Will Clower on The Culture of Health

Video: How Harvard Disses Dairy ... and WHY?

will@willclower.com (Dr. Will Clower) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 17:30:00 +0000

The USDA has been producing dietary guidelines for about 100 years now.

The picture has gone from a PIE, to a square, to a pyramid, to a "rainbow pyramid", to a circular plate.

In this interview, I talk about how this change happened, WHY it happened, and the controversy around it.

I have to say that, for those who are anti-dairy, you may have issues with this piece ... I hope not. When Harvard's School of Public Health dislodged dairy from the Healthy Eating Plate, it seemed kind of weird, and out of the blue.

So I started reading about their reasoning, and kept coming up with concerns that the Dairy industry has too much influence in policy making.

Dude, stick to nutrition. It either is okay for you or it is not. I actually agree with them that the overlap between the food industry and the food regulators is WAY too cozy.

But you are the Harvard School of Public Health, not the Harvard School of Public Policy.

Later in the document, Harvard said that the USDA was recommending that you drink MORE milk. However, the recommendations for milk consumption have never increased (it's always been ~2-3 cups per day).

How could they get that wrong?

Finally, if you have TOO MUCH milk, they say, you could get ovarian or prostate cancer. Really? The "slippery slope argument? Here's the problem with this concern:

If you drink too much water, you'll get hyponatremia and die.
If you have too much wine you'll get cirrhosis of the liver ...
if you have too much meat you could harm your kidneys or heart ...
heck, if you have too much fiber, you're going to be sorry!!

This is so unfortunate, coming from an institution that I respect so much. They sound overtly political, and come off sounding a bit petty, as if they have an ax to grind.

For more information: Click here to visit Will Clower's website.

My Segment with Dr Oz

will@willclower.com (Dr. Will Clower) — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 22:45:00 +0000

This is my segment with Dr Oz on Cancer Fighting Foods.

Dr Oz was terrific, by the way. As a person, he is exactly as he seems -- genuine and very easy to be with.

It was a great pleasure to talk and laugh with him.

For more information: Click here to visit Will Clower's website.

Vitamin D pills don't prevent heart attack or cancer

will@willclower.com (Dr. Will Clower) — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 18:36:00 +0000

Vitamin D from food is exceptionally healthy for you.

But, here again, when the same thing is abstracted into pill form ... It does NOT act the same way in the body.

Here is the link to the article: http://reut.rs/tPctdg

Eat food. If it ain't food, don't eat it.

I found this using the Thomson Reuters News

Sent from my iPhone

RadioWill: All About Cholesterol

will@willclower.com (Dr. Will Clower) — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 16:17:00 +0000

Here is the link for the Saturday Radio Show (airs Saturday at noon EST)

www.wmnyradio.com/business_of_health.aspx

And you can call in to talk with me during the show:

412.333.1360

I'm talking about cholesterol, heart disease, weight, the Mediterranean Diet, and "Beans-n-Greens"!!

WMNY Money Talk 1360

For more information: Click here to visit Will Clower's website.

What’s Cholesterol Got to Do With It?

will@willclower.com (Dr. Will Clower) — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 15:51:00 +0000

I love Gary Taubes ... he's awesome.

I'm prepping for my Saturday radio program and ran across his op ed in the NYTimes (here's the link), which reviews how "the cholesterol hypothesis" happened.

Does the cholesterol idea (lower cholesterol =
lower heart attack risk) even work?

This article makes the point that the early research confused a "false positive" correlation with a true causal link.

Yes, statins decreased heart attack risk, but not because it lowered cholesterol. Check this out and see what you think.

What’s Cholesterol Got to Do With It? - New York Times

Study: Colas, but not other carbonated beverages, lower bone density

will@willclower.com (Dr. Will Clower) — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 22:21:00 +0000

What would you do to make sure your bones didn't fall apart beneath you?

How far would you go to make sure your bones wouldn't break: in the normal bumps of an average day; under your own weight?

According to this study, there is a very simple solution that can bias your bones toward a healthier, sturdier direction.

Don't drink colas. Just stop.

It's likely to be the phosphoric acid in sodas that's pulling the calcium OUT of your body -- so you body has to pull calcium OUT of your bones. But whatever the ultimate cause, we're pretty clear that drinking colas can lead to porous bones.

