Wednesday, January 26, 2011

The Electrifying World of Zumba®


Do you ever get tired of the same old workout routine?  If you're like me then you're bound to get bored going through the same old motions in your attempt to stay in shape and get fit.  Perhaps it's time to switch it up a bit and add some more fun to your workout.  There just so happens to be a great new exercise program that can do just that.  It's called Zumba®!



What is Zumba?

Zumba® is a combination of fitness, fun, and dancing all thrown into one.  It actually originated in Colombia in the mid-90's by a guy named Alberto "Beto" Perez.  Beto (as he is referred to) actually developed Zumba® by accident.  He was an aerobics instructor and forgot his traditional aerobics music one day.  So he did what many of us would do... improvised!

Beto had some of his favorite music that he loved to listen to with him.  This consisted of some fun and energetic salsa and merengue music.  Instead of teaching the same old routine that day for his aerobics class he jazzed it up a little and had a special and invigorating dance aerobics session all to the beat of his favorite latin music.  His students loved it!  By the end of the class everyone was smiling from ear to ear and full of energy.  And ever since Zumba® has become one of the most popular and well liked music inspired dance-fitness programs in the world.  Beto brought Zumba® to the United States in 2001 and it's now in over 90,000 locations across more than 110 countries.

Check out the videos below to get a taste of what Zumba is all about:







There are several different Zumba® classes offered for all different age groups and interests.  The six different classes include:

1)  Zumba® - The original dance class that incorporates high energy Latin music along with an array of
                       exotic dance movements.

2)  Zumba Gold® - A modified version of the original class suited to meet the fitness needs of the baby
                               boomer population.

3)  Zumba® Toning - High energy cardio workout that introduces body-sculpting and toning exercises
                                   into the original Zumba routine.

4)  Aqua Zumba® - A Zumba party in the water.  Try an aqua fitness routine that includes plenty of
                                cardio-conditioning and body-toning to go along with all the splashing and shouting
                                in this great workout session.

5)  Zumbatomic® - This one's for all the kids out there ages 4-12.  It's Zumba choreographed
                               specifically with the music and dance moves that kids love.

6)  Zumba® in the Circuit - If you've ever tried circuit training then this is the class for you as traditional
                                            Zumba music and moves are combined with a series of strength training
                                            exercises all in a 30 minute routine.

If this workout program interests you then you can find more info below at the Zumba® website.  Make sure you get the go ahead from your doctor before you start any new workout routine just to be on the safe side.

www.Zumba.com

Enjoy!  And may your dance moves be the best thing that's happened to you in a long time!







If you like what you see here then you'll LOVE our daily Facebook and Twitter posts!  Also, don't forget to sign up for  Our Free Online Mailing List  to get all the latest updates from the Plant-Based Pharmacist!
by Dustin Rudolph, PharmD
Clinical Pharmacist

Check out Dustin Rudolph's book The Empty Medicine Cabinet to start your journey towards better health. This step-by-step guide leads you through many of today's common chronic diseases (heart disease, obesity, diabetes, cancer, and more), giving you the facts on foods versus medications in treating these medical conditions. The book also contains an easy-to-follow guide on how to adopt a whole foods, plant-based diet as a part of an overall lifestyle change, producing the best possible health outcomes for you and your family. Hurry and get your copy today!

We'd love for you to join us in spreading the good word about plant-based nutrition and lifestyle medicine by telling your family and friends about our website at www.PlantBasedPharmacist.com

Share and rate this post below or tell us what you think by posting a comment. Thank you again for stopping by and until next time... be happy, be healthy, and live the life you've always dreamed of!

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

The HCG Diet - Short Term Weight Loss, Long Term Health Risks


There's so many new diets popping up promising instant weight loss and grand successes that it's hard to really know which ones are truly good for you and which ones fall short on their long term promises.  The HCG diet is the latest popular craze in the land of overnight weight loss programs.  You might have seen it advertised or promoted by the various wellness clinics, physicians, and health food stores out there.  But is it all that it's cracked up to be?  Read further as I give you insights on this diet and breakdown the science behind what it really means to choose healthy foods to get the weight loss you're looking for while promoting your long term health at the same time.

What is the HCG diet?

The HCG diet was developed by Dr. A.T.W. Simeons out of Italy.  I took the liberty of reading Dr. Simeons entire manuscript of the diet which can be found here.  All of the following information comes directly from his manuscript.

What Dr. Simeons found is that administering daily doses of a substance called Human Choriogonadotropin (HCG), a hormone produced only by pregnant women, to his patients helped control a center of the brain that is responsible for appetite and hunger sensation.  He also found that HCG helped the body convert abnormal fat reserves into usable energy without affecting normal fat reserves.  But none of this was possible unless his patients also adhered to a strict 500 calorie/day diet that enforces extreme limitations in the specific individual foods that can be consumed.  The only focus of the entire program is to reduce weight and, unfortunately, it does not address the bigger picture of long term overall health.  In addition, patients are told that they cannot use certain cosmetic items such as face creams.  Participants in the program are also not allowed to get massages and have to carry a scale with them if they are traveling to weigh in every single morning without exception.

