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Learn how to manage glucose from the Glucose Goddess
A handful of clients over the past couple of weeks have mentioned that they were reading Glucose Revolution: The life-changing power of balancing your blood sugar by Jessie Inchauspé. They'd been experimenting with the 10 hacks the book proposes to balance glucose and found them very doable and worthwhile. Their excitement piqued my curiosity so I read the book.
A handful of clients over the past couple of weeks have mentioned that they were reading Glucose Revolution: The life-changing power of balancing your blood sugar by Jessie Inchauspé. They'd been experimenting with the 10 hacks the book proposes to balance glucose and found them very doable and worthwhile. Their excitement piqued my curiosity so I read the book.
I wasn’t sure what to expect--and I was quite pleasantly surprised! I too found the book to be insightful and that the hacks are very easily incorporated into anyone’s daily routine. And, it's based on good research.
I don’t think it’s lost on most of my readers that managing blood sugar is a common challenge in our modern world. But did you know that blood sugar imbalance can contribute to a host of symptoms: fatigue, weakness, disrupted sleep, heart racing, light headedness, constant hunger, food cravings, acne, inflammation, mood instability, frequent illness, brain fog, anxiety, depression, indigestion, hormonal imbalances, difficulty losing weight? Also, if you have been diagnosed with type 1 or 2 diabetes, gestational diabetes, heart disease, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, or PCOS, managing blood sugar is of utmost importance.
The basic idea to maintain good health is that it is important to keep your glucose levels as constant as possible. After you eat, it is normal for blood glucose to increase. Generally speaking, the more carbohydrates/sugars one eats in one sitting, the greater the spike. An increase in glucose triggers the body to release insulin to bring the glucose levels back down. This dynamic becomes a problem when the spikes are too big and too frequent. Eventually the body’s insulin response becomes less effective, which leads to disease. Furthermore, the big spikes cause the symptoms listed above.
The appeal of the 10 hacks offered in Glucose Revolution is that it isn’t a diet; rather, it's a method to flatten the curve of blood glucose. Of course, it is best to eat a healthy and varied diet; however, this method allows for occasional treats without upsetting the apple cart too much. Also, it offers a way to manage blood sugar even with a healthy diet that is focused on protein, vegetables, and healthy carbohydrates.
Inchauspé explains that while everyone responds to different foods in different ways, these hacks will benefit everyone. If someone wants to do a deeper dive into understanding how their body responds to various foods, they can use a continuous glucose monitor for a short time. There are many services available to do just that. One company that Inchauspé mentions in her book is Zoe.
You might be wondering what these hacks are. I'll just give you the most important hack, because I do recommend that you read the book, as Inschauspé does a great job of explaining how blood glucose works and how foods affect it. The most important hack is about eating foods in the correct order to slow down the absorption of glucose: fiber first (vegetables/salad), protein second (meat, seafood, beans, nuts), carbohydrates third (grains, breads, starches), and fruit or dessert fourth. This alone can make a big difference.
If you aren’t quite ready to read the book, you can look up Jessie Inchauspé on Instagram @glucosegoddess. There you will find many more helpful tidbits of information.
A discussion on oxalates, inspired by Toxic Superfoods, by Sally Norton
The effects of oxalate overload on the body was the topic of Red Clover Clinic’s July/August 2021 Newsletter. Now comes a new, comprehensive resource, Toxic Superfoods: How Oxalate Overload is Making you Sick – and How to Get Better by Sally Norton, published at the beginning of the year. I recommend Norton’s book to anyone who wants to learn more about what oxalates are, what effects they have on health, how to address issues associated with oxalate overload, and how to prevent this issue in the first place.
The effects of oxalate overload on the body was the topic of Red Clover Clinic’s July/August 2021 Newsletter. Now comes a new, comprehensive resource, Toxic Superfoods: How Oxalate Overload is Making you Sick – and How to Get Better by Sally Norton, published at the beginning of the year. I recommend Norton’s book to anyone who wants to learn more about what oxalates are, what effects they have on health, how to address issues associated with oxalate overload, and how to prevent this issue in the first place.
Briefly, oxalates are a crystalline substance found in plants and matabolically produced by our bodies. They can accumulate in our tissues, causing pain and dysfunction. The list of symptoms caused by oxalate overload is long. Besides pain, a partial list includes inflammation, arthritis, insomnia, chronic fatigue, muscle spasms, urogenital pain, brain fog, diarrhea, constipation, reflux, autoimmune disorders, rashes, eczema, bruising from within, headaches, heart arrhythmias, blood pressure irregularity, cold intolerance, depression, anxiety, inflamed gums, eye/eyelid irritation, and tinnitus.
Not everyone has an issue with oxalate overload, but I do frequently see evidence of oxalate damage in my clients. At the very least, it is important to educate yourself about the harm you could cause to your health if you drink a spinach smoothie every day, or drink almond milk, snack on almonds, and bake with almond flour.
I highly recommend that you reread the July/August 2021 Newsletter or take the time to read Sally Norton’s well-researched book. I found the following excerpt particularly interesting, explaining why so few people and practitioners know about oxalate overload:
No field of science is charged with (or even interested in) developing a “whole body” theory of what excessive dietary oxalate does to us, so it is especially difficult to recognize dietary oxalate overload as a unified problem with a common cause. The early signs and symptoms of oxalate poisoning are not well known, can be quite common and diverse, can appear gradually and intermittently, and are dissimilar from person to person. Most important, we don’t notice the gradual erosion of tissues and their lost function until metabolic reserves are depleted and the disease process interrupts our lives. (p. 88)
Urine tests of oxalate excretion levels are the only laboratory tests available. Unfortunately, they aren’t particularly accurate, or as Norton puts it, “Urine testing is akin to taking a still photo of a moving target.” She describes a study that was done by the VP Foundation, in which nearly 4,000 women with vulvar pain were researched. Each woman’s individual urine void for three consecutive days was analyzed for oxalate content. “The study revealed that oxalate handling occurs in cycles, appearing as two or three brief but very steep peaks of elevated excretion occurring at the same time on each day in each subject, but at different times for each subject. For many subjects, their symptoms also occurred in cycles. Interestingly, despite the toxic elevations in urine oxalate, 24-hour urine level totals were normal in all the subjects.” (p. 99)
I also found Norton’s discussion of why oxalate accumulations start to be interesting. Oxalates, in general, tend to accumulate in tissues that are injured, inflamed, stressed, or undernourished. In other words, they settle into the weakest areas, which don’t have the health to repel them. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (Motrin, Advil, for example), she says, can distress the gut lining and kidneys, which in turn can lead to oxalate damage and accumulation.
I would be happy to discuss the possibility of oxalate issues with you at your next appointment.
Preparing for a smoother menopause transition
The menopause transition is no joke! For those of you who have been through menopause, are going through perimenopause, or who live with a woman going through these stages, you’ll know what I’m talking about.
The menopause transition is no joke! For those of you who have been through menopause, are going through perimenopause, or who live with a woman going through these stages, you’ll know what I’m talking about.
Some women are lucky enough to sail through the menopause transition relatively effortlessly, but the majority of women struggle with at least a few frustrating symptoms, including hot flashes, disrupted sleep, night sweats, vaginal dryness, mood swings, fatigue, joint stiffness and pain, weight gain, and heavy bleeding. Each woman goes through her own unique menopause transition, but I do think that all women can benefit from a few tips to make the transition smoother.
The transition is made up of three phases. Perimenopause is defined as the time leading up to the final menstrual period; menopause is the year following the last menstrual period; and post-menopause is the time following the year of menopause.
As you reach the age of perimenopause, your ovaries start to produce less and less estrogen and progesterone. This typically begins between the ages of 45 and 55, but can begin much earlier in some women. The transition typically lasts around 7 years, but can last much longer.
It is important to understand that there are three forms of estrogen: estradiol, estriol, and estrone. Estradiol is the form of estrogen most depended upon during the reproductive years. Estriol is is dominant during pregnancy. And estrone is the primary estrogen during menopause. As ovary function declines, so does the production of estradiol. During menopause, the body is more reliant on estrone, which is produced primarily in the adrenal glands, followed by the liver and adipose tissue.
The knowledge that we become more reliant on our adrenals and liver during the menopause transition is very important. If you want the transition to go well, you have to support the health of these glands/organs. The biggest threat to the adrenal glands is a high stress lifestyle. Good lifestyle habits, such as enough sleep, healthy diet, exercise, meditation, breathing exercises, and time off, will keep your adrenals happy and functioning well.
The liver is a key player in keeping the body detoxified. Things like alcohol, sugar, processed foods, over-the-counter medications, mainstream health and beauty products, unfiltered water, and common household chemicals can really slow down liver function. Avoiding exposure to these things as much as possible will go a long way towards keeping liver function healthy and strong.
There is a third source of estrone production: adipose tissue, i.e. fat cells. The fat pad that develops over the lower abdomen (over the ovaries) in many menopausal women could be avoided if their adrenal and liver health were protected earlier on in life. If you don’t want more fat cells, you would do well to support your adrenals and liver.
The healthier you are going into perimenopause, the smoother the transition will be. It is still very likely that you will experience some symptoms such as hot flashes, night sweats, disrupted sleep, and vaginal dryness. There are many things we can do to manage and ameliorate these symptoms naturally. As mentioned earlier, each woman and her menopausal transition is unique, and so too will be the treatment of her symptoms. I have the best luck using Nutrition Response/Morphogenic Field Technique testing to pinpoint what supplements will work best for each individual. And, of course, symptoms will change throughout the transition. I have also found German auricular acupuncture to be helpful for managing hot flashes, sleep, and mood changes.
As with most things having to do with our health, maintaining healthy lifestyle habits is the single most powerful tool we have to support us through the menopause transition. Nutritional and herbal supplements and acupuncture are a great option to treat and fine tune whatever symptoms remain. If you need more help preparing for or getting through your menopause transition, we can help!
