Why so many cases of fatty liver?

Obesity is the common factor in most of the individuals. Excessive energy intake, especially carbohydrates and fat, can lower insulin sensitivity and raise free fatty acids in the blood that can be stored in the liver. The liver is not designed to store fat so the accumulation causes major problems. Combating NAFLD means adjusting carbohydrate and fat ratios, becoming and staying active, and losing at least 5-10% of body fat.

What can help a fatty liver?

Nutrition and exercise are the key to reduce fatty liver, with nutrition being the main factor. When weight loss is achieved through diet alone the liver’s enzymes lower to normal levels and hepatic steatosis (fatty degeneration) is reduced. A diet of 25 kcal/kg/day consisting of lower carbohydrates (no more than 35%) can help reverse NAFLD. The carbohydrates should be whole grains, nothing processed or white, and removal of soda and high fructose corn syrup is recommended. The Mediterranean diet is a great option because it can provide the right kind of fats and lean protein. Reducing saturated fatty acids to 10%, increasing monounsaturated fats like olive oil, and consuming 1-2 g/day of Omega-3 is suggested. Additionally, supplements and nutrients can be beneficial. Vitamin E and probiotics have been shown to reduce lipid peroxidation and reduce inflammation. Ginger and caffeine may have a role in protecting the liver, as well.

Weight loss is the objective to help a fatty liver, but sustained, controlled and slow reduction in weight is ideal. In some people weight loss of more than 2.5 lbs/week can cause more injury to the liver. Along with a solid diet plan, moderate-vigorous exercise no less than 150 min/week can improve the liver and increase weight loss.

How can I transform a heavy or fatty liver?

Transforming your heavy liver to a fit and lighter version can be easy with goal setting and some lifestyle changes. If you have been diagnosed with a fatty liver, contact one of the doctors at Human Health Specialists who will work with our nutritionists and exercise physiologists to create a plan to regain your health. Or, contact our front office to schedule .

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An individual can have a nutrient deficiency that can negatively affect the metabolism of a drug or a drug can alter the status of a nutrient within the body. 53% to 73% of adults are using some type of dietary supplement and around 12% to 45% are also using prescription drugs with those supplements setting the stage for an interaction.

DNIs are complex and not as widely known as drug-drug interactions. Clinical relevance is based on a considerable increase or decrease in the absorption, distribution, and/or elimination of the drug or nutrient. The FDA has provided little guidance, however, there is a Biopharmaceutics Classification System to determine if drugs should be taken with our without food. In addition, the drug interaction probability scale can help determine a possible adverse event.

Clinicians are the ones documenting DNIs and know that interactions are specific to each patient. These multifactorial interactions can be difficult to recognize and manage so a more systematic strategy is vital. DNIs need to become a main part of drug development. Clinicians are trying to expand their knowledge on mechanisms of interaction so prevention is their main approach. Unfortunately, DNI resources are not as valuable as they should be. Drug product information is not an ideal resource and other resources can vary in accessibility and depth. Patients might be seeing multiple physicians and forget to mention what they are taking at home or other doctors prescribe. Therefore, engaging in a thorough assessment of the patient’s current drugs, supplements and history is an important factor for clinicians.

What can you do to make sure you’re not at risk for a DNI? Talk to your physician about all of the medications you are taking, this includes prescription medications, over the counter drugs, supplements, etc. If you take any recreational drugs, be sure to mention those as well. This will help you get the best diagnosis and treatment plan from your physician.

References

Boullata, JI, Hudson LM. Drug-Nutrient Interactions: A Broad View with Implications for Practice. J Acad Nutr Diet – April 2012 (Vol. 112, Issue 4, Pages 506-517, DOI: 10.1016/j.jand.2011.09.002)

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• First Do No Harm – primum non nocere
• The Healing Power of Nature – vis medicatrix naturae
• Discover and Treat the Cause, Not Just the Effect – tolle causam
• Treat the Whole Person – tolle totum
• The Physician is a Teacher – docere
• Prevention is the Best “Cure” – praevenire

Naturopathic Medicine cares for primary health care needs.

