Most of us know that salt raises blood pressure in many people. When I learned that in medical school almost 40 years ago, I have not touched a salt shaker since. I enjoy having a low normal blood pressure. A new study published in the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (July, 2010) suggests that sugar, especially the fructose that comes from corn syrup, may also raise blood pressure.
A study team from the University of Colorado in Denver looked at sugar intake among thousands of Americans in a major national nutrition survey between 2003 and 2006. Those who consumed more added sugars such as the fructose in soft drinks had significantly higher blood pressures than those who did not and ate more natural foods such as fresh fruit.
Fructose from corn syrup is a major cause of the obesity epidemic and may also be contributing to the most common chronic disease of adults, high blood pressure.
I have a bold suggestion to make that if followed will improve your health and that of our nation:
Eliminate all soft drinks and fruit drinks from your diet and the rest of your family. Whether with sugar or "sugar free", they adversely affect your health. Drink water instead. If you want caffeine or some other flavor, drink tea (not sweet tea) or a modest amount of coffee, both natural substances. Use a slice of lemon in your water or tea if you prefer to alter the flavor. Get your fruit natually from an orange, apple, bannana or berries, not from juice.
The elimination of soft drinks and fruit drinks would transform the American diet and help us be healthy again. And don't worry about the soda companies. A growing part of their business is bottled water today. We need to move them in the right direction too.
Showing posts with label nutrition. Show all posts
Showing posts with label nutrition. Show all posts
Sunday, July 4, 2010
Saturday, May 22, 2010
Food Rules to Live By
Michael Pollan has become one our most important writers about human nutrition. His book, The Omnivore's Dilemma (2006), spelled out why the almost 8 billion humans on this planet had better balance what we eat, for our own health and the health of the planet.
He published a small book in 2009 (Penguin Books) called Food Rules: An Eater's Manual. His rules are around 7 words in 3 brief statements: Eat Food, Not Too Much, Mostly Plants. How simple and wise is that!
These three statements make up the three parts of this small book, with lots of practical "rules". Here are some of the best:
Don't eat anything your great-grandmother would not recognize as food
Avoid food products containing ingredients that no ordinary human would keep in the pantry
Avoid foods that are pretending to be something they are not (like imitation butter)
Shop the peripheries of the supermarket and stay out of the middle
Treat meat as a flavoring or special occasion food
Eat animals that have themselves eaten well
Don't overlook the oily little fishes
The whiter the bread, the sooner you'll be dead
Be the kind of person who takes supplements - then skip the supplements
Eat more like the French, or the Japanese, or the Italians, or the Greeks
Have a glass of wine with dinner
Stop eating before you are full
Eat when you are hungry, not when you are bored
Eat slowly
Spend as much time enjoying the meal as it took to prepare it
Buy smaller plates and glasses
Serve a proper portion and don't go back for seconds
Breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, dinner like a pauper
and the last one:
Break the rules once in awhile
So, enjoy a healthy diet and eat right!
He published a small book in 2009 (Penguin Books) called Food Rules: An Eater's Manual. His rules are around 7 words in 3 brief statements: Eat Food, Not Too Much, Mostly Plants. How simple and wise is that!
These three statements make up the three parts of this small book, with lots of practical "rules". Here are some of the best:
Don't eat anything your great-grandmother would not recognize as food
Avoid food products containing ingredients that no ordinary human would keep in the pantry
Avoid foods that are pretending to be something they are not (like imitation butter)
Shop the peripheries of the supermarket and stay out of the middle
Treat meat as a flavoring or special occasion food
Eat animals that have themselves eaten well
Don't overlook the oily little fishes
The whiter the bread, the sooner you'll be dead
Be the kind of person who takes supplements - then skip the supplements
Eat more like the French, or the Japanese, or the Italians, or the Greeks
Have a glass of wine with dinner
Stop eating before you are full
Eat when you are hungry, not when you are bored
Eat slowly
Spend as much time enjoying the meal as it took to prepare it
Buy smaller plates and glasses
Serve a proper portion and don't go back for seconds
Breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, dinner like a pauper
and the last one:
Break the rules once in awhile
So, enjoy a healthy diet and eat right!
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Do Diet Sodas Make You Fat?
You would expect that diet sodas would help you lose weight since they have no or minimal calories. Drinking a diet soda rather than a regular soda saves you all that sugar, right? Many people develop diet soda drinking habits due to several factors, the caffeine, the sweetness or just wanting to drink something without the calories.
The link between diet sodas and weight is not what you might expect. Reviewed recently in the medical journal JAMA (Dec. 9, 2009), a major heart study showed that people who drank more than 21 diet sodas per week had twice the risk of becoming overweight or obese compared with people who don't drink diet soda. In another major study, daily consumption of diet soda was associated with a 67% increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes (cause by excess weight). Drinking diet sodas gives you the same "sweet tooth" behavior as other sweets and actually results in people eating more calories than if they stayed away from sweets in general.
Other research is even more disturbing about the addictive nature of diet sodas. When rodents are fed artificial sweeteners, not only do they consume more calories and become obese, but they become very addicted to the sweeteners. When given the option of repeated use of cocaine or diet soda, they preferred the diet sodas!
There are so many options for healthy drinking than diet sodas. Water is the healthiest beverage to complement natural foods. If you want some caffeine, coffee or tea would be healthier than diet sodas. Be mindful of what you put in your body and I'm sure most of you have thought that diet sodas are not very good for you.
The link between diet sodas and weight is not what you might expect. Reviewed recently in the medical journal JAMA (Dec. 9, 2009), a major heart study showed that people who drank more than 21 diet sodas per week had twice the risk of becoming overweight or obese compared with people who don't drink diet soda. In another major study, daily consumption of diet soda was associated with a 67% increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes (cause by excess weight). Drinking diet sodas gives you the same "sweet tooth" behavior as other sweets and actually results in people eating more calories than if they stayed away from sweets in general.
Other research is even more disturbing about the addictive nature of diet sodas. When rodents are fed artificial sweeteners, not only do they consume more calories and become obese, but they become very addicted to the sweeteners. When given the option of repeated use of cocaine or diet soda, they preferred the diet sodas!
There are so many options for healthy drinking than diet sodas. Water is the healthiest beverage to complement natural foods. If you want some caffeine, coffee or tea would be healthier than diet sodas. Be mindful of what you put in your body and I'm sure most of you have thought that diet sodas are not very good for you.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Is a Low Carb Diet a Bad Mood Diet?
