The Oasis

Let's Chew the Fat

All right, so you're trying to eat healthier.

You do all the recommended things...

cut back on processed foods, add more whole grains to your diet and add fat to your salads.

Add fat to your salads?! What kind of health advice is this?

Good advice, according to a study published in the Journal of Nutrition. Turns out that eating fat in salad dressings helps your body increase the absorption of nutrients such as lycopene and beta-carotenoids three to five-fold over salads made with no or low-fat dressing.

Tip from your Wellness Coach: But hold on. Before you dump half a bottle of full fat salad dressing on your Romaine, remember to keep your daily total caloric needs in mind. Make your salad dressing with good quality extra-virgin olive oil or use a no-fat dressing and add avocados, which are high in minerals and mono-unsaturated (good) fat.

Here's a recipe for a wonderful salad dressing made with olive oil:

Uncle Paul's Salad Dressing

Ingredients:
6 fl. oz.  good quality extra-virgin olive oil
juice of one lemon
2 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. salt

Simply combine all ingredients and stir well prior to serving. Keeps well in the refrigerator, although you may have to bring the dressing to room temperature prior to serving to make it pourable.

Enjoy!

Sugar High

Reaching for a sugary soft drink to combat that afternoon slump? Think again.

Researchers looked at the effects on afternoon alertness of some of the so-called energy drinks that were high in sugar but moderately low in caffeine. Turns out that the sugary drinks didn't boost energy with that mythical "sugar rush" but after a time, those who consumed the sugary beverages actually got sleepier and had decreases in alertness.

The researchers stated that it's the caffeine and not the sugar which has effects on alertness. Surprisingly, they suggested a jolt of caffeine combined with a short nap, to be the most effective strategy in combatting afternoon drowsiness. Caffeine takes about 30 minutes to work, so theoretically, you could get in your nap before your Starbucks kicks in.

What the researchers didn't say was that the effects of caffeine last a long time...as much as six to twelve hours in some people. So that cup of coffee or one of the higher caffeine energy drinks consumed in the afternoon could very well wreak havoc on your sleep that night...setting you up for a lethargic and uproductive afternoon the next day...which you could combat with a cup of coffee and another short nap.

In a very short while you could be on a health defeating rollercoaster ride.

Tip from your wellness coach: reduce or eliminate your sleep debt by consistently getting to bed earlier every evening.

Watermelon Dectective

If you've been keeping up with the latest in health news, you may have seen a few articles reporting that watermelon is more nutritious when served at room temperature. Personally, I prefer my watermelon ice cold, so I was a bit dismayed when I heard about this. After all, that's one of the joys of these sweltering summer days here in Georgia...a juicy, deep red, icy cold slice of my favorite fruit. The thought of eating watermelon at room temperature is well...a little less than appetizing.

I did a little sleuthing by taking a look at the study behind these headlines. Turns out that watermelons continue to produce more lycopene and beta-carotene even after they are picked, as long as they are stored at room temperature. Lycopene, as you may know, is a powerful anti-oxidant that gives watermelon (and tomatoes) that beautiful red color and also plays a role in preventing heart disease as well as some cancers. Beta-carotene is converted by the body into Vitamin A.

The study, completed by U.S. Department of Agriculture scientists and published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, showed that whole watermelons, when stored at 70 degrees, had substantially more of these nutrients than melons that had been freshly picked or that had been stored at 51 or 41 degrees Fahrenheit.

When compared to freshly picked melons, whole watermelons which had been stored at 70 degrees  (the temperature of an air-conditioned building) for 14 days, gained up to 40 percent more lycopene and a whopping 50 percent more beta-carotene.

Watermelon is a great summer food. True to its name, this favorite summer fruit is 92% water and two cups (a 1-inch half moon slice) contain only 80 calories. Watermelon is also loaded with potassium and is very low in sodium. Of course, watermelon contains no cholesterol or fat.

