Poor Sleep/Poor Diet Joined at the Hip

"People are more likely to indulge in unhealthy foods that are high in fat or sugar when they haven't had enough sleep," says Thorsten Kahnt, assistant professor of neurology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.  A recent study lead by Kahnt concluded that sleep deprivation impacts the same ‘odor processing neural path’ that smoking cannabis does.

The 25 study participants were divided into two groups, one of which was allowed 4 hours of sleep every night for a month and the second allowed 8 hours. Those getting less sleep partook more heavily in an array of unhealthy foods including  doughnuts, cookies and potato chips than those allowed 8 hours of sleep.

Interestingly, those who slept fewer hours did not report indications of more appetite. However when they were provided a buffet meal they picked foods that had greater amounts of calories than the totally rested individuals. Brain scans of the sleep deprived group revealed that the region of the brain that processes smell experienced a heightened ability to identify food aromas. At the same time, the region of the brain that processes food intake and "fullness" was diminished. The tired people were more likely to give in to the smell of the high calories foods than just their mere presence.

The study authors theorize that sleep-deprived brains intentionally steer us toward high calorie foods as an evolutionary survival mechanism. In the past, whatever problem was causing the loss of sleep might also have made food harder to come by the next day.

So what does all this mean for us?

First, getting a full and restful night's sleep should be a part of our weight management plan. And just knowing that you are especially susceptible to the aroma of fatty, sugary foods when you are tired may help you to avoid consuming them.

Simple Tips for Better Posture

 

These days we spend a lot of time sitting, especially over this last year. Over time this takes a toll, not least by encouraging poor posture. Posture is probably not something you think much about. But maybe it should be.

Cultivating good posture, both sitting and standing, has many well established benefits including less back pain and headaches, more energy, better joint health, improved breathing and lung capacity and improved core stability and strength. And the best part is, you don't need any special equipment to improve your posture. Just a little awareness and a few minutes a day.

Here are some simple tips you can use to improve your posture if you need to and maintain it if you don't.

Look up when you walk. Most people look down at their feet when they walk. This causes your shoulders to roll forward and puts pressure on your neck. When you look straight ahead you pull your shoulders back and reduce the strain on your neck. If you are like me, it may feel awkward at first and take a while to make it a habit. But I have yet to trip or stumble.

Clasp your hands behind your back. This is a simple exercise that you can do just about anywhere. Interweave your fingers behind your back and you will probably feel your shoulders pulling back as well. Do this enough and you will start standing up a little straighter and holding your shoulders back from hunching forward.

Set a "Get Moving" timer. Sitting for long periods of time is one of the worst things we can do to our posture. Set a timer to remind yourself to get up and move for a few minutes at least once every hour. You don't have to exercise, just get out of your seat and walk around. Maybe stretch a little. You will feel energized when you sit back down.

Establish a daily stretching routine. Ten minutes a day is probably all you need. You won't only improve your posture but your reach and flexibility as well. If you aren't sure what to do, here are some easy stretches you can use. Don't neglect your neck.

Cultivate an awareness of your posture. Take a few seconds at different times throughout the day. Are you standing or sitting up straight? Do you feel stiff anywhere? Pull your shoulders back. Raise your head. Breathe a little deeper. Over time this will gradually make better posture a habit.

One other thing. Stay hydrated. Muscle stiffness can also be a sign that you are not drinking enough water. How much is enough? Its going to vary from person to person but a number of ounces every day equal to one half of your body weight in pounds is a good rule of thumb.

The Microbiome and Lung Cancer

 

 

The human microbiome - the total of microbal organisms that reside on or within human tissues and body fluids - continues to reveal itself as an ever larger factor in our health and well being. Recent estimates suggest the average human body is inhabited by three times as many non-human cells as human cells,and this ecosystem emerges as an influential element of our wellness.

A recent study from the Cancer Epidemiology Research Program at Vanderbilt University and published in JAMA reports that a diet high in both dietary fiber and yogurt is associated with a reduced risk of lung cancers. The study incorporated over 1.4 million people from North America, Europe and Asia. Study participants who consumed the most fiber and yogurt had a 33% lower risk of developing lung cancer than those who ate the least fiber and no yogurt. Either fiber or yogurt alone also produced a protective effect, but a lesser one than the combination.

