Finding a New Primary Care Doctor

A Big Thanks To Leslie at Wellparents.com for this great advice Thanks to Leslie at Read more

The Rollercoaster of Life

Grandma: "I always wanted to go again. You know, it was just so interesting that a ride could make me so frightened, so scared, so sick, so excited, and so thrilled all together! Some didn't like Read more

Sheltering at Home/Covid 19

Never in the last two decades of my career as a physician would I have imagined that we would be using the same mask to see patients all day and then sterilizing/recycling them at the end of the day. Read more

Turmeric Health Benefits

Have you ever wondered what the paste is applied to the bride and groom's faces and arms in Indian weddings?  It's actually the spice turmeric.  Turmeric is the ingredient in curry that gives it a vibrant yellow color.  Actually, Read more

COVID 19 Precautions

With the scare of COVID here in the USA now, I wanted to post a little info about boosting immunity to prevent contracting the virus. Here are some important facts about Covid-19 It is spread by contact with Read more

Natural Tips for Avoiding Colds

This cold and flu season is still upon us and unfortunately, many patients are still being plagued by these nasty viral symptoms.  Here are a few tips to try if you feel like you are coming down with something. Of Read more

Sherry's Story

Sherry has a great story.  She has been diabetic for years and she has made some massive changes!   "I have been on a lifestyle change. It has been a year following a ketogenic food plan.  When I started this journey Read more

Pharmacy to Farmacy

Many of you may know Erin-- the fabulous Pharm D that worked in our office a few years back.  Erin is a phenomenal gal and we embarked on the journey  into natural medicine around the same time.  As we both Read more

Diet

Pumpkin Chai Smoothie

Here’s a throwback post that is certainly appropriate for this October weekend.  This smoothie matches the season and will be a great way to start the lovely fall day.
Thanks to Smoothie Queen Amy for this great recipe
I can’t wait to make this Pumpkin Chai smoothie! It’s like the marriage of all my favorite things.  It’s around 400 calories, so it’s definitely a meal replacement at this serving size. Here’s the recipe.

Blend the following:
1 1/2 cups milk, or milk alternative (I use almond or coconut because the protein is kickin’)
3/4 cup cooked pumpkin

1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
2 Tbsp. chia seeds
2 Tbsp. coconut sugar
1/4 tsp Vanilla bean
1/2 banana
If you’re a person who likes to know the calories in something you can add them up in no time flat using this FitClick’s “how many calories” link. Just type the food you’re wanting to know about in the search area. And from there you can choose specifics. It takes less than 5 minutes to add up a smoothie’s worth of ingredients.

http://www.fitclick.com/how_many_calories

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Posted on by Angela in Body, Diet, Nutrition, Organic, Weight Loss, Whole Food 1 Comment

Magnesium-the unloved mineral

Do you remember watching Wild Kingdom as a kid?  Did you happen to notice that the animals attacking their prey would immediately eat the organ meats.  I never really thought about why until I listened to Morley Robbins explain the importance of magnesium.  Magnesium is the Rodney Dangerfield of the mineral world.  It gets “No Respect”  I have been so remiss in not learning the importance of this underutilized mineral.  Magnesium is a mineral found in oysters, must, seeds, almonds, cashews, pumpkin, pistachios, kelp and organ meats.  You can also get it from wheat grass.  The strange thing about magnesium is that nobody really talks about its importance.  We speak ad nauseam about calcium and vitamin D–but magnesium is the missing component in this triad.  It turns out that we may be enduring an epidemic of magnesium deficiency.

First a little history, our ancestors lived in a very magnesium rich environment.  It was in the water, food, root vegetables and organ meats that we consumed.  Around 100 years ago, the environment flipped.  It became a calcium rich, magnesium poor environment.  It became much more acidic with toxins.   We started refining salt from its natural form (sea salt) which contained a natural balance of magnesium and sodium. Sugar cane started being refined which removes all the magnesium.  So now, living in a calcium rich environment we have developed problems lack of the stabilizing magnesium particle.  Calcium that isn’t regulated by magnesium causes massive inflammation.  Hence (spoiler alert) the inflammation forms free radicals and oxidative stress which progresses to chronic disease states –with heart disease being very significant due to calcium deposits on the arteries.

