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• Is Your Gut Leaking?

  26Feb
  Categories: Food Education Comments: 0

  This is something I have talked about in passing before, but I finally thought it worthy enough to deserve its own post: Leaky Gut Syndrome.  When it first was presented as a theory by the alternative crowd, it was poo-poo’d by doctors and clinicians. However, it is now a commonly accepted condition among MD’s, RD’s and holistic practitioners alike.  In fact if you suffer from allergies of any kind, extra weight you cannot drop, foggy thinking, or a general sense of feeling “not great” it’s more likely than not that you are affected by this to some extent.

  What it essentially means is that your intestines are leaking.  Pretty gross, right?  Our intestines are a very complex system.  This is where our immune system is born.  They are designed to absorb certain kinds of nutrients here and another kind there.  Each section even has its own ideal pH (acidity) level to accomplish just that.  They of course also sweep out what we don’t need.  One of the most important aspects of your gut are the levels of bacteria that are supposed to be there.  You’ve heard me talk about them a million times PROBIOTICS.  These are what colonize our tract with our very first breath of life.  They teach our immune system how to identify foreign invaders that need attacking vs. particles that would otherwise be benign or even beneficial.

  We also have colonies of yeast living in our guts.  As in the world, there are symbiotic relationships within our bodies as well.  There is a circle of life continuously taking place inside.  Some yeast is good, but too much of a good thing is bad, and the Standard American Diet (SAD, go figure) lends itself to an overly acidic, yeast friendly system, which starts making it very difficult for the probiotic colonies to thrive.  When we take antibiotics, we kill off the beneficial probiotics that we need as well, further allowing the yeast to take control.  Along the same line, many medications such as corticosteroids and birth control hormones further support these unbalanced conditions. When this happens the walls of the intestines become weakened and inflamed and overly porous.  Through these weakened walls, undigested food particles, harmful microbes and toxic waste products that wouldn’t normally go directly into the blood stream slip easily through these holes triggering our immune system to fire away.  As I mentioned probiotics teach our immune cells (two varieties of T cells) when to attack and when to lay low.  In fact, sufficient levels of probiotics encourage the production of the T cells whose job it is to say “cool it” to the hot headed T cells that are lookin’ for a fight.  But with so many unrecognizable particles floating around the body produces more of the trigger happy T cells attacking anything in their way.  And there we have: allergies and/or autoimmune diseases.  An unnecessary reaction by our immune system to fight things that aren’t a real threat possibly even our own tissues.

  Not only does our immune system overreact, but our detoxification systems become burdened by all this junk too.  Food particles, the excrement from the yeast and other unfriendly bacteria, even stool that isn’t moving the way it should begins getting into our system.  In a perfect digestive tract, different strands of probiotics actually consume the waste of other types of yeast and microbes.  It’s a self-recycling system.  But without them, these toxic by-products of digestion, and partially digested food and bacteria that should have made it to the toilet are all swimming around your blood, and frankly- really freaking your liver out.

  The liver, trouper that it is, can only handle so much.  It not only filters through the chemicals and digestive by-products of your food, but it’s also handling what is absorbed by our skin through products or things we touch, and the air we breathe.  It’s got a huge job.  If it were the manager of a company, it would be looking to hire at least 3 assistants, but stuck relying on its kid sister for some after school help.

  In the body, this helper is our skin.  Why do you think we have all those pores?  Why do we sweat?  To GET RID OF STUFF.  If you’ve got eczema, psoriasis, hives, mysterious itchiness or acne, it is absolutely imperative that you take a look at what could be going on inside you rather than searching for the next miracle lotion.

  So how do you know if you might be at risk for this?  Well, take a look at what you eat and how you feel.

