Articles by Donna DiMarco

We are all familiar with the dangers of pesticides in our foods.  Not only are they toxic to us, but many of these chemicals have shown up in the umbilical cord blood of  newborns.  That means the toxins are being passed on to the child before it even takes a breath.  Some people believe that the toxic exposure to the fetus may be one of the reasons for the rampant rise in autism and ADHD. 

Pesticide exposure puts us at risk of particular cancers.  The pesticides are similar in structure to hormones, especially estrogen; it is therefore linked to breast, prostate, uterus, and ovarian cancers.  They are called xenoestrogens and they wreak havoc on the body so they must be avoided as much as possible.

But in these economic times, many people are complaining that they can’t afford organic produce; we are all in the same boat.  Hopefully, this list put out by the Environmental Working Group may help you make better choices as to the pesticide exposure to the produce you purchase

Many people think that washing and peeling will help.
When the items in this list were tested it had  already been taken into account how people typically wash and prepare produce (for example, apples are washed before testing, bananas are peeled).  While washing and rinsing fresh produce may reduce levels of some pesticides, it does not eliminate them.  Peeling may reduce exposure, but it will also remove the valuable nutrients and fiber with the peels.  The best option is to eat a varied diet, wash all produce, and choose organic when possible to reduce exposure to potentially harmful chemicals.

How This Guide Was Developed

The produce ranking was developed by analysts at the not for profit Environmental Working Group (EWG) based on the results of nearly 87,000 tests for pesticides on produce collected by the US Department of Agriculture and the US Food and Drug Administration between 2000 and 2007.   Be sure to visit their sites at www.ewg.org.  and  www.foodnews.org

Keep in mind that this is only measuring the pesticide exposure. Many foods, like corn and soy are grown from genetically modified seeds that have weed killers placed within the genes of the plant so that the plant can withstand heavy chemical spraying.  The weeds will die but not the plants.  I avoid these also. 

Another thing is that organic produce is grown on nutrient rich soil, not depleted, over-worked soil with chemical fertilizers added, just enough to make the plants grow.  These nutrient deficiencies are reflected in the produce.  Just one more reason to buy organic if possible.

Be sure to choose from the bottom of the list; for example, conventional onions may not be as bad as conventional apples or peppers.  The last 15 items may be the safest to purchase, but if you want the items on the top 15, be sure to spend the money on the organic.  It isn’t worth the risk- your health is worth the extra money.

Stay Healthy!
Donna

RANK   FRUIT OR VEGGIE   SCORE

1.   (worst)  Peaches                       100 (highest pesticide load)
2.   Apples                                         93
3.   Sweet Bell Peppers                     83
4.   Celery                                         82
5.   Nectarines                                   81
6.   Strawberries                               80
7.   Cherries                                      73
8.   Kale                                            69
9.   Lettuce                                       67
10.   Grapes- Imported                     66    
11.   Carrots                                     63
12.   Pears                                        63
13.   Collard Greens                         60
14.   Spinach                                    58
15.   Potatoes                                  56
16.   Green Beans                           53
17.   Summer Squash                      53
18.   Hot Peppers                             51
19.   Cucumbers                             50
20.   Raspberries                            46
21.   Grapes – Domestic                 44
22.   Plums                                     44
23.   Oranges                                 44
24.   Cauliflower                             39
25.   Tangerine                              37
26.   Mushrooms                            36
27.   Bananas                                34
28.   Winter Squash                      34
29.   Cantaloupe                           33
30.   Cranberries                          33
31.   Honeydew Melon                  30
32.   Grapefruit                             29
33.   Sweet Potatoes                   29
34.   Tomatoes                             29
35.   Broccoli                                 28
36.   Watermelon                         26
37.   Papaya                                20
38.   Eggplant                              20
39.   Cabbage                              17
40.   Kiwi                                      13
41.   Sweet Peas-Frozen              10
42.   Asparagus                            10
43.   Mango                                   9
44.   Pineapple                              7
45.   Sweet Corn - Frozen             2
46.   Avocado                                 1
47. (best)  Onions                        1 (lowest pesticide load)

I was watching the DVD, Food Matters, with my class and something jumped out at me.  The statement was made twice that if we ate a 51% raw food diet we would not have digestive leukocytosis.  Digestive leukocytosis is a condition where the body responds to an improperly digested food as if it were a foreign invader.  The immune system becomes activated and the body reacts as to any other stressor; the white blood cells “beef up” to fight the invaders. Cortisol is produced to fight the inflammation response. This puts a strain on the immune and endocrine systems.  If consistently over-worked the immune system can get locked into an over kill mode where the body cannot distinguish self from non self; that’s an autoimmune disease.  In addition, if the cortisol requirements remain high from constant inflammation, the adrenals become exhausted and are not available when we really need them.  This is why some people develop a sensitivity to a food or environment that they were consistently exposed to but without ever having a reaction.  They tired adrenals can’t hold back the reaction any more so symptoms manifest.

Raw foods contain enzymes that help break down the food into more digestible nutrients, which are then used to nourish the body.  When we cook food we destroy the enzymes.  Here are some examples:
A green banana is not very sweet; the carbohydrates are not broken down into simple sugars.  As the banana ripens the fruit is sweeter.  That is the results of enzymes.  If you’ve ever made Jell-O with fruit added, you know that you must only use canned pineapple, not fresh.  This is because the fresh still has active enzymes that can breakdown the protein in the Jell-O so much that it doesn’t set.  The heat from canning the pineapple destroys the enzymes so that it has no affect on the Jell-O.  Well, this is a benefit when making Jello but not for health. 

In the same manner, cooking foods over 105 degrees destroys the enzymes in the food.  As we age, we produce fewer enzymes in our bodies so that these external sources of enzymes become essential.  In fact, without them, our nutrient intake is significantly diminished, and nutrient deficiency leads to illness. 

Consider how few people really try to eat enzyme-rich foods.  Not many!  Our diet is mostly cooked, processed, powdered, canned, concentrated, frozen, reconstituted and nutrient depleted.  Obesity and illness is still climbing and the United States is the most over-fed and under-nourished country in the world.  Healthcare costs are rising and our research dollars are mostly directed to drugs to stop the symptoms, rather than prevention of disease.  Eating more raw foods is a way to stay healthy so that the drugs (and their side effects) are not needed.

How do we eat 51% raw food diet?  We can all eat more salads; but not just one a day!  Some of my clients only think of salads as some sort of lettuce based dish with a dressing of sorts.  They are surprised to learn that  there are many other types of salads.  Think about fresh fruit salads.  I recently made a raw salad from beet, white and sweet potato, carrot and onion.  Think coleslaw; raw cabbage with mayo, vinegar and spices.  Get a book of Raw Food recipes.  You’ll be surprised at the variety and ease of preparation.

Think about dehydrated foods, which are available at health food stores or you can make yourself if you have a dehydrator.  How about fresh made vegetable juices? Canned and bottled juices are lacking enzymes and pasteurization insures enzyme deficiency. 

Think about dried fruits, nuts, seeds; you can make wonderful snacks from raw nut butters, seeds and carob- see my recipes tab on my home page!

You can make a wonderful chocolate ice cream (without dairy) from bananas, raw cocoa, dates and ice cubes.
How about a chocolate pudding made from a ripe avocado mixed with cocoa powder and stevia; coconut milk is a great addition to a raw food diet. 

Be creative.  Getting in more raw foods is easier than you can imagine.  I will add a link to some books I recommend. 

Until next time, stay healthy!
Donna

I often get calls from people asking for some advice in dealing with a picky eater; the child who will only eat macaroni and cheese or only pizza or some other nutrient void food.  When the parent puts anything that looks like a vegetable in front of the child, he or she will refuse to eat.  Typically, the parent gives in because the fear of the child missing a meal brings forth visions of swollen bellies and malnutrition.  The result may be a child with poor performance in school, behavioral problems, allergies, ADD and/or ADHD; but what about all the intricate workings of the body that are affected due to nutrient deficiencies?  This is how chronic disease begins.

This is really a parenting issue rather than a nutrition issue.  As long as parents offer alternatives to the healthy meal there will not be much change in the child’s diet.  It becomes a battle of will between child and parent and very often the parent gives in first. 

 I am not a psychologist but as a single parent, I didn’t have the time to prepare different menus to suit my children’s preferences.  Of course on occasion I would make a healthy meal they enjoyed but their nourishment was my first priority.  I would make a healthy meal and they had to eat it or go to bed hungry.

