Hudson Valley Chiropractic & Wellness

  • About
    • Dr. Christa
    • Consultations
  • Blog
  • Events
  • Testimonials
  • Questions?
  • Contact
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
Book an Appointment
You are here: Home / Archives for gluten-free

Should you try The Paleo Diet?

December 21, 2015 by drchrista 1 Comment

paleo diet Paleo. Some call it a “fad diet.” Many associate it with uber-lean, muscle-bound Crossfit-types. It’s been confused with Atkins and the low-carb craze. It’s philosophical underpinnings have been the subject of TED talks and scathing critiques throughout the media. Maligned by vegetarians and vegans, this juggernaut diet trend isn’t going anywhere.

The Paleo Diet is here to stay.

You may be curious about it yourself. You have a coworker or neighbor or fifth cousin-twice removed who lost a ton of weight and swears by it. Or maybe you are thinking that any diet where bacon is heartily embraced is your kind of diet. Perhaps you are enticed by the idea of not having to count calories and still losing weight.

Is The Paleo Diet the right choice for you?

Despite what the detractors say, the Paleo diet is not about trying to recreate the life of a caveman. We can, however, gain some important insights into how our bodies function best by looking to our past. The fact is there is a lot of very modern scientific research that backs up this intuitive & ancestral approach to eating. That’s why having my patients adopt a Paleo-type diet is one of the first steps in their nutritional treatment protocol. It’s about more than just rock hard abs. Here’s why I recommend it and why I think you should do it too:

  •  Nutrient-density. The Paleo Diet is the most nutrient dense diet on the planet. A paper published by Mat LaLonde, a chemistry professor at Harvard, showed that for the same number of calories, a Paleo Diet contained more vitamins, minerals and essential fats than the SAD (Standard American Diet.) Not especially surprising, but what was enlightening is that even when he tried to add dairy or whole grains, he could not come up with more vitamins & minerals without adding more calories. This raw data for this came straight from the USDA’s own database of the nutritional content of foods. When you give the body the nutrients it needs, it doesn’t crave more empty calories in a misguided attempt to get them. While eating a nutrient-dense, whole-foods diet, most people spontaneously lower their calorie consumption, without trying or having to resort to willpower.
  • Anti-inflammatory. Wheat, dairy, soy and peanuts (a legume) are common allergens, yet are absent from a typical Paleo diet. Gluten in particular has been shown to increase the amount of an inflammatory protein in the gut called zonulin. This protein opens up spaces between cells of the gut lining called tight junctions. When these tight junctions are opened up, it leads to a leaky gut. (In the scientific literature this is referred to as ‘increased intestinal permeability.) Pieces of undigested proteins than cross the gut lining where they meet the GALT- Gut Associated Lymphoid Tissue. Made up of the same white blood cells as the rest of your immune system, its estimated that up 70% of your immune system is hanging out in your gut. When the GALT starts having to react to pieces of undigested protein, it creates inflammation, both in the gut itself as well as the rest of your body. If you have aches or pains, brain fog or memory loss, depression or hormone imbalances (all of which can be caused by inflammation), you really should give the Paleo diet a try.
  • Whole-foods based. We can argue all day long about what cavemen did or didn’t eat and whether those foods still really exist, but at the end of the day I think we can all agree that whole-foods are way better and more nutritious for you than anything processed. Fresh meats and eggs from pastured and grassfed animals, wild seafood, plenty of vegetables in an array of colors and some fruits. Nuts and seeds. These are not controversial health foods, they’re just common sense.
  • Sustainability. Diets that leave you hungry and starved are not sustainable. For sustained fat loss and long-term recovery from inflammatory conditions, a diet has to be one that you can follow over the long haul. There are so many resources now; the number of Paleo cookbooks has exploded in recent years and the number of Paleo recipe blogs has grown exponentially. There really is no legitimate reason for getting bored on the Paleo Diet.
  • Lifestyle Factors. There’s more to health & fitness than just food, yet so many ‘diets’ fail to account for this. Many people will say that Paleo isn’t just a diet, it’s lifestyle. What that means is that food is just the start. Beyond diet, a healthy lifestyle should also include plenty of quality, restorative sleep, stress management, frequent movement & exercise, good posture & alignment, relaxation and time in nature. To heal from a chronic disease, all of these factors must be addressed.

