Broccoli makes it big! The Miracle Food on TV

For years, the only people advertising food products on TV have been people trying to sell you crap. The junk food industry pours millions of dollars into advertising sugary cereals, snack foods, fast food, etc, etc. The overabundance of junk food commercials, inundating us with images of nutritionally void, high fat 'crap' has even been implicated in the obesity epidemic, contributing to our "obesigenic environment".

Now, I know I'm a huge nerd for being excited about this, but for the first time that I can ever remember, I saw a commercial for a vegetable!! The broccoli industry has come out of the gates swinging, pushing their "miracle food", pure and simple. No "broccoli with cheese sauce" or pre-frozen, convenience bags of the stuff marketed by a green giant. Just broccoli! Go to their website and they're not trying to sell anything but broccoli.

The reason advertising is so skewed, is that vegetable farmers just don't have the bling to keep up with the billion-dollar junk food industry, plain and simple. Although the commercials are quite cheezy (pardon the pun), they bring a smile to my foodie face everytime I see them.

Check out the video here.

Herbal Magic - not so "magical"

CBC's Marketplace did a special report on the diet franchise "Herbal Magic" this past Friday evening. It was a very interesting look into the shady business of a weight loss program that is built around its line of supplements.

Long story short - Herbal Magic's clients often spend upwards of $5000 - $8000 for a "Program" consisting of a starvation diet and useless supplements. Their "Personal Health Consultants" are sales people working for commission, and have no training in any aspect of health whatsoever. They make their money by selling you supplements, and will often tell you anything to make a sale, even going so far as to show potential clients pictures of themselves at a heavier body weight, and claim they lost the weight with HM, even if they didn't.

Although HM claims it's supplements do a world of "magic":

"Regulates blood sugar and insulin levels resulting in reduced appetite and sugar cravings"

"stabilizes body weight, supporting long-term weight loss maintenance. It improves metabolism, decreases appetite, and increases energy levels."

"increases energy levels and inhibits the formation of fat".

Health Canada now regulates these types of products, and states: "The issuance of a product licence means that the product has been assessed by Health Canada and has been found to be safe, effective and of high quality under its recommended conditions of use. Stakeholders can identify licensed natural health products by looking for the eight-digit Natural Product Number (NPN) or Homeopathic Medicine Number (DIN-HM) designation on the label."

However, very few of HM's products have NPN or DIN numbers. And those that have been approved, have not been approved for the claims HM makes above.

Contrary to popular belief, "natural" health products are not safe just because they are "natural". Unregulated products may have any number of ingredients that are dangerous to health, such as this recall for Natural Choice Vitamin B-17, that was found to "contain amygdalin which is a compound derived from bitter apricot kernels that has the potential to release cyanide when ingested by humans". Another of their products was found to potentially cause liver dysfunction.

Dr. Yoni Freedhoff from Weightymatters.ca was featured on the show. He points out - "if there were magic in weight loss, everyone would be skinny and someone would be very, very rich". Unfortunately, these programs do make some people very rich, but very few people reach and maintain their body weight.

Anyone who follows the HM program properly will definitely lose weight because they are on a strict starvation diet (about 900 Calories!! for a woman). The supplements probably don't really do much of anything but eat away at your paycheque. Personally, I immediately disregard anything with the word "magic" in it's title that claims to be a legitimate product. Seriously.

If you missed the show, check it out here.

Supplements Continued... Antioxidants

Yesterday I talked about the possible uselessness of multivitamin supplements (MVM). There has also been a lot of buzz in recent years about antioxidants for the same reason – they have been shown to decrease risk of disease and have preventative benefits when obtained from food. Of course, like multivitamins, when something has been shown to be good for us in the food form, someone will decide to make a pill instead. However, unlike multivitamins, some recent evidence is indicating that supplementing the diet with extra antioxidants may actually have negative health effects, and could even increase mortality.

A large review of 68 trials and including over 20, 000 people all over the world found that beta-carotene, vitamin A, and vitamin E may increase mortality.

The doses were ranged (according to study):

Vit A – 1333-200 000 IU (average of 20 219 IU)

Beta-carotene – 1.2 – 50 mg (average 17.8 mg)

Vitamin E – 10 – 5000 mg (569 mg)

Supplements were taken daily or on alternate days for 28 days up to 12 years, with an average of 2.7 years.

