Traditional Chinese Medicine Eating Habits

how to eat according to TCM: child eating an apple

Healthy Eating Habits: How to Eat According to TCM

In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), food is heavily relied upon as medicine. What, when, the temperature of the food and how you eat it affects the function of your digestive organs (your spleen and stomach in Chinese medicine) which in turn influences the qi (energy) and function of all the other organs.

The four key rules for eating habits according to Chinese medicine principles are:

  • Timing – best to eat at the same time every day.  In TCM, the spleen and stomach are the organs most involved in digestion and they work best at certain times of the day. The stomach time is from 7-9 a.m., which is the best time of day to consume a good hearty breakfast.  The spleen time follows the stomach, from 9-11 a.m., here you are digesting that hearty breakfast and turning it into energy for your body to use.   These organs are weakest 12 hours later, so you want to avoid eating from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. to avoid damaging them.
  • Weather temperature – External cold temperatures dictate the consumption of warmer foods like soups and stews, external heat calls for
    colder foods like salads. Excessive consumption of cold, raw foods can damage the spleen, so ease up on the salads in winter, switch to lightly stir-fried or steamed foods.
  • Be mindful of what you are doing while eating – You should be focused on eating, not watching TV, talking on the phone, surfing the internet, driving, walking etc.  Being attentive to the task of eating, helps improve digestion, increases awareness of how much you are eating and helps you recognize when you are full.  The parasympathetic nervous system is responsible for digestion, being overstimulated or stressed while eating decreases parasympathetic nervous system activity and increases sympatheic nervous system which directs resources away from your digestive tract.
  • Quantity – You should eat to the point of 2/3 satiety, to allow some reserves in the digestive tract for the process of digestion

For more Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) advice, see TCMP/acupuncturist, Joy Walraven or one of our naturopathic doctors, Dr Rachel Vong or Dr Pamela Frank

By Dr Pamela Frank, BSc(Hons), Naturopathic Doctor

It’s Cranberry Time!

cranberry in the shape of a heart

The Health Benefits of Cranberries

It’s the time of year that you can find cranberries easily in the grocery store. They aren’t readily available year round and they freeze well so it’s a good time to pick up a few bags and throw them in the freezer for future use. Here are some of the amazing health benefits of cranberries:

  • Prevention of Urinary Tract Infections

The proanthocyanidins found in cranberry appear to block E. coli bacteria from sticking to the cell walls of your uterus and bladder.  Most of us are aware of this by now.  The most effective way to get the benefits of the proanthocyanidins for this is through cranberry capsules.  Drinking copious amounts of cranberry juice to fend off a bladder infection may be counter productive, even if it is unsweetened, because cranberries although tart in taste do contain sugar.

  • Reduction of Dental Plaque

It is believed that the juice from eating cranberries can inhibit the aggregation of bacteria in your mouth that cause dental plaque.

  • Anti-Cancer Activity

The same proanthocyanidin compounds that help prevent bladder infections, may have some cancer fighting (anti-carcinogenic) activity.

  • Heart Disease

Cranberry extract has been shown to inhibit low density lipoprotein oxidation thereby reducing your risk of heart disease.

  • Kidney stones

Quinic acid, which is abundant in cranberries, may help to prevent the development of kidney stones.

Want to prevent bladder infections, keep gums and teeth healthier, reduce your risk of cancer, heart disease and kidney stones?  Try these recipes:

Mulled Apple Cranberry Cider

Gluten-Free Apple Cranberry Cake

Mango Lime Salsa

Grain Free Granola

5 Factors Affecting Your Kidneys

picture of kidneys, for kidney health

Maintaining the Health of Your Kidneys

Your kidneys sit close to your back, just beneath (protected by) the ribs in the midback. They are just under the red blobs in the diagram above (the red blobs are your adrenal glands). They filter about 140 liters of blood each day and produce about 1-2 liters of urine.  Their job is to remove waste products from the blood for excretion in the urine.

Factors that influence kidney health:

  1. Diet – inflammatory foods and high blood sugars will damage the kidneys.  Studies have shown that removing inflammatory foods and better managing blood sugar (especially for diabetics), can improve kidney function.  Foods that tend to provoke inflammation include: sugars, cooking oils, trans fats, red meat, processed meat, refined grains, additives like MSG plus any foods that you are sensitive to such as dairy, gluten, eggs, nuts or beans.
  2. Fiber intake – higher dietary fiber intake improves kidney function.
  3. Sugar and artificial sweetener intake – a recent study found that intake of greater than 2 artificially sweetened sodas per day lead to a decline in kidney function.
  4. Protein intake – high protein diets have been discouraged in the past as putting too much strain on the kidneys.  In healthy kidneys, protein consumption is not of concern.  In fact, one recent study showed that pregnant women with higher protein intake, produced children with better functioning kidneys. The only people who need be concerned with limiting protein intake, are those with kidney disease.
  5. Caffeine – there appears to be no association between caffeine intake and kidney disease.  In fact, one study found a lower risk for kidney stones in those who consumed more caffeine.

By Dr. Pamela Frank, BSc(Hons), ND

References:

Xu H, Huang X, Risérus U, Krishnamurthy VM, Cederholm T, Arnlöv J, Lindholm B, Sjögren P, Carrero JJ. Dietary fiber, kidney function, inflammation, and mortality risk. Clin J Am Soc Nephrol. 2014 Dec 5;9(12):2104-10. doi: 10.2215/CJN.02260314. Epub 2014 Oct 3.

