How Many Servings of Fruits and Veggies?
Many of us remember being told as children that we need to eat 3-5 servings of fruits and vegetables a day. The good old food pyramid was part of our health education. Well, the food pyramid has gone through many changes and has been the center of controversy for many nutritionists and health care professionals over the years. The current recommendations, depending on what source you use, will range anywhere from 5-9 servings. I advise to aim towards the higher end and try to consume 7-9 servings of fruits and vegetables a day.
Why has the number of recommended servings increased over the years?
The number probably should have been higher to begin with; however, due to the large financial influence of the meat and dairy industry, the developers of the food pyramid made sure that these food groups received a large portion of our daily caloric intake. More importantly, the reason to increase your consumption of fruits and veggies is that studies are consistently showing that today’s food supply is less nutritious than the foods we ate 30 years ago. The Journal of HortScience reports that vegetables in today’s supermarket on average have 5%-40% less minerals than those grown 50 years ago.
Some examples include:
Broccoli: Calcium content in 1950 was 130mg, today is 48mg
Corn: Vitamin A content in 1950 was 390IU, today is 281IU
Strawberry: Phosphorus content in 1950 was 27mg, today is 19mg
Now, how do we get at least 7 servings into our daily diet?
Getting 7 servings of fruits and vegetables every day is no easy task. It requires planning, diligence, and commitment. Plan to have fresh vegetables and fruits readily available to you during the day. Travel with fruit - it's best eaten as a snack anyways. Make extra vegetables in the evening with dinner so that you have some ready the following day. How you spread your servings out over the day is going to be completely unique to you and your schedule. I aim to have had at least 4 servings before dinner. I can easily make up the rest of my servings during dinner. This may work for you, it may not. Experiment and find out what works for you.
Here are some tips to get the most nutrient value out of your produce:
•Try to buy organic.
•Shop your farmer’s market and eat seasonally. Use the following website to find local markets and farms near you. http://www.localharvest.org/
•Use produce within 1 week of purchase. Nutrient levels decline the longer the produce is around.
•Consume fresh produce when possible. During the winter months use frozen produce. Frozen produce is picked when it is at its peak and retains much of its nutritional content during processing.
Friday, December 10, 2010
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
The Many Health Benefits of Probiotics in Your Digestive System
The ideal ratio between the bacteria in your body is 85 percent "good" and 15 percent "bad." That's right – you need FAR more beneficial bacteria (probiotics) than you might think (85% good bacteria, 15% bad bacteria)
This ratio is essential for:
The proper development and function of your immune system, protection against over-growth of other microorganisms that could cause disease, breakdown of food and absorption of nutrients, production of vitamins, absorption of minerals and elimination toxins.
As you can see, probiotics perform a wide variety of functions, which makes them useful and beneficial for a number of health concerns, including:
Food and skin allergies in children, vaginitis, premature labor in pregnant women, inflammatory bowel disease, recurrent ear and bladder infections and diarrhea. They can also help ward off allergies and infections by training your immune system to distinguish between pathogens and non-harmful antigens, and to respond appropriately.
Your Gut's Microflora Affects Your Weight!
One study found that the bifidobacteria (a probiotic) counts taken from infants at the age of 6 months and 12 months were twice as high as those who became overweight. This finding may help explain why breast-fed babies are also at a lower risk of obesity, as bifidobacteria flourish in the guts of breast-fed babies. Two other studies found that obese people had about 20 percent more of a group of bacteria known as firmicutes (bad bacteria) than lean people. Firmicutes help your body to extract calories from complex sugars and deposit those calories in fat, not a good thing!
How to Increaes Probiotics in Your Gut
It's not as hard as you may think! One of the best things to do is to stop consuming processed and sugary food and limting your consumption of grains, which quickly turn into sugar in your body. 'Bad' bacteria thrive on this sugar and this can lead to an imbalance. On the flip side, a healthy, diverse diet low in sugar helps your beneficial bacteria flourish!
Keep in mind that if you or your kids need to lose some excess weight, balancing your gut bacteria is only one part of the equation. Regular exercise and good nutrition are very important.
Unfortunately there are more factors that influence your gut bacteria. Antibiotics, chlorinated water, antibacterial soap, agricultural chemical and pollution can all destroy your good bacteria. It is a very good idea to "reseed" your body with good bacteria from time to time by taking a high-quality probiotic supplement or eating fermented foods such as sauerkraut, kimchi, or plain organic yogurt. For more information on how to improve your health, give me a call for your free 20 minute intial consultation! You can reach me at 513-505-7817.
