Water with Lemon

I’ve had some recent questions about adding fresh lemon to drinking water. Some think it’s very powerful for health, while others have heard rumors that it’s not good for endurance athletes.

So what’s the truth?

Lemons can be very cleansing to our internal environment. They are rich in vitamin C, potassium and magnesium. These are three very powerful nutrients that can help maintain optimal health inside of us. Some of the benefits of adding lemon to our water are listed below:

• Lemons are antiseptic and can prevent growth of bad bacteria in our digestive system

• Lemon juice helps alkalize the body (remember, cancer and other disease can only thrive in an acidic environment, so the more alkalizing foods we can incorporate into our diet, the better)

• The potassium nourishes brain and nerve cells

• When a pregnant woman drinks lemon water, she is helping the bone health of her child

• Gargling lemon water can soothe a sore throat

• Lemon aids in digestion by stimulating digestive juices, and helps reduce bloating and gas

• Lemon water contains powerful antioxidants, which help flush toxins from the body and cleanse our liver and kidneys

• It can ease constipation

I recommend avoiding the prepackaged lemon juice (you know, the fake plastic lemons). This is not fresh and could have preservatives or other chemicals added to it. Organic lemons are best, and make sure to scrub the outside of the lemon prior to dropping it into your glass. Some swear by the practice of drinking a glass of warm water mixed with the juice of ½ lemon each morning. It cleanses your body and jumpstarts your digestive system for the day. Other ways to enjoy lemon include squeezing lemon into your tea, adding lemon juice to your salad dressings and squeezing lemon juice over foods such as chicken, brown rice and black beans.

We squeeze fresh lemons into our Aquasana drinking water so whenever we fill up from the fridge, we are getting a little boost with the added lemon. And when Ed and I felt a cold coming on a couple weeks ago, we were pushing the warm lemon water morning and night, which seemed to help. I love the taste of lemons, so I find it easy to incorporate them into my diet.

As for the rumor that drinking water with lemon can be bad for endurance athletes…

I could not find much information supporting this statement. I did find out that lemon contains magnesium, and magnesium is known to decrease cortisol levels after aerobic exercise. Cortisol, also known as the “stress hormone”, helps restore balance after any type of stress. So I suppose if the magnesium from the lemon blocks cortisol release, an endurance athlete who drinks water with lemon could take longer to restore their body after a race or long workout. However, this is just my own derivation and I really did not find much information claiming this to be true. With all the powerful things lemon water can do for us, I think an endurance athlete would actually benefit from adding a little lemon juice to their water every once in a while.

Have a great weekend! I am off to a nutrition conference in St. Paul, MN (my hometown!), so I am hoping to return next week with some great new information to share with all of you.

Weight Watchers, Day 1

Today I am attending my first Weight Watchers meeting.

Let me explain.

One component of my Food Therapy class is to understand some of the popular diets that exist. There is a good chance some of my future clients will walk into my office (or, dining room table) and tell me they’ve been on Weight Watchers, or Atkins, or the Paleo diet for the past two years. And, as their Nutrition Therapist, they will expect that I know what that means.

So, we split the class up amongst the ten most popular diets we could come up with, and we will all research our diets, try them out, and present on them over the course of the semester. The ultimate goal is not only to familiarize one another with these diets, but also to pull out the good things from each one and possibly use them in our own practices.

I chose Weight Watchers. I think that a lot of people try Weight Watchers, and I want to know more about it. So far I have heard from a few people who have done it, and the overall experience seems fairly positive. People seem to like the weekly meetings because it holds them accountable, and the points system allows for some freedom. However, I am curious to find out more about the Weight Watchers branded products. Are they healthy, or are they just processed foods full of sugars and artificial ingredients? Also, does Weight Watchers put too much emphasis on calories and fat and not enough on eating fresh, high-quality whole foods (think sugar-free lite yogurt vs. plain full-fat yogurt sweetened with raw honey)?