An interesting study out of Australia suggests that long term use of a low carbohydrate diet may result in more common bad moods and hostility. 106 overweight and obese people were followed over a year with either a low carb diet without fat restriction (the Atkin's Diet) or a low fat diet. Both resulted in the same amount of weight loss, but those on very low carb diets were cranky more often. This makes sense since carbohydrates increase serotonin in the brain, an important neurotransmitter that affects mood. Common anti-depressant medications such as Prozac work by increasing serotonin. Fats and proteins reduce serotonin.
How you put these findings in perspective? It all leads back to a balanced diet. Whole grains, a natural source of carbohydrates, are good for you! The bottom line is that we all should eat a healthy diet and avoid excess calories that put on excess weight. Simple carbohydrates, such as sugars, cause more hunger and induce us to eat more. Complex carbohydrates, especially when mixed with protein, do not do this. Saturated fats also are not optimal foods in any large amounts.
Eating right means eating healthy foods most of the time, and not too much food. Grains, vegetables and fruits are the foundation of any healthy diet. Protein sources should be healthy, such as nuts, vegetables, fish, dairy and lean meats. Healthy fats such as vegetable oils should be eaten regularly and in moderation. Beware of any diet that seriously restricts any natural food type. You might lose weight, but having frequent bad moods is certainly not worth it!
How you put these findings in perspective? It all leads back to a balanced diet. Whole grains, a natural source of carbohydrates, are good for you! The bottom line is that we all should eat a healthy diet and avoid excess calories that put on excess weight. Simple carbohydrates, such as sugars, cause more hunger and induce us to eat more. Complex carbohydrates, especially when mixed with protein, do not do this. Saturated fats also are not optimal foods in any large amounts.
Eating right means eating healthy foods most of the time, and not too much food. Grains, vegetables and fruits are the foundation of any healthy diet. Protein sources should be healthy, such as nuts, vegetables, fish, dairy and lean meats. Healthy fats such as vegetable oils should be eaten regularly and in moderation. Beware of any diet that seriously restricts any natural food type. You might lose weight, but having frequent bad moods is certainly not worth it!
Sunday, October 18, 2009
What is Your Daily Glycemic Load?
I've written before here about the glycemic index, that measure of how fast a food causes your blood sugar to rise. High glycemic foods, like simple sugars, cause our blood sugars to rise quickly resulting in a pouring out of insulin, a rapid fall in our blood sugar, and we become hungry again soon. Protein in our diet blunts this glycemic index effect, as does eating more complex carbohydrates such as in vegetables.
An new concept has emerged that complements the glycemic index, called the glycemic load. The glycemic load reflects how much total carbohydrate is released in your body from various foods. While carbohydrates, sugars and starches, are a core part of our nutrition, we know that eating a lot of them results in more hunger and we end up eating more calories and gaining weight. Low carbohydrate diet plans have shown some advantage over low fat diet plans for losing weight, although both work if the total calories eaten are reduced.
Dr. Mabel Blades has written a simple book that can be used as a guide to the glycemic load of common foods. I have used it to reduce my glycemic load, for example how much Cheerios I put into my morning cereal. I have increased the ratio of protein from yogurt to the amount of grains, keeping enough grains to give me the desired amount of fiber. I have also cut down on how much bread I eat, one of the first dietary interventions of low carbohydrate diet plans like the South Beach Diet. If you would like to order this simple handbook, you can find it from any online book source:
The Glycemic Load Counter. Mabel Blades. Ulysses Press, Berkeley, CA 2008. My doctor actually gave me a copy as part of my physical exam and health assessment. I'm five pounds lighter after just a couple of weeks.
An new concept has emerged that complements the glycemic index, called the glycemic load. The glycemic load reflects how much total carbohydrate is released in your body from various foods. While carbohydrates, sugars and starches, are a core part of our nutrition, we know that eating a lot of them results in more hunger and we end up eating more calories and gaining weight. Low carbohydrate diet plans have shown some advantage over low fat diet plans for losing weight, although both work if the total calories eaten are reduced.
Dr. Mabel Blades has written a simple book that can be used as a guide to the glycemic load of common foods. I have used it to reduce my glycemic load, for example how much Cheerios I put into my morning cereal. I have increased the ratio of protein from yogurt to the amount of grains, keeping enough grains to give me the desired amount of fiber. I have also cut down on how much bread I eat, one of the first dietary interventions of low carbohydrate diet plans like the South Beach Diet. If you would like to order this simple handbook, you can find it from any online book source:
The Glycemic Load Counter. Mabel Blades. Ulysses Press, Berkeley, CA 2008. My doctor actually gave me a copy as part of my physical exam and health assessment. I'm five pounds lighter after just a couple of weeks.
Monday, September 7, 2009
The Four Pillars of a Healthy Lifestyle
I recently moved my work to the Palm Springs area of California. I am the Vice President for Primary Care at Eisenhower Medical Center in Rancho Mirage, California. My duties include starting a new primary care practice where I also work as a family physician. This week I developed a preventive medicine presentation I will be giving to groups of people, mostly seniors, in our area. I would like to share my key messages here.
Balance is the key to health in many ways. Our lifestyle choices play the major role in whether we are healthy or sick, outweighing our genetics and the bad luck of getting a disease for no apparent reason. There are four areas where lifestyle play a major role in our health. Do these four things and you are likely to be healthy:
Eat Right: We are what we eat, so what goes in our body is vital to our health. The mainstay of our nutrition should be vegetables and grains. We should avoid the saturated fats found in many animal meats and dairy, and the trans fats found in many fried foods and pastries. Eat healthy fats like those found in nuts and quality vegetable oils, such as canola and olive oil. We should avoid simple sugars that make us hungry and have protein at every meal (Nuts, low fat dairy, lean meats and fish). We should avoid excess salt. Do not eat many more than your body needs to maintain a healthy weight. See my other blogs since I write here about nutrition every month.
Be Active: Use it or lose it is a good rule for keeping our bodies healthy. Look for opportunities in your daily life to walk more, climb stairs and be active. Then, devote 5 of the of the 168 hours in a week to one or more physical activities of your choice. Being physically active is the best long term predictor of living a long and healthy life.
Sleep Well: We trained our children in how to sleep, but many of us forgot the lessons. Prepare for a good night's sleep by winding down our daily activities, turn down the lights, and leave the problems of our day behind. Imagination is ok for adults to use to enter the world of sleep. As adults, 6 to 8 hours of refreshing sleep is usually enough to replenish our bodies.
