Today, April 7, has been designated World Health Day in honor of the establishment of the World Health Organization (WHO) in 1948. It is seen as an opportunity to draw attention to major health concerns world wide at this time each year. International, national and local events are sponsored by WHO related to a particular theme. This year, the theme is Antimicrobial Resistance and it's global spread.
What does this mean to you? Most of us live longer and healthier lives today in part because of antimicrobials, those drugs that, as a last resort, are used to kill off infections that are causing infectious diseases. Until their discovery in the 1940's, people died from these diseases on an alarmingly frequent basis. Today, most of us cannot imagine living in a world without antimicrobials such as antibiotics.
We are now on the edge of losing this precious arsenal. The use and mis-use of these medicines over the past 70 years in both medicine and animal husbandry has caused the rise of antimicrobial resistant microorganisms. Perhaps the most well known of the resistant strains is MRSA (Methicillin-resistant Staphyloccocus Aureus). These microorganisms have caused death, suffering, disability and high health care costs.
Global travel allows these organisms to travel within hours. Unchecked, we could potentially lose our ultimate line of defense against our tiniest enemies.
How did this happen? Antimicrobial resistance – also knownas drug resistance – happens when microorganisms like bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites change in ways that make the medications used to cure the infections they cause useless. When the microorganisms become resistant to most antimicrobials they are often referred to as “superbugs”. This is a major concern because a resistant infection may kill and can spread to others.
Antimicrobial resistance is often caused by the improper use of medicines, for example, when taking too low a dose or not finishing a prescribed course of treatment. Low-quality medicines, wrong prescriptions and poor infection control (not checking back with the doctor if you're still sick) also encourage the development and spread of drug resistance. Lack of government commitment to address
these issues, poor professional surveillance and a diminishing arsenal of tools to diagnose, treat and prevent microbial infections also contribute.
Drug companies hesitate to put large sums of money into researching new antimicrobial agents and no new class of drugs has been discovered in decades. So, what are we to do? 1) ALWAYS take ALL of the prescribed drug, as written; 2) follow up with your doctor to be sure your infection is gone, as directed; 3) do not encourage prophilactic (daily) use of antibiotics for frivilous reasons (e.g., farm animals); 4) stay informed, get involved, and remember... "no action today, no cure tomorrow" (WHO, 2011).
If you have any comments or questions, please feel free...
Always,
Dr. P.
07 April 2011
02 April 2011
Cholesterol; a complicated chemical
Cholesterol is an often misunderstood nutrient. It is required by your body for building cell membranes, nerve conduction, hormone and vitamin production and numerous other tasks. It is so important that your body makes it in various organs, primarily the liver (20 - 25%). It is generally considered to be in the fat family, because it has a fatty lipid tail hanging off one side, chemically speaking, and so we shall consider it a fat as well for simplicity's sake.
The amount of cholesterol in your body is balanced by the amount you take in through the foods you eat and how much your body produces. The more you eat, the less your body produces. Foods that contain cholesterol include all animal products, especially cheese, egg yolks, beef, poultry, pork and shrimp. How much you produce is mostly genetic.
The amount of cholesterol circulating in your body is a good indication of whether or not you have too much in your system. This is measured using LDL (low density lipoproteins) and HDL (high density lipoproteins). These have been nick-named "bad fat" and "good fat" respectively, not because of how much cholesterol is in them (they contain the same amount) but because of the size and quantity of each of the molecules. LDL is a small molecule that is easily caught in small nicks and tears in arteries, then sticks to itself building up dikes that eventually block those arteries and raise your blood pressure, or cause heart attacks and strokes. HDL is a much larger molecule. It doesn't fit into those little tears, but it also sticks to LDL particles and can scrape them off the sides of your arteries and actually reduce the build up of those dikes, even to the point of near elimination. That's why doctors like high HDL and low LDL numbers on your lab test results.
So, what if you wanted to lower your blood cholesterol with diet and exercise before trying medication? There are actually a few foods that are recognized as good tools for lowering cholesterol before medication is necessary.
First, you need to be Vitamin B sufficient to properly metabolize cholesterol. If you aren't getting enough of this group of vitamins, your cholesterol will tend to be high. Make sure you have plenty of Vitamin B Complex in your diet.
Second, Vitamin C is needed to utilize cholesterol. Vitamin C doesn't last very long in the body, nor in most of the products we buy. It's best to get things as fresh as possible since this vitamin starts breaking down from the moment the fruit or vegetable it produces is picked. Also, if your Vit. C supplement is old or has been exposed to air or moisture, it's probably not the potency you think it is; make sure to get plenty of this vitamin in your diet.
Other things recognized for their effectiveness in lowering cholesterol are garlic, soy, fiber, chromium, grape seed extract and pantothine. And, of course, lots of whole grains and fresh fruits and veg!
It's also really important to avoid "trans" fats. These fats do not occur in nature, but do occur in margarine and shortening, and in lots of snack foods. These products encourage LDL production in your system. It may seem counter-intuitive to use butter instead, but our family mixes one stick of butter with 1/2 cup of canola oil, making our own "spread" which is buttery and delightful and contains no trans fats, and also is much less expensive than "light" butter or buttery spreads from the market.
I hope this has helped you to better understand this truly complex chemical. As always, if you have any questions, please feel free to ask.
Always,
Dr. P
The amount of cholesterol in your body is balanced by the amount you take in through the foods you eat and how much your body produces. The more you eat, the less your body produces. Foods that contain cholesterol include all animal products, especially cheese, egg yolks, beef, poultry, pork and shrimp. How much you produce is mostly genetic.
The amount of cholesterol circulating in your body is a good indication of whether or not you have too much in your system. This is measured using LDL (low density lipoproteins) and HDL (high density lipoproteins). These have been nick-named "bad fat" and "good fat" respectively, not because of how much cholesterol is in them (they contain the same amount) but because of the size and quantity of each of the molecules. LDL is a small molecule that is easily caught in small nicks and tears in arteries, then sticks to itself building up dikes that eventually block those arteries and raise your blood pressure, or cause heart attacks and strokes. HDL is a much larger molecule. It doesn't fit into those little tears, but it also sticks to LDL particles and can scrape them off the sides of your arteries and actually reduce the build up of those dikes, even to the point of near elimination. That's why doctors like high HDL and low LDL numbers on your lab test results.