I guess I’ll find out. Thanks to everyone who has sent me input so far! It is so helpful and I will definitely include (anonymously) some of your feedback into my presentation. If anyone else wants to share some pros or cons, e-mail me at annpierce09@gmail.com!

ALSO…

Does anyone else read Running From the Law?! It’s this great blog my sister’s friend Sara started. Sara blogs about pretty much anything BUT being a lawyer, and she happens to know a lot about things like decorating, cooking, traveling and fashion! She had a beautiful wedding in Jackson Hole that was featured all over the blogworld. I love her thoughts and ideas and was super excited when Sara announced her first giveaway, a cookbook! Read about it and enter to win here!

Just A Spoonful of Sugar...

...can harm your eyesight!

Yesterday in class, my teacher was describing some differences she notices in herself when she eats too much sugar. One thing that caught my attention: the day after a sugar “binge”, she notices her eyesight is cloudier. She said there is a definite link between high sugar diets and quality of eyesight.

This was particularly interesting to me because of what happened at my last eye appointment. I know that I have always eaten too much sugar, but in the past six months I have cut back significantly. When I went to my annual eye appointment in December, the vision in my right eye had actually improved! I didn’t think much of it until now. I wonder if it is because I have decreased sugar in my diet?

Another interesting observation: I had better-than-perfect eyesight all the way until my sophomore year of college, when suddenly I needed glasses to see even the white board in class. Let’s piece this puzzle together: ages 0-18 I was living at home, playing sports, and eating my mom’s home-cooked meals that always included fresh, high-quality foods. Then at age 18, I move to Milwaukee, WI, the Beer Capital of the World, and live in a dorm nicknamed “The Beer Can”. I was partying a lot (excessive alcohol intake causes high blood sugar), but also working and studying hard, so I drank too much coffee (usually with a sugary syrup) and ate poorly. And to top it off, I was not getting as much exercise as I got in high school. I think I was walking evidence that high-sugar diets and poor eyesight are linked!

Besides our brains, our eyes need more oxygen and nutrients than any other part of our bodies. When we eat excess sugar, the sugar molecules attach to hemoglobin in our blood. This, in turn, makes it more difficult for our blood to deliver oxygen throughout the body. Oxygen is needed to power most metabolic processes and is vital to the proper functioning of many things in our bodies.

A high sugar diet causes blood sugar to spike and dip very quickly. When our blood sugar fluctuates, our tiny blood vessels are shocked and they weaken and become very narrow. This reduces blood flow throughout the body, including oxygen transport to the eyes.

There are other studies I found that link nearsightedness, or myopia, in children to their high-sugar and high-carbohydrate diets. When blood sugar is high, insulin levels elevate. And when the insulin levels go up, the body does not produce as much of a certain protein that is used to shape eyeballs and lenses for clear vision.

In older people, cataracts are a common problem. Cataracts form when sugar molecules attach to the proteins in the lens of the eye. This causes the lens to twist and fold, which leads to cloudy vision. Many older people with cataracts have eaten too much sugar throughout their lives.

Sugary foods include the obvious cakes, pastries, candy and ice cream, but also other simple carbohydrates such as white bread, processed cereals and white pasta.

And now for the good news…

All of these processes can be controlled or reversed through nutrition! Don’t you just love nutrition?!

When you eat carbohydrates, try to stick with only complex carbs such as whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables, and legumes. And be sure to buy the highest quality you can afford of these items (think Whole Foods freshly baked whole grain bread, not Oroweat 7-grain bread). In addition, making sure you get plenty of antioxidant nutrients like vitamins A, C and E will help prevent or repair poor eyesight. These are found primarily in fresh fruits and vegetables. Controlling alcohol intake will also benefit eyesight (and countless other things) throughout our lives.

So, if you’re like me, you may have taken a little hit in college (but it was oh so worth it… college was so great!), but it is never too late to improve our diets and reverse or prevent the many diseases that are associated with high sugar intake.

