 Sugar is not so sweet for your heart. Sugar & Heart Disease Link Confirmed A study of over 40,000 Americans reviewed from 1988 through 2010 confirmed a strong link between sugar consumption and heart disease. Those Americans consuming the most sugar as a portion of their diet, increased their risk of dying from heart disease by multiple times. The sugar equal to drinking two cans of soda each day was enough to significantly increase the risk of death. Fat has long taken most of the abuse when it comes to nutrition and heart health. However, research has increasingly pointed to sugar being a bigger issue than fat. Natural fats like fish oils, olive oil, and coconut oils are actually heart healthy. When it comes to your heart, try to eat real foods and avoid the processed ones like sugar and margarine. Heart Risk Warning Re-affirmed for NSAID Naproxen Scientists recognized the increased risk of cardiovascular problems and death from taking NSAIDs about 10 years ago, and since then these common anti-inflammatory medications have been required to include a warning label. An FDA panel recently re-evalualted the necessity of this warning, specifically for Naproxen. Some believe it may not be as risky as other NSAIDs like ibuprofen. Experts confirmed there is weak data showing a smaller increase in heart problems with Naproxen, and that data may be flawed. They voted to keep the warning. It was also noted that the belief that short term use of NSAIDs is safe is not supported by research. There is little data to support the safety of taking NSAIDs for any length of time. Try reducing your inflammation with exercise and an anti-inflammation diet.
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 Stir fry is great. Just avoid the rice. One of the biggest hurdles to eating healthy is time, so here are 7 tips to help you save time while eating better:
 Enjoy a handful of nuts each day. A recent study confirmed the benefits of eating a handful of nuts daily, showing a significant reduction in risk of death from heart disease, cancer, or other causes.
NBC News reported, "And not only that, nuts seem to help keep the pounds off, the team at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and the Harvard School of Public Health found. 'The most obvious benefit was a reduction of 29 percent in deaths from heart disease — the major killer of people in America,' said Dr. Charles Fuchs of Dana-Farber, who led the team. 'But we also saw a significant reduction — 11 percent — in the risk of dying from cancer.' Studies have found that people who eat nuts have all sorts of biological benefits: less inflammation, which is linked to heart disease and cancer; less fat packed around the internal organs; better blood sugar levels; lower blood pressure — and even fewer gallstones." Nuts are great for a convenient snack or meal on the go. They provide a tasty package of healthy fat, protein, fiber, and other nutrients. The healthy fats will keep your energy level up and keep you satisfied longer than something made with grains (crackers, cereals, corn chips, etc.) Mix it up and enjoy a variety of different nuts in your diet to add years to your life or life to your years.  Better meat with fewer secrets There's good news about store-bought meat just in time for Christmas. This may be one of the best gifts Santa could give us. Two recent changes in the regulation of how meat is raised and sold in the United States should help improve the quality of what we buy in the store.
Bye Bye Antibiotics The Washington Post reports, "The vast majority of antibiotics sold each year in the United States — by some estimates as much as 80 percent — are used in agriculture rather than in human medicine... The [FDA] finalized recommendations asking animal drug manufacturers to voluntarily alter their labels so that farmers would no longer be allowed to use antibiotics merely to make animals grow faster." The good news is it will be harder for farmers to feed their livestock antibiotics to make them grow faster rather than treat disease. The bad news is, following the regulations is still somewhat voluntary. Fortunately, pharmaceutical companies seem to be on board. With increasing concerns about the "superbugs" created by antibiotic overuse, it's good to see steps made in the right direction. This should be a healthy improvement for the quality of our meat supply. Where's This Meat From?  Are trans fats hiding under that frosting? After years of recognizing trans fat as a safe food additive, the FDA has finally buckled under mounting research that finds no evidence of safety at any level. The FDA announced trans fats are no longer generally recognized as safe and will move toward eliminating them from the American food supply.
