BeanDiet

Good Mood News

2009-11-10T15:05:00.000-08:00

Maybe it's the shorter daylight hours and the fact I've just moved to a new city... I don't know about you, but I want to hear good news these days. So forgive me for sharing with you some evidence that avoiding meat (yes, including fish) improves mood. Now, who couldn't benefit from that? And if you do avoid meat and think your mood isn't so hot, just think how bad it could be!

On a personal note, I distinctly remember experiencing a significantly improved memory after removing all animal origin foods (all meat, dairy and eggs) from my diet. I also lost 20 pounds - talk about putting me in a good mood.

Just in (via PCRM.org):

Omnivores who cut all meat out of their diets experience mood improvements, according to a poster session presented this week at the annual American Public Health Association conference. Researchers at Arizona State University divided 39 omnivorous participants into three dietary groups: control (made no changes to diet), fish (consumed three to four servings of fish per week and no other meat), and vegetarian (consumed no meat and no eggs). The vegetarian group experienced mood improvements in both tension and confusion categories, while the meat-eating participants and fish eaters showed no significant changes in mood.

Beezhold BL, Johnston CS, Daigle DR. Restriction of flesh foods in omnivores improves mood: a pilot randomized controlled trial. Poster presented at: American Public Health Association's 137th Annual Meeting and Exposition; November 9, 2009: Philadelphia, PA.

good nutrition news

2009-11-05T03:30:00.000-08:00

I want to apologize to all my dear blog readers for my absence these past several weeks. My family has been in the midst of moving to another city, and today is my first day of "normalacy".

The good news is, there's some good nutrition news.

For example, British Journal of Cancer (2009: 101, 192–197) recently published a study of over 60,000 men and women who were followed for 12 years and observed for cancer diagnoses. They found that on average, vegetarians were 12% less likely to develop cancer verses non-vegetarians. Even though I am not presently a proponent of fish consumption, I need to state that this study found vegetarians who consumed fish were 18% less likely to develop cancer (on average, depending on the type of cancer) than non-vegetarians.

Imagine a diet that significantly lowers your risk of cancer. What good news that is... and why aren't more people consuming this diet?

And now, for good news for preventing diabetes:

A new review (of 12 prior studies) published in the journal Diabetologia (2009;52:2277-2287) found that people who consumed the most red meat had a 21% higher risk of developing diabetes verses those who consumed the least. Those who consumed the most processed meat (bacon, lunch meat, sausage, pepperoni, pastrami, salami, bologna and hot dogs) had a 41% higher risk of developing diabetes verses those who consumed the least.

This is so significant - let's pass this on to our loved ones who are consuming meat and processed meat regularly.

And finally, good news for preventing bone loss:

In a new study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology (2009;170:901-909), intake of soy products reduced the risk of hip factures as much as 36 percent among women who consumed more than the least amount of soy. All intakes above the least amount consumed (for example any amount greater than one-fourth cup tofu per day) averaged a 30 percent protective effect. The study was part of the Singapore Chinese Health Study and looked at more than 63,000 male and female adults.

Other healthy sources of soy products include tempeh (my personal favorite when grilled and in a sandwich), edamame (cooked soybeans from the pod, frequently served in Japanese restaurants but easy to cook at home since they cook in 5 minutes), and miso (found in many Japanese soups - YUM).

I hope this news encourages those of you who are trying to eat healthfully, and inspires those of us who need it.

Fish: Not a Health Food

2009-10-13T17:03:00.001-07:00

While the media touts fish as a health food, I've been preaching otherwise for some time now. Besides the Omega-3 fatty acids found in most fish, there's really no benefit to eating it, although there are plenty of hazards: mercury, PCB's (Polychlorinated Biphenals), cholesterol content (the same as red meat), homocysteine levels, Heterocyclic Amines, and of course, fish has no fiber.

The one beneficial compound in fish - Omega 3's - are found throughout plant foods such as nuts, flaxseed and other seeds, legumes, whole grains and fatty fruit like avocados.

But wait, just in case you still weren't convinced, there's a new study published online in the European Journal of Heart Failure (2009;11:922-928) that contradicts the belief that fish prevents heart disease. Researchers studied over 5,000 men and women (who lived in the Netherlands) for over 11 years and compared episodes of heart failure between those who consumed the most fish and those consumed the least. Guess what? They found NO DIFFERENCE. In fact, in their own words, the author of the study concluded: "Our findings do not support a major role for fish intake in the prevention of heart failure."

Wow. Hope this makes headlines too.

Nitrates and Disease

2009-10-06T17:39:00.001-07:00

My goodness, I'm so glad I chose nutrition as my profession - it never gets boring!

Today's news: nitrates (and nitrites) in food are worse than previously thought. A recent study at Brown University found that dietary nitrates are strong predictors of chronic disease such as Type II diabetes, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. The study was published in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease (Volume 17:3 July 2009). Nitrates are also known carcinogens, most linked to childhood cancers - if that weren't bad enough.

Where do nitrates come from? Processed meats such as lunch meat (bologna, salami, pastrami), sausage, pepperoni, bacon, ham, and of course, America's favorite: hot dogs. Nitrates are also found to some degree in cheese and beer, although I believe they're most heavily concentrated in processed meats. Also, as nitrogen-based fertilizer use increases, nitrates are showing up at higher levels in all kinds of food (one more reason to buy organic - no chemical fertilizer with added nitrates).