Here are my suggestions:
1. Try to serve mostly healthy foods along with one small amount of the child’s favorites.
2. Make less of the unhealthy foods and require that your child eat those foods only after they eat some of their vegetables.
3. Be creative with sauces, dressings and spices.  My girls didn’t like plain broccoli, but with melted butter and seasoned breadcrumbs (before we were gluten free) they loved it.
4. Get your child involved in preparing the healthy food.  During the preparation, point out the fiber on the outside of the broccoli, the carotenoids in the sweet potato, and how steaming is healthier than frying or boiling.
5. Let your child have a voice in what is prepared, for example, after he or she helps you prepare the veggies have him or her choose what they want, but be sure you make only a small amount.
6. Spend some time with younger children cutting photos of the fruits and veggies from magazines.  Save these images and use them to have the child pick out the menu (with your approval, of course).  Be sure to find mostly healthy foods but allow some of the others as well.
7. Explain to your child how the body won’t work properly if the vitamins and minerals are missing.  Explain how much bigger they’ll grow, faster they’ll run and better at school they will be by eating well.
8. Keep a growth chart and remind him or her that the growth must be because of the veggies he or she has eaten.
9. Don’t reward behavior with sugar-laden foods or drinks.  Use healthy versions of the same type, example: organic blue corn chips instead of regular corn chips, or whole wheat cookies instead of conventional.  A better reward would be to play a game or read a story instead of rewarding with food.
10. Create a recipe book with your child.  Try new recipes together and vote on whether it is good enough to add to your recipe book of things you like.  Be sure to use healthy ingredients.
11. Have your child’s friend come for dinner so he or she can show off their cooking skills and how proud you are that they eat veggies and such.
The bottom line is that the parent does the shopping, the parent prepares the meal, and the parent can choose whether or not to give in to the child.  The solution is not necessarily a nutritionist, but in the parent gaining control.

Until Next time….
Donna

Dysglycemia  is a term given to the many blood sugar dysfunctions. It is in epidemic proportions in this country. Our children, young people and adults are severely over weight. Our fast food diets and high carbohydrate meals are to blame. Diabetes is a totally preventable disease, in most cases and is rampantly growing. It accounts for much of our health care costs. Let me explain what happens.

When we eat a sugars (or carbohydrates) the pancreas produces insulin to help the sugar transport into the cells to produce energy. When we eat a lot of carbohydrates we produce a lot of insulin. This sends much of the sugar into the cells, leaving little left to keep the brain happy. This is Hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar- all the sugar is sent into the cells- none left for the brain.  Symptoms of hypoglycemia are you get shaky if meals are missed, along with light headedness, foggy thinking and irritability.

If we ignore these symptoms and continue to eat a high-carbohydrate diet, the pancreas will continue to produce an excess of insulin. The cells try to compensate for the abundance of insulin showering upon them so they “down-regulate”; they close up some of their receptors. This is called Insulin Resistance or  Syndrome X. The signs of insulin resistance are: craving something sweet after a meal, needing a nap after you eat and awakening after you fall asleep at night. This is the step before diabetes.

In men, insulin resistance leads to testosterone being converted to estrogen (low libido and men developing breasts) and in women it leads to  estrogen being converted into testosterone, which leads to polycyctic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and infertility.  It is suspected that if this happens to a pregnant woman, the increase in testosterone may affect the development of the blood brain barrier in the unborn baby. This protects toxins from getting into the brain. If compromised, and the baby is exposed to a toxin (like in a vaccination) it may lead to the development of autism.

Now the insulin resistant body needs more insulin to force the glucose into the cells. The pancreas puts out insulin at a frantic pace until it wears itself out and says “I quit!” This is Diabetes (type II), the pancreas is burned out from making insulin so insulin shots or pills are given to stabilize blood sugar levels. Some medications force the pancreas to work harder. This only exacerbates the issue.

Here’s the problem: insulin is very irritating to the lining of the blood vessels (even if given by injection) so it promotes inflammation but the body tries to patch it up by putting LDL’s in the arteries. This only leads to arteriosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries. This is why so many diabetics have heart disease and lose feet or toes due to poor circulation. Diabetes also causes kidney problems, blindness, and a myriad of other degenerative diseases, all of which could be prevented.

One way to avoid these disorders is to avoid the high carb diet. Eat whole, fresh fruits and vegetables with lots of fiber to slow the blood sugar level down. Whole grains, not refined must be eaten. They contain many of the glycemic factors. Avoid any packaged food, even cereals. They have been known to raise blood sugar considerably. Meals that contain protein, fat and carbs cause a slower rise in blood sugar levels than those with just carbs alone. Remember that alcohol, even wine is going to raise your blood sugar level a lot. In fact, most people with alcoholic tendencies are hypoglycemic.

Another way is to make sure you maintain a sufficient level of nutrients that help insulin to work. They include: chromium, magnesium, vanadium, alpha lipoic acid, Conjugate Linoleic Acid (CLA), etc. These are called glycemic factors. These nutrients are used up by continuous consumption of sugars and need to be repleted.

One more way to avoid dysglycemia is to eat every three hours so your blood sugar level doesn’t get too low. The worst thing you could do is skip a meal, especially breakfast. That sets up a whole new set of problems. If you just can’t handle food first thing in the morning,, you must start slowly and gradually build up to a good high-protein meal for breakfast.

If we give our bodies what it needs it will heal itself. If we continuously abuse it it will quit working properly.

Stay Healthy,

Donna

Don’t Lie Down!

By Teresa Biber M.S., CCC-SLP

Remember when our mothers used to warn us to “wait thirty minutes before going into the water before eating or you might get a cramp and drown.” Fortunately for those rebellious youngsters who refused to listen, there has yet to be a documented death attributed to swimming right after eating. Yet to this day most people probably will refrain from doing so. What our mothers should have told us was, “Don’t lie down for at least 2 hours after eating.” That warning would have been much more biologically correct and ultimately saved a lot more lives! I am amazed at the number of patients I encounter daily, both young and old, who admit to lying down right after eating. The simple truth is, this is not only unwise but potentially very dangerous. 

 When we eat a meal, our digestive system begins the process of breaking down the food, using acid pumps. This pumping action is meant to stay in the stomach where the lining is especially designed to manage the highly acidic environment. This is achieved by a closed valve like structure at the top of the stomach called the lower esophageal sphincter or LES. This acid is not meant to travel beyond that sphincter because the more delicate lining of the esophagus can be seriously damaged as a result. Normally, as long as the body is upright, as in sitting or standing, the acid stays in the stomach and does its job. This process can take up to a couple of hours depending on the amount and type of food being digested. When we lie down before this process is completed, the pressure and pumping action in the stomach will push through the lower esophageal sphincter and propel the acid right into the esophagus often times all the way up into the throat. It can even enter our lungs. None of us would ever dream of pouring acid down our throats or into our lungs, but that is what we are doing when we lie down too soon. This phenomenon is called gastroesophageal reflux or

GER. It is also commonly referred to as simply, acid reflux. The scary part is many of us never feel anything until it is too late. The constant damage to the lining of the esophagus and throat has been linked to esophageal cancer as well as other cancers of the throat, mouth and tongue. Erosions in the esophagus can also cause strictures and internal bleeding. Other problems include bad breath, difficulty swallowing, chronic sore throat, chronic cough, voice changes, laryngitis and hoarseness. GER has been linked to asthma and lung damage causing nocturnal suffocation, increased cough and wheezing. The constant pressure and inflammation of the acid at the top of the esophagus may cause the formation of a pouch called a Zenker’s diverticulum. This “sac” forms in the throat and fills with food and liquid. The consequence is an uncomfortable lump like feeling during eating and drinking often combined with coughing and choking. The result can be a very serious and life threatening aspiration pneumonia.  You will have GER if you lie down after eating    and many times if you simply “follow the rules” and wait 2 hours you can avoid many of these serious health consequences. However, sometimes the lower esophageal sphincter becomes relaxed and stays open instead of closed.  When this happens, your esophagus, throat and lungs are no longer protected from the pumping up of acid. This is a condition known as Gastroesophageal Reflex Disease or GERD. This is more serious and you shouldsee a physician, typically a gastroenterologist,if you suspect you have GERD.   GER can also occur as a result of other factors even when sitting up. Some people may experience this as the classic “heartburn” but just because you don’t feel it doesn’t mean it is not happening. In fact many people are asymptomatic” meaning they have no symptoms.  Common causes of GER include:  ? Carbonated beverages? Chocolate? Caffeine? Fried and fatty foods? Spicy foods? Citrus products? Tomato products? Peppermint? Smoking? Alcohol? Excess weight or pregnancy  If avoid these things you will significantly decrease your chances of

