The buzzwords ‘inflammation’ and ‘anti-inflammation diet’ continue to garner a lot of attention in the nutrition world so it’s time to give you an update on the latest information that may affect your health. Inflammation can be good or bad. It’s good if it’s acute or short term such as when cut yourself. Your immune system kicks in sending white blood cells along with other substances to jump start the healing process. Inflammation is not so good when it becomes chronic or longer term inflammation in your body. This invisible type of inflammation gets all the attention because it’s been implicated in the etiology or cause of many common diseases from heart disease and auto immune illness like lupus or rheumatoid arthritis to some cancers, diabetes, and even stroke.
Here’s what scientists think is happening in the body with this low-grade chronic inflammation. This on-going inflammation damages your blood vessels thus increasing your risk for heart problems. In the case of cancer, inflammation could damage your genes or increase the development of blood vessels that let cancer cells spread and grow. In your body, inflammation raises the level of what’s called C-reactive protein or CRP for short. The liver produces this CRP during periods of inflammation so if the body has chronic inflammation going on, the CRP level will be elevated. Now doctors can measure this level of general inflammation in the body with a blood test called the hs-CRP which stands for high-sensitivity C-reactive protein.
What can you do about inflammation in the body? Does what you eat potentially make inflammation worse in your body or can it help fight inflammation? Is there an ‘anti-inflammation diet’? Yes there is. It’s called the Mediterranean Diet. A study in the Journal of the American Medical Association looked at the effect of a Mediterranean diet on inflammation in the body, particularly in people with metabolic syndrome.
Think of metabolic syndrome as a group or cluster of medical issues that includes excess weight around your belly, elevated total cholesterol and LDL levels, high blood pressure and high blood sugar levels. In fact, metabolic syndrome affects about 25% of our population. Why do I mention metabolic syndrome? Because it’s a syndrome that is tied to a pro-inflammatory state in your body…in other words…this chronic inflammation we’ve been talking about.
This study and others have found that a Mediterranean diet which includes healthy oils, nuts, fish and lots of fruits, veggies and grains decreased the level of CRP in the blood and reduced the level of inflammation in the body. Following a Mediterranean diet often results in weight loss which lowers markers of inflammation in the body…a very good thing.
1. Switch your type of fat: as much as possible use healthy oils such as olive, peanut and canola. These are rich in monounsaturated fats, the more heart healthy type of fat. Cut out as much trans fat and saturated fat as you can. These unhealthy fats not only raise the lousy cholesterol level (LDL) but also promote inflammation. Remember trans fat is the same as partially hydrogenated fat on a food label and saturated fat includes fatty meats, bacon, sausage, butter, full fat dairy, etc….opt for the low fat and lean meat versions.
2. Eat more whole grains and other high fiber foods such as beans, peas, lentils, oatmeal, etc. Consume fewer sweeteners such as sugar and corn syrup and other refined carbs including chips, cookies, pastries, and sweets. Why? They can make your blood sugar level spike which has also been tied to inflammation.
3. Consume more fish: especially fatty fish which contain omega-3 fats. Omega-3 fats are found in fish such as salmon and tuna.
4. Add nuts and avocados to the diet: these are good sources of the healthy fat, monounsaturated which appear to be anti-inflammatory.
5. Increase the number of fruits and vegetables that you eat each day. The antioxidants they contain such as vitamins A, C and E along with all the naturally occurring healthy compounds called phytonutrients seem to ramp down the inflammation process in the body.
Give the Mediterranean way of eating a try. The synergistic effect of these foods eaten together over time can have beneficial effects for your health.
