Here are some extracts from an article aimed at teaching people about the
management and prevention of heart disease. As usual, any comments are
welcome.

—————

<http://www.ediets.com/news/article.cfm?article_id=5592>

February is American Heart Month and the prevalence of heart disease in our
society is, at best, heartbreaking.

Heart disease is not just another “disease of the month” — it’s the number
one killer of Americans. The
American Heart Association estimates 60 million Americans suffer heart
disease. That’s 1 in 5! More Americans die of heart disease than of all
types of cancer combined…….

Are You At Risk?

There are two types of risk factors associated with heart disease: those you
can control and those you cannot. The good news: the list of those factors
you can control is much larger!

You cannot control your genetics. If you have a family history of heart
disease you’re at greater risk.

You cannot control your age (too bad!). If you’re over 55 you’re at greater
risk.

You cannot control your gender! If you’re a male, younger than 60, you have a
greater risk for a heart
attack. Women over 60 are equally at risk.

What You Can Control

You can control your smoking, your diet, your weight, your activity and your
stress level (to a certain extent). These major risk factors are what you
need to pay attention to, especially if you have one of the non-controllable
risk factors. The more risk factors you have, the greater your chance of
contracting heart disease.

If you smoke, stop now. Smoking is the number one risk factor for heart
disease. Smoking one pack a
day increases the risk by 70 percent. A two-pack habit hikes your risk by 200
percent!

Other risks (like high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, high
triglycerides, and type 2 diabetes) have two controllable factors in common:
diet and exercise.

Obesity in itself is not necessarily a risk factor. But obesity is definitely
associated with high blood pressure and high blood cholesterol. Type 2
diabetes is closely associated with obesity. Ninety percent of type 2
diabetics are overweight or obese. Chronic high blood sugar levels increase
the risk for coronary artery disease and high blood pressure. High
cholesterol often accompanies diabetes and these risk actors increase the
incidence of heart disease. Heart disease causes more than 76 percent of
death for diabetics….

Americans, Unite!

Americans: unite against heart disease! Choose to change lifestyle factors
that will keep you healthy. Sixty percent of adult Americans are overweight
or obese, and only about 20 percent of men and women report eating the five
recommended servings of fruit and vegetables daily. More than half of adults
in the U.S. are not exercising the recommended 30 minutes 4 to 6 times weekly
and sedentary lifestyle doubles the risk for heart disease.

Use the Team Approach

When you think healthy, think diet and think exercise… together! Use the
team approach. Separately, diet and exercise each have their benefits.
Together, the benefits are astounding.

Diet counts. Your diet needs modification, not elimination. There are no
“bad” or “good” foods. Remember, portion size counts. A healthy food can
contribute to obesity if you eat too much of it. You need to eat healthy
foods in the portion size that’s right for you as an individual. Your daily
meal plan should include good sources of complex carbohydrates, lean animal
protein and/or good sources of plant-based proteins, such as soy nuts,
legumes and grains. Healthy fats are important sources of good nutrition….

10 Measures That Could Save Your Life

Susan L. Burke, MS, RD/LD, CDE

Here are some tips that will serve you well!

1. Choose healthy fat! A no-fat diet is not necessarily the healthiest diet.
Fat is important for transport of vitamins and minerals in your body, for
hormone function, and for taste. However, avoid saturated fat and
hydrogenated fat in favor of monounsaturated fat in olive oil and canola oil.
Omega-3 fatty acids, plentiful in flaxseed and fatty fish, are beneficial.
Other good sources include wheat germ, walnuts and soybeans.

2. Soy is a healthy food. The Food and Drug Administration now allows a
health claim linking consumption of soy protein to a decreased risk for heart
disease for including at least 25 grams of soy protein in your daily diet,
(the diet should also be low in saturated fat and cholesterol.) Soy is the
only complete plant protein, containing all essential amino acids. It’s a
good source of B vitamins, essential fatty acids, zinc and iron, and it
contains phytochemicals that research suggests are beneficial to women in
lessening the symptoms of PMS and menopause. It’s also very low in saturated
fat. Soy foods have great variety, including tofu, tempeh, textured vegetable
protein, and soy powder.

3. Think green. Dark green leafy vegetables are some of the best sources of
folic acid in food and they can help reduce the level of homocysteine, an
amino acid made in the body and normally found in low levels in the blood. An
elevated homocysteine level predicts heart disease. Research shows that
reducing saturated fat and cholesterol and increasing vegetables and fruit in
your diet reduces homocysteine levels. Dark green leafy vegetables like
collard greens, kale, broccoli and turnip and beet greens are great sources
of folic acid.

