dr. ann

Dangers of High Fructose Corn Syrup

admin — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 15:30:48 +0000

Over the past 20 years there has been a dramatic uptick in our intake of dietary fructose (largely from high fructose corn syrup and other sweeteners) and 2 new studies add to a large swath of others that our health may be taking a beating as a result.

In the first evaluation, scientists determined that among over 4,500 adult study subjects with no prior history of high blood pressure, those who consumed the equivalent amount of fructose in 2 ½ soft drinks per day were up to 77% more likely to develop high blood pressure. Curiously, the swift rise in the prevalence of high blood pressure over the past few decades mirrors our escalating intakes of fructose. If you have high blood pressure, you need to watch your salt and your sugar! (Journal of the American Society Nephrology, July 2010)

In the second study (which I found particularly alarming),scientists determined that pancreatic tumor cells “feed” off of fructose and are more apt to multiply and proliferate in its presence. This was in contrast to glucose which did not cause the same response. According to this research, fructose may be a potent driver of cancer cell growth. (Cancer Research, Aug 2010)

High fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is the leading sweetener added to processed foods and beverages. US consumption of HFCS increased 1000 percent from 1970 to 1990.

Related Content:

Big Fat News on HFCS

Healthy Protein

admin — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 15:20:15 +0000

The right proteins are a powerful ally in your pursuit of optimal health and my standard advice for making the best protein choices just got a big boost on the healthy heart front. After following the diets of over 84,000 women for 26 years, Harvard investigators determined that eating red meat and full-fat dairy products increased the risk of getting heart disease, while eating more poultry, fish and nuts decreased the risk. (Circulation, Aug 2010)

Specifically, investigators found that women who substituted a serving of any of the following proteins for a daily serving of red meat could expect the following reduced risk of heart disease:

Nuts – 30% lower
Fish – 24% lower
Poultry – 19% lower
Low-fat dairy – 13% lower

I recommend that all adults limit red meat to 2 servings or less a week and to be especially vigilant in restricting processed red meat.

For more, check out my free article, How to Do Your Proteins Right!

Appetite Control Tip

admin — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 15:19:48 +0000

If you “expect” a food or meal to satisfy you – chances are it will. Fascinating new research just presented at a scientific meeting on eating behavior found our minds can indeed convince our stomachs that a food or meal will fill us up.

Appetite control is the Holy Grail for achieving a healthy body weight so I encourage you to take advantage of this mind over body reality.

Here is my list of superstar foods for appetite control. If this topic interests you, join me for my upcoming appetite control webinar!

Ginger Nutrition – Super Foods

admin — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 14:43:11 +0000

Inflammation is a key driver of most chronic diseases and the anti-inflammatory power in ginger is off-the-charts.The potent inflammation busters in ginger are called xanthines. These valuable agents are also work horses for boosting immunity and fighting viral infections.

For optimal results, include ginger, powdered or fresh, in your diet regularly – daily is best. It really is one of the best all round spices for broad spectrum disease protection. Here are the different ways I incorporate this remarkable spice.

Super Foods Health – Dark Leafy Greens

admin — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 14:41:44 +0000

Dark leafy greens are one of the healthiest foods (arguably THE healthiest food) on the planet and thanks to a new study, their disease-busting credentials just got bigger. Based on a review of six studies including over 220,000 people, eating more leafy green vegetables can significantly reduce the risk of getting type 2 diabetes (British Medical Journal, Aug 2010). There is such a vast array of health-boosting wonder compounds in dark leafy greens that scientists will likely never know what the active disease fighters in them are.

I NEVER go a day in my life without having some form of dark leafy greens and that is my best advice for you too! Enjoy them cooked or raw in any form that suits your palate – collards, kale, spinach, Swiss chard, lettuces, etc. Just eat them!

For a bit more background on why they are the superstars of the superstar foods, watch this short video where I compare 100 calories of kale to 100 calories of sirloin.

