I wrote this letter, today. Every five years, the USDA revises the Dietary Guidelines For Americans. Here are my recommendations to update The USDA Food Pyramid, a.k.a, "My Pyramid". (If you read this entry in my other blog: LA's Health News Cafe, you can skip this article. I posted it in both blogs, today).
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Dear Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee Members:
Please allow me to introduce myself. As a registered dietitian [Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, 1984], I have practiced medical nutrition therapy. I am also a health reporter and publisher of healthypeople.com
I do believe the predicament with The Pyramid is grains at the bottom. Thankfully the solution is simple: place VEGETABLES at the Base of The Pyramid …especially, the leafy green ones to help manage inflammation and pH Balance within the system. Simply shift this paradigm. It is quite easy.
We have medical visionaries amongst us. Pioneers in Integrative Medicine, such as Andrew Weil, M.D., Dean Ornish, M.D., Caldwell Esselstyn, Jr. M.D., T. Colin Campbell, M.D., Neal Barnard, M.D., all of whom would agree USA’s health care dilemma stems from diseases of lifestyle. Since inflammation precipitates most medical conditions, it stands to reason if we manage inflammation we can manage any chronic condition. This includes heart disease, type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, hypertension, cancers, immune disorders, depression, etc.
Thanks to these integrative medical pioneers, we now know the basic challenge for us all boils down to condition coined by Andrew Weil, M.D. as “low grade inflammation”. And, we can measure our progress with hemoglobin A1C tests.
The question is: How do we manage inflammation?
Part of the answer is consuming alkaline foods [like green leafy vegetables] and alkaline beverages [like green drinks, phyto-plankton based beverages], or consuming foods which break down into an alkaline ash [e.g., like grapefruits].
Including Omega 3 fats or foods rich in Omega 3 fatty acids [unprocessed soy, salmon, walnuts, grass-fed meat and “Omega-3 rich” eggs, flax seeds, hemp seeds, hemp milk, grasses, etc.] is another method to manage inflammation.
Naturally occurring COX 2 inhibitors: Some foods, like black cherries, manage inflammation with COX 2 inhibitors. Cannabis also contains COX 2 inhibitors, which is why marijuana pills are now being prescribed for chronic pain.
Consumption of antioxidants and phyto-nutrients is yet another strategy to control inflammatory reactions. Most fresh or frozen fruits, vegetables and whole grains are naturally rich in phyto-nutrients and antioxidants.
Another priority is to identify foods, beverages and other variables which aggravate inflammation. Refined oils and sugars, pesticides, herbicides, fungicides all trigger inflammation. Cookware can be toxic, such as heated plastic which seeps into foods and beverages. Or, Styrofoam molecules which float into hot coffee or tea via osmosis. It does not take a rocket scientist to decipher that petro-chemically based ingredients [like artificial colors] and plastics ingested will aggravate inflammation …or that rocket fuel in our water is not such a good thing. It is not just about what we eat, but how we live.
Education is the key. We must educate the public [employees, patients, children, parents, students, the elderly, etc.] on a variety of timely topics:
- Manage pH/Acid-Base balance with leafy greens and alkaline.
- Glycemic Index and Glycemic Load as tools to manage blood sugars. Excess sugars and starches trigger inflammation, as well as insulin and hyper-triglyceridemia. They should be considered key contributors to heart disease, type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, cancers, etc. The more nutrient-dense versions of carbohydrate will contain vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients and antioxidants which helps compensate for the inherently high glycemic index, and can be consumed with protein-rich cuisine to slow the rate carbohydrate will enter the bloodstream.
- Most artificial sweeteners have a high glycemic index and elicit an insulin response, even though they contain very few Calories. [By the way, Stevia is not an artificial flavor. It is a sweet tasting herb which contains no carbohydrate, so does not trigger insulin response.]
- Processed oils trigger inflammation. Learn to select raw nuts, expeller pressed or unrefined oils not subjected to extreme temperatures. Oil in clear bottles exposed to light accelerates rancidity, creating more peroxides (free radicals) further igniting inflammation. Recommend oils be stored in tinted glass bottles (instead of plastic, which seeps into the fluid it contains, especially when temperatures rise.)
- Petro-chemically based ingredients must be managed: artificial food colors and dyes, fungicides/herbicides/pesticides all trigger the inflammatory process and be monitored by parents concerned with ADD/ADHD.
Well… this should keep us busy for the next five or ten years… until the next big breakthrough on the final frontier of Integrative Medicine comes to light.
Respectfully submitted,
Helene Berk, M.Ed., R.D.