Tip from your Wellness Coach: store whole watermelons up to 2 weeks at room temperature, rather than your refrigerator, before eating. Chill just prior to serving, so you don't lose out on any of those great nutrients watermelon has to offer. Look for watermelons that are free of damage (cuts, bruises, cracks or dents). The yellow, flat  place on one side of the melon is perfectly normal, as this was the part of the melon that had contact with the ground as the melon was ripening on the vine. Rinse the melon well before cutting, as your knife could drag dirt and germs into the fruit.

Happy eating!

For more tips and tasty watermelon recipes, including Watermelon Fire and Ice Salsa, go on over to North Carolina's Department of Agriculture.

The No Diet

Now here's an interesting thought...cutting calories does not have to mean going on a "diet."

Most people who want to lose weight think that they have to go on a proven and well-thought out program prescribed by their doctor. Or they purchase the latest diet book to hit the bookstore shelves. After several frustrating weeks of attempting to follow the latest in diet codes or shopping for complicated beach recipes, they give up and go back to their old habits.

Here's the deal...for those of us who don't suffer some sort of thyroid problem or other metabolic imbalance (and that's most of us!), we put on fat when we eat more calories (in food and drink) than we burn up. To lose weight, we have to reverse this by burning up more calories than we take in. We can do that in one of three ways:

1. eat less (thereby consuming fewer calories)

2. burn more (by exercising)

3. or both

Cutting down on calories adds up much quicker than trying to lose weight by exercising alone. Let's say you are trying to cut your daily calorie consumption by 500 calories and that you determine that you will walk daily for exercise. Depending on your weight, at a speed of 15 minutes per mile, you would burn between a whopping 44 and 70 calories for 10 minutes of effort. At that rate, you might never lose weight!

So what's the solution? The conventional wisdom is of course, a combination of diet and exercise, the old "eat less and exercise" more advice. And that's still good advice...up to a point.

A new study from the University of Minnesota showed that when women and men reduced the fat in their diets (moderately to substantially), their weight dropped, regardless of how much they changed their pattern of exercise! Now here's the interesting thing...in women, even a substantial increase in exercise was not enough to produce weight loss if they did not reduce fat consumption. Men, on the other hand, were able to lose weight through exercise alone.

A combination strategy is still the best advice, but for women there must also be a decrease in dietary fat for the weight to come off.

Now back to the "no diet" plan.

You really don't need a book to begin to avoid or limit one or more foods which are high in fat (such as high fat meat, full fat cheese or high fat snacks). Sweetened beverages, although they contain no fat, are a source of a lot of "hidden" calories in many peoples' diets. A simple reduction in portion sizes can also go a long way to make cutting calories easier.

To sum up, avoid high calorie beverages (switch to water or unsweetened tea). Be cautious about consuming artificial sweeteners. Cut portion sizes...a little less food at each meal can add up to a lot of calories in a day. Look for lower fat protein choices...skim or 1% milk, low fat yogurt or cottage cheese, lean meat and fish. Get plenty of whole fresh fruits and vegetables and when you do eat bread products, make them whole grain. Go for a brisk walk for 30 minutes four to five times a week.

This plan isn't really too glamorous is it? No mysterious Codes, and no Beach recipes.

Maybe I should write a book called the "No Diet"...coming soon to a bookstore near you!

Fast Track to a Heart Attack? Fast-Five Guidelines to Eating Out

Take a look around you the next time you are out...at the mall, waiting in line at the post office or in any other public place.

Notice anything different lately about the people you see?

Chances are that over half the people you came in contact with were overweight or obese. Perhaps you fall into one of these categories yourself.

The statistics are alarming. Nearly 64% of Americans are now classified as overweight or obese, putting many of us at risk for heart disease, diabetes and other chronic diseases.

Here's another number for you. According to FDA Commissioner, Dr. Andrew von Eschenbach, Americans consume one-third of our calories outside our  homes...in restaurants, cafeterias and other establishments.

We already know we tend to eat more, in terms of both fat and total calories, when we go out to eat. Plus, nutritional information about the foods we consume in restaurants is not easily available.

And portion sizes! In the average restaurant, there is usually enough food (and calories) on one plate to feed two people, and sometimes three.

