Wednesday, 30 November 2016
We need to stop hiding our tampons
“I’m a grown ass woman, and yet, there I was, trying to find a way to conceal my tampon as I headed to the restroom.” There we were at the gym, a group of women diverse in age and background, discussing our menstrual cycles. We also touched on anal sex, […]
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from Blog – Neghar Fonooni http://www.negharfonooni.com/tampons/
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Money, Politics, Yoga: When It’s Time To Close Up Shop
from YogaDork http://yogadork.com/2016/11/30/money-politics-yoga-when-its-time-to-close-up-shop/
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DIY Sugar Cookie Lip Scrub Recipe (Great Gift Idea!)
While we all know that the sugar in traditional sugar cookies is detrimental to our health, you can still get all of the flavor of homemade cookies with this fun lip scrub recipe. It tastes and smells just like a sugar cookie. Even better though, it will exfoliate and nourish your lips, without putting a dent in your healthy lifestyle.
I never used to pay much attention to lip scrubs. During the winter when dry lips would hit I’d reach for some homemade lip balm, like this peppermint one. However, lip scrubs really help to exfoliate the build up of dead skin that gives lips that crusty, gummy feel. Not only are you getting rid of the gunk on your lips, but the oils and honey in this help to nourish the delicate skin on this facial area. I still like to follow it up with some homemade lip balm for extra moisture during the winter months.
How to Make Sugar Cookie Lip Scrub
The first ingredient in this lip scrub recipe is virgin coconut oil. Coconut oil has lots of uses for skin and hair, and it’s also a healthy addition to your diet. In this lip scrub it provides moisture, antioxidants, and helps thicken the product. If you’re looking for more ways to incorporate this superfood into your life, then try making some tooth remineralizing chews.
Sweet almond oil is the liquid carrier oil here, as it helps to smooth everything out. You can substitute another liquid carrier oil of your choice, however the sweet, nutty smell of sweet almond really adds to the sugar cookie vibe. The fatty acids, and vitamins A and E make sweet almond oil the perfect choice to nourish lips.
Like the carrier oils, raw honey helps to add moisture to the lips. It also has healing properties to restore and rejuvenate damaged lips. It’s so powerful that naturally antibacterial raw honey is even used to speed healing of wounds and burns. Raw honey is also slightly emulsifying, so it helps to bind the ingredients in this lip scrub recipe together. You can read more about the healing uses of raw honey here.
A Note About Vanilla…
Vanilla extract gives this lip scrub recipe a true sugar cookie smell and taste. I like making my own homemade vanilla extract (get the recipe here), but for this it’s best to use a glycerin based vanilla extract. If you only have access to alcohol based vanilla extract, you can still use it since there is enough moisture in the other ingredients to make up for it.
Glycerin acts as a humectant to add moisture to the lips, while alcohol is more drying. It is a common ingredient in even many natural toothpastes, but I purposefully avoid it in my homemade toothpaste. While glycerin is thought to coat the enamel and promote tooth decay, it’s actually very soothing to skin and lips so it’s great for skincare.
Sugar Cookie Lip Scrub Recipe Ingredients
- 1 T. organic cane sugar
- ½ tsp unrefined coconut oil
- ¼ tsp sweet almond oil
- ½ tsp vanilla extract (preferably made with glycerin)
- 1/8 tsp raw honey
Lip Scrub Instructions
- In a small glass bowl combine all of the ingredients. Mash and stir them together with a spoon or rubber spatula until well combined and a little creamy.
- Store your lip balm recipe in a ½ ounce glass jar.
How to Use a Lip Scrub
- Use your finger to scoop a small amount of lip scrub out and gently rub it on your lips to exfoliate, then rinse off with a wash cloth soaked in warm water.
- Make sure you’re leaning over a sink when you use this, since it’s fairly messy to use.
What is your favorite lip product? Do you struggle with dry lips in the winter?
Continue Reading...DIY Sugar Cookie Lip Scrub Recipe (Great Gift Idea!)
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Mommy Hacks – Tips for Improved Efficiency
I’ve had a running list in my phone of tips I found that saved me time or money (or made my life much easier). My hope was to work them into posts so I could share them, but the list was getting longer and I was having trouble fitting a bunch of random helpful tips into posts about detoxing your pits or mthfr mutations.
So they get their own post instead!
Mommy Hacks
These are some random “Mommy Hacks” that save me time, or money or are just plain convenient. Have any tips that save you time or money? I’d love if you’d share them in the comments below…
1. Keep an All-In-One Cleaner In Your Purse
I don’t love using hand sanitizers or antibacterial soaps, but my kids have a way of finding germy messes to touch on a regular basis. I’m definitely not scared of a little dirt, but gym floors and public bathrooms are another ball game.
My kids also have a knack for spilling brightly colored substances on their clothing. From paint to beet juice, few shirts make it to the laundry without at least one stain.
I found one solution to both of these problems. I keep these baby wipes in my purse at all times, even when I don’t have a baby in diapers. They double as hand wipes, stain removers, and I use them to wipe down surfaces at restaurants and in airports.
UPDATE: I used to link to a spray cleaner in this post, and that is why it is in the picture above. When that product was discontinued, I started using baby wipes instead and love them!
