Mediterranean Diet is More than Olives & Nuts

The “Mediterranean diet” has been popular since the 90’s when Harvard did a health presentation based on the diet of Greece and Southern Italy.  This olive oil, tomato and wine diet is what we now refer to as “The Mediterranean Diet” which many authors have cashed in on with books and kitschy programs.

It popped up again this week after another cohort study came out in the New England Journal of Medicine.  The study done in Spain followed 7000+ people (about half men, half women, aged 55-80) and monitored over the course of around 5 years, how many of those people had a “cardiovascular event”.  Some ate a “Mediterranean diet” supplemented with olive oil.  Some ate a Mediterranean diet supplemented with nuts.  The others were just advised to lower their fat intake.

In the end, there were a total of 288 cardio events (heart attack, etc) that occurred out of the 7000+ people that were followed.  

The group eating the Mediterranean diet plus nuts had 83 events.

The group eating the Mediterranean diet plus extra virgin olive oil had 96 events.

The group told to lower their dietary fat had 109 events.

They confirmed what other studies had shown and what experts have thought for a while now.  Eating a Mediterranean diet lowers your risk of cardio trouble.

Interestingly enough, when a reporter from NPR asked some Spaniards about the study, they agreed – their food is excellent.  But, they also said that even more than the types of food they eat, it’s the climate.

They put more emphasis on following the climate; eating foods that grow in season where they are.  They stated that growing or importing food out of season loses nutrient content and that people were originally designed to eat according to their own climates.  They stressed slowing down to enjoy your food, eating locally and getting out in the sunshine and salt water.

For us Seattleites, we may not have the sun and salt water as much as the Spaniards, but we could do a better job of embracing our climate and eating according to it.

Its March here in Seattle.  The weather is cold and the sun is just starting to peek out more often.  The ground is starting to warm a bit, tulips are blooming and rain is becoming less frequent.  Ideally for us, we need to be eating cauliflower, finishing up apple season, enjoying leeks and onions for a couple more months and start looking forward to asparagus, kale, rhubarb and baby spinach that’s about to be ready for April.

PCC has a great interactive Seasonal Produce Calendar so you can check out what else is fresh:  http://www.pccnaturalmarkets.com/products/produce/inseason/

So eat your tomatoes, dress with your olive oil, pop a few nuts and drink your wine, but don’t forget to stand in the sunshine and remember that foods, like flowers, have a season.

Ashley

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Gut Check: Probiotics and Your Health

I’m sure you’ve heard about these little healthy bacteria but probably aren’t sure what exactly they are or what they do. Well Crave Health intern Alyssa Reiser is here to tell you how great these little guys are and how you can help ease your digestion (yes including the thing no one talks about – healthy bowel movements) and care for your gut!

The FAO/WHO define probiotics as live microorganisms which when administered in adequate amounts confer a health benefit on the host. Translation: these are beneficial bacteria. That concept may seem counter intuitive at first - most of us have been taught that bacteria are dangerous to our health, and we attempt to eliminate them with antibacterial soaps and antibiotics. Probiotics, however, function to assist your immune system via recolonization of the digestive tract with “friendly” bacteria. Having a healthy population of gut bacteria is essential to having overall good health. Without them your body becomes inefficient at synthesizing vitamins, absorbing nutrients, and protecting itself against pathogens.

Probiotics are helpful for individuals who have an imbalance of healthy and harmful bacteria in their intestines. This can happen after taking antibiotics or suffering a bout of diarrhea. For many people, consuming probiotics on a regular basis has helped to resolve digestive issues. There is also evidence that probiotics may be therapeutic in regulating overall immune response and treating conditions including IBS, ulcerative colitis, eczema associated with cow’s milk allergy, ulcers, and yeast infections. Most people can safely consume probiotics, though it is recommended that you discuss the decision with your physician or dietitian first.

Good food sources of probiotics include yogurt, kombucha, fermented and cultured vegetables, and water kefir. Supplements are also available, and can be an important adjunctive source of beneficial bacteria for people with damaged intestinal mucosa. Most health food stores carry supplements in both pill and liquid form; look for a brand that has been refrigerated and contains at least 1 billion microorganisms per serving. There are general probiotics containing some of the major strains of healthy bacteria like Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB) and Bifidobacteria, which are great for anyone looking to maintain a healthy gut. Some great general brands include: HLC Maintenance by Pharmax, or Align Probiotics. For those who have a gluten or dairy intolerance (or for children/adults who have Autism), there is a great specialty probiotic called “HLC Mindlinx” made by Pharmax is an excellent option. It contains a specific strain of bacteria, Lactobacillus rhamnosus (CLT341), which helps to digest any accidental gluten or dairy that is ingested.

In summary, probiotics are a great benefit to maintaining a healthy digestive system and are an easy and gentle way to care for your gut. Eaten in whole food form or via supplements they are a fabulous addition to your health routine!