Registered Dietitian, Health Reporter, Publisher of healthypeople.com
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Friday, April 17, 2009
Prohibition of Stevia is Finally Lifted!!!
Well, stevia is finally legal!!! The FDA has proclaimed we can safely use this herb as a sweetener for foods and beverages. Yet, the politics around it continue to emerge. According to Cargill, inc., the manufacturers of Truvia, "Only the rebiana component of the stevia leaf is legal to use as a sweetening agent on a food label". Truvia is made from erythritol, [a carbohydrate found in low glycemic fruits], stevia [a sweet tasting herb free of carbohydrates] and "natural flavors".
On the other hand, President and founder of Wisdom Natural Brands and the SweetLeaf trademark, James May, says "this is just another marketing ploy to spin the truth". May states the entire stevia leaf is now legal to include as a source to sweeten foods and beverages. He also goes on to mention that the process Cargill uses includes an alcohol extraction step which renders the plant as processed, and in my mind... less therapeutic.
On the other hand, President and founder of Wisdom Natural Brands and the SweetLeaf trademark, James May, says "this is just another marketing ploy to spin the truth". May states the entire stevia leaf is now legal to include as a source to sweeten foods and beverages. He also goes on to mention that the process Cargill uses includes an alcohol extraction step which renders the plant as processed, and in my mind... less therapeutic.
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
The Polotics of Stevia
Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! I've got a really sweet secret: Stevia, the undeniably sweet herb you can grow in your garden. When its leaves are dried, stevia becomes powdery green. Sprinkle it into soups, stews, salad dressings or anything you might want sweetened up.
Stevia is often concentrated into a brown super-nutrient-dense viscous fluid. It is also processed into a less-nutrient dense but still low-glycemic clear liquid, also used by the drop ...with a dropper. Only the raw form of stevia and the brown concentrate are therapeutic. Stevia is often used in skin and hair preparations. Stevia brown concentrate can be applied directly to skin wounds to seal them up and heal them from the inside out.
James May is President of Wisdom Natural Brands. He is truly a healer and has fascinating tales to tell about the transformative powers of stevia and his line of teas at http://www.sweetleaf.com/
JUST DON'T CALL IT A SWEETENER! That's against the law, according to the F.D.A. On the nutrition label, by law, manufacturers are prohibited from listing stevia as a sweetener or as a sweetening agent. It is a "supplement". Foods and beverages are "supplemented" with stevia.
Who do you think was behind this political game? Yes, the manufacturers of EQUAL, who wanted stevia to STAY OFF THE MARKET! It was too much competition for those big boys. So, they threw their weight around and did what they could to toss a wrench into the stevia industry. Incidentally, I do get severe headaches, feel awfully edgy and uneasy when I consume ANYTHING with EQUAL or SUCRALOSE. But, that's just me. We are all different.
Stevia is low-glycemic because it contains no carbohydrates. Therefore, it helps to manage blood sugars by not causing them to spike, yet satisfies that yen for something sweet. You really must experiment with this "supplement" (chuckle, chuckle).
Now, http://www.sweetleaf.com/ provides a variety of exciting new, simply delectable flavors: English Toffee, Valencia Orange, Lemon Drop, Chocolate Raspberry, Apricot Nectar, Vanilla Cream. Add these clear liquids to plain yogurt, shakes, sparking water, plain water... whatever you please!
Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! Just, DON'T CALL IT A SWEETENER. Even though it really is!
Stevia is often concentrated into a brown super-nutrient-dense viscous fluid. It is also processed into a less-nutrient dense but still low-glycemic clear liquid, also used by the drop ...with a dropper. Only the raw form of stevia and the brown concentrate are therapeutic. Stevia is often used in skin and hair preparations. Stevia brown concentrate can be applied directly to skin wounds to seal them up and heal them from the inside out.
James May is President of Wisdom Natural Brands. He is truly a healer and has fascinating tales to tell about the transformative powers of stevia and his line of teas at http://www.sweetleaf.com/
JUST DON'T CALL IT A SWEETENER! That's against the law, according to the F.D.A. On the nutrition label, by law, manufacturers are prohibited from listing stevia as a sweetener or as a sweetening agent. It is a "supplement". Foods and beverages are "supplemented" with stevia.
Who do you think was behind this political game? Yes, the manufacturers of EQUAL, who wanted stevia to STAY OFF THE MARKET! It was too much competition for those big boys. So, they threw their weight around and did what they could to toss a wrench into the stevia industry. Incidentally, I do get severe headaches, feel awfully edgy and uneasy when I consume ANYTHING with EQUAL or SUCRALOSE. But, that's just me. We are all different.