Trans fat has been allowed at low levels in a variety of processed foods. Food companies have even been allowed to label packages as "no trans fat" when the food actually has low levels of trans fat. The elimination of trans fat from the American diet is expected to cause reductions in diabetes, cholesterol problems, heart attacks, and heart deaths. Increased trans fat consumption came about with growing use of "healthy" processed liquid oils (corn, soybean, canola, "vegetable"). Manufacturers needed a way to stabilize these fragile liquid oils and in some cases solidify them (think margarine). Food refiners chemically altered them with hydrogenation to form trans fats that would last longer. Eventually, research confirmed that "healthy" hydrogenated fats were unhealthy, but experts still promoted partially hydrogenated fats as a good choice. Finally, experts have recognized that "healthy" partially hydrogenated oils are unhealthy also because trans fats at any level increase health problems. What now? The change is not official yet. Food manufacturers and their "experts" will have a chance to voice their opinion. Fortunately for them, a new type of fat has been created by food scientists- "interesterified fat". Sound yummy? We recommend you avoid trans fats and processed oils, and eat good fats - butter, olive oil, coconut oil...  No ear infection here. Vitamin D Reduces Recurrent Ear Infections in Kids
A recent study looked out how vitamin D supplements affected children with recurrent ear infections. Researchers found that the average blood level of vitamin D was lower than recommended in children with recurrent ear infections. They gave some of the children a daily 1000 unit supplement of vitamin D and found those children had significantly fewer episodes of ear infections. Seattle Children's Hospital Researcher Craig Rubens noted this study confirms that doctors need to pay more attention to nutrition in cases of recurring ear infections. Many kids with recurrent infections rely on repeated rounds of antibiotics and eventually ear tubes to control the infections. This study highlights the need to look into the nutrition of these kids. Parents shouldn't fear child exposure to the sun. Low vitamin D is frequent in our area of Northeast Ohio, especially in the winter, due to limited sun exposure. Repeated warnings about sun exposure during summer have also contributed to adults and children receiving less than a healthy amount of sun to produce adequate vitamin D. This leaves us more dependent on our foods which do not provide an abundant source of vitamin D. It's a good idea to have your vitamin D level checked, especially if noticing recurrent ear infections.  Your child's milk isn't as innocent as it looks. What's hiding in your child's school milk? If the Food and Drug Administration approves a petition by the International Dairy Foods Association and National Milk Producers Federation, it's going to be harder to find out.
What is "milk"? These dairy associations have asked the FDA to redefine what "milk" is, so they can add additives without including special labeling. Currently, if milk has been altered to include artificial sweeteners, milk manufacturers are required to label milk as "low calorie" or "reduced calorie" or print similar language on the front of the package. The dairy associations' primary goal is to add artificial sweeteners like aspartame and sucralose without the current required labeling. It doesn't stop with "milk" The dairy associations are also requesting a revision of the definition of 17 other dairy products including yogurt (with help from the National Yogurt Association of course), to play the same game with those food labels. Dr. Oz and The Environmental Working Group have a nice explanation of the topic. Would you define "milk" or "yogurt" as foods that contain artificial sweeteners? The research showing potential harm from the consumption of artificial sweeteners has only grown over the past few years. Milk is heavily processed as it is - removing fat, homogenizing, ultra-pasteurization, hormone use... For those who enjoy dairy, we recommend using less processed dairy whenever possible. If you don't like dairy or have trouble digesting it, don't worry. You can get plenty of calcium from eating your veggies, especially dark leafy greens. The best alternatives to dairy are coconut or almond milk (but watch out for sweeteners).  How "natural" is your juice? Would you expect processed corn fiber to be added to juice marketed as an "all natural" "100% juice smoothie"? Would you expect synthetically manufactured vitamins to be tossed into your "all natural" beverage? How about industrially made "natural flavors"?
