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November 2008 - Posts
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Please join us on Thursday, 12/4 at 3:00 p.m. ET for a Live Chat on The Culprit & The Cure. The chat will be hosted by Dr. Tony -- he'll discuss the book and provide simple ways to help you live healthier and longer.
If you submit a question or comment during the Live Chat you’ll be entered into a drawing for one of 10 gift cards for $25 to a fitness store.
To register now, click on Live Chat, find the 12/4 Live Chat and then select Register Now.
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If you don’t think stress can have a negative impact on your
health – think again. In March 2007, I attended an onsite health screening fair
we had at work - they tested for blood
pressure, cholesterol, weight, and triglycerides. Having run the New York City
Marathon just five months before I assumed that I was in pretty good health – I
couldn’t have been more wrong.
My weight was up, my cholesterol was up 222 (180 LDL and 42
HDL), my blood pressure was up 130/80 - the only good new was that my
triglycerides were low. I understood my blood pressure being a little high as
my wife and I were expecting our third child that week, but the other numbers?
I couldn’t figure out how they could have gotten away from me. I’ve always been
pretty active and I generally eat well – admittedly I probably eat red meat a
little too often.
It wasn’t until I met with a health coach that I began to
understand what was going on - and stress was the only constant in the
equation. Stress had taken such a strangle hold on my life, that I didn’t even
realize I had gotten away from exercising and eating well. Not to mention the
physiological impact that stress has on your body (increased blood pressure and
cholesterol, etc…). When I was younger and my weight went up a little or I got
a little stressed it wasn’t a big deal. A little exercise cured everything. But as I get older ,the weight doesn’t come off as quickly and the stresses of
life (helping to support a family) don’t go away – in fact, they become
magnified.
At that point I made a conscious decision to take control of
the stress in my life. No longer would I let work consume me, I would make it a
point to get back into my exercise routine and I would start to really watch
what I was eating. I thought that if I started with these, some of the other
stresses in my life wouldn’t be so magnified (i.e., I found myself reacting too
quickly to some of the things my kids would do – after all, kids will be kids…).
Suffice it to say, 20 months later, I feel like I’m in a
much better place and my “numbers” show it. My blood pressure is still a little
high 122/88, but come on – I have a six year old, a three year old and a two
year – how can that not get your blood pressure up a little. My weight is down
and I knocked 32 points off my overall cholesterol (now 190), but more
importantly in reducing my overall cholesterol, I knocked 61 points off my LDL
and raised my HDL by 29 points.
My work isn’t done. I need to try and get my blood
pressure down and there’s still plenty of room for improvement in my
cholesterol numbers, but it’s good to know that I’m on the right path. Jason
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As we get ready for the Ignite Live Chat (December 4th at 3:00 p.m. ET) on The Culprit & The Cure, Steven Aldana leaves us with some very practical suggestions and key lessons we can use in our daily life regardless of our age or work style habits. How can you be physically fit to enjoy the rest of your life with minimal pain, injury or fear of developing a chronic disease?
You can start today by developing a plan to exercise that is structured and regular to occur almost every day. The beauty of this plan is that you don’t have to run a marathon to enjoy the benefits of exercise. You can start with a small plan that allocates 5 or 10 minutes for a brisk walk. Then structure your day and time over the next week so you repeat the walk 2 to 3 times a day. You can vary the routine from day to day or week to week but keep it up for at least 21 days and then repeat the process again. Ultimately, you make it a habit and part of your life to enjoy daily exercise.
Daily exercise is much better than taking medicine every day for high blood pressure, high cholesterol or for diabetes. The muscles in your body are extremely forgiving and are excellent work out partners. Regardless of how long you sat in a chair or neglected your exercise program, your muscles will re-gain the momentum and provide you the same benefits you enjoyed when you were younger and stronger.
A scientific review by Dr. Dena Bravata at Stanford University last year showed that people who use a pedometer regularly will increase their physical activity by walking at least a mile more than people who don’t wear pedometers. The pedometer users also enjoyed a lower body mass index, lower blood pressure and lower cholesterol. It is important to set a goal of 10,000 steps per day and use the pedometer to track your progress each week. She also noted that “if 10% of the adults in the U.S. began a regular walking program, an estimated $5.6 billion in heart disease costs would be saved”.
