It is no surprise that we are inundated with the “latest and greatest” miracle diets all around. Each one is making its own bold claims that if you subscribe to it, “you’ll lose all the stubborn fat you’ve struggled to get off” or “you’ll have that six-pack you’ve been looking for,” etc.

And while there may be truth to those claims, you are a unique individual with unique biology. And what works for one may not work for you.

One of the biggest things I see with patients when addressing dietary habits is this notion that if I subscribe to a particular diet- vegan, paleo, keto, Mediterranean, etc.; then I must be doing something right. However, that is an only partial truth. 

The truth of the matter is no diet is perfect. Food is very specific to each individual and their biological makeup. Some people do great with a more plant-based diet; others do not. Some people can get great results and feel amazing after fasting for more than 14 hours; others do not.

3 Healthy Foods That Aren’t Always Healthy

1. Avocados – while high in good fats, avocados contain chemicals that mimic latex, also known as cross-reacting, and can trigger allergies. Bananas and kiwi are also on this cross-reactive list.
2. Mangos – This delicious fruit weighs in at a whopping 45 grams of sugar, making it the highest sugar content of all fruits. For proper blood sugar control and If you are trying to lose weight, this is fruit should be avoided.
3. Wheat – found in most breads, whether whole-grain or organic, it contains gluten, which is further broken down into gliadin and glutenin. Many people who test negative for a gluten allergy can still experience gut inflammation symptoms (bloating, constipation, cramping, brain fog, memory loss) after eating wheat because of a gliadin allergy. At this point, it is impossible to remove just the gliadin from the gluten molecule.

The important thing to do is to listen to your body. I often tell my patients, “The body whispers before it screams,” and what I mean by that is this: when you put something into your body, and you feel “off” like those unexplainable issues that are hard to pinpoint, that is the body whispering. When you feel bloated after eating or gassy, that is your body whispering.

When you struggle to find the right words when speaking, that is the body whispering. This presents itself in the most subtle of ways and should never be ignored. 

Do not wait until the body screams in the form of chronic pain and disease. Take action towards living a healthy life by tapping into your body’s whisper and finding the right foods for you.

The gluten-free diet is increasingly popular across the world. Many believe it is a new healthy diet to achieve optimal health. Once, the gluten-free diet was only for those with certain health issues such as celiac disease or intolerance. 

People assume that the gluten-free diet promotes numerous health benefits from weight loss and increased energy to improve overall health. But not all of these medical health benefits are supported by scientific evidence. 

Today, we are here to share with you everything you need to know before starting the diet, from its verified health benefits, risks, and exactly what the diet entails.  

What is a gluten-free diet?

Gluten is found in baked goods containing wheat, rye, and barley. It is a protein found in specific founds containing these ingredients. It is recommended to check the labels of the products you are eating, as gluten can be hidden in a lot of foods that you least expect. Gluten-containing products include:

• Baked goods: bread, cakes, biscuits, cookies, pastries
• Pasta: all types of pasta
• Alcoholic beverages: beers, ales, sherry, port, and hard liqueurs
• Cereals: oats, granola, muesli, and cornflakes
• Grains: couscous, bulgur wheat, and semolina
• Sauces: meat and vegetable stocks, soy sauce, gravies, marinades, salad dressings, and condiments such as ketchup and mayonnaise 
• Snacks: crackers, nuts, popcorn, crisps, and seeds

There is an abundance of gluten-free alternatives on the market today, from bread to snacks and sauces. Substituting baked goods and pasta with rice, vegetables, and fruits is always a great way to reach your daily carbohydrate intake. 

With a growing attraction to the gluten-free diet, you may be wondering what the advantages of the diet are:

The Benefits of a Gluten-Free Diet:

Gluten particularly causes trouble for those who are celiac patients, intolerance, or sensitivity. The heightened risk of trouble is for those with celiac disease. A pea-size amount of gluten can trigger an autoimmune response which causes harm to the lining of the small intestine. Reports show that in extreme cases, this can lead to seizures, infertility, and nerve damage. Thus, eliminating gluten from your diet if you are a celiac is a necessity to prevent any extreme health risks. 

