We cover this same topic every decade, but it’s always new, because there’s always a new generation of sufferers.  If “suffer” sounds like a big word for what’s basically a cosmetic condition… let me remind the grown-ups how miserable it felt when you were that age, how flat-out tragic every pimple and blemish could be.  It’s hard.  For real.   

So what is this scourge, exactly?

Inside our pores we have sebaceous glands, that produce an oily substance called sebum to protect the skin.  When those pores get clogged, it traps the sebum, and the pore swells.  (Testosterone, produced by both males and females, increases sebum production, which is how those mythical “raging hormones” make acne worse).   On top of that, clogged pores are an ideal home for the bacterium Propionibacterium acnes, which colonizes the pimple and may cause the area to become inflamed.  

So, what can we do?

Diet: Conventional wisdom says you are what you eat, and certainly nobody wants a face like an extra-cheese pizza.  So it makes a certain intuitive sense to limit fats and oils.  Having said that, the research doesn’t necessarily agree. A handful of studies have found a weak link between total fat intake and severity of acne. However, a number of other studies have found no link at all.

But that’s total fat.  And that’s all we could really talk about 10 years ago, last time I wrote one of these articles. (Although I did wonder aloud if new research might show a difference between what we might call “good fats” and “bad fats”…)  Today, we have the research to look at specific fats.  Long story short, traditional “bad fats” like we find in poorly raised meats and dairy products, corn oil, cottonseed oil, and fried foods can make acne worse, while diets rich in omega-3 fats, nut oils and fruit oils may make it better.

Other problem foods?  Chocolate is contributor.  And no, it’s not just the sugar.  They’ve even done studies on pure chocolate in pill form. 

High-glycemic foods (foods that spike blood sugar) make things worse.  So we should be less concerned with total sugars than sugars untethered from the protein, fat, and fiber that slow down digestion and absorption.  Here, whole foods and balanced meals are the key.

Finally, there’s dairy.  The research is especially damning here.  And as much as I’d like to make a case for healthier grass-fed dairy, I don’t think I can. Not here. The problem is inherent to the milk protein itself.   Cutting back on dairy 3-4 weeks will often help noticeably.

Foods that are good for acne?  Beyond a high-fiber diet, I can’t cite definitive research, so let me rattle off some opinions.  Eat a diet rich in whole plant foods.  And follow Michael Pollan’s maxim to eat “more leaves than seeds.”  I’d especially prioritize foods that support the liver: think radishes, burdock, turmeric, and artichoke.  Clean oils, and some sour and bitter tastes.  A simple dish of steamed greens with olive oil, lemon, and garlic would be fantastic. 

Zinc helps the immune system fight infections, is needed to process fats and oils in the body, and helps process testosterone. 13- and 14-year-olds have the lowest zinc levels of any age group, and acne sufferers are even worse off, with less zinc in their blood, hair, nails, and skin compared to others their own age. When you see this, and then remember how important zinc is for normal growth, wound healing, brain chemistry, and liver health, you’d probably want to take zinc, acne or not.

The research on zinc and acne is a little controversial.  On one hand, there are studies which show zinc to be just as effective as antibiotics in treating acne, with fewer side effects.  On the other, there are studies which show zinc to not be effective at all. Why the discrepancy?  Well, sometimes research just happens that way. But it’s worth noting that earlier studies used poorly-absorbed zinc sulfate and showed little or no effect.  More recent studies have had much better results using the better-absorbing forms of zinc.  I recommend the better absorbing forms including zinc picolinate, zinc gluconate and zinc monomethionine (“Optizinc”).

I recommend 30 mg twice a day.  Zinc may make you nauseous on an empty stomach, so take it with food. Also, zinc can displace copper in the body.  Most of us aren’t going to get copper-deficient, but for everyday use, you might want to take a zinc-copper combo, just to be safe.  Most people will notice a reduction in symptoms within two weeks.

Liver-cleansing herbs can also be a big boost for acne sufferers, and they work well together with zinc. Anything supportive of the liver should be helpful here, but what you really want are herbs that increase the production and flow of bile. Look for herbs like yellowdock and burdock, dandelion root, boldo, artichoke leaf, celandine and Oregon grape root. Planetary Herbals makes a nice combo product called Yellowdock Skin Cleanse. 

I mentioned Fiber briefly under Diet, but it deserves a special call-out here.  Soluble fiber can both reduce the glycemic impact of meals, as well as reduce excessive levels of testosterone. Diets higher in fiber are correlated with fewer pimples.

Period Support should also be considered for women whose acne flares in sync with their monthly cycle.  Here, consider 3 tablespoons of finely ground flax seed daily – all month long, or at least for the two weeks leading into the problem times. As the liver filters the blood and tries to reduce excess levels of circulating androgens, flax lignans can help. Vitamin B6 50 mg twice daily can also help balance hormones.  Please note, both of these supplements can improve general period symptoms, but neither are contraindicated in men or pre-teens, or “mess with your hormones” in any weird or potentially problematic way.  If your acne flares in sync with your period AND your period correlates with flares of temper, Chinese herbal formulas that reduce “liver heat” may also be helpful. Xiao Yao, or “Easy Wanderer” is the classic patent formula here. Expect your acne (and your temper) to get worse for a week or so until it gets better.

Finally, let’s talk bodycare.  A gentle facewash with a little tea tree oil may reduce total bacterial load.  Some people report benefit with sulfur soaps. And of course you want to go easy any makeup — even natural makeup — that may clog your pores. But what I really like is zinc.  Again, zinc.  On the face.  And one of the  best ways to get zinc on your face is… diaper rash cream.  Yes, diaper rash cream! Not all diaper rash cream is created equal. The German cosmetic company Weleda makes a Calendula Diaper Care which has been a store favorite for over 30 years — across all age groups.  (My grandmother never left home without a tube in her pocketbook.  She used it on her hands after every time she washed).  This cream is a great spot treatment to help resolve pimples faster. You just have to get over that it’s “diaper cream.”  But I’ve seen it help for decades, literally.  So get over it already!  Strange to think we’ve been around so long we’re writing about and selling the same products to the children and grandchildren of our first customers. 

Bergamot is a citrus tree, native to Italy.  Its fruit is green and wrinkly and tart.  The peel has an otherworldly aroma.  If you’ve ever had a cup of top quality Earl Grey tea, you know what I’m talking about.  That’s because Earl Grey is just black tea, scented with bergamot peel oil.  Bergamot is also a medicine.  Extracts of the fruit have been shown to have an often significant, sometimes dramatic, effect on blood cholesterol and other lipid markers of heart disease.  A 2019 review of a dozen clinical trials linked bergamot (in different doses, over different time frames) to drops in total cholesterol between 12.3 – 31.3%, LDL from 7.6 – 40%, and triglycerides from 11.3 – 39.5%.  Those are some impressive numbers.   

And artichoke is… well, we all know what artichoke is!   Botanically, artichoke is a kind of thistle.  (Which suggests it’s probably going to be good for the liver).  (Which it is).  Mostly, artichoke is one of our best medicines to lower cholesterol and other lipid markers of heart disease.  (To be clear, the leaf is used.  Artichoke as a food probably won’t accomplish much here).  Two systematic reviews on artichoke – one from 2018, the other from 2021 – found reliable drops in total cholesterol, LDL, and triglycerides.   

