a medical librarian's adventures in evidence-based living
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Whole-Grain & Seed Power Breakfast Waffles or Pancakes
If you received this post via email, click here, to get to the web version with the photos, links & to write a comment.
On Saturday, Deb, an ultramarathoner and endurance athlete sent me the recipe for her favorite waffles & pancakes.
I tried the recipe out immediately & we liked the waffles so much, that I made a second batch on Tuesday--working the kinks out of the recipe so I could share it with you.
The Lab Rat & I couldn't believe how delicious & filling these waffles were. On Sunday, just one waffle kept me full & fueled for 5 hours & over 2 hours of exercise. Had one for breakfast today with PB2 & berries--and I'm just getting hungry now--6 hours later. That's something!
Thank you, Deb!
Here's what Deb emailed me:
My favorite breakfast!
Features:
Whole grains
Whole foods
Gluten-free
Lots of flax
Seed + Grain = Complete protein
Spices, like cinnamon for improved insulin response
Plant-based & no chemical leavening
No added-sugar
I ate one before a 25 mile mountainous trail run last weekend, and all i had later was a gel and a bite size snickers bar (yeah, i know, but it tasted good!) for the whole day...
Here's the recipe.......
The Breakfast with Big Benefits
For the many benefits of consuming oats & buckwheat groats click here. Whole grains, protein, soluble & insoluble fiber, low-glycemic, gluten-free, steadies blood glucose, B-vitamins, increases nitric oxide production. Need I say more?
Flax is fiber, lignans, & a fantastic source of plant-based omega-3's rolled into one package. Read more about its benefits here.
As for pumpkin seeds, although I don't eat them regularly, they are loaded with nutrients. Read more here. Dr. Mladen Golubic, the Medical Director of the Cleveland Clinic Center for Lifestyle Medicine rarely consumes nuts, but, pumpkin seeds are a different story for him. They are a regular favorite snack of his, owing to their high nutrient-content. Plus, pumpkin seeds are a snack he's eaten throughout his life.
Deb's Back Story
I first heard from Deb over 2 1/2 years ago--soon after she had started on the E2 version of a plant-based diet. I figure that if a plant-based no-oil diet can fuel an endurance athlete--it certainly will work for mere mortals like us. But, even with all those years of running Deb was never able to lose those extra pounds or belly fat until she switched to plant-based & no-oil. That made an impression on me. My exact same experience, too!
Here are some bits & pieces of Deb's story:
"I am a 58 year old woman, and I have seen an amazing difference in the way I feel, and how I can train now.
I was "mostly vegetarian" for a number of years, until switching to plant-based no-oil over 2 1/2 years ago.
However, even with running 50+ miles a week, and eating a healthy diet without a lot of processed foods, I could not lose weight or get rid of that blob around my middle!! Looking back, I realize we ate refined flour in the form of pizza dough and in our "multi-grain" (but not whole grain) bread, and occasional crackers and bagels... and white rice.
Since switching to plant-based, my joint pain disappeared, other seemingly unrelated symptoms (dry eye, allergies, sinus problems, asthma and digestive issues) all went away!
I lost weight, about 20 pounds, got leaner, have more energy, I don't need as much sleep, I feel GREAT!
I am never hungry, I am able to keep training hard on this diet, and actually, am even running better than before (gotta be not lugging that extra weight around!) I love this way of eating!!
Of course, after only a short time on this eating plan, all of my numbers also dropped - cholesterol was 156 after only a week and a half, down from the 180's, and is probably lower now... blood sugar down, blood pressure healthier.. all good stuff!
And how many almost 60 year old women do you know who can regularly run 30+ miles, and race at distances of 50-100 miles? I have gotten my hubby, also an ultramarathoner, off of almost all animal products, but with a great increase in good plant based foods... he even eats kale!
Even at my age, there are markedly positive results from changing to a healthier way of eating. And maybe that's worth sharing - "it's never too late" sort of thing...
Waffles for a Week - If You Can Eat Just One at a Time
Nine Golden-Brown Slightly Sweet Waffles for the Week
Peanut Butter (PB2) & Blueberry Waffles for a Protein Boost
Deb's Power-Packed Plant-Based Blueberry Waffles
I hope this waffle recipe will soon be your fave, too.
The recipe makes 9 medium size delicious-hearty-slightly-sweet waffles that can be stored in the refrigerator or freezer to eat throughout the week. They're perfect plain, with maple syrup, topped with blueberries, or even spread with 2 tablespoons of PB2 & blueberries.
What's PB2? It's defatted peanut flour (1.5 grams of fat per 2 tablespoons) that reconstitutes into a creamy "peanut butter" with just 2 tablespoons of water. It's now available at Whole Foods &even my local grocery store. You can order a pound or more at a time through the company's website. That's how we do it.
Without a topping, these make a very portable take-with power snack.
3 cups of unsweetened almond milk--or your favorite non-dairy milk. Water can also be used--although I've only made this with milk.
Preparation:
1. Before you start, soak the 1/4 cup of raisins in about 1 cup of the milk needed for the recipe.
2. SEPARATELY grind each of the grains & seeds in a power blender, like a VitaMix. Emptying the contents into a large bowl after each one is ground. Works beautifully--& this won't clog up your blender. DO NOT try to grind everything together at the same time. DO NOT GRIND or blend the raisins in anything--except the milk.
I'm sure a food processor will also work, but, I haven't tested that out.
NOTE: Raisins or currants are too gooey & must be blended separately with the milk, or they'll get stuck around the blades. Because the pumpkin seeds have fat in them, they don't grind up as "cleanly" as do the grains.
3. Pour the remaining milk--2 cups--into an empty blender, along with the raisins & their 1 cup of soaking milk & the banana. Add the cinnamon & nutmeg & mix until well-blended.
4. Pour the milk into the bowl with all the ground up grains & seeds & mix until just smooth with a whisk or a mixer on slow speed.
5. Preheat your waffle iron or griddle, if you're making pancakes. I have a non-stick waffle iron, but I still had to spray it with Spectrum's high-heat canola spray before each waffle, or they stuck. The trick for me was figuring how long each waffle took to cook & not opening the waffle iron until then. Using 1/2 cup of batter, each waffle took 4 minutes to be done. Larger waffles will take longer. NOTE: I hear that pancakes brown up perfectly, without oil or spray, with a Scanpan. I'm seriously ready to purchase their Classic 12 1/2 inch non-stick fry pan.