Xu H1, Sjögren P, Ärnlöv J, Banerjee T, Cederholm T, Risérus U, Lindholm B, Lind L, Carrero JJ. A proinflammatory diet is associated with systemic inflammation and reduced kidney function in elderly adults. J Nutr. 2015 Apr;145(4):729-35. doi: 10.3945/jn.114.205187. Epub 2015 Jan 28.

Lin J1, Curhan GC. Associations of sugar and artificially sweetened soda with albuminuria and kidney function decline in women. Clin J Am Soc Nephrol. 2011 Jan;6(1):160-6. doi: 10.2215/CJN.03260410. Epub 2010 Sep 30.

Miliku K, Voortman T, van den Hooven EH, Hofman A, Franco OH, Jaddoe VW. First-trimester maternal protein intake and childhood kidney outcomes: the Generation R Study. Am J Clin Nutr. 2015 Jul;102(1):123-9. doi: 10.3945/ajcn.114.102228. Epub 2015 May 13.

Ferraro PM, Taylor EN, Gambaro G, Curhan GC. Caffeine intake and the risk of kidney stones. Am J Clin Nutr. 2014 Dec;100(6):1596-603. doi: 10.3945/ajcn.114.089987. Epub 2014 Oct 1.

Autoimmune disease

woman with autoimmune disease arthritis

What is an auto-immune disease?

It’s a disease where the immune system, which is programmed to ignore “self”, has gone haywire and started attacking the person’s own tissues.

Which conditions are considered to be autoimmune?

The list of what is now thought to be autoimmune is expanding. More than 80 different conditions are listed as autoimmune diseases. Some of the more common ones are Lupus, Rheumatoid arthritis, Sjogren’s, Scleroderma, type I diabetes, MS, Guillain Barre, psoriasis, Grave’s disease (hyperthyroid), Hashimoto’s (hypothyroid) and vasculitis. For a full list of autoimmune disorders, click here: www.aarda.org

What causes autoimmune diseases?

Good question with a complex answer.  Since it doesn’t appear to be just one thing. The factors that contribute to autoimmune disorders are:

  1. Gut health – since 70-80% of your immune system is there, an unhealthy or leaky gut causes unhealthy immune system activity.
  2. Food sensitivities – foods that aggravate the immune system cause the production of antibodies and inflammation.
  3. Latent infections – low-level viral (herpes, Epstein Barr), fungal (yeast) or bacterial infections (strep) cause excessive or disordered immune system activity.
  4. Poorly functioning adrenal glands – the adrenal glands produce powerful anti-inflammatories called corticosteroids. Prednisone is a corticosteroid drug that is prescribed as a medication for auto-immune problems.

How can we fix auto-immune disorders?

Our naturopathic doctors assess your symptoms related to each of the above situations and address them accordingly.

  1. Gut health – a healthy gut requires nutrients like l-glutamine, vitamin A, and fibre. Fibre feeds the good bacteria in your gut.  They then break it down into short chain fatty acids that nourish the cells that line your colon. Good bacteria moderate your immune system and prevent overgrowth of harmful bacteria or yeast.
  2. Food sensitivity detective work – we can determine your food sensitivities (almost everyone has some) either by process of elimination (also called an elimination challenge diet) or through science-based testing for IgG and/or IgA antibodies in your bloodstream to particular foods (up to 184 foods!).
  3. If you are prone to genital herpes, cold sores, had mono or recurring sore throats or strep, recurring yeast infections or BV, these viruses, yeast or bacteria may lurk in your body and fire up your immune system.  Natural antimicrobials like oregano oil, garlic, caprylic acid, black walnut, uva ursi and grapefruit seed extract rid your body of some of these (the herpes viruses stay in your system).
  4. Your adrenal glands are your stress glands.  They are also your body’s source of corticosteroids.  Corticosteroids are powerful immune suppressors that keep your immune system in check and on track. Prednisone is a corticosteroid drug that suppresses autoimmune diseases.  Your body makes its own internal Prednisone via your adrenal glands. They require lots of vitamin B5, B6, vitamin C, zinc and magnesium to function at their best.  Adaptogens are herbs that can help your adrenals work well and help you deal with stress more easily.

By Dr Pamela Frank, BSc(Hons), Naturopathic Doctor

Autoimmune disease and natural medicine research

Zamani B, Golkar HR, Farshbaf S, Emadi-Baygi M, Tajabadi-Ebrahimi M, Jafari P, Akhavan R, Taghizadeh M, Memarzadeh MR, Asemi Z. Clinical and metabolic response to probiotic supplementation in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Int J Rheum Dis. 2016 May 2. doi: 10.1111/1756-185X.12888.
Li J, Yan H, Chen H, Ji Q, Huang S, Yang P, Liu Z, Yang B. The Pathogenesis of Rheumatoid Arthritis is Associated with Milk or Egg Allergy. N Am J Med Sci. 2016 Jan;8(1):40-6. doi: 10.4103/1947-2714.175206.
Draborg A, Izarzugaza JM, Houen G. How compelling are the data for Epstein-Barr virus being a trigger for systemic lupus and other autoimmune diseases? Curr Opin Rheumatol. 2016 Jul;28(4):398-404. doi: 10.1097/BOR.0000000000000289.
Mravcova M, Chovanova L, Paulikova L, Vlcek M, Rovensky J, Killinger Z, Wendl J, Imrich R. Genetics of neuroendocrine factors in rheumatoid arthritis. Horm Metab Res. 2015 Jun;47(6):411-7. doi: 10.1055/s-0034-1395667. Epub 2014 Dec 12.

