Nutrition
The first step for nutrition is a Diet Analysis. This is done with a Diet Diary which identifies the nutritional factors that contribute to toxicity or good health. All recomendations for Nutritional change and Supplement protocols follow from this intake step. It is precise and very thorough, there is no guessing with your Health!
The Diet/Nutrition Analysis can be done in the office or by email. We do a complete evaluation, make recomendations (the report part) and follow-up. The cost is $120. Here is the procedure
1) contact me for the Diet Diary form, fill it out completely and submit it to me
2) The form will be entered into a Nutrition software program that will give a complete report of "Macro Nutrients" (like protein and fat) and "Micro Nutrients" (vitamins and minerals). This is not a lab test, it does not show your plasma or urinary values. Those must be done in-office.
3) First Report, this is what nutrients go into your body. This is what you get too much of. This is what you get too little of. These food sources are the reason. Here are nutritional strategies for correcting these nutritional imbalances.
4) Second Report. These are the supplements/supplement packages that will fill the gaps in your nutrition. These are generally available at your local Health Food store. If they are not, or you prefer, then I can supply you.
5) Ongoing support. This is "value added". It isn't really included in the fee. We will schedule a follow-up at some future time to see how this has changed your life.
6) Another value added! Once we have this relationship established, you will be able to contact me with further questions anytime.
Nutrition Newsletters-past issues
Joint Chemistry (Glucosamine and Chondroitin -sulfate)
No Suzy, this is not about marijuana cigarettes!
If the joints in your body are working properly, you will never wear them out. Joints deteriorate for definite reasons. Ironically, people in poor shape, overweight, with very little exercise are the first to have their hip joints wear out! Isn’t that interesting? Or, it’s the ex athlete. The arthritic joint is the one(s) that were injured. They may have been used a lot, but it was the injury that caused them to function improperly, and now they are grinding down with every step. This emphasizes the importance of a Chiropractor correcting joint injury as soon as possible after injury (until it is healed).
So let’s talk about the chemistry inside that joint. First, some terms; carbohydrates are carbon and hydrogen. Glucose is a carbohydrate. So let’s call
Glucose = CH. Add Nitrogen to make it a protein, often called an Amine group.
Amine = N and lets just call
Sulfur = S
This description lacks chemical precision, but hey…you can go to college for that, right?
So here is Cartilage in the Joint, CHN-S- CHN-S- CHN-S- CHN-S- CHN-S- CHN-…
Got that? Now here is Chondroitin Sulfate, CHN-S- CHN-S- CHN-S- CHN-S- CHN-… Oh, they look the same? Exactly, Glucose (CH) plus Amine (N) linked with sulfur (S)! The original Chondroitin supplements were just left over Cow Cartilage, processed to fit in a pill. So it’s not complicated why Chondroitin Sulfate might be good for your joints, right? The joint will try to heal, and you are adding nutrients! If you take Chondroitin Sulfate, how does it get into your body? It has to be digested, which means, it’s broken down into smaller bits that look like this, CHN-S-. That small molecule is called Glucose Amine Sulfate. So Glucosamine sulfate is more absorbable in the body and a better choice for a supplement. So why all the hoopla about Chondroitin? Well, one study was done recently that showed that it works, so all these experts just ignored all previous research and the marketers went crazy selling this stuff. It works, no problem. But the people who claim to be experts aren’t always, and your marketing expert has only one goal (your pocketbook). Glucosamine absorbs approximately 8 times more efficiently.
Actually, your body has lots of glucose (sugar) and amine (protein). Sulfur is necessary for cross linking the Glucosamines to create Cartilage (Chondroitin). Foods high in sulfur include Onion type vegetables and Garlic. Now you know why older folks with deteriorating joints develop a taste for onion and garlic. The body’s Innate Intelligence knows! Cool stuff, eh?
A natural source of cartilage is gristly meat. When I wrote my recipe on Glucosamine Stew, I hadn’t done my research. The old butcher shops would sell really tough cuts of meat really cheap. Now, I notice that most of the meat departments don’t sell these cuts. They go into processed meats, such as sausage which I would not recommend.
