Journey Forth #4 : Some Common Myths about Gluten and Celiac Disease

When I was first starting the process that led to my diagnosis of celiac disease, I heard many things that I found out later either were not true... or the fact that they happened to be true in my case was unusual. So I thought I would write a short post on the most common myths (at least the ones that I have heard) and mention the true facts behind them.

1. Celiac disease is a simple gastrointestinal disease – For people who have celiac, they soon learn that the disease is anything but simple and doesn't only effect the digestive system. As discussed in past posts, this disorder affects every part of the body and some doctors believe that this disease is primarily a neurological one with some symptoms being digestive... and not the other way around. Even if that viewpoint isn't entirely true, the evidence of how this auto immune disorder effects and damages all organs and body systems seems pretty conclusive.

2. Celiac disease is a children's disease – While children are more likely to be diagnosed and diagnosed early, adults have the disorder as well in pretty high numbers. Estimates on undiagnosed adult celiacs range from 1 in 20 to potentially 1 in 6 for simply gluten intolerance. The symptoms tend to be more noticeable and obvious in children and adults tend to have less obvious or more ignorable symptoms... as well as the unfortunate fact that they are also more likely to be wrongly diagnosed. It is estimated that only 5% of celiacs have been diagnosed which makes up about one percent of the American population. Also, this disorder cannot be 'outgrown' and once truly diagnosed... you will have the disease for your entire life. In essence, there is no cure.

3. Celiac disease is the same as a wheat allergy – this really isn't true. While some people with celiac disease also have a wheat allergy (I might be one of those), most do not. Celiac disease is an auto immune disorder and as such the body responds differently than it does to an allergy. While both are dangerous and not problems to take lightly, they are not the same. Those with a wheat allergy can still eat barley and rye, while those with the celiac disease cannot.

4. Eating Gluten makes you fat – This isn't a true statement at all. Many people have started eating gluten free as a diet choice- some celebrities have made it more popular and 'trendy'. When it comes to gaining weight the answer is usually very straight forward... it you take in more calories than you burn, you will gain weight. While there are exceptions, the vast majority of people who start a gluten free diet will actually gain weight for a few reasons. One is that the person's lifestyle hasn't changed at all. Their eating habits, social customs and physical activity levels are what really cause an individual to develop weight gain. Another reason is that gluten free foods are thought by some to have fewer calories in them then their regular counterparts- with few exceptions, that is an erroneous assumption. Gluten free foods tend to have more fat and sugar to balance the lack of gluten protein. In order to make texture, color, and taste more 'normal', these are the ingredients that tend to be tweaked... and are also the main things that cause weight gain. Also, the average person's diet is heavy on grains with fewer legumes, fresh fruits, vegetables, and other foods that are naturally gluten free. Processed food is another factor in weight gain and so simply changing an unhealthy way of eating for an unhealthy diet without gluten doesn't really change much. Last, exercise is important for anyone and most people will gain weight if they tend to be sedentary creatures (anyone seen a thin sloth? :D Just kidding) All in all, most people do not lose weight on the gluten free diet and most individuals will put on some pounds when beginning the diet.

5. People who suffer from Celiac disease are skinny - Hmm, mostly not true. Yes there are a small percentage of people who are too slender due to the symptoms of eating gluten and the damage that it causes to the patient. However, around 40% of people who are diagnosed with celiac are overweight at initial diagnosis. Less than five percent of patients are underweight. So, not only is a person's weight not necessarily a good indicator for diagnosis, it may actually help convince people that they do not have celiac disease simply because of their extra weight... not a credible diagnostic tool.

So... do you have any thoughts on these myths? Know of one that I missed? What are your thoughts?

Journey Forth #1 : What is Celiac Disease and its Common Symptoms

So, what is celiac disease... also known as celiac sprue, non-tropical sprue and gluten sensitive enteropathy? The easiest definition is that it is an genetic autoimmune disorder which is caused by the body's hyper response to gluten in its system. When gluten is ingested and the patient is exposed, the proteins cause the immune system to produce antibodies (transglutaminase or tTG) that cause damage to the intestinal system- mostly to the small intestinal villi. At a minimum, the small intestines are damaged and they can no longer fully aid in digestion and nutrient absorption. So no matter how much the individual eats, they will be unable to get the nutrients needed from their food... or even supplements, causing many of the symptoms that characterize the disorder. And in severe cases, the intestines develop small holes which can cause leakage into the other areas of the body. It affects on average 1 in 100 people around the world and it is estimated that in America alone, over two million people are currently undiagnosed leaving themselves open to serious long term health consequences. Some doctors suggest that celiac disease is primarily a nearological disease and that the intestinal damage itself is a symptom... and not just a 'cause'.

