"Selective Eating Disorder?" Grow Up

It is a typical Sunday night here at home. Grocery shopping, done. America's Funniest Home Videos, complete. As I cruised the internet, I stumbled upon an article from LiveScience.com (published on MSN.com) titled, "Grown up but eat like a kid? You may have 'selective eating disorder.' What?!?!?!????

Subtitle: 'Those with the condition prefer salty, bland foods.' Duh.

This is a short blog...

Selective Eating Disorder = Ridiculous. Selective Eating Disorder aka 'very picky eating' is just that...picky eating. Would I rather eat potato chips, bacon, french fries, drink light beer, and consume the occasional carrot? Sure. That would be fantastic. Unfortunately, that is not a healthy diet. So I have to eat other foods that may not be on the top of my list...like dark green vegetables (kale, spinach, mustard greens, etc), broccoli, blueberries, raspberries, organic chicken, butternut squash (BTW - I made a delicious butternut squash soup this weekend - with organic sweet corn, organic yellow onions, and mixed organic bell peppers), organic black beans, quinoa, etc, etc, etc.

I am tired of making excuses for people who make bad choices. Grow up.

Subtract the Additives

Top 10 ingredients you don't want in your food:

1)Aspartame/Sucralose/AcesulfameK/Saccharin- all artificial sweeteners are bad. I think high fructose corn syrup is a better option than any of these...and high fructose corn syrup is nasty. Plain 'ol sugar is the best option. Did you know aspartame breaks down into formaldehyde? Saves the embalmer some time in the future.

2)MSG (monosodium glutamate) - MSG is a flavor enhancer originally developed to help malnourished elderly patients increase caloric intake. Turns out it worked! The food tasted better and the elderly patients ate more food. As a business, the food industry decided that this was a good thing. So they added MSG to MANY foods, and guess what?? Everyone ate more! Foods that contained MSG tasted 'better' so people ate more. This is/was a great thing if you are/were a food manufacturer. However, from a health standpoint, ingesting MSG has been associated with asthma, migraine headaches, food allergies, obesity, and hyperactivity in children. A 2001 study published in the journal Neurology by Nicholas J. Maragakis, MD and Jeffrey D. Rothstein, MD titled 'Glutamate Transporters in Neurologic Disease' stated, "Glutamate is the primary excitatory amino acid neurotransmitter in the human brain. It is important in synaptic plasticity, learning, and development. Its activity at the synaptic cleft is carefully balanced by receptor inactivation and glutamate reuptake. When this balance is upset, excess glutamate can itself become neurotoxic. ... This overactivation leads to an enzymatic cascade of events ultimately resulting in cell death." Excess glutamate has been associated with condition such as Parkinson's Disease. Glutamic acid is aslo found in hydrolyzed vegetable proteins, autolyzed yeast, yeast extract, and soy extracts.

3)Hydrogenated and/or partially hydrogenated oils - hydrogenation converts unsaturated fats (healthy) into saturated fats (unhealthy). Hydrogenated oils often equal trans-fats. Ingestion of these fats increases the risk for heart disease. It is faster to just stuff your arteries with cotton.

4)Sodium Nitrates/Nitrites - food preservatives also used as fertilizer, rocket propellant, and in smoke bombs. Form nitosamines which are known human carcinogens that cause DNA damage. Increased levels of nitrates in the diet have been linked to increased deaths from Alzheimer's, diabetes, cancer, and Parkinson's disease. Delicious! :\

5)Tartrazine (yellow#5) - all colors are bad but this one in particular seems to cause more problems. Studies have shown ingestion of tartrazine has been associated with childhood asthma, hyperactive behavior (ADD/ADHD), migraine headaches, anxiety, clinical depression, blurred vision, itching, general weakness, sleep disturbance, and thyroid tumors.

6)High fructose corn syrup - HFCS was first widely used in 1984 . Since that time the rate of diabetes and obesity has increased dramatically. That said, high fructose corn syrup does not cause obesity, eating it does!

