Health starts with a decision

Joe Kramer makes the decision to get his health back and know what it is like to experience true hunger. He says he is looking forward to knowing what real hunger is and that he is eating for the nutrient reasons and not merely because it is “time.” True hunger can help him attain his ideal body weight and as a consequence, rid himself of the many ailments he complains of.

I did nutritional counseling with a man after his heart attack.  Here is his story based on his meetings with me and the additional research and reading he did:

As many of you know on January 3, 2006 I suffered atherosclerosis…the medical term for a heart attack.  About 50% of people die from this condition when it occurs.  I was one of the lucky ones.

Looking for answers

I began to believe that nutrition has a huge influence on heart disease, but who and what do you believe?  About a year ago I wanted to lose a couple of pounds so I went on the Nutri-Systems Diet.  It worked.  I lost the weight in a month.  Then I began to research foods cooked in a micro-wave, processed foods, refined foods and how they can harm your body.  WHAT?  I lost the weight.

• Do I need more fiber?
• More fruit?
• More vegetables?
• Do carbs make me fat?
• Is organic really better?
• I heard bagels are good…I heard they aren’t.  Too much starch?  I was frustrated.

Finding a nutrition professional

I didn’t know where to turn so I researched it further and found the best nutritionist/dietician I could find.  Someone I could ask anything about food and nutrition.  I had a lot of questions.  Still do.  She [Trulie] has worked with the Physicians Committee for Research Medicine in Washington, DC and was research coordinator for a revolutionary program for reversing diabetes.  The first thing she told me was that heart disease can be reversed.  I was sold.

I asked her why she chose this line of work and she said she was overweight (hard to believe now) and didn’t feel good—so she did something about it.  In our meetings she broke down

1. macro-nutrients (protein, carbs and fat) and
2. micro-nutrients (vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals).

Optimal health comes from a diet loaded with 14 different vitamins, 25 minerals and 10,000 phytochemicals.  The phytochemicals have a profound influence on humans cell function.  Our body cells can only heal, repair and detoxify with foods rich in micro-nutrients.  We hear a lot these days about free radicals which attack our cells and cause disease.  I believe now through my limited research, reading and questions that chronic diseases are largely the result of infinitely complex assaults on our bodies resulting from bad food.

Protect health with a powerful diet

I know the last sentence in the above paragraph is hard to comprehend, but I am beginning to believe that certain foods are just a lot better for us than others.  My new encyclopedia of health then gave me a reading assignment.  She handed me a book called The China Study (I highly recommend you read it) and told me to read the chapter (Broken Hearts) on heart disease.  I liked that information so much that I bought my own book and read it cover to cover.  It was fascinating.  The writer, Dr. T. Colin Campbell questions the status quo.  Many years ago as a scientist and nutrition expert he worked for the government and later became involved in a study to understand why people in parts of China and other countries did not get heart disease and cancer.  Most believed it must be genetics, but when they moved to America and ate the western diet they got just as sick as us.  The study found that the Chinese ate

• less animal-based foods and
• more plant-based foods.  More fruits, vegetables and grains!  Foods high in micro-nutrients with great anti-oxidant power.

My dietician provided me with beneficial information to share.   It became obvious that the best foods for me are a heavy dose of many fruits and vegetables.  The more the variety the better.  I knew I wouldn’t eat 5 or 6 fruits a day, but my nutritionist showed me how to blend a great tasting smoothie with 6-8 fruits, flaxseed and other high anti-oxidant nutrients.  I am eating many more vegetables and better grains.  My cholesterol is extremely low and I am feeling great.

Our health is a choice

In closing I believe we can do better than pills and surgery.  We can go directly to the bottom line.  We can reduce our cholesterol and when that is done you cannot deposit fat and cholesterol into your arteries.  PERIOD.  It happens through nutrition.  My research has of course concentrated on heart disease, but every year that passes, there is more proof that a plant-based diet has similar effects on chronic diseases.  It is now believed that at least half of all senile mental impairment is caused by vascular injury to the brain.  Eat more fruits, vegetables and whole grains.

