Lentils Rule: Show the Little Legume Some Love

If you know me, you know I'm a loyal lentil fan. Despite constant barbs over the years from co-workers, friends and even family members, who think my insatiable desire for lentil soup is a bit weird, I've never given up my love for the little legume. And yes, I make a great lentil soup! E-mail me and I'll send you Gastro Girl's "secret" lentil soup recipe.

The latest jab came a few weeks ago when our group here was deciding the theme of our monthly "iron-chef pot-luck lunch." Sometimes it’s based on a single ingredient--so of course I suggested lentils. You would have thought I doing stand-up or something the way my co-workers simultaneously busted out laughing and groaning. Needless to say nobody wanted to tackle a disk with lentils. Although I did have my revenge when the pot-luck subject was "salads." I seized the moment to dazzle them with a french lentil and feta salad I whipped it to impress the naysayers. Yes, it was gobbled up to rave reviews and I took home an empty dish!

Still I've felt alone in my lentil loyalty; a member of underground club privy to its nutritional and overall health benefits.

Until today.

Co-worker G passed around a link to a Science Daily diddy giving major props to the lovely luscious lentil. Among the health benefits: you have a greater chance of losing weight if you eat a diet that is high in foods like lentils.

See, these foods release energy slowly once you've eaten them, which means they have a low glycemic index. Lentils, by the way, pack a protein punch and are a great substitute for meat.

Lentils are also very high in fiber, which is great for your digestive health. However, some fiber-filled foods may not be so gastro-friendly for people living with a digestive condition like Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) or Celiac disease (where wheat, barley and rye are a problem.)

“When foods are eaten the body breaks them down into their components, and one component will be sugar. Different foods break down at different rates. Lentils, for instance, generate a long, gentle release of sugars, while foods like white bread send a sudden rush of sugar into the blood stream. Foods that release sugars rapidly are said to have a high glycemic index -- those that release it slowly have a low glycemic index," according to the Science Daily article.

A team of Cochrane Researchers found that people eating low glycemic index diets lost a mean of one kilogram more than those on similar energy high glycemic index diets.

"Low glycemic index diets appear to be particularly effective for people who are obese," says lead author Dr Diana Thomas, the Scientific Director of the Center for Evidence Based Pediatrics Gastroenterology and Nutrition, in Westmead, Australia. "It may be easier to adhere to a low glycemic index diet than a conventional weight loss diet, since there is less need to restrict the intake of food so long as the carbohydrates consumed have a low glycemic index," says Thomas. Source: Science Daily.

Need inspiration?

Try out these lentil recipes:

Simple lentils

Mediterranean lentil salad

Spinach and lentils

Lentil rice salad

Peggy's curried lentil soup

Grandma's red lentil soup

Alton Brown's lentil salad

Lukewarm pasta salad with lentils

Scottish spicy lentil soup

Half-assed lentil soup

Lentil soup with lemon and spinach

Living With Crohn's? Tune in for Insurance Tips

As you probably know, Michael Moore's new film Sicko has heated up the health care debate. I'm not surprised since 47 million people are uninsured in the United States; and many of them go without health insurance coverage or find insurance companies unwilling to pay for tests or medications because of preexisting conditions, such as Crohn's disease.

Did you know that about 500,000 Americans have Crohn's disease, an inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that causes chronic inflammation of the intestinal tract?
(Note: This photo is an endoscopic image of Crohn's showing deep ulceration in sigmoid colon. Photo released into public domain on permission of patient. Source:Wikipedia.)

Like ulcerative colitis, another common IBD, Crohn's disease can be both painful and debilitating and sometimes may lead to life-threatening complications.

It' s no secret that many people living with a digestive condition such as Crohn's disease are flustered, overwhelmed or just plain angered by insurance companies who refuse to cover pre-approved tests or consider useful medicines unnecessary.

Yes, this is ridiculous. I can only imagine how frustrating it is to navigate the world of health care insurance if you or a loved one is living with Crohn's disease.

But a Health Talk program, "Crohn's: It's My Money," aims to help you deal with your frustrations. The show will air on the Internet on Tuesday, August 14, 2007 at 7:00 p.m. EST (4:00 p.m. PST).
I urge those of you living with Crohn's (or caring for someone that is) to tune into the show for a chance to tell your story and hear helpful advice about what you can do to get the coverage you deserve. You'll learn how to check for incorrect claim statements, find an advocate on the inside to help you and make your voice heard.

You need to register in advance to participate. But when you register you'll also have the opportunity to submit a question to the Health Talk experts, who will also answer questions from guests live during the program.

Feel free to ask your questions in our Revolution Health community forums as well! We have some helpful resources for you, including patient advocate Jill Sklar, who offers insight, support and advice in the Crohn's and digestive health community as well as in her blog, Living with Crohn's.


