The Natural Doc

Why Okra is so fabulous

I love okra.  In my mind, it’s on the A-list of vegetables, and the sad thing is that many people think of it as a gross slimy vegetable.  This is actually far from the truth, as when you cook okra PROPERLY, it should not be slimy at all.

These are three reasons why okra is good for you:

1.  Mucilage.  The “slime” it contains when not cooked properly is its mucilage.  This substance coats the inside of your throat, esophagus, and stomach (which are also made of mucous).  It keeps them moisturized and free from infection and irritation, which makes okra a great pairing with spicy food.  The heat from spicy food can irritate the lining of the stomach, and okra’s mucilage can help protect you from this!

2.  Good source of magnesium and excellent source of vitamin C.  Many of us are deficient in magnesium.  It’s the mineral that is used by the body to make ENERGY - the money that our body runs on.  If you have more money, you can produce or buy more things.  Same thing with energy.

(Also if you’re wondering, to be a “good source” of a nutrient, a food must have 10-20% or more of the recommended daily intake of that nutrient in a serving.  To be an excellent source, it must have 20% or more.)

3.  A natural way to thicken stews, and curries.  Okra Filipino stew (Bicol Express…a vegetable medley with shrimp in a coconut milk base - recipe to come soon), Okra tomato curry, GUMBO…all require okra to thicken the dish.  When you cook it, you are sauteeing it for a while.  You will start to see the sticky strings, but you must cook it until these disappear. 

Do not buy canned or frozen okra if possible.  My personal opinion is that fresh okra makes a WORLD of difference to taste and texture of the dish.  The canned okra look so sad, dead, and limpy, and they taste like that too.

Why you’re bloated and what to do about it

I find a lot of patients are taking supplements for their digestion, not really knowing what they’re doing or exactly why they’re taking it (other than seeing it on Dr. Oz, or getting a recommendation from someone at the health food store).  They also aren’t getting much better. 

Here’s the problem.  Your digestion is like a road trip.  If you get a flat tire along the way, having an extra tire will help.  But, if you run out of gas, it doesn’t matter how many extra tires  you have, you will STILL be stuck in the middle of the road.  Similarly, blindly supplementing with something like digestive enzymes, when the cause of the indigestion occurs elsewhere will do nothing for your tummy aches.  To treat the cause, you need a health care professional to take all the clues (symptoms) and put them together to figure out what exactly is going on.

Having said that, let’s take a trip down your throat so I can describe the journey of food in your body.

1. You chew.  As you chew you breakdown food.  Saliva contains enzymes that will help break down food.

2. Food goes down your throat into your stomach.  Now stomach acid (as corrosive as it is) breaks food down.

3. Food goes into the small intestine.  Your pancreas releases enzymes (little buggers that break food particles into their building blocks), and your liver and gallbladder release bile (substance that helps emulsify fat for breakdown)

4. Food gets further digested in the intestine (and absorbed)

5. Food goes into the colon.  Here it meets bacteria that digest food further before the waste is released as feces.

**A problem in one step will cause problems in digestion in the steps below it. **

So, if your stomach doesn’t produce enough stomach acid, your small intestine won’t be able to digest food as well, and your good colonic bacteria won’t be able to perform their function.  (In fact, the BAD bacteria in your gut gets excited by all this undigested food and exacerbates your digestive problems.)

The answer to this is pretty obvious though.  If your stomach isn’t producing enough stomach acid, you need a supplement that will help your body produce more stomach acid.  Why would we expect enzymes or probiotics to have a significant effect when the cause is happening earlier in the digestive journey!

Sometimes it’s not about what we are supplementing (or putting into our body), but rather what we need to take out.  People who have Celiac disease, Crohn’s, or colitis, or people with food sensitivities benefit significantly from removing foods that commonly cause symptoms.  Such foods can be caffeine, sugar, wheat, dairy, eggs, citrus fruits, soy, etc.

So please, don’t use supplements blindly.  Your wallet and your stomach will thank you!

How can Natural Medicine help someone with HIV?

So you’ve been diagnosed as HIV positive and started anti-retroviral therapy (ART).  Now what?  If you have a healthy CD4 count and undetectable viral load, is there nothing else you can do about the illness? 

I can guarantee that if I asked HIV+ patients who have undetectable viral loads and healthy CD4 counts to rate their  health, many of them would rate their health poorly in spite of these two tests.

The reason is because having HIV comes with a lot more than replicating virus.  It affects your mental health, your physical health (yes, even if it’s not replicating - having the virus in your system still causes oxidative damage to your body, particularly your gut), and the medications (though highly effective) affect your quality of your life. 

