Author Archives: Lily Kiswani

About Lily Kiswani

I am an Integrative medicine practitioner. I transitioned into Integrative medicine after three decades of Gynecology practice and Endoscopic surgery. I was the first female Laparoscopic surgeon in India. I have co-authored a textbook, Endoscopic Gynecologic Surgery, available on Amazon. Now, after all these years, with the realisation that I can help people regain their lost health, I find myself inordinately excited and blessed to have this opportunity.

What Pesticides do to us

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Pesticides like Glyphosate can create havoc with our health.

Here’s how: They can-

  • Damage healthy gut bacteria
  • Change normal foods to cause allergies
  • Cause depletion of tryptophan and lead to serotonin deficiency (linked to obesity, depression, and sleep problems)
  • Cause depletion of the amino acid tyrosine contributing to thyroid hormone dysfunction.
  • Disrupt motility of the gut creating symptoms of IBS.
  • Disrupt enzymes in the liver necessary to help the body detoxify.
  • Lead to problems with the liver activating vitamin D
  • Contribute to vitamin A toxicity
  • Disrupt the production of bile acids and contributes to fat malabsorption.
  • Depletes the essential minerals iron, cobalt, zinc, and molybdenum
  • Cause increased inflammatory response

Avoid pesticides. Stay Healthy.

Culinary Medicine – finally being taught in medical schools

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Yes!Yes! It’s finally happening. Medical schools (!!) are waking up to the importance of food and nutrition in health and disease.

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As more medical schools across the country adopt Tulane University’s pioneering culinary medicine program, organizers are making sure the curriculum’s core ingredients — recipes, course modules and nutrition research — stay fresh as they travel.

The Goldring Center for Culinary Medicine hosted a two-day retreat last week for the 13 universities and healthcare centers that license its curriculum to teach medical students culinary skills to better counsel patients about nutrition.

Other institutions licensing the program include: University of Texas–Southwestern Moncrief Cancer Institute; Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine; UCLA Clinical and Translational Science Institute; University of Illinois–Chicago; Western University of Health Sciences; Rutgers University School of Medicine; University of Colorado–Denver; Michigan State University College of Health Sciences; University of Texas Health Science Center–San Antonio; University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine; Mercer University School of Medicine; and Children’s Hospital of San Antonio. These are all organizations that have food, lifestyle and health as their core mission.

Eat Healthy. Be Healthy.

Should you buy Almond milk

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5 Reasons I’m Not Nuts About Almond Milk

Many of my patients have started drinking nut, rice or soy milk as an alternative to cows milk. Almond milk is particularly popular. People generally regard nut milks as a heath food, imparting many of the benefits of nuts. I personally do not use nut milks, nor do I view them as “health foods”. On the other hand, I’m a huge fan of nuts. I encourage most of my patients to eat 1/4 cup of nuts every day. So here are five reasons why buying nuts makes a whole lot more sense than drinking nut milks. But don’t worry, I will tell you how to make your own nut milks if you still want to have them.

The cost factor. I frequently hear people complain that eating healthy foods is expensive. This is only somewhat true. Processed health foods cost a lot more, and nut milks are no exception. The average price for a 946 ml carton (4 cups) of almond milk is about 3 dollars. This carton contains about 15 almonds. If you buy 15 bulk almonds you will pay about 50 cents. Almond for almond you are paying about six times more! Put another way, if you make your own almond milk it will cost you about 1/6 of the price!

The processing factor. Almonds used for making milk are pasteurized; this means they are exposed to high heat. Heat sensitive vitamins are always damaged by processing of this type. In addition, the skin of the almonds is lost during processing. This results in a loss of additional nutrients as well as fibre.

The protein factor. Raw almonds are a decent source of healthy fats and protein. And yet you will only get a measly 1 gram of protein per cup of almond milk. Why? You are getting approximately 3.8 almonds with ever cup of milk you drink. The bulk of what you get is just water.

The additives factor. Almond milks always contain a bunch of additives. The vitamins are often an attractive feature for many consumers, especially the calcium. However, nut milks typically contain cheap forms of chemically lab processed and poorly assimilated vitamins. All almond milks contain emulsifiers to help thicken and maintain a consistent texture. One emulsifier is called lecithin. It is typically a genetically modified byproduct of soy. Another popular emulsifier is carrageenan. The International Agency for Research on Cancer considers degraded carrageenan to be “possibly carcinogenic in humans.”

The sugar factor. Most, although not all nut milks, contain sugar. On average a cup of almond milk will contain anywhere from 2-4 teaspoons of sugar. On the other hand, the equivalent amount of almonds would contain only traces of natural sugars.

THE GOOD NEWS

If you really want to drink your nuts then there is good news: making nut milks is simple and easy! Just blend nuts with water and strain. Homemade nut milks contain no additives and have all the benefits of raw almonds. If you like them, go nuts!

Butter is Better

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Margie King

Butter has gotten a bad rap for many years, starting in the last century with the rise of margarine, which we now recognize as a deadly trans fat. More recently, butter has been shunned in favor of olive oil and canola oil. But here’s why we should reserve a place at the table for good old-fashioned butter.

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The truth is that butter is good for you. Here are 10 benefits of eating real, fresh creamery butter:
1. Butter is the most easily absorbable source of vitamin A which supports the thyroid and adrenal glands, and in turn, the cardiovascular system.
2. Butter doesn’t lead to excess body fat since its short and medium chain fatty acids are burned for quick energy and not stored, and it also gives a feeling of satiety that may decrease cravings and over-eating.
3. It’s rich in anti-oxidants including vitamins A and E, as well as selenium protecting against heart disease as well as cancer.
4. Butter is a good source of dietary cholesterol which acts as an anti-oxidant, repairing damage from free radicals caused by rancid fats, vegetable oils and trans fats. Cholesterol is also important for the development of the brain and nervous system in children.
4. The saturated fat in butter consists of short and medium chain fatty acids which have anti-tumor properties and also strengthen the immune system.
5. Butter contains conjugated linoleic acids (CLA) which are cancer protective.
7. When in its raw state and not pasteurized, butter has an anti-stiffness property called the Wulzen factor, that protects against arthritis, cataracts and hardening of the arteries.
8. Butter is a good source of iodine in a highly absorbable form and necessary for proper thyroid function.
9. It promotes gastro-intestinal health and decreases rates of diarrhea in children.
10. Butter is a good source of vitamin K2 which prevents tooth decay and builds strong teeth and bones.
Remember that the richest benefits are found in raw butter made from grassfed cows.

Do you need antibacterial soap? NO!

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This Photo Shows How Much Bacteria Is Really On Kids’ Hands
We make our children scrub their hands with antibacterial soap. Because – can you imagine the bacteria on his or her hands after a day of play?Well, now you don’t actually have to imagine. Thanks to Tasha Sturm, a microbiology lab tech at Cabrillo College, you can actually see it.She made her 8-year-old son, who had just played outdoors, leave a handprint in a petri dish that was filled with agar jelly. After warming it to body temperature in an incubator, the bacteria and fungus on her son’s hand grew into the cultures that could be seen in an image (above) she posted on Microbe World.

The image is somehow beautiful and stomach-churning at the same time (I need to go wash my hands immediately.).

But don’t be alarmed, Sturm told Today: “It’s normal stuff that we’re exposed to every day. The skin protects us from a lot of the bad stuff out there. The take home message is that to have a healthy immune system, you’ve got to be exposed to stuff.”

So keep living dirty, kids. It’s good for your microbiome and makes for pretty awesome photography!!