Is Paleo the right choice for you? I think it happens to be the right choice for anyone who wants to build or maintain their health. Want some help getting started on your journey to more energy, less fatigue, clearer skin and less pain? Call my office today at 845-687-6387. I help people like you implement and tailor a Paleo approach to meet their health goals.

January is just around the corner. If you have been thinking of starting a Paleo diet as part of your commitment to get healthier in the coming year, but are a bit overwhelmed or unsure how to get started, check out my New Year, New You! whole-foods based cleanse program. To learn more, click here. 

Filed Under: Nutrition, Paleo diet Tagged With: alignment, anti-inflammatory, autoimmune, better sleep, gluten-free, inflammation, mineral absorption, nutrient deficiencies, nutrient-density, Paleo diet, whole body movement

Why going ‘gluten-free’ is not enough

September 22, 2014 by drchrista Leave a Comment

Gluten-free is all the rage now with major restaurant chains offering gluten-free menus and even the smallest grocery stores having aisles dedicated to gluten-free products. With the proliferation of gluten-free offerings, one might be tempted to think we are making healthier choices.

This is not the case.

I remember when I first started working with Hashimoto’s patients. After delivering the news that their thyroid condition was in fact an autoimmune condition, I informed them that they needed to go gluten-free in order to prevent their bodies from making antibodies that attacked and destroyed their thyroid gland. Knowing that this can be quite a drastic change for some people, I tried to encourage them by reminding them that this was an opportunity to eat healthier by filling out their diets with vegetables instead of processed wheat products. What quickly became apparent though, is that people simply started swapping their processed wheat products for processed gluten-free products.

Let me be plain: Gluten-free foods are NOT health foods.

  1. Gluten-free products are highly processed. It takes the marvels of modern machinery to make something made of rice flour to not taste gritty and chalky.
  2. Gluten-free foods are high in sugar. What’s the best way to cover-up that chalky taste? Sugar. Lots of it!
  3. Gluten-free foods are terrible for blood sugar regulation. Another way to improve the taste & texture of a gluten-free food, besides adding a lot of sugar, is to using highly refined starches like cornstarch, potato starch & tapioca starch. These are very fine powders that are often a solution to that ‘gritty’ texture of rice flour. The problem is that they are so refined, there is nothing to digest and their carbohydrate content hits the bloodstream very quickly, provoking an insulin spike. This is very hard on the pancreas and is the same mechanism that leads to the development of Type II diabetes.
  4. Gluten-free foods use refined vegetable oils. Fats are another way to cover up the chalky taste & texture. This wouldn’t be so problematic if we were using heat-stable, traditional fats like coconut oil or butter. However, most refined foods have refined fats in them like canola and soybean oil. These oils are not stable at high temperatures and have gone through a complex treatment process to deodorize and clean them before they are even sold to you. Why would they have to go through this process? Because they are so delicate, they become rancid just going through the extraction process. They have to be cleansed and deodorized or they would be too disgusting to eat. While the smell may be gone, the artery-destroying free radicals and inflammation-promoting omega 6 fats are not. Avoid these.
  5. Gluten-free foods are not a good source of nutrients. This is a problem with any processed food. Processing removes and/or destroys the nutrient content. The more highly processed, the more of the nutrients that have been destroyed. Compared to vegetables, grains aren’t that great a source of nutrients to begin with. Refining them further into flours and even starches, removes what little there was to begin with. If health is really your goal, its best to swap out gluten-free wanna-be foods for real, whole foods that are naturally gluten-free. Like vegetables 🙂

It’s for the above reasons that I started recommending a Paleo-type diet when I need my patients to go gluten-free. Paleo is about whole, real foods. It’s also about healing the gut. Because here’s the other thing I began to notice when my patients just started swapping their processed wheat products for gluten-free processed products: they started developing sensitivities to other grain products- particularly the ones that they started consuming more often in the processed gluten-free foods. In the scientific literature this is known as ‘cross-reactivity.’ This occurred because the underlying problem- often a leaky gut- was not fully healed by simply switching to a ‘gluten-free’ diet.