4. Think color. When you choose food for health, choose color. That’s because
foods that are colorful — deep green, yellow and orange, red and gold –
have the greatest amounts of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. Berries are
ounce-for-ounce one of the best foods, full of antioxidant vitamins C, and
have lots of potassium and fiber. Strawberries contain 60 percent more
vitamin C than grapefruit and 8 percent more than whole oranges. Cranberries,
raspberries and strawberries contain ellagic acid, which researchers have
shown to prevent some cancers.

Berries are also low in calories (only 50 to 70 per cup). If you buy canned
fruit, buy water- or juice-packed. Canned cranberry sauce has three times the
calories of fresh cranberries and 86 percent less vitamin C. Buy “in season”
for the freshest fruit. Try some superfruits like guava, papaya, and mango –
all great sources of carotenoids, antioxidants and fiber. Remember other
orange fruits like cantaloupe, apricots and peaches. Any fruit will do. Whole
fruit is still the best source of vitamin C, fiber, and potassium for less
than 100 calories per serving.

5. Think whole. When choosing foods for health, think whole grains, whole
wheat, whole fruits and vegetables. That’s because unprocessed whole foods
have all their important nutrients intact. Whole foods are rich in fiber,
which is important for digestion and elimination. Research has shown that
people who eat high-fiber diets reduce their risk for heart disease and some
cancers.

6. Think food, not pills. Supplements in pills provide you only with the
antioxidant or vitamin on the label. Other micronutrients in food have not
been fully studied. The evidence for using antioxidant vitamins to reduce
your risk for disease is yet unproven in clinical trials, and the correct
dose and long-term risk when taking more than the recommended amount daily
has not been determined. Taking a multivitamin daily for insurance is fine,
but megadosing can be dangerous.

7. Eat your veggies. Studies have shown that people who eat vegetable-rich
diets reduce their risk of colon, lung and bladder cancer. Scientists think
that phytochemicals are responsible, not just the beta-carotene that colors
the veggies. Stroke is less common among people who eat their veggies, which
may be because of the nice amount of potassium. Those who enjoy lots of leafy
greens like spinach, kale and dandelion greens will get a double dose of
lutein, which helps prevent blindness due to macular degeneration.

Of course, the deep yellow- and orange-colored sweet potatoes and carrots
provide top amounts of vitamin C and carotenoids, and the rich green broccoli
and Brussels sprouts are loaded with carotenoids, vitamin C, folate and
fiber, as well has phytochemicals that may prevent cancer. Bright red
tomatoes in tomato sauce contain lycopene, which is a cancer fighter.

All vegetables are superfoods in that they can boast good nutrition and
fiber, and they contain a frugal
number of calories (40 to 60) per serving.

8. Garlic is good. While you’re at it, add some neutral colored garlic,
sautéed a bit to release its DATS, a
compound that cancer researchers say slows human lung-cancer cell growth in
test tubes.

9. Stay active. Reduce your risk of heart disease, diabetes and obesity –
and decrease your stress levels — with regular exercise. Studies have shown
that just 30 minutes of aerobic exercise 4 to 6 times a week can help you
stay healthy. Take a walk. It’s not necessary to join a gym. Get out the door
and go quickly one way for 15 minutes, and then come back. It’s 30 minutes
before you know it. If you can’t get out, then stay in and dance! Put the
radio on and dance around your house or apartment and have some fun. Do what
you like. That way you’ll stay with it.

10. Small changes produce big results. Change what you can, and you can
change a lot! Choose healthy foods, prepared without deep-frying in
hydrogenated fat. Eat fruit and vegetables every day; watch your portion size
with a healthy meal plan as we offer here at eDiets. Stay online and get
support and motivation from your eDiets community and stay active. Do
something at least 4 to 6 times a week to get your heart rate up. Your heart
is a muscle. Make it strong. You can do it!

Did You Know?

One of the largest sources of hydrogenated fat found in most Americans’ diet
comes from crackers. We know that fast food French fries are about 40% trans
fat, while donuts are about 35-40% trans fat. But the typical cookies and
crackers in your grocery store are up to 50% trans fat!