What I found rather astonishing is that Dr. Simeons had no substantial or long term data from clinical trials or from the scientific literature attesting to the safety and efficacy of his program.  He even states this in his own words when discussing obesity in his manuscript, "...we can make little headway until we can build for ourselves some sort of theoretical structure with which to explain the condition.  Whether such a structure represents the truth is not important at this moment."  And then later on, "...I have never had an opportunity of conducting the laboratory investigations which are so necessary for a theoretical understanding of clinical observations, and I can only hope that those more fortunately placed will in time be able to fill this gap."  So what Dr. Simeons is saying is that his whole program is based off of trial and error and not the mountain of scientific evidence that is already available in today's scientific world.  This scientific evidence has already proven that the safest and most effective way to lose weight and gain health over the long term is to adopt a nutrient dense, plant-based diet.  But apparently Dr. Simeons either missed this or ignored it when developing his weight loss program.

How does the HCG diet work?


1)  Daily doses of HCG are administered to the patient for anywhere from 23 to 40 days.

2)  On days 1 and 2 the patient is told to gorge on as much high fat foods as possible even if this involves
     force feeding.  These foods include deep fat fried meats (especially pork), milk chocolate, eggs,
     bacon, mayonnaise, bread with lots of butter and jam, whipped cream, pastries, etc.  This will "build
     up" their "normal fat reserves" in order to tolerate the 500 calorie/day diet according to Dr. Simeons.

3)  Starting day 3 and for the remaining duration of the diet up to and including 3 days after the last dose
     of HCG is administered the patient must adhere to a 500 calorie/day diet that includes only the
     following:
     -  Breakfast:  Tea or Coffee in any amount without sugar.  One tablespoon of milk allowed per day.
                          Saccharin or Stevia may be used for sweeteners.
     -  Lunch:  a) 100 grams exactly of veal, beef, chicken breast, fresh white fish, lobster, crab, OR
                          shrimp.  All visible fat removed, meat to be weighed raw, only boiling or grilling
                          allowed.
                      b) One vegetable from the following - spinach, chard, chicory, beet-greens, green salad,
                          tomatoes, celery, fennel, onions, red radishes, cucumbers, asparagus, or cabbage.
                      c) One breadstick (grissino) OR one Melba toast.
                      d) One apple, orange, handful of strawberries, OR one-half grapefruit.
      -  Dinner:  Same four choices as for lunch above.

4)  Following the end of the 500 calorie/day diet and for 3 weeks thereafter the patient may begin eating
     normally with the exception that they cannot consume any starches or sugars in any form.

5)  After 3 weeks the patient can then gradually add small amounts of starch in the diet but never in
     conjunction with fats at the same time.

6)  Nobody is allowed to lose or gain more than 2 pounds per day or 34 pounds total during one cycle.
     Repeat cycles of the diet can be attempted only after at least a 6 week waiting period.

7)  Many physicians or nutritional counselors will tell their patients that they are not allowed to exercise
     while on the 500 calorie/day diet.

8)  There are more details on the HCG diet and further restrictions can be found in Dr. Simeons
     manuscript if you wish to learn more.

What does the scientific world say about the HCG weight loss program?

First off, let me remind you again that Dr. Simeons could provide no scientific proof that his weight loss program was both safe and effective over the long term.  While a high percentage of patients do experience weight loss with his program it is due to the calorie restriction or temporary "starvation" that the patient is experiencing and not the HCG itself.  I did a search for all published studies on the HCG diet in the scientific literature and could not find a single one to validate Dr. Simeons' claims.  Instead, here is what I found:

-  Fifty one obese women were studied in a clinic setting in a randomized, double-blind comparison over
   a 32 day period.  Approximately half of the women received daily administration of HCG injections
   and all of the women were put on a 500 calorie/day diet.  The study found that there was no
   statistically significant differences between the two groups in terms of weight loss, percent of weight
   loss, hip & waist circumference, weight loss per injections, or hunger ratings.  They concluded that
   HCG does not appear to enhance the effectiveness in a rigidly imposed regimen for weight loss [1].
-  Two hundred patients participated in a double-blind random cross over study comparing HCG to
   placebo in a weight reduction program.  They found no statistically significant differences between the
   two groups [2].
-  Another study looked at 11 obese women in a hospitalized setting.  All 11 women were put on an
   identical 500 calorie/day diet.  Six women received daily shots of HCG while 5 received daily shots of
   placebo.  The study found that patterns of plasma and urine substrates, electrolytes, & hormones were
   similar in the two groups and consistent with semistarvation and weight loss.  The study concluded
   that HCG offered no advantage over calorie restriction in promoting weight loss [3].
-  A double-blind randomized trial used either HCG injections or placebo in their subjects.  They found
   that weight loss was identical between the two groups and there was no evidence for differential effects
   on hunger, mood, or localized body measurements [4].
-  In another double-blind, placebo controlled study 40 obese women were put on an identical calorie
   restricted diet.  After six weeks on the diet the study showed that subjects receiving HCG showed no
   advantages over those receiving placebo in terms of psychological profile, hunger level, body
   circumferences, and weight loss.  The study concluded that no rationale was seen for the use of HCG
   injections in the treatment of obesity [5].
-  Eighty two premenopausal, healthy, non pregnant women participated in a randomized trial that lasted
   28 days.  All the women were put on a 500 calorie/day diet.  However, only a portion of them received
   HCG injections while others did not receive injections.  All participants experienced strong sensations
   of hunger during the first week and diet adjustments seem to improve more greatly in those not
   receiving the HCG injections.  Two individuals experienced side effects during the diet and they were
   both in the HCG group.  One woman suffered from a severe headache and one woman suffered from
   ovarian cysts. The study concluded that the success of the diet was based on motivation and good
   information and not due to HCG administration [6].
-  A review of studies on HCG was done by the German steroid toxicology panel.  They looked at 20
   available published studies on HCG and dieting.  Here's what they concluded - "In recent publications
   describing mostly well documented, double-blind studies authors largely reject HCG administration in
   dieting.  Supporters of the HCG diet must prove the efficacy of this method in controlled studies..."
   They went on to say that "HCG is ineffective in dieting and should not be used." [7]