2. Keep Lettuce in Glass Mason Jars
I wish I’d know this years ago…. it would have saved so. much. lettuce. A friend share this recently and I’ve been doing it since.
The process is simple. Just wash, dry (or use a salad spinner) and pack into glass quart size mason jars. Greens stay crisp and fresh in jars for 1-2 weeks instead of 3-4 days this way.
To save time, I’ve also pre-packed salads into these jars. Put the meat or protein on the bottom of the jar with any sauce or dressing, then add any other chopped veggies or toppings, then put the lettuce or spinach in last. I pre-make these for the week, especially if I’m on the go.
When ready to eat, just shake the jar to mix in the dressing and pour out on to a plate.
3. A shirt that improves other shirts…
I am by no means a fashionista… I’m more of a yoga pants chic kind of girl, so I don’t typically write about clothing…
A recent purchase inspired me to break this (self imposed) no fashion blogging rule, however. It is called a lace extender and it has allowed me to wear shirts I haven’t worn since a decade ago (and now I feel old…).
It is a camisole that can be worn under shirts to make them longer and dress them up a little. I’m long waisted and no longer like the midriff or hip bone baring styles I wore in college, but I still love some of the shirts I have (that are now *actual* vintage).
These lace extenders have seriously expanded my wardrobe and they even dress up shirts, cardigans or sweaters.
4. Dry Shampoo
In a perfect world, I wake up early each morning, workout, shower and do my health routine before my children wake up so I am calmly making breakfast when they come downstairs.
In reality, this only happens about half of the time and the other half, I’m on deadline or they wake up early so I don’t have time to wash my hair before they wake up. On these days, dry shampoo is my best friend.
I make my own (cheaper + natural) and customize it to my hair color. Here’s the recipe and how to customize it.
5. Reuse Old Socks
Our home could be re-named the land of mismatched socks. I don’t know how, but somehow my children manage to lose, ruin or hide socks, but only one of them…
My ever-growing mismatched sock bin was frustrating me, until my daughter figured out how to make kid-sized heat packs out of old socks, and until we figured out we could mop the floor with them…
Here is the tutorial for the homemade heating pads (and kid-sized hand warmers). For floor mopping, I just give each child a spray bottle of diluted Sal Suds cleaner, let them all put on several layers of mismatched socks and “skate” on the floor. They spray a spot and then glide over it to clean it. As socks get dirts, they just peel them off to get to a clean layer.
Result? A fun activity for the kids and a clean floor for me!
6. Get a Diva Cup
So we all know tampons and pads are unhealthy… didn’t know? Here’s why.
If I had to name one thing that has saved me time, money and hassle, it would be my Diva Cup. Yes, it is strange to adjust to. Yes, my hubby still thinks it is weird, but it is the closest thing to not having a period when you’re on your period. Here’s why I love it:
- My period has decreased in length by 1-2 days per month since I started using it (other women report this as well and also report having their cramps vanish)
- I only have to change it every 12-24 hours and in between, it is like not having a period. I can swim, run, exercise, sleep etc without worrying about changing it
- It has saved me up to $10 a month on buying natural feminine care products
Here is the model I have (get this one if you haven’t had kids) and I LOVE it (strange to say about a menstrual product). Seriously- try it… I dare you! TIP: if it is uncomfortable or leaks, try turning it inside out…
7. Foaming Hand Soap
To make our hand soap last longer, I make my own by using natural organic soap and a foaming soap dispenser.
8. Whiten Teeth with Charcoal
I’ve whitened my teeth (like really whitened them) completely naturally with natural coconut charcoal (not the stuff from the grill!) and it has improved my oral health in the process.
It sounds strange and looks even stranger, but it works. Here’s the how-to. I find this works best in combination with my simple whitening toothpaste.
What tips and “mommy hacks” do you have to help save time and money? Share your best ones below!
Continue Reading...Mommy Hacks – Tips for Improved Efficiency
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That fit person who’s ‘got it all together’… doesn’t. Take it from us: Everyone else is struggling, too.
Seem like everyone else is better, fitter and healthier than you? Like you’ll never be that ‘fit person’? If so, we’ve got some surprising news. Plus 7 steps to define and reach your goals — and finally feel more “OK” with you.
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If you’re looking for a better way to get in shape and improve your health, we’ll soon be opening up our Precision Nutrition Coaching program to men and women around the world.
Tested with more than 45,000 clients to date — and proven in several peer-reviewed research studies — it’s guaranteed to help you transform your body, and your life.
Here’s a quick glimpse of what the program can do.
Meet some of the people whose bodies, and lives, have been changed by Precision Nutrition Coaching.
Are You Missing Out on Mindful Cooking?
Photo by Jules Clancy
Huge thanks to Jules Clancy of Stonesoup for this week’s article introducing me to the concept of mindful cooking. I’ve certainly made the mistake of viewing cooking as a nuisance, even though I know it ultimately benefits me and my family. I love this new way of looking at it.
Jules LOVES real food and hanging out in her kitchen. She has a degree in Food Science and is the author of ‘5-Ingredients 10-Minutes’. For a free eCookbook of delicious 5-ingredient recipes sign up for the Stonesoup weekly newsletter.
