When it comes to cooking with oil, there are a few misperceptions that can really make a difference if we are trying to make the smartest choices for ourselves and our families.
First- we want to avoid trans fats. I'll tell you more about those evil doers in a future post, but generally that type of fat is found in solids like hard margarine and vegetable shortening. Saturated fats come from animal sources and tropical oils (like palm and coconut oil) and are also undesirables. You want to get 20 grams or less of these heart-unfriendly fats. No matter what form of fat you choose, the calorie content (9 calories per gram) is the same.
The other three types of fat are omega-9's (the mono-unsaturated fats), and the polyunsaturated omega-6's, and omega-3's. Of these, the omega-6's, which are heavily represented in sunflower oil, corn oil, and soybean oil, have the greatest potential to be troublemakers. It is not that they are all bad, but we eat much more of them than we need, and they can overwhelm our bodies' capability to put the heart-healthy omega-3's to work. In the quantities typical of our Western diets, they tend to promote inflammation, while the omega-3's have the opposite effect. Omega-3's are found in flaxseed oil, walnut oil, and fish oil.
The omega-9's are found in olive oil, canola oil, and safflower oil. These types of fats are associated with lower risks for heart attacks, and improvement in our cholesterol numbers.
Last week I received a fascinating packet of information from the American Diabetes Association and canoloinfo.org that I thought was worth sharing with you.
What I found so interesting in the information packet I received was a table comparing a variety of fats. Not surprisingly, canola oil is very high in omega-9's (just like olive oil), and extremely low in saturated fat (even less so than olive oil). What really caught my attention was the revelation that lard actually has substantially less saturated fat (and far more omega-9) than the currently-trendy palm and coconut oils. As someone who does not eat meat, I don't recommend you start cooking with lard, but I do think it is worth thinking twice before accepting the notion that coconut oil and palm oil are smarter alternatives to animal fats. Companies who produce these products have a vested interest in convincing you that their oils are a new type of "health food," but the truth is their saturated fats have similarly negative effects on our heart health as animal fats. What's more, the production of these oils is associated with decimation of the rainforests where the palm and coconut plants grow.
You can get more information at www.canolainfo.org
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Saturday, January 16, 2010
Five Quick and Easy Weight Loss Tips
Now that the holidays are behind us, it's time to survey the damage. Whether you need to lose those lingering five pounds or start to tackle fifty, it all starts with a commitment to good health.
As a cardiologist, I take care of people with heart disease, as well as people who are at high risk for developing it. By far, the majority of my patients are not only overweight, they are medically obese. Although many people consider the word "obesity" a judgment of character, it clearly is not. Big or small, we all have our indulgences and excesses. But when it comes to overweight and obesity, lives, and livelihoods, are at stake.
On average, obesity shortens our lifespans by 10-20 years. It increases the risk for diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, arthritis, dementia, cancer, and a host of other really horrible things. People who are obese spend 36% more on health care and 77% more on medications than people of a healthy weight.
Obesity is a complicated problem, but controlling obesity and overweight boils down to eating fewer calories than you burn. Here are a few tips to get you started:
1. Figure out your basal metabolic rate (BMR) In my book, The Smart Woman's Guide to Heart Health: Dr. Sarah's Seven Steps to a Heart-Loving Lifestyle
, I explain how to calculate your daily caloric requirements. It's really pretty simple. You can also find tables on line to help you do this. Once you know this number, you can figure out how many calories you need to achieve and maintain your weight goal.
2. Keep a food diary Most women understimate their daily calorie intake by 20%, and women who are trying to lose weight tend to do even worse. It turns out that simply keeping an (honest) diary of what, and exactly how much, you eat can reduce your calorie intake by as much as 30%, by making yourself stop and think, and be accountable. You can find a very comprehensive calorie guide at www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/search
3. Eat an apple before a meal An apple is a great snack, packed with nutrients and heart healthy soluble fiber. It will fill you up and keep the "hungries" at bay. Several of my patients credit their apple snacks with contributing to their weight loss success- a claim backed up by recent research from Brazil.
4. If you can't pronounce it, don't eat it Choose foods that are closer to nature. The more complicated the ingredient list, the more likely it is to include calorie-laden unhealthy fats and simple starchy carbohydrates. Better yet, avoid packaged foods altogether. Many manufacturers have replaced trans fats with palm oil, which is pronounceable, but certainly not heart healthy.
5. Have a cup of tea As long as you're not sensitive to caffeine, tea is a great choice for morning or early afternoon. Drink it in place of a soda, for a calorie free alternative brimming with healthy anti-oxidants. Studies show that tea may even reduce levels of cortisol, a stress hormone that can cause cravings for sweets and starchy foods.
As a cardiologist, I take care of people with heart disease, as well as people who are at high risk for developing it. By far, the majority of my patients are not only overweight, they are medically obese. Although many people consider the word "obesity" a judgment of character, it clearly is not. Big or small, we all have our indulgences and excesses. But when it comes to overweight and obesity, lives, and livelihoods, are at stake.