Pepsico's recent 9 million dollar settlement of a lawsuit demonstrates how little the "natural" label means when it comes to marketing food and drinks in the United States. While Pepsico led customers to believe its Naked Juice contained nothing but 100% fruit and vegetables, they were adding other surprising ingredients. Pepsico agreed in the settlement to no longer use the term "natural" for its Naked Juice, but it's unclear whether they were actually in violation of the extremely vague regulations regarding "natural" foods. "All Natural" is a term regulated for meats and poultry -- containing no artificial flavors, colors, or chemical preservatives. This leaves food producers a wide opening to claim foods as "natural" when added chemical compounds can be found somewhere in nature. We generally recommend skipping the marketing terms and looking directly at the ingredient list, but this recent settlement shows even the ingredient list can be misleading. The easiest food to trust is what you make at home. Then next best choice would be foods made by small companies that really care about the product they are selling. Otherwise, you may end up with synthetic additives in your "natural" juice.
What are farmed fish and why are they fatter?
 It's time to eat more (good) fat. Too many "experts" have scared Americans away from eating fat for far too long, with little research and no common sense to back up their theories. We've thrown out the butter and turned to mysterious butter-like yellow-dyed spreads. We've switched from animal fats to "vegetable" oils that are no closer to a vegetable than a fruit (why not market them as "fruit" oils while they're at it?).
Americans have made these supposedly healthy changes and now have higher rates of obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and other chronic conditions than ever before. Good fat is essential to our health. When we go shopping at the store we automatically avoid foods labeled "low fat," "reduced fat," "no fat," or "fat free." Here's why we recommend you do the same:
Which fats are good fats? We recommend three fats for most of your kitchen creations: real butter, extra virgin coconut oil, and extra virgin olive oil. Organic is preferred but not required. Butter should be from grassfed cows ideally, but we won't fight about it. Butter and coconut oil are best for cooking. Olive oil should not be heated much; save it for salad dressings. Other oils that can also be a healthy choice: flaxseed, grapeseed, and hemp seed. Quality fish oil is a great supplement for those not eating 2-3 meals of fatty fish each week. Now do yourself a favor and eat more good fat. 5/9/2013 Natural News Update: Kidney Stone & Exercise, Pacifier-Sucking Parents, Hungry Shoppers Buy CaloriesRead Now Here's a roundup of recent natural news stories on kidney stones, pacifiers & allergies, and hungry shoppers:
Exercise Cuts Kidney Stone Risk A recent study found physically active women had about a 30% lower risk of kidney stones compared with women who reported no exercise. While more exercise activity during the week decreased the risk further, the intensity of the exercise did not matter much. Even those who performed light exercise had a significant reduction in the risk of kidney stones. The study also found a higher BMI (body mass index) or increased energy intake (eating more) increased the risk of developing kidney stones. This study confirms previous research that found healthy habits significantly lower the risk of developing kidney stones. Regular exercise (even gentle low intensity exercise) and a healthy diet help reduce systemic inflammation and associated problems like kidney stones. Pacifier-Sucking Parents Reduce Child Asthma & Allergies  What's in your beef - probably Zilmax. For years, many industrial farmers have fed cattle antibiotics and injected them with hormones to accelerate their growth. Now there's a new miracle drug called Zilmax that causes cattle to pack on the pounds reported Slate:
"A new cattle drug called Zilmax is being widely used in the industrial feedlots where most of America’s beef comes from, but not because it produces a better sirloin. In fact, it has been shown to make steak less flavorful and juicy than beef from untreated cattle." Designed to treat asthma in humans, Zilmax causes cattle to "swell up with muscle." Designed to treat asthma in humans, the manufacturer later discovered Zilmax fed to cattle during the last weeks of life, causes them to "swell up with muscle." The drug is usually discontinued 3 days before slaughter to allow most of it to leave the animal's tissues. Consumers won't notice the difference  Is your fish oil supplement natural? The health benefits of omega-3 fats found in fish or fish oil supplements has been widely reported, but new research indicates the source of those healthy fats is more important than initially understood.