So, if you’ve got high cholesterol or triglycerides, you’d probably benefit from some artichoke or bergamot.  Or both. 

Why both?    

Well, most people won’t need both.  Both work just fine on their own.  Usually.  HOWEVER… 

Herbs are complex medicines.  A drug is one compound; an herb, many.  A drug has one mechanism; an herb may have many.  In the case of bergamot and artichoke, they both lower total cholesterol, LDL, and triglycerides, but they both do it in multiple, and different, ways.  Which is to say they’re not redundant; they’re complementary, even synergistic. 

Bergamot appears to target multiple metabolic pathways involved in cholesterol synthesis (basically, it helps us make cholesterol).  Artichoke appears to target mostly different metabolic pathways to reduce cholesterol synthesis, but also increases cholesterol secretion.  So you make less, absorb less, and get rid of more.  Plus, it makes your liver healthier.  In other words, they both target cholesterol from a few different angles, which gets you the same results while putting less of a strain on any one pathway.   

A 2022 study examined 60 people who in previous studies had responded poorly to bergamot.  Most people who take bergamot do get better.  These “tough patients” didn’t.  For the next two months, they were assigned to take bergamot and artichoke, or just placebo.  The results weren’t huge, but they were enough to make a difference.  Total cholesterol dropped by 13 mg/dl, and LDL (“bad”) cholesterol dropped by 17 md/dl.  They also lost weight and got thinner waistlines, even though they had been instructed not to change how they ate.   

It’s not unreasonable to have some small trepidation combining multiple drugs with each other.  What if they interact?  It’s also not unreasonable to have similar concerns about herbs.  However, with herbs, we need to really consider the possibility of synergy.  In the same way a great recipe transcends its star ingredient, a great herbal formula can transcend its primary medicine.  Not to say combining two cholesterol herbs is a “great herbal formula.”  For that, you want to look to the Chinese and Indian traditions, or a skilled and thoughtful practitioner, anywere.  Still, combining artichoke and bergamot is a start.  

This article could be a dozen pages long.  Let’s keep it to two.  To do that, we’re going to skip the whole intro where I make sure we all understand the difference between occasional episodes of sadness, frustration and bitterness vs. Major Depression (and everything in between); and warn you that if you have actual Major Depression and/or are contemplating self-harm, you’re going to want to seek help beyond what comes in a bottle.   

I’m assuming we all understand these things, so let’s move on.   

I’m also going to touch only briefly on comorbidities.  Suffice it to say, your mood can make other stuff worse.  On the flip side, other stuff can make your mood worse.  Makes sense, right?  We believe in addressing underlying causes!  So if you hurt all over, you’re running a chronic autoimmune response, you’re hung over, nutrient-deficient, diabetic and sleep-deprived, it’s not going to help your mood .  AND – herbs and drugs and talk therapy that will help your mood are going to have an uphill battle.   

Have a conversation, have a walk, have a rest, have a meal, have a sleep.  Take some ginseng.  Take some melatonin.  Find what works for you. 

 Saint John’s Wort (Hypericum perforatum) is an herb commonly used for depression, and usually the first one mentioned when people are writing these lists.  It’s safe and well-researched.  Having said that, it’s not very effective.  The vast majority of the research points to mild benefits only, in mild to moderate depression only.  My experience has borne that out.  In decades, I’ve never talked to anyone who was “wowed” by St. John’s Wort – except for two people both taking significantly higher than the standard dose.  By all means, try it.  But I think you can do better.   

Silk Tree (Albizia julibrissens) is my favorite herb for lowered mood, hands-down.  In China, it’s called He huan – “the tree of happiness” – and is central to numerous classic formulas.  In the U.S. it’s almost unknown.  Unlike St. John’s Wort, it has almost no meaningful research behind it.  Also, unlike St. John’s Wort: it really, really works.   

I always want to give credit where credit is due.  I was introduced to Silk Tree about 20 years ago by the great herbalist David Winston.  I’ve always held David in the highest esteem, for his decades of clinical experience, and his fluency in Chinese, Ayurvedic, Eclectic, and Cherokee herbalism.  His toolbox is extensive!  So when he said that Silk Tree was the best all-around herbal antidepressant he had ever used, I took notice.   

In my experience, Silk Tree starts to become noticeable after 4-5 days of consistent use in substantial doses.  I feel it’s especially helpful for what I might call “high-energy depression”: irritable, discontented, snappish, sleepless, can’t-sit-still.  (As opposed to low-energy depression: morose and unmotivated).  But it’s not limited to one or the other.   

Straight-up Silk Tree is effective, but I tend to recommend it in formulas.  Albizia-9 from the Seven Forests company is based around Silk Tree, rounded out with Chinese herbs that are generally relaxing and anti-anxiety. It’s a wonderful formula for depression layered with agitation and worry.  There’s also Grief Relief from David Winston’s Herbalist & Alchemist company.  Here, Silk Tree is combined with rose petals and hawthorn berries, for people who are “all over the place” and/or dealing with pangs of grief and loss.  It also tastes good.   

Saffron is well-researched in relation to mood.  A 2015 meta-analysis evaluated saffron in major depressive disorder across five clinical trials.  Two of the trials compared saffron to placebo; three compared it to mainline anti-depressant drugs Prozac® and Imiprimine.  It worked in every single trial.  It was highly effective relative to placebo, and every bit as effective as the drugs.   

The research has rolled on, largely focusing on the (more marketable?) benefit of weight loss – where saffron works by reducing the ways mood drives us to overeat.  (Also researched for: PMS, macular degeneration, neuroprotection, and some very intriguing stuff around Alzheimer’s).    

You can buy saffron in pills, and we sell them.  But I like to recommend saffron tea.  I don’t know why.  Maybe it’s just how I was taught to use it back in the day.  Place 10 threads high-quality saffron in a mug.  Pour boiling water over them, cover, and let cool.  Then drink it down, threads and all.  Do this 2-3 times a day.   You can also prepare a pitcher ahead of time, and save it chilled in the fridge. 

First, you have to get over the idea that “bacteria” is a dirty word. Yes, there are “bad” bacteria that can make you sick or kill you. Anthrax and bubonic plague come to mind. But there are also healthy, symbiotic bacteria that live naturally and helpfully in our guts, on our skin, in our mucous membranes (sinus, vaginal tract, etc.) And they play crucial roles in our health. Depending on the bacteria, they can: 

• maintain an active and balanced immune system 
• support detoxification in the liver 
• crowd out bad bacteria and yeasts 
• help us maintain a healthy weight & healthy mood 
• reduce risk of heart disease, dementia, and cancer 
• help us digest food more comfortably, and keep us regular 
• control body odor 
• reduce inflammation 

That’s a long list of benefits. I certainly wouldn’t expect all of them, from all fermented foods; certainly none of them overnight. But if you add traditionally fermented probiotic foods to your diet, you should expect to feel some benefits. 

Here are three superstar fermented foods, beyond yogurt. 