Whereas, for those with an intolerance to protein, it is encouraged to exclude gluten as much as possible from your diet. This is as it can provoke stomach issues, from bloating to pains and toilet troubles. 

Currently, there are no proven studies to confirm that a gluten-free diet is beneficial for those without health conditions. But, reducing your gluten can have some health benefits for certain health symptoms, such as:

• Less bloating
• Improved digestive health 
• Reduced stomach discomfort

To avoid health hazards, it is important to be aware of the risks a gluten-free diet can influence:

Risks and Hazards of Gluten-free Diets:

Gluten products can be very nutritious and high in essential nutrients such as vitamin B, folate, fiber, and calcium. So removing them from your diet if you do not need to can cause unnecessary deficiencies. This can eventually lead to digestion problems, skin disorders, and stunted growth. 

A lack of folate is a particular concern of the gluten-free diet. Scholars at the American College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists state in an article that this B vitamin is very important for growth, especially for children. Thus, women, in particular, need to ensure they consume enough folate during pregnancy to prevent birth defects. 

The risk of developing health issues is heightened for those that do not need to remove gluten from their diet. It is not dangerous to reduce your gluten intake. But it is healthier not to eliminate the foods if you do not need to.

Other risks of gluten-free diets include:

Weight gain:

Many gluten-free items can contain more sugars and fat than gluten-containing products. It is advised to check labels before consuming. Some people find a lack of satisfaction in a gluten-free diet and then eat more high-fat meats, sugary candies, and other non-nutritious foods. 

Increased chance of developing type 2 diabetes:

Developing type 2 diabetes is more common in those who lack certain nutrients, such as folate and fibre. A clinical study found that those who consumed a gluten diet were at less risk of obtaining type 2 diabetes. 

With that in mind, here are our thoughts on the health benefits, risks, and science behind the gluten-free diet:

There is no evidence to verify that the gluten-free diet is healthier than other diets. Yet, the diet is beneficial and health enriching for those with gluten troubles, as it reduces or eliminates health hazards. 

Gluten-free substitutes can often contain more sugar, carbohydrates, and fat than gluten products. So, it is important to check labels and stick to daily dietary requirements to inhibit weight gain and health conditions. 

If you wish to start a gluten-free diet, it is best to seek advice from your doctor to see if you have any underlying health conditions. Never self-assess your health yourself. Not only can it cause deficiencies, but it can increase the risk of heart and weight problems. Your doctor will diagnose the issue and give you advice on your diet that will reduce health risks.

Caffeine is great, or more accurately, things that contain caffeine are great. Coffee, tea, chocolate – they’re all a treat and a pleasure to enjoy. But what happens if you consume too much caffeine? What kind of effects will that have on your body?

First thing first, what is caffeine?

Caffeine is a nervous system stimulant from a class of compounds called methylxanthines. These compounds are naturally found in coffee beans, tea leaves, cocoa beans, kola nuts, and guarana beans. 

Caffeine evolved as a way for plants to stimulate pollinating insects to make it easier for them to remember where the plants were. And, as a coincidence of biology, it also stimulates the nervous system of mammals.

Caffeine affects your central nervous system, making you feel more alert and energetic. The body doesn’t store caffeine, but the effects can last 6 hours after consumption. 

We’ve all had that feeling where we can’t function in the morning until we’ve had our tea or coffee. The reason?

We are addicted to caffeine, and we need our fix just to reach a level people who have never consumed caffeine will reach without it. So, we end up consuming more and more caffeine to keep that alert “buzz” and energetic feeling we need to get through the day. 

But what happens if we have too much caffeine?

1. Anxiety

Caffeine blocks the receptors, which cause tiredness and release adrenaline. This gives us the perk we need to keep going or wake up, but too much can lead to jitteriness, stress, and anxiety. 