From acupuncture to Zithromycin
There are so many descriptors for what we offer at Red Clover Clinic: natural medicine, alternative medicine, complementary medicine, integrative health are a just a few. These terms can be confusing. For example, “alternative medicine” implies that our approach offers an alternative to conventional medicine, which it does. However, it also implies that it could replace conventional medicine, which it can’t. “Integrative” is a nice word and concept, but our clinic doesn’t operate within the conventional medicine structure (there are some truly integrative clinics, where both eastern and western medicine practitioners work together), so what we offer isn’t exactly integrative either.
There are so many descriptors for what we offer at Red Clover Clinic: natural medicine, alternative medicine, complementary medicine, integrative health are a just a few. These terms can be confusing. For example, “alternative medicine” implies that our approach offers an alternative to conventional medicine, which it does. However, it also implies that it could replace conventional medicine, which it can’t. “Integrative” is a nice word and concept, but our clinic doesn’t operate within the conventional medicine structure (there are some truly integrative clinics, where both eastern and western medicine practitioners work together), so what we offer isn’t exactly integrative either.
What further confuses our clinic’s position in the larger healthcare ecosystem is that we live in a culture of polarized thinking: we have to support one political party or the other; we believe in climate change or we don’t; and we even feel pressure to choose either natural medicine or conventional medicine treatment. We’ve lost the ability to recognize all of the options in between.
This article has come about because I had a client who was hesitant to tell me that she made the decision to go on an antidepressant medication. That makes me sad, because I want whatever is best for each of my clients. I strongly believe that they are sovereign over their body and are free and able to make the best choice for themselves. I also believe that we need access to all kinds of medical treatment, from acupuncture to Zithromycin (an antibiotic).
If anyone else out there feels like they’re “cheating” on me when they go to the doctor, or vice versa, please know that you’re not! You are simply gathering information and making decisions that fit you most appropriately. A few thoughts on making your healthcare decisions:
First and foremost, make healthcare decisions that best support your quality of life and personal circumstances.
Be informed and work with practitioners who are willing to answer your questions.
Try to find practitioners who are open to what other practitioners have to offer.
Don’t hesitate to advocate for yourself. Practitioners should be on your team, not the other way around.
Choose the least invasive/toxic interventions first, and find what works for your situation.
Medication, though sometimes necessary, doesn’t replace healthy lifestyle choices.
If you need a medical intervention, such as surgery or chemotherapy, still choose to eat a healthy diet and get acupuncture, massage, or cranial-sacral therapy.
Finally, don’t feel bound to choose only natural or only conventional treatment methods…they can be complementary!
Are you suffering from chronic, unexplained pain?
If you are struggling with joint pain, muscle pain, urogenital pain, headaches, burning feet, and/or general, unexplained inflammation, you may be suffering from oxalate toxicity. Oxalates are a crystalline substance found in plants, that can accumulate in our tissues, causing pain and dysfunction. Our bodies also metabolically produce oxalates. If we consume foods that are high in oxalates, and/or we have a compromised digestive system, we may run into problems.
If you are struggling with joint pain, muscle pain, urogenital pain, headaches, burning feet, and/or general, unexplained inflammation, you may be suffering from oxalate toxicity. Oxalates are a crystalline substance found in plants, that can accumulate in our tissues, causing pain and dysfunction. Our bodies also metabolically produce oxalates. If we consume foods that are high in oxalates, and/or we have a compromised digestive system, we may run into problems.
In the latter half of the 19th century, oxalate poisoning was a well known condition, that seemed to worsen during the spring and summer months when high oxalate foods were in abundance. Unfortunately, that knowledge has been forgotten, and the only medical acknowledgement of oxalate issues is in patients with chronic kidney stones. Furthermore, the current health food movement has promoted the use of some extremely high oxalate foods as staples in large quantities, e.g. spinach smoothies and almond flour baked goods.
There are many lists available with information regarding oxalate levels in foods. Unfortunately, there are many discrepancies, which can create confusion. A good place to start is reading through this abbreviated list of exceptionally high and very high oxalate foods, which are mostly agreed upon.
Exceptionally high oxalate foods: spinach, beet greens, Swiss chard, soy, rhubarb, almonds, plantains, buckwheat, amaranth, sesame seeds, cashews, peanuts, chocolate, and carob.
Very high oxalate foods: beets, potatoes, sweet potatoes, blackberries, figs, kiwi, adzuki beans, black beans, pinto beans, white beans (cannellini, navy, great northern, etc.), quinoa, teff, most nuts, chia seed, hemp seed, poppy seed, and green and black tea.
Decreasing oxalates in the diet
If you eat foods that are listed above, and you have pain symptoms, you may want to consider decreasing or avoiding consumption of these foods. If you notice a change in your symptoms, then you have your first answer.
It is important to exercise caution when reducing oxalates, however. If reduced too abruptly, after a few days of feeling better, you may start to experience oxalate dumping side effects. These symptoms are very similar to over consumption of high oxalate foods, i.e. pain, inflammation, headache, etc.
Compromising factors
There are many factors that can set someone up for struggling with oxalates more than others. These include:
Antibiotic use: antibiotics can kill off the natural gut flora that help to break down oxalates.
Yeast overgrowth: Yeast produces oxalates and converts collagen (the main structural protein in connective tissue) to oxalates.
B vitamin deficiency: Certain deficiencies can cause the body to produce more oxalates.
Magnesium and calcium deficiency: These minerals bind to oxalates and carry them out through the stool.
Fat malabsorption: If fat isn’t being fully digested, it binds with calcium, leaving the oxalates unbound, and free to be reabsorbed.
Hyper-permeable gut (Leaky Gut): This allows the oxalates to get into the blood stream, and increase their absorption.
Beyond the diet
A low oxalate diet is the primary and most complicated part of treating oxalate toxicity. That said, it is also important to reduce the body’s production and absorption of oxalates. This is accomplished with strategic use of supplements.
The long haul
There is nothing fast about the oxalate detoxification process. It can take 2-3 years to fully get on top of the condition. It also requires strict diet management.
As with everything, each person is unique. Some may experience extreme symptoms, while others only mild symptoms, and some, none at all. You may be a person who only needs to avoid spinach, almonds, and cashews, while others have to be extremely strict. No matter what, it is helpful to better understand what your body tolerates and what it doesn’t, and adjust your diet the best you can.
If you suspect that you may be struggling with oxalate overload, and want to explore your options further, I would be happy to work with you. I have a special interest in this topic, as it has proven to be the key to the majority of my health complaints. It is an ongoing process, but I am happy to say that I continue to see improvement over time.
Keep your blood sugar balanced
This article was selected from our archive of newsletters. Blood sugar is always an important topic to revisit. It's easy to get off track with sugar consumption, and it's nice to have a reminder to check in with yourself, your health, and your habits.
This article was selected from our archive of newsletters. Blood sugar is always an important topic to revisit. It's easy to get off track with sugar consumption, and it's nice to have a reminder to check in with yourself, your health, and your habits.
The general public has become more aware of the fact that high-sugar foods are bad for their health. There still seems to be a disconnect, however, between knowing that sugar is bad for health and understanding that most blood sugar-related diseases, such as type II diabetes and hypoglycemia, occur as a result of a high-sugar diet. This means that you can avoid these diseases by getting the sugar out of your diet and managing your blood sugar.
Another aspect of high-sugar diets that isn’t part of common awareness is that the first step to managing any kind of hormonal disruption is to manage blood sugar. Yes, those of you suffering from insomnia, mood changes, PMS, hot flashes, night sweats, etc. can benefit greatly by managing your blood sugar!
Below are strategies for managing your blood sugar and some detailed information about how your body processes sugar.
Understanding the physiology of blood sugar regulation
It all starts with the pancreas, which secretes the hormones insulin and glucagon. Insulin is secreted during digestion to move carbohydrates/sugar from the blood into the cells, so that the cells can produce energy. Excess energy is stored as glycogen in the liver for future energy needs. The pancreas secrets glucagon between meals to convert the stored glycogen back into blood sugar so that the cells have a constant fuel supply. Yes, carbohydrates are necessary, but only in managed quantities.
Insulin and glucagon work together to keep the blood sugar levels stable throughout the day. If one’s blood sugar strays too far above or below the set point, the body shifts into a stressed state and engages the adrenals to secrete cortisol and adrenaline. You can imagine that this might show up as anxiety, a rapid heart rate, or a hot flash.
Cortisol is necessary to keep the liver receptive to signals by glucagon to release glucose back into the bloodstream. If someone has lived in a state of constant stress, their adrenals may grow tired and not produce enough cortisol to do their job. This can lead to hypoglycemic crashes not long after a meal. The crashes can manifest as light- headedness, nausea, or panic if the person doesn’t quickly consume a glass of juice or eat some crackers.
When someone consumes large quantities of sugar/carbohydrates, the liver can store only so much glycogen before it begins to store the extra carbohydrates as fat. The habit of eating a lot of sugar/carbohydrates leads to weight gain and obesity.
A hormone that counteracts insulin and its propensity for fat storage is human growth hormone. Exercise and fasting trigger the pituitary to release HGH, promoting tissue growth and repair. This is the important link between exercise and blood sugar management. It also contributes to our understanding that a lack of human growth hormone may play a role in wound-healing issues in diabetics.
When blood sugar management goes awry, other endocrine glands will compensate. For example, as shown in the image below, taken from Life Without Bread, by Wolfgang Lutz and Christian Allan, high blood sugar can cause a relative increase in insulin and a relative decrease in sex hormones and growth hormones. In the second scenario, the relative increase in insulin causes a relative increase in thyroid hormone secretions. Either result is an example of metabolic dysregulation, which leads to unwanted symptoms.