Within the United States, different states have their own sets of laws regarding the scope of practice of Naturopathic Medicine. For instance, in Arizona Naturopathic Medicine is governed by the Arizona Naturopathic Board. Naturopathic physicians have prescription rights, can perform minor surgery, and can perform manual manipulation or adjustments of the bones.

Naturopathic Medicine considers the whole person.

In addition, Naturopathic Medicine offers many other modalities (or ways to treat patients) such as homeopathy, laboratory testing, hydrotherapy, acupuncture, botanical medicine, dietary supplements, and nutrition. As the above basic principles of Naturopathic Medicine describe, the whole person is taken into consideration before a treatment plan is chosen.

For example, instead of placing a patient on a pharmaceutical grade anti-depressant to treat the symptoms of depression, a Naturopathic Physician will search for and address the cause of the depression. The reason for one’s depression could be situational such as a work environment or a relationship. It could also be due to a nutrient deficiency that would cause a depletion of a specific neurotransmitter that assists in modulating mood. Deep sadness that accompanies the death of a close friend or family member is often perceived as depression, but is a perfectly healthy emotional response. Once the reason for the depression is discovered, appropriate psychological, nutritional, and/or lifestyle therapies can be prescribed.

Naturopathic medicine focuses on treatments that yield the fewest number of harmful side effects if any at all.

Naturopathic medicine also emphasizes education so that the patient can make informed decisions independently regarding their health in the future. Prevention is not only taught but incorporated into the treatment plan. Finally, Naturopathic Medicine focuses on natural therapies that assist your body’s innate healing mechanisms to overcome health obstacles.

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• Abdominal pain
• Bloating
• Gas
• Cramps
• Diarrhea and/or constipation

Celiac disease can also cause nutrient deficiencies and malnutrition. Long term deficiencies of iron, folic acid, and vitamins B12, D, and K can lead to anemia and osteoporosis.

Detecting Celiac Disease

On occasion, most people will experience some form of gastrointestinal distress, but a person with celiac disease will likely experience it on a daily basis. In some cases, the connection between gastrointestinal discomfort and gluten intolerance is missed, and celiac disease may go undetected.

Many cases of celiac disease are inherited, and it can also develop after an infection, injury, surgery, or even pregnancy. A simple blood test for gluten and gliadin (a gluten protein) antibodies can determine your level of gluten intolerance.

There is a solution!

Removing gluten from the diet is the simplest and most effective way to eliminate the symptoms of celiac disease. Adopting a gluten-free lifestyle will allow you to avoid medication and live a normal, healthy, symptom-free life. Gluten-free means avoiding many grains and grain-based foods including:

• Wheat (farina, graham flour, semolina, and durum)
• Barley
• Rye
• Bulgur
• Kamut
• Kasha
• Matzo meal
• Spelt
• Triticale
• Most oats (unless labeled “gluten-free”)
• Bread, cereal, crackers, pasta, cookies, cake, pie, gravy, and sauces unless labeled gluten-free

Allowable grain-type foods include rice, corn, tapioca, quinoa, amaranth, and buckwheat.

Gluten Free Grains, Seeds, & Legumes

Become Gluten Educated

Reading food labels and becoming educated about hidden sources of gluten are the keys to staying symptom-free. Gluten can find its way into normally gluten-free foods through cross contamination and is often hidden in sauces, medications, lunch meats, hard candies, natural and artificial flavorings, and even lipstick and postage stamps.

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Learn more about body fat testing with the Bod Pod in Scottsdale or call (480) 883-7240 to have your body fat tested today!

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Quinoa, Mother of all Whole Grains

Quinoa is also great because it has functional properties such as emulsifying, solubility, water-holding capacity, and foaming which are beneficial for the gastrointestinal tract and reducing chronic diseases (good for heart disease, diabetes, certain cancers). Vegans, vegetarians and gluten-free dieters gravitate towards quinoa due to its excellent profile.

Cooking quinoa is quick and easy with only 15 minutes on the stove. Quinoa is versatile and light so it can be made into a breakfast, snack, lunch, and/or dinner item.

