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Fructose: The Weight-Gain Sugar

Wednesday, January 4th, 2012

By: Korey, DiRoma, ND

Obesity is an epidemic in America that now affects many millions of adults and children. Obesity is classified as having a body mass index (BMI) of greater than 30. According to the CDC, the percentage of the population who are obese has steadily increased from 14% in 1960 to 35% in 2008. The percentage of kids ages 6-19 who are obese has risen from 5% in 1976 to almost 20% in 2008.

what could be causing this large increase in obesity over the past 50 years? In a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition*, data from the US Department of Agriculture was analyzed using food consumption tables. Between the years of 1970 and 1990, high fructose corn syrup (HCSF) consumption increased by more than 1000%! No other food came close to this increase. For many years, average fructose consumption was about 16-20 grams (3-4 tsp) daily, mostly from fresh fruits. Now the average person consumes 80-100 grams (16-20
tsp) of fructose. Not difficult to do the math.

what exactly is fructose? Fructose is a simple sugar that is found naturally in fruits and vegetables, cane sugar, honey, maple syrup, and agave syrup. It is usually found in combination with glucose, another simple sugar. There are fruits, such as apples and grapes, that naturally have higher concentrations of fructose, generally 60% fructose and 40% glucose, and are therefore commonly used as “natural” sweeteners. HFCS
is manufactured to be anywhere from 55-95% fructose, with the rest being glucose. Honey, maple, and agave all have higher fructose concentrations.

why do we use fructose? Well fructose is the sweetest tasting sugar, even sweeter than glucose. And in the early 1970s, studies started reporting that the use of non-glucose sugars was better for diabetic patients. So it began that fructose, mostly as HFCS, was added to foods and
beverages as a sweetener.

How is fructose making me gain weight? Fructose is metabolized much differently than glucose. It is metabolized in the liver and produces either more glucose, or more fats in the form of triglycerides. When this happens, blood sugar (glucose) levels can further increase (which can eventually lead to insulin resistance), and fat levels increase. Fructose also does not stimulate production of leptin , a hormone that controls appetite. When your leptin level is high, this tells the body to stop eating. Without that message from leptin, your appetite doesn’t know to ease up. So if you drink a can of soda, not only will this not satisfy your hunger, but in the long run it can lead to a pattern of over-eating and high daily calorie consumption.

what is the take-away message? To fight obesity, decrease your sugar consumption, especially in the form of fructose from HFCS, fruit juices, sweetened beverages, and processed foods. Look at those labels, read those ingredients (and understand what they are!), eat fresh foods whenever possible, and drink lots of water or herbal tea (no calories). And if you eat a lot of sugar, you have to exercise to burn sugar, otherwise it all gets converted to fat!

Consumption of high-fructose corn syrup in beverages may play a role in the epidemic of obesity.

Bray GA, Nielsen SJ,
Popkin BM.Pennington
Biomedical Research Center, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70808,
USA. brayga@pbrc.edu

Am J Clin Nutr. 2004 Oct;80(4):1090.

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Posted in gastrointestinal health, Korey DiRoma Naturopath, Nutrition, obesity, weight gain, Weight Loss | Click Here to Add a Comment »

Review of Glacier Tropical SPF 20, a natural mineral based sunscreen

Monday, September 26th, 2011

By: Korey DiRoma, Naturopath

Price:  $14.98 for 4 ounces or $3.75 per ounce
SPF: 20
Active ingredients: zinc oxide, 10%
Antioxidants: green and white tea extracts, Vitamin E
Ease of applying: good on dry skin, more difficult absorption on wet skin
Scent: scent is a hint of green tea
Water resistant: does not bead with water, seems to come off easily with wet skin

There are so many different types of sunscreens on the market all with differing levels of protection, that it can be quite confusing as to which products may be the most effective. Some may be less effective, but unfortunately may also be more harmful!

I like to spend a lot of my free time outdoors, either walking or running, playing a round of golf, or occasionally sitting at the park or lake side with my family. Often I can be outdoors anywhere from 1 hour to 6 hours at a time. It is definitely important for my family and I to have very good protection from the sun’s harmful ultraviolet rays. Over the past week, I have had the pleasure of trying a new, more natural sunscreen product called Glacier Tropical SPF 20.

First a little science about ultraviolet rays. The sun produces ultraviolet rays at different wavelengths, some short and some long. The shorter waves are known as UVB rays and are the waves responsible for the reddening of the skin and causing sunburns. UVB rays can vary in intensity depending on season and time of day. They are also the rays responsible for Vitamin D production in the skin. These rays can also cause cancer, mostly squamous cell carcinomas. Most sunscreens base the SPF rating on its ability to block UVB rays since this is measurable in terms of skin reddening.

