INFLAMMATION AND THE HEART

The foods that help dial down inflammation are also healthy for your heart. You probably know heart disease develops when the arteries supplying the blood to the heart become blocked. Wouldn't you know it? That nasty inflammation is one of the main reasons for those blockages. The immune system thinks cholesterol is an invader. The body's reaction to an invader is to release white blood cells. Donna Arnett, Ph.D, dean of the University of Kentucky College of Public Health and a past president of the AHA says those white cells become lodged in the coronary arteries and eventually turn into plaque. "With continued inflammation, the plaque can build up and rupture and cause a heart attack," Ms. Arnett states. According to her, one of your best strategies for reducing cholesterol is a healthy diet of whole foods and that goes right back to the foods we have featured the past few days.

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DARK LEAFY GREENS WILL HELP DIAL DOWN INFLAMATION

Dark leafy greens deliver concentrated doses of nutrients known by studies to dial down inflammation. These dark leafy greens can help with inflammation because they contain good doses of vitamin A, vitamin C and vitamin K. You can enhance the absorption of these vitamins by cooking with a little healthy fat like olive oil. We are talking about kale, collard greens, and spinach as the top green leafy veggies.

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PLANT-BASED FOODS SUCH AS NUTS AND BEANS HELP DIAL DOWN INFLAMMATION

When eating to dial down inflammation, be sure to include lots of plant-based foods like beans, nuts, and other whole foods. Whole foods help prevent inflammation due to their high fiber and antioxidants. Nuts also have healthy fats. Research shows nuts and beans are the top sources of anti-inflammatory nutrients. Dr. Rakel uses the following phrase to remember the order of protein sources from best to worse, "Roots, Fins, Two Legs, Four Legs:" Roots (beans, nuts), fins (fish), two legs (poultry), four legs (beef and processed meats).

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BREAKFAST TIMING

Do you like to eat breakfast right after rising or do you prefer eating mid-morning? I hate to say this, but I was a mid-morning person. Unfortunately for me, a diabetic for the past 17 years, I recently learned I was setting myself up for diabetes. A Spanish study a couple years ago found that those who ate breakfast before 8 AM were 59% less likely to develop type 2 diabetes than those who didn't eat breakfast until after 9AM. The reason? Eating your first meal shortly after rising syncs your circadian rhythm, which helps balance blood sugar and insulin.

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SPICES HELP DIAL DOWN INFLAMMATION

Don't forget the spices when trying to lessen the inflammation in your body! Many of the spices so common in our kitchens have anti-inflammatory properties but turmeric has proven to be especially powerful However, basil, cinnamon, ginger, and oregano are also great for fighting inflammation. Turmeric stands out becaus of its main active ingredient which is curcumin. Curcurmin prevents certain molecules from entering cells thus activating genes related to inflammation. To get the best results from turmeric use it with black pepper to help with absorption and a healthy fat such as olive oil. Amy Gorin, M.S, R.D.N.  says, "The fat helps slow the rate at which the curcumin degrades, increasing the benefits."

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OLIVE OIL TO DIAL DOWN INFLAMMATION

What type of oil do you use in your kitchen and/or how many different types do you have in your pantry right now? That should be very limited and if you are fighting inflammation in your body, and who isn't, your choice of oil should be olive. And let this sink in, the reason is the fat in olive oil! I often hear people say, "Olive oil? That has too much fat in it." It cannot be said often enough that there are good fats and bad fats. Your body must have fats to operate properly. Olive oil is one of the very best fats. It is rich in oleic acid which is a healthy fat that calms inflammation. In fact, some studies have shown its compound oleocanthal compares to ibuprofen. If you are relying on ibuprofen to help  you get through the day, try using more olive oil in your daily diet. It is better for you than all that ibuprofen. It doesn't take a lot and you can find many ways to add more olive oil to your diet daily. Last night I had drops of two flavored olive oils, lime and pear, on my salad and it was delicious.

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BEVERAGES TO DIAL DOWN INFLAMMATION

Yesterday I wrote about some vegetables that can help "Dial Down" inflammation. Today is about beverages that do the same. There is always talk about food when diets or eating healthy are discussed but what we drink can be as important as what we eat. So today we will feature coffee and tea. Both coffee and tea contain antioxidants that fight cellular damage that can lead to inflammation. A couple of days ago I posted about inflammation and some of the problems it causes so it is important to know the foods and beverages that help to slow it down and thus limit the problems. Coffee and tea are both helpful in slowing down inflammation, but green tea is particularly good in this respect. Green tea is loaded with EGCG, an anti-inflammatory compound known to have both cardio and neuro protective benefits. Add a dash of cinnamon and you up its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits, according to Amy Gorin, M.S, R.D.N, in NYC.