I also noticed this pattern in my Celiac patients. Their symptoms greatly improved on a gluten-free diet, but they still didn’t feel fully well or healthy until they started eating more whole foods and less processed food. Again, years and years of irritation and inflammation in the gut could not be fixed simply by going gluten-free. All grains needed to be eliminated and more nutrient-dense foods like vegetables and bone broth needed to be added.

If a product has to be labeled ‘gluten-free,’ its probably not healthy for you. If health is truly your goal, you would be better off investing in naturally gluten-free foods like animal products, vegetables, fruits and nuts.

Filed Under: Functional Medicine, Gluten-free, Nutrition, Paleo diet Tagged With: autoimmune, carbohydrates, gluten-free, Hashimoto's, hypothyroidism, inflammation, Paleo diet

7 reasons I recommend a Paleo diet to all my patients

October 28, 2013 by drchrista Leave a Comment

Diets fads certainly come and go and it would be easy to consider the Paleo diet another one such ‘fad’ diet. I often hear people argue that ‘everything is healthy in moderation’ and ‘eliminating whole groups of foods is never a good idea.’

Whereas the name ‘Paleo’ may be new, the diet is anything but a fad. I like to think of it as ‘optimum human nutrition;’ it’s the diet our bodies adapted to eating a million years ago. We like to think that cavemen lived ‘short, brutish lives,’ but if the lifestyles of modern hunter-gatherer cultures are any indication, our ancestors enjoyed vibrate health; had lean, strong bodies (this is true according to anthropological data); and enjoyed plenty of leisure time, spending the equivalent of 15-20 hours a week hunting or gathering for their basic needs.

Rhetoric aside, I started recommending a Paleo diet to my patients after seeing the research- indications of how modern foods were eroding way our health and leading to chronic disease. At first, I didn’t know it even had a name, let alone a following. It was just the best foods to eat to facilitate health. When I first read about the Paleo diet, it all ‘clicked’ together and now I had a direction to send my patients in for recipes, meal sharing ideas, and community. More specifically though, here’s my list of the top 7 reasons I recommend a Paleo diet for my patients.

