“Understanding Protein” by Steven Edwards, M.S.

The word protein comes from the Greek “prota” meaning “of primary importance.” Proteins are organic compounds composed of amino acids. Amino acids bind together to form proteins that are associated with every process of your body’s cells.

Many proteins are enzymes involved in your body’s chemical activity. Proteins are vital to metabolism, to cell structure and to mechanical function. They form the scaffolding that maintains cell shape, and are used as building blocks to all lean tissues in your body.  Hair, skin, muscle tissue, and your internal organs are all constructed from protein. Protein is also utilized by the immune system to protect the body.

Your body cannot create all the amino acids that is requires, which means that you must eat the necessary protein. Some food sources contain relative amounts of all essential amino acids. Eggs, dairy, fish, beef and other meats, turkey, and chicken contain some of all the essential amino acids.

The body takes amino acids and mixes and matches them in combinations to form required proteins. If one amino acid is present but another required amino acid is not, the desired protein will not be created. Think of amino acids as letters in an alphabet soup. If you want to spell the word ‘cat’, you require three letters. If one letter is absent, you can’t spell the word. Likewise, if one amino acid is not available that is required to construct a given protein, that protein will not be built.

This is where things get tricky if you are a vegetarian. Many non-meat foods contain some essential amino acids and lack others. Vegetarians must learn to mix and match foods so the body can create the complete proteins it needs. Pita and split pea soup, chick peas and hummus, lentils and rice, brown rice and black beans, legumes and grains, corn and red beans, and tofu and sesame seeds.

If you consume complimentary vegetarian sources of protein within a reasonable time frame- about a day- your body can create needed proteins. If necessary amino acids are lacking however, the body goes to its most readily available protein source- muscle tissue. The body will break down muscle tissue to get what it needs. If your goal is weight loss, you don’t want your body cannibalizing its own muscle tissue as this actually depresses metabolism, making fat loss more difficult.

Determining Your Protein Requirement

Two factors dictate protein needs. First is the amount of lean tissue in your body that protein will sustain. Lean tissue is your body weight minus body fat. A 300 pound football player with ten percent body fat has a dramatically different protein need than a 300 pound person with 50 percent body fat.

The second factor dictating protein need is how much your body metabolizes. This will be largely effected by your activity level. Active individuals need more protein than inactive individuals. Also those with more muscle tissue require more protein to sustain muscle.

Your body can only metabolize a certain amount of protein in one sitting. If you eat more protein than your body requires in a given time frame, part of that protein can be converted to carbohydrate. Excess protein eaten beyond what your body requires or can use within that time frame will be converted to fat.

The amount of protein that can be metabolized will vary from person to person. Larger, more muscular individuals will likely metabolize more protein per meal than smaller individuals. Eating between 20 and 30 grams of protein per meal is about right, depending on your lean body mass.

During initial phases of strength training, you will probably require more protein than later phases.

As you are probably noticing, your protein intake is a balancing act. You want to eat what you need without going over-board.

Keys to balancing protein intake:

1. Eat small portions of protein that your body can put to use in each meal. Avoid excessive amounts of protein in those meals.
2. Spread those meals out over the course of each day, eating some protein in each meal you eat every three to three and a half hours. This will be about five meals per day.
3. Focus on lean meats that contain a wide spectrum of essential amino acids.
4. If you are a vegetarian, especially if you are active, learn how to eat complimentary food sources to get all the essential amino acids.

Protein Meal Replacements & Bars

There is a plethora of protein/nutrition bars available. Some are high quality. Most are not.

One of the latest fads is the “low carb bar” sweetened with sugar alcohol in which the term “net carbs” is used. The term “net carbs” is used to refer to the amount of carbohydrate that will have a significant impact on blood sugar levels. If a bar has 30 grams of carbohydrate with a total of four grams from fiber and 22 grams of glycerine or sugar alcohol, the bar might be said to have four grams of “net carbs”. Subtract the four grams of fiber and 22 grams of sugar alcohol from 30 and you have four net carbs. While the fiber content of the bar has a minimal impact on blood sugar levels in your body, the sugar alcohol is a different story. Sugar alcohols act like sugar in the body, so really the “net carbs” marketing is deceptive.

Companies can use the term “net carbs” to market their products because sugar alcohols have not been categorized as sugar by the FDA. Some common sugar alcohols include Isomalt, Maltitol, and Maltitol Syrup.

Remember, if you want to lose fat, be conscious of the sugars you are eating, including those you might consume by way of food bars.

There are a few bars on the market made from whole foods that can be a quick and convenient supplement to your regular diet. One fantastic product made from organic fruits and vegetables is ReBar, available at www.healthcocanada.com or at your local health food store. These bars don’t contain added protein, but are a great way to get healthy fruits and vegetables in your diet. One bar is like eating 9 servings of veggies and fruits. Another great Rebar product is their Seeds & Greens bar which contains a small amount of protein from the seeds in the bar.

The Raw Revolution Organic Live Food Bars are another quality whole food product (see www.rawindulgence.com for more info). Raw revolution bars come in these flavors- Chocolate & Cashew, Raspberry & Chocolate, Coconut & Agave Nectar, and Spirulina & Cashew.