The ideal ratio between the bacteria in your body is 85 percent "good" and 15 percent "bad." That's right – you need FAR more beneficial bacteria (probiotics) than you might think (85% good bacteria, 15% bad bacteria)
This ratio is essential for:
The proper development and function of your immune system, protection against over-growth of other microorganisms that could cause disease, breakdown of food and absorption of nutrients, production of vitamins, absorption of minerals and elimination toxins.
As you can see, probiotics perform a wide variety of functions, which makes them useful and beneficial for a number of health concerns, including:
Food and skin allergies in children, vaginitis, premature labor in pregnant women, inflammatory bowel disease, recurrent ear and bladder infections and diarrhea. They can also help ward off allergies and infections by training your immune system to distinguish between pathogens and non-harmful antigens, and to respond appropriately.
Your Gut's Microflora Affects Your Weight!
One study found that the bifidobacteria (a probiotic) counts taken from infants at the age of 6 months and 12 months were twice as high as those who became overweight. This finding may help explain why breast-fed babies are also at a lower risk of obesity, as bifidobacteria flourish in the guts of breast-fed babies. Two other studies found that obese people had about 20 percent more of a group of bacteria known as firmicutes (bad bacteria) than lean people. Firmicutes help your body to extract calories from complex sugars and deposit those calories in fat, not a good thing!
How to Increaes Probiotics in Your Gut
It's not as hard as you may think! One of the best things to do is to stop consuming processed and sugary food and limting your consumption of grains, which quickly turn into sugar in your body. 'Bad' bacteria thrive on this sugar and this can lead to an imbalance. On the flip side, a healthy, diverse diet low in sugar helps your beneficial bacteria flourish!
Keep in mind that if you or your kids need to lose some excess weight, balancing your gut bacteria is only one part of the equation. Regular exercise and good nutrition are very important.
Unfortunately there are more factors that influence your gut bacteria. Antibiotics, chlorinated water, antibacterial soap, agricultural chemical and pollution can all destroy your good bacteria. It is a very good idea to "reseed" your body with good bacteria from time to time by taking a high-quality probiotic supplement or eating fermented foods such as sauerkraut, kimchi, or plain organic yogurt. For more information on how to improve your health, give me a call for your free 20 minute intial consultation! You can reach me at 513-505-7817.
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Sleep is so important to our health, yet most peole do not consider its impact and fall into poor sleep habits that compromise their health. Of all the things we can do for our health, this really should be at the top of our list and we don’t do it nearly enough. Here are my top five reasons why sleep is my favorite health promoting activity:
1. You don’t actually have to do anything
2. You can wear whatever you want
3. You get to be unconscious and let your body do all the work for you
4. You get to lie down and be comfortable
5. You get to share this activity with the one you love the most
So why aren’t we getting enough sleep? I have no idea. I do know that in the summer months it can be a bit more difficult to get quality sleep. We sleep best when the temperature is slightly cool, and when the room is totally dark. With the sun setting later, we tend to eat later which can disrupt our sleep. And with the sun rising earlier, we tend to rise earlier which may shorten our normal sleep duration.
My solution: Buy a sleeping mask or thick curtains and turn down the lights after dinner.
How can a good night’s sleep boost our health?
Boost immune function
Boost concentration
Promote weightloss
Promote healthy hormone balance and thyroid function
Promote more stable mood
Promote craving control
Promote cuddling with your spouse, partner and/or lover
Top Five Tips for Great Sleep
1. Eat loads of foods that promote sleep:
Chlorophyll-rich foods, such as leafy and green vegetables, steamed or boiled.
Fruits, such as mulberries and lemons, which calm the mind.
Whole grains boost serotonin, which promotes better sleep.
Chia seeds have a sedative effect.
Have a cup of chamomile tea before going to bed. It calms down your digestive system, and relieves muscle tension.
2. Go to bed and get up at the same time every day.
3. Keep your bedroom as dark and as quiet as possible.
4. Avoid alcohol, sugar, caffeine and ciggies late in the day and into the night.
5. Create good pre-sleep rituals
Your computer and/or television should never join in the boudoir. The bedroom should be reserved for sleeping and loving only.
Of course darkness is key! Keep your room or keep your windows wide open and darken your eyes with a good sleep mask!
1. You don’t actually have to do anything
2. You can wear whatever you want
3. You get to be unconscious and let your body do all the work for you
4. You get to lie down and be comfortable
5. You get to share this activity with the one you love the most
So why aren’t we getting enough sleep? I have no idea. I do know that in the summer months it can be a bit more difficult to get quality sleep. We sleep best when the temperature is slightly cool, and when the room is totally dark. With the sun setting later, we tend to eat later which can disrupt our sleep. And with the sun rising earlier, we tend to rise earlier which may shorten our normal sleep duration.
