Healing Outside The Box

I stumbled upon an article about meditation that led me down a rabbit hole of other articles looking into why or how meditation helps us feel better. Turns out, there are hundreds of recent articles discovering exactly what meditation is doing in our bodies. So where would I begin? It was overwhelming to be sure. But I started with articles from the National Institute Of Health, or NIH, which publishes a meta-analysis on a certain topic. The first was a very long NIH group of studies which reported that there is a special protein called brain derived neurotrophic factor, which is necessary for healthy brain function. Low levels of this protein can be found in patients with Parkinson's or Alzheimer's disease. But what can we do to improve the levels of this protein? Exercise helps. A high antioxidant, plant-based diet helps. But what about meditation? The results discussed here seem promising. Next, I reveal an NIH meta-analysis article that gets into the area of epigenetics. This can get complicated and sciency, but they are basically saying that meditation might help us with adaptability to our environment. They may be in the initial exploratory phase of understanding what is going on, but I find it fascinating. The article can be found here.  There is a more comprehensive article by the national Center for complementary and integrative health that is excellent. It gives us all a feel for the larger picture. I could see a time where regular meditation becomes a part of our healthcare plan. At the very least, it could help us through this post-pandemic, scary – political time in American culture. As always, feel free to contact me on my contact page, at healing outside the box, if you have any questions or suggestions of future episodes.

Today's episode is a relatively short one, so I thought I would start by giving you a 5 minute sample of my new memoir, called Helpers Anonymous (now on audible and itunes. If you are interested in listening to the audio version of the memoir, you could send me your first name and email address and I will email you one of the free audible codes for the book. If you want another version and just prefer to get it yourself, the paperback, ebook, and audio versions can be found on Amazon, right here. The question today is not about whether proteins are essential for life and if we need to get them from food. It is and we do. Today we are talking about the source of the protein, plant versus animal. And more specifically, does one type of protein influence blood sugar control or insulin resistance?  As it turns out, an abundance of branched-chain amino acids from animal protein, may be associated with insulin resistance or even type II diabetes. The National Institute for Health (NIH) has put out several journal articles, like this one, reporting that people with type II diabetes have higher levels of branched-chain amino acids than control subjects. Another more detailed NIH article goes into the connection in more detail. The title is "the emerging role of Branched-chain Amino acids in insulin resistance and Metabolism." But the entire role of branched-chain amino acids is still unclear. One NIH article suggested that when branched-chain amino acids were taken as supplements by the military to guard against traumatic brain injury, they may have been effective. However, they do not increase the growth of brain cells. The reason that there is no clear-cut proof that animal protein causes an increased risk of insulin resistance, may be that it's just complicated. One possible explanation that is being investigated is that it may be more to do with altered gene expressions, caused by mutations. Whatever it is, the problem is related to protein that comes from animals, not plants. 

Back in the old days, maybe 50 years ago, scientists believed that it was all about the math. We decided that a deficit of 3500 calories would equal 1 pound of weight loss and the weight loss was from the burning of fat stores for that energy. If that’s the case, a daily deficit of 500 calories per day would be equal to 1 pound of fat loss per week. But that is not the case at all. The reason for the leveling off of weight loss is explained today. But first, a bittersweet announcement. I will be ending my ongoing podcast episodes at episode 300, but the old content will remain available on my website, Healing Outside the box. The work to put out a podcast episode was just too much for someone like myself, as I am getting physically weaker. I will still continue to write and keep my website running, and look into nutrition in the news for my social media posts. Speaking of which, the makers of balance of nature supplements have been ordered to stop production and sales of their products until they can come into compliance with FDA regulations. You can read more details in this article from the Center of Science for the Public Interest. There is a short video by Dr. Michael Gregor that discusses the science behind the debunking of the “3500 calories for one pound myth” about weight loss. There is a blog post as well with similar information. The national Institute of Health (NIH) has a few articles that provide the scientific background as to why the theories are changing. It is related to the power of our gut microbiota. More specifically, how the quality of the microorganisms can either help or hurt our weight loss efforts. The first is an explanation of how both probiotics and prebiotics can set up healthy gut microbiota to make weight loss happen more effectively. The second explains that a higher diversity of gut microbiota affects weight loss. They show that a lower diversity of microbes was related to obesity and insulin resistance. It’s all about the microbes, baby.