In fact, caffeine-induced anxiety disorder is recognized as a syndrome by the American Psychiatric Association. If you feel yourself becoming jittery or overly stressed, try cutting down your caffeine intake as it may be exacerbating, if not causing, your problems.

2. Insomnia 

Probably the most commonly thought of side effect of too much caffeine is insomnia. 

While most people will lose the effects of caffeine 6 hours after consumption, it can be in your body for up to 9 hours, depending on age and genetics. 

I had this issue where suddenly I couldn’t sleep: 

For years, when I worked in restaurants, I would have an espresso before working dinner service with no problem. Then, all of a sudden, I couldn’t sleep. Removing that espresso solved my problem, and now I can’t have any caffeine after midday. Even too much in the mornings seems to mess with my sleep – it’s very upsetting as I love coffee! 

If you’re having an unsettled sleep or struggling to get to sleep, too much caffeine could be the cause.

3. Digestive Issues

Many people like coffee for its ability to “keep you regular” or get the bowels moving early in the day. This is because caffeine causes the release of gastrin. Gastrin is a hormone in the stomach that speeds up activity in the colon. Even decaffeinated coffee has been shown to create this response (decaffeinated coffee isn’t caffeine-free, of course).

Caffeine does seem to speed up peristalsis, the process that moves food through your digestive tract, which assists with this laxative effect. 

So, too much caffeine can lead to loose stools or even diarrhea in some people.

4. Addiction

Every one of us that needs caffeine on a daily basis are essentially addicts. 

However, this is not really an issue for most, and we can easily cut out caffeine for a few days if we need to without too much of a negative impact. However, at high doses, it can lead to psychological or physical dependency.

In a study, 213 caffeine users completed questionnaires after going 16 hours without consuming it. Daily users had greater increases in headaches, fatigue, and other withdrawal symptoms than non-daily users.

Now, this is hardly conclusive, but a few friends of mine have quit caffeine after being 6 or 7 cups of coffee a day type folks. They have reported it’s the worst thing they ever did; one told me it was like quitting smoking – but a million times worse.

Not everyone who consumes lots of caffeine will become addicted, but if you find yourself unable to cope without coffee or tea, it might be time to try and dial it back a bit.

5. Rapid Heart Rate

The stimulant effect of caffeine can cause your heart to beat faster. And, in extremely high doses, it has been known to cause an altered heartbeat rhythm known as atrial fibrillation. This has mostly been reported in young people consuming extreme amounts of caffeine in the form of energy drinks.

This effect doesn’t occur in everyone, and the studies that have been done on caffeine and heart rate haven’t produced consistent results. So, while it’s something to be aware of, it’s not something you should overly worry about. Unless, of course, you have an underlying heart condition. 

6. Fatigue

This seems counterintuitive, but the stimulating nature of caffeine can lead to rebound fatigue once the effects have worn off. 

Those that consume caffeine in high doses report feeling far greater fatigue the next day vs. those who consume moderate or small amounts of caffeine. 

To avoid a caffeine drop off during the day, you could just consume at regular intervals all day, but this may end up causing issues sleeping. To avoid this issue, it’s best to consume only small or moderate amounts of caffeine.

7. Frequent Urination and Urgency

The stimulatory effects of caffeine also affect the bladder. So, increased urination is a common side effect of high caffeine intake. 

This can lead to incontinence issues in older people and even increase the risk of developing incontinence issues later in life if high doses of caffeine are consumed over a prolonged period. 

If you feel you need to pee more often and more urgently, it is worth cutting back on your caffeine intake to see if that will improve the symptoms. 

Most of these effects of too much caffeine are associated with extreme caffeine consumption. The exact amount of caffeine these effects appear at will vary depending on your age, weight, and genetics, so it’s a bit of a vague area. But if you’re not experiencing any of the symptoms, you probably don’t have anything to worry about. However, if you start to experience any of the symptoms mentioned above, you should try reducing your caffeine intake for a few weeks and see if this solves the problem for you. If you’re concerned about anything, always contact a trained medical professional.

