DR. TERI GOETZ
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Category Archives: autoimmune and chronic disease

The Health Benefits of Coconut Milk

Posted on by Teri Goetz

(aka Saturated fat in coconut milk touted as good for you!)

Coconut milk is so good, it tastes like it should be bad for you! Instead, it’s one of the healthiest “milks” you can ingest.

Not to be confused with coconut water (rich in certain electrolytes and higher in sugar) which you derive from young coconuts, coconut milk is a nutrition powerhouse. It is called a milk because it is used the way we use dairy milk. Coconut “milk” comes from older coconut meat, which replaces the water of the younger coconut. What makes coconut milk so nutritious is its healthy saturated fatty acids — but not the kind that raises your cholesterol — as well as a host of vitamins and minerals.

Not all saturated fat is created equal

IMG_0621
The health benefits of homemade coconut milk

The fat-free craze is way over and it’s time to wrap your brain around the fact that you have to eat healthy fats to stay healthy and trim! People who eat “healthy fats” tend to eat less and are more satiated. These fats also seem to speed up your metabolism, as well. Coconut milk is being touted as good for your immune system, skin, hair, and heart health, and weight loss. All of these benefits seem to be the real thing! New research indicates that not eating enough “healthy fat” is actually making us fatter!

I know it gets confusing — low-fat, low-sugar, vegetarian, eat-meat, don’t eat meat — we’ve been told to do all of these things. All I can say is I follow the research. And research today is pointing to the fact that we’ve been eating low-fat for years and we are fatter and sicker than we’ve ever been. We are a population that has a sky-rocketing obesity rate (for adults and kids) and are on the road to 50% of us having diabetes by 2050.

Mark Hyman, MD points out in his latest book, Eat Fat, Get Thin:

In 1960, 1 out of 100 people in America had type 2 diabetes; today that ratio has changed to 1 out of 10 people, a tenfold increase. Since the 1980s, rates of type 2 diabetes have gone up 700 percent. In 1960 only 1 in 7 Americans was obese; now it is 1 in 3, and it is projected that 1 out of every 2 Americans will be obese by the year 2050. In 1980, there were almost no cases of type 2 diabetes in children. By the year 2000, nearly 1 in 10 kids was pre-diabetic or had full-blown type 2 diabetes. By 2008, nearly 1 out of every 4 teenagers was pre-diabetic or had type 2 diabetes.

Let’s look at the fat and benefits of Coconut Milk:

Coconut milk contains lauric acid, antimicrobial lipids, and capric acid, which have antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral properties. Lauric acid is a medium chain saturated fatty acid (MCFA) known to help the elasticity of blood vessels. MCFAs are metabolized pretty quickly by the liver, and unlike other saturated fats, it’s believed that they’re not stored in the body as fat and instead used as energy (not clogging arteries!). Lauric acid (also found in breast milk) is converted into monolaurin, which is an anti-viral and antibacterial substance that destroys a large variety of disease-causing organisms. Monolaurin has also been shown to promote both brain development and bone health. A milk that has that kind of good fat, as well as being anti-viral and antibacterial, has my vote!

Other benefits of Coconut milk

This yummy beverage is high in anti-oxidants (which go after bad free-radicals which cause diseases like Alzheimer’s, heart problems and cancer). It contains C, E (improves immune system) and several B vitamins (increases cellular energy) as well as magnesium (important for many cell processes, helps stabilize blood sugar and, along with the calcium found in coconut milk, soothes nerves and helps stabilize blood pressure), phosphorus (good for bones and teeth), iron (good for red blood cells and transporting oxygen throughout the body), selenium (works as an anti-oxidant and relieves joint pain associated with free-radicals) and potassium (good for promoting healthy organ tissues in the body like brain, kidney and heart).

Coconut milk has been used to promote digestion and seems to have a positive impact on stomach ulcers and acid reflux.

