Is a Calorie really Just a Calorie?

A recently published medical article discusses research done at the Functional Medicine Research Institute  in Gig Harbor, Washington. One of the principle authors of the article is my long time friend, teacher and colleague, Dr. Jeffrey Bland (see my picture with him below). Dr. Bland reviews this article in  his May 2006 monthly audio newsletter. Many of his comments are so well said that I have copied them into this article. Whenever I am quoting from his newsletter below you will see quotation marks around his words.

          For decades our society has assumed that calories are the name of the game; specifically, as long as you adjust the calories with the right ratio of protein, fat and carbohydrate percentages, there will be a favorable outcome.

          Now there comes an exciting study that shows the role of Nutrigenomics on our biochemistry and subsequently on our health in general.
          Nutrigenomics is the science that studies how our nutritional intake affects the expression of our genes. We learn in medical school, and many people still believe, that if you have a “certain gene” you are predestined to develop a certain health condition. The new science of genetics however shows us this is quite erroneous. Specific environmental factors -  which include the very nature of the food we eat and other nutrients we intake, as well as toxins in our environment — can turn on or off the genes that we have received from our parents. This is all to say, “there are many you’s within you."

The food we eat delivers information to our genes and thus affects how those genes express themselves. As the genes express themselves, so is our biochemistry.
 

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Dr Soram and Jeffrey Bland Ph.D. at a recent conference

 

 

I have been friends and colleagues with Jeff for over 25years. He is a brilliant biochemical-nutrition researcher and teacher and he always teaches me wonderful information that allows me to help my patients using Nutritional Therapies.

Vitamin D- Part II

In my earlier posting on Vitamin D, I talked about its role in boosting our immune systems, especially in the winter time, in regard to influenza, colds and other infections.

 

However, in recent months, information on Vitamin D has been flooding the news media. Insufficient Vitamin D levels are linked to diseases as diverse as osteoporosis, diabetes, cancer, heart disease and multiple sclerosis. Simply stated, insufficient Vitamin D weakens the immune system.

 

Vitamin D is an unusual vitamin in that we do not get it from food (except as added by the food industry), but rather from direct sunlight onto our skin.  Prior to the Industrial Revolution, people had no trouble getting significant amounts of sunshine and therefore Vitamin D. Nowadays, with people working more indoors, and dermatologists recognizing the connection between excessive sun exposure and skin cancer, people are wearing sunblock every time they step out the front door. Sunblock is now even put into cosmetics that women use routinely.

 

A recent article in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition speaks to the subject of dietary Vitamin D requirements during pregnancy and lactation.  It appears the current governmental recommendations of 200-400 International Units (IU’s)  per day are woefully inadequate; at least 1000 IU’s per day are required by a woman during her pregnancy to assure optimal nutrition for both her and her fetus. Some specialists are suggesting even higher doses are required during pregnancy.

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