Plant-Based Lifestyle Power

Bodybuilder Frank Zane's 64-year-old Body

2012-01-02T10:01:00.000-05:00

Building the Dream Body - An interview with three-time Mr. Olympia Frank Zane, by Andrew Cohen

This is a very interesting and inspiring 2006 interview with Frank Zane about reaching the optimal physical, emotional, spiritual and mental condition as we age. There is some great 'food for thought' here. Here are some intriguing quotes from Frank:

"I'm 65...... I just keep training to see how good I can get, and for how long. My goal now is to improve every year for at least the next five years. I don’t know what is possible, and I’m taking it one year at a time. I just know that it keeps getting harder and harder. I have to be more impeccable in my lifestyle. My diet has to be close to perfect. I get very sore from workouts, and it takes longer to recover. But that just means my body’s changing. I’m not trying to be like I was when I was at my peak at thirty-seven, but I’m curious to find out what’s possible."
"People say to me, “You look good for your age.” But most people at sixty-five look like my father would look if he were still alive. And that’s not good enough for me. I want to look good for any age."
On training now versus when he was young, "It’s different. It was brand new then. I was seeing my body take shape for the first time, developing more and more, and then winning titles and becoming famous and all that. Now, it’s about holding on and achieving as much as I can. I’m really motivated by curiosity."

Comments: After many years of cycling, I have recently switched to a focus on resistance training (bodybuilding). I obviously did not start out with a Mr. Universe body, or a long history with training in the gym. Nevertheless, I find Frank Zane's words to be very inspiring. He is stretching the boundaries about what a person can achieve physically, mentally and spiritually as we age. Zane views the physical, mental and spiritual to be intertwined. I agree. Is it hard to become motivated to train hard in your late 60s? I have not found it hard at all. Like Frank Zane, "I am curious to find out what's possible." The fact that there are others who are also strongly motivated to excel physically at an advanced age is very empowering.

Why did Steve Jobs die?

2012-01-01T13:38:00.000-05:00

Dr. John McDougall publishes an excellent health newsletter. He is an advocate of the health benefits of the vegan starch-based diet. He also writes extensively about one of my favorite topics, conservative medical care. Last month, in his November 2011 newsletter, Dr. McDougall wrote about Steve Jobs' death.

There has been much written about Steve Jobs' long fight with pancreatic cancer. The sad thing, as Dr. McDougall explains, is that the articles written about Steve Jobs' illness has contained much misinformation. Jobs became a vegan when he was a teenager. He delayed surgery on his pancreatic cancer for 9 months following the 2003 diagnosis. Some of the authors who have written about Jobs' long struggle blame his diet lifestyle and his stubbornness with regard to surgery for his premature death.

Here is what Maureen Dowd, New York Times columnist, had to say about Jobs in her October 25th, 2011 column:

"He was a control freak, yet when he learned he had a rare form of pancreatic cancer that would respond to surgery, he ignored his wife, doctors and friends and put the surgery off for nine months, trying to heal himself with wacky fruit diets, hydrotherapy, a psychic and expressing his negative feelings. (As though he had to be encouraged.)"

Dr. McDougall disagrees that Jobs' vegan lifestyle contributed to premature death. McDougall feels strongly that Jobs' decision to not have surgery following his diagnosis had absolutely nothing to do with the tragic outcome. Dr. McDougall states the following in his most current (December 2011) newsletter:

"1) Steve Jobs’ cancer of the pancreas was caused by exposure to environmental chemicals while working in the electronics industry when he was a teenager and a young adult. Lead (Pb), used in soldering, is one possible culprit.

2) Jobs delayed his surgery for 9 months after the initial diagnosis. Because the cancer had metastasized, he was made to believe that he killed himself by forestalling recommended treatment. However, scientific analysis proves that his cancer had actually spread almost two decades before he was diagnosed in October of 2003.

3) His lifelong vegan diet probably prolonged his life. Yet, his doctors’ prejudice for meat eating and their ignorance about human protein needs, forced Jobs to violate his philosophical beliefs—he and his family were tricked into eating animals."

The full text of John McDougall's newsletter article can be read here.

Comment: It is very hard to know exactly why Steve Jobs contracted pancreatic cancer. However, the fact that he worked with cancer producing metals while constructing the electrical circuit boards for his early computers seems like a plausible explanation. In fact, we will never know. I am quite confident, however, that his diet (vegan) lifestyle had nothing to do with it. If fact, there is much research, including The China Study, that provides strong evidence that healthy vegan diets help prevent cancer. As Dr. McDougall says, "his (Jobs') lifelong vegan diet probably prolonged his life." It is very sad that such a remarkable (albeit imperfect) man, who contributed so much to the world, was taken from us so prematurely.

Red Meat Linked to Diabetes

2011-12-30T13:48:00.001-05:00

Dr. Gabe Mirkin (left) is one of the best health experts/bloggers on the internet. During my years as a runner, I read many of Dr. Mirkin's books. He is a graduate of Harvard University and Baylor University College of Medicine. Although I do not agree with everything he advocates, he has been delivering his excellent health messages on the radio for 25 years. I receive his periodic newsletter. His recent article on the link between red meat and diabetes appears below.

The largest study to date shows that eating red meat every day increases risk of diabetes by 19 percent (American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, October 2011). Researchers analyzed data on 204,157 men and women who were followed from 14 to 28 years in the Health Professionals Study and the Nurses Studies. They found that eating processed meat (one hot dog or two slices of bacon) daily increased risk by more than 50 percent. They also found that substituting other protein sources for red meat markedly reduces diabetes risk. The most effective foods were whole grains, nuts, fish, poultry and low-fat dairy products. Beans are also an excellent substitute for red meat.

Another study found that meat-eating adults are four times more likely to develop diabetes than vegetarians in just two years of follow-up (Nutrition, Metabolism & Cardiovascular Diseases. published online October 10, 2011). The authors followed 15,200 men and 26,187 women in the U.S. and Canada who were free of diabetes. Two years later diabetes had developed in 0.54 percent of vegans, 1.08 percent of lacto-ovo vegetarians, 1.29 percent of pesco-vegetarians, 0.92 percent of semi-vegetarians and 2.12 percent of non-vegetarians.

PROBABLE MECHANISM: Before insulin can do its job of driving sugar into cells, it must first attach to special hooks on cells called insulin receptors. The saturated animal fat in meat prevents insulin from attaching to its receptors. As a result, blood sugar levels rise and a person is at increased risk for developing diabetes.
NITRATES AND IRON: Meat is also high in nitrites and nitrates which block insulin receptors. Processed meats have even higher levels of nitrates because they are added as preservatives. Red meat contains high levels of extremely absorbable heme iron that can damage the beta cells that
produce insulin.

Comments: Dr. Mirkin reports that the study supports substituting other protein sources for red meat as a good way to reduce diabetes risk. He lists whole grains, nuts, fish, poultry, low-fat dairy products and beans as good red meat substitutes. In the other study cited by Dr. Mirkin, vegans had a substantially lower risk of diabetes than lacto-ovo vegetarians, pesco-vegetarians, semi-vegetarians and non-vegetarians. My recommendation is to eliminate all animal-based protein sources, including all dairy, including low fat dairy. The vegan whole foods plant-based lifestyle is the best way to keep diabetes risk as low as possible.

Intermittent Fasting for Health and Energy or Skipping Breakfast | Frederic Patenaude Raw Foods Diet

2011-12-28T09:47:00.000-05:00

Intermittent Fasting for Health and Energy or Skipping Breakfast | Frederic Patenaude Raw Foods Diet

I have written a few posts on the potential value of intermittent fasting, i.e., periodically going for an extended period 14-24 hours without eating. Frederic Patenaude (pictured left), a raw foods diet advocate, has written a brief article on the subject that I share here. Click on the link above or here to read Patenaude's article.

I believe that there may be health benefits from intermittent fasting for some people. Patenaude does list some cautions, and I would second the fact that this might not be compatible with some medical conditions. However, I typically skip breakfast and do not eat from about 8 pm to late morning or noon the next day. Some days I have only a small amount of fruit in the morning before exercising, and then eat a normal (vegan) meal in the early afternoon following a workout, and then a larger dinner. I have plenty of energy for the workout. This two meal a day routine with a daily 14 hour or so fast routine has become a habit, which I am pleased with.

In addition to the benefits I have listed in my posts cited below, I believe that I sleep better if I don't eat for several hours before bed time, and that my energy levels during the day are higher, not lower, if I skip breakfast, or only have a small amount of fruit in the morning.

My previous posts on this subject can be found here and here.

Intense Resistance and Anaerobic Training

2011-12-20T17:12:00.000-05:00

I have recently made a major shift in my fitness program. Last July, after experiencing some burnout from several months of high volume cycling (5800 miles in six months), I retreated to the gym for some diversion. I began slowly, but soon was doing four sessions per week of rather intense resistance training. After almost six months I am still at it. I have significantly reduced my long slow distance cycling and increased my resistance and anaerobic training. Here's why.

The bottom line is that I have concluded that resistance training, combined with anaerobic training (sprints and intervals) is better for my overall health and fitness. Cycling, of course, is excellent for cardiac fitness and building/maintaining muscle mass in your lower body. I noticed, however, that, as I age, I was losing muscle mass in my upper body. Also, I had fallen into a pattern of doing mostly long, slow bike workouts which consumed lots of time, often 15 - 20 hours per week. The training that I do now is more effective at building fitness and usually takes about 5-7 hours per week. I especially appreciate the visible muscle mass development and fat loss that has occurred during the last few months. I have also developed a stronger, firmer core, especially abdominal and lower back muscles.

Let me be clear. I do not believe that there is one best fitness program. Each individual should find the program that meets their needs. Cycling is an excellent exercise. When combined with some weight training, and incorporating intense interval and hill workouts will provide outstanding overall results. While I still go out on my bike a few times per month, my main emphasis is in the gym, at least for now. I have become a gym rat.

My inspiration for specific workouts have come from Richard Winett and Charles Staley. Winett's website and newsletter provides excellent training advice, especially for senior bodybuilders. For the past month or so, I have been trying Staley's Escalating Density Training (EDT) workouts. Staley thinks "outside the box" when it comes to resistance training. Many weight training programs emphasize multiple sets of the same exercise and lifting heavy weights to failure. Traditionalists also prescribe doing multiple exercises per body part during each training session. The emphasis is on 'attacking' muscle groups with increasing stress and from various angles. There is usually relatively little attention given to building optimal endurance and cardiac fitness.

On the other hand, most aerobic training programs do the opposite. The focus is on building cardiac fitness, endurance and speed, with relatively little emphasis on all-around muscle development and strength. Staley's workouts offer a combination of muscle growth together with anaerobic training, which he claims builds all-around fitness, including cardiac fitness, and results in faster fat loss. His workouts can stand alone as a fitness regimen or used to improve performance in specific sports.

Central to EDT is to perform as much work as possible within a specific amount of time. In Staley's words, "How can I organize sets, reps and rest intervals in such a way that I can perform the most amount of work in a pre-determined frame of time?" Instead of performing multiple sets of exercises for several body parts over an undefined period of time, Staley's program divides a resistance training session into two or three defined periods, usually 15 minutes each. The goal is to perform as much high intensity work within these time periods (called personal record (PR) zones). The goal is to improve by gradually increasing the amount of work done in each PR zone building strength, muscle mass, endurance and cardiac capacity.

To optimize work output, EDT organizes the exercises, number of sets and rest periods to expend the most energy possible within a PR zone. During each PR zone two (sometimes three) exercises are performed. Antagonistic muscles or muscles in different parts of the body are chosen, so that as one muscle group is worked, the other is rested. For example, a PR zone might include bench presses that work the chest muscles and seated rows that would work the antagonistic upper back muscles. Another example would be bicep curls combined with tricep extensions. In the latter example, the exerciser would start a stop watch set at 15 minutes and perform sets of bicep curls alternated with sets of tricep extensions. Each set would be composed of 5 repetitions of each exercise. The goal is to perform and record the total number of repetitions performed in each PR zone. The next time this PR zone is repeated the goal would be to increase the number of repetitions performed thus building strength and endurance.

Staley(pictured left) advises that the weight selected for each exercise should be the maximum that can be performed in one set of 10. For example, if 10, but not 11, repetitions can be done with 50 pounds, that is the appropriate weight. Then cut the number of repetitions per set in half. So if the 10 repetition maximum is 50 pounds, each PR zone set of that exercise would be 5 repetitions at 50 pounds. Here is an example of an EDT workout session incorporating two PR zones:

Warmup for 10 minutes on an exercise bike, treadmill or rowing machine.

Stretch for 5 minutes or so concentrating on the muscle groups to be used during the session.

PR1 (15 minutes): Bench Press/Seated Rows - Alternate exercises doing 5 reps of each per set. Use 10 rep maximum weight for each. For example, currently I would use 115 pounds for the bench press and 80 pounds for seated rows. Once I increase my PR zone workload (number of repetitions) by 20%, I would increase the weight by 5-10%. If my initial PR zone of this exercise set produced, for example, 100 repetitions, when I reach 120 repetitions I would increase the weight.

Rest - 5 minutes

PR2 (15 minutes): Squats/Leg curls - These sets alternatively work the front and back of the legs (quadriceps and hamstrings). I do 1 set (5 repetitions) of squats followed by 1 set (5 repetitions) of hamstring curls, then repeat this sequence as many times as possible within the allotted time, resting as often as needed. The rest periods are more frequent (and longer) toward the end of the PR zone period. Also as I fatigue I will usually decrease the number of repetitions per set.

After I complete two PR zones, I usually do 20 minutes or so of rowing or exercise bike followed by 5-10 minutes of stretching to complete the workout.

These are very intense workouts. Depending on fitness level, it is important to start easy and build up to higher and higher levels of intensity gradually to avoid injury. It is also important to use excellent form on each exercise, again to avoid injury and get the most benefit.

I have been doing these sessions three times per week. Each session typically lasts 1- 1 1/2 hours. I choose the exercises so that each muscle group is worked at least once per week. I incorporate abdominal/low back exercises 2-3 times per week

On off days, I rest or do aerobic workouts - walking or cycling. Each of the aerobic workouts incorporates anaerobic work including sprints and/or intervals. My total number of workouts per week is 4-5.

This combination of intense resistance training (EDT) combined with additional short 'bursts' of anaerobic training seems like a very effective training regimen. When combined with a healthy whole foods plant-based diet, we have two of the major components of an excellent lifestyle. I will continue to report on my progress as I gain more experience. For more information on Escalating Density Training see Charles Staley's website or his book.

Fighting breast cancer with flaxseeds

2011-12-02T23:09:00.000-05:00

Fighting breast cancer with flaxseeds

Dr. Joel Fuhrman has posted a valuable article about the high nutritional value of flaxseeds on his blog -- diseaseproof. Follow the above link to read the article.

Why I Do Not Eat Turkey

2011-11-22T21:17:00.001-05:00

Thanksgiving Day is this week. I spent some time today considering once again why, even on this holiday, I stick to my vegan whole foods plant-based diet. This graphic (mind map) details why I Do Not Eat Turkey. [Click on the image for a better view.] The mind map can be downloaded HERE.

This post was inspired by the following:

Talia Fuhrman's post at DiseaseProof.com.
Go Green with a Turkey-less Thanksgiving at EveryGreenThing website
6 Reasons to Avoid Factory Farmed Turkey at Green-Talk website

Fasting Experiment Journal

2011-11-13T18:23:00.001-05:00

(Click on Image to View)

Nov 13, 2011 08:21 AM - I woke this morning a 7:40 am. This is my third 24 hour fast in eight days. I am experimenting with fasting for 24 hours once or twice per week.

Why am I giving fasting a try? I have read several books and articles on the subject. Increasingly, the weight of the research evidence shows that intermittent fasting can have positive health and longevity benefits. Experiments in animals and humans lead to the conclusion that calorie restriction can reduce the risks of many common chronic diseases such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes, autoimmune diseases, etc. My specific reasons are as follows:

Fasting should assist me to maintain my weight, and perhaps result in some additional fat loss.
The research shows that short term intermittent fasting can result in overall calorie restriction, which has been shown to improve health and longevity.
Fasting will help me to further bring my hunger urges under control and recognize the differences between culturally-conditioned 'toxic' hunger and true hunger. Hopefully, this will help me to continue to improve my ability to avoid overeating.
There should be no 'side effects' from fasting. Research shows that my metabolism should not be adversely affected, that my blood sugar levels should stay normal, that I will not experience muscle loss or decreases in athletic performance. In fact, if I lose more body fat, my athletic performance should improve.
On days that I fast, I should actually feel good and may have even more energy.

Last night for dinner my wife prepared a large salad with organic mixed salad greens, boiled potatoes, steamed string beans, carrots, onions and small amounts of other vegetables. I had some nuts and dried fruit for dessert and finished eating for the day around 7 pm. Evenings after dinner around 10 pm I usually start getting hungry, and last night was no exception. However, I was reading and taking notes on a very interesting book, so I was able to distract myself and avoided breaking my fast.

When I awoke this morning at 7:40 am, I felt very good, full of energy. I drank a large glass of water, and had no desire to eat anything. My plan for today is to fast until about 5:30 pm. My fast will last 22 1/2 hours rather than 24 hours because we have a guest coming to the house at 6:30 pm and need to have completed dinner by that time.

My fasting schedule is very flexible. Although I plan to fast one or two days per week, the days that I fast are open. Currently, Thursday and/or Sundays work well because on those days I have scheduled no exercise, although at some point I intend to experiment with fasting on days that I do resistance training workouts. I probably will not fast on days that I do long bike rides. Although my experience is limited to three approximately 24 hour fasting days thus far, I have been pleased with the results. I do not feel any pressure to fast on a particular schedule, and I can adjust my fasting days to my and my family's activities. There is a certain liberation from not having to think about or prepare meals during the fasting days. Thus far, I find the 24 hour fast from after dinner starting around 7 pm until 7 pm the next day to be the most convenient time. The only meal that our family shares is dinner. I prepare my own breakfasts and lunches, so fasting on the 7 pm to 7 pm schedule does not interfere with my family's schedule and I do not miss meals with my wife and son.

People ask, "Aren't you uncomfortable during the fast?" Thus far, the answer is mostly no. I say 'mostly' because around 3-4 pm on the three fasting days I have done thus far, I do get hungry and have strong cravings to eat something. Up until that time, my hunger sensations are much less intense, and I can deal with them easily. It does take some 'will power' to go from about 4 pm to dinner time without snacking. During those periods I try to distract myself with some interesting activity to take my mind off my growing hunger. I have had no trouble completing the 24 hour fasts, and, for the most part, have enjoyed the experience. During fast days I feel 'lighter' and have lots of energy. I get a little energy dip towards the end of the 24 hour period.

I credit my good feelings during fasting in part to my whole foods plant-based diet, which has helped rid me of food cravings for junk food, refined sugar, dairy and meat. I don't crave those foods anymore. My diet is very high in fiber and rich in nutrients. I believe that such a diet makes it easier to go longer periods between meals. On normal days for the past couple of months I have not eaten from after dinner to about 10 am the next morning - a 14 hour fast. So, the combination of my diet and daily 14 hour overnight fasts have provided a good foundation for my periodic 24 hour fasts.

Today went fairly well. I started to get hungry around 2:30 pm. My throat got dry and I was drinking lots of water. Since I stayed busy this afternoon I could keep my mind off the slight physical discomfort, which got more intense as the afternoon wore on. I was never terribly uncomfortable, but around 5:00 pm I was really looking forward to dinner.

