Health Habits » low carb

Drink more soda…it's good for you

DR — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 15:38:10 +0000

Not everyone is happy with the anti-obesity/anti-soda ad produced by the NYC Dept of Health.

And it isn’t just the people who lost their lunches after seeing that globby/fatty/veiny cup of goo.

It’s groups like the Center for Consumer Freedom.

In fact, the CCF was so upset, that they produced their own rebuttal ad and had it printed in the New York Times

BTW, a full page ad in the Times costs upwards of $158,004.

$158,004

And we’re not even including the costs associated with creating the ad.

We’re talking big money.

BIG MONEY

And thinking about that big money awakened the skeptic in me. And that inner skeptic started thinking…who is the Center for Consumer Freedom and why are they spending a ton of money defending our freedoms against anti-cola advertisements?

So, I did a little research into the CCF.

My findings?

Apparently, there are a lot of people who don’t like the CCF.

To them, the CCF is nothing but a front group for the restaurant, alcohol and tobacco industries.

It runs media campaigns which oppose the efforts of scientists, doctors, health advocates, environmentalists and groups like Mothers Against Drunk Driving, calling them “the Nanny Culture — the growing fraternity of food cops, health care enforcers, anti-meat activists, and meddling bureaucrats who ‘know what’s best for you.’ ”

Over 40 percent of the group’s 2005 expenditure was paid to Rick Berman’s PR company, Berman & Co. for “management services. As part of its operations CCF runs a series of attack websites.

Sourcewatch

But, don’t take their word for it….Check out the “attack” websites

And, if that ain’t enough, watch this video…

Or listen to the man himself as Rick Berman is interviewed by MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow…

So, what do you think?

Is Rick Berman…

standing up for your freedom against the American nanny state?
or is he spinning lies in order to promote the interests of his anonymous donors?

If you like what you see here, click here for updates

Reference

Sourcewatch

Get Fit and Save Money

DR — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 14:48:56 +0000

The “experts” say that low income families have higher levels of obesity because “healthy” food is too expensive.

I say….B.S.

You can eat healthy on a small budget.

This free ebook from Kerry Taylor shows you how to eat healthy and save money.
This post from Mark’s Daily Apple shows you how to eat a paleo-style diet on the cheap.
The Eat Well guide helps you find healthy and affordable foods in your neighborhood (Thanks to the Healthy Irishman for putting me onto this resource)
Fitness magazine has a ton of money-saving, healthy dinner recipes - Buddha Stir-Fry $3.04

McDonalds does not - Big Mac combo $5.29

Natalie from Nutrition by Natalie shows you how to eat healthy foods on a budget

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zpqAjtiwmiQ]

Kathy’s Healthy Food on a Budget blog is another fine resource
Jimmy Moore shows you how to eat low carb on a budget (sorry about the singing)

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PROSy8oqJWE]

And what about the government’s involvement in the cost of healthy food?

Billions of your tax dollars being spent on farm subsidies, and with less than 1% goes to America’s fruit & vegetable farmers…is it any wonder that a salad costs more than a Big Mac?

But, there is hope.

image: Ozier Muhammad/The New York Times

New York City is planning to “offer zoning and tax incentives to spur the development of full-service grocery stores that devote a certain amount of space to fresh produce, meats, dairy and other perishables”.

The plan — which has broad support among food policy experts, supermarket executives and City Council members, whose approval is needed — would permit developers to construct larger buildings than existing zoning would ordinarily allow, and give tax abatements and exemptions for approved stores in large swaths of northern Manhattan, central Brooklyn and the South Bronx, as well as downtown Jamaica in Queens….read more

So, there you go…no more excuses.

You can eat healthy while on a budget.
And if you want to save even more money, tell the senior levels of government how you would like to see your tax dollars spent (or not spent) on farm subsidies.
And then tell your municipal governments to create bylaws like NYC.

If you like what you see here, click here for updates

Soda Tax = Tax Grab

DR — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 17:49:38 +0000

It looks like my prediction of a American Soda Tax may soon come true.

According to ABC News, “several of the nation’s leading health experts are calling for a tax on soda as a means of curbing America’s obesity-epidemic”.

But wait, here’s the good part:

Their paper, appearing in the most recent issue of the New England Journal of Medicine, calls for a tax on “sugar-sweetened” drinks in order to reduce the consumption of the drinks and lower health costs as well as fund government-run health programs.

FUND GOVERNMENT RUN HEALTH PROGRAMS

“A tax on sugar-sweetened beverages is really a double-win,” said Dr. David Ludwig, a co-author of the paper and director of the Optimal Weight for Life program at Children’s Hospital, Boston.