Gut Health

how to heal your gut, heal the migrating motor complex or MMC

How to Heal Your Gut

Many of the disorders that our naturopathic doctors frequently treat, are related to poor gut health including autoimmune disorders, allergies, eczema, psoriasis, recurrent infections, low immune function, inflammatory bowel disease, acne, hormone imbalance, irritable bowel syndrome and yeast infections.

Patients suffering from these conditions will often have gut overgrowth of yeast, harmful bacteria and parasites, inadequate beneficial bacteria, inflammation, small intestinal bacteria overgrowth (SIBO) and leaky gut. Healing gut issues requires a multi-pronged and stepwise approach:

  1.  Remove food sensitivities that are weakening the immune system and damaging the intestinal lining.
  2. Remove any harmful organisms that are damaging the gut.
  3. After the two above steps, then we can repair the gut lining.

Supplements to Repair the Gut Lining

L-glutamine – L-glutamine is an amino acid that is an important fuel for cells that line the digestive tract.
Vitamin A – Vitamin A is vital to the health of mucous membranes – the tissue that lines the digestive and respiratory tracts.
N-acetyl glucosamine (NAG) – This is a different glucosamine from the one that is used for arthritis. It has been shown to have anti-inflammatory effects in inflammatory bowel disease.
Zinc carnosine – A special form of zinc that helps increase antioxidants in the gut and protect the lining of the stomach and digestive tract from damage.
Aloe vera – The gel from inside the aloe plant helps protect the lining of the digestive tract from damage.  However, recent concerns have been raised about liver injury associated with aloe vera juice.  For that reason we no longer recommend its use.
Citrus pectin – Research has shown that pectin can help the lining of the digestive tract heal from injury.
Research:

Rolandelli RH, Koruda MJ, Settle RG, Rombeau JL. The effect of enteral feedings supplemented with pectin on the healing of colonic anastomoses in the rat. Surgery. 1986 Jun;99(6):703-7.

Azuma K, Osaki T, Kurozumi S, Kiyose M, Tsuka T, Murahata Y, Imagawa T, Itoh N, Minami S, Sato K, Okamoto Y. Anti-inflammatory effects of orally administered glucosamine oligomer in an experimental model of inflammatory bowel disease. Carbohydr Polym. 2015 Jan 22;115:448-56. doi: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2014.09.012. Epub 2014 Sep 21.

Beaufrère AM, Neveux N, Patureau Mirand P, Buffière C, Marceau G, Sapin V, Cynober L, Meydinal-Denis D. Long-term intermittent glutamine supplementation repairs intestinal damage (structure and functional mass) with advanced age: assessment with plasma citrulline in a rodent model. J Nutr Health Aging. 2014 Nov;18(9):814-9. doi: 10.1007/s12603-014-0468-6.

Lan A, Blachier F, Benamouzig R, Beaumont M, Barrat C, Coelho D, Lancha A Jr, Kong X, Yin Y, Marie JC, Tomé D. Mucosal healing in inflammatory bowel diseases: is there a place for nutritional supplementation? Inflamm Bowel Dis. 2015 Jan;21(1):198-207. doi: 10.1097/MIB.0000000000000177.

Werawatganon D, Rakananurak N, Sallapant S, Prueksapanich P, Somanawat K, Klaikeaw N, Rerknimitr R. Aloe vera attenuated gastric injury on indomethacin-induced gastropathy in rats. World J Gastroenterol. 2014 Dec 28;20(48):18330-7. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v20.i48.18330.

Deters A1, Zippel J, Hellenbrand N, Pappai D, Possemeyer C, Hensel A. Aqueous extracts and polysaccharides from Marshmallow roots (Althea officinalis L.): cellular internalisation and stimulation of cell physiology of human epithelial cells in vitro. J Ethnopharmacol. 2010 Jan 8;127(1):62-9. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2009.09.050. Epub 2009 Sep 30.

Ueda K, Ueyama T, Oka M, Ito T, Tsuruo Y, Ichinose M. Polaprezinc (Zinc L-carnosine) is a potent inducer of anti-oxidative stress enzyme, heme oxygenase (HO)-1 – a new mechanism of gastric mucosal protection. J Pharmacol Sci. 2009 Jul;110(3):285-94. Epub 2009 Jun 19.

Boron

the element boron increases free testosterone

UnBoring Boron

Boron is a trace mineral found in almonds, walnuts, avocados, broccoli, pears, prunes, honey, oranges, onions, chick peas, carrots, beans, red grapes and red apples.

What Does Boron Do for Me?

This trace mineral has research showing that it is beneficial for improving free testosterone levels, preventing osteoarthritis, reducing symptoms of menopause, preventing blood clots, reducing psoriasis and reducing inflammation by decreasing TNF-alpha.

How Much Boron Should I Take?