Kefir is often described as “drinkable yogurt.” But that name doesn’t do it justice. Yogurt is made from milk fermented with two or more strains of bacteria. Kefir is made from milk, fermented with a much more complex stew of bacteria and yeasts. The resulting product is more flavorful and biologically active than simple yogurt.   

Versus kefir, yogurt bacteria may have an edge around what we sometimes call “women’s health” (i.e. yeast infections and UTIs), and regularity. But Kefir can claim the anticancer and antiviral properties. I want to be clear, I’m not saying kefir is going to “kick COVID” or “cure cancer.” What I am saying is adding to the diet regularly will do some interesting things to increase our immunity and resistance. Plus, it’s basically drinkable yogurt.  

Sauerkraut and other Fermented Veggies. Pickling in vinegar is a modern, industrial process. The traditional method to preserve vegetables was to let them ferment, so that bacteria would in a sense “produce their own vinegar,” all the while adding live cultures and biologically active metabolites to the mix. Traditionally fermented veggies are a treat. All the flavor of a really good pickle or sauerkraut, plus all the benefits of a living food.   

Beyond sauerkraut, you can pickle almost anything from the garden. Favorites include: 

• Kimchee is basically a Korean-spiced sauerkraut. Available spicy or not-so-spicy; vegan or with fish sauce. 
• Curtido is a Salvadoran-flavored cabbage-and-carrot slaw. Great on taco night! I want to run a Curtido-based recipe in next month’s newsletter. 
• Cucumber Pickles can also be fermented.   
• Fermented Ginger Carrots are an old favorite of many of our customers. They’re especially nice with greens or grains, and a ginger-miso dressings. 
• Fermented Beets are vibrant, tart, and refreshing. They make a great dip with sour cream or cashew cheese. 
• Fermented hot sauces are a thing. Personally, I love the ones from Poor Devil Pepper Co.  

Finally, Natto is a unique Japanese fermented food created by incubating soybeans with the bacterium Bacillus natto. This bacterium isn’t normally considered probiotic, in the sense it doesn’t live in us. But during fermentation, it produces two compounds of profound value: the clot-busting enzyme nattokinase, and a form of vitamin K2 called menatetrenone (a.k.a. MK-4), which helps the bones incorporate calcium.  It’s not surprising that good epidemiologic data connects regular natto consumption with both lower rates of death from heart disease, and lower rates of fracture – associations not seen with other soy products.  Let’s talk about nattokinase and MK-4 for a moment.   

Nattokinase isn’t anti-clotting, in the sense it does not prevent clots from forming. What it does do is helps break down clots faster, and prevent them from snowballing to the point of danger.  So far, research indicates that nattokinase is quite safe, even in conjunction with blood thinners. And it’s consumed as a food regularly and without issue. But you should probably use caution around bleeding disorders.   

Menatetrenone is to my mind our most important vitamin for healthy bones. I’ve written about it in this newsletter so many times, I’m not going to write about it again. Let me just say: our most important nutrient for healthy bones. There. 

Traditionally, natto is served as a topping on rice or salads, or as a filling in sushis. It has a texture texture that is either delightfully smooth and unctuous, or unpleasantly slippery and slimy, depending on your take. I think a good rule is: if you don’t like the texture and mouth feel of okra, you won’t like the texture and mouth feel of natto.    

I have no vested interest in selling canola oil to anyone.  I also don’t use canola oil at home. I just get frustrated when health misinformation proliferates.  So here we are.   

Canola History: Cultural and Agricultural

First, there was the rapeseed (from the Latin rapum, meaning “turnip,” to which the rapeseed plant is closely related).  People in Europe, India, and Asia have cultivated rapeseed for thousands of years. It’s a hardy plant, with high yields, especially suited to the colder climates of the Northern hemisphere.

Unfortunately, rapeseed has a naturally bitter flavor, due mostly to a compound called erucic acid.  So rapeseed was mostly used to feed livestock, to light oil lamps, and to lubricate machinery. On top of that, even if people were inclined to look past the bitterness, research in the 1960s began to implicate erucic acid in heart disease, in dogs and rats.  Even though there was no evidence of harm in humans (and even though it was rarely used as a food), regulators jumped in to keep erucic acid out of the human diet. Rapeseed oil became illegal in the US for human consumption – alongside its close cousin, mustard oil, for the same reasons.   

In retrospect, that may have been a bad choice.  Recent research suggests erucic acid is actually good  for us. You can read a more about erucic acid pros and cons here

The thing is, rapeseed is hardy in Northern climates.  It would clearly be a boon to farmers, if they could grow it.  So in the 1970s, botanists in Canada bred a new rapeseed cultivar with lower levels of erucic acid.  (To be clear, they actually bred it the old-fashioned way. This was a non-GMO process!) This new oilseed plant had the same hardiness, the same high yields, but much lower erucic acid, and it tasted neutral.  Win-win.   

Canola History: Market Acceptance

Next step was getting people to trust this newfangled creation.  Turns out, names matter, and not everyone is fluent in Botanical Latin. So the marketing people finally addressed the elephant in the room, and rechristened this new cultivar “Canola” (from “Canada Oil Low Acid.”)      

This all happened in the mid- to late-1970s.  Meaning canola entered the market just when Public Health was enter a period of intensely dogmatic black-and-white thinking about fats and oils.  In short: we were told saturated fats were BAD, and unsaturated fats were GOOD.  All of which made highly polyunsaturated Canola oil very, very, very good indeed! At least that’s how it was marketed. And then the press and the health authorities took it and ran with it.  

BUT – saturated fats are not all bad, and unsaturated fats are not all good.  And the thing is — and here’s my personal analysis, take it for what it’s worth — when some presumed authority overstates their case, people tend to counterbalance the first overstatement with an equal and opposite overstatement of their own.  It’s a natural human tendency: we want to swing the pendulum back, hard.  As I see it, that’s what’s happened with canola.  It’s why some people say canola oil is toxic, a genetically modified carcinogen that bespoils the precious bodily fluids of America’s youth.  

Again, the psychosocial analysis is mine, and mine alone. But let’s take a closer look at the science.  

Canola Truth

Some people say canola genetically modified.  Yes, a new strain of GMO canola was developed in the 1990s, to withstand toxic herbicides. But organic canola is not genetically modified.  Period.   

Some people say canola oil is extracted from the seed using the toxic solvent, hexane.  Much non-organic canola oil is; by law (and by practice) organic canola oil is not.  Period. 

Some people say canola is full of unstable polyunsaturated fats that can go rancid, become trans-fats, and feed inflammation.  I agree!  Canola oil does not store well for years and years; it does not stand up to very high heat well for hours and hours in the fryer.  Still, that’s no reason fresh, clean canola doesn’t have a place in salad dressing, or to cook at lower temperatures for shorter periods of time.    

Some people say canola oil is bad for the heart.  I’m frankly having a hard time understanding this.  It has been so extensively researched, so consistently shown to be beneficial.  It may not be quite as beneficial as olive oil.  But it’s no slouch.     

Some people say canola oil will give you cancer.  There’s a tiny glimmer of truth in there. Again, it oxidizes more easily than other oils.  Oxidized foods can be carcinogenic.  And again, this can be solved by consuming fresh (i.e. non-rancid) canola, and not leaving it in the fryer all day.  

