Doctor recommends simpler eating

By For The Columbus Dispatch For The Columbus Dispatch  • 
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Dr. Glen Aukerman

Dr. Glen Aukerman, medical director of the Ohio State University Center for Integrative Medicine, sees patients from throughout the world who are seeking alternative approaches to health care.

"Someday, this probably won't be called integrative medicine," said Laura Kunze, program coordinator. "It will just be called medicine -- good medicine."

Twice each month, the center offers free nutrition classes for the public.

Aukerman recently answered some questions about nutrition.

Q: You say that eating the wrong types of fruits and vegetables ranks among the biggest mistakes that people make. What should they eat?

A: You need to have fruits and vegetables that are grown locally and harvested locally.

Q: You say that consuming too much gluten might cause symptoms such as fatigue, dry skin, abdominal pain and difficulties with concentration, among other things.

A: We eat foods with gluten in high levels (which sometimes cause malabsorption and autoimmune diseases).

Our ancestors were not able to eat at that level, and we can't. Because our ancestors did not eat high levels of gluten, most of us do not have the enzymes to break it down.

We need to be limiting our wheat, barley, rye and spelt.

Q: One of your biggest nutritional concerns involves omega-6 oil. Recent research shows that humans are getting too much of it. In what is

it found?

A: The most common example is poultry -- because those (animals) are fed corn and they accumulate the corn oil.

(It is) also in granola products, tortillas, hummus, chips, all nuts, peanut butter.

Q: Why are artificial sweeteners bad?

A: We can't burn them, so they have to be detoxed like a chemical by our liver.

Rat experiments show that, if we put rats on artificial sweeteners, they can gain more weight than if they're eating real sugar.

Q: What should people start eating that they don't eat -- and why?

A: They should be eating lamb, pork or beef; omega-3 eggs; wild salmon; fruits and vegetables in season, frozen or canned; and rice products.

Limit the corn products because of the corn oil. We advocate a diet that's fairly simple.

Q: What are some of the most intriguing results that your patients have had?

A: We have had (older) couples go on it (a simpler diet). In six months, they're not getting up to go to the bathroom.

And in another three months, they claim their sexual appetites are what they were at 17.

Q: Walk me through a typical day of eating for you.

A: Rice (cereal) or a non-instant oatmeal; or a cornflake breakfast with either yogurt or milk on it; or some fruit that's regional, seasonal, canned or frozen.

My lunch will sometimes be a baked potato with some broccoli and real sour cream, and an apple or a peach or a pear or some canned or frozen fruit.

And then my dinner will usually be similar, whether it's lamb, beef, pork or beans. I may go rice and beans with some fruits and vegetables.

Q: You noted a study showing that people who eat cornflakes or rice cereals for two meals a day are healthier by about 50 percent.

A: Yes, the Spanish School Nutrition study indicates we eat way too complex.

We think variety is more important than it is for


Q: What Web sites do you recommend checking when creating a personalized nutrition plan?

A: efaeducation.nih.gov, www.nutritiondata.com and www.mypyramid.gov.


• Free nutrition classes will be offered this month and next at the Ohio State University Center for Integrative Medicine, 2000 Kenny Rd. Classes are scheduled for 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesday and Aug. 27, and Sept. 10 and 24. To register, call 614-293-3944.