Bone Breakers and Bone Builders

By Nancy Mehlert, MS

Bone Breakers – Here are foods that suck the life and strength from your bones.

Sugar – When cellular glucose (sugar) levels rise too high from consuming sugar, the body cannot completely process it, resulting in the formation of acids which over-acidify the body. The body reacts by pulling calcium and magnesium from the bones and tissues to buffer acidic blood. In this way, we deplete our stores of calcium and magnesium. Calcium is the most prevalent mineral in the body and magnesium is required for hundreds of chemical reactions in the body.
Phosphoric Acid – Used to add tangy flavor and prevent mold in otherwise sugary substances, phosphoric acid is found in large quantity in soft drinks and is also added to bottled and canned iced teas, bottled and canned coffee beverages, breakfast cereal bars, non-diary creamers and enhanced chicken and meat products. Increased phosphorus in the body decreases calcium levels. Research has pointed heavily to destruction of bone health from overconsumption of soft drinks. Also, as the name suggests, it is acidic to the human body, so again, see the section above about sugar and the problem with acidity.
Apple Cider Vinegar – Really? You ask. While there are some benefits of apple cider vinegar, sometimes more is not better! According to Dr. Mercola¹, long-term and excessive use of this highly acidic substance could potentially cause low potassium levels and lower bone density. Because it is acidic, it can also impact your tooth enamel as well as tissues in the mouth and throat.
Imbalanced Diet – Optimal body functioning occurs in an alkaline state and this is created by many of the Bone Building Foods listed below. If you tend to consume a great deal of meat, dairy, processed grains of all kinds, sugary and processed foods and beverages which contain processed salt and sugar, it’s not likely you could consume enough alkalizing vegetables and fruits, herbs and clean water to offset the damage and inflammation created by the consequent acidity of such a diet. It’s interesting that the Standard American Diet has traditionally recommended 5+ servings of grains per day (which in our country are almost all highly processed into breads, cereals, crackers, snack food), 3+ servings of dairy per day, an emphasis on meat that is grain fed and antibiotic/hormone laden and little to no restriction on sugar. Hence, lifestyle diseases. Balance is the key.

Bone Building Foods – Here are the foods that should make up the preponderance of our diets, supplemented with some animal foods such as grass-fed meats, pasture raised eggs and wild caught seafood. They promote alkalinity (they are alkaline forming even if they taste acidic) and/or provide the complex variety of essential minerals, vitamins and nutrients needed to build healthy bones.

Clean pure water, free of fluoride, chlorination and other contaminants. Clean water is very alkalizing and essential to life.
Vegetables – while all vegetables are alkalizing, the greens are especially helpful including lettuces, kale, spinach, field greens, collard, mustard and beet greens, cabbage, spirulina, chlorella and most herbs. Squash and root vegetables are also helpful.
Fruits – In moderation, particularly alkalizing fruits include lemon, grapefruit, and avocado. Most fruits, if eaten at peak ripeness, are alkalizing, but if eaten too early can be quite acidic.
Nuts and Seeds – Nuts provide many of the micronutrients needed to build strong bones, including many minerals such as calcium, magnesium, potassium, sodium, selenium (Brazil nuts), copper (almonds), boron (walnuts) and zinc (pumpkin seeds and cashews).
Bone Broth –when made in the old traditional method through a slow simmering of bones and joints, bone broth is full of vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and other bone building nutrients.
Fermented Foods – Vitamin K2 is a fat- soluble vitamin whose primary role is to move calcium into proper areas such as bone and teeth, and to prevent it from accumulating where it should not be, such as in the kidneys or arteries. This vitamin is produced by your gut bacteria and very difficult to get in your diet or through supplementation. An ideal way to maintain a healthy gut, sustain a good level of favorable bacteria in the gut, which in turn produces K2, is to consume fermented foods with those bacteria in them. Almost any veggie can be fermented, though cabbage is the most well-known, in the form of sauerkraut.

So there you have it. When it comes to what you eat, real whole food that includes a balanced diet largely inclusive of vegetables, nuts and seeds and moderate amounts of meats and fruits will contribute to good health, all the way down to your bones.

References:

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/06/02/apple-cider-vinegar

By Admin|2017-07-05T12:07:43-05:00July 4th, 2017|Articles, General, NANCY’S NUTRITIONAL NUGGET|

How to Buy Quality Meat

Here are the key points you need to know in order to purchase quality meat, especially beef.

