Healthy Bytes

Making changes

read time: 404 words, about two minutes

It’s that time of year to do the resolution thing.

I believe the statistics bandied about are 80% of folks make resolutions. And the success rate… well it’s not too great.

Why is that?
Clearly it takes more than “consequences”… particularly when the consequences are less than immediate. And when it comes to health - in the vast majority of cases – the consequences aren’t immediately recognized.

The leading maladies (obesity, diabetes, heart disease, cancer, osteoporosis) are all in large part due to the choices we make. The choices in nutrition, the choices in lifestyle and the choices in environmental factors.

How do people go from “trying” to change to successfully changing?

The most common change motivator is a significant painful event. For instance, people are more motivated to change their diet AFTER they’ve had a heart attack.

The second most common change motivator is reaching a point of “enough”, being completely fed up.

And the third most common change motivator is being inspired such as when you change for someone else - for instance, a spouse or child. Or when you hear of another persons success and you’re inspired to create your own.

Maybe you want to change, but you’re not significantly compelled to do so. No problem, change your perception. We get very wrapped up in the day to day. But if you set aside a little bit of time and push yourself to be completely honest, you may very well find that motivation to get – and keep – you going.

Ask yourself – and write down – what’s the consequence of my behavior. For instance, if you’re overweight, what is the impact on a daily basis and on a cumulative basis. The impact on yourself and the impact on the people in your life. Be brutally honest – it will be just between you and you.

Next, write down the impact of changing the behavior. How would your life change. Be as detailed as possible.

Lastly, are the people closest to you able to support that change. If not, where can you find people that will support that change.

There are so many reasons to eat well… or perhaps so many reasons to not eat poorly. Many people just don’t want to honestly confront them and yet when their health deteriorates they’re so full of regret. Make the perception of that regret now to motivate you to change now… then they’ll be no need for regret.

Does that steak have a pedigree?

read time: 263 words, about a minute

The FDA has announced it will approve cloned animal products. This includes meat and poultry products as well as dairy products (milk, eggs, cheese, ect.).

What is a cloned animal? They remove the DNA from an egg and replace it with the DNA of another same species animal. (cow with cow, pig with pig, ect.). The egg is then electrically or chemically stimulated in a petri dish to start dividing. After a few days, it’s transplanted into a womb.

So basically the goal is to continue to take “the best” DNA and breed it. In the instance of milking cows, you want the DNA from the cows that produce the most milk.

The FDA claims cloned animals are ‘virtually indistinguishable’ from regular livestock. As such, it’s not necessary to separately distinguish or label them.

Carol Tucker Foreman, Consumer Federation of America director of food policy claims the FDA is ignoring research that shows cloning results in more deformed and dead offspring.

I’m not familiar with the research, but that has been true throughout history when people try to enhance certain characteristics through engineered breeding.

Beyond the health issue, some would argue there is a ethical issue. Some people are opposed to cloning. Heck, this administration has banned human cloning. Why is it not reasonable for people to ethically opposed to animal cloning. I suppose their only choice will be to go vegetarian

Not quite as out in the media is that scientist are currently working on ‘growing meat in a test tube’. Basically, your hamburger will be completely manufactured, no animals involved.

Skip the purple pill

read time: 383 words, about two minutes

There was a study done in Britain and published in the Journal of the American Medical Association which shows an association between the class of drugs known as proton pump inhibitors (Nexium, Prevacid and Prilosec) and an increase (44%-250%) in broken hips.

What’s one got to do with the other…
Your stomach produces hydrochloric acid. The acid helps breakdown food for digestion.
Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) prevent production of the acid. So what happens with food digestion?

- PPIs reduce and block the absorption of calcium, B12, beta-carotene, folic acid, thiamin, iron, sodium and zinc.
The decrease in calcium absorption leads to weaker bones which increases hip fractures. Decreased B12 can lead to dementia and alzheimers.
- undigested food sits and rots in your stomach
- there’s a greater susceptibility to germs, bacteria, viruses, yeast and mold in the absence of acid. These invaders are free to colonize in your stomach and digestive track. This may damage your stomach cells as well as make you more susceptible to diseases such as gastritis, Crohn’s, asthma, acid reflux (yes this is the “reason” you take these drugs) and stomach ulcers and cancer.
- You’re more likely to experience bloating, gas, bad breath and rashes.
- Liver function is suppressed… fat is not efficiently excreted, protein is not thoroughly digested which reduces your ability to produce HDL – the good cholesterol.

So what should you do if you experience heartburn more than occasionally?

- Eat three meals a day. This allows stomach acid to build appropriately.
- Eat less (hopefully no) processed foods… they’re much harder to digest.
- Chew your food thoroughly. This stimulates enzymes and breaks your food down more.
- If needed, take digestive enzymes.