So why are these food preservatives SO bad? For one they decrease oxygen circulation in our blood - which explains the link to Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. When oxygen rates to the brain decrease, brain cells die quickly and permanently. Nitrites actually bind with hemoglobin proteins in red blood cells, preventing the cells from carrying oxygen, which leads to premature cell death throughout the body.

Nitrates and nitrites from food also form compounds in our body called nitrosamines. Nitrosamines are the actual carcinogens that are notorious for causing cancer. They act similarly to free radicals by mutating cell DNA - which is never a good thing.

The good news is foods naturally rich in vitamin C such as fruit and vegetables (especially locally grown, fresh and organic produce, which naturally contain or retain more vitamin C) help prevent the formation of nitrosamines from nitrates. So this is just one more mechanism that fruit and veggie consumption prevents cancer.

So let's all stay away from nitrates and nitrites by eating less (or no) processed meat and more fresh & organic produce. And for you who already do, let this encourage you - you are healthier than you know!

in person

2009-09-28T17:45:00.000-07:00

I am excited to announce some upcoming seminars in Sacramento, please come and join the fun!

** Sunday, October 4th at 2pm I will be giving a free seminar at Whole Foods on "How to Prevent and Reverse Diabetes and Lose Weight in the Process". I know space in Whole Foods is limited, so please pre-register if you plan on coming. I will be selling and signing my books there.

** Monday, October 5th at 6:30pm Healthy U (in Natomas) is having a speaker come out from Washington D.C. He is the associate director of one of my favorite organizations (Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine), and he will be discussing one of my all-time favorite subjects - that's right - the colon. Dr. Mills' seminar is actually titled "Put Your Colon to Work for You: How it Improves Physiology and Protects Your Health". So true Dr. Mills, thank you for being willing to speak on this subject!

Since Healthy U seminars all include delicious vegan dinners served beforehand, and since it costs $10, space is limited, so please call Charleen at 482-8123 to reserve your space.

** Wednesday, October 7th at 6:30pm I will be giving another free seminar at the Sacramento Natural Foods Co-op on "How to Prevent and Reverse Diabetes and Lose Weight in the Process". Of course my books will be sold there, and of course I will sign them! Please register online for the class online at their website (www.sacfoodcoop.com).

So I hope some to see some of you in the near future. Or perhaps better yet, you have a friend or family member who could benefit from this information!

Of course, you may still buy my book Free to Eat at my website: www.fiber-girl.com. All copies will be signed by yours truly.

Don't Sweat the Small Stuff

2009-09-21T03:30:00.000-07:00

Last week I had an informed reader ask me about naturally occurring substances in vegetables, whole grains and legumes commonly referred to as "anti-nutrients". This reader wanted to know if soaking and/or sprouting grains and legumes was helpful in decreasing said substances. (Common anti-nutrients include tannins, phytates or phytic acid, and oxalates or oxalic acid - although many more exist.) The name "anti-nutrient" is given because these compounds bind with minerals in food - particularly iron, zinc, copper, calcium and magnesium - and thereby lower mineral absorption to some degree.

So I did my research (did I ever!) and here's what I've found. While vegetables, whole grains and legumes do contain these compounds that can lower mineral absorption, they also have powerful antioxidant properties that have proven to lower blood glucose levels in diabetics, lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels, and perhaps most surprisingly: have been found to play a powerful role in preventing cancer cell proliferation. To read a review of studies on that last point, read more here.

Not only that, but when foods containing such "anti-nutrients" are consumed regularly, mineral deficiencies are extremely rare. Case in point: black tea contains high amounts of tannins, yet myriad studies show post-menopausal women who drink tea regularly are less likely to lose bone density than those who do not drink tea. Since zinc, copper, calcium and magnesium are especially play an especially important role in bone density, the results are surprising. (see Am J Clin Nutr 2000 Apr;71(4):1003-7.)

Foods made with soy have received ridiculous amounts of bad press (from bad sources) in regards to anti-nutrients - yet people who consume the most soy, from fermented sources or not, are the least likely to develop mineral deficiencies, as well as chronic disease such as diabetes, heart disease and cancer.

Due to all their benefits, many researchers are starting to call "anti-nutrients" just plain "nutrients". I agree. So keep eating your vegetables, whole grains and legumes. If you choose to lower anti-nutrients (like phytic acid) through soaking, sprouting and fermenting your legumes and grains, that's fine, since you can't entirely eliminate all the anti-nutrients anyway. But if you don't take measures to reduce these compounds, you will derive great benefits too.

******

By the way, thank you everyone who has bought my book these past two weeks! I've heard some great feedback already! This week will be the last week to purchase it without shipping and tax charges. And of course, I will sign each one. Read it and buy it at http://www.fiber-girl.com!

more avocados please

2009-09-09T16:59:00.000-07:00

I went to the farmers market today and bought myself five avocados for $7.00. I recommend you do the same. Besides the fact that avocados are delicious and satiating (read: filling), they are also GOOD for you.

So here are just a handful of reasons why you should go nuts on avocados:

1) Antioxidants. Avo's are loaded with antioxidants like vitamin E, folic acid and glutathione. All these are known to prevent cancer & heart disease while boosting the immune system.

2) Potassium. Forget bananas, avo's have way more potassium which is known to lower blood pressure. (Yes, you can have your bananas too.)

3) Fiber. One avocado contains between 6-8 grams of fiber - without the peel or pit.

4) Diabetes. Because of their high fiber & healthy fat content, avocados are ridiculously low on the glycemic index, or GI. The GI measures how slowly a food causes blood sugar to rise and therefore, its potential contribution to diabetes.

