Happy and Healthy New Year!

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Wishing you a happy, healthy, TurboCharged New Year!

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Achieving Your Health Goals in 2014

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Is Junk Food Addictive?

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A study out of Yale University attempted to analyze food “addiction.”  Can some people react to certain foods the same way an alcoholic or addict gets “hooked” on their substance of choice?  The researchers in this study conclude the answer is probably yes.

We think that the question that should be asked is, “Why do some people react with addictive tendencies when seeing or tasting a milkshake, candy bar or bag of chips yet not have a comparable reaction with a carbohydrate like fresh fruit, for example?  Does a juicy steak produce addictive tendencies?”   We say these addictive reactions are most likely the result of the plethora of refined foods, modern packaged foods and un-natural combinations of foods we have been increasing exposed to over the last 40 years.

We believe strongly that without a doubt, certain foods are addictive. The real question is “What is it that makes these foods so addictive?”

Increasingly scientific literature is suggesting that sugar consumption, in any form, may be the culprit.   Yet, as we point out in TurboCharged, our bodies are perfectly capable of consuming, processing and thriving on “natural” foods.  However, it is these totally un-natural man-made products that are causing the problems.

Rising obesity and other modern diseases like cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, hypertension, high triglycerides, hypoglycemia to name a few along with so-called ‘food addiction,’ are all the end result of consuming too many of these ‘engineered’ modern foods in our daily diets.

These modern products are deliberately designed to stimulate and excite our taste buds and brains. They all contain refined carbohydrates which after becoming nutritionally neutered via processing, are often produced with refined sweeteners—both real and artificial, fats and problematic trans-fats, unnaturally high amounts of dietary omega-6 fatty acids from vegetable and manufactured oils, salt, a cornucopia of artificial chemicals, dyes and additives which make these packaged items lethal to our health and addictive to many.  The sad thing?  Processed food manufacturers know this and create their formulas and recipes with this in mind.  They hope you will become addicted to their product.  Packaged food items are the highest profit items in a grocery store; consequently, they are allotted the most space. It is profits, not health that drive these products, advertising and sales.

Manufacturers would like us to believe that if it tastes good, it can’t be that bad and often use marketing tricks or artificial food dyes to trick consumers into thinking that this stuff is healthier than it is.

Our conclusion: Refined and processed foods are hazardous to health, particularly to those who have increased sensitivity to them.  Work on satisfying your urges and cravings with the whole natural foods we were all designed to eat.  Eat some fruit when the sweet craving strikes.

Your thoughts and comments are always welcome.

Eating Healthy Is Worth Any Extra Cost

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According to a new review study published December 5, 2013, in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) Open that analyzed diet and price information from 10 different countries, eating a healthy diet does cost more.

A healthy diet that includes plenty of fruits, vegetables, nuts and fish costs on average about $1.50 more per day than a less healthy diet based on processed foods, meats and refined grains.

That amounts to about $550 more per year for those who choose to eat healthy. However, most experts agree that the price of eating healthy is a good investment considering the lifetime cost of diet-related chronic diseases estimated to currently cost about $393 billion per year in the United States.  This equates to around $1,200 per year for each person which makes the cost of eating healthy look like a real bargain.

Researchers analyzed information from 27 previous studies and evaluated differences in food cost per serving, as well as per calorie. They compared prices for different food categories and overall diets.

The biggest differences were in meats and other proteins because healthier choices in this category cost about 30 cents more per serving.  According to the researchers, lean beef and skinless chicken may cost more because more processing is required, the researchers said.  In addition, food policies and subsidies have focused on producing inexpensive high-volume choices which has created an environment that favors processed foods.

Healthier foods are becoming more common due to increased demand by people that can afford them but only a government policy that supports the production, transportation and marketing of healthier foods will increase their availability and also reduce prices and subsequently healthier citizens.

That may take awhile so in the interim, follow the guidelines provided in TurboCharged, make eating healthy a top priority and purchase the best food choices you can afford.  Such an investment will pay dividends in increased health and longevity.

Your thoughts and comments are always welcome.

Nuts = Longevity

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Nuts are part of a healthy TurboCharged diet for a reason.  There has been a consistent association between nut consumption, health and longevity.  It may be the fats they contain or the polyphenol compounds we that wrote about in last week’s blog, some other yet to be discovered compound or the synergistic effect of the whole delicious package nature has provided.

According to Harvard researchers, people who eat nuts regularly were less likely to die of cancer, heart disease or any other cause during a 30-year study.

Nuts had previously been identified as heart-healthy and now the largest study ever done shows that eating them has a beneficial effect on mortality.

The study tracked 119,000 men and women and concluded that daily nut eaters were 20% less likely to die during the study period than those who never ate nuts. Eating nuts less frequently also lowered risk of death in direct proportion to overall consumption.

These benefits came from a wide variety of tree nuts as well as peanuts. The study didn’t look at how the nuts were prepared.

There was a 29% less risk of heart disease and 11% less risk of cancer for nut eaters when compared to those who never eat them.

Seventh Day Adventists, known for nut consumption, have also been cited as having greater longevity than the general population.  This is most often associated with their common avoidance of meat but nuts seem to have an effect regardless.

The nut eaters in the study were also leaner than the non-nut eaters which slays the myth that nuts are fattening which is good news for nut lovers.

“There’s a general perception that if you eat more nuts you’re going to get fat. Our results show the opposite,” said lead researcher Dr. Ying Bao of Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston.

Earlier this year, the Harvard group released its that a Mediterranean-style diet supplemented with nuts cut the chance of heart-related problems, especially strokes, in older people at high risk of them.

