Most health conscious people know that nitrates and nitrites are not healthy for us and can potentially cause cancer.  There are some nuances to this and so the blanket statement that they are harmful, is not completely true.

What are Nitrates and Nitrites?

A nitrate is a nitrogen atom plus 3 oxygen atoms and a nitrite is the same except it only has two oxygen atoms.  Nitrates and nitrites can occur naturally in some vegetables, such as beets, but they are also added to deli meats as a preservative, flavor, and color enhancer.  They are also produced by our body and circulate between our saliva and digestive tract. Nitrates are converted into nitrites when ingested by our saliva and digested .  Nitrites can either convert into nitric oxide (NO) which is healthy or nitrosamines which are carcinogens.  Nitric oxide is antimicrobial in the digestive tract and is a signaling molecule that dilates blood vessels. Nitrosamines are converted from nitrites when they are heated to a very high temperature in the presence of amino acids or when reacting to stomach acid.  The key here is high heat.  We typically heat meat at high temps compared to vegetables.  Just think how harmful cured hot dogs are, when heated to high temperatures on the grill.  Also, processed meat companies are required to add Vitamin C which interferes with nitrosamine production (4). Most vegetables and fruits naturally contain Vitamin C (6).

Nitrate Food Sources

Sodium nitrate cannot be added to food products that are labeled organic.  Instead organic foods and products choosing to be “naturally uncured” use sea salt, celery juice, or celery salt instead. Vegetables that are high in nitrates can mix with your saliva and can convert to nitric acid or NO. Nitric oxide remember is good for you, and I’ll explain why in a minute. It is therefore, a good idea to incorporate nitrate laden vegetables into your diet.  Beets, celery, arugula, spinach, and iceberg lettuce are all very high in nitrates (5). Fruits are less nitrate dense, with strawberries trumping the list (6).

Benefits of Nitric Oxide (NO)

Cardiovascular Health

Nitric oxide dilates blood vessels and increases blood flow thus improving cardiac health.  In one study, dietary flavonoids and nitrates were shown to lower blood pressure depending on the availability of NO, which is dependent on the conversion of nitrate to nitrite via salivary enzymes (3).

Male Sexual Performance

For men, NO can increase testosterone and enhance erectile quality.  NO is a vasodilator, so increased blood flow to the penis.  In fact, the key ingredient in Viagra and Cialis is NO (5)

Exercise Performance

Athletes are using vegetable nitrate supplements for increased endurance and exercise performance.  Beetroot juice and potassium nitrate are popular supplements.  One study showed that a high NO diet decreased oxygen used during moderate intensity cycling, increased muscle work during fatigability tests, and improved agility in repeated sprinting tests (2).

Anti-platelet

Nitrates converted to NO were shown to reduce platelet reactivity but only in males, according to one study.  This is promising for more future studies as a concomitant to anti-platelet drug therapy (1).

My Advice Regarding Nitrates

Bacon is best cooked in the microwave to reduce nitrosamine production or cook it on a lower temperature for a longer period of time. Children have a very hard time processing excess amount of nitrates, so limit their exposure to hotdogs and processed meats (4).  My recommendation for any age, is to buy cold cuts sparingly and when you do, buy them nitrate free or uncured.  Also, when eating out, don’t order meals with cured meats, like a BLT for instance, unless the menu specifically says uncured bacon.  As a precaution, NO can give some people migraines.