  • If you’ve been on antibiotics for even just one week of your life, that could have swung the scales in the wrong direction from which you never recovered.
  • If you are a heavy meat, cheese, dairy and sugar eater, this leads to very acidic conditions, not friendly towards probiotics.
  • If you are extremely stressed, this makes matters worse.
  • If you have a problem with constipation or diarrhea, you are at risk.
  • If you eat a lot of bread and therefore yeast, consider it, even more so if you actually CRAVE those foods.  We tend to crave what we’re allergic or sensitive to.
  • If you get sick very easily, or have problems with fatigue upon waking and through out the day, or are prone to depression, you are at risk.
  • Different forms of arthritis may be triggered or worsened by leaky gut, and even conditions such as fibromyalgia are now being linked to it.
  • As I mentioned skin conditions are a big clue as well, as are seasonal, environmental and food allergies.  If all of a sudden you’re getting hives from eating foods you’ve never had a problem with before, take stock of your insides.

  And if you think you’re a seasonal allergy sufferer, just because allergies are normal…think again.  Sure, breathing in dust makes you sneeze, that’s a programmed body response to eliminate invaders, but much more than that is a sign your body is overly paranoid.  I spent my life on Claritin and Allegra and having my grandmother tell me I should get allergy shots.  Trust me, I know allergies!  And I haven’t taken a single allergy medication in 3 years because…I haven’t needed them!  The only exception being a resurgence of cat related sniffles after I started sneaking milk back into my diet here and there.

  So, what can you do to experiment with your own allergies or digestive issues?  First and foremost, start taking a probiotic supplement.  Go to Whole Foods or some other health store.  They are refrigerated, so keep them that way at home.  Get as many microbes per capsule as you can find/afford and with at least 6 different strains of probiotic.  Remember, they all have different jobs, so you want to get as many kinds in you as possible to get things working properly again.

  Second, begin eating many more vegetables and fruits.  The fiber in these foods are what feed the probiotics and allow them to reproduce.  Green leafy vegetables and nuts like almonds are also very alkalizing which inhibit the growth of too much yeast and promote the growth of probiotics.  Do a search for alkalizing foods, because there are many great things to choose from.

  The counter point to eating more alkalizing foods is to eat less acid forming ones, like the heavy fatty meats and cheeses and everyone’s favorite- SUGAR.

  DRINK WATER!  Most people are dehydrated.  Dehydration may be the root of so many problems in and of itself, but it is certainly necessary for proper bowel movements.  If you start eating a lot of veggies, but don’t drink more water, the extra fiber may actually stop you up, so get a water bottle at work and make sure it never stays empty.  Adding a slice of lemon to the water is actually alkalizing to your system as well, and makes it a little more refreshing than boring old water sometimes.

  SWEAT.  Work out.  Get sweaty, get stinky, then get a shower.  Sweat removes toxins, so help your liver out expedite the waste removal process.  Just shower relatively soon after a good workout as I’ve read the body can quickly start to reabsorb the toxins sitting on the surface of the skin.  And the more alkalizing foods you eat and the more water you drink, the less your sweat actually stinks.

  So could you have Leaky Gut Syndrome?  Hit up your favorite web browser for more detailed and scientific information should you feel so inclined, but chances are you or someone you know is definitely suffering!

  Tags: leaky gut, probiotics

• My Groceries Cost More Than Yours Do…or do they??

  18Feb
  Categories: Food Education Comments: 0

  A few months ago we had a house guest that asked me something that really got me thinking.  After being with us for a day and getting a view of the innards of our kitchen, he said, “don’t you all buy groceries?” as if he’d opened the fridge and only seen a half eaten pickle, some left over Chinese food and a bottle of ketchup (a real life bachelor pad scene I wish I’d made up).  I looked very confused because the fridge was full.  I even went and looked just to be sure I wasn’t crazy, but there was left-over home made chicken and mashed potatoes, a stocked fruit and veggie drawer, some vegetable broth, a freezer full of Sunshine burgers and frozen vegetables, etc.  It definitely did not look sparse.  Of course in the pantry I had shelves full of canned beans, bags of dry ones, bags of rice, split peas, lentils, Thai noodles, you name it.  So this house guest decided to go get some “groceries” during their stay to not feel like we were a bed and breakfast and to not have to eat out every single meal in expensive NYC.

