Archive for Nutrition
October 7, 2013 · Filed under Nutrition · Tagged celiac disease, diet, gluten, health, weight loss
The gluten-free diet has become quite popular for those looking to lose weight. But is the diet really all it’s hyped up to be? Sure, it is great for people with celiac disease, but it seems to be a fad for people who are unwilling to lose weight through scientifically proven measures- follow the dietary guidelines, use moderation, and exercise. An article from UW Health titled, “The Reality Behind Gluten-Free Diets” explains a gluten-free diet, celiac disease, and the pitfalls of the diet for those who don’t have a medical need for it. Here’s a good portion of the article (emphasis added):
The Reality Behind Gluten-Free Diet Claims
Two popular claims of a gluten-free diet are weight loss and increased energy, but there may be other reasons why individuals experience those benefits.
Weight Loss
Some claim they experience weight loss once initiating the gluten-free diet. Yes, some individuals may lose weight when beginning the gluten-free diet, but it depends on what foods they use to replace gluten-containing foods. For example, replacing wheat flour with potato starch will not result in weight loss, but replacing white bread with quinoa or another high-fiber grain may.
When beginning the gluten-free diet, individuals may decrease their total intake of processed foods and increase their intake of fruits and vegetables. Any weight loss can be achieved by eliminating high-calorie and high-fat foods, even if they are or are not gluten-free.
Once initiating the gluten-free diet, one must closely pay attention to food labels. It is known that when individuals are more aware of what they are consuming they tend to make healthier options, which can then lead to weight loss.
Sufferers of celiac disease are often thin, which may lead others to think that they are thin from eating gluten-free foods. In reality, they often are thin due to problems with malabsorption associated with the disease.
Increased Energy
Some claim that they experience increased energy levels once adopting the gluten-free diet. An explanation for this claim may be that the individual is consuming more fruits and vegetables, rather than high-calorie and high-fat processed foods. When someone begins consuming a healthy, well-balanced diet they may feel that they have more energy, no matter if they are or are not eliminating gluten. No studies were found showing that eliminating gluten leads to increased energy levels.
The Risks of a Gluten-Free Diet
There are risks involved with following a gluten-free diet; therefore it is not recommended for everyone. Avoiding grains on the gluten-free diet means that you are eating fewer products enriched with nutrients, which may lead to deficiencies in iron, calcium, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, and folate.
Along with fruits and vegetables, the most common sources of dietary fiber are whole-grain breads and cereals, which contain gluten. Many people on gluten-free diets tend to eat inadequate amounts of fiber, which may lead to constipation.
Following a gluten-free diet may potentially cause a decrease in the amount of beneficial bacteria in the gut (Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus), which can negatively impact the immune system.
Another negative aspect regarding the gluten-free diet is cost. Gluten-free products tend to be more expensive than gluten-containing products. Gluten-free products may be lacking in variety or may not be as accessible as gluten-containing products in some grocery stores. Gluten may also be found in cosmetics, lotions, shampoos, and medications.
Adopting the gluten-free diet is not an easy change. It takes time and dedication. You must pay close attention to food labels. If products state that they are “gluten-free”, it means that the manufacturer guarantees that there is no gluten in that food item. If a product does not have a “gluten-free” claim then you must contact the manufacturer directly.
If you have not been diagnosed with celiac disease, it is not recommended that you follow a gluten-free diet. Contact your physician and meet with a Registered Dietitian if you are seeking a healthy and effective weight loss plan. If you suspect that you may have intolerance to gluten or have been diagnosed with celiac disease, contact your physician and meet with a Registered Dietitian to ensure that you are meeting all of your nutrition needs.
February 15, 2013 · Filed under Nutrition · Tagged diet, food, health, weight loss
Consumers are starting to pay more attention to the food they eat. Companies like General Mills have noticed this and have changed advertising strategies to market their products as healthy, when really nothing has changed in the ingredient list. Cereals and bread have big labels that say “wheat” and have brown coloring added to make it look healthier hoping that consumers will interpret the “wheat” label as “whole wheat.” These tactics as well as many others have left shoppers confused about which products are really healthy and which are not. In 2009, Michael Jacobson proposed some new ideas for nutrition labels to make them easier to read. What do you think about the changes?