1. Velmurugan S, Kapil V, Ghosh SM, Davies S, McKnight A, Aboud Z, Khambata RS, Webb AJ, Poole A, Ahluwalia A. Antiplatelet effects of dietary nitrate in healthy volunteers: involvement of cGMO and influence of sex. Free Radic Biol Med. 2013 Dec;65:1521-32.
2. Porcelli S, Pugliese L, Rejec E, Pavei G, Bonato M, Montorsi M, La Torre A, Rasica L, Marzorati M. Effects of a Short-Term High-Nitrate Diet on Exercise Performance. Nurtrients. 2016 Aug 31;8(9)
3. Lovegrove JA, Stainer A, Hobbs DA. Role of flavonoids and nitrates in cardiovascular health. Proc Nutr Soc. 2017 Jan 19:1-13
4. Gunnars, Chris. Are Nitrates and Nitrites in Foods Harmful? 2017. Healthline 4 June 2017. <https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/arenitratesandnitritesinfoodsharmful?.html.>
5. Kuoppala Ali. 5 Food High in Nitrates to Blast Your Nitric Oxide Levels Through the Roof. 2014. Anabolic Men. <https//www.anabolicmen.com/amp/>
6. Dubois, Sirah.  Fruits and Vegetables That Are High in Nitrates. 2017. Livestrong 3 October 2017. <https://www.livestrong.com/article/5413.

When cooking with oils, there are a few important things to consider.

1. What are you using the oil for: frying, sautéing, or drizzling on food? Also, from a culinary standpoint, what flavors are you looking to enhance your food? For example, when I cook Asian cuisine I like to use sesame seed oil. I love the flavor of truffle oil,  so I like to drizzle it on potatoes after they have been cooked or potato chips.
2. It is important to buy a healthy oil, so look for one high in nutrients and antioxidants and that has a good balance of omega-3’s and 6’s and even some incorporation of omega-9’s.
3. Avoid buying GMO oil.  Assume that canola, soybean, and corn oils are genetically modified unless they say NonGMO or organic.
4. Different oils need to be used at different cooking temperatures. If you heat oils past their smoke point, then you are oxidizing the oil and releasing free radicals that can be carcinogenic.  This also, will deplete their nutrients.
5. All oils can go rancid if exposed to light, heat, and air, therefore it is important to store your oils in a dark and cool environment.  If an oil goes rancid you can typically smell and taste it. Reused oils go rancid quickly, and I recommend throwing them out.  Rancid oils can release free radicals, called oxidative rancidity, and adversely affect your health.

My list of Oils with their Associated Smoke Point

For frying, searing meat and woking – *avocado oil (520), ghee (485), which is a fat, not an oil, look for organic or grass fed, light sesame oil (410),  sunflower oil (460)

For sautéing – unrefined sesame oil (350), butter (350), which is a fat, not an oil, look for organic or grass fed, *grapeseed (420), virgin olive oil (420), olive oil (350) coconut oil (350)

For drizzling or salad dressing – flaxseed (225) or *extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) (320)

For baking – coconut oil (350) and *organic canola oil (400)

* The oils I personally use the most in each category.

Here’s the scoop about GMO’s.  GMO stands for genetically engineered organism.  Are they safe?  The verdict is still out. In rat studies, massive tumors were exhibited at age 13 months old in rats that were fed a small portion of their diet (11% being Genetically modified). In humans this study equates to tumors showing up in our bodies at age 43 if only 11% of our diet is genetically engineered. 95% of corn, canola, soybean, cottonseed, and sugar beet grown in the US is GMO.  If you see any product with any of these foods you can assume it is GMO unless it says organic or non-GMO.  Currently GMO products do not need to be labeled.  GMO are banned in 27 countries excluding the USA.

This is how it works.  Genetically engineered seed (GE seed) is made to be Roundup ready or glyphosate (the main chemical in Roundup weed killer) resistant. So when the seed is sowed and a baby plant starts to grow, farmers spray round up to kill the weeds near the crop.  Now they have room to plant more crop? All the weeds die but the genetically engineered crop which is resistant to weed killer grows and the glyphosate gets into the cell matrix.  Problem? Yes! 1)The chemical spray cannot be washed off the crop and glyphosate is classified as a ‘probable carcinogen’ by the World Health Organization.  2) Milkweed is dying off and now the monarch butterfly population is suffering because it is their favorite food. 3) As mentioned before, probably genicatically engineer food is not safe for human consumption. 