I used to order Glucosamine sulfate in the largest size cases I could get. It was expensive and you couldn’t find it. Now it’s everywhere including Costco. I recommend Glucosamine, however if Chondroitin is what you have, it’s cheap or you prefer it, go for it. It’s a large food molecule, so if it upsets your stomach, eat it with a meal. Swallowing it with something acid, like Vitamin C or Orange juice helps your body break it down and digest it.
And now you know – the rest of the story!
Trans Fats (a highly unnatural form of Mass Fat Transit)
I wasn’t very old when I realized that butter sure tasted a lot better than margarine. I was only a bit older when I learned that margarine didn’t exist in nature at all. It was created in a lab. Even then, I thought “this can’t be good”. I have never purchased a stick of margarine in my entire life. Even so, by reading labels, I could see that this stuff seemed to be everywhere.
There are two types in the fat/oil group. One is Unsaturated (the oils) which, to be simple, come from plants, and Saturated (the fats) which are animal in origin.
So let’s talk more chemistry for those of you who were thrilled by the Joint Chemistry article. We are back to carbohydrates, which are
Carbon = C for our purposes, and
Hydrogen = H
Here is a Polyunsaturated oil CH- CH- CH- CH- CH- CH- CH- CH- CH- CH- CH-…
H H H H H H H H H
And here is Saturated fat CH - CH - CH - CH - CH - CH - CH - CH - CH -… all the extra hydrogens on one side
The unsaturated has only one hydrogen per carbon and room for one more. That’s why it’s called UNSATURATED! Add another hydrogen and it’s SATURATED with hydrogens. Pretty clever, eh?
That extra hydrogen sticks out the side, not in a link with the chain. In nature, all saturated fats are cis. That means the hydrogens stick out of the same side of adjoining carbons. So some brilliant scientist got the novel idea that if you added hydrogens to vegetable oil, you would get a fat substitute. Here is where it gets interesting. Hydrogens, like the good little magnets that they are, repel each other and go to the opposite sides of the carbons.
H H H
CH - CH - CH - CH - CH - ... the extra hydrogens alternate sides = TRANS = opposite
H H
This is called trans! How does nature put the hydrogens on the same side? No one knows! So all the synthesized fats are trans and there are NO TRANS FATS FOUND ANYWHERE IN NATURE! Pardon the capitals, but that’s the most important thing you need to know.
Like many other chemicals that are not natural foods, trans fats cause cancer. In addition to causing you to be fat and ugly just like too much animal fat, it causes cancer also. What a package deal!
I am disappointed at New York for passing a law against trans fats; not because I think it’s wrong, but because trans fats are so obviously not food that no law should be necessary. When the Restaurant Industry replies that the New York legislators don’t understand the Food Industry, this should tell you something. The further away you get from that food industry, the healthier you will be.
May you live in interesting times.
Bio Chemistry (big word for Nutrition)
We could classify the body’s functions as Bio Mechanical and Bio Chemical. Biomechanical would be Chiropractic and Surgery. Biochemical would include Nutrition, Supplements and Drugs.
One of the huge fallacies of Modern Medical Perceptions is that you can use a drug (codeine or tylenol for example) to fix a biomechanical problem (such as back or neck pain, usually due to spinal dysfunction).
As Wholistic Doctors, we (Chiropractors) address both. So I attended a Nutrition Seminar last weekend. These are lot’s of fun. There were several points made that caught my attention. All that we went over can be found on Dr. Tim O Shea’s website
thedoctorwithin.com. Go to the section called “Chapters”. There is enough educational material there to keep you busy for quite awhile. Dr. O’Shea started with “the last resort” but you may wish to start with “the New West Diet”.
My immediate first impression as Dr. O”Shea talked is the basics don’t change. The world gets more crowded, complicated, industrial and processed and the Rules for Good Health don’t change from the advice of the earliest Naturopaths and Chiropractors. Go back even further.
Hippocrates said, “Let your food be your medicine, and your medicine be your food “
Let’s go back a little further
Genesis 1 29 And God said, I have given you every herb sowing seed…and every tree in which is fruit, to you it is for food.
According to Dr. O’Shea’s sources, less than 4% of Americans get any exercise at all. If asked the question “Have you ever been out of Breath (due to physical exertion)” most people would say no. You know that fellow who claims that eons of evolution makes him “top predator” and he doesn’t look like he could outrun a lost donut?
