Renew You Challenge

Let’s start this week off right!

Weekly challenge (I mean opportunity!) to help set you off on the right foot and in the right direction for bringing health to your week. You could even add it to your calendar.  Join us! 

The new MyPlate icon that represents the new U.S. Dietary Guidelines is a step in the right direction as far as food recommending goes, but it still falls short of what I call—and what many people call—healthy eating.

A recent study has found that Americans only achieve at least 70 percent of the guideline recommendations seven days each year. So if Americans are not even able to meet these guidelines, how difficult will it be to make even greater improvements in diet? Clearly, something has got to change.

A recent editorial in the New England Journal of Medicine criticizes the new MyPlate Guidelines, saying that the food industry greatly influenced the new recommendations. The editorial, which came from two Harvard public health professors, questioned the allowance for up to half of grains to come from refined grains. Refined grains are a big part of why over two-thirds of this country is overweight or obese, and why so many people have diabetes and heart disease. Refined grains should be eliminated completely, in my opinion.

Other recommendations were not made as clearly as they could have in the new MyPlate recommendations. The editorial stated, “A clearer message would have been that Americans must reduce consumption of red meat, cheese, butter, and sugar, but that message would have offended powerful industries.”

This week, when planning your meals, fill your plate with plenty of vegetables, lean proteins, and healthy fats. Snack on fruits like berries. Consume whole grains, as well, but don’t make them the focus of your meals. And get the sugar out of your diet—it really doesn’t belong there.

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Renew You Challenge

Let’s start this week off right!

Weekly challenge (I mean opportunity!) to help set you off on the right foot and in the right direction for bringing health to your week. You could even add it to your calendar.  Join us! 

Our children are being super-sized. After all, you are what you eat, right? Childhood obesity is a major problem in this country. One reason for this, researchers say, is increased food portions. In a recent study, data from four surveys ranging from 1977 to 2006 was analyzed for portion size of the following foods: sugar-sweetened beverages, salty snacks, French fries, burgers, desserts, pizzas, and Mexican fast food. Total calories consumed of these foods were also analyzed.

In 2003 to 2006, the foods listed above accounted for 38 percent of calorie intake in 13–18-year-olds, 35 percent in 7–12-year-olds, and 28 percent in 2–6-year-olds. The researchers stated that over time, “larger portion sizes of selected energy-dense, nutrient-poor foods have increased in parallel with energy intakes at meals, especially in adolescents and middle-aged children.”

Their study found that the availability of larger portion sizes played a role in higher intake of empty calories in older children and teens, suggesting teens are more susceptible to larger portions, and less able to self-regulate their eating habits compared to younger children.

Bad food is easy to come across. It’s available everywhere, it’s cheap, and it’s usually found in the form of refined carbohydrates and sugars, making it also somewhat addictive. These are the foods our children are growing up with. This week, super-size the vegetables instead. Super-size some healthy, whole foods that your children like. Super-size some blueberries! Super-size broccoli! Do what you can to plant the seeds of good nutrition in this young generation, so that those seeds may grow a healthy human.

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Do you love shopping for antiques? Is your cupboard filled with thrift store trinkets? Do you serve food out of a pewter dish that was passed down from generation to generation? Did you ever think that it might contain lead? Read on…

Not long ago, it was reported that lead and cadmium were found in children’s drinking cups given out by a fast food restaurant. Even more recently, lead was found in reusable shopping bags. Now, another report has found that many items purchased from second-hand or antique shops contain dangerous amounts of lead.

Surface lead concentrations of more than 700 times the federal limit were found on items such as toys, home décor, kitchen utensils, and jewelry. Researchers purchased items from stores in Virginia, New York and Oregon, and were able to purchase an item that contained lead from every store they visited!

Nineteen out of 27 products exceeded the federal standard for lead, which is currently 600 parts per million. One salt shaker lid contained 714 times the federal limit! Regulation of the sale of second-hand and antique items would be both difficult and expensive, so a national public health education campaign will be launched to inform consumers of the dangers of these products.

Children are especially at risk for exposure to dangerous levels of lead and should not come into contact with antiques or use products that may contain lead. Used dishes and kitchen utensils, as well as construction debris and salvage items should be avoided until tested.

Avoiding all toxins is impossible, I know, but we can all take a few steps to lessen our toxic burden. Remember to support your body’s natural detoxification processes by eating a healthy diet high in fruits and vegetables, getting plenty of exercise, and cleansing regularly.

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Genetically modified foods are responsible, in part, for the widespread use of chemical herbicides. RoundUp-ready GM crops are being planted across the country, allowing for the liberal use of the toxic chemical herbicide RoundUp. 

Sugar beets were genetically modified in this way, but were originally taken out of production by a court order issued by district court judge Jeffrey S. White, who said a full environmental impact statement (EIS) needed to be done first. Well, a recent study that suggests a shortage of sugar beet seeds this spring has catalyzed a reaction by food companies to pressure the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to lift the ban. 

