By being a Naturopathic student in the clinic, you have to have an open mind to what various patients will regard as “natural remedies”. And I use that term very loosely. Whether these include someone wanting to pray their tumor away (spirituality and mental conception about a particular disease or issue is an important component of health and progress), or they saw this really great nutriceutical product on an infomercial (happens too often than not), or that they want to sage their house of evil spirits (historically and traditionally seen as effective), or drinking “food grade” hydrogen peroxide because they think it is going to “oxygenate their tissues more” (yes, this was actually told to me by a patient in the teaching clinic at one time, and I have no scientific background if this does or does not work, so please do not try it at home). I have heard some pretty interesting, different, and down right unusual practices for people keeping their health. Nothing really shocked me.
Until yesterday.
Yesterday at the clinic, I was working on my AOM (acupuncture and oriental medicine) shift as an observer, and the patient who came in with 6 severed extensor tendons in the arm told us about this “anti-inflammatory diet” he or she was following. Now, let me preface this by saying that this “anti-inflammatory diet” I am about to explain is in no way a traditional anti-inflammatory diet. A Naturopathic anti-inflammatory diet is aimed at avoiding inflammatory substances (food allergies, dairy, or sugar) to reduce systemic inflammation in the gut and in the body, to promote tissue repair and tissue healing. A true anti-inflammatory diet has a strong emphasis on good fats and oils, lots of water intake, and appropriate excretory routes for removal of toxins and other metabolic wastes.
This patient’s anti-inflammatory diet was prescribed by a doctor in Los Angeles, and consisted of a cup and a half of sugar, a gallon and a half of whole milk, lamb, beef, pork, few vegetables, monosaturated fats, and no nuts, seeds, or berries… a day. WHAT?! It literally took all of my energy to keep my jaw from dropping to the ground. Even the primary on the shift stopped for a second and asked, “Wait, do you really drink milk with a half a cup of sugar for every meal and snacks?” Oh yes, this patient did.
The best part was that this patient also explained that it helped them gain weight, help the pain with a torn ACL and other knee injuries, and help bring down inflammation in their body. Pretty sure that although subjective testimony suggests otherwise, that this person’s diet, that they have been on for over a year, is highly toxic and pro-inflammatory. Not only the sugar, but the animal fat, which is high in arachidonic acid (pro-inflammatory), but the massive amount of dairy a day, and absence of good fats and oils. Pretty much everything Naturopaths are taught not to give to our patients to eat, or to suggest substitution with something else. A nutritionist in LA prescribed this diet to this patient over a year ago.
Now, maybe you can argue that the patient was a vegetarian for X number of years and was malnourished, and now they are making up for all the lost calories. Well that’s a great point. They would also gain weight quickly on a Standard American Diet. However, there are other ways to increase a person’s caloric intake and nutrient intake other than having them eat pro-inflammatory foods and calling it an anti-inflammatory diet. Not to mention that this diet sets up the patient for an increased risk for diabetes (1.5 cups of sugar a day!?), leaky gut syndrome leading to autoimmune diseases (very few people can process a gallon of milk a day), cardiovascular disease (monosaturated foods aren’t the best for artery health, or even general cellular membrane health), and much more.
Best part: the patient’s parents referred to this diet as being part of a “Sugar cult” and that the patient would not suggest the diet to anyone else because it was highly experimental and seemed to work for this patient solely. That’s right. No one (knee pain or no knee pain) should be on a diet like this. Ever.
Take this as a learning experience, as I did, and question your resources. Question your nutritionist (especially the one that this patient is seeing). Question the science behind the medicine. Question the saftey of the foods you are eating and putting into your body. It is your body, you have a right to choose what you put (or don’t put into it). I am not a doctor and I cannot tell this patient what to eat and what not to eat. Nor can I tell my readers what to eat or what not to eat. I would just like to present the information as I see it. Educate yourself and take care of yourself the best way that you know how. Be safe.
