April 11, 2012
By Georgianna Donadio, MSc, DC, PhD
What exactly is “integrated or whole health nutrition”? The word integrated when added to nutrition describes an approach taken to understanding nutrition from a whole person perspective.
The human being is made of of many aspects that come together to determine who they are, how they live and what their quality of life is. The way we think, behave, treat others, lives work and even eat are all inter-connected and are integrated with one another.
For many people they way they eat is compartmentalized from their big picture understanding of themselves. By exploring the various motivational triggers in our lives for both constructive and not so constructive behavior, we can experience an authentic control and understanding of “what makes us tick”.
I am personally a very health conscious individual, exercising 75 minutes a day with the vast majority of my meals consisting of living plant foods. The other afternoon a very close friend announced devastating new that sent me out of my office reeling with distress and I immediately knew I wanted a carbohydrate fix.
Not the kind of carbohydrate that by-passes insulin and is high in fiber, phytonutrients and rich in minerals and vitamin A and C, but the processed kind that had lots of sugar and calories in it that would result in significantly high levels of serotonin being secreted into my blood stream so my brain could take a step back, chill out and process the information I just received.
The idea of “integrated” nutrition or integrated exercise, meditation, yoga, working, lifetyle or any other aspect of our lives is to have a whole picture understanding of how the food or behavior is integrated into our whole self and into the larger perspective of what motivates and directs our behavior choices.
Yes, indeed, I felt quite sick after pouring the sweet, crunchy snacks into my stomach, but I also was able to give myself some self-medication with the food that lowered my anxiety level and allowed me to emotionally process the news I received in a way that was less distressing and more constructive than if I would have NOT eaten the serotonin provoking foods.
The most important thing about the choices we make is whether or not we make them consciously. Integrative nutrition is not always pure, living, green and healthy nutrition – but it is about the whole experience of how, why and what we eat.
With all good wishes,
Georgianna
Copyright 2011 G. Donadio
February 16, 2012
By Georgianna Donadio, MSc, DC, PhD
Here is a very interesting bit of research. Although I have shared this information on a national blog I write for, the information was so interesting that I wanted to share it again, here with you.
Last year there was a study conducted at the University of Kentucky, College of Arts and Sciences, that was examining the connection and possible overlap between physical pain and emotional pain. This particular study had 62 participants who were filling out the “Hurt Feeling Scale”, a self-assessment tool which measures an individual’s reaction to distressing experiences. In addition, the study was using doses of the active ingredient in Tylenol, acetaminophen, as art of its protocol.
The researchers separated the study volunteers into two groups. The first group, after filling out their self-assessment tools, were given 1,000 mg of the acetaminophen. This is a dose that is equal to one Extra Strength Tylenol. The control group however, received a placebo instead of the acetaminophen.
The finding from this study showed that the control group without the acetaminphen, after three weeks, did not experience any change in the amount of intensity of “hurt” feeling during the three week period. However, the group that did receive the active ingredient reported a noticeable reduction of “hurt” feelings on a regular, day-today basis.
The outcomes were so interesting that the researchers started a second study cohort group of 25 different volunteers, but this time upped the amount of acetaminophen to 2,000 mg daily and added computer games that were designed to create social rejection and a feeling of isolation in the participants. Also new to the study was MRI scanning which were able to identify when the participants had feelings of social rejection occur.
Now here is the “gold” of this research – the outcomes demonstrated that the area of the brain where emotional discomfort is felt is the same location that the physical pain is experienced in. This would explain why the group that was taking the acetaminophen, while having not physical pain, reported less feelings of hurt and rejection than the group that was not taking the acetaminophen but rather a placebo substance.
Geoff MacDonald, PhD, an associate professor of psychology at the University of Toronto who is an expert in romantic relationships, co-authored this study. MacDonald states that our brain pain centers cannot tell the difference between physical pain and emotional pain.
So, while Tylenol is not recommended to be used routinely as it can lead to liver and digestive system disturbances, knowing that it can take away the pain of a broken heart, it may soon be that our therapists as well as our physicians will recommendation that we “take two Tylenol and call me in the morning” for heartache as well as for headache!
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/227298.php http://web.psych.utoronto.ca/gmacdonald/Research%20Interests.html
With all good wishes,
Georgianna
Copyright 2012, G. Donadio All Rights Reserved
February 5, 2012
By Georgianna Donadio, MSc, DC, PhD
Are organic vegetables healthier? Do they have more nutrients than conventionally grown vegetables? Several years ago scientists at Rutgers University set-out to specifically disprove any claim that organic produce was more nutritious than non-organic produce. The study used produce from supermarkets and health food stores. The main focus was to analyze the mineral content of the various vegetables and compare them for nutrition value, in particular, mineral content.
The term used today to identify non-organic produce is “commercial” which is grown using a variety of chemicals that either destroys plant pests or chemicals that can enhance plant growth. Many of these chemical are known carcinogens as well as being toxic to the soil and environment.
There has actually been very little “hard data” to prove that organic produce is in any way superior to organic produce, as most folks who purchase “organic” simply believe innately that naturally grown vegetables and fruits, without chemicals and pesticides are intuitively better and healthier.
While the researchers were willing to accept an outcome that might show a very slightly higher content in the organic produce than the commercial, due to the chemicals used to grow the commercial plants, the outcomes of the study shocked the researchers! When they saw that the amount of iron found in the commercial spinach was 97% higher than in the non-organic spinach and that manganese was 99% higher in the organic over the commercial, they were truly amazed. In the commercially grown vegetables many trace elements were completely absent compared to the organic produce where they were abundant.
Here are some comparisons:
• Snap Beans org = 10.45 phosphorus compared to 4.04 in commercial
Snap Beans org = .36 magnesium compared to .22 in commercial
Snap Beans org = 227 boron compared to 10 in commercial
Snap Beans org = 69 iron compared to 3 in commercial
• Cabbage org = 10.38 phosphorus compared to 6.12 in commercial
Cabbage org = .38 magnesium compared to .18 in commercial
Cabbage org = 94 boron compared to 20 in commercial
Cabbage org = 48 iron compared to .04 in commercial
• Lettuce org = 24.48 phosphorus compared to 7.01 in commercial
Lettuce org = .43 magnesium compared to .22 in commercial
Lettuce org = 516 boron compared to 9 in commercial
Lettuce org = 60 iron compared to 3 in commercial
• Tomatoes org = 14.2 phosphorus compared to 7.01 in commercial
Tomatoes org = .35 magnesium compared to .16 in commercial
Tomatoes org = 1938 boron compared to 1 commercial
Tomatoes org = 53 iron compared to 0 in commercial
• Spinach org = 28.56 phosphorus compared to 12.38 in commercial
Spinach org = .52 magnesium compared to .27 in commercial
Spinach org = 1584 compared to 49 in commercial
Spinach org = 32 iron compared to .3 in commercial
Here’s a disturbing outcome of this study – in all 5 of the tested vegetables: snap beans, cabbage, lettuce, tomatoes and spinach the organic vegetables all contained healthy levels of cobalt, an essential trace mineral compared to the commercial vegetables which contain none!
So, the next time someone tries to argue that there is no difference between organic and commercial vegetables you can share this information with them and then happily buy your organic produce!
With all good wishes,
G
© by NIWH 2012 all rights reserved
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