Are you wearing your pedometer today? Have you taken your 5-10 minute walk and are you planning to increase your time to 30 minutes per day total? In the book the pneumonic FIT means Frequency, Intensity, and Time. When you structure your plan to exercise, read about these important metrics and how to achieve the intensity that targets a heart rate between 60% and 80% of your maximum heart rate. Learn how to calculate your maximum heart and how to do the “talk test” to measure your intensity. All of these are key lessons we can learn by reading Chapters 9, 10 and 11 in The Culprit & The Cure.
I’ll be signing off now to go for a quick walk and I’ll see you next time around the block.
Dr. Tony Linares
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As we discussed last week, fruits and vegetables are packed with important nutrients. These nutrients can vary based on whether the fruits and vegetables are fresh, frozen, or canned.
Depending on your choice of raw, frozen, or canned, there are varying degrees of preparation necessary for nutrition preservation. In addition, the storage method is critical to preserve the nutrients until they are ready to be consumed. Here are some tips for storing and preparing fruits and vegetables to maintain maximum nutritional value:
Storage
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The best place to store vegetables is in the vegetable compartment of the refrigerator, where temperatures are not too cold. Upper shelves are too humid and cause them to dry out. Just don’t forget about them in the drawer!
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Once fruits ripen, store them in the refrigerator and use them quickly. Many fruits ripen quickly, so check them frequently to make sure they do not become overripe.
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Unripe fruit will ripen more quickly if placed in a paper bag.
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Store fruits and vegetables separately because ethylene gas given off by fruits causes vegetables to spoil.
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Do not store potatoes in the refrigerator; their starch will convert into sugar and develop a sweet taste.
Preparation
- Always wash fresh fruits and vegetables under cold running water before cooking and eating. Washing removes dirt and pesticide residue. Be sure to wash large whole fruits and vegetables before you cut them up. Wash vegetables such as cauliflower, broccoli, leeks and celery a second time to remove sand and additional dirt.
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Peel vegetables that have been waxed (moist vegetables such as cucumbers are waxed to slow moisture loss in shipment). The wax can trap pesticide residue and fungi.
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In general, try to limit peeling to preserve fiber content. If you do peel fruits and vegetables, do so as thinly as possible, to avoid losing vitamins that are just under the skin.
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Avoid boiling. Prolonged exposure to water and heat can break down chemicals.
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Steam, broil, microwave or cook vegetables in a small amount of water.
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Cook only until crisp and slightly tender; avoid overcooking.
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Serve foods promptly. The longer cooked fruits and vegetables sit, the more nutrients are lost.
Rebecca
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In this week’s chapters, we take a look at physical fitness and activity. Chapter 9 takes us through What Exercise Will Do For You. Some of the statistics in this chapter are pretty shocking – like that 80% of individuals are at risk for health problems due to less than adequate physical activity. The chapter focuses on cardiorespiratory fitness – the fitness of the heart and respiratory system – because it has the greatest impact on health. Some of the effects of regular fitness activity include:
- Lower risk for cardiovascular disease – individuals that are sedentary are eight times as likely to die,
- Lower risk for cancer – individuals who are sedentary are five times as likely to die,
- Stronger bones, since exercise increases bone mass thereby decreasing risk for breaks, and
- Improved mood and self-esteem.
In Chapter 10 – Physical Activity Nuts and Bolts – we learn about the type and length of exercise we need to be doing to maintain our health. Aldana reminds us that everything we do that is active counts – like gardening and cooking. The focus for cardiovascular fitness should be Fitness, Intensity and Time (or F.I.T.). The statement – Every adult should accumulate at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity on most, preferably all, days of the week. – includes the F, the I and the T. We learn that to get health benefits from exercise, we should be working at 60-90% of maximum heart rate (see page 158 for a chart). Finally, Aldana reminds us that fitness levels decrease with age (about 10% each decade after age 30), but that much can be regained by staying active.