GER. The bottom line is GER and GERD can cause some extremely serious and life threatening health consequences. The

American

College of Gastroenterology reports that 60 million Americans report frequent heartburn.  So; “Don’t lie down for at least 2 hours after you eat or drink”. Your mother told me to tell you so! Special thanks to Hari Singh, M.D.Images courtesy of National Library of Medicine 

 

By Donna DiMarco. CN,LNC

Yes, I know that the title was a sneaky way to get your attention, but the information I have to share is important. MASTICATION is not to be confused with the other similar sounding word that we are all so familiar with. It is something that we do every day, several times a day, in fact. Some do it more than others; some are better at it. Some of us do it even without the proper equipment. Those who don’t do it well or regularly may compromise their health as a result. I once witnessed the autopsy of someone who did not do it this one time and it caused his demise. Most people only do it for themselves, but I have heard of certain cultures that ritualistically do it for each other. Get mind out of the gutter, it’s chewing.

“Everyone knows how to chew”, you say. Not so. Most people (myself included) don’t take the time to let the mouth do its job in aiding in the digestion of food. We are all in a hurry to get through our day and we don’t take the time to enjoy our meal, chew our food properly, and allow proper mixing of the food with saliva to occur in our mouth.

In this day and age, meals are commonly taken on the run, leaving little thought as to why we eat in the first place. Our busy schedules leave us little time to partake in three daily meals in the relaxed, but purposeful way it was intended; this leaves food partially digested and important nourishment locked in. As a result, we feel the need to take in additional amounts of food, but still remain undernourished. The body, with its natural wisdom, identifies the need for nourishment and signals us to eat more. But if again we don’t chew properly, the cycle will continue and obesity can result.

Thorough chewing also allows time for the “I ate enough” signal to be received in the brain. If we pay attention to this important feedback loop, we might reduce obesity significantly. This is such an effective technique that many weight loss centers suggest their clients to eat slowly, and to pay careful attention to chewing, as well as to wait 15 minutes or so before you reach for a second helping or the next course. In that time, the brain will realize it’s full and the appetite will subside. I’m sure we all experienced waiting so long in a restaurant that we weren’t interested in eating any more. Just allow yourself 15 or twenty minutes before you reach for a snack or a second helping. You’ll find you don’t really feel hungry. Try it; it works.

Chewing is the act of taking large bites of food, grinding it up into small particles that can be mixed with saliva and digestive enzymes. It is so important in providing our bodies with all the fuel it needs. Here’s a good analogy of how it works: take a whole, fresh lemon; squeeze it really hard. Unless you’re really strong, no juice will come out of it. Next, cut it in half; take one half and squeeze it hard. You’ll get a good amount of juice but more will remain inside the lemon. Finally, take the remaining half and cut it into four pieces. Take each piece and again, squeeze it hard. You’ll find that much more juice can be extracted from the smaller pieces. This is what happens with food. Large pieces of unchewed food leave lots of nutrients trapped inside, much like the lemon juice. The smaller the pieces become, the more nutrients (lemon juice) can be extracted. All those nutrients are vital for good health.

After food is chewed and the digestive process begins, food is called chyme. Chyme is a smooth, homogenous substance we all get grossed out to look at, but it is essential for good digestion Chewing begins with carbohydrates being broken down into simple sugars. Here’s a fun experiment to try. Take a bite of a bagel or a piece of bread. Chew it the way you normally do. Remember the taste and the texture before you swallow it. Then take another bite, but this time chew it 30 times, rolling it around with your tongue to mix it well. Notice the additional sweetness? That’s because ptyalin in the saliva helped release the sugar. This could work to our disadvantage if we are not careful. Remember that if you don’t brush your teeth, especially at bedtime, tiny particles of food may remain stuck between your teeth. These food particles may be broken down into sugars, which promote dental caries. If left untreated, caries, or cavities as we commonly call them, can result in pain and eventual loss of teeth. Then we are back to poor chewing again.

In addition to the digestion of carbohydrates in the mouth, chewing initiates the digestion of fats as well. Lingual lipase starts the process of fat digestion. It acts similarly to soap by breaking the bonds of the fat molecules causing glycerol and fatty acids to separate, making the fat more readily available for further digestion to occur. Although the digestive process begins in the mouth, it continues on to completion in the intestinal tract, resulting in nutrients entering the bloodstream to fuel our bodies.

We rely on these nutrients to keep us alive. Many of the disorders we experience are caused by lack of nutrients. We can spend lots of money on supplements to provide them (which is sometimes necessary), but the simplest way to maintain good health and to insure that our bodies function properly is to make wise food choices (foods that are nutrient rich, whole and fresh) then to chew that food well in order to release all the nutrients that nature has provided for us.

Take the time to care for yourself; care enough to sit down to your meal in a relaxed manner. Chew slowly and purposefully. Savor the flavors. Notice the textures. Inhale the aromas of the foods. Studies indicate that the sight and smell of food stimulates the digestive juices. Haven’t you ever had your mouth water (that’s saliva) at the sight of your favorite dish or the smell of fresh bread hot from the oven? That’s part of the process. Don’t deny yourself that; you’re worth it!

Follow these tips and you will notice gradual improvements in your health including your energy, your immune system, your endurance, your mental attitude and mental acuity, but it all begins with you. Until next time, I challenge you to chew.

Donna

By Donna DiMarco, CN, LNC.

Ever wonder why Boston had a Tea Party that triggered the American Revolution? Maybe it wasn’t the tax they rebelled against, but the loss of an important part of their health.

Tea was introduced to the Western world in 1650 when Peter Stuyvesant brought the first tea to New Amsterdam (later re-named New York). In 1670 it became known in Boston, but not popular until 1690. In fact, shortly after, the English found that the small settlement consumed more tea at that time then all of England put together so they decided to tax it.

What is it about tea that made people go to great lengths and expense to get it? Maybe it is all the healing, calming and relaxing properties in teas. Herbs have been used for thousands of years but finding fresh plants was not always convenient.

The first herbalists used dried leaves, roots, bark, and flowers to be made into teas for therapeutic purposes. Once dried, the teas can be easily stored and transported. They found that soaking the loose, dried herb in boiling water for a specific time would release the plant’s active substances and be easily consumed. The longer the herb remained in the water, the stronger the tea would be.

Tea leaves were first placed loose in the pot of boiled water and steeped into tea. Later, tea balls and filters were used to keep the tea leaves from settling in the cup. Tea bags, with or without a string attached, made tea consumption easy and it guaranteed a consistent amount of tea each time.

Today, we typically place a teabag in boiling water and let it steep for 3-5 minutes. Be careful though, as some teas can get bitter or develop an aftertaste if it has been steeped too long, while some therapeutic teas require longer steeping to be effective, check the instructions.

Camellia sinensis is the name of the plant that provides us with most of the tea consumed in the world. When the leaves are crushed, then dried to allow some fermentation, it becomes the black tea we are all familiar with. When the tea is picked and dried without fermentation it is known as green tea. Worldwide, only water exceeds green tea consumption to total approximately two and a half million tons each year. Green tea contains larger amounts of catechins than black tea. These polyphenic compounds work as potent antioxidants preventing cancer, arteriosclerosis, and providing relief for rheumatism. Green tea is also higher in vitamin C content and contains approximately half the caffeine found in a cup of regular coffee.

Green tea has been shown to be effective against high blood pressure, bacteria and viruses, high cholesterol, ulcers, and strokes. It has demonstrated its protective ability in both the liver and the brain, against toxins and free radical damage. Japanese dentistry schools are successfully testing the effectiveness of green tea on gum disease. Green tea is effective antibacterial against salmonella, cholera and typhoid, while sparing the good bacteria residing in the intestinal tract. Viruses, such as HIV, herpes, and hepatitis seem to be inhibited by green tea. But the most encouraging research seems to be in the area of cancer prevention and treatment. Black tea had been more popular in the US, but Green tea is growing in popularity as a result of all the recent research. Black tea contains some beneficial properties, but not as many as green tea. Make the switch! I often mix them for a great flavor with health benefits.