It’s the third week of January. Have you thrown your New Year’s resolutions in the trash yet? Many people have by now. That’s one of the reasons I’m not a fan of diets. I like small and simple changes that don’t overwhelm you. Life can be overwhelming enough. Weight is the big focus at the beginning of the year but weight is just part of the picture. I want you to think about your overall health. Do you know your total cholesterol number and whether the good and evil cholesterol levels (HDL and LDL) are where they need to be? What’s your blood pressure? When was the last time you had it checked? I’m talking outside of your doctor’s office. After all, white coat hypertension can push blood pressure up abnormally. White coat hypertension is the stress you feel when the doc comes in the room to see you and you can’t remember all you wanted to discuss.
Are you shaking your head and saying to me, “I have no clue?” Your energy level and day to day health are affected by more than weight. So take some time for you…just like an oil change for your car, everyone needs preventive maintenance. If you don’t take the time for you, it’s not going to happen, right? You’re worth it…ok? You can find helpful information about all things heart related….your heart, cholesterol, blood pressure and related questions at hearthub.org part of the American Heart Association.
I bet if I ask you what food has a negative effect on your heart and health, you could easily tell me……pastries and goodies made with trans fat, double stacked cheeseburgers, sausage. But what about food that is beneficial to your heart and health? This week on my podcast, Margit Ragland, Health Director at Family Circle joins me to discuss must-have foods that benefit the heart. I don’t like to focus on what not to do but rather the steps you can take to make a difference in your health starting today. A few of the foods we take a look at include:
Red bell peppers, grapefruit, strawberries, mixed salad greens, kale, spinach, broccoli
Asparagus, orange juice
Guacamole
Salsa
Pudding, nonfat milk and low-fat yogurt
Canned or pouch tuna and salmon
Be sure andcheck out our Cyber Weight Loss Club. Share your story and photos and we’ll enter you in a drawing at the end of January to win a copy of the book by TV’s The Biggest Loser, Ali Vincent called Believe It, Be It.
Family Circle shares an easy way to get your heart healthy fish with a recipe for Teriyaki Salmon with glazed broccoli salad. Pick up the February issue of Family Circle for a full list and discussion of the heart healthy foods we talk about plus others that will surprise you.
Ali Vincent was the “one to watch” on Season 5 of TV’s popular reality show, The Biggest Loser. She won the competition while viewers watched her amazing transformation from overweight and discouraged to fit and inspiring. As a nationally and internationally ranked synchronized swimmer, Ali never thought she would have a weight problem. She was a competitive athlete! Ali readily admits that when she gave up swimming, she never replaced that activity with anything else. Gradually, by adding five pounds at a time, after thirteen years Ali tipped the scales at 234 pounds. With determination, a positive outlook, and a commitment to her goals, even when she was voted off the show, Ali Vincent lost 112 pounds and became the first female Biggest Loser. Ali joins me on the podcast this week to share her experience and philosophy that you can also read about in her book “Believe it. Be it.”
Happy 2010! Thanks for starting off your New Year with me. OK, let’s get right to it. This year do you want to hear those magical words…. “Have you lost weight?” How about a little more energy too? Many of you email, ask questions and share your struggles with me so I decided to start off this year with a Cyber Weight Loss Club. I want you to have a place to post your weight story…successes, struggles and questions…and chat with me. Share your before and after pictures. Tell us cooking and grocery shopping tips that work for you. If it affects your weight, I want to hear about it. I’ll be posting comments and tips along with some of our guests who will share insights and helpful ideas.
This is not a club you have to join but a cyber place to come where you can dish with others about weight issues that are on your mind. Where is it? You’ll see the link at the WDBO.com Nutrition & Health Center or just go directly to the Cyber Weight Loss Club page.
Speaking of someone who has heard the magical words, “have you lost weight?” joining me in the studio on this week’s podcast is WDBO’s Program Director Steve Holbrook. If you’re a regular listener you know that Steve was my guest on three podcasts last year as we followed his weight loss journey beginning about March 2009. To recap, Steve heard me discuss the research on protein and weight loss during my radio segment and he took it on as his personal weight challenge. Steve is the perfect example of a super busy guy who made a personal decision to change his eating habits, weight and health regardless of his crazy schedule…. which he knew wasn’t going to change.
