Carol Simontacchi

Holistic Health Notebook

Protecting Ourselves from Radiation

By Carol Simontacchi

The horrible events in Japan recently turn our thoughts to radiation exposure, as well it should. Radiation exposure is, as we all know, life threatening, both in the long term and short term.

I am feeling free to quote information published by VRP, one of the medical sources I trust implicitly:

“According to government studies, iodine levels have dropped over the last few decades among the US populace, and levels of other competing halides such as bromide, perchlorate and fluoride has increased. Thus, it has been estimated that increasing iodine intake in an individually-appropriate fashion is a wellness consideration, particularly in light of the resurgence of health recommendations to decrease sodium chloride (salt) use which has been a primary sourced of iodine consumption for many individuals.

“So, what does this mean in light of the current concern with the radiation in Japan? Well, it means that many individuals have insufficient levels of iodine/iodide as part of their diet…

“The reality is that we don’t yet know the extent to which this disaster will truly affect the U.S., and we want to be a calming voice amid the chaos. Just taking iodine/iodide in the absence of a confirmed emergency without guidance and supervision by one’s physician is not prudent. However, having it on hand is preparedness.

“Yet this is a strong wake-up call that this is a great time to visit with your primary care provider about testing your iodine status….not just from a crisis management perspective but also from a long-term well goal. Bottom line: Regardless of what happens with the Japan crisis, iodine is an important minerals, and you should work with your healthcare provider to make certain your levels are optimal.”

They go on to talk about the importance of antioxidant nutrition, something I have been harping on for a long time.  Radiation is a highly reactive substance. We need huge levels of antioxidants to protect against free radical damage.  There are many wonderful antioxidants: buffered vitamin C, glutathione, alpha lipoic acid, just to name a few. Oh, and have I mentioned antioxidant benefits of raw chocolate lately?

To recap: to protect your thyroid now and long term, get your iodine levels checked. You should ask your doctor to do this test for you but if that is not possible, I’ll tell how you can get it done yourself. If necessary, take iodine until your levels are normal, and then continue of indefinitely. 

Take lots of antioxidants! Let me know if you need help with that because it is too important to put on the back burner.

Holistic Health Notebook

By Carol Simontacchi

Vitamin D and Children

You wouldn’t think it would be necessary to write an article about kids and vitamin D in the sunny state of Florida. Kids play in the sunshine with bare arms and legs. They should absorb plenty of the “sunshine vitamin.”

I think, though, that we cannot assume adequate levels of this important nutrient, even in children.   The risks are too high. A new study (published in the Archives of Diseases in Childhood, Feb 22 edition) found that children with low serum vitamin D levels are at risk for diabetes and increased insulin resistance. The study investigated the relationship between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-OH-D) and fasting glucose, insulin and insulin sensitivity in obese and non-obese children. There were 85 children in the study ranging  from four to eighteen years of age. Median vitamin D levels were 52 nmol/l. 25% of children showed sufficient vitamin D levels (higher than 70 nmol/l) while 27% had intermediate levels (50 to 75 nmol/l) and 47% had insufficient levels (25 to 50 nmmol/l).  Overall, lower D levels were associated with higher fasting glucose, insulin and insulin resistance after adjusting for puberty and  body mass index (measure of overweight and obesity).

Researchers concluded that low 25-OH-D levels were common in children, putting them at risk for diabetes and increasing insulin resistance.

Pediatricians have recently revised their vitamin D recommendations for children, recommending from 200 to 40 IU daily but some recent studies suggest that even 400 I may inadequate, leading to rickets (bone disease), and increased risk of cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and autoimmune disorders.

In a nutshell, vitamin is essential for mineral absorption, (promoting calcium and phosphorus absorption in the intestines, balances their deposition in the bones, and helps regulate calcium excretion by the kidneys), helps maintain muscle and nerve tone, and affects insulin secretion and blood sugar regulation. It is also important for the proper functioning of the immune system, reproductive systems and thyroid, and there may be a reduced incidence of cancers of the colon, rectum, breast, ovary, and prostate.

By all means, send your kids to play out in the sunshine but also supplement with at least 400 IU of vitamin D daily. It is easy to give it to them because numerous companies provide a liquid that tastes good. I put a few drops in my granddaughter’s orange juice and even though  she is a picky eater, she doesn’t even know it is there.  Some day she’ll thank me for it.