Greens Plus is another tasty organic food bar (www.greensplus.com). They have protein bars in Natural Peanut Butter and Peanut Butter/Chocolate flavors.  They also have energy bars in Natural and Chocolate flavors. I particularly like the Chocolate energy bar. Many health food stores sell Greens Plus.

Whey protein has a high biological value (it contains all essential amino acids required by your body). “Jay Robb” whey protein is a high quality product. “Natural Factors” is also an excellent product. Both are available at Whole Foods. Most products on the market, especially those in large tubs are generally low quality: they contain artificial sweeteners such as Aspartame, Acesulfame Potassium (K), and Sucralose, and the whey is poor quality.

Conclusion

Use only protein sources that will strengthen and build your body, and avoid poor quality supplemental protein products.

Supply your body with a steady stream of protein throughout the day in smaller, usable amounts.
Ensure that you are getting adequate protein to sustain lean body mass (or to increase muscle tone and promote weight loss if that is your goal).

Remember, it is essential to provide the right building blocks to maintain good health. Eating poor quality protein and other foods is precisely like using termite infested wood to build your home. Using high quality materials will help preserve life-long quality of health.

“Corn Syrup Linked to Diabetes” by Joseph Mercola, D.O.

A new study attributed the significant rise of diabetes cases to the growing consumption of refined carbohydrates. The study also supported evidence that the advice from public health regarding limiting their intake of sugary foods and lowering their fat intake might have backfired. Over the past 40 years, the number of obese people and those diagnosed with diabetes has risen dramatically.

Experts blamed these rising health problems on the high numbers of sedentary lifestyles and poor diets.

A study gathered information on food composition and consumption over the years 1909 to 1997. Data from these findings were compared to the rates of disease from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. When researchers evaluated the results they found that the drop in fiber consumption and heavy consumption of corn syrup found in most processed foods were at the root of the problem, not the number of proteins, fats or carbohydrates.

Other studies have shown that people who consumed a great deal of carbohydrates over a long period of time were in the higher risk brackets of developing diabetes.

The study also revealed that the amount of corn syrup people ate really escalated around the time the low-fat craze began to take off. Many nutritionists have recommended whole grain alternatives over refined carbohydrates, which they warned to keep away from.

If you read my past article about why corn is making us fat, you won’t be surprised that neither fat consumption nor protein seem to be the root cause of the problem. Instead, the diabetes rise best matches dropping fiber consumption and increasing consumption of corn syrup.

Never before have people eaten so many refined carbohydrates.

The finding supports the idea that corn syrup and other highly refined carbohydrates such as white flour, white rice and sugar put people at risk of obesity and diabetes.

Statistics show that 65 percent of Americans are overweight and 27 percent are considered clinically obese. One of the reasons behind this growing epidemic is our addiction to starches and sugars.

It’s not the fat in the food that’s making people obese; it’s the excess carbohydrates from grains and sugars.

If you are experiencing any of the following symptoms, chances are very good that the excess carbohydrates in your body are, in part or whole, to blame:

• Excess weight
• Fatigue and frequent sleepiness
• Depression
• Brain fogginess
• Bloating
• Low blood sugar
• High blood pressure
• High triglycerides

We all need a certain amount of carbohydrates, however through our addiction to grains, potatoes and sweets we are just consuming far too many and this leads to serious chronic health problems like diabetes.

The link between obesity and diabetes is apparent and the most harmful consequences happen during the breakdown process of carbohydrates.

The body’s storage capacity for carbohydrates is quite limited, so here’s what happens to all the excess: they are converted, via insulin, into fat and stored in the adipose, or fatty, tissue.

Any meal or snack high in carbohydrates generates a rapid rise in blood glucose. To adjust for this rise, the pancreas secretes the hormone insulin into the bloodstream, which lowers the glucose. Insulin is essentially a storage hormone that stores the excess calories from carbohydrates in the form of fat in case of famine.

Even worse, high insulin levels suppress two other important hormones–glucagons and growth hormones–that are responsible for burning fat and sugar and promoting muscle development, respectively. So insulin from excess carbohydrates promotes fat and then wards off the body’s ability to lose that fat.

One way you can protect your body from storing fat and rising insulin levels is through eliminating grains and sugars from your diet. I detail the importance of restricting grains and sugars from your diet in my Total Health Program. Aside from providing you with a healthy way to lose weight, this book will also act as a tool that will provide you with nutritious and great-tasting-recipes that will lower your risks of developing obesity, diabetes and other health problems.

If you have not read Dr. Rosedale’s insulin article, I would strongly recommend doing so. Dr. Rosedale is the physician who helped me appreciate the importance of insulin in 1996. I have had many patients share with me how helpful his article was in understanding insulin.

*About Dr. Mercola: Dr. Mercola has made significant milestones in his mission to bring people practical solutions to their health problems. A New York Times Best Selling Author, Dr. Mercola was also voted the 2009 Ultimate Wellness Game Changer by the Huffington Post, and has been featured in TIME magazine, LATimes, CNN, Fox News, ABC News with Peter Jennings, Today Show, CBS’s Washington Unplugged with Sharyl Attkisson, and other major media resources. Dr. Mercola’s website is www.mercola.com.

*To find out more about Dr. Mercola’s powerful Total Health Program, click here.

“Protect Yourself from Prostate Cancer” by Michael Colgan, PhD, CCN

Prostate cancer kills 30,000 Americans per year. And like all cancers it takes many years to develop. There are many similarities between prostate and breast cancer, so preventative measures for one, works well for both.  So what can you do?