After 23 hours of fasting, dinner does taste special. One of the nice things about going longer than normal without food, is that the food tastes especially good when it finally arrives. We had cheese-less risotto with kale for dinner. It was delicious. I had some dates and nuts for dessert.

Overall, I like the fasting experience. I suspect that after a period of fasting practice, it will be a "piece of cake," so to speak.

Check out this 72 year old vegan

2011-11-11T21:44:00.001-05:00

Mimi Kirk was voted by PETA as the sexiest vegetarian woman over 50. Mimi is interviewed in the videos (below).

Like Mimi, I credit good health mostly to a whole foods plant-based diet. She is a raw vegan. My diet is about 60-70% raw. We both had been vegetarians, consuming some dairy for many years. I changed to 100% whole plant foods about 4 1/2 years ago. Mimi says she became a raw vegan 3 years ago. She is certainly a great health role model.

Overeating and Fasting

2011-11-10T14:22:00.000-05:00

I recently completed Brad Pilon's book Eat Stop Eat. This blog post is not intended to be a complete review of this book. Rather, I want to share some thoughts about the idea of doing interim, short term fasts as part of an overall health strategy. For a review of this book, check out CoachKeats Blog. Also, intermittent fasting is discussed on Marks Daily Apple.

In Eat Stop Eat, Pilon proposes that fasting once or twice per week for 24 hours is a very effective approach for both weight loss and overall health. According to Pilon, these intermittent fasts combined with an otherwise overall healthy diet will result in slow, steady weight loss, increased growth hormone levels, increased lipolysis and fat burning, decreased insulin levels and increased insulin sensitivity. He dismisses several of the myths surrounding fasting. He presents research that debunks the view that fasting decreases metabolism, and shows how brain functioning can actually be enhanced by restricting calories by fasting periodically. He discusses studies that shows that short periods of fasting will not cause muscle loss or significant deterioration in athletic performance.

Pilon's overall formula is simple...eat lots of fresh fruits of vegetables, other healthy foods, but do not stress over what you eat, fast once or twice per week, and do at least 2 sessions of resistance training per week. He claims that if you do a reasonable job of eating healthy and do not overeat on the days you do not fast, you should reap health and weight loss benefits. Pilon's advice regarding resistance training makes sense. The research shows that fasting and reasonable calorie restriction does not result in muscle loss if combined with resistance training. Pilon is more relaxed than I am about the correct food to eat. My intention is to continue to eat a whole foods plant-based diet as I incorporate periodic fasting.

I have only recently started to do weekly 24 hour fasts, so I am not yet able to provide support for this concept. On the few days that I have fasted, however, my energy and concentration levels are at least as good, if not better, than on other days. I start to feel a little uncomfortable after about 20 hours of fasting, but if I stay mentally or physically active during this period, and distract myself with activities, the 24 hour period goes by without any major negative issues. In fact, it is nice to have these periods without having to fuss about what to eat, and to devote time to food preparation. I may even be saving some money. I suspect that the more I fast, the easier it will be.

Since I have been consuming a very healthy whole foods plant-based diet for the past few years, I believe that I have 'trained' myself well for fasting. Therefore, my transition may be a bit smoother than those eating the standard American diet. Even those of us who attempt to eat a very healthy diet undoubtedly overeat because we are conditioned from childhood to eat frequently (at least three meals per day). I have found that as I have moved towards a whole foods plant-based diet made up mostly of low calorie, high nutrient foods with lots of fiber, I can go much longer between meals without feeling uncomfortable.

For example, on most days I stop eating after my evening meal, and don't feel hungry again until late the next morning. Admittedly, I have had to recently make a concerted effort to avoid late night snacking. For some reason, my hunger tends to be heightened at night. This is probably because I am home surrounded by lots of food and had gotten into the habit of eating at 9 or 10 at night. With a little conscious effort, and the realization that I am not truly hungry at this time because I just finished eating dinner a couple of hours ago, I have been able to wean myself away from night time eating. So most nights I finish dinner about 7 - 8 pm and, do not eat again until 10 am or so the next morning. I invariably start to feel somewhat hungry in the late morning after a 14 hour or so 'fast'. These routine 14 hour 'fasts' have made it easier for me to adjust to the longer 24 hour fasts.

In the process of experimenting with fasting, I have concluded that hunger is a very interesting phenomenon. On page 41 of Eat Stop Eat, Pilon states, "The true feeling of real hunger is difficult to explain and I’m not sure many of us have ever really experienced it. We have felt the withdrawal of not being able to eat when we wanted to, and the disappointment of not being able to eat what we wanted to, but true hunger is reserved for those who have gone weeks without eating and are not sure when or where their next meal will come from."

Joel Fuhrman, M.D. speaks of toxic hunger in his book Eat to Live, and provides a concise definition on his DiseaseProof blog. I have concluded that one of the components of a healthy lifestyle is to avoid eating in response to 'toxic hunger' or other psychological clues that cause us to snack. We will benefit by recognizing the difference between true and toxic hunger, and eating only when physiologically in need of food. In addition to the other health benefits of short fasts, experiencing longer periods between meals can help teach us to recognize the difference between true and culturally-conditioned hunger.

Fasting periodically also can be a way to decrease the overall number of calories consumed. Research has shown that calorie restriction can enhance longevity. Much has been written about this subject. One especially interesting article Biological Effects of Calorie Restriction: From Soup to Nuts by Stephen R. Spindler, Department of Biochemistry, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA provides an excellent overview of the topic.

So, in summary, I have decided to give once or twice per week 24 hour fasting a try for several reasons:

Fasting should assist me to maintain my weight, and perhaps result in some additional fat loss.
The research shows that short term intermittent fasting can result in overall calorie restriction, which has been shown to improve health and longevity.
Fasting will help me to further bring my hunger urges under control and recognize the differences between culturally-conditioned 'toxic' hunger and true hunger. Hopefully, this will help me to continue to improve my ability to avoid overeating.
There should be no 'side effects' from fasting. Research shows that my metabolism should not be adversely affected, that my blood sugar levels should stay normal, that I will not experience muscle loss or decreases in athletic performance. In fact, if I lose more body fat, my athletic performance should improve.
On days that I fast, I should actually feel good and may have even more energy.

One interesting point that Brad Pilon makes that I have not yet tested out is that one can exercise during short fasting periods without any problems. I assume that the exception would be extended endurance training. Otherwise, for exercise session lasting an hour or less, whether the exercise is aerobic or resistance training or both, fasting should not cause negative side effects. This seems counter-intuitive, but I intend to continue to exercise on days that I fast to see if my performance, my moods, or overall sense of well being are affected.

It will be interesting to see whether I can sustain these periodic fasts over a long period, and also avoid some of the potential pitfalls. For example, I need to resist the temptation to overeat, once the fast ends. Pilon advises that once the fast is over, pretend it never happened, and return to eating sensibly.

A very good book on the therapeutic benefits of fasting is Fasting and Eating for Health by Joel Fuhrman, M.D.

Let's Stand Up by Preventing Cancer

2011-11-06T13:30:00.002-05:00

The infomercials for Stand Up To Cancer awareness have appeared frequently on television in recent weeks. I am a baseball fan, and noticed that during the 2011 World Series, several promotions appeared touting Major League Baseball's support for this cancer awareness organization.

I observed that the Stand Up To Cancer spots were often sandwiched in between commercials for fast food chains.   The irony of these juxtaposed commercials was not lost on me.

Stand Up To Cancer is not responsible for the commercial content of major league baseball games, and I understand that the networks that broadcast games must support themselves with revenue from advertisements.    I thought it ironic, however, that commercials for fast food chains and public service announcements for cancer awareness and the fight against cancer found themselves as bedfellows during these broadcasts.

I mention this not to cast disparagement on Stand Up To Cancer or Major League Baseball. However, being curious, I visited Stand Up's website. The small print at the bottom of the organization's home page says, "Stand Up To Cancer is a program of the Entertainment Industry Foundation (EIF), a 501(c)3 tax-exempt organization." I admit to having an ulterior motive for taking the time to find out more about this organization. I wanted to see if Stand Up To Cancer played any role in the prevention of cancer. Most organizations of this type are heavily oriented towards research and treatment, and devote very little, if any, energy directed towards prevention. I long for the days when organizations that aim to eradicate cancer will devote some of their energies to the successful prevention that we know about ..... diet, exercise and other healthy lifestyle strategies.

First, I went to the page that stated Stand Up's mission statement. I was gratified to find the word prevention in the first paragraph which stated:

"We now understand the very biology that drives cancer. With knowledge gained from the mapping of the human genome, we can now target the genes and pathways that are involved in turning normal cells into cancerous ones. We are on the brink of possessing a toolbox full of new, advanced technologies just waiting to be adapted to benefit patients. Right before us, so close we can almost touch them, are scientific breakthroughs in the prevention (emphasise mine), detection, treatment and even reversal of this disease."

Nevertheless, my further diving into the content of Stand Up To Cancer's website showed that this is clearly an organization whose main purpose is to raise funds and promote research to cure, rather prevent cancer. The focus is on human genome research and drug and other treatment and on the "biology that drives cancer", rather than the environmental conditions and human behavior that causes cancer. We certainly need better cancer treatments. At least as important, if not more so, is for organizations such as this to use a major portion of their funding to conduct more research on prevention strategies. They should also recognize the excellent research that has already been conducted clearly demonstrating the lifestyle causes of cancer….poor diet, lack of exercise, low nutrient levels, obesity, etc…..and use some of their resources to educate the public about how to keep cancer from occurring in the first place.

Why, the lack of emphasis on prevention? Because research follows the money, and the money is to study human genome science and invent drug and other therapies that will generate lots of revenue to the medical, pharmaceutical and scientific communities. Dr. Joel Fuhrman makes this point very well on a recent post on his blog DiseaseProof. Dr. Fuhrman, referring to Breast Cancer Awareness Month says, "It is obvious this pink product promotion kick is all about promoting mammograms so radiologists can make more money." He also states that often these breast cancer awareness organizations are "affiliated with drug companies and mammogram machine companies. They are also supported by companies such as Omaha Steaks, Pretzel Crisps, Boar’s Head Meats, General Mills, and ACH Foods (which makes margarine and cooking oils for fast food restaurants)."

Stand Up To Cancer has many sponsors listed on its website including McDonald's, Tasti D Lite, Appleby's, and Hershey's. They are also closely affiliated with Amgen, a pharmaceutical company, and Cancer Treatment Centers of America. Stand Up To Cancer's 'partner/heroes' are listed here.   The organization is closely affiliated with The American Association of Cancer Research, which lists on its website these corporate sponsors - Amgen, Astrazeneca, Bayer, Bristol Myers Squibb, Lilly, Johnson and Johson, and many other pharmaceuticals.

With these sponsor-types, organizations such as Stand Up To Cancer turn a blind eye to some of the most promising noninvasive, no side effect weapons against this dreadful disease. What a tragedy. I long for the days when the 'super-hero' advocates for eradicating cancer understand that many of the most effective ways to keep cancer at bay cannot be found in the medical-industrial complex, but are as obvious as the food on our plates.

The Gentle Barn, a very special place

2011-10-28T17:35:00.000-04:00

I just spent some time reading over Ellen DeGeneres's blog. Ellen is a vegan, and she has some terrific information about the vegan lifestyle. Check it out here. Also, see this video of Ellen and her spouse talking about The Gentle Barn, a very unique animal rescue shelter.

video platform video management video solutions video player

The Amazing Power of Excellent Nutrition

2011-10-28T08:54:00.000-04:00

This brief video provides an overview of the amazing benefits of a whole foods plant-based diet. Included are summaries of the work of Caldwell B. Esselstyn, Jr. M.D. and other health providers who have demonstrated that poor diet is the primary cause of chronic diseases that prematurely take the lives of millions of Americans each year.

Rave Diet Eating Dvd With Mike Anderson, Cure Cancer Naturally from James Rota on Vimeo.

Eating Healthy on a Mediterranean Cruise

2011-10-27T10:15:00.000-04:00

I have been quiet on my blog for the past couple of weeks because my wife and I were on a great adventure -- our 25th anniversary cruise in the Mediterranean. The picture to the left was taken in Monte Carlo during the last day of our 10 day odyssey.

The cruise started on October 11 in Venice. Our Oceana ship carried us to Dubrovnik, Corfu (Greek Islands), Sicily, Amalfi, Livorno/Pisa, La Spezia (Tuscanny), and Monte Carlo. This was a vacation of a lifetime. We had a terrific time.

One of my modest worries prior to starting the cruise was whether I could stay true to my whole foods plant-based eating style while away from home for so long. Cruises are known for overindulging their guests in rich foods. Of course, I was prepared to compromise, but I needn't have been concerned because the staff of the Oceana ship, Marina, went out of their way to accommodate. There were multiple restaurants on the ship, and every one of them either had healthy vegan options on the menu, or, if not, were willing to prepare a dish to my needs. This was true even in the specialty restaurants. There was a French, Italian, Asian, and steak house restaurant on board. I had a great meal in all these restaurants thanks to a very accommodating staff. In Jacques (the French restaurant), for example, the head waitress put together a special meal of some very nicely prepared vegetables for me.

Now you might be thinking, why didn't I just "go with the flow" since this was a very special vacation? The answer is that I did not have to. There were no sacrifices involved in any of the vegan meals prepared for me. There were mostly all delicious, some even exotic. We ate breakfast at a buffet restaurant that had a outside patio. Each morning we went through the buffet line, selected our food, and sat with beautiful views of the Mediterranean and our port of call for that day. I usually selected tropical fruits, dried fruits and nuts, and oatmeal. I ate some of the dried fruit/nuts, but also stored away a nice supply of the delicacies in a baggy for snacking throughout the day.

Lunch was often eaten on shore, and even there, I was usually able to order a nice large salad with lots of interesting ingredients. Lunches on the ship were taken in the same buffet-style restaurant where we ate breakfast. They always has great salad, and vegetable and fruit options. Dinners were in one of the specialty restaurants or the ship's dining room. In Red Ginger (the Asian restaurant), there were several good options. The one I choose was a Pad Thai dish, made special for me without egg. Every restaurant on board had a fresh fruit option for dessert. The Italian restaurant prepared a pasta dish with a fresh tomato sauce, a large salad and lots of steamed vegetables. All I had to do was ask, and they went out of their way to accommodate. The key was to not be afraid to ask, and be very specific as to my requirements.

Airports on the trip to and from the cruise had very few good options, but I solved that by loading my carry-on backpack with lots of fresh fruit, dried fruit/nuts, and chopped veggies. Even though the trips to and from were very long and arduous, I had enough food stored away to keep me happy. Good thing, because even though my wife ordered a vegan meal for me on both legs of the trip, what was delivered to my seat was overcooked and horrid.

Although I only got one day of formal exercise in the ship's very well-equipped health club, most every day we walked for several miles during our port tours. In Pisa I climbed the 289 steep steps from the bottom to the top of the Leaning Tower. During our walking tours near La Spezia, one of the little towns on the coast, had a steep winding outside staircase with almost 400 steps and spectacular views of the Mediterranean. So, I even got a little hill climbing training. Upon returning home, I felt well rested and ready to resume my normal workout routine.

Although there were some compromises I had to make along the way, for the most part I stayed true to my whole foods plant-based eating style for this entire wonderful journey.

World's Healthiest Foods

2011-10-04T08:38:00.000-04:00

Follow this link to Dr. Joel Fuhrman's blog, DiseaseProof, and read about the amazing health benefits of these foods: GOMBBS: Greens, Onions, Mushrooms, Berries, Beans, and Seeds

Multi-Tasking for Fitness

2011-09-29T22:10:00.000-04:00

Since the early part of July I have been evolving my fitness training from an exclusive focus on cycling to a more varied routine that is intended to provide better overall fitness. My current routine is what I call Multi-Tasking for Fitness and is inspired by several experts, especially Richard Winett, whose website ageless-athletes.com has loads of great information on strength training for seniors. The second is Phil Graham, a coach who subscribes to a combination of strength training, cardiovasular work, stretching and intense sprint/interval based training. Graham's book Ready, Set, Go Synergy Fitness is an excellent resource for those wanting to achieve peak fitness and athletic success at any age. I have also incorporated more stretching in my workouts based on the advise from The Stretching Institute, which provides some great stretching resources.

My weekly workouts include four sessions of strength training done Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. I do an alternating two-way split routine - upper body/lower body. I incorporate 20-30 minutes of cardiovascular training either on an indoor recumbent cycling trainer or a rowing machine 2-3 times per week. I do a longer, outdoor training session on my bike, which typically last 2-3 hours in length. Within the overall cardiovascular work, I include two intense sprinting routines called the Sprint 8. I do Sprint 8 either indoors or outdoors.

I call this multi-tasking because I do more than one dimension to my training every session. The multi-tasking approach is described in detail in Phil Graham's book. I often do strength/stretch/cardio in one session, and outdoor cardio/sprint in another, for example. My weekly goal is to do four strength, four cardiovascular (including two Sprint 8), and 3-4 stretching sessions. During my strength training, I am reducing the time between exercise sets to add cardiovascular intensity.

This is admittedly a quite ambitious program. I will report back as to my ability to stay motivated with this program. So far, I am enjoying it very much. My overall fitness is improving. You can see my workout logs on my training blog.

Great Advice for Senior Bodybuilders

2011-09-24T22:00:00.000-04:00

I have been spending much of my training time since early July in the gym doing strength training workouts. Two of the best websites that I have found that provide excellent information about strength training and bodybuilding are Logan Franklin's Gray Iron Fitness, and Ageless Athletes by Richard Winett. Both of these websites are oriented to senior athletes, and both provide indepth training tips, that help us make gains in strength and muscle preservation, while avoiding injury. Logan Franklin is in his early 70's (1st picture) and Richard Winett is in his mid-60's (2nd picture). Dr. Winett's picture was taken a few years ago, but he still looks great and has maintained excellent health and fitness well past 60.

On his Ageless Athletes site, Richard Winett's recently posted a summary of his lessons learned based upon many years of bodybuilding experience. I have found this advice valuable in my own training. You can find Dr. Winett's post here.

I have been following Winett's strength training program for several weeks and have found it to be very beneficial. My muscle strength, definition and size have steadily increased, especially in the upper body. In summary, Dr. Winett advises:

Work out with moderate, not heavy resistance. What is most important in effective weight training is using moderate resistance and do each repetition of the exercise slowly.

Use controlled repetitions, good form, good range of motion and controlled transitions.
Perform reasonable volume and intensity. He advises several exercises per body part, one set per exercise and do an upper body/lower body 2 way split routine.
Each exercise should focus on a specific muscle group. That muscle group should be worked with optimal focus and effort.
Workouts should be oriented toward a specific purpose, the age of the trainer, and with an emphasis on preserving good function and range of motion.
He advises against hard or long cardiovascular exercise during periods when the trainer wants to make maximum progress on strength and building muscles. He builds in cardiovascular exercise, but the workouts are less intense than some advise. He favors lots of moderate exercise to sessions which are too long and hard, and which might detract from recovery.
He also advises that it is not necessary to vary your routine that much, once you have found a program that works.
Nevertheless, we should strive for constant improvement in focus, form, and reasonable decreases in the amount of time between exercise.

Both Logan Franklin and Richard Winett publish periodic newsletters, which can be subscribed to on their websites.

So What's Your Jack Daniels?

2011-09-20T15:25:00.000-04:00

So what's your Jack Daniels?

Is food really addicting? Is that why it is SO hard to give up the unhealthy foods we have eaten all our lives and that are making us fatter and sicker? The answer is yes. Click on the link above and read Emily Boller's description of the Jack Daniels Syndrome. Emily posted this on Dr. Fuhrman's blog diseaseproof.com.