Alyssa

Some prices & availability of probiotic supplements:

HLC Maintenance – 120 caps, $36.30 (tax included)

*Available at Crave Health

General probiotic great for those with already balanced digestion and gut health. Ashley takes this one daily ☺

HLC High Potency – 120 caps, $55.75 (tax included)

*Available at Crave Health

For those with current gut or digestion issues. Great to start with these until issues resolve and then move to HLC Maintenance.

HLC Mindlinx – 60 caps, $40.87 (tax included) or 60g powder, $37.13 (tax included)

*Available at Crave Health

Specialty probiotic for those with gluten or dairy sensitivity or for children or adults with Autism.

Align Probiotic – 42 caps, $47.07 (tax included)

*Available over the counter anywhere

General probiotic for those with or without gut issues.

**Please email Ashley@Crave-Health.com with interest in purchasing any of the above listed products.

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The Missing Piece

Okay I know I said there is no "secret" to weight loss or health, and there isn't. But this is the closest thing to a secret mostly because dietitians know about it and most other people don't - its the missing piece that 90% of people don't understand.

• Its why Ive seen people cut their calories dangerously low and workout like crazy and still not lose weight.
• If you don't do it, your risk of Type 2 Diabetes increases.
• Its the reason some people are starving throughout the day even though they eat and eat and eat.
• Its the cause of mood swings, irritability and even nausea.

Ready?

Being healthy encompasses 2 parts.

1) Calories in, Calories out.
Everybody knows this one. Eat less, move more. Makes sense.

2) Balance and Pattern.
Nobody knows this one. What to eat and when to eat it. This is "the secret".

Throw out all the information in your brain that you've read about random food-pairing, not eating after a certain time, snacking is bad, etc, etc. Because all that's going to do is confuse you.

In the simplest way I can think of to say it: "Don't Eat Carbohydrates Alone."
That can be taken 2 ways, either don't eat just carbohydrates (which applies since you need variety in your diet) and also the way in which I meant it "never eat a carbohydrate food by itself, it needs a pal - Protein or Fat - to go with it."

Why?
Because carbohydrates are the one food group responsible for spiking your blood sugar levels. Carbohydrates are also the preferred source of fuel for your brain and your organs - meaning they are IMPORTANT and you NEED them! Don't cut out carbs, you'll just end up grumpy and dumb. First of all carbs are just anything that contains sugar (basically) whether its natural sugar, refined sugar, starchy sugar. Its a carb. (hint: anything that ends in "-ose" is a sugar. Lactose, Fructose, Maltose, Dextrose, Glucose...) Which makes carbs a confusing food group. Because that puts cupcakes and apples in the same group.

So when you eat a carb, your blood sugar levels (glucose) goes up. Your organs (Liver and Pancreas) are responsible for keeping your glucose levels within a nice little stable window. But high intakes of carbohydrates all at once (huge portion sizes or a very concentrated source of simple carbohydrate like desserts/candies, fruits, honey) can spike your glucose levels very fast and very high, making your organs work double-time to try and stabilize them. Too much of this and your organs will grow tired and burn out - causing a little disease we like to call Type 2 Diabetes - thats right, its not just about overweight anymore. Now its not the carbs that cause the disease, its because you're eating too many and eating them all alone.

Riddle me this... "What goes up, must come _________?"

When your glucose level spikes that high, that fast its going to come crashing down. The rate at which it falls and how low it falls causes your body to panic. So the body signals you to do what? Bring it back up again. And what brings your blood sugar up again? Carbs. Welcome to the vicious cycle of sugar and carb cravings, all day hunger and eventual Pre or Type 2 Diabetes.

Adding the protein or fat with the carb causes the blood sugar to come down nice and slow so that you dont get the fast crash or the low dip.

How?
Easy fix! Always eat a carbohydrate with a protein or a healthy fat.

Good Ideas:

• Fruit (C) + Nuts (F)
• Fruit (C) + Cheese (P)
• Rice (C) + Salmon or Chicken (P)
• Pasta (C) + Meat Sauce (P)

Bad Ideas:

• Cereal (C) + Milk (C)
• A piece of fruit alone for a snack
• Pasta (C) + Marinara (C)
• Toast (C) + Jam (C)
• Yogurt (C) + Fruit (C) + Granola (C)

For more specifics see my post on "The Plate Model" which outlines this concept in more depth with a visual...http://crave-health.blogspot.com/2009/02/portion-sizes-vs-serving-sizes.html

Eating with this balance and making sure you don't go more than 4 hours without eating will dramatically change your life and will also improve the way your body digests and metabolizes. Pretty soon you'll be a fine tuned machine :)

Some hidden gems to try: (and no I don't get paid for promoting brands these are just ones I happen to like that I'm sharing with you as a friend!)

Great balanced snack all in one: Flavored Greek Yogurt

Good fast breakfast protein: MorningStar Veggie Sausage Patties

I swear they don't taste like soy/beans/vegetarian products.