“We can raise much-needed dollars while likely reducing obesity prevalence, which is a major driver of health care costs, the paper states.

“Ultimately the government needs to raise more money to cover the deficit, and in terms of ways of raising that revenue, a tax on sugar sweetened beverages is really a no-brainer.”

So, there you go.

Just like I said here, the government will take advantage of America’s Obesity Epidemic™ and introduce a soda tax in order to help reverse the defecit.

But will it help reduce the nation’s obesity problem?

According to the latest research, small tax increases will have little effect on behavior.

On the other hand, big tax increases should do the trick. Especially for America’s poor.

So, there you go, just like I predicted:

5 Bucks for a Can of Coke

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Here Come the Soda Tax

DR — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 12:40:52 +0000

Last month, I predicted that America will soon be paying 5 bucks for a can of Coke.

And it looks like that prediction may be coming true.

In an interview with Men’s Health magazine, President Obama was asked “would he consider so-called sin taxes, on soda and other sugar-laden products, or on activities that sabotage the health of the masses?

His response:

“I actually think it’s an idea that we should be exploring,” the president says. “There’s no doubt that our kids drink way too much soda. And every study that’s been done about obesity shows that there is as high a correlation between increased soda consumption and obesity as just about anything else. Obviously it’s not the only factor, but it is a major factor.”

But even the most powerful man on the planet needs to keep an eye on what’s politically feasible:

“Obviously there is resistance on Capitol Hill to those kinds of sin taxes,” he says. “Legislators from certain states that produce sugar or corn syrup are sensitive to anything that might reduce demand for those products. And look, people’s attitude is that they don’t necessarily want Big Brother telling them what to eat or drink, and I understand that.

It is true, though, that if you wanted to make a big impact on people’s health in this country, reducing things like soda consumption would be helpful.”

Somehow, I don’t think that this is the type of change that the people at Jones Cola had in mind when they came up with their Orange “You Glad For Change” Cola to commemorate the inauguration of President Obama.

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Your Omega 3 Prescription

DR — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 18:27:41 +0000

By this point, you should already know that you need more Omega 3 fatty acids into your diet.

The question is: how much?

A teaspoon of fish oils?
A tablespoon?
3 pills?
or a great big slab of smoked salmon?

Well, according to this study, researchers believe that “a 200 mg dose of DHA per day is enough to affect biochemical markers that reliably predict cardiovascular problems, such as those related to aging, atherosclerosis, and diabetes”.

This study is the first to identify how much DHA is necessary to promote optimal heart health.

The Study

To determine the optimal dose of DHA, the researchers examined the effects of increasing doses of DHA on 12 healthy male volunteers between ages of 53 and 65. These men consumed doses of DHA at 200, 400, 800, and 1600 mg per day for two weeks for each dose amount, with DHA being the only omega-3 fatty acid in their diet. (No EPA)

Blood and urine samples were collected before and after each dose and at eight weeks after DHA supplementation stopped. The researchers then examined these samples for biochemical markers indicating the effects of each dose on the volunteers.

They found that supplementation with only 200 mg/d DHA for 2 wk induced an antioxidanteffect.

They concluded that “low consumption of DHA could bean effective and nonpharmacological way to protect healthy menfrom platelet-related cardiovascular events”.

Conclusion

If this study is correct, you need only 200 mg of DHA per day to reap the cardiovascular benefits of the Omega 3 fatty acid DHA.

And how do you get 200 mg of DHA?

1/2 tsp of fish oil
2 of these kiddie chewable DHA supplements
5 Krill capsules
2 oz of fresh/frozen salmon or tuna

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Omega 3s…why you need them and how to get them
Vitamin C puts out the fire of inflammation
Is Your Diet Giving You Alzheimer’s Disease?
Why Are Omega 3s Better Than Statins?
Omega 6 Bad…Omega 3 Good

Reference

Science Daily

Recipe for a Fat Man

DR — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 15:59:24 +0000

Matt McClain - Rocky Mountain News

Reading the comments from my last two posts (here and here), I was struck by the very strong, yet very different opinions about the cause(s) of obesity.

Some people believe in ye olde Calories in vs Calories Out theory, while others believe in the power of insulin while others blame their DNA.

So, I raise the question….Is there a one size fits all cause / cure for obesity?

Or are there a whole bunch of factors coming together to create America’s obesity epidemic?

To aid in the discussion, I have put together a list of the factors that I think influence human obesity.

