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A Guide to Summer Grilling

Pop quiz: What’s one of the most popular summer food-related activities? Grilling! Who doesn’t love an outdoor meal with friends and family?

Grilling, however, comes with a side dish of caution, and my goal here is to provide you with the information you need to make your summer grilling as healthy and non-toxic as possible. 

Here’s the ditty on grilling: Grilling or barbecuing meat at high temperatures leads to the production of heterocyclic amines (HCAs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). These two compounds are known as “mutagens,” meaning they damage your DNA and may increase the risk of developing cancer. HCAs are formed when amino acids and sugars, which are present in meat, react under high temperatures. Then the liquid fat drips into the flame of a grill and creates smoke which is filled with PAHs and coats the surface of the meat.

Yeah, I know, Ewwwww!

8 Ways to Minimize the Health consequences (and your worry) of Summer Grilling: 

Select Healthier Cuts of Meat: What you grill matters

Grass-Fed and Pasture-Raised: Opt for grass-fed beef, pasture-raised poultry, and wild-caught fish. These options tend to have higher omega-3 fatty acids and fewer unhealthy fats.

Lean Cuts: Choose leaner cuts of meat which produce less fat and reduce the risk of exposure to PAHs and smoke.

Skinless Poultry: Removing the skin from poultry before cooking will reduce HCA formation.

Marinate Wisely: Not only does marinating meat impart more flavor, it can also be protective again carcinogenic compounds.

Use Antioxidant-Rich Marinades: Marinades made with herbs, spices, and acidic components (like lemon juice or vinegar) can reduce the formation of harmful compounds during grilling.

Avoid Sugary Marinades: High sugar content can lead to excessive charring and the formation of harmful substances.

Add Herbs & Spices: Herbs and spices have been shown to reduce the formation of HCAs when meats are grilled. Mint, onion, turmeric, garlic, rosemary, ginger, thyme, andred chili pepper are all great choices. These herbs can be used in marinades,mixed into ground meats, or used as a dry rub.

Avoid Charring and Overcooking: The amount of time your meat cooks makes a difference. 

Monitor Cooking Times: Cook at lower temperatures and avoid overcooking or charring food, which can produce harmful HCAs and polycyclic aromatic PAHs.

Consider Smaller Cuts of Meats: like cubed (kabobs!) or quicker-cooking proteins, such as shrimp or fish.

Turn Your Meat Frequently: to cook the center without overheating the surface. 

Use a Meat Thermometer: Aim for safe internal temperatures without overcooking, which can lead to charring.

My Personal Favorite Tip: Vegetables and Fruits Are Your Friends!: Not only are they antioxidant rich, they also mitigate the activity of HCAs and reduce the DNA damage caused by those compounds.

Loads of Benefits: Grilling vegetables and fruits can add variety and health benefits. Fiber-rich, antioxidant-dense foods can help mitigate some of the adverse effects of grilled meats.

Use Skewers: This is an easy way to create meals that incorporate both veggies and protein! Thread veggies, shrimp, or lean meats onto metal skewers.

Let Your Imagination Go Wild:  Try zucchini, bell peppers, okra, sweet potatoes, asparagus, peaches, pineapple, or even watermelon for a fun addition to your meal.

Use a Grill Pan or Basket: Use a grill pan or basket for smaller items and vegetables to avoid direct exposure to flames and smoke.

Summer Grilling: The Fuel You Use Makes a Difference

If Possible, Use Natural Charcoal: Avoid lighter fluids and chemically treated briquettes. Choose high-quality natural lump charcoal or untreated hardwoods.

Consider Giving Up or Minimizing Propane: If possible, prefer natural wood or charcoal over propane, as it may contain additives.

Clean Your Grill: Clean the grill grates before and after use to minimize exposure to burnt-on residues that can harbor harmful compounds.

Finally, in my experience, many people think about grilling as being a meat-heavy experience. Think about flipping this switch: Enjoy a small amount of meat, such as the palm of your hand, and enjoy lots of vegetables and fruits. Make all your sides the big features.

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9 Telltale Signs Your Gut Needs Attention

Your gut microbiome — which includes all the beneficial bacteria, yeast and viruses that normally live in your digestive tract — keeps your immune system healthy and your intestinal lining strong.  But if you develop a condition called dysbiosis — which can be too many “bad” microbes (bacteria, yeast, or parasites), or not enough good ones — you have an increased risk of damage to your intestinal lining and increased intestinal permeability (a.k.a. Leaky Gut).  This is a problem because when the barrier function is lost, all types of good and bad bacteria, pathogens and undigested food can cross over from the gut and gain access to your body and your immune system, thus triggering a five alarm fire which we feel as inflammation. This is one way that people develop food sensitivities.

Remember, your gut (which includes your stomach, and your small and large intestines) is your first line of defense, and every day new research shows us that your gut microbiome communicates with every system and organ in your body — your cardiovascular, endocrine, respiratory, nervous, urinary and reproductive systems. Your gut is connected to your brain and mood. It’s even connected to your skin, hair and nails. 

I hope by now you can see why all of us at Blum Center for Health, and in the world of Functional Medicine, believe that The Number One thing you can do right now for your health….is….take care of your gut microbiome!