Roasted Cremini and Red Pepper Tapenade

Before I started nutrition school, I attended a few of the senior presentations. They were on a variety of topics, such as the link between nutrition and childhood eczema, and how nutrition can be used to prevent Alzheimer’s and age healthily. However, one that really stood out was the presentation given by Amy Habuda entitled Mushrooms: A Look at Their Culinary Uses and Therapeutic Values. Amy talked for almost an hour about all the different ways mushrooms can be used to support our health, and I was completely fascinated the entire time!

And to top it off, she had actually prepared mushroom tapenade lettuce wraps for everyone to sample. Amy is not only a nutrition therapist but also a personal chef, so needless to say this mushroom tapenade was absolutely delicious and full of flavor.

Amy happened to distribute her recipe, and I realized last week that I had all the ingredients in my fridge! So I gave it a try. Maybe not the first recipe you’d turn to in the middle of winter, but now I have practiced it and will be ready to make it again for a summer cocktail party!

With Amy’s permission, I am going to share it with you today. Amy served this in lettuce wraps. Ed and I ate it with crackers and also mixed into quinoa and chicken for dinner. It was simple to prepare and contains 100% healthy ingredients that are safe for gluten-free eaters as well.

Recipe

8 ounces fresh cremini mushrooms, halved

1 large sweet red pepper, seeded and quartered

1 medium sweet onion, unpeeled and halved

2 tbsps olive oil, divided

2 large garlic cloves, minced

½ cup kalamata olives, pitted

2 tbsps balsamic vinegar

2 tbsps fresh basil, finely chopped

¼ tsp sea salt

¼ tsp black pepper

1 pinch cayenne pepper

Toss mushrooms and red pepper with 1 tbsp olive oil. Place mushrooms, red pepper, and onion on baking sheet cut sides down. Broil on HIGH of middle rack until skins are blackened (time depends on oven; took me 10 minutes). Cool 5 minutes and peel pepper and onion, discarding skins. Cut pepper and onion into chunks. Place roasted veggies, garlic, olives, vinegar and remaining oil in food processor and pulse until finally chopped (not pureed). Transfer mixture into a bowl and mix in basil, salt, black pepper and cayenne. Cover and chill until serving time.

Cremini mushrooms are usually labeled at the grocery store, but just in case, this is what they look like:

We ate this for snacks, lunches and dinners for two full days! Thanks to Amy for letting me share the recipe at PWN. If you have any questions for Amy or want to learn more about her personal chef and nutrition consultation services, you may e-mail her at amy.mnt@gmail.com or visit her website here.

Another thumbs up from Ed for this recipe! (Yes, that is our living room coffee table… we eat in front of the tv a little too often, please don’t judge! We got seasons 1 - 5 of 'The Wire' for Christmas and we are hooked!).

Salmon Skin: Do You Eat It?

Last week Ed and I made salmon for dinner. He noticed I was eating the salmon but leaving the skin on my plate, and commented on it. Ed happens to love the skin of any type of fish. He is even known to ask the waiter to please prepare his fish with the skin on. I never really gave this much thought until he asked me why I wasn’t eating it. I typically just eat the fish and whatever skin sticks to it, but leave the rest on my plate.

So I did some research on salmon skin, and other fish skin in general. Turns out there are many important nutrients in the skin of most fish, and almost all skins are edible. Salmon skin, for example, contains concentrations of omega-3 fatty acids. This is because the salmon’s fat is in the layer just beneath the skin, so when it is cooked with the skin on, the skin soaks up these (healthy) fats. However, all of this information is based on the assumption that the fish was swimming in uncontaminated waters. And, as we all know, this is usually not the case.

The salmon’s skin can also be a source of chemical pollutants that can be harmful in large quantities. Waters can become polluted from things like factories, sewage treatment plants, chemical spills, and city street or farm runoff. When these chemicals are transferred to the salmon, they become concentrated in the skin, the fatty layer right next to the skin, internal organs, and sometimes muscle tissue.