By the way, you can see Steve’s before and after pictures which he has posted at the Cyber Weight Loss Club and if you want to ask him a question about his weight loss success, you can also do that at the Cyber Weight Loss Club. Remember, the Cyber Weight Loss Club is a forum for you….to help you stay on track, get accurate information and encouragement and succeed with your weight loss goals.
Are you excited about the New Year? 2010 is just two days away. I always look forward to the New Year which brings a fresh approach and a new look at areas in life that may have gone a little stale…know what I mean? If you’ve been reading my blog for a while, you know that I’m not about gimmicks, miracle diet pills and products or diets that don’t work. I’m all about real life and how to make tweaks in your life so you feel better, have more energy and enjoy every day…not to mention eat good food. So how’s this for a ‘diet?’ All food is allowed….nothing is prohibited. Otherwise the denial, deprivation and overeating cycle sets in. You deny yourself something you really want to eat and then begin to feel deprived. Finally you can’t stand it any longer so you overeat on the food you denied yourself to begin with and the vicious cycle starts. You don’t win…ever.
In the January 2010 issue of Family Circle magazine, there’s a nice article on smart eating. This week’s podcast welcomes my regular guest, Margit Ragland, senior editor at Family Circle to chat on smart eating tips. Get your New Year’s health on and try these four tips this January.
1. Leave two bites at every meal (about 100 calories total per day). Cutting just 100 calories every day in 2010 results in a ten pound weight loss. Not bad. How would you like to weigh 10 pounds less at the end of next year and accomplish this by slightly cutting your portions?
2. Cook at home one more night each week. Most home cooked meals tend to be lower in fat and calories plus smaller in portion than what you typically get eating out.
3. Turn off the kitchen lights at 8 p.m. Cut out mindless eating at night.
4. Serve your meals on eight inch salad plates. Compared to a standard dinner plate size of 10 inches (or more), the smaller size looks like more food and you have less room to load up.
To start the New Year off right, we have a new spin on eggplant parmesan. Be sure and try the Panko-Crusted Eggplant Parmesan recipe posted at the WDBO.com Nutrition & Health Center.
My girlfriend called last night and she has the swine flu. She thinks she picked it up on a flight home last week. Do you have a cold? Even worse, the flu? Did you know that according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) up to 20% of Americans will likely get a rotten case of the flu this year? Along with the H1N1 flu, that percentage will likely be much greater. When you are feeling absolutely rotten, what you eat can help fortify your immune system and even help ease your cold and flu symptoms.
Tea: all types of tea including green, black, white and red offer health benefits in the form of antioxidants. Besides feeling good to your throat and warming your body when you have the chills, hot liquids temporarily thin out the mucus in the nose and throat. Here’s a little unexpected tip. Regular tea (not decaf) contains enough caffeine to give you a slight energy boost when you feel so bad you don’t want to lift your head off the pillow. Remember, in addition to tea, continue to drink a lot of water to keep your body well hydrated and to help thin out mucus buildup.
Potatoes and other vitamin C-rich foods: Surprise, most people don’t think about potatoes but they are a very nice source of vitamin C and potassium. Add them to your chicken soup or baked one quickly in the microwave when you don’t have much of an appetite. Other vitamin C-rich foods include kiwi, blueberries and blackberries, cherries, tomatoes, and the traditional tangerines, oranges, grapefruit, pineapple and strawberries. Choose the whole food over a vitamin C supplement since you get the benefit of the water content as well as other vitamins and minerals in the fruit. Research has not proven that vitamin C prevents colds but it does aid your immune system which in turn helps you fight off the cold and flu. By the way, 100% fruit juices provide hydration plus the benefits of vitamin C and antioxidants, particularly the deeply colored juices such as pomegranate, cherry, blueberry and blackberry.