If there was ever a topic that my unique combination of background experience leads me to have an opinion about, it would be Ozempic. Yet, even I am not sure about exactly where the internal debate in my head finally lands. And that leads me to believe that the “one size fits all” nutrition advice just won’t work here. But before I get into Ozempic, I want to bring your attention to a short video on scientific studies examining skin creams for anti-aging. Because the topic is so subjective and mice won't sit still long enough to apply the skin cream, there are very few legitimate double-blind studies on whether or not these creams work. However, there was one study that demonstrated improvements in the skin after application of a niacin cream. The video can be found here.  I mentioned that even the 60 Minutes news show has differing opinions on the subject. The 60 minutes – Australia clip discussed an incident where a young woman died because she was so adamant about not wanting to stop the Ozempic, that she ignored nausea and vomiting and died in her sleep. The 60 minutes- US clip was basically an advertisement for the drug. The clinician implied that it would be perfectly safe for the patient to remain on the drug for an entire lifetime. That is simply not true.  Another video I discussed was 6 short interviews with 6 experts who had 6 different pieces of advice. That video can be found here. I eventually get around to giving you my opinion, but I suppose I owe you a quick synopsis of my background on which I formulated this opinion. In school, my major was Nutritional biochemistry. My first real job was as a lab tech at the Nutritional Pathology labs at MIT. We tested substances to see if they would cause cancer in laboratory rats. Then I worked in the Biochemistry labs at Brandeis, testing whether substances could decrease or increase the risk of cancer. Then I got a second degree in food science where I focused on microbiology, or pathogenic organisms in food. Then I got a registered dietitian certification and worked with people who had obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. I also studied eating disorders.  So as you can see, all of my earlier experiences lead me to focus on preventative healthcare. I am glad to hear that so many people are losing weight on these drugs, but thoughts about being cautious are stewing in the back of my mind.  If you have any questions about Ozempic or weight loss that you wish to discuss with me, you can go to my services page on my website to book an appointment. You can also text me at my Google voice number, which is 978-712-9556.

Once again, I review different types of foods where sell-by dates are important and explain why that may be the case. As in part one, the take-away message is that it's good to know which foods might spoil and taste lousy versus which foods could cause food poisoning. But first, I announce that there are still promo codes for free copies of my memoir in audiobook format. Simply leave your email address and first name on my contact page and I will email you a code to the audiobook. You can also contact me on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter (X} and leave your email address there. In part two, I go through most of the popular condiments and discuss food safety issues around common products like oil cold cuts, nuts, and canned goods. The two organizations that do the inspecting, grading, and labeling laws are the USDA and the FDA. The USDA website can be found here and the FDA website can be found here. As always, you can reach me through my website, healing outside the box, or message me on my contact page, if you have any questions or suggestions for future topics.

Breaking news! (I hope) My new memoir called "Helpers Anonymous" is now out in audiobook format, on audible and iTunes. I still have free codes to hand out! So if you would like to listen to my audiobook, I still have some available for free audiobooks. If you would like a complimentary audiobook, just message me with your first name and email address on my website contact page, at Healing Outside the Box. Here is the link on Amazon if you're interested in the paperback or Kindle version. I also want to bring to your attention an article that came out recently. It suggests that we humans are not that much unlike wild animals in that we eat more in the fall to survive the winter. Although we are not likely to counteract evolutionary history anytime soon, awareness of the situation can certainly help to keep the extra pounds to a minimum. You can get a short version of the details in this video from Dr. Michael Gregor. As always, if you have any questions, or would like to speak to a nutritionist about how to perhaps avoid squirreling away extra calories this fall/winter, you can reach me on my website services page, which is here.

