The Hemp Connection [Search results for beverages] 

I'm just posting this release verbatim, no need for an editorial.

Public release date: 21-May-2009
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2009-05/hsop-bcu052109.php

Contact: Todd Datz
tdatz@hsph.harvard.edu
617-432-3952
Harvard School of Public Health

BPA, chemical used to make plastics, found to leach from polycarbonate
drinking bottles into humans

Exposure to BPA may have harmful health effects

Boston, MA — A new study from Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH)
researchers found that participants who drank for a week from
polycarbonate bottles, the popular, hard-plastic drinking bottles and
baby bottles, showed a two-thirds increase in their urine of the
chemical bisphenol A (BPA). Exposure to BPA, used in the manufacture of
polycarbonate and other plastics, has been shown to interfere with
reproductive development in animals and has been linked with
cardiovascular disease and diabetes in humans. The study is the first to
show that drinking from polycarbonate bottles increased the level of
urinary BPA, and thus suggests that drinking containers made with BPA
release the chemical into the liquid that people drink in sufficient
amounts to increase the level of BPA excreted in human urine.

The study appears on the website of the journal Environmental Health
Perspectives and is freely available at
http://www.ehponline.org/members/2009/0900604/0900604.pdf.

In addition to polycarbonate bottles, which are refillable and a popular
container among students, campers and others and are also used as baby
bottles, BPA is also found in dentistry composites and sealants and in
the lining of aluminum food and beverage cans. (In bottles,
polycarbonate can be identified by the recycling number 7.) Numerous
studies have shown that it acts as an endocrine-disruptor in animals,
including early onset of sexual maturation, altered development and
tissue organization of the mammary gland and decreased sperm production
in offspring. It may be most harmful in the stages of early development.

"We found that drinking cold liquids from polycarbonate bottles for just
one week increased urinary BPA levels by more than two-thirds. If you
heat those bottles, as is the case with baby bottles, we would expect
the levels to be considerably higher. This would be of concern since
infants may be particularly susceptible to BPA's endocrine-disrupting
potential," said Karin B. Michels, associate professor of epidemiology
at HSPH and Harvard Medical School and senior author of the study.

The researchers, led by first author Janeny Carwile, a doctoral student
in the department of epidemiology at HSPH, and Michels, recruited
Harvard College students for the study in April 2008. The 77
participants began the study with a seven-day"washout" phase in which
they drank all cold beverages from stainless steel bottles in order to
minimize BPA exposure. Participants provided urine samples during the
washout period. They were then given two polycarbonate bottles and asked
to drink all cold beverages from the bottles during the next week; urine
samples were also provided during that time.

The results showed that the participants' urinary BPA concentrations
increased 69% after drinking from the polycarbonate bottles. (The study
authors noted that BPA concentrations in the college population were
similar to those reported for the U.S. general population.) Previous
studies had found that BPA could leach from polycarbonate bottles into
their contents; this study is the first to show a corresponding increase
in urinary BPA concentrations in humans.

One of the study's strengths, the authors note, is that the students
drank from the bottles in a normal use setting. Additionally, the
students did not wash their bottles in dishwashers nor put hot liquids
in them; heating has been shown to increase the leaching of BPA from
polycarbonate, so BPA levels might have been higher had students drunk
hot liquids from the bottles.

Canada banned the use of BPA in polycarbonate baby bottles in 2008 and
some polycarbonate bottle manufacturers have voluntarily eliminated BPA
from their products. With increasing evidence of the potential harmful
effects of BPA in humans, the authors believe further research is needed
on the effect of BPA on infants and on reproductive disorders and on
breast cancer in adults.

"This study is coming at an important time because many states are
deciding whether to ban the use of BPA in baby bottles and sippy cups.
While previous studies have demonstrated that BPA is linked to adverse
health effects, this study fills in a missing piece of the
puzzle—whether or not polycarbonate plastic bottles are an important
contributor to the amount of BPA in the body," said Carwile.

###

The study was supported by the Harvard University Center for the
Environment and the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
Biological Analysis Core, Department of Environmental Health, HSPH.
Carwile was also supported by the Training Program in Environmental
Epidemiology.

"Use of Polycarbonate Bottles and Urinary Bisphenol A Concentrations,"
Jenny L. Carwile, Henry T. Luu, Laura S. Bassett, Daniel A. Driscoll,
Caterina Yuan, Janenifer Y. Chang, Xiaoyun Ye, Antonia M. Calafat, Karin
B. Michels, Environmental Health Perspectives, online May 12, 2009.

One of the reasons I always have trouble providing menus, is because I am a farmer's market and sale rack shopper. My inspiration never comes from sitting at the computer poring over recipes…I totally love the challenge of figuring out what to create given certain limitations. So rather than provide a menu, I'll walk you through how I came up with a fantastic lunch today.

I walked over to Fresh and Easy's sale rack, where I found pomegranate seeds and figs on sale. I still had the taste of the figs Ivonne and I made for a Moroccan potluck on my mind, so those had to go in my bag. The pomegranate seeds were beautiful so I bought those too.

But what to do with them? I had almost bought hummous, so I knew I was in the mood for something spreadable on crackers.

Ricotta cheese came to mind! So that went into the shopping basket too.

