Link Between Added Sugars and Cholesterol Levels

My parents send me the Tufts University Health & Nutrition Letter after they read it each month, which is great because I learn something and occasionally get material for the blog. The cover article for July was about how sugars affect cholesterol levels, which is something I thought many of you would be interested in. I often get e-mails from people asking what foods are good for lowering cholesterol. This is always a tough question. I know people who eat a healthy diet who have high cholesterol, and I know people who eat terribly but have low cholesterol. So, it’s difficult to tell someone what to eat without knowing a lot more about their family medical history, current diet, exercise routine, and more.

This article claims that the first study was conducted on the relationship between sugar and cholesterol levels, and the conclusion was that sugars added to processed foods can increase LDL cholesterol, lower HDL cholesterol, raise triglycerides, and increase overall risk of heart disease.

It states that Americans get about 16% of our total daily calories from added sugars found in processed foods. That’s about 90 grams of sugar, or 21.4 teaspoons. Gross!

The group that ate increased levels of added sugars from processed foods had lower HDL (good) cholesterol levels at the end of the study, and higher levels of unhealthy triglycerides. The interesting part, though, is that LDL (bad) cholesterol levels increased only in women in this group. There wasn’t really any explanation as to why men’s LDL cholesterol was not affected by the processed foods in the same way the women’s was. I was surprised to hear these results, but I recommend taking them with a grain of salt. Not that I know more than the medical experts at Tufts, but I don’t want men to read this and think it’s okay to eat more processed foods! We all know that processed foods can take a toll on our health in many different ways, and the best diet is one consisting of fresh, whole foods and minimal amounts of processed foods.

There’s one other interesting part of the article I wanted to point out. Towards the end, they provide some “tips” for reducing sugar intake. One tip reads, “Buy sugar-free or low-calorie beverages.” Besides the fact that I completely disagree with this, there is another tip they give that says to “Use zero-calorie sweeteners in moderation.” Now, I agree with using zero-calorie sweeteners in moderation, but these are the sweeteners used in sugar-free or low-cal beverages, which they are encouraging people to drink! Makes no sense to me.

Either way, it’s an interesting article and I’m glad there is some concrete evidence that sugars from processed foods are not good for cholesterol levels. So many people are constantly concerned about their cholesterol levels, yet continue to eat a diet high in processed foods. Maybe this will give them the motivation they need to transition into a more whole foods based diet! And remember that even foods that appear healthy usually have lots of added sugars and are still highly processed. They may advertise the protein or fiber, but always check sugar content!

Have a great weekend!

Source for this post: Tufts University Health & Nutrition Letter, July 2010, Volume 28, Number 5

New PWN Website is Up!

I had lots of great comments and e-mails in response to yesterday’s post on school lunches and kids not getting enough time to eat. I’m happy to hear there are parents out there who feel so strongly about this issue!

On another note, I am really excited to announce that my business website is finally ready to go! You can visit it here, or it's also linked at the top of the blog. It took me a while to get organized but once I was, my awesome designer Lizzie Sorensen got right to work and did a great job. I told her I wanted something fresh and simple. I love her style and the other websites she has designed, so I knew it would turn out well! Thanks Lizzie! (Follow her on twitter here).

I also want to thank my sister, Alice Dickherber, and one of her friends, Katie Guymon, for providing the photographs for my website. I knew that fresh food photos would really add to the look I was going for, and when they each offered to take some for me, I was so excited. These girls have professions outside of photography, but I think they should be selling their photographs on the side! I wanted to use them all on the website, but Lizzie and I decided that less is more. However, I’ve added some of the extras throughout this blog post because they are so good! Katie also writes a blog called I Used to Vacation, and contributes to a music blog called Speakers in Code. Check them out! Follow Alice on twitter here, and Katie here.

Eventually I hope to have a Paypal account set up on my website, so clients can pay me directly through there. Right now I am offering a student rate through June of 2011, when I graduate. It's about half of what I'll eventually charge, so I hope people take advantage of it! There are also discounts for those who buy a package of sessions. I will start clients off with a free 15-minute phone consultation to make sure I’m a good fit for them, and we will schedule any appointments after that. Please forward the website on to anyone who may be interested! I can do in-person counseling out of my home office, or phone consultations for those who do not live in Denver. Between now and June I will be balancing full-time school and clients, so I will only take a limited amount. After that, I look forward to growing my business! I appreciate your help with networking.