UVA rays are longer rays and therefore are more penetrating. They penetrate deeper into the skin and can also penetrate glass. UVA rays do not vary in intensity so remain at the same level regardless of time of day or season. Most sunscreens do not block UVA very well, and UVA rays cause accelerated skin damage and malignant melanoma, a very serious and deadly type of skin cancer.

Glacier Tropical SPF 20 is a mineral sunscreen. The main active ingredient is micronized zinc oxide, 10% which is very good at blocking both UVB and UVA rays. The main active ingredient in many sunscreens is oxybenzone, which is good at blocking UVB rays, but not UVA. Oxybenzone is also a chemical that accumulates in the body with continued use and is known to cause hormone disturbances and possibly developmental toxicities.

The other qualities of Glacier Tropical that make it a very good and effective mineral sunscreen are that it absorbs relatively well for a zinc oxide based protectant. This is probably due to the use of micronized zinc, which helps penetrate the skin a little better. It took me about 40 seconds of constant rubbing for it to fully absorb. I did not see a lot of white residue, and it actually provided a relatively clear finish. I could notice a very slight lightning of my skin tone, and I do have a darker skin tone. Another added benefit is that it contains natural antioxidants such as green tea extract and Vitamin E. It does not contain Vitamin A as many sunscreens tend to have. Vitamin A can actually accelerate skin damage and skin cancer, especially when in the sun. Any sunscreen you buy should not contain Vitamin A or retinyl palmitate.

Some things I would like to see improved from this sunscreen are its water resistant capabilities, ease of applying with wet skin, a smaller list of inactive ingredients, and a higher SPF rating. I did not get to use the product while swimming, but I did find it more difficult to apply while sweating. It did take a longer time for it to rub clear. Also with the skin wet, it seems to come off easier. Some of the inactive ingredients are chemicals that are difficult to pronounce, but after looking them up, they were all much safer than oxybenzone and Vitamin A.  I would like to see this sunblock in an SPF 30. This would give it a slight increase in protection, from about 94-95% to about 97% blockage of rays.

Overall I think this is a great product for anyone to use, and my family and I are definitely making the switch from conventional, chemical based sunscreen to this natural, mineral based sunscreen.

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Posted in Korey DiRoma Naturopath, Natural Sunscreen | 3 Comments, Click Here to Add Yours »

New Antibacterial and Antiviral Herbal Formulas

Saturday, September 24th, 2011

Integrative Herbals Have Come to the Center

For the first nine years of our practice at the Center, we the practitioners have relied on the herbal combinations and products that were available on the market.  Now, we are proud to announce a new line of supplements, Integrative Herbals, designed specifically to meet the needs of our patients.  The Designers?  Our very own doctors, Ron Stram and Korey DiRoma along with one of our Chinese herb specialists, acupuncturist Chris Reilly. Having many years of clinical experience to reflect on, and the rich herbal histories of both the East and West to draw from, we have taken the best of what has worked for us from various sources, and combined them.

Herbalguard: A Natural Antibacterial Supplement This is a natural supplement containing five herbs known to be effective against a wide variety of bacterial infections such as bacterial sinusitis.  Antibiotics often cause yeast overgrowth by eliminating the bacteria that compete with them.  One of the advantages of Herbalguard is that it includes components that reduce yeast overgrowth.

Viralguard Fights off Viral Infections Naturally As you may have guessed, this is a natural formula of herbs that help the body fight off viral infections.  Included are herbs used against viruses that are acute such as rhinoviruses (the common cold) and influenza viruses, as well as those that are chronic such as HSV. In addition, both of the above formula’s have strong anti-inflammatory components which help reduce the inflammation that accompany infections, providing further symptom relief.
If you are curious, and believe you may benefit from one of our new herbal formula’s, call us at the Center, and we will be happy to schedule a consultation for you. Please comment, and tell us what health concerns you would like to see our experts design a formula for next?

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Posted in Christopher Reilly L.AC, General, Korey DiRoma Naturopath, Naturopathy, Preventative Health, Ronald L. Stram MD | 2 Comments, Click Here to Add Yours »

Is Red Wine Good for You?

