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Health and Fitness Newsletter Archive from Dr. Ann Wellness Newsletter October 2009
By: Dr. Ann |
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Take Charge of Your Health |
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October 2009 Newsletter | |
The Fat of the Matter
In what is perhaps the most telling (no screaming) data I have ever come across  affirming how life-zapping and disease-promoting excess body fat can really be, Harvard researchers report that women who gain weight in mid-life are dramatically more likely to enter the golden years burdened with chronic disease and disability than their lean counterparts. The prognosis is especially dismal for those who enter adulthood already overweight. Specifically, the study revealed women who were overweight (BMI >25) at age 18 and gained more than 22 pounds between 18 and 50 had less than a 20% chance of being healthy and alive at age 70. Putting a more positive spin on the findings - consider that those who maintained a healthy body weight throughout adulthood increased by 4-fold the likelihood of entering their 70's free of 9 common, chronic diseases and with no cognitive, physical, or mental health limitations. This data was made possible thanks to over 15,000 women who have participated in the decades long, and still going, Harvard Nurses Health Study (BMJ Online Edition, Sept 09). To see for yourself how carrying around extra fat can make you sick click here.
Weight gain in adulthood is not an inevitable consequence of aging. You have enormous personal control over this aspect of your health fate. The secret to success is... no big secret! You must eat the right foods and get the right amounts of physical activity. You can download my new, free Weigh Less, Be More Scorecard for the specifics. If more detail is needed, check out my book.
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Some Fats May Trip Up Your Brain
A novel and totally intriguing new study found that certain types of fat  in foods we eat may actually make their way directly into our brains and disrupt the brain's communications to the cells of our bodies that tell us to eat less. We have long observed that the type of fat we eat has varying effects on body weight and metabolism. The scientists were curious if some of the differences were actually mediated directly within the brain. To test the theory, they infused different types of fat into the brains and into the main artery supplying the brains of animals. When palmitic acid (a predominant fat in cheese, milk, butter, and beef) was infused, the animals' brains sent signals out to the cells of the body telling them to disregard the appetite-suppressing commands from leptin and insulin. Leptin and insulin are 2 important hormones that play a key role in appetite and weight regulation. This effect was immediate and persisted for 3 full days ( The Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Sept 09). Simple translation - cheese, fatty beef, butter, and whole dairy products may literally change your brain chemistry on the spot, making you more likely to overeat for up to 3 days. Have you ever noticed that you are hungrier than usual on the Monday and Tuesday after a weekend bender of fatty foods? Happily, I am pleased to report that when the scientists injected oleic acid (the predominant fat in olive oil) into the animals' brains these changes did not occur - thank goodness!
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Eat Yourself Smarter
If you knew what I know about the remarkable power of fruits and vegetables to transform health for the better at every possible level - I am sure you would do just what I do and never miss an opportunity to pop another one in your mouth. The list of health benefits for partaking on the produce front include pretty much anything you could imagine - even keeping a sharp and agile mind. Based on a new report from the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease (Sept 09), healthy adults who consume the most fruits and veggies (about 400 grams daily) perform better intellectually than those consuming low amounts. Bottom line - eating lots of fruits and veggies is smart and eating small amounts is stupid.
Although all have something good to offer the body - enjoy these superstars regularly to get the most nutritional ooh-la-la for your efforts.  |
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Coming Soon - Wellness Webinars with Dr. Ann
A convenient, cost-effective way for anyone to tap into Dr. Ann's life-changing programs! |
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H1N1 Be Gone!
With the H1N1 virus making its debut with an unprecedented vengeance - we all need to be more vigilant in keeping our innate immune defenses working at peak performance. Past studies have consistently shown that those who maintain a regular exercise regimen get less colds and flu-type infections than their couch potato counterparts. A new lab study adds to the evidence that something as simple as moving your body may reduce your risk of developing a potentially life-threatening infection. In this investigation, lab rats that were exposed to flu virus, who had consistently run on a treadmill for the preceding 3 ½ months, developed milder symptoms versus those who had been sedentary. The fit mice were found to have lower levels of inflammation and virus in their lungs. Regular physical activity appears to boost our initial defenses against invading viruses limiting their spread while speeding up their clearance. For my comprehensive advice on boosting your immunity, so you can just say whoa! to colds and flu click here. Here is my favorite immune-boosting smoothie recipe. |
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Follow me on Twitter!
All of my tweets promise to be 100% motivation and education on the healthy living front. | |
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Superstar Food of the Month
Pumpkin Seeds
'Tis the season for pumpkins and pumpkin seeds are a stand-out power food. Enjoy a handful for a quick and easy kick of protein, an all-star line up of several key minerals including, immune-boosting zinc, heart-happy (and waist-happy) monounsaturated fats, and one of nature's richest sources of cholesterol-lowering phytosterols. Here is Chef Lucie's recipe for toasted, spiced pumpkin seeds. 