There are also a variety of medicinal teas available to help you promote or restore good health. For instance, for the intestinal tract, Chamomile tea is known to be a relaxer and stomach soother. Peppermint is another great tea for calming irritable bowel and digestive problems and is high in potassium. Ginger tea is good for nausea and indigestion and fennel stimulates the digestive process and is good for gas. Marshmallow is mucilogenous and soothing. Try drinking one of these after a meal and to see if the bloating and discomfort is relieved.

After a hard day, relax in a hot tub with some of the calming teas. Matté is a calming herb from South America with a light pleasant taste. Another powerful herb for relaxation is Valerian Root tea. When I have trouble falling asleep, a cup of Valerian tea does the trick. The taste is pleasant but the smell takes some getting used to. Hops can also be quite soothing in tea form as can Passiflora. Some tea companies make these herbal teas in combination, which provides the best of each herb.

Many women suffer from recurrent vaginal yeast infections. Pau D’Arco tea, also known as teheebo, can help rid the body of yeast (candida) systemically. Dandelion root tea is my favorite for liver cleansing. The rich taste of the roasted root has a satisfying flavor.

Of course there are the antibiotic type teas like Echinacea and Goldenseal (goldenseal has a really strong flavor and may need some honey to make it palatable). Both of these herbs are known for their ability to help fight infection. Uva Ursi and Cornsilk teas are good diuretics. These teas may help women who hold fluids during their menstrual cycle. Speaking of menstrual cycles, Red Raspberry and Damiana may help cramps. Crampbark can also be used. Damiana is also used as an aphrodisiac, but consistent use is required.

For energizing teas consider Ginseng. This adaptogen will help balance your body’s energy. Gotu Kola not only gives some energy, but helps strengthen connective tissue (this is great for preventing varicose veins and cellulite). Fenugreek is good for lung congestion, as are Lobelia and Mullein. Remember this when you catch a cold.

Teas can be made out of fresh garlic or onion for infections, parasites, colds and flu. Simply cut up the garlic or onion into small pieces and steep in boiling water. The aromatic steam from these teas are helpful for sinus infections when breathed in.

Laxative teas are very popular. Many are sold as dieting aids. Although they may be good for occasional constipation, long-term use can cause damage to the intestinal lining. I’ve seen many people think that since it is an herbal tea it is safe. Not true, they are still addictive and can be very damaging. Please use these teas only when really necessary.

There are some herbs that are dangerous to take over a long period of time. Ephedra or Ma Huang has recently been pulled of the market. Although it has wonderful properties for providing energy and clearing up cold symptoms, abuse caused it to be pulled off the market. Comfrey is a wonderful herb when used properly, but abused results in liver damage so many companies don’t offer it any more. These are just some of many. Do your homework!

The healing powers of natural substances are gifts from nature.

Any herb or remedy needs to be respected. These substances are powerful and helpful but constant long-term use can be harmful. Also remember that herbs may have an effect on a medication you may be taking. Please use teas wisely. Consult an herbalist, check out a book and be sure to read the directions, especially the contraindications and interactions with drugs.

Please don’t load the teas up with sugar or artificial sweeteners. Raw, unfiltered honey is a great sweetener, as is stevia and agave. Medicinal teas should not have milk added to them since milk can cause mucous and allergic reactions. Consider using soy or rice milk if you need to lighten your tea. Sip slowly, savor the flavor and watch your health improve.

Until next time, Donna

 

By Donna DiMarco, CN, LNC

If you’ve been following my articles in sequential order, you would have learned many of the basic principles of healthy eating. I wrote about drinking with meals, sugar and milk consumption, and even chewing. If you’ve incorporated these tips into your lifestyle, you should have noticed your energy increased, your skin cleared, your mental clarity improved, and your digestion is better. My goal is to help you be your own nutritionist. Today I’ll discuss the importance of fiber.

What comes to your mind when I mention fiber? Grapenuts®? Metamucil®? Most people haven’t a clue as to what fiber really is, what it does, or why we need it, but we really do need it for optimum health.

Fiber, by definition, is the particular composition or structure of something made up of filaments. In our diet, fiber is comprised of the connective strands and vasculature found in plant foods. It is a bulk-forming agent that helps sweep out intestinal debris by soaking up liquids and fats from the diet, then expanding. The expansion of the intestines due to the fiber swelling and the increase in intra-intestinal pressure stimulates the contractions (peristalsis) of the muscles around the intestinal tract, which then promotes evacuation. Plainly speaking, fiber is a form of carbohydrate that doesn’t get absorbed into the blood stream.

Picture a long balloon (like the kind a clown twists into animal shapes); as you squeeze one end, the other expands as the air is forced further down. Like the balloon, peristaltic contractions start squeezing near the top of the intestinal canal, then gently move down, causing wastes to get into position to exit, hence the term “to move your bowels”. Without adequate fiber, wastes remain in the gut to putrefy and to produce toxins. Those who eat little fruits and vegetables are usually consuming a low fiber diet and typically suffer from constipation.

Most people on a low fiber diet have a bowel transit time of 48 to 96 hours, but Abram Hoffer, MD, Ph.D. states in his book, ORTHOMOLECULAR MEDICINE FOR PHYSICIANS, that the normal bowel transit time should be 24-48 hours. He believes that even regular bowel movements aren’t necessarily a sign of good bowel health. “The normal range is probably one to three movements a day and that the fecal mass should be the consistency of toothpaste so it is expressed easily without the need for excessive strain by the abdominal wall.”

Many years of improper diet ultimately can cause toxic matter to collect in the intestinal wall forming a hard, putrefied shell that can possibly cause colitis, diverticulitis, prolapsus, or more frightening, cancer. It has been stated that up to 80% of colon cancers could be prevented by dietary changes. Some researchers believe that fiber helps prevent colon and rectum cancer because the food stays in the bowel a shorter time; the bacteria in the large intestines has less opportunity to convert fecal material into carcinogens. Many studies indicate that fiber has other benefits as well. It can give some relief to allergy sufferers by binding toxins in the intestinal tract. It also helps prevents hemorrhoids and may lower blood pressure by as much as 10 percent, it can help lower cholesterol and triglycerides, it can help prevent hormone related cancers. Fiber can help blood sugar problems, including diabetes, by slowing, stabilizing, and preventing sugar absorption.

There is soluble and insoluble fiber found in our diet, each serves a specific purpose. Insoluble fiber, which is not dissolved in water, absorbs liquids causing the fiber to swell and increasing the bulk of stool. This helps increase transit time through the bowel, which reduces the chances of putrefaction and fermentation that release poisonous gases. Dr. Linda Berry, a chiropractor in Berkeley, California, who promotes internal cleansing and colon health, believes that organs surrounding the colon can be irritated by these poisonous gases, causing low back pain or even the common headache.

Soluble fiber breaks down in the digestive tract but is not absorbed into the blood stream. Good sources would be oat bran, psyllium and beans, along with fruits and vegetables (one third of their fiber content of fruits and veggies is soluble). Soluble fiber is believed to prevent bile acid re-absorption and prevent cholesterol production by almost completely fermenting into short chain fatty acids. James Anderson MD., professor of clinical nutrition and medicine at the University of Kentucky states that soluble fiber lowers cholesterol without the harmful side effects of drugs that can cause constipation, heartburn, abdominal pain and nausea.

Soluble fiber will not cleanse the intestines as well as insoluble fiber, but it produces benefits of equal importance in the heart by its aid in reducing cholesterol 11 to 32 percent, according to Dr. Anderson.

Soluble fiber sources include: dried white beans, dried split peas, cooked rolled oats, and of course, oat bran and psyllium.

Good sources of insoluble fiber include: shredded wheat, barley, wheat bran, asparagus, Brussels sprouts, green beans, carrots and broccoli.

The National Cancer Institute advises us to increase our fiber intake to 30 grams a day, including 5 grams of soluble fiber from a concentrated source of fruit, beans or oat bran.

