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CA Assemblymember Jerry Hill speaks at NANP conference lunch – part 1

By Trudy Scott Leave a Comment

Assemblyman Jerry Hill luncheon address at NANP conference

It was a real pleasure to have CA Assemblymember Jerry Hill (who  represents the 19th district) join us for lunch at the NANP conference.  We had met him and invited him to join us during the recent CA lobby days. We are so pleased he joined us and we thoroughly enjoyed his wonderful presentation.

Assemblymember Hill started off by saying “You represent everything that is good” and endorsed the conference theme of Holistic Nutrition Through the Ages, saying “what you are doing is so important”.

Assemblymember Hill then went on to mention a number of CA nutrition/legislative matters that are near and dear to the hearts of our members, and are encouraging for the health of all Californians:

(1)  On May 3, Gov. Jerry Brown  drafted a “Let’s Get Healthy California Task Force” to develop a 10-year plan to improve Californians’ health and reduce health-care costs.

Preventable and chronic health conditions are detrimental to every Californian’s quality of life, cause disproportionate social and economic burdens, and result in California spending 80% of the state’s total healthcare dollars on just 20% of the population.

The NANP and our members can be a big part of this, distributing wellness and nutritional information and helping people make informed decisions about their own health.

(2)  The labeling of GMOs was added to the CA ballot on May 2

In victory rallies across state today, supporters celebrated as the California Right to Know campaign filed 971,126 signatures for the state’s first-ever ballot initiative to require labeling of genetically engineered foods. The huge signature haul, gathered in a 10-week period, is nearly double the 555,236 signatures the campaign needs to qualify for the November ballot.

If passed this November, Californians will join citizens of over 40 countries including all of Europe, Japan and even China who have the right to know whether they are eating genetically engineered food.   

You can read why we need this GMO labeling to ensure the safety of food for California families and children and that even chickens refuse GM corn (or mielies as its called in South Africa)

(3)  California legislators enacted a tax credit for farmers who donate fruits and vegetables to food banks.  Here is information on AB152 prior to the bill being passed: http://www.cafoodbanks.org/docs/AB%20152%20Full%20Factsheet.pdf

Every dollar in credit leverages approximately 10-20 pounds of fresh healthy food for low-income Californians. California growers want to do their part to help low-income Californians eat more fresh healthy food. California would be following the lead of several other states, including Arizona, Colorado, North Carolina, and Oregon that offer tax incentives to encourage fresh produce donations from growers to emergency food providers.

You can read this great post by Amy Winterfeld: what lawmakers in other states are doing to encourage better eating and support local economies.

Assemblymember Hill also shared information about California Healthy Food Financing Initiative and school lunches and this, together with the award and  menu  will be covered in part 2.

[Note: I say “we” on behalf of NANP and the legislative committee, which I chair]

Bipolar, disruptive mood or gluten and junk food?

By Trudy Scott 27 Comments

A national study published in 2007 showed a surge in use of the bipolar diagnosis in children: the frequency of visits to doctors’ offices by youths 19 and younger for treatment of the condition increased from 25 per 100,000 visits in 1994-95 to 1,003 per 100,000 visits in 2002-03. I wonder what the numbers are now?

The above quote is from a story that appeared in the Boston Globe earlier this month [thanks to my friend in Boston who shared this story with me and urged me to write a commentary!]

The story, “Proposed diagnosis for bipolar disorder divides psychiatrists” by Patricia Wen, discusses issues with proposed revisions to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders IV (DSMIV). The psychiatric association is expected to make final decisions for its fifth revised edition to be published in May 2013.

A panel appointed by the American Psychiatric Association is urging that a new, potentially more transient and less-stigmatizing diagnosis – “disruptive mood dysregulation disorder’’ – be added to the official manual of mental illnesses, which is undergoing a sweeping revision [this new disorder would be included in the manual in addition to the existing bipolar disorder, and this is where the division is].

The new condition would apply to children who have chronic irritability, as well as recurrent temper outbursts – three or more times a week, on average – that are “grossly out of proportion’’ to the situation the child confronts.