Feel free to comment/criticize or add to the list

Determinants of Obesity

Food

Quantity of food – Calories
Quantity of food – Volume

Type and Quality of food – Macronutrients – Carbs, Fat, Protein
Type and Quality of food – Micronutrients – Vitamins, Minerals, Enzymes, Phytochemicals, etc…
Type and Quality of food – Nutrient Density v.s Caloric Density

Origin of food – Soil, Air & Water Quality
Origin of food – Factory farms, fertilizers, pesticides, hormones, steroids, antibiotics, etc…
Origin of food – Nutrient depletion due to travel time, premature harvest, preserving chemicals, etc…
Origin of food – Additives – flavor enhancers (MSG), added color, added flavor, added moisture, etc…
Origin of food – Industrial processes driven solely by profit – (see melamine)

Convenience food vs Real food

Digestion of food
Absorbtion of food
When you eat your meals
How long between meals
How much you eat at different meals
What you eat at different times of the day

Your beliefs and emotions regarding food – food as pleasure, food as fuel
Dining habits – eat on the run vs sit down dinner

Your Body

Genetics
Epigenetics
Hormones – Insulin, Cortisol, Serotonin, Glucagon, etc
Your Brain
Hormone receptors
Your existing body-fat
Your thoughts, your unconscious mind
Medical conditions

Your Life

Emotions
Stress
Motivation
Income
Geography
Influence of family, friends & neighbors
Social stigma
Media, celebrity
Entertainment
Your job
Your bed

Physical Activity

Day to day activity (non-exercise)
How much exercise
Type of exercise
Workout nutrition
Workout recovery techniques – hydrotherapy, massage, soft tissue therapies
Injuries
Pain

As you can see, there are a lot of factors that influence obesity.

I didn’t even get into all of the bleeding edge obesity research.

The search for an obesity cure never ends. Just today, there were two new obesity discoveries (here and here). Tomorrow, there will probably be two more.

But for now, I think we have enough on our plate.

BTW, feel free to critique or add to the list.

If you like what you see here, click here for updates

Hormones, Problem Areas and Your Body-Fat Map – Part 2

DR — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 00:26:24 +0000

In yesterday’s post, I introduced you to the idea that your hormones are responsible for your personal fat-distribution patterns.

For example, women with an excessive percentage of fat on the back of their arms are likely to have elevated insulin levels or low DHEA levels.

Men unlucky enough to be lugging around a generous set of man-boobs are likely to have high levels of estrogen (often combined with high insulin and low testosterone)

So, as a public service to all of my man-boobed brothers out there, we are going to take a look at how to get those hormones back in balance.

(For this post, I will be using a variety of reference sources. Most of the sources are pretty dry and technical, but one that I can heartily recommend to y’all is The Hormone Diet by Dr. Natasha Turner (Canada). It is a great reference that is easy to read and understand. I will be doing a more detailed book review about this book in the coming weeks.)

High Insulin

Causes

Eating too much over-processed, nutrient deficient carbohydrates – fast food, frozen dinners, pop, fruit drinks, sugary foods, processed diet foods…you know. Crap.
Eating too little protein – real protein, not processed McNugget protein
Eating too little fat – real fat, not trans-fat
Not enough fiber in your diet - no need for supplements, you should get enough protein from fruit & veg
Unmanaged high levels of chronic stress
Not enough exercise
Excessive exercise to the point of muscle wasting
Steroid based medications
Poor liver function
Environmental toxins
Poor sleep patterns
Aging – sorry about that one

Solutions

Diet – Sugar/Insulin control diet – Paleo/Atkins/Medierranean
Botanical – Cinnamon, Chromium – talk to your naturopath
Increase consumption of fiber
Increase consumption of fish oils
Weight loss
Exercise
Reduce exposure to toxins & improve liver function – talk to your naturopath
Sleep
Get your hormone levels checked

High Testosterone

While not very common in men, it affects about 10% of women

Causes

Increased production by the adrenal glands
Polycystic ovaries caused by Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome
Low Estrogen. Estrogen is a potent inhibitor of testosterone production, so anything that decreases estrogen levels beyond the norm is going to increase the testosterone to estrogen balance

Solutions

Stress management = lowered cortisol = reduction in adrenal production
Insulin control diet – Paleo/Atkins/Mediterranean
Pharmaceutical – Troglitazone and Metformin – talk to your doctor
Botanical – Saw Palmetto – talk to your naturopath
Estrogen replacement – bio-identical or conventional – talk to your doctor
Get your hormone levels checked