October 28, 2012 · Filed under Nutrition · Tagged diet, food, heath, weight loss
Juicing has become increasingly popular lately. People have started using it as a meal replacement or as a way to lose weight. However, there are some concerns when it comes to juicing. There is a misconception that it is healthier to use a juicer. Juicing may be beneficial if you rarely eat fruits and vegetables and need a way to get the many vitamins that they provide. But by juicing, you are not getting the fiber that you would get if you actually ate the vegetables. This fiber keeps you full, so you don’t feel the need to be reaching for a snack 30 minutes later. Think about it- you can juice 12 apples and drink it pretty easily. But how full would you be if you sat down and ate those 12 apples? You probably couldn’t eat them all! So, be wise with the use of your juicer. Eat your fruits and vegetables and stay full longer!
September 15, 2012 · Filed under exercise, Lifestyle, Nutrition · Tagged apps, food, health, weigh loss
If you are like over 2/3 of the US population, you are overweight. Why not join the 1/3 of the population who weighs in at a healthy range? Losing weight is hard. Eating right is hard. Exercise is hard. But maybe technology can help. Studies have shown that people who keep a food log tend to eat40% less than individuals who do not keep a food log. 40 percent!!! However, food logs don’t appeal to people because they don’t want to take the time, don’t know what to do with it, and don’t know how it can benefit them. An app called MyFitnessPal can be downloaded on your smart phone to help you keep track of your nutrition and exercise. It keeps track of calories you have consumed, and calories burned through exercise. The best part is that it is FREE! Give it a try. And if you already have, what do you think of it? Have you found anything that works better for you? Let us know!
November 9, 2011 · Filed under Lifestyle, Nutrition · Tagged food, health, weight loss
There are many shortcomings in the USDA’s MyPlate graphic. It gives very general guidelines- most likely to prevent people from being confused or overwhelmed by too much information. It doesn’t address the issue of portion control; just how big is that plate? Along with several other problems, MyPlate doesn’t seem to provide that much guidance when it comes to eating healthily. However, Harvard came out with their own Healthy Eating Plate which is much more helpful. It provides more detail, but it still simple enough to understand. Take a look at what they came up with, and to see the whole article about the Healthy Eating Plate, click here. To see a bigger image of the Healthy Eating Plate, click on the graphic below.
June 5, 2011 · Filed under Nutrition · Tagged food, health, myplate, nutrition, weight loss
As you are probably already aware, the USDA has ditched the old MyPyramid and replaced it with MyPlate. In case you haven’t taken a look at it yet, this was taken from USDA’s website:
| Balancing Calories |
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Enjoy your food, but eat less. |
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Avoid oversized portions. |
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Foods to Increase |
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Make half your plate fruits and vegetables. |
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Make at least half your grains whole grains. |
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Switch to fat-free or low-fat (1%) milk. |
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Foods to Reduce |
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Compare sodium in foods like soup, bread, and frozen meals ― and choose the foods with lower numbers. |
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Drink water instead of sugary drinks. |
February 28, 2011 · Filed under Lifestyle, Nutrition · Tagged diet, health, weight loss
Recently I was talking to someone about being a vegetarian and they mentioned the Eat Right for your Type diet. It suggests that your blood type determines what you should and should not eat to be healthy. For example, type A individuals should be vegetarian while types O and B should eat meat daily. When confronted about the fact that high consumption of animal-based foods lead to an increase in cancer, heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, kidney disease, obesity, and colon disease, the author of the book stated that only type A’s do well on vegetarian diets. However, the Red Cross says that the US population is about 39% type A, 46% type O, 11% type B, and 4% type AB. Based off these numbers, it would be impossible for the research that has shown such great benefits that come from eating a pant based diet to come from just those individuals who have type A blood, since they are a minority. In addition to this, in the book Eat Right For Your Type, there are no footnotes to verify his claims, nor has the author (Peter D’Adamo) ever published any research that could support his theory in any credible medical or scientific journals.