Some precautions to take if you are a frequent salmon-eater include removing skin and the darker fat layer right next to the skin, and also selecting smaller salmon, as they are younger and have had less exposure to toxins in the water. This applies to other types of gamefish too, such as lake trout, walleye or bass. Some fish, such as stream trout, perch or smelt, feed on insects and other aquatic life and are less likely to contain pollutants. Therefore it is probably safer to eat the skins of these fish. The bottom-feeders in lakes and streams, such as carp and catfish, are more likely to contain high levels of chemical pollutants.

Unfortunately, mercury is found throughout a fish’s tissue, so it is difficult to avoid. There are certain types of fish that tend to be lower or higher in mercury, and it is a good idea to become familiar with this information. A good website to reference is this one.

So, it seems like eating salmon skin is fine occasionally, but if you are someone who eats salmon twice per week or more, you may want to avoid it some of the time, and also choose the best quality salmon possible. This isn’t meant to scare anyone away from eating fish on a regular basis. The nutrients in fish far outweigh the risks, as long as you are choosing your fish carefully and staying aware of current warnings and information about what is safe to eat.

Eddo, you were right about the skin containing lots of omega-3s! And since we buy wild salmon and typically don’t eat it more than once per week, I’d say you’re safe to keep on eating the crunchy skin. And maybe I’ll give it a try every once in a while too!

Texas vs. Alabama: Pickle Juice?

Since it’s Friday, and since my friends Al and Leah made a special request, I did some research as to why Mark Ingram was given pickle juice to ease the muscle cramps in his legs during last night’s National Championship game. I was just as curious as they were!

At school we are taught to think of symptoms and solutions mechanistically, so let’s start with what causes muscle cramps, and then we’ll see how pickle juice fits into the picture…

People who tend to get muscle cramps are those with a deficiency in calcium, magnesium, and/or potassium. A lack of acetylcholine (neurotransmitter that stimulates your muscles to work) and dehydration can both lead to the muscle cramping, particularly in hot weather. Have you ever exercised strenuously outside in the heat and felt dry salt crystals on your forehead? Those are the electrolytes that you have lost, and they are a clear sign that you are dehydrated and in need of electrolyte replacement. This loss of electrolytes causes muscle cramping because electrolytes are used by cells to create the electric impulses that cause muscle contraction.

Pickle juice typically contains water, salt, calcium chloride and vinegar. Due to its high water and salt content, pickle juice could be effective in relieving muscle cramps in athletes. While there is much anecdotal evidence supporting the use of pickle juice for muscle cramp relief (apparently the Philadelphia Eagles’ head trainer calls it his “secret weapon”), I could not find any medical professionals who actually recommend it. However, there is clear scientific evidence that salt and electrolyte replacement is necessary for those exercising in the heat, and pickle juice is probably just one of many ways to do this.

There is even an official pickle juice drink, Pickle Juice Sport. And apparently this drink is distributed to several dozen teams and over 100 pro athletes!

I did read something that suggested 2 ounces of pickle juice is sufficient for electrolyte replacement. I’m guessing Mark Ingram downed way more than that.

People on Twitter had an opinion on subject too:

debster619 Congrats Alabama!! & who knew pickle juice would help bring Mark Ingram back in :)))

mlwellness Quick fix for cramps = pickle juice. Sound gross? Need 2 have good hydration + #nutrition pre-games. Hear that, John Wall + Mark Ingram?

lestat74 Ewwww pickle juice...really mark ingram really?

cranekickers Gatorade? Pickle Juice? no no no...what Mark Ingram needs is bananas

DaLastDon they're using pickle juice to hydrate mark ingram? huh?

And this last Tweeter even tried to capitalize on the whole thing:

SandJPicklePop Pickle juice is 30x better for hydration than powerade and 15x than gatorade order a small pack of pickle pops here www.sandjpicklepop.com

So, to wrap it up I guess pickle juice can be an effective way to relieve muscle cramps. It does seem a bit hip right now though. Maybe what Mark Ingram really needs is a nutritionist to help him increase his vitamin and mineral intake so the muscle cramping can be avoided altogether. If anyone wants to give him my name, feel free…

The NDD Book, Part 2

A continuation from yesterday’s review of Dr. Sears’ book about nutrition for children, The NDD Book…

In his book, Dr. Sears really emphasizes certain foods that he calls “grow foods”. He talks a lot about teaching your children about these grow foods, showing them how to pick them out in the grocery store, and involving them in the entire meal process. This way, the kids will get excited about trying the healthy foods that they have helped buy and prepare.

