Dr. Leat Kuzniar, ND LLC

As the first Monday morning back to work after adjusting the clocks, I thought it fitting to comment on Daylight Savings Time (DST) and its health implications.

Daylight Savings Time began in the United States as a way to conserve energy during World War One. Though we adopted DST late in the game (1918), we subsequently repealed it in 1919. US presidents "toyed" with DST again through 1974 when Nixon signed it into law as the "Daylight Saving Time Energy Act"

Well, as it turns out, it seems DST does not save energy; in fact, it seems to increase energy costs. In addition to the financial costs associated with DST, there seems to be a very real human cost. In this post, weâ??ll explore some of these issues.

In terms of the human accounting, we all know the joy of â??gaining an extra hourâ? in Fall. That said, we also know the pain of trying to wake up earlier on the first few mornings in Spring when we set the clocks forward. And if you're a parent, you know the struggle of trying to sleep train the kids again (and again). But even more importantly, there is some research which indicates that the disruption in our circadian rhythms can be harmful to our health. Our internal clock sets itself not by the alarm at our bedside but by the movements of the sun. When we disrupt our biological rhythms, we really can get ourselves into trouble.

DST is associated with a significantly increased risk of mortality due to heart attacks. The risk is increased for the first 3 weekdays in Spring and the first weekday in Autumn. It turns out that even a seemingly small change in our sleep patterns (especially the sleep deprivation accompanied by the time change in Spring) increases stress hormones and inflammation resulting in increased risk of cardiovascular events.

DST is also associated with increased auto accidents both in Spring and Fall, at least according to some studies.

So what's to gain when we change the clocks? Apparently, not very much!
Indiana took on DST only in 2006. We see that their adoption of DST actually increased average household energy costs by $3.29 a year in comparison with non-DST years. That amounts to an increase of about $9 million per year of added energy costs for the entire state. So while it's true that DST decreases the cost of lighting our homes, it actually increases the demand for heating and air conditioning.

Other than lobbying our government to put an end to this failed experiment, we can do something else to help use transition into and out of DST: make it a transition, instead of a "fall" or "spring" into DST. Make the time change more progressive and it will have less of a detrimental effect on your biological clock. Go to sleep and wake up 15 minutes earlier or later during the week before the time change and your body will be more likely to ease into it.
Though this seems to be particularly important in the Spring, some of my readers will ask why I didn't give them advanced notice! The honest truth: that one extra hour afforded by our "fall back" gave me some extra writing time on this 1st Monday morning back in the office!

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â??Nutrition, exercise, and stress management can no longer be considered alternative medicine. They are essential medicineâ?.

(Mark Hyman, MD)

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The â??EPICâ? study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine found that 4 simple behaviors dramatically reduce the risk of developing 4 leading causes of death.

FOUR for FOUR!

What are these behaviors?

1) Not smoking

2) Exercising 3.5 hours per week

3) Eating a healthy diet (fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, nuts and seeds, low animal protein consumption),

4) Keeping your Body Mass Index below 30.

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The study found that these four behaviors prevented 93% of diabetes, 81% of heart attacks, 50% of strokes, and 36% of all cancers! If I could find a drug to do all thatâ?¦

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Ford E.S., Bergmann M.M., Kroger J., et. al. 2009. Healthy living is the best revenge: findings from the European Prospective Investigation Into Cancer and Nutrition-Potsdam study. Arch Intern Med. 169(15): 1355-62.

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Honey, What’s For Dinner?

Much of my practice centers around clinical nutrition- I help my patients to change their diets and use nutritional supplements to affect physiological (and sometimes emotional) changes. I am a huge proponent of healthy eating. New research into the area of “epigenetics” tells us that what we eat, what we breathe, our stress levels, how we move, what we drink, our environmental exposures can determine the extent to which our genes are activated and how loudly they speak. There are many factors in life which we cannot control. One aspect of life which we can exert some control over is our diets and now we have scientific proof that changing the diet can affect so many elements of health… right down to genetic expression!

That being said, a healthy diet should be more than just nutritious. It should also be delicious and relatively easy to prepare (unless you have the luxury of the time and energy to make gourmet foods for your family). I have taken to making a menu of what we are going to eat for dinners during the week (lunches are generally left overs) so that I can make sure the pantry is well-stocked and get my nanny to prep some of the ingredients beforehand. This little system has helped dinner hour tremendously! I no longer find that I am staring at the pantry thinking “what are we having for dinner”. I am also seldom without the ingredients I need to prepare the evening’s meal. In addition, some of the work (like cutting up the very hard butternut squash) has been done for me which further simplifies the task.

I am often asked by my patients: “what are you having for dinner”. In fact, this week, I received an email asking for a sample menu for the week. So, in this edition of my newsletter, I’ll share some of the foods that we typically eat during the week.

