Category Archives: Healthy Eating

How To Talk To Your Doctor About Your Nutrition Program

Dietitian Cassie

How to Talk to Your Doctor

So you’ve ditched the restrictive low-fat, low-calorie diets, embraced healthy fats like butter and coconut oil, and adapted a fresh, real food approach to fueling your body. As a result you’ve shed pounds without feeling deprived, your energy levels have soared, and your cravings have been suppressed. But… you still feel slightly uncomfortable about telling your doctor the good news. Discussing your nutrition program with your doctor can be, but isn’t typically an easy task. As you’re thinking about having this conversation with your doctor, I would encourage you to take the following tips into consideration and step into your next appointment confidently and at ease, excited to share the healthy changes you’ve made with your doctor.

My Top 10 Tips for Talking to Your Doctor About Your Nutrition Program:

Have realistic expectations. Change rarely happens in a day. Chances are you won’t change your physician’s opinion in one or two appointments, so keep your expectations realistic. Acknowledge they may be skeptical and probably won’t jump onboard right away, and that’s okay. All you can ask for is their support as you run your own race.

Set the stage for a friendly chat. From the very moment you walk into the office, be intentional about keeping a smile on your face and a light heart. If you’re already in defense mode when you step foot in the door, then you’ve already put a negative stamp on the potential conversation. But, if you’re in the right mindset and have the right attitude, then go for it! Be excited about starting a respectful conversation with your doctor about the new nutritional approach you are taking and the positive changes you’ve already seen. It’s a good idea not to assume from the get-go that they are completely stuck in the mainstream way of thinking. You may even be pleasantly surprised to hear they are familiar with the positive benefits of eating more fat and less carbs or that they may have had other patients follow a similar PFC approach. Try not to accuse them of not being onboard or get defensive if you don’t need to. Even mainstream medical doctors may be more open-minded than you think.

Invite your doctor to the party. By inviting your doctor to the party you are allowing him or her to celebrate your health victories WITH you. Remember that you both have the same goal: improving your health. If you feel resentful or frustrated that they didn’t give you a more natural approach in the first place or maybe because they’re skeptical about the way you are eating, that’s okay. Acknowledge your feelings but don’t let them get in the way of the excitement you feel for reaching your health goals.

Be your own proof. You matter! When your acne clears up, your weight goes down and your blood sugars stabilize —that speaks wonders. There is nothing more powerful than a testimony. Show your doctor proof and explain your experiences and the positive results you’ve seen in your life. If your doctor gets defensive, back off a little. Being genuine and transparent will go a long way in making this a good experience for you both.

Come prepared. If they don’t believe you, then refer them to someone they might believe! Some doctors may not be interested in seeing the research, but some might. If you’ve come across studies or have books that reference studies that can support your approach to nutrition, bring them with!

Keep in mind that your doctor is likely not a nutrition expert. Out of the long, many hours of medical school, a very small amount of these are spent on nutrition education, if any. In fact, NO nutrition classes are required to get a Harvard Medical degree and not many other programs do. Many doctors will admit they have a nutrition certification from a weekend seminar at most. Chances are high they didn’t become nutrition experts in the course of a weekend and you can bet the information they obtained at said seminar drilled the low-fat, lean meat, whole grain message. Because of the lack of nutrition knowledge required to be a doctor, you can’t expect them to be a nutrition expert. This isn’t the case for all doctors; some might have a passion for nutrition and its effect in their own lives, and there is an emerging community of holistic, primal-minded docs that are fantastic, but if yours does not fall into this category, don’t hold it against them. Give them the benefit of the doubt and assume they have your best interest at heart. Your doctor is likely doing the best job he or she can with the limited knowledge of nutrition they have.

Focus on the positive. Instead of listing the foods you no longer eat, emphasize the foods you DO eat that make you feel great. Maybe healthy fat has significantly improved your mental clarity and taken away your cravings. Maybe eating protein more frequently gives you more energy. Perhaps avoiding artificial sweeteners improves your digestive function. Perhaps eliminating grains clears up your sinuses.

Don’t ask for permission. Your health is in YOUR hands and only YOU have the power and authority to choose what you eat. Regardless of what your doctor says or believes, ultimately you are the one responsible for making your own choices. Be confident in your beliefs and stand by them.

Don’t challenge their authority. Ask for their help if you can. Ask what it will take for you to come off a certain medication or if they’ve seen the research supporting health benefits of saturated fat. But flaunting what you “know” in most cases causes more harm than good.