Here is how I put them together for lunch.

Took half a container of ricotta cheese and stirred in two packets of True Orange (dehyrated orange powder, no sugar, a great flavor aid for all kinds of beverages and cooking!)

Chopped up three figs…aren't they beautiful on the inside?

Stirred the figs along with a couple of spoonfuls of pomegranate seeds into the orange ricotta.

Noticed some sunflower seeds on the back of the counter, so I added them too.

Served on canola oil-baked pita chips.

I never would have come up with that if I'd been riveted to a shopping list. It happened because I was practicing"mindful grocery shopping", that is, noticing what was around me, taking the cues, and being creative. Of course I use lists, too. But sometimes, a lot of the time, actually, I like to go the market and wing it.

And usually the times I go off the list…are the times I enjoy my meals the most.

Give it a whirl!

Our network is pretty busy in the media! Today I thought I'd give you some links to some of the great things you'll find in print, online, and on television. As you can see, they love their stuff and they know their stuff. If you are in search of someone to hep you with your nutrition goals, please consider one of these professionals.

From Sally Hara, MS, RD, CSSD, CDE, Kirkland, Washington:
Carb-Loading Tips (and other nutrition hints) For Endurance Events

From Sarah Jones, RYT, Phoenix, Arizona:
Free yoga class featuring Sarah Jones, RYT, at Lululemon Athletic, Biltmore

From Meri Raffetto, RD, Temecula, California
Grilled Corn and Avocado Salad

From Danielle Omar, MS, RD, Fairfax, Virginia
Brazilian Passion Fruit Mousse

From Debra Benfield, MS, RD, Winston-Salem, North Carolina
How Developing Awareness (and Eating Lunch Away from Your Desk) Can Change Your Body and Life

From Linda Caley, MS, RD, Colchester, Connecticut
Review of beverages on Better Connecticut

From Hana Feeney, MS, RD, CSSD, Tucson, Arizona
Keeping Hydrated During the Heat on KVOA-TV

From Monika Woolsey, MS, RD, Phoenix, Arizona
Explosion of Interest in Eating Locally and Veganism
Embrace the slime! Juice, roast, grill okra for health benefits
That's just peachy: stone fruits plum good for diabetes, heart disease, obesity
California's senators vote for open GMO labeling, other states not so fortunate

I'm not surprised at the number of people who choose the"healthy" versions of things they know are normally not so healthy, based solely on an eye-catching blurb on the front of a package. Things like “trans-fat-free” flavored non-dairy creamer, or chocolate chip cookies “made with whole grains.” And are they really trans-fat-free or made with whole grains? Most of us won't even turn the package around to read the ingredients and find out what that means.

If there's a big graphic on the front with the words"0 grams trans fat per serving" most people will see that and think,"Perfect. I know trans fats are a bad thing, not sure what it is but I'm glad my favorite hazelnut flavored creamer doesn't have it!" And off they go. What they didn’t notice is that the second ingredient on the back was “partially hygrogenated oil” which is – you guessed it – trans fat. The serving size is a teaspoon. Can most of you who use flavored creamers honestly say that you take out a measuring teaspoon and put just that much into your coffee? If you’re like most people I know, you either pour some into your coffee until the color is right (definitely more than a teaspoon), or you use multiple single-serve packets wherever you get your coffee. The loophole is that if it’s less than 0.5g per serving, they can claim it’s got 0 trans fat. So the serving is tiny, not true to what most people actually use.

Same goes with other things like Goldfish crackers. Ooooh! It peeves me so! I was at Target doing some shopping and they have monster-sized bags of Goldfish crackers on sale. And not just any Goldfish crackers. The ones that are"made with whole grains". So here you are, trying to make small changes, since that is what you keep hearing is the easiest to do. A small change might be to find a healthier alternative to the little Goldfish you snack on mindlessly after work every evening. And holy crap! Here’s a “whole grain” version – that’s healthy! Right? Wrong.

Yes. the ingredient panel on the back lists"100% whole grain flour" as the first ingredient, but I took one down the aisle to where the regular Goldfish crackers were to compare. There really wasn't much of a difference – marginal at best. The “healthier” version has about 10 calories less per serving (1 serving is 55 Goldfish for both kinds). It also has 1 gram more of fiber per serving, so from 1 gram in the original, up to a whopping 2 grams in the healthier version. Though it has less fat, it has more saturated fat. And the “healthier” version also has more sodium. So really, is it any better, cumulatively? Not really, though I can hear Goldfish fanatics justifying that extra gram of fiber and 10 less calories to death. It’s still a highly-processed junky food, trying to weasel its way back into your home since chances are if you’re like many Americans, you’re trying to eat healthier.

Food labels are a tricky little business, and if you think the label is there to help you, the consumer, you’re in for a rude awakening. That's just what the food companies want you to believe. At the end of the day, everything they put on a label is carefully thought out, with their bottom line at the top of the priority list. International Delights and Pepperidge Farms (and soooo many others) don’t want to lose you as a customer so they figure, if you’re wising (wisening?) up about nutrition, they’ll play to your new level of nutrition knowledge and keep you around with misleading serving size loopholes and a trivial amount of whole grains in some of their junk products.