Understanding the numbers
Measuring blood sugar is a simple thing to do with an inexpensive glucose meter, found at a drugstore or on Amazon. You can also learn what your blood sugar level is if you get lab tests done at your doctor’s office.
A good fasting blood sugar in a healthy person is between 75 and 85. After a meal, it shouldn’t exceed 110, and in a very healthy person, it won’t ever get to 100. Insulin and glucagon keep your numbers in a fairly tight range when you are healthy. 140 is considered to be borderline diabetic. In a diabetic person, blood sugar level may go as high as 200, which is a bit scary, as peripheral nerve damage begins when blood sugar exceeds 120. Retinal damage begins to occur when blood sugar exceeds 140.
If you measure your blood sugar at home following a meal, you can begin to see which foods affect you the most and then avoid them. It is an empowering way to take control of your health. When you decrease your intake of carbohydrates/sugar, you will see changes very quickly in your blood sugar numbers, and you will be able to get control of the cascade of symptoms that occur with high blood sugar readings.
What else can you do?
Avoid hypoglycemia (low blood sugar episodes) by eating something at least every 3-1/2 hours. Remember to bring snacks with you so you don’t get stuck without food.
Eat complex rather than refined carbohydrates, and eat them in small quantities (e.g. 1/2 cup of brown rice, quinoa, sweet potato, fruit).
Don’t consume caffeine before eating breakfast. Caffeine seems to decrease insulin sensitivity and increase cortisol release. High cortisol over long periods tends to produce glucose, i.e., raise blood sugar.
Eat a protein-rich breakfast.
Oops…eat too many carbs? Go for a brisk walk. This will allow your body to use the excess glucose, rather than secreting insulin to get the glucose into the cells and store it.
And, finally…avoid sweets as much as possible! The more you follow the above guidelines, the easier it will be to thwart sugar cravings.
Take control of your health!
By making these simple, but crucial, changes to your diet, you will make huge strides in managing your blood sugar. Even type II diabetics can make major changes in their blood sugar by diet alone in a relatively short period of time.
Why do we get sick?
According to recent news reports, this has been a particularly bad flu season. When we come down with the flu, what is to blame, the virus, our immune systems, or a combination of both?
According to recent news reports, this has been a particularly bad flu season. When we come down with the flu, what is to blame, the virus, our immune systems, or a combination of both?
Two opposing theories that date back to the late 19th century are still espoused today: germ theory vs. terrain theory. Louis Pasteur, the primary scientist behind germ theory, would say the virus is to blame. He focused on the pathogen (virus, bacteria, fungus, parasite). He believed that to fight an illness, you must treat the symptoms. This is the basis of thought in allopathic medicine.
Claude Bernard and Pierre Antoine Bechamp, the scientists who established the terrain theory, would point to the immune system or the general health of the body. The idea is that we don’t get sick because germs are present; rather, germs can thrive because our bodies are weakened, stressed, and malnourished. Complementary medicine lives more in this sphere.
As with all things in life, nothing is black and white. There are aspects of both of these theories that should be considered. That said, it is my belief that we should live by the premise of terrain theory, and add some cautions we have learned from germ theory.
How to prevent illness
Recognizing the fact that germs are everywhere, we need to take responsibility for our own health by eating well, avoiding toxins as much as possible, sleeping enough, exercising enough, and managing stress. The healthier we are, the less likely we are to get sick. We also have to accept the fact that it is normal to catch a cold occasionally, and when that happens, we should rest and support our body to heal itself.
Rarely are we ever in such perfect condition that we are completely immune from picking up a bug. This is where germ theory comes in. No matter how healthy you are, or how well you take care of yourself, take precautions when you are exposed to sick people. Wash your hands; wear a mask; and avoid exposure to sickness if you can.
If you can’t help but be exposed to illness, take extra good care of yourself. Rest more, take immune-boosting herbs and supplements, eat especially well, and avoid sugar as much as possible. Sugar has an immediate deleterious effect on the immune system.
How to treat illness
These disease prevention approaches work very well most of the time. Still, there are times when medical intervention is necessary. There is no need to be a hero and avoid medication at all costs. In more typical mild-to-moderate cases of the flu, there are many natural treatments that are effective, with little or no side effects. My favorite approach is to do Nutrition Response Testing/Morphogenic Field Technique to find out what the best supplement or herb is to treat the specific case.
Reasons to consider going natural whenever possible include:
There are herbs that are especially effective at treating all types of microbial infections. Antibiotics only treat bacterial infections, not viral or fungal infections.
Side effects are much less likely with herbal and nutritional supplements than with pharmaceutical medications.
As witnessed over the past couple of decades, overuse of antibiotics and vaccines has contributed to the development of super bugs. Responsible use is recommended.
If you need the pharmaceuticals, you need them. Just remember they aren’t a replacement for taking responsibility for your health by nurturing a sound and resilient terrain.
Gardening for health
I woke up early a few Saturdays ago to an episode of the Splendid Table radio show. The show featured an interview with Chef Dan Barber of the Row 7 seed company, which describes itself as “a seed company grounded in the notion that deliciousness might just change the world.” I’m always inspired when flavorful food intersects with high-quality nutrition.
I woke up early a few Saturdays ago to an episode of the Splendid Table radio show. The show featured an interview with Chef Dan Barber of the Row 7 seed company, which describes itself as “a seed company grounded in the notion that deliciousness might just change the world.” I’m always inspired when flavorful food intersects with high-quality nutrition.
Over the past many decades, seeds have been developed to prioritize yield, shelf life, and uniformity at the expense of flavor and nutrition. The people behind Row 7 decided to change that and focus on breeding seeds that produce the most flavorful vegetables. Interestingly, the vegetables with the best, most complex flavor, also have the highest nutrient content. Nature always knows best!
Most of us are also aware that we get better nutrition from vegetables that have been harvested locally, prepared and eaten as close to the harvest date as possible. The more vegetables sit, the more the nutrients in them break down. You get much better nutrition from something you harvested in your back yard the same day as you eat it, than from something that has been driven across the country and left in the produce aisle for a week, then in your refrigerator for another week. Of course, if you can’t grow your own food, CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) baskets, farmer’s markets, and local produce from your coop are all good compromises.
The other variable, of course, is how the vegetables are grown. Are they organic? Are they non-GMO? Herbicides and pesticides are used heavily on most commercial crops, especially GMO crops. The biggest concern for our health is the exposure to these toxic chemicals via the residue left behind on these vegetables. This article about the “dirty dozen” is helpful to understand how these harmful chemicals affect our bodies. Growing your own food and buying organic as much as you can is the best way to avoid these toxic chemicals.
I was having a planning discussion about this issue of the newsletter with my editor, Laura Weber, who also happens to be the editor of Minnesota History, the magazine published by the Minnesota Historical Society. When I mentioned the story of Row 7 and that gardening season is upon us, she shared the article Homecroft City: The “Duluth Idea” in the Progressive Conservation Movement, by Eric Boime, which is in the current (Spring 2019) issue of Minnesota History.
The article is an interesting glimpse into Duluth’s history during the early 20th century. George Maxwell, a lobbyist, began The American Homecroft Society to encourage people to grow their own food on land adjacent to their homes (a homecroft), to ensure that they have enough to eat, to save money, and to cope with the effects of industrialization. He selected Duluth, which was already promoting homecrofts, as the model homecroft city and moved the national headquarters there.
“Maxwell proffered homecrofts as the antidote to major crises confronting urban America. In addition to mending industrial workers’ severed relationship with nature, homes that incorporated spaces for production, to Maxwell’s mind, granted working-class families autonomy and supplemental income in a volatile market.”
If you’re interested in learning more about the history of the homecroft movement, and what happened to it, I recommend reading the article. In addition to learning more about Duluth’s history, I walked away from the article being reminded how empowering gardening can be not only for your finances, but for your health. It gives you control over what you’re growing and eating, it improves your nutrition, it reconnects you with nature, and it is a good source of gentle exercise.
It appears that this long, challenging winter is finally over, and it’s safe to plan your garden. I suggest making room for some seeds from Row 7. if you do, please let me know how it goes!
What’s keeping you up at night?
Good, sound sleep can be one of life’s greatest pleasures. However, when you have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep, the hours spent trying to sleep can be incredibly frustrating.
Good, sound sleep can be one of life’s greatest pleasures. However, when you have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep, the hours spent trying to sleep can be incredibly frustrating.
I have many tools to help people experience improved sleep, but I find that order to get the most out of acupuncture or Nutrition Response Testing treatment, the various factors that influence sleep should be considered and addressed first. These factors include bedroom environment, evening routine, diet, and stress management.
Bedroom environment
To create the perfect environment for sleep, one must consider the Goldilocks principle: everything must be “just right” for an individual to sleep well. The bed should be comfortable and the room temperature shouldn’t be too cool or too warm. The temperature should be on the cooler side (60-73 F, depending on the season) to bring about sleepiness and help maintain a comfortable body temperature throughout the night. The room should be as dark as possible. Blackout shades or an eye mask are useful Avoid lighted alarm clocks and nightlights. Quiet is also important. Earplugs and white noise machines come in very handy.
Finally, a lesser-known environmental factor is exposure to electromagnetic frequencies (EMFs). We are surrounded by EMFs from things like cell phones, wi-fi routers, microwaves, smart meters, television, computer screens, fitness tracking devices, smart watches, cordless telephones, and power lines. EMFs that are given off can cause disorder in our nervous systems. Some people are more sensitive than others to these frequencies.
If you sleep with your phone by the bed, your smartwatch/Fitbit on your wrist or you leave your wi-fi router on during the night, your sleep may well be affected. The simplest thing to do is to keep electronics out of the bedroom or at least turned off. Also, switch off the wi-fi router at bedtime when nobody should be using it anyway. You can also invest in a few EMF protection products like harmonizing stickers for your devices, anti-radiation laptop mat, blanket, etc., that can absorb EMF radiation surrounding you to reduce its side effects on your body.