Try relaxing with a cup of green tea and help fight inflammation in two ways, relaxing and drinking an antioxidant loaded beverage. Sounds like a good idea to me.

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EATING TO "DIAL DOWN" INFLAMMATION

 Yesterday I did a post about inflammation and how it affects our bodies. Today we will start a few days posts on how to dial down inflammation. First we will look at some foods. There's an old saying, "You are what you eat." Research proves this to be more than just an old saying or words. It is very true. Here are some of the foods research shows can help slow down your body's inflammatory response.

A recent article in a Journal of Nutrition study found the dark yellow and orange vegetables are a key to eating for anti-inflammatory results. Below are some examples of these foods:

• sweet potatoes
• carrots
• squashes, especially butternut and acorn

All these foods are tasty and can be easily incorporated into ones diet on a routine basis. The reason they are helpful? They are full of carotenoids which are antioxidant plant pigments that protect healthy cells. If you have a problem with inflammation, and most of us do, some worse than others, try including more of these healthy veggies into your diet weekly. 

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INFLAMMATION, GOOD OR BAD?

I like the answer to inflammation, good or bad, that I read recently in a health segment in a BH&G magazine. As one who suffers from many auto-immune diseases, I am greatly affected by inflammation so I was intrigued by the article titled "dialing down INFLAMMATION". David Rakel, M.D., professor and chair of the department of family and community medicine of The University of New Mexico called it a complicated relationship and I think that describes it well. He went on to explain that inflammation serves as protection in some instances. "Inflammation is one of the body's ways of healing itself," he stated. For instance, if you cut your finger your body starts an inflammatory process by directing white blood cells to the wound to fight bacteria and start tissue repair. That is when inflammation is helpful or good.

For many of us inflammation just simply gets out of hand and starts to attack our bodies unnecessarily. This can start by us being chronically stressed day after day, having a lack of sleep, eating too much processed food, etc. And I might add on my own here, some of us just have what I call a genetic flaw that causes auto-immune disease. Dr. Rakel went on to say, "When your body has an inflammatory response, it produces proteins researchers call the grenades of the immune system." A targeted grenade is helpful for fighting a specific infection but when they flow continuously throughout the body, they "begin to destroy healthy cells in arteries, organs, joints, and other parts of the body and can trigger various ailments." This is when inflammation is bad!

Here is the good news. Researchers have discovered that we can do some things to calm down and in some cases even prevent inflammation. Over the next few days, I will write about some of this good news. So back to Dr. Rakel's thought on inflammation, it is a complicated relationship.

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VITAMIN B12 DEFICIENCY IN OLDER ADULTS

 

Studies have shown that half of all older adults are deficient in vitamin B12. If you follow my blogs, you probably know I have had several colon surgeries and have lost part of my colon thus I am susceptible to this deficiency. My late husband suffered from depression and dementia. We both took vitamin B12. My husband was on pills prescribed by his doctors for several years now and his dementia stabilized. I have had to take shots at various times over the years, My status is checked every few months and I have been off shots for a while not. So you can see why I am bringing this to the attention of older adults. Did you know that vitamin B12 only comes from meat, poultry, and seafood? That is a lot of my problem, I'm sure, could it be yours? If you feel tired, have trouble sleeping, walk around 'in a fog', etc, ask your doctor to check your vitamin B12 levels. Here are what some of the experts have to say on the subject:

• "Being even mildly deficient in vitamin B12 may put older adults at a greater risk for accelerated cognitive decline."^[6] - Tufts Nutrition News, 2013
• "B12 deficiency is common, with troubling symptoms...that are similar to many other problems related to growing older."^[8] -The Mayo Clinic Health Letter, September 2013
• B12 deficiency can be sneaky, harmful and is relatively common, especially among older people."^[9] -The Harvard Medical School's health blog January 10th, 2013
• "B12 is the most important nutrient you aren't thinking about...B12 deficiency can mimic all of the effects of aging."^[7] - Dr. David Katz of the Yale University Prevention Research Center in 2012

EGGS FOR MOODY BLUES

A BMC Psychiatry journal study found that eating two eggs daily cuts the risk of blue moods by up to half, especially in the elderly. The reason: the vitamin B-12 and choline boost the production of dopamine. Dopamine is known to steady moods. 

