I often get asked the question "Is this good for me?" It comes in many forms like, is milk good for me, or are carbs bad, or should I stop drinking coffee, or are fruit juices healthy?
The answer to these questions is always the same. It depends!
Usually if things are taken in moderation they will not be that bad no matter what they are, but one person's moderation is another's over indulgence. What does moderation look like?
Carbohydrates for example are not essential for health except for the phytonutrients (colors in foods and drinks) and perhaps the fiber, if they are not refined so much as to remove them all.
Your body can get all the energy it needs from proteins and fats that are consumed in the diet.
If you are a starving child in China, India, or Africa though, then simple carbs like rice and bread keep you from starving by storing fat around the tummy to be used as energy when there is no food to eat. For the average American, simple carbs are not needed and contribute the most to obesity, type 2 diabetes, etc. Why? Because we have an abundance of food on a daily basis. We also have an abundance of belly fat, as Americans are among the fattest people on earth. Problem is we don't need them to keep from starving to death. Simple carbs, or high glycemic foods and drinks, cause you to overeat. I recommend limiting them to 45 grams per day for ideal health. Read the book Life Without Bread.
An orange is healthy, but a large glass of orange juice is too concentrated in sugar and would be like eating 5 to 6 oranges at one sitting. Then if you add that glass of orange juice to a big bacon and eggs breakfast with potatoes and toast, well, you can see that is way too many calories and the combination is a formula for acid reflux disease. There is no good reason for soda pop at all.
Milk is not needed by the body after we are weaned. It is very processed and is a dead food. Many people are genetically deficient in lactase, an enzyme that is required to digest milk. So here it really depends on your genetics, but in general, I see know value in it. On the other hand, fermented dairy like hard cheeses, yogurts, or cottage cheese, are well tolerated by most. In the case of yogurt though, plain with a little fruit is fine. Commercial yogurts are extremely high in sugars, both natural and added.
Coffee studies show that it is neither good nor bad for most people, but when I evaluate people, I often tell them it is not good for them for many reasons. Others I see no reason why they can't drink it in moderation. I can argue though that green tea is much better for overwhelming reasons.
Bottom line usually comes down to this. Could a hunter gatherer find this food in nature?
Since these people historically have the best health, the closer you adopt your diet and habits to their eating habits the better you will do, because we are genetically designed to eat that way.
Please review The Ideal Diet page... As well as the Glycemic Index page for more information.
Enjoy this week's articles and studies and remember...
It's never too late to become younger.
cw
Video - Study of longevity hot spots around the world. Lifestyle more important then genetics...
Learn the secrets of people living long and healthy lives. Never sick, or needing glasses. See why I recommend Calistoga Mineral water instead of soft drinks and why walking and working outside is so good for you.
Vitamin D deficiency common in patients with IBD, chronic liver disease...
Vitamin D replacement may be necessary to reverse deficiency-related bone loss.
New research presented at the 73rd Annual Scientific Meeting of the American College of Gastroenterology in Orlando found patients with inflammatory bowel disease or chronic liver disease were at increased risk of developing Vitamin D deficiencies. Two separate studies highlight the importance of regular Vitamin D checkups in the evaluation of patients with certain digestive diseases.
Vitamin D Expert at UC Riverside Leads UC Scientists' Call Recommending Increase in Daily Vitamin D Intake...Seventeen researchers join Anthony Norman in declaring that the government’s current recommended daily allowance for the vitamin is inadequate.
Increasingly, vitamin D is being recognized by several researchers as an important player in contributing to overall good health. Now a group of 18 vitamin D researchers at the University of California states that the recommended daily intake of the vitamin is inadequate, and asks the government to re-examine its recommendation.
Too Many Sweetened Drinks, From Soda To Lemonade, Put Children At Risk For Obesity, Poor Nutrition, Study At Cornell Finds...
ScienceDaily (June 27, 2003) Too much soda and other sugar-filled drinks make children fat. That is the message of a two-month study by nutritionists at Cornell University. Children who drank more than 12 ounces of sweetened drinks gained significantly more weight than children who drank less than six ounces a day. That's because children do not reduce how much food they eat at meals for the calories they consume in sweetened drinks. The more sweetened drinks they consumed, the greater their daily caloric intake and the greater the weight gain.
A little wine may boost heart-healthy omega-3s...
NEW YORK - A glass or two of wine per day may increase the amount of heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids in a person's blood, a new study suggests.
The study of European adults found that those who drank in moderation tended to have higher blood levels of omega-3 — even when intake of fish, the major dietary source of the fats, was taken into account.
10 Diseases Linked To Soda...
Few people drink soda because they believe it's a healthy drink. We drink it because it is very tasty, convenient and inexpensive.Statistics shows that Americans drink more soda pop than ever before. These popular beverages account for more than 25% of all drinks consumed in the United States. More than 15 billion gallons were sold in 2000. That works out to at least one 12-ounce can per day for every man, woman and child. Fifty-six percent of 8-year-olds down soft drinks daily, and a third of teenage boys drink at least three cans of soda pop per day.
Gut Feelings May Actually Reflect Reliable Memories...
ScienceDaily (Feb. 9, 2009) — You know the feeling. You make a decision you're certain is merely a "lucky guess." A new study from Northwestern University offers precise electrophysiological evidence that such decisions may sometimes not be guesswork after all.
The energy bunny in me. We need to take care of the ‘power plants’ in the body, the mitochondria, in order to stay as active as we can as we age...
