Doctor Higginson’s Blog

A well-planned vegetarian diet is a healthy way to meet your nutritional needs. Find out what you need to know about a plant-based diet.

Adopting a healthy vegetarian diet isn’t as simple as scraping meat off your plate and eating what’s left. You need to take extra steps to ensure you’re meeting your daily nutritional needs.
 

Many vegetarian eating plans exist. At the very least, they exclude red meat, chicken and fish. Some vegetarian diets also exclude eggs and milk products. The Vegetarian Diet Pyramid shows a lacto-ovo vegetarian diet. It features whole grains, legumes, fruits and vegetables and includes moderate amounts of nuts and seeds, soy, egg whites, dairy products and plant oils.

A healthy vegetarian diet consists primarily of plant-based foods, such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds. Because the emphasis is on nonmeat food sources, a vegetarian diet generally contains less fat and cholesterol, and typically includes more fiber.
Vegetarians fall into groups defined by the types of animal-derived foods they eat:
- Vegans eat only plant-based foods. They don’t eat foods from animals, including meat, poultry, fish, milk, eggs and cheese.
- Lacto-vegetarians consume milk and milk products along with plant-based foods. They omit eggs as well as meat, fish and poultry.
- Lacto-ovo vegetarians eat eggs, milk and milk products, such as cheese and yogurt, in addition to plant-based foods. They omit red meat, fish and poultry.
- Flexitarians (semivegetarians) primarily follow a plant-based diet but occasionally eat small amounts of meat, poultry or fish.
To keep your vegetarian diet on track, you may find using a vegetarian food pyramid helpful. This pyramid outlines various food groups and food choices that, if eaten in the right quantities, form the foundation of a healthy vegetarian diet.
No matter what your age or situation, a well-planned vegetarian diet can meet your nutritional needs. Even children and teenagers can do well on a plant-based diet, as can older people, and pregnant or breast-feeding women. If you’re unsure whether a vegetarian diet is right for you, talk to your doctor or a registered dietitian.
 

Meat alternatives
Meatless products, such as tofu dogs, soy burgers, nut loaves or texturized vegetable protein, add variety to your vegetarian diet. These products, found in many grocery stores and health food markets, simulate the taste and texture of meat and usually have less fat and fewer calories. Many of the meatless products, such as tofu or tempeh, are made from soybeans.
If you follow a vegan diet, you may need to find alternatives for eggs and dairy products. Try these suggestions when meal planning or cooking:
Milk. Drink fortified soymilk, rice milk or almond milk in place of cow’s milk.
Butter. When sauteing, use olive oil, water, vegetable broth, wine or fat-free cooking spray instead of butter. In baked goods, use canola oil.
Cheese. Use soy cheese or nutritional yeast flakes, which are available in health food stores.
Eggs. In baked goods, try commercial egg replacers — a dry product made mostly of potato starch. Or you can use the following to replace one egg: 1/4 cup whipped tofu or 1 tablespoon milled flaxseed mixed with 3 tablespoons of water. For an egg-free omelet use tofu instead of eggs.
 

Ensuring adequate nutrition
The more restrictive a diet is, the more difficult it is to get all the nutrients your body needs. A vegan diet, for example, eliminates food sources of vitamin B-12, as well as milk products, which are a good source of calcium. Other nutrients, such as iron and zinc, are available in a meatless diet, but you need to make an extra effort to ensure they’re in yours.
Here are nutrients that may be deficient in a vegetarian diet and how you can get these nutrients from nonmeat sources:
- Protein. Your body needs protein to maintain healthy skin, bones, muscles and organs. Vegetarians who eat eggs or dairy products have convenient sources of protein. Other sources of protein include soy products, meat substitutes, legumes, lentils, nuts, seeds and whole grains.
- Calcium. This mineral helps build and maintain strong teeth and bones. Low-fat dairy foods and dark green vegetables, such as spinach, turnip and collard greens, kale, and broccoli, are good sources of calcium. Tofu enriched with calcium and fortified soy milk and fruit juices are other options.
- Vitamin B-12. Your body needs vitamin B-12 to produce red blood cells and prevent anemia. This vitamin is found almost exclusively in animal products, including milk, eggs and cheese. Vegans can get vitamin B-12 from some enriched cereals, fortified soy products or by taking a supplement that contains this vitamin.                                                                                                                                    - Iron. Like vitamin B-12, iron is a crucial component of red blood cells. Dried beans and peas, lentils, enriched cereals, whole-grain products, dark leafy green vegetables, and dried fruit are good sources of iron. To help your body absorb nonanimal sources of iron, eat foods rich in vitamin C — such as strawberries, citrus fruits, tomatoes, cabbage and broccoli — at the same time you consume iron-containing foods.
- Zinc. This mineral is an essential component of many enzymes and plays a role in cell division and in the formation of proteins. Good sources of zinc include whole grains, soy products, nuts and wheat germ.
The key to a healthy vegetarian diet — or any diet for that matter — is to enjoy a wide variety of foods. Since no single food provides all of the nutrients that your body needs, eating a wide variety helps ensure that you get the necessary nutrients and other substances that promote good health.
 

