Tag: Diet

NATUROPATHIC GUIDELINES FOR CUTTING CHOLESTEROL

Cholesterol levels have become the source of much fear, even though cholesterol is one of the most valuable substances in the human body. Cholesterol is needed for strong cell walls, as a precursor for hormone production, and as a coating around nerves. There are two sources of cholesterol in the body: (1) that which is obtained from the diet; and (2) that which is produced in the body (primarily from the liver). 

HDL cholesterol (i.e., high–density lipoprotein) is considered to be beneficial – it works to carry cholesterol away from the blood and back to the liver where it can be processed and removed from the body. LDL cholesterol (i.e., low–density lipoprotein), however, is generally thought to be harmful to the body – it carries cholesterol into the bloodstream and can place it into the lining of the arterial walls, thereby promoting atherosclerosis. Cholesterol can create a problem when levels in the blood are too high; generally, high cholesterol is defined as levels that are greater than 200 mg/dl. The naturopathic approach to reducing cholesterol levels includes a combination of lifestyle, dietary, and supplement recommendations. 

LIFESTYLE RECOMMENDATIONS 

  • Regular aerobic/moderate exercise 
  • Regular exercise contributes to higher levels of HDL cholesterol and reduces the risk of heart disease 
  • Yoga or qigong for relaxation and improved blood circulation 
  • Minimize stress 
  • Get adequate amounts of daily sunlight – a lack of sunlight has been shown to adversely affect cholesterol levels 
  • Weight reduction (if appropriate) 

 

DIETARY RECOMMENDATIONS 

  • Eat a high fiber, low fat, low cholesterol diet 
  • Reduce or eliminate animal products and other sources of saturated fats e.g., red meats, eggs, dairy products, palm oil, coconut oil 
  • Increase fruits, vegetables, grains, and legumes 
  • Reduce sugar and salt intake
  • Calorie percentages for reducing cholesterol should be as follows: 70% complex carbohydrates – e.g., brown rice, oats, millet, beans
  • 12-15% protein – e.g., tofu, beans, fish
  • 15-18% fat – e.g., fish, olive oil, flaxseed oil, nuts, seeds
  • Reduce cholesterol in the diet to less than 300 to 400 mg daily
  • Consider occasional short fasts – e.g., once a month, fast on Spirulina, carrot, and celery juice (or lemon and water) 

 

Therapeutic Foods & Supplements: 

Oat bran and brown rice bran – these are the best foods for lowering cholesterol 

Apples, bananas, carrots, grapefruit, celery, dried beans (especially navy, pinto, and kidney beans), garlic, olive oil, and cold water fish (salmon, herring, mackerel) – these are also cholesterol–lowering foods 

Barley, beans, flaxseeds, brown rice, fruits, and oats – such foods contain water–soluble fiber which is beneficial in reducing cholesterol 

 

Ground Flax Seeds 

Grind whole seeds in coffee grinder (cleaning grinder well each time) and add to cereal, yogurt or smoothies 

2 Tablespoons provides adequate fiber per day For more 

information 

on the multi–benefits of Flax, check this website http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=81 

 

Spirulina 

spirulina is a form of blue–green algae that is rich in beta–carotene, iron and B complex vitamins. When taken on a daily basis, Spirulina has been shown to decrease cholesterol levels Raw unsalted almonds 

almonds are rich in the amino acid arginine which has been shown to decrease cholesterol within a four–week period 

 

Green tea 

regular intake of green tea has been shown to decrease LDL and total cholesterol levels while increasing HDL 

for maximum benefits, one should drink at least 3 cups daily of whole leaf green tea 

 

Other beneficial foods include: 

omega 6 fatty acids – evening primrose oil, flaxseed oil (also contains omega 3 fatty acids), black current oil, and other vegetable/nut/seed oils 

о liquid chlorophyll, alfalfa sprouts, buckwheat, watercress 

 

Niacin 

onions, beans, legumes, soy, ginger, yogurt 

Fresh juice made with any combination of the following: carrot, beet, celery, pineapple, parsley, alfalfa, spinach, asparagus, chlorophyll and honey. Note: Carrot juice helps to flush out fat from bile in the liver and this helps to lower cholesterol. 

о Niacin is well established as being effective in the treatment of high cholesterol levels – 

specifically, it reduces total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and triglycerides while increasing HDL 

 

Guggullipid 

Guggullipid is the standardized extract of the mukal tree (Commiphora mukal) which is native to India 

Several clinical studies have confirmed its ability to lower both cholesterol and triglyceride levels Typically, total cholesterol will drop 14-27%, LDL by 15-35%, triglycerides by 22-30%, and HDL will increase by 16-20% with 12-36 weeks of supplementation 

The effect of guggullipid on cholesterol and triglyceride levels is comparable to that of lipid- lowering drugs but without the side–effects 

Mechanism of action: guggullipid increases the liver’s metabolism of LDL 

Other benefits: it has been shown to prevent the formation of atherosclerosis and aid in the reversal of atherosclerotic plaques in animals 

 

Policosanol 

Balances cholesterol levels by impacting both excessive manufacture and impaired breakdown of cholesterol levels. 

Policosanol has been shown to reduce both total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol levels, also shown to effectively decrease cholesterol levels in tissues like the heart, liver and fatty tissue. Policosanol can be used as an alternative to aspirin as an anti–platelet agent. Policosanol is also a powerful antioxidant. 

