Whole milk better for your heart?

Every nutritionist knows (or should know) that a DASH eating plan is incredibly effective for helping patients to lower their blood pressure. A staple on the plan are low-fat or non-fat dairy foods (think 2 percent or skim milk versus whole milk) because they are considered more heart healthy than full-fat dairy, but the results of a 16-year prospective study just published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutritianare suggesting otherwise.

Bonthuis et al are calling for more studies to assess whether or not full-fat dairy may have more cardioprotective benefits than low-fat or nonfat dairy (1). The researchers found that among more than 1,500 adult Australians regularly consuming dairy products, those with highest consumption of full-fat dairy had reduced mortality when compared with those who ate low-fat dairy (1). This was after adjusting for possible confounders such as calcium and vitamin D. Most of the deaths of the participants in the study were related to cardiovascular disease and cancer (1).

The study overall confirms that dairy deserves to continue to be part of DASH and a previously published cohort from Australia that dairy could lower all-cause mortality (2). The study also questions recommendations of avoiding full-fat dairy for long-term protection against chronic disease.

Where did the recommendation to go for the low-fat dairy come from anyway?

The recommendation appeared because of studies that found that low-fat dairy was associated with lower blood pressure, but that full-fat dairy was not. Somewhat recently, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Family Heart Study in 2006 found an inverse association between prevalent hypertension and consumption of a diet containing dairy low in saturated fat (3).

Given the newest Australian findings, the dairy and blood pressure relationship may be dependent on the fatty acid make-up of the dairy. Could there be something about Australian dairy sources that are cardioprotective? The researchers no doubt must have this data and I imagine less saturated fat and more omega-3s would be involved in their results.

So, don't go switching to whole milk yet. If you like that full-fat flavor, then consider drinking omega-3-fortified dairy.

Just last month in March, a double-blind, cross-over study confirmed that omega-3-fortified dairy foods improved lipid profiles decreasing cardiovascular risk factors (4). The dairy improved omega-3 index, lowered total cholesterol, lowered LDL cholesterol, and lowered triglycerides significantly (4).

Once again, the fact of the matter is that it is the amount of omega-3s in any food that may truly determine how cardioprotective the food really is, as well as its lack of saturated fat and trans fat. Milk is no exception to this nutritional rule.

Reference

1. Bonthuis M, Hughes MC, Ibiebele TI, Green AC, van der Pols JC. Dairy consumption and patterns of mortality of Australian adults. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2010 Apr 7. [Epub ahead of print] Abstract available at http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20372173.
2. van der Pols JC, Gunnell D, Williams GM, Holly JM, Bain C, Martin RM. Childhood dairy and calcium intake and cardiovascular mortality in adulthood: 65-year follow-up of the Boyd Orr cohort. Heart. 2009 Oct;95(19):1600-6. Epub 2009 Jul 29.
3. Djoussé L, Pankow JS, Hunt SC, Heiss G, Province MA, Kabagambe EK, Ellison RC. Influence of saturated fat and linolenic acid on the association between intake of dairy products and blood pressure. Hypertension. 2006;48:335.
4. Dawczynski C, Marin L, Wagneer A, Jahreis G. n-3 LC-PUFA-enriched dairy products are able to reduce cardiovascular risk factors: A double-blind, cross-over study. Clinical Nutrition. Mar 19. [Epub ahead of print]

Low-fat vs low-carb and Med-diet

On July 17, 2008, a study was published (1) that I believe should change how nutritionists and dietitians would look at the current Dietary Guide for Americans, the Food Guide Pyramid and the whole concept of a “heart-healthy” low-fat diet as recommended by the American Heart Association.

The paradigm-shift study was a 2-year intervention trial in The New England Journal of Medicine in which weight loss was compared among moderately obese subjects who were assigned to either a restricted-calorie Mediterranean diet, a non-restricted calorie low-carbohydrate, or a typical restricted-calorie low-fat diet (1). What did they find? Surprising results.

All the subjects lost weight, but were greater in both the low-carbohydrate group (despite nonrestricted calories) and the Mediterranean-diet group (1). The lipid profiles, more surprisingly, improved in the Mediterranean-diet group and most in the low-carbohydrate group (1). Best LDL cholesterol levels were found among the Mediterranean-diet group (1). The level of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, most surprisingly, improved only in the Mediterranean-diet and low-carbohydrate groups (1).