Bottom line? Don't drink colas. Just stop.

Colas, but not other carbonated beverages, are associated with low bone mineral density in older women: The Framingham Osteoporosis Study

New Study: Eat Slow. You'll Eat Less.

will@willclower.com (Dr. Will Clower) — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 14:14:00 +0000

How many times have we said this?

The amount you're hungry for is only PARTIALLY due to calorie-debt. It's also about how FAST you eat it!

Two new studies (click here to see yourself) by researchers at the University of Rhode Island found that:

A) men eat significantly faster than women, B) heavier people eat faster than slimmer people.

The author of the study, Kathleen Melanson, found “very strong gender differences” in eating rates. At lunch, the men consumed about 80 calories per minute while the women consumed 52 calories per minute.

“The men who reported eating slowly ate at about the same rate as the women who reported eating quickly,” said Melanson, director of the URI Energy Balance Laboratory.

The second study found that individuals with a high BMI typically eating considerably faster than those with a low BMI.

“One theory we are pursuing is that fast eating may be related to greater energy needs, since men and heavier people have higher energy needs,” said Melanson.

“It takes time for your body to process fullness signals,” she concluded, “so slower eating may allow time for fullness to register in the brain before you’ve eaten too much.”

The latest research follows up on a landmark 2007 study conducted by Melanson that was the first to confirm the popular dietary belief that eating slowly reduces food intake. That study found that women who were told to eat quickly consumed 646 calories in nine minutes, but the same women consumed just 579 calories in 29 minutes when encouraged to pause between bites and chew each mouthful 15 to 20 times before swallowing.

For more information: Click here to visit Will Clower's website.

Coffee Controls Common Cancer (brought to you by the Letter 'C')

will@willclower.com (Dr. Will Clower) — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 22:49:00 +0000

We were told, once, that coffee was AWFUL for you. It caused cancer, and all kinds of nasty things.

But now we learn that this friendly morning drink is actually quite good for you and can help prevent a number of cancers from ever occurring!!

If this is all too much to digest, tomorrow morning when you wake up, pour yourself a cup of coffee, and read the article below. :)

Coffee May Keep World's Most Common Cancer At Bay, New Research Shows

For more information: Click here to visit Will Clower's website.

Is Butter Bad?

will@willclower.com (Dr. Will Clower) — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 15:13:00 +0000

I'm on TV weekly, talking about a series of grocery store aisles and what is healthy/unhealthy about each. Today was "dairy", and I spoke about milk, yogurt, and butter.

It's so interesting for butter, because I did an analysis of BUTTER CONSUMPTION as a function of HEART DISEASE DEATHS, to see if more butter consumption = more heart disease deaths. This turns out NOT to be the case (see below). The countries selected were US, Canada, and Europe.

For more information: Click here to visit Will Clower's website.

California lettuce recalled over listeria concerns | Reuters

will@willclower.com (Dr. Will Clower) — Sat, 01 Oct 2011 14:59:00 +0000

I'm speaking today for the Rachel Carson Foundation about sustainability and food. I believe that an important route to sustain healthy foods for ourselves is to create a system that controls this kind of outbreak better.

For example, if we had more local farms, and fewer mega farms who distribute billions of bushels across the US, then any infestation of bacteria will have a limited penetration into the population, at best.

Also, when the producers are local, and you know who they are, then you are not some nameless, faceless consumer to them. Even though modest, that introduces an added degree of accountability on their part.

California lettuce recalled over listeria concerns | Reuters

For more information: Click here to visit Will Clower's website.

Is Junk Food Really Cheaper? - NYTimes.com

will@willclower.com (Dr. Will Clower) — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 18:48:00 +0000

Great article by Mark Bittman (link to full article is below), and I love this graphic that compares the actual cost for a family of 4.

NOW, tell me why we don't make our own food in our own homes?

Is Junk Food Really Cheaper? - NYTimes.com

For more information: Click here to visit Will Clower's website.

RadioWill: I have to talk about 9/11 this morning

will@willclower.com (Dr. Will Clower) — Sat, 10 Sep 2011 14:53:00 +0000

9/11 is gone. And it's not gone. Today I talk about its physical effects, emotional effects, how are these carried, and how can we best manage them.

I hope you'll join me. Listen live here from 12-12:30 Saturday, September 10.

For more information: Click here to visit Will Clower's website.