It has been recommended that Americans eat 2-3 meals of fatty fish each week (not fried) to benefit from their omega-3 fats. Those who don't like fish or don't eat fish often can substitute fish oil supplements to receive the health-promoting benefits to the heart and other areas of the body. However, recent research on fish oil supplements from the University of Pennsylvania indicates it's not that simple. The researchers noted that one of the ways omega-3 fats improve health is by relaxing blood vessels and lowering blood pressure. But synthetically manufactured versions of omega-3 fats (DHA) do not produce the same beneficial effect that natural omega-3 fats do. Synthetic fish oil supplements did not relax blood vessels the way natural fish oil fat does. Many manufacturers have produced synthetic fish oils or added higher doses of synthetics to their fish oil supplements to keep costs low while assuming there will be no difference in health benefits. This study once again reinforces two points: There's probably a lot more sugar in your favorite drink than you think. Americans drink their sugar for a hit of energy in the morning, throw back some more to keep them going in the afternoon, and often polish off dinner with a favorite sugary beverage. So how much are you drinking? Below we have calculated total sugars in the most popular size (20 ounces) of 12 common beverages. You'll also see how many pounds of sugar that equals if you enjoy just one of your favorite beverages each day.
Surprised?
The sugars add up quicker than you think. If you drink one of these a day, you're increasing your risk of obesity, diabetes, stroke, and other serious health problems. It you drink more than one of these a day, it's time for an intervention. Drink more water!  Breastfeeding benefits baby & mom. Recent studies on breastfeeding & c-sections have reinforced the importance of raising children naturally whenever possible, while noting how poorly a job we are doing at encouraging women to do so. Here's a quick summary of four recent studies.
Breastfeeding Rates Improving, but Still Way Too Low The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months, followed by continued breastfeeding for at least 12 months due to multiple known health benefits for mother and child. A CDC analysis of American infants born between 2000-2008 revealed improvement in breastfeeding levels, but less than half of American babies meet breastfeeding recommendations for 6 months of feeding, and very few exclusively breastfeed for 6 months. 44.4% breastfed (often not exclusively) for 6 months & only 23.4% breastfed for the recommended 12 months These rates of breastfeeding from infants born in 2008 represent an improvement over those born in 2000. Among infants born in 2000, 34.5% breastfed for 6 months, and 16.0% breastfed for 12 months. The American Pediatric Association recognizes very few reasons to avoid breastfeeding such as an active tuberculosis infection or undergoing chemotherapy. Read about the numerous benefits of breastfeeding here. Breastfeeding, C-sections & Baby's Gut Bacteria Researchers involved in a recent study noted, "The gut microbiota is essential to human health throughout life, yet the acquisition and development of this microbial community during infancy remains poorly understood. Meanwhile, there is increasing concern over rising rates of cesarean delivery and insufficient exclusive breastfeeding of infants in developed countries."  Pepsi dumps Gatorade flame retardant Pepsi recently announced that Gatorade drinkers will no longer be drinking flame retardant chemical BVO in the future. But don't worry, you'll still sweat green, blue, red, or whatever color you drink.
Why is flame retardant BVO in Gatorade? It's actually used in a variety of manufactured beverages as a way to make them look more appetizing. BVO attaches to flavor chemicals in drinks and helps them mix throughout. This prevents the ingredients from unpleasantly separating. A recent Scientific American article noted increasing concern about the accumulation of this chemical in the body. BVO has already been banned in some countries, and needs further testing to determine safe limits. Watch this Dr. Oz clip that explains the issue with flame retardant BVO in Gatorade and other drinks. Rather than follow European rules of proving safety of products before sale to the public, America requires products to be proven unsafe before they can be banned from sale. Fortunately, Pepsi doesn't plan on waiting months or years for the FDA to ban BVO. Gatorade will soon be replacing BVO with...another chemical. 12/6/2012 Natural News & Research - Salt & Heart Disease, Bariatric Surgery & Halting Alzheimer's DiseaseRead Now Should you be afraid of salt? It's time again to catch up on some of the latest research related to natural ways to improve your health. From heart disease to diabetes and Alzheimer's you can do more than you think to prevent these diseases or stop them in their tracks...