 

References: Textbook of Natural Medicine by Pizzorno & Murray. Churchill Livingstone: 1999; Textbook of Nutritional Medicine by Werbach. Thrid Line Press, Inc: 1999

Elimination Diet: Foods You May Eat

Legumes (beans) – Includes soybeans, tofu, lentils, peas, chickpeas, navy beans, kidney beans, black beans, string beans, and others.

Vegetables – Use a wide variety. All vegetables except corn are permitted.

Proteins – Poultry and fowl, fresh fish, (such as tuna and salmon, packed in spring water). Shrimp and most canned or packaged shellfish (such as lobster, crab, oysters may contain sulfites and should be avoided. Canned tuna, salmon and other canned fish are OK. Beef and pork may be eaten unless specified otherwise. Lamb rarely causes allergic reactions, and may be used even when other meats are restricted. Also recommended are grain/bean casseroles (recipes in vegetarian cookbooks).

Nuts and seeds – Nuts and seeds, either raw or roasted without salt or sugar. To prevent rancidity, nuts and seeds should be kept in an air-tight container in the refrigerator. May also use nut butters from health food stores or from fresh ground nuts (this includes peanut butter if allowed, almond butter, cashew butter, walnut butter, sesame butter, and sesame tahini). Nut butters go well on celery sticks and crackers.

Oils and fats – Sunflower, safflower, olive, sesame, peanut, flaxseed (edible linseed), canola and soy oils. Use coldpressed or expeller-pressed oils (available from health food stores), as they are safer for the heart and blood vessels. Do not use corn oil or “vegetable oil” from an unspecified source, as this is usually corn oil. Soy and sunflower or safflower margarine are OK from an allergy standpoint, but we do not consider margarine a desirable food, as there is evidence it may promote heart disease. It is acceptable to use margarine during the elimination and testing period. However, if you are not allergic to butter, we recommend it instead of margarine, once you have completed food testing. Also suggested are vegetable and bean spreads, instead of butter or margarine.

Snacks – Any food can be eaten as a snack, any time of day. Also suggested are celery, carrot sticks or other vegetables; fruit in moderation (no citrus); unsalted fresh nuts and seeds; Barbara’s Granola Bars (from health food stores); wheat-free cookies (check ingredients). Beverages – Herbs teas (no lemon or orange); spring water in glass bottles or clear plastic, seltzer (salt free); Perrier; pure fruit juices without sugar or additives (dilute 50:50 with water); almond nut milk (Nut Quick); soy milk without corn oil (such as Eden Soy Plain); Cafix, Inka and Roma may be used as coffee substitutes. Tap water contains chlorine, fluoride and other potentially allergenic chemicals. In some cases, distilled or spring water in glass bottles is the only water allowed. This would include water used for cooking. If tap water is eliminated, it should be reintroduced as if it were a test food. Restrictions on the type of water permitted will be made on a case by case basis.

Thickeners – Rice, oat, millet, barley, soy, kuzu or amaranth flours; arrowroot, agar.

Spices and condiments – Salt in moderation; pepper, herbal spices without preservatives, citrus or sugar; garlic, ginger, onions; catsup and mustard from the health food store (without sugar); wheat-free tamari sauce; Bragg liquid aminos; vitamin C crystals in water as a substitute for lemon juice.

Miscellaneous – Sugar-free spaghetti sauce; fruit jellies without sugar or citrus; soups such as split pea, lentil, turkey/vegetable, etc.

GENERAL SUGGESTIONS

Do not restrict your calories! Start with a good breakfast, eat frequently throughout the day, and consume at least 4 glasses of water per day. If you do not eat enough, you may experience symptoms of low blood sugar, such as fatigue, irritability, headache, and too-rapid weight loss. To ensure adequate fiber, eat beans, permitted whole grains, whole fruits and vegetables, homemade vegetable soup, nuts and seeds. Be sure to chew thoroughly, in order to enhance digestion.

Plan your meals for the week. Take a list with you to the health food store. If your schedule is very busy and it is hard to think of what to fix, take some time before starting the diet to make a list of all of your favorite types of foods and possible meal plans. For ideas, look through cookbooks that specialize in hypoallergenic diets. Most meals can be modified easily to meet the requirements of the diet, without changing the meal plan for the rest of your family. When you go to the health food store, ask for assistance in locating “allowed” versions of breads, crackers, cereals, muffins, soups, etc. Some people find it helpful to prepare additional foods on the weekend, to cut down on thinking and preparation time during the week. If you need further assistance or ideas, talk with your diet counselor.

Dining out: Do not hesitate to ask questions or make requests. For instance, you could ask for fish topped with slivered almonds, cooked without added seasoning, butter or lemon. Get a baked potato with a slice of onion on top. Order steak or lamb chops with fresh vegetables, also prepared without added seasonings (with the exception of garlic & plain herbs). Use salad bars that do not use sulfites as a preservative, and bring your own dressing (oil and cider vinegar with chopped nuts/seeds and fresh herbs). Get into the habit of carrying pure water, snacks, seasonings, etc., wherever you go, to supplement your meals or to have something on hand if you start to get hungry.