So, what if you wanted to lower your blood cholesterol with diet and exercise before trying medication? There are actually a few foods that are recognized as good tools for lowering cholesterol before medication is necessary.
First, you need to be Vitamin B sufficient to properly metabolize cholesterol. If you aren't getting enough of this group of vitamins, your cholesterol will tend to be high. Make sure you have plenty of Vitamin B Complex in your diet.
Second, Vitamin C is needed to utilize cholesterol. Vitamin C doesn't last very long in the body, nor in most of the products we buy. It's best to get things as fresh as possible since this vitamin starts breaking down from the moment the fruit or vegetable it produces is picked. Also, if your Vit. C supplement is old or has been exposed to air or moisture, it's probably not the potency you think it is; make sure to get plenty of this vitamin in your diet.
Other things recognized for their effectiveness in lowering cholesterol are garlic, soy, fiber, chromium, grape seed extract and pantothine. And, of course, lots of whole grains and fresh fruits and veg!
It's also really important to avoid "trans" fats. These fats do not occur in nature, but do occur in margarine and shortening, and in lots of snack foods. These products encourage LDL production in your system. It may seem counter-intuitive to use butter instead, but our family mixes one stick of butter with 1/2 cup of canola oil, making our own "spread" which is buttery and delightful and contains no trans fats, and also is much less expensive than "light" butter or buttery spreads from the market.
I hope this has helped you to better understand this truly complex chemical. As always, if you have any questions, please feel free to ask.
Always,
Dr. P
24 March 2011
The Keys that Unlock The Doors
Enzymes are specialized proteins that help with digestion of the foods that we eat. While we will not even try to address all of the types of proteins that our bodies use, this class of proteins help to lead us into the topic of digestion and diet that we will talk about later.
The first enzymes that your body produces are in your mouth. This enzyme, called amylase, helps in the digestion of carbohydrates. It is important to chew your food well so that the saliva and amylase in your mouth can mix well with the food that you eat to begin the digestion process. People who eat too quickly send incompletely digested food to other carbohydrate digesting enzymes lower in the digestive tract, leading to gas and discomfort after meals.
Enzymes tend to be specific for the type of food they are meant to digest (break down). They work much like a lock-and-key mechanism, where a certain type of food (protein, fat or carbohydrate) is shaped a certain way, and the enzyme has a complimentary shape on it. This catalyzes (speeds up) a chemical reaction in your body, allowing you to extract the energy from the food you eat and use the bits of the broken down food to build the body parts you need.
Different enzymes play different roles throughout your digestive tract. Some are in the stomach, where much of the protein is digested. Some are in the small intestine, where much of the fat is digested. In your large intestine, where water is re-absorbed, there are happy little friendly micro gardens who help to break down the complex carbohydrates that are not already digested, like those often found in beans and cabbage.
Most people have a complete compliment of all the enzymes they need to provide everything they require to be healthy (note the exception of essential fatty acids and essential amino acids). However, some people are missing certain enzymes, either by inheritance or by chance genetic mutation. These people must be put on special diets to avoid certain foods (or include certain foods) to be healthy. This shows how critical enzymes are to our every day health.
Another group of people who must be on special diets due to altered enzymes are those who have had surgery to some part of their digestive tract. Anyone who has had bariatric surgery knows that certain vitamins must be injected after surgery because they can no longer be extracted from their food through digestion.
Enzyme production increases in your body naturally when you are hungry, or when you smell something good, or around your normal eating time, or when something that normally stimulates you to eat happens (remember Pavlov's dogs?). Start eating, and enzyme production steps up as your body detects what sort of food you're eating. Drink too much while you're eating, and you will dilute the enzymes in your system and interfere with digestion; some people advise not to drink while you're eating. I say, drink in moderation and try to stay naturally hydrated (and don't eat bad cooking).
If you eat a balanced diet, and you have no genetic reason not to, your body will produce all the enzymes you need to stay healthy and give your body everything it needs.
As always, should you have any questions, please ask.
Always,
Dr. P.
The first enzymes that your body produces are in your mouth. This enzyme, called amylase, helps in the digestion of carbohydrates. It is important to chew your food well so that the saliva and amylase in your mouth can mix well with the food that you eat to begin the digestion process. People who eat too quickly send incompletely digested food to other carbohydrate digesting enzymes lower in the digestive tract, leading to gas and discomfort after meals.
Enzymes tend to be specific for the type of food they are meant to digest (break down). They work much like a lock-and-key mechanism, where a certain type of food (protein, fat or carbohydrate) is shaped a certain way, and the enzyme has a complimentary shape on it. This catalyzes (speeds up) a chemical reaction in your body, allowing you to extract the energy from the food you eat and use the bits of the broken down food to build the body parts you need.
Different enzymes play different roles throughout your digestive tract. Some are in the stomach, where much of the protein is digested. Some are in the small intestine, where much of the fat is digested. In your large intestine, where water is re-absorbed, there are happy little friendly micro gardens who help to break down the complex carbohydrates that are not already digested, like those often found in beans and cabbage.
Most people have a complete compliment of all the enzymes they need to provide everything they require to be healthy (note the exception of essential fatty acids and essential amino acids). However, some people are missing certain enzymes, either by inheritance or by chance genetic mutation. These people must be put on special diets to avoid certain foods (or include certain foods) to be healthy. This shows how critical enzymes are to our every day health.
Another group of people who must be on special diets due to altered enzymes are those who have had surgery to some part of their digestive tract. Anyone who has had bariatric surgery knows that certain vitamins must be injected after surgery because they can no longer be extracted from their food through digestion.
Enzyme production increases in your body naturally when you are hungry, or when you smell something good, or around your normal eating time, or when something that normally stimulates you to eat happens (remember Pavlov's dogs?). Start eating, and enzyme production steps up as your body detects what sort of food you're eating. Drink too much while you're eating, and you will dilute the enzymes in your system and interfere with digestion; some people advise not to drink while you're eating. I say, drink in moderation and try to stay naturally hydrated (and don't eat bad cooking).
If you eat a balanced diet, and you have no genetic reason not to, your body will produce all the enzymes you need to stay healthy and give your body everything it needs.