Manage Stress: Stress can wear down even the healthiest body. Be aware of our stress levels at home and at work, and seek ways to reduce the stressors. Some of us thrive on a certain amount of stress, that is fine. We know when we are distressed because we are not at ease and not smiling as much. I like these three rules for handling stress: 1. Don't sweat the small stuff, 2. Everything (just about) is small stuff, and 3. If you cannot fight, and you cannot flee, then flow.
Take a moment to reflect on these four "pillars" in your life and see what adjustments you can make to preserve your health.
Balance is the key to health in many ways. Our lifestyle choices play the major role in whether we are healthy or sick, outweighing our genetics and the bad luck of getting a disease for no apparent reason. There are four areas where lifestyle play a major role in our health. Do these four things and you are likely to be healthy:
Eat Right: We are what we eat, so what goes in our body is vital to our health. The mainstay of our nutrition should be vegetables and grains. We should avoid the saturated fats found in many animal meats and dairy, and the trans fats found in many fried foods and pastries. Eat healthy fats like those found in nuts and quality vegetable oils, such as canola and olive oil. We should avoid simple sugars that make us hungry and have protein at every meal (Nuts, low fat dairy, lean meats and fish). We should avoid excess salt. Do not eat many more than your body needs to maintain a healthy weight. See my other blogs since I write here about nutrition every month.
Be Active: Use it or lose it is a good rule for keeping our bodies healthy. Look for opportunities in your daily life to walk more, climb stairs and be active. Then, devote 5 of the of the 168 hours in a week to one or more physical activities of your choice. Being physically active is the best long term predictor of living a long and healthy life.
Sleep Well: We trained our children in how to sleep, but many of us forgot the lessons. Prepare for a good night's sleep by winding down our daily activities, turn down the lights, and leave the problems of our day behind. Imagination is ok for adults to use to enter the world of sleep. As adults, 6 to 8 hours of refreshing sleep is usually enough to replenish our bodies.
Manage Stress: Stress can wear down even the healthiest body. Be aware of our stress levels at home and at work, and seek ways to reduce the stressors. Some of us thrive on a certain amount of stress, that is fine. We know when we are distressed because we are not at ease and not smiling as much. I like these three rules for handling stress: 1. Don't sweat the small stuff, 2. Everything (just about) is small stuff, and 3. If you cannot fight, and you cannot flee, then flow.
Take a moment to reflect on these four "pillars" in your life and see what adjustments you can make to preserve your health.
Saturday, August 8, 2009
Food, Inc. The Movie
I have never been one to shy away from the truths about our world. An Inconvenient Truth was a movie that affected many of us profoundly. Most of my family does not like Al Gore because they are in deniel about what is happening to our planet, and our role in that. A new movie does the same about our food sources in America. It is called Food, Inc. It may upset you, but I highly recommend it. The authors explore just where our food comes from, the chicken, the beef, the grains and how our big corporate food industries operate.
I am not an anti-corporate person. I agree with Calvin Coolidge that the business of America is business. In our modern life, we have accomplished many things through industry. Our supermarkets contain a richer variety of food than ever available before in the history of mankind. But, there are important issues for us to address. What are the implications of feeding our cattle corn meal when that is not their best food source? What danger do we have of serious bacterial contamination? How do the big food corporations treat our farmers? These are all questions explored in this film. Like Anderson Cooper on CNN, this film "keeps them honest".
Two of the main characters in the movie are authors I admire a lot: Eric Schlosser, who wrote Fast Food Nation, and Michael Pollen, author of The Omnivore's Dilemma. These men are dedicated to keeping our food supply safe and healthy and for us to avoid the traps that make us unhealthy and obese.
Should you become a "locavore"? That is a new word to describe someone that only eats locally grown food. That may be an option for some but not for others depending on where you live. Locally grown food, like what is found in a Farmer's Market, is more likely to be fresh and have fewer questions than other commerically developed foods. I saw an interesting bumper sticker today, "Supermarkets have branches, Farmer's Markets have roots".
The tagline for Food, Inc. is "You'll never look at dinner the same way again". I must say that is true. I continue to shop in supermarkets and eat in restaurants, but I am much more mindful about what I put in my body. We all should be.
I am not an anti-corporate person. I agree with Calvin Coolidge that the business of America is business. In our modern life, we have accomplished many things through industry. Our supermarkets contain a richer variety of food than ever available before in the history of mankind. But, there are important issues for us to address. What are the implications of feeding our cattle corn meal when that is not their best food source? What danger do we have of serious bacterial contamination? How do the big food corporations treat our farmers? These are all questions explored in this film. Like Anderson Cooper on CNN, this film "keeps them honest".
Two of the main characters in the movie are authors I admire a lot: Eric Schlosser, who wrote Fast Food Nation, and Michael Pollen, author of The Omnivore's Dilemma. These men are dedicated to keeping our food supply safe and healthy and for us to avoid the traps that make us unhealthy and obese.
Should you become a "locavore"? That is a new word to describe someone that only eats locally grown food. That may be an option for some but not for others depending on where you live. Locally grown food, like what is found in a Farmer's Market, is more likely to be fresh and have fewer questions than other commerically developed foods. I saw an interesting bumper sticker today, "Supermarkets have branches, Farmer's Markets have roots".
The tagline for Food, Inc. is "You'll never look at dinner the same way again". I must say that is true. I continue to shop in supermarkets and eat in restaurants, but I am much more mindful about what I put in my body. We all should be.
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Which Fish Have the Most Omega 3 Fatty Acids?
Most of us know that fish are a good source of omega 3 fatty acids, and that these are the "healthy" fats that help prevent heart disease. Is there much difference in omega 3 fatty acid content among various fish? I found out the importance of this question when it showed up on my board examination this past week.
In general, fresh water fish have LESS omega 3 fatty acid content than fish from salt water, although trout is a pretty good source. The correct answer on my board question was most probably salmon, although herring has a higher content (was not listed as a choice). Not all salmon have the same amount of omega 3s, with Atlantic, Coho, and Sockeye salmon leading the list. Besides salmon, tuna, mackerel, herring, trout, sardines and halibut are good sources of omega 3 fatty acids.
Some fish and vegetable oils have more omega 6 fatty acids, not considered a "healthy" fat for reducing heart disease. Some evidence suggests that the ratio of omega 3 to omega 6 is important for reducing heart disease risk. I found out recently that tilapia, a fish I order sometimes, has a much higher content of omega 6 than omega 3 fatty acids. No more tilapia for me!
Like most areas of nutrition, drilling down to the next level of information is important. Eating healthy is one of the most important things we do. With these blogs, I strive to give you the best nutrition information possible so you may make wise food choices, one of the pillars of good health.
