Probiotics - The FACTS!

I didn't write this, but wanted to share it as it's really good advice!

• All probiotic products are NOT alike and do not offer the stated health benefits.
• Over 99% of the products on the market have never been clinically studied and make unproven claims!
• Most formulas are a guess work in compilation of the greatest number of different strains in the highest number per capsule to impress the consumer e.g. 12 strains delivering 20 billion cfu (colony forming units). Do not be fooled with the concept of ‘more is better’. The reason most companies put in such large numbers is because they have no clinical data that any of the strains are compatible, survive or produce any effect and are hoping that by incorporating such high amounts at least some will end up surviving. Do not be fooled!
• Some combinations have no history of use and may be antagonistic to each other and, worse still, may alter the gut flora in an undesirable way.

This is one of the reasons that we only use evidence-based, well-researched, and clinically validated probiotic strains and products in the clinic.  We will never recommend any inferior products to any of our clients - that's a promise :)

Thank you to AOR for the info! 

www.aor.ca

CSA Weeks 4-5

So, I kind of failed last week and didn't get a chance to put any pictures up!  This blog will be a combo of weeks 4-5 of our CSA program.  It's going well so far, and although it's been a bit challenging at times to adjust to eating things that we haven't eaten before, we've been adapting, and I think that's great as we're trying new things.

Here's what our box looked like last week:

Strawberries, baby bok choy, lettuce, and garlic scapes.

I'd like to thank Cooper's farm for introducing me to garlic scapes as I'd never heard of them or seen them before! It's actually kind of embarassing, but I didn't even know that garlic had "tops" and that they had to be removed so that they don't take away from the garlic bulbs.  See, learning these things is one of the benefits of a CSA ;)

Even better, though, is that I actually LOVE them!  We're big garlic fans at our house and have even become somewhat desensitized to it (overpowering garlicy to others tastes normal to us!)  So, I find these garlic scapes really tasty and have enjoyed adding them to salads, salsas, main dishes, maybe even the occasional raw one...haha

Now, the unfortunate part is that I have NO pictures of any of these being used.  I guess between eating a lot of them raw and having a certain someone cook them and then eat them without telling me, and the long weekend festivities, I kind of dropped the ball on that this week.  I will try harder!

This week (week 5), we received more strawberries, sugar snap peas (a huge lot of them), Boston lettuce, romaine lettuce, kale, radish, and more garlic scapes :P  And we got some tomatoes and a cucumber extra.

Look at all of this food!!

This container is big, and it's full to the brim with sugar snap peas.  We got a ton this week.

The radish actually just got eaten already, so I guess no pictures of that (darn! lol).  We didn't know what to do with them, so tried roasting them with a bit of olive oil, salt, and pepper, and they were delicious.  I think they will become a regular with the rest of our roasted veggies!  We're planning on juicing the greens.

I'll see if I can get some pics, of something to share next week.

Thanks for reading!

Jenna

CSA Week #3

This week's box contained a lot more stuff!

Included were strawberries, rhubarb, asparagus, lettuce, green onions, kale, and heirloom storage carrots.

Everything looks great, and we're noticing that some of the veggies that we received in previous weeks are also bigger in size now.

Here's what we did with some of the vegetables that we received last week:

Salad (I think this will be included almost every week lol)

Asparagus, green onion, and spinach dish

Roasted potatoes

 Have a great week, everyone!  I'm glad the weather is, in fact, warming up :)

CSA Week #2

We're through our first week of CSA veggie goodies!

Here's what our box looked like this week:

It included lettuce, asparagus, green onions:

Big bowl of spinach (bowl not included):

And storage potatoes:

To give some perspective on how the cold and damp weather has been affecting this year's crops thus far, this is the first time in seven years that potatoes have been included in the first summer boxes!  I have no previous experience with a CSA, so it's all new to me, no expectations lol.  I'm sure we'll be getting lots of great produce once the weather warms up!

Now, as for what we did with last week's produce:

Salad made up of the two types of lettuce, tomatoes, and cucumbers (that was a no-brainer!):

Asparagus, mushrooms, and onions (onions additional) over brown rice (this was really delicious!):

And...since we rarely have rhubarb in the house, we decided to make a dessert (well, actually my bf made that decision, pastry and all!)  Bad naturopath, bad!!

The rhubarb puff pastries were also apparently cat-approved, as these two troublemakers decided to help themselves to one in the night (ooops) and all we found were crumbs on the floor the next morning (and a missing pastry) lol

That's everything for this week!  Hope you are all coping with the damp, yucky weather!  It reminds me of my first time going to music camp (June 2000).  A week away camping in cabins with no heat and playing music in buildings with no heat...it was so damp, rainy, and cold the entire time!  I felt real sorry for the people who had signed up for water skiing and swimming as their elective!  But it did eventually warm up that summer (I think), so I'm still optimistic :)

CSA Week #1

Hey everyone,

For the very first time, I've signed up for a CSA share (from Cooper's CSA Farm)!

