Authored by Jesse Haas, CNS, LN

​Eating has proven time and again to be an effective way to bring ourselves comfort in times of stress and grief. I don't know about you but stress and grief are two emotions ranking high on my emotional radar these days! Navigating the foreign landscape of living during a pandemic has turned the volume up on these human emotions, as well as worry, frustration, and boredom. 

Now, more than ever, we need effective coping skills. 

If emotional eating has become a regular way for you to cope, I invite you first to give yourself a break. Things are really hard right now. The future is uncertain. Caring for yourself, however you can, is a very important thing to do. 

Here's another reminder:  eating is not the ONLY way to give yourself comfort . 

Let's put a pin in that thought and dive into the science of emotional eating. I think understanding how your brain and body work helps to get some perspective and empower a different approach to self-care. 


The Science of Emotional Eating:
Food - and even the anticipation of eating it - triggers a release of dopamine from our brains. Dopamine is a powerful chemical signal (neurotransmitter) your brain produces that makes you feel good. A number of things trigger its release: falling in love, accomplishing a goal, eating sugar, gambling, smoking cigarettes, and taking cocaine or other drugs, among others. In bad times, dopamine is suppressed, making the desire for it even stronger and the effects of it more impactful.

For the record, I would consider living in a pandemic as being a "bad time," so this bit particularly applies to us right now. 

The effect of this "feel good" release in our brains is not equal from one experience to the next. If you ate the same amount of sugar one day after another, the amount of dopamine released would be less and less. This is how addictive behaviors develop: in search for more dopamine you need more sugar (or cigarettes, cocaine, etc.) every day to get the same hit of dopamine.

If you find yourself craving food and seeking out food for comfort, stimulation, or emotional release of another kind, take a deep breath. You're not doing anything wrong. You're actually satisfying a biochemical need. And it's ok to keep doing that. 

If you feel ready and able to change up that coping mechanism for another that will be equally effective, here are some strategies to prepare yourself to make that change:
 

1. Eat at regular intervals to balance your blood sugar and help thwart cravings. Start by eating breakfast within an hour of waking, then plan a meal or snack every 3-4 hours until dinnertime. Stop eating after dinner. 
   
   
2. Incorporate sources of protein and fat into your meals and snacks to further support this goal. Protein foods include eggs, meat, fish, and poultry; cheese and Greek yogurt, lentils, tofu and tempeh. Some good options for fats include avocados and guacamole, olives, nuts and seeds, nut and seed butters, coconut, and oils (coconut, olive, avocado, flax).
   
   
3. Serve yourself a meal or snack on a plate or bowl, instead of eating out of a bag/box/container. This will help you choose more diligently how much you are going to eat. It will also force you to consider whether you are hungry for more before automatically eating more.
   
   
4. Be present with your food; savor the experience of eating it. To do this, eat without distraction - no TV, Instagram or work. Mindful eating increases the connection between your stomach and your brain so you are better able to perceive feelings of hunger and satiety (fullness). Additionally, you will enjoy the food you eat with intention more than food you eat mindlessly, increasing your satisfaction with each bite. 
   
   
5. Make a list of other ways you can soothe yourself. Reference this list when you're inclined to eat outside of your planned meals and snacks. Some ideas include taking a walk, calling a friend, coloring, doing yoga, taking deep breaths or meditating, taking a bath, journaling, laughing, and having a private dance party.

If and when you find yourself emotional eating, despite your best efforts to do otherwise, here's my closing thought: 

Let it go. 

We are living in a very trying time. Be kind to yourself. Recognize that you are expressing self-love the best way you know how. Find soft edges where you can stretch and learn and grow, where you can try some of the strategies above. Know that you will succeed and you will fail. That's learning! Learn with kindness, compassion, and forgiveness for the perfectly imperfect human that you are. 



For more on dopamine and emotional eating:
​What is Dopamine?
Dopamine is ______? 
Emotional Eating: Experts Reveal The Triggers And How To Control Them

Authored by Jesse Haas, CNS, LN

I was finishing my nutrition dietetics degree at the University of Minnesota when the headlines ruined summer: “Scientists Discover Grilling Causes Cancer.” What unfolded was actually even worse. Not only did this research ruin grilling, but frying, searing and roasting too.
 
Two compounds that damage DNA and may contribute to cancer are produced in the grilling process: heterocyclic amines (HCAs) and polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). That brown, crispy, deliciousness that develops when meat is charred contain HCAs. In animal studies, exposure to high amounts of HCAs caused cancer (1) (It should be noted that it took high exposure to cause cancer, however we are exposed to numerous compounds that are carcinogenic every day so our risk is not isolated to grilled foods alone. In my mind that warrants caution when faced with known carcinogens regardless of dose.). Frequent consumption of grilled meats will also increase risk (2).
 
PAHs are produced when fat drips off meat and onto the charcoal where it burns and recirculates as smoke, finally being deposited on the cooking food. Grilled meat consumption in general has been associated with increased risk of some cancers, including colon, breast, prostate and pancreas (1).
 
The good news is that when it comes to summer BBQs, you can have your grass-fed burger and eat it too, because there are some easy habits you can introduce that will reduce the production of both these compounds.

1. Grill plants. I never tire of saying, “eat more vegetables!” This nutrition recommendation is true for everyone and good for everyone…and it makes a big difference in wellness. Worldwide, mortality from inadequate vegetable and fruit intake alone causes 2.6 million deaths (3). Simply eating 3 cups or more of vegetables every day reduces risk of hypertension and heart disease, stroke and some cancers. Fill two-thirds of your grill with veggies and you’re off to a good start!
   
   Brassicas (my all-time favorite veggie family) might be the best companion to your grilled meats. Brassicas, include broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, bok choy, radishes and much more. These veggies contain a sulfur-containing compound called sulforaphane, which has an antimutagenic effect that can neutralize the impact of HCAs on your DNA (2). Turns out that coleslaw has therapeutic effect!
   
   
2. Use GrillGrates: GrillGrates* are interlocking panels that sit on top of the grates that come with your grill. They heat up and sear/cook your food, while limiting the exposure it has to the flame underneath. You get the great grill flavoring and browning, while keeping PAH production to a minimum. Cooking in a cast iron skillet may also do the trick.
   
