Cranky Yankee April 2007 Newsletter
How nutritious is YOUR diet?
Would you believe that nutritional deficiencies are common in overfed people? Many micronutrients that help prevent disease and many of these get processed out of much of what we eat. Farmland in the US and many other parts of the world no longer contains many of the nutrients that plants used to absorb, which leaves those who consume the plants lacking in nutrition.
It has long been common knowledge that some forms of protein are more nutritious than others, but the authors of Superfoods Rx analyze the nutrition in various fruits and vegetables, showing that some provide more nutrition per calorie than others.
Most people are familiar with vitamins and minerals, the two best-known categories of micronutrients, and many have at least heard about phytonutrients. As their name says, these are nutrients found in plants. Many of these have been mentioned in the Drug-of-the-Week series in the weekly newsletter, but here’s a brief recap.
Polyphenols: antioxidants with anti-inflammatory and antiallergenic properties. Found in tea, nuts and berries.
Carotenoids: pigments found in red and yellow vegetables-includes beta-carotene, lutein, and lycopene. These function as antioxidants, protecting from cancer and helping defy the effects of aging. (A recent news item said that 60 now is the equivalent of 40 a few generations ago in terms of health and longevity. No wonder Social Security is in trouble-when it was started, very few people lived long enough to collect, or only collected for a few years. Now people collect for 20 years or more.)
Phytoestrogens: estrogen-like chemicals found in soy, whole wheat, seeds, grains and some fruits and vegetables, which play a role in hormone-related cancers (such as prostate and breast cancers.)
As the body burns food for energy, it creates free radicals-atoms that are missing an electron. In trying to regain stability by replacing that electron, these free radicals damage the cells they contact. Antioxidants neutralize free radicals, preventing cell damage. Medical research has shown that one of the major keys to longevity is the body’s ability to neutralize free radicals, because unchecked free radical activity has been conclusively linked to heart disease, cancer, diabetes, arthritis, vision problems, Alzheimer’s and premature aging.
Are you taking a cholesterol drug?
Are you feeling tired? Muscles achy? A recent ad for CoQ10 claimed that, since CoQ10 which is needed for energy and cholesterol are synthesized by the same system, people on cholesterol drugs need to supplement their CoQ10 because their body can't make enough of it.
Since it was an ad, Mr. Cranky was skeptical, so we asked his primary care doctor. She, unlike many MD's, is trained in nutrition and alternatives to drugs and surgery as well as the traditional medical practices. She hadn't made the connection before, but said that it did make sense and told Brian to add the CoQ10 to his diet.
Fit or Fat?
According to The Myth of Obesity thin people who are sedentary are not healthier than those who are labeled overweight (BMI over 25) but are fit and active. The current societal standard for "healthy weight" in the western world is much lower than it has ever been before, and the medical evidence shows that in most cases trying to maintain a weight lower than your body's natural set point leads to yo-yo dieting which is harder on the body than staying at a stable weight. There are some cases where losing weight is beneficial. Many diabetics find that losing weight makes it possible to maintain healthy blood glucose levels without insulin or medication, and it is possible in a society where food is abundant for people to pile on the pounds to the point where the extra weight stresses the bones, muscles, and other systems to near collapse. In the absence of health problems, staying active seems to improve longevity more than losing weight, and losing and then regaining the weight does appear to decrease longevity.
Recipe of the Month: Scalloped Sweet Potatoes
Tools: Medium saucepan, medium sauté pan, measuring cups and spoons, sharp knife, cutting board.
Ingredients: 2 medium sweet potatoes (about 1 pound)
¼ cup fresh orange juice
¼ cup vegetable stock or water
1 teaspoon ground allspice
Directions:In the medium saucepan place the unpeeled sweet potatoes and add enough water to cover them. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the potatoes just start to soften but are still relatively firm. Drain the water and let the potatoes cool until they are cool enough to handle.
Peel the potatoes and cut them into ½-inch-thick round slices (should produce about 16 slices.) Place 4 slices in the medium sauté pan, arranging them in a circle and overlapping the edges slightly. Repeat the pattern layering the rest of the slices. Mix the orange juice and vegetable stock (or water) and drizzle the mixture over the potatoes, then sprinkle with allspice. Cover the pan and set aside until ready to serve. May be reheated in the oven if needed.