Holistic Health Notebook

By Carol Simontacchi

They Are Killing Us (Deliberately)

This article is part information and part rant. To say I am angry minimizes how I feel about this topic and you will feel the same way if you follow what I’m saying. It all started with commercials touting the “benefits” of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS). Remember those commercials? I knew HFCS was bad news and knew a little of the story. But we need the whole story and then we can make an informed decision about what we are eating and what we are feeding our children. There is not enough money in the universe to pay the health care costs of what we are bringing on ourselves. But I’m getting ahead of myself.

My doctor friend suggested I watch a YouTube video named “Sugar: The Bitter Truth” As soon as you finish reading this column, go to YouTube and spend the next 60 minutes with Dr. Lustig, a pediatric endocrinologist who explains in interesting detail why high fructose corn syrup is killing us. Literally. It is much too much information to put in this article and I don’t want you to read the column and think you have the whole story. You need to watch the video because the information is so powerful and important.  What was most interesting is how HFCS contributes directly (with a direct cause and effect relationship) to heart disease and diabetes.

And of course obesity.  HFCS turns off some of the hormones that regulate calorie/food intake. Have you ever wondered, for example, how a child can slurp down 150+ calories in a soft drink beverage, then consume a huge high-fat, high-calorie meal? One would think that the extra soft drink calories would tell his body that he has had enough and curtail his appetite. But because HCFS disables the secretion of ghrelin and leptin, two hormones that regulate appetite and satiety, his body never gets the message that he has had enough. So he eats more. So we have an obesity epidemic fueled by our eating 250+ calories more per day than we did fifty years ago. We never feel full soon enough.

After watching the video, I went down to the supermarket and started reading labels. HFCS is in nearly every processed food, including some infant formulas. All infant formulas are sweetened with some type of corn sweetener. My guess is that they all affect the body the same way as HFCS.

One of the most telling comments that Dr. Lustig said is that “they know what they’re doing.” Meaning the biochemists at the huge manufacturing companies. This is a deliberate poisoning of our food supply. And we’re just sucking it up. 

Here is my message in a nutshell: if we don’t stop this insanity, if we don’t change our intake of HFCS, we have only seen the tip of the iceberg in obesity, heart disease, and diabetes.  Now go watch the video.

Holistic Health Notebook

By Carol Simontacchi

Back To The Simple Stuff

Back in the olden days, in the 60s and 70s when people started opening health food stores and talking about health (they were known as health nuts – which makes me wonder what we call people who are not into healthy eating. Disease nuts?), we talked a lot about fiber. Some of the most dreadful tasting stuff came out of that era, mostly laced with prodigious amounts of fiber. Whew!  Turned a lot of people away from healthy eating. I still hear people say that if it tastes nasty, it must be good for you.

I disagree vehemently. Just last night I had a marvelously healthy dinner at one of my favorite restaurants on Sanibel, Greenhouse Grill, and it was wonderful.

But it turns out that fiber is now getting the respect it deserves.  Want to live a long, healthy life? Eat lots of fiber.  A new study, funded by the National Institutes of Health and AARP and conducted under the direction of the Harvard School of Public Health, The study utilized data covering more than 388,000 adults, ages 50 to 71. Researchers found a correlation between high fiber diets and lower risk of death from heart disease„ infectious disease, respiratory disease, and cancer. Men who are the highest amounts of fiber were 22% less likely to die from any cause compared to those who ate the least.

The average American eats less than 15 grams of fiber daily; current daily recommendation is 25 grams for women and 38 grams for men

Dietary fiber is known to help prevent diabetes and heart disease, lowering cholesterol, blood pressure and blood sugar levels. It is also able to bind toxins in the digestive tract and move them out of the body quicker. Fiber also helps to balance female hormones as it moves used estrogen out of the colon before it can resorb.

Dietary fiber is the undigestible part of plant carbohydrates. Soluble fibers (psylium, rice and fruit pectin) dissolves in water and forms a gel, and produces short-chain fatty acids which affects insulin sensitivity and lipid synthesis. Insoluble fiber (wheat bran) does not but increase bulk in the stool.

I get quite a bit of fiber because I eat lots of veggies and fruits. I also take modified citrus pectin (MCP) to add even more fiber. MCP is used as a adjuvant cancer treatment in that it helps prevent metastasis. Studies on several forms of cancer (breast, prostate) show it to be effective in preventing cancer cells from clumping together, thereby forming a mass.  I also take it to help detoxify from heavy metals.

But I am going to re-check my regimen to make sure I’m getting at least 35 grams of fiber daily.