What are the downfalls of the HCG diet?

While people do lose weight and rather quickly on the HCG diet they do so without improving their long term overall health.  This is in part due to the excessive caloric restriction of the program.

Studies on calorie restricted diets show an overall beneficial effect in terms of lowering blood pressure and cholesterol levels along with a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer mortality when calories are reduced by around 20-30% of normal caloric intake [8,9].  However, the 500 calorie/day HCG diet falls far short of the 1,400-1,600 calories/day that these studies looked at.  In fact, I would be quite confident in saying that the reason Dr. Simeons only has his patients adhere to the strict 500 calories/day for such short periods of time is because the body goes into starvation mode and this can have very negative health consequences if continued long term.  The Minnesota Starvation Experiment proves this when it evaluated men following a calorie restricted diet for 24 weeks.  In this study caloric intake was reduced by 45% from the typical intake which for the typical western diet is 2,000 calories/day.  This would equate to around 1,100 calories/day.  After 24 weeks they found that the men had serious deleterious effects, including anemia, muscle wasting, neurologic deficits, lower extremity edema, weakness, dizziness, lethargy, irritability, and depression [10].  A much healthier way to lose weight is to follow a low-fat, plant-based diet.  In fact, one study even showed that overweight women who did just this lost an average of 12.76 pounds and some even lost up to almost 20 pounds after 14 weeks without any restrictions on portion sizes or caloric intake [11].

The next downfall of the HCG diet is the way it starts out.  The first two days the patient is told to gorge themselves with the fattiest foods possible.  This is a recipe for disaster because many of the suggested foods are high in trans fat and saturated fat both of which have been shown to have negative health consequences.  Increasing dietary fat in the short term has actually been shown cause up to a 20% drop in oxygen level in the blood [12].  Also, replacing just 2% of your calories with trans fat instead of consuming polyunsaturated or monounsaturated fat will actually increase your risk of coronary artery disease by 21-24% [13].  There really is no benefit at all from consuming fatty foods as suggested in the HCG diet.  At least science hasn't been able to prove any benefit so far.

One of the biggest shortcomings of the HCG diet is not only that it includes low nutrient, high fat foods like beef, pork, veal, poultry, fish, dairy products, and on occasion eggs but that it severely limits foods that are the most healthful and nutrient dense of all - fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains.  Only a small portion of fruits and vegetables are allowed and legumes are all together banned.  Whole grains such as whole wheat and oat products are restricted too.  Here's the problem with this... animal-based foods such as the meat and dairy products have a much higher fat content than their healthy counterparts (plant-based foods).  See the chart below:


The other downfall of meat, dairy, and eggs is that these foods contain absolutely no fiber and little to no micronutrients.  Fiber is extremely beneficial for your overall health.  You can find out more about that topic here.  And micronutrients consist of many essential vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals that are vital to maintaining excellent health.  These include many different types of antioxidants like the carotenoids from yellow and orange vegetables and flavanoids found in various fruits and dark chocolate.  Vitamin A, C, and E from fruits and dark leafy greens are also important in promoting health.  These are the substances that have been shown to protect against many of the chronic diseases that we experience in the world today.  Dr. Joel Fuhrman does an excellent job explaining the importance of nutrient density as it relates to food below and also touches on why calorie restrictive diets don't work in the long run.




The last thing I want to touch on is the fact that many patients are told to avoid exercising completely while on the strict 500 calorie/day diet.  Exercise has been shown to have profound and very beneficial health effects in numerous scientific studies.  Scientist have actually shown that exercise increases the ability of a naturally occurring enzyme called telomerase in our body which is responsible for repairing damaged telomeres at the end of your DNA [14,15].  This is important because telomeres are strands of DNA that determine how fast we age so by exercising we literally reduce the effects of aging on the body.  In contrast, a recent study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology showed a 48% increased risk of death from all causes and 125% increased risk in cardiovascular events in those spending too much time sitting in front of a screen (tv, computer, etc.) doing absolutely no physical activity [16].

Conclusion

I think it goes without saying that the short term weight loss seen with the HCG dietary program comes at the bigger expense of long term health consequences.  From the unhealthy fatty gorge to start the diet to the lack of nutrient dense, plant-based foods included to the inability to exercise while on a dangerous 500 calorie/day diet there's just nothing good about this weight loss program if you are at all concerned about your overall health.  You are much better off doing some research and educating yourself on proven methods already out there to lose weight permanently while at the same time preventing and even reversing chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, osteoporosis, and more by going on a nutrient dense, plant-based diet.  You can learn more about this in my article on weight loss or by visiting my website.  I wish you much success in your weight loss endeavors and I hope you've learned something that can change the course of your life for the better today.







