Beans, beans, the magical fruit ...

When it comes to food, it is hard to find anything more super then beans.Check out the following bean facts: Some beans are higher in antioxidants then blueberries.

Beans lower blood sugar and decrease abdominal fat - lowering rates of diabetes and heart disease.

Cancer risk decreases with bean consumption.

Beans are also a source of cheap and tasty protein. They are even considered an aphrodisiac in many cultures - so why the bad rep? In a word – gas. Many folks report a distinct increase in gas and bloating when they eat beans. And gas isn't fun or cool or sexy – so the beans stay on the shelf.

Don't despair - there is good news!  With the proper preparation beans can be a great addition to your diet, without affecting your social life. Follow these tips to embrace the lovely legumes.

Ditch the canned:  Fresh made beans are tastier, more easily digested and easy to prepare.  However, if you are caught in a time crunch and have to grab a few cans, be sure to rinse the beans well.  The gas causing compounds can get concentrated in the bean liquid, so wash them off well.

Soak:  When making beans from scratch be sure to soak them first.  Covering beans in warm water and soaking them overnight will decrease phytic acid - one of the compounds that decreases bean digestion.  Rinse the beans well after soaking and you are well on your way to a tastier, more  digestible bean.  As a bonus, soaking beans can increase the absorption of minerals up to 100%!

Add Kombu:  Kombu is a type of seaweed, look for it in the Asian foods section of the grocery store.  Adding a 4-6 inch piece to your beans as they cook will greatly improve digestion.  Consider cumin or bay leaf as well.

Chew:  Your mama was right - chew your food!  Proper digestion, but especially the digestion of beans, starts in the mouth.

Enzymes:  It can take the intestinal tract a bit of time to adjust to dietary changes.  So while you are waiting for your guts to catch up, lend a hand with some digestive enzymes.  You can get bean-specific brands, but a general enzyme will work as well.

So bust out the beans and enjoy some delicious dahl, scrumptious stew or stellar salsa! Enjoy the magic of beans without the toots ;)

Happy, Healthy Halloween!

Halloween is one of my favorite holidays! Most families feel the same way but fear the inevitable bags of corn-syrup laden confections and subsequent post-candy meltdowns. However, it is possible to enjoy the holiday while minimizing the damage to teeth, tummies and mom's last nerve.

1. Trade in the bag of candy for a special treat. After allowing kids to pick out 10-20 pieces of their favorite candy, trade out the candy for a more tangible treat. Sort of like the tooth fairy, the Halloween Candy Fairy (or the Great Pumpkin, or whatever you want to name your new candy-craving creature) comes in the night and trades in the bags of candy for a cool basket of goodies. New books, art supplies, holiday-themed pajamas or gift certificates to movies or a favorite restaurant are all good options.
2. Host a Halloween feast. There is nothing worse then a bunch of sugar on an empty stomach. Prior to trick or treating, have family and friends come over for a warming, Autumn meal. Serve hearty, protein-rich dishes with fun and spooky themes. Check out blog.wholefoodsmarket.com/2011/10/healthy-halloween/ for recipes. A pre-treat meal will cut down on sugar induced highs and lows.
3. Choose the lesser evil. Look to minimize artificial colors and flavors. Choose real sugar over corn syrup (or heaven forbid atificial sweeteners). Dark chocolate is always a good bet. Homemade snacks made with real ingredients are an even better way to celebrate the holiday season. Check out this fabulous recipe for raw caramel and apples (www.nourishingmeals.com/2010/09/raw-caramel-dip-for-apples.html) or maple carmel corn (http://www.nourishingmeals.com/2010/12/maple-caramel-corn.html)!

Don't forget to relax and have fun. Most kiddos can handle a few days of junk. Do some damage control, offer healthy options and enjoy. Have a happy, healthy, Halloween!

Dr C

PS For parents and other folks that get to carried away with holiday treats check out my nutritional cleanse program offered in partnership with Root Yoga (www.rootyogacenter.com/nutrition/)!

Why you need to detox now!

Actually, I was just getting your attention.  You don't need to detox now.  And my Fall Rejuvenation isn't even really a detox.  It is a jumpstart.  An introduction into a healthy way of eating that should make up 80% of your diet most days of the week.  Pair this new way of approaching food with great info on removing known toxins  from the home, fabulous ideas on self-care to support optimal organ function and a supportive, enthusiastic community of like-minded folks to help you out along the way.  Why not start now? We don't use pills, powders or special potions.  We just eat real food.  That is what makes this different.  I just read an interview with a nutritionist who stated that cleansing 1-2 times a year is like only cleaning your house once or twice a year.  I couldn't agree more.  Health is a year round process, we give you year round tools.  But you have to start somewhere, so why not start now?