Diet Benefits Beyond Meds for Heart Disease A study of over 30,000 men & women confirms that changing to a healthier diet can help prevent heart problems for those at high risk. A healthy diet also prevents further problems for those who already have heart disease. Researchers found a benefit to healthy eating regardless of medications being taken. Those who ate the healthiest diet had a significantly lower risk of cardiovascular events (death, heart failure, stroke) than those eating the poorest diet. This confirms that eating well helps everyone, not just those who are already healthy. It's never too late to benefit from a healthier diet, so start now. Link Between Salt & Heart Disease Debatable  Less inflammation with every back stroke. Physical activity has long been recognized as an important part of staying healthy, but a recent study shows it has the potential to also improve our health by reducing inflammation.
Why does reducing inflammation matter? Inflammation has been linked to most all chronic diseases and conditions including obesity, diabetes, heart disease, asthma & allergies, digestive problems, arthritis, Alzheimer's, aches & pains, etc. Many conditions that are considered a part of aging are more likely the result of increasing inflammation. Temporary localized inflammation may be helpful for healing a cut or scrape, but inflammation throughout the body is a growing problem with many Americans. Research on physical activity & inflammation: In a study published in the Journal Circulation1, 4289 participants reported their level of physical activity, and blood tests measuring inflammation (CRP and IL-6) were performed over an 10 year period. Physically active participants had lower measured levels in inflammation. Based on this data the researchers noted, "Regular physical activity is associated with lower markers of inflammation over 10 years of follow-up and thus may be important in preventing the pro-inflammatory state seen with aging." "Regular physical activity...may be important in preventing the pro-inflammatory state seen with aging." This is powerful news for those who have not heard it before. Regular activity could help prevent or improve a variety of chronic conditions. Exercise can help us stay younger and healthier. Now before you start looking for a shortcut to living younger, consider that anti-inflammatory medications will not automatically provide the same health benefits. That handful of pills carries an increased risk of stroke (in otherwise healthy individuals) among other problems. You can't cheat your way to better health, but there is another way to boost your inflammation-killing routine even further: an anti-inflammation diet. Combine regular physical activity with an anti-inflammation diet to supercharge your health. The basics of an anti-inflammation diet include:
For more on an anti-inflammation diet read our article. Take charge of your health and see how much you can benefit from naturally reducing your inflammation.  Top athletes are currently competing in London at the Summer Olympics to be crowned the strongest, fastest, most accurate in the world, and perhaps in history. The separation between gold and empty hands is often a split second or a fraction of a point. So what are the world's best athletes doing to gain a competitive edge over their opponents? Performance Enhancers: Sports Drinks vs. Bananas We have been trained by Gatorade to believe we need their colorful sugar water to perform at our best. Commercials show their scientists working with athletes in the lab to determine the best formula to unlock the secret of record-breaking performance. Professional athletes sweat neon green, red, and blue as they accomplish feats of superhuman strength. Olympic athletes are guzzling sports drinks by the gallon, right? Probably not. What's the research say about sports drinks' performance claims? A recent study reviewed 431 performance-enhancing claims for 104 different sports drinks and other products. Half of the products referenced no research for their claims, with the rest relying on 146 referenced studies. Half of those studies could not be reviewed. Only 3 studies out of 146 were determined to be of high quality. Conclusion: proof that sports drinks or other performance-enhancing products work is sorely lacking. The battle of sports drinks vs. bananas Another recent study compared the performance of cyclists drinking a sports drink vs. eating a banana. "Trained cyclists consumed either a cup of carbohydrate drink or half a banana every 15 minutes during a 75-kilometer simulated road race lasting 2.5 to 3 hours. Blood samples taken from the cyclists before and after the exercise were analyzed..." The winner of this athletic bout was bananas. Performance levels were similar in both groups, but bananas had the advantage: Bananas win as performance enhancers! "The bananas provided the cyclists with antioxidants not found in sports drinks as well as a greater nutritional boost, including fiber, potassium and Vitamin B6, the study showed. In addition, bananas have a healthier blend of sugars than sports drinks...'This type of research shows that you can have healthier carbohydrate sources before and after exercise that will support athletic performance just as well as a sports drink.'”  