There are things we get done each day without even trying, and a lot of times, we hardly think about them. Of course, we call these things habits.

Each moment, without habits, we would have to decide what to do next, and then the next moment and so on. In that case, every morning would be exhausting just trying to get up and out of the house successfully. Without being aware of it, you are able to accomplish this because your basal ganglia is doing its thing.

It is an almond-shaped brain structure located at the base of your forebrain and the top of your midbrain; it is an ancient structure that is similar to what you find in a fish, reptile, or almost all mammals.

Studies show that when an experimental animal works its way through a maze, it has travelled through before, their basal ganglia work furiously, directing them to their food while the rest of their brain takes it easy.

The same is true for us, our basal ganglia store specific activities that make up our habits so we can reproduce them over and over again each day with a minimum of effort.

In fact, almost all of our habits are stored and directed by our basal ganglia, relieving the rest of our brains of having to do unnecessary work. This heavy lifting by the basal ganglia allows the rest of our brains to think about more important things. 

The Anatomy of Meditation

The most important thing to know is that our basal ganglia require a regular routine to keep it well activated. If you keep up a consistent schedule, the basal ganglia will store the relevant information, take the responsibility to oversee it and make sure the desired series of activities are implemented daily. Now here is the big rub, if you do not maintain a daily habit, the basal ganglia will become deactivated and will not respond vigorously enough to keep up your habit!

We all think that if we miss our scheduled time to do our meditative practice, we will just do it tomorrow or later in the day or at nighttime. If not, then, for sure tomorrow. This predictably irregular scheduling process forces us to rely on willpower. This is a big mistake because willpower is like a muscle that gets tired out easily. Some people have more willpower than others, but regardless of the circumstances, it still acts like a muscle.

So, if you rely on willpower to be the foundation for your practice as opposed to a habit, you are almost destined to be unsuccessful. There is a big difference between the staying power of the basal ganglia vs. willpower. The tiring muscle of willpower will fail you while the basal ganglia, which is like the Energizer Bunny, will be more than happy to keep your practice going for your whole life if you so desire.

The Commitment

That brings us to the question, “what does our meditative practice look like in the long term? What is our commitment? Are we conducting our practice to do this for a while and then tire of it and move on to something else?” To be honest, meditation is the most important regular practice you can choose to do on a daily basis if you want to have a full and happy life.

I am quite sure that if you thought about your meditative practice, you would say, “I want to do this for the long term.” Maybe if you meditated about it enough, you would realize that it is probably a good idea to make it a lifelong practice. Clearly, if meditation is like calisthenics for the mind, and physical exercise is surely a lifelong practice, then it makes sense that meditation should also be a lifelong commitment. 

Additional Factors

A few key additional factors that are important to understand is that your meditative practice is supported by the quality of your meditation plus the time you commit to it. Combined, they are equivalent to the dosage level of your meditative experience that contributes to how centered and spiritually connected you will become. That is why a near-daily practice is essential to achieving the quality of life you want to achieve.

A practice that is spotty with a meditation session today and then one a few days later is not going to cut it. Again, the amount of time you commit to your practice for each session is critical.

Research has shown that at least a twenty-minute practice is recommended if you want to have a consistent effect on the quality of your life over the long term. This effect is referred to as an altered trait as opposed to an altered state. An altered state is where the effects of a particular practice session may be great but quickly dissipates. If you are committed to creating an altered trait to become transformed, then a daily practice of at least a twenty-minute, quality meditative session is ideal.

Here is a nice quote from Chade-Meng Tan, author of Joy On Demand, on the power of joy and meditation to refresh your mind on how sweet a meditative practice can be:

The more you incline your mind toward joy in real life, the more joyful and productive your meditations will tend to be. The more you practice mindfulness, the more likely you will be able to down-regulate habituation on the strength of your mindfulness and enjoy the pleasures of the day anew.