Archive for Nutrition
Weight loss strategies
Posted by: | CommentsThe following information from Johns Hopkins University regarding strategies for weight loss is extremely useful. However, I think it’s missing one crucial component. Read on and see if you can spot the “missing link.” I’ll put in my two cents worth towards the end, so keep reading…
“An ability to alter lifelong attitudes toward diet and exercise may ultimately be the key to successful weight management: You must be motivated enough to change habits not for a few weeks or months, but for a lifetime. The importance of this resolve cannot be underestimated.
The desire to lose weight must come from within. A person who wants to shed 20 lbs. to please a spouse is not likely to be as motivated, or as successful, as someone whose goal is to improve health or increase self-esteem. Choosing the right time to start a weight-loss program is also important. People under stress or pressure may not be able to devote the considerable attention and effort required to make lifestyle changes that lead to weight loss.
Culled from medical research, the following weight-loss guidelines incorporate strategies employed by people who have lost weight and kept it off. Use them in constructing a weight-loss program on your own or as an adjunct to medical or surgical treatments.
1. Set realistic goals. Remember that weight tables give estimates of ideal weights; you can probably be healthy at weights above “ideal” if you have a nutritious diet and exercise. Instead of attempting to lose a specific number of pounds, make it your goal to adopt healthier eating and exercise habits.
If you are obese and feel compelled to set a weight-loss goal, losing 10% to 15% of your current body weight is a realistic objective. The good news is that evidence shows that weight loss of as little as 5% to 10% of body weight can significantly improve heart disease risk factors such as pressure and glucose. The safest rate of weight loss is 1/2 to 2 lbs. a week.
2. Seek support from family and friends. People who receive social support are more successful in changing their behaviors. Ask family and friends for help, whether this means keeping high-fat foods out of the house or relieving you of some chores so that you have time to exercise. It will be easier to stick to your new eating plan if everyone in the household eats the same types of foods. (A low-fat diet that includes plenty of fruits, vegetables, and grains will benefit your family’s health even if they do not need to lose weight.) You may be more motivated to exercise if you work out with a friend or family member.
3. Make changes gradually. Trying to make many changes quickly can leave you feeling overwhelmed and frustrated. Instead, ease into exercise; do not overdo it. Incorporate low-fat eating in stages. For example, if you typically drink whole milk, switch to reduced-fat (2%) milk, then to low-fat (1%), and then to fat-free milk.
4. Eat slowly. Many people consume more calories than needed to satisfy their hunger because they eat too quickly. Since it takes about 20 minutes for the brain to recognize that the stomach is full, slowing down helps you feel satisfied on less food. Moreover, eating slowly allows you to better appreciate the flavors and textures of your food.
5. Eat three meals a day, plus snacks. Skipping meals is counterproductive, as is severely reducing food intake, since such strict changes are impossible to maintain and are ultimately unhealthy. In addition, eating the bulk of your calories at one sitting may impair metabolism. You will be more successful in the long run if you allow yourself to eat when you are hungry, eat enough nutritious low-fat food to satisfy that hunger, and spread your calorie intake over the course of the day.
6. Plan for exercise. Choose activities that are convenient and enjoyable for you to do on a regular basis, and then treat exercise like any other appointment—set a time and jot it down in your date book. Many people find it easier to exercise first thing in the morning, before the demands of the day interfere, but others find lunchtime or right after work more convenient.
7. Record your progress. Start a food diary and exercise log to keep track of your accomplishments. Keeping such detailed diaries may seem cumbersome, but they can help you stay motivated, and reviewing the entries can reveal any problem areas. In addition, the information can help facilitate treatment by your nutritionist or doctor.
8. Evaluate your relationship to food. Behavioral and emotional cues frequently trigger an inappropriate desire to eat. The most common cues are habit, stress, boredom, sadness, anxiety, loneliness, and the use of food as a reward. Many people also relate food to love or care and derive comfort from it. Although eating may appear to soothe uncomfortable feelings, its effect is temporary at best and ultimately does not solve any problems. In fact, it may distract you from focusing on the real issues.
9. Recall your accomplishments. Over your lifetime you have probably been successful in tackling many difficult tasks—quitting a bad habit, learning a new skill, or advancing in the workplace, for example. Reminding yourself of past achievements can help you feel more confident about making the changes that will lead to weight loss.
10. Don’t try to be perfect. While losing weight requires significant changes in eating and exercise habits, not every high-calorie food must be banished forever, and you need not exercise vigorously every day.