If you like what you see here then you'll LOVE our daily Facebook and Twitter posts!  Also, don't forget to sign up for  Our Free Online Mailing List  to get all the latest updates from the Plant-Based Pharmacist!
by Dustin Rudolph, PharmD
Clinical Pharmacist

Check out Dustin Rudolph's book The Empty Medicine Cabinet to start your journey towards better health. This step-by-step guide leads you through many of today's common chronic diseases (heart disease, obesity, diabetes, cancer, and more), giving you the facts on foods versus medications in treating these medical conditions. The book also contains an easy-to-follow guide on how to adopt a whole foods, plant-based diet as a part of an overall lifestyle change, producing the best possible health outcomes for you and your family. Hurry and get your copy today!

We'd love for you to join us in spreading the good word about plant-based nutrition and lifestyle medicine by telling your family and friends about our website at www.PlantBasedPharmacist.com

Share and rate this post below or tell us what you think by posting a comment. Thank you again for stopping by and until next time... be happy, be healthy, and live the life you've always dreamed of!


References:
1 Stein MR, Julis RE, Peck CC, et al. Ineffectiveness of human chorionic gonadotropin in weight reduction: a double-blind study. Am J Clin Nutr. 1976 Sep;29(9):940-8.
2 Young RL, Fuchs RJ, Woltjen MJ. Chorionic gonadotropin in weight control. A double-blind crossover study. JAMA. 1976 Nov 29;236(22):2495-7.
3 Shetty KR, Kalkhoff RK. Human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) treatment of obesity. Arch Intern Med. 1977 Feb;137(2):151-5.
4 Greenway FL, Bray GA. Human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) in the treatment of obesity: a critical assessment of the Simeons method. West J Med. 1977 Dec;127(6):461-3.
5 Bosch B, Venter I, Stewart RI, Bertram SR. Human chorionic gonadotrophin and weight loss. A double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. S Afr Med J. 1990 Feb 17;77(4):185-9.
6 Rabe T, Richter S, Kiesel L, Zaloumis M, Runnebaum B. Influence of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) in combination with a 500 calorie diet on clinical and laboratory parameters in premenopausal women with and without hormonal contraception. Aktuel Endokrinol Stoffwechsel. 1987 Jul;8(3):142-9.
7 Rabe T, Richter S, Kiesel L, Runnebaum B. Risk-benefit analysis of a hCG-500 kcal reducing diet (cura romana) in females. Geburtshilfe Frauenheilkd. 1987 May;47(5):297-307.
8 Kagawa Y. Impact of Westernization on the nutrition of Japanese: changes in physique, cancer, longevity and centenarians. Prev Med. 1978;7:205.
9 Walford RL, Mock D, Verdery R, MacCallum T. Calorie restriction in biosphere 2: alterations in physiologic, hematologic, hormonal, and biochemical parameters in humans restricted for a 2-year period. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2002;57:B211.
10 Keys A, Brozek J, Henschels A, Mickelsen O, Taylor H. The Biology of Human Starvation. Vol 2. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press; 1950:1133.
11 Barnard ND, Scialli AR, Turner-McGrievy G, Lanou AJ, Glass J. The effects of a low-fat, plant-based dietary intervention on body weight, metabolism, and insulin sensitivity. Am J Med. 2005 Sep;118(9):991-7.
12 Kuo PT, Whereat AF, Horwitz O. The effect of lipemia upon coronary and peripheral arterial circulation in patients with essential hyperlipemia.  Am J Med. 1959 Jan;26(1):68-75.
13 Mozaffarian D, Clarke R. Quantitative effects on cardiovascular risk factors and coronary heart disease risk of replacing partially hydrogenated vegetable oils with other fats and oils. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2009 May;63 Suppl 2:S22-33.
14 Christian Werner, MD; Tobias Fürster, MD; Thomas Widmann, MD; Janine Pöss, MD, et al.  Physical Exercise Prevents Cellular Senescence in Circulating Leukocytes and in the Vessel Wall.  Circulation. 2009 Dec 15;120(4).
15 Ornish D, Lin J, Daubenmier J, Weidner G, Epel E, Kemp C, Magbanua MJ, Marlin R, Yglecias L, Carroll PR, Blackburn EH. Increased telomerase activity and comprehensive lifestyle changes: a pilot study. Lancet Oncol. 2008 Nov;9(11):1048-57.
16 Emmanuel Stamatakis, Mark Hamer, and David W. Dunstan. Screen-Based Entertainment Time, All-Cause Mortality, and Cardiovascular Events: Population-Based Study With Ongoing Mortality and Hospital Events Follow-Up. Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 2011; 57: 292-299 DOI: 10.1016/j.jacc.2010.05.065

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Organic Foods - Are They Worth It?


Ever find yourself in the produce section at the supermarket staring down two colorful apples wondering which one is worthy of making its way into your grocery cart?  Both apples look the same but one has that familiar USDA Organic sticker plastered on it.  One things for sure they definitely aren't priced the same.