Not surprisingly, Dr. O’Shea comes across as occasionally cynical. Hmmm, I wonder where that comes from. Assorted tidbits from his presentation
Don’t be afraid of Sunshine. It’s good for you (enough is enough, you don’t need repeated sunburns).
Being Afraid of Death is not the same as Wanting to Live. All around we see fearful people trying to avoid death at all costs. Good luck…how about getting out there and living your dream to the fullest and let God decide when your time is up?
“Stress” is about Life and Death issues. If you are not being chased by a hungry lion, then what you call stress is probably an over reaction because you are fortunate enough not to have to deal with REAL stress.
Health (true health care) is a Low Tech Endeavor. Chiropractic and Nutrition covers the vast majority of the healthcare most people need. Research shows only about 10% of the people will take the initiative to do what they must for their own health. That’s about the percentage who actually use chiropractic care. The rest follow their insurance and primetime drug ads. Did you know that the number one cause of death in the United States is following the Medical Doctor’s advice correctly?
Supplements, the least and the fewest. Nutrition starts with what you EAT.
Natural Healthcare is not alternative or complementary. It’s the care you need. Alternative and Complementary are terms dreamed up by marketing geniuses to keep you thinking that healthcare starts with drugs, surgery and MDs.
“all wild creatures get their enzymes from the raw food itself” Edward Howell MD. Digestion is a major part of American health problems. Cooking and processing destroys enzymes. These foods become difficult to digest and accumulate as undigested sludge in your colon. It’s not a pretty picture.
Lack of enzymes poisons the blood-disease is named for what inflames first. JH Tilden MD “Toxemia” Explained 1926. “Anti-Inflammatory” diets and drugs are becoming a rage. As you can see, it’s not new, and drugs “ain’t gonna do it”.
Osteoporosis-in America, no one is calcium deficient. Calcium supplements-What a joke. See the part above, “have you ever been out of breath due to exercise”. Osteoporosis is a big fancy term for one aspect of the onset of frailty that happens as you get older, especially if you never do the exercise that will make you strong.
Non issues. These are things that everyone is so worked up about. Forget it, it isn’t helping you
1) Carbs, most people don’t actually know what a carb is, what the different types are and what that means to you health. There are two types a) simple, known as sugars which should come from Fruit, b) complex, starches; your sources should be whole grains.
2) Calories - counting calories is a waste of time. What you need to know is “where do they come from”. See section 1 Carbs.
Food Labels. I notice that Dr. O’Shea reads labels the same way I do. Read the actual ingredients. It is supposed to go from most to least abundant. Many deceptions are used in labeling ingredients. There are several terms that mean “white flour” (which doesn’t belong in your diet. Sugar has a whole lot of terms. MSG is real tricky to spot (“natural flavor”?). Sodium benzoate is a carcinogen. Why are you eating that?
Can you actually read that part of the label, milligrams and percent RDA of Sodium or whatever, what does that mean?
There is nothing wrong with salt. That reads Sea Salt. That Sodium Chloride stuff that you call salt is a chemical that belongs in some chemist’s lab, not in your food.
Starve a cold, starve a fever. If you (or your children) are sick and not hungry, DON’T EAT. That’s how the body dumps waste and heals itself. When your body is ready, you will be hungry again. No child ever starved because the parents didn’t feed them when they weren’t hungry.
Ensure, read the label, it’s almost all sugar.
Milk would be a great food if you could get the raw, unpasteurized, non homogenized stuff.
High Blood Pressure doubles your risk of heart disease.
High Blood Pressure drugs triple your risk of early death. Talk about Faith Based Medicine.
Cholesterol is not related to heart attacks or strokes. High fat is not related to heart attacks. Uffe Ravnskov MD Are you one of those people who gets all worked up about “good” vs “bad” cholesterol? Statins inhibit BOTH kinds.
Atherosclerosis is not caused by cholesterol but by chronic arterial inflammation. Refer to Lack of Enzymes above. Remember, enzymes come from RAW foods.