Low Testosterone

Causes

Aging
Damage to the testicles
Radiation
Testicular or Pituitary tumors
Serious viral infections
Vasectomy
Various genetic conditions – Klinefelter’s, Kallmann’s, Prader-Willi syndromes and Myotonic Dystrophy

In addition to these causes, there are a variety of lifestyle causes. These include:

Obesity…it’s a vicious circle – low test causes obesity and obesity causes lowered test…sorry
Exposure to pesticides
Exposure to hormones used in factory farm meat and poultry production. These hormones act like Estrogen in your body, and…
Estrogen is a potent inhibitor of testosterone production, so anything that increases estrogen levels beyond the norm is going to negatively impact testosterone production
Phthalates (found in soap, cosmetics and plastics) are another estrogen like compound that suppresses testosterone.
Alcohol…especially beer
Temperature – boxers v.s briefs
Sleep apnea
Narcotics

Solutions

Female

Diet – Dump your low-fat diet and increase your healthy fats
Botanical – Tribulus – talk to your naturopath
High Intensity exercise
Get your hormone levels checked

Male

Diet – Dump your low-fat diet and increase your healthy fats
Botanical – Tribulus – talk to your naturopath
Pharmaceutical – Aromatase blockers and/or testosterone, anabolic steroids – talk to your doctor and/or your lawyer…see Manny Ramierez
High Intensity exercise
Get your hormone levels checked

High Estrogen or Estrogen Dominance

Causes

Pregnancy & menstrual cycle fluctuations
Unmanaged high levels of chronic stress
Obesity – obesity causes high estrogen which causes obesity…
Poor diet – processed foods, a high fat diet, a high sugar diet, excessive caffeine, low levels of magnesium and B6
Birth control pill
Exposure to hormones used in factory farm meat and poultry production. These hormones act like Estrogen in your body, and…
Phthalates and other xenoestrogens (found in soap, cosmetics and plastics)
Low testosterone
Impaired liver function
Poor digestion
Alcohol
Lack of exercise
Lack of sleep

Solutions

Stress management
Improve your diet – Paleo/Atkins/Mediterranean/increase your fiber
Reduce your exposure to hormones and xenoestrogens
Improve liver function – talk to your naturopath
Get more sleep
Exercise more
Pharmaceutical – Testosterone – talk to your doctor
Get your hormone levels checked

Low Estrogen

Causes

Aging – Menopause
Premature failure of the ovaries
Surgical menopause
Unmanaged high levels of stress
Smoking
Low-fat diets
Extremely low body-fat

Solutions

Female

Estrogen replacement – bio-identical or conventional – talk to your doctor
Get your hormone levels checked

High Cortisol

We all have stress in our lives. The problems begin when we can’t handle the stresses that are thrown our way. That is when stress starts negatively impacting our health. Chronic elevated levels of corisol is just one symptom of that impact.

Causes

Unmanaged high levels of chronic stress

Solutions

Stress management – meditation, breathing techniques, psychiatry, psychotherapy, mindfulness practice, biofeedback + a million more techniques available on late-night infomercials and the inter-web.
Insulin control diet – Paleo/Atkins/Mediterranean
Reduce intake of stimulants
Supplements – Multi-Vitamin/Mineral, magnesium, B5, B6, Phosphatidylserine, adaptogens such as ginseng – talk to your naturopath.
Get your hormone levels checked

Low Growth Hormone

Causes

Aging
Lack of sleep
Lack of exercise
Eating before bed
Sleeping with lights on

Solutions

Don’t eat before bed
Sleep in the dark
High Intensity exercise – low intensity (ie cardio) has little effect
Intermittent fasting
Supplements – GHB and the Amino Acids Arginine, Lysine and Ornithine – talk to your doctor/naturopath
Get your hormone levels checked

Low DHEA

Causes

Aging
Unmanaged high levels of chronic stress

Solutions

DHEA supplements – talk to your naturopath
Stress management – meditation, breathing techniques, psychiatry, psychotherapy, mindfulness practice, biofeedback + a million more techniques available on late-night infomercials and the inter-web.
Insulin control diet – Paleo/Atkins/Mediterranean
Reduce intake of stimulants
Supplements – Multi-Vitamin/Mineral, magnesium, B5, B6, Phosphatidylserine, adaptogens such as ginseng – talk to your naturopath.
Get your hormone levels checked

Low Progesterone

Causes

Lack of ovulation
Unmanaged high levels of chronic stress
Low levels of luteinizing hormone
Hypothyroidism
Excess prolaction

Solutions

Progesterone cream – talk to your doctor/naturopath
Stress management – meditation, breathing techniques, psychiatry, psychotherapy, mindfulness practice, biofeedback + a million more techniques available on late-night infomercials and the inter-web.
Get your hormone levels checked

Note

I am not a doctor, nor do I pretend to be one on tv. So, if you think something is out of whack with your hormones, go and get them checked. That doesn’t mean that you have to take the drugs that your doctor is probably going to push on you. But, at least you will have the info to make your best decision.

