March 2019 Newsletter

In this month’s newsletter:

  • Video: Local Farmers’ Market + Blood Testing at Office
  • Sugar Industry’s Role in Heart Health Research
  • Forward Head Posture: A Fresh Perspective How to Change
  • Chris Kresser’s Take on Declining Life Expectancy in USA
  • Recipe: Banana-Mint Green Smoothie (Healthy Shamrock Shake!)

Video: Farmer’s Market and Blood Testing at Office

In this month’s video, I address questions about getting blood work done as as part of our new nutritional consults and give some contacts for local foods at the Hyde Park Farmer’s Market.

If you want to do the nutritional consult at the office with Dr. Pete, and you have a recent blood test result, then simply forward this info along before your appointment and it will be great. For those of you who don’t have recent blood work, would like or need a specific test, or don’t have insurance coverage for blood work, then we can access hundreds of blood tests for you through our discounted priced-practitioner account and you can go to any Quest Diagnostics locations for the blood draw.

Did you know there is a Winter Hyde Park Farmers’ Market every Sunday morning at Clark Montessori school on Erie Ave? I recently restocked my basement freezer with a side of beef from Grassroots Farm and half a hog from Eaton Farm. Of course there are wonderful vegetables, salad greens from Farm Beach Bethel, and fermented favorites from Fabulous Ferments available as well!
 

Sugar Industry Funded Research that Downplayed Sugar’s Role in Heart Disease

A JAMA Internal Medicine article shows that in the 1960’s, the sugar lobby funded research that blamed fat for heart disease while ignoring sugar’s effect.  According to NPR, in 1967 Harvard scientists completed a literature review in the New England Journal of Medicine that found fault with all studies that looked at sugar’s role in heart disease. Instead, the researchers said cutting fat was more important to prevent heart disease than cutting sugar. 

The sugar lobby has been trying to downplay studies showing sugar’s role in heart disease for the last 50 years. They recognized the business opportunities that stem from minimizing sugar’s role and instead blaming fat. 
 

Forward Head Posture:  A Fresh Perspective 

In this article, Chandler Stevens discusses posture, specifically forward-head posture.  Also known as Upper Cross Syndrome, this posture is when the head sits forward of it’s base of support. Not only is it uncomfortable but it can contribute to musculoskeletal issues and chronic pain. 

Stevens shares that fixing forward-head posture is more than just re-positioning the body. There is a deep mind/body connection that can help with correcting posture and he offers an audio guide to help improve alignment. 
                                                        

Declining Life Expectancy in the United States

 
After decades of sustained increases, the United States life expectancy has decreased for the third year in a row. Dr. Chris Kresser, and acupuncturist in California, would like to change this pattern.

Chronic illness contributes to 7 of the 10 leading causes of death and more people are now living with multiple illnesses. Kresser argues that the traditional “1 doctor, 1 treatment” method does not fix chronic illnesses. Instead, he says that functional medicine offers longer medical visits and collaborative care plans with other practitioners. This is more likely to get to root of the chronic illness instead of just fixing symptoms.   
 

Recipe of the Month: Banana-Mint Green Smoothie 

March and St. Patrick’s Day are synonymous with the Shamrock Shake, but did you know a Shamrock Shake has over 54 ingredients including high fructose corn syrup, artificial dyes and artificial flavors.   This Banana-Mint Smoothie from Candice Kumai is vegan, paleo and made with healthy whole foods without sacrificing on flavor. It’s a great substitute if you find yourself craving a Shamrock Shake. You can use collagen, whey or another protein source as a substitute.