For those who are super-sensitive, there are devices that can help protect your body from these harmful frequencies. The one that has helped me the most is the Vivobase Home and the Vivobase Mobile. It was an investment, but now I wouldn’t be without it.
Evening routine
Sleep is regulated by circadian rhythms, and just as the phrase implies, a consistent sleep rhythm is important. Do your best to go to bed at the same time every night, and allow for 8 hours of sleep. There are people who need less sleep, but be sure to give yourself enough time to get the amount of sleep you need. Science also shows that it is best if you can get to bed before midnight to achieve the most restful sleep.
It is important to limit nighttime screen time. The blue light given off by electronics can interfere with your circadian rhythm, and depress production of melatonin, the sleep hormone.
Avoid eating late meals, because a full belly can interfere with good sleep, as well as cause acid reflux. It is also important to avoid high-carbohydrate snacks late at night. The spike in blood sugar increases energy, making it difficult to fall asleep. It can also cause you to wake up hungry during the night. Nighttime snacks should include some protein and/or complex carbohydrates to help keep the blood sugar at a constant level.
Exercise late in the evening can also disrupt a normal sleep cycle. Morning is the best time for intense exercise. Soothing activities like restorative or yin yoga, stretching, or meditation is better suited for the evening and help prepare for sleep.
Diet
We already discussed blood sugar levels at night, but sometimes it is important to consider your blood sugar stability throughout the day. If your body struggles to maintain a good balance, then you may consider giving up sugar and high-carbohydrate foods altogether. Believe it or not, this can have a huge impact on the quality of sleep. If insulin production is abnormally high, the regulation of all hormones in the body will be off. Hormone balance is key to quality sleep.
Caffeine is another thing that we consume that can affect sleep. Caffeinated tea and coffee should be avoided after noon. Caution should also be extended to chocolate. Some people are more sensitive to caffeine than others, but it is important to test this schedule, because you might be more sensitive than you think. Complete avoidance may be helpful with caffeine as well, because caffeine triggers cortisol production, which, like insulin, affects hormone balance.
Alcohol can hijack sleep. It makes us feel sleepy, but it affects the quality of sleep, not to mention blood sugar. Try unwinding with a cup of chamomile tea rather than a cocktail, and see what happens.
Stress management
Stress is part of life, but when it’s out of control, it can wreak havoc with our health. If you are under excess stress, it is imperative that you find a way to manage it in general, but especially before bed. Avoid doing work before bed. Try taking a warm bath or meditating in the evening to relax the body and mind. Drink some calming herbal tea (teas that include chamomile, peppermint, passionflower, linden blossom, lemon balm, valerian and/or lavender) or use calming essential oils (lavender, sandalwood, cedar, geranium, ylang ylang, to name a few) to help prepare yourself for sleep. Even positive things like creative thinking and planning right before bed can cause energy to increase, thereby disrupting sleep.
As you can see, there are many factors to consider when trying to improve your sleep. If you’ve addressed most of these issues and still can’t sleep, I would love to work with you. There are many more factors that we may need to address to get you the sleep you need.
If your heath is complicated by a condition such as sleep apnea, acid reflux, anxiety, depression, pain, restless leg syndrome, asthma, or the need for medications, it may require the joint effort of my services and your medical doctor.
The magic of minerals – Part 3
In the past two issues of the Red Clover Clinic Newsletter, I presented information about how common mineral dysregulation is and what effect it has on our health. In this installment of the series, I will lay down some basic principles of the Root Cause Protocol, designed by Morley Robbins.
In the past two issues of the Red Clover Clinic Newsletter, I presented information about how common mineral dysregulation is and what effect it has on our health. In this installment of the series, I will lay down some basic principles of the Root Cause Protocol, designed by Morley Robbins.
The Root Cause Protocol is a list of steps to follow, with the purpose of balancing minerals and reducing inflammation. The primary mission is to manage iron levels and iron storage in order to reduce iron’s inflammatory effects on the body. I encourage you to reread the first and second installments of this series of articles, for more background information on why you would follow this protocol.
Phase 0
Phase 0 is a list of “STOPS.” There are several supplements to be avoided, such as iron, vitamin D, zinc, and calcium, as discussed in the second installment of this series.
Phase 0 also includes avoiding things that I regularly recommend avoiding, like high-fructose corn syrup; highly refined, commercial oils; and high-carbohydrate and processed foods. I strongly believe that everyone would be healthier if they avoided consuming highly refined, processed foods.
Phases 1-3
Phases 1-3 include many “STARTS.” The recommendations included in these phases are about adding certain foods and/or supplements to your diet, such as whole foods, trace mineral drops, whole-food vitamin C, cod liver oil, bee pollen, and others. All of these foods/supplements support basic nutrition and help to manage iron’s inflammatory effects.
Phase X
Phase X is a list of a few “STARTS,” things to do outside the realm of diet and dietary supplements. The two most important ones are donating blood and getting enough sunlight. Donating blood helps to guide iron out of the tissues, where it causes inflammation, and back into the blood.
Getting sunlight is the safest way to get vitamin D. As mentioned in the previous installment, taking vitamin D supplements can increase the storage of iron in the tissues. That’s why vitamin D supplements are also listed as a “STOP” in Phase 0.
By putting these phases into action, you can get your minerals balanced and decrease inflammation in your body. To learn more about this program and the science behind it, you can sign up for The Root Cause Protocol mailing list. They will send you a very complete instruction manual free of charge.
I have been incorporating much of this information and some of the recommended products into my Nutrition Response Testing work. So far, I have been pleased with the outcomes.
The magic of minerals – Part 2
The last issue of the newsletter was an introduction to the impact of minerals and mineral dysregulation on our health. To summarize, most of us are deficient in magnesium, due to stress, diet, environmental factors and aging, and iron accumulates in the tissues with age and other factors, causing inflammation. This interferes with energy production. Finally, we learned about basic mineral balancing and the importance of keeping magnesium, copper, calcium, and iron in balance.
The last issue of the newsletter was an introduction to the impact of minerals and mineral dysregulation on our health. To summarize, most of us are deficient in magnesium, due to stress, diet, environmental factors and aging, and iron accumulates in the tissues with age and other factors, causing inflammation. This interferes with energy production. Finally, we learned about basic mineral balancing and the importance of keeping magnesium, copper, calcium, and iron in balance.
The biochemistry of mineral balancing
This issue is devoted to the biochemistry of restoring proper mineral balance and the potential problems of supplementing with the minerals calcium, vitamin D, iron, and zinc. Let’s begin by reviewing the diagram from the last issue.
It is of primary importance to understand that minerals are a tightly regulated system, as illustrated above. When you supplement with one mineral, you affect the status of another. This is true even of the mineral most of us are deficient in, magnesium. It is important, therefore, to understand the effects of the supplements you are taking, and know how to support the whole body, to prevent mineral dysregulation. With only some exceptions, foods are the best and safest forms of supplementation.
Magnesium
Magnesium is the mineral of motion and energy. It is responsible for keeping the enzymatic functions of the body working, including the production and use of ATP (the energy carrier in our cells). Taking too much vitamin D, calcium, iron, and zinc interferes with magnesium absorption and retention. Magnesium supplementation lowers sodium, which causes a loss of potassium. This can cause the adrenal glands to “crash.” Restoring electrolytes in such a situation is critical, especially in cases of adrenal stress and fatigue.
Copper
Copper helps to carry warmth to the hands and feet. It aids in oxidizing iron in the body, and supporting the mitochondria in making energy. Copper needs to be paired with the enzyme ceruloplasmin to function and to guarantee that iron does what it should in the body. Too much iron breaks down the ability of copper and ceruloplasmin to keep the iron in check.
Calcium
Think of calcium as being the cement of the body. It is great when it is in our bones, but we don’t want it to deposit in our joints, muscles, kidneys and arteries. Magnesium helps to control calcium levels, and when magnesium is depleted, the calcium can deposit anywhere in the body. Taking an excess of vitamin D can also lead to calcium deposits in the body. Think osteoarthritis, atherosclerosis and kidney stones. Osteoporosis is actually more of an iron problem than a calcium problem, so taking calcium supplements to treat it is not addressing the root cause, and definitely doesn’t ensure that the calcium will be absorbed into the bones.
Iron
Iron in nature rusts. If we store too much iron, our tissues feel like they’re rusting, and we develop pain, creaky joints and inflammation. Of course we need iron, as it carries oxygen in our blood so that cells can produce energy. Too much iron, however, is detrimental to our health, and we tend to hang onto iron as we age. As discussed in the previous newsletter, we have become toxic in iron, due to fortification of our foods, high fructose corn syrup and GMO foods.
Common misinterpretations of blood tests and taking the wrong supplements
Are you taking vitamin D, iron or zinc supplements? You may want to rethink it. It is important to ask why the levels are low and fix the root problem. By supplementing these nutrients, you may be making the problem worse.
Vitamin D
If you supplement with vitamin D, it will compete with the retinol (vitamin A, which is a fat soluble nutrient from animal products) stored in the liver, and cause the iron storage to increase, ultimately causing more inflammation. Excess unbound iron will lead not only to magnesium deficiency and inflammation, but also low storage of vitamin D. Taking vitamin D will also lead to a calcium problem (as mentioned above), irritate the immune system, and ultimately deplete magnesium.
It has become common to have vitamin D levels tested when going to the doctor. The typical blood test for vitamin D is: Vitamin D 25-Hydroxy Blood Test. It tests the storage of vitamin D. This test frequently comes back low, and high doses of vitamin D are prescribed. In some cases, the prescription fails to increase the value of the storage vitamin D levels, and more is prescribed. It is important to also test the active vitamin D with this test: Vitamin D 1,25 Dihydroxy (Calcitriol) Blood Test. The ratio of these two tests is more important than one number alone. The active result should never be more than two times the storage result. By balancing iron and magnesium, the storage vitamin D value will typically come into the normal range.
