Most of you know that I’m available by phone or in person (when I’m at your favorite Gelson’s) to answer your food and nutrition-related questions. I’ve gotten a lot of great questions from our customers this year and I’d like to share some of my favorites with you this month.

Q: I notice that you now only recommend one type of bread on your Master Shopping List, the Food for Life sprouted whole-grain bread. What made you pare down your recommendations?

A: Nutrition is not a static science and I’m always learning about foods and how they affect our bodies as well as certain disease states. I recently learned that by grinding a grain into flour—even if it’s a whole grain—it will have a much greater effect on your blood sugar when you eat it. Ground, pulverized or puffed grains have a much larger surface area for your digestive enzymes to work on, so starch is converted to sugar rapidly, creating a spike in blood sugar. On the other hand, a whole intact grain takes much longer to be penetrated by digestive enzymes, so the inner starch kernel is converted to sugar more slowly, causing a small steady rise in blood sugar. I’m a big proponent of eating to control your blood sugar, even if you are not diabetic, since it ensures balanced meals, appetite control and weight control. For more about eating to control your blood sugar, see my May 2007 Nutrition Notes newsletter. The Food for Life bread that I now recommend is made with sprouted whole grains and no flour whatsoever.

Q: I struggle with constipation – are there any products that you recommend to help my situation?

A: First of all, I recommend increasing the amount of fiber and fluids in your diet. Increasing fiber without increasing fluids will not yield the desired results and can cause gas, cramping and bloating. Physical activity is also crucial to getting things moving on the inside. If all of those measures do not work, then try Yerba Prima psyllium husk capsules. They are not addictive like many other laxatives and do not contain added sugar, artificial flavors or colors like some similar products.

Q: Ever since the scare with contaminated pet food earlier this year, I have been wondering what I should be feeding my cat. Do you plan to write a pet food recipe for us confused pet owners?

A: Feeding companion animals healthfully has been an interest of mine for a long time. Dogs and cats are carnivores and should be fed accordingly. They thrive on eating animal proteins from beef, chicken, turkey, lamb, venison, rabbit and some fish. Grains such as rice, wheat, corn, barley and soy are completely unnecessary and over time can increase your pet’s risk of becoming overweight and developing chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart disease. The gold standard for cats and dogs is a raw food diet that contains muscle meat, organ meat and ground bones. Feeding their pets raw food is not an option that many people feel comfortable with, so I recommend the freeze-dried raw food from Stella & Chewy’s. It is convenient, portable and free of bacteria so you can feed your pet anywhere, at anytime. Variety is a very important factor when it comes to feeding your pet, but I know that most pet parents prefer to just pour some kibble in a bowl without ever even changing the variety or complementing it with raw or wet food. The truth is that most kibble is made up mostly of grains, and eating the same food day in and day out is not a recipe for health and longevity. I do not plan to write a recipe for you to make at home, because I would not want my recipe to comprise the entirety of any pet’s diet. Instead, look for high-quality, thoughtfully prepared products. When choosing foods for your cat or dog, just keep in mind that raw is best, all grains are bad and variety is important.

Q: I found out that I have high triglycerides. My doctor says that there is nothing I can do to lower them – is that true?

A: Several measures can be taken to help lower triglycerides. The first thing you need to do is take a look at the carbohydrates in your diet. Remove any refined carbohydrates, such as cookies, cakes, crackers, bread, white rice, soft drinks and other sweets. Replace them with vegetables, lean proteins, beans, nuts and some olive oil. When you do eat carbohydrates, do so in small portions and make sure they are whole grains (such as oatmeal or quinoa) or starchy vegetables (such as sweet potatoes or winter squash). Consider taking 1,000-2,000 milligrams of a high-quality omega-3 supplement or, if your triglycerides are very high, then talk to your doctor about a prescription omega-3 supplement called Omacor that is specifically used to treat high triglycerides.

Q: Which soy milk do you recommend?

A: Soy milk is useful for people who cannot tolerate the lactose in cow’s milk or who are vegan, diabetic or avoid dairy products due to chronic sinus infections. I always look for soy milk that does not contain carrageenan, an additive that is used to give soy milk a thick, creamy texture, since it upsets many people’s stomachs and is a suspected carcinogen. Luckily, there are some soy milks that meet my quality standards. The one that I recommend is West Soy organic unsweetened vanilla soy milk.