New Growth

When we are engaged in supporting and strengthening our overall health, we are growing and evolving. I love the spring and summer because the forward momentum of our internal growth is mirrored by the external new growth that surrounds us in our outside environment.  We are supported by and are able to draw upon the energy of the earth at this time of the year to further build the base of our health.  I was excited to find examples of this new growth yesterday.  The top picture is of the spring crocus in the front yard.  The middle picture is of the st john's wort in the front yard.  Both of these plants are perennials and return every year.  And the bottom picture is of the brand new tiny lettuce plants in the back yard!  Thanks to the miracle of self seeding lettuce and raised bed gardens, the lettuce plants come back early every year and thankfully all the snow hasn't deterred them this year!!

Confusion Around Calcium

In the last few years, there have been a few studies that have brought up concern around calcium intake and increased rate of heart disease and death.  An article by Tina Kaczor in the April 2013 edition of Natural Medicine Journal examines the recent Swedish study on long term calcium intake and rates of all cause mortality and cardiovascular mortality.  The Swedish study found that people consuming more than 1400 mg of dietary calcium per day had higher rates of all cause mortality (death due to all causes) and cardiovascular disease mortality (death due to heart disease) compared to people who consumed 600 - 1000 mg of dietary calcium per day.  The same increased rates were seen for women in the study who took a calcium supplement (a standard calcium supplement prescription in Sweden is 500 mg per day) and consumed more than 1400 mg of dietary calcium per day, but were not seen for women in the study who took a calcium supplement and did not consume more than 1400 mg of dietary calcium per day.  The same increased rate of all cause mortality was also seen for people consuming less than 600 mg of dietary calcium per day.  Interestingly, in Sweden, milk consumption (which most people consider their primary source of dietary calcium) is generally high, and still only 2% of the study population were consuming more than 1400 mg of dietary calcium per day.  This gives a good insight into the fact that it is unlikely that most of us are getting more than 1400 mg of dietary calcium per day and that we do not need to feel alarmed by this recent study.  As well, the info from the study did not show any concern around calcium supplementation when the dietary calcium intake was below 1400 mg per day, so for the great majority of us there is no concern around taking a good quality calcium supplement on a daily basis.  The study did show that it is important for us to be aiming for between 600 - 1000 mg of dietary calcium per day, so it is a good idea for each of us to examine our diet to ensure we are within this range. Here are some examples of the amount of calcium found in different foods:  1 cup of milk (including generally both soy and dairy based) = 300 mg, 1 cup dairy based yogurt = 450 mg, 1 cup cooked broccoli = 180 mg, 1 cup raw kale = 55 mg, 1 cup cooked spinach = 240 mg, 1 cup calcium fortified orange juice = 300 mg, 1 cup cooked chickpeas = 80 mg, 4 ounces firm tofu = 250 mg, 1 cup cooked brown rice = 50 mg, 1 ounce almonds = 80 mg, 1 tbsp tahini (sesame seed butter) = 130 mg.

The FODMAP diet

In the January 2013 edition of Naturopathic Doctor News and Review, Christine Doherty discusses fructose intolerance and the FODMAP diet.  Some people have difficulty absorbing fructose in the small intestine.  This is called fructose intolerance and it can cause damage to the villi/lining of the intestine which can lead to nutrient malabsorption and digestive disruption (including gas, bloating discomfort, cramping, diarrhea, constipation, reflux, nausea).  Australian researcher, Dr Sue Shepherd, developed a diet that is low in fructose and related molecules called the FODMAP (which stands for fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, polyols) diet.  People who have celiac disease often have lower tolerance for FODMAP foods and can have continued digestive symptoms even after gluten has been removed from their diet.  People who have lactose intolerance also often have intolerance to the additional FODMAP foods, so they may also have continued digestive symptoms even after lactose has been removed from their diet.  There are 5 categories of FODMAP foods including:  fructose, lactose, fructans, galactans, and polyols.  Some of the FODMAP foods in these categories include:  agave syrup, honey, artificial sweeteners, mango, apple, peas, asparagus, milk, yogurt, soft cheeses, ice cream, wheat, barley, rye, onions, garlic, garlic, broccoli, legumes, coffee, almonds, maltitol, sorbitol, xylitol, avocado, nectarines.  If we have done dietary work and have seen some improvement in our digestive symptoms, but still have continued concerns, it may be worth it to explore the FODMAP diet.  

