Medical Monday: Breaking News from the World of Obstetrics and Gynecology

These Summer days are very busy for me and my family. So I am going to keep to an abbreviated or bullet version this summer. A little later, I’ll let you in on a fun little secret about why I am so busy. 

The biggest policy new has to do with the need to fill the vacancy in the Supreme Court created by the resignation of Justice Kennedy. The most contentious issue thus far has been abortion, Thus, all conceivable candidates are being scrutinized for their views the subject. Justice Kennedy had been a more liberal justice, and Trump has promised to install an anti abortion justice who would then contribute to the making of law for the rest of their tenure. At present, under Roe V. Wade, abortion is legal. Prior to that it was not, yet many many women and caregivers defied the law, often at great peril. My late father in law, an Obstetrician Gynecologist minted in the early 1960s remembered the days before legal abortion, and while no friend of abortion, told us cautionary tales about the complications that illegal abortions could produce. 

The ACA (Affordable Care Act) has more users now than it did last year. As of this last February, 3% more people paid for ACA plans than the prior year. This is especially noteworthy since the Fed decreased funding for outreach about the plan by 90% and halved the enrollment period. 

Starting in 2019 the Joint Commission ( a chief governing body for hospitals) will require accredited hospitals to have a newborn identification protocol. Details to follow, though we know it will require “ two factor authentication”. 

The Senate has approved 50 million dollars in funding to reduce maternal mortality. Most of this will go to the Federal Maternal and child Health Bureau to expand life saving evidence based programs. Some will also go to the CDC and some will go to Healthy Start programs for mothers and babies. 

The Senate also has approved three new bills pertaining to maternal and child well being. In particular the money will be used to reopen closed programs which aim to prevent preterm birth. 

One major piece of the maternal mortality puzzle is the lack of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. It is tough job with tough call and its pay lags behind that of similar surgical specialists. It is estimated that there will be a shortage of nearly 8800 Ob/Gyn in just TWO YEARs, in 2020. The shortage is very likely to keep growing. 

Medical News

Non-European women with ovary cancer seek genetic testing less than their peers. Genetic testing after ovary cancer may help identify risk factors for other members of the family dn may define the patient’s tumor type in such a way as to tailer its treatment and make it more effective. 

Flight attendants have been found to have a higher incidence of many various types of cancers. The findings were published in the Journal Environmental Health. It is unclear why this is the case. Theories include increased exposure to ionizing radiation, circadian rhythm disruption , or to other carcinogens. More study is needed. 

Many older women or their caregivers begin to lessen the frequency of their bone density screenings after about 65 years of age. I have never liked this approach as it smacks of marginalizing older women. Many older women begin their final decline with a hip fracture that could’ve been prevented. Now, new recommendations from the USPTF, US Preventive Services Task Force has produced evidence saying it could be worthwhile. This is true because there are many meaningful potential treatments, which when instituted, could help prevent bone fractures and the debility that those entail. 

Probiotics. They are for gut health, right ? Turns out a new study has shown that probiotics given to women protect against the loss of bone density. See the Journal of Internal Medicine. 

There are nine vaccine which pregnant women may receive. ACOg has recently released a single page list of these and his encouraging all pregnant women to speak with their physician about these. 

Smoking. It’s bad. How bad ? Well its bad enough to increase your risk of miscarriage…. even if it is just your partner who smokes ! Yes, second hand smoke from a partner is associated with an increased risk of miscarriage. 

In separate research, smoking also appears to double your child’s chances of having hearing loss. 

In clinic, most people report being active. And yet, the CDC report s that fewer than 23 % of US adults are meeting federal standards for time spent exercising. 

In rather disturbing news, over 1 in 4 girls have harmed herself in the past year, often by cutting or burning, compared to 1 in 10 boys. 

There is more good news about vitamin D. It turns about high levels of vitamin D may help prevent breast cancer. Vitamin D levels in our lab should sit between 30 and 80 to be considered normal. However, there is more and more evidence that sitting on the higher end of that spectrum may have benefits. New research has indicated that having a level near 60 confers 80% lower risk of breast cancer compared to a level near 20. Associated risk factors were depression, suicidal thoughts, buying and substance abuse were risk factors. See the recent edition os American Journal of Public Health. 

