Taking vitamin D supplements during pregnancy may relieve the problem, they suggest.

“Adequate vitamin D levels among pregnant women may be important for the optimal development of their baby,” said lead researcher Andrew Whitehouse, an associate professor and reader in developmental psychopathology at the Telethon Institute for Child Health Research at the University of Western Australia. “However, it is important for the findings of this study to be replicated before any strong conclusions are made.”

Vitamin D levels among pregnant women have decreased steadily over the past 20 years, most likely because of less exposure to sunlight, Whitehouse said.

“The effects of lower maternal vitamin D levels on the developing offspring is not fully understood,” he said. “The current study found that women with vitamin D insufficiency during pregnancy have an increased risk of having a child with developmental language difficulties.”

The report was published in the Feb. 13 online edition of Pediatrics.

For the study, Whitehouse’s team looked at vitamin D levels in more than 700 pregnant women. They also measured their children’s behavior at ages 2, 5, 8, 10, 14 and 17.

In addition, the researchers measured language development when the children were ages 5 and 10.

The researchers found that vitamin D levels during pregnancy had no effect on behavioral or emotional problems of the children.

However, there were significant differences in language development among children whose mothers had low levels of vitamin D during pregnancy.

Language difficulties increased twofold for children whose mothers had the lowest level of vitamin D, compared with children whose mothers had normal levels of vitamin D, Whitehouse’s group found.

“The findings suggest that there may be a link between maternal vitamin D levels during pregnancy and offspring neurodevelopment,” Whitehouse said.

However, while the study uncovered an association between the expectant mothers’ vitamin D levels and their children’s language development, it did not prove a cause-and-effect relationship.

“If vitamin D insufficiency during prenatal life is a cause of childhood language difficulties — and this still needs to be determined conclusively — then vitamin D supplementation of pregnant women may be an important next step,” he said.

Dr. Jennifer Wu, an obstetrician/gynecologist at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City, thinks that vitamin D is important for pregnant women.

“Women should get their vitamin D levels checked. We would like to correct these deficiencies before pregnancy,” she said.

“Luckily, most [pregnant] women are on a prenatal vitamin and it contains 1,200 international units (IU) of vitamin D, so most women are supplemented throughout pregnancy,” Wu added.

Women who are deficient in vitamin D may need as much as 10,000 IU a day, she said.

“If you are starting to try to get pregnant, you should start your prenatal vitamin,” Wu said. “It has a lot of good things in it that will be onboard when you get pregnant.”

Another expert, Dr. Michael F. Holick, a professor of medicine, physiology and biophysics at Boston University School of Medicine, noted that vitamin D deficiency increases the risk for preeclampsia (a condition marked by increased blood pressure and protein in the urine during pregnancy) and the need for a cesarean delivery.

“So, I am not surprised that developmental issues are also a concern for fetuses that are developing in a vitamin D-deficient state,” he said.

“Pregnant women should be increasing their vitamin D intake to levels recommended by the Endocrine Society, which is 1,500 to 2,000 IU a day,” Holick said.

SOURCES: Andrew Whitehouse, Ph.D., associate professor and reader, developmental psychopathology, Telethon Institute for Child Health Research, University of Western Australia; Michael F. Holick, M.D., Ph.D., professor, medicine, physiology and biophysics, Boston University School of Medicine; Jennifer Wu, M.D., obstetrician/gynecologist, Lenox Hill Hospital, New York City; Feb. 13, 2012, Pediatrics, online

In New England the season of Earth and water goes from February 1 to June 1.

The element of water and earth predominate this season and are responsible for the body’s structure, and provides the “glue” or cohesion that holds the cells together. When these elements are in balance our joints are lubricated, skin is moist, immunity and vitality are strong. The expressive emotions of love, calmness and forgiveness flow easily. When the elements of water and earth (Kapha) are out of balance it leads to emotions such as attachment, possessiveness, greed, depression and physical symptoms such as congestive disorders, excess mucus, sinus related problems (are you doing your nedi pot?), allergies, sluggishness, dull aches, water retention, and pains, acceleration of arthritic conditions, especially osteoarthritis, fibrocystic changes and digestive related problems.