Recently I realized I’ve been making a huge mistake. Like many modern food writers, there’s one thing I’ve had completely wrong. Rather than celebrating the joy that cooking can bring to our lives, I’ve been guilty of apologizing for activity in the kitchen.
I’ve stressed how quick and easy my recipes are (I did write a whole book called ‘5-Ingredients 10-Minutes’) instead of sharing how great they taste or how good they make you feel.
I still believe cooking need not be complicated nor time consuming to produce delicious, satisfying results. But I now realize that apologizing for time spent in the kitchen, sends the message that cooking is a chore. Not an activity worthy of your precious minutes and hours.
The thing is, I love cooking. And I want to share that love.
I hope to inspire you to reframe how you think about cooking. Because there’s so much more to gain than just improving your healthstyle.
What is Mindful Cooking?
Essentially it’s enjoying the time you spend in the kitchen rather than rushing in and out.
It’s choosing to see the act of cooking as something positive and life affirming rather than another chore to tick off your to do list.
6 Benefits of Mindful Cooking
1. You’re more likely to eat real, home made food.
As a Summer Tomato reader, you’re probably already all over the concept that the secret to getting healthy and reaching your best weight is to cook for yourself.
What’s the best way to ensure your cooking habit sticks? Just as making exercise something you enjoy is the key to being more active, finding a way to love your time in the kitchen is the key to eating well.
2. It can be relaxing.
One of my favourite parts about cooking is the opportunity to lose myself in the rituals of chopping, stirring and tasting. Most days it feels like a little meditation, without me having to struggle with sitting still.
Spending 30 minutes in the kitchen preparing dinner will put me in a much calmer, less frazzled mood than sitting on the couch for the same amount of time.
3. An opportunity to be creative.
I love that cooking gives me a chance to produce something physical that I can smell and taste. So much more satisfying than an empty email inbox.
4. A chance to connect.
One of my favourite times of day is when my husband and I hang out in the kitchen with a glass of wine while I’m getting dinner ready. There’s something so easy about this time together.
I also have a weekly date with my 3-year-old where we bake something sweet. I do struggle with the mess, but the look of joy on his face as he licks the chocolate cake bowl is worth it.
Plus now he can crack an egg without dropping it on the floor, so there is progress!
5. An opportunity to nurture.
While I know food shouldn’t replace other signs of love, I find the act of feeding my family and friends allows me to feel like I’m taking care of them. It’s a little gift I give them every day. I also love knowing they’re eating as well as they deserve.
6. The praise!
OK so I’ll really come clean now. As much as I’d like to think that all these lofty benefits were what first got me into cooking, really, it was the praise.
Hearing the words “This is amazing!” was a huge motivator for me to keep spending time in the kitchen when I was learning to cook. And still is.
Have you tried cooking mindfully? Do you already enjoy your time in the kitchen? Or is it more of a necessary evil for you at this stage? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below.
Jules Clancy LOVES real food and hanging out in her kitchen. She has a degree in Food Science and is the author of ‘5-Ingredients 10-Minutes’. For a free eCookbook of delicious 5-ingredient recipes sign up for the Stonesoup weekly newsletter.
from Summer Tomato http://summertomato.com/mindful-cooking
via Holistic Clients
10 Things Lately
HEY girrrrrl. I am sitting on my couch right now with 4 candles lit and the Hipster Holiday Pandora station playing on my Sonos. NOVEMBER IS ALMOST OVER AND I LOVE ZOOEY DESCHANEL‘S VOICE. Any one else as obsessed with New Girl as I am? It’s like the best day of the year when they...
The post 10 Things Lately appeared first on Fit Foodie Finds.
from Fit Foodie Finds http://fitfoodiefinds.com/2016/11/10-things-lately/
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Tuesday, 29 November 2016
Colloidal Silver: Safe and Effective? (When Not to Use)
Silver has a long history as an antimicrobial in folk medicine, with the claims that people who ate from silver dishes and cutleries were less likely to get sick. Before the advent of antibiotics, silver was widely used in medicine (1).
The History of Silver Use
While silver is still often used in medicine, many holistic health experts tout the benefits of colloidal silver as a highly beneficial cure-all. Have you ever wondered what all the hype is and is it safe and effective?
Conventional medicine recognizes the antimicrobial benefits of silver. (2) For example, many medical device companies coat their devices with silver to prevent bacterial biofilms. Hospitals used to give silver nitrate eyedrops to newborns to prevent gonorrhea infections to the eye. Many studies show the effectiveness of silver solutions, silver gauze, or silver complexed with other antimicrobials in the hospitals to treat burn wounds.
Like many folk remedies, there is not strong scientific evidence supporting some of these claims, which explains why some uses of colloidal silver are controversial.
With the rise of antibiotic resistance, silver is making a comeback as a powerful broad-spectrum antimicrobial. Colloidal silver is generally considered safe to use, but it is important to be informed about what studies say with respect to its safety and effectiveness, and whether excessive use may harm us or the environment.
What is Colloidal Silver?
In short, it is the suspension of sub-microscopic silver nanoparticles in water. These silver nanoparticles can be anywhere from 10 – 100 nm in diameter (around 1/10,000 to 1/1,000 of a human hair) (3).
