Cauliflower Rice with Walnuts

6-8 servings

1 tablespoon coconut oil or ghee
1 yellow onion, chopped (optional)
1 medium to large head of cauliflower, shredded
1 cup walnuts, chopped
1 lemon, juiced
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Peel and chop the onion and begin to gently sauté in the coconut oil (butter, ghee or duck fat are also excellent).
2. Using a shredder or a food processor, break down the cauliflower into rice sized particles. Stir into onion sauté and continue cooking. Check every 3-5 minutes for texture of cauliflower to avoid over-cooking.
3. When the cauliflower is tender, but not mushy, transfer onions and cauliflower to a serving bowl and toss in salt, pepper, walnuts and lemon juice. Toss and allow to cool slightly before serving.

Suggestions:

Cauliflower pairs well with basil, dill, ginger, curry, nutmeg, oregano, and coriander. So spice it up if you wish! Mushrooms are also a nice addition and can be sautéed with the onions prior to adding the cauliflower rice. Celery works well as a replacement for onion if preferred. For simplicity, this works well with just cauliflower, walnuts, butter, salt and pepper.

By Mila McManus MD|2016-07-22T09:21:34-05:00July 22nd, 2016|General|

Supplement Cocktail for Constipation

There are many possible solutions for the relief of constipation or sluggish bowel function. If you struggle with constipation or difficult bowel movements, please see a health care provider for proper evaluation. Constipation can be a serious health issue and can be caused by many factors (see main article).

Safe supplements to aid in relieving constipation include:

Magnesium citrate improves gut motility.

Probiotics help to maintain a healthy digestive tract and microbial community which promotes optimal digestion and regularity.

Digestive Enzymes help to promote complete digestion of proteins, carbohydrates and fats while also increasing nutrient availability and reducing food intolerances.

Aloe Vera helps to reduce inflammation and improves bowel frequency. Be sure to choose a pure, preservative free, organic aloe very gel or juice.

All of these supplements are available in our office at The Woodlands Institute for Health and Wellness.

By Mila McManus MD|2016-07-06T07:38:52-05:00July 6th, 2016|Articles, General|

Aloe Vera Juice

The process of digestion is very complex. Digestion is the metabolic process that converts foodstuffs within the body for use. The process begins in the mouth where it is chewed and mixed with saliva to prepare it for swallowing. After swallowing, the food is pushed through the esophagus, which transports it to the stomach where it is further diluted and mixed with enzymes, breaking down the food to be absorbed in the intestines. Most of the absorption process begins to take place in the small intestine. Macronutrients, minerals, vitamins, trace elements and water are absorbed here before reaching the colon.

The colon is the final step in the digestion process. The remaining water is reabsorbed in the colon as well as any substance that cannot pass through the intestinal wall such as dietary fiber.

Because the typical diet consists of many foods unintended for healthy digestion, maintaining a healthy digestive tract is important to the overall health of the body. Aloe vera contains numerous nutrients, enzymes, vitamins and minerals. Studies have shown that aloe consumed orally promotes normal digestion and supports a healthy immune system. It’s also very soothing and healing to the gastrointestinal tract.

Source: http://www.nutrametrix.com

By Mila McManus MD|2016-07-06T07:33:54-05:00July 6th, 2016|Articles, General|

Tropical Fruit Salsa

Serves 4 to 6 people

Ingredients:

1 medium mango, chopped into ½ inch chunks
1 medium papaya, seeded and chopped into ½ inch chunks
½ medium red onion, finely chopped
1 medium jalapeno, seeds removed and finely chopped
1 bunch of cilantro, stems removed and finely chopped
Juice of one Lime
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and toss to combine.
Will keep in the refrigerator for 1 week
Perfect for dipping with Beanitos, as a compliment to fish, shrimp or chicken, a filling for avocado halves or combine with garbanzo or black beans for a side dish.

http://www.tasteslovely.com/tropical-mango-papaya-fruit-salsa/

By Mila McManus MD|2016-07-06T06:58:07-05:00July 6th, 2016|General, Recipes|

All About Papaya

by Nancy Mehlert, MS

Here in Texas, you can find Papaya in the grocery store almost year around. This fairly medium to large sized fruit is orange in color. It grows well in any tropical area, but is native to southern Mexico and Central America. It is especially helpful to mention papaya in our newsletter this month as we look at various aspects of digestive and bowel health, as papaya is well recognized as a fruit that aids in digestion, soothes an upset tummy, and provides a respectable amount of fiber to aid in regularity and digestion. And of course, the good news is, it has a great refreshing flavor which is nice for the hottest months of the year.