You get to choose your physician. If you get to the point where you are overwhelmed with frustration, remember you can always find a different doctor. Just like you are in charge of what goes into your body, you also have the choice of which doctor gets to see you.

Be Healthy!

Dirt Poor: Have Fruits and Vegetables Become Less Nutritious?

Dietary Fat and Your Brain

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CASEY THALER

Did you know there is no such thing as an essential carbohydrate? That’s right — you don’t need carbs at all! However, there are definitely essential fats (technically, essential fatty acids). Knowing which fats belong in your diet is essential to your health – as much as water is! Yet many people go “low-fat” or think that fat will make them fat (hint: it won’t).

Your brain needs fat — not only to survive, but to thrive! Your mitochondria (think of these as your cell’s energy factories) need fat to keep everything in your body and brain going! In fact, ketogenic diets remove all carbohydrates and subsist solely on protein and fat — which are technically the only two macronutrients needed to sustain life. But you don’t need to go to those extreme lengths to understand the absolute necessity of fat for your brain.
Your brain runs off of glucose — but it can also run off of ketone bodies, which are created during periods of low carbohydrate consumption. In fact, some argue that our brains run better off of ketone bodies. Our Paleo ancestors likely consumed a low carb diet, eating animals for their protein and fat content, while avoiding tubers and other carbs (largely because they would have taken long periods of time to prepare).

As we’ve changed into a sedentary lifestyle that subsists on grains, our brains may have suffered as a result. Obesity is also at an all-time high, as 70% of the US is now overweight. Not only is being overweight at a pandemic level, we now have alarming rates of diabetes (costing us $245 billion per year) and dementia.

What is the commonality among all three health issues? They are largely a result of moving from a high-fat, brain friendly diet, into a low-fat, brain unfriendly diet. In fact, scientists have found that a ketogenic diet (very high in fat) can help neurodegenerative disorders, including Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease.
Our Paleo ancestors likely did not suffer from Alzheimer’s disease (though this was partially due to them not reaching old age) and they also were not obese. Is the secret here really dietary fat? It may be. To extrapolate more, the ketogenic diet (remember: it’s very high in fat) was originally designed for those suffering from seizures and/or epilepsy.

Why is this important? Because too much excitement in the brain causes seizures, basically. One way is by having too much glutamate. And GABA (the major inhibitory neurotransmitter for humans) is made from glutamate. But glutamate can also become aspartate, which is excitatory and neurotoxic (at high enough levels).

So by favoring a higher-fat diet, one may be helping glutamate become GABA, instead of aspartate. This is a plausible scientific mechanism, and also explains the increased rates of ADD we see in contemporary American society. Too many carbs, not enough fat = glutamate turning into aspartate instead of GABA. This leaves kids too excited to sit still. This is why science and neurology are vital tools, in unlocking diseases and health conditions.

Why Does Dietary Fat Matter?
Quite simply: if you don’t eat any fat — your brain can’t work well! If the only energy you give your brain and body is carbohydrate (for our purposes, think “glucose”) your brain won’t get much GABA, and it will be overrun with aspartate. This may also be why we see improvements in those with bipolar disorder when they stick to a more healthful diet. In fact, a correlation appears between bipolar disorder and disordered eating, leading us into the “chicken or the egg” problem, of what exactly diet is doing to our brains.

A Paleo lifestyle and a diet rich in dietary fat were shown to reverse Alzheimer’s symptoms.
Another scientific trial was able to reverse Alzheimer’s symptoms for the first time in history! What was their method which led to these groundbreaking results? Not drugs, as one might suspect. Instead, basically a Paleo lifestyle, with plenty of sleep, exercise and lots of dietary fat, while avoiding grains and inflammatory foods! Here, the results speak for themselves.

What Happens Without Fat?
Quite simply — nothing good! Things go haywire when one does not consume fat. In fact, you need omega-3 and omega-6 so badly that here is a small list of symptoms that are likely to occur when you don’t get enough fat in your diet.

Dry, scaly, flaky, dull, or bumpy skin
Dry, brittle, or lackluster hair
Soft, peeling, splitting, or brittle fingernails
Night blindness
Confusion and disorientation
Depression
Fatty food cravings
Note that “confusion” and “depression” are listed. Other doctors report “extreme mental fatigue” as a result of not including enough fat in the diet. There are also scientific reports of metabolic syndrome (that’s too much sugar, obesity, etc.) being linked to decreased amounts of brain tissue — specifically in the hippocampus and frontal lobes.