As always, should you have any questions, please ask.
Always,
Dr. P.
21 March 2011
Affordable Health Care May be In Our Lifetime
http://blogs.forbes.com/beltway/2011/03/17/the-deal-dems-and-gop-could-strike-on-medicare-and-health-reform/
Breastfeeding benefits for Diabetics
http://health.yahoo.net/news/s/hsn/healthtipbreastfeedingwhenyouhavediabetes
09 March 2011
New Rules for Blood Sugar Range May Be Coming.
http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=139272
The Mediterranean Diet; an Old Way of Eating with a New Message
http://health.yahoo.net/news/s/hsn/mediterraneandietreducesriskofmetabolicsyndrome
08 March 2011
07 March 2011
Diabetes; a definition
Diabetes mellitus, often referred to simply as diabetes, is a group of metabolic disorders which cause a person to have high blood sugar. The most common symptoms are increased hunger, thirst, and urination.
I've chosen to make a special section on diabetes because it is one of my two pet topics. You will get more posts regarding this topic because it is rampant in both children and adults in the United States now, and common in my family and practice. I know this is an extra post this week, but please bear with me as I introduce this important topic.
There are three main types of diabetes:
If you, or someone you love, either has or is at risk for diabetes it should not be taken lightly. The affects of diabetes mis-management can be profound. In adults, Type II is the primary cause of blindness and kidney failure. The immune response is impaired in individuals with diabetes. Studies have shown that high blood sugar both reduces the function of immune cells and increases inflammation (pain, swelling, redness and heat in tissue). The effect of diabetes on the veins also tend to alter lung function, all of which leads to an increase in susceptibility to respiratory infections such as colds, pneumonia and the flu among individuals with diabetes. Several studies also show diabetes associated with worse cases of these types of diseases and slower recovery from them. Further, because high blood sugar literally turns blood into syrup, circulation through toes and fingers (as well as lungs and kidneys) becomes difficult, slowing or preventing healing of injuries. This can lead to infection and amputation if diabetes is not taken seriously and controlled.
Can Type I kill you? Yes. I've lost family to that condition. Can Type II kill you? Yes, because high blood sugar can prevent your immune system from doing it's job, which in turn allows infections, other conditions and even cancer to take a hold where your immune system may have won the day.
Diabetes is serious. I know too many people who really don't believe that, or think that taking care of their condition is "too hard". Please don't be one of those people. Take care of yourself. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask. There will be more on this.
Always,
Dr. P
I've chosen to make a special section on diabetes because it is one of my two pet topics. You will get more posts regarding this topic because it is rampant in both children and adults in the United States now, and common in my family and practice. I know this is an extra post this week, but please bear with me as I introduce this important topic.
There are three main types of diabetes:
- Gestational diabetes: This is when a woman, who has never had diabetes before, develops high blood sugar during pregnancy. It may be a forewarning of Type II Diabetes in the future. It's cause and treatment seem to be much the same as Type II.
- Type II Diabetes: Previously known as Adult Onset Diabetes, or non-insulin dependent diabetes, is a group of conditions where cells fail to use the protein hormone insulin properly. Sometimes this can be combined with an absolute insulin deficiency. Primarily, this occurs when cells are no longer as sensitive to insulin. This type of diabetes is being seen more often in younger children, especially those who are over weight or obese. In some cases, although this condition is considered chronic (permanent), symptoms of the disease can be put into remission.
- Type I Diabetes: Previously known as Juvenile Diabetes, or as insulin dependent diabetes, is a condition where the pancreas, an organ next to the liver, fails to make insulin. It can affect people of all ages, and occurs when the immune system attacks the insulin producing cells in the pancreas. There is no known prevention or cure for this type of diabetes. Currently, the only option is for people with this condition to inject the insulin that they are missing.
If you, or someone you love, either has or is at risk for diabetes it should not be taken lightly. The affects of diabetes mis-management can be profound. In adults, Type II is the primary cause of blindness and kidney failure. The immune response is impaired in individuals with diabetes. Studies have shown that high blood sugar both reduces the function of immune cells and increases inflammation (pain, swelling, redness and heat in tissue). The effect of diabetes on the veins also tend to alter lung function, all of which leads to an increase in susceptibility to respiratory infections such as colds, pneumonia and the flu among individuals with diabetes. Several studies also show diabetes associated with worse cases of these types of diseases and slower recovery from them. Further, because high blood sugar literally turns blood into syrup, circulation through toes and fingers (as well as lungs and kidneys) becomes difficult, slowing or preventing healing of injuries. This can lead to infection and amputation if diabetes is not taken seriously and controlled.
Can Type I kill you? Yes. I've lost family to that condition. Can Type II kill you? Yes, because high blood sugar can prevent your immune system from doing it's job, which in turn allows infections, other conditions and even cancer to take a hold where your immune system may have won the day.
Diabetes is serious. I know too many people who really don't believe that, or think that taking care of their condition is "too hard". Please don't be one of those people. Take care of yourself. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask. There will be more on this.
Always,
Dr. P
06 March 2011
The Power of Proteins
Proteins make up the third, and last, energy source our bodies need to function. Only carbohydrates, fats and proteins can provide calories (energy) for your body to do all of the biochemical operations that it needs to do.
Proteins are made up of smaller units called amino acids. Like the other molecules we've discussed, these amino acids are strung together in different ways to form the proteins we find in foods such as meat, eggs, poultry, seafood, dairy products and legumes. Like other chemicals in the body, amino acids can rotate light. While this is not important in a general knowledge sort of way (unless you're looking for a good cocktail trivia question), it is to our bodies. Only the l- amino acids are bio-active, whereas the d-amino acids cannot be used by our bodies at all.
Life would be impossible without protein.
Protein is necessary, whether it is in simple or complex form, for relaying messages in the nervous system and brain; balancing fluid; absorbing nutrients from the gut; producing such things as enzymes, hormones, connective tissue, muscles, antibodies and growth factors; and other metabolic products too numerous to list here. They participate in virtually every process in every cell of the body.
Unlike fats and carbohydrates, protein is not stored in the body so you must eat enough of it every day to meet your body's demands. Digestion breaks protein down into its individual amino acids, which can be used to construct the necessary components for your health or to produce glucose for energy if no other source is available. One of the products is insulin, needed for proper carbohydrate and fat handling.