Chinese broccoli will rock your broccoli-loving world! I have never made Chinese broccoli or Kai-Lan. I have had it in Chinese restaurants covered in salt and oil. I never knew it was so delicious! This vegetable is sure to be a crowd pleaser.

Broaden your broccoli-tastes. Try this recipe:
Chinese Broccoli (healthier than the Chinese restaurant)
1/2 pound Chinese broccoli, chopped (include all the stems and leaves)
1/2 tbl ground sun-dried tomatoes (can be ground in coffee mill or blender)
1/2 tbl ground toasted sesame seeds
seasoned rice vinegar (to taste – but go easy this has added sugar and salt)
1 small garlic clove, minced

More sesame seeds or a smidge of toasted sesame oil (optional)

Steam Chinese broccoli in steamer basket for 10 minutes. The stems should be tender crisp. Transfer to serving bowl. Mix ground sun-dried tomatoes with ground sesame seeds. Sprinkle on greens. Toss greens with with minced garlic. Sprinkle on some rice vinegar and more sesame seeds.

For a high protein snack, cottage cheese has been a diet choice. But what about  tofu? In addition to the protein, tofu provides more health advantages. See a comparison:

New research confirms soy (found in tofu) is protective for cancers:

Larissa A. Korde et al. Childhood Soy Intake and Breast Cancer Risk in Asian American Women. Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention April 2009 18; 1050

Lee S et al. Adolescent and adult soy food intake and breast cancer risk: results from the Shanghai Women’s Health Study. Am J Clin Nutr 89: 1920-1926, 2009

Guha N et al. Soy isoflavones and risk of cancer recurrence in a cohort of breast cancer survivors: the Life After Cancer Epidemiology study. Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2009 Nov;118(2):395-405. Epub 2009 Feb 17.

Read more here

So not only do you get more powerful nutrients and less sodium, cholesterol and saturated fat with tofu, you also get to eat more food (10 ounces vs. 4.75 ounces)! There is also some evidence soy may help reduce belly fat.

How can you make it taste good? Without the sodium content that cottage cheese has, adding no-salt seasonings and spices is important to improving palatability without adding sodium or calories.

1. Add lemon juice or plain or flavored vinegar
2. No-salt seasonings like Mrs. Dash or no-salt Spike
3. Smoked paprika, granulated garlic, nutritional yeast (which adds a few calories), onion powder, italian seasoning, mexican seasoning, cumin, etc.
4. Not into savory snacks? Adding chopped or mashed fruit and fruity vinegars give a sweet twist.
5. Cinnamon and nutmeg are also nice to add to a fruity mashed tofu.

Authors: Berkow, Susan E.; Barnard, Neal D.; Saxe, Gordon A.; Ankerberg-Nobis, Trulie

Source: Nutrition Reviews, Volume 65, Number 9, September 2007 , pp. 391-403(13)

Ask the Doctor: Achieving a Healthy Diet

What small changes to my diet can I make today, and how do I build on those changes to achieve a healthy diet?

There’s little doubt that the maintenance of a healthy body weight is important in reducing the risk of breast cancer in postmenopausal women, says Trulie Ankerberg-Nobis, M.S., R.D., L.D. Research also indicates that the more weight a woman carries, the more likely breast cancer will recur, be more aggressive, and carry a worse prognosis.

“If you’re already at a healthy weight, that’s a great step in the right direction,” says Ankerberg-Nobis, “but it’s not just about the scale. It’s also about how you eat. Paying attention to the fat content of your diet is critical, as research has shown that women with metastatic breast cancer actually increase their risk of dying from that disease by 40 percent for every 1,000 grams of fat consumed in a month.”¹ This does not mean that a woman’s risk of dying is 40 percent. It means that the risk is 40 percent higher than it would otherwise have been, assuming the individual is comparable to those studied.