It can be as disabling to a young child as bipolar disorder, but would probably be treated with antidepressants, not antipsychotic drugs. As adults, these children would be more likely to develop anxiety or depression, rather than bipolar disorder.

Wow! chronic irritability, recurrent temper outbursts, “grossly out of proportion’’ to the situation, likely to develop anxiety or depression as adults

This sounds a lot like a combination of poor diet/junk food and food intolerances. And it’s no surprise when you consider what diets kids are eating these days! Let’s also throw in low blood sugar for good measure – how many kids do you know who eat a good breakfast that includes protein?

Let’s first look at food quality and bipolar disorder:

In the Journal of Affective Disorders, a 2012 paper titled “Diet quality in bipolar disorder in a population-based sample of women”, found a lower risk of bipolar disorder in those eating a quality traditional foods diet. Granted, this is epidemiological evidence, but this is exactly why more research is imperative. The authors do actually state: “Longitudinal studies are warranted”.

Lead author of the above paper, Dr. Felice Jacka , is also the lead author in a 2011 PLoS One paper that found diet quality in adolescents was associated with a lower risk of mental health issues. The author stated that this “study highlights the importance of diet in adolescence and its potential role in modifying mental health over the life course”

Let’s also look at gluten and bipolar disorder:

In the journal Psychiatry Research, a 2012 paper titled “Markers of gluten sensitivity in acute mania: A longitudinal study” states that individuals “with mania had significantly increased levels of IgG antibodies to gliadin” “which is derived from the wheat protein gluten”.

When I read this section in the Boston Globe story a light bulb went off….

What is ultimately added, subtracted, or revised in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, first put out by the American Psychiatric Association in 1952, is loaded with practical and cultural implications.

It will help define what is considered normal behavior. It largely determines how clinicians diagnose conditions; what health insurers will pay for; what drugs are made and marketed; and what research will be funded by governments and foundations

Perhaps the division between bipolar disorder and disruptive mood dysregulation disorder is less important than my whole-hearted proposal to add gluten intolerance and celiac disease, junk food addict (and low blood sugar and a host of other nutritional factors) to the DSMIV!!!

I’m obviously saying this tongue-in-cheek but imagine a world where we:

  • Do get government research funding and studies done on mental health issues related to or directly caused by gluten intolerance and a junk food diet
  • Do get insurance coverage for nutrition coaching and consulting
  • Do see subsidies for organic food farmers
  • Do make this the first approach instead of medications…or at least use this approach in conjunction with lower doses of medications
  • Do see huge improvements …leading to say a 40-fold (or more) decrease in bipolar diagnoses in children (and adults) in a less than a year!

Yes! Add these now… please! If we need research for it to become mainstream then so be it! I’m volunteering to be part of any research in these areas. It works – I already know this, as do countless of other practitioners and people who have made these changes. Just read Michael Ellsberg’s compelling bipolar story on Forbes to be inspired!

Dr Katherine Falk, MD is in private practice in New York City and is certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology. She endorsed my book The Antianxiety Food Solution and said this:

Trudy Scott is an expert on the relationship of food and mood, an often neglected area in the health of persons with mental illness. This book provides practical information, clearly presented, which I believe to be an important adjunct in the treatment of not only anxiety and depression, but also of serious mental illness.

I would like to end by saying that I have no intention of minimizing the seriousness of bipolar disorder or any mental illness, I just believe there is so much more we can do on the food-mood front!

Salmon Pate Recipe for Summer

By Trudy Scott 9 Comments

2 small cans of wild Alaskan pink salmon (totaling 12oz/340g)
1T gelatin
½ cup chicken stock, heated (home-made is best)
¼ cup mayonnaise
2 t lemon juice
4 small onions, finely chopped
½ cup fresh raw cream
Sea salt and pepper

Mix gelatin with hot chicken stock. In a blender, blend the following: gelatin/stock, undrained salmon, onions, mayonnaise, lemon juice and seasoning. Add cream and stir. Pour into lightly oiled fish molds (use one large or 3 small fish molds). Refrigerate and tip onto the serving plate just before eating. Serve with rice crackers, whole-grain wheat crackers (if tolerated) and fresh veggies like chopped carrots, zucchini, mushrooms and celery.