Listen to a previous Health Talk program on Crohn's and Initmacy


All the best,
Gastro Girl

Pool Drain Danger Beware: Little Girl Loses Intestines

I just read a heartbreaking and quite disturbing story about a six-year old Minnesota girl who had most of her intestines sucked out of her body by a pool drain. She is lucky to be alive although her life will never be the same.

Abigail Taylor sat on the drain at the bottom of the pool and her bottom created suction on the drain. The strength of the suction from the drain pulled most of her small intestine out, according to wire reports.

A several hours in surgery, Abigail now has a permanent colostomy and now faces a lifetime of intravenous feedings since that's the only way she will be able to receive all of her nutrients.

Without her small intestines she cannot process food.

Her father, Scott Taylor said in wire reports that he's talking to the media to make sure other parents and pool owners are aware of the dangers lurking at the bottom of pools.

"The suction from a pool drain can be so powerful that it can hold an adult under water, but most entrapment incidents involve children," according to the Consumer Products Safety Commission.

So parents, pool owners and anyone else who swims or is around pools--please take care, warn your children of pool dangers and please, please don't sit on the pool drain.

Here are some Revolution Health resources for pool safety:

Pool safety tips
Swimming FAQs
Water safety
Child safety: Prevent drowning

Digestive Hazard? The Science of Speed Eating

I've often wondered how those competitive food-inhalers do it--consuming vast amounts of donuts, hot dogs, watermelon and everything in between. My wonder resurfaces every year on July Fourth as Nathans's Famous hot dog eating contest gets major media coverage, including an ESPN chomp-by-chomp. It was no different yesterday when Joey Chestnut won the dubious honor of being the world's fastest eater ever, setting a new record when he gobbled 66 hot dogs (and buns) in 12 minutes at the Nathan's Famous hot dog eating contest in New York.

Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest 2007 Part 1


That's a rate of one dog every 10.9 seconds--such god-speed velocity that makes my stomach churn and burn just thinking about it.


Chestnut out-ate Takeru Kobayashi, the Japanese competitive eating champion who has won the contest for the past six years. He placed second, downing a mere 63 dogs during a mad-digestive race to the finish. Kobayashi also holds world records for guzzling cow brains and rice balls. But this time he succumbed to mouth-woes, reporting jaw arthritis and wisdom tooth pain.

Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest 2007 Part 2


Inquiring Minds Want to Know: The Inside Digestive System Scoop
No one ever reports whether the victor purges after gulping and gorging his (or her) way to the finish. In my search for answers I came across an organization I thought would help--the International Federation of Competitive Eating (IFCE). I never EVEN knew there was an International Federation of Competitive Eating! But aside from how to join, latest news and a short paragraph about safety, I can't find any additional info. Darn.

The media also never share if these competitors digestive-systems are shocked into submission or merely pushed into an enzyme-laden frenzy, breaking down the mass quantity of food slower or faster than normal? How do these speed-eaters hold such huge amounts of food? Are they glued to their toilet seats for days after the event or are they so constipated and miserable? What do they do to train for this? How can they even look at food again after such an event? More importantly, what happens to their digestive systems--and their bodies in general--when they are involved in such "unnatural" binging?

We know how the digestive system works typically, but what happens if we're speed-eating competitors?

Well, I think National Geographic just may have the answers in its new documentary, The Science of Speed-Eating, which premieres Sunday, July 8 at 9:00 p.m. It airs again on Sunday July 15 at 11 a.m.

You can watch a preview here.

National Geographic says the film "bites into the gut-wrenching world of competitive eating as doctors examine a competitive eaters stomach. Follow along with three of the worlds top competitors as they devour their way through the professional speed eating circuit."

Check out NGC producer Dan Cesareo's blog for insight on the making of this documentary. From what I can tell, it wasn't always pretty.

You can bet I'll be watching and hoping my questions are answered! Stay tuned!

Visit Gastro Girl at Revolution Health

Living With IBS? Tap This Support Group to Live Better!

In my quest to understand Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), a common digestive condition, I came across The IBS Self Help and Support Group , the largest online self-help health site for those living with IBS.



I spent many hours on the IBS site ever since I began my role at Revolution Health nearly a year ago in an effort to learn more about IBS--and even more importantly--to understand how IBS impacts the lives of those who are coping with it every day.

What I found here was a community of support, of kindness, education, learning, empathy, compassion and insight, at times sprinkled with humor; a place where frustrations and sadness are shared along with the good days when the pain isn't so bad and life is enjoyable. I found tips, advice and insight on everything you could imagine having to do with living with IBS including medications, treatment options, alternative therapies, exercise and diet.