One thousand grams of fat might sound like a lot, but if you consider that there are five grams of fat in 1/2 teaspoon of peanut butter or one teaspoon of vegetable oil, it is easy to see how the grams add up quickly in the typical American diet. For people who eat meat, the news is even worse; according to Ankerberg-Nobis, the leanest beef is around 29 percent fat and even chicken is around 23 percent. In contrast, broccoli is 8 percent fat, and fruits and whole grains are approximately 4 percent fat. In addition, fruits and vegetables contain cancerfighting chemicals that are not present in animal products, such as beta-carotene and antioxidants.

This creates the goal of weight maintenance through a low-fat diet, cutting down on the amount of animalbased foods consumed and increasing the amount of plant-based foods. “In my experience, many people who find they have a serious illness are ready to commit to a whole new way of eating,” says Ankerberg-Nobis. “But if you’re not ready to do that, there are meaningful steps that can be taken toward the ultimate goal of letting go of the fat you’re used to consuming.”

For example, if you’re already in the habit of cooking your meals, you can use pan spray or add a little broth to your dishes for flavor without a lot of added fat. If you enjoy eating salad, use light or fat-free dressing that doesn’t contain a lot of sugar. And if you have chicken for dinner, try cutting a 3-ounce portion in half and supplement your meal with more fruits and vegetables.

For people heavily dependent on convenience foods, Ankerberg-Nobis suggests purchasing pre-cut fresh fruits and vegetables at the grocery store. They are portable and ready to eat when you’re hungry, giving you one less excuse to reach for a bag of chips.

Ankerberg-Nobis, who has taught cooking classes for The Cancer Project, also suggests that people who are working their way into a predominantly plant-based diet turn to soups and chilis when they are craving a hearty meal. The legumes that go into these dishes provide plenty of fiber, which will help cleanse the body of excess estrogen that can fuel breast cancer. Healthy cooking tips and delicious recipes are available online at
Ankerberg-Nobis’ Web site, www.atlantanutrition.com
and at the Cancer Project, www.cancerproject.org.

Importantly, alcohol consumption is an additional dietary risk factor for breast cancer. “Women who do not drink shouldn’t start, especially if they have a history of breast cancer in the family or if they are overweight,” Ankerberg-Nobis cautions. “Alcohol impairs the liver, where lots of hormones are metabolized. This creates a problem with regard to cancers that are estrogen fed.” For people who do drink alcoholic beverages, Ankerberg- Nobis suggests limiting alcohol intake to once a month or only on very special occasions.

For men who have had breast cancer, the same dietary rules and recommendations apply. “Recruit your family as a support system when you decide to make positive dietary changes, because that will be important for your success,” encourages Ankerberg-Nobis. “But remember that these changes are healthy not just for breast cancer patients, but for everyone. Your entire
family could benefit if they decide to change their eating
habits, too.”

SOURCES:
1. www.cancerproject.org/survival/cancer_facts/breast.php
• Trulie Ankerberg-Nobis, M.S., R.D., L.D. Registered and Licensed Dietician
www.atlantanutrition.com
About Trulie: Ankerberg-Nobis has worked for The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine in Washington, D.C., and as clinical research coordinator for Dr. Neal Barnard’s Program for Reversing Diabetes. Trulie has also taught cooking and nutrition classes for The Cancer Project, which has links to a wide variety of recipes.
• www.med.umich.edu/1libr/aha/aha_exchlisa_crs.htm
• www.cancer.org

This article was first printed in the spring 2008 issue of Lifeline.

For more information on how to treat (or reverse) diabetes with this diet, please contact me.

In the November/December 2007 issue of Atlanta Sports & Fitness Magazine, Jennifer Thornton interviews Trulie for an article in their health section entitled “Mind & Body DETOX.” This issue isn’t posted on their web page, but a scan of the article is available here. Look for the issue at your local health club or gym!

Update: This article was finally posted on the magazine’s webpage:

Mind & Body Detox
Three weeks to the healthiest you yet!

