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Monday, December 15, 2014
Are You Getting Enough Vitamin D?
Sneaky Foods
Which of These Healthy-Food Impostors are in YOUR Fridge?
Pop quiz time! Take a look in your kitchen. Which of these foods do you have in there right now?
- whole-grain bread
- yogurt with fruit
- reduced-fat peanut butter
- yogurt with fruit
- reduced-fat peanut butter
How many points do you get for each item? Well, I’m afraid the answer is zero. All of these products are common healthful-food impostors.
Don’t blame yourself. Fancy or misleading labels that make foods appear more healthful than they really are line the shelves of grocery stores everywhere. It has become very easy to walk through the checkout line with more (or less, nutritionally speaking) than you bargained for.
Ready to fight back? Become a super-savvy consumer. Read on to learn more about these three common offenders, and even better, the truly good, healthful foods you can easily substitute.
●Health Food Impostor #1: Whole-Grain Bread
Doesn’t that dark-colored loaf (we won’t even mention the nutrient-stripped white kind) look healthful, just as the “multigrain” or “whole wheat” on the label implies? Chances are that product might have a nutritious-sounding name, but it actually could contain coloring to provide a “healthy” hue to lure you over, enriched flours that lack the heart-healthy benefits of fiber, or even processed white flour mixed in. Not what you thought you were eating, is it?
●Health Food Impostor #1: Whole-Grain Bread
The Good-Health Real Deal
Skip the splashy, marketing-slick front of the package. Instead carefully examine the ingredient list for the words “100 percent whole wheat”—or any other grain—at the beginning. Many processed recipes can call themselves “whole,” but only when it says “100 percent whole” should you believe the label ensures it’s the real deal. That was easy!
Skip the splashy, marketing-slick front of the package. Instead carefully examine the ingredient list for the words “100 percent whole wheat”—or any other grain—at the beginning. Many processed recipes can call themselves “whole,” but only when it says “100 percent whole” should you believe the label ensures it’s the real deal. That was easy!
●Health Food Impostor #2: Flavored Yogurt
You know the yogurts with a layer of fruit on the bottom that look so wonderfully flavorful and refreshing? Please think again. While plain yogurt does have healthful components, such as probiotics (although I’d suggest that you take them separately to be sure that you are getting enough of that beneficial flora) and protein, most flavored yogurts also have added sugar. Those that are labeled “light” may contain artificial sweeteners. Add “fruit” (that is, a very small amount of fruit plus more sugar and perhaps thickening agents and coloring, too), and you have a very sweet, high calorie dessert on your hands.
You know the yogurts with a layer of fruit on the bottom that look so wonderfully flavorful and refreshing? Please think again. While plain yogurt does have healthful components, such as probiotics (although I’d suggest that you take them separately to be sure that you are getting enough of that beneficial flora) and protein, most flavored yogurts also have added sugar. Those that are labeled “light” may contain artificial sweeteners. Add “fruit” (that is, a very small amount of fruit plus more sugar and perhaps thickening agents and coloring, too), and you have a very sweet, high calorie dessert on your hands.
The Good-Health Real Deal
Choose plain yogurt (I prefer the Greek kind) and simply add your own fruit or vegetable, such as berries or cucumber. Now you’re getting what’s good about real yogurt plus the additional benefits of natural foods, such as fiber and component nutrients.
●Health Food Impostor #3: Reduced-Fat Peanut Butter
Ready to learn the tricky code for more sugar or chemical flavor enhancers added? It’s “reduced fat” or “fat-free.” When the heart-healthy fat in peanuts is removed to make low-fat peanut butter, more sugar is added to compensate for that lost taste. Eating fat-free is part of the “fat is dangerous and makes you fat” craze embraced in the past. However, newer nutritional research shows this idea is not necessarily true. The higher sugar content of fat-free foods can far outweigh potential problems with good fats. Plus, with fewer fats to make you feel full, you often wind up hungry again in a shorter period of time—and eventually that may mean weighing more, too.