Oh… my fun little secret ? I am starting a traditional French Bakery and Bistro. No, I will not be baking. Yes, I will continue full time Obstetrics and Gynecology. It has always been a dream, and, along with a great team of people, I am getting to realize it. Stay tuned. We will open in late August. Visit me at 

bonjourbakeryandbistro.com 

to learn more. And...stay tuned for more news from the fascinating world of Obstetrics and Gynecology, here, next week on Medical Monday. 

Medical Monday: Breaking News from the World of Obstetrics and Gynecology

POLICY NEWS 

Good Monday. The media continues to focus on the Trump administration’s Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Policy of promoting “ abstinence only” to reduce teen pregnancy rates. Physicians like me deplore this scientifically disproven strategy. My governing body, ACOG, the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology espouses and promotes access to evidence based contraception as fundamental to women’s health care. 

However there is more to the story. There is nothing wrong with the choice of abstinence. There is no problem if a patient choses abstinence as her birth control method. But to offer abstinence “only” in the context of a health care or teen pregnancy prevention setting, is folly. Similarly, there is no problem with discussing the “ benefits of avoiding sex” as the administration proposes. Furthermore, health care providers in particular would be happy to support the DHHS in avoiding the normalization of “ sexual risk behaviors”. I am assuming that they mean high risk sexual behaviors. All of this would be fine if it were not for the deal breaker clause “ abstinence only”, and, oh yes, defunding those who do not march in step with it. The NY Times has published an editorial exposing the shift to Title X funding priorities to abstinence only programs under the direction of Valerie Huber, a longtime advocate of abstinence only birth control. 

There’s more. The latest healthcare budget proposal not only seeks to redirect Title X funds, it also seeks to defund Planned Parenthood and other family planning programs altogether, as well as scrap, not just reduce, the budget for the Teen Pregnancy Prevention Program. Democrats plan to block this budget proposal. ACOG has stated that half of all pregnancies are unintended and this is a major public health problem.  41% of teens have had sex in high school. 

Scrutiny of drug prices is increasing in this administration. FDA administrator Scott Gottlieb as criticized drug pricing constructs used by the big drug companies which result in large OOP ( out of pocket expenditures) for patients. He was quoted as saying “ sick people aren’t supposed to be subsidizing the healthy”. Of course this sounds very pro-patient, but the bottom line is that the government current insures a great many people through Medicare, Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act, and it wants to pay less for drugs. 

Many of you know that I believe data should be free. Accordingly, I believe patients should have access to all their medical information and it should be complete, digital and portable to other providers. The Trump administration has indicated an interest is facilitating this trend. While access to complete digital medical records has many patient and caregiver advantages, it also makes it easier for insurers and regulators to determine eligibility and reimbursement, or lack thereof. For the time being, I think I’d trust Amazon, Google or Apple with my data more than I would trust a government medical database. Although theoretically, de-identified data would make it possible to do a lot of helpful population based research like they do in the Scandinavian Countries which have Universal Health Care. 

Work requirements for Medicaid recipients sounds like a good idea. However, Medicaid recipients are often pregnant single mothers. Arkansas has approved such regulations. Alabama is examining the idea. Children’s advocates are concerned that work requirements will take these parents away from children, while providing no daycare to supplant them. Single unemployed people on Medicaid rarely can afford daycare or even transportation to and from a job. Why is this not obvious ? My idea: Given these people a computer with internet access and require them to take an online class toward a certification. Make passing required and grades count. This could be done from home and the need for a car or daycare would go away. Maybe I will write my elected officials. 

The Trump administration wants to test work requirements to see if they improve patient care or reduce costs. ( Who decided those endpoints ? ) However the GAO (General Accounting Office) has asserted that such analyses in the past have not been rigorously conducted, and their results have-not been published, limiting their utility.

I thought Republicans wanted less government intrusion into our lives. Senate Bill 1394 in Arizona would require hospitals or clinics to report if a woman had an abortion and to report the REASON she had it. Seriously ? As if these reasons weren’t personal and complicated and no business of our elected officials ? It would also require that hospitals require reporting to the State in the event of any abortion complications, though this is not the case for complications of any other procedures. Arizona ACOG has come out in force against this. 

