Who Can We Trust?

We live in a society unlike any other before. I heard a comedian this week say that we know so much more than any other prior generation, but yet we are not any smarter. There is a lot of truth to this, because if we do not know something, the answer is only one Google search away. This gets complicated in the field of health care. I have spoken to several health professionals who are limited in the care they can provide their patients, because their patients come in with self-found diagnoses, as well as what they believe to be the best treatment. Who needs doctors any more with this abundant world of knowledge at our fingertips, right? Wrong. Here is why, and listen carefully…NOT ALL THE INFORMATION ON THE INTERNET IS LEGITIMATE!


This is a big concern of mine, and my peers and colleagues in the field of nutrition. Every person is concerned about their diet. Even if they do not confess this, they are. They are either worried about their weight, their heart, or just their overall health. With soaring health care costs, we are also entering into a time where more and more people are concerned with preventative medicine – which is great! This means that the amount of internet searches for nutrition information is abundant. And again, listen carefully….THERE IS A LOT OF JUNK OUT THERE THAT HAS NO SCIENTIFIC BACKING WHATSOEVER!

If you are trying to lose weight, be careful what information you trust on the internet. If you stumble upon a site that is informing you about a diet that guarantees a miracle weight loss…just close the window, because they are just trying to make money. If you stumble upon a site that tells you to take a drug and you will never have to exercise again…just close the window, because they are just trying to make money. If you stumble upon a site which is telling you about a diet in which you eliminate an entire food group (aka carbohydrates, fat, vegetables, or to solely rely on grapefruit)….just close the window, because they are just trying to make money.

If you have a nutrition concern, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, or anemia, be extra careful who you trust on the internet. Although there is a lot of helpful information out there, there are also a lot of people who do not know what they are talking about and are just trying to make money. Always check the “About Section” of the site. This will inform you who published the site, how recently it has been updated, and what credentials the site has backing it up. The website should always give the reader access to its research, and should not be trying to sell you something. The website should also give you contact information, so that you can access the author or publishers directly with questions or concerns.

So here are some simple questions to ask yourself when you are looking up nutrition information on the internet:

1. Who runs the site?
2. Why have they created the site?
3. What do they want from you?
4. Who is paying for the site?
5. Dose the site’s information favor the sponser?
6. Is the information reviewed by experts?
7. Where did the information come from?
8. Does the site make unbelievable claims?
9. Is it up-to-date?
10. Do they want your personal information – do they have a privacy policy?

One of the biggest tragedies is when someone comes to me and says, “Oh, I cannot eat (insert said healthy food item) because I read that it causes (insert said ailment).” Usually when this happens, I find out that they have been reading various articles on the internet that have been pumping their heads full of very scientifically shaky ideas. Unfortunately, when people have convinced themselves that these lies are the truth, they have a much harder time trusting the sound science and facts that I have to tell them.

If you are interested in educating yourself more concerning finding valuable information on the internet, here is a link to an on-line tutorial. It is quick and will help empower you to become a smarter internet searcher.

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/webeval/webeval.html

Please let me know if you need help or have any questions with this subject, as I am quite passionate about it.

Here is a topic no one wants to talk about: You guessed it, CONSTIPATION

Yes, that is a dirty word, but one that affects millions of people every day. With that being said, it is important for you to understand that if you are one of those people, it can be painful and debilitating, but you are not alone and there are steps you can take to make yourself feel better.

If you have been following my posts this week (even though I just figured out how to network my blog to Facebook, so you might just now be checking in), you will know that I have been focusing on water intake and how it affects our overall health. I have suggested a very interesting book for you to read called “Your Body’s Many Cries for Water,” which gives some very valuable, and scientifically sound information about how almost any physical ailment can be linked to water.

Constipation is caused by being in a dehydrated state. The colon is very susceptible to dehydration, as it has the responsibility of reabsorbing water back into the body so that it can be utilized by all of our body’s functions. When there is not enough water, it will pry out any moisture it can, which makes the passing matter more concrete and harder to move through the digestive tract. If the dehydrated state is paired with an increased food intake, it can make for an even more painful bout of constipation.