This diet is just one of many that lack a scientific basis and fool individuals who are hoping to lose weight and become healthier. Other diets that claim to be based in science include the Atkins Diet, Beverly Hills Diet, and Barry Sear’s The Zone. These diets seem to appeal to people because they promise quick results with little effort. A perfect example of this is the HCG diet. Many people have lost weight on this diet, but it is only temporary. A major downfall of each of these diets is that it is not sustainable. Does it make more sense to take HCG and eat less than 1,000 calories the rest of your life or to exercise and make diet modifications which include more whole foods and less trans fat, cholesterol, and sugar?
February 14, 2011 · Filed under Cancer, Lifestyle, Nutrition · Tagged cancer, health, meat, vegetables
In 1987, Breast Cancer Awareness Month which is held in October was started by Imperial Chemical Industries- a parent company to Zeneca Pharmaceuticals, now AstraZeneca. This has been a controversial issue for years since they sell Tamoxifen- a drug used to prevent breast cancer, but has been shown to cause endometrial cancers, blood clots, and strokes in some individuals. Their trademark slogan, “Early Detection is Your Best Prevention” seems to make sense to some people. However, this is a secondary prevention- since in order for it to be detected, the cancer has to be there already. I am grateful for the National Breast Cancer Awareness Month and their resources that are available to cancer patients and their families. However, I think that primary prevention steps need to be taken reduce cancer morbidity.
So…. what are those primary prevention steps? One of them is eating a healthy diet. A major international report titled Food, Nutrition, and the Prevention of Cancer: A Global Perspective found that 60 to 70 percent of ALL cancers can be prevented by staying physically active, not smoking, and “choosing predominantly plant-based diets rich in a variety of vegetables and fruits, legumes, and minimally processed starchy staple foods.” The report reviewed over 200 studies on the link between fruits and vegetables and cancer. They found that 78% of the studies showed that fruits and veggies had a protective effect against cancer, while 22% showed no significant link, and no studies showed an increase in cancer.
The British Medical Journal stated: “What is remarkable about the diet-cancer story is the consistency with which certain foods emerge as important in reducing risk across the range of cancers. Millions of cancer cases could b e prevented each year if more individuals adopted diets low in meat and high in fruits and vegetables.”
January 31, 2011 · Filed under Cardiovascular Disease, Lifestyle, Nutrition · Tagged cholesterol, health, heart disease, vegan, vegetarian
I want to start off by saying that I am not against meat eaters. If a person wants to eat meat, they have a right to eat all the steak they want. However, I do believe that there are health benefits that come from not eating meat. This post, and this blog in general, is designed to present facts relating to heath so that you will have the information needed to make informed health decisions. With that said, I have been reading about the meat industry and couldn’t help but see similarities between their tactics to promote their product and the tobacco industry’s strategies to sell theirs. First and foremost, both industries pour billions of dollars into the promotion of their products. Marketing companies are hired to advertise their product and ensure that they are portrayed in a positive light. Deception is often at the center of these marketing strategies. Additionally, huge amounts of money are spent to provide free educational materials to schools, public service announcements, and press releases. These are all used so that you think that they are doing a service for you and the rest of the community. Really, they are attempting to divert the attention away from the fact that their product may not be beneficial to your health. Discrepancies are common between what individuals in the meat industry claim and what is proven scientifically. Sam Abramson, the CEO of Springfield Meats stated, “Who says meat is high in saturated fat? This politically correct nutrition campaign is just another example of the diet dictocrats trying to run our lives.” On the other hand, Marion Nestle, the chair of the nutrition department of New York University said, “Meat contributes an extraordinarily significant percentage of saturated fat in the American diet.” First, it is interesting that the meat industry would say that “diet dictocrats” are trying to “run our lives” when in reality, they were reacting simply to the release of facts to the public. An educated population does not need anyone to run their lives for them, since they can make better choices with the information they are given. Second, saturated fat and cholesterol (which is also found in meat) contributes greatly to atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease.