Source carefully, ask questions and buy from reputable places. Consider ButcherBox.com or check out www.EatWild.com as reliable places to start. Dr. Mercola, at www.mercola.com, also has many articles with lists of places and organizations to find clean, sustainable food sources.
When you see labels on beef that say “no hormones administered” (and on beef, pork and chicken “no antibiotics added”), the USDA has required sufficient documentation and approval.
The USDA does require that labels making a claim of “100% Grass Fed” meet the “all-grass fed” standard; however, this does not prohibit drugs or animal by-products. I recommend looking for “100% Grass Fed and Finished” and Organic if possible, as a more reliable commitment statement.
The American Grass Fed Association seal is issued by an industry group that requires its members to feed cattle grass only and to never confine cattle or use antibiotics or hormones.
According to Larry Olmsted in his book Real Food Fake Food, bison and buffalo are still raised fully on free range, without feedlots, additives, fillers or additives. He claims it to still be the purest grass fed beef available.

A few other considerations include:

“Natural” is poorly defined and poorly regulated by the USDA and cannot be relied upon to protect you from the issues and concerns raised in the main article. It refers more to processing, not as much how the animal is raised, so may be more about the use of nitrates, artificial flavors and additives, but again, is not well regulated.
“Grass-fed” basically applies both to CAFO operation cattle (because they started on grass then moved to feed lot) and to grass feeding operations that strive to fully grow the cattle on grass for several years but send the cattle to the feedlot for fattening for several weeks prior to slaughter. In other words, any cow that has had grass at any time, qualifies to be called “grass fed”. So “grass-fed” can apply to an animal that never leaves the stall or pen outside, gets fed exclusively hay its whole life along with antibiotics, steroids and hormones.
Organic does not necessarily make it grass fed nor does grass fed make it Organic. Organic meat and dairy will be hormone and antibiotic free, but the animal will have spent most of its life confined in a feedlot and fed the organic corn and soy. Sadly, the vast majority of organic beef and dairy products sold in the U.S. today come from feedlot animals.
Unless meat is labeled both Organic and 100% Grass fed, it isn’t.
Words like “premium”, “premium natural”, “no additives”, “free roaming”, “humane” or “pesticide free” have no meaning or regulation tied to them, but are allowed.

By Admin|2017-06-06T06:04:55-05:00June 4th, 2017|General, NANCY’S NUTRITIONAL NUGGET|

How to Avoid Fake Fish and Fake Olive Oil

The following ideas are taken from Larry Olmsted’s book Real Food, Fake Food published in 2016. Mr. Olmsted is a food and travel columnist at Forbes.com, a writer, and teaches nonfiction writing at Dartmouth College. He loves food, gardening, travel and trying exotic new foods. He became perplexed at why food in other countries did not taste the same when he came home to America and ordered the same thing, such as Kobe Beef, Italian Olive Oil, and Parmesan Cheese. It initiated for him an extensive investigation into food where he discovered a lot of fake food. He wrote this book to tell about it.

In our main article today we talked about the likelihood of getting fake fish and fake olive oil. Here are some of his suggestions for seeking out the real stuff:

FISH

Look for third party outside and non-profit evaluators certifications. Several to look for include Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), Global Aquaculture Alliance’s Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP for farmed fish),Blue Ocean Institute ratings by the Safina Center at Stony Brook and the Gulf of Main Research Institute’s Gulf of Main Responsibly Harvested certification. For those of us who are Houstonians, The Gulf Wild seal is a reliable assurance of the authenticity of wild-caught seafood from the Gulf of Mexico and is ideal for shrimp.
“Alaska Seafood: Wild, Natural, Sustainable” is one of the most reliable seafood logos you will find. The state has completely outlawed fish farming, and has a constitutional by-law requiring sustainability. Fisheries are regarded as well managed against overfishing, pollution and habitat damage. Alaskan Salmon has little or no traces of contaminants, low levels of heavy metals and organochlorines. Other than Alaskan Salmon, look for pollock, king crab, snow crab, black cod and pacific halibut as well as all five species of Alaskan salmon: king/chinook, sockeye/red, coho/silver, keta/chum and pink.
Here’s some good news: According to Michael Bell, director of the California Coastal and Marine Program for the Nature Conservancy, “Fishery management in the U.S. is the best in the world.” Since our supply chain is less contorted and our domestic monitoring of environmental factors is better, buying American is usually a good choice. This applies especially to Alaskan as well as Mississippi gulf fish, Maine Lobster, scallops and fish as well as domestically farmed catfish, assuming they are labeled honestly.
Wild Caught is usually a best choice, though there are some exceptions. Especially avoid farmed raised, foreign shrimp.
When eating out, if you order white tuna or red snapper, you will almost without doubt get something fake. Salmon will be farmed, crab will be imitation. Be wary of grouper too. Your best shot is to eat at some of the nation’s very best (and expensive) seafood and sushi eateries and otherwise, as Larry Olmstead says, assume the worst and you will most likely be right.
Large grocery retailers including Walmart, Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s and Costco were named as reliable sources for seafood, fresh and frozen. According to Olmsted, he was surprised to hear the consistent message from industry experts that the big box stores with enormous buying leverage often force adherence to higher standards. At Walmart, over 90 percent of their seafood is either certified or in a fishery improvement program.