Water and Earth (Kapha) Predominates in the lungs, stomach, pancreas, white matter of the brain, cerebral spinal fluid, plasma, joints and sinuses and is responsible for taste and smell. Any conditions related to these systems are significant to a potential imbalance of these elements.

Put away the ice cream, cheese in excess, heavy unctuous foods such as nut butters, duck, creamy sauces, and rich foods. Now you can break out Juicer get back into salads, and foods that are drier and lighter in nature. Break out the spices to enhance that digestive fire.

As we progress into the season our bodies will want to excrete what we have held onto during the winter months which makes of a great time to do cleansing diets and foods, even fasting is great this season.

A few tips for the season

1. Consider preparing to do a Pancha Karma cleanse.
2. Start increasing Bitter tasting foods.
3. Support that liver with Swedish Bitters, Dandelion, Yellow Dock, Milk Thistle and/or Bhumy Amalaki.
4. Add Cardamom to dairy to decrease mucus potential.
5. Start your day with Salt, honey and Lemon in hot water.
6. Drink plenty of ginger tea.
7. Favor more dry, light and warm foods.
8. Break out the Bean and Rice dishes.
9. This is the season for Juicing and sprouting.  

Seasonal diet and other helpful hints are always posted on Dr. Linda’s web site (www.integrativeayurveda.com) under Seasonal Newsletter.

There is a great food blog that our neighbor suggested to us after she brought over these chocolate chili cherry black bean cookies (or some permutation on the name). They were wow, delicious!, and packed some punch and good nutrition at the same time.

Sounds kind of crazy, cherry, black beans, chocolate and chili….but it works really well together.  Click here for the recipe.

Recipe #2 Chocolate Avocado Mousse

On Christmas eve Joy made a scrumptious chocolate mousse to bring to family’s for our annual dinner.    We thought it was delicious, however when our family asked what it was and we told them avocado there was a sort of dumfounded “oh avocado”.  Then there was a polite “no 2nds for dessert for me”.  If you get over the fact that it is a vegan mousse I think you’ll like it.  And it is healthy too!

Here is one recipe here.  We didn’t think it worked well with agave syrup, so I’d suggest substituting date sugar or coconut sugar.    Here is our version adapted from this one.

But the dark side of chocolate is where does it come from? CNN did a feature a couple of weeks ago looking into the cocoa slave trade, click here for the link as it is well worth a conscience chocolate lover’s time. (will open in a new window/tab).

After seeing that video doesn’t it make you question your source of chocolate? Unfortunately nowadays with a global economy a large portion of our everyday items are made by enslaved people. However for many of the slave labor goods we buy it is hard it is hard for us to find alternatives without spending a fortune. (or not buying an Apple product in my case). Fortunately for chocolate lovers there are many options that won’t break the bankroll and also have a heart. Even in the land of Chocolates, the Swiss, think the child cocoa slavery is awful.

So what are better chocolate options? If you buy organic at least you know that environmentally there was minimal impact and you are not getting any pesticide residues. Here is a list of chocolate buyers to consider and ones to avoid. However, organic chocolate has its share of human rights concerns as well. So if you are concerned about how people (children!) are treated then the great option for buying chocolate is organic and look for the Fair Trade logo.

Locally here in Massachusetts there is a great local CoOp called Equal Exchange. They do have delicious dark chocolate and I love the 80% Panama dark chocolate. If you have kids (or for the kid in you) here is a good M&M alternative, called Sun Drops. Another organization whose chocolate should be considered is Rainforest Alliance. I am sure I missed some so please let me know.

The important point is that this Valentine’s Day let’s think about buying chocolate that is not only organic so better for the environment, but also one that doesn’t contribute to human trafficking.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Yours In Health
George Mandler
Licensed Acupuncturist
Licensed Dietitian / Nutritionist

Today a video with a similar theme was posted on a Functional Medicine listserv I am on. If you want to see digestion of wholesome foods vs. processed foods you need to check out this video. Amazing how long long those Ramen noodles are intact in the stomach. I guess we can also just use a compost bin to compare processed vs. whole instead of expensive technology.



Given the work I do with food sensitivities I am convinced that the garbage processed ‘foods’ with dyes and chemicals are playing a large role in the behavioral and emotional imbalances that seem to be running rampant. Undigested foods can cause damage to the gut lining and cause inappropriate immune response and food sensitivities. I see first hand via blood testing that everyone reacts differently to the same foods. What is one person’s nectar is another’s poison.