5) Lowering cholesterol. Fatty plant foods like avo's and nuts contain high amounts of what are known as plant, or "phyto" sterols. Plant sterols block cell receptor sites from absorbing real cholesterol, thus lowering LDL (bad) and total cholesterol levels significantly.

6) Preventing cancer and macular degeneration. Ohio State University researchers found that the beneficial fats in avocados increase the absorption of carotenoid nutrients by up to 15 times (Journal of Nutrition, 2005). Study participants who consumed avocados with their salad absorbed more lycopene (known to help prevent prostate cancer), beta and alpha carotene (known to prevent many types of cancer, including oral), as well as lutein. The nutrient lutein is especially known for preventing macular degeneration in the elderly, which is the most common form of blindness in the U.S.

7) Appetite control. That's right, avocados - like nuts - are often believed to cause weight gain but actually do the opposite. The fat in avo's is not only good for you but keeps you fuller for longer periods. Think about it, how many avo's can you eat at once? Just try.

8) Omega-3 fatty acids. We hear so much about Omega-3's being found in fish, but avo's have just as much and there's no mercury to worry about. Omega-3's are renown for lowering high blood pressure, preventing blood clots leading to stroke and heart disease, as well as improving brain function and the immune system.

So add avo's to your salads, sandwiches, burritos, or just eat them plain or spread on bread. Finally, an easy way to improve your health.

******

By the way, if you haven't bought my brand new book Free to Eat yet, I will forgo tax and shipping costs for another week as part of the promotion. Oh yeah, and I will sign them for free too! Free to Eat includes all the material on this blog plus 50 recipes and a 30-day meal plan. Buy it at http://www.fiber-girl.com!

free recipes

2009-09-03T15:17:00.000-07:00

Thank you so much everyone for your wonderful encouragement and feedback on my new book Free to Eat! It is so sweet when someone asks me a nutrition question now, I get to simply say, "It's in my book"! Everything I've written on my blog -- is in my book!

The other half of the book is RECIPES and a 30-day meal plan. I've been asked to do this for so long. It's one thing for me to tell you how to eat, but so much better to hold your hand as you make real changes.

All the recipes come from (soon to be) world-famous meal planner Jennifer Brewer. These days, all I cook comes from one of her creations. They are out of this world delicious, and of course, incredibly healthy. You can subscribe to her meal plan for $9.95/month, and you receive a weekly email with a PDF file of recipes (and shopping list) for that week. The recipes are always new, so my husband never gets tired of "the same ol' thing".

Finally, can I just tell you that you can try a month of Jennifer's services for FREE? Just go to http://www.nourishingnutrition.com/ and sign up!

It's a Book!

2009-08-27T16:20:00.000-07:00

My husband always gives me a hard time because I HATE promoting myself. I'll tell you all about my favorite book or movie, but will forget to tell you I just published a book myself. Well, that said, I did just publish a new book and I'll tell you, it's pretty awesome. I say that because it includes just about everything covered in this entire blog (over 200 posts) in a cohesive manner. It also has over 50 recipes from my absolute favorite meal planner, Jennifer Brewer, as well as a 30-day meal plan. It's everything I wished my first little book, The UnDiet, had been. You can preview the first 40 pages on my new website. For the next couple weeks we are having a promotion where we throw in shipping and tax for you and just charge the straight $14.95. Plus I'll sign it for you - which will be worth millions soon! Order it here.

Fiber-Girl to the Rescue

2009-08-19T14:54:00.000-07:00

The world needs a nutrition superhero, so why not me? I mean aren't obesity, diabetes, and cancer more of a threat than the Sandman or Joker? Let's see how much fun learning about nutrition can be-
My new video

Please send this on to any of your friends who could use it and rate it on YouTube! And we're collecting ideas for future episodes, so make suggestions!

a new spectator sport

2009-08-18T03:30:00.000-07:00

"The more time a nation devotes to food preparation in the home, the lower its rate of obesity. In fact, the amount of time spent cooking predicts obesity rates more reliably than female participation in the work force or income." (italics mine) -- Michael Pollan, The New York Times Magazine, Aug. 2, 2009.

If any of you had the chance to peruse this article by Michael Pollan, you would find it ironic how today Americans spend more time than ever watching cooking shows on T.V., yet spend less time than ever actually cooking (average time is 27 minutes in a day, less than half of what it was in the 1960's). Even though I don't have cable T.V., I am aware that not only do we have an entire channel devoted to cooking shows, but now "reality" cooking shows as well. In fact, we now have a Hollywood movie about a cooking personality (inspired by Julia Childs).

I was raised in what is now called a "second-wave" feminist household. My mother, influenced by Gloria Steinem and Betty Friedan, believed that cooking was somewhat beneath her - not to mention a pain in the keister. Although she also realized cooking was downright necessary if she wanted the family to eat healthfully and not blow wads of money. Because she worked, she shared this "chore" with my father 50%/50%, which worked pretty well. It also helped that my parents strongly disliked the taste of fast food.

I find that I often have the same feelings as my mother about cooking: it's time-consuming (factor in the meal-planning, grocery shopping and clean-up), and somewhat mindless. I mean, I have a Master's degree from a prestigious East Coast university - shouldn't I be using all that knowledge to earn more money and climb ladders?

Here's where my mom and I differ. I've learned that my attitude toward cooking - and all the work that entails - is ultimately a choice. I don't like being so busy that I can't think. Cooking doesn't have to be a chore, but rather an art that allows me to relax and focus on what's in my hands. And of course, having a background in nutrition is a strong reinforcement as to what happens when we don't cook. I don't judge my mother, as I am influenced by the foodie trends as much as she was by the currents of her time.