  He came back with 2 bags of Tostino’s pizza rolls, a loaf of Wonder bread, some ham and cheese, and a bag of BBQ Lays potato chips.

  Yes, my thoughts exactly.

  So this is what it means in America today to have groceries on hand.  Well, it got me thinking.  People say buying organic and quality produce and meats is too expensive.  But how much in one shopping trip do we spend on soda, chips, ice cream and other foods that hold absolutely no nutritional value and in reality do much more harm than the good instant gratification of appeasing taste buds?  I’m not sure how much that pizza/bread/chip run cost, but I can assure you it is the same amount of money I save by not buying those kinds of things at all.  If I want ice cream, I splurge on a small pint once in a blue moon, but it’s not a required staple in the freezer.  We occasionally like to indulge in chips and salsa, but I can’t tell you the last time I purchased beverages other than boxes of tea or liquor for hosting a party.

  I see people in the grocery store all the time purchasing things like this and it really does boggle my mind.  If you are what you eat, and I FULLY believe that we are, that means we’re a nation of genetically modified corn, by-products, and food stabilizers, all up and walking around not at all aware of why we don’t feel healthy (or happy) most of the time…

  So how much do you spend on groceries?  How much of it is actually feeding you and what percentage of it is going to complete nutritional waste?  I probably spend $50/week on groceries.  My grocery list consists of nothing but vegetables, fruit, maybe some peanut butter, occasionally some almond milk, or vegetable broth, and sometimes organic chicken.  These are the things I buy weekly.  Almost always organic, especially for certain fruits and meat.  Does that sound so bad?  I don’t feel like I’m spending much more on groceries than the people who complain about how much quality food costs…

  Also take this into consideration- and this is HUGE.  How many of you know somebody with a medicated condition?  High blood pressure, high cholesterol, Type II Diabetes?  Something chronic that you know could be remedied if they lost a few pounds, started exercising, and stopped eating a lot of the junk you know they eat.  Type II Diabetes is one of the best examples.  The last major report on Diabetic costs was in 2007.  Take a look at this:

  Seattle, WA, April 10, 2007 – A first-of-its-kind report looking at the prevalence and cost of type 2 diabetes complications shows that an estimated three out of five people (57.9 percent) with type 2 diabetes have at least one of the other serious health problems commonly associated with the disease, and that these health problems are taking a heavy financial toll on the United States. In 2006, the nation spent an estimated $22.9 billion on direct medical costs related to diabetes complications.*

  The new report, titled State of Diabetes Complications in America, also shows that estimated annual healthcare costs for a person with type 2 diabetes complications are about three times higher than that of the average American without diagnosed diabetes. These complications, which can include heart disease, stroke, eye damage, chronic kidney disease and foot problems that can lead to amputations, cost a person with type 2 diabetes almost $10,000 each year.* People with diabetes complications pay nearly $1,600 out of their own pockets for costs that are not reimbursed by insurance, such as co-payments and deductibles.* This amount is significant, considering that according to the National Health Interview Survey, an estimated 40 percent of adults with diabetes reported a family income of less than $35,000 per year in 2005.”

  This is a disease that is completely PREVENTABLE and REVERSIBLE. That was 3 years ago.  We’re not doing any better.  Now it is estimated that 1 in 3 children being born today will get Type 2 Diabetes, and that rate goes up to 1 in 2 in black and Hispanic communities.  That also doesn’t take into consideration the costs associated with people that have pre-diabetes and the pregnant women who develop gestational diabetes.  Cha-ching.

  So tell me now, how much do your groceries really cost?  Is it worth it to save a few dollars now to have to pay it back 10, 20, or even 30 fold down the line not only with money but with possibly a limb or your eyes??All the while complaining about your stressful job, your low back pain, your lack of energy for the next umpteen years?  Eating junk foods doesn’t just lead to being overweight and type 2 diabetes, though.  The list of conditions that are preventable through healthy eating and exercise is endless.  Infertility, cancers, heart disease, inexplicable body aches and pains, libido, mood, depression, you name it… can all be improved or prevented entirely by eating and exercising the way your own body needs to.