Having no effect (positive or negative), as in the MVM study yesterday is one thing, but increasing the risk of death is not something to be taken lightly. When it comes to antioxidants – stick with what we know for now. Those occurring in foods such as berries and red wine (in moderation) are beneficial, but it’s best to lay off the pills.

Read the study here.

Are Multivitamins Useless?

A recent study came out from the American Medical Association looking at whether multivitamin/mineral supplements (MVM) help to decrease risk of cancer, cardiovascular disease (CVD), or mortality in postmenopausal women. Long story short - they found no association between MVM and any of the outcomes.

MVM are the most frequently used dietary supplement. It’s estimated that 50% of Americans use MVM. Most people do not get enough vegetables and fruits, which may create a deficit of certain vitamins and minerals. People often rely on supplements as insurance, to “top up” what they may be missing from foods. Currently, there is a lack of data to support the widespread use of these supps.

If you’re deficient in a vitamin, of course it’s beneficial to take a supplement. Most of us, in North America, have a diet that is varied and plentiful enough that we are not deficient (we’ll save the on-going Vitamin D debate for another time). Most of us who take MVM are relatively healthy people. In fact, it’s often the people that care about their health the most, and are doing their best to be healthy already, that take MVMs. So what happens when a healthy person takes an MVM? Could it be harmful?

The evidence is clear as day that a diet high in fruits and veggies helps lower your risk of disease, so the general thought seems to be that, if you’re not getting it from food, pill form must be your next best option, right? Maybe not. There IS such a thing as “too much of a good thing” when it comes to nutrition. We know that it’s best to get your MVM from foods because 1) they offer other wonderful compounds to aid health (fibre, phytonutrients, etc). 2) It’s safer – it’s really difficult or near impossible to reach toxic levels of any vitamin through natural foods alone, 3) MVM work in concert with each other. Certain combinations of MVM in foods help the body absorb and utilize their nutrients best. A pill, in contrast, is a higher dose of all your MVMs all in one shot.

My issues with this study: 1) they only look at a specific group: women who are postmenopausal. Not a good snapshot of the general population. 2) Although the findings in this study point to zero benefit, that doesn’t mean that MVM are useless for everyone. Maybe future studies will speak to that.

My two cents: I think MVM are a personal choice. People who lead a less-than-optimal lifestyle in terms of health may benefit from a MVM, although it certainly won’t undo the damage done by eating out regularly and being a couch potato. For those who exercise and make a purposeful effort at eating well and getting enough fruits and veggies, they probably have less to gain from taking an MVM. In my opinion, all efforts should be focused on improving dietary intake.

Read the study here.

Health Check Endorsing McDonald's?

News came out this week that the Heart and Stroke Foundation will be offering up it’s signature “Health Check” to various restaurant chains and fast food restaurants in Canada, including McDonald’s.

My two cents: First off, the guidelines to meet the Health Check requirements are not strict enough. A meal with 720mg (!) of sodium still meets the Health Check criteria. Sure, maybe there are SOME foods on a McDonald’s menu that are nutritionally sound - such as a salad with light dressing (does McD’s even have light dressing?), grilled chicken, a bottle of water, and an apple. Great meal! But I ask you - how many people actually order that when they go to McDonald’s? Not many. My thought is that the Heart and Stroke Foundation and Heart Check program should not be affiliated with restaurants where more than 75% of items are high in fat and salt, and low in vegetables and fiber. It just doesn’t make sense. In my mind, this decreases the credibility of the Health Check.

Have your own opinion? Go to the Foundation’s website to fill out a brief survey on their website and give them your two cents on the issue.

This is just another reason why it's important to learn to read labels and do the deciding for yourself when it comes to foods.

Thanks to Dr. Yoni Freedhoff at Weighty Matters for the story.

Fitness Tip - Recovery

Kalev Personal Training Tip: Recovery

Do you find that your muscles are still sore by the time you have to return to the gym? If so, you may still need a greater recovery time incorporated into your program. Recovery time is one of the most important factors in muscle growth. However, what’s interesting is that research shows that low intensity exercise on your days off helps to quicken to the healing process. Light exercise, such as daydreaming while you’re on an eliptical gazing out the window, improves circulation to all the muscles of your body and in turn enhances the flow of nutrients which are essential for recovery. So instead of feeling like you should do nothing on your days away from the gym, remind yourself that you ought to be doing something, even if its just a brisk walk along the seawall. If you find your muscles are still sore by the time you`re scheduled to work them out again, then come into the gym on your days off of strength training, grab a magazine and put the incline of the treadmill to about 4.0 at a fast paced walk and read up on Brad and Angelina`s breakup. Be sure to stretch after to, as that helps relax the muscle tissues, open them up, and increases circulation as well. Share your methods of recovery, and if you don`t have any in specific, speak to your personal trainer to learn more.