My solution: Buy a sleeping mask or thick curtains and turn down the lights after dinner.
How can a good night’s sleep boost our health?
Boost immune function
Boost concentration
Promote weightloss
Promote healthy hormone balance and thyroid function
Promote more stable mood
Promote craving control
Promote cuddling with your spouse, partner and/or lover
Top Five Tips for Great Sleep
1. Eat loads of foods that promote sleep:
Chlorophyll-rich foods, such as leafy and green vegetables, steamed or boiled.
Fruits, such as mulberries and lemons, which calm the mind.
Whole grains boost serotonin, which promotes better sleep.
Chia seeds have a sedative effect.
Have a cup of chamomile tea before going to bed. It calms down your digestive system, and relieves muscle tension.
2. Go to bed and get up at the same time every day.
3. Keep your bedroom as dark and as quiet as possible.
4. Avoid alcohol, sugar, caffeine and ciggies late in the day and into the night.
5. Create good pre-sleep rituals
Your computer and/or television should never join in the boudoir. The bedroom should be reserved for sleeping and loving only.
Of course darkness is key! Keep your room or keep your windows wide open and darken your eyes with a good sleep mask!
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Tonight I will be at Revolution Fitness (http://www.revolution-fitness.com/) to give out free samples of delicious smoothies. The event is a fundraiser for Cystic Fibrosis (CF). CF is a terrible disease. It affects the lungs, bile ducts of the liver, pancreatic ducts and the gastrointestinal tract. This disease alters the normally protective mucus and transforms it into a thick, abnormal excretion that obstructs airways and damages tissue. The most common problem is in the lungs. The thick mucus creates an ideal situation for unfriendly bacteria to multiply and cause infection. This leads to difficulty breathing and lung infections. In the digestive system, pancreatic enzymes are blocked from entering the small intestine, where they are meant to break down protein, fat and carbohydrates. Malnutrition is the result because the body can’t absorb what it doesn’t break down.
There are many drug therapies to try to correct what is going wrong in the body of a person suffering from CF. The problems is that many drugs have nasty side effects. As an alternative or addition to drugs, I will lay out a couple of things do help a person with CF without using drugs.
1. Boswellia, bromelain, cayenne, ginger and peppermint can aid in reducing inflammation.
2. Cayenne, garlic, mullein and hyssop can help clear congestion in lungs.
3. Alfalfa extract supplies vitamin K and minerals often deficient in CF due to absorption problems
4. Your diet should consist of 75% raw fruits and vegetables, nuts and seeds (due to lack of pancreatic enzymes). Raw foods contain more enzymes than cooked foods.
5. Supplements should include probiotics, enzymes, vitamins and minerals. Those with CF require up to 50% more nutrients than normal.
6. In hot weather, increase water and salt intake.
7. Avoid processed foods, animal products, dairy products, sugar and white flour (these are hard to digest and cause a build up of mucus.
As with any chronic condition, with CF there are many things that you can do naturally to address the root causes so that you can live a happier, healthier life!
There are many drug therapies to try to correct what is going wrong in the body of a person suffering from CF. The problems is that many drugs have nasty side effects. As an alternative or addition to drugs, I will lay out a couple of things do help a person with CF without using drugs.
1. Boswellia, bromelain, cayenne, ginger and peppermint can aid in reducing inflammation.
2. Cayenne, garlic, mullein and hyssop can help clear congestion in lungs.
3. Alfalfa extract supplies vitamin K and minerals often deficient in CF due to absorption problems
4. Your diet should consist of 75% raw fruits and vegetables, nuts and seeds (due to lack of pancreatic enzymes). Raw foods contain more enzymes than cooked foods.
5. Supplements should include probiotics, enzymes, vitamins and minerals. Those with CF require up to 50% more nutrients than normal.
6. In hot weather, increase water and salt intake.
7. Avoid processed foods, animal products, dairy products, sugar and white flour (these are hard to digest and cause a build up of mucus.
As with any chronic condition, with CF there are many things that you can do naturally to address the root causes so that you can live a happier, healthier life!