Chicken Soup: The zinc found in chicken is good for your immunity. Enhance your soup with garlic, onions, potatoes and lots of broth. The garlic and onion loaded broth nourishes you and helps ease congestion and thin out mucous. If Mom isn’t around to make that chicken soup for you, there are some good canned versions on the market. Be sure and check the Nutrition Facts label for the sodium content as canned soups can be over the top when it comes to added salt and sodium.
Yogurt. This is probably a food you never would have thought about to fight flu and colds but here’s the deal. You want yogurt that contains active cultures so check the label. Yogurt with active cultures such as acidophilus (also called probiotics) replenishes healthy bacteria in the body, especially your gastrointestinal tract where a lot of your immune function happens. Active cultures are particularly important if you are taking antibiotics which tend to strip out the bad bacteria and take the good along with it. The active cultures help replenish those healthy bacteria. Probiotics are strain specific meaning that you need a certain strain of probiotic bacteria if you are taking antibiotics so be sure to discuss this with your doctor, dietitian or pharmacist. You can also find these active cultures added to other products such as cereal bars, cereal, yogurt smoothies or kefir.
Spicy foods such as hot sauce, wasabi, chili or spicy sauces help to temporarily open sinuses and help with congestion. A bowl of chili or spicy tortilla soup with a dash of hot sauce may cause your nose to run and eyes to tear but right now, that could be a good thing. This relief helps you to breathe easier for a little while so if you’re up for it, try a little spicy food.
Now that you’ve given your body food to fight that flu or cold, it’s time for some much needed sleep. Rest and feel better.
How’s your stress level this week? We’re into the first week of December. Is your to-do list growing and is your calendar jam-packed? Do the holiday foods and festivities have you feeling a little bloated? Whether that bloated feeling comes from swallowing too much air as you stand, talk and eat at your friend’s party, or from not getting enough fiber in your diet due to party food overload or from consuming too much salt and sodium at a food fest, there are foods to counteract the big bloat. In this month’s Family Circle magazine, check out The No-Bloat Diet including these no-bloat foods and more.
Dried plums and 100% plum juice (not to be confused with prune juice): provide the body with fiber, potassium, magnesium and sorbitol…all found naturally in the fresh plum and which also help keep the digestive track humming along. You might have seen PlumSmart juice in your grocery, which is new from SunSweet, and is plum juice enhanced with dextrin, a prebiotic fiber which works as a teammate along with probiotics such as found in yogurt to increase the beneficial cultures in the digestive tract.
Whole-wheat tortillas: contain insoluble fiber which acts like Roto-Rooter to keep everything running smoothly. This same insoluble fiber is found in whole grains including whole wheat pasta and bread, brown rice and fruits and vegetables.
Melon: a diuretic fruit due to its high water content.
Cucumbers and lettuces: also have a high water content and act as diuretics to release some of the retained fluids.
Avocado: when you consume too much sodium, fluid retention can be an issue. The mineral potassium has the opposite effect helping to shed the fluid. An added bonus is the positive effect of potassium-rich foods on helping to lower blood pressure.
Margit Ragland, Senior Editor from Family Circle magazine joins me on the podcast this week. In addition to no-bloat foods, we dish on how to make Fruit and Cheese Bites, sweet yet spicy tiny cheese balls that include a touch of hot sauce to give a slight kick to the cheese along with the sweetness of dried pineapple and apricots. These Fruit and Cheese Bites are speedy to make when friends are dropping by unexpectedly. You can find this recipe and many others at the Nutrition & Health Center on WDBO.com.
Are you pregnant or close to someone who is? I have a treat for you today. My guest on this week’s podcast is registered dietitian Frances Largeman-Roth, author of Feed the Belly: The Pregnant Mom’s Healthy Eating Guide. Frances has been the Senior Food & Nutrition Editor at Health magazine for five years. She covers healthy recipes, food trends, weight loss issues, and the latest nutrition research. Frances was previously part of the editorial team at the Discovery Health Channel.
