3 Big Health Myths Exposed!

by Jamie on May 11, 2012

Myth #1: Increased sun exposure increases your risk for cancer.

Actually, logging more hours of fun under the sun actually decreases your risk of developing cancer.  A study conducted on 49, 261 women in Sweden found that women who spent more time sunbathing had a greatly reduced chance of developing lung cancer and breast cancer.  Numerous studies have found that increased levels of vitamin D in the blood (produced upon exposure to the sun) reduce the risk of all types of cancer.

Myth #2: Saturated fat (primarily found in red meat, cheese, and coconut) increases your risk of developing cancer.

Saturated fat has never been found to cause cancer.  However, polyunsaturated fat (found primarily in nuts, seeds, and the oils obtained from those foods), as well as monounsaturated fat (found in olive oil, macadamia nut oil, and avocados) have both been found to raise your risk for developing breast cancer.  Another interesting study found that coconut and red chilis might be protective against colon cancer.

Myth #3: Coffee is bad for your health.

Coffee lovers and caffeine fiends, rejoice!  Coffee and caffeine have both been found to possess health-promoting properties that usually outweigh any risks.  (The same cannot be said for alcohol, which is probably riskier than beneficial.)  One study found that women who drank coffee had much less incidence of stroke than women who drank little to no coffee.  Also, people who drank around 200 – 300 mg of caffeine per day in a case-controlled study did not develop Alzheimer’s Disease.  Study participants who did develop Alzheimer’s had a history of not drinking much caffeine, if at all.

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Wheatgrass: Snake Oil or Philosopher’s Stone?

by Jamie on May 4, 2012

Over the past several years, I’ve had numerous conversations with many different people on the topic of wheatgrass.  In fact, wheatgrass juice has become so ubiquitous in my life that sometimes I forget that there are still those who have never even heard of it — and many more who have never tried it simply because “grass” is just about the last thing on anyone’s list of favorite foods.

Wheatgrass juice became popular as a cure-all back in the 1960′s, and those who promoted it typically attributed its healing properties to an abundance of chlorophyll.  Others falsely stated that wheatgrass is a rich source of B vitamins, including B12.  Claims that wheatgrass juice helped many people heal from cancer and other illnesses haven’t been taken seriously by conventional medicine because chlorophyll can be found in a variety of other plants and because the claims about certain vitamins in wheatgrass are erroneous.

However, there is some recent solid scientific research that strongly suggests that wheatgrass does indeed have some powerful healing properties.  One study at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center found that regular usage of wheatgrass significantly reduced signs and symptoms of ulcerative colitis in study participants.  Another study found that children with thalassemia (a hereditary type of anemia) showed a reduced need for blood transfusions when they drank 100 ml of wheatgrass juice daily.  Breast cancer patients who drank wheatgrass juice showed a decreased need for medications.  In vitro studies have found that wheatgrass kills leukemia cells.

In my conversations with people about wheatgrass, I have found that those who have tried it either love it or hate it.  Nobody is ever on the fence about what they think of wheatgrass!  And honestly, most people say they hate it; the mere smell of the stuff sends chills down their spine and makes them feel like they’re gonna puke!  In my experience with wheatgrass, I’ve definitely gotten nauseated after drinking it a time or two — especially when it’s wheatgrass from Jamba Juice or the Whole Foods juice bar.  I couldn’t help but wonder: “Why is it that sometimes wheatgrass can feel so energizing and taste so smooth and sweet, while other times it tastes bitter and nauseating?”

It turns out that wheatgrass that is grown indoors on trays is highly susceptible to being contaminated with mold.  If you’ve ever tried wheatgrass juice and then felt sick after drinking it, chances are that you got a hefty dose of mold in your grass.  Pretty gross.  The good news is that you don’t have to start growing your own outdoor wheatgrass in order to get the benefits of wheatgrass without the toxic mold.  PaleoGreens has wheatgrass (as well as a bunch of other great stuff) in it, and each batch is tested for mold contamination (as well as gluten contamination from the incidental grain of wheat).  Another great thing about PaleoGreens is that it comes in three great-tasting flavors (lemon-lime, mint, and original) that you can add to a 16 oz. glass bottle of water for a quick and refreshing juice with only 35 calories.