Chapter 11 – Being Physically Active for Life – is the start of Dr. Aldana’s instructions on how. On page 177, there is a great chart outlining the specific benefits of and barriers to exercise. He believes that if the barriers are equal to or outweigh the benefits, people are more likely to stop being physically active. Since time commitment is most often a reason for lack of activity, he demonstrates how busy people combine physical activities with things they are already doing – such as parking further from a destination or mowing the lawn with a push mower. Finally, he recommends providing reminders to exercise (e.g., bringing walking shoes to work) and setting specific goals as the best ways to stay active.
What’s to come: This Thursday, Dr. Tony will provide his thoughts on Chapters 9, 10 and 11. We’ll take a break for Thanksgiving week and review the final set of Chapters (12, 13 and 14) the following week. Finally, Dr. Tony will host a Live Chat discussion of this book on December 4th at 3:00 p.m. ET on Ignite. Stay tuned to Ignite for more information!
Kerry
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The science and knowledge of the types of fat in our diet has grown significantly over the past 40 to 50 years. But unfortunately, our waistlines have also gotten bigger and we now find ourselves in the midst of an obesity epidemic.
How did we get here?
One of the explanations posed by Steve Aldana is that we have replaced some of our dietary intake of fats with higher calorie sugars and proteins. He notes that 40 years ago, the American diet had a 45% daily caloric intake of fatty foods and today we have decreased our intake of fats to 32% of our daily calories. High calorie foods rich in carbohydrates are easily accessible and relatively inexpensive – and people have increased their serving sizes of these foods. The increased obesity today is partly due to replacement of some fats in our diet with higher caloric foods so the net daily calorie intake has actually increased by over 100 calories per day.
I can easily relate to his story (see “Inside the Aldana Home” on page 97) of a fat laden menu when he was growing up in Idaho. I could tell a very similar story about eating eggs, bacon, and homemade tortillas (made with animal lard) on a daily basis as I grew up on a small farm in Ohio. Aldana appropriately notes that many of our food preferences come from our cultural and family upbringing.
It’s important to note the impact on our health that dietary fats play over time. Good fats or oils like monounsaturated or polyunsaturated fats actually help us lower the bad cholesterol (LDL) and increase the healthy cholesterol (HDL). This group includes monounsaturated fats like olive oil, almonds and nuts and polyunsaturated fats like soybean oil and fish. The book gives some great examples and shows how we can replace the bad saturated fats (ice cream, cheese, etc.) and ugly trans-fats (French fries, baked goods, margarine) with a more balanced approach, where we can swap for the good fats instead.
This section of the book also shares some great studies of how women have decreased their risk of heart disease over time by eating healthier fats and improving daily exercise. These results were published by a Harvard professor in the Nurses Health Study in 1977. Additional studies have shown that people who have a Mediterranean style diet that is high in plant oils also have a 34% reduction in heart disease and a 16% reduction in diabetes. Another risk associated with fats from animal sources such as red meat, is colon cancer. If you read on however, you learn that exercise is the best way to reduce the incidence of colon cancer.
The next time you have a craving for bad or ugly fats, just reach for some almonds or walnuts instead. Or better yet, just go for a nice walk.
Dr. Tony Linares
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A diet should include a variety of fruits and vegetables. Fresh, frozen and canned each contain important nutrients and contribute to a healthy diet. How could there be anything better than fresh? That's the question that baffles people when it comes to comparing fresh fruits and vegetables vs. frozen or canned.
As a general rule, fresh fruits and vegetables, direct from harvest, are highest in nutrients. However, the catch is that by the time fresh fruits and vegetables get to the grocery store, they've been in transit for up to two weeks, bouncing down the freeway in semi trucks, or even flying in from another part of the world! Then, they sit in the grocery store, quietly losing nutritional value as they wait to be purchased. Once bought, they often sit even more time in the fruit bowl or in the produce drawer in the refrigerator. That said, there are benefits to buying and eating canned or frozen vegetables.
The canning process locks in nutrients at their peak of freshness. Since there is little oxygen they are stored, canned fruits and vegetables remain relatively stable up until the time they are consumed. Frozen products are also packed at their peak of freshness. Frozen fruits and vegetables may be more nutritious in some cases if stored for short periods of time under well-controlled temperatures.