Thanks again to Lizzie, Alice and Katie for helping me out with everything. I am really excited to start seeing more clients!

School Lunch

This is not directly related to nutrition but it’s something that was brought to my attention last night, and I wanted to reflect.

While Ed was making dinner, three of our darling neighborhood kids knocked on the door. They were selling Nestle cookies and Sally Foster things for a school fundraiser – to raise money to take a science class field trip to Keystone for a couple of nights. I invited them in (don’t worry – we know them and their parents well) and spent $40 on things we do not want or need, and then just talked to them about school.

Apparently they have a new principal this year, and she has come up with some new rules that they don’t approve of. One of them is regarding lunch and recess time. They get 5 minutes for lunch, and 10 minutes of “organized play” for recess, and that’s it. They’re in 4^th and 5^th grade. Now, I realize they could be exaggerating on their allotted lunch time, but I trust these kids. They’re smart and wouldn’t lie.

One of the girls said that yesterday, by the time she got through the lunch line, the bell had rung for recess. She told her teacher “I need to eat my lunch” (good for her!), and her teacher said “You can bring it back up to the classroom”. They have a friend who is diabetic and needs to test her blood sugar levels before eating, and they said she never gets time to eat because the testing takes a few minutes, and then lunch is over.

I don’t have kids. And when I do, they will follow all of the rules at school, whether they – or I – like them or not. But, this rule would really upset me! Five minutes is NOT enough time for a child to eat a lunch. Kids should not be encouraged to rush through their meals, and they’ll learn better throughout the day if they’re allowed some social time with their friends while they eat. (I’m also not crazy about the “organized play” at recess, but I’ll stick to the lunches here).

For those of you with kids in school, do they also have rushed lunch periods? They must be starving by the time they get home! This is just another reason why breakfast should be emphasized as a very important meal, and you should send them out the door with protein (not sugar) in their bellies so they can make it through their day.

Anyway, this was just something I found really interesting. I’m totally siding with the neighborhood kids here – they deserve a longer lunch period! Even 15 minutes would be appropriate. I can't remember how much time I got to eat in elementary school, but I know it was enough time to eat and be social with my friends, then play a full game of kickball at recess. I never remember feeling rushed!

5 Important Supplements

In the September issue of Whole Living magazine, I found a quick article on five key supplements that most women can benefit from. However, I think both women and men can benefit from these! I happen to agree completely with the five they chose, and I think it’s a good reminder for all of us on what we may be deficient in, and why it’s important to supplement in certain areas.

Vitamin D

I’ve talked about vitamin D before here. It’s SO important, and there are constantly new studies coming out linking low vitamin D levels to higher cancer rates and increased heart attack risk. Even if you think you’re getting enough from the sun, you may not be. To prove my point, I take vitamin D supplements and I live in a state that boasts of sunshine over 300 days per year! I got my levels tested a few months ago and while they were in the “acceptable” range, they were on the lower end. Lluckily I have a doctor who believes as strongly in vitamin D as I do, so she immediately gave me supplements. I strongly encourage people to get their vitamin D levels tested, and when you compare your level to the “optimal” range, aim for the high end. The more the better! If you live in a climate with longer winters, supplementing with vitamin D3 is absolutely crucial.

Calcium

Many people are able to obtain enough calcium from whole foods. Despite what you may think (due to huge marketing efforts), dairy is not the only source of calcium. In fact, leafy greens have just as much calcium as cow’s milk! Other great sources include sesame seeds (more calcium than milk), blackstrap molasses and yogurt. Calcium is important for healthy bones. If supplementing with calcium, make sure you buy the form calcium citrate because it best delivers the minerals to the body.

Magnesium

Magnesium helps to regulate our neurotransmitters and support mental health. Some doctors even prescribe magnesium supplements for those suffering from insomnia, claiming it’s a natural anti-anxiety mineral. For those with muscle spasms or pain, magnesium helps to relax the muscles. It’s good to take with an evening meal, because it does help people fall asleep more peacefully.