The foods Dr. Sears recommends staying away from as much as possible:

• Anything with artificial colorings (blue #1, green #2, etc.) or artificial flavor enhancers (MSG, hydrolyzed vegetable protein, etc.) on the labels

• Artificial preservatives (sulfites, nitrites, nitrates, benzoic acid, etc.)

• Artificial sweeteners, such as aspartame, sucralose, saccharin (these are ESPECIALLY bad for kids, and adults too!)

• “Bakery Bads” (cupcakes, Hostess products, packaged muffins, etc.)

• Candy, except 70% dark chocolate treats

• Cereals with fewer than 3 grams protein, 3 grams fiber, and

more than 6 grams sugar per serving

• Cottonseed oil, which is found in shortening, margarine (use real butter!!), potato chips, corn chips, and frozen desserts

• Any type of gelatin or gelatin dessert

• High fructose corn syrup

• Hydrogenated oils

• Marshmallows

• “Shortcut Foods” (anything with “lite”, “fit”, “quick”, etc.)

• Sweetened beverages

• White bread

The foods Dr. Sears encourages parents to feed their children include:

• Avocados

• Beef and turkey (lean, organic)

• Any type of fruits or vegetables

• Eggs

• Nuts and nut butter (learn how to make your own here)

• Oils (fish, flaxseed, olive)

• Wild salmon and other fish

• Spices

• Whole grains

• Organic yogurt

While this second list may seem limiting at first, it really is pretty easy to create snacks and meals that kids will enjoy from the “grow foods” list. Dr. Sears provides some great recipes at the end of his book that he has not only tested out on his grandchildren, but on the kids he sees as patients. I was extremely impressed last week when I saw how well my cousin’s 1 ½ year old son ate when we were all on vacation together. His mom makes all his baby food at home, and he eats the same things adults eat, just in smaller portions. Throughout the week I saw him eat all types of fish, fresh fruit, vegetables, hamburger, cheese, milk, yogurt, and pancakes. He never once fussed or was picky about his selection. He was a dream baby! But I really do attribute it to his parents feeding him all types of “grow foods” and developing his palette at a young age.

The last point Dr. Sears makes: it’s never too late to switch your family over to a diet of healthy, fresh foods and eliminate the snacks and meals that are harming your kids health and affecting their learning, mood and behavior. It may take a bit more time to make the switch if your kids are older and more resistant, but it can be done. He tells you how in the book.

Overall, I loved The NDD Book and I plan on recommending it to my future clients who have children. I think the points Dr. Sears makes, and the research he has done, are very important. However, part of me wonders if he places too much of an emphasis on involving kids in the food and eating processes at home. I definitely think it’s important to involve them to some degree, but at what point does it become too much a part of their little kid worlds? I think there is some merit to just not making a big fuss about it one way or another, and putting the healthy foods on their plates. To all the moms out there, what do you think? I guess when I have kids I will have to experiment with this and decide what is appropriate!

The NDD Book, Part 1

My older sister Alice sent me this book a few months ago, and I finally found time to read it over my school break. Neither one of us has kids yet, but I am very interested in what kids eat, how they eat, and how a parent’s approach to feeding can affect a child’s eating habits for life.

The NDD Book was written by Dr. William Sears (www.askdrsears.com; follow on Twitter @AskDoctorSears), and talks about the relationship between a child’s diet and their behavior, learning and overall health. “NDD”, or Nutrition Deficit Disorder, is Dr. Sears’ diagnosis for children who are not eating properly and therefore suffering from things like ADD, ADHD, depression, anxiety and other behavioral or health problems. He believes many of these disorders are simply a problem with the child’s diet, and that drugs can be avoided if diet is changed (sometimes, not always). I enjoyed the book because not only does Dr. Sears’ explain how to identify if your child is one of these misdiagnosed kids, but he provides a solution. He gives great advice for what and how to feed kids. And as a father of eight and grandfather of another eight, I am inclined to take his advice!

