More Help For Healthy Eating

Well, in my continued quest to get you all eating as well as I possibly can, I wanted to provide you with a bunch of awesome links I found recently. With help like this, it's going to be hard to convince me that you can't adopt some of these ideas at least once or twice a day, if not all day everyday!
What to do if you can't be "perfect" about your diet
Paleo/Primal Office Snacks
Paleo/Primal Breakfast Ideas
Grain Free Muffins
Inexexpensive Homemade Jerky Without a Dehydrator
Additional Recipe Ideas
Even More Recipe Ideas
A great description of basic guidelines for a Paleo/Primal eating plan
A great description of how to live a more Primal (healthy) Lifestyle

Cod Liver Oil, Bugs, Organs and Sunshine- Key Factors in Your Health

There has been a tremendous amount of controversy lately, swirling around the various nutritional circles I am connected to, involving the supposed toxicity of vitamin A and one of its most potent nutritional sources- cod liver oil.

The topic was first brought to light after early research showed an increase in fracture rates and osteoporosis risk from excessive vitamin A intake. However, additional studies in 2005 and 2009 seem to have discredited the original findings, suggesting there was no connection between the two.

More recently, the Vitamin D Council came out with a statement again suggesting that vitamin A can indeed be toxic and that cod liver oil should be avoided. This article suggested that while cultures around the world who are deficient in vitamin A certainly benefit from taking it, more affluent cultures like ours have no such deficiency and cited studies showing that taking additional amounts could be harmful.

An article by Dr. Joe Mercola followed soon afterwards, echoing the statements made by the Vitamin D Council. In this article Dr. Mercola, a long-time proponent of cod liver oil, completely reversed his stance based on the findings reported by the Vitamin D Council, suggesting we all avoid it from now on.

Finally, the Weston Price Foundation, another long time supporter of cod liver oil consumption, had previously published articles supporting the use of vitamin A and refutting the vitamin A-osteoporosis connection. They then came out with a preliminary rebuttal to the statements by Mercola and the Vitamin D Council and plan to publish a more in depth article exploring this topic further in the next edition of their journal.

The problem with all of this is that these three groups, especially Weston Price and Mercola.com have been some of the main influences in my nutritional education and research. Having also been a long time consumer and supporter of cod liver oil, I was (for lack of a better term) FREAKING OUT a bit when I read all the recent information from Mercola and the Vitamin D Council.

After taking a few breaths, researching more on my own, re-reading the article by the Vitamin D Council and contacting Dr. Mercola, Sally Fallon (president of the Weston Price Foundation), Dave Wetzel (owner of Green Pasture- the company who makes the cod liver oil I take and recommend to my patients) and Dr. Ron Schmid (owner of DrRons.com and long time cod liver oil advocate) all directly, I was finally able to revise my opinion on this entire topic. The remainder of this post will contain my best effort at summarizing my current stand on things.

Basically when it comes to vitamin A or cod liver oil my feelings are the same as they are when considering any other vitamin or supplement. In essence, natural and whole is better and safer than processed, isolated or synthetic.

What quickly became apparent to me when re-reading the information from the Vitamin D Council is that they kept referring to "modern cod liver oil" as being a problem. I would agree whole heartedly with this contention. You see, "modern cod liver oil" is not fully natural or whole. It is processed, molecularly distilled, heated, and basically altered in many ways from it's original form. It's difficult to say just how much all of these actions do to change its constituents, but one thing is for sure. The processing many cod liver oils go through significantly reduces their vitamin D levels. In turn we are left with a product that has much LESS vitamin D than whole, unprocessed cod liver oil does.

This brings me to my second point. As seems to be the case in other categories of nutrition and life in general, with vitamin A, vitamin D and cod liver oil, it's really all about balance. It's pretty well established that both vitamin A and D are essential nutrients for us. The problem comes when we over consume one over the other. Typical store bought cod liver oil, having been through all the processing it has, has less vitamin D than it should, thus decreasing its ratio in comparison to vitamin A. This is where I along with other experts I have spoken with feel the problem truly lies. Most cod liver oil brands are, in fact, unsafe, because they contain too much vitamin A compared to vitamin D.