Silver nanoparticles are typically made in two different ways:
- Physically– by grinding silver into very small particles before suspending in water as colloids
- Chemically– Silver salt is reduced into very small particles using a chemical reducer.
Many well-studied nanoparticles are generated with a method called “green synthesis,” which is by using a biologically-generated substance to reduce the silver salt into silver nanoparticles (4, 5).
How Does Colloidal Silver Work?
Scientist have observed that it kills germs, but they still don’t completely understand how. It is generally understood that silver nanoparticles bind to bacteria cell wall. The surface chemistry as well as the shape of the nanoparticles determine how toxic it is to the bacteria. A fraction of silver nanoparticles may react to substances in the body or the environment and become silver salt, which is an effective antimicrobial.
Although most colloidal silver is made from silver salts, they are essentially different things. Silver salts are generally a lot more toxic to bacteria and humans than colloidal silver. Silver salt solutions (e.g. silver chloride, silver oxide, silver nitrate) often react with oxygen in the air when exposed to light, resulting in precipitates. Whereas colloidal silver usually have a yellow-gold color and is stable without precipitates.
Silver salts in water have positive charge that allows it to bind up proteins, cause DNA damage, and disrupt the respiratory processes in bacteria. Silver nanoparticles may be neutral or negatively charged, depending on how it is synthesized.
In addition, silver ions are more likely to cause silver toxicity or argyria in humans than the colloidal version. However, because a fraction of colloidal silver may become silver salt, overconsumption of colloidal silver can still cause silver toxicity at very high doses.
Is Colloidal Silver Effective?
Silver is a metal and a non-essential element in the body. It is much safer to a human body than other heavy metals like lead and mercury.
This means the dose makes the poison: we can accumulate much more silver in our bodies before it becomes toxic. It is possible to accumulate too much silver in a condition called argyria or argylosis, where silver deposits in tissues and irreversibly turn the person blue. But even when the person has turned blue, the silver does not usually cause health problems in other ways.
Studies suggest that colloidal silver is effective at:
- Killing and preventing bacterial growth, including bacteria that are antibiotic-resistant (6, 7)
- Killing some strains of pathogenic yeasts, including Candida and Cryptococcus (
- Preventing viruses from entering human cells (9)
- Reducing inflammation in contact dermatitis (rashes from exposure to irritating chemicals) in pigs and mice (10, 11)
- Disrupting bacterial biofilm (a slimy shield that allows bacteria to hide from antibiotics) in sheep bacterial sinusitis ()
- Being toxic to cancer cells (13)
- Effectively fighting against Vibrio cholera and a dangerous strain of E. coli, both of which could cause deadly diarrhea if left untreated (14)
To date, all studies that test the effects of colloidal silver with bacteria found that it is effective, but its effectiveness is less consistent with yeasts and viruses. A comprehensive study by naturopathic doctors in Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine found that that it is only effective against some strains of yeasts but not others.
In addition, the same study found that colloidal silver is not effective against viruses (15). Another study tested 3 different market brands and found no effectiveness whatsoever (16).
It seems, therefore, that colloidal silver is a powerful antimicrobial, but its effectiveness can vary depending on the particular infection and quality of the product itself.
Colloidal Silver Safety
In order to understand the safety and effectiveness of colloidal silver, it is important to have experimental data in the context of a whole animal or a whole human. Most studies are done in “in vitro,” i.e. in test tubes or in Petri dishes outside the body. With the exception of wounds, diarrhea, and dermatitis, we have only observed the effectiveness of colloidal silver against germs on Petri dishes or on human cells that are grown on Petri dishes, which are not enough to show that they are effective.
A human body is a lot more complex than a Petri dish, so simply because something kills germs on a Petri Dish doesn’t mean we should eat it to prevent or treat an infection. We still need to understand how silver affects the rest of the body, and whether it can even travel to where we need it most if we take it internally. Therefore, we need many more studies to understand how it works in our bodies (in vivo).
When we ingest colloidal silver, our small intestines can absorb around 10 – 18% of silver nanoparticles into the bloodstream, while remaining silver nanoparticles pass through our gut (17). In our bloodstream, the nanoparticles then bind to a protein in our blood called albumin as it gets carried around the body. Typically silver proteins are a lot less effective against germs than silver alone, which raises the question of whether colloidal silver is effective outside of the gut when taken internally.
An Alternative To Antibiotics?
Colloidal silver might seem like a promising option over antibiotics, but it still has some of the side effects of antibiotics. For this reason, I’ve always exercised caution and not over-used it, as evidence shows it may be harmful if used regularly or over a long period of time.
Gut Damage and Bacterial Resistance
Recently, two studies independently examined the gut microbiota of mice and rats fed with colloidal silver, and both found that it did indeed disrupt the gut flora (18, 19). Another study that examined the digestive tissue after ingestion of colloidal silver also found that it does damage the gut cells (20).
While bacterial resistance to silver salt has been long known (21), one study showed that bacteria can become resistant to colloidal silver after many generations of exposure (22).
Environmental Concerns
With its broad-spectrum antimicrobial, silver nanoparticles and silver salts present some environmental concerns. Currently, silver nanoparticles are present in the environment at the concentrations that are about one in a thousandth times the dose that would be toxic to fish and other marine animals (23).