When you eat fresh fruits and vegetables, do so as soon as possible. Some fresh vegetables, such as spinach and green beans, lose up to 75% of their vitamin C within 7 days of harvest, even when held at the recommended refrigerator temperature.
Next week we will cover the best ways to prepare the vegetables and fruits for nutritional preservation.
Rebecca
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As with all components of diet, the amount of fat is strongly rooted in our culture and lifestyle. Chapter 7 begins with a discussion of how, over time, all fat has been labeled as `bad’ based on research showing that dietary fat can increase cholesterol and cancer risk. Dr. Aldana notes that low-fat diets can result in long-term weight loss and reduced cardiovascular disease, but that we need to be more moderate than saying `all fat is bad’.
The graph on page 101 shows that since the 1960s, the percentage of calories from fat has decreased (from 45% to 32% of total calories) while at the same time the percentage of people who are overweight/obese has increased. One cause of this relationship is that we have increased total daily calorie intake (by 335 calories daily in women and 168 in men) without increasing physical activity.
Chapter 7 also takes us through good and bad fats. As a general rule, good fats include polyunsaturated fats (found in plants and fish) and monounsaturated fats (found in the traditional Mediterranean diet). Saturated fats (found in cheese and whole milk) and trans fats (found in margarine and shortening) are considered bad fats. Dr. Aldana does not recommend adding good fats to the diet, but substituting good fats for bad fats. For example, substitute plant oils for high-fat diary products and fatty meats. By substituting 2% of total calories that are from trans fats with good fats, we can reduce our risk of heart attack by up to 50%.
In Chapter 8, we learn about the top layers of the food pyramid – meat, poultry, eggs, dairy, refined starches and alcohol – all of which should be consumed in moderation. Dr. Aldana says the research around meat is quite mixed – some studies show a link between meat consumption and cancer but others refute this claim. He said the best science says that red meat should be eaten sparingly.
The research around dairy products is similarly complex. Overall, low-fat dairy does seem to show better results in terms of cardiovascular disease and stroke, while high-fat dairy does the opposite. Finally, the chapter closes with a discussion of alcohol, reminding us that a small to moderate amount of alcohol (defined as one to two drinks per day) results in a slight decrease in cardiovascular risk. However, the chart on page 131 also shows that with small to moderate alcohol consumption comes a slight increase in risk for cancer.
On Thursday, Dr. Tony will give his perspective on these chapters. And next week we’ll take a look at Chapters 9, 10 and 11. Finally, stay tuned for more information on our Live Chat discussion of this book in early December.
Kerry
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This past week, I drove to West Virginia for work. It was a gorgeous drive, weaving through the Appalachian Mountains, which were covered in shades of red, orange and yellow. The scenery was breathtaking and although being in the car, the drive relaxed me.
It also reminded me that I should hurry up and enjoy the outdoors before it’s too cold. So I thought about ways to take full advantage of the fall season? Here is what I came up with…
The fall foliage is too beautiful to be missed, especially if you’re a kid. So do what I did and take your family on a scenic drive. Experiencing the leaves changing is an excellent opportunity for children to learn about the different seasons and witness the changing landscape.
You may also want to look for a park in your area and see so you can see the foliage up close and personal. Many parks offer fantastic hiking trails for you and your family to explore. As you know, hiking is great exercise and if you plan a picnic, you could make a whole day out enjoying the fall foliage.
You could also check out the local orchards in your area. Many offer a whole host of activities such as apple picking, corn mazes and hay rides. It will be a great opportunity to bond with your family and enjoy the fresh air. Think of all the goodies you’ll bring home, such as fresh apples, apple pie, turnovers, bread and cider. Mmmm!
With the weather getting cooler, it’s only natural for people to stay indoors. But the winter weather isn’t here yet! So grab your jacket because it’s time to enjoy the cool, crisp fall weather.
What are your thoughts? What activities have you and your family done to enjoy the fall?
Justin
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Chapters 4, 5 and 6 in Steven Aldana’s book provide a simple guide to reduce your overall risk for heart disease, cancer or prevent a premature heart attack.
