The holidays can often be challenging when trying to balance the sweet and savory with the nutritious recipes.

Whether from your garden, market or frozen section, below are some great recipes to try this holiday for some added nutrition and a splash of color!

Uncle Johns Winter Collard Greens
*Collards are definitely in season now, and taste AMAZING after a frost! We collect ours from our garden out back, and local grocery stores should be well stocked this time of year.
1-2 bunches of collards, chopped (1 bunch per 2 people)
1 whole yellow onion, peeled & chopped
5 cloves fresh garlic, minced
3 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp soy sauce
In a large pot, simmer the onions and garlic in olive oil until just tender. Add in the chopped collards, stir and cover with a tight fitting lid. Reduce heat to low and let steam for 25 minutes. Stir occasionally. They will cook down a LOT.
Once cooked, remove lid and add soy sauce. Stir well and serve.

Squash Posh
6 – 7 yellow squash sliced and steamed
2 large carrots, slices and steamed
½ crown broccoli, chopped and steamed
(Yes, you can steam them all together at once!)
1 onion, sliced and sautéed lightly in butter (substitute earth balance for dairy free)
2 – 6 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 – 1 cup grated cheddar cheese (Substitute nutritional yeast for dairy-free)
large scoop of mayonnaise (Substitute veganaise for dairy free)
2 eggs
Combine mayonnaise, eggs and cheese in a large bowl; add steamed vegetables, sautéed onions and garlic; mix well. Pour into a baking dish. Bake at 350º for 30 – 45 minutes.

Simple Steamed Broccoli
1-2 broccoli crowns, chopped into bite sized pieces
½ lemon (juiced)
2 tbsp parmesan cheese
1/4tsp salt
In a large pot or steamer, steam the broccoli until a vibrant green (about 12 minutes). Remove from heat and transfer to a large bowl. Sprinkle the lemon juice, parmesan cheese and salt on top, mix well and serve piping hot for a splash of green!

Sweet Potato Casserole
This one is basically our dessert – a real sweet treat!
6 medium-size sweet potatoes
¼-1/3cup cup brown sugar (can substitute 1/3 cup honey if desired)
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup milk (unflavored coconut milk makes a nice substitute for dairy free folks)
1/2 cup butter (or earth balance if dairy-free)

Cook sweet potatoes in boiling water 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until tender. Let cool to touch; peel and mash. Combine sweet potatoes, sugar/honey, eggs, vanilla, milk, and 1/2 cup butter; beat at medium speed of an electric mixer until smooth. Spoon into a lightly greased 12″ x 8″ z 2″ baking dish.

Optional Topping (if you really want this to be dessert…)
1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/3 cup finely chopped pecans
2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 Tablespoons butter
Combine brown sugar, pecans, flour, and 2 tablespoons butter; sprinkle mixture over casserole. Bake at 350º for 30 minutes. Serves 8.

If you are interested in refining your diet and receiving helpful guidance, please contact our at (804) 977-2634 to book an appointment with our Nutritionist, Dr. Viktoriya Beliy.  Have a safe and happy holiday!

Traveling with your food allergies can be a tricky task, especially when you’re confronted with lots of new foods at the table of family and friends.

Tis the season for lots of food, family gatherings and plenty of travel time!  It’s best to prepare ahead and allow yourself plenty of time to search for ingredients or chart your travel course (what foods are available along the way).

Here are some tips for keeping yourself well fed and feeling great while on the road or away from home:

1. Familiar snacks are your new best friend. While you’re still at home, find some travel friendly/shelf stable snacks that you can take with you on the road.

2. Prepare allergy-friendly recipes before you travel and gather ingredients to take with you if you’re contributing a dish to the holiday table. Don’t expect unique ingredients to be available at every store around the country – sometimes they can be impossible to find especially around the busier cooking times of year.

3. Digestive enzymes can rescue you from un-expected foods that sneak in. If you have a specific food allergy that can be aided by the use of digestive enzymes, make sure to keep a small bottle with you in case you accidently ingest something that can cause some problems later. Herbal bitters are another great option!

4. Keep a list of ingredients that are “off limits” so if you’re out in a new city at an unfamiliar grocery store you can easily cross-reference food labels. This can also help your host/hostess know if their foods are OK for you to eat and if not, how much extra foods you will need to provide for yourself.