6. USE 1/2 cup of batter per waffle in order to make 9 waffles.
7. Store extras in the refrigerator or freeze them. Heat them up in a toaster oven for crispness. Top with thawed wild blueberries or a fruit of your choice. The Lab Rat insists on maple syrup. I skip the syrup. For an extra 5 gram protein boost (45 calories), spread with 2 tablespoons of PB2.
Nutrition Facts based on making 9 waffles from this recipe.
If you received this post via email, click here, to get to the web-version where you'll be able to view the videos (you won't want to miss them), & connect to all the links.
I'm always surprised to learn that there are still HHLL readers out there who don't know that I post far more information on my facebook page, than I do on my blog.
These are short, "quick-summaries" & links to "hot-off-the-press" research/articles, recipes, photos, books, & whatever has captured my attention & seems worthy of sharing with others--kind of like "A Medical Librarian's Reader's Digest".
If you're interested--click on the FB picture-link in the upper-right-hand corner of my blog or just click here. You don't have to have a Face Book account to drop-in--just ignore the FB box that asks you to log-in, close it, or hit the escape button, & read-on. Drop-in for a visit.
Yes, I hear you--if you're already up-to-your-eyeballs with too much information & "computer-time-sinks"--just ignore this!
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"You can't expect from mammography what it cannot do. Screening is not prevention. We're not going to screen our way to a cure."
"It's just not true to say that 'if you get a mammogram, all will be well.'
A recent study indicates that most stage II and III breast cancers actually turn up clinically, between normal planned screens.
We are not saying that screening is bad. It's what you do with the information that makes it good or bad. We need to refocus and figure out how to tailor screening.
I think people like the simple message that screening is good and are uncomfortable with complexity. I understand that. However, cancer is a complicated disease.
We need to expand our messages to say, among other things, that many screen-detected cancers are slow growing and may not need treatment."
"Most women with screen-detected breast cancer have not had their life saved by screening. They are instead either diagnosed early (with no effect on their mortality) or overdiagnosed."
-Dr. H. Gilbert Welch, MD, Dartmouth Institute of Health Policy & Clinical Practice-
***************
Dr. Susan Love, the prominent breast cancer surgeon & women's advocate who is a Clinical Professor of Surgery at UCLA, "says the scientific understanding of cancer has changed in the years since mammography screening was adopted."
As a result Love would like to see less emphasis on screening and more focus on cancer prevention and treatment for the most aggressive cancers, particularly those that affect younger women. Roughly 15 to 20% of breast cancers are deadly.NYT 10/24/11 "Mammogram's Role as Savior is Tested."
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Honestly, I didn't plan on writing about breast cancer prevention today. No way. I was all set to summarize the BBC's fascinating documentary, "Eat, Fast, and Live Longer" I watched it on Saturday & loved it! So, I'm absolutely clueless how today's post morphed into a breast cancer prevention mash-up.
Let's blame it on October--It's Breast Cancer Awareness Month
Hope it's worthwhile, because it took way too long to put together.
No worries, gentleman, I'm not forgetting about you. I've got some fascinating & eye-opening excerpts to share from the latest edition of Dr. Patrick Walsh's Guide to Surviving Prostate Cancer--all about the role of diet on prostate cancer. Hint: It has to do with evolution, meat & dairy. Stay tuned.
Why So Little Information on Breast Cancer Prevention?
How About Something More Than Mammograms?
Up until 4 years ago, I figured that getting my annual mammogram was my best strategy for preventing breast cancer.
I dutifully went for my annual mammogram--and yes, I don't plan on stopping until sometime in my 70's. But, we have to remember that an annual screening mammogram is just a diagnostic tool--and according to many experts--it's often an "over-diagnosis" tool that can cause more harm than good. Sure, it may prevent us from dying of breast cancer, but, it doesn't do a single thing to prevent or slow the development of breast cancer in the first place.
Remember, a screening mammogram that everyone gets annually or biennially at a certain age, is not the same as getting a mammogram because you or your doctor felt a lump or a thickening or you have suspicious symptoms or a family history of breast cancer.
Here are some sobering facts to consider.
Mammography does a great job of finding microscopic precancerous lesions like Ductal Carcinoma In Situ(DCIS) that often don't progress to invasive cancer--but once they're found on a mammogram they're treated. Read more about DCIS here.
The really fast-growing aggressive cancers are often missed because they aren't visible at the time of an annual mammogram--so screening is often of no help for these "bad cancers." "Roughly 15-20% of breast cancers are deadly," according to Dr. Susan Love in the Oct. 24, 2011 New York Times.
Many cancers are slow-growing (known as indolent) and can be found and successfully treated when they're discovered either in that every-other-year mammogram or with a breast exam.
But here's the kicker! Mammograms are diagnostic tools--they don't do a single thing to help women prevent cancer. There is plenty of research pointing to real strategies that can help us prevent breast cancer--yet, how often do we hear about them? Not very often.
What's a Woman to Do? Consider These Four Breast Cancer Prevention Strategies
1. Do Diet & Exercise Matter in Preventing Breast Cancer?Yes, according to two registered dietitians, Sally Scroggs, MS,RD,LD, and Clare McKinley, RD,LD, at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, one of the leading cancer hospitals in the world. They say that breast cancer risk could be decreased by up to 38% through lifestyle factors, including maintaining a healthy weight, exercising regularly, and eating a healthy diet. Read Scoggs' & McKinley's detailed recommendations later in this post, along with a few "editorial additions" from me.
And don't miss checking out Dr. Michael Greger's excellent Breast Cancer & Diet Recommendations, here.
2. Consider Vitamin D for breast cancer protection. According to one recent UCSD study that reviewed 11 observational studies, a serum 25(OH)D level of 47 ng/mL was associated with a 50% lower risk of breast cancer. For many of us, it may take a lot more than 1000 IUs of vitamin D/day to get up to a 47 ng/mL level, especially if you live up North! There's only one sure-fire way to know what your level is--get tested. I've finally got my level up to 43 ng/mL & I plan to keep it there. Click here and here to read more.
What about the vitamin D cancer connection? It seems so far-fetched, right? (read more here)
Dr. Bruce Hollis of the Medical University of South Carolina has collaborated with Dr. Walter Willett and the Harvard School of Public Health for over 15 years, studying epidemiologic data on the effects of vitamin D on cancer. These studies have routinely shown that an adequate vitamin D status protects against 13 or 14 different cancers, including breast, prostate, and colon cancer.