   
3. Marinade. The acidic nature of vinegar helps break protein bonds that will produce HCAs on the grill. According to the University of Texas’ MD Anderson Cancer Center, marinating your meat in vinegar-based sauces for 30 minutes or longer before cooking can reduce HCA formation by as much as 96% (4).
   
   
4. Add flavor…and antioxidants! Using herbs, like rosemary, thyme and sage can also have an impact on HCAs. Cancer and spice researcher, Bharat Aggarwal, PhD recommends bringing rosemary to your next backyard BBQ (5). Rosemary is an antioxidant powerhouse, which is probably how it combats HCA production (which is an oxidative process). Not only can you season your food with this potent herb, but throwing a sprig on the coals may even have benefit.
   
   Fruits can also lower HCA production. Sour cherries are the most effective, but plums and apples have also been found to be beneficial…and delicious (2)! Try mixing chopped cherries into free-range turkey burgers or pureeing them with apple cider vinegar and thyme for a marinade.
   
   
5. Lower the heat. Higher temperatures and longer cooking times increase HCA production (2). To mitigate this, while maintaining that grilled deliciousness, par-cook your meats in the crockpot or oven, then transfer to the grill to finish. Flipping your burgers or wings frequently also keeps the temperature on the meat lower and reduces HCA production (2).

​
Summer in Minnesota is fleeting and magical, so don’t miss your chance to soak up the season and enjoy your favorite picnic fare because you fear the consequence. Instead grab one or two of these tips to power up your cancer-fighting defenses and chew with confidence.

 
*I am not affiliated with GrillGrates and do not financially benefit from the sale of their products.

 
References

1. Chemicals in meat cooked at high temperatures and cancer risk. National Cancer Institute.
2. Schor, J. (2010). Marinades reduce heterocyclic amines from primitive food preparation techniques. Natural Medicine Journal; 2(7).
3. Lock, K., Pomerleau, J., Causer, L., Altmann, D., McKee, M. (2005). The global burden of disease attributable to low consumption of fruit and vegetables: implications for the global strategy on diet. Bulletin of the World Health Organization; 83(2).
4. Keep cancer off the BBQ grill (2011). MD Anderson Cancer Center.
5. Aggarwal, B., Yost, D. (2011). Healing Spices: How to use 50 everyday and exotic spices to boost health and beat disease. New York, New York. Sterling

Authored by Amber Hanson, LN

Photo by Travis Yewell on Unsplash

The word “diet” can feel so loaded. It has multiple definitions, the first being simply the foods a person usually consumes. However, for most of us, the word diet can be negative -  something restrictive, punishing, and of limited duration (because you just can’t do it another day!). As a nutritionist I often use diet in context of the first definition, the foods you eat habitually, but many clients come in thinking about diet framed by the second meaning.

I do think there are different kinds of diets, and I am not referring to keto, the cabbage soup diet, or raw foods.  Instead I like to look at diets as therapeutic, experimental, or habitual. The Institute for the Psychology of Eating has described a similar breakdown.  There is a good chance in the course of working with me you might try all three. 

Therapeutic diets are used as part of a treatment for a medical condition. It could require increasing or decreasing certain foods or nutrients, changing the consistency of food, or using a different pattern of eating. For example, following oral surgery you may be required to consume soft, liquid, or pureed foods until your mouth heals. Or if you have iron deficient anemia you may focus on increasing your intake of iron rich foods. For sodium sensitive individuals with high blood pressure a therapeutic diet could be one that reduces in the intake of salt. Therapeutic diets could be used for a limited amount of time or it could become a part of a habitual diet.

An experimental diet is something that is done for a limited amount of time in an effort to learn or gain information. The experimental diet I use most frequently with clients in an elimination diet. The idea is to remove several foods that could be problematic for a period of time. Eliminating foods and then carefully re-introducing them one at a time can help us determine if food is causing things like brain fog, fatigue, joint pain, or skin issues.  Again, like therapeutic diets, this information can be used to inform the habitual diet.

A habitual diet is how you eat the majority of the time. All of us have a habitual diet and this diet can change over time.  It can evolve as you try new foods that you decide to eat more regularly. It can also change based on what you learn during an experimental diet or based on needs as outlined in a therapeutic diet. Habitual diets can also change based on food availability and the seasons. It is natural to want to eat more fruits and raw vegetables in the summer when they are plentiful and the weather is warm. My goal for clients is to find a habitual diet that supports their healthiest and happiest self. The exact make up of this diet can vary from person to person. Sometimes it takes healing with a therapeutic diet or eliminating some foods in an experimental diet to find the mix that works best for each individual. 

Authored by Amber Hanson, LN

Have you ever had that experience of pulling into your garage after work and realizing you have no idea how you got there?  It is kind of like your brain is on autopilot. This is an example of habit in action. When you do the same thing day after day your brain doesn’t need to think as much about doing, it just does. In the case of driving it is a little scary to check-out like that but for something like going on a run when you get up in the morning or taking a few deep breathes when you start to feel stressed out, habit is great.

Contrast that with motivation. Motivation can be powerful as well – it is the desire to do something. I like to think of it as the spark. The thing with motivation is that for most people it is fleeting. Take, for example, reading an article about someone completing their first half marathon. The article is inspiring, it makes you want to run a half marathon.  You decide tomorrow morning you will get up early and go for a run. Fast forward to the next morning when your alarm is going off an hour earlier than usual – are you still feeling motivated?  For some the answer is yes, they hop out of bed and go for a run. For many of us the answer is no, hitting the snooze button is much more appealing in the moment.

Back to the driving example, you didn’t always work at the same place or live in the same house, so your brain needed to learn the driving route before it could be habit. It is the consistent repeating of a behavior - over and over and over again - that turns it into habit. The good news? You can teach yourself new habits!  The not so good news, it is going to take some practice. But the reward is that new behaviors switch from fleeting motivation to autopilot habits.

The formation of a habit always starts with a cue (like leaving work), followed by a response (driving home), and a reward (seeing your family). Responding to a cue in the same way over and over creates a habit.  Do you remember when you first started at your new job location?  You had to think about which streets to take and when to turn, pay attention to the locations of traffic signals and signs, and think about not driving to your old job location. Maybe you even turned the radio off the first time you drove the route so your brain could concentrate with less distractions because it was working hard to figure out this new thing. That experience of first driving to a new job is an example of building or changing a habit.