1. Cut the Fat: Consumption of a high fat diet, especially saturated fats increases your risk of prostate cancer. The source of the fat is also important. A great deal of prostate disease is primarily an inflammatory condition. So anything that increases inflammation in body tissue should be avoided. Red meat especially is high in saturated fats and contains high levels of arachidonic acid which is a precursor of the highly inflammatory compound Prostaglandin E¬2 . Multiple human studies show that those people who consume lots of beef have much higher incidences of prostate cancer. But remember that fats are not only in red meats, but also diary products and all hydrogenated vegetable fats.
2. Get Omega-3 Fat in your Diet: Many of you will already know about the importance of the essential fats. Omega-3 fats have the most double-bonds so are highly bioactive and are the most easily damaged. Flax oil and walnut oil are good sources of omega-3 fats. So make sure you get one to two tablespoons per day. Using it as the oil for your salads is a great way to eat this essential fat.
3. Eat your Fruits and Vegetables: A recent study published b the National Cancer Institute showed that men can slash their risk of prostate cancer by as much as 52% by regularly consuming cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli and cauliflower. All your fruits and vegetables contain a myriad of substances we know as carotenoids and flavonoids. Of the thousands that exist we have studies just a few and we know how important they are. Studies show that diets rich in carotenoids such as beta-carotene will reduce your risk of prostate cancer. The same applies to the flavonoids and phenols such as Lycopene. When eaten in sufficient quantities Lycopene concentrates in the prostate (and testes & adrenals) at up to 20 times its concentration than in other parts of the body. The level of Lycopene in a well-supplied prostate falls nicely in the range that effectively suppresses tumor growth in cells in the laboratory.
4. Take your Daily Supplements: Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Vitamin D, selenium and zinc all play important roles in protecting your prostate. Each one of these nutrients needs a mixture of all the others in order for them to work. So it is very important that everyone take their daily multiple supplements.
5. Use Saw-palmetto, Pygeum and Urtica: These three plants are very effective in treating benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH). You will know Urtica as stinging nettle. Various combinations of these herbs have been medically approved in Europe as treatment for decades. Saw palmetto is an extract from two varieties of fan palm that grow wild across the southern United States and in parts of Europe. It works by reducing levels of dihydrotestosterone in the prostate by inhibiting the enzyme 5-alpha-reductase. This is essentially the same thing that finasteride does. Pygeum is the powdered bark of a common African evergreen tree. Its major active ingredient is the sterol beta-sitosterol (also found in soy). This sterol helps to lower cholesterol which has been linked to prostate disease. Pygeum also helps to reduce the size of the prostate. Urtica (or stinging nettle) grows wild just about everywhere. It seems to work best when used in combination with the other two herbs.

Protection of your prostate is part of the necessary preventive maintenance of your whole body.  Without this maintenance your body will inevitably break down into premature degeneration and disease. So avoid foods and other lifestyle items that irritate and damage your organs. Don’t smoke, and stay away from smokers. Follow the National Cancer Institute recommendations to eat your servings of fresh fruit and vegetables every day.

For more information read Dr. Colgan’s books “Protect Your Prostate” and “Nutrition For Champions”.

References:

• KirshVA, et al. Prospective study of fruit and vegetable intake and risk of prostate cancer. J Natl Cancer Inst. 2007 Aug 1;99(15):1200-9.
• Rohrmann S, et al. Meat and dairy consumption and subsequent risk of prostate cancer in a US cohort study. Cancer Causes Control 2007 Feb;18(1):41-50.
• Cross AJ, et al. A prospective study of meat and meat mutagens and prostate cancer risk. Cancer Res. 2005 Dec 15;65(24):11779-84.

*About Dr. Colgan: Michael Colgan, PhD, CCN, is a biochemist and physiologist nutritionist who gained recognition through his articles and books on nutrition and exercise. From 1971 to1982 Dr. Colgan was a senior member of the Science Faculty at the University of Auckland in New Zealand. In 1972 he started the Colgan Institute, a consulting, educational and research facility concerned with the effects of nutrition on physical performance and on inhibiting the degeneration of aging. See www.colganinstitute.com.

Cholesterol: What You need to Know

Laboratory machines have largely defined our perceptions about cholesterol. One device, the “analytical ultracentrifuge” led to the 1949 discovery of LDL (low-density lipoprotein), and HDL (high-density lipoprotein). These blood fats became defined as “good fats” (HDL), and “bad fats” (LDL). LDL’s indictment as a “bad fat” is simplistic and doesn’t paint the entire picture necessary to our understanding of healthy blood cholesterol.

Not all LDL cholesterol is created equal. There are four major types of LDL cholesterol, each with its own implications for heart disease. These are known as “large LDL”, the big, fluffy form, and three increasingly dense forms known as “medium”, “small”, and “very small” LDL. Large LDL is mainly benign. Smaller LDL forms increase heart disease risk (the smaller the particle, the greater the risk). The larger, more buoyant LDL moves easily through the circulatory system while the small, dense LDL particles can embed in artery walls and are four times more likely to cause heart disease.