In fact, some experts in the field have already come out in direct opposition to the Vitamin D Council's statements about cod liver oil, stating that they were making sweeping generalizations and, in essence, throwing the baby out with the bathwater!

Thankfully, all this time I have been recommending a brand of cod liver oil to my patients that is not nearly as highly processed, and still contains the natural ratios of vitamin A to vitamin D in it. I have also taken to recommending many of my patients take additional vitamin D during the winter time. I feel these steps have eliminated the risks proposed by the Vitamin D Council and Dr. Mercola.

Remember, cod liver oil has been used to complement traditional diets throughout the world for centuries. Traditional diets centered on foods rich in vitamins A and D – liver and other organ meats, seafood and the fats of grass-fed animals. People spent much more time outdoors in the sun than we do. Yet these people still used fish liver oils as an essential part of their diets.

The basic fact then is that extensive evidence shows natural vitamin A in foods such as cod liver oil is not toxic except in cases where vitamin D is deficient. The key is to avoid cod liver oil that contains low levels of vitamin D in relationship to vitamin A. The natural ratio is about ten to one, yet in some brands the ratio is as high as one hundred to one.

I have even come to find out that soon the company I get cod liver oil from for my patients (greenpasture.org) will only be carrying a fermented version of cod liver oil, the most truly natural form of all. Fermented cod liver oil not only contains the appropriate ratio of vitamin A to vitamin D, it is also easier to digest than regular cod liver oil, and contains a variety of other known and unknown nutrients produced directly via the fermentation process (see below for more details). Fermented cod liver oil is indeed one of nature's true super foods.

Finally, in all this discussion about vitamins A and D, something very important has been left out. Vitamin K. More specifically vitamin K2, the form of vitamin K found only in certain fermented foods and certain animal foods. Vitamin K1, found in plants and grasses, is not nearly as useful to us humans as K2 is now being found to be. Research is now showing K2 to be crucial for cardiovascular and bone health. Some research is now showing evidence that consuming it may even reduce plaque formation already present in a person's arteries!

It is my belief that we must eat a good balance of all three of these fat soluble nutrients- A, D and K, and that doing so will keep us safe from any potential toxic effects over consuming any one of them may cause. If we consume a traditional diet rich in high quality animal foods and the fats they naturally come with, and we are sure to get into the sun regularly, whenever we are able, we will get substantial, live-giving portions of all three of these nutrients.

Vitamin A can be found in beef and chicken livers, high quality, full fat dairy foods and fish liver oil. It's precursors-the carotenes are found in dark colored (especially reds and oranges, but also dark green) vegetables. If you are not a fan of organ meats, you can take these items in capsule or powdered form like I do.

The best source for vitamin D is sunshine. If that is not available and/or you live at a latitude where in the winter you can't make vitamin D from the sunshine no matter what, the next best source in my opinion is a vitamin D lamp. The third best option is old fashioned, fermented cod liver oil and straight vitamin D supplements. Again, if the vitamin D lamp is not an option for you, I recommend consuming both fermented cod liver oil and extra vitamin D during the winter (preferably emulsified).

The best sources of vitamin K2 are the traditional Japanese fermented food natto, raw fermented cheeses, raw butter and egg yolks. Interestingly enough, another way we are designed to obtain vitamin K2 is through the fermentation process that is supposed to be going on naturally in all of our guts. You see we are all supposed to have a high level of probiotic organisms in our guts, some of whom actually make vitamin K2 for us to absorb, when they ferment the vegetables and other healthy foods we are supposed to be consuming every day.

Unfortunately, many of us either don't eat the foods these bugs want to ferment, or we've done too many things like take antibiotics, prednisone and birth control pills, all of which destroy these precious friends of ours.

So the bottom line in all of this again is two fold:
1) Consume things in their most natural, unprocessed states.
2) Consume a balanced amount of ALL the nutrients needed for health, especially the fat soluble vitamins A, D and K.