On average, obesity shortens our lifespans by 10-20 years. It increases the risk for diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, arthritis, dementia, cancer, and a host of other really horrible things. People who are obese spend 36% more on health care and 77% more on medications than people of a healthy weight.
Obesity is a complicated problem, but controlling obesity and overweight boils down to eating fewer calories than you burn. Here are a few tips to get you started:
1. Figure out your basal metabolic rate (BMR) In my book, The Smart Woman's Guide to Heart Health: Dr. Sarah's Seven Steps to a Heart-Loving Lifestyle
, I explain how to calculate your daily caloric requirements. It's really pretty simple. You can also find tables on line to help you do this. Once you know this number, you can figure out how many calories you need to achieve and maintain your weight goal. 2. Keep a food diary Most women understimate their daily calorie intake by 20%, and women who are trying to lose weight tend to do even worse. It turns out that simply keeping an (honest) diary of what, and exactly how much, you eat can reduce your calorie intake by as much as 30%, by making yourself stop and think, and be accountable. You can find a very comprehensive calorie guide at www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/search
3. Eat an apple before a meal An apple is a great snack, packed with nutrients and heart healthy soluble fiber. It will fill you up and keep the "hungries" at bay. Several of my patients credit their apple snacks with contributing to their weight loss success- a claim backed up by recent research from Brazil.
4. If you can't pronounce it, don't eat it Choose foods that are closer to nature. The more complicated the ingredient list, the more likely it is to include calorie-laden unhealthy fats and simple starchy carbohydrates. Better yet, avoid packaged foods altogether. Many manufacturers have replaced trans fats with palm oil, which is pronounceable, but certainly not heart healthy.
5. Have a cup of tea As long as you're not sensitive to caffeine, tea is a great choice for morning or early afternoon. Drink it in place of a soda, for a calorie free alternative brimming with healthy anti-oxidants. Studies show that tea may even reduce levels of cortisol, a stress hormone that can cause cravings for sweets and starchy foods.
Monday, January 11, 2010
Light-Hearted: Music, Laughter, and Heart Health
Music has the power to soothe the savage beast- and to ease a stressed out heart. Listening to music you love may make you feel better about a lousy day. Now there is good evidence that it may also help to relax our blood vessels, maybe even protecting us from high blood pressure, heart attacks, and stroke.
In late 2008, researchers from the University of Maryland reported that when healthy people were allowed to listen to music they loved (no matter whether that music was thrash metal or classical), their blood vessels dilated, or opened up, by 26%. Exercise produces a very similar benefit. When the opposite situation occured, and the volunteers were forced to listen to music that they disliked (elevator music, anyone?) the blood vessels actually contricted slightly.
This was intriguing, so they took the next step, and let the volunteers watch a funny video. Although the findings were not as definite, our arteries appear to enjoy a good laugh almost as much as a great song. On the down side, a so-called "relaxation tape" fell flat, with no real effect on blood flow.
While this is probably the first study showing such specific benefits of music and laughter, it is in line with a study published in the British Medical Journal in 2001 which found that both a Buddhist yogic mantra and the Catholic Ave Maria promote lower blood pressure, decreased respiratory rate, and improved blood flow to the brain.
The bottom line: taking care of your spiritual and mental health may also benefit your physical well-being. And it doesn't hurt to dance to the music!
In late 2008, researchers from the University of Maryland reported that when healthy people were allowed to listen to music they loved (no matter whether that music was thrash metal or classical), their blood vessels dilated, or opened up, by 26%. Exercise produces a very similar benefit. When the opposite situation occured, and the volunteers were forced to listen to music that they disliked (elevator music, anyone?) the blood vessels actually contricted slightly.
This was intriguing, so they took the next step, and let the volunteers watch a funny video. Although the findings were not as definite, our arteries appear to enjoy a good laugh almost as much as a great song. On the down side, a so-called "relaxation tape" fell flat, with no real effect on blood flow.
While this is probably the first study showing such specific benefits of music and laughter, it is in line with a study published in the British Medical Journal in 2001 which found that both a Buddhist yogic mantra and the Catholic Ave Maria promote lower blood pressure, decreased respiratory rate, and improved blood flow to the brain.
The bottom line: taking care of your spiritual and mental health may also benefit your physical well-being. And it doesn't hurt to dance to the music!
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Vitamin D: What's the Big Deal?
Vitamin D is known as the "sunshine vitamin," because our skin manufactures it when we are exposed to the sun. Fatty fish and fortified dairy and soy products are also great sources. Vitamin D protects our bones, keeps our muscles strong, supports heart health, and improves our immune systems.
Until recently, no one gave vitamin D much thought, since we just assumed that we were all getting plenty. However, our sedentary indoor lifestyles have now conspired with our addiction to soda, flavored drinks, and fast food to create a major epidemic of D-deficiency. Making the situation even worse, many of us cover up with sunscreen before we go outside. Don't get me wrong. I don't suggest sunning your bare naked skin. No one wants wrinkles or skin cancer. But we can't ignore the effect this healthy habit has on our ability to make vitamin D.