Still, Hollis is skeptical that vitamin D could treat cancer once you get it--its benefit is in preventing it in the first place--and having adequate levels will lower your risk.
Researchers in Nutrition Reviews project that a vitamin D blood level over 52 ng/mL would reduce breast cancer by 50%, and levels over 34 ng/mL would prevent 50% of the colon cancers. (Note: a more recent study put the number at 47 ng/mL)
Here's how it works: Vitamin D helps control cell growth and that's why we think that it will reduce the risk of many deadly cancers like prostate, breast, and colon by as much as 50 percent. In its role as a hormone, vitamin D travels all over our body delivering messages to activate genes and control cell growth.
3. Avoid unnecessary diagnostic radiation whenever possible. Here's what breast cancer surgeon & spokesperson, Dr. Susan Love has to say about it: “Don’t get that X-ray unless it’s absolutely necessary. Stay away from unnecessary radiation--so if somebody orders an X-ray, you've got to say, 'How is this going to change my care?' And if it’s not, don’t do it."
4. Limit Your Intake of Animal Protein. Consuming more animal protein and
especially dairy products raises blood levels of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), and elevated
IGF-1 levels have been associated with increased breast cancer risk
in many studies. According to Valter Longo, PhD of USC Davis School of Gerontology, lowering one's blood level of IGF-1 protects against cancer & wild cell growth. The two ways to lower IGF-1 levels are by limiting or eliminating animal protein--and by eating fewer calories. We need adequate levels of IGF-1 and other growth factors when we are
young & still growing, but high levels later in life appear to lead to accelerated ageing.
As levels of the IGF-1 hormone drop, a number of repair genes
appear to get switched on, according to ongoing research by Professor
Longo. Here's why: When our bodies aren't getting overfed with the
extra calories & animal protein found in a typical Western diet, they switch from "growth mode" to
"repair mode". In case anyone's wondering--Dr. Longo is "pretty much a vegan" based upon his research. Interesting, huh? Click here to read more.
If you do not see this video on your screen, click here.
The MD Anderson Cancer Center's Recommendations for a Diet to Reduce the Risk of Breast Cancer
Does Diet Really Matter in Breast Cancer?
Written by Dr. Melina Jampolis (additions by the Healthy Librarian--noted in ORANGE)
Since October is Breast Cancer Awareness month, this is the perfect time to answer this question.
And the answer is a resounding yes. To get you the best possible information, Dr. Melina Jampolis turned to registered dietitians Sally Scroggs, MS,RD,LD, and Clare McKinley, RD,LD, at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, one of the leading cancer hospitals in the world. They explained that breast cancer risk could be decreased by up to 38% through lifestyle factors including maintaining a healthy weight, exercising regularly, and eating a healthy diet. In fact, less than 10% of breast cancer appears to have a genetic basis.
1. Limit Alcohol Consumption.From the Nurses’ Health Study: alcohol converts androgens to estrogens; 1 to 1.5 drinks per day is associated with a 19% nonsignificant increase in risk for breast cancer; 2.5 to 4 drinks per day is associated with a 41% increase in risk for breast cancer; and some studies show synergistic effect with hormone therapy. Update 11/01/11: A new study published in JAMA shows that women who routinely have even small amounts of alcohol, as few as three drinks a week, have an elevated risk of breast cancer. The recommendation now is to limit alcohol intake to 1-3 drinks a week. Click here to read more. (H.L. addition)
2. A Whole Food Plant-Based Diet is Best. It's Synergistic. According to the American Institute for Cancer Research, "no single food or food component can protect you against cancer by itself. But scientists believe that the combination of foods in a predominantly plant-based diet may. There is evidence that the minerals, vitamins and phytochemicals in plant foods could interact in ways that boost their individual anti-cancer effects. This concept of interaction, where 1 + 1 = 3, is called synergy." A recent article in the American Journal of Epidemiology looked
at the incidence of breast cancer in the long-running Nurses' Health
Study & found the risk of developing the "harder to treat"
estrogen-negative breast cancer was reduced by 20% in woman who ate the
highest amounts of vegetable protein, like beans, soy, & nuts--and
the highest numer of fruits & vegetables. (H.L. addition)
3. Eat a High-Fiber Diet--every 10 grams of fiber/day will decrease one's risk of breast cancer by a significant 7% Click here (H.L. addition) Also, consider including a daily dose of lignans from flaxseeds in your diet, too. "Women eating more flaxseeds with a documented higher serum enterolactone were found to have a 42% reduced risk of death from postmenopausal breast cancer and a dramatic (40 percent) reduction in all causes of death." Click here and here to read more.
4. The Best Cancer-Fighting Vegetables & Fruit: Some
of their top picks for cancer prevention include beans, berries,
cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, brussels
sprouts), dark leafy green vegetables (spinach, kale, chard, romaine,
mustard greens), flaxseed, garlic, grapes/grape juice, green tea, soy,
tomatoes and whole grains. A recent study in mice suggests that
walnuts may also play a role in breast cancer prevention, but these
findings need to be confirmed in humans.
5. Curcumin--a possible cancer-fighting spice. There is also a growing body of research suggesting that curcumin, one of the active components of curry, may play a role in both the treatment and prevention of various types of cancer including breast cancer.
6. Weight Matters. Lose It! Being overweight is strongly associated with the risk of postmenopausal breast cancer. Adult weight gain of 22-44 pounds is associated with a 50% greater risk and a weight gain above 45 pounds is associated with an 87% increased risk. (For the benefits of exercise, combined with a high-fiber-low-fat diet on the prevention of breast cancerread this and for the benefits of exercise on preventing breast cancer, read this.H.L.)
7. Banish the Belly Fat. Excess belly fat seems to be particularly harmful, most likely because of its effects on inflammation and its association with elevated insulin levels, so if you tend to be more "apple shaped" and carry extra weight in your belly, it is especially important to lose weight, exercise regularly, and limit refined grains, sugar sweetened beverages, and added sugar in your diet. (Read more about belly fat here H.L. addition)
8. Whole Soy Foods are OK--Limit Processed Soy or Soy Protein Supplements. When it comes to breast cancer survivors, a healthy lifestyle is just as important, if not more so. Many women are concerned about soy consumption, which I've written about before. Sally and Clare agree that up to three servings per day is safe, but they emphasize that soy should come from whole foods like soy milk, edamame and tofu, and that supplements like smoothies, bars and soy fortified cereals should be limited. (Rethinking Soy for Breast Cancer Survivors. H.L. addition) Read more about soy, here, too.
