Human Health Specialists

Nutrition 101: Dietary Fats

Thomas — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 17:36:58 +0000

In the late 1980s and early 1990s, a low-fat revolution swept through the US. Dietary fats, especially saturated fats, became the scapegoat for the nation’s rising obesity rates. This lead to an explosion of low-fat and fat-free “health foods,” and fat-phobic Americans – hoping this was the solution for their growing waistlines – hastily eliminated any source of fat from their diets.

Fast forward 20 years and now – at least most of us – know better. We know that low-fat diets don’t lead to lower incidences of cancer and heart disease. We know that they also don’t reduce rates of obesity (which have been on the rise since the late 80s to a current all-time high). We know that fats aren’t bad per se; rather, the type of fat is what is important.

There are four major types of dietary fats: saturated, monounsaturated, polyunsaturated, and trans fats.

Saturated fats

Sources:
•   Butter
•   Egg yolks
•   Meat
•   Full fat dairy (cheese, cream, milk, etc.)
•   Coconut and palm oil

Saturated fats are not the artery-clogging, heart attack-inducing toxins health experts once labeled them as, and recent research has found no statistically significant relationship between saturated fat intake and cardiovascular disease. As well, many cultures that consume high amounts of saturated fats including Masai (red meat and whole milk), Eskimos (seals), and Pacific Islanders (coconuts) have almost non-existent rates of heart disease. If you want to reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease, start by eliminating refined carbohydrates and trans fats from your diet, quit smoking, manage stress better, lose weight, and engage in daily physical activity.

Saturated fats should make up 33% of your dietary fat intake.

Monounsaturated fats

Sources:
•   Vegetable oils (safflower, sunflower, etc.)
•   Avocados
•   Olive oil
•   Canola oil
•   Peanuts and peanut oil
•   Nuts (almonds, cashews, etc.)

The health benefits of monounsaturated fats are still under investigation, but there is evidence that they can lower low density lipoproteins (LDL; “bad cholesterol”), raise high density lipoproteins (HDL; “good cholesterol”), and reduce your risk for heart disease.

Monounsaturated fats should make up 33% of your dietary fat intake.

Polyunsaturated fats

Sources:
•   Fatty fish and fish oil (omega-3 fatty acids)
•   Flaxseed and flaxseed oil
•   Walnuts
•   Seeds (pumpkin, sunflower, etc.)
•   Wheat germ

Polyunsaturated fats – especially the omega-3 fatty acids – reduce your risk for cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and other chronic and inflammatory diseases. They also improve cholesterol levels and can enhance cognitive function.

HPS Omega-3 Performance is a great source of omega-3 fatty acids

Polyunsaturated fats should make up 33% of your dietary fat intake.

Trans fats

Sources:
• Margarine
• Hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated oils (found in many processed foods)

Trans fats are highly processed toxins that elevate LDL and increase your risk for heart disease, certain cancers, diabetes, and other chronic diseases.

Trans fats should make up less than 1% of your dietary fat intake.

Consuming natural sources of dietary fats, including saturated fat, is an important part of a healthy, wholesome diet. A 1:1:1 ratio of saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated fats is ideal, and eliminating or significantly reducing your consumption of trans fats is a great way to improve your health and prevent disease.

A Sucker Buys a Shoe Every Second

Thomas — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 19:39:48 +0000

P. T. Barnum is smiling. And so is Skechers, all the way to the bank.

Endorsed by NFL legend Joe Montana, Skechers Shape Ups toning shoes claim to be “a great way to exercise as you go about your busy day,” and promise to help you burn more calories, tone muscles, improve posture, reduce joint stress and cellulite, and improve circulation. With sales of these shoes already in the millions, people seem to be buying the hype (literally).

Of course, that’s all it appears to be – hype. Skechers’ claims are based on self-funded, unpublished research and thousands of customer testimonials. Self-funded research is notoriously biased, and customer testimonials are notoriously unreliable.

