March 5, 2013 As most of you know, I have long been an advocate of healthy eating and finding ways to use food as the basis for wellness. I’ve recently come across some information that I find very exciting after nearly 30 years of study and counseling in the area of nutrition. I’ve heard a lot over the last couple of years about the ‘Paleo’ diet but many likened it to the Adkin’s diet, which I felt was an extreme and unhealthy way of eating so I didn’t pay much attention.
Several months ago a patient who had struggled with weight loss, in spite of regular exercise and healthy eating, was on a trip to New York where she was introduced to the Paleo diet. She suggested I take a look at it and see what I thought. For the first time, using only diet, she was starting to lose weight! As I searched the internet for information I came across a book called “It Starts With Food” written by Melissa and Dan Hartwig that was a common sense, well written explanation of why this method of eating was a good way to regain health and lose weight. I bought the book and read it in one day and have not looked back.
Monty and I have done the Whole 30, the transitional diet to clean all of the yuck out of our system and both are feel better than we have in years, energetically. There are a lot of little things and one really big thing that we’ve noticed since switching to this new way of eating. The big thing? Monty has always struggled with high blood lipids, cholesterol and triglycerides have been off the charts for as long as we can remember. Much to the dismay of his family doc back in Ludington he refused the typical protocol of medication. We changed our diet and they came down, a little, but never in the normal range or even close. They remained that way even two years ago when he had them tested as part of his physical. In February he was tested again after 3 weeks on the Whole 30 and every one of them were NORMAL!! We called the doctor’s office to make sure that he got the correct results!
Aside from the blood studies Monty has lost nearly 25 pounds that he wanted to lose, however my weight has remained stable. We are both eating the same diet so it appears that it is self-regulating as is reported in the book. I have to admit that this is the first eating plan that I’ve been this excited about in all the years I’ve been in nutrition.
If you are interested in the weight loss aspect of this eating plan or just want to improve your diet I would be happy to discuss it further with you and see how we can incorporate it into your eating plan.
I hope this finds each of you healthy and enjoying life to it’s fullest. As always, we are here to be of service in any of your health care needs.
Yours in good health,
Dr. Ashton
December 14, 2012 Why You Should Probably Stop Eating Wheat Analysis by DNews Editors Fri Dec 14, 2012 11:41 AM ET
Wheat contains a protein that degrades into a morphine-like compound after eating, and creates an appetite for more. Credit: Corbis Wheat and grain-based foods are all around us. We love our bagels, pasta, bread and breakfast cereals. For many, the thought of eliminating these staples from our diets seems wholly unreasonable, if not ludicrous. But a growing number of people are switching to wheat-free diets -- and for very good reason. As science is increasingly showing, eating wheat increases the potential for a surprising number of health problems. Here's why you should probably stop eating wheat. Without a doubt, wheat plays a major role in our diets. It supplies about 20 percent of the total food calories worldwide, and is a national staple in most countries.
But as is well known, some people, like those with celiac disease, need to stay away from it. The problem is that their small intestine is unable to properly digest gluten, a protein that's found in grains. But wheat is being increasingly blamed for the onset of other health conditions, like obesity, heart disease, and a host of digestive problems, including the dramatic rise in celiac-like disorders. So what's going on? And why is everybody suddenly blaming wheat?
The answer, it appears, has to do with a whole lot of nastiness that's present in grain-based foods. Wheat raises blood sugar levels, causes immunoreactive problems, inhibits the absorption of important minerals and aggravates our intestines. And much of this may stem from the fact that wheat simply ain't what it used to be.
Hybridized Wheat Indeed, today's wheat is a far cry from what it was 50 years ago.
Back in the 1950s, scientists began cross-breeding wheat to make it hardier, shorter, and better-growing. This work, which was the basis for the Green Revolution -- and one that won U.S. plant scientist Norman Borlaug the Nobel Prize -- introduced some compounds to wheat that aren't entirely human friendly.
As cardiologist Dr. William Davis noted in his book, Wheat Belly: Lose the Wheat, Lose the Weight and Find Your Path Back to Health, today's hybridized wheat contains sodium azide, a known toxin. It also goes through a gamma irradiation process during manufacturing. But as Davis also points out, today's hybridized wheat contains novel proteins that aren't typically found in either the parent or the plant, some of which are difficult for us to properly digest. Consequently, some scientists now suspect that the gluten and other compounds found in today's modern wheat is what's responsible for the rising prevalence of celiac disease, "gluten sensitivity," and other problems.
Gluten and Gliadin No doubt, gluten is a growing concern -- and it's starting to have a serious impact on our health, and as a result, our dietary choices.
Gluten is a protein composite of gliadin and glutenin that appears in wheat as well as other grains like rye, barley, and spelt. It's also what gives certain foods that wonderful, chewy texture. Gluten also helps dough to rise and keep its shape.
The problem, however, is in how it's metabolized. According to Alessio Fasano, the Medical Director for The University of Maryland's Center for Celiac Research, no one can properly digest gluten. "We do not have the enzymes to break it down," he said in a recent interview with TenderFoodie. "It all depends upon how well our intestinal walls close after we ingest it and how our immune system reacts to it." His concern is that the gluten protein, which is abundant in the endosperm of barley, rye, and wheat kernels, is setting off an aberrant immune response.