9. Supplement? Should I or Shouldn't I? Finally, during treatment, diet is very important to maintain health and optimize energy levels, but before taking any supplements, it is best to consult with a registered dietitian, preferably one that has experience with cancer treatment, because some supplements may actually interfere with chemotherapy or radiation.
They're important for improving the structure & integrity of the brain's cellular membranes, and they reduce proteins associated with Alzheimer's disease.
I think the best source [of omega-3's], in my opinion, is algal DHA, which is where fish get their omega-3's. Algal is the most pure form, and algal DHA is a supplement that people can take.
[I] personally prefer DHA because it has been associated with reduced blood pressure, better HDL, better brain function. And I have seen in some studies that there is plenty [of] compelling evidence that I would take it myself.
My wife & I take 900 mg of algal DHA.
And, you know, we're talking about children with ADHD. I give it to my two daughters, who are five and seven--100 mg each. It's like a dessert after dinner. We have our little DHA supplement. They have smaller amounts, obviously, than I do."
Dr. Majid Fotuhi chair of the Neurology Institute for Brain Health and Fitness, and assistant professor of neurology at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, interviewed on Diane Rehm's NPR 10/3/12 radio show, "Assessing the Health Benefits of Omega-3's". Click here for the transcript
Oh, baby! Omega 3's are back in the news again! Big time.
But, if you only looked at the three "big news" articles highlighted below, you may have decided to throw your hands up in the air & just quit worrying about this whole omega-3 business altogether. One week they're good. The next week they're not.
Not so fast!
As always--there's more to the story. Right?
It's high time to do a little omega-3 recap & pitch the benefits, in spite of these recent nay-saying studies.
JAMA meta-analysis, September 12, 2012: The latest meta-analysis of 20 clinical trials, involving 70,000 people concluded that supplementing with omega-3's won't reduce deaths from heart disease, sudden death, myocardial infarction or strokes. This study has been criticized by many because it combined different trials, using different doses & sources of omega-3s; and most of the subjects already had heart disease & were on serious heart medications. Hey, it's a supplement, a food, not a miracle worker.
Bottom line: Omega-3's don't have super powers. They can't make up for years of eating a high-fat Western diet that's high in saturated fats, sugar, & omega-6's. They can't make up for diabetes, a previous heart attack, being overweight, & sitting most of the day.
Prescribing omega-3 supplements without first measuring an individual's baseline level of omega-3 or their ratio of omega-6's to omega-3's is like giving someone a baby aspirin for a migraine---or a prescription pain pill for a hangnail. It's dancing in the dark.
But, you probably knew all that.
Omega-3's are essential fatty acids. We need them. We can't manufacture them in our bodies. They curb inflammation. They've shown benefits to the brain, blood pressure, the cardiovascular system, vision, mood, and learning. But, more on that later.
BIG POINT TO REMEMBER: The more grain-fed animals, fried foods, seed oils (like corn, soy & safflower), nuts & seeds, junk & snack food you're eating--the more inflammatory omega-6's you'll have stored in your body--and the more omega-3's you will need to consume. If you eat less of the omega-6's, you'll need less omega-3's. It's that simple. Omega-3 & omega-6's compete for the same enzymes & position in our cells. Susan Allport does a nice job explaining this:
"[W]hen a person on the normal American diet has plenty of extra fat around, let's say, 20 pounds, a huge amount of that is going to be these omega-6's.
And when they go on fish oil, [they're] not going to see that fish oil showing up in their membranes for a long time, because it's competing with those stored omega-6's."
-Susan Allport, journalist & author of "The Queen of Fats", interviewed on Diane Rehm's NPR 10/3/12 radio show, "Assessing the Health Benefits of Omega-3's". Click here for the transcript-
"..if you understand that food energy causes transient inflammatory insults and omega-6s amplify that into chronic injury and omega-3s moderate it, then you can tell people that the take home message is:
Eat more omega-3s
Eat less omega-6s
Eat fewer calories per meal and stop smoking. That's it."
-William Lands, PhD., a pioneer in the study of lipids, omega-3 fatty acids, and the effects of diet on disease, University of Michigan & NIH-
Before You Toss the Chia & Flax, Ditch Your Omega-3 Supplements, or Lose Confidence in Salmon - Give a Listen to Dr. Melina Jampolis
Dr. Melina Jampolis is one of the few physician nutrition specialists in the country.
She's not happy with the quality & conclusions of the latest JAMA study that minimizes the benefits of omega-3's. Jampolis looked over all the 20 clinical trials in the JAMA meta-analysis & strongly disputes the authors' conclusions.
Click Here for the Jampolis video if you don't see it on your screen
It's Been an Omega-3 Kind of Week
Here's what I've been reading this week to help me get a handle on the benefits (or the hype) of omega-3's.
"Assessing the Health Benefits of Omega-3"--Diane Rehm's October 3, 2012 NPR broadcast. Rehm interviews four experts: Dr. Majid Fotuhi, chair of the Neurology Institute for Brain Health
and Fitness, and assistant professor of neurology at Johns Hopkins
University School of Medicine (my personal fave--showing my omega-3 biases, here); Paul Coates, director of the Office of Dietary Supplements at National Institutes of Health; Thomas Sherman, associate professor of pharmacology at Georgetown University Medical Center; and Susan Allport, journalist and author of "The Queen of Fats". Fascinating discussion--that confirmed my own admitted bias towards the importance of DHA for brain health--and the superiority of taking an algal supplement.
Can Omega-3's Slow Aging? Hot-Off-The-Press Ohio State University research, "Omega-3 supplements may slow a biological effect of aging." In Dr. Janice Kiecolt-Glaser's study, published in Brain, Behavior, & Immunity, 106 healthy-but-overweight-50-somethings supplemented with 2 different doses of high-quality omega-3's for 4 months, lowered their inflammation levels by 15%, increased their telomere length (a biomarker of aging), & improved their omega-6 to omega-3 ratios. The lower their ratios--the greater the increase in telomere length. Translation: Longer telomeres=longer healthier life--or at least that's the theory. Kiecolt-Glaser says that while the U.S. average ratio of omega-6's to omega-3's is 15-to-1, a ratio of 4-to-1 or even 2-to-1 would be ideal. Read more about omega-3's, slowing down aging, & telomeres below.
