Consumer Reports: Fat facts and fat fiction

If you’re confused about fats these days, you’re in good company, says Consumer Reports. With research coming in at breakneck speed in recent years, even experts have a hard time agreeing about which fats we should consume, and in what exact proportions, to improve our health and prevent chronic disease.

Here’s what the strongest evidence says about healthy choices.

Are saturated fats still “bad”? Yes, the best available evidence suggests that saturated fat found in such food as meat, full-fat cheese and cake is still worse for you than the unsaturated fat in vegetable oils, nuts and avocados. According to a recent report from the United Nations, there is convincing evidence that replacing saturated fat with polyunsaturated fat reduces the risk of heart disease.

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There’s an important caveat: When cutting saturated fats, substitute with healthful alternatives, not refined carbohydrates, which are found in such items as white bread, pizza and snack foods. Otherwise, you probably won’t reduce your risk of heart disease and may well increase it, according to the U.N. report.

Which are better: mono- or polyunsaturated oils? Nutritionists can’t agree about this one, though they do agree that unsaturated fats are better than saturated ones. On the one hand, there is plenty of evidence to support the health benefits of the Mediterranean diet, which calls for generous amounts of olive oil, a mostly monounsaturated fat. But when researchers make direct comparisons of mono- and polyunsaturated fats, they generally find stronger evidence of a cardio-protective effect for polyunsaturated fat, found abundantly in safflower, soybean and sunflower oils.

Should I consider the omega-6 to omega-3 ratio? Omega-6 and omega-3 are two types of polyunsaturated fat — a “good” fat. Many studies suggest that diets rich in two omega-3 fats — eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), found in high levels in fish — are linked to lower rates of cardiovascular disease.

To maximize those heart benefits, some experts recommend limiting omega-6 fat found in sources such as corn oil and soybean oil, which have become common in the human diet only in the past 100 years or so, and getting more omega-3s from traditional sources such as fish.

Can fats affect cancer risk? Consumer Reports notes that it’s your body fat — not the fat in your food — that you should be worrying about most when it comes to cancer risk. According to a comprehensive 2007 review of studies by the World Cancer Research Fund and the American Institute for Cancer Research, there is no strong, convincing evidence that eating more or less total fat, or any individual type of fat, has any significant effect on cancer.

Because obesity is one of the few diet-related factors that is strongly and consistently linked to a risk of cancer, the best diet for cancer prevention may be one that can help you maintain a healthy weight.

Are coconut and palm oil good for you? The consensus is that those oils are loaded with cholesterol-raising saturated fat. But dissenters say there is emerging evidence that tropical oils, especially coconut oil, behave differently in the body than animal-derived saturated fats, and might have underappreciated health benefits.

What to do? Consumer Reports says that your best bet for the time being is to limit consumption of those oils but keep an open mind.

How does processing affect the benefits and risks of oil? Oils may be processed using mechanical pressing or heat and chemicals, a method that can affect its flavor and potentially its health benefits.

Olive oil, for example, is prized for the complex flavors that are strongest when the oil is fresh from the fruit. That’s why higher grades (extra virgin and virgin) are given only to mechanically pressed oil that hasn’t been treated with heat or chemicals. Those premium oils contain higher quantities of antioxidants, which are eliminated or reduced from lesser oils during processing.

Editors, Consumer Reports

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Study of link between night eating and the peculiar internal clock of fat cells

When researchers at the University of Pennsylvania messed with the internal clocks of mouse fat cells, a surprising thing happened.

The mice got fat.

Figuring out why led to more surprises. Mice usually eat at night, but the altered mice ate more of their food during the day. They got fat even though they ate the same number of calories as regular, nocturnal-feeding mice.

And when the researchers gave altered mice two of the key ingredients in fish oil, the animals didn’t get fat.

That’s a lot to digest, but it has potential implications for humans as we enter the season of stuffed refrigerators that beckon some to eat when they should be resting.

“One message from our paper is, ‘Don’t raid the larder at night,’ ” said Garret FitzGerald, director of the Institute for Translational Medicine and Therapeutics at Penn’s Perelman School of Medicine. Lead author Georgios Paschos is a research associate in the lab.

The behavior change in mice immediately reminded FitzGerald of human night-eating syndrome, a condition associated with obesity that was first described in 1955 by Penn obesity expert Albert Stunkard. About 1.5 percent of the population has it. FitzGerald’s group is now working with the Penn center that treats night eaters, the Center for Weight and Eating Disorders, to set up a study of whether people with the condition share metabolic or genetic traits with the day-eating mice.

Previous research also has shown that night-shift workers and people with sleep disorders are more likely to be obese.