  So really take a good hard look and ask yourself how much do your groceries really cost?

• Wanted: Spring Cleaning

  08Feb
  Categories: Food Education Comments: 1

  As much as I will miss Sunday rituals of all day PJ’s, insane interceptions, and some pretty awesome touch down passes (Congratulations to the Saints, they played a great game), I am slightly relieved to have no more excuses for weekend indulging!!  Spring is in just over one month folks!  And it can’t possibly be more of a blessing.  I am in desperate need of an internal sweeping out the closet.  And luckily the spring is the best time for your body to do just that.  It naturally goes into detox mode as the weather warms up and we no longer need the rich warming hearty foods we’ve been craving all winter.  Bitter, leafy vegetables come into season, and for good reason.  These greens (think: dandelion greens, watercress, varieties of dark lettuces) are extremely detoxifying foods.  They whip the body into shape, helping facilitate the elimination of toxins, cooling down inflammation, and supplying the best nutrition our cells desire.  So if any of you out there have been wanting to try a cleanse, the next 3 months are your best time of year to try.  Remember, though: cleansing is NOT starving.  And I mean starving in the sense that you are denying your body nutrition.  Hunger is natural during a cleanse, but fasting and cleansing are not one in the same.  Juice cleanses I think are some of the most effective.  It’s like being strapped to a nutritional powerhouse I.V. all day.  Pure, essential vitamins and nutrients that you drink all day in the form of mostly raw, freshly juiced vegetables and a few fruits keep your cells humming.  Different metabolic types may have different experiences. For example people who crave heavy sources of protein (mostly animal) year round, and who are most likely O blood types, may have a more difficult time with feeling hungry.  For those types of people, raw nut milks and blended avocados are good additions to a cleanse (which only has to last a couple days to feel better).

  For those not able to jump into the severity of not chewing for a couple days straight, and who don’t live in areas where it’s easy to find people to make juices for you….eating extremely “clean” for a week, might help.  Elimination of grains, dairy, and most meats, and focusing on eating a lot of fresh vegetables, fruits like pears and apples, and small amounts of organic protein can work wonders.  Those types of foods help de-clog the system of the overly mucous-y “stickiness” that foods like glutenous grains and dairy tend to promote.

  So proceed with caution and do some research, but if you’re feeling heavy, lethargic and unmotivated from the past few months of overdoing it, a cleanse might be just what you need.

  If you want some inspiration about creating juices (if you’re lucky enough to have a juicer), I’ve heard a lot recently about people doing the Blueprint Cleanse (www.blueprintcleanse.com) and it seems to be a pretty good cleanse.  My one concern would be the time between the actual juicing of the foods and consumption, as fresh juices need to be consumed almost immediately to get the real benefits of it.  Once juiced, enzymes start breaking it down immediately, and most of the nutrition is lost within a very short time.  This is also why you should not go on a “juice cleanse” by hitting your local grocery store.  Not the same kind of juice!  Pasteurized, processed juices are not what we’re talking about here, and do not provide the same level of cleansing needed in well, ……. a cleanse.

  But if you want to invest in a good quality juicer for long term vitality, or if you already have one, you can steal a few recipes from the Blueprint system to get some ideas.  They really do give you great ideas for juice that are full of immune boosting, anti-inflammatory, and pH balancing foods.  (Of course you could invest in the system but it IS a little pricey.)