When I learned that up to 70% of college athletes are now taking creatine supplements, I decided to look into studies that examined its effectiveness.  Before I got into creatine supplements, I went over a few points from the previous episodes on the benefits of berries and other antioxidants. There is a five minute video by Dr. Michael Greger on the power of berries to fight inflation as well as cancer cell growth. That video can be found here. I then discussed some studies comparing two groups of people and the incidence and mortality of Covid-19. The groups were separated based on whether they ate a plant strong Mediterranean diet or a more traditional meat and potatoes American diet. This NIH study showed that the group eating more plants and no red meat had better outcomes, both in terms of incidence of severe symptoms and mortality. Interestingly, they ran the same study after the 1918 flu pandemic with a Seventh-day Adventist seminary and found similar results. Seventh-day Adventists, as a group, don't eat meat or chicken. There was a recent article originally published in the British medical Journal and re-published by NIH, which basically said the same thing with almost 600 patients. People who regularly ate a diet high in legumes and whole grains had significantly lower odds of getting severe Covid 19. I eventually got around to talking about the necessity and effectiveness of creatine for athletes. A good overall article on this subject can be found here. I have an announcement about my new memoir...It is coming out in audiobook form soon! If you send me your email and join my new episode mailing list, I will be giving out free copies of the book for 7 days! Just leave your first name and email address at https://healingoutsidethebox.com  

We all know that rates of cancer seem to be rising for many different types of cancer. Most notably colorectal, breast, prostate, and skin cancer. But why? This is a complicated question with no simple answer. Colorectal cancer is definitely food-related, but smoking, weight, and epi-genetics play a role. Breast and prostate cancer can be influenced by hormones, but also by quality of food intake. Even skin cancer, which is tied to the amount of protective melanin in your skin and lower UV protection in the atmosphere, can result in improved healing and prognosis with an anti-cancer diet. In part 2, I go through the evidence of specific nutrients and their potential role in preventing and treating cancer. I refer to a large review article in the journal Nature. The link can be found here. There is a quote from the Harvard Gazette that I mentioned:  “Diet directly affects microbiome composition and eventually these changes can influence disease risk and outcomes.” The National Institute of Health also posts a large review article saying the same thing. It can be found here.  I did 2 episodes on the benefits of broccoli sprouts for symptoms of autism. They are episode 255 and episode 256.  If you wish to reach me for any reason, don't hesitate to contact me on my website contact page, healingoutsidethebox.com  

There have been stories in the media recently about cancer rates increasing in younger people in this country.  That is also true in England, but not so much in Asian countries (where folks eat less processed meat and more plant-based foods). Among the 14 cancer types on the rise, eight are related to the digestive system. The recent news is based on a large study that makes the link between changes in our diet since 1990 and cancers of the digestive system. We certainly don't have any answers for sure, and I am not the go-to expert on this, but it certainly warrants a closer look. Before I get into the studies, I want to remind everyone that the Healthy Incentives program is happening at farmers markets throughout the country. It's a federal program that is very successful here in Massachusetts. But if you need advice on how to find out if you're eligible for $40 of free produce every month, just contact me on my website contact page, at Healing Outside the Box, and I can let you know how to find out if you are eligible in your town. I also mentioned that my memoir is now out in paperback. It's called "Helpers Anonymous" and it explores my relationships with my caregivers during the rise in the opioid epidemic. If you decide to get the book on Amazon and would like to contribute a review, I would greatly appreciate it! There was an article in the Guardian from July that points out the rates of cancer-related to the digestive system as particularly alarming. There has been a 70% increase in the rate of colorectal cancers from 1990 to 2019. Scientists are now interested in the link between food eaten when we are young and the balance of healthy and pathogenic bacteria in our gut. There was a large review article in Nature, that mentions all of the digestive-related cancers on the rise and suggests that it might be an imbalance in our microbiome. They also looked at epi-genetics and suggested that even small mutations in our genetic material can put us at greater risk of many cancers. In part two next week, I will look into what the National Institute of Health has to say about all of this. And finally how we can hedge our bets with some tweaking of our dietary habits to lower our risk of all cancers.