Even so, Gary D. Foster, director of Temple University’s Center for Obesity Research and Education, doubts the mice results can be extrapolated to human obesity treatment. What he found intriguing was the power of fat cells to change the animals’ metabolism.

“I think this confirms what people have talked about for the past few decades: that fat is metabolically active,” Foster said. “It’s not just an inert storage tissue. If you can get mice to gain weight consuming the same number of calories, that turns conventional wisdom upside down.”

FitzGerald’s new line of research, published this month in Nature Medicine, is just a taste of how thoroughly animal bodies are attuned to the daily rotation of the Earth, even at the cellular level.

This circadian regulation has long interested doctors, who noticed that certain conditions such as asthma, depression, heart attacks, and stroke varied with the time of day, FitzGerald said. Our bodies metabolize medicines differently at different times as well.

That may be partly because environmental factors change during the day, but scientists also learned decades ago that our brains house a “master clock.” Then they learned that some genes functioned differently at different times of the day and that tissues of all types contained their own little clocks. Those peripheral clocks were thought to be “slave oscillators” that did as the master clock commanded.

FitzGerald’s group, which is “interested in the role of these peripheral clocks in cardiovascular function and metabolism,” decided to see what would happen if they knocked out the clock gene in mouse fat cells.

The mice shifted 20 percent of their consumption into what should have been their rest period, and they became obese.

The study also provided evidence that the peripheral clock was more powerful than previously thought. When it was knocked out in the fat cells, the genes that normally would tell you when to eat and when not to eat became disordered.

A few other genes that govern how unsaturated fatty acids involved in food intake – EPA and DHA – are released in the blood were also disrupted. Levels of EPA and DHA, key ingredients in fish oil, were low during daytime feeding.

With supplementary EPA and DHA, the scientists were able to prevent the weight gain.

FitzGerald sidestepped the two most obvious questions: Should obese people start taking fish oil, and at what time of night should people stop eating?

He did say, though, that he thought our circadian clocks were key “because we need a period of quiescence to recharge our metabolic batteries. . . . I think we’re meant to rest at night and not be eating.”

For scientists, he said, it’s important to start with the most serious problem – those who get up to eat – and then see whether lessons from them are applicable to broader groups.

Kelly Allison, an assistant professor at Penn’s Center for Weight and Eating Disorders, said she was intrigued by the first animal model of night eating. In humans, someone is said to have night-eating syndrome if he eats at least 25 percent of his food after dinner or wakes up at least twice a week to eat.

She’s used to the question about when to stop eating and also didn’t answer it. “I don’t ever pick a time out of the hat, like after-8 eating is evil,” she said. Still, she said, animal studies have been suggesting that we don’t make as efficient use of energy consumed at night.

Isn’t it time to do a study that will answer the questions?

“We are on it,” she said. “We’re thinking about how we can do it.”

Article source: http://www.philly.com/philly/news/20121126_Study_of_link_between_night_eating_and_the_peculiar_internal_clock_of_fat_cells.html

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Drs. Oz and Roizen: Omega-3s provide great health benefits

Don’t let a couple of “fishy” reports sway you. The latest news about omega-3s isn’t good — it’s great! We know more than ever about how these good fats keep your body and brain younger. That means getting a daily dose is smarter than ever.

TV, newspapers, radio and online media went negative about omega-3 fatty acids twice in recent months. First, a review of brain studies said good fats don’t sharpen thinking skills. But there’s plenty of other research showing that fish oil, and especially the king of omega-3′s, DHA, is good for memory and mental sharpness — and skimping on it puts brain cells at risk. Second, a big review of heart studies concluded omega-3s don’t keep tickers in tip-top shape. But that analysis looked at people with already troubled hearts, didn’t factor in their fish oil doses, or factor out those taking heart drugs (like cholesterol-lowering statins) that may overshadow good fat’s inflammation-cooling effects.

The fact is, omega-3s are safe and packed with serious talents for slashing your risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, arthritis and Alzheimer’s disease. The latest great news:

Omega-3s cool body-wide inflammation. Inflammatory chemicals in your bloodstream — spinoffs of your body’s efforts to fight infection, an immune-system overreaction, or even from belly fat — put you at risk for heart attack, stroke, diabetes, joint pain and more. But a daily dose of omega-3s turns off pro-inflammatory genes embedded in fat cells, while giving your body the building blocks it needs to produce more inflammation-cooling compounds. Good deal!

Omega-3s keep your DNA young. Taking omega-3 fatty acid supplements daily keeps the protective “caps” on the ends of your DNA longer. These caps, called telomeres, get shorter with age, eventually allowing DNA to fray. That raises risk for heart disease and an early death.

