What Are Your Fingernails Saying About Your Health?

Posted on February 1, 2023 by Georgianna Donadio, MSc, DC, PhD

Your fingernails, along with your tendons, joints, hair, and skin are made from collagen–a group of naturally occurring proteins that strengthen the connective tissues of your body.We know that if your nails are weak or problematic, they represent a communication from inside the body to the outside.

Your nails are a reflection of your nutritional status and the overall quality of your health. This communication can bring to your attention deficiencies in essential nutrients. They can also reflect environmental chemical exposures.

To improve the quality and health of your nails, you first need to understand their constitution and chemistry. The nutrient calcium is an essential component of healthy nails; it is often deficient in dry and brittle nails. Fat-soluble vitamins in addition to a “good fats”, which are part of the metabolism of collagen, may also be missing or deficient.

Another issue may be low thyroid function, especially if the hair and skin are dry. Thyroid function is directly connected to the deposition of protein into our connective tissues and our nail beds.

Iron deficiency can produce pale, thin nails. Vitamin B and C deficiencies can be contributing factors to shredding, weak nails. Often if there is a digestive problem, which includes a lack of hydrochloric acid and pepsinogen or poor eating and absorption, vertical nail ridges can be found. Zinc and mineral deficiencies can create white spotting in the nail beds, along with chronic nail crack patterns and damage.

External factors can include exposure to household chemicals when cleaning without gloves, exposure to garden chemicals, handyman repairs, and cleaning or dying your clothes or rugs and upholstery. Excess use of nail polish remover is another culprit. An interesting fact is that repeated exposure to water is the number one external cause of dry, brittle nails.

When we understand how our fingernails tell the story about our internal nutritional and metabolic status, we can immediately address and correct the problem by choosing higher quality foods that are rich in calcium, minerals, vitamins B and C, and omega-3 fatty acids. Fresh fruits, vegetables, cold-water fish, whole grains and beans are excellent choices to help eliminate nail weakness and splitting.

The best way to healthy, beautiful nails is through a healthy, beautiful diet.

Food For Comfort And Health

Posted on January 27, 2023 by Georgianna Donadio, MSc, DC, PhD

The typical American diet exceeds the recommended levels of added sugars, refined grains, sodium and saturated fat, according to data collated by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. Unfortunately, many of our favorite comfort foods – if we follow traditional recipes – can tip us over the edge in these categories. With some carefully chosen tweaks and substitutions, however, it is possible to enjoy our favorites without costing our health, helping to cultivate a healthy relationship with food as we journey towards a holistic lifestyle.

Perfect Pasta

Mac and cheese ranks highly as a popular comfort food. Traditional recipes, featuring refined pasta and high levels of fat and sodium, are a problem for those of us following a healthy eating plan, but luckily, there are ways around this. Whole wheat macaroni is the first substitution to make, ensuring you avoid the blood sugar spikes associated with white pastas. Cooked and pureed butternut squash combined with vegetable stock can be mixed into a roux, providing the base for a healthier cheese sauce. You can use less cheese by maximizing flavor in other ways: adding roasted garlic, for example, or paprika. Yogurt could be used in a more traditional cheese sauce, and vegetables can be added to increase the nutritional value of the meal. Any pasta dish can be given a healthy twist by using whole wheat noodles and increasing the vegetable content. Use herbs and spices for low-sodium flavor, and minimize your use of processed meat products.

Fried Favorites

Some of our most-loved comfort foods tend to be fried, but banishing the fryer doesn’t mean we have to lose out. The way in which we heat up our food is heavily linked to its nutrition, but it’s absolutely possible to put a healthy spin on fried chicken without losing flavor: combine breading ingredients with paprika, cayenne pepper and garlic powder and bake chicken pieces for a deliciously crispy – and healthy – meal. Fish can also be breaded and baked, which is much better for us (but no less tasty) than battering and frying it. Remember that many of the bases for unhealthy foods are actually natural whole foods: if we treat them correctly, they can be enjoyed as part of a healthy lifestyle. Potatoes themselves aren’t bad for us… but what we do to them can be. Fresh potatoes in place of frozen fries can be tossed in olive oil and a small amount of salt to produce a healthier french fry alternative.

