It’s back to school time and nothing can ruin teens’ confidence (or adults for that matter) like acne can. We know that your diet affects your complexion. My teenage son is the perfect example. He is so sensitive to the wrong things in his diet that even a piece of bread shows up on his skin. He’s so acutely aware of this that he won’t even go near starches – and he’s a seventeen year old boy!

Believe it or not, the same dietary issues we talk about as the roots of diabetes and heart disease also cause acne in our kids (and adults). When you eat junk, aka pop tarts, soda pop, chips and cookies, sugary cereals, etc. you are eating what dietitians call easily digested carbohydrate (EDC). EDC are such small molecules that when you eat them, they go straight to the stomach and barely any digestion is needed. EDC causes an immediate blood sugar spike. And guess what? That spike feels good. You get a sugar rush and a serotonin release, but then your blood sugar crashes and when you take that turn, you get irritable and crabby and low energy and that makes you want to eat more EDC and spike that sugar again. Spiking and crashing goes on all day from morning until night. Every spike and crash causes inflammation and inflammation leads to disease. In teens and even some adults, that inflammation manifests itself as acne.

When you stop spiking and crashing your sugar, your skin clears. How do you do that? By eating a diet of fruits and vegetables and lean protein. Replace the morning pop tarts with lean protein and two colors from fruits or vegetables. In fact, two colors and a lean protein choice should be the rule morning, noon and night. This keeps your blood sugar nice and even and prevents those inflammation-causing spikes. Remember, nothing tastes that good to be worth having really bad skin. Why resort to potentially dangerous drugs like Accutane and others if you don’t have to?

Remember,
Fruits and Vegetables
+
Protein
=
Clear Skin.

Next week – My teenage daughter tests our spiking and crashing theory – and the results aren’t pretty!

By Joan and James O’Keefe

Omega 3 is one of the most common nutrient deficiencies in Americans
today. For those at risk for or with diagnosed cardiovascular diseases,
it’s very difficult to get enough DHA and EPA (the two omega-3 fats
that benefit heart health and are found only in fish) from diet alone.
We recommend supplementing with 1,000 mg of DHA and EPA daily (more for
those with high triglycerides or other conditions – speak with your
physician regarding dosing). DHA appears to be the most important of
the two.

We have long compared omega-3 deficiency with sailors and scurvy. Years
ago, sailors discovered that limes cured/prevented scurvy. Of course,
we now know that scurvy is the result of severe vitamin C deficiency.
How many conditions/diseases will treating severe omega-3 deficiencies
prevent?

Most people get more than enough omega-6 fats in their diets. There’s
no reason to supplement with omega-6.

Omega-3 deficiency may be hurting our hearts (Read article from msnbc)

Chronic inflammation is the common denominator behind about 80 percent of the diseases that sap our vitality, ravage our health, and eventually kill us. Inflammation will seek out and attack you at your most vulnerable spots. If you pay close attention to how you feel after eating a high-calorie junk food meal, like a large cheeseburger with fries and a Coke, especially if you also happen to be stressed or sleep deprived, you can pick up clues about some of your weak spots.

The amount that your blood glucose rises after eating is one of the most important predictors of how healthy and vigorous you will be in the long run. Ironically, because your doctor will probably only measure a sugar and cholesterol profile after you have been fasting, you may never know about this problem. Multiple times each day you may be spiking your blood sugar into ranges that cause inflammation, and disease and you are probably completely oblivious to this major determinant of your health, appearance, brain function and longevity. Junk food and most of the other popular, processed food and beverage choices in modern America cause sudden post-meal surges in the blood sugar and fats that stimulate free-radicals and inflammation—basically rusting you from the inside out, and predisposing you to premature aging, and diseases like Alzheimer’s, cancer, stroke, heart attacks and diabetes.

Ideally, your blood sugar shouldn’t rise above 100 to 110 after a meal. To do this, you will need to eat a healthy, balanced diet, keep your serving sizes reasonable and stay very physically active. The more excess belly fat you carry, the bigger the spikes in your blood glucose and fat levels after eating a meal; so make it a priority to keep your waist size to less than half your height in inches.

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By Joan O’Keefe, RD

Summer is unofficially here and now is the time to make a choice. How are you going to spend it? Are you going to sit indoors watching reality television or are you going to improve your health by getting outside?

That’s right. Sunshine will actually improve your health. When you’re outdoors on a sunny day, not only do you get to breathe fresh air, relax, take a break from stress, and enjoy the landscape, you’re improving your vitamin D levels as well. Unlike other vitamins and nutrients, Vitamin D is actually made inside our bodies in response to sunlight. It turns out, humans are solar-powered. Our mood, immunity and risk for major diseases are all affected by our Vitamin D levels. Vitamin D deficiency is linked to diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure, weaker bones, higher risk of heart attacks, increased asthma risk, increased chances of developing the metabolic syndrome and increased risk for certain cancers, particularly breast and colon. Vitamin D affects our cognitive performance and is indicated in dementia. Everyday aches and pains are oftentimes symptoms of inadequate Vitamin D.

Vitamin D boosts immunity. Our ancestors were hunter-gatherers; they were outside all day with no sunscreen and were physically active. Now we’re hunkered down in houses and offices all day. Now, we need antibiotics for everything. It is against human nature to be inside all day. When we lived and worked outside, the sunshine was our natural immunity booster.

The choice is yours. All it takes is about 20 minutes of sunshine (no sunscreen) per day to soak up the vitamin D. If your skin is very dark, you are obese, or elderly, you may need more time. I recommend you visit your doctor and KNOW YOUR NUMBERS. Vitamin D levels are easily checked with a simple blood test. Ideally, vitamin D levels should be between 50 and 70. Keeping your levels in this range is tricky. Lifestyle plays a role in our vitamin D levels. You have to be vigilant about sun exposure (during the summer months – it is impossible to make vitamin D in the winter months above 37 degrees latitude – around Atlanta, GA). I recommend a supplement with 2,000 IU Vitamin D3 daily, especially if you are not getting adequate sun exposure every day.