The list of common symptoms is actually quite long... this post would probably be a page longer if I described all the symptoms that have been attributed to celiac sprue. No patient will have all of these symptoms (at least I hope not!) and many will only have a few of them. However, no matter how you look at it, these symptoms cover more than just the digestive system which explains why this disorder affects the individual in almost all aspects of their life.

Abdominal pain and cramps
ADHD - like behavior
Anxiety, depression and 'foggy mind'
Bloating and gas
Bone and joint pain
Canker sores
Chronic fatigue, sometimes 'knock out' sleep
Constipation or diarrhea
Emotional challenges including anger and irritability
Headaches and migraines
Missed menstrual periods, infertility and miscarriages
Nausea / vomiting
Restless leg syndrome
Rheumatoid arthritis
Tingling in the extremities

In some ways, I am very typical. I have struggled with canker sores since my childhood and have thrown up at least once a day since the age of sixteen until a few months after diagnosis and the subsequent dietary changes. One thing about the vomiting is that the abdominal pain would lessen or disappear after throwing up... a blessing in the yuck. :) I can sometimes struggle with depression, but most of the time my major emotional changes focus around anxiety and irritability. I have been told several times I am infertile (Bug is the best miracle I have ever received!) and I have never had a regular cycle until about a year after dietary changes. I have struggled with headaches, random abdominal pain and sometimes I wake up because my legs are shifting and 'twitching' while I'm resting. I also tend to feel tired all the time and sleep is something that I am not very successful with as often as I would like.

There is only one treatment for celiac disorder that is effective and allows the individual to lead a relatively healthy, normal life. The patient must adhere to a strict diet that is free from gluten and its proteins. Even the smallest amount of gluten, such as crumbs from wheat toast or a smidgeon of regular soy sauce can cause the unwanted immune response. Also, those individuals who are most sensitive can get an exposure not just from eating gluten, but from breathing it in or getting gluten into sores and other openings in the skin. And while it takes only a short amount of time for the damage to start, it takes weeks and even months for the healing to be effective enough for digestion to get back to a decent absorption rate. And for some, they may never recover fully due to the extensive damage done to the intestinal walls and villi. Depending on how long it took the patient to be diagnosed and to change their diet and lifestyle, there could be only small amounts of damage... or years worth of serious impairment and harm. In my case, when I was diagnosed with the disorder with the usual endoscopy and the unusual over forty biopsies, I was over thirty years old and the damage was pretty bad. My physician said that my stomach and the first several feet of small intestine looked like shattered and splintered glass. The pictures I've seen are quite horrifying and when I look at them and try to imagine what I see 'inside' me it's challenging. It's not difficult to understand why I tend to feel so much pain though. :)

There is a big difference between celiac disease and gluten sensitivity although it is not as easily seen. The big difference is that people with gluten sensitivity have the majority of the symptoms, but they do not have the intestinal damage as part of the package- the autoimmune part isn't their burden. Don't get me wrong- their bodies sensitivity to gluten is still uncomfortable and probably many other descriptive words. But the immune system doesn’t try to tear apart the body and that my friends, it a wonderful thing! How a person is diagnosed is quite simple. If you have the problems with gluten, but have no antibodies in your blood and a clean endoscopy.... then you are simply gluten sensitive. (Living it isn’t quite that simple, but I digress.)

So here is the first part of the journey! Next up I'll write about the a few of the less common problems – such as skin trouble as well as appropriate food and items to avoid. Thoughts...?

Balanced Living in the New Year

So its a new year! As is traditional with many people at this time of year, I have made a few resolutions. One of them is to do my very best to improve my health and try to get my immune system to be less explosive and destructive towards my physique – I don't mind it attacking and slaughtering cold germs. :) I will admit that this goal will be a little challenging because there is much I can't really change. Celiac disease has really demolished a great deal of my body organizations. So much of my digestive processes are unable to work well anymore and as my immune system has caused so much periphery injury to other organs as well. Those are things that I can't change, but I can hope to try and make it possible for my body to attempt to heal faster... to try and help my immune system to be less reactive and over responsive... to take more time and give more focus towards the physical frame that keeps me able to live in this complicated world and my confusing and necessary probation toward eternity. Add to all of that the stumbling of my heart and the struggles it faces to hold its rhythm steady and constant... to not race and fall into the trap of super ventricular tachycardia and the palpitations it causes.