But, the question remains: is there any truth to these claims? Let’s have a look…

Burn more calories. If spending $100+ on a pair of shoes is the only way to get you to actually go for a walk then yes, you will burn more calories in your Shape Ups. If you’re already walking or exercising regularly, the additional calorie burn will be minimal at best.

Tone your calves, thighs, and glutes; reduce cellulite; improve circulation. Exercising does these things, not the sneakers you’re wearing.

Improve your posture. Doubtful.

Reduce stress on your knees and ankles. Perhaps, but so will losing weight. And so will wearing any well cushioned shoe.

What Skechers doesn’t tell you is that by providing an unstable walking surface, these shoes increase the risk of falling in people with balance issues, and the abnormally thick sole increases the risk for ankle sprains. Podiatrists are also reporting Achilles tendon aggravation in people wearing these shoes and recommend stretching before walking in them. They’re also hideous.

Hideous

This isn’t the first time a company has promised improved fitness by wearing their shoes (Earth Shoes, circa 1970), and other companies are already bringing similar footwear to the market in hopes of cashing in on this latest health-fad-cash-cow. Don’t be a sucker; remember, there are no shortcuts for getting in shape. No funny shaped shoe, exotic berry, pill, or sit-up machine is going to get rid of your gut for you. Make it a habit to exercise at least 5 days a week, follow a sensible diet and do so consistently. When you start to see some real results from your own hard work, you’ll be the one smiling.

NSFV (Not Safe for Vegetarians)

Thomas — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 17:37:42 +0000

Grilled meat. There ain’t much better.

The taste.

The mouth-watering aroma.

It’s as if meat were meant to be grilled.

Meat + grill = Heaven

It’s not all good, though.

As the general rule dictates, the better something tastes the worse it probably is for you. Grilled meat is no exception; several known carcinogens (cancer causing agents) are created from cooking meat at high temperatures, especially grilling. These cancerous compounds include heterocyclic amines (HCAs), benzopyrenes, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and advanced glycation end products (AGEs). AGEs have also been implicated in several chronic diseases including diabetes, heart disease, and peripheral neuropathy, and they are one of the many harmful by-products of a diet high in refined carbohydrates.

This doesn’t mean you should stop eating meat or stop grilling, that’s just crazy. Instead, you should follow some simple steps to reduce the production of these compounds and minimize their harmful effects:

Cook “low and slow.” Meats cooked at lower temperatures for longer periods (roasting, baking, etc.) have the fewest carcinogens.
Marinate. Look for marinades – or make your own – that contain oil olive, garlic, lemon juice, or rosemary.
Microwave first. Microwaving meat for 2 minutes before grilling can significantly reduce HCA formation [1].
Make it medium. Well done meats have the most carcinogens, and rare meats have the most bacteria, so medium is your best bet.
Remove any charred parts.
Drink green tea. Green tea contains antioxidants that can help reduce the harmful effects of carcinogens.
Have some veggies, too.
Supplement with antioxidant vitamins C and E, alpha lipoic acid, benfotiamine, and carnosine.
Avoid cured and processed meats. The nitrates and nitrites in these products have been linked to colon cancer, even without being cooked.
Exercise, eat right, and maintain a healthy body weight.

Don’t let your summer or your Fourth of July celebration get ruined by a few nasty chemicals. By instituting the above recommendations, you can keep yourself, your family, and your partygoers healthy and happy. You can also feel free to enjoy as many sumptuous grilled steaks, burgers, and chicken breasts as you want. There ain’t much better.

Two Scoops a Day Keeps the Swine Flu Away

Thomas — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 20:41:54 +0000

Being sick stinks. It stinks like a pig. And with a week or more of missed work it can also stink like free cheese, because that’s all you’ll be able to afford.

Free cheese anyone?