• Breakfast: pour your favorite milk over cooked quinoa then add nuts and fruit
• Lunch: add chicken to cooked quinoa with onion, tomato, and spinach
• Dinner: create a side with cooked quinoa, black beans, corn, avocado, and lime juice

At Human Health Specialists we do a “test kitchen” every few weeks. At the last test kitchen, one of the recipes we made was Quinoa Summer Salad…everyone at the office loved it! It’s a great end of summer salad with a light, crisp taste.

If you want to start eating healthier and don’t know where to start, consider a consultation with our nutritionist in AZ. You can get a diet consultation, a diet evaluation, or a diet prescription based on YOUR needs, goals and likes/dislikes. We can even provide weekly grocery lists and recipes. Call Human Health Specialists at (480) 883-7240 to schedule an appointment today.

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Nine times out of ten, the person didn’t have their previous body fat test done using a Bod Pod, they had it tested by a personal trainer at a gym using calipers. While calipers can be accurate, they are not as accurate or reliable as the Bod Pod in Scottsdale, and measuring body fat using calipers is very easy to mess up and very difficult to master.

Pinching fat with calipers is an ineffective way to measure body fat. It’s also embarrassing.

The accuracy of a body fat test performed using calipers can depend largely on the following factors:

• The experience of the tester. It takes literally hundreds of tests to perfect the art of skinfold measuring. Knowing exactly where to pinch, how much fat to pinch, and how to manipulate the pinched fat for the most accurate reading takes a lot of trial and error. Unfortunately, the average personal trainer isn’t going to put in the time to learn how to use calipers appropriately.

• The quality of the calipers being used. There are very high quality, medical grade, metal calipers on the market, but they can be quite expensive – often $200 or more. The calipers used in most gyms are made of cheap plastic and cost less than $10. Over time, these cheap plastic calipers can warp, bend, and crack, all of which will significantly diminish their accuracy.

• How often the calipers are calibrated. Calibrating calipers is very simple to do, but that doesn’t mean it always gets done. Being off by as little as one millimeter can have a profound effect on your body fat test results.

Perhaps the biggest problem with body fat testing using calipers is that it’s easy to cheat. By pinching a little less fat or squeezing the calipers a little bit tighter, it’s easy for a trainer to make your body fat percentage lower than it actually is. This can happen just from human error and without any intention of being manipulative.

The Bod Pod is more accurate and more reliable than calipers because the Bod Pod does almost all of the work, thus significantly reducing the risk for human error. It doesn’t make much difference if the Bod Pod technician has done 1 test or 100 tests. At Human Health Specialists, our Bod Pod is calibrated every morning and then again immediately before every test to ensure the greatest accuracy and reliability possible. We also use the Bod Pod Gold Standard, which is the most accurate and reliable Bod Pod available.

When it comes to body fat testing, the Bod Pod is still the gold standard

If you’ve had your body fat tested using calipers, don’t be surprised if your first test with the Bod Pod in Scottsdale ends up being a little bit higher. In fact, you should probably expect it to be a little higher (that stinks, we know). However, while you may not like your Bod Pod results, remember that they will give you a more accurate and reliable measure of where you currently stand and how you’re progressing when you retest in the future.

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What Are Whole Grains?

A grain can be called a whole grain when it still contains its original composition of a bran, germ, and endosperm. It can be processed in terms of rolled, cracked, or cooked, but still needs to have the word ‘whole’ in the ingredients.

How do You Know if You’re Buying Whole Grains?

Marketing can be tricky and buying breads or cereals maybe confusing because the front of the package sometimes contains misleading terms. Only buy a product that has the first ingredient listed as whole grain (the first word must be whole). Whole grains are grasses or seeds and can be classified as either pseudocereals or cereals. Pseudocereals are non-grasses and their seeds are used. Some pseudocereals are amaranth, buckwheat, and quinoa. Cereals are grasses and include oat, rice, corn, and wheat.

Whole Grains and Refined Grains… Really, What’s the Difference?