The picture is Emily Boller before and after switching to a whole foods plant-based diet.

Raw Vegan Diets can Reverse Diabetes

2011-09-18T23:03:00.001-04:00

Dr. Gabriel Cousens, who founded the Tree of Life Rejuvenation Center in Arizona has shown some phenomenal results in treating both type I and type II diabetes with a raw vegan diet. Take a look at this video. It takes you into his center and shows the experiences of several patients who stayed with the program for 30 days. The video, Simply Raw, is about an hour and a half long, but well worth watching.

The video is HERE.

Sprint 8 Workouts

2011-09-11T10:39:00.000-04:00

I watched a video this morning by Joseph Mercola, M.D. that answered some questions that I have been having about my workouts. For most of my life I have been doing long slow distance training. When I was younger I did mostly running. Inspired by Kenneth Cooper, M.D., I started running and kept it up for many years doing several marathons. I switched to cycling many years ago, but continued to do mainly long slowish distances (LSD) and have completed many century bike rides.

In early July of this year, I began to feel burned out by the constant LSD training. I also felt like I was losing upper body muscle mass by not exercising these muscles on a regular basis. So, I returned to the gym and have been doing 3-4 times per week intense strength training workouts per week, while continuing my bike training, but at a much less frequent rate....2-3 times per week. The strength training and higher intensity workouts were a nice change and I felt that I was beginning to build up my upper body muscles, and becoming more generally fit. My conclusion is that I need to do both LSD and more intense training, especially muscle building exercises on a regular basis.

The Mercola videos presented an approach to exercise that I have never done before. The program involves short workouts that include 8 intervals of very hard sprints that would get my heart rate way up to 160 bpm or so. Each hard interval would be followed by a rest period. The theory is that these hard sprints lasting 30 seconds each boost the production of growth hormone that burns fat both during and for 2 hours following this intense exercise session. Short periods of intense exercise also have the beneficial effect of building up the fast twitch muscle fibers that contribute to overall strength and power. Dr. Mercola recommends doing this workout 3 times per week. Each session would last 20 minutes with 4 minutes of very intense sprinting. The exercise routine is based upon the book Ready, Set, Go Synergy Fitness by Phil Graham. Below is a video that demonstrates this approach.

The routine is done on a stationary recumbent trainer. I have a Vision Fitness recumbent trainer in my home gym. I checked and found that my trainer has an built in program for the Sprint 8 workout, so it will be easy for me to get started with these workouts. I am going to try this for a few weeks and will report back about my impressions of the workout.

Whole Foods Plant-Based Nutrition and Your Health

2011-09-06T23:42:00.002-04:00

A couple of years ago I lead a seminar on plant-based nutrition with a local group of about 2 dozen participants. Today, I updated this presentation and converted it to a format that I could share on this blog. The presentation provides an overview of my thinking about plant-based eating styles. It is based on the collective work of several experts -- Joel Fuhrman, M.D., Caldwell Esselstyn, M.D., John McDougall, M.D., T. Colin Campbell, Ph.D. and others. In addition to providing the fundamentals of a plant-based diet, it also includes a short personal journey. As a vegetarian for over 25 years, I took the next step toward this eating style in 2007. Since then, I have become a student and advocate of this way of eating.

To view the presentation click HERE.

Or, view it below:

Whole Foods Plant-Based Nutrition and Your Health on Prezi

Things Healthcare Consumers Need to Know

2011-09-06T12:53:00.005-04:00

Recently, I have been reading some excellent books on the health system. This presentation summarizes my thoughts drawn from my experience as a health facility administrator and consultant, plus many books about how we should be using the health system. In the modern era of corporate medicine, and health industry marketing, it is important to be a wise and well-informed health consumer. My presentation is designed to help navigate the hazardous waters of today's medical care system.

I drew heavily from the excellent book Doctor, Your Patient Will See You Now by Steven Z. Kussin, M.D.

You can view my presentation HERE.

More from CNN's Sanja Gupta on Food as Medicine

2011-08-31T16:48:00.000-04:00

As a followup to The Last Heart Attack, which was recently aired on CNN, Dr. Sanja Gupta had more to say about preventing and reversing heart disease with food. Watch this! Maybe the word will finally get out and sink in.

From: On Being Ill by Virginia Woolfe

2011-08-31T15:23:00.002-04:00

This is the first sentence of Virginia Woolf's essay, On Being Ill. She argues that illness should command a more visible presence in literature. Her words are quite profound.

"Considering how common illness is, how tremendous the spiritual change that it brings, how astonishing, when the lights of health go down, the undiscovered countries that are then disclosed, what wastes and deserts of the soul a slight attack of influenza brings to view . . . it becomes strange indeed that illness has not taken its place with love, battle, and jealousy among the prime themes of literature. Novels, one would have thought, would have been devoted to influenza; epic poems to typhoid; odes to pneumonia, lyrics to toothache. But no; . . . literature does its best to maintain that its concern is with the mind; that the body is a sheet of plain glass through which the soul looks straight and clear, and, save for one or two passions such as desire and greed, is null, and negligible and non-existent."(1)

(1) On Being Ill is an essay by Virginia Woolf that appeared in T. S. Eliot's The Criterion in January, 1926; The essay was later reprinted, with revisions, in Forum in April 1926, under the title Illness: An Unexploited Mine. (Description from Wikipedia)

Guidelines for Healthy Nutrition and Weight Loss

2011-08-30T19:36:00.001-04:00

One of my sons is in the process of improving his diet. I developed this mind map with a summary of guidelines for him to follow. I am sharing it here for others who would like to make permanent changes in their nutrition.

The Last Heart Attack

2011-08-29T08:18:00.001-04:00

Last night CNN did a special titled The Last Heart Attack. You can follow this link to watch the 41 minute video. The special features former President Bill Clinton, who has switched to a whole foods plant-based diet, and, according to his doctors, has greatly increased his chances of never having another heart attack. Dean Ornish, M.D., who advised Clinton on his new nutrition program and Caldwell Esselstyn, M.D., author of Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease, are featured.

Treating Patients by Doing Nothing

2011-08-22T20:10:00.001-04:00

Water-only Fasting: Treating Patients by Doing Nothing - Interview with Dr. Alan Goldhamer from Aron Choi on Vimeo.

For a few years, I have been following the work of the TrueNorth Health Center in Santa Rosa, California. This unique Center treats patients by focusing on lifestyle changes, namely diet, exercise and sleep, which they consider to be medicine's primary sources of prevention, wellness and reversal of disease. According to Dr. Alan Goldhamer, one of the Center's founders and a principle health provider everything else that medicine does to treat chronically ill patients is window dressing compared to making drastic lifestyle changes. The Center has been extremely successful in treating chronic conditions such as heart disease, diabetes and autoimmune diseases with water fasting, a whole foods plant-based diet, exercise and improvements in sleep habits. As Dr. Goldhamer says in this video, the patients that he and his colleagues treat must be highly motivated to make these changes, but if they do the clinical outcomes, even with seriously ill patients, is very favorable. This 36 minute video describes the work of the Center, including patient care and research.

Many Doctors Ignore Guidelines, Order Annual Pap Test

2011-08-19T07:35:00.002-04:00

This article appeared recently on WebMD. I am very interested in promoting sound, conservative medical care. For more information on the appropriate use and abuse of early disease detection, I highly recommend Overdiagnosed by H. Gilbert Welch, M.D.

Survey Suggests Doctors May Be Overscreening for Cervical Cancer

By Denise Mann
WebMD Health News

Reviewed by Laura J. Martin, MD

Aug. 18, 2011 -- Many doctors still recommend yearly Pap tests to screen for cervical cancer even though the guidelines suggest that some women can wait three years between negative tests, a survey shows.
The new findings appear in the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology.
Overscreening for cervical cancer can result in unnecessary follow-up tests and procedures, which cause stress and pain for the women and increase costs.
In 2011, there will be an estimated 12,710 new cases of invasive cervical cancer diagnosed and about 4,290 women will die from cervical cancer, according to the American Cancer Society.
During a standard Pap test, a doctor scrapes cells from a woman's cervix and a lab examines these cells for changes indicating precancer or cancer.
A test for human papilloma virus (HPV), which is a common cause of cervical cancer, is sometimes performed in addition to a Pap test. The HPV test is optional and can be used as a screen along with the Pap test in women age 30 and older and those who have unclear Pap test results.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends that cervical cancer screening be performed every three years in women who are 30 and older who are at average risk for cervical cancer and who have had three previous normal Pap tests.

What Are Your Cancer Risks?

Yearly Pap Tests Still Popular

Researchers analyzed data from two 2006 surveys to determine cervical screening practices and recommendations by doctors. The majority of doctors continued to recommend annual cervical screening for women in which the guidelines suggest waiting three years between negative Pap tests.
About 51% of the doctors ordered the HPV co-test as opposed to the Pap test alone, the study shows.
"If only half are using the co-test, there is a lack of understanding about the guidelines," says study researcher Katherine Roland, a behavioral scientist at the CDC. "Women should discuss with their provider whether they are eligible for extended intervals between testing or not based on the type of test that is ordered and their results."
When the researchers asked a group of doctors to make a cervical screening recommendation based on three scenarios involving women aged 30 to 60 with a normal Pap test, most doctors said they would screen annually. In each of these scenarios, however, the guidelines call for waiting three years between tests.
As to why there is a disconnect, Roland and colleagues can only speculate because the study did not look at reasons behind these screening decisions.
"There might be resistance because of patient preference for annual screening, a fear of litigation or lack of awareness of the guidelines," she says. There may also be financial incentives for doctors and labs to run these tests more frequently than the guidelines recommend, she says.

Yearly Pap Tests Still Popular continued...

Study co-researcher Mona Saraiya, MD, of the CDC's division of cancer prevention and control, says, "Patients are playing a really key role in affecting provider behaviors, so they can say if they want to be screened with the Pap test or new HPV-co test."
Mark H. Einstein, MD, a gynecologic oncologist at Montefiore Medical Center in New York City, explains some of the dangers associated with over-screening for cervical cancer. "There is quite a bit of over-screening in women in the U.S., which ultimately leads to over-management and over-treatment," he says.
"Providers may be aware of guidelines, but to a large degree, they are not completely following them," Einstein says. "Explaining to a patient that they don't need annual testing and why it is detrimental can be a tricky conversation."
The women who are most likely to get cervical cancer haven't had screening in five years, he says.

HDL: is higher really better?

2011-08-05T13:31:00.003-04:00

Follow this link to gain a better understanding about HDL from Dr. Joel Fuhrman.

I have been confused about HDL. For over four years, I have followed a whole foods plant-based diet. As a result my total cholesterol has been reduced from 220 to 154, my LDL (bad cholesterol) is at 92, my triglycerides in the low 100s. This is all good, but my HDL, the good cholesterol, the type of cholesterol that transports the artery clogging type of cholesterol back to the liver, hangs around 40, which is 'borderline.'

In this article, Dr. Fuhrman emphasizes that good cholesterol will not necessarily go up when we adopt a better diet. Also, in my case, I exercise MUCH more than most people. Exercise is supposed to raise HDL and provide extra protection against coronary artery disease. With great diet and lots of exercise my HDL level is still of concern. But, as Dr. Fuhrman points out, sometimes when total cholesterol falls, both HDL and LDL fall as well. If your lifestyle is healthy, your total cholesterol is low and your LDL is in good shape, HDL levels should not be a worry.

The bottom line - our lifestyle, especially the food that we eat is the best determinant of heart attack risk. Some doctors might prescribe a medication to raise my HDL. It is clear to me, that would be a big mistake.

Progress on a High Raw Foods Diet

2011-07-26T20:16:00.002-04:00

For several months, I have been reading about, and experimenting with a diet with a higher concentration of raw foods. Raw food advocates claim that uncooked foods are healthier than cooked foods. As I said in my previous post on the topic, I will stay with the Nutritarian approach with is high in raw fruits, vegetables, with some raw nuts/seeds, but also includes some cooked food because I am convinced that some cooked foods such as steamed vegetables, vegetable and bean-based soups, vegetarian chili, and even some whole grain pasta dishes are nutritious and supply needed calories for my highly active lifestyle.

In his book Raw Controversies, Frederic Patenaude (pictured here) outlines some of the pros and cons of 100% raw diets versus high raw diets. He defines high raw diet as about 80% raw. Patenaude's overview of 100% raw diets can be summarized as follows:

Pros:

Elimination of foods that are harmful to health such as animal foods (although some animal foods can be eaten raw), dairy, grains, wheat gluten, MSG, processed foods, fried foods and excess animal fat. Although animal foods can be eaten raw, this is not advisable because uncooked meats can transmit disease.
Increased energy
Consistency, i.e., develop the lifelong habit of only eating whole natural foods.
Supports an active lifestyle due to the ease of digestion of these foods plus their nutrient density.
Requires less sleep

Cons:

Social isolation, i.e., raw foodists can find it difficult to eat in many social situations and in many restaurants
Quantity of food needed to meet calorie requirements, especially for highly active people. Athletes need to plan their meals very carefully.
Body sensitivity, i.e., Patenaude claims that "The purer a diet becomes, the more sensitive your body becomes." For example, raw foodists can be extremely sensitive to medications, and are at higher risk for adverse reactions to medicines.
More cariogenic, i.e., raw foodists are more prone to dental caries because the high fruit content of their diet.

On the other hand, mostly raw diets have the advantage of being more compatible with a typical American social life, offer more flexibility, are more compatible with family life, offer a wide variety of foods, supply a higher concentration of calories, and add the enjoyment of healthy cooked meals.

I believe that some cooked foods such as soups, stews and steamed vegetables offer variety and additional nutrients to the diet. Also, cooking vegetables, especially cruciferous vegetables can increased the bioavailability of some nutrients.

My diet is about 70% raw. My ideal cooked foods include whole wheat tortillas, lentils, beans, brown rice, steamed broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, kale, collard greens, and lettuce. I find that eating a raw breakfast, usually a green smoothie, a mostly raw lunch and some cooked foods for dinner offers me an ideal combination of high nutrition, relatively low calories, convenience, sufficient calories to fuel my cycling and strength training, variety, the ability to eat in social situations, and ease of eating during traveling.

If you will double click on the image to the left, you will see a summary of the nutrition for the past three weeks on a high raw diet. I record my food in a computer program Cron-O-meter.

During this three week period, my average calorie intake was about 2800, and I met well over 100% of my nutritional requirements for every nutrient except vitamin E, which was just under 100%. If I ate more nuts, such as raw almonds, I would exceed my requirement for vitamin E. I estimate that my net calories, adjusting for exercise, is about 1900-2000 per day. I have lost a few pounds during this period and should probably up my calories to maintain my weight.

Macronutrients break down about 75% carbohydrates, 17% fat and 8% protein. People ask whether I am getting sufficient protein. The answer is yes. I will address this in another post.

The Downside of Early Disease Detection

2011-07-23T21:07:00.001-04:00

Several months ago I read "Overdiagnosed: Making People Sick in the Pursuit of Health" by H. Gilbert Welch, Lisa Schwartz and Steven Woloshin of Dartmouth. This book presents an excellent case for the dangers of too much early disease detection such as Mammograms, PSA exams, Colonoscopies, etc. An interview with Dr. Welch appeared in the Washington Post in February, 2011. I provide a copy of that interview here.

Insuring your health: Book argues against unnecessary medical intervention
Michelle Andrews
Tuesday, February 8, 2011; E04

In a new book, "Overdiagnosed: Making People Sick in the Pursuit of Health," Dartmouth researchers and physicians H. Gilbert Welch, Lisa Schwartz and Steven Woloshin argue that the medical establishment's embrace of early diagnosis and treatment as the key to keeping people healthy actually does the opposite. Many of the patients for whom doctors order tests to look for medical maladies will never develop symptoms, much less get sick or die from these ailments. This "overdiagnosis," the authors maintain, leads to costly, unnecessary medical interventions and promotes a culture of sickness rather than health. I spoke with Welch, a professor at Dartmouth's Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice, about what healthcare might look like if more people adopted their approach.

Prevention is at the heart of the health-reform law. New health plans are now required to cover for free all measures recommended by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, a group of medical experts that evaluates the effectiveness of preventive services. Their recommendations include screenings for osteoporosis, breast and colon cancer. Is this the right way to prevent disease and save the system money?
I'm a supporter of health-care reform. The country needs it. Do I have trouble with the emphasis on screening and annual check-ups? Sure. I don't think people fully understand the ramifications of early detection and that's why I'm raising questions about it in this book.
There's the idea that this kind of prevention - identifying medical problems in healthy people - will save money and improve people's health. It certainly won't save money. The reason is that early detection identifies so many new patients. Any savings from avoiding the cost of a few patients with advanced disease quickly evaporate in the face of the new cost of intervening early on millions of additional patients.

But will it improve health?
It may improve health for some, but it also harms the health of others. The reason is overdiagnosis: the detection of abnormalities in people who are never destined to develop symptoms - or die - from their condition. We don't know who these patients are, so we treat everybody. That means we are treating some people who can't benefit from treatment - because there's nothing to fix. But they can be harmed. The truth is it's hard to make a well person better, but it's not hard to make them worse.

Let's talk about a specific example. You discuss breast cancer screening in your book.
Whether a woman should get a mammogram is a personal decision because it's an incredibly close call. I believe mammography does help some women avoid a breast cancer death, but it's rare. Our best guess is that you have to screen 2,500 50-year-old women for 10 years in order to help one avoid a breast cancer death.
To be fair to patients, I believe we need to be clear about what happens to the other 2,499. Nearly half will have an abnormal mammogram over that period and have to worry about cancer needlessly. Half of them will have to go on to have a biopsy. And somewhere between 5 and 15 will be overdiagnosed and receive surgery, radiation and/or chemotherapy for a cancer that was never going to bother them.
No one can say what is the "right" thing to do. It's a personal choice.

Wellness programs for employees used to be pretty limited, offering discounted gym memberships perhaps, but not much else. Now they're moving into a new realm, with financial incentives for not smoking, and keeping blood pressure, cholesterol and BMI within recommended levels, for example. Is this a good move?
It depends. I have no problem with promoting general principles of good health: Eat right, exercise, don't smoke. Encouraging someone to watch their weight, without being too rigorous or obsessive about it, is reasonable. And people ought to know their blood pressure and cholesterol levels, and get treated if they're truly at high risk for problems.
But I do worry about two things. First, I believe the recommended thresholds for treating blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar have fallen too low. At those levels, the risk that treatment will cause an adverse event - like fainting, in the case of blood pressure medication - is too high. Wellness programs have to be careful not to become part of the problem.
Second, I get a little nervous about tying financial incentives to wellness goals. I don't want to punish sick people - particularly since they tend to be the most economically vulnerable.

You haven't had a routine physical since you were a child, and it's not recommended by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. Yet many health plans cover an annual physical and health care providers encourage it. Is it a waste of time?
If the annual physical is really what it says it is - a comprehensive physical exam to look for something that's wrong with you - it's a total waste of time. If it's an effort to connect with a physician and talk about the way things are going, without looking for lumps and bumps, then having that annual visit may be a good thing.

A healthy lifestyle could cut Alzheimer's risk - CTV News

2011-07-19T21:42:00.001-04:00

A healthy lifestyle could cut Alzheimer's risk - CTV News

More Raw Foods

2011-07-18T20:08:00.005-04:00

I have been reading a lot about raw vegan diets over the past several weeks. The best so far have been Becoming Raw by Davis and Molina, Raw Food Controversies by Frederic Patenaude, 80-10-10 Diet by Douglas Graham and World Peace Diet by Will Tuttle. I have provided links to all these books in my book list on this blog. Each of these books provide unique perspectives on raw food eating styles.