RadioWill: Are we WRONG about salt and health?

will@willclower.com (Dr. Will Clower) — Sat, 20 Aug 2011 13:46:00 +0000

The President of the Salt Institute will be speaking with me about new data suggesting that we were wrong, wrong, wrong in our advice to cut salt consumption.

Click Here to listen live from noon-1:00pm EST ... and call in with your thoughts and questions for this amazing guest: 412.333.1360

We will also be talking about the latest health news of the week and Cooking For Health!!

For more information: Click here to visit Will Clower's website.

Good food gone bad

will@willclower.com (Dr. Will Clower) — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 14:38:00 +0000

Flying home from a trip to Louisiana, the stewardess asked if i wanted something to drink, so I asked for a tomato juice. The ingredients look fine, bit then I checked the salt content. An unbelievable 980 mg of salt (see picture below)! That's like Salt Lake City in a can!!

Our MedWellness programs don't usually recommend hand-wringing over the Nutrition Facts portion of the food product, but salt is an exception.

Best Foods (according to CSPI anyway)

will@willclower.com (Dr. Will Clower) — Sat, 13 Aug 2011 16:30:00 +0000

All foods are good foods. The list below (created by the Center For Science in the Public Interest) has only a couple of flaws.

While the yogurt (#3 below) is awesome ... low fat option is not something that any healthy culture does, and simply reflects their bias for the low fat dietary model.

Otherwise, the choices they list are fine. Sweet potatoes are a righteous food, as are mangoes. But then again, so are all real foods.

Just eat real foods, in control, then you don't have to parse which molecule happens to be featured in your latest popular food product.

1. Sweet Potatoes

A nutritional All-Star — one of the best vegetables you can eat. They're loaded with carotenoids, vitamin C, potassium, and fiber. Bake and then mix in some unsweetened applesauce or crushed pineapple for extra moisture and sweetness.

2. Mangoes

Just one cup of mango supplies 100% of a day’s vitamin C, one-third of a day’s vitamin A, a decent dose of blood-pressure-lowering potassium, and 3 grams of fiber. Bonus: mango is one of the fruits least likely to have pesticide residues.

3. Unsweetened Greek Yogurt

Non-fat, plain Greek yogurt has a pleasant tartness that’s a perfect foil for the natural sweetness of berries, bananas, or your favorite breakfast cereal. It’s strained, so even the fat-free versions are thick and creamy. And the lost liquid means that the yogurt that’s left has twice the protein of ordinary yogurt – about 17 grams in 6 ounces of plain Greek yogurt.

4. Broccoli

It has lots of vitamin C, carotenoids, vitamin K and folic acid. Steam it just enough so that it's still firm and add a sprinkle of red pepper flakes and a spritz of lemon juice.

5. Wild Salmon

The omega-3 fats in fatty fish like salmon can help reduce the risk of sudden-death heart attacks. And wild-caught salmon has less PCB contaminants than farmed salmon.

6. Crispbreads

Whole-grain rye crackers, like Wasa, Kavli, and Ryvita — usually called crispbreads — are loaded with fiber and often fat-free. Drizzle with a little honey and sprinkle with cinnamon to satisfy your sweet tooth.

7. Garbanzo Beans

All beans are good beans. They’re rich in protein, fiber, iron, magnesium, potassium, and zinc. But garbanzos stand out because they’re so versatile. Just drain, rinse, and toss a handful on your green salad; throw them into vegetable stews, curries, and soups; mix them with brown rice, whole wheat couscous, bulgur, or other whole grains.

8. Watermelon

Watermelon is a heavyweight in the nutrient department. A standard serving (about 2 cups) has one-third of a day’s vitamins A and C, a nice shot of potassium, and a healthy dose of lycopene for only 80 fat-free, salt-free calories. And when they’re in season, watermelons are often locally grown, which means they may have a smaller carbon footprint than some other fruits.

9. Butternut Squash

Steam a sliced squash or buy peeled, diced butternut squash at the supermarket that’s ready to go into the oven, a stir-fry, or a soup. It’s an easy way to get lots of vitamins A and C and fiber.

10. Leafy Greens

Don’t miss out on powerhouse greens like kale, collards, spinach, turnip greens, mustard greens, and Swiss chard. These stand-out leafy greens are jam-packed with vitamins A, C, and K, folate, potassium, magnesium, calcium, iron, lutein, and fiber. Serve with a splash of lemon juice or red wine vinegar.