Omega-3s reduce free-radical damage. Rogue oxygen molecules in your body can ding your DNA in ways that increase odds for heart disease and brain decline. A regular fish-oil habit reduces this “oxidative stress” by 15 percent.

Omega-3s pamper brain cells. Bumping up your DHA-omega-3 intake by just half a salmon filet per week could lower levels of brain cell-strangling beta amyloids in your bloodstream by 20 percent to 30 percent. Less in your blood means less in your brain — a good thing, since they’re responsible for the tangles around brain cells that characterize Alzheimer’s disease!

Omega-3s may deliver extra protection if you’re overweight or are a smoker. Getting back to a healthy weight and kicking cigs are important, but omega-3s can help protect you from the health risks that pile on from smoking and excess body fat. Fish oil reduces the stiffness of a smoker’s arteries (that contributes to heart attack and stroke risk). If you’re extremely overweight, a daily dose of fish oil can dial down inflammation.

Ready to get your daily helping of omega-3s? Here’s how to get ‘em like we do:

Feast on omega-3-rich fish. Only two types of fish — salmon and wild trout — that are widely available in the U.S. and Canada are good sources of omega-3s. If you’re getting your omega-3s by eating two fist-size servings of fish per week, make sure it’s one of these. Canned salmon is one affordable way to do that.

Pop the best omega-3 supplements. We recommend a daily 900 milligram DHA algal supplement (Dr. Mike heads the scientific advisory committee of one manufacturer). DHA is the most potent omega-3; from it, your body can make another type, EPA, which has heart-health benefits. Algal supplements are also great if you’re a vegetarian or don’t like fishy burps. Also, some fish oil supplements contain 30 percent palm oil (loaded with inflammation-boosting saturated fat), and algal oil doesn’t.

Balance omega-3s and omega-6s. Some experts say cutting back on omega-6 fatty acids, which may increase inflammation, while increasing omega-3s is a smart balancing act. Reduce your omega-6 intake the easy way by choosing canola or olive oil instead of corn or soybean oil for cooking and drizzling over salads.

Dr. Mehmet Oz is host of “The Dr. Oz Show,” and Dr. Mike Roizen is chief medical officer at the Cleveland Clinic Wellness Institute. Submit your health
questions at www.doctoroz.com.

Article source: http://www.oregonlive.com/health/index.ssf/2012/11/drs_oz_and_roizen_omega-3s_pro.html

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Fat isn’t innocent or guilty

America is an overweight nation, used to eating fatty, sugary and salty foods. Heart disease is the No. 1 killer in the U.S., and the second-leading cause of death for baby boomers, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Many of us have reduced the sugar and salt in our diets, but fat seemd to leave many of us confused. Should we follow a no-fat or a low-fat diet? How much fat and what kinds do we need to stay healthy?

Such nutrition concepts often seem like a swinging pendulum. Hooked onto this pendulum is fat, a nutrient once feared and avoided. Nutrition research scientists are now taking a second look. Before fat gains unmerited status, let’s examine the complexity. For starters, there are saturated fats (which should be limited to less than 10 percent of your recommended daily calories) and unsaturated fats, further broken down into monounsatured and polyunsaturated fats. There also a is category of fat called “trans fat” or “hydrogenated fat,” which experts agree should be eliminated from our diet, as well as its equally scary sibling “partially hydrogenated fat,” which should be searched for in food labels and avoided.

A healthy diet for adults, according to the 2010 Dietary Guides for Americans should include 20 percent to 35 percent of total recommended calories for age, height weight and physical activity level. If you are eating more calories than you need, this “recommended fat allowance” should still be based on the calories you need, not what you eat. Eating healthy varieties of unsaturated fats will up your health score. Today, we will focus on the mighty omegas.

Unsaturated fats and the omegas:

Omega fats are classified into three varieties, 3, 6 and 9. Both omega-3s and omega-6s are essential fatty acids (EFAs) because the body is unable to make them and they must be acquired through food. Let’s compare them!

Omega-3s are known as anti-inflammatory and consist of two types of fatty acids: eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) with specific protective factors for cardiovascular health, and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) which is related to healthy brain function.

Omega-6s are can be arachidonic acid (AA), linked to causing inflammation in the body and are important for healing. However, left unchecked, this process can contribute to heart disease, arthritis and autoimmune diseases. In contrast, omega-6s also can be gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), which suppresses inflammation.

Both omega-3s and 6s allow for proper communication between cells, and therefore the proper function of all body systems.

