Mark’s Daily Apple

The Weekly Health Challenge0

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Most of us eat out for at least one-third of our meals. It’s a necessary convenience these days. Unfortunately, that means a lot of extra calories and unhealthy choices. It’s no wonder Americans have gotten wider as restaurant dining has become the norm.

This week, resolve to eat right when you dine out. That means no junk or fast food. No sea of bacon grease or pasta swimming in alfredo sauce. It means no basket of bread with butter before your meal, and no dessert after your dish (the food we eat after we’ve already…eaten?). Stick to salads, grilled fish or chicken, simple vegetable or fruit sides – and hold the grease, sauces, and spreads! You’ll feel really great choosing the healthiest thing on the menu. (And you’ll probably lose a few pounds).

And here’s the second part of the challenge:

Help others make healthy choices, too. Click on Forum above, and take a moment to share how you stay healthy while dining on-the-go. If you aren’t already an Apple, registering takes just a few moments, and of course, joining is completely spam-free. Tell us your tips!

Posted: Carbs, Diet, Health, Health Challenges, Personal Improvement, Weight loss

Catch This1

Worker Bees’ Daily Bites:

Quick bites before you start your weekend (go on, get out of here!).

1) Another Study from Denmark

This study was well-done (for once). And the news is pretty cool: a little coffee in the late stages of pregnancy is probably safe. Worker Bee Sara begrudgingly gives “the motherland” some credit.

2) Varsity Blues

You’ve probably heard the obesity-football ruckus this week about high school football players being too beefy. In general, yes, football players are bigger and taller than your average chess club member. But this study is a good example of why the BMI is…well…lame. Many athletes and extremely fit individuals - particularly men, including Mark - are “fat” according to the BMI, which simply measures inches and doesn’t account for muscle mass, muscle distribution, bone density or physique. If you need to lose a few, don’t you just kinda know it?

3) Billion Dollar Birth Defects

Birth defects are among the most expensive health care costs, running into the billions every year. Many birth defects can be prevented completely by avoiding alcohol, tobacco, drugs, and unhealthy foods. Environmental factors like exposure to chemicals should also be considered, and mothers are encouraged to avoid eating more than one weekly serving of fish from warm waters (where mercury and other contaminants are often more highly concentrated). Additionally, prenatal vitamins (really just an extra-potent multivitamin with plenty of folate) are a must, as is prenatal care.

Posted: Health, Hype, Men's Health, Supplements, Women's Health, Worker Bees' Weekly Bites

Vitamin Eeeeek?0

The Difference Between Fact…and Factitious

I’ve noticed that frightening myths about vitamin E persist in spite of vocal opposition from scientists and top experts. For those who want to know the facts behind the E “controversy”, here it is (just call it the E! True Supplement Story).

For years, doctors have recommended vitamin E supplements to patients seeking better heart health. But a fairly recent study claimed vitamin E increases the risk of death and should not be taken. Let’s take a closer look - because there’s fact, and then there’s factitious.

What is vitamin E?

Vitamin E, a fat-soluble nutrient, is found naturally in many oils, grains, nuts and fats. E is also present in meats, dairy and leafy greens.

What is it used for?

The body needs vitamin E for various processes in the blood, eyes, brain and skin. Doctors have been supportive of E because of its heart benefits. Vitamin E helps to thin the blood and fight free radicals, so many Americans fighting heart disease, blood clots or high blood pressure like to take this natural treatment. Vitamin E can help ease leg cramps, celiac disease, cystic fibrosis, and the pain associated with several cardiovascular diseases. Even some migraine sufferers have benefited from vitamin E supplements. Though the benefit to the heart may not be as powerful as initially thought, vitamin E may help to prevent Alzheimer’s disease.

What is the recommended dosage?

400 IU daily is the general recommendation of the government and most health experts - individual needs can vary.

What are known side effects?

Doctors have long known that excessive vitamin E intake can cause too much thinning of the blood. For that reason, large amounts of vitamin E should not be taken if you are already taking a synthetic blood thinner. There are no other known drug interactions and vitamin E cannot become toxic.

Will Vitamin E kill me?

No. A recent study that got a lot of spin (Vitamin E is bad! Oh no!) merely observed a correlation.

Are there any problems with that study?

Where to start? There are several issues with the study that launched the vitamin E scare:

It only looked at people over age 60 who already had serious pre-existing conditions like heart disease, cancer and Alzheimer’s disease; this study cannot possibly be applied to younger and/or healthier patients.

It eliminated observational studies from the analysis, most of which show clear benefit over several years.