For more information: Click here to visit Will Clower's website.

Top Ten Worst Foods

will@willclower.com (Dr. Will Clower) — Sat, 13 Aug 2011 15:59:00 +0000

According to the Center For Science In The Public Interest, these are the worst of the worst of the worst.

Not only should you not buy them ... not only should you not eat them ... you should keep them away from your loved ones!!

Notice when you look at these that some of them would be just fine if you did not eat the WHOLE thing (like the burrito from Chipotle).

This is a huge limitation of their entire approach, in that they are SO over-focused on the molecule micromanagement that they miss the most important point:

All foods are bad if overconsumed. Don't overconsume your foods.

Let me know your thoughts!!

1. Artery Crust

Judging by the label, Marie Callender’s (16.5 oz) Chicken Pot Pie has "only" 520 calories, 11 grams of saturated fat, and 800 mg of sodium. But look again. Those numbers are for only half a pie. Eat the entire pie, as most people probably do, and you’re talking 1,040 calories, 22 grams of saturated fat (more than a day’s worth), and 1,600 mg of sodium (an entire day’s worth).

2. Triple Bypass

Can’t decide what to pick from a restaurant menu? No worries. Now you can order not just one entrée, but two… or three... all at once.Olive Garden’s Tour of Italy – Homemade Lasagna, Lightly Breaded Chicken Parmigiana, and Creamy Fettuccine Alfredo – comes with 1,450 calories, 33 grams of saturated fat, and 3,830 milligrams of sodium. Add a breadstick (150 calories and 400 mg of sodium) and a plate of Garden-Fresh Salad with dressing (350 calories and 1,930 mg of sodium) and you’ll consume almost 2,000 calories (an entire day’s worth) and 6,160 mg

3. Salt's On!

On average, a cup ofCampbell’s Condensed soup has 760 mg of sodium. That’s half a day’s worth … assuming you eat only one of the 2½ servings that the label says the can makes. Campbell’s Healthy Request and Select Harvest, Progresso Reduced Sodium, and Healthy Choice slash the sodium to the 400s. Look for lower sodium lines in the 100s to 300s by Amy’s, Imagine Foods, Pacific Natural Foods, and Tabatchnick.

4. Tortilla Terror

Interested in a Chipotle Chicken Burrito (tortilla, rice, pinto beans, cheese, chicken, sour cream, and salsa)? Think of its 970 calories, and 18 grams of saturated fat as three 6-inch Subway BLT Classic Subs! Skipping the cheese or sour cream cuts the saturated fat to 6 grams, but you still end up with 750 calories and more than a day’s worth of sodium. Yikes!

5. Factory Reject

People don’t expect light desserts at The Cheesecake Factory. But the Chocolate Tower Truffle Cake kicks things up a notch. If it weren’t served on its side, this one would stand over six inches tall. And upright or not, the slab of cake still weighs in at three-quarters of a pound. What do you get for all that heft? Just 1,760 calories and 2½ days’ worth of saturated fat (50 grams), mostly from chocolate, sugar, cream, white flour, and butter.

6. Burial Grands

No one thinks of cinnamon rolls as health food. But each Pillsbury Grands! Cinnabon Cinnamon Roll with Icing has 310 calories and 2 grams of saturated fat plus 2½ grams of trans fat (more than a day’s worth) and 5 teaspoons of sugar. Companies are dumping their partially hydrogenated oils left and right, yet Pillsbury still makes most of its rolls and biscuits with the stuff.

7. Transgression

“Excellent source of ALA Omega 3,” declares the Land O’Lakes Margarine box. Who knew that Land O’Lakes stick margarine was so heart healthy? It isn’t. Each tablespoon of the spread has 2½ grams of trans fat (more than an entire day’s limit) and 2 grams of saturated fat. And beware of other trans-filled sticks by Blue Bonnet, Parkay, Country Crock, and Fleischmann’s. At least those brands don’t imply that a bit of ALA outweighs the harm caused by the margarine’s trans and saturated fat. Shopping tip: Look for tub margarines – most have little or no trans fat.