By Jennifer Thornton

For those of us who love sweets, it may seem that we have been cursed to forever endure battling weight gain and denying ourselves the foods we love the most. Excess sugar and fat causes pro-oxidative damage to our cells, making us look 10 years older than we really are. Here are some of the aging problems associated with excess sugar and processed food consumption:

1. Reduced elasticity in skin resulting in wrinkles

2. Poor functioning joints (like arthritis)

3. Aging skin resulting in thinning hair.

4. Damage to blood vessels resulting in heart disease.

I want to tell you that there is hope for enthusiastic sweet tooth. You can enjoy sweets that love you back and actually help fight disease and the aging process. By using fruit and dried fruit and nuts in dessert recipes, desserts will be good for you rather than health compromising. Recent studies have found that even the very sweet dried fruits like dates, figs, apricots and raisins have loads of antioxidants in them to fight the damage to cellular DNA and help prevent aging and diseases like cancer and heart disease. One recent study found that the oxidative damage caused by drinking a typical soft drink was reversed by consuming dried figs. The level of antioxidants in the subjects’ blood stream greatly increased with the figs even after such a damaging sugar dose from the soda.[1]

Additionally, many fruits come with a good dose of carotenoids which have been found to fight the aging process. In a study of beta-carotene supplements, persons taking the supplements reduced the amount of cognitive aging such as declines in memory. While supplements offer some benefits, there are a host of carotenoids (including beta-carotene) that are found in whole fruits providing health benefits to many areas. Additionally, beta-carotene supplements have produced problems such as promoting cancer growth and premature death. Food choices are a better choice.[2]

I would like to make a distinction between healthy fruit-sweetened desserts and the fruit-sweetened desserts available by many food manufacturers. A cookie that is fruit sweetened is not a healthy choice. A healthy dessert should also not have any processed flour products in it and the whole fruit should be present not merely fruit juice or fruit juice concentrates which do no have the antioxidant and nutrient levels of the whole fruit. Additionally, having a fruit and nut-based dessert will provide a good source of fiber which helps to keep overall calories in check. Increasing fiber in your diet will reduce the calories and promote a healthy body weight. Floury foods do not provide the fiber that whole plant foods do.

Nuts are also a better choice for adding some flavor and fat to a dessert. These provide many trace minerals, healthy fats, fiber and phytochemicals and antioxidants. These are a far cry from the nutritionally-devoid artery-clogging processed oils and fats found in most desserts. Nut consumption is associated with longevity as evidenced by the diets of centenarians in Okinawa.

There will be a transition from being accustomed to the highly stimulating processed sugary treats that most people are accustomed to. Expect that it will be at least a week of avoiding processed sugars and substituting with fruit-sweetened desserts before you start to prefer the less toxic food choices. But after a while of only using fruit and nuts as your dessert, your previously favorite desserts will not evoke the same pleasurable feelings you remember. In fact, you will likely find them very unappealing. For convenience sake, you can stock your purse or briefcase with plain dried fruit and nut mixes. Or purchase Larabars which come in a combo of flavors. I have also created a recipe for a sweet treat:

Lemon Cookies

½ cup raisons

1/2 cup brazil nuts

½ cup almonds

¼ unsweetened dried shredded coconut

1 Tablespoon raw cashew butter (or 2 Tbl raw cashews)

3 dates

1 Tablespoon lemon juice

½ teaspoon lemon extract

Grind all ingredients in a food processor or blender until the mixture is small granules. Roll into tablespoon sized balls. Store in refrigerator.

Makes about 17 cookies.

Nutrition Facts: Per tablespoon: Calories: 104, Protein: 2 g, Fat: 8 g, Fiber: 2 g, Carbohydrate: 9 g

As you can see from the nutrition facts for the above recipe, dried fruit and nut based desserts are still high in calories so portion control is important. But unlike other high calorie cookies, these cookies don’t subtract from your nutrient stores and accelerate the aging process. Most importantly, they add to your nutrient stores and anti-oxidant levels in your blood stream helping you to fight diseases and keep you looking young longer.

Ms. Ankerberg-Nobis, Registered Dietician
will be the guest speaker on

Nutrition and Crohn’s Disease

Atlanta Piedmont Hospital/Midtown Area
Support Group
Piedmont Hospital
1968 Peachtree Road

Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Building 77, Classroom 5 on the “M” Level
7:00 pm – 8:30 pm

For more information contact support group facilitator
Amy Antenen at 404-597-8621