Withdrawal symptoms: About one in four patients develops mild “withdrawal” symptoms within a few days after starting the diet. Withdrawal symptoms may include fatigue, irritability, headaches, malaise, or increased hunger. These symptoms generally disappear within 2-5 days and are usually followed by an improvement in your original symptoms. If withdrawal symptoms are too uncomfortable, take buffered vitamin C (calcium ascorbate – 1,000 mg in tablet form or 1/4 teaspoon of the crystals, up to 4 times a day) or 3/4 teaspoon of “alkali salts” (2 parts potassium bicarbonate, 1 part sodium bicarbonate) in water as needle, up to 3 times a day for several days. In most cases, withdrawal symptoms are not severe and do not require treatment. It is best to discontinue all of the foods abruptly (“cold turkey”), rather than easing into the diet slowly.

Testing individual foods: It may take 3 weeks for symptoms to improve enough to allow you to retest foods. However, it would be best to test the foods anyway, to rule out hidden offenders. Most patients do improve. Some feel so well on the diet that they decide not to test the foods. This could be a mistake. If you wait too long to retest, your allergies may “settle down” and you will not be able to provoke your symptoms by food testing. Then, you will not know which foods you are allergic to. If reintroducing certain foods causes a recurrence of symptoms, you are probably allergic to those foods.

Food sources for testing. Test pure sources of a food. Example: do not use pizza to test cheese, because pizza also contains wheat and corn oil. Do not use bread to test wheat, as it contains other ingredients. Organic sources are the best to use for testing, as you will not experience interference from pesticides, hormones or other additives which may be used in commercial preparations.

Test one new food each day. If your main symptom is arthritic pain, test one new food every other day. Allergic reactions to test foods usually occur within 10 minutes to 12 hours after ingestion. However, joint pains may be delayed by as much as 48 hours.

Eat a relatively large amount of each test food. For instance, on the day to test milk, add a large glass at breakfast, along with any of the other foods on the “permitted” list. If after one serving, your original symptoms come back, or if you develop a headache, bloating, nausea, dizziness, or fatigue, do not eat that food anymore and place it on your “allergic” list. If no symptoms occur, eat the food again for lunch and supper and watch for reactions. Even if the food is well tolerated, do not add it back into your diet until you have finished testing all of the foods. If you do experience a reaction, wait until your symptoms have improved before testing all of the foods. If you do experience a reaction, wait until your symptoms have improved before testing the next food. If you wake up the next morning with head or joint pain, nausea, or any other suspicious symptom, you may be experiencing a delayed reaction to the food you tested the day before. If you are uncertain whether you have reacted to a particular food, remove it from your diet and retest it 4-5 days later. You do not have to test foods you never eat. Do not test foods you already know cause symptoms.

Foods may be tested in any order. Begin testing on a day you are feeling well (without colds, unusual headaches, flu). Review the list of symptoms to watch for and keep a journal of how you feel.

 

Dairy test – Test milk and cheese on separate days. You may wish to test several cheeses on different days, since some people are allergic to one cheese but not another. It is usually not necessary to test yogurt, cottage cheese, or butter separately.

Wheat test – Wheatena (with no milk or sugar) or another pure wheat cereal, may add soy or nut milk.

Corn test – Use fresh ears of corn or frozen corn (without sauces or preservatives)

Egg test – Test the whites and yolks on separate days, using hard-boiled eggs.

Citrus test – Oranges, grapefruits, lemons, and limes. Test these individually on four separate days. The lemon and lime can be squeezed into Perrier or seltzer. In the case of orange and grapefruit, use the whole fruit.

Frequently eaten foods – Test tap water, if you have eliminated it, followed by those foods you have restricted (such as foods being consumed more than three times a week).

Optional tests – The following foods and beverages are considered undesirable, regardless of whether or not you are allergic to them. If any of them are not now a part of your diet, or if you are fully committed to eliminating them from your diet, there is no need to test them. However, if you have been consuming any of them regularly, it is a good idea to test them and find out how they affect you. Reactions to these foods and beverages may be severe in some cases. They should be tested only on days that you can afford to feel bad.

Coffee and tea test (separate days) – Do not add milk, non-dairy creamer or sugar. May add soy milk. If you use decaffeinated coffee, test it separately. Coffee, tea, decaffeinated coffee, and decaffeinated tea are separate tests.

Sugar test – Put 4 teaspoons of sugar in a drink or on cereal, or mix with another food. Chocolate test – Use 1-2 tablespoons of pure baker’s chocolate or Hershey’s cocoa powder in a drink or mix with another food.

Alcohol test (test this last) – Beer, wine and hard liquor may require testing on different days, as the reaction to each may be different. Have 2 drinks per test day, but only if you can afford not to feel well that day and possibly the next day.

Food additive test – Buy a set of McCormick’s or French’s food dyes and colors. Put 1/2 teaspoon of each color in a glass. Add one teaspoon of the mixture to a glass of water and drink. If you wish, you may test each color separately.

After the testing if finished, it is time to return to the office for a follow-up visit. When you are within 10 days or so of completing your testing, call the office for an appointment. Bring your journal with you, so you may review your experiences with the doctor.

Suggestions for ongoing self-help, if you are allergic to foods:

Rotation Diets: If you have an allergic constitution and eat the same foods every day, you may eventually become allergic to them. After you have discovered which foods you can eat safely, make an attempt to rotate your diet. A fourday schedule is necessary for some severely allergic patients, but most people can tolerate foods more frequently than every four days. You may eventually be able to tolerated allergenic foods, after you have avoided them for 6-12 months. However, if you continue to eat these foods more frequently than every fourth day, the allergy may return. Use common sense and consume a wide variety of foods. Do not just latch onto a few favorites. If you are rotating foods, be sure to avoid all forms of the food when you are on and “off” day. For instance, if you are rotating corn, be sure to avoid corn chips, corn oil, corn sweeteners, etc., except on the days that you are eating corn and corn products. It is not necessary to do strict food rotation during the elimination and retesting periods.