5. Prepare a quick and compassionate response to all of the questions you will get in regards to you refusal of offered foods. This can be something like, “Thank you, but I have a food allergy to XYZ and need to be careful about what I eat around the holidays.”. or, “Fortunately I have finally found what foods really trigger some digestive issues and XYZ is one of them. Thank you so much for offering!”.

Substitutions for some common food allergies:

Gluten Free: Pamela’s Bread mixes – excellent for almost anything you can bake gluten free! http://www.pamelasproducts.com/products/

Dairy Free: Daiya Cheese makes a great alternative to cheesy dishes: http://us.daiyafoods.com/
Coconut milk is an excellent alternative to regular milk for cooking and baking.

Eggs: 1 tablespoon ground flax seeds with 3 tablespoons water = 1 egg. Grind together in a food processor until thick. Place in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.

Sugar: Some alternatives to regular granulated sugars are maple syrup, honey, molasses or dates.

If you would like more assistance with your diet, consider an appointment with our Nutritionist, Dr. Viktoriya Beliy.  You can contact our office at (804) 977-2634 to make a Nutrition appointment.

Fall is a season of change.  Colorful leaves emerge and then make their way back to earth.  It reminds us that every now and then, we need to take stock and work on letting go of the things that no longer serve us.

This sounds easy enough but can actually be quite challenging to execute.  Why is that?

It’s normal to want to hold onto behaviors, objects, or even people.  On one hand, this is about convenience.  The familiar is comfortable.  It requires little thought.  We reason that this way of thinking or this object has worked for me in the past so it must work for me now.  We may not even be sure why we continue this behavior, but continue to do so anyway, not taking the time to reevaluate and adjust as needed.

The other rationale stems from fear.  Fear around not having enough. This is not so much about greed or wanting more, but holding on to what we already have.  This scarcity mentality focuses on short-term benefits and gives us a false sense of comfort.

So where do we go from here?  To begin, we let go.  We let go of our thoughts, our old scripts, our expectations, and our judgment.  

NEGATIVE SELF TALK

”Talk to yourself like you would to someone you love.”  Brene Brown

Being a little self-critical can be beneficial, but once the self-talk turns negative, the effects can be damaging.  Sometimes we can be a real bully-to ourselves!  Where does the compassion, patience and understanding we show others go when we view ourselves?

When you find your self-talk becoming harsh and critical, ask yourself the following questions…

•      Is there validity to my negative thinking?
•      Is this negative self-talk motivating me to better myself?
•      Would anyone who cares about me ever say these negative things about me?
•      Is this type of self-talk serving me?

If you answer no to these statements, it is time to let go of the negative self-talk.  Make space for compliments, words of encouragement, and self-acceptance.  

OBJECTS

“It all depends on whether you have things, or they have you.” Robert A. Cook

It’s normal to collect objects over time.  Some are gifted, some are purchased, and some are created.  You may even hold a few special possessions near and dear to your heart due to their nostalgia.  Unfortunately though, keeping everything can become a hindrance in progressing forward.  When we cling to the past we become unavailable to the presen.

Take stock of your belongings.  Explore your closets, cabinets, garage, etc. and ask yourself the following:

•      Do I really need this item?
•      Do I really want it?
•      If it needs repaired or fixed, am I willing to spend the time and energy to do so?
•      Could it serve someone else better?
•      Does this object bring me joy?

Let your answers guide as to whether you should pitch, donate, or sell these objects.  You may find that releasing such objects allows you and your space to feel lighter and more open to new possibilities!

NEGATIVE HABITS

“The secret of change is to focus all of your energy not on fighting the old, but on building the new.”  Socrates

Sometimes we actively engage in negative habits even though we know they are bad for us.  Even after reaping the consequences, we rationalize and stubbornly cling to our old ways.  Then we beat ourselves up after the fact for not adhering to the desired new behavior.  This can become a frustrating cycle and can be harmful to ourselves and others.

