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Can You Escape Heart Disease and Diabetes?

admin — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 02:16:38 +0000

by Total Health Breakthroughs 08/26/2008

Cardiometabolic Disease — A Risk at Any Weight

By James LaValle, RPh, ND, CCN

Just because you are not obese, doesn’t mean you’re off the hook when it comes to increased risk for heart disease and diabetes — known as cardiometabolic disease. If you’re just a little pudgy around the middle, you may pat your belly and chuckle about those few extra beers you had last night, but it is no laughing matter.

Two studies recently looked at the cardiometabolic health of three categories of white adults: normal weight, overweight, and obese. Researchers measured blood pressure, triglycerides, fasting plasma glucose, C-reactive protein (CRP), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), and assessed whether the study subjects were insulin resistant.

What they found was eye opening — 23.5% of “normal weight” adults were metabolically abnormal — and surprisingly, the research done by Wildman’s group found that approximately 30% of the “obese” group was actually metabolically pretty healthy.¹ In the “overweight” group, it was split about 50-50 between those who were metabolically healthy and those who were at increased risk according to these measures.

So to summarize, the study found the risk for heart disease and diabetes in the three groups to be: normal body weight, 25% risk; overweight, 50% risk; obese, 70% risk.

Another study by Stefan et al. found that 25% of obese people did not have early signs of heart disease as determined by their blood vessel thickness and an oral glucose tolerance test used to measure insulin sensitivity.² Nor were these people categorized at high risk according to their lipid profiles and blood pressure readings.

Both of these studies assessed whether central adiposity (belly fat) raised the risk of heart disease the most, as has been seen in other studies. According to the American Heart Association, if a man’s waistline is greater than 39 inches and a woman’s waistline is greater than 34 inches, it’s time to take action.

Interestingly, the Stefan study found that in already obese patients, the most “at risk” fat was not belly fat, but liver fat. However, in normal and overweight people, belly fat did increase risk the most. (This may be because it is very unusual to see liver fat accumulating in normal weight people.) The Wildman study also found that normal weight or slightly overweight patients are more at risk for heart disease if they have belly fat.

The blogs are now flying about this research. I have seen statements like, “These studies once again prove that just because you are obese doesn’t mean you are unhealthy.” And indeed these studies show that if you are obese, you have a 25 to 30% chance of being in the group that hasn’t yet developed heart disease or diabetes. But the overwhelming number of studies consistently shows that the vast majority of obese people do have heart disease and/or diabetes.

Even in the Wildman and Stefan studies, only 25 to 30% were escaping risk so far. The other 70% were at risk. In the normal weight category, 75% were metabolically healthy and 25% were at risk. I would take those odds any day.

I know some obese individuals will want to hang on to that 25% chance they may not be unhealthy just because they are severely overweight — but there are other health problems that can develop too. Certainly if you fall into the obese category, you should at least be thoroughly evaluated to find out.

What are the take home messages from this research? You can be at cardiometabolic risk even if you are at a normal body weight, especially if you have increased waist size. This is not news to me and most health practitioners, but it is a big wake up call for many people.

Increased belly fat/waist size puts you at increased risk for heart disease and diabetes — and the more overweight you become, the greater your risks. So, no matter who you are, you should take steps to prevent insulin resistance and control your weight to have the greatest chance of avoiding these two devastating diseases.

We also need to further study the 25% of the obese population to see what is keeping them from developing insulin resistance. For instance, the Wildman study found that increased physical activity reduced risk. Other studies have found that increased antioxidant intake from foods like green tea and turmeric may prevent damage to insulin receptors from the oxidative stress that can cause insulin resistance.

Perhaps these individuals have better sources of, or utilization of, the mineral chromium which helps regulate blood sugar. Or, they might have increased vitamin C intake from fruits, vegetables, and supplements which reduces the risk of insulin resistance and diabetes.^3-4

Determining which factors can best lower risk of heart disease and diabetes, even in people who have not been able to lose weight, would be of tremendous value.

References

Stefan N, et al. Arch Intern Med. 2008;168:1609-1616.
Wildman RP, et al. Arch Intern Med. 2008;168:1617-1624.
http://www.nutritionandmetabolism.com/content/5/1/17.
Arch Intern Med. 2008;168:1485-1499.

[Ed. Note: James LaValle, R.Ph, ND, CCN, is the founding Director of the LaValle Metabolic Institute, one of the largest integrative medicine practices in the country. He was named as one of the 50 most influential pharmacists in the US by American Druggist magazine. Dr. LaValle is the author of more than a dozen books including the bestseller, Cracking the Metabolic Code: 9 Keys to Optimal Health. To learn more, click here.]

This article appears courtesy of Early to Rise’s Total Health Breakthroughs which offers alternative health solutions for mind, body and soul.

The Big Fat Scam for the Obese and Diabetic

admin — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 12:42:13 +0000

In this expert article Shane Ellison presents information about getting healthy fats into your diet. Healthy fats include Olive Oil, Fish Oil, and other non-transfat fats that contain Omega-3s and other healthy nutrients. Olive Oil should be your oil of choice. Consider using it instead of butter. Have you been to a traditional Italian restaurant? Always Olive Oil is on the table and you have to ask for butter. There is wisdom to this borne out by modern science that has shown the health benefits of Olive Oil. If you go to the store you will find different grades and prices for the Oil. The type depends on how it is processed. The best to buy is Extra Virgin. This oil is pressed out and heat is not used to get it. It means that it is as pure and natural as you can get it.

So substitute Olive Oil for butter – Olive Oil and vinegar dressing is good too. By the way there is a whole other story to tell about the benefits of vinegar and you will see them here in future posts.