7) Modified food starch - anything modified is bad news bears

8)BHT/TBHQ - chemicals added for "freshness" = product really isn't fresh

9)Maltodextrin - Matdextrin breaks dwn int gucse sugar) It can be derived corn, potatoes, and wheat. Individuals with wheat sensitivity and/or celiac disease should avoid products containing maltodextrin. FYI, sucralose (fake sugar) contains maltodextrin.

10)Natural Flavor - natural flavors are still chemicals made in a lab...they can be found in nature but there is nothing natural about them.

Gluten Gluttons

glut-ton [gluht-n]

-noun

1. a person who eats and drinks excessively or voraciously

-Synonym

1. chowhound


glu-ten [gloot-n]

-noun

1. the tough, viscid, nitogenous substance remaining when the flour of the wheat or other grain is washed to remove the starch


Bread, bagels, rolls, pasta, cereal, beer, soy sauce, tortillas, cakes, cookies, crackers, gin, pretzels, doughnuts, pancakes, waffles, whiskey, biscuits, lunch meat, licorice, pizza, canned soups, fish sticks, chicken nuggets...wheat, wheat, wheat, wheat, wheat, wheat, wheat, wheat, wheat, wheat, wheat, wheat, wheat, wheat, wheat, wheat, wheat, wheat, wheat, wheat, wheat, wheat, wheat, wheat, and wheat!

As the saying goes, we are what wheat. ;)

The overconsumption of wheat is troubling. It places a burden on our health as well as on the environment. Gluten sensitivity has become quite common and the incidence continues to increase. Interestingly, the amount of wheat consumed today is far less than the amount consumed at the turn of the century (Average American consumed 210 pounds of wheat flour per person at the turn of the century vs 133 pounds of wheat flour per person in 2004). So if we aren't eating as much (although 133 pounds of wheat flour is still a lot!), why is the incidence of gluten sensitivity increasing?

In order to keep up with demand, farmers are forced to do whatever is necessary to increase supply. This often results in early harvesting, decreased soil nutrients, lower product quality, and genetic modification of crops to increase yield and improve hardiness. If we all grew our own wheat, harvested it, ground it up, and baked our own bread in our brick ovens like we did at the turn of the century, wheat/gluten probably would not be a problem. But that's not what we eat. We eat mass produced, genetically modified, bleached, enriched, highly processed foodstuff that is listed on product labels as wheat/gluten. Food is a business. In business it's all about maximizing the bottom line. When it comes to food, this is often at the expense of the quality of the product and subsequently the quality of our health.

-Dr. John

(There are thousands of delicious gluten free items at The Organic Wholesale Club...check 'em out!)

Sprains, Strains, and Automobiles

Strains and sprains can be painful and confusing to distinguish. Below is a brief interview I did for a book called The Anti-Pain Plan by Rick Chillot that provides a bit more clarity on the difference as well as some helpful hints you can do to improve recovery.

1) Is there a difference between a sprain and a strain? How do you know which you have? Is one more serious than the other?

Yes, there is a difference between a sprain and a strain. A sprain involves injury to the ligaments of a joint and often occurs when a joint is carried through a range of motion greater than normal. A strain involves injury to muscle often resulting from overuse or improper use ( torn muscle). Put simply, muscles get strained and joints get sprained.

Signs and symptoms of both sprains and strains are quite similar. The main differences being the location of the injury (part of the body affected –for example, is the main wrist joint affected or is the pain along the forearm) and the nature of the injury. Joints can be very complex anatomical structures. The best way to know whether you have a sprain or strain is to see a physician. The physician should take a good history, perform provocative testing, imaging, and physical exam to determine the diagnosis.

Both sprains and strains range in severity from first degree to third degree with third degree being quite severe. I wouldn’t say that one is more serious than another. However, it has been my experience that torn muscles (strains) take longer to heal the sprains.

2) What actions should be taken immediately after injury? Ice is the first thing that comes to mind…how often should you ice it? What else might you do? Do you need to immobilize the wrist? Do you need to keep it elevated?