Here are 9 Telltale Signs Your Gut Needs Attention

  • You have gotten sick multiple times this winter
  • Have heartburn, reflux, IBS, diarrhea or constipation
  • Have fatigue or brain fog
  • Are feeling puffy or inflamed
  • Have inflammatory conditions like arthritis, autoimmune, heart disease, obesity or diabetes
  • Have food sensitivities or reactions to food
  • Have mood issues, such as depression and anxiety
  • Have difficulty losing weight

Let’s talk about the many different types of gut issues.  If you have gas or bloating after you eat, or if you experience constipation and/or loose stools, or any type of intestinal discomfort, this means that you have a problem with how your gut is functioning. If you go to a conventional doctor they will commonly diagnose you with irritable bowel syndrome, or IBS. But, this diagnosis doesn’t tell you why you’re having this problem, and they’ll likely prescribe medication to control the symptoms, which by the way only makes the imbalance worse in the long run. 

Here are three tips to heal your gut, which will not only treat your symptoms, but address the underlying problem.  And keep your immune system happy, too.

  • For your digestive symptoms, find out whether or not you’ve got food sensitivities, which could be causing the problem. The food you eat is the number one influencer on your gut bacteria, too. One way to figure it out is to follow a functional medicine elimination food plan.  Simply remove gluten, dairy, soy, corn and eggs for 3 weeks and then add them back one food at a time every 3 days.  Sometimes you don’t know if you feel better when the food is removed, but be very careful when reintroducing each food, usually that’s when you really find out.

  • Help balance your gut microbiome with supplements: 1) We use herbal antimicrobials to help remove or “prune” the undesirables living in your gut 2) l-glutamine to help shore up the lining of your small and large intestines and treat leaky gut and 3) probiotics (good gut bacteria as a supplement) to help influence the gut ecosystem and immune system.  Depending on the severity of your gut symptoms, you may also need digestive enzymes.

  • Reduce stress by learning resiliency techniques. Stress is the 2nd biggest influencer on the microbiome – in a bad way. It can affect the bacteria directly, impair motility and cortisol itself can directly damage the intestinal lining.  We suggest learning strategies for relaxation that work for you, as this will help heal and protect you from developing dysbiosis and leaky gut. 

We have multiple ways to support the health of your gut at Blum Center.  

  • Book a consultation with Melissa Rapoport, our Functional Medicine Health Coach, who can help get to the root of your stomach issues with testing and a lifestyle plan. 

  • Our 10-Day and 30-Day HealMyGut boxes are a great way to clear out the bad gut bugs

  • Stress plays a big role in the functioning of your gut.  Join one of our online meditation classes and learn how to regulate your stress response. 
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Beyond the Bounty: How Farmers Markets Cultivate Community, Health, and Joy

Spring Farmers Market

It’s that time … spring returns to the farmers market! Radishes, spinach, lettuce, peas, rhubarb and cherries, oh my! Bring on the spring produce!

While perusing the seasonal produce at the Farmers’ Market it occurred to me:

Farmer’s markets make people happy.

I hear an all-too-common lament at my coaching practice at Blum Center for Health: “Ever since lockdown I don’t feel as connected to people as I used to.” There’s a sense of loss and loneliness in those words. 

But, imagine shoppers meandering the stalls, slowing down to chat with other shoppers, exchanging pleasantries and conversing with the farmers who grow their food. 

Farmers Markets create connection.

It’s an easy place to strike up a conversation. “Oh, those are beautiful. Have you ever cooked with them?” If you are looking to connect with like-minded people, meet someone with whom you can be conversant, or perhaps you’re looking for a local meet-up group, give it a try. Go with the intention of starting a conversation with three people. Just practice talking with strangers. You’ll see … with each successful conversation it becomes easier and easier.

Before you know it your walk through the Farmers’ Market will be teeming with new acquaintances.

Farmers Markets create activity. 

The Farmers Market also provides the perfect setting for a fun evening with family or friends. Meet at the market, collect ingredients for your meal, take your bounty home and cook a meal together. Channel your inner designer and dress a beautifully set table. Marvel, appreciate and savor a truly farm-to-table meal prepared with the freshest ingredients and with love and care. It makes for a memorable meal, a feast for the senses.

Farmers Markets create community.

Research demonstrates repeatedly that social connection is a key to longevity, improved mental health, and a general sense of happiness. As reported in National Public Radio’s program, This Emotional Life, “…people are happier when they are with other people than when they are alone… They also are finding that happy people are more pleasant, helpful, and sociable. So being around people makes us feel happier, and when we are happier we are more fun to be around, creating an “upward spiral” of happiness.”

In essence, connecting with others is the single most important thing we can do for our happiness.

This notion of connectedness at a Farmers Market runs much deeper than solely a place to meet others. It is an interconnected system that serves to reconnect us to our rural roots, the earth, and reminds us that we have a critical responsibility to be part of the food cycle, rather than just buyers at the local supermarket.

Farmers Markets are good for the Earth.

The benefits of farmers markets are myriad. They:

– allow us to eat seasonally.

– give us the opportunity to buy food that tastes better and is picked at the peak of its flavor.

– provide the opportunity to try specialty produce. Orange tiger eggplants, anyone?

– support local farmers and aid in rural regeneration.

– give us the opportunity to talk with the person who actually grows our food!

– provide a hub of food-related community education, commerce and creativity.

– reduces our carbon footprint — the amount of fossil fuels is drastically reduced in the delivery of the food from farm to dinner table. Next time you’re at the grocery check out where your fruits and veggies come from.

– allow us to be an active, thoughtful participant in our own food production.