Here are some terms to keep in mind when you’re at the store:

• “Zero Grams Trans Fat Per Serving” – hydrogenated and partially-hydrogenated oils – of any kind – are trans fats. If these words appear on an ingredient list, feel free to call B.S. on the “zero grams” claim. Also look at your serving size and see if that is truly what you use.

  This goes for “Fat Free” as well. Remember if it’s less than 0.5 gram of fat per serving they can get away with saying it’s fat free. But if you use multiple times what the recommended serving size is, you’re gonna have to accept that it’s not truly fat-free – this is huge for people trying to lose weight, as the calories will add up faster than you think!

• “Made with Whole Grains” – First ask yourself is it really made with 100% whole grains? Then compare to the original and see if they’re BS-ing you with trivial differences that add up to nothing other than money in the bank for the company.
• “All Natural” – this is not a regulated claim, and any company can use this phrase and interpret their own meaning of what is “natural”. If you find ingredients on the nutrition panel that sure as heck don’t sound natural, well then…
• “No added sugar” – look for other sources of sugar that aren’t literally “sugar” like brown rice syrup, evaporated cane juice, fruit juice concentrate, and also keep an eye out for artificial sweeteners and sugar alcohols (aspartame, sucralose, sorbitol, maltitol, lactitol… etc.
• “Made with natural sugar” – Hey, that’s great. But you know what? Sugar is sugar, and too much of it, “natural” or otherwise is not going to add up to anything good in the long run. All your body knows when you put the food in your mouth is, “HEY!!!! Sugar!!! Now it’s a party!” Sugar in moderation won’t kill most people, but somehow, telling someone that it’s “natural” sugar or “raw” sugar, suddenly makes it ok to eat more. And that won’t necessarily save lives, either. Be smart about it.
• “Zero Calories / Calorie-Free” – Like with fats, if it has less than 5 calories per serving, the food company can get away with saying it has zero calories per serving. Rule of thumb is to consider all those zero-calorie items to have 4 calories. And as you might have heard, calories can add up rather quickly. Knowing that, if you’re drinking quite a bit of these zero-calorie beverages, or using multiple servings of zero-calorie salad dressing, you may be motivated to change your ways, if you’re actively counting calories (which I would hope would be the only reason you’re eating and drinking those kinds of things!).

  A special note about Splenda – “The Zero Calorie Sweetener” It’s about 2 calories per little yellow packet. And they can add up very quickly if you’re putting Splenda into everything.

We've got a couple of educational events with relevance to PCOS that are open to both professionals and the general public,

Tuesday, February 23, at 6 pm EST, I (Monika) will be hosting a webinar entitled,"Nutrition vs. Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy". Cost is $35.
If you cannot attend live, the recorded version will be available for purchase.

Saturday, April 24, in Santa Monica, California, inCYST and Solixir Beverages are collaborating to host"The Seven Great Sleep Herbs," presented by Solixir's Medical Herbalist, Amanda Crawford. Registration for dietitians desiring continuing education credit is $35, for everyone else, the fee is $25.

Registration for all of these events can be found at this link.

Hello inCYST Readers,

It has been brought to my attention that the Corn Refiners Association has launched an advertising campaign promoting high-fructose corn syrup. On their home page, there is a statement that reads, in part:

High fructose corn syrup provides many important characteristics, such as texture, flavor and freshness, to your favorite foods and beverages. It is nutritionally the same as table sugar and has the same number of calories, too. As many dietitians agree, sweeteners should be enjoyed in moderation.

In response to the advertising campaign and this statement, I would like to clarify:

1. I am a registered dietitian.
2. I do promote foods in moderation.
3. I do not promote the use of high fructose corn syrup.
4. I am not one of the dietitians this campaign or this web page is attempting to connect their product with.
5. Just as I am exercising my freedom of expression by posting this statement to this blog, I respect the right of the Corn Refiners Association to promote their product. I simply wish to clarify that I have no professional association with their statement or their association.
6. If anyone reading this blog chooses to consume high-fructose corn syrup, it is their personal choice and freedom of expression. It is not a choice based on any perceived endorsement related to the fact that I am a registered dietitian that may have been insinuated based on the wording of these advertisements and the Corn Refiners Association web page.

Respectfully,

Monika M. Woolsey, MS, RD

Graphic courtesy of Renata Mangrum, MPH, RD

Temperatures have been high already this summer. With rising mercury comes a need to stay hydrated. And it's also, when water gets boring, when you're most likely to be tempted to drink soda. We talked with Scott Lerner this morning, CEO of Solixir, a company making a unique line of beverages. It's not just his product that is interesting --Scott actually teamed up with a dietitian and an herbalist when creating Solixir.

We think you'll like his story. Not to mention his beverage! If you're intrigued after hearing his interview, you can find it nationally at Whole Foods Markets and Vitamin Shoppe outlets.

We had a wonderful conversation this week with Janelle Fuchs, RD, LD, of the Emily Program's new Seattle outreach program.

Here is information on the open house she invited our listeners to. Please stop by and check it out!

Thursday, June 23, 2011
4:30 to 7 pm
The Emily Program
Lake Union Building
1700 Westlake Avenue North
Suite 650
Seattle, WA 98109

Appetizers and beverages will be served.