Heart Disease Risk Factors

Dr. Ronald M. Krauss, M.D., director of the department of atherosclerosis research at Children’s Hospital Oakland Research Institute worked with collaborators from Malmo, Sweden and Harvard identified heart disease risks based on cholesterol profiles. Krauss tested the blood of 4,600 healthy Swedish men and women. Eight percent of those tested went on to develop heart disease. Krauss’s team found the following three scenarios predicted heart disease, numbered from most powerful predictor to least:

1. High levels of smaller and medium LDL combined with low HDL levels.
2. Low HDL levels.
3. High total LDL levels.

While the first two scenarios were predictive of heart disease, the third scenario was only marginally predictive. The researchers found that “total cholesterol”, the number provided by the testing most doctors are currently performing, is not a useful predictor of heart disease. That being said, many people may be prescribed medications who don’t need it, using drugs that don’t target the small LDL cholesterol particles which are the real problem in heart disease risk.

Categorizing all sizes of LDL cholesterol together as most labs do when they count it in standard blood draws, does not clearly indicate how much LDL is small and how much is large.

HDL levels are very important in determining heart disease risk. Individuals with low HDL tend to have high numbers of smaller particle LDL (high HDL is associated with reduced heart disease risk). Dr. Krauss found that if smaller forms of LDL are high, HDL is low, and that if smaller LDL is low, HDL is high.

The Link Between Diet and Cholesterol

Cholesterol we take into our bodies through food is not the same as blood cholesterol. On average we eat 200 milligrams of cholesterol a day in food. The body produces about 800 milligrams of cholesterol each day. If you take in a large amount of cholesterol through food, your body simply produces less cholesterol.

Eggs have been implicated as a potential heart disease risk because of the cholesterol content in the yolk, but as we have discussed, the body can make adjustments to the amount of cholesterol it produces based on what is eaten. University of Connecticut researchers recently found that people who ate three whole eggs a day for 12 weeks actually dropped their small-LDL levels by an average of 18 percent! Eggs are obviously not the enemy they have been cracked up to be (no pun intended!)

Dr. Ronald Krauss and his team discovered that while a diet high in saturated fat from full-fat cheese and butter dairy products does elevate LDL levels, the increase is in larger LDL particles, not smaller particles.

Krauss further discovered that study participants eating processed carbohydrates including refined sugar and white flour had an elevation in triglycerides, ultimately lowering HDL and increasing smaller LDL particles. So, heart disease risk from increased small particle LDL is magnified by eating more refined carbohydrates. Reducing saturated fat in the diet in a way that increases carbohydrates can shift your LDL profile from a safe level to dangerous! In other words, beware the low fat craze that encourages eating more refined carbohydrate in place of saturated fat.

Recommendations for Maintaining Healthy Cholesterol:

1. Eat healthy polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats. These fats are found in nuts, fish, seeds, algae, leafy greens, avocados, extra virgin cold pressed organic olive oil, and krill.
2. Wisely choose meds. If your doctor is recommending a cholesterol lowering drug, ensure that you know what the drug is designed to treat. A class of drugs called “fibrates” that include a drug named Tricor, specifically target small, dense LDL cholesterol. The impact of these drugs is significant only when your triglycerides are also elevated. Discuss with your doctor how healthy diet and exercise can be a good alternative to drug use for lowering small-LDL cholesterol.
3. Use niacin. Niacin causes the liver to produce larger LDL particles. Some physicians recommend the Slo-Niacin product. Start by taking 500 milligrams a day and build up to 2,000. Discuss with your doctor potential side effects of niacin use.
4. Exercise. Lightening your body weight load could reduce small, dense LDL cholesterol. Children’s Hospital Oakland Research Institute pointed out that the majority of overweight men who lost an average of 19 pounds improved and normalized their cholesterol profile.
5. Eat eggs- they help lower small-LDL cholesterol levels.
6. Eat fewer processed foods that contain refined carbohydrates and hydrogenated oils.

Advanced Lipid-Profile Tests

The labs listed below measure not just total LDL levels but average LDL particle size. Ask your doctor to refer you to a lab offering advanced lipid-profiling. The doctor referral may mean a cheaper rate.

• LDL-S3GGE Test: in this test, proteins from your blood are spread on a gel palette. After staining the gel, average cholesterol size can be determined. With insurance, the cost of the test is about $15. For more information go to Berkeley HeartLab, www.bhlinc.com.
• VAP Test: your blood sample is mixed in a solution that separates lipoproteins according to density. Large, fluffy particles stay on top of the solution while smaller, dense particles sink. The solution is analyzed to determine dominant LDL size (Atherotech, www.thevaptest.com, direct cost $40).
• NMR Lipoprofile Test: the NMR test uses radio waves to determine the type of LDL in your circulatory system. (LipoScience, www.lipoprofile.com, $100).

Making the Grade: Food Grading for Weight Loss & Good Health

You are what you eat. Literally. Each second you read this, old cells in your body are dying to be replaced by new ones at the rate of 50,000 cells per second. Your body today is the sum of food choices you’ve made in the past. The condition of your body tomorrow will be the result of how you eat today. Select low grade foods and you will create a low grade body. Choose high grade foods and you’ll be stronger, healthier, leaner and more energetic.