My next several posts will provide my analysis, pro and con, of raw vegan diets. It is unlikely that I will go for 100% raw. First, I have concluded that a Nutritarian approach (Dr. Joel Fuhrman) is really ideal for excellent health and it is supported by thorough research. Dr. Fuhrman focuses on high nutrient, low calorie foods with a concentration on vegetables, especially green leafy vegetables and cruciferous vegetables, together with fresh fruit, beans/legumes, nuts/seeds. He recommends a mix of cooked and raw foods, which, as it turns out means that it is hard to eat less than 50% of raw foods by volume. I have been at about 60-70% raw for the past few months. My typical day will be a green smoothie in the morning, a large salad for lunch, perhaps with a whole wheat tortilla or pita, and some soup or other cooked vegan food for dinner. I feel excellent on this diet, am full of energy and seem to recover well from my workouts. For more information about a sample day follow this link to my Training Blog.

Raw whole foods are very easy on the digestion. I can drink a green smoothie an hour or so before my bike training, for example, and the meal doesn't affect my performance on the bike. Green smoothies are also excellent recovery drinks after a workout.

There are pros and cons to a high raw diet. On the plus side, eating raw is very natural for humans. Some raw foodists claim that humans were designed to eat mainly fruit. Today, many raw foodists on a 100% raw diet will eat something like 75-80% fruit, 10-20% raw vegetables and the rest from a small amount of raw nuts/seeds. The major three advantages of a raw diet are 1. the diet eliminates the foods that cause illnesses - processed foods high in salt, fat and sugar and meat/dairy, 2) eliminates the problems with cooking foods, and 3) the diet is very rich in disease preventing nutrients, phytochemicals and antioxidants.

Some raw foodists claim that cooking foods creates toxins and diminishes the nutritional value of foods. The research indicates that is is partially true. Charcoal grilled meat, for example, does produce harmful toxins. But, on the other end of the spectrum, lightly steamed vegetables are healthy, and soups that are loaded with vegetables are very healthy. Also cooked sweet potatoes are also a very good choice. So, to me, the ideal diet is one with over 50% of volume from raw foods and foods that are cooked should be high nutrient foods, cooked lightly. If vegetables are cooked, they should ideally be steamed for optimal health. As I said, for me the optimal combo seems to be 60-70% raw and 30-40% cooked all of which are high in nutritional value and low in calories. Nuts and seeds are excellent foods, although they are not low in calories and they are high in fat. Nuts and seeds should be eaten in small amounts, maybe 1-2 ounces per day.

One of the main questions about a mostly raw whole foods plant-based diet is "Where do you get your protein?" In fact, human protein needs are quite low (see The China Study). Humans seem to very nicely on protein (preferably from plant sources) composing no more than 10% of calories. This is easily achieved on a high raw whole foods plant-based diet. For several years, I have done very well on a diet that rarely exceeds 10% of calories from only plant proteins.

The main challenges of a high raw whole foods plant-based diet are that 1) it is a hard transition for many people, 2) eating this way poses challenges for one's social life, and 3) nutritional deficiencies can occur unless the diet is well planned. Potential deficiencies include vitamin B12, vitamin D, and omega 3 fats. I will say more about these risks in future posts.

Most people will want to transition to this eating style slowly. I have found, with regards to social life, that those around me eventually have adjusted to my style of eating, my ordering approach in restaurants, my choice of restaurants, and planning for travel. This eating style is very natural for me now. My family and friends have adjusted.

I am convinced that a high raw whole foods plant-based diet will lead to excellent health, prevention of disease and, in some cases, reversal of disease. I will be saying much more about raw foods in some upcoming posts.

Hope for Migraine Headache Sufferers

2011-06-20T21:44:00.001-04:00

It has been over four years since I changed to a whole foods plant-based eating style. My motivation was to prevent heart disease as I aged. My father died at age 53 after his fourth heart attack. I did not want to follow in his footsteps.

For many years, I have been interested in the role of nutrition in our health. My reading convinced me that heart disease could indeed be prevented with good nutrition, but what has continually amazed me is the mounting evidence that a whole host of chronic illnesses can be prevented and reversed with an excellent diet.

My latest revelation is that the migraine headaches that affect millions of Americans, can be either reduced in frequency and intensity, and, in many cases, eliminated by switching to a whole foods plant-based eating style. Studies show that roughly 45 million Americans suffer from chronic headaches each year—that’s one of out six people in the U.S. Women suffer with greater frequency than men.

Although most migraine headache sufferers are treated with medications, there is growing evidence that a healthy plant-based diet might be a better solution. Drugs, while they may offer temporary solution, are rarely the long-term solution because they don't attack the root cause of the problem, which is the build-up of toxicity in the body. According to Joel Fuhrman, M.D., toxicity results from the accumulation of waste products from external sources (exogenous wastes) such as noxious fumes, food additives, or natural toxins within food. Toxins also accumulate in our tissues from internal bodily functions (endogenous wastes), which come from cellular metabolism. Dr. Fuhrman states that "headaches are most often a reaction to a combination of exogenous and endogenous wastes." (1) Medications and even so-called natural remedies can contribute to the build up of toxins in the body, even as they may offer temporary relief.

The key to solving the headache problem is to permanently rid the body of toxic wastes by consuming a diet high in vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and phytochemicals, and low in foods that produce toxic waste substances such as meat, dairy, processed foods with additives and foods that have been contaminated with artificial chemicals. Caffeine and alcohol seem to be especially potent triggers of headaches.

According to Dr. John McDougall obesity is also associated with the frequency and severity of migraines. (2)

Both Dr. McDougall and Dr. Fuhrman have had good results by switching their patients to a whole foods plant-based diet. Many have totally eliminated their migraines, and others have seen the symptoms greatly reduced. Recently, I have provided nutrition advice to two friends who are migraine headache sufferers. Both have switched to a whole foods plant-based diet, one switched last summer, and the other made the change over a month ago. Here is what they recently reported to me:

Friend #1 -- “Migraines. As you know, I used to have them 2 or 3 times a week...and I'd lose a whole day and sometimes more because of them. I had one while in FL a couple weeks ago... However, I have only had 3 or 4 since September! That is a record for my whole life!!"

Friend #2 -- "I haven't kept you up to date recently with my progress, but I'm doing VERY WELL!!!

Come this Thursday, it will be a month without a migraine or even a slight headache!!!! That is HUGE for me, as I would get them every 1-2 weeks for 3-4 days. I have not gone a month without a migraine in at last 1 1/2 years. So I'm feeling very confident with my diet. For the past 3-4 weeks I've been drinking a spinach, kale and banana smoothie every morning, so I start my day with spinach and kale.

Point being, I'm eating more dark green vegetables than I have in my entire life!!! This is definitely the key factor for me. I'm gonna stick with this diet for a while."

It is very gratifying to see the progress that my friends have made. Some references on the subject of migraine headaches and whole foods plant-based diets are:

1. Dr. Fuhrman's Healthy Times Newsletter, Newsletter no. 29, January 2007

2. McDougall Program Success Story: Beth Burns: Goodbye to Migraines

3. Spierings EL; Ranke AH; Honkoop PC. Precipitating and aggravating factors of migraine versus tension-type headache. Headache. 2001; 41(6):554-8. Martin PR; Seneviratne HM. Effects of food deprivation and a stressor on head pain. Health Psychol. 1997; 16(4):310-8.

4. Savi L; Rainero I; Gentile S; et al. Food and headache attacks. A comparison of patients with migraine and tension-type headache. Panminerva Med. 2002; 44(1):27-31.

The China Study update

2011-05-31T17:55:00.008-04:00

If you will click on this link attached to this post, you will see a mindmap of Dr. Colin Campbell's latest presentation on The China Study at a McDougall Advanced Study Weekend. T. Colin Campbell is one of the leading nutrition researchers in the country. He began his career trying to prove the health benefits of animal protein on human health. His research, and that of many others, led him to take a complete about face. Not only did he show that animal protein was not healthy, he was able to demonstrate that it was responsible for much of the chronic disease in the world.

His research findings were considered heretical. In this presentation he outlines the key nutrition principles his research has identified, and he makes a strong case that nutrition research and nutrition education should be a high national priority. The health of the nation would take a gigantic turn for the better if more people would adopt a whole foods plant-based diet, similar to the diet followed by millions of people around the world who have much lower incidences of chronic disease than Americans.

Nuts are nice

2011-04-23T12:21:00.002-04:00

My friend Stanley of Kinderhook Lake (his screen name) like me is a devote nutritarian. He sends out emails to a large group with excellent tips about maintaining health and reversing disease. He recently sent out a message about nuts that I am sharing here:

All nuts have health benefits and most people are aware that Walnuts are a great source of Omega-3s, Almonds are great for antioxidants, and Brazils for Selenium but did you know that Peacans are a great way to reduce LDL (Lousy) cholesterol. Yes nuts are heavy in fats but these are healthy fats that should be eaten in moderation. Raw and unsalted is the correct way to consume nuts. One to two ounces a day of an assortment is a great way to get a cross section of benefits. And don't forget seeds like, sunflower, pumpkin, flax, hemp and sesame.

A new research study from Loma Linda University (LLU) shows that adding just a handful of pecans to your diet each day may inhibit unwanted oxidation of blood lipids, thus helping reduce the risk of heart disease. Researchers suggest that this positive effect was in part due to the pecan's significant content of vitamin E.

"Plant foods, including pecans, are rich sources of phytochemicals that can have a unique effect on the body," says LLU researcher Ella Haddad, DrPH, associate professor, department of nutrition, School of Public Health.

These latest research findings on pecan's healthfulness were published in the latest issue of Nutrition Research, just released this week. They are from the second phase of a research project designed to evaluate the health benefits of pecans, according to Dr. Haddad. She analyzed blood samples from study participants (a total of 23 men and women between the ages of 25 and 55) who ate two diets: one that contained pecans and one that did not. Participants were randomly placed on either the American Heart Association's Step I diet or a pecan-enriched version of the Step I diet. (The pecan-enriched diet was similar to the Step I diet but replaced 20 percent of calories with pecans). After four weeks on one diet, they then switched to the other diet.

In the laboratory analysis of blood samples from the research subjects, Dr. Haddad's team found that the pecan-enriched diets significantly reduced lipid oxidation (by 7.4 percent) versus the Step I diet. Oxidation levels were evaluated using the TBARS test, which measures oxidation products. The researchers also found that blood levels of tocopherols were higher after participants were on the pecan diet. Cholesterol-adjusted plasma gamma-tocopherol in the study participants' blood samples increased by 10.1 percent (P < .001) after eating the pecan diet.. The researchers concluded that these data provide some evidence for potential protective effects of pecan consumption in healthy individuals.

Another key research finding, beyond the reduced level of blood lipid oxidation, was that the various phytochemicals found in pecans seem to be protective of the pecan's high levels of unsaturated fat. All unsaturated fats in foods can be prone to oxidation themselves (which some may describe in foods as rancidity). So, did eating pecans lead to an increased risk of oxidation? No, according to this analysis, which found that pecans, while high in unsaturated fat, are "self-protective" due to their vitamin E content (tocopherols) and relatively high content of complex phytonutrients, some of which have been identified as proanthocyanidins, or condensed tannins, which are recognized for their ability to slow the oxidation process.

"We concluded that even though the pecan diet was high in unsaturated fats, which one may think would increase blood oxidation, that did not happen. We found the opposite result: the pecan diet showed reduced oxidation of blood lipids," states Dr. Haddad.

Sugar: The Bitter Truth

2011-04-17T16:45:00.001-04:00

Benign Prostate Hyperplasia

2011-04-17T13:16:00.001-04:00

Above are pictures of normal and enlarged prostates. An enlarged prostate (Benign Prostate Hyperplasia or BPH) is very common among older men. I was diagnosed with this condition several years ago. Some of my friends are also dealing with this condition, so I refreshed my memory by doing some research. One of the best brief discussions is in John McDougall's newsletter of October 10, 2010. I will summarize Dr. McDougall's advice here, plus add some of my own experiences.

According to Dr. McDougall, "Estimates are that 50 percent of men by 50 years of age, 60 percent by age 60, and as high as 80 percent by age 70 have clinically significant prostate hyperplasia. By age 80 nearly one man in four has undergone some type of surgery to relieve symptoms."

Hyperplasia is a condition whereby there is an increase in the number of cells in the prostate, thus enlarging the gland. The cells are not cancerous. Depending upon how large the prostate becomes, there is pressure added to the Urethra, which to varying degrees can produce symptoms such as weak stream, dribbling, frequent urination and hesitancy. In some men these symptoms are tolerable and we learn to cope. In others, the symptoms are serious, very uncomfortable and medical treatment is sought including medications and perhaps surgical procedures.

Dr. McDougall, always the champion of conservative medicine, advises that men attempt to cope and try conservative approaches before heading to the Urologist for more invasive treatments. I want to emphasize Dr. McDougall's conservative approach. My experience is that acting slowly and conservatively to deal with chronic conditions is the best approach. My general approach when I suspect a chronic condition is:

Do my own extensive research on websites like Dr. McDougall's and Dr. Fuhrman's. I trust both of these sources.
Make absolutely sure the diagnosis is correct, often including getting a second opinion.
Work with a provider who is conservative and whom I trust.
Start by coping with the condition naturally in the most conservative manner available.
If necessary, start with low doses of medication, and gradually increase, if needed.
Only resort to surgical intervention as a very last resort.

Dr. McDougall blames the standard American diet (SAD) on the high frequency of BPH. Americans eat too much meat, dairy and other processed foods that are high in fat and low in fiber. The prostate gland is overstimulated with growth hormones (IGF-1) resulting in abnormal enlargement. BPH can be prevented with a low fat, high fiber, starch based diet plus moderate exercise.

He recommends the following steps to cope with the symptoms of BPH:

Diet, although he has had mixed results in relieving symptoms of BPH sufferers who change to a healthy diet after a lifetime of SAD eating.
Restrict fluids, especially within several hours of bedtime to relieve frequent nighttime urination.
Avoiding spicy foods, caffeine, alcohol and any aggravating medications. Many prescription and over-the-counter drugs enhance the symptoms of BPH.
Natural remedies such as saw palmetto, plant sterols, Cemilton, and Pygieum seem to work for some men.
Medications if the above steps don't yield satisfactory results.
Surgery, as a last resort

My experience supports Dr. McDougall's recommendations. Before I changed from a traditional vegetarian to a whole foods plant-based diet with no meat and dairy and with very few processed foods, my symptoms were bad enough to motivate me to visit a Urologist, who prescribed Avodart and Flomax. I couldn't tolerate those medications. At about this time I moved to the high fiber, lower fat, plant-based diet and I started taking a Saw Palmetto supplement. Although my symptoms are manageable now, I still experience occasional periods of more frequent and sometimes urgent urination.

I am not sure, but my symptoms seem to get worse when I eat spicy foods or foods that irritate my bladder, such as pure cranberry juice. Also, symptoms are definitely a bit more intense in cold weather. For the most part, I can cope with the minimal symptoms I now have, which mainly involving waking 1-2 time per night to urinate. I see no reason seek medical care at this point.

If you are interested in more information, take a look at Dr. McDougall's newsletter article.

Lindsey's Wellness Blog

2011-04-14T23:06:00.002-04:00

My niece-in-law, Lindsey Haynes-Maslow, who is a graduate student at University of North Carolina School of Public Health has just started a terrific blog on wellness and prevention. The link appears above. Check it out.

Six Major Components of Human Health

2011-04-12T17:38:00.008-04:00

Drugs and Supplement Information - Good Source

2011-04-10T08:21:00.000-04:00

I recently discovered a great source of objective information about drugs and supplements. The internet is loaded with drug and supplement marketing information, and it is hard for most of us to separate advertising from sound, objective information.

Developed by Sidney Wolfe, M.D., the website Worst Pills, Best Pills, contains a wealth of information about both drugs and supplements. I believe it to be one of the most objective sources of such information. There is a fee to subscribe to the website, $15/year, which seems reasonable.

They publish a monthly newsletter of latest findings regarding drugs. The newsletter also contains helpful tips regarding the use of prescription drugs and supplements. I recently downloaded an article Nine Rules for Safer Drug Use from the site. I will be posting other information on this blog as it becomes available.

Dick Cheney's 30-year CHD odyssey approaches transplantation crossroad

2011-03-31T12:46:00.002-04:00

I wonder if any of Dick Cheney's cardiologists ever suggested that he consider drastic changes to his diet. Bill Clinton apparently has done very well on his whole foods plant based diet.

Washington, DC - "Many of the opportunities I've had would never have come to me at all were it not for steady advances in the practice of cardiology," said the former US congressman, secretary of defense, and vice president [1].

Former Vice President Dick Cheney

"I guess what I'm saying is that, for those who wish Dick Cheney had called it quits a long time ago, they can blame it all on you."

Addressing cardiologists and other vascular-disease specialists, donors, and dignitaries in 2009 at an annual dinner sponsored by the Baylor Health Care System Foundation,Richard B Cheney described—with humility and humor—a battle with heart disease over more than three decades that had included four heart attacks, the first striking when he was only 37.

Weapons brought to bear against his coronary disease over the years, at least those known to the public, included coronary stents, bypass surgery, external cardioversion, and implantable cardioverter-defibrillators.

While specifics have seldom if ever been detailed for the public, Cheney was in all probability sustained through the decades by an evolving state-of-the-art medical therapy aimed at, among other things, his sky-high serum cholesterol and progressively stormy renin-angiotensin system.

Less than a year after his Dallas speech, a version of which was published in the July 2009 Baylor University Medical Center Proceedings, Cheney would suffer a fifth heart attack, described for the public as "mild" but possible a turning point in his clinical course. His heart failure worsening, punctuated by acute exacerbations, Cheney—one of the most powerful and controversial figures in recent US history—would in the summer of 2010 be implanted with a continuous-flow ventricular assist device (VAD) that had only months before been approved by the FDA for destination therapy, the HeartMate 2 (Thoratec).

In late January of this year, days before his 70th birthday, Cheney—appearing fairly healthy despite looking considerably thinner than when he was in office—opened up about his VAD for the media and announced that he was still contemplating whether he would pursue what is seen as the definitive therapy for heart disease as advanced as his: transplantation.

Follow this link for the rest of the story

Artificial Food Colors may be Harmful to Children

2011-03-31T10:48:00.001-04:00

Artificial dyes aren’t just making your Yoplait Light Red Raspberry yogurt blush and your Kraft Macaroni and Cheese glow in the dark. They are causing behavioral problems and disrupting children’s attention, according to a growing number of scientific studies. Follow the link to read the rest of the story.

Increased Animal Products in Diet Leads to Increased Cataract Risk

2011-03-30T22:14:00.003-04:00

Eating animal products increases the risk of cataracts, according to a new study published in theAmerican Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Based on findings from 27,670 participants in the European Prospective Investigation in Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC-Oxford) study, meat intake was positively associated with risk of cataracts. The participants were divided into six diet groups: highest meat consumption, mid-range meat consumption, least meat consumption, fish-eaters, vegetarians, and vegans. Compared with those who ate the most meat, the risks for developing cataracts after adjusting for multiple confounders including age and smoking were as follows: mid-range meat consumption participants decreased their cataract risk by 4 percent, least meat consumption group by 15 percent, fish-eaters by 21 percent, vegetarians by 30 percent, and those who followed a vegan diet by 40 percent.

Appleby PN, Allen NK, Key TJ. Diet, vegetarianism, and cataract risk. Am J Clin Nutr. Published ahead of print March 23, 2011. doi: 10.3945/ajcn.110.004028.