Presently, silver nanoparticles are present in sewage sludge that are used in landfill rather than dumped into the sea, so this also present a risk of it getting reabsorbed back into our food supply. While we understand that colloidal silver affects our gut bacteria, we still don’t completely know how it affects the health of bacteria, yeasts, and other microorganisms in the environment. We do know that the health of our soil is closely linked to the health of our gut, so we want to be careful about disrupting it.
Uses for Colloidal Silver
Studies have shown that silver is effective in treating and preventing infections when applied externally to wounds and when used as a sinus rinse. In addition, it may be effective in treatments of acute diarrhea. Therefore, colloidal silver can be safe and effective when used externally, or when targeting pathogens in the gut.
Because colloidal silver does have some side effects, research suggests using it carefully rather than liberally. In addition, because it can interfere with or enhance the effects or side effects of some medications, always consult your physician before using it in conjunction with any medications.
Colloidal silver is marketed as a dietary supplement and is relatively unregulated. The manufacturer is responsible for the safety and effectiveness of these products. It is concerning that a random test of colloidal silvers on the market often found ones that are ineffective or even contaminated with bacteria (24).
If you choose to use colloidal silver, be sure to purchase them from a reputable brand. This is the brand I keep on hand for external use and as a sinus rinse.
What’s your experience with colloidal silver? Please share in the comments below.
Continue Reading...Colloidal Silver: Safe and Effective? (When Not to Use)
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Have a TED Talk idea? Apply to our Idea Search events in Africa
Saki Mafundikwa prepares to speak at the TED@Nairobi auditions in 2013, aiming for a slot on the TED mainstage. (Spoiler: He made it.) Photo: whattookyousolong.org
Do you have a TED Talk you’ve always wanted to try out in front of an audience? We’re thrilled to announce that applications are open for two new events in Africa: TEDLagos and TEDNairobi 2017 Idea Search!
Anyone with an idea worth spreading is invited to apply to either of those two events; around 25 finalists at each event will share their risky, quirky, fascinating ideas in under 6 minutes, in early February, onstage at beautiful venues in Lagos, Nigeria, and Nairobi, Kenya.
The TED Idea Search is a chance for us to find fresh voices to ring out on the TEDGlobal stage. Some of these talks will be posted on the online TED platform; other speakers will be invited to expand on their talks on the TEDGlobal 2017 main stage in Arusha, Tanzania, in the summer of 2017, themed Builders. Truth-tellers. Catalysts. We are looking for speakers whose talks fit well within that theme. Saki Mafundikwa, Richard Turere, Zak Ebrahim, Sally Kohn, Hyeonseo Lee — all these speakers are fantastic finds from previous TED talent searches.
The deadline to apply is December 13, 2016, at 6pm Lagos time / 8pm Nairobi time. To apply, you’ll need to fill out a form and make a 1-minute video describing your talk idea. Quick notes: We can’t cover travel for finalists who live far from the cities where these events are taking place; we encourage local applicants to Lagos and Nairobi. Please choose only one event to apply to — applying to both events will not increase your chances of being selected to speak.
Apply to speak at the TED Africa Idea Search 2017
from TED Blog http://blog.ted.com/have-a-ted-talk-idea-apply-to-our-idea-search-events-in-africa/
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Monday, 28 November 2016
How to Identify a Missing Supporting Habit
Serena had always enjoyed cooking dinner and it was a Home Court Habit she highly valued. Then when her schedule got a little crazy her cooking habit fell by the wayside. While struggles like this are pretty normal when life gets busy, what stumped Serena was that her cooking habit never resumed even when her schedule got back to normal.
Often what stops you from maintaining a healthy habit is that you view it as a chore rather than as something you enjoy, but this wasn’t the case for Serena. She truly did love to cook and felt very strongly about all the ways it positively impacted her life that were now missing.
So what happened?
It took some digging, but Serena and I ultimately discovered that she had lost one of her Supporting Habits––meal prepping––that gave her the edge she needed to maintain a regular cooking habit. It turns out that meal prepping is the difference between whether making dinner is easy when she gets home from work or feels like a big project she doesn’t have the energy for. We then took a look at her current schedule and found a way to fit meal prepping back into her week so she could start cooking again.
This episode takes you through how to go about identifying and reinstating Supporting Habits that are necessary for maintaining your Home Court Habits and long-term health.
Wish you had more time to listen to the podcast? I use an app called Overcast (no affiliation) to play back my favorite podcasts at faster speeds, dynamically shortening silences in talk shows so it doesn’t sound weird. It’s pretty rad.
Related links:
Listen:
If you’d like to be a guest on the show, please fill out the form here and tell us your story.
from Summer Tomato http://summertomato.com/how-to-identify-a-missing-supporting-habit
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Settling the great grain debate. Can wheat and other grains fit into a healthy — and sane — diet?
Are grains saving your life — or trying to kill you? In this article, we’ll discuss both sides of the debate. We’ll also leave you with some actionable steps to start eating better immediately.
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Quick: How do you feel about grains?
Are they an essential food group that makes up the foundation of a nutritious diet?
Or are they evil little packages of carbs and toxins out to make you fat and inflamed, and slowly kill you?