First a simple rule of thumb: eat whole, unprocessed foods. Fresh vegetables, fruits, grains, and nuts are nutrient dense. Canned, processed and microwaved foods are depleted of nutrients and may have harmful additives that can negatively impact your health. In this article we will review a rating scale of foods that will be graded from A to F. Nutrient dense “A” foods are fresh from the ground or off the tree. They contain vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals, antioxidants, fiber, essential fatty acids, carotenoids, and other healthy nutrients. “A” grade foods will keep you healthy and lean. “F” foods have little if any value.

“A” Foods

“A” foods are especially nutrient dense and fantastic to improve health and promote a weight loss program.

Spinach, broccoli, asparagus, kale, brussel sprouts, tomatoes, red peppers, yams & sweet potatoes, black eye peas, beans, oatmeal, barley, brown rice, potatoes, carrots and lentils and fruit are all excellent carbohydrate choices.

Proteins are the building blocks of all lean tissue in your body. High quality, A-grade Proteins include salmon, herring, rainbow trout, non fat cottage cheese, whey protein, unsweetened non fat yogurt, other fish, egg whites, turkey breast, chicken breast, shellfish and top round steak.

Essential fats are used to regulate hormones, build insulation sheaths around nerve cells, and form a bridge to get nutrients into and waste products out of the cells of your body. Excellent “A” fats include fish oils (salmon, trout, herring & sardines), krill oil, flaxseed oil, Udo’s Choice essential oil blend, extra virgin cold pressed organic olive oil (Spectrum is a good olive oil brand), and raw unsalted nuts & seeds.

“B” Foods

“B” foods are healthy foods. Some “B” carbohydrates are great choices but on some level are processed (like whole wheat bread and 100% whole grain unsweetened cereals). Healthy “B” grade carbohydrates include 100% whole grain breads, pastas, cooked cereals & unsweetened cereals, grits, white rice, and whole wheat pitas.

“B” grade proteins and dairy products include non fat cheese, 1% low fat cottage cheese, low fat sliced turkey & chicken breast, and flank steak.

Fats in the “B” range would include canola oil, natural unprocessed peanut butter, and small amounts of salted nuts & seeds.

“C” Foods

These foods don’t get a failing grade but your choices should be more primarily fresh whole foods of the A & B grade. Be judicious in the “C” foods you eat.

“C” carbs include Cheerios, enriched wheat bread, Total cereal, Kellogs Raisin Bran (& other whole grain, sweetened cereals), unsweetened fruit juice, sweetened low fat yogurt, bagels, and pasta made from enriched flour (durum semolina). Although fresh, unsweetened fruit juice is very healthy and nutrient dense, if your goal is weight loss, juice is not the best choice.

“C” grade proteins may be processed or higher in saturated fat content: low fat (2%) cottage cheese, 2% cream cheese & sour cream, chicken thighs, sliced low fat ham, dark turkey meat & low fat sausage.

“D” Foods

Carbohydrates: sweetened boxed cereals with no whole grain, crackers, sweetened muffins, baked goods, and white bread.

Proteins: roast beef, ham, regular ground beef, and moderate cuts of red meat.

Fats: sour cream, whole-fat cottage cheese, and cream cheese.

Remember if your goal is to stay lean and healthy, eat minimal amounts of these foods.

“F” Foods

Eat “F” foods rarely if ever. “F” foods include highly refined foods, processed high fat meats, foods with trans fats/hydrogenated fats, & foods high in refined sugars and fats.

“F” Foods include: candy, soda, cookies, chocolate, sugar sweetened drinks, pies, doughnuts, croissants, cakes, pastries, Fettuccine Alfredo, hot dogs on a white bun, sweetened peanut butter (Jif, Skippy, etc.), potato chips, french fries, fast food hamburgers on a white bun, bacon, sausage, salami, and beef jerky.

Improving Your Grade

Simply choose more items day to day that rate high. Weed out those that rate low. “A” foods should compose the majority of your daily diet.

Shop for whole food fruits and vegetables. Learn healthy recipes- get a little creative with how you prepare foods so that you truly enjoy eating fresh, nutrient dense foods. Go to the health food store and try some new things. Creativity goes a long way to keeping you interested in healthy nutrition and lifestyle.

Don’t hesitate to call us at Focus Action at 801-676-9378 for customized strategies that will help you achieve your goal of lifelong health empowerment, high level energy, and a lean, strong body.

To Go Organic or Not

What about organic? Is it really a good idea or just a waste of money? What about frozen, canned or fresh food? These questions might be a bit trickier than you think to answer. Most shoppers aren’t sure what it is they are actually getting when they buy organic. A survey done for Walnut Acres, an organic food company found that three out of four shoppers don’t know the difference between organic and “all-natural” foods. Actually it wasn’t until 2002 that the USDA defined what organic means. For food manufacturers to use the term organic on food labels, they must be able to prove that their product wasn’t made with ingredients grown with growth hormones, pesticides fertilizers or antibiotics. No artificial colors, flavorings or other ingredients can be used.

In some cases it is better to go organic. A University of Washington study found that children who ate conventionally grown foods had six times the level of a pesticide linked to neurological damage and leukemia than those who ate mostly organic foods. Preliminary research has also shown that pesticides can pass through a mother’s placenta and affect fetal growth.

It is also true that some organic produce has higher essential nutrient levels. For example organic berries contain about 50 percent more antioxidants than those grown using pesticides. With berries it is better to go organic. Thin peels allow pesticide chemicals to seep inside the vegetable or fruit. It is better to purchase organic strawberries, raspberries, spinach, potatoes, pears, peaches, nectarines, cherries, grapes, celery apples and bell peppers for this reason.