Please RSVP to Kari Fox by June 2 at
kari.fox@emilyprogram.com
1-888-364-5977, x 1169

One of my annual rituals this time of year is to start brewing sun tea. It's a great way to capitalize on solar energy, and I have hundreds of combinations of ingredients to keep me from getting bored.

Yesterday, I made a decaffeinated tropical flavored tea. Then I pulled an orange off of my tree, quartered it, squeezed the juice into the tea, and threw the juiced quarters into the jar. It was most refreshing, without any sugar at all. It was my very crude version of the popular Arnold Palmer!

If you've never made sun tea, here's a link to some directions.

Once you've discovered a few favorites of your own, I'm hoping you'll wonder why you clung to your diet sodas for as long as you did!

Bisphenol-A (BPA) is everywhere. In addition to cans and plastic packaging, it is found in thermal paper and carbonless copy paper, which are commonly used for receipts, airline tickets, event tickets, and labels. It is so ubiquitous that it was found in the urine of 95% of all people the CDC tested between 1988-1994.

One study found a strong correlation between body mass index (BMI) and BPA levels. That, to a dietitian, seems like a vicious cycle, since a lot of the foods I personally believe are associated with obesity (sodas, chips) are packaged in BPA-containing materials. So not only do you expose yourself to the chemical when exposing those foods and beverages…you are highly likely encouraging your body to hang on to those chemicals if you're eating them in a way that is out of balance with your daily caloric needs.

Staying lean, however, is not a guarantee you'll be protected. It is looking like BPA can elevate liver enzymes, a common problem with PCOS. And that problem persists even in normal weight individuals.

Scientists do believe BPA passes through the body very quickly. However, some of the problems associated with BPA seem to be nonreversible. And unborn babies and newborns, who are going through rapid development, seem to be highly susceptible to this effect. That means that you can reduce your exposure to BPA and lower your current levels, but you may not be able to undo all of the changes that BPA had the opportunity to make. You can eliminate future problems…but you may not be able to undo all that's been done.

I really want this blog to be positive and not scary. However, this is a very serious issue. Since many of you are eating to conceive and eventually eating for more than yourself, it's important to understand that how you choose to eat can impact more than just you. And it's not just about eating to conceive…it's about eating for a healthier next generation.

The less packaging your food comes in, over time, the less likely it is you'll be consuming BPA.

Gehring, Martin; Tennhardt, L., Vogel, D., Weltin, D., Bilitewski, B. (2004) (PDF). Bisphenol A Contamination of Wastepaper, Cellulose and Recycled Paper Products. Waste Management and the Environment II. WIT Transactions on Ecology and the Environment, vol. 78. WIT Press. http://rcswww.urz.tu-dresden.de/~gehring/deutsch/dt/vortr/040929ge.pdf. Retrieved 2009-10-15.

http://arstechnica.com/old/content/2008/09/plastic-additive-bpa-connected-to-diabetes-heart-disease.ars

This is a guest post by a new member of the inCYST network, registered dietitian Christie Wheeler, MS, RD. Her bio and contact information are located at the end of her article.
Medicinal vinegar dates back to Hippocrates with uses ranging from hand washing to treating stomachaches. Most recently, a surge in research on vinegar and its effect on blood sugar has emerged. Dr. Carol Johnston, the Director of the Nutrition Program at Arizona State University, has thoroughly investigated this topic for over 10 years. I happily sat down with her to discuss the conclusions of her research and extrapolate on what it means for women with PCOS.

What are some of the health benefits of vinegar?

Conclusive research shows that when diabetics consumed 1-2 tablespoons of vinegar with a starchy meal, the rise in blood sugar was significantly less compared to people that consumed a placebo with the same meal. Diabetics who regularly consumed vinegar with meals saw a reduction in their hemoglobin A1-C levels, which measures the three month average of blood sugar. Additionally, consistent vinegar consumers saw a lower fasting blood sugar level.

How does vinegar decrease blood sugar levels?

The mechanism by which vinegar prevents a rise in blood sugar after a meal is not yet understood. Acetic acid is the primary acid found in vinegar and is thought to prevent enzymes from digesting starches. Vinegar does not have the same effect of lowering blood sugar after a meal with simple carbohydrates from fruits or refined sugar, as it does a meal including complex carbohydrates from grains, legumes or dairy. It may work by preventing the breakdown of complex carbohydrates, allowing them to pass through the digestive tract without being absorbed or raising blood sugar. A current trial at ASU is testing this theory by measuring nitrogen excreted through the breath, which will show if fermentation of undigested starches is happening in the intestines.

Are the benefits the same for everyone, or is vinegar consumption more important for people with certain conditions?

Since high blood sugar is a risk factor for heart disease and vinegar consumption also lowers blood pressure, research suggests that regular vinegar consumption may protect against, as well as help treat, symptoms related to diabetes and heart disease. One to two tablespoons of vinegar with meals will certainly not harm anyone while the potential benefits make it worthwhile to try.

Are there other foods or beverages high in acetic acid?

