standard american diet Archives - Amazing Health Advances

Are You Hooked on America’s Deadly Diet? Heal Your Body with These Life-Saving Foods

AHA Publisher — Fri, 09 Sep 2022 07:00:59 +0000

Lorie Johnson via CBN News – The pandemic consumed most health news for two years, but underneath it all there’s been a deeper issue – a majority of the fatalities and serious cases involved patients with significant underlying health problems. Medical issues like diabetes, heart disease, and obesity were already a serious health risk for millions of Americans, and the outbreak only made matters worse. Even before COVID, scientists were pointing out that the Standard American Diet (SAD) causes even more deaths than smoking. This diet largely consists of ultra-processed foods loaded with chemicals, added sugars, and industrial oils. A growing number of doctors and other health experts recommend replacing the SAD diet with one that’s full of whole, plant-based foods. Whole foods are ones that are as close to their original state as possible, and plant-based foods, as the name suggests, are those that grew out of the ground. A Grandmother’s Testimony As a young boy, Michael Greger saw how food can be medicine. When doctors couldn’t treat his 65-year-old grandmother’s heart disease, they sent her home to die. However, at that time she started eating a plant-based diet, reversed her heart disease, and lived to the ripe old age of 96! Astounded by what he saw in his grandmother’s life, Michael decided to help others achieve the same results. Now as a physician, Dr. Greger offers free nutrition advice, including hundreds of healthy recipes on his non-profit website, nutritionfacts.org. Dr. Greger points to an increasing number of scientific studies showing a plant-based diet proves to be the healthiest of all diets for people like his grandmother who deal with heart problems. “Not only can heart disease be prevented and arrested with a plant-based diet,” he told CBN News, “It’s the only diet ever proven to reverse heart disease in the majority of patients, opening up arteries without drugs, without surgery.” Every Small Change Can Make a Difference Every 37 seconds someone in America dies from heart disease. Cardiologists like Dr. Deepak Talreja urge their patients to switch to a whole-food, plant-based diet before it’s too late. For some patients, particularly those who’ve been eating processed foods for many years, they’re encouraged to do the best they can. “We try to push people towards as optimal a diet as they can really stick with,” Dr. Talreja told CBN News. In short, he tells them to eat as many plants and as few animals as possible. He also recommends eating foods as close to their natural state as possible. For example, instead of highly processed breakfast cereal, Dr. Talreja recommends whole-grain oatmeal. He says every small change can make a difference. “Some people are very committed and they’ll fall into a program where they do 100 percent the right thing,” he explained, “Some people can’t do that, but if they can do the right thing 70 or 80 percent of the time that moves them closer to where they’re either going to get more committed or at least get some benefits from that diet.” Prevents Other Causes of Death Heart disease is just one of many chronic diseases a plant-based diet has been shown to prevent or reverse. The list includes other leading causes of death including cancer, diabetes, and obesity. Case in point: Loma Linda, California, is the American city with the highest percentage of centenarians per capita. It’s also home to the highest concentration of Seventh Day Adventists, a denomination which advocates a plant-based diet. Dr. Larry Beeson, a researcher at the Loma Linda School of Public Health, analyzed over 50 years of studies done by himself and others. “Adventists have approximately the same proportion of people who die of cancer, heart disease or stroke,” he told CBN News, “But the age that they get diagnosed is much later.” Beeson said within the Seventh Day Adventist community, people follow various plant-based diets, but noted the ones who ate more plants and fewer animal products lived longer, healthier lives in general. Different Plant-Based Diets Here are the four major plant-based diets. 