Please Read This First

In case of an emergency, please call 911 or ambulance or go to the nearest emergency room.

This blog is for information only. Dr. Dave will not respond to comments.

The information you obtain at Brazosdoctors.com or this blog is not and not intended to be a medical advice. You should consult a medical doctor for individual advice regarding your health. The use of the Internet for communications with the doctors will not establish any MD-patient relationship and messages containing confidential information, personal health or emergency should not be sent to the website or the blog.

Friday, December 18, 2015

Super supplements

There are so many supplements around when you are in a health food store and you do not know when to start.
I will outline 6 of supplements that matter to our health.
Turmeric( Curcumin)
Resveratrol
VitaminD
Good quality multivitamin with no fillers or flavors
Probiotics
Alpha lipoic acid
Fish oil good quality with good amount of DHA

Wednesday, December 16, 2015

The secret world inside you

Did you know that the American museum of Natural history has this exhibit in New York?
The " micro biome" is the buzzword in medicine .
There is another exhibition in Amsterdam " the micropia" showing us the world of microbes that lives on us ,inside us.
Www.micropia.com

Sunday, December 6, 2015

Acid indigestion and PPI( proton pump inhibitor class of drugs)

I get requests for refill of generic omeprazole,or Nexiumor devil ant or Prevacid all the time.
I have discussed the side effects of long term use of these medicines with my patients and they always state it is very difficult to change dietary habits but they have to have the  "Nexium"
Now to pen down the long term side effects of this class of drugs,
They have been proven to increase risk of heart attack.
They are known to cause osteopenia,osteoporosis,B12 deficiency,hip fractures,community acquired pneumonia,increased risk of C Difficille infections,increased risk of IgE mediated allergic reactions.
Now it's time to change diets and reduce our dependence on these pills.

Friday, December 4, 2015

Cholesterol

It is so interesting that my cardiology friends are pushing drugs after drugs,in maximum possible doses of statins to reduce cholesterol.
When I learnt my pharmacology and physiology or I read more recent articles,I find a contrary information.I am being taught that cholesterol is necessary for health and longevity.
All of us know that Cholesterol is the precursor to steroid hormones,like testosterone,estrogens.
It is important for structural integrity and fluidity of cell membrane.
Cholesterol is a neuronal anti oxidant.
It is essential for synaptic neurotransmission.
Now,you can judge yourself as to why you would want to lower your cholesterol to such low numbers that your function of other important organs are affected.
The research has shown increased incidence of dementia,Alzeimers in patients with medication lowered cholesterol.
I have had many patients with low testosterone and hormone imbalance if they have been on very high doses of statins.
There is a beautiful video of "War on cholesterol by my teacher,Dr.Perlmutter which you can watch for more info on YouTube.

Saturday, November 7, 2015

Spirituality and religion

There is a class at Texas A& M health science center on spirituality that I have been invited to teach.
The question arose, Are you spiritual  but not religious? SBNR
So what is religion- It is abiding set of beliefs as structured by a church or organization.
Spirituality is a higher or inner awareness that does not limit ones freedom." My own personal faith or direct relationship wit God- no church or organization needed.
The word religion comes from Latin word religare, which is a combination of re(back) ligament ( to tie or bind,suggesting that which restricts ,restrains or limits ones freedom.
Spiritual assumes a higher or inner or mystical awareness. That is unrestricted,unrestrained and does not limit ones freedom.
More to come another time.
However,just one thing, it has been proved that people who attend even once a week group prayers liv e longer than those who did not.

Flax( Linum Usitatissimum)

Flax seeds have Alpha Linolenic acid and lignans.
Flax is available as whole seeds,ground seeds and flax oil.
The benefits of using Flax seeds in diet are many.
Ideally,you can grind flax seed in a coffee grinder just before using it.
However to save time I use ground flax seed with added B vitamins to my smoothies.
It is available in my office for purchase at a very nominal cost of $9 for a big jar.
Refrigerate flax once can is opened.
Flax protects against metabolic syndrome,prevents constipation,is used in cancer prevention by protecting against DNA damage,reduce inflammation,inhibiting new blood vessel formation.
In a study reported in American Journal of Clinical nutrition,post menopausal women supplemented with 25 gems of flax for 16 weeks saw a significant increase in conversion of estrogen to 2 - hydroxyl estrogen,a weak form of estrogen that decreases breast cancer risk.
It can also help reduce blood sugar.it helps reduce Insulin resistance.
For patients with Proteinuriaor microalbuminuria,flax seed consumption was related to reduction in Proteinuria.
A tbsp of Flax provides dietary fiber,Manganese,thiamine,magnesium,phosphorus,copper,omega 3 fatty acids.
I have used lot of references to give you this information.

Wednesday, November 4, 2015

Beans and cholesterol

Almost every culture has some kind of bean incorporated in their culture.
We had gone to Costa Rica for a meeting and red kidney beans and black beans were the staple along with plantain bananas.
If you visit northern part of India,garbanzo beans,and red kidney beans( also known as Rajma) are favorite.
In southern part of India Yellow lentils cooked as Sambhar with spices is a favorite.
Cooked dry beans are a good source of protein,low in saturated fat and good source of fiber.
The cholesterol lowering effect of dry beans is probably due to binding and increased excretion of bile acids,disruption of cholesterol Michelle formation.Dry beans contain phytosterols and saponins which lower cholesterol.Beans have potassium,magnesium and antioxidants,are low in sodium.
One must rinse canned beans thoroughly with water before eating.
Beans cause gas.The viscous fiber and resistant starch that was left undigested in small intestine is fermented in colon ?It is this fermentation that causes causes gas.
The viscous fiber and starch act as prebiotics.The fermentation of viscous fiber and resistant starch promotes production of short chain fatty acids and reduces cholesterol production.
An easy way to eat black beans is to open a can of black beans, wash it very good,and add hopped onion,chopped bell pepper,warmed up cooked yellow corn,1/2 an avocado cut into small pieces,1 tomato chopped into small pieces.add salt, black pepper,lemon juice to taste.
I like adding peanuts to this too .