Watch for other allergic reactions: If you have an allergic constitution, you may be allergic to foods other than those you have eliminated and tested on this diet. Pay attention to what you are eating and if you develop symptoms, review your recent meals and try to identify what may be different in what you have eaten. You can then eliminate that food for two weeks and test it again, to see if you can provoke the same symptoms. Symptoms that may be due to food allergy: General: Fatigue, anxiety, depression, insomnia, food cravings, obesity Infection: Recurrent colds, urinary tract infections, sore throats, ear infections, yeast infections Ear, Nose & Throat: Chronic nasal congestion, postnasal drip, fluid in the ears, Menière’s syndrome Gastrointestinal: Irritable bowel syndrome, constipation, diarrhea, abdominal cramping, ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, gallbladder disease Cardiovascular: High blood pressure, arrhythmia, angina Dermatologic: Acne, eczema, psoriasis, canker sores (aphthous ulcers), hives Rheumatologic: Muscle aches, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis. Neurologic: Migraines and other headaches, numbness. Miscellaneous: Asthma, frequent urination, teeth grinding, bedwetting, infantile colic. Note: most of these disorders have more than one cause, but food allergy is a relatively common and frequently overlooked cause. Copyright 2014 Natural Terrain Naturopathic Clinic. Dr. Christina Bjorndal

The Dirty Dozen & The Clean 15

If you’ve ever wondered which fruits and vegetables are most contaminated with pesticides, the Environmental Working Group (EWG) has answers. Its annual Shopper’s Guide highlights the Dirty Dozen which can help consumers reduce exposure to potentially harmful chemicals while still eating plenty of produce. According to them, below are the 12 fruits and veggies in 2026 that were deemed to be “most contaminated with pesticides.”

Alternatively, the Clean Fifteen helps consumers make informed choices about which produce they can buy non-organic if they want to reduce pesticide exposure while managing grocery costs. It complements the Dirty Dozen, and often includes items with thick skins, peels, or husks, which naturally protect the edible portion from pesticide contamination.

Want to learn more?  Take our Environmental Quiz! Discover how much your environment may be impacting your health — and what you can do to support your body. This quiz only takes 3–5 minutes. You’ll get personalized results and next steps at the end. Take the Quiz Here!

The Importance of an Alkaline Diet

Modern agriculture and food preservation methods have seriously damaged the human diet. The detrimental effects on the human body caused by acidic wastes from processed food and chemical additives are numerous. Acidic byproducts of the foods we eat are the common denominator in all degenerative disease. When acidic wastes accumulate, they can cause organs to malfunction and break down. Balancing the body’s acid-alkaline pH factor is an important way to improve health. For necessary reactions and functions to occur in our body, it must be have a proper pH balance. The internal chemical environment of our bodies is maintained at a pH of approximately 7.0 – which is alkaline. Maintenance of this state is a dynamic process mediated in each moment by numerous reactions that produce acid by-products. Our organs (such as our lungs, kidneys, intestines, and skin) primarily control this internal equilibrium. The body needs oxygen, water, alkaline reserves and acid-buffering minerals to accomplish pH balance.

When an alkaline environment is maintained in the body it is able to function optimally. The acid-forming by-products of stress, inflammation and a poor diet are neutralized only when sufficient mineral-buffering reserves are present. Mineral buffering reserves are the gift that alkaline-forming foods give to our body. A diet that is predominantly alkaline forming is essential to the maintenance of sustained health. Most fruits and vegetables contain higher proportions of alkaline-forming elements than other foods.

Large amounts of protein and fat promote acid-forming elements; therefore, cow’s milk and dairy products are acid forming. An exception is clarified butter (known as “ghee” in Indian cookery), which has alkalinizing short chain fats known as butyrates and caprylates. The butyrates and caprylates present in ghee are also thought to promote healthy bacterial growth in the intestines, help repair of the intestinal wall and decrease the growth of harmful bacteria, yeast and parasites. On the next page is a chart which categorizes foods as acid or alkaline forming based on how the food is metabolized in the body. In general, fruits, vegetables, lentils, seeds, sprouts, roots and tubers are alkalinizing.

On the other hand, grains, grasses, fowl, fish, seafood, dairy products, meats and most beans are acidifying. To remember this, consider that if a food comes from under or near the ground, it is likely to be alkalinizing. If it comes from on or high above the ground, it is likely to be acid forming.

 

Tips For Alkalinizing Your Diet

 

1. Increase consumption of vegetables and fruits as most are alkalinizing

2. Add freshly squeezed lemon or lime juice (¼ – ½ a wedge) in water as a beverage (note: do not put lemon peel in water to avoid drinking pesticides on the peel) & drink lots of pure water.