MEDICAL NEWS

Preterm birth has been an unmitigated scourge in the US. It is twice as much so for women soldiers recently returned from duty. Preterm birth is poorly understood, but its many associations point to various forms of stress, such as socioeconomic deprivation, racism and abuse. I interpret this to mean anything that makes the women’s body a hostile environment for the fetus. It makes sense that a military environment would meet this criteria. 

On the other hand, exercise is an entirely different kind of stress, a good stress. Recent research has confirmed not only that pregnancy women may exercise, but that they may safely exercise in warm weather. They may also take hot baths and short saunas. That said, it is critical that patients considering these activities check with their doctor first as there may be caveats. 

Nurx. My new company crush. Go to Nurx.com. This is a San Francisco startup offering doctor prescribed brith control online, with or without insurance. It currently operates in 18 States and they are looking to hire more docs in more states. Teens are welcome. 

In the “ olden days”,  male medical students generally entered surgical specialties and female medical students entered non-surgical specialties. The crossover came with Ob/Gyn which is surgical. Women had a natural affinity for the field, and patients almost always prefer them. When I entered the field, it had already become half and half. However, now, 25 some years later, only 17% of Ob/Gyns are men. Male doctors are worried about getting into the field, and women in the field are worried about the demonstrated historical monetary devaluation of a field once it is predominantly filled by women. The big picture is this: Ob/Gyns are in short supply and the supply is growing smaller by the year. We should welcome and properly reimburse any docs of any gender willing to take on the vicissitudes of the profession. New data suggests bolstering the ranks of Certified Nurse Midwives could also help to address the shortage of skilled Obstetrics care providers, and together improve our deplorable maternal morbidity and mortality statistics.  

Good news ! A new study has indicated that probiotics and fish oil in pregnancy are associated with reduced allergies and eczema children. The study is of very high quality since it is a meta-analysis, a compilation of 19 other high quality studies onto same subject. That may warrant a policy change in the office. 

Stay tuned more more news from the world of Obstetrics and Gynecology, here next week, on Medical Monday. 

Medical Monday: Breaking News from the World of Obstetrics and Gynecology

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the HHS ORR ( Department of Health and Human Services Office of Refugee Resettlement) are battling out a constitutional question. The are debating whether or not unaccompanied undocumented immigrant minors in shelters have any rights to abortion under the Constitution. I am no constitutional scholar, and I am ignorant as to the extent that our Constitution applies to undocumented immigrants. Whether or not they are in shelters, or unaccompanied, seems immaterial. Their age could be germane, but again, perhaps could be handled under the terms of our own age laws. Any insights would be appreciated. For any women or girl, undocumented or otherwise, to give birth or to have an abortion is  a momentous and expensive event. Either one is also a medical event and that is the most important point. We already have medical policies in this country about such things, and I cannot understand why immigration status would alter the medical algorithm such an undocumented minor would follow. We need to remember that these questions are primarily medical, not political. 

New Hampshire has proposed a bill further reducing barriers to contraception. Currently, contraceptives may only be prescribed three months at a time. However, the state is considering a bill to increase this to a whole year. This seems logical to me as a Gynecologist since, at least with a patient who is established on the pill, I only need to see her once per year. If I am observing her on a new pill, or working to decrease side effects, special arrangements can made to see her sooner. The New Hampshire bill also specifies that insurers must continue to cover it entirely without copays. 

The very red State of Idaho is espousing contraception. Idaho House legislators are advocating a bill which would obtain a “waiver” ie. federal permission, to expand family planning services to women aged 19-44 who do not qualify for Medicaid, Medicare or other programs. 

Unlikely bedfellows in Connecticut are trying to secure prenatal care for the newly pregnant. Republican legislators are working with Planned Parenthood to offer health insurance to pregnancy women if they sign up within 30 days of finding out they are pregnant. 

The red state of Nebraska, on the other hand, is draining funds from Planned Parenthood in a move that will decrease family planning services in an already medically impoverished state. The may com through restriction of Title X grants. 