Slaying the Sugary Beast

2010-12-05T12:58:00.002-05:00

This post on Diseaseproof.com, Dr. Fuhrman's blog, provides some great advice on strategies for banishing refined sugar from your life.
Slaying the Sugary Beast

How many lives do mammograms actually save?

2010-11-01T16:40:00.002-04:00

I am attaching a link below to a very informative post by Dr. Fuhrman on his blog www.diseaseproof.com. The subject of mammograms is controversial.

Dr. Fuhrman reports a breast cancer mortality study in Norway that concludes that in groups receiving regular mammography screening the reduction in morality was 10%. However, there are potential harms and benefits from regular mammography screening. A review of the medical literature by the Nordic Cochrane Centre concludes that "for every 2000 women that are screened regularly for 10 years, one will have her life prolonged. However, 10 healthy women will be unnecessarily treated for breast cancer, either by having a lumpectomy, mastectomy, chemotherapy, or radiotherapy." According to Dr. Fuhrman, the main problem with mammography screening is over-diagnosis and the resultant over-treatment.

Each woman should make an informed decision regarding regular breast cancer screening by mammogram. Regardless of the decision, women should not rely solely on early detection to prevent breast cancer. "Taking steps to prevent breast cancer from developing in the first place -- for example, exercising regularly, maintaining a slim, healthy weight, eating plenty of mushrooms, onions and cruciferous vegetables, minimizing processed foods and animal products, maintaining adequate vitamin D levels, and limiting alcohol consumption -- is a much more effective approach than detecting and treating breast cancer after it has begun to develop."

For the entire blog post follow the link below.

How many lives do mammograms actually save?

Radical changes produce radical results

2010-10-25T13:40:00.000-04:00

I have grown to believe that some of the worst advice given is to make moderate changes in diet. Don't be extreme, be moderate, so the advice goes. But, my experience is that moderation kills. People who make only moderate changes from the standard American diet only moderately decrease their chances of getting diseases of western civilization, cancer, heart disease, diabetes, obesity, etc. The key is to make radical changes and get radically wonderful results. Follow the link below, which is a post on Dr. Fuhrman's www.diseaseproof.com to learn more.

Radical changes produce radical results

20 Things You Should Know About Processed Foods

2010-10-23T10:28:00.001-04:00

Follow this link to see my presentation on The 20 Things You Should Know About Processed Foods. It was adapted from course materials presented by Jeff Novick, RD at an Cornell University E-course in plant-based nutrition sponsored by T. Colin Campbell, Ph.D.

Interview with Brandon Brazier, Vegan endurance athlete

2010-10-21T14:09:00.001-04:00

DONWALKER_070109_BrendanBrazier.mp3 (audio/x-mpeg Object)

Reading Nutrition Facts Labels

2010-10-18T10:25:00.006-04:00

With obesity increasing at alarming rates, partly due to the proliferation of man-made processed foods that contain overdoses of fat, refined sugar and salt, reading and understanding nutrition labels has never been more important. The Jeff Novick, RD presentation on "Health Food" vs. Healthy Food -- How to read labels is an excellent presentation on the subject.

There was a time when reading nutrition labels was not an important skill. Why? Because most of our food came out of the garden, or from meats that were not canned, packaged or produced on factory farms. With the growth of man-made food industries nutrition facts labels became important, and, in fact, required by the federal government. Companies that package our foods add all sorts of chemicals and enhancers to increase shelf life. They also artificially "enhance" the flavors and colors of their products. The goal is to make processed foods more appealing, and in some cases more addicting, so we will keep coming back for more, thus increasing their profits.

The job of deciphering the messages on food packages and "nutrition facts" labels is not easy. The food manufacturers use packages to entice us to buy their products, not provide us with nutrition information. Take a look at the front of packaged foods and you will see marketing wizardry. Terms like "fat free," "whole grains," "made from real fruit," "natural," and "pure" adorned with appealing colors, pictures of family farms, and beautiful nature scenery. Mr. Novick, in his presentations warns that we should never, ever believe the marketing that appears on the front of food packages. In fact, don't even look at the front of a package. Go directly to the nutrition facts labels. Your job is to decipher that "actual" amount of fat, sodium, refined sugars, and refined carbohydrates.

Beware of nutrition facts labels also. They are often very misleading. For example, manufactures are, allowed to label a food as "fat free" if the fat content is considered to be a trace amount. Pam, the "fat free" cooking spray has 0 grams of fat according to its label. In fact, you get 1/2 gram of fat with a 1/2 second spray of Pam. This is considered by the regulators to be a trace amount of fat. Ever try to hold the spray to 1/2 second? More than likely you are holding the spray on for several seconds and getting several grams of fat.

Speaking of fat, many processed foods are loaded with animal, vegetable and various man-made fats such as partially hydrogenated vegetable oil, margarine and shortening. When looking at a label, a good rule of thumb is to only buy packaged foods that have less than 20% of its calories from the healthier end of the fat spectrum - monounsaturated fat (olive oil, peanut oil, canola oil, avocados, nuts and seeds), polyunsaturated fat (vegetable oils, nuts and seeds), omega-3 fatty acids fish oils, flax seeds and walnuts. It is best to avoid animal fats, minimize or eliminate all processed oils and get your fats from whole plant foods (raw nuts, raw seeds, olives and avocados).

The average person gets 3,000 to 5,000 milligrams of sodium per day. Packaged foods are usually loaded with salt. Marie Callander's frozen meal, Beef Tips in Mushroom Sauce contains 1330 mg of salt. High salt has been linked to high blood pressure and various chronic illnesses. For optimal health we need only 250-500 milligrams of sodium per day. Nutritional guidance on the subject is mixed. From my research, consuming less than 1000 mg of salt per day is a good idea. If your diet consists of mainly whole plant foods with no processed foods and no added salt, you will probably be getting less than 500 mg of sodium per day. Dr. John McDougall points out that most of the salt in our diet comes from cheese and processed foods. To put things in proportion, one teaspoon of salt contains 2200 mg of sodium. The soundest advice I have found about nutrition labels and sodium comes from Jeff Novick who advises that when looking at a nutrition label, the milligrams of sodium should be no more than equal to the calories per serving. So, for example, if a portion of food has 200 calories, the sodium content should be no more than 200 mg per serving.

Sugar has acquired a bad name in the popular nutrition literature. In fact, sugar from whole unrefined plant foods such as fruit is good for us. When looking at a nutrition facts label avoid foods that show processed sugars as one of the top five ingredients. Processed sugars include corn syrup, fructose, molasses, honey, brown sugar, and sugar. Sugar that comes packaged naturally in whole plant foods is good. Sugar that has been extracted from its natural source, refined and concentrated is not so good.

In summary, here are some good rules of thumbs for deciphering the information on food packages and nutrition facts labels:

Never believe the information on the front of a food package.
Choose foods that have 20%, or preferably less, of their calories from fat. Choose foods that contain healthy fats (raw nuts, raw seeds, avocados and naturally cured olives).
The sodium content of packaged foods should follow the 1:1 rule, sodium content in milligrams should be no more than equal to the calorie content per serving.
Avoid refined sugar, processed carbs and bad fats.

My own approach is to avoid packaged foods entirely. If a package of food requires a label to tell us what is included, I put it back on the shelf. Exceptions are canned beans (low salt), vegan soups (low salt), frozen fruits and vegetables. The healthiest foods are preferably organically grown and come fresh out of the garden or from the produce departments of your grocery store. But, don't avoid fruits and vegetables because you can't find or afford organic. It is better to eat non-organic fruits and vegetables than none at all.

Prediction: Breast cancer rates will skyrocket in the next 20 years

2010-10-16T09:07:00.001-04:00

Prediction: Breast cancer rates will skyrocket in the next 20 years

Food addiction is no joke

2010-10-05T09:58:00.003-04:00

Food addiction is every bit as hazardous to your health as addiction to cigarettes or drugs. See this post from Dr. Fuhrman's diseaseproof.com by Emily Boller, who shares here experiences with overcoming food addictions. Follow the link below to read Emily's post.
Food addiction is no joke

Am I a Zealot when it comes to a Whole Foods Plant Based Eating Style?

2010-08-22T13:10:00.009-04:00

I have been accused of being a "zealot," in a religious sense, as I try to provide information about healthy eating. At first, I resented the label because I viewed it as an angry criticism. As I thought about it, I began to embrace the label. I am not "religious" in the way most people would define the word. I am, however, passionate about the powerful impact that a whole foods plant based eating style on our health and well-being. My passion has a strong scientific basis and much peer reviewed research support. There is also an article of faith since science can never prove something 100%.

The other day I lead a discussion with our local men’s club titled, Preventing and Reversing America's #1 Killer - Is Heart Disease a Paper Tiger? At the conclusion of the discussion, the moderator asked me for concluding remarks. I said that our men's club should commit itself to helping improve the health of it's members. Promoting good health should be part of our Mission. I told them about my career in the health field, how I had deep respect for physicians, but that I was trying very hard to take charge of my own health and only use the health system (the business of medicine, as Dr. John McDougall puts it) when there was no other choice. I said that rigorous attention to what we eat, moderate exercise and other lifestyle changes had the power to make the last part of our lives (club members are all over 55) immeasurably happier and possibly free of debilitating chronic disease. I told them I had devoted my retirement and the rest of my life to helping willing people make this difficult transition.

They politely clapped and my passionate words even surprised me. In a sense, I guess, I am preaching. I guess I do have a calling.

George Malkmus, founder of Hallelujah Acres, has merged his vegan approach with religion. For those who are religious, the marriage makes sense. Eating mainly plants is gentle on the earth, kind to the animals with whom we share the earth, and kind and gentle on our bodies. Buddhism? Removing animal foods, processed foods and salty foods from our diets makes digestion easier consuming less of our energy, and freeing up that energy for other aspects of living. Eating mainly plant foods also aids the body's natural healing processes, as George discovered. He claims his colon cancer was reversed by a whole foods plant based diet.

I am not sure about cancer reversal. But, Ruth Heidrich, a marathon runner, had metastasized breast cancer at age 48. Dr. McDougall convinced her to forego conventional cancer treatment and adopt a whole foods plant based diet. She is now 74, and one of the leading senior ironman triathletes in the world. She has followed this way of eating for 26 years and is a ‘Missionary’ like me. www.ruthheidrich.com.

Dean Ornish, M.D., has done research (1) showing that a low fat, plant based diet can shrink the size of prostate tumors. Should we substitute a plant based diet for conventional cancer treatment. I don't know, and Ruth Heidrich doesn't know. Does such a way of eating have a powerful positive positive affect on our health? No question. It's a "religious" conviction of mine.

My mother and father were not religious, and there were few other Jewish families in my hometown of Bath, NY. My girlfriends were mostly Catholic, and I used to impress them by attending Mass with them. My motives were suspect, but maybe some of it stuck.

1. Ornish D, Weidner G, Fair WR, et al. Intensive lifestyle changes may affect the progression of prostate cancer. Journal of Urology. 2005; 174(3): 1065-70

Staying with Whole Foods Plant Based Nutrition on Bike Ride Across Georgia

2010-06-13T12:39:00.009-04:00

(Pictures - Above - me on my recumbent bike, Below - With Bill Galerstein at the finish.)

In 2009, I hesitated doing Bike Ride Across Georgia (BRAG) in part because I was concerned about the challenges of maintaining a whole foods plant based diet during this event. BRAG is an organized supported seven day bike tour. This year, the route started and ended in Fayetteville, Georgia. We rode through Griffin, Thomaston, Columbus, LaGrange and Newnan. Each day covered between 55 and 75 miles of hilly riding. And, it was very hot on most days.

I am happy to report that my eating strategy worked, for the most part. I share it here in the event that the information can be helpful to other plant-based nutrition cyclists considering similar events.

I decided to stay in motels, rather than camp. Each of the hotel rooms I booked had microwaves and refrigerators, which made my task of eating healthy a little easier. Also, I was part of a group that arranged for our luggage to be transported from motel to motel. The day before departing, I packed up a box filled with Healthy Additions (Dr. Fuhrman's) soups, canned beans and corn. I figured that at least some of my meals would come from these cans. I also packed a large baggy of trail mix (oat meal, raw seeds, raw nuts, chopped dates and raisins). The trail mix served me well especially for calories on the bike. Another baggy contained a week's worth of plain oatmeal.

My bike nutrition was comprised mostly of a water/apple juice mixture in my water bottles, and the trail mix. I also was able to find plenty of bananas along the way. Each rest stop (every 10-15 miles) had fresh fruit (bananas, oranges, peaches(Ga. is the peach state, afterall)). Bananas are a great fruit to carry along on long bike rides. When I depleted my two water bottles full of water/apple juice, I would get more water at the rest stops. On a couple of occasions I added a little PowerAid, mostly for some flavor. I steer away from all processed energy food/drinks, but a little bit once in awhile won't hurt, I figured.

For breakfast on most days I cooked up a bowl of oatmeal in the hotel room microwave using oats, bananas, trail mix and water. On one day I mixed up some Supreme Greens soup, black beans and corn, heated it in the microwave. That was a surprisingly good breakfast. On the last day, the shortest ride day of 40 miles, I skipped breakfast, ate bananas along the way and had a veggie burger at the finishing "picnic" for riders.

Each day BRAG had a lunchtime rest stop. I had purchased meal tickets for lunches. One day they served beans and rice and on another they had veggie burgers. On the other four days, the lunch stop did not contain any acceptable foods, so I contented myself with fruit for lunch.

Dinners provided the biggest challenges. One night I ate soup, beans and corn from my stash. So as not to be anti-social, I joined our group for dinner at local restaurants on the other nights. My riding friends were accommodating to my needs in the selection of restaurants. We had two meals in Mexican restaurants, where I ordered only a bunch of sides, steamed corn tortillas, whole black beans (rather than refried beans), guacamole, rice (white), salsa, and a side salad. I used these ingredients to make my own tacos. These were good tasty meals, but undoubtedly had too much added salt. I also suspect that my two lunch time rest stop lunches had too much salt. Certainly, the white bread bun that came with the veggie burger, was not ideal. We also found two Chinese and a Thai restaurant along the way. The Chinese meals consisted of steamed vegetables, rice (white), a white sauce (on the side for dipping) and a salad. The Thai meal (the best of the entire trip) was steamed vegetables, brown rice, seaweed salad and salt free edamame. We also ate at a Japanese restaurant where I had veggie sushi rolls, salt-free edamame, seaweed salad. I dipped the sushi rolls in a wasabi/water mix.

All in all I didn't do too badly. There was undoubtedly too much salt, especially in the restaurant and rest stop meals, but I forgave myself since I was sweating a lot during the rides. I never felt bloated, never bonked, never cramped and my ring slipped on and off comfortably during the entire trip, so my salt intake was probably harmless.

I missed my green smoothies for breakfast, but the oatmeal was similar to the mixture I eat on some mornings at home. I did not eat as many green leafy vegetables as normal. Every restaurant meal contained a large salad and some greens. I had one salad per day, rather than my normal two or three. I had more rice than normal, but considered the occasional white rice to be acceptable, if not ideal. It always surprises me that many Asian restaurants serve only white rice. My hats off to the Thai restaurants that most always have brown rice. Wish the Chinese were as accommodating.

A couple of other observations. I have done BRAG six times, but this is my first since starting whole foods plant based nutrition 3.5 years ago. My recovery from each days ride was much better than in the past. Although I was tired at the end of each day, the next morning I was fresh and ready to go. On previous rides (before whole foods plant based eating) the fatigue throughout the week accumulated more intensely. Also, I reinforced my belief that fresh and dried fruit are really good source of calories for endurance athletes. I have participated in some long strenuous events, and never once have felt the need for processed energy foods like Gatorade, Spiz, Hammer Gel, etc.

My conclusion is that with proper planning I can do bike tours and stay mostly on a healthy eating program. And, the good news (but not surprising), my energy level stayed high throughout the week that covered 475 miles of very hot, hilly bike riding. Yeah for whole foods plant based nutrition!

Follow this link to dowload a Healthy Times (Dr. Fuhrman) newsletter on Food for Vegan Athletes.

Don't let healthy eating keep you from doing the things you enjoy.

Processed People, The Documentary Film on DVD

2010-03-14T09:41:00.003-04:00

Today I received the Documentary, Processed People. It features Dr. Fuhrman, Dr. McDougall, Dr. Esselstyn, John Robbins, Jeff Novick, Jeffrey Masson, Dr. Pamela Popper, Dr. Milton Mills, and Dr. Jay Gorden giving perhaps the most powerful joint message about whole foods plant based nutrition that I have ever heard. This documentary is very well done and I highly recommend it to all of you. You can order it from here.

I watched the DVD before dinner. After dinner I asked my 22 year old son and my wife to watch it with me. After watching this documentary we had a long discussion. Having these experts on together giving essentially the same message in such an effective way is very powerful.

I am leading a series of seminars and now plan to use the DVD during the introductory session. It is really good.

I have been hoping that we could go beyond each person (Fuhrman, McDougall, etc.) promoting their individual approaches to whole foods plant based nutrition to national efforts where they work together. Processed People is, to my knowledge, the first such effort. In this DVD we are also introduced to Pam Popper, Jay Gorden, Milton Mills (don't think he has a website, but is associated with PCRM) and Jeffrey Masson, advocates that many of us have not heard of before. Dr. Gorden is really good.

It is great to see the group of advocates growing. I just completed the Cornell certificate in plant based nutrition program. Dr. Popper was one of the faculty members. She is terrific. Dr. Fuhrman's participation and his extended interview is also terrific.

By the way, in addition to the 45 minutes documentary, there is the added bonus of extended interviews (over 2 hours worth) with each of the participants. These are well worth listening too. For one thing, it emphasizes the fact that these folks agree on most of the important issues.

Are we seeing the development of a national mainstream movement? I hope so.

Athletes on a Plant-Based Diet

2010-02-26T08:11:00.002-05:00

This link is to the T. Colin Campbell website where some athletes on a whole foods plant-based diet give testimonials on how their eating style has contributed to their athletic performance and their lives. The athletes pictured here from top to bottom are:

Kate Pallardy:Up-and-coming triathlete and ultra distance runner.
Mike Arnstein:Marathon champion and eight-time Ironman finisher.
Ruth Heidrich:Six-time Ironman Triathlon finisher, holder of more than 900 gold medals from every distance from 100 meter dashes to 5K road races to ultra marathons and triathlons.
Tony Gonzalez: NFL tight end for the Atlanta Falcons and formerly the Kansas City Chiefs.

These athletes are true pioneers in athletic nutrition. Interviews with each are included with their profiles at the above link, which is the T. Colin Campbell website.

I will have more to say on this later.

Exercise Alone Isn't Enough

2009-11-28T07:25:00.005-05:00

Below is an article from the NYTimes by Gina Kolata. Gina is a health reporter for the Times. Sometimes I agree with her and sometimes I don't. She has it right in this article IMHO. I have thought for some time that we overestimate the value of exercise. Some people use exercise as a panacea. They exercise regularly and use this is an excuse to eat poorly. While exercise is an important part of a great lifestyle, excellent nutrition is the cornerstone for health. I always like to give the example of Jim Fixx, a running guru and marathoner, who died while running of serious heart disease. Exercise is great, but it must be combined with an excellent diet and stress management to achieve optimal health.

Does Exercise Really Keep Us Healthy?

By GINA KOLATA

In Brief:

While exercise can boost mood, its health benefits have been oversold.

Moderate exercise can reduce the risk of diabetes in people at risk. Exercise may reduce the risk of heart disease and breast and colon cancers.

Though the evidence is mixed, exercise may also provide benefits for people with osteoporosis.