The result? Genetically modified sugar beets are being partially deregulated, and will be planted this spring.  The USDA is permitting farmers to plant the GM sugar beets in line with rules designed to prevent the plant’s wind-blown pollen from reaching organic fields, where it could contaminate the organic crops with its own GM traits. Whether these rules will actually be followed (if they are even effective!) is another story.

This is a perfect example of the HUGE influence that the food industry has on government regulation. Alfalfa crops have already been deregulated in this way. The Organic Consumers Association said this about the deregulation of alfalfa: “[It is] guaranteed to spread its mutant genes and seeds across the nation; guaranteed to contaminate the alfalfa fed to organic animals; guaranteed to lead to massive poisoning of farm workers and destruction of the essential soil food web by the toxic herbicide, RoundUp; and guaranteed to produce RoundUp-resistant superweeds….”

Too bad the Organic Consumers Association doesn’t have the same pull as the food industry!

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In a recent study published in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases, meat and poultry samples were tested for the presence of Staphylococcus aureus, a bacteria associated with a wide range of human diseases, including MRSA infection, the most dangerous drug-resistant Staph infection.

In the study, almost half the meat and poultry samples were found to be contaminated with S. aureus, and over half of those bacteria were resistant to at least three classes of antibiotics. Antibiotic-resistant bacteria pose a major health risk, as doctors are running out of antibiotics that will treat these infections. That these bacteria are found on over half the meat at the supermarket is a scary thought.

The bacteria probably come from the food animals themselves, according to the researchers, and proper cooking should kill the bacteria. But cross contamination can occur when preparing the meat, so care needs to be taken during food prep.

A major culprit in bacterial resistance is the overuse of antibiotics in food production. “The fact that drug-resistant S. aureus was so prevalent, and likely came from the food animals themselves, is troubling,” said Dr. Lance B. Price, lead researcher of the study. These animals are exposed to constant low doses of antibiotics, which can trigger the development of antibiotic-resistance in bacteria.

As a matter of fact, consumer groups have recently sued the FDA over the excessive amount of non-therapeutic antibiotics used in animal-food production. The FDA has produced draft guidelines for the phasing out of non-therapeutic antibiotics in food production, but the consumer groups want to put more pressure on the FDA to act with urgency.

In the meantime, I recommend avoiding meats raised with antibiotics. Look for antibiotic-free or organic meat. Those animals are not given antibiotics unnecessarily, and so don’t contribute to the antibiotic-resistant bacteria that are haunting our hospitals.

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An unexpected toxin was recently found to have a strong association with intellectual ability in children — manganese. Where is this manganese coming from?  Surprisingly, from tap water that contains manganese concentrations below the current guidelines for safety. Kids with the most exposure to manganese through tap water were found to have lower IQs than those children who were not exposed.

Workplace manganese exposure has been known to have neurotoxic effect, but this is the first study to look at lower concentrations of manganese from drinking water and food sources and its effects on cognitive function. 

Manganese is a naturally occurring toxin found in soils in certain regions, which can then leach into groundwater sources.  This is especially true in parts of Canada where this study took place.  Hopefully more studies will be done and awareness will be raised about filtering this toxic element out of our drinking water.

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I recommend eating natural foods all the time because I know foods that don’t contain toxic ingredients are better for our bodies. If you eat meat, choose natural meats from animals that haven’t been treated with growth hormones and antibiotics.

Now there are even more good reasons to go all-natural. A recent study found certain strains of E. coli bacteria that were causing urinary tract infections (UTIs) in women were the same strains found on antibiotic-treated chicken at the local grocery store.

Yeah. Gross.

Are you wondering, “how the heck?” Well, antibiotic-treated chicken may actually harbor bacteria that are more resistant because some bacteria can survive antibiotic treatment. These resistant bacteria live on the raw chicken and can be consumed if cross-contamination prevention is not practiced while preparing and cooking food. The bacteria can pass through the digestive tract without causing an infection in the gut, but these same bacteria can migrate to the urethra where they are not as easily tolerated, triggering a UTI.   

What to do? Here are some tips:

• Buy chicken raised without antibiotics.  If you can get organic, that’s even better.
• Prevent cross contamination by cooking chicken thoroughly, washing your hands before and after handling chicken.  Thoroughly clean all utensils, cutting board and countertops with hot soapy water after preparing food (of any kind for safe measure).
• Do not use the same cutting board or utensils for raw vegetables that you used for the raw chicken
• To avoid UTIs, wipe from front to back, urinate after intercourse, and keep your gut balanced with a healthy amount of beneficial bacteria

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Renew You Challenge

Let’s start this week off right!

Weekly challenge (I mean, opportunity!) to help set you off on the right foot and in the right direction for bringing health to your week. You could even add it to your calendar. Join us!

The digestive tract is about 30 feet long, and it takes anywhere from 24 to 72 (or more, yikes!) hours for food to travel all the way through. If you experience constipation, exercise can really help get things moving. I recommend aerobic exercise at least three times a week for 30 minutes. Find some aerobic activity you enjoy to help you stick to the routine, and try to change it up so you don’t get bored.

