Are Goji Berries Inflammatory?

by

Oh the goji berries. Our favorite nightshade.

A question that comes up again and again is are wolfberries safe for people that have autoimmune disease? Additionally, do they have the ability to cause inflammation?

Nightshades such as potatoes, tomatoes, okra, eggplant, and bell peppers contain solanines, alkaloids, and lectins that, in some people, can worsen inflammation.

I spent more than a week researching whether wolfberries carry the same inflammatory potential as other plants in this family. Here is my conclusion.

I have found no evidence that wolfberries can cause inflammation. Do they have solanine? Yes. Lectins? Yes. Alkaloids? Yes again. However, I was unable to find any data that specifically linked goji to inflammation. My conclusion is that wolfberries get held guilty by association, but there is no evidence that they specifically can cause inflammation like other nightshades can.

If you find a study that shows that goji – NOT nightshades, solanines, lectins, or alkaloids, but wolfberries specifically – cause inflammation, please send it to me for review. I will instantly change my opinion if there is decent data for it.

Know your body.

That said, if you do eat goji and experience worsening of inflammatory conditions, then there is nothing wrong in admitting that it isn’t the perfect product for you. You can feel free to pick another product and go to town. Products vary for everyone, so know your body and use your own discernment in giving it what you think is best.

Lavender Oil and Breast Swelling in Young Boys: New Evidence

by

Gynecomastia in Young Boys?

Recently a new study was announced that claims that lavender essential oil causes breast swelling in young boys. There are several things that I take issue with concerning this new information.

Critique of the Study

  1. First, this study is NOT out yet; it is just an announcement of the study from the authors at a conference. Since the study isn’t out yet, I have no way to assess the dose. It is possible that the dose is massively larger than what humans use on a regular basis. This is exceptionally common in cell and animal research.
  2. The study used essential oil constituents, not a true essential oil. The study did NOT look at a complete oil, only extracts of eucalyptol, 4-terpineol, dipentene/limonene and alpha-terpineol, linalyl acetate, linalool, alpha-terpinene and gamma-terpinene. In my practical experience with oils, I have never applied a fraction by itself.
  3. The authors then applied the oil fractions to human cancer cells, NOT healthy cells. Interestingly, some of the authors from the 2007 NEJM article are also on this study. Both studies used cancer cells to test estrogenic activity. I have already posted on my blog that cell cultures are not the gold standard test for estrogenic activity. My guess is that this new article will take similar criticism to the 2007 article because they failed to include a uterotrophic assay as part of the study methods. Cancer cells, especially breast cancer cells used in the 2007 study, respond differently to estrogen than normal cells do. Therefore this is not an accurate presentation of the average human use.
  4. This panic that is going around was NOT prompted by any child actually getting gynecomastia. The authors of the new study state that the hormonal changes they observed were “consistent with endogenous, or bodily, hormonal conditions that stimulate gynecomastia in prepubescent boys”. But the fact still remains. . . no child actually suffered from gynecomastia. . . this is ALL theoretical evidence. Yes, there are some case reports of children acquiring breasts from lavender oil, but I am skeptical of this evidence too, and cover it here.

Bottom Line

From a practical standpoint, I still do not consider lavender oil of high risk for causing breast swelling in young boys. Additionally, I can vouch that it definitely does not work for grown women. While we may have some high profile case reports and articles, the overall number of children who acquire gynecomastia from products containing essential oils pales in comparison to the number of children who actually use essential oils.

To view my first post regarding this subject, click here.

For access to all of my oily education, !

Why I Clean Slate Cleanse

by

Let me start by saying this:

The Clean Slate Cleanse is a way to reset your relationship with food. We eat wheat-free, sugar-free, alcohol-free, caffeine-free, vegan. I am not vegan all the time; I drink alcohol and caffeine, eat gluten and sugar occasionally as well. Before you throw this post to the side, understand that even though I do eat in ways that are different than this cleanse, I do it mindfully. I take inventory of what I am eating: what is in it? Where did it come from? How does my mind feel about it? How does my body feel? Do my mind and body feel the same? I take at least two times per year to cleanse. I find that it changes my palate, boosts my metabolism, and helps me to maintain my body weight. It also helps reinforce better eating decisions on a regular basis.