Omega-9s are a monounsaturated fat, also known as oleic acid. This variety is not an essential fatty acid because we can produce them in small amounts. But adequate amounts of omega-3s and 6s must be present in order for omega-9s to be synthesized. And 9’s can be found directly from foods such as olive oil. Are you confused? Join the club.

Moderation, a practice in balance:

The average ratio of omega-6 to omeage-3 in our diet is about 15-1. We eat such an excess of omega 6 fats, that our health is often compromised. While we find conflicting recommendations on proper ratios of omegas, sound research suggests a ratio of 4-1 to effectively lower risks for inflammatory diseases. To reach a healthy balance, the American Heart Association recommends we increase omega-3 fatty acids in our diet. A good-quality fish oil supplement might be a consideration if fatty fish is not consumed at least twice weekly.

Omegas in the shopping cart:

Two of the richest sources of omega-3s are flax seed (ALA) – not just the oil – and wild fish (EPA and DHA). Walnuts lead the way in omega-3 content in the nut family, but small amounts can also be found in Brazil nuts, cashews, hazelnuts and peanuts. Canola oil is another excellent source of omega-3s, has a higher smoke point for cooking and a very mild flavor. Omega-6, the fat that causes inflammation, is found in many foods, but the “culprit” sources – the ones that throw our omega-3 to omega-6 ratio off – are primarily due to our overconsumption of common cooking oils. Many processed foods will have the ingredient “vegetable oil.” Most vegetable oil is actually soy oil, because it is very inexpensive to produce. However soy oil has a fairly high omega-6 vs. omega-3 ratio of 7-1. Some researchers believe the heavy concentration of omega-6 in some oils contributes to the high concentration of omega-6 in the American diet. It is important to note that oils are sensitive to heat, light and exposure to oxygen. They are best stored in cool, dark environments such as dark-colored bottles in the refrigerator. Don’t buy oils in such large quantities that you don’t replace every few months. Rancid oil not only has an unpleasant aroma and acrid taste, its nutrient value is greatly diminished. And the free radicals in rancid oil are linked to increased cancer risks.

The bottom line for boomers is to include healthy fats in your daily recommended calories (unfortunately, recommended may be different than consumed!), and stay in that range of 20 percent to 35 percent. If you focus on the type of fat you are eating, the exact percentage of fat may vary a bit from day to day, according to your food choices. And that type of fat needs to be far and away the unsaturated variety. To more finely tune your fats, assure you are getting plenty of the mighty omega-3s. And that your ratio of omega-6s to omega-3s approaches the optimal 4-to-1 ratio. For most of us, this means consciously adding foods high in omega-3s and perhaps considering a high-quality fish oil supplement. For more information on healthy fats, contact Rebecca Morley.

The Missoulian’s Booming section features a monthly column by a member of the Missoula City-County Health Department in order to assist Missoula baby boomers to be healthy and resilient. Rebecca Morley provides nutrition services through the Eat Smart Program and can be reached at 258-3827 or at rmorley@co.missoulian.mt.us.

Article source: http://missoulian.com/lifestyles/health-med-fit/7ad36f80-0e34-11e2-b29b-001a4bcf887a.html

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Fat Americans are complicating automakers’ quest for fuel efficiency

It’s no secret that American automakers are entrenched in a battle to create more fuel efficient vehicles. Not only must automakers meet the consumer’s burgeoning desire to pay less at the gas pump, but they must also consider the federal government’s increasing fuel economy standards. In fact, cars must average 54.5 mpg by 2025, according to new EPA fuel efficiency standards. While this is all well and good, automakers’ plans to increase fuel efficiency are being compounded by a rather large impediment: fat Americans. With this in mind, a new study by Cars.com and Allstate has outlined the “battle of the bulge” for all to see.

The American obesity epidemic has been touted in the news media for years now, but just how does it relate to fuel efficiency? The increased passenger weight in automobiles is having a major impact on fuel efficiency, according to the study. The research cites that 39 million gallons of fuel are used per year for every pound added on in passenger weight.

With more than one-third of Americans considered obese, that translates to a considerable increase in fuel. Not to mention that the obesity rate has dramatically increased in recent years. In 1990, there was no state where the obesity rate was above 19 percent. In fact, multiple states possessed an obesity rate below 10 percent. Conversely, there was no state in 2010 with an obesity rate below 20 percent. The majority of the states actually reported an obesity measurement of 25-29 percent, with multiple states reporting a rate over 30 percent.

As America’s waistline has increased, so have federal fuel efficiency standards. Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) regulations were originally enacted in 1975 to boost fuel economy in cars and light trucks. Although the current CAFE regulation require car and truck fuel economy to be 32.8 and 25.2 mpg respectively, this number balloons to 54.5 mpg in 2025.