Skin and Hair

Containing vitamin E and fats, it is helpful for shiny healthy hair and glowing supple skin. It helps decrease hair loss while promoting hair growth and nourishing the hair. Some use coconut milk to cleanse the skin and help remove dead skin cells, leaving behind a well-hydrated, smooth appearance.

So, I hope I’ve convinced you to eat more healthy fat, and why coconut milk is a great alternative to cow’s milk!

Remember, here’s the great recipe for coconut (and cashew nut) milk again.

What’s in your Coconut Milk or Almond Milk?

Posted on by Teri Goetz

IMG_0737Coconut and nut milks may be healthier alternatives to cow’s milk for many people, especially those following a paleo or elimination diet. For most adults, cutting down or cutting out dairy is a great idea. From a Chinese medicine perspective, dairy is basically phlegm! And, if you are like most Americans, your diet is already full of mucus producing, inflammatory foods.

I recommend coconut, nut, or rice milks as alternatives to my patients, but there are definitely some issues to consider, especially if you have any kind of digestive issues including IBS or IBD.

Many packaged non-dairy milks like coconut milk and almond milk as well as non-dairy (whole food) creamers contain the following dicey ingredients:

sugars – Probably goes without saying, but um, sugar is killing us. Refined is worse.

guar gum – There has been a bit of controversy over this so I’ll go into it a bit more. Made from the seeds of the guar or cluster bean plant, it thickens foods, improves texture, and stabilizes ingredients. Used since the 50s, guar gum is also added to foods to boost fiber content. It is generally considered safe, though not necessarily as a supplement as it can block the esophagus in larger quantities because it holds 20 times its volume in water, among other issues. However, guar gum poses some potential problems. Consuming guar gum powders while eating may significantly reduce the absorption of antioxidant carotenoids, such as beta carotene, lycopene, and lutein found in many vegetables.

Guar gum has been studied and seems pretty safe if you don’t have a gut issue like SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth) or a leaky gut (and more people have leaky gut than realize it).

Because of its high fiber content it can cause gas and bloating, but, interestingly, studies have shown that it actually reduces blood glucose and insulin demands with supplementation, and may help with weight management. Long term studies have yet to bear this out. The jury is still out on this one.

carrageenan – Made from red seaweed, this ingredient is found in many health-food products as a thickener and emulsifier and found in many health-food products. If it’s from seaweed it must be healthy, right? Not so much. It turns out that it causes inflammation in the body and increased intestinal permeability (leaky gut), and has been linked to colon irritation and ulcers. It appears to trigger an immune response just like when a pathogen like Salmonella enters the body. Some say it’s okay in moderation, others say uh-uh, and that it is potentially carcinogenic.

According to veteran carrageenan researcher Joanne Tobacman, MD as reported in Prevention, “Carrageenan predictably causes inflammation, which can lead to ulcerations and bleeding.” Not to mention it has no nutritional value. That’s all I need to hear!

titanium dioxide – Famously used as a sunscreen and colorant, titanium dioxide is also used in many paints, papers, and skin products. (Why are we eating this?) It has been linked to cancer in rats in some studies.

dipotassium phosphate – This chemical, which is used to control acidity and prevent coagulation, is generally regarded as “safe”…but I’d rather not add it to my diet.

Bisphenol-A (BPA): Welcome to the packaging dilemma. BPA is used in consumer goods from reusable drink containers to DVDs to auto parts. It’s also used to line many cans, as well. It is leached out from the lining or container when it comes in contact with high fat, salty, or acidic contents. So, if you’re buying canned coconut milk (or anything!), make sure it says, BPA-free!

The CDC found 93% of adults had BPA in their urine! (PS, quite unnerving is that it’s also in baby formula packaging.)

So what to do?