 

Uses of magnesium:

Stabilization of bones–magnesium gives bones resilience

Regulates calcium in the body

Vital for support for muscles in body (remember the heart is a muscle)

 

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Here is a link to a great tutorial on how to make magnesium lotion—check it out!

http://creativechristianmama.com/how-to-make-magnesium-oil-lotion/

 

 

Posted on by Angela in disease, Mind, Uncategorized 5 Comments

Diminishing Returns!

I love some of Dee’s older posts that are so insightful on how we are brain washed into thinking we need to eat so much.  It is a complete attack on all of our senses— 

Dee writes:

 

Our wonderful country has transformed into one in which many fortunate citizens are overindulged, overstocked and overfed. I see so many kids who have such an air of entitlement. Many of us use money we don’t have to buy things we don’t need. There is this great sense of getting more, needing more, wanting more. Restaurants and fast food chains jump right into the game of giving us what we want. When you look at a commercial for, lets say, a pancake house you can see exactly what I mean. First, they give you the price of something-99 and then you see the combo – stack of pancakes, two kinds of meat, two eggs and a side of home fries. All of this is for one person. This is such a common assortment of food and it is set up to please every part of the palette, that we really don’t stop to realize that the Grand Slam could easily satisfy the hunger of three or four adults. I know that when I am presented with the option of such a meal, I act before I think…I don’t want to do without the potatoes, and the savory, salty, crispy bacon tastes so great; it all goes really well with scrambled eggs and then there is the warm, fluffy texture of melt-in-your-mouth pancakes – a wonderful symphony of food. The truth is, I’ve had MANY weekday breakfasts that consisted of one hard-boiled egg. And that was a sufficient bit of food to hold me over from morning until lunch. But when we have all of this bundled into one fine presentation there are a couple of things that food marketers use to sabotage our senses. First, there is the “value” catch. For $2, I can order one egg but for another $1.50 I can make it a sandwich with cheese and bacon and for a total of $5 bucks, it comes with tater-tots and a small OJ. So I might have only wanted or needed one egg, but I choose the whole lot. Second, there’s the waste factor. Now that I’ve ordered all of this food, at a bargain price, I need to eat it all as to not waste it. I may have realized I’m full after barely starting to consume the meal, but there are only two alternatives once it’s in front of me – throw perfectly good food into the garbage or eat it.

Now back to the title of my blog, “diminishing returns.” Wouldn’t you say that the very first bite of a piece of chocolate cake is the best bite? The second one is pretty good, and maybe the third. By three bites your mouth is very happy and has had a good chance to fully experience the great flavor. The more you eat, the less fabulous the taste. While the flavor is still good, these subsequent bites from number three to clean plate are really somewhat mechanical, you just keep going and going until the food is gone without the ability to savor the dish as you did with bites one through three. If you order a meal at most restaurants, get a carry out container right up front to box half for another meal. You’ll be amazed to see how many double portion meals you get and how full you feel after only eating half.

Posted on by Angela in Body, Diet, Guest Blog, Nutrition, Organic, Weight Loss, Whole Food Leave a comment

Meet Dee- She needs shoes!

A few years ago, I introduced you to my dear friend Dee.  She invited us on her weight loss journey and did quite a few posts regarding her story.  I just wanted to repost a few of these because:

1.  I miss Dee!!

2.  I always love her posts and admire how real and down to earth she is!  Hope you enjoy them as well.

Dee is a mom!  Dee wants to lose weight.  Dee believes we need to eat healthy.  I love Dee.  She has invited us to follow her weight loss journey with her because she can’t see her feet!  Please follow her amazing posts with me!  She is inspiring!  And to Dee, thank you for admitting that you aren’t perfect and this isn’t an easy thing to do!  We should all have that much integrity.