To form a new healthy habit, you need to practice your response to a cue repeatedly until it becomes automatic. To break an unhealthy habit, you need to become aware of your cues so you can stop the automatic behavior that follows. To develop a habit like running in the morning the cue of the alarm clock needs to elicit the response of getting out of bed and changing into running clothes. You need to break the response of hitting the snooze button. The reward for running might be more energy and a sense of accomplishment. Hitting the snooze button on the other hand might feel good in the moment but the reward is short lived.

Thankfully a number of people have studied habit and habit changes and pulled together some tips to help the rest of us. A few of my favorite come from Gretchen Rubin’s book Better Than Before, a book full of tips on breaking and establishing habits. Here are a few strategies to try when changing a habit with examples.  

1. Monitoring. This might look like writing what you eat in a food diary or tracking the miles you run during your workout. Monitoring helps you pay attention to things you want to change, keeping it top of mind. A monitoring tool like a food diary can also help you discover cues to certain behaviors.
   
   
2. Accountability. This could be making a workout date with a friend or scheduling an appointment with a licensed nutritionist to improve your diet. Having an appointment makes it harder to make excuses not to do something.  And when working with a professional, if you are struggling with change, they can help you break the change down into more manageable pieces and help you work through what is blocking your progress.
   
   
3. Build a Foundation. This is the idea that if you have some basics in place it is easier to cultivate new healthy behaviors. To build a strong foundation, I often encourage clients to start a morning routine.  It can be as easy as making the bed every morning, drinking a glass of water before having coffee, or stretching for 5 minutes after getting out of bed. Consistently doing these smaller behaviors proves to yourself you can establish a habit. And doing them first thing in the morning gives that sense of accomplishment for the whole day which can lead to additional healthy choices throughout the day.
   
   

These are just a couple of many strategies that can be used to change the spark of motivation into a sustainable habit. Not every strategy works for every person so try out a few different options and see what works for you and, of course, if you need additional accountability and support schedule an appointment!

There is a lot of talk about high cholesterol being the ultimate risk factor for cardiovascular disease. While I think that having high amounts of cholesterol is not beneficial to your heart, I also want to talk about a different perspective.

What if it’s not the amount but the status of your cholesterol that is the most harmful?
 
An underutilized blood biomarker can potentially predict just how risky your cholesterol is and it’s called oxidized LDL. You may recognize LDL as the ‘bad cholesterol’ as its sent out by the liver to do all sorts of anti-inflammatory, hormone building tasks, while its counterpart HDL ‘good cholesterol’ is the scavenger that brings all those LDL’s home, removing them from the blood stream. Researchers are finding that LDL may not be inherently bad, meaning that if well taken care of, they can actually do their job correctly without contributing to heart disease. So how do you know if yours aren’t being well taken care of?
 
That's where OX-LDL comes in. When your LDL become oxidized (sort of like salmon becoming rancid and foul if you left it sitting on the counter all night) it makes your LDL become stickier and prone to plugging up your arteries. What types of things increase free radicals and cause your LDL to become oxidized?

1. Cigarette smoking
2. Consumption of sugars or having blood sugar dysfunction, like type 2 diabetes
3. Immune system activation (autoimmunity, chronic infections)
4. Inflammation (i.e. from chronic pain, gut dysbiosis, ‘leaky gut’ and autoimmunity, amongst others)
5. Stress (from cortisol excess)

 
You’re probably wondering how you would know if you have high levels of oxidized LDL. Well, some assumptions can be made based on how many diet and lifestyle risk factors you have that contribute to oxidation. However, the best way to know is to do blood testing. Once we have a numerical value on your OX-LDL, we can make a personalized plan just for you that takes into account all of your health history, family history, genetics, and lifestyle needs.
 
There are many ways that you can naturally deal with oxidative stress and you would guess, antioxidants are generally the treatment of choice. A few treatments that have been studied to decrease the number of OxLDL include vitamin C1, vitamin E2, and the Mediterranean Diet3! As a Naturopathic Doctor with a passion for heart health, I’ve found that it’s not always about just treating the oxidation status – a well designed treatment plan takes into account the whole person and helps you eliminate the cause of your free radicals. Whether that be help with smoking cessation, nutrition counseling, or correcting autoimmunity, you have to treat the whole person to achieve optimal heart health.
 
 
References

1. Pancorbo D, Vazquez C, Fletcher M. Vitamin C-lipid metabolites: uptake and retention and effect on plasma C-reactive protein and oxidized LDL levels in healthy volunteers. Medical Science Monitor: International Medical Journal Of Experimental And Clinical Research [serial online]. November 2008;14(11):CR547-CR551. Available from: MEDLINE Complete, Ipswich, MA.
2. Huang Z, Liang C, Han S, Wu Z. Vitamin E ameliorates ox-LDL-induced foam cells formation through modulating the activities of oxidative stress-induced NF-κB pathway. Molecular And Cellular Biochemistry [serial online]. April 2012;363(1-2):11-19. Available from: MEDLINE Complete, Ipswich, MA.
3. Fito M, Guxens M, Corella D, et al. Effect of a traditional Mediterranean diet on lipoprotein oxidation. Arch Intern Med. 2007;167:1195-1203.

Authored by Dr. Cassie Wilder

Magnesium has been a favorite mineral in the Naturopathic community for quite some time now. It has been studied for numerous different reasons ranging from regulating bowel movements, treating insomnia, to lowering your blood pressure – all with powerful, positive results.
 
If you are looking for additional support to your high blood pressure medications, you can look to the research studies on magnesium to find some pretty neat outcomes.
 
Magnesium has been shown to act similar to a calcium channel blocker (aka Verapamil or Amlodipine if you’re checking your medicine cabinet now), as well as a potent smooth muscle relaxant that can allow your arteries to open up wider and allow more blood to flow through. With your arteries open wide, your heart doesn't have to pump as hard to get the blood out to your body! 
 