Change in Rice Milk

I have long used Rice Dream rice milk and for the last several years have bought Rice Dream Original Enriched because it was organic and did not have any sweetener added.  I probably hadn't looked at the carton for the last several months, so I am not sure when this change happened, but when I looked last week, I saw the Original Enriched is no longer organic and they are using a mixture of both white and brown rice!  I was very glum when I discovered this!  There was a food bank drive in our neighborhood this weekend, so I donated the cartons I had stocked up and have now switched over to Natura Rice Original rice milk.  It is organic, uses brown rice and does not have any sweetener added.

Practical suggestions for supporting restful sleep

An article by Peter Bongiorno in the March 2013 edition of Naturopathic Doctor News and Review offers a number of practical suggestions for supporting restful sleep including aiming to go to bed preferably by 10 PM.  This suggestion is based on maximum melatonin (which supports restful sleep) production occurring between 10 PM and 2 AM.  Another recommendation is to avoid bright lights at least 30 minutes prior to going to bed.  This includes bright lights from overhead lights or lamps, as well as bright lights from computer/phone/TV screens.  Building on this, it is important to create a night time ritual leading up to bed which can include dimming/shutting off room lights and considering a nervine tea, like chamomile, which helps to calm and relax the central nervous and supports restful sleep.  A person can also consider integrating a small nighttime snack (such as a slice of apple or banana with nut butter, a small piece of rice cake/bread with nut butter) to support healthy blood sugar balancing which also supports restful sleep.  Whether we have difficulty around falling and maintaining a restful sleep or not, these suggestions are easy to integrate and can result in a more balanced sleep for everyone.

Coconut oil and Alzheimer's Disease

An article by William Ware in the February/March 2013 edition of Integrated Healthcare Practitioners discusses the support that coconut oil (and medium chain triglyceride rich oil) can offer for people with mild to moderate Alzheimer's Disease (AD).  One theory behind AD is that there is impaired glucose metabolism and impaired insulin action in the brain which leads to decreased energy production in the brain and impaired cognitive function.  Coconut oil is rich in medium chain triglycerides (MCT's) which provide a source of ketone bodies which can compensate for the impaired insulin action and act as an alternative fuel for the brain helping to support healthy cognitive function.  Based on this theory/research, specifically designed MCT rich oils are also now available in health food stores.  MCT rich oil provides a higher level of ketone bodies than coconut oil, but these higher levels decline more quickly in the blood/body than the ketone bodies that are provided from coconut oil.  An American MD, Mary Newport, has worked extensively with coconut oil and MCT rich oil and has developed a protocol to offer optimal support for people with AD.  She suggests a 1:1 ratio of coconut oil and MCT rich oil and to dose a total of 3 tbsp with each meal and 2 tbsp before bed.  Newport does report that she has seen diarrhea with these high doses, but slowly increasing the dose does tend to prevent diarrhea.  These doses would be way too high for someone without AD, but this research does give a great insight into the important level of support coconut oil and MCT rich oil can offer for overall brain health.  Based on this, it is good to consider integrating coconut oil (and/or MCT rich oil) into our daily routine.

Delicious Baked Brussel Sprouts!!

I have long been a fan of brussel sprouts, but I had only ever eaten them steamed.  Recently I have been seeing lots of pictures of baked brussel sprouts, so I decided to try it out - the results are delicious!!  Since trying it 3 weeks ago, I have been making a baked brussel sprouts and yam dish once a week.  To prepare, I peel and chop the yams and cut the brussel sprouts into halves or quarters and place in a canola oiled baking dish and then bake at 350 degrees.  After 30 minutes, I have been mixing in a sauce made with 2 cloves of chopped garlic, 2 freshly squeezed lemons, 1 tbsp of nutritional yeast, 2 tbsp of canola oil, 1 tbsp of tahini, and 1 tbsp of basil and then baking for another 30-45 minutes.  Tonight, I mixed this dish with brown lentils and a stir fry of onions, garlic, shiitake mushrooms, green beans, broccoli, and black kale (see above picture).  This is a particularly yummy winter meal and I am so glad that it is now a regular part of my supper choices!