Monthly Archives: September 2010

Dr. Su Explains Why Carbohydrates Can Kill

heartdisease

Foods-BG

I am a fan of Dr. Robert Su, M.D. He is a brilliant physician and a good man. I wanted to share with you all a recent blog post of his. If anyone in your family has heart disease, this is a must read article.

Enjoy.

Coronary Artery Disease: Understand Atherosclerosis and its Prevention.
September 20, 2010 by Robert K. Su, M.D.

In the July 18, 1953 issue of Journal of American Medical Association, an article by Major William F. Enos; Lieut. Col. Robert H. Holmes, (MC); Capt. James Beyer, (MC), “Preliminary Report: CORONARY DISEASE AMONG UNITED STATES SOLDIERS KILLED IN ACTION IN KOREA”, found 77.3% of the American soldiers with an average age of 22.1 years (from 18 to 48), who died in the Korean War, had evidences of atherosclerosis. The striking point is that these young men were physically fit for combat and yet had already had one of the most serious diseases — atherosclerosis, which involves arteries of the heart, brain, aorta, and other parts of the body. [1, 2]

In 2002, Tuzcu EM et al reported atherosclerosis was found in one out of every six teenagers who were totally asymptomatic. Undoubtedly, the findings along with similar reports should surprise many who are concerned about the epidemic. [3, 4] To surprise even more people, several articles reported evidences of atherosclerosis in children even those who were as young as a few months old. [5, 6, 7, 8, 9] Unfortunately, these serious findings have always been explained away with a terrible misconception, “Atherosclerosis is a result of high level of cholesterol and/or fats in the circulation, which are coming from the foods rich in cholesterol and/or saturated fat.” Just stop a moment and think: How much cholesterol and/or fat could an infant have possibly ingested for developing atherosclerosis? However, with that misconception, public campaign, by government and the mainstream medicine, on reducing the blood levels of cholesterol and fat especially the saturated fat for preventing atherosclerosis has continued for the past decades. Ironically, the incidence of atherosclerosis has continued to rise. When one would-be-the-solution did not solve the problem, is not it the time to discard the solution and look for a logical one?

With many studies during the recent years, inflammation, but not cholesterol and fat, is blamed for atherosclerosis. Without inflammation, cholesterol and fat are not going to deposit themselves into the inner layer of the arterial wall, named endothelium or intima. [10, 11, 12]

As described in the article, “Carbohydrates Can Kill: Hyperglycemia Is Problematic But Preventable By Restricting Carbohydrates”, inflammation in the intima attracts a swarm of inflammatory factors and white blood cells to the location and begins a process of destroying the healthy, normal structure of the arterial wall and remodeling it with plaque formation by macrophages, which engulf cholesterol and fat to become foam cells. When inflammation subsides, the surface of the plaque is covered with a layer of fibrous tissue, which is stable unless a new round of inflammation continues. But, if inflammation continues, the cap of the plaque becomes thinner and is readily ruptured into the circulation with its debris, which prompts blood clotting inside the circulation, consequently clogs blood supply to the tissues. [13] Depending on the location of the tissues, heart attack, stroke, and gangrene of the limbs or internal organs will result

Like many factors, including irritation, infection, injury, stress, and hypertension, hyperglycemia can cause inflammation. It can also promote inflammation in the presence of the aforementioned factors such as irritation, infection, injury, and stress. Thus, without hyperglycemia, inflammation by other factors would be subtle. There is a positive link between hyperglycemia and the level of C-reactive protein (CRP.) [14, 15, 16, 17] To keep blood glucose level within normal range at all times, say below 120 mg% if possible, or at least not above 150 mg%, is definitely the most important measure for keeping a low inflammatory level and preventing acute and chronic events of atherosclerosis. [18]

To protect children and infants from atherosclerosis, an article, “Carbohydrate-restricted Diet Is More Effective Than Statins For Children’s Atherosclerosis”, is devoted to discussing the cause and prevention of the epidemic. [19] While it is essential to keep blood glucose within normal range for preventing inflammation, using food supplements such as vitamins and essential fatty acids may be beneficial. For the sake of double protection for those who have evidence of atherosclerosis, adding a therapeutic dosage of anti-inflammatory drugs such as daily 81 mg of Aspirin is helpful.