It’s not easy to find out how much trans fat there is in food, because
manufacturers are not required to list it. If the food’s nutritional label
lists the total grams of fat, saturated fat and unsaturated fat, you can
calculate it. Add the grams of saturated and unsaturated fat, subtract from
the total fat, and the result is grams of trans fat. This only works if
saturated fat is listed, which is also not mandated. Read the label and try
to find products that say, “no trans fat added.” …

Dr Mel Siff
Denver, USA
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Supertraining/

Here are some extracts from a highly informative article on leptin, a hormone
secreted by fat cells that influences energy expenditure and food intake in
mammals. At one stage it was popular to administer leptin to obese people in
attempts to make them eat less and stimulate weight loss, but its lack of
success in these applications led to it falling into disfavour. This article
discusses ongoing research into leptin.

<http://134.174.17.116/publications/Focus/2002/Feb8_2002/endocrinology.html>

Hormone Leptin Tied to Fat Breakdown in Muscle

Findings Connect Diabetes and Obesity, Suggest New Look at Obesity Treatment

Metabolic disorders like diabetes and obesity are entangled in a complex
relationship whose ins and outs are often murky. Both stem from malfunctions
in the body’s fuel engines– a vast machinery of metabolic processes that
turn glucose and fatty acids into energy. One of the most important but least
understood parts of this engine is leptin, a hormone secreted by fat cells
that has been shown to exert influence over energy expenditure and food
intake in several neuroendocrine pathways.

In a study in the Jan 17 Nature, a team led by Barbara Kahn, HMS professor of
medicine and chief of the Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism
at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, and Yasuhiko Minokoshi, visiting
associate professor of medicine, establishes a new connection in the
metabolic machinery, tying leptin to a crucial pathway in fat metabolism in
muscle. This pathway suggests a role for leptin in clearing fat out of cells
and sheds light on the connection between diabetes and obesity……

The Stop Signal

Leptin first came to prominence as a satiety signal, a hormone that seemed to
signal to the brain how much fat was being stored and to regulate food
intake. With this discovery came the lure that administering leptin to obese
people could cause them to eat less and trigger weight loss. But in human
clinical trials, the weight loss was unspectacular, and the hormone’s flurry
of fame as a potential wonder drug petered out. Continued research has shown
that leptin is an important hormone with a hand in many metabolic processes
and undoubtedly has widespread effects that may influence diabetes as well as
obesity.

For one, leptin seems to regulate more than food intake; it has a role in how
fat is metabolized once it is in the body. Obesity is associated with insulin
resistance, and weight loss can often improve insulin’s abilities to clear
glucose from the blood. Several studies in animals suggest that excess lipid
is to blame for the insulin resistance–not the kind stored in fat cells but
lipids that accumulate in other tissues like skeletal muscle, liver, and
pancreatic beta cells. When leptin is given to mice, it helps reduce fat
tissue but also reduces intracellular lipids in these other tissues and
boosts insulin sensitivity. But why this glut of lipids impedes insulin
action is uncertain, as is leptin’s mechanism to clear it……..

Leptin’s known effects occur largely through the sympathetic nervous system.
Although direct effects have been shown in some tissues, it has been debated
whether the hormone directly affects muscle and fat. The relatively rapid
doubling of AMPK–which happens too quickly to be mediated by the central
nervous system–suggests a direct connection. When nerves in the hind legs of
the mice were severed, the muscle there still exhibited this sudden rise, but
the effects of the injection in the hypothalamus were blocked, suggesting
that leptin has two paths of action in fatty acid metabolism, a direct one on
muscle and an indirect one through the nervous system.

Both of these actions converge on the AMPK pathway, through which leptin
increases the oxidation of fatty acids in muscle tissue and keeps fat from
setting up residence in cells. “This is now giving us the molecular pathway
by which leptin may regulate fatty acid oxidation rather than fat
accumulation,” Kahn said.

Although the mechanism of leptin’s action on AMPK in the nervous system is
still unclear, her team further narrowed it down by determining that leptin
works through the system’s alpha-adrenergic arm, another revelation given
there has never been a recognized link between AMPK and this system. The
researchers found that for both routes of action, leptin activates AMPK
through phosphorylation of its alpha subunit. Only one isoform of the alpha
subunit was activated, a specificity that could be useful in drug
development.

Take Two on Obesity Treatment

In light of new knowledge about leptin’s role in fuel metabolism, it makes
sense to revisit the idea of targeting leptin’s actions to treat obesity.
Obese people develop resistance to leptin, so the ability to target a
downstream pathway and bypass leptin resistance may be more beneficial than
treating with leptin itself.