Wednesday, October 28, 2015

Trophology

Do you know what  Trophology is?
The science of combining foods to cause synergistic effects is Trophology.
The common duos are,
Blueberries and yogurt,orange and beans,strawberries and dark chocolate.
It is said that fruit is eaten best separate from other foods, because digestion times of fruit are different for fruits and grains.

Tuesday, October 27, 2015

Dark chocolate pumpkin smoothie

1 cup unsweetened almond milk
1 cup organic pumpkin puree
3 cups baby spinach
1⁄2 Bartlett pear, cored
1⁄4 frozen banana
2 Tbsp organic unsweetened cocoa powder
1 Tbsp maple syrup or honey
1⁄4 tsp pumpkin spice 
1 cup ice
Enjoy!

Colorectal cancer

"Colorectal cancer is one of the most preventable cancers," said Elisa Bandera, MD, PhD, who served on the World Cancer Research Fund/ American Institute for Cancer Research's Continuous Update Project (CUP) Expert Panel that authored the report. "AICR has estimated that about 45 percent of colorectal cancer cases could be prevented if we all ate more fiber-rich plant foods and less meat, drank less alcohol, moved more and stayed lean. That's over 64,000 cases in the US every year."

Q: What are the risk factors for colorectal cancer?

A: Based on the CUP and National Cancer Institute data, risk factors for colorectal cancer include

  • Age: Risk increases dramatically after age 50 years; 90% of all colorectal cancer cases are diagnosed after this age. 
  • Personal history of polyps or inflammatory bowel disease
  • Family history of colorectal cancer
  • Cigarette smoking
  • Diet low in fiber
  • Diet high in red meat and processed meat
  • Lack of physical activity
  • Substantial consumption of alcohol 
  • Obesity, particularly excess fat around the midsection

Q: How much alcohol did the CUP report find increases the risk of colorectal cancer?

A: The CUP found that risk for colorectal cancer started increasing with less than one serving of alcohol daily. For every 10 grams of ethanol – a standard drink contains approximately 14 grams of ethanol – there was a 10 percent increased risk of colorectal cancer. 

Q: How does alcohol increase colorectal cancer risk?

A: The precise mechanisms are not clear but there are many possiblities. Metabolites of alcohol such as acetaldehyde can act as carcinogens. Alcohol also interacts with tobacco, leading to DNA mutations that are less efficiently repaired in the presence of alcohol. Alcohol may also function as a solvent, enabling carcinogenic molecules to move into cells. Also, high consumers of alcohol may have diets low in essential nutrients, making tissues susceptible to carcinogenesis. 

Q: How much fiber do I need to get protection from colorectal cancer?

A: The CUP analyses found that every 10 grams of dietary fiber eaten daily linked to a 12 percent decreased risk for men and an 8 percent decreased risk for women for colorectal cancer. 

Consuming the recommended amount of whole grains daily had an even stronger protective link. The report found that eating three servings of whole grains daily linked to a 21 percent decreased risk of colorectal cancer. 

The 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend that women (ages 19 to 50) consume 25 grams of fiber daily and men in the same age group consume 38 grams daily. The Guidelines recommend that half of all grains consumed daily be whole grains, which for many Americans translates to about three servings.


Processed Meat

Hi friends,
I have been talking about processed meat and the side effects to my patients for past 5 years.
Did you all watch CNN yesterday when the WHO report came out on the cancer causing potential of processed meats.?
I am going to share with you the report from AICR( American Institute of Cancer Research).

Today, the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) named processed meat as a carcinogen. AICR has included avoiding processed meat as one of our recommendations for cancer prevention since 2007. Processed meat (and high amounts of red meat) increase risk for colorectal cancer.

Here’s our statement on the WHO report.

Both organizations found that for processed meat, even small amounts eaten daily – 50 grams or 1 small hot dog – increases risk for colorectal cancer by 18% compared to eating none.Red Processed Meat Rec

So what exactly is “processed meat”?

AICR defines processed meat as:

“meat preserved by smoking, curing or salting, or addition of chemical preservatives.” Ham, bacon, pastrami, sausages, hot dogs and cold cuts are all considered processed meat.

IARC’s definition:

“meat that has been transformed through salting, curing, fermentation, smoking, or other processing to enhance flavor or improve preservation. Most processed meats contain pork or beef, but processed meat may also contain other red meats and poultry”

Grilling burgers and hot dogs

Grilling burgers and hot dogs

It’s not yet clear exactly why these meats increase risk for colorectal cancer. It may be the added nitrites and nitrates, the smoking and/or high temperatures used in some processing, or the heme iron in red meat.

Does this include nitrate and nitrite free meats and sausage? These products are relatively new, so we need more studies that make these distinctions.