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Type 1 Diabetes
I don't need to tell you how serious diabetes is. Type 1 diabetes is caused by an autoimmune problem where your own body attacks insulin producing cells in the pancreas. For this reason it is also called insulin dependent diabetes. Insulin is necessary to push glucose into your cells so that you can use it for energy. The good news is that there are things you can do for your infant that can significantly decrease the likelihood of him/her developing type 1 diabetes? Here are four things to do for your baby:
1. Optimize your child’s vitamin D levels.
Children who take a vitamin D supplement from age 1 onwards reduce their risk of developing type 1 diabetes by 80 percent (Dr. Micheal Holick). Pregnant women should also maintain adequate vitamin D levels to decrease the risk of type 1 diabetes. The latest research leads me to recommend 35 IUs (international units) of vitamin D3 per pound of body weight. This translates to:
• 35 IUs per pound per day for children below 5
• 2500 IUs for children between the ages of 5 to 10
• 5000 IUs for adults ages 18 to 30
• 5000 IUs for pregnant women
The best way to determine your current level and supplementation need is to do a blood test. The best test to order is the 25 hydroxyvitamin D, available through Lab Corp.
2. Breastfeed your baby.
Babies fed using bottles tend to gain too much weight in their first year, and this may increase their chance of type 1 diabetes. Breast milk is much preferred over formula because exposure to pasteurized cow’s milk early in life may increase a child’s risk of type 1 diabetes. It also increases the risk of food allergies and other health problems.
3. Avoid feeding cereal to your infant.
Choose vegetable sources of carbohydrates over grains. Grains are extremely difficult to digest and babies may not have the ability to break down grain proteins like gluten. Grains are just not the best choice for most people, including infants. Babies who are given cereal may also increase their risk of type 1 diabetes.
4. Do some research before vaccinating your infant.
Some research indicates that the incidences of autoimmune diseases in children are a result of the growing number of vaccinations received. Dr. Donald W. Miller points out that there has been a 17-fold increase in type 1 diabetes -- from 1 in 7,100 children in the 1950s to 1 in 400 today.
I don't need to tell you how serious diabetes is. Type 1 diabetes is caused by an autoimmune problem where your own body attacks insulin producing cells in the pancreas. For this reason it is also called insulin dependent diabetes. Insulin is necessary to push glucose into your cells so that you can use it for energy. The good news is that there are things you can do for your infant that can significantly decrease the likelihood of him/her developing type 1 diabetes? Here are four things to do for your baby:
1. Optimize your child’s vitamin D levels.
Children who take a vitamin D supplement from age 1 onwards reduce their risk of developing type 1 diabetes by 80 percent (Dr. Micheal Holick). Pregnant women should also maintain adequate vitamin D levels to decrease the risk of type 1 diabetes. The latest research leads me to recommend 35 IUs (international units) of vitamin D3 per pound of body weight. This translates to:
• 35 IUs per pound per day for children below 5
• 2500 IUs for children between the ages of 5 to 10
• 5000 IUs for adults ages 18 to 30
• 5000 IUs for pregnant women
The best way to determine your current level and supplementation need is to do a blood test. The best test to order is the 25 hydroxyvitamin D, available through Lab Corp.
2. Breastfeed your baby.
Babies fed using bottles tend to gain too much weight in their first year, and this may increase their chance of type 1 diabetes. Breast milk is much preferred over formula because exposure to pasteurized cow’s milk early in life may increase a child’s risk of type 1 diabetes. It also increases the risk of food allergies and other health problems.
3. Avoid feeding cereal to your infant.
Choose vegetable sources of carbohydrates over grains. Grains are extremely difficult to digest and babies may not have the ability to break down grain proteins like gluten. Grains are just not the best choice for most people, including infants. Babies who are given cereal may also increase their risk of type 1 diabetes.
4. Do some research before vaccinating your infant.
Some research indicates that the incidences of autoimmune diseases in children are a result of the growing number of vaccinations received. Dr. Donald W. Miller points out that there has been a 17-fold increase in type 1 diabetes -- from 1 in 7,100 children in the 1950s to 1 in 400 today.
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Top 5 Reasons Why I Love Coconut Oil:
Coconut oil is fantastic for cooking.
I use it to lightly oil my cast iron pan for frying an egg, sauteéing kale or any veggies that might have a slightly bitter taste as the coconut oil is just barely sweet. Coconut oil is very stable even at higher temperatures, which means that you can cook with it without making it go rancid. Just don't heat it to the point of smoking! Other oils like olive oil and butter can't be heated as much because they are not nearly as stable.
Coconut oil is great for baking.
You can use it in place of vegetable oil, margarine or crisco (all of which are highly processed oils with molecular structures that are not easily recognized by your body). As a side note, I NEVER use vegetable oils, margarine or crisco. Those are not foods. If you leave margarine out for a year or more it will still be there because bugs won't even touch the stuff! The only vegetable oil currently in my kitchen is extra virgin olive oil.
Coconut oil is a HEALTHY saturated fat.