This direct path of leptin action also establishes an important link to
insulin resistance and diabetes. It is well established that the accrual of
lipid in muscle is associated with insulin resistance, and obesity is a risk
factor for type 2 diabetes. “This effect of leptin on the AMPK pathway could
be an important avenue by which it increases insulin sensitivity,” said Kahn.
If so, leptin resistance may help explain why obesity is a risk factor for
diabetes. “If we could reproduce this pathway in leptin-resistant people,
perhaps we could lower their risk of diabetes.”

Dr Mel Siff
Denver, USA
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Supertraining/

The following extracts from a Russian text on metabolism and nutrition for
weightlifters will provide some useful information for those who recently
have been asking about the Russian approach to these topics.

Metabolic Changes in Weightlifting

K Korovnikov, N Yalovaya, G Azizbekyan, V Belyaev, R Bolkhovsky

[Tables excluded - for the full text, see 1984 Russian Yearbook translated by
Bud Charniga, www.dynamic-eleiko.com]

Essential reconstruction of the metabolic exchange processes designed for
economising the functions of physiological systems and raising of the body’s
stability to extreme influences takes place during adaptation to large
physical loads. Sharp metabolic changes in response to training loads of
large volume and intensity and insufficient recovery of the important
functions of the body’s systems can be factors which limit an athlete’s work
capacity and the effectiveness of his training. In connection with this it is
extremely important to reveal the metabolic peculiarities and the possibility
of affecting certain metabolic processes which are important for increasing
the rate of recuperation after workouts.

Findings obtained from studying some aspects of a weightlifter’s metabolic
status is presented in this study. 43 athletes, ages 19-22 years; bodyweights
of 55-113 kg, took part in the study. It was established that small (volume
of 2-5 tons primarily utilizing 65%) and moderate (volume 5-8 tons using
75-85%) training loads did not provoke significant changes in urinary
excretion of acid, urea, amino acids and creatinine in comparison with the
resting state. Renal excretion of acid, urea, amino acids and creatinine
increased significantly (Table 1) under the influence of larger training
loads; the volume of which were in excess of 8 tons and in which exercises of
high intensities (90-100%) were utilized. 70% of the athletes studied had
creatinuria (0-01-0.019 gm/ml); 32% had proteinuria. There was also an
increase in general acidity after large physical loads. The acid content of
the sweat taken from the upper half of the athlete’s torso during a 11 hour
workout was 0.4 grams.

The results are indicative of the rise in the excretion of the end products
of acid exchange, during large and intense training loads.

A study of the affect of small, average and large training loads on
electrolytes established, that the daily urinary excretion of potassium
increases and the excretion of sodium decreases with the increase in the
volume and intensity of the load. Renal excretion of calcium and phosphorus
does not change significantly (Table 2) under the influence of physical loads
of various magnitude. The excretion of potassium and sodium in response to
large training loads was somewhat less the higher the sportsmen’s mastery and
trainability. An increase in the vitamin requirements of Bl, B2, PP, B6 and
ascorbic acid were noticed when the vitamin status of the athletes,
undergoing large training loads, was studied (Table 3).

Coupled with the study of protein, vitamin, and electrolytic exchange, we
determined a number of indicators which reflect the state of strain, fatigue,
restoration and adaptation: urinary excretion of catecholamines (adrenalin,
noradrenalin, DOFA, dopamine), ketone bodies, acidic mucopolysaccharides,
urea content of the blood serum, acid-base balance of the blood, etc. The
results of these biochemical tests showed that in a number of cases
restoration was incomplete after the preceding large training loads. This is.
indicated by the presence of metabolic acidosis, a rise in the volume of urea
in the morning, at rest), low urinary excretion of dopamine and DOFA,
mirroring the reserve potential of the sympathetic-adrenal system, high
volumes of ketone bodies and acidic mucopolysaccharides in the urine, etc.

The established changes in the metabolic indicators studied, were conditioned
by the general intensity of the exchange processes; caused by the large
physical and neuro-emotional strain on the body. At the same time, the
character of the metabolic displacements and the speed of restoration in
these conditions depends to certain degree on alimentary factors (N.
Yakovlev, 1957; A. A. Minkh, 1976, et al.).

Associated with the aforementioned changes in the indicators of the
organism’s metabolic status (under the influence of training loads) one ought
to turn more attention to calculating actual nourishment. our research
established that the actual weightlifter’s diet does not always fully respond
to the requirements of a rational diet and does not sufficiently secure the
organism’s increased requirements of individual food substances. A rational
diet, by its chemical composition, is seldom characterized by specific
imbalances. We found the protein, fat and carbohydrate ratio in the diet to
be 1: 1.2: 1.7, which does not conform to existing recommendations (1: 0.8
:4).