Ready to learn the tricky code for more sugar or chemical flavor enhancers added? It’s “reduced fat” or “fat-free.” When the heart-healthy fat in peanuts is removed to make low-fat peanut butter, more sugar is added to compensate for that lost taste. Eating fat-free is part of the “fat is dangerous and makes you fat” craze embraced in the past. However, newer nutritional research shows this idea is not necessarily true. The higher sugar content of fat-free foods can far outweigh potential problems with good fats. Plus, with fewer fats to make you feel full, you often wind up hungry again in a shorter period of time—and eventually that may mean weighing more, too.
The Good-Health Real Deal
Buy regular, natural peanut butter without added sugars or oils. Even better: To get extra vitamin E, magnesium, and calcium, try almond butter.
Buy regular, natural peanut butter without added sugars or oils. Even better: To get extra vitamin E, magnesium, and calcium, try almond butter.
Bonus Health Tip
This rule applies to more than just peanut butter. Look for the misleading “fat-free” code when buying other food products. Compare the labels of the regular version and the fat-free one. You may be shocked at the difference in the sugar grams.
This rule applies to more than just peanut butter. Look for the misleading “fat-free” code when buying other food products. Compare the labels of the regular version and the fat-free one. You may be shocked at the difference in the sugar grams.
Learning to eat in a more healthful way isn’t a one-step process, but unmasking these impostors is an important part of it. Start with reading the labels to understand what’s in your refrigerator right now. See some problems? Take note, and you’ll know what to look for—or look OUT for—next time you buy.
The three foods discussed above are just the tip of the imposter iceberg. Join me next time as I expose another handful of sneaky, not-so-healthful foods.
Need a hand? Give me a call at 949-400-5455.
Thursday, December 11, 2014
Yes, cholesterol is good
Confused about Cholesterol?
In our culture, cholesterol has become a dirty word. It’s the outcast of the nutrient world, banned from our meals. Thanks to years of bad science and powerful marketing to promote the “lipid hypothesis,” everybody “knows” that cholesterol is “evil” and should be avoided at all costs.
Cholesterol kills. At least, that is what we have been brought up to think. Eating eggs and butter is believed to be the proverbial equivalent of thrusting a dagger into your heart. The only way to survive is to load up on whole grains, low-fat foods, and pop a cholesterol lowering pill.
After all, the lower your cholesterol is, the better off you are, right?
Heart disease is the nation’s largest killer, and cholesterol is as Public Enemy No. 1. But, is this misunderstood molecule truly guilty of the crime of which is has been accused?
Cholesterol Is Not a Criminal.
There is no connection between the consumption of dietary fat and the incidence of heart disease. Just like eating spinach won’t make you turn green, eating fat won’t make you fat, and eating cholesterol will not cause a heart attack.
Doesn’t it seem strange that the very molecule that we call a murderer is also one of the most important molecules for sustaining human life? Maybe cholesterol just got a bad rap?
Yes, Cholesterol is good.
That's right, you do need cholesterol to survive. You need it in every cell in your body, where it helps to produce cell membranes, hormones, vitamin D, and bile acids that help you digest fat. Cholesterol also makes up much of your brain tissue and is responsible for neurological functioning.
So, if dietary cholesterol does not cause heart disease, then what does?
High cholesterol. No one wants it. In fact, most fear it.
The typical story on cholesterol and heart disease centers on two ideas:- Cholesterol from dietary sources raises blood cholesterol
- Elevated serum cholesterol causes heart disease (commonly referred to as the Lipid Hypothesis)
Cholesterol has been branded a killer by the medical establishment. Public service announcements and marketing campaigns drilled into our minds that lean meats, canola oil, and whole grains would keep our hearts healthy. Our diets began to include more cereals, pastas, and low-fat, high-carb foods that carried the American Heart Association’s “heart check” logo, which meant that the foods were low in cholesterol, and therefore part of a heart healthy diet.
As a result, since the implementation of the low-fat diet, the number of heart attack deaths rose significantly.
WHAT? That doesn’t make sense. How could it be that once people started eating “heart healthy” the fatality rate due to heart attacks actually climbed?
Maybe the Lipid Hypothesis was wrong.
Wrongly Accused. Cholesterol was framed.