One major way in which automakers are trying to increase mpg is by decreasing lbs. Each 100 pounds shed from a vehicle’s weight translates into as much as a 2 percent cut in mpg, which equals one fewer mile per gallon. In order to shed vehicle weight automakers have employed the use of lightweight aluminum and high-strength steel opposed to heavier traditional steel.

Although carmakers continue to think up news ways in which to decrease vehicle weight, they cannot control the weight of its drivers. The study concludes by stating that carmakers must continue to discover innovative ways to “tip the scale” in its favor. Unfortunately, automakers face the unknown factor of whether U.S. obesity will continue to trend upwards, says the study. However, putting their money on “fat” appears to be a safe bet for American automakers based on the current CDC data.

Article source: http://www.torquenews.com/1081/fat-americans-are-complicating-automakers-quest-fuel-efficiency

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The Big, Fat World of Lipids

Cell membranes are made of lipids. By studying artificial membranes, scientists have learned that different lipids separate from each other based on their physical properties, forming small islands called lipid rafts. These rafts have a higher concentration of certain specialized lipids, called glycosphingolipids, and cholesterol than do non-raft parts of the membrane.
CREDIT: Judith Stoffer.

When you have your cholesterol checked, the doctor typically provides your levels of three fats found in the blood: LDL, HDL and triglycerides. But did you know your body contains thousands of other types of fats, or lipids?

In human plasma alone, researchers have identified some 600 different types relevant to our health. Many lipids are also associated with diseases — diabetes, stroke, cancer, arthritis, Alzheimer’s disease, to name a few. Learning more about them could point to new ways to diagnose and treat lipid-related conditions.  

Lipid Encyclopedia

Just as genomics and proteomics spurred advances in the study of genes and proteins, lipidomics has offered a more quantitative and systematic approach to lipids research. Much of the effort has been led by a research consortium called LIPID MAPS. With funding from the National Institutes of Health, LIPID MAPS’ first major activity was classifying lipids into eight main categories. Six include fats from mammals and the other two include fats from bacteria, plants and marine life. Cholesterol belongs to the “sterol” group, and triglycerides are “glycerolipids.” Another category,”phospholipids,” includes the hundreds of lipids that constitute the cell membrane and allow cells to send and receive signals.

Aside from describing more than 35,000 lipids and providing details about them via an open database, the scientists have found ways to make these oily substances easier for others to work with. This includes improving the ability to separate, quantify and analyze lipids from urine, blood, phlegm and biopsied tissue.  

The overall effort has now made it possible to study how lipids change and interact over time. For example, by tracking the activity of about 500 fat species in mouse white blood cells, the LIPID MAPS scientists could measure hour-by-hour changes in lipid levels after the cells were exposed to an infection-fighting trigger — a bacterial endotoxin — and began to experience inflammation. They also studied what happened to lipid levels after the cells were exposed to a statin drug, which blocks cholesterol production, and after exposure to both the endotoxin and a statin.

The scientists observed some expected trends, like a reduction in cholesterol after exposure to a statin drug, but they noticed some surprising ones, too. Because statins also can reduce inflammation, the researchers expected to see fewer prostaglandins, which are inflammation-producing hormones made from lipids; instead, they saw an increase. While the scientists aren’t yet sure why this happened, they have begun to produce a picture of lipid dynamics that could set the stage for a better understanding of these dynamics in human cells.

Lipid Mechanics

Another important question about lipids is how they work. If scientists can make an artificial cell membrane for their lab studies using only a few lipids, then why do real membranes need thousands? LDL brings cholesterol to a cell and HDL removes it, but what are the underlying mechanisms? Cod liver oil has been touted as a treatment for eczema, arthritis and heart disease for decades, but how does its active ingredient — a lipid called an omega-3 fatty acid — actually operate?

Using the lipidomics data and tools, members of LIPID MAPS have answered this last question.   

Once again using mouse white blood cells, the scientists gave the cells supplements of pure fatty acids (fish oil is a mixture). These included eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) — both polyunsaturated omega-3s. And as in the earlier study, they stimulated an immune response, including inflammation.

But these cells didn’t display the typical response. Instead, EPA and DHA blocked the activity of an enzyme called COX, which helps convert an omega-6 fatty acid into the inflammatory prostaglandins. Inflammation is a common element of many diseases, so understanding how omega-3 fatty acids could stem it has tremendous therapeutic potential. This knowledge is just the tip of the fat-filled iceberg. We’ve already learned a lot about lipids, but much more remains to be discovered.