A study by WRC Laboratories found that orange peel extract (d-limonene) reduces heartburn. The study found that one 1,000 mg capsule every other day for 20 days reduced or eliminated heartburn for most participants for six months or longer. 89% of the subjects got results in 2 weeks. 50% continued to experience relief 4 to 6 months after they stopped taking d-limonene. Some participants continued getting relief by taking just one 1,000 mg capsule once a month.

You can find d-limonene in most nutritional/supplement stores.

Again, would “mother nature” give you stomach acid if you did not need it?

Another new Coke

read time: 158 words, about a minute

Coke intends to market a “nutrient-enhanced carbonated soda”… diet coke ‘fortified with vitamins and minerals’ this coming spring.

I can imagine the commercials now.
Before you fall prey to the “here’s a great way to get your vitamins” line, keep in mind that soda contains:

-> Sugar and/or High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS)
Which is strongly associated with liver toxicity, specifically – non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Additionally, HFCS is believed to interfere with messages to the brain that signal satiety… therefore you don’t stop eating when full. And, HFCS is believed to decrease the effectiveness of insulin… leading to overeating and diabetes.
Lastly, a high-sugar diet is linked to cancer, heart disease and diabetes.

-> Phosphoric acid
Calcium is pulled out of the bones to neutralize phosphoric acid. This leads to porous, brittle bones making you more susceptible to bone fractures and osteoporosis.

So maybe Coke will add some synthetic vitamins, but that won’t make it a good thing.

Fuzzy fur ball under the tree

read time: 128 words, under a minute

What is it about dogs and cats that make you smile?

There’s been a bit of research on the effects of animals in our lives. In fact pets have such a positive effect that they are used in the therapeutic process, particularly at extended care facilities.

Various pet studies have shown:
- they keep you lighthearted
- encourage social interactions
- decrease feelings of loneliness and isolation
- lower stress and increase calmness
- pet owners have a better sense of well being
- pet owners tend to be healthier and are less prone to minor illnesses
- pets lower blood pressure, triglycerides and cholesterol
- may decrease heart attack mortality by 30%
- and for dog owners especially, increase exercise

From our pet household, we wish you a joyous holiday season and an abundantly healthy 2007.

Chocolate coated vitamins

read time: 174 words, about a minute

I’ve been seeing more studies about chocolate lately. What’s the deal?

Well, it’s a mixed bag really.

Chocolate has a “magic” compound called “flavonoids”. Flavonoids are powerful antioxidants. The most noted benefits conferred have been:
- improves heart health by increasing blood flow and reducing platelet stickiness and clotting
- improves bad cholesterol (HDL)
- prevents cell damage and inflammation
- lowers blood pressure
- increases blood flow to the brain which may boost your memory, attention span, reaction time and problem solving

That’s the good stuff.
But the thing about chocolate is it’s generally accompanied by some not good stuff such as sugar and milk.
For instance a dark chocolate bar has more than 4 times the flavonoids than a milk chocolate bar. (And dark chocolate bar has less sugar and no milk).

Chocolate isn’t the only flavonoid wielding food. In fact, it was a few years back when there was everything good to say about tea. Why… flavonoids.

What other foods are high in flavonoids… almonds, apples, beets, blueberries, broccoli, grapes, onions, oranges, pears and red wine.

Warning: can destroy your liver while relieving your pain

read time: 186 words, about a minute

Rather amazingly, the FDA has proposed stronger warnings for over the counter (OTC) acetaminophen and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).

(Mind you, the Advisory Review Panel recommended stronger warnings in 1977. Guess they’re just getting around to it).

Products with acetaminophen are advised to contain warnings about liver toxicity especially when taken in high doses and/or with alcohol.

NSAID produxt labels are advised to warn about stomach bleeding especially in:
folks over 60,
folks who have had or do have an ulcer,
folks taking a blood thinner,
when taken with alcohol,
when taking for an extended period of time,
when taking multiple NSAID products

READ THE LABEL of OTC products. Many products such as cold medications may contain acetaminophen and/or NSAIDs.

So, now that these products have been on the market for so long without these warnings, do you think anyone will change their useage habits? Will commercials for these products change… you know pop a “safe” pill and all your pain and worries melt away.

According to the FDA’s Nonprescription Drugs Advisory Committee in 2002 there were more than 26,000 and 458 deaths due to acetaminophen.

Now it causes cancer, Now it doesn’t

read time: 463 words, about 2 minutes

How tired are you of conflicting results?
I mean one study says eating blabla will prevent (fill in the blank malady). Then another study comes along and says blabla does not have an effect on (fill in the blank malady).