Vitamin B

Vitamin B is necessary for strong immunity. Whole food sources of B-vitamins include leafy greens and meat. If someone is deficient in B-vitamins, they may start to feel depressed, fatigued or just down. B-vitamins help enhance mood and boost energy, and for this reason are best when taken in the morning. This way they’ll provide energy for your day without disrupting bedtime!

Omega-3 Fatty Acids

I’ve talked about fish oil before as well, but again it’s good to reinforce the importance of fatty acids in the diet. Don’t worry, they WILL NOT make you fat! They actually lower triglycerides and reduce inflammation, which is the cause of many health issues. And, since our brain is made up of mostly fat, they support brain health as well. Omega-3s can be taken in the form of capsules or actual fish oil. I recommend the capsules… trust me, drinking straight fish oil is not fun!

As always, I recommend talking to your doctor before starting supplements. They can test your levels and help you determine which supplements you’d benefit from.

Simple Food Allergy Test

I recently came across this quick self-test for determining whether or not you are allergic to a particular food. I haven’t tried it myself, but it comes from a very credible source. This can be an easy way to test kids for common food allergies such as dairy or gluten.

When you are having an allergic reaction to a food, your pulse rate will increase after eating the food. Therefore, by taking your pulse before and after eating the food, you can find out if you are allergic. The process is below.

Sit down and relax for a few minutes. Once you are completely relaxed, count the number of beats in your wrist for 60 seconds. Normal pulse varies by age, but should look something like this:

• Newborn infants: 100 – 160 beats per minute

• Children 1 – 10 years: 70 – 120 beats per minute

• Children over 10 years: 60 – 100 beats per minute

• Adults: 60 – 100 beats per minute

• Well-trained athletes: 40 – 60 beats per minute

After you get your 60-second pulse, eat the food you suspect you may be allergic to. Wait 20 minutes, and then take your pulse again. If your pulse rate has increased more than 10 beats per minute, you may be allergic to that food. Eliminate it from your diet for one month, and then redo this test to see if you get a similar result.

Balancing Food Within A Family

I’m really excited about my 2 classes that start September 1^st: Digestion & Detox, and Lifecycles & Healthy Aging. For the Lifecycles class, we go through each stage of life starting with pregnancy and ending in old age, and learn about how nutrition can benefit health every step of the way.

One of the books we will be reading is called Feeding Your Child for Lifelong Health, by S. Roberts, Ph.D. & M. Heyman, M.D. I’ve been browsing through each of my books (I have about 10 books per class, literally) as they arrive from Amazon.com shipping, and this one seemed particularly interesting.

I think something many families struggle with is how to balance “adult” meals and nutrition with the wants and needs of the kids. Most of you know where I stand on this – kids should eat what the adults eat to whatever extent possible, especially as they get old enough to chew and digest most things. (Note: I realize I have no right to even have a stance on this because I don’t have kids, but I am putting it out there anyway).

This book provides some tips for balancing food within the whole family. The authors claim that if you follow their guidelines on most days, you can rest assured that your family is getting the proper nutrients from their diet. The guidelines are as follows:

• Vary the balance of different foods for different family members. For example, kids and adults need about the same levels of calcium, but kids only need about half the fruits and veggies and less than half of the grains that adults do.

• Shop for everyone’s fat and fiber needs. Since kids need more fat, whole milk or 2% is appropriate for them. If you are watching your fat intake, you may prefer skim milk. Some adults need more fiber in their diet to assist with proper health, so they may eat cereals and breads that are extremely high in fiber. Kids, however, generally have lower fiber needs than adults.

• If recipes you like have ingredients that are not suitable for your child, simply leave them out and put them on the table as condiments. The two biggies here are added salt and alcohol, which are found in many recipes. Strong spices would also fall into this category.

• Focus on cooking methods that enhance nutrition for everyone. Maximize the family’s vitamin intake by eating raw salads and/or steaming veggies to retain water-soluble vitamins. Try to use fresh veggies, rather than canned or frozen, whenever possible.

• Unless you have a family medical history that dictates a special diet, you don’t need to avoid red meat entirely. Red meat is high in iron and zinc, which are crucial for growth and development of the child. Eggs are also a great source of iron and zinc.

• Give your child a multivitamin/mineral supplement. This is something your doctor can advise you on.