Some studies have shown magnesium can lower blood pressure as much as 5 points (mmHg) on the top number and 3 points (mmHg) on the bottom number1. Considering that a reduction in blood pressure by 5mmHg can reduce stroke deaths by 14% and heart disease deaths by 9%2, I would say magnesium could be a very safe and effective additive therapy to existing blood pressure lowering medication.
 
When taking a Naturopathic approach to lowering blood pressure, it’s not just substituting a pharmaceutical for a ‘natural’ version of the same pill. You have to treat the whole person, which means tackling the blood pressure from many different angles and ultimately reducing your need for the pharmaceutical.
 
When you’re my patient, here are some questions I’ll ask that give us a great place to start:

1. What dietary changes that can be made to lower your blood pressure?
   Eating a diet that is full of colorful vegetables, quality protein sources, and healthy fats help to decrease inflammation. By decreasing inflammation, you decrease the amount of plaque building up and ultimately reduce the pressure necessary to push past those plaques.
   
   
2. What lifestyle changes can be made to lower blood pressure?
   Did you know that high amounts of stress can cause you to pee out your extra storage of magnesium? By adding in stress reduction methods, and encouraging proper stress response through adrenal support, you can improve blood pressures and magnesium storage. Doing your best to incorporate daily movement is also highly beneficial in blood pressure reduction. This doesn't mean just high intensity exercise; taking a 30-minute walk per day can also provide valuable reduction in pressures!
   
   
3. What other personal health history is contributing to your high blood pressure?
   Conditions such as iron deficiency anemia and testosterone deficiency also contribute to high blood pressure. We will take a thorough look at everything from your gut function to your mental-emotional health to start targeting the individualized reasons your blood pressure is elevated.

 
If you’re on the market for a quality magnesium supplement that will help to increase your magnesium stores, and provide valuable heart benefit try magnesium taurate, malate, glycinate or a chelated form (bisglycinate chelate). These forms are well absorbed by the gut, and are highly absorbable by the tissues to increase your magnesium stores.r  
 
References:
1. Houston M. The Role of Magnesium in Hypertension and Cardiovascular Disease. Journal of Clinical Hypertension 2011; 13(11): 843-847.
2. Whelton PK, He J, Appel LJ, Cutler JA, Havas S, Kotchen TA, Roccella EJ, Stout R, Vallbona C, Winston MC, Karimbakas J. Primary pre- vention of hypertension: clinical and public health advisory from the National High Blood Pressure Education Program. JAMA 2002; 288:1882–1888.

Authored by Jesse Haas, LN

​Americans tend to gain 1-2 pounds a year throughout their adult lives. For the majority of us, those pounds get packed on between Thanksgiving and New Year...and we don't lose it with our resolutions. A couple pounds here and there really isn't going to have a significant effect your health, but 10 pounds every decade adds up by the time you're 60. This means that keeping your wellness focus through the holiday hustle and bustle is not only a worthy effort, but can help you prevent heart disease, diabetes, arthritis and other chronic health conditions associated with high body mass. Your future-self will thank you! 

What is it about the holidays that can completely dismantle healthy habits?! For me, it's the limitless sweets, bottomless wine, and the packed social calendar that disrupts my exercise, meditation and sleep schedule. Putting your finger on what derails you is the first step in preventing the fall down the slippery slope.

Here are some strategies I'll be using this year to holiday-proof my wellness goals. I may not be in control of what food is offered to me, but I sure am in control of what I put on my plate. 

1. Eat at regular intervals to maintain your blood sugar, reduce your experience of stress and curb your cravings. Don't skip a meal to save your appetite for a feast. This is a recipe for emergency hunger and poor impulse control. Instead, have a meal every 3 hours or so. If you're traveling, pack healthy snacks that are high in protein and fat, such as nuts or protein bars (with 5 or fewer ingredients and at least 10 grams of protein). These simple foods can be life savers!
2. If you're creating a meal in a buffet setting, wait to serve yourself until all the food is displayed so you're not tempted to return to the table over and over to taste everything that strikes your fancy. 
3. Fill at least half your plate with colorful veggies and leafy greens. Will you be a guest at a party? Offer to bring a big green salad or veg-heavy dish to share. Even if you don't have much time or space to cook, you can help health-ify the options. Veggies platters with guacamole and/or hummus will do the trick in a pinch!
4. Eat the "best for you" food offerings first to crowd out the foods you still want to taste but that aren't as healthful. Start by polishing off those veggies you filled your plate with! 
5. Eat slowly and mindfully. Take a deep breath before diving in and put your fork down between bites so you can enjoy the flavors and textures that are in your mouth.
6. Keep an arm's length distance from you and finger food to help prevent mindless eating. A handful here and a handful there will add up by the end of the holiday marathon!
7. No food is on the "naughty" list. Choose the dessert that looks the best to you and consider sharing it with your table-mate.
8. Above all: do NOT berate yourself for forgetting or ignoring strategies 1-7. Trying is succeeding.

Authored by Jesse Haas, LN

If you're hip with holistic health, it's likely that you've endeavored a liver cleanse or detox...or been encouraged to do one...and with good reason. In 2002, the Environmental Working Group conducted a small study (9 participants) to measure the chemicals found in their blood. A total of 210 chemicals were found, each participant housing an average of 91 compounds. Heavy metals, chlorinated and brominated chemicals, PCBs, pesticides and herbicides, plastics and plasticizers, parabens and phthalates were all found. These compounds get stored in fat and bone, disrupting homeostasis and our efforts (both conscious and unconscious) at acquiring health.

The question is not "do I need to detox?" but "how do I detox effectively?"

Many people can navigate their lives without feeling the effect of this "body burden." Others experience symptoms of toxification, including autoimmune disease, allergies, food sensitivities, chronic fatigue, brain fog and hormone imbalance. 