The refining process removes the outer bran and inner germ leaving the endosperm. Therefore, insoluble fiber (bran) and soluble fiber (germ) are lost along with vitamins, minerals, and many phytochemicals. White flour is only made of the endosperm which is mostly starch. Shifting away from refined grains and incorporating at least 3 servings of whole grains into your daily diet can increase your health. However, it is important to get a food sensitivity test and determine if you have any negative reactions to grains. There are many great grains available so eliminating one or two still leaves you with plenty of tasty options.

More on Whole Grains vs. Refined Grains:

• Whole grains have 80% more fiber than refined (processed) grains
• Processed wheat loses 93% of its ferulic acid and 79% of its flavonoid content (both may lower cancer risk)
• Whole grains contain plant sterols and stanols that lower cholesterol by inhibiting the absorption and increasing the excretion of cholesterol
• Whole grains have prebiotic effects within the gastrointestinal tract that can boost immune support and reduce inflammation
• Whole grains contain phytochemicals that can protect against cardiovascular disease and diabetes
• Whole grains can also reduce subcutaneous (below skin) and visceral (around organs) fat
• Oats, buckwheat, and quinoa can increase satiety (you remain full longer) while white bread is the least satisfying bread/grain
• September is National Whole Grains month. Take a look around your grocery store and try to introduce a new whole grain to your family or switch one item from a refined grain to whole grain. Your body will thank you!

Do you want an unbiased take on your diet? Are you looking to eat healthier or lose weight and don’t know where to start? Call Human Health Specialists at (480) 883-7240 to schedule a consultation with a nutritionist in AZ. If you live in another state or are too busy to make it to the office, we also offer phone consultations.

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Quinoa Summer Salad

Ingredients

• 1 cup dry quinoa (rinsed well with cold water)
• 1 Tbsp fresh-squeezed lime juice (for tossing avocado)
• 1 cup chopped radishes
• 1 large cucumber, peeled and diced
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
• 1 large carrot, diced

Dressing:

• 3 Tbsp fresh-squeezed lime juice
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp all purpose seasoning blend
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Avocado pictured was used only for garnish.

Directions

1. Put 1 cup quinoa into a fine-mesh strainer, or put a paper towel inside your strainer if it’s not fine enough to catch the quinoa seeds. Rinse the quinoa well with cold water to remove the saponins.
2. Bring 2 cups water to boil in a small saucepan. Stir in quinoa, reduce heat to a simmer, and cook until all the water is absorbed (about 15 minutes). Stir occasionally.
3. Let the cooked quinoa cool for a few minutes, then place in salad bowl, fluff with a fork, and allow to cool until quinoa is room temperature (about 15-30 minutes).
4. While quinoa cooks and cools, peel carrots and dice. Peel cucumbers, leaving thin green stripes, scrape out seeds, and dice. Cut off root and stem end of radishes, wash if needed, and dice. Thinly slice enough green onions to make 1/4 cup.
5. In a small bowl, stir together the lime juice, ground cumin, all purpose seasoning, and sea salt, then whisk in the olive oil.
6. When the quinoa has cooled to room temperature in the salad bowl, stir in the vegetables. Season to taste with salt and fresh ground black pepper and allow to chill for an hour it the fridge.

Serves 4-6

Nutrition Info

About 1 cup serving size:

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Bison Black Bean Chili

Ingredients

• 2 pounds ground bison
• 2 (15 ounce) cans black beans
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 4 (14.5 ounce) cans diced tomatoes
• 1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 4 tsp chili powder
• 2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
• 2 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp salt
• Cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes optional

Avocado pictured was used only for garnish.

Directions

1. In a large skillet, cook the meat, onions, and garlic until the meat is brown and the onions are tender. Do not drain!
2. Place meat/onion/garlic mixture and all other ingredients (except beans) into a large crockpot. Cook on high for 5-6 hours, or low for 10-12 hours, stirring occasionally.
3. As the chili is nearing completion, you can skim off any fat with a spoon as it will pool on top of the chili as it simmers.
4. Approximately one hour before the chili is finished, drain and rinse the beans and add them to the crock pot.

Serves 10-12

Nutrition Info

About 1 1/2 cup serving size:

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