This is obviously a vast topic and there is even more to it all than I am able to get down on a single blog posting. I've already gone way longer than usual! So, if you'd like to know more about this truly crucial component of nutrition and health, please contact me.

Eat Some Olive Oil, Save Your Colon

While the silly notion that all fat is bad continues to linger in the minds of many Americans, my hope is that everyone is at least clear on one thing:

Stay away from trans fats.

There are few if any foods on the market that I consider worse for your health than those containing these nasty little buggers. Past research has confirmed their contributing role in conditions like heart disease, arthritis, diabetes and yes, even the "C" word.

In fact, new research has surfaced recently further proving the strong connection between trans fats and cancer.

In this new study, published in the American Journal of Epidemiology, 622 people who underwent a routine screening colonoscopy were interviewed about dietary and other factors thought to be related to colorectal cancer. Researchers used this information to estimate how much trans fat each person regularly consumed and compared these numbers to the colonoscopy results.

Compared with those who ate the least trans fats, people who ate the most had an 86% higher likelihood of having colorectal adenomas—small growths, or polyps, in the colon and rectum that, if left untreated, can develop into colorectal cancer.

Ding, ding, ding, ding! We have a winner! Trans fats take first place in the "not fit for human consumption" contest! (Followed closely by runners up corn syrup, white sugar, white flour, preservatives, food dyes, Splenda, Nutrasweet, MSG.......)

In fact, Dr. Walter Willett, a professor of epidemiology and nutrition at Harvard Medical School and one of the nation’s foremost experts on food and health recently concluded that trans fats represent “the biggest food processing disaster in US history.”

What kinds of fats and oils are OK to eat? I have a simple rule to follow that will pretty much cover it. Just ask yourself one question:

If I were placed on an Earth with no machines, chemicals, or chemistry labs available anywhere, what kinds of fats could I find and eat?

Well, trans fats which require all three in order to be produced, would definitely be out. So would corn, soy, and other liquid vegetable oils. All of these products require a machine to press the oils out of them.

On the other hand, the oils from foods like olives, coconuts, and fish can be procured by simple means. Even if you just rub one of them in your hands a bit, your hands will soon be covered with oil. Try doing that with a corn kernel or dry soybean!

Admittedly, this is a simplistic way of looking at things, but I for one prefer simplicity. Of course for those of you who need more proof, just remember that there have now been countless studies done on the tremendous benefits to be had from olive and fish oil consumption. There is also emerging research now available which proves the value of the once maligned coconut.

I actually recommend the above rule to my patients in order to help them select all of their foods, not just their oils, and it works like a charm! What could you eat in a natural environment if you had nothing but your hands, feet, some primitive tools and your brains? Meats, plants, fruits, eggs, raw honey, sea salt (in certain environments), eggs, nuts and seeds, give or take a Twinkie or two (they've been around forever!!).

What has research shown to be the ultimate diet for preventing heart disease, cancer, diabetes and other chronic diseases? A so-called "Primitive" or "Paleo" diet. The components of this diet? The exact foods I just mentioned.

Finally, it might interest you to know some ways to help prevent colon cancer, aside from just avoiding trans fats. Here's a brief list:

1. Get your "25, OH Vitamin D levels" tested through a blood test with your doctor. If your levels are less than 60, start taking concentrated cod liver oil and getting as much regular sunshine as possible without getting burned. If your levels are less than 30, add an additional vitamin D supplement and get your levels retested until they range between 60-80 consistently.
2. Exercise.
3. Eat your veggies, especially of the cruciferous variety (broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, kale, etc).
4. Eat and drink unpasteurized, fermented or cultured foods like kombucha, raw sauerkraut, homemade yogurt or kefir made from raw milk and miso soup on a regular basis. If these foods are unacceptable or unavailable to you, get a really good acidophilus product and take that instead.
5. Add 2 tbsp of freshly ground organic flax seeds to a smoothie at least a few times a week.
6. Drink green tea often.
7. Eat turmeric or take curcumin supplements.
8. Stay away from processed meats containing nitrites.
9. Don't overcook or char the meats that you eat. If you are going to cook them in this way, marinate them in ginger and garlic first, which will lessen the damage that happens to them from this kind of cooking.
10. Drink gelatin rich, homemade bone broth regularly.
11. Eat a handful of brazil nuts (an excellent source of selenium) on a regular basis.