As with any supplement, dosage needs to be individualized to the person. It’s not one size fits all and there are potential risks associated with taking it. Supplementation with it appears to be safe, but appropriate doses may be anywhere from .7 mg to 10 mg per day.

What are the Side Effects of Taking Boron?

Side effects of excessive intake of it include skin inflammation and peeling, irritability, tremors, convulsions, weakness, headaches, depression, diarrhea, vomiting, and other symptoms.

Who Shouldn’t Take Boron?

This trace mineral shouldn’t be taken by women who are pregnant/breastfeeding (except in the amounts contained in a prenatal multivitamin), children, people with hormone sensitive conditions and people with kidney disease.

Our naturopathic doctors are the experts as to what supplements are most appropriate for you, which brands are the best quality and how to safely use supplements. Book a consultation to discuss diet, vitamins, minerals, herbs and acupuncture with one of our licensed and experienced ND’s.

By Dr Pamela Frank, BSc(Hons), Naturopath

Boron Research:

Naghii MR, Mofid M, Asgari AR, Hedayati M, Daneshpour MS. Comparative effects of daily and weekly boron supplementation on plasma steroid hormones and proinflammatory cytokines. J Trace Elem Med Biol. 2011 Jan;25(1):54-8. doi: 10.1016/j.jtemb.2010.10.001. Epub 2010 Dec 3.

Zofková I1, Nemcikova P, Matucha P. Trace elements and bone health. Clin Chem Lab Med. 2013 Aug;51(8):1555-61. doi: 10.1515/cclm-2012-0868.

Nikkhah S, Dolatian M, Naghii MR, Zaeri F, Taheri SM. Effects of boron supplementation on the severity and duration of pain in primary dysmenorrhea. Complement Ther Clin Pract. 2015 May;21(2):79-83. doi: 10.1016/j.ctcp.2015.03.005. Epub 2015 Apr 4.

Collagen

man straining to open pickle jar with prominent tendons made from collagen

Anti-aging & Collagen

What is collagen?

It is a protein, also called an extracellular matrix protein (ECM). It’s the most abundant protein in the human body and helps hold the whole works together. Think of it like a scaffolding that provides support and structure.

Why is it important?

Collagen is found in your bones, muscles, skin and tendons. There are more than 25 different types in your body. It makes up one third of your body’s protein and three quarters of the dry weight of your skin. It’s important because without good collagen production, your skin sags, muscles become weak and poorly defined, bones can develop osteoporosis and tendons can break more easily. Osteoporosis isn’t only about calcium.

What do I need to build it?

All proteins are built from amino acids. The key amino acids in making collagen are proline, glycine and lysine. The enzymes that aid in building it also require vitamin C  and copper as co-factors in its production.

What about taking it as a supplement?

Intact collagen is too large to be absorbed in the gut. In the hydrolyzed form, it has been broken down or digested by enzymes into smaller amino acid chains called peptides. These can be absorbed and have been shown in at least one study to be absorbed into the blood stream and bone of mice. Another study found that oral supplementation of marine collagen peptides with antioxidants (CoQ10, resveratrol luteolin + selenium) remarkably improved skin elasticity, sebum production, and skin ultrasound markers.

Collagen and Hypertension

Changes in the walls of the arteries and collagen function are involved in arterial stiffening in several disease states, including hypertension (high blood pressure). Maintaining healthy collagen, may help lower hypertension and maintain a healthy heart and blood vessels. One study from Oregon State University found that after 1 month of taking 500 mg of vitamin C per day, systolic (the top number, for example in 120/80 blood pressure, systolic is 120), diastolic (the bottom number) and mean blood pressures all declined about 9 percent.

By Dr Pamela Frank, BSc(Hons), Naturopath

For help with anti-aging, maintaining healthy skin, bones, arteries and veins, and any other health issue, book a consultation with our naturopathic doctors.

References:

Matthew D. Shoulders and Ronald T. Raines. COLLAGEN STRUCTURE AND STABILITY, Annu Rev Biochem. 2009; 78: 929–958.

De Luca C, Mikhal’chik EV, Suprun MV, Papacharalambous M, Truhanov AI, Korkina LG. Skin Anti-aging and Systemic Redox Effects of Supplementation with Marine Collagen Peptides and Plant-Derived Antioxidants: A Single-Blind Case-Control Clinical Study. Oxid Med Cell Longev. 2016;2016:4389410. doi: 10.1155/2016/4389410. Epub 2016 Jan 19.

Watanabe-Kamiyama M, Shimizu M, Kamiyama S, Taguchi Y, Sone H, Morimatsu F, Shirakawa H, Furukawa Y, Komai M. Absorption and effectiveness of orally administered low molecular weight collagen hydrolysate in rats. J Agric Food Chem. 2010 Jan 27;58(2):835-41. doi: 10.1021/jf9031487.

Oregon State University. “Vitamin C Can Reduce High Blood Pressure, Study Finds.” ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 21 December 1999.

Migrating Motor Complex

how to heal your gut, heal the migrating motor complex or MMC

What is the Migrating Motor Complex (MMC)?

These are waves of electrical activity that pass through your gut between meals.

What does it do?

The MMC help to move food, waste and fiber from your stomach through to your colon.

Why is it important?

The MMC is important because it also keeps sweeping bacteria out of the small intestine and prevents backwash of bacteria from the large intestine up into the small intestine.

What happens if my MMC isn’t working?