Cooking shouldn't be a spectator sport. Neither should it be a chore. We simply cannot live without healthy food, and apparently, there's no getting around it. So let's embrace the kitchen as a creative - and quite necessary - part of our home and life.

A Healthy Fear of Vitamins

2009-08-11T10:06:00.000-07:00

WOW. You guys are going to love this post - it's a crazy one, and I still can't believe this didn't make the nightly news.

I found this study (published in May 2009 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, see here) that just happened to show exactly what I've been proclaiming about the dangers of supplements.

Here's what went down. This study had 40 men (some athletic, some not) exercise for an ongoing period of time and researchers check their insulin sensitivity (the opposite of insulin resistance). Studies show that our bodies become more sensitive, or receptive, to insulin when we exercise, which is one of the many reasons exercise is so important. Which is what researchers observed in this study in the men who did not take vitamin supplements.

That's right. Half of these men were given vitamin E and C supplements for the duration of the study, the other half took placebo, or "dummy pills". The men who took the supplements had no benefit (in insulin sensitivity) from the same amount of exercise as the men who did not take supplements.

Here's a quote straight from the author of the study: "these findings indicate that physical exercise induces several molecular regulators of insulin sensitivity irrespective of previous training status and that this induction is widely inhibited by antioxidant supplementation". (italics mine)

In other words, antioxidant supplements negate the beneficial effects of exercise when it comes to preventing or managing diabetes!

And if that weren't enough to warrant headlines, researchers also found that the supplements interfered with the body's natural ability to combat free radicals. Now, this is quite ironic, considering that antioxidant nutrients such as vitamin C & E are renown for combating free radical damage. This is big news, because free radicals are what cause cancer, cell mutations and plaque that leads to heart disease.

But here's the deal: antioxidant nutrients that come from food DO fight free radicals. When those nutrients are found unnaturally in supplement form (isolated from the other nutrients and compounds in food) they don't. Worse yet, they interfere with our bodies own antioxidant-fighting molecules derived through exercise.

Neither of these findings are brand-spanking new in the scientific community. Supplements don't work like nutrients from food. They don't benefit us: they harm us. (See my past posts on this topic for more info.)

So why on earth are supplement companies making billions of dollars? I know, I know: fear. But don't you think our fear is misplaced? Instead of being afraid of not taking vitamins (and minerals), I think we need to have a healthy fear of the damage they cause. Call me crazy.

four a day?

2009-08-03T17:28:00.000-07:00

So in case you've missed the latest nutrition controversy this summer: a new study (actually a review of previous studies) produced by the Foods Standards Agency in London has concluded that organic foods are no more nutritious than conventional ones.

As you can guess, there has been quite a response by other researchers who find this conclusion preposterous. Here is part of a response by Peter Melchett, Policy Director at the Soil Association:

"We are disappointed in the conclusions the researchers have reached. The review rejected almost all of the existing studies of comparisons between organic and non-organic nutritional differences. This was because these studies did not meet particular criteria fixed by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, which carried out the review.

"Although the researchers say that the differences between organic and non-organic food are not 'important', due to the relatively few studies, they report in their analysis that there are higher levels of beneficial nutrients in organic compared to non-organic foods. For example, the mean positive difference between the following nutrients, when comparing organic to non-organic food, was found in the FSA study to be:

- Protein 12.7%
- Beta-carotene 53.6%
- Flavonoids 38.4%
- Copper 8.3%
- Magnesium 7.1%
- Phosphorous 6%
- Potassium 2.5%
- Sodium 8.7%
- Sulphur 10.5%
- Zinc 11.3%
- Phenolic compounds 13.2%

******

Which begs the question, why did writers of this review conclude that organically grown foods are not superior?

In addition, a primary-research study (where researchers do the work themselves, as opposed to reviewing other researchers' studies) done just a year before by The Organic Center found that organically produced crops were significantly higher in antioxidants. In fact, they found "nutrient levels in organic food averaged 25% higher than in conventional food", leading these researchers to conclude that the consumption of organic produce adds enough nutrients to equal an additional serving of fruit or vegetables on an average day.

For those of us scrambling to get our five a day, this is good news. Better yet, it's quite credible if you read the meticulous study that it's derived from (read here).

There are, of course, other factors to consider when looking for the most nutrients, such as freshly-picked/harvested, seasonal and locally-grown produce. Which is why I am such a proponent of Farmer's Market's. But we need to be honest when analyzing organic foods. And honestly, it's worth it.

For more on this subject, please visit my new favorite nutrition/food blog: Summer Tomato.

Food, Inc.

2009-07-21T17:31:00.000-07:00

If you haven't heard, there's a new movie out these days, and it's not exactly your run-of-the-mill summer box office hit. But it's good. REALLY good. In fact, I think it should be required that every American watch this movie before their next trip to the grocery store. (The Food Dictator in me is on high alert.)

Food Inc. is a documentary that tells us what's incredibly wrong with our food supply. It stars such celebrities as Eric Schlosser (of Fast Food Nation fame) and Michael Pollen (Omnivore's Dilemma). Both these gentlemen are investigative journalists that have focused on the food industry, and uncovered myriad problems.

I found one of the most frightening problems to be what is termed "meat packing". While this wasn't the focus of the entire film, it has stuck in my mind more than anything else.