"Questioning the Superpowers of Omega-3 in Diets", Melinda Beck in the October 1, 2012 Wall Street Journal. Mostly good, but some questionable misinformation. Beck examines the benefits of omega-3's in light of three recent studies that questioned their benefit in reducing deaths or cardiovascular events in people who had previous heart attacks or were at high risk for having one. Beck, also takes a look at some of the recent omega-3 research & offers "a tantalizing mix of healing possibilities".
Supplementing with algal DHA improves learning & memory function only in healthy middle-aged individuals. It will not benefit or reverse dementia, cognitive dysfunction, or Alzheimer's. Adults 55+:The Memory Improvement with Docosahexaenoic
Acid (DHA) Study, or MIDAS, was the first large, randomized, double-blind and
placebo-controlled study demonstrating the benefits of algal DHA in
maintaining and improving brain health in older adults. The study
indicated that the use of DHA improves learning and memory recall in
healthy older adults with mild memory complaints. 485 healthy individuals ≥55 participated in the trial for 24 weeks, in 19 U.S. clinical sites. This is the study that turned Dr. Majid Fotuhi into an algal DHA booster.
My Omega-3 Adventures - It's All About the Brain
Look, I'm serious about getting my daily supply of omega-3's.
I don't leave my "getting enough" up to chance. Honestly, if you are eating a plant-based diet, like I am, you might not be getting enough omega-3's. You have to be methodical about it. Eat enough chia, hemp seed, or flax. Greens help--but, they don't provide a significant amount. Consider taking an algal omega-3 supplement. Think about getting your blood levels tested. I did. That's why I now take an algal DHA supplement.
It's a complicated process--and it's a good bet that you'll need a whole lot less of the omega-3's if you're plant-based & have ditched oils.
But, bottom line, our bodies aren't so efficient at converting the plant-versions of omega-3's (ALA)--like chia, flax, greens, & walnuts--into DHA or EPA, the long-chain most benefiical omega-3's.
And, even if you're eating enough very expensive wild salmon (the farmed won't quite do the job--it's grain-fed & high in omega-6's according to Thomas Sherman, professor of pharmacology at Georgetown Medical Center) to boost your levels, your likely taking in more mercury, toxins, heavy metals, pesticides, & PCB's than you should.
I add 1 1/2 tablespoons of chia to my morning oatmeal--about 3 grams of omega-3 ALA. Nothing wrong with flax--I just like the taste & texture of chia better.
On most days I also take an algal DHA/EPA (omega-3) supplement--320 mg DHA/130 mg EPA. I'm currently taking Ovega Algal Supplement--which is recommended by ConsumerLabs, the independent lab that tests supplements. I've also taken Spectrum's Agal DHA.
Just by eating plant-based & no-added-oil I drastically lower the amount of omega-3's (in a supplement) I need to take--because I've cut out the biggest sources of omega-6's that compete for "cell-space" with omega-3's. No need for those mega-prescription-strength fish oil capsules. I'm not eating the typical omega-6 heavy Western diet.
Sure, I know there's a whole laundry list of omega-3 benefits. But, honestly, the only benefit that I can physically point to, is that I'm now free from joint aches, pains, & stiffness. That wasn't always the case. And maybe those omega-3's are part of the reason I'm almost always in a good mood.
But, here's the REAL REASON, I'm religious about getting omega-3's into my diet.
It's all about keeping my brain in working order.
Read on. This study got my attention last year.
Low Levels of Omega-3 Fatty Acids May Cause Memory Problems
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A diet lacking in omega-3 fatty acids,
nutrients commonly found in fish, may cause your brain to age faster and
lose some of its memory and thinking abilities, according to a study
published in the February 28, 2012, print issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. Omega-3 fatty acids include the nutrients called docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA).
“People with lower blood levels of omega-3 fatty acids had lower brain
volumes that were equivalent to about two years of structural brain
aging,” said study author Zaldy S. Tan, MD, MPH, of the Easton Center
for Alzheimer’s Disease Research and the Division of Geriatrics,
University of California at Los Angeles.
For the study, 1,575 people with an average age of 67 and free of
dementia underwent MRI brain scans. They were also given tests that
measured mental function, body mass and the omega-3 fatty acid levels in
their red blood cells.
The researchers found that people whose DHA levels were among the bottom
25 percent of the participants had lower brain volume compared to
people who had higher DHA levels. Similarly, participants with levels of
all omega-3 fatty acids in the bottom 25 percent also scored lower on
tests of visual memory and executive function, such as problem solving
and multi-tasking and abstract thinking.
The study was supported by the Framingham Heart Study’s National Heart,
Lung, and Blood Institute and the National Institute on Aging.
The "Best Brains" in the Neurology Study Had a DHA/EPA Level of 6.5%
When my omega-3 levels were tested last March as part of a pilot omega-3 study,--without taking any kind of a supplement--& only using chia--my DHA/EPA levels were similar to the 75% "healthy brain" levels in the Neurology study--at 6.6%. Pretty darn good. Check out the chart below.
But, l'm still shooting to get that level up to the "low heart disease risk level" of 8%. For comparison--the omega-3 levels of most Americans are at 4 to 5%. And, honestly, my DHA levels could stand for a bit of a boost.
Although my omega 6 to omega 3 ratio of 5.8:1 was a lot better than the US average which ranges from 8.11:1 to 17:1---getting down to a ratio of 4:1 is my goal.
I hope to get retested after sticking to a daily algal supplement for 3 months. Stay tuned.
The Neurology Study's DHA+EPA Omega-3 Index Levels
Ditch the Sugar & Go for the Omega-3s
Like I said--it's been quite a week for omega-3 studies, and here's another one to help convince you that the 3's are good for the brain.
Ditch the sugar/fructose & eat a diet sufficient in omega-3's for
brain health!! It worked for rats trying to find their way through a maze--maybe it will help us find our keys or glasses. (And check out the Rat Race video at the bottom of this post. See if that doesn't convince you.)
All
the rats in this study were first trained to get through the Barnes
Maze, before they started on their special diets.