Thankfully, detoxification is a daily process in the body, not something that waits for an annual cleanse. More appropriately called "biotransformation," detoxification occurs in phases:

• To begin biotransformation, toxins and metabolites must first be transported to the liver. This is considered to be phase 0.  
• In phase 1, the liver rearranges these chemicals into intermediates, which are either more or less harmful than their "parent" forms. For this reason, we need to keep the momentum going so these intermediates shuttle right into phase 2.
• The function of phase 2 biotransformation is to attach molecules that make the chemical water-soluble and safe to enter the bloodstream. There are multiply ways the liver accomplishes this - processes called methylation, acetylation, acylation, sulfation and glucuronidation.
• Once phase 2 is complete and the safer chemical compound enters the bloodstream, it's time to get it out of the body. Phase 3 of biotransformation occurs mostly in the kidneys and colon, where toxins are eliminated in urine and stool. Phase 3 also occurs in the lungs and skin where toxins are eliminated in our breath and sweat, but to a lesser extent.

Authored by Monica Mack, CHC ​

You may have just stepped out of your doctor’s office with the recommendation that you should begin an Elimination Diet. Or, if you are like me, you are sick of lingering unwelcome symptoms, and have decided to try going through the diet yourself, to see what insights it can reveal about your health. 

Regardless of how you got here - even though it is a temporary diet plan with a multitude of benefits - its strictness can be intimidating. I’m here to share what I learned through my experience on an Elimination Diet, with the hope that it will leave you feeling more prepared and confident as you embark on this journey. You are not going at this alone!

The Elimination Diet is used to uncover food intolerances that can be at the root of a variety of health conditions such as allergies, gut imbalances, skin issues, and inflammation; the food we eat can even effect our mood and mental health. Spending three weeks removing all foods that have a track record of causing these issues: gluten, dairy, soy, and caffeine to name a few, gives the body time to reset and begin the healing process. From there, these foods are slowly reintroduced, one by one, and the culprit(s) can be identified.
 
As we all know, knowledge is power. With this information at your disposal you can not only relieve the symptoms of your primary health concern - the one that brought you down this path in the first place - but you can also look forward to increased energy, relieved brain fog, reduced inflammation, a boost to your immune system, and a solid step towards jump-starting clean eating and removing any undesirable processed foods from your diet.

But, perhaps even more important to stress, is that you will have made a huge stride in proactively improving your own health and wellbeing. You will have made new discoveries about yourself; what it means to focus on how the foods you eat make you feel, what foods make you feel good and not so good, and about being more mindful of what you are putting in your body.

Once you identify the foods that work best for your body, you can create a custom meal plan tailored just for you. So consider this challenging endeavor an act of self-care and self-responsibility; you are honoring your body by discovering the most beneficial way of eating that nourishes you, fills you up, and gives you energy to pursue what you want out of life.
So first, give yourself a big hug  for taking the initiative to make a change in your life for the better by focusing on healing and improving your health. Next, I’d like to give you five tips to make the next few weeks as illuminating, encouraging, and as painless as possible:

Authored by Dr. Barrett

At Wellness Minneapolis we talk about reducing sugar intake…a lot. What’s the big deal with sugar? As a person who struggles with several ‘sweet teeth’ let me tell you there is a big problem. Not only is sugar incredibly damaging to our bodies but it is also a hard habit to break. Several research studies have shown it can be as addictive as drugs such as cocaine 1. When we eat carbohydrates they are broken down in to sugar, which enters our blood stream. The glycemic index was created to explain how different kinds of carbohydrates directly affect blood sugar. Foods with a low glycemic index like whole oats are digested slowly which only causes a gradual rise in blood sugar. Foods such as a white potato have a high glycemic index and can spike blood sugar quickly. Our bodies use sugar, fat and protein for fuel. Interestingly, a human can survive consuming zero carbohydrates (sugar) and instead acquire all energy from proteins and fat. Carbohydrates are not a required food group as some old food pyramids (below) would have you believe. This doesn’t mean that we should remove all carbohydrates from our diets but we should be cautious with our intake and instead focus on a diet high in vegetables.
 

What are the dangers with consuming a diet high in carbohydrates particularly high glycemic carbohydrates?
 
Increased risk for:

• Dementia 2,3
• Heart disease 4
• Obesity
• Type 2 Diabetes
• Non Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD)

 
Even in people who don’t have chronically high blood sugar (diabetes) elevated blood sugar is associated with dementia. 5 Even in healthy people, having your blood sugar be closer to the higher end of the range of normal can have negative effects on your brain. Pretty shocking!
 
When we think about dietary risk factors for heart disease sugar is not usually high on the list, but it should be! A 20-year prospective study of 82,802 women looked at the relationship between lower carbohydrate diets and heart disease. Women who ate low-carbohydrate diets had a 30 percent lower risk of heart disease. It is important to note that the benefit was higher when the protein and fat sources were obtained from vegetables.6  More evidence of the heart benefits from a lower-carbohydrate approach comes from a randomized trial known as the Optimal Macronutrient Intake Trial for Heart Health (OmniHeart) A healthy diet that replaced some carbohydrate with protein or fat did a better job of lowering blood pressure and “bad” LDL cholesterol than a healthy, higher-carbohydrate diet. 7,8
 
NAFLD is quickly becoming the most common liver disease worldwide. This condition is almost entirely related to overconsumption of carbohydrates. The vast majority of NAFLD cases develop in conjunction with insulin resistance or metabolic syndrome. This preventable liver disease is also becoming a major cause for liver transplants. Patients with elevated blood sugar will try to limit the glycemic load by consuming sweeteners high in fructose such as agave. High fructose sweeteners advertise on their label that they are low glycemic and therefore have less effect on blood glucose levels. This is true, but what the label doesn’t tell you is that fructose is much more damaging to the liver and a causative factor in NAFLD 9. I recommend patients avoid sweeteners high in fructose, especially high fructose corn syrup.
 
There is no perfect diet that everyone should follow but if you have a family or personal history of diabetes, dementia, obesity, heart disease or fatty liver disease you may want to consider limiting your sugar intake and consuming whole grain carbohydrates in moderation.

The pyramid below represents an anti-inflammatory diet rich in vegetables, healthy fats, protein and whole grain carbohydrates in moderation. 