Source: http://www.omega3oils.info/omega3sources/fishoil.php
In general, fresh water fish have LESS omega 3 fatty acid content than fish from salt water, although trout is a pretty good source. The correct answer on my board question was most probably salmon, although herring has a higher content (was not listed as a choice). Not all salmon have the same amount of omega 3s, with Atlantic, Coho, and Sockeye salmon leading the list. Besides salmon, tuna, mackerel, herring, trout, sardines and halibut are good sources of omega 3 fatty acids.
Some fish and vegetable oils have more omega 6 fatty acids, not considered a "healthy" fat for reducing heart disease. Some evidence suggests that the ratio of omega 3 to omega 6 is important for reducing heart disease risk. I found out recently that tilapia, a fish I order sometimes, has a much higher content of omega 6 than omega 3 fatty acids. No more tilapia for me!
Like most areas of nutrition, drilling down to the next level of information is important. Eating healthy is one of the most important things we do. With these blogs, I strive to give you the best nutrition information possible so you may make wise food choices, one of the pillars of good health.
Source: http://www.omega3oils.info/omega3sources/fishoil.php
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Tips for Vegetarians
Some people decide to become vegetarians. There may be a personal philosophy against killing animals for food, religious convictions or a desire to eat a very healthy diet. There are different types of vegetarians. All avoid animal products, but some will eat dairy foods (Lacto-vegetarian), eggs (Ovo-vegetarian) and others will eat none of these (Vegan). Some vegetarians will eat fish (Pesco-vegetarian). Being a healthy vegetarian and getting all essential nutrients in the diet takes knowledge and effort. If done right, studies show that vegetarians are leaner, have a lower blood pressure, lower cholesterol and lower blood sugar.
Vitamin B12 is naturally only present in animal foods. Since it is added to fortified grains and cereal, vegetarians can still get B12 from food. Adequate iron is hard to come by for menstuating female vegetarians. Spinach and other greens do have some iron but it is not well absorbed. B vitamin and iron supplements may be taken to ensure good nutrition. Protein is the building block of most tissue, and getting all of the essential amino acids (what constitutes protein) from vegetables takes knowledge and a willingness to eat a variety of foods, especially beans, brown rice, nuts and greens.
As our global population continues to grow and our "carbon footprint" is measured, it is likely that more people will become vegetarians. This will be a good thing as long as a rich and diverse vegetarian diet is followed.
Vitamin B12 is naturally only present in animal foods. Since it is added to fortified grains and cereal, vegetarians can still get B12 from food. Adequate iron is hard to come by for menstuating female vegetarians. Spinach and other greens do have some iron but it is not well absorbed. B vitamin and iron supplements may be taken to ensure good nutrition. Protein is the building block of most tissue, and getting all of the essential amino acids (what constitutes protein) from vegetables takes knowledge and a willingness to eat a variety of foods, especially beans, brown rice, nuts and greens.
As our global population continues to grow and our "carbon footprint" is measured, it is likely that more people will become vegetarians. This will be a good thing as long as a rich and diverse vegetarian diet is followed.
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Vitamin D May Be Our Most Important Vitamin Supplement
Vitamins are those special chemicals that help our bodies function properly. Most studies support getting our vitamins in food rather than in supplements. Food products naturally balance the content of nutrients including vitamins, and it is possible to take too much of some vitamins if we take supplements. Besides Vitamin D, discussed here, the other most important vitamin supplement is folic acid (a B vitamin) if you are a woman and might get pregnant, and during pregnancy.
Recent studies show that Vitamin D is beneficial for many things, from preventing diabetes and heart disease to preventing cancer and having healthy bones. Vitamin D is not really a vitamin but a hormone substance that is vital to the body. Hormones are chemicals produced in one part of the body and travel to other parts to help the body function. The thyroid gland, the ovary and the testicle are examples of organs that make vital hormones. Turns out, Vitamin D is made in the skin from sun exposure and travels throughout the body doing good work.
To avoid skin cancer, and because of living indoors much of the time, we are not getting as much Vitamin D as our ancestors. Sunscreen blocks the sun absorption that produces Vitamin D. There is a lot of discussion today about getting enough "healthy" sun exposure to both produce Vitamin D and yet not raise the risk of skin cancer. About 20-30 minutes a day of direct sunlight to our skin seems to be more beneficial than harmful. Natural sun is preferred rather than "tanning booths" that only give certain UV radiation.
Vitamin D can be taken as oral supplements. In the past, 200 - 400 IU was considered an adequate daily dose, and many calcium supplements have this amount of Vitamin D. The Institute of Medicine Food and Nutrition Board now feels that we should be getting 1000 - 2000 IU daily. Stay tuned to this as the discussions are ongoing. The good news is that Vitamin D is readily available and inexpensive to take. It may be the most important of all vitamin supplements for children and adults of all ages. People with limited sun exposure, dark skin, over age 50 and overweight or obese have an increased need for the supplement. It is safe in doses up to 2000 mg for adults. Supplement doses for children are still being worked out.
So, put Vitamin D down on your list of important health habits and consider both your regular "healthy" sun exposure and taking a supplement.
Recent studies show that Vitamin D is beneficial for many things, from preventing diabetes and heart disease to preventing cancer and having healthy bones. Vitamin D is not really a vitamin but a hormone substance that is vital to the body. Hormones are chemicals produced in one part of the body and travel to other parts to help the body function. The thyroid gland, the ovary and the testicle are examples of organs that make vital hormones. Turns out, Vitamin D is made in the skin from sun exposure and travels throughout the body doing good work.
To avoid skin cancer, and because of living indoors much of the time, we are not getting as much Vitamin D as our ancestors. Sunscreen blocks the sun absorption that produces Vitamin D. There is a lot of discussion today about getting enough "healthy" sun exposure to both produce Vitamin D and yet not raise the risk of skin cancer. About 20-30 minutes a day of direct sunlight to our skin seems to be more beneficial than harmful. Natural sun is preferred rather than "tanning booths" that only give certain UV radiation.
Vitamin D can be taken as oral supplements. In the past, 200 - 400 IU was considered an adequate daily dose, and many calcium supplements have this amount of Vitamin D. The Institute of Medicine Food and Nutrition Board now feels that we should be getting 1000 - 2000 IU daily. Stay tuned to this as the discussions are ongoing. The good news is that Vitamin D is readily available and inexpensive to take. It may be the most important of all vitamin supplements for children and adults of all ages. People with limited sun exposure, dark skin, over age 50 and overweight or obese have an increased need for the supplement. It is safe in doses up to 2000 mg for adults. Supplement doses for children are still being worked out.