Friday, January 28th, 2011

By Korey DiRoma, Naturopathic Doctor 

There is much debate regarding whether red wine is beneficial for your health or not. The debate began with the observation that the French population has lower rates of heart disease compared to the American population, even though the French diet is higher in saturated fat consumption. This has been termed the “French Paradox”. The cause of this paradox is believed to be due to the higher consumption of red wine by the French. In the past 20 years, there have been many studies, including many animal studies, to investigate whether red wine is the main factor in this paradox. However, there have been very few human trials that have shown that there is a positive health benefit. More clinical trials are needed to explore these benefits.

Resveratrol is the main active ingredient in red wine that is thought to have cardiovascular health benefits. Resveratrol is found in the skin of red grapes, and also in blue berries and bilberries. Most supplement forms of resveratrol are made from the roots of Polygonum cuspidatum due to its high amounts of the active resveratrol. A 5oz glass of red wine contains about 0.3-1mg of resveratrol. The kind of grape also makes a difference, as Pinot noir has the highest amount of resveratrol. Grapes grown in warmer, dryer climates have less.

Many studies using mice have found that resveratrol has cardiovascular benefits including lowering LDL cholesterol and raising HDL cholesterol, preventing atherosclerosis, and blood thinning effects similar to aspirin. Resveratrol has also been found to be anti-inflammatory, anti-carcinogenic, and estrogenic.

Resveratrol has been shown to increase insulin sensitivity. Since insulin is a fat promoting hormone, and insulin-resistance increases fat deposition, then increasing insulin sensitivity works to lower fat deposition and improve metabolic efficiency. Resveratrol also directly stimulates lipolysis and decreases the amount of fat cells.

Resveratrol also has very weak estrogenic effects. It is unknown whether this is protective or not, similar to other phytoestrogens such as soy, and is therefore not recommended as a supplement for those with hormone sensitive cancers.

In general, it is my recommendation that small amounts of red wine, not more than 1 glass daily, along with a balanced diet low in processed foods, can have an overall positive effect on all aspects of your health.

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Posted in Cardiovascular Health, Food as Medicine, General, Korey DiRoma Naturopath, Preventative Health, Women's Health | Comments Off

The Challenges of Weight Loss, Part 2

Tuesday, January 4th, 2011

By: Korey DiRoma, ND 
As we explored in part 1, diet and exercise remains a key factor in weight loss. But what happens when these are not enough? When what has worked in the past is no longer working? There could be other factors involved that could be hindering your ability to lose weight.

 Do you have a slow metabolism or fast metabolism? Your thyroid gland plays a role in your metabolism. If it is low or hypofunctioning, this could lower your overall metabolic rate leading to weight gain. A blood test can determine your thyroid functioning.

 Sugar metabolism plays a large role in energy expenditure and fat storage. However, not all sugars act the same in our bodies. Glucose stimulates insulin secretion that then promotes the cells to take up glucose for use as energy or to store as glycogen. The presence of insulin inhibits fat breakdown for energy (because now the body is using sugar) and promotes fat cells to not only take in fat, but also to produce fat (typically in the form of triglycerides). Therefore in the presence of circulating insulin, the body is going to make and store fat. This is why insulin resistance is associated with weight gain.

Fructose on the other hand, does not stimulate insulin production. It is metabolized in the liver and stored as glycogen or fat (in the form of triglycerides). Therefore, if we are inactive and not using our glycogen store in our muscles, we will convert fructose directly to fat. This is why fructose sweetened beverages and excessive consumption of fructose may be a possible health problem and could be contributing to the obesity epidemic. 1,2,3 Glucose, insulin, and triglyceride blood tests can be performed to determine your metabolic status.

 Chronic inflammation can also lead to weight gain. Most commonly inflammation is thought of as painful or swollen joints, but chronic inflammation can brew in the body as a response to diet and environment. Inflammation may have an affect on a hormone called leptin.4,5 Leptin, mostly produced in fat cells, sends signals to the brain to decrease appetite and increase energy expenditure. Since leptin is produced in the fat cells, it circulates in our bodies proportionally to the total number of fat cells. This makes sense since leptin decreases appetite and the more fat cells there are, the less need there would be to eat. However, inflammation and too much leptin leads to leptin resistance, causing a decreased ability for leptin to decrease appetite. One way to reduce inflammation is to investigate any food allergies that could be causing chronic inflammation. I have seen success with patients who follow a personalized hypoallergenic diet according to their food allergy results and successfully lose weight. Having a personalized diet plan is often more successful than trying a diet that is marketed to the masses for weight loss.