Dr. Haywood Brown the President of American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, has flatly called out the Trump administration and their “ continued move away from scientific evidence based policies and toward unscientific ideologies”. The particular context this time was the announcement of preferential Title X grant giving to organizations that teach “natural family planning” and abstinence for birth control. Where is the pussy grabbing now ?  This administration has such an on again off again relationship with sex I just cannot keep track. 

In medical news, culture seems to be playing a big role in smoking. Witness the great discrepancy in smoking rates among pregnant women by state. Worst is West Virginia, at 25%, whereas in California it is a little over 1%. The average across the US is about 7%. But, I am a splitter, not a lumper, and it seems our efforts to curtail smoking in pregnancy should vary state by state, perhaps even county by county, to be the most effective. 

You may have heard about all the problems and lawsuits having to do with vaginal mesh used in prolapse surgery. You may also have heard of more of a tape or ribbon procedure to fix stress urinary incontinence (SUI). They are different. Vaginal mesh is a large sheet of mesh, whereas the tape/ribbon is narrow like the name suggests. They are not in the same category for complications. A new study has shown what we all have expected and hoped, that the tension free vaginal tape is safe and effective for women with SUI. 

Probiotics are all the rage, and I mean in the hallowed halls of medicine, not the local vitamin store. A new study of very high quality (a meta-analysis) has found that probiotic and fish oil supplementation in pregnancy may reduce the risk of eczema and egg allergy in the offspring. That’s great, you say, no eczema or egg allergy. Actually, I am going speculate intelligently, and suggest to you that eczema and egg allergy are what I would call marker conditions, meaning conditions which are part of a greater category of tendencies that we call atopy, or the tendency to react to things. Atopic patients are those with troubles like asthma, rashiness, and lots of allergies. Their immune system is likely a little dysfunctional in vaguely defined ways. If simple nutritional interventions during pregnancy can help curtail such tendencies in children, that’s interesting and beneficial. 

A new document of WHO (World Health Organization) pregnancy recommendations for woman in childbirth strikes me as unwieldy. It seems to address such a wide range of women in a wide range of conditions that it becomes unusable. Yes, it highlights recent findings and recommendations about giving natural unaugmented labor longer to progress. Yes, it advocates for movement and positioning during labor, and the presence of a supportive environment and support people. It mentions delayed cord clamping. But these are already standards of care in the US. However the document gets an identity crisis when it states continuous monitoring is not recommended, and yet allows food in labor, does not mandate an IV, and yet allows pain relief like epidurals. (One cannot have an epidural without an IV). It is a document for caregivers of patients who in many cases have had little or no prenatal care, and so in a modern care environment they would be considered high risk until proven otherwise. In no state of this union would a high risk patient be permitted to go without IV or monitoring. Neither would they be permitted to eat if an epidural was under consideration. In any labor, C section is a real possibility, and to have food in the stomach ahead of that is a real risk. On the other hand, if there were no facilities for C section then perhaps it is fine to allow patients to eat and go without an IV. But one’s ability to allow these things would not, under those circumstance, be because they are safe. It would be because they would not matter. 

I am afraid this document will entirely confuse practitioners in a modern care environment. The WHO document recommends things which, in our environment, would be indefensible. The document almost needs to be cleaved into two documents, one for those in poorly equipped areas, and one for those unwell equipped area. This document appears to be written by people who would like to think that the rules should be the same for all women in the world, and that all laboring women in the world would have the same standard of care. I am one of those people. However, the authors of this WHO document are trying to torque this equality into being by sanctioning the labor care methods of minimally equipped facilities; in short, they achieve a unified standard of labor care by writing a  document recommending a much lower standard or care for all. We in the US already have enough trouble with our maternal morbidity and mortality without these recommendations. 

A new headline in “Health Day” covering an article  published in the Journal of Nursing has concluded that "food and drink in labor appear to be safe". ACOG currently sanctions only clear liquids in labor, and this is to avoid the risk of aspiration of solid food particles, something to which pregnant women are vulnerable, especially if they go to C section. When an apparent discrepancy in recommendations like this comes up, it is always good to unpack the details. Did I mention I was a splitter ? It turns out the study was case-control design, done at a smaller Port Jefferson, New York hospital over 4 years. The study was actually comparing just ice chips versus clear liquids like jello and italian ices, the so-called "food". We have known for some time that clear liquids, which is what jello and italian ices are, are safe. The “food”is not solid, the study's conclusion is not news, and the recommendations have not changed. However, I worry that laboring women around the country will be asking to see a menu to order food as they enter labor. 