Dee writes:

Funny how people are ashamed to share their weight. I don’t mind telling people who I weigh 190 pounds. When I’m speaking to someone and the issue of health or weight comes up, I freely share my weight…the real number. I share my age too, 49. People are sometimes surprised that I’m 49, but no one has ever reacted surprisingly to the 50 extra pounds. I’m guessing it’s because if they are speaking to me in person, they can see the extra pounds…mostly around my middle. I don’t like this section of me but I’ve gotten used to it. I chose this photo, taken from my chin looking down to show you what I see when I look at my shoes. Get it? No shoes. I’d like to see my shoes and have started a new goal to get there. After years and years of dieting, I am a diet expert. Most overweight people are diet experts. The trick isn’t knowing what to do, it’s doing it. If you want to jump into the journey, I would love the company. It might not always be pretty, but it will always be real.

Posted on by Angela in Diet, Guest Blog, Humor, Nutrition, Spirit, Whole Food Leave a comment

Diets Don’t Work

First, I don’t ever advocate dieting . Diets don’t work and the only way to “lose weight” is to get healthy and make a lifestyle change. I agree that our society is ridiculous with such social emphasis on thin, unhealthy weights and starvation based lifestyles. Kids see role models that are bone thin and completely malnourished! That puts a ton of pressure on adolescents. It’s not realistic and obviously not working as we see obesity and diabetes rates rising at astronomical rates.

I really try to focus on emphasizing the importance of nourishing the body with vitamins, mineral, and essential nutrients to ensure good health.  I don’t really believe in the PALEO diet because it is a fad diet and in all actuality – it isn’t an authentic diet. There no way that we could actually eat as our paleolithic ancestors did.  We simply don’t have the same habitat/environment. Todays’s berries, vegetables and seeds are nothing like the ones bought in grocery stores today. It is simply just a different environment and time period.

That being said, the PALEO diet does focus on No processed foods!!!!—- which is a huge improvement from what most Americans are eating today. A diet rich in vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds and organic, grass-fed lean meats is amazing for the body. It can only be sustainable though if it is implemented in small steps. I usually try to get patients to first adopt the idea that what they eat significantly impacts their health. I try to get them off of soda, packaged foods ,and sugars first. Then we start to implement changes that compatible with their lifestyle, work schedules, and individual tastes.

I will have patients first watch some of the newer documentaries like “Hungry For Change” and “Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead” which are entertaining films that really hit home regarding the idea that “you are what you eat”. In Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead, Joe Cross literally cures himself of the disease “chronic urticaria” by changing his diet.

Of course —everyone should consult with their doctor before making any changes. Certain diet changes really should be tailored to specific disease states, medicines and lifestyles. I believe your doctor should be your partner and should work with you in tailoring lifestyle changes.  I have seen amazing results in patients that have been willing to make some changes.  They get off of medications, feel better, lose weight, and enjoy life more!

Personally, my life is busy and it is really hard to sustain a healthy eating pattern. I work full-time and have daughters that keep me running. We like to spend Sundays juicing fruits and veggies and making meals for the week. It is the only way we can stay on track and it is good bonding time (YES-I do give them allowance for helping #BRIBE). We still eat junk sometimes and my kids certainly don’t always eat like me. But, I can hope that they are at least becoming more aware of their food choices. We do like to get outdoors and hike on weekends and sit down and watch movies together. Yes we even occasionally eat popcorn and sno-caps which are both UBER unhealthy!!! It’s all relative!!!

I love my practice because I love to see people change!!  I relish in seeing their lives improve and taking control of their own health.  It is the most rewarding profession that I can imagine myself doing.  If one person is helped by what I have to offer–it is worth it!IMG_0238

Posted on by Angela in Body, Diet, Nutrition, Weight Loss 10 Comments

Vitamin K 101

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Recently, I have been recommending a Vitamin K2 supplement to those of you with risk of osteopenia (bone thinning) or osteoporosis (bone loss).  I thought I would share a few of the basics on why I think this supplement is essential.