– create an artist tableau with color and texture and a feast for the senses.

If you haven’t already, it’s time to fall in love with the Farmers Market. Play an active role in the farm-to-table movement. Stay open, smile, speak to people. At the very least you might just walk away with a smile and a great recipe!

About Melissa Rapoport: A skilled listener, Melissa empowers her clients to achieve their goals by working together to create tools and strategies that are unique to each person that walks through her door. Her passion is to look at the whole person and, like a detective, find their keys to success, incorporating health goals with topics as diverse as dealing with stress, eating healthy while managing a busy life, increasing joy and creating powerful self-care practices.

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Protect Yourself from Mold and Mycotoxins

You’ve likely heard the stories of people being sick for years, visiting doctor after doctor, only to learn that their symptoms (when they finally find the right healthcare provider) are the result of mold toxicity. Of course, we immediately think of the highly publicized black mold found in water damaged buildings. 

But did you know that mycotoxins found in food can be equally dangerous?

Mycotoxins are naturally-occurring compounds that are produced by fungi (molds, yeasts and mushrooms).There are over 400 different mycotoxins, and unfortunately any of them can cause health problems. Because there are so many different mycotoxins, symptoms of toxin exposure might attack one organ or be diffuse, causing many symptoms that don’t seem to be related. 

Unlike mold itself which is a living organism and susceptible to being destroyed by medications or your immune system, mycotoxins are actual toxins produced by the mold and can deposit in your body’s tissues and persist for years.  They aren’t destroyed by your immune system and in fact can wreak havoc in your body long after the exposure is gone. They need to be cleared out by your body’s detox system.  

Issues Related to Mycotoxin Exposure

  • Allergies
  • Asthma
  • Risk for Cancer 
  • Changes in cognition and/or mood 
  • Diseases affecting the liver and kidneys
  • Eye infections and irritation
  • Fungal infections, such as nails and vagina
  • High blood pressure
  • High cholesterol 
  • Nasal irritation and sinusitis
  • Respiratory infections
  • Skin infections
  • Damaged immune system 

Foods that Harbor Mycotoxins

According to the World Health Organization (WHO) about 25% of the world’s agricultural products are contaminated with mycotoxins.  Several factors contribute to the presence of mycotoxins in food – climate, pests and harvesting and storage practices. 

Here at Blum Center for Health we often test for toxins and of the hundreds of mycotoxins, here are the most prevalent we find and their implication on your health: 

AFLATOXINS: Known for its carcinogenic and toxic effects, aflatoxins also affect the liver, and suppress your immune system. It has been classified as a Group 1 carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). Aflatoxins are often found in peanuts, corn, rice, coffee beans and tree nuts, particularly in warm and humid environments where mold growth is more common. 

CITRININ: This mycotoxin is primarily associated with liver and kidney damage, and impairs cell function due to mitochondrial damage. It is often found in wheat, corn, rice, apples, nuts and red yeast rice

FUMONISINS: These mycotoxins cause liver, kidney and nerve damage. Researchers have also found a link between fumonisins and esophageal cancer and birth defects. They are one of the most prevalent fungi associated with contamination of corn and other grains, including wheat, barley, oat, sorghum, rice, rye and millet.

OCHRATOXINS: Ochratoxins have been shown to be toxic to the kidneys, liver, cause cancers, weaken the immune system and are considered toxic to embryos. It has been suggested that ochratoxins are associated with neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s.  It is found in barley, oats, rye, wheat, coffee beans, and other plant products, with barley having a particularly high likelihood of contamination.  It is also frequently found in pork products. 

TRICHOTHECENES: These mycotoxins are known to induce gastrointestinal issues, including vomiting and diarrhea. They can also cause skin and neurological symptoms. They are found mainly in corn, but can also be found in other grains, such as wheat, oats, barley, rye, sorghum and rice.     

ZEARALENONES: Zearalenones are known hormone distruptors. They are a type of phytoestrogen (plant-based estrogen) which mimics estrogen in the body. They impact the reproductive system as well as damage the liver as suppress the immune system. While zearalenones are found primarily in water-damaged buildings, they are also found in corn, wheat, barely and rice. 

Your Liver is An Incredible Organ

Although the human body has an innate capacity to detoxify itself, people now are exposed to a level of consumer, agricultural, and industrial toxins that we are no longer able to handle. 

Toxins do all sorts of damage: they gradually clog the liver, block insulin-receptor sites, damage the genes, and undermine DNA repair and recovery. As noted earlier, they contribute to inflammation, blood-sugar problems, digestive problems, mitochondrial disorders, low energy, immune and a host of other problems. When toxins build up over time to overload your body, they gradually undermine your health and cause disease. 

Think of it this way: You want to keep your overall toxin load as low as possible. It could be any one that tips the scale. While it’s important to identify the main culprits so that you can reduce your exposure, it’s not necessary to know this for treatment purposes.  Therefore, we recommend  addressing toxins in the body by taking a broad spectrum approach to reduce all toxins.  

The Good News: You Can Protect Yourself from Mycotoxins

  • Buy the freshest possible food – think local!
  • Buy low residue organic coffee
  • Store nuts and seeds in the fridge and do not purchase them out of large bulk bins
  • Inspect grains, nuts, seeds before eating or cooking with them and discard anything that looks discolored, moldy or doesn’t feel good
  • Buy organic, non-GMO products
  • Minimize processed food grain products, including breads, crackers, rice and others
  • Don’t keep foods for extended periods of time before being used

The good news is … elevated mycotoxins are not only preventable, they’re also reversible. 