Safer Sweets

If we want to stay on track, it’s important not to deny ourselves the occasional treat. However, there are things you can do to make those sweet treats healthier if you want to enjoy them more regularly. To cut down on refined sugars in cookies and cakes, consider substituting them with maple syrup, honey or coconut sugar. Replace half the white flour with wholemeal if you’re baking a fruit pie, and ask yourself if you really need to add sugar to the fruit. Again, desserts that are traditionally fried can be baked – a donut is still a donut when it’s hot from the oven. Even cheesecakes can be made healthier with some careful use of yogurt or coconut milk.

A whole health approach to eating isn’t simply about eating more vegetables. Food should bring us joy, and finding healthy takes on our favorite comfort foods is way to incorporate good nutrition into our diets without denying ourselves the pleasures of a treat.

For more whole health discussions like this, listen to my weekly radio show Living Above The Drama available on iHeartRadio.

Author Credit: Allie Oliver

Integrative Nutrition – The Power of Color

Posted on June 24, 2021 by Georgianna Donadio, MSc, DC, PhD

The living world around us is filled with color. Blue sky, green grass, aqua oceans, and an unlimited array of trees, flowers, and plants bursting with intense, vibrant color. These are all tools for a practitioner with a Whole Health Coaching(TM) certification.

Health is associated with color. When we are healthy, we have pink cheeks, bright eyes, and a healthy flush to our skin. Quite interestingly, aging is the slow loss of color – a fading oF color- that marks the slowing or ebbing of life vibrancy.

It is no wonder that colorful foods are the healthiest foods we can nourish our bodies with. They have nutritional benefits in the form of phytonutrients, which means plant nutrients. The vivid colors of the fruits and vegetables that contain the highest amount of these important plant nutrients act as a table of contents for the phytochemicals found inside the plant. Listed below is a color guide for choosing the fruits and vegetables which provide these powerfully healing plant nutrients:

Orange = beta-carotene an antioxidant = supports immune function
Yellow-Orange = vitamin C = detoxifies and inhibits tumor cell growth
Red = lycopene an antioxidant = reduces cancer risk
Green = folate and iron = builds healthy cells and genetic material
Green-light = indoles, lutein = eliminates excess estrogen & carcinogens
Green-white = allyl sulfides = destroys cancer cells, supports the immune system
Blue (fruits) = anthocyanins = destroy free radicals
Red-purple (fruits) = reservatrol = plaque reducer, mineral chelator
Brown (legumes, whole grains) = fiber = carcinogen remover

Being sure to fill your diet with many colorful, fresh fruits and vegetables is a way to ensure your body is getting all the vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients your body needs to stay healthy, happy, and vibrant. Recommend the same to your clients.

Think RAINBOW the next time you prepare your plate!

Join the conversation. If you enjoyed this article, be sure to follow NIWH on Facebook and Twitter for regular updates filled with useful health coach certification information for holistic nurses and health advocates.

The Passion Diet

Posted on April 15, 2021 by Georgianna Donadio, MSc, DC, PhD

Dr Georgianna Donadio, PhD

How much do YOU know about your own weight loss and weight gain patterns?

One of the frustrating aspects of health information that we hear the most from consumers is that just when you think you’ve got a handle on what you are supposed to do to be healthy – the information changes.

For example, not long ago those of us who were over 50 were assured that if we moderately cut back our portions, decreasing our calories and exercised for a half hour 4-5 times a week, we could keep at bay the extra body fat that creeps in after menopause.

How many of us dutifully reduced their calories and did their half hour routine daily only to feel that there was “something wrong with them” because this formula didn’t work for their body; but the “experts” said it was the right way to control weight after 50.