Because of a positive link between the excursion of postprandial blood glucose and the consumption of carbohydrates, restricting carbohydrates, especially those high in glycemic indices and glycemic loads, is the choice for keeping blood glucose within normal range at all times. Restricting carbohydrates is not just the diet for weight loss, more importantly, is the diet for keeping inflammation very low, and giving everyone a chance to live a long life with good health.

Here is his web blog so that you can check the references. I hope this article has enlightened you all to the real cause of heart disease – inflammation – and that carbs when in excess are the true “killers of the dream.”

Almond Flour Pancakes – Linda Hahn’s Recipe

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I ate my wife’s almond flour pancakes this morning and thought “I must share her recipe with the world!” So here it is low carb fans! I’ll tell you – these little buggers are delish! From her pen to your palate:

My husband begged me to write this for all of you so here it is! The reicpe I make is really good, but a tad time-consuming. Though I’ve got it down to a science now and I can get them done in no time.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup Almond Meal/Flour. Bob’s Redmill makes a really great one. Trader Joes has it too much cheaper but they leave the skins on the almond which gives it a stronger flavor (I like it but my kids got used to the Bob’s Redmill kind and my daughter Amber notices the difference).

1/4 tsp. Baking Powder (get aluminum free)
Generous pinch of salt
1/2 – 1 tsp. of Stevia
1/4 cup of heavy cream (get organic for this because pesticides and toxins are stored in the fat cells)
Two large eggs – separated (put the whites into their own separate bowl)

Butter for the griddle/pan
Chocolate chips as a sweetener (optional)

1) Heat the griddle/pan

2) In a small bowl measure 1/2 cup of Almond Meal/Flour and whisk in the baking powder.

3) In another bigger bowl add salt, stevia, cream and the two egg yolks – whisk together. Stir in the almond flour.

4) Whip the egg whites using an electric mixer until they form soft peaks.

5) Gently fold the whipped whites into the almond flour batter until it is evenly combined. Do not over mix.

10) Generously butter the griddle/pan and spoon a couple of tablespoons worth of batter for each pancake. This recipe should make 8 pancakes — 4 each are more than enough for Georgia & Amber.

11) Let the pancakes set on the one side before flipping — not sure how long but I’d say 3 – 4 minutes. Flipping can be tricky because they don’t hold together the way flour pancakes do. Make sure you get the spatula completely under the pancake before you flip — otherwise it will crack in two.

12) Let the next side cook for another couple of minutes. They will be done when they are springy to the touch.

I add 6 high quality semi-sweet chocolate chips to each pancake before I flip them. I kind of tap them into the batter so that the chocolate doesn’t scorch when you flip them. If there are any left over, I put them into a plastic bag in the fridge — Amber loves them cold, they kind of taste like chocolate chip cookies. Other sweetening options are low-carb syrup or just a small amount of real maple syrup. I think they taste great without any sweetener.

That’s it. Try it on a weekend day when you have time. On a school morning, I make sure all the bowls and measuring stuff are all in one place, so I save time not having to look for stuff.

Good luck!!

Balance Training – A Wobbly Concept

balance

I saw this article in the NY Times yesterday on balance training for the elderly. I braced myself for the fallout.

As per usual when these sorts of articles come out, clients phone in wanting to know the skinny on the issues. One of my long standing senior clients (of almost 10 years), Phyllis, called me and ever so politely asked if we could incorporate the balance training she read about in the article into her routine. (She’s such a sweetheart!)

I thought – “Oy vey. How do I say this to her?”

I explained that for one, there really is no such thing as “a balance” when it comes to the human body. (I’m not talking chakras or spirituality here). Unless you have an inner ear, visual or other equilibrioception problem, the main cause of loss of balance, such as falling when a bike messenger whizzes by or when stepping off a high step, is muscular weakness.

According to Dr. Richard Schmidt, author of the book Motor Control and Learning (my additions are in parens):

A common misconception is that fundamental abilities (running, gymnastics, etc.) can be trained through various drills or other activities. The thinking is that, with some stronger ability, the athlete will see gains in performance for tasks with this underlying ability.

For example, athletes are often given various “quickening” exercises, with the hope that these exercises would train some fundamental ability to be quick, allowing quicker response in their particular sports.

Coaches (as well as physical therapists) often use various balancing drills to increase general balancing ability, eye movement exercises to improve vision, and many others. Such attempts to train fundamental abilities may sound fine, but usually they simply do not work. Time, and often money, would be better spent practicing the eventual goal skills. (Meaning, if you want to get better at running the bases in baseball for example, run the actual bases. Don’t run around traffic cones, over care tires, ropes or anything else.)