Ready to assess your toxin load and learn what you need to do to bring your body back into equilibrium? Join the 3-Day Toxin Reset where you will learn:

Day 1: What are toxins and how they are connected to your health

Day 2: Where in your past and in your daily life are toxins found

Day 3: What you can do about it using food as medicine, supplementation and minimizing exposure

We begin February 15th … >>>> I’m In! <<<<

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Toxins in Your Kitchen

I would argue that the kitchen is the most important room of the house. It is where you are nourished, physically, and many times, figuratively. It is often the hub of the family. Highly trafficked and with no television in the background, it’s a room of connection. I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve gone to a friend’s home and we all hung out in the kitchen!

It’s also the one room in the house that’s a toxin dumping ground.

It sounds grim, I know. But, let me explain (and then we’ll explore what to do about it) …

Kitchens contain our fresh food, our drinking water, our packaged goods, our utensils, our cleansers, our dishware, our appliances. Toxins, unfortunately, lurk in all of them. 

A toxin is any substance that can poison your body, negatively impacting your health. Exposure to environmental toxins can damage your endocrine system, immune system, nervous system and your digestive tract. They are a significant concern because they can contribute to chronic diseases by disrupting the body’s natural systems at a cellular level. To learn more about toxins, in general, and how they affect your health, check out this blog post:

Let’s take a deeper dive into food. After all, it’s the one constant day in and day out. You simply can’t live without it. 

Did you know that an estimated 3,000 chemicals that have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are present in the food you eat? The food industry is able to keep information about these chemicals secret by taking advantage of a loophole in the law that allows processed food companies to decide which chemicals are safe to use. This loophole is called the “Generally Recognized as Safe” (GRAS) system, which was enacted in 1958 and has not been amended. Ninety-nine percent (yes, 99%) of all food chemicals introduced since 2000 were greenlighted for use by the food and chemical industry, through this loophole.

JUST BECAUSE A PRODUCT IS FOR SALE, DOESN’T MAKE IT SAFE!

Here’s an interesting illustration of this problem.  Here is a list of ingredients and foods that are banned in other countries. Check out these categories:

Chemicals applied directly to produce and animals that are banned in other countries: 

– Arsenic – fed to chickens to promote weight gain.

– Chlorine-washed food, cleaning foodborne bacteria and other contaminants off poultry, fruits or veggies.

– Farmed salmon – fed synthetic astaxanthin, which is made from petrochemicals, to give the flesh an artificial pinkish-red color that we see in wild salmon.

– Genetically Modified Foods (GMOs) – most soy, beets, corn, canola, cotton, and alfalfa in the United States (U.S.) are GMO, and many countries have banned or regulated them due to public safety concerns.

– Going hand-in-hand with GMOs (because they are used in very high doses on GMO crops) are Herbicides, Pesticides and Fungicides, which are widely used on crops in the U.S. to keep them free of bugs and diseases.  Of the 374 active chemicals authorized for agricultural use in the U.S. in 2016, the European Union (EU) banned 72 of them. Wow!

– Glyphosate – the primary ingredient in the weedkiller Roundup, is one highly-publicized example of a chemical banned throughout the world. Glyphosate consumption is linked to cancer.  In fact, several people have won cases that alleged glyphosate caused their cancer. 

– Atrazine – right behind glyphosate is the weed killer Atrazine. In the U.S., it is one of the most commonly reported contaminants in groundwater and public drinking water, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.  Atrazine is applied to a wide range of crops, including sugarcane, soy, sorghum, and corn. It is estimated that over 65% of corn crops are treated with Atrazine. 

– rBGH or rBST growth hormones – common in the dairy industry, many countries have banned these compounds.  

– Ractopamine – a feed additive banned in at least 160 countries, including China, Russia and several others across Europe – is not only harmful to human health but cruel to the animals it is fed to. It is estimated that 60-80% of American pigs are treated with Ractopamine. The FDA has linked ractopamine to nearly a quarter-million reported adverse events in pigs (more than half of those pigs were sickened or killed) — more than any other animal drug. These pigs became lame or unable to stand, started trembling, or suffered a host of other ailments. 

Food chemicals found as ingredients banned in other countries: 

– Azodicarbonamide (ADA) – a carcinogen, used in baked goods as a bleaching agent. You’ll find it in bread products and snacks. You’ll also find it in yoga mats, flip flops and other plastics. It’s considered a chemical foaming agent. 

– Potassium bromate – a possible carcinogen, used primarily in baked goods – think breads, tortillas, cookies.

– Brominated vegetable oil (BV) – used in soda and sports drinks and banned in more than 100 countries. 

– Carrageenan – a thickener and emulsifier, carrageenan is most commonly found in dairy items like yogurt, ice cream, and cheese, as well as processed meats. It  cannot be used in baby formulas in the EU.

– Food dyes – the following are either banned or must come with a warning label: Yellow dyes No. 5 & 6; Red dye No. 40. There are studies that show a link between food dyes and Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) in children.

– Titanium dioxide – a coloring additive found in candy, baked goods, and other packaged foods.

– Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) and butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) – an additive used to prevent fats from going rancid and to preserve color, flavor and odor. They are added to breakfast cereals, butter, chewing gum and cosmetics. 