The Big Fat Scam for the Obese and Diabetic
by Shane Ellison

Traditionally, a low-fat, high carbohydrate diet is recommended for the obese and type II diabetics. This low-fat approach is based on simple math. Fat has about twice as many calories per gram as carbohydrates and protein. Regardless of the lower calorie content, applying the theory has proven disastrous. It has secured America a seat in the worldwide Fat Ass Hall of Fame while giving birth to a diabetes epidemic. No surprise, math isn’t the best measure of a foods effect on the body. Biochemistry is – go figure.

In contrast to carbohydrates, eating fat (not trans fat, but naturally occurring fat) has proven to be the most important method for ensuring fat loss and warding off diabetes. This is courtesy of fats inability to spike the fat storing hormone insulin – and prevent us from feeding our pie hole excess calories. Thus, despite eating fat in the form of grass fed beef, seeds, nuts, avocados, coconut oil or fish, you won’t suffer from unsightly belly fat. This phenomenon has been proven many times.

The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition recently showed that eating twice as much fat led to greater weight loss. Researchers compared two eating plans that were similar in caloric intake but vastly different in fat consumption. Obese individuals who consumed 61% fat energy for eight weeks lost 18 pounds; those consuming a mere 30% fat lost 14 pounds (they replaced the fat intake with 46% carbs). (1) Far more staggering than the differences in weight loss are the differences in biochemistry among the two groups.

Low fat, high carbohydrate eaters have the perfect biological environment for obesity and type II diabetes. Their blood levels of glucose, insulin and triglycerides skyrocket.(2) The Nurses’ Study by Harvard found that women who adhere to the Big Fat Scam and eat mostly carbohydrates increase their risk of diabetes 2.5 times! Men are not immune to the deadly carbohydrate effect.

Diabetics usually die early from heart disease, twice as often as those without diabetes. It is so damaging that it can erase 11-20 years from a persons lifespan. Currently, an estimated one in four American’s suffer from it. One in three born in the year 2000 will succumb to the Big Fat Scam and therefore suffer from diabetes according to The Journal of the American Medical Association. (3)

The best way to avoid being an honorary member of the Fat Ass Hall of Fame and the diabetes epidemic is to avoid the Big Fat Scam. Start eating more fat (avoid trans fats, of course, and give preference to fats with omega-3’s). Judge your food based on its effect on insulin (via glycemic load), count calories second. Stop futzing around with fad diets and self-proclaimed weight loss gurus who push wanton pill and supplement use as well as whole grains, fruit juice, sugary yogurt, candy bars disguised as health bars and most anything else served out of a box, package or window.

References:

1. Barclay, Laurie. Low-Carb/High-Fat or High-Carb/Low-Fat Diet Improves Weight Loss, Mood. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2007;86:580-587

2. YD Chen, AM Coulston, MY Zhou, CB Hollenbeck and GM Reaven.Why do low-fat high-carbohydrate diets accentuate postprandial lipemia in patients with NIDDM? Diabetes Care, Vol 18, Issue 1 10-16.

Liu S, Willett WC, Stampfer MJ, Hu FB, Franz M, Sampson L, Hennekens CH, Manson JE. A prospective study of dietary glycemic load, carbohydrate intake, and risk of coronary heart disease in US women. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2000 Jun;71(6):1455-61.

Gardner CD, Kiazand A, Alhassan S, Kim S, Stafford RS, Balise RR, Kraemer HC, King AC. Comparison of the Atkins, Zone, Ornish, and LEARN diets for change in weight and related risk factors among overweight premenopausal women: the A TO Z Weight Loss Study: a randomized trial. Journal of the American Medical Association. 2007; 9 (297): 969-77

Frederick F. Samaha, M.D., Nayyar Iqbal, M.D., Prakash Seshadri, M.D., Kathryn L. Chicano, C.R.N.P., Denise A. Daily, R.D., Joyce McGrory, C.R.N.P., Terrence Williams, B.S., Monica Williams, B.S., Edward J. Gracely, Ph.D., and Linda Stern, M.D. A Low-Carbohydrate as Compared with a Low-Fat Diet in Severe Obesity. New England Journal of Medicine. Volume 348:2074-2081. May 22, 2003. Number 21

3. K. M. Venkat Narayan, MD; James P. Boyle, PhD; Theodore J. Thompson, MS; Stephen W. Sorensen, PhD; David F. Williamson, PhD. Lifetime Risk for Diabetes Mellitus in the United States. Journal of the American Medical Association. 2003;290:1884-1890.

Shane Ellison holds a master’s degree in organic chemistry and has first-hand experience in drug design. He is an internationally recognized authority on therapeutic nutrition and author of Health Myths Exposed, The Hidden Truth about Cholesterol-Lowering Drugs and The AM-PM Fat Loss Discovery. Read his free report entitled The Foundational Health Education to beat obesity, heart disease and death by prescription drug:
www.thepeopleschemist.com
Article Source: U Publish Articles

Affirmations

admin — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 19:37:21 +0000

As promised we are posting audio affirmations and will post more from time-to-time. You can subscribe on ITunes or download them directly here.

To use ITunes:

1. Pull down the “Advanced” menu.

2. Pick “Subscribe to Podcast.”

3. Paste the RSS feed URL:

http://fitnessandhealthblog.com/fitnessandhealthblogpodcast.xml

into the box.

4. Click “OK.”

When you play the file you will see it is just over 1 minute. It is important that you set your player to loop repeatedly on the audio. With ITunes you need to make a playlist and put the podcast into it. Then select repeat in controls as seen here:

If you have downloaded the mp3 file directly you can accomplish the looped playback in real player like this:

If you are interested in recording your own affirmations and more ideas about them you might want to check out this hub page.