Some people say canola oil is somehow bad from the environment. Recent, complex Scope-3–level analysis of seed-to-bottle lifecycle has actually shown a lower carbon footprint for canola oil than most other oils — depending on where it’s grown. The colder, and more northerly the climate, the better.

To my mind, the three real arguments against canola oil are: 

1. It doesn’t taste like anything.  (I suppose that’s a con and a pro). 
2. It doesn’t have any special health properties, like olive oil, sesame oil, and coconut oil. 
3. It doesn’t stay fresh as long as some other fats.   

But to shy away from it by default is just silly.

Throughout my life, smoothies have been a staple, a balm, a lifesaver.  The idea is simple, and the execution is simpler.  You dump a bunch of things in the blender; 30 second later, you have breakfast.  Done right, it’s that old cliché – delicious AND nutritious.  And reasonably inexpensive. And very little to clean up (especially if you drink from the blender!) 

Smoothies are great for the whole family, too.  Adults and teenagers, older folks who might otherwise drink Ensure™, little children and even infants.  My daughter was less than a year old when we started giving her sips.  By two, it was the daily breakfast.  She’s five now, and they’re still breakfast most weekdays.  I feel great about doing it, and you should do.  Especially when you’re trying to round out a diet that gravitates to the beige.  They’re a fantastic vehicle for all sorts of nutrition.  I mean, you don’t want to try and put all your herbal supplements in the blender.  Not all of them taste good…  But fish oil, vitamin D, probiotics, fiber supplements, Lion’s Mane mushroom for brain support, even a little immune-strengthening astragalus root – no problem!  

Supplements notwitstanding, our smoothies are still mostly what you’d call “culinary,” i.e. made from real food ingredients that taste great.  So let’s start there.   

SMOOTHIE RULES 

1. There are no rules.  However, there are guidelines… 

2. A smoothie needs weight and heft.  And by that I mean protein and fat (and ideally fiber).  I can not stress this enough.  Just plain blenderized fruit may taste sweet, but it will not satisfy.  Even a single spoonful of cashew butter, or a half-cup of full-fat yogurt, and your erstwhile slushy will transform into a deeply satisfying meal.  Add a big scoop of high quality protein powder, and it will keep you running through lunch. 

What else adds weight and heft? 

• Full-fat yogurt has protein, fat, and probiotics.  
• Any kind of nuts and seeds 
• Raw cacao powder is a surprisingly fiber-rich food, with a decent amount of fat to boot. 

• Half a block of tofu, or some boiled eggs go right in the blender, no problem.\ 
• Avocado is a smoothie superstar 
• Don’t underestimate ricotta cheese.  It’s a lean, mean, protein machine! 

I try to follow the “three-egg rule.”  In other words, I shoot for the amount of fat and protein I’d get in 3 hard-boiled eggs at least.   

3. You don’t always need a great blender, but…  it sometimes helps!  I like the flexibility of putting whole nuts in my blender, not just nut butters.  I like adding flax seeds sometimes.  I’ve even made a “carrot cake smoothie” with raw carrot, dates, and cardamom.  For that kind of roughage, a Vitamix-level machine is necessary.   

4. Use something frozen.  You just get a nicer texture when you do.  Frozen fruit is great.  I always have one or two kinds in the freezer.  And if you have fresh fruit, freeze it!  (Obviously, peel the banana or section the apple first).  This is a great way to salvage fruit that’s past its prime.  I’m no longer afraid to buy bananas!  

If you don’t have frozen fruit, drop in a handful of ice cubes.   

5. Be ready to spend money on ingredients – to start.  Smoothies are not expensive on a per diem basis. But your startup costs – when you buy a 2-pound sack of protein powder, 5 pounds of frozen fruit, chia seed, probiotics, nuts, oils, etc. all at once — will be significant.  Just try and remember, you’re buying 2 weeks’ worth of breakfast.  

6. Embrace creativity!  More than any other “genre” of food, smoothies are about improvisation and using what you’ve got. Take these recipes as suggestions only. Follow the format of: some sweet, some fat, some protein, some fiber, and whatever comes out will be good. 

THE “UNICORN PRINCESS”  

I make this all the time, but I just named it today.  Because it needs a name.  And it’s pink.  And rosy.  I use more fruit and less water in this one, since watermelon is already pretty watery. 

• 2 C cubed watermelon 
• 1 big splash rose water 
• 1 Tbsp raw honey 
• 2 Tbsp macadamia or cashew butter, or coconut manna 

• A little bit of water 
• 1 scoop-and-a-half of sweetened vanilla protein powder 

THE “PEAR HALVAH”  

Sort of a Persian / Middle Eastern flavors, I think.  Sesame is one of the world’s healthiest foods! 

• 1 ripe bosc pear, cored leave the peel on 

• 3 Tbsp sesame tahini 
• 1 fat pinch cardamom 
• 3-6 pitted dates pitted Medjool dates 
• A good amount of water 
• 1 scoop sweetened protein powder 

THE “FUDGIE NORTHWEST”  

All the dark colors and strong flavors make this an antioxidant powerhouse.  This one, you want a strong blender for, and you’ll want to run it a long time to puree the hazelnuts.   

• 5 oz frozen dark cherries 
• ½ C toasted hazelnuts 
• ¼ C raw cacao powder 

• A good amount of water 
• A small glug dark amber maple syrup 
• 1 scoop sweetened protein powder 

_{Image courtesy James Palinsad via CC BY-SA 2.0 license. Image was cropped.}

(4 theoretically “bad-for-you” foods that that are much better for you than you might have heard…)

Whenever your fearless editor is too lazy, uninspired, or too behind-schedule to write an actual article, he writes a list 

1.Nuts?

So often, we get caught up in what a food “has” vs. what a food “does.” Yes, nuts have a decent collection of nutrients. Magnesium, manganese, vitamin E complex, fiber, protein, lignans, prebiotics, healthy fats, etc. But what nuts do transcends what we understand about their nutrient content. Here, we focus primarily on heart disease, weight loss, and all-cause mortality (i.e. death).  

All-Cause Mortality is a term used in medical and public health research to refer to dying of any cause during the study. It’s often the best way to capture population-wide effects of a food, a drug, or an exposure. According to a number of large, high-quality reviews, people who consume an ounce of more of nuts a day die on average 19% less (during the study periods). Most, but not all, of the benefit can be attributed to reduction in cardiometabolic disease – stroke, heart attack, and how the body processes blood sugar. These results exceed other superstar foods and diets – vegetables, fish, and even the vaunted Mediterranean Diet. 

According to a number of high-quality studies, nuts support weight loss. Epidemiology shows that people who eat nuts tend to be fitter. Clinical trials show people have better success losing weight when they substitute nuts for other foods, even healthy foods. Nuts make it easier to stick to a diet, and make the diet more effective. PLUS – nuts mitigate the ill effects of overeating. They blunt spikes in blood sugar. They lower bad cholesterol, and raise good cholesterol.   

So, are all nuts created equal? Of course not! Unfortunately, it’s hard to really pin down the pros and cons. The research is almost always Nut vs. Placebo, or Nut vs. Other Kind of Food – never Nut vs. Nut. I tend to prefer walnuts, hazelnuts, pecans and pistachios for the heart disease and metabolic benefits. Brazil nuts are great, but probably too rich in selenium to eat lots of all the time. Cashews are probably a second-tier nut, so to speak.   