OLIVE OIL

Olmsted’s top three brand picks: California’s McEvoy Ranch, Australia’s Boulder Bend-Cobram Estate and Spain’s Oro Bailen.
Reliable retailers include T.J.Robinson’s Fresh Pressed Olive Oil Club, Zingerman’s in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Oliviers & Co. and Tom Mueller’s extravirginity.com
In terms of labels, some concepts that may help in selection of a good, real olive oil include:
- The more information the better
- A harvest date, no more than one year old
- Know that there is no regulatory significance to terms like “first cold pressed, or “extra virgin” so don’t let that lead you.
- Look for third party certifications that promise higher standards such as “COOC Certified Extra Virgin”( California Olive Oil Council) or EVA (the Extra Virgin Alliance) and “100% Qualita Italiana”, by UNAPROL, the association of actual Italian olive growers. Interestingly, little stock is put in a USDA organic certification!
Chile and Australia have better practices and stricter standards in general according to the U.S. International Trade Commission report on the quality of extra-virgin olive oil followed by the United States. So these may be the best “go to” source of origin when in doubt.
Newer oils are always better. Be sure to buy small quantities (a six week supply) as it is highly perishable. It should not be exposed to heat or light and is best stored in a cool, dark cabinet. Tins do the best job of blocking the light, followed by an opaque bottle. Oxygen is also an enemy of olive oil so once opened, the oil quality is going downhill quickly.

¹ Real Food/Fake Food by Larry Olmsted, Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill, 2016.

By Admin|2023-05-20T07:30:17-05:00May 3rd, 2017|Articles, General, NANCY’S NUTRITIONAL NUGGET|

by Nancy Mehlert MS

When I first met Dr. McManus, she made a remark to me that I’ll never forget. Never because I did not want to believe what she said, and never because she proved to be right. You see, I came to her with significant body pain. My wrists, hands, knees, and lower back were chronically painful. I had joint and muscle pain. So what did she say that I’ve never forgotten? She told me that she believed more than 50% of my issues, especially around pain, were a result of the foods I was eating. That was hard for me to swallow (pardon the pun) because I love food and I loved the foods she was suggesting I eliminate. However, several weeks later, after cleaning up my diet (specifically removing wheat and sugar), my body pain was gone and I realized that she was right! When anyone tells me they have joint, muscle and nerve pain, a first priority is to clean up the diet. Specifically, below are the foods you would be wise to eliminate to see if you experience significant reductions in pain.

Sugar in all forms. Look closely at your diet. Be aware of the collective sugar. It is surprising to see that several somewhat innocent choices can add up to considerable sugar in a day. For example, one cup of organic brown rice pasta, one ounce of dried cranberries and a cup of watermelon is digestively over 60 grams of sugar. Sugar sources include fruit juices and smoothies (no matter how fresh pressed or organic they are!) and even some fruits such as grapes, watermelon and ripe bananas which have little to no fiber. The more obvious forms of sugar are included such as agave, maple syrup, honey, coconut sugar, and corn and rice syrups. Less obvious are the carbohydrates that digest rapidly to glucose (i.e. sugar) such as wheat, rice, corn, and potato as well as gluten free grains. Remember, your approximate one gallon of blood only needs about 1 teaspoon, or 4 grams of sugar in it at any given moment for optimal function. Anything more than that is suboptimal and harmful, i.e. inflammatory! Inflammation is PAIN. We would all do best if we kept added sugar to zero, and grain intake to very little or none. Whole fruits with good fiber content are fine but the low to no fiber fruits are best kept to a minimum or avoided all together. Most of your healthy carbohydrates should come from the vegetable world and all others should be kept as low as possible and certainly should not exceed 15-25 grams a day.