A few notes on how I decide what we’ll be eating. Here are my guiding principles:
• Variety- I try not to feed the family the same foods too often.
• Mostly plants- I try to keep to a mostly vegetarian diet during the week. We do eat poultry on weekends. If your family members are big meat eaters, I’d suggest trying to make dishes in which animal products are an accessory- not the main attraction.
• Veggies and more veggies: when I prepare meat or fish as a main dish, I add at least 2 veggies as side dishes.
• Whole Foods- I try to make the majority of the meal whole foods based. That means we often eat grains in their whole form (as opposed to pasta and breads- even whole grain pasta and breads). I try to use as few packaged ingredients as possible.
• Food should be flavorfull- I use tons of fresh and dried herbs and spices to add flavor and antioxidants.

So, here are some of our favorites:
1) Fish loaf: made like meatloaf only using canned wild salmon with bones and skin. I add in tons of sautéed vegetables (celery, onions, carrots are favorites) and some dill.
2) Ratatouille: made with loads of vegetables. I often add beans as a source of protein.
3) Stir fry: we often use tofu (marinated in a mix of peanut butter, garlic, ginger, and soy sauce- yum) or tempeh for added protein. This is an easy dish to make using frozen veggies when I’m in a pinch. On other occasions, I serve the tofu as a starter in miso soup (so quick and easy to prepare and a favorite with my kids).
4) Spaghetti squash with sauce made of fresh tomatoes, sautéed onions and garlic, fresh basil and olive oil. I often add pine nuts and some parmesan cheese.
5) Bean chili: I sauté onions, garlic, carrots, celery, chopped peppers, and tomatoes with cumin, chili powder, cilantro and then add beans (I use dry beans but you can use canned beans in a pinch). If your family are meat eaters, try this with some ground extra lean beef or turkey added (as opposed to having the meat be central).
6) Baked wild salmon: fresh lemon juice, some dill and maybe a splash of white wine. So easy and so good.
7) Eggs for dinner: I use omega eggs and either make omelets loaded with sauteed veggies (onions, spinach, tomatoes, exotic mushrooms like shiitake and oyster) or as a frittata in the oven.
8) Falafel night: chickpea patties with loads of veggies, hummus, and tehini
9) Mexican night: my version of Tex-Mex food and very quick and easy to prepare. Brown rice, black beans, and high quality salsa in a pot. Serve of whole wheat wraps/ tortillas along with chopped lettuce, tomatoes, avocado, and more salsa.
10) Risotto: sautéed onions and spinach. Add cinnamon, cumin, and turmeric. Stir in and sauté the rice. While the rice cooks (add one cup of liquid at a time as with typical risotto recipes), bake cubed butternut squash until tender. Add red lentils to the pot in the last 20 minutes of cooking. Also add the butternut squash and some raisins if you like. I sometimes serve this with chopped almonds.
11) Soups: thick and hearty with tons of vegetables and either lentils or beans for added protein. Served with some sprouted grain bread (alternatively, I use barley/ rice/ or wheat berries in the soup), this can be a meal in its entirety.
12) Pasta: on occasion, cooked al dente for a lower glycemic index. Soba noodles made of buckwheat offer a nice alternative which is gluten free. I serve with a sauce made of sautéed vegetables and some beans for protein. One example would be sautéed onions, garlic, greens (spinach, bok choy, and arugula are favorites), tomatoes, exotic mushrooms, with basil and a splash of white wine.
13) Salad Nicoise: a huge base of veggies with half a hard boiled egg, some salmon or sardines, fine cheese, nuts and seeds and a dressing made with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and loads of herbs and spices.

Side dishes include the following:
1) Grains: brown/ wild rice, quinoa (a favorite), millet, wheat berries, barley, buckwheat.
2) Starchy vegetables: roasted beets, carrots, parsnip, sweet potatoes, squash.
3) Cruciferous vegetables: I try to eat a serving many days of the week. Other than broccoli, cauliflower, kale (but my kids don’t love it), Brussels sprouts (but, I will freely admit, I don’t love them), what this often means is cabbage. My kids love chopped purple cabbage stewed with some apple cider vinegar, chopped apples, and raisins. Often I simply make a simple coleslaw. Again, my kids love the slaw with craisins/ raisins, nuts or seeds (for crunch and healthy fats) and a dressing of olive oil, vinegar, and a splash of agave.
4) Salad
5) Chopped veggies: in a pinch, I take out cherry tomatoes, carrot and celery sticks, and some pepper slices and we eat them with hummus.


These are some of our family favorites. I do enjoy cooking but, beyond that, I consider it my duty to feed my family nutritious and delicious foods! I hope I’ve inspired you to do the same! If you have some good recipe suggestions, please feel free to email them to me.
For now, Bon Apatite!


Please Note: This information is for educational purposes only. Consultation with a licensed health care practitioner is recommended for anyone suffering from a health ailment. You are free to use the information in this newsletter or pass it on to others, but please keep it intact and credit it to Dr. Leat Kuzniar, ND.

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Optimistic Thinking for A Longer Life!

I recently read a journal article which both surprised and inspired me. In this Newsletter, I’d like to share the findings of some scientific studies regarding the tremendous impact of positive thinking on health.