With an average cost of 10%-40% higher[1] are organic foods worth it?  Do they have more nutritional value?  And does this make a difference to your overall health?  I invite you to read further as I help you get to the bottom of all this organic talk so that you can make the decision that feels the best for you.

What Deems a Food To Be Organic?

The U.S. government establishes strict standards to be met for farmers before they can use the USDA Organic seal on their food products.  A product can use the USDA Organic seal if it contains at least 95% organically produced ingredients.

The following chart shows the differences between organic vs. conventionally farmed food:


Does Organic Food Contain More Nutritional Value?

This question has created a lot of controversy over the past few decades as organic food has become increasingly more popular.  More and more studies have been conducted in recent years factoring in things like farming methods, climate variability, food formulations, and harvest rates among other things to assess the nutritional content of our food in terms of its vitamin, mineral, phytochemical, antioxidant, and toxin load.  Here's a few of the findings below.

●  A study looking at organic and conventionally grown pears and peaches found that the organic fruits
    had an improved antioxidant defense system (higher levels of polyphenols, PPO, vitamin C, &
    vitamin E) in comparison with their conventionally grown counterparts [2].  Another study found that
    organically grown strawberries have more antioxidant activity and anti-cancer effects than
    conventionally grown strawberries [3].  Scientists suggest that this data shows that organically grown
    food is in effect "beefing up" its own defense mechanisms to protect itself in the absence of
    pesticides.
●  A review in 2006 showed that organic foods had significantly higher amounts of antioxidants (vitamin
    C, polyphenols, & flavanoids) and minerals in addition to lower levels of pesticide residues, nitrates,
    and some heavy metal contaminations than conventionally grown crops.  They concluded that
    because of this organic crops had a higher nutritional value and a lower risk of causing disease due to
    contamination [4].
●  A number of studies have shown that organically grown food contains more dry matter (less water)
    than conventionally grown fruits and vegetables [5,6].  An increase in dry matter means that there are
    more nutrients per unit weight of food.
●  One study looked at the nutrient content of eggplants cultivated over two successive years by both
    conventional and organic methods.  The study found that the organic crop was higher in potassium,
    calcium, magnesium, copper, and phytochemicals called phenolics [7].
●  Whole wheat production was studied over a 3 year period comparing organic and conventional crops.
    The study found that there was no difference in concentrations of the phytochemicals (carotenoids &
    phenolic acids) between the two groups.  Instead, improved climate factors produced a 55%
    increase in phytochemical composition in year to year production [8].

The best overall review to date of the nutritional value of organic vs. conventionally grown crops was published by The Organic Center in March of 2008.  In this review they assessed the results of 97 peer-reviewed studies published over a 27 year period comparing the nutrient levels in organic and conventionally grown foods [9].  To determine the nutrient quality of the food they focused on 11 different nutrients using matched pairs which is defined as "crops grown on nearby farms, on the same type of soil, with the same irrigation systems and harvest timing, and grown from the same plant variety".

What they found was that organically grown crops had a 25% overall higher nutrient content than conventional crops.  A little over 60% of the organic crops had higher levels of a disease fighting flavonol named Quercetin.  Vitamin C was found in higher concentrations in approximately 50% of the organic crops compared to conventional crops.  And to top it off they also found that 80% of the organic crop samples had a higher total antioxidant capacity than conventional crops!

The organic world is not without its critics though.  An article titled "Nutritional quality of organic foods: A systemic review" published in 2009 in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition claims that there was no evidence suggesting organically grown foods were nutritionally superior to conventionally grown foods.  Come to find out this article originated as a report commissioned by the Foods Standards Agency (FSA) out of the UK.  According to Paula Crossfield (co-founder and managing editor of civileats.com) the report was heavily biased and heavily tied to special interests of agribusiness, the dairy industry, Sara Lee Corporation, and one of UK's biggest grocery chains.  You can read Paula's full review here about the misleadings in this article.

Does Organic Food Significantly Improve Your Overall Health?

It is clear from the scientific literature to date that organic food is certainly more nutritious and less toxic than conventional food but does this equate to better overall health and a lower risk of chronic diseases?  You might be surprised by the answer to this as you'll soon find out.

Much of the published data on pesticide exposure and disease does show an increased risk in some cases.  The biggest fear of many people is cancer.  The National Cancer Institute states that "studies of people with high exposure to pesticides, such as farmers, pesticide applicators, manufacturers, and crop dusters, have found high rates of blood and lymphatic system cancers; cancers of the lip, stomach, lung, brain, and prostate; as well as melanoma and other skin cancers".  Another study performed a meta-analysis on 40 case-controlled studies and found that exposure to pesticides for greater than 10-20 years was associated with a higher risk of Parkinson's disease but several other risk factors such as rural living, well-water consumption, and farming played a part as well [10].  Another study showed an increased risk of Alzheimer's disease in occupational workers exposed to pesticides [14].

So while there is a link to pesticide exposure and disease it appears that the highest risk is in those who have the greatest exposure (farmers, workers, etc.) and only after being exposed to high amounts over long periods of time.  The amount of pesticide residue left on the food you buy is much lower than what these studies allude to.