Now, I mean this in only the nicest possible way. But sometimes I review a documentary so you don't have to watch the whole darn thing yourself. Unless you want to; which you may in this particular case. I'm reviewing a documentary called "The Need to Grow", which tells us about two pioneers in the sustainability/save the planet field. These two men are Eric Cutter and Mike Smith. Eric Cutter is a micro farmer who uses the latest technology to grow a whole bunch of organic produce on an urban plot. Mike Smith uses science to make electricity from algae and combine that with carbon technology to replenish the soil with microbes and nutrients. These two guys join forces to make the magic happen. If you want to find out more about the importance of biodiversity, The Food Revolution Network people have reprinted an article on the subject, that can be found here. If you would like to watch the documentary yourself, there are a few ways to get to it. You may still be able to get it free of charge by clicking here.  If you want to look into some resources to find out what you could do in your community, check out the website of the documentary producers. The website can be found here. If you have any questions or would like guidance in your journey to eat more sustainably, I am available for nutrition counseling on my website, Healing outside the box.

I don’t mind telling you that I have been obsessed with Balance of Nature supplements since I have been forced to listen to numerous replays of TV ads during one of my favorite shows. I hear myself yelling things like. "have you no shame?" at the TV, but the ads just keep coming. Spoiler alert: These snake oil salesmen will deduct $90 – $100 from your credit card every month for a whole lot of nothingness in a capsule. You will be much better off nutritionally and financially, buying organic fruits and vegetables yourself. I googled "balance of nature" and looked at the list of websites that popped up. The first one was called healthy expert reviews.com. The title at the top of the page read "good value or a scam?" When you open the website, it pushes you to buy another equally scammy product similar to balance of nature.  The second one was called smart supplement reviews.com. This is a bogus website pushing another ridiculous product called "sustenance – fruits and greens". The third website I looked into was called total health reports.com. This looks like someone who was paid to write a one-page blog about how wonderful Balance of Nature is... even though I had googled "is balance of nature a scam?". I also googled the Balance of Nature website and got only large pictures of the front of the label. Noticeably missing was any information about what is in these capsules. I then calm down and get about the business of advising you on how to get all of those nutrients and fiber that you were hoping to get from Balance of Nature. There is a short video about the many benefits of fiber that I discuss, which can be found here.  By the way, the paperback version of my new memoir called "Helpers Anonymous" has just come out. I am offering a copy of my memoir free of charge until July 24th. For the next 10 days you can get either a Kindle version or a paperback version sent to you. You can email me on my website contact page (healing outside the box) and send either your email or your address-if you prefer the paperback-and I will send it to you. You can read the blurb on Amazon.com. If you wish to also leave a rating and review, that would be terrific!      

For this episode, I go where few podcasters are brave enough to go; that is, a discussion of healthy poop. And more specifically, how to improve the quality of your gut bacteria to have that desirable poop. But first, I get on my soapbox once more to discuss Balance of Nature supplements. The consumer fraud reporting people discuss this company in more detail on their website, which can be found here. I've looked around to find other reviews of these products, but it is hard to find a review that doesn't send you back to Balance of Nature's own website. I had to go to Amazon and get a pick of the nutrition label. As you can see, there is literally nothing in this product. In the body of this episode, I discuss a not unrelated topic: the restoration of natural gut bacteria with fecal transplants. There is a podcast that has been ongoing for some time called "the perfect stool". They have episodes on this topic. The first episode is from March 30, 2022, and it is on the treatment of C diff infection with fecal transplants. The second episode is from January 10, 2023, on the treatment of autism with fecal transplants. I looked into a couple of reliable sources for my information on this topic. The first is a study from Mount Sinai hospital and the second is a study from Johns Hopkins. I have a couple of episodes on the general topic of building a healthy gut microbiota. They are episode 223 and episode 229 which can be found on my website page, Healing Outside the Box.