Getting started
If you’re thinking of switching to a vegetarian diet but aren’t sure where to begin, start with menu planning.
- Start with what you know. Make a list of meatless meals you already prepare regularly, such as spaghetti with tomato sauce or vegetable stir-fry.
- Make meatless substitutions. Select meals that could easily become meat-free with a couple of substitutions. For example, you can make vegetarian chili by leaving out the ground beef and adding an extra can of black beans or soy crumbles. Or make fajitas using extra-firm tofu rather than chicken. You may be surprised to find that some dishes require only simple substitutions.
- Experiment with new meal ideas. Buy or borrow vegetarian cookbooks. Scan the Internet for vegetarian menus or for tips about making meatless substitutions. Check out ethnic restaurants to sample new vegetarian cuisine. The more variety you bring to your vegetarian diet, the better the chance you’ll meet all your nutritional needs.
By Mayo Clinic Staff
Jan 5, 2008

Modern medicine has seen the appendix as a useless sac that is often removed even if there is no significant problems.  The idea that the body would take the time and energy to create an organ that had no purpose never set well with me.  The body is an amazing, self healing organism that doesn’t waste energy.  Unfortunately we have become so full of hubris that we believe we know what the body needs more than the body itself knows.

I was happy to see that researchers have found a use for this organ that was once thought of as just a place for infections.  Earlier this month, researchers from Duke University released a study stating they have found a function for the appendix.  The researcher believe that the appendix plays an important role in populating the normal gut flora that is responsible for extracting nutrients from our food.

As our food moves into the intestines, billions of bacteria in the GI system go to work on our food to remove nutrients that will benefit our body.  These are the same bacteria thar are destroyed with antibiotic use.  Without these beneficial bacterial out bodies do not receive the proper amount of nutrients, which has been shown to affect overall health and immune system function.  Getting nutrients from our food has become more difficult  because of the foods we eat contain less nutrients than they did in years past.  This is obviously true for the processed foods that are omnipresent in the Standard American Diet (SAD), but even the fresh fruits and vegetables has less nutrient value than they once did.  In years past if our ancestors wanted a fruit, they would go to the tree and grab the fruit right off the tree and eat it.  It was important to eat the fruit as soon as it was removed from it’s life line (the tree) because the fruit starts losing nutrients as soon as it is removed.  When we want fruit we go to the grocery store and purchase fruit that could have come from half way around the world.  These fruits have been picked early and treated with chemicals that prevent over riping.  By the time these fruits enter your digestive system, they have lost much of their beneficial nutrients.

We are starting the digestive process with sub par food and putting these foods in a body that is not capable of properly digesting what is already diminished.  The lack of nutrients in our diets and our inability to digest leads to poor immune system function and an environment for disease and illness.

Adding probiotics is simple and easy, most grocery stores and health food stores carry this supplement.  Unfortunately there are a lot of supplements that don’t contain what they claim.  I recommend a product called Human Microflora (HMF) which is available through physicians.  For other recommendations, Consumer Labs in a consumer protection agency that examines supplements and reports on their contents and viability.

Recently Consumer Labs (a consumer protection organization that tests supplements) released a report that identified as many of 50% of the supplements tested did not contain the amounts of B vitamins that were listed on their labels.