Weekly I hear patient’s report often how happier and mentally clearer they feel after following an oligoantigenic diet (low antigen diet) determined by food sensitivity testing. Food antigens often cause inflammation which in turn can cause inflammation in the brain leading to depression, ADD, ADHD, brain fog, dementia etc. These foods we are talking about eliminating are so called healthy foods, it just so happens that a person is reactive to them. Now imagine what the body will do when exposed over and over to chemicals that is has no idea how to handle! That is what is discussed in the “Driven to Distraction: Food, chemicals and child behavior” webinar. But until that is available chew your noodles (and everything else!) really well!

Yours In Health,
George Mandler
Licensed Acupuncturist
Licensed Dietitian/Nutritionist

Ironically, despite excessive caloric intake, many obese women are deficient in vitamins vital to a healthy pregnancy. This and other startling statistics abound when obesity and pregnancy collide. Together, they present a unique set of challenges that women and their doctors must tackle in order to achieve the best possible outcome for mom and baby.

In the December issue of the journal Seminars in Perinatology, maternal fetal medicine expert Loralei L. Thornburg, M.D., reviews many of the pregnancy-related changes and obstacles obese women may face before giving birth. The following myths and truths highlight some expected and some surprising issues to take into account before, during and after pregnancy.

“I treat obese patients all the time, and while everything may not go exactly as they’d planned, they can have healthy pregnancies,” said Thornburg, who specializes in the care of high-risk pregnancies and conducts research on obesity and pregnancy. “While you can have a successful pregnancy at any size, women need to understand the challenges that their weight will create and be a partner in their own care; they need to talk with their doctors about the best way to optimize their health and the health of their baby.”

Myth or Truth?

Many obese women are vitamin deficient.

True

Forty percent are deficient in iron, 24 percent in folic acid and 4 percent in B12. This is a concern because certain vitamins, like folic acid, are very important before conception, lowering the risk of cardiac problems and spinal defects in newborns. Other vitamins, such as calcium and iron, are needed throughout pregnancy to help babies grow.

Thornburg says vitamin deficiency has to do with the quality of the diet, not the quantity. Obese women tend to stray away from fortified cereals, fruits and vegetables, and eat more processed foods that are high in calories but low in nutritional value.

“Just like everybody else, women considering pregnancy or currently pregnant should get a healthy mix of fruits and vegetables, lean proteins and good quality carbohydrates. Unfortunately, these are not the foods people lean towards when they overeat,” noted Thornburg. “Women also need to be sure they are taking vitamins containing folic acid before and during pregnancy.”

Obese patients need to gain at least 15 pounds during pregnancy.

Myth

In 2009, the Institute of Medicine revised its recommendations for gestational weight gain for obese women from “at least 15 pounds” to “11-20 pounds.” According to past research, obese women with excessive weight gain during pregnancy have a very high risk of complications, including indicated preterm birth, cesarean delivery, failed labor induction, large-for-gestational-age infants and infants with low blood sugar.

If a woman starts her pregnancy overweight or obese, not gaining a lot of weight can actually improve the likelihood of a healthy pregnancy, Thornburg points out. Talking with your doctor about appropriate weight gain for your pregnancy is key, she says.

The risk of spontaneous preterm birth is higher in obese than non-obese women.

Myth

Obese women have a greater likelihood of indicated preterm birth – early delivery for a medical reason, such as maternal diabetes or high blood pressure. But, paradoxically, the risk of spontaneous preterm birth – when a woman goes into labor for an unknown reason – is actually 20 percent lower in obese than non-obese women. There is no established explanation for why this is the case, but Thornburg says current thinking suggests that this is probably related to hormone changes in obese women that may decrease the risk of spontaneous preterm birth.

Respiratory disease in obesity – including asthma and obstructive sleep apnea – increases the risk for non-pulmonary pregnancy complications, such as cesarean delivery and preeclampsia (high blood pressure).