HEALTH BENEFITS OF PUMPKIN SEEDS

 

MAKE YOUR OWN HIGH-PROTEIN ICE CREAM

Substituting a high protein dessert for a carb-heavy one is a good way to melt some of that belly flab. If you love ice cream and find yourself over-indulging, give this ice cream maker hack a try:

You can mix any protein shake with a pinch of salt and 1 tablespoon of dry pudding mix (flavor to enhance your shake choice or just simple vanilla). Process according to the maker's directions for a tasty protein dessert.

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DID YOU KNOW ORANGES ARE DE-STRESSORS?

Everyone knows there are healthful benefits to eating oranges, but did you know they can also help relieve stress? According to a German study a few years ago in Psychopharmacology the vitamin C found in oranges boosts the immune system and helps regulate blood pressure after a stressful incident. Now you have another reason to reach for an orange.

EATING TO CONTROL STRESS - PART 4

Continuing my posts on 'Eating to Control Stress' we get into another category of foods and that is whole-grains. Yes, whole-grain cereals such as oatmeal, whole-grain breads and pasta can help you reduce stress. Dr. Judith J. Wurtman, co-author of The Serotonin Power Diet has stated that serotonin can only be made when we have certain building blocks in our bloodstream. In order for tryptophan, vitamin B and omega-3 fatty acids to assist in the production of serotonin, you need carbohydrates. Carbs slow down the digestion process, giving the body time to release that feel-good chemical known as serotonin. Note: Be sure you are choosy healthy whole-grain carbs to avoid that big stressor - weight gain!

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EATING TO CONTROL STRESS - PART 3

Today I am continuing to write about eating to control stress. Our society seems to be stressed to the max and some of that may be due to the fact that we grab quick meals, often fast food and we may not be eating properly in our stressed out state. Have you ever noticed that everyone feels rather lazy after the Thanksgiving meal? We usually blame it on eating too much, which we usually have to admit we actually did. But that may not the be reason we feel so relaxed. Turkey has an abundance of tryptophan, discussed in the previous articles, so after consuming a good amount of turkey most people find their mood has improved, they have less anxiety, and a reduced craving for carbs. This is due to a surge in serotonin and not only does it make us less stressed, eating turkey helps to build muscles. So don't save turkey just for the holidays. Enjoy it on a year-round basis especially if you need to destress.

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EATING TO CONTROL STRESS Part 2

In yesterday's post I started discussing how what we eat can help us to control stress by supporting our serotonin levels. In that post we discussed eating spinach, avocado, brown rice, green peas, and collard greens. Today's post turns to fish oil and omega-3s. Nutritionists and many doctors recommend eating fish instead of taking supplements to get your fish oil and omega-3 fatty acids. Fish that are high on the list include tuna, salmon, sardines, and shellfish. In addition to being proven serotonin boosters, omega-3 fatty acids help us combat stress by increasing memory and cognitive performance as well.

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EATING TO CONTROL STRESS

Yes, what you eat can have an effect on your level of stress. Medical research has shown that low serotonin, the chemical in our brains that regulates emotion, may be the main cause of anxiety and depression. Nutritionist DeAnna D. Irving has said that the serototin levels in the body can be depleted by stress and poor health if one isn't eating right. Serotonin is not found in food but is released into the bloodstream after the digestion of tryptophan, Vitamin B or Omega-3 fatty acids. Feeling a little stressed out? Try adding some of the foods that have large amounts of the previously mentioned nutrients to raise your serotonin levels without medication. One such food is Spinach. Spinach has high levels of vitamin B6 which helps to increase both energy and serotin levels. When you increase your energy and serotonin levels that can lead to better moods and overall better health. Don't like spinach? Avocado, brown rice, green peas, and collard greens are also rich in vitamin B6.

We will have more posts on Stress and Nutrition this week.

INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT PEPPER

I was surprised when I ran across this information about pepper. I like pepper and have always used it liberally and I guess that is a good thing. Perhaps it is why I am a 35+-year breast cancer survivor and have also survived colon cancer, who knows? Here are a couple of the surprising things I discovered about black pepper:

• Black pepper is a digestion aid. Black pepper stimulates the taste buds to signal the stomach to produce hydrocholoric acid. Hydrocholoric acid aids in digestion.
• Black pepper is antibacterial. No explanation needed there, we all know what antibacterial means.
• The outer layer of peppercorns contains piperine. Piperine is an alkoloid that increases the body's ability to assimilate cancer-fighting nutrients including beta-carotene, curcumin, and selenium. The National Cancer Institute says piperine also may have anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor properties.

