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What is Vitamin D? What is the Vitamin D Controversy? Am I Vitamin D Deficient?

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Hi friends! Today we are chatting about Vitamin D, another common nutrient of concern for people on plant-based diets. Heck, this is a nutrient lots of people are concerned about, and the vitamin often comes up in the popular media. So what is Vitamin D? What is the “vitamin D controversy?” How do you know if you are vitamin D deficient? Read on for more vitamin D information!

Disclaimer: As always, this is general information intended for healthy adults. Your needs may vary based on medical status, lifestyle, or life-stage. Please never replace generalized health information you’ve read online with individualized clinical care.

What is vitamin D?

Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that is found naturally in a very small number of foods. Most people get their vitamin D from fortified foods, and/or the sun.

There are two main dietary forms of vitamin D: vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol) and vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol), which differ in their side-chain structure.

Vitamin D2 is manufactured by UV radiation of ergosterol in yeast, and D3 is manufactured via irradiation of 7-dehydrocholesterol from lanolin. Lanolin is a sheep product, and thus, some do not consider this form of vitamin D purely vegan*.

Both D2 and D3 are well-absorbed. It seems many believe that D3 is somehow superior; in reality, both are considered to be well-absorbed and effective at raising serum levels of vitamin D, with the only major difference being that at very high doses, D2 may be less potent than D3. 

*This is why some people do not consider fortified cereals like Cheerios to be 100% vegan; If you are vegan and confused on what to think on the topic, as I am no moral authority on the topic, I encourage you to make the judgement that feels right to you. 

What does vitamin D do?

Vitamin D has many functions in the body. It helps promote calcium absorption in the gut by up-regulating a transcription factor that leads to more calcium receptors to rise to the surface of the intestinal tract, and take in calcium. This helps the body maintain adequate blood levels of calcium and phosphate, which support normal mineralization of bones.

Vitamin D is also important for bone growth and remodeling, as well as cellular growth, immune and neuromuscular function. It can also help play a role in reducing inflammation, and many genes that encode proteins that regulate cell proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis are modulated in some capacity by vitamin D. 

How much vitamin D do you need?

The RDA for vitamin D is listed in IU and mcg below. For reference, 40IU is equivalent to 1mcg.

  • 0-12 months:  400IU (10mcg)
  • 1-13 years: 600IU (15mcg)
  • 14-70 years: 600IU (15mcg)
  • >70 years: 800IU (20mcg)
  • Pregnant/breastfeeding: 600IU(15mcg)

What foods contain vitamin D?

As mentioned above, very few foods naturally contain vitamin D. Some fatty fish (like tuna, salmon, and mackerel) contain good sources of vitamin D, and small amounts can be found in egg yolks and beef liver. 

Some mushrooms contain vitamin D2, although the amounts they contain varies. Treating mushrooms with UV radiation has been shown to increase their vitamin D2 content. 

Most Americans get the vitamin D in their diet from fortified foods. Milk, for example, is voluntarily fortified in the United States, and contains about 100IU/cup. Plant-milks are also often fortified with vitamin D; the exact amount varies brand to brand, so be sure to check labels. 

Cereal is also often fortified with vitamin D, although organic and natural brands are typically not fortified. Again, read labels to check how much your favorite products have!

Here are some food sources of vitamin D: 

  • Salmon (3 ounces): [447IU/112% DV]
  • Fortified orange juice (1 cup, check labels as fortification values vary): [137 IU/34% DV]
  • Fortified milk (1 cup): [115-124IU/29-31%]
  • Mushrooms (1 cup): [~2-17IU, depending on variety, 0.3-3%]
  • Swiss cheese (1 ounce): [6IU/2%] 
  • Fortified cereal: Example – Cheerios (1 cup): [3.4ug/10%]

Vitamin D from Sun Exposure

That’s right, vitamin D, the “sunshine vitamin,” can absolutely be obtained from the sun. In fact, a lot of people meet at least some of their vitamin D needs via sun exposure. 

Vitamin D is the only vitamin you can make endogenously (meaning on your own) in your skin, which makes it a pretty neat vitamin!

How? UVB radiation with a wavelength of 290-320 nanometers can penetrate uncovered skin and covert a compound known as 7-dehydrocholesterol to previtamin D3, which then becomes vitamin D3.

Cloud cover, the season, time of day, smog, sunscreen, and melanin content of the skin can all impact the amount of vitamin D synthesized in the skin. Complete cloud cover reduces your ability to make vitamin D from sunlight by 50%, and severe pollution can reduce this ability by up to 60%. Sunscreen with SPF of greater than 8 blocks vitamin D-producing UV rays. 