By Vancouver Personal Trainer Virgil Isaacs- Kalev Training in Yaletown

Food of the Week: Ginger

Ginger has been used medicinally and as a gastrointestinal remedy for about 3000 years. Today, research shows that “gingerol”, an antioxidant in ginger, does have medicinal properties. It’s not just a myth - As your mother may have told you for years, ginger improves symptoms of nausea, vomiting and motion sickness. More than that, it may also ease indigestion, and has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties that may help those with arthritis and other inflammatory conditions.

For therapeutic use, try the following doses of powdered ginger (rhizone):

For indigestion: 2-4 grams per day

Motion sickness: 1 gram 30 minutes before travel, 1/2 - 1 gram every 4 hours if symptoms continue

Arthritis: 1-2 grams per day

For a therapeutic ginger tea, try placing a few slices of ginger root in a tea strainer, and steep for 10 minutes.

*Be sure to check with your doctor before starting any supplement.

Ginger facts:

• Queen Elizabeth I is said to have created gingerbread men to look like palace guests
• Fresh ginger, as we buy in the store, is actually the knobby root of the ginger plant.
• Jamaica is the world’s largest supplier of ginger, and also grows in South east Asia and the Caribbean
• Fresh and ground ginger have very different tastes, and therefore are not interchangeable in cooking

Ginger will keep in the fridge in wrapped plastic for up to one week, or frozen for up to three months.

Saturday Fun - The "5 Second Rule" Decision Tree

"The 30-Second Rule, A Decision Tree" by Audrey Fukuman and Andy Wright. Check it out here.

There's a further, rather disturbing study that goes with this. Researchers in Conneticut tested the 5 second rule with apples and Skittles, dropping them both on the floor for different lengths of time. What they found was this:

"No bacteria were present on the foods that had remained on the floor for five, 10 or 30 seconds. The apple slices did pick up bacteria after one minute, however, and the Skittles showed a bacterial presence after remaining on the floor for five minutes."

"The results prove, according Goettsche and Moin, that you can wait at least 30 seconds to pick up wet foods and more than a minute to pick up dry foods before they become contaminated with bacteria."

Sorry, study or not, it's still gross.

Read the article here.

Inflammation - Part II

I had a bit more to say on the inflammation topic. First off, this interview with Kevin Rose Dr. Weil is awesome. He answers a lot of questions that are on people's minds these days, from vitamin D, to detox kits, to energy drinks.

Two of my favourite comments from Dr. Weil in this video:

“High-fructose corn syrup is an indicator of low-quality food.”

“The best way to detox the body is to stop putting toxic things in... and rely on the bodies own mechanisms”

Why am I paying so much attention to Dr. Weil? A) I agree with 90% of what he has to say, and B) I like his philosophy, and he promotes proper nutrition and the wonderful, disease preventing tool it can be.

"It is my hope that health practitioners of the future will begin to honor the wisdom of the past and once again use food as medicine."

Andrew Weil

I also wanted to bring some light to the anti-inflammatory food pyramid I posted yesterday. Along with that, he lists more specific guidelines on how to follow his recommendations, which I think is generally pretty sound nutrition advice. I like how he gives specifics about types of food, how much to eat, and why. Here are a few of his recommendations. For the complete list, check out his website.

HEALTHY SWEETS
 - How much: Sparingly
Healthy choices: Unsweetened dried fruit, dark chocolate, fruit sorbet


Why: Dark chocolate provides polyphenols with antioxidant activity. Choose dark chocolate with at least 70 percent pure cocoa and have an ounce a few times a week. Fruit sorbet is a better option than other frozen desserts.

RED WINE
 - How much: Optional, no more than 1-2 glasses per day
. Healthy choices: Organic red wine


Why: Red wine has beneficial antioxidant activity. Limit intake to no more than 1-2 servings per day. If you do not drink alcohol, do not start.

TEA - 
How much: 2-4 cups per day
. Healthy choices: White, green, oolong teas


Why: Tea is rich in catechins, antioxidant compounds that reduce inflammation. Purchase high-quality tea and learn how to correctly brew it for maximum taste and health benefits.