References:
1.Ahmed, SH. Guillem, K. Vandaele Y. Sugar addiction: pushing the drug-sugar analogy to the limit. Curr Opin Clin Nutr Metab Care. 2013 Jul:16(4): 434-9
2.Crane PK, Walker R, Hubbard RA, et al. Glucose Levels and Risk of Dementia. The New England journal of medicine. 2013;369(6):540-548. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa1215740.
3.Ohara T. Doi Y, Ninomiya T. Hirakawa Y et al. Glucose tolerance status and risk of dementia in the community: the Hisayama study. Neurology. 2011 Sep 20;77(12):1126-34.
4.Quanhe Yang, PhD1; Zefeng Zhang, MD, PhD1; Edward W. Gregg, PhD2; et al
Added Sugar Intake and Cardiovascular Diseases Mortality Among US Adults JAMA Intern Med. 2014;174(4):516-524
5.Ravona-Springer R, Schnaider-Beeri M. The association of diabetes and dementia and possible implications for nondiabetic populations. Expert review of neurotherapeutics. 2011;11(11):1609-1617. doi:10.1586/ern.11.152.
6.Halton TL, Willett WC, Liu S, et al. Low-carbohydrate-diet score and the risk of coronary heart disease in women. N Engl J Med. 2006;355:1991-2002.
7.Appel LJ, Sacks FM, Carey VJ, et al. Effects of protein, monounsaturated fat, and carbohydrate intake on blood pressure and serum lipids: results of the OmniHeart randomized trial. JAMA. 2005;294:2455-64.
8.Swain JF, McCarron PB, Hamilton EF, Sacks FM, Appel LJ. Characteristics of the Diet Patterns Tested in the Optimal Macronutrient Intake Trial to Prevent Heart Disease (OmniHeart): Options for a Heart-Healthy Diet. Journal of the American Dietetic Association. 2008;108(2):257-265. doi:10.1016/j.jada.2007.10.040.
9.Vos MB, Lavine JE. Dietary fructose in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Hepatology 2013 Jun;57(6):2525-31.

Authored by Jesse Haas, LN

What I've noticed in the 10 years I've worked as a holistic healthcare provider is that the biggest challenge people face is sticking with a plan. Making the plan is easy! Following through is the hard part. Diets work because they give us rules that we know we can follow...at least for a period of time. ​Anyone can cut out sugar for 2 weeks to lose weight, for example. But how does going through that effort really do us any good if after that 2 week period we go back to eating donuts for breakfast?

Authored by Jesse Haas, CNS, LN

Eating seasonally available foods is a hallmark for traditional and holistic medicine. From Ayurveda to Traditional Chinese medicine, Western herbalism to North American tribal medicine, this simple concept provides the foundation for vibrant health to build on. It's a practice that helps keep our internal environment in harmony with our external environment as the seasons shift and change throughout the year. 

When we pay attention to our surroundings and what's available, nature provides nutrients that we need most in different times of year - that may sound super hippy woo woo, but stick with me. Asparagus and spring greens like nettles, spinach and arugula aid detoxification of the heavy foods we've been craving and eating all winter long. This time of year, we crave a lightness that salads provide, and that match the physiological need to shed that excess winter weight. Summer foods like tomatoes, cucumbers and melons are rich sources of electrolytes that balance the heat and salt loss from sweating. We harvest storage crops like onions, carrots and winter squash in the fall. These slightly sweet and satisfying roots and starchy vegetables make delicious soups, stews and casseroles - warm, hearty, grounding foods that allow us to easily pack on a few pounds for added insulation in preparation for the cold winter months. These foods also sustain us in the north, where fresh fruits and vegetables are harder to come by December through April. ​

In addition to supporting our individual health balance, we have the opportunity to support local farmers when we choose to plan our annual eating around seasonal and locally grown produce. We're losing thousands of acres of arable land every year to housing and commercial development. By buying food from local producers, we're able to keep these folks farming and invest in healthy food for future generations.

There is an environmental benefit to buying locally and eating seasonally, as well. The average American meal consists of ingredients from 5 different countries...which means fossil fuels are being spent in excess to transport fresh produce, as well as other consumables, from one side of the planet to the other. In fact, 10% of the fossil fuels consumed in the U.S. are used in the production, transportation, storage and distribution of food. Buying locally grown foods definitely reduces your fossil fuel consumption, a benefit that is amplified when you bike or walk to the grocery store or farmers market. 

You can find seasonal and locally grown fruits and vegetables at farmers markets and our local grocery co-ops. To find a farmers market near you, follow this link to the Minnesota Grown Directory.  ​

Authored by Jesse Haas

Spring has sprung with enthusiasm this year. It's March, the snow is gone and the windows are already open at Wellness Minneapolis. Soon the trees will bud, daffodils will break earth and shake their pollen in the wind. All the beautiful things that make spring so special also wreck havoc on sinus and pulmonary health of so many people.

Itchy, watery eyes, sinus congestion, labored breathing, and post-nasal drip are but a few of the charming symptoms experienced by more the 26 million Americans who suffer from seasonal allergies. Many of us rely on nasal sprays and pharmaceutical drugs that may or may not work, and often accompany side effects like drowsiness or nasal irritation. All too often we are choosing between feeling like crap because we have allergies and feeling like crap because we took allergy medication. Would you like another option?

Let's review the facts:

Allergies are a symptom that points to a taxed and overactive immune system. Pollen, mold, grass, dust, cat dander, etc. are not innately harmful but for some reason your body has deemed them dangerous and mounts a defense (excess mucus, inflammation, increased temperature). While alleviating the symptoms and discomfort so you can get back to your life is important, these treatments are just band-aids for the underlying cause.

What causes seasonal allergies? Excess stress and adrenal insufficiency, digestive disorders, low beneficial flora, and a sluggish liver are just a few of the underlying causes of seasonal allergies. Below are some suggestions to help alleviate your symptoms now. If you're ready to tackle healing and prevention, get in touch to learn how nutrition, naturopathy and/or acupuncture may help you get ahead of these symptoms by alleviating the cause.

In the meantime, here are a few home remedies for allergy relief:

• First and foremost, avoid foods and beverages that will make your allergies worse. Especially eliminate all dairy products, which are mucus producing. Others to avoid include caffeine, alcohol, wheat, sugar and any others that you are sensitive or allergic to. 
  
  
• Flush allergens out of your sinuses. Use a saline solution in a neti pot or squeeze bottle. If your sinuses are very inflamed and you are unable to get the solution through, don't force it. Instead try a decongestant essential oil blend, such as Veriditas Botanical's Sinus Congestion. Simply wet a Q-tip with the oil and apply it to your nostrils, as high into your sinuses as you can comfortably reach.
  
