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Nutrition

Your Best Sources of Magnesium—The Anti-Stress, Pro-Sleep Mineral

by Dr. Patricia June 4, 2018

Magnesium is quickly dethroning calcium as the “it mineral” of the 21st century.

While calcium has reigned supreme for decades as the natural solution to preventing osteoporosis, building strong bones, and promoting healthy sleep, new research suggests magnesium is an important contributor to all of the above, and much more.

What’s more, reports indicate at least half the United States population is magnesium deficient¹, with a whole list of insidious symptoms to boot.

The good news is, avoiding magnesium deficiency and optimizing your levels long-term doesn’t have to be complicated.

The keys lie in knowing how much magnesium you need, bolstering your awareness of best-sources— including foods and supplements; and understanding the role stress and other lifestyle factors play in magnesium depletion.

Let’s get started with…

How Much Magnesium The Average Person Needs (and why most of us aren’t getting it)

Now here’s a loaded topic with a range of varying expert opinions.

On the one hand, conventional doctors and dieticians typically tell patients to aim for recommended daily allowance of 310-320 mg daily for women and 400-420 mg daily for men.

However, due to widespread deficiency many integrative practitioners, including myself, often recommend a higher dose of magnesium. The exact amount depends upon the patient’s symptoms, health history, diet, lifestyle, and health goals.

For example, if I had a patient suffering from migraines, insomnia and brain fog who ate the standard American diet, I would likely recommend a higher dose of magnesium than for a patient reporting occasional headaches who ate a wide variety of whole, fresh foods.

In addition, specific diet and lifestyle factors can impact your levels including².:

Chronic stress
Eating food grown in magnesium-depleted soil
Consuming a diet high in refined sugar, protein, fat, calcium, or vitamin D

So, how much does the average person need?

Your practitioner can provide you with an individual recommendation based on your needs and health concerns, or you can start by aiming for the RDA using foods and supplements, and increase your amount gradually based on how you feel.

I’ve had patients come to me amazed by what a difference an extra 100-200 mg of magnesium a day can make to their health.

Common and Not-so-Common Symptoms of Magnesium Deficiency

A little-known fact about magnesium deficiency is it is indicated in nearly every type of chronic condition.

This is because of the crucial role magnesium plays in over 300 biochemical reactions including: regulating blood sugar levels, DNA, muscle and nerve function, blood pressure, heart beat, building bone by transporting calcium, maintaining immunity and even mediating our stress response ³⁴⁵.

Common and not-so-common symptoms of magnesium deficiency include⁶:

Blood sugar imbalances
Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes
Muscle cramps
Menstrual cramps
Brain fog
Weak bones and teeth
Loss of appetite
Nausea/vomiting
Numbness
Tingling in extremities
Changes in personality
Insomnia
Depression
Anxiety
Sugar cravings
High blood pressure
Headaches, including migraines

Of all these symptoms, I want you to pay careful attention to the relationship between magnesium and your mood and sleep.

Patients often come to me seeking a natural solution to anxiety and stress, which are compounded by sleep disturbances.

And while these issues may seem complex, (and they can be for certain people) often by simply increasing magnesium, completing a series of acupuncture appointments, and creating a new relationship with stress these symptoms improve or even disappear quite quickly.

That’s the power of optimizing this one little mineral.

The Little-Known Symbiotic Relationship Between Magnesium and Vitamin D

It’s been long-accepted that vitamin D plays an essential role in bone health and preventing osteoporosis.

But, new research published by The Journal of the American Osteopathic Association⁷ reveals vitamin D does not act alone when it comes to bone health, and relies heavily on magnesium for its metabolism, activation, and function.

In addition, the same review revealed the more magnesium a you have in your body the less vitamin D you need to maintain health.

This further explains the relationship between magnesium and bone health, whilst connecting the dots on how different nutrients work together to maintain whole body homeostasis.

Did I Mention Chronic Stress As One of the Top Magnesium Thieves?

While I mentioned it in the section above, it bears repeating: chronic stress has been shown to rapidly decrease your body’s magnesium stores⁸.

Moreover, the lower your levels of magnesium the more dramatic your stress response—which makes magnesium deficiency a double-whammy for those dealing with chronic stress.

So, do you need to up your magnesium levels or lower your stress?

In the short-term: probably both.

If you’re in the midst of an acutely stressful situation such as caring for a new baby, starting a business, or moving, magnesium supplementation can offer a safe and natural buffer until the acute stress eases.

Likewise, if you’re dealing with chronic stress and/or find yourself easily agitated or very reactive to challenging situations, magnesium can offer a lifeboat while you learn to adjust your lifestyle and relationship with stress.

Once your stress response is more balanced, you may be able to reduce magnesium supplementation and rely more on food sources moving forward.

The Best Food Sources of Magnesium

The best way to get your nutrients is always from food.

And if you have a minor magnesium deficiency, increasing these foods and working on your attitude toward stress should get you back on track fast.

Spinach
Chard
Quinoa
Almonds
Cashews
Black beans
Edamame
Tofu (fermented please!)
Sesame seeds

Magnesium Supplementation

Your practitioner can help you determine what type of magnesium is best for you. Fortunately, magnesium has an excellent safety record when taken in low-to-moderate doses.

If you have an aversion to pills, many patients have had success using a topical application of magnesium oil or cream.

This is also a wonderful option for children…especially when rubbed on the feet before bed.