Iron
It is common to be diagnosed with low hemoglobin (iron deficiency anemia) and/or low ferritin levels in your blood. The typical recommendation is to take iron supplements. The problem is that it is important to determine whether the anemia is due to a functional issue or if it is a true iron deficiency (most commonly due to blood loss). If you have low copper, you will have low functional iron, which is an anemia of chronic inflammation. The iron needs to be taken from the tissues and into the blood by balancing the minerals; taking iron supplements will only make the problem worse. Increasing magnesium, copper, and retinol in the diet should shift the iron out of the tissues, and increase the values of the hemoglobin and ferritin blood tests.
Zinc
Low zinc levels in the blood indicate an iron problem, as zinc competes with iron. If zinc is low, iron is high. If you supplement with zinc, it exacerbates the imbalance. Too much zinc can also cause a copper deficiency, which we saw above further contributes to iron issues. By handling the iron problem, the zinc levels should improve naturally.
How to balance minerals safely
In Part 3 of this article (January 2019), we’ll discuss the basic protocol of restoring mineral balance, primarily through food-based supplementation and avoiding problematic foods and supplements.
The magic of minerals – Part 1
Like many health practitioners, I learn a lot through exploring my own health and various treatments. My most recent health-related adventure has been all about minerals. I have always been taught that most of us are deficient in magnesium. I also knew through personal experience that taking too much magnesium can send you running to the bathroom! I also had the experience of a magnesium supplement causing acid reflux. The whole thing has been frustrating, and other than eating certain foods and topical applications, I wasn’t sure how to remedy the situation of deficient magnesium.
Like many health practitioners, I learn a lot through exploring my own health and various treatments. My most recent health-related adventure has been all about minerals. I have always been taught that most of us are deficient in magnesium. I also knew through personal experience that taking too much magnesium can send you running to the bathroom! I also had the experience of a magnesium supplement causing acid reflux. The whole thing has been frustrating, and other than eating certain foods and topical applications, I wasn’t sure how to remedy the situation of deficient magnesium.
A couple of months ago I came across an interview with Morley Robbins, who is known as the “The Magnesium Man.” He examined peer-reviewed scientific literature from around the world and determined that magnesium deficiency is epidemic. The issue is more complicated than simply supplementing magnesium. Rather, due to conditions of modern life, we are also suffering from a deficiency in bio-available copper, which leads to an excess of unbound iron in the body. This excess of iron causes systemic inflammation.
Could all disease be caused by mineral dysregulation?
Morley makes the statement “There is no such thing as medical disease. There is only metabolic dysfunction, due to mineral dysregulation.” This may sound like a strong claim, but I do think there is a lot of truth to it. His claim is based on the fact that our energy, which is produced in our cells, is dependent on vital minerals and nutrients. If we are lacking in nutrients, our bodies can’t heal themselves. In other words, we need to balance our minerals in order to fix all other imbalances.
A lightbulb that went on for me when studying this information is the connection between minerals and connective tissue, and the fact that the gut is made up of connective tissue. Many of us are suffering from leaky gut issues and food sensitivities. See the July/August 2016 issue of the Red Clover Clinic Newsletter for more information about leaky gut.
It is such a struggle to heal a leaky gut. Merely avoiding certain foods to decrease inflammation and supplementing with pre- and pro-biotics to support the microbiome doesn’t seem to be the ultimate fix. The tissue in the gut won’t heal without restoring proper mineral regulation.
Why are we so deficient in magnesium?
There are many reasons we are so deficient in magnesium, but one of the biggest factors is stress. As soon as our bodies experience stress, we start losing magnesium. The modern world is so full of stress that our need for magnesium is huge. Often we experience stress as self-perpetuating. If we take a magnesium supplement or a bath with magnesium chloride or epsom salts, we are often able to experience some relaxation and rest, ultimately breaking the stress cycle.
Other factors that cause magnesium deficiency are:
mineral depletion in the soil leading to mineral deficient foods
fortification of calcium and iron in food
fluoride in our water
consumption of processed food, coffee, sugar, alcohol, and medications
Another thing we need to consider is that magnesium status drops as we go through life, and this trajectory accelerates as we get older.
Why is magnesium so important?
Magnesium is involved in over 300 different processes, including the production and use of ATP (the energy carrier in our cells). ATP doesn’t work without magnesium. Generally speaking, magnesium keeps enzymatic functions in the body working.
How does iron cause our bodies to rust?
Iron accumulates as we go through life. It is the mineral that ages us. It triggers further loss of magnesium, affects the mitochondria, and stops production of ATP. It causes the body to “rust,” signified in the breakdown of tissues, leading to pain and inflammation. Pathogens feed on iron, which is often why people struggle with chronic immune issues.
How did we become toxic in iron?
1941–Iron fortification of food began, mostly in wheat and wheat products.
1971–The amount of iron added to food increased by 50%, in spite of opposition by scientists.
1980s–Introduction of high fructose corn syrup – lowers copper and increases iron
1990s–Introduction of GMO foods – lowers copper and increases iron
Basic mineral balancing
Magnesium, copper, iron, and calcium need to remain in proper balance for normal metabolic function. (See image below.) Unfortunately, the modern diet, environment, and lifestyle, tend to decrease magnesium and copper, and increase iron and calcium stores. This imbalance leads to aging, from aches and pains to disease. As we go through life, magnesium and copper decrease and iron and calcium increase. We should focus on restoring proper mineral balance rather than simply treating the symptoms of inflammation and disease.
How is this new information affecting my practice?
As I listened to the Morley Robbins interview, I knew that I had stumbled across something very important that would be helpful, not only to my health, but to the health of my clients. I quickly found someone I could work with who was trained by Morley and have made the decision to take his training the next time it is available. In the meantime, I have begun to add various parts of his protocol into my Nutrition Response Testing sessions, and have begun to see good results in the areas of immune and endocrine issues, fatigue, anxiety, insomnia, inflammation, and other conditions. It can take time to get the minerals balanced out, but once they are, symptoms can begin to improve quickly.
More information to come
In Part 2 of this article (November 2018), we’ll delve a little deeper into the biochemistry behind restoring proper mineral balance in our bodies. If you’re currently supplementing with vitamin D, iron, and/or zinc, take heed; the second installment will be of special interest to you. In Part 3 (January 2019), we’ll discuss the basic protocol of restoring mineral balance.
Keep your blood sugar balanced
The general public has become more aware of the fact that high sugar foods are bad for their health. There still seems to be a disconnect, however, between knowing that sugar is bad for health and understanding that most blood sugar-related diseases, such as type II diabetes and hypoglycemia, occur as a result of a high sugar diet. This means that you can avoid these diseases by getting the sugar out of your diet and managing your blood sugar.
The general public has become more aware of the fact that high sugar foods are bad for their health. There still seems to be a disconnect, however, between knowing that sugar is bad for health and understanding that most blood sugar-related diseases, such as type II diabetes and hypoglycemia, occur as a result of a high sugar diet. This means that you can avoid these diseases by getting the sugar out of your diet and managing your blood sugar.
Another aspect of high sugar diets that isn’t part of common awareness is that the first step to managing any kind of hormonal disruption is to manage blood sugar. Yes, those of you suffering from insomnia, mood changes, PMS, hot flashes, night sweats, etc. can benefit greatly by managing your blood sugar!
Below are strategies for managing your blood sugar and some detailed information about how your body processes sugar.
Understanding the physiology of blood sugar regulation
It all starts with the pancreas, which secretes the hormones insulin and glucagon. Insulin is secreted during digestion to move carbohydrates/sugar from the blood into the cells, so that the cells can produce energy. Excess energy is stored as glycogen in the liver for future energy needs. The pancreas secrets glucagon between meals to convert the stored glycogen back into blood sugar so that the cells have a constant fuel supply. Yes, carbohydrates are necessary, but only in managed quantities.
Insulin and glucagon work together to keep the blood sugar levels stable throughout the day. If one’s blood sugar strays too far above or below the set point, the body shifts into a stressed state and engages the adrenals to secrete cortisol and adrenaline. You can imagine that this might show up as anxiety, a rapid heart rate, or a hot flash.
Cortisol is necessary to keep the liver receptive to signals by glucagon to release glucose back into the bloodstream. If someone has lived in a state of constant stress, their adrenals may grow tired and not produce enough cortisol to do their job. This can lead to hypoglycemic crashes not long after a meal. The crashes can manifest as light headedness, nausea, or panic if the person doesn’t quickly consume a glass of juice or eat some crackers.
When someone consumes large quantities of sugar/carbohydrates, the liver can store only so much glycogen before it begins to store the extra carbohydrates as fat. The habit of eating a lot of sugar/carbohydrates leads to weight gain and obesity.
A hormone that counteracts insulin and its propensity for fat storage is human growth hormone. Exercise and fasting trigger the pituitary to release HGH, promoting tissue growth and repair. This is the important link between exercise and blood sugar management. It also contributes to our understanding that a lack of human growth hormone may play a role in wound healing issues in diabetics.
As you can see, when blood sugar management goes awry, other endocrine glands will compensate. For example, as shown in the image below, taken from Life Without Bread, by Wolfgang Lutz and Christian Allan, high blood sugar can cause a relative increase in insulin and a relative decrease in sex hormones and growth hormones. In the second scenario, the relative increase in insulin causes a relative increase in thyroid hormone secretions. Either result is an example of metabolic dysregulation, which leads to unwanted symptoms.
Understanding the numbers
Measuring blood sugar is a simple thing to do with an inexpensive glucose meter, found at a drugstore or on Amazon. You can also learn what your blood sugar level is if you get lab tests done at your doctor’s office.