True

Obese women have increased rates of respiratory complications, and up to 30 percent experience an exacerbation of their asthma during pregnancy, a risk almost one-and-a-half times more than non-obese women. According to Thornburg, respiratory complications represent just one piece of the puzzle that adds to poor health in obesity, which increases the likelihood of problems in pregnancy. She stresses the importance of getting asthma and any other respiratory conditions under control before getting pregnant.

Breastfeeding rates are high among obese women.

Myth

Breastfeeding rates are poor among obese women, with only 80 percent initiating and less than 50 percent continuing beyond six months, even though it is associated with less postpartum weight retention and should be encouraged as it benefits the health of mom and baby.

Thornburg acknowledges that it can be challenging for obese women to breast feed. It often takes longer for their milk to come in and they can have lower production (breast size has nothing to do with the amount of milk produced). Indicated preterm birth can result in prolonged separations of mom and baby as infants are admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit or NICU. This, coupled with the higher rate of maternal complications and cesarean delivery – up to 50 percent in some studies – in obese women, can make it harder to successfully breast feed.

“Because of these challenges, mothers need to be educated, motivated and work with their doctors, nurses and lactation professionals to give breast feeding their best shot. Even if you can only do partial breastfeeding, that is still better than no breastfeeding at all,” said Thornburg.

Below is an article from a new study that demonstrated exercise helps us make better food choices. http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2011-11/f-sf-ehu112911.php

A healthy diet and the right amount of exercise are key players in treating and preventing obesity but we still know little about the relationship both factors have with each other. A new study now reveals that an increase in physical activity is linked to an improvement in diet quality.

Many questions arise when trying to lose weight. Would it be better to start on a diet and then do exercise, or the other way around? And how much does one compensate the other?

“Understanding the interaction between exercise and a healthy diet could improve preventative and therapeutic measures against obesity by strengthening current approaches and treatments,” explains Miguel Alonso Alonso, researcher at Harvard University (USA) who has published a bibliographical compilation on the subject, to SINC.

The data from epidemiological studies suggest that tendencies towards a healthy diet and the right amount of physical exercise often come hand in hand. Furthermore, an increase in physical activity is usually linked to a parallel improvement in diet quality.

Exercise also brings benefits such as an increase in sensitivity to physiological signs of fullness. This not only means that appetite can be controlled better but it also modifies hedonic responses to food stimuli. Therefore, benefits can be classified as those that occur in the short term (of metabolic predominance) and those that are seen in the long term (of behavioural predominance).

According to Alonso Alonso, “physical exercise seems to encourage a healthy diet. In fact, when exercise is added to a weight-loss diet, treatment of obesity is more successful and the diet is adhered to in the long run.”

The authors of the study state how important it is for social policy to encourage and facilitate sport and physical exercise amongst the population. This should be present in both schools and our urban environment or daily lives through the use of public transport or availability of pedestrianised areas and sports facilities.

Exercise modifies the brain

Eating and physical activity are behaviours and are therefore influenced by cognitive processes that are a result of activity in different areas of the brain. Previous studies have already assessed changes in the brain and cognitive functions in relation to exercise: regular physical exercise causes changes in the working and structure of the brain.

The experts point out that these changes seem to have a certain specificity. The Harvard researcher supports the notion that “regular exercise improves output in tests that measure the state of the brain’s executive functions and increases the amount of grey matter and prefrontal connections.”

Inhibitory control is one of the executive functions of the brain and is basically the ability to suppress inadequate and non-conforming answers to an aim (the opposite of this would be impulsiveness), which makes modification or self-regulations of a behaviour possible.

With regards to losing weight and sustaining weight loss in the long run, various recent studies suggest that executive functions such as inhibitory control and optimal functioning of the brain’s prefrontal areas could be the key to success. This success is mainly the fruit of a behavioural change. Inhibitory control could also help to prevent weight gain in healthy people.

The researcher outlines that “in time, exercise produces a potentiating effect of executive functions including the ability for inhibitory control, which can help us to resist the many temptations that we are faced with everyday in a society where food, especially hypercaloric food, is more and more omnipresent.”

Spain – leader in obesity

There has been an alarming rise in cases of obesity in Spain in recent years, so much so that prevalence in various areas of the country is higher than in many parts of the USA, which is traditionally thought of as the paradigm of obesity in the western world.

Furthermore, along with other Mediterranean countries, Spain has one of the highest rates of childhood obesity in Europe. The experts are urging society to become aware of the problem and join forces to prevent and treat all types of obesity.