Stevia is low-glycemic because it contains no carbohydrates. Therefore, it helps to manage blood sugars by not causing them to spike, yet satisfies that yen for something sweet. You really must experiment with this "supplement" (chuckle, chuckle).
Now, http://www.sweetleaf.com/ provides a variety of exciting new, simply delectable flavors: English Toffee, Valencia Orange, Lemon Drop, Chocolate Raspberry, Apricot Nectar, Vanilla Cream. Add these clear liquids to plain yogurt, shakes, sparking water, plain water... whatever you please!
Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! Just, DON'T CALL IT A SWEETENER. Even though it really is!
Roses are red, so is this tea. Rooibos is therapeutic, and sweet as can be!
Are you one who sips on beverages all day long? You simply must discover Red Rooibos tea. Hot or iced, it is a delight. If you like your beverages sickeningly sweet, experiment with stevia to avoid adding carbohydrates. Or, you can try xylitol (which fights tooth decay and is low-glycemic!) A low G.I, (Glycemic Index) syrupy sweetener is agave [which comes from a cactus] and is pretty expensive, and easy to over-do. Lemon juice is a flavor-enhancer, so you might add it to iced red tea. Or a splash of 100% fruit juice will sweeten it, naturally. Like an ounce of apple juice, cranberry or pomegranate!
My friend, Nira Levy owns the Rooibos Tea House on 533 N. Fairfax Avenue, down the street from the CBS station. She LOVES TO COOK WITH THE TEA. Her website is http://www.africanredtea.com/ Check out a few flavors. Nira notes, "the longer you cook the tea, the stronger the anti-oxidants become" [I am not certain where she got that information, but, it could be true]. Nira advises to re-use the tea and to not to dump it after the first cup. I take her advice. She is the tea lady. I recommend buying in bulk and using a stainless steel or natural cloth tea strainer.
Red Tea has been identified as an "anti-aging beverage" by scientists at the Institute for Science at AICHI Medical University in Japan. Their studies revealed red tea contains a powerful anti-oxidant that fights free radical damage: S.O.D. or Super Oxide Dismutase. The researchers felt red tea can significantly delay the aging process.
Rooibos has been used to treat mild depression (contains tryptophan, which raises serotonin), as well as nervousness/anxiety/insomnia, digestive disorders, and is helpful for asthmatics to assist breathing. It also helps build bones and protects the immune system.
The minerals in Red Tea include:
iron, potassium, calcium, copper, zinc, magnesium, manganese, fluoride and sodium.
Red Tea contains the phyto-nutrient and flavonol, Quercetin, to fortify and strengthen capillaries, which feed the cells.
Green Tea, Shmeen Tea. Dive into a cup of Red, Red, Rooibos, tonight.
My friend, Nira Levy owns the Rooibos Tea House on 533 N. Fairfax Avenue, down the street from the CBS station. She LOVES TO COOK WITH THE TEA. Her website is http://www.africanredtea.com/ Check out a few flavors. Nira notes, "the longer you cook the tea, the stronger the anti-oxidants become" [I am not certain where she got that information, but, it could be true]. Nira advises to re-use the tea and to not to dump it after the first cup. I take her advice. She is the tea lady. I recommend buying in bulk and using a stainless steel or natural cloth tea strainer.
Red Tea has been identified as an "anti-aging beverage" by scientists at the Institute for Science at AICHI Medical University in Japan. Their studies revealed red tea contains a powerful anti-oxidant that fights free radical damage: S.O.D. or Super Oxide Dismutase. The researchers felt red tea can significantly delay the aging process.
Rooibos has been used to treat mild depression (contains tryptophan, which raises serotonin), as well as nervousness/anxiety/insomnia, digestive disorders, and is helpful for asthmatics to assist breathing. It also helps build bones and protects the immune system.
The minerals in Red Tea include:
iron, potassium, calcium, copper, zinc, magnesium, manganese, fluoride and sodium.
Red Tea contains the phyto-nutrient and flavonol, Quercetin, to fortify and strengthen capillaries, which feed the cells.
Green Tea, Shmeen Tea. Dive into a cup of Red, Red, Rooibos, tonight.
Monday, January 22, 2007
KILLERS in the Kitchen!
Yes, killers are lurking in your kitchen. The good news is, it is simple to spot them.
Toxic Fats:
Commercially refined cooking oils, like corn, vegetable and even canola oils, over-flow with "free radicals", aggravating inflammation. These over-processed, refined oils are heated at extremely high temperatures, creating cancer-causing peroxides. In addition, clear bottles of oil allow light to further degrade these oils, generating even more free radicals.