If you have a hard time digesting, soaked/sprouted nuts will help. They taste better too. 
And then pine nuts! Well, there are Siberian pine nuts, Korean pine nuts, and Mediterranean pine nuts. There are dozens of species. Some people react poorly to Chinese pine nuts. They experience a metallic taste for days after eating them. Generally speaking, pine nuts may be extra special for their ability to reduce reflux and heartburn. 

2.Pesto?

Another fatty, yummy food, so of course we’re trained to think of it as bad for us. It certainly doesn’t help perception that we associate it with pasta, pizza, and other indulgences.  But – good pesto is a health superstar.

   
What is pesto? Literally, the word is Italian for “paste.” Technically it can apply to all manner of coarsely or smoothly ground sauces and spreads, generally made from some combination of fresh herbs, nuts, oil, garlic, and hard cheese.     The most familiar to many of us pesto alla Genovese: basil, pine nuts, olive oil, garlic, and Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. And why is this a health food?  Look at what’s in it!  First, we start with basil.  Culinary herbs – especially leafy aromatic herbs from the Mediterranean – are some of our most powerful, most protective antioxidants, packed with phytonutrients that could put blueberries to shame.  And then nuts.  We already covered nuts.  If you do it right, you buy pesto (or make pesto) with pine nuts, or some other kind of “nice” nut.  Extra virgin olive oil is of course a winner.  Garlic is a winner. And a little high-quality grass-fed hard cheese just seals the deal. Pesto is remarkably nutrient-dense. 

I’ve made all kinds of pesto. I’ve made pesto with pistachios – with purple basil and curry leaves. I’ve used made a vegan pesto with basil, parsley, hemp seeds, and brewer’s yeast. 
You can find some old pesto recipes from our newsletter here, here, and here.

3.Mustard Seed Oil?

If you’ve ever tasted food in Northern India or Nepal, and it has a certain subtle, pungent je ne sais quoi you can’t get at home, chances are it’s the mustard seed oil. It’s got a horseradish-y bite, without being overtly spicy. One journalist called it “untamed.” It’s got a high smoke point, so it’s great to cook with. It’s also rich in healthy, isothiocyanates, which promote detoxification on the cellular level. Dozens of published studies connect isothiocyanates with lower cancer risk.

So it’s delicious, it’s good for you… AND – in United States, it’s illegal because, apparently, it’s hazardous to your health. To be specific, it’s illegal to sell mustard oil for use in cooking (yes, a loophole suggests itself; read on!) Meanwhile, it’s still legal elsewhere, and sometimes even recommended as a healthy choice by the local authorities.  

The controversy centers around erucic acid, a naturally occurring fat that accounts for ~25% of the mustard oil by weight. Going back to the 1970s, series of lab reports showed that erucic acid caused rats to develop dangerous fatty deposits around their hearts. So in 1976, the FDA banned it. (Technically, the agency banned any oils with 5% or more erucic acid). The thing is, rats metabolize erucic acid differently than people. Differently than most animals. It turns out erucic acid isn’t toxic to pigs. Or dogs. And it appears to not be toxic to humans (although to be fair large-scale, long-term 100% conclusive clinical trials have not yet been conducted).   

So now you can buy mustard-flavored oil.  (The word “flavor” is usually in small print).

Or you can buy low-erucic acid mustard seed oil specially bred to meet FDA criteria by keeping the EA under 5%, all while tasting as neutral as possible.  You’ve seen this before; they call it “Canola oil.” Nothing wrong with a good, fresh, organic canola oil. But it’s not the same.

OR — you can buy the real thing – organic, cold-pressed, and packed in amber glass to maintain its freshness – but legally it’s gotta say it’s a “massage oil.”   

Personally, I feel good cooking with mustard oil.  I use it in a Nepali-inspired (“Sekuwa”-style) marinade for grilled chicken or tofu. (Per 1 pound protein, try ½ C Greek yogurt, ¼ C mustard oil, 1 tsp each garam masala, turmeric, cumin, garlic paste, ginger paste, and salt).  Or in coconut mustard fish curry.  It makes the best palak paneer, and even better  saag paneer). 

OR — you can buy the real thing – organic, cold-pressed, and packed in amber glass to maintain its freshness – but legally it’s gotta say it’s a “massage oil.”   

Personally, I feel good cooking with mustard oil.  I use it in a Nepali-inspired (“Sekuwa”-style) marinade for grilled chicken or tofu. (Per 1 pound protein, try ½ C Greek yogurt, ¼ C mustard oil, 1 tsp each garam masala, turmeric, cumin, garlic paste, ginger paste, and salt).  Or in coconut mustard fish curry.  It makes the best palak paneer saag paneer).   

4.Coffee?

When Debra’s first opened in 1989, we didn’t sell coffee. Coffee was “bad for you” – according to many health food gurus of the day.

Well…. they were wrong.   In addition to all the obvious benefits (i.e. how we actually feel on a nice cuppa), we now see good evidence that regular moderate/reasonable coffee consumption is linked with a lower risk for:  

• Type II diabetes 
• Stroke 
• Coronary artery disease
• Parkinson’s disease
• Cirrhosis, and other kinds of liver disease 
• Alzheimer’s  
• Kidney disease 
• Colon and liver cancers 
• Depression, up to and including attempted suicide
• Premature mortality in general

Now to be clear, it’s hard to tease correlation from causation in some of this research. In other words, we can’t always discern if coffee is itself protective, or if it’s simply a marker for other positive traits and behaviors, i.e. having sense of purpose, and a reason to get up in the morning. I’d argue it’s probably a combination of both. But – mostly the coffee. And what about coffee is responsible for these miracles? Is it the caffeine?  Well… maybe. To a certain degree. But coffee is also rich in phenolic compounds like chlorogenic acid, which multiple documented, protective benefits. The bitterness of coffee is a stimulant to liver, gallbladder and pancreatic function.  (Don’t underestimate the importance of bitterness and sourness, especially in the context of a fatty and heavy modernized diet). Whatever role caffeine plays, it’s certainly not the only player in the beverage.   

(and if the acidity of regular coffee bothers you, consider alkaline BioCoffee — our #1-selling grocery item in the entire store!)Can we drink too much coffee?  Well, of course.  And how much is too much? The answer may surprise you.  Three to five 8-oz cups is considered “moderate.” And moderate is what we’re aiming for.  Long story short, if the amount you’re consuming feels good — doesn’t leave you jittery or anxious or sleepless – it’s probably a right amount for you.     

the Medicinal Mushroom for Energy, Vitality, Immunity, Jet Lag, and More

I first wrote about Cordyceps in our October 2002 newsletter.  I feel it’s important to point that out, since Cordyceps is now trending on social media as the newest, hottest thing .  What I’m trying to say is, I’m not jumping on any bandwagon!.  I’ve been firmly ensconced on the bandwagon for more than two decades.