If you don't have IBS you may not realize just how vital an online support group is to those who are coping with IBS. We all know how embarrassing it is to talk about our occasional tummy troubles--most of us keep our gas, bloating and other digestive woes to ourselves. But for the millions who suffer with IBS, suffering in silence can ruin lives.

Here's what one person with IBS said about the IBS Self Help & Support Group:

"It's drastic. The symptoms are sometimes constant. There's diarrhea and abdominal pain or constipation and bloating. I can't commit to anything too far in advance or anything that is regularly occurring. It greatly affects my life and I'm grateful that there is someone to turn to for support and information."

"... this group represents the real voice of the IBS sufferer, in a professional and dignified manner."

Tim and Nicole: Living and Laughing With IBS

My two favorite IBS bloggers, Tim Phelan (Romance, Riches, Restrooms) and Nicole Thomas, (Life in A Bathroom) are active in this IBS online support community and are inspirational and positive role models. You'll love their blogs! They both have such a great sense of humor--see for yourself!

Tim's got a book out too, Romance, Riches and Restrooms. It's fabulously funny and educational.

The IBS Self Help and Support Group formed in 1987 and established itself as a support and advocate group for IBS Sufferers. The group's founder and president, Jeffrey Roberts, is a respected voice of the IBS community and has testified before the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) several times on behalf of IBS patients.

What will you find? Access to bulletin and chat boards, blogs, news and articles, videos and podcasts, book list and store, medication listings, testing, diagnosis and treatment, research study listings, penpals and support groups.

IBS Chat: GET Real Life Stories and Solutions


If you want support information in book-form--IBS Chat contains the best and most commonly asked questions (with answers). I've read much of the book and I will say it offers a wealth of practical strategies for managing symptoms, information about treatment options, and insight into the impact IBS can have on someone's life.

Just like you'll find on the IBS group's website, IBS Chat is filled with advice, support, and reassurance. You'll be blown away with how much help and info you'll find within these pages and online at the IBS Self Help & Support Group.

Let me know what you think!

By the way, the IBS Self Help and Support Group is featured this week in Revolution Health's Online Health Fair, along with other leading organizations like the National Foundation For Celiac Awareness, the Society for Women's Health Research and the American Kidney Fund.

Alli-Oops Bag: Not Just for Dieters

A colleague of mine was gastro-savvy enough to share her discovery of how people are preparing to deal with the digestive side effects they may experience taking Alli, Alli the new diet pill. By packing an Alli-oops bag of course! But I thought this was such a good idea whether or not you take Alli, especially if you are coping with a digestive condition like IBS, Crohn's Disease or Colitis,or even if you have an unpredictable constitution. A little preparation never hurts.

So what's in an Alli-oops bag you ask? Since Alli works mostly in the digestive system by blocking the fat you consume, you'll likely have increased bowel movements, looser stools or diarrhea. And the more fat you eat the uglier your side effects will be. That's why you need to follow the Alli-plan.

Yes, your decision to take Alli basically boils down to how much you can tolerate the digestive system side effects which may include: frequent bathroom trips, oily leakage, abdominal discomfort, gas and bloating.

But now that that the Alli boards are buzzing with folks coming to terms with the fact that some gastro-things will be out of their control and the bathroom will be a become a space for self-reflection among other things--ways to cope with the inevitable are emerging. Among the best and most practical: the Alli-oops bag.

Here's What You Need to Make Yours:

I suggest a chic Gastro-Girly Bag to start (discretion is key)

Contents:

baby wipes

lotion

body spray

extra panties

extra pads

extra pants

plastic bags

I would add some hand sanitizer too!

and of course A SENSE OF HUMOR!

Got more ideas for the Alli-Oops bag? Tell us!

Wondering What to Do About Those Oily Stains?


I came across this in the Alli forums:


First spray some kind of clothes stain remover all over the area (like shout)

-Then take some of your normal laundry detergent and rub into the fabric.

-Let it set for a few mins, making sure the whole oily spots are completely drenched in the laundry detergent. (scrub it into the clothing)

-Wash as normal in COLD water. (Warm/Hot water has a tendency of setting stain)

Hope that saves your clothes.

I wonder if we'll see more car trunks with an Alli-oops bag along side our emergency survival bags that we packed after 9/11?


Alli: Can You Deal With Diarrhea and Make Diet Changes?

Alli: Is This New Diet Drug A Digestive System Foe?

Alli Diet Pill: Can You Deal With Diarrhea and Diet Changes?

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I'm amazed and yet not surprised that so many of you are asking about the pros and cons of Alli, the much-hyped new over-the-counter diet pill (weight loss drug.) Whether Alli works or not is on your mind of course--but most of your questions involve your curiosity about Alli's side-effects--which may include gas with oily spotting, loose stools, and more frequent stools that may be hard to control (diarrhea).