1. Vegan: 100% plant food. No animal products whatsoever 2. Vegetarian: Mostly plants but some eggs and dairy foods 3. Pescatarian: Mostly plants but some eggs, dairy and seafood 4. Flexitarian: Mostly plants but some eggs, dairy, seafood, poultry, and meat For the last 15 years, dietician Julieanna Hever has been teaching people how to switch to a more plant-based diet, which she says can reverse Type 2 Diabetes, high blood pressure, and more. “It reduces obesity and extra weight,” she said. “It reduces medication requirements. I love to say decreasing your medication results are normal. My clients get off their medications.” In her cookbook, The Healthspan Solution, she offers recipes and tips for newcomers to this lifestyle, adding there’s a bit of a learning curve. “I liken it to learning a new language,” she said, “Anything, when you’re transitioning to something major, like the way you’ve eaten your whole life, you just have to learn a few new words, a few new ingredients, tie them together in sentences and paragraphs and some recipes and then if you keep doing it over and over again you become fluent.” Hooked for Life Dr. Greger says if he can get his patients to try a plant-based diet for three weeks, they’re usually hooked for life. “They’re going to sleep so much better, their digestion’s better, their periods {are} less painful, they have more energy,” he said, “In fact, some people say ‘Oh, I felt fine, Doc,’ but then they didn’t realize they had chronic indigestion. They just thought it was normal to feel like this after a meal. But no, you don’t know how good you’re going to feel until you give it a try.” Dr. Greger tells his patients to consume the following plant-based foods each day: 3 Servings of Beans (such as hummus, lentils or tofu) 1 Serving of Berries 3 Servings of Other Fruit 1 Serving of Cruciferous Vegetables (such as broccoli, cauliflower or Brussels sprouts) 2 Servings of Greens (such as kale, romaine or collards) 2 Servings of Other Vegetables (such as mushrooms) 1 Tablespoon of Ground Flaxseed 1 Serving of Nuts 1/4 Teaspoon of Turmeric 3 Servings of Whole Grains (such as 100% whole grain bread, oatmeal or pasta) ***** HEALTHY RECIPES ***** Recipe for Pat Robertson’s Minestrone Soup: Ingredients: 1 can (14.5 oz.) chicken broth, low sodium, NO MSG 1 can (approx. 15 oz.) chickpeas, drained 2 cans (15 oz. each) diced tomatoes 1 can (11-15 oz.) corn, drained 2 large red potatoes (with skins), diced 1 zucchini, diced 1 large onion, diced 3 large stalks celery, diced 1 package (10 oz.) frozen spinach 2 cups chopped kale 2 cups chopped cabbage (outer leaves preferred) Half a 16-oz. package frozen peas 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil Worcestershire sauce, sea salt, and pepper to taste Directions: Place all ingredients into a large pot and mix well. Bring soup to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for four or five hours, adding a small amount of water as needed. For a hearty meal, serve with your favorite whole-grain bread. Leftover soup can be kept in the refrigerator for up to three days. Use it as a quick heat-and-eat meal or savory first course. • Optional: For extra spice, try one can of regular chopped or diced tomatoes and one can (10 oz.) of diced tomatoes with green chiles Recipe for Butternut Squash, Ginger, Turmeric Soup Courtesy of Elizabeth Lindemann Ingredients: 1 large butternut squash cooked (see notes) 2 tablespoons fresh ginger peeled and chopped 1 onion diced 1 tablespoon coconut oil or olive oil, or butter 2 cups chicken stock/broth or vegetable broth, for vegetarian/vegan 15 oz. canned coconut milk kosher salt to taste black pepper to taste 1 teaspoon ground turmeric roasted squash or pumpkin seeds and fresh cilantro for serving (optional) Directions: In a large pot, sauté the ginger (2 tablespoons) and diced onion in oil (1 tablespoon) over medium heat until softened (about 3 minutes). Add the stock (2 cups), bring to a boil. Add the cooked butternut squash. Stir in the can of coconut milk. Season with salt, pepper, and turmeric (1 teaspoon). Use an immersion blender to blend to a smooth puree (alternatively, you can use a standing blender in batches). Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Serve topped with roasted seeds and/or fresh cilantro, if desired. Notes: To cook the butternut squash, place it whole in your slow cooker for 3 hours on high or 6 hours on low. Remove, let cool, halve, deseed, and remove flesh from the peel. Or, purchase about 4 ½ cups cubed, raw squash and roast on an oiled pan in your oven at 425 degrees for 25 minutes or until fork-tender. To read the original article click here.