However, there are a few things that I can try and my doctor is agreeable. One thing that I can do is to focus more on pure food and to really spend more time paying attention to what I do eat. I tend to look at all food with a skeptical eye... I watch for gluten in not only food, but everything else in my life- laundry detergent, hair care products, cat litter, hand lotion... I could go on forever, because it seems like gluten is in everything. I have spent so much time with a fierce focus on whether something has gluten in it and whether I can eat it that I have tended in the last few years to not really ask the next important question; “Should I eat it?” And as my finances have become a little shakier, cheaper food that might not be as healthy has been much more attractive. But over the last few months, I have found some ways to get fresh vegetables that are cheaper than most and as I have been sick and busy, I haven't felt like eating which has also helped keep less healthy food out. But I am going back to a process I was required to do by my physician earlier last year and I have been documenting everything I eat from the portion of fish to the tiniest measurement of vinegar. I can then break it down into calories, daily requirements and vitamins and make sure that I am getting most of the necessary elements that I need and can hopefully over time need fewer supplements and maybe my body can start to heal a little faster. It would be nice to only take two of three medications daily by the end of the year instead of almost ten tablets daily. :) (If you would like to have a basic checklist for your daily physical intakes in both elements and major needs such as fat and protein, you can go here and see the one that I am using. Its been quite useful to me!)

Along with more awareness and a renewed concentration on my diet and food, I also want to try to create more balance in my life... maybe become more mindful on my thoughts, activities and take more time to visualize he future and what I would like to accomplish. I think I have allowed myself to fall into a little bit of a rut in both attitude and behavior... letting life buffet me along in its wake and not struggling constantly to stay focused on the most important things: service, friends, family, the gospel. Meeting basic needs and trying to come to terms with my ex's choices as well as school, work and all else has kept me more centered on temporal things and not necessarily things that are the most important over time. I would like to work over the next few months to bring my mind back to a more settled state and to bring my energy back to my priorities... what is really important and what really matters to me. Funnily enough, I think this part of the goal will be the most challenging. Balance and mindfulness has never been a strong suit in my case. But I want to try!

What kind of resolutions have you decided to attempt this year... and what safeguards have you set up to keep you focused on continuing your goal? Please share!

The Basic 'Daily Recommended Intake' Stats :)

So, as part of my new health and 'rebuild' me regime set up by my doctor a few weeks ago, I have been doing some more research on a few things. Instead of just focusing on the boring (and semi selfish) idea of how much my intake is... then subtract the percentage that was most likely not digested spending on what kind of food it was in... then determining how much more to eat, etc... I have also been trying to sort of learn in my head what foods do have what in them and then multiplying numbers of how many to eat and how to mix them up so I can actually eat a little less. Part of that is to keep the vomiting down and another is to make his whole exercise more of an idea and not so much of what it felt like which was a horrible chore (and one that in some moments, just didn't really feel worthwhile completing) So I have been completing silly games and for your enjoyment... or perhaps your boredom... here are some of the very basic numbers for everyone in their daily recommended intake.

Daily Recommended Intake

Fat 65 grams
Sat Fat 20 grams
Cholesterol 300 mg
Sodium 2400 mg
Potassium 3500 mg
Carbohydrates 300mg
Fiber 25 grams
Protein 50 grams
Vt A 900 ug
Vit B-6 2 mg
Vit B-12 6 ug
Vit C 90 mg
Vitamin D 400 iu
Vit E 30 ug
Vitamin K 80 ug
Biotin 300 ug
Chloride 3400 mg
Calcium 1300 mg
Chromium 120 ug
Copper 2 mg
Folate 400 ug
Iodine 150 mg
Iron 18 mg
Magnesium 400 mg
Manganese 400 mg
Molybdenum 75 ug
Niacin 20 mg
Panthothenic Acid 10 mg
Phosphorus 1000 mg
Riboflavin 1.7 mg
Selenium 70 ug
Thiamin 1.5 mg
Zinc 15 mg

Please feel free to suggest changes or additions to this list if you have information that I do not have and any ideas on if this is helpful to you. It seemed like a nice idea this evening. :)

My Nutritional Analysis: Improvements and Needs

For three days, I tried to write down everything that I consumed... from water to cereal to the stray piece of candy that I 'borrowed' from my son's Easter Basket. :) After combining the data I came up with the figures at the bottom of the post.