For example, did you know that there are only 13 slaughterhouses for cows in the entire United States? I certainly didn't. One slaughterhouse shown in the movie (the footage wasn't nearly as gory as I anticipated) "processed" an average of 32,000 cows a day.

This means 32,000 cow parts are touching the same equipment every day. If just one of those cow parts is carrying E. Coli - which many do, especially with the increase of corn fed to cows, which raises the pH of the stomach acid, allowing more resistant E. Coli strains to emerge - than ALL the meat in the processing plant becomes contaminated. This is why meat recalls have increased exponentially. It's also cost more than a few lives, especially of children.

Never mind that the E. Coli bacteria from the cow manure ends up in water runoff that contaminates fruit and vegetables (remember the alfalfa sprout and spinach recalls?). And never mind that these meat processing plants knowingly employ illegal, undocumented workers from Mexico, yet never get prosecuted - while the workers do.

Sorry for the rant, but it seems cheap meat is pretty costly. And though the problem seems overwhelming, it can be easily solved. Not by another book or documentary film, but by voting with the almighty Dollar. Every single time we purchase food, we are sending the food industry a strong message. By not buying meat (including poultry), or buying less, or only buying organic meats we are making a demand... and when there's money involved, you can bet supply will follow.

(While I am not a proponent for consuming meat, some of my readers do, which is why I propose eating organic meat and less meat overall.)

So let's change our dysfunctional food industry and make Upton Sinclair proud.

The Truth about Walnuts and Flaxseed

2009-07-16T10:49:00.000-07:00

I've spent much time writing about how important nuts are in our diets: how studies show they fight chronic disease and DO NOT cause weight gain, and of course how nuts are loaded with fiber...

But I just ran across this study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (July 2009) that reviewed no less than 13 studies on walnut consumption. Researchers found that walnut consumption lowered both total cholesterol and LDL (bad) cholesterol significantly, compared with people who did not consume walnuts regularly. They also found that walnuts provided significant benefits for certain antioxidant capacity and inflammatory markers and had no adverse effects on body weight.

In other words, walnuts not only lower cholesterol, but have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that fight cancer, plaque formation and other chronic disease. All that, and they don't cause weight gain, but often the opposite since they are so high in protein and fiber.

I add walnut pieces every morning to my oatmeal, and I always add them to salads. I'm sure there are other creative ways to incorporate walnuts into our daily regime (besides just munchin' on them). If you have ideas, let me know.

On another note, I would like to state my opinion on whole flaxseed verses ground flaxseed. We constantly hear that since flaxseeds are so small, our body doesn't digest them and we do not gain the benefits of their Omega-3 fatty acids and lignan antioxidants.

I disagree, and I'll tell you why.

I bought a coffee grinder and ground flaxseeds so I could get the full benefits myself. What I noticed immediately was that the ground flaxseed immediately lost its oil. The oil (where the Omega-3 fatty acids are) is located on the outside of the seed. So even if we were not to digest (or chew) every flaxseed, our body still removes the oil from the outside as it passes through our digestive tract, and viola, we have our Omega-3.

Now I'm back to adding whole flaxseed to my oatmeal (with walnuts - as well as cinnamon, raisins, dried coconut and honey - yum!).

red red wine

2009-07-08T17:05:00.001-07:00

Red red wine. Known for it's beneficial antioxidants (most famous is "resveratrol") that fight cancer and heart disease. Plus, people like it. Even though I'm not a big wine gal myself, I thought I'd write some sweet new findings about it for you winos.

Organic red wine has been shown to have significantly higher levels of resveratrol and other antioxidants vs. conventionally-produced wine. One study in Italy compared 15 red wines, finding those produced organically (without pesticides and chemical fertilizers) were at the top for antioxidant content and bioavailability.

So if you're going to be a wino, don't be a cheap one. Pay the extra dollar and know you are actually investing in your health. But don't overdo it. One glass a day can be beneficial, but more is not. Remember, alcohol is a toxin that produces free radicals, so the key word is moderation. Also, alcohol is a diuretic that causes loss of key electrolyte minerals such as calcium, potassium and magnesium. This not only makes us dehydrated but at risk of bone loss and high blood pressure.

Speaking of organic, let's go more organic. A recent review of 97 peer-reviewed studies found organic produce to be significantly higher in antioxidants, including polyphenols, known for fighting chronic disease and cancer (The Organic Center: www.organic-center.org).

So whether you're a wino or not, going the extra mile for organic produce is priceless. If you don't take care of your body, where are you going to live?

no more girly-men

2009-07-01T17:47:00.000-07:00

So I know I said I wouldn't write any more about soy... but then I saw this amazing article and remembered a few of you had questions about this very topic, so here I go.

An article just published in Fertility and Sterility Journal (who knew there was such a journal?) reviewed over 50 studies in the past year and found that soy foods and supplements do not have any effect on testosterone levels in men. That's right men, the estrogens in soy (called isoflavones) will not make you girly-men. It won't mess with your fertility, and it probably won't make you cry more at movies.

That also means that young boys who drink soy milk will not grow breasts or become androgenous. Good news I say.

Again, I don't think soy foods are more beneficial than other foods like fruit, vegetables, whole grains and legumes, but I do think they've received a ridiculous amount of bad press, and I'd like to bring some science into the popular arena. Whether you choose soy products is up to you, but at least you aren't making a decision based on hype.

aspirin can be evil

2009-06-25T03:00:00.000-07:00

Dr. Oz has done it again. On yesterday's Oprah show he shared some really helpful information about how to prevent colon cancer (by eating high fiber foods of course), then followed it up with poor advice: regular aspirin use.