A huge study in the Annals of Internal Medicine, published in March, stated that “Saturated fat does not cause heart disease.” This conclusion really did not come as a surprise to anyone familiar with modern nutritional science. The fact is, there has never been solid evidence for the idea that these fats cause heart disease. Cholesterol, and fats in general, have gotten the bad rap all these years as a result of bad science involving rabbits, Crisco, Eisenhower, and Ancel Keys.
Rabbits
The demonization of cholesterol started back in 1910 when a Russian scientist did some experiments involving feeding serum cholesterol to rabbits in the lab. When fed cholesterol instead of their normal plant-based diet, dissections of the rabbit’s arteries showed blockages. He concluded that the consumption of cholesterol leads to clogged arteries and heart disease, planting the seed that cholesterol may not be good for humans to eat.
Here is the problem. Cholesterol is only found in animal products. Rabbits are herbivores, meaning their bodies are designed to eat only plant products. So when Anichkov fed animal products to the rabbits, no wonder their systems could not handle it. When you feed any animal a food that is not part of its optimal diet, you can expect bad stuff to happen. On an interesting side note, when Anichkov conducted the same experiments on rats and guinea pigs (both meat eaters), there was no effect on their arteries. Unfortunately, these subsequent studies were not well publicized, and the rabbit study set the stage for the vilification of cholesterol.
Crisco
In the early 1900’s, Procter and Gamble’s lucrative candle business was losing out to the light bulb. Struggling to keep their business afloat, they needed to find a new way to use their chemical processing plant. They came up with the ingenious idea to hydrogenate vegetable oils, which could replace animal fats and butter in American kitchens. Crisco was born as a less expensive and longer lasting alternative to butter and lard.
The American Heart Association (AHA) formed in New York City in 1915. Proctor and Gamble, makers of Crisco, contributed most of the money toward launching the AHA as a national organization. It was originally called the Association for the Prevention and Relief of Heart Disease.
The AHA has been known primarily for its proclamation that saturated fats cause heart disease and obesity, suggesting that soybean and other vegetable oil alternatives (such as Crisco) be used in place of more traditional fats such as lard and butter.
Unfortunately, the number of heart attacks has steadily risen since 1915, as these harmful vegetable oils have permeated more parts of the American diet.
Eisenhower
Fast forward to the 1950s: in September 1955, while playing golf, President Dwight Eisenhower had a heart attack. This was possibly one of the most important medical cases of the 20th century because it began a process that fundamentally changed the way Americans viewed food and spurred the mass marketing of the “lipid hypothesis.”
Americans faced a fast-growing epidemic. Heart disease, a rarity only three decades earlier, had quickly become the nation’s No. 1 killer. When the nation’s leader fell victim to the disease, researchers became desperate for answers.
Ancel Keys
Our fear of dietary fat can be credited to a formidably persuasive scientist from the University of Minnesota in the 1950’s and 60’s. His name was Dr. Ancel Keys. Keys set out to prove his theory that the nation’s top killer, heart disease, was not a result of aging. He believed that heart disease could be linked to poor nutrition, and namely the over consumption of dietary fats and cholesterol.
As the director of the largest nutrition study to date, Keys was in an excellent position to promote his idea. The “Seven Countries” study was conducted in the U.S., Japan, and Europe and seemingly proved a direct relation to dietary fats consumed and the incidence of heart disease.
In 1961, Keys sealed saturated fat’s fate when he landed a position on the nutrition committee of the American Heart Association, whose dietary guidelines are considered the gold standard. Keys’ claims became the basis of US dietary guidelines (influencing the Food Pyramid), prompted the invention of cholesterol lowering medications, and became the adopted dogma of the American Medical Association in relation to the prevention and treatment of Coronary Heart Disease.
To this day, the American Heart Association still recommends a low fat diet, rich in whole grains, for the prevention of heart disease.
The Unscientific Scientist
Ancel Keys´ famous Seven Countries Study violated several basic scientific norms. The seven countries that Keys used to “prove” his hypothesis were not selected at random. The original study started out with 22 countries. Keys hand-picked only the seven countries where the data supported his own beliefs. Countries like France, Germany, and Switzerland, that consume lots of fat, yet have notoriously low rates of heart disease, were left completely out of the study.