Physical activity alone will not lead to sustained weight loss or reduce blood pressure or cholesterol.

Exercise has long been touted as the panacea for everything that ails you. For better health, simply walk for 20 or 30 minutes a day, boosters say — and you don’t even have to do it all at once. Count a few minutes here and a few there, and just add them up. Or wear a pedometer and keep track of your steps. However you manage it, you will lose weight, get your blood pressure under control and reduce your risk of osteoporosis.

If only it were so simple. While exercise has undeniable benefits, many, if not most, of its powers have been oversold. Sure, it can be fun. It can make you feel energized. And it may lift your mood. But before you turn to a fitness program as the solution to your particular health or weight concern, consider what science has found.

Moderate exercise, such as walking, can reduce the risk of diabetes in obese and sedentary people whose blood sugar is starting to rise. That outcome was shown in a large federal study in which participants were randomly assigned either to an exercise and diet program, to take a diabetes drug or to serve as controls. Despite trying hard, those who dieted and worked out lost very little weight. But they did manage to maintain a regular walking program, and fewer of them went on to develop diabetes.

Exercise also may reduce the risk of heart disease, though the evidence is surprisingly mixed. There seems to be a threshold effect: Most of the heart protection appears to be realized by people who go from being sedentary to being moderately active, usually by walking regularly. More intense exercise has been shown to provide only slightly greater benefits. Yet the data from several large studies have not always been clear, because those who exercise tend to be very different from those who do not.

Active people are much less likely to smoke; they’re thinner and they eat differently than their sedentary peers. They also tend to be more educated, and education is one of the strongest predictors of good health in general and a longer life. As a result, it is impossible to know with confidence whether exercise prevents heart disease or whether people who are less likely to get heart disease are also more likely to be exercising.

Scientists have much the same problem evaluating exercise and cancer. The same sort of studies that were done for heart disease find that people who exercised had lower rates of colon and breast cancer. But whether that result is cause or effect is not well established.

Exercise is often said to stave off osteoporosis. Yet even weight-bearing activities like walking, running or lifting weights has not been shown to have that effect. Still, in rigorous studies in which elderly people were randomly assigned either to exercise or maintain their normal routine, the exercisers were less likely to fall, perhaps because they got stronger or developed better balance. Since falls can lead to fractures in people with osteoporosis, exercise may prevent broken bones — but only indirectly.

And what about weight loss? Lifting weights builds muscles but will not make you burn more calories. The muscle you gain is minuscule compared with the total amount of skeletal muscle in the body. And muscle has a very low metabolic rate when it’s at rest. (You can’t flex your biceps all the time.)

Jack Wilmore, an exercise physiologist at Texas A & M University, calculated that the average amount of muscle that men gained after a serious 12-week weight-lifting program was 2 kilograms, or 4.4 pounds. That added muscle would increase the metabolic rate by only 24 calories a day.
Exercise alone, in the absence of weight loss, has not been shown to reduce blood pressure. Nor does it make much difference in cholesterol levels. Weight loss can lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels, but if you want to lose weight, you have to diet as well as exercise. Exercise alone has not been shown to bring sustained weight loss.Just ask Steven Blair, an exercise researcher at the University of South Carolina. He runs every day and even runs marathons. But, he adds, “I was short, fat and bald when I started running, and I’m still short, fat and bald. Weight control is difficult for me. I fight the losing battle.”
The difficulty, Dr. Blair says, is that it’s much easier to eat 1,000 calories than to burn off 1,000 calories with exercise. As he relates, “An old football coach used to say, ‘I have all my assistants running five miles a day, but they eat 10 miles a day.’”

More on Plant Based Diets and Cycling: Protein

2009-11-02T22:22:00.000-05:00

There is extensive research that shows that too much protein is a major problem with the standard American diet. I would add that protein deficiency is very rare. When is the last time anyone observed a case of protein deficiency? Our problem is too much protein, not too little.

Follow this link to on Dr. McDougall's website to see lots of good information about protein.

The meat and dairy industries (and the makers of sports bars and protein powders) would love to have us think that we need to eat lots of protein. They make athletes a prime target of their advertising. Although endurance and strength athletes might need a little more protein, the amounts of protein advertised by the protein marketers is way too much.

The China Study by T. Colin Campbell provides powerful evidence that populations that limit their intake of protein, especially animal and dairy protein, have far fewer incidences of heart disease and cancer. Populations that work hard, and live on mostly a plant based diet live on average longer that populations living on diets rich in animal proteins.

I, and a number of people I know, who are dedicated to a plant based diet, consume roughly in the range of 40 - 80 grams of protein per day. I am only an experiment of one. I average about 7-8,000 miles per year on my bike. Since converting to a plant based diet, my energy level and endurance has never been higher. I get all my protein from vegetables, fruits, whole grains, beans/legumes, raw nuts/seeds.

I periodically use a software program, CRON-o-Meter to measure my nutrient intake. In October of this year, my daily average protein intake from these sources was 63 grams. That's .38 grams per pound of body weight. The guidelines given to athletes preach protein intakes of from 1-2 grams of protein per pound of body weight. I know other people on a similar diet who have roughly the same protein intake as mine. There is no protein deficiency, no weak muscles, no lack of endurance or strength. There are many successful vegan bodybuilders and ultra distance athletes.

Sometimes people who transition to a lower protein diet initially feel weaker as their bodies adjust.

I feel pretty comfortable in saying that most of us can thrive on 40-80 grams of protein per day. I also believe that loading up with protein, especially protein from animals and from processed foods (bars, powders, etc.) is not good for our health.

One of the myths (fears) that keeps many people from adopting a healthy plant based diet is that they will become protein deficient. Not only do we need lots less protein we are told by the food marketers, but eating a variety of plant foods give us all the healthy protein we need.

Plant Based Diet and Cycling

2009-10-24T20:34:00.005-04:00

When I transitioned to a high nutrition plant based diet 2 1/2 years ago I wondered how such an eating style would support my cycling. Cycling has been a passion of mine for several years. My performance level is clearly 'middle of the pack,' nevertheless, I train around 200-250 miles per week. That much training requires lots of calories to keep me going. What would I eat to keep me from bonking during rides? Would a diet based primarily on vegetables, fruits (fresh and dried), beans/legumes, whole unprocessed grains, and raw nuts/seeds be substantial enough? How would I replace electrolytes lost during long hard rides in hot weather? These were some of my questions as I embarked upon this new eating style adventure.

I needn't have worried. My energy level has never been higher and, due in part to the 35 pounds or so that I've lost, my cycling has never been better.

But, there were some adjustments. The transition to the eating style was easier for me than most people because I had been a lacto/ova vegetarian for the past 25 or so years. That diet did not keep my weight at an ideal level because, although I avoided meat, I ate some dairy, lots of processed vegetarian foods like veggie dogs and veggie burgers, ice cream, and lots of processed oils, safflower, olive, canola, etc. Giving up these foods was easy (well, maybe except for the ice cream). My wife had to learn how to adjust her cooking to eliminate especially dairy and oils. She did so good naturedly.

So, people often ask, "What do you eat?" Before answering specifically, I can say without reservation that I have never enjoyed eating as much in my life. Once my taste buds eliminated the craving for foods heavily laden with fat, salt and processed sugar, I started to really enjoy the tastes of whole natural foods. When I crave something sweet, fresh or dried fruit always does the trick. When I want some fat, nuts, seeds or avocados do the job just fine. When I crave salt (not often) I might eat a couple of olives, which I soak in water to eliminate the excess salt on the surface. Not only is my energy level high and my weight at a near ideal level; being able to eat without worrying about weight gain or adverse health consequences is liberating. I am committed to a whole foods plant based diet for the rest of my life. It is one of the best things I have ever done for myself. I want to repeat, once you adjust to a diet of entirely natural foods they taste great.

So, "What do I eat?" to keep my energy levels high for cycling. Not a problem, as it turns out. I eat none of the common sports energy enhancers like Clif Bars, Power Bars, Gels, Gatorade, Powerade, etc. I have gone cold turkey off those things. My fellow cyclists have warned about cramping, but that has not happened. For the past year, my sodium intake has been less than 1.000 mg per day because I add no salt to anything, do not eat processed foods, buy low salt canned beans, tomatoes, spaghetti sauce etc. The average American probably consumes 5,000 - 6.000 mg of salt per day. I don't know the nutritional explanation, but cramping has not been a problem. On the bike I take along bananas, raw trail mix (nuts, seeds, dates, raisins), and sometimes oranges. I fill my water bottles with 1/3 organic apple juice, 1/3 organic blueberry juice and 1/3 water with some ice. This satisfies me, sits well on my stomach during long rides and often can be purchased at convenience stores.

Prior to training, or a long organized Century ride, I often eat a large bowl of cooked oatmeal with chopped bananas, dates, ground flax seeds, almond milk and cinnamon. This breakfast together with what I take along on the bike nourishes me without a problem. Sometimes I leave for a training ride in the morning only having eaten a banana.

After the ride, I am usually not hungry for an hour or two. Then I will mix up in my Vitamix a 'green smoothie' with spinach, dates, other fresh fruits, and various other fruits or vegetables. This is an excellent recovery drink. For dinner after a long ride, whole wheat pasta with a low salt tomato sauce (not olive oil) is my favorite meal. Alternatively, I might make a large salad with several ounces of lettuce and spinach plus a mixture of beans and corn on top. I make a special salad dressing made up of low salt spaghetti sauce, cashew butter and a flavored vinegar like Black Fig vinegar. Every day I balance my food intake with lots of vegetables, lots of fruit, at least a cup of beans (often much more), 1-2 ounces of raw nuts/seeds, and some whole unprocessed grains. I make salads the center of most meals, sometimes including breakfast.

I keep track of my diet with a software program, CRON-o-METER, which assures me that my nutrient intake is high. My average calories per day is around 2400, my fat intake as a percentage of total calories is around 21% and on average my vitamin and mineral intake is much higher than the RDA recommendations. The only exceptions are calcium and vitamin B5, which are at about 100% of RDA. I take some supplements, a low dose multivitamin (GentleCare), LDL Protect and DHA Purity purchased at www.drfuhrman.com, plus saw palmetto and cranberry extract.

Since my nutrient level is high, I seem to need fewer calories to maintain my high energy output. Thus far, it has not seemed necessary to supplement with electrolytes while on the bike because my electrolyte levels seem to remain very high and I get added benefits from the fresh fruits I eat before, during and after the ride. I seem to sweat a lot less while working out that before I started this diet.

I have not ridden more than a 100 miles or so in a day since starting this eating style, so I don't know yet how I would fare on ultra long distances. My assumption is that by continuing to eat fresh fruit, nuts/seeds on the bike I could ride as long as I want.

In sum, a whole foods plant based diet has enhanced, rather than detracted from, my cycling. I am no longer dependent on artificial processed 'energy' foods to keep my output high. A lesson I have learned is that the best way to feel good on the bike is to maintain an excellent eating style off the bike. If I start the ride with high levels of nutrition in my body, what I eat during the ride is of less consequence.

I predict that increasingly athletes will adopt this eating style for high levels of performance, even if they don't do it for health reasons. My 'experiment of one' thus far has been a great success.

Does Being a Vegetarian Shrink Your Brain?

2009-10-10T19:17:00.007-04:00

This article appeared a year or so ago on Newsmax.com:

Being Vegetarian Shrinks Brain

Tuesday, September 16, 2008 9:15 AM

By: Sylvia Booth Hubbard

Article Font Size

Becoming a vegetarian could be good for the planet, but it’s bad for your brain. Scientists at Oxford University in England have found that vegetarians are six times more likely to have brain shrinkage than those who include meats in their diets.

The cause could be a lack of vitamins. Vegetarians are more likely than meat-eaters to be deficient in vitamin B12, which is mainly found in meats, and a B12 deficiency is known to cause anemia and inflammation of the nervous system.

Oxford researchers examined 107 people between the age of 61 and 87 using physical exams, memory tests and brain scans. When the same volunteers were retested five years later, those with the lowest amounts of B12 had the most brain atrophy.

Swedish researchers found that being overweight is also linked to brain loss. Women with a BMI (body mass index) that averaged 27 showed brain shrinkage. (A BMI of 25 or over is “overweight” and a BMI of 30 or higher is “obese.”) For every additional point in BMI, brain loss increased by 13 to 16 percent.

My comment is:

The theme of this article is that scientists suspect that vegetarians are at risk for brain shrinkage.

Whether that is true or not, it is true that being vegetarian or vegan is not necessarily healthy. Avoiding meat and dairy is a good idea, but doing so does not guarantee health. Vitamin B12 and D deficiencies are potential issues with vegetarians/vegans. The article cited above says B12 deficiency may be a factor in neurological damage. Vitamin D deficiency is linked to other problems.

While this is controversial, it is a good idea for people who avoid meat to take B12 supplement. If you don't go out in the sun a lot, Vitamin D supplementation is also wise. Most other vitamins and minerals are found in more abundance (per 100 calories) in plant foods than in animal foods.

A healthy vegan diet is high in nutrition and low in calories. Vegans who eat lots of processed foods, high in sugar, salt and fat have an unhealthy diet. Being a "french fry" vegetarian is not a good idea.

So I don't even like to use the term 'vegan' or 'vegetarian.' An excellent diet is one that is very high in vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals, and antioxidants. Such a diet is primarily plant based and centered around whole foods -- vegetables, fruit, beans/legumes, whole grains, nuts/seeds. Processed foods, oils(yes, olive oil too), meat and dairy are to be avoided or severely restricted. Many vegans do not eat a diet remotely similar to this. In fact, I don't like to go to vegan/vegetarian restaurants because although there is no meat, the food is typically high in vegetable oils, salt and sugar. Vegetarian restaurants also often have their meals centered around 'fake meats', like veggie dogs, hamburgs, etc., which are high in processed soy and oils...they are better than real hot dogs and hamburgs, but not much.

I doubt whether a whole foods plant based diet will shrink your brain.

Good Cholesterol?

2009-08-24T13:59:00.006-04:00

I have been struggling with an intestinal bug, gastritis, I think, contracted while on a trip to Boston last weekend. I suffered for several days and finally sought help from Dr. Fuhrman, who suggested I go in to get a stool culture, which I did this morning.

The bug should take care of itself in a few days, but while in the doctor's office I, on the spur of the moment decided to have a blood lipid profile and a vitamin D test done. The office was able to do the lipid profile while I waited, so I carried home the results.

This is the first lipid profile I have had in a couple of years. Since my eating style, exercise program and other lifestyle factors are excellent, my approach has been to avoid tests under the theory that I am doing everything I can to stay healthy. The tests add nothing. Nevertheless, my curiosity got the best of me and the test was done. Here are the before and after results, i.e., before beginning my current eating program two years ago. I did have a total cholesterol done several weeks after starting the eating program, but this didn't include the breakdown of cholesterol into its components.

Total Cholesterol Before (220) After (154)

HDL Before (48) After (40)

LDL Before (149) After (92)

Triglycerides Before (116) After (107)

I was pleased with these results because they provide evidence of the benefits of my eating style....30% drop in total cholesterol and 38% drop in LDL. But, my good cholesterol also dropped by 17%. I went back to one of Dr. McDougall's newsletters on cholesterol to refresh my memory. My memory was correct, Dr. McDougall says that HDL is not a relevant indicator in heart health. He says, "When total cholesterol is lowered, all fractions of cholesterol are reduced, including HDL-cholesterol."

Studies have apparently shown that when subjects reduce their total cholesterol, HDL drops too and according to Dr. McDougall, that is okay. At the end of my visit my doctor said, "Your numbers look great, but your HDL maybe should be a bit higher." Dr. McDougall claims that most doctors are confused about the HDL, good cholesterol, issue sometimes to the point of suggesting to patients that they eat more meat to get their HDL up.

Total cholesterol is the meaningful number and I am very pleased that mine has dropped to a healthy level.

Lessons from my Dog

2009-08-03T11:44:00.002-04:00

In my article on health reform, I propose that health consumers and providers can save lots of money by making more conservative use of the health system.

Let me illustrate by using my dog as an example. Poor 12-year-old (84 human years) Bandit has been limping around and looking awfully uncomfortable. My family and I recently went on a three day vacation and when I took Bandit to the Vet for boarding I asked her to check out his legs. The next day my cell phone rang and the Vet's assistant told me that they wanted to do some tests. My 'knee-jerk' response was, "Okay."

Upon our return, when I fetched Bandit from boarding, the nice lady behind the counter handed me a bill for over $600, including $300 for x-rays and $185 for lab tests. I asked "why the lab tests?" "That's routine," was the reply. I wasn't quite sure about the x-rays either since we knew that Bandit didn't have any broken bones. "You don't want your dog to suffer, do you?" was the guilt-inducing response.

At any rate, I paid the bill and was given a prescription for an anti-inflammatory that Bandit needed to take for the rest of his life costing $79 per month. I asked about the drug and was told that it was a drug similar to the one that humans take for arthritis and joint inflammation. I asked whether it was like Vioxx, the drug taken off the market by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). "Yes, this drug is similar to Vioxx," was the response. "Well wasn't Vioxx found to increase the incident of heart attack and stroke in humans?" I inquired. "Yes," was the response. "But, no studies have found this drug to increase those risks in dogs, except there is a higher risk of certain organ diseases."

I then said that I was uncomfortable giving this expensive and dangerous drug to Bandit, and proposed that I give him exercise therapy in our swimming pool to heal his joints, and put him on a lower calorie diet so he could lose some weight, thus taking stress off his joints. The Vet said, "Yes, that is a good approach and may solve, or at least relieve, Bandit's symptoms without medication." I thought to myself, "Hmmmm...why didn't you propose that in the first place?"

For the past two weeks Bandit has done his swimming exercises, rested in the house more, and eaten less food. He is walking much better without any drugs.

We could substitute any of us for Bandit in this story and replace the Vet with any of our physicians who instinctively reach for the prescription pad when a problem is presented. Prescribing drugs is easy and it gets the patient out of the office quickly without the time-consuming, and often frustrating, chore of discussing diet and exercise.

To save billions of dollars in annual national health expenses and thousands of dollars in personal annual out-of-pocket costs, let's establish national standards for the use of drugs and procedures; and educate health consumers to use the health system safely and conservatively. Let's also reward providers for helping patients adopt healthier lifestyles and for using drugs and medical procedures wisely and effectively.

Salt and/or Electrolyte Supplements for Endurance Sports

2009-08-03T11:07:00.001-04:00

I have been doing lots of long distance rides this summer. I have been wondering whether I would suffer from not drinking Gatorade-like drinks or taking salt tablets in very hot weather. Yesterday, I asked Dr. Fuhrman (http://www.drfuhrman.com/), one of my main sources of health information, about a low salt eating style and whether it poses special challenges for endurance sports. Here is my question and his response?

My Question: "I have been following ETL (plant-based) diet for over a year, including no added salt. My salt intake is well under 1000 mg per day (as measured by Cron-o-Meter). I was worried about cramping on my long distance bike rides. I have done many rides in very hot weather this summer, including three 100 mile events. I do not take electrolyte supplements. On the bike I drink water mixed with organic apple juice (50/50) and add regular apple juice at convenience stores when I replenish. I carry homemade trail mix (oats, raw nuts/seeds, dates, raisins) and bananas on the bike. I'll eat clean fresh fruit at rest stops or convenience stores, if available.

Absolutely no cramping and my energy level is very high. I feel better at the end of long, hot rides than I have ever felt before following this regimen. Yesterday, at the end of the ride many of my Gatorade and salt table consuming fellow riders didn't fare as well.

