Nutrition

To gluten or not to gluten?

Gluten free grains and seeds :)

Gluten free grains and seeds :)

The term "gluten free" is starting to pop up everywhere, from baked goods, condiments, and even take out pizza. So...you may be wondering if going gluten free is right for you, or if it is just a "fad". 

May is Mental Health month and since gluten has been shown to be a silent cause of MANY mental health conditions (Dr. David Perlmutter's Grain Brain goes into much detail), I thought this was the right time to take you through why I believe this "fad" is more that just a fad. It may be your solution. 

Many diets have come and gone. So unlike fads in fashion, which I admit to caving to on numerous occasions, I am cautious when it comes to nutrition and tend to not waver on my recommendations. One of these recommendations however, for many of my patients, IS a gluten-free diet. This diet isn't necessary for everyone but new research is showing that around 1 in 10 people are sensitive to gluten (1 in 300 are celiac - inflammation on overdrive creating an autoimmune reaction to gluten). 

Are you gluten sensitive?

Are you suffering from any of the following?

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  • feeling sluggish
  • brain fog
  • headaches
  • depression/moodiness
  • ADHD
  • memory loss
  • anxiety
  • let's not forget symptoms not associated with mental health - skin rashes, allergies, joint pain or any form of digestive issues

If you answered yes to any (or many!) of these symptoms, gluten may be the culprit. In Naturopathic Medicine, the terms leaky gut and food sensitivities are frequently used. When we frequently experience stress, we spend more time in the "fight or flight" portion of our nervous system and not the important "rest and digest" portion. This prevents proper digestion of food causing inflammation in the gut, which then leaks into our blood stream causing systemic issues. While symptoms could be triggered by a variety of foods because of this process, gluten can cause more issues due to over-exposure, over-processing and its effect on blood sugar.

Let's talk about blood sugar. When digested (if at all), these grains are broken down into glucose very quickly. The glycemic index (or surge of blood sugar) of whole grain bread is higher than a snickers bar or a banana (!), stressing our pancreas to produce more insulin in order to transport glucose into our cells. High blood glucose leads to inflammation - in our gut, joints, skin or the silent organ - the brain! There are no pain receptors in our brain and high glucose (and low dietary fat - but more on good fats later) can wreak havoc without any concrete indication. Inflammation will decrease neurotransmitter levels, which are responsible for keeping us happy and healthy, and affect our neurons and the signals they send for memory and so on. 

Gluten being over-processed, genetically modified and over-consumed is a whole different segway but I won't bore you with that today. Instead let's explore some basics. 

What exactly is gluten?

Gluten is a mixture of proteins, gliadin being one, in many grains. It is responsible for the chewiness of many bread products that we eat every day. It can be found in:

  • wheat (most breads, pastas, cakes, cookies, donuts...you get the picture)
  • barley
  • farro
  • kamut
  • rye
  • spelt
  • many pre-packaged foods and condiments (eg. ketchup, soy sauce, salad dressings)

So what can I eat?

If you are experiencing any of the above symptoms I suggest cutting out gluten for a month and keeping tabs on your symptoms. If you feel better, thats fantastic - keep it up. If not, more exploration with your ND is necessary. The gluten free trend makes it much easier to replace your bread for bread, pasta for pasta, cookie for cookie etc, but pre-packaged gluten free foods and some flours tend to spike your blood sugar even more. Therefore focus on healthy whole grains and legumes (think quinoa, buckwheat, sweet potato, rice). You'd be surprised what foods are out there when you open your eyes and experiment! The following foods are gluten-free:

  • amaranth
  • arrowroot
  • buckwheat/kasha
  • corn
  • flax
  • millet
  • oats
  • quinoa
  • rice
  • tapioca
  • potato
  • teff

Follow my food Fridays to learn some new recipes or check out my favourite food blogs for some more ideas. If you enjoy baking like I do, try experimenting with buckwheat, quinoa, and coconut flour! 

Its a lifestyle change and I understand it can be hard at first but trust me, its worth it for some people. You may not need to stick with it forever so check in with your ND. 

So clear your brain and get happy! In the words of Pharrell, - "Clap along if you feel..."

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In health & happiness,

Dr. Karen

Food Friday: Healthy Eating on the Go

We know by now that healthy food is a must to ensure you feel energized and ready for a successful week. Running on just coffee and muffins just ain't gonna cut it! Packing your own food during a busy week is not only healthier, it is cheaper and keeps you from giving in to those afternoon cravings (typically a baked good of some kind filled with sugar, butter and wheat for me...delicious but dangerous). So how do you do it??

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It is easier than you think and it all starts with a plan. Just like writing a to-do list for the day (Thanks Dad for instilling that in me!), write out a meal plan for the week. Doesn't have to be exact, but it will give you an idea of what you need to buy and how many meals you need to prepare. Been inspired by a new recipe? Add it to the week! Come home late on Tuesdays? Have leftovers or plan for a quick meal like a salad or fish. 