Superfoods for Health and Wellness [ARTICLE]

Carrot Recipes – Carrot Burger Recipe

admin — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 19:23:13 +0000

I am so excited to share one of my all-time favorite recipes with you — these Carrot-Sesame Burgers are absolutely delicious and a huge hit with my family!

serves 4-6
3 large carrots
1 can of chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 small onion, roughly chopped
3 tbsp. tahini (sesame seed paste)
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 tsp. cumin
¼ cup cilantro
1 omega 3 egg
3 tbsp. whole wheat bread crumbs
½ lemon, juiced
3 tbsp. sesame seeds
3- 4 whole-wheat pitas, halved
Sliced cucumber
1/3 cup plain yogurt
2 tbsp. major grey chutney
3 dill sprigs, chopped
PAM
2 tbsp. canola oil
Salt and pepper

>>READ MORE >>

Women’s Health – Heart Rate

admin — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 19:11:13 +0000

I am a huge advocate of monitoring heart rate during exercise to optimize health, safety and fitness and for the first time a landmark report has determined what calculation can accurately give women their “peak heart rate.”

Instead of the traditional 220 minus your age, the new formula is 206 minus 88% of your age. For a 50 year old woman, that is 8 beats less than the old formula calculation. For those of you like me who work out with a heart rate monitor – we have been going at it harder than we had too! (Circulation, June 2010)

More on heart health…

Heart Healthy Superstar Foods [ARTICLE]

Healthy Heart Grocery List

Weight Loss Supplements

admin — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 19:11:02 +0000

In a first-of-its-kind evaluation presented at the International Congress on Obesity, German researchers evaluated 9 popular over-the-counter weight loss products to see if they were effective. In this double-blind, placebo controlled clinical trial (the most accurate type of study), NONE of the supplements were any more effective than the placebo (dummy pills).

In a second similar report presented at the same conference, U.K. scientists conducted the first thorough review of all existing clinical trials on 9 different herbal or nutrient-based weight loss supplements. According to the lead investigator, “we found no evidence that any of these food or herbal supplements is an adequate treatment for reducing body weight. Those included in this evaluation were: chromium, Ephedra, calcium, CLA, green tea, bitter orange, guar gum and glucomannan.

Americans are currently flushing $1.6 billion dollars down the toilet a year buying these worthless weight loss agents.

The secret to success for weight loss is… no big secret! It requires eating the right foods and getting the right amounts of physical activity. That’s also the proven prescription for being healthy. For all of the “healthy” specifics, download my free Weigh Less, Be More Scorecard. For more in-depth guidance, check out my book, Dr. Ann’s 10-Step Diet or my Weigh Less, Be More Grocery List.

Foods High in Sugar and Fat

admin — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 18:35:03 +0000

Most people know that too much bad fat (saturated and trans) will do a dirty number on their hearts, but few recognize that too much sugar is likely even worse! Unfortunately, sugar consumption is at an all-time high in the U.S. with 16% of our total calories coming from sugar added to processed and prepared foods. Excess sugar is particularly bad for the heart because it can harm it in so many different ways including:

Elevating blood pressure
Boosting triglyceride levels
Lowering HDL (good) cholesterol levels
Promoting inflammation
Promoting insulin resistance

For optimal heart health, added sugars should make up no more than 100 calories (25 grams or 6 tsp) a day in women and 150 calories (37 grams or 9 tsp) a day in men. That’s less than a single 16 oz bottle of soda!

Prostate Health – Foods Prostate Health

admin — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 18:24:02 +0000

Evidence continues to mount that nutrition and prostate health are strongly linked. Here are 5 foods that should always be on a man’s grocery list:

Any form of canned or bottled tomato product. (Low sodium best)
Any whole soy foods – soy milk, tofu, tempeh, edamame or roasted soy nuts.
Broccoli and its other cruciferous cousins – cauliflower, kale, cabbage, brussels sprouts, brocco sprouts and collards.
Brazil nuts.
Beans – any variety in any form.