The result of poor MMC function is constipation and/or SIBO, also called small intestinal bacteria overgrowth. This can cause lots of digestion problems (bloating, gas, constipation, diarrhea, food allergies or sensitivities).

How can I help my Migrating Motor Complex work better?

Part of what stimulates your MMC is fasting.  So take breaks between meals. A hormone produced by your stomach called motilin also helps regulate the MMC. Motilin release is regulated by your vagus nerve.  This is a big nerve that comes from your brain and goes to all of the organs of your chest and abdomen. Deep breathing exercises and gargling are two ways of trying to stimulate your vagus nerve. A high cholesterol diet inhibits your MMC, so keep your cholesterol intake low to moderate. Antidepressant medications or SSRIs also inhibit movement in your gut.

Our naturopathic doctors have other means of correcting poor function of your MMC, SBIO and many other gut issues.  Migrating Motor Complex related supplements include 5HTP, ginger and pyridoxal-5- phosphate. Rikkunshito is a Japanese kampo medicine that has been shown to improve gut motility. Book a consultation with one of our ND’s for more information tailored to you.

Authored By Dr Pamela Frank, BSc(Hons), ND

References:

1. Chen CY, Tsai CY. Ghrelin and motilin in the gastrointestinal system. Curr Pharm Des. 2012;18(31):4755-65.

2. Zhang XM, Dong L, Liu LN. Changes of gastrointestinal myoelectric activity and bile acid pool during cholesterol gallstone formation in guinea pigs. Di Yi Jun Yi Da Xue Xue Bao. 2005 Oct;25(10):1251-5, 1260.

3. Fujitsuka N1, Asakawa A, Hayashi M, Sameshima M, Amitani H, Kojima S, Fujimiya M, Inui A. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors modify physiological gastrointestinal motor activities via 5-HT2c receptor and acyl ghrelin. Biol Psychiatry. 2009 May 1;65(9):748-59. doi: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2008.10.031. Epub 2008 Dec 5.

Fever in Children

sick child with fever

Fever Guidelines in Children

As a parent, I always find the times that my son has a fever unnerving, even though logically I know that the fever is his immune system’s way of launching a full scale attack against a virus, bacteria or other infectious agent. The fact that he has something serious enough to warrant a fever is what unsettles me, but thankfully when he does have one, whatever the illness is resolves quickly and efficiently. Evidence of the effectiveness of a fever against a pathogen.

What to Do About a Fever

If you are unsure what to do about a fever, here are some guidelines:

Always seek an MD’s advice if:
1. Your child is under 6 months old
2. Your child is between 6 months and 3 years old and has a temperature of 102 or higher
3. Your child is over 3 years old and has a fever of 104 or higher that does not respond to fever control measures within 4 hours
4. You have a child of any age who is lethargic, listless, unusually sleepy, in pain, extremely irritable or complains of a stiff neck or is having difficultly breathing or if he/she just doesn’t seem right or has unusual or severe symptoms

How to Help a Sick Child

  1. Keep your child comfortable with a tepid bath, or a cool cloth
  2. Keep them hydrated but don’t force food
  3. Offer plenty of reassurance, nurturing, cuddles and comfort.

If your child doesn’t need to see an MD based on the above criteria, but you want to do everything you can to help him/her recover more quickly, our naturopaths do treat children.  If your child gets ill frequently, or severely and you want to improve his/her immune system, our naturopathic doctors can help sort out why he/she gets sick so often and help reduce the frequency and severity of illness.  Herbal medicine, nutritional advice, vitamins and minerals can help support healthy immune system function in children.

By Dr. Pamela Frank, BSc(Hons), ND

5 Common Paleo Diet Mistakes

paleo diet

Are You Guilty of Making these Paleo Diet Missteps?

By Dr. Pamela Frank, BSc(Hons), ND

In my opinion, the Paleo diet is “mostly right”.  Eating whole foods, in their natural state, raised naturally, organic, free range, lots of veggies, moderate fruit and protein, no refined grains or sugar.

  1. Banning all legumes – Chickpeas, beans and lentils provide nutrients, amino acids and fiber. Proponents of avoiding these foods cite their phytic acid and lectin content.  Lectins are almost eliminated by cooking and most legumes are not consumed raw.  Eating raw kidney beans can lead to toxicity, so definitely don’t try this at home. Phytates can be reduced by soaking, sprouting and fermenting legumes. Eaten properly prepared, provided you are able to digest legumes, they provide a planet friendly protein source with lots of fiber.
  2. Promoting too much meat and bacon consumption.  Whether because Paleo advocates have endorsed this, or people just plunk meat in place of all the grains they used to eat, some people when they go Paleo go overboard on meat.  Conservative servings of chicken, fish, eggs at one or two meals per day is plenty.  It is possible to go overboard on protein and create problems with insulin sensitivity.
  3. Added fats.  If consuming a whole food diet, there should be no need to add fat.  Fats found naturally in whole, raw nuts and seeds and grass fed meats should provide adequate fat.  Oils like coconut oil and olive oil are processed and refined and no longer in their natural state.  Too  much fat intake can also cause insulin resistance.
  4. Promoting maple syrup as healthy.  As a proud Canadian, I love my maple syrup as much as anyone, but it is far from natural.  Sap runs in maple trees in the spring, these are tapped for sap which is clear and watery and very slightly sweet. Sap needs to be heated and concentrated 40 times to produce maple syrup.  Sap is natural, maple syrup is not any healthier than any other concentrated sugar. The glycemic index of maple syrup (54) falls just under the glycemic index of high fructose corn syrup (58). A PubMed search for maple syrup health benefits in humans yields nada, zip, zilch, nothing.
  5. Eating Paleo treats every day.  Paleo treats are just that, “treats”.  Something consumed once in a while as a special indulgence.  Not a standin for a daily cookie habit.   Most Paleo treats contain some sort of sweetener – dried fruit, honey, maple syrup, bananas etc.  While these are ok to have on special occasions and better than sugar or high fructose corn syrup, they shouldn’t make up part of your daily diet any more than refined sugar should.   The idea is to break the daily sweets habit and get your sugar from a serving of fruit.

