Coconut Oil

By Nancy Mehlert, MS

If you haven’t incorporated coconut oil into your lifestyle, it is time! From every standpoint, nutritional or supplemental, it is a wise and healthful choice for the whole family. It should be one of the primary cooking oils used in your kitchen every day. While you are at it, add it to your personal hygiene and first aid kit too. According to Mary Enig, Ph.D., the nation’s leading expert on fats and oils: Coconut oil has a unique role in the diet as an important physiologically functional food which offers health and nutritional benefits. We recommend the real thing rather than a coconut oil pill. We don’t recommend broccoli pills either. Eat the real thing.

What’s unique about it?

Unlike most vegetable and seed oils, coconut oil is nature’s richest source of medium-chain fatty acids (rather than a long-chain fatty acid). This quality makes coconut oil much more capable of permeating cell membranes easily, and much more easily digested.
Medium chain fatty acids, such as coconut oil, go directly to the liver where they are immediately converted to energy rather than being stored as fat.
Medium chain fatty acids are also able to stimulate metabolism which can support weigh loss. One way it does this is by stimulating the activity of the thyroid.
Coconut oil also has anti-microbial action due to the lauric acid it contains. Lauri acid is also found in mother’s breast milk. Lauric acid fights dangerous micro-organisms such as viruses, bacteria, yeasts, parasites and molds.
Coconut flour and coconut oil are considered gluten free and hypoallergenic, unlike most nuts and flours.

How do I know what to buy?

As with most oils, it is very possible and likely that cheaper versions will be manufactured, refined and chemically treated. These will not yield the health benefits desired. Look for these key words and phrases on the jar to ensure the highest quality:
USDA Certified Organic
Non-GMO
Raw, unrefined, cold or expeller pressed
If the container does no more than to say it is “pure”, even if it is organic, it is likely coconut oil made from copra, a dried, old and moldy coconut that must be refined, bleached and deodorized using chemical processing with chemicals such as hexane.
We recommend Tropical Traditions, Fresh Shores, Dr. Bronners, Nature’s Way to name a few. We carry Tropical Traditions at our facility for your convenience.

How do I use it?

In our world of internet information, and to save space, I will suggest that you explore internet resources because frankly, coconut oil has too many uses to list here. But know this:
If you eat, you need coconut oil: It is a perfect oil for stir fry, baking, and sautéing literally anything from eggs and veggies to meat. Toss a tablespoon into your morning smoothie and add to your cup of coffee! Then season your cast iron skillet with it.
If you bathe and groom your body, you need coconut oil: From makeup remover, to lotion or deodorant, hair conditioner and toothpaste, solving diaper rash or jock itch, coconut oil is an outstanding choice for personal body care.
If you have a medicine cabinet, you need coconut oil: Antimicrobial action protects scrapes and burns, soothes away baby rash, psoriasis or eczema, works as a lubricant for anal or vaginal use without disturbing normal flora and so much more.
If you have a home, you can even explore polishing furniture and leather with it (look for good instructions and test a small hidden area first).

The uses are many, the benefits are countless. Go coco-nuts!

By Admin|2016-04-29T09:15:52-05:00April 29th, 2016|Articles, General, NANCY’S NUTRITIONAL NUGGET|

Hemp is Healthy

By Nancy Mehlert, MS

Hemp seeds are rising in popularity as a wise and healthy addition to a whole food diet and it’s not hard to understand why. Inside this seed is a deeply nutritious profile of healthy fats, generous fiber, quality protein and an amazing supply of vitamins and minerals.

So let’s get clear right away about the relationship of hemp seeds to marijuana. Much like the difference between bell pepper and a chili pepper, both of which are in the pepper family but taste and look very different, hemp and marijuana are both members of the same plant family – cannabis. BUT they are very different! The psychoactive effect in marijuana is caused by Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). Hemp foods contain only 0.001% of this and do not cause a false positive drug test, nor do they affect pregnant women or children or anyone else eating a quality hemp seed.

So why should you enjoy hemp seeds as part of a healthy diet? Here are 9 really great reasons to include 3 Tablespoons of hemp in your diet often:

You can get an enormous amount of great nutrition in one tiny package. Easy to add to foods and baking or just eat, it is an essential part of fast, portable, healthy food choices.
It has 10 grams of omegas, perfectly balanced between 3s and 6s and high in quality, more than flaxseed or chia seed.
The high quality Omega 6 called “GLA”, which stands for gamma linolenic acid, is promoted by the American Cancer Society as an anti-cancer compound. GLA rich foods such as hemp have been observed to help with ADHD, diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, PMS, rheumatoid arthritis and skin allergies.
It has 10 grams of vegetarian protein which is also hypoallergenic, and again, more than flaxseed or chia seed. It contains all 20 amino acids AND, therefore, all 9 of the essential amino acids that our body cannot produce. It is considered a “complete” protein.
Hemp is a very low carb food. All of the carbs in hemp are fiber.
Magnesium deficiency is very common and 3 TBS of hemp offers an amazing 181 mg of magnesium.
Hemp seeds are also rich in calcium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, zinc and iron.
They offer a good source of Vitamin A as well as some B Vitamins and Vitamin D.
Hemp hearts are raw, whole food with just one simple ingredient.

Eat well. Live Well.

Sources:

www.manitobaharvest.com

http://draxe.com/7-hemp-seed-benefits-nutrition-profile/

By Admin|2016-02-19T09:04:36-05:00February 19th, 2016|Articles, General, NANCY’S NUTRITIONAL NUGGET|

The Relational Side of Good Nutrition

By Nancy Mehlert, MS

As February rolls around and red hearts and roses pop up everywhere, it is impossible not to think about relationships, especially those closest to us that qualify in our minds as a “valentine”. So what could a nutritionist have to say about relationships???

