Natural Electrolyte Replacement

I like to call coconut water “Nature’s Gatorade”. The water inside fresh young coconuts contains all the necessary ingredients for proper hydration. Unlike coconut milk, it contains no fat and is naturally low in sugar, especially compared to most artificial electrolyte replacement drinks currently available. As the coconut ages, this liquid gels and hardens and eventually becomes the white fleshy part of the coconut.

Coconut water is a good source of potassium, one of the main electrolytes our bodies need to keep a proper water balance in our cells and tissues. Obviously, the main ingredient for proper hydration is water itself. A general rule of thumb for the amount of water one needs to drink on a daily basis is half one’s weight in ounces (if you weigh 120 pounds then you need approximately 60oz of water a day.) In practice I find that very few of us actually get this much water in a day, especially when dehydrating beverages (such as coffee and sodas) and activities are factored into the equation. When the body doesn’t have sufficient water, the cells shrink and undergo changes to try to maintain a proper concentration of electrolytes and other solutes within the cell; this is the process of dehydration. In order to restore the cells back to normal, the body needs not only more water but also more electrolytes such as sodium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium. Muscle and nerve cells are especially sensitive to changes in the levels of these ions, so if these are not available, symptoms such as muscle cramps, headaches, vision changes and nausea may occur. Coconut water contains all these necessary electrolytes.

Electrolyte- replacement beverages have existed for some time now. The problem with most is not only that they are full of artificial colors and flavors, but also that they are too high in sugar or high fructose corn syrup and sodium to truly be hydrating. In fact, they can make the problem worse by impairing fluid absorption! The calorie content of most of these beverages is also a problem for people trying to lose or even maintain a specific body weight. The use of artificial sweeteners to bypass this issue is not a healthy alternative as these chemicals have been shown to be neurotoxic and of no help for people trying to lose weight despite the fewer calories they contain. (For more information on this subject, consider reading Sweet Deception by Dr. Mercola.)

I generally recommend people get their nutrition from foods as they appear in nature; unfortunately fresh young coconuts are not available to us all. However, modern production methods now allow for the bottling of this nutritious resource for those of us who don’t live in the tropics, and many different brands of coconut water are cropping up in the US market. I’ve found that some brands taste better to me than others, which led me to realize there was a difference in the sugar and calorie content of each brand. Thus, a taste test was in order. Regarding the comparison of nutritional content among brands, please note that the serving sizes of each brand are slightly different; therefore each category is not an exact “coconut-to-coconut” comparison. I have also omitted elements that are present in such small quantities that they are not as relevant for comparison purposes (fat, protein, cholesterol, electrolytes other than sodium and potassium). Since I don’t recommend the flavored kinds due to their increased sugar content, I have not included these in the comparison.

In addition to comparing nutritional facts, I have also noted the type of packaging of each brand. When recommending a health food, it is also important to consider the environmental impact of the packaging but also the impact the packaging has on our own health. Many cans are lined with chemicals such as bisphenol-A (BpA), which are associated with endocrine-disrupting activity. As of yet I have had only one reply from one of the brands regarding the presence of BpA in their cans. Amy & Brian’s cans do not have BpA. Another type of packaging, tetra-packs, are made of paperboard and are therefore somewhat recycle-able (not all facilities are equipped for them) and biodegradable. According to the manufacturers that use them, tetra-packs allow for flash-pasteurization and prevent exposure of the product to oxygen, which will affect taste and shelf life. There is one brand that uses high-density polyethelene (HDPE) bottles, which essentially is a type of plastic. While HDPE is inherently free of BpA, plastics contain many chemicals other than BpA that can mimic our endogenous hormones and disrupt their activity. In addition, plastics are petroleum-based and are not biodegradable.

Another noteworthy detail is that only one of the brands was labeled as USDA Organic. According to the manufacturers, coconuts are not that susceptible to disease so they are generally not sprayed with pesticides. Even if they were, it is unlikely for these chemicals to have contact with the water that is deep inside the fruit. However when possible I do like to support brands that take it upon themselves to support organic agriculture. Upon inquiry to each manufacturer, I was told that ONE brand is transitioning to organic only coconuts. Zico and Naked claim they use “organic methods”, which can really mean anything but is likely their way of alluding to the fact that it can sometimes be difficult and time consuming to jump through all the organic certification hoops.

