Is cheese healthy?

Who doesn�t like cheese?  Cheese pizza, grilled cheese sandwiches, cheese and crackers.  Many studies have been done on cheese and its health benefits.  So what is the latest � is cheese healthy or bad for our hearts and bodies?

The recent issue of the Wellness Letter from the University of California reported on the latest cheese research (Say Cheese?, September 2015). 

They noted the French consume a lot of cheese as I can verify having visited France last year.  Cheese and bread at breakfast, cheese and bread at lunch.  The French love their cheese.  Yet, the French have relatively low heart disease rates.  Why?

•  Heart Health � many people say cheese is not good for your heart because cheese has some bad fat in it, saturated fat.  A study in 2013 found no link between eating a lot of cheese and heart disease.  Another 2012 study found followed Swedish women for 12 years.  Surprisingly, the women who ate the most cheese had the lowest rate of heart attacks.  Other studies found that butter does raise your bad cholesterol, LDL but cheese does not.
• Diabetes � rather than raise your blood glucose, cheese seems to help stabilize it.  A study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that cheese and yogurt improved insulin sensitivity and control of blood glucose levels.  A Swedish study found that woman consuming cheese had a lower risk of diabetes.  They aren�t sure why but cheese does have fat and this slows stomach emptying which means less of a rise in blood sugar levels.
• Anticancer � The more dairy the less your risk of colon cancer probably because of the calcium in dairy and thus in cheese.  But other studies have been mixed as to whether cheese consumption reduces cancer risk.
• Weight � many studies have been done on dairy and weight.  A recent study suggests that cheese consumption is associated with less weight gain and may help a person control their weight.  A study in the Journal of Nutrition involving obese and overweight women found that those who consumer a high protein and a high dairy diet, exercised, restricted calories not only lost weight but loss more fat and gained muscle.
• Cavities � what does cheese have to do with cavities?  First, cheese doesn�t promote cavities and some research shows it may help prevent cavities.  Cheese helps build up the minerals in your teeth, the calcium, phosphorus and even protein promote mineralization.
• Nutrients � cheese is loaded with good nutrients: calcium, protein, vitamin A, B12, B2, zinc and other nutrients.  But most cheese has no or little vitamin D so milk or yogurt are needed to meet vitamin D needs. 

So enjoy some cheese this week.  If you want to cut back on the calories from cheese, choose part-skim mozzarella, mozzarella sticks, feta cheese, part-skim ricotta cheese, 2% cheddar, 2% Swiss which are made with 2% milk.  

Sources:  The Best Low-Fat Cheeses, Say Cheese?  Image source:  Cheese sticks

Can diet help you live longer?

How would you like to have dinner with a longevity expert?  What questions would you ask about how to live a longer life?   Well, a New York Times reporter did have dinner with the longevity expert, Dan Buettner.  So what advice does a longevity expert offer?   

      1.  Coffee � according to Buettner, coffee is �one of the biggest sources of antioxidants in the American diet�,  He notes Greeks living on the Greek island, Icaria, drink 2-3 cups of coffee a day.  These are people who often live to 100.    

      2.  Focus on veggies and herbs � to prepare an evening meal, Buettner purchase fennel, broccoli, celery, carrots, chickpeas   

      3.  Add Honey � local honey, and Tofu, coconut milk, frozen berries 

      4.  Walk � exercise is important to a long life and walking is one of Buettner�s approved ways to exercise as those living in the �Blue Zones� walk a lot.  

       5.  Is butter back?  Although some are saying butter is fine, Buettner notes a dollop or two a week may be fine but he is not yet on the butter is good for you bandwagon.   

       6.  Meat and fish � not a true vegetarian but those in the Blue Zones eat meat and fish sparingly.  This would be hard for me as I love cheese and like most Americans, I enjoy some meat in my diet.  

      7.�Icarian stew� made by Buettner consisted of black-eyed peas, fennel, onions, garlic, carrots, canned tomatoes, other veggies and some olive oil.  Sounds healthy but I would need to add some ham or other meat for a real stew.   

      8.  Bread � he doesn�t shun carbs, gluten or bread.  Good news for me as I love bread and it isn�t a meal if it doesn�t have bread. 

So how does Buettnner fair health wise?  To get an accurate assessment he went to the renowned Mayo Clinic to get an executive physical.  His arteries were clear.  What does Buettner have to say about the popular Paleo Diet?  �He joked the paleo diet is fine if all you want is the life expectancy of a cave man.�  And cave men didn�t lead long lives.  

Buettner authored a book about longevity, The Blue Zones.  It focuses on 5 communities with lessons from those who have lived the longest.  You can go to his website, https://www.bluezones.com/live-longer/and take your Vitality Compass, to calculate how long you might live and also get information from the Vitality Coach.  

Sources:  My Dinner With Longevity Expert Dan Buettner, Live Longer,  Image source:  coffee

Enjoy Watermelon for a nutrition boost

What is summer or a backyard cookout without some watermelon?   How healthy is watermelon, what nutrition benefits does it offer?  As noted below, watermelon packs a lot of nutrition for few calories.

    National Geographic�s  Reasons to Eat Watermelon  and Medical News Today:  Watermelon:  Healthy Benefits and Nutritional Information:    

      1.   Soothes sore muscles � what does eating watermelon have to do with your muscles?  A research study found that �drinking watermelon juice before a hard work out� helped reduce muscle soreness the next day.  Watermelon also shortens recovery time.  Watermelon has the amino acid, L-citrulline which our bodies change to L-arginine, an amino acid that improves blood circulation and relaxes your blood vessels.    

     2.  Heart Health � These same amino acids improve your heart health by helping to lower blood pressure.    

     3.  Watermelon is rich in vitamins and minerals � Although watermelon is 90% water, it also has many vitamins and minerals.  Some people don�t realize watermelon is a good source of vitamin C.   