Holistic Health Notebook

By Carol Simontacchi

More On Cancer and Antioxidants

If breast cancer is in your family or your personal history, you won’t want to miss this. Clip it out, show it to your doctor, and do something about it. Yes, it is that important.

A 2011 study published in Cancer Biology & Therapy (2011;11 (4) “Caveolin-1 and mitochondrial SOD2 (MnSOD) function as tumor suppressors in the stromal microenvironment: A new genetically tractable model for human cancer associated fibroblasts”) provides genetic evidence suggesting that antioxidant drugs currently used to treat lung disease, malaria and the common cold help prevent  and treat cancers because they fight against mitochondrial oxidative stress, one of the main factors that drive tumor growth.  Some individuals have lost the tumor suppressor protein Caveolin-1 (Cav-1) that ramps up oxidative stress in breast tissue, a process that fuels cancer cell growth in most common forms of breast cancer.

Researchers are using this evidence as a reason to create new antioxidant drugs but I’m not sure we need new drugs to accomplish the goal of reducing oxidative damage. We already have lots of antioxidants at our fingertips in the form of nutrition.

For example, N-acetyl cysteine or NAC (the n-acetyl derivative of the amino acid l-cysteine) is a precursor to glutathione, a potent antioxidant. Glutathione cannot cross the cell membrane but NAC crosses the membrane where it is converted to glutathione. NAC or glutathione efficiently reduces damage caused by reactive oxygen species (ROS).  NAC can be found in most health food stores.

Dr. Lisanti, professor of cancer biology at Jefferson Medical College, says that “Antioxidants have been associated with cancer reducing effects…but the mechanisms, the genetic evidence has been lacking. This study provides the necessary genetic evidence that reducing oxidative stress in the body will decrease tumor growth.” Currently, doctors discourage the use of antioxidants in cancer treatment because it is commonly thought they reduce the effectiveness of certain chemotherapies. Dr. Lisanti believes we need to take advantage of the powerful antioxidants in the treatment of cancer.

This is why I am so passionate about raw chocolate! It is not frivolous that just because the chocolate tastes good it is an expendable part of my health plan. I take literally tens of thousands of antioxidants daily in raw chocolate (I use a powdered chocolate protein drink for breakfast) just to prevent cancer. Raw chocolate contains a blend of different forms of antioxidants, each of which handles a specific form of free radicals. It is important to take them all. You all know that I am susceptible to cancer (kidney) so I’m not taking any chances. Yes, it is highly pleasurable but the raw chocolate is THE most important supplement I take each day, and now I have scientific evidence that I’m right. 

I also take the green, red, and purple pills each day. Overkill? I don’t think so.

Holistic Health Notebook

By Carol Simontacchi

I Love Jellyfish

Many years ago, I visited an aquarium in Newport, OR. My favorite display was a giant ceiling-to-floor round tank that held hundreds of jellyfish. I was struck by their incredible grace and beauty. Wanting to remember their exquisite beauty, I bought a piece of glass artwork that attempted to capture the delicate grace but of course, as beautiful as the glass piece is, it is clunky by comparison.

Now I learn that jellyfish impart another gift to the world. They may enhance our brain function. How?

We lose about 30,000 brain cells each day. Scary, huh? In my book, “The Crazy Makers,” I discuss the dietary habits that contribute to this decline in brain function. You might want to read it because I talk about such things as low fat dieting (and now we know that cholesterol-lowering medicine is linked to loss of brain function), coffee consumption and stress, and high-sodium products that affect cognition and memory. So we want to stop doing all this to slam the brakes on unnecessary loss of brain cells.

I eat lots of raw chocolate to provide antioxidants to slow down the destruction of fatty tissue in my brain.

But back to jellyfish: scientists have found a calcium-binding protein (CaBP) called apoaequorin, that supports a healthier brain, sharper mind, and clearer thinking.

CaBPs are found naturally throughout the body. They bind excess calcium in the cells, keeping calcium from rising to toxic levels which leads to cell damage and death. About the age of 40, CaBPs begin to decrease, one of the factors that results in loss of memory and concentration. Apoaequorin can be found in one nature’s simplest organisms: jellyfish.

Sold under the brand name of Prevagen, it helps maintain calcium homeostasis which is essential for brain cell health. Too little calcium: You cannot think clearly. Too much calcium: you cannot remember. The protein from the sea helps achieve a balance to retain better memory, with more focus and concentration.