This discussion is one of the great nutrition debates of our time.
In one camp are vegans, vegetarians, and macrobiotic dieters, who eat a ton of whole grains. They say grains will help them live longer and healthier, free of chronic disease. Indeed, recent news seized on a Harvard study connecting grains with lower risk of death.
In the opposing camp, you’ve got the Paleo, Whole30, and Atkins advocates, who strictly limit or even completely avoid grains. They say not eating grains will help them live longer and healthier, free of chronic disease. They dominate plenty of news, too.
Celiac disease has gone up over the last 60 years, which has given rise to a gluten-fearing food subculture (and the booming gluten-free marketplace to match). Tens of millions of North Americans now conduct grain-free experiments on themselves and read bestsellers like Wheat Belly.
As a result, many people now say they feel better when they limit or cut out one or more grains.
Who’s right?
And, most importantly, should you eat grains?
Let’s iron it out once and for all.
An old staple
Grains, the seeds of grasses, are an ancient food source that is still the main source of calories for people all over the world.
Along with the familiar wheat, rice, oats, corn, barley, buckwheat and rye, there are lots of lesser-known grains such as triticale, quinoa, teff, amaranth, sorghum, millet, spelt, and kamut.
The raging debate about grains can make it seem like they’re a relatively new addition to the human diet, but we’ve actually been consuming them in some shape or fashion for millions of years (yes, the real Paleos ate grains, too). Learning to cultivate wheat helped us give up the nomad life and create civilization as we know it today.
Grains provide a wide array of nutrients, including vitamins, minerals, fiber, and phytonutrients.
Of course, when it comes to grains’ nutrients, we’re talking about whole grains. As in the whole seed. Like this:
Whole vs. refined grains
One of the reasons that this debate became so muddled so quickly is that people conflate “grains” with “carbs.”
Carbohydrates are sugar-based molecules found in a range of foods, including bread, pasta, potatoes, beans, desserts, soft drinks, and — yes — whole grains.
Refined grains — ones that have had their bran and germ stripped away through milling — provide all the carbohydrates with hardly any of the nutrients found in whole grains. They’re often packaged with large amounts of fat and salt.
As a result, these processed grains are really tasty, easy to consume, but way less satiating — a deadly combo that leads many people to overeat, setting them on the path toward weight gain and chronic disease.
But what about whole grains?
Aren’t they bad for you, too?
The (supposed) ill effects of grains
Some say grains can really mess up your health by causing inflammation, intestinal damage, obesity, and more. What does science say?
Inflammation
A huge contingent in the grain-hating world claim these plants contribute to low-level inflammation, an ongoing immune response in which your body attacks its own tissue, causing cell damage.
They use a few studies to prove their point.
One study had people add 19 grams of wheat bran — the equivalent of about three cups of bran flakes — to their daily intake. Three months later, the subjects had slightly increased levels of oxidized LDL cholesterol, a possible marker of increased inflammation.
Cue the grains-cause-inflammation rumors.
The problem? By the end of the experiment, 44 of the 67 subjects had dropped out!
This makes the final data sketchy at best.
What’s more, several large epidemiological studies have actually linked whole grain intake to lower levels of inflammation.
Of course, these are just links. You need controlled trials to prove any causal relationship.
Overall, controlled trials are neutral or supporting of the epidemiological studies here, finding that whole grains either have no effect on inflammation or indeed result in a decrease.
There’s an idea in the fitness industry that inflammation is the root of all health problems, and, therefore, that all health problems can be traced back to the diet and your gut. This is a false premise.
Yes, food sensitivities may cause inflammation and, eventually, after a long cascade of events, may lead to disease elsewhere in the body.
But the more likely scenario in most cases is that inflammation is a result of disease, and that it exacerbates other conditions or disease states that have already been set into motion.
There are lots of research papers on all of this. And lots of inflammatory markers we can now test.
No one — I repeat, no one — is really sure what it all means.
But inflammation probably does not cause most diseases, even those with an inflammatory component.
Intestinal damage
Another prevailing idea in the anti-grain movement is that grains damage your intestines because they contain anti-nutrients and other compounds that interfere with how well you absorb minerals.
At least three studies have investigated this theory. The findings: Consuming various amounts of whole wheat flour, wheat bran, and/or oat bran had no significant effects on absorption or blood levels of calcium, zinc, or iron.
Let’s look at a few anti-nutrient players.
- Lectins: These proteins bind to cell membranes, which can cause damage to intestinal tissue if you consume very large amounts or don’t cook the plant first (just a few sprouted red kidney beans would result in some terrible GI symptoms). But the body also uses lectins for basic functions like cell-to-cell adherence, inflammation control and programmed cell death. Lectins may even reduce tumor growth and decrease incidence of certain diseases.
- Phytic acid: The storage form of phosphorus, phytic acid can bind minerals in the digestive tract, preventing their absorption. In really large doses, it can cause nutrient deficiency and related problems (it’s been blamed for short stature throughout Egypt’s history). But you’d have to eat copious amounts of bread that hasn’t gone through leavening — a standard process that significantly reduces phytic acid levels — for this stuff to be a threat. In fact, in reasonable amounts, phytic acid has a number of possible health benefits.