I’d like to give credit to Suzy for this wonderful recipe (which I have modified slightly). She is an old friend of mine and I’m so thrilled that we just reconnected on Facebook after being out of touch for 20 years! I was so impressed when she served it at a dinner party in Johannesburg, South Africa, a LONG time ago. In fact, everything Suzy served at dinner parties was amazing! Here’s to sitting down together at a dinner party in the near future!

May you enjoy this and other wonderful food with your friends and family!

NANP 2012 Golden Carrot awards for Impact, Service and Going Up: Trudy, Liz and Sara

By Trudy Scott 15 Comments

Each year the National Association of Nutrition Professionals / NANP (www.nanp.org) awards three Golden Carrot awards during the annual conference:

  • IMPACT: awarded to a member who has obtained visibility in the wider world during the past year. It could be a book, a TV show, testimony before a Senate Committee on Health Promotion, or other project that they executed with impact
  • SERVICE: awarded to a member whose efforts at mentoring and building connections that grow the holistic nutrition community deserve recognition
  • GOING UP: awarded to a member, in professional practice for one year or less, who has already begun to obtain visibility, success and distinction in their business.

I was honored and humbled to receive the 2012 Golden Carrot Award for IMPACT.

Nicole Hodson, NC shared this heart-felt story before making the award announcement:

“Trudy Scott is the reason I am here today, as Executive Director of NANP.  Trudy became my nutritionist when I turned to her for help with weight loss a number of years ago.  Although I had been reading up on nutrition and trying to make changes on my own, I didn’t see the results I wanted until I began working with Trudy.  Most importantly Trudy was able to advise me on the holistic approach to some of my difficult hormonal health challenges.  In fact, Trudy was such an inspiration to me that I decided to pursue an education in holistic nutrition myself.  Trudy continues to inspire me as she tirelessly pursues new educational and growth opportunities.”

I’m smiling as I write this …as I have grown in my nutrition career I have been inspired by so many before me and it is truly wonderful to be able to inspire others! And to inspire someone like Nicole, whose has done so much for the organization, is truly wonderful!

Nicole continued:

“I would like to announce that Trudy Scott, CN is the 2012 NANP IMPACT winner. Trudy has done everything that fits this award’s description. Trudy obtained visibility in the wider world by being a focused leader as the past president of the NANP and organizer of the fight against CA AB575.  She is the current chair of the legislative affairs committee and continues to support our members to protect their right to practice. In June 2011, she released her first book, The Antianxiety Food Solution – How the Foods You Eat Can Help you Calm Your Anxious Mind, Improve Your Mood and End Cravings (New Harbinger) and has been presenting on food and mood at the national level and has become known as the Food Mood Expert.  She demonstrates passion and commitment on all levels and has the time to help anyone who needs it. Trudy truly is a passionate leader and a supporter of others.”

trudy scott and impact award with nicole
Trudy receives the 2012 NANP IMPACT Award from Nicole

I am so honored to be in the company of the other amazing award winners, Liz Lipski, Ph D, CCN, and Sara Edison, Certified Nutrition Consultant.

Liz received the SERVICE award:

“Liz Lipski, a nationally known clinical nutritionist, author of Digestive Wellness, and speaker has been an inspiration to the nutrition community for many years. She” is the founder of Innovative Healing,  “implemented a mentoring program for recent graduates and is the Director of Doctoral Studies at Hawthorn University. In 2012, Liz became an advocate for our industry as seven states attempted to pass licensure bills that would restrict or prevent holistically trained nutritionists from practicing. Liz helped connect individuals with attorneys and national organizations and recommended courses of action to those in need. She continues to contribute to NANP – most recently by sharing her knowledge of the legislative process with members in the Nourishing the Nutrition Professional teleconference.”

Sara received the GOING UP award:

“Sara Edison graduated from Bauman College in the spring of 2011 and has launched a private practice called A Stone’s Throw to Health. She also has a BS in Exercise Science from Skidmore College. In addition to starting her own practice, Sara is working with a colleague to build The Scoby Collective. This group is bringing together nutrition professionals interested in working collaboratively, i.e. peer to peer mentorships, sharing communal workspaces, and organizing informal gatherings to build nutrition knowledge and help recent graduates build confidence.