Each B vitamin is associated with a variety of functions. Several (B-6, B-12, and folate) have shown promise for reducing the risk of heart disease, leading to the current popularity of B complex supplements. Folate is also important in reducing birth defects of the spinal cord and is, therefore, a critical ingredient in prenatal vitamins. Niacin, when taken in very high doses, can improve cholesterol levels. Like most vitamins, B vitamins are essential — your body cannot make them; you must get them from your diet or from supplements. Vitamin B has also been shown to improve energy which has led to including this vitamin in the increasingly more popular energy drinks. If you are someone who has insufficient absorption in your digestive tract, you are less likely to be able to receive the required doses of vitamin B from your foods.
Due to the research showing the benefits of vitamin B supplements, these supplements have become the most popular supplements purchased by American consumers.

The following vitamin B supplements were not approved by Consumer Labs:Kirkland Signature™ B-50 Formula with 100% Folic Acid (1 tablet per day),Life Time® Balanced B-100 Vitamin B Complex Capsules Food Allergen Free (1 capsule per day),Thorne Research Basic B Complex (1 capsule per day),Thompson® Folic Acid 800 mcg (1 tablet per day).

The following article is from Cooking Light. There are some great suggestions to keep your snacking in check and options for substitutions.

When you snack, you can fill in nutritional gaps, boost your intake of fruits and vegetables, keep your mood on an even keel, and help with appetite and weight control.

Every diet offers room for treats, and there’s no reason to feel guilty about enjoying one

“There’s even evidence that spreading calories out in frequent mini-meals and snacks requires less insulin, which can reduce your risk of developing diabetes,” says David Katz, M.D., M.P.H., director of the Yale Prevention Research Center in New Haven, Connecticut. “Snacking helps you avoid the waning of energy that comes with consuming large meals.” But when it comes to reaping all of these health benefits, every bite counts.

Snacking’s reputation hasn’t always been so rosy. “Most of the foods that have traditionally dominated as snack foods are not the healthiest choices — they provide a lot of calories without much nutrition,” says Cynthia Sass, R.D., M.P.H., a Tampa, Florida-based spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association. Unfortunately, many people choose snacks that derail their efforts to enhance their health — by grabbing a handful of candy at a colleague’s desk, a cookie from the coffee shop, or a bag of chips from the vending machine. And that doesn’t include the calories we might drink: People often swig high-calorie beverages with their snacks — and don’t compensate for those calories by eating less later.

Besides failing to make a major nutritional contribution to your diet, sweet or starchy high-calorie snacks are easy to overindulge in because they taste good and are often readily accessible. Eating them is often a mindless transaction; we consume the food simply because it’s there. In a study at Pennsylvania State University, researchers found that when they increased the portion size of packaged potato chips on five separate days, people naturally ate more without realizing it, consuming an additional 143 calories per day. CookingLight.com: Super snacking — your guide to smart noshing

“The danger in snacking is that it can add extra calories to your day,” Katz says. “By consuming 100 calories per day above what your body needs to maintain its weight, you can gain 10 pounds in a year.” That’s why it’s important to budget calories for snacks, perhaps by shaving some calories from your meals. If you normally consume 1,800 calories per day, you might divide that into 500 calories for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, then allow yourself two 150-calorie snacks.

Calorie control is key, particularly because people often overestimate how many calories they need in a snack. “What they eat may be closer to a small meal,” Sass says. For example, 400 calories — the amount in an average single-serving frozen meal — is nearly equal to the number of calories in a candy bar and a cola.

Sensible Snacking

Many food manufacturers have caught on to consumers’ desire for healthful snacks they can grab quickly and have begun to stock grocery-store cases, convenience stores, and airports with precut fruits and veggies, nuts, and calorie-controlled snacks in small, handy packages. You can also pack your own. On any given morning, Katz might pack a zip-top bag with whole-grain cereal, fresh and dried fruits, nonfat yogurt, baby carrots, or a mix of nuts and seeds that he can eat periodically throughout the day. CookingLight.com: Tour the Cooking Light staff’s snack drawers

The timing of your snack can also help keep your diet on a healthful track. “The hungrier you are when you’re snacking, the more likely you are to overeat,” says Catherine Christie, Ph.D., R.D., director of nutrition programs at the University of North Florida in Jacksonville. “If you go too long between meals, you can get low on energy and become overly hungry.” Reach for a snack before you become ravenous, and you’re likely to eat less. CookingLight.com: 16 superior snacks