 J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2004 Jun;89(6):2963-72.Dietary fructose reduces circulating insulin and leptin, attenuates postprandial suppression of ghrelin, and increases triglycerides in women.

Teff KL, Elliott SS, Tschöp M, Kieffer TJ, Rader D, Heiman M, Townsend RR, Keim NL, D’Alessio D, Havel PJ.Monell Chemical Senses Center, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia 19104, USA.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15181085

Nutrition. 2010 Nov-Dec;26(11-12):1044-9. Epub 2010 May 14.Fructose and metabolic diseases: new findings, new questions.

Tappy L, Lê KA, Tran C, Paquot N.  Department of Physiology, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland. luc.tappy@unil.ch

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15749839

 Am J Clin Nutr. 2004 Apr;79(4):537-43. Consumption of high-fructose corn syrup in beverages may play a role in the epidemic of obesity.

Bray GA, Nielsen SJ, Popkin BM.  Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70808, USA. brayga@pbrc.edu

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15051594

J Immunol. 2005 Mar 15;174(6):3137-42.  Leptin in immunology.

Matarese G, Moschos S, Mantzoros CS.  Gruppo di ImmunoEndocrinologia, Istituto di Endocrinologia e Oncologia Sperimenttale, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Naples, Italy

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15749839

 J Am Coll Cardiol. 2008 Oct 7;52(15):1201-10.  Leptin resistance: a possible interface of inflammation and metabolism in obesity-related cardiovascular disease.

Martin SS, Qasim A, Reilly MP.  Department of Medicine, Cardiovascular Institute, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104-6160, USA.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18926322

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The Challenges of Weight Loss, PART I

Monday, October 11th, 2010

By: Korey DiRoma, ND
As drugs for weight loss are currently seeking approval by the FDA, one has gone the way of Fen-Phen and has been pulled off the market. The drug Meridia has been on the market since 1997 and boasted claims of at least 5 percent weight loss over placebo. However, Abbot Laboratories, the maker of the drug, voluntarily pulled the drug off the market due to clinical trials showing increased risk of heart attack and stroke.

The search continues for the “one” pill that will cause weight loss. In July the FDA disapproved Qnexa for the market, a new diet pill that combines an amphetamine and an anticonvulsant. And not just drugs, but natural products are constantly being marketed as the next “fat burner”.

The problem with developing a weight loss pill or supplement is that weight gain is multi-factorial and can be different for each person. Drug companies investigate ways to suppress the appetite, decrease gut absorption of fats, and increase metabolism as quick fixes. However, there are many other factors that cause increased weight gain. And we all know the main factor, and that is high calorie processed and restaurant food. Now that New York has passed a law to put calories next to menu items, it’s no wonder why the most recent government data reports that more than 2/3 of the American population is obese or overweight. There are often very few meals under 1000 calories, and there are many that are closer to 2000 calories! For most of us, that is considered an entire days worth of calories in one meal.

The other most common factor to weight gain is lack of activity or exercise.  Walking is great exercise and perhaps one of the most common forms of exercise. However, it is not the best calorie burner. Walking for 30 minutes at a rate of 3-4 miles per hour burns about 150 calories.  Walking for 1 hour at 20 minutes per mile (3 miles per hour) burns about 240 calories. One Grand Latte from Starbucks is 272 calories, and that is without any sugar, syrups, or whipped cream. Some activities burn many more calories, for example 30 minutes of cross-country skiing burns about 390 calories, 30 min of rock climbing burns 373 calories, and playing golf while walking with bag 18 holes burns almost 2,000 calories! So as Americans, we are fighting high calorie foods with not enough activity to burn these calories. Not everyone can do these activities every day, but find an activity, preferably outdoors, that you can do at least once per week, and make them different every week. The body does better with change, rather than doing the same routine all the time. Before starting any rigorous activity, please consult with your health care provider first.

In my next blog, Part 2, I will discuss other factors of weight loss when diet and exercise alone are not working.

Posted in General, Korey DiRoma Naturopath, Nutrition, Physical Fitness, Preventative Health, Weight Loss | Comments Off

Is Coffee Good For You?

Friday, July 16th, 2010

By: Korey DiRoma, ND

Coffee has been found to have many health benefits that include a decrease risk of Parkinson’s disease, heart disease, colon cancer, and liver cirrhosis. Coffee can also improve exercise and athletic performance and is often used to prevent headaches. Now there is increasing evidence that coffee consumption can decrease risk for developing type 2 diabetes.