I will say that I found a few things about the figures a little shocking. One of which was I hadn't really realized how many meals that I have been skipping or just not eating until I was forced to look at what I was writing down. And I guess that the stress and sorrow in my life has really started to overwhelm me because I truly believe that these totals are right. I looked over the days and realized that I had been tallying things correctly and I really had eaten less than 1000 calories a day for those days. I am disappointed to say that I do not currently think that these particular days are at all abnormal for my eating habits right now. I am glad that when I am eating, I am eating good things so I am getting a bit of the stuff that my body needs, but I am clearly not getting enough. And in times of stress I should clearly be eating more... not less. (I will admit that I thought about cheating and trying to find some cans so that I could add their totals on to the correct ones and not look so bad, but I really felt like that was cheating and if I didn't want to look pathetic, I should shake out of my funk and start eating right to begin with.)

For Day One, I should have had at least 1000 more calories. I didn't have enough carbs or protein and only reached about 50% of the daily guidelines. However, that isn't too bad considering that I only ate about 50% of the calories I should have eaten. Fats were a little high (I had some salmon pate on crackers and so that brought those numbers up to the higher levels, but that is unusual enough that I am not too worried about my fat intake. For brevity’s sake, almost all of my vitamin intakes were either too low or just non existent... in fact, I either didn't consume any of the needed vitamins or minerals or I consumed less than 50% of them with one exception: sodium. In that particular mineral I was in the high range and over the daily recommended requirements of less than 2400 mg.

For Day Two, just for variety I ate even fewer calories at 710- unfortunately I must confess that all three of these recorded days were in a row and may explain why I feel tired and fairly shaky constantly. I don't tend to feel hungry however. I consumed less than fifty percent of what was recommended in calories, carbohydrates, protein and most vitamins and minerals- the two exceptions are folate and iron which I did hit 100% percent on (a bonus?). Many nutrients I didn't consume enough of to have a percentage to write down.

For Day Three, I ate a few more calories and I did eat a lot of the necessary nutrients in the one meal I consumed- 3 cups of spinach and feta salad. I still didn't eat enough calories, carbohydrates or proteins. For calories, I consumed a whopping 763! :) I was still low on several vitamins, but at least the numbers were low... and not non-existent! I only hit the appropriate RDA for folate and vitamin B12, but three vitamins I was pretty much off the charts on in the upper ranges: vitamin K with 291 micrograms, riboflavin, and to really overdose myself... over 6000 micrograms of vitamin A. Luckily, I have been so low on vitamin A that my body hopefully stored some of this for future expenditures and needs.

On these days, I got at least ½ hour of cardiovascular exercise: once was carrying food boxes quickly up and down the stairs. The other two were walking quickly to get to work. On these days I was also quite active in physical movement- I spent the mornings volunteering and the afternoons and evenings playing with my son. Then I tried to squeeze in some homework before I collapsed into bed. Hydration was adequate at between 6-7 glasses a day of water and several ounces of juice. So a few things have changed over this semester. I have been able to increase my exercise and to become more consistent with it. I have been watching what I eat a little more than I have in the past and have tried to afford a few 'fresh' things-hence the spinach salad. I have worked at trying to have more variety in my food and I have been fairly successful with that. So, while the vast majority of food that I eat is still based on beans and rice, I have been able to supplement by adding more vegetables, fruits and condiments such as salsa, sour cream and coconut milk. I think that has been very beneficial in the sense that I think I am getting more of the minerals and vitamins that I need. I think that I have learned to be more mindful of what I eat and how I eat it, even in my limited circumstances. I feel like I have had the opportunity over the last few weeks to understand how my body works and what it needs and I think that understanding has helped me to develop a better mindset about taking care of myself. It is obvious from my analysis however, that I need to do more than change my mindset however... I need to make more physical changes to use the information and resolve that I have developed over time. Habits are not something that can easily be broken with mental effort alone. You must use your mental energy to focus on working toward physical changes... and only after the physical changes have lasted more than a month can you truly be sure that you have changed your habits. Even then, you must work to keep the change as it is so much easier to fall back into bad habits then it is sometimes to keep the good habits that you have formed.

A few other habits that I am working on changing is the 'supplement are always good for you' brain-set I had when I started this class. Understanding that careful consumption will get me what my body needs and actually taking the time to really pay attention to my food I think has already started that change. It wasn't really a surprise to me that the one day that I consumed the most nutrients/vitamins/minerals, etc... was the day that I consumed fresh food and not canned. It was also the day that I added a small amount of dairy and seeds to my food. I made an appointment to speak with my doctor about whether I 'need' to take as many supplements as I am if my body is now more 'healed' and able to absorb the nutrients that I eat more fully. It was a great conversation that took over half an hour and we decided that I should stay on two of them (I probably will be on one of them for life), but we could see about removing the others after a medical procedure to see how well I have 'healed' my digestive track. I have been working on increasing fluid intake and I have for the most part seen an improvement in that as well. I think the most important thing that I have learned this semester is that eating well and taking care of yourself is truly a journey that must be taken. Consumption is almost always easy, bu whether the consumption is worthwhile takes thought, introspection and knowledge. Thank you so much for the opportunities that I have been given his semester to become more mindful, introspective, and to use the knowledge that I have gained to work towards making myself a healthier person. :)