– Propylparaben – an antimicrobial preservative used to extend shelf life. It is prevalent in many products including cakes, pastries, pie crusts, icing, jams, olives, pickles to name a few and is also found in moisturizers, shampoos, conditioners, cosmetics and shaving products. 

Chemicals used in food packaging banned in other countries: 

– Bisphenol-A (BPA) – This hormone-disrupting compound is toxic to human reproduction. Exposure to BPA has been linked to early-onset puberty, Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS). It has possible effects on the brain and prostate gland of fetuses, infants and children; effects on children’s behavior and a possible link to increased blood pressure. It is commonly found in the lining of metal food cans, plastic food and drink containers, some water bottles, baby bottles, receipts from cash registers and dental sealants. Think BPA-Free plastic is the answer? Think again. The alternative has likely never been tested and plastics, in general, are proving to be a health problem, as you will see in the next two categories. 

– Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) – These chemicals are added to food packaging to make it resistant to oil and liquid. They are highly persistent, mobile, and toxic. PFAS have been linked to cancer, hormone disruption, liver and kidney toxicity, and harm to the immune system. They are found in non-stick cookware, grease-resistant food packaging like pizza boxes and take-out containers. They are also found in water-resistant fabrics and personal care products like dental floss and shampoo.

– Phthalates – a group of chemicals used to make plastic products softer and more flexible. They are used in food packaging and food preparation. They are linked to reproduction problems, birth defects, cancer, miscarriage and diabetes. Name a food and it is likely that phthalates are present. 

These are just the chemicals banned in other companies. There are a host of other toxins found in our food, unfortunately. From other pesticides besides glyphosate and atrazine to mycotoxins such as ochratoxins, aflatoxins, zearalenone, fumonisins and trichothecenes to heavy metals, such as mercury, arsenic, barium, uranium, nickel, aluminum and cadmium.  But now that you have this information, you can start the process of cleaning up your world!

IN THE MEANTIME, HERE’S WHAT YOU CAN DO ABOUT TOXINS IN YOUR KITCHEN

-– Read nutrition labels – Can you identify every ingredient? Another way to ascertain this is: Would your grandmother have each ingredient in her kitchen cabinet?

— Avoid animal products such as milk or meat in which GMO foods were used to feed the animals. Organic or grass fed meat and milk is the best choice. Look for labels that explicitly say, “grass finished” or “100% grass fed.” The term “grass fed” can also include grains and soy.

— Fiber is your friend! It helps bind toxins. 

— Consume sulfur-rich cruciferous vegetables like Brussels sprouts, broccoli and cauliflower.  They are great for your detox system!

— Avoid eating Genetically Modified (GMO) foods, which are directly contaminated with glyphosate, as well as other herbicides and pesticides

— Consider water filters or a filtration system  that can remove or reduce pesticides and herbicides, including glyphosate from your drinking water. The more effective water filters are the “under the counter” models that use reverse osmosis

– Don’t use glyphosate (Roundup) or other pesticides in your yard. And go organic as much as (financially) possible in the produce you buy!

— Protect any food you are growing outdoors when chemicals are sprayed by neighbors.

Ready to turn your kitchen and your body into the sanctuary it deserves to be?

Join the 3-Day Toxin Reset where you will learn:

  • Day 1: What are toxins and how they are connected to your health
  • Day 2: Where in your past and in your daily life toxins are found
  • Day 3: What you can do about it using food as medicine, supplementation and minimizing exposure

We begin Feb 25th! >>>> I’m In! <<<<

Resources: 

https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/reports/2013/11/07/fixing-the-oversight-of-chemicals-added-to-our-food

https://www.ewg.org/news-insights/news/monsantos-gmo-herbicide-doubles-cancer-risk

https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/companies-markets/consumer-healthcare/quarter-pesticides-used-us-are-banned-eu

https://www.ewg.org/news-insights/news/monsantos-gmo-herbicide-doubles-cancer-risk

https://web.archive.org/web/20120316130312/https://www.epa.gov/teach/chem_summ/Atrazine_summary.pdf

https://www.livescience.com/47032-time-for-us-to-ban-ractopamine.html

https://www.verywellhealth.com/red-dye-40-adhd-5220957

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Toxins. Toxins. Toxins. What are they and should you be concerned?

When you hear about “toxins” you likely think of wildfire smoke, oil spills and other high profile events, such as the lead crisis in Flint, Michigan’s municipal water. Those are obvious and highly publicized, but the hard reality is that you are likely exposed to thousands of toxins every single day without giving it a second thought. 

A toxin is any substance that can poison your body, negatively impacting your health. Exposure to environmental toxins can damage your endocrine, immune, and nervous systems, and your digestive tract. They are a significant concern because they can contribute to chronic diseases by disrupting the body at a cellular level, wreaking havoc by creating ongoing and runaway inflammation and oxidative stress (free radicals causing damage at the cellular level).

ACUTE VS CHRONIC TOXIN EXPOSURE

Unlike acute toxicity, such as the smoke from wildfires, chronic exposure to environmental toxins  is when you have low-dose exposure over a long period of time, which allows the toxins to gradually build up in your body.  

Going through a regular day, you encounter a constant stream of toxins, from chemical-laden food, paint, pizza boxes, household cleaners, thermal receipts, plastic bottles, cosmetics, the air you breathe, the water you drink, the dust in your home and even through prescription drugs. 