Like fats, there are essential amino acids which humans must obtain from their diets. A few of these are lysine, methionine, and threonine because our bodies lack an enzyme called aspartokinase which would make these from aspartate. There are eleven essential amino acids in all.
It is possible to have protein deficiency, and two conditions have been defined where lack of protein is primary; Marasmus, in which both protein and calories are lacking and Kwashiorkor, in which primarily protein is missing from the diet. While these are rare (but not unheard of) in the United States, they are common in areas such as parts of Africa and Asia Minor.
The amount of protein an individual requires on a daily basis depends upon their age, size and gender. Like many nutritional requirements, protein is not a "one size fits all" nutritional component. Too much leads to fat storage. Too little, and your body doesn't have the essential building blocks it needs to do it's many tasks.
If you suspect you are getting too much, or too little, protein in your diet (remembering that the body loves balance) keep track of how much you take in over a two week period. That will give you a good idea if you need to re-visit your eating habits.
I hope this has been interesting and informative. If you have any questions, please ask.
Always,
Dr. P
Proteins are made up of smaller units called amino acids. Like the other molecules we've discussed, these amino acids are strung together in different ways to form the proteins we find in foods such as meat, eggs, poultry, seafood, dairy products and legumes. Like other chemicals in the body, amino acids can rotate light. While this is not important in a general knowledge sort of way (unless you're looking for a good cocktail trivia question), it is to our bodies. Only the l- amino acids are bio-active, whereas the d-amino acids cannot be used by our bodies at all.
Life would be impossible without protein.
Protein is necessary, whether it is in simple or complex form, for relaying messages in the nervous system and brain; balancing fluid; absorbing nutrients from the gut; producing such things as enzymes, hormones, connective tissue, muscles, antibodies and growth factors; and other metabolic products too numerous to list here. They participate in virtually every process in every cell of the body.
Unlike fats and carbohydrates, protein is not stored in the body so you must eat enough of it every day to meet your body's demands. Digestion breaks protein down into its individual amino acids, which can be used to construct the necessary components for your health or to produce glucose for energy if no other source is available. One of the products is insulin, needed for proper carbohydrate and fat handling.
Like fats, there are essential amino acids which humans must obtain from their diets. A few of these are lysine, methionine, and threonine because our bodies lack an enzyme called aspartokinase which would make these from aspartate. There are eleven essential amino acids in all.
It is possible to have protein deficiency, and two conditions have been defined where lack of protein is primary; Marasmus, in which both protein and calories are lacking and Kwashiorkor, in which primarily protein is missing from the diet. While these are rare (but not unheard of) in the United States, they are common in areas such as parts of Africa and Asia Minor.
The amount of protein an individual requires on a daily basis depends upon their age, size and gender. Like many nutritional requirements, protein is not a "one size fits all" nutritional component. Too much leads to fat storage. Too little, and your body doesn't have the essential building blocks it needs to do it's many tasks.
If you suspect you are getting too much, or too little, protein in your diet (remembering that the body loves balance) keep track of how much you take in over a two week period. That will give you a good idea if you need to re-visit your eating habits.
I hope this has been interesting and informative. If you have any questions, please ask.
Always,
Dr. P
04 March 2011
Alaska Joins the Nation's Health Care Reform
Of the 26 states objecting to Obama's Health Care Reform Act, Alaska is the only one to totally refuse Federal Grant monies. Where does your state stand?
http://www.adn.com/2011/03/03/1734282/states-must-implement-health-overhaul.html
http://www.adn.com/2011/03/03/1734282/states-must-implement-health-overhaul.html
02 March 2011
National Nutrition Month
In honor of national nutrition month, I will evaluate your diet at no charge. 1 per household, please. Just email me at dr.mjpilgrim@gmail.com,
a sla'inte,
Dr. P
a sla'inte,
Dr. P
And Now for Something Completely Different
So far, we have discussed carbohydrates and fats. Today, we are going to visit ever so briefly that taboo subject of healthy eating.
I realize that there are many interpretations of what is healthy (improves the overall metabolism of an individual) and what is not. I only consult with individuals, not groups, on how to improve the value of their diet (the foods and drinks they consume on a regular basis). Please know that what I am about to say is generally true, and not necessarily true for every individual.
This month, March, is National Nutrition Month (www.eatright.org/nnm), created by the American Dietetic Association (thanks to J. Scelso for drawing this to my attention). You can learn a lot from these people, and a visit to their site is always informative. However, a healthy diet is not a one-size-fits-all proposition. It's a wonderful place to start if your diet is far off the mark, but if you can't just bring yourself to follow the advice in a general forum like this, please find a consultant or a nutritionist who can help you to modify your current eating plan so that you can improve your overall health.
Why is that important? Well, you know you need more of certain carbohydrates, and essential fatty acids. You might need less of other carbohydrates and perhaps saturated fats. You also need proteins, vitamins, minerals and a host of other things; and there are some things which, in my opinion, you do NOT need, which we have yet to discuss.
Figuring that stuff out on your own isn't easy, and making it taste good and fit into how YOU eat can be really tough. Anyone who's tried to quit smoking knows that changing a habit "cold turkey" is NOT the easiest thing to do, and while some succeed the chances of failure are much higher. The same goes for changing your eating habits; just try waking up one morning and deciding it's an all-salad and liquid meal supplement day and see how long it lasts. I'd bet a cheeseburger and fries on failure within the first couple of days.
An individualized plan means you have a wonderful chance at success. If you're going to do this on your own, make sure you are well informed, read lots before you start, be sure you're really motivated, and have a support system in place. Don't be afraid to ask questions, and work as though your life depended on it. It just might.
One place to ask questions is right here. Your questions are ALWAYS welcome.
Always,
Dr. P
I realize that there are many interpretations of what is healthy (improves the overall metabolism of an individual) and what is not. I only consult with individuals, not groups, on how to improve the value of their diet (the foods and drinks they consume on a regular basis). Please know that what I am about to say is generally true, and not necessarily true for every individual.
