Effective Self Care info – Page 38 – Effective care and self care information

January 31, 2018

Alkalizing foods refer to the alkalinity after digestion

Fennel seed is a more alkalizing food than many. In general green vegetables and seeds are alkalizing after digestion while animal and dairy products are more acid forming. The pH of the undigested food is not what is being measured. It is a measurement of the ash/chemicals that are produced during digestion that are measured. Lime and lemon juice are acidic but their affect in digestion turns alkalizing.

Lists of alkalizing foods and foods that have more of an acidic effect after digestion: http://www.alkalizingforlife.com/page/page/5128908.htm

A more acidic system may be associated with an increased risk for cancer as cancer cells prefer a more acid environment. During health our bodies are naturally slightly more alkaline than acidic.

Fennel seed is available as a powdered spice. And pomegranate extract of some sort is also available in a capsule form. A capsule would be a small amount compared to a half cup serving of a liquid product but the capsule is dehydrated so it is more concentrated than a liquid juice product.

Disclaimer: Opinions are my own and the information is provided for educational purposes within the guidelines of fair use. While I am a Registered Dietitian this information is not intended to provide individual health guidance. Please see a health professional for individual health care purposes.

January 20, 2018

Foods that are good sources of phospholipids or other phospho-nutrients

This is not a list of all foods but a list of some good sources mentioned recently and a few additions.

Artemisia turanica (wormwood) an herb I take as a supplement I had forgotten that my new bottle uses the botanical name.
Amaranth Seed – a grain that can be cooked as a breakfast porridge like dish or is available as a flour. It is gluten free.
Asparagus stems
Avocado, the fruit, or the inner kernel which can be dried and ground into a powder to use in baking perhaps, I haven’t seen the recipe and having tried to cut one it doesn’t seem like an easy task for the average home kitchen equipment.
Beans, common green beans, Adzuki beans, Lentils, Lima Beans, Mung Beans, Green Peas, Split Peas – probably all the bean family.
Cardamom – a seed pod available whole or powdered and is generally used as a powdered spice in baked goods or in savory dishes in India style curries.
Carrots
Cashew nuts, Peanuts, Walnuts, – probably all the nuts, seeds, beans, peas and legumes.
Celery stems and leaves
Coconut
Cumin seed – generally available as a powdered spice and used in bean dishes in Mexican or Indian cooking.
Gingko Leaf, available as an herbal supplement called Gingko biloba
Grapefruit juice and orange juice.
Hemp Seed, Fennel Seed, Flax seed, Squash Seed, Pine Seeds, Pumpkin Seed kernel.
Butternut squash and pumpkin.
Jerusalem Artichoke (this is a root, not an artichoke, but artichokes are probably a source to as a green leafy type vegetable)
Lettuce Leaf, Spinach leaves, Mustard leaves, – many leafy green vegetables.
Oats, – most grains like the bean, nut, seed group contain some as phospho-nutrients are part of membranes.
Okra seeds (eaten as a green vegetable with the seeds left in the vegetable)
Onion root, Garlic, Leek leaves
Parsnip root,
Pomegranate seeds
Rice, white or brown, the bran contains more though.
Sesame Seeds (also available as tahini, a sesame paste that is oilier than peanut butter but can be used similarly if used in less quantity)..
Sorghum, a grain available whole or as a flour
Sweet Potato or Yams
Buckwheat, a grain that is not wheat and is gluten free, available as a grain or flour
Wheat – a grain typically used a flour but also available in whole wheatberries or cracked wheat or more refined breakfast cereal versions.

Source: Table 4.15 and Table 8.2 Chemistry of Plant Phosphorus Compounds, by Arlen Frank, (1)

Arlen Frank, Chemistry of Plant Phosphorus Compounds, Elsevier, Jun 3, 2013, https://books.google.com/books/about/Chemistry_of_Plant_Phosphorus_Compounds.html?id=6btpFSV1T2YC (1)

January 18, 2018

Calcium and vitamin D supplements are not recommended to help prevent hip fractures

A recent meta-analysis published in JAMA (2) of research on the efficacy of calcium and vitamin D supplements to help prevent hip fractures and other types of bone fractures in Senior Citizens or post-menopausal women found no benefit compared to placebo or no treatment. The meta-analysis included 33 clinical trials involving 51,145 participants.

The brief overview article does not mention if harm was found but concludes with the simple statement that the findings do not support a routine recommendation or use of calcium and vitamin D supplements in community dwelling older people. Read more: Thumbs Down on Calcium and Vitamin D to Prevent Hip Fracture (1)

Adequate magnesium in a form the body is able to absorb well, which may require a topical form such as soaking with magnesium sulfate salt (Epsom salt) or magnesium chloride products, is required for maintaining bone health. The minerals silicon and boron are also important and the mineral strontium in microgram amounts may help. Vitamin K from leafy green vegetables and green herbs and spices (or in the form of vitamin K2 supplementally may be helpful) is also important for maintaining bone density. (3)

Jack Cush, MD, Thumbs Down on Calcium and Vitamin D to Prevent Hip Fracture, Medpage Today, Jan 13, 2018, https://www.medpagetoday.com/primarycare/dietnutrition/70497?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2018-01-16 (Medpage Today)
Jia-Guo Zhao, MD; Xian-Tie Zeng, MD; Jia Wang, MD; et al, Association Between Calcium or Vitamin D Supplementation and Fracture Incidence in Community-Dwelling Older Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis, JAMA. 2017;318(24):2466-2482, https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/article-abstract/2667071?redirect=true (2)
Charles T Price, Joshua R Langford, and Frank A Liporace,
Essential Nutrients for Bone Health and a Review of their Availability in the Average North American Diet, Open Orthop J. 2012; 6: 143–149. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3330619/ (3)

January 17, 2018

Power Foods For the Brain – a TED talk

A TEDx talk by Dr. Neil Barnard, Power Foods for the Brain, gives a helpful overview of healthy eating and exercise for protecting against memory decline as we age. Even with the gene that has been linked to higher risk for age related memory loss eating a diet with less saturated and trans fats was helpful.

Colorful phytonutrients and benefits of antioxidants is also discussed. Anthocyanins, the purple color in blueberries and grapes, are antioxidants that help protect the produce from excess sunshine and can help our bodies from the negative effects of stress whether from metabolic oxidative stress or daily stress. Anthocyanins are discussed around 11:00.