Stretching exercises are also helpful. This week, for stimulating digestion, try this yoga sequence I found on health.com. You could add this to the end of your routine to help get things moving.

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The general recommendation among conventional circles of dietary fiber intake is 25 to 30 grams per day. Those in the natural health field recommend at least 35 grams per day. I created an entire diet around this recommendation: The Fiber35 Diet.

Americans struggle to consume even the lower end of these recommendations. In fact, the average dietary fiber intake is 10 – 12 grams daily. For this reason, many people take fiber supplements as a way to increase their daily fiber intake.

Fiber has long been touted for its beneficial effects, most notably for cardiovascular support. A recent analysis of seven studies on dietary fiber intake (both from food and from supplements) has found that as fiber consumption increased, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP, a marker for inflammation related to cardiovascular disease) decreased.

Increase your daily fiber intake by adding plenty of fruits and vegetables, legumes and whole grains to your diet. If you still find it difficult to eat this much fiber, look for a fiber supplement, fiber bar, or fiber shake that can help you achieve your goal.

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A recent study to be published in the journal Pediatrics found that the prevalence of food allergy in children is higher than previously thought.¹ It turns out that 8 percent of children—that’s about 1 in every 13 children—are affected by food allergy. Food allergies and sensitivities are far-reaching problems contributing to many autoimmune conditions like type 1 diabetes, arthritis and psoriasis, and to neuro-inflammatory conditions like autism and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).^2-5

Food allergies and sensitivities are essentially the result of a breakdown in gut mucosal immune regulation in response to food antigens that pass through the gut. The gut-associated lymphoid tissue (GALT) makes up about 80 percent of the body’s immune system, and it resides in and around the gut. The job of the immune system in the gut is to respond to foreign invaders, like pathogens, by destroying them. At the same time, it must also not respond to the large amount of food that passes through the gut every day—this is known as oral tolerance.

When it comes to food allergies and sensitivities, building and maintaining a healthy gut lining is key. The HOPE Formula can help you to achieve this with High fiber, Omega oils, Probiotics and digestive Enzymes.   

If you have the right bacterial balance, as can be achieved with probiotics, the gut lining will be minimally inflamed and therefore minimal leakage of microbial toxins will be available to activate the GALT. The beneficial bacteria also create more of an immune tolerance with the epithelial cells that line the intestine—especially the mucosal-associated lymphocytes that are part of the epithelial lining.⁶

The right balance of soluble fiber and insoluble fiber can also minimize allergies—the soluble fiber by producing beneficial short chain fatty acids, especially butyrate, which is the primary fuel of the colonocytes; and insoluble fiber by diluting out any toxins associated with allergens that are exposed to the intestinal lining. In addition, it holds water and bulks the stools to promote better and quicker elimination, thus reducing the time of exposure to allergens.

The essential omega-3 and omega-6 oils in the right ratio promote immune balance in the gut lining and gut-associated immune system. Most people consume too many omega-6 oils and too few anti-inflammatory omega-3 oils. Omega-3 supplements can help reverse this imbalance. Digestive enzymes help by effectively breaking down proteins, fats, and carbs into less-antigenic food particles so that the intestinal (epithelial) lining does not react in an allergic, immunologic manner.  

HOPE should be a foundational health concept to help eliminate and/or prevent food allergies, especially when combined with avoidance of known allergenic foods and a rotation diet that avoids repetition of any given sensitive food for at least 3 to 4 days before eating it again. 

1. Gupta RS, et al., “The prevalence, severity, and distribution of childhood food allergy in the United States.” Pediatrics. 2011 Jun 20. [Epub ahead of print]
2. Wasmuth HE and Kolb H, “Cow’s milk and immune-mediated diabetes.” Proc Nutr Soc. 2000 Nov;59(4):573-9.
3. Hvatum M, et al., “The gut-joint axis: cross reactive food antibodies in rheumatoid arthritis.” Gut. 2006 Sep;55(9):1240-7.
4. Abenavoli M, et al., “Celiac disease and skin: psoriasis association.” World J Gastroenterol. 2007 Apr 14;13(14):2138-9.
5. Curtis LT and Patel K, “Nutritional and environmental approaches to preventing and treating autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD): a review.” J Altern Complement Med. 2008 Jan-Feb;14(1):79-85.
6. Savilahti E, et al., “Pre and probiotics in the prevention and treatment of food allergy.” Curr Opin Allergy Clin Immunol. 2008 Jun;8(3):243-8.

Leonard Smith, M.D.

Dr. Leonard Smith is a prominent Board-Certified, general, gastrointestinal and vascular surgeon who had a successful private practice for 25 years. In addition to his active surgery practice, he also incorporated lifestyle, diet, supplementation, exercise, detoxification, and stress management into many of the therapies he would prescribe. Many of his patients with cancer, cardiovascular disease, and other serious illnesses did so well under his treatment regimes that he began to devote most of his career to foundational health care and preventive medicine.

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