When faced with a decision to act out a negative habit that you know no longer serves, try the following:

•     Pause and take a deep breath in and a deep breath out.  Take as many as you need to create enough space to give yourself the chance to CHOOSE how you want to respond.
•     Ask yourself WHY you are clinging to this negative behavior?
•     Is there a way to replace this negative habit with a positive one?
•     Can you imagine how good it will feel to know that you’ve shed this negative habit?

To break a bad habit, first commit to stopping the behavior by creating a plan, and develop self-discipline and self-awareness so that you can stay on track.

Also, choose the right approach for dealing with it, reward yourself when you do well, and involve others in your efforts.

Perhaps it is time to shift our thinking from holding on to letting go.  In our letting go, we create an emptiness, a space in which new ideas, new objects and new behaviors can grow and flourish. We encourage a flow and exchange of energy.  

Making a positive shift through mindfulness…

Mindfulness is a term that is popping up more frequently in everyday conversation, self-help blogs, and research studies; and with good reason. Mindfulness, as defined by Psychology Today, is a state of active, open attention on the present. It embraces living in the present moment and taking in as much of the experience as possible. It is important to remember that as we are being mindful, we are simply observing any thoughts and feelings that come up, as opposed to judging them negatively or positively.

Some of the Benefits of Mindfulness

Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) is a program that uses a combination of mindfulness meditation, body awareness, and yoga to help people become more mindful and find relief from many chronic disorders or diseases. (#1) The techniques taught in this program can help people have a more appropriate response to stress, increase happiness in their life and find relief from chronic pain(#2), irritable bowel syndrome (#3) and anxiety and depression (#4) to name a few.

Additionally, new research is coming out suggesting that regularly practicing mindfulness effects NF kappa b – a protein complex that acts as a “master switch” affecting the body’s response to stress, cytokine and free radical production and response to bacterial or viral antigens. Altering NF kappa b can lead to a positive shift in our immune system function, glucocorticoid-mediated responses and replication of DNA. (#5)

You can actually alter how your body is replicating its DNA and which genes get expressed simply by giving attention to the present moment! And for more good news, our brain responds well to short bursts of mindfulness throughout the day, so even if you only have a few minutes per day your body will be thanking you.

4 Ideas To Add Mindfulness Into Everyday Life:

1. Take Advantage When Life Gives You A Pause: If you’re stopped at a red light, in line at the grocery store, in the waiting room for an appointment these are all excellent opportunities to observe yourself (energy and mood) and your surroundings.
2. Explore Your Senses: We are too often on the go that we forget to take in our surroundings with all of our senses. Pick a moment and give attention to each of your senses. Are you feeling warm or chilly in the moment?  How do your surroundings look? Are there any particular scents in the air? Is your mouth wet or dry? What do you hear? Consider choosing one sense for the day and paying particular attention to what it picks up in various situations. Brushing your teeth or cooking dinner may actually be more interesting than you’ve ever thought.
3. Be Kind and Compassionate: To others and to yourself. Give someone a compliment. Accept a compliment from someone. Congratulate yourself on something you did well or are proud of each day, and smile.
4. Don’t Forget To Breathe: Check in with your breaths throughout the day. Frequently we’re holding our breath without knowing it. With each check-in be sure to take a deep inhale and longer exhale before your attention strays away from your breath again.

Resources:

1. Mindfulness-based interventions for chronic pain: a systematic review of the evidence.
2. Mindfulness-based stress reduction for the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome symptoms
3. Baseline and Strategic Effects behind Mindful Emotion Regulation: Behavioral and Physiological Investigation.

If you are interested in exploring mindfulness as a component of whole-body health

contact our office at (804) 977-2634 to schedule an appointment with one of our naturopathic doctors.

During the darker, colder winter months, it’s not uncommon for people to present with lower Vitamin D levels due to lack of sun exposure.

Without exposure to sunlight daily, we become deficient in Vitamin D, and not surprisingly, it’s one of the most common deficiencies in North America today. Vitamin D influences almost every body system in some way, including the immune, endocrine, cardiovascular, reproductive, and digestive systems.  It is continually researched concerning autoimmune diseases and even the progression of some cancers. It’s so important in our body that we actively make it ourselves, but we need sunlight’s key ingredient to make it happen.