A good fasting blood sugar in a healthy person is between 75 and 85. After a meal, it shouldn’t exceed 110, and in a very healthy person, it won’t ever get to 100. Insulin and glucagon keep your numbers in a fairly tight range when you are healthy. 140 is considered to be borderline diabetic. In a diabetic person, blood sugar level may go as high as 200, which is a bit scary, as peripheral nerve damage begins when blood sugar exceeds 120. Retinal damage begins to occur when blood sugar exceeds 140.
If you measure your blood sugar at home following a meal, you can begin to see which foods affect you the most and then avoid them. It is an empowering way to take control of your health. When you decrease your intake of carbohydrates/sugar, you will see changes very quickly in your blood sugar numbers, and you will be able to get control of the cascade of symptoms that occur with high blood sugar readings.
What else can you do?
Avoid hypoglycemia (low blood sugar episodes) by eating something at least every 3-1/2 hours. Remember to bring snacks with you so you don’t get stuck without food.
Eat complex rather than refined carbohydrates, and eat them in small quantities (e.g. 1/2 cup of brown rice, quinoa, sweet potato, fruit).
Don’t consume caffeine before eating breakfast. Caffeine seems to decrease insulin sensitivity and increase cortisol release. High cortisol over long periods tends to produce glucose, i.e. raise blood sugar.
Eat a protein-rich breakfast.
Oops…eat too many carbs? Go for a brisk walk. This will allow your body to use the excess glucose, rather than secreting insulin to get the glucose into the cells and store it.
And, finally…avoid sweets as much as possible! The more you follow the above guidelines, the easier it will be to thwart sugar cravings.
Take control of your health!
By making these simple, but crucial, changes to your diet, you will make huge strides in managing your blood sugar. Even type II diabetics can make major changes in their blood sugar by diet alone in a relatively short period of time.
Do you have a leaky gut?
In the May/June issue of the Red Clover Clinic Newsletter, we discussed the microbiome in your gut and how to attend to it. We used the label “dysbiosis” to describe a microbiome that is out of balance, that is, one with an abundance of harmful bacteria not managed by beneficial bacteria. The concept of dysbiosis leads us to the topic of this issue: leaky gut syndrome.
In the May/June issue of the Red Clover Clinic Newsletter, we discussed the microbiome in your gut and how to attend to it. We used the label “dysbiosis” to describe a microbiome that is out of balance, that is, one with an abundance of harmful bacteria not managed by beneficial bacteria. The concept of dysbiosis leads us to the topic of this issue: leaky gut syndrome.
What is leaky gut syndrome?
The lining of your digestive tract is designed to be porous, so that you are able to absorb necessary nutrients into your bloodstream. When the lining becomes irritated and inflamed, the pores expand, allowing larger particles of semi-digested food to leak through the lining. These larger particles can include proteins (e.g. gluten and casein), undigested food particles, bad bacteria, and toxic waste. Ultimately the contents that leak out of the digestive tract and into the bloodstream trigger an immune reaction in the body.
What causes a gut to become leaky?
Poor diet: sugar (feeds bad bacteria), un-sprouted whole grains (contain anti-nutrients), genetically modified foods (high in anti-nutrients and herbicides/pesticides), and conventional (pasteurized and homogenized) dairy
Exposure to toxins: medications, herbicides, pesticides
Dysbiosis: overgrowth of bad bacteria in the gut
Chronic stress: stress hormones trigger an overgrowth of bad bacteria in the gut
What are the signs of a leaky gut?
As proteins, undigested food particles, bad (disease-causing) bacteria and toxins leak out of the gut and into the bloodstream, they trigger the body’s immune system to react. If you have a leaky gut, you might notice an increase in allergy symptoms, multiple food sensitivities, irritable bowel, fatigue, achy joints, headaches, acne, eczema, rosacea, weight gain, mood imbalance, hormonal imbalance, and/or any autoimmune disease.
It is especially important to note that behind most autoimmune disease, you will find a leaky gut. This means that if you have an autoimmune disease, you must make it a priority to heal your gut first. For more information, you might enjoy reading Amy Myers’ book, The Autoimmune Solution.
How do you repair a leaky gut?
Most experts agree on four basic “R’s” to repair a leaky gut.
Remove inflammatory foods and toxins.
Replace with healing foods and digestive support (enzymes, hydrochloric acid, bile salts)
Repair with supplements, such as bone broth, collagen, L-Glutamine, omega 3 fats, aloe, chlorophyll, licorice root, quercetin and slippery elm.
Rebalance/Reinoculate with probiotics, fermented veggies, and raw cultured dairy.
As you can see, the health of your gut plays a role in many, if not most, health conditions. Eating a clean and healthy diet and recognizing the early signs of something gone awry is the best way to avoid developing chronic health problems. If you need help figuring out what is at the root of your health complaints, Nutrition Response Testing is a wonderful tool, and we are here to support you through the healing process.
The invisible universe of the human microbiome
The wild world in your gut
You may have noticed the term “microbiome” being used more often in everyday discourse about health. What exactly does the word mean? What role does the microbiome play in our health? Let’s take a look…
You may have noticed the term “microbiome” being used more often in everyday discourse about health. What exactly does the word mean? What role does the microbiome play in our health? Let’s take a look…
What is the microbiome?
The microbiome refers to the diverse environment of bacteria living in and on the body. Most often when the term is used, it is referring to bacteria in the gut. There are three to ten times the number of bacteria living in the gut as there are human cells in the body. This may sound a bit disconcerting, but we’re awfully lucky to have these microbial guests. They help us digest and absorb nutrients; they play a huge role in our immune systems (70 to 80 percent of immune tissue is found in the digestive tract); and they help to manage mood (gut bacteria produce 90 percent of our serotonin).
A balanced microbiome equals health
The goal is to have a balanced and diverse microbiome to promote and maintain health. The modern lifestyle tends to throw this balance off, causing an overgrowth of bad bacteria, a condition known as dysbiosis. This imbalance can lead to inflammation in the gut, which eventually turns into leaky gut syndrome. This is the root of many health conditions, including
bloating and fullness after eating
food sensitivities
fatigue
chronic joint pain
headaches
skin conditions
weight gain
ADHD
mood disorders, and
autoimmune diseases.
In order to maintain health, we need to tend to the health of this ecosystem living inside of each of us. Think of it like tending a garden. If you give it good compost and water, it will flourish. If you pull the weeds, it will make room for the plants that you want to grow. If you use heirloom seeds, you will maintain healthy biodiversity. On the other hand, if you you feed the garden with chemical fertilizers and manage the weeds and pests with herbicides and pesticides, you will grow nutrient-deficient and chemical-laden vegetables.
What damages the microbiome?
Sugar: Sugar is one of the biggest culprits in damaging healthy diversity in gut flora, especially when eaten in the quantities of the standard American diet. Sugar feeds bad bacteria, yeasts, and parasites that can cause ill health.
Antibiotics: Antibiotic medications tend to kill off both good and bad bacteria in the gut, leaving limited good bacteria to protect health. It’s important to remember that 80 percent of the antibiotics consumed aren’t coming from doctors; rather, they come from antibiotic-laden animal products. This is why it is important to eat only organic, free-range, antibiotic-free meats and dairy products.
Medications: Proton pump inhibitors (gastric acid blocking agents, including Prilosec, Nexium, and Prevacid); non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (including ibuprofen, aspirin and naproxen); and oral contraceptives have been shown to upset the microbiome.
Chronic stress: Stress tends to decrease the biodiversity of the microbiome, so it is important to manage stress and maintain good sleep hygiene.
Building a healthy microbiome
Being born: The microbiome begins at birth, and depends on our mother’s microbial diversity and whether we’re born through the vaginal canal or not. Sometimes a C-section is necessary, but then extra effort should be made to build up the newborn’s gut flora.
Eat fermented and sprouted foods: Fermented vegetables, cultured dairy, and sprouted seeds will promote the growth of good bacteria in the gut.
Eat prebiotic (plant fiber that nourishes healthy gut bacteria) foods: Foods like jicama, Jerusalem artichokes, raw asparagus, raw onions, and garlic feed good bacteria.
Eat organic: Organically grown and raised vegetables, fruits and animal products will nourish the body and feed biodiversity of the microbiome.
Take probiotics: Probiotics can help to support a healthy microbiome, especially if you haven’t started to add fermented foods to your diet.
It’s never too late to clean up your diet
If you eliminate processed sugar from your diet today and add in organic vegetables, fruits, and animal products, your microbiome will begin to shift in as little as two days. It may take awhile to heal your gut entirely, but it’s never too late to start reaping the benefits of a healthy diet and a balanced, diverse microbiome.
If you suffer from a sensitive digestive system, remember to start slowly with probiotic supplements and fermented foods. Too much of a good thing will cause a huge die-off of bad bacteria, which is not a comfortable experience. Also, if you find that probiotics and fermented foods only make you feel worse, it would be best to see your nutrition practitioner for additional support.
The science of health – food as medicine
A couple of weeks ago I woke up to an episode of “On Being” on Minnesota Public Radio. Krista Tippett, the moderator, led a discussion between Mark Hyman, Penny George, and James Gordon called “The Evolution of Medicine.” In a nutshell, the show was about the transition of medicine from “a science of treating disease to a science of health.”
A couple of weeks ago I woke up to an episode of “On Being” on Minnesota Public Radio. Krista Tippett, the moderator, led a discussion between Mark Hyman, Penny George, and James Gordon called “The Evolution of Medicine.” In a nutshell, the show was about the transition of medicine from “a science of treating disease to a science of health.”
I was snapped into consciousness by Mark Hyman, MD, saying: “I think one of the biggest scientific discoveries of the last 30 years is that food isn’t just energy, that it’s actually information that provides instructions in a literally minute-to-minute, bite-by-bite basis to everything that’s going on in your body.”
The episode was just finishing up, so I jumped out of bed, made my tea, and searched for the program online. I knew I needed to listen to the entire show before doing anything else with my day.