CSA stands for Community Supported (or Shared) Agriculture.

What is it?

From Cooper's CSA Farm (www.coopersfarm.ca):

"Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) is not a new idea, but one that has gained popularity in Canada within recent years.  Instead of purchasing at a supermarket, CSA members sign up to either pick-up or have delivered weekly baskets of vegetables and fruit, or meat, such as free-range chicken, hormone and antibiotic-free Angus-grade beef, or pasture-fed goat, lamb, or Berkshire pork.  This allows the farmer to ensure the quality and quantity of his produce, while providing the member with only the ripest and most seasonal produce.

Why would you consider joining a CSA?

My own thoughts:

1. Ultra-fresh, locally grown produce – this is by far the number one reason for joining a CSA.  Farms give their members the very best of their produce, often picked the day of delivery, at the ripest possible time.  You get only what is in season in your area.  Who wants to eat something that was picked as unripe as it could be and was gas-ripened while being trucked or flown across the world?  You are minimizing your carbon footprint while also minimizing packaging and storing times, and maximizing the amounts of nutrients and taste of your produce.

2. Saves money – assuming you use the produce that comes in the box, most CSA members will save money over a similar amount of quality produce bought at the store or from a farmers’ market.

3. Convenient – most CSAs have a delivery service and will deliver your weekly (or bi-weekly/monthly) produce boxes right to your door.  This not only saves you time, but also the effort of going to a grocery store or farmers’ market, picking through the produce, having to figure out what is in season, deciding on what to buy, bagging your produce, and paying for it.  All you have to do is take it out of the box, wash, and put away.  How much easier can it get?

4. “Forced” healthy eating – when we pre-purchase something, we tend to use it.  So, even if you feel like having a junk-food feast one week, your healthy fruit and veggie CSA box will be calling your name, and you will be very tempted to use that produce before it goes bad!

5. Rare source for healthy, high quality animal products – let’s face it, most of the animal products (meat, milk, eggs) in the grocery stores are not of very good quality.  The majority come from animals who were not treated very well, who were treated with antibiotics and/or hormones, and who were grain-fed.  CSAs raise fewer animals, treat them with the respect that they deserve and allow them to follow their natural instincts, while refusing to sell those who require antibiotic treatment, and feed their animals on their natural diets.  This makes for healthier and happier animals, which also leads to healthier meats and animal products for you.

6. Learn about new vegetables and fruits – you never know what might show up in your box, and that’s a good thing as variety is key in healthy eating.  Plus, it’s exciting to try new things!  Many CSAs send recipes (or have them accessible on their websites) for the majority of the foods found in that week’s box, so even if you don’t know what the heck is in there, you will have some guidance as to how to prepare it and eat it!

7. Understanding of the seasons and what grows in your area – you’re getting a connection to the land and the seasons that is rare for urban and suburban dwellers, and is often immensely satisfying.

8. Relationship with the farmers – again, a connection to the land and the people who are growing your food that isn’t possible when shopping at grocery stores.  Plus, supporting local businesses is a great thing.

9. Special member benefits – these vary among CSAs, but often farms will offer special deals, members-only fruit/veggie picking, special farm events, or a full membership to their farm included free with your CSA fee.

10. It’s better for your health, the health of the animals, and the health of our planet.

So, because this is my first year trying out a CSA program, I thought it'd be fun to share a short description and pictures of what I receive each week, to give everyone an idea of what a year of CSA crops would look like (of course, every year is different as farming is impacted by many different, often uncontrollable variables).

I'd also like to share some of what we ended up doing with the fruits and veggies, to give you an idea of what can be done with it!  That may be too ambitious, but I'll try :)

Week One

Here's the box that we received:

And here's what's inside of it!

It included:

Red and green leaf lettuce:

Asparagus:

Rhubarb:

Oregano, mushrooms, tomatoes, and a cucumber:

Don't those tomatoes look stunning?  They're so vibrant!

That's it for now!  Look for my blog next week in which I'll be sharing what I receive in week two, along with what we managed to do with this current week's produce.

Thanks for reading!

Dr. Jenna McNamee, ND

More info regarding Cooper's CSA Farm:

Cooper’s Farm CSA                 Ph: 905-830-4521

266 Ashworth Rd.                      http://www.coopersfarm.ca

Zephyr, ON                               steve-lisacooper@coopersfarm.ca        

L0E 1T0  

First Do No Harm

First do no harm - it's a tenet, a guiding principle of practice that is of the utmost importance to all medical professionals.  Without a doubt, the vast majority of doctors don't intend to harm.  However, there are many ways to interpret this guideline.  The "do no harm" part is quite clear, but what about "first"?