After just six weeks on the four respective diets,
the rats on a high-fructose and omega-3 deficient diet (RED) took 6 times as
long to get through the maze compared to rats on a diet sufficient in
omega-3 and without fructose (GREEN).
This study was led by my fave UCLA brain/food researcher,
Dr. Fernando Gomez-Pinilla, "'Metabolic syndrome' in the brain:
deficiency in omega-3 fatty acid exacerbates dysfunctions in insulin
receptor signalling and cognition" Journal of Physiology 2012 May 1;590(Pt 10):2485-99. For a copy of the article, click here.
Key Points in the article:
•We provide novel
evidence for the effects of metabolic dysfunctions on brain function
using the rat model of metabolic syndrome induced by high fructose
intake.
•We describe that the deleterious consequences of
unhealthy dietary habits can be partially counteracted by dietary
supplementation of n-3 fatty acid.
•High sugar consumption
impaired cognitive abilities and disrupted insulin signalling by
engaging molecules associated with energy metabolism and synaptic
plasticity; in turn, the presence of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), an n-3
fatty acid, restored metabolic homeostasis.
•These findings
expand the concept of metabolic syndrome affecting the brain and provide
the mechanistic evidence of how dietary habits can interact to regulate
brain functions, which can further alter lifelong susceptibility to the
metabolic disorders.
Rats on Diets - A Little Sugar (Fru) - And a Side of Omega-3's
What's Up With Telomeres & Aging? The Studies Keep Showing an Omega-3 Connection
Ohio State University's Research is Just the Latest
Originally posted on January 23, 2010
A New Role for Omega-3? Lengthening Our Telomeres--A Key Marker for Aging, Longer Life, and Health. From JAMA & UCSF
"The main result of our study is that patients with high levels of Omega-3 fish oil in the blood appear to have a slowing of the biological aging process over five years as measured by the change in telomere length. It's also the first study that shows that a dietary factor may be able to slow down telomere shortening."
-Ramin Farzaneh-Far, M.D., of the University of California at San Francisco, lead author of "Association of Marine Omega-3 Fatty Acid Levels with Telomeric Aging in Patients with Coronary Heart Disease" JAMA 2010;303(3):250-257.
This week's big medical news story appeared in JAMA and it is one more reason why you want to be sure to get your Omega-3s everyday--while lowering your intake of the Omega-6s.
We already knew that the Omega-3s were amazing.
They're anti-inflammatory and anti-clotting
They prevent age-related cognitive decline
They lower triglycerides
They lower blood pressure
They slow age-related macular degeneration
They keep blood vessels flexible
They lower depression
They decrease joint stiffness in rheumatoid and osteo-arthritis
They're necessary for fetal and infant brain development
So What Did The JAMA Heart And Soul Study Tell Us That We Didn't Already Know?
The UCSF researchers followed 608 outpatients with stable coronary artery disease for 5-8 years. At the start of the study they measured everyone's levels of Omega-3's and the length of their leukocyte telomeres--which is a marker of aging. Remember though--this was an observational study, not a gold-standard double-blind randomized controlled study.
Here's how the lead researcher Dr. Ramin Farzaneh-Far explains the results:
"The main result from our study is that patients with high levels of Omega-3's fish oil in the blood appear to have a slowing of the biological aging process over five years as measured by the change in telomere length."
"Patients with the highest levels of Omega-3 fish oils were found to display the slowest decrease in telomere length, whereas those with the lowest levels of Omega-3 fish oils in the blood had the fastest rate of telomere shortening, suggesting that these patients were aging faster than those with the higher fish oil levels in their blood."
"By measuring telomere length at two different times we are able to see the speed at which the telomeres are shortening and that gives us some indication of how rapidly the biological aging process is taking place in these patients."
What Are Telomeres And How Exactly Do They Affect The Aging Process?
PLASTIC TIPS ON SHOELACES—that’s the analogy often used to
describe telomeres. They are the red caps sitting on the ends of these blue chromosomes.
Just like plastic shoelace tips that keep the laces from fraying--the telomeres protect valuable genetic material needed for our cells to divide properly, and to repair worn-out cells.
They are also strong markers for aging (see the graph below and get depressed). Not only do they shorten as we age, over time the telomeres can become damaged and shorten because of inflammation, smoking, obesity, or lack of exercise.
Emmuanel Skorkalakes, of the Wistar Institue in Philadelphia, explains,
"When
the telomeres become short, then you start cutting into actual
chromosomes where there are genes essential for our body. To prevent
the fraying DNA in all those aging cells from seeding maliganant
tumors, the body turns them dormant. Your body shuts down more and more
cells every day and you become old."
This week's JAMA study is just one more bit of evidence that shows how our lifestyle choices can affect telomere length--and promote healthy aging.
A 2008 twin study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine compared the telomere length of exercising twins versus couch-potato twins. After only 12 months, the telomere's of the exercising showed the equivalent of being 10 years younger than their couch-potato siblings. Click here to read about the study.
A 2008 study led by Dr. Dean Ornish followed a group of men with early prostate cancer who made these lifestyle changes: increased their fruit & vegetable consumption; limited their fat consumption to 10%; lowered their consumption of refined sugar; took vitamin supplements & fish oil; exercised for 30 minutes a day; and either meditated or did yoga for stress relief. After only 3 months, 24 out of 30 men showed significant increases in their telomerase levels. Click here to read about the study.
A number of studies have also shown
how stress can accelerate telomere shrinking, especially in caregivers of chronically ill children and
the spouses of Alzheimer's patients.
One study even suggested that you can accelerate your biological age by
as much as 17 years if you're exposed to what you perceive as high psychological stress!
All About Omega-3's. Does It Really Have To Be Fish Oil?
Yes, the JAMA study used Omega-3 fish oil, but Omega-3s really originate in green leafy plants--not in fish.
MUST READ ARTICLE ALERT! REALLY. Susan Allport is a medical journalist/researcher who is an expert in "all things Omega-3". She has written a brilliant article in the September 2009 issue of Prevention, "The Vanishing Youth Nutrient" that does an excellent job of explaining why we need Omega-3s in our diet, why so many physicians equate Omega-3 with fish, and why Omega-3 is sorely lacking in our diets. Click here for the article.
We can only obtain the Omega-3s through our diet.