Other studies show nut consumption lowers risk of heart disease, diabetes, colon cancer and other chronic diseases.

Even small amounts made a difference; when compared with people who never ate nuts, eating them less than once a week reduced risk of death by 7%; once a week by 11%; 2-4 times a week by 13%; and 7 or more times a week by 20%.

This seems to be an example of where a little is good but more is actually better, although most benefits came from eating an average of one ounce of nuts daily.  Since on one knows exactly what it is about nuts that provides the health benefits or which ones are best, you should eat a variety.

Your thoughts and comments are always welcome.

Thanksgiving Leftovers For Fat Loss

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TurboChargers can continue to lose fat by incorporating lean recipes made from turkey leftovers.  Even if you were overeating on Thanksgiving, it’s possible for your diet plans to survive the rest of the holiday season as long as you recognize the pitfalls and plan ahead.

Just because you overdid it on Thanksgiving, doesn’t mean you are doomed to gain weight over the holidays.  Your goal of reducing body fat and toning muscle between now and New Year’s Day is still very realistic. But, you need a plan. Remember that many people enjoy their Black Friday shopping sprees because they started planning where to shop weeks beforehand, and they kept a list of different stores to hit if the first store didn’t have what they were looking for.  Similarly, you can plan to stay in shape, or even better, improve your body and health so you show up at holiday parties looking awesome. One day of overeating is no reason for you to stay down and out. Keep focusing on your goal!

Many of the ingredients left over from your Thanksgiving meal can be used to make great lower calorie meals. Instead of stacking turkey on slices of white bread with mayonnaise that will only contribute to weight gain, make a big pot of turkey vegetable stew that will fuel your body. Help you burn fat and stay satisfied at the same time. Looking for something easy to do with that leftover Thanksgiving turkey?  Try this recipe from our book, TurboCharged Recipes: Delicious Fuel for Your Lean, Fat-Burning Machine (BSH, 2012).

TURKEY VEGETABLE STEW

1¼ cups sliced carrot

1 cup sliced celery

¾ cup chopped onion

¾ cup water

1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil

2 tablespoons tomato paste, salt-free if possible

2 (10-ounce cans) low-sodium chicken broth

1 (15-ounce can) of whole Tomatoes (no-salt-added), undrained and chopped

¼ teaspoon pepper

¼ teaspoon hot sauce

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 ½ cups chopped cooked turkey breast (skinned before cooking and cooked without salt)

1 (10-ounce) package frozen English peas, thawed

1 (10-ounce) package frozen spinach or okra, thawed

Combine first 8 ingredients in a large Dutch oven. Add next 3 ingredients, stirring well to combine. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes.

Stir in turkey, peas, and spinach or okra; simmer, uncovered, 10 minutes or until thoroughly heated.

Makes 9, 1-cup servings.

Who says you need to eat tasteless diet foods to lose your excess body fat and get into fabulous shape?  This stew is absolutely delicious.

Give it a try and let us know what you think.

Fruits, Veggies, Nuts and Longevity

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There is plenty of research showing an association between the consumption of fruits, veggies and nuts with increased health and longevity.  Most of these studies were based on dietary questionnaires of study participants over a period of time and are prone to some inaccuracies and interpretation.  There is also always the question of what particular nutrient or compound in these foods or items in the diet that may be responsible for the observed benefits.

Now for the first time, research, published on Journal of Nutrition, looked at the effect of a high intake of polyphenols using a new nutritional biomarker test along with food frequency questionnaires (TDP).  The study linked a high polyphenol intake with a 30% reduction in mortality in older adults.

Polyphenols are naturally occurring compounds found largely in fruits, vegetables, coffee, tea, nuts, legumes and cereals.  There are more than 8,000 different polyphenol compounds that have been identified in plants. They have been shown to have an anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-carcinogenic effect.

The researchers analyzed the effect of a polyphenol-rich diet using a nutritional biomarker that measures the total urinary polyphenol (TUP) concentration as a proxy measure of overall intake.  The study evaluated the relationship between TUP’s and TDP’s and all-cause mortality during a 12-year period among older adults. The study participants included 807 men and women aged 65 and older living in the Chianti region of Tuscany, Italy.

The development and use of nutritional biomarker tests provides a more precise and more objective estimate of intake because it is not based only on the participants’ memory. Nutritional biomarkers also take into account bioavailabity and individual differences providing a more accurate evaluation of the association between food intake and either mortality or disease risk.

This study showed overall mortality was reduced by 30% in participants who had diets rich in polyphenol diets (>650 mg/day) when compared to participants who had low dietary polyphenol intakes (<500 mg/day).

Raúl Zamora Ros, first author of the study, said that “the results corroborate scientific evidence suggesting that people consuming diets rich in fruit and vegetables are at lower risk of several chronic diseases and overall mortality.”

Polyphenols help to prevent the damage of free radicals in the body and actively work in preventing certain disease mechanisms from occurring.  Free radicals are unstable molecules that can damage arteries and cause other health problems. Because there are so many different types of polyphenols, eating a wide variety of foods will ensure you get the healthiest diet possible.

To maintain high levels of polyphenols in your body and bloodstream throughout the day, eat and drink polyphenol-rich foods throughout the day, every few hours.  Blood levels of polyphenols peak soon after they are consumed and decrease as they are metabolized or excreted from the body.  Refining foods removes polyphenols so you should focus on fresh or freshly cooked fruits, vegetables and legumes instead of refined foods. Polyphenols are usually not destroyed by moderate cooking or heating and some cooked foods may offer a more bioavailable form of certain polyphenols.

Avoiding consumption of foods and other things that promote free radical formation is also a key part of any healthy dietary strategy.

Your thoughts and comments are always welcome.