I thought these were some great tips, and a good reminder of how important it is to focus on nutrition and healthy meals containing REAL food (vs “kid” foods) from an early age. If you start your kid off eating convenience foods, and show them that it’s okay for them to eat a separate meal from mom and dad, they may never want to graduate to the adult table.

State Fairs

It’s Friday. And I don’t know about you, but I've had an extremely long (but good!) week. Anyway, I wanted to keep it light today, and I think I have the perfect post to send you into your weekend with.

It’s state fair season everywhere. My hometown state fair, the Minnesota State Fair, happens to be the greatest one. As kids, my siblings and I used to go to the MN State Fair with my grandfather, Pops. He’d fly out to St. Paul from St. Louis, and take all of us for food, animals and rides. Pops now lives in St. Paul, and last year my dad and I had the pleasure of taking him up in the space needle! It was really cool – he was definitely the only 88-year old in the space needle.

But the real issue I want to talk about is the food at state fairs. I understand they’re not going for “health,” or even “fresh” or “organic,” and that's fine! But at times they get out of hand. My brother sent me an e-mail last night with a link to an article and the words, “The Wisconsin State Fair needs PWN.” The link? It was to the WI State Fair’s newest food: the Krispy Kreme Cheeseburger. I mean, it’s just kind of ridiculous, right? Things like fried Snickers bars and now Krispy Kreme Cheeseburgers don’t even sound tasty to me. If I go to the state fair, I want to get the state’s best French fries, or corn, or a fresh vanilla shake from the dairy barn. But it almost seems like it’s become a novelty to eat the most absurd, unhealthy food possible at the state fair.

Oh, and I forgot to mention that they have bacon on them too...

If you are headed to the fair this weekend, eat foods that you know you’ll truly enjoy, and eat them guilt-free! But I would advise you not to eat something just because “it’s only available once a year” or you really want to tell your brother that you drank a fried Coke (yes, that exists too).

Not that you asked for my advice, but if you had, that’s what I’d say.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Recipe: No-Mayo Coleslaw

Back in July, I blogged about the many benefits of apple cider vinegar. Many of you then told me that you went out and bought some, but now what?

One of the main things I use ACV for is salad dressings, especially when I make coleslaw. My mom always made her coleslaw with a vinegar-based dressing, rather than using mayo. I never thought much of it until I left home and realized that most coleslaw is all thick and mayonnaise-y and not nearly as yummy as my mom’s. The first time Ed met my parents, he even asked my mom for her coleslaw recipe!

I’m not sure what exactly she puts into her slaw, but I’ve been able to come up with my own version that tastes pretty good. So, for those of you that are waiting for some ACV recipes, this one’s for you!

Recipe

For the coleslaw, I just use whatever veggies I have on hand. This time I used 1 head of cabbage, 4 turnips, 1 bunch of green onions, 3 cloves garlic, and ½ cup parsley from the garden. Other veggies you can add include beets, kale, radishes, carrots or cilantro.

Shred all veggies in a food processor and combine.

Dressing

¼ cup apple cider vinegar

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more to taste

juice from ½ lemon

sea salt

pepper

Combine all dressing ingredients in a jar, and shake well. (My dressing looks kind of black because my sea salt is black). Add more olive oil if it’s too strong. Pour lightly over coleslaw, mix, and taste. Add more dressing as needed.

The ACV gives this a nice fresh taste. The dressing can also be used on regular salads! Enjoy.

Non-GMO Shopping Guide

Yesterday I talked about GMOs and why there is some controversy surrounding them. I also provided some tips for avoiding GMOs in the food you purchase and consume. Today, I will go into more detail around which foods are safe, and which ones may contain GMOs.

According to one source, most fruits and vegetables that are grown in the United States are NOT genetically modified. Even products such as seedless watermelon are considered non-GMO. Some zucchini, yellow squash, and sweet corn may be GM, as well as about half of the papaya that comes from Hawaii.

However, I find it difficult to believe that most fruits and veggies are non-GMO. I know at one point tomatoes were often GM and could be altered to stay fresh about 6 weeks from when they were picked, which is about a month longer than regular tomatoes. And sometimes you see fruits or vegetables in the grocery store that just look too enormous to NOT be GM – or at least that’s what I think. But, my source says most fruits and veggies are safe, so let's stick with that!