One of the conclusions I reached from the taste test is that I preferred the taste of the coconut waters that were packaged in tetra packs to the ones packaged in cans or bottles. According to various manufacturers’ websites, the process of canning exposes the coconut water to heat for a longer period of time. However, the difference in taste may also be due in part to the fact that all the canned brands use coconuts from Thailand and the tetra-packed brands were mostly from Brazil. I also found it interesting that some brands tasted considerably sweeter than others despite having very similar sugar contents.

I love coconut water so much that I always find it difficult to believe that others hate it. So I was not surprised to find that every single brand of coconut water tasted differently! The clear winner in my humble opinion is the ONE brand. The flavor was crisp, clear and refreshing and did not have that funky earthy aftertaste of so many of the other brands. One of the worst tasting brands, Zico, is unfortunately the one that seems to be the most widely available. This brand is the only one that uses a concentrate. They claim it is more eco-friendly to do so, but unfortunately I think the flavor suffers from it. For the truly “nutty” folks, I have included the flavor nuances of each brand in the chart.

Let me know which one is your favorite!

Recipe for Basil Pesto

Pesto is not only for pasta….it is the perfect condiment for vegetables, especially for those picky eaters in the family! Now is the perfect time of year to make a big batch—you can get inexpensive and fresh basil at the farmer’s market. You can omit the cheese for dairy-free diets, or substitute the pine nuts with pecans for a more local version. If you’re lucky enough to score a large bunch of basil, pesto keeps very well in the freezer.

Ingredients:
2 cups basil leaves
2 garlic cloves
¼ cup pine nuts
½ cup olive oil
½ cup grated parmesan cheese (splurge on the real stuff!)
¼ cup grated pecorino romano
pinch sea salt
pepper to taste

Grind nuts in a food processor in short bursts.  Place aside. Grind basil, garlic and salt in food processor and mix with ground pine nuts. Mix in grated cheese and stir in olive oil.  Add pepper to taste.

Can’t ever remember which produce items should be purchased organic? The Dirty Dozen guide can be downloaded at  http://www.foodnews.org/walletguide.php

Cold Laser Treatment

I am extremely excited to be offering a new service: cold laser treatment. Also known as low level light therapy, it is the quickest way I have seen to relieve pain and inflammation. The best part is that it is completely non-invasive and painless. As an acupuncturist, I rely on a centuries-old form of medicine to treat pain. It usually works well, but not all are comfortable with the thought of acupuncture needles. Cold laser is therefore perfect to those who like the effects of acupuncture but are needle-sensitive or nervous about needles. 

Cold laser is not invasive the way a surgical laser or hair-removal laser is. It is a laser that emits light in the red and infrared spectrum, but does not release heat the way the infrared heating lamp I use for acupuncture treatments does. All you feel is the pressure of the probe on your skin, and then pain relief a few hours later! 

This treatment works by stimulating the body's production of energy, thereby speeding up metabolism and blood flow to the treated area. Just the way sunlight triggers the production of energy in plants, the light from the cold laser stimulates specific molecules in the body's cells to produce ATP, the body's energy currency. 

Although cold laser has been cleared for use by the FDA only a few years ago in the United States, it has been used for over 40 years in Europe. Much of the research with cold laser has been in musculoskeletal conditions, such as tendinopathies and joint pain. However, it is also being used for increasing blood flow to the brain after a stroke; for healing diabetic and stasis ulcers; and for shrinking superficial cysts. There is even research underway in Europe on cold laser treatment of women's health disorders such as ovarian cysts and endometriosis. 

I have personally experienced great pain relief from just 5 minutes of cold laser treatment. I suffered from chronic neck pain due to a whiplash injury, and months of discomfort was nearly eradicated just 24 hours after receiving my first treatment. 

Have you had any experience with cold laser treatment? If so, please post your story in the comments section!