In the same vein, hydrogenated oils, like those in stick margarine, act like super-glue to solidify the cardiovascular system! Grab any package of cookies or crackers. Unless it states hydrogenated or partially-hydrogenated ingredients are strictly avoided, you can bet you are crunching on these toxic substances right about now.
Toxic Carbs:
Bleached, "boraxed", brightened white sugars and white flours, trigger just as many problems as toxic fats. Overdoing sugars and starches -- especially the refined versions, creates an acidic condition in your body, leading to more inflammation. They create a high glycemic load on your bloodstream, which means your blood has way too much sugar. This condition is known as hyperglycemia, and is a trigger for previously mentioned conditions, like inflammation, cardiovascular disease ...plus diabetes. Over-eating sugar, starch or any over-processed glycemic carbohydrate causes:
Toxic Fats:
Commercially refined cooking oils, like corn, vegetable and even canola oils, over-flow with "free radicals", aggravating inflammation. These over-processed, refined oils are heated at extremely high temperatures, creating cancer-causing peroxides. In addition, clear bottles of oil allow light to further degrade these oils, generating even more free radicals.
In the same vein, hydrogenated oils, like those in stick margarine, act like super-glue to solidify the cardiovascular system! Grab any package of cookies or crackers. Unless it states hydrogenated or partially-hydrogenated ingredients are strictly avoided, you can bet you are crunching on these toxic substances right about now.
Toxic Carbs:
Bleached, "boraxed", brightened white sugars and white flours, trigger just as many problems as toxic fats. Overdoing sugars and starches -- especially the refined versions, creates an acidic condition in your body, leading to more inflammation. They create a high glycemic load on your bloodstream, which means your blood has way too much sugar. This condition is known as hyperglycemia, and is a trigger for previously mentioned conditions, like inflammation, cardiovascular disease ...plus diabetes. Over-eating sugar, starch or any over-processed glycemic carbohydrate causes:
- brain fogginess and sleepiness
- elevation of blood fats. (a.k.a., "triglycerides")
- compromised immunity
- hormonal imbalances due to a deficiency of plant fibers
- hormonal imbalances from environmental additives: pesticides, fungicides and herbicides
Toxic Proteins
Have you eaten, yet? Let's chat a bit about sources of protein. Hormone and antibiotic-injected meat, poultry and dairy products can expose your immune system to low-doses of hormones and antibiotics over decades. Exposure to low-dose antibiotics may lower responsiveness to antibiotics administered by doctors.
Read those labels and search for grass-fed beef, free range chicken and eggs; Choose cold-water wild fish rather than farmed fish. For example, Wild Alaskan Salmon are well exercised, higher in omega-3 fatty acids and avoid chronic exposure to pesticides and antibiotics stored in fat cells. Larger mercury-rich fish like shark, swordfish, king mackerel, tuna must be eaten in moderation. The larger the fish, the higher the mercury content is likely to be. So, if you are seeking an omega-3 rich source of fish, experiment with sardines in olive oil, herring, and canned red salmon.
Toxic cooking utensils
Want to hear more about potentially hazardous materials in your kitchen? Much has been written about plastics in our environment entering our stomachs, moving through our lymph systems, destabilizing our endocrine systems and mucking up our circulatory systems.
Ingesting molecules of plastic can also throw hormones out of whack, creating more inflammation. The plastic spatula to flip your pancakes can melt into your meal. Beware of the plastic wrap on your micro waved meal! Prevent it from touching your food when heated up. One more thing about plastic, cloudy containers holding water and juices seep plastic molecules into the fluid they contain. Re: TEFLON. Don't even talk to me about it. If it kills birds when heated, what will it do to you? Just toss it! Pay attention!. The enemy is everywhere! Those killers are lurking in the cupboards!
Now your awareness has been raised. Keep an eye out for hydrogenated and refined oils, bleached sugars and starches. Select expeller-pressed or cold pressed oils and be sure to transfer them into dark bottles.
Choose organic products as often as possible. Select whole grains with more than 3 grams of plant fibers per serving, plus plenty of fresh, colorful produce to manage the pH of your bloodstream. That is to say, sugar, starch, protein and fats all acidify your system. If you are on medications, they also acidify your system. Plastics acidify your sytem. Prevent coagulating your protein-rich organs and bloodstream, from being "cooked" in an acidic environment. Dark green vegetables are perfect for alkalizing your bloodstream. By the way, they also preserve bone mass. I'll tell you how that works in a future blog.