Have you been wondering if the rise in auto-immune diseases is a real thing?  Well, it is. The question creating much discussion among scientists is the cause for this rise in many conditions triggered by an overactive inflammatory response. The blame has been focused on the Western diet, and specifically within the US and England. The cases of multiple sclerosis, lupus, inflammatory bowel disease, Crohn's, ulcerative colitis, and psoriasis have increased substantially in the last 50 years. But what, specifically in the western diet is creating this over-active inflammatory response? Scientists aren't sure. But there are some interesting discussions out there about the role that additives in our food supply might be playing. Before I get into that, I discuss what herbs you may on my not want to grow at home, if you trying to save money and put together some recipes. The one gadget I think might be worth the money is a root starter kit that you can find on Amazon. The one I purchased can be found here. There is an NIH article that describes how chronic inflammation is associated with many disorders that may surprise you, such as heart disease and depression.   And this Guardian article is a good over-all reference that ties auto-immune diseases to processed foods pretty convincingly. I discussed the relationship between inflammation and colon cancer in episode 283. There will be more research on these relationships in the future, If you need to reach me, don't hesitate to text my Google number at 978-712-9556. You can also send me an email at my Healing outside the box website.

Before I tell you about the wonderful benefits of oatmeal, I go on a rant about Balance of Nature vitamins. The first and perhaps only thing you need to know... Is that there are no nutrients listed on the label because there are no nutrients in that bottle. For $100 per month, you get only practice swallowing big pills. Historically, oatmeal was a treatment for adult onset diabetes. More recently, researchers decided to study the actual change in the blood sugar numbers. They were pleased to find out that the results were even more promising than they anticipated. A short video describing these findings can be found here. A meta-analysis (grouping of many studies on the same subject) of the metabolic effects of oatmeal in diabetic patients was published in the Journal, Nutrients. The Canadian Journal of diabetes published another study showing dramatically improved blood sugar control on a plant-based diet with plenty of oatmeal. The results can be found here.  There are now two ways to reach me if you want health and wellness coaching. You can email me on my website contact page, Which Is Healing Outside The Box. Or you can send a text to my Google voice, which is 978-712-9556.

Two independent researchers have recently discovered that inflammation (which is occurring in a tumor in our bodies) is contributing to the tumor's growth. Does this mean that anti-inflammatory compounds can contribute to slowing or even stopping the growth of tumors? Well, that is exactly where the research is heading, and it looks promising. Today I look into the details of these two independent studies. The first comes from researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai hospital. The details that explain how cancer cells replicate uncontrollably and are enhanced by inflammation, can be found here.  The second article I discuss comes from Science Daily and can be found here. The research comes from the Brigham and women's Hospital cancer research labs, here in Boston. This study links the growth of colon cancer cells to a certain type of gram-negative bacteria that can grow in our gut. This bacteria is linked to our so-called Western diet, in particular to higher amounts of saturated fat from meats, especially processed meats. These bad bacteria can produce endotoxins, which is the theory behind why they enhance the growth of colon cancer. There was also a short nutrition facts video that talks about endotoxins as it relates to our food, and in particular, high and low-fiber foods. that video can be found here.    I now have a Google number for texting me with questions, requests for recipes, and suggestions for future episodes. It's 978-712-9556. I'm usually online between 7 PM and 8 PM ET most evenings if you want to catch me live. If you're interested in a free PDF of my upcoming memoir, you can text me there and leave your first name and email in the text message. Comments and reviews are welcome! You can also reach me at my website contact page, at healingoutsidethebox.com.  

Most of us have taken notice of the rise in prices at the grocery store. Is there a way to continue to eat our favorite foods without anxiety about feeling broke? Yes, in fact, there is. But it takes some planning and a few adjustments. Before I get into the “meat” of the episode, I discuss a study published on the fat-suppressing effect of spinach. The study was explained here. I mentioned that you could use the cuttings from a stem of basil or the root of a scallion to grow plants in window pots. The link to a cute glass container to root the cuttings can be found here. As always, feel free to email me on my contact page at Healing Outside the Box. I can answer questions you may have, suggest recipes, or provide nutrition counseling according to your specific needs.     