Since there has been a sharp increase of Alzheimer’s disease in the last four decades, the environment we live in seems to be playing a major role. So what has changed in the last four decades? Quite simply, everything! We are looking at screens all the time, sleeping less than ever, stressed like never before, eating less healthfully, exercising less, eating much more sugar and eating much less fat. Of these changing aspects of American life, the “less fat, more sugar” issue may be having the biggest negative impact on our brains (although no doubt the effect of all these factors is cumulative).

Fat provides the basic framework for our cells, and cholesterol is necessary for our survival. How has the American diet gotten it all wrong? That is an issue of politics and industry, and it has affected our health greatly. When we don’t eat fat, in a way, our cells starve. That is part of why we get dry skin, brittle hair, become confused and crave fatty foods. Our body is much smarter than we give it credit for — it is trying to correct the problem by telling us to eat something fatty!

Think of a car: without the right kind of gasoline, things start to go wrong. Your brain is the car in this scenario — and you don’t want to be fueling your brain incorrectly! Without mental health, there simply is no other kind of health.

What to Do
Make sure you include some fat in your diet. Good fats are extra virgin olive oil, coconut oil, ghee and butter.

Whatever you do, though, do not go low fat. It will not work for you in the long term (especially in the cognition department) and in fact, low-fat diets lost out to high-fat diets in the category of weight loss, as well. There is quite literally no good reason to leave out fat in the diet, since it is a vital element for cognition, our cells and a myriad of other functions. And remember: there is no such thing as an essential carbohydrate, but there are essential fats.

The Bottom Line
I’m going to guess that by now, you’re running to eat some fat, for fear of losing your brain cells! But things are not quite that bad. Remember that it is important to get the right kinds of fat, as well as a good balance of them. Do not load up on any single source of fat; simply eat a wide variety of healthy fats, as well as good sources of protein, and include a moderate amount of carbohydrates.

It is also important to remove sugar, processed foods and grains, as none of these are helpful for your brain, either. Inflammation in the brain is not favorable, and all of the aforementioned foods cause inflammation in the brain. Your brain should be your number one priority — avoid injury, get sleep, keep stress low and avoid harmful habits. This is in addition to fueling it well with some great sources of fat.

Fat is Friendly.

Stay Healthy.

Images courtesy Google.

6 Evidence-Based Health Benefits of Hemp Seeds ( Bhang ke beej)

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Adda Bjarnadottir, MSc

Man With Outstreched Hands Hemp seeds are from the same plant as cannabis (marijuana). However, they contain only trace amounts of THC, the compound that causes the drug-like effects of marijuana.

Hemp seeds are exceptionally nutritious and rich in healthy fats, protein and various minerals.

Here are 6 health benefits of hemp seeds that are backed up by science.

1. Hemp Seeds Are Incredibly Nutritious

Technically a nut, hemp seeds are very nutritious. They have a mild, nutty flavor and are often referred to as hemp hearts.

Hemp seeds contain over 30% fat. They are exceptionally rich in two essential fatty acids, linoleic acid (omega-6) and alpha-linolenic acid (omega-3).

They also contain gamma-linolenic acid, which has been linked with several health benefits (1).

Hemp seeds are a great protein source, as more than 25% of their total calories are from high-quality protein.

That is considerably more than similar foods like chia seeds and flaxseeds, which provide about 16–18%.

This is what whole and shelled hemp seeds look like:

Hemp Seeds Whole and Shelled

Hemp seeds are also a great source of vitamin E and minerals such as phosphorus, potassium, sodium, magnesium, sulfur, calcium, iron and zinc.

Hemp seeds can be consumed raw, cooked or roasted. Hemp seed oil is also very healthy, and has been used as a food/medicine in China for at least 3,000 years.

2. Hemp Seeds May Reduce the Risk of Heart Disease

Hemp Seeds Forming Heart Heart disease is the number one killer worldwide.

Interestingly, eating hemp seeds may reduce the risk of heart disease via several mechanisms.

They contain high amounts of the amino acid arginine, which is used to produce nitric oxide in the body. Nitric oxide is a gas molecule that makes the blood vessels dilate and relax, leading to lowered blood pressure and a reduced risk of heart disease.

In one large study of more than 13,000 people, increased arginine intake was linked with decreased levels of C-reactive protein (CRP). CRP is an inflammatory marker linked with heart disease.