In doing research for this blog post I've found quite a few studies do show aspirin and other NSAIDS (Non Steriodal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs) have been demonstrated to modestly lower risk of colon and colorectal cancer, so I see where Dr. Oz is coming from. But remember, aspirin is a drug, and like any other drug, it has very serious side effects when taken regularly.

One of those side effects is folic acid deficiency. This is pretty ironic, since folic acid plays an enormous role in fighting heart disease and other cancers. Sounds like cutting off your nose to spite your face.

And then of course, most of us are familiar with the aspirin-ulcer connection. It's a biggie.

Speaking of bleeding, aspirin interferes with the body's ability to form blood clots (through platelets). This is often hailed as a blessing, as blood clots can lead to heart attack and stroke. Yet this same mechanism can - and often does - prevent the body from forming life-saving blood clots, which is why an ER doctor will not push aspirin the way a heart doctor will. (I think it's time for the two to have a talk. Heart specialists seem to have no clue how many people end up in the ER from taking aspirin.)

Maybe the worst side effect of taking aspirin regularly is Leaky Gut Syndrome. You really don't want that. Leaky Gut gives us auto-immune disorders like asthma, rheumatoid arthritis, Type I diabetes, cystic fibrosis, irritable bowel, colitis, Crohn's disease, frequent migranes, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, lupus, candida and fibromyalgia - to name a few. It also gives us food allergies, especially to gluten (wheat protein).

The American College of Gastroenterology has this to say about aspirin:
"Aspirin and other NSAIDS have been found to cause damage to the lining (or mucosa) of the digestive tract primarily in the stomach and upper intestine. This damage can result in an ulcer or intestinal bleeding. Although this can happen to an individual who is an infrequent user of aspirin or NSAIDs, it is of a much greater concern in frequent users, and those consuming higher dosages of these medications."

Messing with your gut mucosa is a good way to develop Leaky Gut Syndrome, and thus, one or more auto-immune diseases.

So if you want to prevent colon cancer without jeopardizing the rest of your body, stick to the high fiber diet. It works, and if you increase the amount of fiber you eat slowly over time, there are no side effects.

Soy foods and fertility

2009-06-18T03:30:00.000-07:00

I promise this will be the last blog post on soy foods for a long time. Even though I am a strong advocate of a plant-based diet (vegetarian or vegan), I don't believe soy foods are any more essential to such a diet than garbanzo beans. I'm not saying soy foods aren't great - garbanzo beans are great too - they're just not the focus of this blog. A healthy plant-based diet is possible with or without soy foods.

However, there is some confusion regarding soy foods and fertility. Because soy is loaded with isoflavones (plant-estrogens that can mimic estrogen), it is believed to affect the likelihood of pregnancy. Some studies have shown soy estrogens have no impact whatsoever on a woman trying to conceive, as soy foods do not interfere with menstrual cycles or ovarian function.

This makes sense because soy estrogens (along with other plant-estrogens) only raise estrogen levels when they are low. This also makes sense when we look at Asian women, who consume more soy foods than any other people group and yet have an extremely low prevalence of infertility. So low in fact, certain Asian countries have to put limits on population growth. (Obviously, soy is not hindering fertility in China).

There is a recent study (July 2008) that has linked soy foods with a decreased sperm count in men (published in the Journal of Human Reproduction). However, they found that men who were overweight or obese experienced a significantly lower sperm count than men who had healthy weights. One of the reasons for this is because fat cells, even in men, produce estrogen, which can hinder sperm production in men. Considering that 72% percent of the men with decreased sperm counts were overweight or obese, I would say this seems to be more of an impediment to fertility than soy consumption.

On a personal note, my husband and I both consumed tofu pretty regularly before we had our daughter, and we had no problem getting pregnant. (That was also when my husband was in the best shape of his life!)

So I would conclude that a healthy weight in men is more important than soy intake. And a plant-based diet - with or without soy - is the best fertility diet.

soy estrogens and breast cancer

2009-06-08T15:41:00.001-07:00

Ladies, if you haven't been convinced that soy and phytoestrogens from soy products are beneficial yet, here's more news: the estrogens found in soy and soy protein prevent breast cancer.

A major study published in June's edition of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (Am J Clin Nutr 89: 1920-1926, 2009) studied the diets of 73,223 Chinese women over a period of 7.4 years. They found that women who consumed the most soy estrogens, or isoflavones, from food were 59% less likely to develop breast cancer than women who consumed the least. Also, adolescent girls who consumed the most isoflavones from soy foods were 43% less likely to develop premenopausal breast cancer than girls who consumed fewer soy protein.

In the words of the study authors, "This large, population-based, prospective cohort study provides strong evidence of a protective effect of soy food intake against premenopausal breast cancer."

The reason soy estrogens work to prevent breast cancer is because isoflavones have anti-estrogenic - as well as anticarcinogenic - properties. Soy estrogens don't mimic estrogen in the body as many people think they do (unless estrogen levels are dangerously low), but actually lower estrogen levels by keeping estrogen from entering the cells. By blocking cell receptors, soy estrogens keep estrogen levels from climbing high enough to encourage the growth of cancer cells. Also, isoflavones have cancer-fighting properties to boot.

Soy is a huge area of confusion in popular culture (in the U.S.) but not in scientific circles - now you can see why. If you need more encouragement, see past posts citing studies on soy and reproductive cancer. There are tons!