Many of us are familiar with bribes to get us to eat our vegetables when we were kids. It was either "you can have a yummy dessert if you eat your vegetables"... Or "you cannot have a yummy dessert if you don't eat your vegetables". Is either option a good idea if the goal is to improve our intake of vegetables as adults?   Probably not. Today I look into positive and negative incentives to eat healthier and I cite some research studies that suggest both types of incentives can help if designed correctly.  But first, I discuss a bunch of research articles on the benefits of something called sulfuraphane, found in the cabbages and in broccoli. An article listing the benefits and providing just enough explanation can be found here. An example of a positive incentive to eat healthy produce is already in play. It is a USDA program (therefore available in all 50 states) and it's called the "healthy incentives program" or HIP. It is hugely successful in Massachusetts, but this program relies on states to initiate it in their own state. This HIP program provides $40-$60 worth of free, mostly organic, produce and nuts to all those who have SNAP or food stamps. This additional funding is on top of the current SNAP benefits and only adds healthy food to the current allotment.  You can read about the program in Massachusetts in this article. I am very familiar with this because I was the one who presented it to my retired Congressman John Tierney. That allowed me to meet Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro, who ran with it and developed it into the successful program currently in place.  There is also a lot of discussion and some studies testing whether or not negative incentives work to improve healthy eating habits. An example of a negative incentive would be a tax on soda or saturated fat. A good article with a discussion about the success of a tax on soda and/or saturated fat can be found here. As always, feel free to contact me on my website, Healing Outside the Box. If you would like assistance with healthy recipe ideas or would like the support of a nutritionist, I have a variety of services I offer that can be found here.                

I mentioned this In part one but it's worth repeating: if you are seriously considering weight loss surgery, please speak with a trusted healthcare professional. It is a huge decision and cannot be undone once it is done. Having said that, I go over some of the changes your body will experience and things that you need to look out for. I then get to talking about the sustainability of weight loss with bariatric surgery. Dr Michael Greger has a short video on this with references. It can be found here. As we all know, the science behind successful and sustainable weight loss involves our brain and can paint a complicated picture. Self sabotage and the boomerang effect are factors to consider. If you have any questions for me about the nutritional impact of bariatric surgery, feel free to email me on my contact page, At Healing outside the box.

I'm bringing you part one of a two-part series on the risks and benefits of weight loss surgery. If I sound like a glass-half-empty person on this issue, you would be correct. I cannot emphasize enough that there are consequences to the surgery that need to be considered before making such an important decision.  Usually, surgeons prefer a BMI of 40 before they will consider gastric bypass surgery. BMI is calculated as follows: [wt (lbs)/ ht (in)2] x 703 weight: 240 lbs, ht: 70 in:  240/(70 x 70) =0.049   0.049 x 703 = 34.4 BMI A BMI of 34.4 would not qualify someone for gastric bypass. Dr Michael Gregor has a short video discussing some of the consequences. It can be found here. If you have any questions and would like me to address them, feel free to email me on my contact page, which is on my Healing outside the box website.

I was recently given this article from the New Yorker magazine on the newest "best" restaurant in the US. The restaurant presents authentic Native American cuisine and the chef is a native American himself. His name is Sean Sherman and he single-handedly brought the topic of native American cuisine front and center.  After looking into it myself, I was surprised at how little I knew about what our "Wanna-be ancestors" actually ate. I also discuss an article from the Guardian about the failure of imitation meat products to take hold in fast-food restaurants. It seems that both the Burger King Impossible burger and the McDonald's McPlant burger, both sizzled and then fizzled. In my opinion, marketing to a meat-loving population by trying to imitate the original beef patty, while keeping the calories and saturated fat really high, was a huge mistake. Perhaps they should have marketed to vegetarians, with a Patty containing mushrooms, black beans, or even fish.  Check with dietitians next time! As always, if you have any questions or suggestions for future episode topics, you can always email me on my contact page, at Healing outside the box.