Showing posts with label GI. Show all posts
Showing posts with label GI. Show all posts

The New Yorker

Big news this week: my letter to the editor was published in the New Yorker. If you're like me, you get sucked into reading The Mail every week, so by the time the next issue arrives, you've barely made it to Talk of the Town. When I heard that my letter might be included, I was over the moon - especially because it's such an important topic.

My original letter was heavily edited, so I've included the first draft below.

In case you're wondering what prompted my response, here's the original article. The author is thisclose to hitting the nail on the head, especially when she's quoting Tom Wadden and William Dietz, but never quite gets to what I think is the crux of the matter; namely, that we have created a society where weight loss is nearly impossible - and more importantly, that we have the power to change that!

The problem starts at the highest echelons of government and trickles down through conventional medical education all the way to the obesity epidemic. All is not lost yet, but without change on every level, the article's hypothesis may very well come to pass.

I think we can do much, much better. And I'm committed to doing my part to see it through.

xo
E

***************************

from: emily wade
to: themail@newyorker.com
date: Tue, Oct 4, 2016 at 9:30 PM
subject: Letter to the Editor re: "Bariatric Surgery: The Solution to Obesity?"

Before we all rush off to get bariatric surgery, it would be smart to examine exactly why diets and exercise don't work for obese patients.

First is a systemic problem with medical education. Many doctors are trained to treat symptoms instead of uncover the root cause of disease, and nutrition education in medical school is often minimal. 

Second, patients need more support in making these tough lifestyle changes. Doctors might advise their patients to eat right and exercise, but without any follow-up or a clear plan of action, success is unlikely. 

In addition, patients need more tests, and insurance needs to cover those. Obese patients are often battling dysbiosis, psychological issues, food sensitivities or addictions, or hormonal imbalances, all of which can contribute to the inability to lose weight. Without diagnosing and addressing these contributing factors, patients are more likely to struggle. 

Finally, the biggest hurdle: the food system in the US. People are eating foods that contribute to obesity because these foods are accessible, cheap, easy to prepare, tasty, addictive, and because people are largely misinformed about what's healthy (the low-fat movement discussed in the article is just one such example). 

Obese patients need a holistic, personalized program in conjunction with ongoing support so they can make lasting behavioral change without feeling overwhelmed or giving up. Diets & exercise do work, but there is not a one size fits all solution, and we need to provide patients with not only a strategy, but also the support to help them see it through.

-Emily Adams, Certified Nutrition Consultant





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Eating for Mental Health

This is part 4 of a 4-part series designed for Bend + Bloom Yoga's May Challenge. Click to read Part 1, Part 2, or Part 3.

Just as the final limbs of yoga highlight the unity of the Self & the Divine, there is a very close link between your gut and your brain. Supporting your gut through proper nutrition can improve general mental health, and may facilitate the mental fortitude necessary to explore these advanced yogic techniques.

Probiotics are "friendly" gut bacteria that help nourish our gastrointestinal tract and protect against the bad bacteria that comes from excess consumption of sugar, processed foods, alcohol, or medications. Probiotics are found in naturally fermented foods like real pickles, kimchi, kombucha, or real sauerkraut (not the fake stuff with vinegar).


Homemade Sauerkraut
1 head green cabbage
1.5 T. salt
1 T. pickling spices (optional)
Large glass jar
A weight that fits inside your glass jar (e.g., a smaller jar filled with pie weights)
Cheesecloth & rubber band

Chop cabbage into thin slices. Mix the cabbage and salt together in a big mixing bowl and massage it together with your hands until it wilts & gets juicy, about 5 minutes. Fold in optional pickling spices and transfer cabbage (and its juices) to a large glass container, pushing it down as you go. Place a weight on top of the cabbage. Place cheesecloth over the mouth of the glass container and secure it with a rubber band.

Over the next 24 hours, press down on the weight every so often until you end up with a layer of liquid on top of the cabbage, completely submerging it.

Keep the cabbage on a countertop away from direct sunlight. After 5 days, taste the sauerkraut. You’ll know when it’s done by how it tastes - it could take 10 days or more. Once it’s done, pop a lid on the glass container and transfer it to the fridge.

Hungry for more? 
or 
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In A Pickle: The Art of Selecting Fermented Cucumbers


Originally written for Can Can Cleanse.

The other day, I picked a fight with my mom over pickles. Specifically, "real" pickles.

I know what you're thinking: is it really worth arguing about pickles?

Well, as a certified nutrition consultant, I believe that it is. You see, pickles have immense health value - but only if they're real.

What do I mean by "real" pickles? 

Real pickles are cured over a matter of weeks in nothing more than water, salt, and optional pickling spices. The fermentation process creates lactic acid, which is responsible for that sour pickle-y taste. This method also preserves the pickles and, perhaps most importantly, brings the benefit of naturally-occurring probiotics.

