May is Celiac Awareness month, and with more and more people going gluten-free, we wanted to shine the spotlight on this growing health issue. 

Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder that is triggered by the consumption of gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley, and rye. Three million Americans have celiac disease, yet 95% of those who have it are undiagnosed or misdiagnosed with other conditions. You can find out if you have celiac by requesting a blood test through your doctor. However, the celiac test is not a reliable way to find out if you have gluten intolerance.

Could avocado oil fight aging and chronic disease? Christian Cortés-Rojo, a researcher at Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo in Morelia, Mexico, thinks it could prove to be a helpful tool in promoting health at the cellular level.

The oil, which is similar to olive oil in fat composition, could help to shield our bodies from and reduce the adverse effects of free radicals, damaged cells that can cause everything from heart disease to Alzheimer’s disease. According to Cortés-Rojo, “avocado oil could eventually be referred to as the olive oil of the Americas.”

Free radicals are particles that are in need of an extra electron and to stabilize, will often obtain this electron by damaging stable particles. This can cause a chain reaction, creating many more free radicals out of previously stable particles. Though free radicals are caused by pollutants, cigarette smoke, radiation, and certain chemicals, they’re also produced by your immune system and are a natural part of the aging process.

Courtesy of the World Health Organization

Much like Integrative Nutrition (where we’re all about rocking the ripple effect), the World Health Organization (WHO) believes in using global efforts to promote and achieve good health around the world. 

If you’re not familiar with it, the WHO is the United Nations’ primary health authority, and is responsible for everything from creating health-related guidelines and guiding public policy to examining health trends and their effect on the population at large. According to the organization, "health is a shared responsibility, involving equitable access to essential care and collective defense against transnational threats."

As awareness about healthy eating grows and people demand more nutritious and nourishing options, a new marketing scam has become increasingly widespread. We’ve all heard the hype about the health benefits of whole grains, but many of the items being marketed as “whole grain” – and therefore thought of as being “healthy” – are a hoax.

Dr. Mark Hyman, an expert in preventive medicine and IIN visiting teacher, said it best in a recent Huffington Post article: “The biggest scam perpetrated on the unsuspecting public is the inclusion of ‘whole grains’ in many processed foods full of sugar … giving the food a virtuous glow.”

What’s Real and What’s a Rip-Off?

When it comes to whole grains, what’s real and what’s a rip-off?

There’s no healthier way to enjoy a grain than in its whole form. Not only is the germ of a grain a great source of nutrients, but the bran also contains the seed’s fiber; this essential component slows the digestive process and prevents blood sugar spikes while your body breaks down the starch of the endosperm. The health benefits of eating whole grains range from preventing type 2 diabetes to lowering cholesterol to reducing the risk of stroke.

Unfortunately, many items claiming to contain these healthful properties are highly processed and stripped of the grain’s original nutrients. This scam stems from a deceptive marketing campaign that can be traced to January 2005—a time when new dietary guidelines urged Americans to “make at least half of your grains whole.”

The sale of whole-grain items skyrocketed, and food manufacturers – especially those producing items not typically considered healthy – suddenly found new and profitable opportunities to include whole grains in their ingredients lists and smack “healthy” labels on their products.

Is there such thing as nutritious fast food? Or is the notion of healthy drive-thru fare just a hoax?

In an attempt to appeal to health-conscious consumers, many fast food chains have begun to offer alternatives to the traditional burgers, nachos, and pizza. A closer look at the nutrition facts of these so-called “wholesome” items sheds light on a profitable fast-food scam. Many foods that are being marketed as “healthy” are just as laden with sugar, trans fats, preservatives, and empty calories as their deep-fried counterparts.

Since poor nutrition has caused rates of obesity, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and other chronic illnesses to skyrocket, this scam has several implications. At best, it’s a missed opportunity for fast food chains to make a real impact on public health. At worst, it’s a deceptive form of fraud that misleads people into making unhealthy food choices despite their best intentions.

Which so-called “healthy” items are the worst offenders?

Salads with More Fat than a Burger

What could be more nourishing than a giant bowl of leafy greens? Salad, beloved for packing a nutritional punch with a minimal number of calories, is typically considered the healthy choice for any meal. If you’re ordering it in a restaurant, however, your salad bowl might be a health food scam in disguise.