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How I Compost At Home In a Studio Apartment (and What You can Compost)

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Hello internet friends! Today, I’m doing something a little different. Although most of my content is either science-based, recipe-based, or eats-based, today, I’m sharing more of a “how I do this” style post, to document how I compost at home in a studio apartment, and going over what is in fact, compostable.

There are many reasons to compost, and investing time and energy into your own backyard compost bin certainly has its benefits. Perhaps in another post, I could dive into that topic more deeply, but I am less familiar with the actual execution of outdoor composting compared to indoor composting.

Composting indoors in a small space is much different than composting outside in a yard with a designated bin. While I hope to one day have a legitimate compost set-up, and use my compost to nourish my garden, I am at a stage of life where that is not in my nearly forseeable future. For the past many years, and at present, I live in a small studio apartment, with about 500 feet of rented space to my name.

What I am sharing today is not an exhaustive instructional manual on how to compost, but rather, a couple of tips I have from doing this myself for a few years. If you are interested in composting in your apartment and don’t know where to start, I hope you find this post useful in some way. Now, let’s compost!

First of all, what is compost?

According to the EPA, compost is organic material that can be added to soil to help plants grow.

Composting is the biological decomposition of solid organic materials into a humus-like substance. It is a naturally occurring aerobic process (meaning it requires oxygen). Microorganisms such as bacteria and fungi (among others) break down the organic compounds.

The process is affected by multiple parameters, including temperature, and surrounding levels of oxygen, nitrogen, carbon, and moisture. There are optimal ranges of each parameter to ensure composting efficiency, and the science of composting is quite interesting. However, I will save all that for another post, and in this post, share some tools and tips for how to get started in small spaces.

Why Compost?

Food scraps and yard waste make up 28% of what is thrown away.

Composting these materials, rather than placing them in the trash, not only prevents them from ending up in landfills where they take up space and release methane (a potent greenhouse gas), but also help to create an organic material that can be used to fertilize plants.

Although it requires a bit of effort, it can help reduce your carbon footprint, and (at least in my opinion), it can be oddly satisfying to see how much less trash you produce when composting compostable waste.

How I compost at home in a small studio apartment:

Composting in a small studio apartment requires a bit of creativity. In a small space with no ventilation, a large, complete outdoor compost system is out of the question.

But, there are things that I have done (and that you can do too) to ensure an odor-free, mess-free, relatively hassle-free composting experience.

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How You Can Help Fight Climate Change

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Hi friends! How are you doing today? I hope 2020 is treating you quite well. Today we are going to be chatting about how you can help fight climate change. I spent the bulk of the work week at the 2020 NCSE conference, gathering new information and skill sets, making new friends and connections, and seeing some climate pals from all over.

It was great to re-immerse myself in the climate space. I really truly want to make a difference in this world by helping in any way that I can! I left feeling inspired and polled my Insta fam to see what climate and environmental health science questions people had.

One question I got, which I thought was an excellent question, is “What are some things I can do to be effective to fight climate change?” So today’s post is all about how you – yes YOU – can be an effective advocate in the face of the climate change crisis, and help fight climate change and its impacts!

This list is long, but by no means exhaustive. In fact, I’m sure I’ll think of many things in the coming days, weeks, months, and years, and probably come back and edit this post. 

And please do not feel overwhlemed by this list of ideas for how you can help fight climate change. You do not have to engage in all of the listed opportunities below. You can make one change, two changes, or several changes. All efforts are worthy of applause.

But I hope you find it useful. Even though it’s very easy to (understandably) feel overwhelmed by the climate crisis, please, when possible, do not give up hope. It’s important to work together to do whatever we can to combat climate change, which is what I consider to be the greatest threat to our planet and all of its inhabitants. 

If you want to get an estimate of your carbon footprint, take a look at this resource from UC Berkeley. 

1. Support policies that encourage effective climate change action and the politicians that support them.

But before we take a deeper dive into individual actions to take to reduce your impact on the environment, I want to emphasize that one of the most important and effective things you can do to fight climate change is to advocate for policies that protect and prioritize the environment, including environmental regulations and standards (for things like air and water quality and acceptable levels of pollution), conservation initiatives, mitigation projects (projects that help damage control what’s been done or is happening), decarbonization initiates, and polices that incentivize eco-friendly behaviors or consumerism. Compliance and enforcement polices (aka things that keep us accountable) are great too. 

