Gluten: Friend or foe?

Gluten: Friend or Foe?

I get asked this question a lot; “Are we more intolerant to gluten now or have diseases like celiac’s and gluten sensitivity finally just made it mainstream and so we are more aware of gluten?”

I think the answer is twofold, but a lot of the intolerances to gluten have been fairly recent due to the way grains like wheat are grown and farmed now. 

Dr. Monroe says, “The wheat we have now is different than what it used to be.  It’s a hybridized version. Wheat was about 4.5 feet tall and would fall down in bad weather so a lot of the crops were wasted.  In the hybridization process, they now have dwarfed wheat that is much higher in gluten and they have found a bunch of new proteins that weren’t in the original wheat.  The human body is having trouble dealing with those new proteins and higher gluten content.  I truly believe that’s what happening now.  The autism rate is skyrocketing as well (from this and immunizations).”

In addition, it’s almost impossible to avoid.  I’ve just discovered I’m gluten intolerant (non-celiac) and was already sensitive to wheat and corn.  It isn’t a huge adjustment because of that, but I have to be more careful now when eating out, buying packaged foods, or at social gatherings.  It really limits what you can consume…not to mention beer!

My general rule: stick with food you cooked yourself, healthy staples like vegetables, meats, fruit, and food in its original form. If you need a bakery fix: Rice flour works amazingly as a flour substitute.  When I bake, people can’t tell the difference.  Unfortunately for me, gluten-free baked goods sold in stores still contain ingredients that bother my stomach- tapioca starch, corn, maltodextrin, xanthan gum, and corn starch are all commonly used, so watch out if you think this may be a problem for you.  If it's not, there are several stores and bakeries in the area offering options for you.

Dr. Monroe offers allergy testing in her office- no needles, pricks, or blood tests involved.  Contact her if you think you might be suffering from a gluten sensitivity, IBS, celiac disease, or just have questions. 916-448-9927 or drpjmonroe@gmail.com.  She is located in Sacramento, CA.

·    Contact us if you have any questions! drmomnaturopath@gmail.com! We're no strangers to gluten sensitivity and would be happy to help.

 -                  -Briana & Dr. Mom 

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Some history about the changes in wheat:

In 1943, the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (IMWIC) began to help Mexico achieve agricultural self-sufficiency.  This grew into a worldwide effort to increase the yield of corn, soy, and wheat.  Hybridization took over soon, and many different strains of wheat were being planted and harvested. 

By 1980, thousands of new strains of wheat had been produced.  These new varieties were geared towards making the plant resistant to environmental conditions, developing a greater resistance to pathogens (such as fungus), and an increased yield per acre (tenfold greater than farms of a century ago).

The increased yield meant top heavy plants.  Grain losses occurred as plants could not withstand the weight.  Due to this, manipulation occurred to produce a smaller “dwarf” variety of wheat.

There are numerous farms which grow and harvest wheat, however these are not available on the commercial market. 

Despite these increases in crop yield, no animal or human safety testing had been conducted on these new strains of wheat.  Geneticists were confident that hybridization yielded safe products for human consumption.  Products were released into the market, unquestioned.  The assumption was that altered protein structures, enzyme qualities, and gluten content would have no human consequence. 

It was later discovered that wheat gluten had the most significant changes with hybridization. 

Upon comparison of two parent strains of wheat, 95% of the proteins expressed in the offspring are same, 5% are unique, found in neither parent.  When compared to century-old strains of wheat, gluten proteins associated with celiac disease were found in higher quantities.   

New, never-before-seen gluten proteins are now being discovered which are foreign to the body.  Some estimates suggest that the hybridization and genetic engineering of wheat has resulted in an up to 500 fold increase in wheat gluten produced today.  This may be one of the primary reasons behind the massive rise in incidence of wheat gluten intolerance and celiac disease in recent decades.       

•         More than 99% of wheat crops are now “dwarfed,” growing to only 18” tall.

Non-hybridized wheat grows naturally to 4.5 feet tall.

•        New proteins are forming which the body is unfamiliar with.