Vit K basics:

In nature, Vitamin K comes in two forms.  Vitamin K1 is found in free leafy vegetables

Vitamin K2 is found in organ meats, egg yolks and dairy products.

Vitamin K is essential in manufacturing blood clotting proteins.  In addition, it plays a vital role in keeping calcium in the bones instead of in the arteries.

The majority of research has been done on Vitamin K1 and its role in clotting ( all you coumadin/warfarin users are well aware of this).  Clinical trials show that Vitamin K2 is an important inducer of osteoblasts ( the bone building cells)  Recent studies show that Vitamin K2 may be as effective as prescription drugs in reducing the incidence of bone fracture in post menopausal women.

The nitty-gritty:

1.  Calcium is essential for good health.  However, Vitamin K2 is an important regulator of calcium and can prevent aberrant calcium metabolism in the body leading to cardiovascular disease.

2.  Insufficient Vitamin K2 leads to decreased bone mineral density which causes osteoporosis and cane actually increase the risk of heart disease.

3.  Studies in Japan show that Vitamin K2 in can substantially improve osteoporosis when given in prescription form or in the dish NATTO which is rich in K2

4.  Even small amounts of K2 helps fight heart disease by keeping calcium out of the arteries and preventing plaque.

 

Optimal amounts of Vitamin K2 are still under investigation but it seems that roughly  180-200 micrograms may be helpful.  It is estimated that 80% of Americans do not get enough K2 in their diet which is similar to the deficiency of Vitamin D we are now seeing here in America

 

Foods Containing Vitamin K2

Fermented foods such as natto or veggies fermented with a starter culture of K2  –Note miso and tempeh are not high in K2

Grass-fed organic animal products

Goose liver pate

Certain cheeses such as Brie and Gouda (75mcg/ounce)

3d rendered illustration of the human heart

Posted on by Angela in Body, Diet, Nutrition, Whole Food 2 Comments

Ash Wednesday

One year ago on Ash Wednesday, I vowed to officially go gluten and dairy free and finally practice what I was preaching. I had been limiting gluten and dairy for years before but would ultimately end up cheating every 3-4 weeks with occasional  pizza/cake/ nachos etc. So last year I gave it the 40day test and I was amazed at how great I felt. I lost weight, my energy and brain fog improved, my skin cleared up and my mood seemed great! Mind you , I wasn’t grain free all together and was still eating some brown rice and corn. I also wasn’t completely cognizant of all the hidden doses of gluten were stashed in food. Overall, I felt pretty proud of kicking diet cola, gluten and dairy. I would do it all over again in an instant. But, I got weak and lazy after Easter and gradually added back the dreaded cheese. I’m talking the factory farmed stuff too–not the organic goat stuff. However, when I did add the dairy —the weight came back instantly (proving to myself that I am one of those victims of molecular mimicry) that can’t tolerate casein.
The year was successful and I was able to kick gluten for good (I only cheated once with Coors Light at the Dave Matthews concert).
I was still doing some grain and dairy. 

So today I am starting the official grain free/dairy free diet again and am anxious to keep you updated on the results —
So far for breakfast I’ve had a spinach/mushroom/pepper/onion omelette with NO CHEESE and iced tea–lunch was a salad with only veggies/chicken and NO RANCH DRESSING.

I’m still alive!
I’ll keep you posted!

Our spirits dwell in a beautiful vessel that should be treated well -So it’s about time I get over myself and start relishing my health.

 

–What are you going to give up that isn’t serving you??? Leave your thoughts in the comments below

 

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Posted on by Angela in Body, Diet, Nutrition 2 Comments

Paleo Diet Hoax

I was listening to the healthy gut summit presentations today and they touched upon a very important point that I think needs to be addressed.   That point is that the Paleo diet is a hoax?   There are many different Paleo diets and frankly -none of them are anywhere close to what our paleolithic ancestors would have eaten. We see two schools of thought; those that call it a fad diet and those who honestly believe that it is the cure for a significant number of diseases.