While the study does not support a specific mechanism of action for the reduced risk, the authors theorize that the combination of the prebiotics in the fiber and the probiotics in the yogurt produces the benefit. 

"Dietary fiber and yogurt consumption was associated with reduced risk of lung cancer after adjusting for known risk factors and among never smokers. Our findings suggest a potential protective role of prebiotics and probiotics against lung carcinogenesis," said the study report.

As for the microbiome, stay tuned. There is no doubt much more to come.

More Isn't Always Better

 

Vitamin D is a key nutrient. You need it in order to absorb calcium and you need it for bone growth, density and strength. It also helps build muscle and fight inflammation. Along with magnesium it is helpful in countering hypertension and has many other well documented benefits. But Vitamin D, along with Vitamins A, E and K, is fat soluble. Unlike water soluble vitamins like C and B, with fat soluble vitamins amounts beyond what your body requires are not simply excreted in the urine but accumulate in fat tissue and in the liver. In high enough amounts they can be toxic.

In a study 2019 study published in JAMA, researchers randomly assigned over 300 people over age 55 to take one of three daily doses of Vitamin D: 400UI, 4,000IU or 10,000IU. All participants had low blood levels of Vitamin D at the start of the study but none were classified as "deficient". After three weeks, bone density was lower in the groups taking the higher doses compared to the 400IU group. Bone strength was no different among the three groups.

So not only are high doses risky, but they do not appear to confer any advantage over the recommended dose of 600IU (800IU for those over 70 years old). At least not for bone health.

Then there is the cautionary tale of Gary Null. Null, who sold Gary Null's Ultimate Power Meal, and six of his customers were hospitalized after taking a batch of product that had accidentally been produced containing 1,000 times the intended dose of Vitamin D.

Despite what you may read, be cautious taking meagdoses of anything. Do your research. In particular, research the research. Who funded the study? Was it conducted in a valid way? Did the results really say what is being reported? Don't let yourself be Null-ified.

Saturated Fat - Not Just Bad for Your Heart

 

The negative effects on cardiovascular health of a diet high in saturated fat has been well known for decades. Now a 2019 study has concluded that it is also a factor in the development of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. As the name implies, the main characteristic of NAFLD is too much fat stored in liver cells.

The main complication of NAFLD is cirrhosis, which is late-stage scarring in the liver. Cirrhosis occurs in response to liver injury, such as inflammation. As the liver tries to halt inflammation, it produces areas of scarring (fibrosis). With continued inflammation, fibrosis spreads to take up more and more liver tissue.

If the process isn't interrupted, cirrhosis can lead to:

• Fluid buildup in the abdomen (ascites)
• Swelling of veins in your esophagus (esophageal varices), which can rupture and bleed
• Confusion, drowsiness and slurred speech (hepatic encephalopathy)
• Liver cancer
• End-stage liver failure, which means the liver has stopped functioning

In the 2019 study, researchers randomly assigned 60 overwieight people to gain about 5 pounds by adding muffins made with either palm oil (a saturated fat) or safflower oil (a polyunsaturated fat) to the regular diet. After eight weeks, liver fat increased by an average of 53% in the palm oil group but not at all in those eating the safflower oil.

Earlier studies reported similar results with coconut oil, butter and blue cheese.

Palm oil is exceedingly common in baked goods because of its stable shelf life.

So What is Metabolic Syndrome?

 

Twenty years ago, one in four American adults had metabolic syndrome. Now it is on in three. This is largely the consequence of the ongoing obesity epidemic that sees 44% of us as obese and another 30% as overweight. Twenty percent of our children (under age 19) are obese today.

So what is metabolic syndrome anyway, and why should we care?

Metabolic syndrome is not one thing but rather a complex of conditions that together increase the risk of developing heart disease, diabetes and stroke. Having just one of these conditions does not mean that you have metabolic syndrome, although it does increase your risk. 

Here are five symptoms of metabolic syndrome.

Waist size. For men, more than 40 inches; for women more than 35 inches.