My Paleo diet tweaks:

  1. Have some legumes sprouted, cooked, and/or soaked at least occasionally, up to one meal per day.
  2. Substitute treats, Paleo or conventional, with whole, fresh, organic seasonal fruit.
  3. Relish the natural sweetness of a piece of fruit and move away from “sweeteners”.
  4. Eat whole foods that contain fat rather than adding refined fats, such as eggs, whole milk, avocados, nuts and seeds, and naturally raised, grass fed meat.
  5. Eat no more than a moderate serving of grass fed meat protein (not processed meat) once per day.  Other meals would contain protein from nuts, seeds, legumes, and eggs.

By Dr Pamela Frank, BSc(Hons), Naturopath

Paleo Diet References:

  1. Kouris-Blazos A, Belski R. Health benefits of legumes and pulses with a focus on Australian sweet lupins. Asia Pac J Clin Nutr. 2016 Mar;25(1):1-17. doi: 10.6133/apjcn.2016.25.1.23.
  2. Vasconcelos IM, Oliveira JT. Antinutritional properties of plant lectins. Toxicon. 2004 Sep 15;44(4):385-403.
  3. Schlemmer U, Frølich W, Prieto RM, Grases F. Phytate in foods and significance for humans: food sources, intake, processing, bioavailability, protective role and analysis. Mol Nutr Food Res. 2009 Sep;53 Suppl 2:S330-75. doi: 10.1002/mnfr.200900099.
  4. Valencia S, Svanberg U, Sandberg AS, Ruales J. Processing of quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa, Willd): effects on in vitro iron availability and phytate hydrolysis.Int J Food Sci Nutr. 1999 May;50(3):203-11.
  5. Noah ND, Bender AE, Reaidi GB, Gilbert RJ. Food poisoning from raw red kidney beans. Br Med J. 1980 Jul 19;281(6234):236-7.
  6. Asrih M, Altirriba J, Rohner-Jeanrenaud F, Jornayvaz FR. Ketogenic Diet Impairs FGF21 Signaling and Promotes Differential Inflammatory Responses in the Liver and White Adipose Tissue. PLoS One. 2015 May 14;10(5):e0126364. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0126364. eCollection 2015.
  7. Hashemipour S, Esmailzadehha N, Mohammadzadeh M, Ziaee A. Association of meat and dairy consumption with normal weight metabolic obesity in men: the Qazvin Metabolic Diseases Study.
    Eat Weight Disord. 2016 Jan 4.

Food Addiction: Eatertainment

Woman overeating because of a food addiction

Food Addiction, it’s a Thing

Patients often tell me that they eat when they are either bored or lonely. They can be very structured and disciplined with their diet otherwise, but this emotional eating is their dietary undoing. It doesn’t help that food manufacturers strive to make foods as addictive as possible. There was an excellent book review on eating as entertainment and food addiction in the New Yorker several years ago. I’ve borrowed this excerpt from it because I couldn’t have written it better:

“David A. Kessler, a former commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, says that it’s not that sweet and oily foods have become less expensive; it’s that they’ve been re-engineered while we weren’t looking.  Kessler spends a lot of time meeting with (often anonymous) consultants who describe how they are trying to fashion products that offer what has become known in the food industry as “eatertainment.” Fat, sugar, and salt turn out to be the crucial elements in this quest: different“eatertaining” items mix these ingredients in different but invariably highly caloric combinations. A food scientist for Frito-Lay relates how the company is seeking to create “a lot of fun in your mouth” with products like Nacho Cheese Doritos, which meld “three different cheese notes” with lots of salt and oil. Another product-development expert talks about how she is trying to “unlock the code of craveability,” and a third about the effort to “cram as much hedonism as you can in one dish.”

Kessler invents his own term—“conditioned hypereating”—to describe how people respond to these laboratory-designed concoctions. Foods like Cinnabons and Starbucks’ Strawberries & Crème Frappuccinos are, he maintains, like drugs: “Conditioned hypereating works the same way as other ‘stimulus response’ disorders in which reward is involved, such as compulsive gambling and substance abuse.” For Kessler, the analogy is not merely rhetorical: research on rats, he maintains, proves that the animals’ brains react to sweet, fatty foods the same way that addicts’ respond to cocaine.”

If you would like to read the whole article, which is excellent, here’s the
link:

XXXL: Why are we so fat? By

If you are struggling with food addiction, get healthy eating advice from our naturopathic doctors. Book now.

