Showing posts with label carbs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label carbs. Show all posts
Carbs Cause Cancer Not Fat
Tuesday, May 20, 2014
If youre a human being, and you are, more than likely youve been affected by cancer in some way. Whether its a close relative, or a friend, or someone more distant, weve all dealt with it. Ive been one of the lucky ones, though. I only had my first encounter with the deadly disease a few months ago, when my good friend Shawns mother passed away after a battle with breast cancer. She was a wonderful woman, and it certainly was, and continues to be, a difficult time for all involved.
Unfortunately, nobody truly understands what causes cancer to develop. Sure there are some things we know can cause cancer, like excessive sun exposure. But the truth is there are more unknowns that knowns. Take diet for example. It seems intuitive that cancer would be linked to what we eat, and no doubt it is. But what foods actually cause cancer? Which foods protect against it? And how would you even go about studying something like this scientifically, when the disease takes a lifetime to develop?
Well there seems to be have been a breakthrough, according to this recent video presentation by Craig Thompson, President and CEO of Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. And I quote...
"If you overfeed somebody with fat, you dont increase their cancer risk at all. You overfeed somebody with carbohydrates, and you dramatically increase their cancer rate. And protein is halfway in between."
Do a double take if you need it. Queue up the video at about 27:10 for the real meat and potatoes. And I repeat... Overeating fat does not increase your risk for cancer, but overeating on carbohydrates DRAMATICALLY increases your risk for cancer. And Id like to reiterate, this is not some bozo on the internet saying this... this is the president and CEO of the #2 ranked cancer hospital in the country. This is mainstream news. This is real.
Now. Here are my points, displayed in an organized fashion.
1.) Eating fat does not increase your cancer risk. And Ive said this before, like two years ago in fact (1, 2, 3). Youve been fed a load of bullshit. I told you so.
2.) We eat too many carbohydrates. In the past few decades, we as Americans have increased our caloric intake. Many of us are eating more calories than we need. Fact. However... our fat intake has barely changed. The extra calories were eating are coming from CARBOHYDRATES (4)! This does not bode well for our cancer risk.
3.) We do not eat too much fat. Although Mr. Thompson feels that overeating on fat is perfectly fine for your cancer risk, he still thinks you should keep the fat in check for the sake of your heart health. According to him, "Right now, every dietary guideline that youve learned about in school was developed for heart fitness. Youre much, much less likely to die of the diseases associated with heart disease [on a low fat diet]. And so weve had a dramatic decrease of almost 60% in the deaths in one generation from heart disease."
Okay, so weve had a 60% decrease in deaths from heart disease... but were not eating less fat! There are plenty of reasons were not dying as often from heart disease, like a reduction in societal stress (believe it or not, its true (5) ) and widespread use of statin drugs (they may not save lives, but they certainly reduce your risk for heart disease (6) ).
4.) Eating fat, specifically saturated fat, does NOT increase your risk for heart disease. If theres anything Ive talked about exhaustively on this blog, its this very topic... the best of which can be found HERE, while related articles can be found here and here. This mans specialty is in cancer, and I think he should stick to what he knows best.
5.) Go enjoy a stick of butter! Okay not really, thats gross. But a small slab?? Aint nothin wrong with that!
I leave you with a little poem I wrote...
Fat doesnt give me cancer,
And it wont give me heart disease.
Why dont I stop worrying then,
Pass the butter, please!
Unfortunately, nobody truly understands what causes cancer to develop. Sure there are some things we know can cause cancer, like excessive sun exposure. But the truth is there are more unknowns that knowns. Take diet for example. It seems intuitive that cancer would be linked to what we eat, and no doubt it is. But what foods actually cause cancer? Which foods protect against it? And how would you even go about studying something like this scientifically, when the disease takes a lifetime to develop?
Well there seems to be have been a breakthrough, according to this recent video presentation by Craig Thompson, President and CEO of Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. And I quote...
"If you overfeed somebody with fat, you dont increase their cancer risk at all. You overfeed somebody with carbohydrates, and you dramatically increase their cancer rate. And protein is halfway in between."
Do a double take if you need it. Queue up the video at about 27:10 for the real meat and potatoes. And I repeat... Overeating fat does not increase your risk for cancer, but overeating on carbohydrates DRAMATICALLY increases your risk for cancer. And Id like to reiterate, this is not some bozo on the internet saying this... this is the president and CEO of the #2 ranked cancer hospital in the country. This is mainstream news. This is real.
Now. Here are my points, displayed in an organized fashion.
1.) Eating fat does not increase your cancer risk. And Ive said this before, like two years ago in fact (1, 2, 3). Youve been fed a load of bullshit. I told you so.
2.) We eat too many carbohydrates. In the past few decades, we as Americans have increased our caloric intake. Many of us are eating more calories than we need. Fact. However... our fat intake has barely changed. The extra calories were eating are coming from CARBOHYDRATES (4)! This does not bode well for our cancer risk.
3.) We do not eat too much fat. Although Mr. Thompson feels that overeating on fat is perfectly fine for your cancer risk, he still thinks you should keep the fat in check for the sake of your heart health. According to him, "Right now, every dietary guideline that youve learned about in school was developed for heart fitness. Youre much, much less likely to die of the diseases associated with heart disease [on a low fat diet]. And so weve had a dramatic decrease of almost 60% in the deaths in one generation from heart disease."