I’ve gotta have my PaleoGreens every day.  It’s the first food that goes into my body when I wake up in the mornings and probably the reason why I never “need” coffee or caffeine to up and at ‘em like the energizer bunny!  (Yes, the one side effect of drinking PaleoGreens as soon as you wake up every day is that it might make you a slight nuisance to friends and co-workers who don’t “do” mornings.  Whatever you do, don’t hide their donuts.)

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10 Myths About Gluten

by Jamie on May 1, 2012

What you don’t know about gluten might be causing you to suffer unnecessarily from fatigue, muscle and joint pain, headaches, arthritis, thyroid disease, depression, brain fog, memory impairment, skin problems, and more!  Read on to separate myth from fact and save your health.

1.  Gluten-free is just a marketing trend/fad diet/way for picky eaters to turn down cake at parties.

The number of people eating a gluten-free diet is growing as awareness about the dangers of gluten continues to rise.  Gluten-free is by no means a fad that is going to go away.  Many of the chronic health problems that people seek prescription drugs for can actually be avoided by eating a gluten-free diet.

2.  Gluten sensitivities and celiac disease are problems that people develop as children.

Gluten sensitivities and celiac disease can occur at any time of your life.  You may develop a sensitivity to gluten as an adult even though you had no problem with gluten as a child.  No one really knows for sure what causes the onset of celiac disease, though some suspect that exposure to genetically modified foods may permanently alter your body and start a cascade of autoimmune processes.

3.  Sensitivities to gluten are allergic reactions.

Gluten sensitivity and celiac disease is not a food allergy.  Allergies cause immediate reactions that may include hives, sneezing, itching, or even anaphylaxis.  Common allergens include pollen, mold, cat dander, peanuts, chocolate, and shellfish.  In contrast, gluten sensitivity and celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder in which the body attacks itself every time it is exposed to gluten.  You may not notice an immediate reaction after eating a piece of wheat bread, for instance, but one week later you may develop a headache or swollen joints. In If your body attacks its own intestinal villi, you can develop a malabsorption problem that could cause you to suffer from B12 deficiency, anemia, or other vitamin/mineral/macronutrient deficiencies.  Some people notice mucus in their stool as a result of eating gluten, but pass this off as meaning they need to stop eating meat or do a colon cleanse or liquid diet to get rid of the mucus.  In actuality, they just need to stop eating gluten.

4.  If a food is wheat-free, it doesn’t contain gluten.

Gluten is present in a variety of grains, including wheat, barley, rye, kamut, spelt, triticale, and malt.  It may also contaminate some oats, rice, corn, soy, beans, nuts, or any other foods that were processed in a facility that also processes gluten-containing grains.  Any prepared foods that are rolled in flour or contain gravies or sauces containing flour also contain gluten.  Some vegetarian “faux meats” such as seitan and Quorn use gluten as a source of protein.  Always read the labels of any processed foods before purchasing them to make sure questionable ingredients have not been added.

5.  Eating a gluten-free diet is too expensive.

There are many gluten-free breads, pancake mixes, cake mixes, cookies, desserts, and other “treats” made from rice flour, soy flour, potato starch, tapioca starch, cassava, and other gluten-free starches available in stores nowadays.  These products can be highly overpriced!  I don’t generally recommend these products because they are typically highly processed items with very low nutritional value, and tend to be loaded with high-glycemic carbohydrates that can send your blood sugar soaring — then then crashing down two hours later — making you crave more.  If you feel that you absolutely have to eat bread, cookies, cakes, and other treats, you can easily make your own with coconut flour, almond flour, nut/seed mixtures, and even vegetables & fruits that you can process into “flours” using a food processor and a food dehydrator.  There are plenty of free recipes for “grainless raw bread,” for instance, that you can find on the internet.  With a little creativity, you can make everything from pancakes to pasta without having to resort to grains or overpriced commercial foods ever again.