An even more important aspect of this topic in regards to pesticide exposure and your overall health is what you can do to prevent the risk of disease from occurring.  A large body of evidence points to the fact that consuming a nutrient dense, plant-based diet and avoiding processed and animal-based foods reduces your risk not only of cancer due to pesticide exposure but also many other chronic diseases (heart disease, diabetes, dementia, etc.).

The CDC actually reported in 2009 that the primary source of exposure to organochlorine pesticides was from fatty foods such as dairy products and fish [11].  So just by avoiding fatty animal-based foods you are already decreasing your exposure to pesticides.

The most influential evidence to date concerning diets relation to cancer has been conducted by Dr. T Colin Campbell who has spent over 40 years in nutritional research.  Dr. Campbell conducted several studies on a known potent carcinogen called aflatoxin.  In animal studies he was able to show that the cancer causing effects of aflatoxin could be "turned on" and "turned off" simply by how much protein was consumed.  When more than 10% of the total calories were consumed as casein (animal based protein found in dairy) then cancer growth was ignited and tumors began to form [12].  He then conducted a similar experiment testing both animal protein (casein) and plant proteins (wheat and soy).  This time he fed 3 different groups of lab animals a 20% protein diet (far exceeding the 10% needed to cause cancer growth) that consisted of either casein, wheat, or soy protein.  Remarkably, the 20% wheat and soy groups had no signs of cancer growth while the 20% casein group all developed cancer [13].

Dr. Campbell's work is further validated by Dr. Joel Fuhrman's review of the scientific data on the benefits of eating a plant-based diet to reduce your risk of cancer as seen in the video below.



Summary & Final Thoughts

Organic foods have clearly been shown in a large body of scientific studies to have a higher nutritional value than their conventionally grown counterparts. However, even though eating non-organic foods increases your exposure to pesticides it doesn't mean that you're on the fast track to develop cancer and other debilitating diseases. What is more important is that you eat a diet that contains large amounts of nutrient dense, health promoting foods such as fruits & vegetables as well as legumes, whole grains, & nuts/seeds.  By doing this you are arming yourself with an excellent defense mechanism against so many of the chronic diseases that we're experiencing today in our society. Your best bet is to eat a diet that consists 100% of these foods with the highest emphasis on fruits and vegetables. You can learn more about how to do this by visiting my website.

I'd also like to mention an excellent resource from the Environmental Working Group which publishes a list of foods from best to worst in relation to their pesticide exposure. I think you'll find their list very helpful if you're wondering which foods have higher amounts of pesticides compared to others.

In the end, I would say that if you can buy organically grown food products and they are readily available at a price that you can afford then you should absolutely do it. But more importantly, you should eat a nutrient dense, plant-based diet and stay away from processed and animal-based foods regardless of their organic or inorganic nature if you want to do what's best for your overall health.







If you like what you see here then you'll LOVE our daily Facebook and Twitter posts!  Also, don't forget to sign up for  Our Free Online Mailing List  to get all the latest updates from the Plant-Based Pharmacist!
by Dustin Rudolph, PharmD
Clinical Pharmacist

Check out Dustin Rudolph's book The Empty Medicine Cabinet to start your journey towards better health. This step-by-step guide leads you through many of today's common chronic diseases (heart disease, obesity, diabetes, cancer, and more), giving you the facts on foods versus medications in treating these medical conditions. The book also contains an easy-to-follow guide on how to adopt a whole foods, plant-based diet as a part of an overall lifestyle change, producing the best possible health outcomes for you and your family. Hurry and get your copy today!

We'd love for you to join us in spreading the good word about plant-based nutrition and lifestyle medicine by telling your family and friends about our website at www.PlantBasedPharmacist.com

Share and rate this post below or tell us what you think by posting a comment. Thank you again for stopping by and until next time... be happy, be healthy, and live the life you've always dreamed of!


References:
1 Winter, C. K. and Davis, S. F. (2006), Organic Foods. Journal of Food Science, 71: R117–R124. doi: 10.1111/j.1750-3841.2006.00196.x
2 Carbonaro M, Mattera M, Nicoli S, et al. Modulation of antioxidant compounds in organic vs conventional fruit (peach, Prunus persica L., and pear, Pyrus communis L.). J Agric Food Chem. 2002 Sep 11;50(19):5458-62.
3 Olsson ME et al. Antioxidant levels and inhibition of cancer cell proliferation in vitro by extracts from organically and conventionally cultivated strawberries. J Agric Food Chem. 2006 Feb 22;54(4):1248-55.
4 Györéné KG, Varga A, Lugasi A. A comparison of chemical composition and nutritional value of organically and conventionally grown plant derived foods. Orv Hetil. 2006 Oct 29;147(43):2081-90.
5 K Woese, D Lange, C Boess, KW Bogl, A comparison of organically and conventionally grown foods: results of a
review of the relevant literature, Journal of Science, Food and Agriculture, 74, 281-293, 1997.
6 V Basker, Comparison of taste quality between organically and conventionally grown fruit and vegetables, American
Journal of Alternative Agriculture, 7, 129-135, 1992.
7 Raigón MD, Rodríguez-Burruezo A, Prohens J. Effects of organic and conventional cultivation methods on composition of eggplant fruits. J Agric Food Chem. 2010 Jun 9;58(11):6833-40.
8 Stracke BA, Eitel J, Watzl B, Mäder P, Rüfer CE. Influence of the production method on phytochemical concentrations in whole wheat (Triticum aestivum L.): a comparative study. J Agric Food Chem. 2009 Nov 11;57(21):10116-21.
9 Benbrook C, Zhao X, Yáñez J, Davies N, Andrews P. State of Science Review: Nutritional Superiority of Organic Foods. 2008 March. Available: http://www.organic-center.org/reportfiles/5367_Nutrient_Content_SSR_FINAL_V2.pdf. Accessed 7 Jan 2011.
10 Brown TP et al. Pesticides and Parkinson’s Disease-Is There a Link? Environ Health Perspect 114:156–164 (2006).
11 United States Center for Disease Control Fourth National Report on Human Exposure to Environmental Chemicals: Organochlorine Pesticides.
12 Dunaif GE, Campbell TC. Dietary protein level and aflatoxin B1-induced preneoplastic hepatic lesions in the rat. J Nutr. 117 (1987): 1298-1302.
13 Schulsinger DA, Root MM, Campbell TC. Effect of dietary protein quality on development of aflatoxin B1-induced hepatic preneoplastic lesions. J Natl Cancer Inst 81 (1989): 1241-1245.
14  Hayden KM, Norton MC, Darcey D. Occupational exposure to pesticides increases the risk of incident AD. Neurology. 2010 May 11;74(19):1524-30.