I plan to continue making an impact and sharing my food mood message! I know Liz well and I know she will continue to be a mentor and be of service!  She has always inspired me!  I have not met Sara and look forward to meeting her and watching her continue on her upward path leading people to optimal health!

Melissa McLean Jory: Should we all be gluten-free to get the Gluten-Free Edge?

By Trudy Scott 30 Comments

Did you know that 1 in 100 Americans have celiac disease and most don’t know it? And that celiac disease is 5 times more common now than 50 years ago? And that osteoporosis and anemia are the two most common adult presentations of celiac disease?

I recently attended a great talk on gluten by Melissa McLean Jory, MNT. Melissa was one of the many great speakers at the annual NANP/National Association of Nutrition Professionals conference in San Francisco. Her talk was titled The Gluten-Free Edge: Digestive Health and Sports Nutrition for Active People.

Melissa said this: “There is no biological value in gluten” – for anyone! I find this so interesting because I’m beginning to think the same thing. In fact, I find that the majority of my clients with mood problems do better on a gluten-free diet.

Gluten can affect you in so many ways, whether you have celiac disease or gluten sensitivity.  Melissa shared this list of gluten-related disorders:

  • Depression and anxiety, social phobia, schizophrenia […I added the last three here]
  • Gastrointestinal problems, nutrient deficiencies, fat malabsorption
  • Neurological complications, fatigue, headaches, ataxia, peripheral neuropathy, poor concentration
  • Dermatitis herpetiformis, skin rashes, vitiligo, alopecia
  • Dental enamel abnormalities, canker sores
  • Anemia (iron, B12, folic acid deficiencies)
  • Osteoporosis, osteopenia, arthritis, Dupuytren’s contracture, bone abnormalities
  • Reduced fertility in men and women, recurrent miscarriages
  • Endocrine conditions, type 1 diabetes, thyroid disease, Addison’s disease

What was new to me and fascinating was the athlete-gluten-performance connection that Melissa refers to as the “Gluten-Free Edge”. Over 60% of endurance athletes experience digestive problems such as abdominal pain and discomfort, diarrhea, constipation, gas and bloating. And because gluten causes inflammation, this can inhibit athletic performance and impair or delay recovery. The higher the sport intensity, the more likely the problem. Melissa shared that the Garmin Cycling Team went gluten-free for the 2008 season. They were the first pro-team to do so and this is what they found:

  • Less bloated and “heavy” feeling
  • Mentally sharper
  • Fewer stomach problems
  • Less stress on the immune system
  • Stronger performances

Wow! As Melissa says “Go gluten free – you have nothing to lose and everything to gain!”

Here is information on how to do a gluten elimination challenge.  I suggest you try it and see how you do

Melissa is wonderful and is so passionate about sharing this information. From her website: “I am Nutrition Therapist, have a degree in Exercise Science, am certified to teach yoga, and have a personal interest and expertise in celiac disease, gluten sensitivity, and holistic health. I’m on a mission to increase awareness of celiac disease and help people navigate the gluten-free lifestyle with confidence, strength, optimal nutrition, and renewed vitality. I know how difficult that can be because I have celiac disease and so does my daughter, but with the right lifestyle changes, optimal health is not only achievable, it can be fun and taste good too!”

Melissa’s new book will be available in June and you can preorder it now. I can’t wait to read it! The Gluten-Free Edge: A Nutrition and Training Guide for Peak Athletic Performance and an Active Gluten-Free Life by Peter Bronski and Melissa McLean Jory.

The whole NANP conference was superb! Other highlights included: The Consequences of Undiagnosed Vitamin B12 Deficiency by Sally Pacholok and Clinical Tools for Working with Libido by Bari Mandelbaum, NC, B Sc., I’ll share gems from these and other talks in future blog posts.

Aubrey Huff anxiety attack: could it be a food-mood issue?