If anyone has any questions, feel free to shoot them my way. If I don’t feel confident about my ability to answer it, I will try and convince an “expert” to weigh in.

Hormones, Problem Areas and Your Body-Fat Map

DR — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 18:34:33 +0000

We all have problem areas.

No matter how healthy you eat or how hard you exercise, certain spots on your body do not want to give up their fat.

It could be your granny-arm triceps or your love handles or that darned muffin-top.

But, no matter where your problem area is, I can tell you why you have it.

It’s HORMONES

Different hormones for different areas.

And that’s a good thing. Because at least that points us in the right direction and allows us to devise a fat-loss plan tailored to your specific problem area.

So, as a public service, I have put together these 2 Body-Fat Maps to help you determine your own particular hormonal imbalance.

Ladies first…

pdf version

Now the guys…

pdf version

So, now you know what your problem area says about your hormone balance.

What’s next?

How do you fix the problem?

Stay tuned…That’s tomorrow’s post

If you like what you see here, click here for updates

PEDF: The link between Obesity and Type 2 Diabetes?

DR — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 18:23:04 +0000

Stereoscopic model of PEDF

Link between obesity and diabetes discovered

Researchers at Monash University (led by Associate Professor Matthew Watt), have discovered that fat cells release a novel protein called PEDF (pigment epithelium-derived factor), which triggers a chain of events and interactions that lead to development of Type 2 diabetes.

According to Dr. Watt:

When PEDF is released into the bloodstream, it causes the muscle and liver to become desensitized to insulin. The pancreas then produces more insulin to counteract these negative effects

This insulin release causes the pancreas to become overworked, eventually slowing or stopping insulin release from the pancreas, leading to Type 2 diabetes.

It appears that the more fat tissue a person has the less sensitive they become to insulin. Therefore a greater amount of insulin is required to maintain the body’s regulation of blood-glucose.

Our research was able to show that increasing PEDF not only causes Type 2 diabetes like complications but that blocking PEDF reverses these effects.

In fact, after blocking the secretion of PEDF in test subjects, the body was able to return to being insulin-sensitive and therefore did not need excess insulin to remain regulated.

This research may be a significant breakthrough in explaining the reasons why obesity triggers the onset of Type 2 Diabetes.

Until now scientists knew there was a very clear pattern and had strong suspicions that a link existed between the two conditions, but our understanding of the chain of events that are caused by the release of PEDF shows a causal link, Dr. Watt said.

Type 2 diabetes patients will benefit knowing the two conditions are linked.

We already know that weight-loss generally improves the management of blood glucose levels in diabetes patients.

Researchers can now move forward knowing this link exists and can begin to design new drugs to improve the treatment of Type 2 diabetes….

…or perhaps, instead of looking for a cure for this completely preventable lifestyle disease, we could throw some cash at health promotion and/or disease prevention.

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Reference

The Atkins Diet for Vegans

DR — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 15:04:23 +0000

Quick…What comes to mind when I say… Atkins Diet?

Steak?
Bacon?
Ribs?

How about textured vegetable protein?

Or, smoothies made from vegan protein powder?

Well, according to this research, test subjects who followed a “low-carbohydrate (26% of total calories),high–vegetable protein (31% from gluten, soy, nuts, fruit,vegetables, and cereals), and vegetable oil (43%) plant-baseddiet” for 4 weeks, saw improvements in blood cholesterol levels and other heart disease risk factors…including weight loss.

In comparison, the control diet (a high-carbohydrate lacto-ovo vegetarian diet (58%carbohydrate, 16% protein, and 25% fat)), produced improvements in weight loss but little change in the other heart disease risk factors.

Conclusion

A Vegan-Atkins diet is superior to a high carb, Lacto-Ovo, low-fat dairy, whole grain diet.

Question

Is a Vegan-Atkins diet superior to:

a traditional “Fred Flintstone” Atkins diet?
or a Paleo style diet based on animal protein, fruits & vegetables?
or a Mediterranean style diet?

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Related Posts

Reference

Study abstract