Learn more:

• LIPID MAPS

Also in this series:

• What Do Fats Do in the Body?

This Inside Life Science article was provided to LiveScience in cooperation with the National Institute of General Medical Sciences, part of the National Institutes of Health.

Article source: http://www.livescience.com/22221-fats-lipids-cholesterol-nigms.html

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Eat For Happiness: 5 Rules

In my practice of psychiatric medicine, I spend every day treating patients so that their master mood regulator — the brain — will get more of what it needs to be strong, healthy, and happy.

But when I meet new patients, I know that the way most of them eat — the typical American diet of sugars, refined carbohydrates and industrial vegetable fats — does no favors for their mental health. The nation’s epidemic levels of obesity and diabetes have received plenty of news coverage, but rates of brain disorders like depression and dementia are also skyrocketing, and the American diet is partly to blame.

Why? Because so many of the nutrients that the human brain relies upon for its growth, healing and healthy functioning have been stripped from the food supply by modern food processing and factory farming. As a result, we as a nation are overfed and undernourished. We’re also being poisoned. Preservatives, pesticides and plastic packaging have introduced a slew of new chemicals into our systems, which pose additional threats to our brain functions.

Emerging research in the fields of neuroscience and nutrition show that people who eat a diet of modern processed foods have increased levels of depression, anxiety, mood swings, hyperactivity, and a wide variety of other mental and emotional problems. One study found that adolescents with low-quality junk food diets are 79 percent more likely to suffer from depression. Another found that diets high in trans fats found in processed foods raised the risk of depression by 42 percent among adults over the course of approximately six years. And a huge study of women’s diets by the Harvard School of Public health concluded that those whose diets contained the greatest number of healthy omega-3 fats (and the lowest levels of unhealthy omega-6s) were significantly less likely to suffer from depression.

So what to do? Extreme diet recommendations these days run the gamut from veganism to low-fat to low-carb. Without even debating their individual merits, they all share the common problem that they are very restrictive and very hard to stick to. As a physician, I know all too well that strict regimens of any kind are almost always doomed to failure and then often leave people feeling worse off than before. That’s why the best prescriptions are often those that are simple and easiest to follow. With that thought in mind, here are the five basic rules I give to patients, friends, and family who want to simplify their choices at mealtime and maximize their brain health.

1. Skip the processed foods.

Processed foods are filled with empty calories, which is why so many people who count calories for weight loss end up with nutritional deficiencies that affect their energy levels, moods and thought processes. Brain-healthy nutrients are found in whole foods such as seafood (vitamin B-12, omega-3 fats), leafy greens and lentils (folates and magnesium), whole grains and nuts (certain forms of vitamin E that protect brain fat), and tomatoes and sweet potatoes (top sources of lycopene and other carotenoids, fat soluble antioxidants that decrease inflammation). Once you start eating a plant-based diet of nutrient-dense, whole foods, your moods will level out, your blood sugar will stop spiking and crashing, and your thinking will get clearer. You will see that food is much more than just fuel for your day.

2. Go organic.

Many insecticides and pesticides are neurotoxins, and although some claim the science isn’t settled about their health risks, remember that the same was said about cigarettes for decades before their dangers were officially recognized. Organic food usually costs a little more, so it’s smart to start by switching to organic apples, celery, peaches and other produce that normally rank highest in contaminants. For a full list, check out the Environmental Working Group’s “dirty dozen.” Availability also used to be a problem with organics, but no more. Supermarkets are steadily increasing their organic offerings, and the spread of farmers markets around the U.S. has added further reach for the movement.

3. Don’t fear fats.

Trans fats still found in many packaged baked goods are among the unhealthiest substances around, which is another good reason to stay away from processed foods. But the omega-3 fats DHA and EPA, which are found in whole foods like fish, butter, yogurt and full-fat milk, are great for your brain. One researcher calls them “nutritional armor.” Studies show that these two fats help protect your brain against mood disorders, while low levels of DHA have been associated with increased risk of suicide. And these fats don’t make you fat! In fact, foods with healthy fats help you feel satiated, so you end up eating less.

4. Mind your meat.

Meat is brain food. Along with other animal products like seafood, eggs and dairy, the right meat is a protein-rich source of omega-3 fats DHA and EPA and another fat, CLA, which is associated with fighting cancer and reducing levels of deadly abdominal fat. A plant-based diet is essential for brain health, but a diet completely free of animal products has its own problems. It forces one to take nutritional supplements, which are expensive and aren’t always absorbed sufficiently in the body. Deficiencies of vitamin B12 are particularly common among those who adhere to a vegan diet, which puts some at risk of irreversible brain and nerve damage. Not all meat is created equal, though. “Grass-fed” or “pasture-raised” beef and chicken have more beneficial nutrients in them and are free antibiotics and harmful hormones fed to factory farmed animals. Eggs that are “farm fresh” have higher nutritional value because they were laid by hens with a healthier natural diet.

