AAHH: updates and questions answered

  Hidden Dangers- Hydrogenated Oils Wait! Keep reading, the story about trans-fats is not over! Even though labeling requirements have helped, these are still sneaking into our foods. The good news is that, according to a recent study published by the Journal of the American Heart Association, the amount of trans-fats we consume has dropped significantly in the last 30 years.  However, our goal must be NO trans-fats added to our foods.* During recent travel we noticed how easy it was for people to unknowingly make a dangerous health choice when they reached for “cream” for their tea or coffee. Sitting right next to the half and half and milk was a larger container of something labeled “creamer.” Without a strong magnifying glass, it was impossible to read what was in the package. The label of the “creamer” featured a tranquil picture of a cow and the name of the “dairy” corporation.  But the second ingredient (after water) was hydrogenated oils. Make no...

The prevalence of processed foods has created some landmines in our dietary choices.  If all of our foods came straight from nature most of these hazards would not exist. However, industrialization of food makes shelf life, convenience, and cost top priorities. My hope is we can all become quicker to spot these dangers.  Today I want to focus on fructose. “Wait”, you may be saying, “I thought sugar from fruit is good for you”. Fruit is a healthy option, however when we juice the fruits and concentrate the sugar, it is way too easy to get an overdose. High intake of fructose may be more dangerous than other sugars because of its effect on the liver.  The liver is forced into metabolizing excess fructose into fat, which then can be stored in the liver, possibly leading to long term damage. That excess fruit sugar can also be stored as fat in other places around the body, leading to unwanted weight gain. It’s easy for us to fall into this trap, because even a...

  Happy Spring! Spring is here. You have been thinking about improving your health but not sure you have the time. Simple works, and here are three simple things you can add to your day that will immediately improve your health!   Fiber Increase fiber in your diet by adding daily servings of whole grains, legumes, fresh vegetables and fruits.  Eat as seasonally as possible and explore high fiber choices like blackberries or raspberries (contain twice as much fiber as blueberries and strawberries), some good greens...

  Focus on BEING!  Carey Fisher said it well when she quipped, “These days even instant gratification is too slow.” What is the answer we hear so much when we ask “how are you?”  “Busy” is the response.  Is it the new four letter word?    We are all about getting things done. Often this results in our lives having disconnected relationships, reduced time for self-care, and careless eating.  “Busy” can crowd out any time we have to stop to consider if we are living on purpose and according to our highest values. For 2018, here’s a challenge:  What if the focus this year is more on BEING than doing?  What if we all build in more SLOW DOWN TIME to our days?  The data are clear that slowing down actually results in better production on tasks, more fulfilled lives and better relationships.  So my challenge to you is to evaluate your life. Find where the hurry and the busy are crowding out the important, and then ma...

  Do you know any good dietary fiber jokes ?    How about the one where a woman in a restaurant has apparently inquired which entrée would be higher in fiber, and the snooty waiter answers, “If you want more fiber miss, you may eat the menu….”  All joking aside, is there anything to all the “high in fiber” health claims on food packages, or is it just more advertising hype clothed in pseudoscientific claims?  First, be suspicious of high fiber health claims on boxes or packaged or prepared foods.  While the claim may be technically true, it may also be a distraction from other health problems with the item in question, such as high sugar or salt content.  Also, to make an otherwise unhealthy product qualify for a health claim, some manufacturers are using “fiber additives” such as inulin, maltodextrin, and polydextrose.  It seems doubtful that these are as healthy as natural fibers occurring in foods. But why am I telling you about...

  How do you keep your mind sharp?       Hello again!  In the last newsletter, I began to outline some ways to keep the mind sharp as we grow older.  I assume you are all a little older now than when the last letter came along (no wizards in this group right?), and now that your minds are all just a bit sharper than last time, here are some more tidbits to help you stay that way! Berry good! Dark berries, such as blueberries, contain a wonderful set of compounds called anthocyanins, that actually give them their beautiful dark hue.  These anthocyanins are among the plant based nutrients small enough in structure to pass directly across the blood-brain barrier. Once in the brain (think of how cool your brain will feel when it is blue!), they also protect the memory.  Research has shown that older people who eat plenty of blueberries preserve memory function.  Among vegetables, green leafy veggies have been shown to be especial...

  How do you keep your mind sharp?   All of us from time to time forget things.  Wait… where did I put my keys?  Ooohh, I know you but I’m embarrassed to say your name has escaped me.  Or even, Why did I just walk in this room??  Sometimes it’s not really about being “forgetful” or memory loss so much as it is having too much to think about at any given time, juggling too many plates at the same time, competing with the possibility of being mindful and attentive in the moment.   And we also know that some age-related memory decline is very common.  But have you noticed that even among the very old, there is quite a bit of variance from person to person in mental sharpness and memory?  And while all the reasons for that variance are not yet elucidated, there are some known strategies to keep the mind sharp and the memory strong.  Here are a few. Go Nuts!  At the Nutrition and Health Conference in Phoenix in May, one...