Category: Nutrition

Women, Cola and Bone Loss

from www.webmd.com

Katherine L. Tucker and colleagues of Tufts University in Boston found that women who drank cola daily had lower bone mineral density; this can lead to osteoporosis. Women who suffer from osteoporosis run a high risk of hip fractures which may lead to disabilities. It is not uncommon for there to be complications from the hip fractures which can result in death.

The type of cola, regular, diet or caffeine-free did not appear to make a difference.

There were 1413 women and 1125 men that participated in the study; the men did not show the same loss of bone mineral density as the women. 

Disease is 30% genetics and 70% lifestyle 

Reowned Chef Michel Nischan

Chef Michel Nischan famous for creating cuisine that both excites your taste buds and creates a state of well being.

After his son was diagnosed with juvenile diabetes at age five the connection between the food you eat and your state of health became more than a passing interest. Michel’s passion for creating meals using organic ingredients rather than processed foods caught the attention of such people as Neil Newman and Oprah Winfrey.

Michel worked with Neil Newman, Paul Newman’s daughter, to creat the organic division of Newman’s Own Products. He is now opening his own restaurant, The Dressing Room, in connection with Newman’s Own.

Visit www.michelnischan.com  

Do you have high blood pressure? Use DASH

From Harvard Health Publications: www.health.harvard.edu

A landmark study has shown you can eat your way to better blood pressure by using the DASH diet approach. DASH is the abbreviation for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension.

The DASH diet emphasizes fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy products, whole grains, poultry, fish and nuts.   

Will eating fish cause cancer or prevent it?

This ia a question asked in the latest issue of Consumer Reports on Health. Their answer; “Consuming fish probably helps more than it hurts”. Providing you do not consume on a regular basis the varities that are at a high risk for contamination.

It is well known that the fatty acids in fish help to protect your heart; these same fatty acids are proving to be beneficial in protecting you from breast cancer, endometrium, kidneys, ovaries, prostrate and colon. Fish is also a good source of vitamin D and selenium, both are cancer fighting nutrients. Consumer Reports state that a European study of about 500,000 people support these findings but did not report any statistics on the study.

Fish you should eat twice a week:

Striped bass, Wild Alaskan Salmon, herring, sardines, anchovies, mackerel and Alaskan halibut.

Fish to avoid or eat only occasionally:

Farm-raised salmon or wild-caught fatty freshwater fish such as carp, catfish, bass and trout.

Fish that may have high levels of mercury:

King mackeral, shark, swordfish, tilefish and to a lesser extent, tuna steaks and canned white tuna.

Antioxidants

From Fitness magazine:

Oslo is Norways oldest university and has four Nobel prize winners in research. Researchers from Oslo tested 1,113 common foods to determend which foods have the highest concentration of antioxidants.

This is a list of the top 10 foods starting with #1:

1. Blackberries
2. Walnuts
3.Strawberries
4. Artichoke hearts
5. Cranberries
6. Brewed coffee
7. Raspberries
8. Pecans
9. Blueberries
10. Ground cloves

Antioxidants from food have proven to be beneficial in the prevention of diseases like heart disease and cancer.

Rudi's Organic Bakery

Finding bread without high fructose corn syrup or partially hydrogenated vegetable oil (trans-fats) can be compared to searching for a needle in a hay stack; after a long search I found a bread without either ingredient.

Honey Sweet Whole Wheat Bread

produced by Rudi’s Organic Bakery

Rudi’s uses all organic ingredients, has no trans-fats, and is sweeten with cane juice, honey, and molasses; a much better choice than high fructose corn syrup. Another plus is that each slice of bread contains three grams of fiber, that is a great source of fiber.

Why not use High Fructose Corn Syrup?

A little sugar for most of you is not a bad thing, HFCS may be another story. This sweetener is used in most commercially produced foods because it is cheap and extends the shelf life of most foods.

High fructose corn syrup is made through a complicated chemical process using cornstarch. Your body, not clear on just how it should metabolize this substance, sends HFCS straight to your liver. After it enters your liver HFCS behaves more like a fat than glucose.

Researchers from Harvard Medical School and around the world have discovered links between heart disease, diabetes, and even possibly liver problems and the high consumption of high fructose corn syrup.

A study done with 50,000 U.S. nurses found those drinking one soda or fruit punch a day gained weight. The nurses drinking more than one a day increased their risk of developing diabetes by 80%.

In men, not women, HFCS increases triglycerides, blood fats that increase the risk of heart disease.

Would you like some melted Tupperware on your toast?

This is the question most often asked when comparing margarine to butter. Margarine was originally created to fatten up turkeys, just one major problem, it killed the turkeys. As you might imagine those who had money invested in this adventure were a little upset over the money they lost. The color yellow was added, a few different flavors and now margarine is the butter of choice in many homes.

It is true that margarine has 5 grams of saturated fat compared to 8 grams for the same amount of butter. The problem is that margarine is high in trans-fats; one of the leading causes of coronary heart disease.

If you are buying margarine check the list of ingredients, if you see partially hydrogenated vegetable oil, consider the following:

Compared to eating the same amount of butter

• Margarine and butter have the same amount of calories
• Margarine can increase heart disease in women by 53%
• Any nutritional value in margarine has to be added, butter has many
• Lowers the quality of breast milk
• Decreases your body’s immune response
• Decreases your body’s insulin response

The fact that I find not only surprising but frighten, there is only one molecule difference between the margarine you spread on your toast and the container it comes in. There are some new and improved margarines appearing in your grocery stores now, but please, before you take one home check the list of ingredients. 