Essential Roles at a Glance:

• Increases calcium absorption in the small intestines. You need vitamin D to keep your calcium levels constant
• Supports bone health, especially during infancy and through puberty
• Modulates the immune system response and may play a key role in the prevention of some autoimmune diseases
• Reduces incidences of infection
• Fertility support
• Blood sugar regulation
• Mood hormone regulation / seasonal affective disorder / cognitive function

Nutritional Perspective:

Vitamin D is absolutely essential for appropriate calcium absorption throughout our life, leading to optimal bone health over time. If you don’t have enough Vitamin D, it’s extremely difficult for the body to absorb needed amounts of calcium. Vitamin D is also one of the fat soluble vitamins, meaning it needs a healthy fat to get it where it needs to go in the body, making it all the more important to keep eating your healthy fats on a daily basis.  Such fast include avocados, coconut and olive oil, walnuts, flax seeds, chia seeds, fatty fish and high quality dairy products.

Supplementation & Diet:

There are two different sources of vitamin D supplementation: Vitamin D3 and Vitamin D2. Vitamin D3 is synthesized from sun-exposed skin and is more bioavailable for humans. Generally, a vitamin D3 supplement is sourced from cholecalciferol or lanolin, derived from sheep wool, and is highly absorbable for humans. Fungi synthesize Vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol) and is plant-sourced, often from lichen (many vegans will supplement with D2 instead of D3). Vitamin D2 is not quite as well absorbed by humans, however there is still benefit to supplementing with this form, as both D2 and D3 supplementation have been shown to increase serum levels of 25(OH)D.

Vitamin D is transported through general circulation to the liver, where enzyme 25 hydroxylase converts it to 25OHD. Further conversions within the kidneys change 25OHD into 1, 25 OH2D3, which is the active form of Vitamin D. Dietary sources of Vitamin D are relatively few but do include cod liver oil and fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel, swordfish, sardines, and tuna as well as some mushrooms that are UV-irradiated and eggs. Other foods may be fortified with vitamin D (non-naturally occurring) such as milk, yogurt and sometimes processed grains and cereals.

Who may be most at risk for Vitamin D deficiency:

• Populations with darker skin. Darker skin is characterized by an increased level of the pigment melanin, which reduces the skin’s ability to produce vitamin D from sunlight.
• Women who have breastfed for a prolonged period of time without the RDA supplementation of Vitamin D during that time.
• Populations living in limited sun-exposed regions or overcast environments.
• Office workers or shift workers who do not have daily exposure to sunlight (at least 15 minutes of direct sun exposure).
• People with lower GI, small intestine malabsorption issues or Irritable Bowel Disease.
• Elderly populations who remain predominantly indoors. Also, our ability to manufacture Vitamin D from sunlight through our skin decreases as we age.

One of the best ways to increase your vitamin D levels daily is to ensure you’re getting direct sun exposure for at least 15 minutes every day. This may shift seasonally and will also depend on your current vitamin D levels and skin color/pigmentation. You should also consider getting your vitamin D levels tested annually before implementing a Vitamin D supplement so that you know the appropriate dose to begin taking.

Still, have questions or curiosities about how Vitamin D may be influencing your health? Click HERE to be contacted by a representative to book an appointment.

Resources and References:

National Institutes of Health: Vitamin D

Vitamin D for Health: A Global Perspective

Vitamin D, pregnancy & depression

The Risks & Benefits of Sun Exposure

What are the adrenal glands and why are they so important?

The adrenal glands are two small, pyramid-shaped glands that sit on top of the kidneys.  Conventional medicine rarely addresses these glands unless there is a frank disease state such as Cushing Syndrome (hyper-functioning adrenal glands usually caused by a pituitary tumor) or Addison Disease (hypo-functioning adrenal glands usually resulting from an autoimmune disease).

Here are some of the areas in which the adrenal glands play a major role:

• Blood pressure and fluid balance
• Blood sugar and glucose control
• Stress response and cortisol levels
• Circadian rhythm
• Energy levels
• Mood stability
• Reproductive hormone balance
• Thyroid function
• Metabolism
• Inflammation and pain control

As you can see, these little glands play a big part in how we feel on a day-to-day basis and that is why they are KEY to achieving and maintaining health and well-being.