WHOLE EGG OR EGG WHITE OMELET?

Remember a few years ago when we were all going to have heart attacks and die if we ate the whole egg? Restaurants started adding egg white omelets to their menus and everyone felt like they were eating healthy when they left out the yolk. As with most well-hyped food fads we later found that the egg yolk is actually good for us. Imagine that, God didn't give us egg yolks to kill us but to nuture us! Well add that yolk back into your omelet unless your doctor tells you otherwise (always follow doctors orders and not internet articles if you have doubts or questions).  Here's why you should eat the whole egg; almost half the protein is in the yolk, yolks are rich in vitamins and are one of the best sources of choline. Choline is a nutrient that's important for brain health and may lower the risk of heart disease and cancer.

WANT TO AVOID FOOD CRAVINGS?

 A study a few years ago by the University of Missouri reveals an easy way to thwart those food cravings throughout the day. Rather than dealing with those cravings and usually giving in to them, eat protein for breakfast. Eggs, sausage, peanut butter, etc instead of bagels, doughnuts and so forth is the key. The volunteers in the study who ate a high-protein breakfast reported fewer cravings than those who ate no breakfast or ate a high carb breakfast.

Why does eating protein thwart those awful cravings? Protein blocks signals in the brain that make the anticipation of certain foods feel rewarding, the culprit behind food cravings.

If you are not an eggs and sausage type eater, there are some great high-protein other items. Check out the picture below for other ideas. The key is to eat a high-protein breakfast that suits you so you will stick with it for more than a day or two.

 

BUY LOCAL SEASONAL PRODUCE

If you look at the labels on a lot of the 'fresh' produce in the market you may notice that much of it is imported. I recommend buying the freshest and most local produce that you can find. Why? There are a couple of reasons:

• Imported produce takes a long time to get to your kitchen. The less time between harvesting and your kitchen, the better. Key nutrients such as vitamins B and C degrade rapidly after harvest. When you buy imported you may not be getting all the nutrients you think you are. Having lived in five states I realize this is harder to do in some parts of the country than others but do the best you can. When you don't have local produce available, go with the closest you can.
• Produce from other countries is 3 times more likely to harbor such illness-causing bacteria as salmonella and is 4 times more likely to contain illegal levels of pesticides than their local counterparts.
• Note: Out of season produce is likely to cost 50% more than in season produce so keep this in mind when on a tight budget.

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APPLES FOR SPRING SINUSITIS

Do you suffer with allergies and sinusitis in the Spring? Would you believe eating apples could help relieve your symptoms? Apples are rich in quercetin, a naturally occurring nutrient that blocks the release of histamine, an inflammatory triggered by allergens such as pollen. If you suffer from sinusitis in the Spring, try eating apples for relief.

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ALCOHOL AND SURGERY

If you are having surgery and you drink alcohol, you need to discuss this with your doctor. And be honest with the doctor, after all hiding your addiction could cause major problems for you! If you have more than one or two drinks a day, you could be putting yourself at risk with surgery. Severe withdrawal can cause death during or after surgery. Some of the problems caused by severe withdrawal are seizures, nervous system damage, irregular hearbeat, and respiratory failure. Moderate drinking, one or two drinks a day, is not usually a problem but more than that just might get you into serious trouble. If you are planning to have surgery and you drink very much you should be very forthright with your surgeon and you should cut back on the alcohol in preparation for surgery. Afterall, your life could depend on it.

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DO YOU GET CONFUSED ABOUT DIETS?

If you find yourself getting confused about diets you aren't alone.  We, the American public, get so much stuff thrown at us about what to eat, what not to eat, that it can get very confusing. One reason we get so confused is that everyone who has a study, whether it was done scientifically or not, writes a book, puts out a line of food products, etc. Everyone who has a health problem and changes their diet accordingly thinks everyone else should do the same to feel as good as they do now. How silly is that? If you have a heart attack and the doctor puts you on meds, are you going to try to get everyone you know to take the same meds? Of course you aren't! The medication that is saving your life could kill someone else. The best thing to do about your diet is to eat responsibly and healthy. If you have needs or concerns discuss them with your doctor and not your neighbor or friends. Your doctor and you know your body and any problems it has. Therefore, the two of you are best able to decide on any diet program you need.