But with the demands of work, children and family, the days of three home cooked meals are over for most of us. Many of us will continue to eat most, if not all of our meals outside our homes. What can we do to make sure that by eating out we are not on the fast track to a heart attack?

America has been called the "Fast Food Nation" and for good reason. This country was one of the first places where you could get a day's worth of calories for a couple of bucks and then consume them in five minutes, all without ever leaving your car!

Here are the "Fast Five" food guidelines:

1) No Super-sizing: keep portion control in mind. Because many fast foods are calorie dense (meaning a lot of calories in a relatively small amount of food), you can be easily fooled by the amount of calories you are actually consuming. 

2) Easy on the sauce: Avoid high fat and high calorie sauces  and salad dressings, either by  eliminating them completely or ordering them on the side and then using them sparingly.

3) Your attention please: Many fast food places are adding lower calorie and fat choices so pay attention to changes in the menu. Choose from one of these newer, healthier offerings instead of the regular fare.

4) Have it your way: Even if there are no lower fat and calorie choices, you can make the food you do order healthier. Order a grilled chicken sandwich without sauce or mayo. (You can ask for mustard instead.) Always get salad dressing on the side. Order a single hamburger (regular or children's size).

5) Make the switch: Beverages can really pile on a lot of empty calories. A large cola drink has 310 calories! Switch to water or low fat milk. If you just have to have that soda, at least get a diet soda and one that is caffeine free.

So next time you find yourself on the fast food track, remember the Fast Five. Your waistline (and your heart) will thank you for it!

( Here are some links to nutritional information for MacDonald's, Chick-Fil-A and Wendy's )

I'd Rather Switch Than Fight, Saturated Fat That Is

Just when you thought dietary news couldn't get much worse, here's another food zinger.

The public has known for a fairly long time that foods high in saturated fat (red meat, full fat dairy products and so forth) increases our LDL (aka "bad' cholesterol) levels and raises our risk of developing heart disease. Some of those folks who have never had to worry about their cholesterol levels have not paid much attention to their daily intake of saturated fats. Some surveys suggest that on average, Americans consume about 12% of daily calories from saturated fat. The newest dietary guidelines suggest a maximum of 10% (or 20 grams a day) for the average adult.

But now, new studies suggest that saturated fats are worse that we originally thought. Not only do they contribute to bad cholesterol, but they have been found to interfere with the function of insulin, which could possibly lead to diabetes, and to raise the risk of cancer, ovarian problems in women and other detrimental health effects.

The average adult in the U.S. needs to cut their saturated fat intake by 5 to 10 grams a day. But how do you do that?

Fortunately, reducing saturated fat isn't all that difficult. First, read the labels on the packages of the foods you buy, to avoid ingesting products high in saturated fat. Usually, food manufacturers are not primarily concerned with the health of your arteries, much less the functioning of your pancreas, when they implore you to purchase their products. No big surprise there.

Second, think about substituting skinless chicken or seafood for red meat in your diet whenever possible.

Third, switch from whole milk to skim or 1%. Substitute a small amount of good quality olive oil for butter or margarine.

Some folks like to implement these changes slowly or others do it all at once. Either way, you win.

Quinoa Anyone?

Healthy food choices are one of the best things we can do for ourselves to move toward wellness.

But in spite of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's recommendations for Americans to eat six servings of grains a day, of which three should be whole grains, we still, on average eat only one serving daily.

But what exactly is a whole grain? Just what the term says...grains that are whole. That means they contain all three parts:

1. the bran: the tough outer layer that contains much of the grain's fiber
2. the endosperm: the carbohydrate filled starchy component that is often processed singly into white
flour
3. the germ: the grain's core, which contains fiber, minerals, antioxidants and vitamins.

Food labels can be very misleading. Look for the term "whole grains" as one of the first ingredients on the lablel. Beware of the terms "cracked wheat" or "wheat flour" which do not signify whole grains.