FIBER IS NOT ALL IT'S CRACKED UP TO BE

I have recently discovered some fascinating work by a man named Konstantin Monastyrsky, author of The Fiber Menace. His book goes to great lengths to expose the untruths surrounding the universally accepted notion that fiber is good for everyone and more of it is even better.

What I was most interested in and surprised by was that even though this man was coming from a totally different perspective that I do when talking to my patients about their diets, his conclusions about the best diet were basically identical to mine.

I have to admit though that I was not aware of ALL the particular dangers behind excessive fiber consumption, especially in the supplemental form used by so many people, and that this info has really opened my eyes to how potentially harmful excess fiber consumption can be.

To get started, I would strongly recommend watching Mr. Monastyrsky's video introduction to the topic. You can find a link to it by clicking HERE.

Now Will We Take This Eating Thing Seriously?

Thus far, it hasn't seemed to matter. Someone can perform an experiment on themselves in which they eat only fast food for a month (see SuperSize Me) and nearly die in the process, then make a major motion picture about it for all the world to see.

And what do people do?

They keep driving towards that drive through window and ordering up the latest meal deal from that funny little voice coming out of the speaker.

Someone can create a hit television contest that uses money as a way to coax contestants into exercising and eating well in order to see who will be crowned "The Biggest Loser", but the average person keeps gaining weight.

Even Shaquille O'Neal can get involved, trying to save overweight kids with a TV show contest of his own, but what happens? The show gets canceled half way through because the kids aren't trying hard enough. Mind you, these kids were not even teenagers yet and already showing signs of diabetes and heart disease!

Well maybe, just maybe, the latest news from the front lines of the war on obesity will finally be enough.

In what I have decided is the scariest study I have seen yet, researchers from the federal government's Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality have determined that, if we continue on our current trend of diet and exercise (or lack thereof) EVERY ADULT AMERICAN will be overweight or obese within 40 years.

Just want to make sure you have caught my drift on this one:

EVERY ADULT AMERICAN COULD BE OVERWEIGHT IN 40 YEARS.

What would such a statistic mean for all of us if it actually came true?

For starters, it would mean that health care expenditures on weight related issues alone would likely exceed ONE TRILLION DOLLARS.

It would also mean that every single American would have a vastly increased risk of cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and early death.

In other words....RISING GAS PRICES ARE NOT THAT BIG OF A DEAL!

With news like this, making positive, healthful changes in your life is no longer good enough. It's time to start talking to your family, friends, neighbors and co-workers too.

The saddest thing of all is that being overweight or obese is so.....fixable. While making positive diet and lifestyle changes is obviously quite difficult for some people, at least there are no hidden answers. There are no mysteries here. If you want to lose weight, it takes two things, education and a willingness to change.

I have found that the patients of mine who have had the most success with their weight issues DO NOT try to fit weight loss efforts into their old lifestyles. They make the decision to change their lives, and then ask me for advice on how best to do so.

Changing your life is not easy, but every single person can do it. We might not all be able to eat the perfect diet, filled with purely organic, local, perfect foods, or join a gym and lift weights for 2 hours every day of the week, but we don't need to.

We can all choose a salad with chicken, sunflower seeds, olive oil, lemon juice and a little salt on it for lunch instead of pasta, a burger or a sandwich.

We can all have some apple slices smeared with almond butter for a snack instead of chips.

And, unless we are actually physically unable to move, we can all MOVE. We just need to do it.
There's obviously a lot more to it than this, but it's not much harder than that.

We've run out of time people. There is nothing left to do but get better. Please don't wait another minute!!

Statins, statins and more statins. Anyone else want some statins?