Even the data from the countries that Keys did report on was later found to be equally flawed. In Crete, where he studied the diets and health of 655 men, issues with interpretation of the surveys meant the data from only a few dozen of the subjects actually made it into the final report. Additionally, Keys visited Crete and conducted his research during a time of extreme hardship, right after World War II. The islanders, most of whom were peasants, were surveyed during Lent, a Christian holiday that incorporates fasting and forgoing meats and cheeses. So their diets during the research differed greatly from their typical eating habits.
It wasn’t until 2002 that many of these flaws were discovered. At this point, so many resources, money, and time had been devoted to the erroneous findings that it was hard to go back.
Is Low Fat Really Heart Healthy?
When people started reducing fats in their diets, carbohydrate intake increased to make up the difference. In fact, we are eating a whole lot more carbohydrates than we did in the past – approximately 25% more than we did in the early 1970’s. Instead of meat, eggs, and cheese, we’re eating more pasta, grains, fruit, and starchy vegetables such as potatoes. Seemingly healthy low-fat versions of our favorite foods such as yogurt and cheeses sneak even more carbs into our diets. When the fat is removed, fillers and sweeteners need to be added to make up for lost taste and texture. Those fillers are often highly processed carbohydrates.
Carbohydrates break down into glucose, which causes the body to release insulin—a hormone that is fantastically efficient at storing fat. Excessive carbohydrates lead not only to obesity but also, over time, to Type 2 diabetes and, very likely, heart disease. The reality is that fat doesn’t make you fat or diabetic. Scientific investigations going back to the 1950s suggest that, actually, carbs do.
In addition to the increase in carbohydrate consumption, the shift away from animal fats also led to increased consumption of vegetable oil. Butter and lard were replaced in the American pantry by Crisco, a vegetable-based fat that came with high recommendations by the American Heart Association. Later we saw the introduction of margarine and vegetable-based cooking oils such as canola. All of these were touted as being more “heart healthy” than cholesterol-laden animal fats.
Fat Doesn’t Cause Heart Disease, Inflammation Does
According to the most current research, the true culprit behind rampant heart disease is INFLAMMATION! Inflammation causes coronary artery disease by inflaming the arteries. Over time, the inside of the arteries become scarred-up, causing the cholesterol to stick to the artery walls, often creating blockages. Inflammation in western cultures is commonly caused by overconsumption of carbohydrates and sugar.
Inflammation can also be caused by an imbalance of Omega-6 to Omega-3 fatty acids which is likely to occur when animal fats are replaced with vegetable oils. Coupled with the fact that many vegetable oils are oxidized or hydrogenated (to extend shelf-life), this significantly increases inflammation in the body, which increases one’s risk of heart disease. These oils also contain free-radicals that can weaken and damage arterial walls.
Cholesterol Hero or Villain
Cholesterol is found in every cell of your body and helps to maintain your nervous system, skin, muscles, liver, intestines, and heart. It is essential in proper synthesis of hormones, absorption of fat soluble vitamins, and in cell regeneration. Pretty important stuff.
Despite its tarnished reputation, cholesterol is not bad for you. In fact, it plays a very important role in keeping your body healthy. It is used to build cell walls, to produce vitamin D, and make digestive juices. Cholesterol is actually a vital nutrient for healthy cell formation and hormone synthesis. It is necessary for production of progesterone, testosterone, DHEA, and other hormones that are vital to proper endocrine and sexual function.
Your body simply cannot function properly without a certain amount of cholesterol.
It is so essential to life that your liver produces much of your blood cholesterol on its own. This is why people who eat only plant-based foods can still survive.
In my eyes, Cholesterol is a Hero.
The Good and “The Bad”
You’ve probably heard that there are two types of cholesterol – a good kind (HDL) and a bad kind (LDL).
LDL or Low Density Lipoproteins typically get the bad rap in the medical world, but serves a very important function. LDL is responsible for transporting the cholesterol produced by the liver to the various parts of the body where it can be used. Research is now finding out that there are two types of LDL: the soft, fluffy LDL, which is shown to be relatively harmless, and small, dense LDL which can be more problematic.