The good news is that vitamin D levels are easy to test for, and a deficiency is easy to treat. The bad news is that about 60% of American kids have borderline low levels, and 10% are frankly deficient. Amongst adults, about 70% of white people and an astonishing 97% of African Americans have low levels. (The darker your skin, the less efficient your body is at making vitamin D).
People with low vitamin D are more likely to suffer from high blood pressure and heart attacks. Elders with low levels are more prone to muscle weakness and falls. In kids, low levels are associated with a disease called rickets, in which bones become weak and misshapen. And in adults, low levels are associated with weaker, more brittle bones. A recent small study suggests that if you are on a statin drug for cholesterol and have muscle aches, it is possible that a low vitamin D level is contributing to your symptoms.
Most kids and adults need at least 200 IU daily, while those over 50 may need 400- 800 IU. If you are deficient, much higher doses may be needed. As with any supplement, or for that matter, any medical advice, it's important to check with your doctor first.
Until recently, no one gave vitamin D much thought, since we just assumed that we were all getting plenty. However, our sedentary indoor lifestyles have now conspired with our addiction to soda, flavored drinks, and fast food to create a major epidemic of D-deficiency. Making the situation even worse, many of us cover up with sunscreen before we go outside. Don't get me wrong. I don't suggest sunning your bare naked skin. No one wants wrinkles or skin cancer. But we can't ignore the effect this healthy habit has on our ability to make vitamin D.
The good news is that vitamin D levels are easy to test for, and a deficiency is easy to treat. The bad news is that about 60% of American kids have borderline low levels, and 10% are frankly deficient. Amongst adults, about 70% of white people and an astonishing 97% of African Americans have low levels. (The darker your skin, the less efficient your body is at making vitamin D).
People with low vitamin D are more likely to suffer from high blood pressure and heart attacks. Elders with low levels are more prone to muscle weakness and falls. In kids, low levels are associated with a disease called rickets, in which bones become weak and misshapen. And in adults, low levels are associated with weaker, more brittle bones. A recent small study suggests that if you are on a statin drug for cholesterol and have muscle aches, it is possible that a low vitamin D level is contributing to your symptoms.
Most kids and adults need at least 200 IU daily, while those over 50 may need 400- 800 IU. If you are deficient, much higher doses may be needed. As with any supplement, or for that matter, any medical advice, it's important to check with your doctor first.
Sunday, January 3, 2010
Why I also Love the Japanese Diet
The 1970's was a wild decade, fomenting revolutionary new ideas and paradigms. Amidst all the free love and wild music, a revolution in our understanding of diet and heart health was easily overlooked. Yet the findings of the Seven Countries Study, an in-depth look at the traditional foods and lifestyles of seven different cultures across the globe, still have the power to profoundly influence our vitality and longevity.
It was the Seven Countries Study that first shed light on the Mediterranean diet. What many people don't know is that the traditional diet and lifestyle of the Okinawan islands of Japan also came out far ahead of those of typical Western and northern European cultures. In fact, in the 1970's, Americans were five times more likely to develop heart disease than Okinawan elders.
What makes the Japanese diet so healthy? Typical foods include sweet potatoes (rich in vitamins, fiber and anti-oxidants), seaweed, green vegetables, soy, fish, and green tea. Not only is the diet healthy, but the traditional practice is to stop eating when you are 80% full, meaning that Okinawans tend to be much leaner than typical Americans (who often don't stop eating until we are 120% full). Okinawans also tend to have rich spiritual lives, and remain active well into old age.
Ironically, now that fast food and a Western lifestyle has made its way into Japan, the Okinawan advantage is beginning to disappear.
You can read more about this fascinating culture in The Okinawa Program : How the World's Longest-Lived People Achieve Everlasting Health--And How You Can Too
and The Okinawa Diet Plan: Get Leaner, Live Longer, and Never Feel Hungry
.
It was the Seven Countries Study that first shed light on the Mediterranean diet. What many people don't know is that the traditional diet and lifestyle of the Okinawan islands of Japan also came out far ahead of those of typical Western and northern European cultures. In fact, in the 1970's, Americans were five times more likely to develop heart disease than Okinawan elders.
What makes the Japanese diet so healthy? Typical foods include sweet potatoes (rich in vitamins, fiber and anti-oxidants), seaweed, green vegetables, soy, fish, and green tea. Not only is the diet healthy, but the traditional practice is to stop eating when you are 80% full, meaning that Okinawans tend to be much leaner than typical Americans (who often don't stop eating until we are 120% full). Okinawans also tend to have rich spiritual lives, and remain active well into old age.
Ironically, now that fast food and a Western lifestyle has made its way into Japan, the Okinawan advantage is beginning to disappear.
You can read more about this fascinating culture in The Okinawa Program : How the World's Longest-Lived People Achieve Everlasting Health--And How You Can Too
and The Okinawa Diet Plan: Get Leaner, Live Longer, and Never Feel Hungry.
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