  1. It’s gluten-free, without all the junk. Before discovering Paleo, I prescribed a gluten-free diet for many of my patients. The problem was, they would eat the same foods, just gluten-free versions of them. Instead of swapping breads & pastas for more nutrient dense veggies and animal foods, they would simply fill up on gluten-free breads and pastas. Worse still, several thought that being ‘gluten-free’ made certain junk foods somehow healthier. Not only are these foods often even more heavily processed then their wheat-containing counterparts, it was missing the whole point of the gluten-free diet AND it was much more expensive for them. Paleo has been useful in teaching my patients to eat a more whole-foods diet.
  2. It eliminates cross-reactive foods. I’ve had several patients with Celiac disease who definitely felt better after going gluten-free, but still weren’t 100%, even after years on a strict gluten-free diet. Since other grains can cause gluten cross-reactivity, these folks found that they did much better not just eliminating gluten, but all grain products.
  3. It’s the ultimate elimination diet. When it comes to food allergies, the gold standard for testing is still an elimination diet. I hope one day we have easier & more convenient testing, but at the moment, this is not the case. One thing the food allergy testing via blood doesn’t take into account is that if your immune system is not functioning properly, you may or may not make the antibodies that will show up on the blood test. Some people are over-reactive. When I see an allergy test that has someone reacting to a lot of ‘normal’ foods like green beans or blueberries, I often suspect a leaky gut situation where the immune system is reacting to everything because the gut is not working properly as a barrier system. The Paleo diet eliminates all the common foods that would lead to a leaky gut, thereby facilitating gut healing. Since the gut lining will replace itself in 21 days (in a fairly healthy person), after a month of Paleo, we can reintroduce certain foods and usually get a pretty clear indication of which ones a person has an allergy, intolerance or sensitivity too.
  4. It can help balance blood sugar. Some people think Paleo is the same as low carb or Atkin’s. It’s not. You can do carbs on Paleo, the key is to find the right amount for you based on your health history and activity level. That being said, because carbs on the Paleo diet come from minimally processed, whole foods sources, its much harder to eat the same amount of carb contained in the S.A.D (Standard American Diet). A S.A.D., following the USDA food pyramid guidelines of 8-11 servings of ‘whole-grains’ a day, will have upwards of 300g of carb a day. Unless you are a marathon runner, this is probably way too much carbohydrate for you, especially if you have a job that has you seated most of the day. Conversely, a typical Paleo eater will take in an average of 75-100g of carb a day without paying too much attention to it. By lowering carbohydrate levels, the need for insulin and the dramatic swings in blood sugar are reduced. This helps most people have even energy throughout the day, without the typical after lunch food coma or the need for excessive amounts of coffee and caffeine to keep you going. Lowering carbohydrate intake and getting carbohydrate from whole food, vegetable sources can also reverse insulin resistance and even Type 2 diabetes, especially when coupled with appropriate exercise.
  5. It’s nutrient dense. We’ve all heard of people who have done crazy diets like an all Twinkie diet or all McDonald’s food diet and lost weight, but at what cost? These foods contain very little in the way of micronutrients and even if the body isn’t starving for calories, it will be starving for these missing nutrients. Since a Paleo diet focuses on eating the most nutrient dense of whole foods, many people easily meet their body’s need for micronutrients in far fewer calories then with a diet based on processed foods.
  6. It doesn’t require a bunch of fancy or hard to find super foods. ‘Superfoods’ have become quite the fad lately and many of us seem to think that adding some acai or goji berry to our daily smoothie will forgive a multitude of nutritional ‘sins.’ Variety is key however, especially when it comes to plant foods. It is also helpful to remember that antioxidants, especially those in so called ‘super foods,’ follow a dose-response curve- too little isn’t good for you, but neither is too much. Overloading on super foods not only hurts you by luring you into a false sense of security about the quality of your diet, but also potentially hurts your wallet as you pay more for the marketing and fancy package then actual nutrition. It’s best to stick with nature’s original ‘super foods,’ grass fed butter or ghee and organ meats from grass fed animals.
  7. It’s easier to stick to then a starvation diet. I encourage my patients to eat!!! If it’s a whole food, eat as much as you want. You have to feed your metabolism, both for healing and for fat loss. The main reason typical ‘diets’ (such as calorie-restricted, starvation type diets) fail is that the body’s response to calorie-restriction is to slow metabolism down, ensuring that while you may lose weight temporarily, this effect won’t last. Aside from yo-yoing numbers on the scale, this is not the way to build true health. By feeding the body nutrient dense, whole foods, not only does it keep metabolism humming along, but it gives you freedom- freedom from counting calories, obsessing over food grams and the like.

In the end, I have yet to have a patient who gave it an honest go tell me, “Doc, this Paleo diet thing sucks. I’m quitting.” More often then not, my patients tell me “I feel fantastic! I wish I would have listened to you before and started this Paleo gig sooner!” Which I guess could be reason #8 why I recommend a Paleo diet to my patients- it works!

If you’re local to the Hudson Valley and already a Paleo enthusiast, I’ve started a Paleo Meet-up group just for you! Come join us over here!

Filed Under: Gluten-free, Nutrition, Paleo diet Tagged With: blood sugar regulation, gluten cross-reactivity, gluten-free, Paleo diet