So, put Vitamin D down on your list of important health habits and consider both your regular "healthy" sun exposure and taking a supplement.
Thursday, April 9, 2009
What Is Insulin Resistance?
You may have heard the term "insulin resistance" and wonder what it means. It does not sound like a good thing, and it isn't. You probably know that insulin has something to do with diabetes, and wonder if it means you have diabetes. Let me shed some light on this and help you avoid insulin resistance, an important risk factor for heart disease.
The official definition of insulin resistance from the NIH is "a condition in which the body produces insulin but does not use it properly. Insulin, a hormone made by the pancreas, helps the body use glucose for energy. Glucose is a form of sugar that is the body’s main source of energy." In other words, you have plenty of insulin being produced but there is "resistance" at the cell level from it doing its job, and your blood sugar stays high. This is the underlying cause of most type 2 diabetes, the most common form of diabetes.
Besides a high blood sugar, people with insulin resistance usually have an abnormal cholesterol pattern. They have a lower level of "good" cholesterol (HDL cholesterol) and a higher level of the "bad" cholesterol (LDL and VLDL cholesterol). This combination causes plaque to form faster in our blood vessels leading to the blockages that cause heart attacks and stroke.
While there is an important family history (genetic) component to insulin resistance, there is something that you can do to reduce or even eliminate it. The degree of insulin resistance you have is directly related to our fat cells. The more body fat, the more insulin resistance. The less body fat, that is becoming lean, the less insulin resistance. That alone is a strong motivator to lose body fat. Also, a healthy diet of less saturated fat and more vegetables, and exercise, all help to lower insulin resistance.
Hopefully you are now able to understand and explain this important concept. There is no blood test that measures insulin resistance specifically. Your doctor can estimate it presence based on your blood sugar and your cholesterol pattern. Ask about that at your next check-up.
Good source for more information: http://diabetes.niddk.nih.gov/DM/pubs/insulinresistance/
The official definition of insulin resistance from the NIH is "a condition in which the body produces insulin but does not use it properly. Insulin, a hormone made by the pancreas, helps the body use glucose for energy. Glucose is a form of sugar that is the body’s main source of energy." In other words, you have plenty of insulin being produced but there is "resistance" at the cell level from it doing its job, and your blood sugar stays high. This is the underlying cause of most type 2 diabetes, the most common form of diabetes.
Besides a high blood sugar, people with insulin resistance usually have an abnormal cholesterol pattern. They have a lower level of "good" cholesterol (HDL cholesterol) and a higher level of the "bad" cholesterol (LDL and VLDL cholesterol). This combination causes plaque to form faster in our blood vessels leading to the blockages that cause heart attacks and stroke.
While there is an important family history (genetic) component to insulin resistance, there is something that you can do to reduce or even eliminate it. The degree of insulin resistance you have is directly related to our fat cells. The more body fat, the more insulin resistance. The less body fat, that is becoming lean, the less insulin resistance. That alone is a strong motivator to lose body fat. Also, a healthy diet of less saturated fat and more vegetables, and exercise, all help to lower insulin resistance.
Hopefully you are now able to understand and explain this important concept. There is no blood test that measures insulin resistance specifically. Your doctor can estimate it presence based on your blood sugar and your cholesterol pattern. Ask about that at your next check-up.
Good source for more information: http://diabetes.niddk.nih.gov/DM/pubs/insulinresistance/
Friday, March 6, 2009
Choice of Diet Does Matter
A recent article in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) reported that all diets that reduce calories work equally well. Of course that is true. Reduce calories, lose weight. The article suggested that it does not really matter whether you choose to lower your carbohydrates, your fat or whatever, just so you reduce your calories consistently over time. Like most large studies of weight loss, the overall results are disappointing in that most people do not stay with weight loss diets and the average weight loss is modest. That is because the people not staying with their diets dilute out those who lose a lot of weight.
What these studies miss is what your experience is with different diet approaches. How do thay affect your overall health? In my previous Blogs here, I have emphasized the importance of reducing simple carbohydrates, like sodas and sweets, since they drive hunger. It is very hard, probably impossible, to stay on a diet program if you are always hungry. Good protein sources, whether from dairy, lean meats, fish, nuts and vegetables, suppress hunger by causing your blood sugar to rise more slowly and remain more steady throughout the day. The rise and fall in blood sugar impacts your hunger. Finally, saturated fats are not good for your health and should be avoided in any healthy diet.
So, what you eat does matter. Your choice of foods will impact your hunger and affect how many calories you are likely to eat in a day. Your food choices affect more than your weight, but also your cholesterol and other risk factors for heart disease. When choosing a diet program for weight loss, make a healthy choice and choose a program that you can stay on for life. Afterall, weight control is a lifelong pursuit. You can vary your protein sources depending on your food preferences, and focus on healthy fats like vegetable oils and avoid the unhealthy satureated fats from things like hamburgers and french fries. Choose a diet program that works for you throughout the day and results in your not eating any more calories than you want to either to lose weight or maintain a healthy weight.
And remember, be physically active to burn those calories so you are more likely to lose unwanted weight.
What these studies miss is what your experience is with different diet approaches. How do thay affect your overall health? In my previous Blogs here, I have emphasized the importance of reducing simple carbohydrates, like sodas and sweets, since they drive hunger. It is very hard, probably impossible, to stay on a diet program if you are always hungry. Good protein sources, whether from dairy, lean meats, fish, nuts and vegetables, suppress hunger by causing your blood sugar to rise more slowly and remain more steady throughout the day. The rise and fall in blood sugar impacts your hunger. Finally, saturated fats are not good for your health and should be avoided in any healthy diet.
So, what you eat does matter. Your choice of foods will impact your hunger and affect how many calories you are likely to eat in a day. Your food choices affect more than your weight, but also your cholesterol and other risk factors for heart disease. When choosing a diet program for weight loss, make a healthy choice and choose a program that you can stay on for life. Afterall, weight control is a lifelong pursuit. You can vary your protein sources depending on your food preferences, and focus on healthy fats like vegetable oils and avoid the unhealthy satureated fats from things like hamburgers and french fries. Choose a diet program that works for you throughout the day and results in your not eating any more calories than you want to either to lose weight or maintain a healthy weight.
And remember, be physically active to burn those calories so you are more likely to lose unwanted weight.