Vinegar is used in many recipes and condiments, like mustard and Kombucha (a fermented beverage). These options open for more variety in increasing acetic acid in the diet. While you can opt to buy commercial products that contain vinegar, you can easily make your own as well. Consider adding 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar to 16 ounces of water with an ounce of 100% fruit juice or honey. More information about Kombucha may be found here: http://www.wonderdrink.com/news/kombucha-raw-vs-pasteurized/

Being that vinegar is an acid, is there a concern of consuming too much at one time (or in the long-term) that may lead to harmful side-effects?

Current research suggests that vinegar is only helpful for reducing blood sugar levels after a starchy meal. It does not seem to help diets that are already low-glycemic or where the sugars consumed are simple (monosaccharides) versus complex (disaccharides). Therefore, daily ingestion may not be necessary for everyone. It may still be beneficial though, since the American diet tends to be low in fruits and vegetables, high-glycemic, and acidic.

What dose do you recommend? Does it matter what type of vinegar (red wine, balsamic, apple cider, etc.)?

The recommended dose of vinegar is one to two tablespoons at meal-time. Any vinegar works because acetic acid (the defining component of ‘vinegar’) is the active ingredient. Use the vinegar to make dressings (2 parts vinegar + plus 1 part olive oil). Use the dressing on salads, vegetables, sandwiches, or simply for dipping bread.

Any tips for increasing intake?

Make like a Brit and keep vinegar on the dining table!

Vinegar may not be something you need to add into every meal, but beneficial health properties make it a condiment worth enjoying with a heavy hand.

Additional Resources:

Vinegar: Medicinal Uses and Antiglycemic Effect. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1785201/

Vinegar Improves Insulin Sensitivity to a High-Carbohydrate Meal in Subjects With Insulin Resistance or Type 2 Diabetes

http://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/27/1/281.full

Christi Wheeler, MS, RD, works in the nutritional management of special health needs for children, freelance nutrition writing and private nutrition counseling for children and adults. While she enjoys counseling individuals to pursue weight loss goals, her focus has shifted to provide nutrition information in way that is understandable and applicable to all age groups, genders and fitness levels. Christi practices in Phoenix, Arizona. For more information, please visit her website, www.superiorsustenance.com.

Rachel Brandeis is a dietitian in our network, practicing in the Atlanta area. She is well respected in the reproductive medicine world, and well versed in PCOS. The other day, in a phone conversation, she mentioned that one of the aspects of her work that doesn't always allow her to be as productive and helpful to her clients, is when they come unprepared and unready to get down to work. She sent me a great list of bullet points that you can use to prepare for working with your own dietitian.

Keep in mind, we tend to ask a lot of questions and stick to business! It's not because we don't care about you or your story. But since you're spending time and money to work with us, we tend to be focused on the task at hand. We also understand that a lot is riding on our advice, so we want to be sure there is time in the appointment to get our information across.

Here is what Rachel suggests:

1.Be prepared to give an accurate diet history — foods and beverages that you commonly consume; it may be helpful to keep a detailed food record for a week (including a weekend).

2. Be honest when discussing what/how/when you eat — you are paying us to help you, not to judge you!

3. Be prepared to also give an in depth weight history and past dieting attempts (both successful and unsuccessful).

4. Know what medications you are taking and the dosage of each medication

5. Bring your most recent lab work with you

6. Keep an exercise diary — we need to know how frequently you exercise, how long and how intensely.

7. Be prepared to answer"what would you like to get out of this consult"

8. Understand that we don't have a"magic wand"

9. Come back for follow-up appointments! Change does not happen with one consult!

10. Have realistic expectations.

If you'd like to contact Rachel about an appointment, visit her website.

As it gets hotter, it's tempting to drink more sweet beverages. We hope you have an opportunity to try Solixir, the functional, herb-containing beverage we profiled on our radio show last week.

Here are a few other ways to spice your water up a bit without adding unnecessary sugar or high-fructose corn syrup.

1. Mix a little bit of Hint Essence Water in with regular or mineral water. Just a little changes the flavor enough to remove the monotony.

2. Throw some mint leaves and cucumber slices in your water. I've learned, the longer it sits, the better it gets!

3. Freeze fruit juice in your ice cube trays and drop in your drink.

4. Freeze whole fruit or fruit chunks and do the same thing.

5. Try Sweet Leaf flavored stevia drops. inCYST intern Sarah Jones' favorite cooler is a few drops of vanilla creme in mineral water for an instant sugar-free cream soda.

I am so grateful I went to the educational meeting yesterday I almost didn't attend! For the majority of my career, the health benefits of vinegar is something that hasn't been taken seriously by colleagues in my profession. But when I saw the presenter for this topic was respected Arizona State University nutrition researcher Carol Johnston, I figured it was worth going to hear what she had to say.

Turns out, Dr. Johnston, a few years ago, while working on another project, quite by accident, found an obscure research article reporting that vinegar may be helpful in reducing insulin resistance. She decided to pick up on where the study left off, and what she has learned with her work has a lot of pertinence to PCOS.

One of the goals of better insulin function is to reduce a reading known as"postprandial blood glucose"…that is, the blood glucose reading you see after eating a meal. This reading can be important, because high numbers have been associated with heart disease as well as excessive baby weight gain in pregnancy (macrosomia). For those of you who experience the phenomenon of being hungry after eating a meal, part of the reason may be a high postprandial blood glucose.