Stay tuned for more news from the amazing world of Obstetrics and Gynecology, right here, next week, in Medical Monday. 

Medical Monday: Breaking News from the World of Obstetrics and Gynecology

I’d like to take a moment to thank readers for their continued attention to this blog and this site. The Women’s March drove home the point of how important it is for all of us to be aware, and for us to make our voices heard. The beginning is simple: learning what is going on. 

Policy

Up to date policy includes one Alex Azar, who will be the new HHS ( Health and Human Services) secretary. As such he will be in charge of health policy in the nation. He has vowed to consider the interests of both parties. 

The legislature is gearing up to vote on a 20 week abortion ban. I’m not sure how much effect this will have since most elective abortions are far earlier than this. Since Roe versus Wade was based 45 years ago, making abortion legal, approximately, twelve hundred restrictive state laws have been passed. 

The Trump administration is crafting a program called “ Conscience Rights” which would allow a health care provide to deny a patient care based on their beliefs. This care would obviously include controversial procedures like abortions and assisted suicide, but would also extend to providing contraception and sterilization. Numerous physician groups including ACOG have raised substantial objections. I would not like to see health care devolve this way. I already know physicians who disapprove of people who get abortions, and physicians who disapprove of people who don’t practice birth control to have large families “ as many as God will give”, or people who drink, or people who smoke, or people who get fat or get sexually transmitted infections. Is there no end to our judgmental mentality ? I though we were in this to teach, comfort and cure. 

Utah is where I went to medical school. It is also the center of governance for the Church of Jesus Christ and the Latter Day Saints, aka the Mormon Church. In general I found the people there an attractive mix of family oriented, strictly religious, and yet interested in and respectful of science and the diverging views of others. So in this progressive atmosphere it comes as no surprise to me that a Republican legislator Representative Ray Ward, has proposed HB 12, which will enable Utah Medicaid to provide birth control, which it currently does not. He is proposing this to save money by decreasing unplanned pregnancies, abortions and reducing all costs associated with those. Brilliant ! 

Texas lost $35 million in federal funds which it voted to exclude Planned Parenthood from the recipients list. It basically lost $35 million worth of care to Texas women. Could this be related to the astounding increase in Texas Maternal Mortality ? Now Texas legislators are trying to get that money back. They are proposing their own program which will still exclude Planned Parenthood; They are calling it Healthy Texas Women. If they get their money back for their new program, there is concern that other states will similarly overhaul how federal money is delivered to women’s health clinics. 

Meanwhile, nationwide, women continue to flock to clinic to obtain long acting IUDs ( intrauterine devices) to give them birth control in case the contraceptive mandate of  Affordable Care Act is revoked. 

The Trump administration is trying to find more ways to “ excuse” people from the mandatory requirement to have health insurance, the so called “ individual Mandate” part of the ACA ( Affordable Care Act).  For all the world, you would think they want fewer people insured. Oh wait ! They do want fewer people using federally sponsored health insurance plans, since those cost the government money which they would prefer to keep for items on their own agenda. They justify this stating consumers should have freedom of choice, meaning the freedom to save for health care expenditures, as if that is common practice, or you could reasonably expect to do it for a large 5 figure expenditure. Last year, there were 3.2 million more people uninsured compared to the year before. Most of this is reckoned to be people who simply chose not to pay for health care. I cannot understand why it is not simply like car insurance. If you are on the road, you must have insurance. If you do not, and something happens, you will cost others a great deal of money and yourself a great deal of trouble. The same is true if people are too irresponsible to obtain health insurance. 

Medical News

Hip fractures among women are on the rise. This new study shows what I have considered inevitable. The women of the Diet Coke, Tab and too much coffee age are upon us. Many were smokers, and few drank milk, let alone ate leafy greens. No wonder bones are breaking. Here in Montana, where winter is 9 months long and there are 3 months of bad sledding, vitamin D deficiency is rampant. Vitamin D is crucial to bone metabolism and is manufactured in the skin by sunlight. Pacific Northwesterners and many of us in the Rocky Mountains inland should consider getting checked and supplemented. 