3. Have 1 cup of alkalinizing greens daily, such as kale, collards, mustard green, rapini, spinach, etc.

4. Eat less acid-forming grains, (wild rice and quinoa instead of wheat and white rice).

5. Learn to make a miso broth (1 tsp of miso dissolved in one cup of hot (not boiling) water). Experiment with adding cooked daikon radish rounds and a small amount of cooked wakame seaweed to the miso broth

6. Make blender drinks using alkaline juices, green powdered supplements and fruit

7. Choose fish and lamb over beef and chicken for less acid forming animal protein

8. Use olive oil as it is less acid forming than other vegetable oils

9. Use buffered Vitamin C to alkalinize the system

10. Practice deep breathing – as oxygen is alkalinizing to the body

11. Ensure alkaline forming foods comprise 80% of your diet and acid forming foods 20% of your diet (see chart on reverse)

The Power of the Pomegranate

Pomegranates not only taste great, but they also have lots of medicinal benefits.

The composition of pomegranates is quite unique, being composed as a mixture of different bioactive compounds. The high levels of bioflavonoids, ellagitannins, catechins and anthocyanins give powerful health benefits to pomegranates.

The Benefits of Pomegranates

Here are 5 benefits of this powerful fruit:

  1. Pomegranates are loaded with nutrients. Pomegranates are high in vitamin C, potassium, fibre, vitamin K and folate. These nutrients are needed for the body to carry out regular functions, like digestion, breathing and preventing illness.
  2. Pomegranates may prevent and be used to help treat certain cancers. Some primary research suggests that pomegranates may help prevent cancer development and slow down the spread of cancer, particularly prostate, breast, skin, lung and colon cancers.
  3. It lowers blood pressure. Pomegranates are considered anti-hypertensives meaning that they can reduce blood pressure. Studies have shown that drinking 1 cup a day of pomegranate juice can reduce both systolic and diastolic blood pressure. We love Pom juice! Available at local grocery stores.
  4. It is anti-inflammatory. Pomegranates are great at reducing inflammation. They have been studied in a number of different inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease and cardiovascular disease.
  5. Pomegranates may help with depression. Pomegranate juice contains phytochemical compounds that stimulate serotonin and estrogen receptors, improving symptoms of depression and increasing bone mass in lab animals

The De-Seeding Technique

Taking the seeds out of a pomegranate is no easy task. It can be a messy, sticky scene. When we eat a pomegranate this way, we lose out on some of the nutrition that is in the pomegranate juice.

Luckily, Dr. Mason-Wood ND has a trick for getting pomegranate seeds out while preserving the juiciness and reducing the mess. Cut the pomegranate in half, put the cut half face down into your palm and fingers. Hold your hand over a large bowl. Then, take a wooden spoon and hit the back of the pomegranate. The seeds should fall out of the pomegranate, through your fingers and into the bowl.

Watch the video to see Dr. Mason-Wood’s ND trick for pomegranates in action.

Pomegranate Recipe Ideas

Because pomegranate seeds are so small, they are easy to add to a number of different dishes. Two of the easiest ways is to throw it into your favourite salad for a burst of flavour or add it to your smoothie. Here are 3 dishes we are excited to try.

Turkey Tacos with Pear Pomegranate Salsa Taco

Adapted from Ali Martin’s Pear Pomegranate Salsa and Dr. Chris Bjorndal ND in The Essential Diet:  Eating for your Mental Health. 

INGREDIENT:

Pear Pomegranate Salsa

      • 2 fresh pears (any kind), cored and diced
      • 1 fresh pomegranate, seeded
      • half a red onion, diced
      • 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
      • juice of half a lime

Jack’s Taco Seasoning 

      • 1 tsp ground cumin
      • 1 tsp ground oregano
      • 1⁄2 tsp onion powder
      • 1⁄2 tsp garlic powder
      • 1⁄2 tsp paprika
      • 1⁄4 to 1⁄2 tsp cayenne pepper (ground) 1⁄4 to 1⁄2 tsp cayenne pepper flakes

Turkey filling

      • 1 tsp olive oil
      • 1 lb. ground lean turkey
      • ¼ cup crumbled cotija cheese
      • 3⁄4 C water
      • Whole-wheat tortillas
      • Optional: fresh lime wedges, extra chopped fresh cilantro, sour cream,  diced scallions, and tomatoes.

DIRECTIONS:

    1. Make the seasoning by tossing all the ingredients together
    2. Make the salsa. Toss the pears, pomegranates, red onion, cilantro leaves and lime together until combined. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
    3. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Break up the ground turkey into small pieces and cook thoroughly (5 minutes). Drain the fat and reduce the heat. Add the taco seasoning mix and water, then stir to blend the spices with the meat. Reduce the heat to simmer.
    4. Lay one tortilla out on a serving plate.  Place a few slices of turkey in a line down the center of the tortilla.  Then add a few spoonfuls of salsa and a sprinkle of cotija cheese on top of the Turkey.  Serve immediately.

 

Pomegranate and Orange Salmon from Taste of Home

Taken from https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/orange-pomegranate-salmon/

INGREDIENTS:

      • 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
      • 1 skinned salmon fillet (about 2 pounds)
      • 1/2 teaspoon salt
      • 1 medium navel orange, thinly sliced
      • 1 cup pomegranate seeds
      • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
      • 1 tablespoon minced fresh dill

DIRECTIONS:

      1. Preheat oven to 375°. Place a 28×18-in. piece of heavy-duty foil in a 15x10x1-in. baking pan. Place onion slices in a single layer on foil. Top with salmon; sprinkle with salt. Arrange orange slices over top. Sprinkle with pomegranate seeds; drizzle with oil. Top with a second piece of foil. Bring edges of foil together on all sides and crimp to seal, forming a large packet.
      2. Bake until fish just begins to flake easily with a fork, about 25-30 minutes. Be careful of escaping steam when opening packet. Remove to a serving platter; sprinkle with dill.