Dr. Johnston's first study used nondiabetic subjects who were divided into two groups: insulin resistant and non-insulin resistant. None of these individuals were taking diabetes medications. If they were in the test group, they were asked to drink 20 grams of apple cider vinegar, wait 2 minutes, and then eat a (pretty high glycemic) test meal of a white bagel, butter, and orange juice. Both groups tried the vinegar and no vinegar protocols. Blood glucose 30 and 60 minutes later was measured.

They found that when vinegar was consumed before a meal, postprandial blood glucose was significantly reduced. Dr. Johnston proposes that vinegar actually may have activity similar to that of Precose or metformin. While she used apple cider vinegar in her studies, she shared that any vinegar will have the same effect. So whatever your preference, rice, balsamic, wine, or raspberry…get creative in the kitchen!

She also clarified that the difference between the action of cinnamon and vinegar is that cinnamon reduces fasting glucose and vinegar reduces postprandial glucose. So you can use both if you wish, they're not going to replace each others' benefit…they may actually complement each other.

It's important if you choose to try this, and you're on medication, to share this with your physician. The results may significantly affect the dose of medication you need. I can pretty much bet most physicians aren't informed about this, and since I was skeptical until yesterday myself, I'm providing all of the references used to write this article for anyone to download and share. The journals in which they were published are respected ones.

A really important caveat: you can overdo this advice. Large amounts of vinegar over time can cause low grade metabolic acidosis (Dr. Johnston studied this too, knowing the mentality of dieters and people desperate to get off of meds.), which is associated with osteoporosis. This acidosis can be prevented by making sure your diet has a good amount of high-potassium foods. Since those are notably fruits and vegetables, the obvious practical way to use this information is to eat a nice salad with each meal, topped with a vinaigrette dressing. Dr. Johnston recommends a ratio of 2 parts vinegar, 1 part oil, the reverse of what is traditionally used.

Keep in mind too, if you're planning to go to the health food store and buy the vinegar pills…they aren't going to work. Dr. Johnston did three separate studies with them (because she was so surprised they didn't work and she was so convinced they would), and did not get the same results the original vinegar produced.

We had the opportunity to try a new product by Bragg's, a line of vinegar beverages. inCYST intern Sarah Jones and I tried the apple-cinnamon and the concord grape-acai flavors. Both of us felt the drink was a little much to consume as packaged, but they would be fun to use in vinaigrettes, marinades, etc., in the kitchen. I'm going to try some recipes this weekend.

Keep in mind too, that any favorite foods made with vinegar will also be beneficial! Pickles, sauerkraut, Korean kimchi, there are many cultural favorites that can make this fun! Think of ways vinegar can be added to your own marinades and flip the oil to vinegar ratio.

If you're really adventurous, or just want a fun party gag, try these pickle pops we sampled yesterday! Sarah was not so keen on them but I'm German and found it pretty tasty. When I looked this up for you all,, I discovered there is even a jalapeno flavor. That's pushing it even for me, but hey, there's something for everyone.: )

Check back with us too if you're actually measuring your blood glucose after meals and let us know if this was helpful!

The cost of diabetes medications can exceed $6,000 per year, per person. And one of every 8 federal health care dollars, ($79.7 billion annually), is spent on diabetes care. Imagine what we could do to our personal budgets, not to mention that nagging national debt, if we all just walked into Costco and invested in an industrial-sized bottle of vinegar…

Ebihara K, Nakajima A. Effect of acetic acid and vinegar on blood glucose and insulin responses to orally administered sucrose and starch Agric Biol Chem 52: 1311-1312, 1988.

Johnston CS, Kim CM, Buller AJ. Vinegar improves insulin sensitivity to a high-carbohydrate meal in subjects with insulin resistance or type 2 diabetes. Diabetes Care 2004: Jan 27(1); 281-2.

White AM, Johnston CS. Vinegar ingestion at bedtime moderates waking glucose concentrations in adults with well-controlled type 2 diabetes. Diabetes Care. 2007 Nov;30(11):2814-5.
Johnston CS, White AM, Kent SM. A preliminary evaluation of the safety and tolerance of medicinally ingested vinegar in individuals with type 2 diabetes. J Med Food. 2008 Mar;11(1):179-83.

Johnston CS, White AM, Kent SM. Preliminary evidence that regular vinegar ingestion favorably influences hemoglobin A1c values in individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Diabetes Res Clin Pract. 2009 May;84(2):e15-7.
Johnston CS, Steplewska I, Long CA, Harris LN, Ryals RH. Examination of the antiglycemic properties of vinegar in healthy adults. Ann Nutr Metab. 2010;56(1):74-9.

Many of you, in watching your calories, enjoy an occasional glass of tea. Here is a case study illustrating why, even in a beverage that is calorie-free, moderation is essential.

A 52 year old woman who reported drinking 1 to 2 gallons of double strength instant tea daily from the time she was 12 years old. She developed osteosclerosis--which is kind of like the opposite of osteoporosis, in that it is a condition of increased bone density. In this case, calcification had spread to her joints and ligaments; she had been diagnosed with fibromyalgia at age 35, which perhaps was the wrong name for what was going on.