I personally can’t digest milk very well and it definitely causes inflammation in me, so I have to do without, or substitute. For a few years I was buying packaged milk alternatives and suddenly I started to develop digestive problems and increased pain in my joints. The light bulb went off in my head: maybe it’s the additives and gums in the packaged milks! I was never particularly comfortable with them, but felt I didn’t have much choice. Sure enough, I took them out of my diet and everything returned to normal. I learned how to make my own milks at home for a fraction of the price. They are tastier, cleaner, and healthier.

I have to mention one other thing about almond milk in particular (and I’m totally going to bum your high on this one). Growing almonds and making almond milk has a huge and negative imprint on the environment. According to Mother Jones, “Given that it takes 1.1 gallons of water to grow a single almond in California, where 80 percent of the world’s almonds are produced, drenching the finished product in yet more water seems insane”

And, they point out, it’s not nearly as nutritious as a handful of almonds.

The bottom line is that we have to balance this all out and consider our impact on the environment as well as human rights issues. Buying organic and fair trade, whenever possible, will help.

So, this environmental argument could be made for cows, too, but that’s not what this article is about! I am talking about unnecessary added ingredients…and there you have it.

Now, let me show you how completely easy it is to make your own coconut or cashew nut milk!

Next week, I’ll talk about the benefits of coconut and nut milks!

Enjoy ~

Fast and Easy Coconut Milk

Ingredients

1.5 – 2 cups flaked unsweetened coconut (more will make a thicker milk)
4 cups of hot (not boiled) water.
optional: vanilla extract or cinnamon
1 or 2 dates for sweetness (if you don’t want sugar, avoid this)

Tools:

blender
cheesecloth of “nut milk bag”
bowl glass jar or bottle to store milk in

Put it all in a blender and mix for 2-3 minutes in a Vitamix or other high-powered blender, and a few minutes more for a regular blender.

Set cheesecloth or nut bag over a bowl and pour blended mixture over it, squeezing out the milk. (You’ll get quite a bit of milk by squeezing, but watch your hands—it can be hot.)

If you need to do it in two stages, add half the water to all the coconut and finish the process as above. Transfer pulp back into blender with remaining water and repeat.

Delicious home-made cashew milk

Ingredients:

1 cup of raw, unsalted cashews, soaked overnight in water
3 cups of hot (but not boiled) water.
optional: vanilla extract or cinnamon
1 or 2 dates for sweetness (if you don’t want sugar, avoid this)

You essentially follow the same process as for coconut milk above! How easy is that? The only difference here is that I actually don’t strain my cashew nut milk because I like the fiber and it’s pretty indistinguishable to me.

Try both of these right after they’re made, when they’re hot and fresh. What a winter treat!

How and Why? Bone Broth for Your Health

Posted on by Teri Goetz

broth-goodBone Broth: the Why

While wild animals and grandma know best, now there’s science to back up their wisdom. Scientific studies now provide clear evidence that the gut microbiome is key to ultimate health. Why? Without getting too technical, there is a gut/brain axis and when we have a healthy gut, we have a healthy brain. And when the brain is affected by trauma, it can affect the gut. It goes both ways.

When the gut is compromised, we have what’s called a leaky gut, and you can read a bit more about that here later.  What’s important to know is that the single lining of epithelial cells in both the gut (and now we’re learning, the brain too) is actually fairly easily breached. When that happens, particles leave the intestines and actually enter the bloodstream, wreaking havoc. Leaky gut is now believed to be one of the keys to autoimmune disease, irritable bowel, joint diseases, mood disorders like anxiety and depression, arthritis, and even Alzheimer’s.

Bone broths help both the cause and the symptom, something Western pharmaceuticals tend not to be able to do (see, food IS medicine!). In other words, the “medicines” within the broth ease our joint pain, and go to the root of the problem: a leaky gut and less than stellar performance of the gut-brain axis.

When made properly, bone broths produce amazing health results. Bones can be up to 50% protein by volume, and when you add in the connective tissue that binds them, that number only increases. Bonus prize: that bone protein? It’s anti-inflammatory!