The magical ingredient in papaya is called papain which supports the digestive process by breaking down proteins and also improving absorption of them. It is often extracted for digestive enzyme supplements and is also included in meat tenderizers. For those who suffer from low acid content in the stomach and have difficulty digesting meat, papain from papaya can be very helpful. Pregnant women struggling with morning sickness may find papaya to be a very soothing solution. Research also suggests papain functions as an anti-inflammatory substance.

Papaya has other important nutritional qualities as well. It has a very good Vitamin C and Vitamin A content, and these fight free radical damage in the body, creating an environment that protects against aging and disease. While very, very low in fat, the fat content is predominantly anti-inflammatory Omega 3 fatty acids. Finally, papaya is also a good source of folate, an important B vitamin, as well as a source of calcium, potassium, and magnesium.

Try papaya chopped into a salsa, as a topper on a salad, pureed and blended with coconut milk to make a summer sorbet, sliced like melon or as a fruit to dip in a chocolate fondue. The seeds, while edible, are surprisingly peppery in flavor and generally are discarded.

As a reminder to our readers, fruit offers a nice adornment or a nice finish to a meal, but, due to sugar and total carbohydrate content, one should be cautious about portion control and limit frequency of servings to 0 to 2 per day.

By Mila McManus MD|2016-07-06T06:45:24-05:00July 5th, 2016|Articles, General, NANCY’S NUTRITIONAL NUGGET|

IBS is cured!

Anonymous post online:

If you want cutting edge medicine with great results, I highly recommend this doctor. Why do others state having issues related to yeast candida? The answer is simple in that a large number of people have this in varying degrees, with all of the related accompanying health issues. There again, reading can easily confirm this through some research if you are so inclined. And sticking with a smart diet can be difficult for many, as they want good health but aren’t willing to give up Aspartame soft drinks, hormone induced food, or mainstream food with all of the chemical additives. This is a Wellness center, meaning it focuses upon a lifestyle change, where you can remain well for the foreseeable future with the correct lifestyle modifications. Oh, and my list of IBS symptoms vomiting, diarrhea, gas, and constipation are all gone now. Do I take any prescriptions? Nope. And my vitals are now outstanding and my brain is alert along with regular bowel movements. The dietician was wonderful and our meals are excellent. This last week I had a number of ladies standing at the microwave with their processed foods, while I ate organic meat and vegetables; yes, they picked up on the difference. Yes, I do take supplements, and if you do some real due diligence you’ll understand why (i.e. Suzanne Somers writings). My wife’s and daughter’s health are both dramatically improved as well. And I cant remember missing a recent day to illness. So I highly recommend this doctor, facility, and process.

By Mila McManus MD|2016-07-29T08:47:13-05:00July 5th, 2016|General, Testimonials|

Are You Full of It?

by Mila McManus MD

Are your bowels moving at posted speeds? This article discusses various underlying causes of constipation and sluggish bowel function and how to address the issue naturally. Laxatives are NOT the answer. Read on to find out why.

OK, so not the cleanest or most fun topic we could come up with, but it’s an important one. Sluggish bowel function and constipation are a serious matter with potential for contributing to, or causing, other health issues. Toxic sludge, for one, will simply recycle back into your body, thereby increasing toxic load. And toxic load is a cause of constipation! The causes most people think of in relation to constipation are dehydration and lack of fiber in the diet. While adding water and fiber to your diet are important for many reasons, I rarely find that these interventions alone will fix the problem.

Other causes of sluggish bowel function and constipation:

Inflammation in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. This includes Crohn’s disease and Ulcerative Colitis, but these are usually accompanied by bouts of diarrhea, bloody stools, and other symptoms.
Dysbiosis. This is a fancy word for “the bacteria, yeast, viruses, and parasites living in your GI tract are out of balance”. Have you ever had a course of antibiotics? Of course you have. This is one of the main contributors to dysbiosis.
Low thyroid function. EVEN IF your thyroid levels are normal, this does not confirm that your thyroid function is normal or optimal. Test your thyroid function here with our online symptom checker.
Food allergies and sensitivities. Unfortunately, conventional medical doctors typically test for only IgE reactions to foods. It’s important to test for other types of food sensitivities, such as IgG reactions. The most common food sensitivities include gluten, dairy, eggs, soy, yeast, and corn.
Certain supplements, particularly calcium and iron.
Congesting foods, particularly gluten (wheat, rye, spelt, barley) and dairy (cheese, ice cream, milk, yogurt, cream)
Colon cancer or other conditions affecting your anatomy, such as scar tissue from surgeries or endometriosis.
Side effect of medications, including narcotic pain meds (e.g., hydrocodone), calcium-containing anti-acids (e.g. TUMS), certain antihistamines (e.g., Benadryl), certain blood pressure medications including calcium channel blockers (e.g., amlodipine) and diuretics (e.g., hydrochlorothiazide), and certain antidepressants (e.g., fluoxetine, amitriptyline)
Dependence on laxatives. The more you use them, the more difficult it’ll be to stop using them
Diabetes. Diabetes can affect nerve function, including the nerves that control the function of the GI tract.
Neurologic diseases such as Parkinson’s disease and Multiple Sclerosis (MS).
Magnesium deficiency
Poor dietary habits in general. This makes sense because eating a lot of processed food will contribute to inflammation, magnesium deficiency, low fiber, and other health issues that lead to the need to take medications such as those listed above which further contribute to the problem.

Recommendations:

Heal your GI tract by working with our functional medicine specialists. This usually involves a customized vitamin/mineral regimen, detoxification support, dietary changes, probiotics, and hormone balance and optimization
Test for food sensitivities and/or start an elimination diet (e.g., eliminate all dairy and gluten from your diet for 4 to 6 weeks to see if bowel function improves.)
Work with our functional medicine specialists to address the underlying causes of what ails you so that you can potentially wean off your medications that are contributing to your sluggish bowel function.
Clean up your diet. Schedule a consultation with our nutritionist on staff for help.
Supplements that can be very effective in alleviating your constipation include probiotics, magnesium citrate, aloe vera, and digestive enzymes. We highly recommend that you work with a functional medicine specialist for advice on brands, doses, etc. It’s also important to be properly evaluated.
Fiber can actually make constipation worse. This sometimes should NOT be your first line of defense.
A word about Miralax (and other laxatives with polyethylene glycol as the active ingredient): The FDA has added “neuropsychiatric events” to the list of potential side effects in relation to the use of these laxatives. “Neuropsychiatric events” would include conditions such as memory loss, autism, depression, schizophrenia, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease, etc. Polyethylene glycol is a string of ethylene glycol molecules. Ethylene glycol is anti-freeze. Need I say more? Please remember that, just because you can get a drug over-the-counter, doesn’t mean it’s safe.

References:

https://www.gutsense.org/constipation/normal_stools.html

www.mercola.com

By Mila McManus MD|2016-07-06T06:40:59-05:00July 5th, 2016|Articles, General|

Oil Pulling for Dental Health

A Number of Benefits with Oil Pulling!

Oil Pulling has been around for centuries, but might be better understood if it were called Oil Swishing. It is a very simple procedure of putting a well-chosen oil in your mouth and swishing the oil around like mouthwash for 5 to 20 minutes, the purpose being to trap germs, toxins, and plaque in the oil and then to spit the oil out, leaving your mouth cleaner, fresher and in good health. It can even whiten your teeth. The most commonly recommended oil is coconut oil, known for its antimicrobial effects, although sesame, sunflower, and olive oils are also often suggested. It is suggested that coconut oil kills the bacteria that causes cavities and possibly gum disease, though there are more positive comments and experience of users to validate it than scientific research at this time. Here’s how to perform oil pulling:

Select an organic, raw or cold pressed coconut oil.
You can soften ½ cup of oil by putting it in a jar, then place the jar in warm water, add 10-20 drops of clove or peppermint essential oil and then pour into silicone bite-sized candy molds and freeze or refrigerate. These can be stored in a jar in the refrigerator and one can be used every day for oil swishing.
Another option is to place 2 to 3 tsp of coconut oil in the mouth. It melts immediately. Swish for 5 to 20 minutes, then be sure to spit it out rather than swallow it, as it will be full of germs, toxins, and plaque.
You may want to consider where you will spit. It is not great for septic systems and potentially could clog up a sink on a cold day, so a trashcan may be the best option.