Studies find a 28-55% reduction in brain cell loss. Studies are definitely preliminary; much more needs to be done, but the thought of losing 30,000 brain cells today…and tomorrow…and the next day sets me thinking about how to slow that down.

Holistic Health Notebook

By Carol Simontacchi

Plant-Based Anti-Aging

Love red wine? Love feeling young again? Love feeling like you are in control of your health? Let’s put them all together and do something good for ourselves today.

Every once in a while, I get a surge of energy that reminds me what it felt like to be twenty. Remember that energy? Natural energy not induced by stimulants like coffee. Intoxicating, isn’t it?

Red wine may be a partial answer to that energy/aging crisis. It contains a substance called trans-resveratrol, in the family of phytolalexins, a class of protective substances produced by plants in response to environmental stress. Trans-resveratrol is thought to be responsible for the “French Connection,” or why French people have less heart disease  even though their diets are rich in fats. (Never mind that natural, non-processed, non-hydrogenated, fresh fats are not harmful and we need to stop thinking they are!) 

Trans-resveratrol is anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, platelet antiaggregatory, anticarcinogenic, and modulates lipoprotein metabolism. It may help prevent  diabetes, cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, and cardiovascular disease.

Italian researchers started studying this nutrient in a vertebrate animal (short-lived fish), and found that it increased median lifespan by 56% over control. Harvard researchers reported that it counteracted the detrimental effects of a high fat diet in mice, and found that it increased their lifespan by 30%.

It apparently works on gene level. Gene expression analysis revealed that resveratrol inhibited alteration in 144 of 155 gene pathways affected by a high fat diet.

I take high doses of resveratrol as part of my anti-cancer program. I combine it with curcumin (from turmeric) that has also been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer.

Grape seed extract is another nutrient really important in a cancer discussion. It contains a whole sets of proathocyaninidins including epicatechin and epigallocatechin, both shown to be some of the highest on an antioxidant scale. Remember vitamin C? Grape seed extract, with a high OPC content, can provide 20X the antioxidant potential of vitamin C and 50X greater than vitamin E. It helps to reduce the risk of both heart disease (several markers for it) and cancer. Also helps prevent macular degeneration and complications of diabetes such as nerve and eye damage.

What about the red wine? To get the amount of trans-reseveratrol to benefit, you would have to drink so much that your liver would complain. Supplementary forms of resveratrol are extracted from Japanese Knotweed, a traditional Chinese medicinal plant.

Carol is a certified lifestyle educator. She can be reached at the Island Nutrition Center on Sanibel, FL. (239-472-4499) Website: www.carolsimontacchionline.com

Holistic Health Notebook

By Carol Simontacchi

Sometimes The Government Does Good

Not often, mind you. I don’t often indulge in political discussions because they rarely end on a positive note. And I am not so naïve as to believe it could actually accomplish something. But sometimes the government surprises me and does something of which I approve. Like raising meal standards for school lunches.

It reminds me of an incident that happened when my book, “The Crazy Makers: How The Food Industry is Destroying Our Brains and Harming Our Children” was published. I was invited to tour a school in the Los Angeles School District for the purpose of observing a new program. A non-profit organization had coordinated the efforts of the school lunch program with local farmers, and every day, farmers brought in produce they had grown and served it to the children in elementary schools.  Fresh produce was beautifully displayed and served, and the kids received it enthusiastically.

The kids were also given the opportunity to visit the farms, dig their hands into dirt, and assist the farmers in raising the crops so they established a “friendly relationship” with their food. What a wonderful program that could have/should have been extended to every school district in the country.

Well, now the government is recognizing the need for change in what serve our children. According to USA Today, “the proposed rule…will raise the nutrition standards for meals for the first time in 15 years. This is the ‘first major improvement’ in the standards that ‘we’ve seen in a generation, and it reflects the seriousness of the issue of obesity,’ says Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack.” 

A lot of kids eat school lunches. Nearly 32 million children eat lunch at school every day and almost 11 million children eat breakfast. Overall, kids consume about 30-50% of their calories while at school. What happened to brown bagging it? Moms and dads, this is where you can make an enormous difference in the health of your child. Pack a healthy lunch for him or her. Fresh fruit. Fresh veggies. Homemade soups and chili. Nutrient-rich (and tasty) sandwiches. You can do it! Schools only spend $2.72 from the federal government for every child on the free lunch program. I do believe that is adequate (though not generous) for a healthy lunch, but you could do better – and probably for less money.

Anyway, what changes are recommended?