Ultimately, your snacking habits should follow the same formula as your overall diet — all things in moderation. Every diet offers room for treats, and there’s no reason to feel guilty about enjoying one. In fact, Keith Ayoob, Ed.D., R.D., a nutritionist at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York, recommends saving 10 percent of your daily calories and using them for snacks that you really want. “Sometimes it’s not worth it to fight what you crave,” he says. “Eating well is all about eating the right foods and eating a variety of foods the right way, and that’s where snacking fits in,” Ayoob says.

If your energy levels are flagging…

Solution: Consuming caffeine — in the form of coffee or tea — can help boost energy and alertness. Adding a bit of sugar and low-fat milk — if you prefer — adds only about 50 calories. Eating foods that blend complex carbohydrates and lean protein can also provide energy. Complex carbohydrates provide readily available fuel for your body, while protein increases the brain’s dopamine levels, thereby boosting alertness. Healthful choices include a small handful of dried fruit and nuts, whole-grain crackers with a slice of cheese or a hard-boiled egg, or yogurt topped with a tablespoon of granola.

If mealtime is several hours away, but you’re hungry now…

Solution: For a snack with staying power, eat something that mixes fiber and protein. (This is also a good strategy to tide you over until morning if you become hungry before bedtime.) In a study at Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan, researchers found that when nighttime snackers developed the habit of eating cereal with milk 90 minutes after dinner, they reduced their total daily calorie intake and increased their chances of losing weight, compared with those who ate whatever they wanted. The cereal’s fiber and protein combination kept them full — and prevented less mindful eating that can accompany evening routines. Other good hunger-curbing pairings include carrot sticks with hummus or black bean dip, or a slice of multigrain bread spread with a tablespoon of reduced-fat peanut butter.

If you need a pre- or post-workout pick-me-up…

Solution: Before a workout, consuming complex carbohydrates — such as fruit or whole-grain cereal — will provide your body energy for exercise. Afterward, eat high-quality protein, such as low-fat yogurt or whole-grain cereal — particularly if you performed resistance exercises. A weight workout will stimulate the growth of muscle cells, which depend on protein. And, as always, consume plenty of fluids before, during, and after exercising.

If a stressful situation makes you feel an irrepressible urge to munch…

Solution: In this instance, your desire for food may be hard-wired: Research from the University of California, San Francisco, found that consuming food — particularly items that contain sugar and fat — appears to calm the body’s hormonal response to stress. But before you head to the vending machine, take a series of deep breaths; delay reaching for food for 15 minutes; drink a hot beverage such as tea, which can be soothing; and distract yourself by calling a friend or taking a walk. If you still feel like eating, then you’re probably hungry. Eat a smart snack that fits your craving — a small piece of chocolate with a glass of skim milk, for example.

What’s Your Snacking Style?

The desire for a snack can involve a hankering for a particular taste (like something sweet) or a yen for a texture (like something crunchy). But don’t put too much stock in the notion that what you crave is something your body truly needs. “That’s just not reliable,” says David Katz, M.D., M.P.H., director of the Yale Prevention Research Center in New Haven, Connecticut. “Very few people these days are sugar or salt deficient, but those remain the things we crave. It’s difficult to separate what’s physiological from what’s psychological, and it’s not all that useful anyway.”

A better strategy: Consider what taste or sensory sensation you really desire before reaching for a snack.

If you crave something sweet

Try: Raisins, dried cherries, or fresh apple slices dipped in melted dark chocolate chips

If you crave something salty

Try: Almonds, whole-grain crackers, brown rice cakes, or a small can of vegetable juice

If you crave something crunchy

Try: A handful of high-fiber cereal, a spoonful of peanut butter on celery or apple slices, pickles, or microwave popcorn

If you crave something creamy

Try: Low-fat pudding, whipped yogurt, or flavored oatmeal E-mail to a friend

The following article is from CNN health. I found it to be a very concise and straight forward.

Creating custom food plans for patients isn’t the hard part of Bethany Thayer’s job. For the Michigan-based registered dietitian and spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association, one of the most difficult aspects of her work is helping patients interpret the often-contradictory health news they hear each day.