Processed Foods of every kind. This is where all breads, cereals and pastas fall, especially the glutinous wheat products. Also included here are the additives, preservatives and food chemicals that are so harmful to the nervous system, organ systems and digestive tract. Monosodium glutamate, nitrates and nitrites, artificial sweeteners, especially aspartame, are all potential pain creators by stimulating pain receptors. This makes the receptors more sensitive, irritating muscle tissues, disrupting sleep and compromising the immune system. Dairy is another culprit due to pasteurization and often times added sugars where the end product is highly processed food. Casein, one of the proteins found in dairy can be very difficult to digest and causes pain for many.

Allergy Foods, those foods to which you are allergic often manifest as pain. It is wise to test for food allergies and eliminate those foods to quiet the immune system and reduce pain and inflammation.

Foods that Reduce Pain and Inflammation

Thankfully there are many foods that help to reduce inflammation and pain. Here are some of the best: ginger, olive oil, green leafy vegetables, walnuts and almonds, turmeric, salmon, celery, blackberries, raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, and cayenne pepper. It’s no surprise that these are all real, whole, natural foods and spices from the earth that naturally do the work of pain relief.

Resources:

http://blogs.naturalnews.com/21-foods-reduce-pain-inflammation-boost-immunity/

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2016/09/28/sugar-industry-research-manipulation.aspx

http://blogs.naturalnews.com/8-worst-foods-people-arthritis-joint-pain/

By Admin|2016-10-31T10:42:06-05:00October 31st, 2016|General, NANCY’S NUTRITIONAL NUGGET|

By Nancy Mehlert, MS

There’s no doubt that, if you have been diagnosed with hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid) or Hashimoto’s (autoimmune thyroid disorder), you have searched the internet for information and come across references to goitrogenic foods (i.e. goitrogens) with the preponderance of sources recommending avoidance. These goitrogenic foods are primarily found in the raw Brassica or cruciferous vegetables which include, but are not limited to, arugula, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, collard greens, mustard greens, kale, and Brussels sprouts.

Goitrogens can be drugs, chemicals, or foods. In terms of food, goitrogens are naturally occurring compounds found in many foods to varying degrees. Some older research on animals only has suggested that goitrogens might suppress thyroid function by interfering with iodine uptake, thus inhibiting the production of thyroid hormones. This, in turn, would result in goiter (enlargement of the thyroid). So understandably, in an effort to do the right thing for your health, you may have felt very compelled to remove these foods from your diet.

Anytime someone suggests removing vegetables from the diet, especially groups of vegetables, my ears really perk up! There are obvious “man-u-factured” food products and sugar which we would all do well to remove from our diets for improved health, but it goes against common sense to remove foods from the earth which our ancestors have eaten for centuries. Moreover, without question, vegetables are deeply nutritious. Where else can we get as many minerals, vitamins, fiber and phytonutrients that serve as antioxidants, anti-inflammatories, cancer fighters and detoxification supporters? Does eating them really pose a risk or threat to the thyroid?

I join in agreement with most leaders in the functional medicine community who argue that these foods contain far more beneficial nutrients relative to the goitrogenic activity. Many of these foods help the body to produce glutathione, a very powerful antioxidant necessary to fight Hashimoto’s disease because it modulates and regulates the immune system, puts down the fires of autoimmune flare ups and protects and heals thyroid tissues. Glutathione also detoxifies the liver while cruciferous vegetables in general are well studied for their protection against cancers, thyroid cancer included.

Dr. Fuhrman states it well: “The fear of eating cruciferous vegetables or that those with hypothyroidism should reduce or avoid the consumption of kale or other cruciferous vegetables is unfounded and does a disservice to the community. Whether you have normal thyroid function or hypothyroidism, there is no benefit for you to avoid or restrict your intake of cruciferous vegetables.” He goes on to state that “No human study has demonstrated a deficiency in thyroid function from consuming cruciferous vegetables.”

My advice remains the same. We ALL benefit from food rotation, eating a wide variety of nutrient dense foods, especially vegetables. Moderation and variety is the best way to ensure the optimal amounts of what the body requires. All that to say if you are juicing large quantities of kale and/or spinach every single day, perhaps some rotation of greens is in good order for you! Or if you are eating a vegan or vegetarian diet where the main vegetable choices made every day are from the cruciferous family, perhaps greater variety and reduction would be prudent. Another strategy is to deactivate most of the goitrogenic compounds by cooking the vegetables. Roasting, steaming, sautéing or blanching them resolves any potential concern. Blanched and pureed, they can be frozen as ice cubes for a smoothie so they can still be added to juice each morning.