It was suggested that the instant tea, containing fluoride, and used in a double-strength fashion, caused the condition.

Moral of the story, if you drink instant tea, follow the directions and vary it with other beverages.

Whyte MP, Totty WG, Lim VT, Whitford GM. Skeletal fluorosis from instant tea. J Bone Miner Res. 2008 May;23(5):759-69.

It's been super hot around the country. It's that time of year when hydration is extra important. But water can get boring, and many of the options are just too full of sugar to be realistic in large quantities. Here is a great beverage option that is lower in sugar but more interesting than plain water--the Arnold Palmer.

The classic Arnold Palmer is a half and half mix of lemonade and iced tea. But with the many fruits in season and all of the great non-caffeinated teas on the market, there's no reason to stop there! I spent the afternoon Google searching and found some great, creative lemonade recipes. I've altered them a bit to cut the sugar even more, and asked Kerstin Wingert, a local tea purveyor and copfounder of Souvia Tea, to pair them with some of their offerings to get you thinking about what potential your own local farmer's market holds. I got Kerstin's suggestions back and immediately wanted to head to my own kitchen! Who would want to drink soda when you've got these incredible alternatives?

A think-ahead suggestion, when juicing your fruit, and making the tea, make a little extra for ice cubes to add to your final beverage!

Note: In the lemonade recipes, I've cut the sugar by half from the original recipe, (except in the cucumber and ginger versions) and doubled the fruit. I encourage you to start at this point and then sweeten to taste, rather than oversweetening. Remember that even those these beverages are lower in sugar than soda and juice, they still contain sugar. They will be best tolerated when enjoyed with a meal, to help you tolerate the sugar.

Here is the general link to Souvia's online store. For your convenience, I've also linked each of the individual teas below in case you'd like to try them.

Watermelon Arnold Palmer (lemonade recipe courtesy of Whole Foods Market)
Lemonade: 10 cups 1-inch cubes seedless watermelon, 1 bottle (10-ounce) 365 Everyday Value®
Organic Lemon Juice, 6 cups water. If you use real sugar, start with 1/4 cup and increase to taste.
Iced tea: Honey-Do, a fruit blend of melon, apples and a touch of hibiscus

Raspberry Arnold Palmer
Lemonade: 2 cups rinsed fresh raspberries, mashed with 1/3 cup sugar, 1 cup lemon juice, and 2 cups
water. Add more sugar if desired.
Iced tea: Raspberry Honeybush – a naturally sweet tasting infusion that is caffeine free

Peach Arnold Palmer
Lemonade: 4 peaches peeled and cubed, 4 C water, 1/2 C sugar, 3/4 C Fresh Lemon Juice
Iced tea: Black Peach – a blend of black teas with the taste of ripe peaches. Or…Cranberry Peach – a
black tea that combines flavors of sweet peaches with the tartness of cranberries.

Blueberry Arnold Palmer
Lemonade: 6 cups blueberries, 1/3 cups sugar, 2 cups freshly squeezed lemon juice, 3 cups cold water
Iced tea: Blueberry Yoghurt – Rooibos from South Africa with blueberries. Freeze-dried yoghurt pieces
add to the smooth flavor.

Pomegranate Arnold Palmer
Lemonade: 3 tablespoons sugar, 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice, 1 cup pomegranate juice, 2 1/2 cups water
Iced tea: Pomegrante/Grape – White and green tea blend with pomegranate and grapes – light and
refreshing

Cucumber Arnold Palmer
Lemonade: 1 cucumber, peeled and cubed, 1 lemon, 5 c water, sugar to taste
Iced tea: Lemon Souffle– Rooibos with a creamy lemon taste

Strawberry Arnold Palmer
Lemonade: 2 pints mashed fresh strawberries, 1 cup fresh lemon juice, 1/2 cup sugar, 2 cups water
Iced tea: Strawberry Fields – A mélange of black and green teas with strawberries and pineapple pieces

Basil Hibiscus Arnold Palmer
Lemonade: 1/2 cup rinsed, lightly packed fresh basil leaves, chopped, 3 tablespoons sugar, 4 cups water,
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
Iced tea: Lemon Basil Oolong – Formosa Oolong combines the savory taste of basil with sweet citrus note

Mango Mint Arnold Palmer
Lemonade: 4 large mangoes, 2 1/2 cup(s) water, juice from 6 medium lemons), 1/4 cup(s) sugar
Iced tea: Moroccan Mint Organic

Lavender Arnold Palmer
Lemonade: 1/4 cup dried lavender, 2 cups boiling water, 1/3 cup white sugar, 8 lemons, 5 cups cold water
Iced tea: Quiet Mind – Rooibos with coconut and lavender

Green Apple Arnold Palmer
Lemonade: 3 green apples, cored and juiced, juice from 2 lemons, 1 tbsp sugar, 1 cup cold water
Iced tea: Apple/Mango Rooibos

Ginger Arnold Palmer
Lemonade: 1 1/2 cups white sugar, 4 quarts water, 14 slices fresh ginger root, 4 cups fresh lemon juice
In an 8-quart saucepan combine sugar, water and ginger root. Heat to boiling, stirring occasionally.
Remove from heat. Stir in lemon juice. Cool 15 minutes. Remove ginger. Refrigerate lemonade at least 1
hour, or until chilled.
Iced tea: Georgia Peach – Black tea with ginger and peach pieces

If you live in Virginia, Georgia, Florida, Texas, Hawaii and Arizona, today is the day you can now buy a megadose of caffeine at Starbuck's, in the form of their new 31 ounce beverage, the Trenta. As you can see in the photo, the Trenta is just shy, volume-wise, of a Big Gulp.

