Total Health Breakthroughs: Free Natural Health Newsletter and Alternative Health Articles

In This Issue:

Vitamin D: Can You Get Enough?

By James LaValle, R.Ph, ND, CCN

Looking back at 2008, I vote for vitamin D as the biggest nutrition news of the year. We all knew vitamin D was needed for optimal bone formation and maintenance, but I don’t think anyone really appreciated its full importance for our health. From cancer to heart disease prevention to protection against autoimmunity, vitamin D may very well be the most important nutrient to get enough of.

With all the new information on its disease-preventing benefits, many researchers suggest that the Daily Recommended Intake (DRI) for vitamin D should be raised from 400 IUs to a minimum of 1000 IUs. And further studies have found that toxicity is really a non-issue.7 So, no longer are we disputing that the DRI is far too low. Instead, the focus has turned to making sure you are getting enough.

Most of us know that vitamin D is made from cholesterol in the body. Sun exposure is the catalyst that makes this happen. When sun hits the body, cholesterol in the skin is converted to vitamin D. To get enough vitamin D, we are told that we need from 5 to 30 minutes of sun exposure between 10 AM and 3 PM at least twice a week to the face, arms, legs, or back — without sunscreen. But that’s only if you live below the 42° latitude marker. (In the US, that line runs from Northern California to Boston.)

But even that may not be enough. In my practice I have noticed that many of our patients, even those who live in sunny climates like Florida and get plenty of sun, still have low serum vitamin D levels when we test them. A new study out of the University of Wisconsin found similar results; when they tested young adults who live in Hawaii and were getting plenty of sun exposure, 51% came back with low serum levels.

If you don’t have accessibility to sunlight year-round or even if you do, what should you do?

Those living in Japan may have one answer. Even though they have limited exposure to sunlight, their cancer incidence is quite low due to a diet high in fatty fish — a good source of vitamin D. Individuals living in Sweden may have an even better solution. A study of middle-aged and elderly Swedish women found that those who took vitamin D supplements and ate 2 to 3 servings of fatty fish per week increased their vitamin D stores by 45%!

Cod liver oil is the best source of vitamin D, but other oily fish such as salmon, mackerel, tuna, and sardines are good options too. (Fortified dairy is also a source, but would not be acceptable for those of you who have chosen to remove dairy from your diet.)

(Source: http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/vitamind.asp#h3).

Of course anytime fish consumption is recommended, there is always the mercury concern. Although that is a concern, studies still show that a couple of servings of fish per week seem to have more benefits than risks.

In the end, I believe we will find that we need both sunlight and dietary sources to hit every nuance of optimal vitamin D intake, because that’s the cycle found in nature — sun in combination with fish. So when it comes to having optimal vitamin D stores, get some sunlight. However, monitor blood levels and if they are not at least 25 ng/mL or above, eat fatty fish or cod liver oil in combination with vitamin D3 supplements to keep your levels high enough. If you don’t like fish, use supplements alone. Just be sure you are getting enough!

[Ed. Note: James LaValle is the founding Director of the LaValle Metabolic Institute, one of the largest integrative medicine practices in the country. Dr. LaValle is the author of The Metabolic Code Diet: Unleashing the Power of Your Metabolism for Lasting Weight Loss and Vitality and the Executive Editor of THB's The Healing Prescription. Let 2009 be the year to unleash the power of your metabolism. To sign up for "free" access to this exclusive, insider teleconference with Dr. LaValle, click here.]

Healthy Nutrition:

“Smart Choices” Program is Not So Smart

By Laura LaValle, RD, LD

Wouldn’t it be nice if you could go to the store and know exactly which foods are healthy for you and which aren’t? That’s the idea behind recent “stamps of nutrition approval” you’ve seen popping up all over food packages lately. For instance, the Best Life Diet has a symbol they place on a number of foods they have approved. Food manufacturers have also been making their own “good nutrition choice” type stamps.

In an effort to circumvent the confusion that has arisen from this plethora of symbols, an organization called the Keystone Center has brought together a veritable Who’s

Who of food manufacturers (General Mills, Coca-Cola, ConAgra Foods, Kellogg, Kraft, Pepsico, Unilever, and Wal-Mart to name a few) to work with a panel of food and nutrition experts and government agencies to create a new food labeling program called Smart Choices. Foods would carry a “single trusted symbol” representing healthy food choices at the grocery store.¹

There are some positives to the Smart Choices program. For instance, on packaged and processed foods, the label will require calories per serving to be listed on the front of the package along with the number of servings in the package. That’s a good start, but in reality, the idea is better than the actual implementation, for a number of reasons.

For starters, the food recommendations say nothing about organic food choices and are based upon the 2005 USDA Dietary Guidelines, which are still recommending a low fat diet as the healthiest option. In order to qualify for the Smart Choices program, an item must have less than 35% total fat calories or less than 3 grams of fat per serving.