Specifically, the gliadin and glutenin are acting as immunogenic anti-nutrients. Unlike fruits, which are meant to be eaten, grains have a way of fighting back. They create an immunogenic response which increases intestinal permeability, thus triggering systemic inflammation by the immune system, what can lead to any number of autoimmune diseases, including celiac, rheumatoid arthritis, irritable bowel syndrome and so on. And this holds true for people who don't have celiac disease. Davis also believes that gliadin degrades to a morphine-like compound after eating, what creates an appetite for more wheat; his claim, therefore, is that wheat actually has an addictive quality to it. Gliadin, what scientists call the "toxic fraction of gluten," has also been implicated in gut permeability. When someone has an adverse reaction, it's because gliadin cross talks with our cells — what causes confusion and a leak in the small intestines. Fasano explains:
Gliadin is a strange protein that our enzymes can't break down from the amino acids (glutamine and proline) into elements small enough for us to digest. Our enzymes can only break down the gliadin into peptides. Peptides are too large to be absorbed properly through the small intestine. Our intestinal walls or gates, then, have to separate in order to let the larger peptide through. The immune system sees the peptide as an enemy and begins to attack. The difference is that in a normal person, the intestinal walls close back up, the small intestine becomes normal again, and the peptides remain in the intestinal tract and are simply excreted before the immune system notices them. In a person who reacts to gluten, the walls stay open as long as you are consuming gluten. How your body reacts (with a gluten sensitivity, wheat allergy or Celiac Disease) depends upon how long the gates stay open, the number of "enemies" let through and the number of soldiers that our immune system sends to defend our bodies. For someone with Celiac Disease, the soldiers get confused and start shooting at the intestinal walls. The effects of gluten and gliadin clearly vary from person to person. But as a recent study showed, nearly 1.8 million Americans have celiac disease, and another 1.4 million are likely undiagnosed. And surprisingly, another 1.6 million have adopted a gluten-free diet despite having no diagnosis. In addition, it's estimated that about 18 million Americans have "non-celiac gluten sensitivity," which results in cramps and diarrhea.
High Glycemic Index Wheat also raises blood sugar. As Davis notes, the glycemic index of wheat is very high (check out this chart from Harvard to see how various foods rank). It contains amylopectin A, which is more efficiently converted to blood sugar than just about any other carbohydrate, including table sugar.
Consequently, two slices of whole wheat bread increases blood sugar levels higher than a single candy bar. Overdoing the wheat, says Davis, can result in "deep visceral fat." Wheat can also trigger effects that aren't immediately noticeable. Small low-density lipoprotein (LDL) particles form after eating lots of carbohydrates — which are responsible for atherosclerotic plaque, which in turn can trigger heart disease and stroke. And in fact, it has been shown that a wheat-free diet can improve glucose tolerance in individuals with ischaemic heart disease.
Lectins Lectins, which are a class of molecules, can be found in beans, cereal grains, nuts, and potatoes. And when consumed in excess, or when not cooked properly, they can be harmful. Now, most lectins are actually quite benign, and in some cases they can even be therapeutic -- like fighting some forms of HIV.
But the problem with some lectins, like the ones found in whole grains, is that they bind to our insulin receptors and intestinal lining. This increases inflammation and contributes to autoimmune disease and insulin resistance. It also facilitates the symptoms of metabolic syndrome outside of obesity.
Phytic Acid Phytates are also a problem, a compound that's found within the hulls of nuts, seeds, and grains. Phytic acid cannot be digested by humans. And worse, it binds to metal ions like calcium, magnesium, zinc, and iron. In turn, these minerals cannot be properly absorbed after eating. Consequently, any minerals that might be provided by consuming grain-based foods are not well metabolized. So phytates, combined with gluten, make it difficult for the body to absorb nutrients — which can lead to anemia and osteoporosis.
The Fiber Myth Lastly, a common argument in favor of continuing to eat whole grains is that they provide necessary fiber. This is actually a bit of a myth. As nutrition expert Mark Sisson has noted, "Apart from maintaining social conventions in certain situations and obtaining cheap sugar calories, there is absolutely no reason to eat grains." And indeed, we can get adequate amounts of insoluble fiber simply by eating plenty of fruits and vegetables.
June 7, 2012 Did you know that an MD can practice acupuncture in Florida without any training or become certified in a short course? Did you know that a Chiropractor can be certified as an acupuncturist in just 100 hours? Patients often confuse this qualification with that of a Licensed Acupuncture Physician who has studied and trained for years and thousands of hours in Oriental Medicine, passed two or more arduous National board examinations and is licensed and regulated by the State of Florida? Oriental Medicine is an entirely different medical model from Western medicine so one does not correlate to the other.
Just as it takes rigorous study to achieve competency as a dentist, MD or chiropractor, so does proficiency in Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine require years of training and practice. Would you visit and MD for a root canal or have surgery performed by a Chiropractor? Seeing your MD or Chiropractor for Acupuncture is no different.
The popularity of complementary medicine coupled with the recent NIH efficacy studies have led to many HMO's, hospitals and clinics to incorporate acupuncture, herbs and Oriental Medicine into their delivery systems. Instead of hiring qualified practitioners, these clinics train MDs and other health care professions in a short course and delcare them qualified acupuncturists.
Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine is a complete form of medicine, therefore it is unrealistic to train for two weeks or 100 hours and learn the system. Safety issues and effective treatment require higher standards and more intensive study. To protect yourself, ask your practitioner about the length of his/her training in Oriental Medicine. Make sure their training is a minimum of three years, they are licensed by the State Department of Health in Acupuncture and they are Board Certified by the NCCAOM.