Many patients who are on ART medication experience digestive issues .  The medications also increase your risk for heart disease. AND, even though HIV replication is being suppressed, and patients aren’t getting any AIDs defining illnesses for years; many patients find they get frequent colds or sinusitis which severely decreases their quality of life.  Fatigue, depression and anxiety are other common conditions that further decrease patients’ quality of life.

So, it’s really important to treat holistically when it comes to HIV.  You STILL need the drugs, don’t get me wrong, but naturopathic medicine can help decrease digestive concerns, improve low immunity, improve low energy, and increase vitality.

Big things to think about are:

• How am I eating?  What you feed yourself, eventually feeds your immune system.  If the foods you eat are devoid of vitamins and minerals, how do you expect your immune cells to function to the best of their ability?  This goes above and beyond “having more fruits and vegetables”.

• How can I navigate the emotional toll the label of HIV+ has on me?  This is huge, and it takes time to fully accept that you are HIV+.  But also important is an understanding that you can still work, play, have relationships AND have a long meaningful life in spite of having this label.

• Do I know the benefits/risks of taking certain supplements?  Many patients with HIV come into my office already taking supplements without actually knowing the impact it has on their body.  Supplements can interfere with ART medication, so unless you have been recommended the supplement by a professional like an N.D., you shouldn’t take things you THINK will help you.  (example:  garlic supplements, and vitamin C can interact with some meds)  Having said that, there are many supplements that can help patients with HIV, from antioxidants, to immune modulating herbs, to supplements to help prevent heart disease (remember your risk for this disease goes up with ART meds!)

So there you go.  A more holistic approach to treating HIV/AIDs.

Guacamole Recipe

Here is a really popular guacomole recipe that I make.  Before I had tried this recipe, I didn’t like guacamole.  You must follow it exactly…do not substitute ingredients!

Guacamole:

3 ripe avocados

3 fresh limes

1 bunch cilantro

sea salt

1 jalepeno - finely minced

1/4-1/3 red onion - finely minced

Squeeze the juice of the three limes into a large bowl.  Peel and cut avocados and immediately place them in the bowl (make sure all sides are covered with lime juice to prevent browning). Once all the avocado is in the bowl mash it to the consistency in the above picture.  DO NOT USE A BLENDER - good quality guacomole has a chunky texture.  Add jalepeno and onions but taste frequently as you add these ingredients; the amount you need depends on your liking.  Add sea salt to taste (usually 2 pinches).  Chop the cilantro and mix it in.  Cover immediately and refrigerate before serving.

That’s it!  Serve with Que Paso tortilla chips.  As I have stated in previous posts, this brand is preferable because it’s mostly organic and low in salt.  This is healthier, but also tastes better! (Nothing ruins the taste of guacamole more, than typical highly salted tortilla chips).  If you find another tortilla chip brand that is low in salt and is organic/non-GMO, feel free to use that as well.

How can natural medicine help mood issues?

When we think about getting help for our mood (depression, anxiety, bipolar, etc.), two things pop into our minds: 1) drugs or 2) counseling.  We rarely think of diet having a significant impact on our mood, or supplements as a viable treatment option. 

For example, when I tell people that fish oil can improve symptoms of depression, their reaction can be described as “??????????”  How could an oil affect my brain’s physiology?

For starters, the brain is largely made up of fat.  So, naturally, the TYPE of fat your body uses to produce the structure of nerve tissue will very much affect that its function.

Here’s a specific example:

Our brain produces “feel good” compounds that makes us happy.  These compounds, known as neurotransmitters (i.e.: dopamine, seratonin, etc.) bind to neurons (nerve cells) which then signal the neuron on how to make us feel.  Researchers have found that fish oils are required for neurotransmitters to properly bind to the neuron so that it can produce the signal of mood.

I will provide a few other examples of how natural therapies can improve your mood.

1) The use of vitamin B12 for mood issues.  Vitamin B12 aids in the production of serotonin (again, it’s a “feel good” compound).  In fact, some studies have shown that patients on antidepressant medication respond better when they have higher levels of B12 in their system.

2) What about food?

Foods that contain tyrosine (soy, seaweed, turkey, etc.) can improve depression and the reason is quite simple.  Tyrosine is used by the body to make “happy” neurotransmitters like dopamine and norepinephrine.

Foods that contain tryptophan can also help with mood because tryptophan is a precursor to the neurotransmitter seratonin. 

BASICALLY, if we don’t have enough happy, then it makes sense to eat more (or supplement) with more of the building blocks of happiness!