There are two correct ways to think of these principles. First, there is no general ability to be quick, to balance, or to use vision. Rather, quickness, balance, and vision are each based on many diverse abilities, so there is no single quickness or balance ability, for example, that can be trained.

Second, even if there were such general abilities, these are, by definition, genetic and not subject to modification through practice. Therefore, attempts to modify an ability with a nonspecific drill are ineffective. A learner may acquire additional skill at the drill which is, after all, a skill itself, but this learning does not transfer to the main skill of interest.

The bottom line here is, though the trainer in the picture is clearly well meaning, he is making that woman sit on that ball with one leg out for nothing. He is not improving her balance – save for the balance required to sit on a ball with one leg out. What these balancing tasks can do for people is make them a smidge stronger but in a very inefficient and unproductive manner. This is the real reason why some people improve their balance from doing these tasks. Sadly, many people are very, very weak especially the elderly. This country would save millions perhaps billions of dollars if we’d strength train our seniors. I have seen what I think are real life miracles in my gym over the years in many older folks. It is most rewarding to experience.

In the time spent doing balance training, the same time would be better spent doing a full body strength training workout (with weights, machines, etc.) to improve and increase a person’s lean mass.

So yes, all those BAPS boards, wobbly boards, Bosu discs and other balance training devices you hear abour or have seen (or perhaps used!) are just glorified Romper Room toys. Use them for fun if you like, but don’t think they are doing anything for your “balance.”

Even The New York Times Fails Us

stupid

Well sportsfans it seems that The NY Times has joined forces with The Huffinton Post in getting their facts twisted on the recent survey which indicated, albeit weakly, that if you eat a lot of carbs and eat fat and meat you run a slightly higher risk of dying earlier and suffering more maladies than if you eat a lot of carbs and not so much fat and meat.Take a look.

From the article:

Atkins-style low-carbohydrate diets help people lose weight, but people who simply replace the bread and pasta with calories from animal protein and animal fat may face an increased risk of early death from cancer and heart disease, a new study reports.

What is sad is that the writer, Roni Rabin, is probably just parroting Dr. Ornish – trusting that Dr. Ornish read the survey correctly and then regurgitated the message. Or…is there an Atkins bias at work here as there clearly was in Dr. Ornish’s recent HP blog?

Rabin writes: “An Atkins-style…” Style? What the heck is an Atkins-style diet? If I eat a lot of veggies, fruit and grain and also a tid bit of meat, am I eating “vegan-style?”

Not only that, think about another untrue thing Rabin wrote: “…people who simply replace the bread and pasta with calories from animal protein and animal fat…” Here he suggests that pasta – pure carbs hence sugar and a refined fake food made in a factory, is healthier for you than a grass fed, free ranging steak or eggs from the butt of a free ranging chicken. I mean, how ridiculous is that?

For shame NY Times!

You know, I recall that when the A to Z diet study was published in 2007 showing that the Atkins diet kicked the butt of the other diets in terms of weight loss and more favorable overall metabolic effects, Ornish had a conniption. He bellowed from the towers that his diet approach didn’t win because the fat content of the diets the obese women were using for his arm of the A to Z study was far too high. But look how quick he was to ignore the discrepancy between the carbs in a true Atkins diet and the carbs in the survey in question and bash the Atkins diet.

Just sayin…

Muscle Magic

Gain-Muscle-Mass

A favorite teacher in college once said to me: “The world is full of hacks.” As I’ve gotten older and balder, I realize he couldn’t have been more right. The world abounds with shills and sheisters.

This dude says he gained eight pounds of lean mass in one workout.

No he flippin’ didn’t.

Take a look at the video. In it you’ll notice he is drinking a bottle of some sort of fluid between his sets. In that bottle is, more than likely, water mixed with sugar and creatine – a substance that helps shunt fluid into the cells.

What this fellow did was dehydrate himself before the workout and then by pumping himself up and drinking the magic fluid, he put on 8 pounds of water weight. Now, muscle is mainly water ~70% or so. But what he is implying in this video is that he put on eight pounds of muscle mass – at least that is what he gets you to think without actually saying so.

Please people – do not believe folks like this. They are charlatans and out to make a quick buck. They also ruin it for folks like me who tell you that gaining eight pounds of actual muscle/bone tissue is a long, hard process that in most men can take a month to achieve and in women twice that time if at all.

Be wary of people who tell you what it is you want to hear – in exercise and in life.