The show encapsulated much of what I find to be true about health and healing in my acupuncture and nutrition practice. We must approach the body as a whole, functioning unit in order to figure out why something has gone wrong, and we must learn how to fuel and detoxify it properly to keep it functioning correctly. If we don’t do these two things, we are only managing symptoms and not assisting a person to shift into health.
I found Dr. Hyman’s comments to be particularly pertinent. Hyman has a functional medicine practice in Cleveland, Ohio. He defines functional medicine as “dealing with the causes and not just the symptoms, dealing with the body as ecosystem, or looking at the whole organism, not just the organs.”
Functional medicine, Hyman goes on to say, “is basically dismantling our concepts of disease, yet it’s completely absent from most medical institutions and thinking in medical schools. It’s as big a paradigm shift as ‘the Earth is not flat, Earth is not the center of the universe.’ It’s huge.”
I recommend the entire “On Being” program, but if you would prefer a synopsis, here are some highlighted quotes from Dr. Hyman:
“We now think you have a disease or you don’t. But the truth is that disease arises from an imbalance in the system. I think of functional medicine as being like a soil farmer, as opposed to an industrial agriculturist, who is putting chemicals on the plant. We’re actually taking care of the soil so disease can’t actually occur, or it [disease] goes away as a side effect of creating health.”
“When we eat real, unprocessed, organic foods to get our necessary nutrients and avoid sugars and all processed foods, which add toxins to our system and rob our bodies of nutrients, our bodies begin to heal. It is really quite amazing. and the way to avoid and turn around chronic disease.”
“You literally change your gene expression with every bite. You change your immune system. You change your gut flora, you change your hormones, you change all the protein functions in your body, and it has a direct effect on every function, either for good or the bad, depending on what you’re eating. When you realize this, it changes your relationship to food. It’s not just a source of energy or pleasure, but actually transformational.”
“We don’t, in medicine, know how to use food as medicine. We use drugs, we use surgery, but we have no insight that food is connected to health in most cases. And yet it’s the most powerful drug, and it works faster, better, and cheaper than any drug on the planet.”
“I’ve had people change their diets in three days; they got off 50 units of insulin. There’s no drug that can do that. People have autoimmune disease, they can be pain-free in weeks simply changing their diet—and get off very expensive medications.”
“We really can shift the way we think about treating disease to be primarily food-based. I think the two big insights, really, are that food is medicine, and that the community is medicine. It’s not just a delivery mechanism. And you put those two together it’s like rocket fuel for transforming health.”
As Dr. Hyman states, you can make huge changes in your health by just changing your diet. If you want to take it one step further and provide structure to the process, Nutrition Response Testing is an amazing tool to find out exactly what your body needs nutritionally. It also can identify if there are toxins in your body that are creating unwanted symptoms, and what the best solutions are for handling them. Basically the system creates the environment in which the body can begin to heal itself.
“Everybody has that capacity to create that change in their own life, in their own body, and in their community, and that’s where it really has to start.”
Do you need more than a dash of salt?
For a few decades, the message we’ve been getting from various governmental agencies is that we need to reduce our salt intake to prevent cardiovascular disease. Is this message still valid? Does the type of salt we consume make a difference? Read on!
For a few decades, the message we’ve been getting from various governmental agencies is that we need to reduce our salt intake to prevent cardiovascular disease. Is this message still valid? Does the type of salt we consume make a difference? Read on!
Current national dietary guidelines, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, advocate reducing daily sodium intake to less than 2,300 milligrams (a little more than a teaspoon). People 51 and older; African Americans of any age; and those with hypertension, diabetes, or chronic kidney disease are advised to further reduce intake to 1,500 mg. About half of the U.S. population, including children, and the majority of adults, fall into the categories affected by the 1,500 mg recommendation.
In the 1970s, the National Institutes of Health based its recommendations on two research studies. One was an observation of a population that ate very little salt and exhibited no high blood pressure. That population’s diet, it turns out, wasn’t representative of the standard American diet, and they didn’t eat sugar, among other things. The other study was done on rats who were bred to be salt-sensitive and fed 60 times more sodium than the average American consumes. Not surprisingly, the rats exhibited high blood pressure on their high-salt diet. Both of these studies led to a one-to-one assumption that salt caused hypertension.
The well-known DASH-Sodium study conducted in 2001 was conducted over only 30 days. The outcome was that eating significantly less salt would modestly lower blood pressure. All the government agencies currently endorsing a low-salt diet have based their recommendations on this outcome, with no further studies showing whether a low-salt diet would reduce hypertension, prevent heart disease, or lengthen life.
Yet, despite recommendations based on these studies, the average American currently consumes about 3,700 mg of sodium per day. This figure has remained constant for the past 50 years, despite an increase in hypertension and heart disease.
New studies show downside of low-salt diets
Several recent studies have actually showed the detrimental effects of low-salt diets, including an increase in heart disease and dying prematurely. As sodium levels decrease, these studies concluded, triglyceride levels, insulin resistance, and the activity of the sympathetic nervous system increase. These factors can contribute to an increased heart disease risk. As a side note, if you are having real salt cravings (not just a pretzel craving to go with your beer), be aware that this is a cry for help from your adrenal glands. If you cut out salt, they will shut down.
The studies that blow holes in the low-salt diet theory indicate that there seems to be a sweet spot between 3,000 mg and 7,000 mg of sodium consumption to maintain good cardiovascular health. Above and below that range, there is a significant increased risk of heart attacks, strokes, congestive heart failure, and death from heart disease. Avoiding processed foods and salting to taste are the best ways to get the appropriate amount of sodium in your diet. If you exercise a lot, sweating out sodium, be sure to consume more salt.
So if reducing salt doesn’t manage blood pressure, what does?
Potassium. Sodium and potassium must be in appropriate balance to maintain general health and cardiovascular health specifically. The modern diet tends to be lower in potassium than the diet of our ancestors. To manage your blood pressure try increasing potassium levels by eating foods such as: lima and kidney beans, sweet potatoes, winter squash, potatoes, cooked spinach and avocado. Eating a wide variety of these foods and salting to taste should ensure that you’re keeping your sodium and potassium in balance.
Is one salt better than another?
Absolutely! Standard table salt is highly processed and has been stripped of nutritionally important trace minerals, leaving primarily sodium chloride. Often it has other ingredients added such as dextrose, which is a sugar, and anti-caking agents. The healthier salts to choose from are Himalayan salt and Celtic sea salt/gray salt. They are minimally processed, they contain necessary trace minerals and they have a delicious flavor. The one sea salt to avoid consuming is Dead Sea salt, as it is high in bromide, which can lead to toxicity. Be aware that it is still important to read labels when purchasing salt, to be sure that there are no unwanted ingredients.
What you need to know about GMO foods
There has been a lot of talk about GMO (genetically modified organism) crops and foods over the past several years. On one hand, those who are fiercely opposed to growing and consuming these foods say GMOs endanger human health and the environment. Biotech companies, on the other hand, continue to make the argument for GMOs because they increase crop yields and thus produce more food to feed the growing population.
There has been a lot of talk about GMO (genetically modified organism) crops and foods over the past several years. On one hand, those who are fiercely opposed to growing and consuming these foods say GMOs endanger human health and the environment. Biotech companies, on the other hand, continue to make the argument for GMOs because they increase crop yields and thus produce more food to feed the growing population.
These types of crops are heavily regulated throughout the world, yet the United States continues to increase GMO production. At the state level, there are big debates over labeling laws. Consumer organizations are fighting for foods to be labeled to increase awareness of GMO ingredients in food. Large biotech companies are fighting this tooth and nail.
How can we navigate all of this complex information? What choices should we make? Below I address the issue predominantly from my primary perspective, health, and offer more resources to consult in order to make an informed decision.
What are GMO foods?
GMOs are created in a laboratory by taking genes from one species or organism and inserting them into another to obtain or enhance certain characteristics. Historically, hybridization or breeding has been done within a plant or animal family (plum with apricot, or pig with pig).
When something is genetically engineered or modified, an animal gene may be spliced with a plant gene, something that would never occur in nature. As a part of the genetic engineering process, a plant virus is combined with the gene to act as a promoter, something like turning on a switch. It activates the gene and keeps it “on” constantly to increase the effect of this added gene.
Finally, in testing for viability of the GMOs, antibiotic-resistant marker genes are used to saturate the GMOs with antibiotics to see which survive. Survival indicates that the organism has taken on the new DNA.
What traits have been added to GMO crops?
Currently, the primary traits that have been added to GMO crops are herbicide tolerance and the ability of the plant to produce its own pesticide. What this translates to is more toxicity. The plant won’t die when the farmer sprays more herbicide on it, and the plant itself is toxic to insects and anything that eats it. The farmers who are aware of its dangers have already switched to safer alternatives such as roller crimper or crop rollers, which happens to perform the same function as a herbicide, but the struggle to completely remove this chemical is still ongoing.
How can GMOs affect health?
Toxicity
As previously mentioned, there are higher herbicide residues (primarily Glyphosate, a.k.a. Round Up) on GMO food crops. This leads to increased toxicity in the human body, which can manifest in many ways, including liver damage, reproductive problems, birth defects and cancer.Increased allergies
In the UK, a 1999 study showed a 50% increase in soy allergies one year after genetically modified soy was introduced by U.S. imports. That is a scary statistic! The theory is that new genes produce an unrecognizable protein that causes a potential allergy. Furthermore, tests show that some people react to genetically modified soy and not to wild, natural soy.Potential antibiotic resistance
A recent study in New Zealand showed a correlation between glyphosate and antibiotic resistance. Despite the fact that the concentrations of glyphosate studied were above the currently approved residue levels on food, this link warns of potential danger.