Finally, thyroid health is best protected, not by taking vegetables out of the diet, but by ensuring adequate iodine intake, stress management, cleaning up the diet, healing the gut, resolving vitamin deficiencies, removing toxins, and balancing hormone function.

Sources:

¹(https://www.drfuhrman.com/learn/library/articles/97/do-cruciferous-vegetables-or-soybeans-harm-the-thyroid)

https://www.healthfulelements.com/blog/2013/07/goitrogenic-foods-thyroid-busters-or-thyroid-boosters

https://www.draxe.com/hypothyridism-diet-natural-treatment/

By Admin|2016-09-22T09:33:35-05:00September 22nd, 2016|Articles, General, NANCY’S NUTRITIONAL NUGGET|

Healthy and detoxifying Fall crops!

by Nancy Mehlert

As we roll into September, October and November in Texas, you will begin to see local farmers’ markets and grocery store produce sections offering locally grown arugula and cucumbers.

Of all the foods we eat, few would disagree that vegetables are the most nutrient-dense, anti-inflammatory, detoxifying and hydrating food you can eat. It is also worth noting that they carry no risk to speak of – no one has ever eaten too many! So let’s take a closer look at arugula and cucumbers since they are now in season and excellent choices for reducing inflammation and detoxifying the body.

Arugula has been cultivated in the Mediterranean since time has been recorded and thus very much a part of the Mediterranean diet. The French call arugula “rocket” lettuce. The younger, paler leaves are mild in flavor while the more mature, darker leaves are described as peppery. Arugula makes a wonderful salad base by itself or pairs nicely with other greens and lettuces. It is an excellent addition to pesto or soup and brings an eye-appeal to a slaw.

Nutritionally, arugula is in the cruciferous family and offers antioxidant benefits, detoxifying enzymes, an excellent source of fiber and vitamins A, C and K, as well as folate, calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium and manganese. You’ll be surprised to know that a serving even offers 3 grams of protein and critical B vitamins that help to support good HDL cholesterol while lowering the bad cholesterol. Arugula is especially beneficial in preventing cholesterol from sticking to arteries, lowering blood pressure and increasing blood flow and improving blood vessel function so it’s a great choice for heart and circulation health, all because of the flavonoid content in it and its ability to increase nitric oxide levels in the body.

Studies conducted on arugula suggest that it may help to heal gastrointestinal ulcers and psoriasis as well as protect against lung, skin and mouth cancers. Research is also pointing to arugula as an excellent detoxifier with the ability to remove both heavy metals as well as pesticides and herbicides from the body. Apparently, there are even ancient Roman writings suggesting arugula is an aphrodisiac especially when combined with chicory, dill, lettuce or lavender.

Cucumbers also originated in the Mediterranean and are 90% water, which makes them an excellent hydrator. There are over a dozen varieties, and they thrive in both cool and warm climates. They are one of the most widely cultivated vegetables in the world. Varieties are usually identified as either a good choice for slicing or most suitable for pickling. My favorite choice is the longer and thinner English cucumber also known as a gourmet or “burpless” cucumber. These have such small seeds they virtually go unnoticed. I like to slice them, freeze them and add them to my water for flavor or make a salad like the recipe provided in today’s newsletter. They can also be sliced very thinly, lengthwise, to get a wonderful wrap for other veggies, hummus, cream cheeses, chicken salad or paté. Finally, cucumbers are one of the best choices for juicing or blending a green drink.

Cucumbers have been used traditionally in India to treat headaches while the seeds have been found to be an effective diuretic. They are an excellent source of vitamin K, C and B5 and also have a compliment of minerals including manganese, potassium, and magnesium. Recent studies have shown that cucumbers contain powerful lignans that can reduce the estrogen burden in the body, thereby reducing the risk of several cancers including breast, uterine, ovarian and prostate cancers. Another phytonutrient called cucurbitacins, are known to strongly inhibit cancer development. Cucumbers are very alkaline, soothing to the stomach and gut and can help relieve nausea.

Cucumbers remain fresh the longest when stored at room temperature and away from any other fruits or vegetables that give off ethylene, a natural plant substance, as it will initiate a rapid ripening/rotting process. Ethylene is especially ubiquitous in bananas, melons and tomatoes.