As with all of our choices, what we eat is influenced by many factors from education, experience, beliefs, emotions, and yes, the influence or opinions of others. The actual reasons why you eat what you eat may not be based at all on what is best for your unique body but factors influencing you from many angles. It is a worthwhile exercise to examine how your relationships impact what you decide to eat… Here are some examples where a relationship had a bearing, good or bad, on what was eaten:

A mother raises her child eating real food, no sugars, no junk, no processed food. The child grows up to enjoy healthy choices and reject poor choices.
Your best friends tell you “you’re no fun” when you attempt to decline dessert.
Your sister knows you are terribly upset so comes over with two pints of ice cream and two spoons.
Your wife is a very healthy eater and refuses to keep junk in the house or buy it. So all of your meals at home help to keep you healthy and trim.
Your neighbor heard you were sick so brought over lasagna, rolls, salad and dessert for the family.
You try to eat healthy, make wise choices and prepare good food for your family but every meal your spouse or teenager rolls his or her eyeballs and comments about this “dumb kick you are on”.
The family only eats 4 dinner menus because they are the only ones everyone in the family enjoys.
Your husband knows you struggle with your weight and work hard to keep it off and look great for him. He skips the heart shaped box of chocolates on Valentine’s Day and writes a love letter and cooks you a healthy meal at home with candle light and kisses.

We’ve all read articles or books about healthy relationships. We all know that good communication and mutual respect are two of the fundamental starting points for a good relationship. I believe this is true when it comes to improving our diets and overall health and nutrition. We consume most of our food with people we love. It goes to say then that if you need to change what you are eating to gain health, be well, heal, lose or maintain a healthy weight, you will have to address the relational aspects of the food you eat. Often, this is one of the hardest obstacles to making lifestyle changes because it requires effective communication of your needs, the request for respect and support from others and, finally, often others need to change their habits for your benefit. These challenges are often one of the reasons that lifestyle changes are better made slowly over time, so that everyone can get on board together.

Here are a couple of tips to help you and your loved ones nourish your relationships with each other and your food choices:

Remember that we are all unique right down to our genetic variances when it comes to our needs for nourishment, even within the same family. Don’t assume everyone needs exactly the same foods and portions. Respectfully help everyone close to you find their own pathway of foods that make them feel their best and respect their differences from yours. Ask them to do the same for you.

Listen to your body to determine your nutrition needs. Everyone else’s opinion, the latest article on the internet, or food industry products is not putting your best and unique needs first. No one can hear what your body is saying better than you can.

Listen to your body rather than your emotions. Eating to please someone else, or to avoid a conflict or to numb yourself from your feelings leads to destructive eating habits. Often times this is where you have to press through the immediate satisfaction for the long term reward. If you can do it a couple of times, you begin to renew your own self-respect and yearn for the success that comes from the discipline.

Don’t be afraid to tell others what you need from them. Offer suggestions to friends and loved ones about how to help you and be specific about what does not help you. Once my friend explained to her husband that she knew the gesture of the box of chocolates was well meaning but it caused her to be terribly tempted every day until the chocolates were gone, caused weight gain and then guilt, he understood that the end result was not what he had hoped to deliver at all.

Wherever possible, prevent others from making your food choices for you. Take ownership of what you put in your mouth. Don’t blame others for the food you eat. You are the only person who determines what goes in your mouth, so own the responsibility for your nutrition, body and your health.

Ask others not to comfort or love you with food. Find out what your love language is (http://www.5lovelanguages.com/profile/) and when you need love or comfort, suggest to others that you would like words of praise, a hug, encouragement, affirmation, an act of service or a non-food gift.

Recognize that others can have ulterior and selfish motives for saying what they say to you or sabotaging your efforts to get healthy, lose weight or change your diet. They may simply not want to join you in your journey. Avoid being manipulated or controlled by others when it comes to what you eat. Mutual respect is important in every healthy relationship. You are worthy of respect.

Set the example. When your friends come to your home, or you are asked to bring something, provide healthy food choices rather than what you think they expect or want so that they can begin to see how good healthy eating can feel and be. Leading by your example is the most powerful way to influence change in others’ lives.

Respect your body. Nourish yourself well. Then love, respect, and nourish each other. Happy Valentine’s Day!

By Admin|2016-02-03T06:50:22-05:00February 3rd, 2016|General, NANCY’S NUTRITIONAL NUGGET|

Eating Well on a Budget

By Nancy Mehlert, MS

It’s not uncommon to hear new patients say “Eating real whole food sure is more expensive!” But is it really? Here is a list of ways to reassess how you spend your hard earned dollars and how to save money, eat well and live well in the New Year. Happy New Year Everyone!

First Take a Good Assessment – It’s often an eye opener when you get a good handle on what you’re truly spending on your food. Often we are only considering the grocery bill. But have you totaled up eating out in restaurants, ordering delivery, quick purchases of food or snacks, or accounted for every bottle of water, or tea or coffee you purchase on the run? You may be surprised how much all of that adds up. When you get an eye on that number you may discover you have plenty of food dollars and that it’s just a matter of how you allocate it.

Eat at Home More Often – Consider the “total cost” to your health and pocketbook when eating out. You drive there, order more food than the human body needs, eat more damaged fat, chemicals, salt, MSG and sugar than the human body needs, pay a significant mark up from grocery store retail costs, add a 15-20% tip, and then drive home again. Even a drive-through can expensive relative to grocery store purchases. For example, at the cheapest place in town, McDonalds currently sells their fake food Big Mac Meal for $5.99. So consider feeding 2 adults basically for $12.00 at McDonalds. Beyond the pure lack of nutrition and well over 100 ingredients in it, you could go to the grocery store and purchase a pound of grass fed beef, 2 sweet potatoes and a bag of fresh shredded cabbage for the same amount of money, feed 3-4 people and eat a nutritiously dense meal at home, prepared in less than 20 minutes. And in every way, you would be healthier for it.