The one word people need to know immediately after injury is R.I.C.E.- Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation.

Immediately after the injury, ice is the best treatment. Ice works to decrease inflammation and as an analgesic. Ice should be used for 20-25 minutes every 2 hours after injury for the first 24-48 hours.

Proteolytic enzymes (amylase, lipase, trypsin, chymotrypsin, bromelain, papain, and cellulase) may also help, and if used, should be started within 1-24 hours post-injury. These enzymes, when taken away from food, act as antiinflammatories and have been shown to speed healing time by a factor of two. The closer post-injury they are taken, the more benefit they will have. Proteolytic enzymes can also be used 1-2 days prior to high stress, high contact events (sporting events such as football, soccer, wrestling, running, etc) to aid the body in recovery and prevent some of the damage that may occur.

Elevation will help decrease swelling by draining fluids away from the affected area. This should be done for the first 24-48 hours post-injury and possibly longer depending on the extent of injury.

Immobilization provides the body time to heal by decreasing stress and activity of the affected area. Depending on the severity of the injury, immobilization may be necessary. However, in first degree sprains and strains, immobilization can lead to increased adhesion formation and decreased range of motion. Therefore, slow, gentle exercises performed without pain are recommended to maintain strength and range of motion, and to prevent scarring of the tissue.

Along with proteolytic enzymes, there are a few other supplements that may help.
• Vitamin C- 3-6 grams daily in divided doses: important in connective tissue formation, promotes tissue function and tissue integrity, antioxidant, immune enhancing
• Glucosamine sulfate/Chondroitin sulfate – 500mg three times a day: stimulates the production of glycosaminoglycans- important building blocks of cartilage (used in cases of sprains not strains)
• Essential Fatty Acids (fish oil) – 1 - 2 capsules each day: decrease inflammation, stabilize cell membranes
• Multi-Vitamin - general support. The body requires more nutrients when injured due to increased demand at the site of injury. A good multi-vitamin in conjunction with a healthy diet provides the body with the necessary ingredients to aid healing.

(You can find many of these products at The Organic Wholesale Club at discounted prices. Use the coupon code 'drjohn' for an additonal 5% off!)


3) As with other types of trauma, it is helpful to apply heat in the days after the injury. Is contrast hydrotherapy also useful here?

Heat is very helpful as it increases circulation and acts as an analgesic. However, it is important not to begin using heat too close post-injury as it may increase inflammation (do not use within 24-48 hours post-injury). After this time, heat can be very beneficial.

That said, contrast hydrotherapy is an excellent treatment for both strains and sprains and may be used sooner post-injury (if the heat aggravates, you may not want to do contrast hydro or the temperature of the hot water portion can be decreased). The alternation of hot and cold will increase circulation, decrease swelling, and speed healing. The greater the contrast between the hot and cold water, the greater the physiological response. However, smaller contrasts are better than no contrasts. So if heat aggravates, wait 1-2 days to do contrast baths or decrease the degree of contrast, emphasizing cold. 3 minutes hot, 30 seconds cold, repeat 3 times. Always end with cold.

4) If you want to use an over the counter analgesic, are certain types better for this than others?

I believe there are plenty of natural analgesics available. However, if I had to select one, I would tend to use ibuprofen. It is effective, inexpensive, and less harmful to the GI system. In more severe cases I may recommend naproxen. Recommendation would depend on patient response, history, and necessity.

As for topical analgesics, there are plenty out there. All work fairly well. Again, for me the more natural the better. Tiger Balm and Arnica are two of my favorites. The concern in using these analgesic products is that individuals believe if they can’t feel the pain, they can do whatever they wish without doing damage. Just because you rub something on and you can’t feel pain, does not mean that everything is OK. I recommend my patients use these topical analgesics sparingly. Analgesics work well at dulling pain, but they serve no other therapeutic value and are often misused.

Remember to always talk to your doctor if the pain or injury persists and before beginning any treatment. And drive safely.