Chronic exposure often presents with subtle, often misdiagnosed health disorders, such as chronic fatigue, thyroid disorders, gut symptoms, hormonal imbalances, metabolic and weight issues, skin ailments and psychiatric problems. Symptoms typically build slowly over time, and as time goes on you can accumulate symptoms that affect different parts of the body.  Sometimes there is a “last straw” event, making your symptoms much worse and sending you to the doctor.

In fact, it might feel like there’s an avalanche brewing in your body that no one can seem to figure out. 

Here are some of the more often reported symptoms: 

  • Muscle cramps, tics, twitches
  • Numbness
  • Tingling or tremors
  • Chronic sinus problems
  • Eye irritation/tearing
  • Brain fog, difficulty finding words
  • Memory loss, impaired language skills, and confusion
  • Depression/anxiety
  • Mood swings
  • Shortness of breath, wheezing, coughing
  • Headaches or Migraines
  • Metallic taste in the mouth
  • Weakness
  • Fatigue
  • Joint pain or whole-body aches
  • Skin rashes
  • Constipation, diarrhea, abdominal pain
  • Loss of coordination
  • Dizziness
  • Night sweats
  • Unexplained weight loss or gain
  • Insomnia
  • Low body temperature
  • Infertility and miscarriage

The easiest way to think about toxins is to put them in broad categories. Here are the main categories of toxins: 

Environmental Toxins

Each year more than 4 billion pounds of chemical compounds are released into the environment. Examples include the pesticides, herbicides, fungicides used in agriculture and landscaping, chemicals found in cosmetics, fragrances, personal care and cleaning products, home building materials, mattresses, furniture and even clothing. This would also include industrial toxins, such as toxic emissions of methane, carbon dioxide, volatile organic compounds, benzene, toluene and sulfur. And the scary thing is many of the toxic ingredients are either lawful or hidden in “proprietary formulations” where the toxins evade identification. 

Some of the biggest offenders that we see in toxin testing? Glyphosate, the pesticide known as Round-Up; atrazine, an herbicide sprayed on 80% of corn crops in the United States; plastics (all, not just BPA); and all varieties of parabens found in cosmetics and personal care products.  A toxin soup, indeed. 

Heavy Metals

Heavy metals are elements that are found in the earth.  They’re used in agriculture, medicine and in industry. The most common elevated heavy metals are mercury, lead, cadmium and arsenic. There are others that we are seeing more and more often in the toxin screenings we offer at Blum Center for Health, including Barium, Gadolinium, Uranium and Nickel.

These metals can enter your body through various sources, including contaminated food and water, industrial exposure, food container linings and even pharmaceuticals and cosmetics. Mercury is found in big fish, including tuna, as well as dental fillings and lead pipes. Arsenic is found in water, chocolate, rice and pesticides, while cadmium is found in cigarette smoke, batteries, chocolate and contaminated food. 

Mycotoxins

Mycotoxins are toxic substances produced naturally by molds and fungi as a result of environmental conditions. You’ve likely heard of black mold found in damp and water-damaged buildings and the health havoc it can create. But, did you know that about  25 percent of crops are affected by mold and fungal contamination, making mycotoxins some of the most common natural contaminants in both human and animal food. Poor harvesting methods, improper storage, and suboptimal conditions during processing and transportation can also promote their growth.

The most commonly contaminated foods are also some of the most regularly used foods, unfortunately: 

  • Grains, and all products made from grains, such as oatmeal, bread, crackers and cereals
  • Cocoa/chocolate
  • Coffee
  • Fruit juices
  • Milk and dairy products
  • Vegetable oils
  • Ethanol and Beer
  • Dried fruits, nuts, and spices

Although the human body has an innate capacity to detoxify itself, people now are exposed to a level of consumer, agricultural, and industrial toxins that we are no longer able to handle. 

Toxins do all sorts of damage: they gradually clog the liver, block insulin-receptor sites, damage the genes, and undermine DNA repair and recovery. As noted earlier, they contribute to inflammation, blood-sugar problems, digestive problems, mitochondrial disorders, low energy, immune and a host of other problems. When toxins build up over time and overload your body, they gradually undermine your health and cause disease. 

The good news is … this is not only preventable, it’s reversible. 

Ready to reduce your toxin load and feel more vital and energetic?

Join the 3-Day Toxin Reset where you will learn:

Day 1: What are toxins and how they are connected to your health

Day 2: Where in your past and in your daily life are toxins found

Day 3: What you can do about it using food as medicine, supplementation and minimizing exposure

We begin February 25th! JOIN US

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Ready to Boost Mitochondria and Kick your Energy into High Gear?

You’ve likely heard about the perils of consuming processed foods – It can make you tired, promote muscle weakness, impair your vision and hearing, provoke digestive issues, migraines, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.  You might be wondering what all these things have in common?  Too much processed food can damage the functioning of your Mitochondrial! 

You might be wondering … how are processed foods connected to my mitochondria?

First, let’s define mitochondria. You might have recently read about these little powerhouses inside your cells. They take the fats, carbs and protein that you eat and combust them for cellular energy much like how the engine in your car burns gasoline. Mitochondria provide the energy to keep your body running, and are the prime driver of metabolism, which you need to maintain low levels of body fat and to keep a healthy weight.  