A program developed by Dr. Dean Ornish helps patients reverse heart disease. His program is comprised of 5 main parts:
- A very low-fat, whole foods, vegetarian diet
- Half an hour a day of walking or other exercise
- Half an hour a day of stretching, meditation, relaxation, stress reduction, ect..
- Psychological and emotional support groups
- No smoking
While you don’t have to be vegetarian in order to improve your health and decrease your risk for heart disease, you will receive greater health benefits as you limit the amount of meat (red meat especially) that you consume. It may be wise to think of fish as a good alternative or small amounts of white meat. Here are a few numbers to think about:
- Average cholesterol level in the US: 210
- Average cholesterol level of US vegetarians: 161
- Average cholesterol level of US vegans: 133
From William Castelli, M.D., director of the Framingham Health Study, the longest-running study of diet and heart disease in medical history: “Vegetarians have the best diet; they have the lowest rates of coronary heat disease of any group in the country.”
January 21, 2011 · Filed under Lifestyle, Nutrition · Tagged diet, health, nutrition
A major complaint among individuals attempting to eat healthier, and an excuse for those just don’t want to, is that healthy foods are simply too expensive. However, according to an article in the New York Times, Wal-Mart is hoping to make changes that will make healthy foods cheaper and more accessible. These changes will take place over the next 5 years and will largely focus on Wal-Mart’s house brand, Great Value. Included in this plan is to “sets specific targets for lowering sodium, trans fats and added sugars in a broad array of foods — including rice, soups, canned beans, salad dressings and snacks like potato chips.” Wal-Mart also hopes to get other companies, such as Kraft, to lower the non-nutritional content in their products. Additionally, prices will be cut in the produce department. While this will decrease Wal-Mart’s profits short term, they hope to make up for it through increases in sales volume. While Wal-Mart sells more groceries than any other company in the United States, nutrition experts expect that this may have a huge impact on the availability of inexpensive, healthy foods and benefit the health of American families.
January 6, 2011 · Filed under Autoimmune diseases, Nutrition · Tagged chronic disease, health, nutrition, pigs, pork
Unless you have eaten another human then technically no, you are not a cannibal. However, as I was reading the book I mentioned in the previous post, I found that pigs are 84% genetically identical to humans. This is why we use pigs for insulin, surgery practice, and recently even some organ (lung and kidney) transplants. Dr. Buttar suggests that when we eat pork products our body begins to reject the meat because it is too similar to self-digestion. This leads to a higher risk of autoimmune and other chronic diseases. What do you think?
January 5, 2011 · Filed under Cardiovascular Disease, Nutrition · Tagged diet, meat, nutrition, the 9 steps to keep the doctor away, the china study, toxins
I recently started reading Dr. Rashid Buttar’s book, The 9 Stpes to Keep the Doctor Away. While there are some things that I disagree with, like his allusion to vaccination-caused autism (which to the best of my knowledge there still is no conclusive evidence that any vaccinations cause autism), he makes some very interesting and valid points. One of his nine steps involves the principle of nutrition. I will talk about this more in later posts but one of his main claims is that we put an inordinate amount of toxins in our bodies, primarily through what we eat. He briefly describes the cattle-raising process. While we like to think of the beef we eat coming from cows grazing in a wide, open field, reality is much different. They are actually raised in factory farms and are confined in small areas. This prevents them from getting exercise, which would increase their muscle mass which means tougher meat. Since they are so jam packed, they are given antibiotics to prevent the spread of diseases among the cattle. They are also fed steroids and hormones to get them to grow at an accelerated rate.
All of these things eventually end up in our food, and thus, in our bodies. The antibiotics “sterilize our GI tracts by killing all the good probiotic bacteria and end up depressing our immune system while allowing for unrestricted growth of disease-causing dysbiotic bacteria, viruses, and yeast.” Additionally, the steroids and hormones from the beef disrupt our bodies hormones which over time causes chronic diseases such as heart disease, cancer, and diabetes.