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Eat Less, Remember More
Calorie restriction has been associated with health benefits, such as increased longevity. It is no secret that most of us eat too much. A new study published January 26, 2009 in the prestigious Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences suggests that calorie restriction may improve our memory.
50 men and women age 50-72, normal weight and overweight, were studied on three nutrition schedules: a 30% reduction in calories, same calories but an increase in "healthy fat", and no change in diet. The group that reduced their calories were able to do better on tests that involved memorizing words. The other two groups showed no change.
How could this happen? Eating less calories causes us to be more sensitive to the blood sugar regulating hormone insulin and have a drop in the inflammation-associated molecule C-reactive protein. Past evidence has linked these factors to an improvement in brain function. Experts suggest that increased inflammation and a drop in insulin sensitivity (which is known as insulin resistance) may help explain why obesity and type 2 diabetes have been linked to worse mental performance and a greater risk of Alzheimer's disease.
Lean and healthy go together. Staying lean is a big challenge today with the abundance of inexpensive and "fast" food. Being lean requires a special commitment to healthy eating every day and regular physical activity. Clear mental performance can now be added to the potential benefits of living this healthy lifestyle.
50 men and women age 50-72, normal weight and overweight, were studied on three nutrition schedules: a 30% reduction in calories, same calories but an increase in "healthy fat", and no change in diet. The group that reduced their calories were able to do better on tests that involved memorizing words. The other two groups showed no change.
How could this happen? Eating less calories causes us to be more sensitive to the blood sugar regulating hormone insulin and have a drop in the inflammation-associated molecule C-reactive protein. Past evidence has linked these factors to an improvement in brain function. Experts suggest that increased inflammation and a drop in insulin sensitivity (which is known as insulin resistance) may help explain why obesity and type 2 diabetes have been linked to worse mental performance and a greater risk of Alzheimer's disease.
Lean and healthy go together. Staying lean is a big challenge today with the abundance of inexpensive and "fast" food. Being lean requires a special commitment to healthy eating every day and regular physical activity. Clear mental performance can now be added to the potential benefits of living this healthy lifestyle.
Monday, January 5, 2009
Are You Eating Your Way To Diabetes?
We all hear about the rapid increase in people with Type 2 Diabetes. The number of people with this disease in the U.S. has doubled in the last 20 years. If you do not have this type of diabetes, mostly caused by obesity, do not think you won't, especially if you are overweight or obese.
Theoretically, we could all have Type 2 Diabetes at a certain weight. As our fat cells, also called adipose cells, get bigger they release hormones that can trigger the high blood sugar of diabetes. Some people are more genetically prone to diabetes than others but anyone can get the disease if they stress the body with too much body fat. You could be eating your way to diabetes if your weight is going up.
How could you tell this? There are some early markers of developing diabetes. What is your fasting blood sugar? Diabetes is a level of 126 or higher. Levels of fasting blood sugar from 100 to 125 is called prediabetes, clearly on your way. Normal fasting blood sugars are between 60 and 90. Is yours closer to 90 than 60? Has your fasting sugar gone up since you gained weight. What about a sugar between 90 and 100? Many diabetes specialists think that any level above 90 should be considered prediabetes. I agree.
What happens to your blood sugar 1-2 hours after a meal? Above 200 is definitely diabetes. Above 140 is considered another type of prediabetes. Has yours gone up? You may not have diabetes yet, or even the official levels for prediabetes, but you may be on your way. Better to find that out before it is too late. The complications of cardiovascular blockage leading to heart disease begin before the blood levels reach the diabetic level.
Another thing to watch is your HDL (good) cholesterol. As your fat cells expand, the hormones released cause the HDL cholesterol to go down, which is not a good thing. The LDL (bad) cholesterol often goes up with weight gain as does the total cholesterol. If you have gained weight, you might recheck your lipid panel and see if it has changed from previously.
Realize that you too could get diabetes if your weight is going up. Maybe the scare of developing this disease is enough to motivate you to exercise, control your eating, and lose weight. You do not catch diabetes, you develop it. Find out if that is happening to you and do something about it if you are moving toward diabetes.
Theoretically, we could all have Type 2 Diabetes at a certain weight. As our fat cells, also called adipose cells, get bigger they release hormones that can trigger the high blood sugar of diabetes. Some people are more genetically prone to diabetes than others but anyone can get the disease if they stress the body with too much body fat. You could be eating your way to diabetes if your weight is going up.
How could you tell this? There are some early markers of developing diabetes. What is your fasting blood sugar? Diabetes is a level of 126 or higher. Levels of fasting blood sugar from 100 to 125 is called prediabetes, clearly on your way. Normal fasting blood sugars are between 60 and 90. Is yours closer to 90 than 60? Has your fasting sugar gone up since you gained weight. What about a sugar between 90 and 100? Many diabetes specialists think that any level above 90 should be considered prediabetes. I agree.
What happens to your blood sugar 1-2 hours after a meal? Above 200 is definitely diabetes. Above 140 is considered another type of prediabetes. Has yours gone up? You may not have diabetes yet, or even the official levels for prediabetes, but you may be on your way. Better to find that out before it is too late. The complications of cardiovascular blockage leading to heart disease begin before the blood levels reach the diabetic level.
Another thing to watch is your HDL (good) cholesterol. As your fat cells expand, the hormones released cause the HDL cholesterol to go down, which is not a good thing. The LDL (bad) cholesterol often goes up with weight gain as does the total cholesterol. If you have gained weight, you might recheck your lipid panel and see if it has changed from previously.
Realize that you too could get diabetes if your weight is going up. Maybe the scare of developing this disease is enough to motivate you to exercise, control your eating, and lose weight. You do not catch diabetes, you develop it. Find out if that is happening to you and do something about it if you are moving toward diabetes.
Sunday, December 7, 2008
What to be Sure to Eat if You are on a Diet
Most Americans are overweight, so dieting is very common. We all know that losing weight means eating less and burning more calories. As we eat less, what should we be sure to eat?
A study published in the Journal of Nutrition in early 2008 followed 130 overweight people on two types of diets. The control group reduced calories based on the traditional food pyramid, so they ate the right types of food. The study group ate a diet rich in protein and calcium, emphasizing lean meats and low-fat dairy products. Both groups lost comparable weight over 12 months. The group on the protein and calcium rich diet had stable bone mass while the control group had some loss in bone mass. The protein rich diet also helps with maintaining muscle mass.