8. Starbucks on Steroids

The Starbucks Venti (20 oz) White Chocolate Mocha with 2% milk and whipped cream is more than a mere cup of coffee. It’s worse than a McDonald’s Quarter Pounder with Cheese. Few people have room in their diets for the 580 calories and 15 grams of saturated fat that this hefty beverage supplies. But you can lose 130 calories and almost two-thirds of the bad fat if you order it with nonfat milk and no whipped cream.

9. Extreme Ice Cream

An average halfcup serving ofHäagen-Dazs ice creamsqueezes half-a-day’s saturated fat and a third-of-a-day’s cholesterol into your artery walls and makes a nearly 300-calorie down-payment on your next set of fat cells – if you can stop at a petite half-cup!

10. Stone Cold

Cold Stone Creamery’s Oh Fudge! shake(chocolate ice cream, milk, and fudge syrup) starts at 1,250 calories for the “Like It” (16 oz) size. That’s more than a large (32 oz) McDonald’s McCafe Chocolate Triple Thick Shake. The “Love It” (20 oz) has 1,660 calories and the “Gotta Have It” (24 oz) reaches 1,920 calories (just about an entire day's worth) and 69 grams of saturated fat (3½ days’ worth). That's the saturated fat content of two 16 oz T-bone steaks plus a buttered baked potato, all blended into a handy 24 oz cup.

For more information: Click here to visit Will Clower's website.

Radio and TV this week

will@willclower.com (Dr. Will Clower) — Sat, 13 Aug 2011 13:43:00 +0000

Hi everyone,

I'm prepping for my radio program this morning. I'll be talking about what are the BEST and WORST foods for us (at least according to the Center For Science In The Public Interest).

HERE IS THE LINK TO LISTEN LIVE at 12:00 noon EST.

Then I have to talk about healthy lunches -- for me and you, but also for our kids in schools. I will go over this on TV on Monday morning as well -- I'll post that as soon as its up.

It turns out that healthy foods impact more than just your weight. It also improves your kids' attention, thinking ability, and their behavior.

Go figure, right?

For more information: Click here to visit Will Clower's website.

My Interview w Michelle Bernard (who is awesome)

will@willclower.com (Dr. Will Clower) — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 17:46:00 +0000

This interview was from this past Saturday. I really enjoyed talking to Michelle about family, food, childhood obesity, and whether we should regulate foods and restaurants and stuff.

Let me know your thoughts on this interview!!
Will

For more information: Click here to visit Will Clower's website.

How To Live Forever (your individual mileage may vary)

will@willclower.com (Dr. Will Clower) — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 19:58:00 +0000

I read a very silly study conclusion today. Ready?

Lifestyle doesn't matter. If you want to live a long healthy life, you only need to have the genes of the Ashkenazi Jews. There. Problem solved.

This work, published this week in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society involved 477 Ashkenazi Jews aged 95 to 122 who were living independently. Three-quarters were women.

Ashkenazi Jews? Um, Why?
This group was chosen because they are more ''genetically uniform than other populations, making it easier to spot gene differences".

What Did The Study Do, Actually?
They looked at the Ashkenazi group versus a control group who had the same lifestyle habits:

height-weight ratio
smoking
exercise level
and diet

The comparison group came from 3164 people born about the same time as the centenarians and were examined between 1971 and 1975.

Some Notable Findings?

1. 24% of those who were long-lived, drank alcohol daily, compared with 22% of the general population

2. 43% of those who were long lived exercised regularly compared with 57% of the general population.

Bottom Line?

Your genes are your tendency, not your destiny. I heard a popular radio personality quote this study today, to tell the listeners that they should blow off all this "health living" stuff because "it doesn't matter what you do ... it's all about your genes".

This is obviously goofy AND dumbo.

You might have genes that make you more susceptible to heart disease (or LESS susceptible), but you can certainly mess that up if you smoke, if you eat carcinogens, if you pig out on sugars all day every day.

The idea that a person's lifespan is NOT affected by their lifestyle is uninformed by reality.

The truth is in the middle. Your genes set your tendency, but your destiny determines your place within that window -- either toward the healthy side or toward the unhealthy side.

Here is the link to the article:

For more information: Click here to visit Will Clower's website.

Defeating Diabetes is Easy. You just have to look like this guy.

will@willclower.com (Dr. Will Clower) — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 16:06:00 +0000

How hard could it be, right?