Wisdom, from research, has now shifted for women past the age when our estrogen is dramatically lower than pre-menopause. Estrogen, as every woman knows, is that amazing hormone that is a metabolic calorie burner as well as a reproductive hormone. It keeps us heart healthy; keeps our skin healthy and produces “pheromones” for attraction, among other body functions.

No longer is a half hour of exercise deemed adequate to increase the metabolic furnace that is slowed down by the loss of estrogen. We now have to exercise a minimum of one hour per day and really watch everything we put in our mouths, ESPECIALLY carbohydrates, which we want more than ever for the serotonin surge they give us. This new information comes from the fact that women over 50 generally do not lose the weight they want with just a half hour of exercise.

What IS important regarding losing weight and keeping it off after 50 is what our individual body tells us is right for our metabolism and body type. We need to ask ourselves what DO we know about ourselves and our own weight loss and weight gain pattern that should be more important than the “weight loss expert’s” advice.

The big question is, now that we are past the age of reproduction and our body no longer is protecting us against many of the maladies that come with getting older, what are we willing to make our priority and what do WE KNOW about our own metabolic profile and how food and exercise affects our body weight.

In addition, understanding the function of various hormones in regulating appetite and satiety, hormones such as ghrelin, leptin, cholecystokinin, and other peptides all relay peripheral signals to the hypothalamus, which control appetite and satiety. Passion and creativity increase this hormonal function to decrease appetite and increase satiety. Many of us experience this when we fall in love!

Important Questions to Ask Ourselves

1- What do I know about how I gain weight?

2- What do I know about how I lose weight?

3- Do I eat when I’m stressed?

4- Do I lose weight when I’m stressed?

5- Do I use food for emotional soothing?

6- Does eating play a dominant role in my daily routine?

7- Is losing weight more important than eating what I like when I like it?

8- What am I willing to give up to get the body weight I want?

9- Do I feel my food choices need to improve?

10- What is my personal experience with exercise?

11- What works best for me; what kind of exercise do I enjoy?

12- What do I know about how my body responds to exercise?

13- Am I willing to make the time to take care of myself?

14- What are my health priorities?

15- What are my ego priorities?

16- What keeps me from being the weight I want to be – REALLY?

The issue of weight loss is intimately connected with our relationship with our life force. Rarely do we see an energetic, productive, organized individual (men or women) who struggle with weight issues, even after 50 because they are often focused on their external interests and passions. Often these folks suffer from not taking the time to eat when or as much as they should.

One of the weight loss “secrets” I have learned over the years as a nutritionist from my patients is that when they are excited, creative, interested, and passionate about their work, their relationships, learning, doing or being, the issue of a naturally right body weight solves itself. We are often over-focused on the sensory experience and pleasure of food as a main stay for satisfaction and pleasure. Then, often when something else catches our attention, the issue of fulfillment comes from another source in our lives.

Something to consider – Find Your Passion!

References

Empty-Stomach Intelligence

Physiology, Obesity Neurohormonal Appetite And Satiety Control

Join the conversation. If you enjoyed this article, be sure to follow NIWH on Facebook and Twitter for regular updates filled with accredited health program information for holistic nurses and whole health coaches or advocates.

Why Am I Always Hungry?

Posted on May 27, 2020 by Georgianna Donadio, MSc, DC, PhD

Hunger is a natural response by the body when it has used up the caloric intake from our last meal and we need to replenish. When we are in a constant state of hunger, or hungry very shortly after our last meal, this can signal a health problem such as hormonal imbalance or other either genetic or chronic health conditions. The hormones from the thyroid, pancreas, reproductive glands, and pituitary or adrenals glands are all possible contributors to constant hunger.

There are also other factors that can play a large role as well. A diet that is very low in fat can create a constant hunger. Our bodies require a certain amount of fat each day to regulate our metabolism and these healthy fats (such as avocado, nuts or olive oil). These fats trigger a hormone called leptin that curbs or stops the appetite.