Breastfeeding may protect against type two diabetes in women. The longer the breastfeeding, the greater the reduction in risk. We have always advised that breastfeeding helps moms lose unwanted weight, and of course that in and of itself lowers risk for diabetes. 

Placental insufficiency is just what it sounds like it is. All placentas are not created equal. Placentas deliver oxygen and nutrients to a growing baby. However, various medical conditions or just bad luck will result in a poorly functioning placenta. Just about any pregnancy complication such as high blood pressure, poor nutrition, or smoking will result a placenta of  poor quality and a higher risk of complications for baby. The worst complication is of course stillbirth. A new study has suggested that nearly a quarter of stillbirths could be preventable. Placental insufficiency is usually the culprit, and with standard prenatal care it is not hard to diagnose. When we identify the problem, we increase the surveillance with monitoring and Ultrasound. Any problems with access to good prenatal care will interfere with identifying and treating complications that lead to stillbirth. 

Texas continues to be in the news as researchers and policy people probe the appalling maternal mortality figures. As of this writing we know that many factors are to blame including access to prenatal care, prevalence of black women in the data set, especially those who are underserved, or who have hypertension. Most interesting to me is the contribution of stress from chronic societal discrimination. 

The spotlight is now on my state, Montana. In the case of 14 child deaths in Montana this year, 3/4 of them took place when an infant slept in the same bed as a mother who was using drugs. Our hospital has addressed this by have an active department of Social Services, an Addiction Specialty service, and the Baby Box program. This is modeled after a common European practice wherein a family with a newborn is sent home with a baby box full of safe supplies. The box itself is made to evidence based standards, having a flat firm mattress , a fitted sheet, and no covers. Baby is kept warm in a sleep sack, a kind of gown in which they cannot get tangled or suffocate. In Finland, for example this has been done for over 75 years with good results. Some say it has helped Finland achieve one of the lowest infant mortality rates in the world. The Baby Box program also includes extensive education about safe separate sleeping practices, but it remains challenging to change people’s behavior of keeping baby with them in the bed. 

http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-22751415

A County Attorney in Big Horn County, Montana has announced a crackdown on pregnancy women who use drugs or alcohol. That office plan to seek civil restraining orders and even incarceration to meet their goals. ACOG has come out against this, indicating it basically keeps high risk women away from prenatal care. Handmaid’s Tale, much ? 

When medicine and policy collide: More women received indicated mammograms when Obamacare, aka the Affordable Care Act, banned copays. If that does not tell you copays are a barrier to screening, I don’t know what does. 

Women skip mammograms for money. But, a new study says women skip paps for embarrassment. Young women in particular could identify embarrassment due to body shape, shape of vulva, or smell. We need to do more to help women and girls feel comfortable in their own bodies. 

A new study reveals that increased long use of oral contraceptive pills confers better and better protection agains endometrial (uterine) and ovary cancer. It also confirms that long term use does not seem to affect risk of colon or breast cancer. You may have in the past heard other studies which have contradicted this. The good news is that our methodologies improve and computing power increases every year, making the quality of our data better and better as time goes by. 

Not-so-fun-fact: New research incites that a women's risk of dying from childbirth is 14 times higher than her risk of dying from an abortion. 

Finishing today in the SUPER COOL department, we have two entries. 

First, those Scandinavians are once again on the forefront of progressive perinatal care, this time using the power of probiotics. A new study shows probiotics consumed in pregnancy lowers the risk of preeclampsia and preterm birth. These Scandinavian countries provide comprehensive prenatal care and keep thorough databases on all patients, enabling them to glean meaningful information of good quality. More research is needed on how to implement this finding. 

Lastly, Apple has roiled out a new feature in the Health App enabling users, meaning patients, to control and transfer their own medical records. Twelve large medical institutions have begun beta testing. This is great for patient empowerment. It is also partakes of the open data movement, which says that in an ideal world, data should be fully shared, without fear of discrimination. When patient and research data can be shared, we can expect a great acceleration of medical progress on the topics which matter most. 