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Want to Live Longer? Here Is How Caloric Restriction Can Help You Achieve a Long, Healthy Life

AHA Publisher — Tue, 24 Aug 2021 07:22:42 +0000

Stephanie Woods via NaturalHealth365 – Calorie restriction for weight loss is nothing new. Experts and healthcare professionals have been recommending it for decades to help those who want to drop a few pounds. In fact, several studies have recently found that restricting calories can also improve your health and even prolong your life. What’s So Wrong With the American Diet? The American diet is inundated with processed foods that are barely recognizable as food, loaded with glyphosate, sodium, sugar, and chock full of preservatives. Combine this with the extreme excess that is not just accepted but promoted and encouraged in modern society. It’s easy to see why type 2 diabetes, cancer, obesity, and neurodegenerative disorders are so prevalent and rapidly growing each year. This unhealthy diet is responsible for chronic health conditions and the breakdown of the body. Organs are impacted, so they don’t function as they should, which causes fatty liver, disorders of the gallbladder, and blockages in arteries leading to the heart. The digestive system begins to malfunction with conditions like acid reflux and IBS. Even the chemical makeup is altered, which leads to anxiety and depression. What Is a Healthy Caloric Restriction? Caloric restriction is simply a different way of looking at eating. While most people think it is just limiting the calories they eat each day, it is actually a little more than that. There is a two-prong approach to caloric restriction: Limiting or restricting how many calories you consume each day Get enough nutrients to avoid malnutrition This means making every bite count and taking a good multivitamin every day, as well as staying well-hydrated. So How Does Restricting Calories Extend Life? Certain cellular changes occur within the body when a person follows a caloric restriction diet. Scientists have identified five benefits: Increase sirtuin function – These proteins regulate cellular health. They also help protect cellular components when the body is under stress. Increase AMPK activity – This enzyme helps to regulate metabolism, which helps with weight loss and all over bodily function. Reduce mTOR activity – This protein is linked to chronic disease and aging, so reducing its activity can help stave off many harmful conditions. Block cellular senescence – It helps prevent cells from aging, which prevents older cells from no longer functioning as they should. Encourage autophagy – This means to compel cells to remove damaged, older components inside and replace them with healthy, new ones. Each of these actions helps protect the body against the effects of aging, accelerated aging, and chronic disease. Here Is How to Follow a Caloric Restriction Plan A calorie restriction diet is not easy for most people, and it can be unpleasant. The good news is, as your body adjusts to the new way of eating – and receives more nutrients – your hunger will actually subside and return to normal. In addition, your ghrelin and leptin levels will stabilize, giving you a better handle on your hunger and returning it to a healthier cycle. These tips will help you succeed at following a caloric restriction plan: Talk to your doctor. An integrative physician – with nutrition experience – can help you determine how many calories you should consume and how you should balance carbohydrates, fiber, fat, and protein. Keep a food diary. There are many great apps you can use, such as MyFitnessPal, which calculates your calories, fat, carbs, protein, and other nutrients and helps you with important information about the food you eat. It can also be used on your computer as well as the app. Stay hydrated. Even low-level dehydration can cause you to feel run down and sick. It can also impair how your body functions, particularly when processing the foods you eat. Stick to whole foods. Avoid processed foods and stick to whole, natural foods like organic fruits and vegetables, 100% grass-fed beef and wild-caught fish. And, don’t forget the nutritional value of organic sprouts, nuts, seeds, herbs and spices. Consume only high quality, nutritional supplements. For many people, correcting nutritional deficiencies can make a world of a difference, especially as it relates to vitamins B, C and D. Plus, let’s not forget the importance of getting enough zinc, selenium and magnesium. Eat enough fiber. Fiber is important for keeping your heart and body healthy. It also keeps you from getting constipated. Just remember, you’ll need both soluble and insoluble fiber. Sleep well. Your health is greatly affected by your sleep habits. Most people would feel better by getting 6 – 8 hours of quality sleep – every night – for optimal body and brain performance. Make sure your bedroom is dark; avoid using electronic devices about 1-2 hours before bedtime and, if needed, do some kind of activity to help you to “wind down” like, a warm bath or deep breathing exercises. What’s the bottom line? A caloric restrictive diet can help you prevent or reverse chronic health conditions, help you lose weight, reduce the signs of aging, and help you feel better. It is well worth the effort, and you are going to love the benefits. Sources for this article include: LifeExtension.com NIH.gov NIH.gov MyFitnessPal.com To read the original article click here.