For details to load up on healthy ammunition for the kitchen, visit http://www.healthypeople.com/ and download your free copy of "metabolic makeover" mental checklist. My metabolic makeover checklist will give you plenty of ideas on how to stock your kitchen with therapeutic foods to enhance immunity and fight diseases!
Over time, as you progress, you will discover the desire to get garbage out of your life. You will easily spot enemies to health and vitality. This process may take years, but it is a transformation which energizes you, and keeps you in tune with your Self.
Copyright© 2007, Helene Berk, M.Ed., R.D.
For More Information Contact: Helene Berk, M.Ed., R.D. at healthypeople.com Tel: 818-508-0070 [please leave a message. I will call you back]Email: helene@healthypeople.com
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
Let Food Be Your Medicine
Rx Grocery Guide [Blog]
This blog features cream of the crop, therapeutic cuisine.
Non-toxic, is the word.
You can heal your condition. Put the right fuel in your system!
Whether you suffer from diabetes, metabolic syndrome (pre-diabetes), high triglycerides, high LDL's, low HDL's, hypertension, hormonal imbalances, eating disorders, other addictions, panic attacks, anxiety, depression, inflammation, or cancer ...to mention a few conditions influenced by food, drink and your environment, you can enhance your condition and have more energy.
I am here to share secrets of health and vitality with you. If you are on pharmaceuticals, realize those companies want you to stay hooked on drugs. The more meds you are on, the more acidic you become, aggravating inflammation, bone loss and often worsening the very conditions you are trying to heal. So, let's focus on foods and beverages with medicinal properties.
Here's an example you may savor; let's consider dark chocolate as medicine! Non-alkalized [non-Dutched] cocoa is actually an effective strategy to help manage blood pressures, Low HDLs, High LDLs, triglycerides, inflammation, asthma ...not to mention... depression, anxiety and addictions! Those endorphins certainly do help!
Besides having the highest ORAC (oxygen radical absorption capacity) value of all foods on the planet, unprocessed Cocoa and dark chocolate are also super nutrient-dense. Yes! dark chocolate & un-dutched cocoa are foods! Plus, they contain "anandamide", which is a chemical similar to those found in marijuana.
We'll get more into details on the therapeutic applications of dark chocolate in the Rx Grocery Blog, as I identify specific products designed by "conscious companies". I will also highlight foods and beverages which balance hormones, naturally. So check back, periodically to see which cuisine has caught my eye ...and why...
I will be featuring a variety of premium options available in today's natural and organic marketplace. I will include products which are sold in health food stores, mainstream grocery chains and mail order, for those who prefer products to be "drop-shipped" to their front door.
No: hydrogenated oils or other trans fats, commercially refined oils, refined sugars, bleached flours...
This blog features cream of the crop, therapeutic cuisine.
Non-toxic, is the word.
You can heal your condition. Put the right fuel in your system!
Whether you suffer from diabetes, metabolic syndrome (pre-diabetes), high triglycerides, high LDL's, low HDL's, hypertension, hormonal imbalances, eating disorders, other addictions, panic attacks, anxiety, depression, inflammation, or cancer ...to mention a few conditions influenced by food, drink and your environment, you can enhance your condition and have more energy.
I am here to share secrets of health and vitality with you. If you are on pharmaceuticals, realize those companies want you to stay hooked on drugs. The more meds you are on, the more acidic you become, aggravating inflammation, bone loss and often worsening the very conditions you are trying to heal. So, let's focus on foods and beverages with medicinal properties.
Here's an example you may savor; let's consider dark chocolate as medicine! Non-alkalized [non-Dutched] cocoa is actually an effective strategy to help manage blood pressures, Low HDLs, High LDLs, triglycerides, inflammation, asthma ...not to mention... depression, anxiety and addictions! Those endorphins certainly do help!
Besides having the highest ORAC (oxygen radical absorption capacity) value of all foods on the planet, unprocessed Cocoa and dark chocolate are also super nutrient-dense. Yes! dark chocolate & un-dutched cocoa are foods! Plus, they contain "anandamide", which is a chemical similar to those found in marijuana.
We'll get more into details on the therapeutic applications of dark chocolate in the Rx Grocery Blog, as I identify specific products designed by "conscious companies". I will also highlight foods and beverages which balance hormones, naturally. So check back, periodically to see which cuisine has caught my eye ...and why...
I will be featuring a variety of premium options available in today's natural and organic marketplace. I will include products which are sold in health food stores, mainstream grocery chains and mail order, for those who prefer products to be "drop-shipped" to their front door.
No: hydrogenated oils or other trans fats, commercially refined oils, refined sugars, bleached flours...
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