Prepare and Pack Food & Drink for the Road – Even a bottle of water in a convenience store generally runs well over one dollar. Coffee, though once free in many places, starts at $1.00 or more. These small but frequent pit stops add up. Everyone with good health as a goal will find a good cooler with a cold freezer pack, a good coffee mug, a non-toxic water bottle, and other cost saving devices. Those investments will pay for themselves in no time. Besides, you will save time, money and gasoline by no longer waiting, idling your car in line, breathing the fumes and paying the price both in health and your pocket book. A little planning and preparation at home every week goes a long way in preserving time, money and health. When you discover all the benefits you may even have time to plant a few of your own sprouts, herbs, or vegetables. And that is a saver too!

Not Everything Needs to Be Organic – In an ideal world, with limitless funds, perhaps this would be nice but sometimes you just have to pick your battles! Organic fresh fruits and vegetables can be expensive. If you can’t find organic options in your price range, at least learn which ones are most likely heavily pesticided or genetically modified so that you can avoid those. This is especially important for staples such as apples, celery, spinach, cucumbers, bell peppers, and kale for example. Take a look at the Environmental Working Group’s recommendations at http://www.ewg.org/foodnews/summary/ for what to avoid and what is clean. You may also find frozen organic options that are better priced than fresh. If organic meats are not available or in your price range, consider “all natural” choices where at least the antibiotics and hormones have not been given to the animal. Or check into local sources, bulk purchases online or locally which, per pound, often yield a better price than grocery store options. Consider splitting bulk orders with friends.

Shop for Price – You will find considerable price variations from store to store and online. For staple items, such as coconut oil, grass fed meats, nut flours, unprocessed sea salt, and expeller pressed oils for example, you may gain cost savings by purchasing larger quantities at online places such as Amazon.com. Costco does a fair job of carrying some healthy choices. Consider splitting the cost of membership and the food with another family who also wants to be healthier. Shop for sales, especially with items that can be kept in the freezer for storage and use later, such as meats and nut flours. Your local farmers’ markets may offer better prices on seasonal choices.

Eat for Nutrient Density – Once you add up the cost of processed snack foods, processed pre-packaged meals, desserts, junk food and drinks, you will be surprised how expensive they are and yet how hungry they leave you (and unhealthy!). When you choose to eat real whole food, dense in quality nutrition, you will discover you are satiated and satisfied, therefore needing fewer snacks or meals. Additionally, when you move from the sadly mistaken low fat, no fat, no cholesterol dietary recommendations and ensure adequate healthy fats in your diet, you will quickly discover that you need less volume. Add in high fiber vegetables, nuts and seeds and you will be full. It also reduces the need or desire to eat larger portions of meat (6-8 ounce or more). We need meat, but it is not necessary to eat it at every meal and in most cases smaller portions in the 2-5 ounce range can suffice if your diet choices are otherwise broad in variety and whole food choices. That makes a pound of meat go much further. Items such as organic beans and lentils can generally be found in the bulk section at a very reasonable price.

Avoid Expensive Gimmick Health Foods – Being well and eating well is a fast growing industry. There are plenty of people capitalizing on your interest to eat better. I’m always on the lookout for the healthiest foods we can incorporate into our diets but remain alert and skeptical. Most of the newest “super” foods are very expensive for the nutrition gained. Many new, seemingly good, choices really aren’t when you read the fine print, ingredients lists and sources. You are likely much better off focusing on a good long term eating plan that includes real, clean, whole food and plenty of variety rather than purchasing acai and goji berries or mangosteen beverages at a high price. Kombucha and Coconut Waters can be expensive and sugar laden.

Every time you cook, make extra – this is essential for those who want to eat healthier and is an easy task. Even if you aren’t a leftover fan, the reality is that if you store them immediately into travel containers, you are ready to put together a to-go lunch box the next day without extra effort. Try mixing and matching and using leftovers creatively. For example, steam beets for dinner, then use leftover beet slices to add to a salad the next day. Or use leftover broccoli, cauliflower or Brussels sprouts for a stir fry with frozen wild caught shrimp the next night. Planning seems cumbersome at first, but the more you do it, the easier it becomes. Practice establishes a new habit.

Making Nutrition Important – finally, everyone in the world has a certain amount of money with which to make lifestyle choices, some of us more, some of us less. Where we put our money is a reflection of what is important to us. Your food choices, planning time on your calendar, and knowledge about your food choices will all be dependent on how important these are to you. I confess, my resources are rather limited, but nutrition is very high on my list. That means I have had to forgo some other things in life so that I can stay healthy, eat right and feel good. Those sacrifices have been well worth it to me. But these are very personal decisions that only you can make for yourself. I have also learned that if I eat well, I don’t have to take as many supplements, rarely need to pay for medical expenses, over the counter drugs or prescriptions, rarely miss work, and have come face to face with how poorly I used to feel when I ate fast, processed food. I have a friend on food stamps and we have hammered out a way for her to eat healthfully on very limited resources. I believe it’s possible for almost everyone to make small, meaningful changes in their diet for better health and it doesn’t have to break the bank.

If you need help planning, practicing, or need ideas to save money and/or prepare easy meals, schedule a consultation with me in the grocery store or at our facility. Start out the New Year with intentional steps to making lifestyle changes for you and your family’s health. Practice makes eating easy, cost effective, and healthy!