So, if you plan to lose weight by any method, be sure to get protein at every meal, and pay attention to getting enough calcium, either from dairy products or through a supplement. Also take a multi-vitamin daily if you are eating less calories than you burn, and be sure there is vitamin D that is necessary for calcium absorption by the body. Also, get regular weight bearing exercise such as daily walking to help protect your bone mass.
Source: University of California, Berkeley Wellness Letter, December 2008
A study published in the Journal of Nutrition in early 2008 followed 130 overweight people on two types of diets. The control group reduced calories based on the traditional food pyramid, so they ate the right types of food. The study group ate a diet rich in protein and calcium, emphasizing lean meats and low-fat dairy products. Both groups lost comparable weight over 12 months. The group on the protein and calcium rich diet had stable bone mass while the control group had some loss in bone mass. The protein rich diet also helps with maintaining muscle mass.
So, if you plan to lose weight by any method, be sure to get protein at every meal, and pay attention to getting enough calcium, either from dairy products or through a supplement. Also take a multi-vitamin daily if you are eating less calories than you burn, and be sure there is vitamin D that is necessary for calcium absorption by the body. Also, get regular weight bearing exercise such as daily walking to help protect your bone mass.
Source: University of California, Berkeley Wellness Letter, December 2008
Sunday, November 9, 2008
How Important is Chewing?
Everyone seems to be in a hurry these days. Meal times, especially breakfast and lunch, are rushed. "Wolf it down" seems more common than taking our time with eating. We often swallow food with minimal if any chewing. Is this ok? No!
Chewing our food is an important first step in digestion. Skip it and you may miss getting some of the nutrients in some of the best foods, like our vegetables. Chewing has an important role in eating and should not be skipped. What does chewing our food do?
Chewing our food is an important first step in digestion. Skip it and you may miss getting some of the nutrients in some of the best foods, like our vegetables. Chewing has an important role in eating and should not be skipped. What does chewing our food do?
- Chewing transforms transforms food into a form that is safer for swallowing.
- Saliva contains the digestive enzyme amylase that begins the process of breaking down food for digestion into our bodies.
- Grinding food with our teeth is important in preparing the food for later digestion in the intestine.
- Taking our time with eating through chewing our food helps us eat less and not gain as much weight.
Chewing is not optional! It is part of good nutrition practice. Think about how much time you spend with chewing. Being conscious of our chewing is a first step in keeping this essential part of digestion in proper perspective.
Friday, October 10, 2008
Nutritional Quality Index - How Well Do You Know Your Foods?
In the supermarket, we have the greatest choices of foods in the history of mankind. Eating well can be an overwelming challenge. Most of us like variety in our foods, and we have that luxury. But making good food choices regularly is quite a challenge with so many factors to think about.
At Yale University's Griffin Prevention Research Center, an Overall Nutritional Quality Index has been developed with scores of 1 to 100 based on the nutrients, vitamins, sugar and salt, and the overall impact of foods on blood pressure and other health concerns like clogging blood vessels. The quality index will begin appearing on many food labels and at many stores. Look for it. The scores are available at: www.onqi.org. Here are some highlights.
Foods that rated a perfect 100 are: broccoli, blueberries, orange and green beans. Pinapple and radish get a 99. Summer squash (98), apple (96), green cabbage (96), and tomato (96) are among the others at the top of this food chain.
Near the bottom are: popsicle and soda both rating a 1, saltine crackers, bacon, and apple pie rating a 2, milk chocolate a 3 (very sorry), cheese puffs a 4, hot dog a 5, salami a 7 and white bread a 9. These are commonly eaten foods that can easily be eliminated from a diet. You will lose weight too.
Some interesting foods in the middle are: unbuttered, unsalted popcorn (69), 2% milk (55), pasta (50), New York strip steak (44), bagel (23) and salted dry roasted peanuts at 21.
Eating healthy is a big challenge but we know more about our foods than ever before. Nutritional knowledge is out there for us to make healthy choices. I hope this information helps you and your family live a healthier life.
At Yale University's Griffin Prevention Research Center, an Overall Nutritional Quality Index has been developed with scores of 1 to 100 based on the nutrients, vitamins, sugar and salt, and the overall impact of foods on blood pressure and other health concerns like clogging blood vessels. The quality index will begin appearing on many food labels and at many stores. Look for it. The scores are available at: www.onqi.org. Here are some highlights.
Foods that rated a perfect 100 are: broccoli, blueberries, orange and green beans. Pinapple and radish get a 99. Summer squash (98), apple (96), green cabbage (96), and tomato (96) are among the others at the top of this food chain.
Near the bottom are: popsicle and soda both rating a 1, saltine crackers, bacon, and apple pie rating a 2, milk chocolate a 3 (very sorry), cheese puffs a 4, hot dog a 5, salami a 7 and white bread a 9. These are commonly eaten foods that can easily be eliminated from a diet. You will lose weight too.
Some interesting foods in the middle are: unbuttered, unsalted popcorn (69), 2% milk (55), pasta (50), New York strip steak (44), bagel (23) and salted dry roasted peanuts at 21.
Eating healthy is a big challenge but we know more about our foods than ever before. Nutritional knowledge is out there for us to make healthy choices. I hope this information helps you and your family live a healthier life.
Thursday, September 4, 2008
I Have Diverticuli in my Colon, What Can I Eat?
Now that more adults are getting colonoscopies, more of us are finding out that we have diverticuli in our colon. A diverticulum is a pouch, like a small cave, coming out of the lining of our colon. It is common for adults over 40 to have them. If they become inflammed or infected, this is call diverticulitis. Stool may become trapped in the diverticulum and over time cause an infection, sometimes very serious if there is a ruture of the diverticulum causing the infection to spread in the abdomen (peritonitis).
It is generally felt that a lack of regular fiber in the diet causes these diverticuli to form. This has has never been clearly proven. It is clear that daily use of fiber, especially grain fiber like that in high fiber cereals, keeps the stool moving and helps avoid stool getting trapped in the diverticuli causing an infection.
There has been a belief, even a medical recommendation, that people with diverticuli should avoid certain foods such as nuts, corn, popcorn and berries, thinking that these foods might get trapped in the diverticuli and cause an infection. This is rational thinking but has never been proven. To the relief of us that have diverticuli, and I found out I do at my colonoscopy, a study has now shown that these foods to not present any risk to people with diverticuli. In a study of over 47,000 men, intake of these foods had no association with developing diverticulitis.
So, I will continue to eat my high fiber cereal, fruits and vegetables every day. I will continue to enjoy nuts, corn and berries since I love them, and will feel free to order popcorn at the movies. Isn't it nice when medical science helps us enjoy life a little more!