Some may say that it is inauthentic for me to host a cleanse without being 100% committed to all the suggestions that are in here, but I disagree. I have been completing dietary cleanses since 2009, and since then I have continued to read more about the mind-food connection, worked with healers who help you to stay present in the body from day to day, and trained extensively in essential oils as a tool to release clogged up emotions. From all of these learnings, I created the Clean Slate Cleanse.

I recommend cleansing for a few of reasons:

  1. We live in a world where time and space seem to swirl around us. A quick sandwich, a cheeky glass of wine, or a dessert: we sometimes eat without quite thinking about it. We sit and eat an entire plate of food without enjoying it, or struggle to choke it down over an angry conversation with a loved one. Cleansing creates a necessary purposefulness with food and it resets us to baseline.
  2. We fall into traps with food. We can lose our sense of adventure in favor of the same old dishes that we always eat. Cleansing offers an opportunity to explore new items on the menu, and to bring new vibrancy and health to us.
  3. We lean too heavily on supplements and medicines. Seriously, eating a terrible diet will trump any supplement or any medicine every single time.
  4. There is very strong, albeit debatable, evidence that plant-based diets are the healthiest way to eat both for our bodies and our planet. I review it throughout the Clean Slate Cleanse, and you can decide for yourself. I have confidence that consumption of meat and animal products is (at least) unnecessary for humans and (at worst) harmful to humans.
  5. Just because, darn it, you feel better, your skin is clearer, and your belly is flatter.

Whether this way of eating becomes a lifestyle choice or a temporary break, it is nice to know that we have options to reclaim our relationship with food. This cleanse eliminates meat and animal products, gluten, sugar, caffeine and alcohol for 21 days. Thankfully there are hundreds of delicious plants to eat on the cleanse and the list of plant-based prepared foods has expanded extensively over the past years. I understand that this style of eating can cost more up front, especially if it is a dramatic overhaul. However, once you start and get going the ingredients in your made-over pantry will be used over and over again.

I hate the word diet.

This cleanse is not intended to be a set of restrictions that prevent you from experiencing pleasure from food, nor is it intended to be a “Phew, thank God that horrid diet is over so I can go back to cakes and coffee after my steak”. This book is intended to reset your brain to the original definition of the word diet: from the 13th century, a noun meaning “regular food, the kind of food that a person, animal or community normally eats”. Never do I use the word diet as a verb meaning “to restrict oneself to small amounts or special kinds of food to lose weight”.

The purpose of the Clean Slate Cleanse is not to lose weight, but to examine and explore our relationship with food. To look at our regular food that we eat and determine if it is serving our body to live at its maximum potential.

Are you ready to reset your relationship with food and yourself? Join the Clean Slate Cleanse.

Not sold yet? Check out my blog post about what a day of the Clean Slate Cleanse looks like!

How to Teach Your Child to Swallow a Capsule or Tablet

by

Children often struggle to swallow capsules and tablets, and it can be a difficult skill to train a child. Here are a few tips that I learned throughout my years practicing pharmacy.

Start Small

Be sure that when you are first attempting to get a child to swallow a capsule or tablet that you start small.

Disguise It

Many parents find success disguising tablets and capsules in foods such as applesauce, peanut butter, or yogurt. If you have non-delayed-release capsules, you can crush them and freeze them in a popsicle.  Taste it yourself before giving to a child.

Use Creative Placement

There are two schools of thought on this matter: 1) you can have the child open their mouth and stick out the tongue as far as possible, place the tablet or capsule on the back of the tongue, and immediately give them a glass of water to drink. Tilt the head back and swallow.2) Place the capsule or tablet under the tongue, and immediately give them a glass of water to drink. Tilt the head back and swallow. Benefits of version 1 are that there is very little taste associated, but some children find this difficult to swallow.  Version 2 is not appropriate for strong tasting supplements.

Use a Device

For children who really struggle to swallow tablets and capsules, you can try a device such as the Oralflo. This is a cup designed with a special slot for the tablet or capsule in the lid.  As the child drinks their favorite juice, the tablet is picked up and flows into the mouth for easy swallowing.  This device is also very effective for elderly people who struggle to swallow.

Practice

Fair warning, this is not my favorite method. Some parent have success training their children to swallow tablets and capsules by practicing with round candies.  I don’t love this because I think that we have to be very cautious not to train children that medicine and candy are interchangeable.

Safety Tips

Speak with a physician before starting any new wellness routine, especially in a child.  Choose chewable options if there is any risk of choking.  Know the Heimlich maneuever for children.  Only use supplements according to the package label.

Want more oily education? Let’s go!