The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) led by IIN visiting teacher Dr. Neal Barnard analyzed the nutritional value of salads from seven different fast food establishments. The report was jarring: most salads were light on the fresh vegetables and heavy on the creamy dressings, bacon strips, sour cream, fried chicken, and tortilla chips. In short, the vast majority of these “healthy” foods were “no more healthful than a burger without the bun, dipped in salad dressing.”

The worst culprit? McDonald’s. Their Crispy Bacon Ranch Salad has more fat and calories than a Big Mac and just as much cholesterol!

We’ve all heard the outlandish claims of the latest “miracle diet” scam:

Lose 10 pounds in 10 days – results guaranteed!

Power-boost your metabolism – no dieting!

I lost 50 pounds with these fat-burning pills!

Rip-off schemes run the gamut from semi-plausible to ludicrous. There’s the abdominal exercise belt scam that claims you can lose all your stomach fat without needing to get off the couch. There’s the infamous hoodia hoax; though this African plant might be an appetite suppressant in its natural form, most pills are fake. And let’s not forget the classic body wrap scam – cover yourself in bandages and sweat off a few pounds, then instantly regain the weight as soon as you drink a glass of water. The bottom line remains: if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

Chocoholics rejoice! We’ve talked about the feel-good benefits of chocolate before, but did you know that certain cacao confections could also help you focus on your work, fight off the flu, or even spice up your love life?

A growing industry of “functional chocolates” is adding health-promoting supplements, spices, and herbs to its confections. These treats may be able to help you improve your health while indulging your sweet tooth.

Chocolate is already known to offer a myriad of health benefits—the heart-healthy flavonoids found in cocoa lower blood pressure and reduce bad cholesterol. Now, companies like Gnosis Chocolate, founded by 2007 Integrative Nutrition graduate Vanessa Barg, are leveraging the natural benefits of raw, organic chocolate by adding “extracts of other health-promoting foods such as goji berries (also high in antioxidants), ginseng (which can help control blood sugar and increase energy) and ginkgo biloba (which is often touted as a memory aid).”

A few weeks ago, we wrote about green juice versus green smoothies, which sparked quite a conversation in our community. Our readers had so many great ideas and questions that we wanted to share them with you!

We’ve put together a list of some of our favorite juicers, blenders, and ingredients for your next green juice or smoothie!

Juicers

Breville (about $450) – This high-end juicer is on the more expensive side, but it is a very popular choice among the Integrative Nutrition community. The sleek design is easy to clean, the quality of the juice is very high, and the pulp is very dry. 

Champion Juicer ($235) – This popular juicer is one of the more expensive models, but anyone who owns one will tell you it is worth every penny! The Champion Juicer produces delicious, fresh-pressed juice in a short amount of time, but can be  time-consuming to clean. 

Grace Collins, a current student at Integrative Nutrition, follows a strict anti-inflammatory diet, supports a strong gut with probiotics, and eats well to support her natural immune system. Unfortunately, it took a car accident, a dangerous epidural injection gone wrong, and months of unbearable pain for her to get to this point.

Two years ago, Grace was told an epidural cortisol steroid injection would heal the pain she was suffering after her accident. When the doctor she had trusted punctured the wrong space with the injection, Depo-Medrol began to seep into her spinal fluid and spread through her central nervous system, killing the connecting nerves throughout her body. Grace is not alone in suffering unexpected complications from this procedure. In fact, the market for epidural shots is estimated at a booming $300 billion a year.

The malpractice resulted in what Grace described to LA Times Daily as “non-stop pure modern-day torture.” As she hopelessly watched her own body deteriorate, her lack of faith in her doctor’s ability to understand her pain increased. While researching her symptoms online, she discovered “arachnoiditis,” a condition caused by an epidural malpractice resulting in internal scarring, severe inflammation, and excruciating pain. 10 days after reading about it, Grace was diagnosed with the condition.

Recipes for green juices and smoothies are popping up all over the place and these beverages are slowly becoming a more mainstream approach to healthy eating and detoxing. One thing is for sure – green juices and smoothies are good for you. But is one better than the other? Here is a short comparison to help you learn the ins-and-outs of green beverages. Hopefully this will help you pick which is right for you!

Green Juice

What you need: Juicer, 1 to 2 pounds of your favorite green vegetables

Advantages: Juicing is great because it extracts all of the water and nutrients from vegetables, leaving behind only the plant fibers. This means your body is better able to absorb the nutrients without having to digest the dense bulk of the plant. Plus, you can fit an incredible quantity of vegetables into a single glass of green juice, leaving you with simple, smooth and delicious drink that packs an incredible nutritional punch!