Why the surge in interest?  Well… there’s a new TV show called “The Last of Us,” and millions of viewers are tuning in to watch as mutant cordyceps fungus infects a large portion of humanity and turns them into aggressive zombie-like killers.  Plus, there’s character development, politics, family, suspense, and redemption.  Good writing and good acting.  But basically: Cordyceps takes over your brain.  Carnage ensues.  It’s spooky.

As we’ll see, there’s a sliver of truth in that backstory.  Cordyceps does in fact infect living beings (insects).  It can take over their brains (sort of). 

BUT – this isn’t that.  This is an article about how Cordyceps is a wonderful herb for energy and vitality.  AND – remember! — the cordyceps we sell is dead and sterilized.  And grown on plants. So it’s not going to infect anything.

In 1993, the Chinese women’s track team shocked the world when its runners set 5 new world records at the Olympic Games in Beijing. The team tested clean for performance-enhancing drugs, but the coach later disclosed that he had given his athletes at least one (entirely legal) performance-enhancing substance: the medicinal mushroom, Cordyceps.  In 1999, I tried it for the first time, when a friend gave me a couple of droppersful of the tincture on a steep hike.  I hiked the mountain like it was a gentle hill!

WHAT IS CORDYCEPS? 

Cordyceps is a family of over 600 fungi, some of which are used as tonics in Chinese and Tibetan medicine.  In particular, C. sinensis and C. militaris.  Both thrive at high altitudes.  Both are among the most bizarre entries in the Materia Medica.  In the wild, Cordyceps spores float, dormant, until one lands on an ant or caterpillar. The spore infiltrates and parasitizes the insect, transforming the host tissue to fungal tissue, and eventually killing it.  (In the process, Cordyceps also compels certain insects to climb – to the top of a blade of grass, for example – from where they can better spread the fungal spores.  Hence, the idea of “mind control.”)  Eventually the fruiting body (the “above-ground” part of the mushroom) will sprout out of the insects head like antlers. Hence the names “Caterpillar Fungus” and “Summer Plant, Winter Worm.”

Cordyceps doesn’t find hosts often, so the mushrooms are extremely rare in the wild.  So rare in fact, that for a while, in China, it was a crime for anyone outside the Emperor’s palace to use it.  In the last few decades, however, people have figured out how to cultivate Cordyceps. Today, we can leave the insects out of the equation, and grow Cordyceps on sawdust, rice bran, soybeans, etc. It’s gotten a lot cheaper, too.  Not cheap-cheap, perhaps, but a lot cheaper than the $3,000-$15,000 per pound you’d pay for the wild stuff.

CORDYCEPS FOR PHYSICAL ENERGY:

Cordyceps is first and foremost an energizer and invigorator.  It really works, and you can really feel it!  (Or, at least I can…)  How does it work?  Within 30 minutes on an empty stomach, Cordyceps begins to work on the lungs, increasing gas exchange.  More oxygen into the blood, more carbon dioxide out. 

Oxygen is the breath of life, as they say.   Just think what feeling short of breath does to us.  With a surplus of oxygen, we produce ATP more efficiently, we can go longer, climb higher, run farther, stay awake later.  There’s no caffeine jolt, no caffeine buzzzzzzzzzz – just pure calm energy. You don’t feel different, you just feel… awake? Alive? Better? It’s hard to put into words.

Cordyceps really helps when you’re pushing yourself – running, biking, hiking – anything that might leave you short of breath.  I recommend it to competitive athletes and weekend warriors alike.  It can also help with everyday mild fatigue.  More on how to dose for these different situations below.

When I wrote my first article on Cordyceps 21 years ago, I of course said how great is was, but also noted there was almost no research on the subject.  Since then, there’s been a fair amount published.  Long story short: we see that cordyceps (along, or combined with adaptogenic herbs) increases stamina, aerobic potential, and athletic performance. 

CORDYCEPS FOR WAKEFULNESS & BRAIN ENERGY: 

There’s more to energy than just athletics.  There’s also brain energy: wakefulness and cognitive stamina.  Burning the midnight lamp?  Try Cordyceps.  Bear in mind it won’t stimulate you, like caffeine.  You can even sleep through it, usually.  In fact, one of my favorite ways of using cordyceps is to take it, right when you’re going to bed, if you’re only going to be able to sleep a few hours.  You’ll sleep just fine (it doesn’t keep you up), but you’ll often wake up feeling more rested than you have a right to. 

Older folks who just need that afternoon nap… need it less with Cordyceps. 

Me, I got into cordyceps when I was in school.  I finished college full-time nights while working full-time days at the store.  I’d get up for work at 6 am, and finish my last class at 9:30 or 10 at night.  Cordyceps was an absolute lifesaver. It gave me the energy I needed, but still let me get to sleep afterwards. And it didn’t leave me drained the next day like coffee could. (Please note: I am not disrespecting coffee.  I love coffee!)  Cordyceps also helped me climb a few (small- to medium-sized) mountains, and stay on the basketball court with teenagers when I was in my 30s.

CORDYCEPS FOR TRAVEL – ALTITUDE SICKNESS & JET LAG:

I recommend straight Cordyceps if you’re going to be at altitude for just a day or two, too short a time to truly acclimate.  Or with herbs that speed acclimation, if it’ll be longer.  I especially like Rhodiola and Eleuthero roots for this.  I mention a product below, under “Formulas” that combines all three.

For jet lag, ditto.  I suggest starting the formula when you get on the plane, and continuing for 2-4 days.  It helps you survive sleep deprivation better, and helps you get over the jet lag faster. 

HEART HEALTH:

Any time we increase the energy-generating potential in muscle cells, we give the heart a leg up (so to speak).  Beyond that, there is some evidence that Cordyceps may reduce blood pressure by helping dilate blood vessels, and may also reduce cholesterol.  Cordyceps isn’t my first choice for either, if that’s all I were trying to do.  Still, it’s nice to know it might help.

KIDNEY DISEASE:

Just like the heart, the kidneys are organs that need to constantly generate and use energy.  Again, Cordyceps may be useful in cases of kidney impairment. 

IMMUNE FUNCTION & INFLAMMATION:

There’s been a lot of research on cordyceps vs. immune function.  Suffice it to say, cordyceps improves cell-mediated immunity (the kind of immunity most relevant to viruses and cancer).  I’m not sure if cordyceps is really special in this regard vs. any other good medicinal mushroom.  But it’s nice to know it helps. 

As for inflammation, there’s also a lot of research here.  Cordyceps is not a traditional anti-inflammatory.  It doesn’t block or suppress inflammation in a direct way.  However, it can modulate inflammation by reducing excessive immune responses, perhaps in autoimmunity.  It’s a little early for me to say exactly how and when to use it. But, nice to know there may be some potential.

DOSING:

I use Cordyceps differently than I usually see recommended on the back of most bottles. Mostly, what the companies selling it recommend is to use a low-to-moderate dose regularly , 2-3 times a day, every day.  That’s one way to do it, and it certainly works, if you’ve got a mild-to-moderate everyday issue – low energy, chronic lung issues, etc. 

My approach is to save it for when I really need it, then I use a hefty dose – two droppersful, maybe three, of the tincture.  Or 5-6 capsules.  Depending on brand, of course…  As something that works within an hour, you’ll feel it, and figure out dosing that works for you.