They are essential to the healthy development of our brains--and they are found in the highest concentrations in our most active tissues: brains, eyes, hearts, the tails of sperm.
The metabolism of every species on the planet is a function of the amount of Omega-3s in its tissues, according the Dr. Tony Hulbert of the University of Wollongong in Australia. Think:Omega-3=growth, activity, energy. Omega-6=hibernation, fat storage, belly fat. Athletes take note: high concentrations of omega-3s in muscle cells lead to improved athletic performance.
Research from the 1980s showed fish-eating populations of Greenland and Japan had the lowest rates of heart disease. That's why the Omega-3s became associated with fish--instead of with green plants. And that's why the American Heart Association recommends fish or fish oil as our main source of Omega-3s. Big Problem: Fish are not a sustainable source of Omega-3s--there are simply not enough fish in the world's oceans.
Big Point: "Omega-3s are found in the green leaves of plants. Fish are full of omega-3s because they eat phytoplankton (the microscopic green plants of the ocean) and seaweed. They are what turn sunlight into sugars, the basis of life on Earth."
You can get all your Omega-3s from green leafy vegetables, legumes, flax seeds, chia seeds (they have the highest level of any plant-click here to read more), or walnuts, grass-fed animals and their milk, or eggs, wild cold-water fish like salmon, highly purified fish oil supplements, or algae-sourced Omega-3 supplements.
Big Point: If you cut back on vegetable oils, processed foods, trans-fats, corn-fed meat, chicken and milk you will actually lower the amount of Omega-3s you need in your diet to balance the negative effects of the inflammatory, fat-promoting Omega-6s we are getting in our Western Diet.
The ratio of Omega 6's to 3's should be between 4:1 and 2:1, or ideally 1:1.
Currently, for most Americans, the range for the ratio is anywhere between 8:1 and 17:1, in favor of
heart-disease-causing Omega 6's.
Why Is Our Diet So High in Omega-6s, And So Low In Healthy Omega 3's?
Omega-6 fats come from the seeds of plants. We need them--but we need far less of them than we are consuming--and we need them in just the right ratio to Omega-3s. They promote blood clotting, inflammation, and cause us to "pack on the pounds". Just like corn-fed beef. Grass-fed or plant-fed animals and humans are naturally lower in fat!
Big Point: Omega-6s and Omega-3s are in constant competition to enter our cells. Eat too many Omega-6s in the form of meat, oil, or processed food--and you'll be seriously deficient in Omega-3s. Eat less Omega-6s, and your body won't need as many Omega-3s to function properly.
Omega-3s began to disappear from our food supply when previously grass-fed animals began eating corn and soybeans, which are high in Omega-6s. The factory-farm and feedlots replaced the family farm, and grass-fed meat, milk, and eggs became history. Click here to read about King Corn's effect on our health.
With farm subsidies for corn and soybeans, companies like Archer Daniels Midland figured out how to extract oil from these and other seed plants--giving us even more Omega-6s in our diet.
The AHA and other health agencies encouraged us to use oil and margarine because they assumed these cholesterol-free oils were good for the heart. Wrong!
"Food chemists discovered that rancidity in packaged food was caused by the oxidation of some minor but pesky fats: the Omega-3s." So they removed them and extended the shelf-life of packaged food.
Fewer and fewer of us are eating enough green leafy vegetables, fish, or flax to even put a dent into the "out-of-whack" Omega-6 to Omega 3 ratio.
I highly recommend you read Susan Allport's article in Prevention, as well as her book, The Queen of Fats. She does an excellent job of explaining the good, the bad, and the ugly of the fat world.
If you need any more convincing on the wonders of Omega-3, watch Allport's brief video, The Rat Race, comparing rats fed on diets rich in Omega-3s with those fed on diets deficient in Omega-3s.
Click here if you've received this post via email and aren't seeing the video.
Son #1: Hey mom, did you see that video of Dr. Esselstyn--where he gets into a cab, and there's already another passenger sitting in it--and this guy says to him, "Aren't you Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn?"
And then the guy in the cab tells Dr. Esselstyn how he's come all the way to LA from Wales just to hear him speak. Turns out, many months before he was having chest pains--went to the emergency room, failed his stress test, got a load of pills, but, he didn't like the survival odds the doctors gave him.
So he starts doing his own research to see how he can improve his odds of survival; finds Dr. Esselstyn's journal articles; decides to follow the diet---and now he's angina-free & off of all his meds.
Me: What? No, I never saw any video like that. Where did you see it? You never watch that kind of stuff.
Son #2: Hmm. Honestly, I'm not sure. Could be that DIL #1 had it on her Facebook page or something like that. Don't really know. I think maybe her computer was sitting on the kitchen counter as I was making dinner one night--I felt like listening to something while I cooked--so I just clicked onto this video. But, what an inspiring story. And the whole thing was so random, how Dr. Esselstyn & this guy just happened to meet in a cab.
By now I was very curious.
You have to understand. Son #1 hasn't even seen Forks Over Knives. He avoids Facebook, and I can't imagine him watching a YouTube video that's over 6 minutes long--especially one on heart disease. There's just no way.
So, I asked DIL #1 (his wife--my daughter-in-law) if she knew what Son #1 was talking about. Turns out, this video was posted on Dr. Esselstyn's Facebook page, not long ago--we tracked it down--and I watched it. (Note: I, also don't use Facebook--which explains why I never saw this video. But, that should change in about a week. Son #1 convinced me it was a good idea. He, of all people??!!)
As for the video--I totally agree with Son #1. It's a great story. Two men randomly meet in a cab--and Peter Lewis ends up sharing his story with all of us!
Me to Son #1: But, I'm still wondering why you bothered to watch this video through til the end. Why?? Here's what he told me:
It was such a random way that Dr. Esselstyn & Peter Lewis met. And then, Dr. Esselstyn spontaneously asks him to speak to an large audience, without a bit of preparation.
I was taken in because Peter was so fit--a mountain biker--and he still got heart disease. (Son #1 also mountain bikes & he's fit--maybe this hit close to home.)
Plus, Peter is a professor, he understood the research, and he wanted better odds for survival than his doctors were offering him--with drugs or stents.
Am I the only one who hasn't seen this video!!