Effective, enforceable policies are one of the most effective ways to make sweeping, large-scale impacts to fight climate change. Which is why I always stress the importance of supporting policies and politicians who advocate for environmental health and climate change action. 

Why are regulations and laws so important? Well, think about it. It’s super easy for businesses and individuals to slip up on occasion if they are not being held accountable. Have you ever skipped a ‘required reading’ for a class that didn’t ever check to make sure you did it? It’s a very easy thing to do, even for individuals and businesses that have the very best intentions. And for those with a disregard for climate change and the environment, lax regulations make it very easy to exploit the environment, which is something we can no longer afford. 

So how can you do this, exactly? 

Well, first of all, if you are in the US, you can track environmental protection laws right and the representatives introducing them with on this government website. You can also check to see how consistently different representatives from your area (and others) have voted in favor of environmental protection with this super neat  “Environmental Scorecard” tool.

In addition to seeing how politicians have handled environmental protection policies in the past, you can also check the websites of politicians to see where they stand on environmental issues when deciding how to cast your vote in upcoming elections. If we want to take environmental action seriously, we must advocate for policies that will help us reach our goals. 

But what about right now? Want to put pressure on politicians to take action right now? Well, you can. 

Here’s how:

  • Use the websites Vote Smart and GovTrack to gather information on how to get in touch with members of Congress. Use the local district office as a main point of contact, as they prioritize constituent relations. 
  • Add your representative’s phone numbers to your phone. Consider calling them daily to express how important it is to you that they support policies that take climate change seriously. If you can site bills/laws that are upcoming and will be voted upon soon, that’s even better. Write out a script or talking points if you need to. Remember to always be kind and respectful while expressing your concerns. But be persistent. Consistently calling your representatives is something that is very easy to fall out of routine to engage in. But give it a try if you haven’t already. Public pressure can be effective. 
  • If possible, show up in person at town halls in your area. Speak up about climate change at these meetings. Physical presence, when possible, can be impactful. Check your local town hall schedule here. 
  • Consider using online tools to contact your representatives. NRDC has a tool to urge your governor to lead on climate action here. The Union of Concerned Scientists also has a tool  to call on your senators to support policies that mitigate the climate crisis right here. You can even personalize the messages and specify how and why this is important to you. 

Now, let’s see what other actions you can take as an individual to combat climate change. 

2. Educate Yourself. Learn about climate change. But realize you don’t have to be an expert to be effective.

It’s important to be well-informed about the realities of climate change. Some great (free) introductory resources include the NASA Global Climate Change website, the UN’s Climate Change information page, NOAA’s Climate.gov website, NRDC’s website, and the WHO’s climate change page. I also have several blog posts under the “Climate and Health” section here on this page, and welcome topic suggestions at any time (pardon the self-promo).

While the information is important, don’t be overwhelmed or feel as though you have to be an expert to make a difference. You can be absolutely effective as a climate advocate even if you are not a climate scientist.

Climate change impacts all of us, so we must all come together to learn about its impacts and potential solutions, and work towards a greener future together. The more people on board to fight climate change, the better. More people = more pressure for policies that can make serious and impactful change. 

3. Start conversations with others about climate change, and discuss how you can fight climate change together.

Engage with your community, and spread awareness about how climate change is already impacting our planet, and exchange ideas about how we can work together to combat climate change.

A super interesting 2019 survey conducted the Yale Program on Climate Communications found that Americans tend to underestimate the social consensus on climate change. It turns out 69% of Americans believe ‘global warming’ is happening, and that it is a problem, but only 54% of Americans believe other Americans feel the same way. It’s important we start connecting with others about climate change, exchanging our concerns and informing one another of effective ways to take action. 

If you’re looking for resources on how to talk to climate skeptics effectively, consider your goal and your audience. Focus on empathy, shared values, shared struggles, common ground, and point out ways in which taking climate change seriously is vital to every living being on the planet.

Discussing ways in which climate change are meaningful to the audience and empower specific action (ie, exchanging ideas for how change can be made) can also be effective. For more information on talking to skeptics, check out this resource from Harvard School of Public Health or this scientific journal article. 

4. Eat a more sustainable diet.

The global food system contributes 19-29% of the total human-created global greenhouse gas emissions, meaning the foods we eat can help us make a difference in the future of our planet. Sustainably eating has garnered much attention in the past few years, which is exciting because it’s a meaningful way for individuals and feeding entities to make an impact. 