 

Pomegranate & Pear Green Salad with Ginger Dressing by Cookies and Kate

Taken from Cookies and Kate  

INGREDIENTS:

Salad

      • ½ cup raw pecans (halves or pieces)
      • 5 ounces baby arugula
      • 2 ounces (about ½ cup) goat cheese or feta, crumbled
      • 1 large ripe Bartlett pear, thinly sliced
      • 1 Honeycrisp or Gala apple, thinly sliced
      • Arils from 1 pomegranate

 

Ginger dressing

      • ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
      • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, to taste
      • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
      • 1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey
      • 1 teaspoon finely grated fresh ginger
      • ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
      • About 10 twists of freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS:

  1. To toast the pecans, place them in a skillet over medium heat. Toast, stirring often, until they’re fragrant and starting to turn golden on the edges, about 4 to 5 minutes. Remove the pecans from the heat and roughly chop them (no need to chop if you started with pecan pieces). Set aside.
  2. Arrange the arugula across a large serving platter (or bowl, but the salad looks prettiest on a platter). Sprinkle the chopped pecans and crumbled goat cheese over the arugula. Fan out your slices of pear and apple and arrange them across the salad in sections (see photos). Sprinkle all over with fresh pomegranate seeds.
  3. To prepare the dressing, combine all of the ingredients and whisk until blended. Taste, and if it isn’t quite zippy enough, add another teaspoon of vinegar.
  4. Wait to dress the salad until you’re ready to serve (the dressing will wilt the greens over time). When you’re ready, drizzle the ginger dressing lightly all over the salad (you might not need all of it). Serve promptly.

References

1. Zarfeshany A, Asgary S, Javanmard SH. Potent health effects of pomegranate. Adv Biomed Res. 2014;3. doi:10.4103/2277-9175.129371
2. Pomegranates, raw Nutrition Facts & Calories. Accessed December 10, 2020. https://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/fruits-and-fruit-juices/2038/2
3. Sharma P, McClees SF, Afaq F. Pomegranate for Prevention and Treatment of Cancer: An Update. Molecules : A Journal of Synthetic Chemistry and Natural Product Chemistry. 2017;22(1). doi:10.3390/molecules22010177
4. Asgary S, Keshvari M, Sahebkar A, Sarrafzadegan N. Pomegranate Consumption and Blood Pressure: A Review. Curr Pharm Des. 2017;23(7):1042-1050. doi:10.2174/1381612822666161010103339
5. Sahebkar A, Ferri C, Giorgini P, Bo S, Nachtigal P, Grassi D. Effects of pomegranate juice on blood pressure: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Pharmacol Res. 2017;115:149-161. doi:10.1016/j.phrs.2016.11.018
6. Danesi F, Ferguson LR. Could Pomegranate Juice Help in the Control of Inflammatory Diseases? Nutrients. 2017;9(9). doi:10.3390/nu9090958

https://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/fruits-and-fruit-juices/2038/2

The Foundations of Immune Health: Part 3- Diet

Optimizing the immune system requires more than taking a simple pill. It is an interplay between lifestyle and diet.  The foundations of the immune health require special attention to different aspects of your life such as

 

This week we will be discussing how diet plays a role in immune health and tips to make sure your diet supports your immune system.

The Connection Between Diet and the Immune System

Throughout the whole immune process, the body requires certain micronutrients to help fend off invading microbes. One of the best ways to get these micronutrients is through the diet. Food provides energy and nutrients to help our immune cells work effectively in prevention and recovery.

Diet also plays a major role in regulating the gut microbiome. The gut microbiome helps to breakdown and present the infectious agents to the immune cells in specialized tissue called the gut association lymphoid tissue (GALT). If we eat unhealthy food, we can experience something called “dysbiosis” which is an imbalance of our good microbiome bacteria and bad bacteria. The bad bacteria cause the body to go into an inflammatory state. When there are high amounts of inflammation in the gut we can develop something called leaky gut. This means that instead of food particles and bacteria entering the body in controlled ways and being checked by immune cells in the GALT, it now can enter your bloodstream unchecked. This can cause an immune reaction throughout the whole body and cause you to get sick.

Dietary Tips for Immune Health

You may be thinking “well then what should I eat?”. The answer is not as simple as you probably thought. The ideal diet should be individualized for every patient, their health concerns, values, beliefs and lifestyle. The best diets come from a partnership with our naturopathic doctors and their patients. Dietary changes should be reasonable and be able to be sustained for a long time.

In terms of immune health, here are our top dietary recommendations

1. Eat a variety of foods

The best way we like to explain this to patients is by telling them that they should “eat the rainbow”. Basically, this general rule suggests that when you look at your plate, you should see 4-5 different colours of food. Colours represent different nutrients that are in the foods. The immune system requires lots of different vitamins, minerals, proteins and fats to function optimally. The gut microbiome also thrives when exposed to a variety of different foods (see below for more suggestions on how to support your microbiome with food). Some other ideas include switching up your meals at least a couple of times a week, experimenting with cooking new foods and ensuring that all your meals have a protein, vegetables and a fat source, such as olive oil.