By Mila McManus MD|2016-05-25T09:17:23-05:00May 25th, 2016|Articles, General|

Coconut Water is all the rage. But is it good for you?????

by Nancy Mehlert, MS

Coconut waters have hit the grocery store aisles in the last year or two. Every time I walk by them, there are more brands, more flavors. So are they a good choice? Certainly relative to a soft drink filled with phosphoric acid, caramel colors and sugar or artificial sweeteners I would have to say they are an improvement. And most certainly in terms of hydration a coconut water is an improvement over the ever popular sports drinks laden with sugars, artificial sweeteners and food coloring. But is it really all it is marketed to be? Let’s take a look….

Coconut water is found in nature, inside of a green, young coconut usually harvested when it is 5-7 months old when it contains the most water. These coconuts are about the size of a basketball! As the coconut matures on the tree, the coconut meats increase and the water decreases.

The coconut water from a young coconut is truly nutritious and has been consumed for centuries in tropical countries. The elixir is so rich in electrolyte content that it has been used in emergency situations for IV hydration. Directly from the coconut, these waters are about 46 calories per cup and 10 grams of natural sugar. Potassium rich, it is in fact an excellent electrolyte beverage and offers about 600mg per 8 ounce serving. It also has a little bit of sodium, calcium and magnesium too as well as a small amount of many other minerals, vitamins and phytonutrients.

Coconut water, because of these nutrient values, can help to lower blood pressure, support weight loss, increase athletic performance, boost energy, lower cholesterol, and relax muscle tension. For those with kidney disease, it should be limited because of the high potassium content.

Knowing what comes out of the young coconut right out of the tree vs what lands in the store in a container becomes the main concern. What happens in “man”ufacturing? What should you be looking for when you buy coconut water in the store?

Ideally, buy a fresh, young coconut and extract the water from it. This is the real thing that nature created. Because the fresh coconut water is very perishable, you may find raw, fresh coconut water in a refrigerated section of a health store.
Second best choice if fresh is not available is to look for “cold pressured” coconut water which is very lightly processed with high pressure rather than heat, which helps to eliminate bacteria while maintaining a greater level of the vitamins and minerals.
If coconut water does not need refrigeration, you will likely discover that it has been pasteurized, meaning that a high temperature has been used to kill bacteria but it also destroys most of the natural vitamins and minerals in the product.
Coconut water made from concentrate should be avoided as it is the most processed form with little, if any, nutrition left in it short of sugar.
Because coconut water has a unique taste, many companies are now enhancing the taste with flavors or to cover up the fact that they are not using young coconuts but older more bitter coconut waters. Avoid coconut waters with added sugars and flavors. The primary ingredient should be 100% coconut water.

While hydration is important as the summer months approach, by taking a few simple steps, you can stay hydrated and electrolyte-balanced.

Eat whole real food with plentiful vegetables and fruits which are a good source of water, fiber, minerals, vitamins and phytonutrients.
Eat foods that provide optimal levels of potassium, such as leafy greens, broccoli and cabbage, sweet potatoes, squash, bananas and avocados. Coconut water counts here IF the criteria above are met.
Eat hydrating foods just prior to and during activities in the heat such as celery, watermelon, cucumber, kiwi, bell pepper, citrus fruits, carrots and pineapple.
Drink enough water to result in urination every 3-4 hours at a minimum. Be sure to replenish the body with water following vigorous exercise especially in very warm or hot weather when increased sweating tends to occur.

My favorite alternative to real food as a hydration product with electrolytes is Vega Sport Hydrator.

Sources: http://draxe.com/electrolyte-imbalance/

http://draxe.com/is-coconut-water-good-for-you/

By Mila McManus MD|2016-05-24T18:27:41-05:00May 24th, 2016|Articles, General, NANCY’S NUTRITIONAL NUGGET|

Homemade Toothpaste

Healthy DIY Toothpaste Recipe

½ cup coconut oil
4-6 tablespoons of baking soda
1 teaspoon of powdered xylitol or stevia
15-20 drops of essential oils

If needed, warm the coconut oil until it becomes soft, but not liquid. Add the baking soda, essential oils and your sweetener of choice. Stir well until ingredients are well incorporated, then whip the mixture until it becomes light and creamy. Store in a shallow, resealable jar. Ideal essential oils to consider are peppermint, cinnamon, orange, and myrrh. Trace Mineral drops are also a healthy choice to help remineralize the teeth. Consider chocolate toothpaste too! Add crushed cacao nibs, which also help to remineralize the teeth and remove the biofilm in the mouth¹. Who knew? Yes, chocolate toothpaste can be a good thing.

http://askthedentist.com/homemade-toothpaste/

By Mila McManus MD|2016-05-24T16:23:50-05:00May 24th, 2016|General|