#1. Decrease the amount of starchy vegetables (think French fries and canned corn) to 1 cup per week

#2. Serve only unflavored 1% milk or fat-free flavored or unflavored milk (I suggest eliminating milk because of the allergy potential)

#3. Increase fruits and vegetables offered. Over the course of a week, there must be a serving each of green leafy vegetables, orange vegetables, beans, starchy and other vegetables. The goal is to expose children to a variety of vegetables (moms and dads, you can do this!).

#4. Increase whole grains. Currently, there is no requirement regarding whole grains but the proposed rules require that 1/2 of the grains served must be whole grain.

#5. Minimize trans fats. (Couldn’t they just eliminate trans fats?)

#6. Reduce sodium over the next 10 years. High school lunches now have about 1600 mg of sodium (think heart disease and brain fog)

#7. Establish calorie maximums and minimums for the first time. (K-5: 550 to 650; 6-8: 600-700; 9-12: 750-850).

Will kids actually eat these healthier foods? They will if they are truly hungry and if they are trained first at home. Mom and dad, that’s where you can make a huge difference.

Carol is a certified lifestyle educator. She can be reached at the Island Nutrition Center on Sanibel, FL. (239-472-4499) Website: www.carolsimontacchionline.com

Holistic Health Notebook

By Carol Simontacchi

That Little Red Berry

This column is so seasonally appropriate today!  I’m proud of myself for being so together this morning! Doesn’t always happen!

We are talking about that little red berry called cranberries. This time of year, we cook it up into sauces, grind it up into salads, and (if you are reminiscent about childhood), plop it out of cans with the can marking still embedded into the gelatinous mass). You don’t still eat that, do you?

Funny. One of our holiday traditions is cranberry sauce cooked up from organic cranberries. We have it every year at Thanksgiving and sometimes Christmas. It’s funny because if I recall correctly, I was the only one who ate. Perhaps the cranberries were a little too tart because I always cut back on the sugar. I do believe that after I have left earth for a better place, my kids are going to sit around and remember the healthy foods I always tried to get them to eat. 

Cranberries are just coming into their own, research wise. We have known for years that they are the natural remedy for UTIs. Bladder infection coming on? Take cranberries, preferably either in an unsweetened concentrate (tart!) or in a capsule. The capsule is better because the concentration of real cranberry is so much higher.

It was commonly thought that the cranberries acidified the urine, killing the bacteria, but we now know that cranberries prevent the bacteria from adhering to the bladder wall so it is washed out in the urine stream.

(Speaking of UTIs, I like to combine the cranberry with a sitz bath with grapefruit seed extract that works like a topical antibiotic/antifungal. Gets rid of the infection almost immediately).

But a 2003 study carries the benefits of cranberry even further. A study conducted at the University of Scranton found that 3 glasses of cranberry juice daily improves heart health by increasing HDL and plasma antioxidant levels. While the total cholesterol remained unchanged, HDL levels increased by an average of 10%, yielding a reduction in heart attack risk by 40%. Plasma antioxidant levels also increased, another factor in saving the heart.

Cranberry may also offer chemoprotective benefits, inhibiting the growth and proliferation of breast, colon, prostate, lung and other tumors.   Cranberry may induce apoptosis (cell death) and other factors.

Drinking 3 glasses of unsweetened cranberry juice is not something that most people can do. Better to take it in capsule form. The capsules won’t pucker you up.

Carol is a certified lifestyle educator. She can be reached at the Island Nutrition Center on Sanibel, FL. (239-472-4499) Website: www.carolsimontacchionline.com

Holistic Health Notebook

By Carol Simontacchi

Some New Years Favorites

How blessed to be headed into another New Year! As I look back over the past year, I see much evidence that I’ve been royally cared for. All my needs have been met and I am very grateful.

Well, I have accumulated some new favorites over the past year. Not that the old favorites are out of favor; it is that so many new products have either recently come on the market or I’ve just learned about some existing ones that are powerfully effective in helping us achieve vibrant health. That is one of our goals for the New Uear, isn’t it? Vibrant health!

Here are a few of my new favorites:

Emu oil. I learned about emu oil a bunch of years ago but forgot about it until recently, and have re-learned the benefits of this anti-inflammatory, healing oil. I’ve recommended it for sore feet, for all kinds of wounds and abrasions, for the breakdown of aging skin, and for burns, and find it consistently able to heal just about anything to do with the skin.  No side effects (you won’t smell like an emu) and it works quickly and efficiently.