Fiber should initially be taken in a small amount and gradually increased to prevent sudden onset of bloating, gas and diarrhea. The maximum intake should not exceed 60 grams a day to prevent interference with vitamin and mineral absorption. The easiest way to insure adequate fiber intake is to increase those fruits and veggies. Be sure to get at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables each day, and by the way, french fries and corn chips DO NOT count. Try to eat whole fresh fruit between meals. It will help carry you until your next meal, provide you with the much-needed fiber, and nourish your body with a plethora of nutrients needed for health. Be sure to add a serving of veggies and even a small salad with lunch and dinner. It will help provide all the important nutrients and add good amounts of fiber as well. Be sure to drink large amounts of water throughout the day. It will help the intestines evacuate more readily, but it will also dilute toxins, cleanse the liver, bathe each cell, and help transport nutrients through the cell membranes.

Fiber is one more tool to restore and maintain good health.

Donna

 

By Donna DiMarco, BS,CN,LNC.

One important requirement to achieve good health is often overlooked, that’s water. We all know that water is necessary for every creature to survive, but do you realize just how important water is to maintain good health? The body is composed of mostly water and is necessary to bathe each of the millions of cells of your body. Water dilutes and removes toxins and metabolic wastes from the body. It helps the kidneys work to capacity to avoid these toxins from being dumped back into the liver.

Water is the simplest way to prevent constipation. One of the most important functions of the large intestines is to absorb water into the body. If we don’t consume a significant amount, the intestines absorb whatever is available in the gastrointestinal tract, leaving the fecal matter hard and dry, and more difficult to pass. The longer it remains in the intestinal tract, the more toxins get absorbed, which then makes passing them become increasingly more difficult.

A simple reduction of 4-5 % of water in the body will reduce the work performance by 20-30%. That means a decrease in energy. All you ladies who complain of being tired, try drinking lots of good water. When you consider that we lose 2 cups of water in respiration, 2 cups through perspiration during normal daily activities (not exercising), and approximately 6 cups through intestinal and kidney excretion, we come up with a total loss of 10 cups of water per day. This must be replaced. Athletic activity can cause an additional water loss of as much as 4-5 quarts per day. This is why we can go weeks without food, but only a few days without water.

We typically take in 31/2 cups of water from our foods. The body actually produces an additional 1/2 cup of water as a by-product of metabolism. Simple mathematics concludes that we, therefore, need at least 8 cups of water per day.

Room temperature water, consumed in large amounts prior to a meal, can stimulate the production of digestive enzymes. Water can act as an appetite suppressor and actually can help the body metabolize stored fats into usable energy.

Many people suffer from water retention and think that drinking water will make matters worse. Actually, the opposite is true. The more water we consume, the more we excrete. The body retains water when we are not consuming a sufficient amount. To insure survival, it holds on to what it has by suppressing anti-diuretic hormone (ADH). We can rectify the problem by simply drinking more water. The body identifies an abundant supply then allows some to be released.

My massage therapist hands each and every one of his clients a large glass of water after every massage to insure excretion of the lactic acid and metabolites released in the course of a massage. He instructs them to continue to drink copious amounts throughout the next day to facilitate a thorough flushing of these toxins.

I usually recommend my clients to drink at least 1/2 gallon of pure water daily. I suggest that they fill up a half-gallon container, refrigerate it so it can be carried to work throughout the following day. They are not to retire for the night until all the water in the container is consumed. This helps them become more conscious of how much they need to drink and whether they are truly drinking the right amount.

Remember to always drink good quality water, never from the tap. I recommend spring waters from out of your own state so more stringent testing procedures apply. At home I use a reverse osmosis filtration system but I add liquid minerals back in so as not to promote acidity in the body.

This is a little comparative list between water and coke that was sent to me. I CANNOT attest to its accuracy but I thought it was interesting.

Read this, then make your choice.

“Water”1. 75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated. (Likely applies to half world population)

2. In 37% of Americans, the thirst mechanism is so weak that it is often mistaken for hunger. 3. Even MILD dehydration will slow down one’s metabolism as much as 3%.

4. One glass of water will shut down midnight hunger pangs for almost 100% of the dieters studied in a U-Washington study. 5. Lack of water, the #1 trigger of daytime fatigue.

6. Preliminary research indicates that 8-10 glasses of water a day could significantly ease back and joint pain for up to 80% of sufferers. 7. A mere 2% drop in body water can trigger fuzzy short-term memory, trouble with basic math, and difficulty focusing on the computer screen or on a printed page.

8. Drinking 5 glasses of water daily decreases the risk of colon cancer by 45%, plus it can slash the risk of breast cancer by 79%, and one is 50% less likely to develop bladder cancer. Are you drinking the amount of water you should every day?

COLA 1. In many states (in the USA) the highway patrol carries two gallons of Cola in the truck to remove blood from the highway after a car accident.

2. You can put a T-bone steak in a bowl of cola and it will be gone in two days. 3. To clean a toilet: Pour a can of Cola into the toilet bowl and let the Coke sit for one hour, then flush clean. The citric acid in Cola removes stains from vitreous china.

4. To remove rust spots from chrome car bumpers: Rub the bumper with a rumpled-up piece of Reynolds Wrap aluminum foil dipped in Cola. 5. To clean corrosion from car battery terminals: Pour a can of Cola over the terminals! to bubble away the corrosion.

6. To loosen a rusted bolt: Applying a cloth soaked in Cola to the rusted bolt for several minutes. 7. To bake a moist ham: Empty a can of cola into the baking pan, wrap the ham in aluminum foil, and bake.  Thirty minutes before the ham is finished, remove the foil, allowing the drippings to mix with the cola for a sumptuous brown gravy.

8. To remove grease from clothes: Empty a can of coke into a load of greasy clothes, add detergent, and run through a regular cycle. The Cola will help loosen grease stains. It will also clean road haze from your windshield. This is very interesting. Check it out. For Your Info

1. The active ingredient in cola is phosphoric acid. Its pH is 2.8. It will dissolve a nail in about 4 days.  Phosphoric acid also leaches calcium from bones and is a major contributor to the rising increase in osteoporosis. 2. To carry Cola syrup (the concentrate) the commercial truck must use the hazardous material place cards reserved for highly corrosive materials.

3. The distributors of cola have been using it to clean the engines of their trucks for about 20 years! Now the question is, would you like a glass of water or cola?”

Think about it. Until next time…Donna

 

By Donna DiMarco, CN, LNC

Any fat makes you fat, so it should be eliminated, right? Wrong!  While it is true that fat contains more calories than protein or carbohydrates, fats are really important to good health. If all the fat were eliminated, health would be compromised. Fat is important for the production of hormones, the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins, the integrity of the nervous system and more. Jean Barilla, co-author and editor of The Nutrition Superbook, Volume II, The Good Fats and Oils, stated some of the reasons we need fats in our diets. “ We need fats to produce energy, to pad and protect our internal organs, to conserve body heat, to transport the oil soluble vitamins, A, D, E, & K, into our blood, to act as an intestinal lubricant to keep things moving smoothly, to join with phosphorus to produce the phospholipid walls of each cell, to insulate the nerves by helping to produce the myelin sheath around each nerve, and to help us feel satiated when we eat, as well as adding flavor to our foods.”

Fats are not only found in most meats, but hidden in things like salad dressings, mayonnaise, cake icings, baked goods, fried foods, chips, gravies, some cheeses, some dairy, margarine, butter, cooking oils, nuts, seeds, produce like avocados, coconut, etc. Some of these are really bad for us, but others are not.

I frequently hear people say that they stay away from nuts, avocados, seeds, etc. because they are high in fat. While it is true that fat contains 9 calories per gram while protein and carbohydrates contain only 4 each, some fat sources are so nutrient-rich that they are worth the added calories. The task then becomes distinguishing between the good and the bad fats. If you learn which fats to stay away from and which fats to consume, your body may be able to restore balance and provide you with a better quality of life. This is not an easy task since we have saturated, unsaturated, trans, cis, essential fatty acids, etc. Let’s try to make some sense of it.

There are saturated, unsaturated and polyunsaturated fats.  Whether a fat is saturated or not depends on the number of hydrogen atoms in the molecular structure of the substance. Saturated fats are found in meat, coconut oil and palm kernel oil.  It has generally been believed that saturated fats are the culprit of heart disease. These fats are used in manufacturing candy, icing or chocolate because they are inexpensive and they don’t melt at room temperature.  Saturated fats stimulate the liver to make more LDL’s (low density lipoproteins) or bad cholesterol. 

 

Unsaturated fats usually stay liquid at room temperature and are broken down into polyunsaturated fats, found in many vegetable oils, and monounsaturated fats (MUFA’S), found in olive, peanut, canola and avocado oil.