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

Decoding The Nutrition "Facts" Label


So you're in the supermarket and you pick up a box of "all natural", "organic", "wheat" crackers that looks like another stellar healthy pick on your part.  I mean you do love your heart and want to lose weight so you're definitely not looking to buy anything that puts you back in the doctor's office anytime soon, right?

You take this box of crackers and turn it all around and upside down until you finally find the nutrition facts label somewhere on the side.  Now you're cruising with high hopes!  You look at it and it's only 130 calories per serving... check!  Only 7% total fat... check!  No cholesterol... check!  Only 1 gram of sugar... check!  And the ingredient list... well there's about 15 items on there and very few of them are things that you've ever actually heard of so you'll just bypass that section.  And voila!!  Into the cart goes the crackers and on to the next victim on the shelf.  Sound familiar?

So how'd you do?  Was that really a healthy choice?  Were those crackers really made from whole grains?  Did you check how many crackers per serving and then think of how many crackers you eat during each sitting and then calculate out the rest of the percentages of total fat, sugar, sodium, etc.?  Of course not.  I've never seen anybody shop with a calculator as they wander up and down the aisles.  Have you?

While reading a nutrition facts label may seem a bit overwhelming and confusing at first it really is pretty easy to get the hang of with a few basic guidelines.  With some simple tips below and some great video clips by registered dietitian Jeff Novick you'll become a master at reading a nutrition label.

Basic Rules For All Products

Jeff Novick RD has two main rules when analyzing the nutrition content of the food you buy. These are a must so make sure you commit them to memory to keep you going down the right path for each of your shopping trips.

Rule #1 - Never ever believe anything on the front of the package... ever!

Rule #2 - Always read the nutrition facts label and ingredient list.

Guidelines For Analyzing Nutrition Facts Label

I'm going to break this up into cholesterol, fats, sodium, and carbohydrates/sugars.  Protein will not be discussed because as long as you're not living completely off of soda and glazed donuts then it's virtually impossible not to get enough protein in your diet.  If you want more information on protein then feel free to visit my protein page.

Cholesterol

Everybody is into low cholesterol these days. This isn't a bad thing.  High cholesterol levels have been linked to many different chronic diseases such as heart disease, Alzheimer's disease, stroke, and more.

Here's what you need to know about cholesterol.  We do not need to consume any cholesterol from dietary sources for purposes of promoting health.  Our body makes all the cholesterol it needs to maintain itself.  Plant-based foods (fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts/seeds, legumes) contain NO cholesterol.  Animal-based foods (meat, dairy, eggs) always contain cholesterol and consuming these foods does not promote health.  With that in mind here's a very simple guideline to follow when looking at a nutrition label...

**If it contains any cholesterol then it contains animal-based foods and it's best to put it back on the shelf**

Fats

We all need about 2-3% of our total calories to come from essential fats (alpha-linolenic acid & linoleic acid) in our diet for basic survival purposes [1].  The government or USDA says that we can consume up to 35% of calories from fat.  This upper limit of 35% has been put in place since 2005 by the USDA and prior to that it was set at 30% starting from 1990 to 2005.  This level is far too high. During this same time frame the obesity epidemic has continued to grow out of control. It's time we turn to the experts in the field of health and nutrition who really know what they're talking about in regards to this topic.

Dr. John McDougall, Dr. Dean Ornish, and Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn have reversed the incidence of chronic diseases (including heart disease) in their patients with a more effective and proven set of guidelines regarding fat intake in a person's diet.  They have all had their patients follow a plant-based diet with a fat intake of around 10%-15% of their total calories.  This approach works well to both prevent and reverse chronic illnesses.  Jeff Novick talks about keeping your fat intake to less than 20% of calories for packaged foods which is more in line with the aforementioned physicians.