Which foods to be concerned about
The primary genetically modified crops in the U.S. include soy, cotton, canola, sugar beets, corn, Hawaiian papaya, zucchini, and yellow squash. Despite the fact that this list is relatively short, you must think about all the products derived from these crops, such as soy protein, soy lecithin cornstarch, corn syrup, canola oil, and so much more. Don’t forget about meat, eggs, and dairy products from animals fed with genetically modified feed. Now we have quite a long list!
If you wish to avoid GMO foods, avoid all processed foods unless specifically labeled “Non-GMO” or “Organic.” You can also consult the following shopping guide:
Where do we go from here?
A big part of the concern regarding GMO foods is that we are venturing into the unknown. Nobody knows what potential problems could occur from tinkering with our food supply in this way. More research must be done before dumping more and more genetically modified foods into our grocery stores. It’s noteworthy that at the end of April the restaurant chain Chipotle made a big splash with its announcement that they would no longer use GMO ingredients, citing the need for more research and to give them a marketing edge.
Our health is of utmost importance, and we should make it our first priority. The environmental impact of biotech farming will also affect our health eventually…not to mention the health of the planet.
Lick the Sugar Habit
Do you suffer from sugar cravings, mood swings, fatigue, aches and pains, digestive issues? Do you get sick frequently? All of these symptoms and many more are often related to too much sugar in our diets.
Do you suffer from sugar cravings, mood swings, fatigue, aches and pains, digestive issues? Do you get sick frequently? All of these symptoms and many more are often related to too much sugar in our diets.
According to the USDA, the average American consumes more than 150 pounds of sugar in a year. Wow! Less than 100 years ago, the average person ate only five pounds per year. That’s quite an increase.
I just finished reading a book called Lick the Sugar Habit, by Nancy Appleton, PhD. It is quite an eye-opener to find out about the far-reaching, detrimental effects of sugar on our bodies, and how and why sugar has this effect. Appleton has an interesting personal story to tell about how sugar affected her life, and how it motivated her to study clinical nutrition.
Let’s begin by defining sugar for the purposes of this discussion. Simple sugars include sucrose, honey, fructose, glucose, dextrose, levulose, maltose, raw sugar, turbinado sugar, maple sugar, galactose, brown sugar, dextrine, barley malt, rice syrup, corn sweetener and corn syrup.
Are you addicted to sugar?
To get an idea if sugar is affecting your health and life, I suggest that you take Nancy Appleton’s Sugar Quiz. If you answered “false” to more than four of the statements, you are likely addicted to sugar. If you answered “false” to fewer than four statements, you may not be addicted to sugar, but it may still be affecting your health.
How does sugar affect your health?
Our bodies are always striving for balance: balance of minerals, balance of hormones, balance of overall blood chemistry. If something upsets this balance, the body starts down the path to disease. The more unhealthy one is, the longer it takes for the body to recover from nutritional indiscretions and find its way back to balance. It can take as little as two teaspoons of sugar to greatly throw off the body’s chemistry.
Minerals
One of the things that is affected by eating sugar is mineral balance. Research shows that each mineral works in conjunction with all other minerals. When the level of one is off, the whole group of minerals do not function properly.
When we ingest sugar, the level of calcium in our blood rises. Where does the calcium come from? Our bones. Therefore, the best recommendation for osteopenia/osteoporosis is to stop eating sugar. Taking more calcium just throws the mineral balance off further.
Hormones
Another sugar-sensitive system in our bodies is the hormonal system. Much like minerals, when one hormone level is out of balance, the whole system is affected. Eating sugar speeds up the functioning of certain glands, such as the pancreas and adrenals, upsetting the whole balance. This lack of hormonal balance can lead to many symptoms such as mood swings, hormonal issues, poor sleep, or to diabetes.
Enzymes
Digestive enzymes are affected by sugar via the mineral balance of our body. Most enzymes are mineral-dependent to do their work. When we eat sugar, usable minerals are depleted and the enzymes in our small intestines can’t digest food properly. This in turn means that our cells aren’t able to use the nutrition that we ingest.
Food allergies/sensitivities
As the above suggests, the food that is in our stomach at the same time that we eat sugar will not be digested properly. This decomposing food will eventually lead to an allergy or sensitivity to the food that is in the stomach. It is no coincidence that the most common allergies and sensitivites are things frequently eaten with sugar, including wheat, corn, milk, chocolate, eggs.
Immune system
The immune system is affected by sugar on multiple levels. Some studies show that two hours after eating sugar, immune activity is greatly decreased. In other words, sugar greatly decreases how many bacteria are handled by our immune system. The allergy/sensitivity cycle mentioned above slowly fatigues immune function. And, the chronic mineral and hormonal imbalance will break down the immune system over time, all leading to degenerative disease.
The monkey is on our back
As Nancy Appleton writes: “A person’s genes do not cause disease—rather, the culprit is an abusive lifestyle that constantly upsets the body chemistry. We are all born with a genetic blueprint. When you upset your body chemistry continually, the disease of your genetic blueprint is more likely to develop than if you keep your body in balance. This concept forces us to recognize that we are responsible for our disease. It puts the monkey on our back.”
For another recent thought-provoking take on sugar’s negative effects on health and Minnesota’s role in its production, check out “The new Public Enemy No. 1: Sugar,” in the April 26 Star Tribune.
Life Without Bread
Paleo and low carb diets are the latest nutrition buzz. You might be wondering if avoiding carbohydrates is a way to lose weight, a healthier way to eat or just a fad? What exactly is a carbohydrate anyway?
Paleo and low carb diets are the latest nutrition buzz. You might be wondering if avoiding carbohydrates is a way to lose weight, a healthier way to eat or just a fad? What exactly is a carbohydrate anyway?
Let’s turn to the book Life Without Bread, by Christian Allan and Wolfgang Lutz to find some answers. Lutz, an Austrian physician, published the original German version in 1967 after decades of helping his patients live healthier lives by following a low-carbohydrate diet.
The authors of Life Without Bread are proponents of eating animal foods and vegetables (except potatoes) freely, and limiting all sources of high carbohydrate foods: breads, pastas, cereals, pastries, potatoes, sweet/dried fruits, and anything sweetened.
Their recommendation is to restrict daily “utilizable” carbohydrate intake to 72 grams per day. Utilizable, a.k.a. net carbohydrates, translates to the amount of carbohydrates that ends up in the blood stream after eating a certain food. To give you a point of reference on net carbohydrates, one medium apple has 21 grams, one medium bagel has 54 grams and one medium baked potato has 33 grams of net carbohydrates. A great, inexpensive resource for net carbohydrate content of foods is The New Carb and Calorie Counter by Dana Carpender.
The health benefits of limiting sugar/carbohydrate intake
According to the authors, limiting sugar load on the body is the best way to improve and maintain health. They give many examples of how a low-carbohydrate diet improves health, including balancing hormones, supporting cardiovascular health, healing gastrointestinal diseases like Crohn’s and ulcerative colitis, and preventing diabetes and cancer.
When we eat sugar, insulin is released into our bloodstream. Sustained high levels of insulin upset the balance of all the hormones in the body. The body is always trying to maintain homeostasis, and if a hormone level increases, others have to adjust to bring the body back into some sort of balance.
In other words, high insulin levels can
upset the levels of steroid hormones, triggering a decrease in immune function
disrupt thyroid hormone levels causing hypo- or hyperthyroid conditions
create an imbalance in the sex hormones, causing menstrual or menopausal complaints
lead to insulin resistance, resulting in type II diabetes
decrease growth hormone. leading to atherosclerosis and the lack of tissue repair from injury, etc.
What happened to the lipid hypothesis?
A chapter in Life Without Bread discusses the outdated belief that fat is bad for us and the cause of cardiovascular disease. Since fat was demonized in the 1950s, people began eating low-fat, high-carbohydrate diets. Since then, health in the US has fallen apart. Obesity has risen to dangerous proportions and chronic illness is on the rise. Lutz and Allan cite much research debunking the myth that fat and cholesterol are the cause of heart disease.
If you’re looking for a good reference to better understand basic nutrition (I’ve included a short guide below) and the benefits of limiting carbohydrates in your diet, I highly recommend Life Without Bread. It is backed up by research and years of experience–and it is very readable!
I was particularly struck by the “teeter-totter” drawings depicting how hormones adjust if insulin levels rise. In other words, that extra cookie not only promotes weight gain, it also affects sleep, hormone levels, mood, the immune system, and digestive tract, not to mention that it increases the risk of type II diabetes, cancer and heart disease. I finally get it!
A Guide to Nutrition Basics
There are three basic types of nutrients: proteins, fats and carbohydrates.
Proteins are the primary building blocks for our cells and tissues. They perform many functions and take on different forms, such as enzymes, antibodies, and hormones. Complete proteins contain essential amino acids (essential, meaning they must be obtained from your diet). Complete proteins are found in animal foods. In order to receive the full benefit of dietary protein, all essential amino acids must be consumed in the same meal, which makes relying solely on plant proteins complicated. If only a few amino acids are consumed in a meal, they can’t be stored and are subsequently eliminated, causing the potential for deficiencies.
Fats are the primary storage form of energy in the body and provide the most energy to our cells. Fats also have different forms and functions in the body such as hormones and being the primary constituents of cell membranes, which play a role in metabolic functions. Fats are classified as saturated and unsaturated. Both forms contain the essential (i.e. must be obtained from your diet) fatty acids. Saturated fats, found in animal foods tend to provide equal amounts of the essential fatty acids, whereas unsaturated fats from plant sources provide predominantly one or the other.
Carbohydrates are predominantly an energy source. There are simple carbohydrates, which metabolize quickly, and complex carbohydrates, which metabolize more slowly. The main point to understand about carbohydrates is that they all break down into sugar, and eating large amounts of carbohydrates in any form can be detrimental to your health.
Are you really a healthy eater?
By a happy coincidence, there is an excellent article this month in Acupuncture Today, written by Marlene Merritt, DOM, LAc, ACN about the myths and truths of healthy eating. I highly recommend that you read “Are you really a healthy eater?