“Patients often ask me, ‘Why does nutrition advice flip-flop all the time?’ ” Thayer says. They may have a point. Take the recent dustup over fat recommendations, for example. In 2005, the USDA’s Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommended limiting the amount of fat you consume each day to 20 to 35 percent of total calories. But in a year later, the front page of The New York Times declared: “Low-Fat Diet Does Not Cut Health Risks.” No wonder Thayer’s patients — and many others — are confused. What should the average person make of these mixed messages?

Thayer’s answer: Take the long view. “One study isn’t going to determine what we should be eating,” she says. “Nutrition is a complex science — what appears to some as flip-flopping is actually defining and refining some of the recommendations we make.”

The food factor

Nowhere is the evolving nature of nutrition science clearer than in the fight against heart disease, the No. 1 cause of death among Americans. Some foods that were once considered to increase the risk of disease, like fats and alcohol, now don’t seem so bad — in fact, limited amounts may play an active role in helping ward off heart disease. As nutrition knowledge has grown, so has scientific understanding of heart disease, a maze of cholesterol levels, blood pressure, arterial inflammation, and lifestyle factors, such as diet, stress, and fitness levels.

This is why prevention requires a multipronged approach — but what you eat is certainly key. “Just eating certain foods isn’t going to completely prevent heart disease, but they can take the fight to the next level,” says Mikelle McCoin, R.D., M.P.H., senior nutrition educator at the Gladstone Institute of Cardiovascular Disease in San Francisco, California. To identify those foods, we spoke to Thayer, McCoin, and three other leading nutrition researchers. The result is a guide to the nutritional architecture that supports a heart-healthy diet. CookingLight.com: Take our heart-smart quiz

Heart helper: soluble fiber

Soluble fiber acts like a scouring pad for your circulatory system, clearing out harmful low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol before it has a chance to stick to artery walls, where it forms thick, hard deposits that block blood flow. “Soluble fiber is potent in lowering ldl,” says Wahida Karmally, Dr.P.H., M.S., R.D., director of nutrition at the Irving Center for Clinical Research at Columbia University Medical Center. According to a study Karmally co-wrote in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, people who add just 3 grams of soluble fiber to their diets each day (the research team used three-fourths of a cup of whole-grain oat cereal, three times daily) can lower their LDL levels by 5 percent in six weeks. While that might sound small, consider this: The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute has found that each 1 percent reduction in a person’s LDL cholesterol levels can be expected to reduce his or her overall heart disease risk by 2 percent. The other form of fiber, insoluble, also has a scouring effect, but in a different way; it helps move food through your digestive system.

Find it in: Whole grains, such as oatmeal, bran, and barley, as well as fruits, vegetables, and legumes are great sources. Some of these foods also contain other compounds, such as phytochemicals, vitamins, and trace minerals, that may help fight heart disease — another reason fruits, vegetables, and whole grains frequently top nutritionists’ lists of recommended foods. CookingLight.com: Whole grain pastas

How much you need: Aim for 25 to 30 grams of fiber per day.

Heart helpers: unsaturated fats

Although conventional wisdom once held that the heart-healthiest diets were practically fat-free, that notion has changed in recent years. “You want a diet that’s moderate in fat,” says Alice H. Lichtenstein, D.Sc., chairperson of the American Heart Association’s nutrition committee and director of the Cardiovascular Nutrition Laboratory at Tufts University in Boston, Massachusetts. The best way to achieve it: Restrict the two types of fat that don’t benefit your heart — saturated and trans-fatty acids — and substitute two “good” fats, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated.

Monounsaturated fats help raise levels of helpful high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol. These HDL molecules act like bodyguards, capturing “bad” LDL molecules in the arteries and escorting them to your liver, where they are filtered out of the body. According to the results of a study in the Journal of the American Medical Association, people who increased their intake of monounsaturated fats in place of saturated fats and high-sugar carbohydrates over three years reduced their risk of heart disease by 20 percent.

