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Health and Fitness Newsletter Archive from Dr. Ann - Wellness Newsletter July 2009
By: Dr. Ann |
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Take Charge of Your Health |
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July 2009 Newsletter | |
The New "Skinny" on Vinegar
Through the ages, vinegar has enjoyed a rich and colorful position as an agent of folk medicine and intriguing new science supports that it may be of particular benefit on the weight control front. Past studies have already shown that it attenuates the glycemic response (rise in blood glucose) when consumed with carb foods (which aids in appetite control). Japanese researchers report in this month's Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry that it suppressed body fat accumulation in lab rats fed a high-fat, high calorie diet. They found that vinegar's acetic acid flipped on genes that produce proteins that stimulate the oxidation (burning) of fat.
I can now think of 5 science-based reasons to get into the healthy and skinny habit of including a pre-meal appetizer of tossed salad with an olive oil and vinegar-based dressing:
- The bulk provided by the pre-meal veggies acutely reduces mealtime caloric intake.
- The fat in the olive oil delays stomach emptying (which boosts satiety).
- The oleic acid in the olive oil triggers a quick and robust release of the appetite suppressive hormone CCK.
- The vinegar reduces the glycemic response of carbs coming on board.
- The vinegar may even turn on our fat-burning machinery.
For further motivation, consider that a new report just found that the vegetables and olive oil that make up the backbone of the Mediterranean Diet are the key players in its well-documented health and youth-enhancing effects, and that combining them provides additional efficacy (BMJ, June 09).
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One of the most common questions I get from consumers is "should I buy organic?"
The answer ultimately rests with your pocket book, your feelings towards the environment, and your comfort with pesticide exposure. Here are the "organic facts" based on the best science to guide you in making an informed decision.
- Choosing organic is clearly better for the environment. This is demonstrable and occurs through numerous channels, including conservation of natural resources and less pollution for our water and soils.
- Consuming organic foods reduces the body's exposure to pesticides. This has been confirmed through numerous scientific studies. Adults and children who consume organic foods have measurably lower levels of pesticides in their bodies.
- Organic foods may or may not be more nutritious than their conventional counterparts. Some scientific studies show conventional foods are just as nutritious, while others support the contrary. Based on my knowledge of the available data, the scale tips slightly in favor of a superior nutritional profile for organic varieties.
- Organic foods may or may not taste better. Blinded taste studies are basically a wash. For those that think organic tastes better there are an equal number who find the conventional counterpart tastier.
- Organic foods will generally spoil more quickly. Pesticides clearly extend the shelf life and "freshness" of foods. For optimal freshness, organic foods need to be consumed more quickly.
- Organic foods are more expensive. You will generally pay about 20% more for organic varieties.
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Food is Medicine
54% of the American population have unhealthy cholesterol levels. Soluble fiber and phytosterols are nature's most potent cholesterol-lowering agents. Here is where you can get the most of each from mother earth's apothecary:
- Soluble fiber - beans, peas, barley, flax seeds, oats, oat bran, chia seeds, avocado, carrots, collards, and oranges.
- Phytosterols - sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, and pistachios.
Check out my "miraculous muffins" recipe if you need a serious cholesterol lowering breakfast.
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When it Comes to Veggies - Go for the Whole
I love cooking as much as I do eating and learning about nutrition, so I was happy to read a report from the scientists at Newcastle University that found the levels of carrot's powerful, anti-cancer compounds were increased by 25% if the carrots were cooked whole rather than sliced prior. Chopping up the carrots beforehand increases their surface area, providing more room for the good stuff to exit during cooking. As an added bonus, cooking whole apparently trumped up flavor too, as 80 of 100 people chose the whole-cooked carrots as the tastiest in a blind taste test.
I see no reason that this culinary logic would not be applicable to the other veggies too.