Again, your need and dosage depends upon your health, symptoms, goals, lifestyle, and stress levels.

The most common symptoms of excess magnesium are minor gastrointestinal issues, but more severe problems can arise when taking extremely high doses internally ⁹. So check with your practitioner and use commonsense.

To Recap Your Best Sources of Magnesium:

Nearly half the U.S. population is magnesium deficient (and many health experts believe the actual number is actually much higher)
Magnesium levels can be impacted by a diet high in fat, sugar, protein, vitamin D, calcium, chronic stress, and foods grown in magnesium-depleted soil
The RDA of magnesium is: 310-320 mg daily for women and 400-420 mg daily for men—though many people will benefit from higher amounts
Some common yet little-known symptoms of magnesium deficiency include: menstrual cramping, headaches, migraines, sleep issues, brain fog, depression and anxiety (full list above)
Some of the best food sources of magnesium include spinach, chard, quinoa, almonds, cashews, and black beans.
Check with your integrative healthcare practitioner about the right type and amount of magnesium for you.

Despite my 25+ years studying and practicing nutrition, I am always in awe of the incredible difference one seemingly little nutrient can make to a person’s overall health.

My hope and prayer is this article will help shed light on how even complicated health problems often have very simple solutions.

To your best health and well-being,

-Dr. Patricia

June 4, 2018 0 comment

Nutrition Radiant Beauty Recipes Vibrant Health

Does Apple Cider Vinegar Live Up to Its Reputation? Get the Facts Here

by Dr. Patricia March 13, 2018

As the interest in natural solutions to health challenges continues to expand, apple cider vinegar has experienced a renaissance. And claims about its health and beauty benefits are blowing up all over the internet.

If you’ve been around the natural health scene for a while, you know apple cider vinegar has a long history as a cure-all for digestive disorders, aches and pains, skin issues, candida, and pretty much anything that ails you.

It became particularly popular in the 20th century, thanks to a rather famous health crusader by the name of Paul C. Bragg—founder of Bragg’s Apple Cider Vinegar and other natural health products.

And while the term “cure-all” may be a bit extreme, apple cider vinegar has been studied and proven to live up to its reputation as a medicinal in a variety of ways.

In today’s article, we’ll look at the science behind apple cider vinegar’s health benefits on metabolism, blood sugar, heart disease, skin health and digestion plus some of its time-tested uses.

What Exactly is Apple Cider Vinegar Anyway?

Apple cider vinegar is a naturally fermented product that comes from raw apples.

There are basically two types of apple cider vinegar available: raw, unfiltered apple cider vinegar and pasteurized, filtered apple cider vinegar.

It is believed the raw, unfiltered vinegar is the most beneficial for health, as the natural fermentation process used to make it creates a wealth of gut-friendly bacteria and other nutrients.

Here’s how basic apple cider vinegar is made:

Raw apples are either juiced or finely chopped, and placed in a clean, preferably glass, container. If chopped apples are used, water is added.
A sweetener, like honey or sugar, is added as food for the natural cultures that will develop Or in some recipes, a culture and/or yeasts are added.
The juice/mixture is left to ferment at room temperature for a few days to a few weeks. This allows time for the mixture to ferment and develop alcohol and carbonation (think hard cider).
Once the mixture has turned to hard cider, it goes through a second 3-4 week fermentation in which acetic acid cultures will form and transform the mixture from hard cider to vinegar.
Once it has turned to vinegar, it develops a gelatinous mound known as “the mother culture” (prized by apple cider vinegar enthusiasts for its healing powers), which is similar to a kombucha scoby.

You’ve probably heard if you leave wine long enough you’ll get vinegar, this is the same process that happens with apple juice and apple cider vinegar.

Now that you know how it’s made and where it comes from, let’s look at the areas in which apple cider vinegar lives up to its medicinal reputation.

Apple Cider Vinegar Shown to Positively Impact Metabolism and Blood Sugar Levels

Metabolic diseases like Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome and other blood sugar issues have reached epidemic levels.

And while these conditions can get complicated, apple cider vinegar has been shown to provide numerous health benefits to those with blood sugar issues, including:

Creating greater insulin sensitivity in the presence of high-carb foods¹
Reducing fasting insulin rates in adults with well-controlled Type 2 diabetes²
Anti-glycemic properties when ingested with meals rich in complex carbohydrates³

Even if you don’t suffer from a metabolic health issue, research has shown that nearly everyone can benefit from better blood sugar control.

Therefore, if you’re sitting down to a carb-heavy meal, it appears apple cider vinegar is a beneficial blood-sugar-balancing mealtime tonic.

Apple Cider Vinegar Shows Promise for Promoting Heart Health

While the human studies on the effects of apple cider vinegar and heart health are few, the animal studies conducted show great promise.

For example, an Iranian study showed supplementation with apple cider vinegar was shown to increase HDL levels (the “good” cholesterol) while reducing LDL levels (the “bad” cholesterol) in rats⁴.

Apple cider vinegar has also been shown to contain a variety of antioxidants, such as chlorogenic acid, which research suggests has a protective effect on the heart⁵.

Finally, it is well established that those with metabolic and blood sugar handling issues are at greater risk of succumbing to heart disease. Therefore, I suspect we will see more research on the apple-cider-vinegar-heart-health connection in the coming years.