How can you eat more sustainably? Well, first you can start by decreasing your meat consumption. In particular, livestock agriculture foods (like lamb and beef) contribute an estimated 14.5% of all anthropometric greenhouse gas emissions, which is a significant amount. While some have said that grass-fed beef is better for the planet and its people, research shows it carries an even larger eco-footprint.

Dairy, another livestock entity, also emit a significant amount of greenhouse gasses; in fact, cheese has a larger carbon footprint than does chicken. Eating a more plant-based diet can help you reduce your eco-footprint. You do not have to go fully vegan to make a difference, so do not strive for perfection if you find that intimidating.

Reducing consumption of carbon and water-intensive animal products is one of the most impactful ways to reduce the eco footprint of your diet, and your life. A report in Science states that even the lowest-impact meat causes “much more” environmental impact  than the least sustainable forms of plant-food production. 

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Is Beyond Meat Healthy? Is Impossible Meat Healthy? Is that even the point?

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Beyond Meat and Impossible Meat have exploded in popularity over the past couple of years. It’s noteable that you can now get a plant-based option at most major fast-food establishments. As someone who has followed a meatless diet for over 20 years, the emergence of plant-based products in recent years still astounds me. But many people ask me, and wonder: Is Beyond Meat Healthy? Is Impossible Meat Healthy? 

I’ve seen a lot of back and fourth on the internet about this. I’ve also overheard arguments on the topic. So, I thought it could make for an interesting blog post. 

Now, before I get any further, I just want to acknowledge that yes, I am a vegan, and I have been for about 6 years. And I haven’t touched meat since I was around 7 years old. 

I would also like to acknowledge that I personally do not care for Beyond Meat and/or Impossible Meat. To me, they are too realistic and I honestly find them…well…they’re not for me.

That said, I plan to be as objective as possible in this post. Scientific integrity is of utmost importance to me.

If you want to read more about what you need to know about nutrition on a plant-based diet, please see this post. 

Okay, Now Let’s Look at the Nutrition Facts:

I created the chart below from nutrition labels found on the Impossible Foods and Beyond Meat websites, and compared these two burgers to 80% lean ground beef and low sodium cooked white beans. I sourced the nutrition information of the later two on the USDA food database (see links).

*Sources: 

Looking over the comparison chart above, a couple of things jump out at me. First of all, it caloric content of both plant-based, imitation meat patties are about on par with a beef burger.

While both imitation meats are lower in fat that the beef burger, none of the three “meat” options are low fat foods. This is not necessarily a bad thing, as it is recommended that 20-35% of total calories come from fat, provided that these are consumed as part of a healthful, diverse, and balanced diet. 

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Do Detox Diets Work? What About Juice Cleanses, Colonics, Tummy Teas, etc?

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Detox diets are advertised everywhere. Whether you spend time on social media, watch TV commercials, listen to radio ads, or page through magazines, we are infiltrated with protocols for detox diets and juice cleanses, for-purchase cleanses, ‘flat tummy’ teas, and other magical products are promises of ‘cleansing’ the body. But do detox diets work? Do cleanses work? Are these products and diets worth your time and money?

Well, the short answer is no. But in the interest of diet-talk season aka the New Years season, I thought I’d break down exactly why you should not waste your precious time and/or money on these pursuits, and what you can do instead if you are pursuing health.

Disclaimer: As always, this is general information intended for healthy adults. Your needs may vary based on medical status, lifestyle, or life-stage. Please never replace generalized health information you’ve read online with individualized clinical care.

What is a detox?

Great question. There is no universal definition of ‘detox’ diets. The idea behind a detox is that by following a certain diet regimine and/or ingesting a certain product, an individual will somehow remove toxins from the body, lose weight, and/or achieve a higher status of health.

There are a variety of detox and cleanse approaches including fasting, drinking only juices, following strict diets and/or avoiding food groups, taking supplements or drinking teas, and cleansing the colon by with edemas, laxatives, or hydrotherapy.

Do detox diets and cleanses work? What does the science say?

High quality research exploring the impacts of detoxes and cleanses on human health is sparse.

Much of the literature that does exist to support the use of detox diets and cleanses is of poor quality and has serious flaws in terms of poor study design, abysmally small sample sizes, and lack of peer review. And/or it is industry-funded (ie, a detox pill company funding a flawed study that has not been peer-reviewed).

A 2015 review of detox diets for toxin elimination and weight management concluded that although the detox diet industry is booming, there is little clinical evidence to suggest that these diets are useful nor necessary.

Furthermore, upon critical review of the evidence, they found that most studies conducted on ‘detox’ products had been ‘hampered by flawed methodologies and small sample sizes,’ and were primarily conducted in animals. The authors concluded that there were no randomized control trials to assess effectiveness of detox diets in humans.