Beware of Your Morning Cereal

I’m a terribly slow shopper. It’s not unusual for me to spend an hour just picking up a loaf of bread and a gallon of milk. It’s not that I have a thing for grocery stores but because I constantly read labels.

Every week there’s another food product that claims to help you achieve perfect health. The latest on the ever-growing list of healthy foods is cereal. Just take a stroll down the cereal aisle and you’ll notice the words “whole grain” are impossible to miss even if you’re not looking for a whole grain cereal.

It’s true that “whole grain” is an important part of a healthy diet: other ingredients such as corn syrup, corn starch, hydrogenated vegetable and palm oils negate any health benefits whole grains may add.

Beware of the wolf in sheep’s clothing. Cereal producers want you to believe your health is their top priority. Unfortunately, the ingredients in their products say otherwise. This is why it’s crucial to always read the list of ingredients on food containers.

60% of our population is overweight, 30% of these are considered obese. If that is not enough to make you set up and pay attention consider this. In the United States there are approximately one million teens with high blood pressure, high blood-sugar, and other conditions that put them at high risk of coronary disease and diabetes; at one time considered adult onset diseases.

Am I suggesting that if you eliminate cereals from your diet this will improve your health? No; the right cereals can be a very important part of a healthy diet. What I am saying is that ingredients such as corn syrup, corn startch, hydrogenated vegetable and palm oil oil can sabotage an otherwise healthy eating plan.

The next time you do your grocery shopping, take some time to read the fine print on your food containers.

Fats: Are They All Bad?

I have heard it said a piece of pie can not be sliced so thin that there are not two sides. There are many who would have you believe that any fat you consume is going to lead to obesity or possibly death.

It is true that there are certain fats you need to avoid such as hydrogenated and saturated fats. Hydrogenated fats are the healthy oils that manufactures have managed to change into trans-fatty acids, and saturated fats are found mainly in animal and dairy products. The exceptions are palm and palm kernel oils which are found in plants. Including these fats in your diet on a regular basis may lead to some health problems.

If these are the fats you should avoid, then what are the fats you should include in your diet? Many of you may be happy to find out that a piece of good quality dark chocolate occasionally is a good thing. The fat in chocolate is not particularly good or bad for you, but will boost your immune system. However, this does not give you a license to run out and buy all the candy bars in your local store.

I am sure that it comes as no great surprise that fish, especially salmon and albacore tuna are a great source of fat. At one time nuts, seeds, and avocados were thought of as taboos, but consider putting them back in your diet. Science is starting to rediscover what ancient civilizations knew: olive oil is tasty as well as healthy. History records that at one time olive oil was thought of as so important that it was used as currency.

Eliminating fat from your diet can be just as detrimental to your health as eating the wrong kind of fat. Fat supplies energy and essential fatty-acids, provides insulation and protection for the body, and aids absorption of the fat-soluble vitamins. Have you cut the fat out of your diet and wondered why you are not losing weight? When the fat is too low in your diet the body goes into survival mode and stores every ounce of fat. You will lose muscle and water but not fat.

With any of the foods that Mother Nature created with fat soluble vitamins she also added a small amount of fat. Why is it that we think we are smarter than Mother Nature?

Sugar Free is not an All You Can Eat Buffet

What are sugar alcohols?

Sugar alcohols are found in foods that boast to be sugar free, low carbohydrate, or have no carbohydrates. This is very misleading because sugar alcohols, also known as polyols, are neither sugar nor alcohol and come from plant products such as fruits and berries. It is not a requirement that sugar alcohols are listed in the total carb count, so the actual carb count may be much higher than listed.

For any of you watching your sugar or carbohydrate intake these foods may appear to be heaven sent and eaten in moderation can be beneficial. It is certainly a better choice to eat a candy bar with sugar alcohols than the half gallon of ice cream in your freezer. It is important to remember that even though these foods contain about half the calories and carbohydrates as foods with regular sugar, it still counts in your total intake for the day.

Xylitol is often used in sugarless gums and mints because it will not cause the loss of teeth; it has been proven to actually inhibit the growth of oral bacteria. This will help to keep both you and your dentist smiling.

For companies that commercially produced cakes and cookies the benefits are sugar alcohols provide a sweet flavor, adds texture to foods, and retains moisture.

Sugar alcohols do not change blood glucose levels as dramatically; this is a plus for those of you restricting your sugar intake. Please remember these foods should still be consumed in moderation.

What are some of the cautions?

Because the food can be labeled as sugar free, low carb or no carbs, it is easy to think of it as a free food. If you are anything like me you do not have to be hungry to eat and this leads to eating too much. Even eating small amounts some type 1 diabetics have reported a sugar rush. It has been shown that people eating large amounts have gained weight or in some it stalls the weight loss.

Consuming sugar alcohols in large amounts may cause moderate to severe gas pains, diarrhea, or a combination of the two. For me personally even eating small amounts can cause severe gas pains.

There are some consumer groups and diabetic associations that are putting pressure on the government to make it a legal requirement to include sugar alcohols in the total carb count on product labeling.

Until this happens read the list of ingredients and not just the front of the label. Sugar alcohols are listed as isomalt, hydrogenated starch hydrolysates (HSH) or any ingredient ending in tol. Just as with sugar the names are too many to list them all.