Additionally, animal studies have shown that hemp seeds or hemp seed oil may reduce blood pressure, decrease the risk of blood clot formation and help the heart recover after a heart attack.

3. Hemp Seeds and Oil May Benefit Skin Disorders

Little Bowls Containing Hemp Seeds, Oil and Powder Fatty acids may affect immune responses in the body.

Hemp seeds are a good source of polyunsaturated and essential fatty acids. They have about a 3:1 ratio of omega-6 to omega-3, which is considered in the optimal range.

Studies have shown that giving hemp seed oil to people with eczema may improve blood levels of essential fatty acids.

It may also relieve dry skin, improve itchiness and reduce the need for skin medication.

4. Hemp Seeds Are a Great Source of Plant-Based Protein

About 25% of calories in hemp seeds come from protein, which is relatively high.

Bowl of Hemp Seeds

In fact, by weight, hemp seeds provide amounts of protein similar to beef and lamb. 30 grams of hemp seeds, or 2–3 tablespoons, provide about 11 grams of protein.

They are considered a complete protein source, which means that they provide all the essential amino acids. Essential amino acids are not produced in the body and need to be gotten from the diet.

Complete protein sources are very rare in the plant kingdom, as plants often lack the amino acid lysine. Quinoa is another example of a complete, plant-based protein source.

The digestibility of hemp protein is also very good — better than protein from many grains, nuts and legumes.

5. Hemp Seeds May Reduce Symptoms of PMS and Menopause

Pile of Hemp Seeds Up to 80% of women of reproductive age may suffer from physical or emotional symptoms caused by premenstrual syndrome (PMS).

These symptoms are very likely caused by sensitivity to the hormone prolactin.

Gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), found in hemp seeds, produces prostaglandin E1, which reduces the effects of prolactin.

In a study of women with PMS, taking one gram of essential fatty acids (including 210 mg of GLA) per day resulted in a significant decrease in symptoms.

Other studies have shown that primrose oil, which is rich in GLA, may be highly effective in reducing symptoms for women who have failed other PMS therapies. It decreased breast pain and tenderness, depression, irritability and fluid retention associated with PMS (25).

Because hemp seeds are high in GLA, several studies have indicated that hemp seeds may also help reduce the symptoms of menopause. Exactly how this works is unknown, but it has been suggested that the GLA in hemp seeds may help to regulate the hormone imbalances and inflammation associated with menopause.

6. Whole Hemp Seeds May Aid Digestion

Fiber is an essential part of the diet and is linked with better digestive health.

Hands Holding Bowl of Hemp Seeds

Whole hemp seeds are a good source of both soluble (20%) and insoluble (80%) fiber.

Soluble fiber forms a gel-like substance in the gut. It is a valuable source of nutrients for the beneficial digestive bacteria, and may also reduce spikes in blood sugar and regulate cholesterol levels.

Insoluble fiber adds bulk to fecal matter and may help food and waste pass through the gut. Consuming insoluble fiber has also been linked with a reduced risk of diabetes.

However, de-hulled or shelled hemp seeds (also known as hemp hearts) contain very little fiber, because the fiber-rich shell has been removed.

Take Home Message

Although hemp seeds have not been popular until recently, they are an old staple food and people are now realizing their excellent nutritional value.

They are very rich in healthy fats, high-quality protein and several minerals.

However, hemp seed shells may contain trace amounts of THC (< 0.3%), the active compound in marijuana. People who have been addicted to cannabis may want to avoid consuming hemp or hemp seeds in any form.

Overall, hemp seeds are incredibly healthy. They might just be one of the few superfoods that are actually worthy of their reputation.

How toxins affect our health

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Dr. Junger

We live in a world filled with toxins. We hear about toxins in our food, water, and air, but we also hear about “toxic” relationships and “toxic” thoughts.

The cocktail of toxins we are exposed to everyday creates health issues that we are all experiencing to different degrees.

Commonplace complaints such as headaches, low energy, bowel irregularities, allergies, depression, skin issues and more are largely caused by overloaded detox systems in our bodies.

But we can change this situation.

Today, I’ll share with you how toxins affect our health and 5 ways we can reduce our exposure to them.

Here we go. Let’s start by getting clear on what a toxin is.

A toxin is something that interferes with normal physiology and negatively impacts bodily function.

Some toxins, known as endotoxins, are waste products from the normal activity of cells. Uric acid, ammonia, lactic acid, and homocysteine fall in this category. When these toxins build up, they cause diseases. Some are very specific, for example, when uric acid lingers, it causes gout.