This month, March, is National Nutrition Month (www.eatright.org/nnm), created by the American Dietetic Association (thanks to J. Scelso for drawing this to my attention). You can learn a lot from these people, and a visit to their site is always informative. However, a healthy diet is not a one-size-fits-all proposition. It's a wonderful place to start if your diet is far off the mark, but if you can't just bring yourself to follow the advice in a general forum like this, please find a consultant or a nutritionist who can help you to modify your current eating plan so that you can improve your overall health.
Why is that important? Well, you know you need more of certain carbohydrates, and essential fatty acids. You might need less of other carbohydrates and perhaps saturated fats. You also need proteins, vitamins, minerals and a host of other things; and there are some things which, in my opinion, you do NOT need, which we have yet to discuss.
Figuring that stuff out on your own isn't easy, and making it taste good and fit into how YOU eat can be really tough. Anyone who's tried to quit smoking knows that changing a habit "cold turkey" is NOT the easiest thing to do, and while some succeed the chances of failure are much higher. The same goes for changing your eating habits; just try waking up one morning and deciding it's an all-salad and liquid meal supplement day and see how long it lasts. I'd bet a cheeseburger and fries on failure within the first couple of days.
An individualized plan means you have a wonderful chance at success. If you're going to do this on your own, make sure you are well informed, read lots before you start, be sure you're really motivated, and have a support system in place. Don't be afraid to ask questions, and work as though your life depended on it. It just might.
One place to ask questions is right here. Your questions are ALWAYS welcome.
Always,
Dr. P
27 February 2011
I'm Not Evil, I'm Just Misunderstood...
What are fats, exactly? Fats often get a bad rap. No one wants to BE fat, and eating fatty foods has a very bad connotation. But, fats are like all the other food groups because there are "bad" fats and "good" fats, and I hope that a brief explanation of them will help you to make better use of this often misunderstood food group.
Fats are made up of long chains of smaller molecules called fatty acids. That's one reason (among many) why, when fats start to spoil or go "rancid" that you can sort of taste some of that acidity start to return in the break down products. In people, fats are made up from tri-glycerides (the form sugar takes when it's stored in your liver) and phospholipids (a major component of cell membranes). Lipid is another name for fat. Fats are stored is special cells, and historically have had very important consequences for energy storage during times when food was scarce, for keeping a body warm, and for protecting a body from the elements. Fat still plays a major role in metabolism, converting specific biochemicals important especially for the nervous and endocrine (hormone) systems.They transport vitamins A, D, E and K and are a primary building block for brain cells.
However, too much fat and your body starts to do just what we do when we have too much stuff. It starts to store it in all the wrong places. It lines the arteries (oxygen carrying blood vessels) and stuffs it between the organs of the body. It starts to interfere with how our metabolisms work, and can actually lead to death when it gets in the way; our internal organs sort of trip over it, fall down and die. It can lead to diabetes, heart attacks, breathing problems and hormone imbalances. Literally, too much of a good thing. On the other side, not enough fat and you lose your hair, your skin doesn't work properly, women lose their cycles, children don't develop properly, certain kinds of cancer and the list goes on. Not enough fat is a rare (but not unheard of) problem in North America.
There are also fats that are better for you than others. Fatty acids are classified as either saturated (all the hydrogen atoms they can hold) or unsaturated (room for more hydrogen atoms). The saturated fats, found in things like meat, cheese and cream, are the ones that tend to contribute to things like clogged arteries. Unsaturated fats, found in things that grow from the ground and seafood, are considered good for you because they lower the levels of other fats and cholesterol (which we'll discuss later) in the blood.
Part of fat's bad reputation comes from it's calorie content. Unlike carbohydrates and proteins, fats have 9 calories per gram whereas the other two only have 4 calories. So, it's easier to over-eat when consuming fatty foods because you get more than twice the calories for the same amount of food consumed. If you eat a lot of high fat foods, it's easy to put on the extra pounds.
Luckily for us, there is a way for us to burn that storage fat. Otherwise, it wouldn't have been such a benefit to be a bit on the heavy side when lean times hit. Your body has a built in mechanism for dealing with those storage units, but cutting out carbohydrates OR fat isn't the way to do it. Why, you ask?
First, there are such things as essential fatty acids or EFAs, so called because your body can't make them but needs them to make important biochemicals. The two most well known are omega-3 and omega-6 EFAs, which affect inflammation, mood and behavior. They both come from plants and -3 also comes from seafood, -6 can come from eggs but plants are a better and more abundant source. If you cut fats out of your diet, you cut these EFAs out as well and disease states will, eventually, follow.
Cut out carbs completely and, well, no sense in repeating the first three entries... review the Carbohydrates section, The Chain Gang in particular.
So, remembering that our bodies want balance and, in fact, it is essential for good health, you can meet your health goals without doing anything drastic. In fact, if you do, your body probably won't like you later.
I hope this sheds a little light on fats. If you have any questions, please comment and I'll address them in the next entry.
Always,
Dr. P
Fats are made up of long chains of smaller molecules called fatty acids. That's one reason (among many) why, when fats start to spoil or go "rancid" that you can sort of taste some of that acidity start to return in the break down products. In people, fats are made up from tri-glycerides (the form sugar takes when it's stored in your liver) and phospholipids (a major component of cell membranes). Lipid is another name for fat. Fats are stored is special cells, and historically have had very important consequences for energy storage during times when food was scarce, for keeping a body warm, and for protecting a body from the elements. Fat still plays a major role in metabolism, converting specific biochemicals important especially for the nervous and endocrine (hormone) systems.They transport vitamins A, D, E and K and are a primary building block for brain cells.
However, too much fat and your body starts to do just what we do when we have too much stuff. It starts to store it in all the wrong places. It lines the arteries (oxygen carrying blood vessels) and stuffs it between the organs of the body. It starts to interfere with how our metabolisms work, and can actually lead to death when it gets in the way; our internal organs sort of trip over it, fall down and die. It can lead to diabetes, heart attacks, breathing problems and hormone imbalances. Literally, too much of a good thing. On the other side, not enough fat and you lose your hair, your skin doesn't work properly, women lose their cycles, children don't develop properly, certain kinds of cancer and the list goes on. Not enough fat is a rare (but not unheard of) problem in North America.