There is some evidence to suggest juicing or detox diets may lead to initial weight loss due to severe calorie restriction, but the same studies also find that people regain the weight upon resuming a normal diet. Also, this has nothing to do with removing ‘toxins’ from the body, because they simply can not and do not do this. Furthermore, severe caloric restriction of any kind may lead to initial weight loss, regardless of diet or cleanse protocol.

There have been no long-term studies to examine the impacts of detox and cleanse diets on the human body. I’m guessing this is probably because most nutrition scientists know that the liver and kidneys detox the human body, and that these for-profit cleanses and rituals are unworthy of time and money.

So, to answer the question “do detox diets work?” the short answer is no, they do not, and there is little use for them.

Do I need to detox or cleanse my body?

No! I’d like to shout this from the rooftop: You do not need to detox your body. Your liver, lungs, colon, and kidneys do a phenomenal job of removing a majority of toxins and waste products from your body.

The lungs, for example, allow you to exhale carbon dioxide, and are home to cilia and mucus, which trap potentially harmful particles and allow you to cough, swallow, or exhale them rather than breath them in.

The liver breaks down nutrients, as well as medicines, chemicals, pollutants, and other toxins. The liver often converts toxins into water soluble substances that can be excreted in the body. For example, it filters blood to remove large toxins, synthesizes and excretes bile to help remove fat-soluble toxins, and makes enzymes that help the body rid itself of chemicals.

The kidneys filter blood, removing byproducts of digestion, as well as waste, toxins, and excess water, and produce urine as a waste product to rid the body of unnecessary substances. By helping your body rid itself of waste, the kidneys work to help detox the body.

What are the risks of detoxes and cleanses?

Some detox and cleansing protocols carry serious and potentially fatal risks. Others are simply a waste of time and money without proven benefit. Either way, it’s important to understand the risks associated with embarking on a cleanse protocol.

The FDA and FTC have taken action against several companies selling detox and cleanse products that contained illegal or potentially harmful ingredients, that were marked with false claims that they could treat serious disease, and for being medical devices marketed for unapproved uses (as is the case with many colon cleanse products).

The precise risks depend on the diet/protocol followed. Below are a list of a few common cleanse techniques, and associated risks.

  • Severely Restrictive Detox Diet Plans are often inadequate in nutrients and calories. I often see “detox” diet plans that are 5-7 days long (like the ones on ‘wellness’ website goop) that are very restrictive. Many of these diets are inadequate in energy (calories), and may not provide ample vitamins and minerals necessary for optimal health. In addition to putting individuals at risk of micronutrient deficiencies, low calorie diets have been found to increase cortisol (a stress hormone) levels in individuals. Furthermore, overly restrictive diets may lead to a preoccupation with, and/or unhealthy relationship with food.
  • Colon cleansing procedures, such as edemas and hydrotherapies, come with a variety of risks, including severe GI distress, colon injury, and increased risks of hemorrhoids, kidney disease, and heart disease.
  • Laxatives may cause diarrhea, dehydration, and electrolyte imbalances.
  • Juice Cleanses often do not provide enough calories, protein, fat, fiber and/or micronutrients to support optimal health. This puts juice cleansers at-risk for micronutrient deficiencies and other symptoms associated with inadequate energy intake. Furthermore, some juices are high in oxalates, which may increase risks of kidney problems. For more about juice cleanses, see this post.
  • Taking excessive herbal or dietary supplements and drinking large volumes of water without eating any food may lead to dangerous electrolyte imbalances. Electrolyte imbalances may lead to heart palpitations, edema, confusion, and death.
  • Drinking Hot Lemon Water in the morning is a popular way to ‘cleanse’ the body of toxins. Compared to many of the other cleansing techniques, this one is fairly harmless, but it is worth noting that the high acid content of the lemon water may be harmful to the enamel of your teeth and increase your risk of cavities.
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Yes, there is Arsenic in Rice: Here’s What You Need to Know

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Rice is a versatile and cheap staple grain, with a toothy texture and comforting toasty flavor. Unfortunately, rice often contains alarmingly high levels of arsenic, a heavy metal and known carcinogen. But how and why is there arsenic in rice? And should you be alarmed? And how can you reduce your exposure? Here’s everything you need to know.

What is arsenic and how can it be dangerous?

Arsenic is a naturally occurring element found in the earth’s crust. There are two general forms of arsenic: organic and inorganic. 