CORONARY CALCIUM SCORING

Have you ever heard of Coronary Calcium Scoring? Personally, I had not or had never paid attention, if I had. A few years ago, during a routine exam with my cardiologist, he suggested that due to my heart disease family history, a heart attack at a young age, high cholesterol, etc, I have this scoring test. At the time and probably still, insurance did not cover this $100 test. I told my doctor, I would skip the test. My daughter, who was with me, told him to schedule it and she would pay. We argued and I ended up having the test. It's a good thing I did. My test showed significant artery plaque, he started me on a new medication. I had a check up with him last week. He told me the medications are working and my 'bad' cholesterol number has dropped.

Below are some heart health facts you should consider:

• Heart disease is the #1 cause of death in developed countries.
• Each year, over 1.5 million heart attacks occur in the United States.
• Annually, heart attacks account for over 500,000 deaths in the United States.
• The progression of atherosclerotic heart disease can be halted or potentially reversed when found early.

GINGER CAPSULES FOR MOTION SICKNESS

Did you know that taking powdered-ginger capsules right before traveling can help with motion sickness? Studies have shown that taking the capsules right before travel can both delay the onset of nausea and help you to recover more quickly. One study, a few years ago, showed that people who were spun in a motorized chair but took up to 2,000 mg of ginger 20 minutes before went twice as long before getting sick than did those who took drugs. If you have a problem with motion sickness, give ginger capsules a try.

Note: This picture is not an endorsement of this particular brand.

DOES EATING FAT MAKE YOU FAT?

For decades we were told how important it was to give up fat, especially if you wanted to lose weight. Dr. Walter Willett, noted nutritionist and chair of the Department of Nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health has said, "The whole idea that reducing fat intake is the most important thing you can do was never supported by any good evidence." That said, there are different types of fats and some should be avoided.

Trans fats, usually listed on food labels as 'partially hydrogenated oils' are artificially manipulated fats that food producers use to enhance the shelf life of processed foods and these fats should be avoided. Studies have shown they raise LDL 'bad' cholesterol which usually leads to heart disease. As I always say on this blog, any foods that are artificial or artificially manipulated are not good for the body.

Polyunsaturated fats, including omega-3 fatty acids that are found in olive oil and some fish, are very good for ones health. Polyunsaturated fats have been shown to reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke.

Saturated fats found in red meat, cheese and butter, are better than trans fats but not as good as polyunsaturated fats.

As you can see, fat is not just fat. However, we need some fats to be healthy so totally eliminating fats from your diet is not a good thing.

Gary Taubes, whose internatinal best-seller Good Calories, Bad Calories has said the idea that eating fat makes you fat drove national nutritional policy for decades and may have contributed to our current health problems as everyone rushed to replace fat with carbs.

Choose your fats wisely and you won't gain weight.

LET THE KIDS MAKE CHOICES

Your job as the parent, grandparent, caregiver, etc is to offer your children healthy, nutritious foods. But start teaching them early to tune in to their body cues for hunger and when they are satisfied. Place healthy foods before them and allow them to make their choices from what is offered. Talk to them about portion size allowing them to only take healthy portions. Then don't insist they clean their plates when they say they are done.

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EXCHANGE TRADITIONAL FUDGE FOR A SQUARE OF DARK CHOCOLATE

Traditional fudge is a huge dose of sugar! If you exchange a piece of fudge for a square of dark chocolate that is at least 70% cocoa, you can save about 8 grams of carbs per ounce. Cut back on carbs, cut back on sugar and calories!

SUPPLY NUTRITIOUS SNACKS

For the sake of you and your loved ones, keep healthy nutritious snacks available and cut back on purchases of sugary and fatty foods. Between meals or just to quiet hunger pangs you can eliminate unhealthy snacking by having healthy snacks available. If you or your children/grandchildren have a choice between a candy bar or sliced apples, the choice will probably be the candy bar. If sliced apples are what's available you have eliminated the unhealthy choice. The same applies to your snack drawer or bag at work.

EAT MORE NON-STARCHY VEGETABLES

Fill your plate with non-starchy veggies like green beans, broccoli, kale and spinach. Not only are these foods low in carbs, but they’re high in fiber to boot. This means they'll keep you full for longer than their starchy counterparts — potatoes, peas and corn. This is especially important advice for diabetics.

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