When any one of many things that can create imbalances or that can override the body’s normal metabolic function occurs, we can short circuit the body’s ability to sustain normal appetite and food consumption. Most commonly these are hormone or neurotransmitter imbalances that create hunger due to the interruption of the normal hunger/hormone chemical.

Stress can play a large role in this condition, as well as excessive or chronic long term carbohydrate intake. Excess carbohydrates can result in both a decrease and an increase in insulin secretion which can then trigger several metabolic problems and syndromes.

If you are experiencing, chronic persistent hunger it is important to consult with your physician. There are many situations that can also contribute to your hunger such as hyperthyroidism, menstrual irregularities, Von Gierke disease, bulimia, Prader-Willi syndrome, diabetes, medications or hypoglycemia.

For more whole health discussions like this, listen to my weekly radio show Living Above The Drama available on iHeartRadio.

Why Is Chicken Soup So Good For You?

Posted on January 8, 2020 by Georgianna Donadio, MSc, DC, PhD

Generations of parents have spooned chicken soup into their sick children. Now scientists have put chicken soup to the test, discovering that it does have effects that might help relieve cold and flu symptoms in two ways. First, it acts as an anti-inflammatory by inhibiting the movement of neutrophils — immune system cells that participate in the body’s inflammatory response. Second, it temporarily speeds up the movement of mucus, possibly helping relieve congestion and limiting the amount of time viruses are in contact with the nose lining.

The National Institute of Whole Health supports this integrative approach to nutrition. In addition to supporting the body, food has the ability to stimulate and aid healing. When it comes to chicken soup, the healing qualities come from the ingredients. Let’s break down the components to identify the source of the immune-boosting and anti-inflammatory agents in chicken soup.

Considering that chicken is one of the most popular ingredients in the stock used to prepare chicken soup, it makes sense to understand what exactly it is that chicken has to offer. Chicken contains an amino acid called cysteine, a substance released when you make the soup. This amino acid is similar to the drug acetylcysteine, which is prescribed by doctors to patients with bronchitis due to its ability to breakdown proteins found in mucous that settles in the lungs.

Cysteine can be found in proteins throughout the body and when used as a supplement it is usually in the form is N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC). The cool part about this is, cysteine, whether taken in supplement form or not, converts to glutathione. Glutathione is a potent antioxidant, protecting fatty tissues from the damaging effects of free radicals. The antioxidant activity of glutathione is attributed specifically to the presence of cysteine in the compound.

In addition, glutathione also plays a vital role in the detoxification of harmful substances by the liver and can chelate (attach to) heavy metals such as lead, mercury, and cadmium. It is also believed that glutathione carries nutrients to lymphocytes and phagocytes, important immune system cells.

Next, we have the carrots. Carrots, one of the routine vegetable ingredients found in chicken soup, are the best natural source of beta-carotene. The body takes that beta-carotene and converts it to vitamin A. Vitamin A helps prevent and fight off infections by enhancing the actions of white blood cells that destroy harmful bacteria and viruses.

In addition to their antioxidant and immune-enhancing activity, carotenoids have shown the ability to stimulate cell to cell communication. Researchers now believe that poor communication between cells may be one of the causes of the overgrowth of cells, a condition which eventually leads to cancer. By promoting proper communication between cells, carotenoids may play a role in cancer prevention.

Onions, another chicken soup regular, contain quercetin, another powerful anti-oxidant. Quercetin is a bioflavonoid that is found naturally present in teas — both green and black — apples, onions, and beans. It offers many benefits including maintaining the health of collagen. which is responsible for the firmness and health of our skin. Quercetin also improves the health of capillary and connective tissue (alleviating bruising, edema, varicose veins, etc.). Other benefits include its ability to inhibit histamine, acting as a natural anti-histamine in many bronchial related conditions, such as allergies and asthma. In addition, quercetin has been ascribed anti-inflammatory and decongestant properties. For individuals who live in high pollen count areas, quercetin is extremely advantageous as it limits allergic reactions due to pollen.