As a Naturopathic Doctor, to me first do no harm means choosing a first-line treatment that is the least invasive, has the least side effects and potential for harm, while also being effective.  So, for example, I will often use dietary/lifestyle/nutrient treatments before recommending acupuncture or herbs.  Although acupuncture and herbs are natural, they can have unwanted effects, and therefore, they are not always a first choice for me.

Where am I going with all of this?  It truly saddens me that I have patients coming in on multiple medications when a simple vitamin supplement and perhaps a diet adjustment, and a herb or two would have sufficed.  Not only did they not receive what the body really needs, what it's really asking for by showing them those symptoms, but now it has also been harmed by a medication that was perhaps not necessary.  I say harmed, because almost all medications do harm.  They are often hard on the liver, taxing/stressing it, and they often work against the body's natural functions, suppressing them instead of working with them towards cure/better health.  Yes, they give us "desired effects" but at what cost?

One of the best scenarios that I can give to illustrate this point is migraine prevention.  It has been well-researched that vitamin B2 (riboflavin), magnesium, vitamin B12, and coQ10 have superb migraine-prevention qualities, and can both reduce the frequency and intensity of migraines.  There is some research on vitamin B3 (niacin)'s success when taken at the onset of acute attacks.  The herbs Tanacetum parthenium (feverfew) and Petasites hybridus (butterbur) have also been extensively researched for their migraine preventing properties.

Rarely, my clients' MDs have recommended vitamin treatment first.  When it does happen, it's fantastic, and something I wish more MDs would do!  Unfortunately, much more commonly, my clients come in on medications for migraine prevention.  So, instead of correcting a simple deficiency, people are instead put on the beta blockers propanolol or timolol (usually used for high blood pressure) or the anti-seizure medication divalproex or topiramate.

These are not benign medications.  Beta blockers have a side effect profile that includes fatigue and lethargy, depression, memory loss, vivid dreams/nightmares, dizziness/lightheadedness upon standing, reduced exercise capacity, cold hands and feet, asthma, decreased heart function, gastrointestinal problems, and sexual dysfunction.

Many of the potential side effects of anti-seizure medication are even more alarming: tingling sensation in arms and legs, weight loss or gain, nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, cramps, hair loss, dizziness, sleepiness, blurred vision, pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas), and liver damage.

As an aside, I was told by one of my McMaster professors that there is no such thing as side effects.  All of the effects of drugs occur because of their mechanism of action.  The only difference is whether they are wanted effects or unwanted effects.  Just something to think about ;)

Furthermore, in addition to these side effects, these medications also deplete the body of vital vitamins and minerals.  Beta blockers deplete the body of coQ10 by interfering with coQ10's production in the body, which is quite paradoxical, as correcting a coQ10 deficiency/insufficiency aids in migraine prevention.  So, what do you think happens when coQ10 is depleted in a migraine sufferer?  The underlying problem can get worse while the medication masks what is really going on inside the body.  This problem is in addition to putting people at a greater risk of heart failure as a result of coQ10 deficiency.

Additionally, melatonin levels may be decreased, leading to sleeping problems because of the beta blockers blocking the adrenergic beta1 receptors, which may inhibit the release of the enzyme serotonin-N-acetyltransferase.  This enzyme is responsible for the synthesis of melatonin from serotonin, so when it is lacking, melatonin levels may drop, leading to insomnia.

Topamax (topiramate) also leads to nutrient depletion, specifically affecting vitamin B12 by reducing its absorption when used long-term.  As mentioned above, vitamin B12 insufficiency can also be causal in migraine pathogenesis, so again, this medication may further exacerbate the underlying cause of migraines in some people.

This post may sound like I'm 100% anti-medication, but it's not true.  Despite my feelings about medications, I do believe that many are great discoveries and can help people get their quality of life back.  For many people, migraines can be absolutely debilitating, and if they can take something that will relieve their suffering, I'm all for it.

What I'm not all for is using it as a first-line treatment, a first choice.  I wish diet, lifestyle, vitamins, minerals, nutrients, homeopathics, herbs, and acupuncture would be used prior to recommending something that can have such a serious impact on our bodies.  If none of these things work, then I think it's great that we have medications as a last resort.  It's just upsetting when it's the opposite: a patient is told to give acupuncture or vitamins a shot as a last ditch effort after maxing out their dosage of Topamax...

That's really
backwards, isn't it?  How did vitamins become a last resort?  Shouldn't they be tried first?

What do you think?  I'd love to hear your thoughts!  Leave a comment below!

Would you take this multivitamin?

I really feel obligated to make this post - I've seen a lot more people come in to see me on these new "Gummy" multivitamins.  These are not just for kids anymore, but are targeted towards adults now too!  And I have a big problem with it.