Nice but no cigar. Understanding the intrinsic role of “nutritional excellence” in maintaining a lean and healthy lifestyle is the key. WHAT one eats can very strongly affect behavior (and of course vice-versa). The overall nutrient density profile of what one eats will largely determine how hard it is to maintain sane and healthy eating habits.
Super foods for weight loss – nutrient density scores of selected foods
Posted by: | CommentsDr. Fuhrman’s nutrient density scores:
The Top 30 Super Foods
1. Collard, mustard, & turnip greens 1000
2. Kale 1000
3. Watercress 1000
4. Bok choy 824
5. Spinach 739
6. Brussels sprouts 672
7. Swiss chard 670
8. Arugula 559
9. Radish 554
10. Cabbage 481
11. Bean sprouts 444
12. Red peppers 420
13. Romaine lettuce 389
14. Broccoli 376
15. Carrot juice 344
16. Tomatoes & tomato products 190-300
17. Cauliflower 295
18. Strawberries 212
19. Pomegranate juice 193
20. Blackberries 178
21. Plums 157
22. Raspberries 145
23. Blueberries 130
24. Papaya 118
25. Brazil nuts 116
26. Oranges 109
27. Tofu 86
28. Beans (all varieties) 55-70
29. Seeds: flaxseed, sunflower, sesame 45
30. Walnuts 29
This is one of the most important resources in planning a healthy weight loss diet approach.
Nutrient density
Posted by: | CommentsFrom the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (October 2005):
“The American diet is said to be increasingly energy-rich but nutrient-poor. To help improve the nutrient-to-energy ratio, the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend that consumers replace some foods in their diets with more nutrient-dense options. Such dietary guidance presupposes the existence of a nutrient density standard. However, a review of the literature shows that the concept of a nutritious food is not based on any consistent standards or criteria. In many cases, healthful foods are defined by the absence of problematic ingredients-fat, sugar, and sodium-rather than by the presence of any beneficial nutrients they might contain. Past attempts to quantify the nutrient density of foods have been based on a variety of calories-to-nutrient scores, nutrients-per-calorie indexes, and nutrient-to-nutrient ratios. The naturally nutrient rich (NNR) score, which is based on mean percentage daily values (DVs) for 14 nutrients in 2000 kcal food, can be used to assign nutrient density values to foods within and across food groups. Use of the NNR score allows consumers to identify and select nutrient-dense foods while permitting some flexibility where the discretionary calories are concerned. This approach has implications for food labeling, nutritional policy making, and consumer education. The Food and Drug Administration has considered approving nutrient claims based on the ratio of a beneficial nutrient to the food’s energy content, as opposed to a specified minimum amount of a nutrient per serving size. Given the current dietary trends, the nutrient density approach can be a valuable tool for nutrition education and dietary guidance.”
In the future, a formal and accepted measure of nutrient density per calorie will really help in planning for an optimal diet. The question is will be whether the diet/food industry would be supportive of such a concept — given the adverse economic impact such disclosure might result in. If structured correctly, a nutrient density score would expose the nutritional problems behind most processed “foods” in the market today.
In designing an optimal healthy weight loss program, the concept of nutrient density is the most important factor. Dr. Joel Fuhrman has developed a practical method of rating nutrient density. I will share this in the next post…
Quote from The Yellow Emperor’s Classic of Internal Medicine
Posted by: | Comments“To fight a disease after it has occured is like trying to dig a well when one is thirsty or forging a weapon once a war has begun.”
Refined carbs and vision loss
Posted by: | CommentsThere is now some evidence regarding the relationship between a high glycemic index diet (specifically of a high refined carb diet vs a whole grain based diet) and “age-related macular degeneration” (AMD) and associated vision loss.
Glycemic index is a measure of how quickly the carbohydrates in foods are converted to sugar, or glucose. White rice, pasta and white bread are examples of foods with a high-glycemic-index, which are associated with a faster rise and subsequent drop in sugar.
AMD is a leading cause of irreversible blindness. It results from the breakdown of light-sensitive cells in the central region of the eye’s retina (macula). While there is no definitive therapy for AMD, a proper diet can be used to delay the retina’s degradation. Improper diet as a key risk factor is critical information for an aging population, i.e., the boomer generation.
One more reason to get on the path of correct nutrition.
First steps: avoid and minimize refined carbohydrates, and replacing them with their lower glycemic index versions, i.e, whole grains. More importantly, tweak your diet so that you eat a variety of fresh and cooked leafy greens and other vegetables.