Find them in: Vegetable oils, nuts, olives, avocados, and fish are all good sources of mono- and polyunsaturated fats. Just remember that any source of fat — whether it’s olive oil or butter — is calorie dense. “One gram of fat contains nine calories, compared to only four calories for carbohydrates and protein,” Thayer says. That’s why substitution is crucial; you want to add healthful fats to your diet while subtracting not-so-healthful ones to keep daily calorie intake on an even keel.CookingLight.com: Eight surprisingly nutritious foods and how to eat more of them

How much you need: The 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans suggest that 20 to 35 percent of your total daily calories should come from fat. Of that amount, no more than 10 percent should come from saturated fat. For someone on a 2,000-calorie per day diet, that translates to 65 grams of unsaturated fats.

Heart helpers: omega 3 fatty acids

Polyunsaturated fats are helpful in their own right, but a subset of polys, called omega 3 fatty acids, are amazing multi-taskers, simultaneously combating several heart disease risk factors. Omega 3s permeate the cells that line your circulatory system. They make your arteries more supple, which helps reduce blood pressure and prevent arterial inflammation. They also help regulate the electrical impulses that keep your heart beating steadily, preventing arrhythmia. But omega 3s’ neatest trick is changing the quality of LDL cholesterol molecules. “Omega 3s help reduce the rate of plaque buildup by making LDL cholesterol lighter and fluffier, so blood vessels can’t take it up as easily,” says Marguerite M. Engler, Ph.D., a cardiovascular researcher and professor at the University of California in San Francisco.

Find them in: Fatty cold-water fish such as salmon, pollock, swordfish, tuna, mackerel, and herring are the best sources of omega 3 fatty acids. Fish contain the two types of omega 3s that the body uses most efficiently: docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). Foods such as soybeans, walnuts, and flaxseed also contain omega 3 fatty acids; however, the type — called alpha-linoleic acid (ALA) — is not as readily available to the body as DHA or EPA. “You’re not going to get high levels of DHA and EPA by eating walnuts or flaxseed because your body can’t metabolize the plant fat as efficiently,” Engler says. CookingLight.com: Food combinations that lower your cholesterol

How much you need: As yet, there is no Food and Drug Administration-approved Reference Daily Intake for omega 3s. However, the FDA and the American Heart Association recommend eating fresh fish at least twice a week. A six-ounce serving of salmon, herring, or tuna provides a gram or more of omega 3s.

Heart Helper: Alcohol

If you enjoy an occasional drink with dinner, you can take comfort in knowing that consuming alcohol in moderation may be good for your heart. First, alcohol makes the blood somewhat less likely to clot. Second, alcohol consumption helps elevate Hal cholesterol levels and reduce C-reactive protein (CRP), a marker of arterial inflammation and heart-disease risk. Adults who consume one or two drinks each day can reduce their overall risk of developing heart disease by 30 to 50 percent, according to the American Heart Association. (One serving of alcohol equals 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine, or 1½ ounces of 80-proof spirits.)

You don’t have to start drinking to improve your heart health, however. Plenty of other lifestyle changes can improve your health in a similar manner to alcohol, such as regular exercise and a healthful diet.

Find it in: While red wine has made headlines for the antioxidants it contains, any type of alcohol delivers the same benefits to your heart. The way to obtain them: moderation. How much you need: For women, one serving is best. Men can drink two because enzymes in their stomachs are more effective at metabolizing alcohol. Beyond those amounts, alcohol can cause more harm than help. A study of more than 2,500 people published in Circulation found CRP levels in people who consumed more than the recommended amount of alcohol were higher than in those who drank it in moderation.

Soy story, revised

Recent scientific findings have questioned soy’s heart-health benefits. For years, health authorities believed that soy protein was especially good for your heart. In 1999, the Food and Drug Administration approved a health claim for soy-based foods to tout their heart-healthy benefits. But when the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (an arm of the National Institutes of Health) evaluated 68 major soy studies as part of a periodic examination of new scientific developments, the legume came up short. When examined closely, the researchers found that soy’s benefits were inconsistent. Studies tested a wide variety of products containing different doses of soy protein and other nutritional components of soy foods, such as phytoestrogens, which may have affected the outcomes of the studies. What’s more, the average dose used in the studies (36 grams of soy protein per day) was equivalent to eating more than a pound of tofu daily. The findings have changed the way many health organizations view soy. “By itself, soy protein doesn’t have a big effect on heart disease risk,” says Alice H. Lichtenstein, D.Sc., chairperson of the American Heart Association’s nutrition committee. “But if you substitute soy foods like tofu, which are low in saturated fat, for fatty cuts of meat, your heart will come out ahead.”