(*Information courtesy of DiagnosTechs Gastrointestinal Health Panel, 2012)

Additional resources:
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504763_162-57483789-10391704/gluten-free-diet-fad-are-celiac-disease-rates-actually-rising/
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/24/opinion/sunday/what-really-causes-celiac-disease.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/02/04/gluten-free-whether-you-need-it-or-not/

Anti-Aging Creams: A Hormone Story

Today's blog topic was sidetracked (Come to find out, disappointingly, The Green Boheme is closed on Wednesdays!) so we'll try that post next week.

This week we’d like to focus on women.  Specifically, women, hormones, and the skincare products we use. 

I think society has instilled this great fear in us as women; this fear of aging, fear of not being as beautiful as we once were.  Most of us have fallen for it in some way or another; the creams, lotions, and products that promise we stay young, beautiful, firm, and smooth.

Many of us have bought into, in some way, the idea that we are what we look like.  We are the outward appearance of ourselves, our bodies, and our skin.

My husband calls them laugh lines, which I prefer, and didn’t realize I had until he pointed them out to me some five years ago.  I have since had a love-hate relationship with these ever-present wrinkles, but since hearing my mother’s story and knowing cancer runs in our family, have reconsidered the use of anti-aging creams for the time being.  I often put extra virgin coconut oil on my face or aloe vera.  TropicalTraditions makes safe face and body lotions with no parabens or hormones in them. 

“The anti-aging industry is expected to gross more than $291 billion worldwide by 2015” (Voss, 2012).

 

In using these products with good intentions, we have unknowingly subjected our bodies to huge increases in hormones that needn’t be labeled on packages, though they can have huge impacts on our own health.  Dr. Monroe has a personal story to share to this effect, with the hopes that it helps more women realize the hormonal changes that can be caused by these products and help women use this knowledge to empower other women.   

Dr. Monroe: “I’d like to share my story of hormone overdose and why it has become a commitment to my patients to prevent this from happening to other women.

About a year ago I was having a great deal of trouble sleeping.  I could fall asleep, but woke up within a few hours and couldn’t get back to sleep again.  Also, I was experiencing anxiety and trouble keeping weight off, as well as mood swings. I decided to have my hormone levels assessed by a lab, one of few labs who do hormone panels well. It came back with my E2 levels (which should have been between 2 and 10) at greater than 99.  My progesterone was also elevated at a level of 481.  This level should have been around 95.

In a state of stress and increasing anxiety I called the lab to see what was going on. The response was that these results were normal for someone on Hormone Replacement Therapy.  I replied, “I’m not on HRT,” and their response was, “Yes, you are!” Since I was only using one product on my skin (an anti-aging cream purchased at Costco), I decided to call their company and see if they had hormones in the product. I was placed on hold for several minutes while the pleasant receptionist did some checking. She came back on the line and responded “No.”  I wondered if she was not telling the truth or if she didn’t know the truth.  (From the lab I learned that the FDA allows companies to put hormones in their products without ever putting it on the label.)

I stopped using the product and repeated the lab test a few months later. By this time I was sleeping wonderfully again.  The results on my new lab work came back with my E2 at 6 and my progesterone at 200. This is a very good ratio, and I was pleased with these new results since I stopped using the cream. 

The difficulty I experienced as my body adjusted to the decrease in estrogen from greater than 99 down to 6 was like going through menopause all over again on my brain.  I experienced poor memory for several months as this shift was occurring.  At about this same time I had a dear friend diagnosed with breast cancer. Now many of us know loved ones with this diagnosis, but to me it took on a new meaning. The traditional medical world puts women on Tamoxifin to block the estrogen effect on women who have estrogen positive breast cancer. The problem to me is that their estrogen levels aren’t monitored. Since many skincare products have hormones in them, it has become a challenge to me to get women monitored. Thus protecting them from exogenous hormones and helping the women who are naturally estrogen dominant to become balanced.” 

I’d love to work with women who are questioning if this could be a problem for them. I can be reached at my office number, 916-448-9927 or at drpjmonroe(at)gmail.com.

--Dr. Priscilla Monroe RN, ND

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The Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act enacted in 1938 governs skin creams, including anti-aging creams.  “Currently, even if a skin cream behaves like a drug by affecting the structure or any function of the body, it will generally be considered a cosmetic under the Act if the manufacturer refrains claiming that the AHA product works like a drug. Products classified as cosmetics under the Act are relatively unregulated; the Act does not subject them to most of the restrictions imposed upon drugs- including mandatory registration, premarket safety and effectiveness testing, premarket FDA approval, and postmarket surveillance to monitor safety” (Hensel, 1995).