By Admin|2016-01-05T14:28:48-05:00January 5th, 2016|Articles, General, NANCY’S NUTRITIONAL NUGGET|

Toxin Blocks and Tackles

It is football season, so as I watch the players on the field blocking and tackling I cannot help but think about how that should be our attitude toward our toxic world. We need to block our exposure to as many toxins as possible and then tackle those that have already gained entrance to our body.

Fortunately, our body does have natural detoxification pathways which, when supported nutritionally and with supplements, are designed to detoxify routinely. In fact, every time you exhale, every time you sweat or use the bathroom or blow your nose, you are witnessing your body busy at the work with waste elimination. Yeah, I know, cleaning is never a pretty topic! Some chemicals have a very short half-life and are out of the body within 24 hours, while others hang around in your body for several decades!

So what are specifics? Where should you start? Well, let’s get the game started, kick off with some ways to Block, and then some ways to Tackle!

Block – Avoiding Toxins

Buy Organic – A USDA certification ensures that produce or any ingredient has been grown without the use of pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, sewage sludge, genetically modified organisms or ionizing radiation. Animals that produce meat, poultry, eggs and dairy products do not take antibiotics or growth hormones.¹ While it would be optimal to eat organic 100% of the time, this may not be realistic for most or affordable for many, but any effort you can make to increase organic choices and avoid the most toxic (e.g., an apple) is a good step toward blocking incoming toxins and supporting the body’s natural detoxification process. A good resource is www.ewg.org to determine, for example, which fruits and vegetables are most commonly genetically modified and heavily covered in pesticides and which are not so you can make wise choices.

Avoid Plastics – avoid foods and beverages packaged in plastic, especially if you plan to heat them in the package. This especially applies to drinks, including water packaged in plastic as well as plastic storage and lunch type containers used to reheat food. Most plastics made in America are made from natural gas²and are a source of many chemicals known as endocrine disrupters, substances which when taken into our body alter normal hormonal function. Every time these plastics are heated, whether in a hot car or in a microwave, they release more of the toxic chemicals. Better options include glass, ceramic dishware with lead-free glaze, stainless steel, cast iron, and food-grade silicone, all of which do not leach chemicals into your food. ³

Choose Body and Household products carefully –from toothpaste to deodorant, and household cleaners to laundry detergent, make every effort to choose clean products free of parabens, phthalates, perchloroethylene (PERC), triclosan, quarternary ammonium compounds (Quats), 2-Butoxyethanol, ammonia, chlorine, sodium hydroxide, triclocarban, retinyl palmitate, retinyl acetate, retinoic acid, retinol, retinyl palmitate, aerosol sprays, SPF above 50, Oxybenzone, added insect repellant, permanent hair dyes, formaldehyde, formalin toluene, dibutyl phthalate, petroleum distillates, fragrance, BHA, boric acid, sodium borate, PEG’s, polyethylene compounds, diethyl phthalate, coal tar, hydroquinone, lead, and toluene⁴^,⁵. For a more complete list, see www.ewg.orgor shop in a health food store, or online with a reputable health oriented site. Our staff would be happy to offer name brands, stores, and website suggestions.

Filter Water – unfortunately, every year a surprising number of contaminants are found in our water supply. Many bottled and alkalized waters are tap water. There can be toxic chemical disinfection byproducts from the chlorine in water, as well as many pesticides, herbicides and pharmaceuticals found in the water supply. It is very important to choose a quality filtering system for the water you drink and if possible for the entire household for cleaning and bathing. Two good sources for information to consider when choosing filters can be found at www.mercola.com, or www.greenamerica.org.

Tackle – Helping Your Body Detoxify

Eat Real Whole Food, especially your Vegetables! -While the fats and proteins we eat help to create our cellular structure and build and repair the human body, carbohydrates, namely our plant foods are purposed to clean and detoxify the human body. Green vegetables (wheatgrass, kale, spinach, spirulina, chlorella, chard, arugula etc.), green teas, herbs, seaweed, fruits in general, lemons, oranges and limes, garlic, broccoli sprouts, mung beans, seeds, nuts and omega 3 oils from hemp, avocado, and olive oil all serve as natural detoxifiers, helping to provide antioxidants and water as well as stimulating production of enzymatic activity in the digestive tract. We are designed and wired for plant and animal food, not chemically laden, preserved and processed food product.

A Note on Two Specific Foods from Dr. McManus:

SALMON: It’s very important to distinguish the different species of salmon because Pacific (Alaskan) salmon is acceptable, whereas Atlantic (farmed) salmon is ONE OF THE MOST TOXIC FOODS YOU CAN EAT! Atlantic salmon is hearty and, therefore, easily farmed. Pacific salmon, however, is a different genus with 3 different species known as king salmon (aka Chinook), silver salmon (aka coho), and red salmon (aka sock-eye). The great majority of salmon at markets and restaurants is farmed Atlantic salmon. This is HIGHLY toxic due to the salmon being fed pesticide-laden grains. Don’t be fooled by fancy names. “Scottish Salmon” may be Atlantic salmon farmed in Scotland. “Norwegian Salmon” may be Atlantic salmon farmed in Norway.

BUTTER: Butter is ubiquitous in the diet, so I felt that this is another food to be addressed. Toxins are stored in fat cells. Butter is cow fat extracted from the cows’ milk. When you eat butter, you are eating a heavy load of toxins (e.g. pesticides sprayed on the grains they are fed). The only butter that’s fit for human consumption, in my opinion, is butter, preferably organic, that’s made from grass fed cattle. You can find this at most grocery stores. A decent brand is KerryGold. Other available brands in this area (Whole Foods, Sprouts, Trader Joe’s) or online include Organic Valley Pastured Butter, Kalona Super Natural Organic Butter, Anchor Pure New Zealand Butter, or Purity Farms Organic Ghee.