A recent study published in the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry demonstrated in mice that coffee reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes. Mice were fed either water or coffee, and scientists found that mice drinking coffee prevented the development of high blood sugar and increased insulin sensitivity. It is thought that this is mostly due to the caffeine content in coffee, but it is not exactly known. In another study, those drinking decaf coffee still had lower risk of developing diabetes, but by only half as much as those drinking the caffeinated versions.

Most of the health benefits from coffee come from caffeine. But coffee also contains large amounts of antioxidants. These antioxidants are more beneficial for heart health and cancer prevention.

Too much coffee can lead to jitteriness, nervousness, heart palpitations, and insomnia, and some are more affected by caffeine than others. Drinking unfiltered coffee, as with French press or espresso drinks, can raise cholesterol levels, specifically LDL levels. Caffeine can also raise blood pressure. Caffeine also inhibits anti-diuretic hormone, or ADH, which causes an increase in urination. If drinking coffee, increase the amount of your daily water intake.  Most studies use black coffee, and health benefits are diminished when adding milk and sugar or drinking sweetened espresso drinks.

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Exercise 7 Hours Per Week?

Wednesday, March 31st, 2010

By Korey DiRoma, ND

Recently there was a study published in JAMA (Journal of the American Medical Association) that concluded that women need to exercise 1 hour per day 7 days per week  to MAINTAIN weight, let alone lose weight. I have since heard on multiple T.V. and radio broadcasts about the study, and the reaction from women has not been positive, for obvious reasons. Women lead very busy lives and finding the time for 1 hour of exercise every day sounds more like burden than anything else.  So I’m writing this blog to shed some light on this study, and to clarify what the study actually concluded.

The study was published by the Department of Medicine in Brigham and Women’s Hospital at Harvard Medical School. The group was comprised of 34,079 women with an average age of 54 years old over a 15 year period. The diet was described as a “usual” diet. Three groups were followed, those exercising less than 2.5 hours per week, those exercising 2.5 to 7 hours per week, and those exercising over 7 hours per week. The exercise was defined as moderate-intensity activity.

The study concluded that all women in the group gained an average of 5.7 pounds over a 15 year period. There were only slight differences in weight gain among the groups taken in 3 year intervals, about ¼ pound. And activity level correlated with successfully maintaining weight only for those with a Body Mass Index, or BMI, of less than 25, but not for those with a BMI of greater than 25 or 30.

 So what does all of this mean? There does not seem to be large enough differences in weight gain between the different exercise groups. And the only group who actually maintained weight, defined as <5 pounds over 15 years, were those who already had a normal BMI of less than 25.

 As far as exercise is concerned, some activity is better than no activity. So don’t feel that you need to exercise 1 hour per day every day to maintain your weight. Plus in this study moderate-intensity activity was defined as brisk walking, dancing, or gardening. Higher intensity exercises typically require less time, because they burn more calories. And we all know that the more weight loss equals calories in minus calories out. What I have found is that many of us are not exercising with enough intensity, and eating too many high calorie foods. So my recommendation is to find an activity you like to do (it doesn’t always mean going to the gym) like hiking, swimming, kayaking, golfing, biking, running, etc. and do it often. The more you enjoy your activity, the more likely you will actually do it

Posted in General, Korey DiRoma Naturopath, Physical Fitness, Preventative Health, Weight Loss, Women's Health | Comments Off

Is Chocolate Healthy for You? Here’s What You Need to Know!

Monday, September 14th, 2009

By: Korey DiRoma, ND
There aren’t too many people that I know that don’t like or even crave chocolate. Why is this so?  Simply,  chocolate contains certain chemicals that are  known to improve mood, but research also shows chocolate to have many important  health benefits.

Some of us may have heard that dark chocolate contains “antioxidants” that are beneficial for us. But which antioxidants, how much of them, and how are they good for us?

Catechins and epicatechins are bioflavinoids that act as antioxidants and are found in cocoa, tea leaves (green and black) and wine. Catechins and the consumption of dark chocolate have been shown to significantly induce vasodilation of heart blood vessels, increase heart circulation, and decrease platelet adhesion, or act as a blood thinner  http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17984375?ordinalpos=1&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_DiscoveryPanel.Pubmed_RVAbstractPlus 
These effects are seen as early as 2 hours after ingestion of 1.5 ounces of cocoa.  One study published in JAMA found that of pre-hypertensive and Stage I hypertensive individuals with no other health conditions, eating as little as 6 g of dark chocolate daily for 18 weeks, lowered their blood pressure on average by 3 points. And, hypertension prevalence within the group decreased from 86% to 68% http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17609490?ordinalpos=1&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_DiscoveryPanel.Pubmed_RVAbstractPlus  .