Okay, so weve had a 60% decrease in deaths from heart disease... but were not eating less fat! There are plenty of reasons were not dying as often from heart disease, like a reduction in societal stress (believe it or not, its true (5) ) and widespread use of statin drugs (they may not save lives, but they certainly reduce your risk for heart disease (6) ).
4.) Eating fat, specifically saturated fat, does NOT increase your risk for heart disease. If theres anything Ive talked about exhaustively on this blog, its this very topic... the best of which can be found HERE, while related articles can be found here and here. This mans specialty is in cancer, and I think he should stick to what he knows best.
5.) Go enjoy a stick of butter! Okay not really, thats gross. But a small slab?? Aint nothin wrong with that!
I leave you with a little poem I wrote...
Fat doesnt give me cancer,
And it wont give me heart disease.
Why dont I stop worrying then,
Pass the butter, please!
Fiber and Good Carbs Assist Weight Loss
Sunday, January 12, 2014
(Article first published as Good Carbs, Bad Carbs: Using Fiber to Drive Weight Loss on Technorati.)
Most people are familiar with the popular diet plans which millions follow in a desperate attempt to lose weight and improve health. Low carb diets have garnished much attention over the past 40 years as scores of people have quickly dropped weight following the program made popular by Dr. Robert Atkins. The Atkins plan has not been without controversy due to the inclusion of processed meats, high fat dairy and the initial exclusion of fresh vegetables.
Fad Carb Diets Don’t Work Long Term
While initial results of people following the Atkins program are impressive, most are unable to attain or maintain their target weight. For many, sustainable and healthy weight loss is only possible by following a high fiber diet which encourages plenty of leafy greens, proper balance of healthy fats and a high fiber intake which requires more energy for the body to break down.
A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition distinguishes carbohydrates based on their glycemic index, a measure of how quickly they convert to glucose in the blood. Glucose is released slowly in carbs which are high in fiber, blunting the typical blood sugar spike. These foods are associated with a lowered risk from many metabolic disorders, and may help prevent diabetes from progressing to an advanced form of the disease.
All Carbs Are Not Created Equal
Raw vegetables and cake both contain carbohydrates, yet most people would identify the dessert as an unhealthy carb choice. The key difference is in the way they release glucose to the bloodstream. The sugars in vegetables are closely bound with fiber, and are difficult for the body to break down quickly, while the cake immediately turns to sugar beginning in the mouth. Carbohydrates are essential to good health, but making the proper choices will lead to reduced disease risk and natural weight loss.
Making the Good Carb Choices
Carbs come in all different forms, and selecting wisely by choosing high fiber foods will assist in establishing your weight loss goal. Fiber can’t be digested by the body, and doesn’t have a caloric impact on fat metabolism and storage. Learn to read nutrition labels to determine the fiber content of foods.
You’ll quickly learn that the core of your diet should be from fresh leafy green vegetables, nuts and seeds balanced with lesser amounts of meats and unprocessed fats. Work up to 40 to 50 grams of fiber each day, and watch your weight loss progress naturally.
Eliminate the Evil Carbs
Sugar added from any source is a top reason people gain weight and ruin their health. Sugar, glucose and fructose are all bad carbs which have no nutritional value and no fiber content to offset the impact on blood sugar. All refined grains, baked goods, candies and snacks should be eliminated from your diet. Be wary of the multi-grain marketing scheme, as these products will cause your blood sugar to rise as quickly as their refined counterparts.
Healthy weight loss is an admirable goal, frequently sabotaged by the typical refined junk food diet. It’s critical to incorporate high fiber foods into your diet which will help you feel full and avoid the blood sugar rollercoaster which leads to weight gain and declining health. Monitor your fiber intake, and benefit from lower disease risk and natural weight loss.
Fad Carb Diets Don’t Work Long Term
A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition distinguishes carbohydrates based on their glycemic index, a measure of how quickly they convert to glucose in the blood. Glucose is released slowly in carbs which are high in fiber, blunting the typical blood sugar spike. These foods are associated with a lowered risk from many metabolic disorders, and may help prevent diabetes from progressing to an advanced form of the disease.
All Carbs Are Not Created Equal
Raw vegetables and cake both contain carbohydrates, yet most people would identify the dessert as an unhealthy carb choice. The key difference is in the way they release glucose to the bloodstream. The sugars in vegetables are closely bound with fiber, and are difficult for the body to break down quickly, while the cake immediately turns to sugar beginning in the mouth. Carbohydrates are essential to good health, but making the proper choices will lead to reduced disease risk and natural weight loss.
Making the Good Carb Choices
You’ll quickly learn that the core of your diet should be from fresh leafy green vegetables, nuts and seeds balanced with lesser amounts of meats and unprocessed fats. Work up to 40 to 50 grams of fiber each day, and watch your weight loss progress naturally.
Eliminate the Evil Carbs
Sugar added from any source is a top reason people gain weight and ruin their health. Sugar, glucose and fructose are all bad carbs which have no nutritional value and no fiber content to offset the impact on blood sugar. All refined grains, baked goods, candies and snacks should be eliminated from your diet. Be wary of the multi-grain marketing scheme, as these products will cause your blood sugar to rise as quickly as their refined counterparts.
Healthy weight loss is an admirable goal, frequently sabotaged by the typical refined junk food diet. It’s critical to incorporate high fiber foods into your diet which will help you feel full and avoid the blood sugar rollercoaster which leads to weight gain and declining health. Monitor your fiber intake, and benefit from lower disease risk and natural weight loss.
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