on nutrition, and I do think it is important to teach by example; study just caught my eye, and I wanted to pass it along because it deals with the devils drink, or as I like to call it: SODA!

sodaNow, I am never one to turn down a nice gin and tonic every now and again, or to not drink ginger ale when I have a sick stomach, but daily consumption of soda (diet or full sugar) really is horrible for your stomach (causes ulcers) and for your pancreas (your risk of type II diabetes goes up thus increasing your long-term risk for pancreatic cancer), along with the standard issues of obesity, tooth decay, caffeine dependence, and weakening of bones (phosphoric acid in soda can leach calcium off of your bones- creepy!!).  Also, there are new studies showing that increased soda consumption increases cardiovascular risks (i.e. stroke and heart attack) too because of the dyslipidemia (literally a disruption in lipids, or fats, that are in the blood….too much fat in the blood leads to plaque build up on cells and artery/vein walls) that occurs.

The Journal of American Dietary Association did a long-term study starting in 1996 with 5-year-old caucasian girls (roughly 170 children and parents as subjects), looking at the health/dietary differences between girls that were drinking soda at age 5 and those who weren’t.  I didn’t find the outcome shocking at all, but I did find it very sad: the girls who were drinking soda at age 5 continued to do so through age 15 and had an extremely low milk intake a higher intake of foods with added sugars, and lower intake of protein, fiber, phosphorous, magnesium, vitamin D, calcium, and potassium in their diets. Basically, these children were eating processed foods and drinking soda on a daily basis as their normal diets.  This significantly increases the rate of obesity and type II diabetes, and treating type II diabetes becomes much more difficult when people have no concept of healthy meal choices.  So these children are engrained with these poor diets, and it is a tough challenge to change their eating habits.

These girls were set up at the age of 5 for increased cardiovascular risks for stroke and heart attack, diabetes, and cancer, all because of poor eating habits stemming around the consumption of soda.

I remember when I was young, and it was a HUGE treat to be able to drink soda; special occasions only!  And I remember my mom always regretting the decision as we were bouncing off the walls, but it was always water and milk only, and juice with breakfast.  Granted, I am very lucky to have the mom that I do, she still treats me like her baby whenever I come home, making me snacks and meals galore!! But, even with busy working moms, who don’t have the time to cut carrot/celery sticks and have them waiting as an after school snack, there are so many healthy snack options at the grocery store to choose from, and if you fill your house and fridge with healthy stuff, your children will learn to eat healthy stuff and that it tastes good!

So, please try to limit soda intake for younger kids and allow them healthy choices when you can control what they eat, so they learn what’s healthy, and we can only hope they continue that path as they grow up and make their own choices, but try to set them up for success in life and decrease their risks for long-term illnesses as much as you can.  And, honestly, in this economy, a Brita filter for a month giving fresh clean water, is a boatload cheaper than even generic brand soda!

Yours in Good Health, and for all the little ones out there 🙂

B

Quinoa…an amazing gluten-free alternative to rice!

Posted on by

I have a ton of friends who are allergic to gluten, and had heard from one of them about Quinoa a couple of years ago, but it was super hard to find where I lived in Boston…now I can find it in every supermarket I go to, and it is a staple of my diet.  I must say, I make amazing black bean and rice, which I always made with brown rice, but now I always put atop a bed of quinoa.  I was under the impression that everyone knew about this amazing south american treat, but out to dinner with friends the other night, I asked them about it and they had never heard of it, so I wanted to give so nutritional facts about this gluten-free alternative to rice (which also happens to be in the spinach family, randomly enough).

Its protein content is very high (12%–18%), making it a healthy choice for vegetarians, vegans and athletes (actually, probably everyone due to the other contents listed below!!). Unlike wheat or rice, which are low in lysine, quinoa contains a balanced set of essential amino acids for humans, making it an unusually complete protein source, and super good for you!  It also is a great source of dietary fiber and phosphorous, and is high in magnesium and iron.  And, as I said before, it is gluten-free and considered very easily digested by the human body.

(cooked red quinoa…see the little curly tails?  That means it’s cooked!!)

Quinoa is light and fluffy after being cooked, and has a mild nutty flavor (don’t worry those of you who are allergic to nuts as I am, it is not even closely related to the nut family) and can be used as an alternative for rice or couscous, and also can be made into a flour to be used for gluten-free baking.  A suggested mix is three parts quinoa flour, three parts sorghum flour, two parts potato starch, and one part tapioca starch, for  gluten-free baking mix!!


I really urge you guys to try it, it is a great alternative to other carbs for dinner (i.e. rice, potatoes, couscous) because it also has a great mix of protein and vitamins/minerals, and you can always spruce it up with some spices and steamed veggies (one of my favorite side dishes), and it is so yummy on its own, you don’t need to laden it with butter to taste good.  One more quick step to a healthier meal!!  So, give it a try, and tell me what you think!


Yours in Good Health

 B