The importance of Vitamin D
Posted by: | CommentsVitamin D deficiency is much more common than we think, and can cause serious health issues that may be be erroneously attributed to other causes. Not enough vitamin D can lead to or worsen muscle weakness, osteopenia, osteoporosis, fractures, autoimmune diseases, infectious diseases and cardiovascular diseases. According to the National institutes of Health:
… Americans age 50 and older are at an increased risk of developing vitamin D deficiency. As people age, skin cannot synthesize vitamin D as efficiently and the kidney is less able to convert vitamin D to its active hormone form. As much as 30% to 40% of hip fractures are due to vitamin D insufficiency.
Deficiencies are usually the result of dietary inadequacy, impaired absorption and utilization, increased requirement, or increased excretion (loss). A deficiency of vitamin D can occur when: (a) when usual intake is below recommended levels, (b) when there is limited exposure to sunlight. (c) when the kidney cannot convert vitamin D to its active hormone form, and (d) when someone cannot adequately absorb it from the digestive tract.
“It is estimated that over 25 million people in the United States have, or are at risk of developing, osteoporosis. It is a disease characterized by fragile bones, and it significantly increases the risk of bone fractures. It is most often associated with inadequate calcium intake. However, a deficiency of vitamin D also contributes to osteoporosis by reducing calcium absorption and is an example of a long-term effect of vitamin D insufficiency. Adequate storage levels of vitamin D help keep bones strong and may help prevent osteoporosis in older people, in non-ambulatory individuals (those who have difficulty walking and exercising), in post-menopausal women, and in individuals on chronic steroid therapy. Vitamin D deficiency has been associated with greater incidence of hip fractures. In a review of women with osteoporosis hospitalized for hip fractures, 50 percent were found to have signs of vitamin D deficiency. Daily supplementation with 20 micrograms (800 IU) of vitamin D may reduce the risk of osteoporotic fractures in elderly populations with low levels of vitamin D.”
Muscle strength and avoidance of falls also require adequate vitamin D stores in the body. As vitamin D levels decrease, the chance of falls increases. In fact, vitamin D deficiency is a dangerous cycle, since it increases the risk of falling and reduces the strength of bones to withstand breaking on impact.
Some good food sources of vitamin D: cod liver oil, salmon, mackerel, and sardines.
(Caveat: Cod liver oil is problematic. Just one teaspoon of cod liver oil has 4,500 IU of vitamin A, for instance, and the standard dose is one to three teaspoons a day. Studies have found that as little as 6,000 IU of vitamin A daily can interfere with bone growth and promote fractures. And women of childbearing age should not exceed 10,000 IU of vitamin A because of the risk of birth defects. Cod liver oil is made from livers, so toxins (such as PCBs) get concentrated there. Cod liver oil is more likely to be contaminated than other fish-oil sources.)
Health benefits of nuts and seeds
Posted by: | CommentsFrom the Johns Hopkins University Medicine reports, the following is a summary on the benefits most informed “health nuts” (pun intended) already know. For those who don’t, its time to join the bandwagon.
Nuts contain monounsaturated fats, which help lower low-density lipoprotein (LDL, or “bad”) cholesterol and may raise high-density lipoprotein (HDL, or “good”) cholesterol when substituted for saturated fats in the diet. Several major studies have found that eating nuts significantly reduces the risk of coronary heart disease — by 25–50% in both men and women. The Nurses’ Health Study, found that regularly eating nuts and peanut butter reduces the chance of developing type 2 diabetes by 21–27%.
Nuts are rich in vitamins, minerals, and other phytochemicals beneficial to your health. For example, walnuts contain a type of omega-3 fat similar to fish oil, and almonds contain calcium and vitamin E. Nuts are also excellent sources of protein and fiber.
Despite nuts and seeds being calorie dense (160–200 calories per oz), research shows that people who eat nuts tend to weigh less than those who don’t eat nuts. Possible explanations: Nut eaters may follow a healthier diet (lower in calories and saturated fat) than people who abstain from nuts, and those who are overweight may shun nuts because of their high-calorie content.
Because nuts are filling due to their high protein and fiber content, snacking on them tend to curb appetite afterwards and help decrease caloric intake naturally. Furthermore, because protein requires more energy to digest than fats or carbohydrates, more calories are used in the process.
I know some high-level vegan strength athletes who are serious eaters of nuts and seeds, using them as the mainstays to supply the extra calories and protein requirements that their gruelling training regimen requires.
So as not to overeat on nuts and seeds, I usually measure what I choose to eat, grind them on my coffee/spice grinder, and spread them over my salads or steamed vegetables, or mix them with my stews or soups. That way I don’t get tempted to eat the whole bag ! Remember, these are very high caloric foods, and should be approached carefully and mindfully.