Stay tuned until next week, for more breaking news from the world of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Food Friday: Kombucha

Dr. Gina here covering the trends for you. Kombucha is the latest probiotic to hit the shelves big time. Should you drink it ? What is it ? 

Kombucha is a fermented drink make from tea, sugar, and cultures of both bacteria and yeast. It retains live probiotics in its finished form, which is part of the purported benefit. 

I think it is tasty. It can be carbonated, and a little fruit juice can be added. It has a tangy taste of vinegar, since fermentation produces vinegar. Commercial kombucha has small amounts of caffeine such as you would expect with tea, and trace amounts of alcohol which, by law, cannot exceed 0.3%. Most brands are low in sugar and calories and it does hydrate. You’d be wise to read the label just in case. 

You might be interested to hear all of the dramatic health claims about kombucha. In my search, I unearthed numerous animal and in vitro ( test tube) studies which seemed to suggest benefits in various circumstances, as with regards to liver function, lipid metabolism, oxidative stress and even cancer. However, none of these lab studies were conducted in such as way as to apply to humans. 

The Mayo clinic site 

http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/consumer-health/expert-answers/kombucha-tea/faq-20058126

states there are no proven benefits to drinking kombucha. This may be more of a statement about the lack of evidence than it is a statement about an absolute lack of benefits. 

A 2014 study published in Journal of Medicinal Food suggests that kombucha " is suitable for the prevention against broad spectrum metabolic and infective disorders.” This study is a literature review and as such is subject to all the biases and potentially flawed methodologies of each of the individual studies reviewed. 

It is measurably true that kombucha contains probiotics and antioxidants from green tea. The health benefits of green tea, from which kombucha is made, are well documented. Therefore it is not unreasonable to ask whether there are any benefits from kombucha as well. 

WebMD’s presentation of the subject is the best and, I think the most balanced. 

http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/truth-about-kombucha#1

They highlight the composition, the claims, and the lack of clinical trials on kombucha. They also mention possible health problems with home made kombucha. They also caution against pregnant or lactating women, and the immunocompromised, from drinking kombucha. They do go on to highlight the big picture which is that for healthy people, most of the time, kombucha is a safe and potentially beneficial drink. As with many things, the claims are greater than the science. Also as with many things, more research is needed.  

Would you like to know more about superfoods, dietary supplements and nutraceuticals ? Did you know the National Institute of Health has a division just for you. Check out the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health,

https://nccih.nih.gov

a division of the National Institute for Health, paid for by your tax dollars. 

Stay tuned for more food news on next week’s Food Friday.  

Food Friday: My Strategic Foods

I am a 54 year old woman with Systemic Lupus. Sounds dismal, huh ? Actually, I am healthy, working, and recreating full time. I hate to say it, but my lupus may have caused me to take better care of my health than I would have otherwise.

I am one of those people who pursues optimal health. I feel I have to, since I am obliged to set a good example for my patients, and because I have a family who relies on me. 

I can’t afford to do anything but eat optimally. I can’t afford to do anything but workout regularly. At my age, with my condition, going backwards is really hard to make up. Going forwards is extra slow, since I also cannot overdo it, so I have to make gains really gradually. 

I love good food and cooking, and I love working out and how it makes me feel and look. So these things are not hard sells for me. I try very hard to convey to my patients and readers the joys of these things, but you may certainly relate when I tell you that most people are not where they would like to be on their fitness and nutrition. So instead of me just sharing how I feel, I would like to tell you a few simple things that I do that help me keep my nutrition in line easily. This is Food Friday, and we are going to talk about my strategic foods. 

With my lifestyle, workout, goals and medical condition, I need more protein that the average 54 year old woman. To help me get that conveniently, I start every morning with about 16 ounces of skim organic lactose free milk mixed with about 2 scoops of whey protein powder. That gets me nearly 30 grams of protein, a reasonable start to the 80 grams per day that I shoot for.

At about 10 am, I make some oat bran cereal, one of my strategic carbohydrates. I include this for the fiber it provides. I take a page from the Giada DiLaurentis' playbook and dress it with about a Tablespoon of olive oil and some kosher salt. It is reminiscent of buttered popcorn. I usually have a bowl of decaf green tea matcha which is full of antioxidants. 