Start now

When incorporating these heart-healthy foods into your diet, take small steps. First, identify your current dietary patterns so you can begin changing them, says Thayer. “For example, find something that’s healthy, that you like, and that’s easy to prepare, and put it in your repertoire,” she says. Maybe that’s as simple as eating one extra piece of fruit daily, or feeding your family fish twice a week. Then build on the momentum you’ve established. “Once you have that new habit going, start another,” Thayer says
The original article can be found at www.cnn.com

Just half a teaspoon of cinnamon a day significantly reduces blood sugar levels in diabetics, a new study has found. The effect, which can be produced even by soaking a cinnamon stick your tea, could also benefit millions of non-diabetics who have blood sugar problem but are unaware of it.The discovery was initially made by accident, by Richard Anderson at the US Department of Agriculture’s Human Nutrition Research Center in Beltsville, Maryland.

“We were looking at the effects of common foods on blood sugar,” he told New Scientist. One was the American favourite, apple pie, which is usually spiced with cinnamon. “We expected it to be bad. But it helped,” he says.

Sugars and starches in food are broken down into glucose, which then circulates in the blood. The hormone insulin makes cells take in the glucose, to be used for energy or made into fat.

But people with Type 1 diabetes do not produce enough insulin. Those with Type 2 diabetes produce it, but have lost sensitivity to it. Even apparently healthy people, especially if they are overweight, sedentary or over 25, lose sensitivity to insulin. Having too much glucose in the blood can cause serious long-term damage to eyes, kidneys, nerves and other organs.

Molecular mimic

The active ingredient in cinnamon turned out to be a water-soluble polyphenol compound called MHCP. In test tube experiments, MHCP mimics insulin, activates its receptor, and works synergistically with insulin in cells.

To see if it would work in people, Alam Khan, who was a postdoctoral fellow in Anderson’s lab, organised a study in Pakistan. Volunteers with Type 2 diabetes were given one, three or six grams of cinnamon powder a day, in capsules after meals.

All responded within weeks, with blood sugar levels that were on average 20 per cent lower than a control group. Some even achieved normal blood sugar levels. Tellingly, blood sugar started creeping up again after the diabetics stopped taking cinnamon.

The cinnamon has additional benefits. In the volunteers, it lowered blood levels of fats and “bad” cholesterol, which are also partly controlled by insulin. And in test tube experiments it neutralised free radicals, damaging chemicals which are elevated in diabetics.

Buns and pies

“I don’t recommend eating more cinnamon buns, or even more apple pie - there’s too much fat and sugar,” says Anderson. “The key is to add cinnamon to what you would eat normally.”

The active ingredient is not in cinnamon oils. But powdered spice can be added to toast, cereal, juice or coffee.

Anderson’s team were awarded patents related to MHCP in 2002. But the chemical is easily obtained. He notes that one of his colleagues tried soaking a cinnamon stick in tea. “He isn’t diabetic - but it lowered his blood sugar,” Anderson says.

The group now plans to test even lower doses of cinnamon in the US, and also look at long-term blood sugar management with the spice.

Journal reference: Diabetes Care (vol 26, p 3125)

Who is Lee Petrie and what is Supper Thyme?

Lee Petrie owns and runs Supper Thyme, a business that proivdes a blended circle of Nutritional & Culinary Services to support the whole body, inside & out!

Services include nutritional and culinary coaching, nutritional assessments, menu planning, and personal chef services.

“I have loved being in the kitchen as far back as I can remember. So, a love for food is a natural for me. As a self taught chef, natural cooking abilities and intuitive nature have shone through in all my creations. Along with a lifetime of experience, my training includes countless cooking classes, including from the current owners and chefs of Pearl Bakery and Castanga, and formal nutritional, anatomical and physiological courses.

Personally, I have a deep compassion to help others and to explore the best, often unique approach in resolving various situations. I have blended my research, writing and cooking skills together with my love of knowledge and helping others to create a unique blend of whole food and nutrition services through my business, Supper Thyme.”