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Western High-Fat Diet Can Cause Chronic Pain, According to UT Health San Antonio-Led Team

AHA Publisher — Mon, 28 Jun 2021 07:00:13 +0000

University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio via EurekAlert – SAN ANTONIO, June 23, 2021 – A typical Western high-fat diet can increase the risk of painful disorders common in people with conditions such as diabetes or obesity, according to a groundbreaking paper authored by a team led by The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, also referred to as UT Health San Antonio. Moreover, changes in diet may significantly reduce or even reverse pain from conditions causing either inflammatory pain – such as arthritis, trauma or surgery – or neuropathic pain, such as diabetes. The novel finding could help treat chronic-pain patients by simply altering diet or developing drugs that block release of certain fatty acids in the body. The paper, more than five years in the making, was published in the June edition of the journal Nature Metabolism by a collaborative team of 15 local researchers, headed by first co-authors Jacob T. Boyd, MD, PhD, and Peter M. LoCoco, PhD, of the Department of Endodontics at UT Health San Antonio. In all, 11 of the co-authors are from UT Health San Antonio, including seven current or former students of its Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences; three represent the Department of Chemistry at the University of Texas at San Antonio; and one is from the Department of Neurology with the South Texas Veterans Health Care System. “This study exemplifies team science at its best – multiple scientists and clinicians with complementary expertise working together to make lives better,” said Kenneth M. Hargreaves, DDS, PhD, professor and chair of the Department of Endodontics at UT Health San Antonio, and senior author of the paper. Fatty Acids and Pain Chronic pain is a major cause of disability around the world. But although fat-reduction often is advised to manage diabetes, auto-immune disorders and cardiovascular diseases, the role of dietary lipids, or fatty acids, in pain conditions has been relatively unknown. In the new paper, Dr. Boyd and his colleagues used multiple methods in both mice and humans to study the role of polyunsaturated fatty acids in pain conditions. They found that typical Western diets high in omega-6 polyunsaturated fats served as a significant risk factor for both inflammatory and neuropathic pain. Omega-6 fats, mainly found in foods with vegetable oils, have their benefits. But Western diets associated with obesity are characterized by much-higher levels of those acids in foods from corn chips to onion rings, than healthy omega-3 fats, which are found in fish and sources like flaxseed and walnuts. Generally, unhealthy foods high in omega-6 fats include processed snacks, fast foods, cakes, and fatty and cured meats, among others. Reversal of this diet, especially by lowering omega-6 and increasing omega-3 lipids, greatly reduced these pain conditions, the researchers found. Also, the authors demonstrated that skin levels of omega-6 lipids in patients with Type 2 diabetic neuropathic pain were strongly associated with reported pain levels and the need for taking analgesic drugs. “This paper is a high-profile contribution for a huge unmet translational need as there are no treatments altering the nature of this neurological disease,” said José E. Cavazos, MD, PhD, professor of neurology, assistant dean and director of the National Institutes of Health-designated South Texas Medical Scientist Training Program at UT Health San Antonio. In an editorial accompanying the paper, Duke University researchers Aidan McGinnis and Ru-Rong Ji wrote, “This comprehensive and elegant study from Boyd et al. may serve as a foundation for new clinical trials and ultimately provide new avenues for the clinical treatment of neuropathies.” To read the original article click here.

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What Is Trans Fat? Plus How to Remove It from Your Diet for Good