The study of 136,000 people grouped dozens of studies together without taking into account the different – and possibly incompatible – processes and analyses the various studies used.

Many of the studies included in this broad study have been independently questioned for their reliability.

This study used “meta-analysis,� which means there was not a consistent, controlled approach in each individual study.

Most of the patients taking the vitamin E were also taking other drugs, and the study did not control for the possibility of interaction or complications.

The patients were only taking an incomplete vitamin E supplement. Many people are unaware that vitamin E is a complex vitamin; meaning, there are different types of vitamin E and the full complex is necessary for nutritional benefit. Furthermore, the study didn’t separate synthetic from natural E.

How many forms of vitamin E are there?

There are different forms of vitamin E - just like B vitamins. The B-complex includes many different vitamins that perform different crucial functions in the body. Vitamin E is a complex, as well. This means that, like vitamin B, there are several “typesâ€� of vitamin E, not just one. There are two main groups in the E complex: tocopherols and tocotrienols. I’m always amazed that this basic information about vitamin E gets swept under the rug. Taking only one form of E, which is what is in most supplements, is silly.

Strangely, the average vitamin E gel capsule contains only one part of tocopherol, di-alpha tocopherol. It’s worth noting that this Mayo study only examined the common di-alpha tocopherol. Studies examining patients who take the full E complex show different results.

So what do experts say?

Annette Dickinson, PhD and president of the Council for Responsible Health, has vehemently disagreed with the study’s findings, going so far as to say the study obviously pooled for certain results.

Dr. Raymond Gibbons of the Mayo Clinic stands by the study, saying there was clearly a slightly increased risk of death, but Dr. Dickinson and others point out that the patients in the study all had chronic or fatal diseases to begin with.

The overwhelming majority of health experts still adamantly support vitamin E – in its full complex form and at reasonable dosages. Doctors are aware of hundreds of controlled studies showing a clear causative link between the vitamin E complex and better heart health. Because this joke of a meta-study found a risk of 1.05 – 1.0 is considered neutral – most experts dismissed it completely. So you can see how media spin takes on a life of its own. There are a few studies that have questioned the benefit of taking vitamin E, but none of these have been statistically significant. The Mayo Clinic itself conceded that this finding needs further research. Fair enough.

Dr. Andrew Weil, one of America’s top health experts, says, “My feeling is that the health status of the study participants could be the problem here – perhaps the vitamin E had some unpredictable bad effect on their pre-existing conditions or didn’t mix well with certain medications. The researchers also may have overlooked controlling for the form of vitamin E used in the various studies.�

The bottom line:

Avoid using anything but the full complex of vitamin E, and don’t exceed recommend dosages. Be sure to eat foods that have vitamin E. Though vitamin E’s benefit to the heart may prove to be less significant than researchers initially thought, other benefits are well-documented: the dissolution of blood clots, possible prevention of many diseases including Alzheimer’s, and antioxidant benefit.

Uncle Sam Is on E

This government clickativity offers a good list of foods containing E. It also highlights several studies - the biggest and most significant study points to greater benefit from supplemental E instead of food sources. This link also details two studies which showed less promising results, although you’ll notice both studies were looking at people who already had heart disease or were at serious risk for heart attacks.

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Technorati Tags: Vitamin E, fat-soluble nutrients, Alzheimer’s, toxicity, scientific studies, tocotrienols, tocopherols, full complex

Posted: Health, Hype, Nutrition, Sisson Said What?, Supplements

Alzheimer’s Prevention0

Here’s a handy guide to reducing your Alzheimer’s risk. You’ll notice that prevention, plenty of vegetables, and a “smart” lifestyle are keys to staying sharp.

One note: this above link would have benefited from including a little more information on vitamin E. I’ll be posting the truth behind the vitamin E scare shortly. Heads up!

Posted: Nutrition, Prevention, Supplements

Smart Apples Eat This0

Here’s your smart fuel, just in time for the weekend!

Wild Rice

This chewy grain is not really a grain at all. It’s not even rice, technically speaking. It’s a grass shoot, more akin to bamboo. (Which, incidentally, is grass, not a tree. Imagine mowing that.)

Wild rice is incredibly high in protein, low in sugar, and has more fiber than a cardboard box. This is one of the smartest ways to get an internal “scrub” (hey, it’s true). It also tastes a lot better than cardboard and won’t puff you up like pasta or white rice.

Here’s a great recipe for wild rice from the Bees. I suggest substituting the sausage with organic chicken or turkey.

Posted: Carbs, Diet, Health, Nutrition, Smart Fuel