It is generally felt that a lack of regular fiber in the diet causes these diverticuli to form. This has has never been clearly proven. It is clear that daily use of fiber, especially grain fiber like that in high fiber cereals, keeps the stool moving and helps avoid stool getting trapped in the diverticuli causing an infection.
There has been a belief, even a medical recommendation, that people with diverticuli should avoid certain foods such as nuts, corn, popcorn and berries, thinking that these foods might get trapped in the diverticuli and cause an infection. This is rational thinking but has never been proven. To the relief of us that have diverticuli, and I found out I do at my colonoscopy, a study has now shown that these foods to not present any risk to people with diverticuli. In a study of over 47,000 men, intake of these foods had no association with developing diverticulitis.
So, I will continue to eat my high fiber cereal, fruits and vegetables every day. I will continue to enjoy nuts, corn and berries since I love them, and will feel free to order popcorn at the movies. Isn't it nice when medical science helps us enjoy life a little more!
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
How to Get Your Anti-Oxidants - Food or Supplements?
There is a common debate among those wanting optimal nutrition. How best to get your anti-oxidants - food or supplements? Those against the food often cite things like with today's pesticides and fertilizers, you cannot trust or get enough nutrients from food. You need to take supplements to reliably get enough anti-oxidants. Unfortunately this argument is perpetuated by advertisements from the supplement industry, maybe mixed with some fear among the public.
Food sources are not only the best way to get our anti-oxidants, they are the only reliable way to get them in a way that actually helps prevent the ills of oxidation, cardiovascular disease and cancer. Why, because there are so many anti-oxidants and natural food is the only way to get them all, and in a blend designed so well by nature.
What anti-oxidants am I talking about? The main ones fall into the category of beta carotene and the carotenoids. These are the beneficial components of plants, our vegetables and fruits. There are at least 50-60 of them in healthy foods that benefit our bodies. One or several in a single expensive supplement does not come close to matching this. The other anti-oxidants, folic acid, vitamin C and vitamin E have all been shown to benefit us best when obtained naturally from foods rather than supplements. Pick your food from reliable sources and you do not need to worry about the pestacides and fertilizers.
You might say that some supplements are actually ground up food sources. Ok, but do you think you are really getting enough in that pill? I look at little capsules of grape seed extract and laugh, how much can be in there?
Save your money and develop healthy food habits and practice them every day. Get berries and other fruits every day. I eat a banana and have blueberries in my cereal every morning. Have good vegetables every day at lunch and dinner. This practice keeps me healthy and at the right weight, and I know that I do not need expensive supplements to complete my nutrition. We have access to the greatest variety of healthy food in the history of mankind. If we are smart about that, we can be the healthiest people ever.
Food sources are not only the best way to get our anti-oxidants, they are the only reliable way to get them in a way that actually helps prevent the ills of oxidation, cardiovascular disease and cancer. Why, because there are so many anti-oxidants and natural food is the only way to get them all, and in a blend designed so well by nature.
What anti-oxidants am I talking about? The main ones fall into the category of beta carotene and the carotenoids. These are the beneficial components of plants, our vegetables and fruits. There are at least 50-60 of them in healthy foods that benefit our bodies. One or several in a single expensive supplement does not come close to matching this. The other anti-oxidants, folic acid, vitamin C and vitamin E have all been shown to benefit us best when obtained naturally from foods rather than supplements. Pick your food from reliable sources and you do not need to worry about the pestacides and fertilizers.
You might say that some supplements are actually ground up food sources. Ok, but do you think you are really getting enough in that pill? I look at little capsules of grape seed extract and laugh, how much can be in there?
Save your money and develop healthy food habits and practice them every day. Get berries and other fruits every day. I eat a banana and have blueberries in my cereal every morning. Have good vegetables every day at lunch and dinner. This practice keeps me healthy and at the right weight, and I know that I do not need expensive supplements to complete my nutrition. We have access to the greatest variety of healthy food in the history of mankind. If we are smart about that, we can be the healthiest people ever.
Sunday, July 6, 2008
Calorie Restriction and Fasting, Keys to Health and Longevity
A 2 day conference was held at UCLA recently on the lastest research on increasing health and longevity. Lots of things are being looked at, including understanding the very biology of how and why we age. Right now, the only proven way to increase health and longevity is through calorie restriction. Eat less, be lean and live longer, assuming you eat the right things, like vegetables and grains with the right protein, complex carboydrates and unsaturated fats.
Mini-fasts, or not eating for 12-24 hours, is also gaining attention. Many Mormans fast one day each month, only taking in water. In a study presented at the American Heart Association annual conference, those that do this have a 40 per cent reduction in cardiovascular disease (clogged arteries). Similar benefits have been found in those who practice the Islamic fasting of the Ramadan season (12 hour daylight fasting for about one month).
The bottom line here is that in our modern society, we eat too much. Food is abundant, even if it is getting more expensive. We eat out more than ever before and many studies show that when we eat out more, we consume more fat and total calories.
The evidence for calorie restriction and brief fasting is mounting and I think you will hear and read much more about this. Anyone can cut down on calories and eat the right things, we all know about that. It just takes discipline. If you want to fast more than skipping a few meals, talk with your physician if you have diabetes. Your medication may need to be adjusted.
I'm going to be 58 next month, and while I exercise a lot, I know that my 190 lbs are too much (I'm 5 ft, 11 in). My goal is to get to between 165 and 175 this year. How about you? This is not just about losing weight and looking better. This is about living longer and healthier.
Mini-fasts, or not eating for 12-24 hours, is also gaining attention. Many Mormans fast one day each month, only taking in water. In a study presented at the American Heart Association annual conference, those that do this have a 40 per cent reduction in cardiovascular disease (clogged arteries). Similar benefits have been found in those who practice the Islamic fasting of the Ramadan season (12 hour daylight fasting for about one month).
The bottom line here is that in our modern society, we eat too much. Food is abundant, even if it is getting more expensive. We eat out more than ever before and many studies show that when we eat out more, we consume more fat and total calories.
The evidence for calorie restriction and brief fasting is mounting and I think you will hear and read much more about this. Anyone can cut down on calories and eat the right things, we all know about that. It just takes discipline. If you want to fast more than skipping a few meals, talk with your physician if you have diabetes. Your medication may need to be adjusted.
I'm going to be 58 next month, and while I exercise a lot, I know that my 190 lbs are too much (I'm 5 ft, 11 in). My goal is to get to between 165 and 175 this year. How about you? This is not just about losing weight and looking better. This is about living longer and healthier.
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