AHA Publisher — Fri, 25 Jun 2021 07:00:32 +0000

Christine Ruggeri, CHHC via Dr. Axe – We know the body needs healthy fats to run at an optimal level. The problem is the standard American diet contains far too many trans fat foods and artificial ingredients. Americans consume far more trans fats than what’s recommended or considered healthy, with about 19 percent of their calorie consumption coming from saturated and trans fats. The recommended intake is less than 10 percent of total calories for saturated fats and as little as possible from trans fats. Now, the truth about saturated fat is that it can be healthy when eaten in moderation and when consuming the proper types of saturated fat, such as MCT oil. Trans fats, however, are downright dangerous. What Is Trans Fat? Trans fats, or trans fatty acids, are naturally present in meat and dairy products of ruminant animals. Some animals naturally produce trans fats in their guts, and food from these animals can contain small quantities of these fats. There are also industrial or artificial trans fats that make up most of this fatty acid’s consumption. These are created by adding hydrogen to liquid vegetable oils to make them more solid. They are known as the unhealthiest fats you can eat, but manufacturers often use them in fried and processed foods. These cooking oils are often genetically modified and downright unhealthy, linked to the development of cardiovascular disease and metabolic syndrome. They can even become rancid, causing more health concerns. Dangers of Trans Fats Trans fats are consumed at way too high of quantities in the U.S., and the health effects are staggering. Here’s a breakdown of the key dangers of eating foods containing trans fat. 1. Impact Cholesterol Levels Trans fats raise bad (LDL) cholesterol levels and lower good (HDL) cholesterol levels. Research published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition indicates that there’s unequivocal evidence that trans fatty acids increase plasma concentrations of LDL cholesterol and reduce concentrations of HDL cholesterol. Researchers estimate that, conservatively, 30,000 premature deaths in the United States are attributable to consumption of trans fatty acids. 2. Increase Risk of Heart Disease Consuming too many trans fats foods may increase the risk of heart disease and stroke. Research from Harvard Medical School that included controlled trials and observational studies found that trans fatty acid consumption from partially hydrogenated oils (PHOs) “adversely affects multiple cardiovascular risk factors and contributes significantly to increased risk of coronary heart disease events.” Those findings are corroborated in research published in the Pakistan Journal of Medical Sciences, which suggests that high consumption of trans fats in Pakistan may be one of the factors for the increased burden of cardiovascular disease. Researchers suggest that consumption of dietary fats low in trans fatty acids would be helpful in reducing the risk of heart disease in South Asia. Another study published in Molecular Nutrition & Food Research indicates that trans fat intake is associated with a variety of cardiovascular complications, including atherosclerosis and other deleterious cardiovascular effects. 3. Increase Risk of Diabetes Trans fats have also been proven to contribute to obesity and diabetes. One study published in the New England Journal of Medicine includes over 84,000 women who were free of heart disease, diabetes and cancer when the study began. During 16 years of follow-up, researchers documented 3,300 new cases of type 2 diabetes, with overweight and obesity the most important predictors. They highlighted that those who consumed the most trans fatty acids had a 40 percent higher risk of having diabetes compared to those with lower risk diets and lifestyle patterns. Research from the Wake Forest University School of Medicine found that a trans fats diet induces abdominal obesity and changes in insulin sensitivity in monkeys, and it’s believed to do the same in humans. Trans Fat Foods It’s no wonder the U.S. has a health crisis on its hands, particularly in regard to obesity and heart disease, given how many trans fats we consume. Trans fatty acids are present naturally in some meat and dairy products, but research suggests that overconsumption of industrial trans fat foods is the most dangerous to your health. Trans fats are present in PHOs that are commonly used in fried foods. You’ll find trans fats in these foods: Frozen pizza Mozzarella sticks Packaged baked goods Packaged chips and snacks Packaged and refrigerated dough Fried meats and fast foods Margarine Vegetable shortening Nondairy coffee creamers How to Avoid Them The best way to avoid eating trans fats is by eating a diet rich in fresh, whole foods that includes vegetables, fruits, organic meats and legumes. Stick to healthy fats, like those found in olive oil, avocado, nuts and wild-caught salmon. If you eat a packaged food product, read the label carefully, and avoid foods that contain partially hydrogenated oils or other items. Even some “trans fat free” foods can contain 0.5 grams per serving, so read the ingredient list to be sure the food is actually free of these damaging fats. It’s possible for trans fats to be present in processed foods but not listed on the ingredient label, even as PHO. That’s why reducing your consumption of processed foods as much as possible is so important for your health. Removing Them from Products The good news is the American public is becoming more and more aware about the dangers of trans fats, and increasingly, Americans are concerned about and aware of what they’re putting in their bodies. In 2015, the Food and Drug Administration ruled that artificial trans fats were unsafe to eat, and it gave food makers three years to eliminate them from their food supplies. The official ban began in 2018, and it applies to foods that contain industrially produced PHOs. Manufacturers are now tasked with replacing unhealthy fats with healthier options. Small amounts of trans fats are still present naturally in dairy and meat products, and these products are still permitted. In 2018, the World Health Organization announced a plan to urge governments around the globe to eliminate the use of trans fats in food products. WHO put out a set of guidelines that eradicates trans fats from global food supplies by 2023. Conclusion Trans fats are a form of unsaturated fats that occur naturally in dairy and meat products but are also made industrially to be used in processed, packaged foods. There are many health dangers related to these fats, including increased LDL cholesterol levels, reduced HDL cholesterol, greater risk of heart disease, greater risk of obesity and increased risk of diabetes. In 2015, the FDA announced that industrial trans fats will be banned from food products beginning in 2018. WHO set guidelines for eliminating them globally by 2023 in an effort to save millions of lives. To read the original article click here. For more articles from Dr. Axe click here.