To top it off, stock contains minerals in a form the body can absorb easily—not just calcium but also magnesium, phosphorus, silicon, sulphur and trace minerals. It contains the broken-down material from cartilage and tendons–stuff like chondroitin sulphates and glucosamine, now sold as expensive supplements for arthritis and joint pain.

I could probably keep going but I will let you learn more by giving it a try. As any of you reading this probably would assume, it is best to use only organic, free range protein, organic veggies and filtered water to get the best results from your broth.

For more whole health discussions like this, listen to my weekly radio show Living Above The Drama available on iHeartRadio.

Digestive Function and Nutrition

Posted on July 16, 2019 by Georgianna Donadio, MSc, DC, PhD

The single most reported complaints in all hospital emergency rooms are related to digestive system disorders. The Digestive system is the most “stress affected” system in the human body and a big topic in our accredited health program. According to the October, Drug Topics News Magazine for Pharmacists, American’s spent 5 billion dollars last year on over the counter digestive or “stomach” remedies, with an expected 40% increase over the next year.

Wouldn’t it be helpful to understand and educate others on how and why they are suffering from digestive ailments?

We all know people who eat organic, natural food and are meticulous about the quality and quantity of what they put in their body and are sick, tired, plagued with health issues. Then there are others who eat anything and everything, the good, the bad and the ugly and have energy to burn, not a pimple on their entire body and feel great.

Often, what this is the result of the function and efficiency of their individual nervous systems. Those who have an active “sympathetic” nervous system, with the tenth cranial nerve reeking havoc with their alimentary canal, they are the folks that no matter what they eat and how, pure, clean and how much organic foods they consume – they just don’t do well and feel unwell much of the time.

For the individual with a well tuned central nervous system the digestive system can be a culinary playground that accepts all types of nutrients and food stuffs and produces ample nutrition without up set or illness.

What makes one nervous system different from another, one person’s experience different from another? It has more to do with the unconscious personality of an individual than any other single factor, with the exception of the rare congenital or pathological occurrence.

The area we will discuss in future NIWH accredited health program blogs regarding the digestive system will be it’s intimate relationship with other systems including the immune system, reproductive, circulatory and endocrine systems and what can be done to improve the overall health of the digestive system.

For more whole health discussions, listen to my weekly radio show Living Above The Drama. Also available on iHeartRadio.

Have You Ever Wondered Why You’re Always Hungry?

Posted on April 23, 2019 by Georgianna Donadio, MSc, DC, PhD

For more whole health discussions, listen to my weekly radio show Living Above The Drama. Also available on iHeartRadio.

Looking Beyond The Hype: Digging Deep into the Reality of Supplements

Posted on January 29, 2019 by Georgianna Donadio, MSc, DC, PhD

Market research conducted in August 2018 found that the Vitamin and Supplement Manufacturing industry in the US ballooned to profits of $31 billion. This number is a clear sign of the American public’s great desire to pursue a greater level of whole health and integrative nutrition. The debate, however, still continues to thrive in regards to the safety, efficacy, and even necessity of taking supplements. While supplements aren’t new, it’s still worth exploring and discussing them before jumping on the bandwagon.

The Rising Popularity of Supplements

A commissioned study from 2017 found that 76% of respondents say that they consume dietary supplements. The supplements they take commonly come in the form of pills, powders, and even herbal teas. The common responses when asked why they took supplements were to “improve” and “maintain” their health. Another 15% claimed that taking supplements boosted their immune system and that they were getting sick less often. Word of mouth and social media have all been conducive in spreading the glowing reviews of satisfied users to entice other people into using dietary supplements, as well.