You can save money by buying conventionally grown fruits and vegetables that have thicker skins like bananas, avocados, oranges, mangoes, papaya, kiwifruit, and corn. Other foods that tend to be low in pesticides include broccoli, cabbage, sweet peas, onions, and asparagus.

Grains are also sprayed with chemicals. One common insecticide, organos-phosphate has been linked to various types of cancer. Birth defects and Parkinson’s disease are common among individuals coming in contact with it. If you are purchasing whole wheat or whole grain bread, cereal or flour, go organic do reduce chemical exposure. Products made with refined grains in which the grain’s outer husk is removed have less chemical content because pesticides tend to collect in the husk.

One thing to keep in mind about non-locally grown fresh fruits and vegetables is that average travel distance is around 1,500 miles. A week in transit can reduce the content of certain nutrients by as much as 50 %.

Buying canned fruits and vegetables can be a decent option since canneries are located close to the farms and the produce is canned during peak freshness. Canned tomato pastes and sauces actually contain higher concentrations of the antioxidant lycopene than tomatoes fresh from the vine. The downside to canning is that nutrients like Vitamin C can be destroyed in the canning process.

If you eat canned food, choose low-sodium (140 mg or less) and opt for unsweetened rather than those canned with syrup. You can always add fresh herbs like basil or oregano, or use a healthier sweetener like agave spice up the flavor.

Frozen foods are also a healthy, cheaper alternative to fresh produce. Companies that freeze foods harvest produce at their peak nutrient levels. There is less travel time and generally high a nutrient content as non-local fresh fruits and vegetables.

Conventional farms in the U.S. use hormones in cattle to increase milk production and their growth rate. The European government banned hormone use in cows because of research indicating they could increase prostate cancer risk in men, breast cancer in women, and cause early puberty in girls. You are better off eating organic milk, yogurt and cheese to eliminate risk factors from hormones. Organic milk contains more anti-oxidants, including Vitamin E and beta carotene. Also conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) is a very valuable and healthy fat found in organic grass fed beef, but is reduced by 80 percent if the cattle are fed grain and silage.

Antibiotics are also given to cattle and chickens to keep them healthy. It is possible that antibiotics fed to animals raise risk of antibiotic-resistant infections in humans who eat the meat.

Organic chickens are fed pesticide free feed so eggs tend to have fewer chemicals. The pesticide content in conventional eggs is probably minimal.

In the case of seafood, it can be hard to determine mercury levels and pollutant levels in the water and the seafood itself. A smart rule of thumb is simply to base buying decisions on which fish species contain smallest amounts of mercury. Large fish species like tuna and swordfish contain more mercury than smaller fish, such as whiting and tilapia. The journal Science published a study finding 10 times as many toxins in farmed salmon than wild salmon.

When reading food labels, be aware of the following:

“All Natural” is really hype. It is supposed to mean that the food contains no artificial preservatives or colors.

“Free Range” is also hype. Supposedly it means the animal is allowed to roam freely outside a cage, but regulations are lacking here.

“Antibiotic or Hormone-free” is hype. The USDA does nothing to determine if claims are true.

“100% Organic” food labels tell you that inspectors have ensured that the product has no hormones, artificial ingredients, pesticides or antibiotics.

“Organic” is helpful because it tells you that 95% of the ingredients in the food are actually organic.

“Made With Organic Ingredients” means that the product contains at least 70% organic ingredients.

Basic Sports Nutrition

I’ve spoken before about nutrition and fluid intake relative to exercise in past newsletters. I wanted to post to the blog for those who haven’t read this information before, and so you will have easy access to it. Below are some tips about eating and drinking before, during, and after your exercise activity.

Food and Fluid Intake before Exercise

1. 1-4 hours before exercise eat foods that will provide glucose, prevent dehydration, delay fatigue, and minimize stomach upset (this will be a meal high in carbohydrate, moderate in protein, low in fat, with adequate calories and fluid):
2. Eat 1.0 to 4.5 grams of carbohydrate per kilogram of body weight one to four hours before competition. You can determine your body weight in kilograms by taking your body weight in pounds and dividing it by 2.2. Less carbohydrate should be consumed as you get closer to competition (this might be 300 grams of carbohydrate four hours before exercise or 100 grams of carbohydrate one hour before exercise. An example of a meal with 100 grams of carbohydrate taken one hour before competition would be: 12 ounces of orange juice, 8 ounces of carbohydrate beverage with 15 grams of carbohydrate, one 3 ounce bagel, and 2 tsp. light cream cheese).
3. Drink 1 ½ to 2 ½ cups (400-600 ml) of fluid two to three hours before exercising. If you exercise in the heat, you should drink 1 to 2 cups within two hours of exercising.
4. Athletes engaging in continuous activity lasting more than an hour may choose a carbohydrate beverage like Gatorade instead of or as part of your pre-exercise fluid intake (the concentration of the carbohydrate beverage should be no more than 8%). Again, drink 1 ½ to 2 ½ cups (400-600 ml) of the beverage two hours before exercise. Fifteen to 30 minutes prior to exercise, drink 300 to 500 ml more of a carbohydrate beverage.
5. If you are eating carbohydrates less than one hour before exercise, eat no more than 1 gram per kilogram of body weight.