A new study just out in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism says that more muscle = more control over your Type 2 diabetes. Not eat well ... not be more active ... not avoid Ho Hos and you're intravenous Mountain Dew addiction.

Just add muscle bulk. Hmmm.

What Did This Study ... Study?

A whopping 13,644 adults took part in the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey III between 1988 and 1994. In this group, for every 10% increase in skeletal muscle index (SMI) -- the ratio of muscle mass to total body weight --

there was an 11 % reduction in insulin resistance, a precursor to diabetes
there was a 12 % reduction in pre-diabetes

So ... you're saying that people can control their diabetes by adding bulky bulk. Wouldn't it be great if the discussion of these kinds of studies started by saying something like:

"This really doesn't mean that much on it's own. And no one should think that muscle bulk has anything to do with diabetes control without also controlling other lifestyle factors. And the control of diabetes symptoms may be due to any of a hundred other things that happened while our budding weight lifters were grunting away over their sweaty barbells."

Can chewing more help you eat less?

will@willclower.com (Dr. Will Clower) — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 18:00:00 +0000

You mean ... like a cow working her cud?

A new study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition shows that people who chew 40 times instead of a typical 15 times led to fewer calories consumed (by 12% -- which would lead to weight loss of ~ 25 pounds for the average person).

Plus, more chewing = lower blood levels of hormones that boost appetite (ghrelin) and an increase in others that signal fullness (CCK). Less hunger, more fullness ... well, there go your calories.

Here's Where It Gets Weird

The authors then said that these hormones may "represent useful targets for future obesity therapies," according to co-author Shuran Wang, because regulating their levels may help people control their appetite.

I get that these folks want to patent a miracle drug that pharmaceutical companies can buy from them. But what if these hormonal changes are not CAUSES of the changes, but the EFFECTS of a behavioral change? Doesn't that seem like the more reasonable, rationale, albeit less lucrative solution?

Is It The Chewing? Really?

No, of course not. This bovine behavior is not likely the magic key to battle your bulge. It is more likely to be the fact that, when you chew more, you take more time with your food. When you take more time with your food, you allow your brain to "get the message" that you're full before you overrun that signal by inhaling your food.

I think we need to develop a drug for enjoying your food, and another drug for returning to the family table, and another drug for slowing down when you eat.

SOURCE: bit.ly/mTVbpm American Journal of Clinical Nutrition

Can chewing more help you eat less? | Reuters

For more information: Click here to visit Will Clower's website.

Colon Blow: Are These Cleanses Healthy?

will@willclower.com (Dr. Will Clower) — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 14:00:00 +0000

It's like Roto-Rooter for your colon. And you can "get a visual" (eww) to see why that might make common sense.

However, doctors are only now looking into whether or not colon blowing actually does anything besides support the spa industry.

Colon Cleansing: What does it do ... actually?
There's a tube that's ... well, it's shoved right up ... and then you get flushed ... up, like, in there ... like, a toilet of chemicals and water.

And How's That Workin' For Ya?

I love the comments of Dr. Ranit Mishori, a family medicine physician at Georgetown University School of Medicine. "You shouldn't put things up there that really don't belong there. Imagine 60 liters of water going through your colon. The stress it puts on the system, and the hose, if not used correctly, could puncture the organ."

As for the home remedies, Mishori says there's no need for them. "We poop and pee for a reason. If you are a healthy person, the body does it for you."

So If The Procedures are Crap, What ISThe Best Way To Cleanse The Body?

Mishori responded, "Eat a balanced diet, exercise regularly, get six to eight hours of sleep and see a doctor regularly. But no one wants to do that," she said with exasperation. "But they'll use a hose to flush themselves out! The use of these methods are unhealthy. And what's scary is we only examined the cases that were reported to hospitals and doctors. Imagine all the people who are using these products and methods and have side effects and never go to the hospital."

Love her. She's awesome.

The researchers from Georgetown say there's no evidence any of these colon cleansing treatments work and, in fact, when used improperly can cause cramping, kidney failure and in some extreme cases, death.

Here's another negative opinion from a Mayo doc

ZERO Upside for Your Backside

According to the report released this week in the Journal of Family Practice, Mishori and her colleagues examined 20 studies published in medical literature over the last 10 years.

