A Handful of Almonds Daily – Good Food and Nutrition Advice

A recent study has revealed that eating a daily handful of almonds or equivalent almond containing foods improves the Healthy Eating Index in both adults and children.

The complementary medicine research study published in December 2015 in the Journal of Nutrition Research carried out a trial where parents were instructed to eat 1.5 ounces of almonds per day and simultaneously give their children 0.5 ounce of almond or equivalent foods with the minimal almond content e.g. almond butter.

The researchers found that this daily intake over a 14-week period resulted in a significantly improved ‘ Health Eating Index’ component scores for total protein and decreased intake of empty calories.

As parents we are often challenged by barriers in promoting healthy eating to our children. Strategies we can utilise to promote good lifestyle advice for us and our children include basic guidelines such as:

• Ensuring meals and snacks are nutritious, attractive and an appropriate serving size for children
• Make mealtimes are social occasions when people eat together
• Develop good eating habits such as regular times for meals
• Trying new foods, regularly
• Eating when hungry
• Starting with small portions and stopping when full
• Enjoying a variety of foods
• Highlight when a new food is being introduced and have some discussion about the food
• Discourage naming foods as “good’ or ‘bad’; this can encourage children to want ‘restricted’ food
• Discuss the value of particular foods to promote their growing, healthy bodies

Many Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) practitioners promote almonds as part of their regular diet as 1 ounce of almonds delivers 170 calories and has a low GI index. It also contains best quality vitamins and supplements such as:

• Biotin
• Vitamin B2
• Vitamin E
• Manganese
• Copper
• Phosphorous
• Magnesium
• Molybdenum
• Fibre

New causative organism may have been found for Lyme Disease

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the US, has reported the discovery of a new species of bacteria that causes Lyme disease in people. Prior to this finding, only Borrelia burgdorferi was regarded as the causative organism of human Lyme disease. This is transmitted to humans through the bite of infected blacklegged ticks. Typical symptoms include:

• Fever
• Headache
• Fatigue
• Skin rash

If left untreated, infection can spread to joints, the heart, and the nervous system.

Researchers have now discovered a new bacteria that causes Lyme Disease i.e. Borrelia mayonii. This discovery was made after studying blood samples from patients in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and North Dakota who were suspected of having Lyme disease from 2012-2014.

Unfortunately, in many cases of Lyme disease, antibiotics do not always completely eradicate the disease resulting in long-term damage to the body. As a result, many people with Lyme disease often turn to Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) therapies for their most problematic symptoms, or as an adjunct to antibiotics. Further investigation is required to validate these findings in all cases of Lyme disease which may lead to improved antibiotic treatment and better Integrative Medicine resources.

Too Much or Too Little Vitamin D Supplementation Can Be Bad for Health

Around 1 in 4 Australians are Vitamin D deficient. Therefore selecting best quality vitamin and supplements is essential, especially so as there many brands available from pharmacies, health food stores and supermarkets, but these are not always reliable supplements. So here are 4 golden rules in selecting the best Vitamin D supplement.

Rule 1
There is good clinical evidence indicating that both high and low levels of Vitamin D are associated with increased health risks. If you check out the smartphone health app Apple A Day RX you will see displayed a number of disease where low levels of Vitamin D are implicated. The most sensible advice is to get your Vitamin D levels checked via a blood test and then seek assistance from a healthcare practitioner in selecting the dosage of Vitamin D. Unless guided avoid taking more than 1,000 IU per day ( unless advised) and beware of symptoms of Vitamin D toxicity such as nausea and weakness.

Rule 2
Soft gels, powders, liquids and capsules are the best form of Vitamin D to take as they are easily absorbed into the system, whereas coated pills may not disintegrate in the stomach resulting in little or no absorption.

Rule 3
There are 2 different forms of Vitamin D:

• Vitamin D2 also known as Ergocalciferol
• Vitamin D3 also known as Choleciferol

Vitamin D2 is produced by fungi and plants, when they are exposed to the sun. Vitamin D2 is available in its synthetic form and though it helps the body absorb calcium and build strong bones, it is not as potent and potent and effective in humans than D3. Heaney et al published a complementary research study in 2010 which revealed that D3 is approximately 87% more potent in raising and maintaining Vitamin D levels in the body and produces 2 to 3-fold greater storage of vitamin D than the same concentration of Vitamin D2. Therefore, the Vitamin D3 is the preferred treatment option when correcting vitamin D deficiency.

Rule 4
Vitamin D3 is best taken after meals to enhance absorption.

Following these four basic rules will help you get the best out of your Vitamin D supplement. However, it is always best to seek the advice from a CAM practitioner as they will guide you to take the most effective and safe therapeutic dosage and advise on intake duration.