       It also provide vitamin A and potassium.  Watermelon also provides the minerals iron, magnesium, phosphorus, manganese, selenium.  Zinc and copper.  Besides A and C watermelon provides B-vitamins: thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, B-6 and folate.  

     4.  Cancer fighting � watermelon provides the healthy antioxidant, lycopene.   Most people know lycopene is found in tomatoes but watermelon is also a good source.  The National Watermelon Promotion Board states that watermelon provides more lycopene than any other fruit or vegetable. 

     5.  Low calorie � one cup of diced watermelon has only 43 calories and no fat and almost no sodium

     6. Asthma prevention � those consuming high amounts of nutrients like the vitamin C in watermelon lessen their risk of developing asthma.   

     7.  Digestion � because watermelon has fiber and contains a lot of water, it aides in digestion.

     8. Hydration � a good way to help kids stay hydrated in the summer is to serve some watermelon.  Watermelon not only has water in it, it also offers electrolytes to help prevent dehydration.

     9.  Reduce Inflammation:  watermelon can help reduce inflammation because it contains choline.  

     10  Healthy Skin � watermelon promotes skin health because of the vitamin A it contains.  Vitamin A also promotes healthier hair.  The vitamin C in watermelon helps our skin build and maintain collagen.  The water in watermelon promotes skin hydration.

So enjoy some watermelon this summer and pack in some nutrition benefits. 

 

Sources:    Reasons to Eat Watermelon, Watermelon:  Healthy Benefits and Nutritional Information, Image source:  Watermelon

Anti-Inflammatory foods

Are there foods that can help control inflammation?  In our bodies we can have low-grade inflammation that can simmer along for years before raising its ugly head as cancer, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis or even heart disease.  There are foods that can help fight this low grade inflammation as described in Tame the Flame of Inflammation.   

      1. Broccoli � not just broccoli but other vegetables in the cruciferous family � kale, Brussel sprouts, help lower inflammation.  The antioxidants in these foods seem to provide the benefits.  If you don�t like broccoli plain, add a cheese sauce, or put some in soups, on salads, in stir-fry dishes.  

      2.  Wheat berries and whole wheat � many people are shunning wheat and thus the benefits whole wheat can provide.  Wheat berries and whole wheat provide a polyphenol antioxidant that can lower inflammation.  Add some wheat berries to your cereal or salad.   

      3.  EVVO � not sure what EVVO is?  Extra Virgin Olive Oil which contains oleocanthal which has similar anti- inflammatory properties to ibuprofen but a much more natural way to get the anti-inflammatory benefit.  And add olives to your diet.     

      4.  Salmon� already known as a heart-healthy food and a brain food, salmon also offers eicosapentaenoic acid, which is an omega-3 fat with healthy benefits one being it is anti-inflammatory.   

      5.  Nuts � a handful of nuts a day is a healthy habit.  Brazil nuts provide offer a heart healthy fat, a good source of many vitamins and minerals and lowers inflammation.  Walnuts and flaxseed provide omega-3 fats which are also anti-inflammatory.   

      6. Yogurt � provides calcium, vitamin D and probiotics � all good for your health.  The bacteria in yogurt seems to help inhibit inflammation.  

      7.  Grapefruit � not the grapefruit diet but having some grapefruit in your diet offers flavonoid antioxidants which are anti-inflammatory.   

      8.  Spices: Turmeric, paprika� herbs and spices contribute essentially no calories but offer numerous health benefits.  It is the curcumin in turmeric, that offers anti-inflammatory benefits.  Paprika has capsaicin, a natural anti-inflammatory.  You can also get capsaicin from red peppers, cayenne pepper, garlic and ginger.    

      9.  Lentils � green black or brown lentils.  Or add peas and beans to your diet.  Try adding four servings a week to your diet to lower inflammation.   

     10. Mushrooms � add to salads, pizza. White button mushrooms, especially eaten raw, helped lower inflammation.

One may not be able to add all these foods to their diet, but try to add some each week.  
 

Sources:  Tame the Flame of Inflammation, 11 Food Dos and Don'ts to Tame Inflammation   Image source:  yogurt

Is Meat Unhealthy? Part VI

In this post, I'll examine the possible relationship between meat consumption and cancer risk.

Is cancer risk even modifiable?

Cancer is caused by the uncontrolled division of a population of rogue cells in the body. These cells essentially evolve by natural selection to escape the body's multiple anti-cancer mechanisms.

To a large extent, cancer appears to be a numbers game. The human body contains about 37 trillion cells. To get cancer, all you need is one cell that develops key mutations that allow it to shed its built-in restrictions on cell division. The older you are, the more time you have to accumulate mutations, explaining why cancer risk rises sharply with age.

Unlike other common non-communicable diseases, we don't know to what extent cancer is caused by modifiable diet and lifestyle factors vs. bad luck that's completely outside our control. Some cancers, such as lung cancer, are typically linked to lifestyle factors like cigarette smoking-- yet the majority of cancers aren't so easily understood.

Read more �

Does "Metabolically Healthy Obesity" Exist?

Obesity is strongly associated with metabolic alterations and negative health outcomes including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and some types of cancer (1, 2, 3, 4). Excess body fat is one of the primary causes of preventable health problems and mortality in the United States and many other affluent nations, ranking in importance with cigarette smoking and physical inactivity. Obesity is thought to contribute to disease via the metabolic disturbances it causes, including excess glucose and lipids in the circulation, dysregulated hormone activity including insulin and leptin, and inflammatory effects. This immediately raises two questions:

1. Does metabolically healthy obesity exist?
2. If so, are metabolically healthy obese people at an elevated risk of disease and death?

Does metabolically healthy obesity exist?

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