6.  Only a small number of people suffer from celiac disease.

While the “official” estimate is that about 1 out of every 100 people has celiac disease (autoimmune disease diagnosable by identifying damage to the intestinal villi through endoscopic examination), this does not include those who merely have a gluten sensitivity (autoimmune reaction to gluten that doesn’t include damage to the intestinal villi).  And because both celiac disease and gluten sensitivit y are often misdiagnosed as fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, Alzheimer’s, depression, eczema, hypothyroidism, or any other illness that occurs as a result of the gluten intolerance, many sufferers don’t know they have it.  If they would just stop eating foods containing gluten, the health imbalances caused by eating gluten will typically go away within six months to a year of consuming a 100% gluten-free diet.

7.  When gluten causes a health problem, it is a digestive problem.

Gluten sensitivity may give rise to over 300 different symptoms!  While constipation, irritable bowel syndrome, mucus seen in bowel movements, diarrhea, heartburn, GERD, and other gastrointestinal symptoms may occur as a result of gluten intolerance, many sufferers may not have any digestive symptoms at all.  Chronic pain, diabetes, weight gain, mental and psychological problems, and even cancer can result from eating gluten.

8.  A gluten-free diet causes weight loss.

While celiac disease and gluten sensitivity can disrupt thyroid function, make you too tired/sore to exercise, cause blood sugar fluctuations, and other conditions that may lead to weight gain and difficulty losing weight, going gluten-free is not just another fad diet for weight loss.  As you begin to experience more energy and vitality on a gluten-free diet, you may be able to shed unwanted pounds that you had previously been unable to get rid of.  However, if you are already at your ideal weight and body composition, you can still maintain your weight on a gluten-free diet if you simply eat enough food!  Since you won’t be getting your calories from wheat bread, breakfast cereal, pancakes from IHOP, and hamburger buns, you’ll need to get your calories from other foods such as nuts/seeds, coconut, vegetables, butter, cream, fish, meat, fruit, and other delicious, nutrient-rich, wholesome foods.

9.  If you’re gluten-sensitive, just one bite of birthday cake or fresh-baked sprouted grain bread won’t hurt.

Eating just one bite or one small treat is not a “cheat.”  It’s self-mutilation.  If you react to gluten, there is no such thing as a safe level of gluten exposure.  Even if you made your own wheat flour from soaked, sprouted grains, and baked your own bread or cake with LOVE, that one bite of gluten can set you back 6 months in your healing process. Giving gluten up entirely is the only safe course of action.

A 100% gluten-free, grain-free diet saved my life and has worked for me for over 8 years.  Therefore, I take the word “gluten-free” very seriously and don’t see it as a marketing term or passing fad.  I make sure that ALL products in the Holistic Chinese Herbs Store are gluten-free and from reputable companies with stringent quality control measures to make sure what’s on the label is actually what you’re getting in the product.  This includes facial and body care products, too, because I believe that what you put on your skin can and is absorbed by the body just like anything you eat or drink.

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Fasting, Carbohydrate Consumption, and the Thyroid Gland

by Jamie on April 2, 2012

Recently, there has been a debate throughout the blogosphere about the role of carbohydrates in thyroid function.  Bloggers and health practitioners alike claim that low carbohydrate diets cause reduced thyroid function, and there is some reference to “scientific studies” proving this fact.  However, no references to such studies are given.  Because of the rumors that low carb may cause hypothyroidism, some people have started adding potatoes, orange juice, and even rice krispies to their diet in hopes that this will improve their thyroid function and get them over a weight loss plateau.