Yes, you read that correctly. It's a naturally occurring saturated fat that your body knows how to handle and process. We've been told over the last 30 years or so that eating saturated fat was unhealthy and this isn't true! One interesting thing to note about coconut oil is that it melts into a liquid at around 76 degrees. Last time I checked, our bodies run somewhere around 98 degrees. That means this stuff doesn't stay solid when it hits your body. Other fats out there that are naturally liquid but become solid by a chemical process (hydrogenated oils) don't melt again until they hit much higher temperatures in a pan or an oven. Our bodies aren't that hot. I'll get into the great fat debate more in a future post, but for now you can go ahead and do a google search for "health benefits of coconut oil" and see for yourself. I eat tons of coconut oil and I'm not fat, I promise.
Coconut oil makes a fantastic natural moisturizer.
Not that I use it as a moisturizer very often (on occasion I may rub a little on my hands when I am in the kitchen), but for you women out there listen up! What you put on your skin will absorb right into your body, just like 'the patch' for people that are trying to quite smoking. My advice to you is to never put anything on your skin that you wouldn't put in your mouth. Many skin care products contain a litany of chemicals that you should be avoiding. Coconut oil is a great alternative, and will probably cost less as well! It will not leave your face or body oily, just try it for a week and see for yourself!
Coconut oil mixes easily with organic, unsweetened cocoa powder to make homemade CHOCOLATE!
Everyone loves chocolate. Did you know that it can be healthy? Yes healthy! Send me an email to get a recipe for homemade, healthy chocolate bars! brian@behealthynutrition.com
For information about my health services, please go to my website
Coconut oil is fantastic for cooking.
I use it to lightly oil my cast iron pan for frying an egg, sauteéing kale or any veggies that might have a slightly bitter taste as the coconut oil is just barely sweet. Coconut oil is very stable even at higher temperatures, which means that you can cook with it without making it go rancid. Just don't heat it to the point of smoking! Other oils like olive oil and butter can't be heated as much because they are not nearly as stable.
Coconut oil is great for baking.
You can use it in place of vegetable oil, margarine or crisco (all of which are highly processed oils with molecular structures that are not easily recognized by your body). As a side note, I NEVER use vegetable oils, margarine or crisco. Those are not foods. If you leave margarine out for a year or more it will still be there because bugs won't even touch the stuff! The only vegetable oil currently in my kitchen is extra virgin olive oil.
Coconut oil is a HEALTHY saturated fat.
Yes, you read that correctly. It's a naturally occurring saturated fat that your body knows how to handle and process. We've been told over the last 30 years or so that eating saturated fat was unhealthy and this isn't true! One interesting thing to note about coconut oil is that it melts into a liquid at around 76 degrees. Last time I checked, our bodies run somewhere around 98 degrees. That means this stuff doesn't stay solid when it hits your body. Other fats out there that are naturally liquid but become solid by a chemical process (hydrogenated oils) don't melt again until they hit much higher temperatures in a pan or an oven. Our bodies aren't that hot. I'll get into the great fat debate more in a future post, but for now you can go ahead and do a google search for "health benefits of coconut oil" and see for yourself. I eat tons of coconut oil and I'm not fat, I promise.
Coconut oil makes a fantastic natural moisturizer.
Not that I use it as a moisturizer very often (on occasion I may rub a little on my hands when I am in the kitchen), but for you women out there listen up! What you put on your skin will absorb right into your body, just like 'the patch' for people that are trying to quite smoking. My advice to you is to never put anything on your skin that you wouldn't put in your mouth. Many skin care products contain a litany of chemicals that you should be avoiding. Coconut oil is a great alternative, and will probably cost less as well! It will not leave your face or body oily, just try it for a week and see for yourself!
Coconut oil mixes easily with organic, unsweetened cocoa powder to make homemade CHOCOLATE!
Everyone loves chocolate. Did you know that it can be healthy? Yes healthy! Send me an email to get a recipe for homemade, healthy chocolate bars! brian@behealthynutrition.com
For information about my health services, please go to my website
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Kale Chips
We have had a great growing season so far her in Cincinnati lots of rain and sun so my backyard vegetable garden is absolutely bursting with kale and I am about to make myself some chips. My weakness used to be for salsa and chips but now I use kale chips to ease my salt cravings (grey sea salt of course!) Watch this video to find out more about how to make these tasty treats. Kale is high in folic acid and calcium and in fact it is a better source of calcium than milk! In order to preserve more of the nutrients of kale, cook at a lower temperature than what is recommended in the video (200F) Also consider adding juice from 1/2 of a lemon, and grey sea salt. Cook for 15-20 minutes, flip and cook for another 5-10 minutes. Sooooo good!
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