There doesn’t seem much doubt that it is a fad diet.   As a society, we tend to latch onto the latest diet trend that’s been presented and most of us don’t understand the underlying fundamentals of the diet research (if there are any).  We treat a fad diet as all or nothing and perceive that it should be suggested for an entire population of people.  This simply isn’t true.  There’s no diet that is actually good for everybody.  Think about different climates and daily environments we exist in are highly variable. This is no different from in the Paleolithic era.  The type of foraging, meat and vegetable consumption greatly depends on the of availability of the plant life, and the climate and animals in the area.  Research shows that some of our Paleolithic ancestors did eat grains and legumes.  Just look at mortar and pestal from that era that were obviously used to grind down grains.

The Paleo diet is a great diet for one reason –it cuts out all processed foods. This diet is a whole,real food-based diet. Whether were eating more meat or cutting out legumes, we are vastly improving the plant-based component of our diet and cutting out junk carbs.  I can’t argue with that.  The biggest point I make is that our society’s food supply is based on processed foods that are stripped of the vital nutrients and minerals. So is any Paleo diet actually Paleo?  NO of course not.  You wouldn’t have seen a caveman walking around carrying a Paleo Kind bar.  The berries, seeds, and vegetables that were forging for are nowhere near the equivalent of the berries we buy at the supermarket. 

Here’s a great presentation based on some real science of what Paleolithic ancestors were actually eating. 

 Just you watch this quick TEDTalk that is a thorough evaluation of why the Paleo diet is a hoax.

 No single diet is good an the entire population people. There many factors that come into play.  Our gut microbiome is incredibly important as well.  We are just now beginning to discover  this huge complex microrganism community that plays such a huge role in our immune health. I do like the Paleo diet because it’s a clear concise diet shows you exactly what to eat based only on real food.  I do recommend this to a lot of my patients because the Paleo diet in of itself is probably 90% better than what most of us are eating right now.  #JERF  Just eat real food!!!

Posted on by Angela in Body, Diet, Nutrition, Organic, Weight Loss 2 Comments

Warming Foods For Winter

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So I listened to a great old podcast of Alexandra Jamieson’s about winter foods.  I am reading her new book ” Women, Food, and Desire”  right now and wanted to hear a little more of her work.  You may remember her from the award-winning documentary “Super Size Me” in which she was the co-star with her ex-husband.  Since then she has an amazing transformation story and outlines a lot of that in her new book and on the pod cast she does with Sean Croxton from Undergroundwellness.com.

Anyhow, I really love some of the points that she makes about our food choices in the winter and our New Years weight loss goals.  She suggests that we actually sabotage our weight loss efforts in these New Year resolutions by trying to diet with foods that aren’t in season and are to cooling to the body.

For instance —we often reach for a smoothie in the am with lots of frozen fruits and then do salads for lunch.  Our bodies in the winter are in hibernation mode –they don’t want those cooling foods like bananas, grapefruit, and cold salads. Our body wants to metabolize warming foods. It is more natural for the body’s internal environment. Here is a short list of Warming Foods—

 

 

Anise

Basil

Carob

Cumin

Chives

Cinnamon

Cloves

Coriander

Dates (and most dried fruit)

Dill

Fennel

Garlic

Ginger

Ginseng

Honey

Kumquat

Leeks

Mustard greens

Nuts

Oats

Onion

Papaya

Parsley

Parsnips

Pepper (black, Chile, red bell, green bell)

Quinoa

Rosemary

Rutabaga

Scallions

Seeds

Tea

Vinegar

Wasabi

Watercress

Wild rice

Here is a copy of the book–I’m about 1/2 way through and I really like it.  It really puts emotions, cravings and eating into a different perspective

Posted on by Angela in Body, Diet, Mind, Whole Food 2 Comments

Can Diet Changes Regulate Your Hormones to Lose Weight?