Flu Solution: a customer turned me onto this new homeopathic remedy for preventing the symptoms of the flu. This preparation is prepared from this year’s current flu virus so it helps the immune systems ward off what is going around now. (I like it better than the flu shot.) Take just one dropper each to week to prevent getting sick. But one day I felt like I was coming down with something so I took a few doses in between, and the symptoms disappeared almost immediately.

Modified citrus pectin: I learned about this pectin when studying cancer metastasis but have recently learned that it binds heavy metals and escorts them from the body. Because it is a good fiber, it increases the quality and quantity of the stool, which is also helpful in preventing certain forms of cancer. I will take MCP for the rest of my life.

D-Ribose: need energy? Energy production begins at the cellular level and if you get enough cellular energy happening, you feel it in the rest of your body. I had heard about ribose for years but until I hear Dr Stephen Sinatra, world-renowned cardiologist, talk about how he recommends it to all his heart patients because it increases the energy production in the heart, I was on the fence. Well, I’m off the fence now and take one scoop of d-ribose each morning in my breakfast drink. Yes, I do feel increased energy.

Raw chocolate: We all need more anti-oxidant protection, given the onslaught of free radicals from food, environment, and normal physiological metabolism. When I read about the extremely high antioxidant potential of raw chocolate (from the medical literature), I was hooked. Raw chocolate can taste really bitter but there are preparations that provide the high antioxidant, health benefits – and the sensory pleasure of chocolate.

Turmeric: Another incredible herb that provides protection against cancer and is powerful anti-inflammatory as well. I take about 3 grams/day.

And now I’ve run out of room…Some more next week.

Carol is a certified lifestyle educator. She can be reached at the Island Nutrition Center on Sanibel, FL. (239-472-4499) Website: www.carolsimontacchionline.com

Holistic Health Notebook

By Carol Simontacchi

Odds and Ends

We must stay alert at all times!  Especially when it comes to health and food. Seems that “evil forces” continually invent new ways to compromise our ability to eat right and stay healthy. “Evil forces” meaning big food industry.

Now salmon is in jeopardy. Bad enough that most salmon on the market is spawned in giant fish farms that bear no resemblance to the natural environment; now GMO salmon is on the way to supermarket shelves. The biotech company is AquaBounty Technologies. It seems likely that FDA will approve a proprietary species of salmon bred by this company, and would not require special labeling. It grows twice as fast as its natural counterpart. It looks just like “real salmon;” consumers would be unable to differentiate between the two fish.

Safety studies have not been done. We do not know how this fish will impact human health (will it make us grow twice as fast also? Only slightly tongue-in-cheek…). Because modified foods of this type are regulated under the same process used for animal drugs, AquaBounty is allowed to withhold some information.

We simply must buy organic salmon whenever possible.

And organic strawberries.  Conventionally produced strawberries are heavily sprayed with pesticides, a major concern to those of us who love to be healthy. But it turns out that organic strawberries are more nutritious.

A recent study published in PLoS One shows that organic strawberries have more antioxidants and vitamin C than their non-organic counterparts. Researchers evaluated the berries in several ways, including soil quality, sensory testing and nutritional value.

Results indicate that non-organic farms utilizing soil fumigant methyl bromide with synthetically manufactured nitrogen produce a nutrient-diluted (but bigger) berry. Organic berries are about 15% smaller and more nutritious.

The study had critics, however. Critics said that just because the non-organic berries produce less antioxidants and less vitamin C, they are not necessarily more nutritious. Organic berries produce less potassium and phosphorous – but differences were statistically insignificant. And strawberries are not a good source of either mineral, anyway. 

Who says that science isn’t spun? Anyway, organic berries taste better.

And one more sigh… the Corn Refiners Association (CRA) sent a petition to the FDA asking to let food makers use new terminology on ingredient labels. They don’t want to have to use the words “high-fructose corn syrup” (HFCS) on labels and want to substitute “corn sugar” instead. Why? “The change is warranted because it succinctly and accurately reflects the origin of the ingredient: corn. The current term…is too confusing for shoppers.”

I don’t know. I’m not confused by “high-fructose corn syrup,” are you? And I’m not fooled by that obnoxious advertising touting the benefits of same, either.

They finalized it by saying that “HFCS is a ‘safe and affordable natural sweetener.’ The group feels avoiding this sweetener is not a viable solution to the obesity epidemic; rather, all sugars are appropriate in moderation.”

