Blog Elements – Page 138 – SANESolution: #1 Gut & Brain Health

Half Sized Blog Element (Single Author Style)

Half Sized Blog Element (Multi Author Style)

Starvation Is NOT Healthy. Stop counting calories & go #SANE w/me at http://SANESolution.com

Science Sound Bite: SANE Solutions to Cravings

Frequently Asked QuestionTable of Contents How can I curb my cravings for sweet, salty, or crunchy snacks? Answer Sweet Protein bars with at least four times more protein than sugar (I enjoy Quest bars) Berries and citrus Diabetic candy/chocolate Low-carb snack products SANE fudge Sugar-free drinks such as Crystal Light etc. Salty You can use […]

2018-02-17/0 Comments/by SANE

SANE Eating on Anticoagulant Medications: Keep A Steady Course!

SANE Science

by Catherine Britell, M.D. One sunny summer afternoon about 15 years ago, my husband and I were enjoying a double kayak paddle in Seattle’s Lake Union, looking at the houseboats and ducks and conjecturing about the “Sleepless in Seattle” lifestyle, when he suddenly said, “Cathy, you need to paddle us back to the rental […]

2018-02-17/0 Comments/by SANE

Science Sound Bite: SANE Solutions to Cravings

SANE Science

2018-02-17/0 Comments/by SANE

SANE Eating on Anticoagulant Medications: Keep A Steady Course!

SANE Science

2018-02-17/0 Comments/by SANE

Science Sound Bite: SANE Solutions to Cravings

SANE Science

Frequently Asked Question

Table of Contents

How can I curb my cravings for sweet, salty, or crunchy snacks?

Answer

Sweet

Protein bars with at least four times more protein than sugar (I enjoy Quest bars)
Berries and citrus
Diabetic candy/chocolate
Low-carb snack products
SANE fudge
Sugar-free drinks such as Crystal Light etc.

Salty

You can use as much salt as you’d like in food (within reason). This should go along way in avoiding cravings in the first place.

Beef or turkey jerky
Lunch meat
Soy nuts
Nuts

Crunchy

Raw sugar snap peas
Raw celery
Soy nuts
Nuts
Low-carb snack products

2018-02-17/0 Comments/by SANE

SANE Eating on Anticoagulant Medications: Keep A Steady Course!

SANE Science

by Catherine Britell, M.D.

One sunny summer afternoon about 15 years ago, my husband and I were enjoying a double kayak paddle in Seattle’s Lake Union, looking at the houseboats and ducks and conjecturing about the “Sleepless in Seattle” lifestyle, when he suddenly said, “Cathy, you need to paddle us back to the rental place now.” So, I did, and then he said, “Now you need to drive us to the hospital. I’m not feeling well”. And the next day, he had a brand new plastic heart valve to replace the congenitally malformed one that had suddenly started malfunctioning.

In order to prevent formation of blood clots on the artificial valve, it’s necessary for him to take a warfarin anticoagulant. Others need to take anticoagulant medications for other reasons. The dose of this medication needs to be carefully adjusted according to regular blood tests.

Why is this relevant to SANE eating? It’s important because blood clots are formed through a series of chemical reactions in your body, and Vitamin K is necessary for many of those reactions. Warfarin (brand name: Coumadin) works by decreasing the activity of Vitamin K; lengthening the time it takes for a clot to form. And Vitamin K is found in very high to moderate amounts in many of the non-starchy vegetables that are the mainstay of SANE eating. For us, it means that we pay attention to the Vitamin K in our foods, and for my husband, a slightly larger daily dose of anticoagulant medication.

The International Normalized Ratio (INR) and the Prothrombin Time (PT) are determined by the time it takes blood to clot. Individuals at risk for developing blood clots take warfarin to lengthen the usual time it takes for a clot to form, resulting in a prolonged INR/PT. Doctors usually measure the INR/PT every month in patients taking warfarin to make sure it stays in the desired range.

So, if you’re taking warfarin anticoagulants, it’s important to keep your vitamin K intake as constant as possible. Sudden increases in vitamin K intake may decrease the effect of the medication, while lowering your vitamin K intake could increase the effect of warfarin. It’s important, then, to keep your intake of foods rich in vitamin K about the same each day. For example, you may plan to eat only ½ cup of these foods per day. If you like these foods and eat them often, you can eat more, but be consistent. Some people find that VERY large quantities of high Vitamin K vegetables may make it difficult to achieve and maintain therapeutic anticoagulation and so may wish to go easy on kale, spinach, and collard greens.

If you are taking warfarin anticoagulants it’s vital that you know the vitamin K levels in various non-starchy vegetables, so that you can maintain the desired consistency in intake. Here’s a list of foods highest in Vitamin K.

Food Serving Size and Vitamin K levels (micrograms)

Kale, cooked 1/2 cup — 531
Spinach, cooked 1/2 cup — 444
Collards, cooked 1/2 cup — 418
Swiss chard, raw 1 cup — 299
Swiss chard, cooked 1/2 cup — 287
Mustard greens, raw 1 cup — 279
Turnip greens, cooked 1/2 cup — 265
Parsley, raw 1/4 cup — 246
Broccoli, cooked 1 cup — 220
Brussels sprouts, cooked 1 cup — 219
Mustard greens, cooked 1/2 cup — 210
Collards, raw 1 cup — 184
Spinach, raw 1 cup — 145
Turnip greens, raw 1 cup — 138
Endive, raw 1 cup — 116
Broccoli, raw 1 cup — 89
Cabbage, cooked 1/2 cup — 82
Green leaf lettuce 1 cup — 71
Prunes, stewed 1 cup — 65
Romaine lettuce, raw 1 cup — 57
Asparagus 4 spears — 48
Avocado 1 cup (cube, slice, puree) — 30-48
Tuna, canned in oil 3 ounces — 37
Blue/black-berries, raw 1 cup — 29
Peas, cooked 1/2 cup — 21

The bottom line: If you’re taking anticoagulant medications, eating a SANE diet with abundant non-starchy vegetables will be wonderful and healthy for you. However, when you embark upon your SANE lifestyle, even when you are choosing low or moderate Vitamin K vegetables, you can expect your warfarin dose to increase, just because of the number of servings of vegetables you are now eating. And you’ll probably need to have more frequent blood tests for awhile. So, it’s important to

let your doctor know that you’re eating significantly more vegetables
follow his/her instructions as regards monitoring and warfarin dosage
keep your Vitamin K intake moderate and steady.

2018-02-17/0 Comments/by SANE

Need assistance? Click here to call us: (347) 979-1735