A: Hemochromatosis (for those readers who [...]]]> Dear Dr. Gourmet,

Q: I’ve been diagnosed with hemachromatosis. Can you recommend a diet that is low in iron and iron retaining content?

A: Hemochromatosis (for those readers who are unaware of this issue) is a genetic condition where the body doesn’t store iron properly. The result is iron overload in the body that can lead to many problems including liver and heart damage. It is actually a fairly common condition with some research showing 1 – 6% of the population having some degree of problem. Hemochromatosis

Q: I am very worried about my father’s health. He eats a hamburger, french fries and Coke almost every day and he rarely eats any vegetables. He has incredibly high cholesterol and blood pressure, type II diabetes, liver and kidney problems and an alleged potassium deficiency that occasionally causes his legs to not be able to support his weight.

He claims that all of his health issues are hereditary and not influenced by his diet. I do not believe that. . . . What EVIDENCE can I use to convince him that his diet is unhealthy? Do you agree that consuming the amount of red meat, fried foods and cola that he does, without eating hardly any vegetables, is likely a major contributing factor to his health problems?

A: Well, I’d like to think that you’ve come to the right place.

Your father could not be more wrong about health issues being only hereditary. There is clearly a factor of how our family history can and does affect our health but this can certainly be overcome by eating healthy and maintaining a reasonable weight. The best place for you to get started is with information on a Mediterranean style diet. Diet vs. Heredity

Q: I have had Hepatitis C for 20 years. Is the Mediterranean Diet good for my liver?

A:The Mediterranean Diet should be a great choice for you with Hepatitis C. While I have not been able find any specific research regarding this type of diet and viral hepatitis, the diet should be very safe for you as it is very healthy. We know that weight control is important and this will certainly help you manage your weight. The Mediterranean Diet has been shown to help reduce inflammation so it might be helpful in this respect as well.

Have a question? Send it to askdrgourmet@drgourmet.com and your question may be answered in this column. Read more Ask Dr. Gourmet questions – over 500 questions already answered!

A: In the [...]]]> Dear Dr. Gourmet,

Q: I have heard from doctors or nurses that if you are prediabetic you are really a diabetic. Or if you are taking metaformin that you are diabetic. Is that true?

A: In the last few years the criteria for diagnosing diabetes has become much more stringent. This is because we know now that even modest elevations in blood sugars can have a devastating effect in the long term. Presently, the diagnosis is made when the morning fasting blood sugar is greater than 126 mg/dL.

We are, however, concerned when fasting blood sugars are consistently greater than 100 mg/dL. Likewise, those with fasting blood sugars that are higher than 110 mg/dL are considered by some to be “prediabetic.” Prediabetes

Q: First of all, thank you for your fantastic warfarin meals and recipes. I have been on this for about 8 wks now. Have lost about 23 lbs and my warfarin doses have actually changed from 47 1/2 to 37 1/2 per week. It is so seldom that I actually see recipes directed at warfarin users, especially the salads. I do still have one question. I eat the blueberry muffins and also include blueberries and blackberries in my alloted fruits per week. Is this safe or are the berries considered off limits for regular servings of fruit? It seems like I have seen questions or articles in favor of both. Thank You.

A: Wow! We’re really excited for you here at Dr. Gourmet World Headquarters. It’s always great to hear about weight loss such as yours and that you like the recipes!

Blackberries and blueberries do have higher amounts of Vitamin K than some fruits, but in an amount might be considered as moderate and not off limits. Each has around 28 micrograms of Vitamin K per cup.

At the same time we know that these berries are great choices for a lot of reasons, including their high proportion of great quality vitamins and antioxidants. Eating Blueberries and Blackberries on Coumadin (warfarin)

Q: I attended a health seminar where you mentioned how important it is to reduce the sodium and not have more than the daily recommended value. You gave a few examples of the amount of sodium in some fast food and chain restaurant meals and how the daily maximum could quickly be reached. If I do have these items will drinking extra water counteract the increase in sodium?

A: This is a great question.

There may be a slight effect but, sadly, drinking more water won’t likely offset a high sodium diet very much. The regulation of water volume as well as sodium, potassium and other electrolytes in the body is quite an elegant mechanism. The kidneys are quite efficient at holding on to electrolytes and filtering water. Water and High Sodium Foods

Have a question? Send it to askdrgourmet@drgourmet.com and your question may be answered in this column. Read more Ask Dr. Gourmet questions – over 500 questions already answered!