There are also fats that are better for you than others. Fatty acids are classified as either saturated (all the hydrogen atoms they can hold) or unsaturated (room for more hydrogen atoms). The saturated fats, found in things like meat, cheese and cream, are the ones that tend to contribute to things like clogged arteries. Unsaturated fats, found in things that grow from the ground and seafood, are considered good for you because they lower the levels of other fats and cholesterol (which we'll discuss later) in the blood.
Part of fat's bad reputation comes from it's calorie content. Unlike carbohydrates and proteins, fats have 9 calories per gram whereas the other two only have 4 calories. So, it's easier to over-eat when consuming fatty foods because you get more than twice the calories for the same amount of food consumed. If you eat a lot of high fat foods, it's easy to put on the extra pounds.
Luckily for us, there is a way for us to burn that storage fat. Otherwise, it wouldn't have been such a benefit to be a bit on the heavy side when lean times hit. Your body has a built in mechanism for dealing with those storage units, but cutting out carbohydrates OR fat isn't the way to do it. Why, you ask?
First, there are such things as essential fatty acids or EFAs, so called because your body can't make them but needs them to make important biochemicals. The two most well known are omega-3 and omega-6 EFAs, which affect inflammation, mood and behavior. They both come from plants and -3 also comes from seafood, -6 can come from eggs but plants are a better and more abundant source. If you cut fats out of your diet, you cut these EFAs out as well and disease states will, eventually, follow.
Cut out carbs completely and, well, no sense in repeating the first three entries... review the Carbohydrates section, The Chain Gang in particular.
So, remembering that our bodies want balance and, in fact, it is essential for good health, you can meet your health goals without doing anything drastic. In fact, if you do, your body probably won't like you later.
I hope this sheds a little light on fats. If you have any questions, please comment and I'll address them in the next entry.
Always,
Dr. P
23 February 2011
The Chain Gang
So far we've discussed the single and double units of carbohydrates, mono- and di-saccarides. These are commonly called simple carbohydrates. They include table sugar, honey, molasses and high fructose corn syrup among others. They are also found in fruit, as fructose and in milk, as lactose. While some of these can contain health benefits, like local honey and some molasses, their dietary value is generally limited.
When simple carbohydrates start linking together into long chains, they are called complex carbohydrates. These are found in foods such as grains, corn and potatoes. They provide nutrients which simple carbohydrates do not. Nutrients (something that provides nourishment) are important to our health, and those from complex carbohydrates include minerals, vitamins, fiber, and phytonutrients which are disease fighting plant chemicals.
If you cut out or drastically reduce carbohydrates in your diet, you will miss out on crucial nutrients and will jeopardize your health.
Carbohydrate consumption also helps to control your blood glucose concentrations. A low blood glucose level makes you feel tired because it deprives your cells of the energy they need to function. Too much, especially over a long period of time, and your cells become damaged (as in people with diabetes).
The body likes balance. Humans have a built-in glucose monitor that helps keep blood sugar in balance by releasing insulin (a hormone from the pancreas) when blood sugar goes up, like after we eat, and glucagon to increase blood sugar between meals. If you abuse this system by eating too many simple carbohydrates, or too few, you will also damage your body and upset your metabolism (the biochemical processes in your body which sustain life).
Eating a variety of fruits, vegetables and whole grains is generally the recommended way to get your carbohydrates. A standard intake of 40% of your calories should come from this source to get your nutritional requirements. There are always, of course, exceptions to this rule; but not many and, no, if you're just a "meat and potatoes guy" that does NOT immediately make you an exception to the rule.
As always, if you have any questions or comments, I always enjoy and appreciate your input.
Always,
Dr. P
When simple carbohydrates start linking together into long chains, they are called complex carbohydrates. These are found in foods such as grains, corn and potatoes. They provide nutrients which simple carbohydrates do not. Nutrients (something that provides nourishment) are important to our health, and those from complex carbohydrates include minerals, vitamins, fiber, and phytonutrients which are disease fighting plant chemicals.
If you cut out or drastically reduce carbohydrates in your diet, you will miss out on crucial nutrients and will jeopardize your health.
Carbohydrate consumption also helps to control your blood glucose concentrations. A low blood glucose level makes you feel tired because it deprives your cells of the energy they need to function. Too much, especially over a long period of time, and your cells become damaged (as in people with diabetes).
The body likes balance. Humans have a built-in glucose monitor that helps keep blood sugar in balance by releasing insulin (a hormone from the pancreas) when blood sugar goes up, like after we eat, and glucagon to increase blood sugar between meals. If you abuse this system by eating too many simple carbohydrates, or too few, you will also damage your body and upset your metabolism (the biochemical processes in your body which sustain life).
Eating a variety of fruits, vegetables and whole grains is generally the recommended way to get your carbohydrates. A standard intake of 40% of your calories should come from this source to get your nutritional requirements. There are always, of course, exceptions to this rule; but not many and, no, if you're just a "meat and potatoes guy" that does NOT immediately make you an exception to the rule.
As always, if you have any questions or comments, I always enjoy and appreciate your input.
Always,
Dr. P
20 February 2011
How Sweet it Isn't
Some very good questions have arisen as a result of our discussion on sugars.So, this entry will focus mainly on answering those questions, and perhaps we will continue with another subject later in the week.
Let's begin with Kerrie's question. She brings up the very good point that, often, science and marketing seem to be at odds. There is a law in the USA that says that advertisers can't say anything that isn't true, but they can walk a very fine line. As previously noted, High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) is a mixture of fructose and glucose, whereas table sugar (sucrose) is a bond between fructose and glucose. Can your body tell the difference between table sugar and HFCS? Of course. Can your body tell the difference between natural and man-made fructose? Depends on how it's made. See, sugars are interesting in that they can rotate light. If the man made fructose rotates light the same way the natural fructose does, your body can't tell the difference. If it rotates light the opposite direction, your body can. I hope this bit makes sense. Can you tell if the HFCS you're consuming has one sort or the other? Nope. Not unless you have a chemistry lab in your basement....
So, what are the benefits and risks of consuming HFCS? Generally speaking, after reading a great deal of peer reviewed data not financially or otherwise supported by any vested party, sugar consumption of any sort does not lead to hyperactivity, diabetes or obesity in children or adults. However, OVER consumption of sugar or ANY sweetener indicates a dietary or life style habit in which some changes might want to be considered.