Issue #1 - These "multivitamins" very often have quite low amounts of vitamins, and are often not complete, lacking many other essential vitamins and minerals.  If you look at the example below, where are all of the other B vitamins?  Where are the minerals?  These are most often VERY incomplete.

Issue #2 - Many of the vitamins that are in these gummies are in the inactive/cheaper form.  For example, cyanocobalamin vs. methyl- or hydroxy-cobalamin.  Folic acid vs. 5-Methyltetrahydrofolate (5-MTHF).

Look at this ingredient list below of a common gummy multivitamin for adults.  2mg of B6 - really?  6mcg of B12 - really?  20mg vitamin C, 200IU vitamin D, 10IU vitamin E...really?  These are so so low, almost negligible.  And as you can see, they don't even list what form the vitamin is in - often a sure sign of using inferior forms.  If a company uses active, superior forms of a vitamin, they are often proud of it and will clearly display it on all labels and include them in ingredient lists.

Vitamin A	480mcg (1600 I.U.)
Vitamin B6	2mg
Vitamin B12	6mcg
Vitamin C	20mg
Vitamin D	5mcg (200 I.U.)
Vitamin E	4.5mg (10 I.U.)
Folate (folic acid)	100mcg

My last issue with these multis: If you are getting so little vitamins, what the heck is making up most of this gummy that you are eating each day?

Answer: Crap!  Sorry to be blunt, but it's the truth.  Look at the non-medicinal ingredients for the gummy that I've used as an example above:

Glucose Syrup, Sucrose, Gelatin, Water, Artificial Flavors, Bees Wax, Carnauba Wax, Citric Acid, FD&C Blue #1, FD&C Red #40, FD&C Yellow #6, Modified Starch, Vegetable Oil (Coconut or Palm)

That looks absolutely delicious...not!  The first two ingredients are sugars - bad news.  Then you have gelatin (watch out vegans), artificial flavours and colours (those FD&C's are just lovely), and some starches and oils to finish it off.

If you really want gummy candies, do yourself a favour and just go out and buy some candies - don't fool yourself into thinking that these multivitamin gummies are actually good for you.  There's so little of the good stuff in them, it's really not even worth it - you're most likely just paying lots of extra money for a glorified gummy candy.

Marketing can be deceptive, and I just don't want anyone to fall for this trap.  Save your money and get a good quality multivitamin instead!

Finally, as a comparison, here's the nutrient profile and non-medicinal ingredients for one of my favourite multivitamins:

Could You Be Deficient in Magnesium?

We hear about calcium and how important it is for everyone to get adequate calcium all the time.  And don't get me wrong, calcium is very important, but so is magnesium, and we don't hear about it very often.

Magnesium is a mineral that is required in over 300 biochemical reactions in our bodies.  If we don't have enough magnesium, these reactions will not run as efficiently as they could be, if they even run at all.

"Can't I get it from the foods that I eat?"

This a common question that I get, and the answer is, "It depends."  It depends on a lot of different things like what foods you're eating, the quality of those, organic vs. nonorganic, the soil that they were grown in and if it's been overfarmed and is deficient in certain minerals itself, the freshness of the food, how well you can digest it and absorb it, and how much magnesium your body utilizes (contrary to popular belief, we all don't require the same amount - some need smaller amounts of magnesium while others use up a ton naturally - that's just how their body works, and they would require larger amounts).  Potassium and phosphorus-laden fertilizers also complicate the issue, as they alter plants' ability to uptake magnesium from the soil.  Food preparation methods such as broiling, steaming, and boiling also removes magnesium, shunting it into the water.  High carb/fat diets increase our need for magnesium, and medications such as diuretics and insulin actually deplete our internal magnesium levels.

Some other things that can deplete magnesium include:

High Stress

Caffeine

Sugar

Alcohol

Tobacco

Drugs/medications

High perspiration

Low thyroid function

Diabetes

Chronic pain

High sodium diet

High calcium diet

So, what are some signs and symptoms relating to magnesium deficiency?

Constipation

Low Energy/Fatigue

Weakness

Muscle Tension, Spasms, & Cramps

Restlessness

Anxiousness (panic attack in more pronounced deficiencies)

Irritability

PMS/Hormonal Imbalance

Insomnia/inability to sleep

Weakning of the bones (osteoporosis)

Abnormal Heart Rhythm, Heart Palpitations

High Blood Pressure

Headaches/Migraines

Restless Leg Syndrome

If you suspect that you may be deficient in magnesium, you can increase food sources, which include green vegetables (both land and sea), and eat a variety of whole grains, legumes, and nuts.

You can also talk to your doctor about magnesium supplementation or things that can improve your absorption of minerals (if you have digestive issues or take heartburn medication), and have him or her recommend a type of magnesium and dosage that's right for your needs.