Apple Cider Vinegar Can Help you Lose Weight

This may sound out-there, but research has shown apple cider vinegar, when taken daily, can help you lose weight.

For example, a 2009 double-blink placebo-controlled study showed subjects lost 2-4 pounds in 12 weeks while taking apple cider vinegar daily⁶.

There is also evidence that apple cider vinegar slows the rate in which food passes through your stomach, which can positively affect blood sugar and thus may help with weight loss ⁷.

Apple Cider Vinegar Has Antibacterial Components

Many types of vinegar, including apple cider, have been shown to have antibacterial properties, especially against food-borne bacteria like E. Coli⁸.

Which may explain why so many people swear by its multipurpose use as a household cleaner, tummy tonic and immune booster.

What else is it good for? 7 More Ways to Use Apple Cider Vinegar

In addition to the scientifically proven benefits, apple cider vinegar has been used as a home and beauty remedy for the following:

As a facial toner and acne spot treatment—its natural anti-bacterial properties and acidic pH have earned apple cider vinegar a loyal following as a facial toner and acne spot treatment.
- For a toner, use 1 part ACV to 2 parts water, increase dilution as-needed for your skin type
As a hair rinse—to improve hair’s shine and texture. Add 1-3 tablespoons ACV to a cup of water and use as a final rinse after shampooing.
To calm skin irritations and rashes—such as poison ivy or eczema.
- Combine 1 part apple cider vinegar and 2-3 parts water to spray or wipe on the affected area, or add 1-2 cups to your bath as a soak
As a digestive aid—millions swear by a mixture of raw apple cider vinegar and water to help bloating, heart burn, and to overall help ease digestion.
- Mix 1-2 tablespoons in 1 cup of water, sweeten with raw honey (if desired) and enjoy hot or cold.
- While the science on exactly why this works is yet to be determined, I believe it’s due to the natural probiotics in raw apple cider vinegar coupled with it’s acidic action on the stomach which promotes digestion.
For seasonal allergies—I’ve had several patients swear by their daily cups of apple cider vinegar tea for fighting seasonal allergies.
- Mix 1-2 tablespoons in 1 cup hot water, sweeten with raw honey and enjoy.
To calm a cold—follow the directions above for seasonal allergies.
To soothe a sunburn—add 1-2 cups apple cider vinegar to your bath, or dilute equal parts water and ACV and spray on affected area.
To remove warts and fungus like athlete’s foot—it’s been long believed apple cider vinegar has anti-fungal properties. And while this is yet to be proven, this simple home remedy has stood the test of time.
- Soak a cotton ball in ACV and apply to the wart or affected area.
- For best results, secure with a bandage, cover with a sock and leave on overnight for several nights.

While all these uses are worth a try, my favorite way to get my apple cider vinegar is to use it on my salads and in my cooking.

Simply substitute apple cider vinegar for red wine or white vinegar in your favorite recipes and enjoy often.

Tips for Buying the Best Apple Cider Vinegar

As with all foods and natural remedies, choose the highest quality apple cider vinegar you can find.

That said, good quality doesn’t have to cost a fortune, look for: organic, raw apple cider vinegar with the mother in glass bottles.

A decent bottle shouldn’t cost more than $3.00-$5.00, and these days you find awesome brands at you local supermarket, natural foods store, or price club.

The good things in life are often the simplest and most affordable—enjoy your apple cider vinegar in good health!

-Dr. Patricia

March 13, 2018 0 comment

Nutrition Vibrant Health

Outsmart Pseudo-Healthy Snack Foods in 5 Easy Steps

by Dr. Patricia March 6, 2018

Imagine yourself strolling through the natural food section of your local grocery store looking for some dinnertime inspiration, when suddenly you find yourself in the chip aisle.

There you are, surrounded by a plethora of colorful organic, salty, yummy, crunchy goodies.

Your mouth starts to water as your eyes dart from sweet potato chips to wild rice chips to organic multigrain chips…and you think to yourself, “Does it really matter which one I pick? As long as it says “organic” or “all natural” it’s pretty healthy right?”

Given the wholesome reputation of organic products, one would think so. But the answer is, those chips are probably NOT healthy.

The somewhat unfortunate truth is the organic/natural food industry has gone mainstream.

This is wonderful for raising awareness about eating well and increasing availability of healthful foods. BUT, when the big food players start buying up small companies and appealing to the masses, the integrity and quality of the products often suffer.

For many, if not most big brands, garnering mass appeal means making a beloved natural or organic snack food just a teeny bit less processed than its mainstream cousin.

Perhaps they use organic flour instead of conventional, add a little brown rice syrup instead of corn syrup, or toss in a few organic ingredients.

While the differences are subtle, the labeling can be misleading.

We’ll get to our 5 easy steps to outsmart pseudo-healthy snack foods in just a moment, but before we do here’s what you need to know about labeling to help protect yourself (and your wallet) from fake snack foods:

A crash course in organic/all-natural food labeling

A product labeled: “made with organic ingredients” must be made with 70% organic ingredients and 100% non-GMO ingredients.

This is a good thing…but that does NOT mean the product is free from unhealthy fats, emulsifiers, or thickening agents like carrageenan, unsavory non-organic ingredients, or “natural” flavors (we will get into more about natural flavors below).

Products that bear the USDA Certified Organic label must be made up of 95% organic ingredients.

