Eat This, Heal That, Food fixes that heal
March is considered NUTRITION month across the nation. At ACHIM, we focus on the connection between nutrition and wellness all year long, so this month, we are going to focus on foods that actually heal. Find our healing food fixes on Facebook and Twitter.
Dr. Bhatia
Medical Director and
Integrative Health Expert
Dr. Gedalia: Ayurveda and taste
The key to Ayurvedic nutrition is understanding how to apply “taste” to any constitution for healing and balance. In the same way as colors are utilized for painting, tastes can be used alone or mixed together to create a different result. The six tastes are Sweet, Sour, Salty, Pungent, Bitter and Astringent. Each of these tastes will have a particular effect on the body and its metabolism. Some will create balance others will disturb balance, such as weight loss or weight gain. The first step is to know your Ayurvedic energy type.
Special Ayurvedic Sampler Package $275
All 3 sessions are 50 minutes each
Session I
Tongue and pulse evaluation/ marma therapy
Session II
Marma Therapy
Session III
Nutritional/ Herbal Recommendations
Please call 404-814-9808 to schedule an appointment or order an Ayurveda gift certificate.
Chinese Medicine: Balancing acupuncture
As we move into spring, our environment will transform into a time of new birth. Our bodies should also begin to awaken from the sleepiness of the winter season and prepare for change. Spring is the season that dominates the function of the Liver energy. Include the following ingredients into your spring recipes to nourish your Liver energy:
- Onions
- Mustard Greens
- Dates
- Cilantro
- Sprouts from Seeds
- Organic Green Leafy Vegetables Such as Spinach
- Kale, Chard, and Parsley
Now is also the perfect time to schedule a balancing Acupuncture treatment to help your body transition into the new season.
Please call 404-814-9808 to schedule an appointment or order an Acupuncture gift certificate.
Fit Bit: Diet vs Exercise
In a perfect world, everyone would exercise on a regular basis and eat right all the time. But that’s not always possible, so we turned to the experts to find out what really matters most-dieting or exercise-for losing weight, fighting disease, and boosting overall well-being. Although the majority of people think that regular exercise is the key, due to the matter of sheer numbers, diet plays a larger part than exercise. A half hour of brisk walking will burn about 200 calories, which is roughly the same amount of calories in a bowl of cereal. It is easier to manipulate the “calories in, calories out” factor from dieting then it is from exercise.
Please call 404-814-9808 to schedule your Fitness Consultation.
Lifestyle: Eat this not that
Eat Kale Chips
Not Potato Chips Kale has many health benefits, from weight management to healthy eyesight. Potato chips can contain more than 300 calories in a typical serving. Switch from a 300-calorie snack to kale chips and you’ll save about 150 calories each time. When prepared with olive oil, kale chips will give your heart a boost with healthy fat. Do this three times a week, and you’ll lose about 7 pounds a year.
Drink Green Tea
Not Coffee While coffee has a handful of health benefits, drinking too much coffee can lead to caffeine-related heart problems. Green tea contains EGCG and catechins, which have been associated with cancer and heart disease prevention. Not only can green tea prevent disease, it supports the immune and digestive systems. The polyphenols in green tea reduces disease-triggering inflammation. Be sure to steep the tea in hot water for at least three minutes to get all the beneficial antioxidants from the tea. Once you have done that, you can drink it warm or over ice. Whether you cool off or warm up with green tea, enjoy its’ benefits all year long.
Eat Apples
Not Bananas While both fruits are beneficial to your health, apples have antioxidants that aid in detoxification and pectin that supports digestion. Apples support digestion by containing both soluble and insoluble fiber. A medium-sized apple, with the peeling, contains about 20-percent of the fiber you need each day. Apples are also rich in Vitamin C and contain fewer calories than bananas. And don’t forget the popular expression about eating an apple a day.
Eat Purple Potatoes
Not White There are a variety of potatoes ranging in color from deep red to purple. The difference in color indicates a difference in the carotenoid and flavonoid content. Colorful potatoes provide carotenoids that are not found in white potatoes. Carotenoids protect your cells from the damaging effects of free radicals and enhance your immune system. Purple potatoes provide the same antioxidants found in berries and pomegranates. Enjoy these purple spuds, but watch the high-fat toppings.
