Showing posts with label 80. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 80. Show all posts
Slash Heart Disease Risk by 80
Wednesday, March 26, 2014
(Article first published as Four Step Approach to Cut Heart Disease Risk by Eighty Percent on Technorati.)
Nearly one million people fall victim to heart disease every year. The vast majority of these people are unaware that this devastating condition can be prevented with a natural approach to diet. Researchers from the European EPIC (European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition) study have developed a plan that can reduce the risk of coronary artery disease by 81%.
The typical patient diagnosed with heart disease is placed on a low fat diet and given a handful of medications including a statin. Statins cause muscle pain in 40% of those who take them and information from a study published in The Lancet journal confirms that this class of medication causes diabetes. Volumes of research confirm that high cholesterol is not the cause of heart disease, yet it remains a popular target of treatment because it`s easy to lower with drugs. Similarly, a low fat diet perpetuates and worsens heart disease as it triggers continual blood sugar surges and high triglycerides.
Refined Carbohydrates, Grains and Sugar: Processed foods have become a staple in the typical diet. These foods are loaded with simple carbs that quickly break down to glucose and cause rapid blood sugar spikes. This eventually leads to insulin resistance and damages the delicate inner endothelial lining of the coronary arteries. Cut all breads, pasta, rice, sugary treats and any foods made with wheat (including whole grain) or corn.
Medical researchers understand that heart disease begins early in life and progresses to threaten life as we approach our senior years. The good news is that heart disease can be controlled and reversed by making simple changes to lifestyle and diet.
Drugs Can`t Fix Heart Disease
Correcting the Real Cause of Heart Disease
The results of the EPIC study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine demonstrate that changes in diet could lower the risk of a heart attack by 81% through inflammation reduction and lowering blood pressure. The study highlighted four dietary factors that result in heart disease.
Excess Omega-6 Vegetable Oils: Vegetable oils are stable at room temperature and are used in virtually all baked and processed foods to enhance flavor and increase shelf life. Excess amounts of vegetable fats trigger the release of inflammatory chemical messengers that increase oxidative stress and damage the vascular system. Don`t use vegetable oils for cooking and avoid all fried foods and corn fed meats.
Omega-3 Fat Deficiency: Our modern diet is virtually void of health-sustaining Omega-3 fats that have been a part of the human diet for countless generations. The proper ratio of Omega-6 to Omega-3 fats is ideally 1:1. Experts agree that many people are closer to a 20:1 ratio. This creates an imbalance and promotes systemic inflammation. Include tuna, salmon, sardines, nuts and seeds to balance your fat ratio or include a high potency fish oil supplement.
Oxidative Stress: The normal course of breathing, eating and moving generates free radicals that can damage our genetic structure and cause LDL cholesterol to become oxidized. We can’t avoid the process entirely but we can include healthy quantities of fresh vegetables, berries and targeted supplements to negate the effects of free radicals on our heart and other organs.
Heart disease is the leading killer of people in western society. Most of these deaths can be prevented by following a natural diet and adopting a healthy lifestyle. Reduce your risk of death from heart disease by making these changes today and live to pass the word to your great grandchildren.
The 80 20 Rule The Essence of Holistic Health
Tuesday, March 11, 2014
But today, being three years older and just a little bit more mature, I understand the value of this 80/20 rule. Perhaps I misunderstood the intent, but Mark makes it very clear in the article erenced above... "Even though 100% compliance isn’t the exact everyday expectation, 100% commitment is the intention." Commitment is key. If youre committed at the core to living a healthy lifestyle, if that is who you are and who you want to be, then eating like junk once in a while is perfectly okay. The next day youll hop right back on the wagon and keep on being you.
But beyond just the 80/20 rule being "good enough", I would argue that in many cases, the 80/20 rule is BETTER than adhering 100% to a diet. Why?? Holistic health.
Youve probably heard the term before. "Holistic". When we talk about holistic health, were normally talking about using food as medicine... allowing the body to heal itself by giving it the proper raw materials... eating an ancestral diet fits right into this paradigm. But I think we tend to forget what holistic health really means. According to Merriam-Webster...