Polyunsaturated oils have more than one carbon-to-carbon double bond in their molecular structure. They are oils like safflower, sunflower and soybean oils. For many years it was thought that polyunsaturated fats were the way to go because they reduced LDL’s.  It was later discovered that they also reduced HDL’s as well and also increased the susceptibility to gall stones. For this reason polyunsaturated oils should be limited in the diet.

Monounsaturated fats (MUFA’s) have only one carbon-to-carbon double bond in their molecular structure. Unlike Polyunsaturated oils, MUFA’s reduce only the LDL’s and protect them from oxidative damage.  It was also found that MUFA’ s can help non-insulin dependent diabetics, more so than low-fat, high-carbohydrate diets.  Research indicates that MUFA’s have an effect on hypertension also.  Studies are presently in progress to confirm the positive effects of MUFA’s on rheumatoid arthritis.

I recommend that my clients consume cold-pressed, extra virgin olive oil daily. “Cold-pressed” means that when the olives are pressed to extract the oil, a good amount of heat is generated. This heat has a tendency to turn the oil rancid, so a cooling system is used to dissipate the heat, keeping the oil from oxidative damage. Virgin and extra-virgin refers to the purity. Since oil is so susceptible to peroxidation (rancidity) I suggest you always keep your oil in the refrigerator after it has been opened. This will reduce the oxidative damage for a while. Some people choose to put a little vitamin E in their oil for the same reason. It’s wise not to buy the large gallons of oil unless you use it quickly, because even when refrigerated, oil will eventually turn rancid. Get it fresh.

Another important factor in choosing fat wisely is whether a fat contains trans-fatty acids or not. Trans-fatty acids are unsaturated fats that have additional hydrogen molecules attached to it. The un-natural process is called hydrogenation and is always man-made. This is what is often used in restaurants but since it has been linked to cardiovascular disease it is being banned by New York City and other cities around the country.

By hydrogenating any oil, say corn oil, which is a liquid, and make it solid at room temperature. Voila, margarine! We use to think we were really smart by eliminating butter and replacing it with margarine, but studies indicated that trans fatty acids raise LDL’s (the bad cholesterol) and lower HDL’s (the good guys). Therefore, all those who switched from butter to margarine to lower their cholesterol may actually be raising it and changing the ratio of bad cholesterol to good cholesterol, and not for the better. Listen carefully, BUTTER IS BETTER THAN MARGARINE! Stay away from all hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils. You can find them in most junk food, but sometimes, even in some health foods. Learn to read labels.

Let’s now talk a little about essential fatty acids, which are the basic building blocks of fats and oils. They are called “essential” because they are essential to life but cannot be produced in the body, but must come from either diet or supplementation. The three groups of essential fatty acids are Omega-3, Omega-6, and Omega-9.

Omega-3 fats are found in cold-water fish like tuna, mackerel, salmon, sardines, cod and herring. The few vegetarian sources of omega-3’s are flax seed and perilla oil. This essential fatty acid has been known to slow tumor growth, boost the immune system, reduce pain and inflammation, reduce the symptoms of allergies, promote healthy skin, prevent strokes, reduce cholesterol and increase mental acuity. Fish oils have demonstrated to be particularly important for those with heart and circulatory disease. It has been said that eating 2-3 fish meals (of these particular fish) a week may reduce your chances of heart disease by as much as 50%. Why aren’t we doing this? That’s better odds than what’s offered by some drugs, and without the side effects!

Omega-6 fats can be saturated (like meats and dairy), unsaturated (like in nuts and seeds), or trans-fatty acids (like in fried foods, junk food and margarine). Omega-6 fats can convert to a substance (prostaglandin E-2) that impairs the immune system, increases pain and inflammation, stimulates metastasis, promotes allergic responses and skin disorders. We can’t eliminate all omega-6’s, nor should we. Some is beneficial, but we get far too much in our diet. We must make an effort to reduce these types of fats and increase the more beneficial omega-3’s.

Omega-9 fatty acids are not precursors to prostaglandins and are considered neutral. They may even have some beneficial cancer prevention effects. Omega-9 is found predominantly in olive oil.

So let’s re-cap: Some fats are good for us. Do not eliminate all the fat in your diet, eliminate the sugar instead; that will be more effective in lowering cholesterol and triglycerides. Stay away from hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils and all the foods that contain them. Replace your cooking oils with cold-pressed virgin or extra virgin olive oil and keep it refrigerated after opening it (place the bottle under hot running water to soften it for easy pouring). Eat at least two fish-containing meals a week using cod, salmon, tuna, mackerel or sardines to increase omega-3’s. Limit the amount of omega-6 fatty acids and the foods that contain them. Don’t be afraid to eat natural foods like avocados and nuts because of their fat content; focus on eliminating processed foods that contain the more dangerous fats. If you do this, you may soon notice your skin glowing, your hormones balanced, your energy boosted, your immune system stimulated, your arthritis and allergies diminishing, and your cardiovascular system strengthened. Give it a try, you’re worth it!

 

Donna

 

By Donna DiMarco. CN,LNC

Yes, I know that the title was a sneaky way to get your attention, but the information I have to share is important. MASTICATION is not to be confused with the other similar sounding word that we are all so familiar with. It is something that we do every day, several times a day, in fact. Some do it more than others; some are better at it. Some of us do it even without the proper equipment. Those who don’t do it well or regularly may compromise their health as a result. I once witnessed the autopsy of someone who did not do it this one time and it caused his demise. Most people only do it for themselves, but I have heard of certain cultures that ritualistically do it for each other. Get mind out of the gutter, it’s chewing.

“Everyone knows how to chew”, you say. Not so. Most people (myself included) don’t take the time to let the mouth do its job in aiding in the digestion of food. We are all in a hurry to get through our day and we don’t take the time to enjoy our meal, chew our food properly, and allow proper mixing of the food with saliva to occur in our mouth.

In this day and age, meals are commonly taken on the run, leaving little thought as to why we eat in the first place. Our busy schedules leave us little time to partake in three daily meals in the relaxed, but purposeful way it was intended; this leaves food partially digested and important nourishment locked in. As a result, we feel the need to take in additional amounts of food, but still remain undernourished. The body, with its natural wisdom, identifies the need for nourishment and signals us to eat more. But if again we don’t chew properly, the cycle will continue and obesity can result.

Thorough chewing also allows time for the “I ate enough” signal to be received in the brain. If we pay attention to this important feedback loop, we might reduce obesity significantly. This is such an effective technique that many weight loss centers suggest their clients to eat slowly, and to pay careful attention to chewing, as well as to wait 15 minutes or so before you reach for a second helping or the next course. In that time, the brain will realize it’s full and the appetite will subside. I’m sure we all experienced waiting so long in a restaurant that we weren’t interested in eating any more. Just allow yourself 15 or twenty minutes before you reach for a snack or a second helping. You’ll find you don’t really feel hungry. Try it; it works.

Chewing is the act of taking large bites of food, grinding it up into small particles that can be mixed with saliva and digestive enzymes. It is so important in providing our bodies with all the fuel it needs. Here’s a good analogy of how it works: take a whole, fresh lemon; squeeze it really hard. Unless you’re really strong, no juice will come out of it. Next, cut it in half; take one half and squeeze it hard. You’ll get a good amount of juice but more will remain inside the lemon. Finally, take the remaining half and cut it into four pieces. Take each piece and again, squeeze it hard. You’ll find that much more juice can be extracted from the smaller pieces. This is what happens with food. Large pieces of unchewed food leave lots of nutrients trapped inside, much like the lemon juice. The smaller the pieces become, the more nutrients (lemon juice) can be extracted. All those nutrients are vital for good health.

After food is chewed and the digestive process begins, food is called chyme. Chyme is a smooth, homogenous substance we all get grossed out to look at, but it is essential for good digestion Chewing begins with carbohydrates being broken down into simple sugars. Here’s a fun experiment to try. Take a bite of a bagel or a piece of bread. Chew it the way you normally do. Remember the taste and the texture before you swallow it. Then take another bite, but this time chew it 30 times, rolling it around with your tongue to mix it well. Notice the additional sweetness? That’s because ptyalin in the saliva helped release the sugar. This could work to our disadvantage if we are not careful. Remember that if you don’t brush your teeth, especially at bedtime, tiny particles of food may remain stuck between your teeth. These food particles may be broken down into sugars, which promote dental caries. If left untreated, caries, or cavities as we commonly call them, can result in pain and eventual loss of teeth. Then we are back to poor chewing again.