[Tables here]

In this case the amount of protein (14% of the total calories) was below the
16-18% which is the protein requirement for lifters executing large training
loads (Schneider, 1979, et al). There was a deficiency of the amino acid
methionine and a number of replaceable amino acids which were apparently
connected to the predominance of animal protein in the diet (80-90%) and an
insufficient quantity of vegetable protein. An excessive amount of fat in the
diet (46% of the total caloric intake) is typical. There is also a low
polyunsaturated to saturated fat ratio. An irrational aspect of the lifters’
diets was the extraordinary low consumption of carbohydrates — the energy
component of the diet (40% of the calories).

An assessment of the mineral contents of the diet revealed that the amount of
potassium, sodium and calcium were significantly below recommended allowances
for athletes (Polrovsky, 1975; N. Yakovlev, 1975, Schneider, 1979, et al).
The amount of phosphorus corresponded to existing recommendations. Certain
vitamins in the amounts required for athletes and utilized for the synthesis
of various coenzyme systems were lacking in the lifters’ diet. The amount of
thiamine, niacin, pyrodoxine, pantothenic acid folacin and biotin were found
to be in the lower range for adult males. The amount of ascorbic acid in the
diet was extremely low (12.5 ± 0.9 mg per 1000 Kcal; the norm is 35).

One can assume that the imbalance of a number of food substances in the
lifter’s diet, mineral elements and vitamins in amounts that do not satisfy
the sportsman’s requirements for a hard training period, play a specific role
in the alterations of the metabolic indicators. Insufficient consumption of
the vitamin “B” group and ascorbic acid as well as incomplete assimilation is
associated with an imbalance in the chemical composition of the diet; this
disrupts the optimal ratio between the individual vitamins and other
nutrients.

The excessive amount of fat and an insufficient amount of carbohydrates in
the diet of the athletes studied is the reason for the high content of ketone
bodies in the urine of certain athletes (80-180 mg/day; the norm is 20-50
mg/day) during hard training. The amounts of potassium and protein in the
diet were not in the optimal ratio (Grebenyuk, 1975; Azizbekyan, 1981; Anand
et al, 1974; Margen, et al, 1974); this could be the reason for the higher
loss of potassium during heavy training.

In order to shorten the restoration period of the metabolic functions and
preserve the athlete’s high work-capacity during hard training, it is
necessary, first of all, to correctly organize the diet. It is appropriate to
include special nutritional products in the diet, which have a number of
advantages over traditional products. The use of special products which are
easily assimilable, proportionally high in calories and small in volume; and
owing to their specific chemical composition, effect alterations in the
athlete’s diet; guarantee an adequate expenditure of the energy and food
substances provided to the body.

The use of traditional products in quantities that satisfy the organism’s
nutrient requirements; in protein for example, during multiple daily
workouts, can cause discomfort to the lifter during training, a feeling of
heaviness in the stomach, difficulty breathing and a dispeptic syndrome
because of the large amounts consumed and the relatively slow digestion
(Centenzo, 1976; Rogozkin, 1973; Laricheva, Yalovaya, et al, 1978).

An acidophilus [yoghurt-like] product, designed to accelerate the restoration
of the sportsman’s work-capacity after large training loads was developed at
the AMN USSR Institute of Nutrition; based on studies of the metabolic status
of the organism, diet, and the training regimen. Each 100 grams of this
product contains 30-35 grams of protein, 45-50 grams of carbohydrate and
10-15 grams of fat. The product is balanced in amino acid content. The
polyunsaturated to saturated fatty acid ratio component of the product is
0.5, this conforms to physiological requirements.

The carbohydrate component of the product is made up of glucose, fructose,
sucrose, lactose, maltose, dextrin and starch. The product also contains
organic acids and a large spectrum of vitamins and minerals. Use of the
special product as a dietary supplement, enables one to correct the chemical
composition of the diet. An increase in the amount of protein, carbohydrates,
supplementing vitamins (C, Bl, B2, B6, PP), minerals (K, Na, Ca, P, Mg, Fe,
Zn, Cu, etc.) will have a favorable affect on the metabolic status, the
athlete’s sense of well-being and workcapacity.

A daily supplementation of 100 grams of this product contributes to the
activation of the anabolic processes in the exchange of acids, decreases
renal excretion of amino acids and creatinine and decreases the intensity of
potassium, sodium, calcium and phosphorus exchange. The athletes who used the
special product had smaller losses of organic potassium during periods of
hard training. Use of the product improved the vitamin status of the
organism.