Serves 4
Would you believe that nutritional deficiencies are common in overfed people? Many micronutrients that help prevent disease and many of these get processed out of much of what we eat. Farmland in the US and many other parts of the world no longer contains many of the nutrients that plants used to absorb, which leaves those who consume the plants lacking in nutrition.
It has long been common knowledge that some forms of protein are more nutritious than others, but the authors of Superfoods Rx analyze the nutrition in various fruits and vegetables, showing that some provide more nutrition per calorie than others.
Most people are familiar with vitamins and minerals, the two best-known categories of micronutrients, and many have at least heard about phytonutrients. As their name says, these are nutrients found in plants. Many of these have been mentioned in the Drug-of-the-Week series in the weekly newsletter, but here’s a brief recap.
Polyphenols: antioxidants with anti-inflammatory and antiallergenic properties. Found in tea, nuts and berries.
Carotenoids: pigments found in red and yellow vegetables-includes beta-carotene, lutein, and lycopene. These function as antioxidants, protecting from cancer and helping defy the effects of aging. (A recent news item said that 60 now is the equivalent of 40 a few generations ago in terms of health and longevity. No wonder Social Security is in trouble-when it was started, very few people lived long enough to collect, or only collected for a few years. Now people collect for 20 years or more.)
Phytoestrogens: estrogen-like chemicals found in soy, whole wheat, seeds, grains and some fruits and vegetables, which play a role in hormone-related cancers (such as prostate and breast cancers.)
As the body burns food for energy, it creates free radicals-atoms that are missing an electron. In trying to regain stability by replacing that electron, these free radicals damage the cells they contact. Antioxidants neutralize free radicals, preventing cell damage. Medical research has shown that one of the major keys to longevity is the body’s ability to neutralize free radicals, because unchecked free radical activity has been conclusively linked to heart disease, cancer, diabetes, arthritis, vision problems, Alzheimer’s and premature aging.
Are you taking a cholesterol drug?
Are you feeling tired? Muscles achy? A recent ad for CoQ10 claimed that, since CoQ10 which is needed for energy and cholesterol are synthesized by the same system, people on cholesterol drugs need to supplement their CoQ10 because their body can't make enough of it.
Since it was an ad, Mr. Cranky was skeptical, so we asked his primary care doctor. She, unlike many MD's, is trained in nutrition and alternatives to drugs and surgery as well as the traditional medical practices. She hadn't made the connection before, but said that it did make sense and told Brian to add the CoQ10 to his diet.
Fit or Fat?
According to The Myth of Obesity thin people who are sedentary are not healthier than those who are labeled overweight (BMI over 25) but are fit and active. The current societal standard for "healthy weight" in the western world is much lower than it has ever been before, and the medical evidence shows that in most cases trying to maintain a weight lower than your body's natural set point leads to yo-yo dieting which is harder on the body than staying at a stable weight. There are some cases where losing weight is beneficial. Many diabetics find that losing weight makes it possible to maintain healthy blood glucose levels without insulin or medication, and it is possible in a society where food is abundant for people to pile on the pounds to the point where the extra weight stresses the bones, muscles, and other systems to near collapse. In the absence of health problems, staying active seems to improve longevity more than losing weight, and losing and then regaining the weight does appear to decrease longevity.
Recipe of the Month: Scalloped Sweet Potatoes
Tools: Medium saucepan, medium sauté pan, measuring cups and spoons, sharp knife, cutting board.
Ingredients: 2 medium sweet potatoes (about 1 pound)
¼ cup fresh orange juice
¼ cup vegetable stock or water
1 teaspoon ground allspice
Directions:In the medium saucepan place the unpeeled sweet potatoes and add enough water to cover them. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the potatoes just start to soften but are still relatively firm. Drain the water and let the potatoes cool until they are cool enough to handle.
Peel the potatoes and cut them into ½-inch-thick round slices (should produce about 16 slices.) Place 4 slices in the medium sauté pan, arranging them in a circle and overlapping the edges slightly. Repeat the pattern layering the rest of the slices. Mix the orange juice and vegetable stock (or water) and drizzle the mixture over the potatoes, then sprinkle with allspice. Cover the pan and set aside until ready to serve. May be reheated in the oven if needed.
Serves 4
Labels: antioxidants, cholesterol, diabetic recipe, diet, health, micronutrients, nutrition
posted by Mrs.Cranky Yankee @ 11:57 AM
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