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Are You Hooked on America’s Deadly Diet? Heal Your Body with These Life-Saving Foods

AHA Publisher — Tue, 20 Apr 2021 07:00:55 +0000

Lori Johnson via CBN News – The coronavirus pandemic is still consuming most media coverage about health and wellness these days. But underneath all the concerns about this deadly virus, there’s a deeper issue – a majority of the fatalities and serious cases of the disease involve patients with significant underlying health problems. Medical issues like diabetes, heart disease, and obesity were already a serious health risk for millions of Americans, but the COVID-19 outbreak only makes matters worse. Even before the pandemic, scientists were pointing out that the Standard American Diet (SAD) causes even more deaths than smoking. This diet largely consists of ultra-processed foods loaded with chemicals, added sugars, and industrial oils. A growing number of doctors and other health experts recommend replacing the SAD diet with one that’s full of whole, plant-based foods. Whole foods are ones that are as close to their original state as possible, and plant-based foods, as the name suggests, are those that grew out of the ground. A Grandmother’s Testimony As a young boy, Michael Greger saw how food can be medicine. When doctors couldn’t treat his 65-year-old grandmother’s heart disease, they sent her home to die. However, at that time she started eating a plant-based diet, reversed her heart disease, and lived to the ripe old age of 96! Astounded by what he saw in his grandmother’s life, Michael decided to help others achieve the same results. Now as a physician, Dr. Greger offers free nutrition advice, including hundreds of healthy recipes on his non-profit website, nutritionfacts.org. Dr. Greger points to an increasing number of scientific studies showing a plant-based diet proves to be the healthiest of all diets for people like his grandmother who deal with heart problems. “Not only can heart disease be prevented and arrested with a plant-based diet,” he told CBN News, “It’s the only diet ever proven to reverse heart disease in the majority of patients, opening up arteries without drugs, without surgery.” Every Small Change Can Make a Difference Every 37 seconds someone in America dies from heart disease. Cardiologists like Dr. Deepak Talreja urge their patients to switch to a whole-food, plant-based diet before it’s too late. For some patients, particularly those who’ve been eating processed foods for many years, they’re encouraged to do the best they can. “We try to push people towards as optimal a diet as they can really stick with,” Dr. Talreja told CBN News. In short, he tells them to eat as many plants and as few animals as possible. He also recommends eating foods as close to their natural state as possible. For example, instead of highly processed breakfast cereal, Dr. Talreja recommends whole-grain oatmeal. He says every small change can make a difference. “Some people are very committed and they’ll fall into a program where they do 100 percent the right thing,” he explained, “Some people can’t do that, but if they can do the right thing 70 or 80 percent of the time that moves them closer to where they’re either going to get more committed or at least get some benefits from that diet.” Prevents Other Causes of Death Heart disease is just one of many chronic diseases a plant-based diet has been shown to prevent or reverse. The list includes other leading causes of death including cancer, diabetes, and obesity. Case in point: Loma Linda, California, is the American city with the highest percentage of centenarians per capita. It’s also home to the highest concentration of Seventh Day Adventists, a denomination which advocates a plant-based diet. Dr. Larry Beeson, a researcher at the Loma Linda School of Public Health, analyzed over 50 years of studies done by himself and others. “Adventists have approximately the same proportion of people who die of cancer, heart disease or stroke,” he told CBN News, “But the age that they get diagnosed is much later.” Beeson said within the Seventh Day Adventist community, people follow various plant-based diets, but noted the ones who ate more plants and fewer animal products lived longer, healthier lives in general. Different Plant-Based Diets Here are the four major plant-based diets. 1. Vegan: 100% plant food. No animal products whatsoever 2. Vegetarian: Mostly plants but some eggs and dairy foods 3. Pescatarian: Mostly plants but some eggs, dairy and seafood 4. Flexitarian: Mostly plants but some eggs, dairy, seafood, poultry, and meat For the last 15 years, dietician Julieanna Hever has been teaching people how to switch to a more plant-based diet, which she says can reverse Type 2 Diabetes, high blood pressure, and more. “It reduces obesity and extra weight,” she said. “It reduces medication requirements. I love to say decreasing your medication results are normal. My clients get off their medications.” In her cookbook, The Healthspan Solution, she offers recipes and tips for newcomers to this lifestyle, adding there’s a bit of a learning curve. “I liken it to learning a new language,” she said, “Anything, when you’re transitioning to something major, like the way you’ve eaten your whole life, you just have to learn a few new words, a few new ingredients, tie them together in sentences and paragraphs and some recipes and then if you keep doing it over and over again you become fluent.” ALSO recommended by Lorie Johnson: The How Not To Die Cookbook. Hooked for Life Dr. Greger says if he can get his patients to try a plant-based diet for three weeks, they’re usually hooked for life. “They’re going to sleep so much better, their digestion’s better, their periods {are} less painful, they have more energy,” he said, “In fact, some people say ‘Oh, I felt fine, Doc,’ but then they didn’t realize they had chronic indigestion. They just thought it was normal to feel like this after a meal. But no, you don’t know how good you’re going to feel until you give it a try.” Dr. Greger tells his patients to consume the following plant-based foods each day: 3 Servings of Beans (such as hummus, lentils or tofu) 1 Serving of Berries 3 Servings of Other Fruit 1 Serving of Cruciferous Vegetables (such as broccoli, cauliflower or Brussels sprouts) 2 Servings of Greens (such as kale, romaine or collards) 2 Servings of Other Vegetables (such as mushrooms) 1 Tablespoon of Ground Flaxseed 1 Serving of Nuts 1/4 Teaspoon of Turmeric 3 Servings of Whole Grains (such as 100% whole grain bread, oatmeal or pasta) To read the original article click here. For more articles from CBN News click here.