So, for now, save processed meats for special occasions and choose fresh meats most of the time. Here are some ideas to lower your cancer risk:

  • Replace deli meats and cold cuts with fresh chicken or fish
  • Instead of bacon, chorizo or salami, try spicy vegetarian sausages.
  • Replace sausage in chili and soups with beans like kidney beans, chickpeas and lentils.
  • Try out different sources of protein like eggs, cottage cheese, tofu and hummus

IARC has also listed red meat as a probable carcinogen. AICR’s recommendation for red meat is to keep your red meat to less than 18 ounces (cooked) per week. That’s about 4 hamburgers (quarter-pounders) weekly.here

Sunday, October 25, 2015

Cancer prevention continued

Lycopene is a red carotenoid found I watermelon,pink grapefruit,tomatoes.
Pomegranate extract
Luteolin is a flavonoid found in peppers and green vegetables like cabbage,spinach.
Genistein is a photochemical found in soy,soybeans,red clover,coffee.
Piperine is a phytochemical found in black pepper.
Beta Carotene is an orange carotenoid found in various vegetables like carrots,pumpkin.
Sulphoraphanes found in Cruciferous vegetables are very cancer protective and aid in detoxification.
In International journal of molecular biology,July 2015 from Italy published clinically important information that synthetic anti cancer drugs are very toxic for healthy organs and weaken immune system.
Phytochemicals and enriched extracts can be used in combination with chemotherapy drugs to improve synergy in preventing healthy cell damage.


Cancer prevention. Continued....

I have to talk about Cruciferous vegetables in cancer prevention.
The one to ace is the 3 day old Broccoli sprouts.
My information about this is bas d on research from John Hpokins by Dr.Talalay.
These are very important in cancer prevention.
Other vegetables like Kale,Swiss chard,broccoli ,Brussels sprouts,water cress and many more.
These have Sulphoraphanes a photochemical that fights cancer.
EGCG which is epigallocatechin found  in green tea
Curcumin primary polyphenol found in Turmeric root
Resveratrol,found in red grapes,Japanese knot wood






Cancer Prevention

I had a unique opportunity to speak to a small group about basics of cancer prevention.
Cloud 9 is a baby clothing,everything baby store who graciously gave back part of her store which is neat and clean for us to get together .It was a nice cozy room.
I am going to summarize the salient points.
Factors that are important in cancer prevention
Diet
Sleep
Environment
Exercise- movement,Yoga,Taichi,QiGong
Mindfulness
Love and hope
Cigarette smoke,second hand cigarette smoke
Alcohol in limited amounts
Reduce inflammation
Decrease sugar
Supplements and herbs

I am going to emphasize some key points,
High heat or high flame cooking like grilling,deep frying release heterocyclic amines which are  precancerous.

Indoor and outdoor pollution can be reduced.
Wood floors are treated with formaldehyde which is toxic.
Aerate dry cleaned clothes by removing plastic from them before hanging them in your closet.
Keep a few green houseplants.
EWG.org is a good website to get good info on this topic.
Do not do extreme exercise.




Pumpkin smoothie

Hello friends,
I am back again sharing some healthy information with you all.
It is going to be Halloween soon.
Everybody in my neighborhood has decorated with aggie color mums and the bright orange pumpkins.
Orange color is so festive.
The holy men from my BAPS Temple wear orange robes!
I wanted to share a simple smoothie recipe with you.

One cup of apple cider
One cup of pumpkin spiced almond milk.
1 frozen banana( pieces)
Few pieces of frozen peaches
If pumpkin spiced milk not available then use 1/2 tsf of pumpkin spice which has cinnamon,nutmeg,
Cloves and ginger.
Blend
Enjoy
Ofcourse if you wanted to add 1/2 cup of canned pumpkin you may do so.
Health benefits of pumpkins include ,

Health Benefits

  • Pumpkin contains no saturated fats or cholesterol (like all plant foods, it’s cholesterol-free). It is rich in dietary fiber, antioxidants, minerals, and many antioxidant vitamins, including A, C, and E.
  • It is also an excellent source of many natural polyphenolic flavonoid compounds such as beta-carotenes, lutein, and zeaxanthin. Carotenes convert into vitamin A inside the body. Zeaxanthin is a natural antioxidant that may offer protection from age-related macular disease.
  • Pumpkin is a good source of the B-complex group of vitamins including niacin, vitamin B-6 (pyridoxine), thiamin, and pantothenic acid.
  • It is a rich source of copper, calcium, potassium, and phosphorus.
  • Pumpkin seeds provide dietary fiber and pack a powerful mix of protein, minerals, and vitamins: 100 g (1 cup) of pumpkin seeds provide 559 calories, 30 g of protein, plus folate, iron, niacin, selenium, and zinc.

Saturday, August 29, 2015

Kidney health

Low acid diet and kidney

Alkaline Diets Reduce Risk of Kidney Failure

italianmarketLow acid diets that emphasize alkaline fruits and vegetables have gained attention in the diet of the day world, but critics cited a lack of scientific evidence. The evidence is growing that low acid diets may indeed have significant merit for kidney health. An estimated 26 million people in the United States have chronic kidney disease (CKD), and diet could play a dramatic role in preventing kidney failure and subsequent reliance on dialysis. A new study, in the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology(JASN), shows that among patients with chronic kidney disease, consumption of high acid diets may increase the risk of kidney failure three fold over a low acid diet. The findings suggest that patients may want to limit their intake of meats and increase their consumption of fruits and vegetables to help protect their kidneys.

This data has been obtained from Innate Response.


Friday, August 28, 2015

Kidney health

I am sending the kidney cleansing recipe again.
KIDNEY CLEANSING BROTH.
This kidney-cleansing vegetable broth is a very much  healing broth.The main ingredient in this broth is celeriac.
Celeriac (a.k.a. celery root) is a winter root vegetable and many people have not seen it, let alone try it. 
Celeriac is a nutrient-dense root vegetable that is very healing for the digestive system. Due to its excellent analgesic and antiseptic properties, celeriac is antibacterial, antifungal and can be used therapeutically for healing of digestive disorders including peptic ulcers, gastritis, indigestion and constipation. As with most root vegetable, celery root juice can be very healing for the internal organs especially liver and kidneys and help boost the immune system.
 