Starbucks is downplaying the calories, saying that these new larger-sized beverages contain less than 230 calories. We all know these calories are not nutritionally dense, and not loaded with the many vitamins, minerals, and anti-oxidants our readers know they need to be pursuing when making food choices.

Most importantly, however, and what is not being discussed, is the amount of caffeine this 31 ounce drink contains.

Remember, caffeine intake is associated with insulin resistance, as is lack of adequate sleep, which is exacerbated by excessive caffeine intake.

My recommendation? Save the extra 90 cents a day this will cost and over the course of a year…you'll have just over $300, which you can invest in a few nice massages.

Excess, even if calories are not involved, are not helpful when you're working on pursuing balance.

The most common question I get as an Herbalista is, "What can I do to feel well again?" There are many things we can do to incorporate wellness in to our body, mind, soul, and earth and I use this 5-step acronym that I've developed to simply my options: FHEEL F= Food

The first step to feeling better is to examine what we're fueling up on. It tends to be in our best interested to avoid fried and fatty foods in general, but especially so for those of us with PCOS. Instead, aim to eat plenty of fresh vegetables and healthy proteins with some fruit, dairy, and whole grains sprinkled in. Try and get a rainbow-colored variety of foods in your diet, striving for more of the darker/richer colored foods (kale, spinach, dandelion greens, mustard green, collard greens, broccoli, beets, blackberries, blueberries, pomegranates, squashes, sweet potatoes, carrots) and less of the lighter and whiter foods (citrus, raspberries, strawberries, bananas, pastas, rice, sugar, white potatoes, butter, dairy).

H= Herbs

If a whole foods diet isn't giving you everything you need in the moment, adding herbs can help! Start with adding simple spices to your meals like garlic (detoxifying herb that is great for the digestive system), rosemary (supports the brain and is antibacterial), and ginger (supports the circulatory and digestive system and is helpful for migraines). Other culinary spices that are easy to incorporate are cinnamon, turmeric, pepper, fennel, cayenne, thyme, sage, and clove. I highly recommend talking with a Holistic Healthcare practitioner, Naturopath, Herbalist, or other trained botanical medicine professional about herbs that can be specifically helpful to your desired wellness goals.

E= Essences and Essential Oils

Both Flower Essences and Essentials Oils are lovely tools that really support more the emotional, spiritual, and mental journey of wellness. Flower Essences have no reaction to medications, allergies, children or pets and work specifically on our current state of emotions. There are as many brands as there are flowers, from all parts of the world, so please read up on the companies as well as the products before choosing an essence. Essential oils are potent blend of botanical oils that have specific methods of delivery. Because there are highly concentrated amounts of naturally occurring chemicals in essential oils, it is extremely important to handle them with an informed and delicate manner. As always, consult with an Aromatherapist or Flower Essence practitioner for recommendations.

E= Energy Therapies and Exercise

When there still seems to be components of our wellness that need some extra attention, energy therapies and exercise can be very beneficial. Research the many benefits of Massage Therapy, Yoga, Acupuncture, Reiki, Polarity, Reflexology, Circuit Training, and many other healing arts and fitness programs. With any area of wellness, there are both reputable, competent companies and practitioners of theses energy therapies, as well as not so reputable nor competent companies and practitioners. Choose wisely after researching local resources in your community. I like to ask where they received their training from, how long have they have been in practice, and also what the whole process is from start to finish before signing up or paying for an appointment. Other energy therapies and exercises that can be helpful are: meditation/prayer, affirmations, journaling, hypnotherapy, life coaching, joining a gym/health club, getting a personal trainer, and dance styles like zumba/jazzercise/ballroom/swing/two-step and line dancing.

L= Lifestyle Changes

Making some more intense changes in lifestyle habits may be necessary in order to achieved our desired wellness goals. Most often, habits like smoking, drinking, eating too much fast food or snacks, not exercising, drinking soda and sugary beverages,and having too much or too little sleep can tremendously impact the state of our health. When setting your wellness goals, really emphasize the reasons for choosing those specific goals and concentrate on those reasons during the challenging moments. Tell your friends and family about your wellness goals the lifestyle changes you are making to help keep you accountable and motivate you during the ups and downs. Create a vision board or goal chart to showcase your progress. There are many tools and apps available to help you at any age or stage of wellness and life so identify those goals, develop a route to wellness, seek advice if you need help meeting those goals and chart your progress to see how well you're doing and how close you are to meeting and exceeding those goals!

I leave you with this last tidbit to remember, words of wisdom I try to live by: Wellness is a Journey, Not a Destination. Strive for Progress, Not Perfection… Know that every step, every breath, and each moment counts as progress, so long as we consciously choose to be well.

~Choose to be and"fheel" well-- The Herbalista