Eat that yogurt, lose that weight? Not so fast…
For years the dairy industry touted studies presumably showing that the more dairy you eat, the more weight you lose. Did these ads and the “research” they quote tell the whole story? In a word, no. In fact, the Federal Trade Commission’s Bureau of Consumer Protection saw to it that the ad campaign went the way of the dodo bird, at least “until further researcher provides stronger, more conclusive evidence of an assosiation between dairy consumption and weight loss.”

But despite the fact that the ads were pulled off the air, the idea that milk promotes weight loss remains in our minds. So let’s take a look at the research that formed the basis for the claims. Most of it was done by one researcher, Michael Zemel, Ph.D., professor of nutrition and medicine at University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and sponsored by the dairy industry. Although the headlines frequently proclaimed a link between dairy and weight loss in the studies, the fine print told a different story. One study, for example, found that those eating three servings of milk, cheese or yogurt did indeed lose a bit more weight, but what was lost in translation was the fact that those who lost weight were low in calcium to begin with (and therefor likely to benefit from added calcium) and were eating a reduced-calorie diet (500 calories a day less than usual).

Another often repeated news story announced, “Calcium and Vitamin D Linked to Weight.” But the details revealed that although postmenopausal women who take calcium and vitamin D supplements may gain slightly less weight that women who don’t, the effect was – get ready- .28 (that’s decimal point 28) pounds less over the course of seven years. Do the math: that’s anout 1/25 of a pound – slightly more than half an ounce – of weight annually.

What is true, points out Walter C. Willet, M.D., Dr.P.H., chairman of the department of nutrition at Boston’s Harvard School of Public Health, is that a diet high in dairy and calcium has been implicated as a risk factor for prostate cancer. Milk has also been linked to acne, and there is a possible connection to ovarian cancer.

Bottom line: By all means, get your calcium, from a variety of sources including sardines, green leafy vegetables and seeds. Just don’t think for a minute that drinking or eating dairy products is going to help you lose weight.

Of Milk and Men
The Prestigious American Journal of Clinical Nutrition published a study confirming milk’s ineffectiveness as a weight-loss food. According to lead author Swapnil Rajpathak, M.D., Dr.PH., “Men who increased their dairy/calcium intake did not lose more weight. In fact, they gained slightly more weight in the 12-year period.” Still, we do need calcium-particularly in combination with other, often neglected bone-building nutrients such as magnesium, vitamin D, boron and vitamin K. Fifteen minutes of sunlight a day on bare skin should help keep vitamin D levels up. Boron is found in almonds, avocados, and peanut butter; magnesium is in dark leafy greens, legumes, tofu, peanuts and unpeeled potatoes. Vitamin K is in Spinach, lettuce, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cauliflower and cabbage.

Almost 15 years ago, Congress enacted the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act. Billed as “truth in labeling,” the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says, “Congress’s  intent in enacting it was to help ensure that safe and appropriatley labeled products remain available to those who want to use them.” Something went haywire in the aftermath of it’s passage. There was a proliferation of products claiming virtuous-sounding attributes, such as “organic” and “natural.”

“These days, ‘organic’ and ‘all natural’ can apply to many different things,” says Roberta Anding, R.D., national spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association (ADA) and an instructor at the Baylor College of Medicine. “Remember, tobacco is ‘natural’, cocaine is ‘natural’, but they’re not safe for consumers.”

So what can you do to make sure the products you take are doing good, not harm? The FDA offers the following advise:

• Dietary supplements are not intended to replace the variety of foods that are part of a healthy diet. You need to be thinking about your overall diet first.
• Find out the recommended safe dosages of supplements by visiting the Institute of Medicine Website at iom.edu and searching for “recommended dietary allowances.”
• Check with your doctor or health-care provider before using a supplement, particularly if you are pregnant, nursing a baby or have a chronic medical condition such as diabetes. Be aware that some supplements may interact with prescription and over the counter medicines.

“Pharmacists have PDR’s (Physicians Desk Reference) at their fingertips, and they can look up any supplement for you” advises Anding. “And at the health-food store, look for printouts on vitamins you are going to take. Show them to your doctor, dietitian and pharmacist to discuss any potential problems.”