NUTRIENTS THE MITOCHONDRIA NEEDS

To be functioning at their best, your mitochondria need very specific nutrients.  They need B vitamins, antioxidants, and amino acids (the building blocks of protein).  Just like your car engine, the mitochondria throw off “sparks” as its combusting your food for energy, and it needs a constant supply of rainbow colored foods to provide the antioxidants needed to quench these sparks also called free radicals. If you aren’t eating enough antioxidants, the sparks become a flame and not only can you end up with inflammation, but your mitochondria stop working optimally.

In addition to antioxidants, B vitamins are critical.  When you eat lots of vegetables, and whole foods (the food looks like it did when it was grown, picked, slaughtered) you get a lot of B vitamins.  Remember, you are also eating what the animal ate, and so how you source your animal protein matters too for it’s nutrient density.

NUTRIENTS THE MITOCHONDRIA DON’T NEED

OK, now that you know what you should feed your mitochondria, what shouldn’t you feed it?  Processed foods!  Not only are these foods missing the nutrients you need, but they have “anti-nutrients” that are damaging to the body.   Sugar is clearly inflammatory and damaging, but these processed foods also have loads of added chemicals, bad fats, and toxins that are hitchhiking with the food when you eat it.  This is why it’s critical to read nutrition labels to discern whether your favorite crackers, breads, canned goods, and even products marketed as healthy, are really ok.  Remember, if your mitochondria are ok, your cells and then your body will also function at its best. 

Be a Nutrition Label Detective:

Examine the ingredient list: Would you find every ingredient in your grandmother’s kitchen? If not, step away. Is there any kind of sugar in the first three ingredients – anything from cane sugar to honey to date sugar – it’s a desert.

Take a look at the grams of added sugar: We recommend staying under 24g of added sugar daily. What does that mean? 4g of sugar equals 1 teaspoon. It adds up fast.

For grain and grain replacement products, such as breads, crackers and gluten-free products: How many grams of fiber does it have? There should be a minimum of 3 grams per serving.

What processed foods should you avoid unequivocally? Seed oils, such as canola (rapeseed), corn, cottonseed, peanut, grapeseed, rice bran, soybean, safflower and sunflower. Using extra virgin olive oil for cooking? Make sure you do not expose it to high heat – it converts to an “anti-nutrient” trans-fat! Our favorite high heat oil is avocado.

Foods to Eat for Healthy Mitochondrial Function:

Eat a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, you have heard this before –but it is critical. Be sure to include red, blue, purple, yellow and green fruits and vegetables, the deeper, darker colored food are the best. Gradually increase the number of servings that you have a day to reach 9 cups a day. Find your farmer’s market and get to work. You can do it! Be sure to add some seaweed into the mix for iodine.

Eat more omega-3 rich foods. We do not make omega-3 fatty acids in the body so they must come from the diet daily. Include wild fish, grass-fed meats and omega-3 rich eggs. Boost this brain food — the brain has lots of mitochondria — by adding one to two tablespoons of flax or hemp oil, or seeds, to your vegetables.

Build your meal from the foundation of vegetables up, then add your omega-3 rich protein, some legumes, like your favorite beans, for fiber, toss in some dulse or seaweed, sprinkle with nuts and seeds, douse with a healthy oil for dressing and you are good to go – literally go, because eating this way you will give you more energy to go!

Two Other Factors that Boost Mitochondrial Function:

Intermittent fasting and calorie restriction increase your ability to generate energy while increasing the number of mitochondria in the cells.  A simple way to practice intermittent fasting is to eat no food (you are allowed to have herbal tea or broth) for 12-14 hours overnight, from dinner to breakfast. Calorie restriction can be done by eating only vegetables for 600 – 800 Calories in one day, perhaps one day each week. 

Reduce your intake of carbohydrates. This shift causes your body to switch to using ketones (produced by burning fats) instead of glucose as its primary source of fuel. Ketones are efficiently used for the generation of energy in the mitochondria while increasing the number of new mitochondria.

But Food is Only One Aspect to Boost Mitochondria Function

Mitochondria are especially damaged from Covid or other viruses; Lyme or other tick or bacterial infections; and Environmental toxins, especially mold; as well as aging. Often, the chronic fatigue experienced by people trying to recover from a significant illness comes from damage to the mitochondria.  Because of this, we have created a Mito Recovery Program. 

Testing and Repairing Your Mitochondria Damage: 

Our Mito Recovery program is a comprehensive evaluation and treatment approach for  your mitochondria, to help them recover and to finally restore your health.  

The first step is to identify why and how your mitochondria got damaged, and then to help you eliminate these exposures if they are environmental or infectious.  Common culprits are infectious disease, mold, and environmental toxins. 

We will check the functioning of your mitochondria with MitoSwab testing. The test is done with a simple scrape from the inside of your cheek, and results show us your mitochondrial biogenesis (total numbers of mitochondria) and the functioning of Complexes 1, 2, 3 and 4.

We measure levels of oxidative stress and glutathione.

Treatment:  Based on these results we offer targeted treatments, which may include Infusions (NAD, glutathione, lipoic acid, CoQ10, carnitine, B vitamins and magnesium), supplements, and intermittent caloric restriction/fasting (great for mitochondria function!).   For example, low Complex 1 responds well to NAD.  Riboflavin is good for Complex 2, and CoQ10 for Complex 3.  And both Glutathione and lipoic acid are great for treating oxidative stress, which is an issue for all the 4 complexes if they are damaged.

Suspect your Mitochondria Need Help? Schedule an appointment with one of our Functional Medicine practitioners. Call 914-652-7800 to book your appointment. 