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How to Reverse the Disease of Aging, the #1 Danger in the American Diet, and How to Help Children Develop Healthy Habits from Young with Dr. Steven Gundry

AHA Publisher — Wed, 26 Feb 2020 08:00:59 +0000

Dr. Caroline Leaf – We have all heard the phrase “you are what you eat”, but how true is this? How does what you eat and your lifestyle choices affect how you function on a day-to-day basis, and how you age? In this week’s podcast and blog, I speak with Dr. Steven Gundry, a cardiothoracic surgeon and NY Times bestselling author, about why we may be living longer but not living better, how to reverse the “disease” of aging, how what we are eating may be making us sicker, and why we should help our children develop healthy eating habits from young. Dr. Gundry started researching the link between diet and health as a student at Yale University. When he became a surgeon, he noticed how changing the way his patients eat dramatically affected their health, potentially eliminating the need for surgery. Consequently, he decided to study the link between lifestyle choices and wellness, opening several restorative medicine centers and institutes across the country. These centers focus on teaching people how to make good lifestyle decisions before they need surgery; Dr. Gundry uses his research to create reproducible lifestyle patterns, healthy supplements and easy diet plans that help people age well, or, as he puts it, “die at a ripe young age”. Even though we are living longer than before, most people now see their health begin to decline at age 50. This paradox has become so pervasive that many of us assume we’re meant to spend the second half of our lives in a state of steady decline, but this doesn’t have to be the case! You can take charge of your life and how you age by changing your lifestyle! How? Over the years, Dr. Gundry observed that the modern diet is full of lectins: specific plant proteins that are designed to protect the plant by causing negative side-effects in the animals that eat them. As humans evolved, we developed specific protections against these lectins, most notably our gut microbiome and mucus layer. However, the modern diet is full of new and processed lectins that are affecting our gut health, which, in turn, affects our overall mental and physical wellbeing, because the gut is the center of our health: it is our internal protection from the external world. Moreover, many of the medicines we take and the foods we eat, which are often full of antibiotics, are wreaking havoc on our gut microbiome (as I discuss in my book Think and Eat Yourself Smart). Taking just one ibuprofen, for example, is like punching a hole in the gut lining. As a result, more and more people are suffering from long-term chronic issues and diseases, while the trend of people living longer is slowly being reversed! Thankfully, we can heal this damage by changing the way we live. A healthy diet and lifestyle, as Dr. Gundry notes, plasters the holes in our gut lining, helping us develop a diverse and healthy ecosystem in the gut, which, in turn, protects the rest of the body, from the immune system to the brain. We can do this by: 1. Exercising and moving regularly: For example, studies have shown that, for women, exercising regularly can prevent or delay the onset of Alzheimer’s and the dementias, which is why Dr. Gundry tells his patients to get a dog, which forces them to get out and move more. As we get older, it’s all too easy to convince ourselves that it’s okay to exercise less and allow a sedentary lifestyle to creep in. This is what our society deems normal, but the truth is that we have it completely backward. A sedentary lifestyle is what causes us to age! 2. Eat more vegetables: But be