Is this a product that many people are allergic/sensitive to? I strongly suspect that I have an allergy [...]]]> Q: Can you tell me anything about modified food starch/modified corn starch? It is in almost every type of commercially prepared food.

Is this a product that many people are allergic/sensitive to? I strongly suspect that I have an allergy to the modified starches, but I am not able to find any information about them.

A: Modified food starches are used in many processed foods today. These are highly processed, fine granular powders made from any number of sources, including wheat, corn and tapioca. They are used in foods as thickening agents and to help emulsify ingredients. Because there’s no requirement to list the source of the starch, it could be made from any of these ingredients. Food Starches

There’s good research about snacking and it seems most of [...]]]> Dr. Tim Says….

[This article is part of The Real World Diet Coaching Program, an ongoing series on The How and Why of Eating Healthy. Read the whole series to date.]

There’s good research about snacking and it seems most of us are one of two types. We are either sweet snackers or salty snackers. Knowing which you are can help you manage your weight by making sure you have snacks on hand that will be satisfying. This doesn’t mean that you need to schedule every one of your snacks, but having the right snack available helps you keep from eating things that you might want to avoid. Snacking is Essential

Featured Recipe

Chicken Cacciatore | Coumadin Safe Version

There are so many variations on this recipe it’s amazing. I started working on it about 6 months ago and found recipes with all different ingredients. Some had onions, peppers, mushrooms, different pastas, boneless chicken, bone in, skin on and skin off. The result for me was to make it as simple as possible for you to make and to eat. Peppers, onions but no mushrooms. Dried herbs and great parmesan and it all comes together to be warm and comforting.

This recipe is low in sodium (salt). It is gluten-free provided you use gluten-free pasta. Those who are lactose intolerant but can tolerate cheese may enjoy it. Those with GERD / Acid Reflux should avoid it.

A Healthy Pregnancy
with Faith Bontrager, RN, BSN

Most doctors and mothers would agree that breastmilk is the best diet for a newborn. But what if you aren’t going to be with your baby 24 hours a day? Many women choose to express (pump) milk for their babies.

After the breastmilk is expressed, how long does it last? Most formulas need to be freshly prepared for a feeding and then discarded if the baby does not finish the bottle at that feeding (read label directions for specific brands). Breastmilk, on the other hand, stays fresh a long time. But how long? Keeping and Storing Breastmilk

Look, we know that if you eat fewer calories, you’ll lose weight.  Anyone can do that and it doesn’t matter what type of calories you eat.  Calories are calories [...]]]> Just when you think you’ve heard it all.  Taco Bell is touting that you can lose weight eating their food.  True, of course, but at what cost?

Look, we know that if you eat fewer calories, you’ll lose weight.  Anyone can do that and it doesn’t matter what type of calories you eat.  Calories are calories as far as your weight is concerned.  So eating the more sensible choices at Taco Bell is a good idea but ONLY if you are going to eat there occasionally anyway.  Their food is some of the most highly processed in the fast food business.

If you go there, about the only really good choice is the Fresco Crunchy Taco.  It’s 150 calories and has some fiber but is the best at only 350 mg of sodium.  Here’s the choices.  Note the overall very high amount of salt.

Better yet, make your own Mexican food.  It’s easy, will cost about the same and so much better for you.  Here’s some recipes to get you started:

Quick Tacos

Soft Corn Tacos

Taco Salad

Corn and Black Bean Taco Salad

Eat well, eat healthy, enjoy life!

Dr. Gourmet

http://opa.yale.edu/news/article.aspx?id=7013

If you want more great info and a look at the Nutrition Facts of cereals click this link:

http://cerealfacts.org/

This is a great organization that [...]]]> OK, sarcasm aside, there’s a great report by the Yale University Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity that shows how marketing has an profound effect on our children’s nutrition.  Here’s the link:

http://opa.yale.edu/news/article.aspx?id=7013

If you want more great info and a look at the Nutrition Facts of cereals click this link:

http://cerealfacts.org/

This is a great organization that looks at exactly what the impact of cereal marketing has on consumption.