BUT that means up to 5% of the product may be made up of non-organic, questionable ingredients. Also, I must point out that an unhealthy food, such as white flour or sugar, is still unhealthy whether it’s organic or not.

Perhaps the most misleading label of all reads, “all natural”. According to the FDA, “all natural” products cannot contain artificial preservatives or additives

So, that is some good news. However, “all natural” also pertains to any substance, adulterated or not, that originates in nature.

For example, corn is “natural”, therefore so is GMO corn or high fructose corn syrup.

Same goes for the sawdust—marketed as “cellulose”—added to foods as an anticaking agent. It comes from trees, therefore is considered “natural”, and MSG—an allergen and known excitotoxin—also falls under this category.

With all these labeling loop-holes and bizarre ingredients masquerading as “natural”, how does a health-conscious person chose quality, healthy snack foods?

It’s actually pretty easy when you follow these easy steps.

5 Easy Steps to Outsmart Pseudo-Healthy Snack Foods

Step 1: Be fastidious about fats.

Look for snacks made with coconut oil, extra virgin olive oil, flaxseed oil, sesame oil, avocado oil, organic butter, ghee, and walnut oil.

Avoid snacks with highly processed oils such as canola (even GMO-free, organic canola is still bad news), cottonseed, corn, or soy. Slightly better options include peanut, sunflower, and safflower oil.

Palm oil, similar in composition to coconut oil, was once considered a healthful choice but it is no longer an ethical one.

The palm industry is responsible for the endangering of orangutans due to deforestation¹. So PLEASE just say no to palm oil products.

Insider labeling tip: often a snack food will advertise that it is made with a healthy fat, such as potato chips “made with extra virgin olive oil”, but that may mean it has been cut with a lesser oil…like canola. So be sure to read labels carefully.

Step 2: Scrutinize sweeteners.

Look for brown rice syrup, raw honey, tapioca syrup, stevia*, xylitol, maple syrup, coconut sugar, and monk fruit.

Avoid, sugar, evaporated cane juice, high fructose corn syrup, corn syrup, turbinado sugar, agave, and especially artificial sweeteners such as aspartame, sucralose aka Splenda®, Acesulfame K aka acesulfame potassium, neotame, and saccharin.

Insider labeling tip: Many stevia products are not pure stevia but a combination of stevia and erythritol.

Erythritol is a sugar alcohol added to stevia products to make them cheaper for the manufacturer. It is generally well tolerated and safe for diabetics but can produce mild GI issues such as gas and bloating.

Erythritol is one of those ingredients that isn’t super healthy in that it is processed and devoid of nutrients, but is a lot better than its alternatives: refined GMO sugar and artificial sweeteners. For this reason, I tell my patients to enjoy it in moderation.

Bottom line on Stevia: Chose pure stevia products, like Sweet Leaf®, most the time. If it’s a choice between artificial sweeteners, white sugar, or a stevia/erythritol mix go for the stevia mix.

Step 3: Just say “no thanks” to natural flavors.

This is a BIG concern with both all-natural and organic snack foods.

The term “natural flavors”, as we touched on briefly above, covers a wide range of chemically-altered, addictive, and downright gross ingredients such as:

Shellac made from bugs—to give snack foods that shiny finish.
Excretion of beaver urine and anal gland—known as “castoreum” used as a flavor enhancer in vanilla, strawberry and raspberry ice cream, puddings, gums, etc.
GMO-corn products—such as maltodextrin.

If it comes from “nature” it’s fair game under the “natural flavor” label.

Organic foods are not allowed to contain artificial preservatives, dyes, or chemicals, BUT natural flavors are allowed as long as they don’t make up more than 5% of the food product.

This gets tricky with organics. Ethical companies won’t use the term “natural flavors” on principle. and if they do they will usually disclose what the natural flavor actually is on their website or label.

However, with more and more natural food companies being bought up by big food it pays to be vigilant.

Step 4: Go no-GMO! Look for the Non-GMO Project Verified label. If there is no label, scan for any GMO hot-button ingredients.

According to the Grocery Manufacturers Association², approximately 80 percent of packaged foods contain genetically modified organisms (GMOs).

Though controversial, studies have linked GMOs to a number of health concerns from gastrointestinal issues to cancer.

Ingredients to watch out for include corn, potatoes, sugar (approx. 95% of all sugar beets are GMO crops), pineapple, canola, tomatoes, arctic apples (newly released in 2017 to test markets, these GMO apples never brown), zucchini, cotton, papaya, alfalfa (think about cows eating this and how that translates to dairy products), and soy.

In 2013 the USDA approved voluntary labeling of non-GMO food products by the non-profit nongmoproject.org.

This was a huge victory for the natural food industry, and sent a message to big agriculture and big food. Thousands of food products from hundreds of companies have or are in the process of being verified for labeling…including Costco and WalMart!

There have been several victories for the non-GMO camp in the past year including Vermont being the first state in history to mandate GMO labeling, six counties in California (and counting) banned GMO crops, and the World Health Organization listing glyphosates (the leading pesticide used in GMO crops) as a probable human carcinogen of which the FDA is now investigating³.

Step 5: Finally, don’t forget about flour.

Organic or not, white flour or high-gluten flour should be avoided.

Whole spelt flour, einkorn flour, or sprouted flours containing shorter chains of gluten and less antinutrients would all be a better choice.