Holistic - relating to or concerned with wholes or with complete systems rather than with the analysis of, treatment of, or dissection into parts <holistic medicine attempts to treat both the mind and the body>
Yes, eating real, natural, nutrient-dense food is good for your health. Fruits, vegetables, pastured meats. Of course.
But health is about more than just the body. It is also about the mind (and the soul, if I can be spiritual for a moment).
Theres more to life than eating healthy. And theres more to health than just what you eat. What about love? Family? Happiness? Fulfillment? It is my firm belief that through these entities, junk food can be a vital part of a healthy lifestyle. Examples you want??? Well Ive come prepared...
1.) What if youre eating red velvet cupcakes with your partner as part of a sensual night full of indulgences and love making?
2.) What if youre eating stromboli for lunch as part of a vacation to Italy with your closest family members?
3.) What if youre eating chicken wings and beer as a celebration with your soccer teammates after winning your league championship?
4.) What if youre eating a slice (or two) of your grandmas apple pie on Thanksgiving, because its a special occasion and your grandma made it just for you?
5.) What if youre eating a piece of pepperoni pizza, just because you fucking love pepperoni pizza and it makes you happy?
I dare you to say any of these are damaging to your overall health.
Of course, theres a fine line to be drawn here. The human body has needs; we need the right fuel (real food) in order for it to run properly. But my point is that true health goes far beyond just what we eat. If were focusing entirely on nutrition, were missing the bigger picture. I could go on and on about this topic, but I think Ill cut it short for today. No doubt there will be more musings on this stuff in the future! (Actually maybe even quite soon as I plan to blog about orthorexia. Inspired by the article by Emily Deans.)
Thoughts anyone?? Id love your feedback!
Red Meat Consumption Increases Cancer Risk by 80
Wednesday, January 29, 2014
(Article first published as Eating Red Meat Increases Digestive Cancer Risk by Eighty Percent on Technorati.)
Many researchers have made the connection between red meat consumption and a variety of different digestive cancers. The results of a study published in the American Journal of Gastroenterology makes a clear link between red meat consumption and esophageal (esophageal squamous cell carcinoma) and stomach cancer (gastric cardia cancer) lines. The study focuses on a type of compound known as DiMelQx that is formed when meat is cooked at high temperatures.
Red meat and cooking have been the focus of numerous investigative studies. Researchers have discovered that cooking meats at high temperatures generates heterocyclic amines (HCA`s) as well as N-nitroso compounds and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. These compounds have been shown to cause colorectal and other gastrointestinal cancers through several biochemical mechanisms. Unbound iron in red meat has also been shown to promote cancer development.
Stomach cancer will be diagnosed in 21,000 men and women annually with nearly 11,000 deaths as a result. The natural alternative would be to eat a Mediterranean style diet focused on fresh vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, fish and healthy monounsaturated fats such as olive oil. Vegetables are best eaten raw or lightly steamed to avoid the byproducts of overcooking. Choose limited quantities of white meat that have been roasted (with skin removed) to avoid excess iron and charring.
Red Meat Cooked at High Temperatures or Charbroiled Implicated in Increased Cancer Risk
Study Makes Direct Link to Dramatic Rise in Cancer Risk
Investigators from the National Cancer Institute tracked the health of nearly 500,000 Americans aged 50 to 71 for a period of 10 years. The study examined nutritional habits including meat consumption and preparation as well as smoking, exercise and body weight. Those participants who ate the most meat were 79% more likely to develop esophageal squamous cell carcinoma compared to those who ate the least meat.
Cooking Byproducts Multiply Cancer Risk
When meat is cooked at high temperatures using methods such as grilling, frying or searing, fats at the surface of the meat are chemically altered to become mutagenic compounds known as HCA`s and DiMelQx. The study authors concluded “We found positive associations between red meat intake and esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, and between DiMeIQx intake and gastric cardia cancer.”
Protecting Yourself From Stomach Cancer
Stomach and esophageal cancers are yet another example of preventable disease. These cancers occur largely as a result of food choices and cooking methods. Eliminate most meat from your diet and include plenty of raw vegetables and fruits to lead a healthy life free from cancer risk.
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