So, next time you’re considering that eye cream or anti-aging night cream at the drugstore or beauty counter, consider the price you may be paying for it in the long run, and decide for yourself if it’s really worth it. 

Have a safe and healthy weekend… (wrinkles and all)!

--Briana

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Additional resources: http://leda.law.harvard.edu/leda/data/93/dhensel.pdf

http://www.oregonlive.com/health/index.ssf/2011/11/survey_asks_1000_portland_wome.html 

http://www.cnn.com/2011/12/28/health/age-youth-treatment-medication/index.html

http://www.ehow.com/about_5038621_dangers-antiaging-cream.html

Which organic foods should we be concerned about?

We’ve all heard that organic is better for our health, better for our food systems, and better for the environment.  Many of us have even heard about the so-called “dirty dozen” of foods that are most harmed by pesticide and other chemical interactions, but there are also a “clean 15.”  These are produce items that we can save a little money on and not always go organic, and are still ok for our health.

What does organic really mean?

According to the USDA National Organic Program (NOP) defines organic as follows:

“Organic food is produced by farmers who emphasize the use of renewable resources and the conservation of soil and water to enhance environmental quality for future generations. Organic meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy products come from animals that are given no antibiotics or growth hormones. Organic food is produced without using most conventional pesticides; fertilizers made with synthetic ingredients or sewage sludge; bioengineering; or ionizing radiation. Before a product can be labeled "organic," a Government-approved certifier inspects the farm where the food is grown to make sure the farmer is following all the rules necessary to meet USDA organic standards. Companies that handle or process organic food before it gets to your local supermarket or restaurant must be certified, too.”

But where can we save money and which foods are best to buy organic?  I just moved back to Sacramento, CA from Honolulu, HI, and the food freshness, availability, and cost is dramatically different in California. I’m starting a healthier, safer path for my diet and product use since I’ve moved back.  Now that I can afford to buy some fresh, organic produce, I’ll share with you which fruits and veggies are better organic. 

Buy organic (when available):                            

• ·      Apples
• ·      Blueberries (Domestic)
• ·      Celery
• ·      Sweet Bell Peppers
• ·      Cherries
• ·      Cranberries
• ·      Cucumbers
• ·      Grapes
• ·      Green beans
• ·      Kale/Greens
• ·      Lettuce
• ·      Nectarines (imported)
• ·      Peaches
• ·      Peas
• ·      Potatoes
• ·      Spinach
• ·      Strawberries
• ·      Tomatoes

The reason for this is both the kinds of pesticides and harmful residues that are left on these produce, and the vulnerability of the skin to absorb harmful chemicals. 

Save your money: (the clean ones)

Foods with thicker skins, like bananas, need not be bought organic if you’re trying to save a few bucks.  Here are the “clean 15” based on Environmental Working Group’s study published in 2012:

• ·      Asparagus
• ·      Avocado
• ·      Cabbage
• ·      Cantaloupe (Domestic)
• ·      Eggplant
• ·      Grapefruit
• ·      Kiwi
• ·      Mango
• ·      Mushrooms
• ·      Onions
• ·      Pineapple
• ·      Sweet Corn (but may contain GMO’s)
• ·      Sweet Peas
• ·      Sweet Potatoes
• ·      Watermelon

There’s an app for that!

Check out Environmental Working Group’s website to download a free app for Android, iPhone,or a Windows phone to help you shop for the clean 15 and dirty dozen!  

More resources:

-MSNBC Article on organic

USDA Website: http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/nop

That’s it for this week!  Thanks for reading and feel free to post comments or questions.  

Stay tuned next week as we give a little glimpse into a new restaurant called ‘The Green Boheme’ in Sacramento and Dr. Priscilla Monroe. RN, ND’s tasty meal there!  

Have a healthy week!  Send us any questions to drmomnaturopath(at)gmail.com!

Briana 

What Does 'Good For Me' Mean?

What Does ‘Good For Me’ Mean?

What does ‘healthy’mean?  What does ‘good for me’mean?