Day 1 -
Calories: 890
total carbs: 136.5 g
dietary fiber: 21 g
sugars: 26.5 g
saturated fat: 15.5 g
poly unsaturated fat: 3 g
monounsaturated fat: 0.5 g
cholesterol: 60 mg
protein: 27.5 g
vitamin A: 380 micrograms
Vitamin B12: 1.5 micrograms
Vitamin C: 9.6 mg
Calcium: 580 mg
Iron: 7.56 mg
Potassium: 1055 mg
Sodium: 2850 mg

Day 2 -
Calories: 710
total carbs: 100 mg
dietary fiber: 7.5 g
sugars: 23 g
saturated fat: 8 g
poly unsaturated fat: 4 g
monounsaturated fat: 2 g
cholesterol: 35 mg
protein: 13.5 g
vitamin A: 710 micrograms
Vitamin B6: 1 mg
Riboflavin: 0.83 mg
Niacin: 10 mg
Thiamin: 0.75 mg
Folate: 400 mg
Vitamin B12: 6 micrograms
Vitamin C: 96 mg
Vitamin D: 180 mg
Calcium: 710 mg
Iron: 18.72 mg
Magnesium: 16 mg
Phosphorus: 60 mg
Potassium: 680 mg
Sodium: 1490 mg
Zinc: 7.5 mg

Day 3 -
Calories: 763.7
total carbs: 23.7 grams
dietary fiber: 2.83 grams
sugars: 4.1 grams
saturated fat: 10.5 grams
poly unsaturated fat: 6.93 grams
monounsaturated fat: 8.32 grams
cholesterol: 610.25 mg
omega 3: 298.4
omega 6: 6372.85
protein: 26.82 grams
vitamin A: 6001.25 iu
Riboflavin: 0.41 mg
Niacin: 1.37 mg
Thiamin: 0.1 mg
Folate: 434.2 micrograms
Vitamin B6: 0.55 mg
Vitamin B12: 0.75 mg
Vitamin C: 16.8 mg
Vitamin E: 7.6 iu
Vitamin K: 291.5 micrograms
Calcium: 323.85 mg
Iron: 6 mg
Magnesium: 303 mg
Phosphorus: 389.9 mg
Potassium: 595.7 mg
Sodium: 1200.2 mg
Zinc: 3.6 mg
Choline: 330 mg
Betane: 330.8
Selenium: 56.9 mcg
Panthothic Acid: 3.17 mg
Manganese: 0.9 mg

Vitamins- Differences, Needs and Supplements

Here are a few ideas and answers on some of the most well known vitamins.....

As consumers, we need to be careful about over consumption of fat soluble vitamins. Fat soluble vitamins are not as easily excreted in the urine or removed from the body as easily as water soluble vitamins. Almost anything we drink can be broken down into H2O… and many foods have water as a by-product from the digestive process. Fat, or lipids, is a very different story. Most individuals tend to try and limit their fat intake in our diet and so if we get fat soluble vitamins through food consumption, but we do not eat enough fat to ‘process’ or consume them then we could not only have the problems of poor absorption – which can cause symptoms of deficiency- but also problems with toxicity as well. Some can be stored in the body in small amounts (mostly in the liver and other fatty tissues.) These vitamins are able to be stored for longer periods of time increasing the chance of toxicity when these vitamins are consumed in excessive amounts. Water soluble vitamins leave the body more quickly and are very little are stored for future use.

A carotenoid is a pigment and the pigment materials that are found in fruits and vegetables- usually the colors range from yellow to orange to red (they can only be found in plant products and some fungus and bacteria- not in animal products with the exception of egg yolks and butter). I think one of the easiest ways to tell if a fruit or vegetable has plenty of carotenoids is to simply look at its color…. Although some green vegetables are high in carotenoids as well. Some examples of high carotenoid foods are asparagus, broccoli, carrots, lettuce, spinach, squash, sweet potatoes, apples, oranges, bananas, peaches, tomatoes and corn.