  
• Drink nettle tea. Stinging nettles are a natural antihistamine and delicious in a tea with chamomile and other herbs. If you have suffered from seasonal allergies in the past, start loading nettle tea daily for 1-2 months before you expect your symptoms to begin. Our Relaxing Evening Tea combines nettles with chamomile, lemon balm and raspberry leaf for a delicious and nutritious infusion that also nourishes the adrenals. You can find both these herbs in bulk at your local co-op. Cover a tablespoon of each with 32 oz. of boiling water and let steep for 30 minutes. Drink throughout the day. 
  
  
• Get your vitamin C. Vitamin C is a natural antihistamine, which you can supplement up to 3 grams per day for allergy relief. Eating vitamin C-rich foods like bell peppers and citrus is another option. To avoid gastrointestinal symptoms, choose a buffered vitamin C supplement like Vital Mixed Ascorbates by Pharmax.
  
  
• D-Hist is my go-to for allergy symptoms. This Ortho Molecular product contains nettles, vitamin C, quercetin, bromelain and NAC to support a healthy immune response to allergens and reduce symptoms.
  

Happy spring!

Authored by Jesse Haas
What's cuter than kids in costumes? Quite possibly nothing. What's not so cute about Halloween is the sugar highs...and lows. If you're feeling ready to shed the sugar blues, try this super simple sugar detox for a few days. You'll feel refreshed and ready to get back on track towards your health goals:

• First step: put down the candy! It may go without saying, but a sugar detox means 'stop eating the sugar!'
• Load up on leafy greens and other colorful vegetables. Aim for at least 7 servings a day. Success tip: Incorporate veggies into your breakfast and plan a green salad for lunch or dinner.
• Drink half your weight in water. That's right: half your weight. Success tip: Drink 8oz of water before breakfast. This will trigger your thirst mechanism so you actually want to drink more water. You can also squeeze some fresh lemon juice into your glass to both make it more delicious and amp the detoxifying benefit.
• Add in a few extras to support the detoxification process: high fiber flax or chia seeds, antioxidant-rich green tea (several cups a day), and anti-inflammatory spices like ginger, garlic and turmeric. Success tip: Try this recipe for golden milk for a drinkable way to enjoy turmeric.
• Avoiding caffeine, alcohol and refined carbs like bread, pasta and baked goods will also help you be successful in quitting the sugar. These foods and drinks actually make us crave sweets more...no need to fight with yourself!

Detoxing doesn't have to be a big deal; our bodies are doing it every day. All we need to do is support the process. It's that simple!

Authored by Jesse Haas

With kids back in school and summer coming to a close, cooking and preparing meals has a renewed demand for efficiency. Here are a few tips you can use to keep cooking with ease:

• Get into the habit of meal planning - and get the whole family involved. Sitting down and mapping out what you're going to eat for the week eliminates the "what's for dinner" panic.
• Dedicate a couple hours one day a week to food prep. Chop vegetables, soak beans and grains, thaw frozen meat, make sauces and dressings so that later in the week, all you have to do is throw the ingredients together and set the table.
• Every time you turn on the oven or fire up the grill, fill it. This way, you can prepare dinner not just for tonight, but for tomorrow too!
• Plan for leftovers. Make extras of whatever you cook so that you can either feed it to your family later in the week or you can throw it in the freezer for a quick meal some other night when cooking is impossible.
• Use a crockpot. Dinner will be done when you get home. How amazing is that! Try some of these mighty delicious recipes from Eating Well magazine.

How do you make cooking efficient? Share your tips with us and we'll post them on our social media sites!

Authored by Brittany Corwin

What does your lunch look like? What does your child’s lunch look like?

Takeout? Leftovers? School hot-lunch? Packed from home? Eating out?

Lunch is the one meal that almost never goes from kitchen to plate. It makes pit stops along the way in storage containers, sandwich bags, the fridge, and sometimes the microwave. It is definitely a difficult meal to have good, nutritious food and be conscientious about what is going into your body, let alone worry about how much waste we make with all of that packaging.

With school starting up again, we wanted to give parents some tips for making healthy school lunches possible, especially because students consume up to half their calories for the day at school (1). Of course if you don’t have school age kids, these tips can be helpful for you to pack your own healthy lunch!

In recent years, we have made some important steps forward in improving school lunch. For example, over the past three years, public schools across America have begun to offer more fruits and veggies and meals with less sodium (1).

These steps are great, especially for families that need to take advantage of free lunch programs, but even with fruits and veggies offered there is no guarantee that students will choose these options over a big slice of pizza or the other hot lunch offerings.

School lunches can also create a lot of waste. Certain school districts have been trying to combat this lately, but one way we can eliminate waste for our planet and improve our nutrition for ourselves is to start packing our own lunch! (2) So how can we make a healthy, sustainable option also a convenient option? We’re here to help with a couple ideas.

1.    Pack your lunch!

Take a minute the night before to prepare lunch or wake up just a few minutes earlier to put something together. Being prepared and filling lunches with healthy foods can make a big change in your family’s nutrition. When you pack your own lunch for the day you have control over what food is available, and how it is prepared and stored, so you can take your health into your own hands and make some yummy, nutritious choices. If daily food preparation is too much work for your family trying picking a day or two during the week to prepare food in larger quantities.

When packing lunches include:     

• Fresh fruits and veggies: Carrots, grape tomatoes, clementines and berries are just a few easy to pack, nutrient dense, and delicious options. Try to fill about half of the lunch box with these food groups, especially vegetables.
• Whole grains: Start training your kids to swap out that white wonder bread for whole grain on sandwiches and include other healthy grains like oatmeal, brown rice, and even plain popcorn!  
• Legumes: Peas and beans pack protein and dietary fiber so they are satisfying and will keep the kids full. Black beans, lentils and chickpeas are examples of this group and are great protein options for both vegetarian and non-vegetarian families.
• Protein: Keep the kids energized long after lunch by including proteins like hard-boiled eggs, turkey, and shredded chicken. Proteins provide many vital minerals, B vitamins, and act as building blocks for muscle, bone, and other tissues that are growing fast in school-age kids.
• High quality fat: Avocados, nuts, and cheese add healthy fats that your body needs. A little bit of healthy, natural fat gives your body vitamin E along with essential fatty acids and is a much better choice than processed foods with artificial trans fats.