Gluten-free flours such as brown rice flour, non-GMO potato starch, almond flour, millet flour, quinoa flour, oat flour, coconut flour, or tapioca flour are preferable to whole wheat flour.

Now you’re ready to snack real-healthy

Don’t let misleading labeling take the fun or nutrition out of healthy snacking.

Follow these five steps, practice mindfulness and balance when eating, and you’ll be on the road to righteous snacking in no time.

Need more inspiration? Here are some of my favorite healthy snacks:

Organic, fair-trade, 70% dark chocolate (need an excuse to enjoy chocolate once in awhile? Check out my post 7 Reasons to Enjoy Chocolate—Without the Guilt! on Huffington Post).
Zevia cola (100% stevia-sweetened soda as an occasional cold, fizzy, pick-me-up).
Mary’s Gone Crackers gluten-free crackers with guacamole.
Kale chips, such as Brad’s Raw Chips (delicious!).
Baby carrots or cucumbers with organic hummus.
Raw almonds with dates…for some reason this combination is just delightful.

Here’s to happy, healthy, stress-free snacking!

-Dr. Patricia

Additional Reading and Watching:

For information on GMO labeling, including a list of verified companies and products, check out nongmoproject.org; and for an invaluable on-the-go reference, download The Institute of Responsible Technology’s free Non-GMO Shopping Guide.

For a good laugh about a particularly disturbing “natural flavor”, check out “FoodBabe TV’s Do you Eat Beaver Butt?”.

Get an eye-opening look at who really owns our natural food brands, by checking out this chart by The Cornucopia Institute.

References:

March 6, 2018 0 comment

Nutrition Recipes Vibrant Health

Take the “Bite” out of Kale and Other Bitter Greens with These 5 Sweet and Simple Cooking and Prep Tips

by Dr. Patricia September 12, 2017

Like most integrative doctors, I’m a big advocate of a whole foods diet that includes plenty of leafy green, antioxidant-rich superfoods, like kale.

Kale, a member of the cancer-protective brassica family¹, is naturally rich in vitamins A, C, and hard-to-find vitamin K, a good plant-based source of iron with blood-building chlorophyll², it contains a nice balance of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids³, and specific nutrients that support detoxification⁴.

In other words: kale is not just another “fad food”, it is a nutritional powerhouse that everyone should be eating more of.

Sadly, despite its numerous health benefits, people’s love affair with this leafy green giant is often cut short because of its naturally bitter flavor.

Ironically, bitter foods like kale, dandelion greens, and broccoli rabe, are usually some of the healthiest, and most detoxifying foods…if only we could get past the taste.

The good news is there are simple cooking and prep techniques that will help neutralize kale’s (and any other greens) bitterness, while maintaining—and even enhancing—its nutritional benefits.

In today’s post, we will show you 5 easy tips on how to cook and prepare kale (and other greens) that will help remove the bitter flavor while retaining, and enhancing, those precious nutrients.

Kale Bitter-Busting Tip #1: Add a little something sweet.

Sweetness counteracts bitterness—in life and in food. Try adding any of the following to your next kale sauté:

Raisins
Dried cherries
Splash of apple cider
Splash of port
Unsweetened coconut
A drizzle of raw honey or pure organic maple syrup

Kale Bitter-Busting Tip #2: Try a “secret” ingredient.

The savory, salty, “secret” fifth flavor known as umami really helps upstage that bitter bite. It works even better when combined with something sweet.

Some umami-rich accouterments include:

Freshly grated (preferably raw and organic if you can get it) Parmesan cheese
OR Pecorino Romano (for those sensitive to cow’s milk)
Tamari or fish sauce (look for pure fish sauce with no additives or MSG)
Sundried tomatoes
Coconut liquid aminos

Kale Bitter-Busting Tip #3: Go raw!

Something magical happens when the combination of sweet and sour dressing hits a bed of finely sliced kale.

The key is to let it to “cook”, ceviche-style, for at least a half hour. The longer you leave it, the more tender the greens become.

Here’s a simple recipe to try at home (as always, choose organic ingredients whenever possible):

Ingredients:

1 bunch Lacinato (aka dinosaur) kale. Stems removed, sliced very thin.

Dressing:

Juice of 1 lemon

2-3 tablespoons organic tamari or Bragg’s Liquid Aminos

3 tablespoons walnut, sesame, avocado, or flaxseed oil

1 tablespoon raw honey

¼ cup toasted sesame seeds, raw hemp seeds or chopped walnuts

¼ cup raisins, dried cherries, or cranberries

Procedure:

Place ingredients for dressing (minus the seeds or nuts) into a small jar and shake to combine.
Pour over kale, toss, and let marinate for at least a half-hour or overnight.
Sprinkle with sesame seeds, almonds, or walnuts right before eating…enjoy.

Kale Bitter-Busting Tip #4: Get friendly with ferments

Fermented, cultured, or pickled vegetables offer a wealth of naturally-occurring probiotics, can be easily made at home, AND take the bitter right out of any vegetable.