I’m not trying to say that potatoes, orange juice, and rice krispies are “bad,” and I’m not trying to personally criticize anyone who has blogged about this and claimed that consuming these foods has helped them in some way.  However, I would like to point out that when I went digging for the science behind the claim that low carb causes hypothyroidism, I actually found the opposite.  Low carb may prevent decreased thyroid function during long-term calorie restriction.

Below, you can see what I found.  The bold print is my emphasis, and the red is my own personal remarks.

1. http://jcem.endojournals.org/content/91/8/3232.full

Healthy, lean people on a nutrient dense, calorie restricted diet show a slight decrease in T3 hormone, but no increase in rT3.  These people were eating 250 grams of carbohydrates per day!  Some studies suggest that a low-carb calorie restricted diet may prevent having reduced T3 hormone. Patients who have chronic systemic inflammation have a reduction in serum T3 levels, and it is suspected that inflammation — rather than a low-carb diet — is to blame for long-term reduction in T3 hormone.

Mean serum T3 concentration was significantly lower in the CR group than the EX or WD groups, whereas serum T4 and FT4, and TSH concentrations were not significantly different among groups (Table 1⇑). Mean serum free T3 concentration (normal range 1.45–3.48 pg/dl) was significantly lower in 10 CR subjects who had the lowest serum total T3 concentrations than in 10 age- and sex-matched sedentary WD subjects (1.08 ± 0.46 vs. 1.68 ± 0.72 pg/ml; P = 0.04). However, serum rT3 concentration (normal range 19–46 ng/dl) in 10 CR subjects who had the lowest serum total T3 concentrations was normal and not significantly different from 10 age- and sex-matched sedentary WD subjects (26 ± 11 vs. 19 ± 4 ng/dl, respectively).

Data from a series of studies have shown that short-term (2 wk to 6 months) fasting or severe CR decreases serum T3 and transiently increases serum rT3 concentrations in obese subjects who are actively losing weight (9). Similar findings have been reported in a study of eight nonobese individuals who unintentionally underwent moderate CR and intense physical labor (70–80 h/wk) for 21 months (3). In addition, the results from some studies (9, 10, 11) suggest that a low-carbohydrate intake (50–120 g/d) can prevent the fall in serum T3 and particularly the rise in serum rT3 concentration induced by CR. Carbohydrate intake in our CR subjects was approximately 250 g/d, which may have contributed to their normal serum rT3concentrations. Therefore, our findings provide evidence that long-term CR in sedentary lean, weight-stable subjects causes similar but persistent changes in thyroid hormones as previously reported during short-term fasting or CR in obese subjects who were continuing to experience active diet-induced weight loss.

Patients who have the sick euthyroid syndrome also have low serum T3 concentrations (12). However, these patients have systemic nonthyroidal illnesses, such as cancer, myocardial infarction, severe infections, and major injuries (6, 12). Therefore, it is likely that inflammation, rather than decreased calorie intake, is responsible for the reduction in serum T3 concentrations in patients with sick euthyroid syndrome (13). In fact, infusion of proinflammatory cytokines in human subjects decreases serum T3 concentration (14, 15). Moreover, the decline in serum T3 concentration induced by illness is blunted in IL-6 knockout mice, which supports the notion that cytokines are involved in the pathogenesis of the sick euthyroid syndrome (16). The mechanism responsible for this response is probably related to a cytokine-induced reduction in type I iodothyronine-5′-monodeiodinase expression, which results in decreased conversion of T4 to T3 in extrathyroidal tissues and decreased serum T3 concentrations (6, 13, 14, 15, 16). In contrast, low serum T3 concentration was not associated with an increase in inflammatory cytokines in our CR subjects. In fact, markers of systemic inflammation, serum CRP and TNFα concentrations, were low in our CR subjects. These findings are consistent with data from CR studies conducted in rodents and monkeys, which showed that CR caused a marked decrease in markers of inflammation and a reduction in serum T3 concentration (7, 8, 17, 18). The combination of decreased serum T3 and reduced systemic inflammation could alter the aging process by reducing metabolic rate, oxidative stress, and systemic inflammation (1, 19, 20).

2. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3702673

In this study, the low carb participants lost significantly more weight than the high carb participants even though all particiants were consuming a 1,000 calorie diet.  Serum T3 decreased more in the low carb group than in the high carb group, but the low carb group still lost the most weight.  Serum T3 and serum rT3 also returned to baseline following one week of the diet.

Twelve obese women were studied to determine the effects of the combination of an aerobic exercise program with either a high carbohydrate (HC) very-low-caloric diet (VLCD) or a low carbohydrate (LC) VLCD diet on resting metabolic rate (RMR), serum thyroxine (T4), 3,5,3′-triiodothyronine (T3), and 3,5,3′-triiodothyronine (rT3). The response of these parameters was also examined when subjects switched from the VLCD to a mixed hypocaloric diet. Following a maintenance period, subjects consumed one of the two VLCDs for 28 days. In addition, all subjects participated in thrice weekly submaximal exercise sessions at 60% of maximal aerobic capacity. Following VLCD treatments, participants consumed a 1,000 kcal mixed diet while continuing the exercise program for one week. Measurements of RMR, T4, T3, and rT3 were made weekly. Weight decreased significantly more for LC than HC. Serum T4 was not significantly affected during the VLCD. Although serum T3 decreased during the VLCD for both groups, the decrease occurred faster and to a greater magnitude in LC (34.6% mean decrease) than HC (17.9% mean decrease). Serum rT3 increased similarly for each treatment by the first week of the VLCD. Serum T3 and rT3 of both groups returned to baseline concentrations following one week of the 1,000 kcal diet. Both groups exhibited similar progressive decreases in RMR during treatment (12.4% for LC and 20.8% for HC), but values were not significantly lower than baseline until week 3 of the VLCD. Thus, although dietary carbohydrate content had an influence on the magnitude of fall in serum T3, RMR declined similarly for both dietary treatments.

3. http://jcem.endojournals.org/content/42/1/197.abstract?ijkey=50812b0d7f50c91cab21125195bd842445b3df05&keytype2=tf_ipsecsha

In this study, the subjects consumed only 800 calories per day during the non-fasting period of the study.  Those consuming ZERO carbohydrates did show a decline in T3 hormone, but no increase in rT3.  Those consuming 50 grams of carbohydrates per day did not show a decline in T3 or increase in rT3.

To evaluate the effect of caloric restriction and dietary composition on circulating T3 and rT3, obese subjects were studied after 7–18 days of total fasting and while on randomized hypocaloric diets (800 kcal) in which carbohydrate content was varied to provide from 0 to 100% calories. As anticipated, total fasting resulted in a 53% reduction in serum T3 in association with a reciprocal 58% increase in rT3. Subjects receiving the no-carbohydrate hypocaloric diets for two weeks demonstrated a similar 47% decline in serum T3 but there was no significant change in rT3 with time. In contrast, the same subjects receiving isocaloric diets containing at least 50 g of carbohydrate showed no significant changes in either T3 or rT3 concentration. The decline in serum T3 during the no-carbohydrate diet correlated significantly with blood glucose and ketones but there was no correlation with insulin or glucagon. We conclude that dietary carbohydrate is an important regulatory factor in T3 production in man. In contrast, rT3, concentration is not significantly affected by changes in dietary carbohydrate. Our data suggest that the rise in serum rT3 during starvation may be related to more severe caloric restriction than that caused by the 800 kcal diet. 

I think the main thing that people want to know is if a low carb diet will cause thyroid problems for them, and if adding carbohydrates to a low carb diet will assist in weight loss.  Based on the studies and based on what I have seen clinically, a zero carb diet may be problematic for many reasons besides just a decrease in thyroid hormone.  A low carb diet containing at least 50 grams of carbs per day might reduce serum T3 for about a week, but over the long-term it will probably not affect T3 or rT3 to the point of hindering weight loss or sense of well-being.  If a person does experience a reduction in T3 and a rise in rT3 while consuming a low carb diet, it would be a good idea to investigate whether it is chronic inflammation — rather than the diet — that is causing the altered thyroid hormones. 