What is this now, you say from eating dark chocolate?! Yes… These potent antioxidants help to reduce blood pressure, increase vascular flow in the heart, thin the blood, and reduce inflammation in the body. Sounds like a good thing to me!

Norman Hollenburg, a professor of medicine at Harvard medical school, has gone as far as saying that the epicatechins found in cocoa should be considered a vitamin. Although non-essential, the health effects as stated above, can help to reduce 4 of 5 of the main diseases in the United States; heart disease, cancer, stroke, and diabetes http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/03/070311202024.htm.

So how much of these antioxidants are really in cocoa? It must be a small amount, because something so good couldn’t be that good for you, right? Well, cocoa has up to 3 TIMES more of these flavonoids than does red wine, green tea, and black tea. Therefore, cocoa has more health benefits than red wine and tea
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14640573?ordinalpos=15&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_DefaultReportPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum

Another type of chemical found in cocoa are methylxanthines, and these include caffeine and theobromine. Theobromine, just as caffeine, has stimulatory affects, and has been hypothesized to cause the “addictive” effects of chocolate. Even though theobromine can increase the heart rate, it also acts as a vasodilator, thereby reducing blood pressure. Theobromine is also a natural diuretic, so can help alleviate swelling and high blood pressure due to water retention. It can also help to reduce asthma symptoms, as it is relaxes smooth muscles which causes the bronchioles to dilate, or “open up”. In fact theophylline, an older drug used for asthma, is also a methylxanthine like theobromine.

This may seem a little science intensive, so the bottom line is, what does this mean for me? It appears that eating about 1 ounce of cocoa, or at least 60% dark chocolate, as much as 4-5 times per week, could be of great health benefit. This does mean pure DARK CHOCOLATE! White chocolate does not contain cocoa. Commercial chocolates, chocolate ice cream, cakes, pastries, and candy, do not have the same health benefits. For one, many of these contain milk chocolate, which is high in saturated fat, and added sugar. Secondly, manufactures strip all the flanvonoids from the chocolate because they taste bitter. Yes, real cocoa is bitter, and hence better for you! There is a fine line between eating too much chocolate and gaining the health benefits, so this is not a license to eat dark chocolate all day every day. Again, about 1 ounce daily is more than enough to improve your health.

Posted in Food as Medicine, Korey DiRoma Naturopath, Nutrition, Preventative Health | 2 Comments, Click Here to Add Yours »

How Dangerous is Acetaminophen?

Wednesday, July 15th, 2009

By: Korey DiRoma, Naturopathic Doctor

Acetaminophen, the active ingredient in Tylenol and many cold and flu medications, has come under fire recently by the FDA. It has been known for many years that acetaminophen can damage the liver at high levels, but what most people are not aware of is that these levels are just 4,000mg per day. With extra strength Tylenol doses being 500mg each, this is only eight Tylenol per day. Acetaminophen is also in cold and flu meds such as NyQuil and Theraflu, so if combined with Tylenol, it is easy to lose track of the dosing. Also, if combined with alcohol or for habitual drinkers, say two glasses of red wine per night, the toxicity to the liver increases.

Acetaminophen overdose leading to acute liver failure is becoming more frequent. According to an FDA memo, 110,000 visits to the emergency room were related to acetaminophen, as well as several hundred cases of acute liver failure. Acetaminophen is also the number one reason people need liver transplants for acute liver failure, says Ronald Busuttil, chairman of surgery and chief of liver transplantation at UCLA Medical Center.
The FDA is proposing stricter and clearer labeling, and possibly coming with a black-box warning. They are also proposing to lower the maximum daily dosage of acetaminophen, and looking to remove acetaminophen from some prescription drugs such as Vicodin.

So what are our options for pain relievers?

Many people choose acetaminophen- containing products because they do not have the same gastrointestinal side effects as ibuprofen or naproxen. But acetaminophen is also not directly anti-inflammatory, but acts on our brain to reduce the sensation of pain. As a Naturopathic Doctor, I look to use a more holistic approach to pain management. There are many natural herbs, enzymes, and nutrients that are naturally anti-inflammatory, and best of all, with no side effects! Together with dietary modifications and the use of acupuncture, you can potentially be pain free without the use of toxic pain medications.

Posted in Korey DiRoma Naturopath, Pain Management, Preventative Health | 2 Comments, Click Here to Add Yours »

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