The American Academy of Pediatrics recently decided to recommend more "aggressive" drug therapy for obese children. These recommendations basically put up a green light for all pediatricians to start prescribing statins to every overweight child that comes through the door.

If you've read this blog before, you are probably already aware my feeling about statins for adults is apprehensive at best. In essence I think they are likely to be dangerous and basically unnecessary for just about everyone, as long as other means of improving your health have been implemented.

Now we have our kids getting involved. Oh boy. Here we go.

Well, I guess the drug companies have pretty much got us covered now.....wait a second, what about our pets? They need to be saved too! Didn't I read something somewhere about high cholesterol in Siamese cats being linked to heart disease AND hairballs?

What about my fish, Henry? Do they make fish food-sized, little statin pills? Do they float?

OK, OK, I'm getting a little carried away here. But seriously, let's forget for a moment all of the things we know about statins and how they are probably not very effective at all anyway, and just think about this for a moment.

Shouldn't the money being spent towards getting statins approved for kids, along with the millions that will inevitably be spent on future TV ads with Elmo talking about the dangers of high cholesterol, be put towards trying to educate children and their parents about healthy eating, exercise and stress reduction? After all, these are much more creditable, effective ways of preventing heart disease.

If a child is obese, shouldn't we be spending our money trying to get PE programs back into their school curriculum, or to support the local soccer league and encourage them to join a team?

I swear, our health care system is so incredibly backwards and corrupt I think it may drive me insane!

Please do your child a favor, the next time you see Elmo on TV holding a bottle of pills up to the screen, change the channel. Better yet, turn the TV off and take your kid to the park.

Tim Russert's Death- A big surprise? I don't think so.

A recent article in the Health section of the New York Times describes in detail how Mr. Russert's physicians were nothing short of shocked at his recent death from sudden cardiac arrest. After all, he was on an "aggressive" treatment regimen to lower his significantly elevated risk of heart disease, including high blood pressure medication and statin drugs to control his cholesterol.

What more could one ever need to prevent heart disease?

Well....Lots of things!

For starters he should never have started that statin drug, a class of drug that research shows is completely useless in all but a small minority of cases. The fact that even though he was on this drug, his triglycerides were still too high and his HDL was still too low, proves that statins do nothing to affect these more accurate predictors of heart disease.

High triglyceride and low HDL levels are caused by excessive consumption of carbohydrates, and too little exercise. This deadly combination results in excessive outputs of insulin and the storage of fat in both the mid-section (another true risk factor for heart disease) and around the internal organs.

High insulin levels also contribute to systemic inflammation in the body, which in all likelihood is the truest risk factor for heart disease of all.

It's also important to remember that statins actually reduce your body's ability to manufacture Coenzyme Q-10, a key component for proper heart function!

The strangest thing about this article is that in one section it does everything short of literally telling you that statin drugs are not nearly as helpful as improving dietary habits and exercising:

"If there is any lesson in his death, his doctors said, it is a reminder.... that people, especially those with known risk factors, should pay attention to diet, blood pressure, weight and exercise — even if they are feeling fine." If statin drugs were as effective as they are touted to be in drug ads, why the important reminder?

Because they aren't.

If you want to start truly reducing your risk factors for heart disease, at the very least consider the following:

1. A "primitive" diet, that avoids the majority of high carb foods like sugars and flour, reduces or eliminates grain and dairy intake, and instead focuses on lots of veggies, a moderate amount of fruit, good quality proteins and fats from healthy animals raised in a natural way, and other healthy fats from nuts and seeds, fish oil, avocados and olive oil.
2. Exercise at least 5 days a week, with at least 2 of those days involving an interval based exercise routine. (If you have known heart disease or risk factors, check with a doctor first to learn how to properly implement this style of exercise)
3. Practice stress reduction techniques such as meditation, prayer, progressive relaxation and deep breathing exercises on a regular basis.
4. Get your vitamin D levels checked.
5. Drink green tea every day.
6. Consider a vitamin K2 supplement, or one with it as a component.