Quick Tip: Protein bars
Research suggests that protein is an essential part of a healthy diet. It keeps you feeling full, helps muscle recover after a workout and contributes to weight loss. These benefits help explain why protein bars have become a diet staple to many in search of a fast protein fix. Protein bars are not good or bad. How you choose to use them as part of your overall diet and which bars you choose does make a difference. Protein bars packed with ingredients cannot replace all the nutrients found in whole-food sources. Whole food protein sources are also the preference, but if you need a fast protein fix and reach for a protein bar, here a few things to consider.
All protein bars are not created equal. Some bars are loaded with sugar. As a rule, protein should be at least half the amount of the bar’s carbohydrates. If a bar has 24 grams of carbohydrates, it should contain at least 12 grams of protein with less that 7 grams of sugar and fat content below 12 grams. The quality of the protein, as well as the amount and quality of added ingredients, influences whether these supplements might help or hinder your nutrition and overall health.Relying on protein bars for a significant proportion of your food intake can deny you the benefits of the vitamins, minerals, heart-healthy fats, phytochemicals and fiber abundant in natural foods.
As long as you are healthy and your diet is adequate and well balanced, protein bars are not a necessary component of your nutrition. On occasion they can be helpful, but they should not substitute for all the protein in your diet or for a significant portion of your food intake. If you decide to include them in your meal plan, select protein bars from a reputable manufacturer that uses high-quality protein as the main ingredient.
Ultra Meal RICE Bar is a convenient, satisfying, meal replacement bar designed for those who want to improve their body composition. Features 12 grams of high quality, easily digestible rice protein as an excellent alternative for those who want to avoid soy and dairy products. Fortified with essential vitamins and minerals, including high potency B-vitamins. May help improve body composition when combined with exercise and a healthy diet.
Available in delicious Chocolate Fudge and Vanilla Almond flavors and available in the ACHIM supplement store.
What Dooctors Eat: An introduction
As a physician, I’m used to my patients asking, “What do you do to stay healthy?” As a wife, mother and professional, they can relate to me as having a lifestyle similar to theirs. The Atlanta Center for Holistic and Integrative Medicine treats patients who are proactive and well informed, so I am often asked very explicit questions, “Do you eat gluten? How many grams of sugar do you consume a day? Are hormones in dairy really that dangerous?”
Over the years, I came to understand my patients wanted to learn from me. They see me as someone who has all the answers to their health, wellness and nutrition questions. I found they wanted to understand the science behind my nutrition choices, but more importantly, how to apply the science to their own lives. As a result, I collected and share my own principles as well as other health professionals in a recent book What Doctors Eat.
“Achieving wellness is a process.” Although I was a medical student and strived to lead a healthy lifestyle, I had very limited knowledge about nutrition and how it is the basis of wellness. You might recall the fat-free, low-carb, low-calorie diet trends of the past. I tried many of them on my path to nutritional balance and wellness. Paired with consistent, vigorous exercise, I thought I was the picture of health. And to many, I was. What I came to realize is that I wasn’t well.
Later, I began to investigate the causes of my own weight gain, hair loss, acne and hormonal irregularities. I explored the benefits of traditional Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine. I also discovered the advantages of adequate caloric intake, protein and healthy fats. I realized the way I had been eating the past 12 years had actually been making me sick.
To heal myself, I began integrating more protein, limiting processed foods, eating healthy fats and foods that control insulin and inflammation. My relationship with food also changed. I embraced eating and learned it was destructive to deprive myself. Today my diet is choc full of green foods, raw seeds and nuts, avocados, green tea, olive oil and even a little cheese!
After a few weeks of changing my eating habits, I noticed I had clearer skin, more energy, lost weight and my hair was thicker. Through my own experience, I can honestly say food does cure.
Once I’d healed myself, I wanted to share what I had learned. I trained to become an integrative physician, making food a part of both preventionand cure. I continue sharing what I have learned with others in the book What Doctors Eat.
Dr. Bhatia,
Medical Director and
Integrative Health Expert
On sale now wherever books or e-books are sold, available in the ACHIM supplement store or click the following link to order your copy now:
What Doctors Eat – Purchase Now!
Nutrition: Super healing foods
What makes foods “super”? Foods you’ve heard described, as “super” are typically low in calories, sugar and salt, but loaded with soluble fiber, nutrients and health-boosting phytochemicals. Overindulge in super foods to look great, feel good and weigh less!