Fall is a great time to take a moment to focus on your health and wellness before the craziness of the holidays begins.  It is a great time to jump start your immunity before the flu season hits.  And it is a great time to let go of some of those fun summertime indulgences that may have accidentally turned into a part of the daily routine. There is never a perfect time, but you have to start sometime.  So why not start now?

Getting Burned by Heartburn?

If you experience heartburn, you are not alone.  Over 20% of Americans will experience heartburn every week.  But think twice abut how you treat it.  Proton-pump inhibitors, such as Nexium, Prilosec, or Prevacid, are common medications used to block the stomachs production of acid.  No acid=no acidreflux=no heartburn.  Seems pretty simple.  And it perfectly illustrates the over-simplified approach that is common in medicine today.  For every symptom, there is medication meant to suppress the discomfort without looking to the underlying cause. And at what cost?  When you suppress a symptom, you ignore the message that symptom sends.  And, when you use a medication daily, you take on risks.  Over the last couple years, the FDA has started to issue warning regarding some concerning side effects associated with long term use of proton pump inhibitors.  One of the most serious is an increased risk of osteoporosis and fracture.  It makes perfect sense - stomach acid is needed to digest calcium. If you chronically block the production of stomach acid, you won't be able to absorb the calcium you need. Other concerns are magnesium deficiency and increase rates of infection.

In Naturopathic Medicine we believe in the wisdom of the body.  Stomach acid has a purpose.  Namely to digest nutrients and keep infections from entering the body.  Uncomfortable symptoms, such as heartburn, don't appear for no reason.  They are a signal that the body is out of balance.  This is what separates our philosophy from the current mainstream approach to healthcare.   And this is why patients seek out our care.

So take a moment to consider your symptoms and ask yourself what messages they might be sending. Before you interrupt the the natural functions of your body, consider  the long term implications.  And before starting any medication, consider the many safe and non-toxic natural therapies available.  And, of course, consider adding a naturopathic doctor to your health care team :)

Gardening for health

I really, really love to garden. Lately, I have been spending my nights curled up with seed catalogs, lusting over mouth-watering descriptions and anxiously awaiting Mother's Day - not only because my mom is an amazing gardener who inspires many of my garden projects, but because the second Sunday in May is generally recognized as the "safe" time to start planting tender seeds and transplants in Denver, Colorado.

Last weekend I built a salad table for my backyard.  I have a plot in the Edgewater Community Garden.  And I am super excited to be working on a community herb garden with Eastside Growers Collective (where I also  have an individual plot dedicated exclusively to melons and winter squash - a Cucurbitaceae collection for my botany brethren).  I even started a worm farm - which is a whole other post entirely ..

I may be going overboard ;)

So, to justify my obsession, and  for newbies that may be considering digging in for the first time, or for old-timers that need a few more reasons to justify hours spent playing in the dirt - I complied a few of the many health benefits that can be found in the garden.

Fresh food

Growing your own food ensures that you will have access to the tastiest produce imaginable.  Children will often happily eat veggies straight from the garden that they would never consider eating from the store.  The nutrient content in organic food is higher then conventional and you can't get more local then the backyard.  Eating your 5-7 servings a day is easy and delicious when you are a gardener.

Sunshine

There has been increased awareness of widespread Vitamin D deficiency over the past few years.  I have been surprised to find out that even in sunny Colorado, many of my patients are deficient.  So before you slather on the sunscreen, consider letting your limbs get some sunshine.  Be sure to keep  your face covered and don't get burned.  The amount of time you need depends on your skin type, time of day and personal health history.  This is a good topic to discuss with your health care provider.

Exercise

Gardening burns between 200-600 calories per hour.  As anyone who has ever maneuvered a wheelbarrow knows, gardening also improves strength, flexibility and balance.   Gardening a few times a week can decease your chance of developing heart disease, metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes!

Remember to go organic - you wouldn't want to negate any of your gardening health benefits by breathing in and ingesting toxic pesticides.

Happy digging!

Dr. Caitlin

Celebrate St. Patrick's Day!

Happy (almost) St. Patrick's Day everyone! As you may have guessed, Dr. Caitlin O'Connor is mostly Irish.  As I prepare myself for the big day, I thought I would share a few tips on enjoying a fun and healthy St. Patrick's Day.