So why eat this meat? While there are some individuals who point out the important nutrients in meat, such as protein and vitamin B, I am reminded of The China Study by T. Colin Campbell. I have mentioned this before but he said that there are no nutrients found in meat that cannot be better provided by plant-based foods. I am not saying that meat should never be eaten (although I personally think vegetarianism is a great option) but if you eat meat, it may be wise to limit your consumption to grass-fed meats.
January 2, 2011 · Filed under Cardiovascular Disease, Nutrition · Tagged diet, fat, health, low fat, nutrition
While none of us want to be fat, there are some kinds of fat that can be beneficial to your health. The trick is knowing which fats you want. According to HelpGuide.org there are a few myths about fat that should be addressed. First, eating a low-fat diet is NOT the best way to curb obesity. Obesity rates among Americans has doubled in the past 20 years, the same amount of time that “low-fat revolution” has taken place. The article also says, “In the 1960s, Americans ate 45% of their calories from fat – and only 13% of us were obese. Now, while most of us get only about 33% of our calories from fat, 34% of us qualify as obese!” Second, low-fat diets are NOT essential to losing weight. Instead of eating fats, many people turn to foods with easily digested carbohydrates, or to fat-free products that replace healthful fats with sugar and high-calorie, refined carbohydrates. The article also states that “The 2006 Women’s Health Initiative Dietary Modification Trial showed that women on low-fat diets didn’t lose any more weight than women who followed their usual diets.”
So…. Do you want fat? Here are two kinds that you’ll want- monounsaturated fat and polyunsaturated fat. Monounsaturated fat are liquid at room temperature and can be found in foods such as avocados, pecans, almonds, hazelnuts, olive oil, peanut oil, and seeds like pumpkin and sesame seeds. Polyunsaturated fats are also liquid at room temperature and can be found in sunflower, corn, flax seeds, walnuts, and fish.
Stay away from saturated and trans fats. They are usually found in animal products such as red meat and whole milk dairy products. Trans fats are the worst for you and they are found in vegetable shortenings, crackers, candies, baked or fried goods, and many other processed foods that are made with partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. These fats can increase your low-density lipoprotein (LDL) which is bad cholesterol, and decrease your high-density lipoprotein (HDL) which is good cholesterol. This can greatly increase your risk of developing heart disease as well as many other chronic diseases.
Stay away
January 1, 2011 · Filed under Nutrition · Tagged diet, health, nutrition, weight loss, whole grain
In an earlier post I talked about the benefits that come from eating whole grains. However, it can sometimes be difficult to incorporate more whole grains in your diet. Here are a few ideas to help:
1- have a slice of whole grain bread instead of white bread
2- Eat a bowl of whole grain breakfast cereal in the morning
3- In recipes you usually use for things such as pancakes, muffins, and breads, substitute half of the white flour for whole wheat flour
4- Add brown rice or barley to vegetable soups
5- Eat popcorn as a snack instead of chips.
February 10, 2010 · Filed under Lifestyle, Nutrition · Tagged china study, chronic disease, health, nutrition, weight loss
Recently I read a book called The China Study written by Dr. T. Colin Campbell. He is a nutrition and health researcher who studies the connection between lifestyle, nutrition and chronic diseases such as diabetes, cancer, and heart disease. Based on research he has conducted in China and Taiwan, he says, ” People who ate the most animal-based foods got the most chronic disease … People who ate the most plant-based foods were the healthiest and tended to avoid chronic disease. These results could not be ignored”.
A follow-up study called The China Study II, was conducted to determine if a shift toward a western diet would bring about western-type diseases. An article written about this study says, “Both surveys afford an opportunity to investigate the effect of dietary change from the typical plant-based diet of rural China to a Western-style diet that includes more animal-based foods, as consumed in urban China and in Taiwan. ‘Even small increases in the consumption of animal-based foods was associated with increased disease risk'”.