When seeking information on the internet about supplements, the FDA suggests that you ask yourself:

• Who operates the site?
• What is the purpose of the site?
• What is the source of the information?
• Are there any references for the source?
• Is the information current?

Roberta Anding adds” remember, some of the information you get from the internet is fabulous, but some of the stuff is garbage.

Ginkgo, No-Go!
Falsely believing it’s a brain booster, we spend $145 million a year on this herb.

ASSUMING?

A little skepticism can be a very good thing when it comes to protecting your health. So check out these questionable assumptions.

“Even if a product doesn’t help, it at least won’t hurt me.” False. All chemicals can be toxic, including nutrients, plant components and other biologically active ingredients, particularly when taken in sufficient quantity or combined with other substances.

“A product is safe when there is no cautionary information on the product label.” Nope. Dietary supplement manufacturers may not provide warnings about potential adverse effects.

“A recall of a harmful product guarantees the product will be immediately and completely removed from shelves.” Alas, not true. A product recall of a dietary supplemement is voluntary, so some harmful products may remain on the shelves.

Most of all, know that if something sounds too good to be true, it is.

I will be adding recipes daily, so please check back often. Some of these recipes I have tried. Others look interesting and I will probably try at some point. I will add my comments to the recipes that I have served my family.

For more informationa about Nutritional Cleansing with Isagenix visit: 

Healthy Weight Loss or SimpleCleansing.com

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1. Preheat oven to 325°F.
2. Combine graham cracker crumbs, and margarine. Pat evenly
   over the bottom and about 1/2 inch up the sides of a 9 1/2-inch
   springform pan. Bake in oven for 15 minutes.
   
3. Meanwhile, using an electric mixer on high speed, beat the 4 egg
   whites and cream of tartar in a large bowl until foamy. Gradually add
   6 tablespoons of the sugar substitute, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating
   until egg whites form stiff peaks.
4. In another large bowl, stir the remaining sugar substitute with the
   cornstarch, then add the egg yolks, yogurt cheese, lemon zest, and vanilla.
   Beat until well blended.
   
5. Fold beaten egg whites into cheese mixture. Spoon the mixture into the
   partially-baked crust. Bake in the oven until center barely jiggles when
   cheesecake is gently shaken, 50 to 60 minutes. Remove from oven and cool,
   then cover and chill for up to 1 day.
   
6. Melt preserves in a small pan over medium heat, stirring often. Cool, stirring
   occasionally, until the preserves form a thick syrup, about 5 minutes. Mound
   fresh raspberries on the cheesecake and drizzle with preserve syrup. Chill.
7. When ready to serve, cut the cheesecake into wedges and serve.

makes 12 servings. Per Serving: 172 cal (18%  from fat),
8 g protein, 4 g total fat (0.9 g sat fat), 29 g carbs, 59 mg
cholesterol, 254 mg pottasium, 161 mg sodium

Diabetic Exchanges: 2 carb (1 bread/starch, 1 skim milk) 1 fat

• 2 cups whole-wheat pastry flour
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1 cup lightly packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup plain yogurt
• 1 lb carrots, grated
• 1/2 cup golden raisins
• 4 oz light cream cheese, at room temp
• 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

1.  Preheat oven to 350°F. In a medium bowl, sift together the flours, baking soda,
cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt. Set aside.

2.  With an electric mixer, beat brown sugar and canola oil for 5 minutes. Add eggs,
one at a time. Stir in yogurt, carrots, and raisins. Mix in the flour mixture until just combined.

3.  Spoon batter into paper-lined muffin tins. Bake 20 minutes or until a toothpick
comes out clean. Let cool completely on a wire rack.

4. Using an electric mixer, whip cream cheese and sugar. Spread over each cupcake. top with
walnuts if desired.

Makes 18. Per cupcake: 220 cal, 5 g fat
(0.5 sat fat), 41 carbs, 3 g fiber, 260 mg
sodium, 5 g protein

Written by Katie Lee

An Elegant Heart-Healthy Meal

What you will need:

• 2 salmon Fillets (preferably wild)  6oz each
• 1/2 stick salted butter, softened for 1 hour at room temp
• 1/2 cup red wine
• 1 1/2 tsp. fresh thyme leaves
• 1 shallot minced
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• olive oil

Putting it all together:

1.  Combine the shallot, wine, and balsamic vinegar in a saucepan over medium-low heat and cook until the liquid is reduced by half, about 10 minutes.