So whether it's tempeh, tofu, soy milk, or edamame - enjoy worry free.

a letter to Dr. Oz

2009-05-26T17:18:00.000-07:00

Dear Dr. Oz,

I rarely watch Oprah, but today I scheduled it in, knowing that you would be talking about how to lose weight without counting calories. I was hoping the solution would be a high-fiber diet, which it was. You shared that the average American only consumes 7 grams of fiber in his/her food a day, and should be getting between 25-35 grams to lose weight, prevent diabetes and bowel disorders, as well as lower the risk of cancer.

You even showed some people who were put on a raw food diet of fruits, vegetables and nuts for a week, and how they lowered their cholesterol by 25%, their blood pressure by 10%, and lost an average of 10 pounds - in a week!

So that was good. I couldn't have been more excited to hear a renowned and popular expert such as yourself convey the same information I have spent the past 10 years trying to get "out there".

Unfortunately, after the first 5 minutes of the Oprah show focused on fiber, things got confusing. In the second piece you shared was how consuming a megaload (1200 mg/day) of calcium will help you lose weight. You showed footage of a study where a young man ate a ridiculously high amount of dairy foods to lose weight. The study revealed the calcium from the foods did help in weight loss, but you applied the results to calcium supplements as well - which have not been found to abet weight loss (not to mention other studies on dairy foods and weight loss have had mixed results). Also, you didn't mention that dairy foods such as milk, cheese and yogurt have no fiber, which you had just emphasized as vital for weight loss. Nor did you add that dairy foods in the United States are loaded with hormones and hormone-mimicking substances, such as antibiotics - which cause fat and cancer cells to replicate at faster-than-normal levels.

To add to the confusion, you talked about how important it is to consume fish regularly in order to combat stress (or cortisol) levels. The real compounds that fight stress found in fish are Omega-3 fatty acids, and you did say there are other ways to consume these fats, like eggs with added Omega-3.

Actually Dr. Oz, I find the best way to avoid stress is by not listening to your advice, because it is SO confusing. Fish and eggs have no fiber, and good luck trying to consume 25-35 grams of fiber in your food if you're regularly consuming either. Not to mention that fish (and eggs) are loaded with mercury, PCB's and pesticides. Or that eggs couldn't be higher in cholesterol. I found this ironic, since you are such a proponent of antioxidants in foods, and yet compounds like mercury and cholesterol cause the free radical oxidation (leading to plaque and cancer, among other things) that antioxidants are necessary to fight.

Dr. Oz, you seem like a smart man. Can you not see the advice you are giving is completely contradictory? Consuming large amounts of dairy, fish and/or eggs is mutually exclusive with consuming a high-fiber diet rich in antioxidants, since fiber and antioxidants come only from fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes. It seems strange that you don't realize that calcium supplements would deplete the body's store of other minerals, such as zinc, copper and manganese, since all these minerals compete for absorption and carriers in the body.

I know you are tired of Americans suffering unnecessarily from chronic disease, but I don't think you are bringing much clarity to the question of what constitutes "good nutrition".

Sincerely,

A concerned nutritionist

P.S. Did you notice that even Oprah looked baffled?

losing big

2009-05-20T17:38:00.000-07:00

I had an amazing experience today that I want to share with you. One of my former nutrition students who took my 12-week class 2 years ago shared her story with my current students, and of course, yours truly.

Pat has lost 54 pounds since she first began my class (and read my book) 2 years ago, and she's kept it off for the duration. In fact, she brought a "before" picture to show us what she looked like, and no wonder I hardly recognized her. Apparently I wasn't the only one - someone even accused her of having gastric bypass surgery!

So I thought I'd pass along her secrets of how to lose over 50 pounds and keep it off:

1) Pat slowly weaned herself off mochas and all calorie containing beverages. Today she only drinks water and tea. She shared that the slow weaning process was important, because it took a while for her to acquire a taste for water again. Now she finds it refreshing.

2) Today Pat eats only when she's hungry and stops when she's no longer hungry. She said this was the hardest part to learn, and I don't doubt it. She realized she ate according to the clock, not her body's hunger. She also noticed she often ate alone, in front of the TV or at her desk.

3) Because she now eats only when she's hungry, Pat usually eats 5 small meals a day. She shared that this requires preparation: to always have healthy snacks on hand, but it's so worth it. She said as strange as it seems, the more often she eats, the more weight she loses.

4) Pat now eats between 35-40 grams of fiber a day from her food. If you recall from this blog or my book, fiber is an indigestible carb that causes weight loss in multiple ways - and it's much easier to consume than Metamucil commercials would have you think:

Fruit and dried fruit
Vegetables (including potatoes with the skin)
Whole grains like brown rice, oatmeal, whole wheat products and popcorn
Legumes, including all nuts, seeds, beans, lentils and peas

Some of my favorite high fiber foods include avocados, pistachios, almonds, black beans, hummus, falafel, peanut butter and artichoke hearts.

Today I felt so affirmed in my role as a nutritionist. I hope if you know anyone struggling to lose weight, you'll pass this along to them. Oh - and if you've already experienced a major health benefit from this blog (or my book or seminars), please do share!

my revelation

2009-05-13T17:15:00.000-07:00

I've recently had a revelation that has helped me understand why Americans eat the way they do: instead of Americans being more ignorant than the rest of the world (or compared to previous generations), I'd like to suggest that there are plenty of brilliant people in the U.S.

However, I think many of them work in marketing and media.

