Newsletters Archive

Dump the High Fructose Corn Syrup

   A new study presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Diabetes Association (June 6, 2000) adds to the nasty and growing list of health risks consuming high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) appears to impart.  Researchers found that overweight adults consuming fructose-sweetened beverages experienced elevations in 2, artery-clogging blood fats, namely triglycerides and LDL cholesterol, compared to the control group who consumed glucose-sweetened beverages.

   HFCS is a versatile and very cheap product of modern food technology that is currently the #1 sweetener used in processed, sweetened foods and beverages.  Over the past 40 years there has been a massive increase in the US consumption of HFCS, including a 135% increase just from sweetened drinks like soda.

   In addition to arterial damage, HFCS has been linked to obesity and type II diabetes.  I recommend that you avoid foods and beverages that list HFCS in their ingredients list.

Spice Up Your Health with Cinnamon

   Cinnamon, like many other spices is emerging as a true wonder food in terms of almost medicinal-type power to protect our health.  A small handful of recent studies have reported that cinnamon enhances both the metabolism of glucose and cholesterol and may thusly provide protection from type II diabetes and cardiovascular disease.  A new study published in the June edition of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that study subjects who added a bit more than a teaspoon of cinnamon to a rice pudding desert, significantly decreased their normal, post-dessent elevations of blood sugar.  Interestingly, at least some of this effect was related to the spice's ability to delay how quickly food leaves the stomach and enters the intestines.  This means that cinnamon may also be helpful in reducing appetite through enhancing satiety (fullness).

    I keep an extra large container of ground cinnamon handy in my cupboard at all times and sprinkle it liberally on my morning cereal.

Vitamin D - the "New" Superstar Nutrient

   Like omega 3 fats, new science now clearly supports that vitamin D plays a profound role in health maintenance and disease prevention.  Investigators reported in the June issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition that postmenopausal women who took 1,100 IUs of vitamin D daily over the 4 year study period experienced a 77% reduction in the overall risk of cancers during the last 3 years of the study compared to the placebo group.  A second study (Archives of Internal Medicine, June '07) involving over 14,000 adults found that those with the lowest levels of Vitamin D in their blood were more likely to have obesity, diabetes and high blood pressure compared to those with the highest blood levels.  Finally, a third study reported that blood levels of vitamin D in a group of 975 seniors were strongly associated with their physical capacities.  Specifically, they found that 47% of study subjects had low vitamin D levels and that they were twice as likely to experience a decline in physical/muscular abilities, like rising from a sitting position than their peers with normal vitamin D levels. 

   I strongly recommend that everyone above the age of 45 take supplemental vitamin D in the range of 800-1200 IU/day.  Please talk to your health care provider before taking vitamin D if you are pregnant, nursing, take prescription drugs or have any medical conditions.

   Australian researchers completed a "first-of-its-kind" study evaluating the impact of general dietary habits on the risk of developing squamous cell skin cancers in 1,360 study subjects.  They found that diets high in meat significantly increased the risk of sqaumous cell skin cancers, especially in those with a previous history of skin cancer.  Conversely, a high intake of fruits and vegetables, particularly dark leafy greens, significantly reduced the risk.  (American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, May '07)   A second study that included 284 middle-aged women found that those who consumed the most red meat were more likely to be obese.  The women's intake of red meat was monitored over a 7 day period and subsequently classified as high-intake (more than 3.18 servings/day) or low-intake (less than 1.9 servings/day).  52.8% of the women in the high-intake group were obese vs. only 15.6% of those in the low-intake group.  (54^th Annual Meeting of the American College of Sports Medicine)  There are a number of plausible mechanisms by which red meat could drive weight gain including promoting insulin resistance and providing a dense source of calories.

    Having reviewed thousands of nutrition studies over the past several years I cannot recall a single one that reported any benefit from consuming red meat.  On the contrary, my files are filled with those that show a consistent and clear relationship between consuming red meat and a host of health problems including certain cancers, cardiovascular disease and type II diabetes amongst others.  As such, I encourage you to limit your intake of red meats to 2 servings or less a week.  Be particularly leery of processed red meat as it notoriously rears its ugly head in studies looking at the relationship of meat to various chronic diseases.

Fish Oil Continues to Make Headline Nutrition News

   The past several weeks provided a burst of new studies on fish oil (a rich source of omega 3 fats) and health.  An Australian group completed the first ever clinical trial to investigate how the combination of fish oil along with exercise, affected cardiovascular health and body weight.  Taking fish oil alone or with exercise lowered triglycerides, boosted HDL (good) cholesterol and improved blood vessel function.  Additionally, both fish oil alone and with exercise reduced body fat.  (American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, May '07)  A second study involving over 4,600 middle age adults found that those who consumed the most dietary omega 3 fats tended to have lower blood pressure readings.  The benefit was most obvious amongst those who were not taking blood pressure medications.  (Hypertension, June '07)   A third study with mice found that high intakes of omega 3 fats slowed the growth of prostate cancer cells.  Researchers fed mice genetically engineered to develop prostate cancer a diet either high or low in omega 3 fats.  Those fed the high omega 3 diet had a 6-fold greater chance of survival vs. the low omega 3 intake group.  (Journal of Clinical Investigation, June '07).  Lastly, researchers reported that the infants of mothers fed DHA-fortified bars during gestation exhibited better problem-solving abilities compared to the control group of infants whose mothers did not get the added DHA.  DHA is a long-chained omega 3 fat that is a critical building block for normal brain development.

    These studies underscore the pervasive impact we now know omega 3 fats have on a broad array of systems and physiologic processes in the body.  Be sure to include omega 3 foods in your diet regularly (oily fish, omega 3 eggs, walnuts, canola oil, flax seeds, whole soy foods) and consider taking fish oil supplements as a safety net.  As with any supplement, if you are pregnant, nursing, or take prescription drugs talk to your health care provider first.