HEALTHY HERBS & SPICES

How much: Unlimited amounts

Healthy choices: Turmeric, curry powder (which contains turmeric), ginger and garlic (dried and fresh), chili peppers, basil, cinnamon, rosemary, thyme

Why: Use these herbs and spices generously to season foods. Turmeric and ginger are powerful, natural anti-inflammatory agents.

OTHER SOURCES OF PROTEIN - 
How much: 1-2 servings a week (one portion is equal to 1 ounce of cheese, 1 eight-ounce serving of dairy, 1 egg, 3 ounces cooked poultry or skinless meat)
. Healthy choices: Natural cheeses, lowfat yogurt, omega-3 enriched eggs, skinless poultry, grass-fed lean meats


Why: In general, try to reduce consumption of animal foods. If you eat chicken, choose organic, cage-free chicken and remove the skin and associated fat. Use organic, reduced-fat dairy products moderately, especially yogurt and natural cheeses such as Emmental (Swiss), Jarlsberg and true Parmesan. If you eat eggs, choose omega-3 enriched eggs (made by feeding hens a flax-meal-enriched diet), or organic eggs from free-range chickens.

COOKED ASIAN MUSHROOMS
 - How much: Unlimited amounts
. Healthy choices: Shiitake, enokidake, maitake, oyster mushrooms (and wild mushrooms if available) 


Why: These mushrooms contain compounds that enhance immune function. Never eat mushrooms raw, and minimize consumption of common commercial button mushrooms (including crimini and portobello).

WHOLE SOY FOODS
 - How much: 1-2 servings per day (one serving is equal to ½ cup tofu or tempeh, 1 cup soymilk, ½ cup cooked edamame, 1 ounce of soynuts)
. Healthy choices: Tofu, tempeh, edamame, soy nuts, soymilk


Why: Soy foods contain isoflavones that have antioxidant activity and are protective against cancer. Choose whole soy foods over fractionated foods like isolated soy protein powders and imitation meats made with soy isolate.

FISH & SEAFOOD
 - How much: 2-6 servings per week (one serving is equal to 4 ounces of fish or seafood)
. Healthy choices: Wild Alaskan salmon (especially sockeye), herring, sardines, and black cod (sablefish)


Why: These fish are rich in omega-3 fats, which are strongly anti-inflammatory. If you choose not to eat fish, take a molecularly distilled fish oil supplement, 2-3 grams per day.

HEALTHY FATS - 
How much: 5-7 servings per day (one serving is equal to 1 teaspoon of oil, 2 walnuts, 1 tablespoon of flaxseed, 1 ounce of avocado). 
Healthy choices: For cooking, use extra virgin olive oil and expeller-pressed organic canola oil. Other sources of healthy fats include nuts (especially walnuts), avocados, and seeds - including hemp seeds and freshly ground flaxseed. Omega-3 fats are also found in cold water fish, omega-3 enriched eggs, and whole soy foods. High-oleic sunflower or safflower oils may also be used, as well as walnut and hazelnut oils in salads and dark roasted sesame oil as a flavoring for soups and stir-fries


Why: Healthy fats are those rich in either monounsaturated or omega-3 fats. Extra-virgin olive oil is rich in polyphenols with antioxidant activity and canola oil contains a small fraction of omega-3 fatty acids.

WHOLE & CRACKED GRAINS - 
How much: 3-5 servings a day (one serving is equal to about ½ cup cooked grains)
Healthy choices: Brown rice, basmati rice, wild rice, buckwheat, groats, barley, quinoa, steel-cut oats 
Why: Whole grains digest slowly, reducing frequency of spikes in blood sugar that promote inflammation. "Whole grains" means grains that are intact or in a few large pieces, not whole wheat bread or other products made from flour.

BEANS & LEGUMES - 
How much: 1-2 servings per day (one serving is equal to ½ cup cooked beans or legumes)
Healthy choices: Beans like Anasazi, adzuki and black, as well as chickpeas, black-eyed peas and lentils
Why: Beans are rich in folic acid, magnesium, potassium and soluble fiber. They are a low-glycemic-load food. Eat them well-cooked either whole or pureed into spreads like hummus.