In addition to the digestion of carbohydrates in the mouth, chewing initiates the digestion of fats as well. Lingual lipase starts the process of fat digestion. It acts similarly to soap by breaking the bonds of the fat molecules causing glycerol and fatty acids to separate, making the fat more readily available for further digestion to occur. Although the digestive process begins in the mouth, it continues on to completion in the intestinal tract, resulting in nutrients entering the bloodstream to fuel our bodies.

We rely on these nutrients to keep us alive. Many of the disorders we experience are caused by lack of nutrients. We can spend lots of money on supplements to provide them (which is sometimes necessary), but the simplest way to maintain good health and to insure that our bodies function properly is to make wise food choices (foods that are nutrient rich, whole and fresh) then to chew that food well in order to release all the nutrients that nature has provided for us.

Take the time to care for yourself; care enough to sit down to your meal in a relaxed manner. Chew slowly and purposefully. Savor the flavors. Notice the textures. Inhale the aromas of the foods. Studies indicate that the sight and smell of food stimulates the digestive juices. Haven’t you ever had your mouth water (that’s saliva) at the sight of your favorite dish or the smell of fresh bread hot from the oven? That’s part of the process. Don’t deny yourself that; you’re worth it!

Follow these tips and you will notice gradual improvements in your health including your energy, your immune system, your endurance, your mental attitude and mental acuity, but it all begins with you. Until next time, I challenge you to chew.

Donna

 

By Donna DiMarco, CN, LNC.

Most of us have been brought up thinking that milk is the perfect food and that without it our diets would suffer. Every mother insists that her child drink his milk to have strong bones. And many of us remember when we were encouraged to drink a little milk or cream to sooth an ulcer. How much of that is really true?

If we’d really listen to our bodies we’d realize that milk causes a variety of problems. Lactose intolerance is the deficiency of lactase, the enzyme needed to digest milk sugar, which causes diarrhea and flatulence. Mucus production increases and then the mucus lines the digestive and respiratory tracts setting up a perfect environment for bacterial and yeast growth. This excess mucus may hinder important nutrient absorption in the digestive tract.

Studies have indicated a strong tie between milk consumption and juvenile diabetes. Experiments have clearly demonstrated more hostile and aggressive behaviors in those who consume milk. Due to the size of the milk protein molecule, it often triggers allergic reactions.

The high protein content in dairy actually leads to the body losing calcium in the urine, rather than placing it in the bones. One of the two sugars that compose lactose has been linked to ovarian cancer and even infertility. Autistic patients show remarkable improvement when taken off dairy and gluten. Many children who are plagued by constant ear infections, asthma, and eczema, clear up when milk and dairy products are removed from their diet. Children who are raised dairy-free rarely need tubes in their ears. Postnasal drip and stuffy nose is often gone forever when dairy is totally eliminated. Many psoriasis and arthritis sufferers show remarkable improvement after eliminating dairy.

With all this information, why would anyone want to consume milk and milk products? Advertising. We have all seen the moustache commercials and I’m sure you remember “Milk: it does the body good!” The dairy farmers have their own agenda since more and more people are eliminating milk.

Humans were made to consume human milk with just the right combination of calcium, magnesium, and other nutrients to nourish a human body. Cow’s milk, however, has a large protein molecule necessary to produce the massive muscles of a cow or a bull. Cows walk quickly after birth, so their milk has a calcium content necessary to quickly strengthen the spindly legs of a calf to hold the rapidly enlarging body. Humans don’t even crawl for a few months, so we really don’t need that much calcium concentration early in life. Baby calves, on the other hand, don’t even drink cow’s milk after a few months but they continue to grow and develop strong, large bones, and I have yet to see a cow with osteoporosis (check out the soup bones at your butcher’s). But how do they keep their bones strong? They eat green grass. Now, I’m not telling you all to hit the St Augustine and do away with your lawn mower, but we can eat greens in a more palatable form: vegetables. Vegetables, especially organic ones, have the perfect calcium to magnesium ratio for humans, and the calcium is in a useable form.

Many of us drink calcium rich foods but neglect the magnesium that is necessary to use the calcium properly. The Standard American Diet (S.A.D., how appropriate!) falls short of the recommended five daily servings of fruits and vegetables. Without magnesium, the calcium may do us harm. Have you ever craved chocolate? Do you get muscle cramps or charley horses? Do you fall asleep but wake up in the middle of the night wide-awake? Are you constipated? Do you suffer from menstrual cramps? Do you have high blood pressure? These can all indicate a lack of magnesium and/or too much calcium. I frequently see people with too much calcium in their bodies yet suffer from osteoporosis, mostly due to a magnesium deficiency.

Let me encourage you to eat more fresh fruits vegetable and make them organic whenever possible (one study showed that organic tomatoes had 40% more magnesium than conventional tomatoes). Do not use canned vegetables since the processing, the salt, and the aluminum from the cans make them poor choices. Fresh is best, but frozen is a good compromise. Eat a variety of colors for the nutrient value. French fries and creamed corn are not considered vegetables so don’t even try to count them.

Get off the dairy. There are now many products in the health food stores to your dairy products with, like soy, for example. There is much research indicating that some soy in our diet might protect us from heart disease, help prevent breast cancer, and reduce menopausal symptoms, but don’t go overboard. Do everything in moderation. In addition to soy, milk substitutes are presently made from rice, a combination of rice and soy, almond, hazelnut, hemp, oat, potato and pea, and tofu, which is made from soy. They come in a variety of flavors including plain, vanilla, chocolate, and carob, and some are fortified with calcium (for those who feel they need an extra amount in their diet just in case). Other products available include cheese-like mozzarella, cheddar, Swiss, jalapeno, Parmesan, cream cheese, and a variety of yogurts and ice cream. With so much to choose from, we can continue to eat the foods we enjoy without the threat to our health.

Make some smart choices. Listen to what your body is telling you. Try eliminating all dairy for three full weeks. Notice how you feel. After the three weeks, go back to eating dairy and notice the difference in your symptoms. Your body won’t lie to you, just give it what it naturally needs, eliminate the things that make it work harder, and it will serve you well for many years to come.

Donna

 

By Donna DiMarco, CN,LNC

Pour 1/2 cup of sugar into a measuring cup. Imagine adding that to your food intake every day. Sounds pretty ridiculous, doesn’t it? This is approximately how much sugar each person consumes every day here in the United States. Studies have demonstrated that in 1994 the annual sugar consumption per each individual was approximately 149 pounds. It has increased considerably since then. If I am not eating my share of that 149 pounds of sugar, some of you are consuming it for me in addition to your own.

Sugar consumption can add up quickly when you consider that 12 ounces of your favorite soft drink contains about 10 teaspoons of sugar, an ice cream sundae contains 19 teaspoons, 10 jelly beans contain more than 6 teaspoons of sugar, and even your so called “healthy” fruit-flavored yogurt contains more than 7 teaspoons of sugar per container. It is said that 21 teaspoons of sugar knock out 92% of your immune cells. This leaves us vulnerable to succumb to sicknesses like the casual cold, or AIDS, or everything in between.

We all have pre-cancerous changes in some of the cells in our body. It’s our immune system that isolates and destroys those cell aberrations so as to keep them from developing further into a full-blown destructive disease. Limiting sugar intake allows our immune system to work more effectively. Dr. Nancy Appleton’s book entitled Lick The Sugar Habit, lists 75 illnesses or disorders related to sugar consumption. Keep these sugar-content numbers in mind every time you reach for a can of soda or that Danish instead of a nutritious breakfast.

Learn to read the labels before you buy. You may be surprised at what you find. There is sugar hidden in lots of foods, some you may have never even thought of, like ketchup, tomato sauce, and salt. Yes, check your saltbox to see if the second or third ingredient isn’t dextrose. (Any word ending in “ose” is a carbohydrate, like maltose, sucrose, fructose, galactose, lactose, and so on.)

