Category — education

This week was the launch of the 8 Weeks to Real Foods series; on Monday, the first email hit thousands of inboxes! (If you’re not signed up for this FREE program, you can do so here.) The minute the email launched, the questions came pouring in: “Why not milk?” “What if we drink raw milk?” “Don’t kids need calcium?” and of course “What will we put on our cereal?” So I’m going to take a minute to elaborate on that one aspect of the program from this week.

To begin, no, we’re not anti-milk. Yes, children (and us grown ups too) need calcium. NO, we definitely do not recommend soy milk as an alternative. Milk was included in the elimination list for a couple of reasons:

1. Most milk consumed in this country is heavily processed. It’s been obtained from cows fed antibiotics and growth hormones. It’s been pasteurized and homogenized. It’s been skimmed and fortified. It’s been through a lot before it reaches your table. It’s not nearly as natural as we’ve been taught.

2.  The vast majority of individuals do not have the ability to digest liquid milk. With an exception for a few adults of European descent, most people simply don’t digest it well. And many of us have come to accept the symptoms of these sensitivities as normal. Recurring ear infections in children, eczema in all populations, digestive complaints – these are all symptoms of milk sensitivities.

3. Milk does not provide any nutrients that we can’t get elsewhere. It’s not the only source of calcium and it’s not the best source of calcium. And many argue that it’s not even a good source of calcium. Calcium can come form leafy greens (and is more bioavailable that way) and from nuts such as almonds.

What about other dairy products? Fermented milks such as kefir, yogurt and cheeses are great additions to the diet and have been processed naturally by microbes to be more easily digested and more nutrient dense due to increased bioavailability. We’ll talk about other healthier dairy products in future weeks.

What about raw milk? Many families are drinking raw milk obtained from their own cows or cows they own through a cow share. In this situation, much of the above information is not applicable, but the use of raw milk was not discussed in the series because raw milk is rarely available in a local grocery store.

Finally – what to put on your cereal? We recommend using a fermented dairy product such as yogurt or kefir with some whole grain granola or similar foods. However, keep in mind that each week’s info is written with the intention that you will customize it as suits your family best. If you don’t want to give up that morning cereal yet, try using some organic goat milk, which is nutritionally superior and less processed, or some almond milk. We don’t recommend using soy milk or other refined milks.

Want to read up more on this subject? Here’s what the Harvard School of Public Health recently said about the real need for milk in the diet.

As a wellness professional, I spend a lot of time in the wellness community. I travel speaking to large groups about natural health and I hear a lot of stories. And I cringe every time I see an article or hear the advice that ___(fill in the blank problem)___ is just yeast! Your kid has ADHD? It’s just yeast! You have adrenal fatigue? eczema? attention span problems? poor digestion? no appetite? a speech delay? difficulty losing weight? thyroid problems? endometriosis? cancer? It’s just yeast! And you can cure it on an antifungal diet! (You’ve seen these, right? Eliminate ALL sugar, take some coconut oil and other antifungals and you’ll experience an uncomfortable “die off” then it will be all better.)

<sigh> If only that were true! How easy and attainable health would be. The reality is that there is just *so* much wrong with the phrase “you have yeast” To begin with – what kind of yeast? There are numerous strands – many of which are actually good for you!! Could you have one of those beneficial strands? Or a harmful type of yeast? How do you know? Next, how can you know it’s yeast without a laboratory test? Fatigue, distractibility, poor immunity, inflammation and toxin build up are all very vague and general terms that are applicable to countless disorders and imbalances within the body. They could be caused by certain types of bacterial overgrowth, nutritional deficiencies, reactions to environmental toxins within your home, food sensitivities… With so many other potential causes, we can’t just assume it’s yeast. Third, assuming that it *is* fungal overgrowth within the body, how do you know *this* antifungal diet is what will do the trick? Like bacteria, fungal growth can be resistant to various antifungals. How do you select the right one? Laboratory tests.

So, what do you do if you do suspect yeast? Or if you have any of the symptoms that are related to fungal overgrowth? If you suspect fungal overgrowth, visit an integrative care provider. Request diagnostic tests to determine what (if anything) you have growing in unsafe numbers within you and then learn what that microbe is (and is not) susceptible to. (These are generally going to be blood tests sent to a laboratory.) Then, treat the real issue. You may be surprised to find that your “yeast overgrowth” is actually a reaction to gluten or citrus or something else in your diet. Or it could be a blood sugar imbalance – or a vitamin deficiency. A restrictive diet may provide short term relief if its related to the real issue at hand, but once you consume those foods again, it will return. Which is why some people come up to me at conferences to ask why they’ve been battling “yeast” for years on end.