Some day, I am going to throw a shoe at the TV. Really now. And maybe throw a shoe at someone from CRA…

Carol is a certified lifestyle educator. She can be reached at the Island Nutrition Center on Sanibel, FL. (239-472-4499) Website: www.carolsimontacchionline.com

Holistic Health Notebook

By Carol Simontacchi

It’s That Time of Year Again

Yes, weight loss season. We’ve just spent weeks indulging in every high-calorie delectable we have access to and our waistlines show it. Or we’ve been putting it off, knowing that the holidays would bring a few extra pounds. But now we’re serious. Time to lose weight.

I’ve written extensively on weight loss over the years. My last weight loss book, “Weight Success of a Lifetime,” ties 48 health issues to weight challenges. Contrary to popular advertising of expensive (and ridiculous) weight loss plans, weight management is far more complex than calorie counting. As I tell my clients, your body is a lot smarter than you are and you can’t trick it into losing weight.

What are some of the physical issues affecting weight management? How about food sensitivities, chronic inflammation, hypothyroidism, chronic stress or adrenal activation, loss of brown fat thermogenesis, loss of human growth hormone, night working, metabolic syndrome, depression… Well, you get the point. It really is complex.

Having said that, it really isn’t as complex as it first appears, because a really good eating plan will solve the vast majority of these issues. Yes, I do send my clients to a doctor if I suspect adrenal or thyroid involvement or other medical issues. But that is a last resort. I have found that if you eat properly, a lot of these problems go away because the body’s needs are satisfied.

What about low calorie programs? There has been an explosion of very low calorie diet (VLCD) programs over the past few years. These low calorie plans are accompanied by vitamin B12 shots, pharmaceutical appetite suppressants, medical supervision (because they are dangerous), and sometimes even surgery.  Are these programs successful? Do they work?

Yes – and no. Yes, people lose weight on a VLCD program because they are literally starving to death. It is impossible to provide adequate nutrition on just 500 – 700 calories per day. It can’t be done. Supplementing with vitamin B12 masks the fatigue but it doesn’t make up for the scores of nutrients that are under-supplied, thus putting into jeopardy the health of the whole body. (Remember that good health is MUCH MORE that losing weight!!)

What about appetite suppressants? I am never in favor of suppressing a healthy appetite because a good appetite is one sign of a healthy body. I am, however, in favor of SATISFYING the appetite because when the body’s nutritional needs are met through really good food, you really don’t need to eat a lot of calories.

BTW, I will never put anyone on a program that provides less than 1300 calories because of the risk of malnutrition. Also, VLCD programs lower the thyroid function, making it virtually impossible to maintain the weight loss that was achieved. Yes, I know many of these programs are step programs but that will not reverse the damage done by the malnutrition and calorie deprivation.

My way is slower. It requires thinking about what you are eating. It means changing food selections (buying this food instead of that food). It means saying “goodbye” to some of your favorite food toys. But the benefits last for a lifetime: improved energy, reduced risk of serious illness, slow and steady weight loss, less aches and pains…

It is a good way to start the year.

Carol is a certified lifestyle educator. She can be reached at the Island Nutrition Center on Sanibel, FL. (239-472-4499) Website: www.carolsimontacchionline.com

Carol Simontacchi Holistic Health Products

ABOUT US

It’s all about the client. It’s all about meeting your needs. Maximizing your health. Providing you with the information (and products)you need to “help you take responsibility for your own good health.”
Certified Clinical Nutritionist Carol Simontacchi embarked on her personal health journey over 40 years ago when, in her twenties, she struggled with scarring acne, depression, fatigue, and constant immune challenges. She started reading health magazines, experimenting with nutrition, started feeling better — and nutrition became her life work.

She went onto become a certified nutritionist, then a Certified Clinical Nutritionist through the Clinical Nutritionist Certification Board. She is a professional member of the International and American Associations of Clinical Nutritionists and attends the Scientific Symposium each year. She practices in Sanibel, FL, specializing in weight management, fatigue, and chronic pain.If you have any questions about your own health, she is delighted to speak with you. She is also available for personal consultations (via the Internet, in person, or on the telephone)at a cost of $75/hour. Please call for an appointment.
But meanwhile, prepare to take charge of your health — and let us help you do that! It really is “all about you…”

Carol Simontacchi

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Holistic Health Notebook

By Carol Simontacchi

Is Your Brain Aging?

One of the aspects of aging that we dread most is losing our minds.  Misplacing your car keys sends us into panic: “It’s Alzheimer’s…is my long-term care policy paid up?” We develop strategies for hiding the fact that we don’t remember names: “How’s the family? Where are you living now?” Desperately searching for clues.