3) Sugars

If your gut doesn’t properly digest sugar, that can actually increase risk of depression.  The malabsorbed sugars form complexes with tryptophan decreasing its absorption.  That means decreased production of the neurotransmitter seratonin.

As well, low levels of sugar (being diabetic, pre-diabetic, or just having inconsistent eating patterns) has a HUGE impact on mood.  This is something patients should be screened for when coming in with depressed mood.

So, hopefully the next time you think of treatment options for your mood, natural therapies are included in the option list. 

After all, having more choices in healthcare gives you power over your own health.  And being in control of your health, rather than having your health control you, is a great first step to success.

Mogo (Cassava) Salad & Turkey Kebabs

Mogo (Cassava) Salad & Turkey Kebabs:

This is a healthy take on the african/indian classic “Mogo and Kebabs” (meatballs and cassava chips)

For Turkey Kebabs:

1 package of ground turkey (approx 1 llb)
2.5 tbsp Lalah’s Madras Curry Powder - use this brand only…has a great flavor!
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp coriander
1 tsp cumin/coriander powder
1 big pinch of cayenne powder
2 pinches salt
4 cloves of garlic minced finely
1 inch of fresh ginger - grated finely (or minced finely)
1 egg whisked
1 cup breadcrumbs

For the Mogo Salad: (mogo in this salad are served as “croutons”)

1/2 head of red cabbage
1/3-1/2 of a red onion (depending on how much raw onion you like in your salad)
1 bunch cilantro - chopped finely
2 large carrots - chopped & peeled
2 large brocolli crowns - chopped
1.5 tbsp of honey (can be omitted, but adds a nice sweetness)

For the Mogo Croutons:

1 package of frozen cassava (mogo)
salt and cayenne pepper to taste

For the Tamirand Chutney: (used as salad dressing and as chutney for the kebab)

1 pack tamirand paste
4 cups water
large handful of chopped pitted dates (approx. 10-12)
1/2 tsp of salt
1-2 tsp of cayenne powder
optional: 1 tbsp of vinegar if more sourness is needed

Kebabs:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  In a mixing bowl, add ingredients together and combine until thoroughly mixed.  Shape into kebab cylinders (do not press too hard when shaping kebabs as this will create a hard kebab).  Prepare a baking sheet with aluminum foil and drizzle 1-2 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil on the foil.  Spread the oil around to make sure the kebabs don’t stick to the aluminum foil.  When placing the finished kebabs on the foil, roll them around so they pick up the oil on all sides of the kebab. 

Bake in the oven for 20 minutes, or until fully cooked.

Next, prepare the tamirand chutney.  Place all ingredients in a pot and bring to a boil over high heat.  Boil over medium-high for 30 minutes or until sweet-sour flavor is acheived.  You may have to mash the tamirand paste and dates against the pot with your wooden spoon to help extract the flavor.  When desired flavor is acheived, strain the chutney.

Prepare the salad (make sure onion is finely chopped, and you add the onion to the salad slowly and taste.  Adjust the amount of onion according to your taste.  If you add too much, it can be very overpowering). 

For the Mogo “Croutons”:

Boil the mogo in 3-4 cups of water and a pinch of salt.  After 20 minutes they should be done (easy to cut, but not too soft to be mashed).  Cut the mogo into cubes (about 1 inch by 1 inch - the size of a crouton).  Heat a pan on medium heat with 2 tablespoons of olive oil or coconut oil.  You may need to do this in batches as each mogo crouton must touch the pan (i.e.: only one layer of mogo frying at one time).  Lightly fry the croutons.  When you flip the croutons, you may have to add 1-2 tablespoon more oil so it forms a hard crust on the other side.   You should need max 6 tablespoons of olive oil to complete this (I did mine in 2 batches as my pan was too small). They should be a light golden color and have some brown marks on them from the pan fry.  Place finished mogos on a plate lined with paper towel and sprinkle salt and cayenne pepper to taste.

Serve the mogo with the salad, add 2 tablespoons of raw extra virgin olive oil over the salad and as much tamirand chutney as desired.  The raw olive oil and the tamirand chutney are now your salad dressing.  Serve the kebabs on the side.  Enjoy! 

The reason you feel stressed and what you can do about it.

A lot of us are stressed and have really low energy.  Feeling like death when you wake up, or sluggish after a meal, or feeling like you’re running on an empty energy tank by the time you finish work….any of this sounds familiar?

A common cause for low energy levels is stress.  In this blog, I want to talk about why stress causes fatigue and what I do with my patients to help them feel better.