The human body is made up of trillions of cells. How you feel and function depends on how all these trillions of cells feel and function. To stay healthy each of the trillions of cells in the body must produce its own energy – cells cannot borrow energy from each other.
In the cell, energy is created by microscopic structures called mitochondria. “Mitochondria are the power plants of our cells,” says Simon Melov, director of the Genomics Core at the Buck Institute for Age Research in Novato, California. “They convert food into energy in the form of Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP), which the body uses to live.”
For the cells to convert food to energy, it requires a vitamin-like substance called Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10). Without CoQ10 our body will not be able to make energy, without energy there is no life; without well-functioning mitochondria, there is (almost) no energy.
A Kiss Isn't Just a Kiss, It's Chemistry...
Just in time for Valentine's Day, a panel of scientists examined the mystery of what happens when hearts throb and lips lock. Kissing, it turns out, unleashes chemicals that ease stress hormones in both sexes and encourage bonding in men, though not so much in women.
Chemicals in the saliva may be a way to assess a mate, Wendy Hill, dean of the faculty and a professor of neuroscience at Lafayette College, told a meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science on Friday.
Breast Cancer Appears to be Tamed with Green Tea Use
There’s good news for women who regularly drink green tea. Five or more cups a day could mean you have a better chance of surviving breast cancer. In addition, if your doctor discovers the cancer in an early stage, it’s less likely to spread to lymph nodes. More than eight cups a day, for postmenopausal women, might mean even extra protection. Overall, green tea drinkers are more likely to have types of cancer that respond to medical treatment, and are less likely to get cancer again than other women.
Type 2 Diabetes Linked to Diet Soda...
NaturalNews) A new study published in January 16, 2009 edition of Diabetes Care indicates that daily consumption of diet soda plays a key role in the development of metabolic syndrome and Type 2 Diabetes. Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of findings known to increase the risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease and is also known as Syndrome X. Metabolic syndrome includes insulin resistance or actual Type 2 diabetes, low HDL, elevated triglycerides and central obesity (high waist circumference).
The Prediabetic Epidemic ...
The person with a "fat tire" carries an unmistakable clue to his health right around the waist: He either has or is at serious risk of developing Syndrome X. The condition isn't a household word quite yet, but it's getting there. An estimated 60 to 70 million Americans—about one of every four people—have some degree of Syndrome X, which sets the stage for adult-onset diabetes and coronary artery disease. The term Syndrome X was coined in 1988 by a Stanford University endocrinologist, although the cluster of signs and symptoms that distinguish it had previously been referred to as metabolic syndrome or insulin-resistance syndrome. Originally, Syndrome X was defined by four characteristics: (1) abdominal obesity, (2) elevated levels of triglycerides and low levels of high-density lipoproteins (HDL, or the "good" cholesterol), (3) hypertension, and (4) insulin resistance. Insulin resistance, the hallmark of adult-onset diabetes, also lies at the core of Syndrome X. This hormone imbalance alters blood-fat ratios, raises blood pressure, and increases fat storage.
The Importance of a Multivitamin...
If it only took eating an apple a day to get all the necessary nutrients from our food, we'd all be happy and healthy, but it's not. We actually need to consume 7-10 servings of fruits and vegetables each and every day[1] to ensure we are getting all 13 different vitamins and 17 different minerals.But why? What do vitamins and minerals do for us anyway?
Small changes can lead to big rewards, says ASN president...
Small changes can lead to big rewards, such as maintaining a healthy weight, American Society for Nutrition (ASN) President James O. Hill, PhD, describes in a recent report. The article, to be published in the February issue of The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, is written by Hill on behalf of a joint task force of ASN, the Institute of Food Technologists, and the International Food Information Council.
FDA Recommends Ban of Painkiller after Fifty Years...
(NaturalNews) At the end of January the FDA held a public hearing to reconsider the safety of Darvon, a painkiller that has been on the market since 1957. The panel voted 14 to 12 in favor of withdrawing the drug from the market, following in the footsteps of the United Kingdom which banned the drug in 2005 after concluding the benefits of Darvon did not outweigh the serious risks.
Vitamin B12 identified As An Effective Canker Sore Therapy, Study Suggests...
ScienceDaily (Feb. 15, 2009) — A team of physicians at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev has discovered that a nightly dose of vitamin B12 is a simple, effective and low risk therapy to prevent Recurrent Aphthous Stomatitis (RAS), better known as "canker sores."
Fight Osteoporosis: Bone Up On B12...
ScienceDaily (Apr. 23, 2005) — Women are about four times more likely than men to develop osteoporosis, or weak, porous bones. But a new study links vitamin B12 deficiency with low bone mineral density in men, and confirms similar, previously reported findings in women.
Calcium Alone Does Not Reduce Hip Fracture Risk...
ScienceDaily (June 30, 2008) — People, especially the elderly, may reach for calcium supplements in hopes of protecting themselves against bone fractures in case of a fall. But a recent analysis of several studies found no reduction in risk of hip fracture with calcium supplementation.
Christopher Wiechert's Healthblogger is for educational or informational purposes only, and is not intended to diagnose or provide treatment for any condition. If you have any concerns about your own health, you should always consult with a health care professional. If you decide to use this information on your own, it's your constitutional right, but I assume no responsibility. The views expressed on this website are those of the health professionals & scientists I list or my own opinions and are not intended to replace any medical advice you may require. The contents have not been approved by the Pharmaceutical Association, the American Medical Association, or the Food and Drug Administration. This website may present views diametrically opposed to the views of such organizations.
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