SAFETY/SIDE EFFECTS:

There are exceptions to every rule.  But the rule is: Cordyceps is safe.  Having said that, we should probably use some caution with off-the-beaten-track immune abnormalities.  Beyond that, the major side effect is… increased libido.  Now, whether or not that’s a positive or a negative side effect is entirely a personal choice, and frankly none of my business.  Either way, it doesn’t effect everyone.  It’s more likely to effect males.

COMBINATIONS:

• Cordyceps combines well with adaptogenic herbs like Ginseng, Rhodiola, Ashwagandha and Eleuthero for chronic low energy, adaptation to stress, and what we tend to call “adrenal fatigue.”   For example, consider the Pine Mountain Cordyceps Tablets, with Eleuthero and Rhodiola.  Or some of the coffee substitutes from Rasa Tonics
• It also works well with Reishi mushroom for chronic lung weakness.  For example, consider the Host Defense “Breathe” formula.    
• More complex formulas may be used.  The “Cordyceps 9” formula from the Seven Forests company can be useful in situations where lung weakness/asthma is exacerbated by chronic fatigue and low blood pressure, or a reliance on antiinflammatory steroid medications. 

QUALITY:

There are those who insist that the wild stuff sprouting out of a wasp head from some remote Himalayan peak is really worth the $10,000 a pound you’d pay for it.  Maybe they’re right. Certainly, the ancient Chinese and Tibetan medical texts talk about Cordyceps doing things that sound almost magical, beyond what the stuff cultivated on rice and soy and sawdust will do.

I don’t have personal experience with wild Cordyceps. I wouldn’t be surprised if it were better. No matter how much the parasitic fungus transforms its original host, there are still going to be insect compounds left. In Traditional Chinese medicine, some insects are used as medicines, and are considered profoundly strengthening… ants, male silk moths… Once again, I have no experience here.  And if you want to buy the wild insect-grown stuff, I can’t direct you. 

When it comes to the cultivated stuff, I have been a fan of the extracts produced by Paul Stamets’ Fungi Perfecti company, since I first took them in 1999.   They’re phenomenonal.  They sell it under the brand name Host Defense now.  Of course this isn’t to say other brands can’t be good, too. But after more than two decades, I’m loyal.

Better sleep? Better digestion? Reduced pain and inflammation? Amy says “yes,” and more.  

It is rare for me to find a product that is “life-changing,” but I found one quite by accident last year when I used a Queen of the Thrones Castor Oil Pack for the first time. I learned about the brand from an interview with the inventor Dr. Marisol Teijeiro, a naturopathic doctor practicing in Canada.  I’ve tried to use castor oil packs in the past, but always gave up because they were messy and uncomfortable: scratchy from the flannel, drippy from the oil, and itchy from the saran wrap that you use to hold it on.  Queen of the Thrones solves all these problems. I was impressed with how soft and comfortable the pack is – the inner layer is made from organic cotton sherpa and the outer layer of non-toxic, solvent-free polyurethane. The elastic nylon strap ties on, and stays on, even when you are moving.   

That first night, I poured 2 Tbsp of castor oil onto the pack, blotting to keep the oil in the center. I tied it below my rib cage on my right (over the liver), tucked my pajama top into my pajama bottom over the pack, to ensure it stayed in place, and went to bed.  Incredibly, I slept through the night for the FIRST time in YEARS! I felt like a NEW woman with tons of energy!  

I was hooked.  And it prompted me to do a little research. According to Dr. Marisol, “the Pack engages your body’s natural restorative mechanisms and helps shift you from a stressed state to the ‘rest and digest’ state so you can promote liver detox, lymphatic drainage and colon cleansing.”  No wonder I was sleeping so soundly!  

I have since shared this product with a few hundred people. Does everyone have the same sleeping-through-the-night experience?  No, of course not.  But it is the #1 thing people report to me.  Even I don’t have that experience every night, BUT even when I don’t, I easily fall back to sleep and wake feeling rested.  It has become part of my bedtime routine, like my non-negotiable cup of herbal tea and brushing my teeth. According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, our bodies natural cleansing cycle begins at 11pm and this is why it is so beneficial to wear the pack overnight.  

However, there are many benefits beyond a longer, deeper sleep. Bottom line, castor oil packs promote healing in the body. They reduce inflammation and promote lymphatic drainage in an area, resulting in detoxification. I often supercharge the pack with a drop of lemon essential oil, and then and add a hot water bottle over the pack.  The combination of the oils and heat drive the oils deeper into the body to perform their therapeutic magic. Adding heat is not necessary with this product, however, because the pack naturally holds in your body’s own heat.   (Editor’s note: castor oil drops are central to Debra’s legendary Dry Eye Protocol.  We always have copies of her info sheet, and it has helped hundreds of people so far).  

Not everyone wants to wear the pack to sleep, and that’s ok, but I love the efficiency of this practice and I visualize my liver detoxing while I sleep. Dr. Marisol recommends wearing it for 45-60 minutes over the liver daily to experience a benefit, and ideally to relax while you do it.   

The other experience that hooked me on castor oil packs was resolution of a painful Baker’s cyst. A Baker’s cyst is a fluid-filled growth behind the knee. It’s non-cancerous and not life-threatening.  But it hurt, and more, it was really interfering with my life.  I knew that castor oil packs reduced inflammation, and figured I would try. The pain was persistent, so if nothing else, I welcomed an opportunity to sit down for 45-60 minutes with my leg up, castor oil pack wrapped around the area, perched on a hot water bottle. I felt a reduction in the pain after that first pack!  I did it 4-5 nights per week for a few weeks and the Baker’s cyst resolved itself. I now recommend castor oil for any type of injury with inflammation. It can be used over joints and injuries, bone spurs, and cysts. The best thing about these packs is that they can be used on pretty much any problem area including shoulders, breast, low back, hip and abdomen. They can safely combined with any medication or supplement.

It also comes in handy if I have a late night or a heavy meal; the pack helps with digestion and promotes relaxation. It’s not a laxative, like taking castor oil orally, but it may relieve constipation and encourage regular bowel movements. Over the past year or so it has become a useful tool in my Wellness Toolbox to not only assist with cleansing and detoxification, but so much more, and I honestly cannot imagine living without it.   

What is castor oil?  Castor oil is derived from the seeds of the castor bean.  Castor Oil is extremely rich in anti-inflammatory ricinoleic acid, which easily permeates through the first layer of the skin and into the dermis where the blood and lymphatic vessels live. We recommend organic, hexane-free oil, and sell it in amber glass, which is preferable.   

In summary, castor oil packs have been around for centuries, but Dr. Marisol invented this one because she was tired of traditional messy packs that were discouraging for her patients to use. She has used and recommended it in clinical practice since 2007. Although this pack is not ‘mess-free,’ if you keep the oil in the center of the pack, it is most definitely less messy!   

How to make your Castor Oil pack last?  The Packs do have a lifespan of 2-3 months if you are using them nightly.  They recommend washing by hand, but I wash mine every 2-3 weeks in the top rack of the dishwasher to extend the life to about 3 months. If you use the Pack for 2 months, the cost is .75 per night.  You are worth it!  