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How To Break Through Concrete

by Jamie on March 27, 2012

Have you ever experienced steady progress or growth in an area of your life only to see the “progress” come to a screeching halt?  If you’re like me, you most likely have experienced this in many different areas of your life at one time or another.  It’s as if you’re traveling on an unimpeded highway, reaching various destinations along the path, stopping for a while to explore, then moving right along to see what’s ahead, and suddenly finding the road blocked by a concrete wall that you can neither climb over nor go around.  The only way to progress is to break through the concrete!  My guess is that some people may stand behind this concrete wall for months, years, or even a lifetime, because when we hit the wall, we can’t see a way around it based on our current perspective.

In order to break through the concrete and continue to grow in any area of your life, you may need to let go of old “things” that are denying you of your own power to chisel through the wall.  This may mean letting go of old habits, beliefs, behaviors, material goods, physical toxins, or relationships that don’t serve you.

Over the past three months, I’ve had to let go of fake friends.  I’ve had to change up my daily routine, establish new habits, and develop a new vision statement.  By taking these actions which pulled me out of my comfort zone, my body broke through physical “concrete” and opened up to two new backbending poses that I had never even thought would ever be possible for me. 

The point is that whenever your personal growth and progress come to a halt, you must let go of something in order to proceed.  If you don’t clear the clutter yourself, something will likely happen in your life that will shake things up a bit until you learn to let go of those relationships, habits, beliefs, or material objects that are keeping you from realizing what you are truly capable of.  No one and nothing can hold you back if you refuse to make them a part of your life.

In Chinese Medicine theory, when you hit a wall or a plateau in any area of your life (including healing), this is a symptom of “qi stagnation.”  If qi (commonly translated as energy, though there is no exact synonym in the English language) becomes stagnant, it can physically manifest as pain, discomfort, menstrual irregularities, irritable bowel syndrome, or lethargy.  If it remains stagnant for a long period of time, it can transform into “blood stagnation,” which can physically manifest as heart disease, cancer, endometriosis, infertility, Alzheimer’s disease, fibromyalgia, migraine headaches, or any kind of chronic pain. 

The Chinese Herbal Medicine way to address qi stagnation is to use qi moving foods, herbs, and movement exercises to unblock the qi.  For blood stagnation, very potent blood moving herbs are used.  Moving the stagnation on the physical level can help you break through stagnation in other areas of your life such as your career, relationships, financial situation, or faith.

Likewise, changing some situation in your life such as starting a new career, renewing your faith in God, letting go of toxic people in your life, or manifesting change in your finances (setting a budget, paying off debt, donating money to charity, etc.), can help you break through physical stagnation in your body (stalled weight loss, health challenges, slowed athletic progress, injuries, etc.).

One way to move qi stagnation on the physical level is to do a cleanse that will assist your body in detoxifying from a variety of chemicals including Bisphenol A and phthalates(found in plastic), polychlorinated biphenyls (a banned substance used in oils, adhesives, and paints), insecticides, herbicides, mycotoxins, obesogens, and other substances you come into contact with every day.  These substances get stored in your fat cells when your body’s natural detoxification methods gets overwhelmed by the amount of chemicals you encounter.  When toxins that you have been storing for years finally get released from your fat cells and eliminated through your sweat, stool, and urine, physical stagnation is cleared and oftentimes long-term health conditions also get released.  The cleanse that I recommend is a combination of six products described here: http://www.paleocleanse.net/21-day-detox-and-cleansing-program/.  The products taste good and are loaded with whole foods nutrition to keep you from feeling hungry.  They assist in detoxification by providing massive amounts of nutrients that support all three phases of detoxification involving the liver and kidneys.

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