For any animal protein to qualify, it must be low in cholesterol and must be extra lean. But many studies show that a higher protein, lower carbohydrate eating plan is the way to go to achieve weight loss and healthier lipid profiles, regardless of a higher fat intake.2 In addition, lower carb higher protein and fat diets have the added benefit of suppressing appetite while preserving lean muscle mass.²

Speaking of carbohydrates, the program is supposed to disqualify foods that have more than 25% of their calories coming from added sugars, but they allowed some exceptions — breakfast cereals and sweetened milk or dairy products– which can have up to 12 grams of added sugar per serving regardless of what the percentage works out to be.

Why exempt a higher sugar breakfast cereal and chocolate milk? The rationale was that it will increase a person’s intake of these “nutritious” foods because of enhanced palatability. What they are really saying is that a lot of kids won’t eat breakfast cereal or drink milk unless it means being able to eat the sugar-laden versions. I’m sorry, but let’s call a spade a spade. Added sugars are ridiculously bad for us, period. I don’t care if it gets the kids to eat more of these foods or not. It sends the wrong message, and in the end is bad for them.

Finally, and maybe most importantly, a stamp of approval on a food implies that it is good for anyone, no matter what. Clearly there are circumstances that will supersede that symbol. For instance, if you are insulin resistant, carbs (even including whole grains) should be limited until you balance your blood sugar, insulin, triglycerides, blood pressure, etc.

The waters get very muddied when food manufacturers, health organizations, and governments try to explain the intricacies of diet with broad advice such as 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans — “eat more whole grains.” This advice may benefit an active teenager who changes their white bread to whole wheat, but will not improve, and may even hurt, the health parameters of an overweight sedentary individual if they don’t understand the exceptions.

And what about food sensitivities or allergies? In our experience, food allergies and sensitivities often stop weight loss in people. Cheese made from cow’s milk, whether it has a low-fat stamp of approval or not, and wheat whether it is whole grain or not, may be a problem for some people.

The bottom line is, food choices need to be individualized as much as possible and need to follow current health issues instead of a one-size-fits-all approach, which isn’t even based on the most recent science.

References

1. Found online at: www.smartchoicesprogram.com
2. Volek J and Feinman R. Nutr and Metab 2005 Vol 2, p 31.

[Ed. Note: Laura B. LaValle, RD, LD is presently the director of dietetics nutrition at LaValle Metabolic Institute (formerly part of Living Longer Institute). She offers personal nutritional counseling at LMI for clients who need help with their diet in relation to illness or disease. Laura also provides educational services in the areas of health promotion, wellness, and disease prevention. To learn more, click here.]

Healthy Recipes:

Cheesy Squash & Cornmeal Casserole

By Laura LaValle, RD, LD

This side dish will appeal to everyone in the family. As a low carber, watch your serving size, but enjoy this nutritious veggie-added alternative to rice or potatoes.

Time to table: 30 minutes

Serves: 6

Healing Nutrient Spotlight

Good source of calcium, thiamin, and folate

Ingredients*

1 T. olive oil
2 tsp. butter
1 cup grated squash, any kind
1/2 medium onion, diced
2 T. fresh parsley, chopped fine
1 tsp. sea salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
3/4 cup cornmeal
3/4 cup cold water
2 1/4 cups chicken broth

*Choose organic ingredients for optimum nutrition.

Preparation

In a covered saucepan, start heating chicken stock and salt. While the broth is heating, warm the olive oil in a skillet on low heat and add diced onions stirring and cooking until the onions are softened. Then add the squash, parsley, and pepper and cook for about 5 more minutes, stirring frequently. If the vegetables start to stick, add a little bit of water while stirring. Remove from heat, add the butter and stir it in to mix with the vegetables. Cover and set aside.

In a small bowl, mix cornmeal and cold water. Once the chicken stock comes to the boil, slowly pour in cornmeal and water mixture while stirring well. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring continuously so cornmeal won’t stick. Cover and cook on low heat for about 5 minutes stirring occasionally to cook it down to a cream of wheat-type consistency. When the cornmeal is ready, stir in the sautéed vegetables and mix well.

Pour the cornmeal and vegetable mix into a small casserole dish and top with grated Pecorino (sheep’s milk) Romano. Put under the broiler in your oven for 2 or 3 minutes to melt the cheese. Remove from oven, allow to cool a bit, and enjoy! This recipe can be made with grits as well. Just follow package instructions for grits preparation after cooking vegetables and go from there.

Nutrition

150 calories, 7 g protein, 15 g carbohydrates, 7 g fat, 3 g saturated fat, 2 g monounsaturated fat, 1 g polyunsaturated fat, 11 mg cholesterol, 2 g fiber,

250 IU vitamin A, .15 mg thiamin, .10 mg riboflavin, 1.11 mg niacin, 40 mcg folate, 6 mg vitamin C, 100 mg calcium, 1.58 mg iron, 13 mg magnesium, 155 mg potassium, 1.46 mcg selenium, 535 mg sodium, .21 mg zinc

[Ed. Note: Laura B. LaValle, RD, LD is presently the director of dietetics nutrition at LaValle Metabolic Institute (formerly part of Living Longer Institute). She offers personal nutritional counseling at LMI for clients who need help with their diet in relation to illness or disease. Laura also provides educational services in the areas of health promotion, wellness, and disease prevention. To learn more click here.]