One Size Does Not Fit All
by Willie Victor
Many people get their nutritional advice from TV celebrities. In the last month I have been watching Night Line and Dr. Oz. Although I feel that Dr. Oz has some very good explanations, demonstrations and some good nutritional advice, there is a key factor to keep in mind before incorporating suggestions from celebrity doctors:
The information given does not apply to every individual, therefore could be potentially harmful.
Eat Your Broccoli
Recently a client called in a panic because her INR numbers (International Normalized Ratio) were very low. She was on Coumadin, a blood thinning agent. People who are taking this drug have to be careful that they do not over-consume dark green vegetables like broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, kale and spinach. These vegetables contain Vitamin K which has blood clotting factors. They also have other good nutrients and in the case of broccoli have cancer protective properties.
My client told me that a TV doctor had given the advice to eat broccoli salad every day, which she started to do. She was hoping to protect herself from cancer. When she increased the amount of broccoli she was eating, she increased her Vitamin K intake, altering the blood clotting factors in her blood, thus interfering with the Coumadin’s ability to do its job. This could have lead to a stroke.
Although the advice to eat a lot of broccoli seems to be good advice, no food should be eaten every day. Foods need to be rotated to prevent the development of food sensitivities.
For this client, changing her intake of Vitamin K could have been deadly.
Just One More Cup of Coffee
Two clients recently told me that they should start to resume coffee because of its health benefits. One woman called and said that she had heard from a TV doctor that coffee (caffeine) helps to stimulate the blood flow to the brain.
This is true, but because she had fatigue, diabetes, obesity and other health issues, this was not great advice for her.
Caffeine has a direct effect on the adrenal glands causing them to release more adrenaline into the body. Someone with fatigue issues should not be using caffeine to stimulate the adrenals to keep them going.
Coffee “stimulation” comes from the body converting glycogen (stored sugar) in the liver into glucose (usable sugar) causing a temporary increase in energy. But the process also increases cortisol – resulting in an insulin release and an energy crash.
The result would be an up and down effect on the woman’s energy. The energy surge from caffein would only be temporary. Soon she would find herself in a vicious cycle of pushing her body’s energy with false stimulation throughout the day by drinking more caffeine. Insulin, which spikes due to caffeine, is a fat-sparing hormone. Therefore, the insulin surge will cause her body to hold on to fat.
Caffeine increases appetite which is not good for an obese person fighting overindulgence in calories. The conversion of glycogen to glucose raises blood sugar levels which is undesirable for someone with diabetes, and the acid in the coffee can be irritating to her leaky gut.
The increase in blood flow to the brain is outweighed by the negative side effects of the caffeine. Increasing blood flow to the brain is better done with exercise and by supplements that won’t have an effect on the adrenals or blood sugar.
Gluten Free Diets Are Bad For You
Dateline recently interviewed a doctor that warned the public about gluten free diets. He said they were dangerous and would cause harm to those who followed them.
He said that people who go on gluten free diets and restrict grains will become deficient in calcium and Vitamin B. Grains are not the only source of vitamin B or calcium. Both of these are available in vegetables. A gluten free diet does not mean that ALL grains are removed. Wheat, barley, rye, spelt, and faro are off-limits but not buckwheat, millet, quinoa, amaranth, teff or rice.
He stated that people on a gluten free diet will lack fiber in their diet. Lots of fiber can be found in vegetables, fruits, nuts and non- glutinous grains. Someone whose body cannot break down gluten protein will often have constipation or diarrhea. One of the reasons people eat fiber is to help their bowel to move easily, but if the food you are eating causes diarrhea or constipation, it is not a healthy food for you.
The doctor himself had a very large belly and a swollen, red face; an unhealthy appearance that indicates inflammation (sometimes caused by gluten intolerance).
Celebrity doctors should research their facts before they go on national television advising people that gluten-free diets are dangerous, especially when statistics show that 1 in 133 people have Celiac disease and have to avoid gluten.
Statistics show that 90% of the population carry the genetics that predispose them to gluten intolerance and can at some point develop a sensitivity to gluten.
I think that fully understanding the difference between the needs of the individual vs. general nutritional advice, especially in regards to a gluten free diet, should be considered before advice is given from national TV.
written by Willie Victor, owner
Thanks for this, Willie! It would be great if you could provide a link to post this on Facebook, so I can share it with my FB friends easily. Happy Thanksgiving, Jeannette
Done. See above.