This ties well into another question received, which relates to a recent study showing that those who consume sodas heavily are more prone to obesity, and those who consume diet sodas are more obese than those who drink regular, HFCS filled soda. For Jeff, who brought up this point, a single study does not a trend make. I would like to see a little more data on this, although it more or less supports the point that perhaps a little water with a squeeze of lemon wouldn't hurt these folks now and then.
The last question came from one of my younger friends, who asked point blank why we have to eat fiber if we can't digest it. I'll address that question briefly here, and talk more about it when we talk about digestion.
There are two types of fiber that we take in when we eat properly; water soluble, like the gel that comes around beans in canned beans, and insoluble like the strings in celery. Both play a role in proper nutrition. Insoluble fiber acts like the broom a chimney sweep would use first, brushing the hard soot out of a dirty chimney as it moves through our digestive tract. Soluble fiber is more like the brush for the flue, picking up smaller particles and binding things like dietary cholesterol as well. So, for those who "don't like" vegetables, sometimes fiber in a less palatable form is required to prevent damage to the intestines.
Carbohydrates in all their forms are really important in a well balanced eating plan, from sugar to complex carbohydrates to fiber. As we move through this part of our discussion, I hope you will be actively involved, continue to ask questions and help me to help you with any concerns you may have.
Thank you for being here,
Always,
Dr. P
Let's begin with Kerrie's question. She brings up the very good point that, often, science and marketing seem to be at odds. There is a law in the USA that says that advertisers can't say anything that isn't true, but they can walk a very fine line. As previously noted, High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) is a mixture of fructose and glucose, whereas table sugar (sucrose) is a bond between fructose and glucose. Can your body tell the difference between table sugar and HFCS? Of course. Can your body tell the difference between natural and man-made fructose? Depends on how it's made. See, sugars are interesting in that they can rotate light. If the man made fructose rotates light the same way the natural fructose does, your body can't tell the difference. If it rotates light the opposite direction, your body can. I hope this bit makes sense. Can you tell if the HFCS you're consuming has one sort or the other? Nope. Not unless you have a chemistry lab in your basement....
So, what are the benefits and risks of consuming HFCS? Generally speaking, after reading a great deal of peer reviewed data not financially or otherwise supported by any vested party, sugar consumption of any sort does not lead to hyperactivity, diabetes or obesity in children or adults. However, OVER consumption of sugar or ANY sweetener indicates a dietary or life style habit in which some changes might want to be considered.
This ties well into another question received, which relates to a recent study showing that those who consume sodas heavily are more prone to obesity, and those who consume diet sodas are more obese than those who drink regular, HFCS filled soda. For Jeff, who brought up this point, a single study does not a trend make. I would like to see a little more data on this, although it more or less supports the point that perhaps a little water with a squeeze of lemon wouldn't hurt these folks now and then.
The last question came from one of my younger friends, who asked point blank why we have to eat fiber if we can't digest it. I'll address that question briefly here, and talk more about it when we talk about digestion.
There are two types of fiber that we take in when we eat properly; water soluble, like the gel that comes around beans in canned beans, and insoluble like the strings in celery. Both play a role in proper nutrition. Insoluble fiber acts like the broom a chimney sweep would use first, brushing the hard soot out of a dirty chimney as it moves through our digestive tract. Soluble fiber is more like the brush for the flue, picking up smaller particles and binding things like dietary cholesterol as well. So, for those who "don't like" vegetables, sometimes fiber in a less palatable form is required to prevent damage to the intestines.
Carbohydrates in all their forms are really important in a well balanced eating plan, from sugar to complex carbohydrates to fiber. As we move through this part of our discussion, I hope you will be actively involved, continue to ask questions and help me to help you with any concerns you may have.
Thank you for being here,
Always,
Dr. P
18 February 2011
One Of These Things is Not Like the Others
Welcome to the first posting for ABC on line. I hope that you enjoy these entries, and maybe learn a little bit in the mean time.
There seems to be a great deal of confusion about there about "sugar". Is it a bad thing or a good thing? What exactly is it? Is High Fructose Corn Syrup an evil conspiracy designed by the major food manufacturers, or can we actually consume it? These and related questions frequently arise with clients when working on nutrition, weight loss or gain, and just better health management. So, let's try and sort this out...
There are Three (3) major groups under which food is generally classified: proteins, fats or carbohydrates.
Sugars are carbohydrates.
Glucose is a simple carbohydrate and is the most important monosaccaride (single sugar) in human metabolism. Glucose is called a simple sugar or a monosaccharide because it is one of the smallest units which has the characteristics of this class of carbohydrates. Glucose is also sometimes called dextrose. Corn syrup is primarily glucose. Glucose is one of the main chemicals which serve as energy sources for plants and animals. It is found in the sap of plants, and is found in the human bloodstream where it is commonly called "blood sugar". The desirable or average concentration of glucose in the blood is about 0.1%, but it can become much higher in persons suffering from diabetes, and much lower in people suffering from hypoglycemia.
In living organisms, the break down of glucose in the presence of oxygen participates in a series of complex biochemical reactions which provides the energy needed by cells, providing warmth to warm blooded animals and the building blocks for many of the puzzle pieces needed to make up out cells.
Fructose, or "fruit sugar" is another sugar found in nature. If glucose had a value of 0.74, fructose would have a value of 1.73. This makes it much sweeter than glucose, but because of the way it is broken down by your body (different class of chemical, still a monosaccaride) it yields a different amount of energy. It's found in sweet things like bananas, apples and honey. All of these things benefit you in a healthy diet for a variety of reasons!
Sucrose, or table sugar, is a combination of these two things hooked together chemically into a di (double) saccaride (sugar). The more refined the sugar, the whiter it is. Super fine sugar, or castor sugar in England, is crushed table sugar. Powdered sugar is just that; dextrose (another name for sucrose) that has been abused to the point that it's been powdered. Another name for powdered sugar is icing sugar. This last one has a small amount of corn powder added to keep the sugar from clumping. On the sweetness scale indicated above, Sucrose is the standard and has a value of 1.00.