I like combining kale with red cabbage, carrot, and beet to make mine, but you can use any combination of vegetables you like using this basic procedure:

How to Make Basic Cultured Vegetables with Kale:

Shred or grate (a food processor is handy here) 1 large head of red cabbage, 3 carrots, 1 beet, and 1 bunch of kale. Reserve the outer cabbage leaves as they will be rolled and placed on top of the mixture once bottled.
Take ¼ of the mixture and blend with water and 2 teaspoons sea salt or Himalayan salt using a blender or food processor.
Stir the blended mixture into the vegetables. At this point you can add any seasonings you desire such as dill or fennel seeds.
Place the mixture in clean mason jars, roll up reserved outer cabbage leaves cigar-style and place on top of the mixture. Let sit at room temperature for 3-7 days. After 3 days taste the mixture, if you prefer a stronger “pickled” flavor, leave it for another few days.
Store in the refrigerator and enjoy as a condiment with meals.

Kale Bitter-Busting Tip #5: Blend it up—troubleshooting tips for kale-smoothies-gone-wrong

For most of us, there have been many a kale smoothie that has gone oh so very wrong. The key lies in: not overdoing the amount of kale and blending the heck out of it.

Typically, you want to add only 1-2 leaves of kale with the stem removed and blend thoroughly.

Also, keep in mind the lacinato (dinosaur) kale tends to be on the milder side than a Russian or purple kale.

If the smoothie still tastes too bitter, add some additional sweetness like stevia or dates, and a little lemon or lime juice, and you’ll have yourself a delicious smoothie.

I hope these sweet tips have inspired you to try taking the bitter out of kale before giving up on it.

Your body, and your taste buds, will thank you.

-Dr. Patricia

References:

September 12, 2017 0 comment

Nutrition Recipes Vibrant Health

Rediscover Miso—Nature’s Original Superfood (with recipes!)

by Dr. Patricia August 29, 2017

Natural food trends come and go—along with their big promises and sensational health claims) but the tried and true health foods will remain popular for a few years, or even decades. But very few can claim superfood status for millenniums…

With a steady stream of new research surfacing on the importance of digestive health and the microbiome, I thought a post on the wonders of one of nature’s original superfoods would be timely.

I’m talking about good old-fashioned miso

Though its origin can’t be confirmed, miso is traditional to Japan and has been around since at least the 7th century.

It is made from fermented soybeans, or soybean/grain combinations. In the United States it is most common in soups, but has a host of other culinary uses we will explore in our recipe section below.

As a nutritionist, I recommend patients be cautious about eating too much soy. Though some forms of soy provide many health benefits, per the USDA, as of 2016 up to 94% of soybeans are genetically modified¹; and highly processed soy products—such as soy protein isolate, or soy oils—can wreak havoc on digestive and hormonal health.

Organic fermented, whole soy products such as miso, tempeh, and soy sauce are the exception, and can be enjoyed with a range of health benefits.

What makes organic fermented soy so different?

Soybeans are naturally rich in nutrients, and chemicals called anti-nutrients.

Anti-nutrients act as the plant’s immune system, protecting it from disease and foraging animals.

All plants contain some anti-nutrients, but soybeans have an especially high concentration including enzyme inhibitors—which explains why most people have trouble digesting them. It’s just the plant’s way of preserving its species.

However, during a long fermentation process—as is traditional in the preparation of miso—the anti-nutrients are broken down, and the super-nutrients, such as isoflavones, are released². It’s a phenomenal process!

Let’s explore some of the other healing properties of this oldie-but-goodie superfood

Miso is one of few foods with naturally occurring probiotics and prebiotics.
Pure, traditionally prepared miso is an excellent source of fiber, protein, and minerals.
It contains the ever-illusive vitamin K2, essential for maintaining healthy bones, blood, and nervous system function.
Unpasteurized, traditionally prepared miso is naturally rich in enzymes.
As a fermented, whole soy product, it has been studied for its hypoallergenic properties in people with soy allergies³.
In 2003, researchers at Japan’s National Cancer Center released a study confirming frequent consumption of miso soup, and other isoflavones, was associated with a reduced risk of breast cancer⁴.
Long-term fermented miso (aged at least 180 days), has been proven to reduce tumor size and number of tumors in the lungs of rats⁵.

Despite its health benefits, not all miso is created equal

For an authentic, health-giving miso experience, I love South River Miso products.

They handcraft their miso in the traditional way with care, love, and meticulous attention to detail. They even make 3-year miso…the hard-to-find gold standard.

Their process, vision, and product are both pristine and inspiring.

But all these cool miso facts are kind of useless unless you know how to incorporate it into your diet, right? We’ve got you covered with three delicious and nutrient-dense miso-licious recipes… enjoy in good health!

Vegan Caesar Salad Dressing with White Miso

Serves: 2-4

Ingredients:

2-3 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon organic white miso
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 ½ tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
½ teaspoon organic, naturally brewed soy sauce or tamari
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil
½ sheet of nori, torn into small pieces

Procedure:

In a blender, combine garlic, miso, lemon juice, vinegar, Dijon mustard, tamari, and oil. Blend until mixture is smooth and creamy. Pour into a bowl.
Add nori and mix thoroughly.

Miso Marinated Tempeh

Serves: 2

A natural foods chef taught me the secret to tasty tempeh is to let it simmer in a marinade for 15-30 minutes. This takes out its fermented flavor while infusing it with seasoning and aromatics.