HDL or High-Density Lipoproteins are the angels in the medical world for their role in transporting the cholesterol that has been used by the body back to the liver to be excreted as bile. Perhaps, since the medical community views Cholesterol as an enemy, anything that removes it from the body would be viewed as good, while a substance that facilitates its circulation around the body is viewed as bad.
The truth is we need both LDL and HDL in proper ratios. Countless studies now show that high total cholesterol might not be a problem at all, especially if the two types of lipoproteins are in balance and there are not an abundance of small dense LDL. Some studies even show that higher cholesterol can correlate with a lower risk of heart disease!
What about Statins?
Statins are drugs that keep the body from producing cholesterol. One in four Americans over the age of 45 currently takes statin drugs. Statins were created to solve the problem of high cholesterol. However, in recent years, we have shown scientifically that high cholesterol isn’t really much of a problem at all.
Since cholesterol doesn’t necessarily cause heart disease, and cholesterol is necessary for cell regeneration, hormone synthesis, and many other important jobs in the body, doesn’t it now seem obvious that decreasing the body’s ability to produce cholesterol might do more harm than good?
What about the cells that need regenerating? What about proper hormone balance? What about the body’s ability to absorb fat soluble vitamins?
Without the ability to produce enough cholesterol, the body won’t be able to synthesize vital nutrients like Vitamin D or produce hormones like serotonin, melatonin, progesterone, testosterone, etc., which can leave you depressed, having trouble sleeping, or with sexual and reproductive difficulties.
99% of Those Taking Statins Don’t Really Need Them
Statin drugs have become so popular today due to marketing, corruption, and corporate greed. The more people taking statins, the higher the profit. Their effectiveness in preventing and treating heart disease has not been proven. In fact, the odds are very high— greater than 100 to 1—that if you’re taking a statin, you don’t really need it. The ONLY subgroup that might benefit are those born with a genetic defect called familial hypercholesterolemia, as this makes them resistant to traditional measures of normalizing cholesterol.
The fact that statin drugs cause side effects is well established—there are now 900 studies proving their adverse effects, which run the gamut from muscle problems to increased cancer risk. For starters, reported side effects include:
Muscle problems, polyneuropathy (nerve damage in the hands and feet), and rhabdomyolysis (a serious degenerative muscle tissue condition), Anemia, Acidosis, Sexual dysfunction, Immune depression, Cataracts, Pancreas or liver dysfunction, and loss of memory and cognitive function.
Remember, your body NEEDS cholesterol—it is important in the production of cell membranes, hormones, vitamin D, and bile acids that help you to digest fat. Cholesterol also helps your brain form memories and is vital to your neurological function. There is also strong evidence that having too little cholesterol INCREASES your risk for cancer, memory loss, Parkinson’s disease, hormonal imbalances, stroke, depression, suicide, and violent behavior.
Reduce Your Risks Naturally
You have options, instead of taking a drug that is not proven to help and known to produce some very unfavorable side effects, try to take steps to reduce your risk of heart disease naturally. The following lifestyle changes have been proven to outperform any drug on the market when it comes to preventing heart disease.
Eat More Cholesterol Containing Foods. If the body doesn’t have enough dietary cholesterol, it must manufacture more of it, and dietary cholesterol has no relation to heart disease. Plus, foods like eggs, grass fed butter, and animal proteins have nutrients that help the body synthesize fat soluble vitamins. Of course, keep in mind any existing food allergens and select varieties that are right for your metabolic type.
Reduce Processed Carbohydrate and Grain Consumption- Grains and sugars contribute to inflammation and increase the risk of heart disease. Consuming them, especially in excess, has also been linked to other problems like metabolic syndrome, diabetes, obesity, and others.
Avoid Vegetable Oils and Products Containing Them- These oils mess up the balance of protective Omega-3 fatty acids and potentially dangerous Omega-6 fatty acids in the body. They also contribute to inflammation and arterial damage. There is no reason that you need to consume these oils at any point… ever!
Eat Lots of Saturated Fats and Other Healthy Fats- Getting enough saturated fat from sources like animal fats, coconut oil, raw organic dairy, etc., is essential to give the body all the building blocks it needs for proper cell and hormone function.