Which means that some of the best American minds are behind the advertising campaigns that promote ridiculous products such as vitamin water, supplements, and processed foods. I also think some of these smarty-folks work at the FDA, ensuring that animal products containing hormones and antibiotics are completely legal, and never regarded as a possible source of cancer and fat cells in those who consume them.

Unfortunately, smart doesn't mean wise, and seldom I find the two together.

So if any of you are still wasting your money on supplements and/or vitamin water (a fantastic marketing idea, but zippo nutritional value), I advise you to give your money instead to a charity that feeds needy people - those who are truly malnourished.

Now for the latest study finding:

A new study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (Vol. 89, No. 5, 1343-1349, May 2009), has found that eating a high-fiber breakfast cereal lowered blood sugar levels both before and after lunch. Those who ate the high-fiber cereal also consumed fewer total calories when in the breakfast/lunch period.

These findings are further evidence that high fiber foods protect against diabetes (and reverse Type II diabetes) and promote weight loss.

Speaking of which, I have had the privilege of receiving feedback from someone who attended my seminar on diabetes last fall. John told me that at age 48, he has now lost 31 pounds and been taken off his diabetes medication due to a high fiber diet. What an inspiration. A high fiber diet works miracles.

live long and eat carotenoids

2009-05-06T03:00:00.000-07:00

Okay, I love my garden, but I HATE slugs. Last night I went out to pluck them off the strawberry patch, feeling quite satisfied with myself. Then this morning I go out to check on my almost perfectly ripe strawberry and it's GONE. Not just partially-eaten: missing and without evidence of robbery. So I decided if I couldn't eat my own strawberries (this wasn't the first instance of being losing a strawberry to the slugs), neither could they. I pulled all the strawberries out and into the compost. Now there will be corn growing there.

I felt sad, angry and victimized. I had tried everything to keep the slugs away. It wasn't fair.

But then as I checked on the rasberry bush, what did I find but the first three ripe rasberries of the year! I knew then that God really does love me.

Along with that newsflash, here's some exciting nutrition news about fruits and veggies containing a compound called carotenoids. You might be familiar with beta-carotene. That is one of a handful of carotenoids. Others are called alpha-carotene, β-cryptoxanthin, lycopene, lutein, and zeaxanthin. And yes, all those names will be on the test.

You might have heard that foods like carrots, mangos and sweet potatoes are high in carotenoids, because carotene gives these plants their orange color. But please know that ALL fruit and vegetables are rich in different kinds of carotenoids (like lycopene) that don't produce any distinguishable colors. Spices are also loaded with them.

A new study (The Journal of Nutrition, May 2009) found that men consuming foods high in carotenoids - in other words, fruits and vegetables - were significantly less likely to develop metabolic syndrome (a combination of diabetes, high blood pressure, abdominal or "visceral" fat, and high blood lipids like cholesterol). Men who consumed the most carotenoids in their diet had 50% less likelihood of having metabolic syndrome. Since metabolic syndrome shaves off decades of life, not to mention causing dependence upon dialysis, this is great news.

So how do we fight diabetes, high blood pressure and overall premature death and suffering? I know it's cliche, but the answer is still more fruits and veggies. And don't forget that seasonal, locally-grown and organic produce contain LOADS more carotenoids than their imported, commercially-grown counterparts. So if you want to live long and stay healthy, spend the extra time and money on your produce (and dump the supplements).

In fact, I'm loving the carotenoids in the organic - and yes, store-bought - strawberries I'm savoring right now.

let's get spicy

2009-04-29T03:00:00.000-07:00

Last week my husband had bronchitis. If you've ever had bronchitis, you know how awful it is: unrelinquishing fever, chronic sleep-impeding cough, and overall crappiness.

However, not one to go to a doctor, my husband went online to look for natural remedies. He found one calling for 1 teaspoon of turmeric in warm milk (he used soy milk) and juice from an onion. I admit it wasn't pleasant "medicine", but you would not believe how fast it worked! Five days of illness changed to feeling almost normal in less than one hour. He took his remedy for the next few days, saving himself a doctor's visit and drugs.

So I thought it was time to write about the health benefits of spice.

Spices are getting big press these days for lowering cholesterol, controling blood sugar and preventing age-related diseases like high blood pressure. Some of the spices receiving most of the glory are cinnamon, turmeric and garlic. But here's the deal: where do spices come from? Plants. All spices are derived either from a plant's root (garlic, ginger and onion), seeds (most "spicy" spices), leaves (oregano and rosemary), or even bark (cinnamon). And what do we know about plants? They're where antioxidants come from. Antioxidants fight free radicals, preventing all types of chronic diseases, including cancer, heart disease and diabetes. Spices are so concentrated with antioxidants - which is what gives them their potent flavor and aroma - they even surpass fruits and vegetables, ounce per ounce.

I'm not a proponent of "taking" single spices like cinnamon regularly to fight disease, because we really need all the various types of antioxidants found in different spices. In other words, we need to eat spices in our food; the more variety the better. That means cumin, coriander, cayenne, turmeric, onion, garlic, ginger, oregano, rosemary, peppers, paprika, basil, curry, dill and many more.

How do you find recipes using said spices? Again, my favorite cookbook is a good start: Moosewood Restaurant Cooks at Home. Just last night I whipped up a dish with ginger, lime juice, cilantro, onion, cabbage, sweet potatoes, tomatoes and coconut milk (called Caribbean Vegetable Stew). This cookbook is loaded with delicious, spicy recipes that are fast and easy. When dining out, go for Italian, Mexican (salsa), Japanese, Indian or Thai food to bump up the spice. Getting spicy is scrumptious and good for us.