Background information:

The adrenal glands (or “adrenals”) are multi-layered glands, which produce a variety of hormones and substances which have various widespread effects. Here are the major compounds and their effects:

• Adrenaline (epinephrine) and noradrenaline (norepinephrine) – this is the name-giving substance produced by the center of the adrenal glands, in response to the sympathetic (aka “fight or flight”) mode of the nervous system. If you see a lion in your midst, this is what you’re feeling coursing through your veins. Epinephrine and norepinephrine are the neurotransmitters that give you quick-burst energy, excitability, responsiveness, etc.
• Aldosterone – this steroid hormone talks to the kidneys primarily to regulate blood pressure, blood volume and electrolyte concentration.
• DHEA – sometimes referred to as the “youth hormone,” this is the precursor to most sex hormones produced by the adrenal glands, including testosterone and estrogen. It has a balancing effect on cortisol and becomes of primary importance with aging, as adrenal gland production of sex hormones increases relative to declining ovary or testis function.
• Cortisol – this is the famous “stress hormone.” Similar to epinephrine and norepinephrine, this is also secreted in response to an acute stressor, but it is also produced and excreted in response to low-level and/or chronic stress (after the adrenaline is used up or wears off). Like most things in the body, we need some cortisol but not too much. In the right amounts, cortisol has the following actions in the body:
  • Wakes us up in the morning (major player in our circadian rhythm)
  • Raises blood sugar when it dips
  • Maintains blood pressure (especially when standing)
  • Reduces pain and inflammation
  • Provides resistance to acute or chronic stressors (like infection, extreme temperatures, trauma, etc.)

However, over time, too much cortisol can lead to issues like:

• Weak connective tissues and difficulty healing
• Weak bones
• Growth inhibition
• High blood pressure
• Mood, cognitive and memory issues
• Blood sugar dysregulation
• Low libido
• Low sex hormone levels – including infertility and menstrual disorders
• Thyroid dysfunction
• Abdominal adiposity
• Skin thinning
• Immune suppression

Interfering factors:

As with most biological molecules, the hormones produced by the adrenal glands eventually need to be processed (metabolized) and, for the most part, excreted from the body. The majority of this processing occurs in the liver and the majority of the excretion happens in the kidney. Hence, liver and kidney function are paramount to maintaining proper levels of adrenal hormones.

Here is a more inclusive list of factors that can interfere with adrenal function:

• Medications – especially steroid-hormone-based meds like prednisone, hydrocortisone and the birth control pill
• Thyroid issues (both hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism)
• Diabetes and blood sugar dysregulation
• Malnutrition (especially low protein levels and low cholesterol)
• Liver dysfunction
• Kidney dysfunction
• Pregnancy
• Abdominal adiposity
• Genetic issues affecting enzyme function
• And more!

The Big Picture:

Chronic stress, whether it be physical or psychological, initially causes adrenal “hyperfunction” where the glands are firing at a high level at random times during the day (or all the time!). If you were to measure the cortisol output here, it would be high. What typically happens next, is the adrenal glands get “fatigued” and start to putter out. This is what alternative medicine practitioners refer to as “adrenal fatigue.”  Common symptoms associated with adrenal dysregulation include: low energy, difficulty sleeping, lack of motivation, chronic inflammation and/or sickness, poor recovery from illness, low blood pressure, low libido, menstrual irregularities, blood sugar problems and cravings for salt, fat and stimulants.

What To Do:

Once we have determined where someone is on the adrenal health spectrum, we can decide how to best support this person in the healing process. This typically involves a combination of:

1. Lifestyle recommendations, such as stress management techniques and circadian-rhythm supporting habits
2. Blood-sugar control via dietary modifications
3. Nutritional support for the adrenal glands (with vitamins like B3, B5, B6, Folate, B12 and C and minerals like copper, zinc and magnesium – all of which are used by the adrenals)
4. Herbal therapies – particularly with a group of herbs called “adaptogens” – aptly named because they help the body “adapt” to and handle stress by supporting the adrenals. These include licorice, holy basil, ginseng, rhodiola, ashwaganda, astragalus and eleutherococcus
5. Glandular therapies specific for the adrenal glands
6. Endocrine support – support for other major endocrine glands like the ovaries or testes, thyroid and pituitary is commonly needed to achieve proper hormone balance

Recovery time varies depending on the person, but most people report a marked decrease in symptoms and an increase in feelings of well-being after addressing adrenal health issues. In addition, many take the lessons of maintaining adrenal health with them, and can heed-off future issues by implementing the lifestyle habits they have developed during this process.