VEGETABLES
 - How much: 4-5 servings per day minimum (one serving is equal to 2 cups salad greens, ½ cup vegetables cooked, raw or juiced)
Healthy Choices: Lightly cooked dark leafy greens (spinach, collard greens, kale, Swiss chard), cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, kale, bok choy and cauliflower), carrots, beets, onions, peas, squashes, sea vegetables and washed raw salad greens


Why: Vegetables are rich in flavonoids and carotenoids with both antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity. Go for a wide range of colors, eat them both raw and cooked, and choose organic when possible.

FRUITS
 - How much: 3-4 servings per day (one serving is equal to 1 medium size piece of fruit, ½ cup chopped fruit, ¼ cup of dried fruit)
. Healthy choices: Raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, peaches, nectarines, oranges, pink grapefruit, red grapes, plums, pomegranates, blackberries, cherries, apples, and pears - all lower in glycemic load than most tropical fruits


Why: Fruits are rich in flavonoids and carotenoids with both antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity. Go for a wide range of colors, choose fruit that is fresh in season or frozen, and buy organic when possible.

Additional Item:

WATER - 
How much: Throughout the day
Healthy choices: Use purified water or beverages made with purified water, such as unsweetened tea, sparkling water, or water with a small amount of fruit juice for flavor


Why: Water is vital for overall functioning of the body.

For the complete list, visit Dr. Weil's website and the pyramid here.

Inflammation - Is your diet making it worse?

Recent evidence has shown that there is a link between the inflammatory state of the body, and our risk for certain diseases and conditions, such as autoimmune diseases, atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease (CVD). To measure your inflammatory state, we can measure "markers" called CRP, TNF and IL-6. Research has found that higher levels of these markers indicate a higher risk of CVD, and may even contribute to the condition. These "markers" are directly influenced by the foods we eat.

Diet and inflammation

It is now known that certain foods contribute to inflammation (proinflammatory), and can increase our risk for developing these diseases. We also know that other foods decrease that inflammation (anti-inflammatory), and can contribute to better overall health. Diets that are high in sugar, refined starches, saturated and trans fats, low in anti-oxidants, fiber, vegetables and fruit and whole grains may activate the immune system, and induce inflammation.

By altering our diet, theoretically, we can stop the inflammation process and even reduce it.

A few years ago, very low fat diets were all the rage, and are still popular to this day. Low fat diets were intended to not only help with weight loss, but also help prevent heart disease, however, we didn’t see the declines in CVD rates that we expected to from just cutting out fat. Limiting fat intake usually meant a higher carbohydrate intake, which can also lead to problems such as high triglycerides. We now know the type of fat we eat is more important than cutting out fat altogether, and certain types of fat should be a regular part of your diet, in moderation – of course. Some fats (omega-3’s) have been shown to be anti-inflammatory, while omega-6’s may promote inflammation. It would be great if that was the end of the story, but nutrition is never so straight forward.

But don’t try to cut out omega-6’s altogether. For one, it’s probably impossible (they’re everywhere), and two, data shows that omega-6 and 3’s have the lowest inflammation levels when they are together. As I mentioned, omega-6’s are in overabundance in our food supply, so don’t worry about getting enough of those.

What can be done to reduce inflammation?

There are a few things we can do to help prevent CVD and other inflammatory-related conditions:

1) Eat omega-3's, preferably from fish sources. Plant sources are good too.

2) Cut out industrially produced trans fat completely, and minimize saturated fat intake. Replace these fats with unsaturated, non-hydrogenated fats and oils, such as nuts and vegetable oils.

3) Cut out refined grains. Just like fat, the quality of carbohydrate we eat is extremely important. Refined carbohydrates are those that are highly processed and have many of the nutrients and fiber removed, such as white breads and pastas. They may also increase glycemic load, which may increase free radicals and proinflammatories. This may partially explain why unstable blood sugars have such harmful effects on blood vessels and systems of the heart.

4) Moderate alcohol intake. As I mentioned in a previous post, alcohol (mainly red wine) has been linked to a lower risk for CVD. But over-doing it negates the benefit.

Following a diet that is high in anti-inflammatory foods can do a number of things, including, improve blood cholesterol, insulin sensitivity, and blood pressure. These foods and guidelines do more than reduce inflammation, they help the body in a multitude of other ways (beyond what I’ll go into in this post) to ward of chronic disease. However, we don’t eat nutrients, we eat foods, so it’s important to focus on your entire dietary pattern. Try to consistently make healthy choices, rather than singling out specific foods and nutrients.

*Featured above: Dr. Weil's anti-inflammatory food pyramid