2.  Allow the wine reduction to cool, then add the butter along with the thyme and a few pinches of fresh cracked pepper. Use a spatula to mix the ingredients thoroughly, and then scoop the mixture onto a sheet of plastic wrap.  Roll it up, twist the ends to form a log, and store in the freezer while you cook the fish.  (You can do the first two steps ahead of time.  The wine butter will keep in the fridge for two weeks.)

3.  Preheat a grill or grill pan on medium-high heat.  Rub the salmon with olive oil, add salt and pepper to taste, and lay the fish, skin side down, on the grill.  Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, flip, then cook for 2 to 3 minutes longer (for medium).

4.  Serve hot salmon with a slice of red wine butter melted on top.

Serve on a bed of folate-rich asparagus for a delicious meal that will wow your guests.

Breakfast:
1 cup nonfat milk with your morning cereal
OR:
1 cup low-fat yogurt (any fruit flavor)

Post Workout:
1 cup low-fat chocolate milk

Lunch:
2 slices Swiss cheese on a ham (or any lean meat) sandwich
OR:
1/2 cup low-fat shredded cheddar on a baked potato

Snack:
2 cups cottage cheese mixed with fruit jam

Dessert:
1 cup pudding made with low-fat milk
OR:
1 cup low-fat frozen yogurt (any flavor)

Possibly one of the most confusing supplements to emerge on the market in recent years, Hoodia supplements are purported to aid in substantial weight loss and increased energy while losing weight. The story goes that for the last 100,000 years or so, the Bushmen of the Kalahari Desert have been chewing on a plant called Hoodia Gordonii for it appetite suppression effects while on long hunts on foot in the desert. The plant helped with hunger pangs and gave them the energy they needed to track down their prey. Due to this, hoodia supplements are now sold as a weight loss aid on many websites and through countless different companies.

Does It Work?

By all accounts, taking hoodia is an effective way to reduce your appetite and subsequently lose weight. Just ask the Bushmen! The experience of 100,000 years can’t be wrong! The problem today though is getting your hands on something that is actually hoodia. What with the huge demand, the logistics of getting the plant here from Africa, as well as the fact that it loses its desired properties when you try to grow it outside of the Kalahari Desert, it is actually very difficult to make sure that what you are buying is actually hoodia and not some sort of counterfeit.

To make matters worse, the plant in Africa was actually endangered up until a few years ago. There are various deals with pharmaceutical companies to market the drug here in the States, and supposedly one company has a trademark on selling hoodia as a weight loss supplement, making everything else out there potentially counterfeit.

Why Is It Such A Big Deal?

At the crux of the whole hoodia hoopla is the desire of millions of people to shed weight and excess pounds. Not only do people want to lose weight, they want to do so with as little hassle and effort as possible. Taking a pill or supplement is a choice that many of them turn to, and since regular weight loss pills can have harmful side effects and adverse health effects, many people are looking for a natural solution to this problem. Taking something like a hoodia supplement would seem to be ideal, it is all natural, coming as it does from a plant, and it has the proven ability to deliver the weight loss dream that everyone seems to share.

So What Should I Do?

Do your research. Research whatever hoodia supplement you have your eye on and try to find out if it’s the real thing. Or, move to Africa and start a business marketing the real thing!

If you can read food labels you are setting yourself up for success because you can decipher total calories, grams of each nutrient, ingredients contained within the product, serving size, how many servings, percentage of recommended daily allowance, vitamins & minerals, and much more.  The food label is the blueprint for a particular product and seeing past the marketing jargon will help you avoid the common pitfalls of nutrition.  Remember that companies research different marketing techniques to sell their products; they do not try and inform the consumer of the health benefits of their product.  The consumer must be aware and avoid the jargon that is present all around you in the supermarket.  Words like: Sugar free, fat free, sugarless, real fruit flavor, hydrogenated, light, low calorie, zero calories, just to name a few… when I see these words, red flags are immediately raised and I scrutinize these products even more.  Most of the time food products with these catch phrases have artificial sweeteners, preservatives, and tons of chemical junk that you would be better off not consuming.  