Method:
To make this broth I use a crock pot (slow cooker) as it is not only easy and economical, it also retains all the nutrients and flavors from the vegetables. If you don’t have a crock pot, you may also cook over the stove. The method will be very similar to when cooking using a slow cooker.
 
What You Need:
This portion serves four. You may substitute these ingredients with other hardy vegetables that you fancy.
Use a large crock pot or non-aluminium 4-quart/liter pot and fill with the following cubed vegetables:
1 medium celery root/celeriac – remove skin
(You may use 4-5 potatoes in place of celeriac but leave the skin on)
1 bunch of celery (about 10-12 ribs)
4-5 medium-sized carrots
4 large onions (or more if desired)
4-5 cloves of garlic
Seasalt to taste (the soup tastes good even without salt, but when adding salt, the soup actually tastes even “sweeter”)
Note: Use smaller quantities if you are cooking in a small pot. I always make more and store the balance in the fridge for later.
 I add a tsf of fenugreek seeds and a half of jalapeño if you desire spicy broth.

Fill your broth pot or crock pot with 2 quarts/liters of water to boil over high heat. While waiting, wash and scrub the vegetables well with a vegetable brush. Cut them up into small cubes.

Put all your cut vegetables into the boiling water. In a crock pot, I put it on high heat yet it doesn’t dry out the water. If you are cooking over the stove, you will have to put it on lower heat, have the lid on and check every now and then to be sure it doesn’t boil over or dry up.

I put the slow cooker to cook on high for about six hours, until all the vegetables turned soft.Otherwise, use a blender and blend till you get a smooth consistency. Do this while the soup is warm, NOT when it’s hot or cold. Then add the pulp back into the broth and drink as a thick soup. 
Serve hot to warm.

Let the soup cool before storing. Keep in air-tight container in the refrigerator and consume in no more than 48 hours. To reheat, simmer over stove, do not use microwave oven.

Kidney health

I wanted to share some information with you today.
As we know,kidneys are very important organs of our body.
They are very sensitive.we cannot function without the kidneys.However some simple measures can help improve or maintain kidney function.They include,
Proper Hydration
Stay away from Dye tests,contrast media if possible.
Should you really have to have the dye for the test or the procedure,please be sure to hydrate yourself well so you can excrete or get rid of dye properly from your system.
I read recently that Baking soda can help preserve kidney function or slow the decline in some patients.
The dose of Sodium Bicarbonateis 1/4 to 1/2 tsf a day.
Please do not drink the water with baking soda fast.
I have also given before in my blog,the kidney cleansing broth recipe.

Tuesday, August 18, 2015

Peanuts and/ or other nuts

You don’t have to shell out big bucks to get the health benefits of nuts. The humble peanut—while technically a legume—appears to do just fine in helping to prevent heart disease and in extending life as almonds, walnuts, and other pricier tree nuts, according to a new study published March 2, 2015 in JAMA Internal Medicine. In the international study of more than 200,000 people, scientists found that those who regularly consumed peanuts and other nuts were less likely to have died of any cause — especially heart disease — during the study than those who rarely ate nuts.

“This confirms what we found a few years ago—and our results were greeted with intense skepticism,” Meir Stampfer, professor of nutrition and epidemiology at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, who was not involved in this latest study, said in a March 5, 2015 Harvard Health Blog.

Spicy foods and health

People who eat spicy foods nearly every day have a 14% chance of living longer than those who consume spicy foods less than once a week, according to a new study. Regular spicy food eaters also are less likely to die from cancer and heart and respiratory diseases than those who eat spicy foods infrequently. This was published in British medical journal.

The study was in populations who ate chilies in form of chili peppers which have capsaicin which has antiinflammatory properties.

Saturday, June 27, 2015

Gluten, what is it and what should I eat or not eat?

Gluten is another word for the proteins found in wheat, rye, and barley. Individuals with celiac disease must follow a gluten-free diet to manage their disease. If you have celiac disease, the following gluten-free diet basics are important to know and follow.
Wheat, rye, or barley
Avoid wheat, rye, and barley. They all contain gluten
Oats
Oats often are cross-contaminated with gluten-containing grains. Pure, uncontaminated oats, tested and labeled as gluten free, are now available and are considered safe to consume in moderation.

Wheat and wheat-containing grains
Other names for wheat or wheat-containing grains that contain gluten are:

Bulgur
Cake flour
Durum
Einkorn
Emmer
Enriched flour
Farina
Farro
Graham flour
Kamut®
Matzo
Pastry flour
Self-rising flour
Semolina
Spelt
Triticale
Wheat germ
Wheat starch
 

Wheat free does not mean gluten free. Wheat-free foods still may contain rye or barley.

 

Malt
Malt, malted beverages (beer, ale, and lager), and malt flavorings (used in malted milk shakes) are made from barley. They are not gluten free.

Grains and flours that are safe
The following grains and flours are safe for individuals on a gluten-free diet:

Amaranth
Any flour made from nuts, beans, tubers, or legumes
Arrowroot
Buckwheat
Corn
Cornstarch
Flax
Montina™
Potato
Quinoa
Rice
Sago
Sorghum
Soy
Tapioca
Teff
 

Processed foods that might contain wheat, barley, or rye*

The following foods might contain wheat, barley, or rye:

Bouillon cubes
Brown rice syrup
Candy
Chips
Cold cuts
Communion wafers
Flavored instant coffee mixes
French fries
Gravy
Hot dogs
Imitation fish
Matzo
Potato chips
Rice drinks
Rice mixes
Salami
Sauces
Sausage
Seasoned tortilla chips
Self-basting turkey
Soups
Soy drinks
Soy sauce
Vegetables in sauce
 

*  Most of these foods are also available as gluten-free products. When in doubt, read food labels and check with the food manufacturer.