So, does this mean you have to be vegan in order to stay healthy? No, but here are 8 Nutritional Principles that Campbell included in his book.
- Eat whole foods
- Don’t rely on vitamin supplements. Get your nutrients from healthy foods
- There are no nutrient in animal-based foods that are not better provided by plants
- Genes don’t determine disease on their own
- Nutrition can substantially control adverse effects of noxious chemicals
- Good nutrition can prevent and even reverse some diseases
- Nutrition that is beneficial for one chronic disease will support an individual’s overall health
- Nutrition creates good health in all areas of our existence
January 30, 2010 · Filed under Nutrition
Are you among the 87% of Americans who eat less than 1 serving of whole grain per day? If so, you should know this:
According to Aldana, “Eating whole grains provides a level of disease protection that is no longer available once the grain has been refined.” Whole grains have many benefits and can help protect against some chronic diseases. For example, for every 10 grams of fiber you eat per day, your risk of heart attack decreases 14%. Studies have also shown that whole grain consumption can reduce the risk of colon, pancreas, stomach, small intestinal, and other cancers.
On the other hand, refined flour can have negative effects. It reaches the bloodstream faster and can cause a quick increase of insulin. Over time, this can increase risk of diabetes. Additionally, refined grains no longer contain phytochemicals because most of them are found in the bran and germ, both of which are removed in the refining process.
Here are some benefits of eating whole grains
- They absorb water and make stool softer
- They change acidity in the colon which prompts the body to produce immune fight cells- so they help you avoid infection
- They change the amount of insulin your body produces. Energy enters the bloodstream more slowly which keeps blood sugar from wide fluctuations
According to the Whole Grain Council, in regard to chronic diseases, whole grains also:
- reduce stroke risk 30-36%
- reduce type 2 diabetes risk 21-30%
- reduce heart disease risk 25-28%
- help with weight management
While making the change from white flour to whole grains can be tough, it is well worth it. The current recommendation is that at least 1/2 of the bread/cereal servings you eat per day should be whole grain.
Lastly, be aware that sometimes caramel coloring is added to “white bread” to make it look like whole grain bread. Make sure you read the ingredients label on the back to see if whole wheat is the first ingredient.
January 28, 2010 · Filed under Nutrition
Fruits and veggies are essential in a healthy diet for several reasons. One reason is that they contain phytochemicals. Phytochemicals are able to protect your body from free radicals. Free radicals steal electrons from DNA and can cause mutations and lead to cancer. However, phytochemicals are able to donate an electron without harming itself, thus protecting against any mutations.
One serving of fruits or vegetables can have hundreds of different phytochemicals. Different fruits and vegetables contain different phytochemicals, so it is important to eat a variety of them. Some individuals purchase phytochemical supplements, but phytochemicals do not work by themselves. They need other chemicals to interact with which can’t be done when they are found in pills.
According to an article in the Journal of Nurtition written by R. H. Liu, “Epidemiological studies have consistently shown that regular consumption of fruits and vegetables is strongly associated with reduced risk of developing chronic diseases, such as cancer and cardiovascular disease. It is now widely believed that the actions of the antioxidant nutrients alone do not explain the observed health benefits of diets rich in fruits and vegetables, because taken alone, the individual antioxidants studied in clinical trials do not appear to have consistent preventive effects. Work performed by our group and others has shown that fruits and vegetable phytochemical extracts exhibit strong antioxidant and antiproliferative activities and that the major part of total antioxidant activity is from the combination of phytochemicals. We proposed that the additive and synergistic effects of phytochemicals in fruits and vegetables are responsible for these potent antioxidant and anticancer activities and that the benefit of a diet rich in fruits and vegetables is attributed to the complex mixture of phytochemicals present in whole foods. This explains why no single antioxidant can replace the combination of natural phytochemicals in fruits and vegetables to achieve the health benefits. The evidence suggests that antioxidants or bioactive compounds are best acquired through whole-food consumption, not from expensive dietary supplements.”
To learn more about phytochemicals, click here.
Lifestyle and Chronic Diseases 