Sometimes we focus on looking for the wrong ingredients. Remember when so many of us were caught up in finding fat free and low-fat foods that we neglected to consider the sugar content in what we were eating? We thought we were reducing our cholesterol. In fact, we were making it worse. We thought that since it says “fat free” it must be good for us. It wasn’t. The sugar content was not in big, bold letters on the front of the box like the words “FAT-FREE” were. It was marketing and many of us fell for it. Studies indicate that a high-carbohydrate diet (sugar) increases our chances of heart disease, diabetes, cancer and other diseases. More diseases are linked to high sugar consumption than high fat and protein consumption.

Table sugar is derived from corn, beet, or cane, and it isn’t naturally white. It is made white by removing the nutrients from it. The brown part that is removed is sold as molasses, which is high in iron, potassium, and other nutrients, but how many of us use molasses on a regular basis? Processing leaves us with sweet, white granules composed of two simple sugars, fructose and glucose. Nature had it right to begin with, in its natural form raw sugar contains copper, zinc, manganese, cobalt, chromium, and magnesium. All are necessary for proper digestion and utilization of carbohydrates. Problems with sugar begin when we refine it to make it white. This strips it of all essential minerals, which then forces the body to provide them by drawing from its own resource pool (mineral stores within the body). If excessive refined sugar consumption continues, these resource pools become depleted and are not available for other normal body functions.

A good example of this mineral depletion was demonstrated in a study performed by Dr. William Philpott. He found that during the autopsies of people who died of coronary artery disease, no detectable amount of chromium was found in their aortas; but chromium was clearly evident in those who died of accidental death. This implies that chromium, which is needed for carbohydrate metabolism, plays an important part in the prevention of arteriosclerosis and heart disease. It is important to note that cardiovascular disease can readily progress if chromium supplies are depleted due to excessive sugar intake.

Dr. John Yudkin concluded from his research that someone taking in 120 grams of sugar a day (24 teaspoons) is approximately five times more likely to develop a myocardial infarction (heart attack) than someone taking in less than 60 grams of sugar per day (12 teaspoons).

Should we eliminate all carbohydrates? No. Carbohydrates are needed to fuel our brains. It provides an energy source for the body demands as they occur. But if we consume more carbohydrates than we expend, the residual will be stored as fat for future use. The amount of sugar needed by the body at any given time is merely 2 teaspoons. This can be easily obtained by proper ingestion of unrefined grains, fruits and vegetables.

Our bodies were wonderfully designed to convert sugar from fat or protein if needed. We can limit our carbohydrate consumption and increase our energy output by regular exercise and physical activity. In addition to helping our cardiovascular system, it will help us lose weight, since the body takes the stored fat and converts it into carbohydrates to meet its need. If sugar consumption is consistently high, the body loses its ability to convert it from other nutrients.

Because fructose is absorbed 40% as quickly as glucose, it has been a favorite especially among diabetics. This quick rise in the blood sugar level would appear to be more desirable. But Dr. J. Hallfrisch concluded, that fructose causes an increase in serum cholesterol, triglycerides, and low-density lipoproteins (the bad guys), even more than sugar does. So watch the fruit juice consumption. It’s always better to water it down a bit. Increasing fiber in the diet will aid elimination, reduce cholesterol, and prevent rapid rises in blood sugar (another reason why eating whole, fresh fruit is more beneficial than drinking fruit juice since blood-sugar levels raise more gradually).

Some good suggestions for breaking free from sugar addiction are included in Dr. Appleton’s book, Lick The Sugar Habit. She suggests eating

more unrefined complex carbohydrates to help maintain blood sugar levels; eat raw, crunchy veggies for snacks; brush your teeth when a sugar craving comes upon you (this will usually satisfy it due to the sweetness of the toothpaste); when an urge to eat sweets occurs, wait at least 30 minutes to see if it will pass.

Mineral supplementation can replenish some of the deficiencies, but this should be done under the supervision of a nutrition counselor, but only after proper evaluation has taken place. Start today to make some smart choices in your eating habits. Begin replacing the refined sweetened snacks with some healthy, raw veggies. Pass on the donuts and danish and eat a good breakfast. Get regular exercise, which will strengthen your cardiovascular system. Begin with walking every day, get plenty of fresh air and sunshine, and be sure to read labels so you can limit your sugar intake.

You can do it!

Donna

 

By Donna DiMarco, CN, LNC

I previously suggested you keep a food diary and eliminated the foods you found yourself consuming on a daily basis.  If you kept track of your symptom improvement and are ready for the next step.

This month we will talk about drinking with our meals. No, I’m not talking about alcohol in particular, but that can fall into this category; I’m talking about that large glass of soda, the iced tea or that cold brew with your slice of pizza.

Let’s start with the fact that we all have digestive juices that are produced to help break down the food into a useable form. One of those juices, hydrochloric acid (HCl), is just as strong as the muriatic acid that your pool service uses and is powerful enough to eat through concrete. Its job is to help ready protein (denaturing) for other enzymes to break it down. HCl doesn’t hurt us because we have a thick mucous lining to protect the stomach. We get into trouble when that lining gets thin or the acid levels get too high and the acid eats a small sore into the stomach. We call that an ulcer. Women who are bulimic actually damage not only their esophagus, which lacks the thick protective coating, but their teeth as well, due to the stomach acid frequently coming up into the mouth. Think about it, if it can eat concrete, it can eat through your teeth!

And although Madison Avenue tells us that many of us suffer from too much acid, most people have too little. We’ll talk about that at a later time. If this acid and other digestive juices are needed to make food useable, and many people have too little digestive juices in the first place, why do we dilute them with liquids? Every time you drink with your meals you are diluting the natural juices needed to break down your food. Consider this, did you ever see an animal eat some food, take a little water between mouthfuls, then eat some more food? Why don’t they need to “wash it down”? Drinking with our meals is a learned habit.

Here’s an example of what drinking with meals does. Imagine that you have this awful grease stain on the floor and you are asked to get it up as quickly and completely as possible. You’d run to the cabinet and pull out your most powerful cleaning liquid. For a heavy grease stain you use it FULL STRENGTH to get the job done best. It is the same with our digestive juices, we need them to work efficiently, so why water it down with all that liquid? In fact, one of our digestive enzymes produced further past the stomach (lipase) acts just like soap, which breaks the bonds in grease (fat).

Here’s something else to think about. Did you ever see chicken soup that has been stored in the refrigerator? It gets a thick layer of solidified fat on the surface. Many of us skim it off before we reheat the soup. That layer is a liquid fat that has been turned into a solid by lowering the temperature. If we consume an iced drink with a meal, we lower the temperature in our stomach and turn liquid saturated fats into solids. Our body temperature is normally 98.6 degrees. It takes a considerable amount of time to raise the temperature of the chyme (chewed up food) to restore it back into a liquid form so that the fat-digesting enzymes will to work.

Well, if that’s not reason enough to not drink with your meals, how about this. Consider the fact that carbonated sodas are loaded with phosphorus, and phosphorus needs calcium to stabilize it, so the body pulls calcium from the bones to meet the need. If soda consumption is high and frequent, it can dangerously weaken the bones. In fact, there are known cases of people who have become bedridden with severe osteoporosis (softening of the bones) due to high soda consumption. Also, sodas change the pH (power of Hydrogen) of the body so drastically that it takes 5 glasses of water to restore the pH after 1 glass of soda. The body needs a proper pH balance to function as it should. If the pH is out of balance, digestion will be hindered and nutrients not absorbed.

If you must drink anything, consider room temperature distilled or spring water, broth or consomme and herbal teas. Avoid things that are cold. Drink a couple of glasses of water about a half hour before your meals. This will help hydrate your body, cleanse your liver, fill you up so that you don’t eat as much (WEIGHT LOSS!), dilute the toxins for removal, aid your kidneys, prevent joint diseases (some practitioners believe that disk degeneration and arthritic problems are the result of the cartilage not being supple due to dehydration.), and help your skin. My clients must drink one half gallon of pure water a day, but not with their meals. It can be done.

I’m sure there are some of you thinking that you retain water and are bloated so you should not drink any more water. The opposite is true. When the body is water deficient it produces more anti-diuretic hormone (ADH) to hold on to whatever water it has. Drinking more water tells the body that it can release what it has because it is confident that more is coming in a steady supply.

Try it for a while. Restoring health is more than taking a pill. My goal is to teach you lifestyle changes that will help your body function at its optimum level. Once we get the basics down, I will discuss particular problems and specific supplements. Try to implement what you’ve learned; any effort will help. It takes time to break old habits so be patient.

Until next time, stay with it. You are worth it!

Donna