The Unforeseen Risks

The issue begins when the supplements that people purchase are fake and contain harmful elements that end up compromising their whole person health. Even when the supplements are authentic, there’s a risk to combining different ones and using them with medication. Taking too much of certain nutrients like iron can cause hemochromatosis, as warned by the FDA. Popular supplements like St. John’s Wort originally enjoyed a reputation of being effective in boosting moods and chasing the blues away. It wasn’t until later when people found that it curbs the efficacy of antibiotics and even antiretrovirals. You just might be risking your health because of a post that you read online, so it’s best to be careful.

A Life Without Supplements

Consumers that are skeptical or have heard horror stories about fake ones wonder if it’s possible to survive without them. It actually is; it’s just going to involve a lot of dedication. A lot of the vitamins and nutrients that supplements claim to give you are readily available in the food we consume regularly. When you carefully plan the food that you eat, you can actually get the nutrient count that you need. You can try to create a food plan that maximizes your nutritional intake or you can have a health coach or dietitian help you out.

Finding the Right Balance

There are supplements that do as advertised and there are all-natural diets that work. It is entirely possible to reach some sort of compromise between supplements and diet; all that’s needed is due diligence. Read up on different findings to build a study-based and fact-based opinion on supplements and nutrition. There’s a wealth of information out there about integrative nutrition. If that isn’t enough, you can always ask your trusted nurse coach or other healthcare professional for their educated opinion.

At the end of it all, doing research about supplements will safeguard your whole person health. As a consumer, it’s your responsibility to see if something trendy is worth dabbling into. Always avoid putting your health at any unnecessary risk.

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For more whole health discussions like this, listen to my weekly radio show Living Above The Drama. Also available on iHeartRadio.

Author Credit: Allie Oliver

Healthy Habits: Eat More Colors

Posted on January 1, 2019 by Georgianna Donadio, MSc, DC, PhD

The living world around us is filled with color. Look around and you may see blue sky, green grass, aqua oceans, and an unlimited array of tress, flowers and plants bursting with intense, vibrant color. Health is associated with color as well. When we are healthy we have pink cheeks, bright eyes, and a healthy flush to our skin. Quite interestingly, aging is the gradual loss of color. This fading of color marks the slowing or ebbing of life vibrancy.

It is no wonder then that colorful foods are the healthiest foods we can nourish our bodies with. They contain nutritional benefit in the form of phytonutrients, which means plant nutrients. The fruits and vegetables with the most vivid colors contain the highest amount of these important plant nutrients. Their hues act as a table of contents for the phytochemicals found inside the plant.

Listed below is a color guide for choosing the fruits and vegetables that will provide these powerful healing plant nutrients. Make a conscious effort to include a variety of these healthy colors in your daily diet. Not only will you get more nutrients, but your meals will become more fun and enjoyable.

Orange: Contains beta-carotene, an antioxidant that supports immune function.
Yellow-Orange: Provides vitamin C, which detoxifies and inhibits tumor cell growth.
Red: Holds lycopen, an antioxidant that reduces cancer risk.
Green: Contains folate and iron, which are essential to building healthy cells and genetic material.
Green-Light: Provide indoles and lutein, which eliminates excess estrogen and carcinogens.
Green-White: Hold allyl sulfides. These can destroy cancer cells and support a healthy immune system.
Blue (fruits): Contain anthocyanins that destroy free radicals.
Red-purple (fruits): Provide reservatrol, a plaque reducer and mineral chelator.
Brown (legumes, whole grains): Are high in fiber, carcinogen remover and digestive aid.

Filling your diet with many colorful fresh fruits and vegetables is a great way to ensure your body is getting all the vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients you need to stay healthy, happy, and vibrant. Think ‘rainbow’ the next time you prepare your plate.

For more whole health discussions like this, listen to my weekly radio show Living Above The Drama. Also available on iHeartRadio.

Relationships, Health and Behavior with Dr. Georgianna Donadio

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