Peter Lewis, Mountain-Biker, Mathematics Professor From Cardiff Wales on Reversing His Heart Disease--Healthy Expo October, 2006
If you do not see the video about Peter Lewis, click here
I'm not a huge fan of posting YouTube videos. Personally, I'm usually too inpatient to watch videos--and I figure, if I'm annoyed by them, maybe my readers are, too. I prefer the written word. It's much easier to refer back to.
But, in this case--listening to Peter Lewis tell his own story is more compelling than just reading a transcript.
So, dear readers, I'm going to give you both--the video & my amateur transcript--not exactly word-for-word-but mostly.
Dr. Esselstyn: Is Peter Lewis here? Professor Peter Lewis of mathematics fame, from Cardiff?
Peter, I wonder if I could get you to come up here a moment. I've known Peter for about 25 minutes. I was coming in from the airport & I crawled into this filled cab, and I saw this beaming face that I didn't recognize, & this man says, "You're Dr. Esselstyn, aren't you?" And then he proceeded to tell me this story. Since Peter is a professor, & he's used to being on his feet, I wonder if you can take just a few minutes & share your story with us, Peter.
Peter Lewis: (Slightly embarrassed, completely surprised, and very charming) This is totally out of the blue. 15 months ago, I thought I was pretty fit. My sport is mountain biking & I regularly ride with my 35 year old son, & I keep up with him--and he's pretty keen.
But, then, while I was helping my son do some gardening, 15 months ago, I felt this pain in my chest. I thought, "muscle pain", and dismissed it. But, it didn't go away & I ended up in the hospital emergency room, and I had to stay the night.
The next day, I was released with a bag of pills. On the way to the "car park", I had to walk up a gentle hill & the pain was so great that I had to stop. I had it fairly bad--I had a treadmill test in the hospital. I managed 4 minutes on the treadmill--less than 1/2 of the length of a normal test. So, I was in bad shape.
(When I got home) I looked on the internet to see what my prospects were--and they were pretty bad. They talked about improving your risk for survival. And the best medication you could get would only help lower your risk of getting a heart attack or dying.
I thought, "I don't want to face that. I'm healthy. I want my normal life back!"
So, I carried on with the internet, & came across a paper by Dr. Esselstyn, and what he said was, "I can eliminate your chance of having a heart attack." He had this study of 18 people who previously had collectively 49 cardiac events---and 12 years later, after they'd been on his diet, they had ZERO.
I thought, "That's the number I want! Zero." I didn't want a 5% or 10% risk, because if you're the 5% or 10% who have a heart attack, it's 100% for you! I want zero.
So, I read the paper, immediately followed the recommendations, & I went immediately on his diet. I calculated the fat content of what I was eating & it was someting like 7-8% or less. And I stuck on that diet.
I've got a research background, so I thought "I'm going to measure my improvement. I've got a standard bike route that climbs up behind my house--about 700 feet, & the first part of it is fairly gentle."
Immediately, when I started this test, I had to stop 7 times from pain during that first little bit. Then, as the weeks went by, it was 6 times, then 5, 4, 3, 2, and 1 time. Then I managed to do the whole bottom section with no pain--or pain that was manageable.
I thought, "All right. I'll go on to the next section." It's steep up into the woods. Rough track. Tough. So I had to stop 3 or 4 times going up the steep part--because I was obviously much better.
Then that went down & I started to be able to ride the whole hill with no stops. So I started dropping some of my medications, Nicorandil, a vasodilator--gradually. Within 6 months, I virtually eliminated my angina--I was able to ride my bike trip all the way, without stopping & I was dropping my medication.
Now, 15 months later, I TAKE NO MEDICATION, & when I saw Dr. Esselstyn in this taxi, I said, "I'm here because of you!"
Because if you're doing this, and you believe so passionately in it, you want to help other people experience the benefits that you've had--but it's hard. People tend to treat you like "a different sort of person". They don't really want to know.
So, in order to feel geniunely inspired, I needed to come somewhere where I'm surrounded by people who believe the same things I believe, & perhaps experience the sort of things I experienced.
That's why I'm here.
Like my son, I'm also inspired by health-turn-around stories--especially, from people who thought they were fit--they exercised, and ate right--or so they thought.
Last Night's Dinner--A Gorgeous Sri Lankan Kale, Black Bean, & Sweet Potato Mallung
Before I left for work yesterday morning, I checked to see what was cooking in the Healthy Girl's Kitchen. Turns out, Wendy's friend Quinny had cooked up a gorgeous Sri Lankan Kale with Black Beans & Sweet Potato dish that looked totally easy to make. In Sri Lanka, it's called Kale Mallung.
I've never had a Sri Lankan dish, and it sounded like a good plan for last night's dinner.
The Lab Rat was up for the challenge--so that's what we ate for dinner last night. He doubled Quinny's recipe--using 3 large sweet potatoes, 24 ounces of kale, 2 big onions, and 2 cans of black beans.
Honestly, this recipe is enough for 8 servings--not four. I'm also thinking that a little pineapple in it, next time, would taste great. As for the not-so-healthy addition of unsweetened coconut--spread over 8 servings gives you about 4.1 grams of fat, according Susan Voisin, the Fat-Free Vegan and my nutritional info. How's that for rationalization? The coconut & lime really made this dish something special.
It looks like a nutritional power-house to me, in spite of the coconut.
The Benefits of Flax & Chia Lignans for the Prevention of Breast Cancer
Thanks again to blog reader Tom, who emailed me yesterday's Disease-Proof posting that explains how the lignans in flax & chia help to prevent estrogen-driven breast cancer. One more reason to add a tablespoon or two of flax or chia seed on top of your morning oatmeal! Fiber, omega-3s, & cancer-fighting lignans. 3 for 1.
The latest study on the subject just appeared in the October 11, 2011 issue of the British Journal of Cancer, "Estimated enterolignans, lignan-rich foods, and fibre in relation to survival after postmenopausal breast cancer." Read more here.
Excerpt from the Disease-Proof Blog:
"Women eating more flaxseeds with a documented higher serum enterolactone were found to have a 42% reduced risk of death from postmenopausal breast cancer and a dramatic (40 percent) reduction in all causes of death.14,15Flaxseeds are clearly super foods; even with a mediocre diet they offer powerful protection against certain types of breast cancer.
Another interesting study on flax followed women for up to 10 years and found a 51% reduced risk of all-cause mortality and a 71% reduced risk of breast cancer mortality."
Read the entire flax/lignan/breast cancer posthere.