Where oh where did my Vitamin D go?

As I look out my window, I see snow falling from cloud covered skies. There is a peacefulness that surrounds snowfall. There is a quiet contentment that each of us experiences when it snows. Our worlds are forced to slow down and for a change we relax.

A few months ago, I would have been excited to see the snow. But today, when I woke up to snow falling, I was sad. I didn't like it. After two months of wintry weather, I was tired of the clouds and tired of the snow. Something seemed like it was missing. I wanted to see the sun.

We all experience a boost of mood and energy when we see the sunlight and feel its warmth on our skin. It is now known that this boost is often the result of the vitamin D our body produces from being in the sun.

The main symptoms of vitamin D deficiency are fatigue and depression, especially in the winter months. Recent research has demonstrated that most individuals living in the US are deficient in vitamin D. Although many foods are now fortified with vitamin D, the majority of vitamin D we receive is through sunlight. Individuals living in higher latitudes have less sun exposure and therefore are more susceptible to deficiency. In addition, those people living in sunnier locations may still be vitamin D deficient since the application of sunscreen prevents the conversion of active vitamin D. So what are we to do? In most cases, taking a vitamin D supplement becomes the fastest and most effective way to increase levels of vitamin D.

It appears that vitamin D functions more like a hormone than a vitamin. The main functions of vitamin D involve calcium absorption from the intestines and maintaining serum calcium and phosphorous levels. It is now known that vitamin D plays many more roles in the body as well. Vitamin D has been shown to enhance immune function, reduce inflammation, protect against cardiovascular disease, prevent autoimmune conditions, and control the way cells multiply and transform. Therefore, vitamin D may be beneficial for several conditions including colds/flu, asthma, cancer, multiple sclerosis, cardiovascular disease (heart disease, high cholesterol), stroke, high blood pressure, depression, chronic pain, osteoporosis, rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, and diabetes.

Blood testing for 25(OH) D (a vitamin D precursor in our blood) is the best indicator of vitamin D status. This marker should be the only one used to diagnose vitamin D deficiency. Close monitoring through blood testing of 25(OH) D levels should be done at least two to three times per year to ensure adequate supplementation and avoid toxicity. These levels should be at least 40 ng/ml but not exceed 70 ng/ml year round for optimal health benefits.

Research has shown that healthy individuals use about 3000-4000 IU of vitamin D daily, leaving the recommended daily allowances far below what may be required. Optimal vitamin D dosage varies depending on several factors including age, sun exposure, gender, weight, and skin color. The current recommended daily allowance for vitamin D is 200 IU for those between the ages of birth-50, 400 IU for those 51-70 years, and 600 IU for those 71 years of age and older. In most cases, the RDA is enough to prevent frank vitamin D deficiency and rickets. However, it may not be sufficient to maintain optimal health. It is estimated that 20-30 minutes of sun exposure during the middle part of a summer day can produce between 10,000 and 50,000 IU of vitamin D! Many practitioners use doses of 2000–7000 IU per day as treatment for individuals shown to be deficient.

Two forms of vitamin D supplements are available – vitamin D3 (cholecaciferol) and vitamin D2(ergocalciferol). Vitamin D2 is not human vitamin D and is not normally found in humans. In addition, intake of vitamin D2 may produce metabolic by-products not normally present in humans. There is some controversy, however, as recent research has shown that vitamin D2 may be as effective as vitamin D3 at maintaining blood levels of vitamin D. Considering vitamin D3 is the human form of vitamin D, I believe that this form should be used over vitamin D2. However, more research is required to determine if one form is superior to the other.

Vitamin D can be toxic so it is important to talk to your doctor before beginning supplementation. I screen all of my patients for vitamin D deficiency especially before beginning treatment. Let your doctor know you want to have your vitamin D levels tested to see if you are deficient. Although there is no substitute for the sun, ensuring adequate vitamin D levels can make an immediate difference in your overall health and attitude.


-Dr. John