Showing posts with label Probiotics. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Probiotics. Show all posts

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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The Most Important Nutrients for Fertility

In Priming the Bump, my 14-day fertility prep program, meals are tailored to include nutrients that are known to improve fertility: Protein; Vitamins A, B, C, D, and E; Zinc & Selenium; carnitine & arginine; omega-3 fatty acids; probiotic foods, and antioxidants. 

Want to know exactly how these fertility super-nutrients support your reproductive system? Here is the rundown:

 Vitamins
  • Vitamin A: Necessary for the production of estrogen, progesterone & testosterone. Vitamin A also protects against environmental toxins & aids sperm production.
  • B-vitamins (especially folate & B12): Folate is crucial upon conception and many women are deficient. B vitamins (especially folate & B12) are responsible for protecting the DNA within sperm.
  • Choline: Choline is usually grouped with the B-complex vitamins. It is critical for brain & nervous system development.
  • Vitamin C: Vitamin C improves all semen variables. Vitamin C deficiency has been linked to declines in sperm count, motility and vitality and to an upswing in abnormal sperm.
  • Vitamin D: Balances Vitamin A, supports the production of estrogen in men & women, and can help correct PCOS. Infertility is associated w/ low levels of D.
  • Vitamin E: A powerful tool to improve male & female fertility, Vitamin E also increases male potency, regulates menstrual flows, and may prevent miscarriage.
Antioxidants
Antioxidants are essential for everyone during this age of high free radical damage, but they're especially important for anyone struggling with fertility. They help protect your delicate reproductive cells and systems from oxidation and degeneration. In fact, high antioxidant intake is known to improve fertility. Antioxidant consumption is associated with an increase in pregnancy rates, and it may also aid fertility in older women.

Many nutrients have antioxidant capabilities, but some of the most potent antioxidants are Vitamins A, C, and E, Selenium and Zinc.

Minerals
  • Selenium: Selenium is considered essential for male fertility because of its role in testosterone synthesis, normal sperm maturation, and sperm motility.
  • Zinc: Another critical mineral for male sexual function, Zn is involved in virtually every aspect of male reproduction. But it's not just for men. Zinc is also required for estrogen, progesterone & sperm production. Impotence, infertility or sterility can occur from Zn deficiency, and deficiency during pregnancy can cause birth defects.
  • Bone broth contains minerals like calcium. It also supplies nutrients that help build healthy cartilage, detoxify, and heal the digestive tract. It's an excellent tonic for immunity as well as development.
Brazil nuts are an excellent food source of Selenium, and oysters are the best dietary source of Zinc. It's no wonder oysters are considered an aphrodisiac!

Protein
  • Clean protein: Reproductive hormones are made from proteins, some of which are only obtainable through diet (aka "essential"). Protein also provides a feeling of satiety that helps us stay on track and avoid a doughnut binge.
  • Carnitine: Carnitine is an amino acid - one of protein's building blocks. Low carnitine levels may be indicative of infertility. Carnitine can help men improve their sperm count & motility. It also provides energy to testicles and sperm.
  • Arginine: An amino acid that is essential for sperm formation. Arginine can strengthen sperm count & motility. It can also improve fertilization rates in women who had previously failed IVF.
Fat
  • High-fat dairy products: Studies show that high-fat dairy reduces the risk of infertility due to lack of ovulation by more than 50% in contrast to low-fat dairy foods, which can actually reduce the risk of successful conception.
  • Omega-3 fatty acids: Sperm motility directly correlates with omega-3 fatty acid levels, especially DHA. Too few omega-3 fatty acids in relation to omega-6 fatty acids can decrease sperm concentration, motility & morphology. Plus, omega-3s are crucial for baby's brain development.
Probiotics
  • Probiotic foods: Changes in vaginal flora & subsequent genital & intrauterine infections have been linked to reproductive failure. Probiotic foods help restore bacterial balance. In addition, since probiotics help us digest & assimilate food, they help ensure that the body can use all the nutrients we eat. Probiotics can also detoxify & strengthen the immune system, which is especially important during the early stages of pregnancy.
Now that you know which nutrients are important for fertility (and why), you can begin to choose foods that supply these nutrients and begin boosting your fertility naturally.
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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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Keeping Juices Fresh: Is HPP (High Pressure Pasteurization) Safe?

Non-HPP juice from my fave Cape Cod spot
Originally written for Can Can Cleanse, 2013.

 Juice fast programs are quickly growing in popularity, so it is no surprise that cleanses are popping up on grocery store shelves nationwide. The extended shelf life of these grocery store juices is made possible by a new juicing pasteurization technique called High Pressure Processing (HPP).

Traditional pasteurization is a relatively new technique designed to kill bacteria and microorganisms in order to prevent food-borne illness. It became popular in the US in the 20th century, around the same time that urbanization, processed foods and mass food production became the norm. 

Until recently, pasteurization used heat, which decreased nutritional content. This made it unsuitable for juicing programs - after all, getting those nutrients is the whole point of embarking on a juice cleanse. With the new technique of HPP, however, bacteria are eliminated without altering nutritional content (for the most part).

HPP functions by applying high pressure to liquids. “During HPP, foods are subjected to pressures up to 100,000 psi. which destroy pathogenic microorganisms by interrupting their cellular functions,” according to High Pressure Dynamics, Inc. (a producer of HPP equipment).

So what’s the catch? Well, since it’s still a pretty new technology, there isn’t a ton of research on HPP processing or its potential side effects. But some studies show that when HPP kills the harmful bacteria in juice, it also deactivates beneficial bacteria and enzymes.

Unpasteurized, unprocessed, raw fruit juices (derived from a cold-pressing process) are a rich source of live enzymes. And these phytonutrients offer a plethora of health benefits, from aiding digestion and reducing inflammation to sinusitis relief and wound healing#. In other words, they’re a crucial component of any detox program - or healthy food.

So what’s the bottom line on this new juicing technology? Well, on the one hand, nutrient-rich juices can now be made available in places that might otherwise not have access to them. That’s a great thing! And HPP seems like an improvement over traditional pasteurization in that it preserves more nutrients.

On the other hand, it’s still a form of processing and pasteurization. If HPP kills bacteria by interrupting cellular processes, it’s doubtful that all of the juice’s holistic benefits can remain intact. There haven’t been enough credible scientific studies to unequivocally prove otherwise - that’s one of the risks of using new technology.

As a nutritionist, I tend to err on the side of caution. Better safe now than sorry later. So when I refer my clients to a juice fast program, I point them towards a cold-pressed local option whenever possible. 

Additional sources:
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