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Tip of the Month
Do These Duos
We now know that certain foods are synergistic with one another when it comes to boosting your health. Meaning, combining them will give you that much more nutritional bang for your efforts. Here are some tasty and healthy dynamic duos:
- Tomatoes and olive oil
- Garlic and fish
- Tea and lemon
- Tomatoes and broccoli
- Turmeric and black pepper
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What's for Dinner... menu and recipe booklet now available and almost gone!
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Staying Energetic and Fighting Fatigue
Feeling fatigued? You are not alone. Fatigue and lack of energy are amongst the most common complaints I hear from the patients in my wellness practice. Here are 3 dietary strategies for just saying whoa to fatigue:
- Be sure to have some high quality protein at each feeding/meal. The digestion of protein gives rise to a prolonged and sustained blood glucose level which corresponds to a steady and robust energy level. My top picks for energizing proteins are omega 3-fortified eggs, beans, fish, poultry, nuts, low-fat dairy products, whole soy foods, and hemp protein powder.
- Avoid the "Great White Hazards" - white flour products, white rice, white potatoes, and excess sugar. These quickly digested, high glycemic carbs give rise to a flash flood of glucose in your arteries that is always followed by a corresponding rapid and precipitous drop in blood glucose levels shortly there after. Your brain and muscles simply can't function when blood glucose dips too low. Choose whole grains for your starch fix and fresh fruit for your sugar fix to avoid the blood glucose roller-coaster ride associated with their refined, Great White Hazard counterparts.
- Don't let yourself go hungry. True hunger signifies low blood sugar levels, which mean your brain and muscles, will be deprived of the precious fuel they require to operate properly. Consume 3 meals a day with snacks between as necessary to keep ravenous hunger at bay. This will help maintain a steady blood glucose level, which translates to steady energy levels.
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Be sure to check out my "What's for Dinner at Dr. Ann's?" free resource. My daughter Lucie (a budding chef phenom) has completely taken over the meal planning and meal prep in the Dr. Ann household. She is way better than me in the kitchen and just as passionate about healthy eating. |
Tea it Up! 
I remain very bullish on the daily habit of drinking lots of freshly brewed tea and thanks to 2 new studies - I feel as confident as ever that this simple lifestyle investment provides stellar health returns. After following the green tea drinking habits of more than 40,000 men and women over a 9 year period, researchers found that those consuming the most (5 or more cups daily) were 42% less likely to develop blood cancers and 48% less likely to develop lymph cancers than those consuming 1 or less cups daily. ( American Journal of Epidemiology, Sept 09). In the second evaluation, scientists exposed various compounds in green tea to live bone cell cultures. They discovered that one particular antioxidant compound, EGCG revved up the activity of an enzyme that is a key player in stimulating new bone growth up to 75%. This same wonder compound also inhibited the action of cells that breakdown bone along with enhancing bone mineralization - all with no toxic effects. (Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, Sept. 09) That is a winning triple play for bone health.
White tea and green tea provide the highest concentrations of EGCG. For best results, steep your bag or loose leaf tea for 3 to 5 minutes and add a twist of lemon or lime.
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Vitamin/Supplement News Flash
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According to a new analyses of 8 different studies, seniors that take a supplement of 700 to 1000 IU's of vitamin D3 daily reduced their risk of falling by 26% (lower doses not effective) ( British Medical Journal, Oct 09). Vitamin D is important for most everything including muscle strength and balance. -
Based on a comprehensive review of clinical trials including over 24,000 people, B vitamin supplements (folic acid, B-12, B-6) do absolutely nothing for reducing the risk of heart attacks, strokes, or death related to cardiovascular disease. (Cochrane Systematic Reviews, Oct 09) At this point in science, I see no reason to take extra doses (beyond a muti) of B-vitamin supplements for prevention purposes.
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A study of 3,000 middle-aged to elderly men found that having low vitamin D levels was associated with compromised cognitive ability ( Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry, Oct 09). -
Based on a clinical trial that included 5,100 middle-aged adults, antioxidant supplements (vitamin C, E, or beta carotene) provided no protective benefit for reducing the risk of metabolic syndrome. ( American Journal of Clinical Research, Apr 09). I no longer recommend routine use of antioxidant supplements. Click here to see more on my supplement recommendations.
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Join me on the Radio!
Tune in on the first Tuesday of each month, from 12:00 to 1:00 PM EST for my live "Ask the Expert" radio broadcast on S.C. Public Radio's Your Day program (also live webstreamed world-wide at http://yourday.clemson.edu). Click here to visit the archives. A special thank you to Integrated Health (iH3) and Whole Foods Market for sponsoring my radio broadcasts! You can also catch me on the 2nd Monday of each month on WBCL's Mid-Morning Show from 9:00 - 10:00 AM EDT via live webstream.
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Thanks to Heathwood Hall School, I will be giving my Feed Your Kids Right! lecture November 7th, 10:00 AM to 12:00 noon in Columbia, SC - OPEN TO THE PUBLIC! I think this is my most impactful lecture, and would love to have you join us. Click here for more info.
Until next time -- Enjoy health!
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Dr. Ann & Just Wellness, LLC | 246 Mathis Ferry Road | Suite 100 | Mt. Pleasant | SC | 29464
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