Promote and Support your Detoxification Pathways- using exercise, massage, and infra-red sauna, as well as proper hydration serves to promote sweating, elimination and mucus formation. It is important that whatever detoxification efforts are made, it is best to start with cleaning up the diet, water, living environment and avoiding toxins. When you are ill is not the best time to try a detoxification program.

For more assistance with choosing cleansing foods, juicing, and detoxification programs, call or office to schedule an appointment to design a clean diet and program that is right for you. Also see our Supplement of the Month (PaleoCleanse) for some specific detoxification programs designed to meet your needs.

¹www.organic.org/home/faq

²http://www.eia.gov/tools/faqs/faq.cfm?id=34&t=6

³ http://mightynest.com/learn/getting-started/healthy-living-guides/12-ways-to-avoid-toxins-in-the-kitchen

⁴ https://experiencelife.com/article/8-hidden-toxins-whats-lurking-in-your-cleaning-products/

⁵ http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/top-tips-for-safer-products/

By Admin|2015-12-02T16:26:26-05:00November 30th, 2015|Articles, Ask Dr McManus, General, NANCY’S NUTRITIONAL NUGGET|

Squash for Dummies

By Nancy Mehlert, MS

Now more than ever, there are a multitude of sizes and shapes and colors and in many cases, what we think is a kind of pumpkin, is really another relative in the winter squash family. We decorate and carve them but sometimes forget to appreciate the amazing dishes they make too! So today, let’s focus on the nutritional opportunity and great tastes found in the winter squash family.

There are more than a dozen varieties of winter squash and they are sweeter, denser and firmer than the summer squash (zucchini and yellow crookneck). In flavor and texture they generally tend to be more similar in taste and texture to a sweet potato though there are variances.

squash

Winter squash is an excellent replacement for potato, pasta, corn, and rice. They are an excellent vegetable option, generally low in calories and fat and a wonderful source of fiber, vitamin A and C, B6, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, calcium and iron. They are also rich in important phytonutrients, plant nutrients that provide many specific health benefits but are not included in the definition of vitamins, minerals, proteins, carbohydrates, or fats. Examples of phytonutrients that may sound familiar to you are lutein, quercetin, and zeaxanthin, all of which are found in winter squash.

The most popular and easily found winter squashes are Pumpkin, Spaghetti, Butternut, Acorn and Delicata. Other less common varieties include Red Kabocha, Carnival, Sweet Dumpling, Red Kuri, Buttercup and Blue Hubbard. Here are the ones represented in the picture:

Acorn, Sweet Dumpling and Carnival squash are all very similar in shape, much like an acorn. In our picture, the Carnival Squash is on the lower left and the Acorn is on the lower right. A Sweet Dumpling is shaped the same however its skin is edible and it is whitish and yellowish with slight bits of green in the folds of the squash. These squash are mellow, mild and sweet and can be used as a bowl to hold fillings such as chopped apple and cinnamon, ground sage sausage and quinoa or just plain butter. They are small enough to bake like a baked potato – just poke a small hole to vent, bake at 350° for 30-40 minutes until tender. Cut open, scoop out seeds in the center and if desired, fill up the hole and serve.

If you plan to bake more once filled, then remove them from the oven after 25 minutes, fill up and then place back in the oven until heated through.

Delicata squash are uniquely shaped in an oblong fashion, with edible yellow skin and green lines lengthwise. There are two in our picture along the back row, one to the right of the spaghetti squash and one to the right of the pumpkin. The flesh is creamy and soft with a sweet taste that will thrill kids and adults alike. Easy to prepare and quick to roast, just slice down the middle, scoop out the seeds and place single layer on a baking sheet with olive oil, coconut oil or melted butter, salt and pepper if desired. Herbs such as rosemary or thyme would pair nicely. If you are patient for pretty results, it is attractive to slice one inch pieces of the whole squash and carve out the seeds in the middle. The end result is a pretty flower-looking slice that will impress your guests.

Kabocha Squash and Buttercup Squash are very similar in appearance and can be confusing. In our picture, they are the two dark green squash on the left half of the picture. The larger one in the center is the Buttercup, distinguishable by its flat bottom. The Kabocha has a base that points out rather than in. Freshly cut, they have a very clean fragrance much like cucumber, though once cooked, are mild, dense and only slightly sweet. The Red Kabocha Squash (not pictured) is more similarly colored like a pumpkin, but is unmistakably sweeter. These squash roast well but are also perfect for creamy squash soup.

If you have yet to try Spaghetti Squash, (pictured on the left, bright yellow)you are missing out on the popular new rage to replace the pasta on your plate. A rather amazing phenomenon, when you bake this squash and begin to remove the flesh with a dinner fork, the flesh comes out in fine, angel hair pasta-like strands. Its delicate and mild taste pairs beautifully with traditional marinara, as well as simply tossed with pecorino romano cheese, cilantro or parsley and butter. Scramble leftovers in a pan for breakfast with chopped bacon and you have a delightful eggless breakfast. Smaller ones bake easily whole like a baked potato at 350-375° in 25-40 minutes while larger ones cook fast if cut in half first, remove the seeds and bake face down in a little bit of water.

Finally, the Pumpkin is the bright orange iconic symbol for October, Halloween and Fall. If you want to ditch the canned pumpkin, pick up the sweet, small Sugar Pumpkins that are easy to bake and puree for all of your favorite pumpkin recipes.

Be healthy, enjoy Fall and eat some squash!