- Protease inhibitors: When raw or lightly cooked, grains still contain large amounts of protease inhibitors, which block the action of protein-digesting enzymes, interfering with your protein absorption. But once appropriately cooked, grains contain very few protease inhibitors — and those that remain actually have anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties.
Thus, these anti-nutrients can be a problem if you eat way too much of them, or don’t cook the foods that contain them properly. But if you eat like most people do — consuming a variety of foods and carbohydrate sources — you’ll probably be just fine.
There is research showing that gluten — a protein found in certain grains (see below) — can cause your intestinal lining to be more permeable. But all of these studies were conducted ex vivo — meaning in an unnatural environment outside the body.
In vivo studies, done inside the body and thus more practically useful, have found that the consumption of grains actually improves GI symptoms in sufferers of Crohn’s, ulcerative colitis, and IBS.
You know, the people who would be most prone to the supposed intestinal damage inflicted by grains.
Yes, grains contain anti-nutrients — because all plants contains anti-nutrients. Broccoli, spinach, and other green leafy veggies. Red wine. Dark chocolate. Nuts. Seeds. Green tea.
Heck, fiber itself is an anti-nutrient.
Not eating plant foods because they have compounds designed to resist their digestion would be like not eating a lobster because it has a shell and claws. All living things try to avoid being eaten. It’s simply not a tenable argument.
Gluten intolerance
A protein found in wheat, rye, and barley, gluten’s visco-elastic properties are what make bread so darn delectable.
In people with celiac disease, exposure to gluten causes inflammation and stimulates the immune system to attack the small intestine, damaging its cells.
Over time this can inhibit digestion and make the gut more permeable, allowing in toxins, undigested food, and bacteria that would never normally make it through. Celiac can cause diarrhea, nutrient deficiencies, osteoporosis and even cancer. The only treatment for celiac is a gluten-free diet.
Overall, celiac is still poorly understood and a challenge to diagnose. There are currently several different blood screens and an intestinal biopsy, but none of these are 100 percent accurate.
That’s why the estimated celiac rate ranges so widely, generally from 0.3-1.2 percent of the population (some even speculate up to 3 percent). Most experts attribute celiac to about 1 percent of the American population.
An estimated 10-20 percent of the population may suffer some other form of gluten intolerance. Originally coined “non-celiac gluten sensitivity” (NCGS), this condition seems to result in many of the same symptoms seen with celiac (bloating, pain, diarrhea) without the intestinal damage or biological markers of an autoimmune disease.
But all of this is up in the air. Experiencing doubts, the researcher whose work seemed to prove the existence of NCGS performed a more rigorous follow-up study. He and his colleagues concluded that NCGS actually does not exist.
Unless you have a confirmed intolerance, there is little evidence to support eliminating gluten from your diet.
In fact, avoiding gluten unnecessarily could have the exact opposite effect you’re looking for. Many packaged gluten-free products are jammed with extra sugar and fat to make up for the palatability that’s lost when gluten is removed.
FODMAP intolerance
What’s going on in people who seem to have gluten sensitivity if it’s not celiac or NCGS?
Researchers now believe their symptoms of pain, bloating, and gas may be due to “FODMAPs”: fermentable, oligo-, di-, mono-saccharides and polyols.
FODMAPs are carbohydrates that are found in some grains but also in dairy, vegetables, fruits, and many other foods. Some people don’t break them down or absorb them properly in the small or large intestine.
FODMAPs then draw water into the gut and get fermented by the bacteria in our colon, producing hydrogen instead of methane (plus a bunch of undesirable GI symptoms).
Does 10-20 percent of the population have a FODMAP problem? Frankly, the research is far from conclusive here.
The best we can say is that if you suffer from NCGS-type symptoms, removing wheat from your diet might be prudent.
Otherwise, there’s no need to mess with it. For those who tolerate FODMAPs, the fructans in wheat actually seem to be a beneficial prebiotic.
Obesity
There’s been a lot of research on grains and body weight. Unfortunately, most of this research is, you guessed it, epidemiological.
Regardless, these epidemiological studies are unanimous in showing that higher whole grain consumption is associated with lower body weight.
Controlled trials have been less consistent in their results. In these tests, whole grains don’t consistently lead to superior fat loss — though the studies didn’t show the grains caused people to gain weight, either.
To go beyond the inconclusive controlled-trial data, we can look at how real people do on grain-heavy diets.
These aren’t perfect data, because there are many variables. But it can suggest possible trends and give us an idea of how grain consumption affects body weight in the real word, during real life.
If grains were inherently fattening, vegetarians and vegans, as well as many eaters in less-industrialized countries (where grains like rice or sorghum are usually a staple) would likely be more overweight or obese.
No literature exists showing that plant-based eaters, or those folks in regions for whom grains are a staple, have a higher incidence of overweight or obesity. In fact, the research shows just the opposite.
While these correlations certainly don’t prove anything, it’s likely that if grains really did cause obesity, we would see some trends and correlations to reflect it.
But here’s the crux of the issue: Buckwheat, oats, and quinoa aren’t making anyone fat.
In their original form, these and other whole grains are relatively bland foods, not overly calorie-dense, not unusually delicious, high in fiber and relatively satisfying. (Remember the old commercials with the grandfatherly Wilford Brimley telling us that oats would “stick to our ribs”?)