Diagnosis of the Month. At Western States Chiropractic College, it was noted that a constellation of symptoms resulted in a diagnosis that changed every few years. It might be Candida, Chronic fatigue syndrome, Leaky gut syndrome or some other syndrome but they all had the common characteristic. They are caused by a Blocked Non Functioning Colon. Constipation is not a disease of aging. It’s a problem due to a ghastly diet. People on natural diets NEVER have constipation their entire lives and are not at risk of colitis, crohns, or colon cancer (or enlarged prostate or Erectile Dysfunction for that matter).
Allergies are almost always to processed foods. Eliminate the processed food and the allergy disappears. Too simple?
95% of the US is deficient in Omega 3 fats/oils. Wild animals have Omega 3 fat. Animal farming causes animals to accumulate Omega 9 instead. That’s why you want wild, free range, grass (not grain) fed.
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Announcements
Not so long ago, Glucosamine sulfate was virtually unknown. I had to order it by the case for my patients in order to get the price down a bit. Now, of course, it's everwhere (and cheap). That's great. I have recently learned about Hydrolyzed Collagen which may be the best source of supplemental protein/amino acids. $50 for a large container. Contact me.
Nutrition Research
Chili peppers cure cancer? It appears that capsaicin, that hot stuff in the pepper has an influence on growth of cancer cells because the mitochondria in the cancer cells are different. Is there a dose that would cure or prevent a cancer? We don’t know that. We do know that all natural diets result in fewer cancers, so more peppers might be a reasonable preventative. It lacks the glamour of E.R., but I never aspired to be the person on the gurney, what about you?
BBC News January 9, 2007
The Journal of Neurology reports that Vegetables reduce the rate or possibility of "Cognitive decline". That means like Alzheimer's and "old timers" disease. Vegetables are high in Vitamin E. The surface of Nerve Membranes is virtually all oil/fat, so quality of fat intake is important to keeping nerves functioning optimally. Vitamin E is important to repair and preservation of the function of nerve membranes (and other membranes, such as skin tissue!).
October 23, 2006
That Evil Coffee!
Only a couple of decades ago, I lived the carefree life of a Commercial Fisherman. Right, ha ha…ever see the TV program “Deadliest Catch”? That was my office. I got bored with being a fisheries technician, observer, biologist. Being young, tough(?) and not at smart as I thought, I decided to spend some time “on deck”. The skippers actually took pride in (almost) never sleeping, a truly miserable state of affairs for me. They lived on coffee, drinking it non stop until they collapsed of exhaustion for 1 to 4 hours, then we were at it again. Almost all the skippers had “bad stomachs”. Their guts hurt. Of course every waking moment for them was also high stress, high blood pressure and no exercise at all. That may have contributed to their digestive distress. That is the only real problem I have ever heard of directly related to coffee drinking.
Sometimes during those short naps, I got chosen to drive the boat, all night, until we set the gear again at dawn. I hadn’t slept all day either, so I picked up the habit of drinking coffee during those watches. It sure worked. I was wide awake. But I never drank coffee any other time.
With Chiropractic College came a new regime of early morning classes (you better be on time, awake and alert) and late night studying (lots of tests tomorrow). A seriously oversized mug became part of my wake up call. Since there were lots of holistic types in school, including a number of Naturopaths (N.D.) the coffee dispute would come up from time to time. The “Evil Coffee” was robbing us of our health and vitality!
Actual research has been done on the perils of coffee for (can you believe it?) at least 40 years! No health problem has ever been linked to the deadly coco bean. And now we see this little bit of research.
Coffee Consumption May Reduce Risk for Type 2 Diabetes CME
October 25, 2006 — Coffee consumption reduces the risk for type 2 diabetes by 60% compared with those who do not drink coffee, according to the results of a large prospective study reported in the November issue of Diabetes Care.
I am not recommending that you start drinking coffee. If you depend on it, maybe you should consider an earlier bedtime or an afternoon nap. Depriving yourself of the sleep you need, now that is a real health hazard. Some say that “caffeine is a drug”. True, but all the best drugs come from natural sources, and when used from the original sources, don’t have the deleterious effects of the extracts or synthetics. So, if a serious cuppa java gets you going in the morning, don’t worry about it. It just isn’t that big a problem. But don’t drink it all day. Come on now, get some rest.
Personally I favor Valley Java Organic Coffee and Tea on Stanton Ave. Castro Valley http://www.valleyjava.com for my occasional “French Roast” fix. Hey Vince, do I get a free Java for the pitch?