 

Cross-contamination

Follow this advice to prevent gluten-free foods from coming in contact with foods containing gluten:

Store gluten-free foods separately from foods containing gluten
Designate certain appliances, such as a toaster, for use with gluten-free products only
Use clean tools for cooking, cutting, mixing, and serving gluten-free foods
Have separate containers of butter, peanut butter, and condiments, or institute a no-double-dipping rule
Do not purchase flour or cereal from open bins
 

Foods to choose
Stick to plain, simple foods, which are mostly found in the outer aisle of the grocery store, including:

Any food labeled as gluten free
Corn in all forms
Dairy products, including:
Butter
Margarine
Milk
Plain yogurt
Real cheese
Legumes in all forms
Nuts in all forms
Plain eggs
Plain fish
Plain fruits (fresh, frozen, or canned)
Plain meats
Plain poultry
Plain vegetables (fresh, frozen, or canned)
Rice in all forms
Vegetable oils (including canola)
Vinegar (all except malt vinegar)
 

References and recommended readings

Celiac disease. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health website. Publication 08-4269. http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/celiac/. Published September 2008. Updated January 27, 2012. 

Celiac Disease Foundation. Sources of gluten. Celiac.org website. http://celiac.org/live-gluten-free/glutenfreediet/sources-of-gluten/. 



Dietary assistance to improve thyroid function

Iodine heads the list.
Selenium,the best source would be Brazil nuts!
They say just eating one to two a day is enough to replenish body needs.
Ashwagandha,is a Indian Ayurvedic herb which helps in making thyroxine.
It is available as capsules,supplement.
I read about a juice preparation which assists thyroid.The recipe is from the Juice Lady ,Cherie Calbom.
Juice of 2 beets,one Apple,1 cucumber( organic).
We carry a preparation in office called (Thyroid Response) which is shown to assist in helping thyroid function better.

Tremors and meat consumption

Over the several years of my seeing patients with various medical problems,I have come across tremors which are so resistant to treatment.tremors can affect the hands,face eyelids,head.
This is essential tremor,different than Parkinson's.
Some research shows it is related to Harmane,which is a potent tremor producing Beta carboline
alkaloid found in muscle foods like beef,chicken,pork.Cooking the meat increases this concentration.
The temperature meat is cooked,the time meat is cooked all affect Harmane concentration.
Barbecuing,panfryingproduce highest amounts.
Now,so what can we do?
First changing to a more vegetarian diet is an easy answer.
Medications like Beta blockers don't help much.
Can detox help?
Yes,try to eat organic fruits and vegetables.
I have seen Magnesium ,a good salt of mag can help reduce tremors.
In early stages I have seen Acupuncture treatments can help reduce tremors,though it may need several treatments.
Parkinson's disease and tremors is a different disease though I think diet has a great role to play in it.

Sunday, June 21, 2015

Poem author unknown

Cabbage always has a heart
Green beans string along
You are such a tomato
Will you peas to me to belong?


You have been the apple of my eye
You know how much I care
So lettuce get together
We'd  make a perfect pair.

Sunday, June 7, 2015

Vegetarian diet and risk of colon cancer

As you all know,I am vegetarian and would like to put emphasis on vegetarian diet for improved health.
Colorectal cancers are a leading cause of cancer mortality the study in JAMA showed that vegetarian diets are associated with an overall lower incidence of colorectal cancers.
Study revealed interesting patterns.
Vegetarians tended to be older than non vegetarians,have higher education levels,exercise more,use calcium supplements,less likely to have ever smoked,to drink alcohol,to have had a colonoscopy or sigmoidoscopy,to have Diabetes or have been treated for peptic ulcers or to have used statins or aspirin.
Vegetarians had lower BMI,lower intake of fat,saturated fat,higher intake of fiber.
The Pescovegetarians in particular have a much lower risk compared with non vegetarians.
Ther may be a possible protective association for fish consumption and rectal cancer.
This article I read also proved that vegetarian not only reduces risk of colon. Cancer but even evidence of potential reduced risk of obesity,hypertension,diabetes and overall mortality.

JAMA Intern Med.2015;175(5)767-776

An apple a day keeps Doctor away

Everybody has heard this.
Well how many of you follow this?
I will discuss a recent study  that showed that eating an apple a day population do appear to use fewer prescription medications.i think this is a significant outcome noted!
JAMA Intern Med.2015;175(5):777-783

Nut consumption and heart health and overall health

I am going to be bringing you some authentic research published recently in our prestigious journals regarding nutrition.
We will start with benefits of nut/ peanut consumption.
High intake of nuts has been linked to a reduced risk of mortality .
Nut consumption was associated with decreased overall and cardiovascular disease mortality across different ethnic groups and all socioeconomic groups.
Consumption of nuts,specially peanuts given their affordability may be considered a cost effective measure to improve cardiovascular health.
JAMA Intern Medicine 2015;755-766