My sense from a lot of people is, in some ways they’re numb to all these “studies”. At minimum, they’re confused and frustrated. When it comes to teasing and toying with your health and the quality of your life, well, it seems a bit cruel.

You can’t blame the researchers in most cases – assuming they don’t have a hidden agenda that has significantly tilted the research.

But here’s the thing – in my strong opinion – all of this research, or at least the interpretation of it, tries to fulfill a much greater role than it possibly can. Often this is driven by hope, mortal fears and our inherent need to make things better.

Additionally, while a particular study may look at one particular food, or one effect, it cannot completely control everything else. For instance, “subjects” that are apt to ‘eat a healthy diet’ are also apt to practice numerous other healthy habits. Since they’re probably healthier to begin with, the results they experience may significantly differ from the results a less healthy person will realize.

Let me explain.
Think about a couple phrases you’ve probably heard a billion times:
Eat a balanced diet
Everything in moderation

These are very, very, very core truths and the first filter you should use for everything.
A> There simply is not ONE thing, not ONE food.
B> There’s an inter-relationship among the systems in the body. What you eat does not have a single effect on a single system. Nor is the effect generally noticed immediately.
C> You need a plethora of nutrients to thrive. Eating a small number of foods won’t get you there.
D> The body is pretty forgiving. It can take sporadic and temporary stresses. But constant stress and malnutrition have a cumulative effect.

All this to say, that yes, for example, blueberries are very good for you. But, simply adding blueberries to a bad diet is not enough to absolve the effects of a bad diet. It’s only enough to tilt the scale a little.

While there is value in research findings, understand them in perspective. And try to understand why a particular food or advocated diet is good or bad. For instance, in the case of blueberries - they’re very good anti-oxidants. So to increase your anti-oxidant intake, blueberries are one of the best ways.

So when you turn on the evening news and here about the “latest” miracle food or miracle exercise, understand the limitations of research. And don’t abdicate your responsibility to consistently eat well for the health of it.

Eating yourself to starvation

read time: 362 words, about 2 minutes

Due to a surge in worldwide obesity, in 2000, according to the research group Worldwatch Institute, the number of overweight people equaled the number of underweight.
We still see pictures of “starving” people with skin draped over bones. And we work to end “starvation”. How are we reacting to obesity?

Consider that overweight people may be “starving” as well. Not from lack of calories, but from lack of nutrition.

You’re no doubt accustomed to the analogy of food as fuel. You need to eat to “keep going”. Of course you’re also accustomed to needing fuel (gasoline) to make your car “go”. Let’s assume you have a 10 gallon tank. You fill it with gasoline and you’re good to go. What would happen if you filled it with water… it would still be full with 10 gallons of liquid.

You wouldn’t get far. It’s not simply that the tank needs to be “full”. It needs to have a specific kind of liquid that it can convert into the energy that moves the car.

Likewise, “empty calories” may fill you, but they are not convertible into the energy your body needs. So you may be full, but you’re body is still hungry for real nutrition.

Epidemiologists are calling this “hidden hunger”.

Dr. Bruce Ames is a research scientist. He predicts that the problems we currently see associated with obesity are just the beginning of a legacy of far reaching effects.

The lack of micronutrients, says Ames, can upset functions throughout the body. “I think it is likely, that when one input in the metabolic network is inadequate, repercussions will be felt on a large number of systems and lead to degenerative disease.”

Ames has “starved” human cells of micronutrients in a petrie dish. What happens is the cells go through a number of generations and then age prematurely. So the effect is not immediate - but it is catastrophic.

Ames has shown that a mild deficiency of Folate leads to breaks in chromosomes and degrades and damages DNA. The damaged DNA perpetuates and can lead to such diseases as cancer.

With every bite, it’s your choice to nourish and thrive or flood and deprive.

Holiday parties that over stimulate the taste buds and shorten the down time

read time: 157 words, maybe a minute

Now that we just passed the last pre-Christmas weekend, we’re mostly through the pre-Christmas holiday parties, soon to be moving into the Christmas-New Year’s parties.

How are you doing…
Stress wise?
Eating wise?

The holidays become such a stress and bad eating land mine field.

Every two hours, take 5 minutes for 10 deep, slow breathes. You can do it sitting or even better, standing up.

When it comes to treats around the house, the office and at parties, be choosy…
Have a little bit of only the ones you really like, rather than some of everything in your visual field. Savor each taste. Fill up on fresh veggies and fruits. Have cheese without crackers.

Move – take the stairs, park further away, walk around the block, run in place at your desk for 1-2 minutes every hour, stretch out on the floor while parked in front of the TV.

Every little bit helps… and adds up.