Arsenic is found in many places. It is used in pesticides, wood thinners, and tobacco products, and can be emitted from volcanoes and mines. Arsenic often ends up in our soils, and can leach into our drinking water.

Alarmingly, arsenic is tasteless, colorless, and odorless, and many people are unaware the foods and beverages they are consuming may contain arsenic. 

Most people are exposed to arsenic via ingestion, meaning they eat or drink arsenic-contaminated foods (like rice) and/pr beverages (like arsenic-contaminated water or apple juice). 

Inorganic arsenic exposure can elicit a variety of health impacts. Acute impacts include abdominal pain, diarrhea, muscle cramping, and death, and long-term exposure can lead to changes in skin (including pigmentation changes, lesions, and hyperkeratosis), diabetes, cardiovascular disease, endocrine and immune system dysfunction, and heart attacks.

Inorganic arsenic is also a known carcinogen, meaning it can cause cancer. Links between arsenic exposure and bladder and lung cancer are well-established.

Infant exposure to arsenic is linked to cancer later in life. Research has shown that the more servings an infant is exposed to arsenic-containing white rice predicted is directly positively correlated with increased risk of cancer later in life.

Early exposure to arsenic is also associated with lung disease, heart attacks, kidney failure, and delays in cognitive development and memory. 

Wait, how and why is there arsenic in rice?

Arsenic is often present in soil, and foods grown in arsenic-contaminated soil will absorb it. 

Rice grows under flooded conditions, and because of this, inorganic arsenic becomes more readily absorbed into the plants. Rice often contains 10-20 times more arsenic than other cereal grains. The exact amount depends on the conditions of the soil in the area the rice was grown.

Some varieties of rice also contain more arsenic than others.

What rice products have the most arsenic?

Different varieties of rice contain different amounts of arsenic. Brown rice often contains more arsenic than white rice. Alarmingly, infants’ brown and white rice cereals both contain more arsenic than plain white rice (but less than brown rice). 

The amount of arsenic in rice-based infant-rice cereals is particularly alarming, given that these are often some of the first foods introduced to weaning babies, and they often consume them in large amounts, during a vulnerable period of their lives. 

Besides plain rice and rice cereals, arsenic may be in rice-based products, including rice-noodles and rice-based cereals. Many gluten-free products are rice-based, putting people who consume these often at increased risk. 

How can I reduce my exposure to arsenic from rice?

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What You Need to Know If You’re Going Gluten-Free

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Going gluten-free is a life-long necessity for some people, such as those with Celiac disease. But many for many others, going gluten-free is a dietary choice. Many people believe that going gluten-free will lead to improved GI function, weight loss, and/or improved brain function – all claims made by health influencers and bloggers and based on little to no evidence. 

But no matter the reason for going gluten-free, if you make the choice to avoid gluten, there are some things you should know. So, read on for what you need to know if you’re going gluten-free.

Disclaimer: As always, this is general information intended for healthy adults who are not pregnant or breastfeeding. Your needs may vary based on medical status, lifestyle, or life-stage. Please never replace generalized health information you’ve read online with individualized clinical care.

What is gluten?

Gluten is made up of a group of storage proteins found in cereal grains. They provide viscous properties to the grains, providing matrix structures to wheat dough, helping to make it stretchy and elastic.  

The two major proteins are gliadin (a prolamin) and glutenin. These prolamins are found in wheat, barely, rye, triticale, and some may be sensitive to those found in oats. Gliadin is resistant to gastric, pancreatic and intestinal proteolytic digestion in the GI tract.

In addition to being found in wheat, barely, rye, triticale, and some oat products, gluten is found in wheat products like bread, cereals, pasta, and tortillas. It also sneaks its way into many condiments and sauces, including soy sauce, many commercial dressings, prepared pasta sauces and soups, cosmetics, supplements, and ‘natural flavors.’

And while some small amounts of certified gluten-free oats may be tolerated by those sensitive to gluten, many oats are contaminated with gluten. Total avoidance of gluten is quite the challenge!

Who needs to avoid gluten?

People with Celiac disease must strictly adhere to a lifelong gluten-free diet. In people with this autoimmune disease, glutenin can trigger adaptive immune system responses, leading to atrophy (blunting) of the villi in their small intestine leading to decreased absorption, and subsequent nutritional deficiencies, weight loss, abdominal pain, diarrhea, fatigue, anemia, and skin rashes known as dermatitis herpetiformis. 