By Admin|2015-10-21T14:58:37-05:00October 21st, 2015|Articles, General, NANCY’S NUTRITIONAL NUGGET|

Identifying and Preventing Food Allergies

By Nancy Mehlert, MS

In Collaboration with Mila McManus MD

Researchers estimate that up to 15 million Americans have food allergies. Food allergies affect 1 in every 13 children (under 18 years of age) in the U.S. That’s roughly two in every classroom. According to a study released in 2013 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, food allergies among children increased approximately 50% between 1997 and 2011. Eight foods account for 90 percent of all reactions: milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, soy, wheat, fish and shellfish. Even trace amounts of a food allergen can cause a reaction.[1] In comments on the US Food & Drug Administration’s 2005 Food Safety Survey, FAAN stated that “Accurate and reliable data on food allergy and anaphylaxis is lacking, and it is generally believed that the limited data now available represents an under-reporting of food allergy-related reactions and deaths”[2]. Here at The Woodlands Institute for Health and Wellness, we agree that food allergies are on the rise and prevalence is underreported for children and adults.

The information above pertains to IgE, or immediate type, allergic reactions such as lip swelling, hives, and/or anaphylaxis. What we see much more frequently at TWIHW are IgG, or delayed type, reactions which are generally ignored and dismissed in the conventional medical community. Symptoms related to IgG reactions are listed below in the paragraph that begins with “1”.

You can help yourself and your family to minimize the effects of food allergies and avoid them all together by taking a few proactive steps.

ONE: Clean up your diet. Focus on real, whole food and eliminate packaged, processed, and fast foods in exchange for plenty of fresh vegetables, fruit, healthy undamaged fats and meats. Reduce sugar as much as possible.

TWO: Restore and heal the gut (intestinal lining where digestion occurs) with plenty of probiotics and bone broth. Our highly processed sugary/carbohydrate diets with artificial sweeteners, flavors and chemical additives, in addition to overuse of antibiotics and steroids, have made it difficult to maintain a healthy gut. (Call us at 281-298-6742 for treatment programs to heal and seal and restore the gut and reduce allergic reactions to foods!)

THREE: Rotate, Rotate, Rotate. Food rotation means to eat a wide variety of foods and avoid eating the same foods day after day and week after week. When we bludgeon the body with a single food, day after day, the opportunity to induce a food allergy to it is very high. This is especially true of the eight listed foods above. Making sure that you only consume these foods once a week (or at least 3-4 days apart) can go a long way to reducing the opportunity for a food allergy to develop. While it is not as necessary to rotate the foods the human body is perfectly wired to consume such as meats and vegetables, undamaged fats, fruits and most seeds, rotation also helps to keep interest in a healthy diet and more importantly, provides a much needed diversity of nutrients for the body thus preventing nutrient depletion.

FOUR: Food allergy tests are available and can be expensive but there is a way you can do a little testing on your own. It is called an Oral Food Challenge. We suggest taking a look at the list above of the eight most common food allergens and conduct your own personal test. Your results will be better than any test available and it will allow you to witness in your own body what effect a food has on you. Instructions for performing the challenge:

1. Choose any one food listed above that’s currently part of your regular diet and eliminate it totally from your diet for a full 30 days or more. Three months would be an ideal test environment. Be sure to check ingredient lists carefully on everything to make sure you are doing a complete elimination. This is especially important with soy, wheat, milk and eggs since they are commonly found in many restaurant items, as well as processed and packaged foods. Make notes a couple times a week in a log regarding how you are feeling before elimination and how you are feeling as the elimination period is progressing. Common allergy symptoms can include aching joints, diarrhea/constipation, headaches, irritability/depressed moods, marked fatigue, inability to lose weight or weight gain[3], anxiety, sneezing, post- nasal drainage, cough, ringing ears, watery eyes, hives/itching/rash, cramps/bloating/ gas, asthma or breathing difficulty, canker sores, or difficulty concentrating. You may want to start by jotting down which of these symptoms you already experience on a regular basis to see if elimination of a food resolves the symptom.

2. Once the elimination period is complete, add the food back into your diet following precisely the three steps listed below. Remember that food allergy symptoms can be both delayed and cumulative, meaning increasing levels of the ingested food can trigger the reaction. If at any point in the steps you experience a reaction, stop eating the challenge food and recognize your sensitivity/allergy to it. We recommend documenting your symptoms to each food you test. Here is how to add the food back in:

i. Day 1-4: Eat the chosen food for 4 consecutive days, at least one serving each day.

ii. Day 5-8: Omit the chosen food totally again for the next 4 days. Be sure to omit the food and anything in which it is an ingredient.

iii. Day 9: First thing in the morning, eat a portion of the chosen food with nothing but a glass of water. Watch for symptoms over the next 30 minutes. If no symptoms occur, eat a second portion of the food with nothing but a glass of water. Without eating any more of the chosen food, wait and watch for symptoms over the next 3 days.

If you can complete this process without observing any symptoms at all, then you can draw the conclusion that you are not sensitive or allergic to the food. If at any point during the process you experience symptoms, stop eating the food, noting the food sensitivity for future reference. If you have a reaction, we recommend the ideal course of action to be avoidance. If the reaction is mild, it’s best to avoid the food for a few months and then attempt food challenge again and if you pass the test the next time, you may wish to eat the food once a week or less, if possible, with the understanding that more frequent ingestion will have a cumulative effect and could trigger symptoms again in the future. If your reaction is more severe with the first oral food challenge, then total avoidance is your best and wisest course of action, but with faithful avoidance for at least 6 to 12 months, you can test again and may be able to rotate the food back into your diet. It’s important to reiterate the importance of focusing on cleaning up the diet and healing the gut as part of a long-term plan to recover from food intolerance and prevent the development of more food allergies.