8 Harmful Food Additives

health risks of food additives like sugar, msg, BHT

Subtract These 8 Additives

Here’s a list of 8 food additives that are major health minuses and why:

  • Sodium nitrite – found in processed meats like bacon, deli style sandwich meats and ham.   Nitrite additives have been linked to cancer, specifically bladder and gastric cancer because they are converted into cancer causing nitrosamines in the body.
  • BHA & BHT – found in cereals, gum, chips and oils.  These have also been linked to promotion of lung cancer.
  • Monosodium glutamate (MSG)- is used as a meat tenderizer and flavour enhancer in many processed and packaged foods, and is notorious for being added to Chinese food. MSG has been linked to migraines and other neurological effects.
  • Trans fats – trans fats are found in prepared foods and are used to extend the shelf life of the product. Intake of trans fats has been linked to heart attack, stroke and kidney problems.
  • Aspartame and Acesulfame-K – These artificial sweeteners are found in many low calorie and/or diet products, like diet soda.  They have been linked to weight gain, insulin resistance and neurological effects.
  • Food colorings/dyes (Blue, Red, Green, Yellow) – Dyes are found as additives in a variety of prepared foods and candy and even in a prenatal multivitamin known as PregVit.  There are surprisingly few published studies on the safety of food dyes. Some food dyes have been banned because of the adverse effects, while others are still allowed. Studies have linked certain dyes to cancer and allergic reactions in animal models.
  • Potassium bromate – Potassium bromate is found as a food additive in flour and barley treatment. It induces oxidative stress and may promote cancer in the hormone producing (endocrine) glands.
  • White sugar – By now we all know how unhealthy sugar is.  You’ll find sugar as an additive in completely unrelated foods like canned peas, so read labels. We know sugar intake is linked to obesity, hormonal imbalances, diabetes, insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome.

For the complete list of food additives allowed in Canada, click here.

References:

Song P, Wu L, Guan W. Dietary Nitrates, Nitrites, and Nitrosamines Intake and the Risk of Gastric Cancer: A Meta-Analysis. Nutrients. 2015 Dec 1;7(12):9872-95. doi: 10.3390/nu7125505.

Vikis HG, Gelman AE, Franklin A, Stein L, Rymaszewski A, Zhu J, Liu P, Tichelaar JW, Krupnick AS, You M. Neutrophils are required for 3-methylcholanthrene-initiated, butylated hydroxytoluene-promoted lung carcinogenesis. Mol Carcinog. 2012 Dec;51(12):993-1002. doi: 10.1002/mc.20870. Epub 2011 Oct 17.

Holzhammer J, Wöber C. Alimentary trigger factors that provoke migraine and tension-type headache.  Schmerz. 2006 Apr;20(2):151-9.

Rubinstein A1, Elorriaga N1, Garay OU1, Poggio R1, Caporale J1, Matta MG1, Augustovski F1, Pichon-Riviere A1, Mozaffarian D2. Eliminating artificial trans fatty acids in Argentina: estimated effects on the burden of coronary heart disease and costs. Bull World Health Organ. 2015 Sep 1;93(9):614-22. doi: 10.2471/BLT.14.150516. Epub 2015 Jun 23.

Suez J, Korem T, Zeevi D, Zilberman-Schapira G, Thaiss CA, Maza O, Israeli D, Zmora N, Gilad S, Weinberger A, Kuperman Y, Harmelin A, Kolodkin-Gal I, Shapiro H, Halpern Z, Segal E, Elinav E. Artificial sweeteners induce glucose intolerance by altering the gut microbiota. Nature. 2014 Oct 9;514(7521):181-6. doi: 10.1038/nature13793. Epub 2014 Sep 17.

http://cspinet.org/new/pdf/dyes-problem-table.pdf

Carrots and Cancer

girl with veggies, carrots, tomatoes, celery, zucchini

Another Reason to Eat Your Carrots

A 2009 study showed that the more servings of carotenoid-rich vegetables pre-menopausal women eat every day, the lower their risk of developing breast cancer.

Eating at least two servings of vegetables high in vitamin A, beta carotene, alpha carotene, lutein and zeaxanthin each day reduced the risk of breast cancer by 17 percent in pre-menopausal, but not post-menopausal women.

Carotenoids are powerful anti-oxidants or anti-oxidant precursors. Beta carotene, one of the carotenoids, is found in carrots, kale, and other dark green leafy vegetables.  Vitamin A is found in liver (blech!).  Fortunately, your liver can convert beta carotene into vitamin A, so you don’t necessarily need to eat liver to get it.  Alpha carotene, the little talked about sister to beta, is found in the same vegetables as beta.  Broccoli, kale, kiwi, squash and spinach are rich in lutein and zeaxanthin.  Lycopene is another carotenoid found in tomatoes, especially cooked tomatoes like tomato sauce.

Carotenoids have been shown to interfere with estrogen signaling, moderating the effects of estrogen, which might explain why their cancer-preventing effects would be limited to pre-menopausal women who have higher levels of estrogen.

SOURCE: International Journal of Cancer, June 15, 2009.

To help you get more carotenoids in your diet, there’s a scrumptious carrot salad recipe on our website, here

Swiss Ch…

swiss chard

Swiss Ch…Fill in the Blank

With Halloween just behind us, you thought I was going to talk about Swiss Chocolate didn’t you? Sorry to disappoint, but this week it’s about Swiss Chard – yummy!  With kale getting all the glory lately, this more delicious (IMHO) leafy green is taking a back seat.