By Trudy Scott 11 Comments

Photo by Jeffjeff08 (from Wikimedia Commons)

Do world-class athletes actually have performance anxiety and panic attacks? And could there be a food mood and nutrient connection?  Yes, food does have a big impact on our mood. And yes, anxiety can affect anyone and many athletes are affected! The most recent example is baseball player Aubrey Huff, from the San Francisco Giants. Henry Schulman wrote about Aubrey’s panic attack in SFGate in an article titled Aubrey Huff opens up about his anxiety attacks :

Aubrey Huff says his first panic attack lasted for eight hours.

Aubrey Huff was standing in his New York hotel room at 5 o’clock in the morning in the early stages of what would be an eight-hour panic attack. The Giant were to play a doubleheader against the Mets that afternoon and evening. Baseball was the last thing on Huff’s mind.

“I couldn’t breathe,” Huff recalled. “I felt I was taking short breaths. Right then and there I thought I was having a heart attack. I told myself, ‘I’ll be damned if I’m going to be sitting in this hotel room and die of a heart attack. I’ve got to get out of here.'”

I used to have social anxiety and panic attacks and it was horrible! And very scary! I really feel for Aubrey and would love to be able to help!

If I was working with Aubrey this is what I’d have him do (this is my approach for anyone who is experiencing anxiety and anxiety attacks/panic attacks):

  1. I’d have him keep a 3 day food diary and we’d look at his intake of real whole food (including grass-fed meat) compared to junk food and fast food
  2. We’d look at caffeine and sugar intake and reduce this and eventually eliminate it. Caffeine can induce anxiety and for many people it’s a tough one to eliminate so we’d have to address the underlying fatigue and reason for “self-medication”. For Aubrey, it could possibly be burned out adrenals. High sugar consumption also affects the adrenals and results in nutrient depletion of minerals like zinc and magnesium, both of which help with anxiety
  3. We’d also look at his gluten intake and assess for gluten intolerance and/or celiac disease and have him start right away on a 2 week gluten elimination trial. Whether or not gluten is a contributing factor to the anxiety, as Melissa Mclean Jory says in the Gluten-Free Edge, athletes perform better when gluten is not a part of their diets
  4. We’d have him start on the first of the 4 antianxiety diets: real whole food, good quality protein, good fats, plenty of organic veggies and fruit, and with no gluten. And make sure he eating a good breakfast that does include protein – keeping blood sugar stable is key for anxiety
  5. We must also always consider neurotransmitter imbalances. In the same SF gate interview Aubrey said this “I couldn’t control one thought in my head. There were so many thoughts going through”. Low serotonin can cause anxiety, panic attacks and ruminating thoughts, so assessing for low serotonin would be key. If low serotonin is a factor then using the amino acid supplements tryptophan or 5-HTP would be worth considering. Research supports the use of 5-HTP for panic. GABA is a calming amino acid and it’s likely that Aubrey would benefit from this too, especially if he has stiff and tense muscles
  6. I would also consider the possibility of pyroluria. In an interview on his blog, Aubrey stated: “I was very shy in high school, if you can believe it. I broke out of my shell at the University of Miami when I got around guys like Burrell. I learned how to believe in myself – and I learned how to project confidence even when I didn’t feel very confident.” As reported by Carey Vanderborg, “the Social Anxiety Institute says that social anxiety disorder, also known as performance anxiety, is a persistent fear of performance situations–such as an athletic event–in which you’re exposed to unfamiliar people or to possible judgment by others.” Zinc, vitamin B6 and evening primrose oil can completely eliminate social anxiety in someone with pyroluria. Here is the pyroluria questionnaire that I’d have Aubrey use for assessing if this is part of the issue. Raising serotonin levels also helps with boosting confidence so it doesn’t have to be learned or forced.

Each person has their own unique biochemistry and there may be other factors involved but this would be a great start. This is what I wish for Aubrey Huff with this food-mood approach: totally free of anxiety, no more panic attacks, zero performance anxiety, feeling super-confident, have no ruminating thoughts, plus playing his best baseball ever!

I would LOVE to send a copy of my book to Aubrey so if you know how to get fan-mail to him please let me know. I tried the Giants office and didn’t have any luck.

You can find out more in The Antianxiety Food Solution: How the Foods You Eat Can Help You Calm Your Anxious Mind, Improve Your Mood and End Cravings, available in major books stores, at Amazon and via www.antianxietyfoodsolution.com.