So here’s the thing: when one encounters a stressful situation, our body initially goes into flight-or-fight mode.  Our adrenal glands secrete adrenaline which gets your heart racing and blood pumping!  This is so we can panic and run from the stressor.  But, our bodies can’t cope with the effects of adrenaline forever..

Eventually, the body will start producing cortisol.  This will help the body adapt to stress that is occurring.  Cortisol helps release sugar in blood so there’s more energy at our disposal, and makes us crave food.  (This is also the reason why people who are stressed tend to gain weight.).  It depresses our reproductive system, and immune system because if we’re dealing with a stressful situation, the body figures it’s not the best time to invest energy in sex or fighting off the common cold.

Now, if the stressful situation is short lived, cortisol levels will go back to normal.  If the stressful situation keeps happening, the body will try to adapt by keeping cortisol levels high.  Eventually the adrenal glands will get tired and won’t be able to produce enough cortisol.  So, why is this important?

 When cortisol levels remain high throughout the day, patients feel over-stimulated.  They are moody, have difficulty relaxing, have LOTS of nervous energy, and find it really hard to wind down.  This is a problem, because a) you don’t feel good, and b) being constantly over-stimulated affects your performance and work or school negatively.

Eventually patients will deplete their body’s ability to produce sufficient cortisol and will have low cortisol levels throughout the day.  These types of patients will feel immense fatigue, inability to concentrate, often wanting to sleep all the time, and have poor appetite.

When you go to a health food store, you’re usually recommended a herb for stress.  Some stress herbs are meant for over-stimulated patients and some are meant for under-stimulated patients.  This is important for treatment.  I usually do some basic counseling with my patients to figure out what they’re stressed about and support their adrenals with herbs that will either stimulate or relax them depending on their presentation.  Some dietary work is also helpful because precursors to neurotransmitters that affect your mood are obtained through the diet. 

This usually provides patients with the foundation of feeling better and then working on their health and ways of coping with stress more.  It’s SO important to treat stress - it’s responsible for 75% of all medical visits in the USA and linked to the top killers in North America (cancer, heart disease, lung ailments, accidents, suicide, and liver problems (cirrhorsis)).

Fashion Break: Layering done Right!

I love the different textured layered in her outfit.  How are you layering this Spring??

from www.thesartorialist.com

Eating your feelings. What can you do?

Emotional eating is a huge barrier to weight loss.  But a big misconception is that it’s a problem that “big” people have.  The truth is, you don’t have to be “big” to emotional overeat.  It’s something that we all engage in, and can be a problem for big and skinny people alike.

Our society and culture embed emotions into food.  Food has been or is at the center of family bonding, cultural celebrations (Christmas dinner for example), presents, or even as social etiquette (bringing food over to a grieving family’s house as an offer of your support).  There’s nothing wrong with this inherently. We are human and food gives us pleasure; therefore it is natural for us to create emotional attachments to food.  Sometimes we use food to comfort ourselves after a long day at work, and even this is not a problem.  It’s when we start using it as ourmain (and in severe cases, our ONLY) source of comfort that it becomes a problem.

If you find yourself craving something unhealthy, ask yourself “Am I hungry?”  Most commonly, if your emotional eating, the answer is no.  For some people (including myself), that awareness is not enough to prevent emotional overeating.  You need to find a healthier way to comfort yourself.  That craving is a cry from your body.  Emotionally it wants something, and unless you figure out what your emotional about and how else you can comfort yourself, you’ll never get rid of that craving.

First, try to keep track of when you are craving unhealthy snacks.  Most often it’s after a long day at work, or if something stressful happened, or if your lonely. 

After this, it’s all about finding replacement behaviors.  This is different for everyone, but it could range from finding healthier snack foods to emotional eat, activities or hobbies that allow you to release your emotions (painting, dancing, boxing, working out, walking, etc.), or it could just mean picking up the phone and calling a friend.

If your chronically feeling lonely, or stressed, then there’s a bigger issue at play.  Healthy coping strategies like I mentioned above (healthier snacking, dancing, painting, etc.) will only take you so far.

And sometimes you just want the cupcake or the chips or the candy, no matter how hard you try to cope in a more healthy way.  At that moment in time, you want your fix.  Understood.  If you’re conscious of serving sizes (a.k.a. not binging), eating unhealthy foods in moderation, and getting back to health right after your unhealthy detour, you’ll be okay.  But don’t say your eating unhealthy foods in moderation if your doing it every week.  Being healthy means not kidding yourself.