I’m always touting the benefits of dark, green leafy vegetables like Swiss chard. It’s essentially a beet, but it’s grown for the green leafy top. It’s low calorie, no fat, high in fibre, iron, magnesium and calcium as well as lutein which is good for eyesight. Chard is also good for beta carotene and vitamin C.

You can make low carb, gluten free tortillas by using the leaves in place of tortillas for wraps. You can also chop it up and sprinkle it in a salad uncooked. Or you can steam it and squeeze a lemon over it to help with iron absorption. Keep it loose or in a paper bag in the fridge for a couple of days.

There’s a recipe for Crispy Kidney Beans & Swiss Chard in our healthy recipes section on our website to check it out click here.

Are You Getting Enough Iodine?

picture of a thyroid gland

Iodine, Thyroid and Pregnancy

Research shows that women from iodine-deficient areas should use iodized salt for at least 2 years before becoming pregnant to prevent thyroid problems during pregnancy and to protect the fetus against the harmful effect of iodine deficiency on brain development.

The thyroid gland, a butterfly-shaped organ in the neck and a key part of the endocrine system, produces hormones and helps regulate the body’s metabolism.

There is an increased risk of neurological development problems in infants born to mothers who had low levels of thyroid hormone in early pregnancy. Even mild isolated thyroid problems can interfere with fetal brain development.

Researchers found that the rate of thyroid failure was nearly 6 times higher in short-term users of iodized salt compared with long-term users.

In the clinic, I often see people whose concerns include low energy, sluggish metabolism, can’t lose weight or gain weight easily, hard to get out of bed in the morning, thinning hair and feeling cold even in the summer. While there are many possible explanations, low thyroid function could be one reason for these symptoms. I will often ask if they are consuming iodized salt. Sea salt, while it’s healthier than regular table salt, is often NOT iodized. Supplementing salt with iodine was a public health initiative designed to top up everyone’s iodine intake in areas where the soil is particularly iodine deficient. Those on salt restricted diets or who are using salt that is not iodized, run the risk of an iodine deficiency. My recommendation is to ensure that everyone is using a little iodized sea salt each day or you can also get iodine naturally by consuming seaweed like kelp, wakame or bladderwrack.

There are several other nutrients that are essential for healthy thyroid function, including copper, zinc, selenium and tyrosine.  Supporting these nutrients can sometimes turn around an underactive thyroid, but more often than not, a sluggish thyroid is due to Hashimoto’s, an autoimmune thyroid problem.  Treating that successfully is a whole other, bigger kettle of fish!

Warning:  Too much iodine can also be bad for your thyroid, so only supplement with iodine under the supervision of a naturopathic doctor. 

To increase your iodine intake there’s a new recipe for seaweed salad in the healthy recipes section on our website to check it out click here.

Heart Disease in a Can

can of red bull like energy drink

Why You Should Avoid These “Energy” Drinks

I know that none of my dear readers would ever drink it, but maybe someone you know indulges in the occasional can of an “energy” (caffeine and sugar) drink.

In 2008, Australian medical researchers found that just one can of such beverages can increase the risk of heart attack or stroke, even in young healthy people.

The caffeine-loaded beverage causes the blood to become sticky, a precursor to cardiovascular problems such as stroke.

One hour after they drank a well known energy drink, the study participants’ blood systems were no longer normal. They were abnormal like you would expect in a patient with cardiovascular disease.

This particular drink is banned in Norway, Uruguay and Denmark because of health risks listed on its cans. One can contains 80mg of caffeine, around the same as a normal cup of brewed coffee.

Researchers concluded that this drink could be deadly when combined with stress or high blood pressure, impairing proper blood vessel function and possibly elevating the risk of blood clotting.

There’s a recipe for caffeine-free chai tea in our healthy recipes section on our website to
check it out click here.

Source: Reuters, Aug 18 2008

by Dr. Pamela Frank, BSc(Hons), ND.  For heart disease prevention and health promotion, our naturopathic doctors can provide guidance as to what to have and what to avoid.  Call us at 416-481-0222 or book online now.

Why is a Food Journal Important

woman writing in a food journal

Why Keep a Diet Diary?

One of the more “painful” things everyone does when they first come and see me is fill in a one week diet diary or food journal detailing everything they put in their mouth for that one week. They often return with comments like “I was on vacation this week” or “I had 3 parties to go to so this isn’t how I usually eat” or the classic “I forgot”.

It turns out that researchers have proved diet diaries to be an effective means to help people lose weight. The study looked at more than 1,500 people over six months and found that those who kept a food diary and updated it regularly lost about twice as much weight as those who did not.

The average weight loss for study participants was about 13 pounds. But those keeping food diaries six or seven days a week lost about 18 pounds, compared to just 9 pounds for those not regularly keeping a food diary.

As human beings, we have a tendency to underestimate how much we eat and over-estimate our physical activity.

There is a method to my madness!

By Dr. Pamela Frank, BSc(Hons), ND.  Our naturopaths can help with healthy weight loss with food journals, but also healthy diet recommendations, lifestyle suggestions, exercise tips, and supplements that may help you stay on track.  Call us at 416-481-0222 or book online now.