How to eat non-GMO

1) Avoid corn, soy, cottonseed, canola, and sugar beet

2) Look for products that say non-GMO

3) Buy organic

4) Avoid PLU codes ( product look up codes that start with the number 8).  For example bananas are 4011, organic bananas are 94011, and GM bananas are 84011.

5) Shop at grocery stores that promise that they do not sell GMO.  Trader Joe’s is one of them.

6) Avoid farm raised fish

7) Avoid eating out at restaurants that don’t promise non-GMO and avoid processed foods.

8) Eat organic poultry and eggs only.

9) Buy grass fed beef, because it is not grain fed.

My favorite coffee cup.

Throughout the years I have heard from some of my patients: “I’m trying to eat really healthy now, I even gave up coffee.” In my head I’m thinking I never thought coffee was so bad for your health, so I decided to do some research. Of course, I always want to read what Dr. Mercola has to say first, as he is my go to researcher. He has written several articles about the health effects of coffee. Interestingly enough, in the past, he recommended not to drink coffee, but in his recent articles he shows new research that supports the health benefits of coffee. In this blog I will summarize the pros and cons of drinking coffee referencing Dr. Mercola’s article “Mounting Evidence Suggests Coffee May Actually Have Therapeutic Health Benefits.”
Here’s the verdict: there are some therapeutic benefits to drinking coffee BUT it depends on how the coffee is processed, prepared and what is put in it. Healthwise, coffee contains vitamins and minerals, antioxidants, and bioflavonoids. There is quite a bit of recent studies that show that coffee in moderation can help reduce your risks of certain cancers, type 2 diabetes and Alzheimers. Other studies show that coffee can decrease the risk of Parkinson’s, help keep muscles and other tissues youthful, decrease depression, and increase cognitive function. The above mentioned article, has a chart of studies supporting the therapeutic benefits of coffee.
First off, it is best to buy dark roast, whole bean, organic coffee. As a side note, the darker the roast, the lower the caffeine content. Espresso actually has less caffeine than regular drip coffee. Coffee is heavily sprayed with pesticides. My family buys our organic coffee inexpensively at Costco. You want to brew your coffee with a non- bleached coffee filter. Finally, drink your coffee either black or with raw or organic milk. I call this drinking coffee the “clean” way. Never use sugar because it lowers your immune system and contributes to poor cardiovascular health. Never drink flavored coffee because the flavoring is usually artificial. Remember too, the fancy drinks at cafes are loaded with calories mainly from sugar. The main con to drinking coffee is that it contains caffeine which is a stimulant drug and is habit forming. Coffee should NEVER be consumed by a pregnant women because the caffeine goes to the placenta and can be harmful to the growing fetus. If coffee makes you feel awful, my advise would be to not drink it at all or limit its use, because I always think you should listen to your body. Other negatives are; that some people have a hard time sleeping at night if they drink coffee too late in the day, coffee is stressful to your adrenal glands, especially if you suffer from adrenal depletion, it is a diuretic and therefore it is not good for people who have issues with electrolyte imbalance. Some studies also showed a mild increase in cholesterol with drinking unfiltered coffee. In summary, in healthy, non pregnant individuals who drink their coffee “clean” and in moderation, the benefits outweigh the risks.

When I encounter patients that say I just don’t feel well or I ache all over, I have to think outside the mechanical musculoskeletal box and think in terms of what is out of balance systemically. One of the many important topics I need to address is whether or not they are having a well formed or banana shaped bowel movement daily. Yes, daily! Infrequent bowel movements are associated with bad digestion and can lead to chronic inflammatory disorders such as leaky gut syndrome and fibromyalgia, according to Howard Loomis DC. Not having a daily bowel movement means that the feces are moving very slowly and this gives the body an opportunity to take water from the bowel making the stool hard. As a side note, people who eat a low carbohydrate meal need to drink more water for the same reason. Most importantly, the slow movement causes bacteria and yeast to be absorbed into the blood stream thus causing inflammation of the mucosa of the bowel. This phenomenon is called autointoxication. How to improve bowel function? Make sure that you are incorporating fiber found in vegetables, fruits and grains. Eating a full spectrum of soluble and non soluble fiber from different sources is important. If not enough dietary fiber is consumed then supplementing with natural psyllium husk which can be found at a natural marketplace or non flavored Metamucil from the grocery store is recommended. Make sure to drink enough water daily. You want to drink about half your body weight in ounces or enough water so that your urine is always straw colored. Include food enzymes if you feel bloated or gassy after eating, feel full quickly after eating small amounts, or feel that your food is sitting in your stomach.