Eat cabbage

Cabbage is a delicious - often overlooked - superfood!  As a member of the cruciferous family, cabbage is packed with cancer-fighting phytonutrients.  Women should line up for seconds, since cabbage contains the powerful indole-3-carbinol molecule that shifts estrogen metabolism in a way that may decrease breast cancer risk.

Drink beer

Sure red wine gets all the press, but a nice glass of beer has health benefits as well.  Stay away from the green-dyed variety and stick with a nice dark brew.  Guniness, my favorite, is known for it's iron and B vitamin content.  Lactating moms can even enjoy a celebratory beverage - hops is known to increase milk production.

Laugh

Craic is an irish slang term without a straight English translation.  However the basic meaning is to have fun, specifically by spending time  laughing and telling stories in enjoyable company.  There are numerous studies linking laughter to improved health, from a decrease in heart disease and diabetes complications to an increase in immunity and creativity.

So grab your favorite Irish friend and pick up a plate of cabbage and a pint.

Have a healthy holiday!

Dr. Caitlin

Eating tips for picky toddlers

Do you have a picky toddler?  You are not alone!  Check out my latest article for the Denver Examiner on Eating Tips for Picky Toddlers. Enjoy!

Dr. Caitlin

Nutritional Deficit Disorder

I am currently reading  Dr. William Sears newest offering, The NDD Book.  NDD stands for Nutrient Deficit Disorder and Dr. Sears believes that it is a contributing factor to many of the "D disorders," from ADHD to GERD to diabetes, that are becoming alarmingly prevalent in kids.  This is my favorite quote so far: "You put junk food into a child's brain, you get back junk behavior, junk learning, and junk mood.  It's as simple as that!"

Now, we know it isn't always as simple as that.  But, almost always, what we eat matters.  Most medical conditions are a complex blend of genetics and environment.  Often times, we emphasize the genes, which we can't change, over the environment, which we can.

However, change is easier said then done.  The culture of food in the United States is totally deranged.  Much of what constitutes "food" now would be totally unrecognizable to our great-grandparents.

So it becomes the responsibility of  families to create a culture of real food and pass that legacy down to their children.

So where do we start?  As my patients know, I frequently recommend two cookbooks - Whole Life Nutrition and Feeding the Whole Family.  Both of these books are not only full of family - friendly recipes, but they provide a basic groundwork for whole foods cooking.  Many of us don't know how to cook whole grains, use dried beans or make tasty vegetable dishes.  No worries, because these cookbooks provide simple instructions that will have you cruising the bulk aisle and perusing new produce in no time.

Get cooking!

Dr. Caitlin

Winter Rejuvenation Cleanse

With the Winter Rejuvenation cleanse coming to a close, I invited my dear friend, owner and creative director of Sol Vida Dance!,  April Charmaine, to guest blog about her personal experience with the program.  I was impressed and inspired by what she had to say.  Enjoy! After putting on major weight by indulging in every single thing imaginable -  brie cheeses, cakes, cookies, hams, Irish liqueurs and wine nearly every day of November and December - I was feeling on the verge of a physical, mental, and psychological crisis.

Then along came my friend, Dr. O’Connor and the All Families Natural Health Winter Rejuvenation program. I’d wanted to cleanse my body for sometime now, but didn’t have the conviction or moral support to do it. On January 18, I found out that would I be saying goodbye to all my best friends: caffeine, animal products, GLUTEN, SUGAR, and alcohol. What I didn’t know at the time is that I would be saying goodbye to my monthly PMS migraine, my general lack of energy, my constant need for a vice, and extra weight and inches.

After the second week of the cleanse, I really began to get over my withdrawal symptoms and began to feel a “zinging” energy which I’m still maintaining today. Three weeks later, my zest for life has dramatically increased and I am producing like never before. I truly believe this is because I am taking care of myself by eating whole foods and  drinking so much more water. Go figure, it is actually not that difficult.

I have gained so much from Dr. O’Connor’s guidance through this program.  I feel that if I take even half of the habits I’ve acquired through this process with me, I am going to be a much happier and healthier  person for a much longer time. I love looking in my food cabinets now and seeing an array of bulk items, medicinal foods and so much less packaging   My  fridge is  filled with things that I’ve actually made and that actually taste good. I am building that healthy, whole foods kitchen I always craved and desired. And imagine me -  a total sweets freak - who can hardly handle the sweetness of raisins now!

I authentically feel really good!

April Charmaine, Artistic Director, Sol Vida Dance!