Saturday, May 16, 2015

Cancer prevention

The question comes,
What to eat and What not to eat?
There is no specific anti cancer diet but summing up all the available evidence and literature,Plant based diets ace in cancer prevention.
I have not read anywhere that eating Pizzadaily,a fast food Hamburger Daily or hot dog and cokes,
French fries and onion rings in diet reduced cancer incidence nor it improved Health.
Let's talk in short about Barbrcue!
The smoke from meat on barbecue has similar cancer causing carcinogens as cigarettes and more.
Carcinogens are formed when meat is cooked at very high temperatures.
So what helps,
Broccoli sprouts help in Breast cancer prevention.
Berries,like blackberries,Aroniaberries,blueberries get their rich color from Anthocyanins and can help prevent colon,breast,skin,lung cancer.
Ther is a definite rise of natural killer cells an immune system involved in fighting cancer.
Cruciferous vegetables help prevent prostate,lung ,colon cancers.
Cruciferous vegetables assist in liver detoxification naturally.
Legumes are full of fiber and protein and reduce cancer risk like colon cancer,breast cancer.
Tomatoes,watermelon,papaya help reduce prostate and colon cancer risk.
Pomegranate helps in prostate cancer
More info to come

Tuesday, April 28, 2015

Beaming Broccoli

Past Saturday,at the BAPS mega health fair,I was asked to do a presentation as part of public health lecture series.
As I favour Vegetarianism,I had to think of something that would be so good that people would implement it on a regular basis to benefit their health.
Guess what?
Cruciferous vegetables top the list!
All my research came to one conclusion,3 day old Broccoli sprouts are healthiest and contain 20 to 50 times higher sulpforaphanes than mature broccoli heads.
One can use these sprouts in a salad or on a slice of bread or a croissant with some cream cheese and avocado.
I had a live demonstration of banana,blueberry,broccoli sprout smoothie.3 B smoothie
The ingredients are apple juice,banana,cup of blueberries,1/2 cup of broccoli sprouts,ice and blend.
Almond milk can be used instead of apple juice or even coconut water or plain filtered water.
Enjoy!

Saturday, March 21, 2015

Healthier and sustainable diet

I had always suggested my patients to eat more fruits and vegetables and legumes and grains.
Here are some benefits,as I  downloaded from Meatlless Mondays.
 About 1,850 gallons of water are needed to produce a single pound of beef.5
To grow one pound of vegetables, it takes 39 gallons of water.
Beef produces a total of 30 kg of greenhouse gas (GHG) per kg of food, while carrots, potatoes and rice produce .42, .45 and 1.3 kg GHG per kg of food, respectively.6
It takes 25 kilocalories of fossil fuel energy to produce 1 kilocalorie of all meat based protein, as compared with 2.2 kilocalories of fossil fuel input per 1 kilocalorie of grain based protein produced.7
If we used grain to feed people following a vegetarian diet, instead of using it for animal feed, it would be enough to feed about 840 million people.

Stroke prevention with frolic acid and B.P medicine

Just a day ago,a very informative article appeared in Journal of American medical association,also called JAMA.
Folic acid / folate supplementation along with bp medication reduces risk of stroke!
The Harvard researchers state further that this holds true even for people without high B.P
We carry excellant quality Active Folate and B vitamin combination.

Wednesday, March 4, 2015

Healing soups

Hippocrates healing soup

This is a healing soup.

1 big or 2 small fresh organic leeks
1 pound fresh organic potato or several small ones
1 1/2 pounds organic fresh tomatoes
1 large organic onion or 2 small onions
1 sm/medium organic celery knob (I have found that
the smaller, fresher knobs are more delicately flavored)
or 3/4 stalks organic celery
1 small parsley root (if unavailable, can substitute
3/4 sprigs of organic parsley)

Instructions:
Don’t peel any of the vegetables as many of the minerals and nutrients are stored directly beneath the skin. Scrub carefully and cook SLOWLY at low heat for 3 hours with a small amount of clean pure water, then mash and eat.

You can add small amounts of fresh organic parsley and fresh pressed raw organic garlic to taste.

Healing soups

I am going to be giving you nice recipes for healing soups and broths.
Kidney cleansing broth
KIDNEY CLEANSING BROTH.
This kidney-cleansing vegetable broth is a very much  healing broth.The main ingredient in this broth is celeriac.
Celeriac (a.k.a. celery root) is a winter root vegetable and many people have not seen it, let alone try it. 
Celeriac is a nutrient-dense root vegetable that is very healing for the digestive system. Due to its excellent analgesic and antiseptic properties, celeriac is antibacterial, antifungal and can be used therapeutically for healing of digestive disorders including peptic ulcers, gastritis, indigestion and constipation. As with most root vegetable, celery root juice can be very healing for the internal organs especially liver and kidneys and help boost the immune system.
 
Method:
To make this broth I use a crock pot (slow cooker) as it is not only easy and economical, it also retains all the nutrients and flavors from the vegetables. If you don’t have a crock pot, you may also cook over the stove. The method will be very similar to when cooking using a slow cooker.


 
What You Need:
This portion serves four. You may substitute these ingredients with other hardy vegetables that you fancy.
Use a large crock pot or non-aluminium 4-quart/liter pot and fill with the following cubed vegetables:
1 medium celery root/celeriac – remove skin
(You may use 4-5 potatoes in place of celeriac but leave the skin on)
1 bunch of celery (about 10-12 ribs)
4-5 medium-sized carrots
4 large onions (or more if desired)
4-5 cloves of garlic
Seasalt to taste (the soup tastes good even without salt, but when adding salt, the soup actually tastes even “sweeter”)
Note: Use smaller quantities if you are cooking in a small pot. I always make more and store the balance in the fridge for later.
 I add a tsf of fenugreek seeds and a half of jalapeño if you desire spicy broth.

Fill your broth pot or crock pot with 2 quarts/liters of water to boil over high heat. While waiting, wash and scrub the vegetables well with a vegetable brush. Cut them up into small cubes.