Vitamin D functions primarily as a hormone- not simply as a vitamin. As a hormone, vitamin D is used to regulate calcium in the blood and the cells of the body as well as bone metabolism. It helps to regulate the absorption of consumed calcium and phosphorus from the intestines and how much calcium is deposited into the bones. My first answer to the question of who needs vitamin D is everyone! My physician told me that anyone she tests tends to be low and needs to take a supplement (we do live in Maine however, which can be a risk factor due to location.) A few risk factors that help a human being to be low in this vitamin/hormone are: skin color (dark skin can block sun exposure), season (northern climates in winter get less direct sun exposure and fewer hours of it), time of day (less direct sun exposure) and age (the ability to get/process vitamin D through the skin becomes more difficult with age.) If you wear sunscreen over 8 SPF than you are also at risk and individuals who spent little time in the sun are very much at risk as most of the vitamin D that our body uses is absorbed through the skin and not from diet.

Vitamin E has a few benefits that are fairly important. As an antioxidant, vitamin E helps form barriers between target molecules and other compounds wishing to ‘steal’ the electrons of the target molecule. The antioxidant will stand between the two compounds and willingly give up some of its electrons or hydrogens to the compound attempting to commit theft and protect the target molecule. Free radicals is the name for some of these compounds that steal electrons. Free radicals have ‘free reign’ when the body doesn’t have enough resources like vitamin E to protect cells. When a free radical steals electrons from other cells, the cell’s DNA is altered and the cell is unable to work the way that it is intended to do so. The cell could be injured or it could simply die. While exposure to free radicals is an essential part of life, exposure to huge amounts is not and doesn’t tend to be healthy.

Individuals who are more likely to have higher physical activity than the general population need a few higher amounts of some vitamins. One of them is vitamin B-6 as this vitamin is needed to process glycogen and protein for full metabolism… and people who engage in more physical activity are more likely to need more protein for energy. Thiamin is also needed in higher quantities for people with higher physical expediency because it helps to break carbohydrates down into energy and also certain amino acids. Folate is especially important for pregnant woman as their body needs the folate, but not enough folate can cause birth defects such as neural tube deficits (and for just general knowledge to women in this class who do not know… when you get your blood work done for your pregnancy and you are told that it is off and you might have a neural tube problem with your fetus…. Take a deep breath and smile- more than 90% of these results are wrong and having a due date that is one or two days off can give you a false positive… as well as a few other things. Yes make sure you are getting what you need especially if you are trying to get pregnant, but don’t stress for days over your blood test until it is confirmed by ultrasound. There is no reason to suffer that way. : )

There are a few reasons that individuals need to take supplements or multi-vitamin pills... but for the most part, the average person gets everything that they need from their diet. That of course depends on whether they are eating a good diet. In the end, I think that one thing I have learned is that the phrase ‘everything in moderation’ is really true. You can have too much of a good thing… and a virtue can become a vice if focused on too intensely. Vitamins and minerals appear to be the same way. One line that really stuck out to me during my readings was that dietary supplements might be necessary if you "don't eat well or consume less than 1,600 calories a day". Supplements can help with not eating well by adding missing nutrients, but I don’t think that supplements can give us good amounts of some things like fiber nor can supplements usually taste good. I would rather enjoy broccoli with a little bit of Ranch than whole foods in a pill. I think that would be so much more enjoyable. : )

What do you think? How do you eat?

Alcohol, it's Digestion, and 'Potentials'

I will admit that alcohol is something I do not really understand or have much experience with. So except for classes, I don't really have any personal experience. Last semester, I found myself quite shocked to see the high statistics on college drinking and I think that studying these subjects really help me to see that I am not actually missing anything. :)

Alcohol is an easily metabolized 'food' which can go straight from the digestive system to the bloodstream. Most of the metabolism of alcohol takes place in the liver-- unlike most consumed foods which are broken down in the digestive track. The liver produces an enzyme called alcohol dehydrogenase which helps the body to absorb and metabolize the alcohol to get it 'out of the system' so to speak. When the liver is trying to metabolize the alcohol, it uses the enzyme mentioned above to turn the alcohol into acetaldehyde... and then eventually into carbon dioxide and water.

While alcohol is able to easily enter the bloodstream, there are many factors that affect the body's ability to break it down quickly and deal with the onslaught of too much alcohol. In an average, healthy person with normal liver function, the body/liver is able to break down 5-7 grams of alcohol per hour – to put that figure into perspective, that is approximately half of one beer. So if you drink faster than your liver can metabolize the drink, then you will become 'drunk' as the alcohol affects your brain function. Gender and race can also affect how the body is able to deal with alcohol- for instance, Asians and Native Americans have much less ability to metabolize alcohol in comparison to Caucasians. Women also have less ability to digest alcohol due to less 'body water' and low activity of the enzyme to digest it... and the woman's stomach is not able to digest as much of it as the average man's. Because of these differences, women are more likely to suffer from alcohol related complaints... such as cirrhosis, ulcers, etc.... Both genders will suffer complications due to frequent over-consumption however, which can include muscle damage, decreased memory and brain damage, reduced immune and nerve function and increased blood pressure... and only temporary relief from anxiety, grief, peace and other emotion/mental health concerns.