This is an 'experiment of one', but am I correct in concluding that all the marketing around the need for electrolyte replacement drinks for athletes is a myth? And, is no salt better than salt and electrolyte supplementation for long distance athletes? I also assume that it is the entire package that works best....ETL plus low salt. Correct?"

Dr. Fuhrman's Answer: "Right. and because you have acclimated yourself to a low salt program, your body learns to be efficient and excretes less sodium in the sweat and urine, so the losses are less.

A person eating conventionally and taking salt, will pour out much more salt in their urine and sweat.

The problem arises when a person who is taking in lots of sodium suddenly stops, but their urine and sweat is still pouring out a lot. Then their performance could suffer and they could feel fatique.

I certainly think what you are doing is the healthiest way to go."

Health Reform Should Focus on Health

2009-08-02T11:46:00.005-04:00

We can engage in complicated studies and endless debate about the shape of national health reform, but until our nation commits to the tough and politically unpopular actions needed to improve the health of the American people, the effort will be wasted.

Politicians, journalists, and health policy experts talk on and on about the huge costs of health reform, raising taxes, a public option to compete with private insurers, reducing administrative costs, introducing electronic medical records, conducting more research to compare treatment outcomes, etc.

While each of these topics is important, the current discourse misses an essential point - it is the responsibility of everyone to adopt healthy lifestyle behaviors that will improve personal health. It is within the power of each American to help reduce costs and thus make health insurance affordable.

Exhibit I (Click to view) tells a grim story. Not only did health spending average $7868 per person in 2008, but additional data from the Kaiser Family Foundation shows that family health insurance premiums have nearly doubled from 2000 to 2008. The average family health insurance policy now costs in excess of $12,500 per year. Not only does the U.S. spend twice as much as other industrialized nations on health care, U.S. citizens are in overall worse health than those of most other nations. In the U.S., many families spend more on health care than they do on housing or food. In 2008, 17% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) was spent on medical care. Even so, about 45.7 million people are without health coverage and millions more are inadequately covered. Illness is the leading cause of personal bankruptcy in the U.S.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) leading illnesses that drive these costs are heart disease (#1 killer), cancer (#2 killer), stroke (#3 killer) and diabetes (#6 killer). Each of these diseases can be substantially reduced with major lifestyle improvements.

Without a focus on prevention, any health reform we adopt will fail to get costs under control. President Obama understands this. In his recent speech to the American Medical Association he said:

"The second step that we can all agree on is to invest more in preventive care so that we can avoid illness and disease in the first place. That starts with each of us taking more responsibility for our health and the health of our children."

The President doesn't go far enough. Here are some of the ingredients that should be included in national health reform:

An aggressive public education program that communicates, especially to our children, the substantial health risks of a poor diet, inadequate sleep, too much stress, and lack of exercise. Just as the government adopted an anti-smoking initiative that has substantially reduced smoking in the U.S., we should now turn our attention to the health risks of unhealthy food and beverages. After all, a poor diet is actually a worse health risk than smoking.

A rewards program that provides reductions in health insurance premiums for those who adopt healthy lifestyles and whose main health risk indicators remain positive - Not only will people save on health insurance, but physicians who work with their patients to improve their lifestyles and their health will receive bonuses. Schools that improve lunch programs will receive additional financial support and businesses that promote healthy behavior among their employees will see substantial reductions in their employee health benefits costs.

A reorientation of physician education and medical practice that provides incentives for medical students to pursue careers in primary care - Medical schools will be given financial incentives to introduce lifestyle training (including nutrition training) into medical education. Physicians will be trained to use drugs and surgery only as a last resort after more conservative non-invasive (often lifestyle) approaches have been tried. Medical practice will evolve to a point where physicians will only use treatments with proven beneficial health outcomes.

An aggressive national food policy - As politically unpopular as it will be, government farm subsidy programs will be reoriented to reward farmers and food distributors based upon the health benefits of their products. Incentives will be provided to supply only healthy food choices to our school lunch programs. Incentives will be given to produce and distribute healthy food locally, not only improving health, but also reducing the environment costs of factory farming and long distance food distribution.

This is only a partial list. Each of us needs to do our part by taking our own health seriously. We can vote to reduce personal and national costs and improve our health with our knives and forks, our walking shoes, our sleep habits, and a more conservative use of the health care system.

Processed oils are junk food

2009-07-11T17:32:00.007-04:00

People ask me why I have eliminated all processed oils. Typically, someone will say something like, "I know oils are high in fat, but isn't olive oil good for you? Isn't olive oil a 'good oil'?

I have never given a very good answer to this question, except to say that oil is pure fat, and has little or no nutritive value. Some fats when found in natural foods and combined with other healthy nutrients are healthy, nuts, seeds and avocado are good examples. But, even these should be consumed carefully because they are very high in calories.

Today I was browsing through the Discussion Board on Dr. McDougall's website and found an excellent answer to the question, why eliminate processed oils from your diet? In response to the question, Jeff Novick, Nutritionist, says:

"Due to very effective marketing and advertising, we have become convinced that oil is not only a food, but a health food. This is crazy. To be a food, something must be able to support healthy life and be of some benefit.

Oil is a highly refined processed and extracted food "product". It has no protein or essential amino acids (which we need), it has no carbohydrates, or sugars (which we need), it has no fiber (which we need), it has no minerals (which we need) and has virtually no vitamins (which we need) except for a small amount of Vit E and some phytosterols.

But, on the other hand, it is pure fat and the most calorie dense food on the planet. While all oils have a mixture of mono, poly and saturated fat, most oils are very low in the essential fat omega 3 (which some of us may need more of), very high in the omega 6 (which most of us need to lower) and most oils also have high ratios of omega 6 to omega 3 (which most all of us need to lower).

So, basically you are getting lots of calories (oils has almost 2.5 x more calorie per TB than sugar). lots of omega 6s, some saturated fat (depending on the oil) and virtually no nutrients.

The definition of a junk food is a food that is high in calories (and/or fat, sugar, salt) and has little if any nutrient value at all.

IMHO (and by definition), Oil, is more of a junk food than sugar. And, I hope that in a few years, we will all come to understand it and see it, as such.

I conclude that oil will significantly increase the calorie density and significantly decrease the "overall" nutrient density of any diet it is added to, which are the exact opposite goals most people are working towards.

Diets with increased calorie density can lead to obesity and obesity does increase your risk for heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure and many others.

Some oils, depending on the percent saturated fat they contain may directly increase cholesterol levels.

Here is something to think about... right now the typical American diet is 10-12% saturated fat. Olive oil is around 14% saturated fat. The AHA is now recommending that Americans reduce the percentage of saturated fat in their diet to below 10%, if not below 7% (for those at risk, which is just about everyone is America). I think below 5% is optimal.

So, Olive oil = 14%
American Diet = 12%
AHA = 7-10%
Optimal = < 5%

How much of something 14% Saturated fat, can you add to something that is already 12% saturated fat to get the total saturated fat below 10%? let alone below 7%, let alone below 5%?

By, the way, guess how many oils have a saturated fat level below 10%? let alone below 7%, let alone below 5%?

We should treat oil for what it really is (junk food) and the same way we treat other foods in the same category.

Oil is junk food. Pure and simple. Treat it like the junk food it really is.

If you choose to include a small amount of junk food in your diet, that is up to you. I am sure most people, if they otherwise have an optimal diet, could get away with around 5% of their calories from junk food and not be harmed by it.

However, you would probably want to choose the junk food that is going to do the least harm and has the best overall picture But, I am not going to recommend one, or try to figure out which is the best junk food for you.

In Health
Jeff Novick, MS, RD

PS, OK, I will. The only oil, that comes close to the criteria I mentioned is canola oil. It is the lowest in saturated fat, one of the highest in omega 3s and the only one with a ratio of omega 6: omega 3 that is less than 4:1. Now, to be clear, I am not recommending you consume canola oil, but in comparison to all other oils, I think it has the best overall picture."

For the complete discussion follow this link.

Vegetarian, Vegan....what are we?

2009-07-08T20:47:00.006-04:00

This post is to ramble a bit about the terms vegetarian and vegan as well as the other terms we use to characterize the way we eat.

There are lots of labels around. In addition to these two two there are omnivore, fruitarian, raw foodist, natural hygienist, and a host of others. Joel Fuhrman, M.D. has coined the term nutritarian, which probably best represents my eating style. A nutritarian eats foods that are nutrient dense and low in calories, for the most part. The primary focus is health and flooding our cells each day with the most nutritious foods and avoiding the foods that compromise our immune systems and our overall health.

But let me elaborate. The problem with the terms vegetarian and vegan is that they often mislead people in to thinking that healthful eating equates to simply avoiding animal foods, especially foods from animal flesh. The reality is that many foods that are not derived from animals are also not healthy. Examples of offending vegan foods are refined sugar, processed oils (yes, even vegetable oils), isolated soy protein found in veggie dogs and veggie burgers, overly salted foods like pretzels and potato chips, candy bars, many alcoholic beverages, soft drinks made from either refined sugar or artificial sweetners, and many other unhealthy or foods that are not nutrient dense.

For over 25 years, I considered myself a vegetarian. I ate cheese and other dairy products, including ice cream, but no other animal foods. I consumed lots of vegetable oils, including olive oil, and ate fake meat most every day....veggie dogs and burgers. My weight remained at 20-30 pounds above the ideal even though I am a cyclist and frequently exercised long and hard every week. Both my weight and my blood cholesterol stubbornly remained above 200, although I generally had no health problems. My health was okay, but not ideal.

Over the past two years, I have become convinced that a whole foods plant-based eating style was the healthiest. Reading T. Colin Campbell's The China Study was the turning point for me. This book reports on many years of epidemiological research about the eating styles of healthy populations. Dr. Campbell concludes that a whole foods plant based diet is the healthiest. My own eating style has been continually refined since reading The China Study after my introductions to Joel Fuhrman, M.D. and John McDougall, M.D. They have taught me much about a healthy plant-based diet. For two years I have avoided all animal foods, processed foods, including vegetarian processed foods, refined sugar, processed oils, including olive oil, and most foods high in fat. My diet consists of vegetables, especially green leafy vegetables, fresh and dried fruits, whole grains, beans/legumes, nuts/seeds. During the past two years my weight has stabilized 30 pounds lower that during my 'vegetarian' stage. My energy level is consistently higher and my overall health is excellent. I am convinced that this way of eating will greatly increase my odds of leading a longer and healthier life.

Although vegetarian and vegan diets can be healthy, often they are not. A diet that eliminates meat, but loads up on sugar, vegetable oils and high fat/salt processed foods is not healthy. I agree with vegans about the negative environmental and ethical effects of modern animal factory farming, which is one of the reasons I eat no meat/dairy. Drs. Campbell and Fuhrman teach that eating small amounts of meat, less than 10% of total calories, has not been shown to be detrimental to health. The research into populations that are generally healthier and longer-lived than Americans supports the consumption of small amounts of animal food. Even small amounts are not acceptable to me, not only because I do not crave meat/dairy, but because of the ethical and environmental costs of modern factory farming. Also, if animal foods are mostly not healthy, why eat even small amounts?

At a party the other night, the hostess informed me that I was the only 'vegan' she knew that was not either a teenager or a young adult. She had apparently never met a 67 year old vegan. I have met a few other older adults who consume a whole foods, plant-based diet, but not many. The reality is that our society reinforces unhealthy eating, even among vegetarians and vegans. Healthful eating is both simple and very difficult all at the same time. The concept is simple - concentrate on fresh vegetables and fruits, beans/legumes, whole grains, and raw nuts/seeds. The implementation is difficult because it forces us to move away from fast and processed foods, which are mostly inexpensive and very convenient. It leads us also away from some cultural doctrines about eating that are mostly myths, including we need lots of animal protein to build muscle, we need lots of dairy for strong bones, etc. Rather than truths, these are marketing pitches from the food processing industry, but they have become ingrained. Running against society's eating norms is not easy, but the rewards in good health in doing so are enormous.

My hope is that we reach the point where healthy eating is the norm, rather than the exception, and that terms like vegan and vegetarian become obsolete as larger and larger percentages of the population transition into truly healthy (as well as animal and environment friendly) eating.

Vegetarian Diet and Weak Bones – from John McDougall, M.D.

2009-07-05T10:39:00.007-04:00

I received this email message from Dr. McDougall today and am printing it verbatim here. There is lots of confusion about the impact of vegetarian and vegan diets on bone strength. This provides some clarification. Note, as Dr. McDougall points out that the the 'meta-analysis' is actually advertising passed off as research, since it was sponsored by a company that promotes dairy products.

-------Vegetarian Diet "Weakens Bones" (Worldwide headlines July 2, 2009)------

A joint Australian-Vietnamese meta-analysis of 9 observational studies of 2,749 people found that vegetarians had bones five percent less dense than meat-eaters and vegans were six percent weaker. However, the results were of such little significance that the authors ended their paper by saying: "In conclusion, the results of this meta-analysis suggest that there is a modest effect of vegetarian diets, particularly a vegan diet, on BMD, but the effect size is unlikely to result in a clinically important increase in fracture risk."

This article, released ahead of scheduled publication, which gives the public the perception that the news was so important that it could not wait, in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition was by the same authors as the vegan-osteoporosis article I discussed in my June 2009 newsletter. The article I reported on received little press worldwide and showed results very favorable for a vegan diet and bone health. Published in the April 2009 issue of the journal Osteoporosis International, the same researchers directly examined 105 postmenopausal Mahayana Buddhist nuns, and compared them to 105 omnivorous women and found, "…although vegans have much lower intakes of dietary calcium and protein than omnivores, veganism does not have (an) adverse effect on bone mineral density (BMD) and does not alter body composition."

The highly publicized study showing negative effects of a vegan diet was a meta-analysis—a selected compilation of similar studies. This kind of analysis is notorious for showing bias and is easily manipulated by the choice of studies included or excluded in the research paper. Because of the ease of exploitation, meta-analysis has been referred to as an exercise in "mega-silliness." Their original research found 922 studies, but after applying exclusion criteria there were only 9 studies left, which included 2749 individuals; 5 studies were of Asians, populations where osteoporosis-related fractures are much lower because of their healthier diet and greater physical activity, than Westerners.

This analysis found no correlation between dietary calcium intake or protein intake and BMD. The results comparing diets of vegetarians and omnivores with BMD were considered clinically insignificant by the authors. Furthermore, BMD is a poor predictor of future fracture risk. The criticisms could go on, making this one of the worst studies ever published in a respected journal. So why did this article condemning eating a vegan diet get so much attention?

This flawed research telling people worldwide that vegan diets are bad for the bones was funded by the AMBeR alliance incorporated in Malaysia, which owns Amber F&B Nutrition Sdn Bhd, a dairy products producer and wholesaler. This company's business is the "manufacturing of sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk and dairy products." Once a study is published then the public relations department of the industry takes over and sends "Press Releases" to the media worldwide. Because people love to hear "good news about their bad habits (eating beefsteaks, fried chicken, cheese, and ice cream)," the press and the public revel in this good news, even when the conclusions are untrue as in this case. You might think there would be at least one curious reporter who would read the research before spreading the lie.

You can write the authors at: tuan.nguyen@unsw.edu.au and ask your questions about the two studies and why the one funded by a dairy industry showing no relevance to a person's choice of a vegan diet and the risk of fracture received so much worldwide attention.

2009 Workout 108 - Cartersville Century 97 miles MTD 702 YTD 2974

2009-06-27T20:34:00.004-04:00

This was the second Century ride this month and my time was a bit better. I averaged 14 mph on a hilly ride from Cartersville, GA. Total time was 7:13 and ride time was 6:53.

I was the only recumbent rider in a large field of riders that probably totaled close to 400 riders. The countryside was beautiful. The first part of the ride and the last part were rolling hills and the middle part was more hilly with more steep climbs. Total climbing was about 5800 feet. I felt strong all the way, but the heat hit close to 100 degrees at about noon, so I had to tough it out in very hot weather for the last 3 hours or so.

Great ride. I really enjoyed it.

2009 Workout 107 - Stone Mountain Park 24 miles MTD 605 YTD 2877

2009-06-25T20:29:00.001-04:00

I did the most challenging 19 loop at Stone Mountain to get some good climbing in. I did a 19 mile loop taking in some of the Park's toughest climbs and then finished with an easier 5 mile loop.

2009 Workout 106 - White 45 miles MTD 581 YTD 2853

2009-06-22T16:47:00.002-04:00

On the drive to White for this ride, it started to rain heavily but when I arrived the sky was clear and it was very hot and humid. So, I started out on a 45 mile ride, which proceeded uneventfully for the first 20 miles or so. Then the thunder and lightning started and the rain clouds started to build in the sky. But, luck was with me. Just as it started to rain I passed Glade Church, which has a covered picnic area. So I hovered under the cover for about 1/2 hour until the rain stopped. The ride back to the truck was routine and I finished the ride in good spirits.

Nutrition for Endurance Training

2009-06-20T20:37:00.006-04:00

I haven't posted on nutrition for awhile, so this post is to discuss the tweaks I have made to my eating style in that I am in the midst of cycling training season. I completed one Century (100 mile) ride on Sunday, June 7th and have two more Century rides planned this summer.

My program involves between 200-250 miles per week of training. The energy expenditure is estimated to be between 9,000 and 12,000 calories per week. My training is not all that intense. Although I cover the miles, I train really hard only sparingly and usually when I ride with others who want to go faster.

My daily routine, which I occasionally vary, is to wake around 7-8 am and start the day with a little fruit. My hunger begins to pick up around 10:30 am. My typical breakfast is a large bowl of oatmeal/fruit and a green smoothie. Here are typical recipes:

High Energy Oatmeal:

1 cup of oats
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 medium banana sliced
1/2 cup of raisins or 5-6 chopped dates
1/2 cup of frozen mixed berries (blueberries, raspberries, black raspberries
3/4 cup almond milk
1 cup water

Put the banana, raisins/dates in the bottom of a large cereal bowl
Add the oats and sprinkle on the cinnamon
Add the mixed berries
pour on the almond milk and water and mix

Put in microwave for 3-4 minutes until the oats are moist and 'fluffy'.
Let stand for 5 minutes before eating.
Sprinkle on 1-2 tbsp of ground flax seeds
Pour on a little more almond milk, if desired.

Green Smoothie:

Two medium oranges peeled
3-4 dates
1/2 cup almond milk
1/2 cup water
1/2 banana
5-8 ounces of frozen spinach and/or kale
1 ml DHA Purity

Blend in a VitaMix or high powered blender until smooth and creamy

I eat the oatmeal with 1/2 glass of the green smoothie and daily supplements (Plus cranberry gel caps)

I put the remainder of the green smoothie in a thermos and take it in my cooler for drinking after the bike ride.

Nutrition on the bike:

Water bottles with 50% water and 50% organic apple juice
Bananas and oranges
Trail mix (oats, dates, raw nuts/seeds)
After the ride I finish the green smoothie, eat some more trail mix and an orange and/or banana.

I have stuck with this bike nutrition for several weeks and it works great. The green smoothie is a good recovery drink after the ride.

For dinner I usually have a salad and a starch based dish (sweet potatoes, white potatoes, brown rice, or whole wheat pasta. The starch dish always has lots of fresh vegetables.

This regimen has worked well and my energy level is consistently high. My diet overall is very low in salt. I take no electrolytes and even though it has been very hot, so far no cramping problems.

2009 Workout 105 - White 45 miles MTD 536 YTD 2808

2009-06-20T20:21:00.003-04:00

I didn't get started until about 12:30 pm and it was VERY hot. I drove to White to do my usual 45 mile training ride. I varied the route because I had to double back to my truck and get some money (which I forgot) in case I needed to stop for water.