2. Eat your veggies and fruit

Vegetables are dense in nutrients. They can help provide your body with different vitamins and minerals. Fruits and vegetables have antioxidant properties which help to reduce damage to our cells and optimize the immune system.  Almost all vegetables and fruit have benefits to the immune system. Some examples of particularly great immune supporting fruits and vegetables are; berries, spinach, citrus fruits such as oranges, grapefruits, lemons and limes and cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli, cauliflower, Brussel sprouts, cabbage and arugula.

3. Reduce inflammatory foods

During acute illness, inflammation is a good and natural process that helps the immune system fight off infections. However, if we are already in an inflammatory state when we get sick, then we are already using the immune system’s resources on other parts of the body that may not require as much energy. Inflammation leaves our bodies more susceptible to illnesses. The number one inflammatory food is SUGAR! It is also a good idea to avoid processed foods and excessive alcohol as they are also highly inflammatory.

4. Spice up your meals

There are a lot of great spices out that don’t just add a bunch of flavour to your meals, but they also have immune-supporting effects. Garlic has a lot of antimicrobial properties that assists the immune system in preventing you from getting sick. Turmeric is highly anti-inflammatory and is a good antioxidant. Ginger is also good for bringing down the inflammation. These foods will help to improve your immune function. Try adding at least one to every meal.

5. Eat probiotic rich foods

Because a lot of our immune cells are in our gut, it only makes sense that taking care of the gut is an important part of immune health. Probiotics help to populate the intestinal lining with bacteria that are helpful for nutrient absorption. Eat probiotics rich foods such as kefir, sauerkraut, kimchi and miso frequently.

To get more information and to individualize a diet for your health needs, book an appointment with a Naturopathic Doctor today!

 

What is the Mediterranean Diet? And Is It Good for You?

Nutrition is one of the foundational building blocks of health. What we eat plays an incredibly important role in our digestion, mental health, hormone production and energy levels. At Natural Terrain, assessing a patient’s diet and nutritional intake is a common occurrence. Diet is an important way to make sure you are getting all the vitamins, minerals, proteins and nutrients you need to be healthy. The diets that are prescribed are often well-researched diets that are tailored to the needs of the patient. One diet that has a lot of good research behind it is the Mediterranean diet.

What is the Mediterranean Diet?

The Mediterranean Diet is a diet based on the daily servings of food groups. Often the Mediterranean diet is described in a pyramid, with different food groups put into different levels. The bottom of the pyramid is what should be eaten at every meal and the top of the pyramid are foods that should be eaten the least.

Base Level

On the base of the pyramid is vegetables, fruits, whole grains, herbs, legumes and healthy fats. Olive oil is encouraged as the main healthy fat, but nuts and seeds are also placed in this category. Legumes, such as beans, peas and lentils should replace meat products in at least 3 of your meals each week. Every meal should focus on this main category.

Level 2

The next level of the pyramid is fish and seafood. Fish is the main source of animal protein in the Mediterranean diet. It is high in Omega-3’s which are anti-inflammatory and great for your health. When selecting which types of fish to eat, it is best to choose fish with lower levels of mercury. You can look here for low mercury fish. In Edmonton, we recommend buying your fish from Ocean Odyssey Inland for some of the freshest, high-quality fish.

Level 3

The third level is Poultry, Eggs and Dairy which should be consumed in small amounts. Eat these types of foods once every couple days.

Top of the Pyramid

The last category, which should make up the lowest proportion of your diet is red meats and sweets. Choose lean cuts of meats when possible and consume these only a couple of times each month. Leave sugary foods for special occasions only.

Water is encouraged to be drank throughout the day. Moderate intake of red wine is allowed, with the maximum drinks per day being 1 for women and 2 for men.  While the emphasis is on food group selection, the Mediterranean Diet also suggest daily exercise and eating with others, which are good practices to start.

What are the health benefits?

The health benefits of the Mediterranean has been well studied. One of the most studied link is between the Mediterranean diet and the prevention of cardiovascular disease. Studies show that following a Mediterranean diet can reduce your risk of stroke, heart attacks and death from cardiovascular disease. It has also been shown to significantly reduce blood pressure.

Mediterranean diets also have been useful in preventing and treating diabetes. The Mediterranean diet can help lower glucose levels and improve insulin sensitivity.

Besides diabetes and cardiovascular disease, the Mediterranean diet has been helpful to improve sleep quality, manage PCOS, prevent cognitive decline, decrease the risk of depression and prevent some cancers.

Although the Mediterranean diet is considered a ‘diet’, it does not require any change in the amount of food intake. Working with a naturopathic doctor to tailor a diet like the Mediterranean diet can be an important step in preventative medicine and building the foundation of health.

References

  1. Schwingshackl L, Hoffmann G. Adherence to Mediterranean diet and risk of cancer: an updated systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies. Cancer Medicine. 2015;4(12):1933-1947. doi:10.1002/cam4.539
  2. Shafiei F, Salari-Moghaddam A, Larijani B, Esmaillzadeh A. Adherence to the Mediterranean diet and risk of depression: a systematic review and updated meta-analysis of observational studies. Nutr Rev. 2019;77(4):230-239. doi:10.1093/nutrit/nuy070
  3. Martini D. Health Benefits of Mediterranean Diet. Nutrients. 2019;11(8). doi:10.3390/nu11081802
  4. Campanini MZ, Guallar-Castillón P, Rodríguez-Artalejo F, Lopez-Garcia E. Mediterranean Diet and Changes in Sleep Duration and Indicators of Sleep Quality in Older Adults. Sleep. 2017;40(3). doi:10.1093/sleep/zsw083
  5. Georgoulis M, Kontogianni M, Yiannakouris N. Mediterranean Diet and Diabetes: Prevention and Treatment. Nutrients. 2014;6(4):1406-1423. doi:10.3390/nu6041406
  6. Rees K, Takeda A, Martin N, et al. Mediterranean-style diet for the primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease. Cochrane Heart Group, ed. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. Published online March 13, 2019. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD009825.pub3
  7. Benson G, Pereira RF, Boucher JL. Rationale for the Use of a Mediterranean Diet in Diabetes Management. Diabetes Spectrum. 2011;24(1):36-40. doi:10.2337/diaspect.24.1.36