Lee makes one-on-one connections with each of her clients to explore how to best help them reach their personal level of optimal health through nutrition. Whether through personal chef services, cooking lessons, nutritional guidance, or a unique blend of services created for one particular client, you may be assured that Lee Ann Petrie will do its her personal best to help you reach your personal best, when it comes to whole foods and whole health.

To contact her and learn more, please go to www.supperthymepdx.com or phone her at 503.235.5967.

Do you find yourself reaching for sweets or caffeine in mid afternoons because you are feeling sluggish or tired? Do you wish that you didn’t have to hit the snooze each morning and had the energy that you need to make it through your day?

Dr. Bingham will be presenting an easy way topick foods that do not cause blood sugar
spikes and the inevitable crash that leads tocravings. Dr. Bingham will also present
recent research on supplements that claim to stabilize blood sugar.

There is no magic pill that will accomplish these tasks, but there is a systematic way of choosing foods that provide sustained energy without the blood sugar fluctuations that cause cravings and sluggishness. This system is called the Glycemic Index and has been proven to prevent the blood sugar spikes and valleys that are responsible for weight gain, concentration problems, mid-day snacking to name a few.

Dr. Bingham will be presenting “Balancing your blood sugar naturally” on April 18^th in Studio 1 of the Wild Oats Wellness Center.

Come learn how you can use the Glycemic Index in your life to give your more energy and better concentration.

Dr. Bingham will also be discussing some of the blood sugar balancing supplement options.

Call Katherine at 503.546.9987 to reserve your seat.  

It has been common knowledge that decreasing sodium is one of the most important ways to prevent a stroke. A lesser known way to decrease the chance of a stroke is to increase potassium intake.

Louis Tobian of the University of Minnesota, conducted the initial research that showed the the stroke preventing properties of potassium. Since then more research has shown the positive effect potassium can provide. The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute has recomended increasing potassium since 1993.

The current target: 4,700 milligrams a day. That’s not so easy to reach when even a potassium-rich food like a banana has only about 400 mg. The following is a list of some food that contain the highlest levels of potassium (highest at the top).

Food/Potassium (mg)
Potato (baked w/skin) 1,080
Pasta Sauce, tomato (1c) 940
Sweet Potato (w/skin) 690
Edamame 490
Halibut (3 oz cooked) 490
Orange Juice (1 cup) 480
Swiss Chard 480
Tuna (3 oz cooked) 480
Great northern beans 460
Winter squash 450
Artichoke 430
Cantaloupe 430
Banana (1) 420
Spinach 420
Apricots, dried (5) 410
Yogurt, plain (6oz) 400
Honeydew 390

B vitamins help support adrenal function, help calm and maintain a healthy nervous system, and are needed for key metabolic processes. Vitamin B12, also known as cyanocobalamin, is necessary for DNA synthesis and affects the development of red blood cells, normal myelination (covering) of nerve cells, and the production of neurotransmitters. Deficiencies of B12 can lead to memory loss, confusion, fatigue, and even dementia.

Animal-derived foods, including dairy, eggs, meat, fish and poultry are the only natural sources of B12, so this important vitamin is often deficient in vegan diets. Good sources are clams, herring, cooked oysters and wild Alaskan salmon. To help meet daily needs, I recommend a B-complex supplement that contains a full spectrum of B vitamins, including thiamine, B12, riboflavin and niacin.

Often many people are unable to absorb B vitamins due to problems in the gut.� One common cause of B vitamin malabsorption is a decreased HCL in the stomach.� To learn more about HCL in the stomach read my post “Heartburn - Too Much or Too Little Stomach Acid.”�

B vitamins are also very important following an injury to the nervous system.� B vitamins help repair the damaged nerves associated with trauma.� This is why I recomend a B complex to my patients who have been in a motor vehicle accident or some other type of trauma that effects the nervous system.

There are a number of different vitamin B supplements on the market, but not all of them are created equal.� I am partial to companies such at Metagenics, Thorne and Standard Process to name a few.� These products are only available through a healthcare practitioner.� If you have questions about a particular brand of supplement, I suggest www.consumerlabs.com. � Consumer labs is very similar to Consumer Reports, but they test on supplements.� There is a yearly charge for the use of the website, which is minimal in comparison to the price of supplements that might not be living up to their claims.