Do you know where you are now in terms of your important health numbers (check out Chapter 4). What is your blood pressure? What is your body mass index (BMI) and what are your four cholesterol numbers (total cholesterol, LDL, HDL and triglycerides)? He only refers to total cholesterol in the book but we know that each type of cholesterol is an independent risk factor. Remember that your low density cholesterol (LDL) should be low or less than 100 and your high density cholesterol (HDL) should be higher or over 40 because it is protective and reduces your heart risk. Again, he keeps the message and the math very simple: “for every 1% drop in total cholesterol you will decrease your risk of having a heart attack by 2-3% and for every point drop in diastolic blood pressure you decrease your heart attack risk by an additional 2-3%”. In his experience working with different employers, he has seen some companies decrease the heart attack risk of their staff by 50%.
Have you seen some of the television commercials where the parent is eating cereal for breakfast in an effort to decrease his or her cholesterol levels? If the cereal contains whole grains, your risk of heart disease can be cut by 35% based on a large study referenced in Chapter 5. Aldana goes on to give us a simple rule to get your daily intake of whole grains: three servings a day or one with each meal. What I like most about whole grains is their rich dietary fiber and overall protection against cancer, which is related to the role fiber plays in keeping our intestines healthy. In addition to protecting against colon cancer, many studies have show that whole grains can also reduce the incidence of breast, pancreatic, stomach, ovarian and other cancers.
In Chapter 6 we learn more about the important role of fruits and vegetables. Do you get more than five and up to seven daily servings? Some studies suggest five to seven servings to get the full protection from phytochemicals. Make sure you read this chapter to learn an easy way to measure servings of fruits and vegetables. A good rule to follow is to make sure that half of your plate contains multi-colored fruits, veggies or salad and the other half is evenly divided with a serving of whole grains and a meat or fish serving. A great motivator is to know that phytochemicals in fruits and veggies fight off the free radicals in our body and in turn slow down the aging process.
Next week we’ll be discussing Chapters 7 and 8. Please read on in The Culprit & The Cure to learn more.
Dr. Tony Linares
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As we’re learning about `food in its original form’ in the current Book Club, I thought I’d take a few weeks to talk about the nutritional benefits of these foods. This week we focus on whole grains.
Eating whole grains can be very beneficial to your overall health. Whole grains are packed with nutrients including protein, fiber, B vitamins, antioxidants, and trace minerals (iron, zinc, copper, and magnesium). A diet rich in whole grains has been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity, and some forms of cancer. Whole-grain diets also improve bowel health by helping to maintain regular bowel movements and promote growth of healthy bacteria in the colon.
Whole grains can be an excellent source of fiber, but not all whole grains are good sources of fiber. Whole wheat contains the highest amount of fiber of the whole grains, while brown rice contains the least. Working more whole grains into your diet can be as simple as choosing whole-grain breads (see sample label below), cereals, english muffins, waffles, bagels, pasta, rice, and crackers.
It’s important that you’re not fooled with the words “whole grain.” When you scan the bread, cereal or snack aisle, it seems like every package mentions it has whole grains – but not all of them actually are whole grain. Terms like multigrain, 100% wheat, cracked wheat, organic, pumpernickel, bran, and stone ground may sound healthy, but none actually indicates the product is whole grain. (According to Dr. Aldana’s book, it's important to look for whole wheat – not wheat flour – as the first ingredient in the ingredient list.)
Another misleading perception is that whole grains don't taste good, or that it's difficult to work them into their daily diets. There are many great whole grain products such as whole grain pasta and breads that don’t look whole wheat and have their original taste. Lastly, whole grains not only provide a variety of nutrients but they are beneficial for weight loss. High fiber foods offer satiety so you are less likely to get hungry or overeat.
Rebecca
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Last week we looked at the foundation for The Culprit & The Cure. We learned the goal for the book – helping us all live healthier for longer – and some of the challenges we face in trying to live healthier.