If you think you might be struggling with adrenal dysfunction and you live in the Richmond area, contact our office at (804) 977-2634 to schedule an appointment with one of our practitioners.

The supplement industry in the United States is one of the fastest growing in the world. This can make buying supplements more complicated than we would like.

Finding the right supplement involves determining the quality of the product, which may or may not be reflected in the price. Buying an ineffective supplement can be easily avoided: when it comes to choosing the best supplement to fit your needs, the key is in the label. And with a little sleuthing, you’ll be able to select the highest quality product available. Here are seven simple steps to help you out:

#1 – Ask yourself: Do the front and back labels match?

This sounds incredibly basic, but it really is the best first step before delving any deeper into the supplement itself. You will come across supplements on occasion where the information on the front says something quite different from what is on the back. So compare the front and back of the supplement label to understand whether or not it is what it claims. If not, be sure to bypass that particular option.

#2 – Check out the “Other Ingredients” section of the label.

Once you’ve checked to see that the front and back labels match, you’ll want to scan down to the “other ingredients” section of the back label to see what precisely was put into the supplement aside from the main herb. This is where you’ll want to get especially nit-picky. The smallest amount of other ingredients tends to be the better option. This means limited artificial flavors, artificial colorings, and staying away from multiple preservatives or additives. More importantly, you’ll need to determine if you are capable of ingesting the list of other ingredients, taking into account any allergies or intolerances.  Better supplements will provide specific allergens that are absent from the item. For example, it may say, “This product contains no soy, no dairy, no gluten.”

#3 – Find the lot number, expiration and/or manufacturing date.

Another step that sounds incredibly basic, but is a vital tool for finding an acceptable supplement. Figure out when the product was made or expires so you don’t end up with an ineffective product. The lot number and expiration/manufacturing date should be clearly visible on the supplement’s container. (Better yet, it should have a barcode.) You may find some supplements that lack this information, data that is crucial for quality assurance. If you don’t find this information on a supplement, steer clear.

#4 – Read the directions and dosage.

Believe it or not, it is not required for directions to be on supplements. So be sure to check for ones that do, as they ensure better safety. Ideally, each supplement will have directions for ingestion, as well as the strength and number of servings supplied. By comparing multiple options, you may find that some provide a stronger dosage with fewer capsules, the opposite, or even somewhere in between. Contrasting this information with the price can help you determine the best value for your dollar.

#5 – Determine if the manufacturers are padding the label with “fluff.”

There are plenty of little tricks manufacturers will use to distract you from a higher quality product. But there are tools to help you investigate your way past these techniques. The first tool is checking the price. Is the supplement cheaper? In general, a supplement that is cheaper in price often means it is cheaper in quality control and will typically contain fewer active ingredients. The second tool is to check the amounts of what is in the supplement. Is the active ingredient well-sourced? Have the manufacturer’s added trace amounts of ingredients that may look good on the label but are not therapeutic? What unit of measurement is each label utilizing? Also, some manufacturers may add extra ingredients that are in fact irrelevant to the supplement. You may also find a label which lists out separate parts of a single ingredient, making it seem like there’s more than there is within the supplement. Be wary, too, of what are called “proprietary blends.” These can quite often be used to hide the exact quantity and quality of the supplements used. A better label will break down each ingredient separately, as opposed to grouping multiples together.

#6 – Understand the herb and its proper usage.

A basic understanding of herbs is crucial when selecting an herbal supplement. It’s best to go in knowing which herb you need and why it will be most effective in your current situation. The more you know, the better you’ll be able to determine the best option. Firstly, know that not all herbal administrations are equal. Each herb is different. Some lose potency when exposed to air, for example. You may consume an herb as a tea, tincture, or capsule. Each of these alters how the herb affects your body. Secondly, know that not all parts of the plant are used or have the same effect. Some supplements may only use the root or leaf for therapy, while others use the whole plant for full effect.  Thirdly, standardized extracts and components are useful information for comparisons. Once you know what a good supplement is, you can use it as a gold standard to compare others to.