I teach 2 basic rules when shopping: 1. the rule of pronunciation, if you can’t pronounce it… its probably not good for you 2. The rule of 1 ingredient… always try to get as close to one ingredient as possible in a food product.  If you purchase peanut butter it should only contain PEANUTS! There is no reason for peanut butter to have 6 ingredients in it unless its been chemically altered in some way.  Take the time to read the ingredients and plan your meals, the first few time you go shopping it might take a few minutes longer but as you familiarize yourself to reading labels and the marketing jargon it will be second nature while shopping.   Do You Really Need To Supplement Your Diet Or Is It All Just Marketing Hype? It is good to know that a food simply labeled organic does not necessarily mean it is a good product, by law a food must only have to be at least 51% organic to be labeled organic.  Just recently laws were passed that a food could also be labeled as organic even if it was treated by inorganic pesticides.  That is why brand recognition and the place where you purchase your food will play a role in the credibility of food choices.  Meat that is bought from grass fed cows will always be a higher quality than those fed by corn or other less optimal feed, some are actually fed ground up pieces of other animals!  The best rules are to stick with antibiotic free, hormone free, free range animals.  All fish should be wild caught and not farm raised, those fish that are farm raised have been found to contain higher amounts of PCB’s within them.  The effects of PCB’s have been extensively documented.  You may end up paying a few extra bucks but in the end its worth the quality of food you receive, you will pay for it one way or another… either you pay now for higher quality food or pay later for bad blood chemistry.  ”All natural” is also a commonly used jargon word that doesn’t mean anything objectively, the best way to check to see if the food product is natural is to look at the ingredient list.  If the first few ingredients contain: Enriched white/wheat flour, white flour, modified corn starch, corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup, autolyzed yeast extract, MSG, and/or hydrolyzed vegetable protein; then the words “all natural” mean nothing because none of those ingredients are close to anything from nature.  These common ingredients are man made, synthetic alterations of food products.  For example, High fructose corn syrup is a man made form of very cheap sugar (Glucose), it’s made specifically for the purposes of saving money during food production but consuming large amounts has been linked to obesity and metabolic disorders.  
When you are in the supermarket always remember that the businesses are set up to sell food products and not to ensure you buy healthy foods.  It is up to you as a consumer to do your research and read food labels so you are making healthy purchases.  I recommend to always make a list before shopping and think about your meals and how to plan for them.  For example, a dozen eggs with celery and cucumbers to make eggwhite salad, a rotisserie chicken to make chicken salad with, cans of salmon for salmon salad, and my favorite salad: diced cucumbers, tomatoes, red onions, and avocado’s with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.  These are just a few examples of how you can plan what you are planning to buy at the supermarket by thinking about what you are planning to eat.  

Once you go over the jargon a few times, you will always know what words will raise red flags… learning to read the labels will help you estimate calories, which will help you lose weight or gain lean muscle mass depending on your goals.  Making healthy lifestyle choices starts with the ingredients you choose to put into your body… know that whole foods are the best types of foods to be eating and supplementation should only add to a solid, healthy foundation of eating habits.  Stick to the perimeter of the supermarket and buy foods that don’t have ton’s of ingredients which will automatically decrease the amount of ‘garbage’ you consume.  Contact me if you are interested in getting more specific information including food lists, menu plans, a lifestyle workbook that goes over basic physiology and nutrition (Fats, carbs, proteins, vitamins & minerals, and much more), and comprehensive evaluation of your current lifestyle and past history.  I focus on teaching you how to live healthy and why certain foods are good for you, just being ‘spoon fed’ what to eat may help you reach your goals temporarily but in the end if you don’t know what or why you made these choices you will always revert back to your old habits.  Remember…. LIFESTYLE CHANGES BROOKLYN, NY are what create permanent changes, not a “diet” or 3 months of food restrictions.  

These suggestions are made to focus on maintaining overall health, which in turn should help your immune system and body become stronger and hopefully more resistant to developing disease.  Nobody truly knows the exact type of “diet” that will keep your from developing certain diseases such as cancer.  The suggestions above in conjunction with exercise, proper sleep, and stress reduction can only help your body, so why not at least insure your body has the best chances for survival in a toxic planet?  Every little bit helps and its all cumulative! Don’t hesitate to contact me with any questions.

Dr. Gordon C.S.C.S.