2.    Eliminate the plastic containers.

We all know the dangers of BPA in our plastic Tupperware, water bottles, etc., thanks to it being a hot topic in the media in recent past. Although BPA has been eliminated from most plastic products, it has been replaced with BPS, a plastic that may be just as bad for our health. We just can’t be sure of the safety of any plasticizer. Studies have shown that old, worn containers that have been microwaved are the worst culprits for leaching chemicals (3). No matter how nutritious your meal is, if it has been stored in plastic and possibly even re-heated in a plastic container it may contain endocrine-disrupting chemicals, and not to mention probably taste a little like plastic too.

Traditionally home lunches are packed in paper bags, or insulated lunch boxes with many plastic baggies, and pre-packaged foods inside. This creates a lot of unnecessary waste and encourages us to eat individually wrapped processed foods rather than yummy fresh fruits, veggies and homemade meals; a habit we’d rather not pass on to our kids.

There are multiple options for plastic alternatives; glass, stainless steel, and aluminum and they each have their own pros and cons (4).

•    Glass

   Glass is a wonderful alternative for plastic, although many do have plastic lids. As long as the lids are not touching your food, or being left on during microwaving, your chances of chemical leeching are small. However, leak-proof stainless steel lids are also available and will be more durable over time. Glass is a bit heavier than the other plastic-free options, and can sometimes break when dropped. For those reasons, glass might not be the best option for your small child to carry to school in their backpack. However for you, your older children, or at home, glass can go from oven to table to fridge and you will be able to easily see what leftovers you have.

•  Stainless Steel

   Stainless steel is a good option because it is so lightweight, and there are many leak-proof options. Stainless lunch boxes are even available that have built-in compartments that will keep food groups separated and help you determine serving sizes for each food group. The downside to stainless steel is that the metal containers are not microwavable or transparent. This isn’t really a problem for kids bring their lunches to school, but if you like to be able to store leftovers in the fridge and then grab them for lunch, glass may be a better option.

•    Aluminum

   Aluminum has a similar look as stainless steel and is also lightweight, however, aluminum reacts with acidic compounds and must be coated to prevent this from occurring. Protective coatings can be an enamel or epoxy layer that may contain as much BPA as an old plastic container. Because of this be sure to distinguish between stainless steel and aluminum

3.    Have the kids help

Packing lunch is another great opportunity to talk about nutrition with your kids and help them learn how to create a healthy and well-balanced lunch. If you get a stainless steel lunch box with compartments or something similar, they can help you fill each compartment with different food groups and different colors to create a healthy lunch. Start teaching your child healthy habits they can carry in to adulthood.

If you need ideas for ways to fill up your sustainable lunchbox with healthy and delicious foods take a look at this blog for 40 days of ideas!
http://thepaleomama.com/2013/08/40daysofglutenfreelunche/



References:
1. http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6433a3.htm?s_cid=mm6433a3_w
2. http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/six-of-the-nations-largest-school-districts-dump-polystyrene-trays/2015/05/24/3abb5636-00b4-11e5-8b6c-0dcce21e223d_story.html
3. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-3207138/Don-t-clingy-Amid-mounting-evidence-plastic-food-wrap-harbours-host-toxins-doctors-urge-people-stop-using-it.html
4. http://www.thekitchn.com/container-battle-steel-vs-glass-food-containers-165409

Authored by Jesse Haas

There has been a lot of talk about GMO (genetically modified organism) crops and foods in the past couple of years. In the U.S. GMOs have entered the food system untested, while 64 countries around the globe have total or partial bans. Consumption of GMOs has consistently increased so that now approximately 80% of processed and packaged foods in the U.S. contain GMO ingredients, such as corn, soy, canola and dairy that is supplied by cows given genetically altered hormones to increase production.

Recently the conversation about GMO labeling has reached a frenzied pitch with passage of H.R. 1599 (aka the DARK - Deny Americans the Right to Know - Act) which prohibits mandatory GMO labeling and allows GMO ingredients into foods labeled as "natural." If this bill passes the Senate we will be unable to learn what is in our food.

Identifying genetically modified foods is important to people for different health reasons, which I'll outline below. But first, let's back up and talk about what a GMO is. Foods that have been genetically modified are created in labs by taking genes from one species or organism and inserting them into another to obtain or enhance certain characteristics. Historically we accomplished this by cross-breeding or hybridizing (hello, honeycrisp) but were never able to do so cross species. For example, we can't insert genes from an animal into a plant without the use of advanced technology. 

The traits that are most prevalent among GMO crops is herbicide resistance, specifically to Roundup. Inserting this pesticide into the seed makes it possible for the plant to produce its own pesticide. Additionally, crops engineered with genes from certain bacteria are able to survive frequent and/or heavy application of herbicide to kill weeds in the field.

Animal testing for the safety of GMO consumption is not required. However many independent feeding tests have been done. Here is what we know: rats given GMO foods have 2-3 times the death rate of the control group. Additionally, researchers have found:

In addition to these human health concerns are environmental concerns that will also have long-term effects on our wellness.

As a consumer you have one way to ensure your food is not genetically altered: buy organic. And while, I'm thankful that option is available to us I don't think that it's good enough. What about the consumers who don't have access to organic foods? Or can't afford them? Our health is incredibly important. What we know about GMOs is not good and there's more that we don't know.  

Right to Know Minnesota - of which I (Jesse) am a coalition member - has proposed a bill that would require mandatory labeling of foods containing GMOs. A similar bill was passed in Vermont. This effort is null if the DARK Act passes. If you feel inclined to raise your voice in opposition, contact your Senator (find them here). 

Here are a couple good articles you can peruse to fact check and learn more:

• State-of-the-Science on the Health Risks of GMOs (This is also the main reference for this article; other references are hyperlinked within the text.)
  
• Biotechnology Food: From Lab to a Debacle
  
• Grist Series: Panic-Free GMOs

(Excerpt from this article in the New York Times on Bone Broth)