The results of a number of biochemical tests (blood urea, acid-base balance
of the blood, mucopolysacharide acids, ketone bodies in the urine)
established that recuperation after hard training was accelerated with the
use of the special product. Thus, the athletes who used the product had a
decrease in urinary excretion of ketone bodies, mucopolysaccharide acids,
less urea in the blood (determined in the morning on an empty stomach), a
decrease in acid-base changes due to training and a quicker restoration of
the acid-base balance. Use of the special product contributed to an increased
effectiveness of training; an increase in sport results. Barbell velocity
recorded in six zones of intensity (60, 65, 75, 85, 90, 95%) increased an
average of 0.7-1.5 m/sec on the snatch and 0.71-1.1 m/s in the clean and jerk
for the athletes who used the special product in comparison with the control
group of athletes.

Our study demonstrates the necessity of controlling the metabolic status of
the body during hard training and the importance of timeously correcting
metabolic displacement with nutritional supplementation.

Dr Mel Siff
Denver, USA
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Supertraining/

Someone wrote anonymously:

This seems to be the standard “health-site” style article. Little or
innacurate substantiation, coupled with a small host of recommendations off
the top of one’s head. Vitamin-book style, food X is high in vitamin Y so
it must be good for you writing.

The author’s “Bad” Foods:

I find it particularly interesting that, when referring to high sugar
content, this individual does not comment on the potentially harmful (and
long-term) effects to the body’s insulin response and glucose tolerance
levels. The author seems more concerned with “tooth decay”. What she does
not centre on is that foods high in sugar are potentially setting up
children for a lifetime of more serious illness. (1) Her comment on the jam
is disconcerting.

Also concerning is the lack of analysis as to why the particular foods are
bad. I am confused as to why she did not provide food groups, as opposed to
10, seemingly random, foods. Parents would perhaps have found this more
helpful.

The author’s “Good” foods:

Dairy:

Perhaps more disconcerting are the offerings provided for “Healthy foods”
(2). “American Cheese” and “Chocolate Milk” are both highly processed dairy
products. This is not good. (3,4,5,6,7). It is very interesting that the
author cites the calcium content of both the cheese and milk. Processed
dairy products are now known to be comparatively **low** in calcium and good
nutrients. They are known to be heavily supplemented with essential
vitamins and minerals **by the industry** during processing, due to
unnatural farming methods. Indeed, even with such supplementary measures
buy the industry, the US population is known to be chronically deficient in
calcium. Add to this the unacceptably high hormone, harmful fat and
preservative content (3,4,5,6,7). Arguably, typical, mass production
cheeses and milks are no longer healthy foods in our society. They are in
fact damaging.

The author states “In an ideal world, children would gulp down plain milk
without complaint.”. Actually, in an ideal world, cows would not be feed
unnatural foodstuffs, numerous hormones and other growth stimulants
(3,4,5,6,7). In an ideal world, milk would be natural, unprocessed and free
of harmful substances. It would be healthy. I would not recommend gulping
down the milk available at supermarkets, be it flavoured it unflavoured.

The author is not too far off with her reference to yoghurts. Yoghurts can
be both heavily laden or relatively free from processing, sugar,
flavourings, and other negative points, depending on brand and source. For
example, **some** natural “organic” yoghurt is known to provide a range of
benefits (19). Good examples of natural yoghurts include those made using
cows that were grazed exclusively on unsprayed pasture and are only fed
organically-grown foods (grass) without hormones or antibiotics (20). More
care should be taken to express the differences between different variations
of what are often categorised as the same foods.

Carbohydrates:

There is not enough real fiber in the recommended food list. Disturbing is
the author’s fascination with potatoes (normal and sweet) as a “fiber rich”
food. Potatoes are not rich in fiber. Arguably, they are non-fibrous.
Fibrous carbohydrates, like *real* carrots, vegetables and broccoli, are
indeed great. Yet, potatoes are characterised by their relatively simple,
*sugary* composition. This will turn to Glucose quickly (8).