References
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/booster_shots/2009/11/highfat-highsugar-diet-alters-bacteria-in-the-gut-making-it-easier-to-gain-weight.html
http://raypeat.com/articles/articles/glycemia.shtml
By being a Naturopathic student in the clinic, you have to have an open mind to what various patients will regard as “natural remedies”. And I use that term very loosely. Whether these include someone wanting to pray their tumor away (spirituality and mental conception about a particular disease or issue is an important component of health and progress), or they saw this really great nutriceutical product on an infomercial (happens too often than not), or that they want to sage their house of evil spirits (historically and traditionally seen as effective), or drinking “food grade” hydrogen peroxide because they think it is going to “oxygenate their tissues more” (yes, this was actually told to me by a patient in the teaching clinic at one time, and I have no scientific background if this does or does not work, so please do not try it at home). I have heard some pretty interesting, different, and down right unusual practices for people keeping their health. Nothing really shocked me.
Until yesterday.
Yesterday at the clinic, I was working on my AOM (acupuncture and oriental medicine) shift as an observer, and the patient who came in with 6 severed extensor tendons in the arm told us about this “anti-inflammatory diet” he or she was following. Now, let me preface this by saying that this “anti-inflammatory diet” I am about to explain is in no way a traditional anti-inflammatory diet. A Naturopathic anti-inflammatory diet is aimed at avoiding inflammatory substances (food allergies, dairy, or sugar) to reduce systemic inflammation in the gut and in the body, to promote tissue repair and tissue healing. A true anti-inflammatory diet has a strong emphasis on good fats and oils, lots of water intake, and appropriate excretory routes for removal of toxins and other metabolic wastes.
This patient’s anti-inflammatory diet was prescribed by a doctor in Los Angeles, and consisted of a cup and a half of sugar, a gallon and a half of whole milk, lamb, beef, pork, few vegetables, monosaturated fats, and no nuts, seeds, or berries… a day. WHAT?! It literally took all of my energy to keep my jaw from dropping to the ground. Even the primary on the shift stopped for a second and asked, “Wait, do you really drink milk with a half a cup of sugar for every meal and snacks?” Oh yes, this patient did.
The best part was that this patient also explained that it helped them gain weight, help the pain with a torn ACL and other knee injuries, and help bring down inflammation in their body. Pretty sure that although subjective testimony suggests otherwise, that this person’s diet, that they have been on for over a year, is highly toxic and pro-inflammatory. Not only the sugar, but the animal fat, which is high in arachidonic acid (pro-inflammatory), but the massive amount of dairy a day, and absence of good fats and oils. Pretty much everything Naturopaths are taught not to give to our patients to eat, or to suggest substitution with something else. A nutritionist in LA prescribed this diet to this patient over a year ago.
Now, maybe you can argue that the patient was a vegetarian for X number of years and was malnourished, and now they are making up for all the lost calories. Well that’s a great point. They would also gain weight quickly on a Standard American Diet. However, there are other ways to increase a person’s caloric intake and nutrient intake other than having them eat pro-inflammatory foods and calling it an anti-inflammatory diet. Not to mention that this diet sets up the patient for an increased risk for diabetes (1.5 cups of sugar a day!?), leaky gut syndrome leading to autoimmune diseases (very few people can process a gallon of milk a day), cardiovascular disease (monosaturated foods aren’t the best for artery health, or even general cellular membrane health), and much more.
Best part: the patient’s parents referred to this diet as being part of a “Sugar cult” and that the patient would not suggest the diet to anyone else because it was highly experimental and seemed to work for this patient solely. That’s right. No one (knee pain or no knee pain) should be on a diet like this. Ever.
Take this as a learning experience, as I did, and question your resources. Question your nutritionist (especially the one that this patient is seeing). Question the science behind the medicine. Question the saftey of the foods you are eating and putting into your body. It is your body, you have a right to choose what you put (or don’t put into it). I am not a doctor and I cannot tell this patient what to eat and what not to eat. Nor can I tell my readers what to eat or what not to eat. I would just like to present the information as I see it. Educate yourself and take care of yourself the best way that you know how. Be safe.
References
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/booster_shots/2009/11/highfat-highsugar-diet-alters-bacteria-in-the-gut-making-it-easier-to-gain-weight.html
http://raypeat.com/articles/articles/glycemia.shtml