But refined grains are a different story.
Whole kernel corn becomes corn syrup. Whole wheat grains become refined white flours for cookies and muffins, pizza dough or toaster pastries. Whole grain rice becomes Rice Krispies and rice noodles that we can then slather with Pad Thai sauce (potentially containing the aforementioned corn syrup).
With processed foods, “carbs” are just a way to deliver hyper-palatable, “can’t-eat-just-one” enjoyment as well as calorie-dense fatty meats, cheeses, sauces, and condiments. But are the “carbs” themselves really the main problem here?
OK, so, are whole grains good for you?
Here’s what we know about the benefits of whole grains. They are:
- high in fiber, a nutrient that can help you maintain a healthy GI tract.
- slow to digest, which helps keep blood sugar under control.
- packed with vitamins and minerals.
- satisfying, which helps keep your appetite in check.
And there may be more specific benefits.
Overall, research shows that whole grains, with varying degrees of success, seem to decrease the risk of colorectal cancer, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes. They also seem to improve blood sugar control and insulin sensitivity, and protect against high blood pressure.
OK, fine. But are grains crucial to health?
Do you need to eat grains?
No. You don’t need to eat any one particular food — be it grains, apples, kale, or fish.
But you need carbs. The amount of carbs you need depends on your activity level.
If you exercise fairly frequently, then you’ll likely do best with a moderate carb intake. Not getting enough could mess with your metabolism, stress hormones, and muscle-building hormones.
If you’re sedentary, have blood sugar issues, and/or need to lose a bunch of weight, then you’ll likely do best with a lower carb intake.
You could replace whole grains with a variety of other high-quality carbs, like potatoes, sweet potatoes, fruit, legumes, squash, yuca, and yams. You’d be able to get all the carbs you need, in addition to plenty of fiber and a wide array of beneficial phytonutrients.
But trying to eliminate grains entirely is going to be difficult in even the best of circumstances.
In a life that involves family holidays, birthday parties, work functions — any instance where others are preparing the food — completely cutting out grains if you’re not suffering from celiac or a sensitivity becomes way, way more trouble than it’s worth.
Getting perspective on where grains fit
Often when we talk about food, we talk about the awesome things food X does. Or the terrible things food Y does.
In reality, foods are often a mixture of both good and bad outcomes, depending on what the diet as a whole looks like, the amount of food X or food Y being eaten, and the person who’s eating them.
The position that all grains are unhealthy and should be categorically avoided is too extreme.
So is the notion that grains are inherent “superfoods” that everyone should consume in massive quantities.
Neither end of the spectrum is right.
Most people can be fit and healthy with a mixed carb intake that includes some whole grains (a few refined carbs can be OK, too).
Weigh the benefits against the risks.
Might wheat carry some low-level of risk for some people? Possibly.
Is it likely that the benefits of whole-grain wheat still outweigh this risk? Yes. The same is true for most whole grains — and whole foods — in general.
In the end the best thing to do is:
- objectively evaluate the research
- review the differing opinions of qualified experts with an open yet skeptical mind
- test to find what works best for YOU
- know that what’s best for you may change over time
What to do next
It’s all a lot to process. Where should you go from here?
Let this list be your guide:
- Focus on whole, minimally processed, nutrient-rich foods. This means you’ll be eating plenty of lean protein and plants — including grains. It’ll also help you limit refined grains (those don’t hit the “whole” mark). Remember that what’s on top of the potato skin affects your health more than that sad, maligned tuber does itself.
- Make sure your grains are thoroughly cooked. Cooking food drastically reduces its lectin, phytic acid, and protease inhibitor content. For example, fully cooking kidney beans knocks their lectin content from 20,000-70,000 units down to 200-400. Don’t eat a lot of unleavened bread.
- Try sprouted and fermented breads. To take it further, grains that have been sprouted (e.g. Ezekiel bread) or fermented (e.g. sourdough) have even lower levels of phytates, lectins, and protease inhibitors. This increases mineral bioavailability and also tends to boost the protein quality of the bread.
- If you suspect a problem with gluten, get tested. Go see your doctor, and get help implementing a gluten-free diet if you test positive for celiac disease.
- Zero in on wheat. While whole-grain wheat is likely still mildly beneficial for most (sprouted wheat might be even better), this appears to be the grain with the most problems and fewest advantages. If you’re having GI issues, it’s reasonable to see if avoiding wheat helps. Here again, talk to your doctor.
- Try other grain options. Variety is good. We’ve given you a list of whole grains in the beginning of this article. Try some others you don’t normally eat. Have fun expanding your horizons.
- Consider an elimination diet. Food sensitivities do exist, though we don’t know with what frequency. They’re linked to GI problems and a host of other conditions throughout the body. The gold standard for uncovering a food sensitivity (grain-related or otherwise): elimination diets, in which you systematically remove and then reintroduce foods in your diet, making note of any changes in symptoms.
- Stay sane. Diet extremism leads to stress, unhappiness, and, unfortunately, weight gain and health problems. Tune out the “great grain debate” and use that energy to cook delicious food — and eat it with beloved friends — instead.
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References
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