At lunch I usually have fish, chicken or red meat with veggies, which are usually leftovers brought from home. I try to eat lunch with water, either cold or hot. I may also have fruit. I favor blueberries and strawberries, which is good because they are nutrient dense, and low on the FODMAP scale. ( More information on FODMAPS HERE)  I bring them in a little tupperware. These generally leave home frozen and thus by lunch they are just right. 

Mid afternoon I try for some more protein with some kefir ( cultured probiotic milk) or a meat stick. Additionally, in the afternoon, I have taken to drinking a Kombucha which is a fizzy  probiotic drink. 

When I get home from work I need a little something before dinner, and it is usually a little fruit and drink. This sets me up to work out, which I do before dinner. Sometimes I or someone else starts dinner, and I work out while it is cooking. I drink sips of water all though my workout. 

Dinner is, not surprisingly, meat, fish, chicken or eggs, with vegetables and fruit. And here I use another strategic carbohydrate, brown rice. Between the fiber in that and the oatmeal, things “ go well”. Again, I drink water with the meal to aid digestion and keep me hydrated. When I am cleaning up dinner, I fix my lunch and two snacks to take to work, since I am not a morning person. I also fix my protein drink in a “ shaky” bottle so it is ready to grab in the morning. 

And though it is so trendy it is outdated, I am still crushing on kale. I eat it dried, and I eat it chopped and sautéed either in olive oil or coconut oil. I like to toss in tomatoes for color and a bright flavor. I have learned to salt and season after it is finished since it shrinks down so much. You have to start with a heaping pan full to get a couple servings. I use lemon pepper very liberally, as well as Mirin, rice wine, or rice vinegar. Balsamic vinegar also works nicely on kale. 

At bedtime I usually get a little dark chocolate. My recent favorite is a raw Mexican chocolate from Taza. It is spendy, but you only need a little bit. I also get something more to drink. 

Yes, it’s a lot of time spent, and a fair amount of preparation, but it makes me feel good and I like it. Try these strategic foods or develop your own favorites. Remember, small healthy habits, done over long periods of time, make health. 

A Belated Food Friday: Probiotics, Prebiotics and Synbiotics

What are they ? 

Probiotics are live bacteria and yeast which are good for health. The most common is lactobacillus - found in yogurt and fermented foods like kefir, and sauerkraut. Bifodobaceterium is another and is found in some dairy. 

Prebiotics non digestible carbohydrates that act as food for probiotics. Probiotics are dietary substances that favor the growth of beneficial bacteria rather than harmful ones. 

Synbiotics are products that combine probiotics and probiotics. Foods like yogurt have both the organisms and the carbohydrate and so are symbiotic. 

The FDA regulates all these like foods rather than drugs, and has not certified them for treatment of any medical condition. however research suggests some helpful effects. 

What do they do ? 

Probiotics and probiotics help us digest and move food though our gut. Undigested or poorly absorbed food can cause problems such as inflammation, gas and cramps. By helping to normalize digestions, research suggests probiotics and probiotics can help the following: 

• ease IBS
• ease inflammatory bowel disease 
• slow infectious diarrhea 
• slow antibiotic related diarrhea 
• help eczema 
• prevent vaginal infections 
• prevent allergies 
• foster mouth health 

Should you use them ? 

People who are healthy can use probiotics and probiotics without problems. They have few side effects except gas. On the other hand, those that have serious medical problems should consult their doctor before using them. No one should substitute complementary therapies such as these for prescribed conventional therapies. 

Their exact mechanism of action is unclear. What is clear is that we live colonized with organisms. It is also clear that some populations of organisms are healthier for us that others. Probiotics, probiotics and synbiotics move us back towards a spectrum of organisms which foster better health. 

You can get probiotics as tablets or “ shots” i.e. tiny concentrated drinks. However, my favorites are plain homemade yogurt, kefir, and all kinds of sauerkraut. Smoothies made with plain yogurt or kefir with whole fruit have a delicious tanginess. I like to enjoy my probiotics. 

References: 

http://www.webmd.com/digestive-disorders/features/what-are-probiotics

http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/consumer-health/expert-answers/probiotics/faq-20058065

https://nccih.nih.gov/health/probiotics/introduction.htm