References:

R. J. Joseph, M. Alonso-Alonso, D. S. Bond, A. Pascual-Leone y G. L. Blackburn. “The neurocognitive connection between physical activity and eating behavior“. Obesity Reviews 12, 800-812 octubre de 2011.

The term ‘extra virgin’ is one that most people including myself are not clear on its definition.   ‘Extra Virgin’ is a baseline standard that embraces any oil made by solely mechanical means, instead of chemical treatment.  It also must have less than 0.8 percent of free acidity, a laboratory measurement of rancidity or free-radicals. Extra-virgin oils also are forbidden to have “disgusting odors such as rancidity, putridity, smoke, and mold”.    Unfortunately the label can say ‘extra-virgin’ even if it does not meet the above standards.

The rancidity level of an oil is interesting.  I most certainly notice a difference between how high a heat I can apply to different olive oils.  Some oils start to impart a rancid smell rather quickly in the frying pan, while others I notice can cook longer.  Olive oil should not be heated at a high temperature, but I noticed some impart a rancid smell even at low temperatures.  (Rancid oils are probably one of the most common ways people increase the oxidative stress in their body.  Olive oil loses its antioxidant potential as it sits, even in closed containers.)

Some of the answers to may questions regarding olive oil quality have been answered by the UC Davis Olive Oil Center.   They released a report stating that 73 of the tested brands of olive oils sold in the United States failed standards for ‘extra-virgin’ olive oil:   “Our testing indicated that the samples failed extra virgin olive oil standards according to one or more of the following: (a) oxidation by exposure to elevated temperatures, light, and/or aging; (b) adulteration with cheaper refined olive oil; and (c) poor quality oil made from damaged and overripe olives, processing flaws, and/or improper oil storage.”

In other words most olive oils sold in groceries skimp out in some way to lower the price.    So many of us buy a ‘first-cold pressed’ oil that is not technically ‘extra virgin’ even though the label states it is ‘extra virgin’.  Olive oil really isn’t much different than nutritional supplements.  You get what you pay for.   In general the more expensive oil the better it did in testing, but sometimes even expensive oils failed a certain category.  (In this study they did not purchase oils from Whole Foods or Traders Joe’s, but rather typical standard American grocery stores found in California.)

Whole Food’s top shelf stocks olive oils that over $120 per gallon.   I’ve had the pleasure of using that olive oil when I was a personal chef for an affluent client.   And boy was this olive oil different!   The flavors and aroma were dynamic and one could tell it significant superiority to the olive oil in my kitchen cupboards.   There most certainly is a difference in quality between a not so expensive oil and more pricey ones.

The question is it worth the difference?   If you are a ‘foodie’ then maybe so.   In terms of health for the general population I am not convinced.   Is having say an extra 0.5% less rancidity worth paying an extra $.50 cents per ounce?  Given all the ways our food can be oxidized I’m not sure it is worth the extra cost.

There is a new book that will be released in a few weeks about the business of olive oil.   It should be an interesting read to get an understanding of how oil is manipulated.

All in all the slick business world of olive oil should be of little concern given the grander lies on a global scale effecting us  socioeconomically.   But it is good to know a bit more about what we are actually purchasing.

Here is an Ode to Olive Oil.

Yours In Health,

George Mandler

Acupuncturist and Licensed Dietitian / Nutritionist

There is a great new article from the Food Safety Network entitled “Tests Show Most Store Honey Isn’t Honey”.  Please read it to learn about what was found in store bought honey.   The results aren’t sweet.

We must stop the madness of Monsanto and other pharma giants from controlling all seeds.   (for more info click here).

Please sign this petition to request labeling on Genetically Engineered foods.   We have a right to know if we are eating a genetically altered food.   The ignorance so many so called experts display when they say there is no harm with GE foods is baffling.   I had constant battles with my biochemistry professor about this.  Hopefully he has opened his eyes to the dangers.

If more food is clearly labeled “Genetically Modified” there will be less demand and less madness.   Obama has already let Alfalfa seeds slip on through, now the government wants to not inform people if they are eating GE foods. Please sign, this is important for future generations.

Yours In Health,

George Mandler LDN LicAc