Interestingly, on recommending pizza, the author makes no effort to explain
the differences between a natural, home-made pizza, and a supermarket pizza.
In direct opposition to her low sodium agenda, processed foods like pizzas
are actually very high in this substance. Sodium is highly present in
processed foods such as pizza or frozen “dinners” (15). The author comments
“This popular item dishes up three food groups at once: grains, dairy, and
vegetable (the tomato sauce counts as a serving)”! And this is good? It will
indeed provide white, refined flour, processed dairy, and limited
vegetables. Refer to the points and references made above for my feelings
on grains and dairy. Refined flour is known to be implicated in a range of
health dysfunctions (16,17,18)

Granted, the author does state that she admires “100 percent juices”. Yet,
most commercial juices are high in simple sugars, preservatives, and low in
real fruit juices. It is unclear if a juice comprised of 100% juice has a
substantial amount of sugar added, though, it is more than likely. As we
know, the effects of such juices are, for the most part, undesirable (12,
13,14). Sugar, as stated earlier can affect the insulin mechanism.
Connectedly, there has been much discussion on their use *after*
training — in a controlled manner — from the athletic perspective. I
would recommend real fruit. The author states “[OJ has] got lots of vitamin
C, folate, and potassium”. Although such products are **marketed**
(seemingly the source of all untruths in society) to be high in vitmain C
and beneficial nutrients, they are, in fact, comparatively lower in them in
respect to real fruit and other foods (13,14).

Farm / Protein:

The author makes no reference to current understanding that implies only 1-2
egg yolks should be consumed per week. If one consumes an egg every day,
that, of course, is 7 egg yolks. Egg whites, are seemingly safe to be
consumed freely. The author does not mention this. Many consume more than
this. It has been found that diabetics who ate at least one egg a day
showed twice the risk for heart disease as diabetics who ate less than one
egg per week (9).

On recommending **ground beef**, there is no reference to the nature of
harmful, ’scientific’ rearing and farming methods. There is no mention of
pursuing so-called “real” beef. Nearly 100% of the beef sold in stores is
not real beef (10,11). This is true also of so-called “health” stores. Not
only do most beef cuts have a high fat content, ranging from 35-75%, but the
majority of it is saturated (10,11). Grain fed beef can have an omega 6:3
ratio higher than 20:1. Grass-fed (“real”) beef has a more desirable ratio
of 3:1 (10,11). It is known that an Omega **3 to 6** ratio of 1-5:1 is now
desirable, in order to reverse the opposing trends found in our diet.

Flavourings:

Yes, ketchup has recently been acknowledged as being high in a natural
cancer-fighting compound, lycopene. However, it is also very high in sugar
and preservatives (12). For the ‘big-house’ brands, it is said that for
every tablespoon of ketchup there is a teaspoon of sugar present. This, of
course, is not good.

EFAs:

There is no reference to Essential Fatty Acids. There is no reference to
monounsaturated fats. It is my understanding that **natural** peanut butter
is a source of natural, organic, unrefined, non-hydrogenated monounsaturated
fat. The article makes no reference to this. The author states peanut
butter is “ever-popular among kids [does that make it good for them?]. It
is “protein-rich and a good source of fiber [and] makes a yummy dip for
celery sticks, apple slices, or banana chunks”. So?

Conclusion:

Alas, this is the type of article that is common on internet lifestyle
sites. Generally speaking, more effort should be made to underline the
importance of pursuing natural, and “truly” organic types of food over
process counterparts. Effort should be made to distinguish good from bad,
and to substantiate the reasons for doing so. For example, writers should
state “natural peanut butter” over processed peanut butter. This implies
that parents should pursue a more organic and body friendly product, rather
than the first, “super-saver” super-ulta-hydrogenated-oil-added peanut
butter they grab off the shelf.

———-

References:

1) http://www.mercola.com/2001/jul/14/insulin.htm. This is a long, but
extremely insightful article pertaining to insulin and illness.

2) http://www.parents.com/articles/health/2148.jsp?page=1 The author’s
healthy food recommendations.

3) http://www.proliberty.com/observer/20000208.htm Milk article

4) http://www.ivillage.com/diet/experts/wlcoach/qas/0,5090,221846_65386,00.html
Milk article

5) http://www.lammd.com/A3R_brief_in_doc_format/2003-No2-Milk.cfm#top Milk
article

6) http://www.vegsource.com/books/milk_poison.htm Milk article

7) http://www.karlloren.com/aajonus/p17.htm Milk article

http://www.mercola.com/2001/jul/14/insulin3.htm Insulin response article
(part 3)

9) http://www.nexuspub.com/health/hjan005.htm Interesting contradictory egg
evidence

10) http://www.mercola.com/beef/main.htm Real Beef article

11) http://www.mercola.com/beef/health_benefits.htm Real Beef article

12) http://www.hammergel.com/site/info/dangers.cfm High sugar article -
Ketchup and fruit juice references

13) http://pediatrics.about.com/library/weekly/aa111401a.htm Interesting
article on fruit juice