5. Make friends with farmers.

Shopping at your local farmers market can give you added motivation to stay away from a pre-packaged processed-food diet. Getting to know the people who grow your food also offers you the opportunity to gain a better understanding of what you’re eating. Even in Manhattan, where I live, I’ve learned from my egg farmer how he improves the nutritional quality of his eggs by feeding the hens organic greens, which he calls “chicken candy.” I’ve also gotten a tutorial in mood-enhancing nutrients found in purple beans and miniature Italian eggplants. (see photo). The goal is not to become a food snob, but to make that vital connection between your fork and your feelings and choose foods that support your emotional well-being and enhance your sense of vitality. You can find local farmers easily at localharvest.org.

On Friday, July 27, @HealthyLiving and @ColumbiaMedNews hosted a Twitter chat — #foodandmood. Check out an archive here.

For more by Drew Ramsey, M.D., click here.

For more on mental health, click here.

Follow Drew Ramsey, M.D. on Twitter:

www.twitter.com/DrewRamseyMD

Article source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/drew-ramsey-md/food-mental-health_b_1703007.html

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Eat for Happiness: 5 Rules

In my practice of psychiatric medicine, I spend every day treating patients so that their master mood regulator — the brain — will get more of what it needs to be strong, healthy, and happy.

But when I meet new patients, I know that the way most of them eat — the typical American diet of sugars, refined carbohydrates and industrial vegetable fats — does no favors for their mental health. The nation’s epidemic levels of obesity and diabetes have received plenty of news coverage, but rates of brain disorders like depression and dementia are also skyrocketing, and the American diet is partly to blame.

Why? Because so many of the nutrients that the human brain relies upon for its growth, healing and healthy functioning have been stripped from the food supply by modern food processing and factory farming. As a result, we as a nation are overfed and undernourished. We’re also being poisoned. Preservatives, pesticides and plastic packaging have introduced a slew of new chemicals into our systems, which pose additional threats to our brain functions.

Emerging research in the fields of neuroscience and nutrition show that people who eat a diet of modern processed foods have increased levels of depression, anxiety, mood swings, hyperactivity, and a wide variety of other mental and emotional problems. One study found that adolescents with low-quality junk food diets are 79 percent more likely to suffer from depression. Another found that diets high in trans fats found in processed foods raised the risk of depression by 42 percent among adults over the course of approximately six years. And a huge study of women’s diets by the Harvard School of Public health concluded that those whose diets contained the greatest number of healthy omega-3 fats (and the lowest levels of unhealthy omega-6s) were significantly less likely to suffer from depression.

So what to do? Extreme diet recommendations these days run the gamut from veganism to low-fat to low-carb. Without even debating their individual merits, they all share the common problem that they are very restrictive and very hard to stick to. As a physician, I know all too well that strict regimens of any kind are almost always doomed to failure and then often leave people feeling worse off than before. That’s why the best prescriptions are often those that are simple and easiest to follow. With that thought in mind, here are the five basic rules I give to patients, friends, and family who want to simplify their choices at mealtime and maximize their brain health.

1. Skip the processed foods.

Processed foods are filled with empty calories, which is why so many people who count calories for weight loss end up with nutritional deficiencies that affect their energy levels, moods and thought processes. Brain-healthy nutrients are found in whole foods such as seafood (vitamin B-12, omega-3 fats), leafy greens and lentils (folates and magnesium), whole grains and nuts (certain forms of vitamin E that protect brain fat), and tomatoes and sweet potatoes (top sources of lycopene and other carotenoids, fat soluble antioxidants that decrease inflammation). Once you start eating a plant-based diet of nutrient-dense, whole foods, your moods will level out, your blood sugar will stop spiking and crashing, and your thinking will get clearer. You will see that food is much more than just fuel for your day.

2. Go organic.

Many insecticides and pesticides are neurotoxins, and although some claim the science isn’t settled about their health risks, remember that the same was said about cigarettes for decades before their dangers were officially recognized. Organic food usually costs a little more, so it’s smart to start by switching to organic apples, celery, peaches and other produce that normally rank highest in contaminants. For a full list, check out the Environmental Working Group’s “dirty dozen.” Availability also used to be a problem with organics, but no more. Supermarkets are steadily increasing their organic offerings, and the spread of farmers markets around the U.S. has added further reach for the movement.