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Superstar Food of the Month
Cantaloupe
Cantaloupe is a super-healthy summer food standout. One cup of this juicy, sweet, refreshing fruit provides more than 100% of your daily requirement for vitamins A and C, all for just 56 calories! To make the tastiest choice, sniff the stem end to ensure a sweet fragrance and choose one that has a beige (not green) "netting" over its entire surface. | |
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Tip of the Month
Smaller is Better
When choosing your produce, always opt for the smallest varieties. The smaller the fruit or vegetable, the higher its skin to flesh ratio. Their goodness (especially the phytochemicals and fiber) concentrates in their "skin" and just beneath. Examples: grape tomatoes over beefsteak tomatoes, wild blueberries over conventional, fingerling potatoes over russets, baby carrots over grown-ups, etc.
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What's for Dinner... menu and recipe booklet now available and going fast!
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Turning off the TV is the Most Powerful Exercise for Weight Loss
Television viewing has emerged as the most powerful behavioral predictor of obesity. The famous Harvard Nurse's Health Study found that for every 2 hours of TV viewed daily, the risk of obesity rises 25%. Watching TV appears to be a particularly risky endeavor on the weight front because it impacts both the energy input and the energy output side of the body fat equation. A hot-off-the-press report from the smart guys at Yale (Health Psychology, July 09) provides confirmation of our concern that food advertising is a primary culprit. They conducted a battery of experiments on both adults and kids to evaluate the effects of food commercials on eating behavior. The results for both revealed a "direct and powerful link" between food ads and calories consumed. One experiment found that kids who watched just a single 30 minute cartoon with standard breaks for food commercials ate 45% more snack food during the show than a control group that watched the same cartoon with non-food ads. The most compelling and frightening conclusion of the study series was that food advertising is a powerful environmental cue to eat, regardless of hunger status. In other words, it triggers automatic eating.
According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, half of all ads during kids' programming are for food and 80% of these are for the unhealthy bunch, including soda, candy, and fast foods.
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Here are some of my favorite, healthy substitutions:
o 100% spreadable fruit for regular jelly/jams
o Trans fat free spreads for stick butter or margarines
o Part-skim or 2% cheeses for full fat varieties
o Omega 3 fortified eggs for standard eggs
o Romaine hearts for iceberg lettuce
o Ground turkey breast for ground beef
o Greek-style plain yogurt for sour cream
o Quaker Oatmeal pancake mix for regular varieties
o Coconut oil for shortening for frying chicken
o Pureed dates for sugar in baking
o Coconut milk for heavy whipping cream in recipes
o Pureed prunes (baby food) for oil in baking muffins
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Beans - A Food to Revere!
I consider beans to be the most underutilized superfood. Here are 7 compelling reasons to include them in your diet every day.
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Beans have megawatt nutritional power. They provide a hefty dose of vegetable protein, more fiber and folate than any other food group, a load of potent antioxidant flavonoids, and key minerals including iron, potassium, and magnesium.
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Beans fill you up without filling you out. Their high fiber and protein make-up provides a powerful 1-2 punch for appetite suppression, while their "difficult-to-digest" starch keeps your glucose and insulin levels lower and more steady.
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Beans provide awesome disease protection. Enjoying them regularly can lower your cardiovascular risk, lower your cholesterol, lower your blood pressure, lower your risk of type 2 diabetes, and provide protection from colon and breast cancer.
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Beans are cheap. You can get a serving of beans for as little as 9 cents.
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Beans are convenient. Enjoy them canned, fresh, frozen, or dried. All 24 varieties are great for you.
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Beans are versatile - bean dips, bean soups, beans in your salads, beans in your burritos, beans in your rice, beans as a side dish - whatever suits your fancy.
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Beans may help your live longer. They are a cornerstone in the diets of all the world's longest living inhabitants, including the 7th Day Adventists of Loma Linda, Cal., the Nicoyans of Costa Rica, the Sardinians of Italy, and the Okinawans of Japan.
As always - enjoy health,
Dr. Ann
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Dr. Ann & Just Wellness, LLC | 246 Mathis Ferry Road | Suite 100 | Mt. Pleasant | SC | 29464
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