Simple tips to follow in regards to fats...
-  Check the calories per serving to calories per serving from fat and keep this to 20% or less.  For example if your product has 100 calories per serving than 20 calories or less should come from fat.
-  Check the ingredient list for bad fats.  Avoid saturated animal fats (lard, butter, chicken fat, etc.), saturated vegetable fats (coconut oil, cocoa butter, palm oil, palm kernel oil), and man-made saturated fats (margarine, shortening).
-  Look in the ingredients for the term "partially hydrogenated" oils which are the same as trans fat and you should put these products back on the shelf.



Sodium

Everyone knows how dangerous too much sodium is for us.  Even so, the average American consumes anywhere from 3,000-4,500 mg of sodium per day.  Human beings have been known to function just fine on as little as 585 mg of sodium per day [2].  The 2010 Dietary Guidelines for America recommend that we consume an average of less than or equal to 1,500 mg of sodium per day for optimal health with an upper limit not to exceed 2,300 mg per day [3].  Most Americans consume almost double this amount!  Our intake of excess sodium has been shown to increase the risk of several different cardiovascular diseases including heart attack and stroke.  Needless to say, we need to tone it down when it comes to our sodium intake.

Follow these tips on how to lower your sodium intake...
-  Keep your calories per serving to sodium ratio at 1:1 or lower.  So if you are looking at a product that contains 100 calories per serving then it should have 100 mg or less of sodium per serving.
-  Retire the salt shaker.  Instead, opt for the many different varieties of no salt seasonings available such as Mrs. Dash, Spike seasonings, etc.

Carbohydrates/Sugars

It seems as though everyone is on a low carb craze as of late but carbohydrates are not necessarily bad.  Our body's primary source of energy is carbohydrates.  The important thing to realize is that you need to cut out the carbs but rather avoid the bad carbs (refined carbohydrates/sugars) and eat plenty of good carbs (fruits, vegetables, whole grains).

Let's take a look at some helpful tips when considering carbs/sugars on a nutrition label...
-  Don't pay attention to the amount in grams of "total carbs" or "total sugars" on the nutrition label.  You're only interested in what kind of carbs or sugars are in the product.  Look at the ingredient list to find this out.
-  Choose products that contain whole grains.  It must say these exact words to be considered a whole grain product - "whole" as in whole wheat, "rolled" as in rolled oats, "stone-ground" or "cracked".  If it says anything other than these exact words such as "wheat flour", "enriched wheat flour", etc. then it's not whole grain.  These are the same as white flour which is a refined carbohydrate.  It's nutritional value has been stripped of it so these products should be avoided.
-  Natural sources of sugars from fresh fruit are ok but avoid added or refined sugars.  These include evaporated cane juice, high fructose corn syrup, corn syrup, sugar, brown rice syrup, honey, dehydrated honey, molasses, etc.   You can find a more extensive list here (FYI-I'm not endorsing this article in whole and only providing it for the list of hidden sugars in foods).
-  If you find any of the added/refined sugars mentioned above in the first 5 ingredients on the ingredient list then this product contains a high amount of unhealthy sugar and should be avoided.  Remember, food manufacturers are required to list ingredients in order of highest to lowest in terms of the weighted amount in the product.  The higher an ingredient is on the list the more of this a product contains.

Now take a look at this excellent video by Jeff Novick on the basics of nutrition label reading:



I'd like to also provide one more resource for you to get your nutrition facts straight.  The following website is a great tool for looking up nutrition facts for nearly any food that you might eat.

NutritionData.com

I hope you have learned how to master reading a nutrition label by now and that it leads to much smarter and healthier choices when you find yourself wandering around your grocery store.  Don't forget, the healthiest foods are the ones without labels at all and can be found in your produce section and these should fill up most of your grocery cart.  Good luck everyone and happy shopping!








If you like what you see here then you'll LOVE our daily Facebook and Twitter posts!  Also, don't forget to sign up for  Our Free Online Mailing List  to get all the latest updates from the Plant-Based Pharmacist!
by Dustin Rudolph, PharmD
Clinical Pharmacist

Check out Dustin Rudolph's book The Empty Medicine Cabinet to start your journey towards better health. This step-by-step guide leads you through many of today's common chronic diseases (heart disease, obesity, diabetes, cancer, and more), giving you the facts on foods versus medications in treating these medical conditions. The book also contains an easy-to-follow guide on how to adopt a whole foods, plant-based diet as a part of an overall lifestyle change, producing the best possible health outcomes for you and your family. Hurry and get your copy today!

We'd love for you to join us in spreading the good word about plant-based nutrition and lifestyle medicine by telling your family and friends about our website at www.PlantBasedPharmacist.com

Share and rate this post below or tell us what you think by posting a comment. Thank you again for stopping by and until next time... be happy, be healthy, and live the life you've always dreamed of!


References:
1 Davis BC, Kris-Etherton PM. Achieving optimal essential fatty acid status in vegetarians: current knowledge and practical implications. Am J Clin Nutr. 2003 Sep;78(3 Suppl):640S-646S.
2 Institute of Medicine. Dietary Reference Intakes for Water, Potassium, Sodium, Chloride, and Sulfate. 2005; 6:269. Available: www.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=10925&page=269.
3 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and U.S. Department of Agriculture. Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010. Washington, DC: U.S. June 2010.