Ingredients:

½ cup organic apple, or pineapple juice
1 tablespoon dark miso paste
2 tablespoons freshly grated ginger
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1-2 tablespoons organic naturally brewed soy sauce or tamari
1 tablespoon organic balsamic vinegar
1 package organic tempeh, cubed

Procedure:

Place all ingredients, except the tempeh, in a medium sauté pan over medium/high heat.
Bring the marinade to a rapid simmer, stirring the miso with a whisk to dissolve.
Place the tempeh cubes in the marinade and simmer on low for 15-30 minutes, flipping occasionally for even cooking.
Remove from pan. Combine with stir-fried vegetables (below) or serve over a salad or a bowl of quinoa or rice.

Fast Cooking, Super Healing Miso Soup

Serves: 2 as a main meal or 4 as a side dish

This is the perfect soup to throw together when you’re feeling under the weather. The key to retaining the enzymes is to gently simmer, not boil, the broth.

Ingredients:

1 quart (4 cups) filtered water or bone broth
1 carrot, cut into thin rounds
½ cup daikon radish, julienned or matchsicks
1-2 cups bok choy, kale, or spinach sliced thin
½ package brown rice stick noodles (or any gluten-free, ultra-thin noodle)
3-4 tablespoons miso of choice (South River’s Garlic Red Pepper highly recommended)
Naturally brewed soy sauce or tamari (to taste)
A drizzle of raw honey (optional)
Juice of 1 lime
Sliced scallions and fresh cilantro or basil to garnish

Procedure:

Place the water, vegetables, and noodles into a medium soup pot and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to low and add some simmering water to a small bowl with the miso. Stir to dissolve the miso, and return the whole thing to the pot.
Simmer everything together for about 10 minutes, or until the noodles and vegetables have reached desired texture.
Stir in soy sauce or tamari, honey, lime juice, and garnish with scallions and fresh cilantro or basil.

August 29, 2017 0 comment

Nutrition Vibrant Health

Your best sources of prebiotics may already be in your kitchen

by Dr. Patricia July 16, 2017

Most of us are familiar with the health benefits of probiotics, but prebiotics—the indigestible fibers that provide food for their probiotic cousins—are an often-under-appreciated nutritional powerhouse.

Today’s post will give you a crash course on the health benefits of these unsung nutrient heroes including how you can get enjoy prebiotics with some of your favorite meals.

Prebiotic Basics—what they are, what they aren’t, and what they do

The term “prebiotic” was coined just thirteen years ago. As mentioned above, prebiotics are specific indigestible fibers found in some (but not all) fruits and vegetables.

These fibers ferment in the large intestine, providing sustenance for good bacteria in your gut.

Good bacteria, also known as microflora, have been to play critical role in a wide variety of bodily functions, including:

Supporting your immune health¹
Modulating your mood and emotional well-being through the gut-brain connection²
And contributing to the barrier that keeps pathogens and other unsavory invaders from entering your gastrointestinal tract³.

These beneficial microflora work hard to keep us healthy, therefore we want to keep them strong, diversified, and well nourished. Prebiotics do just that.

When it comes to describing the function of probiotics and prebiotics to patients, I love the analogy of a garden:

Think of your intestines as a garden bed, with probiotics as the seeds of good bacteria and prebiotics as their fertilizer. Put the them all together and you will have a healthy, diversified garden, consistently blooming with friendly bacteria. Conversely, if you plant your probiotic seeds without fertilizing them, you will wind up with far less diversity and much weaker plants.

Why prebiotics are such big business

The implications of prebiotics to long-term gut health are HUGE.

Whereas a few years ago you may have taken an acidophilus supplement to help restore gut balance with some success.

Now you add a prebiotic such FOS (fructoogliosaccharide) to that acidophilus supplement, and your gut has a far better chance to sustain and diversify good bacteria which leads to numerous health benefits.

Since this discovery, supplement companies and food companies have dramatically increased their advertising of the latest and greatest prebiotics in designer yogurts, fiber supplements, baby food, formula, and even pet food.

Are there different types of prebiotics?

Yes, but not every expert agrees on what type of fiber constitutes a prebiotic (more on this in a minute). According to published research from the University of Minnesota’s Department of Food Science and Nutrition, the following prebiotics have been proven to have beneficial effects on gut flora, with oligosaccharides being the most used/well-known:

Oligosaccharides including
- Fructooligosaccharides (FOS)
- Oligofructose (OF)
- Galactooligosaccharides (GOS)
- Transgalactooligosaccharides (TOS)
Inulin
Lactulose
Lafinose
Resistant starch (RS)⁴
Acai gum
Wheat dextrin
Psyllium
Polydextrose

I am all for the promotion of gut-friendly products and I do recommend prebiotic/probiotic supplements to patients with a variety of digestive and other types of ailments.

However, I am pleased to share that you may not need to pay extra for a prebiotic supplement when they are, and have always been, part of the foods we eat every day.

Naturally-rich food sources of these sought-after prebiotics include⁵,⁶,⁷:

Chicory root—chicory is rich in inulin, and is the most sought-after prebiotic by supplement companies. Chicory is also wonderful food for the liver and can be found at local farmer’s markets during the spring and summer.
Jerusalem Artichoke —a deliciously delicate tuber also known as the “sunchoke”. These resemble a potato more than an artichoke.
Soybeans—in their whole form, such as edamame or tempeh (a natural source of both probiotics and prebiotics). Look for organic, non-GMO soybeans.
Whole grain corn – Look for organic, non-GMO, preferably sprouted whole corn products.
Leeks
Onions
Garlic
Asparagus—be sure to consume asparagus in its whole state with fiber intact (strained, creamy soups don’t count).
Banana—bananas sometimes get a bad rap for being a sugary fruit, but they are also high in fiber, minerals, and gut-friendly prebiotics/resistant starch. Keep in mind, you will get more prebiotics if the banana is slightly green.
Whole grain corn—look for non-GMO, preferably organic please.
Breastmilk—this is obviously for the little ones only, but I thought it was just another great example of why breastmilk is nature’s perfect food.