Food and Fluid Intake during Exercise

1. If you are engaging in exercise lasting less than an hour, just drinking water is adequate.
2. If exercise activity lasts less than 60 minutes it is recommended to drink 180-240 ml (3/4 to 1 cup) of cold water every 10-15 minutes to prevent dehydration (cold water leaves the stomach faster than room temperature water).
3. For activity lasting longer than an hour, consuming a beverage containing carbohydrate is recommended (At the beginning of exercise, most of the carbohydrate your body needs is supplied by carbohydrate stored in muscle. As exercise progresses those carbohydrate stores start to deplete). Consuming 30-60 grams of carbohydrate per hour during prolonged exercise can help improve performance.
4. Athletes performing at higher intensities require less carbohydrate because the speed at which the carbohydrate moves through the digestive system is slowed (when performing above 70% of VO2 max).
5. By itself, fructose (fruit sugar) is not an effective way to maintain blood glucose levels because it appears as blood glucose more slowly. Fructose if consumed during activity should be combined with other sugars (it is usually mixed with other sugars in sports drinks). 

Food and Fluid Intake after Exercise

1. Post-exercise nutrition goals include rapid replenishment of glycogen (carbohydrate) stores in the muscles and liver, and rehydration.
2. Consuming carbohydrate immediately after exercise replenishes glycogen. At least one gram of carbohydrate per kilogram of body weight should be consumed in the first hour after exercise. Complete resynthesis of glycogen takes about 20 hours after exercise. Therefore carbohydrate should be consumed throughout the day following exercise. A daily intake of 6 to 10 grams of carbohydrate per kilogram of body weight will provide carbohydrate for complete glycogen resynthesis.
3. A meal replacement beverage is a convenient way to get carbohydrate after activity.
4. Sodium intake after exercise is also beneficial because it helps the body retain fluid and maintains the drive to continue drinking water. Lightly salting your food after exercise is a good idea.
5. For each pound of water weight lost, drink two cups of fluid after exercising. This should be a minimum fluid intake. (Weighing yourself on the scale before and after exercise will help you estimate how much fluid to drink).
6. After exercise activity, athletes should continue eating and drinking for the next four to six hours. Here is an example of how an athlete may eat after competition:
7. Just after completing the exercise- An 8 ounce high carbohydrate sports drink and one small 2 inch bagel (This meal contains about 66 grams of carbohydrate).
8. 1 hour after exercise- An 8 ounce nonfat yogurt, carrot sticks, an 8 ounce fruit juice, and 8 ounces of water.
9. 2 hours post-exercise- Drink a 16 ounce carbohydrate sports drink.
10. 5 hours post-exercise- One bean burrito, a small green salad with dressing, 8 ounces of water and an 8 ounce soft drink or juice. 

Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA) and it’s Benefits

CLA or “conjugated linoleic acid” is a fatty acid and a close relative to Omega-6 (linoleic acid), one of the essential fats.

As many of you may know there are two fats essential to human health. The first is Omega-3 fat (Alpha-linolenic acid), found in cold water fish and flax oil. The second is Omega-6 fat found in vegetable oils and nuts. Most of us tend to get far in excess of what we need of Omega-6 fat. Too much Omega-6 fat can lead to tumors, accumulation of fat, and oxidation of cholesterol which is a cause of atherosclerosis. Most of us need a much higher ratio of Omega-3 fats to Omega-6 fats in our diets.

CLA’s chemical structure is similar to Omega-6 fat but doesn’t have the same affect on the body. Interestingly, CLA actually decreases Omega-6 fatty acid and increases levels of Omega-3 fatty acids.

A study using lab mice indicated that supplementing the diet with CLA reduced body fat. In humans, CLA was found to reduce abdominal fat without the negative cholesterol oxidation that leads to atherosclerosis. CLA also improves insulin activity and glucose tolerance. The danger of abdominal fat is that there tends to be an associated high insulin level in the body, and also increased frequency of cardiovascular disease. A study on rabbits supplemented with CLA found that CLA supplementation reduced atherosclerotic lesions that had already formed.

Another area CLA can be a benefit is in bone health. Too much linoleic acid (Omega-6 fat) promotes release of inflammatory cytokines in the body, which in turn promotes bone loss. In post-menopausal women where hormone production is lower, there can be a particular increase in bone loss leading to osteoporosis. Supplementation with Omega-3 oils reduces, and in many cases reverses bone loss.

Strong evidence shows CLA’s impact on cancer protection. Consider the following:

• Tumor growth in animals was stunted when they were supplemented with CLA.
• CLA prevented spread of cancer to bone, blood, and lungs in mice implanted with human breast cancer.
• In animals, a diet composed of one percent calories from CLA reduced tumor formation.
• Rats supplemented with 0.1 percent CLA had inhibited mammary tumor development, even when tumor-enhancing fats were eaten.
• Rats that were fed CLA around the time of weaning had a 20 percent reduction in mammary glandular tissue. Higher amounts of glandular tissue increases risk factor for mammary cancer. This could mean that girls who are fed CLA may have permanent, long term protection from future breast cancer.