In the meat, fish and eggs department, it gets kind of complicated. There are no genetically modified meat, fish or eggs that are approved for human consumption, so in theory they are all safe. However, many of the foods we consume come from animals who were raised on genetically modified grains. Therefore, the negative affects of eating GMOs are passed through to the meat, fish or eggs. Some tips for avoiding animal products that were fed GM grains include the following: consume wild – not farmed – fish, because farmed fish are often raised on GM feed; and consume animals and animal products that are 100% grass-fed. Some non-GMO meat and fish brands include Organic Prairie, Tropical Traditions, and Vital Choice. Some non-GMO egg brands include Egg Innovations Organic, Eggland’s Best Organic, Horizon Organic, Land O’Lakes Organic, Nest Fresh Organic and Organic Valley.

Since soy is one of the biggest ingredients to watch out for in terms of GMOs, “alternative” meat products made from soy often contain GMOs. Brands like Boca (owned by Kraft), Gardenburger, and Morningstar Farms (owned by Kellogg) may contain GMO ingredients, unless you purchase the organic line. Non-GMO alternative meat product brands that are safe include Whole Foods’ 365 brand, Amy’s, EcoVegan, Small Planet Tofu, and Vitasoy.

In the dairy department, basically anything that is certified organic is considered safe. Even if the label says that the product was produced without rbGH or rbST, the cows could still have been fed GM feed, so look for that certified organic label.

I think the baby foods and infant formulas are particularly important to watch out for, because we want to be extra careful about what we put into those growing little bodies! Milk or soy protein is the basis of most infant formulas, and some brands even contain GMO-derived corn syrup, corn syrup solids or soy lecithin. Non-GMO baby brands include: Baby’s Only Organic, Bella Baby, Earth’s Best, Gerber, HAPPYBABY, Mom Made Meals, Organic Baby, PediaSmart, Plum Organics, and Tastybaby. The baby brands that may include GMO ingredients include Beech-Nut, Enfamil, Good Start, Nestle, and Similac/Isomil. Stay away from these if possible.

For those of you that have an iphone, there is now an app that helps you shop GMO-free. It’s called ShopNoGMO, and it’s FREE! I just downloaded it and it seems like they have a lot of brands in their database, so it will be helpful. There is also a website you can utilize: www.nongmoshoppingguide.com. Good luck!

Genetically Modified Organisms

Since we’ve all been hearing so much about genetically modified foods recently (also called GMOs), I wanted to give you guys some basic information and tips for avoiding foods made with GMOs.

To genetically modify a food means to artificially insert genes into the DNA of food crops or of animals. Genes used to modify these foods come from bacteria, viruses, insects, animals or humans. GMOs are used in biological and medical research, for the production of pharmaceutical drugs, and in agriculture. Certain crops are modified to become resistant to specific herbicides or to enhance nutritional content of the food. The US company Monsanto owns the largest share of GMO crops.

Many people are concerned about the potential dangers of consuming too many modified foods. Therefore, there has been a recent push amongst certain people to buy only non-GMO foods and avoid any unknown consequences of GMOs. Many worry that GMOs will introduce new allergens into our food, or possibly contribute to the spread of antibiotic resistance that we are seeing so frequently now.

I recently was sent a “Non-GMO Shopping Guide” and I think it provides some really valuable information. There are 3 tips for avoiding GM crops:

• Buy Organic: Certified organic products are not allowed to contain any GMOs. Anything labeled “100% organic,” “organic,” or “made with organic ingredients” should not contain any GMOs. Foods labeled "made with organic ingredients" are only required to contain 70% organic ingredients, however they are also required to be completely GMO-free.

• Look for “Non-GMO” Labels: Some food companies may decide to label their products this way. When buying dairy products, look for labels such as “no rBGH or rBST” and “artificial hormone-free”.

• Avoid At-Risk Ingredients: Try to minimize or avoid any products that are made with crops that are genetically modified. The most frequently genetically modified crops include corn, soybeans, canola and cottonseed. All of these are highly used in processed foods. Remember, there are certain ingredients that may not appear genetically modified, but they can be. For example, sweeteners such as fructose, dextrose and glucose are all made from GM corn.

Tomorrow I’ll go into more detail on which foods are considered “safe” and free from GMOs.