With a seven-day tear-out eating plan, this new book is an informative and easy-to-follow resource for healthy eating during pregnancy. From cravings to food safety, Frances covers it all. During the interview, Frances discusses the topic of food safety during the holidays and why pregnant women need to be more concerned about food safety than the rest of us.
Also, there is confusion over cheeses and which are OK and not OK to eat during pregnancy. Frances clarifies the smart cheese selections and speaks to smoked salmon canapés, pigs in blankets, and Belgian endive spears as well.
Most pregnant women avoid alcohol due to its potential to harm a developing fetus. But in addition to eggnog and the usual suspects, there are other booze-filled things to watch out for at holiday parties. Don’t miss these useful tips for yourself or to share with other pregnant friends.
If you want to find out more about Frances and her new book Feed the Belly, check out her website at franceslargemanroth.com. We’ve also posted a recipe from the book (Mornin’ Sunshine Parfait) at the Nutrition & Health Center on WDBO.com under breakfast items.
It’s almost that time….the ‘holiday eat fest’ is about to begin. You know what I mean…food, parties, buffets, and more food from Thanksgiving thru the ringing in of the New Year. And with the Super Bowl, you could extend the eat fest right on thru January. My goal every year is to enjoy the celebrations but come out on the other end without additional pounds on my thighs or around my middle. Are you with me? So how do you navigate the social scene and still enjoy yourself without all the guilt? Let’s talk tricks that work…food tricks that turn the tables so you call the shots.
Pre-party prep: eat a lean protein, high fiber snack such as ½ a turkey sandwich on whole wheat bread with mustard or a small handful of nuts and piece of fruit before you go. Why? The snack will curb cravings and hunger so you are more in control of what and how much you eat.
Check out the eye candy: I call all the tempting food ‘eye candy’ since you eat with your eyes first. Instead of eating your way through all the offerings, take a look at the food spread and decide which items you really want to try.
Alternate drinks: if you consume alcohol, alternate with sparkling water. Not only do you cut calories significantly but the more alcohol you drink, typically the more you eat of everything.
The November 29th issue of Family Circle magazine has specific suggestions to indulge guilt-free. My regular guest, Margit Ragland, senior editor at Family Circle joins me on my podcast this week.
Margit shared a number of easy tricks including: Instead of: Three pigs in blanket
Reach for: Four steamed shrimp with cocktail sauce
Calories Saved: 240
Instead of: Martini
Try: Champagne or White Wine Spritzer (1/2 wine, half seltzer)
A large martini can pack as much as three shots of alcohol and as many as 300 calories.
Calories Saved: 200
Instead of: One frosted and decorated sugar cookie
Try: One lightly decorated gingerbread man cookie, calories saved: 90
Speaking of gingerbread men have you started your holiday baking? Check out the recipe from Family Circle for gingerbread men posted at the WDBO.com Nutrition & Health Center. Most every year I make gingerbread men and am anxious to give this recipe a try.
Do you think diet and nutrition are a ‘one size fits all’? Most popular diets would have you think so. Remember when you first learned about the food pyramid? The pyramid and dietary guidelines were created to help people make healthier food choices. Yet even with the food pyramid one size does not fit all.
Depending on your age, sex and what may be going on in your life health wise, your diet and health needs may vary. Let’s take kids from ages two to five. When it comes to eating good foods such as fruits and vegetables….this is a tough crowd. Wouldn’t it be great if cheesy puffs were a major food group? Here’s a way you can personalize the diet for your preschooler. Log on to MyPyramid.gov and you will see a link to MyPyramid Plan for Preschoolers. You can plug in your child’s name, gender, age and daily amount of physical activity and receive a personalized recommended diet. Terri, my publicist, used the tool to make a personalized plan for her five year old daughter. The plan is colorful, your child’s name is on it and the plan tells you the amount of each food group to consume daily. Kids require smaller portion sizes yet often eat the same amount as adults. Plus, you can click on each food group, say grains for example, and find out serving sizes and foods within that group which are smart choices. Then print out the plan for your child and post it where he or she can see it. It’s a great teaching tool and kids love that their name is on it.