Where to Get CLA

CLA is unique among cancer fighting substances. While the vast majority of cancer fighters come from plants, CLA is abundant in meats, particularly beef. Keep in mind I am not saying to go hog-wild on McDonalds hamburgers. Here’s the catch: make sure you choose meat and milk from grass fed sources.  Larry Satter at the U.S. Dairy Forage Center in Wisconsin discovered that cattle that are fed grain and silage have 80 percent less CLA in their milk and meat compared to grass fed animals.

To fatten them up quickly for profit, most cattle are fed grain. Grain fed beef compared to grass fed has a much higher concentration of Omega-6 to Omega-3, and a dramatic reduction in CLA. There was a large rise in breast and prostate cancer beginning around the time grass fed cattle use declined. Curiously, these cancers are very uncommon in Third World countries where cattle graze on the grass.

Average meat servings from commercially available grass fed beef meet daily CLA requirements. Just ensure that you buy grass fed beef. Keep in mind the term “organic” does not necessarily mean grass fed. Cattle may be fed organic grain and no grass, or may be grass fed up to a few months prior to slaughter when they are fed grain. Check local health food stores for organic grass fed beef or do an internet search to find sources.

If you don’t eat meat or can’t get grass-fed beef, you can purchase CLA supplements at local health food stores. You’ll find a variety of different products on the market. And even if you do eat beef, having a supplement on hand gives you a convenient CLA source that I recommend taking every day. Life Extension (800-544-4440) has a product providing 70 percent CLA in 1,000 mg capsules. Three capsules per day will give you adequate amounts for benefits we’ve discussed. 

Omega-3 Fat Can Save Your Life

Eating the Right Kind of Fish Can Extend and Even Save Your Life

Eating an ounce of cold water fish a day can cut your heart attack risk by 50 percent. The Omega-3 fat found in fish oil can relieve symptoms of osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, Raynaud’s Disease, asthma, psoriasis, high blood pressure, ulcerative colitis, migraine headache, and possibly multiple sclerosis. As anticoagulant/anti-inflammatory agents, fish oils can even prevent strokes. Omega-3 fat is absolutely essential to health yet many of us get negligible amounts in our diet.

Your body uses omega-3 fat in regulating hormones, building insulation (myelin) sheaths around your nerve cells, and transporting nutrients into and waste products out of cells in your body. Omega-3 fat can raise beneficial HDL cholesterol and lower triglycerides, as well as guard against glucose intolerance/Type-2 diabetes. High in antioxidants selenium and Coenzyme Q10, omega-3 fat can block development of cancers like colon and breast cancer.

Great fish sources of Omega-3 fatty acids include sardines, mackerel, herring, salmon, and albacore tuna.

If you’re not a big fish fan, supplemental fish oil is a great alternative. “Coromega” fish oil is a good product. It comes in small packets, has a pudding-like consistency, and can be squeezed from the packet into your mouth. It is supposed to have quicker and better absorption than gel capsules, and I like the taste. They have Lemon-Lime and Orange-Chocolate flavors. You can get more info at www.coromega.com or by calling 877-275-3725. Coromega is sold through Whole Foods (formerly Wild Oats in Utah).

Many of us notice that fish gel capsule products leave a fishy after taste or there will be burping throughout the day that produces a fish oil taste. If this is a problem for you, try supplemental fish oil that contains the digestive enzyme lipase. Lipase is a necessary enzyme involved in absorbing and digesting nutrients in the intestines.

Since lipase digests fat and fat-soluble vitamins, it can be useful to add it to fish oil you eat to prevent belching up the taste of fish oil. “Oil Smart” is an excellent lipase-enhanced fish oil product that also contains organic flax oil and cold-pressed borage oil. Oil Smart’s website is www.renewlife.com. Phone: 866-450-1787. Whole Foods sells Oil Smart.

Cold water fish like salmon are a good source of omega-3 fat.

Other Sources of Omega-3 Fat

Excellent plant based sources of omega-3 fat include flax oil, flax meal, pumpkin seeds, walnuts and butternuts. A tablespoon of flax oil or two tablespoons of flax meal a day is a good amount to start. The flax meal can be blended into a smoothie, sprinkled on a salad or mixed in with oatmeal or other hot cereal.

Udo’s, Barleans, and Spectrum all have great organic oil products. I like the Spectrum flax oil product because of the filtration process they use to remove moisture and bacteria impurities that cause bitter taste and accelerate rancidity. The Spectrum product tastes good even after sitting in the refrigerator for several weeks. I use the flax oil product with “lignans”- phytonutrients with antioxidant properties that have a positive effect on balancing hormones. All the above mentioned oils can be found in health food stores. 

Kiwi fruit, black raspberry, strawberries and broccoli have appreciable amounts of omega-3 fat. Eggs produced by chickens fed insects, greens, and fish oils contain higher levels of omega-3 fat than chickens fed soybeans or corn (look for eggs high in essential oils). Organic cheese and milk from grass-fed cows are also good sources of omega-3 fat.

Krill, small shrimp-like zooplankton is considered to be a particularly good omega-3 fat source. Compared to fish sources higher up the food chain, krill contain lower levels of heavy metals that are harmful to humans. Krill oil can be purchased at your local health food store or at Dr. Joseph Mercola’s website: www.mercola.com/krilloil (877-985-2685). 

Contact

To contact Focus Action with questions, call 801-662-0438 or email focusaction@gmail.com.