The study, going further, took into consideration those with diabetes by measuring their fasting plasma glucose, insulin and glycated hemoglobin levels. There were no significant changes in fasting plasma glucose levels, but drastic decreasaes in insulin levels across the board (1). But the glycated hemoglobin decreased the most in the low-carb group (1).

Given the results of this study, my inclination is to adopt the Harvard School of Public Health’s Healthy Eating Pyramid because it appears to more resemble the Mediterranean-style of eating. And I would add recommendation for lower-carb eating in general along with inclusion of monounsaturated fat from olive oil and higher intake of fish versus red meat, etc.

Reference List

1. Cheskin LJ, Kahan S. Low-carbohydrate and Mediterranean diets led to greater weight loss than a low-fat diet in moderately obese adults. Evid Based Med 2008;13:176.

Top zinc-rich foods I eat frequently

1 chicken drumstick, broilers or fryers, meat and skin, cooked, roasted = 2.98mg
3 Eggs, whole, cooked, scrambled = 1.83mg
1 burrito, bean and cheese, microwaved = 1.33mg
1 cup milk, whole, 3.25% milkfat = .98mg
1 fish fillet, trout, rainbow, farmed = .32mg

Data found at: http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/

Boost brain health by living like an Indian

Getting plenty of sun and eating curry are integral parts of Indian culture. Now scientists have found that this combination also helps guard against Alzheimer's disease.

The biochemical mechanism by which the combination works is through immune system macrophages (1). Vitamin D was found to stimulate type I and II macrophages to break down and clear beta-amyloid plaques through genomic pathways. Curcuminoids, specifically bisdemethoxycurcumin, assisted with stimulating type 1 macrophages through non-geneomic pathways.

Immune therapies to clear beta-amyloid plaque are a new approach that health scientists hope will assist in prevention and treatment of AD.

Because vitamin D and curcumin work in different ways biochemically, both may be used in therapy for most promising effects.

Apart from hereditary implications, obesity, diabetes and hypertension are all risk factors in AD. Other promising dietary interventions are caloric reduction, antioxidant intake from fruits and vegetables, and increased intake of fish-derived omega-3 fatty acids.

Reference List

1. Masoumi A, Goldenson B, Ghirmai S et al. 1alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D_3 Interacts with Curcuminoids to Stimulate Amyloid-beta Clearance by Macrophages of Alzheimer's Disease Patients. J Alzheimers Dis 2009.

See Nutraingredients release.

Personal magnesium intake

These are the foods I eat on a daily basis with highest magnesium intake:

Mixed Nuts - 308 mg per cup
Spinach - 150mg per cup
Yerba Mate - 90mg per cup
Chocolate Soymilk - 39mg per cup
Coffee (espresso) - 96mg per 4 oz

Total magnesium: 683mg

Luckily I'm meeting my recommended intake of 400mg per day.

Check your intake here: http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/search/

Your brain on wine, tea and chocolate

Who would've thought? Before my next game of chess, I'll drink a glass of cabernet, a cup of green tea and a bite into a piece of chocolate.

All three foods contain antioxidant flavonoids that support brain health and, according to a study of Oxford and Norwegian researchers, elderly subjects had better test scores in cognitive performance when they consumed these foods. Those that consume all three foods in moderation generated the best test scores.

You don't need much of each. The study revealed that a maximum effect of cognition at an intake of 10g of chocolate, 75-100ml of wine and the same for wine.

Too much of either of these three foods are known to have ill effects.

Reference

Nurk E, Refsum H, Drevon CA, Tell GS, Nygaard HA, Engedal K, Smith AD. Intake of flavonoid-rich wine, tea, and chocolate by elderly men and women is associated with better cognitive test performance. J Nutr. 2009 Jan;139(1):120-7. Epub 2008 Dec 3. Available at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19056649.

Expanding my tea horizons

You fill up my senses with a hint of orange peel that drives me to sing John Denver songs and your light bitterness warms my complex taste buds like no other tea. Oh, Taragui "Sabor Naranja" maté! Could I ever fall in love with any other tea? 