1. Little evidence of colon cleansing benefits

2. Side effects: cramping, bloating, nausea, vomiting, electrolyte imbalance and renal failure. And in some cases, ingredients in these remedies were toxic.

blog post adapted from this article:
Colon cleansing: Not so healthy, analysis says – The Chart - CNN.com Blogs

For more information: Click here to visit Will Clower's website.

What Happens To Your Kids When They Eat Hot Dogs?

will@willclower.com (Dr. Will Clower) — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 16:12:00 +0000

Hot Dogs Can Contribute to Leukemia In Children

Peters et al. (reference below) studied the relationship between the intake of certain foods and the risk of leukemia in children from birth to age 10 in Los Angeles County between 1980 and 1987. The study found that children eating more than 12 hot dogs per month have nine times the normal risk of developing childhood leukemia. A strong risk for childhood leukemia also existed for those children whose fathers' intake of hot dogs was 12 or more per month.

Hot Dogs Can Contribute to Brain Cancer

Researchers Sarusua and Savitz studied childhood cancer cases in Denver and found that children born to mothers who consumed hot dogs one or more times per week during pregnancy has approximately double the risk of developing brain tumors. Children who ate hot dogs one or more times per week were also at higher risk of brain cancer.

Bunin et al, also found that maternal consumption of hot dogs during pregnancy was associated with an excess risk of childhood brain tumors.

How Could This Happen?
Hot dogs contain nitrites which are used as preservatives, primarily to combat botulism. During the cooking process, nitrites combine with amines naturally present in meat to form carcinogenic N-nitroso compounds. It is also suspected that nitrites can combine with amines in the human stomach to form N-nitroso compounds. These compounds are known carcinogens and have been associated with cancer of the oral cavity, urinary bladder, esophagus, stomach and brain.

Any Safe Options?
Not all hot dogs on the market contain nitrites. Because of modern refrigeration methods, nitrites are now used more for the red color they produce (which is associated with freshness) than for preservation. Nitrite-free hot dogs, while they taste the same as nitrite hot dogs, have a brownish color that has limited their popularity among consumers. When cooked, nitrite-free hot dogs are perfectly safe and healthy.

HERE ARE FOUR THINGS THAT YOU CAN DO:

Do not buy hot dogs containing nitrite. It is especially important that children and potential parents do not consume 12 or more of these hot dogs per month.
Request that your supermarket have nitrite-free hot dogs available.
Contact your local school board and find out whether children are being served nitrite hot dogs in the cafeteria, Request that they use only nitrite-free hot dogs.
Write the FDA and express your concern that nitrite-hot dogs are not labeled for their cancer risk to children. You can mention CPC's petition on hot dogs, docket #: 95P 0112/CP1.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Cancer Prevention Coalition

c/o School of Public Health, M/C 922
University of Illinois at Chicago
2121 West Taylor Street
Chicago, IL 60612
Tel: (312) 996-2297, Fax: (312) 413-9898
Email: epstein@uic.edu

References:
1, Peters J, et al " Processed meats and risk of childhood leukemia (California, USA)" Cancer Causes & Control 5: 195-202, 1994.

2 Sarasua S, Savitz D. " Cured and broiled meat consumption in relation to childhood cancer: Denver, Colorado (United States),"Cancer Causes & Control 5:141-8, 1994.

3 Bunin GR, et al. "Maternal diet and risk of astrocytic glioma in children: a report from the children's cancer group (United States and Canada)," Cancer Causes & Control 5:177-87, 1994.

4. Lijinsky W, Epstein, S. "Nitrosamines as environmental carcinogens," Nature 225 (5227): 2112, 1970.

For more information: Click here to visit Will Clower's website.

Audio: Placenta Hormone For Weight Loss? A Review of the HCG diet

will@willclower.com (Dr. Will Clower) — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 00:00:00 +0000

On my radio program I speak w Dr Peiter Cohen about the HCG diet -- what it is, what it does, and whether it's worth it.

Click Here To Get The Audio Clip

Dr Cohen is awesome -- you're going to love him.

For more information: Click here to visit Will Clower's website.

Video: Migraines and The Epilepsy of Pain

will@willclower.com (Dr. Will Clower) — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 20:05:00 +0000

Ever felt that knife sticking into the back of your eye? Ever wondered WHY this happens. I talk about both of those things, along with what's known about alternative therapies, in this segment.

For more information: Click here to visit Will Clower's website.