After a slight R&R hiatus this past week, I'm back and the latest news in the papers is scary enough that it's prompting me to put pen to paper...er rather, fingers to my laptop's keyboard. Anyhow, after reading one too many articles about the American Academy of Pediatrics' recent recommendation to prescribe statin drugs (like lipitor) to help lower the cholesterol of at risk children over the age of 8, I felt the need to quickly comment. "At risk" meaning they're at risk for developing heart disease or diabetes down the road and have high levels of LDL "bad" cholesterol (above 130).
All of this of course, is linked back to the overweight and obesity epidemic that has our country and food companies at their knees. A news article just published yesterday stated that 14 major food companies, Coca-Cola and Kellog's among them, who are members of the Children's Food and Beverage Advertising Initiative are planning to make a serious effort at marketing "healthier for you" foods to children in an effort too keep weight off. Great to hear, but will it really illicit change? What will really hit home with kids, what role do parents and guardians play? I'm not so sure medicine should be the got-to answer and it appears many others feel similarly because the American Academy of Pediatrics is getting a whole lot of flack right now. How did we get to this state of continuously expanding waistlines in a country that focuses so much attention on losing weight and spends millions each year on "diet" foods? Less time in front of the tube or computer, more time outside or actively playing along with smaller portions and simple changes towards healthier 'kid-friendly' foods might just do the trick--saving medical alternatives for when they're truly necessary. What do you all think?
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Latest and greatest diet study???
Ready or not, the latest diet study has hit the fan. Last Thursday the New England Journal of Medicine released results from a study comparing a low-carb (aka Atkins) diet, the Meditteranean diet and a low-fat diet (30% fat). Over 300 dieters were put to the test, assigned to one of the 3 diets. Researchers found that those on the Mediterranean and low-carb diets lost more weight than those on the low-fat diet after the first 5 months (10 pounds and 14 pounds respectively). Of course the dieters regained some of the weight after two years, finishing off with a total loss of 6 and 10 pounds (Med and low-carb).
What's almost more interesting, and more controversial, is that the low-carb diet which was higher in saturated fat and the low-fat diet, both helped lower LDL 'bad' cholesterol. Interesting because the Atkins diet traditionally has been scolded for encouraging unhealthful, cholesterol-raising amounts of saturated fat from rich calorie-laden sources like red meat, bacon and butter.
So behind the scenes, here's what the news stories are forgetting to mention:
1. the study was funded by the Atkins Research Foundation...I don't smell bias do you?
2. dieters put on the low-carb Atkins-like diet were actually encouraged to get their fat from vegetarian sources like nuts, oils etc which are healthy unsaturated fats and may outweigh the health/cholesterol impact of whatever saturated fats were additionally consumed.
Bottom line: It's a single study and there appears to be a number of confounding factors going on here. As Tara Parker Pope put it in her NY Times blog post, it's additional evidence that 'diets' just don't really work. A 10 or 6 pound sustained loss over two years doesn't sound ovewhelming to me. So what should we take away from all this? Stick with the basics people! The Mediterranean diet--or a version similar to it--has proven again and again to positively impact health, disease prevention and keep the scale hovering at a friendly number. A day-to-day diet rich in fresh fruits and vegetables, complex carbs like whole grains and legumes, healthy sources of fat like olive oil/grapeseed oil, nuts and avocado and a focus on seafood and fish has worked well for thousands of years. Eat fresh, eat whole, eat on smaller plates (ie. smaller portions) and you're good to go.
What's almost more interesting, and more controversial, is that the low-carb diet which was higher in saturated fat and the low-fat diet, both helped lower LDL 'bad' cholesterol. Interesting because the Atkins diet traditionally has been scolded for encouraging unhealthful, cholesterol-raising amounts of saturated fat from rich calorie-laden sources like red meat, bacon and butter.
So behind the scenes, here's what the news stories are forgetting to mention:
1. the study was funded by the Atkins Research Foundation...I don't smell bias do you?
2. dieters put on the low-carb Atkins-like diet were actually encouraged to get their fat from vegetarian sources like nuts, oils etc which are healthy unsaturated fats and may outweigh the health/cholesterol impact of whatever saturated fats were additionally consumed.
Bottom line: It's a single study and there appears to be a number of confounding factors going on here. As Tara Parker Pope put it in her NY Times blog post, it's additional evidence that 'diets' just don't really work. A 10 or 6 pound sustained loss over two years doesn't sound ovewhelming to me. So what should we take away from all this? Stick with the basics people! The Mediterranean diet--or a version similar to it--has proven again and again to positively impact health, disease prevention and keep the scale hovering at a friendly number. A day-to-day diet rich in fresh fruits and vegetables, complex carbs like whole grains and legumes, healthy sources of fat like olive oil/grapeseed oil, nuts and avocado and a focus on seafood and fish has worked well for thousands of years. Eat fresh, eat whole, eat on smaller plates (ie. smaller portions) and you're good to go.
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
The scoop on ice cream
I admit my vices when it comes to food (we're all human) and I have a slight love affair with ice cream, always have, and most likely always will. The affair heats up when summer hits, nothing goes better with a hot Sunday evening than a scoop of delectable ice cream. My love affair got even more steamy last weekend when I ventured down to Soho to check out the new butter-yellow truck that dishes out Van Leeuwen Artisan Ice Cream (pictured above). I love that co-owning brothers Pete and Ben's motto is "Fresh. Local. Pure. Simple." And their ice cream really is just that (in addition to utterly amazing). They take pride in working with local dairy farmers, using organic cream and hormone-free milk, and sourcing some of the best ingredients around -- like fair trade Columbian coffee, Sicilian pistachios, organic peppermint and real, fresh strawberries. Not to mention the napkins, cups and spoons are made from environmentally-friendly renewable resources. Pretty nice guys, huh. I can tell what you're thinking...how can a nutritionist encourage eating high-calorie, full-fledged ice cream? Isn't that a little contradictory to the idea of 'healthy eating'? Actually, it's not at all. Part of being healthy and eating well is enjoying small indulgences -- when they're REALLY worth it. I was completely satisfied with my small, single-scoop peppermint-chip cone this weekend. When we allow ourselves to eat real food made with fresh ingredients our bodies register the good stuff and we don't end up craving more...and more. We're satisfied and that's that. If fat-free, taste-free frozen yogurt doesn't really do the trick for you and you end up eating a huge portion loaded with too many toppings to count, what's really the point? You've probably wasted more calories than you would have with one small scoop of the real stuff and it wasn't exactly an enjoyable experience. Food should be enjoyable people--when it is, the less we end up eating overall. It's like magic! So here's why, when and how to get your kicks, have a good lick of your fave ice cream AND still strut your stuff at the beach this summer:
1. make it worth it -- don't just eat any old ice cream, only the best of the best will do
2. timing is everything -- if ice cream's your thang, pick just one time a week to have your little treat
3. flava flav -- order a single scoop of whatever you've got a hankering for, save on calories without compromising flavor
4. love every lick and don't dare feel guilty afterwards
My personal favorite ice cream flavor? That's tough one, I'd have to go with Mint Chocolate Chip, Pistachio (I know, random) or an incredibly intense Vanilla. What's your favorite?
(refreshing peppermint-chip...I'm in love)
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