Doubtful. So it's a good thing I have enough bags to last me six months because you never know when there might be an disaster. That trek to Argentina is a long one.  

But I am interested in mixing up my tea-drinking habit. We've all heard about—what seems like weekly—the studies that come out about green tea's preventive effects on cancer and heart disease. And while maté does have the same antioxidant epicatechins that tea has there are studies that suggest its tannins can cause possible cancers such as esophageal and bladder cancer [1-6]. While I believe more research is necessary to prove these effects and because some of the studies may have been related to other factors like how hot a maté is, I gotta drink it only in moderation. 

So I'm willing to bet there's a few other teas I like. Being January, and to start the year off with a healthy habit, I've decided to join the "Tea of The Month Club" at teavana.com. Their Web site design is beautiful and the stories on each tea are addicting. Anyway, I am interested in achieving that sought-after title, "tea connoisseur". 

Which should I start with? I was thinking at trying one of the blends. But not the Silver Monkey Rare Tea Blend. I'm just not into monkeys picking my tea leaves. Geez, I mean, is this a new way to avoid child labor? And do they at least give those monkeys a decent 401(k) plan and health insurance? 

References

1. Heck CI, de Mejia EG.Yerba Mate Tea (Ilex paraguariensis): a comprehensive review on chemistry, health implications, and technological considerations. J Food Sci. 2007 Nov;72(9):R138-51.

2. Kamangar F, Schantz MM, Abnet CC, Fagundes RB, Dawsey SM. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. High levels of carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in mate drinks. 2008 May;17(5):1262-8.

3. Sewram V, De Stefani E, Brennan P, Boffetta P. Maté consumption and the risk of squamous cell esophageal cancer in uruguay. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2003 Jun;12(6):508-13. Available at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12814995?dopt=Abstract.

4. De Stefani E, Boffetta P, Deneo-Pellegrini H, Correa P, Ronco AL, Brennan P, Ferro G, Acosta G, Mendilaharsu M. BMC Cancer. 2007 Mar 29;7:57. Links

Non-alcoholic beverages and risk of bladder cancer in Uruguay. Available at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17394632?ordinalpos=1&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum.

5. De Stefani E, Fierro L, Mendilaharsu M, Ronco A, Larrinaga MT, Balbi JC, Alonso S, Deneo-Pellegrini H. Br J Cancer. Meat intake, 'mate' drinking and renal cell cancer in Uruguay: a case-control study. 1998 Nov;78(9):1239-43.

6. Goldenberg D. Maté: a risk factor for oral and oropharyngeal cancer. Oral Oncol. 2002 Oct;38(7):646-9.

 

New Year's Health Resolutions

If I was a rational human I wouldn't wait until New Year's Day to make a health resolution. But like most humans I know, I'm not very rational. I'm really emotional. My habits largely depend on how I feel.

Every morning before work I hug my pillow for as long as possible because it feels good and procrastinate getting ready for the day. My resolution last year to get up early and jog daily lasted less than a month.

My resolution to make healthy lunches and take them with me to work died much sooner than that. Why go through the trouble when I could easily settle for a cheap, big greasy burrito at mid-day.

After work? Forget exercise. I'm taking kids to dance, cheer and jiu jitsu. No time to make a balanced meal for dinner either. I've got homework. Kids, we're having pasta again. 

The obvious is that what I need is discipline. Easier said. The idea of punishment and reward feels like jail. And no matter how rational it is, rationalization can always take over. No, what I need is some kind of inspiration to eat better and motivation to exercise. 

Maybe if I played a sport. When I used to play sports I was a lot more determined. It's the competitive nature of it all. 

Maybe if I took up a class. Nothing pushes you more than when you are graded for progress. If not a class, then maybe a trainer.

Maybe what I need is a friend. A friend who makes goals with you keeps you in check. And keeping him or her in check helps motivate too.

Whatever my method, my resolution is to bring my health back. I've gone for too long being the all-knowledgeable nutrition writer, but not so much the doer. I get sick often enough, my cardio has suffered tremendously and I have noticed some atrophy and muscle replaced by flab. 

Right now I'm sure I'm just seeing the tip of the glacier of what is my bad health. And it's time to turn this ship around.