careful what you eat and how you cook them! Some people maybe experience more digestive pain from certain plants, so learn to love the foods that love you back. And be wary of highly processed and refined plant proteins—just because it came from a plant doesn’t mean it is good for you! 3. Practice time-restricted eating: Don’t just watch what you eat, but also when you eat! It is always good to limit the amount of time you spend eating in one day, so that your body can properly digest and use what you eat. Dr. Gundry recommends not eating 3 to 4 hours before bed (barring specific health issues that may affect this), since your brain requires a significant amount of blood flow and energy to detox and clean up while you are sleeping, but doesn’t get this if your stomach is still trying to digest food. It is also a good idea to restrict your eating window, spending around 14 to 16 hours a day fasting. This turbocharges the mitochondria in your cells, making them more efficient and helping you age well. 4. Be careful of fad diets: Although you may lose weight and feel better in the short-term, many fad diets can cause all sorts of long-term problems. Think, read, research and explore before you choose to eat a certain way, and, remember, no one diet works for everyone! 5. Protect your gut: A recent study from the China Institute collected and analyzed gut bacteria from more than 1,000 healthy Chinese participants ranging in age from 3 to over 100. They found that a healthy gut is a key indicator of individuals who live past age 100; the health of your gut microbiome is really important when it comes to aging! In fact, our gut bugs—the bacteria that make up the microbiome—largely determine our health over the years. From diseases like cancer and Alzheimer’s to common ailments like arthritis to our weight and the appearance of our skin, these gut bugs are in the driver’s seat, controlling our quality of life as we age. The good news is, it’s never too late to support these microbes and give them what they need to help them—and you—thrive. You can do this by eating more foods that contain prebiotics, which feed healthy bacteria, avoiding taking too many medications and antibiotics (when and if you can, depending on certain health conditions), avoiding processed and refined foods, and taking probiotics that can survive stomach acid. 6. Teach your children: Helping your children to make healthy choices like these from young can really benefit them later in life, giving them the ability to take charge of their wellbeing, both mentally and physically, and live phenomenal lives. In fact, with more and more children suffering from illnesses like Type II diabetes and heart disease, it is imperative that we teach them from young how to eat and live well. Of course, at any age it is incredibly important to be proactive when it comes to our health, so cook healthy meals as a family, choose what to throw out of your pantry together (you can make it a game with each person choosing one thing they will no longer eat) and spend time talking about and thinking of ways to improve your lifestyle together, such as going for long family walks and eating meals around the dinner table. You may say you don’t have the time to do this, but you don’t have to spend hours slaving away in the kitchen! Dr. Gundry’s book The Plant Paradox has delicious, fast and easy recipes you can start making as a family, so bon appétit! For more information on diet and lifestyle and how it impacts aging and health, listen to my podcast with Dr. Gundry (episode #129), check out his website, his Facebook, Instagram and Twitter accounts, and his excellent books The Plant Paradox and The Longevity Paradox. This article has been modified. 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