Awesome with some peanut butter on them: Lundberg Brown Rice Cakes

Now get out there and conquer your day!

Blessings, Ashley

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ProPulse: Foods to Fuel Your Systems

Check out Ashley's latest published article in Pro Pulse Magazine, the official publication of Pro Sports Club.....

Check it out here: http://viewer.zmags.com/publication/8401a139#/8401a139/30
On pages 30-31

Enjoy!
Ashley

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From Men's Health...

This is straight out of the minds of Men...those at Men's Health that is. The article by Justin Park states that a Nutritional Evaluation is "for anyone who simply wants to know how to beat disease."

http://www.menshealth.com/mhlists/lifesaving_health_tests/Nutritional_Evaluation.php

“LIFESAVING HEALTH TESTS: 5 Tests that could Save your Life”

1) Cardiac CT Angiography
2) Bone Density Scan
3) VO2 Max Test
4) Virtual Colonoscopy
5) NUTRITIONAL EVALUATION

Gee, I wonder which one I’m excited about...(did I just say gee?) Seriously, lets think about how important nutrition is for a second.

• You eat everyday, multiple times per day.
• Little by little, what you put in your body has an effect (positive or negative).
• If you don’t make a small change now, or don’t know you need to change it, you are looking at some serious long term health consequences. Including but not limited to...

• Cardiovascular Disease


• High Cholesterol / High Blood Pressure


• Metabolic Syndrome


• Obesity/Overweight


• Various Cancers – yep.


• Osteoporosis


• Blindness


• Diabetes

Just as a side note, please get a nutritional evaluation by a professional, meaning a Registered Dietitian. We are easy to spot, we have “RD” listed after our name. There are lots of people that claim to be “Nutritionists” which in most states means absolutely nothing. Do your research. Come see me, as I am super cool and have an RD and a CD. Or find one in your area on http://www.eatright.org/

In my practice I offer "Wellness Assessments" that are designed for a healthy person. It puts your lifestyle and nutritional behaviors under a microscope teamed with blood work and lab values to determine changes that need to be made so that you can live longer and stronger. My services can be found at http://www.crave-health.com/

If “you are what you eat” then dietitians are the doctors of the future. Let that sink in a bit…

Blessings,
Ashley

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Overall Health - Swine Flu

Hello from Vancouver, WA! I am here for the Washington State Dietetic Association annual meeting and conference which has been combined this year with the Oregon Dietetic Association. I will post more on my learnings here at the conference later on topics like the "slow food" movement, sustainable food systems, saturated fat, menu labelling, probiotics, eating disorders, etc. I know, you are so excited :)

What I wanted to discuss today was the outbreak of the Swine Flu that has now hit the US. Even though I am a dietitian, and most of what I talk about is food and nutrition related, that doesn't mean that eating balanced and in moderation will prevent you from being sick. If this is the first you're hearing of The Swine Flu, make it a personal goal to try and check a newspaper, news website, or maybe just interact with another human being at least once a day....just kidding, I'm being a brat...but seriously...you can read right?

The Swine Flu is a new virus that our medical professionals have not seen before, therefore humans do not have any immunity to it. Our bodies have never seen it before, so they don't know how to fight it. The symptoms are almost exactly the same as "The Flu" that we are used to getting and fighting off, so if you think you may be coming down with the regular flu, see the doctor immediately, do not go to work, wash your hands and be overly cautious. Your doctor will most likely take swabs of your nose and throat and send a sample to be tested to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control).

More detailed information can be found at http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/ but here are some quick facts:

• 20 Cases have been reported so far in the US: California (7), Kansas (2), New York (8), Ohio (1), Texas (2)


• You CANNOT catch Swine Flu from eating pork. It is NOT transmitted this way. Cooking pork to 160 degrees kills Swine Flu just like it does other bacterias.


• Over 100 People in Mexico have died from Swine Flu so far


• There are 2 antiviral drugs - oseltamivir and zanamivir - that are able to treat and prevent infection from Swine Flu


• Wash your hands often, sneeze into kleenex and avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth

According to the CDC, at this time, there are four main influenza type A virus subtypes that have been isolated in pigs: H1N1, H1N2, H3N2, and H3N1. However, most of the recently isolated influenza viruses from pigs have been H1N1 viruses.

Be healthy by being aware of the health risks out there, those caused by poor lifestyle choices and those that we have no control of like viruses. Wash your hands, eat well, and listen to your body.

Ok, off to wash my hands and continue my conference! And as a side note, any of you who know me well know that I have a random but passionate interest in viruses and microbiology (so much that I paint them...seriously, my poor parents have a beautiful Lassa Virus hanging in their house) so if you ever have spare time, the CDC's website has amazing information on all types of viruses - rare and common - as well as a plethora of wonderful health information: http://www.cdc.gov/.

Blessings,

Ashley

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