Optimize Vitamin D and Fat Soluble Vitamins- Fat soluble vitamins in proper amounts in
the body have a protective effect on tissues and organs (including the heart). If you’ve been on a low-fat diet, live in a northern climate, or used sunscreen all your life, you could be seriously deficient in vitamin D, so consider getting your blood levels tested.
Exercise- Exercise helps strengthen the heart and tone muscles. It increases circulation and reduces stress hormones – all good things to help reduce your risk of heart disease.
Reduce Stress and Get Enough Sleep- High stress levels and lack of sleep can increase both inflammation and stress hormones in the body. Both are also linked to higher incidence of many diseases, including heart disease and increased overall mortality.
Cholesterol and dietary fat do not have to be scary. In fact, you can confidently invite them back to dinner, or any meal, without fear that they will harm your health. In fact, when you incorporate the tips above, not only will your protect yourself from heart disease, but you will also improve your overall health and wellness.
The New Vitamin E: Delta Tocotrienol
Cholesterol,
Cardiovascular, Circulatory, Inflammation Support
- High Cholesterol, Abnormal Lipid Panels, Heart Arrhythmia
- Cardiovascular Disease
- Chronic Inflammation
- Familial Dysautonomia
- Metabolic Syndrome
- Prostate, Skin and Breast Cancer
- Derived from the Annatto Bean, not Palm Oil or Rice Bran oil which contain high traces of tocopherols
- Delta tocotrienols have been proven to most effectively inhibit platelet aggregation and reduce production of enzymes in the arteries that promote plaque formation
- Delta tocotrienols decrease cholesterol production by inhibiting the enzyme HMG-Co A Reductase in the liver that is responsible for the production of cholesterol
- Out of all the tocotrienols, delta has the strongest cholesterol inhibition potency followed by gamma, alpha and beta
- Gamma- and Delta-tocotrienol block the processing of a certain protein that helps control the LDL receptor and genes in charge of cholesterol-creating enzymes
- Gamma- and Delta-tocotrienols, increase the heart’s vascular and metabolic integrity, leading to improved management of metabolic syndrome
- Tocotrienols support healthy triglyceride levels, with delta-tocotrienol having the strongest effect
- Delta tocotrieonols act as anticoagulants, reduce the size of atherosclerotic lesions and inhibit plaque formation
- Superior lipid-based cellular nutrition with delta tocotrienol complex for easy absorption
- Contains small traces of gamma T3 which helps to reduce inflammation.
- Delta tocotrienol is the most powerful antioxidant of the vitamin E family
- Delta tocotrienol is the most effective member of the vitamin E family for reducing endothelial expression of adhesion molecules, thereby preventing the accumulation of inflammatory cells within the arterial wall
- Delta tocotrienol exhibits anti-cancer properties, especially apoptosis (programmed cell death)
- For superior cholesterol support use in conjunction with Cholestavin™
Other vitamin E supplements and super foods such as stabilized rice bran are comprised primarily of tocopherols which inhibit the absorption of tocotrienols. Therefore, It is best to take Deltanol™ 3-4 hours before or after.
Ingredients:
Each capsule contains:
Tocotrienol (predominantly d-delta tocotrienol and gamma tocotrienol)
Other Ingredients: Vegetable Capsule (Gelatin, Glycerin, Water). No magnesium stearate (a toxic excipient), corn, milk, soy, salt, sugar, wheat, artificial colors, flavors, preservatives, binders, glues or other toxic tagalongs as found in tablets and gelatin capsules. Store in a cool, dry place.
Recommended Use:
Take 1 softgel daily. For special programs, up to 3 softgels may be taken daily. Remember to avoid taking it within 3-4 hours of other vitamin E supplements.
Violite™ Protected: Patent-pending dark violet-colored, #2 HDPE nontoxic plastic bottle engineered to block light between 450-720 nm, the range at which damage to nutrients occurs. Nitrogen flushed to protect freshness and prevent oxidation.
For more info I can be reached at 949-400-5455 or KJWellnessSolutions@gmail.com
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