Leafy Green Vegetables
Loaded with fiber, vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals, leafy greens stock your body with the artillery needed to fight off heart disease and cancer. Leafy greens benefit virtually every cell you’ve got! Greens like kale, spinach and Swiss chard, mustard and collard greens add health-sustaining doses of vitamins A, C, K, folate, potassium, and calcium to every meal. For an easy added boost trygreens powder in your smoothies.
Cruciferous Vegetables
Want to lower your cancer risk? Put cruciferous veggies on your list, namely broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, cabbage, kale and bok choy. Research suggests cruciferous veggies have the ability to inhibit the growth of some types of cancer cells and even stop others by reducing the production of free radicals.
Avocado
The healthy fats and nutrients found in avocados – oleic acid, lutein, folate, vitamin E, monounsaturated fats and glutathione – can help protect your body from heart disease, cancer, degenerative eye and brain diseases. Avocados also taste great and are easily integrated into any meal – or even a fruit smoothie. Add half an avocado to smoothies to add creamy texture and a powerful nutritional boost, or enjoy an avocado half as a nutritious “side” to your morning omelet instead of potatoes or toast.
Blueberries
Tasty, sweet and packed with disease-fighting phytochemicals, flavonoids and soluble fiber – blueberries have the power to help prevent serious diseases like cancer, diabetes, heart disease, stomach ulcers and high blood pressure. They also help tame inflammation throughout the body and can reduce “bad” cholesterol. Enjoy blueberries in smoothies, as a dessert or pop ’em one by one!
Beans
Beans help raise levels of the hormone leptin, which curbs appetite. They also deliver a powerful combination of B vitamins, calcium, potassium and folate. Beans will help maintain healthy brain, cell and skin function and even helps to reduce blood pressure and stroke risk. To increase your intake, try eating beans as a filling side-dish instead of bread or potatoes. They’ll help keep you feeling fuller longer and deliver an excellent source of sugar-free energy through much of your day.
Walnuts
Just a small handful a day will deliver a healthy dose of omega-3’s, alpha-linolenic acid, melatonin, copper and manganese. Walnuts protect your brain and slow the onset of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. As a healthy and filling snack, try 2 tablespoons of organic walnut butter with apple slices.
Wild Salmon
Wild salmon is a rich source of protein, vitamin D, selenium, B2, B3, B6 and B12 and omega-3 fatty acids. Wild salmon provides protection from cancer, cardiovascular problems, macular degeneration, depression, and cognitive decline. The best is wild caught, Alaskan salmon, which routinely ranks low in contaminants and high in nutrients. Wild salmon’s benefits start to kick in at about 2 servings a week.
Chocolate
Good news for chocolate lovers. Inmoderation, dairy free chocolate can help elevate mood, improve blood flow and even lower blood pressure. It helps reduce inflammation and LDL “bad cholesterol,” and it’s loaded with antioxidants, which can help prevent cell damage, degenerative diseases and even cancer. You have to manage your “dose,” to a modest 1 oz. serving, a few times a week. To maximize chocolate’s benefits, look for high-quality, dairy-free dark chocolate that’s at least 70% cocoa – and enjoy!
Chia Seeds
Chia seeds are tiny, nutritional dynamos – in fact, they’re the single richest source of plant-based omega-3 fatty acids you can buy. They’re also loaded with antioxidants, protein and minerals, plus soluble and insoluble fiber to help keep your digestion moving in the right direction. What’s more, chia seeds have an unusual property – they swell to more than 5 times their weight in liquid, so adding a spoonful or two to meals will help you feel fuller faster. Chia seeds are virtually tasteless, so you can drop a spoonful or two into just about anything, including smoothies, sauces, soups and salads.
Reminders: Refills and Saturday appointments
REFILL PROTOCOL
Please allow 48 hours for a refill. To expedite your refill, please either call or email once.
In your message, leave your birthdate, pharmacy telephone number, medication and dosage information.
Leaving a voicemail and sending an email prolongs the process.
Thank you for your cooperation.
SATURDAY APPOINTMENTS AVAILABLE
To better accommodate our patients, we have extended clinic hours to include Saturday.
Patients: We’d like to hear from you
Submit your favorite gluten free, anti-inflammatory,dairy free, vegan, and vegetarian recipe to share.