A positive outlook on life has physiological effects. Positive attitudes have been shown to reduce the risk of certain diseases and to increase resistance to infection and immune response when it is needed. In fact, we may be able to predict an individual’s longevity by measuring his/her attitudes and disposition.

The Women’s Health Initiative Study collected data from 100,000 women ages 50 plus since 1994. The data was primarily used to study the effects of hormone replacement therapies on women. That being said, it also collected data on other parameters such as optimism. Researchers found that optimistic women were 14% less likely to die from any cause compared with pessimistic thinkers. These women were 30% less likely to die of heart disease- the number 1 cause of death amongst American women- than their pessimistic peers during the 8 years of the study. The study found that optimists were less likely to have high blood pressure or diabetes and were less likely to be cigarette smokers. Conversely, the study found that those women who were highly mistrustful of people (termed “cynically hostile” by the researchers) were 16% more likely to die during the study period and were 23% more likely to die from cancer. These women were also significantly more likely to die of heart disease.

Being optimistic may actually enhance immune function. A study of law students found that those who were more optimistic had higher numbers of immune cells (called helper T cells) and another class of immune cell (called natural killer cells) was more powerful (cytotoxic) in its action.

Another study on law students found that students who were optimistic mounted a stronger immune response than their pessimistic fellows. These students were injected with a substance to summon an immune response. Those who were positive in their thinking actually showed a larger “bump” (a measure of the immune response) than their gloomy peers.

And if you thought attitude affects only those in law-related professions, another study in the general population of subjects aged 18-54 found that those with positive emotional style (associated with feeling lively, full of pep, energetic, happy, calm, and relaxed) exhibited fewer cold symptoms and were less likely to develop a cold than those with a negative emotional style (associated with feelings of sadness, being on edge, nervousness, tension, hostility, resentment, and anger).

People who find joy, excitement, and contentment in their daily lives are more likely to engage in health-promoting behaviors (such as exercise, healthy eating, and not smoking). They are also more likely to have greater social connectedness, perceived social support, and more adaptive coping mechanisms. Being more positive, tends to decrease stress hormones. All of these things can have a profound impact on health and longevity.

In a previous newsletter, I wrote about the value of laughter therapy. Having a sense of humor and being able to laugh may reduce mortality by up to 20% compared with people who do not think in a humorous way! Twenty percent! That’s a huge impact. If we can only train ourselves and our children to see the brighter, lighter side of life- even if just for a few moments each day, we can extend our lives significantly (and make those longer years happier and more meaningful too).

After reading this research, I took on two personal projects to help myself and my patients enhance our positive thinking.

The first thing I did, on a personal level, was to launch a project to boost my own enthusiasm for life. I selected a book (aptly named “Enthusiasm”, by Z. Pliskin) which features daily lessons in enthusiasm. We try to read a lesson a day together around the dinner table. As the author notes, simply being aware of wanting to be more enthusiastic and optimistic about life is a good start.

The second thing I’ve put into place in my practice is a “Pleasure Inventory”. So often we are not aware enough of those things which enhance our joy in life. Incorporating more of these things (people, events, music, surroundings, etc) can help us to experience more happiness and excitement about life. Here’s a sample below:

In summary, the scientific evidence is indisputable- being a positive, optimistic person will increase your chances of living a longer, healthier, more pleasurable life. I encourage you to find ways to inject joy and enthusiasm into every day!

Please Note: This information is for educational purposes only. Consultation with a licensed health care practitioner is recommended for anyone suffering from a health ailment. You are free to use the information in this newsletter or pass it on to others, but please keep it intact and credit it to Dr. Leat Kuzniar, ND.

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• Find the things which consistently make you laugh (a TV program, a certain movie, your favorite comic strip, etc). Incorporate these opportunities for humor into your daily life.
• Laugh with friends. Laughter is contagious; we have a “detector” in our brains which responds to the laughter we hear by triggering neural circuits in the brain which then generate more laughter. In fact, you’re about 30 times more likely to laugh in social settings than when you’re alone.
• Try to find the humor in every situation. One of the predominant theories on what makes something humorous is that we laugh when things are incongruous; when we’re expecting one thing to occur, and a completely different outcome occurs. Doing or saying something incongruous in a situation which is frustrating or stressful may actually make you laugh. Try this the next time you’re stuck in traffic on your way to an important interview: Shout as loudly as you can “I love life!”. The incongruity of saying something positive while you’re upset gives you a chance to laugh at yourself and the situation. Think about how you’ll view the situation when you’re looking back on it- will you be able to laugh at yourself, or someone else involved in the situation? Think about recounting the story to your friends in a humorous manner.
• Fake it ‘till you make it: research shows that fake laughter provides many of the benefits of authentic laughter. Even if you’re feigning a chuckle, your body will release those “feel good” endorphins and neurotransmitters and will decrease those stress hormones. In addition, a fake laugh often leads to the real thing.
• Bottom Line: Laughter can be a powerful healer, an aid in maintaining health and preventing disease… Incorporate daily laughter into your life and reap the benefits today!

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