Call 281-298-6742 for more information and assistance from our skilled and experienced medical staff and nutritionist.

[1] http://www.foodallergy.org/facts-and-stats

[2] (FAAN, 2005

[3] Your Hidden Food Allergies Are Making You Fat by Roger Deutsch and Rudy Rivera M.D. (2002)

By Admin|2015-10-06T12:36:01-05:00October 6th, 2015|Articles, General, NANCY’S NUTRITIONAL NUGGET|

Ten Strategies to Help Overcome Emotional Eating

By Nancy Mehlert, MS

Stop eating long enough to truly experience hunger. Think about it, feel it and listen to it so that you know what real hunger feels like. Begin trying to ask yourself if you are truly hungry before you eat. Sometimes thirst is mistaken for hunger.
Remove unhealthy foods from your home and replace them with healthy choices. Remember that fiber, healthy/undamaged fats, and protein can help to give satiation and make you less likely to have carbohydrate cravings. Remember that the quality of the food matters. Food products, sugary products, processed food, packaged and fast foods are designed by producers to stimulate your pleasure centers and make you crave more of them.
Make self-loving, self-respecting choices most of the time. Perfection is not the goal. Avoiding and minimizing the frequency of self-abuse more of the time is the goal. Be gentle with yourself and remember there are really no mistakes, only lessons.
When you derail, take time to consider what happened and how you were feeling when you resorted to emotional eating. It is helpful to put this in a journal and reflect.
Consider having some boundaries in place, such as never eating in bed, while watching TV, working on the computer, or while in the car, or anywhere in the house except the kitchen table. Learning to restrict where we eat can disconnect food from other activities.
Practice meeting up with friends for activities that do not include eating.
Cravings generally last for 20 minutes so if you can recognize the trap about to happen and distract yourself for 20 minutes, you can be successful at avoiding the eating. Good distractions include calling a friend to talk, drinking 16 ounces of water, going on a walk, reading a book, taking a bath, playing with your children, or journaling your thoughts and feelings.
Be mindful about what you are eating. According to a study by London researchers, the only difference between emotional eaters and non-emotional eaters isn’t the quantity of food they eat – it’s the quality. Emotional eaters are more likely to eat fattening, high calorie food. If you feel a hunger urge coming on, reach for a healthy alternative instead. You’ll cut the fat and the guilt.
Consider professional help. Asking for help is not a sign of weakness- it actually takes a lot of courage.
Find ways to better manage stress, such as exercise, meditation, journaling, and deep breathing exercises.

By Admin|2015-09-01T12:56:56-05:00September 1st, 2015|Articles, General, NANCY’S NUTRITIONAL NUGGET|

Be Sure to Get Your Bs

By Nancy Mehlert, MS

One of the most common problems we see with our new patients is nutritional bankruptcy, with a B vitamin deficiency being common and often the cause of several symptoms. B vitamins are not stored very well in the body because they are water-soluble. While a healthy body can produce some of the B vitamins, diet and supplementation are mission critical to good health. Deficiencies can occur fairly easily as a result of dieting, fasting, or a diet of substantially refined and processed food, sugar, or alcohol. Another very common reason for B vitamin deficiencies today is an unhealthy gut. Many of our B vitamins are produced by intestinal bacteria; however, antibiotic use, processed foods, sugar, alcohol, Splenda, stress and a toxic environment have all contributed to the destruction of these favorable bacteria, resulting in vitamin B deficiencies.

B vitamins are often referred to as a complex of vitamins because they usually show up in food and nature together and in many cases need each other to perform the functions they serve in the body. The complex includes thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, pyridoxal, biotin, folic acid, and B-12 (the cobalamins). B Vitamins serve the following purposes in the human body:

Like a spark plug in a car, they help to start or determine the speed of biochemical reactions in the body such as converting carbohydrates to glucose as well as metabolizing fats and proteins.
They are essential to the normal functioning of the nervous system and help to bring relaxation or energy when stressed or fatigued.
The health of our skin, hair, eyes, liver and mucosal linings are especially dependent on the B vitamins.
Proper levels of B vitamins also enhance the muscle tone of the gastrointestinal tract, allowing the bowels to function most efficiently.

Common symptoms of vitamin B deficiencies include fatigue, irritability, nervousness, depression, insomnia, loss of appetite, sore mouth or tongue, and cracks in the corners of the mouth. Deficiencies of some of the B vitamins may also impair immune function and estrogen metabolism, while deficiencies in B-12 and folic acid specifically can result in constipation, numbness in hands and feet, skin problems, acne, hair loss, early graying of hair, increased serum cholesterol and weakness of the legs.

Essential to avoiding vitamin B deficiencies, two steps must be taken. First, be sure that your gut is healthy and has optimal favorable bacteria. This is one of the reasons we focus on gut health with every patient and recommend that most patients take a quality probiotic every day and/or eat cultured foods. Second, be sure to consume a wide variety of whole foods. Some of the best sources of B Vitamins include organ meats, especially liver (ideally from a grass fed animal), nutritional yeast (ask your nutritionist how this is used and whether it is right for you), most beans, peas, lentils, dark green vegetables and dark green leafy vegetables, avocado, oats, millet, eggs, oily fish such as trout, mackerel, herring, shellfish, tuna, salmon, halibut, mushrooms, sweet potatoes, cauliflower, seeds, meat and poultry.