Plain and simple, if you want to prevent seasonal influenza (Flu) infections now and in the future you need to optimize your immune system. The most effective way to do that is to supplement with vitamins and minerals that support immune function (you can view a list of immune boosting nutrients, and the majority of them can be found in our Immuno Performance Protein). It is important to supplement with these nutrients year round in order to maintain optimal levels. You can also jump start the process or get added protection through nutrient IVs. Most Naturopathic medical offices will offer IV therapy, and they should already have recipes for preventing influenza infection.

There is sufficient scientific support for these ingredients as immune function boosters, and the benefits listed in the link above highlight their direct effects against the influenza virus. Anecdotally, the two people in our office who regularly supplement with many of these nutrients (including 2 scoops per day of our Immuno Performance Protein) haven’t gotten sick and don’t plan on getting sick. The two people in our office who have gotten sick (they’re not sure if it’s Swine Flu) don’t supplement with these nutrients.

You can take that for what it’s worth.

A simple look around the internet reveals a great number of people who are scared of the Swine Flu, and just as many who are scared of the vaccine. The general consensus seems to be that choosing whether or not to get the vaccine is a lose/lose decision – damned if you do, damned if you don’t. It doesn’t have to be that way. A few simple nutrients can keep you healthy without side effects or further risk to your health. In fact, these nutrients will not only help prevent influenza infection, they’ll also increase your energy, reduce your risk for several chronic diseases, and enhance your recovery from exercise.

At the end of the day, if you don’t want to get sick, you need to take consistent preventative measures. Those measures include eating right, exercising, reducing stress, and supplementing with immune boosting nutrients.

5 Tips for More Energy Everyday

Thomas — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 16:32:18 +0000

We’re all busy. We all wish there was more time in the day to get things done. And we all go through phases where we over-prioritize all the unimportant things in our lives and under-prioritize our health. This is what I have aptly titled “The Low Priority Health Plan,” and it’s a guaranteed way to be tired, sick, and moody all the time.

It should come as no surprise that the number one health complaint from our patients is a lack of energy. There are so many factors in energy production – mental, emotional, physiological, even spiritual – that when one of these areas is off it can lead to any one of the numerous forms of fatigue. Fortunately, there are some simple things you can do everyday to optimize your energy levels even when your health might not be getting the attention it deserves. Here a 5 tips – in no specific order – that will help you have more energy to get through the day and get stuff done.

1. Go to bed at the same time every night. Establishing a consistent sleep cycle will improve the quality of your sleep and help you feel more refreshed in the morning.

2. Wake up at the same time every morning. Like a consistent sleep cycle, a consistent wake cycle (and a consistent circadian rhythm) will help optimize hormone levels and thus significantly reduce fatigue. As a bonus, it will also help greatly with fat loss.

3. Drink plenty of water. Water is essential to life and to all of the physiological processes required for energy production. It is best to shoot for ½ to 1 oz of purified or filtered water for each pound of body weight (e.g., a 200 pound person would drink 100 – 200 oz of water everyday).

4. Eat breakfast. It deserves repeating: breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Not eating a healthy breakfast and wondering why you don’t have energy is like not putting gas in your car and wondering why it won’t run.

5. Eat most of your calories earlier in the day. A general rule of thumb is to have eaten more than 50% of your daily calories by the halfway point of your day. A good way to accomplish this is to make your meals smaller as the day progresses, so breakfast would be the biggest meal of the day and dinner the smallest meal.

There are a ton of additional things you can do to improve your energy levels (like get tested for nutrient deficiencies , gastrointestinal health , and opportunistic organisms), but these five simple tips will go a long way in helping you feel better throughout the day.

Welcome to Our Updated Site

Thomas — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 16:06:38 +0000

For some time now, I have been getting requests to blog and to share all of the incredible things we are doing at Human Health Specialists. Getting time to do this was not easy; we have so many things happening each day that at one point we feared we may never get the time to blog. I decided that too much time was going by and no matter what I was going to get this started. I hope you find this site a useful resource and if you would like to see any additional items added or written about please contact us here or reply to this post.

Thanks,

Thomas Incledon