Probiotics are "friendly" gut bacteria that help nourish our gastrointestinal tract and protect against bad bacteria. They are found in naturally fermented products like real pickles, real sauerkraut, real tofu, yogurt and kombucha. And in this day and age, our GI systems need all the help they can get. (Note how many I had to qualify as "real"? That's a good reminder to always read labels.).

As for fake pickles? They are made with vinegar. No fermentation, no lactic acid or real pickle-y taste, no probiotics, no natural preservation. And far fewer health benefits.

What started our discussion the other day was a menu item at a local restaurant that claimed, "Homemade pickles - in their own brine." I had to ask the waitress - just to be sure - if they were real pickles or if they were made with vinegar. Sadly, while I suppose they were technically homemade, they were most certainly not made in "their own" brine, as they were simple vinegar pickles.

(I know, I know - I'm an annoying dinner companion.)

My mom and I subsequently began discussing the merits of real pickles versus the fake kind, and she suggested that sometimes, throughout history, things get easier for a reason. And new pickles are arguably better because they're easier, faster, and cheaper. 

I agree with her when it comes to some things. For example, I'm glad that our internet connections and computers are faster now than 15 years ago when it took a solid 30 minutes to rip a song off Napster. And my iPhone makes my life easier in myriad ways.

But when it comes to food? Making things faster and easier is usually not better. Artificial sweeteners, baby formula, and McDonald's can all illustrate my theory. Then again, sometimes we make our food more difficult than it needs to be (GMOs, pasteurized almonds, and refined white flours come to mind).

The bottom line for me & my clients is nutrient density. I recommend eating foods that will provide the most healthy nutrients - to keep energy up, protect against health problems, and feel good.

Fake pickles simply don't provide much benefit, especially when compared to their nutrient-rich real counterparts.

Next time, though, maybe I'll be less salty about it.
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Gluten-Free: Healthy or Hype?

Originally written for Can Can Cleanse.
In the past month alone, your babysitter went wheat-free, your nephew was diagnosed Celiac, and your grocery store expanded to create a new gluten-free section. 


What is all the fuss about? Is this something we all need to worry about? Or is gluten-free just a fad?


Gluten sensitivity is, in fact, on the rise. Celiac disease is at least 4 times more common today than it was 50 years ago (1), and that doesn’t even include the increases in reported sensitivities and intolerances. Some reports show that 40% of Americans suffer from gluten-related health problems (2).


There is not one widely accepted reason for these skyrocketing gluten sensitivity rates, but there are several theories that may explain the rise:
  1. The Hygiene Hypothesis. Some experts claim that our love affair with Purell has created an environment that is too clean, resulting in weaker immune systems that can’t handle gluten (3). 
  2. Wheat processing. We’ve been changing the ways we use and eat wheat. Many of the foods we eat today didn’t exist 50 years ago. So while wheat may not have caused a problem for our ancestors, it can be argued that these new ‘foods’ and processing methods are to blame for the rise in gluten sensitivity.
  3. Wheat hybridization. Today’s grains have been modified to contain much more gluten than ancient strains (4). Why? Because gluten gives breads & pastas a lighter, fluffier texture, and that’s what consumers want.
  4. Earlier exposure. Children are exposed to glutinous grains earlier than ever before (for example, cereal grains) (5).
  5. Lack of bacteria. Despite the popularity of probiotics, this theory maintains that we still aren’t supporting our beneficial flora enough. Studies show that our intestinal microbes can mitigate reactions to gluten - but only if we have a healthy community of bacteria living in our gut (6).
  6. Lack of breastfeeding. Nowadays, we know that breastfeeding helps inoculate babies with good bacteria, provides protective antibodies, and helps babies develop immunity. One study found that babies who continued to breastfeed after their first exposure to gluten were more protected against gluten sensitivities (6). In general, nursing helps prevent allergies of all kinds. Unfortunately, people didn’t always know about these benefits. Adults who were bottle-fed may be more susceptible to gluten allergy and intolerance.
  7. Less variety in our diets. We’re busy people. And sometimes a freezer pizza or 9-minute pasta is all we can bear to whip up after a long day at the office. Problem is, when we don’t get variety in our diet, we are more susceptible to developing food sensitivities (7). And with all that bread, pasta & cake in our day-to-day diet, wheat is one of the foods we seem to be eating all the time.
  8. Humans were never meant to eat grains. Some nutritionists argue that grains were never meant for human consumption. Looking back to our caveman ancestors and their paleolithic diet, these researchers contend that we were meant to eat meats and vegetables, and our health problems only arose after we switched to a grain-based diet (8).


Whatever the reason behind the rising rates, it appears that gluten-free isn’t going away anytime soon. And that may be for good reason. I’ve personally watched patients lose weight, banish heartburn, and manage autoimmune conditions just by eliminating gluten for 2-4 weeks. While not everyone’s health will improve by going gluten-free, my practice has proven it to be a worthwhile experiment.


Sources:
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