Send your submissions to: jessica.abadie@atlantaholisticmedicine.com
Food of the month: Pistachios, digestive benefits in a nutshell
The health benefits of nuts have been demonstrated in many studies, but not all nuts are created equal.Pistachios aid with digestion problems because they are loaded with fiber and essential minerals. They are also a good prebiotic, meaning they work to feed the good bacteria in your digestion system.
What Doctors Eat: Book signing
A great time was had by all. A special thanks to Chef Christie, Natural Body, ALCAT, Lifestyle Publications and Fresh Harvest for your contributions and making it a huge success. Thank you to our loyal patients for your continued support and enthusiasm!
Prevention: Preventive foods for acne
Experts suggest that acne is not only caused by stress, but by the types of food we eat. By eating whole foods year round helps prevent blood sugar levels from escalating. These foods include fish, specifically salmon, mackerel and sardines, nuts, avocados, red grapes, fennel, artichokes, brown rice, broccoli and alfalfa sprouts.
Supplements: Nutritional support
UltraMeal is a meal replacement drink mix designed for those who want to improve their body composition (healthy lean mass-to-fat ratio). Each serving contains 15 grams of rice protein, an easily digestible source of high quality protein suitable for those who want to avoid soy and milk products. UltraMeal comes in chocolate or vanilla flavors and is available at the ACHIM supplement store.
March: Coming up this month
HYDRAFACIAL
Rehab your winter skin and prepare for spring HydraFacial Special $99
EAT THIS, HEAL THAT
Look for food fixes that heal all month long
NUTRITIONAL SUPPORT SUPPLEMENT SPECIAL
Ultra Meal Products 10% off with $30 minimum purchase
CONNECT WITH ACHIM AND DR TAZ ON FACEBOOK AND TWITTER
Facebook.com/AtlantaHolisticMedicine
@AtlantaHolistic
@TasneemBhatiaMD
Patient Education: Growing your own nutritious food
Can you dig it? Sure you can with Green of Hearts 3L’s to gardening: Loot, Likes, and Location. Whether you are gardening in a pot, window box or raised bed the 3L’s can help you get on the right track to eating healthy, organically and assist in avoiding the dirty dozen.
LOOT: A garden is an investment in a healthy lifestyle. The benefits of this investment last a lifetime. Determining your budget is step one. It is very important to establish your weekly, monthly or annual budget, as it will allow you to determine the garden essential for the creation, maintenance and possible expansion of your garden.
LIKES: What do you like to eat? Plant only what you will eat and have time to maintain. Don’t forget to also think about the fact that gardening is seasonal. Decide if you are going to be a year round gardener or a seasonal gardener.
LOCATION: Where is the sun? Is it facing north, south, east or west? When does the sun rise and set? Understanding how much sun you have will help you select what to grow and where. Study the soil types so that you plant your desired crops properly for success. Remember to allow space for each plant and for crop rotation.
So take the challenge: dig, plant, water and follow the 3 L’s and start small with a herb garden and before you know it you will be picking tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers off of the vine from your back yard and sharing with your friends and family.
For more information contact
Green of Hearts: info@greenofhearts.org
Safety: Dirtiest fruit and veggies
Eat your fruits and vegetables! The health benefits of a diet rich in fruits and vegetables outweigh the risks of pesticide exposure. Use EWG’s Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides™ to reduce your exposures as much as possible, but eating conventionally-grown produce is far better than not eating fruits and vegetables at all.
The Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce™ will help you determine which fruits and vegetables have the most pesticide residues and are the most important to buy organic. You can lower your pesticide intake substantially by avoiding the 12 most contaminated fruits and vegetables and eating the least contaminated produce.
TOP 5 DIRTY (buy these organic)
Apples
Celery
Sweet bell peppers
Peaches
Strawberries
TOP 5 CLEAN (lowest in pesticide)
Onions
Sweet Corn
Pineapples
Avocado
Cabbage
Visit the following link to download the complete list of EWG’s 2012 Shopper’s Guide:
PDF Version of EWG Pesticide Guide
Order Now: What Doctors Eat fruit and vegetable bin
Pick up your bin at the ACHIM office and receive a 10% discount. To receive the discount, use code “DRTAZ” when placing your order.
Fresh Harvest
401 Industrial Park Drive
Lawrenceville GA 30046
770.847.6630
customercare@freshharvestdelivered.com