If you keep hooking sugars together, you get interesting things like wood (not recommended in the human diet). However, wood is made of cellulose, a long chain carbohydrate (starch) which is a bunch of sugars all hooked together. Humans can't digest this yet, strangely enough, we need some kinds of cellulose (a.k.a fiber) in our diet to be healthy. Go figure.
Other types of sugar are the monosaccarides maltose (from malt, sweetness 0.33) and lactose (from milk, or a 'lactation' product, sweetness 0.16), neither of which we are going to go into in this discussion. If you have a pressing issue with either of these, please comment and, if I get enough responses, I'll be glad to discuss.
OK, now for High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS). What is that stuff, and where did it come from?
Well, it comes from corn, just like regular corn syrup. It's a purely manufactured product, not a natural sweetener. Just like regular corn syrup, it's made from hard kernels that are separated into their different components (hull, starch, oil) and then the starch component is broken down into glucose. So far, so good, right? Now, here's where you lose me a little; the glucose is chemically treated to invert it (chemically convert it) (glucose and fructose have the same number and type of elements, they're just put together differently) to make some of the glucose molecules fructose. Why? Well, as seen above, fructose is sweeter than glucose. If you have a sweeter substance, you can use less of it in your product to get the same sweetness. If you can use less, you save money. Save money, more profit. It all makes GREAT economic sense. You end up with 42%-55% fructose in your glucose in this product, which drastically increases your sweetness over regular corn syrup.
Now, here's the rub. The people who manufacture HFCS are truly paranoid about all the bad press their product has received. They have done SO much research on it's relationship to diabetes, metabolism, allergies, etc. and so have independent researchers that it's impressive. Whereas HFCS is NOT like table sugar, and don't you believe it, it's not a sweetener you need to eliminate from your diet. Then again, it's generally used in products I wouldn't want to pass my lips. Make sure you read the ingredients on ALL packaged foods you buy, but this one wouldn't freak me out (technical language, there).
I hope this has helped you to sort out your sugar questions. Should you still need answers, please comment. Also, if there's a special topic you'd like to have discussed here please put that in the comments section, too.
Always,
Dr. P
There seems to be a great deal of confusion about there about "sugar". Is it a bad thing or a good thing? What exactly is it? Is High Fructose Corn Syrup an evil conspiracy designed by the major food manufacturers, or can we actually consume it? These and related questions frequently arise with clients when working on nutrition, weight loss or gain, and just better health management. So, let's try and sort this out...
There are Three (3) major groups under which food is generally classified: proteins, fats or carbohydrates.
Sugars are carbohydrates.
Glucose is a simple carbohydrate and is the most important monosaccaride (single sugar) in human metabolism. Glucose is called a simple sugar or a monosaccharide because it is one of the smallest units which has the characteristics of this class of carbohydrates. Glucose is also sometimes called dextrose. Corn syrup is primarily glucose. Glucose is one of the main chemicals which serve as energy sources for plants and animals. It is found in the sap of plants, and is found in the human bloodstream where it is commonly called "blood sugar". The desirable or average concentration of glucose in the blood is about 0.1%, but it can become much higher in persons suffering from diabetes, and much lower in people suffering from hypoglycemia.
In living organisms, the break down of glucose in the presence of oxygen participates in a series of complex biochemical reactions which provides the energy needed by cells, providing warmth to warm blooded animals and the building blocks for many of the puzzle pieces needed to make up out cells.
Fructose, or "fruit sugar" is another sugar found in nature. If glucose had a value of 0.74, fructose would have a value of 1.73. This makes it much sweeter than glucose, but because of the way it is broken down by your body (different class of chemical, still a monosaccaride) it yields a different amount of energy. It's found in sweet things like bananas, apples and honey. All of these things benefit you in a healthy diet for a variety of reasons!
Sucrose, or table sugar, is a combination of these two things hooked together chemically into a di (double) saccaride (sugar). The more refined the sugar, the whiter it is. Super fine sugar, or castor sugar in England, is crushed table sugar. Powdered sugar is just that; dextrose (another name for sucrose) that has been abused to the point that it's been powdered. Another name for powdered sugar is icing sugar. This last one has a small amount of corn powder added to keep the sugar from clumping. On the sweetness scale indicated above, Sucrose is the standard and has a value of 1.00.
If you keep hooking sugars together, you get interesting things like wood (not recommended in the human diet). However, wood is made of cellulose, a long chain carbohydrate (starch) which is a bunch of sugars all hooked together. Humans can't digest this yet, strangely enough, we need some kinds of cellulose (a.k.a fiber) in our diet to be healthy. Go figure.
Other types of sugar are the monosaccarides maltose (from malt, sweetness 0.33) and lactose (from milk, or a 'lactation' product, sweetness 0.16), neither of which we are going to go into in this discussion. If you have a pressing issue with either of these, please comment and, if I get enough responses, I'll be glad to discuss.
OK, now for High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS). What is that stuff, and where did it come from?
Well, it comes from corn, just like regular corn syrup. It's a purely manufactured product, not a natural sweetener. Just like regular corn syrup, it's made from hard kernels that are separated into their different components (hull, starch, oil) and then the starch component is broken down into glucose. So far, so good, right? Now, here's where you lose me a little; the glucose is chemically treated to invert it (chemically convert it) (glucose and fructose have the same number and type of elements, they're just put together differently) to make some of the glucose molecules fructose. Why? Well, as seen above, fructose is sweeter than glucose. If you have a sweeter substance, you can use less of it in your product to get the same sweetness. If you can use less, you save money. Save money, more profit. It all makes GREAT economic sense. You end up with 42%-55% fructose in your glucose in this product, which drastically increases your sweetness over regular corn syrup.
Now, here's the rub. The people who manufacture HFCS are truly paranoid about all the bad press their product has received. They have done SO much research on it's relationship to diabetes, metabolism, allergies, etc. and so have independent researchers that it's impressive. Whereas HFCS is NOT like table sugar, and don't you believe it, it's not a sweetener you need to eliminate from your diet. Then again, it's generally used in products I wouldn't want to pass my lips. Make sure you read the ingredients on ALL packaged foods you buy, but this one wouldn't freak me out (technical language, there).
I hope this has helped you to sort out your sugar questions. Should you still need answers, please comment. Also, if there's a special topic you'd like to have discussed here please put that in the comments section, too.
Always,
Dr. P
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