References – Autointoxication by Howard Loomis DC which can be found at www.loomisinstitute.com.

Dr. Barker enjoying hooping.

On Memorial Day, this year I received my first custom made hula hoop and I fell instantly in love with hooping. Let me explain what hooping is. It is not just standing in place and rotating a hula hoop around your waist, it is a series of tricks where the hula hoop is on and off of your body. You eventually try to perfect these tricks and put them together in a dance or a flow to music. I learn my hoop tricks from friends, hooping DVDs, and hoop dance tutorials on Youtube. I keep a journal of the tricks I know and the tricks I would like to learn on a weekly basis and then I keep incorporating them into my flow routine. As a chiropractor and health educator, I am so pleased to share with you some of the major benefits of hooping.

1) Cardiovascular Workout
When you dance in a continuous routine and even just learning some of the tricks over and over again, you sweat. I have read that you can burn as much as 250 calories in 25 minutes of hooping. On facebook I have seen the amazing transformation of hoopers loosing a lot of weight enjoying hooping. Hooping also improves blood flow thus improving heart health.

2) You Move Your Whole Body
One of the tag lines I share with my patients is to move your body everyday and in every way to keep your joints lubricated and your muscles pliable. Hooping involves your whole body and achieves just that. It also increases the flexibility of the spine. The spine houses our central nervous system which controls all of our organs, cells and tissues.

3) Improves Posture
As we age or if we adopt a poor posture, it usually looks like our shoulders are rolled forward and our mid-backs start to curve forward. With this posture, the anterior muscles, like the pectoral major and minor, become tight and the posterior muscles of the thoracic spine or mid-back, such as the traps and rhomboids, become weak. I teach my patients to stretch their chest muscles with a corner stretch and I have them strengthen their back muscles with rows and other exercises. I have noticed that many of the hoop tricks encourage both of these movements, thus allowing the chest to open up adopting a much better posture. We also use the muscles in our upper back to push (thus strengthening) when we do chest and shoulder hooping. I believe that when the chest is more open also, a persons attitude becomes more positive and confident. It also allows the heart chakra to open and makes the person more loving.

4) Core Strength
In hooping you can’t escape from strengthening your core. It is virtually a part of every hoop trick on and off your body. These moves strengthen and lengthen the abdominals, obliques and erectors. Strengthening your core improves your posture and prevents back pain.

5) Smooth Moves
Hooping is an art form like any other type of dance and everyone has a slightly different style. Some people hoop fast and some slow, but the common denominator I see in most flows are a continuous and smooth style of dance. I believe this is a great way to exercise because it is not jarring to the joints. I personally love hip hop dance for this reason as well.

6) Improves Your Mood
Just like any other form of exercise and dance, you are improving your emotional health as well by releasing endorphins, which are feel good hormones. Because I love hooping, I really feel happy while hooping and afterward as well. Hooping relieves stress and is also quite meditative.

7) It Helps With Brain Balancing
Any movement that you do that crosses the midline of your body improves the communication of the left and right hemispheres of your brain. We have a left and right side to our brain with a bridge in between called the corpus collosum. Many of us, use one side of our brain more often then the other. But by certain movements, we can improve the communication between the the two hemispheres via the bridge so that we can use both sides of our brain. Just by spinning in a circle in both directions achieves just that. Many hooping moves go across the midline, like weaving. Also, we use both of our hands and this improves coordination and of course brain balancing.

” The hoop is a round circle that is infinite and perfect just like we are.”