Put all your cut vegetables into the boiling water. In a crock pot, I put it on high heat yet it doesn’t dry out the water. If you are cooking over the stove, you will have to put it on lower heat, have the lid on and check every now and then to be sure it doesn’t boil over or dry up.

I put the slow cooker to cook on high for about six hours, until all the vegetables turned soft.Otherwise, use a blender and blend till you get a smooth consistency. Do this while the soup is warm, NOT when it’s hot or cold. Then add the pulp back into the broth and drink as a thick soup. 
Serve hot to warm.

Let the soup cool before storing. Keep in air-tight container in the refrigerator and consume in no more than 48 hours. To reheat, simmer over stove, do not use microwave oven.

Tuesday, February 24, 2015

Sodium content of Us packaged foods

A very interesting article on Sodium content of packaged foods appeared in American Journal of clinical nutrition.
It is said that higher salt intake was associated with High B.P
  Meat dishes and canned soups had highest  amounts of sodium.
The recommended daily intake of sodium is 2500 mg and in African Americans with B.P and kidney disease is even lesser like 1500 mg.
Salad dressings,pasta dressings and pasta dishes had very high sodium.

Benefits of nut consumption

I was reading the American Journal of Clinical nutrition and found an interesting study on nut consumption and incidence of cardiovascular disease.
Nuts are rich in nutrients like folate,niacin,vitaminD,vitB6.They are rich in Macronutrients such as unsaturated  fatty acids,dietary fiber,phytoestrogens,phytochemicals,andmicronutrientssuch as essential minerals including Copper,magnesium,potassium and zinc.
Nut consumption reduces risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes.
     magnesium was shown to decrease BP by acting as caLcium channel  blocker.
Nut intake improved lipid profiles,increasd fiber intake.
Nut consumption reduced inflammatory markers like CRP"    IL6,fibrinogen.Overall reduced mortality in males with nut consumtion.

Sunday, February 8, 2015

Paleo diet

Paleo diet is basically what our hunter gatherer ancestors ate, like grass fed meat,wild caught fish,roots,tubers,veggies,fruits while avoiding grains,legumes,sugars,processed foods,dairy.
What is the difference between vegan  and paleo diets.
Vegans believe animal products cause chronic disease .Diets high in veggies,fruits,grains is best.
Paleo diets include veggies too but feel grass fed and wild meats are imp and they believe grains starches and sugars are the real health killers.
There is a big discussion of which diet is healthy but gluten contains refined grains can be problematic.
Buckwheat,Quinoa,and millet are healthy grains.
In Paleo,avoid factory farmed meats and eat low mercury fish.
Brown rice,amaranth,ka it offer quick energy

Saturday, February 7, 2015

MCI continued

Improve social interactions.
Connect with friends and family.
Avoid alcohol addiction
Avoid Tobacco/ hukkah
Other good supplements are,resveratrol,green tea,Quercetin,Curcumin,inositol,melatonin,coQ 10,
Tocotrienols.
Medicines should be last lines of defense.
Other supplements are Gastrodin extracted from the root of exotic orchid,uridine 5'- mono phosphate a nucleotide.
Phosphatidyl serine
Folic acid
Huperazine
5- HTP
VitaminK
Learning new language,or game or an art stimulates neurogenesis.

MCI

This is called Mild cognitive Impairment.
This is a definite problem.
Misplacing keys,forgetting names,entering a room and can't remember why?
Is this all stress related or first signs of MCI.
Causes of MCI are,
Atrophy
Demyelination
Ischemia
Calcification
What can we do?
We have to make a definite attempt to change to improve.
Choice of what we eat,whether we exercise,our quality of life.
Eat foods that represent color of rainbow,regular exercise,nutritional supplements.
Walnuts,pecans,Brazil nuts,sunflower seeds help brain.
Fish is considered Brain food,Salmon.Sardines,mackerel are good sources.
Flavonoids support brain function.these are found in Berries,dark fruits and vegetables,dark beans,
Spices like dill,parsley.thyme.
Calorie restriction or fasting.
Exercise boosts Brain derived neurotrophic factor which is critical for neurogenesis.( BDNF)
Supplements that can help are,
Fish oil
VitaminD
Choline
Ashwagandha or Indian ginseng
Prenenolone
Magnesium
Blueberries
Vinpocetine
Acetyl l Carnitine
B12
Methyl cobalamin,and more info on next blog.

Wednesday, February 4, 2015

Pistachios

Hi friends,
We are going to talk about the green pistachio nuts a serving of pistachio is 49 nuts.
Let us see the health benefits,
One serving of pistachio has 49 nuts.it is rich in copper,magnesium,selenium.
One serving of pistachio has as much potassium as an orange.
Pistachios are good source of B6 vitamin.
They are high in phytosterols which can reduce cholesterol.
It is cholesterol free.
It has good amount of fiber.
Have you ever added ground cardamom ,just 1/4 tsf to your cappuccino?
You can mix milk with pistachios and blend and use it as a topping froth for the cappuccino.
A carrot juice or a cream of cashew carrot soup can be topped with chopped pistachio.
A glass of warmed upMilk can be topped with a mixture of nuts,cardamom,nutmeg and saffron.