We’ve all heard it:Fish oil is good for us, antioxidants are good for us, coconut oil, red wine,coffee, coconut water, raw foods, juicing, acai…the list goes on. 

How do we know whatthis ‘good for us’ message means?

Dr. Priscilla Monroe, NaturopathicDoctor, agrees:

Frequently patients come in to me with bags full ofsupplements and I will ask them what they’re taking and why.  They tell me that they’re taking itbecause they heard on the news it was good for them.  When I ask them how much they’re taking, they say“one.”   I look at the bottleand it says that 3 a day is the dose. So they’re not even taking therapeutic doses of these ‘good for you’supplements, and is this supplement even really good for them? 

This is not ‘One Size Fits All!’

What I want to get into is a conversation of what’sjournalistic exploitation and how they’re always saying that something is goodfor everybody or something is bad for everybody.  That isn’t the truth. 

“The truth isthat there is nothing that is all good or all bad.  There are things that are good for some people, and not goodfor some people, and vice versa.  We need to get away from thismisconception about things being ‘all good’ or ‘all bad.’”

I am a strong proponent for D’Adamo’s work, the Eat Rightfor Your Type blood diet.  (http://www.dadamo.com/) When you hear peoplesaying “Meat is bad for us,” there’s several ways to look at it.  The more we go for organic meatproducts, the healthier it is. There are some of us that meat is actually our medicine.  And yes, there are people that don’t dowell with meat.  There are bloodtypes that weren’t designed to eat a lot of meat.  So to me, if we can get into a moderate perspective and findwhat’s good for us on an individual basis rather than what the journalisticpropaganda says, that’s where I would like to seek a balance and see us movetowards.  We’ll talk more aboutD’Adamo and his work on blood types in a later blog. 

For example, let’s look at potatoes.  Are potatoes bad for us?  That’s only part of the question.  If you weren’t eating the potato, whatelse would you be eating?  Potatoeshave their pros and cons, but if instead of eating potatoes, you were eatingcandy bars, then a potato is better even though it might not be the best.  It’s not all good or all bad, there’sthis continuum of healthy or unhealthy, good for us and not good. 

I’m not going to tell you what’s good for you.  I can’t.  It’s an individualized thing.    

That’s what is wrong with journalism and shows like Dr. Ozwith all-encompassing health advice. It’s not a one-size-fits all.   

This age of technologyis great, but it isn’t without its problems.  When you go online and you find symptoms that match a condition,many symptoms fit many conditions. You’re an individual.  It's really best to consult a medical professional whose philosophy aligns with yours.  How is this condition, this vitamin, this food going to affect youpersonally? 

I just found this great video that talks about Peter D'Adamo's work and a study done that correlates blood type with heart disease.  It raises the same types of questions we are raising here: How can one size fit all?  Click here to check out the short 3.5 minute video.

I also found several books online while doing research.  While I haven’t read any of them anddon’t recommend things I haven’t read, I would be interested to hear from thosewho have, drop me a line: drmomnaturopath(at)gmail.com. Most books appear to be a reminder on being skeptical about the latest hypeon health because it is often just that--hype.  Amazon says of one such book, “It happens every day: we pick up anewspaper or magazine or turn on the television and are bombarded with urgentadvice about how to stay healthy. Lose weight! Lower your cholesterol! Earlydetection saves lives! Sunscreen prevents cancer! But in many cases,pronouncements we rarely think to question turn out to be half-truths that arebeing pushed by various individuals or groups to advance their own agendas. The Healthy Skeptic explores who these health promoters are--fromjournalists and celebrities to industry-funded groups and consumeractivists--what their motives are, and how they are spinning us in ways weoften don't realize.”  Something to consider.

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If you live in Sacramento and are interested in a customizedhealth plan that’s right for you, including the ‘what’s good for you’specifically, please call or e-mail Dr. Mom!

I’m happy to answer any questions and am scheduling newpatients.  Please contact me formore information or go to my website: www.drpriscillamonroe.comto see if a Naturopathic Doctor is right for you.

Dr. Priscilla Monroe,RN, ND.

Sacramento, CA

916-448-9927

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Next week we’ll betalking about the ever-popular organic “dirty” and “clean” foods list, and whyyou might want to reconsider your grocery list.  Stay tuned and thanks for reading!

Be healthy,

Briana