Since Alli works mostly in the digestive system, I talked with Dr. Brian Fennerty, a leading gastroenterologist based in Portland, Oregon, who is also a one of our medical experts here at Revolution Health. I wanted to get the "real deal" about the toilet-related side-effects, like diarrhea, to clarify when and if Alli users need to worry. I also wanted to find if he thought there was any link between Alli and colon cancer. See, many news reports (including my previous post and a Revolution Health article) have cited a study that concluded Alli caused precancerous lesions in the colon.

Listen to Dr. Fennerty share his thoughts about Alli

I also talked with Dr. Caroline Cederquist, a board certified weight loss specialist in Naples, Florida. She is well-known for her balanced approach to weight loss--which stresses diet, exercise and strict monitoring of her patients. She has prescribed fat blockers such as Xenical to her patients, but only in combination with a personalized diet and exercise plan.

By the way, Alli is a "watered down" version of Xenical ( Alli is about half as strong). However, Dr. Cederquist said some studies have already shown that Alli has been just as effective as the prescription-strength version.

See how some Revolution users are incorporating Alli into their weight loss plan.

Both Dr. Fennerty and Dr. Cederquist agreed that Alli won't work unless you are serious about losing weight and are ready to make significant diet and exercise changes. Alli is no miracle diet pill and both Dr. Fennerty and Dr. Cederquist stressed that Alli won't work without a patent's full commitment to watching their diet and exercising.

Side-effects: Can You Cope?

Dr. Fennerty said that the side-affects will likely be more uncomfortable than a risk to your overall health. But as with any drug, you should read the warning label and not take Alli (and also consult your doctor before you take Alli) if you fall into the categories listed on the warning label. I checked out the label and the biggest warning was aimed those who have had organ transplants because Alli interferes with the medicines used to prevent transplant rejection.

Yes, you'll likely have increased bowel movements, looser stools or diarrhea. So besides your readiness to embrace the whole Alli plan, your decision to take Alli basically boils down to how much you can tolerate the digestive system side effects which may include: frequent bathroom trips, oily leakage, abdominal discomfort, gas and bloating.

"These side effects aren't life threatening," said Dr. Fennerty. Disputing study findings cited by Public Citizen director Sidney Wolfe, Dr. Fennerty said the chances of Alli leading to increased risk of of colon cancer or even precancerous lesions is very slim. "If Alli was in any way associated with colon cancer it would definitely not be on the market."

Alli Not Wise Choice For Those with Chronic Digestive Conditions

If you have a chronic digestive condition, such as Inflammatory Bowel Disease (Crohn's or Colitis) or Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), where diarrhea is predominant, you shouldn't take Alli, since this drug would likely make your diarrhea much worse, according to Dr. Fennerty. However, he noted that for those with IBS where constipation is the main symptom, Alli could actually help. But IBS patients looking to alleviate their constipation shouldn't take Alli just to treat constipation if they aren't trying to lose weight.

Can you lessen the side-effects? Try this advice

If you're thinking about taking Alli, you need to know what to eat and how much to ensure the best results.

Dr. Cederquist recommends patients who take Alli eat a low-fat diet with 15 grams of fat per meal., which is what the drug company, GlaxoSmithKline, states on its website. "This will help patients lower the chance of experiencing these treatment effects."

This makes sense to me--if you eat lots of fatty foods, your trips to the bathroom may be more frequent and not so pretty. It's also the side-effects that may make some people give up. So it's important to realize this connection.

Since Allie blocks fat absorption—the side effects of eating so much fat might cause some people to give up. Dr. Cederquist said this is one reason why it’s important that Alli be taken as part of a diet and exercise program.

Why? Even restricting your fat consumption won’t work if you’re replacing fatty foods with too much sugar or protein.

“You can gain a lot of weight eating sugar and protein,” Dr. Cederquist said. “It's an issue of calories and you have to understand that Alli doesn’t block all calories. Simply, exercise and calories matter”

Think Alli is a ticket to fried? Think again.

“If your eating a ton of fat and taking Alli, you’ll have a ton of side effects,” said Dr. Cederquist. Sometimes you’ll learn from that and realize it’s better to have that chicken breast than a Big Mac.”

She also warned that many people don’t realize that they are consuming a lot of fat even when they think they’re making healthy choices: nuts, cheese, dressings all have fat.

“You might think you’re eating healthy but that salad could have as much fat a Big Mac if you’re piling on cheese and dressings.”
Note: I will be updating this post soon..please visit again!

Are you ready for Alli? Take this quiz.

If you’ve decided Alli is right for you, buy your starter pack in the Revolution Health store.

Common Questions