Some of the signs of a child with NDD include:

• Frequent mood swings or temper tantrums

• Restless sleep

• Poor attention span

• Labeled with a D by their teacher or doctor: ADD, ADHD, BPD, OCD, etc.

• Behavioral problems at home, school or day care

• Learning difficulties

• Hyperactivity

• Dry, flaky or bumpy skin

• Intestinal problems (reflux, constipation, diarrhea, etc.)

• Frequent allergies

• Brittle hair or nails

• Pale skin, especially on the earlobes

Any of these things could indicate your child either is not receiving all the nutrients he or she needs, or has a food allergy that has not been identified yet. Dr. Sears recommends experimenting with diet change before putting a child on drugs. This is always his first prescription in his practice, and he has experienced great success.

Tomorrow I will list the foods to avoid and the foods to try, according to Dr. Sears. If a child is overly sensitive to certain foods or food chemical additives, even a small amount can cause severe imbalances inside their tiny little bodies.

As I stated, I am not a parent so I can only go by the books for now, but everything Dr. Sears is presenting seems to make sense. I have done plenty of babysitting to know the difference between the kids who ate boxed mac & cheese in front of the television for dinner, and those who ate “real” foods, like chicken and brown rice and veggies, at the dinner table with their families. Food and eating environment are undoubtedly key to a child’s behavior, learning and health.

Pineapple

After Christmas, I spent five days on the beach with my Nana and 28 other relatives. Not a bad way to start out the new year! And although we all probably had one too many alcoholic beverages, each one came with a fresh, healthy slice of pineapple.

Pineapple contains bromelain, which contains many enzymes that help with digestion (no wonder those piña coladas went down so easily!). Bromelain supplements are even used to treat things like clogged arteries, bursitis, carpal tunnel syndrome, arthritis and parasites. The high levels of vitamin C and antioxidants in pineapple make it a great fruit for anyone, particularly those with joint pain, arthritis, heart disease, diabetes or asthma. And if anyone is feeling a cold coming on, grab a pineapple: it has the vitamins you’ll need to boost immunity and fight off sickness!

High levels of manganese in pineapple (over 100% of your daily value) will help boost your energy, and the B vitamins in the fruit are good for metabolism (remember, you need B vitamins to metabolize!). Pineapple is a very alkaline food, meaning it will help balance out all those acidic foods we just can’t seem to avoid: coffee, sugar, meat, milk, bread…

Eat your pineapple fresh. I scoped out the beach bar on my vacation early in the week to make sure they were slicing the pineapple fresh each morning (they were!). Fruit begins to oxidize as soon as it is cut and exposed to air, so try to slice it as close to eating time as possible. Also, I’d stay away from canned pineapple. Canned fruit is usually resting in sugary syrup, which increases sugar and decreases vitamin and mineral content. Fresh is always best; but if that’s not possible, try to eat either frozen or pineapple that is stored in natural pineapple juice rather than syrup.

So next time you find yourself parked on a white sandy beach soaking up your vitamin D, grab a drink with a side of pineapple. And if that’s not a realistic scenario for you, try to incorporate pineapple into your diet in other ways, such as shrimp and pineapple skewers on the grill; adding pineapple to your smoothies or yogurt, or (my personal favorite) pineapple pizza!

Happy 2010!

...and welcome back to PWN!

I am actually going to kick you out again – and send you over to the ladies at Haute Apple Pie blog. They were kind enough to ask me to guest blog today about nutrition for 2010. We are all trying to start out the year with better health, and I have provided some tips on how to do this. As you know, nutrition is directly related to your health and happiness, so head over to HAP and read about some positive changes you can make in the new year!