14) http://www.jhu.edu/~newslett/04-27-00/Science/4.html Nutrition article.
Refer to section on fruit juice. [ctrl + f > type: "juice"]

15) http://cals.uvm.edu/cornberry/winter2000/ Nutrition article. Refer to
comment on pizza. [ctrl + f > type: "pizza"]

16) http://www.mercola.com/2000/jan/16/refined%20_sugar_sweetest%20_poison.htm
Refined sugar and flour article

17) http://www.herbalresource.com/current_topic.html Cholesterol and
Trigylcerides article

18) http://www.survivediabetes.com/cleave.htm Refined sugar article

19) http://www.amni.com/reprints/yogurt.html Yoghurt article

20) http://www.moscowfoodcoop.com/archive/yogurt.html Yoghurt article

Here is some information from a NSCA publication, which relates directly to
our recent discussion on the use of L-glutamine as a training supplement:

————-

Glutamine and Weightlifting Performance

Antonio, J., Sanders, M., Kalman, D., Woodgate, D. and C. Street. The Effects
of High Dose Glutamine Ingestion on Weightlifting Performance. Journal of
Strength and Conditioning Research 16(1):157-160. 2002.

Researchers at the University of Delaware investigated the effects of a high
dose of glutamine on weightlifting performance. Results showed that
short-term ingestion does not enhance weightlifting performance in
resistance-trained men.

The length of the study was 3 weeks and six trained volunteers participated.
They had their bodyweight, height and body fat initially determined. The
exercises used where the leg press at 200% of their bodyweight and bench
press at 100% of bodyweight. After a prescribed warm-up both exercises were
completed until momentary muscular failure.

The study design was a double blind, placebo controlled and crossed over.
Subjects were told not to alter their dietary habits for the 3 weeks and
repeated the testing after this time. One hour before testing the amount of
glutamine ingested with a calorie-free fruit juice was 0.3 g per kilogram
bodyweight. After assignment to each group there were no difference found in
the average number of maximal of reps performed for each group.

Researchers concluded, “Glutamine does not have ergogenic properties when
taken orally (0.3 g per kilogram) 1 hour before resistance exercise.” [i.e.
30gm daily for a 220lb athlete]

————

Dr Mel Siff
Denver, USA
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Supertraining/

In other words, it appears as if the best way to both gain muscle and lose
fat is to eat more frequent smaller balanced meals. Maybe we need to change
our entire eating rituals to enhance our physical being, be it to lose
weight, gain weight or minimise the incidence of many diseases of modern
civilisation.

To determine what is the optimal frequency of eating for any given population
is under certain circumstances, we need to look back through history at the
evolution of eating customs over the years, as well as at how so-called
“primitive” people and animals eat. A great deal of eating in the wild
seems to be opportunistic – if it is there and you are genuinely in NEED of
food (i.e., are hungry), then eat it. Far too often we eat because we WANT
to eat (imagined need) or because it is expected socially of you on a given
eating ritual occasion called lunch, supper or dinner.

Far too often refusing to eat is regarded as “rude” or a sign of being ill!
Far too often parents induce their offspring to overeat by impressing upon
kids that they will fall ill if they don’t eat enough or “will never grow up
big and strong like dad unless they eat up!”

Some folk would have us wander a bit into some Freudian and related
psychology and suggest that many people enjoy filling their mouths with food
because they are still in the “oral-anal phase” of human development and are
using their adulthood to satisfy the need to eat, suck, smoke or otherwise
keep the mouth busy in some sort of pleasurable oral activity. The “anality”
of the syndrome may be expressed in the use of foul language and behaviour
relating to the nether regions of the body. However, let’s leave that to the
psychologists and attend to matters more physiological in orientation!

Is there any scientific support why we eat according to the custom of three
meals a day? Is the main purpose of “tridiurnal eating” one of social habit
and organisational convenience than anything else? Is there any reason at
all why we have to eat daily?

Then, why do we have to start a meal with something called “hors de-ouevres”
or “starters” and end with “dessert” or “pudding”? Is there any real need to
include these components or is there any good reason why we need to follow
any specific eating order? The very presence of these items on a menu is
enough to entice some folk to focus more on the frills and empty calories
than the “main” dish.

When I was speaking at a sports conference in Taiwan recently, I found it
most interesting that a very large array of different foods was served at the
same time and you could choose what to eat in virtually any order. I found
it a fascinating and relaxing way of eating and socialising – once I had
mastered using chopsticks! It stimulated me to seriously re-examine all of my
eating habits or those that my culture had programmed me into following.

Dr Mel C Siff
Denver, USA