The “die off” stage is (unfortunately) real. If it is a type of yeast, it could be uncomfortable while your body endures the process of microbial change within the intestines. The same is true for removing sensitive foods from the diet and treating harmful bacterial overgrowth. However, all uncomfortable feelings are not die-off and it’s important to make sure that the treatment is actually treating the issue at hand.

And finally, just a note on sugar consumption – no, it’s not great. It should be consumed in moderation. However, eliminating it from the diet is (nearly impossible technically, but I digress) not going to eradicate *yeast* overgrowth. Antifungal solutions will, assuming that’s the problem in the first place. Excess sugar actually hinders the growth of yeast (more on this in my next book, coming spring 2012!) and unless your diet is all processed carbs (in which case that would likely be the key problem anyway) then the consumption of fruit, whole grain baked goods and minimal natural sweeteners isn’t going to significantly play a role in microbial overgrowth – unless you have a food sensitivity or other digestive issues.

70% of modern health problems are directly caused by lifestyle choices. SEVENTY percent! What would your life be like if almost 3 of every 4 illnesses, disorders or concerns that came your way … didn’t.

What troubles me the most about this statistic is that so many of us already know or at least suspect that, but we still don’t make the change. My husband and I (admittedly documentary junkies) were watching a film last night about another health crusader trying to spread the word about prevention.

Normally I avoid such films and shows and last night once again provided evidence of why… whether it’s Jamie Oliver or Joe Cross – or your or I, the response is almost always the same – a combination of 1) it doesn’t really work, 2) it’s too much trouble, or 3) I’ve already tried the natural route (or know someone that did). And I find myself both saddened and frustrated!

To take a closer look at each of these:

1) it doesn’t really work… not so! Epidemiologists, scientists, researchers, professionals, just about ANYONE that spends any time reading through medical literature can verify that yes, prevention does work! The American Cancer Society tells us that 75-80% of all cancer related deaths are directly related to environmental choices. Not genetics! The experts that devote their lives to researching how we get sick are telling us that we don’t usually have to! What would the country look like if we could prevent / save: almost 3/4 of the dollars spent on illness (medication, days lost in work or productivity, treatment, specialist visits), 3 out of 4 or even 4 out of 5 of the deaths lost to cancer, nearly 3 out of 4 of the health concerns we face – lost days from our lives that could have been better spent elsewhere – instead of sick in bed!

2) it’s too hard… I’ve been up close and personal with a struggle to beat cancer – and seen cancer win. I’ve seen children facing life threatening illnesses that emotionally tear up their parents. I’ve seen individuals of all ages in pain, struggling to enjoy their days despite a chronic health concern. *That’s* too much trouble. Cancer occurring at a rate that is quadruple (or more) what it should be is too much trouble. Diabetes, obesity and adrenal fatigue are too much trouble. Changing simple lifestyle habits – a route I’d prefer any day.

3) I’ve tried it – or my friend has – This one needs it’s own blog post really, but here’s what that usually means: I’ve tried the latest fad diet, I’ve tried the gov’t food pyramid (or revised pyramid, or circle), I’ve taken the latest cool health supplement, I’ve been taking the newest MLM product. I’ve had people tell me they need to take medicine because eating raisins didn’t cure their chronic inflammation, coconut oil didn’t cure their cancer and vinegar didn’t cure their GERD. I’ve seen people eat hot dogs while telling me bananas are bad for you, and eating cake while telling me yogurt is bad for you. I’m not at all advocating the trendy, pseudo-science that passes through communities faster than the illnesses they claim to cure. I’m advocating an evidence based, scientific and rational approach to life. Make the claim back itself up with evidence – both modern scientific and time tested. When formula was introduced as the superior infant food, babies died. When margarine was introduced to replace “bad” saturated fats, heart disease and inflammatory conditions skyrocketed. Processed foods result in chronic health concerns. That’s backed by scientific in multiple languages.

So, what to do? Educate yourself! We have more resources available to us than ever before. Thanks to modern conveniences, students study wellness through our school in over a dozen countries across multiple continents. Get a book on real foods, read labels, make simple lifestyle changes. Each of these baby steps will add up – and you’ll see a difference!