#7 – Figure out if any of the information is misleading or even false.

The final step! To do this, it’s essential to know what is permissible according to the FDA and what is not. The following are three basic types of claims that are legally permitted on a supplement bottle:

1. Nutrient content claims to characterize the level of vitamins and minerals in the product (eg, “a good source of Vitamin C,” or “high in antioxidants”)
2. Structure/function claims to describe the basic benefits of the product on a particular structure or function in the body (eg, “helps support healthy joints,” “maintain strong bones”)
3. FDA-approved health claims or qualified health claims that describe the relationship between a substance and reduced risk of a disease (such as calcium and vitamin D in relation to osteoporosis).  Source: Council for Responsible Nutrition (“Roadmap for Retailers: Safely Navigating What You Say About Dietary Supplements”)

Claiming that a supplement will cure an ailment is unacceptable. This type of label should be reported and avoided. Knowing what information is misleading or even false will help you make wiser choices when selecting a supplement. 20% of supplements were providing false claims about their products in 2012.

By following these seven steps, you’ll ensure you don’t fall into these marketing traps, and instead enjoy a more effective supplement experience.

About the Author:

Richmond Native and Naturopathic Dr. Leah Hollon is the Co-Owner of Richmond Natural Medicine. She received her B.S. and MPH from Virginia Commonwealth University. She is a graduate of National College of Natural Medicine where she received her Naturopathic Medical Degree. Her areas of focus include Autoimmune, Hormones, MTHFR Gene Mutation and Naturopathic Cancer Support. Please check our Book An Appointment for more information about booking an appointment.

What IS methylation and how does it influence my health?

Dr. Leah Hollon ND explains methylation as, “a biological process that allows humans to make DNA. It is where a carbon molecule and 3 hydrogen molecules are put together to make CH3. Once these molecules combine, it allows a series of reactions to occur in the body. If the CH3 structure cannot be added to parts of the body or cannot later detach, then certain biological processes will not occur. This can lead to aging, allergies, pain, environmental sensitivities, infertility, reactions to medications, depression, rare symptoms or other illnesses”.

Methylation is also needed to make adenosine triphosphate (ATP) – cellular energy. Without cellular energy, we would of course not be able to function, and would feel extremely tired, fatigued and have difficulty performing biological processes. Methylation makes ATP and requires ATP to perform free radical scavenging throughout the body – an essential process to rid the body of toxins. ATP, in turn, requires some essential nutrients to be formed, such as vitamin B12, methionine and glutathione. Together, methionine + ATP = S-adenosyl-L-methionine (SAMe) which acts as a methyl precursor.  Everything works together here. If one part of the cycle is out of balance, it can be extremely difficult to trace it back to the original defect.

Nutritional Therapies

Fortunately, nutritional therapies can work on multiple areas within this cycle at a very foundational level. This is called the Epigenetic Diet.  Studies are increasingly showing the affect of diet and reversal of abnormal gene activation and silencing. As we already know, certain nutritional inputs can effectively prevent certain diseases and increase overall health, and methylation is no exception.

Hydrochloric Acid

In order to perform methylation properly, we need HCL (hydrochloric acid) in the stomach, pancreatic enzymes, and intrinsic factor from the stomach and pancreas. Hence, supportive nutritional therapies focusing on these three factors is key. Foods like apple cider vinegar increase HCL and enzyme production, fermented foods contribute to healthy gut flora for optimal digestion and protein intake will provide essential amino acids like tryptophan, tyrosine and taurine.

B Vitamins

Making sure we have all of our B vitamins is essential to making DNA in the first place, and there are plenty of dietary sources of B vitamins. Collard greens, brewers yeast and chick peas are all great source of B1. Wild rice, soy beans and almonds provide B2. Tuna, eggs, salmon and beef provide B3. Peanuts, corn, cashews, chicken and rye flour provide B5 (pantothenic acid). Bananas, walnuts, avocados, trout and brussel sprouts provide B6 (essential for methionine production). Bone broth, beef, chicken, chlorella, eggs and nutritional yeast are some sources for B12 (needed to make DNA and ATP).