Triglyceride level. 150 mg/dL or higher.

HDL Cholesterol level. For men over 40 mg/dL; for women over 50 mg/dL.

Blood pressure. Higher than 130/85. Although new guidelines suggest 120/80.

Blood Sugar level. A fasting blood glucose level above 100 mg/dL.

If you have three or more of the five symptoms, you have metabolic syndrome. It is time to take it seriously and have a talk with your doctor. While (s)he may suggest medication, a lifelong commitment to a healthy lifestyle may prevent the conditions that cause metabolic syndrome and is usually the best place to begin addressing the problem. 

A healthy lifestyle includes:

• Getting at least 30 minutes of physical activity most days.
• Eating plenty of vegetables, fruits, lean protein and whole grains.
• Limiting saturated fat and salt in your diet.
• Maintaining a healthy weight.
• Not smoking.
• Not drinking excessively.
  

Metabolic syndrome can be thought of as a warning sign that your unhealthy habits are beginning to catch up with you. As with most warnings, the sooner you heed it the easier it will be to avoid the trouble ahead.

Five Ways Food Labels Try to Trick You

 

Making foods appear to be good for you when they are not seems like a pretty underhanded thing to do, especially when it is something you are going to be eating. But it is routine for food packaging to make all sorts of misleading claims that, while perhaps not technically a lie or illegal, do skate right up to the edge. And there is no reason for doing this other than to trick you into buying something you might otherwise pass by.

Here are five common ways food companies deliberately try to mislead you.

Sugar Free

First of all, legally, sugar free does not mean free of sugar. Sugar-free products may have less than 0.5 grams of sugars per serving, which is not really a lot. This doesn’t mean a product has fewer calories than the regular version though, it may have more. These products often contain sugar alcohols, which are lower in calories (roughly 2 calories per gram, compared to 4 per gram for sugar), but compare labels to see if the sugar-free version is any better than the regular version in total calories. (Common sugar alcohols are mannitol, xylitol, or sorbitol). And don't forget that the information on the label will be per serving, and companies still get very creative with serving sizes.

Weasel Words

Food packaging is often prominently plastered with words that sound healthy and good for you but actually mean nothing. Nutritious, wholesome, natural, boosts, supports and similar come-ons have no legal meaning. Basically they mean whatever the food manufacturer wants them to mean. An especially egregious example is the artificial sweetener aspartame. As consumers began to avoid products containing it, the manufacturer simply changed the name. To Amino-sweet Natural Sweetener. Same aspartame but now it was "natural". Ignore any words of this type on the front of the package and read the labels.

Made with...

Made with real fruit! Made with vegetables! Made with whole grains! You might pick up a package assuming that you were getting real fruit, vegetables or whole grain. You'd often be very wrong. While legally there must be some of an ingredient in the food to claim it is "made with", there is no legal definition for the amount required. "Made with" very often means "Made with very, very little". How can you tell? Again, read the label. The farther down an ingredient is on the list, the less of it is contained in the package.

Uncured

As people began to catch on to how bad the nitrates and nitrites in processed meats really were for them, they began to buy less of it. Shortly after, "uncured" and "no nitrates" claims began showing up on the packaging. Except there were still plenty of nitrates and nitrites in the meat. Now they came from celery powder and sea salt - healthy sounding ingredients. But it doesn't matter where the nitrates come from, its still a slab of salty cured meat.

Wheat Flour

If the first ingredient on a package is wheat flour you might be tempted to assume that it is a healthy whole grain product. Resist the temptation. Wheat flour is just a way to disguise the fact that you are getting processed white flour. Sure it comes from wheat. So what? Another trick is the multigrain label. This just means that the processed flour originated as more than one type of grain. Its no better for you. What to do? You guessed it! Read the label. If it says "whole wheat flour" it contains at least some whole grain flour. Agan, the farther down the ingredient list, the less you are getting. If it says "100% whole wheat" that is the one you want.

When you buy food, you are on your own. Assume you are being lied to by the packaging (or at least being deliberately mislead). As the Sergeant used to say at roll call on the '80s police drama Hill Street Blues, "Be careful out there!"