I’ve started calling everyone by endearing terms (Love, Sweetheart) so I don’t have to remember names (now you know my secret). Am I losing my mind?
One of the devastating effects of stress is short term memory loss.   Try to keep stress at a minimum (if you figure out how to do that,  let me know, please) and always get plenty of sleep.

The sea may offer hope. Researchers have discovered a protein from jellyfish that protects brain cells as we age.

Dr. Pastore,  member of the NY Academy of Sciences, explains that as we age, we lose about 30,000 brain cells a day. But scientists have found a calcium-binding protein (CaBP) called “apoaequorin” that protects against this loss. CaBps are found naturally throughout the body. They bind with excess calcium and keep it from rising to toxic levels, which leads to cell damage and cell death (I’ve been advocating for a lower calcium intake for years).

Around age 40, CaBPs begin to decrease which may be one of the factors that results in loss of memory and concentration. Because our own production of apoaequorin begins to diminish with the aging process, we may be able to supplement. Jellyfish produce this protein and it is now available for over-the-counter use.

Sold under the brand name of Prevagen, it helps maintain calcium homeostasis within the cells. If there is too little calcium in the cell, you cannot think clearly. If there is too much, you can’t remember. Prevagen helps with  the right balance.  A preliminary study backs up these claims, showing a 28-55% reduction in brain cell loss.

Admittedly, the study was a beagle study, duration of one month, and human trials have not been done. But if you are like me, you are looking for some answers. This is one to keep an eye on.

Carol is a certified lifestyle educator. She can be reached at the Island Nutrition Center on Sanibel, FL. (239-472-4499) Website: www.carolsimontacchionline.com

• By Carol Simontacchi
• I used to teach a seminar with that title and it was always one of my most popular lectures. Fatigue is one of the most common complaints stepping into a doctor’s office. As I age (as we all are), I understand that more and more. A few weeks ago, I called my holistic doctor and asked him to check my thyroid. “I am so exhausted,” I explained. He responded, “Cut back your work schedule and take more time just to relax. If you still feel tired, then I’ll check your thyroid.” Bingo. He hit the nail square on. I work less, relax more, and as a result, have much more energy.
• But some people still want a quick fix to the energy crisis. Witness the explosion of energy drinks (including high-powered coffee) in the last few years. I am generally not in favor of energy drinks. When you look at the nutritional facts of something like…ummm, R** B***, you will see 80 mg of caffeine and 2 tablespoons of sugar. The average cup of espresso coffee contains from 40 – 100 mg of caffeine; regular coffee from 60 – 120 mg.
• A little bit of caffeine occasionally is not a problem. It does provide a gentle boost of energy that wakes up the brain and gets things pumping. Women do not fare as well with caffeine as the mixture of estrogen and caffeine actually can (in some women) diminish brain function. But caffeine negatively affects the adrenal gland, increasing the production of high-energy but damaging hormones that ultimately result in impairment of short term memory and increased cardiovascular risk symptoms. Continually jolting the adrenal gland with artificial energy drinks can be extremely damaging.
• So are any energy drinks good? Here is what I would suggest in terms of label reading: no caffeine! To produce natural energy, you need lots of B complex vitamin, lots of antioxidants, some adrenal supportive foods like ginseng and maca. Maca, by the way, is an amazing food that naturally produces energy. Grown in the harsh environment of the upper Andes mountains, maca is traditionally used to increase both energy and stamina. It is a nutritionally rich food, high in iodine (that supports thyroid function), zinc (that increases cellular energy), and a complex of amino acids and vitamin C. (Folklore says that it improves fertility but there is little scientific evidence for that). It also contains high amounts of the B complex vitamins
• So choosing a drink with maca would be a good choice, especially if it is blended with raw cacao. I’ve written extensively about the benefits of raw cacao (I just spoke with a publisher about a book about it!) and am passionate about the value of this super-food in terms of energy. But the way, natural cacao does not contain caffeine. It is added to commercial chocolate products to keep customers addicted…
• A good energy drink can contain sugars but only raw, natural sugars from fruit.
• The benefits of this type of drink is that it improves energy production without jeopardizing the strength of the adrenal gland or cardiovascular system. Our goal, after all, is to improve overall health, not just a temporary jolt of energy..
• Carol is a certified lifestyle educator. She can be reached at the Island Nutrition Center on Sanibel, FL. (239-472-4499) Website: www.carolsimontacchionline.com