3. Don’t fear fats.

Trans fats still found in many packaged baked goods are among the unhealthiest substances around, which is another good reason to stay away from processed foods. But the omega-3 fats DHA and EPA, which are found in whole foods like fish, butter, yogurt and full-fat milk, are great for your brain. One researcher calls them “nutritional armor.” Studies show that these two fats help protect your brain against mood disorders, while low levels of DHA have been associated with increased risk of suicide. And these fats don’t make you fat! In fact, foods with healthy fats help you feel satiated, so you end up eating less.

4. Mind your meat.

Meat is brain food. Along with other animal products like seafood, eggs and dairy, the right meat is a protein-rich source of omega-3 fats DHA and EPA and another fat, CLA, which is associated with fighting cancer and reducing levels of deadly abdominal fat. A plant-based diet is essential for brain health, but a diet completely free of animal products has its own problems. It forces one to take nutritional supplements, which are expensive and aren’t always absorbed sufficiently in the body. Deficiencies of vitamin B12 are particularly common among those who adhere to a vegan diet, which puts some at risk of irreversible brain and nerve damage. Not all meat is created equal, though. “Grass-fed” or “pasture-raised” beef and chicken have more beneficial nutrients in them and are free antibiotics and harmful hormones fed to factory farmed animals. Eggs that are “farm fresh” have higher nutritional value because they were laid by hens with a healthier natural diet.

5. Make friends with farmers.

Shopping at your local farmers market can give you added motivation to stay away from a pre-packaged processed-food diet. Getting to know the people who grow your food also offers you the opportunity to gain a better understanding of what you’re eating. Even in Manhattan, where I live, I’ve learned from my egg farmer how he improves the nutritional quality of his eggs by feeding the hens organic greens, which he calls “chicken candy.” I’ve also gotten a tutorial in mood-enhancing nutrients found in purple beans and miniature Italian eggplants. (see photo). The goal is not to become a food snob, but to make that vital connection between your fork and your feelings and choose foods that support your emotional well-being and enhance your sense of vitality. You can find local farmers easily at localharvest.org.

Join the conversation and bring your questions about mood and food today (July 27) from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. EST when @HealthyLiving and @ColumbiaMedNews are hosting a twitterchat — #foodandmood.

For more by Drew Ramsey, M.D., click here.

For more on mental health, click here.

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Article source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/drew-ramsey-md/food-mental-health_b_1703007.html

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The Fat Police

A less vigorous prosecution of the war on drugs, the thinking no doubt goes, will free up resources to fight the war on fat. Also, the Coca Cola company and the local 7-11 are less formidable adversaries – and far less likely to cut your head off – than the drug gangs on the northern border of Mexico.

The anti-sugar crusaders’ cause is grounded in this logical argument: excessive sugar consumption causes obesity which is on the rise across the land; obesity results in a multitude of medical problems and, thus, causes a rise in health care costs which are, increasingly, paid for by the state; therefore the state has an interest in curtailing the consumption of obesity-causing sugar.

There is a lot wrong with this argument, beginning with the fact that people crave a lot of things that are bad for their health. Stress is bad for your health and the city of New York is probably the world’s leading producer of the stuff. Lots of New Yorkers thrive on it and would perish without it. 

But if you don’t like stress and believe it is bad for your health, you can move to Vermont. Same way that, if you are worried about getting fat, you can pass on the Pepsi and have a glass of red wine, instead. That stuff is now supposed to be good for you, though once upon a time, there were people who wanted to outlaw it.

Mayor Bloomberg plainly does not believe that people can be trusted to make an informed choice between Mountain Dew and Haut Brion. In his patronizing view of the world, people who are obese got that way because government didn’t do enough to prevent it. So it is not their fault. They are victims.

Since it is unlikely that these first tentative deployments in the war on obesity will be successful against the forces of sugar, escalation is sure to follow. The emergency will require a federal effort. So the president will appoint a sugar-czar to lead and coordinate all the forces of virtue. A new agency will follow. We already have a DEA, so why not an SEA? It will, of course, require its own lavish headquarters building. And, naturally, a battalion of agents, all of them armed and some operating undercover. A squadron of drones to conduct overhead surveillance. 

If these things seem preposterous, consider the fact that the EPA already has drones and armed agents and isn’t shy about using them. 

Once the bureaucracy is in place and the appropriations become routine, it will be necessary for the SEA to have its own fully staffed diversity operation. And, of course, there will be off-site training sessions, just like those the GSA held in Las Vegas.

Article source: http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/fat-police_646753.html

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