 

Low Carb, High Fat Lifestyle Gains Ground

This article as been written by the Orthomolecular Medicine News Service and is posted with their permission. The peer-reviewed Orthomolecular Medicine News Service is a non-profit and non-commercial informational resource. Find archived articles here;  http://orthomolecular.org/resources/omns/index.shtml

What is the world’s biggest nutritional problem? Until fairly recently, the answer was often hunger. In previous decades there were numerous solicitations in the media asking for donations to help feed the hungry — but those have largely disappeared. In the early 80s the marketing of processed food fundamentally changed from marketing to satisfy hunger to marketing processed food to satisfy desire and pleasure. Essential nutrients were removed from food to extend its shelf life and promote a “better taste” that would appeal to the tongue and generate more profit. One could argue the obesity epidemic had its origins there. Today, one might answer the world’s biggest nutrition problem is obesity and the associated problem of malnutrition from lack of adequate intake of essential nutrients, which causes the metabolic diseases of diabetes, heart disease, and some say cancer.

The answer to the obesity epidemic seems to have gotten lost in the modern world, but it has long been discussed under two buzzwords. One is “ketogenics” or driving the body into fat burning mode. The other is “low carb, high fat”. They are very similar in approach.

The low carb – high fat proposition is quite a startling if not radical change from the doctrine, familiar over the last five decades, of avoiding fat. After studying this material, I found that the conventional wisdom was wrong — and has substantially contributed to the world’s population of people who just don’t feel good.

In a profound lecture, Dr. Joan Ifland presents her twenty-three-year journey of understanding how the world switched from hunger to (shall we say) “non-hunger” but with the rather huge side effect of metabolic diseases. Metabolic diseases are ones that are self-inflicted or developed from within, whereas communicable diseases are ones we get from each other.

Dr. Ifland’s thesis is that the largest addict group in the world today is addicted to carbohydrates, in particular, sugar. The size of this group far exceeds any traditional addictions to drugs or alcohol. Her insight is that in the ’80s and ’90s big business learned from the early hugely successful marketing of tobacco how to mass-market today’s junk food. It has been a huge business success for a few but devastating to health and life spans for many. She explains there are too many contributors to the status-quo to hope for government action, but the solution can only come from individual action. She further explains that modern communication technology can be very useful to promote individual action to solve this worldwide problem. A recent global conference in Cape Town, South Africa on the Low Carb, High Fat subject presented several excellent lectures, itemized below. All the conference lectures appear to be high quality. The science appears solid, and these are well worth a few evenings of study.

Dr. Gary Fettke, an orthopedic surgeon from Australia, explains chronic inflammation and its causes in processed food. Although he appears to have started out as a surgeon, as he saw amputations for diabetic patients becoming a large part of his practice, he changed focus to become an enthusiastic advocate of the low carb high fat diet.

Dr. Eric Westman from Duke University in North Carolina explains how fifteen years ago, two patients told him about their success with ketogenic diets. His investigation into the subject has transformed his practice into a full-time university-based, drug free, weight loss clinic. He explains that many of his colleagues have proposed that this, too, will be a fad. However, the science has shown to be solid.

Dr. Zoe Harcombe is an interesting lecturer from Wales, UK. She is one of the leading proponents of a low carb high fat diet. Her research shows there was never any scientific justification for low fat diets. The theory sounded good, that is “fat is bad”, and thus the politicians promoted it, case closed. At least until Dr. Zoe took a new look. She did not find faulty science, she found no science to support low fat diets.

Dr. Andreas Eenfeldt is widely known as Sweden’s esteemed diet doctor. He has an interesting story on the causes of a butter shortage in Norway. Additionally he presents how Sweden became the first national government to support low carb, high fat eating in preference to the traditional food pyramid.

In Closing

Energized by these lectures, I have learned that by eating the classic French fries and high-carb lunch, I will likely be fall-out-of-the-chair fatigued about 4 pm. To avoid that I’ve cut out big doses of processed carbohydrates and sweets, and include a larger portion of healthy fatty foods such as butter, nuts, whole olives, and avocados, per the recommendations above. It makes a big difference on what one gets done in a day.

The science behind the low carb, high fat trend is solid. Be your own scientist. It is easy to run your own experiments to verify what has been presented. To put it concisely, “What is it worth to you to feel really good?”

(About the author: Tom Taylor has engineering degrees from Georgia Tech and a MBA. He became interested in nutrition subjects as a solution to feeling too old and stiff to do the peculiar positions required to work on boats and airplanes. He has contributed prior articles to OMNS.)

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The peer-reviewed Orthomolecular Medicine News Service is a non-profit and non-commercial informational resource.