Saturday, January 17, 2015

Walnuts

Walnuts are healthy for Brain.
I am going to share some ways of eating walnuts.
If you have a sweet tooth, caramelize walnuts.
Take a cupful of walnuts and one tblsf agave syrup and one Tblsf brown sugar and bake it in oven for about 5 to 10 minutes.
Enjoy

Green spinach dressing

Ingredients
6 oz of baby spinach
1/4 cup non fat yogurt
1 small 5 oz can of water chestnuts
1 tblsf lemon juice
1 small shallot
1/2 tsf of salt
1/2 tsf of ground black pepper
1 tsf of tahini
Add water for desired consistency

Pea nutty salad dressing

Ingredients
1/4 cup smooth peanut butter
1/3 cup orange juice
3 tablespoonful of Nama shoyu soy sauce
1 tblsf rice vinegar
2 tsf brown sugar
Soy sauce has plenty of salt so no added salt but garlic clove minced and grated ginger are good additions.
Process this in vitamix or food processor and it is ready.
You can make it thinner or liquidy by adding water.

Homemade Dressings for salads/ vegetables

Pomegranate dressing
Ingredients are
 Unsweetened pomegranate juice
1 tblsf brown sugar
1 tsf freshly grated orange zest
1/8 tsf chipotle chili
Pinch of ground cloves
1/8 tsf sea salt
1/8 tsf black pepper
One small garlic clove
One small shallot
1 tblsf red wine vinegar
Purée the above in a blender.
Olive oil can be addedto the vinaigrette

Sunday, January 11, 2015

Korean remedy for coughs and colds

I would like to share this easy vegetarian recipe that I read from Vegetarian times.
It uses Asian pears,pinenuts.
It is called honey poached Asian pears.
Take four cups of water and start boiling it.Add 3/4 cup honey and 1 cup of pomegranate juice.let it cool.You can add grated ginger and lemon peel and few peppercorns to the water.
Peel the pears and drop them in the liquid and start warming the water with the juice and other ingredients. Let the pears stay cooking on the liquid for another 30 minutes.
Then transfer pears to another dish and boil the remaining liquid till it is syrupy.
Pour the syrup over the pears. Dress it with pinenuts.

Saturday, January 10, 2015

Spaghetti squash

I was inspired to cook spaghetti squash this weekend after watching Mark Bittman,a food writer,journalist explaining the Editor of Atlantic magazine how to cook spaghetti squash.It was joint experience today in our kitchen as my husband showed his willingness to help.
He made several cuts on the very thick outside skin so I could cook in the microwave.
After cooking it 6 minutes each side,total of 12 minutes, the squash was ready.I first scooped out the seeds and it was easy to scoop out the spaghetti squash.
I tried both ways,eating with butter,salt and pepper and also,butter and brown sugar and topping with nuts.Ihad to give an Indian touch to this vegetable.
I sautéed some garlic and onions and tomatoes in olive oil and added salt black pepper,cumin powder
and added the sautéed tomatoes,garlic and onion mixture and sprinkled with cayenne pepper.
That was delicious,said my husband,low calorie natural spaghetti.

Fiber

For several years I had been telling my patients to buy OTC Metamucil.
Now ,let us look at the ingredients.
The beautiful looking yellow box of Metamucil has,
Psyllium husk
Maltodextrin
Citric acid
Natural and artificial orange flavor
Aspartame
Yellow dye,no.6
Versus Flax meal there is no dye,and ingredients are only flax  seeds

Vision improvement with foods

Vision problems and prevention through diet
Kale is the king of vegetables and while I was making the call of the Kale smoothie,I was researching on USDA site for nutrition content and found out that KALE and COLLARD Greens have the highest amount of Zeaxanthin and Lutein.
Not only these vegetables were beneficial for Macular degeneration,they also help in reduction of Glaucoma.
The other foods are black currants,goji berries with nuts and seeds.
To preserve the retinal epithelium, we need anthocyanins which can be obtained from blueberries,blackberries,purple cabbage,purple potatoes,purple carrots

Detox smoothie

To me ,Kale is the king of vegetables and I want to create all kinds of recipes to use Kale.
I was studying on demulcents,which is a substance that coats,covers,soothes,and Apple pectin is one of them.
Coming back to the recipe,
1 cup of water
1 apple
4 to 5 strawberries,
One cup of wased Kale
1/2 lime or lemon
I prefer to use frozen strawberries,so I don't have to use ice.
Blend and enjoy
Alternately,
Look for my call of the kale smoothie that has water,kale,green grapes,lemon,and banana,and avocado.
Now, the question is can you use other citrus for pectin?
We can use 1 cup kale, one orange/ grapefruit peeled,banana,water.
This would make another detox smoothie.

STARTING NEWYEAR WiTH DETOX

We all indulged in food and or drinks one way or the other during the holidays.
It is time to go back to some healthy beginnings.
I am going to share today a healthy easy detox drink that has 3 or 4 ingredients maximum.
They are ,
Water
Lemons/ limes
Ginger( fresh)
Apple cider vinegar(ACV)
Manuka honey15+( potional)
Boil 4 cups of water.when it has become lukewarm,squeeze lemon or lime juice of one lemon/ lime.
Take a 2" piece of ginger and shred it in the water or crush it and add to water after you have scraped the skin off as you would do on a potato.
Add 1 tsf of ACV per cup of water.as I had 4 cups of water,I added 4 tsf of ACV.
If you like it sweet,you can add Manuka honey which is very therapeutic,may be za tsf or two.
Sip on this tea or water that you just prepared.
ENJOY
Look out for my favorite DeTox foods next  poster.

Friday, January 2, 2015

Soup for new year

Hi Friends,
I was back home after a break and come home to college station to find my kitchen garden with beaming,blooming Broccoli.
One of the plants had the 4 petal beautiful flowers but the Broccoli on others were just ready to eat.
I had come across a recipe Broccoli avocado soup.
An easy version will be steam the broccoli after washing it good and blend it in food processor or vitamix with 1/2 avocado, salt and black pepper and 2 tsf of olive oil.
Garnish with pieces of avocado.
Add lemon juice to taste.