Wednesday, March 13, 2024

Exercise And Risk Of Depression

The Study

Recent evidence suggests that cardiovascular exercise is associated with a reduced risk of depression. In this interesting study, 4,016 subjects from the Irish Longitudinal Study On Aging cohort had their physical activity and levels of depression measured for 10 years.

By the end of follow-up, subjects who completed 400-600 METS per week had a 43% lower odds of depression.

JAMA Network Open 2023; 6:e2322489

Take Home Message

Since one minute of brisk walking is equal to 4 METS, the level of exercise found to reduce the odds of depression in this study is equivalent to only 100 minutes of brisk walking per week.

Cardiovascular exercise is not just important for our physical health, but our mental health as well. Do your very best to make it a priority in your life.

 

Fruit Juice And Weight Gain

The Study

100% fruit juice has historically been considered part of a healthy breakfast. Recent research suggests that it may be associated with weight gain. In this study, a comprehensive review and meta-analysis of the research literature was conducted to answer this question. Forty-two studies were included. 

Here is what the researchers found when combining all of the data:

-Among children, each additional serving of fruit juice was associated with a statistically significant increase in body mass index.

-In adults, studies that did not adjust for total energy consumption showed a statistically significant weight gain with 100% fruit juice consumption.

Journal of the American Medical Association Pediatrics doi:10.1001/jamapediatrics.2023.6124

Take Home Message

There are a few potential explanations for these results:

1) Drinking fruit juice may increase cravings for sweet foods.

2) Liquid calories are not registered in the same way as solid calories, so we tend to overeat when consuming liquid calories.

3) There is less fiber in fruit juice which results in a more rapid absorption of the sugar found in juice.

Always eat fruit in it’s whole and natural form. For example, have an orange instead of orange juice. Have an apple instead of apple juice. When it comes to our food, the less processing, the better.

Friday, January 12, 2024

How To Get Back On Track With Your Diet After The Holidays

The time between Thanksgiving and New Year’s day presents some real challenges for those trying to eat healthy and lose weight. The holidays are great and it is a lot of fun to eat and drink a bit more during this time. Just about everyone puts on a few pounds by New Year’s Day.

However, for many of us, the unhealthy eating continues well into January and even February. This is mostly due to swings in blood sugar that result in increased hunger and cravings for refined carbohydrates, which were likely consumed in large amounts over the last several weeks. The more we eat bread, pasta, white rice and sugar, the more we want these foods.

A couple of extra cheat meals and a few pounds gained during the holiday season are not much of a problem. But if the disordered eating lasts for months, you will put on some serious weight. Even my most successful and dedicated clients will struggle during and after the holidays. Here are a few strategies that help them get back on track:

1) If you have eaten more refined carbohydrates during the holiday season, you will have an increase in cravings for them. You will also be more hungry in general. Step one is to mentally realize this. Tell yourself that you will be hungry for the wrong foods, but will not give into them. Getting your head right and understanding the origin of the cravings is very helpful.

2) Write down your food for 2 weeks. It adds a layer of accountability that gets you back on the right track. A great free app to help you do this is MyFitness Pal.

3) Go to the grocery store and load up on all of the right foods. Make it easy to eat healthy. Similarly, get all of the unhealthy foods out of your house. 

4) Plan your meals ahead of time. Think about what you will eat for breakfast, lunch and dinner for the next few days or even a week.

5) Try to limit eating out at restaurants for the first week or two. Restaurant meals usually have a lot more calories, fat, salt and sugar.

After a week or two of eating right, you will find that your blood sugar has stabilized and the hunger and cravings for the wrong foods will start to calm down.

 

Mediterranean Diet And PTSD

The Study

The association between diet and mental health has been an area of increasing interest in the research literature. In this interesting study, 191 women who had traumatic exposure and PTSD symptoms had their diet evaluated.

The researchers found that higher PTSD symptoms were associated with less adherence to a Mediterranean diet.

Nature Mental Health 2023; 1:900

Take Home Message

Diets that are easy on our blood sugar seem to have a positive impact on mood and mental health. A Mediterranean diet is a great example. This type of diet focuses on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, nuts, olive oil, seafood and chicken. 