For the small percentage of the population with Celiac disease, avoiding gluten is essential to avoid chronic intestinal inflammation. Even small amounts that may not cause symptoms can cause subclinical disease, nutritional deficiencies, and increased risks of developing other autoimmune diseases, including diabetes. 

Individuals with wheat allergies should also avoid gluten. Wheat is one of the 8 major food allergens, and symptoms may include hives, nausea, headaches, diarrhea, vomiting, eczema, trouble breathing, drops in blood pressure, and anaphylaxis upon exposure to wheat. As with all food allergies, avoidance of the food is essential to avoid potentially dangerous symptoms. 

Other people may have a condition known as non-Celiac gluten sensitivity or gluten intolerance. Scientists are still parsing apart exactly what causes gluten sensitivity, but people with this condition may experience headaches, stomach pain, GI upset, and fatigue upon ingestion of wheat products. 

While some media outlets falsely claim gluten is toxic, others claim gluten intolerance (besides allergies and Celiacs) is not a real condition. It is, and some people may experience real, adverse symptoms upon ingestion of gluten. People who suspect they may have this condition should see their doctors to rule out Celiacs disease before adhering to a gluten-free diet.

Individuals who are sensitive to FODMAPs may also find wheat-product triggering, as they are high in fructans. FODMAP-sensitive people have different triggers and different symptoms, but in fructan-sensitive individuals, ingesting large amounts of wheat may lead to bloating, gas, and diarrhea. You can read more about FODMAPs here. 

But for the vast majority of other individuals, there is no reason to avoid gluten. Avoiding gluten will not necessarily make you any healthier, nor is it a guaranteed means to weight loss. In fact, as you may read in the next section, it may actually put you at risk for nutritional deficiencies and suboptimal dietary patterns. 

Nutritional Risks of Going Gluten-Free:

As mentioned above, going gluten-free is essential for people with select medical conditions. Other people seem to try it as a fad diet based on unsubstantiated claims that gluten-free diets are healthier, or promote weight-loss, fertility, or improved brain function. 

Either way, there are things you should know about maintaining nutritional status while going gluten-free. 

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How does CO2 contribute to increasing temperatures?

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Hello friends! Today on the blog we are chatting about CO2, and going to answer the question: “How does CO2 contribute to increasing temperatures?”

Rising levels of CO2 are frequently mentioned in news articles and media clips, but what does rising CO2 mean, and how exactly, does this lead to increased global temperatures? Read on for more!

First of all, what is CO2?

CO2, or carbon dioxide, is a colorless gas that consists of a carbon atom paired with 2 oxygen atoms, and occurs naturally in the Earth’s atmosphere as a trace gas, and is absorbed by plants for photosynthesis.

CO2 is a natural greenhouse gas. Greenhouse gasses (GHG) selectively absorb some of earth’s outgoing infrared radiation. GHG usually selectively absorb and emit radiation at longer wave radiation (infrared) lengths, emitted from earth, and let shorter wave radiation (emitted from the sun) to pass through. 

Without the presence of greenhouse gases, radiation would go out to space, and the earth would be about 33℃ cooler than it is today.

Where does CO2 come from?

CO2 is emitted from natural sources like volcanoes, hot springs, and carbonate rocks. CO2 is also emitted in large amounts my human activities, including fossil fuel combustion. 

Before the industrial revolution, the global average CO2 was about 280 parts per million (ppm). In 2018, the average ppm was 407.4 ppm, which is higher than it has been at any point in at least the last 800,000 years. 

In 2017, CO2 emissions from burning fossil fuels made up for 93% of the total CO2 emissions in the US, and about 76% of the country’s total GHG emissions. Put another way, burning fossil fuels is a major contributor to increasing levels of CO2. 

Although levels of CO2 have historically cycled through highs and lows, they have never gone above 300ppm in recorded history. Furthermore, the rate at which CO2 is rising today is unprecedented; the annual rate of increase in atmospheric CO2 over the past 60 years is about 100 times faster than previous naturally occurring increases in CO2 levels (such as those during the last ice age).  

How does CO2 contribute to increasing temperatures?

Before we can discuss global temperatures increasing, it is first important to understand what happens under normal atmospheric conditions.

The earth has an energy budget. According to the First Law of Thermodynamics, energy can neither be created, nor destroyed. The amount of energy entering from the top of the atmosphere must equal the amount leaving the top of the atmosphere back into space. This is known as radiative equilibrium. 

Energy that enters the atmosphere from the sun is called incoming solar radiation. The radiation is shorter wave radiation, and bounces off the surface of the earth, heading back out into space. Energy leaving the atmosphere is known as outgoing solar radiation. This radiation is longer wavelength radiation, making it ideal for preferential absorption by GHGs, including CO2. 