Another key component of bones, as well as skin, nails, joints, and all cartilage and connective tissue, is collagen. During the cooking process, that collagen is broken down into gelatin, another protein. While gelatin doesn’t contain all essential amino acids to form a complete protein, it contains something very important: non-essential amino acids like glycine, proline, and arginine, all of which have very special functions in the body.

I want to talk about glycine because of its importance in decreasing inflammation, improving gut health, and detoxifying. Glycine has been shown to help with colitis and other inflammatory conditions. Importantly, glutamine, which is synthetized from glycine, (and glutamic acid and cysteine), is necessary for a healthy gut lining, lymphocyte production, and cell-mediated immunity. It also helps produce the “mother of all antioxidants,” glutathione.

There’s more. Glycine helps stimulate stomach acid—and that’s a GOOD thing! Here’s why— there’s a lot of evidence that shows that reflux, GERD, and other acid problems actually come from lack of stomach acid (so taking proton pump inhibitors actually serves to worsen the very problem it is supposed to treat!). Glycine also helps produce bile acid, which helps you break down your fats, and helps the liver’s detoxification function. BTW, as if all that is not enough, glycine also helps you relax and has been shown to improve sleep.

Besides helping the gut lining, bone broths are also incredibly healing for joint-related diseases like rheumatoid and osteoarthritis. For one thing, it contains GAGs (glycosaminoglycans) like glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate. While a lot of people take these as supplements, the medical literature is not showing consistent results. However, when you get these things from food sources (like collagen extracted in a bone broth), the improvement seems to be better and more consistent.

One of the lessons we always seem to be relearning is that taking as much of our nutrition from nature—from the whole plant or animal—is always best!

Bone Broth: the How

You can use any animal bones, but the most beneficial are marrow bones (there’s a whole lot of information on the benefits of marrow in the paleo blogs). I tend to use whole chickens, because I love the flavor and as an ex-vegetarian, it’s more palatable.

RECIPE

Ingredients:

4 lbs of beef bones (with marrow and a little meat on them) or a whole roasted chicken.

2 onions quartered

1-2 leeks cut into 2-inch chunks

2-4 celery stalks, cut into 2 inch chunks

2-4 unpeeled carrots and/or parsnips cut into 2 inch chunks

garlic to taste. (I like a lot of roasted garlic, at least half a head!)

2 TB peppercorns

1 TB oregano or other favorite herbs

2-3 bay leaves

1 TB apple cider vinegar

salt to taste

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 400-450 degrees

Toss bones or chicken, half of the carrots, parsnips (if using), and celery and all of the garlic into a baking pan. Roast for 20 minutes. Toss after 15-20 minutes and let cook for another 10-15 minutes. Using roasted bones provides a much richer broth in terms of flavor and nutrients.

If using chicken, remove meat from bones (or you can leave it on if you don’t want to eat it). Place bones (with some meat) and all vegetables, pan drippings and fat into a large stockpot, with approximately 12 cups of water. Add more if needed. Add chopped leeks, second onion, a couple of freshly chopped carrots and celery. (This second addition of veggies is not necessary. I think it adds another layer of flavor.) Add the apple cider vinegar (which helps draw nutrients out of the bones).

Cover the pot and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce heat to low, and cook with lid ajar. You can skim the foam off the top, but it does contain a fair amount of protein if it doesn’t bother you. You can skim excess fat if you must, as well. Let it simmer for at least 8 hours, but 24 would be ideal. The longer you simmer it, the fuller the flavor. Add water as necessary to keep the bones submerged. Feel free to add more garlic toward the end of the cooking, as well.

Let cool slightly, then strain into a bowl.

You can drink as is, or use it as a base for soups, sauces, or even smoothies. (You can scoop a couple of tablespoons of gelatin out of the chilled broth.)

Keeps for about 5 days, 6 months if frozen.

NOTES:

For beef bone broth, you might want to cook it even longer – up to 48 hours.
Fish bone broth can also be made but in less time – approximately 8 hours.

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