This week, we start our discussion by looking at where we are and Chapter 4 is appropriately titled Where Are You? The chapter begins by reminding us that our health is directly tied to behaviors – as an example, large cohort studies show that 82% of coronary deaths in women are related to individual health behaviors. That’s an astonishing number, I think. Pages 53-55 have a short health quiz to evaluate health risks – I highly recommend this quiz as it digests a lot of information into a few questions. Most health risks (obesity and blood pressure, for example) are directly tied to the probability of early death and disease – and the curve becomes steeper as the level of risk increases. On a lighter note, Aldana shares the effects of exercise, wherein studies have found that a small amount of exercise has a huge effect on health, but piling on more and more exercise doesn’t have the same effect. In other words, just adding new exercise to a routine has huge health benefits.
Chapter 5 (Food in its Original Form) focuses mainly on whole grains. A whole grain contains the fibrous bran, the germ and the starch. White flour is made from milling whole wheat flour to remove the bran and germ. However, these parts of the grain contain the greatest health benefits, including the heart, cancer, diabetes and stroke. And for every 10 grams of fiber we average per day, our risk of heart attack goes down 14% and risk of heart disease death goes down 27%. The benefits of whole grains are due to phytochemicals, which along with vitamins, fiber, minerals and protein, work to protect the body from disease.
The last chapter covered this week (Chapter 6 – Thinking about Fruits and Vegetables in a Very Different Way) also extols the benefits of food in its original form – in this case, fruits and vegetables. Probably the most compelling argument is that there are at least 5,000 phytochemicals in fruits and vegetables that have been identified (thousands more exist) and that they work together in each fruit or vegetable to provide protective effects on the body. If you are eating the whole fruit, he reminds us to eat the skin. Dr. Aldana explains how the best effect of these phytochemicals is stopping the process of oxidation, a process that “neutralizes free radicals”, thereby preventing disease such as cancer and artery blockage. Finally, as with many physicians, Dr. Aldana believes that a one-a-day vitamin is OK, but that is should be consumed as an addition to a diet rich in whole fruits and vegetables (at least 5 servings a day).
This Thursday, Dr. Tony will discuss Chapters 4, 5 and 6 in more detail. And join us next Tuesday when we discuss Chapters 7 and 8. As usual, feel free to post a comment to this blog!
Kerry
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This weekend, most of us enjoyed an extra hour of sleep thanks to the end of Daylight Savings Time. I know for many people it was a much needed extra hour (perhaps to help recuperate from Halloween fun?). But recently published research shows that the extra hour of sleep may do more for our health than we know.
Two Swedish researchers who study sleep and heart disease found a 5% decline in heart attacks on the Monday after Daylight Savings Time ends – by looking at historical data on heart attacks in Sweden from 1987 to 2006. They found similar declines on other days of the week following the time change, but these changes were not significant. (By the way, the study authors said they expect similar results in other countries too.)
Doctors say they have long known that a good night’s sleep has positive effects on heart health, such as blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol and inflammation. And the research in this study suggests that this one hour of sleep may in some way be correlated with these extra heart benefits.
It’s important to note that this same study found that there is an opposite change following the start of Daylight Savings Time – there is about a 5% increase in heart attacks on the Monday following the spring time change. For this change, one sleep doctor recommends waking up 15 minutes earlier for a few days before the time change, to help the body adjust to the new schedule.
Time change or not, overall advice for a healthy heart remains the same – eat a healthy diet, exercise and don’t smoke.
Kerry
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The last couple weeks have been rough as far as eating well
and keeping up with my exercise routine. I’ve been working too many hours,
traveling and to cap it off Halloween was last night. Don’t get me wrong… I
love Halloween! Short of Christmas, there’s nothing more fun than getting my
kids all dressed up and going door-to-door to collect the goodies.
So… on top of not having worked out or eaten well lately, now
I have a house full of candy and an insatiable appetite for chocolate. So I
guess that leaves me with two choices: start eating healthier, get back in the
gym and enjoy the candy in moderation. Or… enjoy the candy now and get back to
my health once it’s all gone.
Station break: I can’t believe the ending to the college
football game I just watched. I cannot believe Texas Tech came back to beat Texas on a last second
play!!!
Back to my dilemma: I guess when you put it down in writing
there’s really one logical choice. Notice I said logical and not responsible…
All kidding aside, Halloween is a great time and most any treat is okay – as
long as it’s in moderation.
Jason
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