5 things you should know if you’ve been diagnosed with Hypothyroidism

July 19, 2013 by drchrista 1 Comment

  1. thyroid glandIn the U.S., the most common cause of hypothyroidism is Hashimoto’s autoimmune thyroid. It is estimated that this autoimmune disorder is the cause of 80-90% of hypothyroid cases. This means that in most cases of hypothyroidism, the health of the immune systems must be addressed in addition to the function of the thyroid gland itself!! If you are only taking thyroid medication, you’re missing the actual problem.
  2. You can have all the symptoms of hypothyroidism and still have blood work that comes back as ‘normal.’  The lab ranges for ‘normal’ TSH are based on a statistical average and do not represent what is an optimal range for health and feeling good. It is quite common for people to have all the signs and symptoms of hypothyroidism and yet, be told it can’t be that because their lab work is ‘normal.’ If this is your case, you should seek out a functional medicine doctor who can help you understand what is really going on with your thyroid gland.
  3. You can have all the symptoms of hypothyroidism without anything being wrong with your thyroid gland itself. The thyroid gland doesn’t function in isolation. To begin with, it is controlled by the brain. The gland itself only makes thyroid hormone, which then has to travel to every cell in the body, enter that cell, and then travel into the nucleus of the cell where it has its effect. Just like a chain is only as strong as its weakest link, if there is a problem anywhere along the line, the whole process breaks down and results in the same symptoms. If you have hypothyroidism, you need to have a full thyroid panel done periodically, including TSH, T4, T3, T3 uptake and TPO antibodies at the very least.
  4. Diet can be an important part of managing your symptoms. Especially if you do have Hashimoto’s autoimmune thyroid, adoption of a gluten-free diet can have a big impact. Eating gluten actually causes more antibodies to be made to the thyroid tissue, causing more destruction of the gland over time. This can be a common reason why you have to keep upping the dosage of your thyroid medication. Eliminating gluten and adopting an anti-inflammatory diet can go a long way toward helping you keep your thyroid gland intact as well as managing your hypothyroid symptoms.
  5. You can do more to take charge of your hypothyroidism other than just take another pill. While ditching the medication altogether may not be in the cards for you, by managing your immune system through proper diet and lifestyle changes, you can control your symptoms and slow the development of the disease. Using a more holistic strategy may also help prevent the future development of other autoimmune diseases.

Filed Under: Functional Medicine, Gluten-free Tagged With: gluten-free, Hashimoto's, hypothyroidsim

Health food or hype?

You eat pretty well, but perhaps you're frustrated that you can't seem to lose any weight. Or maybe you struggle to have enough energy to get through the day. You may be eating foods you think are 'healthy' but are secretly eroding your health. Sign up for my newsletter and receive the FREE report I wrote just for you- '7 "Health" foods to ditch to lose weight & feel great! '

Click Here to Subscribe

Dr. Christa

I am a Chiropractor helping patients to have less pain, move with more freedom and ease, and have more energy for the things they love. More…

What Patients Are Saying
C.S.-
C.S.-
I feel that my coming to you has really helped with the issues I had been having. I enjoy our sessions and have really benefitted greatly from everything we have done.
Anonymous-
Anonymous-
I feel great after each of our sessions. All of my symptoms are gone. I feel awesome.
L.W.-
L.W.-
I was thrilled to be given a recommendation that didn't involve medications or procedures, only dietary changes.
Anonymous-
Anonymous-
You were very effective quickly in helping with my symptoms and I trust you tremendously. You are knowledgeable. I rave about you all the time! I also tell them about how reasonable your pricing is.
Anonymous-
Anonymous-
I knew I wanted NO medication. Many practitioner try to stuff meds down your throat. You have a lot better to offer with your natural supplements. There are highly effective and safe.
prevnext

Looking for something?

Our Location

Visit us at Sun Creek Center

8 Sun Creek Lane, Suite 6
Stone Ridge, NY 12484

Schedule your appointment

Office Hours

  • Monday: 9:00 AM- 5:00 PM
  • Tuesday: 12:00 PM-5:00 PM
  • Wednesday: 9:00 AM-6:00 PM
  • Thursday: Closed
  • Friday: 9:00 AM-5:00 PM
  • Saturday: Closed
  • Sunday: Closed

Book an Appointment

Connect With Me

I use Chiropractic care combined with herbal & nutritional support for conditions of the nervous & musculoskeletal conditions to help patients to have less pain, move with more freedom and ease, and have more energy for the things they love.

Phone

  • 845-687-6387

E-Mail

  • DrChrista@hvchiropracticandwellness.com

Copyright © 2023 · Agency Pro Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in