There are also two nutrient deficiencies that are common in individuals who overuse alcohol. A general depletion of the 'B' vitamins such as foliate (helps produce and maintain new cells), vitamin B12 (helps maintain healthy nerves and red blood cells), niacin, thiamin, and vitamin B-6. The drinker is also at risk for being short of the fat soluble vitamins as well... such as vitamin A, D, E, and K. As alcohol is able to have a negative effect on virtually every organ system in the body, the potential negatives of alcohol use far outweigh the few potential positives.

So, for individuals who do still wish to have the occasional drink, what exactly is the definition of 'one drink'? That appears to depend on what the contents of the 'drink are... as each type of alcoholic beverage can vary in how much alcohol it contains. A general rule of thumb is is to consume 15 grams of alcohol you must consume:

5 oz wine
1 ½ oz hard liquor
12 oz beer or wine cooler

It is considered moderate usage for a man to drink no more than 2 drinks a day and a women should not consume more than one. It should also be remembered that for some individuals, even a moderate amount is too much- such as pregnant females, children, specific medical conditions, etc... And while there is scientific evidence that there are some health benefits to moderate drinking, it is fully recognized that the potential negative effects of drinking are so much more potent... and so it is recommended that those who do not drink should not start for their health! And for those individuals that do drink, they should do so very moderately... or even a little less!

So maybe I am not missing out on too much... :)

Brief Thoughts on Protein and Amino Acids

There are 22 amino acids that are available for human consumption and nutritional needs (that are known). Eight specific amino acids are essential- that is the body cannot produce them itself from other materials . As these cannot be synthesized, we must for optimum heath consume these amino acids in food. (These essential acids are called: histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, serine, threonine, tryptophan, and valine.) The non-essential amino acids are still needed and are very necessary in the diet- the name is a little bit of a 'fib' in my opinion. The different between 'non essential' and 'essential' amino acids is simple- the body finds them all essential and needs them for optimal health, but the non-essential amino acids can be made by the body if it gets enough raw ingredients from food. Over the last few years there has been a new category tentatively added called 'conditionally essential'- amino acids that can be synthesized and are not normally required to be eaten, but must be supplied for certain populations whose bodies so not synthesize enough for the body's needs; conditionally essential amino acids are arginine, cysteine, glycine, glutamine, histidine, proline, serine, and tyrosine. All of these amino acids can be found in protein... which is why we need to have some protein in our diets. Protein also is the only food that provides nitrogen which we need as well.

When you don't consume enough of the essential amino acids over an adequate period of time and/or do not consume enough of the rough materials to make the 'non-essential' ones... then illness can result. Some very common symptoms of these deficiencies can include fatigue, allergies, loss of memory, and even heart disease. Some diseases, such as phenylketonuria, require the sufferer to avoid one particular amino acid which makes other amino acids more essential for consumption (As it removes some of the extra building blocks that the body would use to synthesize the necessary amino acid.) And, like any good thing, too much of certain amino acids can cause toxicity and illness: methionine, cysteine, and histadine. Also, imbalances can be caused when too much of certain amino acids are consumed and then complete for the same transporters as other amino acids. This can help make too much of one amino acid available... while not allowing enough of one particular one to be available. It seems that the best way to make sure that you are getting the amino acids are to eat whole proteins in vegetables, beans, meat and fish- other products such as protein shakes may not provide the amino acids needed even if they do provide adequate protein.

There are several vegetables that are high in protein and as I do not really like meat, I think I should fill my diet with more of them. I do eat a lot of beans and legumes and it appears that some of my favorite vegetables are protein rich as well. I also use hemp seed protein in drinks which has omegas and other stuff in it. I think that a great way to have a lot of protein is to eat a lot of green leafy vegetables and beets and add some meat every few days- preferably fish. (At least that is my preference!) And if the vegetables are raw or steamed they would have less fat as well.

So, do you get enough amino acids? And if you are getting enough protein... are you getting too much fat? Are you getting enough variety? Let's discuss! :)

Carbohydrates and Fiber - My Personal Analysis :)

So I took the time this week to look at a few things about nutrition. I looked at my fiber content and how much sugar I consumed on my 'recorded' day- as well as total carbs which of which both fiber and sugar qualify. I also took the time to look at why fiber is important in the diet, why we really need carbohydrates in our diets, and why some people are intolerant of milk products.