Exotoxins, or xenobiotics, are human-made toxins that we are exposed to intentionally or inadvertently. Thousands of chemicals are being invented every year. These chemicals, alone or in combination, may cause disruption of the normal cell function.

Let’s give some examples of where we are exposed to human-made toxins.

food
food packaging
prescription drugs
synthetic clothes
carpets (especially synthetic wall-to-wall carpet)
house paint
building materials in offices and homes
mattresses
vinyl shower curtains
air fresheners
household cleaning products
cosmetics
body-care products like shampoo and conditioner
perfumes and fragrances
consumer products like children’s toys
emissions from cars and trucks
car interiors (that “new car smell” is chemical off-gassing from PVC)
tap water and shower water
It’s amazing to think that most of these items were not to be found 100 years ago. Now more than ever we need to bring honest awareness about the extent of our daily exposure and its effects.

We do know how some of these chemicals negatively affect the body. Common chemicals in sunscreens are linked to hormone disruption, cell damage, and skin tumors.

While it’s impossible to exclude all toxins from our lives, it’s possible to reduce much of our exposure.

How toxins affect our health

Toxins have many ways of interfering with the normal physiology of life. They can do it in a unique and very specific way, like arsenic, a deadly poison that causes asphyxia by blocking the usage of oxygen needed for the full metabolism of glucose.

Toxins may block an enzyme needed for an important body function. Or they may stimulate a specific body function in such persistent ways that it begins to cause damage.

Other toxins kill the good bacteria in the intestinal tract, block oxygen from binding to red blood cells, interfere with DNA synthesis by switching genes on and off, or block the absorption of different vitamins.

That’s some of the specific ways a toxin can affect us. But a toxin tends to cause more damage when it’s in an environment with other toxins. There are two important concepts to help us understand how this works.

The first is called bioaccumulation. This means that toxins build up in our tissues and cells more quickly than they are eliminated. The second concept is synergy. Toxins work alone but more often than not, they work in synergy with each other.

Multiple toxins are already combining in our bodies, altering and shifting our inner environments in ways that we’re only just starting to figure out.

Toxicity describes the wider, low-grade state that, to one degree or another, everyone who breathes today’s air, eats today’s food, and lives in today’s cities, suburbs, or rural areas is experiencing inside.

The effects of toxicity are many. Allergies, constipation,headaches, depression, skin issues, digestive problems, and many more.

To help support our body we need some strategies to reduce our exposure and help us cleanse.

Let’s jump into those now.

5 ways to reduce your toxic load

We want to find a balance between reducing our exposure without making ourselves crazy with anxiety. It’s true that we can’t remove all or even most of the toxins we are exposed to, but we can make good progress to lessen the effects of them on our health.

1. Eat Whole foods.

The major source of chemicals and toxins comes from our food. So we’ll repeat this until the cows come home: Look for whole foods free of preservatives, conservatives, and coloring agents. If available, choose chemical-free and organic varieties.

2. Find your toxic triggers.

Toxic buildup could occur from eating too many of the foods that don’t work for you.

3. Use chemical-free cosmetics, body care, and cleaning products.

Over the last few years, this topic has been written about extensively. We now have lots of companies that are creating chemical-free products.

Yet, I can’t tell you how many of my patients still haven’t switched over. Perhaps, they just think it isn’t that important. But remember, a single toxin is often not the problem, it’s the symphony of them interacting together.

I always check how clean my products are at the Environmental Working Group‘s consumer guides.

4. Filter your water.

Water is a major source of toxins today. A recent study showed that people drink water contaminated with antidepressants, hormones, heart medications, and other prescription and over-the-counter medications that have made it through the water-treatment system.

Add to that the chlorine, carcinogens from industrial and agricultural waste, and you’ve got some real messy stuff.

Filter your drinking water and shower water. The city or town-supplied water in our showers and bathtubs has equal potential to add to our toxic load, because we absorb more water through our skin via bathing and showering than through drinking.

Use the water-filter buying guide from the Environmental Working Group to help you find a filter that’s a good fit for you.

5. Do a seasonal Cleanse.

Toxins bioaccumulate in tissues faster than they can be eliminated. When toxins cannot be eliminated in a timely manner, they remain in circulation causing irritation and damage. Contact your Integrative Medicine practitioner for a detox program.

Simple steps. Stay Healthy.

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