I have been recommending “The Hormone Cure” book by Dr. Sara Gottfried with some amazing patient results!  Jessica (our guest author) graciously offered to write a post explaining the science correlating hormone balance and weight loss.  Be sure to visit her site as well!  We have been talking about limiting grains in the diet for prevention of blood sugar issues so keep that in mind as well.  EAT YOUR VEGGIES!

Jessica writes:

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Can Diet Changes Regulate Your Hormones To Lose Weight?

Modern research suggests that it is possible to modify your daily diet to bring about changes in the ways your body hormones are functioning. Dietary changes will influence hormone levels and help you lose weight. So, weight loss is not only about shedding calories or having a strong willpower; it has quite a lot to do with the way your hormones behave. Although it sounds strange, what you eat can actually regulate your hormonal functions.

Hormonal imbalance is responsible for different forms of ailments, ranging from cancers to amnesia. Studies show that nearly 40 chemicals actually work to influence one’s appetite. When your hormones are not in control, your weight loss efforts can suffer a setback even if you are following a healthy well-balanced diet. Since hormones are produced when the body has enough cholesterol and good fats, it is important to have these foods as part of your everyday diet in order to release important hormones.

How diet changes can affect hormone functions:

  • Control omega-6 intake: Cortisol hormone leads to heightened appetite particularly for comfort foods that are sugar-rich and fattening. If you can avoid the omega-6 polyunsaturated fats you can protect yourself from inflammation. These fats are unstable and get oxidized easily, causing mutation and inflammation of arteries. Instead, you should focus on including monounsaturated fats and saturated fats because these benefit health. So, vegetable oils, peanut oil, margarine etc are best avoided; it is wiser to opt for real butter, coconut oil and olive oil.
  • Limit caffeine consumption: Excess caffeine can adversely affect the endocrine system especially when you are already feeling the effects of other hormone stressors. You can switch to drinking herbal teas.
  • Limit toxins: Toxins are present in household chemicals and plastics, and pills for birth control likewise can play havoc with your hormones. When you already have hormonal imbalance or trying to get pregnant, you need to stay away from such toxins. You should avoid storing foods in plastic containers and choose organic produce and organic meats.
  • Coconut oil: Coconut oil can work wonders for your hormones by providing the building blocks for their production. Therefore, it helps in weight loss, reduces inflammation and has anti-bacterial properties.
  • Increase fiber intake: When you eat more fibers like raw fruits and vegetables and whole grains, you can not only lose weight but improve the release of old estrogen from your body. This in turn leads to an improved overall hormonal balance.
  • Increased meat and carb intake: When you include more carbs and meat in your daily diet, you get more energy for hormone production. For instance, seafood that is rich in omega-3 fatty acids or low-fat meats is an excellent source of fiber which can contribute to weight loss.
  • Eat more vegetables: You can include  fibers and vegetables in the diet to control leptin resistance. Veggies contain important vitamins and antioxidants that reduce inflammation which interferes with leptin secretion. This in turn improves the body’s fat-burning power and helps to reduce your cravings.
  • Opt for meal delivery services: You can consider joining reputed weight loss meal delivery services that deliver portion controlled meals. As they prepare meals especially to lose weight, the above said factors would be well imbibed in their diet plans. Moreover you need not bother about counting calories or cooking healthy meals each day when you join such programs. For instance, Nutrisystem is a popular weight loss meal delivery service which delivers nutritionally balanced and portion controlled meals to their dieters. The meals are usually low glycemic, low-fat, low carb, low sodium and are devoid of trans and saturated fats. So, considering the diet services is one of the wisest options to lose weight.

These are some easy dietary changes which can help in the release of important hormones that allow you to maintain an optimal weight. Weight loss is guaranteed to happen when your hormones are working optimally and your diet is well-balanced.

Author Bio:

 

Jessica Robert Keenly blogs about weight loss ideas and diet tips. She runs a simple blog displaying helpful articles on easy dieting methods and weight loss ideas.

Image link:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/inspiredhomefitness/8753895157/sizes/z/

 

Posted on by Angela in Body, Diet, Nutrition, Weight Loss, Whole Food 1 Comment