References:

https://draxe.com/top-10-bible-foods-that-heal

http://foodfacts.mercola.com/arugula.html

http://foodfacts.mercola.com/cucumber.html

http://bembu.com/alkaline-foods.html

By Admin|2016-09-07T05:28:37-05:00August 25th, 2016|Articles, General, NANCY’S NUTRITIONAL NUGGET|

Inflammatory Fire Starters

by Nancy Mehlert, MS

As I prepare to offer the list of the most inflammatory foods, I want to preface it by saying that, in my experience, changing what I eat has been one of the hardest ventures in my life. That stems from the fact that I was a junk food junkie who was addicted to sweets and starch, struggled with portion and weight control, as well as emotional eating. As a result, I walked into the door of wellness as a very inflamed, in-a-lot-of-pain, hot mess mama. At the time, I had no idea food had anything to do with it.

The list of inflammatory foods below will, with certainty, have on it at least one thing you love and enjoy dearly, but, perhaps unbeknownst to you, is causing inflammation, pain, and/or illness. I hope that you will be kind to yourself and start by getting one more thing on this list out of your diet and continue the journey to better health.

Here’s the list of inflammatory fire starters in the human body:

Fast Food
Packaged, processed food products/meals
Hydrogenated, trans- or refined fats and oils
Sugar
Gluten (found in certain grains including wheat, rye, barley, spelt, and oats but also very pervasive in processed foods and not always listed on the ingredient label)
Casein (a protein found in all milk products, especially dense in cheese and also hidden in other products)
All grains, even gluten free grains (corn, rice, etc.)
Any food to which you are allergic or sensitive, tested by IgG/IgE reactions
Daily and/or excessive alcohol consumption
Medications (prescription as well as over-the-counter, and any other substance that is foreign and unrecognized by the body)
Chemical additives to our foods, especially artificial sweeteners, MSG and nitrates/nitrites, antibiotics and hormones, just to name a few.

There’s a compounding effect: the more of these you routinely consume, the more inflammation you can expect to have in the body. Inflammation precedes most disease, especially and including autoimmune disease. Inflammation is anything that hurts, is red, hot or feverish, swollen, bleeding, or raw. So whether you struggle with headaches, heartburn, leaky gut, allergies, high blood pressure, muscle or joint pain, hemorrhoids or eczema, you must face the reality that inflammation exists. Consuming inflammatory foods is very highly likely contributing to the inflammation. The inflammatory cascade can also be triggered by medications, infections, stress, hormone changes, neurological and metabolic factors.

Need help? Call (281) 298-6742 today!

By Admin|2016-07-29T10:11:55-05:00July 29th, 2016|Articles, General, NANCY’S NUTRITIONAL NUGGET|

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

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

by Nancy Mehlert, MS

When you think about including fats in your diet, remember that you are a living being. Your cells are smart and cannot be fooled. They are filled with DNA and memory. Your cells recognize and utilize undamaged fats in highly productive health-giving ways if you consume them in their natural state. Beware that man gets engaged in doing things that damage the structure of fats including applying heat, bleaching, esterifying, hydrogenating, and using chemical solvents.

Once you’ve purchased undamaged oils, be sure to not destroy them with your own cooking methods. There is great controversy and discrepancy about temperature tolerance when cooking with oils if you search on line and explore resources for this information. The safest most conservative approach for good health is to rely on saturated fat sources for cooking and save monounsaturated fats such as olive oil for cold preparation only.

We recommend that your everyday cooking fats/oils for good health be a saturated (a strongly bonded molecular structure) fat such as butter, ghee, tallow, or coconut oil. It is important to choose a good source where animals have eaten their natural diet (pastured), where the animal has not been given antibiotics or hormones and has been raised in a humane and natural environment. This includes beef tallow, duck fat and pork lard. Epic is a brand you can look for in the market or online. Coconut oil should be organic, pressed, and free from refining, bleaching or deodorizing. If the producer knows and cares, it will usually be well described on the packaging. See our Product of the Month in this month’s newsletter for more details. For the highest temperatures on the stovetop, oven or on the grill, coconut oil and ghee are your best bet; however, we recommend that you limit or avoid extremely high temperature cooking as a matter of routine due to the damaging effect it has on the food and thus your health. Low and slow cooking is healthier.

By Admin|2016-05-04T06:00:14-05:00May 4th, 2016|Articles, General, NANCY’S NUTRITIONAL NUGGET|

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