Essential Nutrients

Other essential nutrients for ATP formation, methylation and free radical scavenging include selenium, magnesium and zinc. Selenium can be found in brazil nuts, blackstrap molasses, eggs, garlic and brown rice. Magnesium is found in lima beans, beet greens, avocados and figs. Zinc is found in turkey, kidney beans, wild rice, tahini and lentils (to name a few of each).

Individualized Protocol

For such an intricate and complicated process, there is never a single route of therapy, but rather an individualized treatment protocol for each person. This is just the tip of the iceberg when looking into methylation factors, and there is plenty of promise for future studies on epigenetic diets, holistic treatments and lifestyle modifications to support this process.

For further reading on epigenetics, methylation and nutritional therapies, check out the links below:

Epigenetics: The link between nature & nurture
Epigenetic diet: Impact on the epigenome and cancer

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If you are looking for help with Gene Mutation and MTHFR Conditions, RNM’s Dr. Leah Hollon, is trained in working with MTHFR and Gene Mutation. For more information on booking an appointment please contact our offcie at (804) 977-2634 or visit our Book An Appointment Page.

Herbal bitters have a long and fascinating history of use (hundreds of years!) and they’re still being used today in some very creative ways, continuing to be our ally and supporting our digestive tracts.

Herbal bitters are one of the best digestive aides, particularly when our digestive systems are under a little more stress than usual.  They’re readily available, simple to use, and absolutely elegant in the many ways that they influence our body.

Do you ever wonder why eating a salad before a meal is so popular? It’s a long-standing tradition that eating some greens before the main course can aid in digestion, but how does that work?

Traditionally, salads were made of bitter greens like dandelion or mustard leaves and wild edibles, which when eaten in even small amounts can really spark the digestive fire. In Ayurvedic medicine, digestive fire is referred to as “agni”, and bitters help to enhance this. This is because the bitter taste on the tongue works wonders on stimulating the endogenous secretion of your own digestive enzymes. These enzymes (like protease, lipase and amylase to name a few) are essential in breaking down the macromolecules that we consume such as proteins, fats and carbohydrates into smaller, more absorbable pieces. Without these enzymes, our stomachs would not be able to process the larger nutrients and food groups that we eat every day.

Digestive enzymes are secreted by the salivary glands, stomach cells and also in the pancreatic juices. Usually our bodies can do this own it’s own, and sometimes we need a little extra help. Enter herbal digestive bitters!

Unfortunately. We rarely eat bitter salads before meals, so taking an herbal bitter (usually in a tincture or alcoholic form) can help enhance our body’s own natural secretion of enzymes before we eat our larger meal. Once we perceive a bitter taste on the tongue, a signal is sent directly to the stomach and pancreas nudging them to start producing extra digestive enzymes, effectively preparing the digestive tract for the intake and breakdown of foods. This is also known as an “apéritif” – an alcoholic beverage you drink before meals to improve digestion. Along with the digestive advantages, bitters also have been shown to soothe occasional heartburn, decrease sugar cravings, aid in liver function and decrease gas and bloating after meals.

The human body responds so elegantly to bitters, and incorporating them into our daily lives can be exceptionally fun and delicious with a variety of healthful benefits.

Bitters may take some getting use to. The average American’s familiarity with bitters is extremely limited to basically coffee, beer and chocolate, but there are so many other ways to get your bitters every day!   Urban Moonshine is a New England company that makes delicious bitters in very easy-to-use tincture or spray bottles. You can find these in most health foods stores and they’re a great way to try bitters for the first time. 

True bitter green salad with the following recipe:

Bitter Green & Herb Salad

1 bunch fresh dandelion greens

1 cup arugula

1 small radicchio

2-3 scallions, chopped

½ pear or mandarin orange, chopped

1tsp fresh thyme

2 tsp fresh dill

Top with some lemon juice, fresh orange peel and a splash of olive oil or red wine vinegar.

If you are interested in exploring digestive bitters in greater detail and are looking to improve your digestion, please contact our office at (804) 977-2634 to book an appointment with one of our practitioners.