  Your body is designed to detox on it’s own.  Keep this in mind.  That is why we have a liver, kidneys and skin, which is believe it or not our largest detoxifying organ.  Also know the liver stores toxins that it can’t figure out how to eliminate and 70% of its mass can become damaged before any sign of liver disease is even detected.  So, take care of that very important eco-system living inside you.  And when the liver gets over-worked the skin pushes out the rest, which is why when skin conditions present, you should always take a look at what’s going on in the inside first.  So if you support your system by not supplying it with the stuff that makes it have to work extra hard, like sugar and processed foods filled with nutrient void ingredients and a huge dose of food additives and chemicals, your body can’t do what it’s designed to do naturally.  Eat clean, and your insides will start to clean themselves.

  If anyone has any personal history with cleanses and would like to recommend them, feel free to comment!  More and more people are getting interested in taking care of themselves at deeper levels these days.  It’s nice to see, but scary to see the misinformation being spread, so like I said, do the research and proceed with caution.  But your body WILL thank you!

• Slacking

  01Feb
  Categories: Daily Life Comments: 1

  I’m sorry!  It has been entirely too long since I’ve written, and I feel terrible about that.  I seem to be so preoccupied lately.  I’ve been on a mission to make my new apartment feel homey and have become obsessed with home goods shopping, one of my favorite pastimes.  Not one of the cheapest unfortunately!  I’ve also been working a lot, which is good, but I’m starting to neglect myself a little, which is not good.

  I’ve become slightly disappointed with my work out schedule of late.  I could use a little motivation myself, which is maybe why I haven’t written recently as I feel like if I can’t walk the talk, I shouldn’t be telling you to.  New Yorkers are really a spoiled bunch, I tell ya.  If something isn’t available within a 1 block radius of your front door, it’s “too far”.  I realize how this is absolutely ridiculous, however, since having moved, I’ve been to the gym TWICE.  Yes, twice.  One lame excuse is because it’s been freezing, and getting the motivation to bundle up and go to the gym is a little hard to come by, and the other lame excuse is that it is now a 10 minute jog away, versus my previous 5 minute walk.  How lame-o can I be? Most people in this country have to actually get in a car and DRIVE to their gyms, and I’m here complaining that my gym is too far.  Alas, I’ve been a New Yorker long enough and have become a victim of this symptom of the spoiling that we have around here with 24 hour options for anything and everything you might need within a stone’s throw.

  This weekend was also a bit indulgent.  A little too much vino, and a few too many snacks were consumed, and once that train gets rolling it’s hard to bring it to a halt.  Smoked salmon frittata, fried plantains, and a bottle of Riesling for Sunday brunch?  Sure!  Maybe having one of your closest friends as a downstairs neighbor is a little more dangerous than I thought!   She did offer to teach Ameesh and I Pilates mat classes on Sundays, though, which I really hope we take her up on.  And I did run one mile this morning while it was slow at work, but 3 more would have made feel a little bit better about my recent lazy habits!  I will try and do better, I really will!

  Is anybody else with me in this rut?  I didn’t promise you that I’d be super healthy all the time, and I guess the point of having this blog is to let you know about the reality that comes along with being generally healthy.  There are ups and downs as there are with everything else in life!

  So, let’s pretend like I didn’t eat a gluten-free brownie for a moment when I got home from work tonight and that today was my first day being healthy again.  I ate a lot of vegetables for breakfast and lunch, so I should feel pretty good about that.  Tomorrow I will do my best to be brownie free and maybe even do more than a 15 minute workout before I go to work.

  It’s a little late to set New Year’s resolutions I guess at this point, but I also want to try and get to bed a little earlier than I have been.  That seems to be an issue for me these days, as when I go to bed late and wake up late, I still feel exhausted and lacking energy for the entire day, regardless of the fact that I still got 8 hours of sleep.  Going to bed earlier and waking up a little earlier definitely gives me much more energy, so I’m going to go on a mission to be in bed before 11.  I used to enjoy winding down for the evening with a good book cuddled up in a cozy bed right before zonking out, so I’m going to try recreating that feeling.  Let’s see if I’m successful!   I wish I had lots of words of wisdom right now, but well…. I don’t.  I’m human, and right now this human just needs a little me-time and a good work out.  Tomorrow’s a new day!