I honestly could go and on about how wonderful castor oil packs are, I am only scratching the surface here. Queen of the Thrones has an awesome website, tons of You Tube videos, and an active Instagram page with lots of tips and tricks! I highly recommend checking out these resources.  Please note, castor oil packs can be worn by most everyone including children.  Except for pregnant women because castor oil may induce labor when taken in high doses by mouth, and even though it’s highly unlikely to do that when applied to the skin, we just like being safe! 

Irritable Bowel Syndrome is tricky. Basically, you show up at the doctor’s office with lower GI symptoms – alternating constipation and/or diarrhea, gas and bloating perhaps, maybe bowel pain and cramping that goes away when you have a bowel movement – and when the doctor can’t diagnose anything else wrong with you, it gets called IBS.

IBS is a not a structural disorder, but a functional one. Nothing needs to be physically wrong with your colon – nothing eroded or inflamed – it’s just acting wrong. All of which makes IBS hard, not just to diagnose, but to treat, since there’s nothing to actually heal. IBS is hard to treat, too, because the symptoms can be erratic. There’s IBS-D (diarrheapredominant), IBS-C (constipation-predominant), and IBS-M (mixed). But the lines are blurry, and most people will experience some back-and-forth.

AND – having said all that, there are ways to manage IBS (a few follow).

Comorbidities is a medical term which means “other conditions or diseases you have at the same time.” Watch for comorbidities, and try and address them. For example, IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) and IBD (inflammatory bowel disease) are entirely different. But… one may be exacerbating the other. Ditto for reflux and other stomach acid issues. Ditto for food allergies and lactose intolerance. Ditto even for anxiety and depression. Read on!

Diet: Some people find it helps to avoid foods which make them gassy. Others find they need to stay off dairy, or wheat. Still others find that small meals are key. Some people find raw vegetables are a real killer. And of course there are people for whom food choice doesn’t seem to make a difference at all. Remember, just experiment.

Stress reduction: One theory says that IBS isn’t really a problem with the gut at all, but a problem with the brain. The gut is simply responding to stress, depression, and anxiety that originate elsewhere. (This wouldn’t make it “all in your head,” of course, any more than high blood pressure caused or exacerbated by stress is “all in your head.”)

It’s still controversial whether mood actually causes IBS, or just makes it worse. What isn’t controversial, however, is that stress reduction makes it better. There’s been a fair amount of research here, and it’s been largely consistent: find a way to handle stress better, and your IBS gets better. It doesn’t matter whether we’re talking yoga, meditation, mindfulness training, even hypnosis, or cognitive-behavioral therapy delivered over the internet (all of which have been researched in solid clinical trials). I’ll repeat: find a way to handle stress, and your IBS gets better.

Peppermint Oil relaxes spasming smooth muscle on contact, including muscles spasming along the gut. It’s really as simple as that. The peppermint oil touches your gut muscles, and they calm down. It’s that simple. To be clear, you’re not trying to absorb the peppermint into your system, or metabolize it. You just want it to touch your gut walls.

The problem is, peppermint oil doesn’t discriminate. It touches a smooth muscle, that muscle gets relaxed. Guess what else is a muscle? The lower esophageal sphincter is. You know, the valve at the top of the stomach that holds the acid in. So… a lot of peppermint can make reflux worse. You can get around that by using peppermint oil capsules that are enteric-coated, i.e. set up to dissolve in the intestines, not in the stomach. That’s what we suggest, and what we sell here. The standard dose is 0.2-1 ml daily, in divided doses. Give it a day or two.

Red (Hot) Pepper: In one very small trial, taking hot red pepper regularly greatly reduced gut pain in IBS – if not necessarily other symptoms. It’s spicy (obviously), so use with caution.

Probiotic Bacteria. There are bacteria inside all of us. Each of us hosts an average 100,000,000,000,000 (pronounced “one hundred quintillion”) live bacteria, the vast majority in the gut. Considering that each of us is composed of roughly just 10,000,000,000,000 human cells, you could say bacteria outnumber us 10 to 1 – in our own bodies!

A healthy gut, with an intact gut lining, maintains conditions which promote the growth of “friendly” commensal bacteria. These friendly bacteria in turn help stabilize the gut. It’s very much a symbiotic relationship. (And it extends far past the gut: friendly bacteria regulate our immune systems. They help digest food, and assist in detoxification. They displace other, less “friendly” species. They likely reduce the risk of cancer and liver disease).

Microbial populations in the gut are constantly shifting. Eat lots of dairy? Dairy-digesting bacteria thrive. Eat lots of fiber? Bacteria that process fiber rise. Eat lots of sugar, and yeast species like candida get a leg up. Take antibiotics that decimate bacterial flora, and the yeasts have nothing to hold them back. Let inflammation take hold, and the ensuing erosion of the gut makes it harder for healthy bacteria to hold on. These shifts don’t happen overnight. Corrections won’t happen overnight, either

Which brings us to the research… There’s been an awful lot of it. Much of it has been quite positive. But it’s hard to generalize. since most research focuses on a single probiotic strain. It appears that yeast probiotics, in particular Saccharomyces boulardii, may have the most to offer in IBS-D. IBS-C may respond best to bifidobacteria probiotics. Which makes sense: bifidobacteria tend to colonize the large intestine. Some of the best research on IBS-M has focused on Bacillus coagulans.

AND – having said all that, I’m going to suggest a different path. Don’t just try and pick the “best” strain. Get your hands on broad-spectrum probiotic, with diverse strains of Lactobacilli and Bifidobacteria. Shoot for a dose of 30 billion live cells, minimum (up to 200 billion), daily. A broadspectrum probiotic can colonize all the ecologic niches in the gut, so we’re talking side benefits beyond IBS: immune health, detoxification, digestion, etc. Try it, and see what happens. People often see benefits in a week for diarrhea. It may take two months for the benefits to show in constipation. AND – if doesn’t work, then look for a specialized product.

Fiber has a normalizing effect on bowel movements, since it can firm up loose stools, and help ease stubborn ones along. That being said, some sources of fiber (insoluble fiber) can be rough and abrasive (sort of “scratchy”) to a sensitive gut. These include wheat bran, psyllium, and raw vegetables. On the other hand, soluble fibers (the kind that fully dissolve in water) are usually a safe bet. So think gums and pectins, most fruit, oatmeal, and chia seeds.

Some fibers are also classifiable as “prebiotics,” which is to say they feed the probiotic bacteria in our gut. Of these, Acacia fiber from the Acacia tree stands out as a great supplement for IBS. It’s soluble, prebiotic, relatively inexpensive, and easy to take. It makes a difference for people.

Melatonin: this natural sleep hormone is just about the cheapest thing in the health food store, and it does so much! Yes, it can help you sleep. But it also nudges your body into a rest-and-repair state. We see some real benefits with immunity when people take it. We see some real benefits to the digestive system as well. For example, improvements to reflux, and to IBS. Try taking 2-3 mg at night for a few weeks, and see what happens.

General Digestive Tonics are often helpful. Herbs like ginger and chamomile (which soothe digestion). Herbs like fennel, caraway, and cumin (which dispel gas). We’ve got a few products worth looking at. In particular, the Intestinal Calmpound from Herbalist & Alchemist combines some of these, plus some mild antispasmodics.