So when I did 'rate your plate' two weeks ago, I found that I had eaten 233 total grams of carbs. (I also mentioned in a earlier post that I had been low on many important vitamins.) I easily made the RDA of 130 grams of carb intake. (almost doubled it in fact). When I did the math, I found that 52% of my calorie intake was from carbs which was a little less than the 60%- which is the 'goal'. A few ways to improve my intake would be to add more fruit to my diet as well as bread products. I will admit that the bread products are hard because of my allergy to wheat. There are ready made bread products out there for the wheat challenged, but at the risk of sounding like I am complaining- they are expensive! So I try to make the stuff myself as it is a lot cheaper and so maybe I need to find a way to make more... or think of something else...? :)

My fiber consumption I think was pretty good for an American at 29.5 grams... but I still barely made the minimum of 25 grams. Adding more fruit would help with that along with beans. Luckily both are foods that I like and so I just need to really examine and think about how I can change my thought processes and the 'habits' of eating... which I have been working on the last few weeks. I have managed to add more fruit to my diet and I should look at adding more beans. I also want to take the opportunity to do the calculations again after recording a day later this month and see how much better I am doing... or worse ;)

My total sugar intake was 49 grams. That is pretty good, especially since most of that sugar was in fruit that I ate and I can't imagine that I should quit fruit to lower my sugar consumption. I allow myself a few cookies a few days a week and I could look at cutting those out, but I think if I do not feel treated every few days... then I will just crave and crave. Maybe I can look at a couple of cookies and add milk instead of a few cookies with no milk...? Am I making excuses?

Carbohydrates are the body’s main form of energy. As I haven't eaten breakfast yet, I am feeling a little weak and slow, but eating should get me going again. Everything that we do requires energy- breathing, twitching, thinking- even eating requires the expenditure of calories in the work for more calories. Some cells prefer energy from carbohydrates, such as the brain, nervous system, muscles, and red blood cells.... so these areas are directly affected by a low carb diet. If you do not eat enough carbohydrates, the liver is forced to break down protein into energy, a process that over time can affect all of your bodily systems. Carbohydrates are readily acting and fast available fuel for cells- they do not require oxygen to break them down and in most cases are already available as soon as they enter the small intestine.

Fiber is so important for our diets for many reasons! One of the best reasons to eat fiber is so that you do not get constipation. Fiber helps the digestive system keep everything moving and makes it harder for the system to get clogged up. Clogging the system over time cane cause all sorts of complications from cancer to colonic impaction to hemorrhoids from straining to push. Of course, fiber removed the benefit of keeping reading literature in your bathroom as you will not have long to read! :D Some forms of fiber are thought to lower the 'bad' cholesterol in your blood as well as inflammation of the blood vessels- a doctor told me once that he dreams sometimes of little bits of oatmeal acting like scrapers on your blood vessel walls removing plaque- but I have no idea if that is true or his thoughts only... although oatmeal in the store has the heart friendly label on it. Foods that are high in fiber can also help with weight loss and you can feel full without eating as many calories... and fiber pretty much goes 'right through you'. Fiber can help lower blood pressure as well as makes it harder for the body to have 'spiky' blood sugar- sugar is processed more slowly as so would form a mound in measurement, not a peak... does that make any sense. Mounds will help you to eat better because you will not have huge dramatic spikes in your blood sugar which will make you hungry- I guess this is another way of saying that fiber helps with metabolism. Fiber will also act as a scrub brush and try to keep moving impurities and toxins out of the body before they sit and then enter the system. You can thank fiber for helping your child eventually remove the ring or the coin that they swallowed.

Some people are unable to tolerate high milk intake because they are lactose intolerant. Lactose is the sugar found in milk and without the enzyme 'lactase' to break down the sugar, the lactose causing pain, gas and abdominal upset- to say the least. Your risk of lactose intolerance varies depending on your race-and therefore your genes. When looking at large groups Asians, South Americans and Africans are most likely to have this difficulty- the book mentions all of these groups as well. I believe that those of Mediterranean descent are likely to have this problem as well- I heard that in my paramedic classes, but I didn't look to see if my brain was foggy or not before I put that here! Many milk products such as yogurt do not have a lot of lactose and so they can be tolerated by many and used to help provide the calcium needed.

I am really having a pretty fun time studying about how nutrition works... and I hope that some of this information is useful to other readers. Is any of this new to you? How would you rate the way you eat... based on some of the information above? Do you get enough fiber...? Too much sugar...? Please share!