Chiropractic keeps Bolt running. Usain Bolt, the World's Fastest Man's Treatment Secret
Usain Bolt hasn't become the five-time World and three-time Olympic gold medalist, world record holder in the 100 meters, 200 meters, and 4×100 meters relay without taking proper care of his health. A doctor of chiropractic from Florida has been the official Chiropractor of the Jamaican Olympic Team since 1996. One of his patients is Usain Bolt, the world's fastest man. Chiropractic care helps keep Bolt healthy and performing at his best. With stiff competition in London, he'll need every advantage he can get to extend his reign as the world's fastest man. Unfortunately, his fastest competitor is also on the Jamaican team sharing the same doctor of chiropractic, and over 50 other chiropractors are official Olympic team physicians treating athletes. Bolt better go eat some bananas. Enhance your performance and your health naturally, with chiropractic care and proper nutrition. We recommend keeping the consumption of sports drinks to a minimum. These are designed to benefit only those athletes performing at an intense level for prolonged periods of time. Even those athletes are just as likely to benefit from a healthier snack, like a banana and drink of water. You don't need sports drinks to be the healthiest man in the world; just proper nutrition and a good doctor of chiropractic.  Chocolate milk can be healthy. Normally we would tell you to run the other way when someone offers you a chocolate milk, but you can make a healthy chocolate milk at home. Follow this simple recipe to whip up a refreshing drink you and your kids can enjoy.
1. 1/4 cup of good quality milk Good quality milk means the least processed milk you can find. Look for whole milk that hasn't been industrially processed to remove fat and homogenize it. Choose organic when you can to avoid antibiotics and hormones. Use milk from grassfed cows whenever possible. Coconut milk is a good substitute. 2. 2 good quality eggs Eggs? What? You're going to mix those in? Yes. Just make sure you're using good eggs - organic to avoid chemicals and strange feeds, and try to find pasture-raised eggs for a heftier dose of omega-3s and other important nutrients. The eggs add a nice creaminess and a good source of healthy fats and protein. 3. 1 teaspoon of cocoa powder As with all ingredients, try to get the real stuff. Avoid powders with added junk. Real chocolate is packed with antioxidants. 4. Stevia extract as needed to sweeten You can try some of the stevia products available in local stores. One brand we like is KAL, available on amazon.com. Stevia is very sweet so you don't need much (some servings are no more than a couple drops for plenty of sweetness). It's extracted from an herb and is naturally low calorie. If you don't have Stevia, try a touch of minimally processed honey. 5. 1 Scoop of quality protein (optional) Protein mixes can be a healthy addition to your diet, but be careful to choose one that avoids heating the protein and adding processed sweeteners or other chemicals. Learn more about protein mixes here. Blend and enjoy your delicious & healthy chocolate milk You can vary the amount of milk or eggs for the desired thickness. Vary the amount of cocoa or stevia to find the desired richness & sweetness. Other options: Add 1 TBSP kefir for 1 billion CFU of beneficial probiotics Add a capsule of vitamin D3 for a much needed boost for northeast Ohioans Add krill oil or fish oil for more healthy omega-3 fats Eating healthy can be delicious. It's all about eating real foods. Enjoy Dr Ryan's healthy chocolate milk recipe with your family. |
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Information and statements made are for education purposes and are not intended to replace the advice of your treating doctor. This blog is not a doctor and will not diagnose or treat your problems.
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