Now most nutritionists will tell you that breads and cereal products containing whole wheat flour count as whole grains...and technically that is correct, since whole wheat flour is made from whole grain. But this fails to take into consideration the fact, that even with whole wheat flour, the grain is finely crushed and pulverized into the final product. This grinding and processing of grains into the fine powder we know as flour, increases what is known as its glycemic index or G.I. The G.I. of a food measures how fast that particular food is absorbed into our bloodstreams. The higher the G.I., the faster the food is absorbed. The faster the absorption, the faster our blood sugar will rise after we eat that particular food and the more insulin our pancreas has to produce to get our blood sugar back to a normal level.

The thing to remember is this: whole foods are better for you than processed foods. And that goes for fruits and vegetables, as well as grains. Processed foods have a higher G.I., resulting in higher blood sugar spikes. This can ultimately lead to a condition known as insulin resistance, which means that our sugar levels don't respond as well as they should to the production of insulin from the pancreas. Increasing insulin resistance is a precursor to diabetes.

So add some whole grains to your daily food choices, such as:

-whole oats (as in oatmeal for breakfast, and skip the brown sugar and butter)
-quinoa (a wonderful, nutty tasting grain from the ancient Mayan culture that is easy to prepare)
-brown rice (brown basmati rice is wonderfully fragrant and tasty).

So don't be mislead by labels that say "whole grain". Even though they are better than foods that are made with wheat flour, and certainly better than those made with white flour, they are still highly processed. Whole is better.

Are You Eating Too Little?

Now that's a question that really makes me think!

Just looking around, at least here in the States, it doesn't appear to me that most of us are eating too little...quite the contrary.

All the latest statistics say that obesity in America is increasing at an unprecedented rate. In plain unvarnished English, that means we are all too fat. A glance around at the people who are visiting your neighborhood mall or grocery store seems to bear this out. A few years ago, it seems I almost never saw anyone using the scooters in the large stores such as Wal-Mart, and even when I did the person was very likely to be thin and using an oxygen tank as well.

Not any more. Now the folks who are driving the scooters, at least from my observation, are etremely heavy.

Now don't get me wrong. I am not saying that people who suffer from obesity should just get up and walk around the store. Obesity is a serious medical condition, and many times, obese people also suffer from painful arthritis in their joints, breathing problems and a host of other ailments.

Many people don't understand at all that obesity is an extremely complex condition and is caused by a combination of genetic predisposition, the body's individual metabolic rate, cultural and psychological influences and a variety of other factors. Beloved members of my own family struggle with obesity and since I hit those lovely menopause years, all I have to do is sniff food to put on a couple of pounds.

Our hectic, stress-filled lives and fast paced culture do not help. And neither do the golden arches, biggie fries and "super-size me" boys. Where else but in our culture can you purchase a day's worth of calories for two ninety-nine and scarf it down in less than five minutes, all without removing yourself from the comfort of the front seat of your car?

So how can I even pose a question like this one: are we eating too little?

Actually, I'm not the one who asked the original question. For that, I defer to Bruce Ames, a biochemist and researcher at the prestigious Children's Hospital Oakland Research Institute. Dr. Ames readily admits that the typical American diet is loaded with calories. But in 2004, at a meeting of the top nutrition scientists, which took place at the University of California, Los Angeles, Dr. Ames proposed a radical idea...

Americans are fat...and getting fatter...

not because we eat too much...but because we eat too little.

Not "too little" in terms of total calories, but "too little" when it comes to some crucial nutrients.

There are more than forty minerals and vitamins that we absolutely have to have for our bodies to function properly and for the most part, we can't get them by popping a handful of vitamins. So...

when we eat a meal that doens't supply us with what our bodies need (and fast food doesn't come close to passing that test!) our brains get the signal that we have not had enough to eat!

So what should we do?

A good multi-vitamin doesn't hurt but many studies show that food is our best source for vitamins and minerals. And unlike vitamins, we can't overdose on the vitamins we get from food.

So be aware of what you are putting into your body. Choose fruits and vegetables and whole grains over fast foods and juice and soda. Your body will thank you and you will be on the road to having good health for years to come.