Next, write out a grocery list and head to your local market or grocery store. I typically do my grocery shopping on Saturday (you can find me at the Halifax Market) and Sunday (for the rest). Give yourself a couple hours on Sunday (or whatever day works for you) to prep a few things for the week. You will be grateful for those couple hours you put aside later in the week...trust me! Here are some easy things you can prep in advance:

  • Grains - Typically quinoa or brown rice for me. Quinoa really does only take 12 minutes and tastes great (one part quinoa, 2 parts water)! Add it to salads, veggies etc in lunches or as a side dish for dinner. Quinoa is not only gluten-free, it has anti-inflammatory properties and is a source of protein, fiber and even omega-3s. 
  • Roasted veggies - I normally roast a mix of sweet potato, carrot, turnip, beets and squash. I cube them, coat with a drizzle of olive oil, sea salt, dried herbs, and paprika and roast in a baking dish at 350F for an hour. They taste good either hot or cold in lunches. 
  • Chicken breast - Baked/bbq chicken breast is easy to prep in advance and add in lunches for a good source of protein. We need about 0.8g of protein per kg of body weight. Therefore a 3 ounce chicken breast, with around 30 g of protein, goes a long way for a 140 lb person for example.
  • Hummus - Easy to buy but I make my own with a can of chickpeas adding garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, cumin, salt and pepper. You can always add things like basil, roasted red peppers etc to add a little zing. Add hummus to salads to add creaminess or take with you for a snack with veggies or crackers. 
  • Soup/stew - It is always helpful to make a big soup or stew on the weekend to have for the week. I'm making a carrot soup tonight from the Chatelaine magazine :) 
  • Smoothie - If you still have time and are not sick of the kitchen yet, you can prep things for smoothies or salad, like chopping kale, celery or fruit and store in tupperware or ziplock.
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All these things are easy to throw together in the morning. If its not leftover soup or fish, I'll combine some roasted veggies with chicken or hummus and arugula, roasted sunflower seeds, avocado and cherry tomatoes...mixing it up now and then. What's your favourite combination? 

Yours in health and happiness,

Dr. Karen

 

 

 

Food Friday: Tips & Tricks in the Kitchen

Over the years of living on my own and my interest in food and cooking, I have come across several tips and tricks in the kitchen. Some from famous chefs like Michael Smith and Jamie Oliver and some from who knows where. Hopefully they help you! 

Avocado - Buying too many avocados at once and can't eat them fast enough before they go bad? Leave them out until they are ripe, then just pop them in the fridge until you want to indulge. They will stay fresh for much longer!

Peanut/nut butters - Don't want the mess of the separated oil in organic all natural nut butters? No worries! Simple store the jar in the fridge upside down before opening and it mixes itself. 

Smoothies - Love creamy smoothies but can't eat banana like me? Try adding a quarter to a half an avocado you had stored in the fridge and you get a similar creaminess to a banana, without tasting the avocado. Or soak chia seeds for 5 minutes in water and add to the smoothie mixture. Yum!

Ginger - Adding more ginger to your cooking for the warming or immune benefits? Just store it in a tupperware container in the freezer. When needed, scrape the peel off with the back of a spoon and grate more easily without it getting stringy. Voila!

Tomato - Its soon to be tomato time again (if the cold ever ends!) but make sure you aren't storing yours in the fridge. The juiciness/freshness just won't be the same!

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Mango - They are oh so delicious. I usually get it EVERYWHERE, like I am a little child eating ice cream but I finally was shown a better, cleaner way to eat it. Just slice off both sides from the pit, next slice the "meat" on each side in cubes, then scoop out from the skin. Just as good, without the mess...almost.

Steel cut oats - Heard the benefits of this less processed, fiber rich breakfast, but discouraged due to the time commitment? Just boil water before you go to bed, add oats, remove from heat and cover overnight. In the morning you will have ready to go oats. The perfect breakfast with cinnamon, ground flax seed, blueberries and nuts. Or even some of that sliced mango. (Around 1.5-2 cups/half cup oats - fine tune depending on your oats and liking - store in your fridge for the week.)

Flax seed - High in good omega 3 fats, lignans and fiber and great to add to oats, smoothies, muffins etc. However, ground flax seeds gets oxidized quickly overtime (a reaction we don't want), therefore its best to ground your own and store in the freezer for the week.

Egg replacer - Sensitive to eggs but want to do some baking? 1 egg = 1 tbsp ground flax seed soaked in 3 tbsp warm water for 5 minutes. Add this combo when the recipe calls to add the eggs.

Tomato paste - Only need 1 tbsp for a recipe? Freeze 1 tablespoon portions using ice cube trays, then store in a ziplock in the freezer until needed. No waste!

Kale - Discouraged to add kale to salads, soups, smoothies because of the little extra work there is to "de-stem" and wash the nutrient pack leafy green? I like to prepare a bag of kale on the weekends, de-stemmed and washed, so it is an easy addition like my spinach and mixed greens. 

Those are some of my tips and tricks. What are yours?

Yours in health,

Dr. Karen

March is Nutrition Month!

I have always had a passion for food. Dinners out at exciting new restaurants, trying local cuisine when travelling, home cooked chili and cornbread, chocolate…you get the picture. However, over the past several years I have developed a passion for not only food, but healthy nutritious food that tastes great too! 

Nutrition is the building blocks to a healthy body, and a key component to Naturopathic Medicine. We need a complex array of nutrients - vitamins, minerals, amino acids, complex carbohydrates, fats etc – for our cells to function optimally. There are numerous reactions that occur within our body every second to detox, digest, contract, send signals, and without the necessary nutrients, we cannot provide the energy to do these things.

We tend to bombard our bodies with simple sugars, carbs and caffeine that are easy to grab on the go and give us a jolt of energy, however most of them are void of any nutritional value that our digestive system can breakdown slowly and use later on for fuel.

Instead, we should be enjoying our colourful nutritious meals in a stress-free environment, taking time to properly digest. I stress colourful, as the more colours we eat, the more variety of nutrients we eat. I mention a stress-free environment, as we want to trigger the parasympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for “rest & digest,” as oppose to the sympathetic nervous system, “fight or flight,” which we all know too well.

In the spirit of nutrition month, I want to inspire you to take small steps towards implementing more healthy choices in your diet, with Food Fridays! Look out for tips or recipes to introduce to you the healthy nutritious food that I am passionate about, and hopefully you can become passionate too.   

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Yours in health,

Dr. Karen