Other potential sources of food-based prebiotics:

Mushroom stems are also being studied as a potential source of prebiotics⁸, as is spirulina⁹—a blue-green algae often found in green superfoods.

Now, all this said there is discussion that ANY fiber has the potential to be prebiotic in nature.

There may be some truth in this, however, the current research shows us that for a fiber to be prebiotic in nature it must meet the following criteria¹⁰:

Resists gastric acidity, hydrolysis by mammalian enzymes, and absorption in the upper gastrointestinal tract.
Is fermented by the intestinal microflora.
Selectively stimulates the growth and/or activity of intestinal bacteria potentially associated with health and well-being.

Not all fiber works like this, so, for now, it’s best to stick to eating or supplementing with what we know works.

How do you know if you’re getting enough prebiotics from food?

I suggest speaking with your healthcare professional. Many patients benefit from extra probiotic and prebiotic supplementation during the initial healing phase, and can then rely on foods for for maintenance once gut balance returns and the healing process is complete.

It never ceases to amaze me how much we have yet to learn and discover about the healing nutrients contained within humble foods.

And with over 5000 known nutrients to explore (and more being discovered regularly), I look forward to sharing more hacks on how to get nutrients from everyday foods in upcoming posts.

Until then remember, food is—and always has been—your very best medicine.

-Dr. Patricia

July 16, 2017 0 comment

Herbs Nutrition Recipes Vibrant Health

Anatomy of a Smoothie

by Dr. Patricia October 5, 2016

DRAFT

Over the past three decades of counseling thousands of patients on nutrition, I have observed that for many people a healthy breakfast or a quick meal seems to be a challenge. People are looking for – and need – real energy – blood sugar stability – not the highs and low that can come from the sugar and caffeine cycle.

An option for breakfast or a time when you don’t have the time or interest in sitting down to a proper meal can be having A smoothie.

I have enjoyed many smoothies over the years, and I like experimenting in the kitchen. I am often asked for some of my favorite recipes.

There are many recipes and great ideas in many books and websites. I have attempted to write a few recipes myself, and then I realized what was stopping me – I don’t follow recipes – with an Italian background, I find recipes helpful but then I often find myself “doctoring” them up. I actually love and have benefited so much from smoothies, so I want to share virtual recipe-free approach.

If you know the basic “anatomy” of a smoothie, you can enjoy the creativity of making smoothies your way. They can be a little different each time. Sometimes I am surprised at what I find in my kitchen that I end up putting in the smoothie. I often find that I can use some of the fruits and vegetables that might spoil otherwise.

The Basics:

The essentials consist of protein (powder), fat, and fruit and/or vegetables, and liquid.

Protein Powder:

When making a smoothie, it is important to pick a good protein powder. I am often researching and reading labels, and I find a lot of sugar and other additives. I generally recommend grass-fed collagen, or if you want to go vegan pea, pumpkin, or hemp protein or some good options.

Greens – pick one -: greens – there are good green powders, however you might want to consider adding fresh greens, dandelion greens, spinach, chard, arugula, endive, (a handful if fresh – a scoop if a powder)

Healthy fats: – pick one a tablespoon or two – MCT oil (from coconut) – nut butters (such as cashew, brazil, filbert, almonds) unsweetened coconut flakes; another option is a third to a half of an avocado)

low glycemic fruit and/or a small amount of fruit – many patients who don’t think they are eating sugar describe their smoothies, and i find that they are loaded with sugar as they sometimes are loaded with fruit! Try keeping fruit to a handful of berries or sliced mango, you could also use acai (unsweetened).

Liquid: coconut milk liquid, hemp milk, other nut “milks” – organic unsweetened; – I usually use half non-dairy “milk” and half water

Optional:

More veggies: in addition to the above, I often add half a cucumber, several stalks of celery, or a chopped carrot

Herbs: pick one: basil, thyme, oregano, cilantro etc – a pinch up to a handful

Spices: In the fall and winter I notice I want to warm up my smoothies, so I tend to sprinkle some spices such as, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, nutmeg, and/or ginger. Other options throughout the year include turmeric, cardamom, allspice, anise, or any of your favorites.

Superfoods – I usually pick one for each smoothie : hemp seeds, bee pollen, kefir, chia seeds, cacao, mushroom powders – i.e. reishi, chaga, – usually a teaspoon up to a tablespoon of each depending on the superfood potency

Tips:

Avoid sweeteners: I recommend setting an intention to dissolve the desire for that sweet taste – my basic advice is have the smoothie as less sweet as possible while still enjoyable – and keep reducing sweetness to “retrain” your tastebuds. I remember years ago when my smoothies were loaded with fruit and now they are not very sweet and loaded with vegetables and nutrient-dense foods and my energy is much more vital and stable.

Blend: I use a VitaMix, but most high-performance blenders do the magic.

room temperature vs cold – room temperature recommended except on very hot days;

How To Build The Perfect Smoothie

October 5, 2016 0 comment