The temperature jumped over 100 degrees but I felt pretty good until the last few miles when I began to wilt. About 2o miles into the ride I helped another rider who had a mechanical problem. Luckily I had my toolkit and could help.

I am getting stronger and really enjoyed this ride.

2009 Workout 104 - Silver Comet Trail 46 miles MTD 491 YTD 2763

2009-06-20T20:19:00.000-04:00

I didn't get started until late and ended up on the Silver Comet Trail for a 46 mile ride. It was very hot and I was dragging at the end. It was a beautiful day and I stopped at the 1/2 way point for a rest and a snack.

2009 Workout 103 - White 45 miles MTD 445 YTD 2717

2009-06-17T21:30:00.000-04:00

Drove with a friend out to White and did a pretty hard 45 miles. We had to stop twice to fix his rear tire, but when we go going after that we maintained a pretty good pace. Average speed was about 15 mph, which wasn't bad, given the terrain.

2009 Workout 102 - Stone Mountain Park 24 miles MTD 400 YTD 2672

2009-06-16T21:28:00.000-04:00

This was a hard ride at Stone Mountain Park. I passed a young triathlete going up a hill and she was not pleased so she ran me down, passed me again. We traded passes for about 5 miles until she pulled away from me. Hurt her ego I guess. Nice ride, felt good.

2009 Workout 101 - Silver Comet Trail 46miles MTD 376 YTD 2648

2009-06-15T21:26:00.000-04:00

Felt a little sluggish today, but did a 46 mile rather leisurely ride on the Silver Comet Trail. The weather was beautiful and me a riding buddy at the end. Nice ride, but I didn't feel lively.

2009 Workout 100 - White 45miles MTD 330 YTD 2602

2009-06-13T21:03:00.001-04:00

I enjoyed the ride yesterday so much that I drove back to White today and did a similar ride. This time I followed the 45 mile markers for the Beautiful Backroads Century, which is held each September. They keep improving this route, and this one is really special. The ride starts at the Budweiser Brewery, but I started at my usual spot, City Hall in White, GA. I did essentially the same route, however, because the BBC passes right by the White City Hall. Great ride. Took a more leisurely pace than yesterday.

2009 Workout 99 - White to Red Bud 45miles MTD 288 YTD 2557

2009-06-12T20:54:00.002-04:00

A friend and I started out from White, GA at about 9:30 am and did a 45 minute rolling hills ride to Red Bud and back. It was a beautiful day and we set a decent pace, although for part of the ride we were deep in conversation. Although it was hot, the humidity was low and it remained comfortable. We stopped at Red Bud for a breather and then headed home. Very nice ride.

2009 Workout 98 - Stone Mountain Park 37 miles MTD 243 YTD 2512

2009-06-11T22:15:00.001-04:00

It rained on and off, but I did a very hilly 37 miles at Stone Mountain Park. Starting to get my legs back after the Century on Sunday.

2009 Workout 97 - Rowing and Core Strength

2009-06-08T12:14:00.002-04:00

I did 30 minutes of easy rowing followed by 60 situps, lying side leg raises and stretches. This felt good after yesterday's long ride.

2009 Workout 96 - West Georgia 100 98 miles MTD 206 YTD 2488

2009-06-07T22:45:00.002-04:00

A friend and I drove to Carrollton, GA and did the West Georgia 100. It was an unusual ride in that my buddy has two flat tires and another tire delay that added up to about 1.5 hours in time off the ride. We used up my spare tubes and most of my CO2 cartridges in the repairs. We got some support help from the SAG wagon, but mostly fended for ourselves. We set out unsure whether we would do the metric (62.5 miles) or the full century (100 miles). Given the lack of spare tubes and CO2 cartridges, we opted to head back to the start, and my truck, and ended up with 71 miles because we took a wrong turn.

Once back at the truck, we filled our water bottles, got something to eat, restocked on tubes and CO2 and decided to head back out to do the courses marked 25 miles loop. So we ended up doing pretty much the full Century anyways, even though the ride was a bit unorthodox. Our time was not all that fast, 7:07 riding time and probably 7:30 for the full Century total time (not counting the repair time). Despite the interruptions, it was a fun ride, beautiful weather and we both handled the distance and the hills well.

The organizers of the ride said it was a rolling hills terrain. That is was, plus lots of fairly steep, but short climbs that took lots of effort. All in all the 100 miles had about 6500 feet of climbing, which is moderately difficult.

The sag support was minimal and the rest stops were marginal, but all in all the ride was fun and I would do it again next year.

2009 Workout 95 - Core Strength WO plus Bike training 30miles MTD 78 YTD 2390

2009-06-05T10:40:00.002-04:00

First, I did 50 minutes of situps, pushups, rowing and back exercises in my home gym.

My bike training was a relatively hard mountain ride at Stone Mountain Park. I did the really tough climb loop twice plus some easier, but still hard, loops with lots of climbing. The P-38 climbs well, but I need to be in better shape.

2009 Workout 94 - Bike training 46 miles MTD 78 YTD 2360

2009-06-03T10:29:00.003-04:00

Felt like an easy ride on the Silver Comet. Went along slowly and listened to a book on my pocketPC. Nice ride. At the end I met a friend and we did the last 10 miles relatively fast.

Nation’s Weight Gain Attributed to Excess Food, Not Lack of Exercise

2009-06-02T19:44:00.009-04:00

The following appeared in an email I received today from Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM)

In a paper presented at the European Congress on Obesity last month, researchers concluded that weight gain in the United States over the past 30 years can be attributed almost entirely to calorie intake, as opposed to lack of physical activity. Scientists looked at data from previous large food and activity surveys and concluded that physical activity has changed little in recent decades whereas calorie intake has increased significantly, accounting for virtually all the observed weight gain. A related paper appears in this month’s American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Swinburn BA, Sacks G, Ravussin E. Increased energy intake alone virtually explains all the increase in body weight in the United States from the 1970s to the 2000s. Report presented at: European Congress on Obesity; May 8, 2009. Obesity Facts. 2009; 2(Suppl 2):6.

Swinburn BA, Sacks G, Lo SK, et al. Estimating the changes in energy flux that characterize the rise in obesity prevalence. Am J Clin Nutr. 2009;89:1723-1728.

My Comment:
I have long felt that poor eating habits are much more of a public health problem than lack of exercise. That is not to say that being sedentary is not a problem. But, if you look at the two issues side-by-side, as the above research concludes, our society's intake of calories has increased substantially in recent decades, while our energy expenditure has remained fairly stable. Most preventive medicine health experts that I follow, advocate a major change in eating style and 'moderate' exercise. American problems (and increasingly health problems around the world) are largely linked to huge increases in the amount of fat, sugar and salt we consume. Cheap low nutrition, high fat/salt/sugar food is abundantly available whether you are rich or poor. The obesity problem does not appear to discriminate -- low income, middle income, high income, young, old, etc. are all becoming more obese.

I notice that a lot of people focus on increasing their exercise when they have a weight or health problem. That is good, but if diet is neglected, the results will often be minimal. When individuals reach the stage where they are very motivated to reduce their weight and improve their health (often after a health scare), they opt towards increasing their exercise and making few if any real changes in their eating style. Exercise is apparently the 'lessor of the two evils.' But I have observed that those that reduce their weight and keep it off, and make substantial gains in their health focus on diet primarily and secondarily (and still importantly) on increasing their level of activity.

2009 Workout 93 - Bike training 32 miles MTD 32 YTD 2314

2009-06-02T15:35:00.003-04:00

Met a riding buddy (Jeff) at the Dunwoody High School and we did a hilly ride of about 27 miles. The ride home made it 32 miles. It was a beautiful day and we had a nice ride. We climbed Ball Mill Road twice on the route.

2009 Workout 92 - Bike training 23 miles MTD 532 YTD 2282

2009-05-31T21:31:00.000-04:00

Was busy today. Kelli, our dog and I went for a 1 hour walk on the Silver Comet Trail. After I got home, I did a 23 mile ride around Dunwoody with many hills and much traffic. Weather was great.

2009 Workout 91 - Bike training 30 miles MTD 509 YTD 2259

2009-05-30T15:18:00.000-04:00

It was a beautiful day at Stone Mountain Park and I did two 10 mile loops that included the toughest climb in the park, a .25 mile ascent that reaches over 16 % grade. My P-38 is a good climber and I had no problems. I felt very strong throughout the ride that included about 2400 feet of total climbing.

2009 Workout 90 - Bike training 74 miles MTD 479 YTD 2229

2009-05-28T23:31:00.003-04:00

I did a long ride (74 miles) on the Silver Comet Trail. It was a near perfect day for riding. I started at the first Trailhead in Atlanta at Mavell and headed west to Rockmart. I covered the first half in about 2:34 and was a little slower coming back home. The ride was uneventful and there was relatively little traffic on the Trail. The scenery along the trail is very nice with bridges, tunnels and lots of trees all around. I felt strong all the way, although I'll get a good night's sleep.

Our taste buds, food addictions and food engineers

2009-05-28T09:42:00.003-04:00

The following is my post of earlier today on www.bentrideronline.com, a website for recumbent cyclists. I was offering my opinion on the subject of whether heavy endurance exercise will keep us healthy. Within this thread, some of us got into a debate about whether or not our exercise will keep us healthy even if our diets are not that healthy. One of the posters offered that it is hard to give up unhealthy food because it tastes soooo good. Here is my response:

The food industries all over the world have become adept at maximizing their profits by hyper-flavor enhancing processed and refined food so that we literally become addicted to these enhanced flavors. See The End of Overeating, by David Kessler, M.D., the former head of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Kessler and many other respected scientists, from around the world, have documented how the food engineers at food manufacturers and restaurant chains, such as Kraft Foods, Chilis, Olive Garden, and McDonalds, use flavor enhancement techniques using chemicals and by laying fat upon salt upon sugar to keep bringing us back for more. And, increasing their profits. And the food tastes sooooo good! We get addicted to these foods/flavors, and worse, our kids and grand-kids get addicted, which is why childhood obesity is now an epidemic.

My son, home from college last week, popped a Hungry Man frozen dinner in the microwave. I looked at the label and the dinner has 1700 mgs. of salt! Americans eat an average of 5-7,000 mg of salt per day. Too much salt is clearly linked to hypertension, which is linked to heart disease and stroke. I am working on my son, thus far unsuccessfully.

In fact, the food engineers target our children as a hug market segment for peddling their chemically engineered and very unhealthy food products.

I realize I am an extreme outlier with regards to eating, but I have discovered that once I gave up meat/dairy, and most processed and refined foods and ordered VERY carefully in restaurants (becoming a pain in the ass to waiters) my taste buds gradually re-adapted to enjoying the simple flavors of natural whole foods. Frankly, it is like detoxing from alcohol or giving up smoking. Before the food engineers took over our cuisine, humans really enjoyed simple foods produced by nature.

You might think my using the term detoxing is extreme. But, eating food high in fat, salt, processed sugar and chemicals from the food engineers (including those found in most factory-raised meat) is, from a health perspective, analogous to smoking. In fact, it is worse. More people die in the U.S. of heart disease and vascular diseases than die of smoking relating illnesses like lung cancer. Most heart disease is 100% preventable with a very healthy diet. See Caldwell Esselstyn, M.D.'s website.

Exercise does protect us from disease and weight gain, to some extent, even if we eat a marginal or unhealthy diet. But it is far from optimal and what if we have to give up exercise for an extended period (like when I broke my hip last year). I think our goal should be to look upon heavy exercise as one of life's pleasures, but not depend upon it solely to keep us healthy. Everyone has the choice of eating healthy. Not everyone wishes to, or is able to, exercise like we do.

2009 Workout 89 - Bike training 53 miles MTD 405 YTD 2155

2009-05-27T20:15:00.005-04:00

The rain cleared today and I had a great ride on the Silver Comet Trail, which extends from Smyrna, a suburb of Atlanta to the Alabama border. i rode 53 miles out and back and felt very good. My P-38 recumbent is an excellent ride.

The trail is very scenic with no car traffic, but lots of walkers, skaters and other cyclists. Today, being the middle of the week, it was light traffic all the way around.

I would like to get in lots of miles the final days of this month. The rain has kept me off the bike and I am behind on my mileage goals.

Sleep, the Neglected Lifestyle Child

2009-05-24T09:51:00.008-04:00

I am reading The Promise of Sleep: A Pioneer in Sleep Medicine Explores the Vital Connection Between Health, Happiness, and a Good Night's Sleep, by William C. Dement, M.D..

Dr. Dement is one of the leading sleep experts in the country. He has done research at Stanford University and treated patients with sleep disorders for many years. Sleep deprivation is, according to Dr. Dement, one of the most serious public health problems in the U.S. Sleep disorders are very common, and often undiagnosed. We tend to underestimate the importance of a good night's sleep on our health.

Many traffic accidents, for example, are the result of sleep deprivation. In one study reported by Dr. Dement 23% of the respondents reported driving while sleep deprived. He cited his own near death experience when a cab driver, with Sleep Apnea, passed out while transporting him to an out of town meeting. How many commercial airline pilots, school bus drivers, air traffic controllers, cab drivers, surgeons, etc. are functioning every day without sufficient sleep?

Many sleep disorders go undiagnosed because physicians are not trained to look for them. Dr. Dement provides an interesting history of the development of "sleep medicine" and the development of the American College of Sleep Disorders. But, even today, this area of medicine is in its infancy.

When we sleep poorly, or do not get enough sleep, out bodies build up a sleep debt. Our brains keep a tally of sleep debt, which must be paid back. We know that in the short term sleep debt seriously hinders day-to-day performance. On famous study, by Thomas Wehr, Psychiatrist and sleep researcher, shows clearly that as sleep deprivation increases, level of performance decreases. We do not know, according to Dr. Dement, the long term price we pay for chronic sleep deprivation because more research is needed.

Our modern society, with its high levels of stress, work demands, and entertainment options, plays havoc with our sleep. Sleep is a "neglected child" and we need rethink our relationship with this critical element of our lifestyles. Sleep disorders are all around us and no one is safe from its potentially deadly consequences.

As I continue my research into this interesting and important lifestyle topic, I will report my findings on such topics as, how much sleep do we need?, what health problems has research shown to be linked with sleep disorders?, how can we alter our lifestyles to include consistent healthy sleep?, what are the danger signs of too little sleep?, what are the health benefits of good sleep habits?, and much more.

Dr. Dement equates good sleep habits with a good diet. By reading this book, I have developed an increased appreciation for the role of sleep in an overall healthy lifestyle.

2009 Workout 88 - Bike training 23 miles MTD 352 YTD 2102

2009-05-24T09:47:00.002-04:00

Another rainy day so instead of driving to Stone Mountain Park or out into the country to White, I rode my home neighborhoods. These rides close to home are not as interesting and there is lots of hills combined with traffic. But, it is a somewhat challenging ride with lots of short steep hills. One hill is 3/4 mile long and straight up with close to 18% grade at the end. When I ride close to home I usually keep it to 20-30 miles. It started raining again just as I was finishing.

2009 Workout 87 - Bike training 24miles MTD 329 YTD 2089

2009-05-21T20:04:00.002-04:00

It was a rainy day and I went out to Stone Mountain Park and did five laps, 24 miles. I felt pretty good. Had the park mostly to myself. I forgot my bike computer, so I have no idea of my speed or time.

2009 Workout 86 - Bike training 36miles MTD 305 YTD 2065

2009-05-20T22:23:00.003-04:00

Another gorgeous day for riding. A riding buddy and I drove out to White, GA and did a 36 miler. We rode from White over to Fairmount, about 17 miles, stopped for a breather and then headed back to White using a different route. This route, like most of the rides in this area is quite hilly, but most of the hills are short, but never ending. We did about 2,000 feet of climbing over the 36 miles. My p-38 recumbent continues to perform flawlessly. Great ride.

2009 Workout 85 - Bike training 50 miles MTD 269 YTD 2029

2009-05-18T20:29:00.006-04:00

Today was one of those gorgeous days, that comes along every once in a while. The temperatures were in the high 60s with a light cool breeze for most of the day. The sun was bright and there were only a few clouds in the sky.

I drove up to White, Georgia and decided to do a relatively long ride. I started at White City Hall and rode through the countryside for 25 miles. I stopped at a beautiful church on the top of the hill near a cemetery and had the lunch that I had brought along with me, some beans and rice. I also had some trail mix that I had for dessert that was made up of oatmeal, dates, raisins, and nuts and seeds.

After the lunch break, I cycled down to Fairmont, Georgia, stopped at a convenience store and bought some water, since I was running low. I finished the 50 mile ride by winding my way through the countryside back to the White City Hall.

I chatted for a few minutes with White's police officer, who I have become acquainted with and he told me all the local criminal action that's going on. He said that his small town is really suffering economically.

This was a wonderful day of riding. I really enjoyed it.

2009 Workout 84 - Core Strength Workout - MTD 219 YTD 1979

2009-05-17T16:17:00.002-04:00

Another rainy day, so I stayed at home in my gym and did a core strength workout:

Stationary Rowing Machine - 20 minutes
Ab Crunches - 60
Lying side leg raises - 45 each leg
Pushups - 45
Back hyperextensions - 45
Stretching - 10 minutes

The workout took 55 minutes.

2009 Workout 83 - Bike 19 miles - MTD 219 YTD 1979

2009-05-17T09:20:00.002-04:00

Kelli and I went to Stone Mountain Park. She walked and I rode 4 of the short laps. After about ten minutes of riding, it started raining. Kelli finished her walk in the rain and I finished the 4 laps and decided to call it a day. I had scheduled 5 laps. The P-38 recumbent performed very well in the rain, very stable. I kept speed down given the wet pavement and the traffic.

Reducing salt intake improves health

2009-05-15T17:21:00.005-04:00

Jeff Novick posted two journal articles on salt on his website. Both articles reinforce the scientific evidence that high salt intake is a major threat to public health.

The first article, Low-sodium DASH reduces oxidative stress and improves vascular function in salt-sensitive humans concludes that a low sodium diet decreases oxidative stress, improves vascular function and lowers blood pressure in salt sensitive subjects. The second article A comprehensive review on salt and health and current experience of worldwide salt reduction programmes provides an overview of a myriad of health threats (beyond high blood pressure) posed by high salt consumption and concludes that nation's would be well served to implement public health programs to reduce the levels of salt consumption in the population.

The main sources of all this damaging sodium are restaurant meals, refined and highly processed foods. I wouldn't be surprised if salt reduction may be the next target of public health regulators, especially at the state and local level. If they can go after transfats served in restaurants, why not dangerous high salt restaurant meals?

2009 Workout 82 - Bike 37 miles - MTD 200 YTD 1960

2009-05-15T17:13:00.002-04:00

Beautiful day - l0w 70's, low humidity and sunny. What more could a recumbent cyclist ask for? I rode today with a friend. We started out at White, GA. City Hall and covered a 37 mile loop of rolling hills, beautiful farmland, a few barking, chasing dogs, little traffic. We rested at the 17 mile point and finished in time to head back to Atlanta for lunch. As far as Georgia rural cycling goes, it can't get much better than this.

2009 Workout 81 - Core Strength and Bike 23 miles - MTD 163 YTD 1923

2009-05-13T21:48:00.003-04:00

It has been raining all week and I was reluctant to go out today, but when I arrived at Stone Mountain Park, one of my favorite ride locations, the weather cleared. I got a 1:45 minute ride in before it started to sprinkle again. I went easier today than my last trip to the park. Just felt like cruising today. The mountain climbs in the park make this a great workout even if you don't push the pedals too hard. I did five short laps (4.7 miles each).