It limits refined grains, sugars, red meat and saturated fat. It is a great way to eat for both your physical and mental health.

Protein Timing After A Workout

The Study

It has long been theorized that consuming protein just after a resistance training session will maximize gains in muscular strength and growth. The thought here is that there is an anabolic “window of opportunity” for protein uptake and muscle synthesis that can be taken advantage of with supplementation. What does the research say?  

A review published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition examined this question. After summarizing the 6 most influential studies on this subject, the researchers concluded that there was no definitive evidence that supplementing protein after a workout improves results.

Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition 2013; 10:5

Take Home Message

As long as you are getting adequate protein at all 3 meals, there is no reason to load up on protein after a workout.

Is Organic Produce Worth The Extra Expense?

At first glance, the idea that organically grown produce is healthier than conventionally grown makes a lot of sense. If organic products cost the same amount of money as conventionally grown, it would be a pretty easy decision for most of us. However, this is not the case. Organic produce can cost twice as much as conventionally grown. This begs the question: Is it worth the extra money? Let’s look at what the research says:

Study #1

Stanford University conducted a review of the research literature that included 240 studies on organically grown foods (Reference 1). The Authors concluded that there was no convincing evidence that organic produce was more nutritious or would result in significantly improved health outcomes.

Study #2

A research group from a British medical school conducted a similar investigation (Reference 2). This review included a variety of outcomes and 12 separate influential studies. The researchers concluded that evidence was lacking for any nutrition related health effects of organically grown food.

Study #3

In 2021, the USDA conducted its annual testing of pesticide residues on foods available for sale in the U.S. (Reference 3). This included 2.7 million analyses.

-24% of foods tested had no detectable residues. 

-99% of foods were below the EPA’s tolerance levels. These levels are conservatively set at 1/100th of an exposure that caused no toxicity in laboratory animals.

Conclusions And Recommendations

These studies may be surprising to many and even a bit controversial. However, in the field of nutrition, many commonly held beliefs by the public are not supported by the research literature. 

Organic produce is much more expensive than conventionally grown, often two times as much money. Most buyers of organic foods spend this extra money for one of two reasons:

-They think there are more nutrients in organic foods.

-They believe that organic foods will have a more positive effect on their health than conventionally grown food.

Up to this point, the research indicates that neither are true. If you like to buy organic produce and can easily afford to do so, by all means continue. However, if you are buying organic produce because you think it is more nutritious or will result in improved health, there is very little evidence that this is true.

References

1) Smith-Spangler C, et al. Are organic foods safer or healthier than conventional alternative? A systematic review. Annals of Internal Medicine 2012; 157:348-66.

2) Dangour AD, et al. Nutrition related health effects of organic foods: A systematic review. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2010; 92:203-10.

3) https://www.ams.usda.gov/reports/pdp-annual-summary-reports

Monday, November 13, 2023

Should I Avoid Seafood Because It’s High In Mercury?

Seafood is a very healthy food, but because of industrial pollution, there is a legitimate concern of mercury contamination in the fish we consume. So, just where does seafood fit into a healthy diet?

Benefits of Seafood

Seafood contains a lot of healthy nutrients. It is high in Omega 3 fatty acids and Vitamin D. It is also a great source of protein that is low in saturated fat.

Omega 3 fatty acids from seafood have been shown in the research literature to have a nice impact on arrhythmias, triglycerides, inflammation, blood pressure, heart rate and vascular function. This all translates to a significantly lower risk of cardiovascular for those that regularly consume seafood.

Risk of Mercury Consumption

High levels of mercury can harm nerves in adults and have a negative impact on the development of the nervous system and brains of children. Mercury may also increase risk of cardiovascular disease.

What I Tell My Clients

The benefits of seafood consumption are undeniable, but you don’t want to go overboard and load up on mercury either. The goal is to strike a balance by following 2 guidelines:

1) Stick to 3 servings of seafood per week. 

2) Avoid seafood species with the highest levels of mercury: Swordfish, Shark, King Mackerel, Tilefish, Orange Roughy, Marlin and Albacore-, Bigeye- or Yellow-fin tuna.

If you are pregnant, trying to become pregnant or nursing, talk to your doctor about the amount of seafood that is right for you.