By Admin|2015-08-05T06:39:16-05:00July 28th, 2015|Articles, General, NANCY’S NUTRITIONAL NUGGET|

10 Tips for Teaching Children Healthy Food Habits

By Nancy Mehlert, MS

As our children struggle with an increasingly large number of health issues such as skin rashes, poor concentration, inability to sleep, constipation, hyperactivity, tummy aches, and obesity, just to name a few, it is difficult to ignore the fact that most restaurant food, packaged food and fast food are filled with damaged oils and proteins, sugar, and harmful additives. We want to encourage families to get together at the dinner table to eat a simple, real food meal more often to ensure good nourishment and also because it creates security, stress reduction, relationship strength and emotional confidence for our children and families as a whole.

Tip ONE: Begin early and involve children in selection and preparation of vegetables, fruit, and meat. The ability to choose, smell, touch, and prepare foods will help to increase participation in trying new foods. As age allows, engage them in setting the table, washing, cutting, measuring quantities, and otherwise helping to prepare the meal and clean up afterward. Even “play” activities with food can help a child become familiar with a new food. An art activity like creating a face on an apple with kale for hair, grapes or blueberries for eyes, thinly sliced bell pepper or carrot to form a smile, can increase a child’s confidence with new foods. If your kids are older, sign up for a cooking class together.

Tip TWO: As soon as you begin reading to your child, include nutrition-oriented books. Include nutrition topics in DVD’s for older children such as Food Matters, or Food, Inc. Conduct experiments with food such as buying a Happy Meal and leaving it on the kitchen counter for observation to see what happens to it. Book suggestions for youngsters include Vegetables in Underwear by Jared Chapman, Eating the Alphabet by Lois Ehlert, Monsters Don’t Eat Broccoli by Barbara Jean Hicks, and Why Should I Eat Well by Claire Llewellyn.

Tip THREE: Try new foods together. Insist on tasting everything and you do the same. Teach tasting with an 8-10 chew rule – take a bite, chew 8 times, then the choice is theirs to spit it out or swallow it. Children need to touch, smell, and experience new foods often before eating it. It can take as many as 10-20 introductions of a new food to develop a taste for it. Be patient and persistent, continuing to put it on the plate. Try preparing it different ways. (Yes! Hide it if you can.) If you don’t have success after 20 introductions, don’t give up entirely. Take it out of the rotation for a couple months and reintroduce it again later. Remember, taste buds are growing and changing along with children’s brains and bodies.

Tip FOUR: Ignore protests or requests during mealtime for routine favorites or something different. We recommend that everyone in the family is served and expected to eat the same food. This prepares children for many aspects of life where we don’t always get our favorites or our way. If children can be taught to eat what is served they will try new foods and become less finicky. Don’t feel guilty about allowing a child to be a little hungry because they refused to eat what was served. Sometimes missing a favorite treat or being hungry at bedtime is a strong motivator for changed behavior at the dinner table. Snacks or after dinner treats, even healthy ones such as fruit, nuts or 60% dark chocolate chips should not be offered unless a child has eaten a reasonable amount of the dinner served.

Tip FIVE: Bring kids to the table hungry. Introducing new foods is best done when the child is hungry and the options are limited. Do this by preventing excessive snacking and permission-only access to food in the kitchen. Help your children identify the sensation of true hunger versus eating for other reasons. Encourage play and outdoor activity wherever possible. Hungry kids will come to the table ready to try new foods, eat what is served and eat good portions for growing minds and bodies.

Tip SIX: Limit beverages at mealtime. Keep children focused on food. Too much liquid of any kind can fill a child up and prevent them from eating much. Excessive fluid also dilutes stomach acid needed to aid in quality digestion. Use small 3-4 ounce glasses and don’t allow refills. If children are hungry between meals, suggest water, since hunger is often a sign of thirst.

Tip SEVEN: Make dinner a technology-free and toy-free zone for everyone. No television, cell phones, toys or other activities. This increases a focus on eating, chewing well and healthy conversation. If phones ring or ping, do not leave the table to answer them. This shows your children that eating together as a family is a high priority where nothing else is more important. Check out www.dinnertimeapp.com for a way to get kids to shut down technology at the appropriate times.

Tip EIGHT: It may not be realistic to eat at home every night but try to establish one or two nights that are “sacred” where everyone agrees that dinner will be at home together and no activities will take precedence. Engage teens in dinner preparation responsibility one day a week. Boys and girls need to know how to plan and cook a meal for successful adult lives.

Tip NINE: Create fun, healthy discussion for mealtime. Pose a question everyone can answer. For example, “What was the best part of your day and why?” or “What are you thankful for today and why? “ Need more ideas? Check out http://childhood101.com/2012/03/family-time-meal-time-conversation-starters/ .

Tip TEN: Teach your children to understand that sugar, specifically sweets such as candy, cakes, ice cream, cookies, cokes, fruit juices, power drinks, donuts and other similar foods are highly destructive to the optimal functioning of the human body and highly correlated with most disease and illness. . The more you can limit or eliminate them, the better for everyone. Instead, offer a wide variety of nutrient-dense foods for snacks and meals. Avoid using sweets or any food as a reward or soother. This teaches your children to become adults who reward or sooth themselves with food. Be very aware that, while socially acceptable and legal, sugar is at least as, if not more addictive than, cocaine, alcohol and tobacco. Fresh fruit, nuts and seeds are ideal replacements for sweets.

For more ideas, help with the substitutions and sugar-busting methods, contact me today at 281-298-6742 for a nutrition consultation.
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http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/05/02/is-sugar-toxic.aspx
http://www.naturalnews.com/042209_sugar_addictive_substances_cigarettes.html

By Admin|2015-06-22T15:28:44-05:00June 22nd, 2015|Articles, General, NANCY’S NUTRITIONAL NUGGET|

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