By drinking more water, you will be able to save yourself from that horrid pain in your lower abdomen. In fact, if you ever experience such a pain, and feel as if you may be suffering from the wicked ailment of constipation, then you should think of it as a sign of thirst and drink up!

Allergies, Asthma, and Water

This week we had a terrible wind storm. I have never been fond of wind, but over the last few years have learned that wind also brings about awful ramifications for my husband’s allergies. We are just entering into the roughest time of the year for allergy sufferers. Although the blooms and blossoms are gorgeous to look at, they make some individuals as miserable as the dark , freezing days of winter.
Sticking with this week’s water theme, I wanted to mention some ideas of how water plays a role in prevention and control of asthmatic and allergic reactions.
As described by Batmangheldj in “Your Body’s Many Cries for Water,” asthma and allergy suffers “…have an increase in histamine content of their lung tissue and that it is histamine that regulates bronchial muscle contraction” (1). Your body has several ways of preserving water, one of which is that through evaporation during breathing. The increased histamine inhibits this process.
Being dehydrated worsens asthmatic and allergic reactions. This is because dehydration causes the histamine activity to become heightened making the reaction more apparent and more symptomatic. These ailments cannot be cured, but can most certainly be controlled by increasing your water intake. An extended period of time being dehydrated allows for this histamine increase, and needs to be gradually fixed by drinking at least 8 to 10 ten-ounce glasses per day (as suggested by Batmangheldji) until hydration has been achieved.
Even more so, water plays an important role in keeping the lungs and air passages moistened. Water needs to be consistently consumed in order to prevent dryness. If an individual is dehydrated, they will have an increased mucus production to make up for this lack of moisture, and an extended period of dehydration will make this mucus stay in the lungs which prevents the normal passage of air. This is a common occurrence in asthmatics.
As discussed before, water is not offered as a cure for allergies and asthma, but it is proven to be a source of prevention and comfort for those who suffer from attacks. Keep hydrated and keep your lungs healthy!
(1) Batmanghelidj, F. “Your Body’s Many Cries for Water.” Pgs. 117-124.

Are you thirsty?

If you answered yes to this question, I would proceed to ask you what you would like to drink? The answer to this question varies from person to person depending on how they view the importance of what they drink. You may answer this question by saying water, but unfortunately, for a large portion of our American society, the answer would be complicated with sugar, excess calories, and dehydrating properties. Sodas, lattes, juices, sweet teas...all of these have ridden our population with the idea that these will properly quench your thirst.
When you experience thirst, your body is telling you that you need replenishment. How much of our bodies are made up of Pepsi? How about caramel macchiatos? Apple juice? How about tequila?
Of course none of these drinks are naturally occurring in our bodies, and as you may have guessed, I am trying to get you to understand that your first choice should always be water.Water makes up 70 to 75% of our bodies, and needs to be replenished continuously in order to help the body function properly. Even though the above drinks have water in them, they are not adequate substitutes for plain water. Coffee, tea, alcoholic beverages and soft drinks have diuretic effects which causes the consumer to lose more water than they are taking in. If a drink contains caffeine, you will further be promoting your dehydration.
Everyone is always searching for easy fixes to their health. Fad diets, extreme workouts, and plastic surgeries are highly accepted today. However, the easiest, cheapest, and most reasonable thing you can do for your health today is to fill up a water bottle and drink it!
If you suffer from any of the following disorders, you may be experiencing chronic dehydration:

• Heartburn
• Dypepsia
• Rheumatoid Pain
• Arthritis
• Back pain
• Migraine
• Leg pain when walking
• Fibromyalgia
• Colitis
• Angina
• Morning sickness
• Hangovers (1)

Of course the number one indicator of dehydration is THIRST!

Listen to your body, and remember to fill it up with what it needs.

Suggested reading for the month: "Your Body's Many Cries for Water" by F. Batmanghelidj, M.D.

Works Cited:

(1) Grazia, Albert M.S. Importance of WATER: Chronic Dehydration Often Neglected in Many Diseases. November 11th, 2009.