If you’re having trouble getting your kids to eat a certain vegetable or fruit, try another one. Take them with you to the grocery store and let them play an active part picking the food. Introduce one fruit or veggie a week. When it comes to fruits and veggies, there are so many colors, textures and shapes. Terri told me that in her daughter’s preschool, the class would pick a fruit or veggie every week. They would talk about the color, shape and texture of the fruit and whether it was salty, sour or sweet. Then there was the taste test. It usually corresponded with whatever letter they were learning about that week such as A for Apple. You can do this at home. The MyPyramid.gov site has creative resources to help you build strong eating habits from a very young age.
Okay, I think we covered the toughest crowd. Another group with specific nutrition needs is moms-to-be. If you are in this group, there is also a MyPyramid for you. Plug in your age, weight, height, due date and daily exercise and you will receive a recommended diet for each trimester along with guidance on how to choose the healthiest foods. Your doctor may also prescribe a pre-natal vitamin or mineral supplement in addition to eating a healthy diet.
Moms-to-be, you have several nutrients personalized for your diet including iron and folic acid. Remember that the nutrient folic acid helps prevent birth defects of the brain and spinal cord. You can find folate (the form of folic acid in food) in vegetables such as spinach, turnip greens and fresh beans or peas, fortified breakfast cereals and orange juice. Iron helps in the formation of hemoglobin and carries oxygen to the tissues and organs of the growing baby. The most absorbable form of iron, called heme iron, is found in red meat. Other food sources of iron include beans, spinach, and fortified cereals (fortified means added to the product). Here’s a tip for you. Be sure and include a food source of vitamin C such as fruit with your food containing iron. Vitamin C partners with iron to increase its absorption in the body.
OK seniors, listen up. As we all age, our bodies have different needs. Researchers at Tufts University came out with a Modified Pyramid for older Adults in 2007. This pyramid continues to emphasize nutrient-dense food choices and the importance of getting plenty of water. It also adds foods that are especially important for older adults. These foods are rich in often deficient nutrients including calcium, vitamin D and vitamin B12. Did you know that it’s more difficult to absorb vitamin B12 as you age? Vitamin B12 is found in animal foods only and as absorption decreases, supplements are often needed.
Current research has shown that people of all ages have low blood levels of vitamin D. Many doctors are now checking B12 and vitamin D blood levels during routine lab tests. Dairy sources, fortified soy milk, and calcium fortified foods such as orange juice and cereal are easy ways to add calcium to the diet. Vitamin D is found in few food sources among them salmon, tuna, cheese and egg yolks and fortified foods (vitamin D is added to the food). Additionally supplements are often recommended. Be sure and discuss your need for B12, calcium and vitamin D at your next visit with your health care professional.
Be sure and check out mypyramid.gov and personalize your diet. Another site with nutrition information, tips, recipes, resources, videos and more is the University of Nebraska-Lincoln extension services for Lancaster County. Both of these websites contain extensive information written in user-friendly language to help you get started with links to other resources as well.
The buzzwords ‘inflammation’ and ‘anti-inflammation diet’ continue to garner a lot of attention in the nutrition world so it’s time to give you an update on the latest information that may affect your health. Inflammation can be good or bad. It’s good if it’s acute or short term such as when cut yourself. Your immune system kicks in sending white blood cells along with other substances to jump start the healing process. Inflammation is not so good when it becomes chronic or longer term inflammation in your body. This invisible type of inflammation gets all the attention because it’s been implicated in the etiology or cause of many common diseases from heart disease and auto immune illness like lupus or rheumatoid arthritis to some cancers, diabetes, and even stroke.
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