If more energy enters the atmosphere than leaves it, the amount of energy within the earth’s system increases, and thus, the temperature of the earth increases. If more energy leaves than enters, the amount of energy in the earth’s system decreases, and thus, so does the temperature.

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What to Eat and Avoid If You Have GERD

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Hi friends! Today we are going to talk about GERD, also known as Gastroesophageal reflux disease, and/or known colloquially as “acid reflux” and/or “heartburn.” Specifically, we are going to discuss what GERD is, and how to manage it, including what to eat and avoid when you have GERD. This is an issue that impacts a lot of people (up to one in ten adults!), so if you experience GERD, I hope you find this post useful!

GERD is something I’ve had since undergrad. It can be super distracting and inconvenient at times, so if you suffer from it, know that I see you, I feel you, and I want to help provide you with up-to-date information on how to manage your symptoms and avoid any potential long-term or dangerous complications!

Read on for more about what to eat and avoid when you have GERD!

*Disclaimer: As always, this is general information intended for healthy adults. Your needs may vary based on medical status, lifestyle, or life-stage. Please never replace generalized health information you’ve read online with individualized clinical care.

What is GERD? What causes GERD?

GERD stands for Gastroesophageal reflux disease. GERD occurs when acid and other contents from your stomach are not properly contained in the stomach; rather, they creep up  into the esophagus, causing ‘reflux,’ or irritation to the esophagus. 

In most individuals, a muscle called the lower esophageal sphincter, found at the bottom of the esophagus/entrance of the stomach, is able to tightly contain acid and other stomach contents by opening to allow food to enter the stomach from the esophagus, and keeping closed most of the rest of the time.

However, the lower esophageal sphincter can become loose or open from time to time, allowing stomach contents to reflux into the esophagus and cause irritation, or GERD.

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Eating Disorders, Defined

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Hi friends! Today’s post is a rather serious. As you can tell from the title “Eating Disorders, Defined,” I want to chat about eating disorders. I am going to follow this post up with a post about why we need to stop normalizing disordered eating behaviors, but I thought this was a good intro post to lay out the definitions of eating disorders to refer back to.

I hope you learn a little bit more about what eating disorders are, and why they are serious. I remember one of my favorite child/adolescent mental health professors in undergrad always telling us to strive to “understand, rather than judge,” and I hope this post encourages you to do the same.

Whether you are struggling silently, out loud, or just reading for general information, know that there is hope.

Read on for for more!

Disclaimer: As always, this is general information. Please never replace individualized clinical care with generalized health information you read online. If you or someone you know suffers from an eating disorder, please see the National Eating Disorders Association website or text ‘NEDA’ to 741741 for 24/7 crisis support.

Eating Disorders, Defined:

First let’s get something really clear: eating disorders are serious, often debilitating and potentially deadly psychological illnesses; they are not ‘phases’ or something someone can just ‘snap out of.’ And something I cannot stress enough: they are rarely about vanity. For those of you who like to get technical, I’ve thought I’d provide some current definitions below.

Eating disorders come in many shapes and sizes. Eating disorders are serious and sometimes deadly mental illnesses in which the individual is functionally impaired due to severe disturbances in their eating behaviors and food-related thoughts.

Often times, eating disorders are characterized by an immense preoccupation with food and the body, and the preoccupation often impacts to emotional well-being of the individual.

What causes eating disorders?

There is no one single cause of eating disorders. Likely, eating disorders emerge as a complex result of genetic, social, environmental, and/or psychosocial variables that lead to an individual to have a preoccupation with food and body.

What are important things to know about eating disorders?

As mentioned above, eating disorders are serious, debilitating diseases, and can be life-threatening.

Eating disorders have a higher death rate compared to any other mental illnesses; every 62 minutes someone dies from a direct result of an eating disorder.

At least 30 million Americans suffer from an eating disorder (according to ANAD). There are likely more who have not been diagnosed.

Eating disorders are found most commonly in adolescents and young adults but may present at other ages. Both males and females are impacted by eating disorders.

Eating disorders are not diseases of vanity. They can severely and significantly impair an individuals social, functional, and occupational and emotional well-being.

Weight loss may be a sign or symptom of some eating disorders, but individuals of different weights may have eating disorders.

Those with eating disorders often take immense measures to hide their disorder and may become socially isolated.

Early detection is crucial. If you or someone you know suffers from an eating disorder, seek help. Treatment is available, and there is always hope.

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