Meet Melissa: Melissa Rapoport is the Manager of Health Coaching and Lifestyle Programming at Blum Center for Health in Rye Brook, NY. She combines her graduate work in Developmental Psychology with her education in nutrition, health and coaching to create highly individualized programs that result in lifetime change. A contributing author to three international bestselling books, Melissa’s greatest joy is her relationship with her two daughters. To learn more about Melissa’s coaching practice at Blum Center for Health, click here.

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A Day In The Life….Of Your Toxic Exposures

By Darcy McConnell, MD

We come into contact with thousands of chemicals each day.  Luckily, we are equipped to handle toxic exposure – our liver metabolizes and removes these harmful substances the best that it can and we go about our business. Unfortunately, sometimes the burden of toxicity becomes overwhelming to the body, and causes us to suffer a multitude of ailments from fatigue and brain fog to autoimmune disease and cancer.

Though it is impossible to avoid exposure altogether, it is not difficult to reduce our body’s burden of toxins with some simple steps.  Let’s take a look at where these toxic exposures are hiding in our everyday life so we can address them and make some simple changes.

A day in the life … of your toxic exposure.  Where you might be accumulating toxins without even being aware of it:

You wake up after sleeping for hours on a mattress that may be exposing you to hundreds of harmful chemicals, and walk across a carpet that has flame retardants and VOCs seeping from it.  The cleaning products used in your home are full of toxins that remain in the air you breathe and on surfaces you touch.

  • You start your day brushing your teeth and showering with water that may be contaminated with chlorine, heavy metals, and other toxic compounds. 
  • You use personal care products that contain endocrine disruptors, harmful chemicals that alter hormones, and other dangerous substances like aluminum, phthalates, propylene glycol, and all kinds of colorings and fragrances.   
  • Into the kitchen for breakfast, and you prepare and eat food that is tainted with chemicals and additives.  Pesticides, antibiotics and hormone residues lurk in conventional produce, meats, and dairy; heavy metals and PCBs contaminate our fish supply.  BPA and phthalates leach from plastics in food packaging and bottles.
  • You get dressed, and the clothing you wear may have toxins from dry cleaning chemicals, flame retardants and synthetic plastics that are breathed in and absorbed through the skin.

It’s scary, you haven’t even left the house yet and you’ve been exposed to so many disruptive chemicals!

But we should not despair, though the research and evidence of harm is damning.  We have a choice to make the less toxic purchase every time we buy food, cleaning products, cosmetics, clothing, or furniture.

Come learn how to detoxify your environment and find guidance on how to make clean, healthy choices for decreasing your everyday toxic exposure.  Join me for my free talk on Monday April 18th at 6pm! 

Photo Credit: Household Chemical Cleaners 

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How Eating Like Your Ancestors Can Help You Lose Weight

Blog Photo FastingBy Mary Gocke, RDN, CDN

The key to losing weight in 2016 might be found by going back in time and eating like our ancestors.

What if fasting was a part of your healthy lifestyle and offered the benefit of weight loss? Please, don’t get nervous and don’t go anywhere. Keep reading. This is the real deal.

We’re talking about intermittent fasting and it’s how our ancestors ate – think feast or famine. When there was food available, they ate; when they didn’t have food, they didn’t eat. They couldn’t run to a fast-food restaurant or pop a frozen-food entrée in the microwave.

Intermittent fasting does not mean you have to starve yourself. It does ask you to look at your lifestyle, notice how often you eat and especially observe late-night snacking – you know, when you’re stressed and watching late night television to take your mind off things and unconsciously eating the bag of potato chips or pint of ice cream.

What if you stopped eating after dinner and didn’t eat again until breakfast? There you go – intermittent fasting! 8pm to 8am – 12 hours of intermittent fasting. Maybe your schedule is 7pm to 7am; not a problem. There’s flexibility here. It’s not the time that matters; it’s the timing – setting yourself up for a period of 12-14 hours when you are not eating. And giving your body a chance to detoxify and rejuvenate itself.

The benefits of intermittent fasting are well-studied and vast, including:

  • Improve metabolic efficiency and metabolic flexibility
  • Reset your body to use fat as its primary fuel source
  • Boost enzyme production to facilitate digestion and weight loss
  • Generate production of human growth hormone
  • Increase insulin sensitivity
  • Reduce markers of chronic inflammation

Intermittent fasting is one aspect of the revolutionary weight loss program offered at Blum Center for Health this month. We want to help you lose weight and we want you to keep it off with a healthy lifestyle plan.

Learn more and join our Group Weight Loss Program.

 

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What is Kitchari?

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Kitchari is an ancient Ayurvedic meal consisting of Mung beans and rice cooked into porridge. Kitchari (kitch-ah-ree) literally means mess – referring to this warm, delicious, satisfying (not messy!) porridge.

The Ayurvedic culture discovered the magic of the Mung bean; they do not cause gas; they are anti-inflammatory; and they are hypo-allergenic.

As a cleanse, kitchari is eaten for 7 days – breakfast, lunch and dinner as a mono diet, meaning eating one food. This limits the diversity of food which helps decrease inflammation while supporting digestive enzymes and the entire process of digestion.

At Blum Center for Health we perform the Kitchari Cleanse once a year, during the winter months.  We  find this cleanse both nourishing, healing and weight reducing. Typically, a pound a day is lost with ease.

Kitchari is comfort food, warming and nourishing for this time of year.